Note 39 — INTRODUCTION.

Thus, the love of God to Israel, which was greater than to all the seventy other nations mentioned in Ch. i. 2, was obtained by reducing the word ‏יין‎ to its numerical value, seventy; the two worlds, in verse 3, which the pious are to inherit, were obtained by changing ‏עלמות‎ maidens, into ‏עולמות‎ worlds, according to the example of the Talmud;39 the twenty-two letters with which the Law is written, in verse 4, were obtained by reducing the word ‏בך‎ to its numerical value; the Tabernacle, in verse 5, was obtained from the word ‏ירעות‎, and the effected peace by changing the proper name ‏שלמה‎ into ‏שלום‎ peace; the worship of the sun and moon, in verse 6, was obtained from the word ‏שמש‎ sun; the ploughing bullock, in verse 10, was obtained by changing ‏תורים‎ ringlet, and ‏חרוזים‎ necklace, into ‏תור חרז‎; the two tables shining as the best gold, verse 11, were obtained by rendering ‏תורי זהב‎ golden Laws, and the seven times seven, or the forty different interpretations of the Law, by reducing the word ‏זהב‎ to its numerical value, ‏ז‎ being seven, and ‏ה‎ and ‏ב‎ seven, and then multiplying seven by seven; the binding of Isaac, in verse 13, was obtained by rendering ‏צרור המור‎ by ‏ערור המוריה‎ the binding of Moriah; the sin of the calf, and the atonement of that, in verse 14, were obtained by changing ‏עין גדי‎ En-gedi, into ‏עון עגל‎ the sin of the calf, and by substituting ‏כפר‎ pardon, for ‏כופר‎ cypress-flower, according to the example of the Talmud.40 This is the development of Hagadic exegesis, and this the paraphrase appealed to in support of the allegorical interpretation, and in the track of which future allegorists more or less follow.