Verses 4, 5. " that I should know opened mine ear."

The construction is wonderfully obscure in the original, and the version of the LXX seems to indicate that they followed another reading. Houbigant proposes emendations, which make an easy construction and good sense. But I think the easiest emendation would be to affix the pronoun to the word (which, as the next word begins with », may easily be admitted), and to alter the stops, thus:

י

4 The Lord Jehovah hath given unto me

A learned tongue, to know to be in season [i. e. to time my

instructions well].

My word shall enliven the weary:

Each morn he [i, e. the weary] shall raise the ear to me

[arriget mihi aurem],

To hearken, after the manner of disciples.

5 The Lord Jehovah hath opened mine own ear,

&c.

Verse 6." I gave my back," &c. See the excellent note of Houbigant upon this passage, in which he exposes the absurdity of Grotius's attempt to apply these things to the prophet Isaiah.

Verse 9." they all shall wax old eat them

1

and כלכם the LXX read,יאכלם and כלם up. For - תבלו perhaps יבלו and for,יאכלכם

ye all shall

wax old eat you up."

Verse 10." that obeyed"

For you, Bishop

Lowth, with the LXX, reads you, which adds much

to the spirit and elegance of the sentence.

him hearken to the voice"

let

"that walketh in darkness, and hath no light;" rather, "no sunshine.'

"Id accipiendum ab una parte de afflictionibus et casibus tristibus atque injucundis, qui credentibus in Christum acciderent; ab alterâ de tenebris mentis inde ortis; h. e. de anxietate, sollicitudine, metu, tristitiâ quæ gaudium illorum, non extinguerent quidem attamen imminuerent; et spem non tollerent quidem verum labefactarent; et fiduciam, quam mente conceperant maximam infirmarent.-Vates

verum ואין אור לו-noster non scripsit hoc in loco

Innuit se loqui de subjectis, quorum imminuta fuerit consolatio et attenuata spes, non

6

vere extincta est enim 3, splendor,' plus quam ,lux.' Significatur electos hosce credentes eo esse statu, ut non perspiciant clarè et serenè, quæ consequentia essent, quis exitus esset, eorum eventuum qui ipsis accidebant. Animi illorum erant μereagitoμevor." Vitringa in Is. vol. ii, p. 614, 1. μετεωριτομένοι. -Scena hujus alloquii figenda est in ipso tempore, quo Filius Dei in terris versatus est, proximus exitur ex mundo. Sed extenditur usque ad tempora Trajani et Hadriani." Ibid.

Verse 11." that compass yourselves about with sparks;” rather, " forming a ring round the flames." Instead of walking by the light of God's holy doctrine, ye endeavour to raise a light of your own; the light of false philosophy and human imaginations.

CHAP. LI.

In the beginning of this fifty-first chapter Messiah is still the speaker, and perhaps through the whole of it, but certainly to the end of the 16th verse. Vitringa puts the 9th, 10th, and 11th verses into the mouth of a chorus of the saints, praying in the two former for God's interposition in behalf of his church, and in the last prophetically promising

themselves that their prayer will be granted. In this I believe he is right. The five verses following (viz. 12-16) he assigns to God the Father. But they seem to me not improper in the mouth of the Son. He speaks to the few pious Jews who received him as the Saviour, and he apprises them of the call of the Gentiles, and promises the final deliverance and prosperity of the church.

Verse 4. "O my nation;" rather, "O my 0 countrymen." "Contributes mei." Houbigant. But Bishop Lowth, upon the authority of the Syriac and some MSS, changes and into y and , that the address may be made not to the Jews, but to the Gentiles.

-" of the people." -" of the peoples." "y. Verse 6." shall die in like manner." From these words St Jerome draws an argument, that the heavens and the earth are not to be destroyed, but to undergo a change for the better. But the true rendering of is not in like manner,' but 'like lice.' See Vitringa in Is. vol. ii, p. 626, not. A.

Verses 12, 13. -" Fige scenam ejus quod hic exhibetur, cùm in aliis persecutionibus quæ in tentatæ sunt populo Christi, primo illo tempore nascentis

VOL. II.

A A

ecclesiæ; tum præcipue in Diocletianeâ." Vitringa in Is. vol. ii, p. 629, 1.

12." that thou shouldest be afraid," &c. Not. withstanding the examples of constancy in many martyrs and confessors, very great numbers not only of the laity, but of ecclesiastics of every order, shrunk from the terrors of persecution." Ad prima statim verba minantis inimici maximus fra trum numerus fidem suam prodidit." Cyprian. de laps. serm. 5.

"Nec tamen hic

-"of a man that shall die." tantum cogitandum de mortalitate et fragilitate principum persecutorum, verum etiam de mortalitate ipsius imperii. Roma pagana aliquando desineret esse; brevi exaresceret, et collum subderet Christo, et successio horum principum rescinderetur." Vitringa, ibid.

13. " and forgettest."

"Oblivisci hic pertinet ad idololatriam, et convicia Christo dicenda." Vitringa, p. 629, 2.

and where is the fury of the oppressor?"

Ubi sunt modo magnifica illa, et clara per gentes, Joviorum et Herculiorum nomina, quæ primùm a Dioclete et Maximiano insolenter assumpta, ac postmodum ad successores eorum translata vigue