Excerpt from Oriental Customs: Or an Illustration of the Sacred Scriptures, by an Explanatory Application of the Customs and Manners of the Eastern Nations, and Especially the Jews, Therein Alluded to Collected From the Most Celebrated Travellers, and the Most Eminent Critics The language of the scriptures is highly figu rative. It abounds with allusions and metaphors, and from this source obtains many of its beauties. The objects-of nature, and the manners of mi tions, are introduced to diversify and adorn the sacred page and many of the boldest and finest images, which are there to be found, are formed upon established customs. Such passages, when first delivered, were easily understood and fully comprehended, and came to the mind with an energy which gave them certain effect. If a simis lar influence do not accompany them to persons whose residence is in distant climes and ages, it is because they are unacquainted with such cir cumstances as are therein alluded to, or because they suffer their own habits and manners to pre possess the mind with disaffeetion, to every thing discordant from its own particular and favourite modes. If we desire to understand the word of God as it was originally revealed, we must not fail to advert to its peculiarities, and especially those of the description in question. It will be found absolutely impossible to' develope the meaning of many passages, without recurring to the customs with which they are connected and these, when brought forward, will remove the ah struseness which was supposed to attend the sub ject, and give it a just and clear representation. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.