Sidebilder
PDF
ePub

Ferahid, who lived in the tenth century of the Christian era. Does it seem probable, then, that the art could have existed long before the time of Christ? Pococke (Spec. Hist. Arab. p. 160) affirms, on the authority of two Arabic writers, Alsephad and Jalaloddin, that the art was recent among them: and this opinion is confirmed by the fact that the Arabic prosody depends on the nunnation, or doubling of the final syllable; an invention of no very ancient date. (See Eichhorn on Jones's Comment. p. 61. Note).

It does seem, that if there had been a regular system of versification among the ancient Hebrews, some traces of it would still be perceptible; but it has hitherto eluded all the attempts of the most able and zealous inquirers to detect it. Some of the Rabbins and Christian fathers have maintained that the Hebrew poetry possesses all the variety and regularity of metre exhibited by the Greek ; but they have offered no proof, and their usual mode of investigating and pronouncing on such subjects affords us but little security for the correctness of their decision. The most recent and able writers on the subject are Greve, Sir William Jones, Anton, and Bellerman. The two former make the metre depend on the quantity or syllabic measure, after the analogy of the Arabic and Greek; while the latter rest it on the accents, assuming the tone-syllable to be always long, and the others short. The last is the most plausible theory, as the train of accents is undoubtedly more ancient than the Masoretic punctuation. (See E. J. Greve, Ultima Capita Libri Jobi, etc. Davent. 1788-91, P. I. II. Sir William Jones, Comment. pp. 55-59. C. G. Anton, Conjectura de Metro Hebraeorum, etc. Lips. 1770. 4to. Bellerman, Versuch ueber die Metrik der Hebraeer, etc. Berlin, 1813, 8vo). The opinion which I have adopted, is on the whole favoured by Lowth; and it is strongly defended by Michaelis, Herder, and De Wette. (Michaelis and Rosenmueller in loc.; Herder, Briefe, Th. I. SS. 150-51, and Geist, Th. I. SS. 18-25; De Wette, Commentar ueber die Ps. Einleit. SS 4667).

[B. p. 34.] Hebrew pronunciation and quantity.

S.

That it is impossible now to ascertain the real quantity of Hebrew syllables and the true rhythm of Hebrew poetry, is sufficiently proved by the very unsatisfactory and inconsistent results to which all learned men have come, who have attempted to investigate the subject. I am inclined to think, however, that Lowth is too severe

in his remarks on the Masoretic punctuation.

The Hebrew ceased

to be a living language sometime during the captivity (Neh. 8: 7, 8), perhaps 500 B. C.; but as the book of the law was constantly read to the people by the priests in the original, it is highly probable that the ancient pronunciation was preserved, with a good degree of purity, in the sacerdotal class. This supposition is confirmed when we consider the high veneration of the Jews for every thing connected with their law; their strong attachment to its most minute details; and the hatred and contempt with which they were viewed by other nations, which tended only to unite them more firmly among themselves, and increase their love for every thing which they could call their own. Though the present system of vowel-points was not completed till about the eighth century of the Christian era, it was commenced much earlier. In very ancient times, while the traditionary pronunciation was still fesh in the recollection of the learned Jews, manuscripts were probably written with the vowel-points annexed only to the more doubtful words; as is the case at the present day with Arabic manuscripts written for common use. The Alexandrian translators, who flourished at least three centuries before Christ, in many cases agree with the present Masoretic punctuation in their mode of spelling proper names, though they frequently depart from it, and are by no means uniform or consistent with themselves; an appearance which seems to indicate that they used manuscripts generally without vowels, but pointed in some places like those which exist at the present day. A similar appearance is exhibited in the Hexapla of Origen, where the Hebrew words of the Old Testament are represented by Greek characters; and the testimony of Jerome to the same point is quite explicit. On Habakkuk 3: 5, he remarks: "Pro eo quod nos transtulimus mortem, in Hebraeo tres litterae sunt positae absque ulla vocali; quae si legantur dabar verbum significant, si deber, pestem." On the other hand he asserts respecting Gen. 47: 31, that his manuscript read, bed, and not on, staff; a distinction which could be made only by vowel-points of some kind. "Hoc loco quidam frustra simulant, adorasse Jacob summitatem sceptri Joseph, quod videlicet honorans filium potestatem ejus adoraverit, cum in Hebraeo multum aliter legatur: et adoravit Israel ad caput lectuli." (See also Jerome in Jer. 9: 22; Epist. ad Evagr. 120; Quaest. in Gen. 26: 12. 36: 24).

The peculiarity of the Masoretic punctuation is an evidence of its genuineness. It is quite different from the vowel-system of the

cognate dialects; but had it been a mere invention of the Rabbins, it would probably have borne a nearer resemblance to the Arábic, as they were in the habit of appealing to the Arabic in explanation of the Hebrew. Again, the Masoretic punctuation enters so radically into the whole grammatical structure of the language, that I find it impossible to suppose it to be a mere arbitrary invention, originating in the conceit of the Jewish scholars of a barbarous age.

The true pronunciation was probably preserved from the first in the schools of the priests; and to prevent its being lost, the scrupulous Jews devised one expedient after another, to represent as accurately as possible the minutest varieties of sound, till they brought their punctuation to its present state, in which it exhibits the most curious, nicely-adjusted, and complete vowel-system to be found in any language. So far from being unmusical and harsh, as Dr. Lowth affirms, I hardly know a language more smooth, harmonious, and flowing, than the Hebrew with the Masoretic pronunciation. I am far from supposing that we pronounce the language as the ancient Hebrews did; but I believe we approach it as nearly as we do the pronunciation of the ancient Greeks and Romans; and, indeed, as the vowel-system is much more complete and perfect, we probably come much nearer to the true Hebrew pronunciation than to the Greek or Latin. (See Michaelis in loc.; Bellerman, Versuch, s. x f.; De Wette, Comment. Einleit. S. 57 ff.; Eichhorn, Einleitung, Band I. S. 224 ff.; Gesenius, Vorrede zum Woerterbuch, and Geschichte der Hebr. Sprache und Schrift, SS. 48-56.) S.

[C. p. 35.] Meaning of ir.

[ocr errors]

2, he cut off, he pruned, namely, the superfluous and luxuriant branches of trees. Hence, a branch, or twig; a pruning-hook. Also he sung, or chanted; he cut his voice by the notes in singing, or divided it. signifies singing with the voice (vocal music): 72 to play upon an instrument. ? implies either

see) בִּנְגִינֹת מִזְמוֹר שִׁיר vocal or instrumental melody. Thus

Ps. Ixvii. 1) I think means a metrical song, accompanied with music. Thus I suppose to denote measure, or numbers, what the Greeks called ovuov. It may also be more immediately referred to the former and original sense of the root, as signifying, a poem cut into short sentences, and pruned from every luxuriancy of expression, which is a distinguishing characteristic of the Hebrew poetry. Prose composition is called, loose or free, diffused with

no respect to rule; like a wild tree, luxuriant on every side in its leaves and branches: Metrical language is 2, cut and pruned on every side into sentences, like branches, distributed into a certain form and order; as vines, which the vine-dresser corrects with his pruning knife, and adjusts into form. LOWTH.

The correctness of this etymology is questioned by Michaelis, Gesenius, and De Wette; but they propose no better one to supply its place.

[D. p. 35.] Coincidence of verses and sentences.

S.

That the nature of Hebrew poetry requires every verse to contain a complete sentiment, is put beyond doubt by the alphabetic poems.

[E. p. 36.] Hebrew and Arabic poetry.

This remarkable characteristic of Hebrew poetry is very happily illustrated by an author already quoted (Lect. II. Note B), in a comparison between the Hebrew and Arabic poetry.

"Arabica poësis instar est foeminae fuco illitae et monilibus onustae, in cuius cultu plurima quidem splendent, adeo ut formae naturali noceant, sed non omnia aeque sunt pretiosa, imo, ubi diligentius exploraveris, pleraque vel adulterina, vel ab aliis mutuo sumta, quod in ipsa luxurie paupertatem quandam arguit. Hebraea vero, tanquam coelestis quaedam Musa, in veste gemmis stellata incedit. Hinc explicandum est, quod non dubito, quin omnes observaveritis, quotquot unquam poëma aliquod Arabicum latine redditum legistis, quodque Hebraeorum vatum praestantiam demonstrat, videlicet, Arabum carmina in alium sermonem conversa nunquam posse placere, nisi forte versio sit metrica, vel talis, in qua quidquid in ipso carmine obscuri vel inepti insit, praetereatur aut emendetur. Hebraeorum vero poësis ita pulcra est, ut ne in languidissimis quidem versionibus omnis eius maiestas et venustas evanescat, et tamen optimae versiones, etiam metricae, ad germanam eius pulcritudinem non nisi ex intervallo accedant." RAVIUS.

NOTES ON LECTURE IV.

[A. p. 38.] Meaning of and

b, he likened, he compared, he spoke in parables; he uttered proverbs, sentences grave and pointed, a composition ornamented with figures and comparisons: also he ruled, he was eminent, he possessed dominion and authority; delegated, perhaps, and vicarious in its original and restricted sense, whence at last it was taken more laxly, as referring to any kind of dominion. The elder servant of Abraham, who presided over his family, was certainly called NEE, Gen. xxiv. 2. He was in fact a steward in the place of his master, and representing him by a delegated authority; whence there is evidently a relation between the two interpretations of this root, consisting in this circumstance, that both the parabolical image, and the steward or deputy, are representative.

is therefore a composition elevated and grave, weighty and powerful, highly ornamented with comparisons, figures, and imagery; such is the style of the Psalms, the prophets, and the book of Job. It is a diction, which under one image or exemplar includes many, and may easily be transferred to every one of the same kind; which is in general the nature of proverbs: it is in fine, any sentence or axiom excellently or gravely uttered, concise, and confined to a certain form or manner: as is evident from 1 Sam. xxiv. 14, and from many examples in the Proverbs of Solomon. LOWTH. In Hebrew the verb b has two principal meanings. 1) to rule; 2) to compare. From the second are derived the collateral meanings to make a comparison, or speak a parable; to utter a proverb; to speak in figurative language; and hence the word came to denote the use of highly ornamented and poetic diction of every sort. According to Gesenius (in verb.), these different significations appear to be derived from the primitive meaning, to place; in Arabic

مثل

Joando, to place one's self before another, to do him homage; hence, 1) causative, to make one render obedience; 2) to place opposite; and thence, to compare, to resemble, to make a comparison.

[ocr errors]

In this manner the Hebrew noun and the Arabic o came to signify a resemblance, a comparison; a parable; a proverb; figurative language in general; and therefore, a song, or poem. In

« ForrigeFortsett »