In such discourse the time passed rapidly, and a servant came to call the guests from the cooling fountain of the inner court to the roof, where they were to sup. Here Iddo was accustomed to entertain his guests at the festival, when there was any one among them, on whom the spectacle, beheld for the first time, was likely to make an indelible impression. It was a fine, clear, cloudless night. The moon shone sweetly upon Jerusalem and changed the night to a softer and cooler day than that which had been twelve hours before. A breeze from the Mount of Olives cooled the heated air. The neighbours had in like manner brought their guests to sup on the roofs of their houses, and as far as the eye could reach on every side, feasting and illumination were seen. A busy hum ascended from the streets beneath, and the white tents glistened in the valley of Kedron. What a scene! The whole environs of Jerusalem were turned into an encampment, all the hills and vallies, all the streets and open places were covered with tents. It was impossible that the houses should contain all the strangers, notwithstanding the unbounded hospitality which was practised on these occasions, and hence it was necessary that a large proportion of them should remain in tents during the festival. In the pleasant season of the year, at which the Passover was held, this had nothing inconvenient or disagreeable in it; it was the universal custom at the feast of tabernacles, and it reminded them of the patriarchal life, and the wandering in the desert. This gave to Jerusalem a singular but very interesting appearance. All was motion, life and animation, and the thought of the purpose for which these myriads of men had come up from near or distant regions, filled the mind with solemn and elevated feeling. A million of human beings have frequently been assembled here on such an occasion, all for the purpose of appearing with prayer and praise before Jehovah. Carried away by the sight, Helon involuntarily exclaimed, Behold how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head of Aaron, That ran down upon his beard, That went down to the skirts of his garments. So the dew of Hermon descends Upon the hills of Zion: For there hath Jehovah commanded his blessing, Prosperity for ever more!—Ps. cxxxiii. The guests gazed on him with surprise. “Why,” continued Helon, “do you not see before your eyes the application of the psalm? On such an evening as this, or at least in the view of such a spectacle as this, must it have been composed. Is it not the dew of Hermon,—are not these the sons of Israel from the Tyrian Climax and the plain of Jesreel, which fall here on the hills of Zion?”