into a , for the termination of the next preceding word, the infinitive by See Jer. vi, 1.

Verse 40. "But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke;" rather, "But when the pile began to send up from the city a pil lar of smoke"

-"the flame;" rather, " the conflagration."

Verse 41. "But when the men of Israel-the men of Benjamin were amazed;" rather, "And the men of Israel faced about, and the men of Benjamin were panic-struck.'

66

Verses 42, 43. - but the battle overtook them Thus they inclosed-round

and them

about, and chased them," &c. Read, }

והמלחמה הדביקתהו ואשר מהערים משחיתים אותו בתוכה :

כתרו

"But the army pressed hard upon them, and the people from the cities, destroying them in the midst.

66

They surrounded the Benjaminites without ceas

ing, they trode them down," &c.

which is the only) בתוכה into בתוכו The change of

alteration) has the authority of a MS.

CHAP. XXI, 2. "to the house of God;" rather, "to Bethel." See chap. xx, 18.

Verse 4. " and built there an altar;" probably

because the altar of burnt-offerings at the tabernacle was too small for the sacrifices of the whole army.

See 1 Kings viii, 64.

Verse 11.

hath lien by man." The Vulgate

adds, "but save the virgins."

Verse 17.

"there must be an inheritance for

them that are escaped of Benjamin," &c.; rather, "The right of inheritance to Benjamin belongs to them that are escaped;" or, "The escaped have the right of inheritance to Benjamin, and a tribe must not be abolished in Israel." The sense is, that the few that remain were the rightful heirs of the possessions of the whole tribe, and that it would not be lawful to suffer the tribe to become extinct, and to divide its property among the rest.

RUTH,

CHAP. I, 12. "if I should say," &c.; rather,

66 suppose that I should say, I have hope, that I were even to be married this very night, and were even to bear children [this night].

Verse 13. —“ for them for them." For ', read, with Houbigant, the masculine, n.

Verse 14." and Orpah kissed her mother-inlaw." The LXX add," and returned to her people." Unquestionably they found in their MSS. between the words and, the words

.See Houbigant ותשב אל עמה

,שתיהן .great number of MSS

Verse 19. -"they two.". Read with a

CHAP. ii, 13. "though I be not like unto one"For, read, with Houbigant, ;" but would I were as one".

CHAP. iii, 1.-" rest for thee, that it may be well with thee;" rather, "a settlement for thee, which may be for thy happiness." The original expresses that the settlement should be both advantageous and agreeable to her inclination.

Verse 2.

"winnoweth barley to-night in the "winnoweth this night a

threshing-floor;" rather,

floor of barley."

Verse 3.-" put thy raiment upon thee, and get

and ושמת. read וירדתי and ושמתי thee down. For

7. MSS.

Verse 4.-" and lay thee down.", read S. MSS.

תאמרי אלי

Verse 5. sayest unto me." Read . MSS.

CHAP. iv, 4. " but if thou wilt not redeem it."

.MSS ואם לא תגאל read ואם לא יגאל For

Verse 5. "what day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess." For лNE", read Л; and for "", read with many MSS. . what day thou gettest

possession of the field at the hand of Naomi, thou must take possession of Ruth the Moabitess." See the antient versions. Compare verse 10, and see Houbigant.

Verse 7.

a man plucked off his shoe." That

is, the man who transferred the property plucked off his own shoe, and delivered it to him to whom the transfer was made. Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thyself, and plucked off his own shoe [and gave it to Boaz, in token of his voluntary transfer of his right to Elimelech's patrimony]. See LXX. Upon this antient form of a transfer of property, the law, Deut. xxv, 7-9, seems to have been founded.

Verse 11.-"make the woman-like Rachel and like Leah-and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem;" rather, 66 grant that the woman-may be like Rachel and like Leah-and set a good example in Ephratah, and that her name may be famous in Bethlehem."-" acquire fame,"

The .קראשמו 14 as in verse ,קראשמה read קראשם

subject of this whole 11th verse is Ruth, not Boaz, «Qui si ageretur in his verbis, legeretur

fac virtutem, ut ope : עשה חיל tu vero : ואתה

pronominis transitus fieret ad Boaz ab ipsâ Ruth, de quâ mox sermo erat. Ita interpretatur cum Vulgato Syrus. Vide ipsum, non autem Latinum ejus inter pretem." Houbigant ad locum.

-" which two.", read . MSS.