the former [to explain the application of the latter]. Many of the apostles were from this region. See Ps. Ixviii. 28 ; Acts i. 11, ii. 7. — 7»5, land, and Xabc, people, are placed in opposition. — odbv, the icay) The LXX. render TH (way) by 68bv (way). We must here understand xard, by. The exactness of the pro phetical topography is marvellous, minutely accurate both in latitude and longitude. — ^aXa<Tff?jc, of the sea1) See ver. 18. — ir'tpoLv rou'lopMvov, beyojid the Jordan) The Hebrew "OJJ,2 rendered in the present passage by the Greek vspav (beyond), is used with reference to a boundary considered in reference to, not only the farther side, but the hither side also. — r«X/Xa/a ruv ISvwv, Galilee of the Gentiles) Galilee, though inhabited by Israelites, was conterminous to the Gentiles, especially as far as the tribes of Zabulon and Naphthali were concerned. — See Killer's Ono- mata Sacra, p. 816. Galilee, previously to the time under con sideration, was behind Judaea in the cultivation of sacred learning : the citadel of the Levitical worship was at Jerasalem : the Jews therefore ought to have acknowledged our Lord more readily than the Galilaeans, to whom a compensation is now made for their previous disadvantages.
16. 'O •z-opsuo/j.tvo;, that ivalketh) There is here a threefold ascending climax.3
The people that Walketh
In Darkness Hath seen a Great Light.
And on those sitting
In the Region and Shadow of
Death, A Light hath arisen.
It is worse to sit, detained, in darkness, than to walk in it.4 — fide, hath seen — tpSJ$, aLight^) No one is saved except he be illu minated [by that Light]. See Acts xiii. 47. — xai roTg xu
1 Sc. of Galilee.— (I. B.)
2 Commonly, The region beyond. — (I. B.)
8 i.e. The three expressions used in the latter clause of this sentence are respectively stronger than those used in the former clause. — (I. B.)
4 Unfortunately for this remark, there is no very ancient authority for TroQtuofttvo;. All the oldest MSS. and versions, Vulg., etc., read Lachm. and Tischend. do not even notice the former reading. — ED.
* " Which illumines the whole world." — B. G. V.