OUTYS (TEOV. I cannot think with the anonymous Annotator, that it is difficult to find the Place, from whence the Apoftle borrowed these Verfes that they were in the LXX, and in this Place, when St. Paul cited them, appears to me evident: (for it seems not probable, that they have been inferted fince out of Compliment to him) and that they were in the Hebrew Copies, from which the LXX made their Verfion, I make no doubt. The fame may be prefumed in regard to the Copies used by Jerom, and the other two Interpreters. But befides these five Authorities, which together are fufficient to establish this Point, I may add that St. Paul, who calls himself an Hebrew of the Hebrews, and had more critical Skill than any of the other Apoftles, would not have alledged this Paffage, if there had been the leaft Doubt of it's Authenticity, or if it had been wanting in most of the Hebrew Copies in his Time. But how came it to be omitted in our prefent Copies, in the Targum, and in the Syriac? And that no Traces of it are to be found in Aquila, Symmachus, or Theodotion? The Reason feems clearly to be this; that this Omiffion is to be laid to the Charge of fome hafty Transcriber in the middle Ages, whofe MS, or a Copy of it, the Academy of Jews at Tiberias might have used for a Standard, when they collated their various Copies, in which it is probable they expunged whatever was not found in it. The Reft of the Jews would naturally follow the Example; and the fame Reason I imagine is to be affigned for the Omiffion of feveral Verfes in different Parts of the Book of Proverbs. In respect to the Targum, it is certain that it has. been tampered with by the Jews in various Places, that it might harmonize with their Hebrew MSS: and fome pious Fraud, I am apprehenfive, has fuggested the total Omiffion of this Paffage in the Syriac Verfion, for the fame Reafon. As to the Silence of the other three Greek Verfions, it has no Weight; it being well known that unfortunately we have only Fragments of them. Upon the whole, I think this Paffage ought to be reftored in our Verfion, and confidered as authentic, as it is in our oldeft Verfion of the Pfalms. 19 ] Rather V. 5. There were they in great Fear: Rather [צדיק : - for God is in the Generation of the righteous.ne BUT GOD is IN THE DWELLING OF THE RIGHTEOUS. See Pf. LXXXIV. 10. עצת עני תבישו V. 6. Ye have fhamed the Counsel of the poor; wan_wy_msy ] Rather-YE HAVE DISAPPOINTED. See Job.VI. 20. Pf. XXII. 5. N Zech. Zech. IX. 5. Rom. V. 5. and compare Rom. IX. 33. with Ifa. XXVIII. 16. where poffibly the LXX (after whofe Reading the New Teftament Writers feem to cite their Authorities) might have read w', instead V. 4. He that fweareth to his own Hurt, and changeth not. נשבע with the ,רעה feems to be Infinitive Hipbil of להרע [להרע ולא ימר : Apocope of the final; and ought to be rendered TO DO A FRIENDLY ACT, or TO BE A FRIEND; as Judg. XIV. 20. Prov. XXII. 24. The Word is generally derived from the Verb y, to do Mifchief: but furely to do this can never be a Part of the upright Man's Character; and there is no Authority for adding any Thing in this Place to the Text. PSALM XVI. V. 2. O my Soul, thou haft faid unto the Lord, [אמרת ליהוה. is clearly a Miftake for 28; for all the ancient Verfions, the Chaldee excepted, read fo. This Place ought therefore to be rendered without Hefitation I HAVE SAID UNTO THE LORD. Rather [טובתי בל עליך : .my Goodnes extendeth not to thee --- MY GOOD DEEDS are NOTHING UNTO THEE: i. e. cannot profit thee. See Neh. VI. 19. V. 4. Their Sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another God. LET THEIR IDOLS BE MULTIPLIED that ARE CARRIED ALONG BACKWARD. is here. confidered (with the ancient Verfions) as an Adverb, contractedly writ Rather [ ירבו עצבותם אחר מהרו נזרו אחור means, I apprehend, the fame as אחר מהרו and ; אחור ten for they are alienated backward, or are gone away backward; as Ifa.I.4. &c. All which Phrases imply a Revolt from the Worship of the one true God. V. 5. The Lord is the Portion of mine Inheritance, and of my Cup: This Hemiftic ought I think to be conftrued [ יהוה מנת חלקי וכוסי in the Vocative Cafe, thus O LORD, thou PORTION &c. because in the next the fecond Perfon is ufed. Cup feems here to denote an Houfhold, or Family: because the several Perfons who compose a Family drink of the fame Cup, and generally fare alike. Thus is our Lord to be understood, Matt. XX. 22, 23. V.6. The [חבלים V. 6. The Lines Dan Rather -THE MEASURING LINES. These are put by a Metonymy for Lands, which were parcelled out by Lines, after the Rods had been fixed. So Amos, Thy Land shall be divided by Line, Ch. VII. 17. Hence this Word is fometimes ufed for a Region, fee Deut. III. 4. This Cuftom was not peculiar to the Jews; for we find in Herodotus this Expreffion, xaλ wediov woww Διαμετρησαν. -my Reins alfo inftruct me in the Night-Seasons. אף לילות fignifies primarily the Kidneys, or כליות The Word [ יסרוני כליותי : V.7• Reins; the innermoft Part of the human Conftitution: but it is as frequently used figuratively, for the Thoughts, and inmoft Counfels of the Mind, as the Heart is for the Seat of the Affections. See Pf. LXXIII, 21. Jer. XI. 20. Ought not therefore the Word in this Place to be rendered, MY THOUGHTS? Rather [ שמעה יהוה צדק V. 1. Hear the right, O Lord, HEAR, O JUST LORD for py is used fometimes as an Adjective. མ. צדק 3. thou haft tried me, and shalt find nothing: I am purposed צרפתני בל תמצא זמתי בל יעבר פי : .that my Mouth Jball not tranfgres FEND. Rather THOU HAST TRIED ME, but SHALT FIND NO WICKED THOUGHT (or CRIME) IN ME: MY MOUTH SHALL NOT OFhas either of the Senses here given to it: I confider it as in Regimine with the Affix, and as equivalent tot, a Conftruction not unfrequent in the poetical Books. See Pf.VII. 4. XIII. 4. or it may be conftrued as we fay in English Whereas the Verb Dot never fignifies To purpose, but only To think: and if this Senfe, viz. thou shalt find nothing had been meant to be expreffed, the Words would most probably have been 18 XYDn. NO CRIME OF MINE. V. 4. Concerning the Works of Men, by the Words of thy Lips, As there Words in our Verfion are quite [לפעלות אדם בדבר שפתיך -- unconnected with what follows in this Verfe, I would render them thus IN RESPECT TO THE DEEDS OF MEN AGAINST THE WORD OF THY LIPS. See Note Job. IX. 19. The Meaning is, "that "he had kept his Eye upon the Paths of the Destroyer, with refpect " to those Deeds which ungodly Men commit against the Law of God, V.7. "in order to avoid them." N 2 ממתקוממים בימינך : [הפלה חסדיך מושיע חוסים V. 7. Shew thy marvellous Lovingkindness, O thou that faveft by thy right Hand them which put their Trust in thee from those that rife up against them. Rather SEVER THY LOVING KINDNESS, O SAVIOUR OF THE FAITHFUL, FROM THEM THAT RISE UP AGAINST THY RIGHT HAND. In this Place there is in our Verfion a remarkable Hyperbaton. [שמרני כאישון בת עין V. 8. Keep me as the Apple of the Eye: -y na WINɔ "JOW] Rather AS THE PUPIL &c. יקיפו עלי : V.9. from my deadly Enemies, who compass me about. wbil '1'8 byp] Rather- MINE ENEMIES FOR PLEASURE (or SPORT) COMPASS ME ABOUT. See WD thus used, Pf. CV. 22. Jer. II. 24. It is also applied to all the Faculties and Affections of the Soul; and might be used in this Place for HATRED. [חלבמו סגרו V. 10. They are inclofed in their own Fat: -10] The Words of the Text cannot I think admit of this Senfe; for the Verb is active, and the Noun seems not to be in the Ablative Cafe. What other Senfe can be deduced from the prefent Lection, I know not : but am inclined to suspect that — is the true Reading, thus THEY SHUT UP THEIR HEART, i. e. " they are hardened against "all Compaffion." So Pf. LXXVII. 9. Hath he in Anger SHUT UP HIS TENDER MERCIES ?` - V. 11. they have fet their Eyes bowing down to the Earth. Dy : pawa mob in] Rather, with the old Verfion—THEY HAVE SET THEIR EYES TO BRING DOWN TO THE EARTH. V. 12. Like as a Lion that is greedy of his Prey; AIDS' 8 'T דמה occurs no where elfe : it is generally derived from דמין לטרף [ and faid to fignify Likeness: but even then, it must be allowed to be an unneceffary Expletive. The LXX, Arabic, Vulgate, and Æthiopic, point out the original Reading, viz. 197 THEY DESTROY ME AS A LION &c. V. 13. Deliver my Soul from the wicked, which is thy Sword. D • 727N YU¬D 'W] Qu. is not the old Version in this Place preferable, viz. DELIVER MY SOUL FROM THE WICKED by THY SWORD? This is also the marginal Lection. V. 14. From the Men which are thy Hand, 77′ 'ns] So also FROM THE MEN by THY HAND; or as in the Margin. and : and whofe Belly thou filleft with thy bid Treasure: Rather [ בטנס ישבעו בנים,they are AND WHOSE BELLY THOU FILLEST WITH THY TREASURE. For s fignifies to lay up in Store as a Treasure. they are full of Children, ya] Rather, I think, with their CHILDREN ARE FULL. For the Words certainly the Margin will bear this Senfe: but I much queftion the other. [לעולליהם: Rather AND LEAVE THEIR RICHES TO THEIR INFANTS; i. e. to their Children's Children. See n thus rendered, Jer. XLVIII. 36. Rather, I think [ אשבעה בהקיץ תמונתך : V. 15. -I fhall be fatisfied, when I awake, with thy Likeness. I SHALL BE SATISFIED WHEN THY GLORY SHALL APPEAR, or BE ROUSED. By comparing this Place with Num. XII. 8. it will appear that on is the fame as the Shechinah, or the Symbol of God's Prefence, which refided upon the Ark. PSALM XVIII. תמונה V. 2.—my God, my Strength, in whom I will truft: non8 1713 'bx 1] Thefe Words are obfcurely rendered in our Verfion both here and 2 Sam. XXII. 3. where we read-The God of my Rock; in him will I truft. Whereas if the Verb substantive were repeated from the preceding Clause, this Sentence would be clear, thus - MY GOD is MY ROCK; IN HIM WILL I TRUST. [משגבי and the Horn of my Salvation, and my high Tower. 'y' 17pt ] Rather-AND THE HORN OF MY SALVATION PROTECTING ME for as there is no copulative Particle before aw, it seems more natural to construe it as the Participle Pibel than as a Substantive. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: no p] Rather (I think) I WILL CALL UPON THE LORD with PRAISE. V.3. V.4. The Sorrows of Death compaffed me: משברי מות we In [ אפפוני חבלי מות the parallel Place we read -THE WAVES OF DEATH &c. which seems to have been the original Lection; because it answers better ton, Floods, in the next Hemiftic; and because an occurs immediately after. This Verb fignifying, to compafs about, or to attack with Violence and Terror, feems much more applicable to Waves than Sorrows. See Taylor. |