324 VISIONS AND PROPHECIES OF ZECHARIAH
But, to proceed to the second half of the 1 2th verse, " even to-day" in thy present adversity and in spite of all appearances, " do I declare " (or " tell " you as good news, from which you may already draw consolation and hope) " that I will render " (or " cause to return ") " double unto thee."
There are several scriptures in which the word " double " occurs as expressing a principle of God s dealing with His own people. The key and explanation of it is found in His own appointment in reference to the first-born. According to the law, the first-born son inherited a double portion of his father s property as compared with the other members of the family. This, except it were forfeited by personal unfitness, or trans gression, was his inalienable right. If, contrary to God s original appointment, any man of Israel had two wives, " the one beloved and the other hated, and they had borne him children, both the beloved and the hated, and if the first-born son be hers that was hated, then it shall be in the day that he causeth his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved the first-born before the son of the hated, . . . but he shall acknowledge the first-born, the son of the hated, by giving him a double portion (shenayini} of all that he hath ; . . . the right of the first-born is his." : An illustration of this principle we have in the case of Joseph. Reuben having, by an act of personal moral defilement, disqualified himself to inherit the birthright, it was transferred to Joseph, 2 and as a consequence his descendants were counted as two tribes Ephraim and Manasseh who had two portions of the land instead of one ; and Joseph himself became by this act entitled to a double portion of Jacob s personal possessions. Now Israel is God s " son," God s " first-born " in relation to the other nations, 3 and He deals with them on the principles of His own law. In his own land, and under the protection of the Covenant-keeping God of his fathers, Israel enjoys a " double portion " of favour and 1 Deut. xxi. 15-17. a I Chron. v. i, 2. 3 Ex. iv. 22.
