ILLUSTRATION OF SCRIPTURE. 
17 s 
fixed for taking off our shoes : some of the Ambassador’s suite, being 
obliged to take theirs off at a considerable distance from the King, whilst 
others, whose rank gave them more privilege, kept theirs on until near 
to the stairs which led into the room. As the Persians allow to their mo¬ 
narch a great character of sanctity, calling him the Zil AUahi the shadow 
of the Almighty, they pay him almost divine honours. Besides making 
the Ziaret, as before stated, the taking off their shoes implies that the 
ground which surrounds him is sacred; and this ci' cumstance will illus¬ 
trate what the captain of the Lord of Hosts said unto Joshua: Loose 
thy shoe from ojf thy foot, for the place ’whereon thou standest is holy .—- 
Joshua, V. 15. 
The jewels disposed over his dress are embroidered on the stuff. 
Large stones of considerable value are placed on the shoulders. 
Upon his crown, which is very heavy, and set with jewels, is inscribed 
^ ^ dUl —Help from God, and speedy victory. On the front 
of it is placed the Jika, an upright ornament of jewellery, which is the 
great distinction of Persian royalty. The bazubends^ (ornaments that are 
fastened above the elbow,) are composed of precious stones, of great 
value, and are only worn by the King and his sons. They must 
be distinguished from the bracelets used by the ancient Persians f, 
in the same manner as they are worn at this day in India; and 
are, I should conjecture, nearly the same sort of ornament which was 
brought to David as a token of Saul’s death, — viz. the bracelet 
that was on his arm, — (2 Samuel, i. 10.); and which probably in 
those days, as it does now, indicated royalty, j: AVhen tlie people of 
Israel wished for a King, it was on the declared principle, that they 
might be governed “ like all the nations.'^ Saul was the first King 
under this establishment; nor can we doubt that the customs of the 
surrounding nations were punctiliously observed towards him in his 
public appearance, his going to war, &c. 
* Bazu is the part of the arm above the elbow. 
f See the Sculptures of Persepolis. 
J See Harmer, vol. ii. p. 453. — The word translated “ bracelet,” is by the Latin inter¬ 
preters, better given as armillce. 
