4 PS, THs Davns avTod. mim Sp, “the voice of the Lorp,” is sometimes taken for his power, inasmuch as by ‘his ee: as an intimation and signification of the power which he puts forth therein, he created and disposeth of all things. See Ps. xxix. 3-5, 7-9, where the mighty works of God’s power and providence are assigned unto his voice. See also Mic. vi. 9. Sometimes it is used for the reve- lation of his will in his commands and promises. This is the Acyos rpoPopinds of God, the word of his will and pleasure. But it is withal certain that >4p and @avy4 are used principally, if not solely, for a sudden, transient voice or speaking. For the word of God as delivered in the Scripture is "27 and Acyos, sometimes pie, not Sp or Qovy. So the lifting up of the voice amongst men, is to make some sudden outcry; as, “They lifted up their voice and wept.” These words, then, do ordinarily signify a sudden, marvellous speaking of God from heaven, testifying unto any thing. So doth Qavy, Marki. 11, Kai Qavq éyévero tx ray ovpavav,— —And there was a voice from heaven.” So Matt. xvii. 5; Luke iii. 22; John xii. 28,”"Haéev ov» Qavy ex rod ovpavov,—* There came therefore a voice from heayen:” which when the multitude heard, they said Gpovrqy yeyovevas, “that it thundered ;” for thunder was called 2"7>8 4p, “ the voice of God.” So the n>p, “ the voices,” Exod. xix. 16, that accompanied the ©7723 or “lightnings,” that is, the thunders that were at the giving of the law, are rendered by our apostle Qavi, inuarov, Heb. xii. 19; that is, the thunders from heaven which accompanied the words that were spoken. So is Qwvq used Acts x. 13, 15, xxvi. 14. Hence came the Sp ma, “ Bath Kol” among the ancient Jews: or, as in the Chaldee, sop ma, Gen. xxxviii. 26. “There came filia vocis” (“the daughter of the voice”) “from heaven.” And so the Syriac version in this place: ">p ma 48 yoxen, “if you will hear the daughter of the voice.” They called it so, as be- ing an effect or product of the power of God, to cause his mind and will to be heard and understood by it. They thought it was not the voice of God himself immediately, but as it were the echo of it,—a secondary voice, the offspring of another. And whereas they acknowledge, that after the building of the second temple the ss"22 hy, or wpm hi, the “Spirit of prophecy and of inspiration,” ceased in their clvesh. mae contend that revelations were made by the bp na, or immediate voice from heaven, though they can instance in none but those which concerned our Saviour, which the apostles declared and made famous, 2 Pet. i. 17. But it may be there is that in this tradition which they understand not. Elias in his Tishbi tells us, "bx Sp mepin nas m9 by dip atin poi mbapit tba win j2,—" The Cabbalists say that it is the voice of a property in God elas is called Kol; and it may be it is so.” They have no other way to express a person in the divine nature but by "7, a special property. And one of these, they say, is called “Kol,” that is, “the Word,” the eternal Word or Son of God. His especial
& AN EXPOSITION OF THE [omap. TIT.
speaking is intended in this expression; which is true. So his speaking is called his “speaking from heaven,” Heb. xii. 25; although I deny not but that the immediate speaking of the Father in reference unto the Son is sometimes so ex- pressed, Matt. xvii. 5, 2 Pet.i.17. But an especial, extraordinary word is usually so intended. So our Saviour tells the Pharisees, that they had not heard rq Qayvyv, the voice of God at any time, nor seen his sidoc, his shape, John y. 37. They had heard the voice of God in the reading and preaching of the word, but that was ¢ Adyos, “his word.” His Qayvyy they had not heard. Notwith- standing all their pretences and boastings, they had not at any time extraordinary revelations of God made unto them. For there is an allusion to the revelation of the will of God at Horeb, when his Sp, or Quv%, or “ voice,” was heard, and his HS? or <idos, his “shape,” appeared, or a miraculous appearance of his presence was made; both now being accomplished in himself in a more eminent manner, as the apostle declares, John i. 16-18. It is true the Lord Christ calls his ordinary preaching, as we say, “viva voce,” rj» Qavyy, his “ voice,” John x. 3, 16; but this he doth because it was extraordinary, his person, work, and call being so. Wherefore the psalmist in these words, as to the historic and typical intendment of them, recalls the people unto the remembrance and ‘consideration of God’s speaking unto them in the giving of the law at Horeb, and exhorts them unto obedience unto it formally upon that consideration,—namely, that the will of God was uttered unto them in a marvellous and extraordinary manner. And as to the prophetical intendment of it, he intimates another extraordinary revelation of it, to be made by the Messiah, the Son of God.