rities, and would go far towards proving that we have great reason to be satisfied with, and thankful for, our English translation. To the student of divinity, Kimchi and his cotemporaries are of great importance, inasmuch as they may be regarded as the founders of a new school in Jewish theology. The violent persecutions of the Crusaders, the jealousy excited by the Christian attempt upon the Holy Land, and the influence of the doctrine of the Mahometans, amongst whom they lived, produced a sensible change in Jewish opinions and interpretations, which is plainly marked in Kimchi, and other writers of the day, and without a knowledge of which, the phænomena of modern Judaism connot be fully understood. Rashi, Aben Ezra, and Kimchi endeavoured to get rid of the Christian interpretations, and Maimonides to root out the Christian doctrines which had descended from the ancient Jewish Church. The writings of the commentators passed without notice, but Maimonides' attack on Jewish doctrines drew down the sentence of excommunication, and led to a serious feud, in which Kimchi appeared as the friend of Maimonides, and endeavoured to make peace. In the course of time, however, the opinions of all gained ground, and have now an almost universal influence on Jewish habits of thought, which makes a knowledge of their writings desirable.

A specimen of Kimchi's Commentary is now presented to the public, as a small contribution towards this object. It is hoped that even this may be useful, not only in exhibiting Jewish interpretation, but in helping Christians to form a more correct estimate of the Jewish mind. The controversialist is compelled to attack that which is

erroneous, or even absurd in the oral law, and the ignorant or unthinking hastily conclude that all the Jewish writings are of the same character. The translation of Kimchi or Aben Ezra would speedily undeceive the world. In the mean while it is hoped that the patient reader of even this specimen, will rise with a different idea of Jewish talent and learning. It may also facilitate the study of Rabbinical literature to some who have commenced, and induce others to begin. The controversy with the Jews is an important branch of Christian divinity, which is comparatively overlooked, and cannot be effectually cultivated without some knowledge of the rabbies. It was principally for the conversion of the Jews, that the oriental professorships were determined on at the Council of Vienna, in 1311, and it is to be hoped that those who appreciate the value of Christianity now, will also remember that this is one use of knowing the original language of the Old Testament. To those whose other avocations do not permit them to study Rabbinical writers this translation may prove useful, especially as constant regard has been had to the Jewish controversies, and the chief passages relating to the Messiah have been considered, somewhat at length, in observations appended to the chapters in which they occur.

The present translation was made from the text in Buxtorf's Bible, but it is much to be wished that one of the Universities would furnish students with a more correct and cheaper edition. Wolfius mentions that this portion of Kimchi was translated into Latin by Robert

* Gesen. Geschichte, p. 104.

Neal, and published in Paris in 1577, but I have never had the good fortune to see it, or I should have gladly availed myself of its assistance. Buxtorf's text has been compared, so far as that abridgement will allow, with Solomon Ben Melech's Perfection of Beauty, and the passages of the Talmud, &c., cited by Kimchi, are pointed out in the notes. Should this specimen of Rabbinic comment be approved by students, the Translator hopes, at some future period, to present them with another. The next would probably be Saadiah Gaon's Commentary on the Book of Daniel, of parts of which he has had a translation lying by for some years. His wish, however, would be, in course of time, to furnish Kimchi's Commentary on the Prophets complete, with observations on all the passages relating to the Messiah. There is in English no book that fully considers the Jewish objections, and to meet this want the Translator originally intended an English translation of the Chizzuk Emunah, with notes. But on considering that a large part of that book is occupied with objections common to all who reject the New Testament, and which have, therefore, been answered already elsewhere; and that his interpretation of the prophecies are drawn chiefly from Kimchi, he thought that the Commentary of the original objector would be more useful. But, perhaps, he was influenced still more by the consideration that the magnitude of a detailed answer to the Chizzuk Emunah would make the undertaking too great a pecuniary risk.

୮

KIMCHI'S

COMMENTARY ON ZECHARIAH.

CHAPTER I.

1 "In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, was the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet, saying."

"The prophet," is to be referred to Zechariah, though perhaps Iddo may also have been a prophet, for it is said that he is the same as Iddo, the seer. (2 Chron. ix. 29.) We have also found in the Midrash* the words, " Iddo, the prophet."

"Saying," to Israel, as is immediately added, " And thou shalt say unto them." Say unto them, that they should remember the displeasure wherewith the Lord was displeased with the fathers, that is, with the generation in whose time the temple was desolated; they should also remember that it was on account of their deeds that the Lord was displeased with them, they should therefore return to the Lord, and not be like their fathers. They were at this time slothful in building the temple, for they did not begin to build until the ninth month, and evil deeds were still in their hands, as is written in the book of Ezra.

Medrash, or Midrash, is the title of several compilations of traditional expositions of the Scripture. The most famous are the Midrash Rabba on the Pentateuch, Esther, Lamentations, &c., and the Midrash Tillim on the Psalms.

B