vain." The dangers of riches are more frequently pointed out in Scripture than those of poverty; but this fact is accounted for by the circumstance, that riches are surrounded [Pg 297] with a glittering appearance, and that it is therefore necessary to warn those who are apt to choose them for their highest good. _Stier_ rightly calls to mind the promise of earthly blessings to those who fear God. But the circumstance must not be overlooked that the rich comes here into consideration, chiefly as to his _burial_. The Prophet would then not only proceed from the idea that all rich people are wicked, but also would simply suppose that all the rich receive an ignominious burial. But of that, the parable of the rich man in Luke xvi. 22, knows nothing: ἀπέθανε δὲ καὶ ὁ πλούσιος καὶ ἐτάφη, according to his riches; it is in hell only that he receives his reward. In opposition to _Gesenius_, _Hitzig_ remarks: "That transition of the signification is a fable." Following the example of _Martini_ he derives עשיר from the Arabic. But in opposition to that, _Gesenius_ again remarks in the _Thesaurus_: "_Sed haud minoribus difficultatibus laborat ea ratio, qua improbitatis significatum voluerunt Martinius et Hitzigius, collata nimirum radice_ עשר "_caespitavit_." _Tum enim haec radix nullam prorsum cum verbo_ עשר _necessitudinem habet, ita ut_ עשיר _h. l._ απ. λεγ. _esset; tum caespitandi vis nusquam ad peccatum, licet ad fortunam adversam, translata est._" If, with words of such frequent occurrence, it were allowable to search in the dialects, the business of the expounder would be a very ungrateful one. Nor does the form, which is commonly passive, favour this interpretation. According to _Beck_, עשיר is another form for עריץ. Others would change the reading. _Ewald_ proposes עשיק; Böttcher, עשי רע. Against all those conjectures, moreover, the circumstance militates, that, according to them, the verse would still belong to the humiliation of the Servant of God; whereas the description of the glorification had already begun in the preceding verse. For בְמותיו "in His death," _Gesenius_ and others propose to read בָמותיו, to which they assign the signification "His tomb-hill." But, altogether apart from this arbitrary change of the vowels, there is opposed to this conjecture the circumstance, that במה never occurs of the grave. According to _Gesenius_, במות, in Ezek. xliii. means "tombs;" but the common signification "high places," must be retained there also. In a spiritual point of view the sanctuaries of the Lord had become "high places." Ver. 10. "_And the Lord was pleased painfully to crush_ [Pg 298] _Him: when His soul hath given restitution, He shall see seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper through His hand._"