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Differtation XI.

Concerning the Coming of Shiloh,

1. The great Difficulty of this Place. II. That David is not meant by it. III. Both Jewish and Christian Interpreters are of Opinion, that Something is bere Promised, which is tó cease at the comeing of the Meffias. IV. The Inters pretation of Some Jews Refuted. V. Some maintain, that nothing but the Diffolution of the Jewish Monarchy is meant in this Predidi on. Reflections upon the Whole.

I.

T

Here is fcarce any Place in the whole Bible, which has more employ'd the Jewish and Chriftian Interpreters, than this Paflage in Genefis. 1. The three Chaldee Paraphrafts, Onkelos, Jonathan, and that of Jerusalem, with feverall Rabbines of the fame Opini on, whose Testimonies have been Collectd by Learned Men, affirm, that the Remarkable Deliverer, whom by way of Excellence they call'd the Meffias, was fignified by the word Shilo. But a very celebrated Rabbine, Aben Ezra by name, opposes his Country-men, and maintains, that David of the Tribe of Judab, and afterwards King, was here meant. But altho' we own that

the

the Tribe of Judah, ever since Jacob's time, enjoyed fome Prerogative of honour above the

reft;

; yet in the first place, neither Scepter, nor Lawgiver, belonged more to that, than any of the other Tribes, till David was advanced to the Throne: In the common Adminiftration of Affairs, the other Tribes were never concluded by their Votes, nor had they any manner of dependence upon them, nay the Tribe of Benjamin had a King chofen out of their body before that of Judah. And therefore it cou'd never be faid that Judah fhould have a Scepter and Lawgiver, till David's Elevation to the Regal Dignity; for although it fhould be allow'd, yet in what fenfe cou'd it be faid, that the Kingdom fhould remain with Judah, till the coming of him who fixt the Crown in that Tribe.

II. Some Jewish and Christian Interpreters are fully agreed, that fomething is here promifed to the Tribe of Judah, or to the whole body of Ifrael, which was to cease at the coming of the Meffias, or a fhort time after. Thole that maintain the whole Republick of the Hebrews defcended from Jacob to be meant here, don't confider that Jacob foretells their Destiny in this place, to each Tribe one after another; nor can they produce one fingle inftance out of the Scriptures, where the whole People of Ifrael are call'd Judah, before the Babylonian Captivity. Neither can it be replied, that Jacob might very well give his Pofterity this name, T 4 because

because the Holy Ghost, who spoke out of his Mouth, knew that at the time when this Pro, phecy was to be fulfilled, the common name of all the Tribes fhould be that of the * Jews; because, as we observ'd just before, Jacob only fays fuch things as belonged to every Tribe in particular, and does not mingle their common lot together; and befides, if the last words of this Prophecy are to be understood of the People of Ifrael in general, why should not the former be fo too? and that being once granted, how cou'd the Interpreters fay that Shilo ought to be descended from Judah ?

Therefore it neceffarily follows, that something peculiar is foretold to the Tribe of Judah in this place. The Ancients were of opinion, that the Administration of all Affairs in the Jewish Republick was in the Tribe of Judah, ever fince the time when Jacob pronounced these words, to the coming of our Saviour. Now, 'tis certain, that neither before King David, nor after Zedekiah, any one of the Tribe of Judah had the Regal Authority, as all that are never fo little converfant with facred History will own. Therefore others acknowledge, that there was indeed no King of the Tribe of Judah before David, and after Zedekiah; but for all that

* After the Babylonian Captivity, the whole body of Ifraelites that were in Palestine, were called jhudim or Jews, because the firft that returned home were chiefly of the Tribe of Ifraelites. Afterwards this name was given to all the reft, in whatsoever part of the World they refided.

main

maintain, it may truly be faid that the Jewish Republick should not be utterly diffolved before the coming of the Meffias, because out of that Tribe the Common-wealth recovered their ftrength by degrees, and preferv'd fome fort of Government in their hands, even till the days of Chrift. But Jacob does not promise, that the Scepter fhould continue with Judah, and not be wholly taken from him, till the Meffias should come, but that it should not depart from him; which Expreffion plainly denotes, the perpetual Continuation of a Kingdom, interrupted by no Calamities.

;

III. Some Jews are of opinion, that 'tis here prophecy'd of Judah, that the Rod wherewith he is to be beaten, fhall not depart from him but that still one or other fhall command, and impose Laws upon him, till the coming of the Meffias. But befides, that the particular words, which compose this Prediction, will by no means admit of this Interpretation, it is apparently falfe, whither we understand the Tribe of Judah, or the whole People of Ifrael, as it may easily be proved by the History of the Old Testament, and particularly the Reigns of David and Solomon.

We will not pursue this Argument any farther, which wou'd furnish matter enough for a large Volume, if it were to be examined with all that Nicety it deferves. But the Reader may confult for his farther Satisfaction Huetius's Demonftratio Evangelica, Prop. 9. Cap. 4.

where

may

where he has fet down all the different Opinions with incredible Pains and Acuracy. To him be added the Pugio Fidei, p. 2. cap. 4. with the Learned Obfervations of Jof. de Voifm, where the feverat Teftimonies of the Rabbines chiefly are collected. We fhall only fubjoin another Interpretation of this Prophecy, which they have not taken notice of; and fome People perhaps upon a due examination will find it to be more agreeable not only to the Grammatical Sense of the words, but alfo to the Events here predicted.

IV. Some Perfons therefore believe, that Jacob promised nothing more to Judah in this place, but that when the Regal Dignity had once honour'd his Tribe, it fhould be translated to no other, but continue there till it was wholly extinguished. The Maintainers of this Opinion interpret Shiloh to be the End or Ceffation of it, to wit, of the Scepter and Royal Power. Now if this were the true Interpretation of the word, there is nothing in Jacob's Prediction which wou'd occafion the leaft difficulty: for it appears by the facred Hiftory, that from the time that David fate upon the Throne of Ifrael, the Kings defcended from him govern'd the Tribe of Judah without the Intervention of any other Family, till the Kingdom of Judah was wholly diffolv'd. Whereas in the Kingdom of the ten Tribes, even before it was utterly destroy'd by Salmanaffar, the Regal Dignity did not stand in one, but several

Tribes,