29. For, first, this is manifest from the context and words them- selves. The promise of the Messiah was the foundation of that nation and people, the reason of the call of Abraham, and of the erection of a kingdom and a state in his posterity. This we have elsewhere demonstrated. This promise concerning him, and cove- nant in him, was always the chief matter and head of the patri- archal benedictions, when they blessed their children and posterity. Now, unless we grant him to be intended in this expression, there is no mention of him at all in this prophetical eulogy of Jacob. Besides, his posterity bemg now to be distributed into twelve dis- tinct tribes or families, and each of them having his peculiar blessing appropriated unto him, wherein it is certain and confessed by all the Jews that this privilege of bringing forth the Messiah was henceforth empaled [7. e., restricted] unto Judah, it must be done in this place, or there is no footstep of it in the Scripture; and it is very strange that Jacob, in reckoning up the privileges and advantages of Judah above his brethren, should omit the chief of them, from whence all the rest did flow. And the very tenor of the words manifests this intention. Fixing on that which was the fountain and end of all
280 THE PROMISED MESSIAH [ EXERC. XII.
blessing, on the promised Seed, he passeth over his elder children, and determines it on Judah, with the continuance of rule to the coming thereof.
30. Secondly, That which in the text is affirmed concerning this Shiloh makes it yet more evident who it is that is intended: DYDY Nip. im ;—“ To him the gathering of the people.” DAP.: LXX., spoodoxia evar, “the expectation of the nations,’—that is, PM, from MP, “to expect or look for.” So the Vulgate, “expectatio gen- tium.” Onkelos, sony pyone» mb;—“ And him shall the people obey,” or “to him they shall hearken.” Ben Uzziel, pony may snioy;—“ Because of him the people shall faint;” that is, cease their opposition, and submit unto him. Targum of Jerusalem, pany m5 xy xmabda 55 praynw;—“ And to him shall all the kingdoms of the earth be subject.” All tothe same purpose. 17?', in construction, from T2%, is from "IP, “ to hear, attend, obey.” The word is but once more used in the Scripture, Prov. xxx. 17, where it is rendered “ doc- trine,” orteaching given out with authority,and therefore to be obeyed: so that primarily it may seem to denote obedience unto doctrine; which because men gather themselves together to attend unto, it signifies also that gathering together; and so is rendered by Rashi, np"on, “the gathering together;” collection, or congregating; and also is it by others, who seem to look on ™? as its root, which signifies “to gather and collect,” as well as “ to hope, expect, and look after.” That which in all these interpretations is aimed at, whereim they all agree, is one and the same thing,—namely, that the Gentiles, people, heathen, should be called and gathered unto the Shiloh, should hear his doctrine, obey his law, and be made subject unto him.
Now, as this was eminently contained in the great, fundamental - promise concerning the Messiah made to Abraham, namely that “in him all the nations of the earth should be blessed,” so there is not any description of him in the following prophets more eminent than this, that “unto him the gathering of the people should be,” which in many places is made the characteristical note of his person and kingdom. Hence some of the Jews themselves, as Rabbi Solomon, interpret this place by that of Isa. xi. 10, 277) OMA YX, —“ To him shall Gentiles seek;” and that of chap. xlii, 4, .9m% os innings — “The isles shall wait for his law.” The sense also of the words given by the LXX. and the Vulgate, rpocdoxia édvaiv, “ expectatio gentium,” has good countenance given unto it in other places of Scripture: for as he is called, Hag. i. 7, prada non, “The desire of all na- tions,” that which they desire and expect; so speaking of himself, Isa. 1x. 9, he says, 32) ONS 2, “The isles” (the same with 0.3, “the Gentiles”) “ shall wait for me,” or “expect me.” Now, he to whom the Gentiles shall seek, whose doctrine they shall learn, whose law they shall obey, to whom they shall be subject, in whom they shall
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be blessed, and to whom they shall be gathered for ail these ends and purposes, is the true and only Messiah; and this is the Shiloh here mentioned.
31. We have the concurring assent of all the Targums unto this application of the word “Shiloh.” Ben Uzziel: xadm sn ‘4 por oy smwn ;—“ Until the time wherein the King Messiah shall come.” The same are the words in that of Jerusalem; both of them, as we saw before, interpreting the next words also of the Messiah. And Onkelos to the same purpose: xmadn sin MSS NM! NIIY;— “ Until the Messiah shall come, whose is the kingdom.” Now, after the Scripture itself, there is no greater evidence of the persuasion of the old church of the Jews than what is found in the consent of these Targums; and of how little validity the exceptions of the modern Jews are against their authority is known to all.