Epistle (verse 1) he thus expresses the same regard for his former associates :-"Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they may be saved; and in the following Chapter, (ver. 25, 26,) "I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the Tribe of Benjamin. I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, that blindness hath in part happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in: and so all Israel shall be saved." In respect to his former unconverted state, he says to the Galatians, (Chap. 1, ver. 13, 14.) "You have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God, and wasted it; and profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers." Moreover, he asserts that he was "the least of all the Apostles," that was not "meet to be called an Apostle, because he persecuted the Church of God."* But though the objectionable part of the words of the Text may by this slight alteration of our authorised Version be removed, I fear we are not yet got to the end of the difficulty; * 1 Corinth. xv. 9. because, in other Versions, including the most ancient, * the words are uniformly so rendered as to express a wish. What then remains but that we must suppose the Apostle, out of his great affection for the Jews, and ardent zeal for their conversion to express his anxious feelings upon this subject in those strong and empassioned terms, of which there are many examples among Oriental writers, but which must not be construed too strictly, nor considered as involving such consequences as we, from being accustomed to a different style of writing and speaking, may be too hasty to deduce from them. How bitter are the imprecations of David upon his enemies! How vehement the terms in which he expresses his wishes for their destruction! Yet we can hardly suppose that his resentment of their injurious conduct was so lasting and deeply rooted, that he really would have rejoiced to see his wishes fulfilled. them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul; let them be as chaff before the wind; let their way be dark and slippery, and let the angel of the Lord persecute them.† Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: (i.e. into the pit, or grave) for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among "Let * The old Syriac. + Psalm xxv. 4, 5, 6. them.* Let their table become a snare unto them, and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. Let their eyes be darkened that they see not, and make their loins continually to shake. Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them. Make their nobles like Oreb and like Zeeb; yea all their princes as Zebah and as Zalmunna; O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. Set thou a wicked man over him, (i. e. over my enemy) and let Satan stand at his right hand. When he shall be judged, let him be condemned; and let his prayer become sin. Let his days be few; and let another take his office. Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. Let his children be continually vagabonds and beg; let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places. Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour. Let his posterity be cut off; let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the Lord; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out. Let them be before the Lord continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth."‡ * Psalm lv. 15. + Psalm lxxxiii. 11, 13. Psalm cix. 6—15. These are words of anger, which the malice of his enemies had provoked; and we know that in the hour of provocation men will speak "unadvisedly with their Moses "at the waters of strife."* lips," as did But it would be doing injustice to a man of so pious a character; "the man after God's own heart,” i. e. of God's own choice,† to construe these imprecations too strictly, or to consider them as serious wishes, the result of thought and deliberation. Many of them were perhaps well known formulæ, expressive of resentment, and not uncommonly used upon much less provoking occasions. But however this may be, we know that the language of the passions is much the same; whether denoting hatred of an enemy, as in the case of David, or love of a friend and relation, as in that of St. Paul. There is a remarkable illustration of the passage of Scripture under consideration, in the account which certain Jewish writers give us of their funeral ceremonies. When the High Priest, as was sometimes the case, in honour of the dead, attended the solemn procession, it was usual for the people to exclaim May we be an expiation for thee;" i. e. may the punishment for whatever offences thou 66 *Psalm cvi. 32, 33. + Psalm lxxviii. 70. and 1 Sam. xvi. 11. hast committed fail upon us! This was considered as form only, expressing the highest respect and most ardent affection for the head of their church, and was answered on his part by a benediction.* After all, however, it must be acknowledged, that to us, who live in an age and country so remote, it is difficult to ascertain the sense in which the words] of the text were understood among the people to whom they were addressed. Our best, indeed our only means of attaining this object, must be a diligent and minute investigation of the language,† habits, and customs of that people; but our knowledge of these is perhaps too imperfect to get over the difficulty. Under these considerations it may be desirable, in a translation made for general use, to avoid, as much possible, such terms as are liable to be misconstrued; and if, in our authorised version, the word accursed had not been substituted for the original word anathema, the expression of the Apostle might have been less offensive to our feelings, though perhaps equally open to criticism. Not that exotic terms are to be retained unnecessarily; nothing indeed can be more absurd than the proposal of Bishop * Vide Othon. Lex. Rabbin. Phil. p. 392. Ed. 2. |