ays: [Greek: kai estai en tais eschatais hemerais.] The
reason of this deviation is, that the Apostle intends to determine, by
this deviation, the expression, which in itself is wider and more
indefinite, in such a manner that the period to which the prophecy
specially refers, and hence also its application to the case in
question, should be rendered more obvious. In a case entirely similar,
Jeremiah, in chap. xlix. 6, employs the wider term [Hebrew: aHri-kN],
while in xlviii. 47 he makes use of the more definite [Hebrew: bahrit
himiM]. By the latter term, _Kimchi_ also explains the [Hebrew:
aHri-kN] in the passage before us; while _Jarchi_ (compare _Schoettgen_,
S. 210) explains it by the equivalent term [Hebrew: letid lba]. The
words [Greek: legei ho Theos] are wanting in the LXX., as well as in
the original Hebrew text. They have been taken from ver. 5, and,
contrasted with [Greek: to eiremenon dia tou prophetou Ioel], they
direct attention to the divine source of prophecy, and hence to the
necessity of its fulfilment. The two members, [Greek: kai hoi
presbuteroi humonenupnia enupniasthesontai, kai hoi neaniskoi humon
horaseis opsontai], Peter has reversed; probably in order to place the
young men together with the sons and daughters, and to assign the place
of honour to the old men. In the [Greek: doulous mou] and [Greek:
doulas mou], Peter follows the LXX., and that in a sense which only
expressly makes prominent a point really contained in the prophecy,
whether such was intended by the translators, or not; for the
circumstance that the servants of men were, at the same [Pg 351] time,
servants of God, formed the ground of their participation in the
promise. The same contrast is found, _e.g._, in 1 Cor. vii. 22, 23:
[Greek: hO gar en Kurio kletheis doulos apeleutheros Kuriou estin.
homoios kai ho eleutheros kletheis, doulos esti Christou. Times
egorasthete. me ginesthe douloi anthropon]; compare Gal. iii. 28;
Philem. 10. Hence it is equivalent to: Upon servants and handmaids of
men who are, at the same time, my servants and handmaids, and,
therefore, in spiritual things of equal rank with those who are free.
To give prominence to this perfect equality, is also the design of the
additional clause: [Greek: kai propheteusousi], subjoined after [Greek:
ekcheo apo tou pneumatos mou.] The circumstance that Peter thought it
necessary to add this clause, which, as we have proved, quite
harmonizes with the design of the proph