INTRODUCTION. Ixv 



And again, 



They looking back all th' eastern side beheld 

 Of Paradise so late their happy seat, 

 Wav'd over by that flaming brand, the gate 

 With dreadful faces throng'd, and fiery arms, 



The words in the original may either be un- 

 derstood metaphorically of a flame like a 

 sword, or it may be translated a consuming 

 flame, a flame of burning heat ; the original 

 word 1 often signifying an exhausting and 

 violent heat. The word which we translate 

 turned every way? is in Hithpael, and signifies 

 an action upon itself; it is used in the same 

 conjugation in other passages, where the sense 

 seems to be that of revolving or rolling. 3 

 Ezekiel in his vision of the cherubim, de- 

 scribing the fire that preceded their appear- 

 ance, says that it infolded itself. 4 



The last words of the passage in question, 

 to keep the way of the tree of life, admit of 

 two opposite interpretations either to shut 

 it up from all access, or to prevent it from 

 being wholly closed. Perhaps the following 

 interpretation that the end for which the 



1 Heb. mn 2 Heb. mannon 



3 Judges vii. 13. Job. xxxvii. 12. 



4 Ezek. I. 4. Heb^nnp^riD w& 



