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corrected in the text and not in the margin； I attach little weight to it； for I
am not concerned to say what religious motive the scribes may have had
for acting as they did： possibly they did so from candour； wishing to
transmit the few exemplars of the Bible which they had found exactly in
their original state； marking the differences they discovered in the margin；
not as doubtful readings； but as simple variants。 （135） I have myself called
them doubtful readings； because it would be generally impossible to say
which of the two versions is preferable。
（136） Lastly； besides these doubtful readings the scribes have （by
leaving a hiatus in the middle of a paragraph） marked several passages as
mutilated。 （137） The Massoretes have counted up such instances； and they
amount to eight…and…twenty。 （138） I do not know whether any mystery is
thought to lurk in the number； at any rate the Pharisees religiously
preserve a certain amount of empty space。
（139） One of such hiatus occurs （to give an instance） in Gen。 iv：8；
where it is written； 〃And Cain said to his brother 。 。 。 。 and it came to pass
while they were in the field； &c。；〃 a space being left in which we should
expect to hear what it was that Cain said。
（140） Similarly there are （besides those points we have noticed） eight…
and… twenty hiatus left by the scribes。 （141） Many of these would not be
recognized as mutilated if it were not for the empty space left。 But I have
said enough on this subject。
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CHAPTER X。
AN EXAMINATION OF THE REMAINING BOOKS OF THE OLD
TESTAMENT ACCORDING TO THE PRECEDING METHOD。
（1） I now pass on to the remaining books of the Old Testament。 （2）
Concerning the two books of Chronicles I have nothing particular or
important to remark； except that they were certainly written after the time
of Ezra； and possibly after the restoration of the Temple by Judas
Maccabaeus ＇Endnote 19＇。 （2） For in chap。 ix。 of the first book we find a
reckoning of the families who were the first to live in Jerusalem； and in
verse 17 the names of the porters； of which two recur in Nehemiah。 （3）
This shows that the books were certainly compiled after the rebuilding of
the city。 （4） As to their actual writer； their authority； utility； and doctrine； I
come to no conclusion。 （5） I have always been astonished that they have
been included in the Bible by men who shut out from the canon the books
of Wisdom； Tobit； and the others styled apocryphal。 （6） I do not aim at
disparaging their authority； but as they are universally received I will leave
them as they are。
（7） The Psalms were collected and divided into five books in the time
of the second temple； for Ps。 lxxxviii。 was published； according to Philo…
Judaeus； while king Jehoiachin was still a prisoner in Babylon； and Ps。
lxxxix。 when the same king obtained his liberty： I do not think Philo
would have made the statement unless either it had been the received
opinion in his time； or else had been told him by trustworthy persons。
（8） The Proverbs of Solomon were； I believe； collected at the same
time； or at least in the time of King Josiah； for in chap。 xxv：1； it is written；
〃These are also proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah； king of
Judah； copied out。〃 （9） I cannot here pass over in silence the audacity of
the Rabbis who wished to exclude from the sacred canon both the
Proverbs and Ecclesiastes； and to put them both in the Apocrypha。 （10） In
fact； they would actually have done so； if they had not lighted on certain
passages in which the law of Moses is extolled。 （11） It is； indeed； grievous
to think that the settling of the sacred canon lay in the hands of such men；
however； I congratulate them； in this instance； on their suffering us to see
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these books in question； though I cannot refrain from doubting whether
they have transmitted them in absolute good faith； but I will not now
linger on this point。
（10） I pass on； then； to the prophetic books。 （11） An examination of
these assures me that the prophecies therein contained have been compiled
from other books； and are not always set down in the exact order in which
they were spoken or written by the prophets； but are only such as were
collected here and there； so that they are but fragmentary。
（12） Isaiah began to prophecy in the reign of Uzziah； as the writer
himself testifies in the first verse。 （13） He not only prophesied at that time；
but furthermore wrote the history of that king （see 2 Chron。 xxvi：22） in a
volume now lost。 （13） That which we possess； we have shown to have
been taken from the chronicles of the kings of Judah and Israel。
（14） We may add that the Rabbis assert that this prophet prophesied in
the reign of Manasseh； by whom he was eventually put to death； and；
although this seems to be a myth； it yet shows that they did not think that
all Isaiah's prophecies are extant。
（15） The prophecies of Jeremiah； which are related historically are also
taken from various chronicles； for not only are they heaped together
confusedly； without any account being taken of dates； but also the same
story is told in them differently in different passages。 （16） For instance； in
chap。 xxi。 we are told that the cause of Jeremiah's arrest was that he had
prophesied the destruction of the city to Zedekiah who consulted him。 （17）
This narrative suddenly passes； in chap xxii。； to the prophet's
remonstrances to Jehoiakim （Zedekiah's predecessor）； and the prediction
he made of that king's captivity； then； in chap。 xxv。； come the revelations
granted to the prophet previously； that is in the fourth year of Jehoiakim；
and； further on still； the revelations received in the first year of the same
reign。 （18） The continuator of Jeremiah goes on heaping prophecy upon
prophecy without any regard to dates； until at last； in chap。 xxxviii。 （as if
the intervening chapters had been a parenthesis）； he takes up the thread
dropped in。 chap。 xxi。
（19） In fact； the conjunction with which chap。 xxxviii。 begins； refers to
the 8th； 9th； and 10th verses of chap。 xxi。 Jeremiah's last arrest is then very
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differently described； and a totally separate cause is given for his daily
retention in the court of the prison。
（20） We may thus clearly see that these portions of the book have been
compiled from various sources； and are only from this point of view
comprehensible。 （21） The prophecies contained in the remaining chapters；
where Jeremiah speaks in the first person； seem to be taken from a book
written by Baruch； at Jeremiah's dictation。 （22） These； however； only
comprise （as appears from chap。 xxxvi：2） the prophecies revealed to the
prophet from the time of Josiah to the fourth year of Jehoiakim； at which
period the book begins。 （23） The contents of chap。 xlv：2； on to chap。 li：59；
seem taken from the same volume。
（24） That the book of Ezekiel is only a fragment； is clearly indicated
by the first verse。 （25） For anyone may see that the conjunction with
which it begins； refers to something already said； and connects what
follows therewith。 （26） However； not only this conjunction； but the whole
text of the discourse implies other writings。 （27） The fact of the present
work beginning the thirtieth year shows that the prophet is continuing； not
commencing a discourse； and this is confirmed by the writer； who
parenthetically states in verse 3； 〃The word of the Lord came often unto
Ezekiel the priest； the son of Buzi； in the land of the Chaldeans；〃 as if to
say that the prophecies which he