1. In common with all ancient notions, the cai& was regarded by the Hebrews not only as the as- tral point of the universe, but as the nnrrerse kseU; every other body — the heavens, sun, moon, and stsn ^being subsidiary to, and, as it were, the complencat of the earth. The Hebrew language has no expres- sion equivalent to our umvene: the phrase ^' the bear- ens and the earth** (Gen. i, 1 ; xiv, 19 ; Exod. xxxi, 17) has been regarded as such; but it is dear tiiat the heavens were looked upon as a necessary adjunct of the earth — the curtain of the tent in which niaa dwells (Isa. xl, 22), the sphere above which fitted the sphere below (comp. Job xxii, 14, and Isa. xl, 23)— designed solely for purposes of beneficence in the eooo- omy of the earth. This appears fh>m the aocoont of its creation and offices : the existence of the heavee was not prior to or contemporaneous with that of the earth, but subsequent to it ; it was created on the sec- ond day (Gen. i, 6). The term under which it is de- scribed, rakia (^'^p'^), is significant of its ezCntiwa, that it was stretched on/ as a curtain (Pea. dv, 3) onr the surfece of the earth. Moreover, it depended upoi the earth ; it had its " foundations" (2 Sam. xxii, 8) on the edges of the earth*s circle, where it was sqpporttd by the mountains as by massive pillars (Job xxvi,ll). Its offices were (1) to support the waters whi<^ wen above it (Gen. i, 7 ; Psa. cxlviii, 4), and thus to fiinn s mighty reservoir of rain and snow, which were to poor forth tiirough its windows (Gen. vii, 11 ; Isa. xxiv, 18) and doors (Psa. Ixxviii, 23), as through opened sluice- gates, for tiie fructification of the euth ; (2) to serve as the tubstrcttum (anpkwfia or "^/Srmainenl^) in whid the celestial bodies were to be fixed. As with the heaven itself, so also with the heavenly bodies ; tbey were regarded solely as the ministers of the eaith. Their offices were (1) to give light ; (2) to separate be- tween day and night; (8) to be for signg, as in the csn of eclipses or other extraordlnaiy phenomena ; for «o-
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9nm, as regoUKting seed-time and harrest, smnmer and rmter, as well as religions festivals ; and for days and ^txrs, the length of tiie former being dependent on the an, tbe latter being estimated by the motions both of an and moon (Gen. i, 14-18) ; so that while it migbt Toly- "be said that thej held ** dominion** over the earth Job zxxviii, 83), that dominion was exercised solely br tbe convenience of the tenants of earth (Psa. dv, 19 -23]). So entirely, indeed, was the existence of heaven Lad tbe heavenly bodies designed for tbe earth, that ndth tbe earth they shall simultaneoosly perish (2 Pet. ii, 10) : the cnrtain of the tent shall be rolled up^ and :be stars shall of necessity drop off (Isa. xxxiv, 4 ; Ifatt. xxdv, 29)— their sympathy with earth's destrao- ^oa being the connterpart of their joyons song when Its fbandations were laid (Job xxxviii, 7).
2. The earth was regarded in a twofold aspect : in relation to God, as the manifestation of his infinite at- tributes ; in relieition to man, as the scene of his abode. (1.) The Hebrew cosmology is based npon the lead- ing principle that the universe exists, not independent- ly of God, by any necessity or any inherent power, nor yet contemporaneously with God, as being coexistent with bim, nor yet in opposition to God, as a hostile ele- ment, but dependenUy upon hlmfsubsequentiy to him, and in subjection to 1dm. The opening words of Gen- esis express in broad terms this leading principle ; how- ever difficult it may be, as we have already observed, to express this truth adequately in human language, yet there can be no doubt that the subordination of matter to God in every respect is implied in that pas- sage, as well as in other passages, too numerous to quote, wbieb comment upon it. The same great principle mns through the whole history of creation : matter owed all its forms and modifications to the will of Grod ; in itself dull and inert, it received its first vivifying ca- pacities from the influence of the Spirit of God brood- ing over the deep (Gen. i, 2) ; the progressive improve- ments in its condition were the direct and miraculous effbcts of God*s will ; no interposition of secondary causes is recognised — ** He spake, and it was** (Psa. a^xxiii, 9); and the pointed terseness and sharpness witb which the writer sums up the whole transaction in the three expressions "God said,*' "it was so,'* < *• God saw that it was good**— the firet declaring the divine volition, the second the immediate result, the third the perfectness of the work— harmonizes aptiy with the view which he intended to express. Thus the earth became in the eyes of the pious Hebrew the scene on which the divine perfections were displayed : the heavens (Psa. xix, 1), tiie earth (Psa. xxiv, 1 ; civ, 24>, the sea (Job xxvi, 10; Psa. Ixxxix, 9 ; Jer. v, 22), <* niountains and hills, fruitful trees and all cedars, beasts and all cattle, creeping things and flying fowl'* (Psa. czlviii, 9, 10), all displayed one or other of the leading attributes of his character. So also with the ordinary operations of nature — the thunder was his voice (Job xxxvii, 5), the lightnings his arrows (Psa. Ixxrvii, 17), the wind and storm his messengers (Psa. cxlviii, 8), the earthquake, the eclipse, and the comet the signs of his presence (Joel ii, 10 ; Matt xxiv, 29 ; Luke xxi, 25). See Amthbopomorfhism.