Genesis 49:10

Gen. 49:10. "Until Shiloh come." Silenus, so famous among the poets, whom they place in the order of their gods, is derived from hence. Diodorus, lib. 3 says, the first that ruled at Nisa was Silenus, whose genealogy is unknown to all, by reason of his antiquity, which is agreeable to what the Scriptures say of the Messiah, Isaiah 53:8, "Who shall declare his generation?" And elsewhere, "To us a child is born, to us a son is given, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the everlasting Father;" and other passages. As for Nisa, where Silenus reigned, it seems to be the same with Sina (as was showed elsewhere. See No. 401). The Messiah dwelt there. It was he that dwelt there in the bush. And there he manifested himself and spake with Moses and the children of Israel. This is represented as his dwelling-place several times in Scripture; and therefore, when God redeemed the children of Israel from Egypt, and brought them there, he is represented as bringing them to himself. Near this mountain was the altar called Jehovah-Nissi, which is a name Moses gave the Messiah. Of Shiloh it is said, and to him shall the [the Hebrew word for] the gathering, or the obedience (as the word signifies), of the people be. Thus Silenus is made by the poets to be the greatest doctor of his age, and he is called Bacchus's preceptor, i.e. according to Vossius's account, Bacchus was Moses (see No. 401) and Silenus, or Shilo, or Christ, instructed Moses on mount Sinai, or Nisa, the place where Bacchus and Silenus were said to be. Bacchus and Silenus are made by the poets to be inseparable companions. Another attribute given to Silenus is, that he was carried for the most part on an ass, which Bochart refers to that of Genesis 49:11. "Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine and his clothes in the blood of grapes." The mythologists fable Silenus as a comrade of Bacchus, to be employed in treading out grapes; this Bochart refers to, Genesis 49:11, "He washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes;" and is agreeable to what is said of the Messiah elsewhere in the Scripture, "I have trodden the wine-press alone, and of the people was none with me." They characterize Silenus as one that was always drunk, as it is supposed from what follows, Genesis 49:12. "His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk," which Solomon makes the character of one overcome with wine. Proverbs 23:29; Proverbs 23:30. "Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine." They ascribe to Silenus for his meat cow's milk, which Bochart makes to be traduced from Genesis 49:12. "And his teeth white with milk." That Silenus is the same with Shilo, further appears from that of Pausanius Eliacon 2. Εν γαρ τη Εβραιων χωρα Σιληνου μνημα, the monument of Silenus remains in the country of the Hebrews. See Gale's Court of Gen. p. 1. b. 2. c. 6. p. 67-69.

Gen. 49:22