Prophet of the Christians. We now leave both the prejudiced and unprejudiced enquirer to himself, having selected as much from the Scriptures as will enable any candid person to discriminate between truth and falsehood.

There, are however, innumerable other predictions in the ancient prophecies to the same effect; and lest those already given should not suffice, we will add a few more, in order to shew, that the sole object of those revelations has ever been, to inform and to keep men in mind of the mission of the last Prophet, and nothing else. In the fiftyfirst chapter, then, of Isaiah's prophecy, (v. 4.)

ear to me, O my people, and let my nation hear me; for a book of regulation shall go forth from me. My law will I establish for a light to the people. My righteousness is near to be revealed, even my salvation: and by the strength of my arm shall the nations fulfil my law: For in me shall the nations hope, and for the strength of my arm shall they wait."

Rashi, a very respectable Jewish Commentator, has shewn, that by the word

* (law) is meant

* In the MS.

&c. As the Hebrew extracts,

given in the MS. in Persian characters, are full of mistakes,

I take

a book which is given for prophecy. He has also shewn, that all these wonders shall come to pass, and that what has been here promised, was all fulfilled in the times of Safà*. The passage in Zephaniah, however, to which he alludes, will be hereafter adduced. † Aben Ezra also, who is a Commentator of great repute among the Jews, has said, that what is here predicted was fulfilled in Hezekiah, who is also mentioned in the prophecy (that is, 'line upon line,' Isaiah, ch. xxviii. 10. &c.) But we have already seen what the scope of that prophecy is, (p. 280.)

I take for granted that this is one. The comment of Rashi

"The words

of the Prophets are (a part of) the law, or In.

.דברי נביאי תורה הוא,on the passage is

Rashi in his . تمام در وقت ظهور سانا بود .In the MS *

להם שפה ברורה

N

Comment on this passage cites Zephaniah, ch. ii. v. 9. "I will turn to them a pure language. The word Safa, which signifies lip, the Moola has taken as a proper name, or rather as a title of Mohammed, which is the only way I can account for what he has said.

↑ I can find nothing of this kind in the Commentary of Aben Ezra on this passage; but on Isaiah, ch. xxviii. v. 16, 17, in the latter of which the word p occurs, it is said: 'now

דרך משל על קו ומשקלת הבונים בעבור שאמר הנני יסד בציון אבן ויש אומרים כי האבן על דרך משל על חזקיהו :

that is, v. 27. "I will also lay, &c." that is, "to the line and to the Builder's plummet" by way of parable; because it had before been said (v. 16.) "Behold I lay in Zion a stone." Some say, therefore, that the stone here spoken of, by way of parable, means Hezekiah.-No one, however, so far as I have seen, has supposed that either p (a line) or (a lip) is to be understood as meaning a person.

SECTION VI.

ON CERTAIN PASSAGES OCCURING IN THe Book of ZEPHANIAH.

It should be borne in mind that Zephaniah was a Prophet of the house of David, who lived during the latter times of the first temple. His book is but a short one, and it contains only three chapters, which are filled with the predictions of what should happen to the Jews: namely, of their overthrow, captivity, and return to Jerusalem :of Jerusalem being again inhabited,—and of the great kings who are also mentioned in the book of Daniel. In the third chapter of this book we have a passage (v. 8.) which may be thus translated. "Because of the assembling of all nations on account of my law, I will set aside all kings, by pouring out my anger upon them, and the heat of my fury shall consume the whole earth." After this it is said, &c. D'AN TEN IN. That is, "I will bring to the nations a pure lip, that all may call upon the name of God, and serve him in one way*." From this passage it appears clearly, that this † Prophet should be the greatest

بيك دوش which should probably be بيك روش .MS *

with one shoulder, as in the margin of our Bibles, the Hebrew

. שכם word being

I must confess I can see no intimation of the mission of any Prophet whatever in this passage.

of all, and that he should be sent to all mankind. The same intimations are given still more in detail in the book of Daniel.

SECTION VII.

* ON THE REVELATION OF THE HEBREW CHILD.

Or this there are two accounts, the first of which respects his history, which is as follows:

* In the first volume of the Bibliotheca Hebræa of Wolfius, p. 67, we have the following notice of this prophecy: 12. H. e. prophetia Nachmanis. Ketupha filii Pinchas, qui vix natus vatem egit, statimque iterum obiit, explicata, ex qua locum Schalscheleth Hakkabbala, p. 46. a sq. Vide de hac prophetia Schalscheleth Hakkabbala, p. 46, &c.

כי בשנת ד"רמה :The passage alludded to is this ליצירה וכמו תה" שנים להרבן בית שני היה ר' פנחס חסיד גדול וקדוש ויהי לו רחל לאישה גם היא הסירה ותהי עקרה ויתפללו להשם יתברך ונעתר לקולם ותהר ובחדש ז' להריונה בחמשי השבת .... נולד זה הנער ויקראוהו נהמן : והכף שנולד התחיל לדבר פלאות .... והעולם קראו הנער נחמן c. That is, “ For& קטופה דמן כפר כרעם ומת בן יב" שנים

in the year 4345 of the creation, and about 405 after the destruction of the second temple, lived Rabbi Phineas, a most pious and holy man. His wife, whose name was Rachel, was also very pious, but she had no child. On this account they offered up their prayers to the Almighty, who heard them, for Rachel became pregnant, and in the seventh month of gestation, and on the fifth day of the week was this child born; and they called him Nahman. As soon as he was born he fell down, and began to say strange things, &c. called him Nahman Ketupha of Kafar Carham. the age of 12 years." None of the prophecies, however,

And people

He died at

presently

A certain learned and pious Israelite named Phineas had a wife whose name was Rachel. She was very infirm, exceedingly pious and obedient, and withal, extremely beautiful. Her constant employment was prayer to God that he would grant her a son; and, in this her cries and tears were incessant. It once happened that Phineas overheard the cries and supplications of his wife; and, being much affected with the circumstance, he joined her in making his petitions for a son. Their prayer was heard, and Rachel was soon observed to be pregnant. After six months' gestation, a child of perfect form and beauty was ushered into the world, which happened on Thursday the first day of October, in the 420th year from the destruction of the second temple. From this time to the birth of Mohammed was a period of four and thirty years*. This

presently to be noticed, are to be found in the Schalscheleth Hakkabbala, nor in any Rabbinical book that has hitherto fallen in my way. I must give them, therefore, as they

occur in the Persian text.

* If we here take 420+34 we have 454 for the number of years from the destruction of Jerusalem to the birth of Mohammed. According to Abulfeda, (Ann. Mos. vol. I. p. 69,) Mohammed was, at the flight from Mecca, in his 54th year. Therefore 45454508. But according to Abulfeda ibid. From the destruction of the second temple to the flight of Mohammed 558 years had elapsed. In the above account, therefore, there must be a deficiency of 50 years. According to the Schalscheleth Hakkabbala above cited, this child was born in the 405th year from the destruction of Jerusalem. How to reconcile these discrepancies I know not.