conclude that not all mankind in general, but fome particular perfons were intended by the expreffion of the fons of Sheth. The (3) Jerufalem Targum tranflates it the fons of the east, the Moabites lying eaft of Judæa. Rabbi Nathan (4) fays that Sheth is the name of a city in the border of Moab. Grotius (5) imagins Sheth to be the name of fome famous king among the Moabites. Our Poole, who is a judicious and ufeful commentator, fays that Sheth "feems to be the name of fome then "eminent, though now unknown, place or prince in "Moab, where there were many princes, as appears "from Numb. XXIII. 6. Amos II. 3: there being "innumerable inftances of fuch places or perfons fome"times famous, but now utterly loft as to all monu"ments and remembrances of them." Vitringa in his commentary upon Ifaiah, (6) conceives that the Idumeans were intended, the word Sheth fignifying a foundation, or fortified place, because they trufted greatly in their castles and fortifications. But the Idumeans are mentioned afterwards; and it is probable that as two hemiftichs relate to them, two alfo relate to the Moabites; and the reafon of the appellation affigned by Vitringa is as proper to the Moabites as to the Idumeans. It is common in the ftile of the Hebrews, and efpecially in the poetic parts of fcripture, and we may obferve it particularly in thefe prophecies of Balaam, that the fame thing in effect is repeated in other words, and the latter member of each period is exegetical of the former, as in the paffage before us; I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh: and then again, there fhall come a ftar out of Jacob, and a fcepter fhall rife

(3) Hinc Jerofolim. Paraphraftes filios orientis vertit. Moabitæ enim erant ad ortum Judea. Le Clerc.

(4) R. Nathan dicit Seth nomen urbis effe in termino Moab. Vide Liram. Drufius.

(5) Nihil vero propius quam Seth nominatum fuiffe regem aliquem eximium inter Moabitas. Grot.

(6) Non defifto ab hac fententia, vocem pp karkar in verbis Bileami

certo fignificare deftruclionem, everfionem, vaftationem; etfi hæ.eam in phrafi filiorum Seth, per quos fecundum circumftantias loci intelligi puto Idumæos, voce w appellative fumpta pro fundamento, five loco munito, quod illi maxime arcibus ac mu nimentis fuis fiderent. Vitring. in Jetaim. Cap. 22. ver. 5. p. 641. Vol. 1.

out

out of Ifrael: and again afterwards, And Edom fhall be a poffeffion, Seir alfo shall be a poffeffion for his enemies. There is great reafon therefore to think, that the fame manner of fpeaking was continued here, and confequently that Sheth muft be the name of fome eminent place or perfon among the Moabites; and fhall finite the princes of Moub, and deftroy all the fons of Sheth.

And Edom fhall be a poffeffion. This was alfo fulfilled by David; for he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrifons, and all they of Edom became David's fervants. (2 Sam. VIII. 14.) David himself in two of his pfalms hath mentioned together his conqueft of Moab and Edom, as they are alfo joined together in this prophecy; Moab is my wash-pot, over Edom will I caft out my fhoe. (Pfal. L. 8. CVIII. 9.) Seir alfo Shall be a poffeffion for his enemies, that is for the Ifraelites. Seir is the name of the mountains of Edom, fo that even their mountains and faftneffes could not defend the Idumeans from David and his captains. And Ifrael fhall do valiantly, as they did particularly under the command of David, feveral of whofe victories are recorded in this fame 8th chapter of the 2d book of Samuel, together with his conqueft of Moab and of Edom. Out of Jacob Shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall deftroy him that remaineth of the city; not only to defeat them in the field, but deftroy them even in their strongest cities, or perhaps fome particular city was intended, as we may infer from Pfal. LX. 9. CVIII. 10. Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? And we read particularly that Joab, David's general, fmote every male in Edom: for fix months did Joab remain there with all Ifrael, until he had cut off every male in Edom. (1 Kings XI. 15, 16.)

We fee how exactly this prophecy hath been fulfilled in the perfon and actions of David: but moft Jewish as well as Chriftian writers apply it, primarily perhaps to David, but ultimately to the Melliah, as the perfon chiefly intended, in whom it was to receive its full and entire completion. Onkelos, who is the most ancient and valuable of the Chaldee paraphrafts, interprets it of the Meffiah.

Meffiah. When a prince, (7) fays he, fhall arife of • the house of Jacob, and Chrift thall be anointed of 'the house of Ifrael, he fhall both flay the princes of Moab, and rule over all the fons of men:" and with him agree the other Targums or paraphrafes. Maimonides, who is one of the moft learned and famous of the Jewish doctors, understands it partly of David, and partly of the Messiah: and with him agree other rabbies, whom you may find cited by the critics and commentators to this purpose. It appears to have been generally understood by the Jews, as a prophecy of the Meffiah, because the falfe Chrift, who appeared in the reign of the Roman emperor Adrian, (8) affumed the title of Barchochebas or the fon of the ftar, in allution to this prophecy, and in order to have it believed that he was the ftar whom Balaam had feen afar off. The Chriftian fathers, I think, are unanimous in applying this prophecy to our Saviour, and to the ftar which appeared at his nativity. Origen in particular faith, that (9) in the law there are many typical and enigmatical references to the Meffiah: but he produceth this as one of the plainest and cleareft of prophecies: and both (1) Origen and Eufebius affirm, that it was in confequence of Balaam's prophecies, which were known and believed in the east, that the Magi, upon the appearance of a new ftar, came to Jerufalem to worthip him who was born king of the Jews. The ftream of modern divines and commentators runneth the fame way, that is they apply the prophecy principally to our Saviour, and by Moab and Edom understand the enemies and perfecutors of the

church. And it must be acknowledged in favor of this opinion, that many prophecies of fcripture have a double meaning, literal and myftical, refpect two events, and receive a two-fold completion. David too was in feveral things a type and figure of the Meffiah. If by deftroying all the children of Sheth be meant ruling over all mankind, this was never fulfilled in David. A ftar did really appear at our Saviour's nativity, and in Scripture he is filed the day-ftar, (2 Pet. I. 19.) the morning-ftar, (Rev. II. 28.) the bright and morning-ftar, (XXII. 16.) perhaps in allufion to this very prophecy. Dr. Warburton, who improves every fubject that he handles, affigns a farther reason. Speaking of the two forts of metaphor in the ancient use of it, the popular and common, and the hidden and myfterious; he (2) fays that "the pro

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phetic writings are full of this kind of metaphor. To "inftance only in the famous prediction of Balaam"there fhall come a ftar out of Jacob, and a fcepter fhall "rife out of Ifrael. This prophecy may poffibly in "fome fenfe relate to David, but without doubt it belongs principally to Chrift. Here the metaphor of a Scepter was common and popular to denote a ruler, "like David; but the ftar, tho' like the other, it fig"nified in the prophetic writings a temporal prince or "ruler, yet had a fecret and hidden meaning likewise. "A ftar in the Egyptian hieroglyphics denoted (8) "God: (and how much hieroglyphic writing influ"enced the eaftern languages we fhall fee prefently.) "Thus God in the prophet Amos, reproving the If"raelites for their idolatry on their firft coming out of Egypt, fays, Have ye offered unto me facrifices and offer"ings in the wilderness forty years, O houfe of Ifrael? But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the ftar of your God which ye made to yourfelves. (Amos V. 25, 26.) The ftar of your God is "here a noble figurative expreffion to fignify the image of your God: for a ftar being employed in the hiero

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glyphics to fignify God, it is ufed here with great elegance to fignify the material image of a God; the "words the ftar of your God being only a repetition (fo "ufual in the Hebrew tongue) of the preceding-Chiun your images; and not (as fome critics fuppofe) the fame with your God ftar, fidus Deum veftrum. Hence conclude that the metaphor here ufed by Balaam "of a star was of that abftrufe mysterious kind, and fo "to be understood; and confequently that it related only to Chrift, the eternal fon of God." Thus far this excellent writer. But tho' for thefe reafons the Metfiah might be remotely intended, yet we cannot allow that he was intended folely, becaufe David might be called a star by Balaam, as well as other rulers or governors are by Daniel, (VIII. 10.) and by St. John: (Rev. I. 20.) and we must infift upon it, that the primary intention, the litteral meaning of the prophecy refpects the perfon and actions of David; and for this reafon particularly, because Balaam is here advertifing Balak, What this people should do to his people in the latter days, that is what the Ifraelites fhould do to the Moabites hereafter.

From the Moabites he turned his eyes more to the fouth and weft, and looked on their neighbours, the Amalekites; and took up his parable and faid, (ver. 20.) Amalek was the firft of the nations, but his latter end fhall be that he perish for ever. Amalek was the firft of the nations, the firft and moft powerful of the neighbouring nations, or the firft that warred againft Ifrael, as it is in the margin of our bibles. The latter interpretation is propofed by (4) Onkelos and other Jews, I fuppofe because they would not allow the Amalekites to be a more ancient nation than themfelves: but moft good critics prefer the former interpretation as more eafy and natural, and for a very good reafon, becaufe the Amalekites appear to have been a very ancient nation. They are reckoned among the moft ancient nations thereabouts, (1 Sam. XXVII. 8.)—the Gefhurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites; for these nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goeft to Shur, even unto the

VOL. I.

(4) Principium bellorum Ifrael fuit Amalech. Onk,