for they have a common tradition, that the prophets did not always prophesy eodem gradu, but sometimes in a higher, sometimes in a lower degree, as among others we are fully taught by Abarbanel upon occasion of that song of Isaiah: 'The same prophet prophesies sometimes in the form of the supreme prophetical degree, and sometimes in a lower degree by the Holy Spirit only '.' And thus, having made his way, he tells us that common notion they had amongst them, 'that all songs were dictated by this Spiritus Sanctus.' 'Every song that is found in the writings of the prophets, was such a thing as was ordered or dictated by the penmen themselves, together with the superintendency of the Holy Spirit; forasmuch as they received them not in that higher way which is called prophecy, as all visions were received; for all visions were perfect prophecy.' But the author goes on further to declare his, and indeed the common opinion, concerning any such song, that it was not the proper work of God himself, but the work of the prophet's own spirit3. Yet we must suppose the prophet's spirit enabled by the conjunction of divine help with it, as he puts in the caution: 'the Spirit of God and His divine assistance did still cleave unto the prophet, and was present with him'.' For, as he tells us, the prophets, being so much accustomed to divine visions as they were, might be able sometimes per vigiliam, without any prophetical vision, to speak excellently by the Holy Ghost, with very elegant כמו שהנביא לא ינבא כל ימיו 1 כל שירה שתמצא בדברי הנביאים 3 בהדבקות אבל ינבא עת ותפרד ממנו הוא דבר שהם מעצמם היו מסדרים הנבואה עתים כן ינבא עת אחד בצורת אותה ברוח הקדש ושלא ראו אותה בנבואה כשאר המראות לפי שהמראות מדרגה עליונה מהנבואה וינבא עת אחרת במדרגה למטה ממנה או ברוח .Ibid כולם הם נבואות גמורות: -As a prophet does not pro * הקדש בלבד: לכן אינה מפעל השם כי אם מפעל 3 .Ibid הנביא עצמו שסידר אותה: מפני שילוה אליו רוח ועזר אלהי 4 לדבר דבריו נקרא מדרגתו רוח הקדש: phesy all his life in continuance, but at one time prophesies, at other times the gift of prophecy being withheld from him, so the same prophet prophesies,' &c. Abarbanel in Isai. c. iv. Ibid. language, and admirable similitudes'.' And this he there proves from hence, that these songs are commonly attributed to the prophet himself, and not to God, there being so much of the work of the prophet's own spirit in them : 'Wherefore the Scripture commonly attributes these songs to the prophets themselves, and not unto God; and accordingly speaks of the song at the Red Sea, "Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song;" that is, Moses and the children of Israel did compose and order it. So in the song at Beer-Elim ; "Then sang Israel this song." So in the song of Moses in the latter end of Deuteronomy, which was to be preserved as a memorial, the conclusion runs, "Set your hearts upon all those words which I testify to you this day." So all those psalms which are supposed to have been composed by David, are perpetually ascribed unto him, and the rest of them, that were composed by others, are in like manner ascribed unto them; whereas the prophetic strain is very different, always entitling God to it, and so is brought in with such kind of prologues, "the word of the Lord," or "the hand of the Lord," or the like'.' But enough of that yet seeing we are fallen now upon the original author of these divine songs and hymns, it will not be amiss to take a little notice of the frequency of this degree of prophecy, which is by songs and hymns, composed by an enthusiastical spirit, among the Jews. הנביאים עם היותם רואים פעמים 1 עצמם סדרו אותה :- ובשירת הבאר נאמר גם כן אז ישיר ישראל את השירה רבות מראות נבואיות אמתיות הנה הזאת וכן שירת האזינו עם היות בהיותם יקצים ומבלתי נבואה ידברו שהקדוש ברוך הוא נתנה אל משה ואל דברים ברוח הקדש ביופי המליצה .Ibid והפלגת המשל : יהושע הנה הוא יתברך רצה שמשה יאמר אותה כאילו הוא מעצמו סדרה ושמפיו היו הדברים לא מפי השם ובסופה אמר שימו לבבכם לכל הדברים 2 Exod. xv. I—22. 3 Numb. xxi. 17. 4 Deut. xxxii. 46. אשר אנכי מעיד בכם היום - ומזאת לכן יחסה הכתוב תמיד אליהם לא 5 הבחינה נקראו תהלות דוד שיר ושירה לשם יתברך כי הנה אמר בשירת הים אז ישיר משה ובני ישראל את השירה .Ibid לפי שהוא סדרם ברוח הקדש: הזאת לה'.-- כי משה ובני ישראל We find many of these prophets besides David, who were authors of sundry Psalms bound up together with his; for we must not think all are his as after the 72nd Psalm we have eleven together which are ascribed to Asaph, the 88th to Heman, the 89th to Ethan, some to Jeduthun, and very many are incerti auctoris, as it seems, being anonymous. Thus Kimchi, in his preface to the Psalms, and the rest of the Hebrew scholiasts, suppose divers authors to have come in for their particular songs in that book. And these divine enthusiasts were commonly wont to compose their songs and hymns at the sounding of some one musical instrument or other, as we find it often suggested in the Psalms. So Plutarch describes the dictate of the oracle anciently, 'how that it was uttered in verse, in pomp of words, similitudes, and metaphors, at the sound of a pipe'.' Thus, we have Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun set forth in this prophetical preparation : "Moreover David and the captain of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps2," &c. Thus R. Solomon Jarchi expounds the place: 'When they played upon their musical instruments they prophesied, after the manner of Elisha, who said, "Bring me a minstrel'." And in the forementioned place, (ver. 3), upon those words "who prophesied with a harp," he thus glosseth As they sounded upon the harp the psalms of praise and the hallelujahs, Jeduthun their father prophesied.' And this sense of this place, I think, is היו בני אסף מנגנים בכלי שיר ואסף כשהיו מנגנין בכלי שירים הללו שורה עליו רוח הקדש והיה משורר much more genuine than that which a late author of our own would fasten upon it, viz. that this prophesying was nothing but singing of psalms. For it is manifest that these prophets were not mere singers, but composers, and such as were truly called prophets or enthusiasts: so, Heman is expressly called the king's seer'; the like of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun2-upon which our former commentator glosseth thus; unusquisque eorum erat propheta. It is true, the poets are anciently called vates, but that is no good argument why a singer should be called a prophet: for it is to be considered that a poet was a composer, and, upon that account, by the ancients called vates, or a prophet, and that because they generally thought that all true poets were transported. So Plato, in his Phædrus, makes three kinds of fury, viz. enthusiastical, amatorious, and poetical. But of this matter we shall speak more under the next head, which we are, in a manner, unawares fallen upon, which is, to inquire in general into the qualification of all kind of prophets. בפיו לקול הכנורות' וכן הימן וידותון Each כל אחד ואחד היה חוזה: 3 כלם היו נביאים עם כלי השיר כי ספר תהילים ברוח הקדש נאמר ויש בו נבואות ועתידות הגלות והגאולה : 'The sons of Asaph played upon instruments of song, and the Holy Spirit rested upon Asaph, and he sang to the sound of the harps. So too Heman and Jeduthun both prophesied with the instruments of song; for the Book of Psalms was spoken by the Holy Spirit, and it contains prophecies foretelling the captivity and the deliverance.' of them was a seer.' Jarchi in 2 Chron. XXXV. 15. Plato speaks of four kinds of madness the prophetical, as exemplified by the Pythia, the Sibyl and others, and in an inferior degree by the human science of augury; the hereditary (if we may so call it), which was believed to be inflicted by the judgment of heaven, upon descendants of blood stained families; the poetical, derived at once from the Muses; and, lastly, the madness of Love. Cf. Plat. Phædr. 244–250. CHAPTER VIII. Of the dispositions antecedent and preparatory to prophecy. That the qualifications which did fit a man for the prophetical spirit were such as these, viz. inward piety, true wisdom, a pacate and serene temper of mind, and a due cheerfulness of spirit; in opposition to viciousness, mental crazedness and inconsistency, unsubdued passions, black melancholy, and dull sadness. This illustrated by several instances in Scripture. That music was greatly advantageous to the prophets and holy men of God, &c. What is meant by Saul's evil spirit. 0' UR next business is to discourse of those several qualifications that were to render a man fit for the spirit of prophecy; for we must not think that any man might suddenly be made a prophet: this gift was not so fortuitously dispensed as to be communicated without any discrimination of persons. And this, indeed, all sorts of men have generally concluded; and, therefore, the old Heathens themselves, that only sought after a spirit of divination, were wont in a solemn manner to prepare and fit themselves for receiving the influx thereof, as R. Albo hath truly observed: "The ancient Gentiles made themselves images, and offered prayers and frankincense to the stars, that, by this means, they might draw down a spiritual influence from some certain stars upon their image. For this influence slides down from the body of the star upon the man himself, who is also corporeal, and, by this means, he foretells what shall come to pass'.' And thus, as he further observes, the necromancers themselves were wont to use many solemn rites and ceremonies to call forth the souls of any dead men into themselves, whereby they might be able to presage היו האומות הקודמות, עושים 1 האדם שהוא גשמי ויגיד העתידות בכח צורות והקטרות ותפילות לכוכבים רוח הכוכב ההוא השופע על האיש להוריד רוחניות איזה כוכב על צורה מה כדי שעל ידה יחול רוח הכוכב ההוא שהוא נשוא בגשם הכוכב על R. Albo, Lib. III. cap. 8, sub ההוא: init. |