νεκρομαντεία, is the art of raising up the ghosts of
deceased persons, to get information from them concerning future events.
This practice, no doubt, the Israelites brought with them from Egypt,
which affected to be the mother of such occult sciences; and from thence
it spread into the neighbouring countries, and soon infected all the
east. The injunction of the law is very express against this vice; and
the punishment to be inflicted on the practisers of it was stoning to
death, Lev. xx, 27. What forms of enchantment were used in the practice
of necromancy we are at a loss to know, because we read of none that the
pythoness of Endor employed; however, that there were several rites,
spells, and invocations used upon these occasions, we may learn from
almost every ancient author, but from none more particularly than from
Lucan in his _Pharsalia_. Whether the art of conversing with the dead
was mere imposture, or grounded upon diabolical agency, is a question
which has been disputed in all ages.
NEHEMIAH professes himself the author of the book which bears his name,
in the very beginning of it, and he uniformly writes in the first
person. He was of the tribe of Judah, and was probably born at Babylon
during the captivity. He was so distinguished for his family and
attainments, as to be selected for the office of cup bearer to the king
of Persia, a situation of great honour and emolument. He was made
governor of Judea, upon his own application, by Artaxerxes Longimanus;
and his book, which in the Hebrew canon was joined to that of Ezra,
gives an account of his appointment and administration through a space
of about thirty-six years to A. M. 3595, at which time the Scripture
history closes; and, consequently, the historical books, from Joshua to
Nehemiah inclusive, contain the history of the Jewish people from the
death of Moses, A. M. 2553, to the reformation established by Nehemiah,
after the return from captivity, being a period of one thousand and
forty-two years.
deceased persons, to get information from them concerning future events.
This practice, no doubt, the Israelites brought with them from Egypt,
which affected to be the mother of such occult sciences; and from thence
it spread into the neighbouring countries, and soon infected all the
east. The injunction of the law is very express against this vice; and
the punishment to be inflicted on the practisers of it was stoning to
death, Lev. xx, 27. What forms of enchantment were used in the practice
of necromancy we are at a loss to know, because we read of none that the
pythoness of Endor employed; however, that there were several rites,
spells, and invocations used upon these occasions, we may learn from
almost every ancient author, but from none more particularly than from
Lucan in his _Pharsalia_. Whether the art of conversing with the dead
was mere imposture, or grounded upon diabolical agency, is a question
which has been disputed in all ages.
NEHEMIAH professes himself the author of the book which bears his name,
in the very beginning of it, and he uniformly writes in the first
person. He was of the tribe of Judah, and was probably born at Babylon
during the captivity. He was so distinguished for his family and
attainments, as to be selected for the office of cup bearer to the king
of Persia, a situation of great honour and emolument. He was made
governor of Judea, upon his own application, by Artaxerxes Longimanus;
and his book, which in the Hebrew canon was joined to that of Ezra,
gives an account of his appointment and administration through a space
of about thirty-six years to A. M. 3595, at which time the Scripture
history closes; and, consequently, the historical books, from Joshua to
Nehemiah inclusive, contain the history of the Jewish people from the
death of Moses, A. M. 2553, to the reformation established by Nehemiah,
after the return from captivity, being a period of one thousand and
forty-two years.