'speciem præ se tulit,' and from whence the common word, a kind or species, and in Syriaci, a family or tribe, are derived. But this is not a much more probable etymology than the other. Perhaps the name is corrupted. If not too trivial for notice, I would remark, that while Maïvav is very similar to Καϊνάν, the name of his son Μελεᾶ, Melea, is similar to that of Cainan's son Maλeλenλ, Mahaleel. If the true form were 1, Maïyav (by a mistake of for ), we might suppose it to be formed from

, to protect, cover with a shield,' and to mean ' defence, protection,' after the analogy of 2, Merab, from 7, which by the way is written in Chaldee as we read in Jonathan's Targum to 2 Sam. xxii. 3, ...by rape, My God pro

tects me as with a shield,' &c. See too, Ps. iii. 4, Or possibly may be a corruption of 2, 'a gift,' Matthan. If the top stroke of the were by accident or time obliterated, it might easily be mistaken for ".

Meλeas, Melea. According to Simonis, impletio promissi divini,' or primitia Deo

offerendæ.' And he compares, Imlah, 1 Kings xxii. 9, &c. But I would suggest whether it may

לָאָה Leah, from לֵאָה not be kindred rather with

'to be weary.' Anyhow the name is isolated, and probably corrupt.

'Exiakei, Eliakim, requires no comment, except to notice its identity with Eliakim, Matt. i. 13.

'Iwvav, Jonan, is only another form of ', John. The following sequence, Joseph, Juda, Simeon, Levi, is very singular, and at first sight excites the sus

picion of some of the names at least being carelessly inserted by a copyist, but it is impossible to say which, or indeed, with certainty, whether any ought to be omitted. The order of the patriarchs is Simeon, Levi, Judah, Joseph. In Rev. vii., Juda is mentioned before Simeon and Levi, though not immediately. Simeon and Levi are frequently mentioned together, Gen. xxxiv. 25, 30; xxxv. 23; xlix. 5, &c. The introduction of the name of Levi into the Davidic genealogy, here and at ver. 24, was probably owing to the intermarriages of the royal and Levitical families.

It is also remarkable that there should be two such similar sequences as those which follow :

MaTOT, Matthat, from 2, 'a gift:' nearly the same as 2, Mattatha, and like it derived

from, Nathan.

'Iwpeiu, Jorim. The form of this name seems incorrect. It should be either 'Iwpau, Joram, as Matt. i. 8, and elsewhere in the Old Testament, for

-and the per יְהוָה being formed from יְהוֹרָם or יוֹרָם

fect of, to be exalted,' after the analogy of Azrikam, Jeho-shaphat, &c.; or it should be Jehoiarim or Joiarim, 'Iwapei, from and the

present Hiphil of D, viz.

after the analogy of Jehoiakim, Eliakim, Jehoiarib, &c.

'EméČep, Eliezer, ', 'the help of God,' or 'my God is a help,' nearly the same as 'Exedap, Eleazar, the son of Eliud, Matt. i. 15.

'Iwons, Joses. This is the same name as that of his descendant Joses, the brother of James, one of the Lord's brethren, mentioned Matt. xiii. 55, Mark vi. 3, &c. The etymology is somewhat doubtful. Simonis considers it as kindred with Josiah, and derived from an obsolete root N, to give or grant.' Whence also Joash.

"Hp, Er. y. The same name as that of the son of Judah, meaning, according to Gesenius, 'vigil,' 'watchful,' from ; but Simonis interprets turma, scil. liberorum.' It was also the name of a grandson of Judah, 1 Chron. iv. 21.

́Eλμwdàμ, Elmodam, for the Hebrew 77, which is the name of a son of Joktan, Gen. x. 26, and is rendered 'Exuwdad in some copies of the Septuagint. On the other hand, the Syriac and Persian read in St Luke 'Euwdad (Sim. Onomast.). The etymology is very obscure. Probably it is not pure Hebrew. Simonis derives it from, 'not,' and, the Puhal of 77, to measure,' 'Immensus.'

Is it possible that no may have been corrupted into

or vice cered, that ; ער ק" and then corrected to אר קושם and thence ,עלמודם may have coaleseed, and formed ער קושם

D. So that three names have been made of one or of two.

Kooda, Cosam. Another name of obscure origin and signification, and found nowhere else. If not corrupt, it may be kindred with, Kish, from the root p, to catch birds. It has a peculiar resemblance to the preceding Elmodam.

'Acci, Addi. Possibly from the same root as

Addan, and 1, Iddo, Ezra ii. 59, viii. 17, which are referred by Simonis to 77, which in Arabic means 'oppressit calamitas,' and indicate the birth of the persons having such names at a season of national calamity. But it may rather be for, an ornament,' and a short form of by, Adiel, (God is my ornament), which occurs 1 Chron. iv. 36, and elsewhere. Similar names are iny, Iddo; y, Adaiah, &c. This agrees too very well with the two following names.

Mexxi, Melchi., which is short for a 'the Lord is my king.' The same name recurs many generations later (Luke iii. 24). Its close connexion with Melchi-ram of 1 Chron. iii. 18, has already been commented upon at p. 38.

Nnpi, Neri. 7, which is short for ", The Lord is my light.' And here we are led somewhat to qualify the expression of doubt as to the genuineness of the four patriarchal names, Joseph, Juda, Simeon, Levi. For the resemblance in the last three names, Addi, Melchi, Neri, to one another, as to their meaning and formation, and the analogy of the consecutive names Elmodam, Cosam, as well as the sequence Nathan, Mattatha, indicate a kind of fashion prevalent at different epochs in

the family, and influencing two or three generations. So that the circumstance of two generations having borne the names of the patriarchs Joseph and Juda, might, by the force of fashion and imitation, have led to the adoption of the names Simeon and Levi by the two succeeding ones. It may be added, as a general remark on this portion of the genealogy, that the apparent corruption of several of these names is itself an evidence of the genuineness and antiquity of the pedigree to which they belong; and is in exact harmony with the peculiar circumstances of this portion of the genealogy, as of a more private document, not kept with the same care, or guarded from corruption by the same checks, as the more public genealogies. contained in the Scriptures. Had this genealogy been a fictitious string of names made up by the Evangelists, or after their time, it would have been as easy to invent correct names for this period as for any other.

SECTION V.

AGREEMENT OF THE GOSPEL GENEALOGIES WITH THose of THE OLD TESTAMENT, FROM THE CAPTIVITY TO THE CLOSE OF THE CANON OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.

We come now to that portion of the subject which has hitherto seemed to be involved in the most impenetrable obscurity. While, as the preceding pages have shewn, the generations of Jesus Christ, from Adam to Jeconiah, agree perfectly with those which are recorded in the different books