,fonn11rnn in confirmf\tfon of his sentiments. the <fays of Rchoboe.m WM immediBtely For tl,c ephod, comp. Exod. xxviii. 6-14, followed by the idole.tt·y of the cBl vcs which from which we learn that it wae "a short Jerobof\m set up e.t De.n e.nd Bethol. The cloak, cow•ring shonlden and bree.st, WTOught reversal of this coune is symptome.tio of with colnnrs and gold, formed of two halves their complete recovery. The pe.trie.roh connected by two shoulder-pieces, on each of D11.vid we.a long dead e.nd buried, and his which wss 11.n onyx engm.ven with six n11.mes sepulchre wns in P11.lestine e.t the time when of tribes, 11.nd held together round the waist the prophet wrote ; one, therefore, in th1.> by a girdle of the 811.me materi11.l; " it wu Davidio line, e. descend11.nt from, e.nd dy- part of the high priest's 11.ttire. The tera- nastic representative of, the pe.tria.roh must ph im-from the Arabic tarija, to live com- be moont. The.t this was Messio.h there fortllobly, 11.nd turfator, 11, comfortable life, can be no reasonable doubt : pa.rallel pe.e- were the honsebnld gods 11.nd domestic se.gcs in the other prophets prove this; for oracles, like the Rom11.n pen11.tes, 11.nd de- example : " I will set up one shepherd over riving the n11.me from being thought the them, and he she.ll feed them, even my givers and gn11.rdi11.ns of a comforte.ble life, servant David ; he she.11 feed them, e.nd he ~:;,:;:. They were ima.ges in huma.n form shall be their shepherd. And I the Lord and stature, either graven of wood or et.one will be their God, e.nd my servant David a (pesel), or molten out of precions metal (mas- prince among them" (Ezek. uxiv. 23, 25 ; sekha.h). The first mention of them is in comp. e.lso uxvii. 24). Again in Jeremiah Gen. xxxi. 19, 11.nd the n11.me occnrs fifteen (xxx. 9) we read to the so.me purpose, times in the Old Testament. They appear " Tboy shall serve the Lord their God, and to hnve been of Syrian or Ch11.lde11.n origin. David their king, whom I will raise up unto Aben Ezrn says of them, "What app011.rs to them." We ce.n by no me11.ns concur with me most prob11.ble is that they h11.d a hum11.n those who refer this promise to Zerubbe.bel &B form and were me.de far the purpose of a later occupant of the De.vidic throne; and receiting supcrn11.l power, nor ce.n I expl11.in just as little with those who, like Wiinsche, it further." The two principal species of hold that the prophet h&B no pe.rUcular offerings were the n:n, or bloody sacrifice, period and no particular penon in view, but and the :iru::, or unbloody oblation. The presents the prospect of a happy and bliss- former comprehended those entirely burnt ful future when Isr11.0l would return to the on the altar, ~ . rad. :i'J), to a.scend, from pure worship of Jehovah e.nd enjoy his grn- cions protection, and when the national going up entirely in the altar-smoke; 11.nd prosperity would equal or even far surpass ::i',;-., or those of which only the fot was that under the glorious reign of Da.vid him- burnt. According to the object of the offerer, self. The beet Jewish authorities are quoted they were cl,attah, sin offering, pointing in favour of the same; thus Rabbi Te.nchum to expiation or pardon for something done says, "He (the prophet) understands the dem11.nding punishment ; or <L8ham, tresp11.ss son of David, occupying his place, from his offering, implying satisfaction and a.ccept- lineage, we.I.king in his w11.y, by whom his ance, or something undone demanding name shall endlll'e e.nd his kingdom be pre- amends ; 11.nd shelamim, peace offerings. served." The Che.Idea Te.rgum translates Ver. 5.-Afterwud shall the children of in the same sense: "They shall seek the llmel return, and seek the Lord their God, worship of Jehovah their God, and obey and David their king. The note of time in Messiah, the Son of D11.vid, their king." So the beginning of ver. 5 is explained by Aben Ezra se.ys that " David their king is Rashi to signify " 11.fter the days of the this Messiah, like ' My servant D11.vid sbe.ll Captinty;" and by Kimchi as follows: be their prince for ever' (Ezek. xxxvii. 25)." " This will take place at the end of the days, The well-known idiom of one idee. expressed near the time of salvation, when the children by two verbs, so that the rendering of the of Israel shall return in repentance." clause would be " They she.11 age.in seek Though not comprehended in the symbolic the Lord their God, e.nd D11.vid their king," representation that precedes, this statement if 11.pplied here, e.s undoubtedly it might, is n6Ctssary to complete it. The future of would weaken the sense, and so be unenite.ble Israel is the burden of this promise ; the to the context. And ■hall fear (literally, blessedness of that future is its brightness. COflUl toith trembling to) the Lord e.nd his good- It cowpris,,s three items-the reversal of ness in the latter days. The comment of their vre\·ious cnrrnr, their loving return to Kimchi on the firet part of this clause is e.e the Lord their God, and their cordial recep- follows: "They shall trem hie and be aFre.id tion of David their king. Uontemporaneous of him when they return to him, o.nd ehnll with their sorrow for the sins of the past with repentance wait for the goo,Jness of W&B their serious seeking of the Lord their redemption on which they ho.ve trusted." God uud suLmission to David their king. A somtiwhat different me11.ning ia assigned TLeir revolt from the De.vidic dynasty in '" the words by Aben Ezra: "They shttll OH, Ill, 1-5,) THE BOOK OF HOSEA, 89
return in haste, when the end (i.e. the time others in the abetraot, u the Divine good- of redemption) cornea to their own land with ness or majesty, to which Iere.el resorts for hasty course suddenly." His goodneBB ie the pardon of sin and the gracious accept- takon by eome in a concrete eenee, ae eig• ance of their petitiOllfl and answer of their nifyiug the bleeein~e which he bestows ond prayers. the good gifts which he imporle; and by