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upon EZEKIEL. 31
Ver. 4. Lie alfo on thy left Szde.~\ Lie on that Chapter
Side, without ftirring or moving thy felf: See IV.
Ver. 8. l/VNJ
Ibid. ^According to the Number ofthe T>ays thou Ver. 4.
(halt lie upon it, thou Jbalt bear their Iniquity, ,] By
lying on one fide thou fhak fignify (Ws Forbearing
their Punifhment for fo many Years : So the Words
are commonly explained ; but in my Opinion not
agreeably to the Genuine Senfe of the Phrafe, To
lear ones Iniquity ; which never fignifies, that I
can find, to forbear the Punifhment of Sin, but
on the contrary, always denotes the Bearing or differing
the Punifhment due unto it : As alfo that
other Expreffion of Laying Iniquity ufon any, im-
ports the Imputing the Guilt of it, or inflicting the
Punifhment due unto it. So here the Prophet does
in Vifion bear the Punifhment due to the Idolatry
dilrael and Judab, which had continued, the one
for Three hundred and ninety, the other for Forty-
Yea rs.
The Circumftances of this Vifion prove that the
Prophet did really perform what is here related :
or elfe it could not have been a Sign unto the Houfe
of Ifrael, Ver. ^ unlefs they themfelves had been
Eye Witness of it. Compare Chap. xii. 7, n.
The chief Obje&ion againft this Opinion is, that
there is not the Diftance of Four hundred and
thirty Days between this Vifion, and that which
is next related, Chapter viii. 1. but that may be
a.ifwered by fuppofing this to be an Intercalary
Year, which may be fuppofed to have happened often
in the Jewifh Computation of time, whofe
Years confifjred at moll but of Three hundred and
fixty Days, or asTome think, were Lunar Years,
reduced