The Scripture Almanack

FOR 1826

PURPORTING TO EXHIBIT

SOME OF THE MEMORABLE EVENTS AND SACRED SEASONS

OF THE BIBLE,

TOGETHER WITH

An Arrangement of the Scriptures, in Chronological Order,

TO BE READ THROUGH THE YEAR,

WITH THE RESPECTIVE

PORTIONS OF EACH DAY.1

SEPTEMBER.

THIS was the first Hebrew month of the civil year, and the seventh of the ecclesiastical year. The Hebrews call it, "the beginning of the year." It answered to the moon of September.-Calmet's Bib. Encyclop. on Tisri.

The old name Ethanim, or D, 1 Kings viii. 2, was changed after the Jews' return from Babylon.

Were these names significantly applied? The former from W, strong, and referring to the violent winds at this season; and the latter, from, to regulate, and thence the regulating month. Parkhurst's Heb. Lex. pp. 49, and 770.

Weather.

The mercury remains the same at the beginning of this month as at the end of August, except that in the afternoon it rises.-Russel, p. 14. Although the days are very hot, the nights are extremely cold.Schulze, pp. 417-420.

Rain falls towards the end of the month; but the rainy season generally commences now, according to Tschudis, p. 236.

Productions.

Russel says, that the Syrians begin to plough about the end of this month.-Nat. Hist. of Aleppo, p. 16,

The Palm, or Date-tree, presents ripe dates now in Upper Egypt, according to Radzivil, p. 172. The Pomegranate, Pear, and Plum-trees were laden with fruit in this month, in the gardens of Damascus.— Schulze, p. 443.

According to Korte, Cotton, which was sown the year before, and has lain all the winter, is now gathered ripe.-Reise, p. 576.

Jewish Calendar.

1. The New Moon. The beginning of the civil year, called N , rash eshine.

3. A fast for Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, who was slain at Mizpeh, together with all the Jews that were with him: 2 Kings xxv. 25; Jer. xli. 2. This fast is noticed in Zech. viii. 19.

The same day, the abolition of written contracts. The wicked kings having forbid the Israelites to pronounce the name of God, when they were restored to liberty, the Asmonans, or Maccabees, ordained, that the name of God should be written in contracts after this manner: "In such a year of the high-priest N―, who is minister of the Most High God," &c. The judges to whom these writings were presented decreed they should be satisfied; saying, for example, " On such a day such a debtor shall pay such a sum, according to his promise, after which the schedule shall be torn." But it was found, that the name of God was taken away out of the writing; and thus the whole became useless and ineffectual. For which reason, they abolished all these written contracts, and appointed a festival day in memory of it.-Megil. Taan. p.

5. A fast. Twenty Israelites are killed; Rabbi Akiba, son of Joseph, is loaded with irons, and dies in prison.

7. A fast, appointed on account of the golden calf: Exod. xxxii. 6-8, 34. The lessons for this day were, Deut. xxvi. 1-xxix.; together with Isa. Ix.

10 and 15. The fast of atonement and feast of tabernacles, are noticed above, among the sacred festivals

14. The lessons were, Deut. xxix. 10—xxxi. 1; when the year had most sabbaths, and when least, they finished this book; and Isa. Ixi. I -lxiii. 10.

21. The lessons were, Gen. i. 1-vi. 9; and Isa. xlii. 5-xliii. II. 23. The solemnity of the law, in memory of the covenant and death of Moses. Solomon's Temple dedicated.

28. The lessons were, Gen. vi. 9-xii. 1; and Isa. liv. 1-Iv. 5.

30. On this day the lessons were, Gen. xii. 1-xviii. 1; and Isa. xl. 27-xli. 17. Now was commemorated the death of Gedaliah, according to Prideaux, Connect. p. i. b. i. under the year 588.

N. B. It might be a valuable improvement to this Almanack, were a parallel page or column appropriated to a judicious selection of particulars, connected with the literature of the Holy Scriptures, of every age and nation. This will probably be done, in the event of a separate publication; but at present this suggestion is merely put on record. [OCTOBER in our next.]

Biblical Criticism.

SHORT NOTES ON ST. MATTHEW'S GOSPEL.1

CHAP. VII. ver. 6. μapyapíras. It appears from the rabbinical writers, that the Jews called the precepts of wisdom pearls. So our Lord more than once compares the truths (especially the more recondite ones) of the gospel to the same. Thus, in Matt. xiii. 46, the gospel is compared to a pearl of great price. Vide Seneca, Ep. 29. The word papyapíras is of Oriental origin. (Bloomfield's Recen. Synop. Annot. Sac. vol. i. p. 89.)

Ver. 23. OvdÉTOTE Eyvov iμãç. I never have recognized, acknowledged, approved you (as my servants.) See Plant. Mostellar. 5. 1. Amphitr. 4. 5. 13. Asinar. 1. 2. 18. Phorm. 2. 3. 10. Captiv. 2. 3. 74. Eurip. Hec. 255. 1 John 31. Gen. xlii. 7. 1 Kings xxv. 2. Ps. ci. 4. Job viii. 18; ch. xxi. 14.

Sacerdotibus ea provinLev. xiii. 1. (Wetstein.) (Idem.)

CHAP. VIII. ver. 4. σεαυτον δείξον τω ιερει. cia demandata erat, ut judiearent de leprâ. To cupov. Duos passerculos. Lev. xiv. 4-7.

1 Continued from page 321.

Ver. 16. οψίας γενομένης. That there were two ὀψίαι among the Jews, is plain from Exod. xii. 6; Lev. xxiii. 5; Matt. xiv. 15. One was from three o'clock in the afternoon to six o'clock; the other from six o'clock to the beginning of night.

Ver. 22. αφες τους νεκρους θαψαι τους εαυτών νεκρους. "Sed quomodo νεκροι νεκρός sepelire possunt?" (a.) Chrysostomus Homil. 28. in Matthæum, interroganti, Cur Christus nonuerit patrem a filio sepelire? respondet, Ότι και οι εκείνο πληρωσαντες ησαν, και ουκ εμελλεν αταφα μενειν και τουτον των αναγκαιοτέρων απαγεσθαι ουκ εχρην. (b.) νεκρες intelligunt τις απιτες infideles. Ita idem Chrysostomus ibid. Ειπων τους εαυτών νεκρες δεικνυσιν οτι ουτος ουκ εσιν αυτε νεκρός και γαρ των απιςων, ως εγωγε οιμαι, ην ο τετελευτηκως. Ita etiam Theophylactus: αφες τους νεκρος, τότεςι, τις απίτους, θαψαι τες εαυτων νεκρες. (c.) Alii per νεκρες intel ligunt in peccatis mortuos, qui dicuntur (they understand those dead in sins, who are called) νεκροι τοις παραπτώμασι mortui in offensis (deaa in offences) ad Eph. ii. 1. et Col. ii. 13. qui (ut inquit Photius ap. Ecumen. in cap. ii. ad Eph. p. 622.) νεκροι, ὅσον προς ενεργειαν αγαθε τινος. Ad quem locum etiam Theophylactus, p. 510, Νεκρωσιν, ου την σωματικήν, την εκ Θες Αδαμ αρξαμενην, αλλα την ψυχικήν την εξ ημων αυτών συνιταμένην την των αμαρτιων. At which place, likewise, Theophylact :-Death, not the corporeal, that beginning from Adam ; but the spiritual, that arising from our sins and ourselves. De morte impiorum spirituali—verba Christi accipit Cyrillus Alexand. 1. 16 de Adoratione, p. 580, Αφες νεκρούς θάπτειν τους εαυτών νεκρούς, νεκρές οιμαι λεγων, τως τα εν κόσμω φρονειν ελόμενος, και των της νεκρότητος έργων απεσχημένους. (d.) Long a nimis petita est Theophylacti expositio, qui in cap. 9. Lucæ p. 376 per θαψαι intelligit γηροτροφῆσαι αχρι της ταφῆς nutrire in senectute usque ad sepulturam. To support in old age until the burial. Τὸ ἐπιμελέιας αξιωσαι αχρι και της ταφης, curam gerere usque ad sepulturam. Rationem hanc addit: Επει και εν τη κοινη ομιλια ουτως ἐιώ θαμεν λεγειν. Ὁ δεῖνα υἱὸς έθαψε τον πατέρα αυτού ου τουτο λεγοντες οτι μόνον εθαψεν αυτόν, αλλο δε ουδεν αγαθον εποιησεν, αλλ' οτι επεμελήσατο αυτό αχρι και της τελευτης και ταφῆς To take care of until burial. adds this as a reason: As we are accustomed thus to speak in common conversation, some son has buried his father, not saying this, that he only buried him, but did no other good thing, but that he took care of him until his death and burial. (Suicer's Thesaur. Ecclesiast. art. νεκρος.)

He

Ver. 23. ἐμβάντι αὐτῶ—ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῶ. The word αὐτῷ in one of these places is redundant. Thus also ver. 28. ἐλθόντι αὑτῶ ὑπήντησαν αὐτῶ. Luke xix. 26, ἀπὸ τοῦ μὴ ἔχοντος, κ, ὃ ἔχει, ἀρθήσεται ΑΠ' ΑΥΤΟΥ. See Matt. viii. 5; xix. 27; v. 40; iii. 12; iv. 16. So in Latin writers, as, Signa tabulas, cæteraque ornamenta Græcorum oppidorum, qua cæteri tollenda esse arbritrantur, EA sibi ille ne visenda quidem existimavit." Cic. pro Lege Maniliâ. c. 14.

66

[To be continued.]