ment is in the hand of man: but they shall de MESSIA deprehendisse se credit Kenbe burnt up utterly, when the house of the nicottus; dignum evpnμa quod ei gratulemur, great judgment appears that they may sit cupiamusque magis confirmari. on the throne of judgment to judge the world." from the subsequent particulars being inapplicable to any king or ruler, but Messiah. I therefore presume, that the subject of this sacred song, composed near the close of Ken. We are now arrived at a part of David's life, is the Messiah: and certainly Holy Scripture, which is of more than no other subject was so worthy to employ common importance: a part, which promises the last poetry of the man after God's own something very magnificent, but sadly dis- heart. He labours to introduce it with an appoints (at present) our reasonable ex- accumulation of all such expressions, as pectations. It is not in the power of words would command the greatest attention to to form a more solemn and splendid intro- what he was about to deliver, as he was duction and yet, when we have perused king, and as he was prophet. That a good the whole song, whether the darkness be ruler, in the general, should be here treated owing to errors in the present text, or of, seems impossible: not only from the mistakes in our version, or to both; the introductory pomp and splendour, but also general subject, as well as most of the particulars, want much illustration. The great point is, to fix and ascertain The everlasting covenant, concerning this the subject: whether it be, the celebration son of David, is expressly mentioned; as of a good and righteous governor, in general; well as the spiritual nature of his kingdom. or, in particular, that righteous and just one, All the particulars agree to the Messiah : the Messiah. In favour of this latter sense, and while some describe the fate of his new evidence has arisen from an investiga- enemies, others are descriptive of his own tion of the Heb. MSS.; the oldest and best crucifixion; all very similar in sense to what of which has preserved the word Jehovah, is foretold elsewhere. We read in Ps. xxii., in one part of this hymn; where, if the they pierced my hands and my feet; they word be genuine, it solves the chief dif- parted my garments, and cast lots upon my ficulty. As this word appeared to me from vesture. And if David was thus circumthe first, and does still, to be of very great stantial, in that Psalm; why may he not consequence; I represented it in my "First have mentioned here the same or other cirDissertation on the Hebrew Text," p. 468- cumstances, relative to the same event? It 471 [see below]: adding, that the old Greek is no just objection, that this song is not version proves the ancient existence of the quoted in the New Testament; for the New word in this place. With what success this Testament does not quote the other words, discovery was made to the public, the reader they pierced my hands and my feet. And will in part judge from the review of that should it be objected further, that nothing Dissertation by the learned Professor Mi- of this interesting nature appears, at present, chaëlis, who says:- Ultima verba Davidis in these last words: I reply, that nothing mendis laborare quibusdam, vix audemus clear appears at all; not only no consistent dubitare: frustra in illis explicandis desu- plan, but not even common sense is to be dasse totum interpretum tanquam collegium made out of the words in our present intelligentes; neque ipsi, sollicita verborum version. If therefore, by the assistance of investigatione, adhibita etiam luce quam Heb. MSS., and a better English version, Arabia ac Syria præferre solet, aliquid satis this passage shall be found to contain a tuti invenientes. Quicquid ex verbis eruas, consistent prophecy of the Messiah; we hiat; nec apparet, ad quem finem pertineat. cannot but be particularly struck with the Legimus et sicut lux matutina orietur sol, mention made here of the iron and the sive, et circa tempus lucis matutinæ orietur spear. With spikes of iron was he to be sol; languente utraque sententia. Quod filled; as he was fastened to the cross by igitur verum, felix, reique Christianæ faustum these, at the opposite extremities of his sit, codex Kennicottianus, omnium hucusque body, his hands and his feet: and with the inspectorum antiquissimus, habet atque ut spear was his side pierced. So that if, with lux matutina orietur Jehova sol-quod Dei the apostle, who at first doubted, we should nomen, nunc deletum, in nostro commute at last see here the print of the nails, and legebat interpres Græcus. Vaticinium ergo the wound made by the spear; let us, like that apostle, be no longer faithless, but וכאור בקר יזרח שמש Et sicut lux matutina orietur sol. believing. In the present case I shall postpone, and If we take these words literally, are they reserve for a more critical appendix, the sense? Is not the sun the light of the several notes which may be necessary, in morning; or, is not the morning light the support of the alterations here proposed: as only and certain effect of the sun rising? I have before expressed my intention, in And can a thing be compared to itself, or relation to other very difficult passages. the cause to its effect? The various reading, And I shall now give such a correction of which (if true) not only frees us from this our common translation of these verses, as difficulty, but proves this passage to be proappears to me just and necessary. New Translation of 2 Sam. xxiii. 1-7. TITLE. Now these are the last words of David. PROEM. The oracle of David, the son of Jesse; Even the oracle of the man raised up on high: The anointed of the GoD of Jacob; SONG. THE JUST ONE ruleth among men ! He ruleth by the fear of GOD! phetical, stands thus LXX, Vat. copy, Και εν φωτι ΘΕΟΥ πρωίας ανατείλαι ήλιος το πρωι ου ΚΥΡΙΟΣ παρήλθεν εκ φέγγους, and the Alex., Και εν ΘΕΩ φωτι As the light of the morning, ariseth JE- πρωίας ανατείλαι ο ήλιος το πρωι ου παρηλθεν EK peyyous. From which versions, however unintelligible at present in themselves, an argument arises in favour of the reading in this MS. For in the Vat. edition we have eos and Kupios, and in the Alex. eos; words, which have nothing in the printed Heb. text to authorize or introduce them, and seem only to be accounted for by this MS. reading. According to which perhaps the Greek version stood originally thus, Και εν φωτι (reading ") πρωίας ανατελει ο Κυριος (in another copy Θεος) ο ηλιος, το |прwɩ оν ñaрηλdev (reading, which is generally rendered by maрeрxoμaι, instead of ny or my vepeλai) ek þeyyous. The true Greek version therefore seems to be, Kai ws φως πρωίας ανατέλει ο Κυριος ο ηλιος, πρωία ου νεφέλαι (εν αυτη) εκ φεγγους. Transpositions of words are frequent in the present Greek version; which in some places is a jumble of two or three different renderings of the same word or words thrown together: which seems to have been the case here. For the words eos and Kupios seem to be different renderings of the same word or perhaps of that and in writ in some copies instead of it; and then both words have been transposed, both removed from their place after, where this MS. and the context require the word Kuptos should be stationed: and indeed there the sense is excellently illustrated by its situation Et sicut lux matutina orietur Jehovah Sol. The sun of a morning without clouds, Shining after rain upon the verdure of the ground. e) IV. 5 Is not my house established with God, Inasmuch as he hath settled with me an It is impossible to read these words, without recollecting the allusion to them in Malachi, shall the Sun of Righteousness arise, &c., which words, in the original, farther confirm the reading in the MS. For in Malachi we have the same verb and the same noun, as in Samuel; but with a re- 6 markable difference in their connexion. In Samuel the verb is masculine, but in Malachi feminine; and as the phrase seems copied by 7 the latter from the former, one might have expected to find the same verb, when joined to the same noun, in the same exalted image, carefully expressed in the same form. Hence also it is probable, that the word was originally in Samuel; as the verb there is masculine, because more immediately ,שמש than with יהוה connected with Sam. Shall Jehovah, the Sun, ariseMal. Shall the Sun of Righteousness arise― Jer. Jehovah, our Righteousness. Isaiah lx. 1. Arise, shine, for thy light is come; and the glory of Jehovah is risen upon thee. 2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people but (mmmr) JEHOVAH SHALL ARISE upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. I leave the inference to the reader. Bishop Horsley. I. 1 David, the son of Jesse, saith, The profane i) are all of them, like the thorn, to be extirpated, k) For they will not be taken by the hand. 1) And whoever shall approach unto them shall be filled With iron and the wood of a spear, m) But in the sabbath n) they shall be utterly burnt with fire. a) Literally, He that is sweet in the songs of Israel.-Israeliticorum carminum delicia. Castalio. b) Or, shall rule-and so in the line following. c), MSS. d) He, the Just One. I see no necessity for inserting Jehovah here, to be the nominative of the verb . The ellipsis of the pronoun of the third person is frequent in all languages, when the subject of the verb cannot be mistaken, which is the case here, when the lines are properly divided. e) Shining upon., participle Hiphil of the verb, after rain. The air is generally in the purest state after heavy showers in the spring, and the sun shines with heightened lustre. The verdure of the ground, literally, "the young herbage from the ground." This mention of the herbage, And the man saith who hath been raised or verdure, presents the idea of spring. up on high, The anointed of the God of Jacob, II. 2 The Spirit of Jehovah speaketh by me, And his word is upon my tongue ; 3 The God of Israel saith, To me speaketh the Rock of Israel. III. The JUST ONE ruleth b) over men, What an assemblage of pleasing images! the dawn-sunrise-sunshine after rain-the vernal season. . ערוכה ושמורה .f) Regular and guarded I take these words for forensic terms. g) For y, I read, with Houbigant, 4 And as the light of the morning [he] d) the covenant here mentioned, who is per shall arise, petually spoken of in prophecy under the image of a growing plant or branch. See Jer. xxxiii. 15; xxiii. 5; Zach. iii. 8; vi. 12; Is. iv. 2. In these passages, and particularly in Jer. xxiii. 5, an allusion may well be supposed to this original prophecy of David. 3 The Rock of Israel.] The Fountain whence Israel was derived. He that ruleth over men must be just.] More literally, PT D, He that ruleth in man is the just one; or, The just one is the ruler among men. Ruling in the fear of God.] It is by God's fear that Jesus Christ rules the hearts of all his followers; and he who has not the fear of God before his eyes, can never be a i) The profane. Houbigant is mistaken when he says the word is never used but when attached to some noun substantive, It is evidently used as a collective in Nahum ii. 1. As a collective, Christian. .c דברבן, איש as c, are properly&, יקחו, כלהם the plurals 4 He shall be as the light of the morning.] joined with it. The insertion therefore of This verse is very obscure, for it does not the word is unnecessary. Neither the appear from it who the person is of whom sense nor the syntax demand it: and it is the prophet speaks. As the Messiah seems without authority either of MSS. or ver- to be the whole subject of these last words sions., the profligate, the profane, the of David, he is probably the person intended. graceless, the reprobate. One of Dr. Kennicott's MSS. supplies the word ; and he therefore translates, As the light of the morning ariseth Jehovah (see above)—He shall be the Sun of righteousness, bringing salvation in his rays, and shining-illuminating the children of men, with increasing splendour, as long as the sun and moon endure. k) The thorn to be extirpated., Quasi spina evellenda. 1) For they will not be taken by the hand. They will not accept of the Redeemer's help. As the tender grass.] The effects of this shining, and of the rays of his grace, shall be like the shining of the sun upon the young grass or corn, after a plentiful shower of rain. m) And whoever with iron and the wood of a spear. Dr. Kennicott very properly supposes an allusion to the iron spikes which fastened our Lord's body to the cross, and the spear which pierced his side. But as these sons of Belial persecuted not our Lord only, but others, the first preachers of Christianity who came unto them, as he had 5 Although my house be not so with God.] done, with words of friendly admonition Instead of p, so, read P, established; and and reproof, as before the times of the let the whole verse be considered as an inGospel they persecuted the prophets who terrogation, including a positive assertion; were sent to them upon the like merciful errand, I think the word s is rather to be rendered by the indefinite pronoun, siquis, or whoever, for which it often stands, than by The Man, as Dr. Kennicott renders it, understanding it specifically of Christ. Prophecy, I think, rather delights in very general expressions, with very particular allusions. n) In the sabbath; i.e., in the end of all things: that final sabbatism of the people of God, of which the apostle speaks in Heb. iv. 9. Dr. A. Clarke.-1 These be the last words of David.] I suppose the last poetical composition is here intended. He might have spoken many words after these in prose, but none in verse. Other meanings are given; this I prefer. The words of this song contain a glorious prediction of the Messiah's kingdom and conquests, in highly poetic language. and the sense will be at once clear and consistent: "For is not my house (family) established with God; because he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all, and preserved? For this (He) is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it (or him) not to spring up." All is sure relative to my spiritual successor, though he do not as yet appear; the covenant is firm, and it will spring forth in due time. 6 But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns.] There is no word in the text for sons; it is simply Belial, the goodfor-nothing man, and may here refer-first, to Saul, and secondly, to the enemies of our Lord. As thorns thrust away.] A metaphor taken from hedging; the workman thrusts the thorns aside either with his bill or hand, protected by his impenetrable mitten or glove, till, getting a fair blow at the roots, he cuts them all down. The man is fenced Ged. 6, 7, The parenthesis must be read as such; and the last line joined to the second. Booth. Now these, though later, are the words of David. 1 2 Thus saith David, the son of Jesse; The man who was highly exalted saith; The anointed of the God of Jacob; The pleasant Psalmist of Israel. The spirit of Jehovah speaketh by me, And his word is on my tongue. 1 The following, also, though posterior, are 3 The God of Israel hath said to me ; the words of David. "Thus, saith David, the son of Ishai; Saith the man, who was exalted to be The anointed of the GoD of Jacob: Who harmonized the psalmody of Israel. 2 The spirit of the LORD speaketh by me, And his word is on my tongue. 3 To me, the God of Israel hath said, The Rock of Israel hath promised; A just ruler over mankind; Who will rule in the fear of GOD. 4 Not like the grass of the earth (which, When the morning sun riseth clear and cloudless, Glistereth from the previous rain), 5 Shall be my house before GOD. For with me he hath made a perpetual covenant, In every point regular, and sure. For every sort of welfare is mine; And mine every wish he hath accomplished. 6 Whereas lawless men, all of them, Are like briars, to be thrust out, 4 To me the Rock of Israel hath promised, A just ruler over mankind, Who will rule in the fear of God. As the morning light when the sun ariseth ; A morning cloudless and resplendent; As the grass from the earth after rain ;--5 Is not my house thus with God? For with me he hath made an everlasting covenant. 6 Wisely ordered in all points and sure. And mine every desire will he not accom- But lawless men, all of them, (For they cannot be taken with the 7 But the man who would cut them up, 3 A just ruler over.] These words contain the substance of what God had pro (For with the hand they may not be mised; and they cannot be applied with taken, propriety to Solomon. For how could he be 7 But the man, who would meddle with said to be a ruler over mankind? This is them, certainly the sense when D is used abso Must be provided with an axe and spear- lutely, without any restrictive or qualifying shaft) And to be burned, on the spot, with fire. 1 The following, &c. The common rendering is: These too are the last words of David. But that I think cannot be the meaning. They seem a supplement to the foregoing song, composed some time after. Ib. Who harmonized the psalmody of Israel. Comp. ch. i. 18 and 1 Chron. 4 Not like the grass, &c. There is great beauty in this metaphor. That grass, which from the dews and showers of the night appears so glossy and glistering, at the rising of the sun, shall soon decay and wither before his meridian rays: but not so the house of David, &c. term. The just ruler then must signify the future Messiah, who sprang from David, and whose kingdom was to be universal. 5 Is not my house.] This line is clearly the apodosis or application of the beautiful comparison in the preceding verse; and this naturally contributes great assistance in ascertaining its genuine sense: "As lovely as the morning, when the sun ariseth; a morning, not gloomy, threatening tempests and hurricanes, but cloudless and bright; as flourishing as grass from the earth after rain; so shall my house or family abide, splendid in rank and in honours; flourishing until he come, who is to be the just ruler over mankind; and when every |
