1 I : This Place ought I think to be rendered [מן היכלי שן מני שמחוך : - brought OUT OF THE IVORY WARDROBES, IN ORDER TO PLEASE THEE. For no Palace was ever I believe built of Ivory; and here are more than one fuppofed to be mentioned. Whereas a Wardrobe, ornamented with Ivory, might not improperly be called by this Name; in the fame manner as we call a Repofitory for Things of great Value by the Name of Cabinet. In this Senfe I understand what is faid of the Ivory Houfe, which Ahab made, 1 Kings XXII. 39. For ', a House, is used for "a Place, or Cafe, wherein any Thing lieth, is contained, laid up," as Taylor well obferves. Ezekiel gives the Name of House to CHESTS of rich Apparel. Ch. XXVII. 24. So does Euripedes, εκ δ' ελάσα κεδρίνων δόμων or Επητα, κοσμοντ' ευπρεπως ησκήσατο. And Homer makes ufe of a Word of the fame Sound and Signification to express this Idea, (whence fome think that xλ are derived from Ηδ' αρ' εφ' υψηλης σανίδος βη, ενθαδε χηλοι (היכלי Εςασαν, εν δ' θυωδία αρα τησι яμата naто. Odyf. Lib. XXI. As to dwelling Houfes; the moft I think we can fuppofe in regard to them is, that they might have Ornaments of Ivory, as they fometimes have of Gold, Silver, or other precious Materials: thus Homer, δωματα ηχηεντα Χρυσό τ', ηλεκτροτε, και αργυρό, ηδ' ελεφαντος. V. 11. for he is thy Lord, and worship thou him. 78 8 Rather והשתחוי לו: THOU HIM. V. 12. And the Daughter of Tyre fhall be there with a Gift, even the rich among the People fhall intreat thy Favour. na 3 mai T] Rather — AND THE DAUGHTER OF פניך יחלו - עשירי עם: - יחל - ועשירי TYRE SHALL INTREAT THY FAVOUR WITH HER GIFT, EVEN V. 13. The King's Daughter is all glorious within; [פנימה ] Rather - THE KING'S DAUGHTER is GLORIOUS in HER COUNTENANCE, OF IN HER OUTWARD APPEARANCE; which Senfe would better fuit the next Hemiftic, as well as the whole Context: for mental Accomplishments are not touched upon. See thus used, Pf.XI.7. PSALM XLVI. יהמן V. 3. Though the Waters thereof roar, and be troubled: 1'' 1'] Rather, I think ROAR; LET THEM BE TROUBLED. PSALM XLVII. V.7. For God is the King of all the Earth; fing ye Praifes with אלהים זמרו משכיל : .Underftanding - Rather [כי מלך כל הארץ FOR HE is THE KING OF ALL THE EARTH: SING YE A V. 9. The Princes of the People are gathered together, even the People of the God of Abraham: for the Shields of the Earth belong unto God: be is greatly exalted. נדיבי עמים נאספו - עם אלהי אברהם - מאד נעלה: Rather - THE PRINCES OF THE לאלהים מגני ארץ PEOPLE ARE GATHERED BEFORE THE GOD OF ABRAHAM : V. 5. They faw it, and fo they marvelled, they were troubled, and Rather - THE Y [המה ראו כן - תמהו נבהלו נחפזו: .bated away SAW it was SO; THEY WERE TROUBLED, THEY WERE TERRI- V. 7. Thou breakeft the Ships of Tarshish with an Eaft Wind. -Tario is frequently mentioned in Scrip [קדים תשבר אניות תרשיש : ture; and various are the Places which are fuppofed to be meant by it but it is clear to me that it was a City in Spain. For Strabo fays that Tartaus in Spain was a Place of great Wealth, and that the Phoenicians poffeffed it. The fame Author, Ariftotle, Pliny, and Po lybius, lybius observe, that it produced Silver, Tin, Iron, and Lead; to which Ariftotle adds, that the Phoenicians traded to Tartaffus for Silver. And we read in Ezekiel, XXVII. 12. Tarshish was thy Merchant by reafon of the Multitude of all kinds of Riches: with Silver, Iron, Tin, and Lead, they traded in thy Fairs. Polybius fays, that the Carthaginians were not to fail beyond Taganov, and Stephanus, that Taponov was a City near the Straits of Gibraltar. V. 10. According to thy Name, O God, fo is thy Praife unto the Ends Rather [כשמך אלהים כן תהלתך - על קצוי ארץ - of the Earth 100 AS THY NAME is, so is THY PRAISE, UNTO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH. V. 14. For this God is our God for ever and ever he will be our כי זה אלהים אלהינו – עולם ועד הוא ינהגנו .Guide even unto Death by)] Rather -FOR GOD HIMSELF IS OUR GOD; HE WILL BE OUR GUIDE FOR EVER AND EVER. has this Senfe, Judg.V. 5. I pass over the two last Words, not only because the Pfalm is complete without them, but because I am perfuaded they do not belong to it. They are not acknowledged by any of the ancient Verfions, except the Syriac and there they may have been taken from the Title of the next Pfalm, which it has in common with fome others; fee Pf. XLVI. V. 5. Rather [ עקבי יסבני : when the Iniquity of my Heels fhall compass me about? when THE INIQUITY OF THOSE THAT SUPPLANT ME COMPASSETH ME ABOUT? No Idea can be fixed to the Wickedness of the Heels; whereas 'py is the regular Participle prefent from apy, To fupplant, deceive, or trip up the Heels of another. Thefe Words are [וחדל לעולם: V. 8. -and it ceafeth for ever. I think improperly connected with those that immediately precede, viz. For the Redemption of their Soul (or of his Soul, according to the old Verfions) is precious. Thofe ought I think to make Part of the foregoing Verfe, and the next Verfe begin with these, thus BUT HE WILL CEASE FOR EVER, THOUGH HE WOULD LIVE TO ETERNITY, AND NOT SEE CORRUPTION. The Verb fignifies to be in a State of utter Ceflation; to be lifeless, or dead. Ifa. XXXVIII. 11. Pf. XXXIX. 4. V. 10. For he feeth that wife Men die Rather THOUGH HE SEE &c. [כי יראה חכמים ימותו V. 11. Their inward Thought is that their Houfes fhall continue for ever. hy 'n ap] All the ancient Verfions, without Exception, read here, inftead of p; which yields a much better Senfe, (and ought doubtless to be admitted) viz. THEIR SEPULCHRE fhall be THEIR HOUSES FOR EVER, THEIR DWELLING TO ALL GENERATIONS. they call their Lands after their own Names. (12.) Neverthelefs, Man being in Honour abideth not; he is like the Beasts that perifh. קראו בשמותם עלי אדמות- ואדם ביקר בל ילין - נשמל כבהמות נדמו : These three Hemiftics ought I think to be connected into one Verfe, made like. דרכם כסל boo ban n] Rather --- THIS THEIR PROCEEDING is FOLLY IN THEM. V. 14. Like Sheep they are laid in the Grave, Death fhall feed on This Hemiftic ought I think [כצאן לשאול שתו מות ירעם - : thens to be thus rendered --- THEY ARE CAST UNDER GROUND LIKE A FLOCK, WHOSE SHEPHERD IS DEATH; i. e. like a Flock deftroyed by Difeafe, which are buried to prevent an Infection. The Idea of Death being their Shepherd cannot I think be thought a Catachrefis, but rather a fuitable Image in this Place. and the upright fhall have Dominion over them in the Morning. The common Interpretation of this Verfe is [ וירדו בם ישרים לבקר by the fame לקבר which I cannot but confider as a liftake for ; לבקר very unfatisfactory. The principal Difficulty feems to me to lie in Tranfpofition as is put for ap, Verfe 11. The Senfe I would therefore give this Hemiftic is this THEY GO DOWN WITH THEM; (viz. the Flock) THEY GO STRAIGHT TO THE SEPULCHRE. See ufed precifely in this Senfe, Prov. IX. 15. for the Introduction of the righteous here is out of Place. This conjectural Emendation feems to me to be ftrengthened by the correfponding Word, s, in the next Hemiftic. and their Beauty Spall confume in the Grave, from their Dwel ,Rather - AND THE GRAVE וצירם לבלות שאול מזבל לו : .ling Thus THEIR DWELLING, SHALL CONSUME THEIR BEAUTY. be their Houses for ever, and their a, the Infinitive, feems here used the Sepulchre is faid V. 11. to Dwelling to all Generations. for the Future, as Pf. LXX. 1. Ezek. XI. 7. &c. V. 18. Though whiles he lived he bleffed his Soul; and Men will praise כי נפשו בחייו יברך- ויודך כי תיטיב :thee when thou doet well to toyfelf [לך : 7] Rather- THOUGH HE BLESS HIS SOUL IN HIS LIFE, AND COMMEND THEE WHEN THOU CHEEREST THYSELF; i. e. though he gratify his Defires in all the Enjoyments, which his Si"tuation of Life affords him, and think thee right in indulging thy-. "self in like manner." This I apprehend is the true Sense of this Paffage; for by bleffing is frequently understood giving freely and bountifully to a Perfon; thus, in bleffing I will bless thee, i. e. "when I be"flow good Things, I will bestow liberally on thee." Gen. XXII. 17. So alfo Gen. XLIX. 25. Prov. XI. 25. And a Blessing is often used for a Gift or Gratification, Gen. XXVII. 12. Judg. I. 15. 2 Kings V. 15. and fignifies frequently Luft, or Appetite, fee Pf. XXVII. 12. Eccl. VI. 7, 9. &c. So that by bleffing one's Soul may very aptly be underftood gratifying the Appetites and Defires. ", in his Life, fignifies "in the Delights and Comforts of his prefent State," in the fame manner as Eccl. XI. 9. Rejoice, O young Man, in thy Youth, fignifies, enjoy freely thofe Pleasures and Gratifications, which that Seafon of Life "offers thee;" fo that the Senfe in both Places nearly coincides; for in the one it is faid of a Man that he gratifies his Defires in the Comforts and Delights of Life; in the other he is bidden (ironically) to enjoy freely all the Pleasures that Youth admits of. But there is still a nearer Correfpondence in the following Part in both Places, where the Words are almost the fame; for in one we read 770", let thy Heart cheer thee, in the other on, which I therefore render, when thou cheereft thyself; and both evidently denote pleasurable Indulgence, Laftly, this Interpretation moft aptly fuits with the Reasoning of the Context. (V. 16.) " Be not thou concerned at the fudden In"creafe of a Man's Wealth or Honour, (17.) for it will not follow "him into the Grave, (18.) though for the prefent he may gratify his "Defires in the Enjoyments of this Life, and commend others for the "like Indulgence; (19.) yet after a while he shall leave all behind, "and go where his Forefathers are gone before him." V.19. He fhall go to the Generation of his Fathers; they fhall never - Rather תבוא עד דור אבותיו - עד נצח לא יראו אור : .Jee Light HE |