training and skill (Is. ii. 4, and, Mic. iv. 3. 1 Chron. xii. 8.) are particulars, demanding explanation for the understanding of Scripture. 1

Habit.]—The Hebrews do not appear to have had any peculiar military habit. As the flowing dress, which they ordinarily wore, would have impeded their movements, they girt it closely around them, when preparing for battle, and loosened it on their return, 2 Sam. xx. 8. 1 Kings xx. 11. They used the same arms as the neighbouring nations, both defensive and offensive, and these were made either of iron or of brass. Originally every man provided his own arms; but not so under the monarchy, 2 Chron. xi. 12. xxvi. 14, 15.

Implements.] — Of the defensive arms of the Hebrews, there were particularly, the helmet, 2 Chron. xxvi. 14; the breast-plate or corslet, 1 Sam. xvii. 5; the shield, 1 Kings x. 16, 17, greater and smaller 3; girdle, 1 Sam. xvii. 39; and boots or greaves, 1 Sam. xvii. 6. Their offensive weapons were either such as they employed in close engagement, as, the sword, Gen. xxxiv. 2; the battle-axe, Jer. li. 20, 21; or, those with which they annoyed the enemy at a distance, as, the spear or javelin, Numb. xxv. 7; slings, 2 Chron. xxvi. 14; bows and arrows, Gen. xxvii. 3. Zech. ix. 10.

Machines.]—There are other military machines often alluded to, which require a better understanding by ordinary readers of Scripture; and reference is here given to some satisfactory illustrations, which have recently been attempted. 4

Officers.] — Ancient military officers were somewhat similar to those in modern times. There were captains of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, (1 Chron. xii. 14. 20. 2 Kings i. 9. 11. 13,) alike to those in Exod. xviii. 25: the first of whom were similar to our colonels of regiments; the next, to those who have the command of troops and companies; and the last two, to our subalterns, serjeants, and corporals.

Romans.]—The very numerous references, in the New Testament, to the military affairs of the ancient Romans; their armour, officers, discipline, triumphs, and honours 5; would be entitled to a distinct and amplified investigation.

Very instructively has Mr. Horne investigated these, in "Sect. 1, on the Military Discipline of the Jews," vol. iii. Introd. p. 195–205, which the biblical scholar must recollect having read with pleasure and satisfaction.

2 The learned Calmet, in his elaborate "Dissertation sur la Milice des anciens Hebrews," (Comment. tom. ii. p. 529.) has collected numerous examples from Homer, Hesiod, Virgil, and other classic writers, in which brazen arms and armour are mentioned.

3 In Heb. (tsane) and ¡ (megin), which are explained by Parkhurst and Buxtorf, in their Lexicons.

4"Ancient military machines," and "Ancient siege of a town," with appropriate plates, are the subjects of Fragments, ccxxi. and ccxxii.; the reader of which must feel grateful for the highly valuable information which they communicate.

Reminded, however, of what is contained in Sect. ii. pp. 219–228. vol. iii. of Horne's Introduct. may here apologize for brevity. Nor is it unsuitable to

Miscellaneous.]—Nor can the present brief sketch be concluded, without reminding the reader of a multitude of other particulars which are equally important, and which have been judiciously noticed by some writers. 1 In fine, the abundant materials, comprised in the Bible, on all the several points of this chapter, might consistently claim a very extended discussion; and perhaps quite justify the enlarging of these sections into so many distinct chapters.

[The ARTS to be concluded in our next.]

Various Readings of the Old and New Testaments,

IN THE WRITINGS OF THE CHRISTIAN FATHERS.

SIR,

To the Editor of the Scripture Magazine.

I HAVE sometimes thought, a Biblical Student might be worse employed than in collecting from the writings of the Fathers, the most important various readings of the Sacred Text that occur in them. The variations are often very considerable, and lead us to conjecture that they must have had other MSS. of the Inspired Volume than those which have reached our times. Meanwhile I have sent you a few from the works of Cyprian of Carthage, who suffered martyrdom in A. D. 258.

I have not placed them in the order of the books of Scripture, considering that as unimportant.

MAL. ii. 11.

"Judah is forsaken."— Cypr. Testament against the Jews, b. i. sect. 1. Com. Version" Judah hath dealt treacherously."

The LXX. and Arabic are said to agree with Cyprian.

The Hebrew, Vulgate, and others, justify the Com. Version.

DAN. xii. 4.

"Shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end, until many learn, and knowledge be increased; and when they shall be dispersed, then they shall know all these things."-Cypr. ibid. sect. 4.

ISAIAH vii. 9.

"If ye will not believe, ye shall not understand."-Cypr. ibid. sect. 5. So the LXX., Syriac, and Arabic.

make a distinct allusion to a scientific exposition of Eph. vi. 11-17; as most judicious and satisfactory.

1 Among these, the names of Taylor and Horne certainly stand pre-eminent; and ever deserve to be repeated with the most cordial esteem and obligation.— Half a dozen more of such writers, and we should have a Scripture Encyclopædia worthy of the literature of our age, and honourable to the cause of Divine Revelation! With every propriety, may Matt. ix. 37, 38, be here applied!

GEN. xlix. 9.

"Judah is a lion's whelp — thou art increased and grown up, my son, as from a tender bud-thou stoopest," &c.

So Cyprian and the LXX. to denote the increase of his strength from small beginnings.

JEREM. vi. 18.

"Therefore shall the Gentiles hear, and the shepherds amongst them which feed their flocks."

PSALM XXXiv. 10.

"The rich men lack and suffer hunger," &c.

In our version, “ the young lions."

The Vulgate, LXX., Arabic, and Syriac are the same as Cyprian.

ISAIAH i. 17.

Last clause" I will not release you of your sins.”

In our version, "I am weary to bear them."

PSALM lxviii. 4.

"Sing unto God; sing praises to his name: Make way for him, who rideth up towards the west, God is his name."

REV. xxi. 7.

"He that overcometh shall inherit these things."

In our version, "all things."

The Alexandrian reads as Cyprian does.

ISAIAH Ixiii. 9.

"No messenger, nor angel, but the Lord himself shall deliver them; because he will love them, and spare them, and redeem them."

GEN. iii. 15.

of the LXX.,

"It shall watch thy head, and thou shalt watch his heel." Cyprian's observabit here seems to be a rendering of the Top which probably was an error of some transcriber for tepnou, shall bruise.

NUMBERS Xxiv. 7.

"There shall come a man from his seed, and shall rule over many nations; his dominion shall be high as God's, and his kingdom shall be exalted."

MICAH V, 2.

"And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, art not the least among the thousands of Judah, for out of thee shall come," &c.

ISAIAH liii. 2.

"We treated him like a child, his appearance was like that of a root in a dry ground," &c.

Ver. 4.

"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sins."

JEREM. xi. '8, 19.

"Lord, give me knowledge of it, and I shall know it; and then I saw their doings. I was like a lamb which is brought to the slaughter; against me they devised their devices, saying, Come, and let us put poison into his food, and let us cut him off," &c.

ZECH. iii. 8.

Last clause" Behold, I bring forth my servant, and his name is the East." NUMB. Xxiii. 19.

"God is not a man, that he should be suspended.”

HABAK. iii. 4, 5.

"And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hands; and the power of his glory was established, and his love was firm and settled. Before him shall go his word, and shall go forth into the fields and desert, according to his mighty power."

DEUT. XXX. 6.

"And in the latter days the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart," &c. 1 PETER iv. 6.

"For this cause was the Gospel preached to them who are dead, that they may be raised up."

Last clause

ISAIAH XXXiii. 14.

"Who shall reveal to you the place of torments?"
ISAIAH lviii. 8.

"Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy garments shall spring forth speedily."

This reading probably arose from a mistake of the inμara of the LXX. for ¡uaria. MATT. XXV. 41.

"Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, which my father hath prepared for the Devil and his angels."

1 COR. xiii. 4.

"Charity is generous, brave, spirited, and kind; charity envieth not," &c. ACTS iv. 32.

"And the multitude of them who believed were of one heart and of one soul, neither was there any difference between them, neither said any of them," &c.

JOB i. 21.

"Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I go under the earth," &c.

MATT. vii. 13, 14.

"How wide is the gate, and how broad is the way," &c. gate, and how narrow is the way," &c.

1 COR. vi. 20.

"How straight is the

"For ye are bought with a great price; therefore glorify God, and bear him in your bodies."

COLOSS. ii. 20.

"Why, as though living in the world, do ye adhere to vain opinions."

JOHN ii. 16, 17.

"For all that is in the world, is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, and none of this is of the Father, but of the lust of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever, even as God abideth for ever."

My avocations, even had I capacity, will not allow me to attempt to reconcile the numerous variations in the above passages. Let abler critics undertake the task, which certainly would be no unuseful one.

Many of the diversities, I have no doubt, arise from the equivocal signification of Hebrew terms-others, from the negligence of transcribers and others from giving either too literal, or too paraphrastic, a version of some proverbial or figurative expressions.

Should these meet with attention from your readers, I may supply you with others hereafter from the writings of the same or of other ancient authors. Meanwhile I am, &c.

York.

T. W.

T

Specimen of a

THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO

CHAP. II.