26 For his GoD doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him. 9 or, and he bindeth it in such sort as his God doth teach him. New Translation. 26. For his God doth rightly instruct him; He furnisheth him with knowledge. 66 is the principal, or chief grain that is sown; it is that which is most valued and esteemed. And the appointed barley. The barley is a well known grain. The word rendered « appointed" occurs no where else in the Scriptures. Castellio, Taylor, Grotius, Calvin, our translators and others suppose that it is derived from a Hebrew word which does not now occur (29) to designate, to mark, to seal; and that it means barley that had been put aside and marked as peculiarly excellent, or seed-barley. In Chaldee the word 2 occurs in the sense of to seal, to mark, to designate. Chaldee Par. 2 Kings ix. 13, Esth. v. 1, Num. xvii. 3. The LXX who translated it xéyxgov; and the Vulgate, Aquila, and Theodotion understand the word as denoting a species of grain, the millet. The idea is probably that expressed by Grotius, and in our version-of barley that had been selected or designated as seed barley on account of its excellent quality. And the rye. Marg. spelt. The word usually denotes spelt-a kind of wheat now found in Flanders and Italy, called German wheat. It may however denote rye. In their place. Literally in the border. LXX "in thy borders,"¿v rois ógios dov. The idea seems to be that the spelt or rye was sowed in the borders of the field while the wheat was sown in the middle; or that the rye was sown in its proper bounds, or in the places which were adapted to it, and best fitted to promote its growth. Marg. "he bindeth it in The more correct idea is conproperly means, he instructs, 26. For his God doth instruct him, &c. such sort as his God doth teach him." veyed in the text. The word i admonishes, or teaches him. This idea that the skill of agriculture is communicated by God to the farmer is not one that is discordant to reason, or to the general teachings of the Bible. Thus the architectural and mechanical skill of Bezaleel and Aholiah, by which they were enabled to make the tabernacle, is said expressly to have been imparted to them by God. Ex. xxxi. 2-6. Thus also Noah was taught how to build the ark. Gen. vi. 14-16. We are not indeed to suppose that the farmer is inspired; or that God communicates to him by special revelation where, and when, and how he shall sow his wheat, and barley, and rye, but the sense is, that God is the author of VOL. II.* 28 27 For the fitches are not threshed | cummin; but the fitches are beaten with a threshing instrument, neither out with a staff, and the cummin with is a cart wheel turned about upon the a rod. New Translation. 27. For the dill is not beaten out with a drag, Nor is the wheel of the wain made to turn round on the cummin ; And the cummin with a rod. all his skill. He has endowed him with understanding, and has taught him by his Providence. It is by the study of what God teaches in the seasons, in the soil, in the results of experience and observation, that he has this skill. He teaches him also by the example, the counsel, and even by the failures of others; and all the skill that he has in agriculture is to be traced up to God. 27. For the fitches. Ver. 25. Are not threshed with a threshing instrument. The word here used denotes properly that which is pointed or sharp, and is joined with 17 in Isa. xli. 15,-meaning there the threshing dray or sledge; a plank with iron or sharp stones that was drawn by oxen over the grain. Comp. 1 Chron. xxi. 23, 2 Sam. xxiv. 22. In the passage before us, several methods of threshing are mentioned-all of which are at the present time common in the east,—as adapted to different kinds of grain. That which is mentioned under the name of the "threshing instrument," and "a cart wheel," refers to an instrument which is still in use in the east. Niebuhr, in his travels in Arabia, says (p. 299,) "In threshing their corn, the Arabians lay the sheaves down in a certain order, and then lead over them two oxen dragging a large stone." "They use oxen, as the ancients did, to beat out their corn, by trampling on the sheaves, and dragging after them a clumsy maThis machine is not, as in Arabia, a stone cylinder; nor a plank with sharp stones as in Syria; but a sort of sledge consisting of three rollers, fitted with irons which turn upon axles. A farmer chooses out a level spot in his fields, and has his corn carried thither in sheaves upon asses, or dromedaries. Two oxen are then yoked in a sledge; a driver then gets upon it, and drives them backwards and forwards [or in a circle] upon the sheaves; and fresh oxen succeed in the yoke from time to time. By this operation the chaff is very much. cut down; it is then winnowed, and the grain thus separated." "This machine, Niebuhr adds, is called Nauridj. It has three rollers which chine. turn on three axles; and each of them is furnished with some irons which are round and flat. Two oxen were made to draw over the grain again and again the sledge above mentioned, and this was done with the greatest convenience to the driver; for he was seated in a chair fixed on the sledge." This operation, Niebuhr says he saw several times. The annexed cut will give an idea of this mode of threshing, and of the instruments that were employed. Neither is a cart wheel, &c. This instrument of threshing, is described by Bochart 28 Bread corn is bruised; because | break it with the wheel of his cart, nor he will not ever be threshing it, nor bruise it with his horsemen. New Translation. 28. Bread corn is crushed [with the threshing wain], But he will not always be thus threshing it; Nor will he always drive over it the wheel of his wain; (Hieroz. p. i. Lib. ii. c. xxxii. p. 311), as consisting of a cart or wagon fitted with wheels adapted to crush, or thresh the grain. This he says was used by the Carthagenians who came from the vicinity of Canaan. This instrument seems to have been made with serrated wheels, perhaps almost in the form of circular saws, by which the straw was cut fine at the same time that the grain was separated from the chaff. Turned about. Either rolled over, or made to revolve in a circle on the heap of sheaves. But the fitches are beaten out with a staff. With a stick, or flail. That is, pulse in general, beans, peas, dill, cummin, &c., are easily beaten out with a stick or flail. This mode of threshing is common every where. It was also practised, as with us, in regard to barley and other grain where there was a small quantity, or where there was need of special haste. See Ruth ii. 17, Judges vi. 11. The word is used in the 28. Bread corn. In Hebrew bread. But the word evi. dently denotes the material from which bread is made; the wheat or other grain which is used for that purpose. same sense in ch. xxx. 23. ¶ls bruised. bruised than the dill and the cummin; it is pressed and crushed by passing over it the sledge, or the wain with serrated wheels. The word means often to be broken in pieces; to be made small or fine; to stamp, or beat small. It is, however, applied to threshing as consisting in beating, or crushing. Isa. xli. 15, "Thou threshest the mountains, and beatest them small"-. Because he will not ever be threshing it. The word rendered "because dently here means although, or but; and the sense is, that he will not always continue to thresh it; this is not his only business. It is only a part of his method by which he obtains grain for his bread. He employs various methods, and this is one. It would be needless and injurious to be always engaged in rolling the stone, or the sledge over the grain. It would not only be a useless expense of time and labor, but it would be injurious as it would crush and destroy the grain itself. .evi כִּי 29 This also cometh forth from the | LORD of hosts, which is wonderful & in counsel, and excellent in working. d Ps. 92. 5. Jer. 32. 19. Rom. 11. 33. New Translation. 29. This also proceedeth from JEHOVAH of hosts; He makes wonderful his counsel, He magnifies his wisdom. So, the idea is, God takes various methods with his people. He does not always pursue the same course. He sometimes smites and punishes them as the farmer beats and crushes his grain. But he does not always do it. He is not engaged in this method alone; nor does he pursue this constantly. It would crush, and destroy them. He, therefore, smites them just enough to secure, in the best manner, and to the fullest extent, their obedience; just as the farmer bruises his sheaves enough to separate all the grain from the chaff. When this is done, he pursues other methods. Hence the various severe, and heavy trials with which the people of God are afflicted. ¶ Nor bruise it with his horsemen. Lowth renders this "with the hoofs of his cattle;" by proposing to read instead of by a change of a single letter Samekh, instead of Shin. So the Syriac, the Vulgate, and so Symmachus and Theodotion. But the word may denote not only a horseman, but the horse itself on which one rides. See Bochart Hieroz. P. i. L. ii. c. vi. P. 98. Comp. Heb. i. 8. Note Isa. xxi. 7, 9, 2 Sam. i. 6. That horses were used in treading out grain there can be no doubt. They are extensively used in this country; and though in Palestine it is probable that oxen were chiefly employed (Deut. xxv. 4,) in the early times, and before the introduction of horses, yet there is no improbability in supposing that in the times subsequent to Solomon, when horses abounded, they were preferred. Their more rapid motion, and perhaps the hardness of their hoofs, makes them more valuable for this service. See Michaelis' Commentary on the Laws of Moses, vol. ii. Appendix, pp. 430-514, Ed. London, 1814. There are here, therefore, four modes of threshing mentioned, all of which are common still in the East. (1.) The threshing machine-the sledge, or clumsy machine with rollers on which were pieces of iron, or stone, and which was dragged over the grain. (2.) The cart, or wain, with serrated wheels, and which was also drawn over the grain. (3.) The flail, or the stick. And (4.) the use of cattle, and horses. |