BECK, MATTHIAS FRED., a Lutheran minister at Augsburg, born 23d May 1649, died 2d Feb. 1701, was the editor of Paraph. Chald. L Libri Chroniconan hactenus inedita, atone vein e codice HS. Bibl. Erdfurt. exscripta, 4t0, Augs. 168o ; Par. Chald. II. Lib. Chinn. etc., 4to, ibid. 1683.
BED. The manner of sleeping in warm Eastern climates is necessarily very different from that which is followed in our colder regions. The present usages appear to be the same as those of the ancient Jews, and sufficiently explain the pas sages of Scripture which bear on the subject. Beds of feathers are altogether unknown, and the Orien tals generally lie on a hard conch. Poor people who have no certain home, or when on a journey, or employed at a distance from their dwellings, sleep on mats, or wrapped in their outer garment, which from its importance in this respect was forbidden to be retained in pledge over night (D'Arvieux, iii. 257 ; Gen. ix. 21, 23 ; Exod. xxii. 27 ; Deut. xxiv. 13). Under peculiar circum stances a stone covered with some folded cloth or piece of dress is often used for a pillow (Gen. xxviii. It). The more wealthy classes sleep on mattresses stuffed with wool or cotton, which are often no other than a quilt thickly padded, and are used either singly or one or more placed upon each other. A similar quilt of finer materials forms the coverlet in winter, and in summer a thin blanket suffices ; but sometimes the convenient outer gar ment is used for the latter purpose, and was so among the Jews, as we learn from I Sam. xix. 13, where Michal covers with a cloak or mantle (corresponding to the modem abba or hyk), the image which was to represent her husband sleep ing. The difference of use here is, that the poor wrap themselves up in it, and it forms their whole bed ; whereas the rich employ it as a covering only. A pillow is placed upon the mattress, and over both, in good houses, is laid a sheet. The bolsters are more valuable than the mattresses, both in respect to their coverings and material : they are usually stuffed with cotton or other soft substance (Ezek. xiii. 18, 20) ; but instead of these, skins of goats or sheep appear to have been formerly used by the poorer classes and in the hardier ages. These skins were probably sewed up in the natural shape, like water-skins, and stuffed with chaff or wool (1 Sam. xix. 13). It is not unlikely that the
Israelites were acquainted with those wooden crescent-shaped bolsters of wood, which were common in ancient Egypt (see cut 136) ; the com fort in the use of which is not very apparent, till one tries the experiment and realizes the complete repose which is obtained by resting the nape of the neck and base of the skull upon some similar con trivance.
It has been doubted whether the couches of the Jews for repose and for the use of the sick, called rnm Initial (Gen xlvii. 31 ; r Sam. xix. 13 ; 2 Sam. iv. 7 ; 2 Kings i. 4), =tin mishcab (Exod. xxi. IS ; 2 Sam. xiii. 5 ; Cant. iii. I), or Lrij, 'eres (Job vii. 13 ; Cant. i. 16, properly bed stead,' comp. Dent. iii. 1), were actually bed steads of different sorts, or simply the standing and fixed divans such as those on which the Western Asiatics commonly make their beds at night. We feel satisfied that the different Hebrew words answer to and describe different arrangements, although we may be unable now to assign to the several words their distinctive applications to still subsisting things.
The divan, or dais, is a slightly elevated plat form at the upper end and often along the sides of the room. On this are laid the mattresses on which the Western Asiatics sit cross-legged in the day-time, with large cushions against the wall to support the back. At night the light bedding is usually laid out upon this divan, and thus beds for many persons are easily formed. The bedding is removed in the morning, and deposited in re cesses in the room, made for the purpose. This is a sort of general sleeping-room for the males of the family and for guests, none but the master having access to the inner parts of the house, where alone there are proper and distinct bed chambers. In these the bedding is either laid on the carpeted floor, or placed on a low frame or bedstead. This difference between the public and private sleeping-room, which the arrange ment of an Eastern household renders necessary. seems to explain the difficulties which have per plexed readers of travels, who, finding mention only of the more public dormitory, the divan, have been led to conclude that there was no other or different one.