CONVERSATIONS

These were held by the orientals in the gate of the city. Accordingly, there was an open space near the gate, which was fitted up with seats for the accommodation of the people, Gen. xix, 1; Psalm lxix, 12. Those who were at leisure occupied a position on these seats, and either amused themselves with witne ing those who came in and went out, and with any trifling occurrences that might offer themselves to their notice, or attended to the judicial trials, which were commonly investigated at public places of this kind, namely, the gate of the city, Gen. xix, 1; xxxiv, 20; Psalm xxvi, 4, 5; lxix, 12; cxxvii, 5; Ruth iv, 11; Isaiah xiv, 31; or held intercourse by conversation. Promenading, so fashionable and so agreeable in colder latitudes, was wearisome and unpleasant in the warm climates of the east, and this is probably one reason why the inhabitants of those climates preferred holding intercourse with one another, while sitting near the gate of the city, or beneath the shade of the fig tree and the vine, 1 Samuel xxii, 6; Micah iv, 4. The formula of a ent in conversation was Σὺ εἶπας, דברתכן , Thou hast said , or Thou hast rightly said . We are informed by the traveller Aryda, that this is the prevailing mode of a person’s expre ing his a ent or affirmation to this day, in the vicinity of Mount Lebanon, especially where he does not wish to a ert any thing in expre terms. This explains the answer of the Saviour to the high priest Caiaphas in Matt. xxvi, 64, when he was asked whether he was the Christ, the Son of God, and replied, Σὺ εἶπας, Thou hast said . The English word conversation has now a more restricted sense than formerly; and it is to be noted that in several pa ages of our translation of the Bible it is used to comprehend our whole conduct.