373. The true pronunciation of the Hebrew language having been loft for many ages, the precife nature of its poetry cannot now be discovered; but it seems plainly to be characterised by periods of correfpondent members, one fynonymous with,' amplifying, or contrasted to, another; and fimilar in their length and structure; all which appears even in a literal verfion.

Lowth, Prel. Diff. p. 11, &c. Herder, ib.
' Pfal. ii. 1.—" Why do the heathen rage,

And the people imagine a vain thing?
3. Let us break their bands asunder,
And caft away their cords from us.

Pfal. iii. 3.-But thou, O Lord, art a fhield for me;
My glory and the lifter up of my head.

3 Prov. x. 1.-A wife fon maketh a glad father;

But a foolish fon is the heavinefs of his mother.”

374. The Hebrew poetry is remarkable for concifenefs; the fentences are fhort, no fuperfluous words.

375. It is, likewife, highly figurative, and abounds with the noblest and most beautiful metaphors and comparisons, derived from a variety of fources; profopopeias; bold tranfitions; abrupt change of perfons; and, in general, all the acknowledged ornaments of difcourfe.

376. In confequence of both thefe qualities, it is ftrong, bold, and nervous.

377. It is a great beauty in the Hebrew poetry, and

contributes much to perfpicuity, that the fame fet of images are constantly appropriated to the fame fubjects.

Lowth's Ifa. ii. 13.

"Mountains," for ftates.

“Cedars, oaks, potentates, princes. Towers, fortreffes," protectors. "Ships," mer

chants.

378. The Bible exhibits fpecimens of almost all kinds of poetry; agreeing in the fame general features, but with differences fuitable to the peculiar nature of each; didactic, in the Proverbs, Ecclefiaftes, and many of the Pfalms; elegiac, in Jeremiah's Lamention, and several leffer pieces; paftoral, in Solomon's Song; and lyric, in hymns, as most of the Pfalms, and feveral interfperfed both in the hiftorical and prophetical books; befides Job, the nature of which is difputed.

379. Besides all these, the Bible contains a species of poetry peculiar to itself, the prophetical; which, though perhaps fcarcely diftinguishable from the others, in respect of its poetry, is, in refpect of its fubject, prediction, a very peculiar kind of compofition; but, most of its peculiarities being fuch as occafion difficulties, they belong, moft properly, to the fecond part.

380. The ftructure of the Hebrew poetry, fometimes ferves for detecting a mistake in our present copies, and for fuggefting or confirming the true read

ing:

Lowth,

Lowth, Prel. Diff. p. 37, 40.

Pfal. xxxviii. 19. "Mine enemies lively (n living) they are strong;

And they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. Lively is not fynonymous with wrongfully-fuggefts on, without caufe. This confirmed from Pfal. Ixix. 4. where this word is put parallel to pw, here ufed; but where there feems to be another mistake. Literally it runs,

"They are multiplied more than the hairs of my head, that hate me without cause ;

They are increased that would deftroy me,

(n) mine enemies wrongfully.

Not parallel-fuggefts nnx, "more than my looks. " So 7 MSS.

Lowth, ib.

381. The structure of the Hebrew poetry may likewife contribute to the interpretation of Scripture, by indicating in what sense an obfcure or ambiguous word ought to be taken in a particular place.

Lowth, ib. p. 37-39.

Ifa. xxviii. 14. "Wherefore, hear the word of the Lord, ye fcoffers,

Ye who rule (wn) this people in Jerufalem, "

The word fignifies not only to rule, but to speak parables or fententious fayings, which is parallel to fcoffers. One of their fayings is inftanced in ver. 15.

"We have made a covenant with death,

And with hell are we at agreement.

So I mult, from the nature of the poetry, fignify here, as well as niin v. 18.; but it does fo nowhere else.

Lowth, ib. Vitringa in loc.

I 3

Ver.

Ver. 18. "Your covenant with death fhall be broken,

And your agreement with hell fhall not stand. ” Either 5 muft here fignify to break, which it does nowhere else; or, more probably, the true reading is on. Chald. So lfa. viii, 10.

Lowth, ib. Houbig. in loc,

SECT. II.

Of the Authors of the Books of Scripture.

382. To know who are the authors of the feveral books of Scripture, is neceffary, chiefly for establishing their authority and inspiration; in which light it belongs to another part of our plan; but it is, in fome degree, conducive likewise to our understanding them; and, it is in this view only, that it claims our present notice,

383. We are abundantly certain concerning the authors of most of the books of Scripture, though we be ignorant of many particulars about them, which it might be defirable or useful to know.

384. Though all the authors of Scripture be infpired, yet, in regard to their manner of writing, they are left to follow each his own genius, turn of thought, and mode of expreffion; in all which there is great diversity; and attention to this will contribute to our

reading

reading their works both with pleasure and with advantage.

385. An author's peculiar character may fometimes contribute to our determining the true reading; for, among various readings, equally fupported, that ought to be preferred, which is agreeable to the author's style and manner.

386. But, knowledge of the author's hiftory, fituation, and manner of conceiving and expreffing things, contributes much more to our entering into his full meaning, and is often abfolutely neceffary for this purpose.

387. An author's fituation, and circumstances, will fometimes account for his choice of matter, for his omitting fome topics, and enlarging upon others.

Mark is filent concerning things honourable to Peter, and
large on his faults. He was his companion, and wrote from
his information.

Lardner's Credibility, Supplem. c. 7. § 5, 8. Jones's
Method of Canon. P. 3.

388. In the hiftorical books of Scripture, there is great uniformity of manner; though, even in these, fome minute varieties may be difcerned, together with confiderable differences of style.

389. In the poetical and prophetical books, there is very great variety; every writer having his own character and manner very strongly marked.