, BENEDICTION, in a general sense, is the act. of blessing, or of praying to God for a divine bles sing ; but it is also used to signify praise, or a grate ful acknowledgment of blessings received. Hence it has been applied to the act of saying grace both before and after meals. Among the Jews, benedictions were of various kinds. The original in stitution of them is to be found among the patri archs. From the time that God entered into cove nant with Abraham, and promised extraordinary blessings to his posterity, it was customary for the father of each family, some time before he died, to call together his children, and inform them, accord ing to the knowledge which it pleased God then to give him, how, and in what manner, the divine bles sing conferred upon Abraham was to descend among them. Upon these occasions, the patriarchs enjoyed a divine illumination, which enabled them to look hack into futurity ; and, under its influence, their benediction was deemed a prophetic oracle, foretelling events with the utmost certainty, and extending to the remotest period of time. These blessings de scended to the eldest son of the family, and to his latest posterity, unless forfeited by their bad beha viour. To him belonged the birth-right, or right of primogeniture, by which he could claim the par ticular blessing of his dying father ; and to him, and to his posterity, belonged the blessings of the cove nant which God made with Abraham, that from him the promised Messiah should descend. Solemn bles sings were also pronounced, that is prayed for, by the priests upon the people. " On this wise," says Moses to Aaron, " ye 'shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, the Lord bless thee, and keep thee : the Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee : the Lord lift his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." The
prophets also, and other inspired persons, frequently blessed the servants and people of God, of which many instances are to be found in the Psalms. Among the Jews too, there was a ceremony which they called the cup of blessing, and which was ob served in this manner. The master of the house having asked a blessing, took a cup full of wine, tasted it, and handed it to the person next to him, who did the same till it had gone round the whole company. This was called the blessing of the wine. Next followed the blessing and breaking of the bread, which was in the same manner distri buted among the guests. When the repast was end ed, he returned thanks in name of the whole com pany. In this cup of thanksgiving, they blessed God for their present refreshment, for their deliver ance out of Egypt, for the covenant of circumci sion, and for the law given by Moses ; and prayed that God would be merciful to his people Israel, that he would send the prophet Elijah, and that he would make them worthy of the kingdom of the Messiah. Under the name benediction, the Jews also include presents sent by one friend to another, probably be cause accompanied- with blessings or good wishes. Even their friendly salutations partook of the nature of benediction. " God be gracious unto thee, my son," were the words with which Joseph received Benja min. In any country of Europe, this would be con sidered as a benediction ; but in the East, it is used