book of the Canon. But all this time-honored arrangement was pulled to pieces by the Alexandrian critics, whose labors we have already indicated. They determined to disregard entirely the redactions of Nehemiah and Judas Maccabæus, and placed the books as far as possible according to their subjects and chronology. "The collection of the Prophets" was torn asunder, and into the midst of it, following on the last book of the Kings, were inserted the three later historical books from the Hagiographa - the Chronicles, Ezra, now broken into two parts, and Esther. These were followed by the poetical books, according to the supposed order of their authorship Job, the Psalms, the Proverbs, the Canticles, and Ecclesiastes; and then followed at last the second part of Nehemiah's collection of the Prophets, preserving the priority of the twelve Lesser Prophets, and thus, with a true instinct of the latest book of the whole series, closing with Daniel, followed by the three kindred books of the Maccabees. This was the arrangement which prevailed more or less till it was once more disturbed by the Churches of the Reformation, which have combined by a rough compromise the Maccabæan Canon with the Alexandrian order. The Greek Bible kept the entrance open for the admission of yet newer books, for which Judas Maccabæus had left no place, and to which we have already adverted. But it is to him that we owe the distinction between the Hebrew and the Grecian books, to which the Reformers returned, and which remains a lasting monument of the victory of the holy Hebrew cause over the Græco-Syrian kingdom, though in quite another sense than he intended it. In later ages, both in the Jewish and the Christian Church, not only has this hard line of demarcation been questioned, but several of the

books which he admitted — Ezekiel, the Canticles, Esther, and Ecclesiastes have been challenged. Yet on the whole his judgment has been confirmed. The Greek additions, at least down to the last unexpected burst of Israelite prophecy, in the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles, have always borne even when most admired, a stamp of inferiority. The original Hebrew books, even when most open to censure, have yet a native vigor and conciseness which belongs to the old Palestinian atmosphere "the Rock of "Abraham, from whence they were hewn." Even as a theologian, Judas" has fought the battle of Israel.”1

11 Macc. iii. 2.

NOTE ON ACRA AND MOUNT ZION.

Without embarking on the intricate question of the interior topography of Jerusalem, there are two points which are clear in the Macca- Zion and bæn time :

Acra.

1. "Mount Zion" in 1 Macc. iii. 37, 60; v. 54; vi. 62; vii. 33; xii., is the Temple Hill-that which in 2 Chron. iii. 1 and in later times has been called Mount Moriah.

2. The "city or citadel of David" (1 Macc. i. 33; xiv. 36) is that which was occupied by the Syrian fortress, and usually known by the name of Acra" (with the definite article) "the Height" (1 Macc. iv. 2 ; ix. 52; x. 32; xiii. 52; xiv. 7; 2 Macc. xv. 31, 35.)

1. That "Mount Zion" had changed its meaning since 2 Sam. v. 7, 9 (1 Chron. xi. 5), when it was identical with the citadel of David. 2. That" Acra " afterwards changed its meaning, when it was identified by Josephus, Ant., xii. 5, 4; xiii. 6, 7; B. J. v. 4. 1. I. 22, with the Lower Hill.

3. That both were different from the Baris or tower occupied by the Persian garrison, close to the Temple (Neh. ii. 8, vii. 2) and apparently on the site of the later Tower of Antonia.

NOTE ON THE FEAST OF THE DEDICATION.

I am indebted to the kindness of a modern Hebrew scholar for the accompanying description of the present celebration of the Hanucah or Feast of the Dedication :

The

"The Feast of Lights is observed as an eight days' holiday, on which, "however, all manner of work is allowed without restriction. At home on "each evening, as soon as possible as is consistent with their "arrangements, the lights are lit, commencing with one green Hanucah. "taper on the first night, the number increasing by one every "evening, eight being used on the last occasion. Tapers are the ordinary "custom, but the more orthodox people use oil and wick; but either is

"allowable. The prescribed formula of blessing is said over these lights, "and they burn for half-an-hour, during which all work is at a standstill. “Latterly, that is to say in modern times, a very pretty hymn has been added, "written as an acrostic by one Mordecai. The tune is popular, not only in England, but throughout the world where Jews are to be found. This

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"is about the whole of the home service, except that at every meal, when grace is said, a special prayer is added, commemorative of God's mercies "in rescuing the nation from the hands of their Greek oppressors. This 66 prayer is also said in synagogue every morning, noon, and night, being "introduced among the eighteen Benedictions, which are repeated three "times daily throughout the year.

"In the synagogue the feast is likewise observed with some solemnity. "There is usually a large gathering on the first night, but this falls off "during the remainder of the week. Every evening during the week the "officiating minister ascends a platform and lights the candles as at home "exactly. Here large wax candles are employed ; oil is allowed, but I have never seen it. The hymn referred to before is not said in synagogue, but "Psalm xxx. is repeated instead, more stress being laid upon the opening "evening's service than the others. In the more important metropolitan "synagogues, the service on the first night is stirring and choral.

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Ordinarily, on Mondays and Thursdays, a scroll of the Law is taken "from the Ark and a small portion of the Pentateuch is read to the con"gregants, varying from a dozen to two dozen verses, but during Hanucah "the Law is read every morning. As, however, there is naturally no allu"sion to the Feast of Dedication to be found in the Pentateuch, the history "of the Dedication of the Tabernacle is read in lieu of it as being the "readiest reminder; and this is subdivided into eight sections, one for each "day. On the Sabbath of the feast (there may be two Sabbaths if the "first day is Saturday) this section is read in addition to the Lesson of the "day, so that two scrolls are removed from the Ark; the reading from the "Prophets, common to every Sabbath, is selected from Zechariah ii. 14 to "iv. 7, as being most appropriate. The sermon of the day is usually de"voted to the events being commemorated. The period is marked by an "extra half-holiday or so being given in schools during the week, a festive "entertainment being often added."

NOTE ON THE CHRONOLOGICAL STATEMENTS OF DANIEL IX. 24-27.

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"I know," said St. Jerome," that this passage has been much disputed 66 amongst the most learned men. Each has spoken the opinions suggested by his own mind. And, therefore, because I consider it dangerous to pass judgment on the views of the Doctors of the Church, and invidious "to prefer one to another, I will state what each one has thought, and leave it to the option of the reader whose interpretation he shall "follow."

Such is the statement prefixed to the elaborate summary of the contradictory opinions in the "Speaker's Commentary on the Book of Daniel," pp. 360-365, which concludes with the words, "It is impossible at present to "explain the passage satisfactorily."

It is not in accordance with the plan of this work to discuss these several opinions. But it is permissible, and may be useful, to state the view which is commended to us by the nearest contemporary authority and by the nearest coincidence of fact.

According to this view in Dan. ix. 25, "the commandment to rebuild "Jerusalem" is the prophecy of the seventy years in Jeremiah, B. C. 588 (Dan. ix. 2); the Anointed Prince is Cyrus, as in Isaiah xlv. 1. B. c. 536. More doubtfully, in Dan. ix. 21, "the death of the Anointed one without a "successor (Heb.) is Onias the high priest (2 Macc. iv. 35), which is sub stantially the explanation of Eusebius (H. E. i. 6, Demonst. Ev. viii. 391). "The Prince who shall destroy the city and sanctuary, whose end shall be "sudden," in Dan. ix. 26, is Antiochus Epiphanes (1 Macc. vi. 8). In Dan. ix. 27 (compare viii. 11, xii. 12) the cessation of the daily sacrifice is the cessation described in 1 Macc. i. 54, and the Abomination of Desolation (Dan. xi. 31, xii. 12) is the desecration of the altar by Antiochus as described under that same phrase in 1 Macc. i. 54. The three years (Dan. viii. 14, xii. 11, 12) relate to the interval between the desecration and the re-consecration of the altar (1 Macc. ii. 54, iv. 52).

The only illustrations from any other part of the Bible are to be found in the application of the words "the Abomination of Desolation" in Matt. xxiv. 15, Mark xiii. 14, to the desecration of the Herodian temple by the Roman Government. Such a secondary application is in accordance with the well-known usage of the New Testament, as, for example, Matt. ii. 15, 18, Acts vii. 3, Rev. xi. 11, xviii. 2.

The expression, "One like to a Son of Man," in Dan. vii. 131 (Heb.)

1 The Authorized Version: "The "Son of Man," however accurate as a mode of expressing a Christian

truth, must, if literally rendered, be altered into "A Son of Man." Speaker's Commentary, vol. vi. 328.