Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

the writer of our song had some such thing as this in his eye in the address here, to the ' daughters,'

&c.

But before I proceed farther, I must take under consideration the second branch of the charge, The hinds of the field. The word for hinds, ailuth, is of extensive signification. The root denotes strength, power, virtue; and so the LXX. render it here εν ταις ισχύσεσι, strengths. Hence under this leading idea it is used for idols, the vain strengths of their worshippers; for rams, the leaders of the flock; for the stag species, strong to run; for posts, the strengths, supporters of houses; for some kind of trees, as in Isaiah i. 29. which we read oaks, but the LXX. sdwλa, idols. And under this application to trees, there are many who interpret Jacob's benediction to Naphtali', of a spreading tree that shooteth out goodly branches. Indeed, the addition of the field' here seems as likely to refer to trees as to hinds, if we consider the frequency

of

if that Greek etymology, mentioned in the preceding note, of resour, be just, I think I see such women, even in their synagogue-solemnities, as far down as the christian æra. For in Acts xiii. 50. we read, that when Paul and Barnabas had with great boldness, and no small success, preached in a synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia, the unbelieving Jews stirred up the ' devout women, τας σεβομενας γυναικας, the women that were the oßourva, sebomenai, like the man war, the nashim sabaoth, the women that assembled,' &c. in old times; and so from their character and station, the fitter instruments to influence the multitude against what they called the new doctrines.'

[ocr errors]

Gen. xlix. 21.

εν,

of this expression in scripture, trees of the field.' But still, it remains to be shewn to what purpose, and with what propriety, the speaker here may be said to charge the daughters by these things, as I would be explaining them. Now the stress of this difficulty lies in the common hypothesis of a charge or adjuration by something. The Hebrew is the preposition, be, which primarily signifies in, or among, and the LXX. render it here, as they do wherever it occurs in this application, by w, in. And another particular to be remarked is, that the two supposed branches of the charge do not stand in conjunction, as in our translation and the LXX. by the conjunctive particle x, and, but in disjunction from, and as it were opposition to one another, by the disjunctive particle, au, which always signifies or, but never and. Therefore, the charge, as it is called, will according to grammar run thus, I 'charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, whether you be in your or sacred assembli 'ministrations (at the door) or en mbwa w in, among the trees (hinds) of the field, your rural, secular occupations, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love till he please.'

[ocr errors]

בצבאות

[ocr errors]

This is the substance of the charge; and a few observations will suffice to ascertain the true meaning of it. Literally here, and in ch. iii. 5. it is, If

,אם

[ocr errors]

‘□s, am, Heb. ɛav, LXX. si, Lat. ye shall stir up,' &c. which is the most usual form in scripture, by

which is expressed the object of swearing, or what

[blocks in formation]

we would call the matter of the oath. Take an instance or two: Once have I sworn by my holiness (Heb. p, & Tw 'ayıw μ8, LXX. in my holy one) that I will not lie unto David' (Heb. and LXX. as on the marg. if I lie.') Again, Isaiah Ixii. 8. Jehovah hath sworn by his right hand, ⚫ and by the arm of his strength, (compare Psalm lxxx. 17. above) 'surely I will no more give,' (Heb. and LXX. as on the margin, if I give, &c.) The particle if, we know, includes a condition, which, in such a case as this, where swearing is interposed, may properly be called a penalty, under which Jehovah is pleased to lay himself, as it were, when introduced as swearing. This conditional penalty, the scripture calls ale, curse, from which, as a verb, are formed the participle plural active, □”, Aleim, the layers under a conditional penalty,' and the participle passive singular, bs, alue, with thevau in the third order, both which words our translation indiscriminately renders 'God.' And I doubt not, but it has been the apparent harshness of this idea, joined to the impossibility of God's becoming liable to any penalty, that has induced our translators to soften it, as it were, by their negative way of rendering it, and has raised such a dust of learned opposition to these two capital words of our Bible religion; tho' an inspired apostle, who by his education was no mean judge of the Bible

1 Psalm Ixxxix. 35.

2 See Titus i. 2. and Heb. vi. 18.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Bible language, seems to have had no such unscriptural scruple, when he tells us, that Christ (who, 'as Jehovah, was one of the Aleim, actual imposers) was made (became, yμ) a curse for 'us;' and thereby became the alue, the one on whom the ale was laid. But to proceed: The verbs, stir up, and awake, are both of the same root, , or, or, oreh, so are both used in the same sense, to excite, rouse up, as in the address quoted above, Stir up thy strength,' &c. and with the same view in that exclamation of the prophet's, Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord,' &c. A noun from this root signifies skin, which, upon the plan I am recommending, and as relative to flesh, may be remembered, in case it can discover any thing material, as we go along. 'Till he (the love spoken of in the abstract before, so may be general, our love) please,' vann, te hapatz. This is an important word, and to my purpose peculiarly significant, as it expresses a great deal more than what is implied in our common acceptation of the word please. It is this word, by which the Messiah declares his willingness, readiness, fondness, for his great work-' I delight to do thy will, O my God. It is this word, by which he expresses his love for the church, in that beautifully descriptive promise, Isaiah Ixii. 4. Thou shalt no more be called forsaken, but • thou

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

I Gal. iii. 13.
Isa. li. 9.

2 Psalm 1xxx. 2.

4 Psalm xl. 8-an, hapatzti.

[ocr errors]

'thou shalt be called hephzibah, (w, my delight in her), for the Lord delighteth in thee.' And negatively, Sacrifice and offering (la hapazth) thou didst not desire'.' Hath the Lord as

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices"," &c. From all which we may gather the principal meaning of this word, and to what particular purpose the scripture applies it.

And now, upon the whole, by collecting and joining together these illustrations of, and criticisms upon, the several words of this verse, which I have offered, we shall see what the true, spiritual, indeed the only sense of it is. The church, the speaker here, (as it consistently can belong to none but her), seems in these strong terms to declare her faith in, and her fervent longings towards that great object of her beloved's pleasure and delight, the manifestation of God in the flesh; that never-forgotten view, concerning which we find so many promises and prophecies from Jehovah, concerning and for which, so many wishes and prayers from the faithful, the church. This she warns the daughters, and includes herself in the warning, to wait for patiently and quietly, in faith and hope, with prayer and perseverance, not to shew any anticipating hurry, or tumultuous self-arrogating solicitation; but decently to expect his fulness of time 3,' and to tarry till the (, the instituted) appointed time of his plea

[blocks in formation]
« AnteriorContinuar »