dilatat Gadum, i. e., Deus, qui Gado am- observatque, adjectivum mascul. p, ad 21, Prospicit, eligit sibi primitias, scil. terræ Cananææ occupandæ. Tribus Gad enim cum tribu Ruben et dimidia Manassis primam partem terræ occupatæ cis Jordanem accipiebat, Num. xvii. In explicandis verbis prospexit, selegit sibi primam terram ab Israelitis occupatam, regionem Sichonis et Ogis, eo quod ibi, nempe in portione legislatoris, in portione a Mose sibi assignata (Num. xxxii. 33; Jos. i. 13, 14) protectus, securus sit. Nam in urbibus munitis (Num. xxxii. 34-36) tuti erant eorum liberi et uxores, dum ipsi ad bellum irent; de quo admodum variant interpretes. LXX ca verba, quæ proxime sequuntur: una cum iis, quæ proxime præcedunt, sic et ibat Gadus, i.e., ibant Gaditæ, tanquam reddunt: Kai eidev àñaрxηv avтοû, őtɩ èkeî capita, duces, principes populi, quod Jarchi ἐμερίσθη γῆ ἀρχόντων συνηγμένων. Patet, bene ita explicat: illi enim ibant ante copias EPR collective accepisse, et principes in expeditas Israelitarum dum terram Canaterra ea, quam tribus Gad occupavit, con- næam subigebant; quoniam fortes erant. Et gregatos intellexisse. A qua sententia haud sic dixit iis Moses (iii. 18): Vos autem prælonge abest Saadias: et quidem vidit in prin- cedetis expediti ante fratres vestros rel. cipio regionis suæ quod coetus legislatorum Eodem sensu Onkelos: ille egressus et inibi esset repositus. Sed Hebræorum pleri- gressus est in capite populi, ante populum. Justitiam Jove fecit, et jura, צִדְקַת יִשְׂרָאֵל -in singulari capiunt intelli מְחֹקֵק סָפוּן que guntque legislatore tecto, recondito, i. e., sua cum Israele, i.e., fecit, sive, quum hic sepulto, Mosen, et Num. xxi. 18. vo- Moses de futuro tempore loquens inducatur, catum, qui intra fines terræ Gaditis assignatæ faciet quæ Deus præcepit et ipse promisit se sepultus esset, ut igitur tribus Gad amore facturum, h. e., comitabitur fratres cosque in religionis illum terræ tractum optarit. Ita expugnanda terra juvabit, et cum iis exseOnkelos: et acceptum est in principio id quetur, quæ Deus in Cananæos decrevit. quod ejus erat, i. e., accepit primus partem Quod promissis steterunt Gaditæ laudat in suam, nam ibi in sua hæreditate Moses, iis Josua xxii. 1—3. sensu Hieronymus: Et ridit principatum Ver. 22. suum, quod in parte sua doctor esset repositus. 3 13 72 173 Similiter Tellerus hunc locum interpretatus est Elegit sibi primum terræ, propterea quod ibi ducis, Mosis, portio exigua reposita καὶ τῷ Δὰν εἶπεν. Δὲν σκύμνος λέοντος, Au. Ver.-22 And of Dan he said, Dan Pool, Horsley, Ged., Rosen.—Which leap- sit, ea vero Mosen suum ipsius sepulchrum, καὶ ἐκπηδήσεται ἐκ τοῦ βασάν. of the metaphor, and belongs to the lion, Num. xxvi. 47.—, Gratus sit fra which is said to leap from Bashan, because there were many and fierce lions in those parts; see Judg. xiv. 5; whence they used to come forth to prey, and their manner was to leap upon the prey.—Pool. Ver. 23. tribus suis, iis e terræ suæ proventibus res optimas suppeditaturus; cf. Gen. xlix. 20. Tingatque oleo pedem suum, ita abundet oleo, ut eo pedes lavare possit. Ver. 25. καὶ τῷ Νεφθαλὶ εἶπε. Νεφθαλὶ πλησμονὴ δεκτών. καὶ ἐμπλησθήτω εὐλογίας παρὰ κυρίου. θάλασσαν καὶ λίβα κληρονομήσει. Au. Ver.-23 And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the LORD: possess thou the west and the south. O Naphtali-possess thou. So Rosen. est imperat. cum paragogico, pro ; cf. Gesenii Lehrgeb., p. 383.-Rosen. Houb., Horsley, Ged., Booth." Naphtali -shall possess." Legendum, vel, hæreditas ejus, vel TM”, hæreditabit, ut Samaritani scribunt.-Houbigant. Ver. 21. as Au. Ver.-25 Thy shoes shall be iron [or, under thy shoes shall be iron] and brass; and thy days, so shall thy strength be. Thy shoes shall be iron and brass. Ged., Booth.-25 Thy bars shall be of iron and of brass. Pool.-Thy shoes shall be iron and brass: this may note either, 1. Their great strength, by which they should be able to tread down and crush their enemies, as Christ's feet for this very reason are said to be of brass, Rev. i. 15. Or, 2. The mines of iron and copper, which were in their portion, whence Sidon their neighbour was famous among the heathens for its plenty of brass and iron, and Sarepta is thought to have its name .there in great quantity. Conpare Deut רְעוּ אֶחָיו בַּשְׁמִן : • ihan rewia babay n from the brass and iron which were melted καὶ τῷ ̓Ασὴρ εἶπεν. eiλoznuevos àñò viii. 9. Or, 3. The strength of its situation; τέκνων Ασήρ. καὶ ἔσται δεκτὸς τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς and so some ancients and moderns render αὐτοῦ. βάψει ἐν ἐλαίῳ τὸν πόδα αὐτοῦ. Au. Ver.-24 And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip the words, thy habitation or thy enclosure shall be iron and brass, i. e., fortified as it were with walls and gates of iron and brass, being defended by the sea on one side, by their brethren on other sides, as also by his foot in oil. Pool.-i.e., He shall have numerous, and those strong, and healthful, and comely, children. Or, shall be blessed or praised of or above the sons, i. c., the other sons of Israel, or his brethren, as it here follows, i. e.. his portion shall fall in an excellent part, where he may have the benefits both of his own fat soil, and of the sea, by his neighbours Tyrus and Sidon. Acceptable to his brethren; by his sweet disposition and winning carriage, and communication of his excellent commodities to his brethren, he shall gain their affections. Booth.-Blessed shall he be in his brethren. Ged.-Asher, blessed in his children, shall be also dear to his brethren. be, i. e.. thy strength shall not be diminished with thine age, but thou shalt have the vigour of youth even in thine old age; thy tribe shall grow stronger and stronger. Bp. Patrick.—25 Thy shoes shall be iron and brass. Or, as in the margin, “Under thy feet shall be iron:" which hath made some think these minerals were digged out of Libanus, near to which lay the tribe of Asher: who, according to this exposition, trod upon a soil full of iron and brass. But no author, Bochartus saith, mentions any such thing as the brass of Libanus; and therefore some understand by these expressions, the barbarous people that dwelt in Galilee of the Gentiles, who pressed the Asserites, as an iron shoe or fetters do the But the Arabic here by minal, which Rosen.-21 Benedictus sit ex fuct. filiis, i.e., auctus multa sobole; conf. ad we tran-late shoe, understands a bolt or bar; and renders this passage, "Thy bolts shall significationis habentibus, aliis haud diversæ be iron and brass;" that is, as Onkelos ex-a, sera, pessulus, existimantibus. Priori presses it, “They should be as strong as iron significatu ceperunt LXX, qui illud vñóồnμa and brass." And so Kimchi, expounding vertunt, quos sequuti Syrus et Vulgatus. the words of Jonathan (who interprets it, Neque tamen, quid eo adscito significatu "Thy habitation shall be as strong," &c.), verba ferrum et æs sint tua calceamenta, sibi saith the meaning is, "Their country should velint, consentiunt. Jonathan ea hoc modo be as well fenced, as if it had been shut up exponit: Clari erunt, o tribus Ascher, sicut in brazen or iron walls;" and R. Solomon to ferrum, et fortes sicut æs, pedes ipsorum, ad the same purpose (see Hierozoicon, par. ii., ambulandum in rupibus petrarum. Eundem lib. vi., cap. 16). But I have observed, that in sensum collineat Cocceius, qui in Lexico the same Bochartus acknowledges in his illa sic explicat: dabo tibi ambulare in Phaleg. that Sarepta (which the Hebrews securitate, ut pedibus tuis nulla noxa accidat, calls Zarephath, 1 Kings xvii. 9), a city of quasi ferro et ære calceatus esses. Kimchi Sidon, had its name from the brass and iron et Abarbenel calceo per metonymiam terram which were here melted; being in great calcatam, sive regionem quam Ascheritæ plenty in that country, as the Hebrews sorte obtinuerint continuoque calcaverint, gather from this blessing of the tribe of significari existimant, ut his verbis signiAsher (who were the inhabitants of those ficetur, in Ascheritarum portione montes places), "Iron and brass are under thy ferri ærisque feraces esse. Alii cogitant de shoe," as he there interprets it (lib. iv., cap. caligis seu ocreis militum, minutis cuspidatis31). And so a very learned man, long que clavis ferreis munitis, veluti Bynæus in before him, David Chytræus, expounds these libro de Calceis Hebræor., lib. i., cap. 4. words, and adds this observation; Nam Sed quum calceamenti significatus nomini Sidon et Sarepta, quæ a metallis exco-assignatus sensum idoneum minime quendis nomen habet, in tribu Asser fuerunt, fundat; significatio altera, seræ, pessuli adFor Sidon and Sarepta, which had its sciscenda erit, quam et Saadias expressit, name from the melting of metals there, qui, seræ tuæ reddidit. Verbum, were in the tribe of Asher." fores obserare, obdere foribus pessulum, Dr. A. Clarke.-Thy shoes shall be iron notat 2 Sam. xiii. 18; Jud. iii. 23, 24. and brass.] Some suppose this may refer Unde verborum ferrum et æs, i. e., ferreus et to the iron and copper mines in their terri-æreus sit pessulus tuus sensus crit vel hic: tory; but it is more likely that it relates to urbes tuæ ferreis æneisque pessulis (non their warlike disposition, as we know that ligneis, quorum vulgo usus fuit, cf. d. a. u. n. greaves, boots, shoes, &c., of iron, brass, and M., p. ii., p. 323), undique conclusæ et Vel: terra tin, were used by ancient warriors. Goliath munitissimæ sint. had greaves of brass on his legs, 1 Sam. natura, tum opere, æque munita et tuta ab xvii. 6; and the brazen-booted Greeks, hostium insultibus sit, ac si ferreis æneisque Hunc sensum καλκοκνημίδες Αχαιοι, is one of the epithets | repagulis sit circumclusa. tua tum given by Homer to his heroes; see Iliad, expressit Onkelos: firma ut ferrum et æs sit lib. viii., ver. 41. tua habitatio. As thy days so shall thy strength be. Arab. J, Bishop Patrick.-Chytræus expounds it, Prof. Lee.a, r. bup. calceis donavit; conj. ii. lamina ferreá munivit: hence the notion of defence. A bolt, or lock, of a gate, &c., Cant. v. 5; Neh. iii. 3, seq., masc. id. Deut. xxxiii. 26, or Defence, perhaps, generally. LXX, nóδημα. T. Gesen., m. id. Deut. xxxiii. 25, i. q. , m. (r.) a bolt, bar, Cant. v. 5; Neh. iii. 3, 6. Rosen.-25 In verbis explicandis in duas potissimum partes interpretes discedunt, nomen hoc solo loco obvium aliis ejusdem ac, calceamentum All the time of their life, they should retain the same vigour of body and mind." Which seems to be the sense of Onkelos, "As the days of thy youth, so shall thy strength be." And the Jerusalem Targum more expressly, "Such as they were in the days of their youth, such they should be in their old age." Or simply these words signify, that this tribe "should grow stronger and stronger;" which Hottinger seems to have aimed at, when he propounded this exposition in his Smegma Orientale, cap. 7, As are thy days, so are thy riches and wealth." Masius, quite contrary, upon | days increase, so shall thy riches. This Josh. xix. 31, interprets these words to makes a very good sense also. See Rosensignify, that they should have perpetual müller. conflicts with the old inhabitants of the country. All which various interpretations Gesen.-, a root not in use, i. q., proceed from the uncertain signification of the Arab. Ĺ, to rest, to be quiet, kindr. with A vestige of this root appears 72, Medeba, i. e., waters of , m. quiet, rest, i. e., a condition of rest; once Deut. xxxiii. 25, 7877 TRP, as thy days, so shall thy rest be, i. e., as long as thy life endures, so long shall thy condition of rest continue, q. d., thy prosperity. Vulg., senectus tua; but old age cannot well be put in antithesis with life. Hebrew word daba, which we render strength. r. 8, q. v. Dr. A. Clarke.—And as thy days, so shall in the pr. n. thy strength be.] If we take this clause as quiet. Hence, it appears here, we have at once an easy sense; and the saying, I have no doubt, has comforted the souls of multitudes. The meaning is obvious: "Whatever thy trials or difficulties may be, I shall always give thee grace to support thee under and bring thee through them." The original is only two words, the latter of which has been Prof. Lee.-, m. once, Deut. xxxiii. 25. translated in a great variety of ways, T Aff. 7827. Auth. Vers., "thy strength." 7827. Of the first term, there can be no LXX, ý loxís σov. So the Syriac and Targ. doubt, it literally means, and as thy days; Vulg., senectus tua. Sam., Doctores tui. the second word, 27, occurs nowhere else Gesen., magnificentia tua. He objects to the in the Hebrew Bible: the Septuagint have "senectus of the Vulgate, because he says rendered it by xvs, strength, and most of this word can form no opposition to T the versions have followed them; but others while he equally improperly proposes languor, have rendered it affliction, old age, fame, quies, poët. mons tua, to this word. But, on weakness, &c., &c. It would be almost what grounds can he make a word, which endless to follow interpreters through their he says is the same with, repititavit, conjectures concerning its meaning. It is I can allowed among learned men, that where a signify languor, quies, mors? word occurs not as a verb in the Hebrew no connecting link between these several Bible, its root may be legitimately sought in notions. Hottinger had proposed the Arab. the Arabic. He who controverts this posi-, lentus, incessus, &c.; but these, he tion knows little of the ground on which he see stands. In this language the root is found: says, are metaphorical senses, taken from . Still this can be no objection here; because it may also be argued, that even many Hebrew words may be shown to be derived from a metaphorical acceptation of others. But, if this were true, how then signifies he rested, was quiet. This gives a very good sense, and a very appropriate one; for as the borders of this tribe lay on the vicinity of the Phoenicians, it was naturally to be expected that they should be constantly exposed to irruptions, should we account for pillage, &c.: but God, to give them confidence in his protection, says According to operatus est;, produxit quid simile thy days-all circumstances and vicissitudes, out. دبی n. a. دَبا دبى ,and hence the phrases ديا دبيين وتدبية sing. and so shall thy REST be-while faithful to thy locustis parvis, &c.? Is it not full as likely God no evil shall touch thee; thy days that such locusts received their name from shall increase, and thy quiet be lengthened the notion of production, as that this verb This is an unfailing promise of God: was formed from the name of the locust? "I will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon me, because he trusteth in me; therefore "trust ye in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength" (Isai. xxvi. 4), Some derive it from , he abounded in riches; the interpretation then would be, As thy multæ opes. The passage evi dently contains a blessing promised to Asher; and, if we may rely on the etymologies just offered, it ought to mean, as thy days (shail be) i. e., as the circumstances of thy life, thy trials, wants, &c. See my notes on Job, p. 301, &c. (so shall) be thy produce, wealth, power. The opposition here is complete; and the ancient translators have rightly interpreted the place. Dr. A. Clarke.--We have already seen the literal meaning of Jeshurun, chap. xxxii. 15; but besides its literal meaning, it seems to be used as an expression of particular affection: hence Calmet understands Rosen. In verbis 77, interpreta- it as a diminutive of the word Israel. We tionis diversitatem creat nomen añaέ λe- know that TEKVOL, sons, in the mouth of St. yóμevov 2. Plures illud capiunt fortitudinis John, signifies much less than Teкvia, which, significatu. Ita jam LXX, kai is ai nuépaι properly translated, would be beloved children, σov, ǹ ioxús σov, quibuscum Vulgatus, Syrus, a term which at once shows the helplessness et Saadias consentiunt. Onkelos: et sicut of the offspring, and the tender affection of dies juventutis tuce sit fortitudo tua. Alii the parent. So Jeshurun may be understood senectutem illo nomine significari existimant, here: and hence the Septuagint seem to quasi per literarum metathesin sit pro 17, have apprehended the full force of the word a, languescere, ut optet, senectutem by translating it Tov пуanημеvov, the beloved Aseritarum ita firmam et lætam futuram one, the object of God's especial delight. esse, ut fuerit juventus. Sed pro diebus juventutis plane pro lubitu sumitur. Assentior Pfeiffero, qui in Dubiis l'exatt., ad h. 1. coll. Arab. 87, quievit locum sic interpretatur: quamdiu durabunt dies tui, duret etiam quietus status tuus, i. e., quietam semper agas vitam. Qui sensus optime congruit iis, quæ proxime antecedunt. Ver. 26, 27, 28. Who rideth upon the heaven in thy help. Bishop Horsley.-Rather, "Thy helper. rideth on the heavens." Compare Exod. xviii. 4; and see the translation of the LXX and Vulgate, here, and in that place. Pool.-26 Upon the heaven, i. e., upon the clouds, to succour thee from thence, by sending thunder and lightning upon thine enemies. See Psalm xviii. 7, &c.; lxviii. 34, &c. In his excellency, or, in his magnificence, i. e., magnificently, gloriously, and 27 Thy refuge, or, thy dwelling-place .with great majesty as well as power בְּעֶזְרֶךְ וּבְגַאֲוָתוֹ שְׁחָקִים: Underneath, i. e., under thy arms postba at me held up by Aaron and Hur. He will supto hold thee up, as my hands were once 26 οὐκ ἔστιν ὥσπερ ὁ θεὸς τοῦ ἠγαπημένου, Though he dwelleth on high, yet he comes ὁ ἐπιβαίνων ἐπὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν βοηθός σου, καὶ down to the earth beneath to assist and ὁ μεγαλοπρεπὴς τοῦ στερεώματος. 27 Kai deliver thee. Shall say, Destroy them, i. e., σκεπάσει σε θεοῦ ἀρχὴ, καὶ ὑπὸ ἰσχὺν βραχιόνων ἀενάων· καὶ ἐκβαλεῖ ἀπὸ προσώπου σου ἐχθρὸν, λέγων, ἀπόλοιο. 28 Kai KaTaσκηνώσει Ἰσραὴλ πεποιθὼς μόνος ἐπὶ γῆς Ἰακώβ, ἐπὶ σίτῳ καὶ οἴνῳ· καὶ ὁ οὐρανός σοι συννεφὴς δρόσῳ. Au. Ver.-26 There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. shall give thee not only command and com- 28 Alone; either, 1. Though they be The 27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms and he shall thrust out the enemy from before fountain of Jacob, i. e., the posterity of thee; and shall say, Destroy them. Jacob, which flowed from him as waters 28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: from a fountain, in great abundance. Comthe fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land pare Psalm lxviii. 26; Isa. xlviii. 1. The of corn and wine; also his heavens shall fountain is here put for the river or streams drop down dew. Jeshurun. See notes on xxxii. 15. which flow from it, as Psalm civ. 10; as the |
