Maurer objects to the renderings given by others, as weak, or forced, or unmeaning.* His own (see above, as quoted in the foot-note on No. 6), implies more than is pleasant to admit. To the rendering of Eichel (No. 4) Rosenmüller objects, that does not express force; which may possibly be true in such a connection as this. But with the stem o, in several of its forms, is connected the idea of physical force; as of a well-fed ox, Is. 10: 27, the yoke is broken off by reason of fatness, of lusty strength;† of well-nourished men, strong and robust, Judges 3: 29, common English version, “all lusty " (Vulgate, robustos); ‡ Ps. 78: 31, their stout ones the stoutest of them.?

V. 17. Iron is sharpened on iron. So Gesenius, Thes. and Lex. Rödiger, to the same effect (with a different construction of

21

22

19

The underworld and destruc- 20 tion are not satisfied;

and the eyes of man are not satisfied.

A refining pot for silver, and 21 a furnace for gold ;

so is a man to the mouth that praises him.

Though thou shouldst bray 22 a fool in the mortar,

among the pounded grain with a pestle,

his folly will not depart from him.

the first verb*): Iron one sharpens on iron, and a man sharpens, etc.

V. 19. As—in water (5), accus. of place; Gesenius, Gram. 118, 1, b, and Rem. a.

V. 21. How the terms in the second member are related to each other seems quite clearly settled by the relation of the "refining pot" to "silver," and of " the furnace" to "gold,” in the first. For this reason Gesenius (Thes. Vol. I. p. 382†) justly objects to all constructions which do not recognize this relation, taking

here in the sense of according to. So, with many others, Eichel, Böttcher (Proben alttest. Schrifterkl. and Neue Aehrenl.), Zöckler (Lange's Bibelwerk). The latter translates and explains thus (Am. ed.): “ The fining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But man according to his glorying; that is, one is judged according to the standard of that of which he makes his boast." Böttcher: One is known by that which he pra ses in himself, or in other persons and things, for that shows his inclinations and

† Gesenius, Lex. 7, and the yoke (of Israel) is broken from fatness, the figure being taken from a fat ox, which breaks and casts off his yoke." Fürst (Hdwbch. s. v.) und abgeschüttelt wird das Joch vom Gesichte (Kopfe) des starken Thieres.

So is a man in respect to his praise; a man's praise will disclose his true character. Praise is apt to puff up men, and make them self-conceited. If it does, or does not, in either alternative it makes their true character known.”

Männer von

? Fürst (Hdwbch. ) die Starken, . . . kräftige Jugend. Gesenius (Lex. s. v.) “fat ones, i. e. stout, robust warriors."

|| Thes. 77, Hiph. ; ferrum acuitur in ferro, et vir acuit vultum, i. e. obtutum, aciem mentis et ingenii socii sui.

* Append. to Thes. p. 88. Prov. locum verto: ferrum acuit aliquis in ferro. et vir acuit, etc. Pg. 6 (Index gram. et analyt.), ego malim scribi fut. Hiph. rad. 77, acuit (aliquis). + Quem [sententiarum parallelismum] negligunt quicunque pro ratione reddunt.

h. 1.

commends, and how a man bears praise, has little resemblance to the effect of the refining pot and the furnace. Their office is to separate the dross from the genuine metal. With this accords the construction of the second member adopted from Schultens by Gesenius; and it admits of two applications, for which see Explanatory Notes.

V. 24. x, a form of asseveration; Gesenius, lex., C, 1, c, Fürst, lex, 1, d. So Bertheau,* Ewald † According to others (Rosenmüller, Umbreit, Maurer, Kamphausen, Zöckler) a particle of interrogation.

V. 25. The hay (, as distinguished from 27), grass full grown, and ready for mowing.-The tender grass (7) as it first shoots up from the root (Gen. 1: 11) springing out of the earth under the warm sun after a shower (2 Sam. 23: 4). The use of both elsewhere in the general sense of grass is entirely consistent with the distinction made here, where the two are contrasted.

Ch. XXVIII.-V. 1. may be taken as the distributive sing. after a plur. subject (as in ch. 3: 18) with reference to each individual of the number (Ges. Gr. 8 146, 4). But the form, are

* In dem Versicherungssatze zum Ausdruck der stärksten Negation, gewiss nicht.

† Sprüche Salomo's, and Lehrb. (8te Ausg) § 361.

as a young lion is bold, is a correct Heb. construction (though it cannot be retained in English), and expresses the same sense. There is no necessity for making a relative clause, as is done by Ewald and Zöckler.

V. 2. Whether we read (s in the Masoretic text) in the rebellion of a land, or with Hitzig in the rebelling of a land, the sense is the same,-namely, when a land rebels. As

implies a moral wrong, the want of right moral perception, it has in the second member its proper antithesis,-discernment and knowledge.

Second member; literally, with men discerning, etc., expressing accompaniment, connection with, (German, bei) and by implication, when such are found. Gesenius (Thes. *, B), ubi homines sapiunt. Ewald: doch sind die Menschen weise.*

Literally, one may prolong, indeterminate third pers. The construction, he some one of its princes, is constrained.

* Strictly, with man (die Mannschaft). The construction with (adopted to conform with y, and point the antithesis) expresses in one way what would express in another, and in effect is equivalent to it; and by s is meant, collectively, the men. Hitzig's objections, therefore, to the Heb. text as it now stands, are without just ground.

REVISED VERSION.

A man, poor and oppressing 3 the weak,

is a sweeping rain, when there

is no bread.

They that forsake the law 4 praise the wicked;

but such as keep the law contend with them.

Evil men understand not 5 judgment;

but they that seek Jehovah understand all.

Better is the poor that walks 6 in his integrity,

than one of perverse ways,

though he be rich.

He that keeps the law is a 7 discreet son ;

but a companion of the prodigal brings his father to shame.

He that adds to his wealth 8 by interest and increase, shall gather it for him that has pity on the weak.

V. 3. When there is no bread, is the proper rendering. The relation of the two members is partially lost in the renderings (all essentially the same), so that bread fails (Ewald), so that there is no bread (Bertheau), without bringing bread (Hitzig, Zöckler), without giving bread (Kamphausen). As thus rendered, "the weak," the main point of comparison, have nothing answering to them in the second member. (See Expl. Notes.)

V. 6. Perverse in ways of perverse ways. The Masoretic punctuation of ¬¬¬ as a dual (here and in v. 18), the correctness of which is at least doubtful,† may have been suggested by what is implied in up, namely, that the tortuous course of such is not always one and the same. This is well. But no explanation of the dual form, which supposes two ways to be meant, is strictly consistent. Thus according to Rabbi Levi, as there are but two * Gesenius (Thes. 5, B). ɔ h. 1. proprie valet, si sic est, et ad signi apodoseos potestatem prope accedit, ut alibi 1. Ewald (in loc.), 1× kann unstreitig wie unser so zur schärfern Auschliessung des Nachsazes dienen; sind die Menschen einsichtsvoll— so, unter solchen Bedingung, lebt er lange.

the latter. But how then does he walk in two ways? Zöckler (Lange's Bibelwerk) is not more successful : Literally, ' than one who is crooked in the two ways,' or, ' than one who is perverse in a double way;'. . . that is, one who unskilfully and waywardly passes from one way to another, one who, with divided heart, stands midway between the right path and the bypath of immorality." If he is "midway between the right path and the bypath," then he walks in neither; if he "passes from one to the other," he is only partly wrong. So understood the dual form is, at least, an inapt expression of the thought. Stuart's conception of it is better, though his rendering, "perverse by doubledealing," is not an expression of the Hebrew.†

V. 8. Interest: namely, on money loaned. Increase: what was paid in kind, for a loan of produce, in addition to the amount loaned, the Roman fænus reale; as when three and a half kors of wheat were required in payment of the three loaned.

The attentive reader of the English Bible is already familiar with this use of the word increase, in such passages as Lev. 25:36. 37. "Take thou no usury [interest ] of him, or increase ; * In his translation, he sinks the peculiarity of the dual form:

.ist עקש

foenus תרבית

Rosenmüller (on Lev. 25: 36): est foenus pecuniarium quod pro pecunia mutuo accepta solvitur; reale, pro rebus commodatis, ut frumento, musto, oleo pendendum. ? The Heb. Scriptures knew no such thing as usury, in the modern sense of the word. See Smith's Bible Dictionary, American edition, art. Usury.

that hath not given forth upon usurŷ [interest], neither hath taken any increase; v. 13, “and hath taken increase;" v. 17, “hath not received usury [interest] nor increase;" 22:12, "thou hast taken usury [interest] and increase.”

In all these passages the term increase is required in a translation, and is already familiar. No other English word expresses the meaning of the Hebrew.

V. 10, third member, shall inherit: see Explanatory Notes. V. 15. A ranging bear, is the true rendering of pp.* The idea of ravening, in the proper sense of that word, does not lie in the Heb. root.-Growling, n, in distinction from 8, and more illustrative of the case presented here.

V. 16. A prince lacking in understanding and abundant in oppressions: meaning, such there are; and implying, that as one trait is lacking the other abounds. The Heb. form simply presents the two traits in their connection and relation, and is equally

* Bertheau: Ein nach Beute suchender umherscheifender Bär.

("O prince," Ewald,‡ Bertheau, Elster, Zöckler), or to assume a disjunctive relation of the second member, as in the common English version (and Luther's and De Wette's versions), or a synecdoche in the first," as to a prince" (Stuart).

Second member. Plunder: namely, of the people by an oppressive ruler, as implied from the first member. The renderings, "covetousness" (com. Eng. version), "unjust gain ("Gesenius, Thes. and Lex., Hitzig, Zöckler, Kamphausen), do not properly connect the subject of this member with the oppressive rule in the first.

Such as hate expresses the generalization of the subject in

.(שׂנְאֵי ,properly) שנאי

* Man betrachte das Glied als abgerissenen Nominativ, der ein suffix in b nicht aufnimmt.

† Ein Fürst, arm an Vernunft und reich an Erpressung. O Häuptling, arm an Gut, reich an Erpressung.

? Gesenius, Thes. vol. I. p. 229. Transfertur ad regum optimatumque populum spoliantium rapinas, Jer. 22:17, Ezek. 22:13.

REVISED VERSION.

A man oppressed with life- 17 blood,

will flee even to the pit, that

they may not lay hold on
him.

He that walks uprightly shall 18
be saved;

but he whose ways are perverse shall fall at once.

He that tills his ground shall 19 be satisfied with bread;

but he that follows after vanities shall be sated with poverty. A trusty man has many bless- 20 ings;

but he that hastes to be rich shall not be held innocent. To regard the person is not 21 good;

and for a morsel of bread a man will transgress.

V. 17. Oppressed: stronger than laden, burdened.* The expression, may mean either blood of life (compare Gen. 9 : 5)=life-blood (Robinson, Heb. lex.), or blood of a soul (person), as it is generally understood. But the former sense seems to be more appropriate here, being a more pointed expression of the guilt of blood-shedding, inasmuch as "the life is in the blood" (Lev. 17: 14), and this is recognized in the form, life-blood. Second member. That they may not lay hold on him: expressing the subjective feeling of the homicide, his dread of apprehension. The rendering, let them not lay hold on him.‡ accords with the more usual force of be, but, as objected by Maurer, is far-fetched and is inappropriate here. V. 18. Whose ways are perverse || See the note on v. 6.—At once (that is, suddenly and utterly). So Gesenius, Thes. vol. I. p. 63, subito 1. prorsus, auf einmal;· Lex. man. Subito, repente (mit einem Male).

Many translate: But he who is perverse in two ways will fall in one. So Umbreit, Rosenmüller, Maurer, Ewald, Bertheau, Hitzig, Zöckler (Lange's Bibelwerk¶), Kamphausen.

But the phrase," in one," has little significance,* unless as referring to the difficulty and hazards of walking in two ways at once† which will hardly be claimed to be its import.‡-Umbreit finds a pointed irony in the words, he who walks in two ways will fall in one. But there is more point in the expression than in the thought.

V. 20. Trusty,—“ that may be safely trusted, fit to be confided in" (Worcester, and Webster),—accords with the etymological meaning of the root, to (safely) rest on. It is not, as Hitzig justly says, exactly the same (ist nicht genau das Selbe) as Wax in 20: 6. His own rendering (der redliche Mann) expresses rather the characteristic that makes a man trusty, a man to be confided in.-Fürst (lex.): “calmness, repose (Gelassenheit, Ruhe) opposed to haste in order to get gain;" a definition invented to suit this passage, and without support from etymology

or usage.

A man will transgress: in such a case is meant (namely, where there is regard for the person) as is readily understood. There is no need, therefore of interposing "yet" (" and [yet] for a

אל ..

† Maurer: ne se prehendant, ne prehendatur verens est negativ subjectiva ipsius fugientis, ejusque verentis ne prehendatur.

Namely, for punishment, that being unnecessary, since the horror of his crime is its own sufficient punishment (Umbreit); or, to hold him back from his destined fate, that being impossible (Ewald, Zöckler).

8 Quaesita, et minus commoda est.

| Gesenius, Thes. II. p. 1062, Cujus viæ sunt perversæ. ¶ Auf Einem fällt er; Am. edition, “shall fall suddenly,"

or with the explanation given in the exegetical notes.

* Schultens: dilutiuscule.

If this is not meant, then the verb " will fall " expresses all that can be intended. Prof Stuart translates, " Prof Stuart translates, “ shall fall in one [of them]," but gives as the sense, "double dealing will end in a fall," which certainly expresses the whole.

‡ The most that can be made of this view is well stated by C. B. Michaelis (Annott. uber.): Ut viatori, oculis suis diversas contuenti vias, lapsus sive in hac sive in illa metuendus est; ita qui modo sic modo in contrarium agit, factisque alium se præbet ac verbis ac gestibus, detecta sive hic sive illic malitia sua, cadet.