Page images
PDF
EPUB

that demands so great a diversity of material for its exposition as the second book of the Pentateuch. How far the various and voluminous sources of information, to which the author has had access, have been made available to his grand purpose in the execution of the present work, is a question that awaits the decision of his readers. A very minute specification might invite a more critical comparison, and present a more palpable contrast, between his advantages and his achievement, than would redound to the credit of his work. At the same time, he cannot in candor confess to any conscious lack of effort to do the utmost justice to every part of his self-imposed labor-if that may be called a labor, which has proved, from beginning to end, an unfailing source of pleasure.

The following catalogue is not given as complete, but merely as indicating, in addition to those already specified, the most important collateral aids to a full critical and ethical developement of the sense of this remarkable book.

I. Jewish and Christiano-Rabbinical Commentators.

R. SALOMONIS JARCHI, dicti RASCHI, Commentarius Hebraicus, in quinque Libros Mosis, Latine versus atque Notis Critics ae philologicis illustratus a JOH. FREDERICO BREITHAUPTO. Gothæ, 1713. 4to.

Jarchi, or Raschi, as he is usually called from combining, according to Hebrew usage, the three initial letters of his name ("), is generally placed by the Jews at the head of their commentators. They call him the great light and 'the holy mouth,' from the value attached to his learned comments on the Law and the Prophets. These I have found occasionally to contain some happy verbal criticisms, and in the account of the construction of the tabernacle, in par ticular, his remarks are plain, common-sense, and valuable; but in the main he indulges in the characteristic silly conceits of the Rabbins, and his style, with all the aid it derives from Breithaupt's excellent notes and paraphrases, is so obscure as to render him of little service to one who cares not for words without meaning. He was a native of Troyes in Champagne, and died, A. D. 1180.

R. ISAACI ABARBANELIS Commentarius in Pentateuchum Mosis, curâ Henrici J. Van Banshuisen. Hanoviæ, 1710. Folio.

Rabbi Abarbanel, or Abravanel, as the name is sometimes written, was a Portuguese Jew, who flourished in the fifteenth century, and wrote commentaries on the Pentateuch, the whole of the Prophets, and some other books of Scripture. He also is highly esteemed by his countrymen, and though an exceedingly bitter enemy of Christianity, yet Father Simon says of him, 'We may, in my opinion, reap more advantage in Scripture-translation from R. Isaac Abravanel, than from any other Jew. He has written in an elegant and perspicuous style, although he is too copious and sometimes affects rhetoric more than strict fidelity to the sacred text.' As the volume abovementioned came into my hands only at a very advanced stage of my own work, I have been unable to make any direct use of it. Through the medium of Rosenmuller and Cartwright, however, his remarks have occasionally found their way into my Notes.

CHRISTOPHORI CARTWRIGHT Electa Targumico-Rabbinica; sive Annotationes in Exodum ex triplici Targum. Lond. 1653. 8vo.

This is a valuable work, purely critical, made up almost entirely of materials drawn from the Rabbinical commentaries and the Chaldee and other ancient versions. It is used much oftener than quoted by Rosenmuller.

AINSWORTH'S (H.) Annotations upon the Second Book of Moses, called Exodus. Lond. 1639. Fol.

This is the second part of the author's invaluable work on the Pentateuch. It s rich in pertinent citations from Jewish sources, and in that kind of verbal criticism which consists in laying open the usus loquendi of the original is en tirely without a parallel.

LIGHTFOOT'S Handful of Gleanings out of the Book of Exodus. Works (Pit. man's Ed. in 13 vols.), Vol. II. p. 351-409.

This is a collection of remarks critical, chronological, historical, and talmudical upon detached portions of Exodus. As in all Lightfoot's works, some of his observations are of considerable value, others of very little.

II. Christian Commentators.

WILLETT'S Hexapla in Exodum; that is, a sixfold commentary upon the Book of Exodus, according to the Method propounded in the Hexapla upon Genesis. Lond. 1608. Folio.

A voluminous and tedious Commentary, but not without its value, especially as embodying and usually confuting the interpretations of the Romanists. He compares also the various versions and deduces doctrinal and moral inferences.

RIVETI'S (ANDR.) Opera Theologica. Rotterdam, 1651. 2 Tom. Folio.

The first of these huge volumes contains the author's Exercitations on Genesis and Exodus. They are very elaborate and generally judicious, but marked with the prolixity of the seventeenth century. At the present day they are merely commentaries for commentators.

HOPKINS' (WM.) Corrected Translation of Exodus, with Notes critical and explanatory. Lond. 1784. 4to.

Said to be a work of little value.

III. Miscellaneous and Illustrative Works.

PICTORIAL BIBLE with Wood-cuts and Original Notes. Lond. 1836-8. 3 vols. Roy. 8vo.

For a character of this very valuable work see the Preface to my Notes on Genesis. The Pictorial History of Palestine,' now in course of publication by the same author, is a work of similar character, and abounding with rich ma terials for illustrating the Old Testament history.

BUDDICOM'S Christian Exodus, or the Deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt, practically considered in a series of Discourses. Lond. 1839. 2 vols. 12mo.

BÄHR's Symbolik des Mosaischen Cultus (Symbolism of the Mosaic Worship). Heidelb. 1837-9. 8vo.

An exceedingly curious and valuable work, entering into the most profound researches respecting the symbolical character of the Tabernacle and Temple ritual.

GRAVES' (RICH.) Lectures on the Four Last Books of the Pentateuch. Lond. 1815, 2 vols. 8vo.

FABER'S (G. S.) Hora Mosaicæ; or a Dissertation on the Credibility and Theology of the Pentateuch. Lond. 1818. 2 vols. 8vo.

The leading object of this work is to establish the authenticity of the Pentateuch, by pointing out the coincidence of its facts and statements with the re mains of profane antiquity, and their connexion with Christianity. It is a pro duction of great value to the biblical student.

Treatise on the Patriarchal, Levitical, and Christian Dispensations. Lond. 1823. 2 vols. 8vo.

This Treatise exhibits all the strong masculine sense, and extensive classica erudition that distinguish the author, but from its greater license of hypothesis in particular parts is perhaps generally less esteemed than the 'Hora Mosaicæ' mentioned above. The attentive reader, however, cannot but derive from it many very important ideas on the subject of sacred antiquity. His refutation of some of Warburton's bold positions is eminently successful."

OUTRAM'S (WM.) Two Dissertations on Sacrifices; translated by Allen. Lond. 1817. 8vo.

A standard work on the subject of which it treats.

MICHAELIS' (J. D.) Commentaries on the Laws of Moses; translated by Smith. Lond. 1814. 4 vols. 8vo.

The value of this, the main work of its author, depends upon the degree to which it is imbued with the genius of Orientalism, and the sagacity discovered in tracing the connexion between the institutions of Moses and the various influences of climate, manners, hereditary usages, and other national characteristics which may be supposed to have governed their adoption. Its great fault is its treating the Mosaic jurisprudence and ritual as if it originated with Moses rather than with God. It is also occasionally disfigured with a levity and grossness very unsuited to its subject. Yet it throws too much light on the wisdom and design of the Levitical code not to be on the whole a very valuable, as well as very interesting work.

ROBINSON'S (Prof. E.) Biblical Researches in Palestine, Mount Sinai, and Arabia Petræa. A Journal of Travels in the year 1838, by E. Robinson, and E. Smith; undertaken in reference to Biblical Geography; with new Maps and Plans. New York, 1841. 3 vols. 8vo.

From no source have I experienced greater regret in looking back upon the execution of my task, than in not having been able, from the late date of its puh. lication, to avail myself of the rich topographical treasures contained in this work. In all that relates to the geography of the land of Goshen, the region of the Israelites' sojourn in Egypt; to the route from thence to the Red Sea; to the passage of that sea; to the wilderness of Sin; and to the interesting localities of the Sinai tract, the researches of the American travellers have settled a multitude of disputed points, and in fact opened a new era in the progress of Biblical geography. The very maps themselves are sufficient to have produced this result, even had the matter of the journal been wanting. Both together form a noble contribution to the cause of sacred science, of which the age and the country that have given birth to it may well be proud. The portion of the work which treats of Palestine I have not yet seen, though I am assured by the author that it contains more of discovery than any other.

'THE BOOK OF EXODUS.

CHAPTER I. OW a these are the names of the children of Israel, which

Now

a Gen. 46. 8.-ch. 6. 14.

came into Egypt; every man and
his household came with Jacob.
2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

portance to confirm faith than to gratify curiosity.

CHAPTER I. The prominent subject of the book upon which we now enter, as intimated 1. Now these are the names. Heb. by its title, is the wonderful deliverance ve-elleh shemoth, and these of the nation of Israel from their bond- are the names. The use of the Hebrew age in Egypt. But as this and all the copulative and is peculiar. Though great events in the history of that peo- its ordinary office in a continuous narple were matters of express prediction rative is that of a connective, yet it and promise on the part of God; the frequently occurs at the beginning of a sacred writer commences his narrative book where it can have no reference to with a virtual commentary on the prom- any thing preceding, as Est. 1. 1, ' Now ise made to Abraham, Gen. 15. 5, that it came to pass.' Heb. And it came to his seed should from small beginnings pass. Compare Ruth 1. 1, Ezek. 1. 1. eventually become as numerous as the Here, however, as well as in the comstars of heaven and as the sands on the mencement of the two following books, sea shore. Though the migration of it is probably to be taken in its conJacob's family from Canaan to Egypt, nective sense, indicating the continuaand the oppression to which they were tion of the foregoing narrative. The subjected, would seem to have threat- books of Moses appear not to have been ened the complete frustration of the orginally divided, as at present, into divine purposes in regard to the increase five separate portions, but to have conof Abraham's seed, yet the writer shows stituted one unbroken volume. This is that notwithstanding it was but a mere inferred from the manner in which the handful of that seed that was sown in the writings of Moses are quoted in the adverse soil of Egypt, yet the harvest New Testament, where no such distincwhich sprung from it was vast beyond tion is recognized. See Luke 16. 31. conception, and such as to illustrate -T Which came. Heb. habthe divine veracity in the most glorious | baim, which (were) coming. See Note manner. Many interesting incidents on Gen. 46. 8.¶ Every man and his had no doubt occurred between the household. Heb. 7 death of Joseph and the incipient bondage of Israel; but these are passed over in silence because they did not bear particularly upon the fulfilment of any special prediction. But God would have nothing lost that was essential to the proof of his faithfulness in his covenant relations. He deems it of more im

ish u-betho, every one and his house. Chal. 'Every one and the men of his household.' On this frequent sense of the term 'house' see Note on v. 21. Gr. εKαOTOS TAVDIKI, each with his whole household.

2-4. Reuben, Simeon, &c. In this enumeration the sons of the handmaids are reckoned last, which accounts for

4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were b seventy

b Gen. 46. 26, 27.-ver 20. Deut. 10. 22. Berjamin's occupying the seventh place instead of the eleventh. The frequent mention of the names of the twelve patriarchs in the sacred history lays a foundation for the numerous allusions in the sacred writings to this as a mystical number applied to the church of the New Testament. Thus in Rev. 7. 5-8, mention is made of the twelve tribes of Israel, and of twelve thousand sealed out of every tribe; ch. 12. 1, of the twelve stars upon the woman's crown; ch. 21. 12-14, of the twelve gates, and twelve foundations of the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem; where it may be observed that the jasper foundation, the precious stone in the breast-plate in which Benjamin's name was written, Ex. 28. 20, is the first in order. Moses also in Deut. 33. 12, assigns Benjamin his blessing before his elder brother Joseph.

souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.

6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.

c Gen. 50. 26. Acts. 7. 15.

7. 14. For an explanation of this ap parent discrepancy, see Note on Gen. 46. 27.-¶ For Joseph was in Egypt already; and therefore is to be excepted from the number that came into Egypt, though not from the number of Jacob's descendants. Chal. With Joseph, who was in Egypt.'

6. And Joseph died, &c. After attaining to the age of 110 years, during 80 of which he was a ruler in Egypt. Of his sepulture nothing is here said; but we learn elsewhere that his remains, as well as those of his brethren, were carried out of Egypt and buried in Sychem in the land of Canaan, Exod. 13. 19. Acts, 7. 16.- - All that generation. Not only the whole generation of Joseph's kindred, but all the men of that age, Egyptians as well as Israelites. Compare Gen. 6. 9. Gener ations are mortal as well as individuals,

5. All the souls that came out of the nor can the nearest relations keep each loins of Jacob. Heb.

other alive. The term of their exist ence, as well as the bounds of their habitation, is set by God himself. A very considerable lapse of time how. ever is implied in this expression, as Levi lived to the age of 137, and con

pkol nephesh yotzeë yerek Yaakob, all the soul (collect. sing.) of the proceeders-out-of the thigh of Jacob; the usual idiom for expressing physical generation. Seventy souls. That is, persons. See Note on Gen. 14. 21.sequently survived Joseph by 27 years By comparing this passage with Gen. 46. 27, it appears that the whole number, exclusive of Jacob himself, amounted to 66; including him to 67; so that Joseph with his two sons are necessary to make up the complement. If it be objected that this mode of enumeration represents Jacob as coming out of his own thigh, we refer in reply to the Note on a similar phraseology, Gen. 35. 22, 26. The Sept. version, which transfers the final clause of this verse to the beginning of it, states the number at 75, which is followed by Stephen, Acts

The passage forms a natural introduction to the ensuing history of the great change that occurred in the condition of the Israelites under the next reign. During the long period of the sojourn ing of Joseph and his brethren in Egypt nothing transpired to mar the peace and prosperity which they there enjoy. ed, or to prevent the men of that gene. ration passing off the stage in silent succession, till a new race had imperceptibly sprung up to occupy their places Eccl. 1. 4, 'One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh.'

« PreviousContinue »