But even assuming the
existence of the Tower of the flock in the neighbourhood of Bethlehem,
is it anything else than the assumption of a pure _quid pro quo_, to
assert, without assigning any reason, that the "Tower of the flock"
stands for Bethlehem? _Rosenmueller_, at least, has felt this. He makes
the attempt to assign a reason: "In substituting, however, an unknown
hamlet in the neighbourhood of Bethlehem, for Bethlehem itself, he
intended to indicate that the dominion of David would be altogether
weakened and brought low." But this reason is certainly not by any
means sufficient; Bethlehem was, in itself, so small, that no further
[Pg 456] diminution was required; compare v. 1 (2). It had, moreover,
been always small, and had not by any means sunk down in the course of
time from former greatness. Hence, such a designation, in contrast with
its former glory, would be entirely out of place; and even supposing
that it were not, the mode of this designation would always be
inexplicable, unless we could assume a closer reference of the "Tower
of the flock" to the Davidic family. It is only by establishing such a
reference, that the whole explanation can be saved and confirmed. For
this purpose, it would be necessary to suppose that Bethlehem, and the
district belonging to it, were the general designation of the native
place of the Davidic family, while the "Tower of the flock" was the
special one. But there is not the slightest ground on which to support
this hypothesis. Everywhere, Bethlehem itself appears as the residence
of Jesse, the father of David (compare 1 Sam. xvi. 1, 18, 19, xvii.
12), and likewise of Boaz, Ruth ii. 4.

The incorrectness of another explanation is still more evident.
According to it, we are, by the "Tower of the flock," to understand
a tower which is alleged to have stood at Jerusalem, near to the
Sheep-gate. But the existence of such a tower is supported by no
evidence whatsoever, and does not become even probable by the existence
of a sheep-gate; for a Tower of the flock is not a tower which stands
near the Sheep-gate, but a tower which is erected for the protection of
the flock, as is clearly seen from _Migdal Eder_ in Genesis. But, even
supposing that such a tower existed, is there anything which could
somehow make it a suitable designation of the Davidic family?

Let us now proceed to the establishment of our own opinion, by which
the arguments advanced against the other explanations wil