Books of the Old Testament
The Five Megilloth
from The Names and Order of the Books of the Old Testament
by E.W. Bullinger
These five scrolls form a constituent part
of the Hagiographa,
and in the most ancient manuscripts, as well as
in the early printed editions, are given in the
following order. This order is determined by the
order of the Festivals on which they are read
annually in the Synagogues, viz.:
- The Song of Songs - On the Feast of the
Passover.
- Ruth - On the Feast of Pentecost.
- Lamentations - On the Fast of the ninth
of Abib.
- Ecclesiastes - On the Feast of
Tabernacles.
- Esther - On the Feast of Purim.
The Song
of Songs
"Sheer Hasheereem" - The Most
Beautiful Song
In the Septuagint it is called asma asmaton,
and in the Latin Vulgate Canticum Canticorum,
which all have the same meaning, the Song of
Songs. The name Canticles, sometimes given
to the book, it will be seen, is from the Vulgate.
Sheer Hasheereem is a Hebrew mode of
expressing the superlative degree by repeating
the noun in the genitive plural, meaning the
finest, the most beautiful, or the most
excellent song. The same figure (Enallage)
is seen in such expressions as Holy of holies(Exodus
26:33), King of kings(Ezekiel 26:7), God
of gods and Lord of lords (Deuteronomy
10:17), Hebrew of the Hebrews (Philipians
3:5), the Heaven of heavens (1 Kings 8:27).
Three individuals are the principal
persons, and not two as is generally supposed; a
shepherd, a shepherdess, and a king. The former
is the object of the maiden’s affection, and
not the king. According to Dr. Ginsburg (in his Commentary,
Longmans, London, 1857), “this song records
the real history of a humble but virtuous woman,
who, after having been espoused to a man of like
humble circumstances, had been tempted in a most
alluring manner to abandon him, and to transfer
her affections to one of the wisest and richest
of men, but who successfully resisted all
temptations, remained faithful to her espousals,
and was ultimately rewarded for her virtue”.
If the interpretation thus refers to a
true story, then it is open to anyone to make an application
of the narrative.
The Jewish Commentators apply it to Jehovah and
Israel. Christian Commentators apply it to Christ
and the Church; but in either case the maiden
must represent the one beloved; the shepherd, the
one who loves her; and the king, the one who
would come between with temptations and
allurements.
Read at the Passover it might be applied to
Israel going forth to the One of whom it is said,
“He loved the people”, and despising
all the riches and treasures of Egypt. the
Passover was specially marked by expressions of
love, exhibited in various ways. <--
Ruth
"Ruth" - A
Friend
This book is called simply by the name of Ruth,
which means a friend, especially one
brought in and made an intimate companion. It is
from the root ra'ah, to feed or nourish, to
afford sustenance; then, to feast upon
or delight in any one (Prov. 13:20; 28:7; 29:3),
to treat as a friend.
Thus the book tells how Jehovah delighted to take
this Moabite stranger and bring her into
blessing with His chosen people, uniting her so
closely in blessing as to make her an ancestress
of David the king, and of David's Son and Lord,
as shown in the genealogy with which the book
closes. It tells also of that redemption on the
ground of which Gentiles are able to rejoice with
God's people Israel.
Read at the Feast of Pentecost, it surely
intimated how at that Feast Jehovah would pour
out His Spirit upon all flesh (Joel 2:28), as
recorded, in Acts 2:16-21 (fulfilling Joel 2:28),
and thus bring Gentiles into blessing,
causing them to "rejoice with His people:,
as shown in Acts 10-13.
Pentecost was not the foundation of the Church,
but preliminary to "the day of the Lord",
when the "glory" should follow the
"sufferings". We know, however, how the
offer of Acts 3:19-26 was rejected (Acts 13:45-52).
And then the "Mystery" or secret of the
Church was revealed to Paul about this time, for
Acts 13 was about "fourteen" years
before 2 Corinthians 12:3, when he says that he
received the "abundance of the revelation".
[Dr. Bullinger changed his mind on this point. In
his later writings he taught that the "Mystery"
was not revealed to Paul until after the events
described in Acts 28:17-27. Ephesians was the
letter confirming the "Mystery" to
others and this letter was probably written
during the two years of house arrest mentioned in
Acts 28:30-31.] <--
Lamentations
"Ey-chah" - Alas! or, O How!
The English title is from the Latin Lamentationes.
The Septuagint has threenoi, meaning the
same thing.
The Hebrew Ey-chah is an exclamation of
pain and grief - a howling, wailing cry. It is
preserved in our word jackal.
It is the first word of the book, and fitly
describes its character.
The Massorah and the Rabbins point out that the
word was used three times of Israel by three
prophets.
- Moses, of Israel in her glory and pride (Deuteronomy
1:12).
- Isaiah, of Israel in her dissipation and
sin (Isaiah 1:21).
- Jeremiah, of Israel in her desolation (Lamentations
1:1)
This book is appropriately read on the Fast of
the ninth of Abib. for on that day is
commemorated five great calamities which befell
the nation.
- The return of the twelve spies, and the
decree of the forty years' wanderings in
consequence of the rebellion of the
people.
- The destruction of the first Temple by
Nebuchadnezzar.
- The destruction of the second Temple by
the Romans under Titus.
- The taking of Bether by the Romans under
Hadrian, when 580,000 were slain.
- The ploughing of Zion like a field, in
fulfillment of Jeremiah 26:18, etc.
The five elegies are arranged in a remarkable
manner:
The first two (chapters 1 and 2) consist
of 22 long verses of three lines each, each verse
respectively commencing with the successive
letters of the alphabet.
The third (chapter 3) consists of 66
verses (3x22), each triad of verses commencing
with the same letter; e.g. the first three lines
commence with Aleph, the next three with
Beth, and so on through the 22 letters
of the alphabet.
The fourth (chapter 4) is arranged in 22
long verses of two lines each, also arranged
acrostically.
The fifth (chapter 5) Lamentation is
resolved into a prayer, and the acrostic
arrangement gives way before the outburst of
emotion. the only connection with the alphabet is
that the number of the verses corresponds with
the number of letters (22). <--
Ecclesiastes
"Coheleth" -
The Assembler
Our title Ecclesiastes comes from the Vulgate
through the Septuagint, one who sits or speaks in
the Assembly - a member of the Ecclesia or
Assembly, hence our word Ecclesiastic. Luther
called it Prediger, hence our
alternative title "or the Preacher".
The Hebrew word Coheleth occurs seven
times in the book.
a) Three times at the beginning (1:1,2,12)
b) Once in the middle (7:27)
c) Three times in the end (12:8,9,10).
Dr. Ginsburg points out in his Commentary
on this book that Coheleth is not a
proper name but an appellative, because
in 12:8 it has the article, and in 7:27 it is
construed with a feminine verb.
As to its meaning, it is derived from Cahal,
to call (from which our English verb to call
has come). Then it means to call together,
assemble. Hence Coheleth means
Collectress. References to the passages where the
verb occurs show that it is invariably
used for collecting persons, especially
for religious purposes. The actual signification
therefore is "an assembler of scattered
people into the more immediate presence of God; a
gatherer of those far off from God". Solomon
did thus gather the people (1 Kings 8:1,2,5).
Well therefore may this book be appropriately
read at the feast of Tabernacles, for its burden
is that "under the sun" all is vanity.
Here, we dwell only in Tabernacles, and wait for
the abiding realities to which the "greater
than Solomon" will presently assemble
and gather His people. <--
Esther
“Esther” - A
Star
The title of this book bears the name of the
principal character in it, in the Hebrew and its
Versions. Otherwise it begins with the words,
“Now it came to pass in the days of”.
The two of the five Megilloh,
which are historical, both begin with
these words. In the Hebrew this sentence consists
of two words, va-yehee beemai.
The first of these words, va-yehee (now
it came to pass), sounded in the ears of the old
Rabbis like the word woe. The Greek ouai
and Latin vae had a similar sound and
character. There is a tradition from the time of
the Great Synagogue that whenever a Scripture
commences with these words it always marks
impending catastrophe.
Five Scriptures are pointed out as thus
commencing, but to these we may add the fact that
though events associated with sadness are to be
related, yet they are in each case followed by
other events which end in blessing.
- Genesis 14:1 begins with the war between
the four kings and the five, and the
troubles of Lot; but ends in the blessing
of Abraham by the priest of the Most High
God.
- Ruth 1:1 begins with the famine in the
land of Israel; but ends with joy in the
marriage of Ruth, who thus became the
ancestress of David’s Son and David’s
Lord.
- Isaiah 7:1 begins with war against
Jerusalem; but issues in the blessing of
the promised Saviour. “Behold, a
virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
and shall call His name Emmanuel.”
- Jeremiah 1:3 begins with the events in
the days of Jehoiakim, when promise of
restoration is not far off (See verse 11,
etc.)
- Esther 1:1 begins with the threatened
cutting off of the nation; but ends with
their joyful deliverance.
So the times of trouble are in each case
rehearsed in order that the final blessing may
stand out all the more gloriously.
To the above examples we may add one from the New
Testament, making six in all, Luke 2:1, which
needs no comment.
Most Bible students know that the Divine name is
not written in this book of Esther. The Talmud (Kedim,
139) suggests the reason by asking, "Where
do we get Esther from the Law?” The answer
is given, “Deuteronomy 31:18, and I will
surely hide my face.” In this book it is
seen how the people forsook God, how He hid His
face from them, and how that though He delivered
them, His name is hidden in the book in
the form of four acrostics, which are the pivots
on which the whole history turns. See The
Name of Jehovah in the Book of Esther, by
Bullinger. <--
hagiographa
the holy writings, a term which came early into
use in the Christian church to denote the third
division of the Old Testament scriptures, called
by the Jews Kethubim, i.e., "Writings."
It consisted of five books, viz., Job, Proverbs,
and Psalms, and the two books of Chronicles. The
ancient Jews classified their sacred books as the
Law, the Prophets, and the Kethubim, or Writings.
(Source: Easton's
1897 Bible Dictionary)
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