In Rev. xi. 1, 2, there is mention made of such, and the representation seems to be taken from Ezekiel's vision, ch. xl. in which he beheld a person with a measuring rod, taking the dimensions of the buildings of a temple, shewing the prophet, in vision, the model or plan of a new temple, to encourage the Jews to faithfulness in their religion, with the hopes of seeing the temple and true worship of God restored again.

There are two things, says Daubuz, mentioned in Holy Writ, whereby men may measure, a line and a reed.

The line,, habel, implies constantly a division and giving of possession into new hands; because it is the instrument by which the lands of conquered nations are divided, as in 2 Sam. viii. 2; Lam. ii. 8; Amos vii. 17; Isa. xxxiv. 11–17.

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In 2 Sam. viii. 2, it is said " he measured them by line," i, e. he divided the country of the Moabites into several parts, that he might the better know what towns it was most proper to demolish, and to extirpate the inhabitants of them. He used two lines-a line to put to death, and the fulness of a line to keep alive. The fulness of a line seems to denote a very large tract of country. See Chandler's life of David,

.חכל quoted by Parkhurst under

The line implies also the division of a land into new lots, supposing a late conquest, and its being divided, to be inherited by new masters, Nahum iii. 10.

But the reed, as it is also used about lands, so it is chiefly employed about buildings. In Zech. ii. 1-5, a line is used to measure the whole city. In Ezekiel, the reed is employed to measure the temple.

Profane authors have similar expressions, which

A a

shew that a measuring reed or line is to take possession of the things measured.

קנה And hence from

a cane or reed, comes, kene, to acquire or pos

sess.

This use of a line or reed explains the Kavav or rule upon which Paul argues, 2 Cor. x. 13, 16; the said rule signifying those churches to which he had the sole right by first occupation. "But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you," verse 16; and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand. See the whole passage.

A golden reed for measuring denotes that what is measured by it shall be glorious and permanent.

REND. To rend the garments was, in eastern countries and among ancient nations, a symbolical action, expressive of sorrow, fear, or contrition.

Many instances may be seen in the Sacred Writings, viz. Judges xi. 35; Esther iv. 1; Gen. xliv. 13 ; Matt. xxvi. 65; Ezra ix. 5; Job i. 20; Jer. xxxvi. 24; 2 Chron. xxxiv. 27.

See also Virgil, Æn. 12,

"It scissâ veste Latinus,

Conjugis attonitus fatis, urbisque ruina.”

Thus Seneca in his Octavia, v. 328,

"Scindit vestes Augusta suas,

Laceratque comas.

Joel ii. 13," Rend your hearts, and not your garments," in allusion to this custom. But the phrase here is a Hebraism, meaning, rend your hearts rather than your garments; or, rend your hearts, and not your garments only. For the prophet does not for

bid the external appearances of mourning; but he cautions them against a merely hypocritical shew of sorrow, and exhorts them to cherish that broken and contrite spirit, which is acceptable in the sight of God. So in Deut. x. 16, "Circumcise the foreskin of your heart." And Hosea vi. 16, "I desired mercy and not sacrifice;" i. e. I love the exercise of mercy rather than sacrifice, as the very next words plainly. shew," and the knowledge of God more than burntofferings." A somewhat similar form of expression we have in Rom. vi. 17, “God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin," &c. ; i. e. God be praised, that though ye once were the servants of sin, yet now ye have obeyed, &c.

Rending the garments was sometimes expressive of different passions. Thus in Dion Cassius, the consul Paulus rends his garment through indignation. Cæsar does the same when about to appease the multitude. Numbers also, in heathen history, upon the loss of their friends. Augustus rends his garment at the proposal of the dictatorship; and he is said to have done the same on hearing of the defeat of Va

rus.

REST, like sleep, is sometimes used as the symbol of death. Thus :

Rev. xiv. 13,

"Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord,
That they may rest from their labours."

Ps. lvii. 2,

"He shall go in peace, he shall rest in his bed,

Even the perfect man, he that walketh in the straight path."

Job iii. 13,

"For now should I have lain still and been quiet,
I should have slept, then had I been at rest,
With kings and counsellors of the earth," &c.

Dan. xii. 13,

"But go thy way till the end be;

For thou shalt rest and stand in thy lot at the end of the days."

Compare Job xi. 18; 1 Sam. xxviii. 15; Rev. vi. 9; Acts ii. 26, &c.

This phrase is common on Jewish monuments for the dead: "May his rest be in the garden of Eden, with the other just men of the world"-May his soul rest in peace till the Comforter come. And one Epitaph is to this effect: "This stone which I have placed is a monument for the remains of Rabbi Eliakim, who was buried on the day before the feast of the Passover, in the 95th year of his ministry. May his rest be in the garden of Eden with other Selah." just men. Amen, amen, amen. Herodian has an expression of similar import, l. 1, "When he had survived one single day cap. 4, § 8. and night, he went to rest," 'avnavalo. See Virgil, Æn. 10, v. 745,

"Olli dura quies oculos, et ferreus urget

Somnus."

And Eneid, 6, v. 372,

"Sedibus ut saltem placidis in morte quiescam."

And so some of Gruter's inscriptions: "Et quieti æternæ, M. Aulini Antoni," Vet. Leg. 35, &c. And, "Quorum corpora virginea heic condita sunt ad bene quiescendum."

RESURRECTION, when used symbolically, signifies, according to the Oriental Interpreters, a recovery of such rights and liberties as have been taken

away, and a deliverance from war, persecution, affliction, and bondage.

What is said in Ezekiel xxxvii. 11-14, is conformable to these notions, the resurrection there spoken of being to be understood as there explained, of a deliverance of the Jews from thraldom and captivity, and a restoration of them to their own lands. For when resurrection is spoken of a political body, it is to be understood proportionably of a political resurrection of that body in the like power.

Paul uses the same phrase in the same meaning, Rom. xi. 15, "What shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead."

And Isaiah in ch. xxvi. 19, says:

"My dead shall live; my deceased shall rise," &c. Under this image predicting the deliverance of the people of God from a state of the lowest depression.

It appears from hence (as Lowth observes), contrary to the notion of Warburton in his Divine Legation, that the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead was at that time a popular and common doctrine, for an image which is assumed in order to express any thing in the way of allegory, whether poetical or prophetical, must be an image commonly known and understood, otherwise it will not answer the purpose for which it is assumed.

And so the Latin authors have used the word resurgo, as appears from Ovid, Fasti. 1. 1, v. 523; Pliny, Nat. Hist. l. 15, c. 32; and Terence, Hecyr. act 5, scene 4, v. 12.

RIGHT-HAND. Lifting it up denotes swearing. See Gen. xiv. 22; Exod. vi. 8; Dan. xii. 7; Rev. x. 5, 6, and other places,