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On the Semamith of' Solomon^ Pro v. xxx. 28. By the Rev* 

 David Scot, M. D. M. W. S. F. H. S.E. Communicated 

 by the Author *. 



W E are told in the 25th verse of the 30th chapter of the 

 Proverbs of Sofomon, that there are four things Httle on the 

 earth, but endowed with great wisdom ; and in the 28th verse of 

 the same chapter, we learn that the last of these four things is 

 called semamith, which lays hold with its hands, and is in kings' 

 palaces. 



As no other instance of this word semamith occurs in the He- 

 brew Bible, several absurd interpretations of it have been given 

 by the Jewish doctors. All these we shall not spend time in 

 considering, but only notice two of the least objectionable, in 

 addition to the commonly received interpretation. 



The first of these makes the semamith a swallow, but for no 

 other reason, which we can conceive, than a similarity of sound 

 in semmith, the Chaldee name for that bird. There may be 

 cases, in which the meaning of a word may be learned from an- 

 other, resembling it in sound ; but in others, such a resemblance 

 will lead into gross mistakes. 



The swallow, to be sure, builds its nest in the windows, and 

 sometimes the chimneys of our houses, and they may do so in 

 Palestine ; but such a fact would not warrant the declaration, that 

 they lay hold with their hands, and are in kings' palaces, as it 

 would be grossly absurd to talk in that manner of any winged 

 animal. 



The other interpretation referred to makes the semamith an 

 ape, which is a very shrewd animal, occasionally a favourite of 

 princes, and also furnished with two fore-legs, with which it can 

 seize objects, which, in a loose way of speaking, may be called 

 hands. 



An ape, perhaps, may not be thought too large for being 

 called a little thing on the earth ; and most will agree that it 

 may excite attention, if not wonder, by its tricks ; but it' does 

 not go into palaces, unless by constraint. These must be desert- 

 ed, before it choose them for its ordinary residence. 



• Head before the Wernerian Natural History Society 7th April 1827« 



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