Page images
PDF
EPUB

That is, (as Abarbanal observes) in the days of Sennacherib, when my people Ifrael dwelt fecurely on the other fide Jordan, and in the land of Zebulun and Naphtali, and in Samaria, &c. dost thou not remember what thou didst unto them? for, "Thou didst come from thy place, from the north quarters, thou and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horfes, a great company and a mighty host. And thou didst come up against my people, as a cloud to cover the land;

instead of תדע "thou knowest," his reason for which, he gives in his note, as follows. -" rise up] Cappellus observes that read which Houbigant and Dathius greatly prefer. The latter critic refers to Jer. vi. 22."6 תעור. recte, ni fallor. Confer Jer. vi. 22. "Secker." All this, is very fine to be fure; and founds pompously in the ears of a merc English reader; or the half taught Hebraist. But the true Hebraist, views such false criticism with pity; and smiles at the superficial tinfel: for unfortunately for these profound eriticks, all this will not help them : for תער without pointed which way they please, as it is in Scripture; (though I suppose that in their great wisdom, they have difcarded the points) does not denote to ftir up; for if pointed thus, ער as in Pfalm cxli. 8. it signifies to pour out. And if pointed thus תַּעַר it is a noun fubftantive; and denotes a razor. And if we read with Secker, we must add 1 vau. And after all, this twisting and wire drawing of the poor printed text, will not do: for the proper grammatic form of "thou shalt rife up,"

תעורר ,is

VOL. II.

Rr

(there

[ocr errors]

(therefore) in the latter days it shall also come to pass, that I will bring thee against my land; that the nations may know me, when I shall be fanctified in thee, O Gog, For when God shall before their eyes. have thus punished him, for what he did aforetime to Ifrael, then will his name be sanctified. And therefore, the Prophet says immediately after ver. 17. "Thus faith the LORD God: (Art) not thou he of whom I spake in old time by my * servants the prophets of Ifrael, who prophefied in those days, (many) years (past), that I would bring thee (here) because of them?" That is, I would bring thee here, to take vengeance on thee for their fake: for what thou didst unto them. The Prophet therefore, in grand, sublime, and indignant language, with magnificent and terrific imagery; foretells his destruction; ver. 18-20. "And it shall come to pass in that day, (even) on the day when Gog shall come against the land of Ifrael, faith the LORD God, (that) my fury shall rise up in my face. For in my jealoufy, (and) in the fire of my wrath have I

[blocks in formation]

spoken: furely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Ifrael: So that the fishes of the fea, shall shake at my presence, and the fowls of the heavens, and the beasts of the field, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the ground, and all the men that (are) upon the face of the earth: and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground." The "great shaking' does not denote an earthquake, as Archbishop Newcombe (after Houbigant) has erroneoufly thought: (See his note on this place) but under this figure, the Prophet has shewn the dreadful flaughter of the nations, who are compared to " the fishes of the fea," &c. And "the fall of the mountains," &c. denotes the fall of their kings, princes, and great men: the fame as the heavens &c, denote thrones and dignities; (as shewn Vol. Ist. p. 215. &c.) and therefore, the Prophet immediately explains the figure : "And I will call for a sword a

ver. 21.

gainst him throughout all my mountains, faith the LORD God: every man's sword shall be against his brother."

Rr2

That is, the

Chrifti

Christians against the Mahometans; for as the former are defcended from Edom, and the latter from Ishmael; they, according to Scripture language, are brethren.

The Prophet then proceeds to shew that, God will not only take vengeance on them by the sword; but also by the peftilence, fire, &c. and by which, he will be magnified in the fight of the nations: ver. 22-23. " And I will plead against him with peftilence and with blood; and (with) an overflowing shower, and great hail stones; (and) fire and brimstone will I rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people* that (are) with him. Thus will I magnify myself, and fanctify myself, and I will be known in the fight of many nations; and they shall know that I am the LORD." For when God shall take vengeance on the nations, for what they did to his people; they will stand in awe of him; his particular providence will then be acknowledged; and he will be magnified, as a just judge.

The Prophet goes on to exemplify more at large, the figurative language that he had made use of above: chap. xxxix. 1-7. "Therefore, thou son of man, prophecy against Gog, and say, Thus faith the LORD God; Behold, I (am) against thee, O Gog, prince of Rhos Meshech and Tubal; And I will turn thee back, and will strike thee with fix (plagues*), when I cause thee to come up from the north quarters, and bring thee upon the mountains of Ifrael. And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Ifrael, thou and all thy bands, and the people that (are) with thee; to the birds of every fort, and (to) the beasts of the field, have I given thee to be devoured. Thou shalt fall upon the face of the field: for I have spoken (it), faith the LORD God. And I will send a fire on Magog, and on them that dwell securely in the ifles: and they shall

• Heb. Peoples.

made • This is according to Kimchi's father, and Abarbanal: as the Prophet says, with pestilence, and with blood, and with an over-flowing shower, and great hail ftones, fire and brimflone which are the fix plagues that he is to be smitten with. But Jarchi, thinks, it denotes to deceive. And Kim. chi explains it thus, I will leave a fixth (part) of thee.

† Heb. Wing.

know

« PreviousContinue »