Greek words occur which in Hebrew could be expressed only by a periphrasis:— Πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως, ch. i. 1; ἀπαύγασμα, ch. i. 3; εὐπερίστατος, ch. xii. 1; μετριο παθεῖν, ch. v. 2; πάντα ὑπέταξας ὑπὸ τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ, ch. ii. 8. “The verb in this clause," to use the argument of Hug, which is thus well put by Dr Davidson, "is repeated in the context, Οὐ γὰρ ἀγγέλοις ὑπέταξε τὴν οἰκουμένην, ch. ii. 5; ἐν γὰρ τῷ ὑποτάξαι αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα, οὐδὲν ἀφῆκεν αὐτῷ ἀνυπότακτον,.... ὁρῶμεν αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα ὑποτεταγμένα, ch.ii.8. But in Hebrew, the verb úzorúorw is expressed by a periphrasis, na any,

to place under the feet, and if the Epistle was written in Hebrew, the expressions derived from irá could not have been employed in that language, in consequence of the often repeated circumlocution."

Moreover, since the time of Owen, there is greater evidence of the probability that an apostle writing to the Christians in Palestine would write in Greek. The opinion of De Rossi that Syro-Chaldaic was almost exclusively used in that country has yielded before subsequent inquiries. Hug shows that our Lord must have spoken Greek in various districts, Mark vii. 24, and with the Hellenists mentioned John vii. 35, xii. 20; that the language of the Roman magistracy was probably Greek; that considerable cities in Palestine were inhabited by Greeks; that the Roman garrisons spoke Greek; that the foreign Jews at the feast of the passover, amounting to hundreds of thousands, used the same language; that the Jews who spoke Greek had their own synagogue in Jerusalem, Acts vi. 9, ix. 29; and that a great number of the Christian Jews spoke it freely, Acts vi. 1, 2. Tholuck adds that James, who had never left Palestine, to judge from his Epistle, wrote Greek with elegance; and that the Septuagint must have been in common use among the Jews of Palestine, when Matthew and John generally follow it. The best evidence on this point is a passage sometimes appealed to in order to obtain an opposite inference, Acts xxi. 40. Though Paul spoke in the Hebrew tongue, the multitude expected him to address them in Greek. Order and attention were secured when the sounds of their native language fell upon their ear. The fact shows, however, that they were able and prepared to understand him in Greek. In the Epistle to the Hebrews Paul was writing to Christians, and under no necessity to conciliate attention by such an expedient. It was natural, therefore, that he should write in the language in which he had been educated at Tarsus, and in which he wrote all his other epistles.

EXERCITATION V.

TESTIMONIES CITED BY THE APOSTLE OUT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.

1. Testimonies cited by the apostle out of the Old Testament. 2-12. Compared with the original and translations. 13-23. Whence the agreement of some of them with that of the LXX.

1. THERE is not any thing in this Epistle that is attended with more difficulty than the citation of the testimonies out of the Old Testament that are made use of in it. Hence some, from their unsuitableness, as they have supposed, unto the author's purpose, have made bold to call in question, if not to reject, the authority of the whole. But for what concerns the matter of them, and the wisdom of the apostle in their application, it must be treated of in the respective places where they occur; when we shall manifest how vain and causeless are the exceptions which have been laid against them, and how singularly they are suited to the proof of those doctrines and assertions in the confirmation whereof they are produced. But the words also wherein they are expressed, varying frequently from the original, yield some difficulty in their consideration. And this con

cernment of the apostle's citations, to prevent a further trouble in the exposition itself of the several places, may be previously considered. Not that we shall here explain and vindicate them from the exceptions mentioned, which must of necessity be done afterwards, as occasion offers itself; but we shall only discover in general what respect the apostle's expressions have unto the original and the old translations thereof, and remove some false inferences that have been made on the consideration of them. To this end I shall briefly pass through them all, and compare them with the places whence they are taken.

2. CHAP. I. ver. 5. Υἱός μου εἶ σὺ, ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά σε“ Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee." From Ps. ii. 7. The words exactly answer the original, with the supply of only the verb substantive, whereof in the Hebrew there is almost a perpetual ellipsis, N. And the same are the words in the translation of the LXX. In the same verse, Εγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῷ εἰς πατέρα, καὶ aùròs korai poi ris vióv—“I will be unto him a father, and he shall be unto me a son." From 1 Chron. xxii. 10. The LXX. otherwise, as to the order of the words, Οὗτος ἔσται μοι εἰς υἱόν, κᾀγὼ αὐτῷ sis arépa, which also is the order of the sentences in the original, the apostle using his own liberty, and varying from them both; so that this quotation is not directly from that translation.

Ver. 6. Καὶ προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ· “ And let all the angels of God worship him." From Ps. xcvii. 7, without change. Only "gods," is rendered by the apostle ayysλor so, "the angels of God;" of the reason whereof afterwards. The LXX., IIpoσκυνήσατε αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι αὐτοῦ, — “Worship him all ye his angels;" differing from the apostle both in form of speech and words. Hence some, not understanding whence this testimony was cited by the apostle, have inserted his words into the Greek Bible, Deut. xxxii. 43, where there is no colour for their introduction, nor any thing in the original to answer unto them, whereas the psalmist expressly treateth of the same subject with the apostle; to the reason of which insertion into the Greek version we shall speak afterwards.

Ver. 7. Ο ποιῶν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ πνεύματα, καὶ τοὺς λειτουργούς abroũ Tupòs phóya—“ Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire." From Ps. civ. 4. The LXX., Tüp phéyov, “a flaming fire;" Heb., 5, "fire of flame;" Aquila, Tũp λúlpov, “a vehement fire;" Symmachus, supívny próya, "a fiery flame." Much variety, with little or no difference, as often falls out amongst good translators rendering peculiar Hebraisms, such as this is. The apostle's expression is his own, not borrowed from the LXX.

Ver. 8, 9. Ο θρόνος σου, ὁ Θεὸς, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος (τη Diy), ράβ δος εὐθύτητος ἡ ῥάβδος τῆς βασιλείας σου· ἠγάπησας δικαιοσύνην, καὶ ἐμίσησας ἀνομίαν· διὰ τοῦτο ἔχρισέ σε, ὁ Θεὸς, ὁ Θεός σου, ἔλαιον ἀγαλλιάσεως παρὰ τοὺς METÓZOUS GOU" Thy throne, O God, for ever and ever." (The verb

substantive is left out by the apostle, in answer unto the original, Diy DN AND?, and D rendered i sòs, for oss, which the apostrophe requires.) "A sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and thou hast hated iniquity; wherefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." The words exactly answer the original, and they are the same in the translation of the LXX.; and whence that coincidence was we shall afterwards inquire. Aquila somewhat otherwise, 'Ο χρόνος σου Θεὲ εἰς αἰῶνα καὶ ἔτι. Symmachus, Αιώνιος καὶ T. ( came to be translated ri, from likeness of sound.) In sì, "O God," he expresseth the apostrophe, which is evident in the context. Σκήπτρον εὐθύτητος, σκήπτρον βασιλείας σου. pay he renders by σκήπτρον, "sceptrum," a sceptre, properly, as we shall see afterwards on Gen. xlix. 10. 'Euíonoas doinua, "Thou hast hated ungodliness," impiety, yu?. 'Ehaíw zapas, "With the oil of joy," vy. Symmachus, Ελαίῳ ἀγλαϊσμοῦ, another word of the same signification with that used by the apostle. From Ps. xlv. 6, 7.

Ver. 10-12. Σὺ κατ ̓ ἀρχὰς, Κύριε, τὴν γῆν ἐθεμελίωσας, καὶ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σου εἰσὶν οἱ οὐρανοί· αὐτοὶ ἀπολοῦνται, σὺ δὲ διαμένεις· καὶ πάντες ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσονται· καὶ ὡσεὶ περιβόλαιον ἑλίξεις αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἀλλαγήσονται· σὺ δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς εἶ, καὶ τὰ ἔτη σου οὐκ ἐκλείψουσι — And, Thou, O Lord, in the beginning hast founded the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: they shall perish; but thou remainest; and they shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail." From Ps. cii. 25-27. And these words of the apostle are now exactly in the Greek Bible. Some little difference there is in them from the Hebrew, the reason whereof we shall afterwards give an account of. Symmachus for ¿níğıç reads aλnáğus, and so did the copies of the LXX. of old, the word being yet retained in some of them, and reckoned by all amongst the various readings of that translation. The word Kúpiɛ, “O Lord," inserted by the apostle, is also undoubtedly taken from hence into the Greek Bible; for as the inserting of it was necessary unto the apostle to denote the person treated of, so it is not in the original, nor will the context of the psalm admit of it; so that it could no otherwise come into that place but from this of the apostle. Nor is it probable that the LXX. would translate, Exiğerç, "Thou shalt roll up," and immediately render, 'Aλαуýσovтαι, They shall be changed." But here also the words have been borrowed from the apostle, whose design was not exactly to translate, but faithfully to apply the sense of the place unto his own purpose. Ver. 13. Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου, ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον Tay Today Gou"Sit thou at my right hand, until I place thine enemies the footstool of thy feet." From Ps. cx. 1. 5, "At my right

τῶν ποδῶν σου

hand,” iz değ‹ãv, in the plural number; of the reason of which change and manner of expression we shall treat in its proper place. And here there remains nothing of difference in any old translation.

3. CHAP. II. ver. 6-8. Τί ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος, ὅτι μιμνήσκῃ αὐτοῦ· ἢ υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου, ὅτι ἐπισκέπτῃ αὐτὸν; ἠλάττωσας αὐτὸν βραχύ τι παρ' ἀγγέλους· δόξῃ καὶ τιμῇ ἐστεφάνωσας αὐτὸν, καὶ κατέστησας αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὰ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σου πάντα ὑπέταξας ὑποκάτω τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ·—“ What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou hast made him less for a little while than the angels; thou hast crowned him with glory and honour, and hast set him over the works of thy hands: thou hast subjected all things under his feet." From Ps. viii. 4-6. The words of the apostle are the same with those in the present copy of the LXX. Theodotion, Bpaxú Tara SEO, DUND yp, from the ambiguous signification of the word D, about which great stirs have been raised; whereof in their proper place. Chrysostom on this text mentions some different translations of the words of the psalm. "AX205, saith he, Tí i xar' avôpa öri juvn/Lovebeiç αůToũ;-"Another book reads, 'What is he according to man, that thou rememberest him?"" is not Tío zar ävôpa, but Ti ἄνθρωπος θνητος; “What is mortal man? Again, "Αλλος ἀντὶ τοῦ, Επιστ κέπτῃ αὐτὸν, Επισκέψῃ αὐτόν·—“Another, instead of, Thou visitest him, 'That thou wilt visit him."" Again, 'Hλárrwoas autòv Вpaxi To Tap ἀγγέλους· ἕτερος, Βραχύ τι παρὰ Θεόν· ἄλλος, Ολίγον παρὰ Θεόν,—“Instead of Less for a little while than angels;' another, 'A little less than God;' and another, 'Less than God."" And, he adds, the Hebrew is,

pronunciation of the Hebrew from that in use amongst us. Again, he adds, "Ετερος, Δόξῃ καὶ τιμῇ στέψεις αὐτόν, — “Thou shalt crown him with glory and honour;” and yet, ἄλλος, Εξουσιάζειν ἐποίησας αὐτόν, —“Thou madest him to have power." From all which variety it is most evident that there were various readings of this context in the ancient copies of the LXX., for no footsteps of them appear in the remains of Aquila, Theodotion, or Symmachus; and that therefore the common reading which is now fixed in the Greek Bible was translated thither from this place of the apostle.

Ver. 12. Απαγγελῶ τὸ ὄνομά σου τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου, ἐν μέσῳ ἐκκλησίας ipvýow σε•—“ I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will sing praise unto thee." From Ps. xxii. 22. The LXX., Διαγήσομαι τὸ ὄνομα, ΠΥΡΟΝ

Ver. 13. Εγὼ ἔσομαι πεποιθὼς ἐπ' αὐτῷ· —“I will put my trust in him." From Ps. xviii. 2. LXX., ’Ehπıñ it' airór-" I will hope in him." But ia is rightly rendered by the apostle, "I will trust in him." The LXX. have these words of the apostle in Isa. viii. 17, where the words of the original are is," And I will wait for him:" so that their words seem to be taken from this place of the

לוֹ

apostle, as apprehending his testimony to be cited from the prophet; which that it is not we shall prove evidently afterwards.

The same verse: Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ καὶ τὰ παιδία ἅ μοι ἔδωκεν ὁ Θεός·— "Behold I and the children which God hath given me." From Isa. viii. 18.

4. CHAP. III. ver. 7-11. Σήμερον ἐὰν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἀκούσητε, μὴ σκληρύνητε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, ὡς ἐν τῷ παραπικρασμῷ, κατὰ τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ πειρασμοῦ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· οὗ ἐπείρασάν με οἱ πατέρες ὑμῶν, ἐδοκίμασάν με, καὶ εἶδον τὰ ἔργα μου τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη· διὸ προσώχθισα τῇ γενεᾷ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ εἶπον, ̓Αεὶ πλανῶνται τῇ καρδίᾳ, αὐτοὶ δὲ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν τὰς ὁδούς μου· ὡς ὤμοσα ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ μου· εἰ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν κατάπαυσίν μου· — To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the day of provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest." From Ps. xcv. 7-11. The translation of the LXX. agrees with the words of the apostle, both of them answering the original. Only, the apostle, clearly to express the reason of God's judgments on that people in the wilderness, distinguisheth the words somewhat otherwise than they are in the Hebrew text. For whereas that saith, "When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works: forty years long was I grieved with that generation;" the apostle adds that season of "forty years" to the mention of their sins, and interposing dió, "wherefore," refers his speech unto the words foregoing, as containing the cause of the ensuing wrath and judgment. And although our present copies of the Greek Bible distinguish the words according to the Hebrew text, yet Theodoret informs us that some copies made the distinction with the apostle, and added dié before poowa, which also is observed by Nobilius: and this could arise from no other cause but an attempt to insert the very words of the apostle in that text; as did the Tov also, reckoned amongst its various lections, though ia remains in the vulgar editions.

5. CHAP. IV. ver. 4. Καὶ κατέπαυσεν ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδίμη ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἔργων αὑτοῦ·“ And God rested on the seventh day from all his works." From Gen. ii 2. The apostle adds ỏ sòs to the text, to complete his assertion, and leaves out y N, ä iπoínos, "which he had made," as not to his purpose. The LXX., ŵv éπoinos, and otherwise also differing from the apostle.

6. CHAP. V. ver. 6. Σὺ ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδέκ· "Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec." From Ps. cx. 4. So also the LXX, 77, with jod superfluous, zarà Xóyov; i.e.,, Mos. There is nothing of variety remaining in these words from any other translations.