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METALS AND METALLURGY.

marat, (1Kings 7.45;) the overlaying with gold, silver, or tin, tsaphah, (Exod. 25. 24; 1Kings 6. 20,) and D hhaphah, (2Chron. 3. 25,) are also mentioned as processes well known.

The following fabrications from iron occur in various passages. The axe, (Deut. 19. 5; 2Kings 6. 5;) saws, (2Sam. 12. 31;) chisels for stone, (Deut. 27. 5;) iron pans, (Ezek. 4. 3;) bolts, chains, knives, pieces of armour, (1Sam. 17.7;) and in one instance a bedstead. (Deut. 3. 11.) There were also war-chariots of iron. (Josh. 17. 16; Judges 1. 19.)

From copper or brass were made vessels and cups of all kinds, (Levit. 6. 28; Numb. 16. 39; 2Chron. 4. 16; Ezra 8. 27;) also pieces of armour, helmets, shields, spears, harness, (1Sam. 17. 5,6,38; 2Sam. 21. 16;) chains, (Judges 16. 21;) and mirrors. (Exod. 38. 8.) The larger vessels were cast, and likewise the columns which served for architectural ornament. (1 Kings 7. 15.)

From lead were fabricated weights, and articles to measure with. (Amos 7. 7; Zech. 5. 8.)

From gold and silver were fabricated various descriptions of ornaments, particularly rings, also cups and other vessels. The sacred vessels of the Temple were principally made of the precious metals. (Ezra 5. 14.) Those who worshipped idols had them of silver and gold. (Isai. 2. 20; Acts 17. 29.) They had likewise other sacred things made of silver, (Acts 19. 24;) these were sometimes gilt upon the silver.

"From the mention of earrings and bracelets, and jewels of silver and gold, in the days of Abraham," says Sir John Gardner Wilkinson, "it is evident that in Asia,

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as well as in Egypt, the art of metallurgy was known' at a very remote period; and workmen of the same countries are noticed by Homer as excelling in the manufacture of arms, rich vases, and other objects, inlaid or ornamented with metals. His account of the shield of Achilles proves the art of working the various substances of which it was made, copper, tin, gold, and silver, to have been well understood at that time; and besides those manufactured in the country from the produce of their own mines, the Egyptians exacted an annual tribute from the conquered provinces of Asia and Africa, in gold and silver, and in vases made of those materials. "That the knowledge of gilding was coeval with the sojourn of the Israelites in the country is evident from the direct mention of it in the Bible, the ark of shittim wood made by Moses being overlaid with pure gold; and the casting of the metal is noticed on the same occasion; nor can we doubt that the art was derived by the Jews from Egypt, or that the Egyptians had long before been acquainted with all those secrets of metallurgy in which the specimens that remain prove them to have so eminently excelled."

By referring to the monuments of Egypt we are at once supplied with numerous particulars respecting the various processes of metallurgy. The Egyptians, it is evident, carried the working of metals to a very extraordinary degree of perfection, especially after they had invented the bellows and the siphon. The following illustrations are copied from the paintings in the tombs at Beni Hassan. In them almost every process of metallurgy will be found depicted, and the use of the blowpipe is a most remarkable feature.

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Workers in Metal. From the Egyptian Monuments.

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For ordinary purposes," says Wilkinson, "copper | was the metal most commonly used; arms, vases, statues, instruments and implements of every kind, articles of furniture, and numerous other objects were made of this metal, hardened by an alloy of tin, and even chisels for cutting stone, as well as carpenters' tools, and knives, were of bronze.

"It is not known at what period they began to cast statues and other objects in bronze, or if the use of beaten copper long preceded the art of casting in that metal. No light is thrown on this point by the paintings of Beni Hassan and Thebes, or by the tombs in the vicinity of the Pyramids, which, from their early date, would be an authority highly satisfactory and important. It is indeed singular that at no period do we find any representation among the many subjects connected with the trades, arts, and occupations of the Egyptians, which relate to this process; even in tombs or on monuments made at a time when we know, from positive evidence, that they were acquainted with it; another convincing proof that no argument against the existence of a custom ought to be derived from the circumstance of its not being indicated on the monuments. Many bronze statues have been found, evidently, from their style, of a very early period; but in the absence of a king's name, it is impossible to fix their exact date, though I feel persuaded that the art of casting metal was known before the commencement of the eighteenth dynasty, and it is probable that many specimens exist of the age of Osirtasen and Thothmes."

"We have no means of ascertaining the exact period when the Phoenicians first visited the coasts of Britain in search of tin; some have supposed about the year 400 or 450 before our æra; but that this metal was employed many ages previously is shown from the bronze vessels and implements discovered at Thebes and other parts of Egypt. It cannot, however, be inferred that the mines of Britain were known at that remote period, since the intercourse with India may have furnished the Egyptians with tin; and the Phoenicians probably obtained it from Spain and India long before they visited these distant coasts, and discovered the richness of our productive mines. Ezekiel, indeed, expressly says that the Tyrians received tin, as well as other metals, from Tarshish; which whether it was situated, as some suppose, in Arabia or on the Indian coast, traded in the productions of the latter country; and the lamentation of the prophet Ezekiel, (27. 12,) on the fall of Tyre, though written as late as the year 588 before our æra, relates to a commercial intercourse with that place, which had been established and continued to exist from a much earlier period. It is probable that the Phoenicians supplied the Egyptians with this article even before it was brought from Spain and Britain. The commercial intercourse of the two nations dated at a most remote epoch; the produce and coasts of Arabia and India appear to have been known to the Phoenicians long before any other people; and some have even supposed that they migrated from the Red Sea to the shores of Syria.

"The first mention of tin, though not the earliest proof of its use, is in connexion with the spoils taken by the Israelites from the people of Midian in the year 1452 B.C., when they are commanded by Moses to purify 'the gold and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead,' by passing it through the fire. (Numb. 31. 22.) Its combination with other metals is noticed by Isaiah 760 years before our æra, who alludes to it as an alloy mixed with a more valuable substance, and Ezekiel shows that it was used for this purpose in connexion with silver.

"Spain, in carly times, was to the Phoenicians what

America, at a later period, was to the Spaniards; and no one can read the accounts of the immense wealth derived from the mines of that country, in the writings of Diodorus and other authors, without being struck by the relative situation of the Phoenicians and ancient Spaniards, and the followers of Cortes or Pizarro and the inhabitants of Mexico or Peru. "The whole of Spain,' says Strabo, abounds with mines . . . . and in no country are gold, silver, copper, and iron in such abundance or of such good quality; even the rivers and torrents bring down gold in their beds, and some is found in the sand:' and the fanciful assertion of Posidonius, regarding the richness of the country in precious metals, surpasses the phantoms created in the minds of the conquerors of America. The Phoenicians purchased gold, silver, tin, and other metals from the inhabitants of Spain and the Cassiterides, by giving in exchange earthenware vessels, oil, salt, bronze instruments, and other objects of little value, in the same manner as the Spaniards on their arrival at Hispaniola; and such was the abundance of silver, that after loading their ships with full cargoes, they stripped the lead from their anchors, and substituted the same weight of silver."

There are numerous beautiful specimens of Egyptian skill in metallurgy in the British Museum, consisting of mirrors, vases, bowls, cups, weapons, tools, &c., which are highly deserving of inspection by all who take an interest in the subject. See BRASS; COPPER; GOLD; IRON; LEAD; SILVER; TIN.

METE-YARD, 170 middah, signifies a measuring line. (Levit. 19. 35.)

METHUSELAH, nwn the son of Enoch and father of Lamech, is celebrated for having reached the greatest age attained by man. He died A.M. 1656, aged nine hundred and sixty-nine years. (Gen. 5. 21,25.) The year of his death was that of the Deluge. MEZUZZA. See HOUSE.

I. MICAH, an Israelite of the tribe of Ephraim, was the son of a rich widow. (Judges ch. 17.) He became an occasion of stumbling to Israel by setting up an establishment in imitation of that at Shiloh, probably with an imitation of the ark, of the images of the cherubim, and of the priestly dress, and ultimately obtaining a Levite to officiate as priest. Thus idolatry took root and soon diffused itself throughout the land.

II. MICAH, the prophet, was a native of Morasthi, a small town in the southern part of the territory of Judah; and, as we learn from the commencement of his predictions, he prophesied in the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah; consequently he was contemporary with Isaiah, Joel, Hosea, and Amos. The time, place, and manner of his death are unknown. His prophecies relating to the complete destruction of Jerusalem, and of the Temple, are alluded to by Jeremiah. (26. 18,19.)

According to the arrangement in the Hebrew and all modern copies, as well as in the Septuagint, Micah is placed as the third of the minor prophets. The principal predictions contained in this book are, the invasions of Shalmanezer and Sennacherib; the destruction of Samaria and of Jerusalem, mixed with consolatory promises of the deliverance of the Jews from the BabyÎonian captivity, and of the downfall of the power of their Assyrian and Babylonian oppressors; the cessation of prophecy in consequence of their continued deceitfulness and hypocrisy; and a desolation in a then distant period, still greater than that which was declared to be impend

MICAH

ing. The birth of the Messiah at Bethlehem is also expressly foretold; and the Jews are directed to look to the establishment and extent of his kingdom as an unfailing source of comfort amidst general distress. The prophecy of Micah, contained in the fifth chapter, is perhaps the most important single prophecy in all the Old Testament, and the most comprehensive respecting the personal character of the Messiah, and his successive manifestations to the world. It crowns the whole chain of predictions respecting the several limitations of the promised seed to the line of Shem, to the family of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; to the tribe of Judah; and to the royal house of David, terminating in his birth at Bethlehem, "the city of David." It carefully distinguishes his human nativity from his Divine nature and eternal existence; foretels the casting off the Israelites and Jews for a season; their ultimate restoration; and the universal peace which should prevail in the kingdom and under the government of the Messiah. This prophecy therefore forms the basis of the New Testament revelation, which commences with the birth of the Messiah at Bethlehem, the miraculous circumstances of which are recorded by St. Matthew and St. Luke in the introduction to their respective histories; the eternal subsistence of Christ as "the Word," in the sublime introduction of St. John's Gospel; his prophetic character, and second coming, illustrated in the four Gospels, and in the Apostolic Epistles.

The style of Micah is nervous, concise, and elegant, often elevated and poetical, but sometimes obscure from the sudden transitions of subject; and the contrast of the neglected duties of justice, mercy, humility, and piety, with the minute observance of the ceremonial sacrifices, affords a beautiful example of the harmony which subsists between the Mosaic and Christian dispensations, and shows that the Law partook of that spiritual nature which more obviously characterizes the religion of Jesus.

MICAIAH, the son of Imlah of Ephraim, was a prophet who lived in the time of Ahab, whom he in vain endeavoured to dissuade from his purposed expedition against Ramoth Gilead. (1Kings 22. 8-38.) See LYING SPIRIT.

MICE, akbar. The mouse is declared by Moses to be unclean, (Levit. 11. 29,) but the prophet Isaiah (66. 17) reproaches the Jews of his time with eating the flesh of mice and other things that were impure and abominable.

The common mouse and the field mouse are both too well known to need description, but we may remark that they are numerous enough in the East to commit very extensive ravages: thus Burckhardt acquaints us that the province of Hamah (Hamath) is the granary of Northern Syria, though the harvest never yields more than ten for one, "chiefly in consequence of the immense numbers of mice, which sometimes wholly destroy the crops." He subsequently repeats the same statement with reference to the crops of the Haouran; and it seems that throughout Syria the field mice commit dreadful havoc in the cultivated fields in those years when there has been little or no frost in winter. For this reason the Bedouins and peasants are encouraged to destroy them by a price upon the head of every one produced dead. Their ravages are sometimes experienced in England; a serious devastation in the young plantations of the Forest of Dean' and the New Forest in 1812, 1813, was made chiefly by the short-tailed field mouse, which was found to be fifty to one as compared

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to its long-tailed congener. In the former of these forests 30,000 of both species were caught in the year ending March, 1814, besides a large number that were taken from the pitfalls by various animals and birds.

Some writers have thought that the jerboa (Dipus sagitta) is the mouse of the Scriptures, but the greater number, and more extensive ravages of the short-tailed field mouse, may render this doubtful.

The jerboa of Palestine and Syria is no doubt the same species as that in Egypt. The animal is about the size of a large rat, although its long hind legs and extended tail give it a much more conspicuous appearance. The body is short, well covered with long soft silky hair, externally of a fawn colour, with blackish

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zig-zag stripes; these tints being rather dusky, are set off by the fine shining white of the belly. They are miniature kangaroos without the pouch. The fore feet seem merely of use to rest upon the ground and to convey food to the mouth; for if the animals are frightened, or wish to proceed at a quick rate, they stand upon their hind legs only, and take leaps of four or five yards at a time, with the tail horizontally extended. The jerboa feeds after the manner of a squirrel, by the aid of its fore feet, which serve the purpose of hands. It is a lively harmless animal, lives entirely on vegetables, and burrows in the ground like 'a rabbit. The excavations which it forms are many yards long, oblique, and winding, but not more than half a yard from the surface of the ground. It is fond of warmth, making its nest of the finest and most delicate herbage. The jerboa does not hybernate in the warm climate of Egypt. Sonnini suspected it must do so in more northern climes; which conjecture has been confirmed by Pallas; and, according to Russell, a partial hybernation takes place even in Northern Syria. His captured jerboas began to grow sleepy towards the approach of winter, and slept two or three days together without eating; they then had a waking interval of two or three days, and they sometimes remained asleep for eight days together, without tasting food and without apparent signs of life, their limbs being quite stiff and their bodies cold to the touch. The burrows of the jerboas are of frequent occurrence in the plains and deserts of Palestine and Syria, and various travellers complain of the inconvenience of the numerous holes to their cattle. This, however, occurs less frequently in Palestine than in the bordering deserts. In particular, almost every traveller across the desert from Damascus to Palmyra, from the first discoverers of the ruins down to Addison, take notice of these burrows. The last mentioned traveller describes the soil of the vast plain upon which the traveller enters after quitting the last inhabited village as everywhere burrowed by the jerboa, in some parts completely honeycombed, which renders riding dangerous. He states that some of the animals were so tame as to sit up in

their holes, and watch the party as it passed. It was October, and he adds, "how the little animals exist at this season of the year appears to me passing strange, as the herbage is all burnt up, and there is no water." The flesh is reckoned a delicacy by the Arabs. Sonnini, however, heard that the flesh was not very palatable, and Russell heard that it was well tasted; but neither took the trouble to ascertain the fact.

Sir John Gardner Wilkinson observes, "The injuries caused by mice and rats, in a country like Egypt, were far from suggesting any sanctity in these destructive animals; though jerboas, from their more secluded habits and smaller numbers, might not have excited the same animosity, either among the peasantry, or the inhabitants of the towns. Two species of jerboa inhabit the country. They are the same which Pliny and Ælian mention as 'mice walking on two legs,' 'using,' as the latter observes, their fore-feet for hands, and leaping, when pursued, upon their hind legs.' Those with bristles like the hedgehog, described by Pliny, are still common in Egypt, principally in the desert, where their abode is among stones and fallen rocks. The mummies of mice and rats are said to have been found in the tombs of Thebes."

In 1Samuel 6. 5, we read that the Philistines, on the return of the ark of the Lord, inquired, "What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines." It seems it was a prevalent custom among the ancient idolatrous nations to offer to the god from whom they expected, or to whom they attributed the cure of their diseases, a representation in metal or otherwise, of the parts affected, of the disease itself, or of the means of cure. On this principle the Philistines sent not only the images of their emerods, with reference to their disease, but also images of the "mice" which marred the land. The same practice still subsists in India, as Mr. Roberts informs us that "it is a remarkable fact, that when the Hindoos are afflicted in any particular member, (or in the person generally,) they make an image to represent the afflicted part, and send it to the temple of Kanda Swamy, the Scandan of Bengal, in order to get relieved from their trouble. The temple of Kattaragam (sacred to Scandan,) is famous in all parts of the East for the cures which have been performed by the deity there. Hence may be seen pilgrims at its shrine, suffering under every kind of disease, who have walked, or have been carried, from an immense distance. The images presented are generally made of silver, and I have seven of them in my possession, which were offerings in the famous temple already mentioned. The first represents a boy with a very large belly, which has probably been presented by the parents for their child labouring under that (very common) complaint. The second is that of an infant, probably sent by a mother who had a sick infant. The third is, I suppose, intended to represent an old man, who may have made a vow in his sickness that he would present an image of silver to the temple should he recover." Among the Greeks and Romans, the temples of Esculapius and of other gods, supposed to have the care of men's health, were crowded with similar representations, and, like many other heathenish customs, this is still the practice of many of the more ignorant votaries of the Romish church.

MICHAEL, Sept. Mixanλ, (Dan. 10. 13,21; Jude 9; Rev. 12. 7,) is the name of one of the seven archangels, stated by the Talmudists to be the

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intercessor for the Jewish people before the throne of God. See ANGEL and ARCHANGEL.

The Apostle Jude speaks (v. 9,10,) of Michael contending with the devil, and disputing about the body of Moses; an expression which has given rise to many opinions. Without entering upon a recital of these, we may remark that the opinion of Dr. Macknight seems to be the most reasonable, and the least liable to exception. In Daniel 10. 13,21, and 12. 1, Michael, he remarks, is spoken of as one of the chief angels who took care of the Israelites as a nation; he may, therefore, he thinks, have "been the angel of the Lord," before whom Joshua the high-priest is said to have stood, "Satan being at his right-hand to resist him," (Zech. 3. 1,) namely, in his design of restoring the Jewish church and state, called by Jude "the body of Moses," just as the Christian church is called by St. Paul "the body of Christ." Zechariah adds, " And the Lord," that is, the angel of the Lord, as is plain from v. 1," said unto Satan, The Lord rebuketh thee, O Satan! even the Lord who hath chosen Jerusalem, rebuketh thee." Dr. Adam Clarke adopts this view of the passage, and adds to the remarks of Dr. Macknight the following:

"Among the Hebrews 1 guph, body,' is often used for a thing itself; so Romans 7. 24, 'the body of sin,' signifies sin itself. So the body of Moses may signify Moses himself; or that in which he was particularly concerned, namely, his institutes, religion, &c." See JUDE.

Mich

MICHMASH, D Michmas, or i mash; Sept. Maxuas, was a city belonging to the tribe of Benjamin, (Ezra 2. 27; Nehem. 7. 31,) about ten miles from Jerusalem, to the east of Beth-Aven. Contiguous to this place was a ledge of sharp rocks, two of which, named Bozez and Sineh, faced Michmash and Gibeah; the one north, the other south. One of these was ascended by Jonathan and his armour-bearer, who routed the garrison of the Philistines that defended the pass of Michmash. In the vicinity of this place were caves, thickets, rocks, and pits, in which the Israelites concealed themselves from their enemies. (1 Sam. 13.6.) Here Sennacherib laid up his heavy carriages and provisions, and probably mustered his army, when he invaded Judea. (Isai. 10. 28.) After the return from the captivity, Michmash was rebuilt, (Nehem. 11. 31,) and a village called Mukhmas still occupies its site. Rocks and pits characterize the present appearance of the place to which tradition has given the name of Michmash; but no thickets or bushes are to be seen. A succession of low and barren hills leads up to the higher one of Michmash, which commands a fine and extensive view. There are also several caves on the spot. Mr. Rae Wilson states "at present this place is distinguished by the name of Beer, signifying a well; most probably from its containing a very delicious spring of water."

Professor Robinson, however, gives a different account. He thus describes the country northward of Jerusalem: "Our first excursion from Jerusalem was made on horseback, and occupied two days, the 4th and 5th of May. We were accompanied by friends from the city, and made in all a party of six, besides our attendants. Our road led at first north-east over the ridge which extends northward from the Mount of Olives; and after crossing several wadys and hills, we came in about an hour to Anâta, the ancient Anathoth, the birth-place of Jeremiah. It is a miserable village, situated on a high ridge which slopes gradually to the east, with a deep valley on the north. From this point there is a wide view over the whole eastern slope of the mountainous

MICHMASH

region; including also the valley of the Jordan, and the northern part of the Dead Sea. The whole tract is made up of deep rugged valleys, running eastward, with broad ridges of uneven table-land between, often rising into high points. The sides of the valleys are so steep that, in descending into them, we were usually obliged to dismount from our horses. The whole district is a mass of limestone rock, which everywhere juts out above the surface, and imparts to the whole land only the aspect of sterility and desolation. Yet wherever soil is found among the rocks it is strong and fertile; fields of grain appeared occasionally; and fig-trees and olive-trees were scattered everywhere among the hills. Lower down the slope, towards the Jordan valley, all is desert. The region now before us was that alluded to in Isaiah 10. 28 et seq., where the approach of Sennacherib towards Jerusalem is described. Proceeding from Anathoth northwards, and crossing two deep valleys, we came in eighty minutes to Jeba, the ancient Gibeah of Saul. West of this, on a conical hill near the Nablous road, is Râm, the ancient Ramah, now a deserted village. North-east of Jeba, across the very deep valley, lies Mukhmas, the ancient Michmash, to which we came in about three-quarters of an hour. In the bottom of the valley, directly between Jeba and Mukhmas, are two conical hills, not very high, which are probably the scene of Jonathan's romantic adventure against the Philistines recorded in 1Samuel, ch. 14. From Mukhmas we continued our way northward to Deir Diwan, a large village lying also on the southern brow of a deep valley. In this vicinity must have been the site of ancient Ai. It probably lay a short distance south of the modern village, where are still the remains of an ancient city, such as portions of wall, reservoirs for water, and sepulchres

hewn in the rock."

MID-DAY. The word tsaharaim, rendered in our version "mid-day" in 1Kings 18. 29, is translated "noon" in Genesis 43. 16,25; Deut. 28. 29. The word in the original is in the dual form, and signifies properly"double light." See AFTERNOON; DAY; HOUR; TIME.

MIDIAN, The land of Midian, or country of the Midianites, (Exod. 3. 1,) derived its name from Midian, the son of Abraham by Keturah. This country extended from the east of the land of Moab, on the east of the Dead Sea, southward along the Elanitic gulf of the Red Sea, stretching some way into Arabia. It further passed to the south of the land of Edom, into the peninsula of Mount Sinai.

To it Moses retired

from Egypt, and in it dwelt Jethro, one of whose daughters Moses married. (Exod. 2. 21.)

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MIDIANITES, Sept. Madiavirai, Madınvalot. (Gen. 25, 2,4; Judges 6. 7.) The Midianites occupied a large tract of country reaching from the north-east of the Dead Sea, far into the Arabian peninsula; and accordingly they are often distinguished by writers into the northern and southern Midianites. The latter were also called Cushites, because they occupied the country that originally belonged to Cush; they retained the knowledge of the true God, as we may infer from the story of Jethro, (Exod. ch. 2, 3,) which appears to have been lost among the eastern or northern Midianites, (Gen. 25. 2-6; 37. 28; Exod. 2. 3,18;) these latter were either subject to or allied with the Moabites; and their women were the principal means of seducing the Israelites to idolatry, which wickedness was punished by the almost total destruction of their nation. (Numb. 22. 4-7; ch. 25, 31.)

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The Midianites, together with their neighbours the Ishmaelites, were early engaged in the trade between the East and the West, as we find those to whom Joseph was sold carrying spices, the produce of the East, into Egypt; and taking Gilead in their way, to add the highly prized balm of that country to their merchandise. It appears that at the time of the passage of the Israelites through the country of the Amorites, the Midianites had been subdued by that people, as the chiefs or kings of their five principal tribes are called dukes, or lieutenants, of Sihon. (Josh. 13. 21.) It was at this time that the Midianites, alarmed at the numbers and progress of the Israelites, united with the Moabites in sending for Balaam, the soothsayer, thinking to do that by incantation which they despaired of effecting by force. The result of this measure, the constraint imposed on Balaam to bless instead of to curse, and the subsequent defeat and slaughter of the Midianites, form one of the most interesting narratives in the early history of the Jews. (Numb. ch. 22-25, 31.) About two hundred years after this, the Midianites having recovered their numbers and their strength, were permitted by God to distress the Israelites, for the space of seven years, as a punishment for their relapse into idolatry. But at length their armies, which had encamped in the valley of Jezreel, were miraculously defeated by Gideon. (Judges ch. 6-8.) The Midianites appear not to have survived this second discomfiture as a nation, but became gradually incorporated with the Moabites and Arabians.

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מגדול

MIGDOL, Sept. Maydolov, was a town in Egypt not far from the Arabian Gulf. (Exod. 14. 2; Jerem. 44. 1; 46. 14.) It was one of the cities in which the Jews dwelt that took Jeremiah with them to Egypt, as the prophet informs us in the following passage:"The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews who dwelt in the land of Egypt, who dwelt at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the country of Pathros." (ch. 44. 1.) This passage likewise points out Egypt Proper, or the northern division of southern division of it, as the region in which Migdol Egypt, in opposition to the land of Pathros, or the stood; and the history of the journeyings of the children of Israel from Egypt indicates the part of this northern division in which it stood, namely, near the end of the Red Sea, on the western shore of it; for, in Exodus 14. 2, we read that the last encampment of the Israelites before they went across the Red Sea, was between Migdol and that sea. Some writers, however, think the Migdol of Jeremiah stood on the verge of the desert between Egypt and Canaan, and much nearer to the Mediterranean than to the Red Sea. Herodotus represents Nekus, or Pharaoh Necho, as gaining a great victory over the Jews, when Josiah was killed, at this place, mistaking Magdolon for Megiddo.

The name Migdol signifies a tower, whence it is probable that the city so designated was a strong fortress. See MAGDALA.

MIGRON, (1 Sam. 14. 2; Isai. 10. 28,) was north of Michmash, but nothing is now known of it. a city in the tribe of Benjamin to the south of Aiath and

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MILDEW, yirakon. (Deut. 28. 22; Amos 4. 9.) This term appears to refer to the state of turning yellow, in reference to the fading of trees and plants.

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