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iii. 1, v. 1, sqq., the scene is in Jerusalem; but it is in the country in i. 7, sq., ii. 8, sqq., vii. 12, sqq., and viii. 13, 14. But yet all seems to relate to one and the same pair of lovers, and to bear the impress of one single author.

There are yet other passages which are insulated, abrupt, and perhaps stand in a false connection: iii. 6— 11, the bridal song of Solomon, if verse 6 could otherwise belong to it; viii. 8-10, innocence protecting itself; viii. 11, 12, the lover's self-complacency; (?) viii. 13, 14, the lover alarmed.

The passage, vi. 10-vii. 1, is extremely obscure: —

"Who is this that shines forth like the dawn,

Beautiful as the moon,

Pure as the sun,

And terrible as an army?

"I went down to the nut-garden

To see the green things of the valley,
To see if the vine sprouted,

And the pomegranates bloomed.

I did not know,-my soul made me a chariot of my noble people.

Return, return, Shulamith,

Return, return, that we may look upon thee.

What shall you see in the Shulamith,

[Who is] Like the dancing of angel-choirs?"

Perhaps the fragments, ii. 15, iii. 6, and viii. 5, are inserted in the wrong place. Chap. iii. 6, vi. 10, and viii. 5, have a suspicious affinity with one another, as likewise have ii. 16, 17, iv. 5, 6, [?] vi. 2, 3.a

e Herder, Kleuker, Döderlein, Döpke, Hufnagel, Paulus, (Eichhorn, Rep. vol. vii. and xvii.) think the book consists of fragments. See Umbreit, Erinnerung an das Hoheslied.

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§ 277.

AGE AND AUTHOR.

In respect to their language, these songs are to be classed with the latest productions of Hebrew literature, in particular with the book of Ecclesiastes." For this reason, some, like Eichhorn, Bertholdt, and Rosenmüller, place their composition in a very late period. Hartmann places it the lowest.

But the whole circle of images, and historical relations, and the freshness of life it describes, belong to the age of Solomon; for example, i. 4, 5:—

"To the horses in Pharaoh's chariot

I compare thee, my friend." (verse 9.)
"While the king is at his table,

My nard gives its fragrance;

A bunch of myrrh is my friend." (verse 12.)

"Behold the bed of Solomon;

Sixty strong men around it,

Of Israel's strong;

All grasping the sword,

Ready for war," &c. (iii. 7, sqq., iv. 4, vi. 4, 8, 9,

viii. 11, 12.)

Bertholdt thinks the author transferred himself back to the age of Solomon. But this is certainly very improbable, for, as Herder says, "Nothing in the world

a

(iv. 13) is Persian, (a park, napadeloos.) Comp. Eccl. ii. 5, Neh. ii. 8. The following are Aramaan: a, i. 17; Yep, ii. 8; b, ii. 9; ♫, ii. 11; bp, v.3; sirsen, (= pogɛtov auœógɛior,) iii. 9; 3, for, ii. 13. The following belong to the later Hebrew usage:, as nota accusat., iii. 11; 7, v. 3, (Esth. viii. 6;), ii. 12, (Ezra vii. 12, Eccl. xii. 1;), prefixed, i. 7, iii. 1, sqq.; by, iii. 7, i. 6, sqq.; 7777, iv. 4. Eichhorn, § 646, sq. Hartmann, 1. c. p. 420, sqq., from whose statements much is to be abated. Köster, p. 31. On the other hand, see Döpke, 1. c. p. 29, sqq.

demands so entire and intimate a presence as love...... You can do no greater injustice to expressions of love than to rob them of their individuality."

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The passage, iii. 6-11, follows the course which Solomon's nuptial song must take. It cannot be shown - as it has been contended that Thirza (vi. 4) was not a chief town in Solomon's time. It is mentioned in Josh. xii. 24, and the mention of this city proves an earlier age than the Persian.

Herder and Döpke rely on the freshness of the composition, as an argument for its early date. Religious lyrics could not flourish after the exile, and the amatory idyl could scarcely thrive. But Hartmann takes the other side."

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Perhaps the riddle may be solved by maintaining that these songs were preserved orally, in the mouth of the people, and in some degree transformed. This also will explain the fragmentary compilation of them. similar opinion has been maintained by Scyth, Ewald, and others, who seek the cause of the peculiarity of the language in the idiom of the province where the songs were composed.

The opinion that Solomon was the author, is but poorly supported by the inscriptions of the book, and is in itself improbable. Such passages as i. 4, 5, 12, iii. 6-11, vii. 6, viii. 11, 12, show that Solomon is not the author. Yet the opinion that he was the author, and the age of the songs, seem to have led to their reception into the canon, which was probably excused by the allegorical interpretation put upon them.

a

Köster (p. 32) thinks the book is of late origin, on account of its allegorical character, its far-fetched images, and its learned allusions to other books of the Old Testament, some of them quite recent; e. g. i. 3, 4, iii. 8, iv. 11, 14, vii. 5, comp. Ps. xlv. 15, 4, 9, 8; vi. 12, comp. Ps. cx. 2; viii. 11, comp. Isa. v. 1; ii. 14, comp. Obad. 3; vii. 10, comp. Prov. xxiii. 31.

CHAPTER IV.

THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON."

§ 278.

CONTENTS OF THE BOOK.

HERE, not only short, disconnected proverbs and enigmas, but likewise longer, connected sententious

• Phil. Melanchthonis Explicatio Provv.; 1555. Opp. t. ii.

Jo. Merceri Comm. in Provv. Salom., with his Comment. on Job. Provv. Salom. c. Cura enucleata a Mart. Geiero; Lips. 1669; 1725, 4to. Chr. B. Michaelis, Annotatt. in Provv. in J. H. Michaelis Uberr. annotatt. in Hagiogr.

Proverbia Salom.: Versionem integram ad Hebræum Fontem expressit atque Comment. adjecit Alb. Schultens; Lug. Bat. 1748, 4to.; in compend. redegit et Observatt. crit. auxit G. J. L. Vogel, cum Auctario per G. A. Teller; Hal. 1769.

J. F. Hirts, Vollst. Erklär. der Sprüche Salomos; Jen. 1768, 4to.

Chr. Fr. Schnurrer, Observatt. ad quædam Loca Prov. Salom.; Tub. 1776, 4to. Dissertt. phil. crit. vol. i.

J. J. Reiske, Conjecturæ in Jobum et Provv. Salom.; Lips. 1779.

Zur Exegetik u. Kritik des A. T. von A. J. Arnoldi; Frkf. u. Lpz. 1781. J. G. Jäger, Observatt. in Provv. Salom. Versionem Alex.; Lips. 1788, 8vo. Hensler, Erläuterungen des 1 B. Sam. u. der Salom. Denkspr.; Hamb. 1796.

F. W. C. Umbreit, Philol. krit. u. philosoph. Comm. ü. d. Sprüche Sal., nebst e. neuen Uebers. u. e. Einleit. in die morgenl. Weisheit überh. u. in d. hebr. salomonische insbesondere; Heidelb. 1826.

Rosenmüller, Schol.

Paraphrase by G. J. L. Vogel, 1767; Ch. A. Bode, 1791.

Translated by J. D. Michaelis, (n. d. Pred. m. Anmerkk. f. Ungel.) 1778, 4to.; Döderlein, 3 A. 1786; Struensee, 1783; Kleuker, 1786; R. Ch. Reinhard, 1790; W. C. Ziegler, m. Einl. u. Anm. 1791; Muntinghe, n. Anmerkk. aus d. Holländ. von Scholl, 2 Bde, 1800, 1802; J. G. Dahler, n. d. Abweichungen d. alexandr. Uebers., 1810; C. P. W. Gramberg, Systemat. geordnet. m. Anm. u. Parall., 1828; E. G. A. Böckel, 1829; Ewald, 1. c. vol. iv.

[Hunt, Observations on the Book of Proverbs; Oxford, 1775, 4to. Hodg

discourses, are collected together. These are the manifold productions of Hebrew wisdom, expressing itself in the formation of proverbs. This wisdom rests chiefly on a practical shrewdness, the result of experience, and on the religious doctrine of retribution, conceived of in a very positive form. The two mutually support one another. Yet it is not wanting in ideas of a pure, living morality and religion. The style is various, often ingenious, witty, sportive, and enigmatical; but, for the most part, it is simply proverbial, abounding in antitheses, comparisons, and images.

§ 279.

COMPOSITION OF THE BOOK.

After the inscription, (i. 1,) "Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel," and the preface, (i. 2-6,) there follows,

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I. 1. Chap. i. 7-ix. 18,- a connected discourse, exhorting men to chastity and wisdom, and extolling the excellency of the latter.

2. Under the title Proverbs of Solomon," are single proverbs, (chap. x. 1—xxii. 16.) A better connection, and an admonitory tone, like that in the beginning of the book, prevail in the next passage, which is not separated from this by any inscription, (xxii. 17-xxiv. 22.) After this, other single proverbs follow, with the inscription, These also from the wise.

II. 1. A new inscription, (xxv. 1,)

"These also

son, On the Book of Proverbs, trans., with Notes; Oxford, 1778, 4to. Holden, Attempt towards an Improved Trans. of Proverbs, with Notes, &c.; London, 1819, 8vo. Lawson, Exposition of Proverbs; Edinburgh, 1821, 1822, 12mo.]

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