SACKED USES OF PRECIOUS STOiVES. HC
hundred years before his day, in consequence of the sins of his
people.
The first breastplate made for Aaron was lost during the
Babylonian captivity; therefore, after the restoration of the Jews,
it was necessary to replace it by a new one, an exact copy of
the original except the inscriptions, which in the first were in
the Hebrew language, but in the last in Chaldee, or Syro-Chaldee. The second breastplate fell into the hands of the Romans
at the capture of Jerusalem, and, after being exhibited with
other sacred treasures in the triumphal procession, it was
deposited in the Temple of Concord at Rome. When the
Empire was overthrown, these sacred trophies were scattered
among the victors, and their authentic history ends with this
event. Several hypotheses have been put forward respecting
their final disposition. One is that they were returned to
Jerusalem and were captured by the Persians in the seventh
century ; another account relates that they were carried to
Babylon, then back to Jerusalem, then to Rome, from there to
Carthage, thence to Constantinople, then back again to the
Jewish capital, and finally to Persia, and may possibly be found
in the royal treasury at Teheran. What a remarkable history
these memorials have had — fit types of the nation to which
they belonged.
An interesting subject for speculation has been suggested
regarding the gems of the first breastplate, which is that they
may have been reset for the Babylonian or Assyrian kings, as
they were of large size and great intrinsic value, as well as
objects of interest, and may possibly be recovered, an event no
more remarkable than the preservation of the seals now in
existence bearing the name of Thothmes III., supposed to be
contemporary with Moses.
Some idea can be formed of the richness of the furnishings
