LEVISON, MORDECAI GumPEL, a learned Jewish physician and commentator, and fellow student of the celebrated philosopher Moses Men delssohn in Berlin. He afterwards came over to London and was physician in one of the hospitals (179o), was then nominated by Gustavus III. of Sweden to the professional chair in Hpsal, which office he held for seveml years; returned to his native place, Berlin, in 1781, thence went to Hamburg in r784, where he died Feb. to, 1797. His works which illustrate the Bible are—(1.) A commentary on Ecclesiastes, called nriDin ri9=, dedicated to Gustavus 111., Hamburg 1784. This elaborate work is preceded by five introduc tions, which respectively treat on the import of the book, the appropriateness of its natne, IIebrew synonyms, roots, the verb and its inflexions, the names of the deity, on the design of the I3ible, etc. etc.; whereupon follows the Hebrew text with a double commentary, one explains the words and their connection (onv1371 ni5Dri -11N+2), and the other gives an exposition of the argument of the book. It is mite of the most important commentaries
which have appeared on this difficult volume of the 0.T., and must be added to the history of the inter pretation of Ecclesiastes given by Ginsburg, Histori cal and Critical Commentary on Ecdesiaster. (2.) A treatise on Holy Scripture, published at the re quest of the king of Sweden, London 177o, (3.) A treatise on the Pentateuch, the Prophets, and the Talmud, entitled n9t$3 ni-Do .n9D, Hamburg 3797. (4.) A Hebrew Lexicon, called ny-on. (5.) A work on Hebrew Synonyms, entitled 'MD ; and (6.) A Hebrew Grammar, called ritrinri npri Tn, the last three works have not as yet been published. Comp. Furst, Bibliotheca yzidaica, ii. 238, ff.—C. D. G.