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Mat 17:15. Ἐλέησόν μου τὸν υἱὸν, have mercy on my son) The lunatic might have said, in the words of David (see Psa 25:16 [Psa 25:16]), both in the Hebrew original and S. V.:[789] “Have mercy upon me, for I am an only son.” And this his father repeats.-τὸ πῦρ-τὸ ὕδωρ, THE fire-THE water) The article implies that the nature of these elements universally[790] is intended: because the lunatic is more liable to fall into the paroxysm when near fire or water: but in Mar 9:22 (see Gnomon) fires and waters are mentioned, and that indefinitely, without the article.
[789] Ps. 24:16, LXX. ἐπίβλεψον ἐπʼ ἐμὲ καὶ ἐλέησόν με, ὅτι μονογενής εἰμι ἐγώ.-ED.
[790] Middleton remarks on this, “Bengel (in Gnom.) has here a note which I do not understand: he says, ‘Articulus UNIVERSE innuit naturam horum elementorum, quod lunaticus apud ignem et aquam proclivior sit in paroxysmum.’ ” Though it savours of presumption to attempt any explanation of that which Middleton did not understand, I would venture to suggest, that Bengel means to say, that the article shows that the element of fire is intended, in the abstract, and consequently every presence of it (universè), in the concrete.-(I. B.)
In Mar 9:22, fire and water are not used in the general sense as here (Oft-times he falleth into a paroxysm, wherever fire is and wherever water is,”-this is the effect which these elements produce on him): but of particular fires and waters. Though the sing. τὸ πῦρ is used there, it stands for the plural, as the accompanying ὕδατα show: also the article τὸ gives the same force, as there is no plur. of πῦρ else τὰ πῦρα would be found. However, BCD abcd reject the τὸ there; but A supports it.-ED.