The Pulpit Commentary — Daniel — Section 152

whon ho discovers it is in two distinct por- thne, and having openecl. his month con- tions. 'fhe whole structure of the two songs feseerl to tho Lord with his compani~ns in indico.tes o. Hebrew origin. The cho.ro.cter tbo midst of the fire, ma,le by the Ghal- of tho two divisions is quite different. The cleo.na to bum exceedingly, and sai,J." first is intercessory, and it proceeds from 'fheoclotion ie eimpler-we give the ordino.ry ono person; the soconcl is liturgic, o.ud pur- rendering, "Then Aza.rie.e etood np nnrl ports to be the joint expression of the prnyed on this manner, and ope,ning his feelings of a.II three. In both there a.re mouth in the midst of the fire, so.id." Tbe mo.nifold echoes of eo.rlier llse.lms. In Peshitta is, "And Aze.ria.h a.rose and some co.ses the phrases are unite.tecl, in opened hie mouth to blese in the midst of other ea.sea adopted with some alight modi- the fire, e.nd he opened hie mouth an<l fico.tions. At the same time, there a.re in prayed, nnd so.id thns." All these versions neither portion any obvious tokens of Greek ha.ve the appearance of being a. union of origin, such as me.y be found in the Story two versions of the so.me thing. In the of Suso.nna, with its play on words which Syriac this is most obvious. In the Greek hold only in Greek, or in its Greek views versions the evidence of reduplication is of history o.a seen in the Story of Bel and afforded by o/h.,, occurring in the middla the Dragon. When the examples of tre.ns- of the eentence, instea.d of naturally at the ie.tion from Hebrew were so numerous e.e end, to introduce the speech referred to. they were by the time that Ben Sire. co.me In the Syriac, which a.voids this, it is down to Egypt, and when the translators evidenced even more by the repetition of had by common consent o.dopted a special the verb pthah, "to open." But this sty le, it cannot be denied that not only reduplication of versions implies an original could a cento of phro.ses from the Greek of which there were already two readings. version of the Hebrew Psalter have been A similar phenomenon is presented by formed, but also the style might be imi- the opening verse of the Song of Aze.riah. tated, even when the words and senti- As rendered by the LXX. it is, " Blessed ments wore original. Still, a.s the aim o.rt thon, 0 Lord God of ow: fathers, and and ambition of the Jews in Egypt were thy Name is worthy t.o be praised and rather to show the close resemblance there glorified for evermore." Theodotion, in was between the works of the fathers of the reading preferred by Tischendorf, has their race o.nd the sages of Greece, the alv<TO• agreeing with e.&,. The Peshitta imitative activity of the Jewish literary ho.s changed the order, " to be exalted e.nd falsarii was directed more to that than to pre.ieed is thy Na.me for ever." The "and" suggest merely e. Hebrew original for what present in the two Greek versions is awe.nt- they had composed. We have no indubitable ing. In the next verse the Septuagint instance of pee.I.me being composed in Greek renders, " Thou a.rt righteous in all that in imitation of the translation of the Pae.I.me thou hast done to ns, e.nd all thy works a.re of the original Psalter. We have certainly true, and thy ways right, and e.11 thy judg- the pee.Ima which go to form the Psalter of ments a.re true." Theodotionomita "to us" Solomon; but theao a.re generally admitted in the first clo.use, and ho.a in the last to have been composed in Hebrew, and "truth" instead of "true." When we translatod from that into Greek. However, tum to the Peshitta, we find e. reason for there would still be e. dubiety. The only the resemblance of the second member of way is to examine this song, or rather these the second and fourth clauses. "Righteous songs, to see wheUer they contain any a.rt thou in all that thou ho.st done to us, traces of being tra.nalations from Hebrew o.nd all thy works are in truth (b•qooshtha), originals. and thy ways right, and all thy judgments As e. be.sis of investigation, we have the are faithful (m•heemnin)." In Hebrew, a.a two Greek and the Peshitte. versions. In e. in Syrio.o, this contrast could be maintained. snbordino.te position we have the Vulgo.te but it was more difficult to the Hellenist, and the version of Paulus Tellensis. The who had, perhaps, few words at hie command. first thing that one observes, on e. casmu The following verse in the LXX. runs e.s compo.rison of the two Greek versions, is follows: "Thou didst judgments of truth that they a.re much more nearly related, in regard to e.11 that thou hast brought upon and resemble ea.eh other much more closely us, and upon thy holy city, the city of our in regard to these songs, than they do in fathers, because in truth and judgment regard to the rest of the book. The didst thou e.11 these things because of our resemble.nee of the Peshitto. to both is also sins." The only difference between Theo- close, but yet there are points of difference. dotion e.nd this is the omission of o-ou, "thy." If we to.ke the introductory sentence, we The Peshitt.a rendering does not evidence see considero.ble ve.rintion, greater than much difterence from thnt of the Greek occurs elsewhere. The Septuagint begins versions, " Because in judgment of truth was thns: "Thon Aze.rjns stood o.p.d pro.yecl whnt thou didst tQ us, and in 11,ll that thou DANllU1, ' 114 'l'HE BOOK OF DANIEL. [en. m. 1-30.