served to be prevented from [benefiting themselves by the atoning power of] repentance, which would have been the remedy [necessary for them]. And it is in consequence of this [principle] that it is written in the law: And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, (Exod. xiv. 4.); for he (Pharaoh) having first sinned by himself (i. e. with his free-will), in having dealt so wickedly with the Israelites who were sojourning in his land, as it is said: Come on, let us deal wisely with them, (Exod. i. 10.), justice required, that he should be prevented from becoming a penitent, in order that punishment might be inflicted on him; and for this reason the Holy One, blessed be He! hardened his heart.

V. But, [it may be objected], why then did He send [word] to him (Pharaoh) by Moses, saying: Let [My people] go and repent; whereas the Holy One, blessed be He! had already said to him: [I know] that thou wilt not let [them] go, as it is said: "But as for thee

EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART, AND CONVERT, AND BE HEALED*.

:

4 12" TV literally until they were sentenced (condemned).

6 But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the Lord God.

* Expressions which plainly show, that in cases of very aggravated sins, the punishment inflicted on the sinners, may consist in God's not suffering them to become penitents.

(Exod. ix. 30.); [cause] have I

and thy servants, I know, &c. And in very deed for this raised thee up, (Exod. ix. 16.)? [It was] to show to those who dwell here below, that whenever the Holy One, blessed be He! [chooses to] prevent the sinner from becoming a penitent, it is no longer in his (the sinner's) power to turn, but that he must die in that wickedness, which he first committed with his own [free-] will3.

VI. This was also the case with Sihon, who, in consequence of his iniquities, [likewise] deserved to be prevented from becoming a pe

1 And in very deed for this [cause] have I raised thee up, for to shew [in] thee My power; and that My Name may be declared throughout all the earth.

2

כדי להודיע לבאי העולם שבזמן שמונע הקדוש ברוך literally : in order to make known to הוא התשובה לחוטא

those that come into the world, that at the time when the Holy One, blessed be He! withholds repentance from the sinner.

3 So that the purpose of the Almighty in publicly admonishing Pharaoh to forsake his wickedness and to repent, when He knew that He Himself had already deprived him of the power of ever doing so, was merely that of setting forth a public example, by which men might be taught to know, that although He has fully granted to them the power and faculty of free-agency and free-will, yet by doing so He has not resigned His power over them; but can, as the giver of that faculty, deprive his creatures of the gift, whenever He is provoked, by their wickedness, to do so.

4 literally and so also Sihon, (King of Heshbon, who would not let Israel pass through his land, as recorded in Deut. ii).

5

nitent, as it is said: For the Lord thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, (Deut. ii. 30). And so [it was with] the Canaanites, whom He also prevented from becoming penitents, in consequence of their abominations, so that they made war against Israel, as it is said: For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that He might destroy them utterly, (Josh. xi. 20). Again so [it was with] the Israelites, in the days of Elijah, [namely, that] in consequence of their having so frequently transgressed, He prevented those that transgressed so many times, from becoming penitents, as it is said: And [that] Thou hast turned their heart back again, (1 Kings xviii. 37.); by which it was meant to express: Thou hast withholden repentance from them, (i. e. Thou hast not suf fered them to repent).

7

VII. Hence we say that God neither decreed that Pharaoh should deal wickedly with

5 But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him;

FOR THE LORD THY GOD HARDENED HIS SPIRIT, AND MADE

HIS HEART OBSTINATE, that He might deliver him into thy hand, as [appeareth] this day.

6 literally because.

7 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that Thou [art] the Lord God, AND [THAT] THOU HAST

TURNED THEIR HEART BACK AGAIN.

8 literally: consequently, thou [mayest] say.

Israel, nor that Sihon should sin by [refusing to the Israelites a passage through] his land, nor that the Canaanites should commit abominable deeds, nor that Israel should worship idols, but that all these sinned with their free-will1; yet that all of them deserved to have repentance withholden from them, (i. e. to be prevented from becoming penitents). Now with reference2 to this, the righteous men and also the prophets used to entreat God in their prayers, to assist them in [arriving at] the way of truth, as David said: Teach me Thy way, O Lord; (Ps. lxxxvi. 11); meaning: May my sins not prevent me from [arriving at] the way of truth, by which I may [come to] know Thy way and the Unity of Thy Name. Moreover this is also that which he (David) said: And uphold me [with Thy] free spirit, (Ps. li. 12.); by which he meant: May my free-spirit suffer me to fulfil Thy desire; and may my sins not become the cause of my being prevented from [benefiting myself by] repentance; but rather may that free-spirit continue with me3, so that I may

literally: but אלא תהיה הרשות בידי 3

may that power (free-will) be in my hand. So that David in saying: And uphold me [with Thy] free spirit, prayed to God for the continuance of that free-will which might prove a means of prompting him to repent of his former sins; knowing that all hope of ever becoming a true penitent would be lost to him, were

he

[be able to] turn, to comprehend, and to know the way of truth. And in the same manner [may also be explained] all other verses similar to these.

VIII. But then, [it may be asked], what [means] that which David said: Good and ирright [is] the Lord; therefore will He teach sinners in the way, (Ps. xxv. 8.)?—The meek will He guide &c. (Ps. xxv. 9.)?-All this was [said] with regard to His having sent [His]

he to be punished for his sins, by the most dreadful of punishments, namely, by that of being deprived of the free-will which was originally granted to him by Him to whom he prayed.

4 The meek will He guide in judgment; and the meek will He teach His way, which verse as well as the preceding one, viz. Good and upright [is] the Lord, therefore will He teach sinners in the way, if not for the explanation given of them by our Author, might be considered by some as alluding to a peculiar grace bestowed on the sinner, and without which it would be impossible for him to turn from his wickedness, and consequently as opposed to the principle of free-will and freeagency. Our Author therefore endeavours by his subsequent train of reasoning to prove, that these two verses do not in the least allude to any peculiar grace, but that they refer to the Divine Grace bestowed on mankind in general, by God's having sent prophets to reveal to them His way, and also by His having given such charms to virtue and wisdom, that he who inclines and wishes to become virtuous and wise, will feel himself more and more attracted by their charms and loveliness, in proportion as he comes nearer and nearer to the object of his desire. So that his longing after them will increase with his zeal in searching for them, and thus ultimately prove a means to aid and assist him in attaining the object of his pursuit.