(himself a.n enigma), on the south boundBry answer the question. The suggestion II.as of Ephraim, between the nether Beth-boron been made that the name may, by some and Ataroth. Shomer; i.q. ~he.mer of ver. 34. great error of copyists, stand for either Ver. 33.-Nothing, except what follows Zophah's last son Beere., or, by happier con- in the next verses, is known of the three jecture, JethPr's last sou, Ara. But neither sons of Ja.phlet given in this verse. In professes to be anything better than mere them we reach the fourth generation from conjecture. Asher. The generations then travel for- Ver. 40.-Twenty and six thousand. The ward through Helem, presumably a third number of Asherites, "of twenty years old brother of Japhlet, passing the sons of and upwards, able to go forth to war," She.mer, or Shomer, presumably Je.phlet's given in Numb. i. 40, 41, was forty-one second brother. thousand five hundred. Forty years later Vers. 34, 35.-Ahl. It seems impossible (Numb. xxvi. 44-47; comp. ver. 2) the to decide with certainty whether this is the number was fifty-three thousand four hun- name of e. person or whether, with the 0011,, dred. But it is supposed that the twenty- which otherwise begins the next word, it six thousand of this verse may refer only should not be tra.nsla.ood "his brother," i.e. to a portion of the tribe, i.e. to the large the brother of Japhlet. In ver. 32 the and distinguished family of Heber. It is names of three brothers are given, sons of to be noticed that the name of the tribe of Heber, viz. Japhlet, Shomer, and Botham. Asher is not found in the list of the " chief Now, the name Helem, in ver. 35, is sup- rulers" lower down in this book (eh. xxvii. posed to point to this Hotham. If it be so, 16-22). The tone also in which reference it would so far be a.n argument that Ahi, in is made to Asher and Manasseh and Zebu- ver. 34, should be translated " his brother," lun coming to Jernsalem to Hezekiah's in correspondence with the undoubted "his Passover (2 Chron. xxx. 11) is very notice- brother" of ver. 35. Of no one of the able. This tribe, with Simeon, gave no names in these verses is anything further judge to the nation, and of all the tribes known. west of the Jordan they stand by themselves Vere. 36--38.-Vers. 36 and 37 purport to in this respect. There is an ancient legend give us eleven sons of Zophah, son of Helom, that the pa.rents of St. Paul lived within and grandson of Heber, and these bring us the territories of Asher, at the place called to the sizth generation from Asher; and Ahla.b in Judg. i. 31, otherwise Gisco.la, or again (ver. 38), we reach the seventh in Gush Cha.leb. Against the uncertainty of descent from Asher, in the three sons of tile legend we may gmtefully remember the J'ether, or Ithran, the tenth son of Zophah. certainty of the history of the " Anna, ... Ver. 39.-Ulla. Whether in this verse we daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser" get to the ei,ghth generation depends on who (Luke ii. 36). may be meant by UUa. It is impossible to
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 22.-Mourning and consolation. '£here is much obscurity about this passage, as recording an historical incident. But, though it is not easy to decide who the per- sons referred to were and at what time they lived, the incident is a witness to the community of human nature, both in the bitterness of the earthly lot and in the con- solations with which it abounds. We have here brought before us- I. BEREAVEMENT. From the first it has been the fate of men to endure tl,iJI sorrow, for onr days on earth are as a shadow, and death takes away from us all in .turn the joys of our hearts, the desire of our eyes, the objects of our hopes. And it is to be observed that the sudden and violent death of our beloved ones is peculiarly distressing, When the young are cut down by wicked hands, in tumult or in war, the shock to survivors is especially painful. IL MouBNING. Lamentation for our dead is natural and right. "Jesus wept" at Lazarus's grave. There is such a thing as sanctified sorrow. In certain cases, even poignant grief and prolonged mourning arc excusable. "The heart knoweth his own bitterness." The pa.rent weeps for the children because they are not, III. SYMPATHY AND CONSOLATION. Those who are near akin or intimate friends aro expected to offer their affectionate condolence to the bereaved in the hour of sorrow and desolation. '!'his is the obligation of friendship and it~ privilege also, Helpful antl consolatory is true sympathy; for who would wish to bear his heaviest bunlcn alone? Yet the most profitable ministrations in bereavement arc those by which the heart of oH. vu. 1-40.] 'l'HE FIRST BOOK OF 'l'HE CHRONICLES. 103
the bereaved is directed to take refuge in the fatherly wisdom and love of God, an<l in the tender sympathy of that High Priest who "in all our afflictions ... is afflictc<l," aud who is "touched with the feeling of our infirmities.n-T.
Ver. 24.-.A famous woman. We know nothing else of Sherah than is recorded in this verse. Whether she did herself build or enlarge and fortify these towns, or whether this was the work of her descendants, is not easy to decide. The fact, in any case, is of interest for us, that her name should be put upon record in this passage, and should be associated with great works. I, A WOMAN MAY BE SELECTED BY PROVIDENCE TO FULFIL SOME VAST DESIGN. History records great feats of feminine valour; for women have defended castles and cities by their heroism, and delivered nations, by personal bravery and by the enthusiastic support they have commanded. Some nations, as e.g. our own, number among their sovereigns queens of singular sagacity and statesmanship. In art and in literature, and even in science, women have, in our own times, won for themselves a high position and a wide renown. II. THE WORK OF NOBLE WOMEN IS ESPECIALLY TO BUILD. If not cities, societies and families have again and again been built up in strength and stateliness and ser- viceableness through feminine wisdom, sympathy, and devotedness. A gifted and fascinating woman has often been the architect of fortune, and, as the centre and inspiration of intellectual and social life, has not only laid the foundations, but reared the edifice of political and social power. III. A GIFTED WOMAN'S WORTHIEST WORK IS WORK FOR Goo. How many such shine from the pages of inspiration ! Sarah, Miriam, Ruth, Haunah, Esther, in the Old 'l'esta- ment; the Maries, Priscilla, Dorcas, Lydia, in the New Testament, may serve as examples. No work is so congenial to the female character, so truly graceful and ornamental to the feminine life, as work for Christ. IV. A WOMAN WHO SERVES THE LORD AND LEAVES AN EX.AMPLE OF PIETY AND USE- FULIIESS IS WORTHY OF BEING HELD IN LASTING REMEMBRANCE, If the inspired writer thought well to record the name of the builder of Both-boron, surely the memory of the noblewomen of our Lord's spiritual kingdom should never fade.-T.