PREFACE. THE following short notes are neither theological nor devotional. They are an attempt to explain, by means of the history, the circumstances under which the several books, and portions of books, were written, and the times when the writers lived. Such knowledge forms no part of our religion; but it may help us to understand the opinions of the writers, and even the lessons in religion which we should draw from their works. A complete commentary on the Bible should contain many parts. One part should be theological, and show the views which each writer in the Scriptures teaches us of God's nature and attributes, and of his dealings with man. A second should be ethical, and explain the moral teachings, and our duties to one another. A third should be an account of the manuscripts; and a fourth, grammatical, to explain the language of these most ancient writings. A fifth should be historical, to explain the history of the books by means of the history of the nation. Such is the aim of the present work; and, by so confining it, the author avoids the difficult subjects of the inspiration, miracles, prophecies of a Messiah, and the authority now due to the Mosaic law since the introduction of Christianity. Other divisions of the subject might be mentioned, such as the geography and natural history. They are all necessary to a full understanding of the Bible, but not all equally important. So great, indeed, is the difference in their importance, that a writer, who confines his commentary to one of the lower branches, feels it necessary to apologise to his readers for omitting what is so much more valuable. The arguments for fixing the age of any book, or portion of a book, rest upon the comparison of the history therein mentioned, whether directly or indirectly, with the political state of the nation as known from the other books. In stating these arguments, the Author will perhaps seem to some readers to be too short, and to have given the reasons for forming his opinions too scantily. But he supposes his readers well acquainted with the Bible; and therefore he has contented himself, when putting forward his opinion, with leaving to the reader the task of completing the argument for himself, by the help of the passages referred to, as well as of weighing how far the circumstances mentioned support the opinion advanced. Highbury Place, 21st July, 1858. |