QUESTION 61.

2 Kings 25:27. On the twenty-seventh of Jer. 52:31.

the month, Evil-Merodach, king of Babylon, in the year he began to reign, raised the head of Jehoiachin, king of Judah.

On the twenty-fifth of the

month, &c.

RECONCILIATION.

Both can be verified, for on the twenty-fifth, Evil-Merodach decreed his release, and on the twenty-seventh, put him at liberty. The ancients say, Nebuchadnezzar died on the twenty-fifth, and was interred on the twenty-sixth, and that on the twenty-seventh, his son granted Jehoiachin his liberty, after having disinterred the corpse, and dragged it about, confirming the prophecy of Isaiah," And thou wast thrown from thy grave." They say, the reason Evil-Merodach acted so inhumanly to his parent's remains was, when Nebuchadnezzar was removed from human society among wild beasts, the people raised him to the throne, which proved injurious; for, on his father's return, he punished him; fearing a similar occurrence, to find out if he was alive, he had him disinterred, and dragged about; or it may be, in satisfaction of what he had suffered.

ADDENDA TO BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES IN VOL. I.

ALFARAVIUS, a celebrated Moorish astrologer, flourished towards the close of the tenth century; his observations prove his profound geographical knowledge. BELLARMIN, CARDINAL THOMAS; for Thomas read Robert.

BOTERUS, JOHN, born at Bene at Piedmont, was Abbot of St. Michael 1588; he wrote various works; the most esteemed is entitled, "Universal Narratives," written in Italian.

POLYSTOR, ALEXANDER, the Grecian historian and philologist in the time of Sylla, being taken prisoner, was sold to Cornelius Lentulus, who, discovering his merit, freed him, and became his disciple; perished in an accidental fire 86 years

before the Christian era. He wrote many historical, grammatical, and philological works; among them, a History of the Jews.

SOLON, the celebrated law-giver of Athens, his code subsequently became the basis of the laws of the twelve tables of Rome, was born at Salamis 639 years before the Christian era, and died at Cyprus in the 80th year of his age, justly termed one of the seven sages; two of his apothegms should be indelibly impressed on the mind of every one.

"In all things, let reason be your guide." "In every thing that you do, consider the end."

THE CONCILIATOR.

PART III.

MANASSEH BEN ISRAEL TO THE READER.

If reading various books affords relief to the troubled mind, alleviates troubles, and the study of the Law, in particular, delights and enlivens the heart, not without reason did that heroic poet and divine musician say, in his celebrated octaves, "Unless thy law had been my delight, I should have perished in mine affliction;" for David being lightly loved by some, openly hated by others, persecuted even by his own son, and seeing those he dearly loved die violent deaths, he considered no remedy more sure to alleviate his sufferings under so many afflictions and sorrows, than attaching himself to the Law; because, therein, as in a panacea, he found innumerable examples of the patience with which righteous and holy men suffered, and discovered in its records such mysteries, as rendered him joyful and content, when overwhelmed with grief and tears; by which he recovered himself, and rose superior to his misfortunes, as he says in another part, "This was my comfort in my affliction, for thy word hath revived me."

With reason, kind reader, may I apply this to myself: for the Lord having deprived me of my cherished hope, and taken to himself, in the flower of his age, my son, Joseph ben Israel, a virtuous young man, I almost lost my senses, my memory completely failed; yet, after a time, raising my eyes to heaven, bowing to the Divine sentence, and acknowledging that all His ways are merciful and just, the best remedy I found to alleviate, in some measure, the intensity of my feelings, was the only one the royal prophet had found. I looked over my rough sketches, and put in order, for the benefit of the public, some works which I hope shortly to bring to light; among them was this third part of my Conciliator, which being to accord various texts, cost me no

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MANASSEH BEN ISRAEL TO THE READER.

little trouble; for my attention was not alone drawn to the conciliation of the passages, but, as may be observed by the context, of nearly every chapter; many of them form subjects of such importance, that with but little more industry, each might have formed a volume of itself. I therein, with proper moderation, explain many passages that have led to controversies; I do not touch on points that might be offered to their expositions, not to appear to impugn those who consider differently, although thereby they are rendered less perfect than I could wish.

To complete this work there remains only the fourth, and last part, on the Hagiography, which, with Divine favour, I shall endeavour to give you shortly; then you will have the explanation of nearly all the difficult passages contained in the whole of the Holy Scriptures; the questions in these three parts alone, being upwards of 400.

Besides these works, I have in hand our History, or a Continuation of Flavius Josephus to the present time, with notes on his Antiquities and Wars; a Defence of the Divinity of the Law of Moses against the many Atheists that are now spread throughout the world; The Rabbinical Dictionary of all our Authors; finally, A Summary of our Theology; with various other works, which I shall successively, with the assistance of Heaven, give to the press, without the least hope of earthly reward, but for the glory and sanctification of the blessed Lord, and the benefit of the nation. In this work I have chosen the best and most approved decisions and sayings of our Sages; which, as will be seen, I have sometimes explained. Nevertheless, it will be impossible but that some persons, desirous of shewing themselves learned, will criticise; but I think it would be more laudable, were they to employ their genius in works of their own, in preference to attempting to discredit those of others, which they can in nowise imitate; at least, I have endeavoured to prove agreeable, and hope my efforts may prove reciprocally so, and be kindly received. Adieu.

ISAIAH.

QUESTION 1.

Isa. 3:13. The Lord standeth up to plead, Joel 4:12. For there will I sit to judge all and standeth to judge the people.

the heathen around.

Bodily actions, as standing and sitting, &c., cannot be supposed to be exercised by the unequalled spirituality of God; therefore, the above passages must speak figuratively, the Scripture adapting itself to our capacity, and according to human ideas; yet there exists a doubt even in the allegorical meaning, for the cause may reasonably be enquired, why Isaiah says the Supreme Judge of the universe stands to judge the people, and Joel, that He does it sitting? There must be some reason which requires explanation.

RECONCILIATION.

In Bereshit Raba, the ancient Sages relate that two disciples of R. Joshua, travelling a dangerous road, from the unavoidable risk they incurred if met by the Romans, disguised themselves; they happened to encounter a prefect (an absolute judge of the people), a most learned man, and well informed in our matters. Seizing the opportunity, he said to them, "If you profess the law of Moses, of what utility is your change of dress, and your wish not to suffer for it? If you are not, why do you suffer martyrdom on its account when occasion offers ?" They answered, "We are professors of the Mosaical Law, and when a necessary occasion presents itself, we will voluntarily submit to martyrdom: but there is no reason why we should seek the danger; it seems to us to be more correct to prevent and avoid it." "Very right," replied the prefect, "Now I have three doubts upon which I wish to consult you; if you answer them as learned men I will spare your lives, otherwise, know it shall not be saved."

་་

The first he proposed, was the apparent contradiction of these verses; they answered, "The first treats of the people of Israel, and the other, of the heathens," he replied, "Your master, R. Joshua, did not so explain them, but that both verses were to be understood for the heathens, for the Lord would, in the first place, sit leisurely to judge them and examine their actions: after he had pronounced sentence as judge, he would rise to execute it." The second question was what Solomon says, He who tilleth his land shall satisfy himself with bread:" certainly he taught nothing new, for good fortune is usually the reward of diligence and industry?" They answered, "The meaning was, no one should undertake more than his abilities and means permitted, for not only he would not gain the expected fruit, but it would frequently tend to his total ruin; as we see when Boaz persuaded Peloni Almoni to purchase the fields of Elimelech, he prudently answered he could

1 Prov. 12:11.

not,2 for, by new cares, he would injure his own property; and that it was better diligently to attend to his own, than to amuse himself with others; they explained the verse in this sense, "That he who tills his land" only "shall be satisfied with bread," from the care he takes in its cultivation and benefit. The judge replied, "R. Joshua, your master, explained it otherwise, that is, allegorically, he who cultivates his land properly, that is, the body in the service of God until death, which is the time for reaping, such will satisfy himself with bread, i. e. that celestial food and spiritual bread the righteous enjoy in the other world."

The third was where Rachel, suffering a difficult parturition, the midwife comforted her, saying, "Fear not, thou also shalt have this son," where the word pa (also) seems superfluous, having no meaning there. The disciples answered, that in similar cases, it was usual to comfort women, and the midwife, aware of Rachel's danger, told her not to be afraid she would do well, and besides, shortly also she would rejoice in a son; or that she should have courage, for she would also bear another son, besides the one she already had, Joseph." To this he replied, "Your master, R. Joshua, expounded it differently; asserting that a female twin was born with each of the tribes (Jacob's sons), this was also the case at that time with Rachel; but the midwife told her a falsehood, saying, that the second child she had was also a son." Returning to the thread of the question, we have two solutions: the first, that of R. Joshua's disciples, that Isaiah treats of the people of Israel, as is proved by the connection of the following verse, "The Lord will enter into judgment with the elders of his people," &c.; the prophet using the word D' (people) in the plural is no objection, for this term is often applied to

I will * ונתתיך לקהל עמים Israel in many passages of the Holy Scripture, as

make thee [for] a congregation of people." He says, to judge this people the Supreme Judge is standing, signifying He will without a rigid examination of all their actions, hastily making their trial, Israel meriting this special grace and favour, from the submission with which they bore the sufferings of this prolonged captivity; but Joel says, to judge all nations that are, he will sit leisurely to examine minutely and precisely all their deeds, those who are idolaters and unworthy of this mercy, he will punish with the utmost rigour on the day of judgment, conformably to the demerits of all their actions.

R. Joshua accorded them otherwise, saying both verses treated of the heathen, but of different actions: for the Lord, after leisurely sitting to examine the whole of their conduct, on sentence being passed, will rise to execute it. By which the verses are reconciled; and this saying of our Sages explained.

Isa. 6:2. Each one had six wings.

QUESTION 2.

Ezek. 1:4. And four wings to each of them. RECONCILIATION.

Maimonides, and all our theologians, are of opinion, angels are immaterial spirits according to David, "Who maketh his angels spirits," Gregory of Nyssa, Dionysius4, Thomas", Avicenna, and Damascene7, consider the same, showing the error of Basil, Athanasius, the seventh General Synod 10, and even Augustin, in deeming them corporeal. According to this it is