tions. The inquiry, then, whether the artificial names appropriated to Greek compositions can be applied to those of the Hebrews, is as vain and useless as the inquiry whether the technical terms of modern European tactics can be properly employed to designate the evolutions of the ancient Oriental armies. The difference between the modes of warfare in this case, is no greater than that between the modes of thinking and writing in the other. Yet so strong and lasting are the prejudices of early education, when uncorrected by a subsequent and more extensive course of study, that such a man as Dr. Lowth thought it necessary to go into a learned and laborious investigation of the propriety of applying Greek names to Hebrew books; and he seems to apprehend that the latter would lose somewhat of their perfection, if they were not conformed to Greek models. S.

NOTES ON LECTURE XXXIV.

[A. p. 287.] JOB XVIII. 4.

The LXX. interpret the verse thus : τί γάρ ; ἐὰν συ ἀποθάνῃς, αοίκητος ἔσται doixηros čorain vn' ovρavóv; "What! if thou diest, shall the whole earth be desolate? Which version, or rather paraphrase, is most elegant, and in my opinion finely accommodated to the purpose of the sacred writer. When the Orientals would reprove the pride or arrogance of any person, it is common for them to desire him to call to mind how little and contemptible he and every mortal is, in these or similar apothegms;

"What though Mohammed were dead?

"His Imauns (or ministers) conducted the affairs of the nation.

"The universe shall not fall for his sake.

"The world does not subsist for one man alone.

Nay, this very phrase is still in use among the Arabic writers. GoL. Col. 1570.

[B. p. 288.] Conduct of Job's friends.

HUNT.

Our author is too severe in his animadversions on the conduct of Job's three friends, and his translator has made him appear more harsh than he really is. The three sages were touched with the tenderest sympathy at the sight of Job's affliction; and were, undoubtedly, sincerely desirous of affording him consolation. (See Job 2. 11-13). But with their views of the justice and goodness of

God, they could not suppose that their friend had been thus severely afflicted without some fault of his own; and when they heard him complaining so bitterly of his troubles, it struck them like murmuring against providence. Eliphaz, therefore, ventures mildly to reprove him, and intimates, though in the gentlest manner possible, that God had not afflicted him without cause. The suffering patriach, conscious of his own rectitude, and indignant at the supposed insinuations of his friend, breaks out still more warmly in protestations of his innocence and in bitter complaints of his unmerited woes; till at length, jealousy for the honour of God, the pride of opinion, and the warmth of discussion, gradually provoke the three friends to utter the most severe and unfounded reproaches against their unfortunate companion, who indignantly repels their accusations with increasing zeal, till he silences, and obtains a complete victory over them, by his superior richness of thought and copiousness of language.

In this state of the controversy, Elihu steps in a young man of great fluency, florid eloquence, and a high opinion of his own capacity. He professes to adopt a middle course between Job and the former speakers; he repeats their most important ideas with a little variation; he adopts their imagery, which he amplifies and extends, without improving it; he adds figure to figure, and sentence to sentence, almost without end or object. He pauses occasionally, apparently with the hope that Job would answer him; but the old sage does not deign the young man a word in reply. Hiob schweigt: (says Eichhorn), welcher Riese wird sich auch mit einem Knaben messen? The whole discourse of Elihu is evidently preparatory to the introduction of the Deity in the thirty-eighth chapter, and is admirably adapted to exhibit the sublimity of this scene in the most favourable light. S.

[C. p. 291.] JOB XXXVII. 4.

Various interpretations have been given to the last clause of this. verse, which Lowth renders; Neque investigari poterit, cum audita fuerit, vox eius. In Hebrew, ip? Elihu is here describing the majesty of God as exhibited in tempests; and the meaning of this sentence probably is he holdeth them not back, that is, the rain, hail, etc. (compare v. 6), when his voice is heard, that is, in the thunder. So De Wette and Gesenius explain the S.

verse.

MOST FREQUENTLY REFERRED TO IN THE PRECEDING NOTES.

[For the sake of brevity, the titles of those books to which constant reference is made, are not fully written in the Notes. They are inserted here for the purpose of securing the student against mistake in regard to the references, and of directing him to the most valuable sources of information on the general subject of Hebrew Poetry.]

ROBERT LOWTH, de Sacra Poesi Hebraeorum Praelectiones Academicae; cum Notis et Epimetris JoA. DAV. MICHAELIS, suis Animadversionibus adjectis edidit ERN. FRID. CAR. RosenmuELLER. I. Vol. 8vo. Lipsiae, 1815.

SIR WILLIAM JONES, Poeseos Asiaticae Commentariorum Libri Sex, cum Appendice. I. Vol. 8vo. Londini, 1774.

JOHANN GOTTFRIED VON HERDER, vom Geist der ebraeischen Poesie. Eine Anleitung fuer die Liebhaber derselben und der aeltesten Geschichte des menschlichen Geistes. II. Th. 8vo. Leipzig, 1825. Briefe das Studium der Theologie betreffend. IV. Th. 12mo. Weimar, 1785.

JOHANN GOTTFRIED EICHHORN, Einleitung in das Alte Testament. V. Baende, 8vo. Goettingen, 1823—4.

Commentarius in Apocalypsin Joannis.

II. Vol. 12mo. Gottingae, 1791.

WILHELM MARTIN LEBERECHT DE WETTE, Commentar ueber die Psalmen. I. Th. 8vo. Heidelberg, 1823.

GOTTLOB WILHELM MEYER, Versuch einer Hermeneutik des Alten Testaments. II. Th. 8vo. Luebeck, 1800.

JOHANN JOACHIm Bellermann, Versuch ueber die Metrik der Hebraeer. Eine Beilage zu den hebraeischen Sprachlehren und zu den Einleitungen in die Schriften des alten Testaments. I.Th. 8vo. Berlin, 1813.

WILHELM GESENIUS, Geschichte der hebraeischen Sprache und Schrift. I. Th. 8vo. Leipzig, 1815.

Ausfuehrliches grammatisch-kritisches Lehrgebaeude der hebraeischen Sprache. I. Th. 8vo. Leipzig, 1817. Commentar ueber den Jesaia. III. Th. 8vo.

Leipzig, 1823.

Hebraeisches und Chaldaeisches Handwoerterbuch ueber das Alte Testament. I. Th. Leipzig, 1823.

ERNST FRIEDRICH KARL ROSENMUELLER, Scholia in Vetus Testamentum; (scilicet in Jobum, Psalmos, et Libros propheticos). The last editions.

Die Schriften des Alten Testaments, neu uebersetzt von J. C. W. AUGUSTI, und W. M. L. DE WETTE. IV. Th. 8vo. Heidelberg, 18 09-10.

[The titles of other works, to which there is less frequent occasion for reference, are inserted in the Notes.]