VERS. XXIII.
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Behold a Virgin shall be with child.
THat the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the Prophet denotes an untouched Virgin, sufficiently appears from the sense of the place, Esa. VII. King Achaz there was affraid, lest the enemies, that were now upon him, might destroy Jerusalem, and utterly consume the House of David. The Lord meets with this fear by a signal and most remarkable promise, namely, that sooner should a pure Virgin bring forth a child, tha•• the family of David perish. And the promise yields a double comfort: namely, of Christ hereafter to be born of a Virgin: and of their security from the imminent danger of the City and house of David. So that, although that Prophesie of a Virgins bringing forth a son should not be fulfilled till many hundreds of years after; yet at that present time, when the Prophesie was made, Ahaz had a certain and notable sign, that the house of David should be safe and secure from the danger that hung over it. As much as if the Prophet had said, Be not so troubled, O Ahaz, does it not seem an impossible thing to thee, and that never will happen, that a pure Virgin should become a Mother? But I tell thee, a pure Virgin shall bring forth a son, before the House of David perish.
Hear this, O unbelieving Jew, and shew us now some remainders of the House of David; or confess this Prophesie fulfilled in the Virgins bringing forth: or deny that a sign was given, when a sign is given.
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Which is being interpreted.
§ In what language Matthew wrote his Gospel.
I. All confess, that the Syriac Language was the Mother Tongue to the Jewish Nation dwelling in Judea; and that the Hebrew was not all understood by the common people may especially appear from two things.
- 1. That in the Synagogues, when the Law and the Prophets were read in the original Hebrew, an Interpreter was always present to the Reader, who rendred into the Mother Tongue that which was read, that it might be understood by the common people. q 1.1 Hence those rules of the office of an Interpreter, and of some places, which were not to be rendred into the Mother Tongue.
- 2. That Jonathan the son of Uzziel, a Scholar of Hillel, about the time of Christs birth, rendred all the Prophets (that is, as the Jews number them, Joshua, Judges, Sa∣muel, the Books of the Kings, Esaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve lesser Pro∣phets) into the Chaldee Language, that is, into a Language much more known to the people than the Hebrew, and more acceptable than the Mother Tongue. For if it be asked, why he translated them at all, and why he translated not rather into the Mo∣ther Tongue, which was known to all: and if it be objected concerning S. Matthew, and S. Paul, that writing to the Jews, one his Gospel, the other his Epistle (to the