THE HISTORY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT METHODIZ'D ACCORDING To the Order and Series of Time wherein the several things therein mentioned were transacted IN WHICH The difficult passages are Paraphras'd The seeming Contradictions reconcil'd The Rites and Customs of the Jews opened and explain'd To which is annex'd a SHORT HISTORY OF THE Jewish Affairs FROM THE End of the Old Testament to the Birth of our Saviour And a Map also added of Canaan and the Adjacent Countries very useful for the understanding of the whole History By SAMVEL CRADOCK B. D. Psal 77. v. 5. I have considered the days of old the years of ancient times Sint Castae deliciae meae Scripturae tuae Nec fallar in eis nec fallam ex eis August Confess Lib. 11. Cap. 2. Manifestis pascimur obscuris exercemur Idem Tract 45. in Joh. LONDON Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Princes-Armes in Ludgate-Street M.DC.LXXXIII THE PREFACE HAving formerly written the History of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and of his holy Apostles and a Paraphrase upon all the Apostolical Epistles I thought it would be a work not only profitable to my self but useful also to others if I should write the History of the Old Testament Accordingly humbly imploring the Assistance of God I set upon it and my design therein was as follows 1st To Methodize that Sacred History according to the order and series of time wherein the several things therein mentioned were transacted 2ly To Paraphrase and explain the difficult places and passages thereof 3ly To reconcile the seeming contradictions which are not a few 4ly To open the Jewish rites and customs which are very necessary to be known in order to a clear and full understanding thereof Lastly to add a Map of Canaan and those other adjacent Countries which were the stage on which the great things mentioned in the Old Testament were acted Pursuant hereunto I have digested the whole work into seven Chapters containing an History of the Seven Ages of the World from the Creation to the death of our Saviour The first Chapter contains the History of the first Age of the World from the Creation to the Flood comprehending a space of 1656 years The Second Chapter contains the History of the Second Age of the World from the Flood to the Promise made to Abraham in Vr of the Chaldees comprehending a space of 422 years and ending in the 2078 year of the World The Third Chapter contains the History of the Third Age of the World from the Promise made to Abraham in Vr of the Chaldees unto the Israelites departure out of Egypt comprehending a space of 430 years and ending in the 2508 year of the World Within the compass of this Age falls the History of Job whereof I have given a brief Analysis The Fourth Chapter contains the History of the Fourth Age of the world from the coming of the Israelites out of Egypt to the laying the foundation of Solomons Temple in the fourth year of his reign comprehending a space of 480 years and ending the 2988 year of the World The Fifth Chapter contains the History of the Fifth Age of the World from the laying the foundation of Solomons Temple to the destruction of it and Captivity of Judah in the 11th year of Zedekiah containing a space of 420 years Some make this space 424 years vide usserii Annales and ending in the 3408 year of the World The Sixth Chapter contains the History of the Sixth Age of the World from the destruction of Solomons Temple and the Captivity of Judah unto the liberty granted them by Cyrus for their return containing a space of seventy years and ending in the 3478 year of the World The Seventh Chapter contains the History of the Seventh Age of the World from the return of the Jews out of Babylon and the end of the seventy years Captivity to the death of Christ containing a space of 490 years signified by Daniels seventy Weeks Dan. 9. v. 24 25 26 27. and ending in the 3968 year of the World Now though this Age as to the first part of it belongs to the Old Testament yet it extends much further even to the death of Christ which takes up about 33 years of the New Testament-story for the History of the Old Testament reaches no further than the end of the Book of Nehemiah which ends in the 32th year of Artaxerxes Longimanus so that the History of the Old Testament extends but 99 years in the compass of this Age and ends 358 years before the Birth of Christ who being Crucified in the 33th year of his age those three sums viz. 99 358 and 33 make up the 490 years of this interval Now because some may be desirous to know what was the state and condition of the Jews after the end of the Old Testament during those 358 years to the Birth of Christ I have thought fit to set down 1. What Persian Kings succeeded Artaxerxes Longimanus till that Kingdom was Conquered by Alexander the Great in whom the Grecian or Third Monarchy began 2 To shew how after Alexander's death his Empire was divided into four Kingdoms viz. 1. that of Macedonia 2. of Syria 3. of Asia the less 4. of Egypt and to give a Catalogue of the several Kings that reigned successively in those Kingdoms till they were all Conquered by the Romans in whom the Fourth Monarchy began 3 To shew who were High Priests among the Jews after their return from the Babylonish Captivity wherein we have occasion to give a short History of the Maccabees till their power was swallowed up by Herod made King by the Romans in the 35th year of whose reign Christ the Saviour of the World was born As we go along in the History of the Kings we meet with several eminent Prophets whom God raised up both in Judah and Israel after the division of the Kingdom and by considering the temper and condition of those times and the several vices and disorders that then reigned and prevailed we may the better discern the scope and drift of their Prophesies And for the clearer understanding of them I have set down the time wherein they lived and prophesied and have given a brief Analysis of their Prophesies They seem to have Prophesied in this order 1. Jonah in the days of Jeroboam the Second who was Contemporary with Amaziah King of Judah 2 King 14.25 2. Isaiah who Prophesied in the days of Vzziah Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah Kings of Judah 3. Joel in the days of Vzziah 4. Hosea in the days of Vzziah Jotham Ahaz and Hezekiah Kings of Judah and seven Kings of Israel viz. from Jeroboam the Second to Hoshea who was Contemporary with Hezekiah He was sent chiefly to Israel 5. Micah in the days of Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah Kings of Judah 6. Amos lived in the same time with Hosea and was sent principally to the people of Israel 7. Nahum seems to have Prophesied in the days of Hezekiah 8. Habakkuk in
whom was the Spirit of God and an extraordinary measure of Grace he employs that short time in faithfully instructing the people and earnestly exhorting them to walk steadfastly in the ways of God He rehearses to them several remarkable Occurrences and passages of divine Providence which had happened to them during their forty years travels in the Wilderness not binding himself always to exact order as to times and places in his Narration that they might remember them for their benefit And this being for the most part a new Generation the old rebellious Stock having perished in the Wilderness He sets himself to instruct them in the Laws and Statutes of God not only repeating them to them but explaining and amplyfying many of them and adding some new ones * Hence this Book is call'd Deuteronomy or a second Declaration of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi secunda vel secundaria Lex Repetitio est praecipuarum Legum ac monitorum in eorum gratiam qui tempore promulgatae Legis aut nondum nati aut per aetatem intelligendi incapaces erant Cum quibus Moses hic instaurat foedus praeterea quaedam hic nova addita to them He causes them to enter into a solemn Covenant to serve the Lord faithfully He Predicts and foretells what would befal them hereafter and solemnly blesses them before his death Chap. I And first He reminds them of Gods calling Israel from Horeb to march towards Canaan He tells them how when they had continued well nigh a full year at Horeb * In journying from Egypt to Kadesh-barnea they spent about two years and from thence to the fields of Moab about 38 years whereas from Horeb or Sinai to Canaan it was but about 11 or 12 days Journey had they not provoked God by their sins to keep them wandring in the Wilderness so long God commanded them to march towards Canaan the borders of which he describes towards the South West North and East Deut. Ch. 1. from 1. to 9. 2. He reminds them how about that time by the advice of Jethro his Father-in-law he set Judges and Officers over the people For says he finding my self not able to bear the weight and burden of governing so great a people alone I said unto you The Lord hath multiply'd you as the Stars of Heaven and the Lord God of your Fathers make you a thousand times so many more as you are and bless you choose out therefore from among you wise and understanding men and I will make them Heads over you I will Constitute some of them to be Rulers over Thousands others to be Rulers over Hundreds others Rulers over Fifties and others to be Rulers over Tens And I charged the Judges at that time that they should judge rightâ—ously between man and man and not respect persons in Judgment but should hear the small as well as the great that they should not be afraid of men for the Judgment is Gods that is it is ordained by him and to be executed in his Name and the Judges representing his Person and sitting in his Seat should in judging follow the Rule by him prescribed and should judge justly as God Himself would do see 2 Chron. 19.6 And I further said If ye find any Cause too hard for you to determine bring it unto me And many other things I delivered and taught the Judges their duty in a more full and ample manner than now I express Deut. Ch. 1. from 9. to 19. 3. He shews them that when they left Horeb they marched thorow all that great and terrible Wilderness a Land where no man dwelt and wherein were fiery Serpents and Scorpions Deut. 8.15 a Land extream barren and destitute of all things necessary for the sustenance of man except by miraculous supply and came to Kadesh-Barnea Then says he I said unto you Ye are come to the Mountain of the Amorites the border of the Land which the Lord our God hath given unto us Go ye up therefore and possess it as God has commanded you fear not nor be discouraged But ye desired that Spies * Atque hic certum est Exploratores esse exigente populi incredulitate missos Deum Ducem sequi dâ—bebant Cananaeos fidenter aggredi Sed Dei promissis fidem non habebant Deut. 9.23 might first be sent to search the Land and to inform you concerning it and concerning the way wherein you must go up to take possession of it and what Cities you must first assault And I having inquired of the Lord concerning it Numb 13.3 and the Lord giving way to it or at least permitting it I was content with it and took twelve men one of a Tribe and they went up into the Mountain and came to the Valley of Eshcol And the Spies brought back some of the fruits of the Land namely Grapes Pomegranates and Figgs and said The Land was a very good Land But ye refused to go up and so rebelled against the Commandment of the Lord. And ye murmured in your Tents and said Because the Lord hated us he hath brought us forth out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites and to destroy us You further said Our Brethren whom we sent as Spies have discouraged us viz. all of them but Caleb and Joshua They tell us The people of that Land are greater and taller then we their Cities are great and walled up to Heaven moreover they tell us That the Sons of the Anakims those great Giants are there Then said I dread them not nor be afraid of them For the Lord your God goeth before you and will fight for you as he did in Egypt and as he hath hitherto done for you in the Wilderness there you have seen how the Lord by his Almighty Power hath born you as a Father takes up and carries his Child in his arms and hath born with your manners and perverseness as a tender Father doth with a froward Child Yet notwithstanding this incouragement you did not believe * This unbelief the Apostle notes to be the cause why they entred not into the Land of Promise Heb. 4.6 in the Lord your God who went before you to search out a place for you to pitch your Tents in in a Pillar of Cloud by day and a Pillar of Fire by night And the Lord was angry at your Murmurings and Vnbelief and sware there should not one of that evil Generation see that good Land Numb 14.23 save Caleb the Son of Jephunneh who followed the Lord fully and Joshua the Son of Nun Numb 14.6 30 38. And says he the Lord hath since that time at the other Kadesh been angry with me for your sakes For being moved with your Provocations I offended both in unadvised Speeches and distrust and thereupon the Lord said I should not go into the Land Numb 20.1 2 12. But Joshua who is continually about me to minister unto me He should go into it therefore
the days of Manasses and Josiah for he forewarns the Jews of their approaching destruction by the Chaldeans 9. Zephany in the days of Josiah 10. Jeremy began to Prophesie in the 13th year of Josiah and continued Prophesying till the final captivity of Judah and two years after in Egypt The Lamentations seem to be written by him upon Judahs Captivity 11. Ezekiel began to Prophesie in Babylon in the fifth year of Jehoiakin's captivity and continued Prophecying about two and twenty years 12. Obadiah seems to have been Contemporary with Jeremy and Ezekiel for he Prophesies against the Idumeans in almost the same words and phrases that they did Compare his Prophesie with Jer. 49. and Ezek. 25. 13. Daniel in the first year of Belshazzar had the Vision of the four Beasts and in his third year the Vision of the Ram and He-goat And in the first year of Darius the Angel Gabriel informed him concerning the Seventy Weeks These three last Prophesied after the return from Captivity viz. Haggai Zachary Malachi Thus having given a short account of this my undertaking and humbly desiring that God may have glory and my Reader much benefit and advantage thereby I shall conclude this Preface with that short but fervent prayer which that excellent person Nehemiah put up for himself when he concluded his Book and therewith the History of the Old Testament Remember me O my God for Good May 5. 1683. THE CONTENTS OF THE CHAPTERS Chap. I. From the Creation to the Flood Sect. 1. OF the Creation of the World in six days and Gods resting on the seventh and instituting the Sabbath Sect. 2. Gods Covenant with man in the state of Innocence Mans fall The Covenant of Grace Sect. 3. Adam and Eve cast out of the Garden of Eden Sect. 4. Cain and Abel sacrifice Cain kills Abel Cains posterity Lamech brings in Polygamy Sect. 5. Seth born to Adam His race carried on to the Flood Sect. 6. Noah born Enoch's Translation Sect. 7. Giants on the Earth The wickedness of the old World God determines to send the Flood Noah's Character Sect. 8. Noah's three Sons born Japhet Sem and Ham. Noah is commanded to build an Ark. Sect. 9. Noah with his Family enter the Ark. The Flood comes Sect. 10. The Ark rests on Ararat Chap. II. From the Flood to the Promise made to Abram in Ur of the Chaldees Sect. 1. NOah his Family and all living Creatures leave the Ark. Sect. 2. Noah builds an Altar The Rainbow a pledg of Gods Covenant Sect. 3. Noah plants a Vineyard His drunkenness C ham cursed Sect. 4. The Tower of Babel Confusion of Languages Assyrian Monarchy begun A Catalogue of the Kings thereof Sect. 5. The Earth divided among the Sons and Grandchildren of Noah The Original of Nations Sect. 6. Mans life shortened Sem's posterity Sect. 7. Abram and Sarai born Sect. 8. Chedorlaomer subdues the Kings of Pentapolis Sect. 9. Abram called out of Vr of the Chaldees and the great promise that the Messiah should spring from his loyns made to him Chap. III. From the promise made to Abram to the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt Sect. 1. ABram's removal from Vr to Charran from thence to Canaan Two Altars there built by him A promise of that land made to his posterity Sect. 2. Abram goes into Egypt His danger there upon the account of Sarai whom he calls his sister from Pharaoh King of Egypt Sect. 3. Abram Sarai and Lot return into the Southern parts of Canaan Abram and Lot part A new promise of that land made to Abrams posterity Sect. 4. The King of Sodom with the petty Kings of Pentapolis shake off the yoke of Chedorlaomer he comes with an Army to chastise them vanquishes the forces of the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah plunders those Cities and among other Prisoners carries away Lot who dwelt there Abram pursues Chedorlaomer defeats him rescues Lot and the rest of the Prisoners At his return he is met by Melchizedek and blessed by him Sect. 5. A Son promised to Abram he believes and is justified God makes a Covenant with him to give the land of Canaan to his posterity Confirms it by a sign and a vision Sect. 6. Abram takes Hagar Ishmael born Sect. 7. God appears again to Abram renews his Covenant with him changes his name into Abraham Institutes Circumcision Sect. 8. Abraham entertains three Angels Sarai's laughter Abraham intercedes for Sodom Sect. 9. Two Angels conveigh Lot out of Sodom His wife turned into a Pillar of salt Sodom destroyed Lot's Incest from whence issued Moab and Ammon Sect. 10. Abraham sojourns in Gerar is in danger there again upon the account of his wife from Abimelech King of the place He being punished by God restores Sarah to her husband Abraham prays for him whereupon he and his family are cured Abimelech dismisses him with presents Sect. 11. Isaac born Hagar and Ishmael cast out Abraham makes a Covenant with Abimelech Sect. 12. Abraham commanded to offer up Isaac The place called Jehovah-jireh The promise renewed to him Sect. 13. Sarah dies Abraham buys a burying place for her Sect. 14. Eliezer sent into Mesopotamia to provide a wife for Isaac His presents to Rebeckah Isaac's marriage Sect. 15. Abraham marries Keturah by whom he hath six Sons Sect. 16. Esau and Jacob born Sect. 17. Abraham dies Sect. 18. Heber dies Sect. 19. Esau sells his Birth-right Sect. 20. A famine in the land Isaac goes to Gerar. His danger there on the account of Rebeckah whom he also called his sister He and Abimelech make a Covenant Sect. 21. Esau's displeasing marriages Sect. 22. Ishmael's death Sect. 23. Isaac's dimness Jacob gets the blessing Esau's hating of him Jacob's vision and vow Sect. 24. Esau marries Mahalatha the daughter of Ishmael Sect. 25. Jacob meets Rachel Leah given him for a wife instead of Rachel Leah's four Sons Sect. 26. Rachels barrenness Jacob takes Bilhah and Zilpah Joseph born Sect. 27. Jacob's fourteen years service and great increase Sect. 28. Jacob leaves Laban Rachels Teraphim The Covenant between Jacob and Laban at Galeed Sect. 29. Jacob's vision of Angels His prayer and wrestling Sect. 30. He meets Esau They embrace each other Jacob builds an Altar at Sychar Sect. 31. Dinah ravished Simeon and Levi's revenge Sect. 32. Jacob goes to Bethel Deborah Rebeckahs nurse dies Rachel dies Reuben defiles his Fathers bed Sect. 33. Joseph's dream His Brethren sell him Jacob's mourning Sect. 34. Isaac's death Sect. 35. Judah's incest with Thamar Pharez and Zarah born Sect. 36. Joseph sold to Potiphar His Mistress's false accusation His Imprisonment Sect. 37. The chief Butler and Baker imprisoned Joseph interprets their dreams Sect. 38. Pharaoh's dreams Joseph's advancement and marriage The famine begins Sect. 39. Jacob sends his Sons into Egypt Simeon bound Sect. 40. Jacob sends his Sons into Egypt again Simeon released Benjamin's Mess Sect. 41. The Cup in Benjamin's Sack Judah's intercession for him Sect. 42. Joseph discovers himself
Esau Chap. 1. from 1 to the 6. 2. He sharply reproves the Priests for offering blemisht and unlawful sacrifices viz. blind lame sick torn which no Governour would accept at their hands as also polluted bread Gods Table and Altar being in their eyes contemptible and herein they sinned against his greatness and goodness who was ready to reward their meanest services for him even the shutting the Temple-doors and kindling a fire on his Altar and shewed themselves horribly ungrateful towards him who had preferred them to the Priesthood and freely chosen the Tribe of their Father Levi before the other Tribes And having mentioned their Father Levi he adds four things concerning him 1. The honour conferred on him in calling him to that holy Office 2. His faithfulness in the discharge of it both in right interpreting the Law and living a good life answerable thereunto 3. His reward he had for his reward life and peace 4. By his good Doctrine and good life he brought many to righteousness Contrary to all which these Priests now acted who by their false glosses and interpretations of the Law and an ill life led many into error and wickedness yea they caused many to stumble at the Law and corrupted the Covenant made with their own Tribe to their great damage for God would not accept their persons nor their sacrifices yea would reject the Jews and call the Gentiles Chap. 1. v. 11. And would further punish them by cursing their blessings and making them base and contemptible among the people and would spread dung upon their faces 2. Then he reproves the People 1. For their nauseating the service of God and being weary of it and saying what a weariness is it and snuffing at it 2. For their low and mean opinion they had of the service of God Ye have profaned it and say the Table of the Lord is polluted and the fruit thereof even his meat is contemptible 3. In bringing the worst of their herds and flocks for sacrifice 4. For robbing God of his Tythes Will a man rob God yet ye have robbed me c. 3. He reproves the Priests and People joyntly 1. For dealing treacherously one with another 2. For their polygamy and marrying strange and Idolatrous wives 3. For the wickedness and profaneness that was found among many of them who made a mock at Gods justice and judgments and blasphemously said That God accepteth the wicked and that every one that doth evil is good in his sight and he delighteth in them For condemning Gods service as unprofitable Your words have been stout against me c. You have said It is in vain to serve God 2ly We may observe the effect of the Prophets reprehensions especially in the godly who hereby were moved to speak often one to another in detestation of those sins and blasphemies this God takes notice of and rewards them with many promises of blessings As 1. Of gathering them together and taking care of them as of his Jewels 2ly That when he corrects them he will correct them in mercy as a father doth his son 3ly That he will destroy their enemies Chap. 4.1 4ly That he will send the forerunner of the Messias viz. John Baptist who should come in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers with the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just so that his Ministry should be very powerful in converting sinners by his preaching repentance and faith in the Messiah and so preparing the way before him 5ly That he will send the Messias himself into this Temple how contemptible soever it seemed unto them whose coming should be terrible to the wicked He will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and adulterers but his coming would be very comfortable to the godly being a refiner and a Sun of righteous 6ly He directs them to Moses's Law to be their guide until Christ should come till whose coming they should expect no more Prophets but look to Moses who prophesied of Christ Remember ye the Law of Moses and the statutes and judgments which I commanded him in Horeb Chap. 4.4 And so much of this Prophet Thus we see the History of Nehemiah and so of the Old Testament ends with the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes Longimanus which Josephus Lib. 1. contra Apion confirms speaking on this wise From the death of Moses to Artaxerxes King of Persia the Prophets comprized what passed in their times But from Artaxerxes to our times things indeed have been committed to writing yet they are not held to be of like credit with the former And Eusebius in his Chron. on the two and thirtieth of Artaxerxes with which the History of Nehemiah ends hath these words Hitherto the Divine Scriptures of the Hebrews contain the Annals or Year-Books of the times but those things that were done among them after this time we must deliver out of the Books of the Maccabees and out of the writings of Josephus and Affricanus who have delivered a general History of things done among them down to the Roman times Now unto him that sitteth upon the Throne the Father of mercies And unto Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace And unto the Holy Spirit of Truth the Comforter Be ascribed all Wisdom Blessing Honour Power and Glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS A SHORT HISTORY OF THE Jewish Affairs From the End of the OLD TESTAMENT TO THE BIRTH OF CHRIST AN INTRODUCTION TO THE Jewish History THE History of the Old Testament ends as we have shewed with the Book of Nehemiah and extends no further than the 32th year of Artaxerxes Longimanus Now for the better understanding the state of 〈◊〉 Jewish affairs from the 32 of Artaxerxes to the Birth of Christ â—â—taining a space of 358 years which is the interval or interstitium between the Old and the New Testament it will be requisite to set down 1. What Persian Kings succeeded Artaxerxes till that Kingdom was conquered and swallowed up by Alexander the Great and so an end put to the Persian or second Monarchy 2. To speak something of Alexander in whom the Grecian or Third Monarchy began and the four Kingdoms into which his Empire was divided after his death till they were swallowed up by the Romans who began the Fourth Monarchy and under whose Empire our Saviour was born 3. To shew who were High Priests among the Jews from their return out of Captivity to our Saviours time where we shall have occasion to speak something of the History of the Maccabees till their power was swallowed up by Herod made King by the Romans For the First the Persian Kings who succeeded Artaxerxes * The Persian Kings that preceded him were Cyrus Cambyses Darius Histaspis Xerxes Artaxerxes Longimanus Longimanus were these Darius Nothus Artaxerxes Mnemon Darius Ochus Arses vel Arsames Darius Codomannus who being conquered by Alexander the Persian Monarchy ceased and the Greek or Macedonian began
carried to Babylon This being done for the present he enjoys the Kingship and Priesthood Herod in the mean time flying to Rome he is made through Anthony's power with the Senate King of the Jews and getting some forces there with them he returns into Judea and conquers and takes Antigonus and sends him to Anthony who causes him to be put to death And so the Kingdom of Maccabees ended 126 years after it began After this Herod and his successors or the Romans made whom they would High Priests See Lightf p. 30. Capellus's Chronolog p. 29. Julius Caesar having gotten the Dictatorship or supreme Government of the Romans into his hands about forty seven years before the Birth of Christ began the Roman or fourth Monarchy and continued it about five years and so was the first Roman Emperour To him succeeded Octavius Augustus who began to reign about forty two years before the Birth of Christ and reigned about fifty six years but the first twelve of them he governed together with M. Anthony and M. Lepidus they three making the Triumvirate the latter forty four he reigned alone In the 31th year * Aliqui aliter computant asserunt Christum natum 41 An. Imperii Augusti Annoque Mundi 3948. of his reign reckoning the beginning of it from his victory at Actium our blessed Saviour was born and in the 35th year of the reign of Herod The third Roman Emperour was Tiberius in the 18th year of whose reign our Lord and Saviour was Crucified HAving thus given a general view of the Jewish Affairs from the end of the Old Testament to the Birth of Christ we shall now speak a little more largely of that subject collecting for the main our History thereof out of the Books of the Maccabees and the writings of Josephus and other Modern Authors who have written of those times and particulariy out of the Annals of the renowned Vsher To Artaxerxes Longimanus succeeded Darius Nothus in the Persian Empire and to him Artaxerxes Mnemon and to him Darius Ochus who marching with a great army against Sidon in Phaenicia which had revolted from him and confederated with Egypt the City was betrayed into his hands by Tennes the King thereof and Mentor who commanded the Egyptian Auxiliaries The Citizens seeing themselves betrayed in a mad passion set a fire to their houses and burnt themselves wives and children and servants so that above forty thousand are said to have perished in the flames He now marches with his army towards Egypt and takes Jericho in his way and takes many Jews along with him out of Judea to serve him in his wars against Egypt Having conquered Egypt and returning to Babylon full of glory and spoils he carried thither with him many of the Jews prisoners sending most of them into Hircania bordering upon the Caspian Sea and some he placed in Babylon it self Jonathan or Johanan the Son of Joiada being High Priest at this time had a Brother whose name was Josua this Josua grew into great favour with Bagoses Ochus's General insomuch that he had a promise from him that he should have the Priesthood Upon this he was so puft up that he presumed to strive with his Brother Johanan the High Priest in the very Temple and so far provoked him that the High Priest kill'd him in that sacred place Bagoses hearing this endeavoured to enter the Temple and when he was forbidden he askt if they accounted him more impure than the carcass that lay within And so forcibly entring the Temple he plundred it and thence took occasion to punish the Jews seven years for the death of Josua for two Lambs being constantly offered in the daily sacrifice he imposed upon every one a tribute of fifty drachms which amounted to the yearly rate of sixty Attick Talents Joseph Lib. 11. Chap. 7. Johanan the High Priest was Father of Jaddus who succeeded him in the Priesthood and of Manasses who married Nicaso Sanballat's daughter Neh. 13.28 It 's said one of the Sons that is Grandsons of Joiada Son of Eliashib was Son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite This Sanballat was a Cuthaean by birth from whom the Samaritans had their original and was by Darius King of Persia made Governour of Samaria and being desirous by this band of affinity to hold in the better with the Jewish Nation he gave his daughter in marriage to Manasses Ochus being poysoned by Bagoses his General and Arses or Arsames his Son set up by him and shortly after by him killed with all his children at last Bagoses set up Darius Codomannus a friend of his and made him King the Royal family of Darius Histaspis being now extinct Bagoses shortly after repenting of what he had done and being much vers'd in King-killing he thought by poyson to send Darius also after Ochus and Arses But the matter being discovered Darius sent for him and forc'd him to drink the potion himself which he had provided for him The Elders at Jerusalem being offended that Manasses Jaddus's Brother had contrary to their Law married a wife of a strange Nation required that he should either put her away or come no more at the Altar Hereupon he goes to Sanballat his father-in-law and tells him that his wife was dear unto him but he must either part with her or his Priesthood Sanballat answered that he would so bring it about in case he would keep his wife that he should not only be a Priest but an High Priest too For he would build for him upon Mount Gerizim a Temple like that at Jerusalem to do which he doubted not but to obtain leave and authority from Darius Hereupon Manasses continued with his father-in-law and all the Priests and other Israelites who had married strange wives resorted to him Sanballat furnishing them with money and giving them lands to till and forwarding the ambition of his Son-in-law all that possibly he could Joseph Antiq. Lib. 11. Cap. 8. Alexander of Macedon now contends with Darius for the Empire of Asia and having won the Battels at Granicus and Issus and driven Darius back into Persia he lays siege to Tyre Sanballat revolts from Darius and goes over to Alexander at the beginning of the siege with 8000 men and desireth leave of him to build his new designed Temple perswading him it would he for his interest that thereby the Jews being divided among themselves might be the less able to resist him Alexander yielding to his request he returns and falls with great industry upon the work and built the Temple and made Manasses his Son-in-law High Priest of it thinking thereby to leave a great honour to the posterity of his daughter During the siege of Tyre Alexander sent to Jaddus the High Priest at Jerusalem demanding of him supplies and other provisions and withal such tribute as was formerly paid to Darius Jaddus answered that he was tyed by a former oath of Allegiance to Darius and that he could not be free from
wives yea furthered it by suffering them to build Temples for their Idols and thus his Idolatrous wives turned his heart from the Commandments of God which enjoin'd him to root out Idolatry but it seems his carnal love to them devouring his zeal for God he was so far from rooting it out that he permitted it and thereupon is said to have followed * Dicitur sequutus Deos alienos quod eorum cultum non repulcrit Debuit quatenus vir ab Idololatria uxores reprimere quatenus vero Rex ditionem suam in vero Dei cultu retinere Horum neutrum praestitit sed uxorum blanditiis dilinitus Templa Fana extruxit impensas ad Sacrificia Sacerdotes suppeditavit after Ashtaroth (e) See Judg. 2.13 the Goddess of the Zidonians and Milcom (f) Levit. 18.21 or Molech the Abomination of the Ammonites namely because he connived at the worship of these Idols And to the great aggravation of his guilt he permitted (g) V. 7. Aedificavit scil permisit ut uxores aedificarent Non increpavit eas a Temple or an Image or both to be built for Chemosh (h) Numb 21.29 the Abomination of Moab and for Molech on Mount Olivet (i) And there it seems they continued till Josiahs days 2 King 23.13 nigh unto Jerusalem even in the very face and as it were to affront the Temple of the living God And though at first possibly he granted this favour but only to two or three of his Idolatrous wives yet the rest by degrees so far wrought upon him that he was fain to gratifie all of them that sought to him for it and undoubtedly many of the people were hereby ensnar'd And thus he shewed that his heart was not so upright with God as his Father Davids was For though David was guilty of many gross sins yet he never yielded to any Idolatry but kept the worship and service of God pure all his days And a great aggravation of Solomon's guilt it was that he turned from observing the Commandments of the Lord who had in so extraordinary a manner twice appeared to him viz. once at Gibeon Ch. 3.5 and a second time at Jerusalem Ch. 9.2 and had commanded him particularly to take heed of this thing namely not to go after other Gods The Lord therefore had just cause to be angry with him for this and accordingly he sent Ahiah the Shilonite or some other Prophet to him to speak to him after this manner Thus saith the Lord Forasmuch as thou hast done this and hast not kept my Covenant (a) A Covenant when applied to God signifies a Law appointed or enjoyned to be kept and that with promise of reward to them that keep it and of penalty to such as transgress it Deut. 29.9 25. and my statutes which I commanded thee I will surely rend the greatest part of thy Kingdom from thee and will give it to thy servant But I will not do it in thy days because of my promise to David thy Father 2 Sam. 7. from v. 12 to 16. but I will rend it out of the hand of thy Son and so thou shalt be punished (b) Monentur hinc Parentes ut sancte vivant ne filiis poenas intempestive attrahant in him Yet I will not rend away the whole Kingdom from him but will give him one (c) He speaks here of one of the Tribes that belonged to the Kingdom of Israel considered as separate from the Kingdom of Judah which in regard of its eminency was reckoned apart from the rest of the Tribes See 1 Sam. 11.8 So much also of Simeon as lay within Judah was comprised under Judah See Josh 19. from 1 to 9. of the Tribes of Israel viz. Benjamin besides the Tribe of Judah See 2 Chron. 11.12 And this I will do for David my servants sake and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen for the place of my publick worship and the seat of the Kings from whom the Messiah who I have promised is to come 1 King 11. from v. 1 to 14. SECT XVI SOlomon as 't is conceived was so terrified with this threatning that he repented of his sin and as an evidence of his repentance wrote his Book call'd Ecclesiastes in which he publisheth to the world his remorse for his former sins and follies and the vanities to which he had been too intemperately addicted * Ecclesiastes or the Preaching Soul truly penitent gathering it self to the Church and by wholsome admonitions gathering others also that were going astray after vanity In this Book he reflects upon the honours pleasures and wealth he had so abundantly enjoyed the errors and miscarriages he had fallen into the observations he had made of things Natural Moral Domestical Civil Sensual and Divine and the curious enquiry he had made after true happiness And in the first six Chapters he shews wherein it doth not consist and in the six last wherein it doth And first he shews it doth not consist in knowledg either Natural or Moral 2. Not in pleasures or sensual delights 3. Not in honour greatness and power which is so far from making men happy that without the fear of God to correct and temper it it is ordinarily the occasion of much wickedness in them that have it and of much misery to others 4. Not in an outward formal religiousness 5. Not in riches and great possessions which are often snares and occasions of much hurt to the possessours who must leave them and many times they know not to whom Then he shews wherein mans happiness doth consist 1. In contentation of mind and the free and regular and joyful fruition of Gods blessings and the comforts he gives us with humility moderation and thankfulness 2. In a quiet and humble acquiescence in the will of God 3. In sincerity of heart in the worship of God and in a due care that we offend not in vows prayers and addresses unto him 4. In patience of spirit under all oppressions 5. In a composed preparedness of mind to undergo afflictions 6. In a pious and prudent behaviour towards all men that so we may preserve our names from calumny and our persons from danger 7. In meekness charity and patience towards such as offend us considering humane frailty 8. In a due deportment of our selves towards our Superiours that our lives may not be made uncomfortable to us by their dispeasure 9. In a practical prudence or wisdom rightly to judg and discern of times wherein things are to be done 10. In submission to the holy and invincible Providence of God admiring his works and adoring his judgments 11. In a conscionable industriousness in our particular Callings And lastly he concludes that in old age elegantly described by him and at death it will appear that to fear the Lord and keep his commandments is both the duty and the happiness of man and the chief thing wherein it consists And so
much of the Book of Ecclesiastes SECT XVII GOD threatned Solomon 2 Sam. 7.13 14 15. That if he committed iniquity he would chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men but his mercy should not depart from him And accordingly he now stirred up three Adversaries (a) Though Solomon's enemies had herein their own ends yet the Lord us'd them as instruments of his Justice to punish his revolt against him 1. Hadad the Edomite When David subdued the Edomites 't is said 2 Sam. 8.14 He put Garrisons through all Edom and they became his servants And at this time as it seems whilst Joab pursued his victory slaying all the males where he came Hadad then being very young was hid and afterwards secretly carried away by some of his Fathers servants who also took some out of Paran that lay in the way to attend him into Egypt where he was kindly entertained by Pharaoh who gave him an house and lands and appointed him victuals and a constant Table and in time he came to be in so great favour with him that he gave him to wife his own Queens sister who bare him a Son that was educated in Pharaoh's house When this Hadad heard in Egypt that David and Joab were dead he desired leave of Pharaoh to return into his own Country Pharaoh askt him what he lacked there He said nothing However I desire to return to my own Country that I may recover my Kingdom again Pharaoh hearing this kindly dismissed him and he came to his own Country where he was received for their King Yet 't is manifest he attempted nothing against Solomon for a long time after this For till Solomon's fall in his old age his enemies stirred not see 1 King 5.4 so that 't is like Hadad at first made some Covenant with Solomon and was his Tributary for his Kingdom but at last he stirred against him and created him much trouble yet he was not able quite to shake off his yoke for the Edomites continued Tributaries to the Kings of Judah till Jehoram's reign 2 Chron. 21.10 2ly God stirred up another enemy against Solomon viz. Rezon who when David had gotten the better of his Master in battel and had vanquished the Syrians see 2 Sam. 10.18 he gathered together such of them as were put to flight ande made himself Captain over them and for some time t is like lived by robbing and pillaging till Solomon's declining days And though 't is not like that Solomon lost any thing of that which his Father had gotten till himself fell from God yet then it seems Rezon took courage to set upon Damascus into which David had put a Garrison 2 Sam. 8.6 and took it from Solomon and there reigned as King So that Solomon had now one enemy in the North and another in the South 3ly A third enemy whom God stirred up against him was Jeroboam his own servant of the Tribe of Ephraim who had been raised and preferred by him And the occasion of his rise was this Solomon when he built Millo of which see Ch. 9.15 and repaired the breaches in Zion the City of David going out often to see * The Masters eye they say makes the horse fat and the servant to sweat his workmen and to encourage them to diligence he observed Jeroboam who was then but a young man to be very active and industrious in those labours and services he was set about whereupon Solomon taking a liking to him preferred him and in time made him Receiver or Treasurer for all the Kings revenue in the two Tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh Upon a time when he went out of Jerusalem to execute his Office it happened that the Prophet Ahijah †He who with some others penned the Acts of Solomon 2 Chron. 9.29 the Shilonite who had clad himself with a new garment met him and desired some private conference with him and when they were alone he took off his new garment and rent it into twelve pieces according to the number of the Tribes of Israel and gave ten of them to Jeroboam saying Thus saith the Lord I will rend the Kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten Tribes to thee because they (b) Solomon giving way to his wives Idolatry proved a snare to the people and occasioned their revolt from God and in this rent the people suffered as well as Rehoboam the rent in the Kingdom proving an occasion of continual Wars between Judah and Israel which brought in many miseries from foreign Nations upon both Kingdoms have forsaken me and worshipped Ashtaroth and Chemosh and Moloch and have not walked in my ways to do that which was right in mine eyes and to keep my statutes and judgments as did David my servant Howbeit I will not take the Kingdom from Solomon while he lives but he shall be King thereof all his days for David my servants sake whom I chose because he kept my commandments and my statutes But I will take the Kingdom out of his Sons hands viz. ten Tribes of it and will give them unto thee And unto his Son will I give one intire Tribe viz. Judah with Simeon (a) Ac proinde Synecdochice includitur Nam e Benjamine tantum pars penes eum fuit Jeroboamo cesserunt Bethel Ephraim quae erant oppida Benjaminis that is mixt with it together with the greatest part of the Tribe of Benjamin that David my servant may have a light always before me in Jerusalem that is a Royal glory shining in one of his posterity who as a light may shine before the people and direct them as long as that Kingdom shall last See 2 Sam. 21.17 1 King 15.4 and that in Jerusalem where my Temple is built and where my name is solemnly call'd upon and which is called after my name the City of God And I will take thee and make thee King over the Ten Tribes and thou shalt be a Soveraign King and not under any Superiour on earth so that thou maist reign according as thy soul desireth And if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee and wilt walk in my ways and do that which is right in my sight to keep my statutes and commandments as David my servant did I will be with thee and build thee a sure house that is so establish thy Kingdom that it shall continue in thy posterity as I promised to David And though I will by this division of the Kingdom sorely afflict the house of David yet I will not do it for ever For though they shall be carried into captivity yet they shall be brought back again and the Messiah shall at last be born of the seed of David who shall continue to reign most gloriously for ever Ahijah having delivered what God commanded him to Jeroboam took his leave of him How Jeroboam was affected with this surprizing message we may easily imagine It seems he