1 iv DEDICATION. your hands, and the high encomiums you was pleased to bestow on it: your general Erudition; your veneration for our most holy Religion; and the high esteem you are held in by those that have the happiness of knowing you, all point out the peculiar propriety of inscribing a work of this nature to your Name. That you may long live to be an honour and an ornament to our Nation, is the un feigned and ardent prayer of SIR, Your much obliged, And most Obedient, Green Street Humble Servant, D. LEVI. 237, 1. 17, for unweary r. unwary. 261 Note, l. 2, from b. for Howbigant r. Houbigant. 277 1. 10, for thoughr. through. -3101. 14, for magnificient r. magnificent. DISSERTATIONS ON THI PROPHECIES. THE HE tenth prophecy commences Chapter liv. verse 1. and is continued to the end, of the last verse of chapter lv. The purport of this prophecy is, to comfort the Jewish nation, and prevent its defpair in this long and dreadful captivity; and, under the image of a barren woman, who did not bear, and was deserted by her hufband, the Prophet exhorts her to rejoice, and express her Joy in the liveliest manner, on the reconciliation of her husband, and the great increase of her family; afVOL. II. B furing A furing her that she shall no more go into captivity, &c. as will be seen in the explanation, In verse ist. He says, " Shout for joy, O thou barren, that didst not bear; break forth into Joyful shouting, and exult, thou that didst not travail: for more are the children of the defolate, than of the husbanded woman, faith the LORD." The barren woman denotes the Jewish nation, which in captivity, is as a barren woman, deserted by her husband; and the husbanded woman, denotes the Gentiles, who enjoy plenty and peace, in their own country, as a woman that lives at ease with her husband, and is furrounded by her children. Thus also the Pfalmist compares the nation in captivity, to a barren woman *, " He maketh the barren woman to dwell in the midst of her household, (and to be) the Joyful mother of children." The Prophet verse 2d. continues to pursue the figure, Saying," Enlarge the place of thy tent; and let the canopies of thy habitations be extended : spare not; lengthen thy cords, and firmly fix thy stakes." By this figurative expreffion, the * Pfalm cxiv. 9. Prophet |
