Genesis 49

ndopts them to bo his children, as he said before he would, (ver. 5.) For to be called by one’s name (which is the same with having his name named on them), is as much as to be one’s children. For thus they that arc said to be called by God’s name, became his peculiar people. Therefore Tostatus well interprets it, " Sint duo capita tribunm inter filios Jacob:" Let them be the lieads of two tribes among the sons of Jacob. But none so plainly as David Chytraeus, whose words arc these, “Vcraet simplicissima sentcntia luec est; Isti pucri, A mc adoptati,” &c. The trite and most simple sense is, These yontlis, Manasseh and Ephraim, who are adopted by me, shall not hereafter be called the sons of Joseph, but my sons: and be heirs, and in the division of the inheritance of the land of Canaan, receive an equal portion with my sons. Grow into a multitude.’] The Hebrew word, as Onkelos interprets it, signifies increase like fishes (as we also in the margin translate it), which arc the most fruitful of all creatures, as authors commonly observe. (Sec Bochart, par. i. lib. i. cap. G. Hierozoic.) Vcr. 19. His younger brother shall be greater than he.] His family multiplied faster, according to the signification of his name: as appears from Numb. i. 33. 35. And the kingdom was afterwards established in him; and all the ten tribes called by the name of Ephraim. Shall become a multitude of nations.] In the Hebrew, the words arc fulness of nations, i. e. of families. As much as to say, his seed shall replenish the country with numerous families: for that which replenishes tho earth, is called " the fulness of the earth," (Psalm xxiv. 1.) and that which replenishes the sea, " the fulness of the sea/’ (Psalm xcvi. II. Isai. xlii. 10.) Sec L. de.Dieu. Vcr. 20. And he blessed them that day.]. He concluded with a solemn benediction upon them both: and when he pronounced it, worshipped God, (as the apostle tells us, Hcbr. xi. 21.) leaning upon the top of his staff. “Whereby he was supported from falling; of which he would havo been in danger, when he bowed, if he had not leaned on it., In thee shall Israel bless.] When my posterity would wish all happiness to others, they shall use this form of speech; God make you like Ephraim and Blanasseh. Which continues, they say, among the Jews to this day. this verse, as to foretell the continuance and duration of that great power and authority promised in the foregoing? It is observable also that the very same phrase is used in this sense, and cannot have another, Zechar. x. 11. " The sceptre of Egypt shall depart away:” where there are two of the words here used; signifying the dominion, which the Egyptians then exercised over the poor Jews, should quite cease. And if Moses had meant a tribe in this place, he would not have said the tribe shall not depart from Judah, but the tnbe of Judah shall not cease: for the former looks like a tautology. The meaning of fliis word then being settled, it is manifest Jacob here gives Judah the highest superiority over his brethren; and informs them, that from the time his authority should be established, there should continue a form of government in this tribe, till the coming of the Messiah. The word sceptre is more used in ancient times (as Mr. Selden observes in his Titles of Honour) to signify kingly power, than either crown or diadem, which have been used more in later times. And therefore the LXX. translate it “Apx w ^ of whose authority the rod, staff, or sceptre, was the ensign. And accordingly in the prophecy of Amos i. 5. " He that holdeth the sceptre,” is used absolutely for a king. Now this regal power began in the tribe of Judah, when David was king over all Israel, (1 Chron. xxviii. 4.) and his posterity held it till the captivity of Babylon. But then the next word in this verse, mechokek (which we translate lawgiver), signifies a diminution of this dignity, before the finishing of this prophecy. For mechokkim were not of equal power with kings; and therefore we translate the word elsewhere governors, (Judg. v. 9. 14.) who were not endued with an absolute power, but depended on the power of another. And thus R. Solomon Jarchi expressly says (in his Commentaries on the Sanhedrin), that as schebet signifies the highest authority, so mechokek signifies a lesser magistrate or ruler; who was set over the people by the* authority and licence of the kings of Persia. For this kind of power was settled among them, at their return from Babylon, when Zerobabel was made their governor; And after they were invaded by the Seleucidse, this authority was recovered and maintained by the Maccabees; till they were deprived of it by Herod and the Romans. At which time Christ came; when it is evident they were become subjects to the Romans, by the very enrolling that was made of them at the birth of our Saviour: which was a public testimony of Augustus’s sovereignty over them. So that the meaning of this prophecy is, Tliere shall be either kings or governors among the Jeivs till Christ come. So J. Christoph. Wagenscil (who hath discussed this place with great exactness) gives the sense of these w r ords; and it is literally true: till the captivity they had kings; after their return they had governors, under the Persians, Greeks, and Romans. (See his Confut Carra. Memorialis Libri Nitzachon. R. Lipmanni, p. 293, &c.) To strengthen which interpretation he makes this judicious remark, in another place of the same book, (p. 373.) That the whole time, from the beginning to the end of Judah’s authority, was well nigh equally divided between kings and governors. For, according to Josephus, (lib. xi. Antiq. cap. 4.) they lived under kings, from David’s time to the captivity, five hundred thirty-two years; and under the mechokkim or governors, after the captivity, much about the same number of years. For there being five hundred eighty and eight years from the captivity to our Saviour’s birth; if seventy years be deducted (which was the time their captivity lasted) and ten be added (in which, after the birth of Christ, Herod and his son Archelaus reigned in Judea, and it was not yet reduced into the form of. a’ province), there were just five hundred twenty and eight years; that is, the space in which they were under kingly authority, and under subordinate governors, was in a manner of the same length. Which makes it the more wonderful, that Jacob should so many ages before exactly divide the whole power he foresaw would be in Judah, between them that wielded a sceptre, and those who were only subordinate governors. That the letter vau before the word we translate lawgiver, hath the force of a disjunctive, and is not a mere copulative, all allow: and there are many examples of it in other places, particularly in the tenth commandment, (Exod. xx. 14.) The greatest objection that I can find against this interpretation is, that though Zerobabel, the first governor after the captivity, was of the tribe of Judah; yet the Maccabees, who were their governors most of the time after the captivity, were of the tribe of Levi. But it is to be considered, that the prophecy doth not say these rulers or governors should be of the tribe of Judah; but only in that tribe which had a government of their own, till the coming of Christ. Besides, by Judah is not to be understood merely the people of that tribe; but all those that were called Jews, consisting also of the tribes of Benjamin and Levi; who were incorporated with them: and were all called Judah, in opposition to the kingdom of Israel. For Benjamin it is evident was so near to Judah, that they were reputed the very same. Whence it is that Mordecai, who w T as of the tribe of Benjamin, is called Isch Jehudi, a Jew, in Esther ii. 5. because that tribe was comprehended under Judah, from the time that the rest rent themselves from the house of David. When Jeroboam also set up the meanest of the people for priests; who were not of the tribe of Levi, (1 Kings xii. 33.) This made the Levites fly.to Judah and become one with them. And therefore the Maccabees were, in effect, Jews, who held the chief authority among them, till Antigonus was driven out and killed by Herod: who was an Edomite set over them by the Romans. From between his feet.] The common interpretation every body knows, which is, of his seed, or posterity: but Ludolphus, instead of raglau, feet, would have us read daglau, banners, according to the Samaritan copy. Which is well confuted by the forenamed Wagenseil, p. 2G9. of the forenamed book: where he translates these words thus, even to the last end of tliat state. For so the people at the feet signifies (Exod. xi. 8. 2 Kings iii. 9.) those that bring up the rear, as we now speak. And so some ancient interpreters in the Talmud, he shews, expound it here, of the last posterity of Judah, and the times when their commonwealth was coming to a conclusion. Until Shiloh come.~) Let the original of this word Shiloh be what it will (which some translate to be sent, others his son, or child, or his seed, others quiet, peaceable, pacific, prosperous, and consequently, renowned, august, to whom gifts or offerings shall be made, as R. Solomon takes it; others, whose is, viz. the kingdom), the Messiah or Christ is certainly hereby meant: as all the three Targums agree; and the Talmud in the title Sanhedrin, cap. xi. and Baal- Hatturim, Bcreschith-Rabba, and many other ancient and modern Jews. I Mill mention only the words of R. Bechai; who confesses, it is right to understand this verse of the Messiah, tlte last Redeemer. “Which is meant when itsaith, till Shiloh come, i. e. his Son, proceeding from his seed. And the reason why the word beno is not used in this prophecy, but Shiloh, is, because he would emphatically express a son, who should be brought forth of his mother’s womb, after the maimer of all those that are born of a woman.” Of this interpretation they are so convinced, that, to evade the argument we argue from hence to prove the Messiah is come, they have invented a great many tales of the power they have still in some remote parts of the world. There is a book written on purpose, called, The Voice of glad Tidings, wherein they labour to prove, they have a kingdom still remaining. Which, if it should be granted, signifies nothing; for this prophecy is concerning their government in their own country, the land of Canaan: as they themselves very well know; which makes them so desirous to return thither again, that the hand of Judah may be upon the neek of his enemies, and he may go up from the prey like a lion, and tie his ass to the vine, and wash his garments in wine, &c. as the words are in the rest of this prophecy. And whatsoever some of them are pleased to say concerning their power nobody knows where, they are sometimes in a contrary humour: for in the Gemara Sanhedrin they say, (cap. xi. §. 32.) " There shall not be the least magistrate in Israel, when the Messiah comes." Unto him shall the gathering of the people be.] So this clause is expounded by Abarbinel himself, whose words are, the people of the nations shall be gathered to worship him, L e. the Messiah. (See L’Empereur in Jacchiad. p. 164. and Codex Middoth, p. 106, 107.) Wagenseil indeed thinks the most literal interpretation to be this, to him shall be the obedience of the people: which is the interpretation of Onkelos and the Jerusalem paraphrast. Kimchi also (lib. Radic.) so expounds it, the people shall obey him; taking upon them to observe, what he shall command them. And in Prov. xxx. 17, which is the only place besides this where this word jikkah is found, it seems to signify obedience. See Confut. Carm. R. Lipmanni, p. 295, where Wagenseil, after the examination of every particular word in this verse, thus sums up the sense of it in this paraphrase. €< That royal power and authority which shall be established in the posterity of Judah, shall not be taken from them; or, at least, they shall not be destitute of rulers and governors, no, not when they are in their declining condition: until the coming of the Messiah. But when he is come, there shall be no difference between the Jews and other nations: who shall all be obedient unto the Messiah. And after that the posterity of Judah shall have neither king nor ruler of their own: but the whole commonwealth of Judah shall quite lose all form, and never recover it again." The truth of this exposition appears exactly from their history: of which it will be useful here to give an account. For from David to the captivity of Babylon they held the sceptre, for five whole ages and more, as I observed above. After which, wlien seventy years were finished in that captivity, they lived by their own laws in their own country: but had no absolute authority of their own, independent upon others; nor ever enjoyed u full liberty. For they were at first under the present monarths: afterwards, upon the conquest made by Alexander, under the Greeks: and then under the kings of Asia Minor and Egypt; till the Roman yoke was imposed upon them. Yet all this time, while they were underthc empire of others, they enjoyed governors or rulers of their own, who administered their affairs under those monarchs. The first was Zerobabel, called the captain, or prince of Judah, (Haggai i. 1.) After him Ezra and Nehemiah. And before them it is likely there were some others, as Jos. Scaliger gathers from Neh. v. 15. After the death of Nchemiah the government came, into the hands of the high priests, as appears from Josephus, lib. xi. cap. 8, where he shews how Jaddus the high priest met Alexander in his expedition against Persia: which power was confirmed in that order, by the Maccabees, as we commonly call them. It began in Mattathias; and was continued in his sons. The third of which, Simon, Taised it to such a splendour, that he looked like a prince, as the reader may see it described in 1 Maccab. xiv. From whence his grandchild Aristobulus seems to have taken occasion to affect the name of king; though he had but the shadow of that power. Yet his posterity kept that name to the time of Herod, who stripped them of all their power, and destroyed their family. After his death the kingdom was divided by Augustus into tetrarchics: Archolaus being made tetrarch of Judca; and the rest of the country divided between Philip and Antipas. But Archelaus misbehaving himself, he was deprived of his government, and banished to Vicnne in France: and then Judea was reduced into the form of a province, and ruled by Roman governors. After which there was no king, nor cthnarch of Judea: so that after this time we may safely conclude, the Jews lost even their mechokkim, or governors, as they had long ago lost the sceptre; and had no power remaining among them of administering the affairs of their commonwealth. Now at this time our blessed Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, the true Shiloh, came; who was the founder of a new and heavenly kingdom. And nothing more was left to be done for the fulfilling of this prophecy, but, after his crucifying, to destroy Jerusalem and the temple, and therewith the whole form of their government, both civil and sacred. Then all power was entirely taken from Judah, when Christ had erected his throne in the heavens, and brought many people, in several parts of the earth, unto his obedience, and made them members of his celestial kingdom* Till which time this prophecy was not completely fulfilled: which may be the reason, possibly, that it is not alleged by Christ and his apostles; because.the Jews might have said, We have still a government among us: which could not be pretended after the destruction by Titus. Which is now above sixteen hundred years ago: and there is not the least sign of their restitution. Which so perplexed R. Samuel Moraccanus,’that it made him write thus to a friend of his, above six hundred years since: " I would fain learn from thee, out of the testimonies of the law, and the prophets, and other scriptures, why the Jews are thus’smittenin this captivity wherein we are: which may be properly called, the terpetuai. anger of God, because it hath no end. For it is now above a thousand years, since we were carried away capuigitized by Microsoft ® CHAP. XLIX.] UPON GENESIS. tive by Titus; and yet our fathers, who worshipped idols, killed the prophets, and cast the law behind their back, were only punished with a seventy years’ captivity, and then brought home again: but now there is no end of our calamities, nor do the prophets promise any." If this argument was hard to be answered then in his days, it is much harder now in ours, who still see thein pursued by God’s vengeance; which can be for nothing else but rejecting and crucifying the Messiah, the Saviour of the world. heaviest taxes," rather than lose their repose: for the preservation of which they were content to give any money; that they might redeem their services in the wars or otherways by largo contributions. Ver. 1G. Dan shall judge his people, &c] In the word judge he alludes to the name of Dan, which signifies judging, L e. ruling and governing. A great many follow Onkelos, who expounds it thus: a man shall arise out of the tribe of Dan, in tvhose days the people shall be delivered, &c. And accordingly we read that Samson, who was of this tribe, judged Israel twenty years. So the meaning is, the tribe of Dan shall have the honour to produce a judge, as well as other tribes. But there is this exception to this interpretation, that all the tribes did not produce judges; and all Israel (whom the judges governed) cannot be said to be Dan’s people. But by his people (whom he is said here to judge) are properly, meant those of his tribe. And therefore Jacob’s meaning is, that though he were the son of a concubine, yet his posterity should be governed by a head of their own tribe: as the other tribes of Israel were. So by this he took away all distinction between the sons of his concubines (of whom Dan was the first) and those which he had by Leah and Rachel. nify their speed and swiftness in dispatch of business; and their smoothness in the management of it: which might render them acceptable to all men. There are no instances, indeed, in Scripture to make out this character: for Barak, who was of this tribe, was very slow in undertaking the deliverance of Israel. Nor do we read they were more zealous assertors of liberty than others. But yet this will not warrant us to alter the punctuation of the words (as Boehart doth, par, i. Hicrozoic. lib. iii. cap. IS.) to make a quite different sense, which is this: Naphtali is a well-spread tree, which puts out beautiful branches. For’we do not find that they were either more beautiful or numerous than other tribes: but we find, quite contrary, that Simeon, Judah, Issachar, Zebulon, and Dan, were all more numerous than they, when Moses took an account of them, (Numb. i. 23. 27. 29. 31. 39.) Besides, this interpretation makes this verse, in a manner, the very same with the next concerning Joseph. Therefore, though the LXX. agTee to Bochart’s version, we had better stick to our own; which makes a sense clear and proper enough. And bless thee with the blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under J] The meaning seems to be, that his posterity should be planted in a very fertile soil: watered from above with the dew of heaven and with showers of rain; and watered beneath with springs and rivers. As G. Vossius well interprets it, lib. i. dc Idolol. cap. 77. Blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.’] A promise of a numerous and thriving progeny. Or, of a vast increase of cattle, so well fed, that they should bring up their young prosperously, as well as bring them forth abundantly. Ver. 2G. The blessings of thy father.] Either the blessings bestowed by God upon Jacob; or the blessings Jacob conferred on his son Joseph. Have prevailed.] Are greater. Above the blessings of my progenitors.] Than the blessings God bestowed upon Abraham and Isaac: who had not so many sons as God had blessed him withal: upon every one of whom also he conferred a share in the inheritance of the land of Canaan; whereas Ishmael was excluded by Abraham, and Esau by Isaac. Or, the meaning may be, I have done more for thee, than they for me, i. e. thou shalt be happier than I. For Jacob led an unsettled life: but Joseph flourished in great splendour in Egypt, to the end of his days. Unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills.] As long as the world shall last. For perpetuity is expressed in Scripture by the durablcness of mountains, (Isai. liv.’lO.) And here he seems to allude to the noble mountains, which fell to be the portion of Joseph’s children, viz. Bashan and Blount Ephraim. But there are those who think he hath not respect to the durableness of these mountains, but to their fruitfulncss; translating the Hebrew word tavath not bounds, but desires, as the Vulgar Latin doth. And then the sense is, Unto all that is most desirable in those ancient hills, which abounded with the most excellent fruit. And this translation is grounded on Moses’s blessing, which seems to be an interpretation of Jacob’s, Deut. xxxiii. 15. where he blesses him; " for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills." Of him that was separate from his brethren.] The word nazir, which we translate separate, signifies one that is separated from others, " vel voto, vel dignitate," (as Bochart observes, par. ii. Hicrozoic. lib. v. cap. 6.) either by a vow, or by his dignity. And in the latter sense Joseph is called nazir, because of his eminent dignity; whereby he was advanced above all his brethren: being the viceroy of Egypt.

Genesis 49:1

J AC OB called unto his sons. When he had done speaking with Joseph, perceiving his end approaching, he sent one to call the rest of his sons to come to him. Gather yourselves together.] Come all in a body to me. Let mc see you all together before I die Wliat shall be in the last days.] The condition of your posterity in future times. Jacob is the first that wc read of, who particularly declared the future state of every one of his sons when he left the world. But it hath been an ancient opinion, that the souls of all excellent men, the nearer they approached to their departure from hence, the more divine they grew; and had a clearer prospect of things to come. Whence Xenophon (lib. viii.) makes his Cyrus say, when he was near his end, that " the souls of men, at the point of death, become prophetic." Which never was universally true; for prophecy is not a natural thing; nor were all excellent men partakers of it; and God communicated it in what measures he pleased to those who had any thing of it; and to Jacob more than had been bestowed upon his great ancestors. For theso last words of his may be called prophecies rather than benedictions: some of them containing no blessing in them; but all of them predictions. Vcr. 2. Gather yourselves together.] This is repeated to hasten them; as the two next words, hear and hearken, arc used to excite their attention. It was the manner of good men among the Hebrews to call all their children before them, and give tliem good counsel, together with their blessing, when they drew near to their end: the words then spoken being likely to stick fast in their mind.

Genesis 49:3

Reuben, &c. It is commonly observed, that the style wherein he speaks to his sons is mueh more lofty than that hitherto used in this book. Which hath made some fancy that Jacob did not deliver these very words; but Moses put the sense of what he said into such poetical expressions. But it seems more reasonable to me, to think that the spirit of prophecy now coming upon him, raised his style as well as his understanding: as it did Moses’s also; who delivered his benedictions (in Deut. xxxiii.) in a strain more sublime than his other writings. Thou art my first-bom.’] So we read xxix. 32. To whom the Jews commonly observe belonged three prerogatives — a double portion of the father’s estate, the priesthood, and the kingdom (as they speak), i. e. the chief authority among his brethren. The first of these, says the Chaldee paraphrast, was given to Joseph, the second to Levi, the third to Judah, because Reuben had forfeited all the rights of his primogeniture, by his incest with his father’s wife. But Mr. Selden himself* (who gives a full account of the Jews’ opinion in this matter) acknowledges the priesthood was not confined to the first-born before the law, as appears by Abel’s offering sacrifice as well as Cain, and Moses being a priest as well as Aaron, (Psal. xcix. G.) unless we understand thereby the office of chief priest. And so Jonathan here reports the ancient opinion of the Jews, that Reuben lost the high-priesthood. (Lib. i. dc Synedr. cap. 16. p.G43, &c.) My might.] Whom I begot when I was in my full vigour. The beginning (or the first-fruits) of my strength.] The same thing, in more words. Or, it may be interpreted, the prime support of my family. The first-born is called the beginning of strength, in Deut. xxi. 17. Psal. cv. 36. The excellency of dignity.] Who hadst the pre-eminence among thy brethren (being the first-bom), if thou hadst not fallen from it by thy folly; as it follows afterwards. And the excellency of power.] Who wast born to the highest authority among them. The Hebrews refer dignity to the priesthood, and power to the kingdom. But there being no solid ground to think the priesthood, as I said before, was confined to the eldest brother; I take dignity to signify the double portion of the estate; and power, authority among them, while they remained in one family.

Genesis 49:4

Unstable as water. The Hebrew word pachaz signifying haste, and in the Chaldee having the signification of leaping, the interpretation of St. Jerome seems most reasonable; which is, poured out like water out of a vessel upon the ground. And then it denotes Reuben’s falling from his dignity, and losing his pre-eminence; as water suddenly disappears, when it is poured out on the earth, and sucked up into it. Many refer it, particularly Ca. Vitringa in his late Sacred Observations, (lib. i. cap. 12.) to his unbounded lust: but that is taken notice of in the latter part of this verse, and given as a reason of his being degraded. Others therefore translate the Hebrew word pachaz by the Latin word levis, a light or vain person (as we speak at this day), and then the meaning still is, Water is not more prone to floiv, when it is poured out, than thou ivast to lose thy dignity. So Georg. Calixtus. Thou shalt not excel] There is nothing, great said to be done by this tribe in Scripture. And they were not so numerous (to which the Vulgar Latin refers this) by more than a third part, as the tribe of Judah (to whom God gave part of Reuben’s prerogative), when Moses by God’s command took the sum of all the congregation. (Numb. i. Because thou iventest up to thy father’s bed.] Committedst incest with my wife, (xxxv. 22.) Then defiledst thou it: he tvent %ip to my couch.] Of rather, IMien thou defiledst my couch, it vanished,?’. e. his excellency departed. For the word halah, which is here translated to go tip, signifies often in Scripture, to vanish or perish. As in Psal. cii. 25. Isai. v. 24. which makes the easiest sense of this place, in this manner; “Ex quo polluisti thorum meum, ascendit ut vapor aut fumus cxeellcntia et dignitas tua, i. e. dilapsa est, extincta est, evanuit.” Front the time that thou defiledst my couch, thy excellency and dignity went up like a vapour or smoke, i. e. it slid away, it teas extinct, it vanished. They are the words of the forenamed Calixtus; who well observes that this is explained in 1 Chron. v. 1.

Genesis 49:5

Simeon and Levi are brethren. So were all the rest; but the meaning is, they are alike in their dispositions, and linked together in the same wicked designs: for so the word brother sometimes signifies, a companion, or associate, that agrees in the same inclinations or undertakings with others. As Prov. xviii. 9. Instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.] The word mecheroth (which we translate habitations) is no where else found, nor is there any root in the Hebrew language from whence it may derive that signification. Therefore Lud. de Dieu, from the Ethiopie language, translates it counsels:^ for so the word signifies in that tongue; and in an ill sense, conspirations, machinations, or mischievous devices. This Job Ludolphus approves of, and translates this sentence after this manner, " Consilia eorum nihil sunt nisi vis et arraa:" Their counsels are nothing but force and arms. (Vid. Comment, in His tor. Ethiop. lib. i. cap. 15. n. 106.) Aben Ezra is not much different, who translates it, their compacts: as G. Vorstius notes upon Pirke Eliezer, cap. 3S, where there are other various interpretations: with which I shall not trouble the reader, because I have given that wjiich I think most natural.

Genesis 49:6

O my soul, come not thou, &c. He utterly disclaims all knowledge of their wicked fact beforehand, or approbation of it afterward. For by soul is meant himself; and so the word honour or glory seems to mean, in the following words; which are but a repetition of this. Or, else it signifies the tongue, as in many places of Scripture, (particularly Psal. xxx. 12.) and the meaning is, he never in thought, much’ less in word, assented to what they did. They gloried in the slaughter they made; but God forbid that I should so mueh as approve it. Secret signifying the same with assembly, is, in reason, to be interpreted a secret place, or closet) where cabals (as we now speak) are wont to be held. Slew a man.] i. c. Shechem; a great man: or, the singular number is put for the plural. Intheir self will.] The Hebrew word ratson may well be translated humour. When they were in a fit of rage.. They digged down a wall.] Broke into Hamor’s house, where Shechem was. In the margin we translate it houghed oxen: and indeed the Hebrew word schor signifies an ox, not a wall; which they call shur. Yet the Vulgar, the Sy- Digitized l by Microsoft® [chap. xlix. riac, Arabic, Chaldee, and a great number of the Hebrew authors, interpret itaiuall And though the LXX. translated it ivivpoKoirwav ravpov, they hamstringed an ox; yet the author of the Greek Scholion (as Bochart acknowledges) translates it l$ippiZ>aav rux°e> they undermined a wall. The truth is, we read of neither in the story, but only of their taking their sheep and their oxen, (xxxiv. 28.) which signifies not their houghing them, but their driving them away. Perhaps, they both broke down a Avail to come at their flocks; and also houghed those, which they were afraid would otherwise have escaped their hands, and got away.