l my searchings I failed to
discover an analogous antithesis. I shall be truly thankful to MR. JEBB
for a case in point. Moreover, Psalms iii. and iv., to which Dr. French
and Mr. Skinner refer, prove to my mind that not sleep is the gift, but
sustenance and other blessings bestowed upon the Psalmist whilst asleep.
I cannot help observing that due reflection makes me look upon the
expression, "So He {109} giveth His beloved sleep," as an extraordinary
anticlimax.

2. MR. JEBB challenges the showing strictly analogous instances of
ellipses. He acknowledges that there are very numerous ellipses even in
the Songs of Degrees themselves, but they are of a very different
nature. I might fill the whole of this _Number_ with examples, which the
most scrupulous critic would be obliged to acknowledge as being strictly
analogous to the passage under review; but such a thing you would not
allow. Two instances, however, you will not object to; they will prove a
host for MR. JEBB's purpose, inasmuch as one has the very word *shena*
elliptically, and the other the transitive verb *yitein*, _minus_ an
accusative noun. Would MESSRS. BUCKTON, JEBB, WALTER, and S. D. kindly
translate, for the benefit of those who are interested in the question,
the following two passages?

*z'ram'tam, sheinah yih'yu; baboker, kechatzir yachalof*

_Psalm xc. 5._

*yiten lifanav goyim um'lachim yard
yiten ke-afar charbo, kikash needaf kashto*

_Isaiah xli. 2._

The REV. HENRY WALTER will see that some of his observations have been
anticipated and already replied to. It remains, however, for me to
assure him that I never dreamt that any one would suppose that I
considered *sheinah* anything else but a noun, minus the *bet*
preposition. The reason why I translated the word "whilst he [the
beloved] is asleep," was because I thought the expression more
idiomatic.

S. D. attempts to prove nothing; I am exempt therefore from disproving
anything as far as he is concerned.

Before I take leave of this lengthy and somewhat elaborate disquisition,
let me give my explanation of the scope of the Psalm in dispute, which,
I venture to imagine, will commend itself, even to those who differ from
me, as the most natural.

This Psalm, as well as the other thirteen entitled "A Song of Degrees,"
was composed for the singing on the road by those Israelites who went up
to Jerusalem to keep the three grand festivals, to beguile their tedious
journey, and al