between Elijah and Moses. On comparing the Scriptural account of these two messengers
of God we are struck with the close correspondence between the details of their history.
The Synagogue is careful to trace this analogy step by step (Yalkut, vol. ii. p. 32 d ) the
final deliverance of Israel of Egypt, so would the final deliverance by Elijah for ever
break the yoke of all foreign rule. The allusion here is to the part which Elijah was
expected to take in the future 'wars of Gog and Magog' (Seder Olam R. c. xvii.) Indeed,
this parallelism is carried so far, that tradition has it, that, when Moses was commissioned
by God to go to Pharoah, he pleaded that God should rather send by him whom He
designed to send for the far greater deliverance in the latter days. On this it was told him
that Elijah's mission would be to Israel, while he (Moses) was sent to Pharaoh (Pirqé de
R. Eliez. 40).3 Similarly, it is asserted that the cave from which Moses beheld the Divine
Presence passing before him (Ex. xxxiii. 22) was the same as that in which Elijah stood
under similar circumstances - that cave having been created with the rest of the world, but
specially on the eve of the world's first Sabbath (Siphré on Deut. ed. Friedmann, p. 147 a,
last line). Considering this parallelism between them, the occurrence of the somewhat
difficult expression will scarcely surprise us, that in the days of the Messiah Moses and
Elijah would come together - 'as one' (Debar. R. 3, at the end).4
3. Castelli writes: Lo Prega a mandare in luogo suo Elic, già esistente almeno in
insipirito; e Dio risponde, che è predestinato non a quella, ma alla finale redenzione. But
there are three inaccuracies here, for (1) Moses does not name Elijah; (2) there is not a
hint that Elijah was pre -existing in spirit; while (3) God's reply to Moses is as in our text.
4. The question has been raised whether Jeremiah (or even Isaiah) was also to appear in
Messianic days. In favour of this view 2 Macc. ii. 1-8 and xv. 14-16 afford, to say the
least, presumptive evidence. We do not refer to 4 Esdras ii. 18, because the two first and
the two last chapters of that book in our Apocrypha (2 Esdras) are spurious, being for
much later, probably Christian authorship. Gfrörer thinks that 4 Esdras v. (2 Esdras vii.
28) refers to Jeremiah and Isaiah (Urchrist vol. ii. p. 230). But I cannot draw the same
inference from it. On the other hand, there is a remarkable passage in Mechilta on Ex.
xvi. 33 (ed. Weiss , p. 59 b), which not only seems to conjoin Jeremiah with the Messiah
(though the inaccurate rendering of Wetstein, Nov. Test. vol. i. p. 430 conveys an
exaggerated and wrong impression of this), but reminds us of 2 Mac. ii. 1-18.
It has been noted in the text that the activity of Elijah, from the time of his appearance in
the days of Ahab to that of his return as the forerunner of the Messiah, is represented in
Jewish tradition as continuous, and that he is almost constantly introduced on the scene,
either as in converse with some Rabbi, or else as busy about Israel's welfare, and
connected with it. Thus Elijah chronicles in heaven the deeds of man (Seder Olam R.
xvii.), or else writes down the observances of the commandments by men, and then the
Messiah and God seal it (Midrash on Ruth ii. 14, last line, ed. Warsh. p. 43 b). In general,
he is ever interested in all that concerns Is rael's present state or their future deliverance
(Sanh. 98 a ). Indeed, he is connected with the initiatory rite of the covenant, in
acknowledgement of his zeal5 in the restoration of circumcision, when, according to
tradition, it had been abrogated by the ten tribes after their separation from Judah. God
accordingly had declared: 'Israel shall not make the covenant of circumcision, but thou
shalt see it,' and the sages decreed that (at circumcision) a seat of honour shall be placed
for the Angel of the Cove nant (Mal. iii. 2; Pirqé de R. Eliez. 29, end). Tradition goes
even further. Not only was he the only ambassador to whom God had delegated His three