49 1 The namea of Josiah is as sweet-smelling incense,

That is well mixed, the workb of the apothecary.

cThe mention of himc is sweet din the palated as honey,

And as music at a banquet of wine.

HB 2 eFor he was grievedf at our backslidinge,

And put an end to gthe vain abominationsg;

3 And he hgave his heart whollyh unto Godi,

And in days of violencek lhe practised pietyl.

(q) 49:4–7. Judah’s evil kings; the persecution of Jeremiah (2 + 2 + 2 distichs).

4 Except Davidm, Hezekiah, nand Josiah,

They all dealt utterly corruptlyn,

Ando forsook the Law pof the Most Highp—

The kings of Judah, till [they came to] their end;

5 And their mightq was givenr unto otherss,

And their glory to a stranget nation;

6 And so uthe Holy Cityu was burned,

And the ways thereof laid waste

Throughv Jeremiah; 7 because they had persecutedx him,

And he a prophet formedy from the womb,

HB ‘To pluck up, to break downz, and to destroy,

And likewise to build, and to plant,’ aand to strengthena.

(r) 49:8–10. Ezekiel, Job, and the Twelve Prophets (2 + 2 distichs).

8 Ezekiel saw a vision,

And described the different beings of the chariot.

9 bHe also made mention of Job c〈among the prophets〉c b

d eWho maintainede fall the ways of righteousnessf d.

10 And, moreover, as for the Twelve Prophets,—

gMay their bones 〈flourish in their place〉g,

hWho recovered Jacob to healthh,

iAnd delivered him 〈by confident hope〉i.

(s) 49:11–13. Zerubbabel, Joshua the son of Joeṣedeq, and Nehemiah (3 + 2 distichs).

G 11 kHow shall we magnify Zerubbabel—

He, indeed was as a signet on the right hand;—

12 lAnd alsol Jesus, the son of Joṣedeq?

Who in their daysn built the Housem k,

HB And set up on high othe Holy Templeo,

Which was prepared for everlasting glory.

13 pNehemiah,—glorious is his memoryp!

Who raised up qour ruinsq,

rAnd healed our breaches,

And set up gates and barsr.

(t) 49:14–16. Conclusion (Enoch, Joseph, Shem, Seth, Enoch, and Adam) (3 distichs).

14 sFew likes Enoch have been created on earth;

tHe also was taken upu v〈from off the face thereof〉v t.

15 wLike Joseph was ever a man born?w

His bodyx also yendured a visitationy.

16 zShem, Sethz, aand Enoch were 〈highly honoured〉a;

But above every living thing bwas the beauteous glory ofb Adam.

49:15 b and 50:1–24. In praise of the High-Priest, Simeon, the son of Jochanan (1 + 3 + 1 + 3 + 2 + 2 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 3 + 3 + 1 + 2 + 3 distichs).

HB 15b aGreat among his brethren and the gloryb of his people