temper. The other version, he has fainted, denoting a visible event, could not naturally come from those who knew nothing of what had happened, but by information from others. If it had been said, in the future ex5ntera, he will faint, the case had been different, as this would have been no more than an expression of their fears. L. Cl. was so sensible of the weight of the above mentioned objections, that, though he considered the pronoun avrov as relating to the crowd, he could not understand een, which he renders, qu'il etoit tombé en defaillance, as either spoken of the crowd, or as spoken by the friends: but, in order to keep clear of both these difficulties, he has, after Gro. adopted an hypothesis which, if possible, is still more exceptionable. He supposes, in contradiction to all appearances, that the word Ayov, in this verse, is used impersonally or indefinitely, and that the same word, in the next verse, so similarly introduced, is used personally or definitely. Accordingly, he translates tλyov yap not car ils disoient, as the construction of the words requires, but car on disoit, thus making it not what his kinsmen inferred, but what was reported to them. If this had actually been the case, the simple, obvious, and proper, expression in Gr. would have been: Ακουσαντες οι παρ αυτον οτι εξετηκε, εξήλθον κρατησαι UToy. In this case, also, I should have thought it not improbable that the word implied no more than those writers suppose, namely, that he had fainted. Some are for rendering it, he wondered, or was amazed, assigning to it the same meaning which the word has ch. ii. 12. where an evident subject of wonder and amazement is first mentioned, and then the passion, as the natural effect. This way of rendering the words is exposed to objections equally strong, and more obvious. The only modern Eng. versions, that I know, which follow the common translation, are Hey. and Wes. Gro. thinks that the Sy. and Ara. favour his explanation of the words. But Father Si. is of a different opinion. I cannot help observing, on the whole, that in the way the verse is here rendered, no signification is assigned to the words, which it is not universally allowed they frequently bear; no force is put upon the construction, but every thing interpreted in the manner which would most readily occur to a reader of common understanding, who, without any preconceived opinion, entered on the study. On the contrary, there is none of the other interpretations which does not (as has been shown) offer some violence to the words, or to the syntax; in consequence of which, the sense extracted, is far from being that which would most readily present itself to an unprejudiced reader. It hardly admits a doubt, that the only thing which has hindered the universal concurrence of translators, in the common version, is the unfavourable light it puts our Lord's relations in. But that their disposition was, at least, not always favourable to his claims, we have the best authority for asserting. See J. vii. 5. with the context. I shall conclude this long critique on the whole passage, with taking notice of a different reading on the first part of it. The Cam. (with which concur two versions, the Go. and the Cop.) substitutes ότε ηκουσαν περι αυτου οι γραμματεις καὶ οι λοιποι, when the Scribes and the rest heard concerning him, for anovσavres i waр αυτού. Had this reading been sufficiently supported (which is far from being the case), I should have gladly adopted it, and saved the relations. 27. The strong one's house. L. xi. 21. N. 29. Eternal punishment. Ch. xii. 40. N. CHAPTER IV. 10. Those who were about him, with the twelve, asked him, ηρώτησαν αυτον οι περι αυτον συν τοις δώδεκα. Vul. Interrogaverunt eum hi qui cum eo erant duodecim. With this agrees the Sax. In conformity to the import, though not to the letter, of this reading, four Gr. MSS. of which the Cam. is one, instead of περι αυτον συν τοις δωδεκα, read οι μαθηται αυτου. countenance which the reading adopted by the antiquity. This is all the Vul. has from E. T. Unto 24. To you who are attentive, MIV TOIG XX887IV. you that hear. The places are numberless, wherein the Heb. you shamang, and the Gr. axoves, signify not barely to hear, but to be attentive, to show regard to what one hears. See, amongst other passages, Mt. xviii. 15, 16. That it must be understood with this limitation here, is evident from its being preceded by the warning, βλέπετε τι ακουετε, and from its being followed by the words is yap a where the phrases, to have, and not to have, are, on all sides, allowed to mean, in the first instance, to make, and not to make, a good use of what one has; and, in the second, barely to possess, and not to possess. It may be proper to add, that in some noted MSS. the words to ax88 are wanting; as well as in the Vul. Cop. and Ara. versions. 25. From him who hath not, even that which he hath, shall be taken. See the preceding N. That which he hath, in the last clause, is what he is possessed of. I did not think it proper to interpret the word differently, according to its different senses, because there is, here, an intended paronomasia. Mt. x. 39. N. 36. Having him in the bark, they set sail, αυτον, ὡς ην εν τω πλοίω. E. T. They took him, even as he was, in the ship. Vul. Assumunt eum ita ut erat in navi. The word ita, even, has not any thing in the original corresponding to it, and does not serve to illustrate the sense. With the Vul. agree most modern versions. L. Cl. indeed says, Ils le prirent dans leur barque, but has overlooked the s entirely. Raphelius seems to understand the passage in the same way that L. Cl. does, and explains, with such preparation as he had, putting the comma after and not after auTov. With Elsner, I approve more ny, the common interpretation. Against the other there are three principal objections: 1st. The words are not es to holov, but EV TW Tho. 2dly, No example of as "v, in their acceptation, has been yet produced. To give, as an example, oπEP EVVEσNEVATμsvos y, is too ridiculous to require an answer. Nor is it more to the purpose, to quote phrases so different as sex and s and ETUXE. 3dly, It does not suit the humble manner in which our Lord travelled at all times. He never affected the state of a great man; nor do we ever hear of servants, horses, or waggons, attending him with provisions. Dr. Pearce, who seems to favour that way of rendering the words, was sensible of this incongruity, and therefore explains it, tired as he was; but this still supposes such an ellipsis in the expression as I can find no example of. 39. Commanded the wind. Ch. ix. 25. N. CHAPTER V. 1. Gadarenes. Tadapnyav. Vul. Gerasenorum. Mt. viii. 28. N. 3. In the tombs, ev tois ponμesors. In a very great number of MSS. amongst which are all the oldest and the best, it is E TO μνημασι. The Com. and Ben. read so. This is one of those diversities concerning which, as the sense is not affected, we can conclude nothing from translations. I agree with Mill and Wet. in adopting it, and have, therefore, though of little consequence, rendered it tombs, as I commonly use monument in translating μνημείον. 7. I conjure thee, ogniw . E. T. I adjure thee. It was ob served, on Mt. xxvi. 63. that the verbs og and ex, when spoken of as used by magistrates, or those in authority, denote to adjure; that is, to oblige to swear, to exact an oath; but when it is mentioned as used by others, and on ordinary occa sions, it is better rendered to conjure, or to obtest solemnly. 11. The mountain, va ogŋ. There is so great a concurrence of the most valuable MSS. early editions, Fathers, and ancient versions, in favour of Ta ogt, in the singular, that it is hardly possible to question its authenticity. The ancient translations which corroborate this reading, are all those that are of any account with critics, the Vul. both the Sy. the Ara. the Go. the Cop. the Sax. and the Eth. Gro. Mill, and Wet. receive it. 15. Him who had been possessed by the legion, vor dasporicoμενον τον εσχηκοτα τον λεγεωνα. The latter clause is not in the Cam, and one other MS. and seems not to have been read by the author of the Vul. who says, Illum qui a dæmonio vexabatur. Neither is it in the Sax. αρχομαι 17. They entreated him to leave their territories, nggarto wagaκαλειν αυτον απελθειν απο των όριων αυτων. Ε. Τ. They began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. It has been long observed by critics, that agxoma in scripture, before an infinitive, is often no more than an expletive, αρχομαι λέγειν for λέγω, &c. That this is sometimes the case, cannot be doubted, but as, in my judgment, it does not hold so frequently, as some imagine, I shall make a few observations for ascertaining the cases in which that verb is significant, and ought to be translated. The 1st is, when an adverb of time appears to refer us to the special circumstance expressed by agxoμas. Thus Mt. iv. 17. Απο τοτε ήρξατο ο Ιησές ngur-From that time Jesus began to proclaim-Then was the first example he gave of the practice. So Mt. xvi. 21. The 2d is, when the scope of the place produces the same effect, with είπον an adverb of time. Thus we see with equal evidence that de nμзga ngαтo xλ‹verv. L. ix. 12. must be translated, the day began to decline. AgzoμEVWY DE TOTWY Vivecda. L. xxi. 28. When these things begin to be fulfilled. Ουτος ο ανθρωπος ηρξατο οικοδομείν, και L. xiv. 30. εκ ίσχυσεν εκτελεσαι. This man began to build, but was not able to finish. These, though the clearest, are not the only cases wherein agxona is not redundant. The third is, when a clause is subjoined which appears to have some reference to the particular circumstance expressed by axoμa. Thus Mt. xii. 1, 2. Οι μαθηται αυτο ηξξαντο τιλλειν ταχυας-Οι δε Φαρισαίοι ιδοντες ETO-The known captiousness of the Pharisees, and their forwardness, on every occasion, to reproach our Lord, give ground to think, it was the historian's intention to suggest, that the disciples were but begun to pluck the ears of corn, when they obtruded their censure, and that, consequently, began to pluck is not a mere pleonasm for plucked. The 4th and only other case which occurs, is when agxoμa seems to insinuate that what was done was not much, that it was of short continuance, like an action only begun. An example of this we have in Mt. xi. 20. Ηρξατο ονειδίζειν τας πολεις—He began to reproach the cities-Mt. xxvi. 22. ngžœvτO XEYEIN EXASOS AUT marks more strongly the ab. ruptness and coincidence of the cry, than ελεγεν εκαςος could have done. I own, however, that the two cases last mentioned have not equal evidence with the two which precede them, and would therefore condemn no interpreter for dropping agxoμa in both. For my part, I choose to retain it, as I think it neither quite unmeaning, nor even unsuitable to modern idioms. Si. in Fr. in these cases, sometimes renders aged by the verb se mettre, which seems equivalent. Thus Ses disciples se mirent à arracher -and Il se mit à reprocher-In other cases, particularly in the text, the redundancy of agxopal is manifest. 23. I pray thee come, and lay thy hands upon her, iva eλowv ETTIONS AUTH TAG XEgas. Vul. Veni, impone manum super cam. Perhaps the La. version of the words has arisen from a different reading in the original. The Cam. with other differences, has 20 in the imperative. Perhaps it has been what the La. translator thought a proper expression of the sense. The conjunction ive, with the subjunctive mood, not preceded by another verb, is |