Kadeshim1 take part in the rites, cutting their arms and lashing their backs, as they circle the altar in wild religious dances, amidst the din of flutes, cymbals, and songs to the god. Carried away by the wild excitement, not a few of the spectators lose all self-control, and, breaking into frenzy, mutilate themselves with a sword laid ready for the purpose." What followed is unfit to But so deeply did the revolting heathenism of Phenicia taint Israel in after years that Josiah found numbers of such wretched men established in the precincts of the Temple at Jerusalem, along with a body of women who openly wove tents for the impurities of the worship of Ashera.3 be told. But still more terrible were the human sacrifices which marked this idolatry. Children were thrown by their leaped round the altar to the loud music of many instruments.* Then began a new scene. "One of them, the leader in this frenzy, commenced to prophesy,† with sighs and groans, lamenting aloud his past sins, which he would now avenge by the chastisement of his flesh. He then took the knotted whip and lashed his back, cutting himself also with his sword till the blood ran down. A collection wound up the whole. Some threw copper money to them, or even, in some cases, silver. Others brought wine, milk, or cheese, which was greedily accepted, and stuffed into the sack on the ass, beside the goddess. In the evening, when they reached a caravanserai they made up for the bloody chastisements of the day by a debauch, and, if the opportunity offered, gave themselves up to every abomination. De Dea Syra, quoted by Mövers, vol. i. p. 681. Kadeshim is the masculine plural of Kadesh, a man consecrated (to impurity). See note, p. 363. De Dea Syra, § 15, 22, 27, 49–51. 2 Kings xxiii. 7. A description of the dances of the dervishes in Egypt is given by Orelli, Durch's Heilige Land, p. 27, which very much resembles what is told of the dances round the altar of Baal. † 1 Kings xviii. 29. mothers from the top of the temple walls during the feast of Ashtoreth, to be afterwards burnt on the altar. It was in the worship of Moloch, however, that this fearful perversion of human instincts was most terribly seen. The Rabbis describe his image as a human figure with a bull's head and outstretched arms, and this is confirmed by Diodorus.2 MOLOCH. The huge figure, which was of metal, was made glowing hot by a fire kindled within it, and the children, laid in its arms, rolled off into the fiery lap below. The parents stilled the cries of the intended victims by fondling and kissing them-for their weeping would have been unpropitious-and their shrieks afterwards were drowned in the din of flutes and kettle drums. Mothers, says Plutarch, stood by, restraining Diod., xx. 14. 1 Jarchi, on Jerem. vii. 31. Von Döllinger, The Gentile and the Jew, etc., vol. ii. p. 427. all signs of grief, which would have lost them the honour of their sacrifice, without saving the children.1 These hideous scenes were renewed each year on fixed days as an atonement for all the sins committed in the past twelve months. They also took place before great enterprises, or after great misfortunes. The more bitter the sorrow for the loss of an only son, the more pleasing the sacrifice to the god, and the greater its benefit. The numbers burned were sometimes very large. The Carthaginians, we are told, having lost a battle, it was ascribed to the anger of Moloch (Saturn), to whom boys from the noblest families had formerly been offered, instead of boys bought and fed up for the purpose, as had come to be the rule. An enquiry having been made, it was discovered that a number of parents had hidden away their sons, and therefore two hundred boys from the first families were offered at once together; three hundred others voluntarily giving themselves up afterwards, as free-will offerings for the good of their fatherland.2 It was with a religion so revolting, alike in its impurity and cruelty, that the pure worship of Jehovah had to contend, nor can its value to mankind be better realized than by the contrast they offered. The struggle between the two was one of life and death, for they could not exist together. Nor could any spectacle be of loftier interest for the history of our race than that which this sustained battle of light and darkness exhibited during the centuries after Solomon. Through these ages, the true religion continued to attack the foul abominations of heathenism with an invincible energy, a tenacious persistency, and an exhaustless enthusiasm, under the most unfavourable circumstances, till it not only gained the Plut., De Superst., 13. 2 Diod., xx. 14. victory, but drove from its midst whatever could remind it of the idolatry it abhorred.1 The Assyrian tablets throw interesting light on the worship of Baal and the other gods and goddesses common to the Euphrates and Phenicia. A sacred calendar fixed the time of the various sacrifices and rites. On the feast of Anu and Belat the appearance of the new moon on the first night of the month Elul, the king offered a gazelle without blemish to the moon-" raising his hand at the high place of the god." Each day of the month was sacred to a particalar god or goddess, or to a deity of each sex. On the 6th, in the night, before the East wind, the king made an offering to Rimmon. The 7th was a sabbath. "The prince" (or shepherd)" of many nations ate no flesh of birds or cooked fruits; did not change his clothes, or put on white robes, or offer sacrifices, or ride in his chariot, or make laws, or appoint garrisons, or use medicine for sickness of body.'” In the night he offered sacrifices to Merodach and Istar. On the 8th, he himself sacrificed a sheep to Nebo and Tasmit. Each night in fact had its own sacrifices. On the night of the 10th he sacrificed "in the presence of the Milky Way and the star cailed the Son of the Mcon." On the night of the 11th, when the moon "lifts up a halo of pale light," there were sacrifices to the sun and moon. The 14th was a sabbath, like the 7th. The 16th was the feast of Merodach, on which the king did no business. The 19th was another sabbath, known as the white day, or holiday, of Gula. The 20th was a day of light and giftmaking to moon and sun-a festival." The 21st was the anniversary of the moon and sun, and a sabbath, with the same sacred prohibitions and duties as the others. The 22nd was "the Jubilee of the Lady of the Temple." The 23rd that of the sun and the air-god; and so on to the 28th which was the restday of Nergal, and a sabbath. The 29th, the last day of Elul, was the "rest-day of the moon, the day when the spirits of heaven and the spirits of the earth are invoked." Elul corresponded roughly with our August. Records of the Past, vol. vii. pp 157167. THE kingdom had reached its highest glory at the death of David. It was in perfect peace, and so thoroughly organized that no one for a moment disputed its continuance in his line. There was good reason, indeed, to anticipate that its power and greatness would continue to increase, as, in some ways, they did. The fullest development of material prosperity, and the greatest splendour of the theocracy, are associated with the reign of Solomon. But underneath this glittering exterior the elements of decay were already at work, and hence the forty years during which he wore the crown form the central point of Jewish history - the period of its highest glory and also that of its commencing decline. Solomon was about twenty years old at his father's death. He had received the name, which was equivalent to "the Man of Peace," as a pledge to his father that the sin with Bathsheba had been forgiven, in consideration of his lowly repentance.1 Nathan, the great prophet, had 1 Perhaps we may also see in the name Solomon, as in that of Absalom "the Father of Peace," hints of the yearning of their father's heart for peace. Jedidiah has a marked reference to David's own name="the Darling, the Beloved One." It literally means the Darling of Jehovah. VOL. III. 869 B B |