The works of Richard Hurd, volume 5 (of 8) — Edition Insights

The Hieroglyphic Basis of Prophetic Language

Hurd grounds his argument in the claim that the prophetic style is constructed on the same symbolic principles as Egyptian hieroglyphics. He notes that this mode of writing was "of common and approved use" in the ages when the prophecies were delivered, and among the people to whom they were addressed. The preacher draws a direct line from the hieroglyphic tradition to the biblical prophets, asserting that the symbols employed are not vague but determinable—either by their own nature or by "the steady use that was made of them." This move allows Hurd to treat prophecy as a subject of "just criticism and rational interpretation," a bold claim that elevates the study of scripture to a disciplined intellectual pursuit.

Three Avenues to Understanding

Hurd outlines three practical means by which the prophetic language can become intelligible to modern readers. First, he points to the internal study of the prophecies themselves: comparing recurring symbols, darker passages with clearer ones, unfulfilled predictions with those already completed, and passages that carry their own explanation with those that do not. Second, he appeals to external sources—ancient records, monuments, and the scattered hints preserved by Greek historians—that illuminate the original hieroglyphic system. Third, he draws on pagan superstitions (omens, augury, judicial astrology) which, he argues, proceeded on the same symbolic principles and thus serve as a commentary on the Jewish prophets. This tripartite method reveals Hurd's confidence that diligent scholarship can unlock the meaning of even the most obscure biblical texts.

The Rhetoric of Divine Accommodation

Throughout the sermon, Hurd employs a rhetoric of humility that paradoxically asserts the superiority of his interpretive framework. He urges his hearers to "enlarge our ideas a little" and not to conclude hastily that a mode of conveyance intended for a general blessing should be judged by "our local notions and confined prejudices." This appeal to a broader perspective serves to authorize his own method while gently rebuking those who would dismiss the prophetic style as merely obscure. The preacher's tone is measured and learned, yet he does not hesitate to invoke divine wisdom as the ultimate warrant for his approach: the very form of revelation, he suggests, was contrived beforehand to facilitate its eventual reception among all nations.

The Audience and the Occasion

These sermons were preached at Lincoln's-Inn-Chapel as part of the Warburton Lecture, a foundation established to prove the truth of revealed religion from the completion of prophecies, especially those concerning "the apostacy of Papal Rome." Hurd addresses a learned, legally minded audience—the trustees include Lord Chief Justice Mansfield—and his argument reflects that setting: it is systematic, evidence-based, and cautious in its claims. The preacher acknowledges that some Jews used the obscurity of prophecy as a pretext for disbelief, citing Ezekiel's complaint, "Doth he not speak Parables?" Yet Hurd turns this objection on its head, treating the very difficulty of the text as an invitation to rigorous inquiry rather than a barrier to faith.

Readers approaching this volume should expect a work of theological criticism that is at once erudite and argumentative. Hurd does not merely expound scripture; he defends a method. His insistence on the rationality of prophetic language challenges both skeptical dismissal and fideistic acceptance. The sermons reward attention to their structure—each proposition is carefully laid out and supported—and to the subtle ways Hurd positions himself between orthodox piety and Enlightenment reason. For those interested in eighteenth-century religious thought or the history of biblical interpretation, this volume offers a sustained example of how one learned divine sought to make prophecy speak with clarity.

That rainy afternoon, Hurd’s insistence on prophecy’s deliberate, almost pictorial structure lingered with me long after the lamp came on. It made scripture feel less like a monologue and more like a layered conversation across centuries. Later, idly thumbing through The Bible, King James version, Book 6: Joshua — Edition Insights, I noticed the same patient, symbolic cadence waiting quietly in the old war narratives. One book simply handed me to the other.