I04

Phraseological Coincidences.

'Baal hallashon, x. 11; cf. baal bashar, corpulent, Berachoth, 13b; baal hahhotam, the large-nosed, carrying the nose high, Taanith 29a.'

But why should rabbinical Hebrew be thus appealed to in support of the alleged lateness of Ecclesiastes, when Solomon's Proverbs contain more than one phrase precisely similar to run by in Ecclesiastes? Why refer to Berachoth 136, and Taanith 29a, rather than to the Proverbs of Solomon, where at least some of the following phrases are analogous to run by in Ecclesiastes

This is one of many instances in which words and phrases quoted by Delitzsch, so far from proving the alleged lateness of Ecclesiastes, point in the opposite direction to Solomon as the author.

There is yet the peculiar phrase in Ecclesiastes 10. 20, by, that which hath wings. Now the only other passage in the Hebrew Scriptures where by stands in construction with is Proverbs I. 17, where the phrase by- occurs. This is one of those minute and unobtrusive coincidences which carry an evidential weight specially their own-the variation between the singular without the article in Proverbs, and the plural with the article (n) in Ecclesiastes, detracting nothing from the argument in favour of identity of author

ship, inasmuch as an imitator would have been more likely to copy the identical phrase by from Proverbs 1. 17, than to introduce a phrase somewhat different.

Lacking: Dn.

and its

Of sixty passages containing cognates, the large proportion of twenty-eight are found in the three books assigned to Solomontwenty-three in his Proverbs, one in the Song of Songs, and four in the Book of Ecclesiastes :

The verb

"T

to lack, four times-Proverbs 13. 25; Song 7. 3 (2) ; Ecclesiastes 4. 8, 9. 8.

The noun want or poverty, once-Proverbs 28. 22 (and in

Job 30. 3).

that which is lacking, once-Ecclesiastes 1. 15 only.

in want or poverty, eight times in Proverbs—6. 11, 11. 24, 14. 23, 21. 5, 17, 22. 16, 24. 34, 28. 27; (and in Deuteronomy 15. 8; Judges 18. 10, 19. 19, 20; Psalm 34. 10 (9)).

VIT

Of nineteen passages containing the adjective n thirteen are in Solomon's Proverbs, two in Ecclesiastes (6. 2, 10. 3), and four elsewhere (1 Samuel 21. 16 (15); 2 Samuel 3. 29; 1 Kings II. 22, 17. 16). The expression on, lacking bread, occurs in Proverbs 12. 9, as likewise in David's words in 2 Samuel 3. 29, and the expression in, lacking understanding, in Proverbs 28. 16. In each of the eleven other passages of Solomon's Proverbs the phrase is on, lacking heart—6. 32, 7.7, 9. 4, 16, IO. 13, 21, II. 12, 12. 11, 15. 21, 17. 18, 24. 30.

Now only once elsewhere throughout the whole of the Old Testament is conjoined with . That one passage is Ecclesiastes 10. 3, where, as these two words occur in a different order and construction, the coincidence with pin Solomon's Proverbs is even weightier than if a phrase which is so very prominent throughout his Proverbs had been exactly reproduced in the Book of Ecclesiastes :

When he that is a fool walketh in the way,

his heart faileth.

The heart and 25.

לבּוֹ חָסֵר

The heart is mentioned above forty times in Ecclesiastes, and above ninety times in Solomon's Proverbs. Yet as it is frequently mentioned also in the Pentateuch, the Psalter, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and some other books, the frequency of the mere word cannot be pressed as a conclusive evidence of the Solomonic authorship of Ecclesiastes. The case is very different, however, with regard to some phrases in which is found. The connection of 5 with on, for instance, has already been mentioned as peculiar to the Proverbs of Solomon and the Book of Ecclesiastes.

Joy of heart.-The noun nn, joy, which occurs above ninety times in the Hebrew Scriptures, is construed with 5 in Isaiah 30. 29, Jeremiah 15.16, and Ezekiel 36. 5, and with 5 in only two passages, one of which is in the Song of Solomon (3. 11),

The Heart of the Sons of Man.

107

and the other in Ecclesiastes (5. 19 (20)),-the phrase in nnp, the joy of his heart, being common to both passages. Of four passages where the adjective П, merry or joyful, is joined to , one is in Isaiah (24. 7), two are in Solomon's Proverbs (15. 13, 17. 22, пpy), and one in Ecclesiastes, 2. 10, which closely resembles Proverbs 23. 15, where, as also in Psalms 16. 9, 33. 21, п appears as a verb:

The heart of the sons of man.-The phrase heart of the sons of man is peculiar to the Solomonic Scriptures, and derives an interesting evidential value of its own from the circumstance that, besides occurring twice in the Book of Ecclesiastes and once in the Proverbs of Solomon, it is found also in Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the Temple, as recorded both in Kings and in Chronicles :

ECCLES. 8. 11. Because sentence against an evil work is not

the לב בני האדם executed speedily, therefore

HEART OF THE SONS OF MAN is fully set in them to do evil.

9. 3. The HEART OF THE SONS OF MAN is full of evil.

ואבדון נגד יהוה אף כי לבות בני-אדם .11 .PROV. Is Sheol-שאול

and destruction are before Jehovah : how much

more then the HEARTS OF THE SONS OF MAN!

I KINGS 8. 39. Thou knowest, even thou alone, the HEART OF

את-לבב כל בני האדם,ALL THE SONS OF MAN

2 CHR. 6. 30. Thou, even thou alone, knowest the HEART OF

THE SONS OF MAN.

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Phraseological Coincidences.

The heart knoweth.-In a few passages of the non-Solomonic Scriptures, the verb to know, is connected with 5 or 2, which is represented (A) sometimes as the object, and (B) sometimes as the subject of the knowledge.

Thus (A) in Deuteronomy 8. 2, God is represented as having proved Israel 'to know what was in thy heart;' and in Psalm 139. 23, David says, 'Search me, O God, and know my heart.' So likewise in the Solomonic Scriptures, 1 Kings 8. 39, and 2 Chronicles 6. 30, already quoted overleaf, might be mentioned in illustration of the same point.

(B) In Deuteronomy 29. 3 (4), Moses says, 'Jehovah hath not given you a heart to know (ny), and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.' In Jeremiah 24. 7, God himself says, 'I will give them a heart to know me, that I am Jehovah.' The Preacher likewise uses similar language in Ecclesiastes 1. 17, 8. 16, where he declares, 'I gave my heart to know wisdom.' In Deuteronomy 8.5 (7225-0y ny¬”) and Joshua 23. 14 (bony) also, the heart is mentioned instrumentally as the subject of knowledge.

In only four other passages of the Hebrew Scriptures is there a similar combination of the verb with the noun or ; and in cach passage the heart is mentioned not merely as that with or in which one knows, as in Deuteronomy 8. 5 and Joshua 23. 14 aforesaid, but as that which knows. Now the point for special attention here,