Be ye therefore merciful,.... Tenderhearted, kind, beneficent to all men, friends and foes: as your Father also is merciful; that is your Father which is in heaven; who is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works: nothing is more common in Zohar (y), and the Talmud (z) than to express the Divine Being by no other name, than "the Merciful"; "the Merciful said" so, and so; that is, God: and so the Arabians generally begin their books and chapters with these words, "in the name of God, exceeding merciful", or "the merciful commiserator": a saying much like to this in the text, is the Targum of Jonathan, on Lev 22:28. "O my people, the children of "Israel, as your father", "is merciful" in heaven, so be ye merciful on earth.'' (y) Zohar in Lev. fol. 2. 2. & 9. 4. & 20. 1. & 22. 1. (z) T. Bab. Moed Katon, fol. 15. 2.