Endnotes — Chapter 2.
ENDNOTES — CHAPTER 2.
{a} The word shechinah comes from ˆkv shachan, which signifies to dwell, and Elias Levita, in his Methurgeman, says that their wise men called the Holy Spirit so, because it dwelt upon the prophets; though perhaps, he says, there may be another sense of it among the Cabalistic doctors, of which he declares himself ignorant. It seems to intend the glorious majesty and presence of God with his Church and people and is the same with St. John’s skhnh tou qeou, tabernacle or habitation of God, which is said to be with men, Revelation 21:3; and may very well be applied to the Messiah, Jesus, who was made flesh, kai eskhnwsen, and dwelt among us, John 1:14.
{b} In Buxtorf’s Bible it is read yklp pilkey, “the provinces of the nations.”
{c} In Buxtorf’s Bible it is read ˆmysb “were sweet to my palate, or taste.” {d} The same sense is given of those words in Shirhashirim Rabba in loc., and in Bemidbar Rabba, Parash. 2.
{e} The Jews are divided about the number of those clouds which they say attended the Israelites in their travels. R. Josiah says there were five of them, four at the four winds, and one went before them. R. Hoshea thinks there were seven, four at the four winds, one above, one below, and another that went before them; Bemidbar Rabba, Parash. 1. {f} That is, envy or malice.
{g} The same is ascribed to this cloud in Bemidbar Rabba, ubi supra, and in Jarchi in Cant. 3:6.
{h} The same story is reported in Targum Jon. in Exodus 13:7, where it is said that the number of the slain in this expedition was two hundred thousand mighty men, and that these are the dry bones Ezekiel saw in the valley, which upon his prophesying lived, and became an exceeding great army, Ezekiel 37:10. Something of this story is also hinted at in Shirhashirim Rabba, and Aben Ezra in loc. Vide 1 Chronicles 7:21, 22, and Kimchi, in ibid.
{i} The Jews unanimously agree, that from the time of Jacob’s going down into Egypt to the coming up of the Israelites from thence were just two hundred and ten years; Targum Jon. in Exodus 12:40. Shirhashirim Rabba, in c. 2, ver. 11, 17. Shemoth Rabba, Parash. 18. Jarchi in Genesis 15:13, and in Exodus 12:40; which some of them collect from the word wdr redu, “get you down,” used by Jacob, Genesis 42:2, when he ordered his sons to go down to Egypt, and buy corn, the letters of which word numerically make up 210. Bemidbar Rabba, Parash.
13. Jarchi in Genesis 42:2. R. Abendana not. in Miclol Yophi in Exodus 12:40; to which two hundred and ten years if we add the one hundred and ninety, which the Targumist here says were skipped over in order to hasten the deliverance of the Israelites from their bondage, there will be just the four hundred years God spake of to Abraham, Genesis 15:13, and mentioned by Stephen, Acts 7:6, in which his seed should be a stranger, serve, be afflicted and evil entreated; which four hundred years may be reckoned after this manner: From the birth of Isaac to the birth of Jacob sixty years, Genesis 25:26; from thence to the coming of Jacob into Egypt one hundred and thirty years, Genesis 47:9; and from thence to the coming of the children of Israel out of Egypt two hundred and ten years; which completes the number. And if we begin the date from Abraham’s going out from Ur of the Chaldees, and allow five years for his dwelling in Haran, as the Jews do, see Aben Ezra in Exodus 12:40; from whose departure from thence to the birth of Isaac were twenty-five years, Genesis 12:4; 21:5; which thirty years, being added to the above-said four hundred, make up the number given by Moses, Exodus 12:40, and by the apostle Paul, Galatians 3:17.
{k} The names of the bitter herbs with which the paschal lamb was eaten, Exodus 12:8. The same are mentioned in Targum Jon. in Exodus 12:8; and in some of their writings three other herbs are mentioned, the names of which are Chazareth, Charcabina, and Meror, by which they intend horehound, endive, wild lettuce, cichory, and such like herbs; for they themselves do not seem very well to understand them. See Misna Tract. Pesach. c. 2, s. 6. Jarchi ib., and Maimon. Tract. Chametz. Umetza, c. 7, s. 13.
{l} So it is explained in Shirhashirim Rabba, and by Jarchi in loc. {m} So Shirhashirim Rabba, and Jarchi in loc.
{n} After the same manner Shirhashirim Rabba, and Jarchi in loc. Shemoth Rabba, Parash. 21.
{o} That is, the enemy; compare with this Romans 8:7. {p} Frequent mention is made of this in the writings of the Jews. It was a voice from heaven which revealed secrets, foretold future events, decided controversies, and directed in difficult matters, it was used in the second temple in the room of prophecy, which the Jews say then ceased, Talmud Sota, fol. 48, col. 2, and Sanhedrin, fol. 2, col. 4. R. Saadiah Gaon in Dan. 9:24. Shirhashirim Rabba in c. 8, 9. It is thought by R. Levi Ben. Gerson, in 2 Samuel 1., s. 27, to be a more excellent and complete kind of divination; and indeed I am inclined to think that most of those voices which go under this name were the mere illusions of Satan, designed to deceive the people, and lessen the credit of those voices which were heard from heaven in the times of Christ. See Matthew 3:17; 17:5: John 12:28.
{q} In Targ. Jon. in Exodus 17:8, where the same story is mentioned, it is said that those men of the tribe of Dan whom Amalek took and slew, were such whom the cloud did not receive and protect because of their idolatry.
{r} So Targum Jon. and Jarchi in Exodus 17:9, and Shemoth Rabba Parash. 26.
{s} This is the name Jehovah, which the Jews think it unlawful to pronounce; and therefore explain it by other names, usually by Adonai or Elohim. Here it is said to be explained by seventy names, sometimes by seventy-two; of which see Galatinus de Arcanis Cath. ver. 1, 2, c. 17, and Schindler, Lex. Pentaglot., p. 1492.