iii. Dust shalt thou eat-so in Deut. xxxii. 24. the poison of serpents of the dust. Τὰ δ ̓ ἐξειλύσθεντες ἐπὶ χθονὶ γαστέρας ἄμφω αίμοβόρως ἐκύλιον— (Theocr. Ηράκλισκ. 17.) 20. Eve-so the LXX. Zwń. 21. Coats of skins. Heb. tunics-LXX. Xir@vas. 24. Placed at the east of the garden. Heb. placed or caused to dwell in a tabernacle. So great is the antiquity of the Jewish tabernacle-worship. Which turned every way. Heb. which turned upon itself. The verb is in Hithpael. iv. 7. Sin lieth at the door. Heb. a sin-offering croucheth ra a word particularly applied to that attitude of beasts which heralds denominate seiant. 8. Cain talked with Abel. The LXX. give us some words addressed by C. to A. διέλθωμεν εἰς τὸ πεδίον. 14. My punishment is greater than I can bear. Heh. My sin is greater than can be expiated—referring to v. 7. Our translators have, as usual, referred us to the margin for an interpretation much more correct than that in the text-Mine iniquity is greater than that it may be forgiven. This is one among a multitude of instances which prove, that it is of little use to print Bibles without marginal references; since, where the text and margin are at variance, the true rendering, in nine instances out of ten, is contained in the latter. 17. He builded a city. Heb. he was building. So LXX. ¡v oikodoμῶν. 22. An instructor of every artificer. Heb. a sharpener, or, as in our margin, a whetter of every instrument: a remarkable instance of negligence on the part of our translators; since, if we put the text and margin together, we shall have a whetter of every artificer. 24. If Cain shall be avenged seven-fold. Rather, If seven-fold vengeance shall be taken on Cain-or, more accurately still, If God shall rise up op to take seven-fold retribution on Cain ὅτι ἕπτακις ἐκδεδικήται ἐκ Κάϊν. LXX. v. 1. The book of the generations. Heb. the record or account. vii. 14. Every bird of every sort-or, of every wing, as in the margin. The French expression volaille, applied to poultry, exactly expresses the periphrasis of the original. Πᾶν ὄρνεον ποτεινόν. LXX. 23. Both men and cattle. Heb. from man to cattle. viii. 13. Dried up from the earth. Rather, diminished—¶. Denoting a less degree of exsiccation than the i. e. completely dried up, of v. 14. This latter process, it appears, did not take place until nearly two months after the former. ix. 6. For in the image of God made he man. This consideration appears to have constituted the peculiar heinousness of murder. Such is the reasoning of the Chorus in the Medea— σᾶς γὰρ ἀπὸ χρυσέας γονᾶς ἔβλαστεν• θεῶν δ' αἷμα πιτνεῖν φόβος ὑπ' ἀνέρων. (Eur. Med. 1251.) 20. An husbandman. Heb. a man, i. e. husband, of the earth. x. 4. The sons of Javan. Hence the Iάoves mentioned by Homer. II. N. 685. (i. e. Athenians) and by Eschylus, Pers. 182. On which latter passage see Blomfield's note, and that of Müller on v. 178. of the same Play, in Butler's edition. See also Milton, P. L. i. 508. Th' Iönian Gods, of Javan's issue And Bishop Newton's note. The value and importance of this chapter, as a geographical and historical record, is forcibly insisted upon by Bishop Watson, in his Apology, addressed to T. Paine, pp. 76— 78. Ed. 1796. xiv. 10. And the vale of Siddim was full of slime-pits. Rather, pits of asphaltum or bitumen. 2. Hence the name Lacus Asphaltitus. See Tacit. Hist. v. 7. Plin. H. N. xxxvi. 26. ppéara áøpáλrov. LXX. Parkhurst (Heb. Lex. voc. . v.) judiciously says, "It seems emphatically observed by the sacred historian, (Gen. xiv. 3.) that this place, which had been thus idolatrously dedicated to the genial powers of nature, was changed into the salt sea, barren and waste." See also his note at p. 636. of that elaborate and admirable work. (8vo. edit.) xxxii. 24. Cf. Æsch. P. V. 956. τοῖον παλαιστὴν νῦν παρασκευάζεται Rather, heads Ovroι yeμóves Οὗτοι ἡγεμόνες xxxvi. 15. There were dukes of the sons of Esau. or chiefs of the family of Esau or Edom. υἱοῦ Ἡσαν. 24. The mules in the wilderness. See Tacit. Hist. v. 3., and Brotier's note. Exod. i. 12. The more they afflicted them, the more they grew. Hor. Od. (iv. 4. 54.) Gens, quæ cremato fortis ab Ilio, Per damna, per cædes, ab ipso vi. 3. The name of God Almighty. Heb. God, the dispenser or scatterer of blessings, N. Hence probably the heathen deities obtained the title so generally added to their names—Deol Swrypes ἑάων. Numbers, xxii, 22. Because he went. Rather, as or when he was going. xxiv. 4. Falling into a trance, but having his eyes open. Heb. whose eyes were opened while he lay entranced. Or simply, while he was in the act of falling. Cujus, dum excidebat, retecti sunt oculi. See Bishop Newton on the Prophecies, i. p. 128. Judges, ix. 11. My good fruit. LXX. offspring-yevvýμara. So Matt. xxvi. 29. ἐκ τούτου τοῦ γεννήματος τῆς ἀμπέλου. xiii. 24. Called his name Samson. From the solar light. Samson was, in many important respects, a type of Christ the Sun of righteousness. (See Mather on the Types, 4to. p. 104.) 1 Kings, xxi. 10. Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. Rather, thou didst bless (or worship) the Aleim. i. e. the false gods of the heathen-an offence punishable with death by the law of Moses. (See Deut. xiii. 6-9. xvii. 2, &c.) 2 Kings, v. 10. The seven-fold ablution here prescribed by Elisha was in succeeding ages deemed equally sacred and efficacious by the Pythagoreans. See Apul. Met. Lib. xi. sub init. “Confestim discussâpigra quiete, alacer exsurgo; meque protinus purificandi studio marino lavacro trado: septiesque submerso fluctibus capite, quod euni numerum præcipuè relligionibus aptissimum divinus ille Pythagoras prodidit, lætus et alacer Deam præpotentem lacrymoso vultu sic adprecabar." 2 Kings, xix. 7. Behold, I will send a blast upon him. This, in all probability, according to the conjecture of Dr. Johnson, was the Simoom, or burning wind of the desert. See a very intelligent Essay towards confirming this hypothesis, in the Fragments to Calmet.' 1st Hundred. F. 5. pp. 12, 13. Nehem. x. 29. They entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, &c. So Pliny, in his 97th Epistle to Trajan, respecting the early Christians. Seque sacramento non in scelus aliquod obstringere, sed ne furta, ne latrocinia, ne adulteria committerent, ne fidem fallerent, ne depositum appellati abnegarent." Job, xxxi. 27. My heart hath been secretly enticed, and my mouth hath kissed my hand. After the manner of the heathens (Min. Fel. Octav. ii.) Cæcilius, simulacro Serapidis denotato, ut vulgus superstitiosus solet, manum ori admovens, osculum labiis pressit." Isa. xviii. For a curious illustration of this remarkable chapter, see Fragments to Calmet.' 4th Hundred. p. 25. xxix. 8. It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, &c. Compare Ovid's fine description of the starving Eresicthon: capit ille dapes sub imagine somni, Oraque vana movet, dentemque in dente fatigat, &c.. (Met. viii. 824. sqq.) Ixi. 1. Liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. The LXX. render this καὶ τυφλοῖς ἀνάβλεψιν. With this text compare a remarkable passage in Min. Fel. Octav. vii. "Inde adeo pleni et mixti Deo vates futura præcerpunt, dant cautelam periculis, morbis medelam, spem afflictis, opem miseris, solatium calamitatibus, laboribus levamentum." Dan. ii. 4. In Syriac. Heb. in Aramitish-i. e. Chaldee ארמית iv. 19. The dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies. quod Di prius omen in hostes Convertant (Virg. Æn. ii. 190.) θεοὺς δὲ, προστροπαῖς ἱκνουμένη, Εἴ τι φλαῦρον εἶδες, αἰτοῦ τῶνδ' ἀποτροπὴν τελεῖν. Esch. Pers. 221. Hence perhaps the superstition of the θεοὶ ἀποτροπαίοι, οι δαιμόνες aλeğirnpioi, among the Greeks, and the Dii averrunci of the Latins. Hosea, xi. 3. I taught Ephraim to go. Kai éy ovveπódioα TÒν E— The original, however, literally signifies, my footsteps were for Ephraim. . i. e. I trudged after Ephraim on foot, attended him like a sedulous nurse. Vulg. et ego quasi nutritius Ephraim. Tremellius and Junius-quum ego assuefacio Ephraimfrom which last interpretation it would not be very easy to elicit any consistent sense. Matt. v. 22. Shall be in danger of the council. Gr. The Sanhedrim, τῷ συνεδρίῳ. 35. The city of the great King. Hence perhaps the appellation of the holy city, applied by St. Matthew alone to Jerusalem. (xxvii. 53.) 37. Cometh of evil. More correctly, is the suggestion of the evil We may remark, that one of the Bodleian MSS. has rou diaßóAov. Cf. cap. xiii. 38. one. vi. 11. Our daily bread. These words probably contain an allusion to the gathering of manna, which was only to be collected in quantities sufficient for the daily consumption of the Israelites in the wilderness. (See Exod. xiv. 4, 18.) 16. Of a sad countenance Scythian-eyed. EkvoowToί. So Eurip. Med. 273. σe, TÙν σкVŮρшπó̟ν. This coincidence is not observed by Blackwall in his Sacred Classics defended,' &c. Cæcilius the hea x. 28. Fear not them which kill the body, &c. then, (Min. Fel. p. 52. Ed. Dav.) makes this a subject of reproach against the primitive Christians-" quod dum mori post mortem timent, interim mori non timent," &c. xviii. 9. To be cast into hell-fire. Gr. the hell of fire, tǹv yéevvav TOU TUpós. Note, however, that the words Tou Tuρós are omitted in the Codex Bezæ of venerable authority-and indeed the sense is complete without them, particularly to the apprehension of a Jew, in whose mind the idea of Gehenna, the valley of fire, and that of Hades or Hell, were inseparably united. (See Calmet's Dictionary, Articles Gehennon-Tophet. Also the ccxith Fragment, on the Gates of Hades.) xxiii. 16. He is a debtor, ¿peiλérns, i. e. bound by the obligation of his oath to fulfil its conditions. 36. That upon you may come all the righteous blood, &c. (Cf. Horat. Epod. vii. 18.) Sic est: acerba fata Romanos agunt, Scelusque fraternæ necis, Ut immerentis fluxit in terram Remi xxvii. 63. That deceiver. 'O λávos-equivalent to the term yoŋral, a title commonly given to the primitive Christians. (See Bingham, Ecclesiastical Antiquities, B. II. cap. ii. sect. iv.) So the facetious Lucian makes Alexander, in his dialogue with Diogenes in the infernal shades, call his preceptor Aristotle, yóns rai rexvírns. (Aiak. vek. O'.) Mark, xv. 39. He so cried out and gave up the ghost. This translation by no means conveys the force of the originalὅτι οὕτως κράξας, étéπvevσev. Which should rather be rendered-" that he gave up the ghost in the midst of, or immediately after this loud invocation."· Eßóŋoev pwvñ μeyáλn—(v. 34.) an instance of energy greatly surpassing the utmost efforts of mortal weakness, and therefore very rationally, as well as piously, attributed by the centurion to the Son of God. Luke, vii. 14. And he came and touched the bier, (or coffin, Marg.) Tis σopoũ. The same word is used by the LXX., in the account of Joseph's burial. (Gen. 1. 26.) Καὶ ἔθηκαν αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ σορῷ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ. These are the only two passages in which the word coffin occurs in our version of the Scriptures. xix. 17. Have thou authority, &c. Gr. Know that thou hast authority, ἴσθι ἔχων ἐξουσίαν. xx. 35. But they which shall be accounted worthy, &c. The expression of the original-οἱ δὲ καταξιωθέντες τοῦ αἰῶνος ἐκείνου τυχεῖν, very similar to that in Esch. P. V. 248, 9. is τούτου τυχεῖν οὐκ ἠξιώθην αὐτὰς -(See Blomfield ad loc.) xxiv. 26. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, &c. Rather, ought not the Christ—οὐχὶ ταῦτα ἔδει παθεῖν ΤΟΝ Χριστόν : the article should have been by no means omitted in our version, as the force of our Saviour's argument in a great measure depends upon it. "Ought not the Messiah, to whom all the prophets gave witness, and who has been predicted through so long a course of ages, by the voice of divine inspiration, to be made perfect by sufferings, and to enter into his state of heavenly glory, through the path of mortal tribulation?" John, viii. 44. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, &c. For an ingenious and plausible interpretation of this difficult passage, see Middleton, Gr. Art. ad loc. Acts, viii. 23. The gall of bitterness. The Codex Bezæ reads in a more natural order, eis πuρlav xoλñs—in the bitterness of gall. St. |