COMMENTARY UPON THE PROPHECIES OF ZECHARIAH. TRANSLATED FROM THE HEBREW. WITH NOTES, AND OBSERVATIONS ON THE PASSAGES BY THE REV. A. M'CAUL, A.M., OF TRINITY COLLEGE, DUBLIN. LONDON: JAMES DUNCAN, 37, PATERNOSTER-ROW. MDCCCXXXVII. то THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, A NATION NOT MORE REMARKABLE FOR THE CALAMITIES WHICH THEY HAVE SURVIVED, THAN FOR A GENIUS AND LOVE OF LEARNING WHICH THOSE CALAMITIES COULD NEVER SUBDUE, This Specimen OF ONE OF THEIR COMMENTARIES IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED, BY THE TRANSLATOR. INTRODUCTION. Rabbi David KIMCHI, commonly called by the Jews from the three initial letters 7 RaDaK, was probably born at Narbonne, where his father lived.* Reland+ con-siders it doubtful, because, in his printed and manuscript works, he calls himself, "David, the son of Joseph, the son of Kimchi the Spaniard," whereas Narbonne is in France. But the vicinity to Spain, and the fact that his family was Spanish, and that he himself was altogether identified with the Spanish school of Hebrew learning, would fully warrant this title. But, however that be, it is certain that his life and labours present an interesting incident in the literary history of an eventful period. * Jost (in his Geschichte der Israeliten, vol. vi. 104) says unhesitatingly, that he was born there, but the only authority which he gives is that of Wolfius, who does not speak so positively. + Vitæ celeb. Rab. p. 81, 82, in his Analecta. "His Wolfius, in his account of Joseph Kimchi, the father, says, panus, Narbonæ, quæ tum temporis Hispanis parebat.”—Bibliothec. Heb. part i. p. 562. b |