SEND A GRACIOUS RAIN TO THINE INHERITANCE; AND, WHEN V. 10. thou, O God, haft prepared of thy Goodness for the poor. : D'nbæ "yb na an] Rather-THOU, O GOD, ACCORDING TO THY GOODNESS, DIDST PROVIDE FOR THE POOR. V. 11. The Lord gave the Word, great was the Company of those -Rather, per [אדני יתן אמר - המבשרות צבא רב : .that published it haps, in one Hemiftic THE LORD GAVE THE WORD OF GLAD TIDINGS TO THE GREAT ARMY: or, in two, thus --- THE LORD GAVE THE WORD; there were GLAD TIDINGS to HIS NUMEROUS HOST. This is the very Word our Lord uses, Ifa. LXI. 1. where he fpeaks of his Gofpel; and which He quotes and applies to Himself, Luke IV. 18. So alfo Ch. VII. 22. we read to the poor the GOSPEL is preached, which implies the fame Idea as we have in the foregoing Verse. But notwithstanding the fecondary Allufion, what is here faid refers primarily to the total Difcomfiture of Sifera and Jabin by Deborah, Judg. IV. מלכי צבאות ידדון ידרון V. 12. Kings of Armies did flee apace: V. 13. Though ye have lien among the Pots, yet fhall ye be as the Wings of a Dove, covered with Silver, and her Feathers with yellow אם תשכבון בין שפתים כנפי יונה נחפה בכסף ואברותיה בירקרק .Gold never fignifies Pots; and there feems to be שפתים The Word [ חרוץ: no Occafion to add any Words to the Text, which appears fufficiently clear without: thus - DID NOT YE LIE AMONG THE SHEEPFOLDS, O YE WINGS OF A DOVE, COVERED WITH SILVER, AND WITH BURNISHED GOLD IN HER FEATHERS? See thus used, Est. IV. 14. Jer. XXXI. 20. 'n I render as in our Verfion, Judg. V. 16. though it properly fignifies Rails or Bars, which were used for that Purpose: fee Par. Proph. P. 78. and to pp I give the Senfe of burnished, because in Chaldee it fignifies a Topaz, a Stone both bright and yellow: or, as the Word generally fignifies green, it may mean the greenish Caft which Gold fometimes has; thus Martial, Miratur Scythicas VIRENTIS AURI Jupiter flammas B. XII. Epig. 15. This Allegory appears to me to have a clear Reference to the Tribes of Reuben, Part of Manafleh, Dan and Afher, which did not affift T 2 Deborah Deborah in the Battle against Sifera; and which the reproaches in her Song, Judg. V. 15, 16, 17. They are called Doves, as being the fittest Emblems of their Cowardice. The Gold and Silver to which the Wings are compared may allude to the Riches, which these Tribes feem to have acquired, by preferring a domeftic, to a warlike, Life. Thus Iffachar is called an Afs; Judah, a Lion, &c. to denote their refpective Qualities, Gen. XLIX. V. 14. When the Almighty Scattered Kings, in it, it was white as Snow Rather [בפרש שדי מלכים- בה תשלג בצלמון : .Siete in Salimnon 111 -- WHEN THE ALMIGHTY DISCOMFITED THE KINGS, ON HER ACCOUNT THOU DIDST BECOME AS THE SNOW OF SALMON. ,are all fo like in Form, Sound פרש and פרץ פרע,פרס The Verbs and Sense, that they are often confounded. I render the Kings, as Sifera and Jabin appear evidently to be meant. I tranflate on ber Account, viz. Deborah's; whose Reproaches made them pale with Indignation: so many Inftances occur in Scripture, particularly in the poetical Books, of Relatives used in this Manner without Antecedents, when the Subject is fo well known that it cannot be mistaken, that it is needless to cite them. ben I make the fecond Perfon, as the Tribes are ftill addreffed in the fame Character. V. 15. The Hill of God is as the Hill of Bashan, an high Hill as the Rather, I [הר אלהים הר בשן - הר גבננים הר בשן: .Hill of Baban -- think, thus THE HILL OF BASHAN is AN EMINENT HILL, THE HILL OF BASHAN is A VERY HIGH HILL. I tranflate on, an eminent Hill, becaufe, according to the Hebrew Phrafeology, any Thing diftinguished in it's kind has the Addition of God after it, as Gen. XXIII. 6. XXX. 8. 1 Sam. XXVI. 12. &c. fignifies a Hill with many Tops, as in Homer woλudepas. Our Tranflators, as it should seem by the old Verfion, thought that this Verse referred to Mount Zion. But it seems to me more probable, that it is to be confidered as an Apoftrophe to the Victory, fo often mentioned in Scripture, which the Ifraelites gained over Og the King of Bafhan, and Sihon King of the Amorites. V. 16. Why leap ye, ye high Hills? Rather perhaps - THE [ רכב אלהים רבתים אלפי שנאן V. 17. The Chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of Angels: LORD RODE with MYRIADS, with THOUSANDS OF THOUSANDS. the Lord is among them as in Sinai, in the holy Place. N THE LORD is AMONG THEM; it (viz. Bashan) is A SINAI IN RESPECT TO HOLINESS. See thus ufed, Pf. XC. 10. Rather perhaps [בם סיני בקדש : - V. 18. yea, for the rebellious alfo, that the Lord might dwell among them. Rather [ואף סוררים לשכן יה אלהים: .them THAT THE LORD MIGHT HAVE THE HABITATION OF THE REBELLIOUS. Thus is rendered, Pf. CIV. 12. The Meaning of this Verse seems to be "That God had intirely defeated the Kings of "Canaan, or made them Tributaries, in order that his chosen might poffefs their Country." V. 19. Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with Benefits, even ברוך אדני יום יום - יעמס לנו האל ישועתנו: .the God of our Saluation Rather BLESSED be GOD DAILY, THE GOD OF OUR SALVATION, who BURDENETH HIMSELF WITH US. See the Word thus ufed, Zech. XII. 3. V. 20. He that is our God, is the God of Salvation, and unto God האל לנו אל למושעות - וליהוה .the Lord belong the Ilues from Death [אדני למות תוצאוה: : 1831 12 ] Rather- GOD is TO US A GOD OF SALVATION; AND UNTO THE LORD, THE GOD OF DEATH, belongs THE DETERMINATION, OR EFFICIENCY: for in cannot be conftrued the flues from Death. V. 23. That thy Foot may be dipped in the Blood of thine Enemies, למען תמחץ רגלך בדם - לשון .and the Tongue of thy Dogs in the fame can מחץ This Verfe feems very corrupt; for [כלביך מאיבים מנהו : or perhaps. only fignify to wound. All the ancient Verfions read here , as Pf. LVIII. 10. which is doubtless the true Reading, and there is the greatest Probability that '' is another Mistake for DN 'TN (as Ex. XXV.5.) agreeing with the last Antecedent, though an uncommon Conftruction. Wherefore I would render this Verfe according to the Common Prayer Verfion - THAT THY FOOT MAY BE WASHED IN BLOOD; (or, THAT THOU MAYEST WASH THY FOOT IN BLOOD) and THE TONGUE OF THY DOGS MAY BE RED THROUGH THE SAME. V. 26.. I read [ ישראל : אדנים מקור - אדני ממקור V. 26. -even the Lord, from the Fountain of Ifrael. 178 TIPS DUN THE GOD, THE FOUNTAIN OF ISRAEL. God is faid to be "p, the Fountain of Life, Pf. XXXVI. 9. and this I fuppofe to be the Senfe here intended. V.27. -the Princes of Judah, and their Counfel,on can only fignify their Heap of Stones. As all the old Verfions (the Chaldee excepted) have here their Princes or Generals, I conclude they read on, THEIR EXCELLENCY: for Judah is called the Lawgiver, (Pf. LX. 7. CVIII. 8.) and was diftinguifhed above all the other Tribes, not only by taking the Lead in War, by having the Metropolis and Temple within his District, but principally by being the Ancestor of the great Lawgiver of the whole World. [צוה אלהיך עזך V. 28. Thy God hath commanded thy Strength: 78 ] I would read 'ns with all the ancient Verfions, and render -COMMAND THY STRENGTH, O LORD; which would fuit better with the next Hemiftic. V. 30. Rebuke the Company of Spearmen, the Multitude of the Bulls with the Calves of the People, till every one fubmit himself with Pieces of Silver: fcatter thou the People that delight in War. גער חית קנה עדות אבירים בעגלי - עם ים מתרפס ברצי כסף - בזר עמים קרבות :13] Thus ought I think the Hemiftics to be diftinguifhed; and thus rendered -REBUKE THE BEAST OF THE REED, THE CONGREGATION OF BULLS, WITH THE CALVES; THE PEOPLE OF THE SEA, who HUMBLE THEMSELVES BEFORE FRAGMENTS OF SILVER: SCATTER (I fay) THE PEOPLE who DELIGHT IN WAR. By the Beaft of the Reed is clearly meant the Hippopotamus, which denotes the Egyptians. The Company of Bulls and Calves is a plain Allufion to their Apis and Serapis, or Ifis and Ofiris, which they worshipped; and to which the third Hemiftic refers, calling thefe Idols contemptuously Fragments of Silver, because, I fuppofe, overlaid or plated with that Metal. A third Characteristic of this Nation is alfo mentioned they are called the People of the Sea. Ifaiah defcribes their Country by the Tongue of the Egyptian Sea, and by the Seven Streams. XI.15. And Ezekiel describes the Tyrians by the Appellation of Princes of the Sea for the fame Reason, because they bordered upon the Sea, and carried on a great Commerce. This Defcription is doubtless more applicable to the latter than the former: but, when accompanied with the other distinguishing Marks, could not fail of being easily un derstood. derstood. Lastly, in the fourth Hemiftic they are pointed out by a fourth Circumstance, viz. a People that delight in War; where the Pfalmift concludes, as he had begun, by requesting God to reprefs their Fury. It may be objected to this Interpretation, that is in regimine: but if it be confidered how often fuch Words are ufed fpecially, the Objection will have little Weight. This Word cannot be conftrued with y without deftroying the Hemiftics, and with them the Sense of the Verfe; hence it is probable the was dropped by fome unskilful Transcriber, who might officiously herein attempt to mend the Text. See the Particle ufed in the Senfe here propofed, Nold. 4 & 9. Ethiopia fhall foon ftretch out her Hands unto God. - always to run. כוש ] We ought I think to read the Text thus fee Pf. XLIV. 20. for never fignifies to ftretch, but V. 34. Afcribe ye Strength unto God: his Excellency is over Ifrael, תנו עז לאלהים על ישראל - גאותו .and bis Strength is in the Clouds [ועזו בשחקים: Opw ] Or thus ASCRIBE YE STRENGTH UNTO GOD ON ACCOUNT OF ISRAEL; WHOSE MAJESTY AND WHOSE STRENGTH is IN THE HEAVENS. V. 35. O God thou art terrible out of thy holy Places: — Dinbæ 871) T] Rather-O GOD thou art TO BE REVERENCED ON ACCOUNT OF THY HOLY PLACES. See Pf. LXV. 4. [ממקדשיך V. 4. then I restored that which I took not away. nhia mb ws : DWN IN ] IN ought here to be rendered THEREFORE, as Jer. XXII. 15. Mich. III. 4. V. 10. When I wept and chaftened my Soul with Fafting, NT W] Rather- WHEN I WEPT WITH THE FASTING OF MY APPETITE. [בצום נפשי [ואני תפלתי לך V. 13. But as for me, my Prayer is unto thee, The Syriac reads-non-in Hithpahel, BUT I PRAY UNTO THEE. V. 22. Let their Table become a Snare before them: and that which should have been for their Welfare, let it become a Trap.] The last Hemiftic ought I think to be rendered - ולשלומים למוקש AND |