48 



REV. A. H. FINN, ON THE 



15). That would be suitable on the lips of Moses when the 

 memory of the transgression was fresh, but how can it be 

 accounted for on the part of any later writer ? 



The special praise of hevi is natural on the part of one who 

 was himself of Legate origin, particularly as the chief allusion 

 is to the faithfulness of the tribe in the matter of the Golden 

 Calf, when the descendants of Levi redeemed their character 

 by consecrating the fierce temper of their ancestor to the service 

 of the Lord. Would it have occurred to anyone but Moses 

 to make this one of the most remarkable features of the Blessing ? 

 The curious digression in Deut. x, 8, 9 (also only suitable if 

 Moses was the speaker) confirms this view. 



The blessing of Joseph corresponds in many respects to that 

 in Gen. xHx, but differs in the emphasis laid on the " ten 

 thousands of Ephraim.'"' No doubt there is an allusion to Jacob's 

 prediction that he should become greater than his brother 

 (Gen. xhnu, 19), but is that sufficient reason for its insertion 

 here ? Moses, however, would have had special reason for 

 noticing Ephraim since it was the tribe of Joshua, his 

 minister and faithful adherent, and already designated as his 

 successor. 



These considerations account reasonably for the facts when 

 we look for an explanation, but is it likely they would have 

 influenced anyone but Moses ? 



Then there are the differences between this Blessing and that 

 of Jacob. 



In Genesis the denunciation of Eeuben, Simeon, and Levi 

 are connected with incidents in Jacob's own life to which the 

 patriarch would naturally recur : here Eeuben is dismissed 

 with a prayer for his continued existence, Simeon is passed 

 over in silence, but Levi receives a glowing eulogium. In 

 Genesis Judah is indeed the praised one : here he is rather 

 interceded for. In Genesis Dan is likened to a serpent in the 

 way : here he is called a lion's whelp, the designation reserved 

 for Judah by Jacob. In Genesis Benjamin is likened to a 

 ravening wolf : here he is " the beloved of the Lord.'"' 



Now on any theory the Blessing of Moses was considerably 

 later than that of Jacob. Who would have ventured to depart 

 so widely from the sayings attributed to the father of the nation, 

 and even (in the case of Levi) to change a curse into a blessing ? 

 Surely that could only be done by one in such a position of 

 authority as Moses held, and none after him. 



