27 P. xiii. “We gather from another passage that the Only Teacher found his death in Damascus, but is expected to rise again (p. 19, l. 35; p. 20, l. 1; cf. also p. 6, l. 11).” The verb _’āmad_ means, as frequently in the later books of the Old Testament, “appear upon the scene.” In this sense it occurs repeatedly in the book before us, and there is nothing in the context here to suggest a different interpretation. 28 Cf. Acts 1 11. 29 See Isa. 59 20. 30 The quotation is to be thus restored; see Exod. 20 6 and Deut. 7 9. The next two or three lines are very obscure: “From the house of Peleg, who went out (or, will go out) from the city of the sanctuary, and they will rely on God (cf. Isa. 10 20) when the transgression of Israel is at an end, and will declare the sanctuary unclean, and will return to God. The prince (?) of the people with few words (??).” The house of Peleg may be an etymological allegory for the seceders; the city of the sanctuary is probably Jerusalem (cf. 6 11 ff., above, p. 338); but neither the connection with the preceding nor the meaning of the sequel is clear. 31 Text, “and confessed,” which leaves the sentence without a predicate. 32 See also 7 20: “The sceptre” (Num. 24 17) “is the prince of all the congregation; and when he arises he will destroy all the children of Seth.” 33 It is not improbable that the author thought also of the other meaning of the word _tāphēl_, here rendered “stucco,” viz. something insipid, stupid; cf. Lam. 2 14, in a passage which, like Ezek. 13 10, refers to the false prophets. I see nothing to indicate that “the wall” is the fence or hedge which the Pharisaean rabbis drew around the law to protect it from infraction, as Dr. Schechter thinks. 34 The text explains, “this is the prater of whom it says, they prate unceasingly” (4 19 f.; cf. Mic. 2 11). Dr. Schechter regards this explanation as “a disturbing parenthesis.” 35 The Jannes and Jambres of 2 Tim. 3 8. 36 Such marriages, especially with a sister’s daughter, are not only permitted, but especially commended in the Talmud (Yebamoth 62b-63a; see Maimonides, Issure Biah 2 14), and are still common in countries where the Jews are free to follow the rabbinical law. On the Karaite prohibition of marriage with a niece, see below, p. 366. 37 On the pollution of the sanctuary, cf. Assumption of Moses 5 3; Testament of Levi 14 5 ff.; Psalms of Solomon 2 3. 38 On the portals of the sun, see Enoch 72, etc. 39 Perhaps an error of the text for 2000; see below, § 8. 40 Cf. Jubilees 50 8. 41 This holds on week-days as well as on the Sabbath.