at a later period. Finally, their position between the priests and the people was such as to qualify them to exert an influence upon each, salutary to both, and conducive to the common good.

These facts being weighed, the rich revenues of the tribe will no longer be thought matter of surprise. The males of the tribe of Levi were only twenty-two thousand in number. Supposing twelve thousand of these to be of full age, that body, through its title to one tenth part of the income of six hundred thousand Israelites, received five times as much as the same number of men belonging to any other tribe of the nation. In consideration of this, however, they relinquished their claim to a share in the common territory, which, in the proportion of their numbers, would have been one fiftieth part, leaving in reality their income at only four times the amount of the average income of other men, a sum certainly far from excessive, when considered in relation to the services which it bought, if the practice of any nation may decide the question. To provide for the exercise of the learned professions, for so many functions of magistracy, and so many subordinate departments of the public service, at an expense for each individual not exceeding four or five times the average of the income of other citizens, would undoubtedly require an economical administration.

In this connexion we cannot but be struck with the relation of the Levitical tribe to the rest, in point of numbers. A tribe very much less numerous than either of the others is chosen to be devoted to the services of religion. Of the twenty-two thousand male Levites over a month old, supposing twelve thousand to be of mature age, which is thought to be a reasonable calculation, the Levites were but a little more than a third

more numerous than the children of Manasseh, who constituted the smallest of the other tribes. I think, that, independently of other reasons for the selection of this tribe for the sacerdotal office, we may see that it was rendered fit by the circumstance now under our notice. The sacred authority was a balance in the commonwealth, which must not be suffered to become a preponderating weight. It furnished great advantages for political usurpation, if other circumstances should favor. Accordingly, it was most safely committed to that division of the people, which was much the least formidable through its numerical force. Again; a dispensation of one of the more numerous tribes from the payment of tithes, and from ordinary military service, would have occasioned too large a deduction from the religious revenues and the military force; and still more, on the other hand, the division of the national tithes among a large number of servants of the sanctuary, would have lessened the dignity of the station, both by detracting from the distinction implied in it, and by affording to each individual a less generous support. And it may even be thought probable, that an additional reason for the seclusion of the Levites in separate cities, while the other tribes had the free range and the hardy habits of an agricultural life, was not only, that, through a direct and intimate mutual influence, they might impel each other forward in that learned civilization, of which compact communities are the natural seat, but also that, agreeably to well-ascertained principles of political economy, their increase of population might be less rapid than that of the other tribes.

The direction at the beginning of the fifth chapter,* that persons affected with certain ritual impurities should be put without the camp, had been already given,† in

* Numb. v. 1-4.

+ Lev. xiii. 46.

respect to lepers. It is now repeated concerning them, in order to be extended to other cases of uncleanness, which had before been treated, but subjected to a less rigid regulation.* It would seem that the previous provisions concerning these latter had not completely accomplished the object. The people, having been led by a little experience to see this, and having been already brought into a degree of subordination and method by the operation of the first rule, would now bear a stricter one more readily than if the latter had in the first instance been enforced.

The next lawt is but an extension of that recorded at the beginning of the sixth chapter of Leviticus. It had been there directed, that, besides the Trespass Offering to be presented in certain cases, the faulty person should make restitution to whomsoever he had wronged, with an addition of one fifth part of the amount of the injury done. But if the other party were dead meanwhile, particularly if he had left no legal representative, a case would arise which remained to be provided for. It probably had arisen in some instance, creating occasion for the present law, which is simply, that, under such circumstances, the wrong-doer should not be dispensed from his obligation, but should pay to the priest the amount of restitution which he owed. This rule, analogous in some degree to those modern usages, by which the state claims the property of those who leave no heirs, was useful as bringing another perquisite to the priesthood, and still more, as securing, in all cases whatever, the exaction of a rightful penalty.

The direction which next follows, I understand to be to this effect; that the votary, who should bring the offering just mentioned, might make his own choice among the priests, to which of them he would present

* Lev. xi. 39, 40; xv. 1–13.

Numb. v. 5-8.

Lev. vi. 6, 7.

it.* The effect would be to make it the priests' interest to conciliate individually the people's favor, and, still more, to encourage the people to present such offerings, through the additional motive of the satisfaction experienced in making a donation to a friend. That they should be favorably disposed towards such offerings, was, on all accounts, desirable, particularly in respect to Sin and Trespass Offerings, as these would often imply the acknowledgment of faults which could only be brought to light through the transgressor's own confession.

The passage which occupies the rest of this chapter, relating to the "law of jealousies," presents one of the instances, which would be the most confidently appealed to, in support of the theory of a permanent supernatural administration of the Jewish affairs. It would be said, that we there read the permanent menace of the punishment of a certain crime, which punishment could only be made to fall on the criminal through a miraculous divine interposition. I submit, however, that there is no proof, of a sort to justify a careful reasoner in the adoption of an inference of such vast importance.

It is altogether probable, that it is no new process of investigation, which is here by divine authority enjoined; but, on the contrary, the restriction of an ancient and inveterate custom within limits, necessary to guard it against the horrible abuse, to which, except under responsible supervision, it would obviously be subject. National, as well as individual education, is a process, not an instant result. Many things were accordingly permitted to the Jews for a time, on account of the "hardness of their hearts"; the Law aiming at no more for the present, than to check their worst evil conse

* Numb. v. 9, 10.

quences, and lay a basis for their ultimate complete removal. A practice, similar to the present, is known to have existed in other countries.* It probably existed anciently among the Jews; and the connexion in which it comes before us, following immediately as it does. upon passages occupied with the duties and prerogatives of the priests, indicates, to my mind, that all that was now done, was to place it within the watch and control of the priestly authority. To do this was evidently a great step of security against the mischiefs, to which, under less responsible management, it would be likely to lead. For as long as the superstition lasted, and the trial might be made without such intervention, there was nothing to prevent a husband, excited by jealousy, or pretending to be so, from administering a poisoned potion, and then, when it took effect, pretending that it was the supernatural penalty of his guilty partner's crime.

Nothing of this kind could take place under the law before us. The water of jealousy could only be administered by the priest, who would naturally be interested rather in favor of, than against, a helpless stranger, subjected to so dreadful an ordeal on grounds of mere suspicion. He might, it is true, be bribed; but so might some other ruffian be bribed to commit a murder, at less expense, and under circumstances much less perilous to the perpetrator. It would hardly be worth any one's while to tamper with him for the commission of such an act, when he must commit it, if at all, under circum

* Proof of the use, in antiquity, of ordeals of this kind, may be seen in Philostratus, "De Vità Apollonii," lib. 1, cap. 6, p. 7, (Edit. Leip.,) Pausanias, "Græciæ Descriptio," lib. 7, cap. 25, ad calc. Mungo Park found practices somewhat similar in Africa. See his "Travels" &c., pp. 176, 251. (New York Edit.) See also Geddes' "Critical Remarks," p. 365, note; and Oldendorp, "Geschichte der Mission der Evangelischen Brüder," buch 3, absch. 5, s. 296.