call it Prospicietur in monte Jehovae since the Person that added it to the Text seems to speak of it as if it were still used in his time But why might not Moses say that this Proverb was in use etiamnum hodie since perhaps this Form was used from the days of Abraham down to Moses This I am certain of that there is nothing in the whole Matter which does not fitly agree with Moses's time There was a convenient distance enough between Abraham and Moses for the latter to take notice that the aforesaid Form of which Abraham was the Author continued till his own time Nay if the Interval had not been quite so great yet Moses might very warrantably express himself after that manner since this Form is sometimes used by those that writ but a few years after of which we find two Examples in St. Matthew Chap. 27.8 Chap. 28.15 as others have observed before me To these we may add such-like passages out of St. Jerom for he speaking of the Ecclesiastical Writers of his own Age expresses himself after the same manner Saebadius Bishop of Agennum in France Vivit usque hodie lives till now or to this day decrepitâ senectute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greek Interpreter has rendered it Didymus of Alexandria Vivit usque hodie and has passed the eightieth year of his Age 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphanius Bishop of Salamis in Cyprus Superest usque hodie and in his old Age is writing several Books Eunomius of the Arian Party usque hodie vivere dicitur Priscillianus Bishop of Abila usque hodie to this very day is accused by some of the Gnostick Heresie though others maintain that he was not guilty of what is laid to his Charge Priscillianus was slain by Maximus the Tyrant but seven years before St. Jerom writ this We have touched upon this somewhat largely because several places in the Sacred Historians are illustrated by this Observation 8. Likewise they object the name of Migdal Heder Gen. 35.21 that is The Tower of the Flock by which name is supposed to be meant a Tower upon one of the Gates of Jerusalem which was called the Sheep-gate but this is uncertain however if we may believe latter Ages the Tower of the Flock did not belong to Jerusalem Consult our (g) There was a Tower at Jerusalem or not far from that City of the same name as we are informed by Micah 4.8 St. Jerom following the Tradition of the Inhabitants in his time places it not far from Bethlehem in his Epitaph of Paula who after she had visited Bethlehem Not for from thence says she she descended to the Tower of Ader i. e. of the Flock near which Jacob fed his Flocks and the Shepherds watching by night were so happy as to hear Glory be to God on high c. Which as it might be true so it receives no great Confirmation from so Fabulous a Voucher as Tradition is Observations upon this place of Genesis Nor is there any reason why this place should not retain its ancient name in following Ages 9. They suppose that Moses could not possibly write Chap. 36.31 nor reckon up so many Kings of Edom. Now these were the Kings that reigned in Edom before there was any King in Israel After this follow the names of eight Kings who reign'd successively one after another and make as many Generations as there were from Jacob to Obed Grand-father to David and Contemporary to Saul the first King of Judea since from Jacob to Moses there are only four taking Moses into the account Now some answer That Moses foreknew that the Israelites would set up Kings over themselves to which purpose they cite Deuteronomy Chap. 17.14 But is it credible that God likewise revealed to him how many Kings the Edomites were to have and by what Names they were to be called before the Jewish Theocracy was turned into a Kingly Government Now Moses no where tells us that such a Revelation happened to him and indeed whoever will read over the nine Verses wherein the Succession of the Kings of Edom is contained will soon be satisfied that there is no Prophecy in the case for the Sacred Historian there speaks as of a thing past and gone that nothing can be more clearly express'd For what more evident Testimony can there be given that the thing was already past than these Phrases And he died and there reigned in his stead Some body whose name has escaped me solves it another way for he humbly supposes that these Kings reign'd at the same time in different places and for my part I humbly suppose he never read this Chapter his Head being certainly fill'd with Metaphysical Contemplations To deal ingeniously with the Reader the best way to get clear of this Difficulty will be to own frankly that these nine Verses from V. 31 to 39 were added by some one who lived after the Kingly Government was set up in Israel 10. Some have objected that Canaan is called the Land of the Hebrews Chap. 40.15 which in propriety of Speech could be said only at that time when the Hebrews had possessed themselves of it and that therefore the Sacred Historian who was later than Moses accommodated Joseph's way of speaking to the Stile of his own time But we have (h) 'T is plain enough says our Author upon this place that after Joshua had led the Israelites into Canaan all that Country might be called and really was called the Land of the Hebrews But if we should take it in this Sence it would follow that this Passage was written after the time of Joshua as some have believed If we would have it written by Moses we must only understand some part of Canaan where the Hebrews generally fed their Flocks without any disturbance For though they were Strangers and wandered from one place to another yet those Fields might properly enough be said to belong to them where they had pitch'd their Tents for several years with the Consent of the old Inhabitants Now it appears by the Book of Genesis that they sojourn'd for the greatest part about Mamre and Hebron as far as Sichem partly by the Permission of the Natives and partly by Force answered this Objection in our Commentary 11. In Exodus Chap. 6. after the Sacred Historian has inform'd us of Aaron's and Moses's Pedigree he thus goes on v. 26. These are THAT Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said bring out the Children of Israel from the Land of Egypt according to their Armies These are THEY that spoke to Pharaoh King of Egypt to bring out the Children of Israel from Egypt These are THAT Moses and Aaron Now we do not urge the third Person here say some which 't is plain several Historians have used but the Demonstrative Pronouns that and they which Moses would scarce make use of while he was alive and writing of himself But we must here call to mind that Moses
Innocent should be saved in the midst of Sinners Secondly Where it is said That all living Creatures were destroy'd the place must be understood only of those Animals that were within the Limits of the overflow'd Countries Which is not only the answer of Vossius but of Dr. Stillingfleet Nay from what has already been said concerning the word All we may gather That 't is not inconsistent with the Mosaical Narration to suppose that not all but many Animals and especially such as were in a more particular manner serviceable to Mankind were destroy'd Thirdly Noah tarried in the Ark till the Waters were dried up because it would be more convenient for him to set footing in a Country which he was formerly acquainted with and which was free from Wild Beasts than in an unknown place full of Savage Creatures No doubt on 't but the Soil was sufficiently damag'd by the Stagnation of the Water but Mesopotamia and the adjoyning Countries being watered by vast noble Rivers received less Detriment from the Salt Water than others that were destitute of fresh Streams so that 't is reasonable to believe they recover'd their former Fertility in a short space Fourthly The highest Mountains that were covered to so vast a heighth by the Flood were those which were scituate in these Countries beyond which Mankind was not at that time propagated Nor does that Addition Vnder Heavens oblige us to believe the contrary since it is sometimes used of a few neighbouring Countries as Deut. 2.25 On that day will I begin to send the Fear and Terror of thee through the People under all the Heavens Sub omni Coelo Having thus consider'd what might be said in behalf of this Opinion against the former it now remains to be enquir'd how far according to this Hypothesis the Deluge might extend But since we do not know what Countries were then inhabited What Man dares presume to define the Bounds of the Flood Perhaps that Tract of Ground which lies between the four Seas the Persian the Caspian the Euxine and the Syrian in which compass we find the Tigris the Euphrates and several other vast Rivers were by the Eruption of all Waters and by the Clouds gathered from all parts of the World by the Divine Power and there condens'd into Moisture buried and overflow'd 'T is true this could not be effected without a Miracle but then there is no way to solve the Difficulties of so great a Cataclysm without a Miracle However the less and fewer of this Kind we suppose provided the rest may be conveniently explain'd that Exposition uses to be accounted the most agreeable to Truth by all Interpreters because God is never so prodigal of Miracles as to have recourse to them where Natural Causes are sufficient much less does he violate and overturn all the establish'd Laws of Nature without good reason In this very History we find that God was pleased to give Noah notice when it was time for him to go into the Ark because he could scarce know it of himself but he does not tell him the time when he was to go out of it but left the Matter wholly to his own Discretion because he might very well know it without the Divine Assistance He might if it had so pleased hâ—â— have preserved all the Animals in the Ark alive without any Aliment which had made the Ark considerably lighter and had saved Noah a great deal of trouble and yet we see he did not do it because these Creatures might be supplied with Food by Humane Diligence Where the Industry of Man ceases there the Divine Help begins and Vice versâ Thus the Favourers of a Particular Deluge support their Opinion but it has been objected against them That if this Supposition were true the Superficies of the Water could not have been perfectly Spherical and consequently that the Ark in this great Declivity must necessarily incline to the lower places But as Vossius has very well answered that which happens in lesser Inundations the same might fall out in this great and more than Natural Deluge For the same Power which drove the Seas and Clouds to that Tract of Earth which was to be destroy'd did likewise sustain the Ark and the Declivity of the Water as long as there was occasion for it Dissertation VI. Concerning the Confusion of Languages I. What is meant by The whole Earth was of one Lip II. And Let us make our selves a Name III. Who are denoted by the Children of Men. IV. This passage Let us go down examined V. The different Opinions how the Confusion was effected VI. That the Design of Babel might be Foolish but was not Impious Some Conjectures why God thought fit to blast it I. BEFORE this wonderful Confusion happened at Babel the Sacred Historian expresly tells us Gen. 11.1 That the whole Earth was of one Lip and of the same words or as we have translated it of one Language and of one Speech because 't is evident that the word Lip both here and in several other places signifies Speech and the reason of it is Because the Lips are no less serviceable to us in speaking than the Tongue it self see Isaiah 19.18 No one doubts but that one Universal Language was spoken by all Mankind at this time but whether Moses has here a regard to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not so plain Perhaps these words may signifie that Men lived in a State of Peace and Concord because 't is equally necessary towards the Building of any City that Men should agree in their Sentiments and Inclinations as well as in their Language Nor does the Idiom of the Hebrew Language reject this Interpretation Thus for instance to denote the unanimous Agreement of the Canaanites to beat back the Israelites by main force They gathered themselves together says the Sacred History Joshua 9.2 to fight with Joshua and with Israel with one mouth Thus likewise the False Prophets agreeing together in their Predictions declared good unto the King with one mouth 1 Kings 22.13 Hence it is that to speak with the Lip of another is the same thing as to agree as appears by the above-cited place of Isaiah In that day shall five Cities in the Land of Egypt speak the lip of Canaan and Swear to the Lord of Hosts that is to say They shall be of the same Opinion with the Hebrews that inhabit the Land of Canaan And indeed the words Vnum Labium una Verba seem rather to signifie Agreement of Mind than of Language although 't is certain there was but one Language then in the World For by cadem or una verba we are not here to understand the same Sounds and the same Syllables but voces consentientes Unity of Mind Solomon Jarchi expounds it the same design II. Learned Men have rightly enough observed that in Scripture to make ones self a Name is all one as to get ones self a Fame or Reputation in which sence this
Expression is to be found 2 Sam. 8.13 Isaiah 63.12 Jer 32.20 Dan. 9.15 and so this Tower might be said to be built in nomen i. e. to spread the Fame of the Builders all over the World which Phrase is to be met with 1 Chron. 22.5 where mention is made of the Building of the Temple of Jerusalem But this cannot possibly be the meaning of this place for what an odd sort of a Conclusion would this be Let us acquire our selves a Reputation lest we be dispersed all over the Earth Besides with whom would all Mankind which was concerned in the Building of this City have gotten Glory and Fame With their Posterity as some will be apt to say but then what fine Sence would this make Let us make our selves Famous with Posterity lest we be scattered into several Countries If we carefully examine these words and revolve the whole History in our Mind we shall find the meaning of the place to be to this or the like purpose Let us build us a City that may be the Metropolis of all the World in which let there be one Government the Seat of which Empire shall be perpetually in that City lest Mankind be scattered all over the World according to the Fancy of every rambling Family If this Interpretation be admitted it will follow that to make us a Name at least in this place signifies in a manner the same as to leave our name somewhere i. e. to make a place Famous with our Habitation so that it derives its name from the Inhabitant see 1 Kings 9.3 14.21 Perhaps a Name here denotes a Monument which is called by the Name of the Person that erected it Thus Absalom in his Life time had reared up for himself a Pillar which is in the King's Dale for he said I have no Son to keep my Name in remembrance and he called the Pillar after his own Name and it is called unto this day Absalom's place 2 Sam. 18.18 So Cain not long after the Creation of the World built a City which he called after the Name of his Son Gen. 4.17 In like manner Men were now resolved to build a City which perhaps they would have called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or by some such sort of a Name But if instead of the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schem a Name we changed one Letter and read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 em that is to say a Metropolis the same Sence would arise nor could it be pretended that this Expression is incongruous Let us build us a City and Tower and make us a Metropolis lest we be dispersed through all the Earth And therefore the Intention of Mankind perhaps might be to build a Mother-City or Metropolis in the Vale of Shinaar to which the Cities around it should be subject Thus upon the building of this Metropolis there would have been but one Empire in the World which perhaps was design'd at first with no ill Intention but because this Project drew several great Inconveniences along with it as we shall hereafter observe God was pleased to blast and disappoint it III. By the Children of Men Bochart Phal l. 1. c. 10. with several others would understand the Unfaithful only because the Daughters of Men Gen. 6.2 signifies the Female Descendants of Cain distinguished from those of Seth and thinks it by no means probable that Noah Shem Arphaxad Salah and Heber were concern'd in the building of so vain and daring a Structure But in the first place 't is evident enough that all Mankind consisting of the Faithful as well as the Unfaithful are generally meant by the Children of Men. Secondly It is manifest that this Phrase is here to be taken in that Sence from the first Verse of this Chapter where they are called the whole Earth as well as from the Silence of Moses Thirdly The Posterity of three Women and that within the compass of an Age were not sufficient to have laid the Foundation of an indifferent City much less can we suppose that any of them refused to give their assistance towards so vast an Undertaking which required so many hands Fourthly Noah and the rest from whom the Hebrews are descended are without reason exempted out of this number since this Attempt had nothing of Impiety in it although we own it was undiscreet and not agreeable to the Will of God as shall be demonstrated below neither if there had been any harm in it does it therefore follow that Men obnoxious to Sin although in other respects they were not bad abstain from it Besides who can imagine that while Noah and his Sons were alive at so small a distance too from the Flood Mankind was divided into Faithful and Vnfaithful We may indeed rationally enough suppose that some of them were not so Pious as others but however they do not therefore deserve to be stigmatized by the odious Character of Vnbelievers IV. Let us go down The Interpreters are divided about the meaning of this passage as well as that of Let us make Man in the first Chapter of Genesis Some both Jews and Christians are of opinion that God is here introduced speaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the manner of Kings who as they act not only by their own Judgment but that of their Privy-Counsellors use the plural number when they speak to their People Nay sometimes they speak after this fashion when they consult their Nobles Thus 1 Kings 12.9 What Counsel give you that we may answer this People says Rehoboam to his young Advisers 2 Chron. 10.9 Esdras 4.18 Thus God himself also is described like a King consulting his Noble-men 1 Kings 22.20 And the Lord said Who shall perswade Ahab that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead And one said on this manner and another said on that manner Others pretend there is no necessity to have recourse to this Custom of Kings since sometimes we find in the Hebrew as well as in the Greek and Latin Languages particular Men speaking of themselves in the plural Number Thus Bildad speaks to Job when only they two were together Quando tandem finem imponetis sermonibus Intelligite postea loquemur Cur reputamur ut Jumentum sorduimus in oculis vestris Job 18.2 3. see likewise Cant. 1.4 2 Sam. 16.20 and Dan. 2.36 Some of the later Rabbins as well as the ancient Jews maintain that God speaks to his Angels here as to his Guards The Chaldaean Wise Men indeed never describe God doing any thing but without a great attendance of Angels as Jamblichus often informs us and particularly § 5. c. 21. that all those Powers that are subject to them go before the Presence of the Gods and whenever they make a Procession to the Earth bear them company And the Jewish Masters who as some Learned Men imagine borrow'd their Doctrine concerning Angels out of Chaldaea were of the same Opinion Origen in his Homily upon Numbers 11. is