converted to the Lord, to the law of the Lord, when the time arrives, the coming of the Messiah. And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand: this relates to religion, (and it means,) that the nations shall be converted to the law of the Lord. 11. Of the travail, (labor :) It means the reward which he shall receive on account of what he hath borne. He shall see his desire; or, he shall see good until he is satisfied; because by his knowledge he will make many righteous; and these are the nations whom Israel will teach to keep the law. And the meaning of he shall bear their iniquities-is, that Israel shall partake* of the distress of the nations on acconnt of the multitude of their iniquities; not as they acted towards Israel. Or else the meaning is, that they (Israel) would intercede with God on account of the nations, according to the meaning of -and if the family of Egypt go not up. This is evident to me, for it is proved by the subsequent verse. 12. Therefore: All the interpreters say that *Lit., be associated with. That is, the nations did not participate in or sympathize with Israel's distress. Zech. xiv. 18. This is an imperfect quotation. The author appears to have in mind the punishment threatened against such as shall refuse to go up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord, to avert which Israel is supposed to intercede. See the context in Zechariah. this verse is figurative, and relates to those who died on account of (the doctrine of) God's unity; and that the term many (7) is equivalent to great, (,) as-to every great man* of his house-and refers to the prophets, and—the strong -to the fathers: and (thus) the meaning will be, that the portion of those who have died on account of the unity will be with the prophets. Now we know that this thing is (indeed) true, but (the exposition) does not accord with the meaning of the section. It is evident to me, that the sense is this therefore I will give to Israel a portion, spoil and plunder of many nations; and from the strong, like—as soon as I go out from the city. On account of this (he shall have) a reward, because he poured out his soul to death. Some say that it corresponds with 3 and denotes publicity. But Esther i 8. The English translation is-" to all the officers;' but the version of Aben Ezra is much nearer the Hebrew, which is על כל-רב + I presume the author means, that, as the section in general describes literally the distress of Israel, the language by which the subsequent happiness and reward are described ought also to be understood literally, and therefore must not be explained simply of a future spiritual reward. It is important, however, to note his admission, that commentators had generally so understood it, inasmuch as this figurative meaning developing a spiritual reward, is the only one which accords with the Christian interpretation. Exod. ix. 29. This reference is to show, that of a preposition, and means from. את has the force in this place to make bare, expose, like, to reward, disclose, uncover. * it is plain to me that it is like—and she poured out her pitcher, though the forms are different: and evidence (may be found in the text)—pour not out my soul, in the same meaning as means the same as and with.-Transgressors, because they transgressed against the Lord thus were Israel accounted.-And he bare the sin of many: for their distress procured peace, (happiness,) for all the nations, and the sin which they should have borne was borne by Israel. And for the transgressors: on account of the transgressors he interceded with the Lord, agreeably to seek the peace of the city. The expression for the transgressors-is to be explained of the nations. I have thus interpreted to thee the whole section. And in my opinion, the expression, behold my servant shall understand, refers to him of whom the prophet says, behold, my servant, I will uphold him,-and he said to me, thou art my servant. And so it is written by his knowledge shall my righteous servant make many righteous and it is written, I gave my back to the smiters. And the deep sense is as I have * Gen. xxiv. 20. + Ps cxli. 8. In our English translation-" leave not my soul destitute." But the Hebrew word is the same as that in Isaiah, and the translation of Aben Ezra is quite exact. Jer. xxix. 7. || Isa. 1. 6. § Isa. xlii. 1. xlix. 3. pointed out through half* of the book, and observe all the divisions are closely connected. * Does he mean, through the latter half or portion of Isaiah, from the fortieth chapter to the end? The phrase,-servant of the Lord -occurs exclusively in this part of his prophecies. TRANSLATION OF THE TARGUM ON ISAIAH LII. 13-LIII. INTRODUCTION. THE word Targum means interpretation, and is employed to designate certain translations or paraphrases of the Old Testament into Chaldee. In very ancient periods, the Bible was translated into the vernacular languages of Jews who lived out of Palestine, and had lost, either partially or wholly, their knowledge of Hebrew. The Septuagint was prepared for those who were accustomed to the use of Greek, and the Targums for such as had gradually substituted the Chaldee dialect for their own. The most celebrated of these paraphrastic translations are those of ONKELos on the Pentateuch, and JONATHAN BEN UZZIEL on the prophets. In addition to the books to which we are accustomed to apply this term, the Jews comprehend under it Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. These they call the former prophets, in contradistinction to the others, denominated the later. According to the best Jewish accounts, |