The expressions of the Scriptures that appear to follow the peculiarities—what are called in Greek idiomata—of the Hebrew or Greek language.

1. (1:14) And let them divide between the midst of the day and the midst of the night.

2. (1:20. 26) The flying things that fly over the earth according to the firmament of heaven. It is asked how according to the firmament is to be taken. So too: let us make man according to the image and according to the likeness, which many Latin manuscripts have as: to the image and likeness.

3. (1:28) Fill the earth, and have dominion over it. For the Latin expression is: dominamini ei ("have dominion over it").

4. (2:5) And there was no man to work the earth; which the Latin manuscripts have as: who might work the earth.

5. (2:8) God planted a Paradise according to the East; which the Latin have as: toward the East.

6. (2:9) Whereas many Latin manuscripts have: and the tree of knowing good and evil, or: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, or: the tree of knowing of good and evil—and whatever other variants of the translators there may be on this matter—the Greek has: and the tree for knowing the knowable of good and evil; and I do not know whether this is a matter of expression and does not rather suggest some definite meaning.

7. (2:16) As to what the Latin manuscripts have: of every tree that is in Paradise you shall eat for food—it is not to be punctuated for food in Paradise, but: you shall eat for food; for the Latin expression admits the saying esca edes ("you shall eat as food"), since in expressions of this kind they are accustomed to put, for the Greek dative case, the "ablative" or what they call the "seventh" case. Or else the order of the words is: of every tree for food.

8. (3:1) The serpent was the most prudent of all the beasts, which many Latin have; for in the Greek it is written [MISSING GREEK TEXT], not [MISSING GREEK TEXT].

9. (3:7) As to what is written of Adam and Eve: their eyes were opened—since it would be absurd to believe that they had previously wandered about in Paradise blind or with their eyes shut, this is a matter of expression, by which it is also written of Hagar: she opened her eyes, and saw a well (Gen 21:19); for she was not sitting with her eyes previously shut; and likewise that at the breaking of bread the eyes were opened of those who recognized the Lord after the resurrection (See Luke 24:31); for they were not walking along the road with him with their eyes shut.

10. (3:15) Whereas many manuscripts have: and I will put enmity between you and the woman, the Greeks have: in the midst of you and in the midst of the woman, which is a matter of expression; for it amounts to just as much as when one says: between you and the woman. This holds also for what follows: in the midst of your seed, and in the midst of her seed.

11. (3:17) Whereas many Latin manuscripts have: because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree of which I had commanded you, of that alone, not to eat, the Greeks have: you have eaten of the tree of which I had commanded you, of that alone, not to eat of it; but other Greek translators have manducasti or edisti ("you have eaten"), so that according to them the sense is this: "because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and as for the tree of which I had commanded you, of that alone, not to eat—you have eaten of it."

12. (4:2) And she went on to bear his brother Abel; the expression "went on to say" is frequent in the Scriptures.

13. (4:8) And it came to pass, while they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel, and slew him—this is a matter of expression; for even if it did not have and it came to pass, the sense could be complete: and when they were in the field.

14. (6:6) As to what is written in certain Latin manuscripts: and God repented, and said, 'I will blot out the man whom I made from the face of the earth'—in the Greek is found [MISSING GREEK TEXT], which is said to signify rather he reconsidered than he repented; which word some Latin manuscripts also have.

15. (6:14) Whereas very many Latin manuscripts have: you shall make nests into the ark—since the Latin expression is not into the ark but "in the ark"—the Greeks have neither into the ark nor "in the ark," but: you shall make nests the ark; which is understood to mean: so that the ark itself should be the nests.

16. (6:16) Whereas very many manuscripts have: you shall make the door of the ark in the side, some have: crosswise; for they wished thus to translate what is said in Greek: [MISSING GREEK TEXT].

17. (7:4) As to what is written: for in seven more days, I will bring a flood of water upon the earth, which some Latin manuscripts have, in the Greek is found: I will bring rain upon the earth; the Greek expression has the genitive case, not the accusative, so that if we express this in Latin it would be said thus: for in seven more days I will bring rain upon the earth.

18. (7:5) As to what is written: and Noah did all things whatsoever the Lord God commanded him, so he did, this is an expression similar to the one that occurs at the founding of creation: after it is said and so it was made, there is added and God made it (Gen 1:15-16, 24-25).

19. (7:4) As to what is written: I will blot out every uprising—it is to be noted that it does not say "creation": for in Greek it is written [MISSING GREEK TEXT],

a word which is also regularly used for "resurrection" in the Greek Scriptures, when [MISSING GREEK TEXT] could be said, so that "uprising" is [MISSING GREEK TEXT], "resurrection" [MISSING GREEK TEXT].

The Apostle too used this word: if by any means I may attain to the resurrection of the dead (Phil 3:11); for there the Greeks do not have [MISSING GREEK TEXT], but [MISSING GREEK TEXT].

20. (7:14) As to what is written: and all the beasts according to their kind, and all the cattle according to their kind, and everything creeping that moves upon the earth according to its kind, and every flying thing according to its kind went in to Noah into the ark, two of all flesh, in which is the spirit of life—the phrase in which does not refer to anything unless you supply "kind," that is, "in which kind"; for if we were to supply flesh, it would have to be said in which (feminine) it was; which only the translator Symmachus said.

21. (7:23) As to what is again said: and every uprising was blotted out, it is to be noted to be a matter of expression, as if it said "the founding" or "the creation" of flesh.

22. (7:23) When he had said: and every uprising that was upon the face of all the earth was blotted out, from man even to cattle and to the creeping things and the flying things of heaven, he then added: and they were blotted out from the earth; it is to be noted that this is an expression of repetition, which Scripture commonly employs.

23. (8:6-7) As to what is written: he sent forth the raven to see whether the water had ceased, and going forth it did not return, until the water dried up from the earth—this is an expression customary in the Scriptures, which may by now begin to be noticed; for it did not return afterward either, because it was said not to have returned until the water dried up.

24. (8:9. 11) As to what is written: and he stretched out his hand, took it, and brought it to himself into the ark—this is an expression which I think to be Hebrew for the reason that it is also most familiar to the Punic language, in which we find many things consonant with Hebrew words; for it would certainly suffice to say and he stretched out the hand, even if it did not add his. Such too is what he says a little after: it had olive leaves, a twig in its mouth.

25. (8:12) And it did not go on to return to him any more—this is a most familiar expression in the Scriptures.

26. (8:21) As to what is written: and I will not add further to curse upon the earth, it is similar to the one above: and it did not go on to return to him.

27. (8:21) And I will not add to strike all living flesh—this is the same expression.

28. (9:5) For indeed the blood of your souls; when it would suffice to say either your blood or the blood of your souls.

29. (9:12) This is the sign of the covenant which I will set in the midst of myself and you; which is: "between me and you."

30. (10:9) He was a giant hunter against the Lord God—it is uncertain whether it can be taken as "before the Lord God"; because that is how what is said in Greek is usually understood: [MISSING GREEK TEXT].

31. (10:14) Whence came forth thence the Philistines, when it would suffice: whence came forth the Philistines.

32. (11:1) And the whole earth was one lip; which we customarily say: "one language."

33.* (11:1) And the whole earth was one lip; it is to be noted that the whole earth means all the men who then existed, although not yet in all the earth.

34. (11:3) And they had bricks for stone; the Greek has: and they had bricks into stone; which, if it were said in Latin, the expression would be less understood.

35. (11:4) Come, let us build for ourselves a city and a tower whose top will reach unto heaven; this is said by hyperbole, if a manner of speech is to be taken here; but if unto heaven is taken as said literally, let it be considered among the Questions.

36. (11:10) Whereas certain Latin manuscripts have: Shem the son of Noah was a hundred years old when he begot Arphaxad, the Greeks have: Shem the son of a hundred years when he begot Arphaxad, where there is an ellipsis, because was is lacking. But the fact that they do not have son of Noah, but only son, is a novel expression.

37. (11:30) And Sarah was barren, and she did not bear, when it could suffice: and Sarah was barren.

38. (12:12) Therefore it will be that when the Egyptians see you, they will say: that this is his wife—the word that is added by the manner of speech, for it could have sufficed: this is his wife.

39. (12:14) As to what Scripture says: and it came to pass, as soon as Abraham entered into Egypt, it would suffice: as soon as Abraham entered into Egypt.

40. (12:18) Why have you done this to me, that you did not tell me that she is your wife? When it would suffice: you did not tell me. And the very word told is said after the manner of the Scriptures; for most Latin have: you did not say.

41. (13:1) And Abraham went up out of Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the desert; "they went up" is to be supplied; yet it is not properly said that what he had that was lifeless—such as gold and silver and all the household goods—went up with him; and through this an expression is here understood which is called in Greek [MISSING GREEK TEXT].

42. (13:7) And there was strife in the midst of the herdsmen of Abraham's cattle and of Lot's cattle—on which account almost all the Latin manuscripts did not render that expression, but speak as our custom has it, and we have decided not to note it henceforth; for it occurs throughout the Greek Scripture wherever something of this kind is said.

43. (13:8) For we are men, brothers, Abraham said to Lot; whence it is understood to be Scripture's custom to speak thus, so that those of one kinship are called "brothers" even if they differ in degree of blood, so that one is in the higher and the other in the lower, as in this place; for Abraham was his uncle.

44. (14:1) And it came to pass in the reign of Amraphel king of Shinar; according to the custom of our manner of speech it would suffice to begin thus: now in the reign of Amraphel; therefore in saying and it came to pass, Scripture spoke after its own manner.

45. (14:5) Now in the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who with him—"were" is to be supplied; whence by some Latin it was indeed added.

46. (14:6) And the Horites who in the mountains of Seir; "were" is to be supplied.

47. (14:13) And there coming a certain one of those who had escaped, he announced to Abraham the man from across the river, and he was dwelling by the oak of Mamre, of the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; who were in league with Abraham—an obscure hyperbaton.

For the order is: there coming a certain one of those who had escaped, of the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner, who were in league, he announced to Abraham the man from across the river; and he was dwelling by the oak. This hyperbaton becomes still more obscure through an ellipsis;

for when it had said a certain one of the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner, it did not say what of the brother, but "son" is understood; just as when it is said James of Alphaeus, although "son" is not said, nothing else is understood, and there are many such expressions in the Scriptures where "son" is left unsaid and understood.

48. (14:22) As to what certain Latin manuscripts have: and Abraham said to the king of Sodom: 'I stretch out my hand to God the Most High, who created heaven and earth. If from a thread even to the strap of a sandal'—the translator was misled by what the Greek has, [MISSING GREEK TEXT], which is understood in Latin as "thread," and this is an expression of the Scriptures.

49. (14:22-23) I stretch out my hand to God the Most High, who created heaven and earth, if I take anything of all that is yours; for if he said I stretch out my hand to God the Most High in place of saying "I swear," it is not a customary expression in Latin, unless it be said thus: "I stretch out my hand to God the Most High, that I will not take anything of all that is yours."

50. (15:13) Knowing you shall know, that your seed will be a stranger in a land; this is indeed a most customary expression of the Scriptures, but the Greeks have: knowing you shall know, which is almost the same.

51. (16:3) And Abraham gave her to her husband, to him as a wife—it has the extra word: to him.

52. (16:5) But when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised before her. The Greeks have in this place a participle, which the Latin language does not have, that is, [MISSING GREEK TEXT], but as if it were said: "seeing that I had conceived, I was despised before her"; it sounds like a solecism; so too through that participle which was said, [MISSING GREEK TEXT], for which we say: "seeing."

53. (17:6) Whereas the Latin have: I will increase you exceedingly greatly, the Greeks have: greatly, greatly.

54. (17:8) And I will give to you and to your seed after you the land in which you dwell, all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession—it is to be considered whether in saying everlasting it is a matter of expression; the Greeks have [MISSING GREEK TEXT]; and as for its saying and to your seed after you, there it wished to be understood what it had said: to you.

55. (17:9) But you shall keep my covenant, and your seed after you in their generations; you shall keep, in place of "keep"; he put the future indicative for the imperative mood.

56. (17:12) And a child of eight days shall be circumcised among you, every male; in place of "every male," as if any but a male could be circumcised.

57. (17:17) And Abraham fell upon his face, and said in his heart, saying: 'Shall a son be born to me who am a hundred years old, and shall Sarah at ninety years bear?' There is no doubt that this is the expression of one marveling, not of one doubting.

58. (17:24) Now Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised the flesh of his foreskin; he did not say "in flesh" or "in the flesh."

59. (18:7) And Abraham ran into the cattle; he did not say "to the cattle."

60. (18:11) Now Abraham and Sarah, elders advanced in days, which the Greeks have as: advanced of days.

61. (18:20) And the Lord said: 'the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is fulfilled, and their sins are very great.' Scripture is accustomed to use "cry" for such shamelessness and licentiousness of iniquity that it is concealed neither by modesty nor by fear.

62. (18:28) And he said: 'that I will not destroy if I find there forty-five,' the word that seems superfluous, and so in some Latin manuscripts it is not read.

63. (18:30) Will you, O Lord, if I speak—"be angry" is supplied, or something of this kind.

64. (19:29) When the Lord overthrew the cities, in which he dwelt in them.

65. (20:13) In every place where we enter there.

66. (21:19) And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of living water—this is a matter of expression, for she was not with her eyes shut. We have already spoken of this at the beginning of the book, where it is written: and their eyes were opened.

67. (21:23) And the land in which you have dwelt in it.

68. (21:27) And they both arranged a covenant, or both made a covenant; Scripture loves to call a "pact" by the name of "covenant."

69. (22:2) Take your beloved son—the word take is said by that expression by which it is also said to Hagar concerning her son.

70. (22:4) And Abraham looking up with his eyes, when it would suffice: looking up.

71. (22:16) By myself I have sworn, unless blessing I will bless you; as if it said: "by myself I have sworn that blessing I will bless you"; or, with no word added, simply: "by myself I have sworn, blessing I will bless you."

72. (22:17) And multiplying I will multiply your seed, when it could suffice: I will multiply.

73. (22:20) And it was announced to Abraham, saying (plural), whereas the custom of speaking has: "they announced to Abraham saying," or: "it was announced by those saying."

74. (23:3-4) And Abraham rose up from his dead (masculine), he did not say "from his dead" (feminine). And again concerning the same woman: and I will bury, he says, my dead, which the Greek scripture shows to be said not in the neuter as though a dead body, but in the masculine gender.

75. (24:3) And I will adjure you by the Lord God of heaven and the God of earth; the Greeks do not have by, but: I adjure you the Lord God of heaven.

76. (24:3) Among whom I dwell in them.

77. (24:5) Lest perhaps the woman be unwilling to go with me: to call a woman "female" is proper to that language.

78. (24:5) Into the land from which you went out thence.

79. (24:6) Take heed to yourself, that you do not bring my son back there: by these words a warning is customarily expressed.

80. (24:9. 8) And the servant put his hand under Abraham's thigh, and swore to him concerning this matter. Therefore this is the expression by which Abraham had said I adjure you, as if he had said: "swear to me";

but we are not accustomed to speak thus, and it is to be observed whether there are in the Scriptures other similar expressions; for the fact that Abraham said if the woman be unwilling to come with you, you will be free from this oath made it clear that he had said I adjure you as though he were saying: "swear to me."

81. (24:16) As to what is written of Rebekah: now the virgin was very beautiful in countenance; she was a virgin, no man had known her, this repetition conveys a commendation of virginity. But why it is added no man had known her—unless it be a matter of expression—it would be remarkable if it could be taken so that "virgin" be a name of age, not of integrity. The Greeks, however, do not have had known, but: knew; which seems inconsistent.

82. (24:26) He worshiped to the Lord: which it is customary for us to say: "he worshiped the Lord."

83. (24:27) Because he has not forsaken justice and truth from my lord: that is, the justice and truth that is from my lord, as if it said: "which my lord has done."

84. (24:28) And the girl, running, announced it into her mother's house: as though it were not also her father's house.

85. (24:32) And water to wash with his feet, and with the feet of the men who were with him.

86. (24:40) The Lord, whom I have pleased before him, he will send his angel with you; as though it would not suffice: whom I have pleased; or could he please him except before him?

87. (24:42) If you prosper my way, which I now enter upon it.

88. (24:43-44) When the servant of Abraham was recounting his own words, which he said as he was about to approach the spring, he recounted them thus: and the virgin to whom I shall say, "give me a little water to drink from your jar," and she will say to me, "drink, you too, and I will draw for your camels"; this is the woman whom the Lord has prepared for his servant Isaac.

By these words it is expressed clearly enough that even those who were virgins were called "women" by the Hebrew manner of speech.

89. (24:48) And I blessed the Lord God of my lord Abraham; this is an expression of honor, and most familiar to the Scriptures, like the God of Elijah.

90. (24:49) Report to me, that I may turn to the right or the left. By the right hand he signified prosperity, by the left adversity; that is, the right, if they consent; the left, if they do not consent; for he was in any case going to return by the way he had come; which expression of the Scriptures the rest of their passages will also indicate, since the right hand is named in all good things, the left in evil ones—whether happiness and unhappiness, or justice and injustice, and sometimes the right hand in eternal things, the left in temporal.

91. (25:13) These are the names of the sons of Ishmael according to the names of their generations; as if it had said: "according to which names their generations were called."

92. (25:20) He took Rebekah the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Mesopotamia, the sister of Laban the Syrian, to himself as a wife; when it could be said merely: as a wife; or: to himself a wife.

93. (25:24) And there were twins in her womb; when what was said could be left unadded: her.

94. (25:27) And the young men grew up. There is such an expression even among secular authors, as is: and they build hidden shields (Virgil, Aeneid 3.237); that is, by building they make them hidden. So too here: the young men grew up—since they were infants, it is understood that by growing up they became young men.

95. (25:31) Jacob to Esau: sell me today your birthright to me; for so the Greek manuscripts have it.

96. (26:28) Seeing we have seen, that the Lord is with you.

97. (26:28) And we will arrange a covenant with you: the Scriptures love to put covenant for "pact," that is, [MISSING GREEK TEXT]. As the Latin have: and we will arrange a covenant with you that you do us no harm; as if it were said: "that you make a pact not to do us harm."

98. (27:1) And he called his elder son Esau, and said; in this place the word "elder" does not signify advanced age, but the greater by comparison.

99. (27:3) Now therefore take your vessel, both quiver and bow; he did not say "vessels," but: vessel; what he wished to be understood is not clear, unless perhaps it is an expression, so that by "vessel" he wished the quiver to be understood, and in explaining what he had said by vessel he added both quiver and bow, as if he had said: "take your vessel and the quiver"; as if he were to say: "take your vessel, that is, the quiver; then another thing, and the bow," which would not belong to that vessel which is the quiver. Or else he wished to call the quiver and bow a "vessel," putting the singular number for the plural; as if he were to say: "take your garment," by which name we would understand several garments, just as we understand "soldier" for "soldiers," and there are many such cases.

100. (27:3) Go out into the field, and hunt me a hunt.

101. (27:9) And go to the sheep, and take me two tender and good kids; by the name of sheep he signified both kinds of livestock, because they were together in the same pastures.

102. (28:4) And may he give you the blessing of your father Abraham; Isaac says this to his son concerning the boy's grandfather, his own father.

103. (28:5) And he went out into Mesopotamia of Syria; as though Mesopotamia were spoken of as anything but of Syria, although the Septuagint is said not to have this word of Syria, but it is written with an asterisk.

104. (28:15) God to Jacob: I will not forsake you, until I do all the things I have spoken with you; as though he would let him go once he had done them; but not so—it is a matter of expression.

105. (28:16) Jacob rose up from his sleep, and said: 'that the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it'; the sense is complete, even if it does not have that.

106. (28:16) The Lord is in this place; as if it said: "there is here a manifestation of the Lord"; for the Lord is not in a place.

107. (29:5) Jacob asking, in that he says: do you know Laban the son of Nahor? When he was the son of Bethuel; it is to be understood that Nahor was the more noble, and that by the merit of his standing it came about that he asked about him. That the one who is descended from someone should be called the "son" of grandfather and great-grandfather and beyond, of some greater ancestor, is a most customary expression. Hence it is that Isaac also called his son's father Abraham, as I mentioned a little before.

108. (29:7) The day is still long, it is not yet the hour for gathering the flocks.

109. (30:4) And she gave him Bilhah her maidservant, to him as a wife; it would be complete even if to him were not added.

110. (30:27) If I have found favor before you, I would have taken an omen; for God has blessed me at your coming in; it does not seem consistent, because here it should have been said: "if I had found favor before you, I would have taken an omen";

but as it is, if I have found, the order is: "if I have found favor before you, permit me to take an omen"; for he said I would have taken an omen as if to say: "Oh that I had taken an omen!" That is, "that I might hold you in my house for a good omen."

111. (30:33) And my justice will answer for me on the morrow; that is, it will cause me to be heard.

112. (31:2) And Jacob saw Laban's face, and behold it was not toward him as yesterday and the day before; a most familiar expression in the Scriptures: yesterday and the day before, he put for past time.

113. (31:10) And I saw with my eyes in sleep; although the eyes of the body are shut in sleep.

114. (31:13) I am the God who appeared to you in the place of God, this is an expression. Or is God in the place of God to be taken in the way that the Lord rained from the Lord (Gen 19:24)—the Son from the Father?

115. (31:31) But Jacob answering said to Laban: 'for I said, lest perhaps you take your daughters from me, and all that is mine.'

116. (31:33) Now Laban entered and searched in the house of Leah; it is to be noted how a wife's house is spoken of, since they were overtaken by Laban on the journey; unless perhaps the custom of the Scriptures says "house" for a chamber or tent, just as it also speaks of the maidservants' houses.

117. (31:37) Jacob says to Laban: for you have searched all the vessels of my house; now he speaks of one house, whose parts were the houses of his wives and concubines; so that it may be understood that "houses" were so called when they were chambers or tents, which they also call "pavilions."

118. (31:42) Unless the God of my father Abraham and the fear of Isaac had been with me; he calls his grandfather his father, just as Isaac his father had said to him.

119. (32:4-5) Now Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother into the land of Seir in the region of Edom, and charged them, saying: "thus you shall say to my lord Esau: 'thus says your servant Jacob, I have dwelt with Laban and stayed until now, and I have come to have oxen and asses and sheep and menservants and maidservants, and I have sent to announce to my lord Esau'"; he did not say: "I have sent to announce to you."

120. (32:18) If Esau asks you, saying: "whose are you? And where are you going? And whose are these that go before you?" And you shall say: "your servant Jacob's"; it would be complete and entire even if it did not have and.

121. (32:19) He sent gifts to my lord Esau, and behold he himself is behind us; but it should have been said in the customary manner of speech: "I have sent gifts to my lord, to you," or: "he has sent gifts to his lord, to you."

122. (32:23) Now he rose up that same night, and took his two wives and his two maidservants; here they are distinguished from the wives, whom Scripture had earlier called wives.

123. (32:23) And he took his two wives and two maidservants; it is to be noted how, by the custom of the Scriptures, it says: he took; for he did not then marry them, nor then receive them from his father-in-law.

124. (33:13) Whereas the Latin manuscripts have: and the sheep and oxen are giving birth, the Greeks have: are giving birth upon me; which is said with this meaning, so that it may be understood: "upon my concern" or "my care"; in the way we are accustomed to speak when we say that something is "upon our head" of which we bear the greatest care.

125. (34:7) And the sons of Jacob came from the field, and when they had heard it, the men were stung, and it was very grievous to them, that he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel, in that he had lain with Jacob's daughter, and it shall not be so;

such an expression is rarely found in the Scriptures—that the writer should have inserted the words of speakers without introducing the persons speaking; for it does not say "and they said," but with this verb left unsaid it spoke their words. For who else could have said and it shall not be so except those who, gravely indignant, were plotting vengeance?

126. (34:8) It is to be noted that Hamor, speaking to Jacob and his sons about Dinah, says your daughter; he does not say: "your daughter, the sister of these men."

127. (34:15) In this we will be like you, and we will dwell among you; that is: "among you."

128. (34:19) For he was attached to Jacob's daughter; that is: "he loved her."

129. (34:26) And they slew his son Shechem with the edge of the sword; as if it said: "with the sword."

130. (34:28-29) The things that the sons of Jacob took from the city of the Shechemites, Salem, when they had stormed it, are enumerated thus: their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, whatever was in the city, and whatever was in the field they took; and all their bodies and all their household goods and their wives they took captive, and they plundered whatever was in the city, and whatever was in the houses.

Among all these things, what it said by and their bodies is not well enough understood; for it is not to be supposed that they carried off the bodies of the slain; but it is to be understood of things that are possessed bodily;

so that the execution of it would be what follows: and the household goods, and the rest, as in law "delivery of bodies" is spoken of; although the Greeks, by a most customary expression, call "slaves" [MISSING GREEK TEXT], yet since it does not,

but: it is here said, it is not [MISSING GREEK TEXT]—it is not to be rashly affirmed that slaves are meant; yet it can be that this is rather the case.

131. (36:40) When Scripture had mentioned the nation of Edom, that is, of the Idumeans, and those who had reigned in it, it afterward says: these are the names of the chiefs of Esau, according to their places in their regions, and in their nations; calling the families of one nation "nations," on account of the multiplied generations, since even he himself was called Edom; whence also the nation that he propagated was named, of which he was indeed the father.

132. (37:21) But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, and said: 'let us not strike him in the soul.' He did not, then, deliver him and afterward say this; rather, by saying this he delivered him. He first said, then, he delivered him, and afterward, by a brief recapitulation, conveyed how he delivered him.

133. (37:21) Let us not strike him in the soul; in this place by the name of soul it signifies the life of the animate body, by the cause for the effect. According to this it can be seen that it was also said to the devil concerning Job: do not touch his soul (Job 2:6); that is: do not kill him. For according to that signification by which the nature of the soul is meant, this is said by the Lord: do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul (Matt 10:28).

134. (37:27) As to what Judah says: but let not our hands be upon him, this is what we are accustomed to say: "let us not lay hands on him."

135. (37:27) Because he is our brother and our flesh; not something else, but this same thing is said twice, as if explaining what our brother is, that is our flesh, namely that they had been begotten of the same flesh.

136. (37:31) They killed a kid of the goats; Scripture is accustomed to speak thus, as in the Psalm: like lambs of the sheep (Ps 114:4 (113:4)), as though there could be a kid except of goats, or lambs except of sheep.

137. (38:13) And it was announced to his daughter-in-law Tamar, saying (plural); but it should have been said: "they announced, saying."

138. (38:14) And having laid aside the garments of her widowhood from herself; what would be lacking if there were not added: from herself?

139. (38:26) And he did not go on to know her any more; in place of being joined with her.

140. (39:4) And Joseph found favor in the sight of his lord; this expression is unknown to no one in the Scriptures.

141. (39:6) And he did not know anything of the things that were around him, nothing; this is an expression commonly used among the Greeks; among us it is not correct, but we say: "he did not know anything."

142. (39:6) Except the bread that he himself ate; by "bread" he certainly wished to be understood all things pertaining to his food; whence in the Lord's Prayer bread alone is understood as put for daily food (See Matt 6:11).

143. (39:7) And his lord's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; this is an expression commonly used even among us, in place of: "she loved him."

144. (39:7) And she said: 'sleep with me'; this too is a customary expression, in place of: "lie with me."

145. (39:22) And the keeper of the prison gave the prison through the hand of Joseph; in place of: "into the hands of Joseph"; by which it signifies: "into his power."

146. (40:8) And they said: 'we have seen a dream, and there is no one to interpret it'; although each of them had seen his own dream, they did not say: "we have seen dreams," but: we have seen a dream.

147. (40:12) The three baskets are three days; he did not say: "the three baskets signify three days." And this expression is much to be noted, where things that signify are called by the name of the things they signify; hence it is that the Apostle says: and the rock was Christ (1 Cor 10:4); he does not say: "the rock signified Christ."

148. (40:13) And you shall give the cup to Pharaoh into his hand; though it would be complete even if there were not added: into his hand.

149. (40:19) And Pharaoh will take away your head from you; it would be complete even if it did not have: from you.

150. (40:19) And the birds of heaven will eat your flesh from you; similar to the expression above.

151. (41:1) And it came to pass after two years of days; what would be lacking if it did not have: of days?

152. (41:7) Now Pharaoh rose up, and it was a dream; the Scriptures love to speak thus of dreams: when one has awakened, then, the truth of waking persons being restored to the man, that appears as a dream which, while it was being seen, was as if truth.

153. (41:9-10) I remember my sin today. Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put us in prison; he was speaking to him as though of another.

154. (41:11) And we both saw a dream in one night, I and he; as though it would not suffice that he had said both. Then here too he says we saw a dream, not: "we saw dreams"; as though both had seen one.

155. (41:13) And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it also happened. And it came to pass; thus Scripture is accustomed to put it; for it would be complete: "and as he interpreted to us, so it also happened."

156. (41:19) Such as I never saw, more wretched ones in all the land of Egypt; but it could be said in our manner: "than which I never saw more wretched ones," or "such as I never saw," or "I never saw such ones."

157. (41:21) And rising up I slept; rising up he says, in place of: "awaking."

158. (41:25) How great things God does, he has shown to Pharaoh; though he was speaking to him, he says it as though of another.

159. (41:30) And the famine will consume the land; in place of: "the men who are in the land."

160. (41:33-34) Now therefore look for a prudent and understanding man, and set him over the land of Egypt; and let Pharaoh do this and appoint chiefs of the regions over the land; as though the one to whom he says provide a prudent man were one person, and the one of whom he says let Pharaoh appoint another.

161. (41:35) And let the grain be gathered under Pharaoh's hand, that is: "under his power."

162. (41:40) Yet I will go before the throne of you; thus the words stand in the Greek which Pharaoh said to Joseph. But I will go before of you is a customary expression among the Greeks, whereas among us it is said: I will go before you;

but that phrase I will go before you the throne is reported not to be customary even among the Greeks, but rather: I will go before you in the throne, that is, in the honor of the seat; which is understood: "I will go before you in the kingdom," for this is also what he says to him afterward.

163. (41:44) I am Pharaoh; without you no one will lift up his hand over all the land of Egypt; as if he said: "I am king, but you are the chief or overseer of Egypt." For Pharaoh is not the name of a man, but of the royal power.

164. (42:1-2) Now Jacob seeing that there was selling in Egypt, said to his sons: 'why are you slothful? Behold, I have heard that there is selling in Egypt'; it is to be noted that what he says he heard, Scripture had said he saw.

165. (42:2) Buy us a little food, that we may live, and not die; one of these would suffice, either: that we may live, or: that we may not die.

166. (42:11) We are peaceable; your servants are not spies; as though they spoke of others: your servants are not spies, when they could say: "we are not"; but out of a manner of honor they especially spoke thus.

167. (42:13) We are twelve, your servants, brothers in the land of Canaan; whereas they say afterward that one of them is not—namely, supposing Joseph himself not to exist, that is, to have perished. By this expression that too was said: these are the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Mesopotamia (Gen 35:26); although Benjamin was not born there. And as for their saying we are in the land of Canaan, when at the time they were speaking they were in Egypt, we are was said for "we dwell"; for they had come thence and would return there at once, abiding there.

168. (42:14) This is what I said to you, saying, that you are spies; what would be lacking even if it did not add: saying?

169. (42:19) But you, go and bring the purchase of your grain: bring, in place of: "carry"; for since the beasts on which it is carried are led, this too was called "leading."

170. (42:22) Did I not speak to you, saying: 'do not harm the boy,' and you did not hear me? It is to be noted that "hearing" is not said only of that which God hears.

171. (42:23) But they did not know that Joseph heard. He hears, in place of "he understands"; for one who does not understand the language certainly hears the words even with his ear. That expression is repeated when they recount to their father what had happened to them in Egypt, and what they had said to Joseph.

172. (42:32) We are twelve brothers, the sons of our father; one is not, and the little one is with our father today in the land of Canaan. There are many kinds of expression in these few words,

and that which I mentioned a little before: we are twelve, when they themselves say one is not; and: we are sons of our father, as though they could be sons of someone not their father. And the little one is with our father today in the land of Canaan—nor did they say "is," or anything of this kind.

Then it is to be noted, which seems especially necessary on account of the narratives of the evangelists, how, when the things that were said are recounted as having been said, they are not repeated in altogether the same way, while yet in the diversity of words nothing of the truth of the meaning is lost.

For as to their saying that it had been said to them by Joseph, and trade in the land, this is not found to have been said by him. Yet they said it without lying, because from the words he had said they recognized it in his will; for words are not necessary except to express the will and convey it, as far as we can, to the knowledge of the hearers.

173. (42:35) And the bundle of each one's silver was in their sack; it did not say: "in his sack," or: "in their sacks," but as though all had one sack.

174. (42:36) All these things are come upon me; that is: they burden me with misery.

175. (43:3) But Judah said to him, saying; it could be complete even if it did not have: saying.

176. (43:7) Asking the man asked us; such an expression is constant in the Scriptures: asking the man asked us; or: "by asking, he asked," and any like it.

177. (43:16) For the men will eat loaves with me at midday; was it only loaves? But the expression has embraced the rest from that which is preeminent. For the men will eat loaves with me at midday; in saying at midday it signifies the meal that is taken in the middle of the day, for this is midday.

178. (43:18) That he may take us as slaves and our asses; "slaves" is certainly not to be supplied; for where the Latin manuscripts have slaves, [MISSING GREEK TEXT] is read in the Greek, which can in no way be asses. Therefore only our asses is to be supplied with may take.

179. (43:21) We opened our sacks, and this silver of each one in his sack; it did not add: "was found," or: "appeared," or: "was," or anything of this kind.

180. (43:23) Gracious to you, do not fear; in these words, in which it is said gracious to you, there are two words that are to be supplied, both "be" and "God." For the full form is: "may God be gracious to you," which is entirely most customary in the Greek.

181. (43:28) Your servant our father is safe, he still lives; here it is shown more expressly that by the name "servant" (or "boy") a slave is customarily signified; for in that old man this could not be a name of age.

182. (43:32) For the Egyptians could not eat loaves with the Hebrews; for it is an abomination to the Egyptians. That expression is frequent, so that by loaves all foods are understood.

183. (43:34) Now Benjamin's portion was made greater than the portions of them all, fivefold compared to theirs; since it had already said than the portions of them all, it could have left unsaid: compared to theirs.

184. (44:6-7) And finding them, he spoke according to these words; he could have said: "he spoke these words to them." Or is it perhaps not a manner of speech, but does it bear also on the meaning?

For it is one thing to say the very words, another to speak according to them, so that whatever other words may be said, the same meaning is held that was contained in those words; this is "according to them," even if not the very words.

But because there follows, as they answered: why does my lord speak according to these words?—who certainly ought to have said in the customary manner: "why does my lord speak these words?"—it is established to be a manner of speech.

185. (44:7) Far be it from your servants to do according to this word; they could have said: "far be it from us"; but it is a customary mark of honor in the Scriptures to speak thus, as though of others: servants is said for "slaves."

186. (44:9) And we too will be slaves to our lord. Here too the Greeks have the word, that is "boys," which Scripture so constantly puts for "slaves" that it is hard to find it not calling slaves by this name.

187. (44:34) But how shall I go up to my father, when the boy is not with us? That I may not see the evils that will find my father! The custom of speaking rather required that it be said: "that I may see the evils that will find my father"; that is: "how shall I go up that I may see?" And so by a novel manner of speaking he said what he said, putting how as if he had said: "not." For this is the customary order of these words: "I will not go up to my father, when the boy is not with us, that I may not see the evils that will find my father."

188. (45:2-3) When Joseph wept, as he was being recognized by his brothers, Scripture says: and all the Egyptians heard, and it was heard in the house of Pharaoh. Then follows what it was recounting: and Joseph said to his brothers; thus Scripture first said what happened afterward; for this came about by the swiftness of report, so that it became known to all the Egyptians; and afterward the narrative returned by a brief recapitulation to what was being said.

189. (45:16) And the report was spread abroad in the house of Pharaoh, saying: "Joseph's brothers have come"; saying, it put for "of those saying," "for the report of those saying was spread abroad: Joseph's brothers have come."

190. (46:2) But he answered: 'what is it: saying?'. The order is: "but he answered, saying: what is it?".

191. (46:4) God says to Jacob: and I will go down with you into Egypt, and I will bring you up at the end; thus the Greeks have it, which the Latin have as: and I will bring you up at the end.

192. (46:28) But he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to meet him near the city of Heroes; I do not know whether the name "of Heroes" is easily found in the Scriptures.

193. (46:31-32) In the words of Joseph, in which he says to his brothers: going up I will announce to Pharaoh and say to him: "my brothers and my father's house, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me; the men are shepherds (for the men were keepers of cattle), and they have brought their beasts and sheep and all that is theirs,"

what is interposed—for the men were keepers of cattle—the writer interposed in his own person, and returns to the words of Joseph by adding: and they have brought their beasts and all that is theirs, so that the order in Joseph's words is: "the men are shepherds, and they have brought their beasts and sheep and all that is theirs."

194. (47:8) And Pharaoh said to Jacob: 'how many are the years of the days of your life?', "are" is supplied.

195. (47:9) Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life. Few, is put for "few in number," for the days of one person's life cannot be shorter in the span of hours than those of others. But Jacob said this by comparison with the life of his forefathers; for no one now lives the hundred and thirty years that he was then living.

196. (47:12) Grain according to the body, that is: "according to the number of bodies"; for by body it signifies the number of bodies, and by the number of bodies the number of men.

197. (47:13) But the famine had grown very severe, and the land of Egypt failed; it put land for the men who were in the land.

198. (47:15) And all the Egyptians came to Joseph, saying: 'give us loaves'; by loaves it signifies grain, by an expression that puts the effect for the cause.

199. (47:20) And the land became Pharaoh's; it did not say: "of Pharaoh." Scripture loves to speak thus; as in the Psalm it is said: and I kept your law; this became mine, because I sought out your justifications (Ps 119:55-56 (118:55-56)); of the law of God it said: this became mine, that is: "for my benefit."

200. (47:22) Only the land of the priests Joseph did not possess; as if it had said: "except only the land of the priests, Joseph possessed all the land."

201. (47:26) And Joseph set it for them as an ordinance, even to this present day, in the land of Egypt, that they should render fifths to Pharaoh; from this it is understood that the name "Pharaoh" was one of royal power, in that it said: even to this present day. For the Egyptians could not render to him who then was, down to the day on which these things were being written, when he was no longer living.

202. (47:28) And the days of Jacob were of the years of his life; Scripture often says days of years, when it could say "years" in a single word.

203. (48:1) As to what is written: it was announced to Joseph, that your father is troubled; some manuscripts have vexed, some in turmoil, and one thing one and another another, as the Latin were able to translate what is written in Greek: [MISSING GREEK TEXT].

And troubled seems to be said more fittingly, because this is customarily said of those who, with the affliction of the body and death drawing near, are tossed about. And from this too a crowd is called [MISSING GREEK TEXT], for a crowd is a disordered multitude—not like a people, which is called [MISSING GREEK TEXT], nor like the commons, which is called [MISSING GREEK TEXT], but like [MISSING GREEK TEXT], which is called a crowd.

204. (48:16) Jacob, blessing his grandsons the sons of Joseph, says among other things: and in these shall my name be invoked, and the name of my fathers; whence it is to be noted that not only "hearing" but also "invocation" is sometimes said of what is not God's but men's.

205. (48:18) For this is the firstborn; it lacks "is," according to the Greek manuscripts.

206. (49:24) In the blessing of Joseph, Jacob says among other things: thence who strengthened Israel; it would be remarkable if "is" is not to be supplied, so that it be complete: "thence is he who strengthened Israel."

207. (50:2-3) As to what is written: Joseph said to his servants the buriers, that they should bury his father; the Latin language did not find how to render [MISSING GREEK TEXT]: for they do not themselves bury, that is, commit to the earth the bodies of the dead, which in Greek is not [MISSING GREEK TEXT], but: [MISSING GREEK TEXT].

They, therefore, do what is rendered to bodies to be interred, whether by embalming or drying or wrapping and binding, in which work the care of the Egyptians especially excels. So when it says they also buried, we ought to understand "they tended." And when it says forty days of burial, they are to be taken as days of the tending itself. For he was not buried except where he had charged himself to be buried.

208. (50:4) Speak in the ears of Pharaoh: this is an expression customary in the Scriptures.

209. (50:6) And Pharaoh said to Joseph: 'go down and bury your father'; even if Pharaoh said through those powerful men through whom Joseph had sent word what they were to carry to Joseph, he certainly did not say it except to Joseph himself.

Hence there is that passage in the Gospel, where one of the evangelists says that a centurion came to the Lord and said to him: my servant lies at home a paralytic (Matt 8:6); but another, recounting the whole more carefully, mentions that he sent friends to the Lord (See Luke 7:3) to say this to him, in which friends he himself certainly came, whose will was present in them; whence it is said: he who receives you receives me; and he who receives me receives him who sent me (Matt 10:40).

210. (50:10) They mourned him with a great and strong mourning: they mourned a mourning, not "they mourned with a mourning"; this is an expression not unknown in the Latin language, as it is said: "he served a servitude," "he soldiered a soldiery," and the like.

211. (50:15) And by a requital he will requite us all the evils that we showed him. From this expression the Apostle too says: Alexander the coppersmith showed me many evils (2 Tim 4:14): for we showed, or he showed, is said in place of "we did," or "he did."

212. (50:17) Receive the iniquity of the servants of the God of your father; it is a novel expression: receive the iniquity, for: "forgive," or: "remit," or: "forget"; but I think receive is said in such a way as if it were said: "receive it with an even mind," that is: "do not take it amiss."

213. (50:18) And coming to him they said; they did not come again, but what had been said is said again; Scripture is accustomed to do this.

1. (1:12) And they grew strong exceedingly, exceedingly.

2. (1:21) What is the meaning of what is said of the midwives: and they made themselves houses, because they feared God? For it was said before: God did good to the midwives (Gen 30:30). And to this it seems to belong that they made themselves houses by fearing God, as though the benefits of God profited them to this end, that they should make themselves houses.

Is it to be understood that they did not previously have houses? Or does this word pertain to riches, or rather to some suitable means of a household? For similar to this seems what Jacob too says, after the fourteen years of his servitude, to his father-in-law, who wished to keep him still with him: now therefore when shall I too make a house for myself? (Gen 30:27) For he had said that Laban's flocks had increased under him; as Laban himself too had confessed, saying: God blessed me at your coming in (Gen 30:27); when, therefore, he says when shall I too make a house for myself? it is implied: "as you too have." For this seems to be the force of his saying I too, so that to the very making of the house there seems to belong the wage that is consequently proposed to be set for Laban.

3. (1:22) And every female, keep it alive, for so the Greeks have it; the Latin do not have: it.

4. (2:1-2) Now there was a certain man of the tribe of Levi, and he took to himself of the daughters of Levi; a wife is understood, which some Latin translators thought should even be added; for there follows: and he had her, and she conceived.

5. (2:3) What thibin is, is difficult to know, for this reason: that neither did the Greek translator render this word from the Hebrew, nor the Latin from the Greek, but each rendered it as he found it.

6. (2:14) But Moses feared, and said: 'if this matter has been so divulged.' Two things are to be noted in this expression: first, that the sentence is left hanging, and so dismissed; then, that it put word for "deed."

7. (2:25) And he looked upon the children of Israel, and was made known to them; was made known is put in place of this: that he did among them the things by which they would understand God's care for them.

8. (3:7) Seeing I have seen the affliction of my people, who are in Egypt.

9. (3:11-12) And Moses said to God: 'who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh king of Egypt, and that I should lead the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt?' And he said: 'for I will be with you,' so the Greek has it; but the Latin said: and who am I, and did not say that I should go, and that I should lead, but: that I may go, and lead. And as for what the Greek has, and he said, for I will be with you, it is certainly understood that he said it to Moses; but all this the Latin added, and said: and God said to Moses.

10. (3:16) God says what Moses is to say to the children of Israel: visiting I have visited you, and whatever has befallen you in Egypt; the Greek has: with a visitation I have visited you.

11. (3:18) God says to Moses concerning the children of Israel: and they will hear your voice; the Greek has: and they will hearken to your voice, because "hearkening" is also said of a man.

12. (3:22) Whereas the Latin has: the woman will ask of her neighbor, and of her lodger, vessels of silver and gold and clothing, the Greek has: of her fellow dweller, that is: [MISSING GREEK TEXT], which some Latin translated: of her chamber companion.

13. (4:1) Moses says: 'what if they do not believe me, nor hearken to my voice'; which the Latin translated: hear.

14. (4:4) Stretch out the hand, and take hold of the tail, the Greek has; but the Latin translated: your hand and its tail.

15. (4:4) And stretching out his hand he took hold of the tail, and it became a rod in his hand.

16. (4:5) And he said to him: 'that they may believe you, because the Lord God of their fathers has appeared to you'; the Greek does not have: and he said to him, but continued at once: that they may believe you;

that is, the words of God, after that miracle was performed; as though he were still speaking, and had only now completed the sense of his words. For the order of the words is: stretch out the hand and take hold of the tail, that they may believe you; but the narrative of the deed was interposed, and afterward there was returned: that they may believe you.

17. (4:6) Whereas the Latin has: and his hand became leprous like snow, the Greek does not have leprous, but only: it became like snow.

18. (4:8) But if they do not hear the voice of the first sign, so the Greek has it; but the Latin: your voice of the first sign; so too there follows: they will believe you at the voice of the following sign.

19. (4:9) And the water that you take from the river will be blood upon the dry land, or rather upon the dry, that is, upon that which is dry; which the Latin said: blood upon the earth.

20. (4:10) Moses says: I beg you, Lord, I am not eloquent, before yesterday and the day before.

21. (4:17) And this rod you shall take in your hand, with which you shall do signs with it; when it could be said, "with which you shall do signs"; or else: "this rod you shall take in your hand, and you shall do signs with it"; but as it is, both were said by the customary expression of the Scriptures.

22. (4:18-19) Now after those many days, the king of Egypt died; and the Lord said to Moses in Midian: 'go, proceed into Egypt, for all who sought your soul are dead.' Many kinds of expression in these words are to be noted; first: go, proceed into Egypt, as though it would not suffice to say only go, or only proceed; then: for all who sought your soul are dead, when Scripture had said that only the king of Egypt died, and it had been said before of him alone that he sought to kill Moses. Or did he die last, after his other enemies? But if it is so, it is not a matter of expression, but of sense. Likewise who sought your soul is said in the Scriptures not only in a bad sense, but also in a good one; for, as here, it is said in a bad sense also in the Psalms: let them be confounded and ashamed who seek my soul; in a good sense: flight has perished from me, and there is no one who seeks after my soul (Ps 40:14 (39:15); 142:4 (141:5)); unless perhaps some difference is said to lie between "seeking" and "seeking after," so that the former is to be understood in a bad sense, the latter in a good one.

23. (5:10) And they said to the people, saying: 'thus says Pharaoh'; which expression the Latin was loath to render.

24. (5:21) May God see you and judge, because you have made our odor abominable openly before Pharaoh, and openly before his servants, to give a sword into his hands, that he may kill us; for so the Greek has it; but the Latin which we read as the best says: that you should give a sword into his hands; which solecism was made by no necessity of translation, since it is not in the Greek.

25. (6:4) I established my covenant with them, so as to give them the land of the Canaanites, and the land which they dwelt in, in which also they dwelt in it; for so the Greek has it, which certainly seems to sound absurd even in the Greek language;

and yet the authority of the Septuagint translators is so great, who were not loath to speak thus. For what then? Does a sense lie hidden here too? But if there is none, the expression itself is to be noted, lest, found elsewhere, it impede the sense, or compel one to seek something where it is not to be sought.

26. (6:5) Whereas the Latin has: I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel, in the way that the Egyptians afflict them, the Greek has: [MISSING GREEK TEXT], which could be rendered: reduce them to servitude; for it cannot be done in a single word.

27. (6:9) And Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel, and they did not hearken to Moses out of faintness of mind and out of hard labors; it says hearkened, not: "heard."

28. (6:12) For I am uneloquent, which Moses says to the Lord—the Greek said [MISSING GREEK TEXT], not: "unskilled," as if [MISSING GREEK TEXT], or [MISSING GREEK TEXT].

29. (6:26) These are the Aaron and Moses, to whom God said to them that they should lead the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; for so the Greek has it.

30. (6:30) Behold I am of a thin voice, and how will Pharaoh hearken to me? It is to be noted that he said will hearken, not: "will hear."

31. (7:6) And Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded them, so they did; what would be lacking if it were not said: so they did?

32. (7:9) If Pharaoh speaks to you, saying: 'give us a sign or a wonder,' then you shall say to Aaron your brother: 'take the rod,' did not the custom of our manner of speech, and a certain completeness of it, require that it be said thus: "if Pharaoh speaks to you, saying: 'give us a sign or a wonder,' you shall say to Aaron your brother: 'take the rod'"? What, then, is added there—and—except by some peculiarity of the Hebrew manner of speech? For it is reported not to be Greek either.

33. (7:11) The Latin do not seem to me to have rendered conveniently enough the [MISSING GREEK TEXT] of Pharaoh, so as to say: wise men; for wise men are called [MISSING GREEK TEXT]. The Latin translator could have said "sophists," since there is no way to say it in Latin; and so we now use this word as Latin, just as we say "philosophy" not only in Greek but also in Latin: the most eloquent authors of Latin letters called them "sophists."

34. (7:12) And the rod of Aaron swallowed up their rods; as if it said: "the serpent of Aaron."

35. (7:15) As to what is said of Pharaoh: behold, he goes out to the water; the Greek has: upon the water.

36. (7:16) Let my people go that they may serve me in the desert, and behold, you have not hearkened until now; how often is it said you have hearkened, when it is said of a man?

37. (7:22) And the enchanters of the Egyptians did likewise with their sorceries. And Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he did not hearken to them, as the Lord had said; for it is Scripture's usage to say he hearkened, even when it speaks of a man.

38. (8:1) Let my people go that they may serve me; not: "that it may serve," a manner of speaking which is hardly found except where the singular thing itself consists of many. For people is said by a singular name, but consists of many. So too is: let all the earth worship you (Ps 66:4 (65:4)); because all the earth was said for "the men who are in the earth."

39. (8:2) Behold I strike all your borders with frogs; for so the Greek has it, by a most elegant expression, so that the frogs themselves are understood to be the plague by which the land of Egypt is struck.

40. (8:3-4) And the river will belch forth frogs, and going up they will enter into your houses and into the storerooms of your chambers, upon your beds, and into the houses of your servants, and of your people, and into your kneading bowls, and into your ovens; and upon you and upon your people and upon your servants the frogs will go up.

It is to be noted that when it had said into the houses etc., it kept the accusative case; and upon the beds etc., where it said upon, it likewise kept the accusative; but at into the kneading bowls and into the ovens it shifted to the ablative;

for the Greek too changed the preposition, which the Latin does not change. For it has: [MISSING GREEK TEXT] into the houses; but into the kneading bowls [MISSING GREEK TEXT].

in which it would be remarkable if there were not also a sense, not merely an expression, so that perhaps it wishes the frogs to be understood as having arisen in the kneading bowls and in the ovens, not as having gone up or rushed in from outside; and because it foretells that the river will belch them forth, it wishes them thence to fill all things.

41. (8:6) And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt and brought forth frogs, and the frog was brought forth and covered the earth; the repetition was carried over from the plural to the singular number; for frog is certainly put for the multitude of frogs; but somehow, through the custom of speaking with which men's senses are imbued, what is said in the singular often seems more than what is said in the plural; for more is grasped when one says, for example, "there is a soldier there" than "there are soldiers there"; "there is a fish there" than "there are fish there."

42. (8:14) And they gathered them in heaps upon heaps; this repetition signifies the multitude of heaps, and is familiar to the Scriptures.

43. (8:16) Whereas the Latin have: stretch out with the hand your rod, and strike with the earth; not: strike the earth; the Greek has: the mound of earth, if indeed it is rightly rendered by this word what is said: [MISSING GREEK TEXT].

44. (8:18) And the enchanters did likewise with their sorceries, to bring forth gnats, and they could not. It is to be noted: they did is said in place of this: "they tried to do." For certainly, if they did likewise, beyond doubt they brought forth gnats; but because there follows: to bring forth, and they could not; therefore they did not do likewise, but tried to do likewise. Or if perhaps they too, although they acted by sorceries, nevertheless stretched out a rod with the same manner of acting, which Scripture did not express, to this is to be referred: they did likewise.

45. (8:21) And upon the land upon which they are upon it.

46. (8:22) And on that day I will make glorious the land of Goshen, in which my people are upon it.

47. (8:29) And Moses said: 'I will go out from you, and will pray to God, and the dog-fly will go out from Pharaoh and from his servants'; as though he said I will go out from you to one person, and there followed concerning another Pharaoh, from whom the dog-fly was to go out.

48. (9:1) Let my people go, that they may serve me.

49. (9:18. 24) Behold, I will rain this hour tomorrow much hail. And the hail was very, very much.

50. (9:29. 28) And the voices and the hail will cease. It is to be noted that Scripture is accustomed to call thunders voices, which Pharaoh too above called voices of God, saying: pray for me to the Lord, that the voices of God may cease to be made; where there is also that expression in his saying: let the voices cease to be made.

51. (10:2) That you may recount in the ears of your sons, and of your sons' sons, whatever I have mocked the Egyptians;

it is to be noted in what way I have mocked is said, lest perhaps it be said in the way of: this dragon which you formed to mock him (Ps 104:26 (103:26)), and that passage in Job: this is the beginning of the Lord's creation, which he made to be mocked by his angels (Job 40:14).

52. (10:4) Behold, I bring this hour tomorrow much locust. See how above it said "frog," where we said that more is generally understood when something of this kind is said in the singular than if it were said in the plural. For it is plain that much locust sounds more than if it said: "many locusts."

53. (10:8) But who and who are they that will go? We say daily, by a more familiar usage: "which and which will go?"

54. (10:15) There was not left anything green nothing on the trees; it should have been said in the manner of our expression: "there was not left anything green on the trees."

55. (10:16-17) Pharaoh to Moses: I have sinned before the Lord your God and against you; take up therefore my offense; this expression his brothers used also to Joseph, where they said: receive the iniquity of the servants of the God of your father (Gen 50:17).

56. (10:23) Whereas the Latin have: and no one saw his brother for three days, the Greek has: and no one did not see his brother; it is also to be noted that any man whatever is called the brother of a man.

57. (10:24) Pharaoh says to Moses and Aaron: Go and serve the Lord your God, except the sheep and oxen, leave behind; for so the Greek has it: it is a very unusual expression, unless after a pause is added: leave behind, and "these" is supplied; so that the sense is: "go, except the sheep and oxen, and leave these behind"; for such an ellipsis is frequently made in the expressions of the Scriptures.

58. (10:26) And we will not leave a hoof; as though, the cattle having been led away, a hoof could remain: for what else is we will not leave a hoof but: "not even a hoof will we leave"?

59. (10:28) Pharaoh to Moses: take heed to yourself to go on further to see my face; in place of this: "take heed to yourself that you do not further see my face."

60. (11:2) And let each one ask of his neighbor, and the woman of her neighbor, vessels of silver and gold and clothing; it is to be noted that the Egyptians too are called the neighbors of the Hebrews.

61. (11:6-7) And there will be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as has not been, and the like will not again be added; but among the children of Israel not a dog will growl with its tongue, from man even to beast. It is a most elegant expression; for by dog it signified the lowest, whether of men or of beasts, thus conveying how great a quiet there would be among the Hebrews, while the Egyptians cried out in bitter bereavement.

62. (12:3) Let each one take a sheep according to the houses of the fathers' families. What it means by fathers' families is not easy to understand; whether the cities in which they were dwelling, or rather the numerous families propagated from the so-called paternity of each; for this is reported to be the more likely meaning in the Greek.

63. (12:4) But if those in the house be few, so that they are not enough for the sheep, that is, so that their fewness is not enough to consume the sheep, he shall take in with him his neighbor next to him, that is, the house itself shall take in a neighbor; he put "the nearest man" for "men," and the singular for the plural; for not one, but as many as suffice; since Scripture was speaking of consuming the sheep, it says according to the number of souls, each one what suffices; souls for "men," the whole from a part.

64. (12:7-8) They shall take of the blood, and put it upon the two doorposts, and upon the lintel in the houses in which they will eat them in them. When it said in which, it also said in them, by a most customary manner; but they will eat them, it is asked which, and "flesh" is understood; for this follows: and they will eat the flesh this night roasted with fire; which the Latin manuscripts have as: who will eat the flesh (feminine), but the Greeks have it (neuter), that is, flesh, but in the neuter gender; therefore in the Greek it is: in the houses, in which they will eat it (neuter) in them. And that expression—that it should say them before it stated what was to be understood in what follows as the thing it called them—is similar to the expression which we explained concerning the son of Moses (See QQ. in Hept. 2.11), when the angel wished to kill him, and we adduced an example from the Psalm: its foundations are in the holy mountains; the Lord loves the gates of Zion (Ps 87:1-2 (86:1-2)); for we do not understand whose foundations except from what follows; so too here: in which they will eat them in them, that is, in which houses they will eat them, is understood as the flesh, of which it speaks subsequently.

65. (12:22) And you shall take for yourselves a little bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is by the door, and smear the lintel and both doorposts with the blood. Here too a little bunch of hyssop certainly signifies several bunches, just as "frog" several frogs, and "locust" several locusts; but when this trope occurs in things that are not customarily spoken of so by us, it makes obscurity.

66. (12:26-27) And it will be, when your sons say to you: 'what is this service?' And you shall say to them: 'this is the sacrifice of the Passover to the Lord'; even if it did not have and, it would be complete: you shall say to them.

67. (12:28) And the children of Israel coming did as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did; it would not add so they did, were it not the custom of the Scriptures.

68. (12:51) And it came to pass, on that day the Lord led the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

69. (13:1) And the Lord said to Moses, saying.

70. (13:12) Everything that opens the womb, the males; it brought a plural number to a singular, because the very thing that was said, everything that opens, is taken certainly not in one but in many. Similar is the expression: attend, my people (Ps 78:1 (77:1)). Such too is what follows a little after: everything that opens the womb of the herds and of the flocks, whatever will be born to you; everything whatever will be born to you, this is the manner of the expression.

71. (13:13) Everything that opens the womb of a she-ass; the Greek has: of an ass (masculine); by that manner of expression which we have already noted in Genesis, where the masculine was put for the feminine, concerning the death of Sarah, Scripture saying: Abraham rising up from his dead (masculine), and: I will bury my dead (masculine) (Gen 23:3-4); and such things are often said there concerning the dead woman.

72. (13:15) For this reason I sacrifice to the Lord everything that opens the womb, the males; an expression similar to the one above.

73. (13:16) And it will be for a sign upon your hand; that is: upon your works; where there is perhaps a sense rather than an expression.

74. (14:27) And the Lord shook off the Egyptians into the midst of the sea; the Greek has: and the Lord shook off the Egyptians the midst of the sea.

75. (14:31) And Israel saw the great hand which the Lord did to the Egyptians.

76. (15:1) Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and they said to say; for so the Greek has it.

77. (15:22) And they did not find water, that they might drink; it could lack: that they might drink.

78. (15:24) And the people murmured against Moses, saying (plural), not "saying" (singular); but: saying (plural); for a people consists of many.

79. (16:1) And all the assembly of the children of Israel came into the wilderness (plural verb); it did not say "came" (singular), because an assembly consists of many.

80. (16:2) All the assembly of the children of Israel was murmuring against Moses and Aaron; this expression too is the same.

81. (16:4) And the Lord said to Moses: 'behold, I will rain you loaves from heaven'; being about to rain manna, he promised loaves. It is an expression by which bread is put for "nourishment"; and Scripture loves to say loaves in the plural rather than in the singular.

82. (16:7) In the morning you shall see, it says, the glory [of the Lord], while he hears your murmuring against God, that is "because you murmur against God"; which amounts to as much as if it said: "against God." Then it is to be noted that here in a novel manner "hearing" is said not of those praying but of those murmuring, since Scripture certainly rebukes the murmuring. As though it said this, that God took notice of their murmuring, and it called this very taking-notice of God "hearing."

83. (16:9. 12) Approach before God; for he has heard your murmuring; again it signifies "hearing" not of prayers and petitions but even of the murmuring of the wicked; this too God says afterward: I have heard the murmuring of the children of Israel.

84. (16:14) And behold, on the face of the wilderness something fine like coriander. Since God so often says the face of the earth, as here the face of the wilderness, it is remarkable how men so err, when they hear "face," as to suppose something such as a man's face or that of some living creature.

85. (16:16) According to the number of your souls; let each one with those dwelling with you gather. How often Scripture calls men "souls" (the whole from a part); but not readily "fleshes" for men, but "flesh," as is: I will not fear what flesh may do to me, which it says more openly in the same Psalm: what shall man do to me (Ps 56:4, 11 (55:5, 12)). Yet it would not say: "according to the number of your fleshes," as it said: according to the number of your souls.

86. (16:21) And they gathered it morning by morning; as wells by wells, heaps by heaps, so it is said: morning by morning.

87. (16:29) Let none of you go out, each one from his place, on the seventh day; what is interposed, each one, could also be left unsaid.

88. (17:1) But there was no water for the people to drink, that is: "for drinking."

89. (17:2) And the people cursed at Moses; that is, they assailed Moses with curses, that is, they cursed him; for this he himself said in what follows: why do you curse me?

90. (17:3) And the people murmured at Moses, saying.

91. (17:5) And the rod with which you struck the river, take in your hand. With which you struck it said in place of what we say: "with which you struck"; and this expression is most frequent in the Scriptures.

92. (18:12) And Jethro the father-in-law of Moses took burnt offerings and sacrifices for God; took in place of this: "offered." Or is it perhaps a sense, not an expression, so that he is understood to have taken what Moses had offered—although Moses is not read above to have sacrificed, nor Aaron, nor any of the Hebrews who were led out of the land of Egypt, but only it is written above that Moses set up an altar and called it: The Lord my refuge? But this Jethro we read to have been a priest of Midian, that is, of the Midianite nation. It is remarkable, however, if at his coming Moses began to sacrifice and not rather Jethro himself, who was already a priest.

93. (18:18) This matter is grievous to you. "Is" is supplied.

94. (18:20) And you shall show them the ways in which they will walk in them.

95. (18:26) But the grievous matter they referred upon Moses; for so the Greek has it, which the Latin translated: to Moses. By that very expression the care itself is signified, by which it said upon Moses, as though a burden were signified to be laid upon him. The grievous matter is said for "a grievous question." Whence there follows: but every light matter they judged themselves.

96. (20:24) What the Greek has, [MISSING GREEK TEXT], is said more expressly I shall name over or: I shall name upon; which some, more customarily, rendered I shall surname. But I shall surname does not have a necessary meaning; yet I shall surname is said more closely than "I shall name." For this too some translators said.

97. (20:24) And I will come to you and bless you. Although above it spoke in the plural: you (plural) shall make and sacrifice, it says: I will come to you (singular), as though to Israel itself, that is, to the people.

98. (21:1-2) And these are the ordinances which you shall set before them. If you buy a Hebrew slave, and the rest. The expression is to be noted, how, when this was said to Moses—that is: these are the ordinances which you shall set before them—the rest is said to the people themselves as much as to Moses: if you buy a Hebrew slave; for this was not said to Moses, but what he was to say to the people, he was saying to the people themselves.

99. (21:6) His master shall bore his ear with an awl, and he shall serve him forever or to eternity, which the Greek has [MISSING GREEK TEXT]. See how Scripture in many places says, according to this Greek word, forever or eternal, where that eternity is not understood according to which eternal things are promised to us, or according to which, on the contrary, the wicked will be burned with eternal fire! For this slave, who could not live forever, could not serve forever; but forever is understood as said of a time of which there is no end. Or else something eternal is signified by this mystery.

100. (21:13) I will give you a place, to which he may flee there, who has killed.

101. (21:20) If anyone strikes his slave or his maidservant with a rod; which is: "with a rod."

102. (21:28) The bull shall be stoned with stones; as though it could be stoned except with stones. This expression differs somewhat from the one in which it would say, in the manner of the Scriptures: with a stoning it shall be stoned, but yet it is similar.

103. (21:29) But if the bull was given to goring before yesterday and the day before; it put for past time a part for the whole, however long that may have been, in the manner of the Scriptures.

104. (21:33-34) But if anyone opens a pit or digs out a pit and does not cover it, and a calf or an ass falls in there, the owner of the pit shall make restitution. This expression too is to be understood as the whole from a part; for it is not the case that, if a horse falls into the pit or a sheep, he will therefore not make restitution because this is not written.

105. (21:34) But what has died shall be his, in place of: "shall be his (genitive)."

106. (22:5) But if anyone grazes off a field or vineyard and lets his cattle graze off another field, that is: "another's."

107. (22:26) But if you take in pledge the garment of your neighbor, before sunset you shall return it to him. It put the genus for the species; for it is said as if he had given a pledge of any garment, although Scripture testifies, from what follows, that it speaks specifically of the man who has only that garment with which to cover himself at night.

108. (23:20-21) Behold, I send my angel before your face, to keep you on the way, to bring you into the land which I have prepared for you. Take heed to yourself and hearken to him; God commands his angel to be hearkened to by the people—not, certainly, as one petitioning, but as one commanding.

109. (23:28) And I will send hornets before you and it will cast out the Amorites; it turned from the plural to the singular number. It is understood: the hornet will cast out the Amorites, as the frog, as the locust, not that it is one, but that by the singular the plural number is understood.

110. (23:30) By parts I will cast them out from before you.

111. (23:32-33) You shall not make a pact with them and their gods; and they shall not settle in your land, lest they make you sin against me; it did not say: "in me," yet it means the same.

112. (24:3) And all the people answered with one voice, saying (plural).

113. (24:10) And they saw the place where the God of Israel had stood there. Where he had stood could suffice, but these expressions are said to be Hebrew.

114. (25:13) And you shall gild them with gold. Similar is the expression: it shall be stoned with stones.

115. (25:20) Cups in which they will offer in them.

116. (26:10) Two bases for one column on both its sides and two bases for one column on both its sides. So as not to speak of them all, it speaks of two, after its manner of doubling, as wells by wells, heaps by heaps, generations and generations, and the like.

117. (26:29) And the columns you shall gild with gold and you shall gild the bars with gold.

118. (27:6) And you shall bronze them with bronze; such is the expression: you shall gild with gold.

119. (27:21) Outside the veil which is over the covenant. Speaking of the lamp to be lit, it says this, that is, that it should be lit outside, where the holy place is, not within the veil, which is over the covenant, that is, the Holy of Holies. Therefore it does not say over as though it were a roof or a vault or the firmament of heaven or the lid of the ark, but it called over even what was set up in place of a wall; just as we say that one reclines or stands "above" another, not at all that the one is carried by the other.

120. (27:21) An everlasting ordinance throughout your generations; in that sense of everlasting of which we have said much above.

121. (28:29) And Aaron shall take the names of the children of Israel upon the breastpiece of judgment upon the breast, to one entering into the holy place.

It would have been consistent to say: entering into the holy place (nominative), that is: "Aaron entering shall take," which some Latin, avoiding the solecism, rendered. But because the Greek too has to one entering (dative) and some Latin agree, I thought the expression should rather be noted than corrected.

122. (28:24) And you shall put upon the breastpiece of judgment fringes, chained things. And here some Latin, guarding against the solecism, rendered chained fringes; but the Greek has: [MISSING GREEK TEXT]. We are accustomed to call this an "absolute expression" when a neuter is applied to the masculine or feminine gender, as if we should say: "earthly justices are not stable things" (neuter).

123. (28:35) And when Aaron begins to exercise the priesthood, his voice shall be heard, to him entering into the holy place in the sight of the Lord and going out.

It said his voice of the little bells, which is rather their sound. To him entering and going out, in place of: "of him entering and going out," it put the dative for the genitive.

124. (29:13) And the two kidneys and the fat which is upon them, "is" is supplied, which some translators added.

125. (29:26) And you shall separate it with a separation.

126. (30:8) And when Aaron lights the lamps, late he shall kindle upon it. It said late for: "in the evening," and therefore the expression is to be noted: indeed the Greek has [MISSING GREEK TEXT]. But "late" is not properly said except when the time has passed in which the thing said to be done late ought to have been done.

127. (30:12-13) If you take the reckoning of the children of Israel in their visitation and each one shall give the redemption of his soul to the Lord and there shall be no ruin among them in their visitation and this is what they shall give you.

This expression "hangs," because a copulative conjunction is interposed; which, if it were not interposed, it would not hang. It is placed in three spots, from any one of which, if it is removed, it makes the sentence complete.

Again, where it is said: if you take the reckoning of the children of Israel in their visitation, and each one shall give the redemption of his soul to the Lord; for if it had not said and they shall give, but had only said: they shall give, the sentence would be finished and would not hang; for it would be said thus: if you take the reckoning of the children of Israel in their visitation, each one shall give the redemption of his soul to the Lord.

But if this conjunction is placed here, it is to be removed below, so that it be said thus: if you take the reckoning of the children of Israel in their visitation and each one shall give the redemption of his soul to the Lord and there shall be no ruin among them in their visitation, this is what they shall give.

Or else in the middle, where it is said: and there shall be no ruin among them, if you remove the conjunction, the sentence will not hang; for the sense will be: if you take the reckoning of the children of Israel in their visitation and each one shall give the redemption of his soul to the Lord, there shall be no ruin among them. But since the same conjunction is placed everywhere, it makes the expression hang; therefore we thought it should be noted.

128. (32:1) The people rose up against Aaron and they said to him. It is a customary expression, because a people consists of many. Then it is to be noted that the whole is put for a part. For the Apostle, as was indeed the fact, said that certain of them did this, not the whole people, where he says: nor let us serve idols as did some of them (1 Cor 10:7).

129. (32:1) Rise up and make us gods, who may go before us. Were they speaking to one seated? Or rather is the expression to be noted, on account of which it is often said: rise up, O Lord (Ps 44:26 (43:27)), or: arise, O God, judge the earth (Ps 82:8 (81:8)).

130. (32:10) And now let me be and being angry with anger, like: "by death he shall die"; Scripture loves to speak thus.

131. (32:24) Whoever has gold things, take them off; it did not say: what gold things. Whence the Latin translators said: whoever has gold, let him take it off.

132. (32:26) Who is for the Lord? Let him come to me.

133. (32:31) They made themselves gods of gold, of one calf. It put the plural number, then, for the singular; hence too is that: these are your gods, O Israel, who led you out of the land of Egypt. These expressions, where the plural is put for the singular, are certainly not found except in that kind of thing in which the thing can also be made or understood of many. For not because that calf was one was it therefore impossible that more should be made, or therefore unlike many idols. By this expression it is said that the robbers reviled the Lord (See Matt 27:44), when Scripture testifies that one did this (See Luke 23:39), but he was not the only robber. Indeed, even when this expression is made through proper names—in what manner it is made in the Scriptures we have not yet discovered—several are understood there, as some have said "Phaedras and Medeas," when there was one Phaedra and one Medea; but they called all those like "Phaedra" and "Medea" Phaedras and Medeas. Thus these expressions are inserted not without cause, nor anyhow and at random as is done faultily by the unskilled, but in a certain manner and by certain rules.

134. (33:1) Go, go up from here, you and your people, whom you led out of the land of Egypt (plural), not: "whom (singular) you led out"; which is so customary that it is rather rarely said otherwise.

135. (33:5) And the Lord said: 'lay aside the robes of your glories and your ornament, and I will show you (singular) what I am going to do'. It ended the expression from the plural to the singular number, because they were many and were a people,

just as it had said to them: you (plural) are a stiff-necked people; it did not say: "you (singular) are a people," but: you (plural) are a people, since you is of the plural number, but people of the singular number.

136. (34:9) If I have found favor in your sight, let my Lord walk together with us; as though he speaks of another. These expressions are frequent, but when it is said to God, it is thought to be said by the Father concerning the Son. But since such things were said to Pharaoh and to Joseph and to others in many places, the manner of speech was understood.

137. (34:15) Lest at any time you make a pact with those who sit upon the land; as if it said: "have their seats," which is: "dwell."

138. (34:17) And you shall not make for yourself cast gods. It is an expression signifying the whole from a part; for not because it named only cast ones did it permit carved, hammered, and molded ones to be made, or any kind of images or of manufactured gods whatever.

139. (34:19) Everything that opens the womb, the males. That is: "everything that opens the womb shall be mine, of those that are males."

140. (34:20) The firstborn of the beast of burden you shall redeem with a sheep. This too is the whole from a part; for it is not the case that, if the beast of burden be not just any animal whose flesh is rejected as unclean, it is therefore not to be redeemed, or to be redeemed with something other than a sheep.

141. (34:25) You shall not slay the blood of my sacrificial victims upon leaven; it is certainly an expression: "you shall slay the blood" in place of this: "by slaying you shall pour it out."

142. (34:25) And the sacrifice of the feast of Passover shall not sleep until morning. It said shall sleep: "shall remain"; for how shall the flesh of a slaughtered and cooked animal sleep? So when it is said: why do you sleep, O Lord (Ps 44:23 (43:23)), it is said and understood by this kind of expression: "why do you delay," that is, do not take vengeance.

143. (34:28) Of Moses' fast of forty days Scripture speaks thus: he did not eat bread and did not drink water, the whole from a part, that is, by bread signifying all food and by water all drink.

144. (34:1) Cut for yourself two tablets like also the first, "were" is supplied; whence our translators thought this word should be added, since such an ellipsis is unusual in the Latin language.

145. (35:4) And Moses said to all the assembly of the children of Israel, saying; it would be complete even if it did not have: saying.

146. (35:21) And they brought, each one what their heart brought. It could be said more customarily: "and each one brought what his heart brought."

147. (35:21) And those to whom it seemed good to their soul brought an offering to the Lord, it did not say: "and as it seemed good to their soul."

148. (35:23) And everyone with whom was found reddened rams' skins, which would be said customarily: "and all with whom were found reddened rams' skins."

149. (35:24) Everyone bringing an offering, silver and bronze, brought offerings to the Lord. It would be said more customarily: "everyone brought" rather than "everyone brought" (plural).

150. (35:24) And those with whom was found among them incorruptible wood; among them was added in the manner of the Scriptures; for without it the sentence would be complete.

151. (35:25) And every woman wise in mind to spin with the hands, as if she could spin not with the hands; and: wise to spin is an elegant and unusual expression. Then: every woman brought (plural) is concluded, in the manner of those above, with a plural for a singular. Because "every woman brought" (singular) would be said more customarily.

152. (35:26) And all the women to whom it seemed good in their understanding in wisdom spun goats' hair. It is to be noted that Scripture often calls skill in these arts "wisdom," that is: [MISSING GREEK TEXT].

153. (35:28) And the compounds and the oil of anointing and the compound of incense; we ought not to understand some compounds separately, but, when it had said and the compounds, through the copulative conjunction it did not join something else but explained what it had said, so that we might know which compounds: and the oil, it says, of anointing and the compound of incense. It calls them compounds because these were made up of many things.

154. (35:29) And every man and woman whose understanding brought them to enter and do every work whatsoever the Lord commanded to be done by the hand of Moses, the children of Israel brought an offering to the Lord. Therefore by every man and woman the children of Israel are understood. The other expressions are similar to those above.

155. (35:32-33) To make gold and silver and bronze, in place of this: "to make from gold and silver and bronze"; for they did not make gold but from gold. Such too is what it says a little after: and to work woods, that is: "from woods."

156. (35:35) To do all the works of the sanctuary, to weave woven and varied work with scarlet and fine linen, to do every architectural work of variety. See, even in woven things it calls it architectural work;

it would be remarkable unless it were for this reason: that they were being made for the tabernacle, which was like a building and was set up as a house. But what it means by the works of the sanctuary does not clearly appear—whether of the holy priest, since these things are said of his robe or robes, or of the holy God, in whose worship these were made, or of the sanctuary, as the holy place and the Holy of Holies were so called.

157. (36:8) The shoulder-pieces joined together from both its sides: it did not say "from both their sides," although it had said those shoulder-pieces (plural), not "shoulder-piece," as it usually says shoulder-piece; for it called it in the plural shoulder-pieces, as it does "robe" and the same "robes."

158. (36:37) And Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan, who acted as architect of woven and sewn and many-colored things, to weave with scarlet and fine linen.

By a novel manner woven things are said to be made by an architect. That too is to be understood as the whole from a part, in that it says: to weave with scarlet and fine linen; for from these we understand the rest as well, that is, purple and hyacinth.

159. (39:31) And the children of Israel did, as the Lord commanded Moses, so they did; it would be complete even if there were not added: so they did.

160. (40:14) And Moses did all things that the Lord commanded him, so he did; similarly, as was said of the children of Israel.

1. (1:2) If a man of you offers gifts to the Lord from the cattle, from the oxen and from the sheep you shall offer; that is, if you offer from the cattle, you shall offer from the oxen, from the sheep. By the name of sheep it included also the kind of goats, as it does in other places too.

2. (2:6) And you shall break them into fragments; that is, by breaking you shall make them fragments.

3. (4:23) And the sin which he sinned in it become known to him. Two manners of expression are here to be noted: both he sinned a sin, and what it added: in it. For in what but in the very thing, that is, the sin?

4. (5:1) But if a soul sins, and hears the voice of one swearing, and is himself a witness, or has seen, or has been aware, if he does not report it, and he shall take on sin; the word and seems superfluous; for with it removed there follows complete: he shall take on sin.

5. (5:1) But if a soul sins, and hears the voice of one swearing, and is himself a witness, or has seen, or has been aware, does not report it; and is put for "that is"; for it could be said thus by the custom of our expression: "but if a soul sins, that is, hears the voice of one swearing," and the rest.

6. (5:3) Or touches anything from the uncleanness of a man, from all his uncleanness, by which if he touches it he is defiled, and it was hidden from him, but after this he comes to know it and has transgressed; whereas it should have been said in the right order: and has transgressed, but after this comes to know it.

7. (5:15-16) A soul, if it be hidden from him by forgetfulness and he sins unwillingly. It did not say: "if it be hidden from her," since it puts soul for "man," as it does in other places, where it first said soul, which is of feminine gender, and afterward brings in the masculine gender, referring to the man.

But here this expression is much more compressed, since the two genders are placed in immediate sequence, so that it is said: a soul if it be hidden from him. This expression frightened the Latin translators and they did not wish to render it,

but they put it thus: a soul, if any be hidden and sin unwillingly, whereas it is certainly one thing if a soul be hidden, another if something be hidden from a soul; but this is what Scripture says: if it be hidden from her, not: "if she herself be hidden."

But in another Greek copy we found: a soul, if it be hidden from her by forgetfulness; but even it in what follows brought in the masculine, saying: the priest shall make entreaty for him, and it shall be forgiven him, which there has [MISSING GREEK TEXT]. Whence it appears that the writer feared a solecism, yet could not persevere in the feminine gender, overcome by the evidence of the following Scripture.

8. (6:9) This is the burnt offering upon its burning upon the altar all the night until morning, and the fire of the altar shall burn upon it; it could lack and, and so be said: "all the night until morning the fire of the altar shall burn." But this conjunction, when added, makes obscurity for those who are not accustomed to such expressions of the Scriptures.

9. (6:14) This is the law of the sacrifice, which the sons of Aaron the priests shall offer it before the Lord; nothing would be lacking if it did not have: it.

10. (6:17) It is the holy of holies (singular). So the Greek has it; but it is a Greek expression, which certain of ours, unwilling to render, said: they are the holy of holies (plural).

11. (6:32) They shall slay the ram which for the offense before the Lord. The Latin translators added: is, and said: which is for the offense, which the Greek does not have.

12. (7:16) And if he sacrifices his gift as a vow or a freewill offering, on whatever day he offers the sacrifice, it shall be eaten on the morrow. In place of this: "on the next day"; whence others rendered: on the other day.

13. (8:31) Cook the flesh in the court of the tabernacle of testimony in the holy place, and there you shall eat it, and the loaves that are in the basket of consecration, as it was commanded me, saying: "Aaron and his sons shall eat it." This expression certain ones, unwilling to render, said: as he commanded me, saying; because this seems consistent, but the former is a solecism in the custom of our expression.

14. (8:35) And at the door of the tabernacle of testimony you shall sit seven days, day and night; in place of this: "you shall dwell."

15. (9:7) And Moses said to Aaron: "approach the altar, and do what is for your sin, and the burnt offering; and make entreaty for yourself and your house, and make the gifts of the people, and make entreaty for them as the Lord commanded Moses." It did not say: as the Lord commanded me; but it spoke as though there had been one Moses whom the Lord commanded, and this other one who was speaking this to Aaron.

16. (10:8-9) And the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying: "wine and strong drink you shall not drink," and the rest. Which words of the Lord it concludes thus: all the ordinances that the Lord spoke to them by the hand of Moses; whereas the Lord was speaking, it did not say: "which I spoke to them by the hand of Moses," but used that expression which Moses himself used above.

17. (10:9) An eternal ordinance throughout your generations, to distinguish between the midst of the clean and of the defiled, and the rest. It is to be noted in what way it says eternal, which certainly will not be without end.

18. (10:14) Moses, speaking to Aaron, Eleazar, and Ithamar his sons, among other things says also this: from the sacrifices of the peace offerings of the children of Israel they shall offer the arm of the offering and the little breast of the setting-apart upon the offerings of the fat, to set apart a setting-apart before God. And it shall be for you and for your sons and for your daughters with you an eternal ordinance; though all this was to have an end.

19. (11:9) When it was giving commands concerning the living creatures that are in the waters, which of them are clean or unclean: in the waters, it says, and in the sea, and in the streams.

But the Latin manuscripts have in the sea (singular), because it was too unusual to render the plural number from the Greek and to say not in the sea but in the seas, especially on account of the ambiguity, lest not "seas" but "males" be understood, that is, the masculine sex;

for it is no less unusual—what nevertheless was rendered—in the case of "bloods," because the Latin language does not admit a plural number of "blood," even in the nominative case itself. For although from the word "sea" (mare) no one says maribus, yet maria ("seas") are spoken of, whereas "bloods" are not spoken of, and yet it is written: deliver me from bloods (Ps 51:14 (50:16)); and: I will not gather their assemblies from bloods (Ps 16:4 (15:4)).

Therefore maribus too could be said thus, were it not, as I said, that the ambiguity was avoided. But streams in this place Scripture put for "rivers," although streams are properly winter torrents that dry up in summer, and therefore cannot have fish. Whence some of our translators preferred to render not "streams" but "rivers." But that "streams" is put in the Scriptures for "rivers" that passage of the Psalm sufficiently shows where it is read: and you will give them to drink of the stream of your delight. For it did not wish anything to be understood by the name of stream that would flow for a time and then dry up, since there follows and it says: for with you is the fountain of life (Ps 36:8–9 (35:9–10)); which is certainly eternal and unfailing.

20. (11:21) But these you shall eat of the creeping flying things that walk upon four feet, which have upper legs of its feet; it did not say: "of its feet" (plural).

21. (11:44) And you shall be holy, because holy I; "am" is supplied, whence most of ours rendered: because I am holy.

22. (12:1) And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying. This is a most customary and most frequent expression in the Scriptures: he spoke, saying. But the one that follows is more rarely found, and it constrains the poverty of Latin speech; for the Greek has: [MISSING GREEK TEXT], which could be expressed in Latin, "and you shall say to them, saying";

but it offends less if it is said, "and you shall speak to them, saying"; and it is more like the Greek, because that too did not say [MISSING GREEK TEXT], but [MISSING GREEK TEXT].

23. (12:2) Whatever woman receives seed and bears a male, and she shall be unclean seven days; most of ours were unwilling to render it, but said thus: whatever woman receives seed and bears a male, she shall be unclean seven days. That expression, then, since it is unusual even in Greek speech, could also not be rendered in the Greek; but since it did not irk the Greeks to render it, why it should have irked the Latins, I do not know.

24. (12:4) Thirty-three days she shall sit in her clean blood. Similarly of her who bore a female it is said: she shall sit in her clean blood, but with the same days doubled, that is, sixty-six days. She shall sit, then, is said for "she shall remain," for it was not the case that for so many days she was not allowed to rise from her seat.

25. (13:2) If on any man there is made in the skin of his body a bright scar of a sign. It is to be noted that Scripture calls a "scar" not the mark of a "wound," but even the mark of color alone.

26. (13:2) And there is in the skin of his color a touch of leprosy; it calls the spot itself the touch, because the man himself is touched by leprosy.

27. (13:3) And the priest shall see him, and shall defile him; in place of this: "shall pronounce him defiled."

28. (13:3) And let the hair that is in the touch be turned white; that is: "be turned into white."

29. (13:6) And the priest shall cleanse him; for it is a sign; he shall pronounce him cleansed, just as: he shall defile, which it said above, "he shall pronounce defiled."

30. (13:7-8) And the priest shall see him, and behold the appearance is changed in the skin, and the priest shall defile him; it has the extra and; for with that conjunction removed the sense is complete in this way: but if the appearance is changed in the skin, after the priest saw him, in order to cleanse him, and he is seen again by the priest, and the priest sees him, and behold the appearance is changed in the skin, the priest shall defile him.

31. (13:9-10) And if a touch of leprosy is on a man, he shall come to the priest, and the priest shall see, and behold a white scar in the skin, and this has changed the hair white, and from the sound of the living flesh in the scar; that is, it has changed the hair into a white color in the scar, but it has changed it from the sound of the living flesh, that is, because it does not have such hair as is sound in living flesh.

32. (13:45-46) Speaking of the leper, it says: and unclean unclean he shall be called, as though it were not enough to say once: he shall be called unclean. Although some manuscripts have it so, in another Greek copy we found it said once: he shall be called unclean. Likewise a little after it says: since he is unclean, he shall be unclean;

which could not be expressed into Latin from the Greek as it stands; for the Greek says [MISSING GREEK TEXT] as if it said: "being unclean, he shall be unclean"; but "being" (existens) is not what the Greek says, [MISSING GREEK TEXT], but, if it could be said, "essing" (essens), from the verb "to be" (esse), not from "to exist" (existere).

33. (13:47) And a garment if there is in it a touch of leprosy; it could say customarily thus: "and in a garment if there is a touch of leprosy."

34. (13:51) Or in any vessel of leather, in whatever there is in it a touch; it could be enough: in whatever there is a touch.

35. (13:55) And behold the touch has not changed its appearance; that is, the color in which it is seen; for not the sight by which it itself sees, since by touch it means the spot itself.

36. (14:15) And the priest taking of the pint of oil, shall pour it upon the left hand of the priest; it did not say: "upon his own left hand," although he certainly does it onto his own.

37. (15:2) To any man, any man who has a discharge.

38. (15:16) And any man from whom goes out the lying-down of seed.

39. (15:21) And everything upon whatever he lies upon it.

40. (15:21) And everything upon which he sits upon it, shall be unclean.

41. (16:21) And he shall send it out by the hand of a man made ready into the wilderness, that is: "he shall send it out into the wilderness by the hand of a man made ready for this"; he was speaking of the scapegoat when he said this: but it is to be noted in what way Scripture says: by the hand.

42. (17:3) A man, a man of the children of Israel; that is: "of the children of Israel"; but this repetition seems to signify any man whatever, that is, this one or that one.

43. (18:7) The shame of your father and the shame of your mother you shall not uncover; by this expression it forbade intercourse with these persons.

44. (18:14) The shame of your father's brother you shall not uncover, and to his wife you shall not go in; for she is your kinswoman; it put and for "that is"; for it calls this the shame of his father's brother, that is, the shame of the paternal uncle, the private parts of the uncle's wife.

45. (18:25) And the land abhorred those who settle upon it; that is: have their seats, which is: "dwell."

46. (19:9) And when you (plural) reap the harvest of your land, you (singular) shall not finish reaping your field. This—that it began from the plural and ended with the singular number—most Latin were unwilling to render, but said: of your (plural) field, where it was said: of your (singular) field, as though the Greek could not say this; therefore the expression was to be noted rather than emended.

47. (20:17) Whoever takes his sister from his father or from his mother, and sees her shame, and she sees his shame, he has uncovered the shame of his sister, they shall take on their sin; it put sin for "the penalty of the sin."

48. (20:25) And you shall separate yourselves between the midst of clean animals and the midst of unclean animals, and the midst of clean and unclean birds. You shall separate yourselves, it said, between the midst of the clean and the unclean, since the clean are separated from the unclean, or the unclean from the clean; it is an altogether novel expression. For it is one thing: "you shall separate between the midst of clean animals and the midst of unclean animals," as it most often is accustomed to speak; another is what it now says: you shall separate yourselves, as though, by separating those things from one another, they separate themselves from both, as though judging between the two.

49. (21:1) Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and you shall say to them: "in souls they shall not be defiled among their people, except in a kinsman who is nearest to them"; it speaks of the mourning that is owed to the souls of the deceased; for one mourns because they have departed.

50. (21:5) And you shall not shave a baldness over the dead, and over their flesh they shall not cut cuttings; the customary expression would be: "they shall not cut their flesh with cuttings."

51. (21:7-8) A harlot and profane woman they shall not take, nor a woman cast out by her husband; because he is holy to the Lord his God; it did not say: "because they are holy," but as though it spoke of one, though it began from the plural. Then it follows in the singular: he has sanctified him, the gifts of the Lord your God this one shall offer; he is holy, because holy am I the Lord who sanctify them; again it concluded with the plural.

52. (22:11) But if a priest possesses a soul bought with money, this one shall eat of his loaves; it did not say: this one (feminine) shall eat, although it said soul, which is of feminine gender; but it rather looked to that which it wished to signify by soul, that is, the man.

53. (22:12) And the daughter of a priest, a man, if she is to a foreign man; that is: "if she marries a foreign man."

54. (22:26-27) And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: "a calf or a sheep or a goat, when it is born, and it shall be seven days under its mother"; it seems to have the extra and, according to the most customary expressions in the Scriptures, which most Latin were unwilling to render.

55. (22:32) And I will be sanctified in the midst of the children of Israel; which is: "I will be held holy"; for the Lord is not without holiness even apart from the children of Israel. In that sense it is said also in the Lord's Prayer: hallowed be your name (Matt 6:9), that is: "let it be held holy by men."

56. (23:2) Speak to the children of Israel, and you shall say to them: "the feasts of the Lord which you shall call called holy, these are my feasts; six days you shall do works"; though it said it was to be spoken to many, it afterward speaks as though to one.

57. (23:15-16) And you (plural) shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath on which he offered the sheaf of the laying-on, seven full weeks you (singular) shall count; it did not say: "you (plural) shall count," although it was speaking above to many.

58. (24:11) And when the son of the Israelite woman had named, he cursed the name; although it did not add here "of God," it is nevertheless clear that the name of God is to be understood, which he cursed.

59. (24:15) A man, a man if he curses God, shall take on his own sin. See where it sufficiently appears to be a matter of expression, when it is said: a man, a man, as if it said: "this man or that one," that is, any man whatever; not as some have supposed, that a man, a man is said as though one were named praiseworthily, as if it were said: "a man, but a man"; that is, not just any sort like the beasts, but one who is truly a man. That this sense is not the true one, but that this is a matter of expression of the Scriptures, is here openly shown, since it is said of the one who is blamed, not of the one who is praised.

60. (25:46) When it was treating of the slaves whom it was permitted to the Israelites to have: and they shall be for you, it says, as a possession forever; although they certainly could not, being mortal, be either masters or slaves eternally; it said forever, then, where there is no fixed measure of time how long they should serve, as there is set for those whom in the year of remission it commands to be released into their freedom.

61. (26:3) If you walk in my precepts, and keep my commandments, and do them, and I will give you rain in its season; the and is superfluous to the custom of our expression, but added in the manner of the Scriptures; for there followed: I will give you.

62. (26:18) And if even still you do not obey me, and I will go on to chastise you seven times for your sins; here too the and is superfluous, for there followed: I will go on to chastise you; and what it says, seven times, is to be taken for any number whatever.

1. (1, 4) Et vobiscum erunt unusquisque secundum caput uniuscuiusque principum (and they shall be with you, each one according to the head of each one of the leaders).

2. (1, 22. 20) Filiis Symeon secundum propinquitates eorum, secundum populos eorum, secundum domos familiarum eorum, secundum numerum nominum eorum, secundum caput eorum, omnia masculina a viginti annis et supra, omnis, qui procedit in virtute, recognitio eorum (to the sons of Simeon, according to their kindreds, according to their peoples, according to the houses of their families, according to the number of their names, according to their head, all the males from twenty years old and upward, everyone who goes forth in the host, their census). This expression—that it does not say "the sons of Simeon" or "of the sons of Simeon," but to the sons of Simeon, in the dative case, and it keeps this thereafter in the remaining tribes—was not rendered this way by the Latin translators that we have been able to examine. In the tribe of Reuben alone, which is counted first, this expression does not occur; for it does not say "to the sons of Reuben, according to their kindreds," and so on, but says and the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel were, according to their kindreds, and then likewise as in the others.

3. (1, 22. 54) Et fecerunt filii Israel secundum omnia, quae mandavit Dominus Moysi et Aaron, ita fecerunt (and the sons of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did).

4. (3, 3) Sacerdotes qui uncti sunt quorum consummaverunt manus eorum sacerdotio fungi (the priests who were anointed, whose hands they consecrated to perform the priestly office).

5. (4, 14) Et imponent super illud omnia vasa eius, quibus ministrant in ipsis (and they shall place upon it all its vessels, with which they minister therein).

6. (5, 7) Et reddet cui deliquit ei (and he shall restore to whom he wronged, to him). Some translators, unwilling to render this expression as it stands, corrected the order and translated et reddet ei cui deliquit (and he shall restore to him whom he wronged).

7. (5, 6) Vir aut mulier quicumque fecerit ab omnibus peccatis humanis (a man or a woman, whoever [masculine] shall have committed any of human sins). It does not say "whoever [feminine] shall have committed"; rather it is an expression in which the masculine gender claims the pronoun, even though the feminine is placed afterward—an expression that is not customary.

8. (5, 12) Viri, viri si praevaricata fuerit uxor eius (of a man, of a man, if his wife shall have transgressed). The expression is to be noted not only because it doubled the noun, saying viri, viri (of a man, of a man), but also because it added eius (his).

9. (5, 14) Si superveniet illi spiritus zelandi. Illa autem non fuerit inquinata, et adducet homo uxorem suam ad sacerdotem (if a spirit of jealousy shall come upon him. But she shall not have been defiled, and the man shall bring his wife to the priest). The word et (and) is superfluous, but it is an expression customary to the Scriptures.

10. (5, 18) Erit aqua argutionis quae maledicitur haec (it shall be the water of reproof which is accursed, this). This expression was made unusual by the order of the words; for it could be said in the customary way thus: "this shall be the water of reproof which is accursed," or "this water of reproof shall be that which is accursed," or in any other way that ordinary words can be arranged.

11. (5, 19) Innocens esto ab aqua argutionis quae maledicitur haec (be innocent of the water of reproof which is accursed, this). In this expression not only does the word order sound unusual, but the case is also changed; for it would be complete and customary to say "be innocent of this water of reproof which is accursed," or "of this water of reproof, which is accursed."

12. (5, 27) Et inflabitur ventrem (and she shall swell as to the belly), for "she shall swell in the belly." This expression is frequent even among Latin authors; but our translators, who were unwilling to render it, said et inflabitur venter eius (and her belly shall swell).

13. (6, 2) Vir vel mulier quicumque magne voverit votum (a man or a woman, whoever [masculine] shall greatly vow a vow): it did not say "whoever [feminine]."

14. (6, 9) Et radetur caput suum (and he shall shave his head [accusative]): such an expression as the one above, inflabitur ventrem (she shall swell as to the belly).

15. (7, 3) Sed vehicula tecta et duodecim boves, vehiculum a duobus principibus et vitulum a singulis (but covered wagons and twelve oxen, a wagon from two leaders and a calf from each one). In this expression I thought it worth noting that he calls "calves" the same ones he had called boves (oxen); but this too is reported to be a Greek idiom.

16. (7, 11) Princeps unus quotidie, princeps quotidie offerent dona sua (one leader each day, a leader each day, they shall offer their gifts), instead of saying "the leaders one by one on single days."

17. (7, 15) Vitulum unum pro bobus et hircum ex capris unum (one calf for the oxen and one he-goat from the goats).

18. (8, 19) Et non erit in filiis Israel accedens filiorum Israel ad sancta (and there shall not be among the sons of Israel any of the sons of Israel approaching the holy things). It seems it could have sufficed to say "and there shall not be among the sons of Israel anyone approaching the holy things," or at least "there shall not be any of the sons of Israel approaching the holy things."

19. (8, 20) Et fecit Moyses et Aaron et omnis synagoga filiorum Israel Levitis; secundum quae praecepit Dominus Moysi de Levitis, ita fecerunt eis filii Israel (and Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly of the sons of Israel did to the Levites; according to what the Lord commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so the sons of Israel did to them).

20. (9, 13) Et homo, homo quicumque mundus fuerit et in viam longinquam non est et defuerit facere Pascha. Exterminabitur anima illa de populo suo. (and a man, a man, whoever shall be clean and is not on a far journey and shall have failed to keep the Passover, that soul shall be cut off from his people.) Therefore homo, homo (a man, a man) is an expression as if it said "whoever, a man," this one or that one.

21. (9, 17) Et cum ascendisset nubes a tabernaculo, et postea promovebant filii Israel (and when the cloud went up from the tabernacle, and afterward the sons of Israel would set out). It could have been complete: "and when the cloud went up from the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out."

22. (10, 14) Et promovebant ordo castrorum filiorum Iuda primi (and the rank of the camp of the sons of Judah set out first).

23. (10, 17) Et promovebunt filii Gerson et filii Merari (and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari shall set out). He used a verb in the future tense, though he is narrating a past event, as in the earlier passages when he was speaking of the cloud (See Exod 13:21–22; Num 9:17), at whose motion or halt the camp would set out or stay; and so thereafter, in the many instances of setting out, he uses this tense.

24. (10, 29) Et dixit Moyses Hobet filio Raguel Madianitae genero Moysi (and Moses said to Hobab the son of Raguel the Midianite, the kinsman of Moses): it did not say "his kinsman."

25. (10, 30) Et dixit ad eum: 'non ibo, sed ad terram meam et ad progeniem meam' (and he said to him: "I will not go, but to my own land and to my own offspring"): "I will go" is understood.

26. (11, 4) Et promiscuus qui erat in eis concupiverunt concupiscentiam (and the mixed multitude that was among them lusted a lust). He used the singular for the plural, saying promiscuus (the mixed multitude, singular), not "promiscui" (plural); and yet he rendered it as plural when he said concupiverunt (they lusted).

27. (11, 6) Nunc autem anima nostra arida, nihil praeter in manna oculi nostri (but now our soul is dry, our eyes are on nothing but the manna). The words "is" and "are" are missing; for it would be complete: "our soul is dry, our eyes are on nothing but the manna." For some translators rendered it thus and added words that are not in the Greek.

28. (11, 8) Et molebant illud in mola (and they would grind it in a mill).

29. (11, 21) Sescenta millia peditum in quibus sum in eis (six hundred thousand footmen, among whom I am, among them).

30. (11, 25) Et abstulit de spiritu qui super ipsum (and he took of the spirit that was upon him). Either "was" or "shall be" is understood. But the Latin translators were reluctant to render this expression, which is called ellipsis—most familiar to Greek diction and, as I think, to Hebrew as well—even though it is frequent in the Latin language too, though less than in Greek.

31. (11, 33) Et percussit Dominus populum plagam magnam valde (and the Lord struck the people a very great plague). The expression was to be noted: percussit plagam (struck a plague, accusative), not "percussit plaga" (struck with a plague, ablative), which is the customary form.

32. (12, 3) Et homo Moyses lenis valde (and the man Moses very meek): "was" is understood.

33. (12, 9) Et ira animationis Domini super eos (and the wrath of the Lord's anger upon them): "came to be" is understood.

34. (12, 10) Et ecce Maria leprosa sicut nix (and behold, Miriam leprous like snow); and here too "became" is understood.

35. (13, 20) Et quae terra in qua isti insident super eam; et quae civitates in quibus isti habitant in ipsis (and what the land is in which these dwell upon it; and what the cities are in which these live in them).

36. (13, 25) Locum ipsum quem nominaverunt vallem Botrui (that very place which they named the Valley of the Cluster), although he had said above venerunt in vallem Botrui (they came into the Valley of the Cluster). It is said, then, by anticipation, not because it was already so called when they came, but because, when this book was being written, it was already so called.

37. (13, 32) Quoniam fortior nobis est magis (for it is stronger than we, more). The expression would be customary if it did not have magis (more).

38. (13, 33) Et protulerunt pavorem terrae quam exploraverunt eam (and they brought forth a dread of the land which they explored it).

39. (13, 33) Terram quam transivimus eam explorare, terra comedens qui habitant super eam est (the land which we passed through it to explore, a land devouring those who live upon it it is). But it should have been said in the customary way: "the land which we passed through to explore."

40. (14, 7) Terra quam exploravimus eam bona est valde valde (the land which we explored it is very, very good).

41. (14, 10) Et ait omnis synagoga lapidare eos in lapidibus (and the whole assembly said to stone them with stones). It was not said "with stones [ablative without preposition]," since lapidare (to stone) by itself could have sufficed in the customary expression.

42. (14, 11) Et quousque non credunt mihi in omnibus signis quibus feci in ipsis? (and how long do they not believe me in all the signs which I did among them?): it did not say "which I did among them [with the relative in another case]."

43. (14, 24) Puer autem meus Chaleb, quoniam spiritus alius in eo et assecutus est me, et inducam eum in terram (but my servant Caleb, because another spirit is in him and he has followed me, and I will bring him into the land). It would be customary if it did not have et (and).

44. (14, 24) Et inducam eum in terram, in quam intravit illuc (and I will bring him into the land, into which he entered thither). It would suffice in the customary expression: "into which he entered."

45. (14, 26) Et ait Dominus ad Moysen et Aaron dicens (and the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, saying). This was introduced although the Lord was speaking in the passage above as well. Scripture often does this: when it wishes to say something further, it again introduces as speaking the one who was already speaking.

46. (14, 29) Quotquot murmuraverunt super me (as many as murmured upon me): it did not say "about me" or "against me."

47. (14, 31) Et hereditate possidebunt terram, quam vos abscessistis ab ea (and by inheritance they shall possess the land, which you departed from it). The customary form would be "from which you departed"; but as it stands, both quam abscessistis (which you departed) is said in an uncustomary way, and ab ea (from it) is added, as the Scriptures are accustomed to speak.

It is like the line penitusque sonantes accestis scopulos (and you drew near the deep-resounding crags) (Virgil, Aeneid 1.200), that is, "you approached the crags," he did not say "to the crags"; and devenere locos (they came down to the places) (Virgil, Aeneid 6.638), he did not say "to the places." So too quam abscessistis (which you departed), he did not say "from which you departed."

48. (14, 35) Ego Dominus locutus sum: 'nisi ita fecero synagogae malignae isti.' (I the Lord have spoken: "unless I shall do thus to this wicked assembly.") It must indeed be asked what it is that in Greek is placed [Greek text]; for our translators have almost everywhere rendered this as nisi (unless).

49. (15, 18) In terram in quam ego induco vos illuc (into the land into which I am bringing you thither).

50. (15, 27-28) Si autem anima una peccaverit non sponte, offeret capram unam anniculam pro peccato. Et exorabit sacerdos pro anima invita et quae peccaverit nolenter ante Dominum exorare pro eo; et remittetur ei (but if one soul shall sin unwillingly, it shall offer one she-goat a year old for the sin. And the priest shall make atonement for the unwilling soul and the one who shall have sinned unwillingly before the Lord, to atone for him; and it shall be forgiven him). In this sentence both that expression was to be noted, that it says et exorabit sacerdos (and the priest shall make atonement) and afterward said exorare (to atone)—for both could be said together thus: "shall make atonement to atone"—and that other one, that, beginning from the feminine gender, it closed with the masculine.

For when it had said si anima una peccaverit (if one soul shall sin), it concluded by saying exorare pro eo (to atone for him); where "for that man" is understood. For also that which it added, et dimittetur ei (and it shall be forgiven him), in the Latin indeed does not show, because this pronoun is of every gender; but in the Greek the masculine shines out, where it has [Greek text], which is here placed ei (to him).

But what is here said, pro anima invita (for the unwilling soul), is understood as "which shall have sinned unwillingly," not that it is unwilling to have an offering made for it. For he explained this as a consequence too when he said et quae peccaverit nolenter (and the one who shall have sinned unwillingly).

And invita (unwilling) is set down for this reason, because what was said in Greek could not be expressed in Latin: [Greek text]; for one could not say "having been made unwilling," or anything else from the fact that one acted unwillingly.

51. (15, 30) Et anima quaecumque fecerit in manu superbiae (and whatever soul shall act in the hand of pride): "sin" is understood. It is also to be noted that it says manu superbiae (the hand of pride), putting "hand" for "deed" or "power."

52. (15, 35) Morte moriatur homo; lapidate eum lapidibus omnis synagoga. (let the man die the death; stone him with stones, the whole assembly.) Both morte moriatur (let him die the death) and lapidate lapidibus (stone with stones) and lapidate omnis synagoga (stone, the whole assembly) are expressions unusual to us.

53. (16, 17) Et accipite singuli turibulum suum (and take, each one, his own censer).

54. (16, 33) Et descenderunt ipsi et omnia quae sunt eis (and they went down, they themselves and all that are theirs). He put the present for the past, sunt (are) for "were" or "had been."

55. (16, 34) Et omnis Israel qui in circuitu eorum fugerunt a voce eorum (and all Israel who round about them fled at their voice): "was" is understood; that is, "all Israel who was round about them."

56. (16, 37) Quoniam sanctificaverunt turibula peccatorum horum in animabus suis (because they sanctified the censers of these sinners at the cost of their souls). It did not say "because these sinners sanctified the censers at the cost of their souls"; but, as if it were being asked "whose censers," instead of saying "their own," it said peccatorum horum (of these sinners), and left it to be understood who had sanctified them, namely that they themselves had.

57. (17, 8) Et ecce germinavit virga in domum Levi; (and behold, the rod budded into the house of Levi;) Latin usage would require it to be said "in the house of Levi [ablative]."

58. (18, 6) Et ego accepi fratres vestros Levitas de medio filiorum Israel dationem datam Domino (and I have taken your brothers the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel, a giving given to the Lord). This expression has been rendered into Latin thus out of necessity; for the Greek has [Greek text]. And if anyone should wish to express it in Latin, he will say "a given thing given," because it both is a given thing, according to what the Apostle says: non quia quaero datum, sed requiro fructum (Phil 4:17) (not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit), which in the Greek is written [Greek text].

And in Genesis: dedit Abraham data filiis suis (Gen 25:6) (Abraham gave gifts to his sons), the Greek has [Greek text]; and in the Gospel: nostis bona data dare filiis vestris (Matt 7:11) (you know how to give good gifts to your children), in the Greek there is [Greek text], and [Greek text] is "a given thing," not a noun but a participle. And on this account "a given thing given" could be said, as a given thing that is given, were it not that the ambiguity must be avoided.

Some of our translators, trying to avoid this ambiguity, said "a gift given"; but "gift" in Greek is called [Greek text], not [Greek text]. Hence in this place it would not be said rightly, because God does not say that this has been given to him as a gift by the sons of Israel, but rendered to him in place of the firstborn owed to him; hence both what is rendered and what is "given as gifts" can be called given things. And therefore every gift is also a given thing, but not every given thing is also a gift, because not everything that is given is at once also given as a gift.

59. (18, 12) Omnis primitia olei et omnis primitia vini et tritici primitia eorum quaecumque dederint Domino tibi dedi ea (every firstfruit of oil and every firstfruit of wine and the firstfruit of their wheat, whatever they shall give to the Lord, to you I have given them). It did not say "every firstfruit, to you I have given it"; but, when it had said omnis primitia (every firstfruit) and enumerated of what things it consisted, it added tibi dedi ea (to you I have given them [neuter plural]), not even "to you I have given it [feminine singular]" or "to you I have given them [feminine plural]," that is, the firstfruits,

but it introduced the neuter gender, which indeed is wont to be done by an absolute expression in the Latin language too. Nor does this which was said, primitia (firstfruit), seem Latin; for "firstfruits" is wont to be said only in the plural number. But if our translators could render what they found in the Greek, non congregabo conventicula eorum de sanguinibus (Ps 16:4 (15:4)) (I will not gather their assemblies out of bloods), and in another place virum sanguinum et dolosum abominabitur Dominus (Ps 5:6 (5:7)) (the man of bloods and deceitful the Lord will abhor), although "blood" in the Latin language is of the singular number only, why should it have irked them here too to express the singular number primitia (firstfruit), as the Greek has it? Yet some translators rendered primitias (firstfruits) and in the accusative case, so as to say omnes primitias tibi dabo (all the firstfruits I will give to you). Thus they were unwilling to render either expression, unusual to us, as it was found in the Greek.

60. (19, 2) Loquere filiis Israel, et accipiant ad te iuvencam rufam (speak to the sons of Israel, and let them take to you a red heifer), instead of as if it said "let them bring to you," or at least both would be said in the customary way: "let them take and bring to you a red heifer."

61. (19, 7) Et lavabit corpus suum aqua (and he shall wash his body with water). This would be understood even if it did not have aqua (with water).

62. (19, 9) Et ponet extra castra in locum mundum (and he shall put it outside the camp into a clean place). It did not say "in a clean place [ablative]," which belongs to the Latin expression.

63. (19, 15) Omne vas apertum quaecumque non habent alligaturam alligatam super ea (every open vessel which do not have a binding bound upon them).

64. (20, 9) Et accepit Moyses virgam quae ante Dominum (and Moses took the rod which before the Lord): "was" is understood.

65. (20, 12) Quia non credidistis sanctificare me in conspectu filiorum Israel (because you did not believe, to sanctify me in the sight of the sons of Israel), that is, "to declare my holiness." According to this expression it is said: et pro eis sanctifico me ipsum (John 17:19) (and for them I sanctify myself). And in the Lord's Prayer: sanctificetur nomen tuum (Matt 6:9) (hallowed be your name).

66. (20, 15) Et incolae fuimus in Aegypto dies plures (and we were sojourners in Egypt many days), "for many years."

67. (20, 18) Et dixit ad eum Edom (and Edom said to him)—that is, the nation itself (for Edom, who was Esau, was no longer living)—just as those who sent messengers were called "Israel," which name had earlier been that of one man.

68. (20, 19) Et dicunt ei filii Israel: 'iuxta montem transibimus; si autem de aqua tua biberimus ego et pecora mea, dabo pretium tibi.' (and the sons of Israel say to him: "we will pass along by the mountain; but if we drink of your water, I and my cattle, I will give you a price.") Quite elegantly it passes from the plural to the singular number, as though Israel were speaking, when it had said filii Israel (the sons of Israel) and had begun with verbs of the plural number, which is transibimus et biberimus (we will pass and we will drink).

69. (20, 30) Et vidit omnis synagoga, quia dimissus est Aaron (and the whole assembly saw that Aaron was released). This word dimissus (released) is not easily found in the Scriptures for what is "dead"; this occurs also in the Gospel, where Symeon says: nunc dimittis servum tuum in pace (Luke 2:29) (now you release your servant in peace). Yet it has [Greek text] in the Greek, which sounds more as derived from "loosing" than from "releasing"; for it did not say [Greek text], which without doubt is "you release."

70. (20, 30) Et fleverunt Aaron triginta dies omnis domus Israel (and the whole house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days). It did not say "wept [singular]," nor did it say "the entire" or "the whole house," but omnis (all), as though they were many; just as "every man," which is said of all, is something far different from "the whole man," which is said of one. But Scripture constantly puts "every" for "whole."

71. (21, 5) Et detrahebat populus ad Deum et adversus Moysen (and the people spoke against God and against Moses). It did not say "of God," but ad Deum (to God). However, some translators, unwilling to render this expression, translated detrahebant de Deo (they spoke against God).

72. (21, 7) Ora ergo ad Dominum ut auferat a nobis serpentem (pray therefore to the Lord that he take away from us the serpent). Just as in Exodus it was said ranam (See Exod 8:6; Locutions 2.41) (the frog), the singular for the plural.

73. (21, 9) Et factum est quando momordit serpens hominem, et aspexit in aeneum serpentem, et vivebat (and it came to pass, when the serpent bit a man, and he looked upon the bronze serpent, and he was living). This expression not only has this, that it changes the mood of the verb and from the perfect form of the past tense closes with the imperfect, but also that it has an extra et (and).

74. (21, 11) Et elevantes ex Obot castra collocaverunt in Acalgai trans in eremo (and setting out from Oboth, they pitched camp in Acalgai across in the desert). This is "in the farther desert."

75. (22, 23) Et percussit asinam in virga (and he struck the donkey in the rod). It did not say "with the rod," but in virga (in the rod).

76. (23, 11) In maledictionem inimicorum meorum vocavi te, et ecce benedixisti benedictionem (for the cursing of my enemies I called you, and behold, you have blessed a blessing); it did not say "with a blessing," but, as though it said, "behold, you have spoken a blessing."

77. (23, 12) Quaecumque miserit Deus in os meum, hoc observabo loqui (whatever God shall put into my mouth, this I will be careful to speak). It did not say "these things I will be careful."

78. (23, 13) Veni mecum adhuc in locum alium de quo non videbis eum inde (come with me still to another place from which you will not see it from there).

79. (25, 4) Et ait Dominus ad Moysen: 'accipe duces populi et ostenta eos Domino contra solem, et avertetur ira animationis Domini ab Israel.' (and the Lord said to Moses: "take the leaders of the people and display them to the Lord before the sun, and the wrath of the Lord's anger will be turned away from Israel.") Although the Lord was speaking, it did not say "and display them to me," and "the wrath 'of mine' will be turned away from Israel."

80. (25, 15) Domus familiae est Madian (she is a house of a family of Midian). He said this of the woman who was slain together with the adulterous Israelite. By which words, as I think, he wished it to be understood that she was noble, so as to call her domus familiae (a house of a family). So now in common speech both "father of a family" and "mother of a family" are said as a mark of riches.

81. (26, 1) Et locutus est Dominus ad Moysen et Eleazar sacerdotem dicens: 'accipe principium totius synagogae filiorum Israel a viginti annis et supra.' (and the Lord spoke to Moses and Eleazar the priest, saying: "take the beginning of the whole assembly of the sons of Israel from twenty years old and upward.") It is to be noted what he called principium (the beginning), namely the vigor of age among the people.

82. (27, 20-21) Ut exaudiant eum filii Israel (that the sons of Israel may obey him), and in ore eius exibunt (at his mouth they shall go out), and in ore eius introibunt (at his mouth they shall come in), that is, "when he shall have commanded."

83. (27, 22) Et fecit Moyses secundum quae praecepit illi Dominus; et assumens Iesum statuit eum ante Eleazarum sacerdotem et cetera (and Moses did according to what the Lord commanded him; and taking Joshua he set him before Eleazar the priest), where this was to be noted, that, when it had already said et fecit Moyses secundum quae praecepit illi Dominus (and Moses did according to what the Lord commanded him), it repeats the very same words.

84. (27, 23) Et commendavit eum secundum quae praecepit Dominus Moysi (and he commended him according to what the Lord commanded Moses). It did not say "according to what the Lord commanded 'him.'"

85. (28, 13) Decimam decimam similaginis consparsam in oleo agno uni (a tenth, a tenth of fine flour mingled with oil for one lamb); that is, "single tenths for single lambs." For when it says decimam decimam (a tenth, a tenth), it signified that the tenths are to be repeated for the individual lambs.

86. (28, 16-17) Et in mense primo quarta decima mensis huius dies festus, septem dies azyma edetis (and in the first month, on the fourteenth of this month, a feast day; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread). It is to be noted that the feast is celebrated over several days, and yet it is called diem festum (a feast day, singular)—it does not call the celebration of that festival "feast days," however many days it has lasted.

87. (29, 1) Et mense septimo una mensis (and in the seventh month, on the one of the month). According to this expression it is said in Genesis: et facta est vespera et factum est mane, dies unus (Gen 1:5) (and there was evening and there was morning, one day); for there, as here, the Greek has [Greek text], whence some, here interpreting "on the first day of the month," passed over the necessary expression, although they did not depart from the sense of the words.

88. (29, 2) Vitulum unum ex bobus, arietem unum (one calf from the oxen, one ram). It did not say "from the sheep," as it did ex bobus (from the oxen), though that too, if it were absent, would be complete.

89. (29, 2) Agnos anniculos sine vitio septem (seven lambs a year old without blemish). This which it placed with the lambs, sine vitio (without blemish), is understood throughout—both, that is, with the calf and with the ram.

90. (29, 4) Decima decima agno uni septem agnis (a tenth, a tenth for one lamb, for seven lambs), that is, "single portions for single lambs."

91. (29, 39) Exceptis votis vestris et voluntaria vestra et holocaustomata vestra et sacrificia vestra et libamina vestra et salutaria vestra (apart from your vows and your freewill offerings and your burnt offerings and your sacrifices and your drink offerings and your peace offerings). This expression, even if it were Greek, I would not note. For it does not say "apart from your vows and your freewill offerings," and so on, as it had begun; but neither "apart-from your vows" [in the nominative], so as to begin with a solecism, as it were,

but, when it had first said in the correct and customary expression exceptis votis vestris (apart from your vows), it then added the rest in another case, where "apart from [agreeing with the ablative]" cannot be understood, but rather "excepted [agreeing with a nominative]"; which neither Greek nor Latin expression admits.

92. (30, 3) Homo, homo quicumque voverit votum Domino (a man, a man, whoever shall vow a vow to the Lord), instead of "every man."

93. (30, 4) Cum autem mulier voverit votum Domino aut definierit definitionem in domo patris sui in iuventute sua (but when a woman shall vow a vow to the Lord or shall determine a determination in the house of her father in her youth). Here it calls a female mulierem (a woman), even if she be a virgin, after the manner of the Scriptures; whence it is said also of Christ, what the Apostle says: factum ex muliere (Gal 4:4) (made of a woman).

94. (30, 5) Et audierit pater eius vota eius et definitiones eius, quas definivit (and her father shall hear her vows and her determinations which she determined). Definitiones definivit (she determined determinations) is an expression.

95. (30, 5) Definivit adversus animam suam (she determined against her soul); that is, "against the delights of her soul."

96. (30, 5) Et tacuerit pater eius, et stabunt omnia vota eius (and her father shall be silent, and all her vows shall stand). Here it has an extra et (and); for the complete sense is "if her father shall hear and be silent, all her vows shall stand."

97. (30, 7) Si autem facta fuerit viro (but if she shall have been made to a man), it is understood "shall have married"; Scripture speaks thus.

98. (30, 7) Et vota eius super eam (and her vows upon her): "are" is understood, which some translators even added.

99. (30, 13) Omnia quaecumque exierint ex labiis eius secundum vota eius et secundum definitiones quae adversus animam eius, non manet ei (all whatever shall have gone forth from her lips according to her vows and according to the determinations which against her soul, does not remain for her), when one would expect the plural number, so as to say "do not remain for her"; for thus some translated, avoiding this seeming solecism.

100. (31, 4) Mille ex tribu et mille ex tribu, ex omnibus tribubus Israel (a thousand from a tribe and a thousand from a tribe, from all the tribes of Israel). Did it really say mille (a thousand) twelve times? And yet this repetition signifies "a thousand from each."

101. (31, 8) Interfecerunt in gladio (they slew in the sword), which would customarily be said "they slew with the sword."

102. (31, 10) Et omnes civitates eorum quae in habitationibus eorum (and all their cities which in their dwellings): "were" is understood.

103. (31, 10) Et villas eorum succenderunt in igni (and their villages they burned in fire), which would customarily be said "they burned with fire."

104. (31, 18) Et omnem multitudinem mulierum, quae non novit concubitum masculi, vivificate (and all the multitude of women who has not known the bed of a male, keep alive). Nowhere does it appear more certainly that by Hebrew expression even virgins are wont to be called "women."

105. (31, 28-29) Et a dimidia parte eorum accipietis, et dabis ea Eleazar sacerdoti primitias Domini (and from their half part you [plural] shall take, and you [singular] shall give them to Eleazar the priest as firstfruits of the Lord). It did not say "you [plural] shall give."

106. (31, 35) Et animae hominum a mulieribus, quae non cognoverunt concubitum viri, omnis anima duo et triginta milia (and the souls of persons from among the women who had not known the bed of a man, every soul thirty-two thousand). Here too the earlier expression is confirmed, that even those who had not known the bed of a man, that is, virgins, are called "women."

107. (31, 54) Et accepit Moyses et Eleazar sacerdos aurum a chiliarchis et a centurionibus et intulit ea in tabernaculum testimonii (and Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold from the captains of thousands and from the centurions and brought them into the tabernacle of testimony). It seems it ought to have said "and brought it into the tabernacle of testimony," since it had stated that gold had been taken, and most Latin manuscripts have it so; but it seems to have been brought in as a plural, so as to say intulit ea (brought them), because many vessels had been mentioned above, in which this gold was.

108. (32, 1) Et pecora multitudo erat filiis Ruben et filiis Gad, multitudo copiosa valde (and cattle, a multitude, there was to the sons of Reuben and to the sons of Gad, a very abundant multitude); it did not say "and there was a multitude of cattle."

109. (32, 1) Et viderunt regionem Iazer et regionem Galaad, et erat locus locus pecoribus (and they saw the region of Jazer and the region of Gilead, and there was a place, a place for cattle). What it said twice, locus (a place), is not to be joined in pronunciation; rather a slight pause is to be made: et erat locus (and there was a place), and then to be added locus pecoribus (a place for cattle). For, as though one waited to learn what sort of place, the repetition is elegantly introduced.

110. (32, 2) Et accedentes filii Ruben et filii Gad dixerunt ad Moysen et Eleazar sacerdotem et ad principes synagogae dicentes (and the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad, drawing near, said to Moses and Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the assembly, saying). This is neither a Greek nor a Latin expression, dixerunt dicentes (they said, saying), but seems Hebrew.

111. (32, 5) Detur terra ista famulis tuis in possessionem (let this land be given to your servants for a possession); as though they spoke of others, when they were asking for themselves.

112. (32, 12) Non enim secuti sunt post me praeter Chaleb filius Iephone (for they did not follow after me, except Caleb the son of Jephone). It seems it ought to have said "except Caleb the son of Jephone [accusative]"; but it introduced it in the nominative, because secuti sunt (they followed) precedes. This expression is also Latin, but rare.

113. (32, 13) Donec consumeretur omnis generatio facientes maligna in conspectu Domini (until the whole generation should be consumed, doing [nominative plural] wicked things in the sight of the Lord). It did not say "doing [nominative singular] wicked things," nor "of those doing [genitive plural] wicked things."

114. (32, 16) Et accesserunt ei et dicebant (and they approached him and were saying). It did not say what is customary, "they approached to him."

115. (32, 24) Et aedificabitis vobis ipsis civitates impedimentis vestris (and you shall build for yourselves cities for your baggage). As though it said "you shall build for yourselves cities on account of your baggage."

116. (32, 26-27) Impedimenta nostra et uxores nostrae et omnia pecora nostra erunt in civitatibus Galaad; pueri autem tui transibunt omnes armati (our baggage and our wives and all our cattle shall be in the cities of Gilead; but your servants will pass over, all armed). They did not say "but we will pass over, all armed," but as though they spoke of others.

117. (32, 28) Et commendavit eis Moyses Eleazar sacerdotem et Iesum filium Nave et principes familiarum tribuum Israel (and Moses commended to them Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the leaders of the families of the tribes of Israel). It did not say "Moses commended them to Eleazar the priest," which the order of the customary expression certainly required; for through these men they were brought into the land they were seeking. Hence the latter rather seem commended to the former, by whom they were being brought into the land they had asked for, than the former, who were doing the bringing, commended to the latter, whom they were bringing in.

118. (32, 30) Si autem non transierint armati vobiscum in bellum in conspectu Domini, et transferte impedimenta eorum (but if they shall not pass over armed with you into battle in the sight of the Lord, then transfer their baggage); it has an extra et (and).

119. (32, 33) Et dedit eis Moyses filiis Gad et filiis Ruben (and Moses gave to them, to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Reuben); it has an extra eis (to them).

120. (33, 14) Et non ibi erat aqua populo bibere (and there was no water there for the people to drink); instead of what is "for drinking."

121. (33, 51) Loquere filiis Israel et dices ad eos (speak to the sons of Israel and you shall say to them). It seems to suffice: loquere filiis Israel (speak to the sons of Israel).

122. (33, 52) Et omnia idola fusilia eorum perdetis ea (and all their molten idols you shall destroy them). It has an extra ea (them).

123. (34, 6) Hoc erit vobis fines maris (this shall be for you the borders of the sea). It did not say "these shall be for you."

124. (34, 7) Et hoc erit vobis fines ad aquilonem (and this shall be for you the borders toward the north); the same expression is repeated.

125. (35, 3) Et erunt civitates eis habitare (and the cities shall be for them to dwell), instead of what is wont to be said, "for dwelling."

126. (35, 11) Refugia erunt vobis fugere illo homicidam (they shall be refuges for you, for the manslayer to flee thither); which can customarily be said "that the manslayer may flee thither."

127. (35, 15) Et incolae qui in vobis istae civitates in refugium (and the sojourners who among you, these cities for a refuge). Incolae (sojourners) is set in the singular number, that is, "for this sojourner who is among you," since it lacks "is." For it did not say "who is among you," by a most familiar expression, but by one rarer in the Latin language than in Greek.

1. (1, 7) Usque ad flumen magnum, flumen Euphratem (as far as the great river, the river Euphrates). It did not say "as far as the great river Euphrates."

2. (1, 17) Et iudicium quod durum fuerit a vobis, afferetis illud ad me (and the judgment that shall be hard from you, you shall bring it to me). It did not say "that shall be hard for you," but a vobis (from you), that is, so hard that it cannot be judged by you.

3. (1, 35) Si videbit aliquis virorum istorum terram optimam hanc, quam iuravi patribus eorum praeter Chaleb filius Iephone; hic videbit eam (if any of these men shall see this most excellent land which I swore to their fathers, except Caleb the son of Jephone; he shall see it). In the book of Numbers too we noted this expression (See Questions 4.112), that it did not say "except Caleb the son [accusative] of Jephone," but filius (the son [nominative]).

4. (2, 7) Dominus enim Deus vester benedixit te in omni opere manuum tuarum (for the Lord your [plural] God has blessed you [singular] in every work of your [singular] hands). It did not say "has blessed you [plural] in every work of your [plural] hands," although it had said beforehand vester (your [plural]), not "your [singular]."

5. (2, 24) Nunc ergo surgite et promovete et pertransite vos vallem Arnon; ecce tradidi in manus tuas Seon regem Esebon (now therefore rise and set out and pass over, you [plural], the valley of Arnon; behold, I have delivered into your [singular] hands Sihon king of Heshbon). It did not say "into your [plural] hands," but passed from the plural to the singular.

6. (4, 7) Quoniam quae est gens magna cui est ei Deus appropians illis? (for what is the great nation to which there is to it a God drawing near to them?) Two things are to be noted here: either that it says cui est ei (to which there is to it), or that it does not say "drawing near to it," but appropians illis (drawing near to them).

7. (4, 12) Et similitudinem non vidistis sed vocem (and a likeness you did not see, but a voice), although a voice cannot be seen; but it used this word in a general way, as though "to see" pertained to every sense of the body.

8. (4, 5. 14) In quam vos ingredimini illo hereditare eam (into which you are entering thither to inherit it); it would be complete even if illo (thither) were not added.

9. (4, 20) Et eduxit vos de fornace ferrea ex Aegypto (and he brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt); by the iron furnace he wished a hard tribulation to be understood. According to this it is also said of Joseph in the Psalms: ferrum pertransit animam eius (Ps 105:18 (104:18)) (the iron passed through his soul).

10. (4, 22) Et non transeo Iordanem hunc (and I do not cross this Jordan), as though there were also another Jordan. From this expression I think that "this world" too is often said, as though there were another.

11. (4, 25) Si autem genueris filios et filios filiorum tuorum (but if you shall beget sons and the sons of your sons); the expression is to be noted, where it says that grandfathers too beget grandsons.

12. (4, 29) Et quaeretis ibi Dominum Deum vestrum et invenietis eum, quando exquiretis eum ex toto corde tuo et ex tota anima tua in tribulatione tua (and you [plural] shall seek there the Lord your [plural] God and shall find him, when you [singular] shall seek him out with your [singular] whole heart and with your [singular] whole soul in your [singular] tribulation); it did not say "with your [plural] whole heart and with your [plural] whole soul in your [plural] tribulation."

13. (4, 32) Interrogate dies priores, qui fuerunt priores te (ask the former days, which were before you); not "men" but "days" is to be understood. Likewise this too is to be noted, that here as well, when it had said interrogate (ask) in the plural, it introduced priores te (before you) in the singular, not "before you [plural]."

14. (4, 34) Si et tentavit Deus ingressus accipere sibi gentem de media gente (whether God has even attempted, entering in, to take for himself a nation from the midst of a nation); tentavit (attempted) is set down for what is "willed." Or what else? But what it says, de media gente (from the midst of a nation), is to be understood as "from the midst of the nations," the singular being put for the plural; just as we read written serpentem, ranam, and locustam (the serpent, the frog, and the locust) for "serpents" and "frogs" and "locusts."

15. (4, 34) Secundum omnia, quae fecit Dominus Deus vester in Aegypto coram te vidente (according to all that the Lord your [plural] God did in Egypt before you [singular] looking on); nothing is lacking even if vidente (looking on) is not added.

16. (5, 5) Et ego stabam inter Dominum et vos in tempore illo annuntiare vobis verba Domini, quoniam timuistis a facie ignis et non ascendistis in montem, dicens: 'ego sum Dominus Deus tuus,' et cetera (and I was standing between the Lord and you at that time to announce to you the words of the Lord, because you feared before the face of the fire and did not go up the mountain, saying: "I am the Lord your God," and so on); it put dicens (saying) for "when he said."

17. (5, 14) Et advena, qui incolit in te (and the stranger who dwells in you); it is to be taken as said to the people, not as though to one man, because a stranger dwells within a people.

18. (5, 15) Propter hoc constituit tibi Dominus Deus tuus ut observes diem Sabbati et sanctificare eum (on this account the Lord your God appointed for you that you should keep the Sabbath day and to sanctify it). If it did not have et (and), it would not seem an unusual expression: "that you should keep the Sabbath day, to sanctify it"; or at least if it were thus: "that you should keep the Sabbath day and may sanctify it";

or thus: "on this account the Lord your God appointed for you to keep the Sabbath day and to sanctify it." But as it stands, ut observes diem Sabbati et sanctificare eum (that you should keep the Sabbath day and to sanctify it) is an unusual expression and to be noted.

19. (6, 13) Attende tibi, ne dilatetur cor tuum et obliviscaris Domini Dei tui (take heed to yourself, lest your heart be enlarged and you forget the Lord your God); it is to be noted that an enlarging of the heart can be spoken of in a bad sense as well; for exultation is understood in an enlarging, to which narrowness, that is, sadness, is contrary. But each can be taken both in a good and in a bad sense.

20. (6, 20) Et erit cum interrogaverit te filius tuus cras dicens (and it shall be, when your son shall ask you tomorrow, saying); it put cras (tomorrow) for any future time whatever.

21. (7, 1) Septem gentes magnas et multas (seven nations great and many); how, then, "many," if seven? But it said multas (many) for "having a multitude."

22. (7, 2) Non dispones ad eos testamentum (you shall not arrange a covenant with them), although it was speaking of nations; therefore it put testamentum (covenant) for "pact."

23. (7, 3-4) Et filiam eius non sumes filio tuo; discedere enim faciet filium tuum a me et serviet diis aliis et irascetur indignatione Dominus in vos (and you shall not take his daughter for your son; for he will make your son depart from me and he will serve other gods and the Lord will be angry with indignation against you); it did not say "I will be angry," but as though it spoke of another.

24. (9, 1) Civitates magnas et muratas usque in caelum (cities great and walled up to heaven); said as a hyperbole.

25. (9, 4) Ne dicas in corde tuo: 'cum consumpserit Dominus Deus tuus gentes istas ante faciem tuam, dicens: 'propter iustitias meas induxit me Dominus hereditare terram bonam istam.' (do not say in your heart, "when the Lord your God shall have consumed these nations before your face," saying, "for my righteous deeds the Lord brought me in to inherit this good land.") The order is "do not say in your heart saying."

26. (9, 28) Ne quando dicant inhabitantes terram 'unde eduxisti nos inde' (lest at any time the inhabitants of the land say, "from where you brought us out, from there"); after the manner of Scripture inde (from there) is added.

27. (11, 3) Quae fecit virtutem Aegyptiorum (which he did to the power of the Egyptians). Some Latin translators, understanding this too little, were unwilling to say virtutem (the power [accusative]), but virtuti (to the power [dative]) or exercitui (to the army), since what the Greek says, [Greek text], some understood as "army"; but the expression is elegant: quae fecit virtutem eorum (which he did to their power) is to be understood as "what he did to it," since he reduced it to nothing. But because it was said in the plural, it is therefore somewhat obscure.

28. (11, 6) Quos aperiens terra os suum deglutivit eos et domos eorum et tabernacula eorum (whom the earth, opening its mouth, swallowed them up and their houses and their tents). Two expressions are to be noted here: that eos (them) was added, when what it also says above, quos (whom), could have sufficed; and that, when it had said domos eorum (their houses), it added et tabernacula eorum (and their tents), as though they had other houses in the desert besides tents. But doubtless it wished "houses" to be understood as the people belonging to them, just as it is said to the people itself: et nunc tu, domus Iacob (Isa 2:5) (and now you, house of Jacob). Nor is this expression foreign to the Latin language; for the Romans too were called the house of Assaracus (See Virgil, Aeneid 1.284), because they traced their origin from Assaracus the Trojan.

29. (11, 7) Quoniam oculi vestri videbant omnia opera Domini magna, quae fecit in vobis hodie (for your eyes were seeing all the great works of the Lord which he did among you today). Although it was speaking of those works that were done in the desert at the time when they were being led about there for forty years, yet it said hodie (today), by which it wished "this time" to be understood, however many years that same period could have had.

30. (11, 9) Terram, quam iuravit Dominus patribus vestris dare eis et semini eorum post eos (the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give to them and to their seed after them). As though it said "that is, to their seed after them." For he did not give it to them as well, but he so gave it to them when he gave it to their seed.

31. (11, 13) Si autem auditu audieritis omnia mandata eius, quae ego mando tibi hodie (but if by hearing you shall hear all his commandments which I command you today). Auditu (by hearing) seems superfluous, but it is an expression most familiar to Holy Scripture.

32. (11, 14) Et dabit pluviam terrae tuae in tempore suo matutinam et serotinam (and he will give rain to your land in its season, the early and the late). Since the "morning time" is called day, did he perhaps wish the first season of the year to be understood from this? But serotinum (late) is less Latin, though it could not be more properly expressed from the Greek, which they call [Greek text]; yet it is in common use in the Latin language too that something be called "late," but as what was done later than it ought. Here, however, he rather wished a season of the year to be understood.

33. (11, 15-16) Et cum ederis et satiatus fueris, attende tibi ipsi, ne dilatetur cor tuum, et praevaricemini et serviatis diis aliis (and when you shall have eaten and been filled, take heed to yourself, lest your heart be enlarged, and you transgress and serve other gods). We have already noted such expressions above, both that it passes from the singular to the plural, and that it wished dilatetur (be enlarged) to be understood in a bad sense, where it signified harmful prosperity.

34. (11, 24) Et flumen magnum, flumen Euphratem (and the great river, the river Euphrates); these repetitions are customary in the Scriptures and commend the matter fittingly.

35. (11, 25) Timorem vestrum et tremorem vestrum imponet Dominus Deus vester super faciem universae terrae (your fear and your trembling the Lord your God will lay upon the face of the whole earth); not the fear and trembling by which they themselves fear and tremble, but by which they are feared and make others tremble.

36. (12, 17) Non poteris manducare in civitatibus tuis decimationem frumenti tui (you shall not be able to eat in your cities the tithe of your grain). Instead of what is "you shall not be permitted."

37. (13, 16) Et incendes civitatem in igni (and you shall burn the city in fire); we would say more customarily "with fire."

38. (14, 24) Si autem longe fuerit via a te (but if the way shall be far from you), as if it said "the way will be long"; it put an adverb for a noun.

39. (15, 6) Et fenerabis gentes multas (and you shall lend to many nations). Scripture calls "lending" money given on loan, even if interest is not received; whence there is also that saying in the Psalm: beatus vir, qui miseretur et commodat (Ps 112:5 (111:5)) (blessed is the man who has mercy and lends). For our translators preferred to render it thus, who thought the sense rather than the words should be followed; for in the Greek it has [Greek text], which is "he lends."

40. (15, 6) Et principaberis gentium multarum, tui autem non principabuntur (and you shall rule over many nations, but of you they shall not rule). As though it said "they shall not rule over you, that is, the nations"; for it is the genitive singular case of this pronoun that it says, tui (of you)—whose dative is "to you"—not the nominative plural, whose genitive is "of yours."

41. (15, 7) Si autem fuerit in te egenus in fratribus tuis (but if there shall be in you a needy man among your brothers). It is said not to one man but to the people: therefore in te (in you).

42. (15, 7-8) Si autem fuerit in te egenus in fratribus tuis in una civitatum tuarum in terra, quam Dominus Deus tuus dat tibi, non avertes cor tuum neque constringes manum tuam a fratre tuo egente; aperiens aperies manus tuas ei, fenus fenerabis ei, quantumcumque postulat et quantum eget (but if there shall be in you a needy man among your brothers in one of your cities in the land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not turn away your heart nor close your hand from your needy brother; opening you shall open your hands to him, with a loan you shall lend to him, however much he asks and however much he needs).

Here, certainly, since it enjoins works of mercy, the cruelty of usury is by no means to be undertaken; whence it appears that what it says, fenus fenerabis ei (with a loan you shall lend to him), it wished to be understood as giving on loan what he might ask. But what it says, aperiens aperies manus tuas (opening you shall open your hands), is of the same kind as what follows, fenus fenerabis (with a loan you shall lend): it is a customary expression in Holy Scripture.

43. (15, 17) When it had given the command about piercing the ear of a servant, et ancillam, it says, tuam facies similiter (and your maidservant you shall do likewise), putting the accusative for the dative. It did not say "to your maidservant you shall do," which the usage of our expression demanded.

44. (15, 21) Si autem fuerit in eo vitium, claudum aut caecum, vel omne vitium malum (but if there shall be in it a blemish, lame or blind, or any evil blemish). It did not say "lameness" or "blindness" (for these are blemishes), but claudum et caecum (lame and blind), which are not blemishes but animals that have blemishes. This too is to be noted, that it says vitium malum (an evil blemish), as though there could be a good blemish.

45. (16, 4) Et non dormiet de carnibus, de quibus immolaveritis vespere die primo usque in mane (and there shall not sleep of the flesh which you shall have sacrificed in the evening on the first day until morning). Instead of what is "it shall not remain that night," it said non dormiet (shall not sleep).

46. (17, 1) Non offeres Domino Deo tuo vitulum vel ovem in quo est in ipso vitium (you shall not offer to the Lord your God a calf or a sheep in which there is in it a blemish). The customary expression would be "in which there is a blemish"; but this one is more customary in the Scriptures.

47. (17, 5) Et lapidabis eos in lapidibus, et morientur (and you shall stone them with stones, and they shall die); which by our usage would be said "with stones," not in lapidibus (with stones [in the stones]).

48. (17, 16) Non multiplicabit sibi equum (he shall not multiply for himself a horse). It put equum (a horse) for "horses" or for "cavalry"; whence some translated equitatum (cavalry).

49. (17, 15) Non poteris constituere super te hominem alienum, quia non est frater tuus (you shall not be able to set over you a foreign man, because he is not your brother). Non poteris (you shall not be able) is said for "you shall not be permitted."

50. (18, 16) Secundum omnia quae petisti a Domino Deo tuo in Coreb in die convocationis dicentes (according to all that you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying). When it had said above petisti (you asked [singular]), it added dicentes (saying [plural]), not "saying [singular]."

51. (20, 4) Quoniam Dominus Deus vester, qui praecedit vobiscum (for the Lord your God, who goes before with you); it did not say "before you."

52. (22, 6) Si occurreris nido avis ante faciem tuam in via (if you shall meet a bird's nest before your face on the way); it is to be noted that it said occurreris (you shall meet) even of one not walking.

53. (22, 8) Si autem aedificaveris domum novam, facies coronam solario tuo et non facies homicidium in domo tua, si cadat qui cecidit ab eo (but if you shall build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof and you shall not commit homicide in your house, if there should fall the one who fell from it), that is, "the one who fell should fall from the roof." It is an exceedingly unusual expression.

54. (24, 2-3) Et abiens fuerit viro alteri, et oderit eam vir novissimus (and going away she shall be to another man, and the last man shall hate her). It is to be noted that, of two, the later one is called novissimum (the last). Such an expression is also in the Gospel, when it is asked which of two brothers did the will of the father, and the answer is novissimus (the last), although there were two (See Matt 21:31).

55. (24, 6) Non pignerabis molam neque superiorem lapidem molae, quia animam iste pignerat (you shall not take in pledge a millstone nor the upper stone of a mill, because this one takes a soul in pledge), instead of what is "because you take a soul in pledge, if you should do it." Then it is to be noted that it said animam (a soul) for that life which the soul has in the body; from which expression there is also that saying in the Gospel: nonne anima plus est quam esca (Matt 6:25) (is not the soul more than food).

56. (24, 7) Si autem deprehendatur homo furans animam ex fratribus suis filiis Israel (but if a man shall be caught stealing a soul from among his brothers, the sons of Israel); it put animam (a soul) for "a man." Then it follows: et opprimens eum vendiderit (and oppressing him he shall sell him); which is an expression no less to be noted, for it was unwilling to say "her," which would be more consistent, since it had said animam (a soul), but eum (him), that is, the man, in whose signification it had said animam (a soul).

57. (24, 10) Si debitum fuerit in proximo tuo debitum quodcumque (if there shall be a debt owed by your neighbor, any debt whatever); the repetition of the word makes the expression worth noting.

58. (25, 7) Si autem noluerit homo accipere uxorem fratris sui, et ascendet mulier in porta ad senatum et dicet: 'non vult frater viri mei suscitare nomen fratris sui in Israel, noluit frater viri mei.' (but if the man shall not wish to take his brother's wife, then the woman shall go up at the gate to the council and shall say, "my husband's brother does not wish to raise up his brother's name in Israel, my husband's brother has refused.") Although Scripture loves repetitions of words, this repetition is yet more unusual; but it more elegantly displays the feeling of a complaint.

59. (27, 21) Maledictus omnis, qui dormierit cum omni pecore (cursed is everyone who shall sleep with any beast); instead of what is "shall lie." Then cum omni pecore (with any beast) for what is "with whatever beast."

60. (28, 48) Et servies inimicis tuis, quos immittet Dominus Deus tuus super te (and you shall serve your enemies, whom the Lord your God will send upon you). The Greek has [Greek text], where the Latin rendered servies (you shall serve). Now Scripture is wont to put this word for that servitude which is owed to God; whence those are called idolaters who serve "idols" with that servitude;

therefore this word is here used unusually. Although it could also have this sense, that it threatened things so grievous that they would be compelled to serve their enemies, exceedingly proud, as though they were gods.

61. (28, 49) Gentem cuius non audies vocem eius (a nation whose you shall not hear its voice). This too is to be noted, that it said both cuius (whose) and eius (its), as the Scriptures are wont to speak, and that what it says, cuius non audies vocem (whose voice you shall not hear), is for what is "whose tongue you shall not understand."

62. (28, 54-55) Mollis in te et tenera valde fascinabit oculo suo fratrem suum et uxorem quae est in sinu eius et qui sunt reliqui filii quicumque relicti fuerint illi, ita ut det uni ex eis a carnibus filiorum suorum de quibuscumque edet eo, quod non derelictum sit ei quidquam in angustia et tribulatione, qua tribulabunt te inimici tui in omnibus civitatibus tuis (the man soft among you and very delicate will look with grudging eye upon his brother and the wife who is in his bosom and the remaining children, whoever shall be left to him, so as to give to none of them of the flesh of his children, of which he will eat, because nothing has been left to him in the straits and tribulation with which your enemies will afflict you in all your cities).

It is to be noted how it is here said fascinabit eum (he will bewitch him) for "he will grudge him," as though one were left behind for this purpose, that it be necessary to give him of the flesh of the children, which necessity compels to be taken as food by the parents. For in Proverbs too, where the Latin manuscripts have non cenabis cum viro invido (Prov 23:6) (you shall not dine with an envious man), the Greek has [Greek text]; and an "evil eye" is called a bewitching.

63. (28, 63) Et erit sicut laetatus est Dominus in vobis bene facere vobis (and it shall be, just as the Lord rejoiced over you to do good to you). The Greek has bene facere vos (to do good you [accusative]), and it does not even seem to be a Greek expression. Yet the accusative is understood as put for the dative; whence the Latin translators preferred to say vobis (to you) rather than vos (you).

64. (29, 2) Vos vidistis omnia, quae fecit Dominus Deus vester in terra Aegypti coram vobis Pharaoni et omnibus servis eius et omni terrae illius, tentationes magnas, quas viderunt oculi tui (you saw all that the Lord your God did in the land of Egypt before you, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all that land, the great trials which your eyes saw); it is to be noted that those plagues too are called tentationes (trials).

65. (30, 4) Si fuerit dispersio tua a summo caeli usque ad summum caeli, inde congregabit te Dominus Deus tuus (if your dispersion shall be from the top of heaven to the top of heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you). It is remarkable if it does not say a summo caeli usque ad summum caeli (from the top of heaven to the top of heaven) in the way it is wont also to say "from the end of the earth to the end of the earth"; perhaps for this reason, because, according to the fact that this air too is called "heaven," it is joined to the earth.

66. (30, 12-13) Non in caelo est, dicens: 'quis ascendet in caelum et accipiet nobis illud, et audientes illud faciemus?' Neque trans mare est, dicens: 'quis transfretabit nobis trans mare et accipiet nobis illud, et audientes illud faciemus?' (it is not in heaven, saying, "who will go up into heaven and take it for us, and hearing it we will do it?" Nor is it across the sea, saying, "who will cross the sea for us and take it for us, and hearing it we will do it?") It put dicens (saying) for what is "so that you may say," a new expression.

67. (31, 8) Et Dominus qui comitatur tibi tecum (and the Lord who accompanies to you with you).

68. (31, 16) Et dixit Dominus ad Moysen: 'ecce tu dormies cum patribus tuis' (and the Lord said to Moses, "behold, you shall sleep with your fathers"); by this word it signified his death.

69. (31, 27) Amaricantes eratis quae ad Deum (you were embittering the things that pertain to God); that is, "you were embittering the things that are God's."

70. (31, 29) Scio enim, quia post obitum meum iniquitate iniquitatem facietis (for I know that after my death you will do iniquity an iniquity); but it is said in Greek by one word, iniquitatem facietis (you will do iniquity), which is [Greek text].

71. (31, 29) Et occurrent vobis mala novissimum dierum (and evils will meet you, the last of days); for thus the Greek has it, instead of "in the last days" or "in the last of days."

72. (32, 6) Nonne hic ipse pater tuus possedit te et fecit te et creavit te? (is not this same one your father, who possessed you and made you and created you?) The order is to be noted; for it seems it ought first to have said creavit te et fecit te (created you and made you), and then possedit te (possessed you); for how is one who does not exist understood to be able to be possessed?

73. (32, 14) Cum adipe renum tritici (with the fat of the kidneys of wheat). This metaphor is exceedingly unusual, that renes tritici (the kidneys of wheat) be understood as, so to speak, the inner parts of the wheat from which the flour is cast out; for it also said adipem (fat), for by this word the Greeks are wont to call flour as well; for the Greek has this in Exodus, where it is written elevantes farinam super humeros suos (Exod 12:34) (carrying the flour upon their shoulders), since the Greek translator put [Greek text], which is "fat."

74. (32, 20) Filii in quibus non est fides in eis (children in whom there is no faith in them); an expression customary to the Scriptures.

75. (32, 36) Quoniam iudicabit Dominus populum suum et in servis suis consolabitur (for the Lord will judge his people and will be comforted in his servants); for "he will comfort his servants," unless perhaps he says that he himself is comforted by a transferred word, as it were from the indignation and offense by which the wicked offend him. But his comfort is to be understood thus, not after the manner of men; just as neither is his anger nor zeal nor other such things.

76. (32, 37) Ubi sunt dii eorum in quibus fidebant in ipsis (where are their gods in whom they trusted in them); it would be complete even without in ipsis (in them).

77. (32, 40) Et iurabo dexteram meam (and I will swear my right hand); that is, "by my right hand."

78. (32, 42) Laetamini caeli simul cum eo, et adorent eum omnes angeli Dei (rejoice, O heavens, together with him, and let all the angels of God worship him). Other manuscripts have et adorent eum omnes filii Dei (and let all the sons of God worship him). But that those who are angels in the heavens are called filios Dei (sons of God) is not easily found in Holy Scripture.

1. (1, 14) Vos autem transibitis expediti priores fratribus vestris, omnis fortis (but you shall pass over unencumbered, ahead of your brothers, every strong man); that is, everyone who is strong among you.

2. (3, 4) Ut sciatis viam quam ibitis eam (that you may know the way which you shall go it); it would be complete even if it did not have eam (it).

3. (5, 13) Et factum est cum esset Iesus in Iericho (and it came to pass when Joshua was in Jericho), an expression to be noted; for they were not yet in that city, whose gates had been shut against them; whence it came about that they could not enter it unless its walls fell when the ark of the Lord was carried around. Therefore in Iericho (in Jericho) is said for "in the land that belonged to Jericho."

4. (6, 1) Of Jericho it is said, when it was shut up, nec quisquam ex illa prodibat neque introibat (and no one went forth out of it nor came in); certainly "into it" is understood, not "out of it"; this is called in Greek [Greek text].

5. (6, 2) The Lord says to Joshua: ecce ego trado tibi subiugatam Iericho et regem eius qui est in ea, potentes fortitudine (behold, I deliver to you Jericho subdued and its king who is in it, mighty in strength). It is to be wondered at that here it did not put the connective conjunction, so as to say "and mighty in strength," which Scripture is wont to put so constantly that it is found even where it impedes the sense of the customary expression. Or are both Jericho and its king called potentes fortitudine (mighty in strength)?

6. (6, 25; 4, 9) Et Raab meretricem et domum paternam eius vivificavit Iesus, et commorata est in Israel usque in hodiernum diem (and Joshua kept alive Rahab the harlot and her father's house, and she has dwelt in Israel until the present day). It is to be noted how Scripture says usque in hodiernum diem (until the present day), which it constantly says. For of those twelve stones too, which were set up where the Jordan had flowed down on the lower side and on the upper side had stood still while the ark or the people crossed, it is said that they were there usque in hodiernum diem (until the present day); which seems to sound as though these things were narrated through this Scripture after a very long time, and these books were not written down at the time when these events were most recent. But whoever thinks this, what will he say of this harlot, who certainly lived as long as the lifespan of one human being, and yet it is said usque in hodiernum diem (until the present day)? Therefore this is said of those things which are so established that they were not afterward changed by those who established them; just as someone is said to be sent into perpetual exile because he is not punished with this penalty for a predefined time, not because anyone can be perpetual in exile, since the man himself cannot be perpetual. So therefore this harlot too was not commanded to dwell in Israel for a time; therefore it is said usque in hodiernum diem (until the present day).

7. (7, 11) The Lord says to Joshua: Peccavit populus et transgressus est Testamentum meum, quod disposui ad eos (the people has sinned and has transgressed my covenant which I appointed to them). It is to be noted how it calls testamentum (covenant) this which it had commanded, that Jericho should be under the ban and that no one should appropriate anything from it for himself.

8. (8, 1-2) The Lord, speaking to Joshua, says among other things: ecce dedi in manus tuas regem Gai et terram ipsius, et facies Gai sicut fecisti Iericho et regi eius et praedam pecorum praedaberis tibi (behold, I have given into your hands the king of Ai and his land, and you shall do to Ai as you did to Jericho and its king, and the spoil of the cattle you shall plunder for yourself).

The expression is especially to be noted, not only because it said praedaberis tibi (you shall plunder for yourself), as though that spoil were to belong to one, when it was to belong to all—for such expressions are most customary when God speaks as though to one what he speaks to a people—but this is new here, because Scripture had said beforehand et dixit Dominus ad Iesum (and the Lord said to Joshua), who is established to have been one man. Yet what it said, praedaberis tibi (you shall plunder for yourself), was certainly not said in such a way that the spoil was commanded to belong to this one man, but to the whole people.

9. (8, 12) Et insidiae erant civitati a mari (and the ambush was for the city from the sea). One who does not know thinks this city was a seaside one. But it is the custom of the Scriptures to call the western side "from the sea" or "toward the sea," because, from that side, the land where these things were taking place has the sea nearer than from the other sides.

10. (8, 18) Extende manum tuam in gaeso quod est in manu tua contra civitatem (stretch out your hand with the javelin that is in your hand toward the city). This expression would not be worth noting except on account of the noun, which is obscure to those in whose usage it is not. For what gaeson may mean is not easily understood. The translator Symmachus is reported to have called this a shield; but the Septuagint translators, according to whom we are treating these matters, who put gaeson, I wonder whether in the Greek language too they wished a "spear" or a "Gallic lance" to be understood; for those things are called gaesa which Virgil too mentions, where he says of the Gauls depicted on the shield of Aeneas: duo quisque Alpina coruscant gaesa manu (Virgil, Aeneid 8.661–62) (each brandishes two Alpine javelins in his hand).

11. (8, 22) Et facti sunt inter medium castrorum, hi hinc et hi hinc (and they came to be in the midst of the camps, these on this side and these on that side).

Two things are to be noted in this expression: one, that, although the enemies who were being conquered were in the midst, it is said as though of these that these were on this side and these on that side, whereas it was rather the Israelites who had placed them in the midst to be struck down;

the other, that Scripture says they came to be in the midst of the camps, calling castra (camps) even the drawn-out battle lines set up in combat, although they are not usually called camps except where an army halts to remain; unless perhaps they were called camps for this reason, that they went with all their belongings.

12. (8, 27) Exceptis pecoribus et spoliis quae erant in civitate praedati sunt filii Israel secundum praeceptum Domini, quemadmodum constituit Dominus Iesu (except the cattle and spoils which were in the city, the sons of Israel took as plunder according to the command of the Lord, as the Lord appointed for Joshua). It is said thus, exceptis pecoribus et spoliis praedati sunt (except the cattle and spoils they took as plunder), as though they did not plunder these, whereas they rather plundered these; and they were therefore said to be excepted because these alone were not destroyed in that battle.

13. (9, 7) The Israelites, answering the Gibeonites, said: Vide, ne in me habites, et quomodo disponam tibi Testamentum? (see, lest you dwell in me, and how shall I arrange a covenant for you?) We have already noted such expressions above. For this, vide ne in me habites (see, lest you dwell in me), is what is "with me," that is, in the land which God had promised them. And here too they seem to have spoken as though to one man, although more than one envoy came to them; but in their manner, rendering answers to a nation and a people, they speak in the singular number, just as for the most part God or their own leader does to them as well. It is also to be noted that Scripture calls a pact of peace Testamentum (a covenant), in its own manner indeed; for it often speaks thus.

14. (10, 17) Et nuntiatum est Iesu dicentes: 'inventi sunt quinque reges absconditi in spelunca' (and it was announced to Joshua, saying, "the five kings have been found hidden in a cave"); instead of what is "they announced, saying."

15. (10, 25) Ita faciet Dominus omnibus inimicis vestris, quos vos debellabitis eos (so the Lord will do to all your enemies, whom you will war down them); nothing would be lacking to this sentence even if it did not have eos (them).

16. (11, 19-20) Et omnes cepit in bello, quia per Dominum factum est confortari cor eorum, ut obviam irent ad bellum ad Israel, ut exterminarentur (and he took them all in war, because it came about through the Lord that their heart was strengthened, so that they went out to battle against Israel, that they might be destroyed); it is to be noted that confortari cor (that the heart be strengthened) is not always to be taken in a good sense.

17. (14, 6) Tu scis verbum, quod locutus est Dominus ad Moysen hominem Dei de me et te (you know the word which the Lord spoke to Moses the man of God concerning me and you); it did not say "his man."

18. (17, 16) Et dixerunt filii Ioseph: 'non sufficit nobis mons et equus electus et ferrum Chananaeo qui habitat in Baethsan.' (and the sons of Joseph said, "the mountain is not enough for us, and there is choice horse and iron to the Canaanite who dwells in Beth-shan.") It said equum electum (choice horse) for "choice horses," which is not customary in our speech; whence some Latin translators were unwilling to render equum (horse), but "cavalry." But equus electus (choice horse) was said for "horses" just as in our usage "the soldier" is said for "soldiers."

19. (19, 33-34) Et facti sunt exitus illorum Iordanes. Et revertentur fines ad mare (and their goings out came to be the Jordan. And the borders will return toward the sea). It did not say "returned" or at least "return," as it is wont to say of borders, but revertentur (will return), as though it were still future, though this is a narration of past things. And in almost all the divisions of the lands themselves, tribe by tribe, Scripture speaks in such a way as to use verbs of the future tense.

20. (20, 9) Refugere illuc qui percusserit animam nolens (that he may flee thither who shall have struck a soul unwillingly). Here we ought to understand animam (a soul) either as "a man" or as "the life of the flesh," which comes about through the soul; by which expression that too was said by the brothers of Joseph: non percutiamus eius animam (Gen 37:21) (let us not strike his soul), that is, "let us not kill him"; for if the soul could be struck by a slayer, the Lord would not say nolite timere eos, qui corpus occidunt, animam autem non possunt occidere (Matt 10:28) (do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul).

21. (21, 2) Mandavit Dominus in manu Moysi (the Lord commanded in the hand of Moses). An expression most familiar to the Scriptures; for thus it is said "the word that came to be in the hand of this or that prophet," that is, given into his power of speaking.

22. (21, 40) Et accepit Iesus cultros petrinos, in quibus circumciderat filios Israel (and Joshua took stone knives, in which he had circumcised the sons of Israel). It did not say "with which he had circumcised," but in quibus (in which).

23. (22, 7) Et ubi dimisit eos Iesus in domos suas, et benedixit eos dicens (and when Joshua sent them away to their homes, and he blessed them, saying). The connective conjunction, that is, et (and), seems superfluous here; for it could be said thus: "and when Joshua sent them away to their homes, he blessed them, saying."

24. (22, 8) Likewise another expression is to be noted: that, when Scripture had said et benedixit eos Iesus dicens (and Joshua blessed them, saying) and by these words had made the hearers attentive as to what Joshua said in blessing, it added only this: in divitiis multis abierunt in domos suas; et pecora multa valde et argentum et aurum et vestem multam valde diviserunt praedam inimicorum suorum cum fratribus suis (in great riches they went away to their homes; and very many cattle and silver and gold and very much clothing—they divided the spoil of their enemies with their brothers); which appears to belong rather to one narrating than to one blessing.

25. (22, 10) Aedificaverunt ibi aram super Iordanem, aram magnam videre (they built there an altar by the Jordan, an altar great to look upon); this expression is known in Latin speech too.

26. (22, 11) Et audierunt filii Israel dicentium (and the sons of Israel heard of those saying). It did not say "saying [dative]" or "saying [accusative/nominative]."

27. (22, 27) Servire servitutem Domini (to serve the service of the Lord). In this expression two things are to be noted: servire servitutem (to serve a service), which is also found as a Latin expression, and servitutem Domini (the service of the Lord), that is, which is owed or rendered to the Lord.

28. (22, 30) Et audientes Phinees sacerdos et omnes principes synagogae, qui erant cum illo, verba, quae locuti sunt filii Ruben et filii Gad et dimidium tribus Manasses, et placuerunt illis (and Phinehas the priest and all the leaders of the assembly who were with him, hearing the words which the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh spoke, and they pleased them). Audientes (hearing) is put for "they heard," or else there is an extra et (and) here. And yet not without inconsistency, because "when they had heard" should have been said.

29. (23, 1) Et Iesus senior provectus diebus (and Joshua, an elder, advanced in days). We noted this said of Abraham, that in the Scriptures not only one who is below the age of senis (an old man) is called seniorem (an elder), but also one who is valde senem (very old) (See Questions 1.35; 1.70); whence not every elder can be called an old man, but every old man can be called an elder.

30. (24, 7) Et induxit super illos mare et operuit super illos (and he brought over them the sea and covered over them); it did not say "covered them," although some translators preferred to say this.

31. (24, 17) In omnibus gentibus quas transivimus per ipsas (among all the nations which we passed through them); these expressions are customary in the Scriptures and not to be noted as often as they occur.

1. (1, 1) Et factum est postquam defunctus est Iesus, interrogabant filii Israel in Domino (and it came to pass after Joshua died, the sons of Israel inquired in the Lord); it did not say "the Lord," which the usage of our speech demanded.

2. (1, 3) Et bellemus in Chananaeo (and let us make war in the Canaanite). It did not say "against the Canaanite," or "facing the Canaanite," or at least "into the Canaanite."

3. (2, 8) Et mortuus est Iesus filius Nave servus Domini, filius centum decem annorum (and Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, a son of one hundred ten years). This repetition—that, when it had said filius Nave (son of Nun), it repeated filius (son) and then added centum decem annorum (of one hundred ten years)—is unusual, in that it said filius centum decem annorum (a son of one hundred ten years) rather than "a man of one hundred ten years"; but yet it is found elsewhere too.

4. (2, 10) Et omnis generatio appositi sunt ad patres suos (and the whole generation, they were gathered to their fathers). The expression is to be noted, that it did not say "it was gathered," because they were many.

5. (2, 14) Tradidit eos in manu praedantium (he delivered them in the hand of plunderers); it did not say "into the hand," which the Latin expression seems to require.

6. (2, 18) Et cum suscitavit Dominus eis iudices, et erat Dominus cum iudice (and when the Lord raised up judges for them, and the Lord was with the judge); by the customary expression there is an extra et (and) here, for it would be complete: "and when the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge,"

this too is to be noted, that, passing from the plural to the singular, it did not say "with the judges," but cum iudice (with the judge), that is, with each judge.

7. (2, 19) Et factum est, cum moreretur iudex, et revertebantur et iterum corrumpebant super patres suos (and it came to pass, when the judge died, and they would turn back and again would corrupt themselves beyond their fathers). The correct expression could be thus, according to the usage of our speech: "and it would come to pass, when the judge died, they would turn back and again would corrupt themselves beyond their fathers." If it did not have et (and), it would be complete: "when the judge died, they would turn back and again would corrupt themselves beyond their fathers," that is, "more than their fathers."

8. (2, 20) Propter quod tanta dereliquit gens haec Testamentum meum (because this nation has so greatly forsaken my covenant). It said tanta (so great [a quantity]) for "so much," that is, so greatly—a noun for an adverb, which is found also in Latin expressions, especially poetic ones.

9. (2, 20) Et non obaudierunt vocis meae (and they did not obey my voice [genitive]); it is rather a Greek expression.

10. (3, 10) Factus est super eum Spiritus Domini (the Spirit of the Lord came to be upon him). Since the Spiritus Domini (Spirit of the Lord) certainly did not come to be, but came to be upon him, it is said as if it were said: it came about that he was upon him. From which expression there is also read in the Gospel: ante me factus est (John 1:30) (he came to be before me), that is, it came about that he was before me; which would be said another way: "he was set ahead of me."

11. (3, 21) Et sumpsit Aod gladium de super femore suo dextro (and Ehud took the sword from upon his right thigh). It could be rendered thus, what the Greek has, [Greek text]; for the expression is less Latin.

12. (3, 17) Erat autem Eglom vir exilis valde (now Eglon was a very slender man). This was said by irony, that is, the following words indicate it by a contrary expression; for when he was struck, it is said that the fat closed over the wound, because the sword was not drawn out of his belly.

13. (3, 31) Et percussit alienigenas in sescentos viros (and he struck the foreigners to six hundred men); it did not say "six hundred men of the foreigners," or at least "the foreigners in six hundred men."

14. (4, 6) Nonne praecepit Dominus Deus Israel tibi: 'et perges in montem Thabor?' (has not the Lord God of Israel commanded you: "and you shall go to Mount Tabor?") It did not say "that you should go," which seems to be the consequence, but by an unusual expression, nonne praecepit tibi; 'et perges' (has he not commanded you: "and you shall go"), so that we understand the word that was placed above, and it be "have you not gone?"

Or by the customary expression it has an extra et (and); for when this conjunction is removed, the sense runs: "has not the Lord God of Israel commanded you: you shall go to Mount Tabor et accipies tecum decem millia virorum (and you shall take with you ten thousand men)?" and so on.

15. (4, 8) Quoniam nescio diem, in quo Dominus prosperat angelum mecum (for I do not know the day on which the Lord prospers the angel with me); whether he prospers the acts of his angel who is with me, or makes things prosperous for me through the angel.

16. (4, 13) Omnes currus suos nongentos currus ferreos (all his chariots, nine hundred iron chariots). Wherever the pause is made, the repetition is elegant: whether omnes currus suos (all his chariots), and then there follow nongentos currus ferreos (nine hundred iron chariots); or omnes currus suos nongentos (all his nine hundred chariots), and then be introduced currus ferreos (iron chariots).

17. (4, 15) Et pavefecit Dominus Sisaram et omnes currus eius et omnia castra eius in ore gladii in conspectu Barach (and the Lord terrified Sisera and all his chariots and all his camp by the edge of the sword in the sight of Barak). How did he terrify the chariots, unless you understand those who were in the chariots?

18. (4, 15) Et pavefecit Dominus Sisaram et omnes currus eius et omnia castra eius in ore gladii in conspectu Barach (and the Lord terrified Sisera and all his chariots and all his camp by the edge of the sword in the sight of Barak). He terrified by the edge of the sword, as if he said "he slew by the edge of the sword"; pavefecit (he terrified), then, when they were being cut down by the sword.

19. (4, 16) Et descendit Sisara de super curru suo (and Sisera came down from upon his chariot); it could be said in Latin thus, what is in Greek [Greek text].

20. (4, 18) Et cooperuit eum in pelle sua (and she covered him in her skin); it did not say "with a skin" or "with a skin [de + ablative]"; for thus the Greek has it: [Greek text].

21. (4, 20) Et erit si quis venerit ad te et dixerit: 'est hic vir?' Et dices: 'non est.' (and it shall be, if anyone comes to you and says, "is there a man here?" and you shall say, "there is not.") With the conjunction removed it has a consistent sense: "if anyone comes to you and says, 'is there a man here?' you shall say, 'there is not.'"

22. (4, 24) Et pergebat manus filiorum Israel pergens (and the hand of the sons of Israel went on, going); it is a customary and frequent expression.

23. (4, 24) Et indurabatur in Iabin regem Chanaan (and it was hardening against Jabin king of Canaan); this word indurabatur (was hardening) is used in a new way, for "it was becoming strong and exceedingly powerful."

24. (4, 26) Perforavit caput eius et percussit (she pierced his head and struck him); that is, she struck his head and pierced it.

25. (4, 31) Sic pereant omnes inimici tui, Domine; et diligentes eum sicut ortus solis in potentia eius (so let all your enemies perish, O Lord; and let those who love him be as the rising of the sun in its power); it did not say "those who love you," although it certainly wished it to be understood of the Lord.

26. (6, 3) Et factum est quando seminavit vir Israel (and it came to pass when the man of Israel sowed); it does not signify one man, but the nation itself.

27. (6, 3) Ascendebat Madian et Amalech et filii orientis et ascendebant super eum (Midian and Amalek and the sons of the East would come up, and they would come up against him); this repetition of the word does not seem to have the customary elegance or feeling.

28. (6, 9) Et liberavi vos de manu Aegypti (and I delivered you from the hand of Egypt); by manum (hand) it signifies power, by Aegyptum (Egypt) the Egyptians.

29. (6, 13) Et dixit ad eum Gedeon: 'in me, Domine, mi' (and Gideon said to him, "on me, my Lord"); "attend" is understood, that is, "attend to me." And this expression is most familiar to the Scriptures.

30. (6, 13) Et si est Dominus nobiscum, et ut quid invenerunt nos omnia mala ista? (and if the Lord is with us, and why have all these evils found us?) It has an extra conjunction et (and), as Scripture is wont to speak; if it is removed, the sentence is complete: "and if the Lord is with us, why have all these evils found us?" Although the earlier conjunction too could be removed with the sentence kept intact, so that, when it had said in me, Domine mi (on me, my Lord), there would then follow si est Dominus nobiscum, ut quid invenerunt nos omnia mala ista? (if the Lord is with us, why have all these evils found us?); for the usage of our expression rather requires this.

31. (6, 25) Et vitulum annorum septem (and a calf of seven years). Here it is manifest how Scripture calls calves; for an ox of seven years, according to the usage of our expression, is certainly not a calf. According to this expression, then, it was said of Shamgar that he slew sescentos viros praeter vitulos boum (Judg 3:31) (six hundred men besides the calves of the oxen), that is, "besides the oxen."

32. (6, 34) Et cecinit in cornea (and he sounded on the horn); "trumpet" is understood; for the Greek does not have tuba (trumpet), but only cornea (horn).

33. (7, 12) Camelis eorum non erat numerus, et erant sicut arena quae est ad labium maris (their camels had no number, and they were as the sand which is at the lip of the sea). It is agreed to be said as a hyperbole, with regard to multitude. But this rendering, where it put labium maris (the lip of the sea) for "the shore," is constant in the Scriptures, but rare in the Latin manuscripts, because most rendered litus (shore), wishing rather to put down what labium (lip) signified than labium (lip) itself. For if the Septuagint translators had wished to say "shore," the Greek language would not have lacked a word to say it.

34. (7, 16) Et divisit trecentos viros per tria principia (and he divided the three hundred men into three beginnings); it put principia (beginnings) for "parts."

35. (8, 1) Et dixerunt ad Gedeon vir Ephraem (and the man of Ephraim said to Gideon); that is, the men of the tribe of Ephraim.

36. (8, 1) Quid verbum hoc fecisti nobis, ut non vocares nos cum exires pugnare in Madian? (what is this word you have done to us, that you did not call us when you went out to fight in Midian?) It put verbum (word) for "deed."

37. (9, 4) Et dederunt septuaginta argenti (and they gave seventy of silver); "by weight" is understood, or something of the kind; the rendering from the Hebrew has septuaginta pondo (seventy by weight).

38. (9, 4) Et conduxit in ipsis Abimelech viros (and Abimelech hired men in them); it said in ipsis (in them) for "out of them," that is, out of the seventy by weight of silver he hired men.

39. (9, 4) Viros inanes et perturbatos (empty and disordered men). It put inanes (empty) for "light men," to whom "weighty men" are contrary, whence it is said: in populo gravi laudabo te (Ps 35:18 (34:18)) (in a weighty people I will praise you).

40. (9, 5) Et intravit in domum patris sui in Ephratha et interfecit fratres suos filios Ierobaal septuaginta viros super lapidem unum (and he entered the house of his father in Ophrah and killed his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, upon one stone). Because it had already said above that the sons of Jerubbaal, that is, of Gideon, were seventy, and now says that these seventy were killed, although two fewer were killed—that is, the one who killed them and the younger Jotham who hid, of whom it says by way of addition et remansit Ioatham filius Ierobaal iunior, quoniam abscondit se (and Jotham the younger son of Jerubbaal remained, because he hid himself)—and on this account it put the whole number for nearly the whole.

41. (9, 23) Et spreverunt viri Sicimorum in domo Abimelech (and the men of Shechem despised in the house of Abimelech); it did not say "they despised the house of Abimelech."

42. (9, 34) Et insidiati sunt super Sicimam quattuor principia (and they lay in ambush against Shechem, four beginnings); that is, four parts. We have already noted this expression above too (Locutions 7.34).

43. (9, 43) Et accepit populum et divisit eum in tria principia (and he took the people and divided them into three beginnings); it said accepit (he took) of that people who were with him; and here it put tria principia (three beginnings) for "three parts."

44. (9, 55) Et abierunt vir in locum suum (and the man went away to his place); that is, "each one."

45. (11, 8) Et eris nobis in caput omnibus habitantibus Galaad (and you shall be to us for a head to all the inhabitants of Gilead); it did not say "you shall be our head"; for thus Scripture is wont to speak. Whence there is: esto mihi in Deum protectorem et in domum refugii (Ps 31:3 (30:3)) (be to me for a protecting God and for a house of refuge), and many things of this kind.

46. (11, 34) Et haec unica ei, et non est ei praeter ipsam filius aut filia (and this one was an only child to him, and there is not to him besides her a son or daughter); this is what was said, unica ei (an only child to him), but the statement is repeated for the sake of affection.

47. (13, 2) Et non est ei praeter ipsam filius aut filia (and there is not to him besides her a son or daughter); non est ei (there is not to him) is said for "there was not to him"; for past things are being narrated.

48. (13, 2) Et uxor eius sterilis et non pariebat (and his wife was barren and did not bear), when what was said, sterilis (barren), could have sufficed.

49. (13, 8) Et precatus est Manue Dominum et dixit: 'in me, Domine, homo Dei, quem misisti, veniat nunc iterum ad nos' (and Manoah prayed to the Lord and said, "on me, O Lord, the man of God whom you sent, let him now come again to us"); in me (on me) is said in such a way that "attend" is understood.

50. (15, 8) Et percussit eos tibiam super femur (and he struck them, shin upon thigh). This expression is unusual; yet it is an expression, not some place of a wound on the body, as I explained in the Questions (See Questions 7.55); this is: he struck them so as to cause amazement, to cause astonishment.

51. (15, 10) Et dixerunt vir Iuda: 'quare ascendistis super nos' (and the man of Judah said, "why have you come up against us"); it put the singular for the plural; for the men of Judah said it, not one man.

52. (15, 12) Ne forte occurratis in me vos (lest perhaps you fall upon me); instead of what is "lest you kill me." This expression too is explained in the Questions (See Questions 7.56).

53. (15, 13-14) Et reduxerunt eum de petra, et venit usque ad Maxillam (and they brought him back from the rock, and he came as far as Jawbone); the place was so named afterward from that deed which Samson himself did there, when, fighting with the jawbone of a donkey, he laid low a thousand. This, then, is said by prolepsis, because this history was written down after all those deeds.

54. (15, 14) Sicut stuppa cum olefecerit ignem (like tow when it has smelled fire); a metaphor from the animate to the inanimate; for tow does not have a sense of smell, but it is said as if it were said "when it has sensed the fire." Although this too which I said, "has sensed," pertains to the same metaphor; but what was said, olefecerit (has smelled), pertains to the swiftness to be understood.

55. (15, 15) Et extendit manum suam et accepit eam (and he stretched out his hand and took it); even if it did not say extendit manum suam (he stretched out his hand), we would certainly understand that it was taken with the hand stretched out.

56. (16, 2) Et nuntiatum est Gazaeis dicentes (and it was announced to the men of Gaza, saying); it did not say "they announced, saying," or "it was announced by those saying."

57. (16, 7) Si ligaverint me in septem nervis humidis nondum siccatis (if they bind me with seven moist sinews not yet dried); it did not say "with seven sinews," but in septem nervis (with seven sinews [in + ablative]).

58. (16, 7) Si ligaverint me in septem nervis humidis nondum siccatis, et infirmabor (if they bind me with seven moist sinews not yet dried, and I shall be weakened); it would be complete even if it did not have et (and).

59. (16, 9) Et insidiae ei sedebant in cubiculo (and the ambush was sitting for him in the chamber); which some rendered obsidebant (were besieging); but the Greek has [Greek text], that is, sedebat (it was sitting), because insidiae (ambush) is said in Greek in the singular number, and it cannot be said in Latin "an ambush [singular]." But the expression was to be noted, because it is said insidiae sedebant (the ambush were sitting), for those "who were lying in ambush"; for they themselves were sitting.

60. (16, 10) Nunc ergo indica mihi in quo ligaberis (now therefore tell me by what you may be bound); it did not say "with what you may be bound," or "from what you may be bound."

61. (16, 11) Si ligaverint me in funibus novis (if they bind me with new ropes); it did not say "with ropes."

62. (16, 11) Likewise: si ligaverint me in funiculis novis in quibus non est factum opus, et infirmabor (if they bind me with new cords on which no work has been done, and I shall be weakened); it would be complete even if et (and) were not put before.

63. (16, 15) Hoc tertium fefellisti me (this third you have deceived me); it put tertium (a third) for "a third time," or "thrice"—a noun, that is, for an adverb, which is also wont to be done elegantly in Latin expressions.

64. (16, 26) Dimitte me, et palpabo columnas, super quas domus confirmata est super eas (let me go, and I will feel the columns upon which the house is established upon them).