A difference of opinion exists regarding the glorious King who is here announced. From the earliest times, the Jews understood thereby the Messiah, either exclusively, or, at least, principally, so as to admit of a secondary reference to David. _Onkelos_ translates: "When a King shall rise out of Jacob, and out of Israel Messiah shall be anointed;"--_Jonathan_: "When a valiant King shall rise out of the house of Jacob, and out of Israel, Messiah, and a strong Sceptre shall be anointed." The Book of Sohar remarks on the words, "I see him, but now:" "This was in part fulfilled at that time; it will be completely fulfilled in the days of Messiah." (Compare the passages in _Jos. de_ _Voisin_, in the _Prooem._ on _R. Martini Pugio fid._ p. 68; _R. Martini_ iii. 3, c. 11; _Schöttgen_, "_Jesus Messias_," S. 151.) How widely this opinion was spread among the Jews, is sufficiently apparent from the circumstance, that the renowned pseudo-Messiah in the time of Hadrian adopted, with reference to the passage under review, the surname _Barcochba_, _i.e._, Son of the Star.--From the Jews, this interpretation very soon passed over to the Christians, who rightly found a warrant for it in the narrative of the star of the wise men from the East. _Cyril_ of Jerusalem defended the Messianic interpretation against _Julian_. (Compare _Julian_, ed. _Spanh._ p. 263 c. See other passages [Pg 100] from the fathers of the Church in _Calov._) According to _Theodoret_ (Quest. 44 in Numb.), there were, indeed, some to whom "Balaam appeared to have foretold nothing concerning our Saviour;" but this opinion was rejected as profane. The Messianic interpretation has, in a narrower and wider sense--_i.e._, as referring in the first instance to David, but in the highest and proper sense to Christ--become the prevailing one in the Evangelical Church also. It was defended even by such interpreters as _Calvin_ and _Clericus_, who, as to other passages, differed from the prevailing Messianic interpretation. (Compare especially _Mieg_, _de Stella et Sceptro Baleamitico_ in the _Thes. Nov._ p. 423 sqq., and _Boullier_, _Dissert. Syll. Amsterdam_ 1750, _Diss._ I.) On the other hand, the Messianic interpretation found a zealous and ingenious opponent, first in _Verschnir_ in the _Bibl. Brem. nova_, reprinted in his _Opusc._ He was joined by the rationalistic interpreters, who maintained an exclusive reference to David. But _Rosenmüller_ and _Baumgarten-Crusius_ (bibl. Theol. S. 369) returned to the Messianic interpretation.