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diff --git a/34201.txt b/34201.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1f3a4b2 --- /dev/null +++ b/34201.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4553 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of An Amicable Controversy with a Jewish +Rabbi, on The Messiah's Coming by J. R. Park, M.D. + + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no +restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under +the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or +online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license + + + +Title: An Amicable Controversy with a Jewish Rabbi, on The Messiah's Coming + +Author: J. R. Park, M.D. + +Release Date: November 3, 2010 [Ebook #34201] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: US-ASCII + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AN AMICABLE CONTROVERSY WITH A JEWISH RABBI, ON THE MESSIAH'S COMING*** + + + + + + An + + Amicable Controversy + + With + + A Jewish Rabbi, + + On + + The Messiah's Coming: + + Unfolding + + New Views on Prophecy + + And The + + Nature of the Millenium: + + With an Entirely New + + Exposition of Zechariah, + + On The + + Messiah's Kingdom + + By J. R. Park, M.D. &c. + + London: + + Smith, Elder, And Co. 65, Cornhill + + 1832 + + + + + +CONTENTS + + +Preface. +Introduction. +Zechariah On The Messiah's Kingdom. Interpretation: Chapter IX. +Notes To Chapter IX. Hebrew Punctuation. +The Rabbi's Exposition And Reply, Chapter IX. + Zechariah, Chapter IX. + Remarks On The Rabbi's Exposition. +Zechariah On The Messiah's Kingdom. Interpretation: Chapter X. +Notes To Chapter IX. +The Rabbi's Reply, And The Author's Remarks Upon It. Chapter X. +Zechariah On The Messiah's Kingdom. Interpretation: Chapter XI. +Notes To Chapter XI. +The Rabbi's Translation. Chapter XI. +The Rabbi's Exposition. Chapter XI. +Zechariah On The Messiah's Kingdom. Interpretation: Chapter XII. +Notes To Chapter XII. +The Rabbi's Exposition, And The Author's Remarks. Chapter XII. +Zechariah On The Messiah's Kingdom. Interpretation: Chapter XIII. +Notes To Chapter XIII. +Zechariah On The Messiah's Kingdom. Interpretation: Chapter XIV. +Notes To Chapter XIV. +The Millenium. + + + + + + +PREFACE. + + +What! another Commentary on Zechariah! the reader is ready to exclaim. +Have we not a Lowth and a Blayney? What can learning, talent, or research +effect, that has not been effected already? In a word, I answer--nothing. +But, on the other hand, I ask, what have they effected? With the exception +of particular passages, on which light has been thrown, the general scope +of the prophecy remains as obscure as ever. Sufficient proof of this +appears in the want of consistency in the plan of interpretation, which in +one verse looks to future events, and in another to events long past, for +explanation; in one part supposes the prophet to offer a connected series +of consecutive predictions; in the next supposes him to be carried away by +a transport into a digression bordering upon incoherency; varying, +moreover, continually in the principle of exposition, which is literal or +figurative, political or spiritual by turns. Surely this is not legitimate +exposition, but rather bespeaks some latent error, some radical defect in +the plan, or principle of investigation. + +To point out that defect, which the writer fancies he has discovered, is +the object of the present attempt; whether he be right or wrong, the +reader must decide. The traveller who mistakes his road, only goes the +farther astray the more he prolongs his journey. So the commentator on +prophecy, who labours to force the text to a sense which it was not +intended to bear, the more learning and ingenuity he employs, the more he +becomes involved in intricacy and obscurity. + +In expounding the prophecies relating to the Jews, commentators have had +chiefly in view their temporal and political state; whereas the writer +conceives, that their moral and religious, that is, their spiritual +condition, is really the main purport of those which relate to the +restoration of Israel. Let any one read the description of the New +Jerusalem in the 21st chapter of Revelations, and ask himself, if this can +possibly apply to a literal city, or political state. It evidently cannot; +and yet it must apply to some state of the Jews on earth; for the +Messiah's kingdom is always described as a kingdom on earth; and, +therefore, if the description does not apply to their temporal, it must to +their spiritual condition. + +The Messiah's kingdom is allowed to be the chief subject of these +prophecies; but if Christ be the Messiah, his kingdom is a spiritual one, +and what relates to it must be spiritually understood. We marvel at the +blindness which prevents the Jews from perceiving in prophecy the numerous +intimations of a spiritual Messiah, all of which appear to us to have been +distinctly fulfilled in the person of Christ; and yet that very blindness +to their spirituality is what prevents ourselves from understanding other +prophecies relating to the same subject. Let this be steadily and +uniformly kept in view, and most of the difficulties will vanish; and an +interpretation will unfold itself, not only historically minute, and +chronologically accurate, but which is, moreover, as far as scriptural +language admits, literal; for in what relates to spiritual affairs, the +spiritual is the most literal interpretation. This, then, is the principle +of the following exposition, and when it has been found necessary to +correct the translation, it was not for the purpose of finding out more +recondite meanings, but to bring back the words of the text to their +ordinary and literal signification. + +With regard to the controversial form under which the treatise appears, a +word of explanation may be requisite. The writer having framed his views +of prophecy on principles most at variance with those of the Jews, and +being only a self-taught Hebraist, was anxious to know how far his +exposition might be controverted by an acknowledged Hebrew scholar of the +Jewish persuasion. Upon inquiry he was referred to his present opponent, +as the fittest person for that purpose; and he had the satisfaction to +find, that however they might differ in the plan of interpretation, yet +his opponent could rarely challenge the accuracy or fidelity of his +translation; which he acknowledged to be more in accordance with the +Christian principle of exposition, than any he had previously met with. + +At the same time he declared the views it unfolded, to contain nothing +likely to have any weight with a Jew; and readily pledged himself to +answer those views, should the writer ever be disposed to publish them. +The views and the answer are now before the reader. + +[Transcriber's Note: Single-word Hebrew quotations in the original book +are often rendered here in the form "A (or B)", with the same word +rendered in "A" and in "B", but with the letters stored in opposite +orders. This is to allow the same e-book to render properly in both HTML +and PDF. The full-paragraph quotations should appear correct in all +formats.] + + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + + "The testimony of Jesus in the spirit of prophecy." + + +Few, perhaps, of those who read the Scriptures are fully aware of the +extent to which the language of them abounds in metaphor; yet is this +knowledge indispensable to the right understanding of both the Old and the +New Testament, and especially the prophetic parts of these books. + +Prophecy, though not the largest, is beyond question the most important +part of Scripture, affording the only irrefragable proofs of God's moral +government of the world, and of Christ's being the promised Messiah. These +proofs depend upon no human testimony, but carry their evidence in +themselves, not resting on man's credibility. Deposited in the hands of +those, whose blindness understands them not, and whose prejudice would +gladly pervert their meaning, they have been handed down to us, who are +blinded by similar prejudices, and in expounding these prophecies are only +a shade more enlightened than the Jews. + +This rich mine of miraculous evidence, still remains, almost wholly +unexplored, although it is to this testimony especially, that Christ +himself appealed. _Search the Scriptures_, said he, _for in them ye think +ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me_. This +testimony still remains to Christians of the present day, for the most +part, a sealed book; for beyond a partially successful attempt, to point +out in it, the prediction of a few leading events, fulfilled near two +thousand years ago, and therefore now no longer miraculous evidence to us, +but resting on the authenticity of historical records, all the rest is +veiled from their sight. + +The subsequent history of the progress of our religion, continued in these +prophecies, in one uninterrupted series of predictions up to the present +day; detailing the triumphant progress of the Gospel--the downfall of +Judaism--the subversion of Paganism--the corruption of Christianity by the +Gentiles--the long age of darkness consequent thereto--the rise and +successful career of Mahommedism, which has supplanted nominal +Christianity over half the globe--the exact boundary line, affixing a limit +to the dominion of each of these grand apostacies--their co-existence and +simultaneous downfall--and the revival of true Christianity--with other +events, clearly foretold, and now fulfilling before our eyes, have all +escaped the detection of the most learned commentators whether Jewish or +Christian. + +The inability to explain these prophecies thus tacitly acknowledged, which +has accompanied their transmission to our hands, is in some degree a +pledge that they have been faithfully handed down to us; for who would be +at the pains to interpolate what none could pretend to explain or apply? +At the same time, the cause of their remaining unexplained, and of their +appearing inapplicable to passing events, becomes a highly interesting +object of inquiry; and will be chiefly found to arise from the +circumstance alleged at the outset, namely, the misinterpretation of the +figurative language of Scripture and Prophecy. + +The leading subject of prophecy is the Messiah's kingdom; a kingdom which +the Jews expected to be a temporal one, and in this expectation, rejected +Christ as a spiritual prince. Whence arose their error?--From their taking +in a literal sense the language, in which the prophets had described that +kingdom. The Apostles, and first disciples of our Lord were under a +similar illusion; and had Christ at once undeceived them, and banished +from their minds all hope of temporal dominion, it is probable they would +to a man have deserted him. In fact, they did so desert him at his +crucifixion; nor did they fully perceive their error, till after his +resurrection, when they received the gift of the Spirit on the day of +Pentecost, and their eyes were at length fully opened to the spiritual +nature of his reign. + +The Jews still remain under this illusion, continuing still to look for a +temporal prince, and the literal fulfilment of prophecy. Thousands also of +Christians, who look for the second coming of Christ, expect his personal +advent; that is, that he will come in person to reign with the saints on +earth for a thousand years. And the title of saints, whether assumed by, +or bestowed upon the millenarians, seems to be fondly cherished by them, +in anticipation of the share they expect in the glories of that reign now +approaching, or, as they suppose, just at hand. + +That there be any among these, who would, like the first disciples, desert +their Lord, if robbed of this pleasing expectation, it were perhaps +invidious to suppose. Whether, like the Jews, they are led into this hope +of an earthly kingdom, by their misconception of the prophecies that +relate to this period, it were premature as yet to enquire. But certain it +is, that they are for the most part zealous advocates for the literal +sense of prophecy; and equally adverse with the Jews, to what may be +termed the spiritual exposition. + +The term spiritual has, however, been so much misunderstood, in regard to +the interpretation of prophecy, that it may be well to explain here what +is intended by it. No more is meant by this term, than that the prophecies +relating to the Messiah's kingdom, which the Christian must allow to be of +a spiritual nature, foretel events which regard the moral and religious, +and not the political state of the world. In a word, that they foreshow +the progress, and final establishment of true christianity on earth; this +being the Messiah's kingdom, or his spiritual reign. In this subject, or +the progress of our religion, we have a history abounding in events more +diversified in their nature, and more interesting in their consequences, +because more influential on the happiness of mankind, than any which +political history can furnish. Their chronology and geography are in some +points peculiar; but, rightly understood, even these admit of being marked +with unerring precision, and present some of the most striking proofs of +divine foreknowledge. + +We have intimated that prophetic language abounds in metaphor; but this +remains to be proved, as well as stated; and the nature of these metaphors +requires to be pointed out and explained. This can only be done by +citations from the prophecies themselves, which shall, however, be made +with as much brevity as the subject will admit of. The passages shall all +be taken from prophecies relating to the Messiah's kingdom; and while +their purport is made manifest, it shall at the same time be shewn that +they are uniformly employed in the same sense, when the Messiah's kingdom +is the subject treated of, throughout the New as well as the Old +Testament. We proceed to show the metaphorical nature of prophetic +language. + +When Isaiah (Ch. lxi.) uses such phrases as, _trees of righteousness_, +_garments of praise_, _garments of salvation_, it is manifest that he +cannot mean literal trees or literal garments; the figurative and +spiritual import expressed by the epithet affixed to each, namely +righteousness, salvation and praise, is the only one that can be given to +them. + +When the same prophet (Ch. lx.) foretelling the glory of the Messiah's +reign, by the conversion of the Gentiles, says _The abundance __ of the +sea shall be converted unto thee; the forces of the Gentiles shall come +unto thee_, it is evident that the sea does not mean the literal sea, but +figuratively the Gentile nations, as afterwards expressed. + +When he styles the Messiah's kingdom, _Zion, the city of the Lord, whose +walls shall be called salvation, and whose gates praise_; a spiritual and +not a literal city must be intended. When, changing the metaphor, he calls +the city _a bride_ (Ch. lxii, 5,) or describes it _as a woman in labour, +and bringing forth a male child_, (Ch. lxvi. 6. 8.) it is clear that all +these expressions must be metaphorical; _the mountain, the city, the bride +and the mother_, being alike used to express the same object; and that +object, as the context declares, the spiritual glory of the Messiah's +reign; splendid in righteousness, abundant in salvation. + +Although the spiritual import of these expressions appears self-evident; +while the context may satisfy the Christian that these chapters foreshow +the nature of the Messiah's kingdom, metaphorically styled by the +prophets, _the Zion of God, His holy mountain, the heavenly Jerusalem, +&c._, terms which alone bespeak its spirituality; yet have we moreover the +direct sanction and authority of the Apostles Paul and John for thus +understanding them. + +St. Paul, when comparing the advantages of the two covenants, and +contrasting the rigorous severity of the law, with the indulgent mildness +of the gospel, borrows these very metaphors from the prophets, calling the +former Mount Sinai, and the latter Mount Zion. (Heb. xii. 18.) _For ye are +not come_, says he, _to the mountain that might be touched, and that +burned with fire, nor unto blackness and darkness and tempest, &c._ + +_But ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the +heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of Angels._ + +_To the general assembly and church of the first-born, which are written +in heaven, &c._ + +Here we see _Mount Sinai_, from which the law was delivered, figuratively +used to signify the Old Covenant; and _Mount Zion_, and _the Heavenly +Jerusalem_ to signify the New Covenant,--called also the _general assembly +and church of the first-born_; that is of the regenerate through Christ. + +In like manner St. John, when foreshowing the final establishment of true +Christianity, uses the same metaphor of a city and a bride, that had been +previously used by Isaiah. (Rev. xxi. 2.) _And I, John, saw the holy city, +new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride, +adorned for her husband, &c._ + +But let it not be erroneously supposed that the figurative character of +prophetic language consists merely in the use of these terms to express +the Messiah's kingdom; or that the proof of its spirituality is confined +to the employment, however frequent, of such phrases as _trees of +righteousness, waters of life, wells of salvation_, &c.; the fact is, that +every allusion to that kingdom is couched in terms, which admit only of +spiritual interpretation: and where any lengthened description occurs, the +language assumes the form of continued allegory, in which the moral and +religious state of mankind is foreshewn in terms appropriate only to the +physical world. As in Ezekiel xxxiv. 26. + +_And I will make them, and the places round about my hill a blessing; and +I will __ cause the shower to come down is his season; there shall be +showers of blessing._ + +_And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall +yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know +that I am the Lord._ + +When Jeremiah (xxxi. 12.) in similar language foretels the abundance of +blessings promised in this kingdom, even the Rabbi admits that the +figurative and not the literal sense is to be taken; and that spiritual, +not temporal blessings are here intended by the prophet. + +_Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow +together for the goodness of the Lord, for wheat and for wine, and for +oil, and for the young of the flock, and of the herd_, &c. + +But the main point aimed at in the following exposition; and what the +writer wishes to be its distinguishing characteristic is, that of making +scripture its own interpreter; for in every passage that has been referred +to, and perhaps it may be said, in every one that can be referred to, +there will be found in the context sufficient intimation of the purport of +the figurative expressions employed. + +On this plan the boldest metaphors will be found to admit of easy +explanation; and passages otherwise inexplicable will find their solution, +upon one consistent and uniform principle of interpretation. A few +examples will afford illustration of the proposed plan of exposition. + +One of the boldest metaphors used by the prophets in reference to the +Messiah's kingdom is, that which represents the establishment of this new +order of things, promised in his reign, as _a new heaven and a new earth_; +in fact as a new creation: a mode of expression, which has no doubt been +often understood, by those who are not sufficiently conversant with the +nature of prophetic language, as literally foretelling a change in the +physical world, that we inhabit. + +Nor is this error confined to the unlearned: it appears to have been +fallen into by one who may perhaps be justly styled the most learned +commentator on prophecy of the present age; and moreover the very writer +who has pointed out the true principle of exposition. + +The intelligent and profound Dean of Lichfield in his work on the +Apocalypse, after pointing out the figurative sense of such passages, yet, +strange to say, relinquishes this sense where it seems the most +appropriate, and adopts the literal. + +In allusion to the first establishment of the Jewish Theocracy, we find in +Isaiah (li. 16.) the following figurative language. + +_When I have put my words in thy mouth, and covered thee with the palm of +my hand, that I may plant the heaven, and lay the foundation of the +earth._ + +Thus, selecting the Jews to be God's chosen people, and putting his words +in the mouth of the prophet, are said to be _planting the heavens_ and +_laying the foundation of the earth_. And in conformity with this style, +when the old Covenant was to be dissolved, and the new one to be +established, _new heavens_ and _a new earth_ are said to be created. (Isa. +lxv. 17.) + +_For behold I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not +be remembered nor come into mind._ + +When St. John, in the Rev. vi. 12. foretels the corruption of +Christianity, in a prophecy which appears distinctly applicable to the +events that occurred at the beginning of the fourth century; he borrows +the same metaphors, and describes the loss or corruption of true religion +as the departure of the heavens, and the darkening of the heavenly +luminaries. (Rev. vi. 12.) + +_And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo there was a great +earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon +became as blood;_ + +_And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth; even as a fig-tree casteth +her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind._ + +_And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together, &c._ + +The historical view of this period, taken by Dr. Woodhouse, exactly +accords with the figurative sense of the prophecy--yet, to the manifest +injury of consistent interpretation, it is here that he relinquishes the +figurative, and adopts the literal sense, supposing the day of judgment to +be here foretold. + +While thus compelled to dissent from some particular views of this writer, +I cannot pass by this opportunity of expressing the very high estimation +in which I otherwise hold his most valuable publication. (Woodhouse on the +Apocalypse.) + +Other commentators on prophecy, who have for the most part adopted the +political in preference to the spiritual view, regard _the heavens_, as +symbolizing the civil government or ruling powers in a state; and it is +true that these expressions have not been always confined in prophecy to +the prediction of spiritual events; but have been also used in foretelling +the judgments of God upon political states and kingdoms. + +But when the Messiah's kingdom is the acknowledged subject, to look to +political events for its fulfilment, is surely to run into the error of +the Jews, and to disregard the intimation expressly given by him; who +declared that _his kingdom was within us_; or as the prophets had +previously foreshewn--_behold, I will put my law in their inward parts; and +write it in their hearts_. + +One example more shall suffice, for shewing the superiority of the +spiritual view, in affording the solution of passages, which upon any +other must appear utterly inexplicable. It has been stated that Zion is +also represented as a woman, and a mother; of which the most remarkable +instance occurs in the following extraordinary passage in Isaiah lxvi. 7, +8. + +_Before she travailed she brought forth; before her pains came she was +delivered of a man-child._ + +_Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth +be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for +as soon as Zion travailed she brought forth her children._ + +The Christian may perhaps suppose, as some have done, that Christ is the +man-child here intended; but that cannot be. For Zion is the mother, and a +mountain can never be literally understood to bring forth a man; the +mountain is a figurative mother, and the child must be a figurative child. + +What does the mother figuratively signify? is then the question most +likely to lead us to the nature of the child. We have already seen that +this term is constantly applied to Israel, and especially with reference +to their spiritual state of regeneration through Christianity. Such we may +presume, then, is the meaning of Zion here; and that the regeneration of +the Jews through Christianity is the birth and parturition here spoken of. + +Upon this view Judaism, or the Jewish Church will be the mother, and the +Christian Church or Christianity her child--the man-child, who was ordained +to rule all nations. Ps. ii. + +The next question is, how the birth can be said to have preceded the +labour-pains. + +Mr. Lowth, to whom more than any other I feel indebted for much valuable +assistance in explaining the Old Testament prophecies, supposes the +labour-pains to be "the destruction of the Jewish Polity, making way for +the growth of Christianity." And this seems a plausible explanation, as +these troubles of the Jewish Church followed the birth or promulgation of +Christianity forty years. + +But the solution is only plausible; for the growth is not the birth; or if +it be taken as the birth, then it no longer precedes but follows the +labour-pains, for whatever effect the destruction of Judaism had in +promoting Christianity, this effect was subsequent and not prior to that +event; and thus the solution fails in the main point. + +Moreover, upon the spiritual plan of exposition, it may justly be +objected, that these troubles of the Jewish Church were rather of a +political than a spiritual character; and certainly in no way essential to +the birth of Christianity, and cannot therefore be considered as the +labour-pains, or even as the after-pains of that birth. + +This objection being valid, let a more spiritual view be taken, and the +objection will vanish. Let the worldly feelings which prevented the Jews +from receiving Christ as their Messiah, and the inward struggle required +to overcome these, symbolise the pains of labour, and the connexion will +be evident. For this very struggle and victory over worldly feelings +constitute the regeneration through Christ; and this therefore is +essential to the birth of Christianity, "the new birth unto +righteousness." + +But with the first Christians this struggle could not precede the birth, +for they received Christ, before they were aware of the spiritual nature +of his mission; the Apostles did not look for a spiritual Messiah until +after the day of Pentecost, and therefore the birth preceded the pains +with them; but once aware of the sacrifice required, they cheerfully +submitted to every species of persecution, and triumphed over all worldly +feelings. And in every individual who receives Christianity, this struggle +with worldly feelings must in some measure continue during their whole +lives. + +With the Jews, the prevalence of these worldly feelings, and the hope of a +temporal Messiah, still prevent their receiving Christianity, or obstruct +their regeneration. And when the evidence of its truth shall be forced +upon them, it is probable that this conviction will precede rather than +follow the entire conquest over worldly feelings; so difficult is it to +change our habits and feelings at once. And in this we may perceive the +sense of the remaining verse, cited above; _Can the earth be made to bring +forth at once? Can a nation be born in a day? For as soon as Zion +travailed she brought forth her children._ + +The _earth_ and the _nation_ shew that a whole people, or race of men, are +here spoken of; and the _man-child_ of the former verse, we here find +changed into _children_, in the plural number. Such appears to be the +solution of the difficulty, on the spiritual plan of exposition. + +If an equally satisfactory solution can be offered by reference to +political events, this will no doubt be the best defence of that mode of +exposition that can be offered. How, then, is the fact? The fact is, that +such commentaries are obliged to consider nine-tenths of these prophecies +still unaccomplished, although a period of two thousand five hundred years +has elapsed since they were uttered; and most of this interval is thus +left, to Christians as well as Jews, a perfect blank in this prophetic +history of the progress of the Messiah's kingdom; without any proof, +during this time, at least as drawn from these prophecies of the Old +Testament, of God's foreknowledge of events, of his providence in the +government of the world, or of his interposition in the disposal of human +affairs. Some eight or ten verses, out of six chapters, are all that +appear upon this plan to admit of explanation; whereas, by applying the +prophecy to the progress of Christianity, as Christ's spiritual kingdom, +and looking to spiritual instead of political events, all the leading +occurrences in the history of our religion, from its first promulgation to +the present day, already fulfilled, or now in the progress of fulfilment, +will be found to be clearly foreshewn in one uninterrupted series of +predictions, comprising every verse and every line in these chapters, +except a few verses which are still veiled in futurity. Admitting the +spiritual interpretation, being in fact equivalent to admitting that +Christ is the Messiah, is the main point at issue between the Rabbi and +the Author; but as many Christians still reject the figurative and +spiritual exposition, it is hoped that to them also the foregoing remarks +may be not altogether useless; nor an unsuitable introduction to the +following new plan of expounding Zechariah's prophetic view of the +progress of the Messiah's kingdom. + + + + + +ZECHARIAH ON THE MESSIAH'S KINGDOM. INTERPRETATION: CHAPTER IX. + + +The subject of these chapters appears to be that, which, from its constant +repetition by all the Prophets from the earliest to the latest, was +evidently esteemed the most important to the interests of mankind; namely, +the coming of the Messiah. + +This great event, being promised as a blessing to the descendants of +Abraham, and particularly to the house of Judah, it was natural that the +Jews should expect to obtain by it peculiar advantages; and accordingly, +whatever may be their views at this time, we learn from the writings of +St. Paul, that their general expectation then was, that to their nation +would the benefits of it be confined. The nature of these benefits was +moreover expected to consist, chiefly, in the political supremacy to be +conferred upon them by a great temporal prince, who should establish their +dominion over all the earth. + +Such were the expectations of the Jews; whereas the Christians who equally +believe the prophecies which contain these promises, have been taught to +interpret them in a very different manner. They conceive that these +benefits will extend to all mankind; and understand them as having no +reference to political power or temporal affairs, but as affording the +means of obtaining advantages of a far higher and more permanent nature; +even the blessings of eternal life, and eternal happiness. Not that these +blessings were by the Messiah's coming to be directly and unconditionally +conferred upon mankind; but that the means of obtaining them would thereby +be afforded to all such as were disposed to seek after them. These means +they conceive to be accomplished through the establishment of a kingdom on +earth; a kingdom, however, not of a temporal, but of a spiritual nature; +one which consists in the reign of true religion in the heart of man, a +real Theocracy; by which man is enabled to overcome the world, that is, to +rule and direct his passions and worldly propensities, and by making his +future existence a paramount consideration, to render him meet to enjoy +it. Such, according to the Christian's view, is the victory to be gained; +such the kingdom to be established by the Messiah; and hence the apparent +contradiction, that while battles and conflicts are spoken of, it is yet +declared to be a peaceful kingdom. + +But conceiving the prophecies which announce the coming of the Messiah to +have been accomplished in the person of Christ, the Christian supposes +this kingdom to be already established, and that Christ does actually +reign in the heart of every true believer. That the numbers of such are +comparatively small, and by no means to be estimated by the number of +those who bear the name of Christian, is a lamentable truth; but it is a +truth, which he was fully prepared to look for by the same unerring word +of prophecy; which clearly announced, that a long period of darkness and +apostacy would intervene between the appearance of the Messiah on earth, +and the universal establishment of his kingdom. + +It is true that the Christian finds the clearest annunciation of this long +period of antichristian darkness, in books which are of no authority in +the estimation of the Jew, in those of the New Testament, to wit; but if +it can be shewn, as we conceive it can, that the same events are also +clearly foretold by the Prophets of the Old Testament, the subject will +then prefer an equal claim to the attention of both; to that of the Jew, +as calling upon him, impartially to consider the evidence, which seems to +prove that his Messiah has already appeared on earth; and to that of the +Christian, as calling upon him carefully to examine how far the religion +he professes may, both in doctrine and practice, still be tinctured with +the corruptions of antichristianity. + +This, then, is the point at issue; whether or not, we have in these six +chapters of Zechariah, one of those Divine revelations, which displays a +prophetic view of the coming of the Messiah; of his being rejected by most +of his own nation, but received by the Gentiles; of the consequent +abolition of Paganism, (then, except with the Jews, the universal religion +of the world), and the substitution of Christianity in its stead; but +which at the same time foretels the corruption of this religion by us the +Gentiles; and the long reign of antichristian darkness which has since +prevailed in the room of it; with all the most notable events attending +these extraordinary revolutions in the human mind; events still fulfilling +before our eyes, and open to the observation of all who think the subject +worthy of their attention. Whether all this be clearly intimated in the +chapters before us, and can be made out without violating grammatical +construction in the translation of the Hebrew, or legitimate consistency +in the interpretation of prophetic language, is the question we propose to +consider. Frequent perusal and careful examination have satisfied the mind +of the writer, that the subject of them is no other than an epitome of the +prophetic history which was afterwards amplified in the Revelations of St. +John; where we find, as occurs in other instances in which the predictions +are repeated, that the events are unfolded with greater precision and +minuteness as the period of their accomplishment draws nigh. + +That no such subject distinctly appears, through the medium of the +authorised translation contained in our Bibles, is most certain; nor was +it to be looked for, that any passages, which admitted of different modes +of construction, should be rendered in a way least acceptable to the +expositor, in a translation which is almost wholly Jewish, being founded +on the Masoretic punctuation. On the contrary, it appears, in not a few +instances, that the usual and literal sense has been rejected for one more +remote, but more consonant to the views and prejudices, of those who +framed the punctuation. That this statement may not rest on the +questionable ground of assertion or opinion, the reader will find, in the +notes subjoined, a full statement of the reasons for all the changes +proposed; and the Hebrew scholar will thus have full opportunity to +challenge their validity, if he find occasion. It is the writer's wish +that they should be freely canvassed; truth is the only object he has in +view; and he asks no other conditions on entering the arena, than that of +disclaiming the authority of the Masoretic punctuation. His reasons for +this will appear sufficiently obvious. If, without the aid of the points, +we obtain a meaning that is simple and satisfactory in many passages, +which by them are rendered obscure or unintelligible;--if a connected and +unbroken explanation of each verse be attainable without them, while only +a few verses detached from the context have been explained by the ablest +commentators through their aid; sufficient reason will surely appear for +rejecting an authority which, instead of facilitating our progress, only +encumbers the subject with unnecessary difficulties. + +The reader need not, however, expect that every difficulty will be removed +by the proposed alterations; or that even the amended translations will +afford such an exposition as to admit of no possible objection. It were +absurd to suppose that the strength of the argument can lie all on one +side, where two are engaged in the controversy. For the Jew is in this +case no man of straw, set up to be knocked down at pleasure, but a true +Jew, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, an advocate as zealous in the cause he +defends, as his Christian opponent. Each believes himself in the right; +each expects to obtain the victory; and it is not improbable that the +reader, who sits as umpire in the contest, may, after all, though +unconscious of partiality, give judgment according to the bias of his +feelings, whether he be Jew or Christian, rather than according to the +abstract merits of the question. + +Regarding the subject of the prophecy, as the coming of the Messiah, the +introduction, which is comprised in the first eight verses of this +chapter, appears to be the most appropriate that can possibly be +conceived. It opens with a denunciation against worldly-mindedness, and a +declaration of God's purpose to frustrate the schemes, and cut off the +hopes of ambition, pride, and avarice, in the judgments pronounced against +those cities, which were then the most conspicuous for their riches and +power. This is immediately followed, as if by way of contrast, by a view +of the spiritual nature of the Messiah's kingdom, founded in meekness and +humility, and affording benefits of a very different kind, namely, the +taking away of sin, and the redemption of mankind from a state of sin and +perdition; benefits which were not to be confined to the Jews alone, but +to extend to the Gentiles also, and that on terms of equal participation +with the Jews. + +The denunciations are contained in the first six verses as follow: Zech. +ix. + +_The heavy burden of the word of the Lord against the land of Hadrach and +Damascus_; _his sending down_, (that is, the Lord's) _for the Lord's is +the eye of man_, (the eye of the seer who receives the vision,) _and all +the tribes of Israel_ (whom it immediately concerns). + +_Hamath also shall have a limit set to her; Tyre and Sidon also, though +she be very wise_--(worldly-wise). _For she hath built herself Tyre, a +strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire +of the streets. Behold the Lord will cast her out, and smite her power in +the sea, and she shall be devoured with fire. Ashkalon shall see it and +fear, Gaza also shall see it and __ be very sorrowful; and Ekron, for her +hope shall be dried up, and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkalon +shall not be inhabited, and a stranger shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will +cut off the pride of the Philistines._ + +These denunciations are chiefly directed against the Philistines, the +cities enumerated being the most conspicuous of any they possessed, and no +doubt, the pride of their nation. Here, then, appears sufficient reason +for the Jews to interpret the prophecy, as altogether in their favour, +denouncing judgments upon their enemies. But yet it is possible they may +have viewed them too partially, and may even have overlooked the express +objects of denunciation in the prophecy; which denounces their avarice and +ambition, and declares that the _pride_ rather than the _cities_ of the +Philistines shall be cut off. As for the cities themselves, heavy +judgments are pronounced against them all. One, it is declared, shall not +be inhabited; another, Sidon, is threatened with an overthrow, which it +received not long after from Ochus, king of Persia, in precisely the +manner here foretold; while Tyre, Gaza, and others, were taken by +Alexander the Great; but if we keep to the letter of the prophecy, it is +their avarice, ambition, and pride, that are distinctly marked as the +objects of Divine displeasure; and even the judgments pronounced against +them on this account, are immediately coupled with the succeeding promise +of mercy and redemption, through the means of a meek and humble Messiah, +who should _take away sin and pollution, and speak peace to the heathen_. + +But why, it may be asked, were these offences condemned in the Philistines +particularly? Were not the Jews also addicted to pride, avarice, and +worldly ambition? No doubt they were so; and the prophecy being addressed +to them, it appears that the admonition was expressly intended for their +use. + +Pride was even less excusable in the Jews, who could find no sanction for +it in their religion; while this was the very basis of Pagan morality; the +pedestal on which honour was erected; that idol of self-estimation, the +highest of Pagan virtues. These vices were therefore more appropriately +denounced in the Philistines, as peculiarly belonging to them, though +spreading, by contagion, to the Jews; and if punishable in the former, how +could they be excusable in the latter? + +The mind of the Christian reader will naturally revert to the pride which +revolted at the idea of a meek and humble Messiah, and caused the Jews to +reject him. But that cannot be the question here; for the Jews are not +here pointed out as the objects of Divine displeasure; nor is any +intimation hitherto given of their offence; and that of its punishment +could not surely precede it. The feeling might indeed be there, and a +salutary warning of its being displeasing in the sight of Heaven, and of +the fatal consequences about to result from it, seems here intended; but +the penalty was not incurred till the overt act was committed, and to +foretell the punishment before the offence itself was intimated, would +have been a prophetical solecism. As we proceed, we shall find, in its +proper place, due notice taken both of the one and the other. + +In the next verse we find these denunciations, coupled with promises of +mercy and redemption to the remaining Gentiles, verse 7, _But I will take +away his blood from out of his mouth; and his pollution from between his +teeth; and he that remaineth, even he shall be for our God_; that is, the +remaining Gentiles shall have their sins forgiven, their pollution washed +away, they shall be redeemed from the darkness of Paganism, and reclaimed +to the worship of the true God; + +_And he shall be as a chief in Judah, Ekron, as well as the Jebusite_; +that is, he (the remaining Gentile) shall attain thereby to a full +participation with the Jew, in all the spiritual blessings promised in the +Messiah's kingdom. + +The prophecy having now declared the admission of the Gentiles, promises +that the Messiah's kingdom, thus established, shall ever enjoy Divine +protection and support. + +_And I will encamp about mine house, against the army, against him that +passeth over, and against him that returneth, and there shall no oppressor +pass over them any more, for now have I seen with mine eyes._ + +In the following verse, the subject of the prophecy is so distinctly +announced as the coming of the Messiah, that Jews as well as Christians +concur on this point, though they have not perceived how the preceding +verses refer to this kingdom. + +_Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold +thy King shall come unto thee, just and having salvation; lowly and riding +upon an ass, even a colt the foal of an ass._ + +The manner of the Messiah's coming being here so plainly foretold, and his +character so distinctly described, we wonder how the Jew can deny that +this was all fulfilled in the person of Christ. The reason is simply this; +he disbelieves the facts. The books in which they are recorded, are of no +authority in his estimation; he challenges their testimony on grounds too +numerous to be discussed here. To answer his objections, every +disagreement between the writers of the New Testament must first be +reconciled; a task which appears to him to have hitherto failed with all +who have attempted it. But this is not the only objection he has to urge. +He charges the Christian with perverting the sense of prophecy; and this +verse furnishes him with an instance. Thus, the Hebrew word rendered, +"_having salvation_," is really the past participle of the verb "to save," +literally "_being saved_;" and that too followed by the emphatical pronoun +_himself_, "being saved himself." Surely this point might be safely +conceded by the Christian, who admits that Christ "was the first fruits of +them that slept;" the first who rose from the dead, to everlasting life; +and that through him we become partakers in that resurrection. + +The peaceful nature of his kingdom, the participation of the heathen in +its blessings, and the boundless extent of its dominion are next declared: + +_And he will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from +Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off; and he shall speak peace +to the heathen; and his dominion shall be from the sea even to the sea, +and from the river to the ends of the earth._ + +The Christian reader will find no difficulty in the interpretation of the +verse which follows. + +_As for thee, by the blood of thy covenant, I have sent forth thy +prisoners from the pit wherein is no water._ + +The Messiah is spoken of throughout; who then but the Messiah can be +apostrophised in the words, "_As for thee?_" Then follows "_by the blood +of thy covenant_." What blood but the blood of Christ? What covenant, but +that sealed by his blood, can be alluded to? "_I have sent thy prisoners +forth._" What prisoners, but those who were in the bondage of sin? "_from +the pit wherein is no water_." What pit, but the darkness of idolatry, +which had none of the waters of life? Surely this is a most clear and +distinct intimation of the sacrifice of the Messiah, and of the benefits +thereby conferred upon mankind in the redemption of the heathen world from +the darkness of idolatry; thus opening the way to immortality, to the +whole human race. + +But the Messiah here appears to be promised to the Gentiles, having been +previously promised to the Jews; were then these promises retracted? By no +means. To the Jews he was promised, and to them he came, exclusively +addressing himself to the house of Israel. Nor was it till after the +majority of that nation had rejected and crucified him, that the calling +of the Gentiles took place. The blessings he offered being refused by the +former, appears to have been the immediate cause of their being given to +the latter. Accordingly this seems to be the purport of the next verse, +which intimates that there was some reason why these blessings could not +be directly and unconditionally transferred to the Gentiles. + +_Return ye to the strong hold, my prisoners, wait thou unto the day I +declare, that I will repay thee double_; that is, wait for the day when +these blessings will become yours, through the Jews' refusal of them. + +Nor yet was the Messiah rejected by all the Jews; for the apostles were +Jews; the disciples were Jews; by Jews was the Gospel preached and +propagated; and to the Jews belongs the honour of the first triumph of +true religion over Paganism, and what is more, over the passions and +worldly propensities of man; and this triumphant progress of the Gospel +seems to be the victory intimated in the verse which follows; wherein the +reason is at the same time assigned why Christ did not address himself to +the Gentiles. + +_For I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow Ephraim; and raised up thy +sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece; and made thee as the sword of a +mighty man._ + +The triumphs of Judas Maccabeus, generally supposed to be here foretold, +cannot be the victories alluded to; for Ephraim, or the ten tribes, here +declared as bearing a part in them, had already gone into captivity, and +bore no share whatever in these subsequent wars of Judah. The true meaning +appears to be that Judah was destined to have the honour of first +establishing the Messiah's kingdom, as promised from the beginning. + +How then could Ephraim, or the ten tribes, it may be asked, bear a part in +the triumphs of the Gospel, having previously gone into captivity? The +prophecy does not distinctly say so; if we keep to the letter, it is only +said that Ephraim as well as Judah was prepared and marshalled for the +spiritual conflict: the triumph is declared to _Zion_ over _Greece_; that +is, to true religion over Pagan idolatry; and in this warfare, though not +in the wars of Judas Maccabeus, Ephraim did bear a part; for it is not to +the apostolic age alone that we must look for the accomplishment of the +great scheme of Providence for man's redemption. This was only one act in +the great drama; which began under the Old Covenant, and is not yet +finally completed under the New. In the former, or the Old Covenant, all +the tribes of Israel bore their share, Ephraim as well as Judah; and the +warfare not being finally concluded, who shall say but Ephraim may again +appear, and bear a further part in it? + +Having declared the union of the Gentiles with the Jews, and their joint +participation in the blessings of the Messiah's kingdom, the prophecy goes +on to promise the support and protection of Heaven, in terms alike +applicable to both. + +_And the Lord shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the +lightning; and the Lord God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go forth +with whirlwinds of the south. And the Lord of hosts shall defend them, and +they shall devour and subdue with sling-stones; and they shall drink as +wine, and they shall be filled like bowls, like __ the corners of the +altar._ (which were purposely so constructed as to receive the blood of +the sacrifices). + +That the whole of these expressions require to be taken figuratively and +spiritually, no one conversant with scriptural and prophetic language can +surely deny; or for a moment suppose that literal drunkenness and +bloodshed are here intended. + +Should any doubt remain that the Gentiles are included in these promises +as well as the Jews, the next verse appears to decide the question. + +_And the Lord their God shall save them in that day, as the flock of his +people._ + +If the Jews be called his people, who but the Gentiles can be meant by the +other? But this is followed by the direct declaration that all distinction +between them is on the eve of its abolition. + +_For the wall of separation is tottering over his land._ + +A remarkable and striking expression, but strangely perverted in our +translation. Why the Jews have laboured to give a different turn to it, by +seeking a more figurative and recondite meaning, we need be at no loss to +conceive; nor why they apply these verses to themselves alone. See note to +the translation of this verse. + +But this view, which would limit the bounty of Heaven to a particular +race, besides being at variance with the context, seems little calculated +to call forth the feelings of adoration and praise with which this chapter +concludes. + +_For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty. Corn shall +make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids._ + +Corn, wine, &c. in prophetic language ever signify the food of spiritual +knowledge, to be henceforth freely bestowed on all, Gentiles as well as +Jews. + + + + + +NOTES TO CHAPTER IX. HEBREW PUNCTUATION. + + +A Summary of the arguments for and against the antiquity and authority of +the Vowel Points, is given at the beginning of the Second Vol. of Horne's +Introduction to the Study of the Scriptures; from which the following +considerations seem most entitled to selection. That the earliest traces +of the points are to be found in the tenth century--that many of the oldest +manuscripts now extant are without them--that the copies of the Jewish +Scriptures now used in the Synagogue and esteemed peculiarly sacred, are +without them--that the Samaritan letters which were the same as the Hebrew +before the captivity, are without them--and the Samaritan Pentateuch is +without them--that there are no traces of them to be found in the shekels +(coins) struck by the kings of Israel--that the fathers, particularly +Origen and Jerome, who treat of the Hebrew pronunciation, make no mention +of them--that all the antient various readings of the Jews regard the +letters only, not one of them relates to the vowel points--to which may be +added, that there are five vowels in the Hebrew alphabet which are quite +sufficient for reading the language, though they may not enable us to +determine with precision the antient pronunciation. "These +considerations," says Mr. Horne, "have determined the majority of Hebrew +scholars in the present day to reject their authority." Still we may admit +their utility in fixing the pronunciation, and perhaps also in +facilitating the construction; but the main objection to them is, that by +changing the vowels, they frequently alter the sense, as well as the +sound, and that in passages where a Jewish interpretation is particularly +open to suspicion. Thus in prophecies relating to the Messiah, both their +prejudices and their feelings unfit them for becoming guides to a +Christian expositor. + +Verse 1. :{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~} {~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL TSADI~} {~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL KAF~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER TET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} +{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} + +_The heavy burden of the word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach, and +Damascus shall be the rest thereof; when the eyes of man, as of all the +tribes of Israel, shall be towards the Lord._ + +These are the words of the translation in our Bible; but the sense of them +I must acknowledge my inability to unravel. Of what Damascus is to be the +rest, or what period is intimated by the adverb of time _when_, I am at a +loss to discover. The separation of Hadrach and Damascus by the insertion +of a comma between them, evidently owes its origin to the supposed +necessity for rendering the word {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}) _the rest thereof_. But +if deriving it from {~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}) or {~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}) does not afford any +intelligible sense, we are naturally led to seek another derivation; and +we find one in the verb {~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}) _to descend_ or _send down_, which +without violating grammatical construction affords a meaning not only +intelligible, but in perfect unison with the context. The Hemantiv {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~} +prefixed, gives the _thing sent down_, while the suffix {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} _his_, evidently +refers to _the Lord_ who sends the vision or denunciation. The English +construction, of course, requires it should be rendered _his sending +down_, that is, the Lord's denunciation, _against_ Hadrach and Damascus, +as well as the other cities which are mentioned afterwards; for {~HEBREW LETTER BET~} here +rendered _in_, may with more propriety be rendered _against_ or _upon_. +The verb {~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}) _to send down_, occurs in Joel iii. 11 and +elsewhere: but the writer freely acknowledges that he has no authority for +the participial noun with the Hemantiv {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~} prefixed to signify the thing +sent down, or the act of sending down, as the sense seems to require here. +He therefore rests this construction solely on the ground of its being +grammatically admissible, consonant to analogy, and in accordance with the +context, as affording a satisfactory meaning. Let those who are not +satisfied with such reasons furnish a better solution of the difficulty. +In the next place, there is no necessity for rendering {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}) _when_, +which more frequently signifies _for_; and when so rendered, it will be +found to connect together the latter and the former part of the verse. For +this, we only require to render the dative {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}, as it frequently is rendered +in Hebrew, as well as Greek and Latin, to denote _possession_; and the +verse will run thus. _For the Lord's is_, or to the Lord belongs, _the eye +of man_; to wit, the eye of the Seer, who receives the vision, _and all +the tribes of Israel_, whom the vision chiefly concerns. Making the tribes +a genitive case, by inserting _of_ before them, is wholly uncalled for by +the text. + +Verse 2. :{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~} + +_And Hamath also shall border thereby, Tyrus and Sidon though it be very +wise._ + +{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}) _to set bounds to_, in the Hiphil, occurs in Exod. xix. 12 +& 23.--It here appears to be the Huphal or passive of Hiphil--signifying _to +be bounded_, or _to be set bounds to_. It is only necessary to remark, +that leaving aside the punctuation, the form of the future tense will be +identical in both these voices. The sense as it stands is scarcely +intelligible. What is meant by _border thereby_, it is not easy to +conceive; but by discarding the points we readily obtain a meaning that is +perfectly intelligible. {~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}) may then be rendered in the passive +voice, instead of the active, and will signify _to be limited_, or _have +bounds set to_; and {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}) _on_ or _to her_, which follows, accords +with, and seems to demand its being so rendered. _And Hamath also shall +have bounds set to her_; that is, her growing greatness shall be checked. + +_Tyre, and also Sidon though she be very wise_, {~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}), _wise_, no +doubt, means here, _worldly wise_, or very subtle. + +Verse 5. :{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER ZAYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER TET~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} + +_Ashkalon shall see and fear, Gaza also, and she shall be very sorrowful, +and Ekron for her expectation shall be ashamed._ + +{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}) may be derived either from {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}) _to be ashamed_, +or from {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}) _to dry up_, and whither as a plant for want of +moisture. The latter seems preferable here, but it is not very material to +the sense. + +Verse 6. :{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER ZAYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} {~HEBREW LETTER PE~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} + +_A bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the +Philistines._ + +{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER ZAYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER ZAYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}) may be rendered a _stranger_, as well as a _bastard_, +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} in the Septuagint, which renders the sense more obvious. + +_And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines._ These denunciations +appear chiefly directed against the Philistines, in whom pride, avarice, +and ambition, are specified as the great offences. The delivery of Ashdod +into the hands of a stranger is the judgment pronounced against them in +this verse, as the last means of their humiliation. But here the tone of +the prophecy changes, and instead of further punishments, we find repeated +promises of blessings and mercy; _he that is left shall be for our God, +and as a Governor in Judah_,--and in the verse following--_He_ (the Messiah +being manifestly meant here) _shall speak peace to the Heathen_.--Whence +then this change? We are led to seek, and naturally expect to find, some +ground for it. And accordingly the next verse unfolds the reason, and +explains the occasion of this change in the counsel of Heaven; a change +resting not on their own merits, but on Divine Mercy. For such a +construction will this verse bear, quite as well as the one usually put +upon it; and this construction is far more in unison with the context, +than the received one. + +Verse 7. :{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER PE~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} {~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} {~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}-{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~} {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL PE~} +{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} + +_And I will take away his blood from out of his mouth, and his +abominations from between his teeth, and he that is left, even he shall be +for our God, and he shall be as a Governor in Judah, and Ekron as a +Jebusite._ + +With scarcely any alteration in the translation, the words, even as they +stand, admit of a very different acceptation from that in which they are +commonly taken; and instead of being a figurative expression, borrowed +from the rescuing its prey from the jaws of a lion; in which sense the +Jews take it, as a promise to themselves of deliverance from their +enemies; the words more literally taken, will convey the promise of mercy +and redemption to the remaining Gentiles: whose sin and pollution are to +be taken away, who are to be reclaimed to the worship of the true God, and +admitted to a full participation in all the blessings, promised to Israel +by the coming of the Messiah. + +The Gentiles were esteemed polluted by eating things unclean, which were +prohibited to the Jews. Certain animals--things strangled--and the blood in +particular were among the forbidden food. The new covenant removed this +prohibition, thereby taking away the pollution from between his teeth, as +it ceased to be a cause of pollution. The command given to St. Peter, Acts +x. 14, to kill and eat, where all manner of food was presented to him, was +expressly received by him as a command to preach the Gospel to the +Gentiles, or to admit them into the Messiah's kingdom; and this admission +was unaccompanied with any such prohibition, nor was it subsequently +given. + +Eating things sacrificed to idols was another cause of pollution which the +New Covenant removed, by taking away the cause in the abolition of +idolatry. This literal fulfilment of the words of the prophecy may, +however, be figuratively understood, to foreshew the remission of sins +through Christ, and the admission of the Heathen nations to the hopes of +everlasting life founded on the Gospel. + +The only change required in the English version is to read _But_, for +_And_, which are expressed alike by the Hebrew {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}, and to understand {~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} +(or {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}) _his abominations_, in the sense most appropriate to it, as +alluding to the worship of idols, and we have the sense already expressed, +which perfectly harmonizes with the context. Whereas, taken in the other +sense, what becomes of the antithesis? Who is _he that is left_, that +_shall be for our God_, and _as a chief in Judah_? Surely it cannot be the +Jew, who shall be as a Jew. But the next words are decisive, declaring +that Ekron and the Jebusite, both Gentiles, are here intended. + +_And Ekron as a Jebusite._ This mode of rendering leaves, indeed, the +force of these words rather ambiguous; but there can be no intelligible +sense put upon the {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}), but that of _in like manner as_, or, _as +well as_; that is, Ekron as well as the Jebusite, shall both be as +Governors in Judah. + +Verse 8. :{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~} {~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~} {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} +{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} + +_And I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of him +that passeth by, and because of him that returneth; and no oppressor shall +pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes._ + +It is not certain, though probable, from 1 Sam. xxvi. 5-7, that the Jews +had entrenched camps; if so, the passage would be clearer by rendering +{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}) _I will entrench_ instead of _encamp_; though the sense +is sufficiently obvious, as meaning to afford protection against the army, +&c. The house of God, to which protection is promised, is his Temple, +figuratively denoting true religion purified from idolatry; the great +spiritual adversary constantly warring with Israel, and, as we learn from +Scripture, frequently prevailing; which is probably the warfare here +alluded to. But if taken literally, this passage conveys the promise that +the Messiah's kingdom should put an end to oppression and injustice. The +exact import of the expression, _for now have I seen with mine eyes_, is +not very evident; but may imply God's foreseeing the unfitness of the Jews +to receive a spiritual Messiah; who, in consequence of their rejection of +him, would be given to the Gentiles. + +Verse 9. :{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}-{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL KAF~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~} {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL KAF~} {~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~} +{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} + +_Rejoice greatly, Daughter of Zion, shout, oh Daughter of Jerusalem, +behold thy King cometh unto thee; he is just and having salvation, lowly +and riding upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass._ + +There is no ambiguity in the purport of this verse, which is the coming of +the Messiah, as all commentators allow; but I can in no wise agree with +Lowth and others, that this verse is a rhapsodical digression from the +subject of the rest of the chapter, in which the Prophet being wrought up +to the highest pitch of enthusiasm, breaks off from the immediate object +of his vision to foretel the coming of the Messiah, and then returns back +to his former subject. On the contrary, I can see nothing like digression +here, but one connected and consistent object throughout; this verse being +the keystone of the arch, which binds together those which precede and +those which follow it, forming the whole into one united and compact body. +Instead of a digression from the subject, I regard this verse as the clue +to guide us through the labyrinth, by fixing and determining the subject +of all the rest. + +_Behold thy King cometh unto thee_: {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}) is really the future +tense, literally _shall come_, and changing it to the present, _cometh_, +seems unnecessary, if it does not in some degree interfere with the +chronological order of the events predicted afterwards. + +_Just and having salvation._ This is certainly an ambiguous rendering of +{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}) the past participle of the verb {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}) to save, which +literally signifies _being saved_, and the emphatic {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}) +_himself_, following it, more strongly marks the sense, as _having +obtained salvation himself_. + +_Riding on an ass, and a colt, the foal of an ass._ The connective {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} +_and_, should certainly be rendered here by _even_, or, _to wit_, and not +by _and_, which makes it appear that the Messiah was to ride upon two +asses. + +Verse 11. :{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL KAF~} {~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL KAF~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} + +_As for thee, by the blood of thy covenant, I have sent forth thy +prisoners, from the pit wherein is no water._ + +That the Messiah is apostrophized in these words, cannot, surely, admit of +doubt or dispute; and words more forcible, or more pregnant with meaning, +upon the Christian's view of them, it is not easy to conceive. {~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} (or +{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}) _I have sent forth_, is really the perfect tense, though written +several centuries before the coming of Christ; but it is not at all +unusual in prophetic language to use this tense, which represents as +already accomplished, what is determined in the Divine purpose, although +the fulfilment be still future. + +The writer is well aware of a formidable objection presented by the Hebrew +punctuation, against the application of this verse to the Messiah, as the +pronoun "thee" {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}) is by the pointing made to be of the feminine +gender. This is one of many instances in which the punctuation tends to +embarrass instead of elucidating the subject of the prophecy--instances +which have mainly contributed to the determination of the writer to +disregard the points. It remains for those who regard them as of paramount +authority, to offer a solution of this and other passages equally clear +and satisfactory, and equally consistent throughout. If "thee" be meant to +apostrophise the daughter of Zion, what blood--what covenant--what +prisoners--what pit, are here alluded to? Upon the view here offered, the +event foreshewn is the death of the Messiah, an event wholly at variance +with the expectations of the Jews, but here distinctly announced, along +with the most striking particulars attendant on that event; such as the +frustration of the hopes of temporal advantages expected from his +coming--the nature of the spiritual blessings which it was really intended +to impart; namely, the remission of sins, and the redemption of the +Gentile world from idolatry. Along with these is stated the personal +character of the Messiah, and the express manner of his coming; not in +glory as expected, but in meekness and humility--the peaceful nature of his +kingdom--its boundless extent, destined to embrace all nations--yet in +apparent contradiction, his death is intimated, but also his resurrection +whereby he becomes "_the first fruits of them that slept_." These are all +clearly intimated in this chapter; and of these, how many have former +commentators, with or without the aid of points, been able to make out? At +most, only three or four verses, as where he is mentioned as riding into +Jerusalem on an ass; and here, according to Blaney, the text requires to +be altered, to shew that he was a Saviour, {~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}) being saved, +being altered into {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}) a Saviour; while, according to Lowth, all +that here relates to the Messiah is to be regarded as a rhapsodical +digression from the subject of the context. + +Verse 12. :{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~} {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL KAF~} + +_Return to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope, even today do I declare +that I will repay you double._ + +Such is the received translation, nor as it now stands, does the sense +appear at all ambiguous, signifying, _Return to your prison-house until +the day of your promised liberation arrives_; that is, the day of the +Messiah's coming. There can be no doubt who are meant by the prisoners, +but the change of number in the personal pronoun, from plural to singular, +makes it not improbable that the latter part of this line is addressed to +the Messiah, who was apostrophized in the verse preceding. Upon this view +the word {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}) may be rendered, _my prisoners_, instead of +_prisoners of hope_, which is rather obscure; and {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}) as the +imperative hithpael of the verb {~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}) to wait. And the sense will +then be as given in the text; _Return to the strong hold, my prisoners: +wait thou till the day I declare that I will repay thee double._ + +Verse 13. :{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER PE~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL KAF~} {~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL KAF~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} +{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL KAF~} {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~} {~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} + +_When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow Ephraim, and raised up thy +sons, Oh Zion! against thy sons, Oh Greece! and made thee as the sword of +a mighty man._ + +Here {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}), which signifies _for_, is rendered _when_, thus imposing +a future signification on the verbs that follow. This has, no doubt, +arisen from a supposed allusion to the subsequent wars of Judas Maccabeus. +But Ephraim, or the ten tribes, having no share in those wars, militates +against that supposition; and it seems more probable that this verse, +instead of designating the _time when_ the promised blessing would be +conferred upon the Gentiles, here declares the _reason why_ the Messiah +could not be sent to them directly and unconditionally; namely, because he +was previously promised to Israel. _For I have bent Judah for me, filled +the bow Ephraim_; that is, I have chosen Israel as my people, and +appointed them my instruments for the overthrow of paganism. And, +accordingly, to the house of Israel he came, and was by some of them +received; nor until the great body of that people declined the office, +were the Gentiles called in to fill up the ranks, and carry on the +spiritual warfare; a warfare which was thenceforward carried on by both in +conjunction, for the first Christians still were Jews, though blindness +came in part over Israel. + +Verse 14. :{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~} {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~} {~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER PE~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL KAF~} +{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} + +_And the Lord shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the +lightning; and the Lord God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go forth +with whirlwinds of the South._ + +This and the following verse evidently contain promises of Divine +protection, and of triumphant success; but to whom these promises are +given may admit of a question. {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}) _over them_, may mean the +Jews last spoken of, or the Gentiles mentioned before, or it may apply to +both. And if the triumph of true religion over Pagan idolatry be the +victory here spoken of, as this was obtained by both in conjunction, +during the Apostolic age at least, so both must be included in the +promises. Nor can any construction, worthy of the subject, or adequate in +dignity and importance, be put upon the expression, _the sons of Zion_, +and _the sons of Greece_, but that which refers to the religion of each. +The triumph of true religion over idolatry was one that affected the whole +world, including every country, and extending to every age, and regarding +the eternal as well as temporal interests of mankind. + +Verse 15. .{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} +{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER ZAYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~} {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER ZAYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER ZAYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~} + +_And the Lord of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and +subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink and make a noise as through +wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the +altar._ + +To take these expressions in the literal sense, as promising to man the +grossest of sensual indulgences, would surely be a strange misconstruction +of prophetic language; {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}) which is rendered, _and make a noise_, +is not preceded by the connective {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} _and_; it may, therefore, be simply +the personal pronoun _they_, being the nominative to the verb _drink_; +_they shall drink as of wine_, &c. Who is intended by the pronoun _they_, +if at all doubtful here, becomes sufficiently clear in the next verse, +where it is repeated in a manner that leaves no ambiguity, at least as far +as concerns the Gentiles. + +Verse 16. :{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~} {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER ZAYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} +{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} + +_And the Lord their God shall save them in that day, as the flock of his +people, for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign +upon his land._ + +Here the pronoun _them_, in evident contradistinction with _his people_, +shews that two nations are spoken of; otherwise the passage might be +rendered, _the Lord God, shall save as a flock, his people_. But the +antithesis marked by the pronoun _them_, is rendered still more obvious, +if possible, in the next line. _For the wall of separation is waving_ (or +tottering) _over his land_. Such is the literal meaning of the Hebrew, +when the words are taken in their primary and ordinary sense. Thus, {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} +(or {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}) in its usual sense means, _stones_, as the stones of a wall; but +in a more remote and figurative sense, _precious stones_: {~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER ZAYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER ZAYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}) in +the primary sense, signifies, _to separate_, or, _separation_; occurring +in this sense ten times at least in Numbers, ch. vi.; but in the secondary +or more remote sense, _a diadem_, which separates or distinguishes the +prince from the people: {~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}) in the primary sense means to wave to +and fro, as a flag, or as a wall before it is blown down by the wind; but, +in a secondary sense it signifies, as some understand it here, to glitter +or sparkle, as a diamond, when waved or moved. Thus we see the pains taken +to avoid the plain and obvious sense of the passage; but the Hebrew +scholar will judge for himself. + +The concluding verse, in which the prophet breaks forth into expressions +of adoration and praise for the goodness of the Lord, well accords with +this view of his bounty being unlimited, and extending to all his +creatures alike. + + + + + +THE RABBI'S EXPOSITION AND REPLY, CHAPTER IX. + + +As I conclude that the object of the Christian, who thinks he sees in this +Prophecy a clear prediction of the coming of Jesus Christ, is to learn in +what manner it is expounded by the Jews; it appears to me that the +simplest way in which I can reply, will be to lay before him what I +conceive to be the proper translation and interpretation. In doing this, +it will be unnecessary to offer any further explanation or exposition, +beyond what may be given in the form of comment on the translation; while +he is at liberty to conclude with regard to those passages, where no +comment or explanation is offered, not, assuredly, that I assent to _his_ +interpretation, but merely that I acquiesce in the reasons he assigns for +my dissent; or that his anticipation of my argument has rendered its +repetition superfluous, as is the case in verses 9 and 10. The following +is my mode of translating this chapter and expounding it:-- + + + + +Zechariah, Chapter IX. + + +Verse 1. _The burden of the word of the Lord on the land of Hadrach, and +Damascus, his residence; for to the Lord (will be) the eye of man, and +(particularly that) of all the tribes of Israel._ + +This prophecy is directed against a king named Hadrach, and against +Damascus his residence. According to some who have visited Syria, there is +to this day, near the desert, a village bearing the name of that king, +whose inhabitants assert that formerly a large district about it, that +constituted a powerful kingdom, was called by the same name. + +_For to the Lord_, saith the prophet, _will be the eye of man_, agreeably +to what he further declareth, that the extermination of the wicked will +precede the turning to God, the eyes of the residue of man. + +Verse 2. _And also (on) Hamath which borders on her; (on) Tyre, and (on) +Sidon, though she be very wise._ Verse 3. _And Tyre did build herself a +strong hold, and heaped up silver as dust, and gold as mire of the +streets._ + +The burden of the Lord is also touching Hamath, which was bordering on the +former; also Tyre, and Sidon, which thought herself very wise; yet her +wisdom availed her nothing, as was also foretold by Ezekiel, chap. xxvii. +ver. 32. + +Verse 4. _Behold the Lord will make her poor, and smite her power in the +sea, and she shall be devoured with fire._ Verse 5. _Ashkelon shall see it +and fear; Gaza also, and she shall be very sorrowful. Ekron also, for he +(God) has made ashamed her expectation: and the king shall perish from +Gaza: and Ashkelon shall not remain._ Verse 6. _And a foreigner shall +dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut of the pride of the Philistines._ + +All the foregoing is known from history to have been already accomplished, +through the conquests of Alexander the Macedonian; who also destroyed the +fleet of Tyre, and smote her power on the sea. Among others also, it is +said, Ekron shall be very sorrowful, since her hope was blasted; Tyre, on +which she solely confided, being destroyed. + +Verse 7. _And when I shall have taken away his blood out of his mouth, and +his abominations from between his teeth; then even he shall remain for our +God, and he shall be as a chief in Judah, and Ekron like Jebusi._ + +Now the prophet continues to predict, what is yet to be accomplished, that +after their filth and pollution shall have been taken away, a remnant of +them also will be to God; each of whom will not be inferior even to a +chief in Judah, and Ekron will be in a manner as holy as Jebusi, which is +Jerusalem. See Joshua, chap. xviii. ver. 28. + +This, and all that is connected with it, to the end of the following +chapter, may refer to a remoter period, to which the mind of the prophet +was suddenly transported; or these events may have been intended, +immediately after the overthrow of these nations, to have followed under +one of the princes of Judah, who was already joined by a part of Ephraim; +and the whole of whom would have been gathered under his banners, were not +this delayed on account of their having acted contrary to the will of God. +For, that the promises of God are conditional, and sometimes delayed, if +those to whom they were made, render themselves undeserving of them, +appears in many instances. See Zech. chap. viii. ver. 14-16. Jeremiah, +chap. xviii. ver. 9-10. Among other instances, may be cited what took +place with our ancestors, who went out of Egypt. The land of Canaan +promised to Abraham (Genesis, chap. xv. ver. 16.) was again promised to +them, even after their having worshipped the calf--Exodus, chap. xxxiii. +ver. 1.--yet, for their frequent rebellions, was the fulfilment of this +promise finally delayed to another generation. (Numb. chap. xiv. ver. 23.) +Nay, it even appears that it would have been retracted, or at least +delayed many generations, but for the intercession of Moses. (Exod. chap. +xxxii. ver. 10.) And, in like manner, may the fulfilment of these +promises, and that of others, which follow, respecting the restoration of +Israel, be delayed, in consequence of the wickedness of our people, +exciting the displeasure of the Lord. + +Verse 8. _And I will encamp about my house (to protect) against an army, +against one passing and returning, and no oppressor shall pass over them +any more: for now have I seen it with my eyes._ + +Now have I seen it with mine eyes, means having graciously turned his +particular attention to them, as is similarly expressed in Exod. chap. ii. +ver. 25. + +Ver. 9. _Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion, shout, daughter of Jerusalem, +behold thy King shall come unto thee just, and he being saved, humble and +riding upon an ass, the foal of an ass._ + +Ver. 10. _And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from +Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace +unto nations; and his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the +river to the end of the earth._ + +Verse 11. _Also thou, by the blood of thy covenant, I have sent away thy +prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water._ + +By the blood of the covenant, apparently, is meant that related in Exod. +chap. xxiv. ver. 8. A pit without water means a land of captivity. + +Verse 12. _Return ye to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope, even to-day +__(I)__ declare __(THAT)__ I will render double unto thee._ + +The prisoners are to return and shelter in this strong hold. + +Verse 13. _For I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow Ephraim, and +raised up thy sons, Oh Zion! against thy sons, Oh Greece! and made thee as +the sword of a mighty man._ + +Judah and Ephraim are represented as warlike instruments in the hand of +God, the sword, and the bow which he bends, and fills his hand with; +similar to the expression in 2 Kings, chap. ix. ver. 24. + +Verse 14. _And the Lord shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go +forth as lightning; and the Lord God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go +forth with the whirlwinds of the South._ + +Verse 15. _The Lord of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and +subdue the sling stones; and noisily drink (their blood) as wine; and they +shall be filled as a bowl, as the corners of an altar._ + +The prophet in derision here compares their enemies to sling-stones, +contrasted with which in verse 16 that follows, Israel is compared to +precious stones; and of whom it was before said that they were the sword +in the hand of the Lord, to be filled with the blood of their relentless +persecutors. See also Isaiah, chap. xxxiv. ver. 6. + +Verse 16. _And the Lord their God will save them, his people as a flock, +for as the stones of a crown shall they be glittering upon his land._ + +Verse 17. _For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! The +young men he will make as fruitful as corn, and the maids as wine._ + + + + +Remarks On The Rabbi's Exposition. + + +Were I candidly to express my sentiments, I might say, perhaps, that the +Rabbi's answer had disappointed me, being neither so full nor so forcible +as I expected; but if he, as a Jew, be satisfied, it is not for me as a +Christian to complain. There are, moreover, certain points of coincidence +in our translation, in which the acquiescence of the Rabbi, as a +distinguished Hebrew scholar, is truly gratifying; while there are also +some points of disagreement, in which I am inclined to relinquish my own +in favour of the Rabbi's translation. I propose briefly to advert to each; +but there is one circumstance that first deserves to be noticed, and +which, however singular it may appear, might yet have been expected. It is +this, that wherever I have ventured to differ from Christian commentators, +there I am also at issue with the Rabbi. Now, having formerly stated that +our received translation is chiefly founded on the Masoretic punctuation, +which is Jewish, a coincidence was naturally to be looked for between the +Jew's exposition, and that which is in a great measure borrowed from it. +And accordingly such is the case, the Jew's exposition differing from that +of our own commentators, principally on those points where the latter +discover allusions to Christ. These, the Jew, of course, no where finds. + +Now, what the Jew no where perceives, and the Christian only here and +there, as it were incidentally, I maintain to be wholly and solely the +subject of these chapters. This is, at least, a broad and well marked line +of distinction: but here I unfortunately stand alone, having Christian as +well as Jew opposed to me. Even the Jew allows that the subject of the +latter part of this prophecy is the Messiah and his kingdom; but if Christ +be the Messiah, as the Christian must admit, then is Christianity his +kingdom, and the subject of the prophecy. So much for the state of the +question. + +The first point of disagreement between us is unconnected with the +punctuation, and is one of little importance to the question, beyond what +it may derive from the concurrence of my opponents. The Rabbi and Dr. +Blaney agree in regarding Hadrach in the first verse, as the name of a +prince, instead of a city or state. The Rabbi gives no authority for his +opinion, and Dr. Blaney supports his by the conjecture that Rehob, spoken +of in 2 Sam. viii. 3, who is by Josephus named {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} or {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, may be the +prince alluded to. Now since the avowed reason for resorting to this +supposition is the want of a city of this name, I would venture to +suggest, that Aradus bears quite as much resemblance to Hadrach as {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} +does; and to Aradus was annexed a considerable district of country, which +was precisely the first conquered by Alexander, when he invaded Syria, as +appears by the following citation from Quintus Curtius, lib. 4. cap. 1. +"Aradus quoque insula deditur regi. Maritimam tum oram, pleraque longius a +mari residentia, rex ejus insulae Strato possidebat. Quo in fidem accepto, +castra movet ad urbem Marathon." Aradus, like Tyre, was the daughter of +Sidon, as stated by Strabo; {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~} {~GREEK CAPITAL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}. +These then, are circumstances which add weight to the supposition that +Aradus may be here intended; but still it is no more than conjecture, and +as such, _quod valet, valeat_. + +In the same verse, the Rabbi's rendering of {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}) _his +residence_, must, of course, stand or fall with the previous question, +Whether Hadrach be the name of a man or a city? If it be that of a prince, +whose residence was Damascus, I have only to observe, that no such person +appears to have resided there at the time the prophet wrote, and this is +the only time that can accord with the Rabbi's translation. + +With regard to the last line of this verse, which the Rabbi renders nearly +in the same manner as our commentators, _for to the Lord will be the eye +of man_, &c. I can only say, that he does not appear to me to have thrown +any new light upon the passage, the sense remaining as vague and obscure +as before. But let the reader judge for himself. + +In verse 2nd, the Rabbi agreeing with Lowth, renders {~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}) as an +active verb, "_which borders on her_," while Blaney, with me, makes it +passive. If, by Hadrach, be intended the district of country extending +inland from the town of Aradus, this would lead us directly to Epiphania, +which was the lesser Hamath; and this expression might be meant to +distinguish it from the greater Hamath, the modern Antioch; but the Rabbi +does not acquiesce in this meaning of Hadrach; and, upon the whole, I see +no sufficient reason to relinquish my own mode of rendering. + +In verse 4th, the Rabbi's translation, "_Behold the Lord will make her +poor_," I certainly prefer to that of our version, namely, "_shall cast +her out_;" but his explanation of the remainder of this verse, "_and smite +her power in the sea, and she shall be devoured with fire_," appears less +satisfactory than that of Dr. Blaney, which I have adopted from him. The +Rabbi explains the accomplishment of this passage by Alexander's defeating +the fleet of the Tyrians, and burning their city; but such an +interpretation is hardly borne out by history; a few occasional skirmishes +by sea, and a partial conflagration, after the city was taken, being the +utmost that took place. And accordingly this verse has been otherwise +explained by Lowth, who understands the "_smiting her power in the sea_," +as referring to the insular situation of new Tyre; but Dr. Blaney, by a +mode of rendering fully warranted by the Hebrew text, applies these words +to Sidon, where they received their accomplishment in a manner strikingly +peculiar. The difference of translation consists in reading--"_For she_ +(Sidon) _has built Tyre, a fortress for herself_," instead of "_For Tyre +has built a fortress for herself_;" thus applying the expressions which +follow to Sidon, instead of Tyre; which, however, is not thereby excluded +from a full participation in the burden of the prophecy, evidently +denounced against both. In regard to Sidon, the fulfilment was as +follows:--When besieged by Artaxerxes Ochus, some years earlier than the +siege of Tyre by Alexander, the Sidonians, lest individuals might be +tempted to seek their personal safety by flight, and abandon the defence +of the city, burned all their shipping in the first instance; and, when, +by the cowardly treachery of their king, the enemy was admitted within +their walls; they then set fire to their houses, and consumed their city, +their families, their wealth, and themselves; no less than forty thousand +perishing in the flames, according to Diod. Sic.: {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH VARIA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PSILI AND OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON WITH PERISPOMENI~} +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH VARIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~} +{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH OXIA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}. Lib. 16. cap. 45. + +In verse 5. The fate of Gaza and its governor, who was dragged round the +city by Alexander, in imitation of Achilles, though noticed by Lowth, is +disregarded by Blaney, for what reason I know not, since this seems as +well intitled to notice as any other literal fulfilment of prophecy. + +In verse 7th, the Rabbi's acquiescence in the meaning of the words, "_when +I have taken away his blood out of his mouth and his pollution from +between his teeth_;" as signifying, literally, the taking away of sin and +pollution, is highly important to the Christian exposition, for it +intimates the first and greatest benefit we derive from the coming of the +Messiah. That the Rabbi does not so understand it, as alluding to the +remission of sins through Christ, is not to be wondered at; but it does +seem singular that Lowth and Blaney should have disregarded or +misunderstood so remarkable a passage, in the sense of which even the Jew +acquiesces, though not in the application. {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}), according to +the Rabbi, means Jerusalem, that is, "_Ekron shall be as Jerusalem_." Now +the Jebusites were the original inhabitants of Jerusalem, it is true; but +why the prophet should here use the word Jebusi for Jerusalem, and here +only, is rather unaccountable, and I cannot but prefer the translation I +have given. + +In verses 8, 9, 10, there is no material disagreement between us either in +the translation or the interpretation. Here Jew and Christian agree in +applying these verses to the coming of the Messiah. The only question +between us is, whether Christ be the Messiah, which the Rabbi, of course, +denies. + +Verse 11. In the words, "_By the blood of thy covenant_," &c. it was not +to be expected that the Rabbi would see any intimation of a covenant for +the redemption of mankind, sealed with the blood of Christ; though we +might have looked for it in Dr. Blaney. The application of this and the +two preceding verses to Christianity, was so clearly perceived, and so +ably expounded by Lowth, that we only wonder he should have confined that +view to these three verses, considering them as a digression, when by +extending the same principle of interpretation to other parts of the +prophecy, he might have found a clue to the solution of many difficulties. +The want of this clue obliges Dr. Blaney to come to the same conclusion as +the Rabbi, that the remaining part of the prophecy is still +unaccomplished; a conclusion which I am compelled most strenuously to +oppose. To the Jew, the suspension of the fulfilment of this prophecy +would be almost equivalent to that of all others; for the Messiah's +kingdom is alike the subject of all, and if this one be unaccomplished, +then must they all be so. To the Jew then, I would say--Is this consonant +with the previous ordinations of God in the government of the world, to +leave an interval of more than two thousand years, without the fulfilment +of prophecy, which is to mankind, the most convincing of all proofs of his +Divine superintendance and control over human affairs? To Dr. Blaney, on +the other hand, who conceives that "since our Saviour's appearance on +earth, nothing has happened to the Jewish nation in any degree answerable +to what is here predicted; no return from captivity, no victories, no +successes," &c.; to him I would say, why may not "_the children of the +promise_" be here included as well as "_the children of the flesh?_" The +first Christians were Jews, the apostles and disciples were Jews, while +the converted Gentiles were no less styled, "_Israelites by adoption_;" +and so they are continually called in prophetic language. If then the +terms, "_Sons of Zion_" and "_Israel of God_," be _not less_ applicable to +those who received Christ for their Messiah, than to those who rejected +him; we cannot surely say with Dr. Blaney, that there have been no return +from captivity, no victories, no successes, since the coming of Christ; +for it will hardly be maintained that redemption from the bondage of sin +is no return from captivity; that the triumph of Christianity over +paganism is no victory, and the rapid propagation of the Gospel no +success. + +In verse 12, "_The strong hold_," which is evidently the same as the +prison-house, called in the preceding verse, "_the pit without water_," +and which the Rabbi allows to be a state of captivity, is here, somewhat +abruptly, transformed into a place of shelter and protection. + +Verse 15. The Rabbi's idea, that the prophet here uses the term +"_sling-stones_," in derision, as an appellative for the enemies of +Israel, while he applies to themselves, in the next verse, the term +"_precious stones_," appears to me, I must acknowledge, somewhat novel; +and as I dispute that translation of the next verse altogether, so I +cannot acquiesce in such an explanation of this. With regard to the +rendering of {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}) in the same verse, which I have considered as +the personal pronoun, "_they_," instead of the verb "_to make a noise_"--I +believe the Rabbi's, upon re-considering the passage, to be the more +correct translation. + +But these verbal differences, however they may interest the Hebrew +scholar, are of trivial importance, as regarding the grand question +between us, namely, whether the accomplishment of the predictions +contained in this chapter, ceases before we arrive at verse 9, which is +admitted to announce the coming of the Messiah. Upon this point, then, I +plead the general issue. If I succeed in shewing that every part of the +prophecy in the following chapters, as well as the present, has been +clearly accomplished in the leading events of the history of Christianity, +I gain my cause. If I fail to do so, let the verdict go for the Jew. + + + + + +ZECHARIAH ON THE MESSIAH'S KINGDOM. INTERPRETATION: CHAPTER X. + + +Two points appeared to be established in the last chapter; one, that the +Messiah's kingdom is the subject of this part of the prophecy, and the +other, that that kingdom is a spiritual one; or these points, if not +proved, were, at least, shewn to be in perfect accordance with every +verse, and every line contained in that chapter. + +That the Messiah's kingdom is the subject, appeared from the express +declaration of the 9th verse, "_Behold, thy King cometh_," &c., and from +the exact accordance of every other with this view. + +The circumstances that intimated the spiritual nature of that kingdom, and +shewed that the prophecy refers to Christianity, were the following:--the +denunciations against worldly-mindedness, wherewith the subject is +prefaced and introduced; these being immediately followed by, and +contrasted with the promise of spiritual blessings from the Messiah's +coming; which were declared to be the remission of sins, and the +redemption of the Gentile world from the darkness of idolatry;--next, the +personal character of the Messiah, and the express manner of his coming, +namely, in meekness and humility;--the peaceful nature of his reign;--the +shedding of his blood for the redemption of mankind from the bondage of +sin;--the joint instrumentality of Israel in the accomplishment of the +great scheme of redemption, but the admission of the Gentiles to a full +participation in the blessings which result from it, and the removal of +the partition wall, mentioned by St. Paul, (Ephes. ii. 14,) by which they +had been previously excluded from them. These are the circumstances that +declare the spirituality of the Messiah's kingdom, and these are clearly +intimated in the last chapter. + +The present will be found to contain somewhat less variety of incident, +with more of exhortations and promises than the preceding. These are more +particularly addressed to the house of Judah, but their subsequent +extension to "_them of Ephraim_" also, is a circumstance that calls for +some explanation, without which it would be difficult to shew the +chronological order of the events foretold. + +Ephraim, or the ten tribes, had gone into captivity long before the time +when the prophecy was uttered, which was that of the building of the +second temple; nor have these tribes since returned, (what is become of +them, or whether they be now in existence, being wholly unknown,) yet is +their return from captivity here distinctly foretold. What, then, are we +to understand by this return, or who is intended by "_them of Ephraim_," +is the question? + +On the spiritual view, the captivity means the bondage of sin, and +especially of idolatry, into which Ephraim had fallen by their apostacy; +and their return will mean their return to true religion, whereby they +obtain the remission of their sins, and the gift of eternal life. But what +is meant by "_them of Ephraim_"? Are we to understand thereby the original +ten tribes who revolted with Jeroboam, and whose descendants are not known +to be now in existence? or the remnant of those tribes who returned to +Jerusalem, (2 Chron. xi. 16,) and who having joined the tribe of Judah +have since become mixed and identified with them? + +On this latter view the prophecy may already in part have received its +fulfilment, as some of this remnant, mixed with the tribes of Judah and +Benjamin, in the apostolic age, were probably among the number of our +Lord's disciples, and were thus redeemed from the bondage of sin, and have +already shared in the triumphs and blessings of the Gospel. On the former +view, supposing, what is not impossible, that these tribes are still in +existence, we must look chiefly to the future, as regards them, for the +accomplishment of this part of the prophecy. But whichever view we +embrace, as to those who constitute now the ten tribes, we must still look +to the future, (and this is the point to be attended to,) for the full and +perfect fulfilment of the prophecy; for so long as any of the house of +Israel remain unredeemed, so long must they be regarded, in the spiritual +view, which is the view we embrace, as still remaining in the bondage of +sin, and not yet returned from captivity. + +This then is the essential point as regards the prophetic chronology, that +where events are spoken of, which, like the restoration of Israel, are +continuous from age to age, or destined to occupy many centuries in their +fulfilment, there the prophetic view must needs accord with the nature of +the events, comprising at one glance the commencement, the continuance, +and the completion of what is foretold; consequently these events not +being limited to particular periods like the ordinary occurrences of +history, like the fate of a battle or the fall of a monarchy, cannot be +dated with chronological precision, except it be from the time of their +commencement. And precisely of this nature are the events which form the +subject of the chapter before us. + +The first of these in order, as well as importance, is the progress of the +Gospel of Christ, or the triumph of Judah, which began with the apostolic +age, and has since continued progressive, though with a fluctuating +career, and unequal success, up to the present time, when it extends over +a large portion of the habitable world; but still without having attained +to any thing like the universality announced in prophecy. This then is an +event, which being still progressive, is not limitable to a particular +period, nor capable of being dated with precision except from its +commencement. + +Next to this, or to the triumph of Judah, is the promised restoration of +Israel, which cannot be deemed complete, while so many of the house of +Israel, dispersed over the nations of Christendom, still rest their hopes +on the covenant of the Law; a covenant which we as Christians believe to +have been annulled at the promulgation of the Gospel; but which from the +first offered only temporal rewards, and unlike the covenant of grace, +gave no distinct promises of eternal life. That the remaining Israelites +will ultimately awaken to a sense of these advantages, we may confidently +expect from this promise of restoration, and from the predicted +universality of the Messiah's kingdom. This then is also an event yet +imperfectly accomplished, or still in a state of progression, and +therefore yet incapable of being dated with precision. + +The abolition of Paganism is another, which though nominally effected at +the beginning of the fourth century, is yet so far from being complete, +that Paganism still prevails over the largest portion of the globe; and +consequently this, like the former, is an event which can be dated only +from its commencement. Bearing then in mind the nature of these events, +and the impossibility of limiting the date of them to definite periods, we +may now proceed with the interpretation of the prophecy. + +As the last chapter opened with denunciations of divine wrath against +worldly-mindedness, which were followed by, and contrasted with the +unfolding of the spiritual nature of the Messiah's kingdom, so the present +chapter opens with exhortations to seek for spiritual blessings, and with +the promise of their abundant bestowal on those who ask for them. + +_Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord +causing lightning, shall bring heavy showers, and give to every one grass +in the field._ + +This language is metaphorical, it is true, and so is invariably that which +is employed in describing the plenteousness of the Messiah's kingdom, +abounding in corn, wine, and oil, natural plenty signifying abundance in +spiritual blessings. Were any one disposed to take such expressions in a +strictly literal sense, he would soon find it impossible, for, most of +them are mixed metaphors, such as _waters of life_, _trees of +righteousness_, _garments of salvation_, of which part at least must be +figurative; and the spiritual sense is in fact the most literal of any +that can possibly be affixed to them. _Ask ye of the Lord rain_, signifies +seek the blessings of righteousness, and they shall be freely given to +you. When viewed in this light, we shall readily perceive the connection +between this and the next verse, which contrasts the value of true, with +the worthlessness and deceitfulness of false religion. + +_For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie; and +told false dreams; they comfort in vain._ + +That is, the heathen priests and oracles promise blessings which they have +no power to bestow, but delude their votaries with false hopes, leading +them astray, and leaving them to wander as a flock without a shepherd. + +_Therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled because +there was no shepherd._ + +A religion like Paganism, which allowed the unrestrained indulgence of the +passions, of pride, avarice, and ambition, was well calculated to seduce; +and the Jews, in spite of the continual exhortations of their prophets, in +spite of the many signal miracles displayed to them, and wrought in their +behalf, had frequently relapsed into idolatry. Nor can it be supposed that +the outward worship of idols was alone displeasing to God, and that the +indulgence of the passions, which was the soul and spirit of idolatry, was +disregarded. The spirit was at least as likely as the form of Paganism to +be offensive to Heaven; and accordingly it was continually denounced by +the prophets, and had been frequently punished by signal acts of judgment. +And in this did the Jewish priests and rulers still offend, by their +avarice and worldly-mindedness, and thus incur the displeasure of Heaven, +as already intimated, and here repeated. + +_Mine anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will punish the +goats._ + +The shepherds are the guardians, the goats the leaders of the flock; but +the Jewish shepherds and leaders misled their flock, and as their +forefathers, under Jeroboam, had embraced idolatry, and were therefore +allowed to be carried away into captivity, so their posterity, seduced by +similar passions, rejected the blessings of the Gospel, and were suffered +to remain in the bondage of sin. But the house of Judah having remained +faithful, to them was the Messiah promised; and given to those who were +willing to receive him. + +_But the Lord of hosts hath visited his flock, the house of Judah, and +made them as his goodly horse in battle. Out of him shall come the +corner-stone; out of him, the nail; out of him, the battle bow; out of him +every ruler together._ + +Triumphant career and success are herein promised to Judah, but the +Messiah's kingdom having been already declared to be a peaceful one, we +cannot suppose literal warfare to be here intended. The triumph of true +religion over Paganism is no doubt the warfare to be understood. + +_And they shall be as mighty men who tread down their enemies in the mire +of the streets in battle; and they shall fight because the Lord is with +them, and they shall confound the riders on horses._ + +And while this triumph is promised to Judah, mercy and forgiveness are +declared to Israel also, and their return from captivity is foretold. + +_And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of +Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them, for I have mercy upon +them, and they shall be as though I had not cast them off; for I am the +Lord their God, and will hear them. And they of Ephraim shall be like a +mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine, yea their +children shall see it and be glad, their heart shall rejoice in the Lord._ + +The complete fulfilment of this part of the prophecy must still be future, +whether we consider it as referring to the Jews now dispersed over +different countries, or to the ten tribes who went into captivity. + +In most countries of Europe and probably of Asia also, the usual mode of +call to a person just within hearing is a shrill kind of hiss, which is +the more readily noticed because differing from all other sounds. This +expression is accordingly used in the prophecy to express the recal of +Israel, whether spiritual or otherwise. + +_I will hiss for them, and gather them, for I have redeemed them, and they +shall increase as they have increased._ + +The next verse speaks of sowing them again among the people, which appears +at first as if again declaring their dispersion; but on the spiritual view +there is no reason to suppose that such is the meaning. Sowing them among +the people, on this view will signify the blending together of Jews and +Gentiles, by their embracing one common faith; whereby they at length +become one race, and all distinction is lost under the common denomination +of Christians. This also explains the rapid increase of their numbers here +foretold, as well as their return from captivity, and their living again. +The increase of numbers arising from the accession of converts; their +return from captivity, signifying redemption from the bondage of sin; and +their living, the resurrection to eternal life through Christ. + +_And I will sow them among the people, and they shall remember me in far +countries, and they shall live with their children, and turn again._ + +The spirituality of this return and gathering becomes still clearer as we +proceed, signifying the flowing together of all nations, Gentiles as well +as Jews, into the house of the Lord. + +_And I will bring them again out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out +of Assyria, and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and +place shall not be found for them._ + +This extraordinary increase of numbers, which is to overflow all +countries, strongly favours the spiritual view, for the actual number of +the Hebrew nation is avowedly diminishing, and becoming less and less +likely to perform the wonderful changes next intimated. The sea and the +isles were common expressions for the Gentile nations, (Gen. x. 5,) while +the land signifies always the Jews, from Palestine or the Holy Land--see +note. Rivers denote in prophetic language, the people residing on their +borders. (Isaiah viii. 7.) _The_ river, in particular, signifies the +Euphrates and the Eastern nations bordering upon it. This will serve as a +key to the meaning of the next verse, which announces the subversion of +Paganism in these different countries. Thus, _afflicting the sea and +smiting the waves_, denote its extinction in the West; _drying up the +depths of the river_, signify its extinction in the East; _and bringing +down the pride of Assyria_, and _the departing of the sceptre from Egypt_ +bespeak its further abolition. + +_And he shall cause affliction to pass over the sea, and shall smite the +waves of the sea: and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the +pride of Assyria shall be brought down; and the sceptre of Egypt shall +depart away._ + +Surely these expressions announce some greater changes than would result +from the mere emigration from these countries of a race, poor, afflicted, +and despised, as the Jews long have been. And small indeed is the +likelihood that the literal subjugation of all these countries by that +race, can be here intended. The following verse points out a far more +probable and consistent solution of the problem, in the overthrow of their +idolatry, and the turning of all these nations to the worship of the one +true God. + +_And I will strengthen them in the Lord, and they shall walk up and down +in his name, saith the Lord._ + + + + + +NOTES TO CHAPTER IX. + + +Verse 1. :{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER ZAYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER ZAYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER TET~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} {~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} + +_So the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain._ + +The Hebrew here may be rendered (see Lowth and Parkhurst) _lightning_ +instead of _bright clouds_, and the connexion with rain will then be much +more obvious; especially with _heavy_ rain, as the Hebrew word literally +signifies, which usually follow lightning. The construction will then be +as proposed in the text. + +_So the Lord causing lightning, shall bring heavy rain, &c._ + +Verse 3. :{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER PE~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER PE~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~} {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER PE~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} + +_Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats, +for the Lord, &c._ + +The apparently indiscriminate use of the past and future tenses, in +scriptural and prophetic language, has perplexed the best Hebrew scholars. +On the conversive power of the {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}, Granville Sharpe's is perhaps the best +treatise. In the present case, unless the {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} retain that power when +disjoined from the verb, there is no reason for rendering the future {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER PE~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~} +(or {~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER PE~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}) as a perfect, or, _I punished_, instead of _I will punish_. +And, as Mr. Lowth observes, the {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}) which follows would be more +properly rendered _But_ than _For_, and it will then be--_mine anger is +kindled against the shepherds, and I will punish the goats; But the Lord +of Hosts_, &c. The shepherds and the goats both signify leaders of the +flock. + +Verse 4. :{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER PE~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~} {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} + +_Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the +battle bow, out of him every oppressor together._ + +The words _corner_, _nail_, and _oppressor_, must be rather perplexing to +the English reader, nor can the Hebrew scholar be certain of the precise +meaning of each, though their general import is obvious enough. Thus {~HEBREW LETTER PE~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} +(or {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER PE~}) _corner_, signifies in the root to _turn_, and as the _corner +stone_ is a guide to the builder in laying the others, it comes to signify +a guide or leader. So {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}), _a nail_, signifies one on whom others +depend. And {~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}), _an oppressor_, like the Greek {~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, +signifies generally, _a prince_, as well as a _tyrant_. Thus these terms +are each of them equivalent to a _chief_ or _leader_. + +The verb {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}), which follows, may be either past or future, but +the latter accords best with the context, as in the proposed translation. +_Out of him shall come forth the corner-stone, __ out of him the nail, out +of him the battle bow, out of him every leader together._ + +Verse 8. {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~}.--_I will hiss for them._ + +The word _hiss_, does not to the English reader convey the correct meaning +here. In many parts of Europe, and, probably, in some of Asia, the common +made of call is by a shrill sound, very different from either a hiss or a +whistle. In some countries it is effected by pressing the tongue against +the teeth with the lips open, and sounding the letters--tsz. In others, it +is usual to begin with the lips compressed, and without closing the teeth, +thus making the sound of the letters psh--but in both, the sibilant sound +predominates, and is heard to a considerable distance, while its +peculiarity instantly attracts attention from all that are within hearing; +and this is no doubt the sense of the term, as here used. The Hebrew +closely resembles, and probably gives the etymology of the English word, +_shriek_. (See Parkhurst.) + +Verse 11. :{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} + +_And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the +waves of the sea._ + +This mode of rendering gives a turn to the sense of the passage, which is +wholly uncalled for, if not unwarranted by the original: which would be +more literally translated: _And affliction shall come over the sea_, &c. +But the Jew's mode of rendering is equally correct, and better accords +with the context, thus: _He shall cause trouble to pass in the sea, and +shall smite the waves of the sea._ The latter expression amplifying and +explaining the former. + +What is meant by the expressions, the sea, the isles, and the land, is a +point of no small importance. In prophetic language, the sea and the isles +always signify the western Gentiles, or European nations; while the land +signifies Palestine, or the Jewish nation. The Hebrew word {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}) +means either the sea or the west. As the sea extends along the whole +western coast of Syria, sea and west came to be used synonymously. And as +the European nations lay beyond the sea they obtained the name of the +isles, or the isles of the Gentiles, as they are called in Gen. x. 5. Mr. +Lowth observes, on Isa. xi. 11. "The islands, in the prophetic style, seem +particularly to denote the western parts of the world, or the European +nations; the west being often called the sea in the Scripture language." + +Thus, "_causing affliction, or trouble, to come over the sea_," and +"_smiting the waves of it_," signify, as the Jew rightly explains, to +cause confusion and dismay among the Gentile nations of the west. + +Verse 11. :{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} + +_And all the deeps of the river shall dry up._ + +That rivers are meant, in prophetic language, to represent the people +residing on their borders, appears in various passages. See Isa, viii. 7. +"_Now, therefore, behold the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the +river strong and many, even the king of Assyria and all his glory._" In +like manner, the drying up of the Euphrates, is spoken of under the sixth +vial in the Revelations, in allusion to the nations bordering upon that +river. + + + + + +THE RABBI'S REPLY, AND THE AUTHOR'S REMARKS UPON IT. CHAPTER X. + + +Contending, as the Jew does, that no part of the prophecy relating to the +Messiah's kingdom, has yet been accomplished, he cannot reasonably be +expected to offer a particular interpretation of what, according to his +view, is still unfulfilled. And, accordingly, his remarks on this chapter +are restricted to an occasional correction of the received translation, +and a few short explanatory notes; while his reply to my exposition, if +reply it can be called, may be comprised in one short sentence, namely, +that he considers the whole unaccomplished, and rejects altogether the +spiritual exposition, admitting none but the literal. + +In answer to this, I have to observe, that the literal acceptation, has +already, in some instances, been shewn to be impossible; and will, +hereafter, be so in many more; while the figurative exposition offered, is +in perfect accordance with the style and language of prophecy in general, +and is uniform and consistent throughout. + +As I fully acquiesce in the Rabbi's corrections, and in the only instance +where we differ, have adopted his view in preference to my own, it is +wholly unnecessary to offer his translation at length; but an objection +which he makes to my exposition of verses 3rd and 4th of the last chapter, +I feel called upon to notice. + +In those verses, I adopted the view of Dr. Blayney, that the destruction +_by fire_, there denounced, applies to Sidon rather than to Tyre. + +The common version, "_For Tyre has built herself a fortress_," being +rendered by him, "_For she_ (Sidon) _has built herself a fortress, Tyre_;" +the Sidonians being thus made the immediate object of denunciation, who +are allowed to have been the builders of Tyre, which was thence called the +daughter of Sidon. + +Now the Jew's objection is founded upon collateral prophecies, in which +the burden cannot, as here, be shifted from Tyre to Sidon, the former +being distinctly named in these; and in some, the precise mode of +destruction specified, namely, by fire: Thus, in Amos i. 10, "_I will send +a fire upon the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof:_" +see also Isa. xxiii., in which the whole burden is expressly on Tyre; and +again, Ezek. xxvii. 32, "_and in their wailing, they shall take up a +lamentation for thee, and lament over thee, saying, What city is like +Tyrus, like the destroyed in the midst of the sea?_" + +These, and similar passages, would, no doubt, be fatal to the exposition +of Dr. Blayney, could they be shewn to foretel one and the same event; but +against this, there are, what appear to me, conclusive objections. Two of +these prophets not only wrote long before the time of Zechariah, but +before the destruction of Old Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar, which was therefore +most likely to be the object of their predictions, and not New Tyre, +which, at that time was not in existence, being built after Old Tyre was +demolished; this then appears conclusive against the objection drawn from +what occurs in Amos and Isaiah. With regard to Ezekiel, the case is +somewhat different, and the answer must rest on other grounds. + +Ezekiel did write much nearer to the time in question, and commentators +appear undecided whether some of his predictions refer to the destruction +of Old or New Tyre, or to both; for if he uttered this prophecy before the +siege of Old Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar, which can hardly admit of doubt, when +he says, chap. xxvi. 7, "Behold I will bring upon Tyrus, Nebuchadnezzar +king of Babylon;" still the expression of "_the destroyed in the midst of +the sea_," does seem peculiarly applicable to the insular situation of New +Tyre. But if it be granted that the siege of this latter, by Alexander, be +intimated in that remarkable expression; yet Ezekiel no where, that I can +find, specifies _fire_ as the peculiar agent of destruction; therefore, it +cannot be inferred from any thing he says, that in Zechariah's prophecy, +which appears to be directed against both Tyre and Sidon, this particular +mode of destruction may not apply to Sidon, as the text certainly warrants +that interpretation. Thus I see no reason to relinquish Dr. Blayney's +view, which I should give up with the more reluctance, as I have so rarely +been able to go along with that learned commentator; while this exposition +appeared to me a very happy solution of a difficulty presented by the +received translation. + + + + + +ZECHARIAH ON THE MESSIAH'S KINGDOM. INTERPRETATION: CHAPTER XI. + + +It was before stated, that we should find in its proper place, due notice +taken of the pride and worldly-mindedness which led the Jews to reject the +Messiah, as he offered no temporal advantages; and of their forfeiting +thereby all claim to the blessings which his kingdom was calculated to +afford. We are now come to that place. The introduction to this chapter +announces the frustration of their hopes of worldly greatness built upon +the promised Messiah; and distinctly states what portion of their nation +would be blinded by such motives, and what portion would be exempt from +them. The rulers, the rich, and the great are declared to be those who +would mislead the flock; while the poor and the humble are stated to be +those who would recognise the hand of God in his works, and perceive that +this was the word of the Lord. + +At the time of Christ's coming, it is unquestionable, that a very general +expectation prevailed among the Jews, that the period for their Messiah's +appearance was arrived; but so remote was the character of Jesus from what +they expected in their prince, and so different were the advantages he +offered from what they had hoped to obtain, that the majority of the +people willingly yielded to the persuasion of their interested rulers, +that he was not the promised Messiah; and thus the misguided flock for the +most part entered into the views of their priests and rulers, and rejected +Christ. + +The motives for this rejection are manifest even to this day, in the +backwardness of Israel to relinquish the hopes of a temporal Messiah, and +in their blindness to the benefits offered them by a spiritual one; +although the consequence has hitherto been to them the loss of even the +temporal advantages they previously enjoyed, instead of the attainment of +others which they expected. Small, however, in the Christian's estimation, +are these, in comparison with their loss, in a spiritual point of view, or +their loss of the especial favour of Heaven; which from that time has not +only withheld from them any further revelations, but, as we conceive, has +even blinded them to the true spiritual import of those previously +vouchsafed. Thus, in whatever light we view it, whether spiritually or +politically, the humiliation of Israel from that time to the present, has +been abundantly manifest; as declared in the prophecy, under the metaphor +of the fall of the loftiest trees, the pride of the forest. + +_Open thy doors, O Lebanon! that the fire may devour thy cedars. Howl, +fir-tree, for the cedar is fallen, because the mighty is spoiled. Howl, O +ye oaks of Bashan, for the forest of the vintage is come down. There is a +voice of the howling of the shepherds, for their glory is spoiled. A voice +of the roaring of young lions, for the pride of Jordan is spoiled._ + +This language is highly figurative, no doubt; yet is it interspersed with +expressions, which almost preclude the possibility of its misapplication; +for _the cedars of Lebanon_, and _the oaks of Bashan_, are next, by a +change of metaphor, called, _the shepherds of the flock_; and soon after, +dropping the metaphor entirely, it appears that they are the rich and the +great, who sacrifice their flock to avarice and ambition. Their hopes, +however, were frustrated, in the appearance of a spiritual, instead of a +temporal prince, and an exultation over their disappointed ambition forms +the exordium to this chapter, which may be explained as follows:-- + +Literally, the shepherds are supposed to howl for the loss of their rich +pastures on mount Carmel, the forest of the vintage; and the lions to roar +for the loss of their covert, the thickets on the banks of Jordan, the +pride of the river, which, with other trees, are doomed to destruction; +but the figurative meaning is, that the priests and rulers of Israel +should be disappointed of their hopes of worldly greatness at the +Messiah's coming, and be deprived, under the new dispensation, of their +power and influence. + +The lamentation over their frustrated hopes, is next coupled with +expressions of compassion for their misguided flock, whom they had doomed +to the slaughter; that is, by depriving them of _the life which is in +Christ_. This flock, the prophet is commanded to feed. + +_Thus saith the Lord my God. Feed the flock of the slaughter, whose +possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty. And they that sell +them say, Blessed be the Lord for I am rich. And their own shepherds pity +them not._ + +Avarice is thus foreshewn to be the vice which would lead the priests to +reject Christ; the sending of whom is next declared to be the last act of +Divine interposition in behalf of Israel; those who reject him being +thenceforward left to themselves. + +_For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the Lord, but, +lo! I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour's hand, and into +the hand of his shepherd, and they shall smite the land, and out of their +hand I will not deliver them._ + +But while further interposition is thus denied to those who reject Christ, +being the rich and the great; spiritual food is expressly promised to +those who receive him, who were the poor and the meek. + +_But I will feed the flock of the slaughter, even you, O poor of the +flock._ + +The food here promised to those who are willing to receive it, cannot be +any other than spiritual food; that is, the knowledge to discern truth +from falsehood, and the grace to make a proper election between right and +wrong. To the poor, this was given, of whom Christ declared that "_Theirs +was the kingdom of Heaven_:" to the rich it was not given, of whom he +declared, "_That it was easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a +needle_," than for them to enter his kingdom. + +We now come to the events to which this introductory matter is intended to +lead us; and to render the prophetic annunciation the more impressive, it +is typically represented by actions, as well as expressed by words. This +is the most important part of the prophecy; that on which it may be said +that the whole interpretation hinges. And yet it is here that the +Christian is at fault, and that the Jew expects a certain triumph: nor +without reason, when our ablest commentators disagree, or even acknowledge +the difficulties to be insurmountable. Whether they are removed by the +proposed exposition, the reader must decide; and to enable him to do so, +we shall state them as briefly as possible. + +The events alluded to will, with the Christian, scarcely admit of doubt, +for the passage before us is cited in the Gospel of Matthew, though by +some error, it is there ascribed to Jeremiah instead of Zechariah. But +were the citation in question even supposed to be a marginal note, which +had found its way into the text in transcribing, still the purport of the +prophecy would be not the less manifest, for the connection of this with +the context, and the unity of the whole, sufficiently declare the subject. + +The events foreshewn, are the death of Christ; the dissolution of the old, +and the founding of the new covenant; the rejection of this latter by the +great body of the Jewish nation, and their immediate forfeiture of the +benefits it affords; with other circumstances attending these events, such +as the betrayal of Christ for thirty pieces of silver; the employment of +this money in the purchase of the potter's field; the separation of the +Jews, who rejected Christ, from those who received him; and the evils +entailed upon those who, having rejected the true, followed after false +Messiahs. These are the circumstances shadowed forth in the prophecy; but +to give a consistent explanation of every part of it, and to shew the +exact adaptation of the events to the prediction, constitute the +difficulty. + +The typical actions of the prophet, consist in his taking two staves, or +crooks; first affixing to each of them a significant denomination, and +then breaking them in succession; accompanying this action with +explanations, declaratory of the purport of his doing so. Yet is the whole +highly mystical, and in parts so obscure, that Dr. Blayney acknowledges he +cannot solve these difficulties; an avowal that would have been rendered +unnecessary, had his predecessor Lowth been more successful. Their failure +seems chiefly to have arisen from their misconceiving, in the first place, +whom the prophet here personates in the character of the shepherd; and, in +the next, what the staves are intended to represent; for the general +purport of the whole, is rightly understood by both to be an allusion to +the death of Christ, and the completion of his mission. Accordingly, Lowth +supposes the shepherd to personate the Messiah, as the shepherd of his +flock. But the Messiah is throughout the person spoken of, rather than the +speaker, as will presently appear. Blayney also considers the prophet as a +type of the Messiah; but supposes him sometimes to speak in his own name, +as being himself the shepherd. Not to dwell on the want of consistency in +this change of character, its avowed inadequacy to furnish the solution +required, is alone a sufficient refutation of it. + +That the prophet is the actual speaker is clear, but he speaks in the name +of the Almighty, as is distinctly declared three times at least in the +present chapter. The great Shepherd is then no other than God himself; and +all mankind are his flock. Who are the staves, or crooks, we have next to +inquire. + +The staff, or crook, is the shepherd's implement, with which he tends his +flock, protecting them on the one hand, or correcting them on the other. +Hence the two names adapted to the two-fold office, which might be +rendered Pleasure and Pain, instead of Beauty and Bands; but there is no +occasion to alter the translation, which is equally literal, and equally +appropriate as it stands. It is, perhaps, worthy of note, that two staves +were once in use for these different purposes. What are these staves then +intended to represent? In a word, God being the Shepherd, and all mankind +his flock, the staves appear to be typical of _Christ_ and _Israel_; these +being the agents employed, the great instruments in the hands of God, in +accomplishing the work of man's redemption, from the darkness of idolatry +to the light of true religion. One staff being _Israel_, with whom was +founded the Old Covenant, the express object of which was the abolition of +idolatry; a covenant which is continually called the "_bondage of the +law_;" and the other staff, _Christ_, the founder of the New Covenant, +called "_the beauty of holiness_" who declared that his yoke was easy, or +pleasant; thus the name will be equally appropriate, whichever translation +is adopted. + +_And I took unto me two staves, the one I called __ Beauty, and the other +I called Bands, and I fed the flock._ + +The parallelism between these two staves strikingly appears in the +circumstance that the most remarkable prophecies, as the liiid. chapter of +Isaiah, which the Christian conceives to be exactly fulfilled in the +person and character of Christ, the Jew imagines to accord as perfectly +with the circumstances and condition of the house of Israel. May we not +suppose them to be designedly applicable to both? instrumental alike to +the same great purpose, man's redemption from idolatry. + +One of the earliest acts of Christ, who, however, did every thing in the +name of the Father, was his exposing the unfitness of the Jewish leaders, +who were the priests, the scribes, and the elders, to be the spiritual +guides of the flock. Their selfishness and hypocrisy he unsparingly +denounced, as rendering them unfit for such an office; of which they were +consequently deprived under the new dispensation. Such appears to be the +purport of the following verse, as ably expounded by Lowth. + +_Three shepherds also I cut off in one month, and my soul loathed them, +and their soul also abhorred me._ + +_One month_, is an indefinite expression for a short time, as if the +prophet had said, _at once_. When the people had been duly warned against +these treacherous guides; those who chose to disregard that warning, had +no reason to complain, if it pleased Heaven to leave them to their fate, +as is next declared. + +_Then said I, I will not feed you; that that dieth, let it die, and that +that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one +the flesh of another._ + +The prophet next foreshews, by typical actions, accompanied by +explanations declaratory of their purport, the death of Christ, and the +dissolution of the Old Covenant. + +_And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder; that I might break +my Covenant, which I made with all the people._ + +The Covenant with Moses promised protection against all nations, while +Israel remained obedient. Israel disobeyed and the Covenant was broken. +The Covenant with Abraham promised blessing to all nations through his +seed. The Gospel of Christ was that blessing; refused by the Jews, and +consequently given to the Gentiles; for a remnant only of Israel received +the Gospel, and those were the poor of the flock. + +_And it was broken in that day, and so the poor of the flock that waited +upon me, knew that it was the word of the Lord._ + +"The poor had the Gospel preached unto them," and received it with +gratitude; but the ingratitude of their leaders towards the Great +Shepherd, for the care he had so long taken of them; and the small +estimation in which they held a spiritual Messiah, are aptly foreshewn by +the prophet, in the name of the Great Shepherd, claiming his reward at +their hands, and their offering the precise sum which was given for +Christ, thirty pieces of silver. + +_And I said, If ye think good give me my wages, and if not, forbear; so +they weighed me for my reward, thirty pieces of silver._ + +The way in which this money was actually bestowed, is next foreshewn, by +the Shepherd's rejecting it scornfully, and desiring it may be given to +the potter. + +_And the Lord said unto me, cast it to the potter; a goodly price that I +was valued at by them: so I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast +them to the potter in the house of the Lord._ + +The price they actually gave for Christ, aptly denotes the value they put +upon God's goodness in sending him, the Great Shepherd's proffered +remuneration. The house of the Lord, or the temple, is the supposed scene +of action, shewing the spiritual import of the transaction. The money +being given to the potter, foreshews how it would be actually employed, to +wit, in the purchase of the potter's field; in fact, it was given to the +potter. If it be asked what the potter had to do in the temple? the answer +is, he went there, as others did, to pray. His being there does not, as +some suppose, imply that he was at work there. + +Those who rejected and crucified Christ, are thenceforward rejected from +being God's chosen people. As Christ was cut off from natural life, so +Israel was cut off from _the life in Christ_ as next intimated. + +_Then I cut asunder my other staff, even Bands, __ that I might break the +brotherhood between Judah and Israel._ + +The house of Jacob was from this time divided into Christians and Jews, +who appear to be distinguished in the prophecy under the types of Judah +and Israel; the former denoting those who received, and the latter those +who rejected Christ. This distinction appears to be maintained till their +promised re-union in the New Jerusalem. + +The spiritual evils entailed on those who reject the true Messiah, to +follow after false teachers, are next foreshewn. + +_And the Lord said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a +foolish shepherd, for I will raise up a Shepherd in the land, which shall +not visit those that be cut of, neither shall seek the young, nor heal +that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still, but he shall eat +the flesh of the fat, and tear their hoofs asunder._ + +Israel is thus left to the mercy of these false shepherds, while spiritual +blindness, infatuation, and utter helplessness, are the awful judgments +denounced against the selfish and worldly-minded priesthood, who thus +mislead and sacrifice their flock. + +_Woe to the idol shepherd, that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon +his arm, and upon his right eye; his arm shall be clean dried up, and his +right eye shall be utterly darkened._ + +The spiritual blindness which has since darkened the mental vision of +Israel, appears to the Christian to be here distinctly foretold. + + + + + +NOTES TO CHAPTER XI. + + +Ver. 1. {~HEBREW LETTER PE~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~} {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} {~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL KAF~}--_Open thy doors, O Lebanon, &c._ + +That Jewish writers have understood "_the forest_," as metaphorically +representing Jerusalem with her stately buildings, and "_Lebanon_," as the +temple itself, appears from the following note of Mr. Lowth, on this +passage. + +"By Lebanon, most interpreters understand the temple, whose stately +buildings resemble the tall cedars of that forest. Thus the word is +commonly understood," Hab. ii. 17. + +There is a remarkable story mentioned in the Jewish writers to this +purpose. Some time before the destruction of the temple, the doors of it +opened of their own accord; a circumstance mentioned by Josephus, Bell. +Jud. 1. 7. c. 12. Then R. Johanan, a disciple of R. Hillel, directing his +speech to the temple said, _I know thy destruction is at hand, according +to the prophecy of Zechariah_, Open thy doors, O Lebanon, &c. + +The passage in Josephus in my edition is, lib. 6, cap. 5, and a very +remarkable one it is, containing many other portents preceding the +destruction of the temple, besides the spontaneous opening of these +massive doors, which were so ponderous as to require twenty men to open +and shut them. + +Ver. 2. {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}--_For the forest of the vintage is come down._ + +By the forest of the vintage, is understood Mount Carmel, which was partly +covered with vineyards and rich pastures, for the loss of which the +shepherds are said to howl, in the following verse. The shepherds +metaphorically designate the leaders of the people; the different trees of +the forest denoting the different classes and orders of men. + +Ver. 3. {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~} {~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~}--_For the pride of Jordan is spoiled._ + +By the pride of Jordan is to be understood, as Dr. Blayney observes, the +woods and thickets on the banks of that river. These served as covert for +lions, which often infested the country when driven from them by the +rising of the river. These trees being along with others doomed to +destruction, the lions roar for the loss of their shelter, as the +shepherds howl for the loss of their rich pastures. The lions denote +metaphorically the great and powerful among the people. Their disposition +to prey upon and devour the flock, well accords with the character +afterwards given to the shepherds also, and shews the consistency of the +metaphorical language. + +Ver. 6. {~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL TSADI~}--_For I will no more pity the +inhabitants of the land, &c._ + +The distinction between _the sea_ and _the land_, has been already pointed +out in the note to ver. 11, of the last chapter, and is here too manifest +to admit of doubt. Lebanon, Bashan, Carmel, and Jordan, clearly shew what +land is here spoken of, which can be no other than Palestine. + +Ver. 10. {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER PE~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}--_That I might break my covenant, &c._ + +It might be supposed here that the two staves were typical of the two +covenants; the Old and the New. But how is the parallelism then to be +supported? If the breaking of one staff denotes the dissolving of the Old +Covenant; what then is denoted by the breaking of the other staff? for the +New Covenant was not also dissolved. By the proposed solution, the +parallelism is maintained; Christ and Israel so exactly accord, that the +prophecies seem, in many points, alike applicable to either. Both were +instrumental to the great work of redeeming mankind from idolatry, and +both were cut of; Christ from natural life; Israel from the life which is +_in Christ_. To understand clearly the cutting of the staves, the most +intricate subject perhaps in the whole prophecy, the reader has to keep in +view two distinct points of consideration, the confounding of which will +involve him in no little perplexity; these are, first the symbolical +meaning, or the event foreshewn by the act of cutting; and secondly, the +end or purport of the cutting; for along with the act, the prophet also +declares the motive for the act, which must not be confounded with the act +itself, being the effect or consequence that followed that act. Thus he +says--_And I took my staff Beauty and cut it asunder, that I might break my +covenant, which I had made with all the people._ + +Now the cutting of the first staff, Beauty, signifies or foreshews the +death of Christ, or the cutting off of the Messiah. This is the symbolical +meaning of the act. But the end or consequence of that act, was the +cessation of the covenant of protection to Israel. "The covenant," as it +may be rendered, "concerning all the people." From that time, the Jews +ceased to be under the especial care and protection of Heaven; no more +interpositions were manifested in their behalf; no prophet from that time +appeared in Israel; these blessings being confined to the Jews who +received Christ, or transferred to the Gentiles. + +Next follows the cutting asunder of the second staff, Bands; and this in +fact appears to be precisely the end or consequence of the cutting of the +first staff; for the cutting of this staff symbolically foreshews the +rejection of Israel, or the cessation of the Covenant of protection. Such +appears to be the event symbolized by cutting the staff, Bands. But the +effect or consequence of that event, or of the rejection of Israel, was as +declared in the prophecy, a breach in the brotherhood, between Judah and +Israel, or between the Jews who received and those who rejected Christ; in +short, between Christian and Jew, who are here supposed to be symbolised +by Judah and Israel. This division or breach was not the event foreshewn +by the cutting of the staff, but the end or consequence of that act; and +this distinction requires to be kept clearly in view. + +It seems immaterial whether the symbolical meaning of cutting asunder the +second staff, Bands, be expressed by the rejection of Israel, the breaking +of the covenant of protection, or the abrogation of the law of Moses; for +all these events are so closely connected, or so nearly identical, as +scarcely to admit of their being disjoined or distinguished. + +Ver. 12. {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}--_Give me my price._ + +From the failure of former commentators, in shewing how this can apply to +the betrayal of Christ, when the word {~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}) is rendered, as it +should be, _wages_ or _reward_, instead of _price_, the Jew seems to have +been so confident of victory on this point, that on referring to his +exposition which follows, it will appear that he must have written it +without having read mine, to which it is any thing but an answer, as I +have expounded the passage precisely upon his own mode of rendering. The +correctness of this translation was acquiesced in by Dr. Blaney, who +admitted the difficulty it involved, and candidly acknowledged his +inability to solve it; nor while Christ is considered the speaker, as he +and Lowth suppose, does the removal of it appear practicable. But when God +himself is understood to be the Shepherd, and Christ, the staff Beauty, it +appears no longer insurmountable. + +Ver. 13. :{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~} {~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL PE~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL KAF~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} + +_And I took the thirty pieces of silver and cast them to the potter in the +house of the Lord._ + +The word {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}), is by the Jew changed into {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}) the +alteration of a letter being all that is required to substitute _the +treasury_, in the room of _the potter_. But he cannot deny, that the word +means potter in the original, and the Christian will find no occasion to +alter it, to make sense of the passage. The objection, that the potter +could not be at work in the temple, which was urged by the Jew, has been +answered in the exposition. + +Ver. 17. {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}--_Woe to the idol shepherd._ + +The _idol_ might be rendered, as Mr. Lowth observes, _worthless_, or of no +value, as it is, Job xiii. 4, and so the Jew renders it. Though a +shepherd, in the singular number, is here spoken of, yet a succession of +such shepherds is clearly to be understood; and it is probable that the +chiefs and rulers of Israel are intended here, as well as the false +Messiahs who have from time to time arisen, and partially misled the +people, being alike false guides, who have contributed to the destruction +of the flock. A history of the false Messiahs, amounting to not less than +twenty, who have at different times made their appearance; with an account +of the numbers and destruction of their infatuated followers, being too +long for insertion here, may be found by the reader in Dr. Jortin's +Remarks on Eccles. Hist.; presenting a lamentable picture of the blindness +and infatuation of this wretched people. + + + + + +THE RABBI'S TRANSLATION. CHAPTER XI. + + +1. Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars. + +2. Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are +spoiled; howl, ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come +down. + +3. There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds, for their glory is +spoiled; a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is +spoiled. + +4. Thus saith the Lord my God, Feed the flock of the slaughter. + +5. Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty, and they +that sell them, say, Blessed be the Lord; for I am rich; and their own +shepherds pity them not. + +6. For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the Lord; +but, lo! I will deliver the men, every one into his neighbour's hand, and +into the hand of his king, and they shall smite the land, and out of their +hand I will not deliver them. + +7. Yea, I fed the flock of the slaughter, truly an afflicted flock it was, +and I took unto me two staves; the one I called Pleasant, and the other I +called Painful, and I fed the flock. + +8. And when I had cut off three shepherds in one month; then my soul +loathed them, and their souls also abhorred me. + +9. Then said I, I will not feed you; that that dieth, let it die; and that +that is missed, let it be missed; and let the rest eat every one the flesh +of another. + +10. And I took my staff, the Pleasant, and cut it asunder, that I might +break my covenant which I had made (for them) with all the nations. + +11. And it was broken in that day, and so the afflicted flock, that waited +upon me, knew that it was the word of the Lord. + +12. And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my reward; and if not, +forbear; and they weighed for my reward thirty pieces of silver. + +13. And the Lord said unto me, Cast it into the treasury, the magnanimous, +the precious, that I have withdrawn from them; and I took the thirty +pieces of silver, and cast them into the house of the Lord, into the +treasury. + +14. Then I cut asunder my other staff, the Painful, to break the +brotherhood between Judah, and Israel. + +15. And the Lord said unto me, Take unto thee, yet the instruments of a +foolish shepherd. + +16. For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, who shall not +remember those that are missed, nor seek the young, nor heal the broken +one, nor feed that that stands still, but he shall eat the flesh of the +fat, and tear their hoofs asunder. + +17. Woe to the worthless shepherds, who leave the flock! the sword shall +be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be quite dried up, +and his right eye shall be utterly darkened. + + + + + +THE RABBI'S EXPOSITION. CHAPTER XI. + + +Verse 1. This prophecy Christians cannot but consider impenetrable, and +must be satisfied to break off a few fragments, which may serve to cement +their religion; for in whatever manner they expound the import of the two +staves, they must still be incompetent to link its various parts together, +so as to shew that it refers to what they think it necessarily must, +namely, the selling of the Messiah; an interpretation which an impartial +examiner must find inconsistent with that passage even if disjoined from +all the rest, since there, wages, or reward (not price) is spoken of; this +being desired, or required of Israel, while with him who was sold it was +quite the reverse; so far was he from wishing to be betrayed, that he +tried and prayed to escape it. The Jew, however, considering the tenour of +the whole, contends that this was no more than what had been already +fulfilled at the time when it was delivered, the allusion here being +historical and not prophetic. + +It commences with predicting to other nations (who are compared to fir, +and oak trees,) destruction inevitable, since the shepherds of Judah also +(who are compared to the lions by the Jordan, to the vine and the cedar,) +howl for having been spoiled of their glory. The prophet then goes on, in +calling to the minds of his brethren the causes that brought them so low +from their former exalted station, in order that this may serve them as a +warning no more to deviate from the way in which they were instructed to +walk: he also reminds them with what particular and providential care they +had been continually led on by their God, in one or other of the different +ways stated, the pleasant, or the painful, as by a tender shepherd, whose +sole intent is to lead his flock to rich pastures, and good watering +places. In this manner did God tend his flock, Israel, to accomplish their +happiness, indulging them when obedient to his will, but chastising them, +when otherwise, as an indulgent father would his children, in order to +reclaim them. And when we consider the circumstances and condition of our +fathers during the first temple, we may easily trace out both the times +when they enjoyed uninterrupted peace and comfort, and those, when they +were exposed to troubles and afflictions, which God in his wisdom saw fit +to visit upon them. To these does the prophet refer, representing them by +this beautiful metaphor of the two staves. + +Ver. 5. The cruel shepherds denote the tyrants into whose hands Israel was +delivered, who disdained to nourish that poor flock, but sold some to +slavery, and gave up others to be slaughtered. + +Ver. 6. And such as escaped the fury of their own kings were ravaged by +their conquerors. + +Ver. 7. _I fed the flock._--i. e. Since I have chosen them to me out of +Egypt. + +Ver. 8. _When I had cut off three shepherds._--The number three as well as +seven is well known to be made use of in Scripture, instead of an +indefinite number; this apparently refers to what is related in 2 Kings, +ch. x. v. 32, that in those days the Lord began to be weary of Israel; it +was after the kings of Judah and Israel were killed, the family of the one +exterminated, and that of the other nearly so. + +Ver. 10. _A covenant made for them with all the nations_; that is, that +these nations should not disturb Israel, nor invade their land, but leave +them to dwell there in safety, as was repeatedly promised to them. Exod. +xxxiv. 24; Lev. xxvi. 5; Deut. xxviii. 10. But when under the divine +displeasure, that covenant was suspended, and not only the land of the ten +tribes, but also that of Judah was frequently invaded, and both were +harassed by their enemies. + +Ver. 12. The reward which God required of his people means, that for the +many blessings he had conferred on them, they should be obedient to his +commandments. Yet he left it to their choice, to forbear if disinclined, +agreeably to the message sent to them by Ezek. ch. iii. v. 27; and +accordingly some few remained faithful to him, and these answer to the +thirty pieces of silver. Thirty as well as ten sometimes imply an +indefinite number. See Dan, i. 20; Gen. xxxi. 7. They are named silver +({~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL PE~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER FINAL PE~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~})) as this originally meant desirable. + +Ver. 13. They are to be cast into the treasury--{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}), though +translated the potter, stands for {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} ({~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}), the treasury. And again, +{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}) is the same as {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} (or +{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~} {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}) (Mal. iii. 10), or the storehouse of the Lord, viz. the +temple. The frequent interchange of the {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}) letters is well +known to the Hebrew scholar. The temple is here indicated as the place +where the pure ones, separated from the dross, should fix their eyes on +the Most High, and with prayers appease his wrath, that he might yet avert +the approaching calamities. {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}) signifies _I have withdrawn_, +not _I was prized at_. See Proverbs xxv. 17, where it means _withdraw thy +foot_. + +Ver. 14. _Cut asunder the other staff._ While the two kings lived in peace +and harmony, the one was corrupted by the wickedness of the other, and +therefore the chastening rod was applied for the purpose of breaking their +brotherhood; but that staff was dispensed with, when by the dissolution of +one of these kings, the cause for it ceased. + +Ver. 16. _I will raise up a shepherd, &c._ Judah has likewise to lament to +this day having been governed by foolish shepherds during both the first +and second temple, who did neither remember the missed, nor heal the +broken, and instead of feeding them that stood still, they fed upon them, +and tore their hoofs asunder. Yet as the survivors stand to this day a +living monument of the literal accomplishment of this prophecy from verse +15, it serves them as a sure pledge of the fulfilment of that which +follows. + + + + + +ZECHARIAH ON THE MESSIAH'S KINGDOM. INTERPRETATION: CHAPTER XII. + + +Of the occurrences which succeeded the crucifixion of Christ, one of the +first in order, as well as importance, was the destruction of Jerusalem; +an event which materially changed the condition of the Jewish nation, both +as regarded their polity and their religion; to the full exercise of which +the existence of their temple was indispensable. It was therefore to be +expected that the prediction of this event would be eagerly sought for by +Christian commentators, in a prophecy relating to the establishment of the +Messiah's kingdom, especially by those who chiefly look to political +affairs for its fulfilment. + +And accordingly this chapter appears to afford distinct intimation of such +an event, as it opens with the express mention of the siege of Jerusalem. +Yet is it mentioned in a way not a little embarrassing to the political +exposition; for, instead of the destruction, the prophecy declares the +triumph of Jerusalem; and, with the exception of one or two ambiguous +expressions at the commencement, this triumph forms the whole subject of +the chapter. But Jerusalem really was taken and destroyed, nor have the +Jews since been able to rebuild either their city or their temple, nor has +any thing approaching to a triumph, in the ordinary acceptation of the +term, occurred to them from that time to the present. How then shall we +explain the victory and triumph foretold in the prophecy? + +The solution appears to be this; that the event here foretold is no +political, but a spiritual siege; namely, the warfare of worldly feelings +against true religion, for this is the spiritual Jerusalem. The abrogation +of the law, and the promulgation of the Gospel, are foreshewn under the +types of the Old and the New Jerusalem; which symbolically signify the Old +and New Covenant, or Judaism and Christianity, the one abolished and the +other established, in reality at the coming of Christ, but ostensibly at +the destruction of the city and temple, which is probably on this account +employed symbolically, to represent the spiritual change. + +The prophecy, however, does not declare the destruction of the old +Jerusalem, but merely the repeopling of it, in verse 6; and in the +spiritual sense it was not destroyed, though merged in the superior +splendour and greatness of the New City; for Christianity is built on the +foundation of Judaism. The new Jerusalem here spoken of, is then, the new +Covenant, or Christianity, the spiritual City, the building of which began +at this time, whatever may be the period required for its completion. + +In the spiritual sense also must be understood the triumph of Judah, which +was the triumph of the Gospel; and her salvation, spoken of in verse 7, +which was eternal salvation. Her victory was the victory over the world, +which every true Christian has to gain, but which was first gained by +Judah, for the first Christians were Jews; although the Gentiles were +subsequently admitted into the Church of Christ, and became the principal +inhabitants of the spiritual Jerusalem, when deserted, for the most part +at least, by its former inhabitants the Jews. The Gentiles from this time +became Israelites by adoption, and the distinction between Jew and Gentile +converts, or lineal and adopted Israelites, is marked in the prophecy, as +might be expected. + +But the time of Israel's spiritual restoration requires some explanation, +being adverted to in this and the following chapter ten times at least, +with the definite expression of "_in that day_:" an expression which seems +as little to accord with the time required for a whole nation or people to +change their faith, as with that which would be requisite for their +literal return from all parts of the world to be reunited in one city, as +the Jews understand the prophecy. A literal day cannot therefore be +understood; nor yet would the difficulty be removed by supposing it to +mean a prophetic day, or a Jewish year of twelve months, being three +hundred and sixty days; for this period would be alike inadequate to the +event in question. + +How shall we then understand the expression, "_that day_," so often +recurring in the prophecy? The answer appears to be simply this, that it +means _one_ day to _each individual_, but not _the same day_ to _all +collectively_. As the earlier Christians did not all embrace Christianity +on one day, so neither have we reason to expect that the later Christians +will do so. History declares to the contrary, that some of the house of +Israel have been continually flowing into the Church of Christ in every +succeeding century, from the Apostolic age to the present time. And as +some understand the Day of Judgment to be to each individual the day of +his death, so to each will the day of his "_Redemption_," in Scriptural +language, be the day of his receiving Christ. St. Paul in the 2 Corinth. +vi. 2, says "_Behold now is the accepted time, now is the day of +Salvation_," and in the same light must it be viewed in the passages +before us; that is, as one day to each individually, not as the same day +to all collectively. + +The opening of this chapter closely resembles that of the 9th, and may +help to throw light on those parts of it which appeared obscure. Both +begin by declaring God's superintendance and control over human affairs, +and both assert his right to the disposal of events on similar grounds: +there it was alleged, because all creatures belong to him, _for the Lord's +is the eye of man, and all the tribes of Israel_; and here, because he +created all things. + +_The burden of the word of the Lord upon Israel, saith the Lord, which +stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundations of the earth, and +formeth the spirit of man within him._ + +There, the burden of the prophecy was laid on the Gentiles, but the +admonition meant for the benefit of Israel, to whom it was addressed; +here, the burden is upon Israel, but the admonition expressly intended for +all nations, "_all the people round about_;" and of such was the new +Jerusalem, which is the subject of this chapter, chiefly composed after +the overthrow of their idolatry and their conversion to Christianity. This +appears to be the spiritual warfare here intended, namely, the successful +progress of the Gospel against Paganism. + +_Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the nations +round about, and upon Judah it shall be in the siege against Jerusalem._ + +Upon Judah is the burden of the prophecy chiefly imposed, for to Judah was +first committed the task of promulgating the Gospel. The Apostles, and +also the disciples of our Lord were all Jews, they were the founders of +this city. "_A cup of trembling_," must not be here understood to signify +an example by punishment inflicted, but as the Jew renders it, "_a cup of +astonishment_," or confusion to all nations; or, as it is next termed, "_a +burden-stone_," to crush its enemies; and such has been the Gospel of +Christ, as the prophecy declares. + +_In that day, will I make Jerusalem a burden-stone for all people; all +that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the +people of the earth be gathered together against it._ + +The people, here spiritually signifies their false religion, which was to +be abolished; and Jerusalem is here understood to mean Christianity, or +true religion, which was triumphant. Confusion is then denounced against +its enemies, while Divine protection and support are promised to the house +of Judah, who received Christ. + +_In that day, saith the Lord, I will smite every horse with astonishment, +and his rider with madness, but I will open mine eyes upon the house of +Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness._ + +The blind rage of the heathen and the infatuated frenzy with which they +strove to extinguish the light of the Gospel, are here clearly foreshewn; +but the spiritual Jerusalem resisted all their efforts. And when the +lineal Israelites abandoned their city, its gates were thrown open to the +Gentiles, who entered and repeopled it, and became thenceforward +"Israelites by adoption." The new Jerusalem being Christianity, its +inhabitants must mean the Christians; and who were they, after the Jews +rejected Christianity, but the Gentile converts? Accordingly, they are so +styled in the next verse, as contradistinguished from the first Jewish +converts, who are called the governors of Judah, being the founders and +builders of the spiritual city. + +_And the governors of Judah shall say in their hearts, The inhabitants of +Jerusalem shall be my strength, in the Lord of hosts their God._ + +The fitness of the expression, _Inhabitants of Jerusalem_, to symbolize +the Gentile converts, further appears in the fact, that the original +inhabitants of the city, who were never expelled, were Gentiles. _The +governors of Judah_ can signify no other than the apostles and disciples +of our Lord, the first teachers of Christianity, or the founders of the +new City. These, when the Jews were no longer willing to hear them, turned +their attention to the Gentiles, and directed all their efforts to effect +their conversion. As the strength of a city lies in its inhabitants, so +the hope of strengthening theirs, from that time, rested in gaining over +the Gentiles: "_The Governors of Judah say in their hearts, The +inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their +God._" Does not this mean in the Lord of hosts _becoming_ their God? That +is, in his becoming the God of the Gentiles by their conversion to +Christianity? + +The extraordinary success of the apostles and disciples, in converting the +Gentiles and repeopling the city, is foreshewn in the next verse. + +_In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire +among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf, and they shall devour +all the nations round about on the right hand and on the left, and +Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem._ + +If the spiritual Jerusalem be Christianity, it was certainly the Gentiles +who repeopled this city, when the Jews deserted it. But still it was not +deserted by all the Jews, for the first Christians were Jews, as +emphatically expressed in the next verse. + +_The Lord shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house +of David, and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify +themselves against Judah._ + +The salvation of Judah here spoken of must be salvation through Christ; +but if Judah signify the first Jewish converts to Christianity, and the +inhabitants of Jerusalem mean those from the gentile nations, who are _the +house of David_, here spoken of, and classed with the inhabitants of +Jerusalem, as receiving their salvation subsequently to that of Judah? The +house of David must surely mean those of the Hebrew nations, who did not +at first receive Christ along with the house of Judah, but subsequently; +or, the prophecy being still prospective, those who shall hereafter +embrace Christianity must be also included. To this the Jew may probably +answer: How can a Christian believe that the house of David, the very +house from which Christ came, still remains unredeemed? I answer, that we +are nowhere assured that all of his own family believed in him; still less +the whole house of David, of which they were only a branch. To the fact, +whether any of that family be still left among the unredeemed of Israel, +let the Jew answer. If not, then where is their expected Messiah to come +from? But if there be such, then have these not yet received the salvation +which is through Christ; and as far as they are concerned, the words of +the prophecy yet remain to be fulfilled, however it may have received its +fulfilment in regard to others. When it shall please God to remove the +veil which is before their eyes, and to restore the spiritual strength +which they have lost, then will the following words be accomplished in +them also, as it was to Judah in the apostolic age. + +_In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and he +that is feeble among them, at that day shall be as David, and the house of +David shall be as God, as the Angel of the Lord before them._ + +The esteem and veneration with which the primitive Christians, and +particularly the apostles, would be regarded for their purity and +holiness, and for their spiritual strength, notwithstanding that they were +designedly chosen from the lowest and most illiterate class of men, is +here emphatically foretold. Their consequent success in preaching the +gospel is next declared; the nations being destroyed, figuratively +signifies their false religion being overthrown. + +_And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that I will seek +to destroy all the nations that come up against Jerusalem._ + +The next verse, which foretels _the pouring out of the Spirit_, so closely +resembles the prophecy of Joel, of which St. Peter gave the interpretation +on the memorable day of Pentecost; and at the same time, coupled the +application with a reproach to the Jews for having crucified Christ (Acts +ii.), that the Christian can hardly fail to see that they refer to the +same event, though not here restricted to that particular day, as appears +from "_the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem_" being +mentioned; nor was the gift of the Spirit confined to the day of +Pentecost, but continued to all on whom the apostles laid their hands. + +_And I will pour out upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of +Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they shall look to +me for him whom they pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth +for his only son; and be in bitterness for him as one that is in +bitterness for his firstborn._ + +The most solemn fast almost universally observed throughout Christendom, +in commemoration of Christ's crucifixion, is manifestly the event which +was here foretold, at least four centuries before its fulfilment. The +prospect of its receiving a more evident accomplishment at any future +period, seems to be rendered hopeless by the enumeration of the different +families that follows, all such distinctions being now lost among the +present race of Jews. + +_And in that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the +mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon;_ + +_And the land shall mourn every family apart, the family of the house of +David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan +apart, and their wives apart;_ + +_The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family +of the house of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;_ + +_All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart._ + +If any thing more be intended by this emphatical repetition of the +families mourning apart, beyond the strong expression of the depth of +their grief, and the sincerity of their repentance, may it not be to +convince the unbelieving Jews of the hopelessness of a more literal +fulfilment after the loss of their genealogies? + + + + + +NOTES TO CHAPTER XII. + + +Verse 2. :{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} + +_When they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against +Jerusalem._ + +Such is the translation in our version, a sense which can in no way be +extorted from the words of the text, as every Hebraist must be well aware. +The Jew, by inserting the relative _who_, as understood after the word +Judah, renders the passage thus, + +_And also upon Judah, who shall be in the siege against Jerusalem._ + +This is certainly no violation of the text, as the relative pronoun is +often understood in Hebrew. But still I hold it to be a rule not to insert +a relative unless the sense requires it, and I see no such necessity here, +as either of the preceding nominatives, namely, _the burden of the +prophecy_, or _the cup of trembling_, may govern the verb _shall be_, and +thus we have, as I have rendered it, _and also upon Judah it shall be, in +the __ siege against Jerusalem_; by which I understand _the burden shall_ +be upon Judah also. + +Verse 3. :{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER HET~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER SAMEKH~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} + +_I will make Jerusalem a burden stone for all people._ + +Here the Jew may probably ask, How can Jerusalem, in the spiritual sense, +as signifying true religion, become a burden stone, or a cup of confusion +to the heathen? I answer, in every way. In the first place, by +frustrating, as it did, all their efforts to suppress and extinguish +it;--in the next place, by its opposing and outraging all their worldly +feelings, condemning their pride, and teaching humility, requiring them to +receive their religion from one whom they despised as the most degraded of +human beings, a crucified malefactor;--and, lastly, by stultifying all +their previous notions, enjoining the restraint and control of the +passions, instead of which their religion sanctified their indulgence as +an act of devotion. Thus was Christianity, in every way, a cup of +confusion, and a stumbling-stone to the heathen nations. + +But against the spiritual exposition of the Old and New Jerusalem, as +symbolizing the Old and New Covenant, the Jew may, perhaps, further +object, that he was never taught to look for a New Covenant, and that he +finds no intimation of it in the Prophets. This being a question of fact, +rather than of reasoning, we must look to the Scriptures for the answer. + +Without enumerating the many intimations of the sacrifices and ceremonies +of the Old Covenant, not being _intrinsically_ acceptable to God, but of +less estimation than the attributes of moral excellence, we find the +following direct declarations of a New Covenant to be established at the +Messiah's coming, who is symbolically styled, _My servant David_. Thus in +Isa. lv. 3, we find, _Incline thine ear and come unto me; hear and your +soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even +the sure mercies of David._ Ezekiel also says, chap. xxxiv. 24, _And I the +Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the +Lord have spoken it; and I will make with them a covenant of peace_, &c. +And again in chap. xxxvii. 26, he says, _Moreover, I will make a covenant +of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; and I +will place them and multiply them, and I will set my sanctuary in the +midst of them for evermore._ But Jeremiah still more expressly declares +the superseding of the Old, and the substitution of the New Covenant; +while he describes the latter in terms equivalent to those used by Christ +himself, "The kingdom of God is within you." Thus Jer. xxxi. 31, _Behold +the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a New Covenant with the +house of Israel, and with the house of Judah. Not according to the +Covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by +the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, which my Covenant they +brake, although I was an husband to them, saith the Lord. But this shall +be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, After those +days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write +it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people._ + +Here we have clear intimation of a new law superseding the old, the +spiritual nature of the new being contrasted with the ceremonial of the +old, by its being written in the heart; while the stress laid by all upon +its everlasting duration, implies that the one preceding it was only meant +to be temporary. + +Verse 5. :{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER PE~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER TSADI~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} + +_And the Governors of Judah shall say in their hearts, the inhabitants of +Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God._ + +"This text," says Dr. Blayney, "has been supposed corrupt, and many +attempts made to amend it. But without any alteration, it well expresses +the sentiments of the men of Judah, concerning the interest they had in +the safety of Jerusalem and its inhabitants, on which their own safety and +security depended in a great degree," &c. I fully agree with Dr. Blayney +in the literal meaning of the words, which involves no difficulty; but in +looking beyond the literal, to the symbolical and spiritual sense, +considerable difficulty appears. A different solution from that I have +offered at first occurred to me, which is this, that as _Judah_ means the +earliest converts to Christianity, these being evidently contrasted with +_the inhabitants of Jerusalem_, who were subsequently saved, the latter +might mean the yet unconverted Jews. Upon this view, the anxiety of +Christians for the conversion of the Jews, would appear to be the subject +intimated in the verse before us; and as this idea may occur to others as +it did to myself, I think it right to state my reasons for relinquishing +it. One objection to this view is, that in verse 10, the _unconverted +Jews_, if they be the inhabitants of Jerusalem, would here mourn the +crucified Saviour, which would be a complete solecism. Another objection +is, that the abolition of idolatry in the next chapter, instead of being +represented as opening the way for the admission of the Pagans to +Christianity, which it certainly did, would then be represented as opening +the way to the conversion of the Jews, which it certainly did not, but +rather had a contrary effect, as history declares. And, lastly, upon this +view, the corruption of Christianity, leading to the loss of the spiritual +Jerusalem, mentioned at the beginning of chap. xiv., instead of being +ascribed to the Gentile church, would thus appear to be the work of the +Jews, either of those more recently converted to Christianity, or of those +still unconverted, both of which would be alike unreasonable. Such are the +reasons which led me to reject that view, and adopt the one proposed in +the text. With respect to the house of David, as signifying the Jewish +converts who embraced Christianity subsequent to the Apostolic age, those +objections do not apply. + +Verse 10. :{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TET~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} {~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} + +_And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced._ + +Blayney considers the {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}), as simply a preposition, not a +compound of {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} with the affix pronoun {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}, the antecedent to {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}), +being understood, and renders the passage thus, _They shall look towards +him whom they pierced._ + +The Jew argues from the change of person, that our version cannot be +right, and he renders it, _They shall look to me concerning him whom they +pierced._ + +In whatever way the passage be rendered, no doubt can remain in the mind +of the Christian that Christ, who was pierced, is the person here alluded +to; and this is the only point material to the present exposition. That +the Jew should admit this, is not to be expected. + + + + + +THE RABBI'S EXPOSITION, AND THE AUTHOR'S REMARKS. CHAPTER XII. + + +In the remaining chapters, I shall merely point out those parts in which +the construction of the original is, or may be, different from that of the +English version, as there seems no occasion to notice those passages where +they both agree. + +Verse 2. _Behold I will make Jerusalem a cup of confusion unto all the +people round about, and also upon Judah, who will be in the siege against +Jerusalem._ + +By this it appears that Judah, namely, those who will be without the city, +will likewise be greatly confused at their being compelled by the other +nations to take part in the siege, and fight against their brethren. + +Verse 10. _And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the +inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications; and +they shall look unto me __(CONCERNING)__ whom they have pierced, and they +shall mourn for him, &c._ + +The change of person clearly proves, that it is not he who was pierced, to +whom they will look; but it must be considered as if it were {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TET~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} +{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~} {~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~} {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER TET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}), or {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} {~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~} {~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER SHIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~} {~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~} {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~} +{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}) particles are well known to be frequently omitted or exchanged. This +may either allude to those who had been formerly slain for their bold +admonitions and warnings; or to those who will hereafter be slain in +battle. + +They who apply this to the Christian Messiah, have another difficulty to +solve, besides the one above mentioned, and that is, to explain how a +death is to be lamented, which, as they believe, was indispensable to the +salvation of so many myriads of souls. And further, it may be asked, if it +was the especial will of God that this should be so accomplished, how +could the perpetrators of his death avoid it? And, lastly, what cause had +the house of David, comprising the Messiah himself, to supplicate for +mercy on account of his death, in which they, being his own family, had +surely no share? + +Ver. 8. {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~} {~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~} {~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}) cannot mean, _and the house +of David shall be as God_, but only as a powerful being, _as the Angel of +the Lord before them_. The witch of Endor, who saw {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}) +ascending out of the earth, surely did not mean to say that it was God. +And in many other passages we find {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}) applied to mortals as +well as to God. + + ------------------------------------- + +In answer to the difficulties proposed by the Jew, the Christian may say, +that he does not mourn the death of Christ, but the sins that required +such a sacrifice; and as to the free agency of those who crucified him, he +will say, that God's seeing fit sometimes to employ the wicked in +accomplishing his purposes, does not imply that he first makes them wicked +for the purpose. When was there ever a time, that none could be found in +Israel who were ready to slay the prophets? And as to the difficulty in +the text of verse 10, it is one of the Jews' own creating, as the +Christian finds none in receiving it as it stands without even the +proposed alteration, an alteration admitted, but not proposed by him. The +only remaining objection, which regards the house of David, has been +anticipated and answered in the interpretation of verse 7. + + + + + +ZECHARIAH ON THE MESSIAH'S KINGDOM. INTERPRETATION: CHAPTER XIII. + + +The progress of the Messiah's kingdom being regarded as that of +Christianity, the next important step after the abolition of Judaism, was +that of Paganism, which is evidently the subject of the chapter now before +us; but along with this is coupled in the prophetic view another event, no +less important, which arose out of, and accompanied the nominal conversion +of the Gentile nations. This was the corruption of Christianity by the +Pagan converts. For instead of relinquishing their former prejudices and +superstitions, they retained, and brought most of them into the bosom of +the church; and thereby in a short time totally changed the character of +the religion which they professed to embrace. + +It is true that this is a point of church history not always very +distinctly stated by ecclesiastical historians; who seem more inclined to +represent the conversion of Constantine, and the events of the fourth +century, as every way favourable to the Christian cause. But the truth is, +that precisely in proportion to the church's advancement in worldly +prosperity and power, were its spiritual decline and degradation; in so +much that the best historians admit, that from this period are its +degeneracy and corruptions most indubitably to be dated. So different is +the light under which the same event appears, according as it is viewed +with regard to its spiritual or its political import. Which of the two +best accords with the spirit of this prophecy, the reader will be at no +loss to decide, when he sees that no prosperity is here spoken of, but on +the contrary, that the cutting off two-thirds of the inhabitants of the +land, or their spiritual death, is the event which is coupled in the +prophecy with the admission of the Pagans into the church of Christ. And +such was truly the result that followed to the many; namely, the loss of +the true spirit of Christianity. + +But if the abolition of Paganism be the subject of this chapter, it may be +asked, how comes the purification of Israel to be announced in the opening +of it? The answer is plain. Adopted Israel may be here understood. To +lineal Israel indeed was the prophecy given; and with Israel, idolatry +was, and ever had been, the besetting sin; most nearly therefore were the +Jews also concerned in its abolition. + +Viewed, however, in the more enlarged sense, idolatry comprises the +indulgence of every evil propensity; for Paganism, by appointing a +presiding Deity over each, had sanctioned the unrestrained gratification +of every passion, in making it an act of devotion. Christianity, on the +contrary, enjoins the restraint and control of our passions, and thus +becomes the natural antidote to the poison of Heathenism: or the fountain +of purification from the sin and pollution of idolatry, as the opening of +this chapter declares. + +_In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David, and +to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness._ + +That day, as formerly explained, is to every one the day of his conversion +to Christianity. The house of David, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, +here, as in the last chapter, symbolically represent the later converts to +Christianity; as the house of Judah, which was first saved, signify the +earlier Christians. The nature of the sin and pollution to be thus washed +away, is next declared to be idolatry, and its abolition is foretold. + +_And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I +will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall be no +more remembered; and also I will cause the prophets, and the unclean +spirit to pass out of the land._ + +It may be worthy of remark, that _the names_ only _of the idols_, and not +the spirit of idolatry, is here declared to be cut off; and _from the +land_, which in prophetic language, commonly means the land of Israel, +here, adopted Israel, or Christendom. Now, this nominal abolition took +place in the fourth century, from which time both Jews and Gentiles have +been prohibited from the open worship of idols. But we have now reached +the nineteenth century without seeing the spirit of idolatry really +extinct; if then the total abolition, which is yet to come, be here +intimated, it must be symbolically foreshewn by the nominal abolition +which then took place. _That day_, in regard to the inward and spiritual +purification, is to be taken as the day of his regeneration to each +individual, not as the same day to all collectively; but regarding the +outward and ostensible abolition, this occurred when the pains and +penalties of the Theodosian code prohibited the open practice of Pagan +rites. The prophetic view may, however, include both. + +_And it shall come to pass in that day, when any shall get prophesy, that +his father and his mother that begat him shall say, Thou shalt not live, +for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord: and his father and his +mother that begat him, shall thrust him through when he prophesieth._ + +To prophesy, or foretel future events, was the main purport of Pagan +rites; no undertaking of any moment being entered upon until the priests +and oracles had been previously consulted. This, in a superstitious age, +formed a lucrative profession for the soothsayers and diviners, and was +successfully practised, till the darkness of Heathenism was dispelled by +the light of Christianity, as foretold in the next verse. + +_And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be +ashamed, every one of his vision when he prophesieth; neither shall they +wear a rough garment to deceive._ + +The Pagan, as well as the Jewish prophets, appear to have worn a distinct +dress; but after Paganism was abolished, those who practised its rites in +secret, of course denied and sought to conceal it. + +_But he shall say, I am no prophet but a labourer; for a husbandman bought +me from my youth._ + +Slaves and bondmen frequently received a mark in their hands, to shew the +master to whom they belonged; and persons attached to the Heathen temples +were sometimes marked in a similar manner; the worshippers of Bacchus, for +instance, were distinguished by the mark of an ivy leaf. (See Lowth in +loco.) This explains the following verse. + +_And one shall say unto him, What are these marks in thine hands? Then +shall he answer, Those with which I was marked in the house of my +friends._ + +Thus seeking to avoid the suspicion attached to the marks of Paganism, +under the pretext of their being the indication of bondage or servitude. +But this evasion denotes that the abolition of Paganism was ostensible +only, as it was still practised in secret. In reality the advancement of +Christianity to the imperial throne, instead of promoting the sincere +conversion of the Pagans, only served to complete what had already begun, +namely, the corruption of the Christians; whose character and conduct soon +totally changed, after the road to the acquisition of wealth and power was +opened to them. In the contests for the attainment of these, which soon +arose, (witness the Donatist faction,) the majority of Christians in a +short time lost sight of the spirit of their religion; while the rancour +and cruelty with which different sects persecuted each other, sprang from +the same source, or their rivalship in the struggle for worldly power, as +Mosheim declares. Such was the spiritual sword which undermined +Christianity, and destroyed the life which is in Christ; as next foretold. + +_Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is next +unto me, saith the Lord of hosts. Smite the shepherd and the sheep shall +be scattered; and I will turn mine hand against the little ones._ + +The sword is the symbol of strife and discord, warring against and +destroying spiritual life, or the life in Christ; for he is the shepherd +who is smitten by the sword, the person of Christ being here figuratively +put for his doctrine or religion; the corruption of which is thus +foreshewn by the dispersion and slaughter of his flock. The little ones +signify the new converts, who are yet weak in their faith and principles; +and thence more liable to be misled. + +_And it shall come to pass that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts +shall be cut off, and die; but the third part shall be left therein._ + +The history of the fourth century, here prophetically foreshewn, amply +testifies, that only the smaller number of Christians, amidst the general +corruption, resisted the allurements of avarice and ambition, and retained +their purity; these having imbibed the true spirit of Christ's religion, +as next declared. + +_And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as +silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on +my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people; and they shall +say, The Lord is my God._ + +It seems scarcely possible to give a more unequivocal intimation of the +spiritual import of the whole, as not alluding to political events, but as +regarding the progress of true religion, than is contained in those +expressions of the last verse, which declare, that the supplications of +the smaller number will be offered up in a manner acceptable to God, who +will hear and answer them. The particular period alluded to, is distinctly +marked by the nominal abolition of idolatry, and the general corruption of +Christianity. The only difficulty, however, if there be any, regards the +chronological order of the events; as the prophecy seems to foretel the +entire abolition of Paganism, which has certainly not yet taken place; but +this difficulty will be in a great measure removed, by supposing the +prophetic view to look forward from the partial to the total, from the +nominal to the real extinction of idolatry. + +With respect to the division of the flock into two parts, it must not be +supposed that any distinction of sects is here alluded to, for no one +could, more than another, claim the character of purity and holiness. True +Christianity must be sought for in the heart, and not in the outward form +of worship, or profession of faith. + + + + + +NOTES TO CHAPTER XIII. + + +Verse 5. :{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} + +_For a man taught me to keep cattle from my youth._ + +Parkhurst, in his Lexicon, remarks upon this passage, as being _strangely_ +translated in our version; while Dr. Blayney agrees with him in the +translation. _For a man bought me, __(OR OBTAINED POSSESSION OF ME,)__ +from my youth._ The Jew, while he acquiesces in the sense of {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} (or +{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER NUN~}{~HEBREW LETTER QOF~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~}) signifying _to appropriate_, contends that {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER FINAL MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}) does not +mean merely _a man_, but a _husbandman_, or labourer, and renders it, _For +a husbandman I was appropriated from my youth._ But neither the sense nor +the grammatical construction thus appearing clear to my apprehension, as +the verb is not in the first, but the third person with the suffix {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} _me_, +after it; I propose to reconcile both by rendering the passage thus: _For +a husbandman bought or appropriated me from my youth._ But in fact the +difference is immaterial, as the sense, in whatever way expressed, is, +_For I was a farmer's servant, and a bondsman from my youth._ + +Verse 6. :{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} {~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} {~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER KAF~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~} {~HEBREW LETTER HE~}{~HEBREW LETTER ALEF~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~}{~HEBREW LETTER HE~} {~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL NUN~} {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER DALET~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER FINAL KAF~} + +_What are these wounds in thine hands? &c._ + +Both Lowth and Blayney agree in regarding these words as an allusion to +the custom of the idolatrous priests and prophets, of marking themselves +in the hands. Their being challenged as the marks of Paganism, is a +sufficient proof of their being so, and I have rendered it accordingly, +_marks_ instead of _wounds_. For if, as Blayney states, they were made by +cutting and slashing themselves, still the marks, and not the wounds, +would remain when healed. + +Verse 7. :{~HEBREW LETTER HET~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} {~HEBREW LETTER VAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER LAMED~} {~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} + +_Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my +fellow, &c._ + +In supposing these words to have had no direct reference to the death of +Christ in their original intention, notwithstanding their appearing from +St. John's Gospel to have been used by him, in forewarning his disciples +of what was about to befal him, I offer no new opinion, for Dr. Blayney +declares himself fully persuaded that they had not; and what gives weight +to this opinion is, that it must have been founded on other grounds than +those which have led me to that conclusion. For as Dr. Blayney had not +embraced the spiritual view in expounding the prophecy, he could not be +led to this inference by the same train of reasoning as myself. The words, +{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER RESH~} {~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~} (or {~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER TAV~}{~HEBREW LETTER YOD~}{~HEBREW LETTER MEM~}{~HEBREW LETTER AYIN~} {~HEBREW LETTER RESH~}{~HEBREW LETTER BET~}{~HEBREW LETTER GIMEL~}) he renders, "The man that is next to me," which +is certainly much nearer to the sense of the original than, _The man that +is my fellow._ + +_Two parts shall be cut of, and die._ + +An awful annunciation! foretelling the spiritual death of two-thirds of +the nominal Christian world. The corresponding passages in the Apocalypse +predict the same event, and one of them in still stronger terms, for it is +said, that "_Every living soul in the sea died._" Literally, this passage +cannot be taken, for literally there are no _living souls_ in the sea. The +sea means the Gentile nations, or Europe. _The life_ is life in Christ. +The loss of that life, or spiritual death is the loss of true +Christianity: here extending over the whole sea, or comprising all the +Gentile converts; and the period of this death is yet scarcely elapsed, +beginning with the dark ages, and continuing to the millenium. What! is +Europe then still, or has it so lately been in a state of spiritual death +or perdition? Such is the language of prophecy, and its meaning cannot be +explained away or evaded. "_Every living soul in the sea dies._" The life +in Christ is extinct. True Christianity no longer remains. Will _none_ +then be _saved_? This the prophecy no where says. The Gospel teaches that +many may be saved who never heard of Christ. Are all Mahommedans, and they +execrate the name of Christian, doomed to perish? No Christian will surely +maintain this, and still less that all misguided Christians are doomed to +perdition. But still the life in Christ is lost. True Christianity no +longer prevails. If then, without it, men may be saved, where, it may be +asked, is the use of it? I answer, in every way, and every where it is +useful. Did true Christianity prevail, the myriads might be saved; the few +only would perish. Without it the few only can be saved, the many are left +to perish. By Christianity, all are taught to live for the next world; +without it, the many will live for this; few are those that will think of +another. Christianity not only diffuses peace and happiness on earth, but +fits every man for enjoying eternal happiness hereafter. Such is the +saving virtue of Christ's religion, in affording to all the _means_ of +attaining to eternal life and eternal happiness. But to return to the age +in which we live, or from which we are just emerging. This period is +peculiarly the age of infidelity--all Europe bears testimony to the fact. +But are they who profess belief, really Christians? Look to conduct, and +not profession for the proof. Is this world, or the next, the object of +pursuit? If conscience whisper, that we who believe, lack the true spirit; +how can we expect it in those who disbelieve? Where then in true +Christianity? + +As this chapter, according to the Rabbi's view, remains unfulfilled, so he +offers no particular exposition of it, but limits his remarks to a few +emendations of the received translation. Of these the only one any way +material to the present discussion is that on verse 5, which has been +already stated in the note on that verse. + + + + + +ZECHARIAH ON THE MESSIAH'S KINGDOM. INTERPRETATION: CHAPTER XIV. + + +The corruption of Christianity, as foretold in the last chapter, is +allowed to have been the means that prepared the way for those events +which are announced at the opening of the present one. The ambition of the +clergy, and the state of ignorance in which they purposely kept their +flocks, had completely succeeded, before the end of the sixth century, in +subjugating the minds of the people, and in establishing the supremacy of +the priesthood in the west of Christendom, while the last of these causes +served to facilitate in the east the success of the Mahomedan imposture, +which, as well as Papacy, was an offspring of the spurious form of +religion then prevailing under the name of Christianity. + +These two usurpations under the mask of religion, divided, at the +beginning of the seventh century, what had once been the Christian world, +between them; one occupying the western half of it, and the other the +eastern, according to our mode of expression; but as regards Palestine, +where the Prophet wrote, this division is more accurately represented, as +expressed in the Prophecy, by northern and southern; the northern half +engrossed by the Greek and Latin churches, which being essentially of the +same nature, are here taken as one; while Mahomedism usurped the place of +Christianity in the countries lying for the most part south of Palestine, +as Arabia, Egypt, India, Persia, and others. (See note on this.) + +Such are the occurrences foreshewn in the opening of the present chapter; +which _now_ does, if it did not previously, declare the capture and +pillage of the holy city, or the loss of the spiritual Jerusalem, true +religion; this being followed by a portent awfully expressive of the +events which succeeded this loss, namely, the cleaving asunder of Mount +Olivet; (a symbol for nominal Christianity, Mount Zion signifying true +Christianity, Mount Sinai Judaism;) one part of which moves northward, and +the other southward, leaving a deep valley between them for the escape of +those who are not involved in this spiritual captivity or destruction. + +After this follows the intimation of a period of spiritual obscurity, +which is declared to be neither day nor night, neither clear day-light, +nor utter darkness; but on the evening of that day, light is said to dawn +again, and living waters once more to flow out of Jerusalem. At length +this is to be succeeded by the restoration of Israel, and the universal +establishment of true religion in the new Jerusalem. + +While the loss of true religion is clearly foreshewn in the capture of the +spiritual Jerusalem, with which this chapter commences; and while the rise +of Papacy and Mahomedism is foretold in the cleaving of Mount Olivet; the +Christian will readily perceive, in the day of obscurity that follows, the +dark ages shadowed forth; and in the dawn of light that breaks forth at +the evening time, he will see intimation of the restoration of true +religion at the reformation, when living waters again begin to flow out of +Jerusalem. + +The conclusion of this chapter, and of the Prophecy, declares the final +and complete establishment of the Messiah's kingdom; that happy period for +which we are taught to pray in the words, "_Thy kingdom come._" Concerning +the nature of this kingdom, the Jew not only differs from the Christian, +but Christians also differ from one another. Before I attempt to decide so +difficult a question, I shall state the prevailing opinions, and what the +prophets have said on the subject. + +The Jews expect, at the coming of their Messiah, the establishment of +their political, as well as their spiritual supremacy over all the earth. +The Christians reject all idea of a political kingdom, but differ in their +views of it as a spiritual one. Some understand it to signify the +universal establishment of true Christianity on earth, with the full +enjoyment of all the blessings which it is calculated to afford; others at +this second advent, look for the personal appearance of Christ on earth, +to reign with the saints, who will be raised from the dead, to receive the +reward of virtue in his kingdom; while many regard his kingdom as +signifying a future state of happiness, having no connexion whatever with +the earth we now inhabit, but to be enjoyed in an eternal abode, of which +they have an indefinite idea as existing somewhere above the firmament. + +This last, which is perhaps the most popular notion, seems least consonant +to Scripture and prophecy; which distinctly speak of a kingdom _on earth_, +as it is understood by the Jews; though not necessarily, as they suppose, +a political one. As this is the chief point on which I am at issue with my +opponent, I shall presently state the manner in which this city, the New +Jerusalem, is spoken of by Isaiah and St. John. But previously I think it +right to notice a fallacy in what I take to be the ground on which the +popular notion of this kingdom rests; namely, because St. John in the +Revelations gives intimation of a resurrection preceding, or accompanying +its establishment. Now, we have, as I conceive, no just ground for +assuming, in a vision, every other part of which is figurative, that this +part alone is to be understood literally. Why, I should ask, may not this +resurrection, like the rest, be also symbolical, or signify regeneration +to newness of life? which our Saviour expressed by being _born again_; +that is, a total change in our nature and habits, such as was produced in +his apostles and disciples by the gift of the Holy Spirit. But even +admitting the literal resurrection to be here intimated, (and no Christian +can doubt the reality of a resurrection,) yet this would not be at all +incompatible with a future existence on earth, a light in which it is +viewed by many: we shall therefore inquire what the Prophets have said +that may throw light on the nature of this kingdom on earth. + +Both Isaiah and St. John, in speaking of the New Jerusalem, use the +two-fold metaphor of a City and a Woman. In Isaiah liv. 11, et seq. this +city is represented as having foundations of sapphire, windows of agate, +and gates of carbuncle; and St. John, Rev. xxi. 16, describes it as built +entirely of precious stones, having twelve gates, each of one solid pearl, +and its streets paved with gold; being, moreover, equal in all its +dimensions, that is, as broad as it is long, and as high as it is wide, to +wit, twelve thousand furlongs, or fifteen hundred miles. This is surely +very unlike a literal city; but this City shortly becomes a Woman, in St. +John, and is styled "The Lamb's Bride;" while Isaiah, using the same +change of metaphor, says, "For thy Maker is thy husband." + +If we now look to the context in Isaiah, for the purport of this +figurative language, we shall find that he says, chapter liv. 14, "In +righteousness shalt thou be established;" and again, chapter lx. 19, "But +thou shalt call thy walls salvation, and thy gates praise;" and from chap. +lxi. it appears throughout, that this description is intended to portray +_the perfection of righteousness, the beauty of holiness_, and the _riches +of grace_; these being, as declared, the ornaments destined to adorn the +Bride. It is with _a robe of righteousness_, and _a garment of salvation_, +that _she will adorn herself_, as Isaiah expresses it, chap. lxi. 10.; +while St. John abounds in similar expressions; thus in Rev. xix. 9, +speaking of the Bride's apparel, he says, "For the fine linen is the +righteousness of the saints;" and of the City, which nothing impure is +permitted to enter, he says, chap. xxi. 23-27, "For the glory of God did +lighten it, and the Lamb was the light thereof." Thus both, under this +highly figurative description, appear to signify no literal city, or +political state, but one which is altogether spiritual; that is, the +utmost possible degree of purity and holiness, which will constitute this +_heaven upon earth_; the New Jerusalem. + +This chapter opens with the denunciation of divine wrath about to fall +upon mankind on account of the corrupt state of religion. The expression +used to foretel this, belongs more peculiarly to the day of judgment, +called the _day of the Lord_; but is often employed in prophetically +foreshewing particular judgments on the world, as here: + +_Behold the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the +midst of thee._ + +_For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city +shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished, and half of +__ the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people +shall not be cut off from the city._ + +The loss of the holy city, and the spiritual captivity of half its +inhabitants, which is the bondage of sin, is the particular calamity here +foretold; and this is followed by the punishment of those who were the +authors of this evil, the enemies of true religion, who war against +Jerusalem. + +_Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he +fought in the day of battle._ + +The nations must signify here, as elsewhere, the Gentiles, or Pagans, +whose spiritual hostility against true religion was shewn, as before +stated, by their corrupting and paganising Christianity; while the +judgment denounced against them consists in God's permitting the rise of +the two great Antichristian usurpations, Papacy and Mahomedism. One, the +man of sin, spoken of by St. Paul, (1 Tim. iv. 1, and 2 Thess. ii. 3,) a +spiritual tyranny, enslaving the minds of men; and the other, the +abomination of desolation, mentioned by Daniel, chap. viii. verses 10-12, +and, as he expressly foretold, permitted _by __ reason of transgression_, +or as a judgment on the world, its avowed object being the propagation of +religion by the sword. The division of the corrupt form of religion then +prevailing, into these two Antichristian apostacies, is thus foreshewn. + +_And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is +before Jerusalem upon the East, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in +the midst thereof toward the East, and toward the West, and there shall be +a great valley, and half of the mountain shall move toward the North, and +half of it toward the South._ + +A mountain, meaning a place of eminence or power, in spiritual language +signifies religion; _Mount Sinai_, from which the Mosaic law was +delivered, means Judaism, and is contrasted in the Epistle to the Hebrews, +chap. xii. 18-22, with Christianity, which is there called _Mount Zion_, +and _the heavenly Jerusalem_. The Mount of Olives is neither of these, but +here symbolical of nominal Christianity, destined to be split asunder; +leaving, however, a valley between the two parts for the escape of those +not involved in this spiritual destruction; from which may be inferred, +that true Christianity would not become utterly extinct. + +_And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains, for the valley of the +mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee like as ye fled in the +days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and the Lord my God shall come, and all the +saints with thee._ + +The true Christian is thus admonished to fly, or avoid the prevailing +apostacies; while divine favour and protection are promised to those who +shun the general corruption. From the establishment of these two +Antichristian dominations, a long day of spiritual darkness is declared to +follow; which was accomplished in the reign of ignorance and superstition, +during the period expressively denominated _the dark ages_. With God a +thousand years are but as a day. + +_And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear +nor dark;_ + +_But it shall be one day, which shall be known to the Lord, not day nor +night, but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light._ + +In the return of light at the evening time of that long day of obscurity, +we see intimation of the revival of true religion at the reformation; +which is still more clearly expressed as follows. + +_And it shall be in that day that living waters shall go out from +Jerusalem, half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the +hinder sea; in summer and in winter it shall be._ + +The former and the hinder sea, or as Dr. Blayney proposes to render it, +the Eastern and the Western Sea, may literally signify the Dead Sea and +the Mediterranean; but figuratively the Eastern and Western Gentiles, who +will receive the benefit of the spiritual waters. The expression, in +summer and in winter it shall be, signifies literally, that they shall +neither be dried up by the summer's heat, nor congealed by the cold of +winter; but figuratively must mean, that the purity of religion shall not +again be corrupted by the heat of fanaticism on the one hand, nor frozen +by the cold of infidelity on the other. The universal prevalence of true +religion is then declared. (See note.) + +_And the Lord shall be king over all the earth; in that day shall there be +one Lord, and his name one._ + +The fulfilment of what now remains of the prophecy appears to be still +future, and consequently it does not fall within the limits of our plan to +attempt the particular exposition of each part of it; but sufficient, it +is hoped, will be found in what is already accomplished, to convince the +Christian reader of the general purport of the whole; and to warrant the +statement made at the outset, that these six chapters are not, as former +commentators have supposed them to be, a collection of unconnected +predictions relating to different subjects, but one continued and +uninterrupted prophecy, presenting a view of the progress of our religion, +from its promulgation to its final establishment in purity and perfection. + +That the evidence of this will be sufficient to convince the Jew, I am far +from expecting, being well aware of the many objections he has still to +urge against our exposition of prophecy, after those which are here +presented, may have been removed. But it may possibly have some weight +with him, when he finds upon examination, the same view of the subject +offered by Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and others; which the Christian will +find more circumstantially displayed in the Revelation of St. John. In +fact, my exposition of the Apocalypse, has furnished me with the clue to +guide me through all the prophecies, that relate to the progress of the +Messiah's kingdom; for I find that each succeeding prophet has helped to +fill up the outline given by his predecessors; while the picture is +finally completed by St. John, the last of them all. But as a portrait is +most easily recognised when the likeness is complete; so the prophecy last +uttered, being most perfect, is most easily interpreted, and naturally +becomes the key to all the others; that is, the last delivered ought to be +the first expounded, which is the order I have pursued. + +As I have made no change in the translation of this chapter, few +explanatory notes are required; and the Rabbi's reply to this, as to the +one preceding, may be comprised in this single objection; that no part has +yet been literally fulfilled, such being the only fulfilment which he +looks for or admits. + +The impossibility of a more literal fulfilment has been shewn in many +places, but especially at the beginning of chapter x.; and until the Jew +answers this, I must consider, what to me appears to be the main pillar of +his argument, as fairly overthrown. And the grand question, whether Christ +be the Messiah, resting upon this, namely, whether his kingdom be a +spiritual or a temporal one, must be decided, as regards the present +argument, by shewing whether the prophecies relating to it have regard to +spiritual or temporal affairs. + +Many who object to the spiritual view, misconceive what is meant by the +spiritual exposition; and consider it as setting aside altogether the +historical fulfilment of prophecy; whereas the question is simply between +religion and politics, between church and state; in short, whether the +spiritual or temporal history of the world should be looked to, for the +fulfilment of those prophecies which foretel the progress of Christianity, +or the Messiah's kingdom. By directing their view to temporal affairs, the +ablest expositors have hitherto discovered only an occasional allusion to +Christianity in a few verses of particular chapters, and in others no +allusion to it whatever; whereas, by adhering closely to the spiritual +view, and understanding the prophecy as foretelling the progress of true +religion; the battles and conflicts foretold, representing the opposition +which it has experienced, and the corruptions which it has undergone from +the evil passions and worldly propensities of man; we have been enabled to +shew the historical fulfilment of the whole; not selecting, as others have +done, particular passages, but shewing that every chapter and every verse +relates to the same subject, and this subject, the progress of +Christianity. + + + + + +NOTES TO CHAPTER XIV. + + +Ver. 4. _Half of the mountain shall move toward the north, and half of it +toward the south._ + +Although this passage is left in the text as it originally stood, yet the +writer acknowledges a manifest inadvertency in supposing the division here +spoken of into northern and southern to have reference to the position of +the prophet, any more than to that of the reader; with neither of which it +has any connection. It has been objected by a judicious friend of the +author, that Mahommedism has prevailed, and still does prevail in +countries lying north of Judea, where the prophet wrote. The objection is +perfectly just, not was it unperceived by the writer, though he did not at +first see how to remove it, simple as is the solution of the difficulty, +and striking as then appears the fulfilment of the prophecy. + +The solution is--that this division of the nominal Christian world here +foretold, into two grand apostacies, Anti-christianism and Mahommedism, +which were destined to occupy a position northward and southward, had no +relation to the prophet, but simply to each other--that is, they were to be +north and south of each other.--Now let a line be drawn, such as might be +expected from the fracture of a mountain by an earthquake, extending from +the west of Europe to the east of Asia, over a surface of not less than +180 degrees of longitude, and no where deviating more than 10 degrees of +latitude, and we shall find the Greek and Latin churches occupying the +whole portion lying to the north, while Mahommedism engrosses all to the +south. And we shall find those parts only of Europe cut off which were +pre-ordained to fall under the Moslem yoke, as Spain, Sicily, Corsica, and +Sardinia, Calabria, Greece, and Turkey in Europe; while Russia forms the +boundary line from all the Mahommedan nations lying to the south of it. +This line will be comprised between 40 and 50 deg. of nor. lat. Thus +singularly have the words of the prophecy been accomplished. And thus +strikingly is the will of Heaven, in the pre-ordination and disposal of +human events, made manifest to the mind of man. + +Ver. 8. _In summer and in winter it shall be._ + +Can such a state of the world, it may be asked, which shall be exempt from +fanaticism on the one hand, and from infidelity on the other, be brought +about without some miraculous interposition to alter the nature and +constitution of the human mind? And does it comport with the usual +ordinances of Providence, who seems to effect his purposes by natural +means, to deviate in this instance, from the ordinary course of nature? It +certainly does not appear so; and it would, no doubt, be more +satisfactory, and be more likely to obtain belief, if natural means could +be pointed out, adequate to produce this marvellous change in the state of +the world, without calling for the necessity of miraculous interposition. +Let us see then--the most fertile source of infidelity will be found in the +mysteries and dogmata invented by priestcraft, which reason revolts at and +rejects. Are, these then, essential to true Christianity? is the question. +If not--and Christ ever appealed to the reason of his hearers, advancing +nothing that reason could gainsay--then true Christianity requires only to +be taught, and Infidelity will have no ground left to stand upon. With +regard to fanaticism, there can be no doubt that false ideas of religion +engender this extreme; ignorance, encouraging the hopes of a sensual +paradise on the one hand; and fear, inspiring the dread of eternal +torments on the other, as in the Mahommedan and Romish churches, have been +most fruitful in producing this extravagance. With just ideas of religion +and the Divine beneficence, such feelings are incompatible. A religion of +love, and such is Christianity when justly appreciated, can never lead to +fanaticism. We may love God with all our heart, with all our mind, with +all our soul, and with all our strength, and it can never disturb our +reason, or lead to any but the happiest and most rational frame of mind. + +Thus, the dissemination of true Christianity, the just appreciation of its +precepts and their faithful practice, appears to furnish a remedy adequate +to the removal of both these evils, without requiring the aid of any +miraculous interposition to effect this purpose. + + + + + +THE MILLENIUM. + + +As the view of Christ's kingdom, taken in the preceding exposition, is +that which regards it as not only that state or condition of man, which is +most calculated to prepare him for, and enable him to attain eternal +happiness hereafter; but also as that which is adapted to produce the +highest possible degree of felicity here on earth, it will be proper to +consider a few of the arguments that may be brought for and against this +view of the Millenium, and to state the view itself more distinctly. + +The happy state which the world may attain to, under the universal +prevalence of true religion, it is more easy to imagine, than to describe; +for a volume would hardly suffice to enumerate all the blessings it is +calculated to afford. The cessation of foreign war, with all the miseries +attending it; the end of all tyranny and oppression at home; of injustice +and misrule, are the most distinctly announced, and their benefit perhaps +the most obvious. But their influence on society is limited in comparison +with the wide diffusion of happiness that would ensue from the improvement +in private life, and the amelioration of individual character. Were the +vices prevalent in each class of society banished from the world; ambition +and ostentation from the higher, inordinate love of gain from the middle +and commercial, idleness and improvidence from the lower class, such a +change would ensue, that the golden age of the poets would be revived. +Fortunes would no longer be squandered, and families be ruined by +extravagance and dissipation; gambling speculation, extortion and +chicanery would be unknown in trade; poverty and dishonesty would be +banished from the working classes. Thus, litigation and crime ceasing, the +civil and criminal code would become a dead letter, and every man would +enjoy in security the fruits of his industry; while the peace and harmony +of families would be insured by the increased prevalence of kindness and +brotherly love, forbearance and self-control, charity and benevolence, +with other domestic virtues. + +Among the blessings promised in this state, is increased length of life; +nor is this at all difficult to conceive or account for. The tormenting +passions of ambition and avarice subsiding; the mind being no longer +tortured by the cravings they occasion, nor the spirit broken by the +disappointments that attend them; the constitution being no longer worn +out by the toils and cares they give rise to, the larger portion of +diseases incidental to man, (and more proceed from the mind than the body) +would be prevented. + +But those arising from bodily causes, would likewise for the most part +vanish, from a proper restraint on the indulgence of the passions and +appetites. + +Nor is diminution of disease the only cause that would lengthen life. The +healing art being more zealously studied, and more conscientiously +practised, with more regard for the welfare of the patient, and less for +the emolument; it is not unreasonable to suppose that great improvement +would take place in every branch of it. And thus another source would be +opened for producing increased length of days. + +But with the moral and physical blessings, let not the spiritual pass +unnoticed. Eternal life is the reward promised to those who strive to +obtain it, and render themselves worthy of it. Surely then the universal +prevalence of peace, charity and good-will among mankind is more likely to +produce a fitness for this state, than the present order of things. Thus +our eternal and our temporal interests would be alike promoted by it. + +The prophetic language, supposed to foretel this state being metaphorical +its meaning may be questioned; and it may be objected, that reason and +experience are alike adverse to the supposition that the world will ever +be materially different from what it has been. Would not this argument, if +urged two thousand years ago, have been then deemed conclusive against the +possibility of events, having previously no parallel in the history of +man, which nevertheless did afterwards take place. That any considerable +body of men should be found, who should prove themselves above the +allurements of the world; despising wealth and honours; disregarding every +thing before held most estimable by mankind; and braving ignominy, +tortures and death:--would not the argument, that such things had never +been, have been deemed conclusive against the supposition that they ever +would be? And yet all this did occur in the apostolic age. If the past +then afford any presage for the future, it is not against, but in favour +of the conclusion, that what has been, may be again. + +Perhaps it may be objected, that the purity and heroic virtue of the +apostolic age were transient, and can never be permanent; they were +partial, but can never be general. This mode of reasoning is perhaps less +philosophical than it may at first appear. What has obtained amongst one +race of men, may obtain amongst others. What has continued for one +generation, may continue for more. The life of man is no transient period, +but to each individual the longest period possible. A whole race is not a +partial, but as regards them, a general prevalence. And if there be any +truth in history, the principles and practices of the early Christians +pervaded their whole race, and lasted during their whole lives. + +True Christianity has however vanished, it may be said; and what should +revive it? The evil passions of man have prevailed against it; and why +should they not again? I answer; the same causes that produced it, may +revive it; and the permanency of those causes, may render it permanent. +Conviction was the cause that produced it; that inward, heartfelt, active +conviction, which never leaves the mind for a moment, and admits no shadow +of doubt; not that inert, listless, passive form of belief, which assents, +it knows not why; and believes, it knows not what. + +I have heard a distinguished churchman affirm his persuasion, that the +most prevalent evil in the church is infidelity. I would fain disbelieve +it. It surely is not that bold and open infidelity which denies revealed +religion. If it prevail at all, it must be that secret wavering propensity +to doubt, apt to arise in minds not fully satisfied of the truth, and +which feel regret that its evidence is not more conclusive. This may be, +and is much to be regretted. For such belief can never produce effective +influence on the life and conduct; nor awaken that impassioned eloquence +in the preacher, which animated the first teachers of Christianity, and +carried conviction to the hearts of their hearers. Whence arises this +state of mind? Are the proofs of Christianity then inconclusive? Far +otherwise. Though its prophetic proofs are clothed in metaphor, and +require study to understand them; though its history is by no means free +from contradictions; though time may have obscured some passages, and +interpolation thrown a doubt upon others; yet is there left sufficient; +amply sufficient to satisfy the mind of any who think the subject worthy +of serious examination. + +But here is the misfortune. Most men think otherwise. The laity are too +often content to take their religion on trust; and the clergy for the most +part want leisure for studies that demand so much time and attention; +while their following hitherto in a beaten track, and paying undue +deference to the authority of the Masoretic punctuation, have encumbered +them with difficulties almost insurmountable. Hence it is, that as far as +regards the prophetic evidence of our religion--the elucidation of that +miraculous testimony to its truth, the force of which is ever +progressively increasing and which alone can place us on an equal ground +of belief with the first Christians,--the world has remained nearly +stationary above a thousand years. Of learning there has been no want; of +talent abundance; of reading no end; but beyond verbal criticisms, the +settling of doubtful words and passages, for the improvement of the text, +little has been done. The general scope, as well as the particular +interpretation of the Old Testament prophecies, the ultimate evidence of +Christianity, has received little elucidation since the days of the +Apostles. + +Here is one fruitful source of conviction yet unopened. When fully opened, +from more perfect conviction will flow more zeal in the teaching, and more +influence on the minds of the hearers. + +If it be doubted whether the most perfect religious instruction that can +be given, or the fullest conviction of an endless futurity of happiness or +misery when impressed on the mind, can suffice to control the passions and +propensities of man; let the effect of training on the brute creation be +considered. It will not surely be contended, that man has less power of +controlling his propensities, or is less capable of culture than they. If +then we find that creatures the most opposite in disposition, and supposed +to be natural enemies, may be trained to live together peaceably and +amicably; what may not be expected from man, having moreover the aid of +reason to guide and assist him? + +Let adequate motives for controlling his passions be furnished; let true +Christian principles be early inculcated; let religion be more practical +and less doctrinal; let precept be enforced by example, and there is +nothing foretold in this new order of things that may not be accomplished; +nothing promised in it that may not be reasonably expected. + +FINIS. + + + + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AN AMICABLE CONTROVERSY WITH A JEWISH RABBI, ON THE MESSIAH'S COMING*** + + + +CREDITS + + +November 3, 2010 + + Project Gutenberg TEI edition 1 + Produced by Jeff G., David King, and the Online Distributed + Proofreading Team at <http://www.pgdp.net/>. 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