An example of pure historic allegory is that of the vine transplanted from Egypt (Psa. 80), where the higher object, which gives the key to the meaning, is God’s covenant people.  The casting out of the heathen (ver. 8), is literally expressed, but in the verses following, the figure is beautifully carried out.  This vine takes deep root and fills the land; the hills are covered with its shadow, and its boughs are like the goodly cedar; it sends out its boughs to the sea, and its branches to the river (ver. 9-11).  Here we have one main incident, the increase of the people in the land of Canaan.  Then God breaks down its hedges, so that every passer-by plucks it; the boar out of the wood wastes it, and the wild beast of the field devours it (ver. 12, 13).  This is another main incident, the withdrawal of God’s protection from his people, and their oppression by their heathen neighbors.  The prayer that follows in behalf of this vine (ver. 14-16) represents the love which God’s people bear to his church.  All these parts of the allegory have their proper significance.  The rest of the imagery—­the hills overshadowed by it, the boughs like the goodly cedar, the wild boar wasting it, etc.—­is but the drapery of the allegory; and an attempt to find a spiritual meaning for each of these particulars—­the boar out of the wood, for example, and the beast of the field—­would but mar its beauty and force.

We give from Ezekiel (chap. 17:3-10) another example of historic allegory, in which the essential parts can be readily distinguished from the luxuriant imagery of the prophet:  “A great eagle with great wings, long-winged, full of feathers, which had divers colors [Nebuchadnezzar], came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar [Jehoiachin, whom Nebuchadnezzar dethroned and carried to Babylon.  The cedar of Lebanon represents the royal family, and Jehoiachin, as the reigning monarch, its highest branch]:  he cropped off the top of his young twigs [the same as:  he took the highest branch of the cedar], and carried it into a land of traffic [Chaldea]; he set it in a city of merchants [Babylon].  He took also of the seed of the land [the king’s seed, meaning Zedekiah, whom Nebuchadnezzar made king in the place of Jehoiachin], and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow-tree [established Zedekiah on the throne, and gave him the means of prosperity as his vassal].  And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature [not a lofty cedar, but a low vine; that is, a tributary king], whose branches turned towards him [towards Nebuchadnezzar, as dependent upon him], and the roots thereof were under him [under Nebuchadnezzar, as subject to his power]:  so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth twigs.  There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers [Pharaoh, king of Egypt]:  and behold this vine did bend her roots towards him [Zedekiah