sovereignty in Jehoiachin, 2 Kings xxv. 27; and for it, the sceptre did truly remain in in Daniel, who was of that tribe, Dan. ii. 25; the tribe of Judah; even as it was rightly v. 13; and of the king's seed, Dan. i. 3; called the Roman empire, when Trajan, a and in the successive heads or governors of Spaniard, or other foreigners, administered the exiles, of whom the Jewish writers say it; or as we call it the kingdom of Poland, so much; and they affirm that they were when they chose a king of another nation. always of the house of David, and were more How great and venerable the authority of honourable than the governors of the Jews this council was among the Jews, may which were left in the land of Israel. 3. All easily be gathered, 1. From the Divine that was then left of the sceptre of the Jews institution of it, Numb. xi. 16, whereby, was in the tribe of Judah; nor was the sceptre indeed, it was at first to consist of persons departed from Judah to any other tribe; indifferently chosen out of all the tribes; and that is the thing which seems especially but now the other tribes being banished and to be respected in this prophecy: for Judah dispersed in unknown places, and Benjamin is here compared with the rest of the tribes; and Levi being as it were accessions to the and it is here signified, that the power and tribe of Judah, and in a sort incorporated dominion which was in Judah, when once with it, it now becomes as it were approit came thither, should not shift from tribe priated to the tribe of Judah, as acting in to tribe, as it had done, but whilst there was its name and by its authority; and the any sceptre or supreme government among whole land is called Judea, and all the the Jews, it should be in that tribe, even till people Jews, from the predominancy of that the coming of the Messias. But if there tribe above the rest. 2. From the great should happen any total, but temporary power and privileges anciently granted to intercision or cessation of the government it, Deut. xvii. 8, &c.; 2 Chron. xix. 8, 11; among all the tribes, which now was the Psalm cxxii. 5. 3. From the testimony of case, that was no prejudice to the truth of Josephus, and other Jewish writers, which this promise, nor to the privilege granted to is most considerable in this argument, who Judah above the rest of the tribes. After largely describe and magnify the power and the captivity, the state of the Jews was very authority of it; who tell us that the power various. Sometimes they had governors put of their king was subject to that of this in by the Persian king, as Zorobabel, who council; and therefore one of them addresswas also of the tribe of Judah, and, as it is ing his speech to that council, where also supposed, nephew of Jehoiachin; and Ne- the king himself was present, first salutes hemiah, whom Eusebius affirms to have been of the tribe of Judah. And though he may seem to be numbered among the priests, Neh. x. 8, yet a diligent reader will find that he is even there distinguished from them by his title the Tirshatha, ver. 1, and the word priests, ver. 8, relateth only to the rest there mentioned besides him; especially if this be compared with chap. ix. 38, where the princes (among whom surely Nehemiah was the chief) are distinguished from the priests. And sometimes the people chose governors, or captain-generals, as the Maccabees, and others. But under all their vicissitudes, after their return from Babylon, the chief government was evidently and unquestionably seated in the great council called Sanhedrim or Synedrium, wherein, though some of the tribe of Levi were mixed with those of the tribe of Judah, yet because they, together with other members of that council, had their power both from that tribe by which they were chosen, and in it,

the senators, and after them the king. They affirm also, that the power of making war or peace was vested in that council, and that Herod was tried for his life by it. If it be said that the power of this council was in a great measure taken away, which the Jews confess, John xviii. 31, and that the sceptre of Judea was in the hands of the Romans, and by them given to Herod, who was no Jew, but an Idumean, and this before the coming of the Messias, which is the only remaining difficulty; to this many things may be said: 1. That this happened but a few years before the coming of Christ, when Christ was even at the doors, and about to come, and therefore might well be said to be come; especially in the prophetical style, whereby things are oft said to be done which are near doing. 2. That the Jewish senators did long struggle with Herod about the government, and did not yield it up to him till his last year, when they took an oath of fealty to him, which was after Christ was

born.

Nor indeed was the sceptre quite nifies a diminution of this dignity, before gone from them then, for that council still the finishing of this prophecy. For mehad the power, though not of life and death, chokkim were not of equal power with kings; yet of civil and ecclesiastical matters. See and therefore we translate the word elsewhere John xviii. 31. So that if the sceptre was governors (Judg. v. 9, 14), who were not gone, the lawgiver remained there still. Nor endued with an absolute power, but depended was their government and commonwealth on the power of another. And thus R. quite destroyed until the destruction of Solomon Jarchi expressly says (in his ComJerusalem by Titus. And therefore some mentaries on the Sanhedrim), that as shebet translate the place thus, and that with great signifies the highest authority, so mechokek probability, The sceptre shall not depart signifies a lesser magistrate or ruler; who until the Shiloh come, and until (which word was set over the people by the authority and is repeated out of the former member, as it license of the kings of Persia. For this is most usual in the Scripture) the gathering kind of power was settled among them, at of the people be to him, i.e., until the their return from Babylon, when Zerobabel Gentiles be converted and brought in to was made their governor. And after they Christ. And this interpretation receiveth were invaded by the Seleucidæ, this authocountenance from Matt. xxiv. 14, The gospel shall be preached in all the world, and then shall the end come; not the end of the whole world, as it is evident, but the end of the commonwealth and government of the Jews, when the sceptre and lawgiver should be wholly taken away from that tribe and people.

Bp. Patrick. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, &c.] That the first word shebet is rightly translated sceptre, we have the unanimous testimony of the three Targums of the ancient book Rabboth, with a great many of the modern rabbins (such as Caskuni, Bechai, Abarbinel, &c., &c.). [See note of Pool above.]

The meaning of this word then being settled, it is manifest Jacob here gives Judah the highest superiority over his brethren; and informs them, that from the time his authority should be established, there should continue a form of government in this tribe, till the coming of the Messiah. The word sceptre is more used in ancient times (as Mr. Selden observes in his "Titles of Honour") to signify kingly power, than either crown or diadem, which have been used more in later times. And therefore the LXX. translate it "Apxwv, of whose authority, the rod, staff, or sceptre, was the ensign. And accordingly in the prophecy of Amos i. 5, "He that holdeth the sceptre," is used absolutely for a king. Now this regal power began in the tribe of Judah, when David was king over all Israel (1 Chron. xxviii. 4), and his posterity held it till the captivity of Babylon.

But then the next word in this verse, mechokek (which we translate lawgiver), sig

rity was recovered and maintained by the Maccabees; till they were deprived of it by Herod and the Romans. At which time Christ came; when it is evident they were become subjects to the Romans, by the very enrolling that was made of them at the birth of our Saviour: which was a public testimony of Augustus's sovereignty over them. So that the meaning of this prophecy is, "There shall be either kings or governors among the Jews till Christ come." So J. Christoph. Wagenseil (who hath discussed this place with great exactness) gives the sense of these words; and it is literally true : till the captivity they had kings; after their return they had governors, under the Persians, Greeks, and Romans (see his Confut. Carm. Memorialis Libri Nitzachon. R. Lipmanni, p. 293, &c.).

To strengthen which interpretation he makes this judicious remark, in another place of the same book (p. 373). That the whole time, from the beginning to the end of Judah's authority, was well nigh equally divided between kings and governors. For, according to Josephus (lib. xi. Antiq., cap. 4), they lived under kings, from David's time to the captivity, five hundred and thirty-two years; and under the mechokkim or governors, after the captivity, much about the same number of years. For there being five hundred eighty and eight years from the captivity to our Saviour's birth; if seventy years be deducted (which was the time their captivity lasted), and ten be added (in which after the birth of Christ, Herod and his son Archelaus reigned in Judea, and it was not yet reduced into the form of a province), there were just five hundred

twenty and eight years; that is, the space where he translates these words thus, even

in which they were under kingly authority, and under subordinate governors, was in a manner of the same length. Which makes it the more wonderful, that Jacob should so many ages before exactly divide the whole power he foresaw would be in Judah, between them that wielded a sceptre, and those who were only subordinate governors.

to the last end of that state. For so the people at the feet signifies (Exod. xi. 8; 2 Kings iii. 9), those that bring up the rear, as we now speak. And so some ancient interpreters in the Talmud, he shows, expound it here, of the last posterity of Judah, and the times when their commonwealth was coming to a conclusion.

That the letter vau before the word we Until Shiloh come.] Let the original of translate lawgiver, hath the force of a dis- this word Shiloh be what it will (which junctive, and is not a mere copulative, all some translate to be sent, others his son, or allow and there are many examples of it child, or his seed, others quiet, peaceable, in other places, particularly in the tenth pacific, prosperous, and consequently, recommandment (Exod. xx. 14). The great-nowned, august, to whom gifts or offerings est objection that I can find against this shall be made, as R. Solomon takes it; interpretation is, that though Zerobabel, the others, whose is, viz., the kingdom), the first governor after the captivity, was of the Messiah or Christ is certainly hereby meant: tribe of Judah; yet the Maccabees, who as all the three Targums agree; and the were their governors most of the time after Talmud in the title Sanhedrim, cap. xi. and the captivity, were of the tribe of Levi. Baalhatturim, Bereshith-Rabba, and many But it is to be considered, that the prophecy other ancient and modern Jews. I will doth not say these rulers or governors should mention only the words of R. Bechai; who be of the tribe of Judah; but only in that confesses, it is right to understand this verse tribe which had a government of their own, of the Messiah, the last Redeemer. "Which till the coming of Christ. Besides, by Judah is meant when it saith, Till Shiloh come, i.e., is not to be understood merely the people of his Son, proceeding from his seed. And that tribe; but all those that were called the reason why the word beno is not used in Jews, consisting also of the tribes of Ben- this prophecy, but Shiloh, is because he jamin and Levi; who were incorporated would emphatically express a son, who with them and were all called Judah, in should be brought forth of his mother's opposition to the kingdom of Israel. For womb, after the manner of all those that are Benjamin, it is evident, was so near to born of a woman." Of this interpretation Judah, that they were reputed the very they are so convinced; that, to evade the same. Whence it is that Mordecai, who argument we derive from hence to prove the was of the tribe of Benjamin, is called Ish Messiah is come, they have invented a great Jehudi, a Jew, in Esther ii. 5, because that many tales of the power they have still in tribe was comprehended under Judah, from some remote parts of the world. There is a the time that the rest rent themselves from book written on purpose, called, "The the house of David. When Jeroboam also Voice of Glad Tidings," wherein they labour set up the meanest of the people for priests; to prove, they have a kingdom still remainwho were not of the tribe of Levi (1 Kings ing. Which, if it should be granted, sigxii. 33), this made the Levites fly to nifies nothing, for this prophecy is concernJudah and become one with them. And ing their government of their own country, therefore the Maccabees were, in effect, the land of Canaan: as they themselves very Jews, who held the chief authority among well know; which makes them so desirous them, till Antigonus was driven out and killed by Herod: who was an Edomite set over them by the Romans.

to return thither again, that the hand of Judah may be upon the neck of his enemies, and he may go up from the prey like a lion, From between his feet.] The common in- and tie his ass to the vine, and wash his terpretation every body knows, which is, of garments in wine, &c., as the words are in his seed, or posterity: but Ludolphus, instead the rest of this prophecy. And whatof raglau, feet, would have us read daglau, soever some of them are pleased to say banners, according to the Samaritan copy. Which is well confuted by the forenamed Wagenseil, p. 269, of the forenamed book:

concerning their power nobody knows where, they are sometimes in a contrary humour: for in the Gemara Sanhedrim they

The truth of this exposition appears exactly from their history of which it will be useful here to give an account. For from David to the captivity of Babylon they held Now at this time our blessed Lord and the sceptre, for five whole ages and more, Saviour, Jesus Christ, the true Shiloh, came; as I observed above. After which, when who was the founder of a new and heavenly seventy years were finished in that captivity, kingdom. And nothing more was left to be they lived by their own laws in their own done for the fulfilling of this prophecy, but, country but had no absolute authority of after his crucifying, to destroy Jerusalem their own, independent upon others; nor and the temple, and therewith the whole ever enjoyed a full liberty. For they were form of their government, both civil and at first under the present monarchs: after- sacred. Then all power was entirely taken wards, upon the conquest made by Alex- from Judah, when Christ had erected his ander, under the Greeks: and then under throne in the heavens, and brought many the kings of Asia Minor and Egypt; till the people, in several parts of the earth, unto Roman yoke was imposed upon them. Yet his obedience, and made them members of all this time, while they were under the his celestial kingdom. Till which time this empire of others, they enjoyed governors or prophecy was not completely fulfilled;

which may be the reason, possibly, that it est in verborum quæ sequuntur,

1,

is not alleged by Christ and his apostles; interpretatione, maxime ob nomen. Id because the Jews might have said, We have quidem quum alias urbis sit nomen in sorte still a government among us: which could tribus Ephraim sitæ, quod et defective not be pretended after the destruction by scribitur,, Jos. xvi. 6; xviii. 1, 8; Jud. Titus.

xviii. 31, nec non , Jud. xxi. 21; Jer. Rosen. Non recedet a Juda sceptrum, vii. 12, atque, Jud. xxi. 19; 1 Sam. iii. 21; i.e., imperium. talem scipionem qualem Jer. vii. 14, quæ omnes scripturæ varietates duces potestatis insigne gerere solent, s. hoc ipso loco in Codd. passim reperiuntur; sceptrum, et per metonym. ipsum designat simplicissimum fuerit, verba illa sic reddere; imperatoriam dignitatem, ut Num. xxiv. 17; usque dum venerit Schiluntem, præsertim Jes. xiv. 5; Zach. x. 11. Nomini re- quum phrasis hoc sensu 1 Sam. spondet in membro sq. p, quod proprie iv. 12, legatur. Commendavit hanc intereum qui aliquid statuit, decernit, voμobérηv, pretationem argumentis grammaticis, hisdenotat (Num. xxi. 18, de Mose), et in toricis et dogmaticis, G. A. Teller in Nott. universum de primoribus populi exercitusve critt. et exegett. in hoc cap., p. 130, sqq. usurpatur, ut Jud. v. 14, et Ps. lx. 19, Existimat vero his verbis illud respici, quod tribus Juda vocatur, princeps, ante- quum in itinere populi Israelitici per Arabia signanus. Phrasin quæ sequitur,, deserta tribus Juda in castris semper primum ante quam repetendum est, non re- locum occupasset (Num. ii. 3—9), atque in cedet e medio pedum ejus, interpretum plures movendo castra reliquis tanquam antesighaud differre a simplici ab eo existi- nanus præivisset (Num. x. 14), simul atque mant, auctore potissimum J. A. Ernestio Siluntem perventum esset, ceteræ tribus a (Opuscc. philolog. critt., Lugd. Batav., 1776, Juda discesserunt, ut quæque terram suam p. 173, sqq.), qui, Hebræorum, inquit, mos sorte acceptam, ut Rubenitæ et Gaditæ, aut est, homines exprimere per partes corporis, mox accipiendum, ut reliquæ tribus, occuquarum qualiscunque sit conjunctio cum re parent; tunc igitur desiisse principatum ea, quæ iis tribuitur; idque cum faciunt, tribus Judæ. In similem cogitationem, nihil de istis partibus cogitant, sed totam ignorata tamen, uti videtur, Telleri interprepersonam animo contuentur. Provocat inter tatione, incidit Gregor. Zirkel in Diss. super alia ad locum Hos. ii. 4, ubi simili con- benedictione Judæ Genes. xlix. 8—12, Wircestruendi ratione dicitur: TED TEEN OP burg., 1786, qui p. 55. Jacobum hisce verbis TT, removebit adulteria sua e medio mam- hoc voluisse existimat : dux sit Judas usque marum suarum, i.e., ab ipsa. Veruntamen ad plenam Palæstinæ possessionem, usque non plane eadem est ratio phraseos He- dum devictis hostibus Siluntem, i.e., ad braicæ, qua potius genitalia Kar' quietem venire licet; est enim a verbo evonμíav designantur, ut Deut. xxviii. 57, cessavit, quievit. Habebit tamen tale que votum, quod Judæ principatum et ducis exeunt ex eo quod inter pedes ejus. Simili dignitatem ad illud tantum temporis spatium phrasi soboles alicujus ex ejus femore exire restringit, quod Palæstinæ occupationem dicitur, vid. xlvi. 26; Ex. i. 5; Jud. viii. 30. præcedit, languidi quid et pæne frigidi. Quare non sunt vituperandi LXX., qui red- Nos quidem non dubitamus, esse h. l. didere: kaì ηyoúμevos ek tôv unpŵv auToû. nom. appell. a tranquillus, quietus fuit Hieronymus et dux de femore ejus. Onke- deductum, formæ ?, fumus (a TER), VIOR, los quoque et Hierosolymitanus pro a carduus, p, nervus, vinculum, et quæ sunt posuere, e filiis filiorum, et Jona- alia hujus generis. Erit igitur, s. 7, than, e semine ejus. Sensus igitur tranquillitas (i.q., Ps. cxxii. 7; Prov. horum verborum iis, quæ præcesserunt, xi. 21; Dan. viii. 25), id est, eâdem, qua in consonus hic erit, nunquam defuturos inter priori Vs. membro sceptrum dicitur

Judæ posteros viros principes, dignitate et pro eo qui sceptrum tenet, i.e., principe, auctoritate insignes, qui rebus administrandis metonymia, tranquillitatis auctor, pacificator, in bello et pace idonei sint. Qua quidem in qui turbata omnia et confusa ad pacem et sententia quum nihil sit, quod jure desideres tranquillitatem desideratissimam feliciter minime opus est, ut adoptemus quod in revocabit, nec igitur sensu diversum a textu Sam. exstat, 127 po, e mediis vexillis, princeps pacis, quod est inter Messiæ ejus. Sed major sententiarum discrepantia nomina Jes. ix. 5 (ubi cf. not.), et a ribų,