vourable Inferences, either to the Genuineness of the Text, or to the Na- ture of the Hebrew, must thence be drawn by a Reader unacquainted with that Language. It is deficient in respect to the short explanatory Notes' in the Margin, which abound in the last mentioned Verfion. The Words are at Times fo tranfpofed as to create an Hyperbaton; or are not fufficiently varied. And, to fum up all, it has this Fault in common with the other, that it may justly be questioned, whether any poffible Senfe can by fair Interpretation be deduced from the Words in not a This Verfion was first published in the Year 1611; and at the Be- ginning of this Century received confiderable Improvements from Bishop Lloyd, who, among other Things, added the ra throughout in the Margin, with Tables of Chronology, of Coins, Weights and Meafures". In the Year 1745 Dr. Paris at Cambridge revifed the whole, with a view to diftinguifh in it by other Characters the Words which were not in the Original. In this Univerfity we have lately gone farther, by improving in the fame refpect on the Cambridge Plan, by framing a new Abstract of each Chapter, by a new Divifion of the Paragraphs, and by inferting in the Margin fome new References, and the Explanation of Hebrew Words. But notwithstanding it must fill be confefled, that these and fi- milar Improvements can be deemed at beft but fuperficial; forafmuch as they do not penetrate to the Subftance, or frike at the Root of the Evil. No Individual, however, nor any Society can prefume to go farther, till the great Council of thefe Realms fhall think it expedient to delegate the important Charge of a new Tranflation to Men of approved Learning In the meantime, hoping this very defirable Period may not be far dif- tant, I have thought it my Duty to lay before the Public fome Part of But before I quit the Subject, may I be permitted to fubjoin at the Clofe The following are all that occur, when there ought to be at least as many Scores, viz. IV. 9. VI. 3, 29. VII. 7, 8. XII. 13. XXI. 17. XXII. 21. XXIII. 10. XXVII. 3.. pare XXIV. I. and XXVII. 2,3,4. with the Text. III. 25. XXV. 6. XXX. 14... communicated by Arch-Bishop Secker to the Author. impertinent? 2 impertinent 2. It has been asked for Infiance. Whether the pre could furnish a proper Number of Petjons better qualified for this Unders taking than the Beginning of the last Age. I do not befitata in raplyangs in the affirmative. There was indeed a Time, about the Middle of the laft Century, when Oriental Literature very eminently flourished in the fe Kingdoms, and was almost carried to it's utmoh Degree of Perfection, bys thofe fhining Lights, the Waltons, the Pocockes, the Cafties, ther Clarkes, and others. Thefe would undoubtedly have approved themselves to have been greater Mafiers by the Execution of the Task but the Anarchy, which then prevailed, was not a Time favourable to the Undertaking; it was however productive of a more extenfive public Goods by occafioning the Publication of the Original Text, with all the anciens Verfions of the Eaft, a Work, which has done more Credit to this Nation than any other Production of the English Reefs. BakĮ to return to the Question; those who will not grant the Superiority to the present Genes ration, will, at least, furely allow an Equality and must withat ac knowledge, that we are poffeffed of Advantages, to which those of a for mer Age were utter Strangers. Besides the Palyglot not then exifting Several old Eaftern Verfions not knowns to say nothing of the MSS. of the Text not thought of; there have fince appeared a great Number of judicious Critics in the different Parts of Europe, who either profeffedly writing on the Subject, or only incidentally (as Chronologers, Natural Hiftorians, Travellers, and others, have thrown great Light on the Sacred Records. Thefe Helps would indubitably not be contemned by the approved Tranflator; who, befides his more general Acquaintance with univerfal Science, would be free from the Shackles, which not long fince confined the Opinions of all the learned (not excepting the great Pococke bimfelf) in respect to the Integrity of the Hebrew Text. Is it pretended that the Times will not bear a new Verfion? I anfwer by another Question. Is the Temper of the People of thefe Days totally different from that of their Ancestors, at the Distance of fix Generations? On the Introduction of the prefent Verfion into our Churches in the Year 1611, we read of no Tumult, Clamour, nor Difcontent. The fame pacific Difpofition prevailed in the Reign of Q. Elizabeth; when more than one new Tranflation received the royal Sanction. To afcend higher; would be as unnecessary, as to controvert the Axiom, that fimilar Caufes always produce fimilar Effects. The godly, the learned, the ingenuous, would doubtless rejoice; the gay, the thoughtless, the voluptuous, would fill con tinue uninterested and unaffected but the Gaviller, the Sceptic, and the Deift, would bereby find the sharpest and most trusty Arrows of their Quiver blunted; and the illiterate Vulgar, who always depart reluctantly from old Inftitutions, would foon be reconciled; when, inftead of an Invafion of their Property, they experienced that the old debafed Coin was only called in, in order that they might be repaid in new, of true Sterling Value. The Minds of the People cannot hereby be unfettled. All the leading Articles of Religion will remain undisturbed; neither will the Ground of their Faith or Practice be ever fo remotely affected. If there be any Foundation for this Plea, it feems to me (with due Deference to Government may I be underflood to bint it!) to be derived from the Legiflature itself; which, in it's Acts of perpetual Duration, does not appear to allow fufficiently for the Mutability of Human Affairs, or the Changes incident to Time: whereas were it enacted, that thefe Acts fhould all be revifed at the Distance of half a Century, many of the Inconveniences complained of would no longer exift, and the almoft facred Veneration the People bave for Things, which not their Merit, but Antiquity alone, has confecrated, would gradually fubfide, and leave no Traces in their Minds". But may not the Eagerness for Reformation carry Matters to too great a Length? Innovations, it is confeffed, are often dangerous; and the Spirit of Zealots, the most uncontroulable of any other: but in this Cafe, the Bounds would be clear and diftinct; and there would be no Caufe to fear, when the Commiffion expressly fet forth the Limits of it's Extent, that cool and difcreet Subjects would overleap them. But, to give the Argument it's full Scope; Would the Innovator herewith reft fatisfied? Would be not defire after this a Revifal of the Liturgy, with the XXXIX Articles; and proceed from ecclefiaftical, to civil, Matters? Thefe are not necessary, perhaps not probable, Confequences: but allowing they were; what nobler Object could the Parliament, could the Convocation, have under their Contemplation, than the Petitions of ferious and well difpofed Men; prefented, at proper Intervals, with becoming Humility; praying, not to be releafed (as in a late Inftance) from the Bands by which Society is united, but that Means might be devised the moft efficacious for quieting their confcientious Scruples, and fetting them forward in the Way of religious Improvement ? Laftly; How is this Motion to be made, and who will undertake it? If the Convocation fate, it ought perhaps to originate there. But, if it y Sir William Blackstone fhews clearly the Defects in our Criminal Law; and the Inconveniences it labours under, from Want of the new Statutes being referred by the legislative Power to the learned Judges before they are enacted; and afferts that the Mischief complained of would be remedied, were a Committee appointed but once in an hundred Years to revife them. Comment. B. IV. C. I. b were were not judged expedient to apply to the Sovereign to convene the Houfes for that Purpofe, the venerable Bench of Bishops might easily agree among themselves, to take an Opportunity in the Vifitation of their respective Diocefes, to collect the Sentiments of the Clergy, (and of fome of the Laity too perhaps,) on this Point: and, as the general Report (it is prefumed) could not but be favourable, any one of their Lordships afterwards making the Motion, his Majefty having previously confented, an Act would most probably be obtained, without a fingle Divifion in either Part of the Senate. But to return to my Subject; (from which an honest, but perhaps too ardent Zeal has infenfibly carried me too far; and for which I must again beg Leave to apologize to all concerned :) it should be here obferved, once for all, that in the following Remarks it has been thought fufficient to point out perhaps only in one Inftance the Senfe of fome particular Appellatives, as ; which generally fignifies the Grave, or lower Regions of the Earth, though almoft conftantly rendered Hell in our Verfion: that as my Defign was not to appear in the Light of a profeffed Commentator or Paraphraft, I have feldom touched on thefe Provinces, but where the Reading propofed by me feemed to require it. Laftly, I doubt not but fome of my Obfervations may have been anticipated by other Critics, as many are fufficiently obvious: but, if that be the Cafe, it is more than is come to my Knowledge; for I have purpofely avoided having Recourfe to fuch Authors, except perhaps in fome perplexing Places, that my Remarks might be my own. Such, however as the Public is already in Poffeffion of, have doubtless no Pretenfions to Novelty : they have nevertheless the Advantage of being fresh, independent, and unbiaffed Evidences in Support of Truth. I cannot conclude without publicly acknowledging my Obligations to my Friend, Mr. Blayney, Fellow of Hertford College; whofe Labour, Judgment, and Accuracy in the Edition of the Oxford Standard Copy of the Bible have done him great Honour. He has been fo kind as to revife with clofe Attention my MS. Copy; and to him I am indebted for the Correction of feveral Mistakes, and for many important Remarks, and judicious Emendations in every Part of this Work. z As Dr. Kennicott's Collation is faid to be in great Forwardness, it may perhaps be thought convenient to wait for the Publication before any fuch Measure be taken. CRITICAL REMARKS ΟΝ ΤΗΕ BOOK OF JO B. CHAPTER I. VERSE 5. and offered Burnt Offerings according to the Number There is no Occafion to [והעלה עלות מספר כלס : of them all exprefs according in another Character; for DDD is compounded of the Prepofition, which here fignifies according, and D Number. See Noldius' Concordance. D. 32. V. 11. — and he will curfe thee to thy face. 77D YN ON] Our Verfion takes no Notice here of the compounded Particles > DN, except in the Margin, where they are rendered if not, which is not their Senfe in this Place: they ought to be rendered TRULY, or INDeed, as they are Numb. XIV. 35. Joshua XIV. 9. &c. Qu. might not this Place be tranflated thus AND WILL HE then INDEED BLESS THEE TO THY FACE, or, BID THEE FAREWELL? See alfo Ch. II. v. 5. & 9. is here בקר [הבקר היו חרשות,The Oxen were plowing V. 14. used, as in fome other Places, collectively but cannot agree with , on account of the Discord of Number and Gender. fignifies here A Wood, or Foreft, as. 1 Sam. XXIII. 15. This Place |