PERKINS LIBRARY Dulce University Rare Books / ZECHARIAH; A NEW TRANSLATION; WITH NOTES, CRITICAL, PHILOLOGICAL, AND EXPLANATORY; AND AN APPENDIX, IN REPLY TO DR. EVELEIGH'S SERMON On ZECHARIAH II. 8— u. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2014 https://archive.org/details/zechariahnewtranOOblay ZECHARIAH; A NEW TRANSLATION: WITH NOTES, CRITICAL, PHILOLOGICAL, AND EXPLANATORY ; AND AN APPENDIX, IN REPLY TO DR. EVELEIGH'S SERMON On ZECHARIAH II. 8— n. TO WHICH IS ADDED, (A NEW EDITION WITH ALTERATIONS) A & DISSERTATION ON DANIEL IX. v. 20. TO THE END. By BENJAMIN BLAYNEY, D. D. REGIUS PROFESSOR OF HEBREW, AND CANON OF CHRIST CHURCH, OXFORD. OXFORD, SOLD BY J. COOKE; AND BY CADELL AND DAVIES, LONDON. jn,Dcc.xcvii. IMPRIMATUR, SCROPE BERDMORE, VICE CAN. OXON. Coll. Mert. Janu. 24. 1797. A DISSERTATION BY WAY OF I N Q U I R Y INTO THE TRUE IMPORT AND APPLICATION OF THE VISION Related DAN. ix. ver. 24. to the End, USUALLY CALLED, DANIEL'S PROPHECT OF SEVENTY WEEKS, WITH SOME OCCASIONAL REMARKS ON THE VERY LEARNED PROFESSOR J. D. MICHAELIS'S LETTERS TO SIR JOHN PRINGLE ON THE SAME SUBJECT. BY BENJAMIN BLAYNEY, D. D. REGIUS PROFESSOR OF HEBREW, AND CANON OF CHRIST CHURCH, OXFORD. THE SECOND EDITION, WITH ALTERATIONS. PREFACE TO THE FIRS? EDITION. The Author of the following Differ tation hath been encouraged by thofe, of whofe judgment he hath a far better opinion than he hath of his own, to fubmit to the public his atte?npt towards the explication of a prophecy, which hath long been looked upon as very obfcure and imerejl- ing ; but this he could not prevail upon himfelf to do, without making known at the fame time how his thoughts came to be turned in fuch a flew and particular direction, and of what ajjijlance he hath availed himfelf in the further pro/ecu tion of his inquiry. — My very learned and refpettable friend, and predecejfor in this College, now Bifhop of Dro- more,* to whom at his requejl I had fent an extract of the eight lajl verfes of the Ninth chapter of Daniel, from the ancient verjion of the Seventy, lately difcovered and publiJJoed at Rome, mojl obligingly returned his acknowledgments with the following ingenious remarks. " The num~ " bers which in this ver/ion are found different from thofe in the common " text" he thinks, " may be thus accounted for. Seventy weeks add *' feven weeks are 539 years. Now Cyrus s decree according to all the '* Chronologers was ijfued 536 years before Chrijl ; and if we reckon by " hebdomads of years, we cannot come nearer to Chriffs birth. Add to " the fxty two years (mentioned ver. 26. and zy. in this Greek verfion) * The Author at the time of this firft Edition was Fellow and Vice Principal of Hert- ford College in Oxford; and the then Bifhop of Dromore is now the mod Reverend Dr. William Newcome, Archbifhop of Armagh, and Primate of Ireland. iv PREFACE. " the far plus of three years in the period of feventy feven weeks, and you " have the year LXV after Chriji, the year immediately preceding the " yewijh war. This too is called Chriffs coming, Matt. xvi. 28. xxiv. " 3. &c. Thus the period of weeks refers to the birth of Chriji with a " fufficient exaBnefs for prophetical language; and that of years marks " his coming in another fenfe with hiforical precifion." But " to jnake " the 24th verfe confjlent with this interpretation" he fuppofes that " we ought to render injlead of feventy weeks, (weeks weeks) many " weeks ;." by which he feems fo far to fall in with the common opinion, as to underjiand thefe weeks not to be a dijiinB period, according to my no- tion oj the matter, but one and the fame with thofe afterwards fnentioned en detail. He likewije adds, that " D'm 1 ? ver. 27. Jhould in his opi- ** nion be tranfated, to the mighty, meaning the Romans combined " agaihjl jenjau'm. And he (Titus, the prince who was to come, (< ver. 26.) fliall confirm the league to the mighty for one week. " The war la/led feven years, and may have begun in OBober LXVI. " (See Michaelis's Letters, p. 176.) Thus the year of our Lord LXX, 11 when the city was defroyed, and the facrifce ccafed, was the middle "year of the week." In a Jubjequent Letter his LordJJ.n'p agrees in cor- recting a mi/lake, which I had obferved to him, and which he had haf- tily made, in fuppofing the birth of Chriji to be coincident with the begin- ning of the common Chrijiian ara ; and candidly owns, that the interpre- tation he had offered was by no ?neans fatisfaBory to him, but thrown out by way of trial what could be made of the new principles furnijlied by the newly edited verfion. Whether his judgment will any more approve of the JuperjiruBure, which I have ventured to build nearly upon the fame principles, and in confluence of the hints originally farted by him, though purfued fomewhat differently, I cannot yet fay ; but ffould have accounted it a felicity to have had him nearer at hand, where I could have q PREFACE. v have laid the whole plan before him, and taken the benefit of his advice, with more eafe and convenience, before publication. — Soon after the re- ceipt of the Bi/hofs firfi letter beforementioned, I procured Profejfor MichaelisV Letters to Sir John Pringle, to which I was referred by his Lordjlnp, and read them with fuch attention, as the works of that- excellent Critic always command. I here beg leave to profefs the highejl veneration and refpeB for his uncommon erudition and great abilities ; and how widely fever I may feem to differ from him in the main as to the interpretation of this prophecy, I freely and cheerfully own myfelf in- debted to him for a great deal of light he has thrown upon the fubjeft by many judicious and well approved obfrvations. I hope he will excufe the freedom I have taken of calling in qucjlion fome of his opinions, which I could not pofijibly acquiefce in ; and floall be obliged to him, if he will con- defcend to fet me right in any point, where I myfelf may have committed mijlakes. For as the difcovery of truth is the object, which both of us (if I may be allowed to rank myfelf in company with fo great a man ) have in view ; fo a friendly collifion of differing judgments I take to be the mojl likely means of Jlr iking it out hi the end. — With refpefl to the various readings I have made ufe of, fuch of them as were near at hand I have collated myfelf ; for the rejl I am indebted to the friend/hip of Dr. Kennicott, who kindly communicated them to me. It is with pleafure I announce to the public, that the Doctor s celebrated and elaborate work has been for fome time in the prefs, and is now in great forwardnef ; and I make no doubt but that it will anfwer the high expectations, which have been entertained both at home and abroad of its accuracy and extenfive utility — At prefent I imagine no apology will be thought need- ful for my having fuppofed the pojjibility of errors exifiing in the modern Hebrew text ; fince the prejudices, which once fo unaccountably prevailed in favour of its abfolute integrity, feem to be dying away apace before that vi PREFACE. that conviction, which mufi necejfarily arife from the difcovery of num- berlefs 'various readings in the Manufcripts and Verfons of great anti- quity, whereby the fenfe hath been improved, and the objections cut off, of which infidelity hath but too often availed itfelf for the difparaging of facred Writ. Hert. Coll. Dec. 2, 1774. PREFACE PREFACE ) 1 yi TO THE SECOND EDITION. ThE following DhTertation was firft publiflied by me in the year 1775, and I had the fatisfaction to find this my firft Eflay in pub- lick approved of in the main by fome men of the firft diftinction for learning and judgment. Objections however were ftill made to fome parts, and particularly to the tranflation of the three firft words of the prophecy, which I was myfelf alfo aware not to be without its difficulties. Determined therefore to feek further for a folution, I folicitoufly revolved the matter over and over again in my mind, till at laft an expofition fuggefted itfelf, in which my judgment feemed difpofed fully to acquiefce. Having deliberated upon it for many years, I have at length ventured to fubmit my corrected thoughts once again to the decifion of the learned. I deem it a very flattering circumftance to me, that in thofe parts of the interpretation which are moft novel, my fentiments are in accord with thofe of the learned Profeflbr Dathe, who publiflied the firft Edition of his Verfion and Notes on the greater Prophets in 1779, four years after my Diflertation. In particular he agrees with me, Firft, In affuming the period of time announced ver. 24. to be feventy years, and not weeks ; and to be the fame which the prophet had before brought forward at the beginning of the chap- ter, ver. 2. Secondly, In determining the Edict or Commandment viii PREFACE. ver. 25. to be that hTued by Cyrus in the firft year of his reign, permitting the return of the Jews from their captivity at Babylon, as recorded 2 Chron. xxxvi. 22, 23. Ezra i. 1, 2, 3. Laftly, In un- derstanding the 26th verfe to predict, not the death of Chrift, as ge- nerally imagined, but the utter fubverfion of the city and temple of Jerufalem by the Meffiah at his coming. Such a fingular concur- rence in three of. the moil leading points, unconcerted, if he had not previoufly known of my Differtation, mull afford a very ftrong prefumptive proof in favour of its probability at leafl ; or if he had feen it (which is moft likely, confidering that it was immediately tranflated into German, as I have been informed, by the celebrated Michaelis, who certainly publifhed a Critique upon it, which I have feen, in his Bibliothec. Orientalifche, No. 1 58.) muft fo far ftrengthen with the fanction of his refpected authority an Hypothefis, of which he w 7 as pleafed to adopt fo confiderable a part, though without naming its Author, and to incorporate it into his own. Christ Church, Jan. 6. 1797. A DISSERTATION TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD WILLIAM LORD ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH, AND PRIMATE OF ALL IRELAND. MY LORD, I KNOW not to whom I could more pro- perly dedicate the following meets, than to your Grace, who have fo largely contributed to whatever good is to be found in them. It has been the pride of my life to be allowed to cultivate your friendfhip, as it has been my ftudy to profit by your example and inftrucldons. Your fuperior merit has raifed you to the highefl: dig- nity in the Church, over which you prelide, with the approbation [ vi ] approbation and applaufe of all good men ; nor is it your literary merit only, but the graces and virtues with which it is accompanied, that have pointed you out as the fitteft perfon to fill fo exalted a ftation, at a time which particularly requires the exertion of all thofe talents, which command veneration and refpect. But amongft all your mining accomplifhments, it is for me peculiarly to diftinguifh and hold forth to notice that extraordinary humility and generous turn of mind, which has influenced you not only to permit, but ear- neftly to recommend the publication of fuch obferva- tions as have occurred to me on a fubjecT:, which your Grace had before undertaken to illuftrate. Far, very far am I from entering into competition with your much greater abilities. But your Grace well knows, that it is by repeated attempts that we can hope to approximate to a full underftanding of many of thofe divine truths, which it is the will of providence by de- grees only to manifeft to us. That your Grace may long continue in the enjoy- ment of every blefling, which can make life deniable to [ vii ] to you, and give you a foretafte of future happinefs, is moft ardently wifhed by him, who is with the moft pro- found and affectionate refpecl:, MY LORD, Your Grace's moft faithful and moft devoted humble Servant, BENJAMIN BLAYNEY, Christ Church, Jan. 26. 1797, PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE After the abundant pains that have been beftowed by men of the greateft learning and abilities on the illuftration of the facred writings, it might reafonably have been expected, that all that could have been done by human wit and induftry towards laying open thole treafures of divine wifdom, would have been already exhaufted, and confequently that there would have been little room left for future difquifition. But the cafe is otherwife. There are few Books of Scripture, in which fome paflages do not occur of considerable doubt and difficulty, that ftill call for explanation ; and as this was obvious to none more, than to thofe who have mod fuccefsfully laboured in clearing up former obfcurities, fo none have been more zealous in ftimulating and exhorting others to purfue the fame road of inquiry, in order to remove the difficulties that ftill remain in our way. The book of Zechariah has been generally acknowledged to contain in it many things hard to be underftood ; and though the number of thefe has been very confiderably lelfened by the learned comments of a living author, diftinguifhed for his univerfal, and more particularly for his biblical knowledge ; yet in perufing his work with the attention and docility which was due to it, fome new x PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. new light hath feemed to break in upon me, which probably never w r ould have prefented itfelf, but for his preceding obfervations. This that excellent and moft defervedly dignified perfon, whofe friendihip and correfpondence I have long had the honour and happinefs to en- joy, was no fooner apprized of, than he condefcended to folicit me to communicate my fentiments to the public ; at the fame time affur- ing me with an equal mixture of piety, humility, and candor, that he had nothing more at heart than to promote a right underftand- ing of the facred text ; and that if I could clear up one difficult pafTage, it would more than compenfate to him for the detection of a hundred miftakes. Thus fandlioned and encouraged, and being moreover j unified by the approbation of another friend, whom 1 had more at hand to confult, and whofe judgment is intitled to the higheft confideration, I have ventured on a publication, which, if it contributes in the leaft degree to advance the glory of God, and the edification of mankind, will abundantly anfwer the purpofe and wifhes of the author. In order to throw light on the fentiments and writings of an author, it is generally of ufe to become acquainted with his fitu- ation and circumftances. I fhall therefore premife the beft account I can collect of the prophet Zechariah. Zechariah was one of the laft in that fucceffion of prophets, whom God fent at fundry times with notifications of his will to mankind under the Jewifh difpen- fation. That he was of the number of the captivity that returned from Babylon to Jerufalem in confequence of the decree of Cyrus is unqueftionable ; but that he was very young when he came there, appears from this, that fixtecn or feventeen years afterwards, when he had begun to exercife his prophetical function, he is ftiled a youth) • PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. xi youth, tVn *W3n, ch. ii. 4. a title which would fcarcely have been given him, had he much exceeded the age of twenty. In his firft chapter he twice ftiles himfelf Zechariah the fon of Barachiah the fon of Iddo ; but Ezra v. 1. vi. 14. he is called fimply the fon of Iddo ; w T hich may be accounted for on the fuppofition that his fa- ther Barachiah died before his grandfather Iddo, perhaps before the return from Babylon ; confequently out of the family Zechariah came to be better known and diftinguifhed as the fon of his furviv- ing, though remote parent, in whofe houfe he lived, and to whofe inheritance he was next in fucceffion. And this fuppofition will be further confirmed, if we admit (and I fee no reafon why we mould not) this grandfather to have been that fame Iddo, who is recorded Neh. xii. 4. as one of the chief of the priefts that went up from Babylon with Zerubbabel and Jefhua the high prieft, and who is, afterwards ver. 1 6. faid to have been fucceeded by Zechariah in the days of Joiakim the fon of Jefhua. Hence it will follow, that the pro- phet Zechariah was not only of a prieftly family, (a circumftance that may merit particular attention hereafter) but was of confiderable diftinclion and rank among his brethren. It was in the eighth month of the fecond year of the reign of Darius the fon of Hyftaf- pes, king of Perfia, that is, about the year 530 before the Chriftian Era, that he firft opened his divine comraiffion with a ferious and folemn call to repentance. In the fame year he is found, together with the prophet Haggai, employed in avTifting the endeavours of Zerubbabel and Jefhua to excite and animate the people at Je- rufalem to a vigorous profecution of the work of rebuilding their temple. For this purpofc he communicated the vifions, which are contained in the fix firft chapters, and which he was favoured with on the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month in the year aforefaid ; xii PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. aforefaid ; all evidently calculated to infpire the ftrongeft hopes and affurance of future profperity through the returning favour of the Almighty ; and thus to convince the people, that they were not la- bouring on a barren and ungrateful foil. The fame defign is further carried on in a fubfequent revelation made to him about two years afterwards ; when in anfwer to a queftion propofed, whether the anniverfary fail of the fifth month, which had for many years been obferved on occafion of the deftruction of the city and temple of Jerufalem by the Chaldeans in that month, mould continue to be kept, now that the damages, which were then fuftained, were in a fair way of being wholly repaired, the people were told, that they not only might fafely difcontinue the obfervance of that and other like fafts, which they had inftituted for themfelves in the days of mourning and forrow, but that, by a happy turn in their affairs, thofe fafts fhould be changed into times of feftivity and rejoicing. Chap. vii. viii. Thus far with regard to the former part of thefe prophecies, the time and occafion are afcertained by the dates annexed to them, from whence the general fcope of them is eafily deducible. But with refpecl to thofe that follow, we are left more in the way of conjecture. It is however highly probable from the apparent diffe- rence both of ftyle and fubject, that they came forth at a different and more advanced period of our prophet's life. This difference in- deed has been urged as a proof, that the fix laft chapters are not Zechariah's, but by a different hand. But the argument is incon- clufive. For it is very poffible for the fame man to alter his ftyle, and write differently at different periods of time. Nor would it be at all furprifing, if this writer, as he advanced in years and dignity, fhould PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. xiii Ihould have learned to exprefs himfelf in a tone of more elevation and energy. At his firfr. appearance he was but a raw and unprao tifed youth, newly favoured with divine revelations, which he com- municated in a ftyle of artlefs fimplicity well becoming his age. In the procefs of time he might have had means and opportunity of improving himfelf in the ornaments of elocution, and have felt em- boldened to the ufe of them by having fucceeded to the headfhip of one of the moft confiderable families in the ftate. At fuch diftant periods alfo as we fuppofe, the fubject of courfe would be materially changed. For he would no longer have occafion to ftimulate his countrymen to the building of the temple, which was already com- pletely finilhed ; but he was actually engaged in predicting fome re- markable occurrences, that would diftinguifh his own and the neigh- bouring nations in remote periods, fome of them perhaps not yet arrived ; and in urging an immediate reformation of national man- ners. In fo doing, what more natural to expect, than that he would encounter hatred and oppoiition from thofe, whofe corruptions he was called upon to cenfure and reprefs. Accordingly there is fuffi- cient ground to conclude, that all this happened to him, from what he fays in the eleventh chapter of the freedom and zeal, with which he expofed and counteracted the iniquitous conduct of thofe who made merchandife of the flock ; meaning thofe unprincipled guides, who affumed the direction of the people for no better purpofe, than to facrifice them to the gratification of their own ambition and ava- rice. Several of thefe, by exhibiting in himfelf the contraft of a good fliepherd, he found means at firit to deprive at leaft of that in- fluence and authority which they once poffefTed, and had wickedly abufed. The fequel may eafily be guefTed at ; for from fimilar caufes fimilar effects may naturally be looked for. His enraged ad- c veriaries. xiv PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. verfaries, after thwarting and defeating all his endeavours for the public good, at length, no doubt by intrigue and mifreprefentation, fo far fucceeded, as to turn the tide of popular prejudice and refent- ment againft him ; and he was barbaroufly murdered, as his name- fake Zechariah the fon of Jehoiada had been for the fame caufe, and in the felfsame place, between three and four hundred years before. For this we have no lefs authority than that of our bleffed Lord himfelf, who exprefsly calls the perfon of whom he fpeaks, Matt, xxiii. 35. Zacharias fon of Barachias, diftinguifhing him from the beforementioned Zechariah fon of Jehoiada by his patronymic as effectually, as two men, bearing the fame Chriftian name in our days, would be diftinguifhed by their family names. Both were priefts as well as prophets, and therefore that both lhould fuffer nearly on the fame fpot, will appear lefs furprifing, when we recol- lect, that the fpace between the porch and the altar was the court of the priefts, appropriated to them for the public exercife of their facred miniftry. That the fcriptures of the Old Teftament are filent in regard to this latter inftance, can be no objection, if it be consi- dered, that a very fmall portion of them was written after the fup- pofed date of this tranfaction; and that nothing occurs in this part, which would naturally lead to the mention of it. But no fooner is the line of facred hiftory refumed in the New Teftament, than we find the fubject brought forward with fuch precifion, that it requires no fmall degree of prejudice to controvert it. Add to this, how very improbable it is, that our Saviour, who has taken his flrft term from the earlieft date of hiftory, fhould have chofen for his laft one, which would not include the whole feries of prophets and divine mefTengers, who fuffered for their teftimony to the caufe of re- ligious truth. If PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. xv If the circumftances, which have been brought together in the foregoing hiftorical narrative, be duly attended to, I think they will go a great way towards removing a confiderable part at leaft of thofe difficulties, which have been charged upon the writings of this pro- phet. That he is in fome degree obfcure and hard to be under- stood, is not to be questioned. And which of the ancient prophets is not fo ? It is of the nature of prophecy to affect a degree of enigmaticalnefs previous to the accomplifhment, in order not to clam with the freedom of human agency. And there is no doubt, that fome of Zechariah's predictions relate to matters, that are ftill in- volved in the womb of futurity. No wonder then, that thefe fall not within the reach of our perfect comprehemlon. Others there are, which we have good reafon to believe have already been fulfilled, but do not appear with fuch a degree of evidence, as they probably would have done, if we had been better informed concern- ing the times and facts to which they relate. With refpect to the emblems and types that are exhibited, they are mod of them of eafy and determinate application. And in favour of the importance of his fubject matter it mult be acknowledged, that, next to Ifaiah, Zechariah is the moft evangelical of all the prophets, having more frequent and more clear and direct allufions to the character and coming of the Meffiah, and his kingdom, than any of the reft. Nor in his language and compofition do we find any particular bias to obfcurity ; except that the quicknefs and fuddennefs of the transi- tions is fometimes apt to confound the boundaries of difcourfe, fo as to leave the lefs attentive reader at a lofs, to whom the feveral parts of it are to be afcribed. But upon the whole, w e mall find the diction remarkably pure, the conftruction natural and perfpicu- ous, and the ftyle judicioully varied according to the nature of the c 2, fubject ; XVI PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. fubjecl: ; fimple and plain in the narrative and hiftorical parts ; but in thofe that are wholly prophetical, the latter chapters in particu- lar, rifing to a degree of elevation and grandeur, fcarcely inferior to the fublimeft of the infpired writings. With refpecl: to what has been here attempted for the illuflration of this part of holy writ, I have only to fay, that though I mould not have obtruded myfclf on the public, if I had not fomething to offer different from what they had before been prefented with, and in my opinion at lealt. worthy of fome attention, I have not however affected novelty, nor deviated without an apparent reafon from for- mer interpretations. It has been my conftant object, to avail myfelf more efpecially of that fund of learning and found judgment, which is fo eminently difplayed in the comments of that excellent perfon, whofe merits I have before acknowledged, and to confider my w ork as fimply an appendix to his. For which reafon I have frequently avoided to cite fuch notes and obfervations, in which my fentiment3 coincided with his ; and have left them to ftand on the ground of their own proper authority j nor have I ever ventured on an altera- tion, without having maturely and repeatedly confidered the points of difference. Had he continued to enjoy that fhare of leifure, which he heretofore employed to fo much advantage, it is more than probable I might have contented myfelf with ftating to him in private the remarks, that had occurred to me on perufing his work ; and fubmitted to his judgment, whether to fupprefs them altogether, or to have inferted fuch part as he approved in any of his future pub- lications. But it is obvious, that the functions of the high and im- portant ftation, which he now fills, will fcarcely allow him to carry on the line of his own literary purfuits ; much lefs to revife and digeft PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. xvii digeft the fuggeftions of others. It will however, I truft, be ob- ferved in particular, that whatever alterations I have introduced into the veruon, I have ftudioufly endeavoured to conform to that fyftem of rules, which are laid down in his Preface * ; than which it is fcarcely poflible to conceive a better. It would be unneceifary here to recapitulate what further affift- ance I have occafionally received from other authors in the profecu- tion of my plan, fince I have not failed to acknowledge it in the Notes, and to affign to each his juft claim of merit. But I truft to meet with indulgence, if, impelled by juftice and gratitude, I pre- nime to offer a few words in vindication of thofe valuable colla- tions of the various readings of the Hebrew text, made by Dr. Ken- nicott and others, which have lately been mentioned by a truly re- fpeclable and learned Prelate -f* in terms of lefs reverence and regard than have been ufually thought their due. Far, very far indeed, am I from thinking with that author (and here alfo I am perfuaded that the general voice goes along with me) that the work upon which he grounds his difqualifying affertions, the admired work of an ex- cellent perfon J, whofe name will be ever dear among the lovers of religion and elegant learning, affords the fmalleft ground for the re- proach intended to be caft upon it. But even admitting for argu- ment fake, that the firft efTayift had failed in manifefting the ufe to be made of thefe materials, does it therefore follow, that there is no ufe in them at all ? No let them rather be judged according to * Preface to Archbifhop Newcome's Verfion of the Minor Prophets, f See a Difcourfe by way of general preface to the quarto Edition of Bifliop Warbur- ton's Works, &c. p. 94. % Bifhop Lowth's Ifaiah. their xviii PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. their own intrinfic nature and tendency, than from any accidental circumftance, to which in common with the very bell of things they may be liable. It is now admitted as a fact beyond difpute, that the feveral copies of the Hebrew text are not in that ftate of abfolute uniformity, which was once unaccountably believed concern- ing them. On the contrary, among the many hundreds that are known to exift, Manufcripts or printed Editions, I trull I am within compafs, when I affert, that fcarcely two can be found without fome differences ; and the variations on the whole amount to a number paft all conception, and almoft beyond the powers of calculation. Where then is to be found that perfect integrity, which we are taught to look for as the ground of fcriptural authority ? Is there any fingle copy, to which we can upon juft and folid grounds afcribe a decided preference in all points above all the reft ? And if not, it muft be in the aggregate alone that perfection is to be fought for, or can be prefumed to exift. We know for certain, that of the ad- mired writings of ancient Greece and Rome, thofe which we are confidered to poffefs in the greateft perfection and purity, are pre- cifely thofe, of which the greateft number of MSS. have been brought forth and collated. And if Providence hath thought fit to fubject the facred writings to the fame imperfections in tranfcribing with the works of profane authors (and without the interpofition of a conftant miracle it could not be otherwife) is there not fuffici- ent reafon to conclude, that what had proved effectual in correcting the one, may be of equal ufe and efficacy in reftoring the other ? For it is not likely, that all the tranfcribers mould accidentally have ftumbled upon the fame miftakes ; or fuppofmg a wilful corruption, mould all have agreed to countenance the fame, confidering the different ages and countries to which the MSS. refpectively belong. So PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. xix So that what is faulty in fome, may ftill remain found and unviti- ated in others, and require only a degree of fagacity and critical Hcill to make the distinction. Nor has experience failed to juftify what appears fo fair in fpeculation ; fince by the help of the collations many a valuable reading has already been reftored and confirmed, for want of which not only the fenfe had been greatly obfcured and perverted, but even the divine word expofed to the vain feoffs and ridicule of the profane. Whilft thus engaged in afferting the utility of the Hebrew col- lations, I mould be inexcufable in pairing over unnoticed the colla- teral aid about to be derived from the Collation of the MSS. and Editions of the Greek Septuagint and its verfions ; a work that has long been defired, and is now nearly completed in the mod ample and judicious manner by the unremitting diligence of my very able and very worthy Friend, Dr. Holmes, Canon of Chrift Church, Oxford ; to whofe kindnefs I owe, that I have been enabled already to antici- pate fome of its advantages. Upon the excellence and importance of this the moft ancient Verfion it appears needlefs for me to expa- tiate, fince it has been eftablifhed by much abler hands to have been originally made, by whomfoever made, with the greateft fidelity and accuracy ; fo as to have been for a long time holden by the Jews themfelves, who read it in their lynagogues, as of equal authority with the Hebrew originals. It is obvious, how much mch a tranf- lation, could it have been tranfmitted to us pure and genuine, would have been ferviceable in correcting the errors, and elucidating the fenfe of the Hebrew text ; fince even in its prefent corrupt and im- perfect ftate, much benefit and afliftance is frequently derivable from it. I fay in its prefent ftate of corruption and imperfection : for it appears XX PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. appears but too lamentably true, both from external and internal evidence, that it has much departed from that genuine purity, in which it was thought worthy to be quoted by the Apoftles and Evangelifts, and other primitive Fathers of the Chriftian Church. What caufcs may have contributed to this degeneracy, is not a fub- jecl to be here difcuffed ; but they were in all probability chiefly the fame, that have operated to the like effecl: on the Hebrew. The fcope of Dr. Holmes's labours is to apply a fimilar remedy to a fimilar diforder, and by fuch approved means to endeavour to bring back the Greek copy as near as poffible to its original ftandard of purity, and thus by united efforts to compafs the one great end. — And well may we think ourfelves happy to live in an age, in which fuch helps are at hand, as in former times were not even within the thoughts of learned men, much lefs within their hopes of attainment. Let us prize them as we ought, and, uninfluenced by groundlefs doubts and prejudices, ftudioufly fet ourfelves to make the ben: ufe and improvement of them. So may we reafonably indulge ourfelves in the pleafing profpedl of a daily increafe in all knowledge and fpi- ritual underftanding ; till at length, the darkening mills of error be- ing gradually done away, the blefled rays of revealed truth beam forth in full fpendor upon us. ZECHARIAH CHAP, i |N the eighth month, in the fecond year of Darius, the *■ JL word of Jehovah came unto Zechariah, the Ion of Ba- rachiah, the fori of Iddo, the prophet, faying, Speak unto all 2, the people of the land., faying: Jehovah hath been fore dif- 3 pleafed with your fathers. But fay thou unto them, Thus faith Jehovah of holts, Turn ye unto me, faith Jehovah of holts ; and I will turn unto you, faith Jehovah of holts. 4 Be not ye as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, faying, Thus faith Jehovah of holts, Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings. But they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, faith Jehovah. 5 Your fathers, where are they ? and the prophets, do they live 6 for ever ? But my words, and my Itatutes, which I com- manded my fervants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers ? And they returned and faid, Like as Jehovah of hofts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and ac- cording to our doings, fo hath he dealt with us. 7 Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the fecond year of Darius, came the word of Jehovah unto Zechariah, the fon of Barachiah, 8 the fon of Iddo, the prophet, in this wife ; I had a vifion by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horfe, and he ltood among the myrtle trees that were in a bottom ; and behind 9 him red, brown, and white horfes. Then faid I, What are thefe, my lord ? And the angel that talked with me faid unto 10 me, I will Ihew thee what thefe are. And the man that ltood among the myrtle trees anfwered and faid ; Thefe arc they whom Jehovah hath fent to go to and fro through the 11 earth. And they made report to the angel of Jehovah that B • ltood ■2 ZECHARIAH. CHAP. I. {food among the myrtle trees, and faid, We have gone to and fro through the earth, and behold all the earth remaineth ftill, and is at reft. 12 Then the angel of Jehovah anfwered and faid,0 Jehovah of hofts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerufalem and on the cities of Judah, againft which thou haft had indig- 13 nation thefe feventy years ? And Jehovah anfwered the an- 1 4 gel who talked with me good words, comfortable words. And the angel that communed with me faid unto me, Cry, faying, Thus faith Jehovah of hofts, I have been jealous over Jeru- 15 falem and over Sion with great jealoufy ; but with great an- ger am I angry with the nations that are at eafe ; becaufe when I was angry for a little while, they combined to her hurt. 16 Therefore thus faith Jehovah, I am returned to Jerufalem with great mercy ; my houfe mall be built in it, faith Jeho- vah of hofts, and a line lhall be ftretched over Jerufalem. 17 Cry yet again, faying, Thus faith Jehovah of hofts, My cities lhall yet again be overfpread with profperity ; and Jehovah will yet again comfort Sion, and will yet again choofe Jeru- falem. 18 And I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold four 19 horns. And I faid unto the angel that talked with me, What are thefe ? And he faid unto mc, Thefe are the horns, which 20 have fcattered Judah, Ifrael, and Jerufalem. And Jehovah 2,1 fhewed me four plowmen. And I faid, What come thefe to do ? And he replied, faying, Thefe are the horns which have fcattered Judah, fo that no man lifted up his head. And thefe are come fharpening their coulter, for to ufe upon the horns of the nations, which lifted up a horn againft the land of Judah to fcatter it. CHAP. 1 AND I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a man, 2 and in his hand a -meafuring line. And I faid, Whither goeft thou ? And he faid unto me, To meafure Jerufalem, to fee what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length there- of. chap. ii. ZECHARIAH. 3 3 of. And behold, as the angel that talked with me was going 4 away, another angel came forth to meet him, and faid unto him, Run, fpeak to that young man, faying, Jerufalem mall inhabit villages, Becaufe of the multitude of men and cattle within her ; £ And I will be unto her, faith Jehovah, A wall of fire round about, And for glory will I be in the midft of her. 6 Ho ! ho ! flee ye alfb From the land of the north, faith Jehovah, For as the four winds of heaven Have I fpread you abroad, faith Jehovah. 7 Ho, Sion ! make thy efcape, Thou that dwelleft in the daughter of Babylon. 8 For thus hath Jehovah of hofts faid Sending me after the glory * Unto the nations that fpoiled you, " Surely he that touched you, hath touched the apple of " his eye." 9 For behold I am about to wave my hand over them, And they fhall be a fpoil to their fervants. And ye mail know that Jehovah of hofts hath fent me. 10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Sion, For, " Behold I am coming, " And I will dwell in the midft of thee, faith Jehovah. 11 " And many nations mail be joined " Unto Jehovah in that day, " And mall become a people unto me ; " And I will dwell in the midft of thee." Then fhalt thou know that Jehovah of hofts hath fent me unto thee. 12, And Jehovah fhall inherit Judah, His portion in the holy land, And fhall again choofe Jerufalem. * promifed, v. 5. B z Be ZECHARIAH. chap. hi. Be filent, O all flefh, before Jehovah ; For he is raifed up from his holy habitation. AND he mewed me Jofhua the high priefl {landing be- fore an angel of Jehovah, and the adverfary Handing at his right hand, to oppofe him. And Jehovah faid unto the ad- verfary, Jehovah will rebuke thee, O adverfary, even as Je- hovah hath rebuked thee, who choofeth Jerufalem. Is not this a brand faved out of the fire ? (Now Jofhua was clothed with filthy garments when he ftood before the angel.) And he addrefTed himfelf to thofe that flood before him, faying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he faid, See, I have caufed thine iniquity to pafs from thee, and I have clothed thee with clean garments. And he faid, Let them put a clean bonnet upon his head. And they put a clean bonnet upon his head, and clothed him ; and the angel of Je- hovah ftood by. And the angel of Jehovah teilified unto Jofhua, faying, Thus faith Jehovah of hofls, If thou wilt walk in my ways, And if thou wilt keep my charge, Then fhalt thou alfo judge my houfe, And thou malt alfo keep my courts ; And I will appoint thee minillers among thefe that {land by. Hear now, O Jofhua the high priefl, Thou and thy companions that fit before thee ; For thefe are men of fign ; For, behold, I am about to bring my fervant the Branch. For behold the {lone which I have fet before Jofhua, From one llonc feven fountains ; Behold I open the paffage thereof, Saith Jehovah of hofls ; And I will take away the iniquity of this land in one day. In that day, faith Jehovah of hofls, Shall ZECHARIAH. Shall ye call every man to his neighbour Under the vine and under the fig-tree. CHAP, i AND the angel who talked with me came again, and IV". 2, roufed me, as one that is roufed out of his fleep. And he faid unto me, What feeft thou ? And I faid, I have feen, and be- hold a candleftick all of gold, and a bowl upon the top of it, and its feven lamps ; over the feven lamps alfo feven pipes, one 3 to each of the lamps which are upon the top thereof : and two olive-trees befide it, one on the right fide of the bowl, 4 and the other upon the left fide of it. Then I anfwered and fpake unto the angel that talked with me, faying, What are 5 thefe, my lord ? And the angel that talked with me anfwered and faid unto me, Knoweft thou not what thefe be ? And I 6 faid, No, my lord. Then he anfwered and fpake unto me, faying, This is the word of Jehovah concerning Zerubba- bel, faying, Not by wealth, nor by ftrength, But by my fpirit, faith Jehovah of holts, 7 What art thou, O great mountain ? Before Zerubbabel a level plain. And he fhall bring forth the head-ftone With fhoutings, Favour, favour unto it. 8 Also the word of Jehovah came unto me, faying, 9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this houfe, and his hands mail finim it : and thou lhalt know that 10 Jehovah of hofts hath fent me unto you. For who hath de- fpifed the day of fmall things ? They mall rejoice when they fhall fee the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel. Thefe feven are the fountains of Jehovah, running to and fro through the whole earth. 11 And I anfwered and faid unto him, What are thofe two olive trees on the right fide of the candleftick, and upon the 1 2, left fide thereof ? And I anfwered again and faid unto him, What are the two orderers of the olive trees, which through two 6 ZECHARIAH. chap. v. 13 two golden fpouts drain off the gold from them ? And he fpake unto me, faying, Knoweft thou not what thefe are ? 14 And I faid, No, my lord. Then faid he, Thefe are two fons of oil, that {land before the lord of the whole earth. CHAP. 1 AND again I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold Z a flying roll. And he faid unto me, What feeft thou ? And I faid, I fee a flying roll, the length thereof twenty cubits, and 3 the breadth thereof ten cubits. And he faid unto me, This is the curfe that is going forth over the face of the whole land. Becaufe on the one hand every one that ftealeth is as he that is guiltlefs, and on the other hand every one that 4 fweareth is as he that is guiltlefs ; I have brought it forth, faith Jehovah of hofts ; and it mall enter into the houfe of him that ftealeth, and into the houfe of him that fweareth falfely by my name, and it mall abide in his houfe, and mall confume it, both the timber thereof, and the ftones thereof. 5 And the angel that talked with me went forth, and he faid unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and fee what is that which 6 is going forth. And I faid, What is it ? And he faid, This the ephah that is going forth. He faid alfo, Such are their y iniquities in all the land. And behold a talent of lead was brought ; and behold one woman fitting in the midft of the 8 ephah. And he faid, This is the wicked one. And he drove her back into the midft of the ephah, and caft the weight of 9 lead upon the mouth of it. And I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold two women going forth, and the wind in their wings ; for thefe had wings like the wings of a ftork ; and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the hea- 10 vens. And I faid to the angel that talked with me, Whither 1 1 are thefe about to carry the ephah ? And he faid unto me, To build for her an houfe in the land of Shinar ; and when it is prepared, then fhall me be made to reft there according to what is prepared for her. AND chap. vi. ZECHARIAH. 7 CHAP, i AND I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold VI. f our chariots going forth from between two mountains ; and 3 the mountains were mountains of brafs. To the firft chariot 3 were bay horfes ; and to the fecond chariot black horfes ; and to the third chariot white horfes, and to the fourth chariot 4 fpotted horfes, ftrong ones. And I enquired and faid unto the 5 angel that talked with me, What are thefe, my lord ? And the angel anfwered and faid unto me, Thefe are four winds of heaven, going forth from attending upon the lord of the 6 whole earth, and of that which is therein. The black horfes are going forth againft the land of the north. And the white went forth againft their fuccefiors ; and the fpotted went forth j againft the land of the fouth. And when the ftrong ones went forth, they fought to go and walk to and fro through, the earth ; and he faid, Go walk to and fro through the earth. 8 So they walked to and fro through the earth. And he called me, and fpake unto me, faying, See, thofe that went forth againft the north country have caufed my wind to reft upon the north country. 9 And the word of Jehovah came unto me, faying, Take 10 of the captivity, Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, and thou fhalt go on the fame day, and malt enter into the houfe of Jofiah 1 1 the fon of Zephaniah, who came from Babylon ; and thou fhalt take filver and gold, and malt make a crown, and fhalt fet upon the head of Jofliua, the fon of Jofedek, the high 12, prieft ; and thou flialt fpeak unto him, faying, Thus hath Jehovah of hofts fpoken, faying, Behold a man, whofe name is the Branch ; And out of his place fliall he branch forth, And mall build the temple of Jehovah. 13 Even he mall build the temple of Jehovah, And he mall receive glory, And fliall fit, and rule upon his throne, And fliall be a prieft upon his throne ; And the counfel of peace fliall be between them both. And ZECHARIAH. chap. vn. And the crown fhall be to Heldai, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the fon of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of Jehovah. And they that are far off fhall come and build in the temple of Jehovah ; and ye fhall know that Jehovah of hofts hath fent me unto you ; and it fhall be when ye mall obediently hearken unto the voice of Jehovah your God. AND it came to pafs in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of Jehovah came unto Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, Chifleu. Now Bethel had fent Sha- rezer, and Regemmelech, and its men, to fupplicate Jehovah, fpeaking unto the priefts who were in the houfe of Jeho- vah of hofts, and to the prophets, faying, Shall I weep in the fifth month, feparating myfelf, as I have done thefe fo many years ? Then came the word of Jehovah of hofts unto me, faying, Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priefts, faying, When ye failed and mourned in the fifth and in the feventh month, even thofe feventy years, did ye faft any failings of mine ? And when ye eat, and when ye drink, is it not ye that eat, and ye that drink ? Hath not (according to the words which Jehovah proclaimed by the former prophets, whilft Jerufalem was entire and at peace, and her cities round about her, and the fouth and the plain were entire) the word of Jehovah come alfo unto Zechariah, faying, Thus hath Jehovah of hofts fpoken, faying, Judge ye true judgment, and fhew loving kindnefs and mercies every one towards his brother ; and the widow, and the father- lefs, and the ftranger opprefs ye not ; and the harm one of another devife ye not in your heart. But they refufed to hearken, and drew back the moulder, and flopped their ears, that they fhould not hear ; and they made their hearts as ada- mant ftone, not to hear the law, nor the words which Je- hovah of hofts fent by his fpirit by the former prophets ; and there came great wrath from Jehovah of hofts. And it came CHAP. VII. Z E C H A R I A H. .9 came to pafs, that as he called, and they would not hear ; fo mall they cry, and I will not hear, faid Jehovah of hofts ; 1 4 b^t I have whirled them unto all the nations which they knew not ; and the land was defolate behind them, that none paffed through nor returned ; and they made of a pleafant land a de- flation. CHAP, i AND the word of Jehovah of hofts came unto me, faying, VIII. 2 Thus hath Jehovah of hofts fpoken, I have been jealous over Sion with great jealoufy, And with great wrath have I been jealous over her. 3 Thus faith Jehovah of hofts, I am returned unto Sion, And I will dwell in the midft of Jerufalem ; And Jerufalem fhall be called The city of the truth, And the mountain of Jehovah of hofts, The mountain of the moft holy one. 4 Thus faith Jehovah of hofts; Yet again mall old men dwell, And old women in the ftreets of Jerufalem, And men with ftaffs in their hands for great age. 5 And the ftreets of the city fhall be full Of boys and girls playing in the ftreets. 6 Thus faith Jehovah of hofts, Though it may be hard in the eyes of the refiduc Of this people in thofe days, Shall it alfo be hard in mine eyes ? Saith Jehovah of hofts. 7 Thus faith Jehovah of hofts, Behold I will fave my people. From the land of the rifing, and from the land of the fet- ting fun j 8 And I will bring them, and they fliall dwell in the midft of Jerufalem, C And ZECHARIAH. chap. viii. And they fhall be my people, And I will be their God, In truth and in righteoufnefs. Thus faith Jehovah of hofts, Let your hands be ftrong, ye that hear in thefe days Thefe words from the mouth of the prophets, Which ye heard in the day the foundation was laid of the houfe of Jehovah of hofts, The temple, in order to its being built. For before thofe days There was no hire for man, Nor any hire for beaft, Nor to him that went out, or to him that came in, was there fecurity from the enemy ; Alfo I fet every man one againft another. But now not according to the former days Will I be to the refidue of this people, Saith Jehovah of hofts ; But I will fow peace ; The vine lhall yield its fruit, And the earth fhall yield her increafe, And the heavens mall yield their dew ; And I will caufe the remnant of this people to poftefs all thefe. And it mall be, as ye were a curfe among the nations, O houfe of Judah, and houfe of Ifrael : So will I fave you, and ye fhall be a bleffing ; Fear not, let your hands be ftrong. For thus faith Jehovah of hofts ; As I thought to do you evil, When your fathers provoked me to anger, Saith Jehovah of hofts, and I repented not: So on the contrary have I thought in thefe days To do good to Jerufalem, And to the houfe of Judah ; fear ye not. Thefe are the things which ye mall do ; Speak chap. viii. Z E C H A R I A H. Speak ye every man truth to his neighbour ; Truth and the judgment of peace judge ye in your gates ; 17 And the harm one of another devife not in your hearts, Neither love ye a falfe oath ; For all thefe have I hated, faith Jehovah. 18 AND the word of Jehovah ofhofts came unto me, faying, 19 Thus faith Jehovah of hofts ; The faft of the fourth month, and the faft of the fifth, And the faft of the feventh, and the faft of the tenth, Shall be to the houfe of Judah for joy, And for gladnefs, and for cheerful feftivals ; Therefore love ye truth and peace. 20 Thus faith Jehovah of hofts, Hereafter when peoples mall come, And the inhabitants of many cities, 2 1 And the inhabitants of one city mall go to another, Saying, Let us now go To fupplicate the favour of Jehovah, And to feek Jehovah of hofts will I go alfo ; 22 Then fhall many peoples and ftrong nations come To feek Jehovah ofhofts in Jerufalem, And to fupplicate the favour of Jehovah. 23 Thus faith Jehovah ofhofts; In thofe days when ten men Of all the languages of the nations fhall lay hold, Then mall they lay hold of the fkirt of a Jew, Saying, Let us go along with you ; For we have heard that God is with you. CHAP. 1 THE burden of the word of Jehovah ; IX. On the land of Hadrach and Damafcus Jhall be the refting place thereof ; When toward Jehovah fhall be the eyes of men, And of all the tribes of Ifrael. C 2 And ia ZECHARIAH. chap. ix. 2 And Hamath alfo fhall be bordered by the enemy. And Sidon, though fhe be very wife, 3 And hath built Tyre a fortrefs for herfelf, And hath heaped up filver as duft, And fine gold as the mire of the flreets ; 4 Behold Jehotah will caft her out, And will fmite into the fea her wealth, And me mall be comumed with fire. 5 Afhkelon mall fee, and mall fear, Gaza alfo, and mail be in great pain ; And Ekron, becaufe her expectation mall be difappointed ; And a king mail perifh from Gaza, And Afhkelon mall not be eftablifhed, 6 And a ftranger mall dwell in Afhdod, And I will cut off the pride of the Philiftines, y And I will take his blood out of his mouth, And his abominations from between his teeth ; And he alfo fhall remain unto our God, And mail be as a citizen in Judah ; But Ekron as a Jebufite. 8 And I will encamp about my houfe, as a garrifon, Againft him that paffeth by, and againft him that returneth ; Nor fhall an oppreffor pafs through upon them any more ; For now have I feen with mine eyes. 9 REJOICE greatly, O daughter of Sion, Shout, O daughter of Jerufalem ; Behold, thy king fhall come unto thee, Righteous, and a faviour Jhall he be, Lowly, and fitting upon an afs, And upon a colt, the foal of an afs. io And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, And the horfe from Jerufalem ; And the battle bow mail be cut off; And he fhall fpeak peace unto the heathen ; And his dominion fliall be from fea to fea, And chap. ix. ZECHARIAH. 13 And from the river to the ends of the earth. 1 1 EVEN as, when thou waft in the blood of thy covenant, I fent forth thy prifoners out of the pit Wherein was no water : 12 Return ye to the ftrong hold, O prifoners of hope, at this day alfo ; Precious gifts will I again bellow upon thee. 13 For I have bent Judah for myfelf, As a bow have I filled Ephraim ; And I will raife up thy fons, O Sion, Againft thy fons, O Greece ; And I will make thee as the fword of a mighty man. 14 And Jehovah mall be feen over them, And mall go forth like the lightning his arrow ; And the Lord Jehovah mall found with the trumpet, And mall march in whirlwinds of the fouth. 15 Jehovah of hofts fhall be a fhield unto them, And they mail devour and fubdue with lling-ftones, And mall drink blood as wine, And mail be filled as a bowl at the corners of the altar. 16 And Jehovah their God fhall fave In that day his people like a flock ; For confecrated ftones mall be fet up upon their land. 17 For how great JJoall be their profperity, and how great their beauty ! Corn fhall make the young men thrive, and new wine the maids. CHAP. 1 THEY have afked of Jehovah rain in the feafon of the X. latter rain ; Jehovah, who maketh lightnings and rain, Will give unto them mowers, That there may be herb in the field. 2 Becaufe the teraphim have fpoken vanity, And ZECHARIAH. CHAP. X. And the diviners have feen lying viuons and falfe dreams, They fpeak, they comfort in vain ; Therefore have they been removed like flieep, They have been troubled becaufe there was no fhepherd. 3 Againft the fhepherds hath mine anger been kindled, And I have puniflied the he-goats. 4 But Jehovah of hofts is about to vifit His flock the houfe of Judah, And will make them, like the horfe, his glory in war. 5 Out of it mall go forth a corner *, Out of it a nail f , out of it the bow of battle Out of it all that draw near together. And they fhall be as ftrong men trampling on the mire of the ftreet In battle, and mall fight, becaufe Jehovah is with them, And they fhall put to flume the riders on horfes. 6 And I will flrengthen the houfe of Judah, And the houfe of Jofeph will I fave ; And I will fettle them, becaufe I have companion on them ; And they fhall be as before I caft them off; For I am Jehovah their God, and have heard them. 7 And Ephraim fhall be as a mighty man, And their heart fliall rejoice as through wine ; And they fhall fee their children, and fliall rejoice, Their heart fliall joy in Jehovah. 8 I will whiftle for them, and will gather them, for I have redeemed them ; And they fliall be as numerous as ever they were, for I have fown them. 9 Among the peoples and in far countries fliall they remem- ber me, And fliall fave their children alive §, and fliall return, i o And I will bring them back from the land of Egypt, * The commander in chief. \ The officers next in rank. % The archers. § Or, and fliall live with their children. And chap. x. ZECHARIAH. 15 And from Afiyria will I gather them ; And to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon I will bring them. And there fhall not be room enough for them. 1 1 But fome fhall pafs over the fea to Tyre, And mail fmite the waves in the fea, And all the depths of the river fhall be dried up ; And the pride of AfTyria fhall be brought down, And the fceptre of Egypt fhall depart. 12 But I will flrengthen them through Jehovah their God; And in his name fhall they walk, faith Jehovah. CHAP. 1 OPEN thy doors, O Lebanon, XI. That the fire may devour thy cedars. 2, Howl, O fir-tree, becaufe the cedar is fallen, Becaufe the goodly ones are deftroyed. Howl, O ye oaks of Bafhan, Becaufe a foreft is felled, the fenced one. 3 A voice of the howling of fhepherds, Becaufe their magnificence is deftroyed ; A voice of the roaring of young lions, Becaufe the pride of Jordan is deftroyed. 4 Thus faid Jehovah my God to me ; Feed thou the flock of llaughter, 5 Which thofe that buy them flay, and are guiltlefs : And thofe that fell them fay, BlefTed be Jehovah, becaufe I am enriched ; And their fhepherds feel no concern for them. 6 For I will no longer fpare The inhabitants of the land, faith Jehovah ; But, behold, I will deliver the men, Every one into the hand of his fellow, and into the hand of his king ; And they fhall crufh the land ; Nor will I deliver out of their hand. So 1(3 Z E C H A R I A H. chap. xi. 7 So I fed the flock of flaughter among thofe who trafficked with the flock. And I took unto me two crooks ; the one I called Delight, and the other I called Bands ; and I fed the 8 flock ; and I fet afide the authority of the fhepherds in one month ; but my foul was diflatisfied with them, and their 9 foul alfo was difgufted with me. Therefore I faid, I will not feed you : that which dieth, let it die ; and that which is miff- ing, let it be mifling ; and let the reft devour the flefh one of 10 another. And I took my crook, Delight, and cut it afunder, to annul my covenant which I had made, before all the peo- 1 1 pies. And it was annulled in that day ; and the traffickers of the flock, who watched me, knew that it was the word of 12 Jehovah. And I faid unto them, If ye think good, give me my wages ; or if not, forbear. And they weighed for my 1 3 wages thirty pieces of filver. And Jehovah faid unto me, Caft it unto the potter. Goodly the price at which I was valued by them. And I took the thirty pieces of filver, and 14 I caft them into the houfe of Jehovah to the potter. And I cut afunder my fecond crook, Bands ; to diflblve the brother- hood between Judah and between Ifrael. 15 And Jehovah faid unto me yet again, Take unto thee the inftruments of a foolifh fhepherd. 1 6 For behold I will raife up a fhepherd in the land ; That which is mifling he will not look after ; That which crieth he will not feek ; And that which is bruifed he will not heal ; That which is recovering he will not fuftain ; But the flefh of the fat one will he eat, And he will break their hoofs. 17 Woe unto the worthlefs fhepherd that leaveth the flock ! Becaufe of his arm is defolation, And becaufe of his right eye ; His arm fhall furely be withered, And his right eye fhall furely be darkened. CHAP. chap. xii. ZECHARIAH. i; C H A P. i A PROPHECY * the word of Jehovah. XII. CONCERNING Ifrael hath Jehovah faid. Who ftretched out the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth, And formed the fpirit of man within him. 2 Behold I will make Jerufalem A cup of trembling to all the peoples round about ; And unto Judah ajfo {hall it be,, Becaufe of a fiege againft Jerufalem. 3 And in that day will I make Jerufalem A ftone of burthen to all the peoples ; All that burthen themfelves with it mall be cut to pieces ; And all the nations of the earth mall be gathered together againft it. 4 In that day, faith Jehovah, will I fmite Every horfe with aftonilhment, and his rider with madnefs ; And upon the houfe of Judah will I open mine eyes, And every horfe of the peoples I will fmite with blindnefs ; ^ And the citizens of Judah fhall fay in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerufalem are ftrength unto me, Through Jehovah their God. 6 In that day will I make the citizens of Judah As a pan of fire among wood, And as a torch of fire in a Iheaf ; And they mall devour on the right hand and on the left All the peoples round about ; And Jerufalem mail again fit in her own place, in Jerufalem. j And Jehovah mall fave the tents of Judah firft, That the glorying of the houfe of David may not be magni- fied, Nor the glorying of the inhabitants of Jerufalem, above Judah. 8 In that day will Jehovah protect The inhabitants of Jerufalem ; * Or, burden. D And 18 ZECHARIAH. chap. xn. And he that is fallen to decay among them mail be In that day as David ; And the houfe of David Jha// be as Gods, As the angel of Jehovah before them. 9 And it fhall be in that day, I will feek to deflroy all the nations That come againft Jemfalem. i o But I will pour upon the houfe of David, And upon the inhabitants of Jerufalem, A fpirit of grace and fupplications ; And they fhall look towards him whom they pierced ; And they fhall mourn for him, as mourning for an only fon; And fhall grieve for him, as grieving for a firft-born. 11 In that day mall there be a great mourning in Jerufalem, As the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo. 1 2 And the land fhall mourn, every family apart : The family of the houfe of David apart, and their wives apart ; The family of the houfe of Nathan apart, and their wives apart ; 13 The family of the houfe of Levi apart, and their wives apart ; The family [of the houfe] of Simeon * apart, and their wives apart ; 14 All the remaining families, Each family apart, and their wives apart. CHAP. 1 IN that day there fhall be a fountain opened XIII. To the houfe of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerufalem, For fin and for uncleannefs. 2 And it fhall be in that day, Saith Jehovah of hofts, I will cut off the names of the idols from the earth, And they fhall not be mentioned any more ; And alfo the prophets and the unclean fpirit * Heb. Simei. Will chap. xni. ZECHARIAH. i 9 Will I caufe to pafs from out of the earth. 3 And it fhall be, when any one lhall prophefy any more, That his father and his mother, who begat him, mail fay unto him, Thou fhalt not live, becaufe thou haft fpoken fallhood in the name of Jehovah ; And his father and his mother, who begat him, mail thruft him through when he prophelieth. 4 And it fhall be in that day, The prophets fhall be afhamed every one of his vifion, when he prophefied ; And they mall not wear a garment of hair, in order to de- ceive. 5 But he lhall fay, I am not a prophet, I am a man that tilleth the ground ; For a man hath had the property of me from my youth. 6 And when one fhall fay unto him, What are thefe wounds in thy hands ? Then he fhall fay, They are what I infli&ed in the houfe of my friends. 7 AWAKE, O fword, againft my fhepherd, And againft the man that is next unto me ; Saith Jehovah of hofts. Smite the fhepherd, and the Iheep lhall be fcattered ; And I will turn my hands againft the little ones. 8 And it fhall be throughout all the land, faith Jehovah. Two parts therein lhall be cut off and perilh, And the third part lhall be left in it. 9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, And I will refine them as filver is refined ; And I will try them as gold is tried ; They lhall call upon my name, and I will anfwer them ; And I will fay, They are my people ; And they lhall fay, Jehovah is my God. BEHOLD CHAP. XIV. 20 ZECHARIAH. chap. xiv. 1 BEHOLD a day cometh by the appointment of Jeho- vah, When thy fpoil fhali be divided in the midft of thee. 2 For I will gather all the nations againft Jerufalem to battle ; And the city ihall be taken, and the houfes fhall be plun- dered, And the women mall be ravimed ; And half of the city mall go forth into captivity ; But the reft of the people mall not be cut off from the city. 3 Then Jehovah mall go forth and fight againft thofe nations, According as he is wont to fight, in the day of battle. 4 And his feet fliall ftand in that day upon the mount of Olives, Which is before Jerufalem on the eaft ; And the mount of Olives mall be cloven through the mid- dle of it, From eaft to weft, a very great valley ; And half of the mountain fhall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the fouth. 5 And the valley of the mountains fhall be choked up ; (For the valley of the mountains will reach near) And it fhall be choked up, as it was choked up by the earth- quake In the days of Uzziah king of Judah ; And Jehovah mail go, the God of all faints, with thee. 6 And it fhall be in that day, That there fhall not be light, but cold and a thick fog ; 7 And there fhall be one day (Known unto Jehovah is it) Neither day, nor night ; But it fhall be that at eventide there fliall be light. 8 And it fhall be after that day, That living waters fhall go forth from Jerufalem, Half of them toward the eaftern fea, And half of them toward the weftern fea ; In fummer and in winter it fliall be. 9 And Jehovah fliall be king over all the earth. In chap. xiv. ZECHARIAH. 21 In that day mall Jehovah be one; 10 And his name one fhall encompafs the whole earth, As the plain from Geba to Rimmon fouth of Jerufalem ; And lhe mall be raifed up, and mall fit in her own place, From the gate of Benjamin unto the place of the former gate, And unto the corner gate ; And from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's vats. 1 1 And men mall dwell in her, and there mall be no more an accurfed thing ; But Jerufalem mall fit in fecurity. 12 And this fhall be the plague, Wherewith Jehovah fhall fmite every one of the peoples That war againfl Jerufalem ; His flefh fhall rot away, even while he flandeth on his feet, And his eyes fhall wafte in their fockets, And his tongue fhall rot in his mouth. 13 And it fhall come to pafs in that day, 'That there mall be a great tumult from Jehovah among them ; And they fhall lay hold every man upon the hand of his neighbour ; But his hand fhall rife up againfl the hand of his neighbour. 14 And thou alfo, O Judah, fhalt fight at Jerufalem ; And fhalt colled: the wealth of all the nations round about, Gold, and filver, and apparel, in great abundance. 1 5 And fo mall be the plague of the horfe, Of the mule, of the camel, and of the afs, And of every beafl, which mall be In thofe camps, as this plague. 16 And it fhall be that every one that is left Of all the nations which came againfl Jerufalem, Even they fhall go up from year to year To worfhip the king, Jehovah of hofts, And to keep the feaft of tabernacles. 17 And it fhall be, that whofo will not go up Of the families of the earth to Jerufalem, To 22 ZECHARIAH. CHAP. XIV. To worfliip the king, Jehovah of hofts, Upon them there fliall be no rain. 1 8 But if the family of Egypt go not up nor come ; Although there be not upon them the plague, With which Jehovah mall fmite the nations That go not up to keep the feaft of tabernacles ; 19 The fame fliall be the punifhment of Egypt, As the punifhment of all the nations, That go not up to keep the feaft of tabernacles. £0 In that day together with the bells Shall the horfe be holy unto Jehovah ; And the pots in the houfe of Jehovah fhall be As the bowls before the altar. 2 1 And every pot in Jerufalem and in Judah Shall be holy unto Jehovah of hofts ; And all that facrifice fhall come, And fliall take of them, and feethe therein ; And there fliall be no more a trafficker In the houfe of Jehovah of hofts in that day. NOTES O N ZECHARIAH. CHAP. L THE fix firft verfes of this Chapter contain a feparate and diftinct re- velation, but at the fame time connected with the general purport and defign of the vifions that follow, to which it forms a fuitable introduction. The people of the Jews were difpirited with the recollection of their paft fufferings, and a fenfe of their prefent weak and dependent ftate. The di- vine wifdom thought meet to rally their courage, and animate them to the undertaking of what was neceflary for the restoration of their affairs, and particularly to a vigorous profecution of the building of the temple, already in hand, by holding forth to them a profpect of better times. Accordingly they are afiured, that God was now ready to reftore them to favour, and ac- cumulate his bleffings upon them, provided they would turn to him, and not provoke his judgments, as their fathers had done, by wilful difobe- dience. i. — the eighth month] This month, according to the facred reckoning, which begins the year with the month Abib or Nifan, Exod. xii. 2. falls in with the latter part of October and the beginning of November. It is called Marchefvan in the Syriac or Chaldee ; in which language, it is obferved, the names of the months are given in this book and that of Either, differ- ently from the ufage in the other books of Scripture. The work in the ho ufe of God had been already refumed this fame year on the twenty-fourth B day 2 NOTESON chap. i. day of the fixth month, that is, the beginning of September, in purfuance of a divine mefiage delivered by the prophet Haggai. Hag. i. 14, 15. Ibid. — Darius] This was moft affuredly Darius the fon of Hyftafpes ; although fome very learned men have warmly contended for another Da- rius, the fecond of that name who reigned in Perfia, furnamed Nothus, the fon and fucceffor of Artaxerxes Longimanus. But that it could not have been in the reign of this latter prince, that the building of the temple was refumed and finifhed, (which is the allowed era of Zechariah's firfl prophe- cies), among other fubftantial reafons the two following may appear decifive. Firfl, Ezra, who in his fifth and fixth chapters had related what paffed con- cerning the building of the temple, which is there faid to have been entered upon in the fecond, and to have been completed in the fixth year of Darius, exprefsly fays in the beginning of ch. vii. that " after these things" he went tojerufalemin thefeventh year of king Artaxerxes, and carried with him prefents and offerings from that prince for the fervice of the houfe of God which was at Jerufalem. Now if Ezra's journey was pofterior to the com- pletion of the building of the temple, and was undertaken in the early part of the reign of Artaxerxes, who is faid to have reigned one and forty years, common fenfe will determine, that it mud have been in the reign of Darius the predecefTor, and not of Darius the fucceffor, of Artaxerxes, that the tem- ple was in building — Again, it is faid ch. vii. 5. that in the fourth year of king Darius the people had kept the falls of the fifth and feventh months seventy years. But the former of thefe falls is known to have been infti- tuted on account of the city and temple having been deftroyed by the Chal- deans in the fifth month ; and the latter, on account of the murder of Geda- liah in the feventh month of the fame year. Now, admitting that the Jews began to obferve thefe falls in Babylon on the firfl anniverfary of thofe events (which it is mod probable they did), and reckoning from the inflitution of thefe fafls to the firfl year of Cyrus fifty- two years, for the reign of Cyrus afterwards eight years, for Cambyfes and the Magi eight, for Darius the fon of Hyftafpes thirty-fix, for Xerxes twenty-one, for Artaxerxes Longimanus forty-one, to the fourth year of Darius Nothus will be nearly, if not quite, one hundred and feventy years. Or fuppofing the fadings to have begun in the firfl year of Cyrus, when the people were returned from Babylon, (which is the loweft fuppofition that can be admitted) then to the fourth year of Darius Nothus will be a period of one hundred and eighteen years. Taking the leaft number, let me alk, if the people could with any degree of pro- priety chap. r. ZECHARIAH. 3 priety be faid to have fafted seventy years, when they had actually done fo for near a hundred and twenty ? Or why afiume feventy years of the term, rejecting the reft ? The argument becomes ftill ftronger, if we reckon from the year in which the temple was burnt. But from that year, or the year following, to the fourth of Darius Hyftafpides will be found, without allow- ing much for latitude of expreffion, the required period of seventy years. See the note which follows on ver. 1 2. and Archbifnop Newcorne's note on the fame, with the Authors there referred to. Ibid. — Speak unto all the people of the land, faying] There are no words in the Hebrew that anfwer to thefe •, but there are flrong indications of a defect in tHis place. It is evident from the tenor of the verfes which follow, that the people of the Jews are addrefled in them. But no previous men- tion is made of that people, nor is the word of Jehovah faid to come to them, but to Zechariah; nor is there any antecedent to which the pronoun in Dr6N mQN (or DrT^N, as it (lands in twenty-eight MSS. and three Editions) ti but fay thou unto them," can properly be referred ; I fay, properly j for in ftriclnefs of grammar it can be referred only to DJ'JTON " your fathers." The difficulty is obvious but neither the collated MSS. nor the antient verfions help to remove it. Perhaps after mob iV22n Try }2 the words pjrta "ION y~)N*n (as ch. vii. 5.) may originally have followed, (for fome fuch words muff, needs be underftood) and the word iftab coming in at the end of two lines together, the tranfcriber into fome early MS. may inadvertently have pafled from the end of the fir ft line to the beginning of a third, flap- ping over the fecond, which once lofi: may never have been retrieved. It is true indeed, that Campegius Vitringa, fo well known for his learned Commen- tary on Ifaiah, and other valuable works, has attempted to juftify the omif- fion by a rule which he lays down as of familiar ufe. « Subjectum orationis, mente cogitatum, fi ex nexu orationis, circumflantiis et attributis fuis, cog- nofci que at, fepe non exprimi, idque ad lingua; pertinere elegantiam." Comment, in Zachar. p. 93. But though this may lometimes pafs in the heat of difcourfe, when the mind, full of its matter, and eager to come to a point, haftens over what is obvious in itfelf, and therefore deemed as difcernible to others ; yet at the very beginning of a cool and compoied narration, when nothing has gone before that might give infight into the fubject, to leave the reader, without any apparent caufe, to pick up his in- fornution from the fequel, is, in my opinion at lean:, neither elegant, nor con- fident with the principles of good writing. 5, 6. Your fathers, &c] The purport of thefe verfes is this 3 " Both B 2 your 4 NOTESON chap, i, your fathers, and the prophets who prophefied unto them, are no more ; but though the parties themfelves are dead, I appeal to you who are living, and well know, that the things, which the prophets were commilTioned to de- nounce to your fathers in my name, did actually come upon them; and that your fathers themfelves, though they would not at firft believe and regard, were at laft convinced, and acknowledged, that God had dealt with them exactly according to his declared purpofe." 7. The fecond revelation, made to Zechariah about three months after the firft, contains eight diftindt vifions following each other in the fame night. The firft Vifion is of an angel in a human form, fitting on horfeback in a low valley among myrtle trees, attended by others upon horfes of different colours. The prophet alks the meaning, and is informed that they were the minifters of Providence, fent to examine into the ftate of the whole earth, which they report to be quiet and tranquil. The angel hereupon in- tercedes for Judah and Jerufalem, which he reprefents to have fuffered un- der the divine indignation feventy years. He receives a confolatory anfwer. The prophet is directed to proclaim, that God's wrath againft Judah was at an end ; that he would caufe the temple and Jerufalem to be rebuilt ; and would fill the country with good, as a token and confequence of his renewed favour, v. 7—17. 7. — Sebat] This month correfponded with the latter end of January and the beginning of February. Ibid. — in this wife] So "iDN 1 ? may here be tranflated. It is frequently ufed as the Latin adverbs, nempe, Jcilicet ; or as in Englifh, to wit, namely, that is to Jay ; fo as to denote a fpecification in what follows of what had be- fore been mentioned in more general terms. " The word of Jehovah" is a revelation, of which the fubftance is here prefaced by "lDtfb in the fenfe abovementioned. "Vitringa tranflates it in hunc modum. 8. — a man] The prophet calls him fo according to his appearance ; till perceiving by his anfwer, v. 10. that he had a divine commiffion, he after- wards gives him the refpectable title of " the Angel" or Mefienger of Je- hovah. Ibid. — in a bottom] Or " deep valley ;" not any one really exifting perhaps, but an imaginary fcene of a&ion. Several MSS. and Edit, read nSsDS. Archbilhop Newcome fuppofes the myrtles to be an emblem of peace. Ibid. CHAP. I. ZECHARIAH. « Ibid. — horfes] " With riders, who were angels, v. I r. They had horfes to Ihew their power and celerity : and horfes of different colours, to intimate the difference of their miniftries." Archbifhop Newcome. 9. — the angel who talked with me] This was another heavenly minifter, fent probably to prefent the vifions to the prophet's imagination, as well as to explain them. Vitringa ftyles him, Angelas comes et interpres. And un- der his direction the prophet receives fatisfactory information from the mouth of the firft angel and his attendants. 11. — all the earth] This mull be understood here, and in many other places, in a reftricted fenfe for all the nations with whom Judah had a con- nection. So ttxctixv rw onasy.tvmv Luk. ii. i. means only the whole Roman empire. 12. — feventy years] Three diftinct periods of feventy years are marked in Scripture; of which the firft was predicted by Jeremiah, ch. xxv. 11. as the term during which Judah and the neighbouring nations were to ferve the king of Babylon. This period, I truft, has been fufficiently proved in my note on that text to have terminated in the firft year of Cyrus, 536 years before the Chriftian era. The fecond period is that fpoken of in the text before us, as the term during which God is faid to have had indignation againft Jerufalem and the cities of Judah; which lafting till the fecond year of Darius Hyftafpides, 520 years before Chrift, completes an exact period of feventy years. As for the third period of feventy years, during which the Jews kept the fafts of the fifth and feventh months, enough has been already faid in the note on ver. 1. 14. I have been jealous] It has been much doubted, whether the jea- loufy fpoken of here, and ch. viii. 2. be God's refentment againft his peo- pie for their difloyalty towards him, or his concern for their honour and welfare, mixed with indignation againft thofe that had perfecuted* them. The latter is thought to be countenanced by Joel ii. 18. But even there perhaps may be fome room for doubting. The former is the more ufual acceptation of the word HNJp, jealoufy, which is defined to be " the rage of a man," or hufband, on account of his wife's infidelity, Prov. vi. 34. And with this rage or refentment God, fpeaking in the paft tenfe, here fays, he had been inflamed on account of the difloyalty of Jerufalem. This occa- sioned a temporary feparation, during which the neighbours were forward to diftrefs the unprotected wife, Pf. cxxxvii. 7. Obad. 10 — 14. But when God, like a pacified and relenting hufband, was difpofed to take her ag;ain } he 6 NOTESON chap. i. he would naturally be difpleafed with the nations for their malicious inter- ference. Accordingly it follows in the prefent tenfe, " But now am I ex- ceedingly angry with the nations that are at eafe, becaufe when 1 was angry for a little while, they combined to her hurt." The different tenfes mark the different affections at different times. Then follow the good and confola. tory words, " Therefore," that is, in confequence of this change of fenti- ment, {C I am returned to Jerufalem with great mercy;" OWU, the plu- ral number ferving to denote the intenfenefs of degree. Ibid. — to her hurt] The n in FQrb I take to be the feminine affix. So V? yib Ecclef. viii. 9. " to his hurt." And 02b y6 v-TTi^sofxevn xxrx (Aixgov i^ti^m tuv vz^qXuv, xxi rs »££>2J TX 7TgQ0Vl\SoV } XXI TSTXfiTOV TTi- ftoi>c»i3-*ivai Xoq>ov, of xxXetrxi (isfySoi. " For the city overflowing with mul- titudes by degrees crept beyond the walls, and joining the northern parts of the temple to the hill, they advanced no fmall way, fo that the fourth hill called Bezetha was furrounded with buildings." Jofeph. de Bell. Jud. lib. v. cap. 4. Edit. Havercamp. 5. — a wall of fire] In regard to her inhabiting without the walls, God promifes to fecure her as effectually, as if fhe was furrounded with a wall of fire. C Ibid. io NOTESON chap. ii. Ibid.— and for glory will I be] n*P?N TOdVi — That is, I will refute in the midft of her for the purpofe of promoting her glory and profperity. 6. Ho ! ho ! flee ye alfo] This beautiful apoftrophe is addrefifed to fuch of the Jews as continued ftill to dwell in Babylon, and the adjacent country, lying to the north of Jerufalem, exhorting them not only to come, but to make their efcape with all poffible fpeed from a land, which God was about to make the fcene of his vengeance. Ibid. For as the four winds] Befides thofe MSS. and editions which Archbimop Newcome has cited as reading ymiO, De Roffi has found the fame in feveral others. But the common reading y:nN3 feems preferable. The Jews were by God's appointment, like the four winds, fpread over every quarter of the globe; but the prefent call is directed for fpecial rea- fons to thofe in the north only. 8. Sending me after the glory] To fend a perfon after any thing implies the requifition of his fervices for that particular purpofe. When therefore God is faid to have fent the angel " after the glory," he muft be underftood to have charged him with the means of bringing it about. So that the tranfla- tor of the Syriac in the London Polyglot feems not to have judged amifs in rendering what was literally pojl honorem, by a paraphrafe ad prosequendum honor em. Now the mean which the divine wifdom had devifed for fecuring to his people " the glory" he had promifed them, was by executing a fe- vere vengeance on their oppreffors to manifeft his concern for their honour and intereft, and his refolution not to fuffer their wrongs to pafs off with im- punity. In purfuance of this plan, and of the orders he had received, the angel fays tc he was about to wave his hand over the Babylonians," by whom the Jews had lately been oppreffed, and to deliver them over as " a fpoil to their former fervants." And as this is given as a reafon for fummoning the Jews to quit that devoted country with all poffible fpeed, that they might not be involved in the calamities that were coming upon it ; fo the angel fubjoins, that when this came to pafs according to his word, it would afford a convincing proof that Jehovah had fent him. Ibid. — of his eye] This has been fometimes mifunderftood as if God's eye was meant; and both Vulg. and two Jewifh Annotators here read cculi met. But the meaning certainly is, that he who meddled with the Jews to hurt them, would be doing himfelf the molt eflential hurt, wound- ing himfelf in the tendereft parr. q. I am about to wave my hand over them] This denunciation was exe- cuted chap. in. ZECHARIAH. u cuted fhortly after, when the city of Babylon was taken by Darius, and the Babylonians were fpoiled by the Ferfians, who had formerly been in fubjec- tion to them. See Prideaux's Conned. Part i. B. hi, and Archbimop New- come's note on Haggai, ii. 23. 10, 11.] Hitherto nothing has appeared to indicate the angel to be more than what the name ufually imports, an ordinary meffenger of God's will, and the agent of his providence. Nor will it appear otherwife from what follows in thefe two verfes, if we attend to the proper distinction between what the angel fpeaks in his own perfon, and what he delivers as the im- mediate words of God. He firft begins to exhort in his own perfon, " Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Sion, for Jehovah hath faid he then repeats as the words of Jehovah, " Behold I am coming, and I will dwell in the midil of thee j and many nations mall be joined unto Jehovah in that day, and mall become a people unto me ; and I will dwell in the midft of thee." Having thus finifhed what Jehovah had fpoken, he adds from himfelf, " Then," when thefe things come to pafs, * c thou malt know that Jehovah of hofts hath fent me unto thee as ver. 9. 11. — many nations — ] Without excluding (which indeed I am far from doing) the poflibility of a remote allufion in thefe words to the coming in of the Gentiles to the Chriftian Church, the fpiritual Sion ; this prediction would be verified in earlier times, not only by the converfion of the Edo- mites in the time of John Hyrcanus, but by many other profelytes to Ju- daifm from the heathen nations. Such were the religious profelytes fpoken of, as no inconfiderable number, in the Acts of the Apoftles,ch. ii. 10.xiii.43. Nicolas of Antioch, the deacon, ch. vi. 5. the treafurer*of Candace queen of Ethiopia, ch. viii. 27. Cornelius the centurion, ch. x. 1. and fuch alfo perhaps were thofe Greeks mentioned John xii. 20. 23. Be filent — ] An admonition to mankind in general not to think of oppofing the execution of thofe decrees, which the divine omnipotence had undertaken to fupport. CHAP. III. VISION the fourth— Zechariah fees Jofhua the high priefl Handing be- fore an angel of Jehovah, as it were foliciting to be admitted to the dis- charge of his facred functions ; and Satan, or the adverfary, (landing by in the adt of oppofing him. The adverfary receives a rebuke from Jehovah himfelf, by whofe fpecial command Jofhua is (tripped of his filthy garments, C 2 and 12 NOTES ON chap, uu and inverted with the prieftly robes of fervice, and a clean bonnet fet upon his head. The angel delivers him a folemn charge. After this follows a clear and interefting prediction of the coming of the Mefliah, and the efta- blifhment of his church, of which Jofhua and his companions are ordained to be figns. Pardon and peace are held forth as the bleffed effects of Chrift's coming. 1. And he mewed me] He, that is the angel who talked with him, after delivering the meffage in the preceding chapter, proceeded to another re- prefentation. Ibid. — the adverfary] ]B&n — It is at leaft uncertain, whether Satan, the grand adverfary of mankind, be here intended or (which appears to me more probable) the adverfaries of the Jewifh nation in a body, or pethaps fome leading perfon among them, Sanballat for inftance, who ftrenuoufly oppofed the rebuilding of the temple, and of courfe the reftoration of the fervice of the fanctuary, and the re-eftablilhment of Jofhua in the exercife of his facerdotal miniftry. 2. And Jehovah faid] By a voice from heaven, or from out of the fanc- tuary, fuppofing the tranfaction to be reprefented as palling before the tem- ple. Four perfons are diftinguifhable in dais drama, i. Jofhua, who offers himfelf as a candidate. 2. An angel in waiting as it were in the outer court. 3. The adverfary, who objects to Jofhua's qualification. And, 4. Jehovah himfelf, over-ruling the adverfary's objection. Ibid. — will rebuke thee] The imperative in the third perfon is, no doubt, often expreffed by the future tenfe; but it cannot befo here, becaufe Jehovah is himfelf the fpeaker, who doth not command or exhort, but fimply declareth that he will rebuke or check the malevolence of the adverfary in this in- ftance, as he had before done in another, when he chofe Jerufalem, or took her again into favour in fpite of his oppofition. Ibid. — Even as] ny-VI — See the Vau ufed in this fenfe, Noldius, §. 62. Ibid. — Is not this a brand] See Jude 23. It means one faved, when at- moft pad all hope of redemption. 3. — filthy garments] What is meant by yy mull fig- ritfy fountains of living waters iffuing from Chrift. The living waters are the doctrines of the Gofpel, and the fountains the difpenfers of them, the Apoftles and Evangelifts, who are faid to be " fellow workers with Chrift," and therefore aptly reprefented by the companions of Jofhua. The number feven is frequently ufed in Scripture to denote multitudes. 1 Sam. ii. 5. Jer. xv. 9. &c. &c. Ibid. — I will take away] The verb fhould regularly have been in Hiphil; and Chald. probably read fo. See Archbifhop Newcome's note. Ibid. — in one day] If what has preceded be rightly applied, then we muft IJ5 NOTES ON chap. iv. muft underftand here that one day, on which Chrift died to put away fins by the offering of himfelf. 10. — under the vine and under the fig tree] nnrrbtf fignifies fimply un- der. See i Sam. xxi. 4. Jer. iii. 6. The meaning of this paffage is to fhew the peace and fecurity that fhould prevail in thofe happy days, when a man that had any thing to fay to his neighbour, or as we would exprefs it, fhould call upon his neighbour, would be fure to find him fitting at his eafe without doors, unapprehenfive of any danger. — But Mr. Harmer fuppofes an hofpitable cuftom to be here alluded to, of people enjoying themfelves in rural repafts in the open air, and inviting thofe that paffed by to partake with them in their pleafures. Obf. vol. iii. p. 203. To this expofition alts there can be no exception. CHAP. IV. IN this chapter the Prophet is called upon to contemplate a fifth Vifioa of the moft fublime and myfterious import. He fees a candleftick of pure gold, with its feven lamps communicating by feven pipes with a bowl at the top, which ferves for a refervoir, and is conftantly fupplied with oil from two olive-trees ftanding on each fide of the candleftick. He inquires into the meaning, and receives an anfwer, which, though it may in fome fort apply to the circumftances of the temple then in building, yet from the folemnity of the manner, and the terms in ufe, mufl be concluded to point to fomething far higher, no lefs than the final and complete eftablifhment of Chrifl's holy catholic church, not by human means, but by the power of the holy fpirit, furmounting all obftacles thrown in its way. Annexed is a fpecial prediction, that Zerubbabel, who had begun, fhould have the honour of finifliing the material building of the temple •, the accomplifhment of which is made a fign or proof of the divine miffion. The meaning of the feven lamps is then explained, and alfo of the two overhanging branches of the olive-trees on each fide of the candleftick. 1. — and roufed me] It fhould feem as if the Prophet was plunged into a deep reverie, mufing on what he had already feen, when he was roufed again by the angel to give his attention to what follows. 2. And I faid] " Very many MSS. Keri and fix ed. read now." Arch- bifhop Newcome — All the ancient verfions render in the firft perfon. Ibid.— over the feven lamps] Inftead of ny2V wby read njfttPTT "by, and all will be right; Ibid. chap. iv. ZECHARIAH. 17 Ibid.— one to each of the lamps] mvhi " according to the number of the lamps." That b thus diftributes, fee Exod. xii. 3, 21. &c, &c. 5. Knoweft thou not] I cannot help thinking that by this queftion the angel meant to tax the prophet with dulnefs in not difcerning, what a rea- foning and reflecting mind, verfed in the allegories of prophecy, might, in fome meafure at leaft, have difcovered. Our Saviour in this manner re- proves the ignorance of Nicodemus, " Art thou a mafter of Ifrael, and knoweft not thefe things ?" John iii. 10. Vitringa, after obferving that Je- fus Chrift declares a candleftick to be the fymbol of a church, " The feven candlefticks which thou faweft are the feven churches," Rev. i. 20. goes on to' deduce the fame from reafoning thus — " Ubi rem in fe infpicio, video mox conformitatem fummam inter candelabrum et ecclefiam. Candela- brum, quale hie occurrit, nixum bafi, divifum in feptem ramos fivecalamos, ex bafi exfurgentes, prseferentes feptem lampades, vere et adtu lucentes, non poteft tantum, verum etiam debet, fignificare corpus quoddam fubjeftorum rationalium, quae myftico fenfu dici poffunt lucere et alios illuftrare, et qui- dem mediante oleo, cum iis communicato per Spiritum Sanctum. Ejufmodi vero focietas cum quaeri non poflit, nifi inter homines : inter homines autem quaeri nequeat, nifi in Ecclefia, quze tota prasftat homines fide, fa- pientia, fanctimonia, lucentes et alios illuftrantes : non eft dubium, quin candelabrum faciat pulcherrimum emblema Ecclefiae. Ita aio, nulla res eft in mundo, cui attributa omnia conveniant." Comment, in Zachar. p. 268, 169. It is much to be lamented, that this learned man was prevented by death from executing a plan, which he had conceived in his own mind, of a copious Commentary upon this Prophet, like that which he had given upon Ifaiah. All we now have is the Prolegomena, and an incomplete Commentary on the firft chapter, and to the end of the feventh verfe of the fecond chapter, together with meditations on the fix firft verfes of this fourth chapter. Thefe however are valuable remains, and fhew what might have been expected from the completion of the whole. Ex pede Her- culem. 6. This is the word of Jehovah concerning Zerubbabel] It may be ob- ferved, that the prophet's queftion, " What are thefe ?" is anfwered not by defcending to an explanation of particulars, but by giving the general purport of the vifion ; the defign being not to gratify a partial curiofity, but to comfort and encourage an almoft defponding people by the affurance that God would, not by thole human means, in which they were fufficiently fen- D fible 18 NOTES ON chap. iv. fible of their own deficiency, but by his ownfpirit, render his church trium- phant over all oppofition. 7. What art thou — ] For «j one MS. reads "3, and I have fometimes been led to think, that inftead of "in Tina the true reading may have been "inn JiW For it is evident, that »3 may very eafily have been corrupted into a, by only bringing the * a little nearer to 3. nw might then be the fu- ture of the verb nnN, and inn would have the article prefixed as well as its adje&ive bwin, which is regular. The words might then be tranflated, " Surely the greateft mountain mall become before Zerubbabel a level plain." But on further confideration, as the words immediately proceed from Jehovah, it may appear more dignified for him to exprefs the fame fenfe by an interrogation clofed with a brief anfwer, as it Hands in the tranflation I have given of it. " What art thou (or, what Jhalt thou be) O great mountain, before Zerubbabel ? A level plain." In this cafe alfo we may read nm, becaufe jij* as well as nriN is fometimes ufed for the mafculine pronoun. Ibid. — And he (hall bring forth] If in this prophecy not only the comple- tion of the material temple is promifed, but alfo, as we have fuppofed, the erection of a fpiritual building, it is obvious, that in this fecondary fenfe by " the head" or in via duxit. I am inclined therefore to fuppofe that by DWtn 'bsw were meant two beings, probably in human fhape, who were feen by the Prophet employed in ar- ranging the fruit of the olive-trees, and giving it a direction for its juice to flow into thofe channels, through which it might be conveyed into the body of the lamps, there to ferve for food and nouriftiment of their light. Nor is it any objection to this more than to any other hypothefis, that they were not enumerated before among the objects of vifion. They might not per- haps have prefented themfelves to the Prophet's view till the very inftant when he had afked the queftion concerning the two olive-trees ; and their fudden appearance may account for the immediate change of it to another, before he had received an anfwer to the firft. This anfwer being thus fu- perfeded, we are left without any direct information as to the meaning of the olive-trees j but we may fairly prefume them to be no other than the D 2 two 20 NOTES ON CHAP. IV. two difpenfations of the law and the gofpel, under which were communi- cated the precious oracles of divine truth, which illuminate the foul, and make men wife unto falvation. Of courfe the orderers and directors of thefe difpenfations muft be Mofes and Jefus Chrift, " the two fons of oil," or anointed ones, " that (land by the Lord of the whole earth," fulfilling his will, and executing his commands. Of the latter of thefe it is exprefsiy faid, Ifai. lxi. i. " The fpirit of the Lord God is upon me ; becaufe the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek, &c." Nor do I conceive that any other can be meant by the two witnefTes appointed to prophefy for a certain time clothed in fackcloth, Rev. xi. 3. the next verfe plainly fhewing that an allufion is there made to this prophecy of Zechariah concerning the candleftick and olive-trees, though not with all that accu- racy of citation, which we fliould look for at prefent. " Thefe are the two olive-trees, and the two candlefticks Handing before the God of the earth." Rev. xi. 4. Ibid. — fpouts] min^ is a word that occurs only here. or ■fffifc which comes neareft to it, fignifies a large hollow tube or pipe. Perhaps jTTirti^ may be written by miftake for JTTtii, many Hebrew words having their plurals both with a mafculine and feminine termination. It is furfi- ciently clear what is meant, namely, open fpouts laid inclining from the olive-trees to the bowl upon the top of the candleftick, fo as to receive the fluid flowing from the trees, and pour it continually into the bowl to fupply the wafte. Some have fuppofed mjii may have been compofed of two words, namely, ""OU a pipe or canal, and ITD, which in Chald. and Syr. figni- fies, decidit, defluxit. Ibid. — the gold] For 3n?n " the gold" Archbifhop Newcome propofes to read ~\n)l\ " oil," the fenfe, he fays, requiring it. But in the Hebrew copies there is not the lead veftige of fuch a reading, and all the ancient verfions concur in exprefllng " gold" at the end of this verfe. There is no doubt but that the liquor drawn from the olive-trees muft be oil ; but it is here intended to reprefent what for its precious quality may be denominated gold that being confidered as the moft valuable of all material fubftances, but yet of far lefs worth than the word of divine truth. " More to be de- fired," fays the Pfalmift fpeaking of it, " than gold, yea than much fine gold." Pf. xix. 10. And again, " The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thoufands of gold and filver." Pf. cxix. 72. In this fenfe then antn may be uied here for oil, and perhaps from the refemblance between the appearance of gold in a ftate of fluidity and oil. CHAP. CHAP. V. ZECHARIAH. 21 CHAP. V. THE vifions reprefented in this chapter are of a very different kind from the preceding ones. Hitherto all has been confoling, and meant to cheer the hearts of the Jewifh people, by holding forth to them profpefts of approaching profperity. But left they mould grow prefumptuous and carelefs of their conduct, it was thought proper to warn them of the con- ditions on which their happinefs would depend ; and to let them fee, that however God was at prefent difpofed to fhew them favour, his judgments would afTuredly fall upon them with ftill greater weight than before, if they fhould again provoke him by repeated wickednefs. Accordingly in the firft of thefe vifions, which was the fixth in fucceffion, the Prophet is fhewn an immenfe roll of a book, like that which Ezekiel defcribes, ch. ii. 9, 10. filled with curfes, and in the aft of flying, to denote the celerity and fpeed, as well as the certainty, with which the thief and falfe fwearer, who might otherwife flatter themfelves with hopes of impunity, would be vifited to their utter deftruftion. The next vifion prefents the ap- pearance of an ephah, or meafure, in which fate a woman reprefenting a nation, whofe wickednefs was arrived at fuch a height as required an im- mediate check. Accordingly a heavy cover is caft upon her, and fhe is carried into exile in a diftant land, there to abide the full time allotted for her punifhment. 3. — as he that is guiltlefs] For npJ HIDS read np3H 1D3. Hp} fignifies in- nocent, blamelefs. n?D and ntO fignify, on one fide, and on the other. And the reafon afllgned for cc the curie going forth through the whole land" is, that the good and the bad, the innocent and the guilty, were in every part of it looked upon and treated alike; fo that it was time for the divine juftice to interpofe, and make the proper diftinftion between them. 4. — it mall enter into the houfe] Mr. Lowth in his Commentary here has quoted from Herodotus, lib. vi. the following lines of the oracle at Delphos denouncing a like punifhment againft perjury. 'Zv^.jj.x^ocg oM as before the two other names ; and many MSS. and fome Ed. read nttai before liTllB, with V. O' Ar. Syr. Chald." Archbifhop Newcome. 10. — who came] " One MS. reads venit ; agreeably to O' Ar. Syr." Archbifhop Newcome. Chald. alfo renders \DN venit in the fingular num- ber, although the Latin interpreter gives venerunt. De Roffi adds the au- thority of another MS. which he defcribes to be Kenn. 474, feu Cod. col- legii Urbani propag. fidei ex collat. CI. Hwiidii et Bibliotbeca orient. Mi- chaelis T. xviii. p. 80. The tranflation is made to fuit either reading ; but I am moft inclined to prefer confidering Jofiah as a working goldfmith lately arrived from Babylon. 11. — a crown] "Syr. Chald. one Ed. two MSS. and O' Ed. Pachom. read jnDJJ, " a crown." Archbifhop Newcome. — This reading is alfo con- firmed by four MSS. of De Roffi, and by three MSS. of O' collated by Dr. Holmes. See alfo ver. 14. 12. — the branch] There cannot be a doubt that the fame perfon is meant by " the Branch" here, who is fo called ch. iii. 8. and this has been al- ready fhewn to be, not Zerubbabel, but the Meffiah himfelf ; of whom Jo- fhua is made the type or reprefentative by the crown placed on his head. But to what end mould he have been called in to reprefent Zerubbabel, who was his contemporary, and altogether as ready at hand as himfelf? Nor will the paflage ftri&ly and literally tranflated anfwer to any other but him, who was at once both king and prieft, and by uniting both characters in chap. vi. Z E C H A R I A H. In himfelf, was completely qualified to bring about the counfel of peace, or reconciliation between God and man. Ibid. — the temple of Jehovah] The church of Chrift, which is exprefsly called «-< the temple of God," i Cor. iii. 16. i Cor. vi. 16. "a fpiritual houfe s" i Pet. ii. 5. &c. &c. 13. Even he mall build the temple of Jehovah] Here is a fentence omitted by O' Syr. Ar. and one MS. and which Archbifhop Newcome pro- pofes to expunge, as being only a different reading of the foregoing claufe. But in arreft of judgment I would beg leave to plead, that in my opinion the claufe is not fuperfluous, but highly emphatic, implying that even he, the felf-fame perfon who mould build the temple of Jehovah, even he, Kim, mould have the honour of governing and prefiding in it as both king and prieft, in both capacities advancing the peace and profperity of his peo- ple. Ibid. — mail receive glory] TH fignifies the glory, the honour and au- thority, belonging to a fovereign or chief ruler. So when Mofes was di- rected to give up his command and authority to Jofhua, it is faid, nrti) yby "jTHD— " And thou (halt put of thine honour upon him." Num. xxvii: 20. And in this fenfe Chrift was to *« receive glory," 7m KtP*. See Pf. xxi. 5. Dan. vii. 14. Acts iii. 13. v. 31. Phil. ii. 9 — 11. Heb. ii. 9. He was to be exalted to the right hand of God, there to fit upon his throne, as a king, governing his church, and as a prieft, making interceflion continually for it. It is impoffible not to fee that this prophecy was completed in Chrift fo as it never could be in any other ; and therefore it muft be underftood of him. 14. And the crown] JfW$ffT, which is the prefent reading of the text here, is juftified by the fingular verb rPim, and by O' Syr. Ar. Chald. But very many MSS. and Ed. read in the plural nnioyn, Vulg. corona ■, and one MS. for n\in reads n2\m. Whether the fingular or the plural number is to be preferred, I will not venture to determine for two crowns might have been ordered to mark the double character of king and prieft in the perfon reprefented by Jofhua. But there fhould methinks be an uniformity here and v. 11. Ibid. — Heldai — Hen] Thefe names in the Hebrew differ from thofe which appear ver. 10. Dathius, who allows, as moft do, that there has been an error in tranfcribing, is not quite accurate in faying that the ancient in- terpreters afford no means of correction, fince Syr. plainly read the fame E 2 names 28 NOTESON chap. vi. names in both verfes. But perhaps this is more than can well be granted. For though it may be eafy to conceive how H*?rr may have been corrupted into D^n or nbn, by changing H into D ; the difference between rvw and ft is too great, to fuppofe that one could be accidentally fubftituted for the other. Nor is there equal reafon for requiring a famenefs in both inftances. It might reafonably be expected, that the fame three, who were taken to be witnefles, mould be prefent at the tranfaction. But that Jofiah was to be a witnefs, or prefent, is not fo much as hinted. It is only faid that the Pro- phet was to take the others with him into the houfe of Jofiah, where the crown was to be made. It is poffible that the artift himfelf was not at home, and that the bufinefs was executed by his brother, whofe name was Hen ; in which cafe Hen being prefent at the delivery would have been called upon to remember. For thefe reafons I would change Helem into Heldai, but retain Hen. Ibid. — a memorial in the temple of Jehovah] If the crown, after having been placed on the head of Jofhua, was depofited in a confpicuous part of the temple, it would naturally remind the perfons prefent of the prediction, which they would of courfe communicate to others. 15. And they that are far off] This is a plain prediction of the coming in of the Gentiles, whom St. Paul exprefsly calls 01 poL^xv ovtcs Eph. ii. 13. to build or conftitute a part of the Chriftian Church. Ibid. And ye mall know] As the foregoing words refpect the conver- fion of the Gentiles, fo do thefe both the unbelief and converfion of the Jews, of whom it is faid, that they would then be affured of the truth of the Prophet's miffion, when they mould be difpofed to hearken to the divine call. This clearly implies, that fuch a difpofition would not always be found in them, and of courfe they would remain for a while in ignorance and un- belief, till it mould pleafe God at length to give them repentance to the ac- knowledging of the truth. Compare Rom. xi. 25, 26. CHAP. VII. VIII. IN thefe two Chapters is contained a third and diftinct revelation made to Zechariah about two years after the former of which the occafion and matter are as follows. A confiderable progrefs having by this time been made in the rebuilding of the temple, and affairs going on pretty fmoothly, the hopes of the Jewifh nation began to revive, and a deputation was fent to chap, vii. ZECHARIAH. 29 to inquire of the priefts and the prophets, whether it was God's will that they mould ftill continue to obferve the fad, which had been inftituted on account of the city and temple having being burnt by the Chaldeans. To this the prophet is directed to reply, That this and another faft of the like kind being of their own appointment, regarded themfelves only, and not God ; that what he required of them was the practice of moral righteoufhefs, like as he had injoined it to their fathers, who difregarding his injunctions, had brought upon themfelves and upon their country all the evil which they had recently experienced. Having thus accounted for God's pad feverity, the Prophet goes on to inform them, that the anger of Jehovah was now appeafed, and he was again difpofed to be gracious unto his people, and to reftore Jerufalem. He exhorts them therefore to proceed vigoroufly with the building of the tem- ple, and allures them that they would from that inftant experience a happy revolution in their affairs. He renews his exhortation to the practice pf moral goodnefs, and promifes that on that condition their falls mould be turned into joyful feafts ; and they mould be fo diftinguifhed by the divine favour, that many nations would be eager to embrace their religion, and fue for their alliance. CHAP. VII. 1. Chifleu] This month correfponded with the latter part of November and the beginning of December. 2. Bethel had fent] I do not think that ^N~JTQ is any where ufed in fcripture for the temple or tabernacle of Jehovah, but fimply denotes the city or diftrict of Bethel. If it be fo underftood here, then every gramma- tical difficulty will vanilh, and it will be only necefTary to conceive, that the community of Bethel had fent a deputation of its citizens, VtWN, with Sha- rezer and Regemmelech at their head, to inquire of the Lord by means of the priefts, who officiated in the houfe of Jehovah of holts (fo the temple is diftinguifhed) whether they mould or Ihould not continue the fart fpecified, the reafon of it having in a manner ceafed. It may however be remarked, that the anfwer dictated to Zechariah is addrefTed to all the people of the land generally, and not to the inquirers only, becaufe the matter was of uni- verfal concernment. All the ancient Verfions, except the Vulgate, confider Bethel here as the proper name ; and in eight MSS. of the belt note col- lated by Dr. Kennicott, and two of the molt ancient editions bwi is de- fcribed 3© N O T E S O N chap, vn; fcribed as a fingle word without the Makkaph. The fame remark will hold good with refpect to ^NJTa Judg. xx. 18, 26, 31. where though our tranf- lators have rendered as here, " the houfe of God," it ought to be " Bethel," which place was indeed very near Shiloh, where the tabernacle and ark of God refided ; and of courfe the Ifraelites had it in their power from thence immediately to confult the divine oracle, as we find they did. Ibid. — to fupplicate Jehovah] Archbifhop Newcome, in his excellent rules laid down for the conduct of an improved Englilh verfion of the Scrip- tures, has very juftly reprobated " the retaining of mere Hebraifms in tranfiating, as a fouroe of obfcurity." See preface to the Minor Prophets, p. xx. But the marginal tranflation of our Bibles, which he has adopted, " to intreat the face of Jehovah," if not an Hebraifm, is not an Englifn phrafe at leaft. From a collation of the pafiages where D*JJ3 J"IN nbn oc- curs, it appears evidently to fignify, to fupplicate, to intreat, to make Juit to any one j and the fenfe here required is, to fupplicate or apply by prayer to God for direction how to act in regard to a certain point. But how fuch a fenfe is to be made out of the words, I muft confefs myfelf at a lofs to determine. According to Schultens (fee Michaelis Suppl. ad Lex. Heb. No. 73 1 ) the proper fenfe of rbn is the fame as of the Arabic verb ju, terere, to rub or wear by clofe and repeated application. Hence perhaps to wear the face or prefence of a perfon may fignify as much as to ufe earnefl and repeated folicitation with him. Ibid. — feparating myfelf] That is, withdrawing from all wordly bufinefs or pleafure. See 1 Cor. vii. 5. 5. When ye faded and mourned] TBD"). This ufe of the infinitive mode per enallagen may be traced elfewhere as an Hebrew idiom. See ch. xii. 10. Hag. i. 6. &c. Ibid. — the fifth and feventh month] In the fifth month the temple was burnt together with the king's houfe, and all the houfes of note in Jerufa- lem, and the walls of the city were broken down ; and in the feventh month Gedaliah was afiafTinated, which occafioned the Jews to quit Jerufalem in terror, and to flee into Egypt, 2 Kings xxv. 8 — 10, 25, 26. On both thefe accounts fafts had been inftituted, and obferved till the time of this pro- phecy. Ibid. — even thofe feventy years] " Nine MSS. and one Ed. read n? with- out the vau." Archbilhop Newcome. See note on ch. i. 1. Ibid. — did ye fail my fallings, mine ?] Archbifhop Newcome obferves that chap. vn. ZECHARIAH. 31 that twenty-five MSS. read *3VH£5Xj which tie fays is the regular form with the affix, and equivalent to "6 DJlOJf. But for this he feems to credit the authority of Buxtorf, who indeed in his Thef. Gram. lib. ii. cap. 17. has laid it down as a rule, that in the fecond perfon plural of the preter verb the termination O is changed into 1, when an affix is joined to it, and cites two examples, of which ^iflbx here furnifhes one ; the other Num. xx. 5. But the latter is certainly a miftake ; for llTV^n is in the fecond perfon fin- gular with the affix \2, which appears from the preceding context ver. 3. where the people are faid to have chid with Mofes fingly, and therefore both DilN^n ver. 4, and "QJT^PT ver. 5. fhould be rendered in the fingular with their refpedtive affixes. QnNin may indeed at firfl light appear other- wife ; but the final D is not formative, but is the pleonaflic pronoun ufed together with its fubftantive. Buxtorf Thef. Gram. lib. ii. cap. 8. and fee Ifai. liii. 4. And u/v^yn which occurs again Num. xxi. 5. is there rendered in the fingular by all the ancient verfions. ynD2f or "WlBJi will then remain a fingle inllance (for I know of no other) and of courfe too narrow a founda- tion whereon to build a general rule. I fufpect therefore that for ^in&S the true reading was VllDlt, the word mm or mmu being found Efth. ix. 31. exactly in the fenfe here required, of inflituted fallings. The change is eafy, and the fcope of the argument well expreffed. " When ye fafted in the fifth and feventh months, were thofe fallings obferved as mine, my ordi- nances ? No ; no more than your eating and drinking, which ye do when- ever you pleafe. What I require of you now is the fame as I required of your fathers by the former prophets, that ye practife the duties of moral righteoufnefs." This exactly correfponds with St. Paul's Chriflian doctrine, Rom. xiv. 17. u The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteouf- nefs, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghoft." Note, Dixn is the infinitive mode ufed by enallage, the fame as before obferved of 71SD1. 7.— according to] That is ufed in this fenfe, fee Noldius, §. 19. Ibid. — by the former prophets] Ifai. i. 17. lviii. 6, 7. Amos v. 24. Mi- cah vi. 8. &c. &c. Ibid. — was entire] Heb. " was fitting," mty\ To fit denotes a ftate of permanent order and fecurity, Pf. cxxv. 1. Hence a female figure fitting in a chair of ftate is the ordinary fymbol on the ancient medals to reprefent a city or nation, whofe conflitution is entire and unmolefled. But when it is overturned and ruined, the woman is feen cafl from her fear, and lying, or fitting on the ground. Ibid. 32 NOTES ON chap. vii. Ibid. — the fouth and the plain] See my note on Jer. xvii. 26. and Archbi- fhop Newcome's on Obad. 19. ro. — and the ftranger] " Ten MSS. and four Ed. read "iM, with the an- cient verfions and Chald." Archbifhop Newcome — Ten more MSS. col- lated by De Rofii do the fame. 11. But they — ] That is, they to whom God had fpoken by the former prophets, and who for their difobedience were punifhed as follows. Ibid. — drew back the moulder] Shrinking from the yoke, like an un- broken ox, that refufeth to draw or go forward as directed. CHAP. VIII. 1. — unto me] " Twenty one MSS. and four Ed. read mxb ''bit, and three other MSS. read fo originally. This is alfo the reading of Syr. Chald. and of o' MS. Pachom. tt^o? y.s xsyuv." Archbifhop Newcome. Several other Heb. MSS. collated by De RofTi acknowledge this reading, as alfo do two MSS. O', and the Armenian verfion, collated by Dr. Holmes. 1. — jealous over Sion] In the note, ch. i. 14. 1 gave it as my opinion, that the jealoufy there fpoken of was God's refentment againfthis people for their difloyalty and mifbehaviour towards him, and was totally diftinct from the anger, with which he is faid in the following verfe to have been angry with the nations that had oppreffed them, whilft labouring under the divine difpleafure. In this opinion I am more confirmed by the prefent paf- fage, where not the leafl mention is made of the perfecuting nations j but God's former wrath, the effect of his jealoufy, which had led him to punifh h s offending people with great feverity, is contrafled with his prefent pa- cific and benign difpofition, which would engage him, like a relenting hufband, to go home again to his wife, and to treat her with all the marks of renewed regard and affection. That God's jealoufy befpeaks wrath againfl the objects of it, needs no other proof than what may be drawn from his own words, Num, xxv. 11. JM in v. u. it would be better to read MK, ero ; but *J» makes no difference in the fenfe. To fow peace or profperity is to provide for its fpringing up in due time. 16. Truth and the judgment of peace judge ye] There is no difficulty in underftanding the words, as they now ftand, to direct that truth and peace fhould be made the object and end of all judicial proceedings. But Mill the variations in the MSS. and ancient verfions render the authenticity of the prefent text rather queftionable. Ar. and O' MS. Pachom. and MS. Muf. Brit, collated by Dr. Holmes, omit DON. Syr. and three MSS. read D^W). Four MSS. read DSttfQ without the Vau. Perhaps the true reading may have been, llOBltf Dl^l TSOtk DHJttfD — "judge ye the judgment of truth and peace." 17. All thefe have I hated] is omitted in four MSS. of Kennicott's Collation, and two of De Rofii's originally ; and by O' Syr. Ar. 19 — the fourth — the tenth month] The fiege of Jerufalem was begun in the tenth month, and in the fourth of the year following the city was taken. See Jer. lii. 4, 6. 20. Hereafter when] All the ancient verfions, except the Vulgate, ap- pear to have read inftead of ly, and to refer to fome future time. But they omit "vvx, which however is acknowledged by all the Hebrew copies, and is ufed in a fimilar manner after nam D^Zl ver. 23. The defign of thefe four verfes is evidently to lhew the high degree of eftimation in which Jerufalem and the Jews would hereafter be held by foreign nations, when thofe among them, who were pioufly difpofed to worfhip the true God, would come to worfhip him at Jerufalem, as a place of pgculiar fanctity ; and thofe who wanted protection would humbly fue to a Jew for it, con- vinced that the men of that nation were efpecial objects of divine favour. See ch. ii. 1 1. 23. — ten] A definite number is often in Scripture ufed for an indefinite. See Archbifhop Newcome's note on Micah v. 5. Ibid. — take hold of the fkirt — ] Mr. Harmer (Obf. vol. ii. p. 32.) in a note fays, that " ten men taking hold of the fkirt of a Jew is to be understood as chap. vnr. ZECHARIAH. 35 as an application of a mod fubmifllve kind to be taken under his protection, or received among his dependents having obferved in the text, that it was cuftomary in the Eaft to kifs the hem of the garment of a perfon of rank, and efpecially when a favour was afked or granted. That it was a mode of humble folicitation is evident from Saul's taking hold of the fkirt of Samuel's mantle, when he would have prevailed on the prophet to turn back with him. i Sam. xv. 27. And like that of embracing the knees, and laying hold on the feet, it was the natural gefture of an importunate fuitor, who would feem to fay thereby, " I will not let thee go, except thou blefs me." See Bifliop Lowth's note on Ifai. iii. 6. and Archbifhop New- come's note on this place. CHAP. IX. BEFORE we proceed farther, it may not be amifs to take into confi- deration the conclufivenefs of certain arguments, which have been brought to prove, that Zechariah could not have been the author of the fix chapters that follow. Firfl it is alleged, that the Evangelift St. Matthew ch. xxvii. 9. cites a palTage now found in Zech. xi. 13. as fpoken, not by Zechariah, but by the prophet Jeremiah, Six h^pix m zy^otprim. But is it not poffible, nay is it not much more probable, that the word hpe^* may have been written by mif- take by fome tranfcriber of St. Matthew's Gofpel, than that thofe of the Jewifh church, who fettled the canon of Scripture (of whom Zechariah himfelf is fuppofed to have been one) mould have been fo grofsly ignorant of the right author of thefe chapters, as to place them under a wrong name ? It is not, I think, pretended, that thefe chapters have been found in any copy of the Old Teftament otherwife placed than as they now ftand. But in the New Teftament there are not wanting authorities for omitting the word I^ffAia. See Archbifhop Newcome's jiote on Zech. xi. 13. Nor is it impofiible to account plaufibly for the wrong infertion of h^tpix, Matth. xxvii. 9. by obferving that exactly the fame words occur Matth. ii. 17. where we read Ton arXYiguSn to gnStv uVo (in fome copies Six j fee Wetftein) If^pa th -a^opTi-i-a, Xtyovros. Now fuppofing the tranfcriber to have had in his copy either Six m -a^otpnrz only, or Six Zx^xgiz m zrgotpnrx, yet carrying in his mind what he had written a little before, he might inadvertently and without intention have written the fame over again, as will eafily be granted by thofe, who are at all ufed to tranfcribe. F 2 Secondly, 36 NOTES ON CHAP. IX. Secondly, It is urged, That many things are mentioned in thefe chapters, which by no means correfpond with Zechariah's time ; as when events are foretold, which had actually taken place before that time. But it may be queftioned, whether thofe fubjecls of prophecy have been rightly underftood; and whether that which has been conftrued as having reference to paft tranfactions, may not in reality terminate in others of a later period, and fome perhaps which are yet for to come. Thirdly, Another argument is drawn from ch. xi. which contains a prophecy of the deftrudtion of the temple and people of the Jews ; " a pro- phecy," it is faid, " not agreeable to the fcope of Zechariah's commiffion, who, together with his colleague Haggai, was fent to encourage the peo- ple lately returned from captivity to build their temple, and to inftaurate their commonwealth." J. Mede Epift. Ixi. I grant that this was the general fcope of Zechariah's commiffion in the eight firft chapters ; and that it would not have been " a fit time to foretel the deftrudtion of both the temple and commonwealth, while they were but yet a building." But between the date of thofe firft chapters and that of the fucceeding ones, many circumftances might have occurred, and certainly did occur, to give rife to a commiffion of a very different complexion from the foregoing. The former are exprefsly dated in the fecond and fourth years of the reign of Darius ; to the latter no date at all is annexed. Darius is fuppofed to have reigned thirty- fix years •, and the Jews have a tradition that the three pro- phets, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, did not die before the laft year of that king's reign. Admitting then Zechariah to have prophefied again to- wards the dole of his life, he may well be fuppofed to have publifhed with- out any incongruity after fuch an interval, what would not altogether have accorded with the period and purport of his firft commiffion. And as there is good reafon to believe that this was the cafej fo upon this ground we may alfo not improbably conclude him to have been that very Zechariah, of whom our Saviour fpake, Matt, xxiii. 35. as (lain between the temple and the altar. For he was, according to our Saviour's defcription, the fon of Ba- rachias, and comes in, where from what is faid of him he might naturally be expected, at the clofe of that feries of prophets (for there were none after him till the coming of Chrift), who were put to death in the faithful difcharge of their duty. That he was become obnoxious to his countrymen, may be collected from ch. xi. 8. And if the records of the Old Tcftament are filent concerning his death, let it be remembered, that it was a very fmall CHAP. IX. ZECHARIAH. 37 fmall part of them, if any, that was written after that event. But this has been already difcuffed in the prefatory difcourfe. Laftly, Upon the fame fuppofition the allowed difference of ftyle and manner may be accounted for, not only as arifing from the diverfity of the fubjecl:, but from the different age of the Author ; who may well be cre- dited to have written with more dignity in his advanced years, than when he was but a. youth, as he is faid to be ch. ii. 4. Upon the whole, this con- clufion may be drawn ; that, fetting afide the doubtful authority of St. Mat- thew's text, there is nothing elfe to be found fufficient to invalidate the title of Zechariah to the chapter in queftion. Though it may be doubted, whether any more than a fmall part of the foregoing chapters be metrical, it is very evident, that all that follow are fo altogether. This Chapter begins with announcing the fate of the Syrians, Sidonians, and Philiftines, contrafted with the better profpects of the Jewifh nation. It foretels the coming of the MefTiah to Jerufalem, and the peace of his kingdom. The reftoration of Ifrael and Judah is afterwards predicted, to- gether with a feries of glorious victories and great profperity, which are fet forth at large in this and the next chapter. 1. The burden] NlPD, which our tranflators render " a burden," moft com- monly denotes a prophecy of a calamitous kind, a heavy judgment of divine appointment to be borne. See 2 Kings ix. 25. — See Archbifhop New- come on Nahum i. 1. Ibid — the land of Hadrach] No fuch name as Hadrach occurs in Scrip- ture; but a Syrian king who is called Rehob, 2 Sam. viii. 3. is by Jofephus named A^«o? or Aja^o?, which probably was his proper and real name ; that of Rehob, or the Charioteer, having been added characteriftically on ac- count of the number of his chariots. 2 Sam. viii. 4. This prince reigned over that part of Syria which was called Zobah ; fo that if by the land of Hadrach or Arach be meant the kingdom of Zobah, the three capital king- doms of Syria, Zobah, Damafcus, and Hamath, will then be cited for the whole. Ibid — the reding place thereof] So IJiTOQ is rendered by Bifhop Lowth very properly Ifai. xi. 10. where the root of JefTe is fpoken of, that mould ftand or be fet up for a ftandard for the Gentiles to repair to, and " its refting place" WTOD, the place whereon this ftandard mould reft, or be fixed (lee the 33 NO T E S ON CHAP. IX. the verb ch. v. n.) mould be glorious. Accordingly the land of Hadrach and Damafcus is here faid to be the place on which the burden or calamity- was to reft or fettle ; that is, the land would ftill continue to be vifited with the like calamities as it had before undergone, firft under Tiglath-pilefer, as prophcfied by Ifaiah, ch. xvii. and Amos i. 3 — 5. and again under Nebu- chadnezzar, Jer xlix. 23. Nor has the fubfequent fate of this country as yet contradicted the prediction of Zechariah. It has undergone many revolu- tions, but none of them favourable. Ibid. When toward Jehovah ft) all be the eyes of men] OIN f$ TVfiVb D — I cannot conceive how thefe words can be made out to fignify " the eyes of Jehovah over man," as reprefented by Houbigant, and the ancient ver- fions. The order of the words in the Hebrew leads directly to our prefent Englifli tranflation, " when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Ifrael, mall be toward Jehovah." And this plainly implies that a time would come, when men, and the tribes of Ifrael in particular, mould turn their eyes toward Jehovah, and look up to him, either in hopes of deriving fome bleffing from him, or in gratitude for mercies received from him. But the fcope of the prophecy goes to mew, that even at that time thofe devoted nations had no chance of emerging ; the burden would ftill reft or fettle upon them. 2. Hamath] Hamath was the capital of one part of Syria, and formed fome time an independent kingdom. It was fituate on the northern frontier of the land of Ifrael. Ibid. — Hi all be bordered by the enemy] That is, the enemy mail come and poffefs himfelf of her coafts or borders. This fenfe, which correfponds with what is faid of the two other Syrian kingdoms, on which the burden or calamity, meaning no doubt a foreign invafion, fhould reft, is produced by fimply reading isrn for is rO» ")2Jn is ufed for a foreign invader, ch. vjii. 10. and the propofed combination will be found to obviate many difficulties, which follow the prefent reading of the text. It is eafy to fee how is came to be detached, and confidered as meant for Tyre ; Tyre and Sidon being frequently named together in Scripture. But Sidon is referred to fingly in the following context ; as will appear from the tranflation. Ibid. And Sidon] Sidon was the capital of Phoenicia, and mother of Tyre. For Juftin informs us, lib. xviii. c. 3. that the Sidonians, when their city was taken by the king of Afcalon, betook themfelves to their fhips, chap. ix. ZECHARIAH. 39 fhips, and built Tyre. Hence Tyre is called the daughter of Sidon, Ifai. xxiii. \%. TheSidonians were famous all over the world for their knowledge and fkill in arts and fciences, and for their great riches acquired by their traffick. 4. Jehovah] Twenty MSS. read mrP for *r»». See Archbiftiop Newcome on Amos v. 16. Ibid — will fmite in the fea her wealth] The Sidonians (according to Diodorus Siculus, lib. xvi. p. 116. Ed. Weffeling.) on the approach of the army fent againft them by Ochus king of Perfia, firft of all deftroyed their fhipping at fea ; and then retiring within the walls of their city, when they found they could hold out no longer, they fet fire to their houfes, and burnt themfelves with all their families and effects together. Thus their wealth was effectually fmitten, when by burning their ihips their commerce, the fource of their riches, was annihilated ; and their laft act of defperation com- pletely fulfilled the remaining part of the prophecy. No wonder if their neighbours the Philiftines were ftruck with confirmation at feeing the dif- aftrous fate of thofe on whofe afiiftance they depended. 5. — a king fhall perifh from Gaza] By the title of king any chief ruler may be defigned ; fo that the plain purport of the paffage is, that Gaza fhould ceafe to enjoy the benefit of civil government. Accordingly Gaza, having iuffered feverely upon being taken by Alexander the Great, was at length totally ruined and deftroyed by Alexander Jannzeus, one of the Afrnonean kings of Judea ; Jof. Ant. Jud. 1. xiii. c. 13. Ed. Havercamp. So that we find it fpoken of Acts viii. 26. by the name of " Gaza, which is defert." Ibid. Afhkelon fhall not be eftabliflied] Literally, " fhall not fit." See note on ch vii. 7. Afhkelon and the other cities of the Philiftines having been fubjugated by Nebuchadnezzar, as foretold by Jeremiah ch. xlvii. never recovered their former independency, but falling under the dominion of the great empires in fucceffion, were almofl coatinually involved in their wars, and fuffered confiderably, till by degrees they dwindled away, and at laft funk to nothing. Zephaniah's prophecy, ch. ii. 4 — 7. extends to this. 6. — a ftranger] — This word in our Englifh bibles is tranflated D (that is ywn) this word differs very little from the duels of the letters in yw." In confirmation of this conjecture it may be added, that the words yarn) pHS thus occur toge- ther, and are applied to the character of God, Ifai. xlv. 21. where all the ancient verfions render exactly as they do here, except that O' have m — Such is the reading of twenty-four MSS. and one more at firft and of one Edition ; which being formed from chap. x. ZECHARIAH. 49 2W will fignify, " And I will fettle them," or " caufe them to fit," that is, to dwell quietly and fecurely. See the note on ch. vii. 7. O' favours this read- ing, xxi xktcihio) aura?. But if we read OMTQtym, from 2W> " And I will bring them back the fenfe would likewife be unexceptionable. 7. And Ephraim fhall be] w Two MSS. and one Ed. read rvm. But Ephraim, as a nolin of multitude, may be ufed plurally." Archbifhop Newcome. Ibid. And they (hall fee their children] So the words may be rendered, and, I think, more fuitably to the context. " They fhall fee their children and rejoice ; their heart fhall exult in Jehovah," who hath beftowed that ble fling upon them. See Pf. cxxviii. 6. and cxxvii. 3, 4, 5. 8. — whiftle] It is very certain that pittf has a very different fenfe, both here, and Ifai. v. 26. vii. 18. from what it has in feveral other places, where it is rightly tranflated to hifs ; which is an inarticulate found expreflive of contempt or reproach. But no fuch idea is implied here, or in the two above cited paflages. The found here intended is one that may be heard at a considerable diflance (which hijfing cannot), and is commonly ufed for a fummoning fignal or call. See Bifhop Lowth's note on Ifai. v. 16. Hifs therefore is not the proper term ; but neither is hift, which the Bifhop has adopted in its ftead ; for hift, according to Johnfon's Dictionary, is an ex- clamation commanding filence. But to whiftle is to utter a fhrill found, in common ufe with fportfmen and others who breed tame animals, as dogs, birds, &c. and bring them from afar off by fuch a call. Nor does whiftle feem a more degrading term than hifs or hift. Ibid. — for I have fown them] QlTttNl. This word may be joined with the preceding, as afligning a fuflicient reafon for the increafe of their num- bers ; and it is not wanting to complete either the fenfe or metre of the verfe that follows. 9. — fhall fave their children alive] ami J")N Y7T) — Thefe words are of very ambiguous conftrucYion, and may either be rendered as above, which is done by O' Syr. Ar. or, according to Vulg. and our common Englifh ver- fion, ba together with ; and one MS. at prefent fubftitutes >bx for Ibid. Feed thou the flock] It has been obferved in the account given of Zechariah in the preface, that he was not only of a prieftly family, but one of the chief-priefts, fuppofing him to be, as it is moll likely he was, the perfon mentioned Neh. xii. 16. It belonged therefore to his ftation and office to take upon himfelf the guidance and inftrudion of the people. For, as his cotemporary Malachi obferves, ch. ii. 7. " The priefts lips mould keep chap. xi. ZECHARIAH, 53 keep knowledge, and they fhould feek the law at his mouth." Compare Deut. xxxiii. 10. Jer. xviii. 18. &c. &c. The people are denominated " the flock of flaughter," becaufe they were devoted to ruin by following the mifchievous counfels of their falfe teachers. 5. — thofe that buy them] pop and pnDD are reciprocal terms, the former denoting thofe, into whofe hands the latter fell or deliver up the flock. By the former the Romans may be understood ; who having bought, or by right of conqueft acquired a legal title of property in, or dominion over the Jewifh nation, were juftified in refpect of the flaughter that was made of them on their rebellion and revolt ; the blame wholly refting* with their wicked leaders, who, to gratify their own avarice and ambition, cared not for the mifchiefs which they brought on their wretched people, whom they inftigated to thofe violences and exceflfes, which terminated in their ruin. Ibid.— flay] " Twenty-five MSS. and two Ed. read pnrv." Archbi- Ihop Newcome. Ibid. — fay] and afterwards ^iDir, are Angular verbs, distributing the plural nominatives pnDD and ]7V}n ; for fo fhould we read in order to be confident, in^n inftead of o»T2n, together with feven MSS. and four Ed. collated by Kennicott, and nine more by De Rofli. Ibid. — Blefled be Jehovah, becaufe I am enriched] That is, they hypo- critically and impioufly pretend to return God thanks for having put it in their power to acquire riches by fuch ungodly means. 6. For I will no longer fpare] This verfe affigns the reafon for calling the people " the flock of flaughter." Nor can words more aptly defcribe the calamities, which befel the Jews in the war which ended in the taking of Jerufalem by the Romans ; when the people, having firft by their interline broils deftroyed one another, as is fet forth at large by Jofephus, at length fell into the hand of him, whom they had owned for their fovereign (" We have no king but Cefar," John xix. 1 5) and who completely defolated the land for their rebellion againft him. 7. — among thofe who trafficked] For »ty )zb I would read O^OD 1 ? in one word. It is evident, that O' read the fyllables fo combined, which they render «? mu Xamuvinv ; and again ver. 11. "tym is rendered ol Xxvxvmiot. The fecond 1 feems redundant, and was perhaps interpolated from a fup- pofed exigency, when the word was fplit into two-, fee ch. xiv. 11. By thefe " traffickers with the flock," (before fpoken of v. 5.) are un- doubtedly prefigured the hypocritical Scribes and Pharifees, who in our Saviour's 54 NOTES ON chap. xr. Saviour's time took upon them to be guides and inftru&ors of the people, but who had their own private emolument more in view than the public good. Ev Trteov£%nx \>poc<; ipTTo^vvovrou are the terms which St. Peter applies to men of this ftamp ; 2 Pet. ii. 3. And among or in prefence of fuch fclf-interefted teachers, jNurr ^V^b, our Saviour entered upon his benevo- lent miniftry. Ibid. I took unto me two crooks] Thefe were the proper accoutrements of a fhepherd (explained in Mr. Lowth's note on this place) ; and thefe the prophet affumed as a badge of his office ; and gave them fignificant names, which are explained ver. 10, 14. 8. And I fet afide the authority of the fhepherds] " And I cut off three fhepherds," is the tranflation of our Englifh Bible, and indeed is conforma- ble to moft of the ancient verfions. But it is incumbered with infuperable difficulties. It is questionable, whether fcj yift Jwb"D could be rendered properly " three fhepherds," at leaft without prefixing the definite article the ; and if it could, who the three fhepherds were, and how cut off. Arch- bifhop Seeker propofes to confider nthv as if it were the fame as /Vtt^tP, a third part ; but even fo it would be difficult to account, how or by what au- thority Zechariah cut off a third part of the fhepherds. The tranflation I have given refts on a fuppofition, that rwbv has no relation, or at leaft but a very diflant one, to the numeral 26$, but is to be derived from wbiD> a captain, one poflefied of a degree of power and authority over others ; and has the abftract fignification of power or authority. TD primarily fignifies to hide or conceal; and therefore may aptly be ufed for withdrawing or fetting afide what a perfon was feen before to pofiefs. Let us now fee what happened to him, of whom Zechariah is evidently fet forth as the type. Our Saviour's teaching was in a ftyle fo far fuperior to that of the profeffed guides of the people in his days, that flung with jealoufy they exclaimed, " Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing ? xhv ucpix^-ri, ye have loft all your wonted in- fluence ; " behold the world is gone after him." John xii. 19. Even fo, it may be prefumed, the purity and difintereftednefs of Zechariah's inftruc- tions may have gained fo far upon the minds of the people, as to deprive the corrupt and felfifh teachers of that afcendancy, which they once pof- feffed. Ibid. — my foul was diffatisfied] See the fame phrafe Num. xxi. 4. Judg. x. 16. xvi. 16. Ibid. — their foul alfo was difgufted with me] n^ro occurs in the He- brew chap. xi. ZECHARIAH. 55 brew only in this place ; and all that can be collected from the ancient ver- fions is, that they feem not to have underftood the true force of the term. In Syr. it is faid to have the fenfe of fajlidivit; but Michaelis queftions the authority. Suppl. ad L. H. No. 222. The interpretation however is right perhaps, though we mult feek farther for the ground of it. In Arabic ^s^i fignifks parciiSy tenax, avarns fuit, talemque fe pr which would come to the fame, vir- tually at lead correfponds with x«3-« crwirx^e juoi Kv^<&. The Heb. text thus corrected would run thus, TiVn JV3 bit miT «D Via T^tMO. No emendation, into which conjecture is at all admitted, can be lefs liable to exception than this. 14. — my fecond crook, Bands] The defign of the Prophet's commiflion was to endeavour to bring about a reformation of manners, upon which would depend the continuance of the brotherhood or political union be- tween Judah and Ifrael. The fecond crook was therefore called Bands. But when the commiflion ended without producing its effect, the breaking of the crook prefigured the diflblution of that brotherhood. What that brotherhood was, is well explained by Mr. Lowth, who fays, that " upon the deftruction of Jerufalem, which- was the bond and cement of all their tribes, being the feat and center both of their civil power, and of the di- vine worfhip, (Pf. cxxxii. 3, 4, 5.) the confequence was the entire diflblu- tion of the nation, and the difperfion and confufion of all their tribes, whofe families could no longer be diftinguifhed after the lofs of their genealogies." 15. Take unto thee the inftruments, &c] The Prophet, having hitherto reprefented the good fhepherd, is now directed to affume the drefs and equipage of one of a contrary character. For fyn there is no doubt we flbould read b^N. About fixty or feventy MSS. and four capital Editions read tylH, where the » is probably paragogic. b^H fignifles foolijh, but in Scripture language foolijh and wicked are fynonymous, for wickednefs is folly in the extreme. From probably comes our Englifli word evil, in found nearly the fame. 16. I chap. xi. ZECHARIAH. 59 1 6. I will raife up a fhepherd] There is no occafion to fearch for an in- dividual, to whom this may be applied. It may as well regard a number of perfons, who, either conjointly or in fucceffion, would mifufe the powers in- trufted to them. Ibid. — that which is miffing] See rnn^n v. 9. Five MSS. and one Ed, read the fame here, conformably with O', which render in the fingular num- ber, inftead of JTnrDJn, which is plural. The fubftantive to be underftood is with which, being a noun of multitude, either the fingular or plural would agree. Ibid. — that which crieth] One MS. reads m^rr, which, as ail the other terms are feminine, is probably right. All the ancient verfions feem to agree in giving it the fenfe of " that which ftrayeth ;" on what ground, except that of a fuppofed exigentia loci, does not appear. Archbifhop Seeker con- jectures rrjttn, as from yn, vagari. But mwn I conceive to be capable of a fenfe beyond exception ; for in Arabic ^ fignifies Jonum bombumve emifit per nares ; and and clamojus, altum Jonum edens> mugitus, boatus. The lame word is ufed in Syr. and Chal. for rudit, rugiit> to bray like an afs, and to roar like a lion j and the Hebrew, r\Via m.'D Jer. li. 38. is rendered " they fhall yell like lions whelps." So that feems univerfally to exprefs the inarticulate found of animals, particularly when in diftrefs. And why not the mournful cry or bleating of a fheep, that has loft its way, and is parted from the flock ? Perhaps lyz is elegantly ufed in this very fenfe, Ifai. xxxiii. 9. where by baim \W2 ~S$1 may be underftood, " Bafhan and Carmel bleat j" that is, refound with the bleating of the flocks that feed there. my2i7 then may here be underftood of a ftrayed fheep that crieth or bleateth ; but though the fhepherd heareth its voice, he will not be at the trouble to feek it and brins; it home. Ibid. — that which is recovering] mittn, " made to ftand," or fet up again after ficknefs. Such, it is well known, require much care to nourifh and fupport them, in order to regain their ftrength •, a care which the foolifli fhepherd will not beftow upon them. Ibid. — the flefh of the fat one will he eat] Compare Ezek. xxxiv. 3. Ibid. — break their hoofs] This implies the fame as when it is faid Ezek. xxxiv. 4. of fuch fhepherds, " with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them." The unwife fhepherd, inftead of being tender and gentle with his flock, is fuppofed to drag them about with his iron crook, or to overdrive them in rough and ftony ground, fb as to break their hoofs. ij. — the worthlefs fhepherd] For "^n one MS. of Kennicott's collation, I 2 and 6o NOTESON CHAP. XI. and perhaps three others originally, together with fome of De Rofli, read run, and Syr. Vulg. Chald. alfo render in the Angular, as the context feems to require. The true reading is y?N run, xq rxSun; £7n to uvxloKixov 0^0? frivxi, us rxs T£ 7rx^xSis; iy.tpgxyrivxiy y.x\. t«j 7rxgxSiHTz; Ta? |3«T»Ai>ta?. " Before the city, at a place called E^uyn [or, chap. xiv. ZECHARIAH. 71 [or, the Cleft'] one half of the mountain on the weftern fide was broken off, and having rolled four furlongs towards the eaftern mountain flopped, fo that the roads were choked up, and the king's gardens." — What then can be more appofite than to render, " And the valley of the mountains fhall be choked up, as it was choked up by the earthquake in the days of Uz- ziah" ? The valley of the mountains was probably that valley which lay between the hills on which Jerufalem was built •, one of which was to the fouth, the other to the north ; of courfe the valley extended itfelf eaft and weft ; and the eaftern entrance of it, being oppofite to the mount of Olives, would be filled or choked up by the loofe earth and rubbifh rolling and tumbling into it, as the mountain parted to the north and fouth, not far from it. And this feems to be exprefTed by the words, DHil W O bxa bit, which feem to come in by way of parenthefis. For b'M is not a proper name-, as it has generally been taken to be, but is a prepofition or adverb fignifying hard by, near at hand ; and is confidered by Vulg. as ufed for a noun governed by bit, and tranflated, ujque ad proximum. — There is no doubt but we mould read nnn (not nn) in the firft inftance as well as the fecond. See Archbifhop Newcome's note. Ibid. — the God of all holy ones, with thee] 7'his is a literal tranflation of the Hebrew text, as it ftands at prefent, and affords a fenfe beyond excep- tion or improvement. The fame Jehovah, of whom it is faid ver. 3. that he would go forth and fight againft the unfanctified nations, he as the God, the patron and protector of all holy ones, all true believers, it is here faid, will march with thee, O Jerufalem, as thine ally and auxiliary. So the prepofition DJ? properly imports. The addrefs is here to Jerufalem in the fecond perfon, as it evidently is alfo, v. 1. 6. — but cold and thick darknefsj All the ancient verfions appear uni- formly to have read ]lN3pl jyrp). The latter word paspi is further juftified by the concurrence of very many MSS". and Editions together with the Keri. And the context in conjunction with the verfions bears teftimony in favour of j-mpl. Nothing is more common than to find darknefs introduced among the adjuncts of God's coming to execute judgment or wrath. See Pf. xviii. 11. Ifai. xiii. 10. Ezek. xxxii. 7, 8. Joel ii. 31. iii. 15. Amos viii. 9. Matt, xxiv. 29. and many other places. But particularly it is faid Ezek. xxxii. 7. M I will cover the fun with a cloud j" which exactly anfwers to yiNDp, " a thick NOTES ON chap. xiv. " a thick fog," neceflarily occafioning both cold and darknefs by inter- cepting the genial warmth and light of the fun's rays. 6. — there fhall be one day — neither day nor night] That is, for one whole day from morning until evening the fun fhall be darkened, and the moon and liars fhall not give their light, therefore it will with refpect to light be " neither day nor night but, it is added, " at eventide there fhall be light," the thick fog pasp being then withdrawn. Ibid. Known unto Jehovah is it] This fentence feems to have been in- ferted by way of prokpfis, to the following effect : — Such a phenomenon, though it may appear extraordinary, is however worthy of belief, becaufe revealed by God, to whom both the matter and the time is known. So it is faid, Acts xv. 18. " Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world." 8. — living waters] By " living waters" there is good reafon to believe are meant the gifts and graces of the gofpel difpenfation. See Ifai. xii. 3. xliv. 3. lv. 1. Jer. ii. 13. Ezek. xlvii. 1, &c. Joel iii. 18. John iv. 10. vii. 38, 39. That thefe benefits will be diffufed more extenfively by the refto- ration of the Jews, is not obfcurely intimated, Rom. xi. 15. Ibid. — the eaftern fea] It is probable that the eaftern quarter of the hea- vens may have been called '•JlDlpn, becaufe the fun vifits it firfi every day ; if fo, the weftern would be denominated ynnNn for a contrary reafon. Ibid. — in fummer and in winter] That is, they fhall never ceafe to flow ; alluding to the ufual failure of fprings in the fummer feafon in thofe warm climates, but which in this cafe would at no time be experienced. 9. — fhall Jehovah be one] He fhall be one and the fame God alike to all the earth, and not confined as heretofore to one people. " Is he the God of the Jews only ? Is he not aifo of the Gentiles ? Yes, of the Gen- tiles alfo; ETraJW^ EI2 O ©EOS. For God is one" and the fame to all. Rom. iii. 29, 30. In the fame fenfe it is faid, Rom. x. 12. 'O xv\<^ x^i©* TToaluiv. " For he is the fame Lord of all." And again, Eph. iv. 5, 6. " One Lord, one faith, one baptifm, one God and father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." 10. And his name one] By the name of Jehovah I conceive to be meant the profeflion of his true religion, which, it is here foretold, fhould com- pafs or pervade the whole earth, as it had done the country of Judea included chap. xiv. Z E C H A R I A H. 73 included within the plain extending from Geba north to Rimmon fouth of Jerufalem. For in keeping along the plain or level country from one of thefe places to the other, whether by eaft or by weft, it will be neceffary to take a large compafs, becaufe of the mountains that interfect each coun- try ; fo that on the weft fide you muft find a narrow pafiage between the mountains to the Mediterranean fea, and along the fea-coaft by Gaza to Rimmon, or Eremmon, as it is fometimes called ; and on the eaftern fide muft pafs by Alexandrium to Aulon, or the campus magnus, to the lake Afphaltites, and along the fide of that lake round by the chain of moun- tains which reach near to Acrabatene, and fo on to the fame city Rimmon. See D'Anville's ancient Map of Paleftine. The univerfal propagation of God's name or religion is predicted, as in other places of Scripture, fo*par- ticularly Ifai. lix. 19. Mai. i. 11. Ibid. And fhe ftiall be raifed up] That is, Jerufalem, which is here, as elfewhere, reprefented as a female figure, raifed from the ground, and fit- ting tranquil on her ancient feat. See note on ch. xii. 6. Ibid. From the gate of Benjamin, &c] Thefe points are given, no doubt, to fignify that Jerufalem fhall again occupy as much fpace as ever it did in its molt flourilhing times. The fame intention appears Jer. xxxi. 38 — 40. Both thefe places may derive fome illuftration from compar- ing them together, and at the fame time infpecting the plan of Jerufalem in the Ancient Univerfal Hiftory, Vol. i. B. 1. which feems to have been laid down pretty accurately according to the circuit of the walls made by the two companies, Neh. xii. 31 — 40. and the information collected from other parts of fcripture. The defcription by Jeremiah begins with ftating " from the tower of Hanameel unto the gate of the corner." This gate in the plan is placed in the center of the north wall, and to the eaft of it ftands the tower of Hana- meel, near the point where the valley divided Acra from the mountain of the temple, and raoft probably on the fpot where afterwards ftood what was called the Hippie tower, it being by the Chaldee Paraphraft here rendered Dps blX2 " the tower Piccus." Now according to the plan, the wall, we fee, proceeds in a ftraight line from the corner gate to the gate of Ephraim. But that it did not always fo, may be inferred from what follows, Jer. xxxi. 39. " And the meafuring line fhall once more,!"))?, go forth ftraight forward over, or beyond the hill Gareb, and fhall compafs Goath, or Goatha." For in the plan we fee that the line does not go raj, ftraight before it, but I. makes 74 NOTESON chap. xiv. makes a confiderable angle, (whence probably the gate, before by fuppofition called "the old gate," acquired the name of" the gate of the corner") and, inftead of including Gareb and Goatha, fhuts both quite out of the city ; whereas had it gone ftraight on, it might have taken both in. It fhould feem therefore that the line did once go ftraight on and include thofe hills; but that afterwards, when Joafh king of Ifrael had broken down the wall of Jerufalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, (as we find he did, 2 Kings xiv. 13. 2 Chron. xxv. 23.) the gap was filled up by a fhorter line of wall excluding a confiderable part of the city; which however was meant to be again reftored in better times. Nor is any thing elfe defigned by thefe words of Zechariah, .»x«, certain caves or hollows, to which from a refemblance in figure the name of Vats or Wine-tubs was given, with the addition of p^o-iAtxa, "the king's," becaufe of their fize, as being too vaft for common ufe. Jufl as it is ufual with us to attribute to a Giant what exceeds greatly the ordinary meafure, as the Giant's Caufeway, the Giant's Den, &c. &c. The fituation of thefe ca- verns is in fome meafure afcertaincd by their being in the line of the third wall, built by Agrippa round a part of the city, which, having run out beyond the old wall, lay naked and defencelefs ; and that outer wall is de- scribed as beginning at the Hippie tower, and after ftretching out due north at chap. xiv. ZECHARIAH. 75 at firft, making a turn by thofe caverns round the eaft corner, till it joined the old wall at the valley of Cedron. T " near" or "next unto™ ;" and if io, the noun may fairly be fuppofed to denote one " near" or " next to" ano- ther. Accordingly it is commonly rendered in the Greek h . " They fhall look upon him [not " me "] whom they pierced." Nor do I think that Dr. E. himfelf would in another cafe be greatly fatisfied with one that fhould tell him, where the Evangelift had pofitively declared the Scripture to have faid, " They fhall look on him whom they pierced," that the Evangelifts and Fathers often cite the general fenfe of a paffage without attending to the perfon of whom it is fpoken, when their argument depends not upon fuch attention s ." But here, if ever, the argument does depend upon fuch attention. Add to this the very ftrong fupport, which the context itfelf derives to the ufe of the third perfon at leaf! in this place, and not the firft. For who could fuppofe it polTible to write with fuch manifeft incon- gruity, as to connect the fentence, " And they fhall look on me whom they pierced," with the two that immediately follow, " And they fhall mourn for him as mourning for an only fon, And they fhall grieve for him, as grieving for a firft born ?" I much queftion now after what has been offered, whether it will appear altogether fo clear to the fatisfaction of an unprejudiced mind, that M no four paffages in any one of the infpired books can more immediately fupport each other, or more fully evince a plurality of Pcrfons in the Godhead, than thofe which Dr. E. hath brought forward to view V Yet is not the doctrine lefs true, nor lefs certain on that account. It is a doctrine that muft ultimately depend on the revelation of the New Teftament, and by Gofpel proofs muft either ftand or fall. And I am well affured that it will ftand, built firm upon the foundation of a rock, which the affaults of infidelity fhall never be able to fhake. But neither is it my intention to infinuate, that no intimations of it are to be met with in the Old Teftament; on the contrary I believe there are feveral. This only 1 will venture to affert with fome degree of confi- dence, that the four paffages above cited are not of the number ; no, nor is that other text in Jeremiah, ch. xxiii. 6. on account of which I have here- tofore been publickly reprehended by Dr. E. u It were however greatly to be wifhed, that men of learning and piety would manifeft a little liberality in the conftruction they put upon the intentions of others, who chance to differ in opinion from them. I can take upon me to anfwer, not for myfelf only, but, • Serm. p. 20, 21. 1 Serm. p. 24. * In an Appendix to two Sermons on 1 Pet. iii. 15. from 84 APPENDIX. from a long train of intimacy, for the excellent author of the new tranflation of the Minor Prophets, that we neither of us ever had it in our thoughts to ex- plain away any part of holy writ x , or to make any conceffions whatever*, merely in compliment to the tenets of any other fe£t or pei fon. I always feel myfelf, whenever I undertake the interpretation of Scripture, uninfluenced by any other principle, and I fhould abhor myfelf if I fuffered any other to pre- vail with me, than that of giving utterance to the pure and fimple percep- tions of truth. I may err, and doubtlefs often have erred, but, I truft, not from any undue bias. But neither is it in accord with my judgment to infift, in any point of material confequence, on indirect and doubtful proofs, where more direct and fubftantial ones are to be had. And in this I am confirm- ed by the practice of thofe profeffional Gentlemen, whofe daily experience belt qualifies them to appreciate the force of evidence. Their maxim is, that the intermixture of feeble reafoning difparages a good caufe, by leav- ing it in the adverfary's power to triumph in a partial confutation. Satif- fied however as I may be, either now or at any other time, of the rectitude of my opinions, I fhall never decline hearing reafon in oppofition to them ; and if conviction is brought home to me, I mail mod freely and thankfully acknowledge it ; for to adopt the fentiment of my ingenuous friend in a Let- ter I have received from him on this occafion ; '« It is not fo much my wifh to find my own interpretations true, as that fuch interpretations may be found, in which men of found learning and judgment may acquiefce." If then Dr. E. is not fully fatisfied with any thing I have faid, I am ready to enter into a further difcuffion of the matter with him, either in public or private. If he can convince me, I will thank him ; if he cannot, he will at leaft know the reafons of my diffent. And I truft this may be done with all that good humour and complacency, with which a diverfity of opinion ought ever to be maintained between Christians and between Friends. Only let it be permitted me to fuggeft as matter of prudence, that it would perhaps be better, if the Pulpit were not made the vehi- cle of controverfy. * Serm. p. 28. C *8i ] The Public were already fo fully in poffeflion of all that regarded the matter in controverfy between Dr. Eveleigh and myfelf, that I do not con- ceive that either his recent publication, or any obfervations I may have to make upon it, can tend to increafe their information, or alter their judg- ment. But as I have promifed a to enter into a further difcuffion with him, in cafe he was not fatisfied, I (hall proceed to confider briefly his objections to my ftatement of the four Texts or Paffages, on which his hypothefis is founded. With regard to the firft, he thinks that I am not corredt b in dating the Perfon who fpeaks the words which the Prophet records himfelf to have, heard ch. ii. v. 3. to the end, and which it is evident he rauft have received immediately from the mouth of the angel, who was directed to convey the mefiage to him. But even granting what Dr. E. feems to contend for, thac the other angel was the prime and original, though not the immediate, fpeaker ; yet as according to Dr. E's. own confefllon c , we have no fufficienc information to afcertain who that perfon was, I do not fee how it can be drawn into a proof, either that he was himfelf the Son of God, or that he directed the angel who talked with the prophet to deliver the whole of his mefiage in the words of the Lord of hofts, as Jent by the Father d . How far my distribution of the text as fpoken by the angel partly in his own words, and partly in the words of the Lord of hofts, is natural, and lanctioned by the genius, turn, and ufage of the original language ; as Dr. E. has interpofed nothing but his own judgment to the contrary % I fhall fub- mit, as before, to the determination of every fenfible and difpafiionate reader ; who will alfo decide what degree of credit is due to the inference I have attempted to draw from Heb. i. 1, 2. — But if I have ventured to alter the points in ^r6ttf, and to afiign to the particles 'O and 1 significations fomewhat different from what has been done by thofe who have interpreted thele paffages before me f , though not different from what are commonly * Append, p. 84. d Anfwer, p. 35. b Anfwer, p. 32. e Anfwer, p. 36, c Anfwer, p. 33, f Ibid. allowed [ *8 2 ] allowed them in other places, I truft I need make no apology for a liberty, which, abfolutely and in itfelf, no found Hebrew Critic will be inclined to difallow. With regard to the fecond paffage, Zech. iii. 2. as nothing new is offered in fupport of the two fuppofitions, which I have confidered as improbable, but which Dr. E. is (till difpofed, though without giving any other reafon, to abide by & ; it were needlefs and foreign to my prefent plan to endeavour to ftrengthen what I have faid by any additional argument. It is objected, that " little or nothing is faid in my Appendix concerning the third paffage by way of reply to the authorities, upon which a meaning is afllgned to the noun VTDy different from what belongs to the prepofition TViyb h . Dr. E. furely cannot but remember, that I have conftantly difa- vowed all regard to mere authorities, unattended by more fubftantial proofs. But does he, or can any other fenfible man believe, that much ftrefs is to be laid on the fanciful derivations frequently obtruded upon us from the Ara- bic, and particularly that one of TWty by Schultens j than which nothing can be more ftrange and unnatural, unlefs it be the deduction drawn from it by Simonis in his Lexicon 1 ? But whatever may be the etymology of jTDy, that of nnyb is obvioufly the fame •, and as the latter is allowed to fignify " near" or " next unto," fo the former is conftantly rendered " a neigh- bour," " one that is near or next to another," except in this fingle inftance ; where fome pious and learned men, prepofieffed with a notion that the Re- deemer muft have been intended, have {trained hard to give to the word a fenfe peculiarly appropriate to his perfon and character k . But whatever cenfure it may draw upon me, I muft again repeat it to be my firm perfua- fion, that no allufion whatever is here made to the perfon and fufferings of the MefTiah, becaufe the plain and obvious fenfe of the context, as I truft I have fufficiently fhewn in my Notes 1 , runs in a quite different direction. As for the caufal particle " For," it ferves equally for the purpofe to which I have afllgned it, as for that contended for by Dr. E. m And I believe Dr. E. will find it no eafy tafk to prove, that all the citations in the New Tefta- ment from the Old, are ftrictly prophetical of the action or event to which they are applied. 8 Anfwer, p. 37. h Ibid. 1 Dr. E's Sermon, p. 16. k See the authorities cited in Dr. E's Sermon, p. 1 7. 1 Notes on Zechariah, p. 67, 68. m Anfwer, p. 38. I am C *83 ] I am now come to the laft paflage, and to confider the oppofkion Dr. E. makes to the rendering of *npi HtfN rut bn, " towards him whom they pierced." But here I fhall need to fay little, fince Dr. E. himfelf allows n , that bit is fometimes, though feldom, ufed as a fimple prepofition '; and fince he has not objected to its being followed by another prepofition dn*, which I had taken care in my note to juftify from the imputation of fole- cifm by producing fimilar examples. In fhort, and bit will be found to ftand exactly on the fame footing as by and by though why the paragogic i is ufed fometimes, and not always, (with the affixes it is always) it may not be eafy in the prefent ftate of the language to afcertain ; perhaps it may be in fome inftances to harmonife the founds, in others to affift the metre in poetical compofitions. But allowing that bit is fometimes thus ufed, it then appears to me matter of fmall account, that Zechariah has never introduced it as a fimple prepofition but this once ° ; or that the LXX. before the intro- duction of the points, and the points themfelves afterwards, demonftrate, that from the beginning the Jews were convinced it ought in this place to be rendered " to me p." All this weighs nothing in oppofition to the in- difputable authority of the Evangelift, and to the concurring teflimony of the two fucceeding fentences, where yby twice points out the felf-fame per- fon as im JIN bit q . I have now gone through all the objections of Dr. E. which appear rele- vant to the matter in queftion. And as he has declared his intention never more to refume the fubject r , I fhall alfo willingly lay down my pen, and hope I fhall have no further occafion to ufe it in my own juftification. * Anfwer, p. 40. 0 Anfwer, p. 41. p Ibid. 1 Append, p. 82, 83. r Anfwer, p. 31. B.B. Ch. Ch. March 27. 1797. [ 8 S J TEXTS REFERRED TO AND OCCASIONALLY ILLUSTRATED. Genesis. Page Joshua. Page 2 Kings. Page Hi. 6 63 iv. 5, 20 46 i. 8 66 v. 24 82 vii. 75 ix. 25 37 ix. 19 6 viii. 1 1 48 xiv. 1 3 74 xi. 2 23 xviii. 23 66 xv. 13, 14 44 Judges. xix. 35 80 xviii. 14 33 v. 19 76 xxiii. 29 64 xxviii. 18 46 vii. 22 /6 xxv. 8, 10, 25, 26 30 x. 16 54 Exodus. xv. 4. 62 2 Chronicles. x. 14 2 5 xvi. 16. 54 xx. 23 76 xii. 2 1 XX. 2 48 xxiii. 14 64 xii. 3, 2 1 17 xx. 16, 18, 31 30 xxv. 23 74 xiii. 21 45 xxxv. 22—24 64 xxi. 3Z 56 Ruth. xxiv. 28 44 ii. 17 58 Ezra. xxx. 18 62 iv. 1 34 1 Samuel. v. 1 xi Leviticus. »5 48 vi. 14 xi iv. 5, 6, 7 46 vii. 10 vii. 1 , 5 2 vi. 2 82 xiv. 12 42 ix. 8 48 vi. 10, 1 1 >3 xiv. 20 76 xiv. 38 48 Nehemiah. Nu MBERS, xv. 27 35 iii, &c. 8 i. 16, &c. 4' xvii. 16, 40 48 xii. 4 xi xix. 9, 17 6S xxi. 4 16 xii. 16 5 2 xx. 5 3' 2 Samuel. xii. 31 — 40 73 xxi. 4 54 xxi. 5 3' v :.7 44 Est her. xxiii. 24 46 viii. 4 37 ix. 31 3» xxv. 1 1 3 2 x. 13 48 xxvii. 20 27 xxiv. 16 80 Job. Deuteronomy. xiii. 4 r,o 1 Kings. xxxix. 19 — 25 47 xxiii. 2 40 vi. 1 7 33 xxviii. 68 23 xviii 28 66 Psalms. *xxiii. 10 53 xxv. 14, 1 5 :8 viii. 6 * M xviii. 16 INDEX OF TEXTS. P S A I- MS* Page Isaiah* Page Y* t 0 tp » n t Page x villi 4 45 AAX1U. U 59 x vi. 6 44 win " ifi 70 v 1 i 1 Si Ail* lO •5 xxiv. 1 3 2 5 ,W ill. 11 7 1 xlii. 1 1 9 XXIV. 21 41 XIX* 10 20 xliv, 3 7 2 xxiv. 24* 27 H X X l ■ £ 27 X I V • 2 1 42 Willi r* AAVlJ. C 5 1 \vn. 27 7/ li. 21 61 xxxii. 7 r lAlA. O 39 ini* 4 3 1 A A All. y, O 7 l Ix.vii. 3 43 lv. I 7 Z V VY H7 T A A Al V • { 59 1 xxu 1 1 77 1 \t 1 1 1 A *7 i V 111 . U) / 3 1 vv V1V 4 AAA1V. A. 59 ] WVI1 IT 1 A A V 11 , I V 45 llX* 1 y 73 AAA VII. L \ °5 1 VYVll ft i A A A 1 1 « O 6 j i A I * 1 2 O Y Y Y 17 1 1 1 A AAV Jii. 45 Ivyyvi r» 7 7 lxi. 10 I 2 1 3 Y Y Will A A A V 111. 60 CIV, 4 z s lxiv. 6 1 "j 1 * xxxviii. 2, &c. 60 cv. 4 1 1 5 JEREMIAH. VVVTM1I r\ f~\ M f XaaVIII. u, 0, 1 c 02 CXV111. 2 2 1 Q I 9 xxxviii. 15 cxix. 72 20 11. I 3 7 2 XXXVH1. \ty> 20 0 1 CXXV. I 3 1 iii . 6 I u XXXIX. 45 cxxvii. 3 ' 4> 5 49 IV. 1 1, 12 2 5 XXXIX* 00 cxxviii. 6 A O 49 IV. 12 09 vii v 1 *7 l f n a 1 1 v . «/t * 0 > ' y 1 1 cxxxn. 3^ 4, 5 5 8 vii. 6 O xlvii. I, &c. 72 lAXXll. u 1 3 x. 1 3 47 ly A N I E L« cxxxii. 1 7 1 5 Xll. ^ 5 2 cxxxv. 7 47 xv. p '5 Vila 0 /"VVV1MI W T./AAVJI. j 5 VIM A AVI. U 66 vii. 2 *> A cxlvii, 8 4.7 xvii. 26 2 2 vii. 7. iq. 22 24. T cyIviii. 8 xviii. 1 8 > 3 vii. 14 27 P R flV PR BS. xxn. 23 62 viii. 6 xxiii. £ viii. 21 4.2 vj« 24 5 Xx v • 7 6 xi. 4.0, &c. 60 XXX. I 0 1 XXV. 1 I 5 xi. 4^> 4 2 XXV. I £ 61 viii a 9 xxix. cj 23 r-Trt c f a T Isaiah* vv v 1 Q « fi AAAI. * O 11 4-w 73 viii . 1 2 2 2 v v v 1 4 MlCAH, INDEX OF TEXTS. 87 Micah. Page 3. 4 43 iv. 8 44 v. 1 41 vi. 8 31 Habaccuc. iii. 5 70 Zephaniah. ii. 4—7 39 Haggai. i. 6 30 i. 6 76 i. 6, 9, 10, 1 1 33 ii. 15— 19 33 «• »S 33 ii. 23 1 1 Malachi. i. ii 73 ii. 7. 52 1 Maccabees. x. 84, 85 41 Matthew. ii. 6 41 ii. 17 35 iii. 4 66 v. 14 19 xxi. 5 42 xxi. 5 43 xxi. 8, 9, 10 18 xxi. 12 78 xxi. 42 18 Xxi. 4 62 xxiii. 35 36 xxiii. 35 xiv xxiv. 29 71 xxvi. 31 68 xxvii. 7 56 xxvii. 9 35 xxvii. 9 56 Mark. xi. 8j 9, 10 18 xiv. 27 68 Luke. Page f?: 1 s iii. 29 — 31 64 xii. 32 68 John. i. 11. 55 ii. 14 — 16 78 iii. 10 17 iii. 20 55 iv. 10 72 vii. 5 65 vii. 38, 39 72 x. 12 60 xii. 13 18 xii. 15 42 xii. 15 43 xii. 19 54 xii. 20 1 1 xix. 15 53 xix. 37 63 xix. 37 82 Acts. ii. 10 11 »i. 13 27 v. 31 27 vi. 5 11 viii. 26 39 viii. 27 11 x. 1. 11 xiii. 43 1 1 xv. 18 72 xvi. 16 66 Romans. iii. 29, 30 72 x. 12 72 x. 18 19 xi. 15 65 xi. 15 72 xi. 25, 26 28 xiv. 17 31 1 Corinthians. iii. 9 67 iii. 15 69 iii. 16 27 vii. s 30 Page vii. 5 64 x. 4 i S 2 CORI NT H I AN S. vi. 16 27 EpHESI ANS. ii. 12 41 ii. 13 7.8 ii. 19 41 ii. 20 18 iv. 5, 6 72 Philippians. ii. 9 — 1 1 27 Hebrews. i. 1, 2 81 i. 14 8 i. 14 14 ii. 9 27 ix. 13, 14 • 65 ix. 19, zo 44 xiii. 11 75 1 Peter. ii. 5, &c. 27 2 Peter. 3 54 1 John. i. 7 65 JuDE. «3 12 Revelations, i. 20 17 xi. 3 20 xi. 4 20 xi. 15 66 xi. 15 77 xvi. 13 66 xix. 8 i« xix. 20 66 xx. 9 61 t * M 2 AUTHORS [ 88 ] AUTHORS REFERRED TO. Beza 57 Bochart 45 Buxtorf 13, 31, 46, 64, 76 Calvin 67 Cappellus 46 Cocceius 67 D'Anville 73 Dathius 27, 65 De Roffi 7, 10, 22, 26, 32, 34, 47, 53, 60, 63, 66 Diodorus Siculus 39 Eveleigh 79 Harmer 16, 34, 46, 66, 77 Herodotus 21 Holmes 7, 26, 32, 33, 34, 46, 62, 64, 68 Houbigant 22, 46, 62 Hwidius 26 Jerome 62, 64 Johanan R. 51 Johnfon 49 Jofephus 9, 39, 41, 51, 53, 70, 70, 74 Juftin 38 Jultin Martyr 43 Kennicott 22, 34, 47, 53, 57, 63, 66 Lowth, Bifliop 9, 35>46, 48, 49, 50, 61 Lowth, Mr. 21, 50, 51, 54, 58, 62 Maillet 46 Mede 30, 60, 62 Michaelis, I. H. 76 Michaelis, J. D. 6, 7, 14, 18, 26,30, 33, 44, 45= 55> 6 3 Milton 52 Montfaucon 43 Newcome, Archbilhop 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 1 1, 13, 15, 16, &c. &c. &c. Noldius 3 1 , 44, 77 Olav. Celf. 52 Owen 43, 57, 58, 64 Prideaux 1 1 Randolph 43, 57 Rooke 77 Seeker, Archbilhop, 22, 43, 54, 59 Schultens 30 Taylor 7, 42 Univerfal Anc. Hill. 73 Vitringa 3, 4, 5, 7, 17 Welfeling 39 Wetftein 35, 57 INDEX C 89 ] INDEX OF MATTER. Accoutrements of a good ihepherd Agreement of Zech. xii. 10. with John xix. 37- 6 3 Alexandrium 73 Alexander Jannaeus 39, 41 All ufed for many 62 Angel who talked with Zechariah not Jehovah 8, 11,80 Arach name of a Syrian king 37 Artaxerxes Longimanus 2 Afhdod or Azotus 40, 41 Afhkelon 39 Aulon 73 Babylon, the pride of Aflyria, totally annihi- lated 50 Babylonians fpoiled by the Pernans 11, 25 Bethel fends a deputation to Jerufalem 29, 30 Bezetha, hill contiguous to Jerufalem 75 Blood fprinkled to confirm a covenant 44 Branch, the Mefliah fo called 14, z6 Bow bent by the knee or foot 45 Candleftick fymbol of a Church 1 7 Caenopolis 75 Chariot an emblem of government 24 Chifleu, a Syriac or Chaldee month 29 Chrift, his coming and kingdom foretold, 15, 27, 42 Citations of evangelical writers from O.T. al- ways true to the fenfe 42 Collations of Heb. MSS. their utility xvii Collations of LXX copies and verfions xix Conjectural criticifms 3, 13, 16, 20, 21, 22, Z5> 28 > 3'»34> 4 2 >44> 47* 53* S 8 » 60, 68, 68, 75 Converfion of the Gentiles foretold, 1 1, 26 Corner means a Chief 47 Corner gate 73, 74 Corrections by collated Heb. MSS. and Edit. 6, 7, 8, 10, 1 3, 1 6, 22, 22, 22, 26, 26, 26, 27, 29, 30,32, 32, 34, 34, 39, 46, 48, 49, 5°. S3» 53. 57. 5 8 . 59' 59. 6o > 6z > 6 3> 6 3> 64, 66, 68, 71, 76. Corrections by ancient Verfions 7, 13, 15* 16, 22, 22, 22, 23, 26, 26 : 26, 27, 29, 32, 32, - 33' 34» 34» 43' 47» 5°' 5°' 5 2 ' 53' DO ' 6 3> 64, 68, 69, 70, 71 Corrections by collated MSS. and Verfions of LXX 7, 7, 32, 33, 34, 46, 62, 64, 64, 68 Cutting the flelh ufed in mourning 66 Cutting the flefli an idolatrous worlhip 66 Damafcus 37 Darius Hyltafpis, the temple rebuilt in his reign 2 Darknefs an adjunct of God's coming to judg- ment 7 1 Definite number put for indefinite 34 Deputation from Bethel 29 Dungeons in great houfes ufed for prifons 44 Dungeon, or pit without water, denotes Egypt 44 Earthquake in the days of Uzziah 70 Eaftern and Welrern fea whence called the former and hinder fea 72 Eaftern hofpitality 1 6 Edomices converted to Judaifm 1 1 Edomites and Egyptians exempted from the law of exclufion 40 Egyptian bondage ufed to denote any grievous calamity 23 Egypt, want of rain no punilhment there 76 Ekron 41 Ellipfis of the particle of fimilitude 42, 45 Empires and their revolutions fubfervient to God's deiigns 25 Enallage of moods 13, 30,64 Ephah 21 Ephraim, their reftoration promifed 43, 45, Evil Ihepherd, his character and punifliment, 58, 59, 60 Falls of fifth and feventh months 2, 30 Falls of fourth and tenth momhs 34 Feaft of tabernacles 76 Flock of (laughter 5 3 Foreigners 90 INDEX OF Foreigner; excluded from the congregation of Jehovah 40 Gaza 39, 73 Gareb 73, 74 _ Gate of Ephraim and Benjamin the fame 74 Geba 73 Garment of hair worn by old prophets 66 Goath or Goatha 73, 74 Gog and Magog, riders on horfes 48, 61 Gog and Magog, for whom meant 43, 60 God's jealoufy over his people 5,32 Great congregation 40 Hadrach 37 Hamath 3 7, 38 Haggai 2 Flebraifms retained in tranflating, a fource of oblcurity 30 He goats, ufed for princes and leaders 47 Hippie tower 73 74, Holy garments of fervice belonging to the priefts 13 Horns an emblem of ftrength and power 6 Horns, four denote the four great monarchies 6 Horfe, God's glory in war 47 Horfes ufed almoll exclufively in war 77 Hyrcanus 1 1 Javan, or Ion, ancient name of Greece 4; Idolatry, its future total abolition 65, 66 Jehovah one to all nations 72 jerufalem, its immediate increafe in greatnefs and profperity 9 ■ its deftruction by the Romans fore- told 51 fubfequent fiege 61 1 ■ 1 effects and confequences of that fiege 69 1 its final and complete re-eftablifh- ment 7 3 — 78 Jews fummoned to quit Babylon 10 their unbelief and converfion foretold 28 — — their general mourning for their national guilt 64 — to be cleanfed from their fins by the blood of Chrift 65 Jofhua the high priefl Handing before the an- gel 11 made a type of Mefliah the Branch 14, 26 Jordan, the thickets on its banks the haunts of wild beafts 52 Jofiah, a working goldfmith 26 Kedar 9 King's vats 74 MATTER. Laborious occupations incompatible with a prophetic life 66 Lamps of the Candleftick, what they are meant to reprefent 17, 19 Lifting up heavy Hones an exercife in Palef- tine 62 Lightning called God's arrow 45 Living waters fignify the gifts and graces of the gofpel 72 Manner of God's fighting in the day of bat- tle 70 Marchefven, a Chaldaic month 1 Maforetic punctuation a fource of error 14, 70 Matt, xxvii. 9. corrected by MSS. 57 Medallic representation of cities and countries in a flourifhing ftate 9, 31, 73 of the fame overturn- ed 31 Mefhech and Tubal, the prince of 60 Mourning of Hadadrimmon 64 Mountains of brafs denote the immutable de- crees of God 24 MS. Pachom. 26, 33, 62, 64 Nail, a great officer in a ftate 48 Nahfhon 40 Nehemiah 8 Ochus king of Perfia 39 Old gate 74 Philiftines, their fate 37, 41 Plummet, its ufe 19 v Perfonification of cities and countries 9, 31, 62, 73 Potter's field 56 Prepofitions accumulated 16, 64, 71 Priefts authorized inftru&ors of the people 52 Pride of Jordan 52 Progreffive improvement at Jerufalem 63 Property in the perfon or labour of another man 66 Pronoun ufed pleonaftically 46 Prophecies remain to be fulfilled 43, 60, 68 Regemmelech 29 Rehob 37 Reftoration of Jews to their own land 60, 65 Rimmon or Eremmon 73 Romans, their ambition 25 Satan or the Adverfary 1 2 Sebat, a Chaldaic month 4 Seventy years 3, 5, 30 Seven ufed for multitudes 15 Sharezer 29 Shepherd, a ruler of people 67 Shiloh 30 Shinar INDEX OF MATTER. Shinar 23 Sidonians famous for Arts and Sciences 39 Sidon the mother of Tyre 39 Sion emphatically called The ftrong hold 44 Sitting a pofture that denotes order and fecu- rity 3 1 Sitting in a chair of ftate a fymbol of a ftate in profperity 3 1 Stones fingle or in heaps erected for memo- rials 46 Taking hold of the fkirt a way of imploring protection 35 Temple at Jerufalem when rebuilt 2 Temple of Jehovah a type of the Chriftian Church 1 6, 27 Thirty lhekels the price of a flave 56 Tower of Hanameel 73 Traffickers of the flock 53 Traffickers in the temple fuperfeded 78 Turks the people of Gog 45, 60 Tyre 38 Unbelief and conversion of the Jews foretold 28 Valley of dead bodies and alh.es 75 Valley of the mountains 71 Verbs of the 3d perfon without a nominative exprefled 1 8 Verbs Angular joined with plural nominatives Si Vifions of Zechariah, their general purport 1 Vifion 1 ft of an angel among myrtle trees 4 Villon 2d of four horns 6 Vifion 3d of a man with a mcafuring line 8 Vifion 4th Jofhua Handing before the angel 1 1 Vifion 5th The golden candleftick and its lamps 16 Vifion 6th A flying roll 21 Vifion 7th A woman fitting in an ephah 21 Vifion 8th Four chariots 23 Vitringa's Commentary on Zechariah left un - finifhed 1 7 Vowel points not in ufe when the ancient Ver- sions were made 70 War horfes decorated with bells 77 Whirlwinds of the fouth 45 Words wrongly combined or divided 16, 21, 25, 29, 44, 49, 53 Zerubbabel 16, 17, 18 not the Branch 15, 26 Zechariah his parentage and hiftory xi &c. 1 of a prieftly family xi, 52 » his title to the fix lalt chapters xii, xiii,3$, 36 — — — mentioned by our Saviour xiv, 36 ■ Character of his writings xv. — — — a type of Chrift the good Ihepherd Si» 54 « receives for wages thirty pieces of filver 56 1 illuftrated by Archbiftiop New- come's comments ix. HEBREW C 9* 3 HEBREW WORDS AND PHRASES TREATED OF IN THE NOTES. FACE •"irJ—^nx confecrated ftones 46 *}bK a privileged citizen 41 nnn~ ?n under 16 ED s 2fDN (bong 24 nx Qu. a fir tree, or a cedar 51 DN a coulter 7 DK according to 31 n^l"Q was difgulled 55 DO a field 56 finifti 18 li'l-Q Qu. a cedar or a pine 5 1 pKJ pride or excellency 41 OJI — DJ even as — fo 44 ppn hath had property 66 7iiG3n one fallen to decay 63 1 even as, yfotf 12 E3^D DN n!?n to fupplicate 30 DNtDn purification from fin 65 CD*iiHn plowmen 7 PJT to exercife the hand 7 2W 1 inhabit or fit 9 Tm hide or fet afide 54 a fire pan or brafier 62 b diftributes 17 PAGE b by appointment of 69 "lDN^> to wit, in this wife 4 D ufed partitively 26 D*3^nD fubordinate minifters 13 PIJfbnD priefts garments of fervice 13 "l?DD a ftranger 39 nn3D a refting place 37 rQKD a garrifon 42 N!£>D a calamitous prediction 42 J1J3 draw nigh to battle 48 ~|JM to utter an inarticulate cry 59 fountains 15 *JTDy one next unto me 67 by together with 77 pD overfpread 6 H3D a corner or chief 47 p s ~\X good, gracious 42 ni"in:2f fpouts 20 C3 s b2W orderers 19 jwbw authority or power 54 p-lltf whittle 48 mNDn glorying 62 *")Jfpn with WDi difiatisfied 5 5 Correftion to be made in the Verfion. P. 6. line 14 from the bottom, omit their. Correction in the Notes. P. 48. line 4. for colla ed read collated. A DISSERTATION BY WAY OF I N Q U I R Y INTO THE TRUE IMPORT AND APPLICATION OF THE VISION Related DAN. ix. ver. 24. to the End, USUALLY CALLED, DANIEL'S PROPHECY OF SEVENTY WEEKS. W^E are told by St. Peter, that no prophecy of the fcripture is of any private interpretation * ; by which, I think, he evidently meant, that no man whatever is of capacity to explain it at his own plea- fure, but mull wait till fuch time as the Spirit of God, the author of prophecy, mall think fit to reveal it to him. Accordingly many of the ancient prophets themfelves, we are afTured, underftood not the import of the things which they delivered f. Thus Daniel, ch. xii. having related the particulars of an extraordinary vifion, ex- prefsly declares, ver. 8. that he heard, but underftood not ; and pro- ceeding to inquire further of the Angel who converfed with him, he was flopped by the following reply, ver. 9. Go thy way, Daniel ; for the words are clofed up and fealed till the time of the end. It was not {o however with the prophecy which is intended for the fubjecl of our prefent inquiry ; where an Angel was difpatched from heaven * 2 Pet. i. 20. t 1 Pet. i. 10, 11, 12. N with [ IO ] with a fpecial commiffion to give him Jkill and under/landing *, and he is with authority admonifhcd to under/land the matter, and confider the Vijion f. It might naturally have been expected, that what was fo clearly revealed to the prophet himfelf, would have been as intel- ligible to others alfo, who received it from him in the felfsame terms in which the Angel announced it. But the facT: is other wife ; for whatever the Jew T s of earlier ages may have thought of the predic- tion, it is very certain of thofe who lived near the times marked out for it's accomplifhment, and ftill more fo of the modern ones, that they are very much in the dark, and altogether inconfiftent and wide of the truth in their attempts to explain it. Nor indeed' do the Chriftians themfelves appear much more enlightened in the matter, if we may judge from the various modes of interpretation, which at different times have been offered, and the many difficul- ties and doubts, with which all in their turn have been refpectively incumbered. It will not, I hope, be thought preiumptuous or im- proper in me, if I attempt to throw fome further light upon the fub- jecl: ; and after a brief notice of the principal objections that occur to the modes of interpretation moft generally received, endeavour, to point out the main fource of thefe difficulties, and to obviate them by a new method of folution, more confiftent with itfelf, and lefs liable to exception than any that have preceded. The virion, according to the prefent tranflation of our Bibles, is reprefented at the 24th and following verfes in thefe words : v. 24. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and upon thy holy city, to Jini/h the tranfgrefjion^ and to make an end of Jim, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlajiing righteoufnefs, and to feal up the vifon and prophecy, and to anoint the moji holy. v. 25. Know therefore and under/land, that from the going forth of the commandment to refore and to build ferufalem unto the MeJJiah the f ver. 23. Prince^ Dan. ix. 21, 22. [ M ] Prince, flail be feven weeks, and three/core and two weeks ; the Jlreet jhall be built again, and the wall, evert in troublous times. v. 26. And after three/core and two weeks Jhall Mejjiah be cut off] but not for himfelf ; and the people of the prince that flail come jhall de- Jlroy the city and the fanffuary ; and the end thereof Jhall be with a food ; and wito the end of the war deflations are determined, v. 27. And he flxill confirm the covenant with many for one week ; and in the midjl of the week he jhall caufe the facrifice and the oblation to ceafe ; and for the overfpreading of abominations he fljall make it de<- folate, even until the confummation, and that determined, Jhall be poured upon the deflate. The opinion moft commonly entertained, among Chriftians at leaft, concerning this prophecy on the whole, is, that it is a predic- tion of the death of our bleffed Saviour, defcriptive of fome of the moft material circumftances, effects, and confequences of it ; and that the feventy weeks, prefumed to be fpoken of at the beginning of the twenty fourth verfe, conftitute a period, which terminates in or about the time of our Saviour's fufrering. Now to this interpre- tation one very obvious and confiderable objection prefents itfelf at once, namely, that though the commandment is faid, ver. 23. to have gone forth in confequence of Daniel's ^application, very little or no regard is paid either to the occafion or fubjecl: matter of his prayer. The occafion of it is thus fet forth in the beginning of the chapter ; that Daniel, having confidered the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplifh J'eventy years in the deflation of ferufalem, and having found that the term was near expiring, had fet his face unto the Lord God, to feek by prayer and Applications, with fajling, and fackcloth, and ajhes *. Accordingly the fubftance of his prayer was, after a devout acknowledgment of God's righteoufnefs in punilhing the iniquity of his people, as he had threatened, to intreat him to extend his mercy to them likewife agreeably to his promife, to take them again into * Dan. ix. 2, 3, &c. favour, [ M ] favour, and to reftore them to their country, and the free exercife of their mod holy religion. But what was the reply ? Inftead of a comfortable affurance that God would confirm his word, as in- deed he was about to do, in the reftoration of his people, the peti- tioner is informed of an event, very confiderable indeed in itfelf, but not much to the matter of his petition ; namely, that the Meffiah fhould be put to death for the fins of mankind ; and that in confe- quence thereof the city (of which he is told, by the bye as it were, that it fhould be rebuilt in the interval) mould after a while be de- ftroyed, and the Jewifh nation and religion be finally put an end to. Such was the petition, and fuch the anfwer ; and though I do not deny that where one thing is afked, providence may think pro- per to anfwer the petitioner with another; the prefumption how- ever, I conceive, cateris paribus, will always be in favour of a reply that falls in with the fubjed; of petition. A fecond objection lies againfb the time from which the period fpecified in the prophecy is underftood to take it's commencement. This by fome has been reckoned from the feventh, by others from the twentieth year of Artaxerxes Longwianus ; the former being the year in which Ezra was fent to regulate the affairs of Jerufalem * ; the latter that in which Nehemiah obtained a commifTion to repair the walls of the city-j~. But can any better reafon be affigned for fixing on either of thefe dates, than that they favour an hypothefis already formed, by terminating, though after a different mode of computation, in or about the time of our Saviour's paffion ? But if the circumflances of the cafe be attended to, will it not appear in- finitely more probable, that the decree here fpoken of rauft be that of Cyrus, of whom it had been prophefied long before by Ifaiah, ch. xliv. 28. that he JJjould fay to "jerufalem, Thou fhalt be built ; and to the temple, Thy foundation JJjall be laid ? And again in the following chapter, ver. 13. He flail build my city, and he fall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, faith the Lord of hojls ? Is it likely then * Ezra vii. 1, &c. f Neh. ii. I, &c. that [ FS 1 that the decree of this Cyrus, fo long celebrated beforehand, this primary and fundamental decree, which took place exactly at the expiration of the feventy years captivity, within a few months after this prophecy was given, and produced fuch a total alteration at once in the condition of the people and the face of their country; is it likely, I fay, that this decree mould be overlooked, and the preference given to another at the diftance of eighty or ninety years, and one of fecondary confideration only, whether we confider it's importance in itfelf, or it's being only grafted on the former, as a fubfequent ratification and confirmation of it ? Certainly neither Daniel himfelf, when he faw the firft decree ilTued, and the effects of it, could have any doubt whether it was that, of which he had been before apprized ; nor could the reft of his countrymen, who lived to fee the other decrees that came forth in the fucceeding reigns, have been at any lofs to determine between them, from whence the date of their future fortunes was to be calculated. But thirdly, another obvious objection arifes from the fuppofed divifion of the term of feventy weeks, fpecified in the grofs at ver. 24, into diftincl and feparate periods, terminating in feven weeks, fixty two weeks, and one week, of which particular mention is made in the 25th and following verfes. Now this divifion, if made with any other- end than to amufe, (an end which cannot be im- puted without derogating from the wifdom of God's providence) ought, it mould feem, to mark out periods naturally diftinguifhed by fome extraordinary and remarkable occurrences. But whether we reckon from the feventh, or from the twentieth year of Artax- erxes, it doth not appear that the forty ninth year from that date, or any one near it, was at all fignalizcd for any notable event, either refpccling the Jewifh hiftory, or the general hiftory of mankind. It belongs therefore to thofe, who interpret the prophecy conformably to either of thofe dates, to fhew that this firft period of feven weeks, or forty nine years, did actually terminate in fome fuch fingular event ; or otherwife at leaft to amgn fome probable reafon, (which, if not before, yet after the accomplifhment may very fairly be ex- pected) t 14 ] peeled) why that particular period mould have been pitched upon by God in preference to any other part of the interval, where a more ngnal termination might have proportionately contributed to a more itriking difplay of his forefight and providence*. With refpecl to the remaining periods other difficulties alio re- main to be adjufted, but different according to the different hypo- thefes which have been framed in fucceffion, in order to get clear of the objections which embarraffed the preceding ones. The moll: confiderable of thefe hypothefes with their objections refpeclively are as follow. There are fome who calculate the fecond period of threeicore and two weeks fb as to end in or about the twentyninth year of the Chriftian £era, when our Lord entered upon his public miniftry ; and from thence proceed to compute the laft week of feven years lb, as that the middle of the week may coincide with the time of our Saviours death ; by which great offering of himfelf once for all he took away the obligation and efficacy of all future facrincesf. On this fuppofition indeed the words of the prophecy * Dr. Prideaux In his Script. Connecl. P. i. B. 5. hath laboured to prove, that what is faid of rejloring and Wilding Jerufalem, v. 25. was meant figuratively of a reformation and refcttlement of the Jewifh Church and State according to the law of Mofes. Upon this footing indeed he hath fixed on a very plaufible termination of the firft period, by making this work of reformation to have lafted the whole forty nine years, having been firft fet on foot by Ezra, and at length completed by Nehemiah in the fortyninth year. But befides the difficulty of proving that Nehemiah's adminiftration extended to this date, which is much difputed; the ground work of the hypothefis, which refts on the figurative fenfe, is very improbable, and furely ought never to be admitted in any cafe, where a fair and reafonable folution of the matter can be given according to the proper and literal fenfe. f Petavius and Archbifhop Ufher have both followed this mode of computation, be- ginning to reckon the firft period from the 20th year of Artaxerxes, which they place in the 4259th and 4260th (the one ending, the other beginning) year of the Julian Period> that is, the 455th and 454th before the Chriftian aera; fo that adding 69 weeks, or 483 years, the fum of the two firft periods taken together, we fhall arrive at the 4742d or 4743d year of the Julian Period, that is, the year of our Lord xxix, or xxx, for the con- clufion of the fecond period. See Petavii Rationar. Tempor. P. ii. lib. iii. cap. 10. and Uflerii Annal. Ann. P. Jul. 42 60. may [ >5 ] may feem to have been punctually fulfilled, in the midfi of the week, he Jhall caufe the facrijice and oblation to ceafe. But how then can he be faid to have confirmed the covenant, by which the gofpel covenant is underftood, with many for one week, when his miniftry lafted by confeffion no more than the half of it. Nor will it lelfcn the diffi- culty to allege, that the fame covenant continued to be promulg- ed by his difciples after his death for the remainder of the term. It did fo indeed ; but not for one week only, but for many more in fucceffion ; whereas the conduction of the words neceiTarLly im- plies an action, of which the duration was limited to one week only. — Others again propofe to finifli the fecond period, and begin the third a little earlier, namely in the year of our Lord xxvi, when the word of God came unto fohn the fon of Zacharias in the wildernefs *. And here too the prophecy will appear to have had it's accomplimment in one part, in that during the interval of a week or feven years from this time to the year xxxiii, in which our Lord fuffered, the gofpel Covenant w T as indeed confirmed, partly by the preaching of his forerunner John the Baptift, and partly by his own perfonal miniftry, to as many as were willing to comply with the terms of it. But the plaufibility of this hypothefis is again overturned by the words next in fucceffion, which require alfo, that in the midji of the week he Jhould caufe the facrijice and obla- tion to ceafe. For allowing the abovementioned conftruction to be put upon thefe words, that by the death of Chriit the obligation of the legal facrifices was virtually at an end, (for it is certain they did not actually ceafe till many years after) yet even upon this eonceffion * Luk. iii. I, 2. This is the opinion which Dr. Prideaux has maintained in oppofi- tion to the preceding one. For this purpofe he begins to compute the firft period from the 7th year of Artaxerxes, which according to the ancient Chronologers was the 4256th of the Julian Period, or the 458th before Chrift. Add 483 years to this, and we are brought to the 4739th year of the Julian Period, or the 26th of the Chriftian aera, which- correfponds with the fifteenth year of Tiberius, reckoned from the time when he was admitted to a copartnerfhip in the empire with Auguftus, and fixed by the Evangelift for the date of John the Baptift's firft public appearance. See Prideaux Script. Connetl. P. i. B. 5. ' muft t .6 ] mufl it not found harm to affirm a thing to have happened in the midji of the week, which did not take place till the very clofe and expiration of it ? — And befides the difficulties, which thus alter- nately affe6l each of thefe hypothefes, there is ftill another behind which is common to both. For it is not eafy to conceive, how the two circumftances juft now alluded to, which are predicted to happen in the courfe -of the laft week, and are thereby appropriated to the time of our Saviour's death, at leaft according to the opinions we are now fpeaking of, came to be blended with and interpofed between thofe, which evidently relate to the deftrucliion of the Jewilh city and temple, and of courfe came not to pafs till many years after. — Nor will the cafe be much improved by a third hypo- thecs ; which affuming a feries of fhorter, that is, Chaldaic years, of 360 days each, brings down the fecond period only to the death of Chrift; after w hich, admitting a confiderable interval, it begins again to reckon the laft week a few years before the deftruclion of Jeru- falem, fo as finally to terminate in that cataftrophe *. By this means * This hypothefis acknowledged Bifhop Lloyd for it's author, and is reprefented in the 3d and 4th of the Chronological Tables compiled and publifhed by Mr. Marlhal, his Lordfhip's chaplain, who hath alfo explained it more at large in a treatife of his own upon the fubjec"!:. In it the firft period is dated from the commifiion granted to Nehe- miah in or about the month Nifan (that is, April) of the 20th year of Artaxerxes, which is taken according to the old Chronology for the 4269th of the Julian Period, anfwering to the 445th before the vulgar Chriftian jera. From this date if we reckon feven weeks and threescore and two weeks of, that is, in all 483, Chaldaic years, which are equiva- lent to 476 Julian years, and fome days over, the fecond period will end in the 4745th year of the Julian Period, or the year of our Lord xxxil, and about the month of May, or not long after ; at the paflover next after which, within the fpace of a year, our Sa- viour was crucified. The third and laft period of a fingle week, or feven years, is made to commence about September in the year of our Lord lxiii, when the Romans made a treaty of peace with the Parthians and others ; and Jerufalem was taken in September of the year of our Lord lxx. Befides the objection to this hypothefis noticed in the text, two others defcrve remarking ; the one, that though a pretty plain diftincl;ion feems to be made between the time of the Meffiah's appearance, v. 25. and the cutting ojff\ which is faid to be after the three/core and two week$, ver. 26. yet in this hypothefis both are confounded together, as if unto the MeJJiah the Prince^ and to his death, meant the [ '7 ] means indeed it mull be confeifed, that both the confirmation of the covenant with many for one week, and the abolition of the facrifices in the midji of that week, may with a much greater degree of plaufibility be reconciled and accounted for. But not to infifl on the feveral ob- jections that occur in other particulars, the breaking of the line of time, on which the whole ftrefs of this hypothecs lies, muft of itfelf appear in the higheft degree exceptionable. For either the limita- tion of a number of years in a prediction fuppofes thofe years to follow in continued fucceffion, or it is in effect no limitation at all, nor of any ufe to afcertain the precife time of the event. On the contrary, how eafily may the very fame date be accommodated to the molt diftant periods imaginable, provided it be allowable to difcontinue the reckoning at pleafure, and to refume it again, juft where it may fuit the turn of a fancied hypothefis ? So that who- ever confiders the difficulties that prefent themfelves at every turn- ing, and what contradictions have refulted even on the footing of the faireft conjectures that have hitherto been ftarted, will fee rea- fon enough to conclude, that all thofe conjectures have as yet fallen at a diftance from the truth, whatever may have been the occafion and ground of the error. To difcover and remove this is the object at prefent propofed, by a careful and candid examination of the matter in the order it lies before us. To begin then with the 24th verfe. vmn Nbsb nan? "vy hjr\ "py Sy inm D'yn^ D»ynii> ver. 24. N'a:i prn onnbi a^y p*re Nfonta py iDDbi nimtfi annVi the fame thing. The other objection is the fame that occurs to the preceding hypothe- fis, namely, that the cejfation of the facrifice and oblation., which is here underftood of the aclual ceflation of them, did not take place till toward the extremity of the Iaft or feventh year; whereas it was predicted to happen in the mid/l, or, if you pleafe, the half of the week. See what is further faid upon this point hereafter when we come to examine this paragraph, ver. 26. o Seventy t 18 ] Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and upon thy holy city, to fni/I: the tranfgrefjion, and to make an end of Jins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in ever/a/ling righteoufnefs, and to feal up the vifion and prophecy, and to anoint the moft holy. The two firft words of this verfe, which are generally underftood to fignify feventy weeks, are literally the fame in the plurality of co- pies ; but in fome both of Dr. Kennicott's and De Roffi's collation, the firft of them is written with the Fan, D^VD^, weeks ; the lat- ter, XyVIW, without the Vau, may indeed fignify feventy ; but by al- tering the vowel points, which are additions without authority, may alfo be rendered enow or fufficient, from the root VIW, fatur fuit. In this latter fenfe I am willing to take it, and to render D'ynfc^ ED'yOL^, weeks enow, or fufficient for p\irpofes after enumerated. A week may denote a feptenary period of time, confifting either of feven days or feven years. The next word *]nnj has been ufually confidered as a verb paf- five, which its form appears to indicate, and with the fenfe of fated or determined. But this fenfe feems to be intirely arbitrary, and au- thorifed only by a fuppofed exigentia loci. Neither the word itfelf, nor its root inn, occurs elfewhere throughout the w T hole Hebrew Bible. But in Chaldee the Lexicographers, upon the authority chiefly of the Rabbinical writings, have laid down *]nn to fignify pracidit, concidit, cut off or cut foort ; nor do I fee any reafon to queftion the probability of the interpretation *. The Greek veriion of Theodotion (fuppofing that to be Theodotion's, which {lands in the London Polyglott) countenances it by rendering "jnnJ in this * In the Chaldee Paraphrafe, Efth. iv. 5. a man is faid to be called "]nn> becaufe ac- cording to the word of his mouth all the matters of the kingdom pnnno, which the Latin interpreter renders decifcs ejjent, " were decided," or " cut off," that is, brought to a final iffue or termination. This fenfe is exactly what I contend for. But I quef- tion whether a term of weeks or years could properly be faid to be cut off, which either was not yet begun, or but juft beginning. place [ *<> ] place unt» the Mejjiah and the Prince or General, meaning by the latter the Roman General Titus. Epijl. ad D. J. Pringle, p. 81. But no fuch reading is countenanced by any of the an- cient verfions, or by the collated MSS. Nor do I think the learned Critic himfelf would have entertained any fuch notion, had he not been milled by the wrong conftruction adopted in the 26th verfe, where ire D and 1^1 feem to be oppofed, but are not, as will be fhewn in its proper place. Befides, with fubmiflion to the Profeflbr's judgment, may it not appear an improper violation of the laws of decorum, to have aflbciated toge- ther in fuch a manner, as of equal rank, two perfons, one of whom was confeifedly of a character infinitely fuper'tor to the greateft earthly monarch ? following \ [ 28 ] following the Hebrew text, as it {lands at prefent in the printed co- pies, fixed and determined by the Maforetic vowels, have fought to accommodate the feveral periods to any feries of events, which with the leaft degree of probability could be made to correfpond with the terms and general fcope of the prediction *. It would be endlefs to enumerate all the feveral hypothefes ; the moft probable ones have been before touched upon ; but let it fuffice to fay in the general, that none has yet been offered, in which a mind, no way given to fcepticifm, but only prudently and properly confiderate, can acqui- efce with a fober and wellgrounded conviction. This, I think, may fairly lead one to fufpect, that the prefent reading of the Hebrew copies is not fuch as it lhould be, but hath either fuffered by the miftakes of tranfcribers, who have erred in nothing more than in copying numerals ; or elfe that it hath been corrupted by the igno- rance of thofe, who have added the vowels injudicioufly, and, I doubt, have in fome inftances been guilty of an encroachment upon the letters themfelves, where a fmall alteration tallied better with their prejudices and prepoffeffions. Certain it is, that the ground of fuf- picion in the prefent cafe is much confirmed by a view of the diffe- rent numbers, that are actually found in fome of the ancient ver- iions and citations of authors, and alfo in the Hebrew Manufcripts themfelves, which have of late been collated. In the prefent He- brew printed copies we read, D'JBH DW D'VlBn nyiW D'VnP mall be weeks feven and weeks threefcore and two. But in the Greek verfion of Daniel by the Seventy, lately publifhed from an ancient Manufcript, long fought after, and at length happily difcovered in the Chigian Library at Rome f , (in which, though there appears much mangling, interpolation, and tranfpofition, fome valuable readings have been preferved) the numbers are repeatedly given in two places of this palfage, e7rra xoa I^o^vikovtoc xcu ^novTa, etoi ygxpfAXo-iv, u ut KATA *' TON KAIPON EKEINON, x-rro rns % w £ a? tj? xvruv ctej^et rr\t ontov/j.ivnt" mro ol p.iv ut omeiov i%£\x£ov y y.xi syoXXoi ruv voQuv £irXxvySrio~xv zrsgi rnv x£»xto(>@>. f Suetonius de Vita Vefpafiani, cap. iv. Percrebuerat oriente toto vetus & conftans opinio, efle in fatis, ut eo tempore Judaea profec-ti rerum potirentur. Id de Imperatore Romano quantum eventu poftea praedidum paruit. Judaei ad fe trahentes, rebel- larunt. X Tacitus Hift. lib. v. c. 13. Pluribus perfuafio inerat, antiquis facerdotum Uteris contineri, eo ipfo tempore fore, ut valefceret Oriens, profectique Judaea rerum poti- rentur. Quae ambages Vefpafianum ac Titum praedixerant. Sed vulgus, more hu- manae cupidinis, fibi tantam fatorum magnitudinem interpretati, ne adverfis quidem ad vera mutabantur. copies, t 33 ] copies, as we read at prefent. And thus far in all probability his reafoning may hold. But when he proceeds to infer, (as indeed, to do him juftice, he only does by a very modeft infinuation) that Jo- fephus certainly followed the reading and mode of computation, which he himfelf has adopted, the conclufion, I doubt, is more than the premifes will warrant. For, I think, it appears from what I have before advanced, taking no greater liberties in reforming the text than this Gentleman himfelf has done, and which, I truft, are no more than the laws of criticifm will warrant, that both Jofephus and his countrymen might otherwife have been jufrified in their expec- tations from this prophecy, in following the commonly received computation of time, which is far lefs liable to exception than that of lunar years, which he has imagined. For from the very nature of the Jewilli eftablifhment it is abundantly evident, that though they might have reckoned a year or two together, as confuting of twelve lunar months, they never did nor could have carried on the fame kind of reckoning for any long continued feries of years in fucceffion *. — But whatever force there may be in this author's ar- gument, * A Lunar year, confifting of twelve Lunar months, or 354 days, falls fhort of the aftronomical Solar year, with which the feafons return, by about eleven days. Confe- quently with thofe who compute their time by fuch Lunar years, the beginning of their year muft make a very quick circuit through all the different feafons fucceflively. But among the Jews the beginning of their year was by the Mofaic conftitutions neceflarily determined to one particular feafon. The Month Abib, or N't/an, in which they came out of Egypt, was ordained to be unto them the beginning of months, the firjt month of the year; Exod. xii. 2. On the fourteenth day of this month the Pafchal lamb was to be killed, ver. 6. the fifteenth was the firft of the days of unleavened bread, and was kept as a fabbath, or a day of holy reft, in which no fervile work was to be done; Lev. xxiii. 6, 7. and on the morrow after this fabbath, rn icvTigu, ruv a£u//.w> yp^x, mm £r*i' xou SixccT-n, fays fofephus, Ant. fad. lib. iii. c. 10. §. 5. they were directed to bring a fheaf of the firft fruits for a wave offering before the Lord, to be accepted for them. This was the beginning of their barley harveft, the day in which they firft put the fickle to their corn; nor were they at liberty to tafte of the fruits of iheir ground, neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until they had brought this offering unt$ their God. Lev. xxiii. 10 — 14. From this time they were required to number feven. Q_ complete [ 34 ] gument, it will undoubtedly extend a great deal further than he has carried it. For it is very certain, that the expectations of the com- ing of the Meffiah were never ftronger nor more univerfally preva- lent among the Jews, than about the time of our Saviour's birth. Hence complete weeks, and on the fiftieth day to offer a new meat offering unto the Lord of the firfi fruits of their wheat harvefi. Lev. xxiii. 15, &c. Exod. xxxiv. 22. Alfo on the fif- teenth day of the feventh month they were commanded to obferve the feafl of tabernacles, otherwife called the feaft of ingathering, after that they had gathered in their corn and their wine. Compare Lev. xxiii. 39. Exod. xxiii. 16. Deut. xvi. 13. Now it is ob- vious that thefe ordinances could not have been obferved but feldom at their appointed times, had the beginning of the Jewifh year been as variable with refpedl: to the feafons, as a courfe of lunar years would make it. For in about fixteen fuch years each feafon would be changed for its oppofite ; autumn would be ftept into the place of fpring ; and the month rfbib, inftead of being the month of green ears, as the name imports, would fall in after all the fruits were already houfed in the barns. It is true, that, in order to begin the year uniformly with the firft day of the moon, the Jews gave the name of a year fometimes to twelve lunar months, and that for two years fucceflively ; in like manner as we for a fimilar reafon reckon three years together of 365 days each, referving the exceeding hours, as they did the days, to be accounted for in an after-reckoning. Ac- cordingly the third year was fure to be with them a kind of Leap year, by the intercala- tion of an additional month, which they called Ve-adar ; and thus, by repeated interca- lations duly made, their reckoning in the long run was brought to correfpond pretty nearly with Solar Computation, and the beginning of their year to fall in much about the fame feafon, and at no great diftance from the vernal equinox ; iv X(5 tw th nAta xx- S'£r«Toc, as Jofephus teftifies, Ant. fud. lib. iii. c. 10. §. 5. Things being fo, with what propriety can it be fuppofed that a feries of lunar years was here predicted, when it is manifeft that the Jews had not, and probably no other nation then on earth had, any fuch reckoning in ufe ? Or muft it not appear a very fallacious mode of proceeding, to make ufe of a term in a fenfe different from the common acceptation of it, without giving previous and diftinct notice of fuch a defign? Our learned advocate for thefe abbrevi- ated lunar years (which others indeed before him had imagined) is well aware of all that can be faid againft them, and ingenuoufly owns, that at firft fight it feems more natural to conceive folar years to be intended than lunar ones. But he had tried folar years, he fays, in all manner of ways, and could find no notable events at all to correfpond with the dates. On the contrary, when he came to make trial with lunar ones, he found the events anfwer the prediction with the utmoft accuracy. And this he thinks fufficient both to clear up, and alfo to vindicate the ufe of fo uncommon a mode of computation, at leaft in a prophecy, [ 35 ] Hence the numbers of thofe, who in Jerufalem are faid to have waited at that time for redemption, and the confolation of Ifrael* ; perfons far advanced in years too ; to one of whom notwithftanding it had been revealed by the Holy Ghojl, that he Jlmdd not fee death, until he had feen the Lords Chrif f. Hence alfo the jealoufy of Herod left this great perfon mould fupplant him in his kingdom ; and hence his bloody attempt to cut him off in his infancy Hence the flocking of the multitudes to John the Baptift §, and their mnfing in their hearts concerning him, -whether he were the Chrijl, or not || . Nor was it the common people only, whofe attention was thus attracted towards him ; their very rulers themfelves fent the minifters of religion to enquire into his character, who feemed a prophecy, where ambiguity is no objection before the time of it's accomplifhment. Epi/i. ad D. J. Pringle, p. 203, 204. But what is this remarkable coincidence of events, that appears fo much to the purpofe ? Why, having firft fettled with himfelf that the terms may poflibly be rendered feventy Weeks, and feventy, and fixty two, to which latter numbers he is pleafed by conjecture to fubjoin years, he then proceeds to calcula- tion, and finds that by the afTumption of lunar years not only the fum of the three periods taken together will give a date that falls in with the times of the Jewifti war; but that the two former of them terminate, the one in the taking of Jerufalem by Pompey the great, the other in the reduction of Judaea to the condition of a Roman province. Both thefe events I grant to be memorable ones, and of much importance to the civil confti- tution of the Jews. But what near or immediate relation have they to the coming of the Meffiah, in which lies the diftinguifhing excellence of the hypothefis above laid down in the text, that both the periods fpecified have an equal relation to the advent of that great perfon ; with this further advantage alfo, that the numbers given are jiot from a mere conjecture or fancy of my own, but are fupported by the oldeft verfion extant, exhibiting^ for all that we know to the contrary, the approved and ordinary conftruction put upon the terms in thofe early times. But I fhall purfue this matter no further, leaving it to fuch of the learned as may chance to perufe thefe obfervations (and I know none more capable than the learned Profeflbr himfelf) to determine of the comparative probability at leaft of the two hypothefes in this particular. * Luke ii. 25, 38. f Luke ii. 26. % Matt. ii. 3, 16, § Matt iii. 5. Mark i. 5. I Luk. iii. 15. Q 2 very [ 3« 1 very much difturbed and perplexed, when they heard him declare that he was not the Chrift *. When our Saviour himfelf appeared afterwards, the whole nation almoft feemed ready to devote them- felves to his fervice, if he would but have taken upon himfelf the flate and character of a temporal prince and deliverer ; for fuch they had fondly conceived their Meffiah would be. And when they found themfelves difappointed in him, who was indeed the real Meffiah, although his kingdom was not of this world, they were many of them ready to follow the fortunes of impoftors, by whom they were frequently betrayed to their ruin -f\ Thefe early expec- tations mull be fuppofed to have fome fcriptural foundation like- wife ; for fcarce any thing elfe could have procured them fuch ftrong and univerfal credit. But the time of our Saviour's birth was at too great a diftance from that of which Jofephus has fpoken, (be- ing a difference of not lefs than feventy years,) for to admit a fup- pofition that the one could poffibly be miftaken in calculation for the other. What then ? Had this fcriptural prophecy fixed on both times for the Meffiah's appearance ? It had done fo upon the footing on which I have placed it ; but, I think, after no other plan or mode of interpretation whatever. Let us proceed now to the confideration of the remainder of this verfe, where the words, enj/n pv£n vnm mm nromi y\wn, are by our tranflators rendered, the Jireet fiall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. To this tranflation the following ob- jections occur; firft, that the verbs nr0321 mt^I"), being both femi- nine, cannot by the rules of grammar be conftrucT:ed with the fol- lowing nouns, which are mafculine. But granting that this objec- tion might be got over by making Jerufalem the fubjed: of the v erbs, and the nouns Jireet and wall to be ufed in apportion ; it may * John i. i g, &c. ■\ A£b v. 36, 37. xxi. 38. Jofeph. Antiq. lib. xx. c. 7. §. 6, 10. De Bell. Jud. lib. ii. c. 13. §. 4, 5. next [ 37 ] next be queftioned by what authority the word pin is interpreted to fignify a wall. In this fenfe it is certainly ufed no where elfe ; and, I think, it will be found difficult to account how any fuch meaning can be deduced from its root, or from any term of affinity with it *. To this may be added, that after it had been faid, that Jerufalem mould be built again, it was fcarcely necefTary to fpecify that it mould be built with a Jireet ; for how elfe could it well be fuppofed to be built as a city ? And laftly, by the troublous times it is ufual to underftand thofe, in which the walls were repaired under Nehemiah, who had to contend with the infidious practices of San- ballat and his companions f. But it feems not very likely, that an oppofition fo weak and inconfiderable, which only ferved to create an alarm, but had not power to interrupt the progrefs of the work, could be deemed of confequence enough to be fo particularly no- ticed and predicted. In fome of the ancient verfions the words lim and pin are rendered in a different fenfe ; and in the Greek of the Seventy in particular they are exprefled by eig TrXc&rog ncti ps- xog, in breadth and length. But I apprehend that by the alteration of a fingle point theyare both inftead of nouns to be confidered as verbs of the infinitive mood taken gerundively, and anfwering to the latin gerunds, fe dilatando et progrediendo J. For ypT\ fignifies pro- perly to be enlarged and one of the primary fenfes afcribed to the * Dr. Prideaux fays, that pnn ought to be rendered a ditch ; but then he is for giv- ing a figurative fenfe to it, as indeed he does to mm, Jireet, and to the whole verfe j which I can never be brought to acquiefce in, whilft a literal confirmation is admiffible. The Profeflbr Michaelis owns himfelf totally at a lofs, and unable to fatisfy himfelf with his own or any other conjectures about the true fenfe of thefe words. f Nehem. chap. iv. & vi. X In one of the MSS. collated at Paris the latter of thefe words is read with the pre- pofition 3 before it, f nnm, which ftrengthens the fuppofition of its being a gerund ; and though I do not find that any of the Collations exhibit mm with the like prefix, yet the rendering of this word by the LXX with the prepofition «? before it, as above fpecified, affords fome reafon to prefume that it might have been fo read in fome of the more an- cient copies. other [ 3» 1 other verb \*in is to move or advance forward*. The whole fen- tence therefore, fetting afide the Hebrew idiom, may be thus ren- dered ; it (namely, Jerufalem) floall be rebuilt, growing Jiill greater and more confderable, even amidjl times of dijlrefs. Nor could any de- fcription better fuit the condition of the Jews and their capital city in general during the period under notice. For after their reftora- tion to their country, their affairs were far from being in fo prof- perous a courfe, as hath fometimes been imagined ; but bating a few years of liberty, which they enjoyed under fome of their princes of the AfmonEean race, they were for the reft held in fervile fubjection to the Perfians and other conquering powers, by whom they were frequently opprefTed, and their city five times taken and fpoiled by the enemy -f. Thefe therefore might furely with reafon be reckoned troublous times, or times of dijlrefs ; but, notwithftanding all thefe cir- cumftances fo unfavourable in appearance, Jerufalem from a mean beginning, repeopled with a few impoverilhed inhabitants juft re- turned from exile, was enabled to hold up its head, and daily to im- prove in confideration and figure ; till it was advanced at length to fuch a pitch of fpendor, magnificence, and ftrength, as it never had known before, even under the moft powerful and independent of its monarchs. Events fo very fingular and extenfively important as thefe might well deferve to be pointed out to notice beforehand, that when they actually came to pafs, the hand of an over- ruling * See 2 Sam. v. 24. f The city was taken, firft, by Ptolemy the fon of Lagus, who is faid to have carried off 1 00000 Jews captives, in the year before Chrift cccxx. Secondly, by Antiochus Epiphanes in the year before Chrift clxx, who then did much mifchief ; and two years after it was miferably plundered and burnt by his general Apollonius. Pompey the great took it again in the year before Chrift lxiii ; after this it was taken by Antigonus and the Parthians in the year before Chrift xl ; and laftly, by Herod in conjunction with Sofius the Roman Commander in the year before Chrift xxxvu. See Ufferii Annates according to the abovementioned dates refpedtively, with references to Jofephus and other hiftorians. providence t 39 ] providence might be acknowledged in the difpofition and ar- rangement of them. From henceforward to the end of the chapter, the matter, I con- ceive, will be found wholly to relate to the laft period, which is that of a week, or feven years, commencing with the year of our Lord lxvi, when the Jewilh war broke out, which is acknowledged to be Chrift's fecond coming *, and ending with the final conclufion of that war in the year lxxiii. If in elucidating this part of our fubjecl: we mall meet with the fame clearnefs and notoriety of evi- dence as hath already attended us thus far, may we not flatter our- felves with having attained to at leafl a more probable and confiftent interpretation of this prophecy, than any which has hitherto come to our knowledge ? To proceed then with the 56th verfe. wn V7 v*o rrtPD rny d^bti dw tzwn^n nrw ver. 26. nnm narfta x? "Wi ^pi N^n t±i av rrnp* tTTpm And after three/core and two weeks Jhall MeJJiah be cut off, bat not for himfelf ; and the people of the prince that jhall come Jhall de- Jlroy the city and the fanffuary ; and the end thereof jhall be with a flood ; and unto the end of the war deflations are determined. The firfl: words of this verfe, which according to the reading of the printed Hebrew text our tranflators have rendered, and after threefcore and two weeks, give us a date, from which this latter period is to be reckoned ; and as they are evidently defigned to mark out precifely the fame time as the foregoing, it might be thought fuffi- cient perhaps to juftify the fubftituting of the fame numbers again, * Matt. xxiv. 3. which [ 4° ] which have already been fettled ; efpecially as there is good reafon to doubt of the integrity of the text, both from the various readings that are to be met with, and alfo from other fufpicious circum- ftances. But for more complete fatisfac"tion I mall confider the mat- ter more difrinclily, and endeavour to point out upon what grounds, and by what means, the numbers in both palfages may fairly be re- duced to perfect harmony and agreement. It has before been ob- ferved *, that in the Greek verfion of the Seventy the numerals are exactly alike in both palfages ; with this difference, that in one place there is no fubftantive at all, in the other the numerals are preceded by the word tccci^ovg, times. In the Greek verfion of Aquila we read, fxerx rag S7rra e&£op.a$ag koci s^koutcc actively, and in conjunction with the following words, fciHpm *vym lb rendering the whole together accord- ing to a very eafy and familiar conftruction, MeJJiah JJmll cut off from belonging to hi?n both the city and the fanttuary * f For was not this literally and in fact the cafe ? Heretofore God had taken the * Literally, Mejfiah Jhall cut off, and neither the city nor fanttuary {hall be to him, or, (hall be his. In two MSS. one collated at Rome, the other at Erfurt, the ) is want- ing before "Yyn, by which means it's dependence on the preceding words, {'Ni, would appear ftill more ftrongly ; but there is no defect in the text, as it ftands at prefent. It is furprifing however, that Bifhop Lloyd, who almoft touched the truth (if I may now be allowed to call it fo) as it were fummis digitis, did not by one effort more arrive at the full difcovery of it. For he interprets "b ]W to fignify the rejection of the Jews from being the people of the Meffiah, and is perfuaded that all the following paflages to the end of the chapter muft needs be referred to the deftruclion of Jerufalem. But the fatal prepoffeffion he was under in common with others refpe£ting the Mefiiah's death lay as a {tumbling block in his way, and turned him afide from a fenfe altogether com- plete in itfelf, eafy, natural, and confiftent, into one defective and labouring both in mat- ter and form. For, firft, after ]W it is required to fupply ioy n\T, but from whence is not very eafy to fay, there being nothing in the context that feems readily to lead to it. Secondly, by hen TJU ED'J we are to underftand the future people of the Prince or MeJJiah, that is, the Romans ; although thefe were certainly not Chrift's people at the time when they atchieved the deftruclion of the city and fandtuary. And laftly, the whole conftruclion throughout is extremely perplexed, not to fay ungrammatical ; but parti- cularly fo, when we come to refer the affix pronoun in lypi to its proper antecedent. See Biftiop Lloyd's hypothefis explained by Mr. Marjhal at the beginning of his Chrono- logical Treatife on the 70 weeks of Daniel, p. 4, 5. Jewifh [ 43 ] Jewifti nation under his more immediate care, and had acknow- ledged a peculiar relation between himfelf, and the city and fandluary that were called by his name. But they had rejected him whom God had fent to be their prince and their faviour ; and were in turn re- jected by him whofe authority they had difclaimed, and were totally caff off out of his covenant and protection. Hence the Gofpel wri- ters have conftantly marked out the destruction of Jerufalem and the temple as the efpecial end of the Meffiah's fecond coming, and the confequential effects of that power, which he ihould diiplay to the confufion of his enemies, and the utter abolition of their civil and religious eftablifliment *. Agreeably to the foregoing interpretation the next words, Kin T^G tDV n , ntP , J are likewife to be taken together, and we may tranflate them, the prince that fhall come /hall dejlroy the people. To this construction no objection can poffibly lie within itfelf, becaufe it is what the words naturally run into of their own accord. To confi- der it then with refpect to the context. By the prince it has been ufual to underftand Titus, the fon of Vefpafian ; and by the people the army over which he commanded, and with which he deftroyed both the city and temple. But this is having recourfe to fecondary caufes only, inftead of looking up to the principal agent and firft mover of all, even to him, of whom it was foretold, that he foould fend forth his armies to dejlroy thofe murderers, and to burn up their city f. In the preceding verfe a date, we fee, was fixed for the coming of one, who is pointed out by the double name of the Messiah the Prince And if by the firlt of thofe titles the fame individual perfon is allowed to be intended here, what neceffity can there be, or what reafon, to look for another, who fhould be repre- fented by the fecond ? Befides, the epithet tfin, that fhall come, carries a direct reference to the coming before intimated, and was on that very account afterwards made one of the titles of diftinction,. * Matt. xxiv. 3, &c. R 3 t Matt. xxii. 7. bjr [ 44 ] by which this MeJJlah and Prince came to be characterized and en- quired after in fucceeding times. Art thou o egxopevog, he that Jhould come, or do we look for another * $ But there is likewife an efpecial fitnefs in the circumftances of the cafe, which required that the re- lation of prince and people fhould be particularly noticed, in order to point out the malignity of the crime, and to vindicate the juftice of lb terrible and rigorous a punifhment. Accordingly our Lord himfelf hath thus marked it in his prophetic parables ; in one of which he fpeaks of himfelf as of a juftly incenfed fovereign, bent to chaftife the infolence of difloyal citizens, who hated his power, and had re- volted from his authority f ; and in another he {Hies himfelf the Lord of the vineyard, whofe hufbandmen had wickedly abufed their truft ; and whom threefore at his coming he fhould totally extir- pate, and let out his vineyard to others, from whom he might hope for a more reafonable and grateful return J. The words which follow next in fucceffion, tpt&2 lSp^» an d the end, or rather, the cutting of, thereof fhall be with a food, bear a very notable and convincing teftimony to the propriety of the foregoing conftrudtion. For on any other ground it is not eafy to affign the antecedent, to which the pronoun thereof has reference. The Mef- fah it could not be ; for how could he be faid to be cut off with a food ? Nor could it be the city and fanBuary for then the pronoun fhould have been in the plural, inftead of the iingular, number. Nor could it be the city fingly, as including the fanStuary ; becaufe *vyn, the city, is feminine, but the pronoun is mafculine. Nor, laftly, could it refer to people, if by people were underftood the Ro- man army ; nor to their Commander ; becaufe neither was he cut off himfelf, nor did his army fuftain any remarkable lofs. But if by , people be underftood the Jewijh nation, as we fuppofe, the fyntax of grammar is duly preferved, and the particular means pointed out, by * Matt. xi. 3. f Lukq xix. 14, 27. t Matt, xxi. 40, 41. Mark xii. 9. Luke xx. 15, 16. which [ 4S ] which the excifon, before fpoken of in general terms only, was to be effected, namely, by the invafon of hoflile armies. For who knows not, that in the language of prophecy it is ufual to defcribe the marching of great armies into the heart of a country by the inunda- tion of mighty waters, which fweeps away all before it, and fpreads havoc and devaftation over the face of the whole land *. The prophecy goes on to defcribe the procefs of this calamity in the following words, m»OtP nmm PlOn^O VP where the chief difficulty lies in afcertaining the proper fenfe of rT:HrO. Our tranllators have rendered it determined, feemingly in deference to the Vulgate the authority of which is the rather queftionable here, as it varies from its own ufage on other Similar occafions -f\ There ap- pears but little or no ground for afcribing any fuch fenfe to the verb 5 but we have already obferved it to have the fignification of moving or advancing forwards, and fo have applied it, ver. 25. Hence \"Hn, the adjective, comes to lignify aclive or diligent ; and accordingly the paffive participle niTin}, when joined with MftnbD, war, (which is its moll obvious conllruction) may very fairly be un- derllood, pujhed on with activity and vigor ; an epithet never applied to any war more jullly than this, where both fides difcovered fuch uncommon ardor and zeal in the profecution, as if refolved to hallen it forward to the moll fpeedy conclulion. Nor was this a merely calual circumllance, but lb ordered by a fpecial difpofition of divine providence, as we learn from our Saviour's own declaration, Matt, xxiv. 22,. And except thofe days Jhould be foortened, there floould no fejh be faved ; but for the eleBs fake thofe days J/ja/I be Jhortened. From whence it appears, not only that the war was unufually hallened, * See Ifai. viii. 7, 8. xvii. 12. xxviii. 2. lix. 19. Jer. xlvi. 7, 8. xlvii. 2. Dan. xi. 22. t See Ifai. x. 22. where ninni is rendered abbreviata, which • t 46 ] which indeed is obferved by Jofephus and other hiftorians * ; but that it was fo haftened, in order to put a flop to thofe very delega- tions, which could not fail of taking place during the continuance of it ; defolations, which Chrift defcribes to be fuch, as never had been before Jince the beginning of the world, nor ever Jhould be the like again f ; and which, had they been of longer continuance, muft have ended in the utter extinction of every human being in Judea, even of thofe who were not deftined to perifh in the general ruin. Let us therefore render the words before recited thus ; And unto the end of a war carried on with rapidity jhall be defolations. rvitr» ywn »sffii nntt yefc &srto mi i»nm ver. 27. by inn nvwi nbo -ryn owns OWpw fpD by\ nmai rar And he JJjall confirm the covenant with many for one week ; and in the midjl of the week he Jhall caufe the facrifi.ee and the oblation to ceafe ; and for the overfpreading of abo?ninations he jhall make it de- flate, even until the confwnmation, and that determined, Jhall be poured upon the deflate. We are now come to the 27th and laft verfe ; where at the be- ginning we meet with thofe two occurrences, which, as we have before feen %, occafioned fuch infinite perplexity, when improperly taken, and were found fo hard to reconcile with each other ; but when rightly underftood, and introduced in their due time, will ap- pear wonderfully clear, confiftent, and agreeable to hiftorical truth. Of thefe the firft is comprized in the following terms ; And, or ra- ther, Bat he Jhall confirm the covenant, or, make a firm covenant, (for * See Jofeph. de Bello Jud. lib. v. cap. 12. §. I. Tacitus Hift. lib. v. II. f Matt. xxiv. 21. X P- H> I5> 16. there [ 47 ] there is no definitive article before DHl) with many for one week which fome of thofe, who attribute them, as doubtlefs they ought to be attributed, to the period we are treating of, underftand of the firm treaty of peace about that time concluded between Corbulo the Roman general and the Parthians and other neighbouring powers *, which ferved greatly to facilitate the progrefs of the Ro- man arms in the reduction of Judea. Others again by many under- fland the Roman armies themfelves, enlifted under the banners of the MeJJiah the prince, and as it were confederated with him during the courfe of the war, which lafted juft a week or feven years, for the purpofe of wreaking a common vengeance upon the Jews, who were alike enemies to both. But though there is a great deal of plaufibility in both thefe opinions, and the fa6t in both inftances is true, yet we feem not by either of them to have fully reached the true import of the text. For the D'll, or many, feem rather to re- late to fome of the people beforementioned f, who by particular corn- pad and agreement were to be exempted from finking under thofe difafters, which proved fb fatal to the reft of their countrymen. And who could thefe fo probably be, as the faithful followers of Chrift, who had received a promife of protection from their mailer's own mouth, and an affurance that not a hair of their heads Jhould pe- rijh ; but that by patient perfeverance they mould preferve their lives J, whilft the unbelievers mould be fwallowed up in the days of vengeance. Nor was the promife ineffectual ; for we learn from Jo- fephus, that when Celtius had brought up his army on a fudden be- fore Jerufalem, and had carried on his attack fo fuccefsfully, that he was well nigh mafter of the place, and muft infallibly have taken it, had he perfifted a little longer, whereby he would have had the whole nation together at his mercy, then affembled within the walls at the feaft of tabernacles ; on a fudden, feized with a panic, he * Tacit. Annal. lib. xv. 29, 30, 31. t Ver. 26. \ Luke xxi. 18, 19. broke [ 48 ] broke up in a mod unmilitary manner, and contrary to the expec- tation of every one ; and drew off his troops to a diftance, giving thofe who would a fair opportunity to efcape *. Accordingly, fays Tofephus, " many of the illuftrious Jews immediately quitted the " city as a Hiip that was finking -f\" But fo unaccountable did the Roman General's conduct appear to that Hiftorian, that he could not help attributing it to the overruling hand of God J, which in- deed interpofed to make good the promife of his fon to his difciples. For, as the ancient Chriftian writers Eufebius and Epiphanius both relate §, the Chriftians warned by a fpecial revelation (which no doubt was the admonition their Lord had left with them, of which we lhall have further occafion to fpeak prefently) took that oppor- tunity which Ceftius's departure afforded them, and fled inftantly to the mountains, where they continued in fafety till the war was ended. After a little w T hile the city was invefted a fecond time, and fo clofely hemmed in by the Roman foldiery from without, and guarded by the jealous vigilance of the befieged within, that from thenceforward an efcape became matter of exceedingly great hazard and difficulty. The other particular before alluded to is, that in the midjl of the week he fhould caufe the facrifice and the oblation to ceafe ; yQt^n tJftTI nnJOl nit tnPQ&r* By the words Wpm *¥n, m the midjl, or half, of the week, it is fufficient if, without exacting a mathematical nicety of divifion, we underftand any time in or about the fourth year of the war: a latitude of expreffion which any good hiftorian would allow himfelf, and confequently may be allowed to a prophet likewife, who is an hiftorian before the event. But to admit, as fome have done for the fake of an hypothefis ||, that what happened * Jofephus de Bello Jud. lib. ii. cap. 19. t Ibid. cap. 20. §. 1. % Ibid. cap. 19. §. 6. § Eufeb. Hift. lib. iii. cap. 5. Epiphan. Hseref. Nazaren. §. 7. |j See Page 16. and the Note p. 17. tit [ 49 ] at the very end of a period might be faid to have been brought about in the half, meaning the latter half, of it, is to adopt a ftyle of lan- guage, which, I think, is hardly juftifiable upon the principles of common ufage *. The proper fignification of TOt is a viffiim, or jlain beajl ; and of HnJE is an offering of fine flour mixed with oil and frankincenfe, which was called the meat offering ; and as this was directed to be added as an appendage to the lambs that were facrificed morning and evening in the daily fervice of the fanctuary, both thefe together may be undetftood to denote what is known by the name of the continual facrifice or burnt-offering *f" . Now the Jewim war is ufually computed to have begun with the taking of Mafada in May of the year of our Lord lxvi, and to have ended with the retaking of the fame town in April lxxiii, completing the term of feven years ; although each date may be extended either way, a little forward or a little backward, without prejudice to hiftorical or prophetic truth. The city of Jerufalem was taken in the beginning of September of the year lxx ; and fome little time before, Jofephus fays on the feventeenth day of the month Havepos, which according to Suidas anfwers to the July of the Romans, Titus was informed that the daily facrifice, for want of perfons to attend it, had been difcontinued, it is uncertain for how long time before ; and that the people in the city were very uneafy on that account J. So punctually do we find this part of the prophecy alfo verified in its accomplimment. * To make ufe of language in this manner feems to me no better than folemn trifling. For at this rate where is the difference between faying that an event fhould take place in fuch a week, or in the half of it ; fince whatever fhould happen in any part of that week, would certainly happen in the half of it alfo, meaning either the former or the latter half of it ? t Exod. xxix. 38 — 42. Num. xxviii. 3—8. Note, that in neither of thefe places is any mention made of frankincenfe mixed with the meat-offering ; but Lev. ii. 1, 2. it is directed to be added to every meat-offering, in order to be burnt for a fweet favour unto the Lord, as the daily meat-offering is alfo faid to be. t Jofeph. De Bello Jud. lib. vi. cap. 2. §. r. S The [ So ] The next words are thofe, which are manifeftly quoted, in part at leaft, by our Saviour himfelf, in fpeaking of the figns which mould portend the approaching defolation of Jerufalem. It muft be our bufmefs to confider, how far the quotation can be brought to agree with the words as they ftand, or may fairly be fuppofed to have flood, in the original text. Our Saviour's words are thus re- ported by St. Matthew ; When ye therefore Jha/I fee the abomination of defolation, fpoken of by Daniel the prophet, Jland in the holy place, sv T07ru ayiu) * ; and by St. Mark fomewhat differently ; But when ye Jhall fee the abomination of defolation, fpoken of by Daniel the prophet, jlanding where it ought not, onou ov $ei -f. But by St. Luke they are evidently paraphrafed ; And when ye Jhall fee Jerufalem compaffed with armies ; orau $e iSyre KnixXoupevyv v7ro facmsartfasv ttjv Iepa and tnat i* ought to be rendered thus ; And on the border (encompaffing and preffing clofe upon the befieged) fhall be the abomination of deflation f. The * Jofeph. De Bello Jud. lib. ii. cap. 19. §. 5. f The learned Michaelh ( Epijl. ad D. J. Pringle, p. 206, &c.) feems much to ap- prove of the reading of the Parifian Manufcript, and imagines he has found a confirma- tion of it in that paflage of Jofephus De Bell. Jud. lib. vi. c. 5. §. 4. where it is faid, that the Jews were forewarned in their oracular writings^ that the city and temple fiould be dejlroyed, whenever the temple was reduced to a quadrangular form. He argues, that no other prophecy could be alluded to in thefe words, than that which we are now exa- mining ; becaufe, he fays, there is no other but this in the facred books of the Old Tef- tament, which relates to the taking of the city by the Romans. He infers therefore from hence, [ S3 1 The laft claufe of all, inn rHFTttl nb3 njn, is now the only one that remains to be elucidated. And here the chief difficulty will be removed, if we can once afcertain the fubjecl: or nominative, which precedes the verb *]nD> faaik be poured. This, I am hence, that Jofephus certainly found in the copies of his time the fame reading exactly as that of the Par'iftan MS. now cited ; but that inftead of ^Ip'ti? (fhikkutz) abomination, he by a different punctuation took it for f**jp*l0 (fhejjakotz) qui abjcindet, and applied it to the cutting off of the communication between the temple and the tower Antonia, by fetting fire to the porticos, which joined the latter on to the former, as a wing running out from the main body of the building ; fo that when this wing was cut off, the figure of the temple became truly quadrangular. But in obje£Hon to this it may be noticed, that the abfciffion would then be afcribed to the Roman legions, or their general, who are undoubtedly here meant by the deflator ; whereas it was the work of the Jews them- felves, as Jofephus exprefsly relates, De Bella Jud. lib. vi. c. 2. §. 9. And even letting this pafs, I do not fee but that the argument would conclude altogether as ftrong, if not more fo, in favour of the common reading, «pD by, as of the newly difcovered one. For it cannot be denied, that ^33 may well fignify a Wing or Outbuilding ; and fuppofing Jo- fephus to have read, the abomination of the defolator Jhall be *p3 by 3 upon the wing, (mean- ing the tower Antonio,) which he Jhall cut off, might he not equally have inferred the qua- drangular form of the temple from the wing thus faid to be cut off from the main body of the building, as if it had been expreffed, with fomewhat lefs propriety perhaps, that the main body of the building mould be cut off from the wing ? Not that I think there is much ftrefs to be laid upon the conjecture either way, how fatisfactory foever it may ap- pear to the learned ProfefTor. — But having mentioned the poflibility of rpa being taken to denote the tower Antonia, as the wing of the temple, I cannot help fubmitting to the reader a thought which has fuggefted itfelf, not without fome appearance of plaufibility. It has been obferved above, that our Saviour's quotation may well be underftood as not neceffarily including more of the paffage before us than the two words Dftti'D ^*ip s ii*, the abomination of deflation ; and, for all that appears to the contrary, our Saviour and the prophet Daniel may have defigned the fame appearance indeed, but in different places, and at different times. What then, if without prejudice to the notion that our Saviour had in view the near approach of the Roman armies under Ceftius, we here render the words DDU'D f1p s t£> rpD b$) literally, and the abomination of deflation, that is, the fame Roman legions with their idolatrous ftandards, Jhall be upon the wing ; and underftand thereby the lodgment made by them upon the tower Antonia at the very time, when Titus is [ S4 ] am perfuaded, is no other than the noun an utter confumption, or full end ; the particle iy, which is conftructed with it as a pre- pofition in all the ancient verfions, being rather to be taken as a mere expletive, or at leaft adverbially for omnino, penitus, even unto, or nothing Jhort of, without affecting the regimen of the noun which follows it. Noldius produces inftances of the like ufage in Ifa. xxxiii. 23. Job iv. 5. xi. 7. to which, I think, may be added, 1 Sam. ii. 5. 1 Chro. xii. 40. Job xxv. 5. Hag. ii. 20. and many others. The paffage therefore may be thus rendered, And an utter end, even a J'peedy one, fall be poured upon the deflated. Or, without making much alteration in the fenfe, "7V1 may be taken conjunctively for even until, as limiting a time for the continuance of the abomination of deflation in the fituation beforemcntioned ; thus, and the abomi- nation of deflation fall be upon the border, even until an utter end, and that a fpeedy one, fall be poured upon the deflated*. As for the w r ord nVirU, its fignification has already been determined in the preceding verfe, and for the reafons there given we render it hafen- ed, or fpeedy ; befides that it is fo rendered by the Seventy, the Sy- riac, and the Latin Vulgate, Ifai. x. 23. where it occurs joined with as in the prefent inftance, nV"iniT n^D, confummatio abbre- viata, Gr. cwtzt^vi^vov ; and even our tranflators themfelves have given the fame turn to an expreffion of a fimilar form, nbD nVnii, He Jljall make even a speedy riddance of all them that is faid to have had the firfl intelligence that the daily facrifkes of the temple had ceafed a little before ; and the final deftru6tion of the city and temple followed foon after ? For my part, I can fee little other objection to this interpretation, than that the tranfa£tions of the fiege are here related beforehand with as much order, as they were afterwards by the Hiftorian, who had been himfelf an eye-witnefs of the whole. * See IV ufed in this manner with a future verb, Gen. xxxviii. 11. Prov. vii. 23. Hof. x. 12. It is not clear whether our laft Englifh tranflators of the Bible did not under- ftand TJM in this fenfe, as may be feen from the pointing with which this fentence is read p. 46. but it is certainly fo taken in the old Englifh verfion of Queen Elizabeth's time, which reads, even untill the confurnmation determined pall be poured upon the defolate. dwell t 55 1 dwell in the land. Zeph. i. 18. Enough has been already obferved of the extraordinary hafte in which the war was precipitated to a conclufion *. And as to the final hTue of it, we may compare what is here faid with our Saviour's prediction, Luke xxi. 24. which hif- tory informs us was completely verified in the event. And they Jhall fall by the edge of the fword, and JJjall be led away captive into all nations, and Jerufalem Jhall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. — One thing more I would choofe to remark, which is, that a peculiar ftrefs feems to be laid on the laft word, TDiyW, the deflated ; by which thofe appear to be marked out, who having been all along harraffed and worn down by the mi- feries of the war, and efpecially of the fiege, were doomed finally to perifh and be cut off at the clofe of all ; in contradiftindion feem- ingly to that part of the nation, who at the beginning of the verfe were faid to have been under the protection of a fpecial covenant, and thereby exempted from the general ruin. This latter was the cafe of the inhabitants of the mountainous parts of Galilee and Percea, who, not having joined in the revolt from the Romans, were there- fore fafe, together with the better fort of the nation, who had fled thither from the fouthern parts of Judea, properly fo called f . This diftinction our Saviour alfo hath mofl exprefsly noticed in the following words of his prediction, Then Jhall two be in the feld j the one JJoall be taken, and the other left. Two women Jhall be grinding at the mill ; the one Jhall be taken, and the other left j. And thus have I endeavoured to trace out and explain the true import and meaning of this extraordinary vifion ; following with impartiality, and, I truft, with due fobriety, the lights that have been held forth to me ; fome of which being of new difcovery may have been the caufe why the matter has hitherto been differently apprehended ; but if a proper ufe lhall appear to have been made of * P. 45> 46. t See p. 48. % Matt. xxiv. 40, 41. thefe, [ 56 ] thefe, it may encourage our hopes of further benefit in the illuftra- tion of other difficult parts of Scripture, to be derived from thofe larger communications of the fame kind, which we are taught fhortly to expecl. It may not be amifs to give the tranflation of the whole prophecy at one view, according to the foregoing amendments. WEEKS SUFFICIENT HAVE BEEN TERMINATED, (or COMPLETED) UPON THY PEOPLE AND UPON THY HOLY CITY, TO CHECK THE REVOLT, AND TO PUT AN END TO SINS, AND TO MAKE ATONEMENT FOR INIQUITY, AND TO BRING AGAIN THE RIGHTE- OUSNESS OF ANCIENT TIMES, AND TO SEAL (that is, authenticate) THE DIVINE ORACLE AND THE PROPHET, AND TO ANOINT (that is, sanctify anew) THE MOST HOLY THINGS. AND THOU SHALT KNOW AND UNDERSTAND, THAT FROM THE GOING FORTH OF A DECREE TO REBUILD JERUSALEM UNTO THE MESSIAH THE PRINCE SHALL BE SEVENTY AND SEVEN WEEKS, AND THREESCORE AND TWO YEARS ; IT SHALL BE REBUILT, STILL ENLARGING ITSELF, AND BECOM- ING MORE AND MORE CONSIDERABLE, EVEN AMIDST TIMES OF DISTRESS. AND AFTER THE TIMES SEVENTY SEVEN AND THREESCORE AND TWO, MESSIAH SHALL CUT OFF FROM [ 57 ] FROM BELONGING TO HIM EOTH THE CITY AND THE SANCTUARY j THE PRINCE THAT SHALL COME SHALL DESTROY THE PEOPLE \ AND THE CUTTING OFF THEREOF SHALL BE WITH A FLOOD ; (that is, a hostile invasion) AND UNTO THE END OF A WAR CARRIED ON WITH RAPIDITY SHALL BE DESO- LATIONS. BUT HE SHALL CONFIRM A COVENANT (or MAKE A FIRM COVENANT) WITH MANY FOR ONE WEEK ; AND IN THE MIDST OF THE WEEK HE SHALL CAUSE THE SACRIFICE AND MEAT OFFERING TO CEASE; AND THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION SHALL BE UPON THE BORDER; (that is, encompassing and press- ing CLOSE UPON THE CITY AND THE TEMPLE) AND AN UTTER END, EVEN A SPEEDY ONE (or, EVEN UNTIL AN UTTER END, AND THAT A SPEEDY ONE) SHALL BE POURED UPON THE DESOLATED. A most aftoniftiing predi&ion, in which the future fortunes of a people, carried on and continued through a courfe of more than fix hundred years together, marked with a fucceffion of finking and extraordinary incidents, and at length terminating in a final dhTolution, are defcribed beforehand with fuch wonderful precifion and circumftantiality, that to a perfon not well verfed in the proofs of fcripture authenticity it might well appear (what fome enemies of revelation have groundlefsly charged upon this and other fcriptu- ral prophecies befides) to have been invented after the things had happened, which are pretended to be foretold in it ! Happily T however [ 5« ] however we are enabled undeniably to evince the contrary ; not only becaufe we are provided with abundant evidence of the book, which contains this prophecy, and of the. prophecy itfelf, having been extant long before the times which are therein referred to, and of its having been ftill in the keeping of thofe, whofe avowed enmity to the Chriftian caufe muft have been an effectual bar againft any attempt of impofture to favour it ; but alfo becaufe even Chriftians themfelves have not, according to the prefent fup- pofition at leaft, been hitherto generally acquainted with the true value of its contents, fo as to apply them with all due advan- tage. Authenticated then as it is, and illuftrated, if truly, accord- ing to the foregoing explanation, it muft be confidered as a moll ftrong corroborating teftimony of the truth of our holy religion, and of the divine power and authority of its great author. — Some per- haps may be dhTatisfied at not finding any longer in this prophecy the proof of that particular article of Chriftian faith, which has com- monly been underftood to be witneffed in it. Far, very far am I from wifhing to weaken any part of that evidence, which is afford- ed us for the confirmation of any of thofe facred truths, which are moft furely believed among us. But if the doctrine of our Sa- viour's death for the fins of mankind be not here to be met with in reality, as I am perfuaded it is not, who can be juftly blamed for acknowledging the truth ? Nor do I think the credibility of the doctrine is in the leaft degree fhaken or affected by the want of fuch an atteftation. For if the illuftration of this prophecy tends to the confirmation of the gofpel truth in general, it tends alfo to the confirmation of every particular article which that gofpel teaches. And I know not what it doth teach, if it doth not teach with the greateft plainnefs and perfpicuity, that Chriji "J ejus died Jor our Jins *, and not Jor his own f , the jujl Jor the unjuji, that he might bring us to God J. This at leaft I am certain of, that if any * Rom. iv. 25. 1 Cor. xv. 3. Gal. i. 4. Heb. i. 3. ix. 28. 1 Pet. ii. 24. ■\ 2 Cor. v. 21. Heb. iv. 15. vii. 26, 27. 1 Pet. ii. 22. % t Pet. iii. 18. one [ 59 ] one mould be fo weak and unfettled in the faith, as to remain un- convinced by the exprefs declarations made on this head by our Saviour and his apoftles, he would hardly be perfuaded by any addi- tional teftimony, that could poffibly be derived from the words of this prophecy. One word or two more let me add, before I conclude, with refpecT: to the purpofe and defign of revealing this heavenly vi- fion. Some perfons have feemed to imagine, and have argued upon the fuppofition, that the matter of this prophecy muft needs be confidered as of a favourable kind, and not to contain threats of evil, as we fee it does, becaufe it was delivered to Daniel in an- fwer to his prayer, and by way of confolation to him, at the fame time that he is declared to be in efpecial favour with God *. But I fee not the lead ground for fuch a prefumption. All, I think, that can reafonably be concluded from its having been granted in con- fequence of Daniel's prayer, is what I have already inferred at the beginning of this inquiry ; namely, that it might fairly be expected to have been in point, or at leaft not foreign to the matter of the fupplication. And upon this footing it was furely a diftinguifhing mark of God's great favour towards him, that he mould be thought worthy to participate of the divine counfels at firfl hand, of what nature foever thofe counfels were ; and mould be employed as an inftrument of conveying that knowledge to others. The beginning of the vifion indeed founded favourably ; but the end was exceed- ingly harm and bitter ; and undoubtedly muft have appeared fo to one, who felt for his country fo affectionately as the prophet Da- niel did. But what then ? Muft God alter and reverfe the order of his decrees, or even fupprefs and keep out of fight the afflic- tive part of them, when it was otherwife convenient to make them known, for fear of adding to the forrows of this good man ? Or when we do find him fo intemperately laviih of the miraculous * Mchaelis Epiji. ad D. J. Pringle^ p. 61, 62. interpofitions [ 6° ] interpofitions of his providence, as to make fuch high and important difcoveries of his future defigns, merely to gratify the curiofity of, or impart fome temporary confolation to, an importunate indivi- dual, how exemplary or how acceptable foever for his piety ? — Again ; as little reafon is there to fuppofe that this revelation was given by way of feafonable and friendly warning to the Jewifh na- tion, in profpect of exciting them to repentance. In other places they are earneftly called upon to reform their mifdoings, are mewn the neceffary confequences of their perfifting in wilful difobedience, the judgments and the promifes of God are conditionally held forth to them, and no means left untried to revive in their minds a fenfe of duty, whenever it feemed to decay or lofe ought of its pro- per influence among them. But in Daniel's predictions we fee for the moll part no condition annexed ; all is abfolute, and {imply declarative, and moft certainly to be performed in its feafon ; doubtlefs becaufe God, who foretold the evils, forefaw at the fame time the provocations that would infallibly lead to them. A warn- ing however we may fafely conclude was intended, but not to them whofe fate was inevitably pronounced, but to others in fucceeding ages, to convince them that all this was not the effect of blind chance, but that the counfel of the Almighty had planned it, and his right hand brought it to pafs ; and to engage them for their own benefit to attend to and confider thefe difpenfations of his providence. All thefe things happened unto them for enfam- ples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come % Happy if we duly apply the admonition, and naffer it to have its proper effect and influence upon our conduct: ! The Chriftian Church hath long fmce ftept into the place of the Jewifh nation, and is become, what that was of old, the peculiar object of God's attention and efpecial providence. It hath partaken in a very large degree of the bounteous riches of his grace ; on fome occafions and in fome meafure it hath alfb been vifited with judgments, and experienced the rod of his afflict- * i Cor. x. ii» ing [ 6i ] ing hand. But has it, or, to fpeak lefs generally, has that reformed part of it eftablifhed in thefe kingdoms, and which once groaned under the yoke of worfe than Babylonifh fervitude, from which we are now happily delivered, have we learned wifdom from his corrections, or been influenced to love and obey him as we ought, in return for the bleffed privileges of gofpel light and liberty fo gracioully reftored to us ? If this hath not been the cafe hitherto, (and too true, I fear, it is, that it hath not) let us take warning betimes. For if God fpared not the objects of his ancient adop- tion and favour, let us take heed left: he alfo fpare not us. As yet it is hoped that the irrevocable fentence of condemnation is not gone forth againft: us ; and God forbid it ever mould ! But if we would avoid being held forth in our turn as a fpectacle of his national vengeance, let us make hafte to avert it by our national repentance. And in this falutary work let us remember it to be the duty of every individual among us to take his feparate fliare, and to labour in the reformation of what is amifs in himfelf ; for by this only can the general reformation be effected. And to this furely we can want no other motive to incline us, than the confi- deration of the general weal, and the love we each of us feel for our religion and country. But we have this further encourage- ment in our favour, that however our pious endeavours may turn out with refpect to the public, they will in no cafe be unavail- ing or loft: to ourfelves. Even taking the worft: that can poffibly happen, the providence of God, as is exemplified abundantly in the inftance before us, will be ever watchful for the prefervation of his faithful fervants, and will find a way for them to efcape and be happy, even amidft: the general conflagration and perdition of the ungodly. THE END. * * I i