37. The last day. The eighth, the close of the whole festival, and kept as a Sabbath (Lev. xxiii. 36). It was called the Day of the Great Hosanna, because a circuit was made seven times round the altar with “ Hosanna;” also the Day of Willows, and the Day of Beating the Branches, because all the leaves were shaken off the willow-boughs, and the palm- branches beaten in pieces by the side of the altar. Every morning, after the sacrifice, the people, led by a priest, repaired to the Fountain of Siloam, where the priest filled a golden pitcher, and brought it back to the temple amid music and joyful shouts. Advancing to the altar of burnt-offering, at the cry of the people, “Lift up thy hand!” he emptied the pitcher toward the west, and toward the east a cup of wine, while the people chanted, ‘“‘ With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.” It is not certain that this libation was made on the eighth day, but there can be no doubt that the following words of the Lord had reference to that cere- mony.
Stood (ciatjxe). The imperfect, was standing; watching the ceremonies. Both A. V. and Rev. miss this graphic touch.
38. The scripture hath said. There is no exactly corre- sponding passage, but the quotation harmonizes with the general tenor of several passages, as Isa. lv. 1; lviii. 11; Zech. xiii. 1; xiv. 8; Ezek. xlvii. 1; Joel iii. 18.
Belly (xovAlas). The word is often used in the Old Testa- ment for the mnermost part of a man, the soul or heart. See Job xv. 35; xxxii. 19; Prov, xviii. 8; xx. 27, 30. The rite of drawing and pouring out the water pointed back to the smitten rock in the desert. In Exod. xvii. 6, “there shall come water out of it,” is literally, “there shall come water from within him.” The word belly here means the inmost heart of the believer, which pours forth spiritual refreshment. Compare 1 Cor. x. 4; John iv. 14.
Shall flow (pevcovow). The word occurs only here in the New Testament.