Gregorii Opuscula, or, Notes & observations upon some passages of Scripture with other learned tracts / written by John Gregory ...

CHAP. I. Also he had them teach the Children of Judah the (use of the) bow: Behold it is written in the Booke of Jashar. 2 Sam. 1.18.

A Strange Parenthesis to all Respects, but e∣specially that of the Bow. Yet so the Targum reads it, and so the Rabbines con∣stantly expound. Rab. Solomons glosse is. And David said—from hence∣forth seeing that the mighty in Israel are falne, it will be necessary that the men of Judah learne to exercise their armes, and to draw the bow. Levi ben Gersom saith that inasmuch as David saw that the death of Saul was caused by his feare of the Bowmen, and that there was none in Israel skill'd in this kinde of Artillery, he gave order that the men of Judah, (as being the principall men at Armes) (should be taught the use of the Bow, &c. To the same purpose R. David, and others quoted in the Celi Ja∣kar, fol. 264. a. & b. And yet R. Isay saith, that Saul and Jonathan taught the sonnes of Judah the bow, because the sonnes

of Judah were mighty men, and fit to draw the Bow by the blessing of Jacob, Gen. 49.8. Where it is prophecied that the hand of Judah shall be in the neck of his Enemies, that is, (saith Chimhi as some of our wisemen expound) the Bow. Therefore they take the Booke of Jasher to be the first of Moses called Genesis, in which the Acts of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob the Jesharim, or upright men are recorded; but especially they take the Booke to be Beracoth Jacob, or the Blessings of Jacob. Thus the Jewes.

Though we have wisemen of our own to follow them in the Interpretation of the Bow: yet they will appeare to be as idle in this, as in their conceipt of the booke.

Is it a thing to be thought that the men of Judah were now to learne the use of the Bow? 'Twas the common Tactick practise.

The Hebraisme of Bow is like that of Bread: It nameth for all other kinde of Ammunition. And where's the consequence here that because Saul and Jonathan (excellent Archers them∣selves, for the Bow of Jonathan turned not back) fell downe before the Arrowes of the Philistines, that therefore the men of Judah should be taught the use of the Bow? But the Cohe∣rence is worse. And David, &c.

The Author of the Booke bringeth David in beginning an epicedium upon the death of Saul and Jonathan, and immediately breaketh him off with an impertinent command to the sons of Judah, that they should learne to handle the Bow. And where is it, or why is it that this should be written in the Booke of Iashar?

Therefore Mariana very understandly stept aside out of the common Road of Interpretation, and considered with himselfe that the Bow here might be taken for the Title of the Song, which cannot be strange to them that will compare this with the granted superscriptions upon David's Psalmes, as Psal. 69. To the chiefe Musitian upon Shoshannim. Psal. 67. Upon Neginoth. Psal. 59. To the chiefe Musitian Altashith, &c. So here to the chiefe Musitian K••sheth, or the Bow. For so the Text is to be read. And hee bade them, that is, the

chiefe Musitians, Heman, Ethan, and Jeduthun, to teach the igno∣rant people how to sing this Lamentation of David upon the death of Saul and Jonathan. It was intituled Kesheth, or the Bow, because it was occasioned by the Philistin Archers, 1 Sam. 31.3. But especially respecting to the Bow of Ionathan, which re∣turned not back from the bloud of the slaine, as the Song it self expresseth. And David could not but remember the Bow of Ionathan out of which that Arrow was shot beyond the Lad, 1 Sam. 20.36. It was the time when that Covenant was made, and that affection expressed betwixt them which was greater then the love of women.

And 'tis said there too that David exceeded, v. 41. And there also Ionathan required that this kindnesse of the Lord should be shewed unto him longer then he lived. And thou shalt not only whilest yet I live, &c. v. 14, 15.

The Lxx will beare out this Interpretation. The version there is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. [that is] And David lamented this Lamentation upon Saul and Ionathan his Sonne, and caused it to be taught to the Sonnes of Iudah. Behold it is written in the Booke of the Just man.] So the vulgar. Planxit autem David planctum hujusmodi super Saul & super Ionathan filium ejus, & praecepit ut docer••nt Fil••os Iudah planctum sicut scriptum est in libro Iustorum. And here 'tis plainer yet that David commanded to teach the Sonnes of Iudah this Lamentation. 'Tis true the late Editions of this Translation have shifted in the word Arcum instead of Planctum. But in the ancient Manuscripts it is so as I have quo∣ted it. And in the Elder printed copies 'tis Arcum, but in the Margin onely which afterwards crept into the Text, if I may call the Translation so.

Therefore also by these two great Authorities that which the Sonnes of Iudah were commanded to learne was not the use of the Bow. But the Bow, as 'tis originally set down, that is, a Song of David so called, or this Song of Lamentation o∣ver Saul and Ionathan. And this is that which was written in the Booke of Iasher. Why this Booke was so called, or who

was the Author of it, I cannot tell you. That it was not the first of Moses (as the Rabbines would have it) is ridiculously plaine. Josephus hath let us know thus much that it was a Re∣cord in the Temple, and you must not thinke it hard if it be lost to us as yet, you shall heare more of this hereafter. It is quo∣ted twice in Scripture, here and Josh. 10. And if both places be considered, 'tis to be judg'd that nothing was recorded in this Booke but Memorialls of this kinde, and which is more to be noted, they were metricall too. The place in Joshua put to this here maketh it cleare. There it is quoted out of the Booke of Jasher, that the Sun stood still in Gibeon, and the Moone in the valley of Ajalon. This Quotation is a plaine Canticle. Chimhi commeth so neare to the matter, as onely to make a doubt of it. But the thing is certain, It is reckoned among the 10 Songs by the Mechilta an old Commentary upon Exodus to the 15 Chapter. The 4 is that of Moses before his decease: and the 6 is that of Deborah and Barak, and this of Joshua is the fifth. I would say more of this had not the learned Masius prevented me upon the place, Josh. 10▪ 12. This is enough to shew that the Song of the Bow might, but the use of it could not be set downe in the Booke of Jasher. It is certaine that this command of David to the Children of Judah, is not delivered in Meeter. Indeed matter of that kinde was no fit subject for a Song. And now 'tis come to Tyndalls turne againe, for the New must be corrected by his Old Translation. He rendered thus, And David sang this Song of Mourning over Saul and over Jonathan his Sonne, and bade to teach the Children of Israel the Staves thereof.

Here I may note one thing more, and I marvaile at it too, that the vulgar Edition hath one verse over and above in the Canticle of the Bow. Considera Israel pro his qui mortui sunt, super excelsa tua vulnerati. It seemeth to pretend as if it would translate the first verse of the Song; but that's done, and bet∣ter too, immediately in the next, Jnclyti Israel super Montes tuos interfecti tunt. Quomodo ceciderunt fortos? I found it so in some of the written as well as the printed Copies: And yet I think Arias Montanus did better to leave it out, then some others

since to keep it in. It is plainly void and supernumerary, and an escape not fit to be accounted upon the Sagenesse of that translation.