unto the Lord to prosper him in his business and that by such a sign he might know the Damosel God had appointed for his Masters Son and this sign he found pointed him clearly to Rebecca These things being all true and real he desired them that they would please to deal kindly and uprightly with his Master and to let him have a direct answer concerning this great and weighty matter that he might know whether to turn to the right hand or to the left that is that if they consented not he might somewhere else look for a Wife for his young Master Then Laban who as 't is like had the managing of all their affairs his Father being old spake in the Name of them all and told the Servant that the thing seemed to proceed from the Lord and from his all-wise Providence and therefore they could not speak unto him either good or bad Good reasons they had none against this motion and bad they would not urge so that they had nothing to say against it And therefore he should have their free consent to have Rebecca for his Masters Son provided she were willing seeing God had declared his good pleasure therein by pointing Her out to him by that sign When Eliezer heard this he worshipped God bowing himself to the ground Then he presented Rebecca with some rich picces of Gold and Silver plate and with rich Suits of apparel and presented her Mother also and her Brother with rich Gifts All things having thus prosperously succeeded Eliezer and his Company were now willing to eat and drink with Laban which having done they reposed themselves there that night Then rising early the next Morning Eliezer like a man that seriously minded his business desired them to hasten him away with his young Mistress Her Mother and Brother were not willing so soon to part with her but desired that she might stay with them at least ten days before she went But Eliezer was impatient of so long a stay and therefore intreated them that seeing the Lord had so eminently prospered him in his business hitherto he might now hasten home to his Master They replied They would call Rebecca and see what she said to it Rebecca expressing a modest willingness to go provided it might be with their good liking They said They saw the thing was of God and therefore she should go Then solemnly blessing her and praying that she might be the Mother of thousands of Millions that is of an innumerable Posterity who might possess the Gates of their Enemies they forthwith sent her away with Deborah her Nurse and some young Maids to attend her Rebecca with Her Attendants being thus committed to the Care of Eliezer they began their Journey towards Canaan and after some days travel they drew near to Beersheba where Abraham and Isaac dwelt It being now Eventide Isaac was walking in the Fields to pray and meditate His walk was in the way (n) Veniebat ea via qua itur ad puteum that leads to the Well Lahai-roi where on a sudden lifting up his eyes he saw the Camels coming towards him Rebecca seeing him at some distance ask'd Eliezer who He was and he telling her it was Isaac his young Master she immediately lighted off from her Camel and took a Veil and covered her face in token of modesty and subjection When they met the Servant told Isaac all that had happened and presented Rebecca to Him Isaac joyfully receiv'd and welcom'd Her and forthwith conducted her into his Mother Sarahs Tent (o) Women it seems had their Tents apart see Ch. 31.33 which it seems at her death about three years before had been reserv'd with its Furniture for his Wife And soon after He took her for his Wife by solemn marrying of her and loved her exceedingly and was highly pleased with Her So that the great grief he had before lien under for his dear Mothers death was now well mitigated and abated by the Comforts he had in his new Wife Ch. 24. whole Chapter SECT XV. ABraham having thus happily dispatched that weighty business of his Sons marriage he took to himself another Wife (p) Non libidine motus sed amore prolis ex divino instinctu ut ex eo semen inter gentes quoque multiplicaretur by name Keturah when he was about 140 years old For though forty years before that time his body was as it were dead Rom. 4.19 as to any humane likelihood of begetting Children yet God who strengthen'd him then to beget Isaac did it seems now renew that Masculine vigor and strength to him to make good his Promise of multiplying his Seed Ch. 17. 5. in others also though principally in Isaac that he inabled him to beget six Sons of Keturah in his old age To these he gave portions as he had done before to Ishmael the Son of Hagar being his Children by his Concubines (q) By this it appears that not only they were called Concubines who as Hagar were taken after a man was married to be as it were partner-wives or by-wives for the right of the Bed and propagation of Children though not solemnly betrothed nor taken with Dowry nor to be partners in the Government of the Family but to be subject to the lawful Wife and their Children were not to inherit except the Father pleased as Bilhah's and Zilpah's did extraordinarily becoming heads of Tribes I say not only such as these were called Concubines but second Wives taken after the first was dead were so called because their Children had no right of Inheritance and before his death sent them away into the East-Country into part of Arabia a good way off from Isaac the Heir of the Promise whom he made the sole and full heir of all his remaining Estate thus testifying his Faith that only Isaac and his Seed should enjoy the Land of Canaan Chap. 25. from 1. to 7. SECT XVI REbecca continued 19 years barren after her Marriage but at last upon Isaac's prayer who had prayed many years for her the Lord was intreated to bless her with power to Conceive and she conceived Twins who strugling in her Womb she said If it be so why am I thus that is if it be so that I am indeed with child why am I thus what is the reason I feel such a strange and extraordinary and painful strugling in my Womb more than other women do that are in my Condition Hereupon she betook her self either by her own private prayer or by some Prophet to inquire of the Lord what the meaning of it should be The answer she received was That she had two Sons in her Womb that should be the heads of two several Nations viz. Edomites and Israelites that these two Nations should differ very much one from the other They should be divided in habitation and should differ very much in their Laws Religion and Manners that Esau for some time should be greater than Jacob
their Gods also He had executed Judgment causing possibly some such notable accident to befal the Egyptian Idols as did the Philistines Dagon which fell down before the Ark see Exod. 12.12 Their second Station was Succoth their third Etham where the Lord began first to go before them by day in a Pillar of Cloud and by night in a Pillar of fire From Etham they turned unto Pihahiroth a narrow passage between two ledges of Mountains into which being entred Pharaoh overtook them with a great Army and thought they could not have escap'd him but God divided the Red-Sea which the Israelites passing thorow the Egyptians assayed to follow them and there were miserably drowned The Israelites having past thorow the Sea went three days journey in the Wilderness of Etham without any water and pitched in Marah Here they found the Waters very bitter insomuch that they began to murmur against Moses but God sweetened the Waters by the casting in of a Tree Exod. 15.23 From Marah they came to Elim where were twelve Fountains of Water From Elim they encamped by the Red-Sea †See Sect. 8. of this Book and from thence removed to the Wilderness of Sin so called from Sin a City in Egypt over against which this Wilderness lay Hither they came just a month after their departure from Rameses Here they murmur grievously for want of Food and God gave them Quails for one meal and Manna from Heaven which was continued till they came into Canaan From Sin they came to Dophkah and from thence to Alush and from thence to Rhepidim * See Sect. 10. of this Book where wanting water again they were ready to stone Moses but water was fetched for them miraculously out of a Rock in Horeb. Here they had a Victory over the Amalekites who set upon them From Rephidim they came to the Wilderness of Sinai Hither they came at the beginning of the third month Exod. 19.1 and stayed till the second day of the second month of the second year Numb 10.11 12. Here the Law was given and the Tabernacle framed and the people punished for making and worshipping a golden Calf and Nadab and Abihu smitten dead for offering strange fire Here the people were first numbred and then ordered as to their Encampings about the Tabernacle and in their Journeys towards the Land of Canaan From Sinai they marched by Taberah signifying a burning because there the fire of God till quenched by Moses's prayer consumed the hindermost in the Camp for their murmuring and so they came to Kibroth-Hattavah Here the people fell a lusting for Flesh again And God now gave them Quails for a whole month together in great abundance whereon they surfeited and died miserably with the flesh between their teeth Then they came to Hazeroth Here Aaron and Miriam murmured against Moses and she was smitten with Leprosie Numb 12. Then they came to Rithmath in the Wilderness of Paran near Kadesh-barnea whence Spies were sent to search the Land Upon the evil report of ten of them the people horribly murmur God was very wroth with them for it and appoints Moses to return again to the Red-Sea and declares That not one of that Generation save Caleb and Joshua should enter into Canaan Then they came to Rimmon-Parez and from thence to Libnah call'd Laban Deut. 1.1 and then to Rissah then to Kehelatha thence to Mount Shapher thence to Haradah and pitched in Makheloth signifying Assemblies so called as some think because of the mutinous Assemblies of Corah Dathan and Abiram in that place Thence to Tahath and pitched at Tarah thence to Mithcah and pitched at Hashmonah and encamped at Maseroth and then came to Bene-Jaakan and incamped at Hor-gidgad from thence to Jothathah a Land of Rivers of waters Deut. 10.7 Here the Rock Rephidim-water as it seems stopped its course * See Dr. Fuller's Pisgah-sight God suspending Miracles when he affords means and as 't is probable the Israelites drank of the water of the Country till they came to Kadesh Then they encamped at Ebronah from thence they marched to Eziongaber a place by the Red-Sea where was a Harbour for Ships in Edom's Land 1 Kings 9.26 From thence to Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin Here Miriam died The people in this place wanting water murmur again and had water again given them out of a Rock Here God was very angry with Moses and Aaron for their unbelief and here they had the Sentence of Death passed on them though reprieved for a time and rendred uncapable of entring into Canaan They came hither in the beginning of the 40th year and hence they sent to crave a passage thorow Edoms Land but it was denied them God Commands them not to force it but to find another way From Kadesh they removed to Mount Hor in the edge of the Land of Edom where Aaron died Then they came to Zalmonah so called possibly of Zolom an Image For this is thought to be the place where the Israelites for murmuring again for want of water and loathing Manna were stung with fiery Serpents and the brasen Serpent was by God's direction erected for their Cure and help As for their five following Stages viz. Punon Oboth Jie-abarim and Dibon-Gad so called because it was repaired and possessed by the Tribe of Gad Ch. 32.34 and Almon-Diblathaim we find no memorable accident happening at them Thence they came to the Mountains of Abarim and then to the Plains of Moab And here God commanded Moses to charge the Israelites to drive out the Inhabitants of the Land viz. by destroying them Deut. 7.22 23. and to destroy their Pictures and molten Images and High Places and to divide their Land by lot among themselves But if they did not take care to drive them out then he declares The Canaanites should be pricks in their Eyes and thorns in their Sides and a continual Vexation to them and He would bring that destruction on them for their Disobedience which he thought to bring on the Canaanites viz. root them out of the Land Numb 33. whole Chapter SECT LXXXIX THe Lord now by Moses declareth unto Israel the Bounds (a) V. 3. The Wilderness of Zin lay at the very East-end of the South-border in the corner whereof it joyned with the East-border right against the South-end of the Salt-Sea that is the Lake of Sodom called also the Dead-Sea see Gen. 14.3 V. 7. This was not that Mount Hor where Aaron died which was South-wâ—rd in the edge of Edoms Land Ch. 33.37 38. but another Mountain on the North-side of Canaan by some supposed to be Libanus and by other Mount Hermon and Limits of the Land of Canaan lying within Jordan which he intended to give them that they might be assured they should possess it and might know how far they were to proceed in their Conquests and where to stay and according to these Bounds and Limits might make a division of the Land among the nine
Israelites over against Beth-Peor and there buried it Neither doth any man know the place where he laid it to this day And this the Lord seems to have done that the Israelites might not in a preposterous Zeal give superstitious honour either to his dead body or Sepulchre Indeed 't is said Jude v. 9. That Michael the Arch-Angel contended with the Devil and disputed about the body of Moses whereby it appears that the Devil would have had the place of his burial made known that it might have been the occasion of Idolatry as Chrysostome in his First Homily on Matthew and Theodoret upon Deut. quest 43. with others do conjecture but the Lord prevented the Devils design herein And possibly God foresaw that if the Israelites had known the place where the body of Moses was buried they would in an unwarrantable way have taken it up and carried it with them into the Land of Canaan as they did Joseph's bones whereas God had declared He should not come thither Moses being dead the Israelites mourned for him 30 days * So long they mourned for Aaron Numb 20.28 And there was great reason for it for there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face that is spake to in a wondrous familiar manner with an audible articulate Voice as one friend speaketh to another and discovered to him more of his Glory than ever he did to the eye of mortal man see Exod. 33.20 There was none like unto him if we consider the great Miracles which the Lord inabled him to do in the Land of Egypt before Pharaoh and his Servants and the wonderful Works of mighty Power which he since performed in the Wilderness in the sight of all Israel whereby the Lord magnified his own Majesty and Power and put a great honour on his Servant Moses and his Ministry But though this great Moses was gone yet God left not his people without a Governour for He had before-hand appointed Joshua to succeed him who was a man endued with a great measure of wisdom which the Holy Ghost had given him for the right execution of his Office For Moses had laid his hands on him according to Gods Command Numb 27.18 by that Ceremony consecrating him unto God and engaging him faithfully to administer the Charge and Office He was appointed unto And the Children of Israel hearkned unto him and obeyed him as the Lord commanded Moses to injoyn them SECT XCIV WE are now come to the Book of Joshua The Book of Ioshua which was not probably written by himself (a) If we should suppose this Book for the main to be written by Joshua yet some passages might be inserted afterwards by some other holy Penman So in the Books of Moses we find some passages which could not be written by Moses himself but were afterwards added by some other holy men as Deut. 34.5 Qui hanc historiam ex Sacris Annalibus conscripsit usus est sui seculi nominibus Masius at least not all of it though it contains his Acts and Atchievements Indeed Joshua either wrote himself or ordered some of the Priests to write the words of the Covenant which he caused the people to enter into with all the Circumstances of it Ch. 24.26 in the Book of the Law of God which was written by Moses and put in the side of the Ark that so it might be a Witness against them if they transgressed it But there are some things contained in this Book which are thought to be done after Joshua's death as the conquering of Leshem or Laish by the Danites Ch. 19.47 Judg. 18.7 to 29. and Ch. 24. from 29. to 32. his death and burial are mentioned Some other things seem to argue that it was written by some Prophet * A Propheta aliquo collectus videtur hic liber ex antiquis diariis annalibus Masius long after his death as that phrase (b) See Ch. 4. 6. 6.29 7.26 8.29 9.27 10.27 13.13 14.14 15.63 remains unto this day so frequently used doth intimate And the Book of Jasher (c) See Sect. 102. is here named Ch. 10.13 which seems written at soonest in David's time as recording an Act of his 2 Sam. 1.18 unless we should suppose which is not improbable that this Book of Jasher was begun in Moses's time and continued on and inlarged afterwards by adding several memorable Acts and Passages unto it Joshua was of the Tribe of Ephraim Numb 13.8 He was six full years in Conquering the Land and in the seventh divided it by lot among the nine Tribes and an half And divers years he lived and governed after that time but how many is uncertain yet it is supposed to be about ten years And so this Book contains an History of seventeen years from the beginning of Joshua's Government to his death which happened when he was an hundred and ten years old Ch. 24.29 And so much by way of Preface We now come to the History it self After the death of Moses the Lord spake to Joshua Moses's Minister who had for many years daily and continual conversation with him and so could not but have learned much thereby to fit him for this great Service But whither the Lord spake to him by audible Voice or the secret instinct of his Spirit or in some Dream or by the High Priests inquiring for him by Vrim and Thummim we cannot determine But however it was he spake to him and commanded him to arise and lead His people over into the Land of Canaan which he had before promised them and intended now actually to give them He tells him That every place in the Land which the sole of their foot should tread upon from the Wilderness of Zin which was the South-bound to Lebanon which was the North-bound and the great Sea or Midland-Sea which was the Western-bound and the River Euphrates (d) That the Israelites did never extend their bounds thus far is evident For though in the days of David and Solomon all the Nations as far as Euphrates became Tributary to them 1 Kings 4.21 yet they never destroyed the Inhabitants there and planted themselves in their Country as they did in the Land of Canaan And the reason of this was because the Israelites failed of keeping Covenant with God and it was only upon condition of their Obedience that God promised thus to inlarge their borders which was the Eastern-bound even all the Land of the Hittites which seem here mention'd by a Synecdoche for all the seven Nations should be their Coast The Lord tells him That not a man should be able to stand before him all the days of his life but as He was with Moses so He would be with him and would never leave him nor forsake him He bids him therefore be strong and of a good courage for he should divide the Land of Canaan to the people of
had been done and the reason of it And accordingly they sent Phineas the Son of Eleazar and ten Princes of each chief House a Prince unto them When they came to them Phineas in the name of the rest spake to them after this manner What Trespass is this Brethren that you have committed against the God of Israel in building you an Altar that you might rebel this day against the Lord Is it not enough and too much that we did many years since highly provoke God to Displeasure against us by suffering our selves to be drawn by the Daughters of Moab to the Worship of Baal-Peor and shall we now afresh provoke Him against us by a new Rebellion against his Law and by a new way of Idolatry The stain and infamy of that sin of Peor still lies upon us and we have all cause to blush at the remembrance of it even now at this day And I am afraid the Infection of that Idolatry does still cleave to some particular persons among us And seeing ye have now rebelled against the Lord this I tell you before-hand will be the fruit and effect of it He will immediately and forthwith be angry with the whole Congregation of Israel and we must expect a dreadful punishment to fall upon us all for this your Transgression as you may remember when Achan transgressed in taking the accursed thing Ch. 7.1 wrath fell on the whole people for it and that Man perished not alone for that Sin but several others with him If you think the Land without Jordan unclean because you have not Gods Tabernacle and Altar with you as we have then pass over to us We had rather diminish our own Inheritances to give you a share of them than that you should fall off from the true Worship of God Gods Glory and your Salvation obliges us to make this kind motion to you The Children of Reuben Gad and the half-Tribe of Manasseh having heard these words made this reply First They appeal to the great God the Searcher of all Hearts that they had not built this Altar with any such intent as their Brethren suspected The Lord God of Gods say they the Lord God of Gods he knows how hateful the very thought of any such thing is unto us and you our Brethren shall know by our constancy in the Worship of God how far we were from building that Altar with any intent to Sacrifice thereon If we did it in rebellion against the Law of God we desire the Lord should not spare us but punish us according to the hainousness of so great a Sin Alas say they our true and only intent in doing it was this for fear lest in time to come your Children might say to our Children What have you to do with the Lord God of Israel The Lord hath made Jordan a border between you and us You have no part in the Lord. And thus in Generations to come your Children may come not to suffer our Children to offer their Sacrifices on God's Altar alledging They were not of the Church and People of God nor of Abraham's Seed and so shall your Children make our Children cease from fearing and serving the Lord. Therefore we agreed to build this Altar not to offer any Sacrifice thereon but only to be a Memorial and Witness between you and us and our Generations after us That we were the people of God as well as you and had liberty to come and offer our Sacrifices on the Altar that is before the Tabernacle equally with you and that your Children might not in after Ages bar our Children from this Priviledge Phineas and the Princes that were sent with him hearing this were very glad and much pleased therewith and Phineas replied This day we perceive the Lord is indeed among us in that He hath kept you from falling into that scandalous Sin which we feared you had committed Now we perceive that you have delivered the Children of Israel out of the Hand of the Lord by having kept your selves from that Sin which might have drawn some heavy Judgment not only upon your selves but upon the whole body of the people had you fallen into it Then Phineas and the Princes took their leave of them and returning to Shiloh made their Report hereof to the Elders of Israel there met who were exceedingly well satisfied therewith and blessed God who had hereby prevented them from going against their Brethren And so the Altar was called Ed that is a Witness or Token that they did all on both sides Jordan acknowledge and own Jehovah for the true God and their God whom they would Worship in no other way than that which He Himself had prescribed Josh Ch. 22. whole Chapter SECT CXX JOshua rebuilt the City of Timnath-serah in Mount Ephram in which he dwelt several years after God had given rest to the Israelites And having lived 110 years which was the age of Joseph and finding his death to approach He called for all Israel that is the representative body of the people viz. the Elders of each Tribe with their Magistrates Judges and Officers to come to him He tells them He was now old and stricken in years They had seen the great things the Lord had done for them and how he had fought for them and vanquished the Canaanites 'T is true they were not all yet subdued but yet He had divided the Inheritances of those that remained unto them by lot and though he died and left the Work unfinished yet they might assure themselves if they continued stedfast to the Lord He would in due time perfect the Work He had begun and perform all that He had promised and drive out the Nations that were not yet driven out He bids them therefore to be of good courage and carefully to observe the Commandments of the Lord not turning aside from them to the right hand or to the left He exhorts them to take heed of any familiar Converse with those Nations that remain'd among them or to make Marriages with them or to have any thing to do with their gods He would not have them so much as to take the Name of their false gods into their Lips with any liking of them see Psal 16.4 nor cause the men of these Nations to swear by their Idols to justifie their Sayings or confirm their Promises Neither should the Judges admit of an Oath by their Idols in the trial of any Cause much less should they bow down to them and serve them but they should cleave to the Lord their God as they had done since they came under his Government * Since that time we read not of any notable Rebellion of this people against God see Judg. 2.7 The Lord says He has driven out for you great and potent Nations None of them that you encountred were able to stand before you And He will still be with you if you will be faithful unto Him He will so Arm you with
the port and state of a Prince the people might look upon him as next heir to the Crown and give him answerable respect For the people are very apt to be taken with outward pomp and bravery and to judge those that use it to be men of brave and noble spirits David being much blinded with affection towards him takes no notice of this his ambition and popularity 2ly He cunningly insinuates himself into the hearts of the people for rising early and standing at the Kings Gate when any Suitors came to the King for justice and to do them right he would in a friendly and obliging manner inquire of their matters and where they lived When he heard their cause he would tell them their cause was good and just but the misery of it was there was none deputed by the King to hear the causes of those that repaired thither for justice that would hear them impartially and do them right Which was a base slander of a graceless Son against his Father of whom it is said Ch. 8.15 That he executed judgment and justice to all the people Then he would say O that I were made judg in the land that every one that hath any cause or suit might come unto me I would be sure to do them right 3ly When any man came nigh him and did him obeisance and paid him respect he would lovingly take him by the hand and kiss him And thus continually courting the people he stole away their hearts and drew their affections from the King to himself David all this while through the just judgment of God was so blinded that he minded it not 4ly Having by these popular ways and arts brought his business as he thought to some ripeness and maturity he now tells the King that he had made a vow when he was in Geshur that if the Lord would please to bring him back again to Jerusalem he would offer to him certain Peace-offerings and Gratulatory Sacrifices and he desired leave of him that he might go to Hebron the place where he was born and which was one of the chief high places in the Tribe of Judah about sixteen miles from Jerusalem whither in those times they resorted to offer Sacrifice there to perform that vow This was forty years (a) Being then about 22 or 23 years of age and about 7 years before he began his reign in Hebron and so about the 33 of his reign and about 7 years before his death after David was first anointed by Samuel in Bethlem and about seven years before his death David bids him go in peace Absalom accordingly went thither and it being the custom when they offered these Peace-offerings to make great feasts therewith Absalom under that colour invited many of his friends and followers and many of the people whom he hoped to win to join with the rest in his intended Conspiracy and to perswade them to make him King Then he sent spies thorough all the Tribes of Israel who at the set time agreed on when the Trumpets should sound in every Tribe and the people wonder what the matter was these spies should inform them that Absalom was anointed King in Hebron with all Regal Ceremonies and Solemnities and was so accepted and proclaimed by the people There were two hundred that were invited by Absalom to his feast of Peace-offerings at Hebron that went in the simplicity of their hearts meerly as invited guests knowing nothing of his intended Conspiracy He hoped it seems that these when they came thither and saw what the rest did would join with them However by inviting such known faithful men he thought his intended Plot would be the better concealed He sent also for Achitophel who had been formerly one of his Fathers prime Counsellors and much esteemed by him for wisdom but for some reasons as it seems was now laid aside and dwelt privately at his own City Giloh in the Tribe of Judah And thus the Conspiracy grew strong for many daily flocked in to Absalom 2 Sam. Ch. 15. from 1 to 13. SECT CXCVII THese things thus going on there came a Messenger to David from Hebron to inform him what had passed there and to acquaint him that the hearts of the people were generally for Absalom David upon this surprizing news knew not well what to do but concluded that present flying * The third Psalm is said to be penned on this occasion wherein by faith he relyed on God as his shield was the safest and securest way both for his own preservation and the good of the City He knew not what party Absalom might have in the City he thought it not safe therefore to trust himself there at present but to go out and encamp abroad in the fields and deserts He desired also to preserve the City from being spoiled and plundred which they might be exposed unto if they stood on their own defence The King therefore departing with his servants and retinue he left ten of his Concubines in his Palace taking as 't is like his other wives along with him thinking that Absalom's party would not be so barbarous and inhumane as to offer any violence to them both because they were women and also stood in so near a relation to the King But there was an over-ruling Providence in this for the bringing about that which God had threatned against David Ch. 12.11 I will take thy wives and give them to thy neighbour and he shall lye with them From Davids departure from Jerusalem for fear of Absalom there happened many remarkable things which we shall here set down in order 1. The King with his servants and guards having marched some reasonable distance from the City there they made a stand and thither to him resorted most of the Citizens that were truly loyal to him and with them six hundred Gittites (a) Sic vocantur auxiliares illorum Philistinorum quos in nuperis bellis David subegerat regno suo adjecerat born possibly at Gath or the Territories of it and who were become proselytes with Ittai their Captain who is supposed to be the King of Gaths Son and a proselyte also he was a wise and valiant man and much in the Kings favour The King seeing him there told him that he had no reason to expose himself to so much danger as they were like to meet with in their flight he being a stranger and an exile and but newly come to him it were better for him to return to Jerusalem and seek to be advanced by the new King who undoubtedly would kindly receive him and his followers seeing they were strangers Take therefore says he thy Countrymen and Souldiers and go back to him and the God of mercy and truth preserve thee Ittai replied As the Lord liveth and as my Lord the King liveth nothing shall make me leave thee but I will stick to thee both in prosperity and adversity both in life and unto death David seeing him so
Tent slew 4000 men and giving an alarm to the whole Army at break of the day safely retreated whereupon the King marched towards him next day and they coming to an engagement Antiochus lost several hundreds more but the Jews seeing themselves overpowered retreated The King then returned to the siege and they not being well stored with provision this being the Sabbatical year at last yielded up the Town upon composition Antiochus having herein placed a Garrison marched up to Jerusalem and there made all provision possible for the gaining of it all manner of Engines being raised for the casting of fire and stones but the besieged defended themselves bravely though provisions were very short with them and the famine prevailed so much among them that they were in danger of falling into the Kings hands but before he could finish his work news came that Philip whom his father had appointed to be Guardian being returned out of Egypt was coming with the forces that Epiphanes had left in Persia and Media to recover his right usurped by Lysias Hereupon both he and his Captains were presently perswaded by Lysias because the place was strong and provisions began to fail in the Leaguer and the affairs of the Kingdom required it to make peace with the besieged and with the whole Nation of the Jews upon such terms as they required Then returning to Ptolemais the inhabitants thereof being great enemies to the Jews stickled hard to perswade him to break the League but Lysias so well argued the matter among them that he quieted their minds and confirmed the peace so that the Investiture of the commanding power in the Hasmoneans took its rise from the time of this peace agreed on betwixt Antiochus Eupator and Maccabeus The King hasting thence towards Antioch brought along with him as a prisoner Menelaus the High Priest whom Lysias accused as an Incendiary and the cause of the war whereupon by order from the King he was let down into a Tower filled with ashes and there miserably ended his life ten years after he had first usurped the Priesthood Menelaus being thus taken out of the way the King substituted in his room one Alcimus a man every whit as bad as he Indeed he was of Aaron's progeny but not of the High Priests blood and Lysias perswaded the King to transfer that dignity into another family Onias the Son of Onias the third seeing the High Priesthood conferred on Alcimus went into Egypt and after he had well insinuated himself into the affections of Ptol. Philometor and Cleopatra his wife obtained of them leave to build a Temple to God in the jurisdiction of Heliopolis answering to that at Jerusalem and that they would constitute him High Priest there See more of this in Vsher p. 467. Antiochus coming to Antioch found Philip Master thereof but setting upon it he took it by force and taking Philip therein put him to death and so quickly quieted those stirs being reserved with Lysias his Guardian though but a little time for others more dangerous Demetrius Soter Son of Seleucus Philopator the right heir to the Kingdom now escaping from Rome quickly got the Kingdom and put to death Eupator and Lysias his Guardian Alcimus who had procured from Eupator to be made High Priest being not now receivâ—d nor owned by the people for that in the days of Epiphanes he had wilfully defiled himself came to Demetrius with other Apostates to get the Priesthood confirmed to him He accused his Countrymen especially the Hasmoneans viz. Judas and his Brethren as guilty of cutting off the Kings friends and banishing them out of the Country Hereupon Demetrius sent Bacchides the Governour of Mesopotamia his trusty friend with great forces into Judea and confirmed the High Priesthood to Alcimus whom he sent back with him All their design was being arrived there by fair speeches to get Judas and his Brethren into their hands but they gave no credit to them Many of the Scribes went out to them to seek peace expecting they should have obtained it of Alcimus who was of the seed of Aaron and had now great power in the army but having gotten them into his hands he most wickedly contrary to agreement and his oath put sixty of them to death all in one day by which perfidiousness many being terrified fled from the City Then Bacchides going from Jerusalem caused many that had fled from him and several others of the Jews to be slain and cast into a great pit and so committing the care of the Country to Alcimus for the defence of which he left him some forces he returned unto the King After his departure Alcimus striving all he could to confirm himself in the Priesthood made great havock of the people Hereupon Judas went out through the whole Country taking vengeance on such as had revolted from him and so terrified those that adhered to Alcimus that they were forced to keep themselves within their Garrisons and durst not make any more incursions into the Country Alcimus apprehending danger to himself from these proceedings goes once more to Demetrius carrying along with him a Crown of Gold to present unto him For Judas and his party increasing in power would not suffer him to come near to the holy Altar at which being enraged he eagerly accused them to the King as authors of all the commotions and disturbances in Judea further complaining that he was deprived of the Priesthood the honour as he said of his Ancestors and further affirmed that as long as Maccabeus lived the Kings affairs could not be secure This being seconded by some ill-willers to the Jews and his friends Demetrius was so inflamed that sending for Nicanor one of his chiefest Princes and a bitter enemy to the Jews made him General against Judea giving him order to destroy Judas and disperse his associates the Assideans and to settle Alcimus in the High Priesthood The Jews upon the report of Nicanors approach and the Association of several Gentiles with him cast dust upon their heads and made their Supplication to God And it so happened that after a short skirmish betwixt Simon Judas's Brother and a party of Nicanors near the Village Dessaro Nicanor understanding the Courage and Resolution of Judas and his Party in defending their Country he was unwilling to run the hazard of a Battel but sent to parle with the Jews and to make peace with them upon mutual engagements of fidelity each to other And Articles being agreed upon between them the two Captains met and the Conference proved very successful and closed in a League without the Kings Privity Nicanor after this abode a while in Jerusalem and dismissed the Companies he had collected and was so taken with Judas that he continued with him some time and loved him in his heart and lived so friendly and familiarly with him that he perswaded him to marry a Wife But when that wretched fellow Alcimus observed this Correspondence between them he addressed
a great Marriage and bring the Bride from Medaba with great Pomp being the Daughter of one of their Noblest Princes they went and hiding themselves under the Covert of the Mountain when the Bridegroom and his Friends came forth with Timbrels and Instruments of Musick rose up out of the Ambush slew 400 of them and took the Spoil So having revenged the death of their Brother they returned again into the Marshes of Judea 1 Mac. 9. When Bacchides heard this he marched down and came thither with a great Army upon the Sabbath-day and Jonathan being beset behind and before by the enemy and on each side with the River and Marshes yet encouraged his men to fight and after having slain about a 1000 of them seeing himself too weak for the enemy He and his men leaped into Jordan and got over to the other side neither did the enemy attempt to follow him As for Bacchides he returned to Jerusalem and built fenced Cities in Judea and a Fort in Jericho and other places and garrison'd them all that by their Sallies and Incursions they might annoy the Israelites He fortifyed also the Cities of Bethsura and Gazara with the Castle at Jerusalem where he placed Soldiers and Provisions and taking the Sons of the chief of the Country for Hostages he put them in ward in the Tower of Jerusalem 1 Mac. 9. The Ambassadors sent from Judas Maccabaeus to Rome were kindly received and concluded a League of Association with the Romans the Tenor of which was That they should mutually assist and succour each other against the common Enemy And the Articles were written in Tables of Brass The Senate also wrote Letters to Demetrius That he should forbear to oppress the Jews any further being their Confederates otherwise they vvould vvage War upon him both by Land and Sea And this vvas the first League that vvas ever knovvn to be betvven the Romans and the Jews About this time as it should seem Alcimus commanded the wall in the Temple which severed the Court of the People from that of the Gentiles to be pulled down which had been built by Zerubbabel and the Prophets whose Monuments he began also to pull down and destroy But at the same time he was so smitten that he could not open his own mouth nor so much as give orders concerning his own House but died in great Torment the third year after he had usurped the High-Priesthood After his death Jerusalem was seven years without any High-Priest at all But then Jonathan put on the High-Priests Robes After Alcimus's death Bacchides returned to Demetrius For two years the land of Judea continued quiet but at the end thereof certain wicked Jews sent for Bacchides again acquainting him that he might easily apprehend Jonathan and his Company in one night Whereupon Bacchides made towards them with a great force and sent privily Letters to his Friends in Judea to assist him in this Enterprize But their Plot was discovered to Jonathan and his Company and he taking 50 of the Contrivers of that Villany put them all to death Then Jonathan and Simon and those that were with him removed to Bethbasin in the Wilderness and repaired the walls thereof and fortified it which Bacchides having notice of went down thither and besieged it But such was his Entertainment from the besieged who sallying out burnt his Engines and killed many of his men that having lain before the place a long time to no purpose and being thus disappointed in his hopes he turn'd his anger against those that had procur'd him to make this Expedition in so much that he slew many of them and purposed to return into his own Land Jonathan having notice thereof sent to him to treat of peace and to exchange Prisoners which he gladly accepted of protesting he would not any more disturb Jonathan all the days of his life So he returned home into his own land and never after entred into Judea with an Army The Wars thus composed in Judea Jonathan dwelt at Michmash in the Tribe of Benjamin and began to judge the people and to take away the Wicked out of Israel About this time Alexander Bala crying himself up for the Son of Antiochus Epiphanes seized upon Ptolemais a City in Phaenicia Demetrius hearing of this began to prepare to fight with him and sent Letters also to Jonathan whereby he renewed peace with him and gave him Authority to levy forces and provide Arms that he might assist him in his War against Alexander He commanded also that the Hostages which were kept in the Fort should be released which was accordingly done and he delivered them to their Parents Jonathan improving this opportunity began to re-edifie and repair Jerusalem and to build up the Walls And the Aliens that were in the Forts which Bacchides built quitted them and hasted away to their own land Alexander having notice of Demetrius's Message to Jonathan he courts him likewise and desires his Friendship and Association And among many other Priviledges and Immunities which he granted to that Nation he appointed him to be the High-Priest sending him Purple and a Crown of Gold and honoured him with the Title of being called the Kings Friend So in the seventh month of the 160th year of the Seleucides Jonathan put on the holy Robe in the nineth year after the death of his brother Judas the Priesthood having been vacant seven years from the death of Alcimus being the first of the Hasmoneans that arrived at this dignity as being descended from Jehojarib of the Priests family indeed but not from Jaddus the High-Priest whose Heir Onias now lived in Egypt with Ptol. Philometor The Jews now disclaiming Demetrius of whose hatred to them they had had sufficient experience stick close to Alexander and from that time forward continued his Confederates in the War Alexander Bala having gotten an Army together made up partly of the Soldiers that revolted to him from Demetrius and partly of the Auxiliaries of Attalus King of Pergamus Ariarathes King of Cappadocia and Jonathan and especially Ptol. Philometor encountred Demetrius and conquering his Army killed him in the Fight after he had reigned in Syria twelve years And so Alexander obtained the Kingdom Alexander shortly after remembring how much he was engaged to Ptol. Philometor for his assistance sent to him to desire his Daughter to make him a Wife which he willingly assented to and brought her to Ptolemais in Phoenicia and there married her to him with Royal and magnificent Solemnity Jonathan being by Alexander invited to this Wedding he brought with him great Presents of Gold and Silver and several other things which he presented to both the Kings and their Friends so that thereby he much wrought himself into their favour At the same time several vile male-contents came out of Judea to accuse Jonathan but Alexander was so far from listning to any Tales against him that he caused him to be clothed with Purple and to set next to
honourable persons and after the feast was ended and the Guests gone and himself had retired to his Lodging the Room in which they had supped being now empty of Company fell down and did no body any harm whereupon he was accounted as one especially owned by God who had so wonderfully preserved him Not long after he got five Towns into his hands wherein he put to the Sword 2000. Garrison Soldiers and then went against Pappus whom Antigonus had sent into Samaria Pappus gave him Battel very boldly but his Army was overthrown by him and himself taken Prisoner and Herod in revenge of his Brothers death did great Execution upon them by which defeat Antigonus's Interest was quite broken Next day he cut off Pappus's Head and sent it to his Brother Pheroras in revenge of his Brother Josephs death whom it seems Pappus slew The extremity of the Weather being over Herod marches up to Jerusalem and lays siege to it in the third year after he had been declared King by the Romans intending to use the same manner of assault that Pompey had made formerly against the Temple Socius also came up to him to Jerusalem so that both carried on the siege with an army of eleven Legions and 6000 horse The Defendants with great courage made resistance doing all that could reasonably be expected from them though much straitned for provisions it being the Sabbatical year They held out five months though there was so great an army besieging them At length twenty of Herods stoutest Souldiers got upon the walls and then the Centurions of Socius The outward part of the Temple being taken and the lower City the Jews fled into the inward part at length by a general assault that was taken also and then all places were filled with slaughters the Romans being enraged that they had held out so long and the Jews out of malice and particular grudges seeking to destroy all of the contrary faction the reverence of the Temple not abating their rage Antigonus came and fell at Socius's feet who insulting over him called him Madam Antigona and put him in prison and set keepers over him Herod did what he could to restrain the Souldiers from exercising such extream violence and to keep the profane multitude from violating the Temple and from plundring the City asking Socius If the Romans intended to make him King of a wilderness and added that he should think the victory worse than an overthrow if they proceeded to such extremities At length he was fain to redeem the City from further plunderings by his own moneys wherewith he rewarded the Romans and sent them away sufficiently inriched Socius having offered a Crown of Gold to God departed from Jerusalem leading Antigonus with him prisoner to Antony This disaster befell Jerusalem in the third month on the 28th day of which the Jews were wont to celebrate a solemn fast in memory of the Roll that was burnt by Jehoiakim and it was taken on the same day it had been taken by Pompey several years before Herod fearing that if Anthony should carry Antigonus to Rome he would there obtain favour of the Senate as being of the Royal race and procure the Kingdom at their hands if not for himself yet for his children who never had ill deserved of the Romans he procured Antony to dispatch him out of the way who pretending the unquietness of the Jews for his sake caused him to be beheaded at Antioch And so the Principality of the Asmonaeans came to an end after it had stood 126 years and had been freed from the yoke of Syria 98 years and Herod a forreigner was confirmed in the Soveraignty over Judea by the Romans Of these miserable times among others were spectators Zachary the Priest with his wife Elizabeth of the relicts of Davids stock Heli and Joseph Anna also the Prophetess of the Tribe of Asser and Simeon who was assur'd from God he should not see death till he had seen the Lords Christ Herod being thus setled in the Kingdom in the third year after he was made King by the Romans advanced those of his own faction and put to death many of the contrary party among others he put to death all those Judges of the great Sanhedrin who had accused him of capital crimes before he was King except Pollio the Pharisee and his disciple Sameas whom he highly honoured During these things the King of the Parthians had courteously treated the captive High-Priest Hircanus who hearing that Herod was made King began to conceive hopes of favour from him because he had saved his life when he was called into question and therefore thought of returning into his own Country To which he was at last perswaded having received courteous invitations from Herod who strove to get the poor old man into his clutches and when he came Herod received him with all honour and respect and gave him the upper hand in all Assemblies and calling him Father lull'd him on lest he should suspect any treachery Then he preferred to the High-Priesthood an old friend of his one Ananelus sending for him from Babylon a man of obscure parentage derived from those Jews that were carry'd away beyond Euphrates but of the race of the Priests passing by Aristobulus the Grandson of Aristobulus the King and Brother to his own wife Mariamne Alexandra the Mother of Mariamne being exceedingly enraged at this and Mariamne continually following him with intreaties that he would restore the High Priesthood to her Brother to whom of right it belonged whither moved by these things or that Antony desiring to see the youth Aristobulus for the same of his beauty he feared the Romans might advance him or however it was to stay him at home he gave him the Priesthood putting out Ananelus and excused his not sending him to Antony by the inclination of the Jews to rebellion Perceiving him therefore to be in extraordinary favour with the Jews and that Alexandra plotted the escape of her self and her Son into Egypt where she expected aid and assistance from Cleopatra Herod caused him to be duckt to death as he was bathing himself in the eighteenth year of his age and then feigning to be very sorrowful for his death he buried him with a most magnificent funeral and then made Ananelus High-Priest again Alexandra certifies Cleopatra by Letters of this horrid treachery of Herod who exceedingly pittying her misfortune urged Antony exceedingly to revenge the young mans death Antony when he came into Laodicea sent for Herod to come to him to answer the crime objected against him He therefore leaving the care of the Kingdom to his Vncle Joseph gave him private instructions that if any thing otherwise than well should befall him he should put his wife Mariamne to death for he so loved her that he would not have any one to enjoy her though after his death And then going to Antony he quickly appeased him by gifts and presents and made his peace
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
Jacob rejoyces at the sight of the Waggons Sect. 43. Jacob goes into Egypt His joy to see his Son Joseph Sect. 44. Joseph brings five of his Brethren to Pharaoh Obtains Goshen for his Brethren Introduces his Father Sect. 45. Joseph's prudent administration in the severe famine He is sent for by his Father Sect. 46. Ephraim and Manasseh blest Jacob's gift to Joseph Sect. 47. Jacob blesses his Sons in order His death Sect. 48. The mourning for and burial of Jacob. Joseph's death Sect. 49. The History of Job Sect. 50. Levi and Amram die Sect. 51. Israel increases Task-masters appointed Sect. 52. Aaron's birth Sect. 53. The Midwives commanded to destroy the Male-children Sect. 54. Moses born He is taken up and educated by Pharaoh's daughter Sect. 55. Moses after forty years leaves the Court and flys into Midian Sect. 56. Moses's marriage His two Sons Sect. 57. Caleb's Birth Sect. 58. The Lord appears to Moses commissions him to deliver Israel enables him to work miracles Sect. 59. Moses confirm'd and encouraged commanded to go to Pharaoh Sect. 60. Moses stopt in his journey His Son circumcised Sect. 61. Aaron meets Moses They declare their commission to the Elders of Israel Sect. 62. They go to Pharaoh The oppression of the Israelites increased Sect. 63. Moses and Aaron go again to Pharaoh The Magicians call'd in Sect. 64. The ten Plagues Chap. IV. From the Israelites departure out of Egypt to the laying the foundation of Solomon's Temple Sect. 1. THe Israelites depart out of Egypt Sect. 2. The Paschal Lamb and Passover appointed Sect. 3. The Lord conducts the Israelites by a Pillar of cloud and fire Joseph's bones carried with them Sect. 4. They encamp at Pihahiroth Pass through the Red-sea The Egyptians drown'd Sect. 5. Moses's Song Miriam a Prophetess Sect. 6. The people marching through Shur murmur for want of water Sect. 7. The twelve Wells and seventy Palm-trees Sect. 8. They turn from Elim to the Red-sea Sect. 9. The people murmur Quails given for one meal Manna falls Sect. 10. Water gushes out of the rock Sect. 11. Moses praying Joshua fights Amalek The Altar call'd Jehova-Nissi Sect. 12. Jethro's story defer'd to Sect. 51. Sect. 13. Moses call'd up to the top of Mount Sinai The terrible sight Sect. 14. The Promulgation of the Law Sect. 15. The people in fear Moses encourages them Sect. 16. Similitudes of God forbidden The Materials for Altars Sect. 17. The Judicial or Political Laws Sect. 18. The Angel of the Covenant promised to guide them The bounds of Canaan Sect. 19. Moses erects an Altar and twelve Pillars Sect. 20. Moses continues in the Mount forty days and forty nights Sect. 21. Directions concerning the Tabernacle and all its utensils and appurtenances Sect. 22. The Golden Calf Sect. 23. Moses comes down breaks the Tables Gods anger Moses intercedes for the people and sees the glory of God Sect. 24. Two new Tables of stone Sect. 25. God renews the Covenant upon Moses's prayer Moses's face shines Sect. 26. The Sabbath anew enjoyned Contribution to the Tabernacle Sect. 27. Bezaleel and Aholihab appointed chief workmen of the Tabernacle Sect. 28. The Tabernacle finished being set up is filled with Gods Glory Sect. 29. Laws given concerning the several sorts of sacrifices Sect. 30. Aaron and his Sons consecrated Sect. 31. Aaron enters upon his office Fire from the Lord. Sect. 32. Nadab and Abihu slain by fire from heaven Sect. 33. Of clean and unclean creatures Sect. 34. Womens separation Sect. 35. Laws concerning Leprosie Sect. 36. Ceremonial uncleanness in men Sect. 37. The Passover celebrated Sect. 38. Several sorts of Laws given Sect. 39. Blasphemy punished in the Son of Shelomith The Law of retaliation Sect. 40. Divers other Laws given Sect. 41. Promises and threatnings More Laws given concerning divers matters Sect. 42. The Book of Numbers Sect. 43. The Encamping of the Tribes Sect. 44. The Levites Charge Sect. 45. The Levites consecrated Sect. 46. The Offerings of the Princes Sect. 47. Laws concerning Jealousie Sect. 48. Concerning Nazarites Sect. 49. The solemn blessing Sect. 50. The Silver Trumpets Sect. 51. Jethro's story and advice Sect. 52. The Camp of Israel marches Jethro leaves them Sect. 53. Upon the moving of the Ark Moses pronounces the blessing Sect. 54. The people murmur at Taberah Sect. 55. Quails given for the space of a month A Plague follows Sect. 56. Miriams Leprosie Sect. 57. Spies search the land Sect. 58. Their different report Sect. 59. The ten Spies smitten Sect. 60. Israel defeated by the Amalekites and Canaanites Sect. 61. The ninetieth Psalm composed Sect. 62. Some Laws explained Sect. 63. The Rebellion of Corah Dathan and Abiram Sect. 64. Aaron's Red blossoming Sect. 65. The work and portion of the Priests and Levites Sect. 66. Water of Purification Sect. 67. Miriams death Sect. 68. They murmur at Kadesh for want of water Moses strikes the Rock in anger is doomed not to enter into Canaan Sect. 69. The King of Edom refuseth them passage Sect. 70. Aaron dies and is buried upon Mount Hor. Sect. 71. Arad the Canaanite vanquished Sect. 72. The Brazen Serpent Sect. 73. Several stations of the Israelites Sect. 74. The Miraculous Well Sect. 75. Sihon slain Sect. 76. Og totally subdued Sect. 77. The Encamping at Abel-shittim Sect. 78. Balaam sent for to curse the Israelites His Ass speaks Sect. 79. Balaam attempts to curse Israel Sect. 80. The Idolatry and Whoredom of the Israelites at Mount Peor Sect. 81. Midian Conquered Sect. 82. Moses and Eleazar number the people Sect. 83. Zelophehad's daughters Sect. 84. Joshua appointed Successor Sect. 85. A repetition of the Law of sacrificing Sect. 86. Laws concerning Vows Sect. 87. The Reubenites and Gadites desire a possession on that side Jordan Sect. 88. The Journal of Israels Travels Sect. 89. The Limits of Canaan Sect. 90. The Levites Cities Sect. 91. Orders concerning the Marriage of Zelophehad's daughters Sect. 92. The Book of Deuteronomy containing Moses's dying speech to Israel Sect. 93. Moses's death Israels mourning for him Sect. 94. Joshua begins his Government Sect. 95. They come near unto and pass the river Jordan Sect. 96. Circumcision enjoyned them Sect. 97. The first Passover in Canaan Manna ceases Sect. 98. Jericho taken burnt and cursed Sect. 99. The Israelites defeated at Ai. Sect. 100. Joshua marches against Ai. Sect. 101. A Monument of stone and an Altar erected and Blessings and Cursings pronounced at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal Sect. 102. The League with the Gibeonites Sect. 103. Adonizedek and his allies besiege Gibeon Their discomfiture Prodigious Hailstones The Sun and Moon stand still at the prayer of Joshua Sect. 104. Several Kings vanquished and their Cities taken Sect. 105. The rise of the Sabbatical year Sect. 106. Joshua's war with the Northern Kings His victory over them Sect. 107. Joshua's rest from war Sect. 108. Joshua divides the land Sect. 109. Joshua and the Elders proceed to divide the land Ephraim and Manasseh complain Sect. 110.
Araunah's floor Sect. 206. David receives the pattern of the Temple makes great preparations for the building of it Sect. 207. Officers appointed for the Temple Sect. 208. Rehoboam born to Solomon Sect. 209. Abishag brought to David Sect. 210. Adonijah aspires to the Crown Solomon anointed Adonijah's submission Sect. 211. David's charge to Solomon Sect. 212. Davids farewell Exhortation to the people His Prayer Solomon's prosperity Sect. 213. David's last words to Solomon His death Sect. 214. The Book of the Psalms Sect. 215. Solomon upon the Throne Adonijah slain Joab slain Shimei's Oath not to pass over Kidron Sect. 216. Hadad the Edomite returns Sect. 217. Solomon's marriage with Pharaoh's daughter Sect. 218. Solomon setled in the Kingdom Gods appearing to him in a dream and asking him what he should give him and Solomon's choosing wisdom Sect. 219. Solomon's judgment on the two Harlots Sect. 220. Hiram's Embassie to Solomon A League between them Sect. 221. Solomon's levy for the Temple Sect. 222. Shimei put to death Chap. V. The fifth Age from the building of the Temple to the destruction of it and Captivity of Judah Sect. 1. THE Temple described with all its parts The Temple-Officers Sect. 2. The Temple finished Solomon's solemn dedication of it Sect. 3. The Lord appears to Solomon again in a dream Sect. 4. Solomon's Palace His stately Throne The house of Lebanon His Golden Targets and Shields Sect. 5. Gezer taken by Pharaoh and given to his daughter Solomon's wife Sect. 6. Hiram dislikes the Cities which Solomon offered him Sect. 7. Solomon removes his Queen to the House built for her The Song of Solomon Sect. 8. Solomon's Navy Sect. 9. Solomon's other buildings Sect. 10. Hamath taken by Solomon's forces Sect. 11. Solomon's care in matters of Religion Sect. 12. Solomon's greatness splendor and glory Sect. 13. Solomon's Wisdom His Proverbs Sect. 14. The Queen of Sheba comes to hear his Wisdom Sect. 15. Solomon's many wives and defection from God Ahijah the Prophet sent to him with a sad Message Sect. 16. Solomon writes his Ecclesiastes Sect. 17. Solomon's Adversaries Ahijah sent to Jeroboam to acquaint him that he should be King of the Ten Tribes Sect. 18. Solomon dies Sect. 19. The division of the Kingdom Kings of Judah 1. Rehoboam is petitioned for ease of Taxes Ten Tribes revolt His Buildings and Wives Shishak King of Egypt plunders the Temple 2. Abijah reigns p. 505. His army and speech to Jeroboam Israel routed 3. Asa reigns pag. 509. His Grandmothers Grove Zerah invades him and is subdued Asa's league with Benhadad and death 4. Jehoshaphat reigns p. 515. Removes all high places used for false Gods His reformation His greatness and riches His affinity with Ahab He goes to Samaria Jehu the Prophet reproves him His care of the Kingdom His Fleet broken His victory and death 5. Jehoram succeeds p. 525. His Idolatry Slays his six Brethren Elijah's Letter to him Edom revolts Libnah revolts Philistines invade him His sad end 6. Ahaziah p. 529. His wickedness Is slain by Jehu 7. Athaliah p. 532. Her Idolatry and cruelty 8. Joash p. 533 He is set up by Jehoiada Athaliah slain Baal's house pull'd down Jehoiada's good instruction of him Collection for the Temple Jehoiada dies Joash's Idolatry Zachariah ston'd The Syrians vanquish him His death 9. Amaziah p. 541. He begins well His war with Edom and victory His Idolatry Joash King of Israel defeats him Amaziah slain 10. Vzziah p. 546. His Coronation He recovers Elath Conquers the Philistines His herds and husbandry Isaiah Prophesies Also Joel Vzziah's pride leprosie and death 11. Jotham p. 554. He subdues the Ammonites Micah Prophesies Jotham dies 12. Ahaz p. 555. His wickedness Syria and Israel invade him Isaiah sent to him Jerusalem's siege rais'd Ahaz forsakes the Lord. His calamities His league with Assyria and death 13. Hezekiah p. 563. His goodness and reformation He shakes off the Assyrian yoke Jerusalem besieged Rabshakeh's blasphemy Hezekiah's prayer Isaiah's message to him Hezekiah's sickness His thanksgiving The Assyrians destroyed Ambassadors from Babylon come to him Manasses born Nahum's Prophesie Hezekiah dies 14. Manasses p. 595. His great Idolatry He is taken captive shortly after is restored His reformation Habakkuk's Prophesie Manasseh dies 15. Amon p. 600. His Idolatry and death 16. Josiah p. 601. His piety Jeremiah Prophesies The Book of the Law found Huldah the Prophetess Josiah throws down Idolatry He goes to Bethel and other places His solemn Passover His death greatly lamented Zephany's Prophesie 17. Shallum or Jehoahaz pag. 611. His Idolatry Jeremy's admonition to him Pharaoh Necho carries him away 18. Jehoiakim p. 612. His Idolatry and oppression Jeremy exhorts him to repentance Vriah's Prophesie Jeremy's bonds and yokes Baruch's roll Nebuchadnezzar conquers the Egyptians Jehoiakim taken prisoner Daniel and others carried to Babylon Jehoiakim burns the roll Nebuchadnezzar returns home His dream of the great Image made of four metals Jehoiakim revolts The Golden Image set up by Nebuchadnezzar to be worshipped Jehoiakim dies 19. Jehoiakin p. 617. His Captivity Cyrus born 20. Zedekiah reigns p. 618. His wickedness Jeremy Prophesies Several Ambassadors come to Zedekiah Hananiah a false Prophet Jeremy's Letter to the Captives in Babylon Shemaiah a false Prophet inveighs against him Jeremy prophesies his death Ezekel's first vision Jerusalem besieged His other visions His Types Zedekiah revolts Judea is invaded Ezekiel's wife dies for whom he is commanded not to mourn Jeremy imprisoned Jerusalem's siege raised The Egyptians are overthrown and the siege renew'd Jeremy put into the dungeon Ezekiel prophesies again Jerusalem taken The Temple burnt The Kingdom of Judah come to an end Kings of Israel 1. Jeroboam chosen by the ten Tribes he fortifies Shechem Sets up the Golden Calves A Prophet sent to him who declares against his Altar His hand withers The Prophet being seduced a Lion slays him Jeroboam's son falls sick and dies His own death 2. Nadab an evil King slain by Baasha p. 508. 3. Baasha reigns p. 509. He doth evil He builds Ramah Jehu's message to him Baasha dies 4. Elah reigns two years p. 511. Zimri slays him 5. Zimri burnt p. 511. 6. Omri made King His Idolatry and burial p. 512. 7. Ahab p. 512. He marries Jezabel Jericho rebuilt Obadiah hides the Prophets Elijah's miracles Elisha called Benhadad conquered A Prophet reproves Ahab Naboth's Vineyard Elijah meets Ahab Ahab slain at Ramoth-Gilead Moab revolts 8. Ahaziah p. 543. His fall His message to Baalzebub Elijah brings down fire upon two companies of fifty He dies 9. Jehoram p. 545. He maintains the Golden Calves Elijah's Translation Elisha takes up his Mantle Elisha's Miracles The Moabites destroy one another The King of Edom sacrifices his Son Elisha works more Miracles A sore famine in Samaria It s miraculous relief The Shunamite returns Benhadad sends to Elisha Hazael stifles Benhadad Jehoram recovers Ramoth-Gilead Jehu anointed Joram slain Ahaziah slain Jezabel's death 10. Jehu made King p. 585. The slaughter of Ahab's off-spring
and Ahaziah's brethren Baal's Priests slain Jehu's Idolatry and death 11. Jehoahaz reigns p. 590. The Syrians oppress him He dies 12. Joash p. 591. He visits Elisha Elisha dies Joash takes Amaziah after his conquering the Syrians Joash dies 13. Jeroboam the second p. 593. Jonah Hosea and Amos Prophesie Jeroboam's death The Anarchy or Interregnum 14. Zachariah his short reign p. 598. 15. Shallum is slain by Menahem p. 599. 16. Menahem p. 599. His cruelty The Assyrian invades him He dies 17. Pekaliah p. 600. 18. Pekah reigns p. 600. His victory over Ahaz The Assyrian carries five Tribes into Captivity Pekah slain 19. Hoshea p. 602. He continues Jeroboam's Idolatry Salman after makes him Tributary Upon his revolt Samaria is taken and himself confined The Kingdom of Israel ends New Colonies planted Others sent after them An Anti-Temple built Afterwards destroyed by John Hircanus Chap. VI. The sixth Age from the Captivity of Judah to their return ZEdekiah taken sees his Children slain and then hath his own eyes put out and in chains is carried to Babylon pag. 627. The City of Jerusalem and the Temple burnt Gedaliah set over those poor people that were left in the land to dress the Vineyards and till the ground pag. 630 Seraiah the chief Priest with other principal men carried to Nebuchadnezzar to Riblah and there put to death Ibid. Jeremy had his choice whither he would go into Babylon and there be honourably treated or stay in Judea He chooses the latter Ibid. Ismael conspires against Gedaliah Johanan discovers it But Gedaliah would not believe it and so was treacherously murdered by Ismael pag. 631. Johanan took from Ismael his prisoners but he himself escap'd with eight more to the Ammonites Johanan and his Captains and many of the people go into Egypt and carry Jeremy and Baruck along with them Ezekiel Prophesies of the destruction of the last remainder of the Israelites He threatens murmurers and hypocrites and unfaithful shepherds and the Edomites pag. 632 Obadiah Prophesies against Edom. Ezekiel comforts the captive Israelites promising that God would avenge them on their enemies He prophesies their return out of Babylon though their condition there seem'd as hopeless as of dead men in their graves who are become dry bones pag. 633 He prophesies of their victory over Gog and Magog He prophesies against Egypt He prophesies against the Israelites that were gone into Egypt and against Pharaoh himself The Lamentations of Jeremy pag. 633. Tyre besieged by Nebuchadnezzar Nabuzaradan carried away the remainder of the Jews to the number of seven hundred forty five Ibid. Ezekiel hath that glorious vision of the new Jerusalem and new Temple pag. 634. Tyre taken Nebuchadnezzar invades Egypt makes great havock there Ibid. He returns now into Babylon He hath there the dream of the great Tree whose destiny was to be cut down Ibid. He new builds Babylon He falls distracted and so continues for seven years pag. 635 He returns to his wits Praises God and dies Evilmerodach succeeds him Jechoniah advanc'd Zedekiah dies The King of Babylon engages in a war against the Medes and Persians Of whose Armies Cyrus was made General He obtains a great victory over the Babylonians Ibid. Belshazzar succeeds In Belshazzar's first year Daniel hath the vision of the four Beasts Ibid. In his third year he hath the vision of the Ram and He-goat pag. 636. Cyrus conquers the Babylonians besieges Babylon with a vast Army Belshazzar Carousing with his Nobles sees the hand-writing on the wall Daniel interprets it is thereupon advanc'd pag. 636 Belshazzar slain His Kingdom brought to an end Darius takes on him the Kingdom Cyrus marries Darius's only daughter and so is intitled to the Kingdom of Media Darius sets over the Provinces an hundred and twenty Governours over whom he makes three principal overseers and Daniel the chief of all The Nobles being stirred with a spirit of envy against him move the King to make a decree that for thirty days space no petition should be made to any God or man but to himself Daniel hereupon cast into the Lions den Ibid. The seventy years of the Jews Captivity drawing to an end Daniel prays for the promised deliverance The Angel Gabriel gives him the Prophesie of the Seventy weeks pag. 637. Cyrus upon Darius's death is made absolute Monarch of the East The Jews shew him the Prophesie of Isaiah foretelling that he should be their deliverer He thereupon makes an Edict for their return and that they should go and build their Temple Chap. VII The seventh Age from their return out of Captivity to the death of Christ CYRVS made Zerubbabel chief Captain of those Jews that returned and consigned into his hands the vessels of the Temple The number of them that returned They offer towards the building of the Temple On the first day of the seventh month of the first year of their return they built the Altar and thereon offered sacrifices On the 15th day kept the Feast of Tabernacles In the second month of the second year of their return they lay the foundation of the Temple the old men weeping the young men rejoycing pag. 642 The Cuthaeans or Samaritans offer to joyn with them but being refus'd by their interest in Cambyses's Court give a stop to the work Ibid. Daniel's vision of the Kings of Persia and of Alexander and his successors Ibid. Cyrus dies Cambyses succeeds The Samaritans now frame an open accusation against the Jews pag. 643. Cambyses dies Darius Histaspis succeeds call'd Ahashuerus He marries Alosta or Vashti the daughter of Cyrus In his second year Haggai Prophesies and reproves the Jews for their negligence in not going on with the building of the Temple whereupon Zerubbabel and Joshua took the work in hand afresh pag. 644. In the eighth Month of the same year Zachary began to Prophesie to the same purpose that Haggai did Ibid. In the ninth month of that second year of Darius the Temple began to be rear'd by Zerubbabel and Joshua Upon the same day the two last Prophesies of Haggai were revealed to him The Samaritans viz. Tatnai and Sether-hoznai strive again to hinder them pag. 645 The Prophet Zachary hath a vision of Horsemen and several other visions Ibid. Cyrus's decree being found the King commands the Samaritans not only not to hinder the Jews in building their Temple but that they should furnish them with money out of the Kings Treasure for it pag. 646 Darius in the third year of his reign makes a royal feast for his Princes Vashti refuses to come to him when he sent for her she is thereupon divorced pag. 647. God answers the Jews inquiring concerning their Fasts of the fifth and seventh months In the eighth Chapter of Zachary he tells them he will change their Fasts into days of rejoicing Ibid. In the sixth year of Darius the second Temple was finished and dedicated pag. 650. Upon the 14th day of the first month they celebrated the first Passover in
Nimrod See the Kings thereof pag. 15. of Chap. II. The dispersion of the children of Noah The Original of several Nations 1819 Serug born 1846 Nahor born 1878 Terah born 2008 Abraham born The King of Elam and his Allyes conquer the King of Sodom and his Confederates 2078 The Promise made to Abraham in Vr of the Chaldees The Third Age from the Promise made to Abraham in Ur of the Chaldees unto the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt 2094 ABraham's removal to Charran and from thence to Canaan Two Altars there built by him A Promise of that Land made unto his Posterity He goes into Egypt by reason of the Famine in Canaan His Danger there on the account of Sarah his Wife He returns into Canaan vanquishes Chedorlaomer rescues Lot is met by Melchizedec and blessed He takes Hagar Ismael Born 2107 Circumcision Instituted Abraham entertains Three Angels intercedes for Sodom Sodom and Gomorrha Consumed with Fire from Heaven Lots Incest 2108 Isaac Born Hagar and Ismael cast out Abraham's sacrificing Isaac Isaac marries Rebeccah 2168 Esau and Jacob Born Jacob's marriage with Leah and Rachel His hard Servâ—ce under 〈◊〉 2259 Joseph Born Joseph's Dream His Brethren sell him He is sold after to Potiphar His Mistriss 's false Accusation His Imprisonment Pharaoh's Dream Joseph's Interpretation thereof and Advancement The Famine begins Jacob sends his Sons into Egypt to buy Corn. Joseph makes himself known to his Brethren Jacob goes into Egypt He blesses his Sons and dies Joseph dies The History of Job Aaron Born 2418 Moses Born His Education by Pharaoh's Daughter He flies into Midian He is sent by the Lord to deliver Israel He works Miracles before Pharaoh The Ten Plagues 2508 The Israelites departure out of Egypt The Fourth Age from the Departure of the Israelites out of Egypt to the laying the Foundation of Solomon's Temple 2548 THe Paschal Lamb. The Fiery Pillar The Israelites pass through the Red Sea Manna Joshua fights with Amaleck The giving of the Law on Mount Sinai Moses 40 days in the Mount Directions concerning framing the Tabernacle The Golden Calf The History of the Israelites during their 40 years continuance in the Wilderness Moses having governed 40 years dies Joshua succeeds Conquers and divides the Land and governs in all 17 years The Judges 2565 Othniel 40 years 2605 Ehud 80 years The History of Ruth 2685 Deborah 40 y. 2725 Gideon 40 y. 2765 Abimelech 3 y. 2768 Tholah 23 y. 2791 Jair 22 y. 2813 Jephtha 6 y. 2819 Ibzan 7 y. 2826 Elon 10 y. 2836 Abdon 8. y. 2844 Samson 20 y. 2864 Eli 40. y. 2904 Samuel and King Saul 40 y. 2944 King David 40 y. 2985 King Solomon 4 y. 2988 The Foundation of the Temple laid in the 4th year of Solomon's Reign The Fifth Age from the laying the Foundation of Solomon 's Temple to the Destruction of it and the Captivity of Judah Solomon reigned over all Israel from the laying the Foundation of the Temple 36 years The Kingdom divided Kings of Judah 302â— REhoboam reigned 17 years 304â— Abijam 3 y. 3044 Asa 41 y. 3085 Jehoshaphat 25 y. 3106 Jehoram 8. y. 3113 Ahaziah 1 y. 3114 Athaliah 7 y. 3120 Jehoash 40 y. 31â—9 Amaziah 29 y. 31â—9 Vzziah 52 y. 32â—0 Jotham 16 y. 32â—6 Ahaz 16 y. 3271 Hezekiah 29 y. 3300 Manasseh 55 y. 3355 Amon 2 y. 335â— Josiah 31 y. 3387 Jehohaaz 3 mon. 3388 Jehoiakim 11 y. 3398 Jehoiakin or Jechoniah 3 mon. 3â—99 Zedekiah 11 y. Kings of Israel 302â— JEroboam reigned 22 years Nadab 2. y. 304â— Baasha 24 y. Elah 2 y. Zimri 7 days 3044 Omri 12 y. Ahab 22 y. 3085 Ahaziah 2 y. Jehoram 12 y. 3106 Jehu 28 y. 3113 Jehoahaz 17 y. Joah 16 y. 3114 Jeroboam 2d 41 y. 3120 An Interregnum of about Eleven years and an half Zachariah 6 months Shallum 1 month 31â—9 Menahem 10 y. 31â—9 Pekahiah 2 y. 32â—0 Pekah 20 y. 32â—6 Hoshea 9 y. 3271 The Israelites carried into Captivity by the Assyrians in the sixth year of Hezekiah The Jews carried into Captivity by the Babylonians in the 11th year of Zedekiah The Sixth Age from the Captivity of Judah to their Return out of Babylon 3408 JErusalem taken Zedekiah brought to Nebuchadnezzar sees his Children slain then hath his Eyes put out and in Chains is carried to Babylon The City and Temple burnt Seraiah the Chief Priest and other Principal men put to death at Riblah Gedaliah set over the Poor people left in the Land Jeremy upon his own choice stays with them Ismael Conspires against Gedaliah Johanan discovers it to him He believes it not and so is treacherously murder'd Johanan recovers from Ismael his Prisoners but himself escapes Johanan and his Captains and many of the people go into Egypt and carry Jeremy and Baruc with them 3409 Ezekiel utters several Prophesies in Babylon Jeremy about this time writes his Lamentations Tyre besieged by Nebuchadnezzar 3413 Nebuzaradan carries away the last Remainder of the Jews to the number of 745. Nebuchadnezzar invades Egypt and makes great Havock there Having finished his Conquests he returns unto Babylon and there has the Dream of the great Tree whose Destiny was to be cut down He new builds Babylon 3427 He falls distracted and so continues for 7 years He is recovered to his Understanding blesseth God and dies 3435 Evil Merodach succeeds him Jechoniah advanced Zedekiah dies and is honourably Buried Cyrus being made General of the Armies of the Medes and Persians obtains a great Victory over the Babylonians Belshazzar succeeds Evil Merodach In the first year of his Reign Daniel hath the Vision of the four Beasts 3465 Cyrus gives the Babylonians another great Defeat and with a vast Army besieges Babylon Belshazzar carousing with his Nobles sees the Hand-writing on the Wall Daniel interprets it to him and is thereupon advanc'd Belshazzar slain Darius takes on him the Kingdom Cyrus Marries his only Daughter Darius sets over the Provinces an 120 Governors and makes Daniel chief of them all The Princes out of Envy to him move the King to make an Edict That for 30 days no Petition should be made to any God or Man but himself Daniel thereupon cast into the Lyons Den. The 70 years of the Captivity of the Jews draw to an end Daniel Prays for the promised Deliverance The Angel Gabriel is sent to inform him not only concerning that but also the 70 Weeks Darius dies Cyrus is made thereupon Emperor of the East The Jews shew him the Prophesy of Isaiah That He should be their Deliverer with which he is much pleas'd The Seventh Age from the Return out of Babylon to the Death of Christ Or from the end of the Seventy years Captivity unto the end of the Seventy Weeks in Daniel 3478 THE 70 Weeks in Daniel containing 490 years The Persian or Second Monarchy See the Kings thereof in the Appendix Cyrus makes an Edict for the Return of the Jews and that they should go and build their
Thornes and Thistles it should bring forth to him in abundance and he must now eat of such herbs and fruits as the Earth by tillage and husbandry would produce but not any more of the herbs and fruits of Paradise With labour and the sweat of his brows he must eat his bread and get food and nourishment till he die and his body return to dust out of which it was at first form'd Thus we have seen how God was pleased to relax his own Law and to reprieve our first Parents and not to execute the Sentence of Death immediately upon them For our infinitely-wise and gracious God foresaw how he could bring good out of this great evil and make this fall of our first Parents tend to the manifestation of his own justice and mercy whereas had he instantly destroyed them He had put an end to the World as to mankind and must have made a new new stock and race of men if he would be glorified by them God therefore in his infinite Wisdom and Goodness immediately made another Covenant with our first Parents viz. a Covenant of Grace giving them this glorious promise That the seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents head which imported that all repenting Sinners who should unfeignedly believe in this Seed of the Woman should not perish but have eternal life And all that would desperately go on in their sins not regarding this Saviour should be damned and perish everlastingly These Sentences being passed Adam called the name of his Wife Evah because she was then ordained to be the Mother not only of all Men and Women that should live a natural life but of those that should live a spiritual life by faith (n) So Sarah was afterward call'd the Mother of the faithful 1 Pet. 3.6 in her Seed namely the promised Messias Now the day on which our first Parents fell seemeth to have been the 10th day after the Creation of the World which day probably in Remembrance of so remarkable a thing which brought so much misery on Mankind was appointed afterwards by God himself for the most solemn yearly Fast and the day of Atonement wherein all Strangers as well as Home-born people of the Jews were commanded to afflict their Souls under this severe threatning that every man who did not afflict his soul that day should be destroyed from among the people Levit. 16.29 Ch. 23.29 SECT III. SIn being now come into the World God teacheth Adam and Eve the Rite of Sacrificing and how to cloath themselves with the Skins of the sacrificed Beasts so that the first thing that dieth in the World is a Sacrifice or Christ in a Figure (o) Thus He was a Lamb slain from the beginning of the World Rev. 13.8 not only in Gods decree but in a Type Then the Lord upbraiding our first Parents for their vain Imagination and thinking by eating of the forbidden fruit to become like unto God in an ironical way He says Behold the Man is become like one of us to know good and evil meaning that by their sin they were become most unlike Him And upbraiding them also in like manner for the certainty of Death they had brought upon themselves and lest they should flatter themselves that they might now take of the tree of Life and eat and live for ever as they had flattered themselves about the other tree He ejects them out of the Garden of Eden and set Cherubims with a fiery flaming Sword to keep the way leading to the Tree of Life to shew them they had now no right to it nor might meddle with that Sacramental Seal of Life having by their Disobedience and Sin made themselves justly liable to Death Gen. 3. from 21. to the end SECT IV. ADam being now expell'd Paradise and appointed to till the ground begat of his Wife Cain and Abel though in what Year of the World is not expressed Cain was the first of all Mortal Men that was born of a Woman And next to him Abel Cain was a tiller of the Ground and Abel a keeper of Sheep In Cain evidently appeared the poyson the Devil had breathed into fallen Man And in Abel the Grace which is given to Gods people in and thorow Jesus Christ In process of time they both Sacrifice Cain of the fruits of the Earth Abel of the firstlings of his Flock and of the fat and best thereof And by Faith Abel offered a more excellent Sacrifice then Cain By which he obtained witness that He was Righteous Heb. 11.4 For God shewed by some outward visible sign that he had respect to Abels Sacrifice either by firing (p) See Levit. 9.24 Judg. 6.21 1 King 18.38 it from Heaven as some conceive or some other way but depised wicked Cains This much incensed Cain Whereupon the Lord tells him that he had no reason to be thus angry For if he did well he should surely be accepted but if he did ill the punishment of his sin would lie watching at his door to seize upon him And further to allay his anger towards his Brother He tells him that Abels desire should still be subject to him as to the first born and He should be content that He should be prefer'd before him See Ch. 2.16 But Cain notwithstanding being implacably angry with his Brother meeting him one day in the Field He slew him Having committed this Execrable Murder God calls to him and asks him Where his Brother was He answers I know not Am I my Brothers keeper Then the Lord tells him that the Voice of his Brothers blood cryed unto Heaven for vengeance against him and that He had drawn down upon himself by his hainous transgression this punishment that the Earth that receiv'd his Brothers blood should plague him by being unfruitful under all his pains of husbandry and that he should be a Fugitive and a Vagabond on the Earth Cain being thus sentenced was presently seiz'd with a great terrour and fear and vented the anguish of his Soul in such expressions as these My punishment is greater then I can bear Behold O Lord thou hast driven me out this day from the face of this Earth and Land where I now dwell with my Parents and Kindred and I shall be hid as it were and shut up and excluded from thy Grace and Favour so that thou will not vouchsafe any gracious glance towards me nor accept of any oblation from me and I shall be in a continual fear that every one that meets me will slay me And indeed Seth being born soon after the murder of Abel and in the 130th Year of Adam in that space of time so many might be born as might justly occasion Cain's guilty Conscience to suspect that every one that met him would kill him But God tells him He might be secure as to that for he would have him preserv'd alive as a miserable Spectacle to terrifie others from that hainous Crime of Murder And accordingly he would
see Ch. 27.43 Ch. 32. 33. and the Edomites should be more potent than the Israelites see Numb 20.18 yet in conclusion the Elder should serve the Younger that is the Israelites should subdue the Edomites 2 Sam. 8.14 1 Kings 22.47 Obadiah v. 17 18. And the younger should have a great preheminence above the Elder in respect of Spiritual priviledges he should have the Birthright and the Inheritance of the Land of Promise out of his Loins the Messiah should come and the blessing of the Adoption and Covenant should be conferred on him and his Posterity All these blessings seem contained in that Oracle v. 23. The Elder shall serve the Younger See Rom. 9.12 But yet 't is probable Isaac did not rightly understand this Prediction as Rebecca did which made the one seek so much to favour Esau the other Jacob. And 't is likely that this was the very reason why Rebecca believing it to be thus decreed of God did so confidently afterwards plot and contrive to have the blessing conferred on the younger contrary to the mind and intention of Isaac When the time of her delivery came the first that came forth was Red and all over hairy and they called his name Esau which signifies made or perfected as if he were born a Man rather than a Child Then came forth the other taking hold on Esau's heel Hosea 12.3 as if he would have pull'd him back that he might be born before him which was doubtless purposely so disposed by the Providence of God as a sign presaging what should afterwards come to pass to wit that he should overthrow and supplant his Brother and get the Birthright and Blessing from him and accordingly his Name was called Jacob that is an holder by the heel or a Supplanter Ch. 25. from v. 20. to 27. SECT XVII ABraham lived after the birth of Jacob fifteen years with whom he is said to have lived in Tents Heb. 11.9 By Faith he sojourned in the Land of Promise as in a strange Country with Isaac and Jacob the Heirs with him of the same promise And now being 175 years old an 100 years after his first coming into Canaan he gave up the Ghost and was gathered to his people that is the Society of the Just such as he was He was buried in the Cave of Machpelah with Sarah his Wife by his Sons Isaac and Ishmael which latter though never received again into his Fathers Family after his first dismission yet dwelt not so far off but that he heard of his Fathers death and came to his Burial Isaac after his death dwelt by the Well Lahairoi see Ch. 16.14 and there the Lord exceedingly blessed him Ch. 25. from 7. to 12. SECT XVIII ABout this time Heber the 5th from Noah died 430 years after the Birth of his Son Peleg Gen. 11.17 This man lived the longest of any that was born after the Flood and outlived Abraham himself and from him Abraham came first to be sirnamed the Hebrew Gen. 14.13 And in after-times all the Posterity of his Grand-Child Jacob were called by the same Name Gen. 40.15 I was stolen away says Joseph out of the Land of the Hebrews whence observe that Canaan was called the Land of the Hebrews while the Canaanite was still living in that Land SECT XIX ESau and Jacob being now grown up discovered themselves to be of very different tempers and different ways of life Esau was a cunning Hunter and a man of the Field like Nimrod or Ishmael valorous and fierce and following his Pleasure Jacob a good plain man dwelling in Tents living a plain Shepherds life keeping home and looking to houshold affairs a man of little Note in Comparison of his Brother Now Isaac's affection was most to Esau because he observ'd his officiousness care and diligence to please him and to provide such meat for him as he loved which he took as a sign that he did greatly reverence respect and love him And He thought of the Two He would prove the most able and active and fittest for great Imployments and the best and stoutest stay and support of His Family Yet in all this Isaac did not so well consider as he should have done the divine Oracle concerning Jacob recorded vers 23. And 't is like on this account Rebeccas affection was most to Jacob. But to proceed on in the story of these two Brothers Jacob one day had provided for himself red pottage made of Lentils a kind of pulse and possibly had put some Cordial Ingredients into it which not only coloured it but made it seem very desirable to the palat This though a small matter yet conduceth as we shall see to the fulfilling of a great Promise Ch. 27.29 Esau comes in from hunting with an Hunters stomach extreme sharp set and ready to faint and seeing this Broth and having a strong Appetite to it he earnestly desires Jacob to give him some of it Jacob as it seems apprehending the Birthright according to the Oracle vers 23. The Elder shall serve the younger to belong to him he makes use of this his Brothers present necessity and asks him to sell him his Birthright for the pottage Esau feeling himself faint and ready to die with hunger said What will my Birth-right with all the Priviledges belonging to it profit me if I instantly die Therefore relieve my present necessity and take it But Jacob would not take his bare word for it but requires that he should swear to him that He should have (r) The Priviledges of the Birth-right were these 1. Lordship over his Brethren Ch. 4.7 49.3 2ly A double portion of goods Deut. 21.17 3ly The right of Preisthood after the Fathers decease until the Preisthood was transferred on the Tribe of Levi Numb 8. from 16. to 20. it Esau does so and thereupon Jacob gave him bread and pottage And his so greedily desiring red pottage and so ungraciously despising and selling his Birth-right for it see Heb. 12.16 got him the Nickname and brand of Edom which signifies red And when he had eaten and drunk his fill he went away like one that had despised his Birth-right Yet possibly afterwards he did think of recovering it again by force or some other way from his Brother for we find him after this pleading his Birth-right to his Father Ch. 27.32 Chap. 25. from 27. to the end SECT XX. ABout this time there was a Famine or great scarcity of Provisions in that part of the Land of Canaan where Isaac dwelt and he had thoughts of going down into Egypt as his Father had done on the like occasion Gen. 12.10 But God appearing to him bad him he should not go thither but stay in Canaan and he would be with him and bless him and give to him that Land by way of Promise and to his Posterity by way of actual Possession and the Inheritance of all those Countries possessed by so many several Nations should be Theirs And He would
to imagine But if we allow Jacob to be married at the beginning of the first seven years and so to have several of his Children within that space of time then the current of the History will run clear A second Argument against that former opinion may be taken from the consideration of Judah's age and the birth of Hezron and Hamul his Grandchildren unto which Jacob went down into Egypt Ch. 46.12 To open this we must first know that Jacob was 76 years old when he went first to Laban which appears thus He was 130 years old when he stood before Pharaoh Ch. 47.9 And then Joseph was 40 years old viz. 30 when he was advanc'd by Pharaoh Ch. 41.46 After which passed seven years of plenty and three of Famine when Jacob came down into Egypt It appears also that he was born in the 14th year after Jacob's coming to Laban Ch. 30.25 Take then those 14 years before Joseph was born and the 40 years of his age when his Father stood before Pharaoh out of his Fathers age at that time which was 130 and it will be clear that Jacob was 76. years old when he first came to Laban Now this being so Judah the fourth Son of Jacob by Leah must needs be according to them who are for the first opinion but three or four years older then Joseph Jacob not marrying Leah as they suppose till after his first seven years of service were ended and so Judah must be but 43 or 44 years old at most when He and his Grandchildren Hezron and Hamul came with Jacob into Egypt To compass this they must cast their reckonings thus viz. that Judah married at 12 years old and had Er at 13 that Er married at 12 years old and Onan his younger Brother married at 12 years old Ch. 38.4 that Tamar remained a Widow and waited till Shelah was grown and during that time Judah's wife died and Tamar bears to Judah Pharez and all this within the compass of three years That Pharez married at 12 years old and begat Hezron and Hamul and supposing them to be Twins that at a year old they were carried into Egypt For thus the reckoning will rise to the 43 or 44th year of Judah's age But these supposed reckonings seem very harsh whereas the addition of the former seven years gives fair way to the birth of all the 12 Children and gives further scope for the birth of Hezron and Hamul in the 50th year of Judah's age And that opinion which makes Judah to be born in the fourth year of the first seven of Jacob's Service and so to be ten years older than Joseph doth give fairer way to the course of the History than the other doth And so the reckoning may be cast thus viz. Judah at 16 years old comes into Canaan and speedily marries the Daughter of Shuah In the next year hath Er. Er marries Tamar at 14. After which suppose four years spent in the matters relating to Onan Er and Shelah and till the birth of Pharez begotten by Judah after the death of his wife upon the body of Tamar And Pharez at 13 years old to marry and in two years to have Hezron and Hamul and then all go down into Egypt and all these things to come to pass by that time that Judah was 50 years of age See Dr. Richardson's Notes on Ch. 38. vers 1. If any acquiesce not in these Reasons for the latter opinion I leave them to the fraud of their own Judgments alledging that his days were fulfilled vers 21. that is the days of his probation and trial or his days were full that is he was of full days being 75 years old and therefore it was high time he should marry as Tremellius interprets it Laban hereupon invited his Friends and Kindred and the principal men of the City and made a great Feast and at night he took Leah being * Nuptiae a nubendo i. e. velando veiled as it seems the manner was in brining Brides to the Bridegrooms Bed and so gave her to Jacob instead of Rachel (p) Peccavit Leah obtemperando Parenti consensit enim in stuprum imo adulterium Menoch having first instructed her as 't is probable either not to speak at all to Him or else only softly to whisper which Jacob might impute to her modesty In the morning Jacob perceived it was Leah that had been put to bed to him Then Jacob highly expostulates with Laban for * Thus He who had deceived His Father by personating his Brother was now Himself deceived by Leah personating her Sister thus beguiling him telling him He had covenanted to serve him for Rachel and not for Leah Laban to excuse himself pretends to him that it was not the Custom of the Country to give the younger in marriage before the Elder But Custom was only here pretended for else why did he call so many together to the Solemnization of the Marriage pretending to marry Rachel to him who they all knew was the younger Daughter However Laban desires him to continue these seven days (q) Judg. 14. vers 12 15 17. of Leahs Wedding-Feast and to keep her with him that so by this his voluntary consent the Marriage might be confirmed * Polygamy God tolerated in the Patriarchs which He simply allowed not being not so from the beginning and then he promises to give him Rachel at the weeks end on condition to serve him seven years more (r) See Gen. 31.41 I served thee fourteen years for thy two Daughters which Jacob consented (s) Noluit ob errorem personae repudiare Leah quod etsi licuerat scandalum tamen perinde voluit atque peccatum devitare unto And the seven years he served for Rachel after he had married her seemed short to him because of the great content and comfort he took in her Laban having now married his two Daughters to Jacob he gave to his Daughter Leah Zilpah for her Hand-maid and to Rachel he gave Bilhah But Leah was less loved (t) So hate is sometimes used for less to love see Luke 14.26 Job 12.25 by Jacob than Rachel whereupon the Lord was pleas'd to make Leah fruitful but Rachel was barren For Leah conceived and bare a Son and gave him a Name according to the sense she had of that mercy calling him Reuben * Reuben Jacob's first Son which signifies Behold a Son as if she would have said though I am less cared for and beloved than my Sister yet behold how graciously the Lord hath dealt with me He hath given me a Son in my affliction therefore I hope now my Husband will love (u) Liberi sunt vincula Parentum Children are a chain to bind Husbands to love their Wives and this Chain is strong with all good men Bishop Babington in loc me more than he did Then she conceived again and bare a second Son and remembring how God had heard her Prayers and regarded her
granted they acquaint him that it was their Fathers Command before he died that they should humbly beg his pardon and forgiveness of them and accordingly they did earnestly beg it at his hands and they hoped he would not deny it them seeing they were his Brethren and served the same God that He did namely the God of his Father and were truly penitent for their former hainous Transgression against Him Then falling down at his Feet they told him They were his Servants Joseph could not forbear weeping at this their behaviour towards him and pittying their Perplexity and being grieved that they should in the least doubt of his kindness towards them He told them It was true He was in great Power there yet he was under God (g) Masius sic reddit v. 19. Annon sub Deo sum under His All-seeing-Eye and bound to give an account of his actions unto Him who had forbiden him all Revenge and had wonderfully raised him up not only that he might do good to the Egyptians but especially to them that were his own Flesh and Blood And he had no cause to be offended at what they had For whatever their intent was God meant it for good both to him and them And therefore bad them be of good courage and not at all to fear any hurt from him For he would be so far from hurting them that he would nourish them and their Children And accordingly He did so for 54 years after his Fathers death All which time even unto his own death he continued his kindness to them and continued in his Authority and Government and saw his Son Ephraim's Children to the third Generation (h) To wit Shutelah and Tachon the Sons of his Son Ephraim and Haden the Son of Shutelah Numb 26.36 And Machir the Son of Manasseh and Gilead Manasseh's Grandchild From whence it is that the Greek Expositors speaking of the Families of Jacob and Joseph which were said to consist of 70 Souls Gen. 46.27 Deut. 10.22 have added thereunto these five that were born to Joseph in Egypt 1 Chron. 7.14 which reckoning Luke follows Acts 7.14 reckoning them in all 75 Persons and the Children of Machir the Son of Manasseh his other Son were also brought up upon his Knees that is he took pleasure in their Infancy to let them sit upon his Knees and to dandle them see Ch. 30.3 Joseph having now arrived at the age of an 110 and having Governed Egypt under several Kings 80 years and finding his death approaching he told his Brethren That God would surely visit them in mercy and would bring them out of that Land into Canaan which he had promised to Abraham Isaac and Jacob that He would give it them And therefore to testifie his Own and confirm their Faith concerning the Promises of Canaan which was a Type of Heaven he commanded that his body should be kept and carried into Canaan when God brought them out of Egypt and carried them thither see Heb. 11.20 He took also an Oath of them to perform it which Oath as 't is like was Recorded and transmitted to succeeding Generations that they in whose time that Deliverance should be brought to pass should perform it And accordingly his Body was embalmed and kept in a Chest until the time it might be carried into the Land of Canaan and was afterwards carried thither and buried at Shechem see Josh 24.32 Jacob's Purchase and Joseph's Inheritance And there also as 't is probable the Bodies of the other Patriarchs Jacob's Sons and Joseph's Brethren were buried see Acts 7.16 their Bodies being carried up into Canaan with His. Thus died Joseph in (i) Eusebius in his Chronicle hath this passage concerning Joseph Joseph says he was made Governour of Egypt in the 30th year of his age when his Father Jacob was 122 years old which Government he held 80 years After whose decease the Hebrews were held in Bondage by the Egyptians 144 years So that the whole time which the Hebrews spent in Egypt was 215 years reckoned from the time that Jacob and his Sons went down into Egypt the 2369th Year of the World 16 years before the Death of Levi 60 years before the Birth of Moses 140 years before the Israelites coming out of Egypt As may be gathered from Gen. 15.13 Exod. 12.41 Ch. 50. whole Chapter SECT XLIX WIth the Life of Joseph endeth the First Book of Moses's History called Genesis which containeth a space of Two thousand three hundred sixty nine years from the Creation of the World The next to it in order of time is the Book of Job as Learned Men conceive 'T is likely that Job lived when the Israelites were in Egypt and that he lived in the Land of Vz in Idumea or Arabia bordering upon it See Lam. 4.21 Where he had such bad Neighbours the Chaldeans on the one side and Sabeans on the other The Book of Job is undoubtedly a true History and accompanied fully with all the Circumstances requisite to a true History from first to last and attested so to be by the Prophet Ezekiel Chap. 14.14 Though these three men Noah Daniel and Job were in it they should deliver but their own Souls by their Righteousness saith the LORD And by the Apostle James Ch. 5.11 Behold we count them happy which endure Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy This Book is written in the judgment of the Learned in Prose to vers 3. of Chap. 3. And in Verse from thence to Chap. 42. vers 6. and then it concludes in Prose The Penman of it seemeth to be Elihu one of the Speakers in it as may be gathered from Chap. 32. vers 15. They were amazed they answered no more they left off speaking Vers 16. When I had waited for they spake not but stood still and answered no more Vers 17. I said I will answer also my part I also will shew mine Opinion So that he seemeth here to speak of himself as the Writer of this History Job was the Son of Nahor Abraham's Brother descended from him by his Son Huz Gen. 22.21 Huz his First-born and Buz his Brother c. Three of his Friends most likely were of the Posterity of Abraham viz. Eliphaz and Zophar of the Posterity of Esau Gen. 36.10 These are the Names of Esau's Sons Eliphaz the Son Adah the wife of Esau Bildad of Abraham's Race by Keturah And Elihu the fourth of the Race of Nahor Abraham's Brother The Book consists of these general Parts 1. A Description of Job's Vprightness He was an upright man fearing God and eschewing evil Vers 3. Orientalium i. e. in genere neglecto Judaeae situ ad quam erat haec austrina Regio 2. Of his Prosperity 1. He had a numerous Issue seven Sons and three Daughters 2. For Estate He was the greatest man in the East having 7000 Sheep 3000
either to Man or Beast And when all this shall come to pass then says he you shall know how great a difference the Lord doth put between the Israelites and the Egyptians And then shall these thy Servants and Courtiers be sent by thee unto me and shall bow themselves unto me saying Go forth thou and all the people that follow thee over whom thou hast the Government and after that I will go forth with all the people of Israel with me and with all that we have Moses having thus spoken went out from Pharaoh in a great anger i his zeal for the Glory of God heightening his indignation against the obstinacy of Pharaoh Ch. 10. from vers 21. to the end Ch. 11. from vers 4. to the 9. (l) See Numb 12.3 Eph. 4.26 Tenth Plague The destruction of the First-born 10. The Israelites when they first came down down into Egypt being but few part of the Province of Goshen was sufficient for them but afterwards they multiplied so much that they spread all over that Country and besides had many mixed Habitations in other parts of Egypt (m) Habitant Egyptii Hebraeis permixti The evening therefore of this 14th day of this Month being come Moses called for the Elders of Israel to draw out their Lambs according to their Families and to kill the Passover and to sprinkle with a bunch of Hyssop the Door-posts of their Houses with the bloud of the Lamb and that none of them should stir out of the doors where they did meet to eat the Passover till the morning The Children of Israel doing as the Lord had commanded them by Moses at Midnight the Angel of the Lord smote all the First-born (n) Ica nullus Pater alii possit esse solatio cum clades omnibus communis esset in the Land of Egypt from the First-born of Pharaoh that sat on the Throne to the First-born of the Captive that was in the Dungeon and all the First-born of their remaining Cattel Pharaoh upon this and his Servants and the Egyptians rose up in the night and there was a great and hideous Cry thorow out all the Land for there was not an house in Egypt which had a First-born in it where there was not one dead and in houses where there were no Children probably the eldest and chief of the Family was slain Pharaoh hereupon presently sent his Servants that were about him to Moses and Aaron and commanded them to speak to them in his Name That they should presently go away and should take their Wives and Children Herds and Flocks and all that they had along with them and he desires they would bless him and pray for him at their departure that He might not perish by this Plague (o) He had desired their prayers for him several times before Exod. 8.8 9.28 10.16 17. And the Egyptians were very urgent with the Israelites and used humble and earnest Intreaties to them to be gone see Exod. 11.8 saying among themselves that if they did not hasten them away they were all dead men that is in extream danger of death and like to perish The Egyptians being in this dreadful Consternation the Israelites as Moses had commanded them borrowed of them Jewels (p) Solebant Idololatrae in colendis idolis se gemmis in auribus decorare Credebant autem Egyptii hoc petentes Israelitas suis Diis sacrificaturos prout antea fecerant ideoque nec abituros è terra Nam Moses hactenus tridui tantum itineris mentionem fecerat and Vessels of Silver and Vessels of Gold and fine Raiment (q) V. 35. Et Vestem i. e. pretiosiores vestes tapetes similia Jans and rich Furniture and such like precious things for their use in keeping the Festival And God thus disposed their hearts thorow the great and pannick fear they were in For it seems they thought that if the Israelites were not sent away presently the next Plague would destroy them all And besides that the Lord gave the Israelites favour in their eyes so that they very readily lent them and furnished them with any thing they desired of them And possibly they thought the Israelites intended only a three days journey into the Wilderness there to sacrifice unto the Lord and then would return and so they should have their rich things again And that which in likelihood inclined their hearts the more to favour the Israelites was the high opinion that both Pharaoh's Courtiers and the people of Egypt had generally of Moses For him they much honoured and feared in regard of his Wisdom and Conduct and the manifold Miracles that had been wrought by his Ministry both in bringing Judgments and removing them So that whasoever he should ask or require of the Egyptians for himself or the people of Israel was not like to be denied him And thus was fulfilled that which God promised to Abraham Gen. 15.13 14. Thy Seed shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs 400 years and that Nation whom they shall serve will I judge and afterwards they shall come out with great substance And the same was also promised Exod. 3.22 and all now exactly performed For now the Israelites carried away a great deal of the riches of the Egyptians and that not only by Gods permission but express Command Ch. 11.2.3 who is the Supream Lord of all and all that is in the World is his and He may do what he will with his own Mat. 20.15 And just it was with the Lord thus to recompence the Israelites for the hard Service Injuries and Oppressions they had suffered in Egypt and as it were to pay them their wages which the Egyptians had most unjustly detained from them Exod. 12. from 29. to vers 37. CHAP. IV. The Fourth Age of the World from the coming of the Israelites out of Egypt to the laying the Foundation of Solomon's Temple in the Fourth Year of his Reign containing a space of 480 Years and ending in the 2988th Year of the World SECT I. THe Egyptians being now in great distraction and fill'd with sorrow for the death of their First-born pressed the Israelites to depart The very next day therefore after the Passover (a) See Numb 33.3 the term of 430 Years from the first Promise made to Abraham and his removing from Vz of the Chaldees being just now compleated (b) See Gal. 3.17 the Israelites carring away with them their unleavened Dough which was not well seasoned nor made up by reason of their hast even lumps of Dough bound up in Cloaths upon their Shoulders together with the Spoils of the Egyptians began their Journey and marched away with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians Numb 33.3 from all Quarters to Rameses their general Rendezvous and there they all met who either dwelt mix'd among the Egyptians see Exod. 3.22 and were scattered up and down in Egypt or else dwelt in
Hittites and Perizzites Canaanites Hivites and Jebusites and should bring them into the possession of their Land But when they came to enjoy that good Land they must be especially careful not to bow down to their Idols nor Worship them nor to imitate the Idolatry of that Heathenish people (e) Lev. 18.3.25 but contrariwise with detestation to overthrow and break down their Images Lev. 7. And if they were careful to worship the Lord their God and Him only then He would bless their bread and their water and their food to them so that it should nourish them and would give them health and keep evil Diseases from them and would make them very fruitful and preserve their Women and Cattel from miscarrying and abortive Births and would prolong their life so that they should fill up the number of their days which by the course of Nature they might live And He would strike their Enemies with such terrour and fear that they should turn their backs upon them and fly when they came to Encounter them And he would send Hornets (f) De his agitur Deut. 7.20 ubi Vespa eos in angulos pellit ibique latentes sodicat quod de terrore animi dici non potest Non dubito veros snisse Crabrones hanc plagam similem ei Aegyptiacae Exod. 8.21 Impletum hoc quamvis scriptum non meminit quo loco aut tempore factum Numerantur hic tantum tres gentes quia hae solum videntur hoc incommodum sensisse Rivet Masius before them to expel the Canaanites out of the Land viz. Great Venemous Flies * See Josh 24.12 that should sting them to death So that those of their Enemies that should endeavour to hide themselves from them and think thereby to escape should be destroyed by these Hornets see Deut. 7.20 But He tells them He would not drive out these Heathenish Nations all in one year lest the Land should grow to a Wilderness if it should be all at once dispeopled and the wild Beasts in the solitary places would increase which would be a great annoyance to them But he would drive out the Heathen Nations by degrees till Israel were increased and become enow to fill the Land And that they might know how large a Possession he designed for them he tells them the bounds of it should be these The East bound should be the Red-Sea not that that Sea should bound all the East side of it but because the East side of the Land of Canaan should reach to some part of the Red-Sea The West bound should be the Sea of the Philistins or the great Ocean the Mediterranean-Sea The South border should be the Desert towards Egypt which was the Wilderness of Shur or Paran The North bound should be the River Euphrates (g) But of this larger extent of land the Israelites by reason of their sins were not possessed except for a short time under David and Solomon See 2 Sam. 8.10 1 Kings 4.21 2 Chron. 9.26 which extendeth towards the North. Lastly He chargeth them to make no Covenant with these Heathenish Nations nor to yield to Worship their Idols nor to permit them to dwell in the Land lest if they lived among them they might infect them with their Idolatry which would be a great Snare to them and a cause of their fall and ruine Exod. 23. from vers 20. to the end SECT XIX GOd having Himself given to the Children of Israel his Moral Law which is expresly call'd a Covenant Deut. 4.13 and Moses having received these other Commandments and Ordinances from the Lord and having written them in a Book He proposed them unto the People and they readily consented to them saying All the words that the Lord hath said we will do Hereupon the next Morning he rose early and built an Altar see Exod. 20.24 25. at the foot of the Mount to represent God and He set up twelve Pillars according to the twelve (h) V. 4. Duodecem adnumerato Levi. Neque enim ante Numb 1.10 in Tribus distincta binas erat Josephi prosapia Anonym Tribes to represent the People Then he appointed twelve young (i) Young men do not always signifie men young in years but men fit for Service or Ministry to the Elders These were some of the First-born and were chief Assistants to the Father of the Family in offering Sacrifice and when their Fathers were dead succeeded in their Office men of the First-born whom the Lord had consecrated to Himself as Ministers of holy things before the Levetes who came in the place of the First-born Numb 3.41 were set apart for the Priestly Function to offer Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings of Oxen Calves and Goats Heb. 9.19 unto the Lord which they did accordingly Then he took half the bloud of these Sacrifices and put it into Basons and the other half he sprinkled on the Altar and so also on the Book which it seems was laid on the Altar making use of a Sprinkler (k) See more of this in the Apostolical History page 382. 383. Because it was an usual thing in all their legal Expiations to use Hyssop and Wooll to sprinkle with The Apostle received this from the usual custom of the legal Rites as being himself trained and brought up under the Law To this custom of using Hyssop the Psalmist alludeth Psal 51.7 Purge me with Hyssop and I shall be clean c. made of Scarlet wooll and a bunch of Hyssop Heb. 9.19 the legal sprinklings being usually so performed Levit. 14.6 7. though Moses here mentions not all these particulars and there was Water also as it seems intermingled with the bloud because otherwise the bloud growing cold would have been thick and so unfit to be sprinkled By all which was signified and sealed God's Favour and Grace to the People if they would be obedient Then reading again to them the Book of the Covenant that is the Book containing those Laws before mentioned which they had covenanted to observe and they promising a second time Obedience thereunto He took the other half of the bloud and sprinkled it on the People that is either on the twelve Pillars representing the twelve Tribes or on the Elders as representing the rest or on all the people promiscuously that in circuitu stood about him saying Behold the bloud of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words and things contained in this Book As if he should have said This bloud is a sign of the Covenant between God and You and a Seal to confirm it and a Ceremony whereby it is established The sprinkling of this bloud upon you may also signifie that the transgression of the Covenant cannot be purged but by the bloud of the Messiah Exod. 24. from 3. to 9. SECT XX. THe Lord having commanded Moses after he had delivered these Ordinances to the people to come up again into the Mount and to bring Aaron
to God should bring this punishment of forty years continuance in the Wilderness upon their Children And He says They shall know to their Cost what a dangerous thing it is to withdraw themselves or break off (r) V. 34. Scietis abruptionem meam i. e. abruptionem à me Pisc their Obedience to Him They shall find that it was their own Infidelity and Disobedience to him and not his breach of Promise with them that kept them out of that good Land to the borders of which he had now brought them They ought to have considered that his Promise was Conditional and the performance of it was to be expected only by those that performed the condition of it and towards them it shall never fail Numb 13. from 23. to the end Numb 14. from 1. to 36. Joshua 5.6 Numb 32. from 8. to 14. Deut. 1. from 26. to 40. Deut. 9.23 24. Psal 95. from 8. to the end Psal 106. from 23. to 27. SECT LIX THe ten Spies who had caused this meeting among the people were smitten by God with an extraordinary Plague and died presently see 1 Cor. 10.10 With this Judgment the people were grievously terrified and mourned exceedingly And in remembrance thereof the Jews keep a Feast upon the seventh day of the sixth month call'd Ebul Numb 14. from 36. to 40. SECT LX. THe people being much terrified with this Judgment and more especially with Gods Decree against them which Moses had acquainted them with and being very sensible that they had greatly provoked the Lord they would needs now in all hast gird on their Swords and go forward to take possession of the Land God had promised them resolving to fight all Enemies in the way But Moses charges them from the Lord that they should not stir see Deut. 1.42 He tells them that the Amalekites and Canaanites had pitched in the Valley beyond the Mountain at the foot whereof they were now encamped and lay there with their Forces to hinder their passage He tells them If they went up the Lord would not be with them but they would be smitten before their Enemies However some of them presumptuously would march up to the top of the hill though Moses and the Ark (s) The Ark removed not but at the removal of the Cloud Numb 9.15 which God not taking up now shewed thereby his dislike of their Enterprize staid behind And the Amalekites and Canaanites as had been foretold them came out against them and chased them as Bees which being angred use to come out in great Swarms and to fight with great eagerness and fury see Psal 118.12 and killing many of them pursued the rest even unto Hormah a place so called afterwards upon another occasion see Numb 21.3 And such of them as escaped cried and wept before the Lord but he regarded not their prayers and had as little respect to their tears as they had before to his Preceps And so they abode in the large Wilderness of Kadesh many days as the days they stayed there did sufficiently manifest For they were made to wander about 38 years longer in the Wilderness Numb 14. from 40. to the end Deut. 1. from 40. to the end SECT LXI UPon this Calamity and the continual dropping away of the Israelites in the Wilderness God having sentenced to death all above twenty years old but Joshua and Caleb as is before related Moses composed the 90th Psalm in which he sheweth that the ordinary age of man was reduc'd to 70 or 80 at the utmost Therefore the age of man was now a third time contracted and cut short a third part of what it was before SECT XLII THough the Lord had thus manifested his Wrath and Severity against those disobedient Israelites whom he had sentenced to die in the Wilderness yet that he might shew that He intended to bring their Children into the good Land he had promised he now enlarges and explains those Laws he had formerly given concerning the Sacrifices which he would have them offer to him when they came thither as particularly what Meat-Offerings and Drink-Offerings should be offered together with their Sacrifices whereof part was to be burnt upon the Altar as accessories and appurtenances thereunto And according as the Sacrifice was greater or less so must also the Meat and Drink-Offerings be more or less And He appoints particularly what shall be prepared for a Lamb or a Kid and what for a Ram or a Bullock that there might be a proportion observ'd betwixt them Numb 15. from vers 1. to 13. 2ly He injoyns that the Stranger that is brought to embrace the same Religion with them shall be under the same Laws and Ordinances that they were under One Law and one manner shall be for you and for the stranger that sojourneth with you from vers 13. to 17. 3ly He injoyns them to offer a Cake of the first of their Dough for an Heave-Offering that is about the same quantity that they offered of their first Corn they should offer of their Dough and both to be offered with the same Ceremonies These they were to offer to the Lord that is to the Priests the Lords Receivers for the First-fruits were their portion Ezek. 44.30 The first of all the Fruits of all things and every Oblation of all of every sort of your Oblations shall be the Priests from vers 17. to 22. 4ly Laws are given concerning Sacrifices to be offered when either the whole Congregation or a single person had sinned thorow ignorance Levit. 4.13 There is a Law given concerning Expiation of Sins ignorantly committed but that seems to be made in reference to Errors and Faults committed in common course of life and this to be meant of those only which are committed in things which belong to the external Worship and Service of God from vers 22. to 30. 5ly A Law is given for the cutting off those who sin not of ignorance inadvertency or infirmity but wilfully boldly and presumptuously in contempt of the Laws which God hath enacted concerning his publick Worship From vers 30. to the 31. 6ly To deter presumptuous Sinners a relation is made of a bold and presumptuous Sinner who refused to conform himself to the Law which God had made concerning his outward Worship and Service It seems whilst they were in the Wilderness one of the Congregation went out presumptuously to gather sticks on the Sabbath-day This being a direct violation of the Law given concerning the Sabbath they put the man inward till they had inquired of the Lord what should be done to him * See Levit. 24.12 That a Sabbath breaker was to be put to death they know see Exod. 31.14 35.2 but what kind of death he should die or whither this gathering of sticks made him obnoxious to that Sentence they were not fully resolved though it was evident enough to them he had done it presumptuously Moses not willing to take away his life without certain direction inquires
burn Incense was within the Tabernacle at the Altar of Incense but this was an extraordinary occasion and a means enjoyned for the discovery of the Lords will whither these men or only Aaron and his Sons as formerly should enter into the Tabernacle to execute the Priests Office Corah having assembled his Confederates and the generality of the people before the Tabernacle and not finding Dathan and Abiram there as it should seem went to their Tents to talk with them see Ch. 26.10 and probably from them He went to his own Tent before Moses and the Elders came to the Tabernacle as presently they did In the mean time the 250 Conspirators on the one side taking fire from the Altar and putting it into their Censers and laying Incense thereon and Aaron near to whom Moses stood doing the like on the other God now signifies his approach and the actual manifestation of his Presence by the descending of the Cloud which used to hover over the Tabernacle to the door (x) See vers 42. of this Chap. and Ch. 12.5 thereof And the Lord spake to Moses and Aaron saying Separate your selves from among this Congreation that I may consume these Conspirators and all that joyn with them in a moment Then Moses and Aaron fell upon their faces before the Lord and said O God the God of the Spirits of all Flesh who formest the spirit of man within him Zach. 12.1 and seest and knowest the spirits and hearts of all men and art able to discern between those that sin obstinately and those that are only seduced by others and drawn hither only to see what would be done Shall one man sin viz. Corah the chief Incendiary and wilt thou be wroth with the whole Congregation Upon this intercession the Lord was pleased to spare the people that would depart from these Rebells And then imparting to Moses what He intended to do commands him to warn the Congregation to get away from the Tents of Corah Dathan and Abiram Moses accordingly rose up many of the Elders of Israel accompanying him to denounce the Judgment of God against these Conspirators and he warns the Congregation to depart from the Tents of these wicked men and to get far from them and to touch nothing of theirs as judging all that they have execrable and accursed lest they perish (y) V. 26. Lest you be consumed in all their sins that is lest you be destroyed in the Judgment that will fall upon them for all their sins the cause is here put for the effect in the Judgment which was ready to fall upon them for their great Sins and Provocations The people accordingly did so and fled from the Tents of these men but Dathan and Abiram impudently came out and stood in the doors of their Tents with their Wives and Children as if they intended to out-face Moses and scorned the Judgment he threatned against them Moses then sayed Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me and hath appointed me to take upon my self the Government of this people and hath conferred the Priesthood on Aaron and his Sons and that I have not done these things on my own head If these men die the common and ordinary death of other men then the Lord hath not sent me But if the Lord by his Almighty Power do work a new and hitherto-unheard of Miracle so that the Earth open her mouth and swallow them up quick then you must needs acknowledge that I am innocent and that these men have highly provoked the Lord. Moses having made an end of speaking the Earth immediately opened her mouth and swallowed up * An undoubted evidence of Gods concurrence with the ministry of Moses and withall an undoubted assurance of the divine truth of Moses's Writings these Rebels and all that appertained to them that were there present And the same it seems happened and probably at the same time to Corah and his Family as appeareth Numb 26.10 only some of his Children who as 't is like joyned not in their Fathers sin or if they did soon repented of it and gave over and departed from their Fathers Tent at Moses's warning were spared And of their Race came such as either composed some of the Psalms or at least were famous Singers in the Temple and Samuel also the great Prophet and Judge in Israel was of that Race see 1 Chron. 6.33 to 38. Thus perished the Ringleaders of this Rebellion All the Israelites that were near them fled at the Cry of them fearing lest the Earth should swallow up them also And as a further addition to the dreadfulness of this Judgment there came fire out from the Lord and consumed their 250 Confederates who had offered Incense and usurped the Priests Office They are punished with fire as by fire they had offended see Levit. 10.2 Moses now by Gods Command appointeth Eleazar the Son of Aaron to gather up the Censers from among the ashes of the dead bodies of these men that were burnt and consumed and to scatter the fire that was in them without the Court of the Tabernacle as shewing that God rejected it and their Service and abhorred their Sacrifice And he tells him That the Censers of these Sinners against their own Souls were now hallowed (z) Sanctificata dicuntur quia ex deputatione Dei servire deinceps debebant divina gloriae illustrandae having been presented before the Lord by his Commandment and he orders him to make broad Plates of them for a covering of the Altar (a) A parte anteriori altaris ponebantur ut a populo conspici possint of Burnt-Offerings which was covered with Plates of Brass before see Exod. 27.2 And the less need there was of them the fitter they were to be a sign of Gods Judgment against presumptuous Conspirators and of his vindicating and clearing the innocency of his faithful Servants and to be a Memorial to the Children of Israel that all Israelites and Levites excepting Aaron's Sons are to be reckoned as Strangers in respect of the Priests Office and may not aspire to it lest they perish as Corah and his Confederates did However the very next morning after those dismal Judgments had been executed all the Congregation of the people that were inclined to this Faction whose lives Moses had saved the day before by praying to the Lord for them murmured against Him and Aaron and peremptorily told them That they had killed the Lords people Moses and Aaron being thus injuriously charged looked up to God as having no other Refuge or Shelter to fly unto and immediately behold the Cloud descended upon the Tabernacle as a sign of the approach and actual manifestation of the glorious Presence of God and that he intended to speak something unto them Moses and Aaron presenting themselves before the Lord the Lord bad them get them up presently from among this rebellious Company that he might consume them in a moment But they fell
on their faces and interceeded with the Lord for them God by his Spirit informs Moses That he had sent a Plague among them and directs him what course to take for the stopping of it Hereupon he calls to Aaron to take his Censer and to put fire into it from off the Altar and to put Incense thereon and to run quickly and make atonement for the people and to stand between the living and the dead (b) Incense was only to be offered upon the Altar of Incense in the Tabernacle but this was done upon an extraordinary occasion and by an extraordinary warrant of divine Inspiration for he tells him Wrath was gone out from the Lord the Plague was begun And Aaron did as Moses commanded him yet the Plague ran so swiftly among the people like fire in a field of Corn that before Aaron could interpose himself to make atonement wherein he was a Figure of Christs Intercession there fell fourteen thousand and seven hundred of those rebellious Murmurers see 1 Cor. 10.10 and then the Plague was stayed and Aaron returned to Moses to the door of the Tabernacle to acquaint him how he had sped and to return thanks unto the Lord who had so graciously accepted the work of his hands Numb 16. whole Chapter SECT LXIV THat none might for the future presume to usurp the Office of the Priesthood or aspire to it besides Aaron and his Sons God was pleased to enjoyn Moses to take of each Prince of the twelve Tribes a Rod or Staff such as they did usually carry in their hands which were it seems according to the Custom of those times made of Almond-Tree and to write every Princes Name on his Rod and to write Aaron's Name upon the Rod of the Tribe of Levi. He tells him That the mans Rod whom he did choose to serve him in the Priesthood should blossom and the rest remain dry And God orders Moses to lay all the Rods up in the Tabernacle in the most holy place before the Ark of the Testimony where the Lord did use by glorious signs to testifie his Presence and make known his Will unto them see Exod. 25.22 For upon such extraordinary occasions we need not doubt but Moses used to go into the most holy place Accordingly next morning Moses went in thither and he found that the Rod of Aaron had shot forth branches and some of them had buds on them and some blossoms and others yielded Almonds but all the rest of the Rods remaining dry as they were before Then Moses brought out all the Rods and shewed them to the Children of Israel and the Princes took every man his Rod and found them dry sticks as before but Aaron's Rod flourished and had brought forth Buds Blossoms and Fruit by which Miracle they were convinced that God had chosen Aaron and his Sons to be the only Priests that should serve Him at the Altar And hereupon God orders Moses to lay up Aaron's Rod again in the most holy place before the Ark to be kept there * See Apostol Hist on Heb. 9.6 as a Testimony against any such Children of Rebellion as should ever after presume to usurp the Office of the Priesthood And by this means also he might prevent the murmurings and complainings of the people which if they went on in they would thereby bring certain destruction upon their own heads The people hearing these things and being exceedingly terrified with this threatning and the remembrance of those late dreadful Judgments that had carried away so many among them they cry out unto Moses Alas we die we perish we all perish that is we see we are in continual danger of being swept away with terrible Judgments And as men terrified are wont to conceive their danger to be greater than indeed it is they now apprehend that it would be exceeding dangerous for them to come near the Tabernacle or to be present at any Worship or Service there performed and seem to fear that God would not withdraw his Indignation from them until he had destroyed and consumed them all Ch. 17. whole Chapter SECT LXV THe people being under such a fear and consternation the Lord hereupon takes order for the guard of the Sanctuary and injoyns that every one should remain within the Verge and Limits of his duty and so they should be safe and he tells Aaron That He and the Priests and Levites shall bear the iniquity of the Sanctuary that is if any pollution (c) Thus the Lord shews himself reconciled and makes the Priests watch a ground of appeasing both the fear and envy of the people came to it by the people they should answer for it and bear the punishment thereof if they did not take care to prevent it and the Priests should bear the punishment of all Iniquity committed about their Priests Office if they did carry themselves amiss in it or suffer a stranger or Levite to meddle therein He tells them he had joined * Here is an allusion to Levies name which signifies joyned the Levites to them to minister to them in the outward Services of killing and slaying the Sacrifices c. but they themselves only should serve at the Altar and within the holy place before the Ark of the Testimony and the Levites shall observe the Precepts and Charge which he hath given them concerning their Ministry and concerning the sacred things of the Tabernacle which are committed to their Care that so every one keeping his station and doing his duty there may be no wrath any more upon the Children of Israel only they shall not meddle with the Service of the Sanctuary and Altar lest they die And if the Priests did not endeavour to prevent any such Errour or Miscarriage in their Brethren the Levites they should also incur the like danger Thus he appoints the Levites to minister to the Priests and orders that he that is not of the Tribe of Levi shall not be admitted to serve and minister unto them For God having taken the Levites instead of the first-born of the Children of Israel to himself he had given them unto Aaron and his Sons for his own Service and the Service of the Tabernacle Therefore he and his Sons should exercise their Priests Office in all things that concern the Altar of Burnt-Offerings and in all things which are to be done within the outward Veil whereby the holy place is divided from the Court the High Priest in the most holy place and inferiour Priests within the Sanctuary or holy place And God tells Aaron and his Sons That 't is his free Gift and favour to them that he had made choice of them before others for the Priestly Office and that He had ordained That whoever is not of Aaron's Line and goeth about to meddle with the Priestly Office shall be put to death from vers 1. to 8. The Lord having thus set down the Office and Work of the Priests and Levites he
Priest should have come to him and his by descent because he was the eldest Son of Eleazar Aaron's eldest Son yet that it should not be removed to another Family for want of Issue that was of Gods special goodness and is here promised as the reward of Phineas's zeal Yet we must not understand this Promise so absolutely but that his Posterity might by their sins for a time deprive themselves of this Dignity as it afterwards fell out when Eli was made High Priest who was of the Family of Ithamar see 1 Chron. 24.3 God having thus manifested his favour to Phineas for this heroick act of zeal which was counted to him for righteousness Psal 106.31 and having punished his own people for their sins he now decrees Vengeance against their Enemies And accordingly he commands the Israelites forthwith to vex the Midianites that is to make War upon them which Command implyed also a promise of Victory For their newly professed Friendship towards them was but feigned and they plotted their ruine according to the Counsel of Balaam and distressed them with their wiles and devices though not with War neither need it seem strange that the Israelites are not commanded to War against the Moabites * Nondum completa erat mensura Moabitarum as well as the Midianites because God had expresly forbidden them Deut. 2.9 And 2ly Because the Midianites seem to have had the chief hand in this mischief as seems probable from Balaam's stay among them Numb 25. whole Chapter SECT LXXXI GOd now to shew unto Moses how tender he was of his own people and how severe against all those that did seek to hurt them he commands him to make War and to avenge his Quarrel upon the Midianites (x) Scopus enim Midianitarum fuit ut a Domini culta per filias suas avellerent Israelitas in Idololatriam impingerent quae vero Duâ— maxime injuriosa Jans who had been the occasion of so much mischief to them And when that was done he tells him He should be gathered to his godly fore-Fathers long since dead that is to the spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 Moses hereupon having received as it seems particular directions from God that he should send out but 12 thousand of the Israelites against them that the hand of God in the Victory might more eminently appear see Judg. 7.2 and should take them equally out of every Tribe one thousand that no one Tribe might exalt it self above another for this Victory He accordingly did so and appointing Joshua as 't is probable for General he likewise sent Phineas with them to encourage them who had lately manifested his zeal against that Midianitish Harlot Ch. 25.6 with one of the holy Instruments that is a silver Trumpet in his hands see Ch. 10.2 Hereupon these twelve thousand of the Israelites ingaging with the Midianites they slew all the Males of them that they could lay their hands on (y) Many of them running for â—efuge into other Countries escaped for the present and afterwards in the time of Gideon returned and vexed the Israelites see Judg. 6. and among them five Kings of Midian who were formerly as it seems Vassals to Sihon and therefore are called only Dukes of Sihon Josh 13.21 but Sihon himself being sometime before slain it seems they became now absolute Kings among whom was Zur the Father of Cozbi whom Phineas slew Ch. 25.15 Balaam also fell with them in this battel who being their Counsellor in sin became now a Partner with them in their punishment As for the Midianitish-Women and Children the Israelites took them Captives and burning their Cities and Castles they carried away great Spoils of their Goods and Cattel All these Captives and Spoils they brought to Moses and to the Camp of Israel now encamped in the Plains of Moab Moses was angry with the Officers of the Army for saving the Women alive who had before insnared the people and therefore above all others should have been slain He thereupon gives order undoubtedly by Gods special direction that all the male Children (z) Etiam parvulos ad majorem detestationem facinoris Parentum in ipsis punitionem ne parvuli Parentum necem ulciscerentur should be put to death as also all the Women that were of years fit for the knowledge of Man only the Women-Children should be spared to wit to make them Servants or Wives if they would learn the knowledge of the true God Moses also injoyns the Souldiers to abide out of the Camp seven days to purifie themselves their Captives and Spoils and shews them the manner how it must be done namely Gold and Silver and such things as could pass thorow the fire * Duo credita vim habere purgandi ignis exurendo aqua eluendo Grot. should be purified by fire and they themselves should be cleansed with the water of separation see Ch. 19.11 c. And Eleazar tells them That God had given Moses an express Commandment concerning these things which himself as the Lords High Priest was to make known unto them and to see them observed accordingly Moreover the Lord Commands Moses That the Prey taken in this Expedition which was very great viz. of Beasts and Women-kind 800 and 40 thousand should be divided into two equal parts the one for those that went out to the War which were twelve thousand and the other for the rest of the people that stayed at home which were a vast multitude as appears Ch. 26.51 And further that he should levy a Tribute for the Lord out of both parts which He being the Inheritance of the Priests and Levites intended for them see Gen. 14.20 orders him to take out of their part that went to War but one in 500 either of Persons or Cattel but out of the othâ—r part one in 50. And accordingly the smaller levy out of their half that went to War was given to Eleazar that is to him and the rest of the Priests who being but few had therein a liberal share But the greater levy out of the peoples half was given to the Levites because they were many So that the Levites had one in 50 the Priests only one in 500 the same proportion being observed here that was observed in their Tythes the Levites having the Tythes or Tenths of the people and the Priests but the tenth of their Tythes see Numb 18.21 These things thus done the Captains of Israel numbred their Souldiers and found that they missed not a man which might sufficiently shew them that it was the Lords doing that the Midianites were thus vanquished and might be a great encouragement to them resolutely to go on and to fight the residue of the Lords battels They therefore having besides the Cattel above mentioned which were brought to a common Stock gotten every man for himself very rich spoils of Jewels Bracelets and Chains of Gold c. in testimony of their great thankfulness to
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
was given to Phineas his Son with whom 't is probable his Father lived For though the Priests had their Cities by lot in other Tribes namely Judah Simeon and Benjamin see Ch. 21.4 yet that the High Priest might be near to Joshua the Governour who dwelt in Mount Ephraim and that he might enquire of the Lord for him upon any special occasion and that he might be near to the Tabernacle which at this time was in Shiloh 't is like Eleazar (y) Donarunt forsan hunc locum honorarium Eleazaro ut Joshuae contiguus habitaret qui tamen est a Filio cognominatus in posterum Anonym in loc here lived and was now here buried Josh Ch. 24. whole Chapter SECT CXXII WE are now come to the Book of Judges The Book of Iudges which comprehends an History of the Common-wealth of Israel from the death of Joshua to the days of Eli containing the space of 299 years during which time they lived under the Government of certain Judges whom God successively and extraordinarily raised up and endowed with a Spirit of Wisdom and Courage to Rule over them as His Deputies and Vicegerents There are twelve of these mentioned in this Book viz. 1. Othniel whose Government from the death of Joshua is reckoned to be 40 years 2. Ehud 80 3. Deborath 40 4. Gideon 40 5. Abimelech 3 6. Thola 23 7. Jair 22 8. Jephtha 6 9. Ibzan 7 10. Elon 10 11. Abdon 8 12. Sampson 20 299 Within which space of time we are to comprehend the Six Oppressions of the Israelites mentioned in this Book and not to reckon them apart but as included within the years of the Judges and the Rest of the Land viz. Under Cushan 8 years Eglon 18 Jabin 20 Midian 7 Ammonites 18 Philistines 20 To the twelve Judges before-mentioned Eli and Samuel succeeded whose Acts are not here set down but in the First Book of Samuel Now there being 480 to be reckoned from the coming of the Israelites out of Egypt to the building of Solomon's Temple 1 Kings 6.1 we may compute them thus 40 years spent in the Wilderness 17 in Joshua's Government 299 in the times of the twelve Judges 40 in Eli's time 40 in Samuel and Saul's 40 in David's 4 in Solomon's in the Fourth Year of whose Reign the Foundation of the Temple was laid 480 As to the Pen-man of this Book of Judges 't is very uncertain who it was But it seems to be gathered by some Prophet of God out of the Publick Records and Registers that were kept of their Affairs Some think Samuel was the Compiler of it SECT CXXIII JOshua being now dead and having a little before his death encouraged the people to expel the Canaanites that remained out of the Land though they had no man at present chosen of God and set over them to Command them in chief as Moses and Joshua did and finding that it was fit for them to go on with the War they assembled together as it seems at Shiloh to consult about this matter And because the success of their first Attempts would be of great consequence either to encourage or dishearten their Enemies they thought fit that Phineas the High Priest should enquire of the Lord for them by Vrim and Thummim which of their Tribes should first begin and set upon the Canaanites that still remained among them and the Lord appointed that the Tribe of Judah the Royal Tribe and the strongest and most populous of them all should begin the War and first clear his portion of the Enemy Caleb the Son of Jephunneh is chosen General for the Tribe and the Simeonites who had their lot within theirs being invited to joyn with them they readily agreed to it the Tribe of Judah promising to assist them afterwards in clearing their lot In this Expedition they took the City of Bezek * Bezek a City in the Tribe of Judah not far from Jerusalem and after they had taken it in the pursuit when the King thereof with many of his people fled to save his life they killed ten thousand men They also took their King Adonibezek and cut off his Thumbs and his great Toes having as it seems when they took the City found some of those poor Captive Kings that had been thus inhumanely used by him or else had heard of the Tyranny he had exercised upon them in that kind and therefore thought fit according to the Law of Retaliation Exod. 21.24 to serve him after the same manner Adonibezek could not but acknowledge the justice of God upon him herein For says He threescore and ten Kings (z) Reguli diversarum urbium Ante Ninum teste Justino quisque Rex terminis civitatis suae contentus erat Petty Kings of particular Cities not that he had so many at once under this base slavery but in the whole course of his life some after others 't is like he did it in a base sporting cruelty or else thereby to unfit them for War unde homines viles defides Italis Gallis Poltroni vocantur id est pollice trunci having their Thumbs and great Toes cut off gathered their meat under my Table as I have done to them so God hath requited me Then the men of Judah carried this great Tyrant and shewed him before Jerusalem to strike the greater terrour into the Jebusites and there they killed him and then sacked and burnt that City viz. that part of it which was in their Tribe For though the former King of it had been slain in the Field Josh 10. yet was not the City taken nor it nor any other City fired in Joshua's time but only Jericho Ai and Hazor and therefore the eighth verse should be read And the Children of Judah warred against Jerusalem and took it and smote it c. not as if it had been taken before Judges 1. from 1. to 9. * For these Verses from v. 9. to 16. see Sect. 108. because the Author of this History was here to relate the memorable Exploits that were done by the men of Judah therefore together with those noble Acts which they did after the death of Joshua He repeats also those which were done by them whilst Joshua lived under the command of Caleb both against Hebron and Debir that He might set forth the glory of this Tribe more fully SECT CXXIV JEthro's Family call'd Kenites that had come up with Joshua and Israel into the Land of Canaan and dwelt in their Tents which was ever their way of living about Jericho the City of Palm-Trees among the people of the Tribe of Judah and Judah having now cleared his portion in so good a measure that they began to spread into new Plantations These Kenites went along with them and setled themselves with them in the South upon the Coasts of the Amalekites and so in Saul's time were mingled among them see 1 Sam. 15.6 These Kenites were the root of the Rechabites of whom more is
people that were therein and killed them and Samson himself with them So the dead which he slew at his death were more than those he slew in his life His Bretheren and all the house of his Father hearing of his death came down and took his dead body and brought it up and buried it in his Fathers burying place between Zorak and Eshtaol the Philistines by the over-ruling Providence of God not opposing it whose pride and power by this fatal blow given to their Princes and so many of their people was much abated and pulled down so that they thought this was no fit time to provoke the Israelites by denying them such a thing Judg. Ch. 16. whole Chapter SECT CLI First Book of Samuel WE are now come to the first Book of Samuel which contains an History of eighty years forty in the time of Eli in the four first Chapters and forty in the times of Samuel and Saul in the rest of the Book so that the History of these three persons together with some part of the History of David is the chief matter of this Book The two Books of Samuel are thought to be written by Samuel Nathan and Gad one after another 1 Chron. 29.29 yet some passages in these Books may seem to intimate that they were written in latter times as 1 Sam. 5.5 and Ch. 30.25 2 Sam. 6.8 These two Books of Samuel are stiled by the Septuagint and several others the first and second Book of the Kings the first containing all the History of King Saul and part of the History of King David both whom Samuel anointed by Gods appointment and the second the History of King Ishbosheth shortly and of King David at large After Samsons death Eli the High-Priest in whom the High-Priesthood was translated from the stock of Eleazar the Eldest Eli 13 Judg. to the posterity of Ithamar the younger Son of Aaron executed the Office of a Judg in Civil causes and judged Israel forty years He was extraordinarily both High-Priest (a) How he came to be High-Priest we cannot say that Eli was of the posterity of Ithamar Aaron's second Son appears from hence Abiathar who was deposed from being High-Priest by Solomon was of the posterity of Eli 1 King 2.27 and of Abimelech who was the Son of Abiathar it is expresly said 1 Chron. 24.3 that he was of the Sons of Ithamar How the High-Priesthood came to be transferred from the posterity of Eleazar to Eli who was of the house of Ithamar cannot be cleared by any place of Scripture we may conjecture that it so fell out because the High-Priests of Eleazars family had some way or other highly provoked God by their evil courses in the days of the former Judges This was the Series of the High-Priests as appears 1 Chron. 6.4 Aaron Eleazar Phineas Abishua Bukki Uzzi from Uzzi the High-Priesthood was translated to Eli to whom succeeded Achitob to him Achias to him Ahimelech to him Abiathar who was deposed from the Priesthood by Solomon 1 King 2.27 that he might perform the word of the Lord that he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh 1 Sam. 2.31.35 and Judg a good and famous man though faulty in being too indulgent to his Children as we shall see afterwards In his time and under his Government Samuel was born whose History we come now to describe His Father was Elkanah a Levite of the family of the Kohathites of the posterity of of Korah 1 Chron. 6.22 23. who dwelt in Ramathaim-Zophim in Mount Ephraim He had two wives probably Hannah was his first wife and she being barren he afterwards took Peninnah who was fruitful Though the Lord allowed not Polygamy yet he was pleased to tolerate it for a time and possibly the Jews did conceive that Gods promise to Abraham of multiplying his seed as the stars of the heaven did imply a dispensation for them to have more wives than one The Tabernacle was now at Shiloh and there had continued since the seventh year of Joshua Ch. 18.1 thither went Elkanah yearly that is at those three solemn Feasts wherein all the males were bound to appear before the Lord Deut. 16.16 He might possibly go at other times as a Levite to do service in his course but he failed not to go up at those great Solemnities and it seems several of his family used to go up with him yea the women also such was their devotion though not bound thereunto by the Law At those great Feasts he gave to Peninnah and all her Sons and Daughters portions of the Peace-offerings which he offered to the Lord according to the ancient manner of Feasts of which see Gen. 43.34 but unto Hannah who was his best beloved he gave a larger and better portion and possibly of the choicest and best of the Sacrifices Peninnah was angry at this and thereupon quarrelled with and provoked Hannah and upbraided her for her barrenness as an effect of the Lords displeasure against her and as Elkanah did thus continually express his great love to Hannah when he went yearly with his family to the House of God so Peninnah persisted from time to time to vex her with her provocations and possibly upbraided her with her fruitless seeking to God so earnestly at those times for a child this greatly troubled Hannah in so much that she mourned and wept and did not care to eat as others did especially not with any joy and chearfulness as they were bound to do at those solemn Feasts Elkanah perceiving it asked her why she so grieved and wept and so mourned in a time when she ought to have rejoiced 'T is true says he the Lord hath not afforded thee Children but am not I who love thee so dearly better to thee than ten Sons (b) In concorde matrimonio plus boni est quam in ipsa faecunditate Gr. But when Elkanah and his family had eaten and drunk together with whom Hannah sate she being in bitterness of soul went out and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore and she said O Lord of Hosts if thou wilt please to look on the affliction of thy hand-maid and wilt give unto me a man-child I will give him unto thee all the days of his life (c) As to the power of her Vow we must understand that she only vowed to do what in her lay that it might be thus if the Child had no defect either in body or mind and was willing when he came to the years of discretion to take upon him the Vow and provided that her Husband consented thereunto without which the Womans Vow was of no force Numb 30.8 Indeed it is evident in the sequel of Samuels story that he did not always continue in the Tabernacle see Ch. 7.16 but went from year to year in Circuit and judged Israel And hence it seems probable that after he became Judg in Israel he was by special dispensation from God freed from this Vow of
possibly that these Kine had been given up by the Philistines to the service of the Lord to bring home the Ark and having been imployed in so sacred a service it was not fit they should be imployed to any other use and therefore they resolved by this way of an extraordinary Burnt-offering to give them up to the Lord. And besides this Burnt-offering of the Kine the men of Bethshemesh brought their own Oblations to the Priests who offered Burnt-offerings and Peace-offerings to the Lord that day for them as an expression of their thankfulness to God for the return of the Ark. But it seems some of the men of Bethshemesh were so presumptuous as to open the Ark and to look into it whereas it was not lawful for any but the Priests no not for the Levites themselves who carried it to look upon it bare and uncovered see Numb 4.20 yet it seems these bold Bethshemites not only took liberty without any fear or reverence to gaze and stare upon it but proceeded further even to look into it possibly to see whether the Philistines had taken any thing out of it or put any thing into it which they should not have done but only the Priests Hereupon God smote seventy (a) v. 19. Textus sic se habet percussit de populo 70 viros 50 millia virorum i. e. percussit de populo in quo erant viri 50 mille viros 70. Syr. Ar. legunt 5 millia 70 viros Sic pro chamishim legunt duntaxat chamish q. d. percussit de populo Bethshemitico in quo erant 5 mille viros 70. ut sensus sit Deum pro indulgentia sua noluisse in omnes reos animadvertere sed in partem tantum eorum Ergo supplenda est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ante 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reddenda si sequamur Syr. Ar. quinque mille Quis enim credaâ— ex oppido non admodum copioso 50 millia mortuos esse plurimos relictos qui eorum funera lugerent Secundum aliquoâ— sensus loci est illos 70 viros tales fuisse ut a quipararentur 50 millibus de plebeiis vide 2 Sam. 18.3 of them who it seems were most presumptuous though there were many thousands of them that had adventured to look upon it uncovered He smote of the people the Text says that were fifty thousand or as the Syriack and Arabick read it five thousand †These were not all probably the inhabitants of Bethshemesh but many of them such as â—â—ooked from the neighbouring Countries to see the Ark when returned seventy persons And the Bethshemites bewailed this sad slaughter God had made among them in a complaining manner they said Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God who manifesteth himself from between the Cherubims and to whom shall the Ark which is the sign and pledg of his Presence go up from us Intimating that people would be afraid to entertain it seeing such direful things following of it So they went to the Inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim a City in the Tribe of Judah not far from them to desire them to fetch the Ark thither pretending possibly it was a place of much more safety for it to be in than their City was The men of Kirjath-jearim were so far from opposing the bringing of the Ark to their City notwithstanding the sad calamity that had befallen so many of the Bethshemites that they themselves fetched it thither and undoubtedly with much joy the Priests of Bethshemesh carrying it as believing that it was not the presence of the Ark among the men of Bethshemesh but their irreverent carriage in gazing upon it or looking into it that was the cause of their misery When they had brought it to their City they placed it in the house of Abinadab a Levite and a man as 't is like of singular holiness whose house was on a hill and possibly fenced in and called Gibeah 2 Sam. 6.3 a place of strength and safety for the Ark to be kept in Having carried it into his house they sanctified Eleazar his Son to keep it that is they chose him to be set apart to this holy imployment to give continual attendance upon the Ark that he might keep others from coming near to pollute or defile it and they caused him to prepare himself for this Sacred charge by washing his garments and other such like Ceremonies of Legal purifying It may seem strange that they did not carry the Ark back to the Tabernacle in Shiloh but it seems the Lord would shew his indignation against the former wickedness of that place by not suffering the Ark to be carried thither again So he forsook the Tabernacle of Shiloh c. Psal 78.60 And the Ark being thus separated from the Tabernacle they continued divided for ever after for 't is said that David prepared a new Tent for it 1 Chron. 15.1 and it remained at Kirjath-jearim twenty years (d) This cannot be meant of the whole time of the Arks remainning at Kirjath-jearim for tween the death of Eli shortly after which the Ark was brought to this place and the beginning of Davids reign when it was removed thence 2 Sam. 6.2 3. there must needs be forty years allowed for the Government of Saul and Samuel Act. 13.21 all which time the Ark continued in Kirjath-jearim unless when it was for a while carried forth into the Camp in the War against the Philistines Ch. 14.18 before the people could be won to that solemn repentance and conversion recited in the following verses But though the Ark was at Kirjath-jearim yet the Tabernacle and publick worship of God was at Shiloh 1 Sam. Ch. 5. wh Ch. Ch. 6. wh Ch. Ch. 7. ver 1 2. SECT CLVII FOR twenty years together after the Ark was removed to Kirjath-jearim the Isralites were grievously oppressed by the Philistines but at length by the exhortation of Samuel and the troubles they had felt they were brought to repentance and lamented after the Lord that is humbling themselves cried and called unto him for help and deliverance The Elders therefore of Israel resorting to Samuel he exhorted them to put away their strange Gods and Goddesses see Judg. 2.13 14. and to prepare and compose their hearts to serve the Lord intirely in a setled course of new obedience and then he doubted not but he would deliver them out of the hands of the Philistines Accordingly they did abandon and cast away their Idols and served the Lord only as his Law required Samuel hereupon summons the whole body of the people to Mizpeh * Situate in the confines of Judah and Benjamin and therefore reckoned among the Cities of both Tribes see Josh 15.38 18.26 that there they might together renew their Covenant with God which they had so shamefully broken and joining together in serious and solemn humiliation they might by fasting and prayer implore mercy and forgiveness from God with a return of his
back from the Well Sirah situate on the North of Hebron Abner being returned Joab took him aside in the Gate (g) The place of Judicature and of their publick and solemn meetings Abishai being by who it seems was also in the Plot see v. 30. under pretense to speak with him peaceably and privately about the Kings affairs and on a sudden he little suspecting any such thing smote him under the fifth rib so that he fell down dead By this means though the fact in Joab was base and villainous God punished Abner for his rising up against David contrary to his own knowledg and conscience to compass his wicked end and for being the occasion of shedding so much blood in this war at which he so little scrupled When David heard of the murder of Abner he was extreamly surprized at it and cried out I and my Kingdom are guiltless before the Lord for ever from the blood of Abner let it rest on the head of Joab and all his Fathers house and let there not fail from the house of Joab as long as his family continueth one that hath a running issue for which persons were debarred from entring into the Congregation and partaking of the publick Ordinances Levit. 15.21 or a leper or one that leaneth on a staff by reason of feebleness and lameness or that falleth by the sword and so dieth an untimely death or that lacketh bread and so is brought to beggary let there be ever in Joabs family some person that is under one or more of these Plagues Then David commanded Joab and all the people that were with him to rend their clothes and gird themselves with sackcloth to intimate that their hearts were rent with grief for this horrid fact Then he made a solemn and publick Funeral for Abner and he himself followed the Bier with great expressions of grief So they buried Abner in Hebron and the King lift up his voice at his grave and wept and the people wept also And the King lamented over Abner and said Died Abner like as a fool dieth that is as a weak and cowardly man that yieldeth himself to be slaughtered by his enemy making little or no resistance No surely thou didst not die like a base weak captive taken in war nor as a malefactor bound in chains and fetters and so led out to execution no but thou wast basely and treacherously slain As a man falleth before wicked men so fellest thou as it might happen to the most wise and valiantest man in the world that hath to do with false cowardly and treacherous men so it hath happened unto thee And this David spake before Joab's face and branded him with dishonour and reproach before all the people as a part of his punishment for his wicked fact It seems it was the manner at solemn Funerals to have a Feast provided to refresh and cheer the guests in the time of their mourning see Jer. 16.7 8. Ezek. 24.17 And such a Feast was now provided But David to express his great and extraordinary grief for Abner refused to eat at it whereupon the Commanders of the Army and heads of the people came to him and intreated him not to lay the matter so much to heart as to forbear his food But David sware to them saying God do so to me and more also if I taste bread or ought else till the Sun be set The people observing his carriage therein were highly pleased with it and were glad to see him so much to resent the base murder of Abner and with so much earnestness to seek to clear himself thereof they saw plainly that it was not by Davids counsel or instigation either directly or indirectly that Abner was slain but it proceeded meerly from Joab's malice and revenge And not only David's carriage in this matter concerning Abner pleased the people but generally all things else that he did through his prudence and wise conduct were very pleasing to them Indeed whither they liked his not executing justice upon Joab at this time is uncertain but however he was fain to apologize for himself and he said to his servants about him You see there is Prince and a great man this day fallen in Israel whose blood I would revenge on him that shed it but that he and his Brother Abishai these Sons of Zerviah * Zerviah one of Davids Sisters was mother of Joab Abishai and Asahel and Abigail his other Sister was mother of Amasa 2 Sam. 17.25 1 Chr. 2.15 16 17. are at this time too potent for me they being in so great favour with the people and commanding the Army and I my self though anointed King yet am at present but unsetled in my Kingdom however the Lord will reward the evil doer at one time or other according to his wickedness But this excuse was below pious and valiant David and savoured too much of carnal fear worldly policy for he having Gods promise to establish him in the Throne he needed not to fear the executing of justice upon so heinous a malefactor as Joab was notwithstanding all his power and the power of his allies And if justice had been now executed on him Amasa's death had been prevented whom Joab afterwards slew in a like treacherous manner See 2 Sam. 20.10 But some will ask Why did not David execute justice upon Joab afterwards when he was established in his Throne Doubtless it was a great fault in him and before his death he seems to have repented of it which the charge given to his Son Solomon seems to imply 1 King 2.5 6. ziz That he should not let Joab's hoary head go down to the grave in peace 2 Sam. Ch. 3. from v. 6 to the end SECT CLXXXII Ishbosheth and the Israelites that adher'd to him were wonderfully perplex'd and dismaid when they heard of the death of Abner he being their General on whose counsel and conduct they had hitherto so much depended Things going thus badly with them two of Ishbosheth's Captains conspired against him whose names were Baanah and Rechab the Sons of Rimmon born in Beeroth a City of Benjamin but the inhabitants of that City after Saul's discomfiture fled out of it to Gittaim another Town of Benjamin and the Philistines possessed it and so they were still called Beerothites after the place of their former habitation and lived but as sojourners in Gittaim among their Brethren the Children of Benjamin And that which encouraged these Captains as it seems to conspire the death of Ishbosheth was because he being taken away there would be no legitimate issue of Saul's race but only Mephibosheth who being but a child of twelve years of age and withal lame in his feet was altogether unfit to succeed in the Kingdom Whence they imagined how advantageous their intended fact would be to David and how likely they were to be rewarded by him for it and lastly how safely they might do it because there would be none left of Saul's race
were his own Son that by such an exemplary punishment others might be deterred from offending in the like kind But though he did not punish him yet his Son Absalom did as we come now to shew After two years were past Absalom had a sheep-shearing feast as the manner was in that Country to entertain his friends and encourage his servants To this feast Absalom invites David and all his Sons with their retinue to avoid all suspition of any ill intention against Amnon David tells him if they should all come they should be too chargeable to him and therefore he himself would not come however he blessed him and wished him much joy in his Feast Then Absalom ernestly intreated him that his brother Amnon being his Eldest Son might come and so representing his person might grace and honour his Feast This might considering former carriages have given both David and Amnon some suspition and jealousie that he intended some mischief but God intending to punish them both for their former sins hid this from their eyes Therefore upon his great importunity David consented that Amnon and all his Sons should go with him They being come Absalom gave command to some of his servants as evil masters are usually attended with such servants as will comply with them in any wickedness that when they saw Amnon merry with wine they should fall upon him and kill him he bids them be courageous and to do their work thoroughly seeing he had commanded them and would bear them out in it And though the revenging of his sister Tamars rape might be the chief thing he aimed at yet possibly an ambitious desire of the Crown might further this his resolution of cutting off his Elder Brother The servants did as Absalom commanded them and accordingly dispatched Amnon Upon this murder all the rest of Davids Sons got every one upon his Mule (a) Though the Israelites were forbidden to suffer Cattel of divers kinds to engender together Lev. 19.19 yet they might use the Cattel so engendred and such Mules were see Gen. 36.24 and fled not knowing how far Absalom's bloody treachery might extend This gave such a warm alarm to the Country round about that presently tidings came to David that Absalom had slain all his Sons The King upon this surprizing news tore his garments and fell upon the earth and his servants stood about him with their clothes rent Jonadab standing by desired the King not to believe that all his Sons were slain but only Amnon and he did suppose that he indeed was slain because Absalom had threatned to be reveng'd on him ever since he forced his sister Tamar Presently the Kings Sons that fled came to him and with many tears told him what Absalom had done to their brother Amnon and the King and all his servants wept very sore And David mourned for the death of his Son Amnon so treacherously slain very many days Then Absalom that he might escape the hand of justice fled to Talmai King of Geshur his Grandfather by the mothers side and there he remained three years 2 Sam. Ch. 13. from v. 1. to 39. SECT CXCV. It seems Chileab Davids second Son see Ch. 3.3 was now dead IN length of time Davids grief for Amnon by degrees wore off so that he began now to wish that he had his Son Absalom at home with him again and had it not been for shame he could have found in his heart to have gone himself and fetcht him Joab perceiving that the Kings heart was much towards Absalom and that he earnestly desired to have him brought back again if it could be done handsomely and without scandal he therefore that he might gratifie the King and ingratiate himself with Absalom now heir apparent (b) The City where the Prophet Amos lived Amos 1.1 to the Crown sets himself to contrive a way how it might be done Accordingly he sent to Tekoah c a City in Judah and fetched thence a woman that was famous for her wisdom and acquainting her with his design he put words into her mouth and directed her what she should say to the King in order to the bringing about his end she undertakes the business and being well instructed beforehand in a mourning habit and seeming very disconsolate she comes to David and falling down on her face before him cries out Help O King and succour thine afflicted handmaid The King asks her what ailed her she answers I am a widow and thy handmaid had two Sons who going into the field together and falling out they fought and none being by to part them the one of them happened to kill the other and now all my family and kindred are risen up to prosecute my remaining Son that he may be put to death and so the inheritance may come to them for so they give out that they will destroy the heir also and if they should be suffered to kill this surviving Son who is the only comfort that is left me in this world they will wholly extinguish my husbands name which by this Son as by one poor coal that lyeth hid under an heap of ashes can only be blown up again kept alive and preserved The King tells her that he would give order that her case should be heard and examined She desires him not to put her off or scruple to grant her request for if there were any iniquity or sin in sparing her Son she would take the guilt of it * See Gen. 27.13 Mat. 27.25 wholly upon her self the King and his Throne should be guiltless But therein she engag'd for more than she could make good for if it were unjust God would punish her for desiring and endeavouring it and David also for granting it see Numb 35.17 18 21 31 33. However the King seeing her so importunate he bad her go home and if any persons further troubled her she should bring them to him for as the Lord liveth saith he not one hair of thy Son shall fall to the earth Then the woman said let the King remember the word that he hath promised unto his handmaid in the presence of the Lord that he will not suffer the avengers of blood to destroy my Son And now having obtained my request let thy handmaid speak one word more to my Lord the King How comes it to pass that thou hast passed so favourable a sentence in reference to my Son and yet entertainest thoughts in thy mind against thy own Son which are far different and very prejudicial to the good and welfare of thy people Give me leave to say that the King doth speak this thing as one that is faulty he hath given a just sentence in the case of my Son but fails in giving the same sentence when it comes to the case of his own Son the King would have no rigor us'd against my Son for killing his brother because it would tend to my great grief and damage and yet can be content
it may be had in higher honour and esteem than any other building in the world And therefore though I may not build it my self yet I will provide materials for the building of it And so he did in great abundance before his death 1 Chron. Ch. 22. from v. 1 to 6. SECT CCVI. IN the next place by the advice of Gad the Seer and Nathan the Prophet see 2 Chron. 29.25 and calling the Princes and Governours of the people to be present to observe the order he set up he appoints the several Officers for the service of the Temple and ranks them into their several Orders and Divisions 1. He distributes all the Priests that were the Sons of Aaron into two parts viz. all the Priests descended either from Eleazar or Ithamar Aarons two Sons All that were of the Sons of Eleazar over whom Zadock was the chief into one and all that were the Sons of Ithamar over whom Ahimelech was chief under Abiathar the High-Priest into the other And there were more Heads of Families found among the Sons of Eleazar than among the Sons of Ithamar Then he divides all these Priests into twenty four courses in each of which there was one to be the chief or Head of the rest And therefore he appoints sixteen of these courses among the Sons of Eleazar and but eight among the Sons of Ithamar Then he orders lots to be cast amongst these divisions promiscuously not preferring those of the one lineage before those of the other to determine which of these courses should first serve and which should be second and so in order each company being to serve a week and then to go out as also to shew which of these that were Heads of Families in each company should be the chief of that company (a) 1 Chron. 24. v. 19. under Aaron their Father that is under the High-Priest who is here called Aaron because he held the same place that Aaron formerly did And so the first company was chosen by lot and the lot fell upon Jehojarib to be Head of that Course which was from thence call'd the Course of Jehojarib and so after the same manner in the rest 2ly He numbers the Levites from thirty years old and upwards and their number arose to 38000. This numbring was not like the numbring of the people 2 Sam. 24.2 out of pride and curiosity but out of piety and prudence and that by a Divine command that knowing the number of the persons he might better distribute them into several Orders These Levites he thus distributes 1. Twenty and four thousand he appoints to attend upon the Priests in the service of the Temple viz. to prepare the Sacrifices and oyl for the lamps and other things belonging to their office These were divided into twenty four Courses as were the Priests David also gave order before his death v. 27. that in each Family of the Levites all of twenty years old and upward should be taken into the service of the Temple because they were not any longer to carry the Tabernacle and vessels thereof and therefore such strength of body was not now necessary as was formerly required and the service of the Temple would now one way or other imploy them all see 1 Chron. 23.24 David therefore guided by the Spirit of God saw cause now to admit them into the Temple at that age and possibly at first they were only as Novices and Learners admitted to behold the service of God that they might be the better acquainted with it and after twenty five years they were to assist the Elder Levites in their particular services and after thirty to bear offices themselves These Levites also were to take care of the measures viz. that the fine flowre and wine and oyl for the Meat-offerings should be given to the Priests according to the just weight and measure appointed by the Law For to some Sacrifices there was a greater measure of these required and to some less See Numb 15.4 5 6. and Levit. 23.13 And some think they had the overseeing of all publick measures and kept the patterns or standards of them in the Temple whence the just shekel was call'd the shekel of the Sanctuary These Levites being cast into twenty four Courses or Divisions there were lots cast who should be the first Course coming in and going out with the first Course of the Priests and so who should be the second c. 2. Six thousand he appoints for Officers and Judges these were to be dispersed into several places of the land to judg of causes that were brought before them according to the Judicial Laws of Moses which the Levites were best skilled in They were also to take care of the outward business See 1 Chron. 26.29 viz. of those things which were to be done abroad out of the Temple as to give judgments in doubtful matters to train up younger Levites in the knowledg of the Law to look to the gathering and receiving such monies as were to be gathered of the people for the service of the Temple and some of them had their charge on the West-side of Jordan and some on the East and more on that side than the other because they being divided from their brethren by the river there was the more care requisite to retain them in their obedience to the Law and to prevent any back-sliding or remisness in the Worship of God or departure from his Law 3. Four hundred were to be Porters (a) So many were at this time set apart by David for this imployment but at their return from the Captivity of Babylon there were of these only found two hundred and twelve 1 Chronic. 9.22 to open and shut the Gates of the Temple at seasonable times and to watch at the Gates thereof to keep out all unclean persons and things These were also divided into twenty four Courses to attend in their turns weekly according to their courses and the order of their courses was determined to them by lot and by lot also were the Heads of their courses or companies appointed And some of these had also the custody of the Sacred Treasures viz. of the holy vessels and vestments and the dedicate things see 1 Chron. 26.27 28. Obed-Edom was one of these Porters 1 Chron. 15.18 and God exceedingly blessed him because he received the Ark into his house 1 Chron. 13.14 not only with a numerous off-spring but with great prosperity in all other respects and hence it was that eight of his Sons besides his Grand-children by Shemaiah were Heads of the twenty four Courses of the Porters And they were mighty men of valour their work being not only to keep unclean persons from entring the Temple but to prevent all confusion and disorder at the resorting of the people on their solemn Festivals to the Temple and to be a Guard unto the holy place upon all other occasions and therefore it was requisite they should be men of might
manner and in the sight only of a few who did it hastily to prevent Adonijah from making himself King and therefore this second anointing was done more publickly and more solemnly in the sight of the Princes and Rulers and in a great Assembly of the people And they anointed him unto the Lord that is devoted him solemnly unto the Lord and to be the Ruler of his people under him Then they anointed Zadok to be High-Priest instead of Abiathar who had joined with Adonijah and this was the rather done as we may suppose because the High-Priesthood was now translated into another Family For Abiathar was of the race of Eli and descended from Ithamar second Son of Aaron and Zadok was descended from Phineas who was descended from Eleazar his eldest Son and so the High-Priesthood reverted from the family of Ithamar to that of Eleazar as was foretold by God it should come to pass 1 Sam. 2.33 35. After this Solomon sat on the Throne of the Lord viz. on that Throne to which God had by his especial Providence advanced him and the disposal of which the Lord in a more peculiar manner challenged to himself See Deut. 17.15 And Solomon after this was very prosperous and all Israel obeyed him and all the Princes and mighty men and all the rest of David's Sons submitted themselves unto him And the Lord magnified him exceedingly in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him such royal majesty and greatness as no King of Israel either before him or after him ever had 1 Chron. Ch. 28. whole Chapter 1 Chron. Ch. 29. from v. 1 to 26. SECT CCXII. NOW the days of David's departure out of this life drew nigh therefore calling for his Son Solomon he said to him I am going the way that all men living upon the earth must go Be thou therefore couragious and though thou be young in years yet shew thy self a man in understanding and keep the charge of the Lord thy God to wit the commandments which he hath given in charge to be kept and walk in his ways and keep his statutes his judgments and testimonies whereby he testifies what he would have done and observed according as they are written and prescribed in the Laws given by Moses that so thou maist prosper in all that thou dost and in all businesses thou settest thy self unto And so the Lord may be pleased to confirm his word which he spake unto me saying If thy children take heed to their way to walk before me in truth and sincerity with all their heart and all their soul there shall not fail thee a man on the Throne of Israel that is there shall not fail a man of thy posterity to sit upon thy Throne (a) Notandum duo fuisse Davidi promissa Primum absolutè nempe Messiam ex ipso oriturum licet filii ejus mali fuerint Secundum conditionale scil regnum in ejus familia conservandum si posteri se sancte gerant P. Martyr I have now only three things more to give thee in charge before I die The first is concerning Joab thou knowest how insolently he carried himself towards me and how treacherously he slew those two great Capteins Abner and Amasa after I had engaged my faith to them both that they should be safe which wicked practice of his was enough to make the people think that I had secretly an hand in it though I can truly say my soul abhorred it Nay he shed the blood of war in peace that is when there was peace made with these two great men he slew them as if they had been in open hostility against me And he put the blood of war upon his girdle that is He put up his sword all bloody into its scabbard that hung at his girdle and the very shoos on his feet were stained with their blood so impudently he carried out those base murders therefore I charge thee wisely to observe him He is of a turbulent spirit and in all likelihood thou wilt have at one time or other just occasion against him And though he hath been General of my Army almost all my reign yet let not his hoary head go down to the grave in peace but when thou findest just occasion against him cut him off by the sword of justice and so let the blood of Abner and Amasa be revenged upon him 2ly I would have thee to shew kindness to the Sons of Barzillai the Gileadite for they came and brought provisions for me and my followers when I was forced to fly from thy brother Absalom and therefore let them be of the number of those that eat at thy Table 2 Sam. 17.28 29. 3ly Thou hast with thee Shimei the Benjamite who reviled me and cursed me with a bitter curse when I was in great distress flying towards Mahanaim and called me a bloody man and did in effect say I had been the cause of the death of Saul and all his Sons and charged me with crimes I never was guilty of yet afterwards he met me at Jordan and humbled himself and acknowledged his fault and I sware to him by the Lord that I would not put him to death But though I for my time pardoned him yet if he shall attempt any thing against thee after my decease hold him not guiltless Thou art a wise man and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him and if he trespass again and thou findest any other just occasion against him bring down his hoary head to the grave with blood and cut him off by the sword of justice * See 2 Sam. 19.23 David having thus instructed his Son in a short time after departed this life and slept with his fathers that is died as his fathers and predecessors had done before him having reigned in Hebron seven years and six months and thirty three years in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years in all and having made his Son Solomon King in his stead about half a year before his death He died in a good old age full of days riches and honour he died in the seventieth year of his age no King in Israel or Judah after him attaining to his age †Only Uzziah and Manasseh came very nigh it He was buried in his own City of Zion viz. in that part of Jerusalem where he had built a Palace for himself 2 Sam. 1.2 and kept his Court and which he had taken out of the hands of the Jebusites and had built and enlarged and from thence was called after his name the city of David His Sepulcher it seems was made of such durable materials and so well kept and repair'd time after time by his posterity that it was strangely preserved notwithstanding Jerusalem was so often sackt and burnt for it continued unto the Apostles times as the Apostle Peter tells us Act. 2.24 Men and Brethren let me freely speak to you of the Patriarch David that he is both dead and buried and his
presently imparted it to some of his friends and possibly thereby designed to draw off their hearts from Solomon and to make a party for himself Solomon it seems got some intelligence hereof and thereupon sought to kill him Jeroboam hearing of the Kings fierce anger against him fled presently into Egypt to Shishack the present King thereof who as 't is probable was Solomon's wife's brother and possibly was much offended with him for taking so many wives besides his sister and therefore for that or some other reason he gave entertainment to Jeroboam and he continued there till Solomon's death 1 King Ch. 11. from v. 14 to 41. SECT XVIII SOlomon now having reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years died and slept with his fathers and was buried in the City of David his Father He left only three children though he had so many wives and concubines viz. two daughters who were married to two of his own subjects as we may see Sect. 13. and one Son viz. Rehoboam who reigned in his stead The Acts of Solomon were written by Nathan Ahijah and Iddo Prophets that lived in his time 2 Chron. 9.29 But this Book of the Acts of Solomon seems to have been some compleat History not now extant of the reign of Solomon gathered out of the several writings of these Prophets and other records of those times wherein possibly many passages of his life were set down not expressed in the Sacred History And among other things possibly that of his repentance which though it be not here so clearly mentioned yet it may be gathered from 2 Chron. 11.17 For three years they walked in the ways of David and Solomon his Son where Solomon and David are jointly commended Some also collect it from that promise Psal 89.33 Nevertheless I will not utterly take away my loving kindness from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail But especially from the Book of Ecclesiastes which questionless was written as a publick testimony of his Repentance And in the 2 Pet. 1.20 21. we find that all the Penmen of the holy Scripture are said to have been holy men of God And 't is probably conjectured that Solomon before his death did throw down Idolatry and restrain'd his wives from it in that the people who set themselves to defame his Government complained of no such matter to Rehoboam Chap. 12.4 1 King Ch. 11. from 41 to the end 2 Chron. Ch. 9. from v. 29 * V. 29. In the visions of Iddo that is such Visions and Revelations as were registred being by Gods Spirit manifested to Iddo It seems this Iddo who wrote the History of Rehoboam Ch. 12.15 did also join the story of Jeroboam therewith against whom he wrote to the end SECT XIX Kings of Israel JEroboam being chosen King by the Ten Tribes The first King of Israel JEROBOAM he first repaired and fortified Shechem and built himself a Palace there and made it the chief place of his residence and fortified Penuel on the other side of Jordan and placed a Garrison in it And being now setled in his Kingdom though God had promised him by Ahijah the Prophet Ch. 11.38 that if he would walk in his ways he would be with him and build him a sure house as he had done for David yet having no confidence in this promise he began to think that if he should suffer his subjects to go up to Jerusalem to sacrifice there as God commanded they would soon fall off from him to Rehoboam For first he apprehended they would be in danger to be seized upon as Traytors when they came up to Jerusalem if they did not renounce their allegiance to him 2ly The Priests and Levites and their Brethren of Judah he thought would be continually setting before them the sin of falling off from their lawful Soveraign 3ly He supposed the very sight of the Temple and the worship of God there celebrated would much win upon them to come over to the Kingdom of Judah And if their hearts were once turned to Rehoboam he thought they would be sure to kill him and not having faith to believe that God would either prevent or divert these dangers from him if he were faithful to him he resolved to set up some other way of worship for his subjects that they should not need to go up to Jerusalem to worship there And thus that very thing which God appointed to keep the people of the Jews in one uniform way of worship viz. that there should be but one Altar and one place of Sacrifices namely at the Temple at Jerusalem that proved the occasion of setting up a new way of Worship Wherefore Jeroboam by the advice of those about him made two Golden Calves in imitation of the Egyptians Idol-gods among whom he had lived of late and with whom 't is like he desired to hold a strict league and amity and that possibly was another politick reason that induc'd him to make such Idols as these However he pretended the peoples ease and accommodation to be the chief thing that mov'd him to take this course and like a kind and indulgent Prince told them it was too much for them to go up thrice a year viz. at the solemn Feasts to Jerusalem and therefore he had found out a way to save them that labour and accordingly had made two Golden Calves for them to worship in their own Country And these he had made not to represent any false God but as remembrances and representations of the true God of Israel who brought them up out of the land of Egypt and therefore he was not afraid to say to them these be thy Gods O Israel When he had given them this account of his proceedings he placed one of his Calves in Bethel a City * By reason of Jeroboams impiety the Prophet calls it Bethaven Hos 10.5 belonging to the Tribe of Benjamin but it seems it had revolted to him and so was now in his power and the Southern border of his Kingdom the other Calf he placed at Dan which was the Northern border And so he provided that his subjects both in the North and South should have a place to worship at But this thing became a grievous sin and high provocation to the Almighty and drew all Israel from God into Idolatry and therefore 't is put into his stile Jeroboam the Son of Nebat who made Israel to sin 2 King 10.31 For the people did presently yield to worship these his Idols both at Dan and Bethel And further instead of Gods Temple at Jerusalem he made a Temple on one of the high places or mountains where Altars were reared to commit Idolatry thereon and he made Priests for the high places and for the Devils †Such devotion as is not done to the true God is done to Devils see Lev. 17.7 Idols there so called and for the Calves which he had made 2 Chron. 11.15 of the meanest of the people and such
of his reign and destroyed all the house of Jeroboam Ch. 15.27 over Israel that shall cut off the house of Jeroboam If thou askest when or at what time this shall come to pass I answer very quickly and sooner than you do expect And the Lord will smite Israel as a reed is shaken in the water He will afflict both Prince and people with uncessant wars and troubles both intestine and forreign so that they shall never abide long in any setled condition but as reeds that grow in the water are continually shaken so shall it be with this Kingdom partly by the frequent transferring the Crown from one family to another and partly by the frequent invasions of the men of Judah or some other neighbouring Nation And the Lord will root up (b) First by Tiglath-pilesar in the days of Pekak King of Israel 2 King 15.29 the greatest part after by Salmanassar in the days of Hoshea 2 K. 17.6 Israel out of this good land which he gave to their Fathers and will scatter them beyond the river to wit Euphrates into the land of Assyria Mesopotamia and Media whither they shall be carried captive because they have made Groves for Idols thereby provoking him to anger And he will give up Israel into the hands of their enemies because they consented to the Idolatry of Jeroboam who did sin highly against God and made Israel to sin by causing them to leave the Temple of the Lord and to worship the calves he hath set up Ahijah having thus spoken Jeroboam's wife departed and as she came to the door of her house her Son died And they buried him and all Israel lamented for him as God had foretold by the ministry of his Prophet There were many bickerings and continual hostility between Jeroboam and Rehoboam all their days and the borderers on both sides did continually invade one another but after Rehoboam's death Jeroboam in the eighteenth year of his reign gathered together a vast army of eight hundred thousand men to set upon Abijah Rehoboam's Son newly come to the Crown and Abijah met him with four hundred thousand and with them discomfited his mighty Army and slew five hundred thousand of them and pursuing his victory took from him Bethel and two other Cities as may be more fully seen in the life of Abijah Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again during Abijah's reign Jeroboam at last was stricken with some extraordinary sickness or disease from the Lord in the days of Abijah but he died not till the second year of Asa Son of Abijah and it seems he died not an ordinary death He reigned 22 years and Nadab his Son succeeded him 1 King 12. from 12 to the end 1 King 13. wh Ch. 1 King 14. from 1 to 21. 2 Chron. 13. wh Ch. NAdab began his reign in the second year of Asa Second King of Israel Nadab and reigned only two years namely in part of the second and third year of Asa He did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his Father Gibbethon a City belonging to the Tribe of Dan Josh 19.44 was in the days of David and Solomon in the Israelites possession but now it seems the Philistines had gotten it Nadab therefore and all Israel with him went and laid siege to it to recover it and here during the Siege he was treacherously slain by Baasha of the Tribe of Issachar and so the siege as it seems was raised for twenty six years after or thereabouts the Son of Baasha did again lay siege to this City as we may see Chap. 16.15 Baasha now setting up himself in the Throne he smote all the house of Jeroboam according to the Prophesie of Ahijah 1 King 14.10 Behold I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall and him that is shut up and left in Israel and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam as a man taketh away dung till it be all gone So with Nadab the Regal power in Jeroboam's house ended And thus the Idolatry wherewith Jeroboam thought to have established the Kingdom to himself and his posterity was the very cause of the ruin of his family and the transferring the Kingdom to another 1 King 15. from 25 to 32. BAasha the Son of Ahijah of the Tribe of Issachar began his reign in the third year of Asa Third King of Israel Baasha and reigned twenty and four years He did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of Jeroboam In the thirty sixth year of Asa's Kingdom as it stood divided from the Kingdom of Israel but in the sixteenth year of Asa's own reign and about the fourteenth of Baasha's he perceiving Asa to grow potent and that many of his subjects fell off to him he began to arm against him and never ceased from henceforward to make war upon him all his days and he went up to build Ramah which lay between Samaria and Jerusalem that he might suffer no man to come out from or go unto Asa King of Judah but he was fain to give it over being recalled by an invasion made into his Country by Benhadad King of Syria hired thereunto by Asa 2 Chron. 16. from 1 to 7. and 1 King 15.32 Jehu the Son of Hanani the Prophet delivers him a sad message from the Lord concerning the destruction of his house for his Idolatry and killing of Nadab (a) For though Baasha did herein what God had decreed yet he had no command from God to do it but did it only to serve his own ends and to get the Kingdom Saepe Deus decreta sua exequitur per malos homines qui longe aliud agentes sua quaerunt ideoque poena digni sunt Impii saepe imprudentes serviunt voluntati Dei quam in lege patefactam scientes oppugnant This Jehu was that Prophet that was sent afterwards to Jehoshaphat to reprove him for his league with Ahab 2 Chr. 19.2 and he that wrote the Chronicles of those times 2 Chron. 20.34 And his father Hanani was the Prophet that reproved Asa for seeking to Benhadad for aid against Baasha so that both Father and Son were eminent Prophets of the Lord at the same time and both sent to the Kings of Israel to whom the Lord was pleased to send many Prophets to reclaim them Jehu coming to Baasha tells him Thus saith the Lord forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust and from a mean condition made thee Prince (b) For it was the Providence of God that made Baasha's attempt against Nadab so successful Collatio regni Deo doll vero parricidium Baasae attribuuntur over my (c) They were Gods people by Covenant and outward profession and they retained still Circumcision and the Laws of Moses and there were many pious Prophets and some good people among them people Israel and thou hast walked in
the ways of Jeroboam and hast made my people to sin by thy example and hast provoked me to anger behold I will cut off thy posterity and will make thy house as the house of Jeroboam And as this judgment was pronounced against Jeroboam 1 King 14.11 viz. that such of his house as died in the City the dogs should eat and such as died in the fields the fowls of the air should eat that is they should die unhappy deaths and not come to an honourable burial the very same judgment must I pronounce against thee and in the same words see v. 4. because thou persistest in the same sins Baasha died in the twenty fourth year of his reign and was buried in Tirzah and his Son Elah reigned in his stead 1 King 15.33 34. 1 King 16. from 1 to 8. ELAH began to reign in the 26th year of Asa Fourth King of Israel Elah and reigned two years though not compleat Being upon the Throne his servant Zimri Captain of half his Chariots conspired against him and as he was drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza his Steward he slew him in the second year of his reign his forces lying then encamped against Gibbethon and then Zimri immediately by the assistance of the Souldiers that were under his command slew all his kindred and near relations and so destroyed all the house of Baasha he left him not one that pisseth against a wall by which Proverbial speech an utter destruction of all that belonged to him is to be understood Thus the Lord dealt with the house of Baasha For as Baasha slew Nadab when he had reigned two years and that whilst he was laying siege to Gibbethon and then immediately destroyed all the rest of his family so Zimri slew Elah the Son of Baasha in the second year of his reign and then immediately cut off the rest of his family and friends and that whilst his army lay encamped against Gibbethon And thus God destroyed both the house of Baasha and Elah for their great sins and transgressions whereby they had provoked him and particularly by their vanities that is Image-gods and Idols 1 King 16. from 8 to 15. ZIMRI having thus wickedly made himself King Fifth King of Israel Zimri his reign continued but a week for notice that the King was slain coming to the Camp at Gibbethon all the host of Israel that were there encamped presently made Omri their General King over Israel Omri hastens with his Army to Tirzah to besiege Zimri and so the siege of Gibbethon was a second time raised Zimri when he saw the City was taken by storm betook himself to the Kings Palace and burnt himself with it that he might not fall into the hands of his enemies Thus those that are cruel to others are oftentimes given over to be cruel at last to themselves But though Zimri reigned but seven days before Omri was proclaimed King by the Soldiers yet perhaps it was longer e're he was forced to burn himself And besides within the space of those seven days he might by his Edicts make known to the people his resolution to continue the worship of Jeroboam's Calves and might destroy the family of Baasha 1 King 16 v. 17 18 19 20. Things being now at this pass the people of Israel were much divided some of them misliked that the Souldiers should choose a King for them and they chose Tibni for their King Between Tibni and Omri there were continual wars for about four years till at last Omri prevailed and Tibni dying Omri reigned alone 1 King 16. from 15 to 23. OMRI reigned twelve years Sixth King of Israel Omri reckoning from his first election whereof six years in Tirzah Zimri having burnt the Royal Palace in that City he removed the Seat of his Kingdom from thence to Samaria which he built in the hill which he bought of Shemer for two Talents of Silver * A Talent of Silver was reckoned at 375 l. sterling but a Talent of Gold at 3750 l. so he paid 750 l. sterl for the Hill and so made that his Royal City and the Metropolis of his Kingdom He did evil in the sight of the Lord and worse than all that went before him For it seems he did not only obstinately continue in the Idolatry of Jeroboam himself but with violence forced and pressed the people thereunto notwithanding all the judgments he had seen on all the former Kings of Israel for that sin In Micah 6.16 we read of the Statutes of Omri to wit concerning their Idolatrous worshipping of the Golden Calves He was buried in Samaria and Ahab his Son succeeded him 1 King 16. from 23 to 29. AHAB in the thirty eight year of Asa began to reign Seventh King of Israel Ahab and reigned two and twenty years over Israel He did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that went before him and as if it had been a small thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam he took to wife Jezebel * Who was a most wicked woman Jehu complain'd of her Witchcrafts and Whoredoms 2 King 9.22 and she is often mentioned as a great persecutor of Gods Prophets and a great promoter of the Idolatry of Baal and therefore St. John calls that false Prophetess who in his time had seduced many to Uncleanness and Idolatry in the Church of Thyatira Jezabel Rev. 2.20 the daughter of the King of the Sidonians and served Baal the Idol-god of that people and built an house and an Altar for him in Samaria Now this Idolatry was far worse than that of Jeroboam's for in that though they had Idols to wit the Golden Calves yet they pretended still to worship the true God but in this they worshipped Baal as their God In his days did Hiel the Bethelite which shews the horrible prophaneness and contempt of God at this time adventure to rebuild Jericho which though belonging to the Tribe of Benjamin yet it seems was at this time under the power of the King of the Ten Tribes notwithstanding Joshuah's curse pronounced against any that should attempt it and therefore it had continued a heap of rubbish from that time till this but now that bold wretch Hiel that dwelt at Bethel undertook the work and paid dear for it as Joshua had threatned for it cost him the loss of all his sons of the first-born when he began it and of some more of them as he went forward with the work and of the youngest when he finished it and hung up the Gates of it Josh 6.26 And Joshua adjured them at that time saying Cursed be the man before the Lord that riseth up and buildeth this City Jericho he shall lay the foundation thereof in his first-born and in his youngest Son shall be set up the gates of it Though the Israelites were at this present fallen to the horrid Idolatry of worshipping Baal †〈◊〉 was the God of the Sidonians Ahab
were suspected not to be firm against Judah and therefore were slain by the men of Moab and Ammon fell unexpectedly upon them like men that rise suddenly out of an ambush upon their enemies and when they had destroyed them they fell out among themselves and destroyed one another The Army of Jehoshaphat coming now to the Watch-tower of Ziz in the Wilderness they looked towards the formidable army of their enemies and they saw none but dead bodies on the ground they saw none flying or escaping whom they needed to pursue or fall upon and so that was accomplished which the Prophet foretold v. 17. Ye shall not need to fight in the battel When Jehoshaphat and his people came to the field where their enemies lay slaughtered they found very rich spoils among the dead bodies viz. rings on their fingers chains about their necks jewels in their ears besides the wealth and riches they brought on their beasts and in their carts and carriages and their being so vast a number of the enemy slain the Israelites could not carry away all in one day but were three days in gathering the spoil it was so much so God not only freed them from their enemies but greatly enriched them by them On the fourth day they marched to the valley of Berachah or blessing and there solemnly praised the Lord for this great victory and from thence that valley had this name given it Then they all marched with great joy to Jerusalem Jehoshaphat marching in the front of them for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies And they came to Jerusalem playing on Psalteries and Harps and with the sound of Trumpets and so went to the house of the Lord to offer up there their more solemn praises and sacrifices of thanksgiving And the fear of the Lord fell on all the Kingdoms round about when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of his people So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet for his God gave him rest round about But notwithstanding this signal deliverance and though Jehoshaphat had been reproved by the Lord for joining first with wicked Ahab and then with Ahaziah his wicked Son in building and fitting out Ships to go to Tarshish yet he fell again a third time into the like sin by assisting Jehoram the second Son of Ahab who succeeded Ahaziah and going forth with him and the King of Edom against the Moabites In which expedition he and the two other Kings were in great danger of perishing for want of water had they not been supplied by the prayers of Elisha the Prophet who had a great regard for Jehoshaphat 2 King 3.14 and so they obtained a great victory over their enemies 2 King 3. from v. 4 to the end Of this we may see more in the life of Jehoram King of Israel This seems to have happened about the 22th year of Jehoshaphat and then 't is probable he set up his Son Jehoram again as his Viceroy or took him into Copartnership with him in the Kingdom 2 King 8.16 as he had made him his Viceroy before when he went to visit Ahab Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 21.2 is call'd King of Israel that is of the Israelites that lived in the Kingdom of Judah He reigned 25 years and they buried him with his Fathers in the City of David and his Son Jehoram succeeded him who reigned eight years which together are 33 years Yet in Chronological account there were not above 29 years in the reigns of them both because Jehoshaphat did set up his Son Jehoram as partner with him in the Kingdom whilst he himself was alive see 2 King 8.16 which was about the 22th year of his reign so that the four last years of his reign and the four first of his Son Jehoram's were not eight but only four years seeing both of them reigned together at the same time 1 King 22. from 41 to 51. 2 Chron. 17. whole Chapter 2 Chron. 18. wh Ch. 2 Chron. 19. wh Ch. 2 Chron. 20. wh Ch. 2 Chron. 21.1 The 5th King that reigned in Judah was JEHORAM JEhoshaphat had designed his Son Jehoram to be King and appointed him to govern the Kingdom in his absence in the 17th year of his reign a little before he went with Ahab against Ramoth-Gilead thence the beginning of the reign of Jehoram King of Israel is counted to be both in the 18th year of Jehoshaphat * 2 King 3.1 and in the second year of Jehoram †2 King 1.17 Son of Jehoshaphat but at his return resumed the Royal power wholly to himself not communicating the same again to his Son until the fifth year of Jehoram King of Israel which was the 22th of Jehoshaphats own reign and then this King being old took Jehoram his Son as partner with him in the Government The cause whereof in all probability was some discord or differences that brake out even then between him and his younger Brethren which moved Jehoshaphat to give to his younger Sons great gifts of gold and silver and jewels and to commmit to their custody some strong fenced Cities in Judah 2 Chron. 21.3 the better to secure them against the power of their Elder Brother and on the other side he put his Eldest Son into the possession of the Kingdom whilst himself was living for fear of tumults and commotions that might arise after his death Jehoram therefore being 32 years old succeeded his Father and reigned eight years in Jerusalem to wit four years together with his Father and four years by himself alone He walked in the Idolatrous ways of the Kings of Israel as did the house of Ahab whose daughter he had married viz. Athaliah and a vertuous daughter she was like to be that sprang from the cursed root of Ahab and Jezebel she soon drew him to follow her Fathers courses so great an influence have bad wives upon their husbands to draw them to evil He did that which was very evil and provoking in the sight of the Lord howbeit the Lord would not destroy the house of David because of the Covenant he had made with him to give him always a light that is a royal glory in a successor and to continue the Soveraignty in his race as long as that Kingdom should last See 1 King 11.36 When he was setled in the Kingdom he sought to make himself strong as Jeroboam did 2 Chron. 13.7 that he might the better effect his mischievous intents and purposes and accordingly getting his six younger brethren into his hands he like a cruel Tyrant slew them and many also of the great men of the land who he thought favoured them and had a kindness for them He made great innovations in Religion erecting those Idolatrous places in mountains which his Father and Grandfather had with so much zeal destroyed He caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit spiritual fornication in worshipping of Baal and to embrace that Idolatry which himself had learned from
22.6 was the sixth that reigned in Judah he was the youngest Son of Jehoram for all his Elder Brothers were either slain or carried away by the Philistines and Arabians as we shewed before It seems he was made King by the Inhabitants of Jerusalem viz. the Sanhedrin or great Council there the rest giving their consent He reigned only one year and did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the ways of the house of Ahab for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly and as some think he married a wife also of the house of Ahab and therefore is said * 2 King 8.27 to be a Son-in-law of it and the house of Ahab were his counsellors after his Fathers death to his destruction 'T is said 2 Chron. 22.2 that he was forty two years old when he began to reign but 2 King 8.25 't is said he was twenty two years old when he began to reign and 2 King 9.29 't is said he began to reign in the eleventh year of Joram King of Israel But 2 King 8.25 't is said he began to reign in the twelfth year of Joram Here seem to be two contradictions for the reconciling of which we must know that probably the beginning of his reign did fall in with the latter end of the eleventh and the beginning of the twelfth year of Joram King of Israel And whereas 't is said in the Chronicles that he was forty two years old when he began to reign though his Father Jehoram was but forty years old when he died as we may see 2 Chron. 21.5 and in the Kings that he was twenty two years old when he began to reign we must thus understand it that he began to reign in the two and fâ—â—rtieth year of the continuance of the Crown in the house of Omri and his race from which he was descended by his mother Athaliah but in the 22th year of his own age For Omri reigned as sole King six years 1 King 16.23 Ahab twenty two years 1 King 16.29 Ahaziah his Son two years 1 King 22.51 Jehoram twelve years 2 King 3.1 Thus Omri's stock continued forty two years in this sense Ahaziah was a Son of forty two years * Some think here is a Sphaimagraphicum and 42 is put for 22 and so the LXX seem to intimate who there only say that Ahaziah was 22 years old when he began to reign if we reckon from the beginning of Omri's reign He went up with his Uncle Jehoram King of Israel to war against Hazael King of Syria for the recovery of Ramoth-Gilead which was withheld from the Crown of Israel by the Syrians Ahab had with his own and the joint forces of Jehoshaphat endeavoured to recover it but failed of his purpose and was there slain by Benhadad whose life he had imprudently spared 1 King 20.34 But Jehoram his Son with the joint forces of Judah actually recovered it from Hazael but was there himself wounded Having therefore won the Town 2 King 9.14 and leaving the chief of his Army there with his Commanders of whom Jehu was chief to keep it lest Hazael should come with new forces to recover it he withdrew himself to Jezreel to be cured of his wounds Jehu being left at Ramoth-Gilead was there anointed by the direction and command of Elisha to be King of Israel who thereupon soon slew both Jehoram and Ahaziah For Ahaziah going to Jezreel to visit Jehoram and they understanding that Jehu marched furiously towards them they both went out to meet him but Jehu killing Jehoram Ahaziah fled towards Jezreel yet durst not enter the City but in the suburbs where their Garden-houses were he turned aside into some by-way hoping by that means to escape but Jehu and his Captains at last overtook him and smote him at a place by Ibleam and he flying further after he was wounded to Megiddo a City not far off which belongs to the Kingdom of Samaria Jehu and his men following him close at last by making diligent search in the City there they found him out and brought him to Jehu who presently caused him to be put to death Thus the destruction of Ahaziah was of God and his going to join with Joram King of Israel was the occasion of it Had he stayed at Jerusalem Jehu would not have medled with him When he was dead Jehu and his Commanders permitted his servants to carry him in a Chariot and to bury him at Jerusalem in the Sepulchers of his Fathers For they said he is a Son that is a Grandson of Jehoshaphat who sought the Lord with all his heart Thus we see that the piety sincerity and integrity of Jehoshaphat was reverenced and highly esteemed even by those that had not their own hearts possessed therewith God delighting to honour them that honour him Shortly after this Jehu going to Samaria met by the way forty two young Princes of the blood of Ahaziah viz. the Sons of his Brethren * V. 13. The word Brethren must be here taken in a large sense for his Brethren Sons or other kindred They are called Princes of Judah because places of dignity and government were committed unto them who came thither probably to attend and wait upon their King and Vncle being several of them possibly Officers of his Court. It seems they knew nothing of the late revolution in Israel nor of the death of Jehoram Jezebel or Ahaziah or that Jehu reigned Jehu asks them who they were It seems they knew him not but supposing him to be some great Officer of Jehoram's told him they were kinsmen to Ahaziah King of Judah and coming to attend him there they thought themselves obliged being so near the Court to go and pay their respects to King Jehoram's Sons and the Sons of Queen Jezebel and thither they were now going Jehu being at this time in his full career of executing the judgment of God upon the house of Ahab and perceiving these young men to be of that cursed stock being descended from Athaliah Ahab's daughter he looked upon it as within his commission to put them to death and accordingly bidding those about him to lay hold on them he commanded them all with sufficient severity to be immediately slain in the place 2 King 8. from 25 to the end 2 King 9. v. 16. and from 21 to 30. 2 King 10.13 14. 2 Chron. 22. from v. 1 to 10. The 7th that reigned in Judah was ATHALIAH THE house of Ahaziah was so miserably weakned by the late destruction of so many of the branches of it and none of his children being of years sufficient to maintain their right to the Kingdom against such as should go about to usurp it Athaliah mother of Ahaziah who probably was left by him to govern the Kingdom in his absence when he went to help Joram King of Israel in his wars hearing that her Son was dead and that many others of the Royal family were slain by Jehu
Father had done For such as his Father was such was he His Father a while out of respect to men viz. as long as Jehoiada lived did that which was right but afterwards fell away to Idolatry and so did he As his Father did not suppress the worship of God in high places no more did he As soon as he was setled in the Government he put to death those that had killed the King his Father who it seems were great men and had Court-offices and therefore call'd his servants whom at first for fear of danger he forbore to meddle with but when he saw a fit opportunity and felt his own strength he dealt with them yet spared their children according to the Law of God Deut. 24.16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children neither shall the children for the fathers every man shall be put to death for his own sin About the 13 or 14 year of his reign he resolved to make war upon the Edomites who in his Grandfather Jehoram's time had rebelled against the Kingdom of Judah and so continued unto this time In order hereunto he musters three hundred thousand choice men of his own subjects such as were able for war and could handle spear and shield and made Colonels over thousands and Captains over hundreds according to the dignity of their families But notwithstanding he had so great an Army it seems he did not much confide in them but thought it better in point of policy to manage this war by Auxiliaries and accordingly hired an hundred thousand able valiant men of the Israelites who in those times by reason of their successful wars against the Syrians were accounted excellent Souldiers to go with him against the Edomites and gave them an hundred talents of silver * That is thirty seven thousand five hundred pound sterling See 1 Chron. 22.14 So every Regiment consisting of a thousand had a Talent of silver that is 375 l. to engage them in this service A Prophet comes to him from the Lord and advises him to dismiss these Israelites for the Lord was not with them †2 Chron. 25.7 to wit with any of the children of Ephraim Ephraim is here put for the ten Tribes being the greatest Tribe of the ten and having the priviledg of the first born Gen. 48.19 God did not love them because they were Idolaters though he did sometimes prosper them in their wars against the cruel Syrians But says he if thou wilt go up to fight against the Edomites with these Israelites contrary to the declared mind of God do it at thy own peril and make thy self as strong as thou canst for the battel and see what will come of it Assure thy self God will make thee fall before the enemy For God alone hath power to help or cast down success in war is wholly ordered by him The King was something startled at this message but says he if I should dismiss them what shall I do for the hundred Talents that I have given them I know not how to recover them from such a numerous company without much hazard and much bloodshed The Prophet answers The Lord is able to give thee much more than this So Amaziah separated them from his own Army to which they were joined and sent them home again But they being thus dismissed were exceeding angry and lookt upon themselves as slighted and scorned as if their aid and assistance had not been of any value wherefore in their return home they fell upon the Cities of Judah viz. such as were the frontier Towns bordering all along the breadth thereof upon the Kingdom of Israel and slew three thousand of the subjects of Judah and carried away much spoil Amaziah having dismissed the Israelites marches with his own Army into the Edomites Country and there obtain'd a great victory over them wherein he slew ten thousand of them and took ten thousand prisoners whom he cast down from the Rock Selah and so broke them in pieces Possibly he us'd them with the greater severity because of their revolt from the Crown of Judah and their unwillingness to return to their obedience thereunto Having thus conquered the Edomites among other spoils he brought away their Gods also and by a monstrous impiety set them up to be his Gods and bowed down before them and burnt incense unto them David did not use to do so but burnt the gods of his enemies which he took see 1 Chron. 14.12 But this man seems more infatuated and bewitched with Idolatry than Ahab himself The anger of the Lord was hereupon exceedingly kindled against Amaziah and he sent a Prophet to him who said to him Why hast thou sought after the gods of the Edomites which could not deliver their own people viz. the people that worshipped them out of thy hands The King being vexed at this free reproof of the Prophet would not let him go on but said Who made you of the Kings councel I charge thee forbear speaking any many or speak at thy own peril So the Prophet forbore and only said I know that the Lord hath determined to destroy thee because thou hast done this great wickedness in setting up these Idols and now refusest to hearken to my counsel Amaziah being puft up and grown insolent upon his good success against the Edomites and taking advice of some such Counsellors as Rehoboam did in a vain and proud manner sends a challenge to Joash King of Israel saying to him Come let us look one another in the face and meet in a pitched field with our Armies Probably the injury done him by the Israelites whom he dismissed when he undertook his late expedition against the Edomites was that which provoked him to challenge Joash and this late wrong might probably bring other old matters to remembrance Joash who was a Prince as proud and haughty every whit as Amaziah answers him in a scornful manner by a Parable The Thistle says he that was in Lebanon sent to the Cedar saying Give thy daughter to my son to wife and there passed by a wild beast and trod down the Thistle Whereby he intimates that it would be insufferable pride in the Thistle to presume to desire the Cedars daughter as a wife for his son For he that seeks to match his child with another mans supposes himself equal to that other man But he takes it in great scorn that Amaziah should think himself equal to him But if it be too much presumption for the Thistle to offer to make affinity with the Cedar how much more presumption is it to make war against him which he would have Amaziah to know was his present case He further tells him Indeed he had smitten the Edomites and thereupon he perceived his heart was proud and much lifted up But however he advises him to content himself with that victory and to tarry at home and not meddle with him to his hurt lest he and Judah with him fall
in the enterprize But Amaziah was nothing mov'd with what he said for whom God intendeth to destroy he usually first hardens and God intended to punish him for his abominable Idolatry into which he had lately fallen Joash understanding this would not stay till Amaziah came to him but he enters Judah with a strong Army wisely resolving to make his Enemies Country the stage of the war So they met in a pitcht field at Bethshemesh which belongs to Judah and Judah was worsted before Israel and Amaziah himself taken prisoner and brought in Triumph * Thus in this Amaziah the Son of Joash King of Judah God did yet further revenge the death of Zachariah the Son of Jehniada who was most inhumanely and ungratefully murdered in his fathers days according to what he said at his death the Lord will look upon it and require it and withall Amaziah himself was severely punished for his Apostacy to Idolatry to Jerusalem by Joash which City as it seems standing out against him he battered down that part of the wall by the North-gate which was towards Ephraim even four hundred cubits in length and so took the City by force then he seized upon all the gold and silver and all the vessels that were found in the house of the Lord with the posterity of Obed-Edom who were porters and keepers of the treasures in the Temple 1 Chron. 26.15 as also the treasures of the Kings house And having made what spoil he thought fit in Jerusalem he set Amaziah free upon certain conditions imposed upon him and his subjects and for the surer performance of the Covenants on Judah's part he took hostages of him viz. some noble mens children whom he carried along with him to Samaria And he chose rather to go away with his present spoil than to hazard all by endeavouring to conquer the Kingdom of Judah which he was not like to hold if he did obtain the subjects thereof being so greatly addicted to the house of David Amaziah lived after this fifteen years but a very miserable life for his subjects were so disaffected to him for the Idolatry he had brought in that from that time they began to conspire against him though it broke not forth openly till by his rash unadvised and unprosperous war with Joash he had brought so many miseries upon his Kingdom The conspiracy now breaking forth he fled to Lachish and possibly there hid himself and lived in obscurity so those that had conspired against him as it seems governed the affairs of the Kingdom in his absence About twelve years after these conspirators being men of power in the Kingdom upon some new occasion were so enraged against him that they sent some to Lachish to slay him Amaziah being dead they brought him from Lachish in a Chariot drawn with horses and buried him in Jerusalem with his fathers 2 King 14. from v. 1. to 21. 2 Chron. 25. wh Ch. Tenth King of Judah UZZIAH VZZIAH or Azariah as he is called 2 King 15.1 Son of Amaziah was the next that reigned in Judah In Mat. 1.8 't is said that Vzziah succeeded Joram And Joram begat Ozias whereas there were four that reigned in Judah between Joram and Vzziah viz. Ahaziah Athaliah Joash and Amaziah Some think that these were omitted because of their evil Government and unnatural deaths each of them being slain one after another or because by the mother-side they descended from the stock of wicked Ahab whose house the Lord doomed to be rooted up Vzziah when his Father was slain was about four or five years old and there seems to have been a kind of Interregnum or vacancy in the Throne of Judah for about twelve years viz from the 15th to the 27th year of Jeroboam the second King of Israel at which time Vzziah being sixteen years of age was setled in the Throne by the general consent of the people and not till then And this possibly may be intimated to us by that unusual phrase And all the people of Judah took Vzziah being sixteen years old and made him King instead of his Father 2 King 14.21 And this might happen partly by reason of his minority and partly through the prevalency of some powerful men who perchance had had a hand in putting his Father to death or possibly the Government of the Kingdom might be carried on in his name all that time though he came not to the full exercise of his Regal power till the 27th year of Jeroboam So that the twelve years from his Fathers death which happened in the 15th year of Jeroboam see 2 King 14.23 unto the 27th of Jeroboam when he was put into full possession of the Crown are to be accounted into the number of the fifty two years he is said to have reigned and according to this account in the 26th year of his reign Jeroboam died After which it seems there was an Interregnum or vacancy in the Kingdom of Israel also for about eleven or twelve years viz. to the 38th year of Vzziah's reign After which Zachariah reigned in Israel six months Shallum one month Menahem ten years Pekahiah two years and Pekah had reigned a year or something more before he died which was in the fifty second year of his reign 2 King 15.27 so that he lived in the times of six Kings that sat on the Throne of Israel In the beginning of his reign he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and maintained the worship of God uncorrupt as his Father had done save that the high places were not removed but the people still offered sacrifice and burnt incense on them And during the life of Zachariah Son of that Zachariah that was stoned in the Temple who was an eminent Prophet and had understanding in the visions of God that is was accustomed to see visions and had a singular understanding in ancient Prophesies and so was able to counsel and instruct Vzziah in matters that concerned the knowledg of God and his Laws and possibly was skilful to interpret the dreams and night-visions of others as Joseph and Daniel were I say during the life of this Prophet Vzziah sought the Lord and so long the Lord made him to prosper He recovered Elath a City near the Red-Sea which had been taken from the Crown of Judah by the enemies bordering upon it and repair'd and fortified it In Ahaz's time it was lost again being taken by the Syrians see 2 King 14.22 He was a great warrior he had under his command three hundred seven thousand five hundred fighting men under two thousand and six hundred Captains all which were dispos'd into Regiments and companies and registred that they might be in readiness against any urgent occasion And he furnished all these with Shields and Spears Helmets and Habergeons * Armour for Back and Brest and Bows and Slings to cast stones He was very victorious against the Philistines of whose Towns he brake down the
did but in the good only Howbeit the people did yet very corruptly and by their Priests who too much complied with them therein offered sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places which had Jotham removed he might have prevented the people's corrupting themselves in that thing and therefore his not doing it is noted as a blemish of his government About this time namely in the year wherein Vzziah died the Prophet Isaiah saw that glorious vision of the Lord sitting on his throne and compassed about with his holy Angels singing Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath And he foresaw the people of the Jews from this time forward growing more and more obdurate and blind every day than other resisting the counsel of the Prophets and so obstructing the means God afforded them for their conversion and healing Isa 6. Jotham was a great builder he built or renewed and repaired the high-gate of the house of the Lord which was as it seems the Gate whereby they went into the Kings Palace 2 Chron. 23.20 And on the wall of Ophel * Ophel was a Tower on the outside of the City and was the place where in those times the Nethinims dwelt Nehem. 3.26 he built much He built also divers Cities in the hills of Judah and in the Forrests he built Castles and Towers to prevent incursions of enemies He subdued the Ammonites and forced them to pay him tribute by the space of three years viz. an hundred talents of silver and of wheat and barley ten thousand measures of each So he became mighty because he ordered his counsels and actions as in the sight of the Lord and so as he might please him The Prophet MICAH In his days the Prophet Micah began to Prophesie and under him and his two next successors he executed his Prophetick function together with Isaiah and Hosea He prophesied a great while as appears Jer. 26.18 He is very like the Prophet Isaiah both in matter and loftiness of stile He prophesied both against Judah and Israel He declareth Gods wrath against them he laments their condition and foretells their destruction and captivities by the Assyrians and Babylonians for the manifold sins that all sorts had committed viz. Princes Prophets and people Ch. 1.2 3. Then he comforteth those that repent with promises of temporal blessings and deliverances from their enemies but chiefly with promises and predictions of Christ foretelling the place of his nativity and the manifold blessings of his Kingdom Ch. 4. 5. In the next place he expostulates with all sorts for their so ill requiting Gods great kindness and mercy to them and provoking him so highly by their manifold sins Ch. 6. Then he complains of the paucity and scarceness of good men and he endeth his Prophesie with consolations to the Church exhorting her to expect Gods time to plead her cause to the shame of her insulting enemies and her own marvellous comfort Ch. 7. Towards the latter end of Jotham's reign Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel began to conspire against Judah but they did not invade the land till his Sons days the Lord therein shewing mercy to him in taking him away before those heavy calamities fell upon Judah He was buried in the City of David and Ahaz his Son reigned in his stead 2 King 15. from 32 to the end 2 Chron. 27. whole Chapter The 12th that reigned in Judah AHAZ AHAZ succeeded his father Jotham in the very end of the seventeenth year of Pekah He was twenty * Object If he was only 20 years old when he began to reign and reigned only 16 years then how could his Son Hezekiah be 25 when he began to reign 2 King 18.2 for then he must be born when Ahaz was but 11 years old Ans Ahaz was 20 years old when he was first designed King in his Fathers life time it being the manner of Kings in those troublesome times to set up their Sons in the Throne with themselves in their life time that they might hold it the more sure after their death But when he began to reign by himself alone after his fathers death from which the 16 years of his reign must be reckoned he might be 24 or 25 and so his Son Hezekiah might well be 25 at his death years old when he began to reign and reigned sixteen years He did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord his God like David his Father The Lord was his God as to outward profession and David was his Father by lineal descent but he would neither faithfully serve God nor imitate David Soon after his Father was dead Rezin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel confederated together and conspired against him intending with their joint forces to go up and besiege Jerusalem and to depose him and to make the Son of Tabeal probably some eminent Syrian King in his stead The King and people of Judah were exceedingly startled at these tidings as apprehending a sudden and final destruction of their Kingdom God hereupon sends the Prophet Isaiah to Ahaz to comfort him and bids him take his Son Shear-jashub along with him whose name intimated that though the Jews should be brought low yet a remnant of them at least should return to their former condition again and should encrease and enjoy the happiness of being a people and a Commonwealth of themselves It seems the names of Isaiahs Sons (a) The Sons of Isaiah were for signs and for wonders C. 8. 18. by reason of the signification of their names which presignified the goodness of God to the Jews were imposed upon them by a spirit of Prophesie and so they were for signs and significations of the goodness of God which he intended to the Jews see Isa 8.18 And thus Isaiah brought his Son Shear-jashub to Ahaz to confirm him and his people with this sign that they should not utterly be destroyed by these two confederate Kings Therefore he advises him to take heed of distrusting God and to be quiet and not to be afraid of those two Tails or ends of smoking fire-brands viz. Rezin and Pekah whom he so calls because they should soon be extinct and their attempts vanish into smoke though they thought to have burnt up all before them For within the compass of 65 years reckoning from the Earthquake in the 22 year of Vzziah's reign * See more hereof in the life of Uzziah the Kingdom of Syria shall be swallowed up by the Assyrian and Ephraim shall be broken †This was brought to pass by Salmanassar 2 King 17.6 that it be not a people But Ahaz seems still incredulous and believed not the Prophets words Isaiah therefore tells him if he doubted of the truth of what he had said to him in Gods name he might freely ask a sign of the Lord to be shewn him either in the heaven or in the earth for the confirmation of his faith But he
captives that were almost naked and clothed them out of the spoils that were taken and gave apparel and shoes to them that wanted and gave them to eat and drink and refreshed them and anointed * Or possibly anointed some of the better sort of them to revive and refresh them according to the custom of those Eastern Countries such of them as were wounded and then setting all the feeble of them upon asses carried them back to Jericho and there delivered them to their Brethren in Judea Thus the Lord inclin'd the hearts hearts of the Israelites to deal mercifully with the men of Judah Shortly after as it seems the Edomites invaded Judah and carried from thence many captives The Philistines also whom Vzziah whilst he trusted in God had subdued 2 Chron. 26.6 now brake in upon the Cities of Judah in the low Countries and the South parts thereof and took six of them and dwelt therein Thus God gave the people of Judah over to the spoil and brought them low because of the sins of Ahaz their King who made them naked that is depriv'd them of the help and protection of God by his great transgressions in practising Idolatry himself and drawing his people also into it Ahaz being thus forsaken of God and sore distressed on every side he takes the gold and silver that was in the Lords house and in the Treasures of his own house and sends it for a present to Tiglath-pilesar King of Assyria saying to him I am thy servant and thy son that is I am willing to be Tributary to thee and to serve thee and will be obedient to thee as a Son to his Father if thou wilt come and deliver me out of the hands of the King of Syria and the King of Israel The King of Assyria being an ambitious Prince and affecting rule and domination over all Nations about him readily embrac'd this occasion of invading Syria and coming with a great Army to Damascus he took it and carried away the inhabitants thereof to Kir a City of Media and put to death Rezin King of Syria fulfilling therein the forementioned Prophecy of Isaiah Ch. 7.16 Before the Child shall have knowledg to refuse evil and choose good the lands which thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both their Kings * Of Pekah's death see 2 King 15.30 Hoshea conspir'd against him and slew him about the fourth year of Ahaz See more in the life of Pekah And Chap. 8. Before the child shall have knowledg to cry My Father and my Mother the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the King of Assyria that is it shall be plundred and wasted in his sight and by his command And Ch. 9.11 Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him and join his enemies together Amos also prohesied of these things Ch. 1.3 4 5. Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Damascus and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof but I will break the bar of Damascus and cut off the inhabitant from the plain or Aven and him that holdeth the scepter from the house of Eden and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir saith the Lord. Thus the Kingdom of Damascus and with it that of Hamath of which as being then in a flourishing condition mention is made Isa 37.13 and Jer. 49.23 which was begun in Rezon 1 King 11.23 24. now ended in this Rezin after it had continued about ten Generations Ahaz now goes to Damascus to Tiglath-Pilesar to congratulate him for his late victory obtained over the Syrians he seeth there an Idolatrous Altar the fashion and pattern of which with all the workmanship thereof he took and sent to Vrijah the Priest at Jerusalem with command that he should make the like there which he accordingly did against his return And Ahaz took a resolution as it seems to sacrifice to the gods of Damascus which he vainly thought had smitten him and helped the Syrians against him whereas he saw they could not defend their own worshippers from the power of Tiglath-Pilesar However he said because the gods of the Syrians help them I will sacrifice unto them that they may also help me But this Idolatry proved fatal to him and to all that joined with him therein for thereby they provoked God to give them over into the hands of their enemies Ahaz being now return'd to Jerusalem and this new Idolatrous Altar provided for him he commanded Vrijah to remove the Brazen Altar which Solomon had made from the forepart of the Priests-Court where it stood and to set it on the North-side as it were in a corner out of the way and to place this new Altar in the place of it telling him that Solomon's Altar should be for him to inquire of the Lord by when he thought fit Then on this new great Altar he offered a burnt-offering and a meat-offering and poured out a drink-offering to dedicate it He commanded also Vrijah to offer the morning and evening-sacrifice on this Altar and all other sacrifices that either King or people should offer * Râ—cte Tertullianus oportet nos in omni obsequio esse subditos Principibus Magistratibus potestatibus sed intra limites disciplinae Peccavit Uriah malens placere Regi quâ—m Deo Secus fecit Ambros Epist 5.32 Vrijah like a wicked false hearted wretch and a fellow that would do any thing even forsake God and his Religon to please his Prince readily did what Ahaz commanded him Ahaz then proceeded further and defaced and cut in sunder many of the Sacred vessels and utensils of the house of the Lord that they might never be used again in his service He cut off the borders of the bases and removed the lavers from them and took down the Molten Sea from off the stately Brazen oxen on which it stood and set it aside And the Covert of the Sabbath viz. the retiring place for the guard and watchmen that on the Sabbath-day and whole week were to keep the watch of the Temple which they had built in the house he removed and put by or stopt up the Entry and stately Gallery whereby the Kings us'd to pass from their Palace to the house of the Lord. And he shut up the doors of the covered Temple that the Priests might not enter into it to perform the services there requir'd and it seems it was not opened again till his sons days See 2 Chron. 29.3 Further he made him Altars in every corner of Jerusalem and in several Cities of Judah he set up high places to burn incense to other gods and so provoked the Lord exceedingly against him And all this it seems he did to ingratiate himself with the King of Assyria and that he might shew that he had forsaken the Religion of his Fathers and had embrac'd Heathenism And because he did all this when he had been lately so heavily afflicted of
begun in Manasseh his Son's time 2 Chron. 33.11 and further accomplished in Jehoiakims and Zedekiahs time as we shall see more afterwards and they shall be ministers and servants in the Palace of the King of Babylon 2 King 24. 25. Hezekiah was wounded to the heart with this dreadful message however he meekly replied Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken that is it is just and righteous and no more than what I and my people had deserved Then humbling himself for his pride and vanity and the people joining with him therein 2 Chron. 32.26 it pleased the Lord by the Prophet to declare to him that the judgment denounced should not come in his days Whereupon he said that though it was a grievous thing to him to think of those judgments that should befall those who were to come after him yet he acknowledged it as a great mercy of God that there should be peace and truth in his days 2 King 20. from 12 to 20. 2 Chron. 32.31 Isa 39. wh Ch. Hezekiah three years after his recovery had his Son Manasses by Hephzibah twelve years before his death 2 King 21.1 In the days of Hezekiah as 't is thought lived NAHVM the Prophet he Prophesied of the destruction of Nineveh and the Assyrian Monarchy and comforted the Jews with a promise of deliverance from the Assyrian Tyranny He mentioneth the evil counsel of Sennacherib against the Lord and foretelleth his death in his Idol-temple Nahum 1.11 There is one come out of thee that imagineth evil against the Lord a wicked counsellor and ver 14. The Lord hath given a commandment concerning thee that no more of thy name be sown Out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image I will make thy grave for thou art vile This Prophet denounceth destruction to Nineveh in very plain terms They had repented formerly at the Preaching of Jonah but now had relapsed to their former wickedness The Israelites had been much oppressed by them First by Pul 2 King 15.19 then by Tiglath-pileser 2 King 16. at last by Salmanassar who carried away the Ten Tribes captives 2 King 17.18 After this Sennacherib invaded Judea and besieged Jerusalem and grew to be like a great cedar in Lebanon Ezek. 31.3 and now the Prophet Nahum declares Gods great power and the furious revenge he would take upon his enemies and that he would make an utter end of Nineveh Affliction should not rise up the second time and no more of the name of the Assyrian should be sown and this should be for Iudahs consolation His Prophesie contains first a general denunciation of Ninevehs destruction and consequently of the Assyrian Monarchy He shews their destruction shall be sudden total irresistible Chap. 1. and the effect of it shall be that the people of Iudah hearing these glad tidings of her destruction proclaimed openly as upon the tops of mountains shall exceedingly rejoice at them as at tidings of peace to them and shall then without disturbance keep their solemn feasts and perform their vows unto the Lord their enemies who disquieted them being cut off Chap. 1. Secondly He gives a particular description of the destruction of Nineveh and lively sets it forth by the dreadful approach of the enemy the terror of their army the taking of the City and the captivity of Huzzah the Queen and her maids and their mournful deportment under their captivity groaning and bemoaning their condition with the mournful voice of Doves and Tabering or beating upon their breasts to express their sorrow Then he describes the spoiling and plundering of the City the astonishment of the inhabitants and how their faces would gather blackness Also the insulting of the enemy at the desolation of this City which had been an habitation of Lions that is of cruel oppressors Ch. 2. Thirdly He sets forth the causes of Ninevehs ruin the Lord setting himself against her for her great sins viz. her cruelty and blood-guiltiness her falshood her robbery and oppression and her filthy Idolatries for all which she should be made a shameful spectacle And lest Nineveh presuming upon her own strength should think these calamities should not befall her he shews she was not comparable to populous No or Alexandria in Egypt which yet was ruined and so should she notwithstanding all her strong holds her numerous inhabitants strong gates repaired towers multitude of Merchants and her many Counsellors Princes and Commanders So that her bruise should be incurable and her wound mortal Chap. 3. Hezekiah now dies his acts were written by Isaiah and by those that wrote the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah He was buried in the chiefest of the Sepulchres of the Sons of David and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him all the honour they possibly could at his death he having been so pious and good a King and Manasseh his Son reigned in his stead 2 Chron. 32.32 33. 2 King 20.20 21. The 14th that reigned in Judah MANASSEH MANASSEH was twelve years old when he began to reign about twenty four years after the ruin of the Ten Tribes and he reigned fifty five years and so longer than any of the Kings of Judah He did worse than all the Kings that went before him being carried away as 't is probable by such Nobles about him as did not in their hearts approve the reformation of his good Father He again set up the high places which his Father had pulled down he reared up Altars for Baal and made a grove as Ahab had done 1 King 16.33 to the honour of Idols he built altars to all the host of heaven to the Sun Moon and the rest of the Planets in the two Courts of the Lords house where God had said that he would put his name that he alone might be there worshipped He made one of his Sons pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom sacrificing him to Molech so that it seems he continued long in his Idolatry for he could not have a Son in the beginning of his reign being but twelve years of age He observed times esteeming some days as lucky others as unlucky he used enchantments and dealt with such as had familiar spirits and with wizards he set up a graven image in the Temple containing a representation of the Idolatrous grove he had made * See 2 King 23.6 where 't is said Josiah brought out the grove from the house of the Lord unto the brook Kidron and burnt it though God had said to David and Solomon that he had chosen that house to put his name there and would have his name alone there worshipped as long as that dispensation should last and promised upon their obedience that he would not suffer them to be carried away captive to other lands But they obeyed not and Manasseh seduced them and made Judah and Jerusalem go astray and do worse than all the
first the particulars of his dream and then the interpretation thereof shewing him how the four Monarchies which were in their order to succeed one another was the thing signified by that great image made up of divers metals which he saw in his dream Whereupon the King enriched him presently with great gifts and made him Governour of all the Province of Babylon and chief over all the wisemen thereof And moreover at his request made his three Companions Shadrach Meshach and Abednego principal officers in all that Province Dan. 2. wh Chap. Jehoiakim for three years viz. the fifth sixth and seventh of his reign was Tributary to Nebuchadnezzar but the King of Egypt who had set him up could not bear this and therefore threatned as it seems to restore Jehoahaz his Brother whom he still held prisoner in Egypt And though Jeremy had Prophesied it should never come to pass as we find Jer. 22.11 Thus saith the Lord touching Shallum the Son of Josiah King of Judah which reigned instead of Josiah his Father and who went forth out of this place he shall not return hither any more but shall die in the place whither they have led him captive and shall see this land no more yet the fear of it did much perplex him so that he was now in a great straight he was in danger of the Egyptians if he kept faith with the Babylonians and of the Babylonians if he should revolt again to the Egyptians at length namely in the eighth year of his reign hearing perhaps of great preparations made by the Egyptians against the Babylonians he renounced his subjection to the Babylonians and sided with the Egyptians again 2 King 24.1 Nebuchadnezzar in the sixth year of his reign seems to have erected that huge golden image in the plains of Dura a Province of Babylon to be worshipped Daniel's three companions that were newly advanced are accused for not worshipping of it 'T is like out of envy to them and to entrap them some of the Babylonians got the King to erect this idolatrous image These three worthies being brought before Nebuchadnezzar make a stout profession of their resolution to own and serve only the true God Hereupon they are cast into a fiery furnace but are miraculously preserved and delivered by God The King seeing the miracle was exceedingly astonished at it and blessed and praised God Dan. 3. wh Ch. Nebuchadnezzar being detained for three years after Jehoiakim's revolt by other occasions at last in the seventh year of his reign and the eleventh of Jehoiakim's with an army consisting of several Nations he invades Judea and besieges Jerusalem and takes it and Jehoiakim in it and being enraged against him for his perfidiousness he caused him to be bound in chains intending to carry him captive to Babylon But Jehoiakim through grief as 't is probable suddenly after dying he caused his dead body to be dragged out of the Gate of Jerusalem and cast into the fields to be devoured by birds and beasts so that having no burial he may be said to be buried like an Ass as Jeremy had before prophesied of him Jer. 22.18 19 Ch. 36.30 though he dying of himself and not by violence he also may be said to have slept with his Fathers or to have fallen asleep and died as his fathers did Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim and the abominations that he did viz. his killing of Vriah the Prophet and his perfidiousness to Nebuchadnezzar and other evils that were found in him behold they are written in the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah 2 King 24. from 1 to 7. 2 Chron. 36.6 Nebuchadnezzar carried away at this time three thousand twenty and three Jews prisoners in the latter end of the seventh year of his reign Jer. 52.28 JEhoiakin was called Jeconiah * In the Genealogy of Christ Jehoiakim the Son of Josiah seems quite to be left out Mat. 1.11 And Josias begat Jeconias and his brethren c. for the resolving of which doubt some conceive that Jehoiakim the Father was called Jeconiah as well as Jehoiakin the Son and so whereas it is said that Josias begat Jeconias and his brethren it must be understood of Jehoiakin the Son of Josias who had several brethren whereas Jehoiakim had none And then that which follows ver 12. And after they were brought to Babylon Jeconias begat Salathiel must be understood of Jehoiakin the Son some learned men viz. Beza and Pareus have been ready to think there is an errour in the generallty of the Greek copies crept in by some unadvised scribe leaving out Jehoiakim the father of Jeconias And Rob. Stephen in his Diversae Lectiones collected out of old Copies readeth that eleventh ver thus Josias begat Jakim which is the contract of Jehoiakim and Jakim begat Ieconias and his brethren and some colour there may seem to be for it because otherwise there is one wanting to make up the third or last fourteenth generation mentioned by the Evangelist which he intended as appears ver 18. So all the Generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen Generations and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen Generations 1 Chron. 3.16 and Coniah by way of contempt The 19th that reigned in Judah was JEHOIAKIN Son of JEHOIAKIM Jer. 22.24 As I live saith the Lord though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim King of Judah were as the signet upon my right hand yet would I pluck him thence This Jehoiakin was eighteen years old when he began to reign that is when he began to reign alone after his fathers death for in his fathers life-time as it seems he was crowned King ten-ten-years before this when he was but eight years old as we have shewed before in the life of Jehoiakim He reigned only three months and ten days and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord as his father had done before him Against him therefore a dreadful decree went out from the Lord dooming him childless that is as some interpret it that none of his race should succeed him in the Regality to sit on the throne of David though in a kind of Soveraignty Zerubbabel the son or Grandchild rather of Salathiel by Pedaiah did succeed him 2 King 24.8 9. 2 Chron. 36.9 Jer. 22. from 24 to the end 'T is not expressed whether Jehoiakin were made King by Nebuchadnezzar when he last took Jerusalem and bound his Father in chains or was set up by the people when the Babylonians were marched away from the City If he were set in the throne by Nebuchadnezzar it may well be as Josephus thinks that the King of Babylon shortly after his departure bethinking himself how dangerous it might be to leave the Son in the Throne whose Father he had lately taken and cast his dead body out unburied he changed his purpose and presently sent his Captains back with
near Gibeon took from him all his prisoners and set them at liberty and Ismael with only eight men more escaping his hands fled to the Ammonites Jer. 41. from 10 to 16. Johanan and his Captains with the rest of the people remaining for a while about Bethlem fearing at last that the Caldeans would send in some forces upon them to revenge the death of Gedaliah and the Caldeans that were slain with him and so utterly destroy all the Jews that were in the land they thought it best to fly with the people that were left into Egypt But first they consult Jeremy about it and desire him to ask counsel of the Lord for them in that matter Hereupon they promising faithfully to conform themselves to the will of God whatever it should be he after ten days brought them an answer advising them all not to stir out of their own Country assuring them if they staid of Gods protection there but telling them that if they went into Egypt they should there every man of them perish either by sword famine or some other kind of death But notwithstanding their former promise they would needs go down into Egypt and carried Jeremy and Baruc against their wills along with them And when they were come to Taphnes Jeremy sharply reprov'd them and there declar'd to them under a type of great stones hid in clay in a brick-kiln the destruction of Egypt even by Nebuchadnezzar The death of Jeremy of whom they were so much afraid And there as 't is thought he was stoned to death by his own ungrateful Countrymen Jer. 41. from 16 to the end Jer. 42. whole Chapter Jer. 43. whole Chapter 2 King Ch. 25. v. 26. In the twelfth year of Jeconiah's captivity the fifth day of the tenth month tidings came to Ezekiel of the taking of Jerusalem and then he prophesied of the utter destruction which should befall the last remainder of the Israelites for their sins even of those few who remained in their desolate Country after the departure of those before mentioned who went into Egypt The evening before these tidings came to him his mouth was opened again to prophesie to his own people which he had not done since the day that Nebuchadnezzar first laid siege to Jerusalem three years ago whereof one year and an half was taken up in that siege and the rest of the time had passed since the City was taken Ezek. 33. from 21 to 30. The Prophet now after so long a silence having his mouth opened and being appointed a watchman and willing to perform his duty he declareth first to murmurers and hypocrites among the captive Jews that God dealeth justly both with penitents and back-sliders that he delighteth not in the death of a sinner that his ways are just and equal notwithstanding their calumnies He threatens such as mocked the Prophets and went on in their wickedness and hypocrisie Ezek. 33. from 1 to 21. And from v. 30 to the end In the next place he threatens the shepherds of Israel both Civil and Ecclesiastical for their unfaithfulness to the flock Ch. 24. from 1 to 11. He shews the tender care that God himself will have of his flock from v. 11 to 23. He promises to raise up and send the chief shepherd and Prince of his Church Jesus Christ under whose Government his sheep shall be blessed from v. 23 to the end Ezek. 24. whole Chapter He also threatens the Ammonites and Moabites and mount Seir or Edom and the Philistines for their pride hatred and cruelty against Israel Ezek. 25. whole Chapter The Prophesie of OBADIAH Obadiah also as 't is probable about this time uttered his Prophesie against Edom which shamefully insulted over the calamities of the Jews when Jerusalem was destroyed He threatens they shall be totally spoiled even more than an house by night-robbers or a vine by grape-gatherers He foretells that their counsellors wisdom shall fail and their Souldiers and that they shall be destroyed by the Caldeans as it afterwards happened After the minatory part the Lord by his Prophet comforts his afflicted Church with a promise of deliverance and victory over their enemies and enlargement of their possessions most truly fulfilled in the calling of the Gentiles and of the Lords dominion over all And the like did Jeremy and also the Authors of those Psalms Psal 79. 137. who wrote as it seemeth all about the same time And hitherto possibly the 63. of Isaiah is referrable though prophesied long before Obadiah whole Chapter Jer. 49. from 7 to 23. Psal 79. Psal 137. Isa 63. from 1 to 7. Ezekiel now comforts the people of Israel promising them that the Lord would avenge them of their enemies who had so spitefully used them He promises restauration and prosperity unto them in their own land He shews that God was necessitated to punish and chastise them for their sins for the honour of his name But he will again out of his free grace and mercy abundantly bless them both with spiritual and temporal blessings Ezek. 36. whole Chapter He Prophesies also of their return out of Babylon though their condition therein was as hopeless as of dead men in their graves who are become dry bones And by the type of two sticks becoming one in the Prophets hand he shews the union and incorporation of Israel into Judah and possibly the uniting Jews and Gentiles together under one King viz. Christ the true Messias Ezek. 37. whole Chapter Further he prophesies of a glorious victory they shall have over Gog and Magog who shall distress them after their return from captivity whereby some understand the Scythians and Tartars that shall distress the Jews converted unto Christ toward the latter end of the world Ezek. 38. whole Chapter Ezek. 39. whole Chapter In the twelfth year of Jeconiahs captivity on the first day of the twelfth month Ezekiel uttered his Prophesie concerning the grievous calamity Nebuchadnezzar should bring upon Egypt And upon the 15th day he Prophesies against Egypt again and foretels that Pharoah and his people should be brought down as low as hell with the rest of the uncircumcised Nations Ezek. 32. whole Chapter Jeremy had it seems some time before prophesied of the destruction which should follow the Israelites that were in Egypt for their desperate obstinacy and Idolatry there practised saying it went well with them when they sacrificed to the Queen of heaven and for a sure sign of their misery gave them Pharoah himself whom they should see brought to all extremities before their eyes Jer. 44. whole Chapter The Lamentations of Jeremy it's probable were written about this time The Lamentations of JEREMIAH These are not those of Jeremy for Josiah mentioned 2 Chron. 35.25 And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah and all the singing men and the siging women spake of Josiah in their Lamentations to this day and made them an Ordinance in Israel and behold they are written in the Lamentations But
this place For I know the thoughts that I think towards you thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end Then shall ye call upon me and pray unto me and I will hearken unto you And ye shall seek me and find me when you shall search for me with all your heart and I will be found of you and I will turn your captivity and I will gather you from all the Nations and from all the places whither I have driven you saith the Lord and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive Upon consideration of which time now so near approaching Daniel with fasting sackcloth and ashes poured out a most fervent prayer to the Lord for the remission of his own sins and the sins of the people and for the promised deliverance out of their captivity Whereupon the Angel Gabriel brought him an answer not only concerning this but also concerning the spiritual deliverance of the Church to be wrought at last by the death of the Messias uttering that most famous and memorable Prophesie of the seventy weeks recorded Ch. 9. v. 24 Daniels Seventy weeks 25 26 27. which are generally understood not of weeks of days but of years each day being put for a year and seventy being multiplied by seven every week consisting of seven days do make 490 that is 490 years And 't is usual in Scripture to signifie years by days as may appear from Numb 14.34 and Ezek. 4.5 6. Now for the finding out the meaning of these words we shall enquire 1. When those seventy weeks did begin 2. When they did end 3. What is the meaning of that section or division of the seventy weeks into seven weeks sixty two weeks and one week First the seventy weeks did begin when the Commandment went forth to restore and build Jerusalem vers 25. which was at the end of the seventy years captivity and in the first year of the Monarchy of Cyrus Ezra 1.1 where although express mention was not made for the building of Jerusalem but of the Temple yet it was implied because they had liberty to build themselves houses in Jerusalem and accordingly they did upon that grant go about the building of the City as well as of the Temple Ezra 4.1 12. Neither were they charged by their malicious adversaries for going beyond their commission in building the City more than in building the Temple And 2ly it was prophesied and foretold long before of Cyrus that he should build not the Temple only but the City also Isai 44.28 Chap. 45.13 So much for the beginning of these weeks 2ly The seventy weeks did end at the death and passion of Christ which I shall labour to prove by these reasons 1. Because the things the Angel mentions v. 24. are properly the effects of Christs death Particularly 1 the Text says seventy weeks are determined to finish transgression and to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation for iniquity All which expressions seem to hold out one and the same thing For our Saviour by his death made satisfaction and wrought redemption for his people as may appear from these places Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 20 21 22. Heb. 9.26 1 Joh. 1.7 Rev. 1.5 2 To bring in everlasting righteousness now Christs satisfaction is the ground of our being righteous or justified before God Rom. 3.25 Phil. 3.9 2 Cor. 5.21 2 Pet. 1.1 3 To seal * Ut obsignet visionem i. e. ut reipsa praestet Prophetias de perpessionibus Gloria Messiae 1 Pet. 1.11 Vatab. the vision and prophesie that is thereby all the visions and prophesies concerning the Messias were sealed confirmed and accomplished 4 To anoint †Ut ungat sanctum i. e. ut per ascensionem suam in coelum consecret illud ad cultum Dei illic ab electis in illud assumptis peragendum Sicut Moses olim unxit sacratissimam Tabernaculi partem ad cultum Ceremonialem c. Pisc the most holy Our Saviour by his blood may truly be said to have anointed the most holy that is Heaven as the High Priest being a type of him did anoint the most holy place in the Sanctuary by presenting and sprinkling of blood as the Apostle Heb. 9. from 1 to 13. doth make the parallel between them The reason of the Angels mentioning the destruction of the City and Sanctuary ver 26. is conceived by divers learned men to be chiefly to set out the dreadful vengeanc of God that should fall on the Jews for putting the Messiah to death and therefore 't is not necessary that the destruction of the City and Sanctuary should come within the compass of the seventy weeks but did follow after as the fruit of their cruelty towards him Lastly 't is said v. 27. that in the last week the Messiah should confirm the Covenant and cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease Now when was the Covenant confirmed but at and by the death of Christ as the Apostle speaks expresly Heb. 9.16 17. And when were the Sacrifices or Oblations made to cease but when Christ did offer up himself a sacrifice to God upon the Cross Heb. 10.5 10. For the body or truth being come the shadows and types were to be abolished Col. 2.17 But if the seventy weeks did not end before the destruction of the City then the confirmation of the Covenant and the causing of the Sacrifices and Oblations to cease which we say was done by the death of Christ could not be in the last week as the Angel said for the destruction of Jerusalem was not as is generally acknowledged till about forty years after the death of Christ For the meaning of that section and division of the seventy weeks into 7 62 and 1 for so the Angel doth parcel and divide them we must know that the first section being seven weeks which make 49 years may possibly signifie the time from the return out of Babylon when liberty was granted to the Jews for the building of the Temple unto the finishing of it in the sixth year of Darius see Ezra 6.15 For after they had begun the work there in a short time they were forced to give it over through the complaint and opposition of their adversaries until the second year of Darius which might be about 46 years from the first year of Cyrus and then Darius making a new decree for the furtherance of the building it was set upon afresh and finished in the space of three years or little more viz. in the sixth year of Darius So that in all from the first year of Cyrus wherein they might begin the work unto the sixth year of Darius wherein it was finished there might be 49 years or seven weeks The second Section is of 62 weeks after the former seven viz. from the sixth year of Darius when the Temple was finished to the week wherein the Messias was to be cut off The
third Section is of one week which is the last of the seventy wherein the Messiah was to be cut off This week the Angel seems to divide into two halves intimating some special thing that was to happen about the middle of it and that might possibly be the Baptism of Christ and his entring on his Prophetick office to preach and work miracles and then that in the end of that week which was the other half he should be slain and cut off and so by his death cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease And that space of three years and an half from the Baptism of Christ to his death may be gathered from the four Passovers which he celebrated after his Baptism Now in the compass of these seventy weeks or 490 years there flourished 1 the Persian Monarchy 2 the Grecian or Macedonian and 3 the Roman was begun Dan. 9. whole Chapter About this time Cyrus his own Father Cambyses being dead in Persia and Darius his Father-in law and Vncle in Media had all the Empire and Monarchy of the East in his hands and this the Scripture reckons as the first year of his reign namely as absolute Monarch It seems by Daniel or some other of the Jews it was discovered to him that many years before God had revealed to his Prophet Isaiah see Ch. 44.28 and Ch. 45 1 2 3 4 5. v. 14. that he was ordained and appointed by God to vanquish Babylon and to deliver the Jews out of their captivity and to cause their City and Temple to be rebuilt This Prophesie they shewed him as Josephus reports Lib. 11. Antiq. Ch. 1. And when he had read it he was much affected with it and God stirred up his spirit to deliver the Jews and set them free Accordingly in this year came forth that renowned Edict of his mentioned 2 Chron. 36.23 of which we shall speak more afterwards And in this year the seventy years of the Babylonish captivity being expired Cyrus gave leave to all the Jews dwelling any where in his Dominions to return into their own Country The end of the Seventy years Captivity and commanded such as did return to fall in hand with reedifying of the Temple And he allowed the charge thereof out of his own Treasure and restored to them all the Vessels of the Lords house which Nebuchadnezzar had brought from thence Dan. 9. whole Chapter 2 Chron. 36.22 23. Ezra 1. from 1 to 5. CHAP. VII The seventh Age of the World from the return out of Babylon and the end of the Seventy years Captivity to the death of Christ containing a space of Four hundred and ninety years signified by Daniel's Seventy Weeks mentioned Chap. 9. v. 24 25 26 27. THE Jews had now free leave by Cyrus's Royal Proclamation given them to return to their own Country * The first year after the conquest of Babylon was reckoned at the first year of Cyrus for he was esteemed as Monarch of those Kingdoms though he was not absolute Monarch till the death of his Uncle Darius in which he speaks after this manner That God having given all the Kingdoms of the Earth that were near him or round about him into his hands and having charged him as he understood from the Prophesie of Isaiah Ch. 44.28 Ch. 45.13 to build a Temple for his Worship at Jerusalem he was willing to do it and therefore declares that whoever among his people the Jews were willing to return to their own Country and to build an house for their God who is the only true God he gave them free leave to do it and desired the Lord to prosper them therein And as for all such Jews as were not house-keepers but strangers and sojourners in any part of his dominions and had a mind to return to Jerusalem he gave license to the men of that place where they were sojourners to furnish them with silver and gold and all necessary provisions and horses to carry them and their goods and declares that they shall have free liberty to carry away these things and if any other persons have a mind to send by them a freewill offering for the building of the Temple they may freely do it The Jews upon this gracious Proclamation being well accommodated with Necessaries †They had Horses 736 Mules 245 Camels 435 Asses 6720. See Ezr. 2.66 67. for their journey by those among whom they lived prepare to return unto their own Country namely all such among them whose spirit God raised to go up for some of them being well setled there were loth to remove and over them that were minded to return Cyrus made Zerubbabel the Son of Salathiel and Grandchild to Jechoniah being the chief Prince of the Tribe of Judah Governour and Chieftain and his Lieutenant so that the Government was still in the Tribe of Judah see Gen. 49.10 And into his hands did the Kings Treasurer by the Kings command consign all the vessels belonging to the Temple the whole number of which reckoning the vessels here named and others added thereunto amounted to four thousand and four hundred to be carried back to Jerusalem Ezra Ch. 1. Ch. 5. v. 13 14 15. 'T is like they began their return in the first month of the year which was in the spring-time and they might be about four months in their travel as Ezra and his company were Ch. 7.9 The number of those that returned with Zerubbabel their Captain and Joshuah their High-Priest we have set down in the second Chapter of Ezra and the seventh of Nehemiah (a) There is some difference between the Catalogue in Nehemiah and this set down here as at Ezra 2.5 775 of the children of Arah and Neh. 7.10 652 only are mentioned 'T is like so many gave up their names in Babylon that they would return but only 652 mentioned in Nehemiah came up into Judea the rest either changing their mind or dying by the way So 2.6 compared with Nehem. 7.11 there are found six more when they came into Judea than had given up their names in Babylon The like must be understood concerning ver 10 11 13 14 15 17 19 35 41 65. At v. 55. there is mention made of the children of Solomons servants that is the strangers and proselytes that were imployed by Solomon in the building of the Temple and having lived long among the children of Judah were now reckoned among them At v. 61. there is mention made of the children of Barzillai Some conceive that these Priests marrying into the noble family of Barzillai and disregarding the honour of the Priesthood because in the Captivity they were not imployed as Priests neither had profit or honour by being Priests did therefore choose to be called after the family of their wives but now being returned to Judea and the Priesthood growing into request again these degenerate Priests would fain have taken place among the Priests of the Lord but not being able to prove
their due rests and returns the 118 and 136 Psalms Giving thanks unto the Lord because he is good and his mercy indureth for ever towards Israel And all the people shouting with a great shout they laid the foundation of the Temple but the old men who had seen the former Temple standing wept with a loud voice thinking this fabrick would not answer the former but the younger sort greatly rejoyced in hope that a new Temple would be erected And the mourning of the one sort and the rejoycing of the other was so loud that the noise of both might be heard a great way off Ezra 3. from 8 to the end The Cutheans the old enemies of the Jews who had heretofore been planted in Samaria by Esarhaddon now cunningly offered to joyn with them in the building of the Temple pretending that they served and sacrificed to the same God that they did though 't is plain that they served also their Idols as we may see 2 King 17.33 But Zerubbabel and the rest of the fathers answered them that they had nothing to do to build an house for God with them for they were not of the stock of Israel neither did they purely and only worship the true God but worshipped Idols also And therefore they tell them that they would build it themselves as Cyrus had commanded them The Cutheans being refused set themselves to oppose the Jews all they could in the work and first by threats and false rumours endeavoured to discourage the people from proceeding therein and afterwards by means of some great men in the Emperours Court whom it seems they bribed they did hinder the Jews from going on and undoubtedly obstructed their having those moneys out of the Kings revenue which Cyrus had commanded should be given them for the building of the Temple Ch. 6.4 Cyrus himself it seems was at this time much engaged in forreign wars and had left his Son Cambyses to govern the Kingdom in his absence and by this means it happened that the forementioned Courtiers so far prevailed with Cambyses as to hinder that work which Cyrus himself had commanded to be done And thus the work was hindred till the reign of Darius Histaspis and this gave occasion as it should seem to that three weeks mourning of the Prophet Daniel in the third year of Cyrus mentioned Dan. 10.2 After which upon the 24th day of the first month the vision of the Kings of Persia of Alexander the Great and his Successors and their Kingdoms was shewed and revealed unto him as he stood upon the bank of Hiddekel or the river Tigris all which things are contained in the three last Chapters of Daniel which as may be collected out of the close thereof was the last vision that ever he had and that but a little before his death Ezra Ch. 4. from 1 to 6. Dan. Ch. 10. whole Chapter Ch. 11. whole Chapter Ch. 12. whole Chapter The people of Egypt carried away formerly by Nebuchadnezzar after forty years continuing there were now sent back again by Cyrus into their own Country and so were restored to their own Kingdom in the latter end of Amasis's days Jer. 46. from 24 to 27. Ezek. 29. from 8 to 17. Cyrus being now seventy years of age dies having lived since he was first made General of the Median and Persian Armies full thirty years and after the taking of Babylon nine years and after his full Monarchy seven years He left his Kingdom to his Eldest son Cambyses who is known in the Scripture by the name of Ahasuerus and probably also was called Artaxerxes Ezra 4.7 for his valour in war In the beginning of his reign the Samaritans who had hitherto sought secretly to undermine the Jews and hinder them in their work of building the Temple now openly framed a direct information in writing (a) Not only this Letter but all the History following to v. 19. of Ch. 6. is all in the Chaldee Tongue against them and presented it to the King they wrote their Letter in the Syrian or Caldee-tongue and the messenger whom they sent delivered his message in that language also The Letter was composed by Rehum the Chancellor and written by Shimshai the Scribe in the name of themselves and others mentioned v. 7 8 9 10. The contents of this Letter were these They represent to the King that the Jews who were returned from their captivity were now about building the evil and rebellious (b) Sempes insimulata rebellionis est Ecclesia confer Mat. 22.17 City Jerusalem so they maliciously call it and had begun to set up the walls thereof which was utterly false see Nehem. 1.3 and had joyned the foundations together They insinuate that if this City be built and the walls finished it will be a receptacle of rebels who will neither pay toll tribute nor custom to the King and so the revenue of the Crown will be diminished and they themselves being the Kings officers having maintenance from his Royal Palace they thought it was not fit for them to see the King dishonoured and injur'd without informing him thereof as became such honest and conscientious men as they were Further they desire that search may be made into the records of his Predecessors and there he would find that this City had been a rebellious City and hurtful unto Kings and Provinces as it was in the days of Jehoiakim and Zedekiah 2 King 24.1 20. who rebell'd against Nebuchadnezzar and so brought deserved destruction upon themselves Lastly they itimate to him and strive to put such a jealousie into his head that if he permitted that City to be built again and the walls finished the Jews would not only for themselves withdraw their subjection from him but would bring the Nations round about them to be in subjection unto them and so the King would lose all his Dominions on that side the river Euphrates The King having receiv'd their Letter return'd them this answer That their Letter had been plainly read before him and he had caused the records to be searched and found indeed that that City of old time as in the instance of Jehoiakim and Zedekiah before mentioned had made insurrection against Kings and had been guilty of rebellion and of revolting He found also mighty Kings had reigned over Jerusalem such as David and Solomon who had ruled over all Countries on that side the river and that toll and tribute and custom had been paid to them Upon which considerations and lest any further danger should accrue to the Crown he required them to command the Jews in his name to give over the building of their City till he gave further order about it These Samaritans having received this Letter not only the Kings command but their own malicious disposition against the Jews made them hasten with it to Jerusalem that they might acquaint the Jews therewith and not contented to shew them the Kings Letter and Authority it seems they came with armed
time the Kingdom of Syria was miserably shaken by intestine Wars raised by the children of these two last Kings that strove for the Kingdom so that it became a prey to Tigranes King of the Parthians 20. Tigranes King of Armenia major with the help of the Parthians gets the Kingdom of Syria He was conquered at last by Pompey and the Kingdom of Syria taken away from him but that of Armenia was restored to him And so the Kingdom of Syria was reduced under the Roman power and made a Province by Pompey 260 years after Alexanders Death KINGS of ASIA minor 1 ANtigonus Bastard to Philip King of Macedon He succeeded Alexander in the Kingdom of Asia and reigned Eleven years 2. Demetrius son of Antigonus he brought almost all Greece under his Power Afterwards by Seleucus Nicanor King of Syria his Son-in-Law he was overcome when he had reigned Thirteen years and being imprisoned Two years he there died And so the Kindgom of Asia came into the power of the Kings of Syria and was joyned to that Kingdom A. M. 3683. KINGS of Egypt or KINGS of the South 1. PTolemeus Lagi son of Lagus a Macedonian called Soter He conquered Palestine and took Jerusalem used the Jews cruelly at first but afterwards was more kind to them He carried a great many of them into Egypt and let them live there with the same freedom as his other Subjects And hereupon many others of the Jews went down into Egypt and lived there Daniel speaks of him Chap. 11. v. 5. 2. Ptolemeus Philadelphus so called because he married his sister Arsinoe He was son of Ptolemaeus Lagi by Bernice his 2d Wife Ptolemaeus Ceraunus eldest son of Ptolemaeus Lagi by Euridice his first Wife being put by He was a very learned King and a great lover of Learned men He married his Daughter Bernice to Antiochus Theos 3d. King of Assyria Dan. 11.6 He founded the famous Library at Alexandria He procured the Translation of the Septuagint He was after this a great Friend to the Jews He redeemed a vast number of them that were Servants from their Masters with his own Money and made them Free and was otherwise very munificent to them 3. Ptolemeus Euergetes son of Philadelphus and his Sister-wife Arsinoe This King carried himself commendably but all the Egyptian Kings after him were debauched persons He led a great Army into Syria against Seleucus Callinicus and overcame him of which Daniel speaks Ch. 11. v. 7. He was poisoned by Ptolemaeus Philopator his son 4. Ptol. Philopater son of Ptol. Euergetes called Philopator per antiphrasin He kill'd his Mother also and his Brother married his Sister He waged War against Antiochus Magnus 6th King of Syria and overcame him After the Victory he would needs offer Sacrifices to God at Jerusalem but he was forbidden by the High Priest to enter into the Temple Hereupon being enraged against the Jews he carries multitudes of them into Egypt to be destroyed of Elephants of him Daniel speaks Chap. 11.11 5. Ptol. Epiphanes son of Ptol. Philopator He was but 5 years old when he began to reign Antioch Mag. hearing of his Fathers death and taking advantage of his Childhood and procuring Philip of Macedon to joyn with him comes against Egypt with a great Army He is met by a great Army of the Egyptians under Scopas their General in the North part of Palestine where the Egyptians are beaten He takes the Tower of Sion and so became Lord of Judea He afterwards marries his Daughter Cleopatra to Ptol. Epiphanes and gives her for Dowry Coelosyria and Judea Of these things Daniel speaks Ch. 11.13 14 15. 6. Ptol. Philometor son of Ptol. Epiphanes he married his own mother Cleopatra and had a Daughter called Cleopatra by her Antiochus Epiphanes 8th King of Syria his Vncle brings a great Army into Egypt against him and takes many of his Cities He marries his Daughter Cleopatra to Alexander Bala the 11th King of Syria The Nuptials were celebrated at Ptolemais to which Jonathan the High Priest was invited by Alexander and gave great Presents to both Kings Ptol. Philometor afterwards finding his Son-in-law treacherous he took his Daughter from him and gave her to Demetrius Nicanor who overcoming Bala by the help of Philometor got the Kingdom of Syria 7. Ptol. Physcon 2d son of Ptol. Epiphanes He married Cleopatra his Neice who whas first married to Alexander Bala then to Demetrius Nicanor 8. Ptol. Lathurus eldest son of Physcon he married first Cleopatra his Sister and then by the perswasion of his mother putting her away he married his younger Sister Salone Afterwards he was driven out of the Kingdom by his mother and fled to Cyprus when Alexander Jannaeus King of the Jews besieged Ptolemais the besieged called Ptol. Lathurus out of Cyprus to their aid He fights with Alexander and overcomes him and slays 30000 of the Jews and used his victory cruelly 9. Ptol. Alexander 2d son of Physcon was set up by his mother whilst his brother Lathurus remained in Cyprus He killed his mother and then was driven out of the Kingdom by the Egyptians and flying to the Island Coos there lived privately to his death 10. Ptol. Lathurus is now called back out of Cyprus and enjoys the Kingdom of Egypt again 11 Ptol. Auletes son of Ptol. Lathurus by Salonice his Sister-Wife he used to contend for mastery with Fidlers thence called Auletes He buys the Friendship of the people of Rome with great gifts which he exacts from his Subjects and so is hated by them and ejected out of his Kingdom He flies to Rome for help but not obtaining it after a long waiting he goes to Ephesus where he carried Letters from Pompey to Gabinus Praefect of Syria that he should use his endeavour to restore him which Gabinus effected yet this Auletes's Son afterwards destroyed Pompey 12. Ptol. Dionysius junior son of Ptol. Auletes his Sister was Cleopatra last Queen of Egypt whom he marries and joyns with himself in the Government by the command of Julius Caesar who had conquered Alexandria and all Egypt He kill'd Pompey flying to him from the Pharsalian Battel Julius Caesar coming with his Army into Egypt this Ptol. Dionysius strives to fly away by Sea and is there drowned 13. Cleopatra daughter of Auletes and Sister and Wife to Ptol. Dionysius After his death Antonius was so enamoured of her that putting away his former Wife Octavia Augustus's Sister he married her whereupon he was engaged in a War with Augustus and being conquered by him in a Naval Fight at Actium he flies into Egypt with Cleopatra where he kills himself and Cleopatra lest she should be carried in Triumph kills her self with Asps and so Egypt was reduced into the Form of a Province by Augustus 3ly We are to shew who were High Priests among the Jews from their return out of the Captivity to Christs time The Catalogue of them follows 1. Joshua the Son of Jozedeck who returned out of Captivity
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
together set upon Jerusalem and getting the City into his hands forced Menelaus into the Castle and then made slaughters not as if he had been among his own Countrymen and kindred but among enemies and forreigners yet he got not the Priesthood but was forc'd to betake himself back again into the Country of the Ammonites where being accused before Aretas King of the Arabians he fled from place to place like a Vagabond hated of all men as a forsaker of the Law and publick enemy to his Country and died at last at Lacedemon Antiochus hearing in Egypt that the Jews rejoyced at the report of his death and suspecting by the sedition stirred up by Jason that Judea would revolt in a great rage departed thence and came and sat down before Jerusalem and took it by force and giving no quarter for three days space there were forty thousand slain and as many more taken prisoners and sold and not contenting himself with this he presumed to go into the Temple having that Arch-Traytor Menelaus for his guide and rifled it of the holy vessels particularly he took away the Golden Altar of Incense and the golden Candlesticks with all the vessels belonging to them the Table of the Shew-bread and the Vail and the Crowns and the golden Ornaments that were fastned to the Temple-doors he pulled off the gold from every thing that was covered with it and likewise took the silver vessels and all the hidden treasure which he could find He also killed swine upon the Altar and with the broath of the flesh of them he sprinkled the Temple And having taken 1800 talents out of the Temple he speedily went to Antioch leaving behind him to afflict the people Philip a Phrygian by Nation but by manners a Barbarian and Andronicus and besides them Menelaus more grievous unto and more spightful against his own Countrymen than either of the other Two years after he sent Apollonius a cruel man with an Army of 22000 into Judea commanding him to put to death all the young men he could meet with and to sell the women and children for slaves Apollonius coming to Jerusalem kept himself still until the Sabbath and then taking the opportunity of the solemnity of the day he destroyed all that came to perform Religious duties and marching with his forces about the City he put to death a great multitude and plundering the City he set it on fire in several places destroying the houses and demolishing the walls round about and led away many women and children into captivity seizing on their cattel whilst Antiochus his Master was busie again in his attempts upon Egypt During these horrid outrages Judas Maccabeus departed with some others and liv'd in the mountains three years and six months for which space of time the daily sacrifice ceased and the Sanctuary lay desolate and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled and their City became an habitation of strangers The Samaritans seeing the Jews so miserably handled professed themselves to be by descent Sidonians and thereupon obtained Letters from Antiochus to Apollonius his President that they should not be involved in the calamities of the Jews and that their Temple on Mount Gerizim as yet not honoured with the title of any God should from thenceforth be called the Temple of the Grecian Jupiter After this in the year of the World 3837 Antiochus by a publick Edict commanded all Nations that were subject unto him to observe the same way of worship that he did and laying aside their peculiar customs to profess the same Religion with the Greeks and to conform thereunto threatning death to all such as should be found unconformable And he appointed Overseers over every people and Nation who should compel them to uniformity 1 Mac. 1.41 c. Into Judea and Samaria he sent an old man of Athens that he should force the Jews to depart from the observation of the Divine Law and defile the Temple at Jerusalem and impose the name of Jupiter Olimpius upon it And upon the Temple of Gerizim he imposed the name of Jupiter Hospitalis or Protector of strangers He also commanded the sacrifices to be left off he prohibited the Sabbath he commanded them to defile the Sanctuary to erect Altars Groves and Chappels to Idols and that they should sacrifice swine and other unclean beasts and should suffer their children to remain uncircumcised and should forget the Law and the Ordinances of God and made it a crime to profess the Jewish Religion Moreover order was sent to the Neighbouring Cities of the Greeks that they should compell the Jews to partake of their sacrifices and kill those that would not come over to their rites so that many of the Jews for fear obeyed and sacrificed to Idols The Temple was now filled with riot and revelling by the Gentiles who within the circuit thereof defiled themselves with women and committed other abominations And on the 15th day of the month Casleu they erected the Abomination of Desolation that is the detestable Idol of Jupiter Olympius upon the Altar and built Idol-altars throughout the Cities of Judah and burnt incense at the doors of their houses and in the streets and some were compelled to go in procession to Bacchus carrying Ivy they cut in pieces the Books of the Law which they found and burnt them in the fire and with whomsoever they were found or whoever approved of them they were by the Kings command to be put to death Yet notwithstanding there were many that stood out and would not conform to the Kings Edict nor defile themselves at which the King being enraged he caused divers to be brought before him resolving to inforce them by torments to taste impure meats and to abjure Judaism and upon refusal he racked them and put them to death Among others Eleazar of the Priestly family an eminent Scribe and expert in the knowledg of the Law of ninety years of age was very eminent for his courage who neither yielding to eat swines flesh nor dissembling to have eaten it chose rather to undergo the most cruel torments than to violate the Law After him seven young men that were Brethren together with their most courageous Mother were brought before Antiochus at Antioch who refusing to eat swines flesh after they had been exquisitely tortur'd with new-invented torments rendred their pious souls unto God The Martyrdom of those persons is described in the seventh Chapter of the second Book of Maccabees The rage of this persecution coming to Modin a Town situate between Rama and Emmaus it there found some opposition Mattathias the Son of Jonathan a Priest of Jerusalem of the family of Joarib which was the first among the 24 courses 1 Chron. 24.7 dwelt here at this time with his five Sons among whom his Son Judas was called Maccabeus and Josephus says their Father Mattathias was the son of Asamoneus * Or rather the Grandâ—on of Simeon Sirnamed Asomonaeus and from him that Sirname descended
5000 dead upon the place and had the chase of the rest a great way Among others who were thus vanquished were the Merchants who nothing doubting of the victory followed the Kings army in hope to get a good bargain of the captives and now became a prey themselves and the Jews seized on their money which they brought to buy them And when they had had a long pursuit of them but being prevented by time they sounded a retreat for the evening on which the Sabbath began drawing on after they had gathered up the Armes of the vanquished Host and taken the spoils from them they composed themselves for the celebration of the Sabbath magnifying the mercy of God for this so marvelous a victory 2 Mac. 8. Gorgias returning from his fruitless expedition and perceiving by the smoke of the Tents set on fire that that other division of their army was routed and seeing Judas on the plain standing in Battalia with his forces ready to receive them they all shifted for themselves The coast thus cleared Judas returned to the spoil where he found plenty of gold silk and purple which the Phoenician Merchants had left behind them and much wealth all which the Souldiers shared among themselves having first deducted a portion for the maimed Souldiers widows and orphans Then with joint supplication they desired the Lord to continue still to be gracious unto them After this Judas overthrew Timotheus and Bacchides both of the Kings party and killed above 20000 men and made themselves masters of many strong holds and divided among themselves much spoil always admitting the maimed orphans widows and aged persons into equal portions with themselves Lysias was exceedingly vext that things fell out so contrary to his expectation and therefore the next year invaded Judea with an Army of 60000 choice foot and 5000 horse Judas having first implored the Divine assistance meets him with an army of 10000 men Lysias received such a blow that with the loss of 5000 men he was glad to retreat to Antioch intending greater preparations for his next expedition Judas and his Brethren having now some respite from their enemies march with all their forces to Jerusalem and recover the Temple and all the City except Sion-fort The Altars and Chappels which the enemy had built in the open streets they demolished And by the assistance of the Priests they cleansed the Temple built a new Altar repaired the holy and Holy of Holies hallowed the Courts made new holy Vessels brought into the Temple the Candlestick the Altar of Incense and the Table of shew-bread and so they burnt Incense upon the Altar lighted the Lamps which were in the Candlestick and placed shew-bread upon the Table and spread the Vails and finished whatever they had taken in hand Then on the 15th of the ninth month called Casleu two years after he had succeeded his Father in the Government but three years compleat since the Gentiles first sacrificed in that place having furnished themselves with fire by striking stones one against another they offered sacrifice according to the Law upon their new Altar of Burnt-offerings so that on the very same day of the same month on which the Gentiles profaned the old Altar Judas consecrated this new one This Dedication was celebrated with Songs and Hymns and Instruments of Musick very joyfully and all the people fell prostrate on the ground and worshipped the God of Heaven who had so prospered them beseeching him that he would not suffer them to fall again into such calamities but that if they offended him he himself would punish them and not suffer them to fall into the hands of the barbarous Gentiles They kept this feast of Dedication eight days and ordained that it should be kept yearly for the same space of time and should begin the 25th of the same month Casleu In the Gospel Joh. 10.22 't is called the feast of Dedication Whilst these things were doing Antiochus Epiphanes prospers in his wars against Artaxias King of Armenia and in the upper Countries though in his attempt to plunder the Temple of Venus or Diana at Elemais in Persia he was repelled by the inhabitants and caused shamefully to retreat In his return homewards hearing first of the overthrow of Nicanor and Timotheus and then of the defeat of Lysias and the throwing down of the Idol of Jupiter Olympius and fortifying of the Sanctuary he fell into an extream rage and resolved to be revenged on the Jews proudly vaunting that he would make Jerusalem the common burying place of them when he should come thither Scarce had he made an end of threatning when he was stricken with an extream torment in his bowels but being brought thereby to no better a temper of mind he breathed out menaces against the Jews still and calling to his Chariot-driver to make hast it hapned that in this his so furious career he fell out of his Chariot and was much bruised by the fall and his limbs put out of joint and after that being carried to and fro in a horse-litter worms bred so fast in his body that his flesh rotted so that none could endure to carry him for the noisomeness of the stench being forced to stay at Taba a Town in Persia in this pitiful plight despairing of recovery he openly acknowledged all those miseries to have fallen upon him for the injuries he had done to the Jews When he could no longer endure his own smell he said It is meet to submit to God and for mortal man not to set himself in competition with God He vowed if God would restore him to grant to the Jews a free exercise of their Religion and of their own laws and customs and that he would beautifie the Temple with most rare gifts and restore all the holy vessels and that with advantage and defray the charges of the Sacrifices out of his own Exchequer and that he himself would turn Jew and go through the whole habitable world declaring the power of God But when he saw his end to draw nigh he caused most kind Letters to be written to the Jews desiring them to stand faithful to his Son Then constituting Philip the Guardian and Protector of his Son who was but nine years old till he should come to age he died and that a miserable death in a strange land after he had reigned twelve years Antiochus his Son Sirnamed Eupator succeeds him Lysias who had brought him up would not part with the Government of him whereupon Philip who was appointed his Guardian by his Father fled into Egypt Gorgias who had the command of those parts about Judea fomented a continual war with the Jews and with him joyned the Idumeans who entertained all the Jerusalem-runagadoes and infested the Jews and did what they could to keep the war on foot against those therefore Judas Maccabaeus marches takes divers places and puts 20000 of them to the sword After which setting upon the Ammonites he overthrew them
Army in Jerusalem and also filled his coffers so that he began to entertain forreign Auxiliaries which never any of the Jews did before Antiochus Pius three years after his departure from Jerusalem marched with a great Army against Phraates who succeeded his Brother Arsacidas in the Kingdom of Parthia his design being to fetch back his Brother Demetrius Nicanor kept there still in free custody In this Expedition John the Jews High Priest followed him with his Auxiliaries Antiochus much prevailed upon the Parthians at first in so much that the King of Parthia sent Demetrius into Syria with a party that he might seize upon that Kingdom in Antiochus's absence and so divert him And John having overthrown the Hircani in battel from thence obtained the name Hircanus and returned home with a great deal of honour But Antiochus his army being grown dissolute and debaucht was at last overthrown by the Parthians falling upon them at a time appointed as they lay dispersed in their quarters and Antiochus himself was slain Demetrius now recovers his Kingdom of Syria again Hircanus the High Priest and chief Magistrate of the Jews taking this occasion leads down his Army into Syria supposing as indeed it happened that he should find the Cities thereof unmanned he took Medeba and Samega and Sicima the Metropolis of the Samaritans so that after the death of Antiochus Sidetes the Jews wholly shook off the yoke of the Syrians and never after sent them any supply either as subjects or as friends Hircanus also took Gerizim and demolished the Temple of the Cuthites in the two hundredth year after it had been built by Sanballat Demetrius having recovered his Kingdom was outed of it again by his own subjects and was slain at Tyre Zabinas a counterfeit Egyptian Sirnamed Alexander pretending to be the adopted Son of Antiochus Balas is now set up King who entred into league with Hircanas so that things went well with the Jews during his reign which was but four years Hircanus now subdues Idumea the Inhabitaats whereof he put to their choice Whether they would be Circumcised or quit their Habitations They chose the former and now began to be reckoned among the Jews submitting to all their Rites and Ordinances Hircanus also sent Ambassadours to Rome to renew their friendship and amity with the Romans And it was ordered by a Decree of the Senate That Joppa Gazara and other Towns that Antiochus Sidetes had taken from them should be restored It was further ordered That the King of Syria should notpass through their Country with his Armies The Fathers also renewed the League with them according to their desire and promised to take order they should be no more wronged and then dismissed the Ambassadors with money out of the Common Bank to provide necessaries for their return homeward and gave them Letters Commendatory to those Kings and free People through whose Countries they were to pass Many changes now happened in the Assyrian Kingdom For after Demetrius's death notwithstanding the usurpation of Alexander Zabinas Seleucus his eldest Son put on the Diadem but at the years end his Mother slew him with a dart by her own hand because he took the Government upon him without her permission She sets up Antiochus Gryphus his younger Brother who being assisted by Ptol. Physcon whom Alexander though set up by him had disobliged defeats and kills Alexander the usurping counterfeit He reigned securely for some years but then Antiochus his half Brother begot on his Mother by Antiochus Sidetes his Vncle and from Cyzicus the place where he was brought up called Cyzicenus began to be his Emulator for the Kingdom and between them there were great Contestings The civil Broils in Syria diverted the several Princes from medling with the Jews so that they were glad of their Friendship and this gave opportunity to Hircanus to establish his affairs and injoying quietness he got together a great mass of money and then went and besieged Samaria the Inhabitants of which he was sorely displeased with for some injuries offered by them to the Marisseni though the King of Syria's Subjects yet now his Friends and Allies He cast a Trench about it and committed the care of the Siege to his two Sons Antigonus and Aristobulus The Samaritans in this distress sent to Antiochus Cyzicenus imploring his aid He coming to their relief was routed by Aristobulus's Soldiers and persued as far as Scythopolis hardly escaping The besieged now reduced to great necessities sent once more to Cyzicenus who obtaining 6000 men of Ptol. Lathurus made an inrode into Hircanus's Dominions and made great havock thereby hoping to constrain him to raise the siege But having lost many of his men who were intercepted by the enemy he himself went to Tripolis committing the managing of the War with the Jews to two of his Commanders Callimander and Epicrates Callimander encountering the Jews with greater resolution than discretion had his party routed and was himself slain Epicrates being corrupted betrayed Scythopolis and other Towns to Hircanus who then after a year lying before Samaria took it and rased it to the very ground After this Hircanus being both a Disciple and a great Favourer of the Sect of the Pharisees invited some of the most Eminent among them to a Feast He there laboured to approve his sincerity to them and desired that if any of them knew any fault by him they would tell him plainly of it All approved of his manners but only one Eleazar a seditious and bad man who told him if he would be accounted good he must devest himself of the Priesthood and be content with the Principality for that as he heard his Mother was a Captive in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes and was fain to serve for a Lively-hood This being utterly false and the Scandal not being so deeply resented by the rest of the Pharisees there present as he expected it should have been he grew enraged against the whole Sect of them by the Instigation of Jonathan a Sadducee who perswaded him that this affront came from all the Phariseeâ— and so deserting them he turned Sadducee Hereupon he abrogated the constitutions of the Pharisees and punished their followers A sedition arose hereupon but he soon quieted all and having governed the people 31 years he dyed being honoured with three especial dignities namely the soveraign Authority over the Nation the High-Priest-hood and the gift of Prophesie as Josephus tells us who relates how he foretold that his two eldest sons should neither of them long enjoy his Principality After Hircanus's decease the stones which were set in the High-Priests Breast-plate and the Onyx-stone upon his right shoulder by whose radiation the will of God was wont to be intimated to the people of the Jews upon Gods displeasure for their sins grew dim and lost their lustre as Josephus reports lib. 3. Ant. c. 9. Hircanus left five Sons whereof Aristobulus the eldest sirnamed Philellen for his love to and
familiarity with the Greeks succeded him He changed his Principality into a Kingdom setting a Diadem upon his head and was the first that did so after the return from the Captivity in Babylon His second Brother Antigonus he loved exceedingly in so much that he made him his Partner in the Kingdom but shut up the other three in Prison and with them his Mother who contended with him for the Principality and he proceeded to that height of Cruelty that he famished her to death in Prison Aristobulus now marched with his Army into Itrurea and layed a great part of it to Judea forcing the Inhabitants under penalty of Banishment to admit of Circumcision and other Jewish Ceremonies Not long after he caused his beloved Brother to be made away though against his will For Antigonus returning from the Wars in Triumph at the Feast of Tabernacles it so happened that Aristobulus was then sick and kept his Bed in the Tower that was afterwards called Antony's Tower Antigonus marched up with his Soldiers to the Temple intending to offer sacrifice for his sick Brother This was presently interpreted to Aristobulus as the effect of a bad intention toward him and a sufficient sign of his affecting the Kingdom and it was represented as if Antigonus would presently come down and kill him Aristobulus to provide for his own security and yet to shun suspicion commanded some of his Guard to stand in an obscure place where his Brother was to come and if he came armed then to kill him but if unarmed then not to meddle with him and that he might do so he sent one under hand to him to desire him not to come with his arms But Solome the Queen and the rest of Antigonus's back friends perswaded the Messenger to tell him that the King had a mind to see him as he then was in his Warriors habit So Antigonus thinking nothing but coming armed to see his Brother was there immediately slain upon the place After it was done Aristobulus was smitten with a great remorse for it tho' he knew nothing of the altering the purport of his Message and his distemper increasing at last he vomited blood which being carried out by one of his Attendants he chanced to spill some of it in that very place where Antigonus was slain Aristobulus having notice given him of this accident acknowledged the just Judgment of God therein and immediately gave up the Ghost in extream anguish both of body and mind having reigned only one year After his decease his Wife Solome whom the Grecians call Alexandria released his Brothers whom he had kept Prisoners a long time and made Alexander Jannaeus the eldest of them King in his room He as soon as he was possessed of the Kingdom put one of his Brothers to death upon the discovery of some treasonable design against him But he loved the other exceedingly who affected to live a retired life He was called Absolon and was taken Prisoner at Jerusalem by Pompey many years after Alexander Jannaeus having setled his affairs at home went and besieged Ptolemais which with Gaza only of the Sea-Towns remained unconquered besides the Tower of Straton since called Caesarea and Dora which Zoilus the Tyrant had got into his hands At this time the two Brothers Antiochus Gryphus and Cizicenus were eagerly destroying one another in Syria so that the Ptolemaians had little hope of Relief from them only Zoilus who gaped after the City himself gave them a little Relief There being no hope of any Relief but from Cyprus whither Ptol. Lathurus had been driven by his Mother Cleopatra they sent to him desiring his aid against Alexander giving him hopes that he should not only save them but with them the Inhabitants of Gaza on his side and that Zoilus the Sidonians and others would assist him also He being puft up with these Promises made what haste he could to their assistance and Zoilus and the Gazaeans joyning with him the Siege was raised before Ptolemais and Alexander departed home attempting afterwards by Policy to overturn the design of Ptolemy For openly professing himself his Friend and Ally he promised him 300 Talents to take off Zoilus the Tyrant and so lay his Territories to his own Dominions which Lathurus consented to do but then he privily sent to Cleopatra his Mother exciting her against him which Lathurus understanding tho' before he embraced his friendship yet now he utterly renounced the League he had made with him And laying a Siege with part of his Army against Ptolemais which City it seems had shut their Gates against him he march'd away himself with the residue of his forces against Judea Alexander Jannaeus marches out to meet him with fifty thousand men Ptolemais coming unawares on the Sabbath-day on Asychis a City in Galilee storm'd it and took it and carried away with him about 10000 Prisoners Next he fell upon Zephoris not far distant from thence but having lost many men before it he drew off to encounter Alexander They engage near Jordan and Ptolemy's Soldiers rout the Jews and in the pursuit slay many thousands of them Josephus says 30000. Ptolemy ranging up and down the Country fell at last into some Villages which being full of Women and Children he commanded his Soldiers to kill them promiscuously and cutting off their Limbs to cast them into Caldrons that so a report might be spread abroad that his army eat mans flesh which would strike Terror and Discouragement into their Enemies Cleopatra hearing how her Sons power increased held it small Policy to let him go on as he did therefore she came against him with Forces both by Land and by Sea over which she placed as chief Commanders under her self Chelcias and Ananias both Jews and Sons of that Onias who built the Temple in the Seigniory of Alexandria Her Son Lathurus imagining she had drained the Garrisons of Egypt to make up this great army hasted thither hoping to have surpriz'd that Kingdom in her absence but she left it so well provided that his attempts proved ineffectual Cleopatra with her Army now lays siege to Ptolemais and takes it Thither comes to her Alexander Jannaeus with Presents in his hands where he was received as a person distressed by her adversary and one only who had no other Refuge but her self to betake himself unto Some that were about her advised her to seize his Country immediately into her own hands and not to suffer so many good Jews to be at the pleasure and command of one man But Ananias advised the contrary accounting it a great wickedness to dispossess a man received into Friendship of his Estate And if the Queen should do so she would by offering injury to Alexander in a short time lose the affections of the whole Nation of the Jews The Queen being perswaded by Ananias entred into a League with Alexander at Scythopolis a City in Coelosyria Alexander being now freed from fear both of Mother and Son Ptolemy
the establishing Antigonus At last their number increasing they came to Jerusalem they assault the Palace but the two Brothers with their Friends beat them back Many Skirmishes between them ensue Antigonus whiled off the time as well as he could staying for the Feast of Pentecost at which he expected multitudes of the Jews would come up from whom he hoped for assistance And accordingly multitudes came to the Feast and so assisted him that he got all but the Palace which Herod and his Brother manfully defended and made Sallyes out to the great hurt of their Enemies At last Antigonus desired that Pacorus the General of the Parthians might be admitted to be a Mediator between them The Proposal being accepted Pacorus perswades Phasaelus to go as an Ambassador to Barzaphernes to treat with him about those matters having a design to entrap him Phasaelus suspecting nothing went contrary to the mind of Herod and with him went also Hircanus an unheard of employment for the Prince himself under the conduct of Pacorus As soon as they came into Galilee they were met by the Governours of the Towns there and Barzaphernes entertained them very civilly but shortly after they were both secured in vain upbraiding the Barbarians with Perjury and an Eunuch was dispatched to Jerusalem to get Herod by some means or other out of the City if he could and to apprehend him But Herod presently hearing of his Brothers Captivity resolved to shift for himself and taking the opportunity of the Evening got away with his Relations and Friends that night without the knowledge of the Enemy And making all speed he could to get into Idumea his Mothers Litter was overthrown in the way by which she was in danger of death Herod was so disturb'd at this accident fearing lest the enemy should overtake them whilst they stayed there that he was ready to kill himself with his own Sword but being restrained by those about him he went on to Massada a strong fortifyed place in the Country of Arabia A Party of the Parthians first and then another of the Jews pursued him but he beat them off When he was come into Idumea his brother Joseph came to him and perswaded him to dismiss many of his followers because the Castle of Massada would not maintain them all which he accordingly did giving them money to bear their charges But calling out the ablest Soldiers from among them he with them and his Relations marched on to Massada and there disposed of the Women and most of his Companions there being plenty of all sorts of Provisions in the Castle But he himself held on for Petra in Arabia the Metropolis of that Kingdom hoping from that King who was such a Friend to his Father to obtain help for the recovery of his Brothers Liberty The Parthians after his departure from Jerusalem plundred the City and Palace and wasted the Country and destroyed the rich Town of Morissa and so reducing Antigonus into Judea delivered up Hircanus and Phasaelus into his hands he fearing that Hircanus by the favour of the people might again be restored to the Kingdom he cut off his ears making him thereby uncapable of the Priesthood which by the Law was not to be given to any one that wanted any member But Phasaelus knowing that he was destined to death seeing that he could not otherwise kill himself by reason of his chains dashed out his brains against a stone The Parthians having thus setled Antigonus when they departed took Hircanus along with them Prisoner into Parthia Herod knowing nothing of his Brothers death was going as fast as he could to the King of Arabia hoping to get money of him either upon free gift or trust to ransome his Brother and he carried with him Phasaelus his Brothers Son a Child of seven years old to leave him with him as a Pledge But the Arabian being perswaded by his great ones to return the Treasure which Antipater had deposited with him and not to afford Herod any Succour he sent some to meet him and to command him to depart from his Borders pretending the Parthians had so commanded but afterwards repenting of this ingratitude he sent after him but could not overtake him for hearing of his Brothers death posted towards Egypt as fast as he could where coming to Pelusium the Mariners that were to sail to Alexandria denyed him passage but the Magistrates of the place honourably entertained him and brought him to Cleopatra the Queen who kindly received him intending to use him in her Wars But nothing could hinder him from hasting to Rome though it was then the Winter season and though great stirs were reported to be in Italy He came thither at last though he had been grievously tossed with tempests in his passage and he came thither at a time when not long before there had been an Agreement made betwixt Anthony and Cesar the former having married Octavia the Sister of the latter and another betwixt them two and young Pompey who then held Sicily which was a time very convenient for his affairs He made his Application first to Anthony of whose favour he had formerly tasted declaring to him the whole story of the Parthians overrunning Judea of his Brothers death and the misery of his Family now besieged in a Castle and how through great Tempests both at Sea and Land he had ventur'd to come to him as his only harbour and refuge and withal did not spare to promise him a large Reward if he would procure him to be declared by the Senate King of Judea Anthony being moved partly with pity and partly by the memory of me former Friendship that had been between him and Antipater and also highly displeased with Antigonus whom he looked upon as a turbulent man and an enemy to the Romans was much inclined to favour Herod Octavius Cesar also because Antipater had done good service for Julius Cesar in Egypt and because he was willing to gratifie Anthony and out of a peculiar phansie he had to the man for his courage did willingly joyn with Anthony in his promotion The Senate therefore being called first Messala then Atratomus brought forth Herod and commended him to the Fathers relating what good services both his Father and himself had done for the Commonwealth and withal they inveighed against Antigonus as a bitter enemy to the Romans and that he had not only shewed himself so before but of late more especially in calling in the Parthians Then Anthony rose up and declared to them how much it would conduce to the ending of the Parthian War which was now on foot if Herod were made King So that without any more a do he was so declared by the unanimous suffrages of them all Then Anthony and Cesar leading him between them being accompanied with the Consuls and other Magistrates went up into the Capitol to do sacrifiec and to place there the Decree of the Senate according to custâ—me And this done the new King
with him notwithstanding the endeavours of Cleopatra Joseph now governing the Kingdom in Herod's absence did often converse with Mariamne partly upon business and partly out of civility and frequently in discourse with her he laboured to assure her how passionately Herod loved her which discourse being laughed at by the Ladies especially Alexandra he was transported with such a desire of evidencing the Kings love to her that he told her what private command the King had given him supposing this would appear to be a certain argument of his love that he could not endure to live without her nor in death to be disjoyned from her But these words were otherwise interpreted by the Ladies as savouring of a tyrannical mind Upon Herods return Solome who bore a grudg to Mariamne because she had upbraided her with her obscure birth accuses her husband Joseph to Herod as if he had been too familiar with Mariamne But Mariamne when she had by a solemn oath purg'd her self of that crime Herod told her how much he loved her She replied That it was not the part of a loving husband to command that if he should die that his wife should be put to death Herod supposing this secret could never have been known if she had not had over much familiarity with Joseph he was so transported with rage that he was about to kill her but he restrained himself However he commanded Joseph to be put to death not so much as suffering him to come into his presence He also cast Alexandra into prison In the Civil Wars Herod joyned with Antony and was by him desired having forces sufficient to chastise the Arabians who it seems denied to pay the Tribute imposed on them which he did and though at his first attempt he miscarried yet afterwards he quite overthrew and brought them under Cleopatra having accompanied Antony in his journey to Armenia as far as Euphrates in her return came into Judea where she was nobly entertained by Herod and had duly paid her the Tributes of the Countries of Judea and Arabia which Antony had given her though those great gifts exceedingly offended the people of Rome In the seventh year of Herod's reign reckoning from the death of Antigonus Octavius Caesar overcame Antony at Actium In the beginning of the spring that year there hapned such a dreadful Earthquake in Judea that 10000 were destroyed with the fall and ruins of houses About this time Hillel a Babylonian of the stock of David flourished at Jerusalem of whose disciples Jonathan was one the son of Vzziah the famous Author of the Chaldee Paraphrase from a difference between this Hillel and Sameas or Shammai of whom before the Pharisees were divided into two Sects concerning whom see Jerome Lib. 3. Com. on Isa Ch. 8. v. 14. There were great differences afterwards between the Scholars of Hillel and Shammai and now began the Titles of Rabban and Rabbi See Dr. Lightfoot's Harmon Sect. 8. Alexandra now hoping that Herod would be punished by Caesar to whom he was an enemy having assisted Antony counselled her Father Hircanus not any longer to endure these afflictions of their family but to go to Malchus King of Arabia and seek protection from him The old man was at last prevailed with to send to the Arabian for this purpose and employing one Dositheus a friend of his in this secret business who had many obligations upon him to be faithful to his trust yet he to curry favour with Herod shewed him the Letter The King thanking him for that kindness to him having read it desired him to new-seal it and carry it to the Arabian and to receive his answer and bring it to him The Arabian wrote back that he was ready to receive him and his family and the Jews of that party Upon this Herod produces these matters and this confederacy before the Sanhedrin and so causeth Hircanus to be put to death Having thus dispatched Hircanus he thought then of going to make his peace with Caesar therefore committing the care of his Kingdom to Pheroras his Brother he disposed of his Mother and his Sister Salome and several of his kindred in the Castle of Massada but Mariamne who for some differences would not live with his Mother and Alexandra he placed in Alexandrion committing the custody of them to his Treasurer Joseph and one Sohemus an Iturean with this private instruction that if any sinister thing should befall him they should presently put both of them to death and to the utmost of their power continue the Kingdom to his children Having thus ordered matters he posts to Rhodes to meet with Caesar there whither being come he only laid aside his Crown but for his other Princely ornaments he altered nothing Being admitted into Caesar's presence with great constancy and magnanimity of spirit he plainly avowed and owned the love and affection he had born to Antony as also the succours he had sent him adding also that he was ready with the same faithfulness and affection to serve Cesar which so wrought upon this brave and magnanimous Prince that he liked him exceedingly and confirmed him in the Kingdom and took him into intimate friendship with himself Afterwards as Cesar passed through Syria into Egypt Herod entertained him with all Royal magnificence at Ptolemais and gave plenty of victuals to his Army He also presented Cesar with eight hundred Talents and furnished his Army in their march to Pelusium through places that were barren and wanted water both with wine and water so that he procured from them the reputation of a noble and Heroick spirit Herod upon his return to his own Kingdom found his wife Mariamne very cool in her affections towards him so that at all the caresses he made to her she would deeply sigh for she had got out of Sohemus by her feminine insinuations the secret command that Herod had given him concerning her self and her Mother Being by this and the false accusations of his sister Salome and his Mother Cypra much incens'd against her he had thoughts of putting her to death but news coming then to him of the death of Antony and Cleopatra and that Cesar had won Egypt he hasted down to him and left his family as it was Cesar highly honoured him and restored to him part of his Country which Cleopatra upon Antony's gift had seized upon and further added to his Kingdom Gadara Hippon and Samaria and by the Sea-side Gaza Anthedon Joppa and the Tower of Straton which was no small accession to the splendor of his Kingdom Caesar having setled all things in Egypt as he thought fit march'd with his forces into Syria whither also Herod attended him as far as Antioch After Herod's return from Caesar by the space of one whole year suspitions daily increased between him and Mariamne she often upbraiding him with the death of her Grandfather Hircanus and her Brother Aristobulus Solome perceiving discontents to grow high between them suborned a Butler who came and
told the King that he was solicited by Mariamne to deliver unto him a love-potion which whatsoever it was he had by him Hereupon Herod examined the most faithful servants of Mariamne by torture who confessed nothing but that she was offended at something that Sohemus had declared to her which when the King heard he cried out that Sohemus who had been ever faithful to him would never have revealed those things to her had there not been some more secret familiarity between them than was fit and thereupon commanded Sohemus immediately to be put to death Then calling a Council of his friends he there accused his wife for practising to poyson him they perceiving the Kings mind by general consent condemned her and so she was put to death the execution being hastened by Solome's instigation When she was dead Herod was almost mad for grief that the deed was done for he loved her extreamly neither could he by any delights or feastings divert his Melancholy but was forc'd to yield to his grief and his passion prevailing upon him he would often bid his servants call Mariamne as though she were alive So that casting off the care of his Kingdom he retired to Samaria called then Sebaste in honour of Augustus which was called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the splendor of his dignity and the honour they gave him something greater than humane As Herod was thus affected there came a Plague which swept away a great part both of the Nobility and people this being interpreted as a judgment from God for the unjust death of the Queen Herod's discontents increasing he at last fell into a great sickness so that his Physicians almost despaired of him During his sickness Alexandra now living at Jerusalem endeavoured to get the two Castles of the City into her own hands one of them joined to the Temple the other was within the City and dealt with the Governours of them to that purpose that they would deliver them to her for the children of Mariamne lest if the King should die they should be seized on by others But the Governours being faithful to Herod sent Messengers presently to him to acquaint him with Alexandra's design who thereupon ordered she should forthwith be put to death Then recovering from his sickness he returned to Jerusalem but was grown so cruel that he was ready for the least cause to put any one to death A difference arising between Costobarus an Idumean and his wife Solome the sister of Herod she contrary to the custom of the Jews sent him a bill of divorce and accused him to Herod that he with Lysimachus Antipater and Dositheus were practising some innovations upon which Herod sent and slew them with others that were conceived to be of their party endeavouring that none should remain of the kindred of Hircanus or indeed any other persons of worth and power that might resist him Herod now departed more and more from his Countries custom violating them with strange inventions for he instituted wrestlings every fifth year in honour of Caesar for the exhibiting of which he built a Theater in Jerusalem and an Amphitheater in the Plain both of them very sumptuous for the workmanship but clean contrary to the Jewish customs To these he invited all such as were skill'd in wrestling and that excelled in Musick and playing on instruments And hanging his Theater with Trophies much distasted the people as being principled by their Religion against Pictures Ten Citizens of Jerusalem about that time conspiring against him were discovered and put to death In the thirteenth year of his reign that he might be more secure from Conspiracies he began to fortifie Samaria called Sebaste Also he built another fort as a bridle to the Nation namely the Tower of Straton and in Galilee Galalus in Poraea Esthmonitis which Castles being so conveniently placed he by them kept the people in awe This year very grievous calamities befell the Country of the Jews 1. There was a continual drought upon which a famine followed and after that the plague Herod upon this to supply the publick necessities took and melted all the gold and silver that was in the Palace not sparing any thing though of never so costly workmanship nay not his own vessels that were for his daily use Having made money of all he sent it into Egypt where at that time under Caesar Petronius was Governour who though he had multitudes who at that time fled to him for the like necessity yet being Herod's friend he readily gave his men leave to export corn assisting them both in the buying and in the carriage of it When the corn was come into Judea Herod very carefully divided it first to such who were most in need and took care that the ancient and sickly should not want and by this means he recovered himself into the affections and good liking of the people again He also provided for his subjects against the sharpness of winter that none should want clothing for their cattel being dead their wool and other things failed He helped also the Neighbour-cities of the Syrians with corn so that by his providence and bounty he began to be renowned both at home and abroad He now marries another Mariamne esteemed the most beautiful woman of that age the daughter of Simon a Priest whom he preferred to the High-Priesthood putting out Jesus the Son of Phabes After this he imployed his time and treasure in sumptuous and royal buildings as particularly that of Caesarea formerly called the Tower of Straton which he began in the sixteenth year of his reign and in twelve years finished it He built for himself also a Palace in Sion very stately and a Town about sixteen furlongs from Jerusalem which he called Herodion He now sends his Sons Alexander and Aristobulus whom he had by Mariamne the Asmonaean to Rome to Caesar to be there brought up for whom their lodging was prepar'd at Pollio's house the great friend of Herod Caesar entertained the young men very courteously and gave Herod power to make which of his Sons he pleased heir of his Kingdom Augustus gave the Tetrarchy of Zenodorus to Herod which was seated between Galilee and Trachona he made him also one of the Governours of Syria and commanded the Governours of that Province to do nothing without his advice Herod also begged a Tetrarchy of Caesar for his Brother Pheroras on whom he bestowed an hundred Talents out of the revenues of his own Kingdom At Panium near the Fountain-heads of Jordan he built a goodly Temple in honour of Caesar of white marble He remitted also to his subjects some part of their Tribute under colour that they should have some ease after the dearth but indeed to appease their minds which he saw were offended at such kind of buildings which seemed to tend to nothing but the destruction of Religion and good manners To prevent disturbances he forbad private meetings and too frequent feastings He
Galilee and Petrea or the Country beyond Jordan Philip he makes Tetrarch of Trachonitis Gaulonitis Batanea that is the Land called Basan and Paneada nearer the heads of Jordan To Salome his Sister he gave Jamnia Azotus and Phasaelis and fifty thousand drachms to several of his Kindred he gave money and yearly Pensions and to Cesar and Livia his Wife he left great Legacies Herod having thus ordered matters five days after he had put Antipater to death he died himself about the 25th of our November having enjoyed the Kingdom 34 years from his Conquest over Antigonus but 37 years from the time he was first made King by the Romans and about the 70 year of his age Solome and Alexas before the death of the King was known discharged those Nobles that were shut up in the Hippodrome Then was the Kings death declared and all the Soldiers called into the Theater at Jericho and there they first read the Kings Letters to the Soldiers in which giving them thanks for their fidelity and love to him he desires them that they would do the like for his Son Archelaus whom he had appointed his Successor in the Kingdom Then the Kings Testament was read then was there a shout for joy that Archelaus was King the people praying God to prosper him A Royal Funeral was prepared by Archelaus for his Father The Body was carried in Funeral Pomp from Jericho to the Castle Herodion where he himself had appointed it to be buried they going each day but Eight Furlongs or an Italian Mile It was carried in a Golden Litter set with precious Stones Bearing-Cloth of Purple The Body also was cloathed with Purple and a Diadem on his head and a Scepter in his right hand and over his head hung a Crown of Gold His Son and Kindred marched about the Litter then followed the Soldiers marshalled according to their several Nations then 500 Servants bearing Perfumes The Ceremony of the Funeral being ended Archelaus coming to Jerusalem solemnized a Mourning for his Father seven days according to the Jewish Custom and at the end of the Mourning made a Funeral Banquet to the multitude After this going up to the Temple and there sitting on a Golden Throne he spake very graciously to the people but withal said He would not take upon him the name of King till Cesar had confirmed his Fathers Testament FINIS Some BOOKS Printed for and Sold by Thomas Simmons at the Princes-Arms in Ludgate-street 1. THE Lives of sundry Eminent Persons in this latter Age in two Parts I. Of Divines viz. Mr. Hugh Broughton Mr. Rob. Boid Dr. â—wiss Mr. Tho. Wilson Dr. Sam. Bolton Mr. Richard Vines Mr. Richard Blackerby Mr. Ralph Robinson Mr. John Janeway Mr. John Machia Dr. Sam. Winter Mr. Tho. Tregoss Mr. Rich. Mather Mr. Joseph Allein Dr. Staunton Mr. Sam. Fairclough Mr. Tho. Wadsworth Mr. O. Stockton and Mr. Tho. Gouge To which are added some remarkable passages in the Lives and Deaths of divers Eminent Divines in the Church of Scotland viz. Mr. John Scringer Mr. Rob. Blair Mr. Andr. Steward Mr. John Welch Mr. Hugh Kennedy Mr. Rob. Bruce Mr. Davidson and Mr. Patr. Simpson Together with an account of several Providences strange and extraordinary II. Of Nobility and Gentry of both Sexes viz. Sir Phil. Sidney Sir Charles Coot Mr. John Lamot Sir N. Bernardiston Mr. John Rowe Sir Mat. Hale Mrs. Mary Gunter Lady Alice Lucy Lady Mary Vere Mrs. Kath. Clark Countess of Warwick Mrs. Marg. Baxter Lady Armine Lady Langham and Countess of Suffolk by Samuel Clark sometimes Pastor of Bennet-Fink London To which is added the Life of the Author In Folio 2. Church-History of the Government of Bishops and their Councils abbreviated including the chief part of the Government of Christian Princes and Popes and a true account of the most troubling Controversies and Heresies till the Reformation By Richard Baxter a Hater of false History In Quarto 3. A Treatise of Episcopacy confuting by Scripture Reason and the Churches Testimony that sort of Diocesan Churches Prelacy and Government which casteth out the Primitive Church Species Episcopacy Ministry and Discipline and confounds the Christian World by corruption Usurpation Schism and Persecution Meditated in the year 1640 when the Et caetera Oath was imposed written 1671 and cast by Published 1680 by the importunity of our Superiors who demand the Reasons of our Nonconformity By Rich. Baxter In Quarto 4. Forgetfulness of God the great Plague of mans heart and Consideration of the principal means to cure it By W.D. M.A. and once fellow of Kings Col. Cambridge 5. Londinum Triumphans or an Historical Account of the grand influence the Actions of the City of London have had upon the affairs of the Nation for many ages past Shewing the antiquities honour glory and renown of this famous City the grounds of her rights priviledges and franchises the foundation of her Charter the improbability of its forfeiture or seisure the power and strength of the Citizens and the several contests that have been betwixt the Magistracy and the Commonalty Collected from the most authentick Authors and illustrated with variety of remarks worthy the perusal of every Citizen By Will. Gough Gent. In Octavo 6. The five days Debate at Cicero's house in Tusculum 1. Upon Comforts against Death 2. Patience under pain 3. The cure of Discontent 4. The Government of the Passions 5. The chief end of man Between Master and Sophister In Oct. 7. The Samaritan shewing that many and unnecessary Impositions are not the oyl that must heal the Church together with the way or means to do it By a Country-Gentleman who goes to Common-Prayer and not to Meetings In Octavo 8. A Private Psalter or Manual of Devotion composed by a Minister under the apprehension of the Stone which may serve for all Christians with the omission of any such petition which is peculiar or not suitable and the addition of others as are suitable to every ones proper condition In Octavo 9. Magna Charta made in the ninth year of King Henry the Third and confirmed by King Edward the First in the 28th year of his Reign With some short but necessary observations from the L. Chief Justice Cook 's Comments upon it Faithfully translated for the benefit of those that do not understand the Latin By Edw. Cook of the Middle-Temple Esq In Octavo 10. The Plea of the Children of Believing Parents for their interest in Abraham's Covenant their right to Church-membership with their Parents and consequently their title to Baptism The cause of publishing this Discourse after so many Learned men have laboured in this Province is declared in the Preface to the Reader By Giles Firmin In Octavo 11. The Traveller's Guide and the Countries safety Being a Declaration of the Laws of England against High-way men or Robbers upon the Road what is necessary and requisite to be done by such persons as are robbed in order to the recovering of their damages against whom