THE CAMEL. 53 



things that are impossible with men, are possible with God. Divine 

 Grace can do away the impossibility by bringing the heart, to a wil- 

 ling compliance with the requirements of the Gospel. 



In Matthew, xxiii. 24, is another proverbial expression : * Ye strain 

 at a gnat, and swallow a camel.' Dr. Adam Clarke has proved, 

 that there is an error of the press, in the English translation, by 

 which at has been substituted for out. The passage as it now 

 stands, conveys no sense : it should be, * Ye strain out the gnat, and 

 swallow down the camel.' The allusion is to the custom which 

 prevailed among both Gentiles and Jews, of straining the liquor 

 which they drank, for the purpose of ejecting those insects which 

 so swarm in some southern countries, and hence, easily fall into 

 wine- vessels. Some of the commentators have wished to get rid of 

 the camel in this passage, from an idea that our Lord could not have 

 united so huge an animal with so small an insect. They, therefore, 

 propose to understand a larger species of fly. This conjectural 

 emendation, however, cannot be admitted, as it is unsupported by 

 all the ancient versions. The expression must be taken hyperboli- 

 catty. To make the antithesis as strong as may be, two things are 

 selected as opposite as possible ; the smallest insect, and the largest 

 animal. And this very antithesis was used by the Jewish and 

 Greek writers, as appears from Wetstein. 



The expression has generally been understood by English read- 

 ers as implying an effort to swallow, but rejecting something very 

 small and inconsiderable, yet receiving without hesitation some- 

 thing much larger and more important : but the fact is, it alludes to 

 a custom the Jews had of straining or filtering their wine, for fear of 

 swallowing any forbidden insect. Now, as it would be ridiculous 

 to strain liquor for the sake of clearing it from insects, and then eat- 

 ing the largest of those insects ; so the conduct of those is not only 

 ridiculous, but highly criminal, who are superstitiously anxious in 

 avoiding small fault?, yet scruple not to commit the greatest sins. 



Camels are spoken of in scripture, 



1. As an article of wealth and state, Gen. xii. 16. xxx.43, 2 Kings 

 vii. 9. 1 Chron. xxvii. 30. Ezra, ii. 67. Neh. vii. 69. Job i. 2. 



2. As used for travelling, Gen. xxiv. 64. xxxi. 34. 1 Kings x. 2. 



3. As an important means of traffic, Gen. xxxvii. 25. 1 Chron. 

 xii. 40. Isa. xxx. 6. 



4. As used in war, Judges vi. 5. vii. 12. 1 Sam. xxx. 17. Jer. xlix. 

 29. 



5. As a spoil in war, Judges viii. 21. 1 Sam. xxvii. 9. 1 Chron. v. 

 21. Job i. 17. Jer. xlix. 32. 



6. As sufferers in the plagues brought upon the brute creation 

 for the sin of man, Exod. ix. 3. 1 Sam. xv. 3. 



7. As furnishing an article of clothing, Matt. iii. 4. Zech. xiv. 15. 



8. Connected with these animals, we have a pleasing instance of 

 industry, humility, and courtesy in a young woman of rank and 

 fortune. Rebekah was seen at the well, condescending by person- 

 al labor to supply the wants of the camels of Abraham's servant; 



