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ART. VI. A new Translation of the Hebrew Prophets, arranged in chronological order. By GEORGE R. NOYES, Vols. II. & III. Boston: James Munroe & Company. 1837. 12mo. pp. vi., 293, 295.

WE heartily congratulate the Christian public on the completion of this version of the Hebrew prophets. They have remained far too long, as sealed books to the popular reader; and far too long has their garb of solemn unintelligibility given umbrage for the wildest flights of mystical interpretation, and the most dishonest inferences of the dogmatist. There are, indeed, some intrinsic grounds for obscurity in the prophetic writings. They are isolated relics of a by-gone age, - they refer to long abrogated institutions, to obsolete manners, to buried nations, to an archeology, of which the surviving documents and monuments are few and sparse. They abound also in oriental imagery, and in views and feelings, which must needs seem natural only to residents of the East. The prophets are poets too, and exhibit all the peculiarities of a highly poetic diction. They avail themselves of a greater variety of idiom, a wider range of metaphor, a loftier flight of fancy, than the sacred historians. These things rendered them no less easily understood by their contemporaries, who were familiar with the full scope and power of their vernacular tongue; but they greatly enhance the difficulty under which we labor, now that the Hebrew has become a dead language. To all these inherent and permanent obstacles in the way of a right understanding of the prophets, King James's translators added a large amount of theological prejudice, a strong prepossession in favor of previous versions, and great and unavoidable ignorance on points of philology, now fully illustrated and settled. We accordingly find in our common version very few passages of any considerable length, which convey a coherent and continuous sense, while we often meet with verses, nay, with whole chapters, from which it is beyond our power to eliminate any meaning.

To vindicate the prophets from ambiguity and misunderstanding, has been the successful effort of such men as Lowth, Newcome, and Blayney, men, whose learning, candor, and liberality cannot be appreciated too highly; but their labors have appeared in such a form as to invite the attention only or

chiefly of the learned and inquiring. Nothing of this kind has appeared in England for the use and benefit of common readers. We should, therefore, were Mr. Noyes's works entitled on other grounds to no superior praise, feel deeply indebted to him for having taken the key of knowledge from colleges and libraries, and thrown it to the whole company of the devout and truth-loving. Nor can we eulogize too highly the self-denial exercised by an accomplished scholar in suppressing all show of arms, and all feats of scholarly gladiatorship; in omitting or crowding into a line the discussion of points, which have claimed engrossing interest and arduous toil; in amassing materials ample enough for a monumentum are perennius in the temple of learning, and then compressing them all into a duodecimo so unpretending and simple, that "the wayfaring man, though a fool, shall not err therein." All this Mr. Noyes has done. His work is just what was needed for the people, a new and correct translation of the sacred writers, divided into sections and paragraphs according to the sense, without note or comment, except an occasional and very brief illustration of a difficult or doubtful passage. The distinction between the poetical and the prose portions is preserved throughout, the former being broken into versicles corresponding to the rhythmical divisions of the original. The few annotations that are given, are thrown into an appendix to each volume, thus leaving the page entire and clear for one, who wishes to hold unaided and undisturbed communion with the sacred authors. The results of study are exhibited without its parade; and the fruits of learning are so set forth as to preclude the fault-finding of those who are wont to quarrel with the tree.

In a new translation of the scriptures, the mere English style is a matter of no small moment. There are two opposite extremes to be avoided, — the affectation, and the contempt of ancient and time-hallowed words and idioms. By the former, ignorance and error are perpetuated; for when a word or phrase has grown obsolete in common use, it becomes indeterminate, and, if retained in the sacred volume, it remains there only as a pliant and many-edged weapon, in the hands of sectarianism and priestcraft. On the other hand, a new-coined phraseology lacks dignity and impressiveness, and is sure to offend both taste and piety. From both these extremes, into one or the other of which most of his precursors

have fallen, Mr. Noyes has steered clear. Without professing any, slavish attachment to our authorized version, indeed, with the profession of decided and strong disrespect for it, his good taste has led him to adhere in general to its forms of speech, where they convey to a modern reader a definite and just signification. He has rarely made a change, except for the better, and often by the transposition or inversion of particles alone, he has made obscure passages coherent and intelligible, without disturbing the sacred associations, which must always cling around the language, in which the word of God first reached our infant minds. The style of Mr. Noyes's translation is throughout pure, classical, and majestic,-precisely the medium through which it was meet that the richest poetry, and the most sublime theology of the old world, should become the property of posterity.

art.

With regard to the critical merits of the work before us, we cannot express ourselves in too strong terms of approbation and gratitude. In no department of literary labor is it so true, as in that of translation, that the perfection of art is to conceal It is easy so to translate, as to make the reader sensible at every step, that he is perusing a labored version. It is very easy to Anglicize an ancient author, as one sews new cloth upon an old garment. But to make one forget that he holds not an original in his hand, and at the same time, to transfuse into the version all the esssential characteristics of the original, demands consummate skill and untiring industry; and yet, so easy and delightful is it to read such a version, that its inherent difficulties are charmed out of sight, and few reflect on their vast indebtedness to its author. But in order to a clear, coherent, and satisfactory translation of an ancient work, there must be an intimate familiarity with the genius of the language, the circumstances, feelings, and sentiments of the writer, the aim and scope of the work, and "the shape and pressure of the times." In such a literary enterprise, there are also numerous philological difficulties connected with particular passages, there are doubtful etymologies to be settled, anomalous constructions to be solved, elliptical phrases to be supplied, and threads of association, which were dropped ages ago, to be gathered up. In all these respects, the labor of translation from the Hebrew poets and prophets is peculiarly severe, both on account of the affluence of their thoughts, and the poverty and flexibility of their language. Then, too, it must be alVOL. XXIII. 3D S. VOL. V. NO. HI.

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ways borne in mind, that the books of the Old Testament are the only Hebrew writings extant; while the translator from other ancient languages has a large field for the comparison of usus loquendi, the elucidation of difficulties, and the verification of results. These considerations may help those, who shall be edified by Mr. Noyes's labors, to appreciate them, and may serve as an exhortation to our readers to "esteem him very highly in love for his work's sake." And we cannot but hope that this and his preceding versions may ere long find their way, wherever there exists a reverence for God's earlier revelations, and a desire to understand their contents. We trust that our author

may yet be enabled and encouraged to go on in the work of biblical translation; and shall await with confidence the early forth-coming of the writings of Solomon or of Moses, under the same auspices. To our apprehension, our language has been enriched by no versions, either from the Old or New Testament, which unite equally with his, fidelity to the original and diligent heed to the laws, proprieties, and graces of English composition.

Our proposed limits will not permit a full discussion of any of the numerous points of intense and exciting interest, which the appearance of these volumes suggests. We hope to avail ourselves of an early opportunity to bring distinctly before our readers the whole subject of prophetic inspiration. We would at present barely indicate one strong a priori consideration, which renders the divine inspiration of the Hebrew prophets intrinsically probable, and makes it the part of credulity in a Christian to doubt or deny this doctrine. God's whole plan of physical and moral government is of a gradual and progressive character. In the course of nature and of providence, the future casts its shadows long before; every thing great becomes so from small beginnings, and by small increments; every thing perfect appears first in embryo, and is developed little by little. The same is the case with every instrument of mental and moral progress and elevation. Every happy epoch, for the human mind or heart, has first its grey and misty dawn, then its faint and dewy morning beams, then a gradual waxing brighter and brighter to the perfect day. Now Christianity is entire, perfect, unimprovable. Its radiance is not that of the day-spring, or sunrise; but of bright and cloudless noon. And if it sprang forth at once into noontide splendor, if it were preceded by no dawn or morning, it is an ex

ception and an anomaly; it is opposed to the whole analogy of God's works and ways. And equally improbable in the nature of things is it, that there should have been a sudden transition from a revelation so imperfect as the Mosaic, to one so full and thorough as the Christian; that the vast distance between the law and the gospel should have been crossed at

single leap. Much more in accordance with the usual course of the divine operations is it, to suppose that the true religion was gradually unfolded and shaped by successive revelations ; that the prophets were ordained and inspired to connect the Mosaic with the Christian dispensation; - that it was their mission to reflect, upon the formalism and sensualism of the Levitical code, rays from the far off dawn of evangelic light.

We are confirmed in this view by the progress of spirituality, which we think that we can trace in the prophetic canon, when chronologically arranged. The earlier prophets are, for the most part, strictly national and local in their representations and predictions. They confine themselves (with few exceptions) to the illustration and enforcement of the Jewish law, and to predictions, promises, and threatenings to the Jews, their friends, and their enemies. Isaiah is indeed commonly spoken of as the most spiritual of the prophets; but wrongly so. His imagery is gorgeous and grand, his conceptions are noble, his word is with power; but in his views of the divine requirements, he goes hardly beyond the "righteousness of the law," and the Levitical altar and David's throne are always his radiating points. But in Ezekiel, Daniel, and Malachi, we discern manifest traces of a loftier and more spiritual dispensation. The discovery is distinctly announced, that paternity by Abraham conveys no exclusive or inalienable title to the divine favor; that sacrifice and obedience are distinct and separable; that God is better pleased with the submission of the will and life, than with any merely ritual service. And in no part of the Old Testament are more truly evangelical sentiments to be found, than in the very brief prophecy of Malachi, which forms the last of the series.

This idea of the gradual unfolding of divine truth and diffusion of heavenly light is with us a favorite one; and having indicated its application to the series of revelations, designed to prepare the way for the Christian, we shall employ the residue of this article in illustrating the same principles, as