Scholia on Passages of the Old Testament by Mar Jacob, Bishop of Edessa 9781463224998

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Scholia on Passages of the Old Testament by Mar Jacob, Bishop of Edessa

Syriac Studies Library

68

Series Editors

The Syriac Studies Library brings back to active circulation major reference works in the field of Syriac studies, including dictionaries, grammars, text editions, manuscript catalogues, and monographs. The books were reproduced from originals at The Catholic University of America, one of the largest collections of Eastern Christianity in North America. The project is a collaboration between CUA, Beth Mardutho: The Syriac Institute, and Brigham Young University.

Scholia on Passages of the Old Testament by Mar Jacob, Bishop of Edessa

George Phillips

1 2011

gorgias press

Gorgias Press LLC, 954 River Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA www.gorgiaspress.com Copyright© 2011 by Gorgias Press LLC Originally published in 1864 All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise without the prior written permission of Gorgias Press LLC. 2011

1 ISBN 978-1-60724-996-2

Digitized by Brigham Young University. Printed in the United States of America.

Series Foreword

This series provides reference works in Syriac studies from original books digitized at the ICOR library of The Catholic University of America under the supervision of Monica Blanchard, ICOR's librarian. The project was carried out by Beth Mardutho: The Syriac Institute and Brigham Young University. About 675 books were digitized, most of which will appear in this series. Our aim is to present the volumes as they have been digitized, preserving images of the covers, front matter, and back matter (if any). Marks by patrons, which may shed some light on the history of the library and its users, have been retained. In some cases, even inserts have been digitized and appear here in the location where they were found. The books digitized by Brigham Young University are in color, even when the original text is not. These have been produced here in grayscale for economic reasons. The grayscale images retain original colors in the form of gray shades. The books digitized by Beth Mardutho and black on white. We are grateful to the head librarian at CUA, Adele R. Chwalek, who was kind enough to permit this project. "We are custodians, not owners of this collection," she generously said at a small gathering that celebrated the completion of the project. We are also grateful to Sidney Griffith who supported the project.

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In the Translation: Page 51, line 2, for children evil read evil children.

Works by the R E V .

GEORGE P H I L L I P S ,

i. THE ELEMENTS OF SYRIAC GRAMMAR. Edition, 8vo.

D.D.

Second

II.

THE PSALMS, in Hebrew; with a Critical, Exegetical, and Philological Commentary, 2 vols. 8vo. HI.

SHORT SERMONS ON OLD TESTAMENT MESSIANIC TEXTS, preached in the Chapel of Queens' College, Cambridge, 8vo.

PREFACE.

THE two MSS. from, which the Scholia edited and translated in the following pages have been taken, were obtained from the Syrian convent in the Desert of Nitria.

They are num-

bered 14,483 and 17,193 among the additional Manuscripts in the British Museum, where they were deposited, the former in 1843, and the latter in 1847.

The one, which

became the property of the Museum in 1843, was brought to England by Archdeacon Tattam, the other by M. Auguste Pacho. The MS. numbered 14,483 is written in a cursive character, between the Estrangelo and the modern Maronite in form.

It may be of the ninth or tenth century.

The

volume is exceedingly imperfect, containing only 27 leaves, embracing Scholia on Genesis, Exodus, 1 Samuel, 1 Kings and 2 Kings.

In the MS. numbered 17,193, at the end of

the Scholium c^Lio on the book of Genesis, there is written |.aaffl*a| u S a a i ^ i l ^ l a a a )

Here end the

Scholia of Jacob, Bishop of JEdessa. The MS. contains extracts from various writers.

It is imperfect at the end, and

is written in the Estrangelo character, with the exception of the last few leaves, which are in a more cursive character. It must be of the ninth century, as a figure drawn on fol. 1 rect. is dated oiaao) .

in the year of the Greeks 1185=

iv

PREFACE.

A.D. 874.

The titles of the Scholia, which no doubt were

written by the copyists, are in red ink. Mär Jacob, Bishop of Edessa, the Author of these Scholia, flourished in the latter half of the seventh century. According to Bar Hebrseus, as cited by Assemani, Bibliotheca

Orien-

talis, torn. ii. p. 336, he was born in a place called Indaba, •

which he says was a town in Gumia,

district in the country about Antioeh.

, a

Vi

When a young man,

he relinquished worldly riches and honours, and embraced a monastic life.

In the monastery of Aphtunoyo, in Kennesrin,

a city of Syria, he learned the Grreek language and studied the Holy Scriptures.

From thence he went to Alexandria.

After having received instruction in that celebrated seat of learning, he returned to Syria.

He went to Edessa, and was,

soon after his arrival there, consecrated Bishop of that Church.

About four years

after he was appointed

to

this office, being greatly harassed by the conduct of some lawless ecclesiastics, he resigned it.

He had a sharp contest

wiili the patriarch Julius and other bishops, with respect to the observance of the ecclesiastical canons, but he was unable to bring them to adopt his own views.

After his resignation,

he retired to the monastery at Chisum, y n t . ^ a city of Syria, situated between Beroea and Edessa, and there remained for some time.

Meanwhile Habib, an old man held in great

esteem, was consecrated Bishop of Edessa in his place. When Jacob left the monastery to which he had retired, he went to that of Eusebona, where he lived eleven years, and was occupied in teaching the Psalms, and the reading of the Scriptures in Grreek.

In the monastery to which Jacob next removed,

viz. that of Teleda,

in the district of Antioeh, he

PREFACE.

V

remained for nine years, and was engaged in making emendations of the books of the Old Testament. Whilst he was resident here, Habib died, and the Edessenes petitioned the patriarch to request Jacob to return to his Church. He obeyed, but four months after he had resumed his office, having gone to the monastery to remove his books, he died soon after his arrival there, in the year of the Greeks 1019, i. e. A.D. 708, on the 5th of June.

It is said by Dionysius of Telmahar that Jacob

was present at the Synod convoked by Julian, patriarch of the Jacobites, A.D. 706.

This however is doubted by Assemani.

The ancient Church of Edessa has always cherished his memory, and regarded him as one of its brightest ornaments. He was famous in his day as a scholar, and it is said that he did much to restore the Syriac language to its pristine purity.

He is considered to have been the first who wrote a

Grammar of that language.

It is frequently quoted by Bar

Hebrasus, and is spoken of by him in terms of high commendation.

It bears the title

fi^clo .¿oZ, The o Some account of it is '

correction of the Syriac language.

given by Assemani in his Biblioth. Orient, torn. i. p. 475.

In

the same work, torn. i.p. 476 and foil., Assemani has given a list of Jacob's writings, which he introduces to his readers with the remark: " Ex infinitis propemodum Jacobi Scriptis htsc dumtaxat ad nostram notitiam pervenerunt."

He then

ennmerates many works on various subjects, the existence of which had come to his knowledge, and he gives extracts from some of those he had seen.

The subjects of these

writings comprise an Anaphora, Order of Holy Baptism, Ecclesiastical Canons, Grammar and Philology, Festivals of

vi

PREFACE.

the Church, &c., besides several Epistles addressed to individuals on various topics. But by far the most celebrated of his writings are his Scholia on the Holy Scriptures,

j^Ivij

mentaries, IAIJO i s i u J j jjaAOS.

and his Com-

These works procured for

him so great a reputation, that he generally went by the cognomen of The Commentator, j x a A a ^ .

His Scholia, which

must have been voluminous, have not been known in Europe, except a few on Genesis taken from a Syriac Catena of Severus, a monk of Edessa, which are now to be seen in the works of Ephraim.

A

Scholium of Jacob's is also to be met with

occasionally amongst Ephraim's Commentaries on other Books of Scripture. The Scholia which I now venture to submit to the reader have not been previously published.

They prove that Jacob

must have been well acquainted with the letter of the Scriptures ; and the spiritual applications he often makes of the incidents of Bible history, whilst they bear witness to his earnest piety, and the deep reverence he had for the sacred volume, show also how full it appeared to his mind of that which makes a man " wise unto salvation."

A t the same time

it is right for me to state, that I do not hold myself responsible for any of the views and opinions expressed in the Scholia.

Whilst, however, I think it due to myself to make

this remark, and although I do not expect that the kind of exposition found in several instances in these Scholia will be deemed in harmony with the criticism which is current in the present day, yet I consider that they are deeply interesting as a specimen of Scripture Exegesis, prevalent at the time in which our Author lived, and in that branch of the Church of which

PREFACE.

vii

he was a Bishop, and which has ever reckoned him as standing in the foremost rank amongst its scholars. The best accounts accessible to the general reader, so far as I know, of the collection of Syriac MSS. in the British Museum,—by far the most valuable of any that is to be found in the world,—may be seen in the CLI1I. Number of the " Quarterly Review," and in Dr. Cureton's preface to his edition of the Syriac version of the " Festal Letters of Athanasius." theological.

The works are, as might be expected, mostly Many of them are of very high antiquity, and

they comprise copies of the Holy Scriptures, translations of Greek works of the great Fathers of the Church (of some of which the Greek copies have long since been lost, with the exception of their titles, or a few extracts preserved by other writers), rituals, liturgies, collections of Canons, ecclesiastical histories, &c. &c.

Such a collection of Syriac literature is

unrivalled, whether as respects its antiquity, or the renown of its authors.

Several of the most important of the manuscripts %

have been already published, and others, I am informed, are in the course of publication.

The study of Syriac in this

country has, during the last twenty years, made great progress, and this circumstance I attribute mainly to the impetus it has received from the discovery of these manuscripts.

It

cannot but be a matter for deep congratulation that they have produced this effect.

The study of Syriac is extremely

interesting, not only because it leads to an acquaintance with the literature of a Church holding for many ages a prominent rank in Christendom, but also because, so closely allied as it is to Hebrew, it assists in the elucidation of many passages of the Hebrew Scriptures. Influenced by these considerations,

viii

PREFACE.

I have been induced to send forth the following pages, in the hope that whilst they may be accepted as a small contribution to the general purposes of Syriac literature, they may also suggest profitable meditation on those particular passages of the Old Testament of which the said pages treat. I beg to express my sincere thanks to Dr. W . Wright, of the British Museum, to whom I am indebted for many personal acts of kindness, and especially for his assistance in correcting the proof-sheets of the Syriac text.

CONTENTS. PAGE

L Scholium on Gen. iv. 7 II.

.

.

1

. . . Gen. xi. 27—32

3

II I

Gen. xv. 1, &c

6

IV

Gen. xv. 7, &c

10

Y

Gen. xxii. 13

12

VI

Gen. xxv. 30

13

YII VIII

14 Exodus xxviii. 1—5

.

.

.

.16

IX

Deut. xxii. 8

16

X

1 Sam. x. 1

18

XI

1 Sam. xiv. 32—35

.

.

.

.19

XII

1 Sam. xv. 10, 11

.

.

.

.22

XII I

1 Sam. xvi. 12, 13

.

.

.

.

XI V XV XVI

1 Sam. xviii. 19, 20

.

.

.28

1 Sam. xxi 1 Sam. xxii. 17, 18

24 30

.

.

.

.32

XVII

1 Sam. xxiii. 16

34

XVIII

1 Sam. xxvi. 10

36

XIX

1 Sam. xxvii. 1, 2, 3

XX

1 Kings xiv. 21, &c

XXI

1 Kings xvii. 4—6

.

.

.

..43

XXI I

1 Kings xviii. 3, 4

.

.

.

.45

XXII I

1 Kings xxii. 38, &c

XXI V

2 Kings ii. 23, 24

.

.

.

.37 39

48 .

.

.

.

49

SCHOLIUM I. (GEN. iv. 7.) FROM

the fifth Scholium, in which he shows

of the history concerning Cain, that because he was condemned for seven offences,1 he was accounted deserving of seven punishments. Behold, if thou doest well, thou art accepted. I accept thee if thou doest well.

1

And again,

These are a manifest

The fathers of the Syrian Church say that Cain was guilty of seven

offences: 1st, he sinned because he made his offering to God contemptuously; 2ndly, he was indignant, and murmured against God, because his offering was not accepted ; 3rdly, he envied his brother ; 4thly, he dealt subtilely ; 5thly, he committed murder ; 6thly, he told a lie, when he was asked by God. where is thy brother, and he said I know not ; 7thly, he gave himself to despair, when he said, " My punishment is greater than I can bear," and he did not repent and seek for pardon.

For these seven transgressions, they say, he was cursed and

condemned in judgment to be afflicted seven hundred years as a fugitive and a vagabond. It is strange that the Title, which was written by the copyist, does not correspond with the Scholium, for in the latter nothing is said about the seven punishments, of which, according to the Title, he was accounted deserving.

2

SCHOLIUM ON GEN. IV. 7 .

announcement that God willeth the welfare of man. also expecteth him to repent.

He

He waiteth for him, and also

giveth occasions, which invite him to this; He wishing his salvation. But if thou doest not well, sin lieth tamest

to it, and it hath dominion over

at the door.

Thou

thee}

These are indications that the dominion of the body3 and freedom of the will belong to man.

If he who willeth call

to sin, to come to him, then it will have dominion over his soul; but if he do not will, sin is not able to come near him. Behold, it lieth at the door of thy mind, like a rapacious animal outside the door of a house.

If thou turnest this way

by thy will, and openest to it, it entereth and hath dominion over thee ; but if thou dost not will, it is not able to enter to thee.

By these thou mayest clearly know that Satan is

not the sower of sin, though

able to oppress and act with

violence for the sovereignty of the body.4 itself the seed of evil doing.5

Neither is sin

Wherefore Cain was con-

demned, because he was not truly penitent for these things ;

2

This expression is found in the Svriac version. have translated dominion of the body.

according to Castell is locus quilibet therefore rendered it body,

quo aliquid continetur.

]ZU3 I have

the sense which it seems to have here,

and which is supported by the expression lower down in the Scholium, IZUiuiZ» earthly

See 2 Cor. v. 1., where St. Paul calls the body an

house.

* The expression literally translated is, the house of the human mind. 5

Our author probably speaks thus of Satan and sin so far as they are

subject to the human will, the sovereignty of which he maintains.

SCHOLIUM ON GEN. XI. 2 7 — 3 2 .

3

but he actually opened by his will a door for sin, and it entered and had dominion over him; as God said concerning him, and he sleiv his brother,

without offence (committed), from

envy only.

SCHOLIUM I I . (GEN. xi. 27—32.)

THE twentieth Scholium, in which he makes explanation concerning Haran and the wives of Abraham and Nahor. Holy Scripture saith: " And these are the generations of Terah.

Terah begat Abram, and Nahor, and Haran;

Haran begat Lot.

and

And Haran died, whilst Terah his father

was lining, in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees. And Abraham and Nahor took to themselves wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor s wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.

But Sarai was barren, she had no child.

And Terah took Abram, his son, and Lot the son of Haran, his sons son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law,

the wife of

Abram his son, and he went forth with them from ZJr of the Chaldees, to go to Haran, and they dwelt there.

And the days

of Terah were two hundred and five years; and Terah died in Haran. Now doubt and contention exist among readers concerning these words.

As there are many without number at all

times whose sons die before them, what is the reason that

SCHOLIUM ON GEN. XI. 2 7 — 3 2 .

3

but he actually opened by his will a door for sin, and it entered and had dominion over him; as God said concerning him, and he sleiv his brother,

without offence (committed), from

envy only.

SCHOLIUM I I . (GEN. xi. 27—32.)

THE twentieth Scholium, in which he makes explanation concerning Haran and the wives of Abraham and Nahor. Holy Scripture saith: " And these are the generations of Terah.

Terah begat Abram, and Nahor, and Haran;

Haran begat Lot.

and

And Haran died, whilst Terah his father

was lining, in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees. And Abraham and Nahor took to themselves wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor s wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.

But Sarai was barren, she had no child.

And Terah took Abram, his son, and Lot the son of Haran, his sons son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law,

the wife of

Abram his son, and he went forth with them from ZJr of the Chaldees, to go to Haran, and they dwelt there.

And the days

of Terah were two hundred and five years; and Terah died in Haran. Now doubt and contention exist among readers concerning these words.

As there are many without number at all

times whose sons die before them, what is the reason that

4

SCHOLIUM ON GEN. XI.

27—32.

Scripture has made mention of the death of Haran being before that of his father ?

W e say that there were three 6

reasons why Scripture made mention of it.

One indeed,

and the first, because by this EVENT it marks secretly and mysteriously, and indicates the cause of the exodus of Terah and his sons from the land of the Chaldees.

The second

reason is, that it also indicates by this, concerning the wives of his brothers, from whence they were. The first, therefore, is, that when Abraham burned the celebrated temple of Kenan, 7 the god of the Chaldees, Haran ran to extinguish the flames, and he fell down and died there. 8 When not long after it became known to the Chaldees what had happened, they pressed Terah to deliver up Abraham his

6

jsio

Only two reasons are afterwards given,

|

fLa- 16.

The vau prefixed to

probably an error committed by the copyist.

fc^ic

in the MS. is

7

SCHOLIUM ON GEN. XV. 1, &C.

SCHOLIUM

III.

( G E N . xv. 1, &c.)

from the twenty-third Scholium, which gives an explanation concerning Eliezer the Damascene. WORDS

Holy Scripture says, after these things, the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision and said, Fear not, Abram, I will assist thee: thy reward is very great. Lord God, what wilt thou give me, for

And Abram said, O I go childless, and

Eliezer, the Damascene, the son of my house? is my heir. Abram said, Behold

And

thou hast not given me a son, and behold

the son of my house is my heir.

And the Lord said unto him,

This shall not be thine heir, but thy son, who shall come forth from thy loins, he shall be thine heir. Now concerning these words, know well, O lover of truth and learning, there have been many doubts and inquiries among men, and also it hath happened to many to fall into erroneous notions concerning some of them.

Nevertheless

the aim of the will of God in these words was this, to incite Abraham, tempting him, among many other reasons, that he might exhibit a proof of his faith and firmness in the love of God, and the fear of Him.

Hence H e who was persuading

him to reveal those things which were in his mind, said to him, " Fear not, Abram, I will assist thee : thy reward is very

2

i. e. my domestic.

8

SCHOLIUM ON GEN. XV. 1, &C.

great."

By these three expressions God incited Abraham,

so that he said with boldness, " O Lord God, what wilt thou give me, for behold, I go childless." 3

He answered accord-

ing to those words which God spake, and said, " O Lord God, what hast Thou, that Thou mightest assist me, and what is the reward which Thou wilt give me, since I die childless, and my servant will be my heir, as I have not an heir." After a little 4

With respect to Eliezer the Damascene, some have unsuit-

ably and incorrectly thought that he was Ishmael, the son of Abraham, whom Hagar,the Egyptian, the handmaid of Sarah, bore to him.

That this is not at all true nor correct, is easy

to be shown in many ways. First, from that which he openly said, when he called Eliezer a son of the house, i. e. a servant. He was also thought to be of the sons (domestics) in the house of Abraham, because that he (Abraham) said," Behold Thou hast not given me a son, and behold the son of my house is my heir."

Concerning this matter God immediately

answered him and said, " This person shall not be thy heir, but thy son, who shall go forth from thy loins, he shall be thy heir."

He showed by this which he said, that "this person

shall not be thy heir, but thy son, who shall go forth from thy loins, shall be thy heir," that Eliezer was not the son of Abraham, neither went he forth from his loins, but was his servant.

3

The MS. has

4

The first eight lines, or thereabouts, of this part are found in the

}jj Jj| for, I suppose, Jj)

works of Ephraem Syrus.

Tom. i., p. 160.

Jj)

SCHOLIUM ON GEN. XV. 1, &e.

9

If this be so, Eliezer was not Ishmael, because that Ishmael, although he was not the son of Sarah, yet was the son of Abraham, 3 and from his loins he went forth.

If Eliezer were

Ishmael, it would not be necessary to say concerning him, that " this person shall not be thy heir, but thy son, who shall go forth from thy loins, he shall be thy heir," since it is known that Ishmael went forth from his loins; therefore Eliezer was not Ishmael.

But again, it may be proved and taught

from the order of Scripture history, that Ishmael, the son of Hagar, was not yet born, 6 neither was Hagar given by Sarah her mistress to Abraham.

From this, therefore, it is

also known that Eliezer was not Ishmael.

Thirdly, The

name of the mother of Eliezer is known and brought forward in Holy Scripture in this place, as may be seen in copies of the Scriptures of the translation for the Greeks, viz. that translation which was made from the Hebrew language into the Greek by the seventy-two. 7

The books of the Hebrews declare

in the translation which was made of them, "behold Eliezer the son of Masek, a Damascene woman, the son of my house, is my heir."

Therefore Masek was not Hagar,

and Hagar was not Masek.

And Eliezer, the son of

Masek, was not Ishmael the son of Hagar, nor was Ishmael, the son of Hagar, Eliezer the son of Masek, as has been

5

The Syriac of this expression is written a second time by mistake in

the manuscript. 6

The birth of Ishmael is recorded in Gen. xvi.

7

The Greek words are o Se vios Macr«« rrjs oiKoyeveos ¡iov, ovros Aa-

fiaa-Kot E\ie£ep.

Gen. xvi. 2.

of the steward of my house.

The Hebrew is i f p J , pfjjft

the son

It seems that the word p ^ Q was treated

by the LXX. as a proper name.

c

10

SCHOLIUM ON GEN. XV. 7, &C.

thought by some.

It is, therefore, known from these conside-

rations that Eliezer was not Ishmael. Ishmael was truly the son of Abraham, but Eliezer was a servant, and Abraham's senior domestic.

After these words the Scripture writer

showeth and saith/ that it was he who was sent by Abraham to bring a wife to Isaac his son from Mesopotamia.

SCHOLIUM IV. (GEN. FROM

xv. 7 , &c.)

the twenty-fourth Scholium, giving an ex-

planation concerning the sacrifices of Abraham, and concerning the covenant which God made with him. After the words of Scripture concerning which is what is below

This custom then obtained in the

world among many nations, (I do not say all,) viz. they offered sacrifices and divided them into pieces, placing a piece here and a piece there, carrying lights and passing in the midst.

They

took oaths to one another and made a true, not a false covenant, 8

Scripture does not say that Eliezer was the servant sent by Abra-

ham to get a wife for Isaac, although it is generally supposed, but perhaps without sufficient warrant.

The words in Gen. xxiv. 2, are, " And

Abraham said unto the eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had."

Calmet says: " Whether Eliezer might live so long as to

be again mentioned we know not; by his fidelity he seems likely to have been the same person, and it is usually so understood, but he is not there called the son of the house, possibly because Abraham had now sons of his own body, Ishmael as well as Isaac, who were his natural heirs."

10

SCHOLIUM ON GEN. XV. 7, &C.

thought by some.

It is, therefore, known from these conside-

rations that Eliezer was not Ishmael. Ishmael was truly the son of Abraham, but Eliezer was a servant, and Abraham's senior domestic.

After these words the Scripture writer

showeth and saith/ that it was he who was sent by Abraham to bring a wife to Isaac his son from Mesopotamia.

SCHOLIUM IV. (GEN. FROM

xv. 7 , &c.)

the twenty-fourth Scholium, giving an ex-

planation concerning the sacrifices of Abraham, and concerning the covenant which God made with him. After the words of Scripture concerning which is what is below

This custom then obtained in the

world among many nations, (I do not say all,) viz. they offered sacrifices and divided them into pieces, placing a piece here and a piece there, carrying lights and passing in the midst.

They

took oaths to one another and made a true, not a false covenant, 8

Scripture does not say that Eliezer was the servant sent by Abra-

ham to get a wife for Isaac, although it is generally supposed, but perhaps without sufficient warrant.

The words in Gen. xxiv. 2, are, " And

Abraham said unto the eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had."

Calmet says: " Whether Eliezer might live so long as to

be again mentioned we know not; by his fidelity he seems likely to have been the same person, and it is usually so understood, but he is not there called the son of the house, possibly because Abraham had now sons of his own body, Ishmael as well as Isaac, who were his natural heirs."

SCHOLIUM ON GEN. XV. 7 , &c.

11

concerning which there was not to be a doubt.9

Therefore

God, descending because of his love to Abraham, and he (Abraham) asked, " how may I know it is true that I am heir to the land ?" made use of the custom which existed in the world, and said to him, that he should offer sacrifices according to the custom of those men, who make covenants and take oaths, that he should divide them (the slain animals) and place the pieces, each one properly.

He also said, " I will

carry the lights, and will pass before thee in the midst of the pieces, and I will make a true indisputable covenant with thee."

This was the occasion of sacrifices and of dividing

them into pieces.

But that it might not be thought by

Abraham, when he saw the lamps passing between the pieces, that it was from the meridian heat and rays of the sun, which it might be, and seemed to be, God protracted the visit (when He tarrying, those pieces which were distributed became cold, and the birds came upon them, and Abraham drove them away); until the setting of the sun.

Then He casteth him into a

trance and composure of thoughts, and sheweth him all those things which his seed was about to suffer. He sheweth him the lamps of fire, passing between the pieces, and causeth him to hear the voice of Him, making with him a true covenant, that to his seed He gave that land. Thus Abraham was confirmed in the covenant with God, and he believed in those things which were said to him. | - f ^ 2u=> tovzaiiJj

2 King's ix. 25, 26.

harlots washed.

The

SCHOLIUM ON 2 KINGS X X I I . 23,

and without fear.

24,

49

Also they who slew the prophets, received

an evil end, and one befitting their audacity.2

So it became

known with certainty to every man, that they of the house of Ahab plundered and possessed all the house of Naboth. They slew him and his sons, and they really and openly took all his possessions, fields, and heritages.

Of Ahab, indeed,

there is not a doubt that in the heritage, which was by the gates of Samaria, the dogs licked up his blood, where his chariot was washed.

But of Joram, it was in the heritage

which is in Jezreel, where Jehu slew him and cast him away ; also where Jezebel in the figure3 (described in 2 Kings ix. 30) before the wall of Jezreel the dogs did eat, according to the word of the Lord by the prophet Elijah. 4

SCHOLIUM X X I Y . (:2 K I N G S I I . 23,

24.)

the fourth Scholium, showing why the bears slew those children whom Elisha cursed because they mocked him. FROM

And Elisha went up from Jericho to Bethel.

And as he was

going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and stoned him with stones, and mocked him, saying, go up, thou bald head, go up, thou bald head.

2

And he turned

See the preceding Scholium.

J And " she painted her face and tired her head." 2 Kings ix. 30. 4

See 1 Kings xxi. '23; 2 Kings ix. 36. H

SCHOLIUM ON 2 KINGS X X I I . 23,

and without fear.

24,

49

Also they who slew the prophets, received

an evil end, and one befitting their audacity.2

So it became

known with certainty to every man, that they of the house of Ahab plundered and possessed all the house of Naboth. They slew him and his sons, and they really and openly took all his possessions, fields, and heritages.

Of Ahab, indeed,

there is not a doubt that in the heritage, which was by the gates of Samaria, the dogs licked up his blood, where his chariot was washed.

But of Joram, it was in the heritage

which is in Jezreel, where Jehu slew him and cast him away ; also where Jezebel in the figure3 (described in 2 Kings ix. 30) before the wall of Jezreel the dogs did eat, according to the word of the Lord by the prophet Elijah. 4

SCHOLIUM X X I Y . (:2 K I N G S I I . 23,

24.)

the fourth Scholium, showing why the bears slew those children whom Elisha cursed because they mocked him. FROM

And Elisha went up from Jericho to Bethel.

And as he was

going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and stoned him with stones, and mocked him, saying, go up, thou bald head, go up, thou bald head.

2

And he turned

See the preceding Scholium.

J And " she painted her face and tired her head." 2 Kings ix. 30. 4

See 1 Kings xxi. '23; 2 Kings ix. 36. H

50

S C H O L I U M ON 2 K I N G S X X I I . 23,

24.

back and saw them, and, cursed them in the name of the Lord.

And two she bears went forth from

the wood and

tore of them forty and two children. It was not the opprobrium thrown on the prophet Elisha, and his being stoned, that was the cause struction

of those

destroyed them.

children, but

another

of the hidden

decause

For these were sons of those iniquitous

priests who ministered to the calf in Bethel; sons of the sons of those prophets of Baal whom Elijah slew in the days of Ahab.

These were enemies both of Elijah and Elisha: also of

all those who feared the Lord God of Israel, and of those especially, who were sons of those prophets of the Lord, who were in Bethel; those who said to Elisha a few days before, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from

thy

head to day ?8 Those iniquitous persons and haters of God, and their sons, heard them, when they said that Elijah the prophet hath gone up to heaven, and they mocked at this continually, as false and devoid of truth, and they sung of him derisively from the time when they heard it until now, to wit, before their wives and before their children, whom the bears tore, and they shouted mockingly, go up Elijah, go up Elijah. Wherefore these wicked children, and sons of wicked persons ; little children, sons of evil ones, and haters of God, when they saw Elisha, the disciple of Elijah, their enemy, and the enemy of their fathers, mocked him, shouting as they had heard from their fathers.

They also stoned him with stones,

and said, " Go up, thou bald head, go up, thou bald head," falsely indeed, as thy master, Elijah, hath gone up.

8

2 Kings ii. 3.

Where-

SCHOLIUM ON 2 K I N G S X X I I . 23,

fore Elisha

24.

51

cursed, on account of their manners, these

children evil, and sons of evil ones, in the name of the Lord, the God whom, and his prophet, they derided.

Wherefore

also God quickly heard of it, and smote them in anger, and sent upon them those bears and destroyed them. This is the hidden cause of the destruction of the children, and not that which has been thought by those who read or hear from extraneous reports of the words of Scripture.

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