closes it.-2. Do ye indeed speak justice ?]. The question is addressed, as the context shows, to the rulers of the people, || in equity judge? The couplet is not easy to render. Text and Vrss. differ. In the first line the same Hebrew consonants with varying vowels give four different interpretations. That which is here

66

as

sons of

preferred is the interpretation of 6, 3, taking the word adv. emphasizing more strongly the initial "indeed "; so JPSV, "Do ye in very deed." But, followed by most moderns, interprets the form as an unusual word, "in silence," RV., in accordance with the thought of v.. Ki. interprets as Aram. word "band," so Calv., PBV., AV., "congregation." Many moderns interpret as still another word, "gods," for rulers, as 821.6. — sons of mankind]. Those judged, as most moderns, referring, according to usage of the term, to the common people. But 6, 3, EV'., interpret as the rulers, as if it were the antithetical term, men."-3. Nay]. A strong asseveration in negative reply to the question. These rulers were the very reverse of what they ought to be. in the mind], mentally, their secret resolution in antith. to the execution of their purpose. in the land, and also with your hands]. The hands are graphically conceived as using scales and balances, and thus as weighing out what they are to deliver to others. This should have been in accordance with the conception of justice: just, equal, right measure, which could not be questioned. In fact, it was the reverse: weigh violence. 4. Become estranged || go estray], that is, from the principles of justice, the practice of equity.—from the womb || from the belly], so soon as they are born, they at once begin to stray from right to wrong. This does not refer, as older interpreters thought, to the impulses of original sin or innate depravity; but specifically to the wicked in antith. to the "righteous," v.12. They begin the practice of their wickedness in their earliest youth. The wicked are here especially judges: Those who speak lies]; not lies in general, in the later and higher ethical sense that the lie as such is wicked; but in the early sense, lies as injurious, such as accompany acts of violence, false witness before the judges, or false and lying decisions by the judges themselves against the common people, and in favour of the oppressors.-5-6. They have poison]. They are venomous in their violence and lies, and so they are like a serpent || a

cobra], an especially venomous kind of serpent, which adds to its venom another dangerous characteristic, that it cannot be charmed by the charmers. The binder of spells, accustomed to charm all other serpents, can do nothing with this one. Though exceedingly skilful, expert in all the arts of the charmer, he utterly fails. This cobra is deaf, stopping his ear. So these wicked judges are so intent upon violence to the people and injurious lies, that no pleading, no arguments, however just and right, no influence whatever, can prevent them from executing their wicked will.

Str. II. is an antistr., having a syn. couplet, then six syn. similes describing the divine judgment coming upon the wicked judges. —7. Yahweh doth break down their teeth || tear down the jaw teeth], so interpreting the vbs. as pfs., and the subsequent vbs. as impfs., describing the judgment itself; which is to be preferred to taking the vbs. as imvs., and the subsequent vbs. as jussives, imprecating the divine judgment, as MT. and most Vrss. and interpreters. - The wicked rulers are first compared to young lions. Their teeth are all broken down to make them harmless. -8. They melt away as water]. Water is a frequent simile of instability and weakness. So here the first simile compares the judges to water melting away. So weak are they and unstable that they need no one to make them unstable; they flow of themselves, of their own inherent weakness and instability. — Are they luxuriant as green grass]. The second simile compares them to green grass, which is the common symbol of rapid growth and speedy withering away, cf. 37° 90°. But , by the wrong attachment of a single letter to the previous instead of the following word, changed the former to the vb. " tread," and the latter to the word "his arrow," and so got a phrase for the usual "tread the bow," which cannot be explained satisfactorily in this context. An archer, aiming his arrows, even if their points are broken, is not a good simile of weakness from the point of view of the context. The grass is luxuriant enough in its growth, but it has a short duration; so these judges wither away. The rendering "cut off" is a possible translation of a Hebrew word cognate to that rendered above in the usual meaning "wither"; but no other example of such a meaning can be found. Some refer the cutting off to the arrows, as AV., RV., others to the wicked judges, as

PBV.-9. As a snail], so most moderns after T; but G, S, V, Arab. "wax," and other Vrss. various other renderings, making the meaning exceedingly dubious. But whatever the thing may be, as it melts away, so the wicked rulers go. If it be the snail, the reference is to the slimy track it leaves behind it as it moves along. Hath fire fallen, they do not behold the sun], so G, S, V, the fire of the divine anger; the lightning suddenly descends from heaven upon these wicked judges, they are instantaneously consumed, never more will they see the sunlight. This is in accord with the subsequent context, and the common reference to such visitations in the OT. and the Koran. But MT., 3, influenced probably by Jb. 316 Ec. 63, by different vowel points with the same Hebrew text, get "an untimely birth of a woman"; but find difficulty in the tense and number of the vb., as is evident from the various renderings of Vrss. and commentators. The propriety of comparing such strong vigorous enemies with a premature birth of a child already dead, and never really alive, may be questioned. 10. Before they perceive it, they become like thorns]. This continues the thought of the suddenness of the divine visitation. The wicked are taken unawares; before they perceive it, the fire comes upon them, and they are consumed by it like dry thorns. The text has been made difficult by an early copyist, before, making a misconnection of two letters, attaching them to the previous word as the suffix "your," when they belong to the following word as prep. "like." "like." A variant gloss to thorns also made it possible to think of a kindred word "pots," and so the interpretation arose" before your pots perceived the thorns," which conceives of pots containing flesh placed above thorns kindled to make a fire with which to cook a meal. Before these pots are at all heated, the judgment comes upon them. With this interpretation the subsequent line, which contains the principal clause, must be made to correspond, and here still greater difficulty arises. Several words must be given meanings, possible in themselves, but not justified by Hebrew usage. The simple meaning, giving every word its well-attested usage, is in accord with the previous context; as still living, while in the full vigour of life, so G, I, Σ, as Nu. 16; in hot anger, the heat of the divine anger, syn. with the "fire" above; He sweeps them away in a

storm], the storm of wind and rain or hail accompanying the fire of lightning, as usual in such divine visitations. - 11. The righteous will be glad when he beholdeth vengeance]. This gratification of the righteous in looking upon their enemies suffering under divine vengeance, is especially characteristic of the Maccabean age, when this v. was inserted as a gloss. It makes the Str. just these lines too long. His feet he will wash in the blood of the wicked] is an expression of vengeful feelings against foreign enemies in war, and so contrary to the theme of the Ps., which has to do with wicked rulers in Israel. The attitude of mind is distinctly Maccabean. 12. This is the closing Rf. Ye sons of mankind], vocative, as in accordance with v.2. It has been misinterpreted in and H Vrss. as subj. of the verb "shall say," at first understood as usual in poetry, afterwards introduced into the text, and so destroying the similarity of the two Rfs. - surely], emphatic expression of assurance and certainty of the divine interposition in behalf of the righteous, the people. They have fruit; that is their righteousness will not in the end be unprofitable, but successful. is judging the land]. Though the wicked rulers do not judge in equity, but oppress the people of the land, Yahweh Himself interposes, and undertakes Himself their vindication and the punishment of their enemies.

Yahweh

2. D] interrog. with top adv. (√¡DN) always interrog. verily, truly, indeed, so Nu. 2237 (E) 1 K. 827 = 2 Ch. 618; without Gn. 1813 (J). -to] n.[m.] silence 561 (title) and here. Dr. "in dumbness," after Aq., Ges.; but apa, as v.12; H, I, utique === but, indeed, strong adv., not elsw. y, but Gn. 2819 4819 Ex. 916 +. This gives good sense. Houb.; Lowth., Dathe, Street, Ol., De., Ew., Dy., Gr., Bä., BDB., as 821. 6, is not suited to the context. = band; Ki., Calv., Ains., Ham., AV., PBV., congregation √ bind, not elsw. Bibl. Heb.—7275] Pi. impf. 3 pl. archaic

,תפלסון,תפעלין in assonance at close of l., as תשפטון ending; so we should have

V.3. v. 85, sons of mankind, the judges over against God, so G, I, Luther, PBV.; but T, Pe., Bä., Dr., Du., most moderns, mankind as obj. of vb. If judges were referred to, would be more suitable. —3. ] emph. answer to question, cf. 4410.— ɔɔɔ] in mind, in themselves, to themselves, their secret resolution and purpose, antith. to pɔɔ in the land. G takes both and Den as acc. after vb., so Dr., Bä., Du. Many think not appropriate to context. The use of a by itself in this sense is not usual, Bä. suggests all of you, after S. Du. ch in secret is better antith. to pɔ. But H, G, I, T, all have same text.

,is common אמר בלב but

But 6, 3, 0, Quinta, T, all suppose with Bä. that they

Don] violence of your hands, so Aq., Z, J. make on abs. It is not necessary, however, to took ɔɔ as subj. of vb. and that they rd. ?, for they would render

.cf ;36 קול as 2d subj., as ידיכס in the same way if they regarded חמס תפלסון

72 565, with your hands. This is the best interp.—¬xa] emph. in position, in the land, in their administration of justice; not on the earth or on earth. It is attached to the first 1. in H, G, to second in J.-D297] Pi. impf. 3 m. archaic ending, v. 568.—4. mi] only here for Qal pf. 3 m. 7, as ind Je. 2718 for 12, Kö.I.445, become estranged. Cf. a Ho. 57 || , both aorists. i.p. with prep. 1. Another beat is needed, rd. p. subj. of vb., and not qualifying it. 6, however, rd. pf. Xáλnoav, but I loquentes. - 5. ] heat of poison, as Dt. 3224.38, cf. Ps. 1404 Jb. 64. archaic sf. with of possession. npn before wn is gl.; not in G. —‡r7] n.f. likeness, similitude, used here adverbially, as Is. 134 Ez. 2315. - archaic stronger form of prep. 2, so v.8. 9. 10.-t] venomous serpent, perhaps cobra, BDB., Tristram N.H. 271f.; elsw. 9113 Dt. 3238 Is. 118 Jb. 2014. 16. — ¶n] adj. deaf, a.λ. in connection with serpent; form elsw. 3814. Cf. vb. n 281. —D] a.λ. Hiph. juss., cf. Dr.173. obs., the juss. force being lost; rel. clause Dr. "that stoppeth his ear." ( has καὶ βυούσης τὰ ὦτα aurŷs = DONI. This is more natural, esp. as too vb. elsw. always ptc. Qal either active Is. 3315 Pr. 1729 2113, or pass. Ez. 4016 4116.26 1 K. 61. — 6. ¬~~] rel. referring to the D and explaining on. -D] Pi. ptc. pl. a.λ, whisperers, charmers, wn, v. 418; cf. vin serpent charming Is. 33 Ec. 1011.tie magic knots (v. RS.JPh. XIV. 1885, p. 123), vb. only used with cognate acc. Dt. 1811 in this sense. an vb. elsw. Pu. be allied Ps. 942), joined together 1223. ¬ạn n.[m.] (1) company, association, Ho. 69 Pr. 219 2524; (2) spell, elsw. Dt. 1811 cf. Is. 479. 12 of Babylonian magic.-] Pu. ptc. only here and Pr. 3024 learned, skilled (v. 198). The 1. is defective. We may add the kindred ‡□ŋ adj. skilful man, one of the class of magicians Gn. 418 (E) Ex. 711 (P) Is. 4425 Je. 5035 5157; elsw. in wise (ethical and religious sense) 4911 10743.-7. s] for original, as usual in E.Qal imv. Dn vb. (v. 113). — rn] (v. 527) break down, here only of teeth. gives both vbs. as Pfs. and this is better suited to v.8%. — ] archaic poetic sf. for rhythm, in both nouns for usual . Characteristic of the Ps. is the use of .nyphp] a.λ. for ning Jo. 16 Pr. 3014 Jb. 2917. —m] is suspicious in E, though in 6. A divine name is needed for measure. Doubtless it was originally, changed to be in E, and then subsequently back to .-8. ] Niph. impf. either juss. or indicative † [DE] vb. Niph. flow, run, elsw. Jb. 75 regarded as variation of Don vb. melt, dissolve (2215), probably both fully written forms from ♫ melt (67). — ] in apposition with previous vb. and not rel. clause.-] ethical dative with vb. of motion Ges.119. of themselves. 17] phr. elsw. only 641. 13 Kt., v Qr. arrows for rokov G, arcum I, ♫ 77 718 112 3714; an abrupt transition, not suited to context. Rd. with Bi., Che., We., yn, which is favoured by vb.

and we חציר prob. goes with ידין also of. The o of ,372 בֶּחָצִיר יִמָלוּ .cf יִתְמֹלָלוּ

,