latter appealing alone to a distinct immortality of the soul; and appearing to have no idea of a resurrection of the body. It remained for that dispensation which has 'brought LIFE and IMMORTALITY to light,'-the resurrection of the body, and the real nature of the soul,-to reconcile the discrepancy, and give to each ground of argument its proper force." p. lxxxiv. In the main, this view of the doctrines exhibited in the book of Job, has been allowed to be correct. Yet, a qualification or two seem necessary to guard the young theological student from mistake. Dr. Good assumes, that the title "sons of God" is given in the Scriptures, to evil powers or principles, as well as good ones. But this is very questionable. Satan is stated to have presented himself among the sons of God, but that circumstance does not constitute him one. And, although it cannot fairly be questioned that the doctrine of a celestial hierarchy, composed of various orders of angels, is taught in Scripture; still it may be doubted whether or not it is fully deducible from the passages cited by our author. Leaving these, however, as in some measure open to discussion, the other particulars remain untouched; and it must surely impress the mind of a reflecting reader with peculiar force, that in the avowedly oldest book in the Jewish canon, doctrines should be clearly unfolded, which Natural Religion in its brightest epochs never attained; while the same book contains indisputable allusions to two, at least, of the characteristic doctrines of the Christian dispensation, that of the resurrection of the body, and that of a Saviour from sin and its consequences, who is unequivocally designated by the highest attributes and titles of Deity. Enough having now been said, I trust, to shew that our author's Introductory Dissertation is at once erudite and instructive, I will present a specimen of the translation; which shall be that of the 19th chapter, containing the pious patriarch's noble testimony of faith, worthy indeed to be engraven "on the rock for ever." JOB XIX. 1. Whereupon Job answered, and said,2. How long will ye afflict my soul, And overwhelm me with words? 3. These ten times have ye reviled me; upon me. Ye relax not, ye press forward 4. And be it, indeed, that I have transgressed, That my transgression hath harboured within me,5. Will YE, then, forsooth, triumph over me, And expose to myself my own disgrace? 6. Know, however, that God hath humiliated me; And that his toils have encompassed me about: 7. Behold! I complain of the wrong, but am not heard; I cry aloud, but no answer. 8. He hath fenced up my way so that I cannot go forward, And hath set darkness in my paths. 9. He hath stript me of my glory, And overturned the crown on my head: 10. He demolisheth me on every side-and I am gone; And he uprooteth my hope like a tree: 11. Yea, he kindleth his fury against me, And accounteth me to him as his enemy. ૨ 12. His besiegers advance in a body, And wheel their lines around me, And encamp about my dwelling. 13. My brethren hath he put aloof from me, And my familiars are quite estranged; 14. My kinsfolk have forsaken me, And my bosom friends forgotten me. 15. The sojourners in my house, Yea, my own maid-servants, regard me as a stranger; eyes. 16. I call to my man-servant, but he answereth not, I intreat him to the very face. 17. My breath is scattered away by my wife, Though I implore HER by the offspring of my own loins. 18. Even the dependants spurn at me; I rise up, and they hoot after me. 19. All my familiar friends abhor me; Even they whom I loved are turned against me. 20. My bones stick out through my skin and my flesh; And in the skin of my teeth am I dissolved. 21. Pity me! pity me! O ye, my friends! For the hand of God hath smitten me.22. Why, like God, should YE persecute me, And not rest satisfied with my flesh? 23. O! that my words were even now written down;- 24. With a pen of iron, upon lead!— That they were sculptur'd in a rock for ever! 25. For "I know that my REDEEMER liveth, And will ascend at last upon the earth: 26. And, after the DISEASE hath destroyed my skin, That, in my flesh, I shall see God: 27. Whom I shall see for myself, And my own eyes shall behold, and not another's, 28. Then shall ye say, "How did we persecute him!" 29. When the root of the matter is disclosed concerning me. For fierce is the vengeance of the sword: Therefore beware of its judgment. For the sake of comparison, I will venture to subjoin a few other translations of Job's memorable declaration contained in this chapter. MR. SCOTT'S. [From his spirited Translation of the Book of Job into heroic verse. 2d. ed, 1773.] I know that he whose years can ne'er decay MR. SCOTT'S LITERAL VERSION. [From the Appendix, No. III. to the same.] For I know my Redeemer is the living one, And my skin, which is thus torn, shall be another, And in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see, even mine eyes shall behold On my side, and not estranged: my reins Are consumed within me. °° DR. J. P. SMITH'S. [From his "Scripture Testimony," vol. i. p. 199.] O that even now my words were recorded! That they were engraven, for perpetuity, on a rock! And, after the disease has cut down my skin, Whom I shall see on my behalf! And mine eyes shall behold Him, and not estranged. The original passage presents considerable difficulties, whence arises a diversity in the renderings: a still farther difference is manifest in the translation of Dr. Stock, and others, who have adopted the notion, surely untenable,* that Job did not refer to a general resurrection. Thus DR. STOCK. Still do I know that my vindicator liveth, And in time to come over the dust he will rise up; And after they shall have swathed my skin, even this, *See Peters on Job, p. 180, and good old Caryl's fine commentary on the whole passage. They, also, who wish thoroughly to comprehend the scope of the book of Job, cannot do better than read, in connexion with Dr. Good's valuable Dissertation, Caryl's general Introduction, and his Summary, prefixed to chapters iv. v. vi. vii., either in the folio or the quarto edition. The conductors of some of our periodical publications, might, with great propriety, I presume to think, give insertion to these instructive synopses. |