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and warn me of impending dangers. But, like the prophecies of 

 Michaiah, and other false seers, I found their predictions were 

 not infallible. These astrologers were consulted by the Gracia 

 chieftains on the first rumour of the expedition against Mandwa. 

 Oriental sovereigns of far more importance attend to their divina- 

 tions on the events of war, or the terms of peace. They are sent 

 for, as was the seer of Aram by the king of Moab, when the armies 

 of Israel approached his territories, to curse a people that were 

 too mighty for him. On the prophet's arrival the king took him 

 to Zophim, and the high-places of Baal; from whence they be- 

 held the goodly tents of Jacob, and the tabernacles of Israel, 

 spread forth in the vallies, as gardens by the river's side, as cedar 

 trees beside the waters; " from hence," said the desponding mo- 

 narch, " come curse me Jacob, and defy me Israel." 1 shall pro- 

 ceed no further with this sublime and beautiful episode, than to 

 remark that Balaam was not a prophet of Israel, but one of 

 the oriental seers who were then consulted on important occa- 

 sions, and were sometimes permitted to utter solemn truths, and 

 extend their prophecies to distant periods. We are expressly 

 told the source of Balaam's inspiration on this occasion. His 

 parables not only foretold the success of the Jewish army, but, in 

 the sublimest strains, predicted the coming of the Messiah ! 



I have introduced the seer of Aram and his interview with 

 Balak on mount Zophim, from a coincidence of circumstances, 

 when the Gracias first believed the reality of an expedition against 

 them. Gomanny Sihng and his confederates then sent for the 

 principal brahminical astrologers and soothsayers; who, as usual, 



