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principles of derivatión. On this latter topic, many learned men have displayed the deepest erudition :* and it is gratifying to observe, that the researches of Etymologists have mostly served to establish the character and exhibit the matchless value of the Holy Scriptures.

SECT. 3. SYNTAX.

The construction of Hebrew words in a sentence enjoys the advantage of being Construction. extremely simple; and is free from the elliptical and irregular phraseology which of Sentences. often perplexes us in other languages. The words commonly stand in their natural order; and sentences admit of being translated into English, almost without any change of the arrangement. The chief exception is, that the nominatives very frequently follow their verbs, and the adjectives their substantives. The rules are few; nor are the exceptions very numerous. An example or two must now suffice.t

The Verb usually agrees with its Noun in gender, number, and person: as, (Gen. xxxv. 7.) bajomba "The Aleim were revealed." Yet we find (Gen. i. 14.) "Let there be lights;" where a feminine and plural noun is joined with a masculine and singular verb. But such deviations abound' and may rationally be expected in a primitive tongue.

There is frequently a pleonastic use of the Pronoun after the relative: as, (Psal. 1.4.) ETA TX "Which the wind will drive it away." So in Rey. vii. 9. 18ε οχλος πολύς εν αριθμησαι αυτόν εδεις ηδύνατο, “ Behold a greatmul. titude which no one could number it."

An ellipsis is often observable of the Particles, with, of, &c.; as also of the Verb, to be: as (Psal v. 12.) Yn 1137, "Favour (that is with,) thou wilt I (am)

» אני ראשון ואני אחרן (.6 .encompass him. (lsa. xliv

first and I the last."

the

There are likewise some peculiar Idioms which claim investigation; and of Idioms. which an almost indefinite number of pleasing and instructive instances might be collected. Ox x « A man of God," is a man eminently pious. by "Sons of Belial," are worthless, base men. (Matt. xxiii. a son of hell," is to be condemned to hell. (Luke xx. 6.) vLOC

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Ειρήνης, a son of peace," a man worthy of respect and love.

SECT 4. PROSODY.

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tion.

With regard to the Pronunciation of either of the Scripture languages-as no Pronuncialonger vernacular and living the learned may be expected to continue divided in their sentiments. The considerations of Accent, Quantity, Emphasis, Pauses, and Tones, have by some writers been applied to both these tongues: but only in reference to the latter (the Greek) are they generally acknowledged.

The Versification of the Sacred Writings next demands attention: but here Versification enlargement is rendered quite unnecessary by what has already appeared

in the present Miscellany " On the Sacred Poetry of the Hebrews."

* See Bryant's Analysis, &c.: or, as abridged and reduced into a Dictionary by Holwell. Also Faber, &c. &c.

+ The Syntaxes of Masclif's Gram. Heb. and Buxtorf's Thesaurus, supply a Depository of Sacred and most satisfactory criticisms.

Punctuation.

We have no poetical works of other nations which can, by any means, prétend to equal antiquity with those specimens preserved in the Hebrew books. We cannot, therefore, say with certainty, how far the rules of Hebrew Poetry were, strictly speaking, peculiar to that language; the probability is, that the early Asiatic poetry was uniform, generally, in various pations. Much of the Arabic poetry bears evidence of an origin cognate with the Hebrew; nor are the maxims of our British Druids, conveyed in sententious verses, altogether dissimilar.*

In Tit. i. 12. Paul gives a Pagan poet the name of " prophet :" because it was a generally understood opinion that poets were divinely inspired.

In the particular of Punctuation,† the Scriptures, both original and translated, unquestionably call for a most decided and intelligent emendation. Might not the introduction of our modern stops and points be of essential service towards the perspicuity and intelligibleness of the Sacred text?

["Literature," to be concluded in our next.}

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Biblical Criticism.

• MATTHEW, Chap. iii.

Ver. 2. And saying, Repent ye; for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. The Kingdom of Heaven, Barthela za dugavay; literally, The. Kingdom of the Heavens, following the Jewish phraseology, Dym (malcuth shamayim). On this expression ob

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serve,

1. That Heaven, in Scripture and the Jewish writings, is used as equivalent to God. Thus "Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amos, prayed and cried to Heaven" (hash-shamayim, 2 Chron. xxxii. 20. Comp. 2 Kings xix. 14, 15. and Isa. xxxvi. 14, 15.); and the wicked are; said to" set their mouth against the heavens" (Dpa bashshamayim, Psa. lxxiii. 8.); while Daniel informs the proud king of Babylon, "thy kingdom shall be sure to thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens (Ni shemaya) do

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Thus writes the learned Editor of Calmet in a very able article, "Poetry," in the Bib. Encyclop. ii.

† A sensible discussion may be found in Murray's English Gram. i. p. 373390, 8vo. edit. 1809.

See Horne's Introduction, &c.

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rule." (Dan. iv. 23 or 26.) So 'Oupavos in the New Testament:"The baptism of John whence was it? From heaven or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, from heaven: he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?" (Matt. xxi. 25. Compare Mark xi. 30, 31. and Luke xx. 4, 5.)—" Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight." (Luke xv. 18, 21.)—“ A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven." (John iii. 27.) In the same manner such phrases as these are used by the Talmudists: D'D TO MA'D Death by the hand of heaven;

פולחנא ; The name of heaven is prophaned נתחלל שם שמים By the help בסייעתא דשמיא ; The worship of heaven דשמיא

of heaven. The Jews are represented groaning out under their persecution, these words DO heavens! that is, as the gloss renders it," Ah! Jehovah. "For they call God by the name of heaven, because his habitation is in heaven." (Elias Levit. in Tishbi). Hence

II. The Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew, to whom it is peculiar, is the same as the Kingdom of God in the other evangelists, as will be evident from the variation of the word in the following passages:

"The kingdom of heaven is at hand," Matthew iv. 17.

"The kingdom of God is at hand,"

Mark i. 15. "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for" Blessed be ye poor, for yours is the theirs is the kingdom of heaven,”

chap. v. 3. "He that is least in the kingdom of " heaven is greater than he," chap. xi. 11. "It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven," chap. xiii. 11.

kingdom of God,"

Luke vi. 20.

He that is least in the kingdom of God
is greater than be,"
chap. vii. 28.

"Unto you it is given to know the
mysteries of the kingdom of God,"
chap. viii. 10.

"For of such is the kingdom of heaven," "For of such is the kingdom of God,"

chap. xix. 14.

Mark x. 14.

III. Both these expressions refer to the prophecies of Daniel, chap. ii. 44. "And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever;"-and chap. vii. 13, 14., where, after the description of the four earthly and tyrannical monarchies, i. e. the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian, and Syro-Grecian, and

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the destruction of them; it is added, " I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed;"—which denote the beginning and spiritual nature of the reign of Christ, God-man; which was to subsist first in more imperfect circumstances on earth, but afterwards was to appear complete in the world of Glory ;--being universal in its extent, and eternal in its duration. Hence

IV. The Kingdom of Heaven in scripture implies,

1. The exhibition and manifestation of the Messiah. Thus in Matt. xii. 28." But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you," that is, hence is the manifestation of the Messiah. So in the passage before us. See also Luke xvii. 20, 21. So also the Chaldee Paraphrast, "Say ye to the cities of Judah, the kingdom of your God is revealed." (Isa. xl. 9.) They shall see the kingdom of their Messiah." (Isa. liii. 11.) The Baptist, therefore, by his preaching, stirs up the minds of his hearers, to meet the coming of the Messiah, which was now to be manifested, with a fit repentance and preparation.

2. It more particularly signifies the state of the Messiah's spiritual kingdom on earth; or that gospel state and government of the church which he has set up, with the benefits belonging to them who should by faith in him become the subjects of his kingdom and submit to be governed by his laws. Thus "Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom of God" (Mark i. 14.)," and spake unto them of the kingdom of God" (Luke ix. 11.), sent his apostles "to preach 'the kingdom of God" (ver. 2.), and told the Jews, "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." (Matt. xxi. 43.) "But why," says Dr. A. Clarke," is this called a kingdom? Because it has its laws, all the moral precepts of the gospel its subjects, all who believe in Christ Jesus: and its king, the Sovereign of heaven and earth. N. B. Jesus Christ never saved a soul which he did

not govern; nor is this Christ precious or estimable to any man who does not feel a spirit of subjection to the Divine will. But why is it called the kingdom of HEAVEN? Because God designed that his kingdom of grace here, should resemble the kingdom of glory above. And hence our Lord teaches us to pray, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.' The kingdom of heaven is not meat and drink, says St. Paul (Rom. xiv. 17.), does not consist in the gratification of sensual passions, or worldly ambition: but is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." Hence,

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3. It denotes, as appears from the last cited passage," the true knowledge of God, accompanied with that worship which is pure and holy, worthy of that God who is its institutor and object," or, in other words, the love, fear, and service of God, which are the characteristics of all his real subjects. The Jewish writers use the phrase Domb in a similar sense, as will appear from the following extracts, collected by the learned Dr. Lightfoot:

"R. Joshua ben Kercha saith, In reciting the Phylacteries, why is you Hear O Israel (Deut. vi. 4. &c.), recited before that passage you on пm And it shall come to pass if ye shall hearken? (Deut. xi. 13. &c.). To wit, that a man first take upon himself the kingdom of heaven, and then the yoke of the precept." So the Jerusalem Mishneh has it; but the Babylonian thus," That a man first take upon himself the yoke of the kingdom of heaven and then the yoke of the precept." (Berachoth, cap. ii. hal. 2.)

לא חזינא ליא לרבי דמקבל,Rabh said to Rabbi Chaiyah » We never saw Rabbi (Judah) taking upon עליה מלכות שמים

himself the kingdom of heaven. Bar Pahti answered, At that time when he put his hands to his face, he took upon himself the kingdom of heaven." Where the gloss speaks thus, "We saw not, that he took upon himself the kingdom of heaven; for until the time of reciting the Phylacteries, he instructed his scholars; and when that time was come, I saw him not interposing any space." (Gemara. Bab. ibid. fol. 13. 2.)

"Doth any ease nature? Let him wash his hands, put on his Phy

and וזו היא מלכות שמים שלמה,lacteries, repeat them, and pray

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