MAGISTRATE

MAHALALEL

and emeroda in the ark by the Philistines when they sent It back to Israel (1 S 6'); by this means they believed that they would rid themselves of the troubles which the ark had brought to them.

F. E. Robinson.

MAGISTRATE.— This word is used in the AV to represent either 'judge' or 'ruler' — 'authority' in the most general sense. The latter is its meaning in Jg 18' (RV ' none in the land, possessing authority ' — implying independence ol Zidon and Phoenicia). The former is its meaning in Ezr 7", where it stands for shSphetim (the same word as sufetes, by which the Romans designated the Carthaginian magistrates). In Lk 12"- >', Tit 3' it stands for derivatives of the general word archo, 'to rule,' but in the passages from Lk. with a special reference to judges. In Ac le^'-ss the word is used to translate the Gr. strategoi. This is often used as the equivalent of the Lat. prcetores, and in the older Roman colonies the two supreme magistrates were often known by this name. But we have no evidence that the magistrates at Philippi were called prsetors, and it probably represents the more usual duumviri. A. E. Hillaad.

MAGNIFICAL.— Obsol. for 'magnificent'; retained by E V in 1 Ch 22' from the Geneva version — ' the house . . . must be exceeding magnifical.' The adv. occurs in Rhem. NT, Lk 16" ' He fared every day magnifically.'

MAGNIFICAT.— The hymn Magnificat (Lk l«-ss) has been well described as 'something more than a psalm, and something less than a complete Christian hymn' (Liddon). It is the poem of one who felt nearer to the fulfilment of the promises than any writer of the OT. But no Evangelist of the NT could have failed to speak of Christ by His human name, writing after His Death and Resurrection.

In the TR the hymn is ascribed to the Virgin Mary, but there is a variant reading ' EUsabeth ' which demands some explanation. ' Mary ' is the reading of all the Greek MSS, of the great majority of Latin MSS, and of many Early Fathers as far back as Tertullian (2nd cent.). On the other hand, three Old Latin MSS icod. Vercellensis, cod. Veronensis, cod. Rhedigeranus-Vratislaviensis) have 'Elisabeth.' This reading was known to Origen (Horn. 5 on Lk 5), unless his translator Jerome inter-polated the reference. Niceta of Remesiana (fl. c. 400) quoted it in his treatise 'On the good of Psalmody.' We can trace it back to the 3rd cent, in the translation of Irenaeus. There is fairly general agreement among critics that the original text must have been simply 'and she said,' so that both 'Mary' and 'Elisabeth' should be regarded as glosses.

On the question which is the right gloss, opinions are divided. In favour of ' Elisabeth ' it has been suggested that the exclamation vv.'2-« does not cover all that is implied in v.", ' and EUsabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.' Such words when used of Zacharias in v." are followed by the Benedictus. Are we to look on the Magnificat as a corresponding prophecy on the lips of Elisabeth? On the other hand, the glowing words of EUsabeth (vv.«-is) need a reply. She who had answered the angel so humbly and bravely (v. 2*) would surely speak when thus addressed by a near relation. Indeed, v.", 'all generations shall call me blessed,' seems Uke a reply to EUsabeth's 'Blessed is she that beUeved' in v.". In the OT the formula of reply is frequently without a proper name, and the first chapters of Lk. have 'a special OT colouring.'

Another argument has been founded on the reading of v.": 'Mary abode with her,' where the Pesh. and the Sinai PaUmpsest render ' with EUsabeth.' It is suggested that the tell-tale ' with her ' of the Greek text proves that the hymn was ascribed to EUsabeth. But in the OT the personaUty of the singer is, as a rule, sunk in the song, and the name is mentioned at the end as if to pick up the thread (cf. Balaam, Nu 24^; Moses, Dt 32" 34' [Bp. Wordsworth]) . On the whole, the external evidence is in

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favour of fhe gloss 'Mary.' The question remains whether the hymn is more suitable on the lips of EUsabeth as expressing the feeUng of a mother from whom the reproach of childlessness has been removed. Such an idea seems to express very inadequately the fulness of meaning packed into these few verses. The first words remind us of the song of Hannah as a happy raother(l S 2'), but the hymn is founded to a much greater extent on the Psalms, and the glowing anticipation of the Messianic time to come befits the Lord's mother. It is characteristic that she should keep herself in the background. No personal fear of the reproach of shame, which might be, and indeed was, leveUed against her, no personal pride in the destiny vouchsafed to her, mar our impression of a soul accustomed to commune with God, and therefore never lacking words of praise.

The hymn has four strophes. In strophe i. (vv."- ") she praises God with aU the powers of soul and spirit. In 11. (vv.*'-") she speaks of living in the memory of men, not as something deserved but because it is the will of the holy Lord. In iii. (vv."-'") she rises to a large view of the working out of God's purposes in human history, in the humbling of proud dynasties, and the triumph of the meek. In iv. (vv."- ") she comes back to the fulfilment of the promises in the Messianic time, beginning with the Incarnation, which is the crowning proof of God's mercy and love.

A. E. Btjhn.

MAGOG. — The name of a people, enumerated in Gn 10' among the 'sons' of Japheth, between Gomer (the Cimmerians) and Madai (the Medes), and men-tioned in Ezk 382 (gf. 39s) as under the rule of Gog, prince of 'Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal,' who is to lead in the future a great expedition against the restored Israel, from 'the uttermost parts of the north,' and who has among his allies Oomer and Togarmah, — the nations whose names are itaUclzed being also mentioned in Gu 102- ' as closely connected with ' Magog.' From these notices it is evident that Magog must have been the name of a people living far N. of Palestine, not far from Meshech and Tubal, whose home is shown by Assyrian notices to have been N.E. of CiUcia. Following Josephus, Magog has commonly been understood of the Scythians, — a wild and rough people, whose proper home (Hdt. iv. 17-20, 47-58) was on the N. of the Crimea, but who often organized predatory incursions into Asia and elsewhere: about B.C. 630 there was in particular a great irruption of Scythians into Asia (Hdt. i. 104-6), which seems to have suppUed Ezekiel with the model for his imagined attack of nations from the N. upon the restored Israel (chs. 38. 39). Why, however, supposing this identification to be correct, the Scythians should be called 'Magog' is still unex-plained. The name has not as yet been found in the Assyr. inscriptions. In Rev 20* 'Gog and Magog' are applied figuratively to denote the nations who are pictured as brought by Satan, at the end of the millen-nium, to attack Jerusalem, and as destroyed before it (see, further, Gog). S. R. Dhiveh.

MAGOR-MISSABIB.— A nickname given (Jer 20«) by Jeremiah to Pashhur, chief officer in the Temple, who had caused Jeremiah to be beaten and put in the stocks as a false prophet. The name is an etymological play on the word Pashhur, and denotes 'fear-round-about'; but whether Pashhur (wh. see) was to be that to his surroundings, or vice versa, does not appear.

W. F. Cobb.

MAGPIASH.— See Magbish.

MAGUS. — See Bab- Jesus, Magi, Magic, and Simon Magus.

MAHALALEEL.— See Mahalalel.

MAHALALEL .—1 . Son of Kenan and great-grandson of Seth (Gn S'^- "• "■ i»- " [P] = 1 Ch 1^, Lk 3" Mahalaleel) ; = Mehuiael in J's list (Gn 4i»). 2. The son of Perez, who dwelt at Jerusalem' after the Captivity (Neh 11<).