These were held by the orientals in the gate of the city.
Accordingly, there was an open space near the gate, which was fitted up
with seats for the accommodation of the people, Gen. xix, 1; Psalm lxix,
12. Those who were at leisure occupied a position on these seats, and
either amused themselves with witnessing those who came in and went out,
and with any trifling occurrences that might offer themselves to their
notice, or attended to the judicial trials, which were commonly
investigated at public places of this kind, namely, the gate of the
city, Gen. xix, 1; xxxiv, 20; Psalm xxvi, 4, 5; lxix, 12; cxxvii, 5;
Ruth iv, 11; Isaiah xiv, 31; or held intercourse by conversation.
Promenading, so fashionable and so agreeable in colder latitudes, was
wearisome and unpleasant in the warm climates of the east, and this is
probably one reason why the inhabitants of those climates preferred
holding intercourse with one another, while sitting near the gate of the
city, or beneath the shade of the fig tree and the vine, 1 Samuel xxii,
6; Micah iv, 4. The formula of assent in conversation was Σὺ εἶπας,
דברתכן, _Thou hast said_, or _Thou hast rightly said_. We are informed
by the traveller Aryda, that this is the prevailing mode of a person’s
expressing his assent or affirmation to this day, in the vicinity of
Mount Lebanon, especially where he does not wish to assert any thing in
express terms. This explains the answer of the Saviour to the high
priest Caiaphas in Matt. xxvi, 64, when he was asked whether he was the
Christ, the Son of God, and replied, Σὺ εἶπας, _Thou hast said_.
The English word conversation has now a more restricted sense than
formerly; and it is to be noted that in several passages of our
translation of the Bible it is used to comprehend our whole conduct.
Accordingly, there was an open space near the gate, which was fitted up
with seats for the accommodation of the people, Gen. xix, 1; Psalm lxix,
12. Those who were at leisure occupied a position on these seats, and
either amused themselves with witnessing those who came in and went out,
and with any trifling occurrences that might offer themselves to their
notice, or attended to the judicial trials, which were commonly
investigated at public places of this kind, namely, the gate of the
city, Gen. xix, 1; xxxiv, 20; Psalm xxvi, 4, 5; lxix, 12; cxxvii, 5;
Ruth iv, 11; Isaiah xiv, 31; or held intercourse by conversation.
Promenading, so fashionable and so agreeable in colder latitudes, was
wearisome and unpleasant in the warm climates of the east, and this is
probably one reason why the inhabitants of those climates preferred
holding intercourse with one another, while sitting near the gate of the
city, or beneath the shade of the fig tree and the vine, 1 Samuel xxii,
6; Micah iv, 4. The formula of assent in conversation was Σὺ εἶπας,
דברתכן, _Thou hast said_, or _Thou hast rightly said_. We are informed
by the traveller Aryda, that this is the prevailing mode of a person’s
expressing his assent or affirmation to this day, in the vicinity of
Mount Lebanon, especially where he does not wish to assert any thing in
express terms. This explains the answer of the Saviour to the high
priest Caiaphas in Matt. xxvi, 64, when he was asked whether he was the
Christ, the Son of God, and replied, Σὺ εἶπας, _Thou hast said_.
The English word conversation has now a more restricted sense than
formerly; and it is to be noted that in several passages of our
translation of the Bible it is used to comprehend our whole conduct.