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The reader will obferve, that in this tranflation, I have differed from the common tranflation of the Bible: in making use of the fingular pronoun be, instead of they : but I must inform him, that it is strictly conformable to the Hebrew word made use of by the Prophet; . And which was done, in order to diftinguish the difference in the bitter lamentation that Rachel made for the lofs of her children. It is well known, that on the divifion of the kingdom*, in the days of Rehoboam, Joseph and Benjamin were divided for the two fons of Jofeph, Ephraim and Manaffeh, belonged to the kingdom of Ifrael; but Benjamin remained with Judah . Now, it is likewife well known, that the children of Jofeph, viz, the tribes of Ephraim and Manaffeh, were part of the ten tribes, that were carried captive into Affyria, and were ‡ placed in Halah and in Habor by the river Gozen, and in the cis ties of the Medes: and who never returned to the fecond temple: nor do we know to

1 King. xii. 16. &c.

+ Ibid. 21.

2 King. xvii. 6.

this day, where they are, or what is becon of them. As to the tribe of Benjamin, v know that it was carried captive to Babylo with Judah; that it returned to the fecon temple, and was again carried captive at th deftruction of the fecond temple: and w alfo know that it at prefent exists, the fam as the tribe of Judah. The Prophet there fore, reprefents Rachel weeping for he children; becaufe they were carried captive and which denotes the tribe of Benjamin. But her greateft affliction, is for the tribe of Jofeph; because he is not: because he did not return to the fecond temple; nor does fhe know any thing of him and therefore, the Prophet fays, the refufeth to be com forted for her children, because he (is) not: i. e. Jofeph, her eldeft fon. This is the reafon, that the Prophet made ufe of the fingular pronoun and which alfo accounts for the repetition of * for her chil

dren;

This repetition, Dr. Blaney in his new Tranfation of Jeremiah, has rejected with much contempt, as he fays, it carries internal marks of interpolation, being not only fuperfluous, but rather perplexing the fenfe, and loading the metre." But, had he been fully acquainted with the facred

Lan

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dren; because the lamented the lofs of both her children: but her grief was far more piercing for Jofeph; and therefore the refused to be comforted; because he was not. And for this reafon, fhe received diftinct anfwers from God, concerning each of her

that

Language, fo different in its idiom from all others; efpecially, the prophetic part; (into the fpirit of which, he was by no means able to enter) he would not have decided fo haftily on the word of God; contrary to all the Hebrew printed Bibles; the Hebrew commentators; the Chaldee Paraphrast, and the received reading. All which, according to the explanati on here given, perfectly agree with the accent affixed under the first by and which shews that here is a pause: and She refufeth, reads downwards: which makes the whole read fmooth, beautiful, and affecting; without the least fuperfluity, or perplexity. But forfooth, it loaded the Rev. Gentlemen's Metre; ay, there is the rub. This is an unpardonable crime in the prefent Hebrew printed text: it is like the fin against the holy ghost, never to be forgiven by the Metrical Tranflators of the Bible: and which is owing to their treating the Prophets as Poets, as writers of verfe; than which, nothing can be falfer; as I fhall fhew in the future publication, fo often alluded to in this work.

Since writing the preceding note, I chanced to look into the appendix of Dr. Blaney's Tranflation; and there I find that Arch Bishop Secker feemed to differ widely from the Dr. on this fubject: for he observes, "There is an emphasis in the repetition of the words by. So Horace, Epit. i. 14. 7. 8."

Fratrem mærentis, rapto de fratre dolentis
Infolabiliter.

children. And firft of Benjamin; ver. 16t "Thus faith the LORD, Refrain thy voi from weeping, and thine eyes from tears; f thy work fhall have a reward, faith th LORD, and they fhall return from the lar of the enemy:" That is, from Babylo And, although they should go into captivi again; yet fhall they in the end return t their own land: verie 17th. "There is ai fo hope in thy latter end, faith the LORD and (thy) children fhall return unto thei own border." This is fpoken of the futur redemption.

Having thus anfwered her concerning Benjamin; the Prophet now proceeds to give her an anfwer concerning Jofeph, ver. 18.--19. "I have furely heard Ephraim lamenting himself (thus ;) Thou didst chaftife me, and I was chaftifed, like a fteer not broken:" And being now by this chastisement better inftructed, I thus offer up my "Turn thou me, and I fhall be turned; for thou (art) the LORD my God. Surely after that I was turned, I repented, and after that I was inftructed, 1 fmote upon my thigh; I was afhamed, and alfo confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth." I

prayer,

have

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received reproach on reproach: for the mis-
conduct of my earlier days hath fixed a blot
upon my character, and fubjected me to re-
proach; and therefore, when my present fins
are noticed, thofe of my youth, are also re-
membered; and I thus receive a double re-
proach; being accounted as one hardened in
fin from his earliest youth. And as he was
thus truly penitent, by a thorough confeffion,
and fincere repentance; the LORD says, verse
20th. "Is (not) Ephraim my precious fon?
Is he (not) my darling child?" That is, thou
halt no more be reproached for the fins that
thou haft committed in thy mature years, nor
fhalt thou bear the reproach of thy youth,
for thou art my precious fon: that is, when
thou waft grown up, and hadft arrived to
man's eftate; then waft thou a fon dear to
me. And when thou waft a little child,
then waft thou a fondly beloved child:
"Wherefore, whenever I speak of him, I do
earnestly remember him ftill;" It is the
love I bear him, that I remember; and not
his fins: "Therefore my bowels are moved
for him; I will furely have mercy upon him,
faith the LORD." And the consequence of
this love is, that I will cause him to return
VOL. II.
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