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■nnuii
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Univerfal Hiftory,
FROM THE
Earlieft A c c o u n t of T i m e.
Compiled from
Original Authors;
AND
lUiiftrated with Maps, Cuts, Notes, &c.
WITH
A Genehal Ihd£X to the Whole.
Bafil. Imp. ad Lroif. fir.
VOL. ir.
LONDON, Printed for T. Osborne, in Gray'i-hn ; A. Millar, the Strunii and J. Osborn, in Pattr-ne/ier Raw.
MDCCXLVtt
^. . . . « V
4
, ii I ' —— ^■y^'*— '^^— — **^— T^TTTT'
/ .
THE
F R OM TH E
Earlieft Account of Time.
V O L. II.
B G p K I.
77)e Asiatic Hiftqty to ihe lUme of Alexander the Gteat. .
CHAP. III. SECT. JII.
Of the Egyptian cbr^iolop to the time <?/ Alexander
the Great*
WE clofed the fbregoihg volume with the beft ac- count we could gather from the moft credible hiAorians, of the antiquity, government, laws, religion, cuftoms, arts, learning, and trade^ of tJie a^tient Egyptians. Our vouchers, for what we have advanced on tnefe feveral fubje^, were Herodotus, Dio' dorus Siculus, and Strabo, who dll travelled into Egypt with no other view but to inquire into the origin, tra- 4itions, and records of that nation % and_ to acquaint tfaemfelves with the cuftoms and manners of the inha- bitants. We fliall now proceed to the hiftory of the princes who reigned in Egypt from the moft early times 10 the final reduction of the country by Mexander, when Xbfi icY^¥ predi^ion of the prophet ivas fidfiUedy Thire
hz JhaU
fbe Hijlory of Egypt B. f-
(hall bt no more a prince of the land of Egypt «. But ^as chronology, or the referring the rei/n of each prince, ^ftd the events that happened in his reign, to theif propcf" dates, is the light of hiftory, and without it the beft, and, in other refpeSs, irioft exaft relations, would be only a (chaos of fa£b heaped together, we ought to fettle the Egy- ptian chronology, before we eater, upon the hiftory of the Egyptian kings, .But here the guides we have hitherto followed, eithecj quite fprfajce i|s, or give us fuch informa- tion as we can by no means depend on, having been them- felves grofly impofed upon .by forged records, and falfe tra- ditions, AH we can do therefore is, to acqujiint the. rea- der with the fe^itiments of the antients on this fubjeft, and the various hvpothefes, and <:hfOnological ^ftams, which the moderns have built upon what they found m die anti- ents. But, for the better imderftandmg of what (hall bc^ faid, it will be neceffary to exhibit the feries of the kings of Egypt f according to* the feverfel authors who have re- corded their fucceflions.
I. ^ Table of the laji Jixteen of th( thirty dynafties^ according to the old Egyptian chronicle ^, the four^ teen firft dyn'ajiies being ivanting.
Dyftafty.
XVI.
XVII.
XVUL
XIX.
XX.
XXL
Xxn. .
XXllI.
XXIV.
XXV.
XXVI.
XXVII.
XXVIH.
XXIX.
XXX.
Generations. Years.
15 Of the cynic circle reigned 445
8 Tanites_ 7 ^, .." 19®
4 Memphites 14 Mempbitei
5 Dipjpolites 8 Utojpolites^
3 Tknifes
2 DiofpoUtes o a lies
3 Ethiopians 7 Mentphites 5 Perfiam
I Tanite
|
^V-J J |
- 103 |
|
X |
- 348 |
|
- 194 |
|
|
- |
- 228 |
|
* .i |
. - 4 i?i |
|
• * ■ » |
>-' |8 |
|
- • |
- 19 |
|
V |
- 44 |
|
.T |
- 44 |
|
• |
- 177 |
|
- |
- 124 |
|
* |
« |
|
♦ |
* 39 |
|
■• |
r 18 |
The fum of the thirty dynafties is, 36525
r
* Ezcjc. XXX. 13. ** See vol.i. p. 196. SYNCkLt.
chron. p. 51^ 52. Euseb. chron. Qraec. Sitncell. p. 45, &c.
C nt to the time of Alexander.
II. A Table of the Egyptian dynafties from
Manetho.
TOME I.
According to Africanus. According to Eufebtus,
The I. dynajiy of Thinites, ot kings of This ; confijl* ing of eight princis,
Years^. I Mines {h)^Ttigviti 6i 7. Athothis (B) ^Cencenes '> -
4 Fenephes (C)
5 Vfaphadus
6 Miehidus
7 Semempjis o Bienacbes
57 31
23 20
2< I 26
253
The I. dynajiy of Thinites, or kings of This ; comjtji- ing of eight princes,
Yearsi
1 .Mrw^x reigned
2 Athojlhis
3 Gencenes
4 Venephes
5 Ufaphaes
6 Niehes
7 Semempjis
8 Ubienthes
60
27
39
42i 20 16 18 26
252
7^^ n. dynajiy of Thinites, conjijiing of nine kings,
Ypars.
< Boethus reigned
2 Caachos (D)
3 Binothris
4 7X7X Sethenes Chce9es ' - Nephercheres Sefochris (E)
5
6
38 39 47 17 41 17
2^97
T3&^ n. dynajiy of Thinites, conjijiing of nine kings.
Years4
1 Bochus reigned -
2 Chous (D)
3 Biophis
4 - - -
5
6
8 Sefochris
9 Cheneres
48 JO
302
(A) This prince they fay, alfo built the palace at Mem Was the fifft «uar» who reigned phis {2),
in Egyptf and fucceeded the demigods ; he was killed by an bippopotarfius{i),
(B) Athothis^ fuppofed to be the fame with Thoth pr Hermes^ pradifed phyfic, and wrote |Oine books of anatomy. He
(C) He built the pyramids at Cochome)i),
(D) In his reign the ox Afis began to be worlhiped at Mem* phis, Mnevis at Heliopolis, and the goat at Mendes (4).
(E) This prince is (aid to
(x) SjnttlU f* 54, 55» (») Ihid.
tt
9
(3) ItiJ*
(4) UiJ.
" hare
' The Hijtoryhf^gj^i
i\
B;'I.
■V
Accorciing toAfrlcanus.
7hi llL dynajiy of Mem- phites, conjijiing of nine kings.
Years.
1 Necherophes r€\^tA. 28
2 Toforthrus (F) 29
3 2j!r/j
4 Mefochris
5 Sotphis
6 Tojertajii
7 u^fy&/j
8 Siphuris -
9 Cerpheres
7
17 16
I?
According to Eufebius.
Tie in. iy»j/?j^ ^ Mem- phites, conjijiing of eight kingSm
Yean.
1 Nacherochis
2 Seforthus *
r.>
214
^^ IV. ^;»/j/?y of Mem- 1 phites, confining of eight I
kings*
1 Stfr/j reigned
2 Suphis{G)
3 Suphis
4 Mencheres
5 Rhatoefes
6 Bicheres
7 Sebercheres
8 Thamphthis
Years
66 63
22
7 _9
274 1
198
73^^ IV. dynaJly of Mem* phites, conjijiing of feven^ teen kings.
Years. -* - reigned -
3 Stt^A/V (G) •
have been of very large ftature, that \%j five cubits bigh> and three broad (5). .(Fj toforthrus was the Egy-
' ptian JBfculapius^ excelling in the art of phyilc. He iirfl
-'' found out the manner of build- ing with hewn ftones, and 1m-
• .jproved letters (6).
(5) ^^•^f /• 5^^ 57«
O
448
(G) This king is reported to have feen the gods, and^ repent- ing of it, to have wrote a fa- creid book^ greatly efteemed by X^t Egyptians. It is aUbfaid he built the largeft pyramid near Memphis^ attributed by Herodotus to Cheops (7),
(6) md.
(7) ^^-
\. .
t-- .
the
.IC/WL
ff
According to Africanm.
The V. dfmjiy of Eliqdian- , tines.
Years; J Ufercheris reigned 28
2 Sephres
3 Isephercherei -
4 5^r/V
5 Cheres
6 Ratkuris *• ^ Mercherei
.0 Tarckerei 9 Obnus
13
20
7 26
4+ 9 444
J3 248
According to kufebm.
The V^ dynafty of Elephah- tines^ confijling of thirty-- one kings*
Years, I Othoes reigned -
4 Phiops
100
JSTJ/ yi. is^^^;' <?/ Mem- j The VL <i^«^;^ ^/ Mem- phites, confijiing, of fix phites.
princes*
Years* I Othoes reigned «► ^ fhim - . 5;J
3 Methufuphis ^ 7
4 Phiops - 94. .^ M^ntefuphis - i
6 Nitocris (H) - 12
203'
57^^ Vn. dynafiy of Mem- phites, confifiing offeven- '\ ty kings y who reigned 70 daysk
Yeart*
Nitocris
203
7i&^ VII. dynajly of Mem- phftes, confijiing of five kings J who reigned 75
(H) A xncft illuftrioas «nd which HeroJohu attribute» to lieautiful woman, who builc the Mycerinus (8). .third pyramid near Memphk^
\ ' I
(8) 'Idtm,f» 5S.«rHrr«i/0f. /. !!• r. X344
^4
Thi
X. ■
fbe Hiftory of Egypt
B.t
According to Africanm,
The VIII. dynajiy of Mem- phi tes, conftjiing of twenty - feven kings ^ who reigned
1^6 years, « « • «
The IX. dynajiy of Heracle-
ots, confijling of nineteen
kings.
Years,
1. Jchthoes (I) reigned ♦ « « «
409
According to Eufehius.
The Vni. dynajly of Mem- phi tes, conjtjiing of five kings ^ who reigned 1 00
years. « « « ♦
ITje IX. dynafty of Heracle- opolitcs, confijiing of f out kings.
Years. I. Achthus . - *. « « « ♦
10*
Ti^X. //y»^;7^Heracleots, | The X. dynajiy of Hersicleo^
confijling of nineteen kings ^ who reigned 185 years.
polites, ionfifting of nine^ teen kings ^ who reigned 185 years.
«
The XL dynajiy of Diofpo- lites, confifling of Jixteen kings ^who reigned J^'^ years.
After whom Ammenemes reigned 16 years.
The Xi. dynajiy of Diofpo- lites, conftjiing of Jixteen kings ^who reigned /^'^y ear 5.
After whom Amnnnemei reigned 16 years.
T o M E a
The Xll. dynajy o/Diofpo- litcs, conjifting of feven kings.'
Years.
I. Oefongofes\ or 5^- 7 , fonchoris^ reigned S
a. Ammanemes - - 38
(I] Aibtboesytzs a inoft in- haman prince: after feveral cruelties by him exerdfed on
The XII. dynajiy of Diofpo- lites, confijiing of feven kings.
Years.
1. Sefyncboris reigned 46
2. Ammenemes - - 38
his fubjedb, he fell into mad* nefs, and was flain by a croco- dile (9)..
(9) Uid. f. 59,
i. Sifojtris
C. in. fo the time i
AtSording to Africanus.
Years.
3. Sefoftris - • - 48
4. Lachares{K) - - 8
5. Ammeres - - - 8
6. Ammenemes - - 8
7. Scemiophris y\ii%ti^Qt 4
x6o
The XIII. dynafty ^/Diofpo- lites, confifting of fixty kings y who teigrud 184 years.
7he XlV^dynaJtyis wanting.
The XV. dynajlyof Phoeni- c\Mi Jhepherdsy conjifting of fix kings.
Yeajs. I. Saitis reined - 19 %. Byon^ or neon - 44
3. PachnanyOt Apachnas 61
4. 5/tftfff - - - 50
5. Archies - - - 49
6. Aphobis - - 61
284
7X^ XVI. rfjK»?/?y of Greek Jhepherdsyconfifiingof thir- ty--two kings J who reigned $iS years.
|
^ Alexander. |
■ ] |
|
|
3- 4- 5- |
According to Se/oflris - Labaris (K) |
Ettfebius. Years. |
|
6. 7- |
- • '. |
24s
The Xin. dynafiy of Diofpo^ lites, conftjiing of fixty kingSy who reigned 453 years.
The XIV. JynaffyofXoites^ confifting, of Jeventy *fix kings y who reigned 1049 or 484 years.
The XV. dynafiy ^Diofpo- lites, who reigned 25* years.
The XVI. dynajfy of Thc- bans, conjifting of fiye kingSy who reigned 190 years.
(K) Tbb plnoe madechoice his fepulchre ( i o)^ •f the labynnth 9xArfinoe for
(10} Uid. £tt.6o^
»«
^o
'^^ ^&ry ^fBJgjpt
Kt.
ACGonJkig to Africanus.
The Xy 11. iynaftyy cotftftrng of forty-three other poflor iingSy and forty 'threet\i^ bans^ who reigned together
According to Eufibkis.
The Xyn., dyna/fy (f/ Phfje- nician Jhepherds,
Years.
1. Saites reigned - - 19
2. Beon - • " " 43 ' 3. Aphophis (L) - - 14
4. Archies - - - 30
Io6
^ .ffitf XVHI. dynajiyofp\o(- ' polit^s, conjijiing offixteen kings.
-^ -^ > "Years, 1. -^mw(M),calledairol , ; ^fm^iiind Tethmoyisy> fon oiJJJith^ reigned J . ±^ Chehros - - " ^3 3. Amenopbtbis r - 21 £^. Amerjts - - - 22 $1' Mifdihris '"' - * 13 6. MtfphragmuthofisyOX 7 ^
'-'^. Tidhmofis - - - ^ 8. AmenophisjOrAHemnon^i
■ in
•- : 'I
- - 12
- - 12
" - 5
- - I
^ - 19
g. Horus
16, Achi'rresl.
11. Rathos
12. Chebres
13. Acherres 11.
14. Armefes -
15. RamtneJJes
16. Amenopn -
263
TJtf X VIII. i^«/7/?y ^/ Diof- polites, conjijiing ofjixteen kings.
Years*
1. Amojis reigned
2. Chfbron - - -
3. Ammenophis
4. Miphris - - -
5. Mtfphragmuthojis -
6. Tuthmofis - - - i:Amen4his ■'- - -
8. Horus - - * -
9. Achencherfer - - xo. Athoris - - -
11. Cbencheres - - .
12. Acherres - - - ri3. Cherres - - - ..
14. ArmeSj or Danaus t5. Amme/isy or ^gyp- 7^^
l6." Memophis * - 40
- •♦ *
348
25
21
12 26
9 31 36
12
39 16
8
15 5
* - (L) Hiis f»rinoe is fii|)^re()> ciiy fooiejto-be the Pharaob
who advanced Jofepb. ( 1 1 } < (M) Under ^m^ it is fup^
pdfed, hfjfricdnus, that tho
I/raelitesi»fMttAoui t>f Egypt i b^t Eu/eiiu4 places the #a'0^«/ under C^^^r/^^r^i^the^elerenth of this dj^nafty (12}.
• ...
')
Thi
According to Afric4nus.
The XIX. dynajiy of Diof- polites, conft/iing of ftx kings.
Years.
- 61
- 26
- 60
5
1. Sethos reigned
2. Rhap faces
3. Ammenepbthes -
4. Rafhefes - -
5. Ammifiemnes ^ - -
6. Thuorts^ the Polybus of Homer
\
209
Accordii^ to Eufibins.
The XIX, </>«^;p ?/" Diof- pplitcs, confijiing of 'ftye ^kings.
Y«Lfs.
1. S^/Aw - - - - ^5
2. Rhapfes - - - 66
3. Ammenephthes - - 40
4. Ammenemmes * - ^6
5. Thuoris - - "7
194
^fl
TOME IH-
TA/ XX. djnafty of Diofpo- lites, confiliing of twehe tingff who reigned 135 years.
7J^ XXI. dynafly {/*Tanites, cohfifitngeffevinMngs.
Yean.
I • Sinedis reigned « 26
^i PfufenesyOxPfunefes 46
3, NepMcberes - - 4
4.. Amenenophtbis • • 9
5. Ofochor - - - 6
6. Pinaches - - - 9
7. Sufennes * • * 3^
130
7i# XXn. 'dynaftyof^Vi- teftites, cmfijting of nine tings. Years.
The XX. dynafly of Diofpa- lites, confijiing of twelve kings J who reigned i}8
73^^ XXI. dynafly ^Tanitcs, tmfifting of feven kings *^
' ears. 26
41 4
1. Smehdis - - -
2. Pfufennesl. - -
3. isepbercberes - -
4. Amenopbtbis - •
5. Ofocbor _ - . •* -
6. rfinaches - - -
7. Pfufennesll. - •
1. Sefonchistcigaed
2. Ojoroth - -
3. ^ *
4. ^
5.- . .
21 as
I
9 35
130
7J^ XXn. dynafly of Bu- baftites, confi/ling of three tings. Years.
l.Sefenchofis iclffted - . 21
2. Uforthon - - - IS
3. Wacell9fJifis - - 13
6. TirriA
The Hiftary of Egypt
B.L
According to Africanus.
Years. 6. Tacellotbis - - - 13
l:: : :
9. - - -
•>42
120
ne XXm. dynajfy of Ta- nites, conjiji'mg of four kings.
Years. I. Petubates reigned • 40 2* Oforcho^ or Hercules 8
3. Pfammus - - - 10
4. Z^^ - - . . 31
TJ/ XXIV. dynafly of one Sake* .
Years. Bochchoris reigned - 6
The XXV. //;^«i7/7y ^/ Ethi- opians, confifting of three kings*
Years.
1. Sahhaconx€\^^ - 8
2. Seuechus - - - 14
3. Tarcus - - -18
40
3^1? XXVI. ^;/«^;f <?/Saites, confi/iing of nine kings,
Y. M.
1. Suphinates rcigntd 7 o
2. Nerepfos - - 60
3. Nechaol. - - 8 O
4. Pfammitichus - 54 O
5. Nechao II. - 60
6. Pfammuihis - 6 0
According to Eufebius.
The XXIII. rf^ff^ ^r Ta- nites, conjijiing of three kings.
Years.
1. Petuhafles reigned 25
2. Oforthon^ ox Hercules 9
3. Pfammus - - - 10
44
7J^ XXIV. flr;r«tf/?y */ 0«« . Saite.
Years.
Bochchoris , or B anchor is
reigned - -
}
44
The XXV. dyna^y of Ethi- opians, conji/iing of three kings.
Years.
1. Sabbacon reigned - 12
2. Seuechus - - - 12
3. Taracus - - • 20
44
T;^^ XX VI. dynafly <?/Saites, conjijiing of nine kings.
1. Ammeris reigned
2. Stephanathis
3. Necheptos - -
4. -Nechao I. - -
5. Pfammitichus
6. ^€fhaolh
Years.
- 12
: J
- 8
- 45
- 6
TT
C III. to the time of Alexander.
According to Africanus,
Years.
7. Uaphris - - 19 o
8. Jmojis - - 44 o
9. Pfammacherites o 6
150 6
The XXVII. dyna/y of Per- fians, conning of eight kings.
Y. M.
1. Cambyfes reigned 6' o
2. Darius^the fon ? /• -. ofHj^afpes^ J 3^ O
3. Xerxes, the Great 21
4. Jrtubanus - o
5. Artaxerxes - 41
6. Xerxes Ih - 0
7. Sogdianus - - ' o
8. Darius^xhz fon ^ • of Xerxes * ^' ^9
o
7 o
2
7 0
124 4
T»^ XXVni. dymjiyof one Saite*
Years. Amyrteos reigntd • .6
7J< XXIX. dynajy of Men- defians, conning of four kings.
. Y. M.
1. Nepherites reigned 6 o
2. Achoris - - 13 o
3. Pfammuthis -10
4. iNephorotes -04
20 4
According to Eufeblus.
Years,
7. Pfammuthis^ or I PJammitichus II. J ^^
8. Uaphris - - - 25
9. Amofis - - - - - 42^
"168
^Ti&^ XXVII. dynaJiyof?tf- fians, confining of eight kings,
^ Y. Ml.
!• C<7ff?iWix.relgned 3 o
2. The AfiiT^/ -07
3. Darius - - 36 o
4. Xerxesl. - - 21 O'
5. ArtaxerxesLon- 1 gimanus - j ^
6. Xerxes II.
u
7. Spgdianus — -
o O
Z><7rii/5,the fon 7 of Jr^/^^x, J ^9
2 7 o
120 4
TA^ XXVIII. /j^«ij/?y ^/tfw Saitc*
. Years. Amyrtanusj or Amyr^-'i x /^(fx, reigned - J
75i^ XXIX. dynajiy ^Men- defians, conftJHng of five kings.
Y.'M.
1. Ne^herites teigned 6 o
2. Achoris - - 13 O
3. Pfammuthis - 10
4. Jnapherites -04
5. Mutbis - - 10
21 4
W<
m Bifiaj 0f Egjrpt
Kt
Aooordiiig to j^rkmna.
The XXX* dynafiy of primes afSebcmiytuSy£$m^i^g of . thru kings.
Years. 1. Neifanebesl. TOffitd z8 2^ %fos - - - - 2 3. Ni^anebesIL - 18
Is
According to £i;/iMKf«
The XXX. djnafhfofffimci$ of Sebennytus, iomfifiing of threikinp.
I* NfRfmehes reigned
2. Teas - - • .
3. Ne&anehis •
10
8 20
^ of Egyptian hngs from Manetho^ according kt Jofephus \
|
Y,M. |
||
|
limaus reigned - |
0 |
0 |
|
The paftor kings. |
||
|
1. Salatis |
19 |
D |
|
2. Baon - - |
44 |
0 |
|
3, Aphacbnas 4. Aphophis -r - |
36 |
7 |
|
61 |
0 |
|
|
5, yanias |
SO |
I |
|
^ JJfn |
49 |
2 |
|
Egyptians. |
||
|
Halifphragmutbofts |
0 |
0 |
|
Tethmojis |
25 |
4 |
|
dhetron |
13 |
0 |
|
jlmonophis - - |
20 |
7 |
|
JmeJJtSy a woman |
21 |
9 |
|
Mephres - - - |
12 |
9 |
MephramuthofisyKiX Mifphragmutho*
Thmofis - - Amin&pbit
Orus - - - -
Acenchres - -
Acencheres I. - - Acencheres II. Armais • - -
Ramejfes r - • Harmijfes Miamun Amerifiphis
\
Y.M.
at la
|
9 |
8 |
|
30 |
IQ |
|
36 |
5 |
|
1.2 |
I |
|
9 |
0 |
|
■ 12 |
5 |
|
■ 12 |
3 |
|
4 |
0 |
|
I |
4 |
|
66 |
2 |
|
• «9 |
6 |
393 o
IV. A Table of tbi Theban kings from the Later-
cuius of Eratofthenes ^
Years.
1. MeneSj or ^^^^hX^^ reigned - - . J
2. Athothesl. ^ - 59
3. Athothesll. - - 32
4. Diahies - - - 19
5. Pemphos - - - 18
^ Contra Apion. 1. i. 4
Years. b.TcegarAmachusMom' 1
f^/V/, or Tcegaramus J '7 7. Sicechus - - - 6 0. Goformies^ ox Eleji^^
pantus - - - .53^ g. Mares - - - 26
* Apud Syncell. p. 92, &c.
10. Anoyphes
|
C.11U *o Ike tim of Akvahda*. |
||
|
„ v««. |
Years. |
|
|
IQ, Aiuyphts - - - 20 |
27. ChuthtrTaurut |
- *■ |
|
11. SfWw- ' - - i8 |
"1- |
|
|
12. Chnubui Gnturut 27 |
the philofopJier |
|
|
13, Rauofis- -— - I J |
ag. ChomaEphtha |
- If- |
|
1+. Biyrh - - - - 10 |
30. AnthunimOchy, |
°1^^ |
|
15. Saiphis- - • - 2g |
Siunkfoehos - |
|
|
16. Senfaephis - -27 |
11. Pintcathyris - |
- 16 |
|
17. Mifehtrh - - Si 28. MuJIhit - -— 33 |
3t. Stamtnemts |
- 2-$, |
|
^■i.'Si,a>,f,c-hcrm€! |
• 51' |
|
|
Is. Pemmus Archmtitt 35 |
34„ ^/jr;> - - |
•* 43 |
|
4o. Atappm the Grtat loo 21. Eibtfcus Carat - i |
«. SiphoatHfrmu |
- S |
|
3&- - - |
- d |
|
|
i.%.Nimxh - - - 6 |
37. Pkrurim, or Mi*r * |
|
|
23. ^r/^ai . _ . 21 |
38. ^OTwrfiiCW, ©r |
"h |
|
24,. TTnofmares - - 12 |
mythantmus ~ |
|
|
23. rv*//"^, or n.--j 8 ntUui - - . - J <* |
||
|
26. SemphucraUl ~ 18 |
'*'
V. ji TABfcE «/ #if ^Tptian kings accordiiig i the feries of ^mcdlus ■.
«3
reigned - -
2. Cufudel, or Cudrus
3. Aflflercbus
4. Spaniu! - - . 5- - - t». - - - 7. Serapis ~ - , ^. Sefonchajis - - 49
9. Amtntmts - - - 29
10. Amajty qtAh^ %
11. Aeeftpithrts - - 13 I2i Acbtreas - - - 9 13. AmiyfeSfdtArmiy-}
/„ - .... 5 4
lA. Chamats - ' - - 12 15. Amtfifei ' - • 65
5°
»>.t^;J
Yars.
18. Rbamifes • ■ ~ 29;
19. Rhamejfamertes -' it'
20. TIiyfimoTts - - ^
21. Rham^Mcat - j^-
22. Rbamejfsmem 1 ia
23. RJiamrJfi, fon of >' ' fitfrtw - . - 5W
24. Rhamffi, foil of ? ■ ' Uaphrtt^ - - 5*9
25. Cencharis . ~ ff .2^1 fii^// ?. * - ig
27. £<r0n - - - 44
28. ApKhnas - - ^
29. Apbepbis - - - 61
30. S^Moj - - ■• Jp
31. C<rt«tf - - - 2»
32. ^/A - - - 24
33. Amajii, 01 Tithmofis 22
34. Chibfan
I chrftoog. p. 91, &(^
35. Amiphtt
Tie Hijiory of Egypt
Years.! «. Amephes - - - 15 1
36. Ammfis - - . II
37. MifpbragmutbtJU l6
- as
- 39
- 29 . 26
8 or 30
17. Mtjfb _
38. Miffhres
39. Tuthmojis
40. Amemphthis
41. //ir«J
42. Acheneheres
43. Athoris
44. Chenchites
45. Acheres - 46*. Armaus^ or Danaus 9
47. RhameJpSy or iff- 1 ^g ^>'//w - - - - J
48. Amenothis
49. Thuoris
50. Nechepfos
51. Pfammuthis
52. - .
53. (>/«j .
54. Rhampjis ^5. Amenjesj or -^^^"l^A
ff^/TI^X - - * - J
56. Ochyras - - - 14
57. Amedei - - - 27 5K. Thuorisy or Polybus 50 59. Athothis^ or Phufanus 28 60 • Cencenes - • ■" 39
61. Uennephes -• - 42
62. Suffacim - - - 34
63. Pjuenus^ oxSenip"'} fuerus - - - - J ^,
64. Amrntnophts -
65. NephicbiTiS -
66. 5<i/V/i • -
8 17
'3
4 20
45
67. PJmachis
68. Pefubaftes -
69. Of§rtbon 0. rfammus r. Cofuharis
2. Ofirthon
3. Tacebphis 4* Bocchoris
5. Sabacon
6. Sebechon
7. Tar aces - •
8. Amaes
79. Stephinathes •
80. Nacepfus
81. Nechaabl.
82. Pfammitichus
83. Nechaablh
84. Pfammuthis^ Pfammitichus II.
85. Uaphres - •
86. Amafis
87. Amyrtaus
88. Nether it is -
89. Achoris
90. Pfammuthis
91. Menas
92. Ne6lanebes
93. T!?w - -
B.I.'
YeaiB*
9
- 6
- IS
- 9
or
VI. ^ Table </ /i&^ >t/;sf^i ^/ Egypt.
9 10
21 »3
12
12 20
38
^7
»3
I
9
17
34
50
6
6
»3
2
4 8
2
According to Herodotus.
Merits
♦ •■ *
« - «
Nitocris
According to Diodorus Si^
cuius*
MenaSy or Mneves - -
- - 52 of his defcendants 1400 years
Buftris - ^ .
- - 7 of his defcendants
fi^^m the 8th of them * * «
Ac<
C. nt h the time
According to Herodotus.
« «
Afoprh
k 4
Sefojlris Pheron
*
*
*
Proteus
Rhampjinitus « *
Cheops
Cephrenes
Mycerinus
Afychis
Anyfis -^
Sahaco
Any lis again
Smon
- - - 12 kings
Pfammitichus
Necus
Pjammis
Apries
Amajis
Pfammenitus
*
4
^Alexinden
According to Diodorus St' cuius.
Ofymandyas - *
- - 8 of his dcfcendants Vchoreus the Sth of them
- - 12 generation^ Myris
- - 7 generations, one of thefe oafycheiy the law- giver ,
Sejoojis I, - -
Sefoojis II.
- - fevcral generations Amafis {Ammojis) - • Amfanes the Ethiopian MendeSy or Mar us
- - 5 generations, an in- terregnum
Proteus ^ ^ m
Rernphis
tj*
a
iVi/w X
6 generations
Chemmisj or ChembeS '
Cephren^ or Chabryis
MycerinuSy or Cherinus
Gnephachthus
Bocchoris • - j
Sabaco
- - interregnum 2 years
« « «
- - 12 kings Pfammitichus - •
- - 4 generations
« « •
Atries Amafis
The' difagreement between thefe feveral fucceflions of Egyptian kings, both in their names, and the years of theit refpe£live reigns, is fo great, and there are fuch chafms^ and apparent corruptions and miftakes, in them all, that it woaM feem bft' kbour to go about to reduce them into a chronological feries, fo as to agree with one another, muth leis with Scripture, and the chronol^ical obfcrVatloiits of
Vol. IL B other
The Ui^ Mf Esrjt K,l
vti ^r hA*AUf^ It > Hvwci43'^ vt ftali iii J irigirtbii
4/d^^ultiCb^ 4ucxvicjj>g to doe old cbrooidby if oot obIt ^li^nc/jfc /jufiji>'.f, vailllir cabccaeding the age of t^ iroffl^
^' l/'j( ;iiu^<.4it to t>c »! aflrofMfliicaiJ calculariop ; b j «ri ^^c Uffyptiam would htire tbetr drnaftjei to htpc |i;/'/i;^) ;i wiiolc pcfkMJic reyolutioo of thezodisc*; liicicfori; w<; (h^il iioc <;Scr to make an^ ufe of it. It mA) be obfcrved, that tbou|h thb fum be (aid to be the %\WiHHX ni tlie thirty dytuSiet, yet therein muft be in- t\iiiii:i\ die {0,000 yeari wliich the Sun reigned^ the 3984 ^^ti\h ici(/H ol Huiurn^ and the other twelve gods, and the 217 ycwb reign of the eigitt demigods ; making, together, ;{4,voi yriirb. Ai» to the fourteen firft dynaliies, whidi wc conceive to be omitted in the fragment we have re- inainiii;/ of tliii chronicle, the meaning of the original in.iy^ pi jhupa be, that the fifteen generations of the cynic (iiilc, wbicb are placed in the tabic in the fifteenth dynafiy, iiiitl iii^Muil 44 { years, do make up the firft fifteen dy- Dailies ; iihil (bi.^ fcenia to be confirmed by the fum total of ibi' y taiu t>l ibc lixtctn laft dynaliies, as in the table, which \sk 2140 years, and, with the faid 34,201 years, makes ;^,;{4i i ti» wbiv h \i we add 184 years, for the duration i>t ihc twcmy-f »^l»th dynatty, the number of which is onuniJ, wc ihall have the complete fum of 36,525, And ionitquv nil\\ dv Ju(5\ing thence the fum of the reigns of the gvKls uNsl vlcin:\;v\!sj thc iHTHwindcr will be 2324 years, for |Ik" vKn uion ot thc fuccccding dynaftics, according to th» vbivMMv Ic \ Nvhivh is a ixumbcr reatonable enough, though \l vunKU b*.' uxonciled tv> the account of Mamtho.
\ in h UK^^cdivUKs \,^f MuKKthoy which are given in thc fc- vv nJ iaSk\ h»vc this aouitioiial cc^rruption, that their or-
K Jci h..s ixvu JiUuibcu bv tranlcribers : and as in their pre- Lilt oJ;v!u.ou chvv coiuioc poi&blv be reduced to any oae ji\lt^.ln ot v.'^.c:'oa\i\ ^ K»aic have altered that Jit pofitioa uvw^iviit; :o '/'^^M xaits^vis hvpv.>chcto ; while others make ihv^u wv'/v >%*:': :lviiuand abfolucelv reject theiie dynaftics^
r>is ^ v.\ii: o; Wwuio^i :u> been called :n queilicn bv ic ".*.;.*! ^WitciN ^ HOC onlv Ixcauic of the iiicrtxibie anci- *^..;i\ u* Vfciuco hw> hilKiv I* iut>pv:i*cd a> have aic^moed^
^ K^^ .>w < ^oc. wc a«ui. 31. ;«>>9. Sti:^imwj^4«. ,ui|j :ai:r.
but from the account which, it is faid, heihimfcfr gave of the records from whence he took it, pretending to havfe extraded it from ccrtaih pillars in the Serfist^ic land, oil which infcriprions had becii made in the facrecl drarlcft arid letters, by 77>ffrA, the firft //rrwf ^ ; and were tranrta ted, af* ter the flood, oat of the' &cred dialeft into the Greek (N) tongue in facrod letters (O), and laid up in Books by J^h* ' thodamon^ the fon of the fecond Hermes^ the father of Tat^ in the inner rcceflcs of the Egyptian temple? 8. ' Now it is abfolutcly impoffible,that the 6r(k Hermes ^ who lived in the earlieft ages of the Egyptian monarchy, could write an hi- ftory of (b many generations which came into the world after his death, -unlcfs he did it by infpiratiori : and if Ma^ neths could be To ftupid as to allert this, it muft neceflarily have overthrown the credit of his whole work. But we do i?ot think that writer could mean any fuch* thing: the vfords cited from him do not fay he took his nJtfhoU hiftorjr from thofe pillars ; though he mighty pi'obaWy, quote thofe records ta fupport the antiertf biftory which preceded the
a • •
% Sy»celi. p. 40. S^vol. i. p. 169, 170^ (E).
^9
(N) DTi&tiUingfleet[i'3,)s with great reaibn, thinks this i^bfolucel/ incredible^ the Greek language being not known in Egypt^ fit ieail not in reqvteft there, fo early as this : for the Greeks had Little or x^o com- merce with . the Egyptians till the time of P/ammiticbuSf as we have orbfervefd more than once. It ieems alfo very un- likely, thajt Manetho fhould af- fert this ; for, befides the impro' bability above-meiitioned, the Egyptian. ^ory was fo far froia being tranflated to his hand, that* be himfelf was obliged to tranflate it into Greek from the lacred regifters ( Y4] ; for which feafon we fofpe^ fome cor- ruption in thispailage; and^ if It De n6t too'1x>id a conjedlure, we ihpuld guefs^ that^ infiead of
.. (ij) Orig. faer, IM'u «.*•
ikXm<tA- ^vnVj the. Greei tot^te, it ought to be rtad, t?^hi^nv ^a>¥h', the n/uigar fpngue: but we dare not di* £late, in fo dubious: a point. •
(O) The original wordl ^rCf yfgifjL(*.A(riv U^oy\vpiK6if^ wjbich the learned writer,named in the preceding cote, tranHate^ hieroglyphic chara^erSyZnd very juftly wonders how any tranfla- tion can be made, into fuch cba- rafters, which rcprefcnt things, and liot words (1 '5}. ' But as thefe charaders are plainly cal« led letters^ we conceive they could not be hieroglyphical in the common acceptation of the word, bat rather fuppofe thena to be the fame, with the fners" graphic, or fac^ed letters ahove* xnentioned.
(14) Jof€pbn4aft.j^i», I i. p. X33^'
^ao ^*^ Hijiorj o/Egfpt \ B. I,
time of Thoth *, and fucb p^lars^ or, at Icaft, (bme pillars which were of great antiquity, and by the priefts attributed to Thoth y muft have been extant in the ^j^ of Mmtetho^ or he could neveic have appealed to th^n in fo j^blic a manner, efpecially in writing to his prince. It may alfo be anfwered, that though TTk^tbxmdc the firft infcriptiona on thofe pillars, yet it is not impoffible but^ in fucceeding times, other infcriptions might be added to thofe of Tiathi for the pillars might be in common phrafe afcribed to hidoi^ though the hifiorical infcriptions were continued after hit death, by others. But, after all, it may be queftioned, wfae* ther M^netho really intended to fupport ms btftoiy .bj^iAe authority of thofe pillars : for the palTage wherein he ^ tions them feems to have been taken out of another of his, called Sothis, or Set/t^ which was not hiftorical, but prophetical. For, in his dedication of that work to Pt^lgagi^ •Philadelphus^ he fays, that his interpreting the facred bck>ks~ oiF Hermes was in obedience to that prince's command, who inquired of him concerning the future events that were to happen in the world ^. And as to the records from whence he took hi$ (liftory, we are elfewhere aiTured, it was from the facred regiilers s which were kept by the priefis, and written in the Bgyptian language, ilnce he tranflated them into Greek. .
The ftronger prejudice, therefore, againft the credit of this writer, arifes from his chronology. The Egyptians^ it is true, pretended to an exceflive antiquity, and to have certain records for a prodigious length of time paft. This appears not only from the old chronicle above-mentioned, but from the extravagant numbers of years their priefts im- pofed on Herodotus^ Plato, and Diodortis (P) j but Ma-^
netha
* Vid. Syncell. p. 40. * Joseph, cent. Apion. 1. u
f. 1336. EusEB. praep. ev. I.ii. inprooem.
(P) Seine of thefe incredible accounts are as follow:
Years. from Fukan to jflexanJer (§6) - - • 48,863
From the reign of the Sun to Alexander (17) * 239OPO From Opris to Alexander ( 1 8} above . « 1 0,000 Or alihoft - , - • • ' « « 23,000 VtotA Hercules to Amafit [i^) - • •- ^. 17,000
'From Bacchw to Amajts (20) ■- - •• • 15,000
Thegods and heroes reigned (21 ) * • 18,000
(16) Diog, Lam, infro€tjfu (17) Diod.'^k, L i. p. 14. {\%) Idem
ihief* p» 20. (Z9) lbr«/. /«u« c.43. (xo) Ueti^ibid* (ai) DitU
i^i fip. p. 41. from
C. III. to the time ^Alexander. 4i
netho feems to have been much more modeft. The fum of his thirty-one dynafties from Menn to fifteen years \)^' fox^ Alexander (without taking the reigns of the gods and demigods into the account) , if cafl: up, will amount to abo^ 5300' years, which wiQ reach higher than the crea- tion of tne world. And "Jojeth ScaUger ^ has accordingly fettled their chronology in fuch a manner, that, by his own way of reckoning, it exceeds the epoch of the creation 1^36 years. But th^e is a lefler number mentioned by Syncellusy who fays, the account of the years of all the dynafties wais 3555 $ which is much more reafonable than the othefy and yet will agree with no fyften\.Qf chronology, unlefs we take part of this number for the peigns of the^ antediluvian princes of Egypt r Manethe^ ^ we have al- ready ^ferved, began his hiftory with feven gods, and nine demigods 1,^ who reigned 1985 years; and then fuc*" deeded mortal kings, the nrft of whom was Menes : thefe three races feem to be the fame with thofe called, in the old chronicle, Auriia^ Mejiraij and Egyptians ^. Now if we allow {sis'is moil reafonable, in cafe there be any fha- dow of truth in this 'part of the hiftory}, that the epds, or Jurita^ were anteduuVi^ ; the demigods, or mejirai^ the poftdiluvian^ of the irac^ 6f Mizraim ; aiid the mortal men J or Egyptians ^ Menei and his fuccefibrs ; and if we al^ IotV 1200 years, part of the 1985 , for the rcigris of the firft » 5 the remainder, Y85, will be the years of tne reign of ^z- retlm^toA his defcendants: and,deduding the wbole 1985 out of tliefkid* 3^55; there will remain 1570'y^rs,. the di- ftance from^ Aienes ta the fifteenth yearbNcfore jtlexfnuUn This way of i>mputixig; twnild be plaufible', ^were it not th^ die epocB'of ihc B^tiah kingdom will, by this means, precede the dzipenioh of mankind; which can hardly be lujiniifed, unlcKs it be allowed, that the E^^p- tians ref^OneO the years of the government of their ftrfl ancefloiis Over thtir defcendants before they left Sbinaar^
^ Canon ifagog. I.ii. p. 228. ' See vol. i. p. 197,
» Ibid. p. 196. ■ Ibid. p. 197, 199.
Years*.
From Om^the M of them» to the 1 80th Olymphutl X2) 1 5,606
Kings of Egypt before Amajis reigned (23) « 1 3,000
. From their firfl mortal kin^ to .£#/i6«»'( 94) . .• r^ ' 1I9340
TharewerechiDDidcsat jUafi (25)of :f . ^ 8000
(21) UtmihU. ' («3) Fnt^MeUf Lue.^^ (24.) Hefi,tAi
B 3 and
and arrived iii Egypt. But the great objeflion of all is, that Mahethb^^ mmhct of 3555 appears to Belong wholly to the fuccefibrs of Mcnes^ and we have no manner of war- faM to itiakfe. any dedu^ion froijfiVit. .
Some chronologers therefore, particularly TatherJ^^^^ ^ (v(rho to6k delight in contradifting Scaliger)'^ ifc^eft the whole fch^me of Man^t'ho*^ dynafties as fajyulous^ and of rto manner of value, of credit. And others iP, to .whom Ehfeb(|Us^Cii the way in^ls canon 9, omit the firft. fixteeni dyharti'esi (inly, ind begin their cnronology \yitli^ tlpje feven-
gu'cflccl, that {fiefe dynafties.were iiot fucqefli^e^ .b,vt collar tieral. ' He fuppbfes that Egypt ^ immediate!/ a;fter; the death of Mehes^ was divided, into fpur diftin<3 'Wqgdojiis, "of irhibesp Thisy M^niphis^ and the Ldwer .Egypt ^ ^>cGde$! jbrtie of leffer note, whicli aroft afterwards, and ^hofc cp6chs arc. more difficult *t6 be^f^^^^ and that, it conti? nafcd fodiyjded for'^lniofl fevefi.'«^ tifl ^^ paftors
made theniielves' maftefsqf 'all, except tfiat of Thebes '^ after wh'dfe. expulfion, about 'J;'qc> years ^ffftr^.^j^sftpt be-! c^efufeie<3:'t6 one prince, / By this meansj tfe^ifr;ation pf the ww)le empire, Uom. Menes to the end of Iherei^n of Amafii^ *is reduced to 181,9 yc^Fs* It mdfl: be ob{ervccl," that ^x John^'Jl^arJham nwfc^. great ufe of .the uUe.orthe Itheban kings alven us hy, ErahflHekes* of .which y^e fliatt. fpeak by-and-Hb|y. .• . .. ~. . ,, ...
The nextVno undpr'tooK'to^nicKJel t|iis Egyptian chr^ nology is Vlfadi^r Pezrm^ wlid^^by ibllo'^Ijog jthe JUrger chronology'of . t'he Septuaglniy- h?^_ more- Jajj^u^Cj^ , arid al- ]6yfis the duV^fioh of the Egyptian fempire zai^.-ycais froni Menes to rie^anebus. This-authbcV likewifc!,; goos on tl^d fame foundation with Sir John Marjhami, in malciiig the firft feveriteen dynafties notTucceffive, butcollaterai. He is of opinipn, th^t the Mefineans^.ox offspring of Mizraim^ thenrft inhabitants of Egypt ,[ were thofe whom tJaeir po- fterity honoured with thfe titles of gods and demigods ; and that, though they began to people the country, yet they formed no kirigdom there^ .till Menes ^ utrho tegin his . •• ■ . ■ • • ^_
^' D# dcSlr. temper. 1. ix. c. 15. P Qhtvibxhrty Us-
sEniiis, & Jac. Gapellus. Plmzohia^ efteeins the firft -four- teen or fifteen to be febulous. ^ Chron. Graec. p. 89. f In his canon chronicus iEgyptiacus, &c, . • * ^ '
rciga
C. IIL to the time of Alexander. t^5
reigp 648 years after the deluge, Sefa/iris he places in the time of the judges of Ifrad^ Deborah then prefiding over that people ^.
From the plans of thefe two great men, feveral other chronological writers have formed fyftems of their own^ difiFering, in fome refpeds, from them, as well as from each other. The chief care of them all is, to fix the times of Menes and Sefy/iris\ which when they have done, they imagine the reft follows almoft of courfe. The opinions, as to thefe two princes, are h various, that it would lead us into too great a[ detail, to mention them all in this place ; and what we judge moft curious, and worthy notice, in fuch diiquiiltions, will be more properly introduced, when we give their hiftories. One thing may generally be ob-* fervol, with refpe^b to all thefe writers, efpecially with rc<- fpeft to Perizonius^ that they are much oftener in the right in refuting and dete£Ung the errors and miftakes of one another, than in fettling or adjufting any thing of their own that may be fafely relied on*
The fundamental hypothefis which all thefe writers go upon, that there were, in the mofl early times, feveral kingdoms in Egypt at once. Teems to be veiy probable, the ocripture imentioning the kings of the Egyptians in the pluraT, even fo^te as ,the time ^Jehoram J. The king- doms of Thebe$ and Memphis divided Egypt between theni for feveral centuries j and it is certain, from Herodotus and DiodoTMSj that there were, at leaft, two kings in that * •
country at tiie time of the invaiion .of the Ethiopians under Sabbaco. But it does not appear, that Manetho himfelf, though he wrote the hiftory of five Egyptian nations *, did '
make any of die d}mafties he has given us collateral or contemporary; on the contrary, unlefs his tranfcriber^i have done hun more wrong than we have reafon to fufpeft, he placed tiiem all in a continual fuccei&on < ; and it is taking the.utmoft liberty with Manetho to alter it, unlefs we charge the fault on the records which he tranf^ribed.
Aft£R Cambyfes had carried away their records, the Egyptian priefts, in all probability, to fupjdy their lofe, and 'keep up rabir pretences to* antiquity, began to write new records, lirfierein they not only neceflarily made great mif- takes, but added a ^ood deal of their own inventioil, efpe- '^ially as to diftant times. From thefe materials, for want
> Pezron, antiq. des temps retablie, c. 13. ^ a King^ vii. 6. » SiTNCEH- p. 40, * Sec PeiiizoK. orig.
^gypt. p. 6?j ^. -J
■ 'B4 ' of
^ ne Hiftcry of Egypt B.I^
of better, Manetho coUeding his hiftory, mi^ft have inter* ' mixed a good deal of fable, as there is indeed in the anti- quities of all nations (the Jews excepted) 5 for it cannot fee expe£ied, that people in the circumftances of thefe early nations could have began to keep records till fqme ages afteir their fettlement. It is unjuft therefore to lay the whole blaipe of the confufion and uncertainty we find in die Egyttien hiftory at the door of Manet ho : he colle£ted, for ougnt we know, faithfully from the records he had ; and we have fo little genuine remains of him, and what we have, have been fo mangled by tranfcrlbers and pretenders to correft him, that Ifis found Icfs difficulty iri gathering the difperfed remains of her^ead hufband, than it mufl be to patch up a figure which might bear fome refemblance of that hiftorian. Several antient writers, of good judg- m«it, a^ Jofephus^ Plutarch^ Porphyry^ and Eufebim^ loolced on him as a writer whofe authority was to be de-t periled on; and the curious fr^ment tranfcribed from him oy Jofephusy before his. copies had been corrupted, feems to confirm diis good opinion, being the mofl valuable an4 authentic piece of Egyptian hiftory of fo great antiquity^ that is extant; and the ferjes of kings we have exhibited thence, in the third table, is a pretty exa6t record^ con- neftJng, if there be any cre4it in Manetho^ the Egyptian and Grecian hiftories, by acquainting us that Sethofis was Mgyptus^ and his brother Armaisj Danaus. ■
<*/'^ '% ^ " ^ ^^* °^ Theban kings given by Eratefibenes has had tahgne tf^ ^gjjy favourable reception among the learned, not only ?f *^' as a fupplement to Manetbo^ who has intirelv omitted that ?^*" fucccffion, but as a certain foundation for fixing the Egy^ ^?/tf« chronology (QJ. His authority has been preferred <o that of Manetho b, in regard he was no Egyptian prieft,
^ Vid. Marsh, can. chron. p. 8, 26^ 297. Cumberl. on Sanchon. p. 4169 &c. ' •
(QJ Befidcs the obfervation the lower Egypt ; which ob«
tfDicararcJIn/Sj mentioned here- fervatiop may be of ufe to thofi:
after, there is anpther alHxed to \^ho have a mi6^i|o frame ^
Ilffares, the nintli king of this table of the dynai^s, though
catalogue in Scaliger*s edition Goar, in his editpn of Syncel^
of Eufebiui^ Greek chronicle /«/, lias omitted it, and taseni
('26), purporting, that he was Scaliger with adding It of hia
conteippprary with the fu* own invention (27}.
|ecmh dynajjy of %behans'm '
(z6) Pag. 18. If 54« (»7) Gear, in hqi, adSynctU, j^.' ^zit
. t u
^ • • •- -
C. X!I. to the time df Alexander. «5
J)ur a Cyrenean^ a man of eminent learning, and keeper oiF the Alexandrian library, and took his catalogue from the facred records of Thebes^ or had it from the lacred fcribes there «. Together with the Egyptian names of the kings, he has given their interpretation in Greeks which thofe (killed in the Coptic tongue allow to be juft in fome in- ftances ; but feveral of them being corrupted and unintel- ligible, we have chofeh to omit them.
This feries is fuppofed to Be connected with a knowit epoch in the Grecian hiftory, by a remark of Dicaarchus^ Arifiotle^ fcholar, who fays, that from the reign olSefm^ chyisy who fucceeded Orus^ the fon of Ifis and OJiris^ to the reign of Nilus^ are 2500 years j and from Nilus to' the firft Olympiad 436 years ^. Who Sefonchofts was, is very iiricertain : the hrft king of the twelfth dynafty of Manetho ieems to have borne this name, or one Very near it; but he .jnuft have lived too late to be the perfon Tiere meant; and if he be taken to be the immediate fucccflbr of Orus^ Ke muft have been one of the demigods, and the fame with Jresj or Mars ; which carries us back into fable. Thft iirft of thefe obfervations therefore can be of no great ufe ; for the time of Scfanchojisy after this way of reckoning, will precede the deluge, even according to the Samaritan x:hrofiology, neat 700 years. But the other king, named by Dicaarchusy is found in the catalogue of Eratoftbgnes^ the laft king but one there being Phrufmy or Nilus j and therefore his time being known, the years of all the pre- ^ceding kings are eafily adjufted to any fyftem of chrono- logy. This feems plaufible enough : yet we are afraid it "will not altogedier agree with the account of DiodortiS* It is plain Dicaarebits {\vp^{eA Nilus reigned at tfite time of the Trojan war ; for his calculation will carry us up thl* ther ; but, according to Diodorufy Nilus muft have beea fcveiy generations later thin Proteus y Who reis^ed in Ep'pi at the time of the Trcjan war, by the joint teitimohy othim and Her a dot ws ^ -, fo that Dicaarcbus feeitis only to have given a tolerable guefs at his age, and not fixed it with fuch certainty as to enable us to determine it within a century atleaft. Beiides, it is more than probable, that fliis 'X3h\6 of Erdtojihenes hz^i\i£QTti by time and tran- jTcribers, as well as the dynafties of Manetbo $ and there are doubtlefs feveral miftakes in the numbers as well as
^ Vid. Syncell. p. 147. <^ Dicj&AB^CH. apud fcholiaft* Apollon. Argon. 1. iv. vcr. 272. « Dioooit. Sic. l.i. p.56.
SEROD, 1. ii. c. 112. ■ in .
names;
*5 ^^^^^ ^f Egypt . B. L
-names ; the fum totals for example, which S^ncellus reckons to be 1075, will not ^ree witH the particulars; for, if carefully caft up, they an^ount to no more than 1055. Ofthifi' A$ to the ferie? of SyncelluSy given in the fifth tafle, ,00 ries of Which Svc John Marjbam built niubhf, we have a worfe Syncellas. opinion or it than of any of the other, efpecially in the more early aees, where it is fupported by no ^oncurrii^ evidence at dl. He ieems to have compoied it by picking ferf and there fuch names and numbers,, and fomedmS ifi^g both out of hb own head, as he fanfied, in.ordef to accomniodate it to the facred dironology 8 \ and there- lore we {hall take no further hotice of it. Ofthefue'\ jT^^B need not fpcnd many words to fliew, that it is np± etjfions ae-^Q ,yiX]^oSAAe to frame a confiftent chronology, as fome €9rding to jfi^'e attempted \ from the fuccef^ons of kings in Hero^ Herodo- ^f(tk$ and Diodorus, For, befides their irreconcileable dif^ tns and agreement in feveral inftances, they confeffedly omit a great Diodoros. number of princes, and mention no yeafs of the reigps c^ p^ers; whereby fuch chafms are left, that nobody can ioii how to fill up y, '^ind their manner of reckoning by de* jpchtSj'p/ generatiofia, is too vifibly uncertain. Before 7J^mmiithus xh^ is very dark; and
^oji^Tit^x.Adit^x'mQ^s time it begins to dear up, yet lJ(^.*vanafions betweeii all the liiftbrians fince his reign arp cpnliaerable, as appears by the tables. ''^^'Wb' fliall,not thej:efore wafte our time in compofing an hypothetH^al fcheme of thfefe kings of Egypt : of fuch per- fermances t6ere,are choice already; and. they are much jncireeafy to frarne>tban to fupport : calculations by num;- t)er§ of. yisars, which are fo liable to miftake and corrup- tion,' i^auft n^eds Be very precarious; and it feems much mdfe.reafonable to rely qn the coincidence of fa£b, and hifiorical fynchronifms, from. which chiefly we (hall, in the. coiirfe of our hiftory of Egypt, endeavour to fix the tim^5 6f Aich events as we judge capable of it. And this we tlti^nk is the moft that can be done with any degree of certainty ; for it is amazing to us, that men fliould pretend to adjuft the Egyptian chronology, from the moft early times, to fo great a nicety as a few years, and di£tate dogmatically in a matter of fuch abfolute uncer- tainty and. confufion»
^ Vid. can. chron. p. 7. ^ Vid. Perizon. orig. JEg*
p. 53, &c. ^ Vid. CoNRiNG. adv. chronol, c. 17, i8«
Stilu^fl. orig. iacr. L i. c. j|,
SECT,
G. HL to the fim ^/Alexander* a/
S E C T. IV. '
-.♦......,. s
\^^)^,tJiJiory of Ofiris, Ifis, Typhon, and Orus. ;
t t.>
fip]^ORE we enter upon the hiftoiy of the mort^. •?-f, jbi^gs of Egypi^ we are in fome manner obh'ged ta ijof^ ,ti^e following dark and antient (i61ion. Oftris^ an4i IJh, were faid by, fome to be the fon and daughter of, Saturn; zniJRhia^ :but, according to others, their grand-fqn and^ grand-'daugnter,. being defcended from yi^iter and %»^ wiip had a deity born to them on each ot the five mt^r* 9alary days of the Egyptians. Thefe five deities wero CaQ^ Ofiris, Ifis^ -Typhon^ JpoUo^ and Venus a. We have^ ' tbei;;9rigin> and generation again differently, and with dM^ i^y^ral.particulaj^ related as follows : Soly furprifmg i^/a. ifi,3 private Congrefs with Saturn^ Pf^y^ that fhe might 9^J^ delivered in the fgace of any one month, or day o£ tha j^ear^ Soon aAjer AUrcury^ falling in love with the god^ (lets, embraced her alfo; and, beating Z*«;m at dice, tool^ iFrom the ///«^r year the feventy-fecond part of every day," ^<j ifjb^eof .CPinppied five days, an^ added them tp the year of 360 davs, that fhe might bring forth in them ; and thefe they celebrated as the birth-days of OJtrisy Ifisy Typhm^ U^usj anA^Xepttbe'. On -the nrfl day OJTrirvfzs b^m^^i^ M hif'bittivvfi^roice was I^ani cryuig out, Th^ hl^^y* dll things fiybme into the world : or, according to <rt}i^,^'a'dfflnM iile9'iP/7wy/fj, going to fetch water froirf tR4 jteiiMd <Sf Jipier at Yhebesy heahl a loud voice com- li^'SD^td^rOclSmi', The great and beneficent iinj^ Ofiris fs'm^^'tityh^^0i^ered to this da'hifel, who was dirfcaed
ta^j^fOiRVi w ^^d with aH tbV veneration due to.
hmVjprrpming'^the.Jfhyftcn^ called PamjUay like thiafc^ n^e^^f /(j^W/tf, ui,,h^ .On. the fecond day
•^^iKffi Wf^. b|'9¥8pi^.foirih, whoni fbme called Jpolh, and. ^tnjke-.MerXf/MSm 'Ti^G third was the. birth-day of ^3i^^^' i who .oingie.iiOt. into the world i^ proper tinie and placit, but by a violent ehmtion leiapsd out of his mother's iideu ' :*On the fburth dxy Jfisj and on the fihh Nephthe^ or I^h)hys^ took birth;, which lafl was adfo called Finis^: sMf^itSi, and ViSfiffia.^ Sol was the feth^ of Ofirii and' Jfhe&fi '^' Mertury oi Ifis i and SaturH gf Typhm and*
Nephthh The third, being the birdi-day of 73!?^^» was* counted inaufpicious, or unlucky ^ fo that the kings thereon
. ,\"\ f DiOD. Sic lib. i. p. i«*
is ^e Hi/iory of Egy^t -B.F.
fufpended all bufineis^ and ajbftained from eating and drinking, Nfphthe' mziried Typhcn^ and Ifis married Ofi- ris. As for thefe laft> it is faid, that, iQticed by a mutual love, they embraced whilft yet in their mother's womb ; and it was thought, \ii2± Arueris^ the elder Orus of the Egyptians J and the Jpolh ofthcGreehy fprang from that early conjunftion (A). Ofiris had no fooner obtained ihc kingdom of Egypt ^ than he reclaimed th^ inhabitants from their favage and brutal way of living, fhewed tliem the fruits of the earth, and inftitutcd divine worfhip 1> ; budd- ing the city of Thebes, as is (with great uncertainty^ faid, and ere£ting feveral temples, and, amongft die reft, one 'to yupiteruraniusy and another to Jupiter Ammoriy his father, who reigned before him «. But j that his bene- ficence might not be confined to the bounds of his own country, he undertook to vifit the feveral nations on the earth, all which he civilized, not by the forcible conftraiiit of arms, but by dint of perfuafion, and by the allurements ef mufic and poetry <J. His fetting^out, and the more remarkable particulars of bis travels, are thus told.
*» Plut. de Ifid. k Ofirid. p. 355, • Diod. Sic ubi fupr, * Plut. obi fapr.
(A) Herodotus gives them a ^ughter, Bubafiuy or Diana % 9nd ieems to have heard the fiory of thefe &bu]ous princes, with ibme variation from what is related by Diodortu and Flu- iarch, the only authors we have who have written, this ii£tion ' St length. And particularly, fptdkmg of the floating ifland ChefUmisj near the city ofButus, he writes that, by an Egyptian tradition, Latona,- one of the primary deities, refiding at Btttns, had Orus committed to her care, at a time when Tj- phon was in fearch after, him to de&roy him ; and (he accord- - ingly concealed him in the aboveiaid ifle. Now, accord-
ing to Plutareh, Typbvii\'mi kept .wi(hin.bound9 by j^c pru«. dence of ^ during zX\ t^iee?^'' peditioQ of Ofiris ; with ifihjuik account thb violent proceeding cannot coniifl; and Herodotus, does not in the leaft hint at this fearch afterwards. Diodorus fays Orus accompanied hb fa- ther in his travels; be was therefore but of the reach of his enemy; and after his ^« ther*s niHrder, this author (ay 9^ he was fa hx from flying firom Typhon, that he xoaj^ .head againft him» overcame him in batt}e,;and/lew him. It ap- pears (hen, ihzlHeroeUtushtiixi this fi£lion related in. a third and different manner (i).
(x} Berodot, lib, ii. r. 156.
B ■ I '
Having
C. IIL t§ the time of Alesander. t$
' Having in view the vaft and beneficial defign aborC'* menticMied, he raifed a great number of followers, amongft whom¥ras'hb htotYitr Apollo^ who claimed the iaurei 2» facred to him, as the ivy was to Ofiris. He took alfb his two fons with him, Anubis (which will be feemingly con- tradiAed by-and»by) and Macedo. Thefetwo wore coats of mail, '.and over them the (kin of fuch a beaft as corre- iponded with the nature of their courage ; fo Anubis had a QQ^s fkin, and Macedo the (kin of a wolf; "and hence, faid they, the dog and the wolf were worfhiped in Egypt. Pam aUb was of the company ; he was afterwards highly revered over all the coimtry, infomuch that he had not cmly fia* tues and templet ereded to him, but alfo the city of Chemms^ which (ignified Pan*s city. Add to thefe Mar9^ iamous for planting and dreiSng of vines ; and TriptoUmus- for (owing of com, ahd gathering in the harveft. Finally, OJiris took with him nine virgins, proficients in mufic, who being committed to the care of Apollo^ he thence ob- tained the title of mafter of the ninejtfters, or mufes j fomt fatyrs he met as he went towards Ethiopia^ who were ac- ceptable for their jocund difpofition, and diverting by their ^uitic behaviour, (kipping, and dancii^.
But, before he left Egypt ^ he provided againfi any di(^ turbances that might arife in his abfeiice, by committing /
the adminiflration to trufty and fagstdous perfons. For he invefled IJis with the regency, in which he left hWfAgsul^ Hermes to aflifl: her. Hermes was alfo called Merctery^ fthoihj TTntyth^ Tauautes^ Trifmegijius^ and by other names. It is a common opinion, that diere were two perfons or more who bore thefe feveral appellations ; but, leaving thq difcuffion of fo dark a point, we will here fpeak of them as one perfon, and enumerate the inventions and books afcribed to him. He, faid they, invented articulate founds, appel- latives, letters, religion, aftronomy, mufic, wrcftling, aritfa^ metic, ftatuary, the three-ftringed lyre, and the ufe of the olive, and not Minerva^ as the Greeks miftakenly aflerted* He was ftiled the father of eloquence, and {hence, he de- rived his name of Hermes^ the interpreter, or fpeaker *; As to the books he wrote, Seleucus reckoned them at no lefs than 20,000 ^ ; and Manetbo exceeds him, com* putins them at 36,^25*6. Thefe numbers are fo enormous, that It has been a fhunbling-^biock to the learned to con- ceive how one perfon coUM foe the author of fuch myriads
« DiODOR. Sic 1. i. p. 14, &c. ^ Selevc. apad lamblicli; df inyft. i4£g]rpt. $. 8. cap. i • ' MAMCTiiOt apad oand. ibM.
4?f
(9 thfiifipry $f %fgf^^, ;;B.t
of tni£b« Therefore fame have fuppofc^ thefe computa- tions to refer to vexfes, others to leaves of the pa^rta % ^d others ag^in to fuccin<Sl difcourfes and proverbs^- But Clement of Alexandria^ vfiW lead us out pf this labyri^tt^ by the following at^punt of an antient Egyf^tan proceiliop c The yJr/? that advanced, fays he, was a -chanter^ or finger# who bore fome fymbol of mufic : his bufin^fs was to receive two pf the books of Mercury, or Thoth j of which the one contained hymns to the gods, and the other rules fof tht Jcirig to obferve. Secdndly, an ajlrologer^ bearing ^ di^ and a palm, which were fymbclis of aifa-ology : he was ob* liged.to hav^ the four aftrological book& oi Mercury by heart ; the firft of whii:h contained the places of th^ fjuced ftars, and the three others treated of the fun and mpoot their eclipfes, illuminations, rifmg, and the }ike« Thiriily% dn hierogrammatem^ or (acred fcribe» with a feather pa his head) bearing a book and a rule, in which wece ink and a reed to write with : he was verfed '\t\ the fubje<^ of ten books, the i. treated of hieroglyphics; 2. of cofmof graphy ; 3. of geogra^y 5 4. of the order of the fun and moon ; 5. of the live planets ; 6- of the chorography of Egypt ; 7. contained a defcription oS the Nihy 8- aifer (cription of the facred utenfds, and of the places confeccsited toAem; g. treated of meafures, and the loth of what"* ever was neceflary in the Egyptian worfhip* Fourthly^ t ftoliftes, a kind pf foLemn marfhal, holding the cubk'f»f juftice, and a cup for libations : he knew whatever coiv oemed the inftitution of youth, and the fealing of victims* The whole Egyptian religion was comprehended in tet books ; the i. related to the facrifices ; the 2. to firft-fruits s 3. to hymns ; 4. to prayers ; 5. to proceiiions ; 6* to jfefti* yals, and the other four to die like fubje^b. Fifthly, and laft of all, came ihcprcphet, bearing a water-pot openly 411 his bofom, and followed by thofe who carried the pror ceflional bread : he, as prefiding over the temple, ftudie^ the ten books called facerdotal, which fpoke of the isnw^^ the gods, and the whole difcipline of the priefthood. Hert we have an account of thirty-fix books of Hermes j ber fides which he wrote fix more, which treated of anatongiy* difeafes, medicaments, and the like; fo that he was ait? Aor of forty-two in all K This is a more rational ac* count. But, to return &om whence we digrefled, thii iagacious perfon, or one of the £une charaSier^ was left behind to ai&it IJis in the government of the kingdom*
^ CtiUiv Aiisx« flrom. hn. f.fi^ii*
MoRZOVEtL^ Hercuks was appointed over die £arcc9
ft boin6; mdJtttausj Buftris^ and Prometbius^ were coii?*
iiituted governors over feveral provinces. OJirisj having
thus fettled afFairs. in Egyptj began his progrefs, moving
£rft towards Ethiopia. In this country he raifcd the banlu
of the NiU^ and dug feveral canals, thereby to prevent
the too frequent inundations, and to abate and diftributo
the waters of the Nile. Whilft he was thus employed in
Ethiopia y the NiU broke down its banks in Egypt^ and
overflowed great part of the countf^ with (o furious
and fo fudden a tide^ that it fwept away all befort
it, and drowned great multitudes of people, doing parr
ticular damage in Promethiu^s jurifdidion, whereat
be was grieved almoft to defpair. But Hircules foon
drained off the waters, and thence is (aid to have iho(
through the eagle which preyed on Promethius^t beart^
for tihe fuddenneis of this flood was compared to the fligbiC
pf an eagle, and the river from thence was fometimei
called after that bird. But to return to OJirii i h^ in*
firu^led the Ethiopians in all rural matters, and, having
built them feveral cities, he departed, leaving fome be*
hind .him to a& as bis governors, and others to gather in -
bis tribute. From Ethiopia he went into Jrabia^ and thus
continued his travels till he had got beyond India. la
india he built feveral cities, and particularly Nyja<, which
he fo called from the place where (according to fome) ho
was bred up. Here he planted the ivy, which was no-wnei^
elfe to be found in India ; and left fo many monumenta
oi himfelf behind him, as afterwards gave room to dif*
pute, whether he was not orjjginaUy of this part of %\m
world. Having £urvcy^ all J^^ he croflied the HelleJ^
ponty and, landing in Thrace^ killed Ly^urgus^ the king
of ^ country, who oppofed his progress. Here he left
Maro to cultivate the land, and coAimanded him to buiM,
a cky^ and call it, in derivatiqp from bb own nanae^
Maronea. Afterwards he bellowed on his ton Macedi^
the country of Macedon^ which borrowed its name from
him ; and TriptoUmus had charge of Attica, At length
OJiris returned back into Egypt^ laden with the choiceA
produ£tions of the earth, and with the bleflings of tty^
whole race of mankind, iiiio confented to his deification. •
., B^T his brother 23^Mf -flew him fopn, after hia arrival,
fmd cut his body into twenty-fix pieces, giving one ta'Cach
•f hit accomplices K It was thus that fi^me fpoke coQr>
r
cernuig
&c
•ie iei:-: .: Ijir-: . jut top •.torr *»» ziRjr r --e ''-.iowin? r-'-t.nn T^fooyt, icsno^
• • *■ ■
J.rr-:" ■.-."hit. -.- rrrerri i "crr rria^rnncsnc :nafle. ^- a— j'ttt tcidb- ro !iim :* '.e
nycn ^ -.••?•'. .1 1. 'ssfcn^ Trzr, -cid
• ^ »
:i
ie «r;S J7 -.
He irrrrnrirTrs
K^ ^
?r
'. - r^ * K~ "^ •*. . .-,■»<
:-"r",uc:ri
— • —2- -^■'*- •'^-i iXLCc-i u.'N. •Mxxfcrs c
"C. til. hibe time of Alexander. 31
fight. Therefore (he repaired thither, and, to pafs ovct the methods Ibe pradifed to pofTefs herfeif of the co£n, flie there obtained it. When (he firft caft her eyes oh it, ihe cried with fo loud a voice as ftruck the king of Byblus*s youngeft fon dead ; for flie had infinuated herfeif into his family, as the moft ready means to obtain what ihe want- ed ; hp having raifed a building over the broom which hid the coffin. With his eldeft fon and the coj^n ihe ftrait- ways embarked i and, in her pailage, dried up the Pha^ drusy provoked by a blaft of wind which .blew from the mouth of that river as ihe iailed by, about break of day. Being now private, and at leifure,ihe opened the coffin, ana, laying her &ce to the face of the deceafed, bathed it with her tears. As ihe was thus giving vent to her grief, the king's fon Ihe had brought away with her from Byblus^ came behind her, and faw what ihe was doing ; whereat enraged, ihe turned on him with fo dreadful a countenance, as frighted him fo, that he died. Some faid he leapt into the. Tea. This is fuppoied to be Maneroi ^. She brought the body to Butvs^ and hid it ; hut Typbon^ hunting by moon*light, feU on it, and tore it into fourteen pieces, which he fcattered abroad. Ifis then traverfed the lakes and watry places in a boat made of the papyrus ^ feeking after the. limbs of Ofiris. Whence it was held, that tbofe who went on the water in boats made of that wood were in no danger from croco- diles, who either revered or dreaded the goddefs. In what- ever place (he found a limb, ihe there buried it ; for "which reafoh there were many .tombs afcribed to Oftris : but others f^id, ihe made feveral figures of his body, and prefented them to as jpany cities, pretending to each, that they had the original', and fo' eflabliihed his tvprihip in mslny places s arid i^nadip it difficult for Typbon to find out the right monument, in cafe he ihould.ever get the fuperiority, and continued in his implacable malice againft OJiris K This burial was alfo related , ^fter a, thirds and afmpft jQXxitt different manner^ For the author from whom we took the firil account of his death, reports that IJis ■ got together the twenty-fix pieces of his mangled bod)', joined them, and embalmed them ; and afterwards pre- vailed on the Egyptian prieils to confent to, and promote . his drifi cation, in confideration of a third part of EMt which ihe gave them ; and they buried him at Memphts, But the place of his burial was^ a matter of great diipute
* See vol- i. p. 487. ^ Plut. ubi fupr. p. 357^ 358. Vol. II. C ' ' and
34 ShtHifior^ rf'Eg^t B- L
and controvcrfy ; though fooue produced the following infcription in iacred cbaraders^ :whicb they faid Was on a 'pillar in Jrabia.
Saturn, tb^ yfnmgeji of all the gods^ war pty father. I am Ofiris, that king who led an arm^ ^^fi^ ^^ ^^ deferts jjf India, and frpm thence northward as far as theffringi of the river \hex^ and thence quite to the ocean. I am the elde/lfon of Sattu'n, fprungfrom a noble fiock^ and of generous blood \ coufm to the day. Nor is there a plaee where J have not been^ I, who f reel) difpenfed my benefits to all mankindi
Isis, aftcrthe moft diligent fearch, could never recover the privities of O^r/j, which, being thrown into the river^ ivere devoured by the lepidetusy At fquameus^ Aephagru^ .and the oxyrynckus^ which four forts of filh the Egyptians hated iqpon that account : but ihe made ample amends for this irreparable lofs, by inftituting a kind of ieparate worihip, which was devoutly and univerially paid to the image of that part afterwards.
There were various reports concerning the adions of Jfis and Orus after the death of Ofiris^ as alfo relating to Typhon. And firft it was affirmed, that they overcame him in battle, and flew him °^. Secondly^ he was faid to have been thunderftruck by Jupiter j and plunged under the lake Sirbon n (B}, where being fuppofed to lie fub-
"» DiOD. Sic. ubi fupr. p. 79« " Apolion. Rho».
Argo. lib. xi. Sc Herodot. Liii. c. 5;*
(B) According to Diodorus weak, was fulkient la deceive
Siculusy the lake or bog ^ir^mr, the eye of the wandering tra-
Serbottis, or Selbonis, under vcller, who no fooner fct foot
mount C/7/£»i, was 200 furlongs upon it, than he felt it give
in lengthy very narrow, but way under him^ and was irre-
fery deep. Many, miftaken coverably loft, and this even
in their road, nay, whole af- at the yfery brink of it. It
xnies, mifguided in their march, was alfo called Barathra, or
have been fwaliowtd up in it. the profound gulphs (2).. Bat
The ihore aU round it was it has fisom tinxe to time die*
heapsof (and, which the winds creafed in extent; for P/iny
blowing over the furface of ipeaks of it as a* iinall place to
the bog, the lower particles what it had formerly been (3);
lighted thereon,, and^ by de- and itisnowquitechoakedup».
grees, formed a loofe skin, or its place being no more to be
cruft, over it ; which, though found (4} »
(2) Died, Sic, /. i. p, 26. 1$) PUn, bj/i, naU U v, f . 13. (4.) T^y^ 4« /*. Lucat^ torn, iii. /.■ 306,
mcfied^
C. ilL to the iimi of Ale^iatider.
merfed, it was thence called Tyth9n*5 exbalfltiont ^; And thirdly, it was alTerted, that Ujiris^ afcending from the infernal regions, inftruded Orusy and prepared him to war with Typbon ; and that after a battle, whicfi conti- nued feveral days, this laft was made prifoner. But IJis^ refloring him to his liberty, fo enraged OrUSy that he tore off the royal attire from her head, when Mercury^ being jprefent, clapped her on an helmet made of an ox's headji mflead thereof. Tfpbott, after .this', renewed the war twice, and wa^ both tiqieS- vanquiihed P ; andy being no longer able to withftand, or i^ake head againft hts ene* mies, concealed himfetf, it feems, under the above-men- tioned'lak^.&Vr^^i?'). O^is moreover appeared to jfis^ and had a fort by her^ caUcd Harpocrates ; but he proved a weak and inffrm perfon. Here Plutarch breaks oflT, and^ afTuringus that his is the genuine ftory, proceeds to e^laiii away the whole Into an allegory^, mit, feeing Diodorus continues hii$ atCcbunt to the death of tfis and Oir»y, . we now turn to him : Ifo^ having thus qudled her enemies/lr&ignc^d with great prudencej juftice, moderation, and benefi- cence : and, tkcaiufe of her great and conftant ^ffj^dioa towards QJirisi which appeiared iq nothing more than in the vow. fl^, made of widowhood, a kw was ehafled,* which allowed of the mariiage-^contradl between brother and fifiier : a^d from the £une fource fprang the cuftom of preferring the qiieen before the king,- and the wife before the husband K At laft fhe died, and was buried at Mem-' phis^ as the comtnon opinion was ; but this aUcr was dif- puted. And particularly thbfe, who laid a ftrefs- upon the abovc-inferted infcriptioft, affirmed, there wte aAbther pillar near ^to fhe former ih'A/^Hay and dxat the follow*' ing words in fiicred cbara£ters w^ire legible upon' it :
/, Is IS, am fhe que^ri of thh coufttry^ and waituiored by Mercury, ff^at I have ordtinedy no one majf make void. I a^ the eideft daughter of ^2X\xm^ theyoungejt^ of the gois. 1 am th^fijier and wife of king O&is. Jamjbe wbo Jirjl found corn for tbe ufe of man. I am the mother of king Orus. . idtmjhe who arifetb m the 4^izft<^^* ^^ ^'^/ ^f B^baftus was built in honour of> fn£. FareweJ! Rejoice ^ O Egypt, my nurfmg mother f -r-Tbis was all, laid they, that Was to'be diftrnguUbed, of this infcjrfption^
• PiiUTAncH. in vita Antonii,- p. 916. ^ tleni. de fiid,- & Oiirid. ubi fupra. ^ Herodot. ubifupra, ' Plut.
\x\A fupra. * See vol.* i. p. 466. < DiODl S i c« ubi fapra.*
G 2* Shit
9i
'36 fhe Hiftory of Egypt B.L
Snt bad a moft fiately temple ereded to her at the city 6f Buftris^ fituate near the middle of the Delta \ fome remains of which are thought to be ilill ftanding (C).
*> Hbropot. lib. 11. c. 59.
M
4f
« «<
. (C) Take thedefcription and account of thefe ruins in the author*s own words : " I here '' (aw the remains of one of ** the fincft, vafteft, and moft " ancient temples of Egypt, « All the ttones are of " enormous length and thick- *^ ne(s, and all of granite. ** They are, for the moft part, ^ adorned with fculptureis in ** relie*vo, which rcprefcnt ** men and vwomeD, and all **. forti of hieroglyphics. Many ^* of thei^ ftones bear the image of a man ftanding upright, with a long peeked <jap on ** his head, and holding a go- ^ blet or bow], in each haiid, •* which he prcfcntiT to three or four- young women, *' which ftand alfir upright, ^ one behind another. The/e ^ young women have each '^ of them a javelin in one << hand, and a ftaff, ihort- •* er than the. javelin, in the •* other ; and on each of their ^ heads is a ball between two •« long taper horns. Others '*' of thefe ftones are ynbel* ". liihed with hieroglyphical ** reprefentatations of birds, *' fiihes, and terreftrial ani- " mals. A lofty and very fub- V ftantial pillar of fine gra- '* nite, having each of the " four faces of its upper part " wrought with four angular *^ flutines or notches, feems to ^: have been ereded to fupport ^ the arcades and vaults of^this
u
tt
<* fumptuous edifice. On each <* face of this pillar there is ** alfo carved the head of a '* woman bigger than the life. ** Thefe fculptures have not *^ been in the leaft injured by '* time, nor by the fun, nor ** by the Arabs. ... It feems to be more than probable^ that this temple, whofe re- *^ mains I have here defcribed, *^ was the very templcrof the « goddefs Jfitf and that the " city of Rufiris, mentioned *' by Herod9tus9 is now the '^ veiy town of Bahahity fi* '' tuated in the middle-of the ** DeitUy near Sebennytus, or ^' Satiwtanud, My opinion is ** the more rational, in that ^ throughout all the iflandtt *' was never heard* nor known, ^ that any monument of marble **- orftone, either .little, or big, ^ was ever found there, tkl^ ** could lUit with any ether '^ deity than the.goddef»^. '' . . . Theie ruins, which ace '* near to Bahibtit^ are about ** 1000 paces in circumference. ** They are about a league .^ ffom the Nilit about two ^^ or three leagues from Sam- **^ manudr and about twenty- *^ five or thirty leagues north ** of Kdbira, There is nei- ** ther brick, nor plafter, noc ^* morter, nor common flonet amongft thefe reliques ; there is nothing to be feen hot ** gceat blocks of granice(5].
«
i€
(5) Nwvi mtm, da- mijfiwi dc la cmf^ de-ytj. dans dc Ztvawt^ tom,^ ii.
Therb:
C. III. to the time of Alexander.
' There is nothing faid of Orus any farther, than fhat he was the laft of the gods and demigods ^ ; and therefore ^e here conclude this fabulous or m) llerious feflion.
%7
S E C T. V. ^he reigns of the kings of Egypt.
7Mr£ NES^ oxMenas^ is univerfally agreed to have beer\Menes, or •"-^ the firft mortal, who reigned ovtx Egjpi {h). lAMenas. his time the whole country, except Thebais^ was a mora fs ;
and
\ ■ * Idem ibid. c. 144.
(A) ItiionallhaxKls^freed, that Menes was the firft mortal who ruled over Egjypt ; but all are not of one simd concern- ing him, in any other refpedl. And though we have refolved to fdllow no particular hypo- thefis in the Egyptian afiairs. ais thinking th'e^. all hot a little dubious ; yet we IhalU in the moH futnihary way (fb as to be confilleht with perlpicaity), entertain the 'rdetder, from time to time/ with the conje£tares of fome of the moft noted chro; nologerSy who have laboured in the ungrateful, work of fettling the Egyptian antiquities. I9 conformity to what we now propofe, we (ban take i^otice^ that^ according to Sir John Marfiaml (his Mems was the Cbiam or Ham^ the fon of Noah in Scripture, the Jupiter Ham- mon or AnmoH of the Egyptians, the nanws' or Adonis of the Pbatnidans, the Saturn of San- cboniatbo, and the firft that taught the Egyptians to fare fumptuonfly ; which alone, as it is reported of him, were a
fufficient inducement to tbink^ that he could not have lived ia the early and flmple times im* mediately after the deluge. He lays it down, that Mmn was king of all Egjpt, and tht father pf the Egyptian god Mir- €ury or Atbotbis (i).
On the other hand, Perizi^r nius maintains the Mtfirm M fmigods to h^e . reigned th» firft iu Egypt X apd will not allow Mines to h^vo .bec0 ei#> Ither Hmn or Misraim^ Mantf mon.to have beea the Egyptism yupitrr, or Msms the fitther of the Egyptiasg Mercury. If it be, true, fays that writer) l^lMenes taught xhtEgyptiami to feed delidoufly, and to adorn their beds, it is manifeft, there yrere Egyptians before his time,, accuftomed to a more coarfli and fimple way of living ; and confequently, that he was not (he founder of their race» Ham, or his fon Mizraim. He ftr« ther obferves, that Hammon was not properly the E^fptiam; Jupiter ; the name of Jupiter . being given him in afteragea
(x] rid* Merf>^ CM. ihr^p
■^ ^ The Hifiory cf Eg^pt B, I,
sA>A no land appeared between the \ak.e Jtfairh and the M'JiltTrnruan fea, whichr was fe^en "dayS pallagc on the river. He diverted the coiirfe of the M/<, which
hy the Graki, foad of foreign' O^rit, places Mmri after hiin,
gods, to wbofe proper name and, in confequence thereof
they ufed to pre^ that of Jk- . tranfpofee the feries bfthe kingt
fitir, is JiifUfr'Bt/as, JUpilir of E^ypl, mentioned hy Hera- Cafivs.lec, Ai for the rarname i/o/w, after thi* oismier ; Srfa-
of Dianiuj, (n'j^rim^fnmjn- ^ris, Phtran, Prttiui, Upui,
filtr, givfch him by Eretefihi- Rian^niliu, iScerit, Chtaft^
nis, Virnaiini thinks be was Ctpbm, Mjcermui, Nit»eri$, ■
to called, becaufe he reigned and the reft in the iatne order immediately after the Mijtr^i, , u they ftand in HiraJetiu. He
ta Jindgsdi. It is his tipioiOb, fappofes litna to be the fanK
that Ments lived about the witb Amemf^ii and Mrmwtn^
iayt of'jftriihM ; but he does vnd that by £orrup^i5D he wu
ttoc Ifty ] t doWQ for certahi; called, Mrft», Mtiifi, Mhuns^
and will not sllow him to havi Mitiiei, Wntiiii, Eatpbn, Vt-
bisen the father of Athothfs; Hi ntfhtS, PhdHienephii, OJymm-
Mireury, tbSiigh he is fo Hiled thym '\pj\^akijas\, Ofiman-
hy Eratifkptti {z). • Jei, I/mandti, Imaiidts, Memr
Father Pnkait, «h6 vttote HM, 4rminim. Accordiog tQ
before PtrriA^rfiu/, bVings.-the his hypothefis, &fm/j is aboDt
vetgQ o^ Ments much Idter yxs year; older than P/amm-
down than the dayi of iliMi, 'tichmi. He holds it irruioiu}
|K MiKT^M. According tdh^ 'to fuppofe, that there was any
hypochcfisMfjiAi began to reiga king of all Eppi, till after the
•904 year after the crcatib^, expuliion or the jheph<rds ;
and &48-afi»rthe Hood. Thit and obfer/es, that the miradei
be endeavodrBhy all means to of Mtmthii weie not fpokei)
prove, and ftems (o be pretty of, or kno^n in Greece, till
prnfidentthathcisintheiighc; feme ages after tUi Tr«/ij» war ;
bat itwOaldbe endlefs to. ente^ fth- Homer txletTiiliT^iiei at
fnto cheargumenuof the chro^ the glory' Of i^s 4ays, ana
nologert we Ibail, from time to makes nooietitl'dbof Afr^jfj;
time, refort toj and we foall which, and the ttqipie rfr«/-
fvoid it at muth as pofSble, tdn, that flood, ibjh6 midft of
except when their reafonmg is it, he grants to hive heen built
Very plcar and important, or hy Mines. In a\yord,,thishy-
, theirnotiansvery finguhr[3). pochefis reduces the antiquity
i. Sir J/aae UnuloB, in oppo- of the Egyptiea_ empire, of
fition to all the chronologers which j^ln(n was the hrfi kinj^
who have wi-itten before him, much lower than aqy other
fSOfopnioO, thttS'^fi/r/jWM (4J-
(1) fmKM>Agjpl. trig..^ um. *iitlf*:Bm>rim, h —tif. de, iimp. r„tb. & difn. (+J Sir Jffac If,
fiVial iingdimi amiaiitd, p. )i4f . ,
before
C. IIL to tie time of Alexander. ^^
before waQied the foot of the fandv mountain towards Lihya^ and built the city of Merhfhis within the anticnt bed of the river. On the north fide of it he i;nade a lalce^ and on the weft another, both without the walk, and both fed by the NiUy which flowed along the caft fide of the town : and in the city itfelf he built thtt famous tem- ple of Vulcam, He was the ficft that InftruacJd the" Egyptians \n religious matters, that introduced 40meftic magnificence and luxury» and that inftituted the pomp of fealrs; on which account^ his memory was loaded with the execrations of one of his fucceilbrs, as will, be ob- ferved hereafter.
Aft^r this, Herodotus 3eddx^%9 thatthe Bgypfihns pro* duced a catalogue of 330 lungs,, extending front Menes to Moerisy who was the laflr of the lumiber \ and* that there was nothing worth notice recorded of any of theW, except one Ethiopian woman, called NitierisK On thfe other hand, jD/^^rxfx ^ writes, i}a^% Mencs's famUy cnjdyed the throne tatbe fifty-fecond defcent, and that theiir feveral reigns took up the fpace of 1400 years <^. Since therefore there is A> vgft a chafm in both^ we think we' may (afeljr venture to fill it up in part^ with what we find concern- ing, the fh^pherds* who ruled; over £^/; and.the rather, becaufe this whole tranfaAiort feems to belong to fome very remote period of the t.gyptian hiftorv.
It happened, in the reig|n.of JiW^^ king-of Egypty tbatT'/^r/r- GoD being dtfpleafed with thet Vgyptians^ they uxfered 2^ruption of gredt revohition V for a ^lukitud^ of men, i^tiQ^le in their ^^^ paibrs race, to<ft course, and, pouring from the eaS^'hXiakEgypt^or fhcp- made war with flie inhabitants-; irto'fubmjttod to themi^«^»* without tryihgdie event d? a battle. Having roduoed the princesj they ihhjumanly butnMhe cities, threw down the temples of. the gods, and I?ehkved- in the moft cruel' and infulting xixatfmer over the anti^pt irihabitaiit^, putting them to 4^tb^ and carrying awajr th?ir wives a^irf diildren into capti^(tyf.. They made one pf their owii^unibet king, <re^j,yj/j^ whofe n^mc was. ^tf/tf/rx. Heufualfy refided ^tJi^emphi^S2\2xiifor- and, leaving garifons in the moft .proper plac^,: kept ha^tbiir kingy the upper and loyrer region un^cr tribute : ^t |iiiiiticularly he fortified die eaftern parta* fearing an invaTipn of, the Jf-^ fyriansj who were at that time very powcrft4% ; Eiading therefore a convenient cM^ m thtt Saitic ffomf^ W^i^h was feated on the eaftern banks of the river Bubafiisy and which was called Abaris^ in the ahtient theology, her rebuilt it, * HsRODOT. I. ii, €• 99, ^ W- ibid. c. ioq. « D^od*.
Sic. 1. i. p. 4:3^.
C 4 tnd
-40. Ti^e Hifioty of Egyipt B.I,
aud furrounded it with a very ftrong wall, and kept a ga- rifon of 24,000 foldiers therein. It was his cuftom, about the time of harv^, to come hither to gather in his com, and to pay and exerdfe his foldiers, that they might alwap be ready and fit for aftion, and be a conftant terror to any who ihould attempt an invafion. Salatis died, and was fucceeded by five others j viz. Beorty Jphacnas^ jfpephiSy Janias^ and jffis ; whp^ treading in his footftcps, did their utmoft to root put the wnole nation of the Egyptians. This people were- called Hycfos^ ox King-Jhepherds (C); hyc^ in the (acred diale^^, fienilying a king^ and fos^ in the com- mon dialeS, fignifying a paftor^ ox Jhepherd ; and of thefe two came the compound Hycfos. They came from Arabia^ according %q Manethoy as quoted by yofephus^ iwid held all lower \gsipt in fubje£tion for, the fpacc of 259 years'* ; at the end of which they were obliged, by a Idngbf upper Egypt y named Amofu and Thethmofisy to quit the cbuntty, and retire elfe where. That prince's father had, it ieems^ gained conficlerable advantages t>ver them, arid ihut them up in a place called Jvarisj or Aharis^ meafuring 10,000 acres of land. ; There they were clofcly bcfieged-by his fon AmoftSy with ^ armv of i|.8o,ooo men : bat the king, find-
^ Maneth. ^gypt. 1. ii. apod Jofepb. 1. 1; contra. Apion.
(C) We will barely tranfcribe noufly fpoken of, to have been
. the opinions of the above-cited ^ IfratUtti themielvcs (2).
ehronologers, asf to the time of Zxx Ifaac Newton in9k€s'tlie
this irruption, as it is repre- paftors to h^y^ been the Ca-
fentedy of the fhepherds into wzAffiVrj^ who (led from y^Mj,
Egypt i Sir ' y^bn Marjbapt and went intp ^^iV ; but, in
places it T57 years before the thfir flight, feized on the ktDg-
txodus of the children of i^Ajr/ dom of the lower £i[^^^. in the
(i).F/r/«»«/ii/, drawing a very reign of limaus^ whom the
circomftantial parallel between (ame author calls namms^ or
what is recorded of the (hep- '[hamtkuz (3). Greaves , after
herds by Manetho^ and what a parallel drawn by him be^
is faid of the obfcurity of the tween the hiftory of the fliep-
JlfraeUteSi the power and dig- herds and of the Ifraelites^
taty of Jofifhf and the mira- which feems as natural and as
colous works of Mo/es^ which plauiible as that of FerizontMS^
almofl ' utterly deftroyed the will by no means, allow them
country ; upon the dofe, pro* to have been the iame people
Qoonces the fliepherds, fo hei- (4}.
(1) rtd. Manrfb. nMfip, (z) Ptnaton. ubi Jup. (3) Sir Ifase
J^tvft<m^itbi Jupy {^) OreMjva^^ pyramid, p, %iy %2,
C. in. to the time tf/ Alexander. 41
mg bt could not reduce them by force, propofed an agree- ment; which they readily accepted; and, in virtue of which, they were to abandon Bgypf^ and die king was to allow them to retire whither they pleafed, without mdle- fiction. The agrceinent was faithfully executed on both fides ; the fhepherds withdrew from Egypt ^ with their fa- milies, to the number of 240,000 ; and, taking the way of * thedefert, entered Syria : but, fearing the Affyrians^ who were then very powerful, and mafters of Ajia^ they buBt themfelves, in the land which is now known by the name of Judeoy a city, capable of holding fo great a multitude, and called it yerujalem : thus Manetho ^ Jpion^ upon the ^thofity of Ptolemy the Menieftan^ an Egyptian prieft^ who wrote the annals of that kingdom, fuppofes Amofis^ or Thethmofts,, to have been contemporary with Inacbus king of Ithe Argives. Hence Tatian ^, Jtffiin the martyr g, C&- fpens of Jltxandria \ and others, taking the expuliion of the Ihei^rds, and the exodui of the children of Ifrael^ to be one and the fame event, will have their leader, Mofes^ to have been contemporary with Inachus : but, as Inachus is now, by the generality of chronologers, thou^t to have lived long before Mnfes^ and the circtmiftances of the ex» 9dtiSj as related in hcily writ, differ fo widely from thofc atteoding the e?^pulfion of the fhepherds. We cannot agree with Ac above-mentioned Writers, and Tome modern chro^ ndogers, in fuppofing diem one and the fame event. A9 we know not where to give place, according to the feries of time, either fo the irruption or expulfion of the fhepherds, we have chofen to joiii them together, and acquaint the reader, at the f^me pme, with what wcind in the anticnt$ concerning both^ though the one was 259 years poflerior to the other (D}. This is all the genuine account we have of the imiptK>n of the fhepherds.
^ Mamsth. apud Jofeph. ibid. ^Tatian. orat.^ntxa
Grace g JvsT. inparzm. ^ QhEu. A|.sx^ ih-oip.-ri. i«
(D) Sir I/aac Kewton places of (he world 1920, 2048 bcs
this ezpal£on in the year 1070 fore Chriil ; and their eipoUica
beforeCHRiiT, or ^2 years be- in 2 1 79 of the world, and i Baj
fore the firft expedition of ^/^- before the chriftian sraj(6).i
Jlris^ or Sefac, as he calls bin), the reigns ofSalatis, their .£j-ft
iD|o Africa (5). Their ir- kingi an > his hye, fuccefjfors, at
rupcion happened, according marked by Manetho^ an3buACi<»
toarchbiihop Vfier^ in the year ing to 259 years (7). . -
(5) Sir Jfaae NeiotuCt Qmt fbr§tf§/trj» (6) FUl, UJk* ad<n ann^
Bufirjs I*
41 . ,, The Hipry of Egypt B. I.
. Wb now return to Herodotus and Diodorus ; of whom the latter makes nuntion of fevera) princes between Menes and Miris.
. According to his accoant, Buftrh (E), in procefs of time, became king, and was fucceeded by eight princes of bis line ; the laft of which was called alfo Bufirisy and was the founder of th^ city oS Thebes^ which he made the capita) of the kingdom*. ^
Ofyman. ^ Osymandy as (F) appears next. It is uncertain whom, ^y^* <>r when, he fucceeded. The BaSfrians revolting from bim,"he reduced them, as is faid, with an army confifting pf 400,000 foot, and 20,000 horfe. Of all the antient
rmuments of the kings, for which the city of Thebes was renowned, his was of the greateft note. It confifted of vaft courts, porticos, fhrines, temples, a library, his own Bi$ tmh, tomb, and other buildings. The firft court, which wa3
- ■ * ■
.r ' Dioo. ubi fupr.
(£) Sir John Marfiuun and Sir Ifaac Nenuton think, that po fuch king ever reigned, and that, what is faid concerning his cruelty is merely faljulous ( § ). Terizofiius^ on the contrary, is i)f opinion, that theri6 was fuch a king of Egypt ^ but who was not fo ancient as Dioihrus makes him ; taxing thathiilorian with tod great indulgence towards *he-.^>5^//«» vanity (9).
(F) U we rely on Sir John Marjhaniy we fhould call Ofy- mandyas Amen of his and Mem- Hon ; as alfo, Imandes\ J/man' dest and OfimanieS'\ bhi» per- haps, {ays he, derived from Ofirls^ and that from 'Ifis. V/hat ieems to be \C\% chief ar- guinent in fupporC of thi^ opi- nion^ is^ that the city they pre> tend hebcficged, is faid to have iKfn furrounded by a river, ivbich be thinks was the river Muiaus^ and the city itfdlf «^V
/a 5 for Pliny iays, that river furrounded che fortreis of the Sufiaksi and obferves, that Su/a was conamonly called, bf the Greeks^ Memnonia. . He obferves moreover, that A/fw? non's expedition into JJta wai more celebrated by the Greeif than that of Sefoftris ; whidi he attributes to the poets, who fprang firi!: up in or near his time ; and- concludes, ^lat he dwelt fome time in Sufit\ " All this, according to his coftcttiH he endeavours to prove ..from antient teHimony (10)^
Ferizoftius offers many coft* jeflures concerning this king, and the time of his reigri ; but comfes to no- ppfitive decifion-^ and (caffcd offers a conjedlure, fo dark this period appears to him { 1 1 >. Sir IJaac bicwton takes Ofymqndyas and Menes to be the fame perfon, as wt have hinted above.
Qj^ira^. ubijup. '
of
C. ni. to the time of Alexander. , . 45
of various kinds of ftone. Was 200 feet in extent, and 45 feet high. Next to this was a fquare portico, each of whofc fides was 400 feet long ; and, inftead of pilla^s^ fu^ported by repreientations of animals of 15 cubits high, all of 01I6 ftone, and adorned with figures after the anttent manner. The cieling was blue, and feecjed with ftars. Frorik this portico they Went into a fecond court, in all refpe<^s like the firft^ except that it was more enriched widi varioug Sculptures : in the entrance thereof were three ftatues, afl of one ftoi>e, the worfcmanfhip oi Memnpn the Syenite : on^ of them was in a fitting poflure, and the largefl in all Egypt J the length of its foot exceeding feven cubits. This was hi^ own ftatue ; the other two, which flood one s^jt each knee« reprefented his mother and daughter. Thi^ wonderful piece Was not,fo admirable for the exqulfxte art of the carver, as for the beauty of the flone, which was free from the leaft flaw or blemifh. It had this infcriptiori j I dm Ofymandyas, king of kings : he that would know my grandr euTy or where I lie^ let him furtafs me in any of my works. Here was alfb another flatue of his mother, flanding by her- felf, twenty cubits high, and cut out of one flone : fhe had three queens on her head, fignifyihg, that fhc had been the daughter, wife, arid mother of a king. This couit led to a fecond portic6, or piazza, far exceeding the firfl. Oh the wall of this the king was reprefented, with his arm^, bdieging a town iftciompafled by a river, and fighting ia flic front of the battld, accompanied by a lion: concerning Whicli, fome faid, he always fought with a tame lion at his . ^
fide^ and others, that the figure of that animal was only' an emblem of his extraordinary colirage. On the fecond wall were the captives, with their hands and privities lopped ofij to exprefs their cowardice. On the third were all forts of fculpture^ and paintings, which reprefented his fa- crifices and triumph. In the middle of this piazza was an altar in the open air, built of the moft fhining marble, of excellent workmanfhip, and wonderful proportion. On the fourth fide, or wall, were two gigantic flatues, all of one fldne, in a fitting poflure, and 27 cubits high. Near unto thefe were three pafTages, which gave admiflion into a great hall, fupported by columns, after the manner of a mufic-theatre, and 200 feet fquare. In this place were many wooden ftatues, reprefenting parties engaged in law, and the judges hearing the caufes. Thefe lafl, to the num- ber of thirty, were carved on one fide, with their prefident in the midfi of them, at whofe neck hung an image, with '\\& cvesibut^ to reprefent truth^^ and with many books about
him.
44 ^^^ Hijloty of Egypt B. I.
him. By this they chofe to fignify, that judges ought to be proof againft bribery, and refpeft nothing out truth and equity. Next was a gallery or walk, in which were apart- ments ftored with the moft delicious eatables. Here \hi king was moft curioufly wrought, and painted with the moft lively colours, as prefentingto God the gold and filvcjr annually dug out of the mines in Egypt ; the amount whereof lyas 3,200,000,000 minas, or 96,000,000 of pounds fter- ling. Next was the facred library, with this infcription i TChe difpenfary of the mind. Contiguous thereunto were the images of all the Egyptian gods, with the king paying the ofFerings due and peculiar to each of them j that OJiris^ and the reft of the disities placed beneath him, might know, * that he had pafFed his life with piety towards the gods, and with juftice towards men. Next to the library was an edi-- fice of curious archite£lure, wherein were twenty couches tofeaft on, and the ftatues of Jupiter^ J^no^ and the king; who was thought to be here intombed. Around this were feveral pavilions, in which moSt curious piSures of the con- fecrated animals were fecn. From hence was the afcertt to the fepulclire, where was feen a ring or circle of gold, 365 cubits in circumference, and one in thicknefs, fur* rounding the monument. This ring was divided by th^ day^ of the year, andihewed the rifmg and fetting of the ftars, ^d their afpedls, according to the Egyptian aftrolow. This Qrcular border was carried away by Cambyfes thc^rerfian. ^uch was the tomb of Ofymandyasy whofe defcenaant$ reigned after him to the eighth generation* The laft of Uchoreos. them was called Uchoreus ^.
The building and fortifying of Memphis^ which have already been afcribed to Menes^ are attributed to this Ucbo" rfiits (F) alfo. . He is faid to have given that city a circuit bf 150 ftadia, or neaf* io riiiles, and by mounds and trenches to have fecured it from the infults either of the Nile^ or of ^ invader. He adorned it with palaces, which, though they fuirpafled ithofe in any other country, yet fell fhort of "lyhathad been done in that way by his prcdeceffors. For the inhabitants held this tranfitory life in no eftimation, if
^DiODOR. I. i. p. 44.
(F'Thclaft-mcntioncdchro- of the fame genius, and there^ nolbger thinks the works of fore weald willingly think them of Uchereui and Mctris favour one and the fame perfon ( 1 }.
(i) Vi4, Sir JJaae f^ewtm uhifupr,
compartd.
C. III. to the time of AteSandcr. 45
compared with the joys the virtuous were to poiTels horc-' after ; and were proportionably lefs fplcndid in the lodgingi tficy prepared for the former, than in the repofitories they founded for the latter. This king tranflated the imperisu feat from Thebes to Memphis K.
After, him, uncertain when, reigned Safychisj the SafycUs. fecond Egyptian legiflator.
We have now brought Dt odor us down to Myn's ; andf that we may dp the fame with Herodotusy we muft relate what he has faid concerning Nitocris (G). She fucceeded Nitocrii. her brother, an Ethiopian^ whom the Egyptians murdered, but afterwards conferred the fucceffion on her. She, medi* tating revenge for her brother's untimely end, put many of the Egyptians to death privately, andbyftratagcm; and is particularly faid to have contrived a fubterraneous building', whither flie invited the principal adors againft her brother to partake of a feaft, and, in the midft of their mirth, to have turned the river upon them by a private paflage, and drown- ed them all. Tlien, to fcreen herfelf from the rage' of the people, (he took refuge in a place well fortified with aflies^. She was of a fair complexion, her hair was yellow, her perfon beautiftU ; but it s^peais, that, diough her mind was great, as is (aid, (he was not a little inclined to crU-^ elty. She is reported to have built the third great pyramid K
Af t e r twelve generations, Mceris^ or ^yris (H), came to the throne. This was he who dug the fsunous lake which
>
e Idem uhi fapr. p; 46. ^ Hbrod. 1. ii. c. 100. i Syn-
CELL. p. 58. ^ before, p. 7, (H).
( G ) Her name (ignifies much to the fame purpofe ( 3 %
Minerva nfi&rix. Sir John Sir i^Srar jN^/off makes her the
Marjbam places her (bon after filler and fucceilbr of Myceri^
the Ifraelites came into Egypt, nrn { \ . He thinks Jofephus means her (H , He recovered Memphis
by the name ofNic-auIe, queen from the paftors, (ays Sir yahft .
of Egypt and Ethiopia ; but Mar/ham ( j* ). Perizomus fixes^
that he is miftaken, in fuppoitng upon ' nothing concerning him.'
tYicNkoeris of Herodotus to be Maeris was sdfo called Maris p
the queen who vifited Solomon, Myris, Meres, Marresy Smarrer,
According to this chronologer^ and more corruptly, by chang*
(he was queen of This, Thebes^ ing Minto -<^, T, ^, 2, TX, A^
3xid Memphis, and much older &ff. Jyres, Tyris, Byires^S/iris,*
dian the Babylonian Nitocris Uchoreus, Labaris ; fo fayd Sir
(2). Father Petron writes Ifaac Ne*vifton {6).
(2) Marjb» ubifupr, {3) Ptxron^ ubi fufr„ (4) Sir Ifaac New^
e^ttH fr^^ (5) Mdrfh^ ubifrt* (^) ^w* ^I<^oz l^ev^t. uhi fvp.
'" " bore
46 ^he Hijiory of Eg^ B. I^i
bore his nime, 'and erefted the two pyranyds which flood in the midft of it J^. He alfo built a mmptuous portigo on the north fide of Fulcan^s temple at Memphis K According' to Herodotus J he was the 330th king from Menesy and the immediate predeceflbr to Sefoftris, SefoArie. Sesostris, Sejoojirisy Sefoojisy Sefonchisy Sefincbojisy Se^ thojisy and feveral other appellationsy are, by (I) fome) hel4
to
* Sec rol. I. p.450, 4ff I. ubifupr. p. 47.
(I) Sir John Mar/ham al- lows him to have been called by theie feveral appellations, and others befides, which we may perhaps have occaiion to mention, by-and-by. He is clearly of opinion^ that the Se- Jofiris of the profane hidorians is the S'e[ac or Shijbak of the facred: he takes notice^ that the more antient kings of ^^/, with whom the patriarchs were formerly concerned, are always fUled Pharaoh j whereas Shi- jbak is the iirft Egyptian king in Scripture called by his proper name ; except Ramefes be rather the name of a king than a country. Thisfampijs chronologer thinks, that, when Sefoftris, or Shijhak^ as he calls kim> fet out to invade j^fia^ he could not well avoid hWmg up- on Judaa^ and accprdingly took the capital thereof, Jeru^ falemy which he Aripped of its i^iches, and reduced Rehoboam the king to ferve hin^; for ^here is exprefs mention made in the LXX and vulgate ver- fions, that he was followed by multitudes o£ Lihyans, froglo- efytes^ and Ethiopians, nations whom« according to proiane accounts, he bad previoufly con- quered. He then lays a ilrefs
^ Herodot. ibid. c. 161. D109V
npon Jofephus^ who fays. Thai
Herodotus, through miftaket
afcrihed the actions of Sefac t$
Sefoflris : and again ; That Ht'
TO^otMZ'wasonly mifiaken inthi
kin^s name ; adding, that, fince
Herodotus and Jojefhui agree
as to the fa£b, there is no great
matter in the differenee of the
names they ufe; and becaufif'
Herodotus profefTes to have feeff
fome of Se/oftris*s ignominioof
pillars in the Syrian Pailejtinei
and becaufe it is iaid in the Scri«
pture, and by Jofepbus^ that
Rehoboam gave up the city with^
out the lealt refifUnce, hefeems
to be clearly of opinion, that
Se/acy or ShijS^qk, (et them ^p
upon that very account ( 8 ).
Let m now fee what Peri- %omus has tp offer in cdntnti di^bn to this ; for we have al- ready pbierved, that he sifikeaf it his chi^f bufinefs to confute, the foregoing chronologer. - He^ then lays it down with great po* fitivenefs, that Sefac and Sefi^ firis are kings widely diffeteot and remote fi*om each other. How he proves this, we fhaU give in the briefeft and dear^ order we are able.
I .He examines theexpreffiona above-cited from Jofepbus ; ^nd^ after proving that^&raral of the
(?). Vid, Marjb. uhi fup.
feamedi-
C. III. to the time jof Alexander.
to belong to one man, v^hofe reign is eftieemed tbejgMft extraordinary part pf the Egyptian hiftorv. He is r^(e*
* fcntcd
47
learned, as well as Sir John Mar/ham^ haVe taken them wrong, he proceeds thas : Firft» he infills, that, by the common confent of the Gr^^^, Sefiftris was moeh older than the Trojan ^2Lr. So lays He- rodotus % and the fame is re- ported by Diodorus, only with this differeojce, that he makes a mach greater fpace between this kii\g and that war than
' Hetodotus does. This aifo is evidently confirmed by Strabo (9), and by Ariftotle (lo), who places him before Minos the Cr^/^nr lawgiver : as alio by the writers of the Argonaut ex- pedition, thefcholiaftof^/^- mtu (11).; by Arrianus (12), who makes him contemporary to Jandyfu the Scythian ; by Jomandes ( 1 3 )» who fays he fiouriihed before the Amaxjons ; and laftly, by Jufiin and Mli-
I «« ( 1 4 ) ; the former declaring that Sefiftris lived before the days ofNinus, and the latter, that be was inftru^ed by^ Mer- €ury^ and fo makes him equal to the Egyptian Mercuty^ who muft certainly have been more antient than the time of Bjbc- ioam. After thefe citations, he blames Sir John Marram for making flight of fnchabandant teftimony, and for pronoancing the whole a miilake which arofe from the ignorance of the Greeks: and then proceeds; But
' conld the Greeks be Grangers to thft age of Sefiftris^ if he lived
fo late ? there was no very great interval between Homer andKr- hoboam : and who can conceive that he, who was bom in j^a Minor ^ and fpent the greatdt part of hid days there, or in the adjacent ifles, and lived, at Marjham allows, after the days ofSefofirisi ivho, (ays he, can account for his not making men- tion of Sefiftris in any of his poems, as he did of Mernnon, who siuft have followed this conqueror very near ? Mtmnfin was celebrated, &ys Mar/Sint^ bec^ufo he lived nearer to t£e poetical times ; but Ferizonius will have it, that Homer wrote foon after the death of Reho- heamt and therefore muil have followed him near enough to have had perfect information and frcih records of the deeds 6f Sefiftris : befides Afta Minor at that time was all Greek, by the jEoIic and Ionic colonies which were tranfplanted thither fome* time before the reign of Reho' boami and the inhabitants mull have principally been Greis when Sefiftris invaded Afia Mi- nor y\f Marjham be right. Whiat is here find of the Afiatic Greeks ^ is to clear the way for a farther confutation of Marfietm, who- obierves, that, if SefiftrisYad extended the war intoGr^^r^,we fhould have bad clearer lights concerning him, nor would be have been involved fo much in obfcurity ; feeing the Athe- nians, Lacedemonians $ and C«-
(9) VhL L i.f . 38. & A zvH. f, B24. (to) Fid, ftitU. tiL io«
(I t) L. in^r. ^'|^, (|a) Afiid Pbotium^ €od, 53,- (23), Qeticis, c. 6.
a
ritiihian^
Rented as potent at land and on fea, wife, juft> gene* rouSy szioTOMAy magnificent, but ambitious aunoft
beyond
rintbianSyloMii, began to preierve the memory of thiols; that the Jfiatic Greeks were not
at this time very regardful of
. foreign tranfa£tions, were unskil- ful in letters, and that JEf^Tm^ was sot yet born, who was older than any Greek hifbriographer : and from hence concludes, that we ought not to wonder,
. that the Egyptian affairs are al moft utterly tinknpwn. To this it is anfwered, that the Jfiatie Greeks were more likely to tranfinit the hiftory of ^^- fofiris down to pofterity, as be- ing fiiperior and ienior in learn- ing to the Eurofean ; that, if they did not immediately keep written records, chey undoubt- edly preferved very ^ithful tra- ditions of pail occurrences, which they propagated from one generation to another, and particularly in the cafe of 4^^-
. fiifiris^ the monuments of whofe conquers they had before their tythi and if his monarchy de- fcended to his fucceffors, as Marjbam thinks it did to the firil Olympiad, and if Homer, was not yet born, it is certain that he muft have been born foon after, and whilft the fame and power of this monarchy
.muft have fubfiiled. In a word, Perizonius prefers the jffiatic before the, European Creeks, as to what concerns the remembrance of antient mat-
. ters ; and proves that the latter received the greateft part of their arts and fciences, nay, of their alphabet, from the for- mer; obferving, that, if not all
yet moft oftheandentdftG/wi writers were Jfiaties. He con- tinues ; Now if Se/bfirisiavtMi Jfia Minor after the Greeks fettled there, the j^//VGr#^if, who firft of all delivered down the memory of things, both in profe and verie, moft certainly have known fome- thing of this celebrated expe- dition, either from the writings or the traditions of their fore- Others, and have given at juft and accurate an account thereof as the European Greeks could have given. But nothing of this appears ; for Herodotus^Hblt moft antient of the Greek iufto- rians we have, profcfles to have received the whole flory of Se» foflris from the JSjj(^iii»prieftii He thinks moreover, that, fup pofing Marjbam to be in the right, the European Greeks maSt have had fufiiaent knowlege of Se/ojris, feeing he carri^ on the war into Thrace, and that Lycurgus, within an hundred years afterwards, mufb have travelled into Jfia, wheno^ be brought over with him the works of Homer, He certainly would have alfo brought fbrne account with him of fo great a vidlory from the Jfiasic Greeks, if it had been obtamed only 70 years, or thereabouts, bciore.
2. But the Greeks alone did not put Se/oftris many ag^ more backward than- Sejaci the Egyptians did it alfo. M^ netbo exprefly fays, that ^ff* ptus and Danaus were .only different names for Sethojts [Sf foftfisl^dxA his brother jimoah.
Now
-•.4...
C. llli /y/iS* time efAicxaxviet.
beyond tompare. Both the Greeks and Egypttaris^ wnpr Recorded his adUons, whether in profe or -veife; ' differed
widely
'45
Now Dafiaks csLtntinto Greece, as is iaid^ three ages before the Trojan war, and he could bor- row this from no Greek author, at leafty that is extant ; and therefore, that Se/aftris and Armais were ^gyptus and Dd- nam, -feems to hare been the oj^nion of the Egyptians, or^ at leaft^ of MoHetbd,
'3. The fkcred hifloty does not favour the opinion of Se- fiftris^z being Se/ac ; for, by the pro&ne accounts, Bejbftrisy in a continued expedition of nine years^ over-ran all Afia: but the Scripture makes ho &rther mention of ^^^- than that he fpoiled the temple and the city, and returned back. Jofiphus fays cxpreflyi that he rft- tumed into his own cbuntrfr.
' 4. What Mdrfiam fays of the duration of Sefofiri$\ mo- narchy, as that it reached down to Amaisiab and Uxziab kings of Judaby and to the beginning of the firft Olympiad; by the Scripture it appears,* that the kifigs ef Judaby after Rebobo- a^f never ferved any foreign powef^ <^r paid any tribute, till they were invaded by the ^ fyrietns, • So that, if Sefifiris ttnd Sbijbmk be the fame^ as Marram would have them, it doek not appear that the Egy- ptian monarchy was of any du- ration ; Ui that here he is alfo miftaken. So far we have given you the argumetits of P^- r/«««iitf againfl Marfiam: we will now infert his opinion as to the times when this con- queror livedo
Vol. n.
Andy cohternih'g this, he fpeaks with great uncertaiiify and caution. He begins thus : Herodoiia declares^ that king Maris had not been dtfad qui^e 906 years When he was in Egypt, Now the fame hift^- rian makds Sejbjlris the imme« diate fuCcefTor of ili<2rr//; and moreover fkys, that the Trojan i^r was about 800 years be- fore he wrote ; and that jRT/r- culesy the ion ofAlcmenay went into igypt about 906 yearslid- fore hiinfelf. By this chrono- logy, Sefifiris lived about ai age or century befbre the Tri^ j4n l^r, and i^as contempo- rary with . the abovefaid -fifirr- eulety or a little later. So it follows fiiom this computation i but, in h^i he inuft have been older, if he be the fknle with JEgyptuiy tvhofe brother Z)«- ndus was the (ixth predeceflbi^ of Perfeusy who was the great grand^ther of tiercules : and fix)m hence he coAjeAures, thai Sefifiris ihay be fixed in the days of the Judges. But, con- tiilues he, it may be objefted, that there is not the lead men- tion made of SefiftHsy arid what h^ did, itt holy Writ. To this he anfwfcrs, that the I/rdelites, when Sefiftris came into Pale^ fiine, were under fnbjddlion td the various nations which in- habited the country ; for thaf Palefiine bent under the incur-- lions of Sefifiris^ appears plain from Herodotus y who thefe faw the ignominious pitlarS whicll he ufed to raife in coun- tries where he met with no re- D fifiance^
so
iThe Hiftvry of Egypt B. L
widdy from each other ^'iut they could never differ morey nor fure fo much, as our modern chronologers andhiftorkuis
do,
fiftance. And iince the J/rael- itei were not principals in this infam^j they might imagine it not primarily to concern cheniy but accidentally to have fallen upon them in common with their makers; and therefore took no notice thereof, as thinking it coald be no imme- diate part of their own hillory. Add to this, that Se/o/triscaa\d make no long ftay there, con- fidering that they voluntarily fubmitted to him, and that he had no lefs a conqueil in his eye, than all the eaftern parts of. the world, if not the whole habitable earth ; which re- quired difpatch .-and thence he takes occafion to fpeak in the words oi yu/tin, that, though . Se/o/fris gloried in his con- queds, he abilained from em- pire, and made no change in thegovcrnmentof any country. Finally, he fuppofes alfo, that Se/ofiris might have come into Talejtine when Ifrael was un der the Mwhites ; and owns, that it is no way important whether or no Danaus was the brother of Sejofiris ; deems what Manetho iays on that head, to be calculated to pleafe the Greiks ; and, in a word, concludes, that he has de- firoyed Sir yohn Mar/hanC^ hy- pothefis, by proving \kiZX.Mtnis 18 not Homy or Mizraim ; or *Sr* /ofiris, Shijhak ( 15 .
We will now, in general terms, infert the opinion of fetcron. He teaches, that Se-
thofis and Sefifiris are one and the {ameperfon,and that he wai the^^;^2a brother to Datum i that he was a prince widely di- ftant from Se/onchUf whom he will have to have been the iame with Shifiuik ; and that neither Se/oncJb^ru, or Sg/oMchqfis, was Sefoftris^ but diflind »hbth from him and from each other. We forbear entering into his lea- fons, and proceed to another learned man, who has no eae notion in common with what has entered into the heads of thefe three celebrated chroliQ" logers (16).
We mean Mr. WhifiM^ whe^ becaufe he is fmgular in takios this king for the vtxy PiaraA who perifiied in the RedSe^^ and the very ^Typh^n of the l/fy" tbologifts, we wiU give you his own words. And fir^ he pr^* mifes this propoikion : ** Hmr" '* meffet Mi JmSufi, or Rmmg' Jei theGreat^ thegrandfikther " of ^ejofirii^ was king-of the ^* lower Egypt when HE/hmfu born : Anenophh III. his fon, was there king aftef him durii^ M^/fs*^ youth; ** and Sethosf or Sithqfis^ or « Se/oftrts the Qreaty the f<M '' of JmenofhU .lll» was id " during the reft of the fcrvi- ** tude of the children of J^* rael in Egypt ; and was tluiC y try Pharaoh whopeci(hed.i» " t\it Red Sear r<tlienoffjM 13 reafons or arguments in d&r monflation of thi& pro( ol^^ion !• but, pafTm^ over to the tenths
ti
«
(C
t<
€(
t(
{!$) Vii% Ptrmnu ubifup. ^16) Ptssron, anti^, da tempi ntab* p* C4.
C. HI. to the ti$ne of Alexaiidef.
do, in fixing his age, and in fpeaking concerning him : however^ we (hall €oIl«& the beft account we can of his reign;
Sesostris
ie thrfc fayij that '* tli^. '" firm thofc accounts we have f' prefer^ration of Mofss, and << in ^r/a/a^^i an heathen, and
5»
€t
€€
€(
his education by PharOoPs daughter (17); are very agreeable to what her bro- ther, Aminophis III. did *« about, or foon after, the ^^ birth of Mofes i I mean, ** when he called together, *< and educated with his Ton ** Sefoflris, no fewer than ** feventcen hundred boys ** ( 1 8), or all the male children •* that were born in Egypt ** the fame day with him : ** which might well be in imi- ** tation of ^hermutis [the daughter of this Fbaraohy who was otherwife called HarmeffesMi'AmourtyOr Ra- •* mefies the Great'], when (he ** drew Mo/es out of the river, ** and educated him for her *' own fon v' 19). And, by the ** way, if this Tbermutis were ^* but as fagacious and learned ** as her great niece Atbyrtes, ** the daughter of Sefoftris, is. ** dcfcribed by Diodorus (20), <* we (hall have no reafon to *«• wonder at what St. Stephen ** informs us, that Mofes ivas *' learned in all the nxi/dom of ** the Egyptians, and was *' mighty in ivords and in deeds ^ even beffore he received any particular commiflion from God for the delivery of his. people out of Egypt, Nay, ** indeed, thele laft words con- ** cerning Mofeiy that be was fo early mighty in awards and in deedsi feem to mie to con-
(iS) Mittfj.p.%%1
«t
tfC
44
4*
. (17) Ex9d. ii. (zo)M4rlh.p.'is^
** Jo/Muj thtjrwy concern* " ingMo/es^s wife and valiant <^ condu^ under the king of " ^Vt^y when he was young,- ^< againft the Ethiopians ; who *^ attempted the conqueft of '^ that country at that time. '* Which fucceffes of thefe E^ *< gyptiansf under the condudk << of Mofesy might probably *< enough encourage king i^^- *< fofiris to undertake thofc *« other vaft expeditions which *< raifed the Egyptian monar-r ^« chy, and fpread his empire '« over almoU all the then *< known world. Nor is ifi *' impoffible to fuppofe, that ** the Ethidpic war, which is '' known to have been under- *^ taken both at fea and land, by this Sefoftrisy might be when he was young; and might be that very Ethiopic war which was managed by MofeSy under the kmg of Egypt y as mentioned by ^r- tapanits and Jofephus,'''* Mr. Whiflon^% eleventh argu- ment runs thus: "There are " evident remains of this Sefo" " y?r/i's periftiing in or near the - Red Seay as did this Pharaoh at the exodus out of Egypt; ** Diodorus affurcs us, tiiat Se* foftris at lail became blind i and that fo lie was volunta- rily the occaiion of his own '^ death ; and Uuit he deferv- edly obtained the admiratipn of the prieds and people, of
(15} Kj^d. u\ JQ.
<c
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«
cc
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*: Esjfi
The Hifiory of Egypt fi. I.
Sesostris then is by fome thought to havebeendie ton of Jmenop bis -, but, whoever his father was, it is fiud9 that die
god
Egypt on account of that his ** fame end that the Erjfftum magnanimous death. But ** Pi6«r«0^ did, and was drown* ^ what fort of voluntary and ** ed in or near to the fiune Xgd ** maenanimous death this was, '* Sea. For as they, in fiuc '* it ictms the Egyptian priefts ^* phces at lead, long kept the *^ did not inform him. But << memory of Ofyris^ the ofiul ** then, ifweconfider, thatS#- ** name of any beloved king of *^ foftrti'% real or Egpptian " ^gypt that was murdered i aa " naYne was Setb-os^ or SetJi- '* was I/is the ufual name oC ojis ; and that there was an *' fuch a king^s wife, or queen ^ antient famous £^/iA«king9 '* and Tjpbo the ufual name of '* whofe fiditious name among ** fuch a murderer ; fb it waa ** the Greeks was Yjpbon, tbe ** here. OjyHs feems to have ^ prouii i but his real or Egy» *' been fome beloved king that '* ^//a;7 name was no otlier than *' Sefofiris had flain [perhaps ^' ^^/i&y as PltUarcb himfelf, a *' his own brother Rasmajfks ] ^ '' ereat mailer of old Egyptian ** and him(elf (eems thence to *' learning, more than once af- ** have had the hateful name of «* fures us ; that Typbo*s own " Typbo given him by the ** city Felufium was peculiarly " other's fubjefti. And cer* ** the city of this ^tfoftris^ " tainly this name Typbo^ or *' whither he firtt came when " tbe proud^ was never applied ** he returned from his famous ** more fitly than to this Se/o^ ** eaflern expedition-; and where " ftris ; who after his conqued ** he and his queen received a '^ nfed fometimes to take his " fort of miraculous deliverance ** hories out of his chariot, and '' from the murderous defigns ** to harnefs a certain number •* of his brother Armais^ and " ofhis captive kings, and to be
«4
was, by the Egypt ians^ called *« drawn in ftate by them, in-
** according to his own name " Head of the other. And, as
** Seth ' ron ; and the nomos " to the death of this Typbo, the
thereto belonging, the Setb- " Egyptian records are plain
roite nomos ; we fhall find, " and dire£lj and afTure us, that
that what the Egyptians " he was firuck by a tbunder^
'* could not, or would not, di- " holt, and bis blood ran out at
•* redly inform Diodorus of in " Heroopolis, a city ytry near
in the way of plain hiftorical *^ the place where the Ifrael*
fad, and thereby concealed *' /Vfj entered the ^^r^ 5/^i j the
the true manner of his death " very fame, I fuppofe, that
«« from foreigners ; yet did *' Mofes calls by its elder name .
** fome of thofe Egyptians pre- ** ^ Baalzephon j that the fame
*« ferve the memory of it un- *' city was called Blood, or
*' der another form ; and that " The bloody city, from that
" t\ihSetb,ot Setb-os,ox Seth- '' firft Jhedding of the hlogd of
f* ojis^ or lypho^ came to the ** Typho there-, and that he
*' Her
C* ni. to the time of Mtxmditr.
god Vulcan appeared to him in a dream, and admonifhed him, that the foo which was or fhould be born to him,
would
S3
*• Itet drowned under tht 'wtUert " lightnings mentioned in this of the lake SirboD, which is <^ account of 7ypho^% deArudti- not far from the Red Sea ; ** on, other than what we have and was antiently fuppofed *^ hinted at in the cafe oiPha- to communicate therewith ** raoh^s de(lru6Uon in our pre-* under-ground. Thedtyalfo '' fent copies of the P#ff/tf/^»ri&s itfelf feems to me to have its **" where we find, that God later name Herotpolis, or the '* looked through the pillar of city of heroesy on this very ** fire, and of the clowd^ and fo account, that near thereto «• troubled the bofis oftheEgy^ the moft potent Egyptian ** ptians, that their chariot- king, and his mighty com- '* ivheels *were taken off, and mandersy with their intire '^ they drove heavily ; and thi army, thofe great heroes, be- " Egyptians re/bl*ved to Jlu
%f
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came martyrs for the Egy- ptian idois^ idolatry, and ty** ranny, in oppofition to the God of I/rael,and hi$ peo- ple : nor do 1 meet with any
It
" from the face of Ifrael, he- «* caufe they now perceived^that ** God him/elf fought for them ctgainfi the Egyptians, whild nuith the blaft of his mftriti other in hiflory for that ap- « the tAjatersnuere gathered to^ pellacioUi And very remark- «< gether ; and dire£tly fet'down able it is, how exa^ly all this <« by Jofephus zxidiArtapanus in agrees to the other mpre di- <« the hiltory itfelf; and alfb re£t Egyptian account already <c by the pfalmift in his celebra- fet down ; <i;/«. That Sefo- « tion of this moft wonderful ** ftri»\ death was voluntary « deliverance and judgment ; and magnanimous, and fuch, « who declares, that,be£ides tht indeed, as was highly extol-' « -pouring out of water front led both by the priefts and « the clouds at that time, the people oi Egypt, And whaf « fiies then fent out a foundi^ Paidinus in Aufonius could *< and God*s arrows went mean, when, inf the diiUndt << abroad i that /i&# voice of his
C(
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mention of two of the nK)ft illuftrious kings of Egypt , Necepfos and Sefiftris, he fays of the latter, Et qui regna- vit, fine nomine- mox, Sefoo-
€€
thunder was in the heaven i that the lightnings lightned the world i and that the earth trembled and Jhook: in exaft agreement with the
ftris ; that he who hai been <^ heathens account of the de- fo great a king, was hy-and- *^ ilrudion of Typho?^^ To con- by without u name ; unlefs elude ; the fkme writer thinkai he refer to fome fuch igno- it a plain folution to the que- minious death of his, as We ftion, of what became bf the fa- have here defcribed ; is hard mous Egyptian (nonacchy after to fay. Nor is that /i^i/^r- the death of ^^y^r/jr f that he Mtf wftorm effbundtr emd and his numerous hoft wa& loft
54 ^he Hiftory of Egypt Kh
Hij/ather'^ould be lord of the whole earth, l-raught with this vi- gathers i^fion, he got together all the males in Egypt born on the all the boys fame
in Egypt
that nuere in the UedSea ; wh'ch^ together ** his minftrcls, called by the horn on the with the lofs o.^ 600,000 flaves, " Greeks Calliope, to Oeagrur fame day as the Hehrenui were no better f' the fon of 1 bar ops \ and of ^itb him. in Egypt ^ he thinks mull have « Oeagrus and CaJHape "was given a great fliock to the Egy^ " born Orpheus^ who faile4 ^/itf«power,and naturally ruined ^* with the Argonauts: this their newly-acquired monarchy. ** Bacchus was therefore con- In a word, it is his opinion, that " temporary to S^/oj-ris ; and tlie fudden extindion of this vaU '^ both being kings of Bgypt^ monarchy, at the death of its ^' and potent at Ka, , and great founder Sefofiris^ is little elfe ^f conquerors^ and carrying on than a depionflration, that lie ^^ their conquefts into Indiit was that very Pharaoh who " and 7brace, they qiiift (x one with all his hpll periihedin the '* and the fame man. jRedSea [^i), *^ 2, Dic^archnSf at he is tit-:
The great Sir Ifaac Newton " ed by the/choliajl upon^^A is of opinion, that Sefofiris is f* /7«/«j (23), reprints Qfiri^ ihe OJiris of the Egyptians^ the " and Orus, two generadoos^ l^cchus ^^xkit Greeks^ zxi^ the '^ older thsm St/ofiriSf faying, S<r/27c or Shyhak of the Scripr ** that after Orsts^ the fon of ture ; ■ towards the propf of ** Ofiris and IJit^ reigned ^<- which he produces the ^Uowt f^ fonchofis. The people of ing arguments : . , '' Naxus made Bacchms two*
" I . Bacchus the Conqueror " generations older than ^he- f * loved two women, Venus and ** feusy and for that end fdgn* f« Ariadne i by the lail of thefe " cd two Minos'" s and tsuoAri" f< he had fons who were Argo- ** adne*s. Now, by the con* « ;?^i//i ; therefore the great " lent of all antiquity, Ofirii f< Bacchus flourifhed but one '* and Bacchus v/trt one and << generation before the Argoit^ " the fame king of £^/: this « »ai//;V expedition. ThisjB^c-. «* is affirmed by xheEgyptfovs^ ** chus was potent at fea (22), '* as well as by theGraksi ** conquered eajd ward as &r as ^* and fome of the antient my- ^< India, returned in triumph, '< thologiib, as Eumolpus and *• brought his army over the ** Orpheus (24), called OJiris •* Jfelle/ponti conquered7]&rtfr^, " by the names of Diofrjfu^ ** left muAc, dancing, and poe- *' and Sirius. OJiris was king *5 try there if killed Lycurgus " of all £^/, and a great con- '« kingof IT/^^zrr, andjP^«/iv»i ** queror, and came over the ** the grandf6n of Cadmus } •* HeUeJpont in the days of ** gave the kingdom of lycur^ " TtiptoUmus, and f ubdued ^^ ^KT to Tharofs i and one of '* Thrace, and there killed Zf-
fai) yid, TnnfioiC$ t^endiKf l[z2) T/V/. Hermi^nm afud At be*
navm, I. U (23) Argonm^ U iv. «, a7a, (»4) ^>»^
Hcwrgfu^
C. HI. to tbi time of Alexander.
iame day with his fon, and appointed nurfes^and proper per- fons to takecare of them, and had them treated in all refpe£l$
like
55
•' curguii and therefof* hb « expcdicioa fails in with that ** of the great Bmccbui. Ofi-^ <' risy Ba^cbus^ and Si/oftris^ << lived about the iame time i « and by the reiacion of hiftc- ** riansy wej« all of them king» <« of all Egypi^ and reigned at << betes ^ andadorned that ci ty^ ** and were very potent by knd ** and fea: all three were great ** conqi^rora, and carried o» *' their conqiieib by land thro* ** Afia^ aa far as India : all *« three came over the Helie/- <c p9irt, and were there in dan* <K ger of lo^g their army : all « three conquered Tbrace, and *< there put a flop to their vi- M( Tories, and returned back €c from thence into Egypt : all c< three left pillars with infcri- r< ptions in their conqaeils : <( and therefore all three muft c< be one and the fame king of << Egypt i and this king can « be no other than Sejac. All ** ^VP^» including Tbebais^ « Etbhfim^ and Libya^ had no << common king be^re the ex- ** pulfion oix^ktjhefberdt^ who << reigiied Lathe Ir^zvfr Egypt \ ** no conqueror of ^Wa, /v- «* ^/tf, ^<j A^/iwr, and Tbrace^ *^ before ^^r ; and the iacred ** hiHory admits of no Egyptian ** conqueror of P«Z^fWb(efore " tliis king.
** 5. BaccbtuhsLdLslyam WO" **^ men in his army^ and they ** were commanded by Afra«r- <' m, herfelf a iU^ (zc).
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Diodoi^us (26) calb her A^- rfJTtfy and iaith, that ihe ]va9 queen of the jimasims in Z/** /ytfy and there conquered tho jftlaiftUej and G^rgotte, an4 then made a league with Oruj the fon of Ifij, fent to hcF by his Either 'Oj!ris or Bacchus for that purpofe ;^ and, pafling through £^/^ fubdued the JrMans^ an^ ^rM,^ and Ciliciay and camo through Pbrygim^ <vi%, in the army of Baccbut, to the Mediterrameam I but, paffing over into Bur^, was flain, with many of her women, by the Tbrmciam and S.cy^ ibUms^ under the conduA o# Sifylus a S^tbiofHy and M^ /i</ a Tbractan, whom Lycur* gus, king of T/jr^ce, had ba« nilhed. This (fiiys our moft fagaciotts author) was that ^ycMTgMS who oppoiisd the paf&ge of Baccbtfs ovtr the Helle/pMt, and was foon af- ter conquered by him» and ^in: but afterwards Bac cbus met with a repulfe from the Greeks, under thecon« duft of Perfeus^ who flew many of his women, as Pau^ fmmas (27) relates, and was affiiled by the Scythians and Tbracians under Sipyius and l/hpfus \ which repttlfes, to- gether with the revolt of hii brother Danaus^, put a ftopi to his vi^ories : and, in re« turmnghome, he left part of his men in C^kbisx^^^t
(25) Vid. Died. I. ui. /• 140. (s6) Likaip. 131^ i^u |47) P4it-
P 4 ^ iQQttat
56 ^eHiJlofyofEgyipt B.I.
Hke his own child ; perfuaded that they who had been the conftant and equal companions of his childhood and youth,
would
«
<#
f^ mount Cauea/us, under JBe- ** tes and Prometheus ; and his ** women upon the river Ther^ ** modon near Colchis^ under ** their new queens Marthefia ^^ and Lampeto ; for Dhdorus ^^ (28), fpeaking of the Ama- ^ sconsy who were feated at •* TbermodoHt faith, that they" */ dwelt originally in Libya ^ and there reigned over the' ■Atlantidest and, invading ^' their neighbours, conquered ^' as hx as Europe : and Am- *^ mtanus (29); that the anti- V ent ^M^2«^ff/, breaking thro*^ *.* many nations, attacked the *' Athenians^ and then, rcceiv- ** ing a great flaughter,retired <* to ThermoJon : and Jufiin ^^ (30), that thefe Amazons had ^' at iirft, he means at their •* firft coming to Thermodon^ ' ^5 two queens, who called ** themfelves - daughters of " Mars i and that they cbn- *' qaered part oi Europe ^ and ^' ibme cities in Afia^ <ujz. in *' the reign ofMinerikt; and ** then fent back part of their •* army, with a great booty, ^* under their faid new queens;' ** and tlaxMartheJtay being af- ** terwardfi flain, was fucceed- ^* cd by her daughter Orithja, ** and fhe by Penthefilea ; and ** that The/eus. captivated and •^ married Anthpe, the fifter of *' Oriihya, Hereu/es mzdev/zr ** upon the Amazons^ and in ** the reign of Orithya and •* Penthefilea they came to the
4<
ct
*' Trojan war : whence the firft <^ wars of the AmazAms in £«- ^' r^^ and ^/z, and their &t- <^ tling at Tbermodon^ were but' <' one generation before thofe ** actions of Hercules and fhe^ ** feus J and but two before the << Trojan war, and fo fell in ^f with the expedition of Se- <* y^m ; and fince they war- 'f redinthedaysof^andher *^ fon Or«/, and were a part of ** the army under Bacchus or *^ O^r/V, we have here a fiir- ^< ther : argument for making Ofiris and Bacchus contem- porary to Sefoftrisj and all three one and the fame king ** yjit\i Sefac,
" 4. The Greeks mdkxm OJh *^ ris and Bacchus to be (bns of <* Jupiter, and the Egyptian *^ name of Jupiter is Amman. ** Mtfff^/i&0 (31) in his eleventh and twelAh dynafties, as he is cited by Africanus and Eu/ebiusy names thefe four kings as reigning in order; Ammenemesy Ge/ongefesy or ** Sefonchorisy the ion of Am- *^ menemeSy jiptmenemesy who " was flain by his eunuchs, and' << Se/oftrisy who fubdued all <' Afiay and a part of Europe f " Gefongefes and Sefoncboris' are corruptly written for Sefonchofisi and the two firft' " of thefe four kings, Amme*' ^' «/}»^/ and Se/ottchofisy are the '* fame with the two laft. Am- '* menemes 9XidSefoftris^ that is, ". WiUi Amman end ^^^ ; fos
cc
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(30) I,/^. ii. c, 4. (31) ^ff he/ore^ p, t.
(29) £>i3. zzil. c, %0
I
# >
C. Ill* to the time of Alexander.
would prove the moft faithful minifters, and moft affeSion- ate fellowrfoldiers. They were abundantly fiirniflied with
every
57
€4
ft
€t
•^ Diodrus faith, that Ofiris *^ built a temple at Thebes to ** his foher Jupiter Ammon^ ^f who reigned in that city f^ (32) : and Thymafiesy who •* was contemporary to Or- ■^ fheusy wrote exprefiy, that •* the fkther of Bacchus was '* Ammofiy a king reigning over part oi Libya ; that is, a king of Egypt reigning over that part of Libya antiently called '* Ammonia: T\ei<rA i AiCvn •* ircnf kKAKilro dtml *AfJLT *f /x«VS'(33). AllL%Awas *f called Ammonia from Am- *f mon-y that is, that king of
" ^EyP* ^^^°* whom Thebes *^ was called Na-Ammon, and •' Ammon-Ne, the city of Am- •* mottf and by the Greeks Diof- polis the city oi Jupiter Am- mon. Here again our author '' feems to demonftrate, that ** Sefoftris and Qfiris were the *f fame perfon.'*
5. And to corroborate what i^ uid in the prepeding article ; Se/oftris^ upon his returning home, divided Egypt by mea* fiire amongft the Egyptians ; and this gave a beginning to furveying and geometry: and lamhUchus derives this divifion of Egypt ^ and the beginning of geometry, from the age of the gods o{ Egypt. And becaufe Sefoftris, or Se/ac, to render the Nile more ufefal, dug ca- nals from it, and thereby made a general diftribution of its water ; this chronologer is of <)pinion, that the river was con-
fecrated to him, and he was^ called by its names, JEgyptus^ Sirisy Nilus ; and obferves from Piutarchy that the fy liable O, put before the word Siris by the Creeks, made it fcarce in- telligible to the Egyptians,
6. He thinks it appears, " That Se/oftris was alfo 5^/- " Jhaby or Se/ac, becaufe thf *^ firft conqueils this king in ** faid to have made were y r*- *^ glodyticay Libya, and Ethio- ** pia ; and, in the firft year of ** Rehaboamy Sefoftris [ Se/ac ] " came out of Egypt with a ** great army of Libyans, Tro*
*^ i^4y*^'9 ^^^ Ethiopians i and ^^ fpoiled the temple, and re- '< duced Judea into fervitude ; '* and went on conquering^ *^ firft eaftward towards India^ ** and then weftward as far as *^ Thrace ; for GoD bad gi^ven^ " him the kingdoms of the coum" ** /r/>j(34).
7. There is no one argument' on which this great chronolo^ ger lays a greater ftrefs, for the proof of what he advances con* cerning Sefoftris than the fol- lowing : " So/on, having travel- " led into Egypt, and convcrfed. <^ with the priefts ofSais about ^' their antiquities, wrote a ** poem of what he had learn- ^ *f ed,butdidnotfini(h it(35)j '^ and this poem fell into th« **f hands of P/atOy who relate^ << out of it, that at the mouth " of the Streight.y near Her* *^ fir/fj's Pillars y there was ai^. " ifland called Atlantis, thq
(32) See before, p. i%. (33) Stepb, in 'Aix*4mfa*
3p2f *^ 3>— -5, (35) Piatf in Timant Critia,
(34.) I CbmtV
'J pcpplt
|8 The Hiftory of Egypt ^ B. K
every thing needful, and, as they grew up,thcy were by de* gfecs inured to laborious and manly cxercifes, and were in
particular
iC
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people of which, nine thou- fand fears beibre the days of Solon, reigned over Lihya as far as Egypt ^ and over Eu- rope as far as the Tyrrhdnean Sea ; and all this force col- lected into one body invaded Egypt and Greece^ and what- ever was contained within the pillars of Hercules i but was refilled and ftopped by the Athenians f and othsr Greeks ; and thereby the reft of the nations not yet con- quered were preferred : he faith alfo, that in thofe days the godsy having iinifhed their conquefts, divided the whole earth amongft them- felvesy partly into larger, partly into imaller portions, and inftituted temples, and facred rites, to themfelves; and that the ifland of Atlan- tis fell to the lot of Neptune, who made his eldeft fon At- las king of the whole ifland, a part of which was called Gadir ; and that in the hi* fiory of the faii ijjars men- tion njjas made of Cecrops, Erechtheus, Erichthonius, and others ^^r^Thefeus, and alfo of the fwomen ivho nvarred luith the men, and of the habit and ftature of Minerva, thefiudy ofivar in thofe days being common to men and nvomen. By all thefe circumftances it is ma- nifeft, that thefe gods were the Dii magni ma jorum gen- tium, and lived between the age of Cecrops and fhefeus ; and that the wars which Sefir
4t
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** fris, with his brother Nep- ** tunty made upon the nation^ ^^ by land and by fet, and the ^^ refiflance he met witik ia " Greece, and the falkM¥h)g " invs£(mo£ Egypt by Neftme, ^ are here defcribed ; and )iow the captains oiSefifiris iha- red their conquefis amongft *^ themfelves, as the captains of Alexander the Great did hiy conquefb long after ; and, in- '* ilituting temples and prk&M^ ** and facred rites, to them- *' felves, caufed the nations to ** worihip them, after their '^ death, as gods: andthitthe ** ifland Ge^ir or Gades, with ** all Uhya, fell to the lot of ^' him who after deatk waiT ** deified by the aame of i^ tune. The time, therefore, when thefe things were done, is by ^^/m limited to tlieage of Neptune the ^her ciAt- " las ; for Homer tells us, that Ulyfes, prefently after the Trojan war, found Calfpfig the daughter of Atlas, in the Ogygian ifland, perhaps G#- ** dir ; and therefore it was but two generations before the Trojan war. This is' that Neptune, who, with Apollo, or Orus, fortified Trty with a wall, in the reign of Lao' " me/(on the htherofPriamusi ** and left many natural chil- " dren in Greece, fbme of which were Argonauts, and others were contemporaries to the Argonauts ; and therefore he fiouriihed but one generatioB- before the Argonautic expe- ilition> and, by confequence,
abom
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59
C. III. to the time of Alexander.
particular never permitted to tafte of any thing till they had performed a courfe of i8o furlongs, or upwards of •22 miles. By this exercifc of the body, and by a pro- per cultivation of the mind, they were equally fitted to command ^d to execute. Amenophisj after he had been at this yaft expence and trouble inlaying the foundation of his fon's future grandeur, refolved to give him and his companions an opportunity of difplaying the good effe£U of their inftitution ^ and tnerefore he fent him and them ipirith an army into Arabia. In this expedition the yowngSends Sefoflris furmounted all the dangers of ferpents and venom- /»/<? Ara- ous creatures, all the wants and hardfhips of a dry and bia and barren country 5 and in die jend fubdued the jfrabians^ who, Afric. till that time, had never been conquered. His father then ordered him wcftward, and he fubdued the great- eft part of Afric ^ ; nor did he ftop, it feems, his career, till he faw me Atlantic ocean '. Whilft he was on this expedition, his father died ; and, having now the reins in his own hands, and being elated by the fuccefs which had hi- therto attended him, he grafped at the conqueft of the whole earth ; or he called to mind the predlftion of the god, and prepared for the enterprize. Some fay, that his daughter^/Ayft^, a young woman ofgreat wit and fagacity, excited him thereto by her counfel, reprefenting it as an cafy matter ; others, that flie obtained afliirances of her fa- ther's fuccefs by cKvination, by dreams in temples, and pro-
* DioD. 1. i. p. 4S.
f* aboat 400 years before Sohn «« went into Egypt: but the <* prieHs oi Egypt in thofe 400 <^ years had magnified the fto- i* ries and antiquity of their *^ go^s {o exceedingly, as to ?* make them gpoo years older i* than Solotty and the ifland ^ Atlantis bigger than all A- ^ fric and Afia together, and *< full of people ; and becaufe ^< in the daysof 5o/«« this great ^ ifland did not appear, they ^* pretended that it was funk ** into the fea, with all its peo- f * pie : thus great was the va- « ja|ty of the priefts of Egypt
u
' JLucAN. X, ver. 27.
in magnifying their antlqui- ** tics." Thefc are the ino(| obvious and diredt argomenti concerning Sejoftrisy which we meet with in Sir Ifaac Ninjoton* The learned UJher is of opini- on, that Sefoflris and Armait were the fons of Amenophis^ who was drowned in the Red Sea ; and that Amemphis wat the Beius of the Greeks^ being the father oijEgyptus and Da^* naus ; for, according to Mant'* tho^ Set ho/is or Sefoflris wasalfo c?\\tAMgyptusy and his brother Danaus, as we have hinted above (36).
(36) Fid, UJb. ad A. M. 2494,
digict
6o ^^ Hiftory of Egypt . B. L
digies in the air, and the like 6 y fo that, according to thefe, he could be no very young man at this time. Laftly, it was faid,that he was inftrufted by Mercury y who gave him counfels proper for carrying on the war h. VniiT' Having in view a general conqueft, and knowing that takis t9 he TtiM^ be long abfent, and far remote from Egypty he €onquer bethoujjht himfeif by what means he might retain the hearts xbi nuboii and afieitftions of his own people ; wifely deeming it die mi9rld. moft natural means of preparing thofe who followed him, to lay down their lives chearfully in his fervicc ; and rf preventing thofe at home from attempting any innovations during his abfence. He therefore, as much as was in his power, endeared himfeif to all his fubje£b, by largelles in money, by donations in land, or by the remijOion of pu- nifhments : he difcharged all who were guilty pftreafon with impunity, and paid the debts of all who were thereby in- cumbered, of which laft he had many in his army. In fine, he wrought upon the minds of all by feir fpeeches. Divides ^nd a familiar deportment. In the next place he divided £gypti«/0the whole kingdom into 36 nomes^ or provinces ; affigncd 36 names, a governor to each of them ^ ; and conftltuted his brother Armah fupreme regent, invefting him with ample power \* but forbad him the ufe of the diadem, and commanded him to offer no injury to the queen and her children, and to ab- ftain from the royal concubines ^. Having thus fettled Ac government, he picked out the choiceft . of his fubjeds» and lifted an army equal to the vaftncfs of his defigns, and beftowed the chief cominands of it on hisr beloved* com- Kr infli" panions, who were upwards of 1700 in number. As an tutes the e^meft of his benevolence, and befides the favours he had military beftowed on them in common with the reft of their coun wder. trymen, and that he and his fucceffors might always havt a regular force ready at hand, he fettled certain portions by lot, of the moft fertile land in Egypt ^ on his whole army; whence an handfome income arifing to them, neither they nor their pofterity might lie under the neceffity of feeking a livelihood by mercantile or mechanic callings, but wholly apply themfelves to the military exercifes. His army con- fifted of 600,000 foot, 24,000 horfe, and 27,000 warlike Conquers chariots. He firft marched into Ethiopia^ and reduced Etkiopia. the inhabitants to a tribute of ebony, gold, and ivory K He is generally believed to have been the firft that fubdued
« DioD. ubi fupr. p. 49. ^ JEliah, var. hift. 1. xii. c. 4.'
' DiOD. ubi fupr. p. 50. ^ Mansth. apad Jofeph. con*
tra Apio. 1. i. p. 1041. ' Diod. ubi fupr,
EtbiopU
C. lil. to the time of AlcxzndcT. St
Ethiopia and Troglodytica ; and is faid to have reached the promontory of Dira^ near the ftreights of the Red Sea ^ Ivhere he (et up apillar,with an infcription in faCred chara- ders ; and went on as far as the country where cinnamon
f rows, or, at leajft, fome place from whence cinnamon was rought, where he raifed monuments and pillars with in- fcriptions, which were to be feen many ages after »•
His land-forces alone were not anfwcriable to tht con^ His fleef$^ queft he intended ; and therefore,breaking through the an- tient fuperftition of the Egyptians^ he was the firft of their kings that fitted out fleets of tall ihips. He had two; the one of 400 fail, in thz Arabian g\A^\\y if Diodorus is to be credited n, who gives us this number, and Herodotus^^ who mentions the fame fleet in general terms ;^ and the other in the Mediterranean SeOy if we may believe Ma^' netho P, who by Sethojis underftands Sefojlris. By thefe na- val armaments, and by the great ifervices they are faid to have done, Sefojlris probably wiped away the aterfion thd Egyptians had to fea-afFairs9, at lead for a time; and in- ftituted the marine clafs, as, by what appears hitherto, hcHetnfli-- did likewife the military order. But, not to dwell on tutei thr this conje^ure, we fhall only add, that his confecrating a««r/W fpacious and magnificent Ihip to the fupreme god of the^/«^»*'' Thehans '^ looks as if he dcfigned to bring navigation into ^''der. credit in Egypt, With the firft of thefe fleets he failed out of the Arabian gulph into the Red or Indian Sea, and fubdued the coafts thereof; and, continuing his courfe tilt he was ftopped by certain fhoals, and difficult places, re- turned back to igypt ■ ; or, according to another author, he went not on board himfelf, but fent them out againfl the iflands and maritime places of die continent, as far as India *. With his Mediterranean fquadron he conquered CypruSy the fea-coaft of Phoenicia «, and feveral of the Cyclades w. This is all we know concerning his exploits by fea.
Now,as to his further conquefb on die land, it is by i\' Continues moft all antiquity agreed, that he over- ran and pillaged ^Ithnofb'u Afia^ and fome part of Europe^ He crofTed the Ganges ^€onquefi$ on the banks of which river heere£led pillars, and, to \x{ttind'wurt*^ the poet's expref&on, did the fame in the remotefl moun«
" Vid. Strab. 1. xvi. p. 769, 770. Vid. etiam I.xvii. p. 790. Pun. hift. nat. 1, vi. c. 29. » Ubi (up. ^ Ubi
iiip. ^ Apud Jofeph. contra Apion. ubi Aip. ^ See
vol. i. p. 5 15. '' Sec before, ibid. » Herod. 1. ii.
c f 02. t DioD. ubi fup. ■ Maneth. apud Jofeph.
contra Apion. obi fap, w I>ioi^ abi f»p. p. 5 1 .
tains
6i The Hifiory of Egypt B. t
tains of India ^ .* and, indeed, he is (aid to have marched on till he was flopped by the main ocean eaftward ^ From thence returning, he invaded the Scythians and Thraciam ; but the accounts of his war with the former do not aQ agree in giving him a complete conqueft over them* /{k roJotuSj Diodorus^ Agath'tasl^ and others, reprefent hioi vi£lorious ; but fbme relate, that he was repulfed, and &mI from the ScytbianSj and was worfted by the Colchiam. For Jujiin tells us, that Vexores or Stfojiris difpatcbing embaf-* f fadors before him, to^fummon the Scythians to furrender, they fent back his meffengers with contempt, threats, and defiance, and immediately took up arms. SefoftriSy being informed that they were advancing towards him by bafty marches, fuddenly faced about, and fled before thein^ leaving all his baggage and warlike ftores to the purfuer% who followed him till they came on the borders of Egyft \ Pliny relates, that he was overthrown by the king of Cd^ chis * ; and FaUrius Flaccus infinuates, that he was ttr pulfed with great {Iaughter,and put to flight,in thefe parts ^| but whether he had good or bad fuccefs in thefe countritSi S»ff9fedto\i is a common opinion, that he fettled a colony in Colchis \ yi///ftfrtf- though Herodotus y whom we chiefly rely on in this matter^ ^ '*. does not decide whether it was of his own planting, <rf Colchis, whether part of his army, tired out, loitered in the rear, and voluntarily fat down on the banks oi the river Pbaji$ in that kingdom. He fays, from his own knowlege, that the inhabitants were, undoubtedly, of Egyptian defceat, a§ . was vifible from the perfonal fimilitude they bote to the ] Egyptians^ who were fwarthy,and frizzle-haired ; but,morf 1 cfpecially, from the conformity of their cuftoms, particu* ' larly circumcifion ; and from the affinity of their language, with that of Egypt, And many ages afterwards, at JEiT, the capital of Colchis^ they Ihewed maps of their journeys^ ; and the bounds of fea and land, for the ufe of travellers^! j and hence came geography. This relation to each other was acknowleged on both fides d. We now attend upon him into Thrace^ the utmofl: boundary of his progrdl's wcfi- ward in Europe* H^re he was in danger of lofmg his arnay through want of provifions, and the difliculty of the pafles| and therefore he here flopped his progrefs «. But the more probable opinion is, that his return was haftened by ad**
w DioNYs. in perieg. ver. 625. ^ Diod. ubi fup. p. co. y L. ii. p. 55. * L. ii. c. 3. * L. XJ^xiii. c. 3. *> Ae- GONAUT, l.v. ver. 420. <^ Apollon. Rhod. Argon, l.iv.v^, 272. . ^ Herod. ibid. c. I03»i04. ^ Dioo. ubi fiip. p. 51.
\
C. III. to 4h time of Alqcander. £•
vice he received from the high-prieft of Egypt concerning hb brotlier's revolt and difobcdience®. How^'ver th s was, his pillars were no-wbere to be feen in Europe beyond Hhfiikr^ Thrace^ : for it was his cuflom to fet up pillars in cycryamJ/m* country he conquered, with this infcription, or one to the/My* ;like cScSt J Sefoftris, i/ay of kings^ and Urd of lords^ fnb* dued this country by the powir of bis arms. If the nation liad Ignobly crouclied to him, he, beildes the infcription, caufed the privities of a woman to be carved, as a mark of their effeminacy and bafenefsg. If they had defended themfelves bravely, their pillars bore the diftindion of the contrary fex, in tcftimony of their courage^. Befidet thefe, he left ftatues of himfelf behind him, two of which are ftill to be feen, ikys Herodotus^ the one on the ro^id be- tween Epbifus and Phocaaj and the other between Smyrnm and Sardis : they were armed after the Ethiopian and £* gyptian manner, were five palms high, and held a javelin in one hand, and a bow in the other, Acrofs the breaft they had a line drawn from one ihoulder to the other, with this infcription ; This region I obtained by thefe my /houlders. They were miftaken for images of Memnon K
Upon advice, therefore, of the rebellious proceedings of i?#/«rffi^ his brother, who, encouraged by his longabfence, and great Egypt, diflance, had afTumed the diadem, violated the queen, and taken to himfelf the royal concubines ^, he haftened from Thrace^ and, at the end of nine years, came to Pelufium^ . attended by an infinite multitude of captives of all nations, and loaded with the fpoils of Jfui \ Here the rebel Armais^ or DanatdSy received him with outward iubmiffion and joy, but with a private defign tQ take away his life, and root out his family, y^^^cordingly, he invited the king his brother, the queen, and her children, to a banquet he had pre- pared for their refrefliment : they accepted the invitation, drank freely, and, being thereby overcome, betook them- felves to reft ; in the mean time, he caufed a great quan- tity of dried reeds to be laid all round the apartment where they flept ; and, fetjng fire to them, hoped thereby to ac- compUfh his wicked delign. 4S^y^m,perceiving the dan- ger he was in, and that his guards, overcharged with liquor, were heavy, and incapable of aflifting him, lifted up hi» hands, and, imploring the gods in behalf of his wife and
« Maneth. apud Jofeph, contr. Apion,ubi fup. f Herod*
DxoD. ubifup. < H£&0D. ibid. c. 102^ & 106. ^ Vid.
Syncbll. p. 59,6o, * Herod, ibid. c. 106. * Ma- KETH. ubifup. ^ Herod, ibid. 6. 107.
3 children^
64 ne Hiftoty cflS^^t B.L
// MfVarK- children, ru(hed through the jBames, and they followed him*
hujlyieli' In thainkfgiving for this wonderful deliverance^ and to ^Kt*
Wind from loxm the vows he had made in his extremity , he prefented
tlnmur' donations to feveral gods, and, particularly^ to /^i!rtfa«,
der9us Wlr- as will be obferved hereafter. Herodotus writes, that hk
^^u^^" wife pcrfuaded him to lay two of his fons acrofs die fire,
brotbir. ^^^ ^^ xxt^ii over them. He then took revenge on hib
brother Armais^^ who is faid to have been the Uanauttk
the Greeks ^ ; and, being on this oCcfafion drhren out ciC
Egypty to have withdrawn into Greece.
SEsosTRis,having thus defeated his brother's iinliatunl defigns, and feeing himfelf again in the quiet poflfcffion of his kingdom, adorned all the temples with fpoils and rich gifts, and rewarded his army in proportion to every man^ merit. His army was not only glorious in their jfeturfif for the mighty actions they had performed, and the gtat riches they had acquired, but, alfo, for the great variety of foreign commodities they brought home with tbenij and with which they flored the whole kingdom. Now, layiilg afide all thoughts of war, he diibanded his forces, . leaving every one to the undiflurbed enjoyment of tvhat fortune had favoured him with. As for himfelf, he henceforward applied his mind to fuch flupendous works as might immor^ talize his name, and everlaftingly contribute to the puUici good. Hisworh, His works were of three forts; religious, military, and civil : and, firft, he crefted a temple in every city o( JEgypty which he dedicated to the peculiar and fupreme deity of each place : in the courfe of fo univerfal an undertaking a^ this, no Egyptian was fet to work ; wherefore, upon all thefe temples there was this infcription. No one native la* houred hereon P. In the city of Memphis^ before the temple of Vulcan^ he raifed fix gigantic ftatues, which were each of one ftone ; two of them were 30 cubits high, and rc- prefented himfelf and his wife ; the other four were 20 cu-* bits, and reprefented his four fons q. Thefe he dedicated to Vulcany in remembrance of his and his family's prcferv* at ion at Pelujium^. Many ages afterwards it was faid^ that Darius would have placed his own flatue above this of Sefojirii > but the pricft of Vulcan ftifly oppofcd it,urging, that the Perfian^ though great, had not yet equalled tfc \ Egyptian^ and, particularly, had never conquered Scythia\ '
"Dio ). ubi fup. p. 53. " Herod, ibid. * ManbtiT. ^ ubifup. p DioD. ubi fup. p. 51,5a. * Hbroo« '
ibid. c. 1 10. ' DiOD. ubi fup. p. 53,
and
1 cm. to the time of AltxsaidcT. 65
li and that therefore it was unjuft to prefer hinhto one he 1: had not yet excelled, and fo put a ftop to the attempt r. He, moreover, raifed two obelifks of hard ftone [marble] 120 cubits high ; and charged them with infcriptions, which defcribed the greatnefs of bis power, the amount of his re- venues,and the nations be conquered. Thefe are his works, which may be faid particularly to oommemorate his own piety and glory. Let us now take a view of what he did for the benefit and lafting welfare of his people.
In order to prevent the incurfions of the Syrians and jfrabiansj he fortified the eaft fide of Egypt with a wall, tvhich ran from Pelujium through the defert to Heliopelis^ 1500 furlongs, or 187 miles and an half. He moreover raifed an incredible number of vaft and lofty mounts of earth, to which he removed fuch towns as had before too low a fituation, to feciure the men and cattle from the dan- gers of the Nile in its inundations. All the way from Mem^ phis to the fea, he dug canals, which branched out from the Nile J and not only gave an eafier communication from one place to another, and greatly advanced the trade and pro- fperity of the kingdom, bui; alfo rendered the country im- pafTable to an enemy, or, at leaft, very incommodious and difficult. So that Egypt^ which had hitherto been famous for her horfes and chariots, and was admirably well adapted for either, was now no longer the fame place in thofe re- fpeds, and put on a new face s. This looks as if Sefojlris feared, that the feveral nations he had difturbed, or,ac leaft, fome of them, might unite againll Egypt : but quite the reverfe appears, by his haughty carriage towards the tribu- taries, as will be feen by-and-by. In the mean time, ic is faid, that fome of the captives grew defperate under the in- tolerable flavery impofed on them ; and that, particularly, the Babylomans arofe, and refolved, at all hazards, to ihake ofF their bondage. They firft feized upon a ftronghold, and, aSing ofFenfiively againft the Egypt ians., wafted the country round about them : but, on the offer of pardon^ and a place for their dwelling, they were pacified, and built themfelves a city, which they called Babylon* The lik« was faid of the Trojan captives ^ According to Herodotus^ there was a report, that this king, after he returned from iiis wars, divided the land equally amongft all the Egyptians j b)it as (his is inconfiftent with what has been faid of tlie lands he beftowed on his army before he fet out, which we
^ Herod, ubi fup. c. no. ' • Diod. ubi fup. p. 5?.
< Idem ibid.
Vol. II. E take
take to be more oonformable to die genius and policy ef this warlike prince, we are inclined to think, that Hen* Jottts was mifinformed. The fame author, upon this oo* caiion, fays, that the king referving to himfelf a fmall leat out of the lands fo divided, whenever it happened,that the waters of the Nile, in their retreat, waflied away aay put of a perfon's ground, he gave information thereof to the king, who, in fuch cafe, remitted a proportionable part of the rent, and, by fending furvreyors to meafure it, gave rife to the invention of geometry *.
His behaviour towards the conquered princes who waK* Htj info- ed on him with their tribute, is laxA remarkably infolent: Itnce. for, upon certain occafions, he is faid to have unharnefied his horfes, and, yoking kings together, to have made them draw his chariot u. This pradice he continued, as is faid, tin a certain day ; when, obferving one of the king9, who drew him along, look with great fted^nefi back on one of the wheels, he afked what took up his thou^s^, that he kept his eye fo fixed on that objedl ? He anfwered, << O ^' king, the going round of the wheel calls to my mind *' the viciffitudes of fortune: for as every part of the ^* wheel is uppermoft and lowermoft by turns, fo is it with ^^ men ; who one day fit on a throne, and on the neactare «« reduced to the vilefl degree of flavery." This anfwer brought the infulting conqueror to his fenfes % fo that he gave over the pradice, and thenceforth treated his captives with great humanity. At length he lofl his fi^ht, and laid violent hands on himfelf. The manner of his death was extolled, by the priefts, into the highefl 2JSL of magnani- mity ^ ; and, that nothing might be wanting to make hit hiflory completely glorious, they reported, that the phcentx came to Thehes during his reign '^. By what has b^n here faid concerning Sefojirisy it may be gathered, that he was the firft who divided Egypt into nomes, and its Inhabitants into orders and clafTes \ that he was the firfl Egyptian king who was confiderable at fea ; and that he ereded the fim great empire in the world. Jujiin fays, he neither aimed at it, nor kept it ; being contented with the bare glory of the conquefl he made y. But all are not of his opinion. Pheron,«r Pheron was the fon of Sefofiris^ and fucceeded him: Sefoih-is he is alfo fliled Sefoofts [Sefojfris] II. The flory of his II* reign, as it is handed down to us, favours more of fi£tion,
* Herod, ubi fup. c. 109. » Diod. ubi fup. p. 53,
Plin. l.xxxiii c. 3. ^ Diod. ubi fup. p. 54, « Ta-
cit, ann. vi. p. 154, r L. i. c. i.
ihas
cm. to ibe Hm if AUxmSslt: 6^
than of truth. He performed nothing in the mih'tary waf ^ but had the misfortune, in common with his father, to be ftruck blind. Though this might be realljf owing to Hi h fome infirmity derived from his parent, yet is it reported, ^nrril that his lofs of fi^t^was a punimment imlided on him for MW. his impiety towards the river : for the Nile having, in his time, overflowed the country to an unufual height, a gale of wind arofe, and greatly difturbed the waters; whereat he capricioufly took offence, and infolently darted a javelin among the waves : upon this, he was immediately feized v^th a pain in his eyes, and, foon after, by a total darknefs, which opprcflcd him for ten years ; in the eleventh year the Oracle at Butus declared, that the term of his afHidion was elapfed, and that his fight Would return to him, if he paid
Particular devotions to the god z,t Heliopqlis^ and wafhed is eyes with the urine of a woman who had never known any man befides her hufband. He began with his own wife, but,reteiving no benefit from her, went on from one woman to another, till, at length,, a poor gardener's wife afforded him the relief the oracle had promifed. Hcr^^^^^co^ therefore, he made queen; but, as for the adulterefles, he*^''*'^'' fent them to a city called ErythiMus, which,togetherwith.^^^ them, he burnt. He paid his vows to the gods in fevcral ^^f *' ^'^ rich donations, and, particularly, raifed two iftagnificent^'f'^!.''**^ obeliflcs in the temple of the Sun at Heliopolh^. obtl^Jks.
Many ages after, the fceptre fell to Amafn^ or Ammofts, Amafo, «#• He mifufed his people with the utmoft violence and inju- An«nofis, Aice. Many he condemned to death. Without a caufe ; a tyrant. many hd deprived of their pofleffions, upon no other mo- tive than hjs own imperious will ; and towards all he be- haved with infupportable arrogance. Under this opprefTor they groaned for a while, not daring to refift fo dreadful a power; but, in time, A^ifaneSy king of Ethiopia ^ made war againft Ammofis^ and, entering Egypt ^ the people joined His fitt* him, and drove their unnatural prince from the throhe *. jeQsjoim Amosis is faid to have aboliihed the cufiom of facri- W/^^ /A# ficing men to ^uno at Heliopolis^ and, inftead of them, to£thiopi- have fubftituted waxen images. They were examined, and ans, /« fealed like pure calves, and called Typhonians **. Three qidrvve bim them were burnt in a day, and their afhes fcattered abroad, •*'• fo as to be no more feen, and this publicly every year, du-*
* Herod, ubi fup. c. 1 1 1. Diod. ubifup. ^. 54. « Idem ib. ** JosfiPH. cont, Apion. l.i. p. 352, &c
£ 2 fine
68 Stbe Hifiory rfEgjpt %l
ring the dog-days, at the city of Iditbya ^. y^fipf^ kob
upon the whole ftory as fabulous ^. *
Aai&nes Actisanes united Egypt and Ethiopia under him, «ri
the Ethio- was king of both. He bore his profperity with mat
plan. deration and prudence, and behaved afFeAionataj^ txm
his new fubje£b. He caufed a general fevch to be
after the Egyptian thieves and robbers, and, giving
juft hearing, comnuinded their nofes to be cut oflF^ and- fat
He fends them a\Vay to the remoteft part of the defert between S/-
all the £- ria and Egypt ^ where be built them a town, which WMcd*
gyptian led Rhinocolura^ from the disfigurement of its ■■*%wtim
tbie'ves inhabitants. This part was fo barren, that it (ceice rf*
and rob- forded any one neceflary of life ; for even the few wdb
hers to ^Ji'^ ponds, there found, were brackifh, bitter, and moft mi-
Rhinoco- pieafant to the palate. Hither he banifhed them, diattfac;
^^^' might not injure their honeft neighbours by living amoif
them, nor be hid incomers among the innocent. Bute
frightful and barren as their fituation was, neceffity, Ae
mother of invention, fuggefled a means to them of fif-
plying themfelves with food : for it is reported, thatdef
made long nets of flit reeds, and with them cau^t gmt
numbers of quails, which came in flocks from the far
ihore •.
Actisanes died, and the Egyptians were left to thdr own difpofal ; and therefore they chofe them a king, Mendcs,«r named, bv fome, Mendes^ and, by others, Marus., He is Marus. celebratcci for the fepulchral labyrinth he built. He builds a After Mendes^ there enfued an anarchy, or inter- labyrinth, reign, for five generations. At length, ^.Mempbitt^ of ob- Proteus// fcure birth, was chofen king, ^'x^ Egyptian nzxat ^9m chofen QeteSy which the Greeks rendered Proteus (K). Both He- ^H^ rod$tm
« Maneth. apudPorph, deabftin. 1. ii. c. 55. SEPHus, ubifup. * DiOD. ubifup. p. 55.
>•
(K) According to PtfW«^»/«/, Proteus was the Sethos of Ma- netho^ and the Typhon of the poets. He thinks, that Homer^s Proteus, and this king, are the fame perfon ; and that he was lliled a fea-god, becaufe he had conunaad^d on the coafls of £-
gypt. He gives no credit to Be* rodotusy as to the arrival of P4- ris and Helen under this kii^. It is not condilent with his hv-
pothefis ( I ) .
Sir Ifaac Nen.vton^Qn the con- trary, feeras to give credit to Herodotus J as far as j'elates to
(i) Vid^ PenXiK, ubi fup^
Paris
C. in. to the time of Alexander. 69
rodotus and Dtodorus fuppofe him to have lived in the time 6f the Trojan war. The priefts gave him out for one ikilled in the weather, or a magician ; and pretended he could aflume any (hape or form he pleafed^ even that of fire. This fable, as it was told by the Greeks^ drew its ntfahU origin from a cuftom among the Egyptians (perhaps intro- ^Pro- duced by Proteus)^ who were ufed to adorn and difiingui(h teus, the heads of their kings with the reprefentations of ani- whutcf mals or vegetables, or even with burning incenfe, as fo dtrivgd. many enfigns of royalty, to ftrike the beholders with dread and iuperftition g. Whilft Proteus reigned, Paris ^ or Alex^ p^^jg ^^ ander^ was driven on the coails of Egypt by a ftorm, and Helen there landed with Helen^ whom he was carrying from ri'vt in Greece to Troy : but, when he heard the perfidious breach of Egypt, hofpitality this young man had committed, he feized him, his miftrefs, and his companions, with all the riches he had brought away with him from Greece. As for Helen^ and her hufban^'s efFeds, he detained them, promifing to re- . ftore both to the injured party, whenever demanded ; and io he did : but Paris and his companions he commanded to depart out of his dominions in three days, upon pain of being treated as enemies. He had a very rich smd fumptu* ous temple ere^ed to him at Memphis^ and left a fon and fuccefToF behind him, called Rhemphis ^.
Rhemphis is alfo called Rhampjinifus (L), and Was ofRhem- an inclination to hoard up money. Diodorus reports himphisyor
td Rhaumpfi % Idem, p. ^6. ^ Herqq. ubi fup. c. U2| ^ situs,
Paris and Helena ; but makes fon of Sefiftfh^ and to be the
him coteipporary with Ameno^ fame with Rhampfe^ \ and this
fhisy whom, as we have al- he advances, fraught with the
ready obferved, he fuppofes to authority of Af4sii^/y&ff, who calls
be one and the (ame perfba himthe fonof ^r/>&0i; and that
with Menes, He tbinkls, l^e t^^ %m,ous ii^icription, which
might have l^^n gove^or of' wats interpreted to Cajar Ger*
fome part of the Lo<wer Egypt manicus at TheSes, related to
under^/9^»0/;&/j; andobferyes, hini. And^ indeed,, there is no,
that ifqmer places him on the very great difibrence between
^a-coail:, and calls hin\ the fer-' the Rhamjes of Taeitus and the
vant of Neptune ; and that his Kampfes pf Manet hoi in fine,
Greek name figni^es only a that he enjoyfid by right, what
prince, or prefiden/ ( i ) . his father had obtained by con •
(L) Sir y^oJhu. id^rfiam is in- qu^fl (2). dined to mink him the eldefl
(i) S/'r IjaacNewtorCi. cbronoL of antient kia^doms amendid* (%) Fid.
yd ne Hijiofy ^/Egypt Ri;
to have been fo fordidly aTaricious, that, during his whob reign, he rather aded the part of a mean-fpirit^ ftevardi than of a king ; that he never could find in his heart to be at the leaft expence in any thing that might tend either tK> the honour of the gods, or the good of men : and that to bis fordid temper was owing the immenfe treafure he lefjt behind him, no lefs than 400,000 talents i. Her&JptfIS fufficiently in(]nuates,that he was fond of riches ; but docs not reduce him to fo wretched a degree of bafimeff. htil/s tie Rhampfinitusj by^ he,added the weftem portico to the tem* 'Uf€fi€m pie of Vulcan^ and ereded two ftatues before it) each 25 fArti€9t9 cubits high : one of them faced towards the north, an4 the timpU was adored by the Egyptians under the title of Summer } §fY}ik»n^ the other looked towards the fouth, and went by the name of Wint^j ^nd was abhorred. Moreover, he had accu- mulated a far greater ftore of wealth than any king of Egypt that fucceeded him ; and, being defirous to depofit mndatrea' it in fome fecure place, commanded a treafure^houfe to b^ fure-boufe^ firmly built, for that purpofe. The architeA employed in this work placed one of the ftones in fo artful a manner, that it might be taken out, and put in again, by on^ man only; it being his intention to have fomeibare of the riches of the place. But, about the time that the treafure wa« lodged in it, he was fetz'ed with a violent fit of fickneft } and, finding himfelf at the point of death, he fent for bis two fons, declared to them the whole artifice, and gave them the mofl exa£l dire£tion$ in the management of the bufinefs which he forefaw would never be his fate to accom- plifh, The father died, and the young men, impatient to
* Diop, ubifap,
Penzonius fuppofes that the Ramifess Ramefii, JRameJfei^ JUbamfes of Tacitus is ^efoftris RamefieffRhampfesyZndRhemp^
himfelf. But tL^meffes^ox Rham- fis^ and that the obeliik which
Jinitus, the fon of Proteus 9 he was fent to Rome by the em-
jpakes cotemporary with the peror Confiantiuu with an in-r
Trojan war, in which he is fup- ftription interpreted by Herput-
ported by a paflkge from Pliny pion, an Egyptian prieft, expref-
(3]. fing that he was long-lived,and
Sir J/aac Nekton conjedures reigned pver a great part of
him to have been the fon of ^ the earth, as ^Ifo that pomp-
tnenophisf or Menes, and to be ous infcription mentioned by
fhadowed under the different Taa'tus, belonged to him (4). nances of Rhamfinitus, Ramfes^
(3) Ferix, uhi fitp^ (4) Sir Tfaae Ntvtt, ubi fup,
5 t^c
cm. totbetimefAkxaixAtr. yx
take advantage of the difcoyery, repaired, foon after fait death, to the treafury ; and having, M^ith great eafe» ttrtwhUh is moved the ftone, carried o£Fwith them a confiderable (Mm^plimdered repeating, every night, the fame theft. Some time after, ^ the ar^ Rhampjinitusj going in to view his wealth, was furprifed toibiuSTi find a vifible diminution of his treafure ; and the more, as hisMvtf fa^* feal was whole on the door, the only part of the building which he thought could give entrance. The two brothers continued their night expilations, till the king, after two or three further furveys, was perfedly fenfible, that, by fome means or other, his wealth fuiFered a fucceilive decreafe. ^e then ordered ihares to be laid all round the veiTels which held his money. The two brothers failed not to come at night ; but one of them, as he approached a veflel full of iUver, was immediately taken in the fnare. As he found it impoffible to make his efcape, he called to his brother, who flood without, and earneftly intreated him to come in, and cut off his head, that fo he might fave his own life, and prevent the difcovery of their clandeftine theft. The bro- ther, confulting his own fafety, and defpairing of his, com- plied with his requefl i and, putting the flone in its place again, took the head away with him. Early next morning, the king, gping in to fee the event of his projed, was fo furprifed to find a man taken in the fnare without a head, that he baftened out in the greateft confufioju ; from which he no fooner recovered, than he dire£led that the body (hould be hung on the outfide of the wall, and expofed to public view ; charging the guard, appointed to takecare of it, to make a narrow in(pe£tion into the countenances of the fpedlators, and in whomfoever they perceived figns of for- row and mourning, to bring fuch perfpns into his prefence. The mother of the deceafed, hearing that the body was expofed in this manner, diftrafied with grief, and upbraid* ing her furviving fon, threatened, if he did not procure her his brother's body, and bring it home, to l^t the king know who had robbed his treafury. The young man did h\^ utmoft |o bring her to fome temper, by remonftrating to her the impra<Sticabi]ity of her requefl:, but to no purpofe. Finding , her, therefore, unalterable in her refoiution, he gratified her, in the end, by the following fubtil invention : loading his afles with (kins of wine, he drove them towards the place where the body hung up. Having reached the guard, he privately opened fome of the fkins^ and,ftriking l)imfelf, in token of defpair, as foon aSi the wJne began to run o^t, he ^unterfeited the trouble. anAiE^pndernatiQA oi jiper/9n ut-
£ 4 terly
72 Tbi Hijiory of Egfpt B.I
terly undone : in the mean time, the foldters upon duty ftrove to five as much of the liquor as they could for them- felvcs ; which he feeing, reviled them with the moft bitter reproaches, for the pleafure they took in his misfortune, in- ftead of offering to aflifl: him : but they ufing him kindly, he pretended to oe pacified, and, lead i tig his afles out of the way, feigned to be very bufy in fecuring the remainder of his wine ; in the mean time, the guards flood round him, and he, pretending to be pleafed with their jokes and hu- mour, at laft confented to give them a ikinof the wine; and they, in return for fo great a favour, prefled him toftay,and take part of it with them : he complied, and when the ikiB was emptied, he gave them another ; fo that, by exceffifc drinking, the whole guard was overcome, and fell into a deep fleep : then watching his opportunity, in the dead of the night, he took down the body, laid it acrofs an aft, and, {having the right cheek of each of the foldiers, by wajr ojf deriiion, carried it home to his mother. The news of this was matter of new wonder to the king, who, to find out the perfon who had done it, bethou^t him of die following expedient : he ordered his daughter to proftitute herfelf, in a certain apartment of the palace, to all comers promifcuouily ; but under this reftridion, that fhe ihould previoufly extort from each of them a confeiEon of the moft ingenious a£tion he had ever managed, and the moft wicked crime he had ever committed. The daughter pun&ually complied with her father's inftruAions -, which the young man being apprifed of, he refolved to perplex the king a little farther. With this view, he got the arm of a dead body, yet frefh, and, taking it under his cloak, went in to the king's daughter : (he examined him, in the fame form, and to the fame purpofe, as (he had done the reft who had been with her before him ; when he frankly confefied, that the moft abominable and wicked adion of his life was the cutting ofF his brother's head, when infnared in the trea- fury ; and the moft ingenious thing he had ever done, was the ftealing the body from the guard that kept it. She then offered to lay hold of him ; but he, holding out the dead arm to her, haftened out, while flie grafped it ; and, by the favour of the night, made his efcape. Rhampjinitus^s rage being now converted into an admiration of the bold- nefs and ingenuity of the man, he caufed it to be pro- claimed in every city, that if the perfon, whoever he was, would difcover himfelf, he ftfould not only be pardoned, but rewarded. The young iAmi, confiding in this, went
ftraitway
C. III. to the time of Alexander. yj
ftraitway to the palace ; and,having made himfelf known, in the end, the king gave him his daughter in marriage, ac- counting him for fuperior in wifdom to any man then living upon earth. Our author does not warrant every particular of thisftoryi./
After this, it was fabled, that Rhampfinitus defcended Rhampfi* alive into the infernal regions, where he played at dice with mvi%gois Ceres ^ but neither won nor loft ; and that, at his departure^ tlownu . flie prefented him with a golden bowl. The fpace between ^^//» his defcent and return to the upper regions was obferved with great folemnity by the Egyptians^ for many ages after- wards. And now, that we may conclude the hiftory of this Idng with fome air of truth and probability, he reigned with great prudence and jufiice, and was a conftant and ftriA obferver of the good order, which, till his death, had uninterruptedly fubiifted throughout the kingdom, from its firft foundation K
This king was fucceeded by fevcn others, all of name- lefs fame, and ignoble charader, except one, called Niius. He is celebrated for the great number of canals he dug all over the country, and for his endeavours to make the Nile Nilns. as univerfally ferviceable as poffible. Whence it was, that the river, which had been hitherto called jEgyptuSy was now called after his name K
Cheops, Chemmis, orCnCMBEs (M), is, by Z)i^- Cheops, dcruSy reckoned the eighth from Rhampfinitus, Herodotus Chemmis, places no diftance between diem. 1 his king is branded ffrChem- tor his impiety and tyranny. He began his reign with bcs, a ty- (hutting up the temples,and forbidding all public facrlfices $ ^^^* and then, trampling on the laws, and invading the liberties of his people, reduced them to a ftate of the moft Istborious (
flavery. Great numbers he fent to dig out ftone in the quarries among the mountains of Arabia ^ and to tranfport them into Egypt °^ : and haraiTed them in the end, in raiftng the largdi of the three great pyramids <>• By thls^ Bui/ds th and other vain^glorious works of the fame kind, he was largeft reduced fo low, that he e;cpofed his daughter to common pyramid, proftitution; telling her, in general terms, to earn what Pr0/?//»///
his daugh-
* Herod, l.ii. c. 121 — 123. ^ Idem ibid. * Diooi/^r, ivho
ubi fup. p. 57. ^ Herop. ubi fup. c 1 24. » Idem ibid. iuiJJs a
c. 125. &Diob. ubifup. See vol. i. p. 426.' /mail
.py rami dm (M) Sir Ifaac Neivton fu- called Chemnis, Phiops\jfpathuSf
fpedsy that he intended to be Apappus^SuphiSySaophisfyphoas^
worihiped, himMf, after death ; Syphap/Ss^i^iphis, Sj/pl^s,Jnoi'
and fuppoics, that he was alfo fhis, and^M^ •
(be
74 ^^ W^rj of Egfpt B. L
file could. She obeyed, and, by her fether's ejcample, de^
firing to perpetuate her memory, required each of her nk
lants only to contribute a ftone towards a building flie had
in view. With the ftones, (o coilefied, flie built a linall
pyramid n. This tyrant reigned fifty years o.
Cepbre- He was fiicceeded by Cephrenesj Cephrenj or Cbahyis.
nesyCe- It is doubted whether Cephren and Chabryis were one and
phrea^ or the fame peribn ; fome faying that Cephren was the bro"
Chabry^, ther, and that Chabryis was the fon of Cheops. ButJeaT*
a tyrant, j^g ^j^ obfcure controverfy ; this king trod in the fbedleps
BuiUs a of his predeceflbr, and, particularly, in building a pyramid :
pyramid, but it fell much fhort of the former. He reigned fifty-fix
years. Though both he and his predeceflbr defigned thefc
pyramids for their eternal manfions, to ufe the Egyptiem
pbrafe, yet neither of them were depofited in them after
death : dreading what the rage of the multitude might
prompt them to, their friends buried them v^re nobod]^
could ever find them P.
Aft£R Egypt had been thus afflided, by tyranny, fnr Myceri- one hundred and fix years, Mycerinus^ or Cherinsis (N), nuSf #r the fon of Cheops^ a good and merciful prince, afcended Cherinns, the throne. Abhorring the impiety and injuftice of hisfii* « good ther, and his uncle, he opened the temples, reflored thela- prince. crifices, and allowed the people to purfue their private af- fairs. His generofity and good-nature are reported to have been fuch, that if, at any time, complaint was made to him of a hard fentence pronounced in matter of property, he would fatisfy the party aggrieved to the amount of the lo&, out of his own treafure 9. Whilft he was thus intent on the happinefs of his people, a heavy misfortune fell upon Hisdaugb-i^^^i the death of his daughter. He mourned her with ter dies, great bitternefs, and honoured her with an extraordinary 4tnd be bu' funeral : for,caufing an hollow wooden image of a cow to ries ber in be made, and richly gilt, he therein depofited her body. em extra' This cow was never interi'ed, but was expofed in a magni* wdinary ficent chamber of the palace, in the city of &ais ; where ^tiOfeur. they burned the moft exquifite odours by day, and illumi«- nated the place by night with a lamp. In a room conti* guous to this, were twenty naked images of women, which
* Herod, ubi fup. c. 126. See vol. i. p. 428. ^ Herod. ubifup. c. 127. P Idem ibid. c. 128. Diod. ubi fup. p. 57, j 84 ^ Hb rod. ibid. c. 1 29.
(N) The laft-cited chrono* lUcberetj Mofiberes^ Mencbe- loger calls hin\^ aUb* Cberes, res.
the
L
m. "^tf tbf time of Aksmitr. 75
pricfis of S^is reported to have be^n the concubines of :irinus. But, u it generally happens in cafes of remote quity, this was not the only repprt that was fpread con- nng this cow, and the ftat^e^. It was faid, that Mya^ Sy filing in lov9 with t^s dnygbter, forced and deflow- her \ whereupon (be fell int^ a de^ naelancholy, and violent hands on herfelf. The tweqty naked ftatues in next room, faid they, were her woi|ien,who had been vmenta) in betraying her to her ffit^er's unnatural luft, therefore bad their h^nds cut off by the qMeen. They iared, inde«], without hands $ but our author, who was 3^witnefs of thefe things, tells uf , thrv were dropped with age, and lay (battered upon the iloor. He tells slib, that the cow was in a kneeli^ig pofture, and as as the largeft cow living. Her neck an^i head were !y laid over with gold, and between the horns was a en circle, in imitation of the fun ; and her body had a Tyrian carpet thrown over it. This fepulchral image removed oncQ a year from the apartment where it 1, and expofed to the open day, in purfuance of a re*> \ the deceafed made to her father, that iheinight behold iin once every year '•
pw to return whence wedigrefled > the death of his hter was not the only misfortune that befel Mycerinusj r« dreadful pn^ ^nfued ; for it was denounced againft from the oracle at Butuf^ that he bad but fix years 7^^ 9racb I to live I and that in thp fev^nth he (bould die. Mat Butus he was greatly troubled, and fent to ex|X)ftulate with declares »racle, remonftrating^ that, iUi^ his father and. \^c\cyhim to be had been monfters ^ impiety and ^ry^elty, had h^^n/^ort- id with great length of dayis, tt would be UQgrafteful/^'z/V. quite his piety and humanity with the eic^ution pf ^ a fentence. The oracle anfwen^d > Tk^X his fath^ mcle knew the decree of fate, whi^h had condi^iuied Egyptians to 150 years of bondage and mi^ry* anda£^ed rmably thereto ; but his having int^^jc^pf.ed the cwpft ix niifery, as Vot being acquainted with that decree, he caufe he wa$ fo fuddenly to be cut off* Finding fore that his doom was irj-cverfible, he confulted how ^ke the moft of the fmall remainder of life 3 a^id^^om- ing a great number of lamps to be lighted up 0vify > he fpent his whole time in drinking and revelling. Qiceforward making no diftir^ion between day and » he roved about among the gcoY£s and mesdows, tod >rpve^h( heard of themoft gay and xii^^ibil company. * Jdemibid. c. 130— 13J.
Thus
y6 The Hijiory of Egypt. B. I.
Efulea^ Thus he went on, thinking to convid the oracle of felf- 'vours to hood, and, inftea4 of fix, to live twelve years. Finally, ctwviS Mycerinus is faid to have built a pyramid, whidi, frwn the orach the bafis to the middle, was of Ethiopian ftone ; and on of falf' th^ northern front of it he infcribed his own name. Th» mood* pyramid the Greeks^ by a grofs miftake, attributed to thq courtefan Rhodopis^ who flourifhed in the days of Amafii^ feveral reigns lowers.
We now proceed to G«f^Atf^«x, the fether of Biff /5^f the wife. He is alfo named Technatisy by Plutarch ^^ and Neochahis^ by Alexis. What interval there was betvireen him and Mycerinus^ or whether any, does no-where plainlj appear. This king is famed for his abftinence, and for tte execration he denounced againft Menes. For it is recorded of him, that, leading an army into Arabia^ and travelling the vaft and barren deferts,he there fell into great ftreights, and want of provifion ; and,being one day obliged to take up with the poor and flender diet he met with, he after- wards fell into a profound fleep. This fo delighted him, Forhhds that he forbad all excefs and luxury, and curfed MeneSy all luxury ^who firft introduced them : and fo earneftly did hepcrfc- andcurfes cute the memory of this his predeceflbr, that, by the con- Menes. jent of the priefts, he engraved his curfe upon a pillar,
which was feen in the temple at Thebes, Bocc'.io- BoccHORis, thefon of Gnephachthus^ was fiirnamed /i^f "«• ^ wife. He was defpicable in his perfon, but, for prudence and wifdom, fer beyond any of his predeceflbrs. He is reckoned the fourth Egyptian lawgiver ; but his laws ' fcem not to have concerned any thing, except commerce, and the regulation of the public revenue. His judgments wcre^ for their excellence, retained many generations after his death ; but his great qualities were fomewhat debafed by his propenfion to avarice ". So high was the veneration his fubjefts paid him, that they fabled JJis to have fent an afp to deprive him of his fight, that he might judge righteoufly^. However, he drew a general odium upon himfelf, by letting in a wild bull to the facred one, called Mnevis ; but tiiis got the better, and killed his antagonift. At laft, with all the equity of his judgment*, the purity of his mind, he is faid to have been taken by Sabbaco the Ethiopian^ and burnt alive y.
r Idem ibid. c. 133—134% Sec vol. i. p. 427. » Dc IW. k
Ofir. * Sec vol. i. p. 466, u Diod. 1. i, p. 59, 85. w JPtuT^
^i^vaa^idLi^ p. 529. 3c i£LiAN. deanim. l. xi. c. ii« y Syncel. p. 74.
ASYCHII
C. III. to the time of Alexander. yy
1 AsYcHis is, by Herodotusy placed next in order to My- Afychis.
> terinus', but in compliance with Diodorus, we have put two reigns between them, notwithftanding our full per-
^ fuafion, that Bocchoris and Jfychis were the fame king, as
. we fhall take occafion to obferve by-and-by. It is recorded of AJychisy that he built the eaflern portico to the t^m^lQ BuUds thi
. of Vulcan^ with a magnificence that eclipfed the others, f^^ . And, finding that the riches oi Egypt were lodged in a few/^''^f. hands, and that credit was decayed, he enacted a law, '^"'*"^'* whereby a man might borrow money upon the fepulchre^^**** of his father, and depofit the body, as a pledge, in the hands; ^^*'** of the creditor ; and,till it was redeemed, the debtor might ' neither be buried in the fepulchre of his father, or In any other, nor put any of his defendants there. This Wing^ and a to furpafs all his predeceffors, built a pyramid of brick, ^wi/j;- which he charged with a very vaunting infcription *. ramid.
After Afychis^ a blind man, nam^ Anyjis^ from a city ^^yg^^ of the fame name, became king. In his reign Sabbaco king of Ethiopia broke into Egypt with a powerhil army, and Anyjis fled for fhelter to die fens, leaving the kingdom to the invader a.
Bu T before we enter upon the reign of Sabbaco^ let us take a curfory retrofpeft of thefe three laft reigns, and per- haps we may find reafon to think, that Bocchoris and ^^- Bocchoris chis are diirerent names for one king, and that the blind «9i/Aiy* man ^J^yfa was his contemporary. For the law faid to have chis the been inftituted by Afychis favours fo much of Bocchoris* s/ame king^ genius, as might incline one to think them but one man. «»/ con- And iif it be true, that Bocchoris was burnt alive by Sah-tfrnporary hacoy they muft not only have been fo, but Anyfts muft alfo'^ Anyfis, have been king of another part of Egypt at the fame time, ^f^ jr^?* Furthermore, it is declared bjr Herodotus^ that Ecus the'^^^'^^'' fsithcr of Pfammitichus was flain by the fame J?^A/^^/^«^.^..^* Here we have three kings, if we may fuppofe Ecus to have"^^ * *"' been of royal dignity, fubdued by one and the fame enemy, and all in Egypt. From hence it may appear, that many of the kings of Egypt are placed in order of fucceffion, that were collateral, merely out of oftentation, and to fupport the pretentions the priefls made to the exceffive antiquity of their kingdom.
We now return to Sabbaco ; from whofe cruelty towards Sabbaco Bocchoris J we fhould conclude him to have begun his reign /^^ Ethi- with the like barbarity towards others,were we not aflured, opian.
."^.
. 2 HsROD. l.ii. c. 136. See vol. i. p. 428, 429. * Hi.R0 ttbi fup. c. 1 37. ^ Idem ibid. €.152.
that
diat he no fooner found himfelf finnly tftatdifhed on the throne, than he became a new man ; fo that he vi hi^iljf e^ctolled for his mercj, clemencf » and policy. He is duHight to have been the So m Scripture, and to have entered into a league with Hojhea king of Samaria^ againft Sbalmwh^ naffar king oiJJfyria. He was excited to the inva&Ml of
^ ^SyP^ ^y ^ dream or vifion, which aflured him he fhouU hold Egypt fifty years ; and, when that term was expired, he voluntarily retired into Ethiopia again, refignii^ his conquered kingdom. But, whilft ne was in Egytt^ he gave the higheft proofs of his wifdom and piety, and yielded to none of his Egyptian predeceflbrs in the art of governing^
Cy- He never woulcl confent to the death of any criminal, thou^ capitally condemned, commuting the punifhment into hard labour, which purely confided m railing of mounts, aiid digging of canals \ fo that the cities of Egypt were raifed higher, and rendered more commodious,than they had been by Sefojiris ; and particularly the city of Bubajiis^ where flood a moft magnificent temple, confecrated to the goddefi
«^of the fame name. At length Sabbaco had a vifion in his fleep, wherein the tutelar god of Thebes admonifhed him, that he could not hold hold the kingdom of Egypt with fafety and happinefs, except he maffacrcd the prieits as he pafTed through them with his guards. Being haunted with this vifion, and his heart abhorring fo dreadful an under* taking, he fent for the priefls, and declaring to them vAizt the gods prompted him to, he thence concluded, that It was their pleafure he fhould remain no longer in Egypt ; and that therefore he was determined to return to his native country, and refign a crown which he could not preferve without fo general a flaughter. It had been foretold, that he Ihould reign 50 years ; thefe were now expired ; and therefore, looking upon the vifion as a command to quit Egypty he readily complied with it, and returned into Ethiopia^.
As foon as Sabbaco had departed the kingdom, Any/b came out from his hiding-place, and reafTumed the govetn- ment. He had been abfent fifty years, and in that time had formed an ifland for his habitation, compofed of afhes and earth ; for, when any Egyptian came to him with pro- vifion, he always defired, that afhes might be brought to him, unknown to the Ethiopian. This ifland was called Elbo^.
^ Idem ibid. c. 137— 139. DioD. Sic. ubi fupra, p. 59* I ' ^ HfiROD. ibid. c. 140.
After
\
C. in. to the time of Alcttrtdtef. 75^
Aftsr him rdened on^ Sithon^ who i^9 both king, and Sethon prieft of Vulcan. He not only negleded the military c\zk king and as order, but injuriouily divefted them of their privileges/'*'*^, iind lands; whereat diey were fo iiicenfed, that, thinking tfaemfelves abfolved from their alkgiamre^ they entered into a combination not to bear arms under him. But he, iregardleis of their threats and murmuf-s, gave himfelf wholly up to contemplation ; and the fundtions of religion. This was the ftate of afikirs when Sennacherib king of ^^ fyria drew near to Pebfiumj defigning to enter Egypt, Se- thon, perceiving his danger, and fenfible that now hi;s only truft muft be in the military order, whom he had fo unjuftly dealt with, had recourfe to them ; but in vain : they obftinately periifted in refufing to march under his banner. The prieft now, deftitute of all other advice and fupport, repaired to his god, and, in the utmoft dejed^ion of mind, implored his aid. Whilft he was yet in the temple, he fell into a deep fleep ; during which it feemed to him that the god, ftanding at his fide, exhorted him to take courage, and promifed that, if he would but go out againft the a/- Jyriansj he ihould obtain a complete viftory over them. f raught with this vifion, he aflembled together a body of artificers, ihopkeepers, and labourers ; and, with this un- experienced multitude, bent his march towards Pelujium, The very night after his arrival there, an infinite number of field-rats, entering the enemies camp, gnawed their quivers, bow-ftrings, and fhield-ftraps, to pieces c. This is confonant to the prophecy of Ifaiah : The king of Ajfyria /hall not come into this city (meaning JerufalemU norjhoot mn arrow there j nor come before it with ajhield^. How- ever, archbifhop LJ^^r^and Dr. Prideaux^ are of opinion, that Sennacherib, what lofs focver he might have fuftained at Pelujium, eiftered Egypt, and, having deftroycd the fa- mous city of No, carried with him, on his return into AJfyria, a great multitude of Egyptian captives : for it Was, according to them^ on this occafion, that the oro- phecy oi Nahum was fulfilled: Yet tvas Jhe (the populous No) carried dway ; Jh€ went into captivity ', her young chil- dren alfo were dajhed in pieces at the top of all thejireets; and they caji lots for her honourable men j and all her great wen were bound in chains %, This calamity happened to the city of No, as the above-mentioned vvrriters obferve, while Ethiopia and Egypt were her ftrength h ; and at this
« Ideinibid. c. 141I ** 2 Kings xix. 32. « Ush. ad A," M. 5293. i Fai0. conned^, part. i. book i. p. 23. odav.
s Nahum iii. lo. ^Ib. ver. 9.
time
neHiftcry of Egypt ELI
time Tirhakah kin^ of Ethiopia y zxASethm king of £#i^ were joined in alliance. But this opinion, hmwevtir ph» fible, has great difficulties attending it ; as we flail flievii the hiftory of the Jiws. WhtnSeth§H nextmomii^ fbuall the enemy thus difarmed, and moving off, he purfucd dm with great flaughter. In memory of thb miraculous evo^ a ftatue of ftone was eroded to ms king, in die tcmpkcf I Vulcan J holding a rat in one hand, and ddtveriag dicfc words : IVhofoever beholdeth mff let him btpi§msK '
A fhort time after the death of Sithen^ ^iyp^ ^^^^^tt (opal what motive is not precifely known) divided into twehc kingdoms, and twelve of the chief Egyptian lonls wereif-l pointed over them. Thefc 12 entered into the ftri^fceft aflo-| ciation for the public welfare, l^his mutual league ivas con- j ceivcd rn the mod obligatory manner, and cemented by fl|die ftri£left ties that could poffioly maintain a perpetual unioJMM harmony among them ; becaufe it had been foretold by ail oracle, upon their afliiming the government, that heot their number who fhould perform a libation in a brasa cup, fhould, in time, be king of all Egypt. This new re- gulation was attended with (Kace and happine(s, and th twelve kings rcfolvcd to raifc a monument, which migjl perpetu.ite their names to the latcil ages ; and accordinglj they raifcd the famous labyrinth ^ near the lake Afceriu At length they all met together, to facrifice in the ten^ik \ of Vulcan ; ami being to offer a libation on the laft day, the high-pricft, through miftake, brought out only eleven i ' the twelve gold bowls, which were referved for the ufcflf' the twelve princes ; and Pfammitichusy (landing the laft in order, and being unprovided for the ceremony, took offli helmet, vi'hich was of brafs (they all twelve wore die fSuiie)> and performed his libation with that. This he did inail* vertcntly ; but it being obfer^'ed by the reft, they calkS to mind the oracle, which promifed the whole kingdom of Egypt to him who fhould happen to perform a libation ia this place with a brafs bowl. Wherefore, though thej were fatisfied he had no ill intention, and, for that reafoDi would not Ibntence him to die, yet they were unanimouily for confining him to the marlhy country, divefting him of the greateft part of his diibicl:, and foi bidding him to con- cern himfclf with the affairs of the public ^ The reafiw of this difcord is told differently by others ; and the whole is attributed to envy : for, at the divifion of the country into twelve provinces, as has been obferved, tlie fea-coafts
iHEROD.l. ii. c. 141. ^ See vol. i. p. 445. ' Hkroi.
ibid.c. 151.
c
a
0 \
X
s
C. III. to the iime cf Alexander. S i
fell to thelotof Pfammitichus j and he, grcady encoiirtiging all commerce wim the Grecians and Phcenicians^ not only accumulated great wealth, but acquired alfo the favour and friendfliip of feveral foreign kings and nations ; which drew on him the envy of his colleguesj who,- fearing he fliould grow too formidable^ and afreft to rule over them, tefolved to reduce him betimes. Wherefore they ill declared war againft him ; and he, finding himfelf unequal to the con- flift, hired an arftiy of mei-ceharies, cbnfifting chiefly of loniansj Cariansy and Arahitins; repelled force with force, and, in the end, fubdued the other kings, and put an end to the duodecemuirate in. On the other hand it is related^ that, in purfuance of his fentence, he retreated to the fens ; but, greatly refenting the feverity of his ufage for fo trifling a thing, done yrithout any evil defign, he fent to the ora- cle of Latona^ at the city of Butus^ to know how, and when, he might hope for redrefs. The anfwer he received was, that Brazen would fuddeflly rife out of the fea, and avenge his caufe. This he received as a flat abfurdity : but, not long after, fome Imian and Carian pirates landed in brafe armour : and an Egyptian^ who had never feen men armed fo before, going up to Pfammitichusy and iac-- iquaintiiig him, that certain brazen men had rifen oiit of the fea, and were pillaging th.e land near the fea-fhore, he perceived that the oracle was come to pafs : therefore, per- fuading them to ftay, by the large promifes he made them if he lucceeded, and joining to them fuch Egyptians as were well afFefted to him, he fubdued and deSironed the '^
eleven kings, and feized on the whole kingdom for him- felf °. It is faid, die decifive batde was fought at Monem^ phis' I (hat fome of the kings were flain, and that others- took refuge in jifric. Thus was the government by twelve difkJved, after it had fubfifted 15 years ©.
.Hitherto the Egyptian hiftory has been covered with- y^^f of an impenetrable mift : it now begins to clear up a litde*' Aq^ Pfainmitichusy of the tribe of Sais, thus poflfefled of the* ig^g. whole: kingdom of Egypt 9 reigned with as much wifdom^^f.Chrift magnanimity, and fpdendor, pa any of his predcceflbrs. 67b. He was the fon of EcuSy whom Sabbaco put to death \yv>^ when he conquered Egypt ; and, had ha not fled tntoPfammi- SyriHy would have fbared in bis father's fate. He madetichus. gpod his engagements -with, his allies, and over and zbov^Gi'vts prefented themwidv cextaiti laxulson each fide of the Nik^*great en^ and called their fetdements the camp. He alfo put feveral courage-
• A D10D4. Sic. ttbi fop. p. -59. » HwloD. uhi fop', c; 152. Qj-^i^s •D^OD. p. 60, - . •' . -^
<- Vol* n. f: childrea
7be Hiftory of Egypt B. L
children under their tuition, that they mj|^ be inftruAol in the Greek language. They had their iitiiatioa near the fea, below the city of Bubajis^ by the PduJUtn movdi of the Nile : and here they continued till Amafis renoM them to Memphisy as will be ihewn in its mace. How- ever, it is here proper to obferve, that oiele Gnaems are faid to have been the firft foreigners who were per- mitted to dwell in Egypt ; and that, from the intercouHe and correfpondcnce which was conftantly kept up between them and their countrymen in Greece, we are well afliiiBd of the truth and exa£bieis of the Egyptian hiftory fribm the days of PfammitUhus ».
CoNCE RNi N G the public edifices he ereded there is fixne '^ difagreemcnt : Herodotus fays, he,added the fouthem, and ^* Diodorusy that he added the eaftern portico to the temple of Vulcan. The former writes, that he built a ipacions edifice oppofite to this portico, for the reception of the god Jpisy whenever he fliould appear ; and that it was enriched with fculptures, and furrounded by gigantic ftatues, Z2 cn^ bits high, inftead of pillars. The utter, that he incoD- paiTed the temple with a wall, fubftituting colofles inflevl of pilafters^^.
In confideration of the fidelity and warlike experience of the foreigners, who had placed him on the throne, he al- ways kept feme of their countrymen in pay, and wentib far as to compliment them with the poft of honour when he. marched his army into Syria ; where he warred many V. years. This fo incenfed the Egyptians^ that upwards of 200,000 of them deferted him, and marched ofF in a body* Perceiving his error in thus affronting his own fubje<^ he at firft fent fome of the chief o£Ecers after them, to excuie the matter : but, finding that their perfuafions had no effed, he took fhipping, with fome of his friends, and overtook them on the banks of the Nile : and there, intreating them to halt, in confideration of all the natural obligations that could endear their country to them, and their gods ; they unanimoufly ftruck their fpears upon their £ields, and cried out, that, as long as they had arms, they did not doubt but they fhould find a country to fetde in : and, difcovering their nakednefs, added, that thev fhould never want wives and children. They then fuUenly marched on, tUl they came into the territories of Ethiopia j where tJicy fat down on a fertile fpot, and dwelt there.
» Herod, ibid. c. 154, ^ Idem, ubifupr. c. 152. Diop. ubifupr. p. 62. ^
^ To jepaijr this lofs, he eameftly applied himfelf to the6/Mr/ tii ■advancement of commerce, and opened his ports to all ^r//^ * firangers ; whom he greatly carefled, contrary to the cruel £g)T(^ ■ or refervcd maxims of his predeceflbrs* At the fame timeA'^V''"'* ; he was thus intent upon his afiairs at home, he entered ' into, or renewed an alliance with the Athemansy and other ' Greek nations I But his reign is for nothing more remark^ able, than for the long and tedious fiege he laid to ^^otus jj^^ ji^^ in Syria y which held out againft the whole power of Egypt ^r Azo^^ for the fpace of 29 jrearsffl. His condu£l towards the Scythi- x.}X%, and am^ who, about this time, pofiefled themfelves of jlfiay ^xAtranfitc were now marching with a defign to pour themfelves mxotion nviri £iypty is highly conunended : for, inftead of oppofing/i&/ Scy* them, he joined them in Syria^ and by his prefents andthians. intreaties prevailed on them to march back again u. After a reign of fifty-four years o he died, and was buried in die the temple of Bubaftis^ or Minerva ^ at Sais^ the place where all the Saitic kings were depofited. He is reported to have been the firft king of Egypt that drank wine P, to hare fent to difcover the iprings of the Nili% and to have made an, experiment to find out which was the moft antient nation in the world : to which purpofe, he got two new^ born children, and brought them up after fuch a manner that they never heard an human voice ; and becaufe, wheli at two years old they pronounced a word (beccos) which £gnified bread in the Phrygian tongue, the Egyptians no longer vaunted of their feniority before all odier nations,' but fubmitted to the PAry^i^Tiw'.
Nechus was the fon and (viCCtKor of Pfammiiichus, Yearbf He is the Pharaoh Necho of fcripture, and was a prince of flood a magnificent and warlike genius, and great both at land 1732. and fea« In the beginning of his reign he attempted to cut Bef. Chr. a canal from the Nile to the Rid Sea ' 5 but, after the lofs ^*6* of 1 2C,ooo of thde employed on this work, he was warned ^J^'V^ by an ofacle to defifl:, and leave the firdihing of it to a^*^*"* Barbarian or foreigner. He obeyed the oracle i and thence* forth tummg his thougihtd to vrarlike enterprizes, built a fleet of galleys in the norther^ [Mediterranean] &sl^ and an^^ other m die flteights of the Arabian gulph, where fbotfteps of h^ navdt preparations were feen many ages afterwards <•
' Idem ibid. ^ Herod. 1. ii.c. 157. » Idem, 1. i. c. 105. ^ Idem, t^ii, It. 157. 9 EuDOX. apod Pktarch. it Ifide 8c
Ofifide,.g.^5jf3« * ArRBNiRVs, 1. viii. p. 545. ' HbAod^ '1. ii, Ct at . ^ Idea ibid, c 158. • Idvmj ibid. c. 159.
Fa He
-.84 The Hiftory of Egypt . . : B- Ir
'AffeHs the He fent fome of the moft expert Phoenician mariners he couU einpire of procure, upon a difcovery of the African coafts. According- iht fia. Jy, failing out of the Red Sea through the ftreights of Babet- mandelj zs now called, they fteered down the eaftem (bora of yff?-ic ; and, doubling the Cape of Good^Hope^ coafted up northward, till they came to the ftreights of Gibrabar \\f^ •which they entered the Mediterranean^ and jfo retunied . / ■ into Egypt : this voyage they performed in three years '. Histvars He was not only great at fea, but was alfo fonnidable qt land. \yy j^^j^ JofephuSy following Cteftas^ fays, that he made war upon the Medes and Babylonians ; who had juft then diffolved the AJfyrian monarchy, and were grown dreadful to the nations tar and near " : but the Scripture expreflj fays, that he went out againft the king of Ajjyria^ who was then on the river Euphrates^ perhaps at aahyUn : in his march thither, "Jofiah king of Judah refiifed him .^t •paflage through Judea^ and drew up an army to prevent his defign, which was to befiegc Carchemijh ^. Finding therefore that Jojiah oppofed him, he fent meflengers to him to remonftrate, that his arms were not taken up with a defign to do Jojiah the leaft prejudice ; that the war he was going to engage in, was undertaken by the exprds "command of God ; wherefore he would do well not to incur the wrath of heaven by withftanding its decree^ ■But, finding that Joftah gave no ear to his remonftrances^ •he refolved to give him battle; and both armies being drawn up in the valley of Megiddo (or Magdolus^ as Ht- rodotus has it ^), Jojiah was wounded mortally with ao *'- arrow, as he was driving his chariot up and down the
ranks ; and, perceiving his end to be near, he commanded his army to retreat, and Necho held on his march U Arriving on the banks of the Euphrates^ he there took the great city of Carchemijh ; where he lodged a fufficient ga- ^ rifon, and, after three months, returned to wards £>jj^/ *,
As he drew near to Jerufalemy he hea,rd that Jihoahmt had taken upon him to be king ; and, fending him an order to meet him at Riblah in Syria ^ he there bound him in chains, and fent him away prifoner to Egypt. After which he went to Jerufalem^ and made Eliakim^ whofe name he clianged into Jehoiakim^ king over Judah^ impofing on him at the fame time a tribute of an hundred talents ot
^ « Idem, 1. iv. c. 42. * Josephu5 antiq. 1. x. c 6«
^ 2 Kings xxiii. 29. 2 Chron. xxxv. 20. ^ Herod.I. ii. Ci ijg;! ^ 2 Chron. xxxv. 24. Joseph vs autiq. ohifupr. • ' Ideoi.ibjd. 1 ' ' ^ fjvcr,
Cfi lil. to the time: of AlScaricfen ^
filver, and one talent of gold*. And thus he becamet mafter ofjudea and Syria. Herodotus ftys that he took- the great and mountainous city of Cadytis in Palejiine^ i that is, as (bme^ underftand him, Jerufalem. It is plain tfechus was there ; but it is almoft as plain, that he entei'ed it in a peaceable manner b. Hitherto he was fucceisful in his wars, and weakened the declining power oi AJJyria ; which very ibon after ceafed to .give name to a monarchy : ' ' and, in commemoration of his good fortune, or in gratis ttide to the god^ he is feid to have confecrated the gar- ments he wore in thefe actions to Apolh^ and to have fent diem to the oracle of the Branchida in the land of the Mdileftans «.
But he did not long enjoy his new acquifitions ; ior^His turn fi>me years after, Nebuchadnezzar came from Babyhn^offirtuni^, with defign to drive the Egyptians from Cdrchemijh^ and re- '^
Qoverthe Syrian and Phaentcian provinces 4. But he, no way daunt^ at the formidable power of this newly^reded monarchy,' marched towards the Euphrates with a very fiUmerouis array, zigainA Nebuchadnezzar ; but in the end Necho was routed with a terrible flaughter, and loft Gjpt- chemiflf, with all Syria and Judea^ quite to Pehftum^. Ue afterwards entered into a confederacy with Jehoiakiniy and made as if he intended to renew the war againft the Babylonians ; but he did nothing of moment afterwards^ nor ftirred out of Egypt f. He died about eight years after he had l)eep defeated by Nebuchadnezzar y having reigned lixteen, and left his fon Pfammis to fuccecd him- in the kingdom g.
In the reign of Pfammis^ the fon of Necho^ embafladors Year of came into Egypt frooi the Ekans^ to know if the molt flood fege Eg^tians could add amy diing to their regulations 1748. <ionceniing the Olympic games,, or could perceive any de-Bcf. Chr. fc&ki them. When the king was informed of their bu- 600. finefs, he called a council of the wifeft men in the nation j ^--^N^V> and, fending for the embafladors, he aflced them, if their ^^°*'"^-' own citizens were allowed to contend at thei^ games. The Eleans anfwered, they were. The Egyptians pronounced, that they erred from all the rules of hofpitality ; fince it was natuial for them to favour their fellow-citizens more
: • 2 KingsxxSi. 33. ^ Vide Pride a vx conned, p. 56, 57. EfERpD. ubi fopr, ^ Idem ibid. c. 159. ** Jercm.xlvi. i, 2. 2 Kings xxiv. 7'. « Jose phus, ubi fupr. ^ 2 Kings
W^' 7' Jf|6£PiiUs ttbi fupr. ^ Herod, ubi fupr.
, F 3 than
8^ fbeHiJtotyofZgyft P-l
than Grangers : that if they were come to be infoisied
concerning v^at ought, or ought not, to be oone in the
matter they had propofed, the moft cquitablie )aw thcf
could m^ke, would be to exclude their oiyn countrymen,
and admit none but ftrangers to contend for the prisei,
Pfammis reigned fpc years, and died in an expe4ition againft
the Ethiopians^ leaving his fon Jpries to fucceed him ^*
Year of Apries is the Pharaoh-hophra of Scripture, The firft-
^^^ part of his reign was great and proiperous, the laft, info-
'754- lent and miferable. In the firft year of his reien he
Bef. CTjr.j.g^giygj embafladors from Zedekiah king of Judaby aid
594* with them he entered into a league, promigne to affift
^^^^^ their king againft the king of Babylon \\ and, s^ut two
His af* 15^^ after, marched out of Egyft wth a de%n to relieve
fairsiuitbJ^^f^^^l *^" clofely befieged by Neiuchadniz%gr \
tbe]zvt^. who no looner heard of his motions than be raifiidthc
' fiege, and refolved to meet him K But the Egyptiam^
afraid of venturing a battle, retreated as faft a3 the nabyk^
mans approached, till they got back into their own ooiiih
try \ leaving the Jews to the merciless rage of their enem^^
in contempt of the moft folemn engagements. And foe
this breach of futh it was that Ezekiel denounced die
heavy doom againft them, that they fhould be confounded
and defolate for forty years enfuing ^ ; and that afterwaidi
|:hey fhould degenerate to fo bafe a degree, as not to hafe
it in their power ever to fet up a king of their own for Ac
time to come ^ ; which will be feen accompliihed jn th^
courfe ol this hiftory. The Scriptures paint him in veir
^advantageous colours, and in the end threaten him wita
'it violent death ; which was his fate, as we ihall fee anon.
Jh the mean-time it may not be amifs to take notice, da^
Herodotus gives this king twenty five years of greater
profperity than any of his predeceffors, except Pfmramitir
thusy had enjoyed ; though Diodorus allows Kls wholq
reign no more than twenty-two years. However, they
both agree in giving him the charad^er of a martial prince,
and fpeak of fucccj&ful wars which he waged, both by fiea
His n)iit!h and land, againft the Tyriansy Sidonians^ and Cjpriots o.
ries. The city of otdon he took by ftorm ; and, having vanquifhed
both the Pbctnicians and Cypriots in a fea-nght, he le*-
turned with immenfe fpoil into Egypt "9. This no way
clafhes with what the facred writings record of him; but
1 1dem ibid. c. 1 6o, i $ i . * Ezck. xvii. 1 5. * Jotflk
xjncvii. 5. ^ Idem ibid. ver. 7. " Ezek.xxix. 8 — it.
^ Idem XXX. 13. *» HiROD. ubi fupr, c. l6i. DiOP.
abi fupr. p. 62. P Idem ibid.
■^w
O in. to the limof AlcxsLti^tr. tf
lis rather confonant therewith : for Aire he muft have been i)« mighty king, in whom the Jews dared to confide againft I the monarch of Babyhn I And, as to the feint Afries made I to relieve Jerufalem^ and his Ihameful retreat, that rather ijleAeAed difhonour on him> than amounted to a misfor^
I tune.
i And now, to obfervc the perfeft agreement and harmony I between the facred and prq&ne writers, let us hear the I fermer pronounce judgment againft him, and learn from I the latter, how it was executed. We have already ob- , ferved, that the Scripture threatened this Img with a vio- , lent death : the words of the prophet are ; Thus faith the Lord^ Biholdy I will give Pharaoh-hophra, king d/" Egypt, into the hand of his enemies^ and into the hand of them that feek his Rfe i as I gave Zedekiah king of Judfah into the band #/* Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon his enemy ^ and that fought his life q. Ma^ predictions of the fame kind are uttered againft him in Ezekiel\ but there he is con-" founded with his fubje£b, and therefore we (hall pafs theni Over. Now the profane hiftorians acquaint us, how thefe prediftions were fulfilled: the CyreneanSj a colony of the Greeks J being greatly flrengthened by a numerous lupply of their countrymen under their third Icing Battus the Happyy and encouraged by the Pythian oracle, they began to drive out the Libyans^ their neighbours, and (hare their pofiefllors among themfelves. Hereupon ^n^iV^^r, king of the in- jured Libyans^, fent an embafly of fubmiffiou to Jpriesy and implored his proteftion from the violence of the nQv/ThecoMfi comers. Jpries^ complying with his requeft, fent a ipowcr-o/hi^ ful army to relieve him. But the Egyptians being defeated ''«''»• .with great flaughter by the Cyreneansy, the few, who - ' cfcaped, were highly incenfed againft the king, as if he had fent them to certain deftru£tion, in hopes that Acy being cut oft', he might tyrannize without controul over the remainder of his fubjeCTs. What ground there was for this fufpicion, does not appear ; but it prevailed to fuch a ' degree among the giddy multitude, that almoft an uni- venal defeflion enfued. Upon news that they were afTem^ bled in a tumultuous manner,, and talking loud of a revo- lution, Apries fent a trufty friend, as he thought, and one much rdpcfted by the people, called Amafisj to appeafe jj lurav^ them* But he, inftead of reconciling them with Apries jedfy made intereft with riiem for himfelf; and, as he was pre-Amafis, tending to reproach them, and recal them to their alle* ^i^nce, one of them came behind him, put an helmet on
^ Jcrcm. adiv.jo.
■f
his
:^e Htftory of Egypt \ ,* \::
his head, and ialuted him king of Eg^t ; and from that inftant he prepared to war againft his mafter f. Apries^ finding himfelf thus betrayed, commanded on^ PatarbimiSf the mod confiderable of all the Egyptians^ who^as vet ad-: hered to him, to go to the rebdlious camp, and bring Amafn to him alive. He obeyed ; and, coming in fight <^ Amafti^ called out to him, charging him to attend, on die king* At tliis, Amqfts^ who was on hoirfeback) lifted up hjs thigh with the utmoft fcorn, and, breaking wind^ bid him carry that back to his mafter. Patarbemis ftill prcf-. fing him to obey the royal fummons, he returned this final anfwer. That he had been fome time preparing to vifit die king ; but, that he might do it in a proper maimer, he would bring a fuitable equipage along with him. IPatar- bemis had now heard and fecn too muph to imagine he ihould fucceed in the bufincf^ he was charged wiui, and began to thinjc, thaf the bcft fer\'icc he could dp for AprUs^ lit thi§ conjunfture, would be to giye him the moft early notice of the pofture and tcnipcr of the rebels. He there-r fore haftened back to the king, who no fooner faw hifl| without Amafuy than he ordered his ears and nofc to be cut oft'. This infolent and tyrannical behaviour complex ted his ruin : for when this reft of the Egyptians^ who had continued faithful to him, beheld the inhuman mutilation of fo worthy and noble a perfon, they all withdrew froni him, and went oyer to Amajis. And now the tyrant. on the one hand, and the ufurper on tlie other, prepared for war ; the ope haying the whole body of the natives under his banner ; the other only fuch Carians^ lonlans^ and other mercenaries and foreigners, as he could engage in his ferr vice s.
DuRiNC thcfe inteftinc broils and diverfions, which muft
;• have greatly weakened Egypt j it is probable that Nebuchai" nezzar^ who much about this time broke up his thirteen years ficge of Tyre^ and had at laft nothing but an empty
t' town for his pains, took advantage of the troubled ftate of this kingdom, in hopes here to acquire fuch fpoil as might make amends for what he miffed at Tyre, And this is perr feftly confonant to the Scripture, w-liere it is foid ; Nebu- chadnezzar king <j/'Babylon caujed his qrrpy to ferve a great
■ fervice agai?t/l Tyrus ..... yet had h^ no wages nor his
army for Tyrus Therefore^ faith the Lord God^ Bcr
holdy I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadnez2jar king of Babylon and it jhall he the wages for hU
r HtROD. ubi fopr. c. i6i, 162. DiOD. ubi fupr. » Heroq. ubi fupr. c. 163.
army*
C^ HI. to t^fi tifM of Alexander. 89,
army K A nation in fuch diftraftion as Egypt nuift have been in at this time, was an eafy prey to a number of ex- perienced veterans ; and, befides, muft have been in the ihoft proper condition to gratify an army already worn out lyith fatigue, as the Babylonians doubtlefs were. Nebu^ chqdnezzar therefore entered Egypt y and miferably harafled the country, fjew and led away great numbers of its inha- bitants J fo that fomc think it did not recover from this in^curfion for forty years, as had been foretold. At length he left the country j but, whether he appointed Amajis for his lieutenant, or what terms he made with him, is what ■\ve do not take upon us to fay ; no more than whether Amafts and Jpries ftood their ground, and made head againft the enemy ; or left him to aft- at his pleafure in PsyP^' This alone is certain, that the Babylonian carried away an immenfe booty with him.
And now w? refume the civil war, which we haveCmV been Qbliged to interrupt, by taking a view of the devafta-wiir he^ tion of the country by a foreign^ enemy. Apries marched /wf^ir from Saisy where he nad a moft fumptuous and delightful Apries palace, at the head of 30,000 Cdrians and loftians ; and tnd Amat Jmajis, on die otlier hand, was in motion at the head of anfis, army of Egyptians ". They met in the fields near Mem- phis ; and Apries was fo far from doubting of viftory, that he is faid to have entertained a notion, that it was not' in the power even of any god to diveft him of his kingdom ^, as he is upbraided by the prophet, The river is mine^ and t have made it x. But his confidence availed him nothing; the armies drew up at JlAemphis, and though the foreigners idid wonders, yetj being overpowered by numbers, they >vere utterly defeated, and Apries himiblf was taken pri- ibner.
And now Amajisy of the tribe ofSaisj ufurped the kins- Year of dom. He confined Apries in the palace of Saisy formerly flood his own ; and treated him with great care and refpeft. 1779. But the people were implacable, and could not reft "v^llft Bef. Chr. jfpries enjoyed his life 7 : and therefore, murmuring againft 569. AmaftSy and rcmonftrating that his lenity was wrong apr ^^yv^N^t plied in extending it to his and their common enemy, heAmafis. found himfelf under a neceffity of delivering Apries into their hands. And now, being fallen under the power of a • . thofe ^ho fought his Ufe^y they ftrangled him, and laid ^"^/tranzUd.
^ Ezek. xxix. 18, 19. « Hbrod. ubi fupr. c. 169. Diod. "vbi fupr. w Herod, ubi fupr. ^ Ezek. xxix. 3. 1 Plato feTira: »Jerem, ubi fupr. . ^
^ body
90 ne HifiorycfEgy^t BIl
body in the fepulchre of his anceftors, whidi was in die temple of Minerva j adjoining to the palace, on the left- hand going in. Here it was that all the princes of Ac tribe of Sais were intombed *.
We know it is £ud, that Amafts did not thus ufurp die throne, nor fucceed Apries. It was one Partamisj bj thev, whom Amajis fucceeded, and that, by the foUowii^ incident : Partamis celebrating his birth-day, Amajis^ as yet a private perfon, prefented him with a moft beautiful and elegant garland of flowers : whereupon being invited to his table as a gueft, and thenceforward added to the number of the king's friends, he was at laft fent at the head of an army to reduce the Egyptians^ who had rebel- led ; but the army made him king, out of the hatred the^ bore to Partamis a. We are inclined to think, that tlic Partamis here, and the Patarbemis above, are the famd man ; and, if fo, he was rather the idol of the people*s affe£tions, than the obje£t of their hatred. But we for- bear enlarging any fartbef on this fubjedt, and fhall <mly fay, that the author, who gives us this account, is not always the moft faithful tranfcribcr.
Whoever Amajis fuccecded, and which way foever he came to the crown, it is commonly allowed, that ht was of plebeian extraction. And, perceiving at fii^, that it was with reluctance the people payed him the refpe£l due to the fublimlty of his ftation, he took a golden ciftem, in which his guefts were ufed to wafh their feet, and ordered it to be melted down, and caft in the fhape of a god This precious idol was fet up in the moft frequented part of the city; and all paid due reverence and honour to it He then called an aflembly of the Egyptians j and acqiiainted them, That the god they now worfliiped was made of the veflel which had ferved for the meaneft ufes : that his own cafe was the fame ; formerly he was a mean perfon, but, being now their king, he expected and required to be honoured and obeyed as fuch. It was a rule with him to attend clofely to bufinefs every morning, and to divert himfelf with his friends the remainder of the day, drinking and making merry with them : but his mirth was fomewhat of too low an allay for a king; at which fome of his friends were fcandalized, and afTured him, that fuch forgetfulnefi of his dignity would draw the contempt of all his fubjefis upon him. To this he replied, that as a bow alwa)^ bent would undoubtedly lofe much of its fpring and energy, and .
* Herod, ubi fupr. ' Hellanic. apud Athens. deipnoC ^ . XV. p. 680. 3
* . • I
»\
1
C* III. 10 fie tim of Alexander. ^1
in the end be whoUv ufeleis; fo a man who fliould9 ^ui-> interruptedly, attend upon ferious matters, would grow ftupid, and lofe his fenfes : and, being perfefUy convinced of this truth, he was determined to divide his time between bufmeis and diverfion. And indeed it is faid of him, that, when a private man, he ddighted in his cup and his teft f and was fo averfe to bufinefi, that he fupported himfof in his riot and luxury by thieving. In confequence of this heinous pra£tice, being oftentimes accufed, and continually denying his guik, they were ufed to carry him to the ora- cle of uie place, where-ever he was, by which he was feme- times conviAed, and fometimes acquitted. When became to the throne, he recolledled the former trania£tions of his life, and, calling to mind the deceitfiilnefs and ignorance of the oracles, who had pronounced him innocent, he jnighted the temples of fuch gods, abftained from their facrifices, and refuied to prcfent them with any donations* Dn the oMitrary, he highly revered thofe for veracity and pmnifcience, who had charged him with his odious crime b.
He built a portico to the temple of Minerva 2X Sais,ni ftABc which was of the utmoft magnificence, both in the vaft-^Mrlf •/ peisof its proportion, and d^ maffivenefs of the mate-^^n^^ pals, adorning it with colofles, and the monftrous images (of Andirofphynges. But, what is moft to be admired, ne femovcd an houfe all of one ftone, from the fame city to ^ai^. The exterior dimenfions of it were twenty-one cubits in front, fourteen deep, and eight high : the in- terior meafures were eighteen cubits, twelve, and five. Two thouiand mariners were employed three years it> franfporting this extraordinary edifice. It ftdod near the (entrance of the temple, and was never carried quite int cither, as was faid, becaufe the chief engineer fighed one jlay, as if he was tired out with the work ; at whicl^ Amafts, who ftood by, taking offence, would never fufFer bim thenceforth to concern himielf with it; or, becaufe one of the men, who were rolling it into the temple, was cruflied to death by it. He was very magnificent in the gifts and omamfsnts he beftowed upon the other celebrated temples, particularly on that at Memphis i where, before* t|ie temple of Vukanj he caufed a cofofius to be made 75 feet in length, lying on its back ; and on the fame bans, or pavement, he ere^ed t^o ftatues twenty feet high, cut out of the fame ftoiie, and ftanding on each fide of %he great one. The great temple of Ifts at Memphis was i)uilc by bim^.
Y Hbroo. ibid, c, 1 73 — 1 75, « Idem ibid, c 176, 177.
More-
gz . 1'he Hijlory of Egypt ' ^. P
^btftatt Moreover, Egjpt is faid to have been perfedly happjr 9f Egypt during his reign, in the fecundation of the NiU^ and to Wider him\\xxiit, now contained no lefs than 20,000 populous cities.^ and his And, that good order might the better fubfift in the midft . lavji. (yf fo vaft a multitude, Amafis enaded a law, whereby every Egyptian was bound once a year to inform the go- vernor of the province, by what means he earned his fiv* ing, and, in de&ult thereof, to fuflFer death ; which wii alfo the punifhment now ordained for thofe^ who were not able to give a fatisfa£lo*ry account of themfdves * : and for this, and the other laws he enaded, he is ftikd the fifth lawgiver of Egypt ^, Is very fa* ^^ ^^^ ^ g^^^ friend to the Greeks^ and had a vifit from wourabU Solon c. Bcfides the favours he conferred on particular per*» to all the fons and cities of that nation, he gave full liberty to the Greeks. Greeks in general to come into£^j^/, and to fettle, either in ' the mod celebrated mart of Naucratis^ or drive on their 1 trade upon the fea*coa{ls ; granting them places where they might ere£l altars and temples to their own deities. Ac-; cordingly they eredled feveral temples, the moft frequented and noted of which was called the Grecian temple, beihg built at the joint charge of the Ionian cities of Cbio^.Tusj Phocaay and Clazomena ; of the Dorians oi Rhodes j CnUtiSy HalicarnaJfuSj Phafelis^ and of the Molians in the city of Mitylene, Thofe of Mgina alfo built a temple to Ju^tirtl. their own expence ; the Samians another tojuno^ and tbfr Milefians^ a third to Apollo. The Greeks eleaed officers to prefide over their commercial affairs, and their religion, and ([henceforward became a confiderable body in Egypt ^. So great was the fame of Amafis for his generoiity and. humanity, that when the Delphians^ whole temple had been burnt, were going about from city to city to raife fuch a contribution as might enable them to pay that part of the expence which was impofed on them, they applied pot only to the Greeks in Egyptj but alfo to. Amafis himfelf, who gave them a thoufand talents of alum^^* Marries a^^ made an alliance with the Cyreneans^ and, beihg de-. Qr^ek. firous of a Grecian woman, or elfe willing to give an am- ple teftimony of the aiFe£kion he had for that people, he married Ladice^ the daughter of Battusy according to- fome ; and, according to others, of Arcefilausy or Critobubtt^ ^ perfon of high authority among the Cyreneans. Thii marriage was very extraordinary in its beginning, and
• See vol.i. p. 465 . Herod, ubi. fupr. & c. 1 78. ^ Diod. i ubi fupr. p. 85. « Herod. I. i. c. 30. ^ Idem, I. ii. c. 178, ' ' ^ Ideni ibid. c. i8a
could
•C. HL to: the time i?/ Alexander. ^
could not be confummatcid without the intervention of a deity. For Amafu^ the' he found no impediment in him- felf with refpedt to other women, was at the fame time ,fenfible of a total inability in regard to his wife. Here- .upon, fufpe£ling fome fecret charm, he told her one night, that, how deeply foever fhe was verfed in fuperna*- tural contrivances, (he fliould not efcape the vengeance he intended to take on her for her ingratitude to him. She denied the charge, and, applying with fighs and tears ,to Venus^ vowed to fend a ftatue of her to Cfrtne^ and .ered: it there, if file delivered her from her prefent diflrefi* The goddcfs heard her prayer, the impediment .was xt^Amracii* moved, and the king thenceforth ufed her with all the kindnefs of a tender husband. Ladice performed her vow to the goddefs, whofe ftatue, fet up by her, was feen with- >
out the gates of Cyrene fome ages afterwards. This mi-* i^cle, as it was doubtlefs call^, brought x\^t gods of the Greeks into as much credit with Amajis as they were with the Greeks themfelves, as we gather from his confecrated :donations to Greece* To the city of Cyrene he fent a gilt His tonfe- flatue of Minerva^ and his own pi£lure done to the life, crated do-- To the city of Lindus he gave two ftone fiatues of the ^t^tiims to feme goddefs, with a linen pe£toral or ftom^cher wonder- Greece. fully wrought and adorned. To Samos he fent two wooden images of himfelf, which were feen (landing feveral ages afterwards, behind the gates^ of the gr^t temple of Juno. ^This donation he made to Samos for the fake of Polycrates^ with whom he was in efpecial alliance. As for Lindus^ it was reported, that the daughters of Danaus founded the temple of Minerva there, when they fled from the ions of /Egyptus. To all the great things which have been C0Hquerf )iltherto fdid.of him, we may add, that he was the firft Cyprus, who fubdued Cyprus^ and who exa^d tribute from the CypriotSy its inhabitants ^.
Hitherto we have reprefented this reign in the ma^ jeftic colours the Egyptian priefts beftowed on it ; and under fo prudent a prince as it is likely Amajis was, the greateft part of what tbey faid may be true enough : but they ^dwelt fo much on the glory of this reign, as to for- get all the ignominy that was mixed with it. Xenophon write;, that Cyrus conquered Egypt ' ; and if fo, it muft have been during this long reign \ and Herodotus (ays^ that Amafif sind Crcejuf were leagued together againft Cyrus ^. It is certain. That Nebuchadnezzar almoU ruined the ;'.^ H&RQD. ubi fupra. c. i8i« 182. Dion, ubi fapra. • Cyropacdk fiib fin. «; in prolog, f Hirod. 1, i, c. 77. ». , / • - whole
94 ^^^ tiijiory ef Egypt B. i
whole kingdom ; but no mention is made of this by pro> &nc authors, who, fo far as they have touched upon the Egyptian affairs^ have copied the antient records of that na- tion, or depended upon the oral traditions of their pricAt. But now that it was no longer in their power to ooncedl ... . their difhonour, they frankly confefied it. For^ according / to themfelves, the latter days of jimajis were darkened by a
r^ ^ dreadful ftorm, which threatened the utter ruin of Egyft'f ^^^* and though he died juft foon enough to efcape the rage of it, yet his dead body was fo cruelly abufed and deftroyed, that) couM be have been feniible of the hard fate be was doomed to, he, according to the Egyptian fupcrftition, would have thought the lofs of his kingdom a trifle, if compared virith it. anJwfy, For, by fome means or other, Amafis had incenfed Cambyfis the Perjian (who was naturally a rafh and paf- fionate prince) againft him to fuch a degree, as has fcuce its parallel in hiftory. The feeds from whence this enmity fprang are not certainly, nor perhaps at all, known to us. On one hand it is faid. That Amafis fending an EgjjAm oculift to Cyrui king of Perfia^ who had defired tohavc the beft in his kingdom ; the man, who was chofen bjr the king for this purpofe, took it much at heart, that he ihould be thus exiled, as it were, from his wife and chil- dren, and fent into Perfia ; and efpecially fincc Cyrus had deiired the beft oculift in Egypt ^ which, he was confcioos,' was not himfelf. The angry Egyptian^ continuing in Pirfit^ and plainly perceiving the turbulent genius of Cambyftfj prevailed on him to fend an herald to Amafis y to demand his daughter to wife, aflured, that whether Amafis com- plied with this requeft or not, he (hould have his full mea* fure of revenge on him. Cambjfes hearkened to this man, and did as he had fuggefted. When the Pirfimn henU came to Amafis^ he knew not what to refolve on : he dreaded the Perfian power, if he refufed ; and was afluuned of the diihonour which muft be refleded on his familyf if | he complied, knowing that, inftead of heing a wife, bis daughter would be no better than the Perfian^s concubine. J At laft he bethought him, that his predecefTor bad left J behind him an only daughter, of great beauty, and fflt- A jeftic deportment, called Nitetis. Her therefore be fent k with all the pomp and fplendor becoming his own dauj^ j^ ter, to Cambyfis in Perfia j who, when he faw her, it ta luted her by the title of daughter to Amafis. She imnt' p diately anfwer«d, that Amafis. had deceived him ; that fh^ was not his daughter 5 but the unhappy child of the
unfortunate
CHL te th time of Akxaxtitr. 95
unfortunate AfritSy whom Amajis had put to death, and whofe throne he had ungratefully ufurped. At this Cam^ bxfesy fired with indignation, vowed the deftru£Uon ofAmafis* Tnis was the ftory f he Pirjians told : but we look upon the whole account as fabulous. 'Tis more likely, that Jmafis ^, who had fubmitted to Cyrusj refufed, upon the death of that great conqueror, to pay his fuccefTor the fame ho- oiage and tribute. But, whatever was the caufe of this war, we leave Cambyfes preparing for it, and return to Jmafis.
Whilst this cloud was gathering, Pharus of Hali- Am^iis is carnajffusy commander of the Grecian auxiliaries in the istrmd pay of Amajis y took fome private di%uft, and, leaving^ Pnaoes Egypt ^ embarked for Pirjia. He was a prudent coun-?/* Hali- fellor, a valiant captain, perfeftly well acquainted with^™*®^* every thing that related to Egypt ; and, befides, had great credit with the Greeks in thefe dominions. Amafis was immediately fenfible how great the lo(s of this man would be to him, and how much he lud it in his power to ftrengthen the hands of CamlyfeSy pr any prince elfe, who (hould undertake to invade him i and therefore in all hafte he fent a trufty eunuch with a fwift galley to purfue him i who overtook him in Lycia, However, he was not brought back to Egypt ; for, making his guard drunk, he continued his way to Pirfia^ and prefented himfelf to Cambyfes J as he was meditatix^g the downfal of Egypt^ which he forwarded by his counfel ^nd difcoveries, as Amajis had dreaded 8.
We have already oUei^ed, that there had been an ^i^MeAesf^ cial harmony between Amajis and Polycrates the tyrant of lyooitis Somes I but a mifunderftanding arimig between thcmiiii ntsM^. polycratesy when occafion ofiered, joined Cambyfes againft bis former Egyption ally. For Amajis^ receiving continual accounts of the uninterrupted fuccefies and, depredations of this Samiany feared that in the end feme heavy difafter would fall upon him, equal to the gfery of his triumphs ; and therefore fei^t him this letter advifine him as fotY lows : Amafis to Polycrates fpeaketh .*., .It is with plea^ Jure / hear of the happy Jiate of my friend and ally. Ne^r ^ertbilefs t fear fir thy great profperitieSy knwiing the un^ fiahlmfs of fortsme. For my party 1 fi>ouU rather chufe^ that my affairs y and tbofe alfo of my friends y Jhould ha, fmilimes profperousy and fometimes uiwapf^y^ than hav$ them go on with contitmd Juc^efs. Xherefore do tho^ n(tMft
^ HcaoDOT. IvL e« i» 2* * Idm ibid* e. 4u
4 hiarken
g6 ^he Hijlory of Egypt 8. 1.
hearken to my counfel^ and do as IJhall hid thee^ to take away from thy happinefs : conjiderthen with th)felf^ what thou tojfejjefi of greateft value to thjfelf\ and what would the moji bitterly grieve thee^ if loji : and when thou hift found it 9 caji it away from thee^ Jo that it may never more be beheld by man. If thy happinefs^ after this, kmwetb no mixture of evil, preferve ihyfelf againji the forrovo that may come upon thee, by repeating the remedy I tavi Jhewn thee. When Amafv heard, that Polycrates had taken his advice, and had accordingly thrown a very valuable iignet into the Tea, but that it was found a few days after- wards in the belly of a fi(h, and reftored to him, he gave him over as the mod unhappy of men ; and, dreading to partake as a friend in feme difmal calamity, which he feared muft befal him, he difpatched an herald to Sanui to renounce the alliance, and all the obligations between him and Polycrates, that he might not mourn his misfbr- tune with the forrow of a friend ^. Amaji^, by thus dif- folving the cement of this conjunftion, left Polycratet to zGt againft him, if his inclination led him fo to do \ and accordingly he offered a fleet of (hips to Camhyfts^ to ailifl him in his invafion of Egypti Thus we fee Jmafa in danger of an inexorable, cruel, and moil powerful enemy, in concert with a difgufled and formidable friend.
His death, ^y^t before the dreadful day came, his life ended, after he
Year of had reigned forty-four years. His dead body was embalffl-
£ood ed, and depodtcd in a fepulchre he had built for bimfclf in
1823. the temple at Sais \ but there, to fpeak in the antient
Bcf. Chr. Egyptian phrafe, he enjoyed but a fhort repofe, as will 525. be feen hereafter.
^;f^^'^'^ H K was fucceeded by his fon Pfammenitus, whofe reigff
xTamine- ^^g (j^^j.^ ^^^j calamitous. For he was fcarce feated on
'"^"'* the throne, when Cambyfei appeared at the head of a pow^ erf ul army, on the borders of Egypt. Pfammenitw drew together what forces he could, to prevent his penetratiif into the kingdom. But in the mean time Cambyfes, lay- ing fiege to Pelujium, made himfeif matter of that im- portant place by the following flratagem : he placed id the front of his army a great number of cats, dogs, and. other animals, that were deemed f^icred by the Eg^tians^ and then attacked the city, and took it without oppoiition, the garifon, which confifted intirely of Egyptians, not daring to throw a dart, or (hoot an arrow, that way^ thw^ fear (rf* killing fomc of thofe animals ',
* Idem/ibid. c.'4b — 43; * * Polvjen. I. viil. '
Cambyses
\
1 I
1
C. in. to the time of Alexander. 97
Cambysis had fcarce taken poiFeffion of Pglujium^ the key of E^t on that fidb, when Pfammenitus advanced vrith a numerous army to ftop his further progrefs ; where- upon a bloody battle enfued. But before the two armies engaged, the Gretks^ who ferved under Pfammenitus^ to Ihew their indignation againft their treacherous countryman Phanet^ brought his children into the camp, killed them in the fight of their father, and, in the prefence of the two armies, drank their blood. The Perjians^ enraged ^' w at fo cruel a fight, fell upon the Egyptian army with fuch ^^^'^ fury, that they foon put them to flight, and cut the great- '^'^^ h eft part of them in pieces. Thofe who efcaped, fled, to J:»n^oy- Memfhis^ where they were foon after guilty of an horrid *^*' outrage towards a herald, whom Cambyfes fent to them in a ihipof Mitylene ; for they no fooner fawher come into the port than they flocked down to the fhore, de&pyed the fhip, and tore the Perfean herald and all the crew to pieces, carrying their mangled limbs in a barbarous triumph into the city. Not long after, they were clofely befieged by the Taktnpri* Perjians^ and in me end obliged to furrender : and fo Ml/oner^ mnd the gloiy of Egypt. The news of this ftruck with fuch ^o/es his terror the Libyans^ Cyremans and Barceans^ that they ^ngdtm. fubmitted to Cumbyfesy and implored his protection. ^
Upon the tenth day after Memphis had been taken, The parti- Pfammenitus and the chief of the Egyptian nobility were cuiars of fent ignominioufly into the fuburbs of that city to a£t a his capti^ part in one of the moft doleful tragedies that can be con- •^'O' ceived : for the king being there feated in a proper place, he faw his daughter coming along in the habit of a poor Have, with a pitcher, to fetch water ftom the river, and followed by the daughters of the greatefl; families in Egypt ^ all in the fame miferable garb, with pitchers in their hands, all drenched in tears, and bemoaning, with loud lamenta- tions, their unhappy condition. When the fathers faw tbeir children in this diftrefs, and reduced to fo mean a ftate, they burft out into tears, all but Pfammenitus^ who, though ready to fink under his grief, only caft his eyes toward the ground, and there fixed them. After the young women, came the fon of Pfammenitus^ and two^thoufand of the chief Egyptian youths, all with bits in their mouths, and halters round their necks, led to execution, to expiate the murder of the Per/tan herald, and the Mitylenean failors. For Catnbyfes caufed ten Egyptians of the firft rank to be publickly executed for
^ HsKOD.ib. c. II. 13, Vol. 11. G every
^8 ^he Hifiory of Egypt B. L
every one of thofe they had flain. But Pfammenitus^ like one ftupefied, and quite fenfelefs, as they pafled by, ob- ferved the very fame conduct as before, whiIft'thejGj}r- ptians about him cried with the loudeft lamentations. A . Ihort fpace afterwards he faw an intimate friend and com- panion, who, now that he was advanced in years, bad been plundered of all that he had, and was begging his bread from . door to door in the fuburbs. As foon as he perceived this man he wept bitterly, and, calling out to him by his name, ilruck himfelf on the head as one frantic. Of this the fpies, who had been fet over the captive king to obferve his be- haviour, gave immediate notice to CambyfeSy who thereupon fent a meiTenger to know what might be the caufe of fuch immoderate grief. Pfammenitus anfwered, *' That the calamities of his own family confounded him, an4 were too great to be lamented by any outward figns of grief; but die extreme dlflrefs of a bofom friend gave him ^^ more room for refledion, and therefore extorted tears *' from him.'* Cambyfes was fo affefted with this anfweii that he fent to ftop the execution of his fon ; but his or- ders were given too late ; the young prince having been put to death the firft. At the fame time Pfammtmius himfelf was fent for into the city, and refiored to bis liberty : and, had he not betrayed a defire of change and revenge, he might have been entrufted with the aoount- ftration of Egypt ; but, being of a vindidive temper, be was feized, and condemned to drink bull's blood ^ Thus and death, liQ ended his life after a difmal reign of fix months, and a fhort captivity ; and with him died the antient fplendor and liberty of Egypt.
The Egyptians now felt the heavy preffure of conqueft ne dead in a very extraordinary manner. They faw their late king tody of Amafis inhumanly taken out of his tomb, cruelly mangled, Amafis and finally burnt. They law their god Apu flain, and burnt \ and ^^y[ priefts ignominioufly fcourged j all which made fuch ^^.^^ . dreadful impreiGons on the minds of the whole nation, A^iylatn. jj^^j jj^gy ^ygj. afterwards bore an irreconcUeablc ayeriion
to the Perjians. Egypt a Thus were the Egyptians reduced to the lowefl degree pro'vinceo/of fubmiflion ; their royal line was extinft ; their religion the Per- ^^^ trampled on in the moft outrageous manner ; and lian em- themfelves pcrfecuted and defpifed for the profeffion thqf '''■'• made of it.
^ Idem ibid.c. 14^16.
A peoplS
I
C in. to ibe Hm$ of AJezandcr. 99
A P£OPLE who had been bred up to fucb a folemn ob- fervance of the inftitutions of their forefathers, muft needs think themfelves unhappy under fuch governors as held their laws in derifi(»i ; and therefore they continually con- fulted how they mi^t {hake off the intolerable yoke of their Perfian oppreflbrs.
At length they broke out into an open revolt, in theT'^f Egy* relen of Darius tiji/iafpiSj and continued in a ftate of re-ptians re- bellion againft the Ptrfians all the firft year of Xerxes ^\ 'voltfrom but, in tne iecond year^ of the fame prince, they were re-^^'l^cr- duced to harder fubje^on than before, as is ufually the^*"'» ^*' cafe ; and had one Acbanunesj brother to Xerxes^ for tiieir-^^'f ^' governor. again.
But the more feverity they fuffcred, the more they were Year of exafperated. In the fifth year of Artaxerxes Longimanus flood tliey revolted ^ain ; chofe Inarus king of Libya to fill their 1 888. throne ; and called in the Athenians to their affiftance ; who fief.Chrift chearfuUy embraced this opportunity of expelling die Per- 4^0. Jians out of Egypt ". The Egyptians almoft fucceeded in V-^*>^V-^ their proje<a. The ^>i/wrtf«j falling on ^g Per/tan Attt^^^^ ^ at fea, took and deftroved fifty fail of them ; and then,-^^*''' failing up the Nile^ lanaed, under die command oi Chari-**^': ^ timisj and joined the Egyptians and Libyans under Inarus. ^ '^S They all attacked Achamenides the Perfian general, ^^ugh^f y f. his army was 300,000 ftrong ; of whom there fell 100,000, •*
together with the general himfelf. The reft betook them- felves to flight, and returned to Memphis -, but, being pur^ fued by the Egyptians, they took refuge in a very con- fiderable, and by much the beft fordficd, part of that city, called the white %valL The Egyptians had the reft of it, \
and blocked up the Perjians three years within the white walU ■ ''
By this fuccefs the Egyptians hoped they had wrought a total deliverance for themfelves and dcfcendants; but their profperity was of no long duration. They were, at the end of three years, obliged to raife the fiege of the white wail, by the Perfian army, under the command of Artabazus governor of Ciliciaj and Megabyzus governor of Syria ». In the mean time, when Inarus heard of the formidable preparations which were making by tbefe Perftan governors to relieve the befiegcd, he rcdouoled tlie attacKs on the white waUy and made die utmoft ciForis to carry it \ but
'^ Herod. 1 vii. c. i. * Idem ibid. c. 7. ^ Thucydid. I. i; « Thucvdid. ubi fupr. D40D. Sic.l. xi,
G 2 the
100 Tbe Hifiory (ff E^ft B-t
the Perjians within defended themfclvcs with fuch bravery, that the Egyptians maie no confiderable progrefi towards the redu6kion ot the place ®-
In the third year of this (le^, and the ninth dlArUh xerxes^ Inarm and his auxilianes were obliged to laife the fiege of the white waU^ and defeated with ^eat flauehter, which fell chiefly on ^e Egyptians. In dns fi^ Jnarus was wounded by Migabyvcus \ but nevertheless he retreated with his Athenian confederates, and fuch of the Effftiant as adhered to him, to the cite of Byblus^ in the iflnid of Profopitis ; which bring wmcd on each fide by navigable branches of the Nile^ £e Athenian fleet was ftatioiKd in one of them ; and here they held out a (vcm of a year and an half. But the bulk ot the Egyptians lubmitted to the conqueror, and acknowleged Artaxerxes for dieir finre- reign ; but Amyrtteus retreated with a party into the fais> where he ruled many years, not in the leaft molefted by the Perjians \ the inacceffibleneis of the place fecuring him agamft aU their attempts. Inarns ^ jj^ ^^ mean time Inarus and his auxiliaries, on the ifland ^M/Tf- of Profopitis^ were bufy in defending themfelves agsunftdie E ''nt Perftans^ who attacked them widijgreat vigour : but finding j^^^^' that bare ftrcngth was not like to efFe£hiate a redudion^ mJain to ^^ befieged, ^ey had recourie to art and ftratagem ; fi)r, dfe Per- <lniinine that branch of the Nile in whidi the Atbeman fleet £2113^ rode, mey at once rendered the ihipping ufdefsy and made Year of ^ P^g^^ ^J which the whole body of dieir army mig^t flood march over to the ifland. When Inarus iaw this, he, and 1895. ^ ^^ Egyptians^ with fifty of his Athenian aasdliaries, Bef. Chr. delivered themfelves up to Afegabyzus^ on condition of 453* being fecured in their lives : the reft of the Athenians^ 6000 in number, letting fire to their Ih^, refi)lved to die fwonl in hand ; which me Persons perceiving, thought it advife- able to offer them fome reafonable terms ; which diey dU accordinglv, and their propofiJs were accepted?. The Athenians had fent a fleet of fifty fail to relieve the ifland of Profo^itisy where their citizens were in conjunftion widi the Egyptians ; but they arrived too late ; and as toon as they entered the river, were aflaulted by the PerRans^ bodi on the river, and from the fhore ; fo that they all perifliedi And thus ended the war between Inarus king of JEgypt and Artaxerxes king oiPerftay under whom the Egyptians citi
oDioD. ubi fupr. p. 281. p Thuctdid. abifupc
DiOD. ubi fupr. p. aSa. q Th vcydid. ubi fupr.
after
C in. to the tim qJ Alexander. loi
after kept quiet, and made no attempts to recover their liberties. Sartamas was appointed governor of £gyptj and Inarus was carried prifoner to Suja^ where he was crucified, notwithftanding the promife given him of his life when he furrendered r.
Amyrtje us the Saite^ in the mean time, held the Fensy and in the fifteenth year of Artaxirxes wis joined by a fleet of fixty fail of Athenian fhips ' ; but nothing of mo- ment was traniaded at this time to the prejudice of the Per/ians in Egypt.
In the tenth year of Darius Notbus the Egyptians re- 7h Egy* volted once more from the Perfians : for Amyrtaus being P^iansr^- apprifed of the difcontents of the Egyptians^ and that they **^,^ * were ripe for any attempts to regaia their liberty, fallled'f*r' out of his fens, and being joined by all the Egyptians^ )^^tiM,and drove the Perfians out of the kingdom, and became kin^ ^hT^ the whole country of Egypt t. ^'fj*'
Amyrt JEUs, thus in pofleflion of the kingdom ofEgypty ytzr of by the total expulfion of the Perfians^ refolved to attack g^^ them 'vi\ Phoenicia alfo, having the Arabians in confederacy. 1Q14. with him in this undertaking u. But he was engaged by 3^. Chr. Darius in perfon, and overthrown; and about this tune he ^14. died, or was flain in battle. K./'s/'sJ
Pausiris his fon fucceeded blm in the kingdom, with Axnyrts- the confent of the Perfians w. And now the Egyptians y us Hug. though perhaps tributary to the PerRanSy had a governor Pftufini. of their own nation to alleviate the ourden they bore.
PsAMMiTiCHUs fucceeded Pauftris. He wasdefcended from the famous Pfammtichus^ whofe hiftory we have given above. He was a barbarous and ungrateful man, as appears by the only incident we have of his reign : for Ta- mus^ who had been admiral in the Perjian fervice, though he was a Memphite by birth, thinking it advifeable, ror reafons of ftate, to leave the Perjian fervice ; and, confiding in the friendihip of Pfammtichus^ whom he had formerly obliged by manv friendly offices, put. all his fiunity and effeob on board nis (hips, and failed for Egypt. But when Pfamtnitichus heard of his arrival, and that he had brought great riches vdth him, he, unmindful of what Tamus me* rited oif him, and of all the laws of humanity and hofpi- talit)^ fell upon him as an enemy ; and, having flain him, his family, and his followers, feized on thoie treafures
' Thucyd. K i. • Plutarch in vita Cimott. TuucYrnD. ubi fapr. Dioo . ubi fupr. < £u s ebi v s in chronico.
* PzoD. Sic. 1. xiii. p. 355. ^ Herod. 1. iii. c. 15.
G 3 whicK
102 7he Hiftcry of Egypt " B. I."
which Tamus hoped to ha\'e enjoyed in his native country*. This is all we know concerning this cruel prince. ' Ncphc- ^^ ^^^ fuccecded by Nephereus. This king being in- leus. vnted by the Laccdemon'iaKi into a confederacy agaimctfae Year of Per/tans^ he fcnt them a fquadron of an hundred galleys, to flood carry on the. war by fea, and 6oc,coo meafures [bulhels] '953- of corn for the fubfiftence of their army; but the vefleb Bcf. Chr. which were laden with this \'aluable prcfent, ignorantly 395. putting into Rhodes^ whofe inhabitants had juft then put ^^^Y^v/ themfelvcs under the protection of the Perfian fleet, which then rode at anchor there, under the command of Comn the Athenian^ they fell a prey to him, and never reached the Lacedemzniamy. Acoris. Ac OR IS fuccecded Nephereus. He joined Etiagffras
Year of ting of Cyprus ^ and the Arabians j Tyrians^ and Barceans^ flood 2L people of Libya, s^gainft the Perfiam *. Acoris fent fomc J.9S9' forces to the affillance of Euagoras^ the chief of this league; fi "^^^' being defeated, came into Egypt ^ to engage ^^m; ir^L I ^^ ^^ ^™ ^'^^ ^^^ ^^ ftrength ; but Acoris could not be prevailed on to come fo totallv into his meafures, and only difmiflcd him with a fupply of money, by no means equal to the neccflities of that prfnce. Soon after Gaus^^ the only furvivor of the family of Tamus, whom Pfammitichtts mur- dered for the fake of his wealth, and who, as well as his father, hacj been promoted to the degree of an admiral in the Perftan ffervice, being difgufted at the ill ufage of S7r/- hazus the king ofPerJia^s general, in the former part of die Cyprian war againft iw^^^r^^j, revolted from the Perjiani: he was followed by a great part of the fleet and army ; and entered into a league with Acoris and the Lacedemo- nians. But the year after G.a,us was treach^roufly flain by fomc under him ; and Tiachos, who had undertaken to ex- ecute the fame projeft, dying before it could be accom- plifhed', it wis dropped ; and the Perfiam were freed ftom the troublcfome effefts of thk new alliance «.
It was now thirty years lincc the Egyptians had fhaken off the Perfan yoke under Amyrtaus, and had alf along, upon every c.ccrifion that offered, fignalized their averTion ■ to the Perfian government. But Arcaxerxes Mnemon being ' now at full leiuire to chaftifc them, they once more were threatened with a cruel v^ar. Great preparations were made on both fides : Acoris joined a great number of Greets^
^ DiOD. Sic. I. xiv. p. 41 5. ^ Idexn ubi fupr. p. 439.
Justin, 1. vi. c. 2. Orosius, I. iii. . * Th^qpgimf, in ex- cerpt. Photii. Dioo. Sic. 1. xv. p. 459* * Idem ibid.
and
C s IIL to the time of Alexanden 103
ajid other mercenaries, under the command of Chabrias the Atheniany to his own fubjefts^; but the Perjians being dilatory in their proceedings, Acoris died before it com** menccd ; and 'Vi'as fucceeded by
PsAMMUTHis, who reigned only a year^. Pfa^lml^
ATTfiKhimNepherotes: (who is called the laft of the this. Mendejian race, reigned four months d. Ncph«-
ANirthen NeSfanebis^ the firft of the Sebennytic racc*.'^'*^^- In the fecond year of his reign the Perjian army and fleet ^^^^ °^ came upon his coafts and borders, and made tlieir firit at- "^^ tempt upon Pelufium : but NeHanebh having had time p r^^?r fufficient to make the neceflary preparations, that city and the ^'
adjacent country were fo well provided for the reception of . ^2}l^\ an enemy, that no impreflion couki be made there. The K^^v^nc^ conmianders on the Per/tan fide differing in their counfek, jjjg^ and entertaining jealoufies of each other's glory, they did nothing in this war ; for, though they entered the Alende^ Jian mouth of the Nile\ poflefled themfelves of the fortrefs that guarded it, and ftruck the Egyptians with the utmoft conftemation ; yet they gave them time to recover their courage : for NeSfanebis lodged a fufBcient garifon in Mem-^ phis i a|id taking the field, with the reft of his forces, {o annoye4 Pharmbazus the Perjian general, that he could make no confiderable progrefs 5 and the Nile^ at the ac-? cuftomed period, overflowing the land, the Perjians were obliged to march oflTj which they did net without con- ■ fiderable lofs®. Thus ended this war.
About five years afterwards Agefilaus king of Sparta came with the charafter of an ambaifador to NeStanebisy to " folicit fuccours for the Lacedemonians^ then driven to great . ' , diftrefs by the Thebans^. Seven years afl:er NeSanehis died.
Xachos fucceeded him* He gathered togedier all the Year of ftrengthhe was able, to defend his country againft the am- f^^cA bitious idefigns of the Perjians ; who, notwithftanding their ig8r.' many jnifcarriages, had hot laid afide the thmights of fub- Bef.Ctorift jesting E^ypt to their dominion once more. To ftrengthen 36*. himfelf the more, he fent to Greece to raife mercenaries; i^^-v-^^ and fucceeded fo well in his application to the Lacedemo^T2LQhQs, nrans\ that they difpatched'a good number* of forces tohinv, under the command of Agefilaus g. Tachos had" promifed this king,- that he (hould be generali^mq of all the forces ;;
*> Idem ubi fupr. p. 47 1 . 'See before, p.. 1 1- ^ See
before, ibid. * Sec before, p. 14. * Diob. ubi fupf.
p. 478, 479. Cornel. N EPOS, in Iphicratc. ^Plutarch. an Agefilao.' ^ Idem ibid. Dxod. ubi fupr. p. 506.
104 ^be Hijiory of Egjpt EI,
Uisimpo' but, upon tlie firft interview, he conceived fuch difiid-
UiU coH' vantageous ideas of the old monarch, that he thenceforward.
ilua to- flighted his <;ounfeIs, and defpifed his perfon* He.expe&d
'wards to have fecn a gay and magnificent man, whofe habit and
^efiiaus;- train ^ere equ2 to the fame and fplendor of his expkiti,
and not a plain, mean-loolcing pld man. Thb hafiy snd
ill-grounded impreflicn may be well faid to have been the
ruin of Tacbos^ as will be plainly feen. For Tacb^s aUomd
Jgcjilaus to be nothing but general over the mercenariei >|
land, which alone had been fuffident to difguft fo great,
fo old, and fo experienced a commander, and was the firft
caufe of his averfion to Taches. The conunand of the fleet
he gave to Chabrias the jfthenianj referving to himfelf Ae
fuprcme dirediicn of all. Having joined his mercenariei
and Egyptians together, he marched out of Egypij defigft-
ing to attack the Pcrjiam in Pbceniciaj contrary to the ad?
vice of Ageftlaus^ who reprcfcnted to him the unfettkdflate
of Egypt y and remonftrated how much more it would be
for his infiereft to manage the war by lieutenants, and
ftay himfelf in his kingdom. The event {hewcd^ dnt
Jlgefilaus\ counfel was the refult of a verv prudent fer^
caft ; for while Tachos was in Pheenicia^ the Egyptians r^>
L Jrpven volted, and fet up his kinfman Ne^anebus in hia fieaiL
9ut of bis Jgejilausy taking this opportunity to vent his refentment
kingihm. againft Tachos^ joined NeSiantbuSy and deprived the other
Year of of his kingdom ; who fled through Arabia^ and took refiige
flood v^ith the king of Perfia S.
1987. K£CTAN£BUs viras fcarcc featcd on the throne, wfaena
^^' ^""^^ Mendejian rofc up in oppofition to him, with a force con?
3"'- fifting of 100,000 men. Ne£ianebus was advifed by Jge*
jSO^*^^A7«j to fall on them immediately, and difperie tfaeny
btti tbe ^^^^^^ ^^y ^^^ formed themfclves into a regular body by
imfi king difcipline : but he, fufpe£ting that Ageftlam intended td
f/*EKypt. ^^^y ^^^' ^ ^^ 1^^^ betrayed 7<7f^0j, gave no ear tohinii
A rebtlli' ^ ^^^ mean time, the enemy gathered ftrength and reguhr
9n Mgainft order every day, and became fo formidable a body, that
bimt Ne£f ambus was conftraincd to (hut himfelf up in one of his
towns, and endure a fiege. . He now urged Agefilaus to
fally out upon the befiegers, that, putting them into diC*
order, he might, in the mean time, march out and take
the field : and becaufe he refufed to comply, NiSfamkus
grew more and more jealous of him. The enemy had nis
their lines almoft round the town ; which when AgiJUaitt
perceived, he told NeSfanebus^ that now was his tiine to
< Plutarch. & Xenoph. in Agefilao. Thbopomp. U Lt* CEAS Naugrat. in.^gyptiacis apud Athen. l»xiv. c L
C. in* to tbi timi of Alexander. 105
fally out ) that bv the lines the bcfiegers had ralfcd, they would not be able to incompafs him ; and that the gap HvlMph.was not yet filled up, was wide enough for^iim to aiafcb through with ikfety and convenience. The king followed his advice^ an4 hereupon a battle enfued, in which the befiegers were deleated ; and the remaining part of the war being left to the management of Agejilausy NeSfanebus's ccHnpetitor was every-where driven out of the field, and at vjificlf ii lenMi. taken prifiMier. And- thus was NeStanchus fettled f«^i7//. ia mt ftdl and quiet pofieffion of die kingdom of EgyptK
In the twelfth year of his reign, the Sidonians and Phet-^ He is miciatiSf revolting from the king of Perfta^ entered into vJoineJ fy coiUcderacy with him aninft that monarch. This hap- f^/ Sido- pened very opportunely for him ; for, as the Perfians had ^^\ been in conrant agitation againft him, and were now^.^^^'' making vaft preparations to reclaim Egypt^ he had a very ?^'"*. ^"^
Eod barrier, feeii^ the Perfian forces could not apprpacn ^P™^ borders, but bv marching through Pbmmcia. ^^^^^fTv fere, to keep up their fpirits, Niitrntebus detached a body^^^^^^^* of four thoufand Greek mercenaries, under the command of Mmier the Rbedian^ to join them, in hopes to manage the war at a diftance. The Pbcenicians^ encouraged by this fupply, drove ihi^ Perfians out of their territories !; and immediately after, the 6y^r/0f J entered into the alliance againft Perfia K Darius Ochus iindixig that his lieutenants made no progrefs in fuppreffing die reWls, refolved to hea4 his troops in perfon, keeping his eye chiefly upon Egypt. Atentn the Rhodian hearing this, and being at the fame time informed of the prodigious numbers of the Perjian armv, went over to the king of Perfia^ by whom he was Idndly received, as one who might do him fignal fervicc by his knowl^e of the country oi Egypt j and every thing that related to it. When Ne^anebus found, that the king of Perjia was refolved on his ruin, and was taking the moft cflSxhial meafures to compafs it, he got together an army of an hundred thoufand men, confifting of twenty thoufand mercenaries from Greece^ as many from Libya ^ and die reft Egyptians \ but they did not all together amount to a diird part of the Per/tan anny. With fome of them he -garifoned his frontier-towns, and with the others he guarded js invaded the pafles through whiqh the Per/tans were to march. Thc^^/;^Pgy. Perjign detached Aree bodies from his army. The fii'ftj.fiani, commanded by Lacbares the Tbeianj fat down before Pei-
a Plutarch, ibid Poltjen. ftrat. I. ii. * Diod. I. xvi. p. ' 531, 532,533* ^ idem ahifupr. p. 53a*
lujium^
io6' The Hiftory of ^Ejgfpt • H.H
luftuf/tj garifoned by 5000 Gr^^/f J. Thcfeconrf, uiidertht command of Nicoflratus the Argive^ embarked on boduda fquadron of the Perjian fleet, and failing up the Nili into the midft of the country, landed there, and made a fb^M incampment. Hereupon the whole country being alariBd^ Cltniusy of the ifland of Cos^ muftering all the nei^boiirilig( garifons, undertook to diflodge Nicdjhatus firom his » trenchments. Hereupon a battle enfued, which was-feug^t with great obftinacy; but at laft theiE0^/ftf»5gave'?#ii^, having loft CUnius and five tlioufahd more of thcif num- ber, and were utterly broken and difperied. . Thd lofs of this battle was the ruin of E^pf f for when Ni^aneha heard it, he drew off from the pafle^j-' where he had -ilsry prudently poftcd himfclf, and marched for AHmtpbis^ to defend that city 2i^\x\i^ Nicoftratus^ who'/he feared^ had a dcfign upon thnt capital with his vidoribus fleet and army. When the Gr<?^;f' garifon tn Pebfjiuin heard that NeSfanekm had deferred his poft, they thought' there was no fuithtf room for hope ; and therefore came to t 'parleywitlvZtf^ chares y and delivered up the city to 'him^' upon oofiditiM that they and their cfFefts fhould be fafely convseyed tt Greece. Mentor the Rhodian^ who corAmanded th^tilM body of the Perjian detachment, finding the psifies un- guarded, entered the country through them ; and, c^uiing it to be univerfally fpread abroad. That Ochus would fft* cioufly receive all that fubmitted, but- cut ofF, without mercy, fuch as' r^fifted, as he had been known to havt done before; both the Egyptians and the Egyptian Grieek ftrove which fhould make the moft humble and ready fufc miflion. This when NeSfanebus faw, he was driv^ to defpair, and, taking what trcafure he could cany, widi mtdfies him, he fled from his palace in Memphis into Ethidpia^TisA i»/« Ethi- never returned more. He was thelaft mtivc E^yptiigk opia, who governed Egypt ^ which has ever fince been uiider^ EgyP^ foreign yoke. NeSianebus loft his kingdom by relying tM fnally re- much on himfelf. He, as has been (hewn, was (bated oa duced by the throne by Agefilaus : his wars againft Perjia (for- life the Per- *Perftans were always attempting ^ reduftic^n of Egyfff^ V '* - were managed by the prudence and valour of Diaphanm ' ^mA ^^ Athenian^ and Lamius the Lacedemonian \ but, arror
g gating to himfelf a (hare of their fuccefTes, he took upon .
BefQirift^"^ to aft from his own notions', and fo brought ruii
* ^ upon himfelf, and ignominy and (lavery upon his fubjcfli
For henceforward igypt was a province of Perjia^ till
I;
0* ^
»Hcm ubi fupr. p. 534,^535. . ; .; i
Alexandit
C. ril. to tit time of Alexander.* lo;^
AhxandiT fubverted that monarchy, and was received by Submits to the Egyptians with open arms, as their deliverer from theAlcxan^ Perfian tyranny. They never had any tolerable under- ^er. ftanding with tnat nation ; which, it is likely, may have y^,. ^f purely, if not chiefly, been owing to the wide diflrerence ^qq^ between them in religious matters. We now conclude 2016. this feflion with the fevere prcdidionof the prophet, TbereBcf, Chr. ftfaltbi no more a prince of the land of Egypt m. 332.
S E C T, VI.
The fuccej/ion of the kings of Egypt, according to the
oriental biftorians.
■
AS the oriental hiftorians differ intirely from the Greeks in their accounts of the Egyptian affairs, it might be deemed an inexcufable omifiion in us to take no notice of the feries of the Egyptian kings, as delivered by them. We wiJl not take upon us to vouch the truth of what we copy from them ; but cannot help thinkiiig their accounts^ how- ever fabulous, no lefs worthy of notice rfian the fables of ^e Phoenician and Greek writers •. .
It muft be alloVlred^ that there are many more origi- nal hiftories of this country to be found (even in Europe) ill the oriental tongues, than are yet to be met with in Greek. It muft llkewife be granted, that the former are more methodical, more copious, and though in many things they may be as fabulous, yet experience hath de- monftrated, that they contain as much, or more truth. The nature of this work will not allow us to unravel again the geography, natural hiffory, and antiquities of Egypt^ in order to demonftrate the juftice of this aflerdon; and therefore we fhall content- ourfelves with a note on this fubjed, and p^fs on immediately to the proper matter of the feflion, viz* the hiftory of tne Egyptian kings, in that order in which the moft celebrated of the oriental writers have givdn them ( A).
In
^ £9ek. XXX. 13. . . ^ See the whole 3^ and4^^ §. in
this chapter, and compare them with what follows.
t
(A) It IS certainly without over-niQe writers amongft the apy great juftice, that fome moderns invoigh with fuch bit-
cernefi
io8 72r Hilt$ry of E^pt B. L
In the firft place we muft take notice, that thefe authpn divide the antlent Egyptian monarchs into three claAs.
temefs againft the or/ental au- thors in general^ as if they Wrote alto^ther without me- thod, and delighted in nothing but prodigies and fables. What
of Egypt, we ivill mention cdj two ; the firft relating to the country, the? latter, to its wih narchs. The firft is that of Ahmeiml Vtakrixi : he divided
weha,veailertedabove,isafaft «his ()ook into feven pazti: of fueh unqueftionable truth, i . He treated of the land of
that feveral flieets might be fpent in forming the catalogue of all the oriental writers who have ooQie even to our know* lege ; but as we are by no means fond of perplexing our readers with ufelels citations, we will content ourielves with only marking a few, that they may be aflored they are not impofed upon, but that the thing is as we .re|pre(ent it. The ^mous Khtmdimir wrote in the Perfian tmigue an uni- verfal hiftory, under the. title of a coUeSiw of the fureft
Egypty aod its revenues. 2. Of its inhabitants. 3 . Of the aa* tient Babylon in Egypt. 4. Of h the city of CMrt, as it wasii the time of the author, c. Of the revolutions which hadibq^ pened in Cain. 6. Of the caftle of Caire, and of As princes who have refided tfand- f in. 7. Of the cauica whid | haVe induced the ruin oSEgjft. He wrote, befides, a copiooiltt' ftory of all that happened 11 this country from the time it fell under the dominion of de caliphs, to the year in wUdi
and moft authentic ^ucnunts of he diec^ *vi», of the Hejrm^ t^l* the moft remarkaHf events, A. D. 1467. The other, 7m« drawn from the hefi antient hi- fouf BenTagri Wirdi, who db- fiorians. This body of hiftory tained the glorious fumameef was divided into twelve parts. Meneauskb Mefr, i. e. the hiflo* The firft, which was a kind of rian of E^t, by a work ho pre&ce, contained the cofmogo- compofedm fbur volumes, coi' .nj. The fecond, the hiftory of taining the intire hifiory rftUs ,the prophets. The third, a country to the year 1449. Of chronological hiftory of learn- which work he dfo made at ing, and learned men. The abridgment, iearine, as he ex- fourth, an account of the anti* prefies it in his utle, that it ent monarchs oiPerfia, and of might be mutilated by another. their kinj^doms before Moham- The larger hilbry was traa(ht-
med, in which we have an ac- count of Egypt. This author Unifhed his work A. D. 147 1 ; and we beg leave to fay, there were few authors in Eutopcy at that time, who could have written more methodically. As to the particular hifiories of
edintoTWrij^by the commaad I of the emperor Zelim ; whkh j is fufHcient to (hew, that in tk | eaft there is no want either i \ hiftorians, patrons, or critio^ however barbarous we trs pleafed to think them (i).
(1} Vii. Oerkht. i/M mtat, nrt, Mefr, Mecrizi, JnM Ben Te£ti ,
C. In. to the time of Akxi^Aer. tog
The firft of thefc are faid to have ruled in this country be-. fore the creation of Jdam^ and amongft thcfc they place Gian Ben Gian^ to whom they afcribe the pyramids «.
The fecond clafs of E^ptian kings are faid to have reigned before the deluge. The account that is given of the people of this country, in thefe early times, ftands thus : Krausy who ftood in the fifth dc^ee from Jdamj growing into diflike of the conduct of thefe who inhabited the country wherein he was bom, drew together a com- pany of feventy-eight perfons, and, removing into Egypty cleared that country of its woods; and, finding it equally pleafant and fruitful, built the city oiMefr^ fo called from the name of his father, which he made the capital of his new kingdom. Authors are not agreed, whether he de- rived from Catriy or from fome other fon of Adami but the greateft part of them incline to think he was at Cainite of a gigantic feature ; which opinion feems not altogether irreconcilable to the writings of Mofss ^* He ig find to have reigned i8o years ; but in what year of the world he acceded to the throne, is not faid. To him fuc- ceeded his fon Tegar^ or, as otiiers call him, Natras^ of whom we find nothing record^ that deferves mention.
Meskam, whom lome call the fon, others the brother of the laft-mentioned prince, fucceeded him ; he was a sreat magician, and is faid to have performed many flrange tilings ; and, dying, left both his fklll and his crown to his fon.
. Gancam. He was a prieft, a philofopher, and magi- cian ; and in his reign it is faid Enoch was tranflated. He had for his fucceffor his fon «
Arvak, who excelled all his predeceflbrs in his skill in the occult fciences, by dint of which it is pretended that he did many wonders. We muil remember, that all the caftem hiflorians agree in this notion, that the fhidy of ma- gic, and commerce with fpirits, was the great crime of the antidiluvians \ in which, if wc may fo fpeak, they are fupported by thofe wridru^s which go under the name of the patriarois ; particular^ that treatife which is afcribed to Enoch. It is likewife faid, that in the reign of this Egy* , ftian monarch, the angels Harut and Marut defcended from heaven, and converfed with men ; which is likewife
of a piece with what is recorded in the book before-meo-
< Tahixh alThabari. ^ Ebn abd alHoxm. ap.
Greaves pyramid. & Murtad Ebn Gaf. in mirabil. pyraiaid. •Ebn abd alHokm. Qbifupra.K.HONi>BMiRinKhclai&t Alak- har. mirabil. pyramid.
Z tioncd \
1 10 Itbe Htftory of Egypt.* B. I
tioned ; whence it appears, that thefe fables are verj an- tient, and have been generally received, no doubt, becaufe they were forged from fome hints in the^^y^i/Vwritii^^..
nis fon Louchanam fucceeded him, and perfonnedno- , thir^ worthy of notice.
Chasalim, or as fome call him, Hafillmy the fon of Louchanam^ is celebrated for his invention of the Nibmiter\ which, without queftion, pafled for a wonderful effed of magic in thofe days.
Harsal, or as others call him, Hufal^ the fonofCio- falim^ reigned over his people with great lenity \ and in his reign it is faid the prophet Noah was bom.
Ja DONS AC fucceeded Harfal\ of him we are told,tiut he firft thought of rendering the Nile of greater ufc by cut- ting canals : which is thus I2X probable ; uie inland parts of ^'j-y^/, being by this time thoroughly peopled, muft necefia- rily require fuch an afliftance.
Semrond received the crown from his father ^tf^M/jr; but of him we know nothing more, than that he tranlinittBd it to his fon
Sari AC, or Sarkak ; who left it to
Sahaluc, or Sahlick^ a famous monarch, of whom, verv probably, we (hould have had fome notable account, had not his glory been eclipfcd by tliat of his fon and liic- ceflbr,
Saurid, a monarch equally remarkable for his wifdom, jufticc, and power. He is faid to have dreamed, that he faw the earth, with all its inhabitants, fubverted ; the men lying on their faces, the ftars falling from heaven, and al| things filled with difcord and confunon. A year after,* he had a fccond dream of this fort ; which fo afrrighted t^im, that he immediately fummoned the moft learned of the pricfts together, with all the wife men and profeilbn of the occult fciences in Egypt. To them he related his dreams, and befought them to inform him what they portended. Thefe fagcs, having confulted together, and taken all the neceflary precautions for fatisfying the king'i requeft, declared to him at length, that a mighty deluge would cover the earth, and that the efFefts thereof had been reprefented to him in his dreams. The king, wheB he had heard and confidered this, caufed pyramids, and other prodigious ftrufturcs, to he erc£led, to fervefor places of refuge for himfelf and his domeftics, as alfo for fepuf chres wherein to conferve their bodies. He likewife dcr
■* Vid. lib. Enoch, ap. fabric, pfeudcpigraph. vetcr. tefbuncnt HiRBELOT, bibl. orient, art. Edris. Mii^ibil. pyramid.
figneo
C. III. to the time of Alexander. 1 1 1
(igned to cover the roof and the walls of thefe places with hieroglyphic le£hires, explanatory of all the various fci- ehces known to the Egypttansj as invaluable treafures, fct apart and confecrated to the fervice of pofterity. He like- iieife defigned to reprefent the figure of jthc ftars, the cele- fiial figns, with their effe£b and fignificatlons, the (ecrets of nature, the produ£l:ions of art, the virtues of drugs, and the. fundamental propofitions in geometry. In confequence of this project, he built the three great pyramids ; and of the manner of building thefe, and of the fubterraneous apartments allotted to each of them, the author from whom we take this account, gives a large and particu- lar defcription. He concludes it with obfcrving, that the Egyptians built thefe prodigious ftruftures in the ful- nefs of their profpcrity, when they were extremely nu- merous, and proportionably rich, when tliey were com- pleated, Saurid caufed them to be covered with filks of feveral colours, from the top to the bottom, proclaiming on this occafion a general feaft, which la(lcd a conflderable time, and to which, our author tells us, all the inhabitants of Egypt reforted. When this feaft was over, the king caufed thirty great veflels, made of a kind of artificial green ftone, to be placed in the bottom of the eaftern pyramid. Thefe veflels he filled with all kinds of jewels, and precious flones J and then, placing covers over them, he poured over thefe melted lead, fcattering on the floor a confiderabl« number of pieces of gold, to delude the eyes of any greedy intruder, and to hinder them from prying into the vefTels. r Tlie fecond pyramid he made the receptacle of all that re- lated to civil niftory, laying up the books and records in fuch veflels as he had laid up his jewels in. In the third pyramid he colledled whatfoever related to their ecclefiafli- cal hiftory, and to the fublime fciences. In all of them he laid up mighty treafures, and difpofed in them all things fit for the reception of a prince who fhould fly thither for fhel- ter, and appointed alfo in the middle of them convenient places for the interrment of him and his domeflics« Thofe, and many other particulars, are faid to be taken from the antient books of the Cophts \ wherein it is alfo recorded, that Saurid reigned three hundred years before the deluge, and that he governed Egypt one hundred and feven years. When he found himfelf near the time of his difTolution, he fent for his fon into his prefence, and, having made before bim a long difcourfe of the duty of a king, and of the re^ gard which he owed to him as his father and his fovereign, he' then dirc£iedj that his corpfc; ihould be carried into his , . 5 . pyramid ;
112 The Hifiory o/EgYV^ ;^^»I-
pyramid ; that the room in which it fhould be laid, fliouU be ftrewed with camphire and fantal-wood ; that hb bodf fhould be embalmed with ^ices ; and that his ridiaAiioiir, and whatever valuable things he had ufed about hb pcttoot might be left in die lame room. All which direfiiom were pun£UiaIly complied widi S.
Hi s fon and fucceflbr Hargib^ whom fome wiitets caD Hugib^ and will have to be his brodier, govmied scoofd'* ing to the inftru£lions the deceased king Saurid had.^ea him, being no lefs careful to fecure the hearts clE hb fiib* jofts by a Kind and gentle admmiftration, than he wib to. fecure their prpibcrity by ruline wifely and jufthr* He ■ (aid to have built the firft of me pyramids ttDibafnrM^ into which he caufed immenfe wealth, and a vaft maiSlBf of precious ftones, to be brought, and there intenta» as bi father Saurid had done. His fitvourite fcience WW c^ miftry \ and it is reported, that he had the artof muldpl^ ing eold, whereby he filled his treafury, after hehad* xdofajb* ea his kingdom with many magnificent ifarudures. . Bk ^vemed Egypt ninety-nine years, and after hb deaft wif mterred in the pyramids. His fucceflbr was hb /on . ^.
Men ACS, or, asotherscaUhim,M7»i£nKf,oneiirfui£viJif ted widely from the examples of his father and grandfii^io^ being excefiively proud, intolerably infolent, ^nd'outmi^ oufly crueL Many women of quality he ravifhedy flSiJf many of the moft deferving of his fubje£b, and waHcrf'^in fcandalous debauches a large proportion of that' tttafiirs which his anceflors had drawn together, and fet .api;rt (or public ufes. At lail, he came to fuch a heiriit of liflly and extravagance, that he built palajces of gold and filver, into vrhich he brought canals from the NiUi the bottoms of which were covered with precious ftones, diatdittend through the water in the eyes pf the fpe&itors. Toxoxsh tain all this, he. had recourfe.to all the arts ot tyrani^! iqd oppreflio[i \ whereby he became exceflively hktea b^lSs jw^ jeds, who. were wonderfully rejoiced when die Bi^i norfe ftarted, threw him, and broke his neck : hoWievi^ they did not alter the fucceffion, but raifed to the drnmeipi
fon . /
EcRoSj of whom we have little or no account ; onl^i is rendered probable, that lie was as a ereat tyniit avjUl &ther, by the courfe his fubje£b took to lecure thend^j(iei: for, either on his death or depofition, they laid aficte hsin> ditary fovereigns, and mnde choice of a perfon who tfb of the roy:il family, on whom they b^ftowed the crow8« c Ebn abd al Hokm, ttbifup.mirabil. pyramid.
ErmkX'*
C. III. • to Shi tHue of Aldcahdef . i i i
'Ermelinous, whom (ome call Malinus^ having thus attained the regal dignity, governed with lenity and juftice } and^ on his deceaie^ the Egyptians fubinitted to
FxRAOUK, who was the coufinof the lateking^ and the laft monarch in Egypt who ruled before the deluge. He was a moft tvrannical prince, and looked upon his fubjeib in no other light than that of flaves^ deftined to do what- ever he thought fit to command them^ Religion and juf- tice were almpft forgotten under his bafe and luxurious ad-» minifiration \, and when he was informed, that Naah had preached repentence and amendment of life, threatening the difobedient with deflrudion by water,, he wrote to king Darmafel^ in whofe dominions the prophet xiwelt, to put Noah to death, and burn the ark which he was building* However, the high-prieft of Egypt i who had read and con-^ fidered the facTed books carefimy, being perfuaded in his mind, that what Noah had threatened would certainly come to pafi) procured himfelf to be feat to enforce the couniel given to Darmafel\ whereby he had an opportunity- of joining himfelf to i^tf^^, and of matching .his daughter in his family, as will be hereafter {hewn^ When die deluge came, Egypt was overfpread widi luxury, and the king was fo exceffively drunk^ that he had not a perfect idea of his danger till uie moment ht^'y^ fwalbwed up and drowned. The defcription thefe Writers give of the de- luge is very frightful ; and they affirm, that the waters continued upon the earth for eleven mondis ; and: that it happened two thouiand one hundred fifty-fix years after ttm creation b. /
■ . ■ •
ne iirigs of Egypt afi& tht dtlu^u
When Nodh and thofe that were^with him came 6ut 4>f the. arkf the hi^-priefl of Eg;^t befou^ him to fold dieir grandfon Btfx/2ir or^JS^yirr, with him into JBmrt -fpeaking to him wonderful thmgs of the pleafantnefs^ m^ tality, and riches of that country, which quicUy induced Noah to grant htm his re^ueft. On tiieir arrival in his native country, the Egypuan prieft explained to them the nature of the JVi/f, the neceifi^ of cutdi^ cxnalsy Ae pe^ cidiar method of cultivating and improving tiuit foU, die means of opening the pyratms, and othtf facred ndincc^ and the manner of reaching the true fenfe of the infcrip- tionS)and of acquirii^ the fcienoes, which the antient onto*
^ Tamkh alThabaili. Mhatdl. pyramid. Al Sovvti. Vol* II^ H MluvUns
Il4 rbs Hifttny cf EgfTpt fe-l
dibmans had pofleQed. Banfar^ by tlie dire^oil cTthis ttfieft) fettled himfelf in this country^ which lie. tvbodcr- fblly improved, or rather retriev^, imilding for die *of his refidence, and the capital of hiar domintoiti^ '% and beautiful city, which was afterwards called M§mltVa\ but had then no other name than that ^ Ma far ox Mifr^ which fignifies the great city ; and a ion being bmiHbo fin while he was employed in this work, he called Mm liibjm or Me fry who fucceeded him in the kingdom^ bid was die freat reftorer of Efypt i, '
Some oriental writers vary in their account of this itaaft- tjcr, attributing the fetdement of Egypt intirek to MafoTf to whom they fay it was felemidy affignedby nit foycre^ anceftor Nwfy to whom he was. not a little ^ear^ on ac- count of his great capacitv, and the ipnocency of his ifisa* nprs.; infi>mudi that M^i? haiHli^ curfed Cbam^ hH ^'" • Mner^ and breathed out maity bi^er execrations film and his^^ pofteritsr, on ^for/^'s interpofition he i cd them widi regard 16 hiisv; and^ in a pathetic HitiA Cft G0O9 beiburiit him to blefi and preferve this yoi^g' .Jtbsii^ and to give him all ^e riches of the land of , iNc^' Jiva; However dsis mi^t be, Mafar certaiidy eftabliftim -^ fioirm of government which afterwards lubfifibf ^mtfMfr built various dties> and. amafledtotfether st^t'ixqmm
t
I
diitrict he gavb to his ion ^'nvf, or rather- Jl^Mj.wIWk descendants afe called C^it. To his fon Jfmwlhiib^ ^iiAdBi. fome call Afimtaiy he gave the Upper Egypt.. And w^ fon /tbrihusy or Athriby he g^e the flat country^ &id ttle fens beyond^fftf rsi/, dire£ling 7-ach of them to creA i^fiur city in his territory for the j^lace of his refidence^. 'iuiidlo take all lixoghiabK pains to improve and'fertSi^e tiie 'ad« jpcent country. He likewife prre orders aboui dte liti^ ner of his own burial ; purftiam to which,.w9^ea: he^- pfred^ his lims laid his bodv in a cave an hundred aiMtfih cubits long; Which cave tney filled with treafure^and {Mf^* cious ftones^. caufing diis infcription to be engravt^'qtt^fc ]^at^ of gold, which was placed dpon the marble monCiAilBiit within which Ac body lay: ^^^ Mafar the fon of Ba9^% *' the fon ofGhausy the.fon of -W^^^jdied, aged ieven hitandni " yearsjfromthedaysof the deluge." (3f this kmg they it- port, tliat.he was a.moft wife, juft, and pious perfon, hit- ing never done'the lead: i^vrong tb any of his fubje£b|^'ir -
* Mirabll. pyramid* Takikh AC TuABAai;
tot
Cfil. tA the time tff AiatmAer. ii^
bent bia koet to any idol, but living without care, Ibrnnr, or iicfcnefs, till by the courfe of latve hcwas removed from thi£ into anouter fiate, having fijdH Teen a multinideof oeople d^lceoded /rom his own loxps, and Jcaviflg fevenl BgutiOung kjogilaois to. his children K
To Au/ar fiicceedcdljis fon C^tim i but bovrlong fai gprefoed, or what ha performed, is not iuwwn. He vat luKeeM by his Cm
Copt AiLiMj of whom likewife Vfi have no iiicm<»h } and dierefore we Ihall only iay, that his fiui Bud^- fuc* ceedcd him, as he was fucceeded by his Am GaJ^ .or (?«•• Jioii after v^oia Sedeth his fon afccnded the throne, whoie fim and fuccdfor was MantaouSy whole fan Co/i" 9£s reigned afuu" him ; and on his deceafc Us fan Aiarhiff ia whde £ead rdgncd Afnutry then Ct'iV, whofe fon Si" fabas was his iucceHur ; who left the throne to Sa. This monarch built the city, of Salsy and fettled the Egyptian Coi^tution. He was fucceeded by his fon MaM^vitiu ^hom reified J^Ltdarn \ then liis fan- Cbtribaiy to whom fucceeded Catcan, -
■ -ToTis, oraa he is generally called- TuZrV, fucceetled his ^ther Caleatu ,.,^e,u was who goremed the kingdom of MgfPh when^-^^^iAi came down thitl^ with his wi& Sa- r«|i whole he^utv,. even after fite wu .p^ her .blpom, Aruck all, heholders wHi wonder. On their coming to Jl^jr, tne t^pibl w.thekingdoini notice was [>re&ttlv
_civen to luUs^ iSat a flianger was arrived, who had wjth fum a woman, the muii beautiful tliat had ever been b^ beld. The Jdog prefently feiit for lUrqbijpy aiid^h^riipg
...dimu^idcd of him what rdation the \^effDVx^ Hioo^ in< to*
,>«ild»him, the prophet anfwered, th^tt ioB wa* hi^ fi»|ff.
"Tjien "TuAj direfled, that fhe .(hQuld.'c«;l)pwght_to.hiin, j^ich was accoriiiiigly dyne ; but, v^peq ae {ut; put hfa
. lund.>vith an intent to touch her, he foi^id U fn^ilcnly 'i$ruiik. and withered 4 Whereupon, aftveh^nding ^|: be
^.IRa&deccived, . be beuiughc S^?b to pray for hii% tjiathis iian^r might be rcftarmi which he did, aj»ii.d)e Icing
■jSipit back his hand lound and well. Titlis then demapd-
■ 1^ o^hcT, in what^egree &e was related to Ih-abim. I (im,. bid Jhe, hts ■wip. Why thm^ faid he, didbt d*e*ivt mr, 'njayifig that yea was hit Jifttr f Ht did r»t dtiitde tkfjffjCUtiiigtWp^™ flie: fir '" 'bet lamwf tbtftofurf J^SHt/am his^tr ia Gedt and tit Meref tvtry mtnwh*
■ Mitvit thtuaity of thi gtdhtad. W hicL anfwv &> WeU
" KflOHDSH^anluJJip. MiraUL [ifnuiud. At-SarVTt. ,^. ■ Vi% pkafed
oleafed the king, that he fent for Ibrahiniy and was in- .ftruftcd in his religion/ We arc farther informed, that this: king oi Egypt laA an only daughter, a princefi of -great parts, and ot a mild and pleafant temper ; me was ex- tremely delighted with' die company of Sarahy and woi^ iiave made her many and great preiTents, had flie not, by %he conmxand of her hufhand, pofitivdy. declined tfaem Thp princefs, however, obliged her to accept a female flave; whole name was Hagarj and who was afterwards the mo- iher of IJhmaeU After the departure of Ibrahim andhis Vrife out ofEgypU Tulis became a moft. intolerable tyrant, infomuch that his daughter, perceiving that his fubjeds hated him extremely, and that there was fome danger of their changing the fuccef&on, poifoned him when he had jreiened feventy years, and after a ibort intirrtgmtm fuccccded in his fteaa.
The name of this princefs was Juriak^, dioug^ fbme writers call her Charoba. She governed with great arti -pretending to be alike the mother of all her fubjedsy but in fa£l poifuig the power of the foldieiy by that of the priefls^ and fecuring the quiet of her reign oy a dextrous manage- ment of parties. Under her reign, or under the reign of Her daughter, fome hiftorians affirm, that ^t^AmmukiUs entered Egypty which they held in fubjedHon for a confi^ derable time ; but we have a very imperfcft account of the monarchs of that dynafty, amongft whom, however, Acy reckon the following princes 1. - . .
' RiYAN : he is faid to have differed from all his prede-> ceflbrs, that is, from all the Amalekite kings of Egypt^ Foe •whereas they were idolaters in reljped to religion, and ty- Tants with regard to their adminiffaration, tiiis £f)Ftf«'was, on tlie contrary, a worfhiper of the true GoD, and a very juft and good prince. In his time it is affirmedthat Jo" feph came into Egypt ^ and very probably it was from him that he received inftruftiqns, which wrought upon him & powerfully, as to make him aft in quite a different manner from his anceftors. We have many long and fabidous itories concerning the adminiftration of that patriarebx but as thefe are too prolix to be inferted here, we chuie to omit them, and to pafs on to the fuccefibr of this monarchy who was his fon . - ■ '■•■
• Darem, a perfon altogetlier unlike his father. He vas, as to religion, an impious perfon, one who af{e£tedto defpife and affront divine providence, and therefore no won-
* Tarikh al Thabari. Mirabil. pyramid.
C. HI. ytotbe time of Alaandcn »x ;i
der that iahit government be was a tyrant and anopprellbr. . He did not however enjoy, or rather abufe, the regil dig-i! nity lone; but, by the juu judgment of GoD,was drowned in the iv/ilr. To whom, as fome hiftorians write, fuc-. ceeded
Cathzm an AmaUkiu^ who was a magnificent princeit and rendered, himfelf &mou$ by a variety of noble build- ings, with which he adorned this country. Others allege that this Riyan left no fon, but a grandfon, whofe name was
Kabus, who fucceeded him, and is faid to have reigned in the time oi Mofes^.
. His brother Validj or Walidj comes next, who is by moft of the Jrahian authors faid to be the king oi Egypt ^ with whom Mofes had to do, and who perlflied in the Ked Sea. He was, fay they, an Arab^^ and of the tribe of iAf , though others fay of that oiAmlakf u e. zxi Amalekite^ Here it is neceilary to take notice^ that tlunigh fFalid be truly a proper name, yet it is alfo ufed by the oriental Tenters to (v^fyfueb an om. Hence whenever they nrttet with the a&ions of a prince, without finding his name,- they prefently fubftitute that of IValid. We muft not there- fore be furprifed to find, that fbme authors have given ihxs prince another name, becaufe that will make no alteration in the hifibry, neither will it at all afFc£k die credit of one relation, or the other. This prince is reprefentcd as a moft cruel tyrant ; but at the fame time as a man of great abilities, and of mudi cimmng. ' With refpecl to the Ip" raelitity he pretended they were all his (laves ; and thus he made out ius title. Jyeph^ faid he, who brought them hither, was himfelf a ilave, and purchafed with the money of EgypU r. He brought his kindred thither, who could not theretore be better dian. himfelf ^5:onfequently they and all their defcendants were -ilaves. Upon diis pretence he re* fufisd to fet them at liberty when Afofis demanded them. But if he treated them harmly, he treated his own fub|e^ no .better ; for, after having impoveriflied them by exceffivc taxes, and wafted them in many foolifh expeaitions, he at leneth pretended to. exad divine honours from fhcmi and, mougb he was apparently one of the worft of men, would needs pafs for a god. On this account, if vire m^y believe thefe writers, the Almighty was plcafcd to puniin him in fo exemplary a manner as no did, by drowning him
^ Khondemxr. Al Soyvti.
H3 ^ i4
ne Htfiry ^ Egypt, Uc, ^.t
in die Itid Sea ; (he juftice of which, accord^ to their nocions, will be more fully explained in a nSth ^ ^B). ' ' Daluica, the daughter of Walidy fucce«ded hun : (he was a woman of ^eat wifdpm, and is faid to have f\uv rounded tiie city of Mejfer with walls of an anutzii^gjex- tent, and 'of ftupendous thicknefs. Some authors adCbrt» that fhe was no( the daughter of the laft king, but a di« ftant relation ; and that upon her deadi ffie bequdadied dl^ crown to a Coptifi prince of the a^itient blood royal. VBsi name was 0(C)
* At So YUTi. EBoiv^lMia, Takikh ai« Th A^^^if * Mi* lafaiL pyramid.
(B) The oriental writers ia general agree in a ilory they tell OS, concerning the deftru- Aion of Pharaoh, As they re- bte it, it takes ap a great d^ fS room 5 but as we have it'nbt to fpare, we (ball deliver it in as few words as we can. When Pharaoh was in the height of }iis glory, the angel Qabriel preTented himfelf before him, iinder the appearance of a fhephexd j ancf, after hwng made obeifance to him,' com- plained that he hsid a fervant, npon whom he had heaped continual favours, which he particularized ; and that, not? withllanding all this, that ier- van t had deierted him, and was even fp ungrateful as to epdea- votsr to -OGi him a mifchijsf. When Pharaoh had heard his complaint ; Endeavour^faidhe^ to have him apprehended, and I wili order him to be thrown into the Re(i Sea. . Great king, hidGaSrie/f will you give me this in writing ? I vjilly anfwcr- pd Pharaoh. 7'hcjft the angel wrote fuch .in order, and Pla- fC^Qh fubl'cribed it. Af:er-
wards, ixdien at the paflage of the Red Sea Pbmrieh fbnqd himfelf in danger of drowning, he cried out to the Almighty, and be(bught mercy ana for* giveaeis. Then Qabriel v^ peared ; anidyproducing his own writiog»Thoa art the rebeUioof flave, faid he, and thus is thy own judgment e^^ec?^ On^ thy felf, Son^e of our readers i^ay be furprifed when we intimate that this IS no fable. But raAer a parable or allegory | Which is, however, an opinion tbatniay be well juflified bf Ireafon and authority (2).
(C) The eaftem btaomM are unanimous, a» to the inva* iion and conqueft of JB]gji|pl^ by the JjMaiekiies\ but they di^^r extremely as to the time whcD this conqueft was made.. ]ll.pi fome fay,; that it Wppent^.Gi early as in thedaysqf C^^fes the third king of Egyftt after the deluge ; and they give us a psLr* ticular account both of thefr invaiion and cxpuUionV Othm again pLicc this rev(^ution as low as the times of AS?aham^ or rather lower ; and, according
(z) Turikb 2I Tbulari, Kl:T:d.mir. M: abil* fjiimikk
#f*
DA&KUN^^a younfi; man of an excellent diipofitions who ruled. nuldly9 and with great wifilom: after him we £fkd in the brienttd hiilories Ae names of five or fix kines, but without any account of their actions, exciting om^ Afiijaf^ who appears to have been the Sbijhak oJf the Scn« ptures : then there follows another large chaim in the hit itory, itfae lafi: Jdng mentioned being Feraoum al Araj^ that is, Pbara$b the lame^ who, we are told, was in- vaded by Nihuchadnezzar^ whom the eaftem writers call Baltakmjfari and after fafiaining a loi^ fiege in his capi« tal Mefr was taken by the conqueror, mi put to death P. After this the oriental agr^s better with me weftem hi* fioiy ^£gxP^ ^ v^ appear in its proper place.
C H A P. IV.
^e Hijiory of the Mdabites, Ammonites, Mi- dianites, Edonutes, Amalekites^ Canaanites^
and Philiftines.
■
SECT. I.
T*\E SIGNING in this chapter to write die hiftories 7Z# ^' •*^ of thofe nations with whom the children of Ifraelfanffiht were concerned, before or upon their lettUne in the landMoabites* of Canaarij we (hall begin with that of the Aloahites.
This people were ^fciended from Moab die ion of ZrO/, by his eldeft daughter : but, before we mention the oc« cafion of that ioceft, it may be prop^ ^o takie the hiftoxy a Utde higher.
' KHONDfiMia.TAiiixH AJLTaAJiARX. Mirfthil. pycaiiucl.
40 thefe, Jofepb was Wajiri or both forts i and this might be
firftminiller, to vo^Amakkite eafily done,if the £FV««HMhi*
king of Egy^ (3). Thefe va* Itories in the Frim<b)fiD^% li-
natiom are not, however, brary were printed. But what
greater tlwi the critics have hope is there of this, whilst af-
<^l^Rbrved in the ancient Gnek ter (jpending onr youth in the
hiftcrians, with refpi A to the ftudy of Grttk and Lfitiut we
fliepherds who fubdued Egypt, acquire from thence an av^fion
The crath therefore is ihoft and contempt for all writers of
likely to be difcovered by com- another ftamp ? paring the befk hiftorians of
(3} KbtaJtmift MrtHL fyrtmiJ,
H 4. Lciirr
neffi/bry ifMoA. ' B.I
^ Lot W3S the fon of Harati, die brother ufvArtfAm.;
- and after his lather's death was brought hfimptnAIMsf Ttreb, together widi the reft of hii &iiiilj, from l^.of the Chaliittiy.titar native dty,, xo' Harm in Mtjtprtamia.^; where Terab dying) Abraham aAerw;^ took his nqdiew under hh -prbteAionj v^, akynfiffft t^MtH.*^!Vptf^ him, defpairing of an^ children of hia cpwn. .He then- fore carried bin) with him into Canaan b ; iriicFCt tStxx th^ had dwelt fome time, they were obliged by a finnine to go into Egypf-i apd foon after theij return from dieikc^A^ |tartcd,, their flocks and herds being fo much increafixL that thCT CDuld not dwell together any longer, as the f»h turc and water- were not fuflicicnt for bodi ; and thence dilV putes arofc between their herdfinen; Jbraham ^Kfpoie&f to pre\'clit any mifunderflanding between fo near relations, [hat th^y fliould feparate i qod gave Lst the ghDiccof rsa moving to what part of the country he th<xight fit. ■Where- upon Ltt chofc the plain of Jtrdan^ lying eaftward of Bt- thel and v/t* between which Abraham and tie- then dwe^- and which, at that time, before the terrible deftruftion ^ Stiiom and Gomerraby was'fo' f(i(itfiil and well watered, that it is compared to the land aiFtypt^ and even to Pa- radife itfelf<f. Tothistielibhtfril plain or valley therefore Lit came, and pitched his tent not far from Sodam^ infa=" mous for the unnatural wickcdnefs of its inha'piigntj ; aad^ afterwards dWch in the city itfelf': but that city, widi others in the fame plain, being not lon^ fifter taken bY, (Ihe.iorlaomcr and his allies. Lot, who, as fofcpbus tcTU, us ', alSftcd the SaJamheSf had the misfortune to be tafc^j.. by the enemy, with his family and all his fubftance ; and li.id been carried into captivity, had he not been tJajelyXfri iVued by 41^,1 l.tim, who not only delivered him, butre- lowwlatl his gopds?. Notwithftandiiig this wa^niiKi .;iirf the abominable wickedncfs-of the inhahitants, £^t lS( rontinued to live in Soi/tm,.snd bad perilkcd in the cat>-' linijilw of that poopl*, if he had not been'miracvloufl^ (■iercrT«vt, anvl that p;irtlv tVr _/*rfl6(jni's fakeV Twof .inpfl*, who wcrefcnt tocWlrov the place, canie to'^adbsf in thp e\TntTi^, in t!ie apprarar.cr of tr-T\-eVers ; and Let. I'tting in the giitc, tio ftvr.rr u.v ther:: th:;r. he invited and pufTci! them to v.- h'.s ^..liiV" *"■* r.:^!::, accotdingto the hcSpitaiity of ihc eJ*;::-. n-dcns. They r.iZ fcircc refrefhe^
|
c, 7. ■'.irtiq.i |
•'Go. 'Co: . i. c. 10. |
|
|
C<=,>a:, :}. |
them- |
C.tV. Sli Hfji^ rf tSoab. fit
themiclvcc^ wfa^ theinhaUtann of thecity, both.oM lad ^oung, being; informed that Z^f had 0 rangers withhlfai^ aiuj^inr all-probability, tempted by the beautiful forms which theangds had acflumed^, incompafled the houfe, and -de- pund^ tJicm 16 be delivered up, that they mieht abufd thenu ■ Let endeavoured t6 diiTuaide them from their wicked purpofe. and, rather than violate the righti of hdfpitalityV offered to abandon his two virgin daiughters to their mefoy; on condition they would not moleft hisguefts:' but,tnftead of accepting this offer, they came to violence : whereupon tiies'angels fuddenly pulled Lit into the houfe, (hut the door, 'and ftnlck the riotous aflembly with blindneis ^A). ^ Ikt the mean tin^e, the angels acquainted Let ^ith thtori^ cornmiffion; advifinghim, if he had alny friends,- for wfabf<( Ikfety fae was concerned, that heMvouU immediatiely.tet them, know their danger, ajid warn them to depart. W4i^rc^ upoir Lot J before it was li^ht, went to bis fon$-<in-^Uw^'' f5 whom his daughter? were contra£(«d (BV; and,telling theal what tb^y muft expefit, if theyftayed lohger iivthe cityj
^ JosftlPH. aatiq. I.'i. c;li.
11 ;. • ■ •! - ,
(A). It is B very probable poie thefe.wcretlie.hii(b^sof
epinion., that thofe mea were other daughters, of Loty vfhq
fir^ck, no^ with adual Mind- were inarried.ai^d had left U)eic
nejs^but with a diz^eis^which fathejf *^ iioui^; which tii^iSfB ip
d^rbed their fight, and repre- be cpn&'med by the aog^]s/>f-
ieiited obJIeiCis &lfly , and in con- dering Lot to take with htm ^i&
fuiioii(|ji as were the ^/a«/9 wife and his two diugVtdri,^
who were fcnt to take E^^jha njuhicJ^ ^ere thtri prefeht iji^l
{2). And this is the fenf? of Sut the original words^^i whicH
xhtSefttiagint. The author of in our ver^on are rendered -i^//
the^ book of Wlfdom fuppofes fins in Itew^ iMch married bis
fome diange in the air, faying, daugbttrs{ ^ )»niay be tranflated*
that' they were cvn^^^iss^ts/' according* to- the JiiierpieaEitfon
%»ith birrihk griot darbufi^ of Qnkdoi^ bis Jobs ^in .4cwy
which he comparas to that mvhicb luerf to marry ^ tea. . thft
with which Mo/es plagued the contradl being made, but the
JSgyptians^ He adds, that 'tiiey marsiagcnot coofui^niateid-
couU not even find the way And. diere is no ni^n^n^if^
home i ht emery one/ougbt. tbe Scripture, ofany daughtexs X^
faffagt of bis enm /^ri (3). . had, except tlie two whq,wpr«i|
. (B) The Septuagint, Syriac, ikved v/ith him $ butif i^.^iad^'
jfrsihic, and other tranilations, they muft have periflied \^t^
^d fome of the rabbins, fup? their hufbands.
fxrrr.viii. \, 16. tlarit, in loc'. \z) 2 Kingi vi. ti^ Y'^) .ff^'fdt
**• ^7: (4) ^^* **^* '5^ (5) ■'^'^' '^'''» '4* ^ .
carneftly
After this caoftr^plipy Lm flafcd Mt long in Zmr^ fearing fomc further misfortmie ; but trent, iritfahBJaug^ fas, to the mountains on the caft of the Dtmi S^t^ and dwelt in a care thcrr. In thb folimde, the two Toung woraen« feeing no hopes of their crcr being mMmci (D), and being vcnr denzousof faariDgcfaiUrcfuasit was igrctt rqiroach and fcuidai in thofe c^ys to hare none;* plotted tDgether todecene their fethcr, and hate ifliiehjr Uou Ac-
(21^; that it bas not only tbe nalSf fems Itf hai« beendie
lineainectiofawoniaB, bait alio cafe; becaafe the BoicinnDi*
the difiinfiion of fea, and re- gent andciodibleinyclle»%y
gnlar pcrguioDs, as if it were (bey could ccrer fee it; and
aliTe;23;;iii4udi^iUeba£been when tbey Iwre afioed die peo-
fwaUonvd bv feme f^KHlhan pie of the ooontry after it, they
writer* (23}. Some late oem- citber aflbred diem there wu mentaxon ^4^ after aU,tbmk» aofoch thiog^tyKorpltteildcd
that tberc wzs so miTacalons it flaods fomenhete in tbe
metamorphofis at all In tbe moontain^ where the njoeft to
cafe ; bet that (be atber toraed it is very dmgetoni, 'hicnfeaf
back oatofcariofitTytofeetbe die wild bois and'ferptpbt
bcmiiig Dearer, and fe perifbed hot moit fe on aceoOnt of die
in the dreadful (bower, or by Armir{i%y 3 '
fomepoifQfiousTapoQr;orel(e» (D\ Sevciad writen'(x9) ca«
that the honor e£ the figbt. cofe tbis a€k of LnH^mtjUHo,
when (he looked back, and by foppofiif what they £d ina
phinly behe'.d the terrible de- for the icpaiationof Hiankind»
ibafLion of a plare (he hod bat which, as they tho^gh^'bad
jail qaitted, itrock her iliff, and been utterly ddbi^'ed,ai|di
motionleO, like a ftatae; and left, except their fitberanl
that fne died of the fright. And tbcsilelves. Bat there i| ao
as to what is urged from Jo/e- mancer of feiftdation fer.fncb
/Aff/'z5% and ibme bopks of anopinioD. Wberefeit St;*i£»-
travels {zS\ that this (bitDe or JNm very jniUy "qf^wii* dbt
pillar, was many ages after, or a6ddn, feyiftg, they ooght ne-
is DOW, to be (een ; it i« an- rer to have been mother^ i*^
fwered, that ^?^^:^^ might be ther than to have madeSidi
deceived therein,as many othen ufeof'theirfetberf^o). One of
have been, and daily are, in the(edaagbien a TVtttjjft writer
things of this nature: which calls /'fMc^ (31).
_ ^ . . ,_ _.^ ^.^.. . ... ..... _ _ __ ff
fiitua uJir.j. ' (ZK) 'See a'fi fTifJcm r. 7. ' * (zs) 7?/. ^ua^fm'^eikicid. tfrjt JarH. t:fK. ii. K vi. €. 14. " (z- '■ ^-•^s«-;.', itincr, Hie*xf. ^9^-
(z%) 'Brocia^-J, defer, terrge faitFi. p, I. c. 7. r.amk. X4. (Tj^) Jtj^h, «- /if. /. i. r. 12. ClryltiK iKn,xt.K\v, iKGnt, Itcr^nu, /,iv, e. $t, jiadrtC Je A}-ah. /. i. r. 6.' 'Jltrod:r, r* Geref. ftut/i. 69. c. 5. f^o). At^tfi*
. .-.- .' . Fj'Ji. I. xjtii. f . 4 3, (V) ^' 7^"^'! ^^ Ehezgr Firkt, c . »s* ■■
cordinglyi
CIV. ^eHijiirycfMoab: 12^-
cordingly^ they put their pnjeA in execution, in the man- ner we nhd related in holy writ ; and from this inceftuous Tommerce proceeded two ions. That 6f the eldefl daugh- ter was therefore named Msah^ fignifying (though not in pure HebreWj yet, perhaps, in fbme dialeS of that tongue) Of a father ; and was the progenitor of the people we are now (peaking of P.
The pofterity of Lot fettled in the country bordering on Of the the mountain where he was born, which fome authors <'0««//7 make part of Ccelefyria% oititrs of Arabia r • zndytav-poJTefeJfy iftg driven out the old inhabitants, pofTefTed a fmali traA, ^^f Mo* thence called Moabitis^ or the land of Moaby the defcri-*^""* ption of which we refcrve to the geography of Jndea.
We are but little acquainted with the cuftoms and man* neirgo^ ners of this people. They were governed by kings, nhA'vtmmemtf circumcifion *, and feem to have employed themfclves,<'^<'«/» moftly, inpafturage, and breeding of cattle, wherein their ffc- riches chiefly coniifted. They were one of tlie nations whofe good the Jews were fbroidden to feck « ; nor were they to be admitted to intermarry with the JfraeUtes^ to the tenth generation ^. However, they appear to have cultir vated a ^ood underftanding with that people after their fet- tlement m Canaan^ as appears from the fojourning of £//- meUcb there <^, and the reception D^z/iW met with in his troubles at Mizpeh d. What language they ufed, we know not ; but fuppofe, they fpoke a dialed of the Canaanitijb or Hebrew.
That they had once the knowlege of the true God,7J^,V^^^-. we may not only conclude, from the piety of their great^*^^, anceftor, who, without doubt, inftrudledhis offspring in their duty i but, likewife, from Scripture : for they retained this knowlege till the time of MofeSj even after they bad snonftroufly corrupted their religion, by introducing the worihip of falfe gods « s which they feem to have done ^pretty early, though the time cannot be iixed.
Th£ idols of the Moabites taken notice of in Scripture
^are Chemojh ^ and Baal-peor S ; fometimes, fimply, Peor ^ ;
or, as the Septuagint write the name, Phegor: but what
gods thefe were, learned men are not agreed. St. Jerom
P Gen.adx. 30—37. ^ Joseph, antiq. l.i. c. 12,
' Stepban. dc urb. in tJiiC'a. « Jcrcm. ix. 2^, 26.
• Deat. xxiii. 3—6. ^ Ibid. ver. 3. « Ruth 1. i, 2,
' I Sam. xxii. 3, &c. ^ See Numb. xxv. 11. ^ Numb.
xxi. 19. I Kings xi. 7. Jerem. xlviii. 13. s Numb.
aonr. i,and3. ^ Ibid. vcr. 16. Jofh.xxii. 171 &c.
' - , I fuppoics.
1 26 Sid Hi^ety «/ Moib^ B. \
iuppofeS) that they were twtb names of one and the lame idoli>: udifromUiedelMucbeiics into which thofe fell who defiled themfelvea with their worihip, feveral writers, boili antient and modern, have icprcfented them as ohrceoc deities, not much diJFerent from Priaput i. This opiniog they endeavour to fuppojt from the etymologies of ^ names, and ianfy fome indecency it implied tncrein (E). Others^, however, imagine, that though the I/raeliUi au Sakmon were intittd, by the ideahitijh women, to worQif thofe idols ' ; yet it does not thence follow, that any im- modcll ceremonies were u&d in tbcir worfliip t nor ore ii^ fuch mentioned in the moft antient authors >" ; and the tty motogies, we think, are not much to be relied on. Put was the name of a mountain, where the high-places of Baal were fituatcd i ; which word figniiies no more than Lord, and was a title of the fun, perhaps added to that name by way of difiinflion, to denote che ddty adored in that place ° ; though he had probably alio a temple in Beih- pttTy which ftood in the plain'. ytj}tttt^ fuppofes Baal-
^ HiEKosYM. inEiai. 1. v. ' IdeminOfeaai, fcumr.
Jovin. I. i. c. la, Oeioen. inNoioer. hom. xt. TiiEoru-r- LACT. in Hofeam. CoKsaKLAitO on Sanchon. p. 67, &C. kSELDEHdediu$yR9,lyRtag.i.c.5. Clibic. in Numer. ^j^ TKtCK^s comment. 00 Numb. XXV. 'Nuub.xxv. n,Sp
Patrick 'scomment. uta fup. " Numb. oiii. 38. '"T**- 9D0KET adpfal.cr. Vid. Soid. ia St«>-^>»p. - P See-JoA. xiij. 17, &20. ^ Deidololatr. I. ii. C. 7. 1
(E) Par they derive from ter e^aology, they willlijUl
lira faar, la epm, or firitcb ; to comc from the verb y®9
becaufe they ulcd an indecent eiafii^, la/til: but Or. ^i'
pofture before the idol (difiiii- derives it from ^€4rittt(li^
dchaHt cor am en foramen ptiicii\, ml^, whicli ligiiifies gKh
and offered him di.r.g; which, {though in the particular jiiJeft
the Jpuii pretend, was thewor- of the tribe of Hodairj, fuMO-
ihip proper to tht£ idol [31). fmg it to bave l>een an aliiu^
Ifuis derivation be triie,it was, gical talifnum in the figareofi
moft probably, a name of con- gnat, made to drive a.via.y fd^
tempt impofed bytbe^rwj} infeftsfja); a.t\AltClcrt,viSf
and the ceremonies they men- takes this idol lor the fun,!)^ '
tion, may have been invented camt^a, a root in the fa$ ^
to give fome lealoa for the tongue, fignifying /e ^jAw)?
lume. (33).
Cheated, for want of a bec-
(JI) Si^m. Yarbi In Nanicr.iiv. j. Maimrndti meri itev. fariS-'t-M Vid. Tbil,JaJ.dtiHB:ir.. auiaihnr, f.n,bi. (JtJ i/viff^n/.vt
tirf. (.S.p.33". (13) ClirK. tM A'»»l. SJDU..»B.
C. IV. Tbi Hift$rj of Moab-
pepr to h^'Biictbus ; and Dr. CumherUnd* fays» he waapro* pcrly called MeMj and takes him to be the fiime with Mi^ msj 'Mizraim^ and Ofiris (F), who, according to his hy- pothefiss were all one and the fiime man *. Chemwjh feems to have been a different idol. Niho < is thoudit, by fome, to liave been another deky of the Meabites. It was, with- out diij^te, an idol of the Bebyhnians^ and poffibly the fiunewith Mercurji but whether the ^^^M/fx woruiped k, is not fi> certain. There was a town of this name in that part of the antient dominions of Moab conquered by Sibm^ which the Ifraelites rebuilt, and changed its name « ; and 1 part of mount Abarim^ in the (ame trad, was alfo called Ntbo.
trf
' On Sanehon. p. 67. 317, (Z). ' Ifai. XV. 2.
idvi. I. P(al. cvi.2d.
• Sec voLi* p. 304, 305, (D) i Jerem. zlviii. i — 22. ■ IlaL
(F) This learned prelate fup- poics Peor was not his true Bfune t and», finding Baal Mew i%^)^txABitb Mean (1^)9 and Setb Baal Mtm (3d}» men- tioned in Scripture as a place lyiii^ within the old territories of Maa^p concludes Mean was the proper or honourable title of this deity, whom be will have to be the iame with Ofiriit becaufe of the ebfcene procef- fions ufed in honour of tne ]at« ter^. agreeing vtry well with the immodelt ceremonies ufed kk the Wiorihip of the former, and from the a£nity between die names of Mion and Minis. The chief reafons he gives why JISEwi was the name of an idol, and the fame with ^^r, are; 1=. The Siffuagint and Arabic verfioDS have Meon for a proper name, or title of a deity (37}. Zi The fargum of Jonatban (38) calls Baal Mion a city if
Balak, in wbiib Ifrael dtfirayid tbi idal Peor in tbi hmfi of aU tars^ 3. Man Was fo great • title of honour, that it is given to Gofr himfelf in Scripture (39), though it is tranilated iwelHng'flMce, But we think nothing can be concluded from paflages where the word is plainly an appellative. 4. Bith Mion fignifies the boufi or tcm* pbt of Mioni and no other than a fuppoled deity tan be faid t» have a temple dedicated to it» Yet there are feveral names of places compounded with the word Biib, which have no re* lation at all to idols. 5-. The I/roiUtis changed the name of the city BaalMeon^ when they: had rebuilt it, as they did that of Nibo, becaufe they were fb named from falfe gods (4a), But this is no necefUry coxife'^ quence.
adfiii. 23. f 36 j y^Jb. xiii. 17. (27 J i^*J< ' Chron. v. 8. ^e
alvifi. 23. • Ci^J On Numb, xxxii. 38. f 39; Ffal, xc. i.
Of
'ftS m mjUry of Moih. . 8.1
Of their religious rites and ceremoniei we can fay vnjr little- The obfcenity which fome authon chaige them wi^ wc have already mentioned : of thii the pfalmift takeint^ tice, in fpeaking of thofe who n/ffY^euuiZ/a Baal-peetj > but fays only, that they eat thi efftrings ef the desk: hf which words he may eidier mean, that the idol which ditf impioully honoured with divine worlhip* was no more tbu a dead man ; or elfe, that their oblations were made to the infernal gods. They facri&ced both in the open air, oi _ mountains dedicated to that fervice *, and in temples boik ' to their idols in the cities ; and, belides oxen and iams,aii extraordinary occafions oSered human vi^ms, accordiif to the Pbttnician cufhim j an inftance of which will M given by-and-by. TifMoab- The firll inhabitants of the land^ afterwards pofieHed ites^>w,by the poflcrity of jWooA, Were the Emims, a great and —It tti . powerful people, and of extraordinary ftrength and flatuic>. ^J^tu^^ i They were, inoit probably, defccndanti of Uam, and (rf ' the lame gi^ntic race with the Anakims and Riphaim \ though the Maabitet called them by the name of Bmimst, which, in //f^mv, Hgniiics terrihif. T^efe, having beta much wealcened by the invafton of CbedsHaBfner, king of ' Ebm, and his allies S became the cafieT conqucft to the Aioaiites, who drove them out, acd took pofleffion of their country; but about what time, is uncertain : bow* tut ie/t ever, they kept not their new dominions long intire ; for, fart of in the days of Mcifes,Sihen, king trf the j^moriVw, who lior- lieir ac dercd on them eailward, fought againfl the king of Alsai, ^fitiomi the prcdeccflbr of Bahk, and took from that nation all lathe their land to the north of the twa Arnon^. Amorites. Balak, the fonof Z(>)>ar, was on the throne of ^«( V /■ '''i^" ^^ Ifraelitts, having fubdued Sihun^ were encunpej fntdifir jjj pjjj Qf jjjgjj. ^^^ acquilitions called the plains ef Moob, "^^'JJ^^'becaufe they had lately belonged to that nationV IMi I^elitn F'""» difmaycd at the approach of the victorious people, Year of *'^<"" ^" *3S not in a condition to refill, and not knov* flood 8q7.'"S ^^^^ Gox> had forbidden thcoi to attempt the conquift Bef. Chr.*°f ^^^ remaining territories, alTembled the nobles, and lib II- 1. the princes of the Midianites (a branch of which natkio (^^V^ dwelt within the borders of Moak, as wc Ihal! obferve hoe- after} -, and acquainted them with his apprehen lions, dtf the Ifraelites fhould/as heexpreiTed li^litk uf all that WM round absut them, m the ox lUktih up the grufs of the /iM>
^ See Numb. xxii. 41. " Deut.ti.to. i* Ibid. p. le. it * Gen.xiv.j. » Numb. xxi. 36. ^ Nuinb. ixii-l-
C. iV. ne tiifiory of MoabJ
Having Gonfulted together, and not daring to truft to their arms aloney the afTembly agreed to fend for Balaam^ the ion. of BiQTj a famous prophet (G), or diviner^ of that tioie, in wbofe prayers and imprecations- they had great Gon&Ience) that he might curfe the people, which gave them fo much uneafineis (H). Accordingly, embalTadors,
129
(G) Some Jt^s imagine this Smlmmm was an aiho]oger,who, oUerving when men were under a bad a^teft of the fiars, pro- nounced a curie upon them; which fbmetimes coming to pais in neighbouring nations, gained him a great reputation. Several of the antient fathers fuppofe him to have been no more thanacommonfoothiayer (41)^- who pretended to foretiel fatore events, but by no juiHfi- abk arts. Origin will have it, that he was no prophet,bat only a foroeror, who went to inquire of the devil; but that God was plea&d to prevent him, and to put what anfwer he thought fit ipto his mouth. It cannot be denied^ however, but that the Scripture exprefly calls him a , fropkit } and therefore fome la- ter writers (42) are of opinion, that he had been once a good man, and a true prophet, till, loving the wages of unrighte- eofiiefs (43), and proftituting the honour of God to his co- ^»e^ufiaefs, he apoftatized from God, and, betaking himfelf to jdolatrous pra&ices, fell under the delufion. of the devil, of whom he learned all his ma-
g*cal inchantments; though at is jundure, when the pre-
ftrvation of his people was con- cerned, it might coniift with Goo^s wifdom to appear to him» and vouch&fe him reve- lations. Balaam, indeed, was a man of no great probity ; and might, by profeffion, be a di- viner ; but, by the free accefs he had to Gob, it feems appa- rent, that he was no common Ibrcerer, or maeician (44).
The Jewi by Balaam was not his true name ; but that he was io called, beaiufe, by his coun&l, DV y i'n Bala am^ i. e. be diftreyeJ the peopU of GO0 (45 ) : and fbme have taken him to be the fame perfon who, in the book of job, is named Enhu[j^6). The prophetical traditions of Balaam the Per^ Jian magi are faid to have had (47) ; and it is thought, that, from his prophecy (48), the wife men knew the'fignification of the ilar which appeared at our Saviour's birth (49}.
(H) It was a received opinion among the heathen nations,that imprecations might be madef which would have e&dk, noff only on private perfons, but even whole armies and nations i and there were particular formn and ceremonies for that pur-', pofe (50).
' f4l) Seeyofepb»xm. 22. (41) See Patrick* t comment » on NumS. xxii.'
(43J 2 Pet. ii. 1 5. (44) Utaciheufe^s My of dk/inity, f-'^<, fiff.
(45) Vid^Hottinger, fmegma orient, p,^^, {^6) See Patrick' s ccnment,'
aii fif» {Arj) D'lierbel. bibL orient, p, ^1%. {^%) Numh.\xvim
X7« (49) Theodtr* Tarfntjisy upud Uyde </*• reh vet, Perf, p. 384.'
(so) yid, Macrob, Saturn, /. iii. c, 9. Plut&rch. in rita Crajp^ /•'SS3<
•. Vofc.ir. I of
7l€ Hijlory of Moab. B. 1;
of both nations, were fcnt, not empty-handed, but With prcfents, as ufual in fuch cafes, to Balaam^ who dwtfk at Pethor^ a city of Mefopot amia ^on the Euphratis ^ ; and toM him the occafion of their coming. The prophet defird them to ftay with him that night, that he might inquire of God whether he fliould go with them, and curfe the IfraeliUs^ or not : buf , being commanded not to go, nor curfe a peo- ple whom God had determined to blefs ; the next morn- ing he told them, he could not difobey the divine conj- mahd, and fo difmiffed them. On their return with this anfwer, Balak^ whofe fole hopes lay in the prophet, fent a fccond embafly to him, confiding of perfons of more di- flinguifhed qualityjand in greater number, with promifesof great riches and preferment,if he complied with his requeft. Balaam told them, that no wealth could tempt him to aft contrary to the divine direSions : however, being willing. to gratify Balaky he confulicd the oracle once more 5 and had then leave to go, provided he faid nothing but what God fbould put in his mouth* Balaam therefore went with the embafl'adors, refolving, it feems, with himfelf, to do his utmoft for the fervice of thofe who had employed him. But his intentions being difpleafing to God, an an- gel was fent to withftand him on the road. His afs, feeing the angel with a drawn fword in his hand, attempted three times to turn out of the way ; and, being, thereupon, as often ftruck by him, God mlraculoufly opened her mouth (I), and (he expoftulated with him for his unfea-
^ Num. xxii. 5. Deut. »xiii. 4.
(I) This was fo extraordinary an event, that fome y^mj, as great lovers of miracles as they are, have not been able to per- fuade themftlvesjthat it really came to pafs. P/jilo (50), in relating the (lory of Balaam, wholly omits thiscircumftance; and Maitnonides (51) pretends, it happened to Balaam in a prophetical vifion. But as there is no doubt of God's power to efFeft fuch a miracle, and the words of Scripture are vcryex- prefs, there can be no reafon
(<^o) De I'itaMofis, /. i.
for difbelieving It. The Hea- thens cannot reproach Mofti with any abfurdity in this dory, fince they themfelves relate fo many of the like nature, but not near fo well fupported. Witnefs what they lay of the afs upon which Bacchus rode ; of the ram of Phryxusi the bull of Europa ; the horfcs of Achilles and Adraftu5\ the ele- phant of For us m India ; and the lamb in Egypt, when Bocehoris reigned there (52).
(^j) More n:T9cb, part, li. cap, 42t
fonabla
fe.IV. ^e Hiftory of Modbi 131
ibnable feverity. Balaamy in the heat of his paffion, gave no attention to the prodi^ (K) ; but, when he faw the an*
gl, he fell proflrate on his £ace» and offered to return home. It the angel bid him only take care to fay no more than what Gob (hould dired him K
Balaam being come to the borders of iE^^i, Balak went out to meet him ; and, after fome expoftulations for not comiiis oh the firft mei&ge, brought him to Kirjath^ buzzotby vmere the king ofiered facrifices, and feafted Bd- laaniy and the princes who were with him. The next day Balak brought the prophet up into the high places of Baal on mount Abarimy where he might have a full profpedl of the camp of the Ifraelitesy whom he had hired him to curfe^. There Balaky by the prophet's diredion, built feven altars, in which number there might perhaps be fome fuperftition ; but the altars, as it appears, were eredled to the true God, to whom they offered a bullock and a ram on each altar : and the fame they did afterwards in two other places oh thc^ mountain. The two firll times Balaam fought for inchantments ^, or ufed fuch means as he was able, to obtain leave of God to curfe the children of If- taily but without fuccefs 3 for, on the contrary, he was commanded to blcfs them, fore againft his inclination,- and to the great mortification of Balak 8 ; wherefore, the third time, finding that no inchantments could prevail againft Jacohy nor any divination againft IJraely he omitted his former arts, and not only blelTed them a third time, but pronounced thofe curfed who fhould utter any imprecationi againft that people. Balak y enraged at this difappointment, ordered him to depart immediately; but Balaamy before he went, pronounced, in j3/7/e7^'s prefence, a noble prophecy of the future fuccefTes of the Ifraelitesy and what fliould befal fcveral nations and kingdoms ^. As to Moaby in par*
* Nuhib. xxii. 20j 35. * Namb. xxii. 36—4!. ^ See Vol. i. p. 50ti s Numb; xxiii. ^ Ibid. c.xxiVi
(K) This feelns to be the is^too common in the eaft i and
true reafon why Balaam ex- from thence might be the lefs
preffed no more furprize on this aflonifhed to hear a brute
<)Ccafion; But fome fuppofe fpeak (53). Jo/epbus^ indeed,
Balaam might have imbibed tells us, but without authority,
the dodbine of tranfmigration that he was affrighted at the ac*
of fouls, which was, and ilill cident (54].
(^Z) ^'^' C'f^*" comti{ent» in Utum, Cs^J J^I^'P^* antiq. /. ].
I 2 ticular,
x32 me Hijiory of MoA}. B.t.
titular, be foretold, that a Jlar (M) Jlh9uldc9mi eutcf}^ cob, and a fceptre Jhould arlfe out of Ifrael, UfUch fiouU fmlte the corners (or, as it mav be better tranilated, tbo princes) of Moab, and dejlroyali the children of S^ i (N). vVhlch prophecy the moil ludicious interpreters take to bd primarily fpoken of Davtd^ and fulfilled by his vidorics over that nation ; though it be allowed alio fecondarilj, and in a more exalted fenfe, to refer to the Mefliah. After this, Balaam returned home ^, but not without giving i moft wicked counfel (O) to Balak and the Midianites^ which proved very pernicious to the children of Ifrael: for
* Ibi3* vcf. 17. * Ibid, ver. 25.
(M) The eaftem nations dc- littk in the erighial t JeremuA^
noted a king by a liar, or co- inflead oi'\py\^ karkar^JbaU
met; the appearance of which defiroy^ having; "^j^P f^hi^
they thought, portended the rife the erown of the ^m# (which
of great princes, and the revo-^ is the reading c^ the Sametritem
lutions of empires (56). pentateuch in this vtry phoe);
(N) According to the genius and»inftead of HV fetb^ {IMV
of the Hehrenu tongue, wherein fitaon^ noife. But we dare not
it is elegant to repeat the £une hence niake any corre£ku». .
fentence in different expreflions, (O) Though Mofes mentioBi
by the children ^/'Seth, the Mo- not this wherie he de&ribes dit
eibites fhould be intended ; but interview between BaUumzai
why they are fo called, we can- Baiak^ yet, in another phoe
not find. There is a paflage in (59), he lays the whole blane
7^r/w/a>&,whichleems to prove, on Balaam', faying, that the
that, in his time, this place was Ifraelites trefpafled throtigb bit
differently read. A fire ^ fays counJeL yo/ephus is very fixd-
that prophet, J^all come out of cular in relating this circoin-
Hefhbon, a flame from the ftance, and tells us, tiiat^^iiSMW
midft of Sihon, 'which pall de- bethought himfelf of it when
^uour the comer of Moab, and he came to the Euphrates^ and
the cro^-wn of the head of the thence fent tobegaconfieireBoe
tumultuous ones ; or, as is bet- with Balak^ and the princes oi
ter rendered in the margin, of Midian (60). The targmd
the children of noife (57). The Jonathan, and that of Jtmfe'
former part of this paffage is /?M,fuppofe,he gave this coudiel
taken from another text (58), ju(lbeforehe pronounced the Isft
and the latter from that which prophecy ; and that the iknieis
we are now fpeaking of: the intimated by thefe words, /wc0
difference between them is very a^vife or counfel thee (61).
^56; Vid, Ckric. in Ice, ( ^-j ) Jrrcm. xlviii. 45. (^BjNMmi*
xxl. 2S. ^59 ; Numb, xxxi. J6. See olfo RevtL ii. 14. (^'>)3^
frpkaiitii. /,ivvc.6v (ti) A'umi, ^odv, 14. yiJ, etiam Clo'icJ* Lift
be
C. IV. The Hifiory of Moab. 133
be toUthem, that it was in vain to expert, that God would ever deferc thatnation^ fo long as they continued in their duty ; and the^pefbre the only way to hurt and diftrers them would be, to tempt them to idolatry and difobedience, which he thought no means fo proper to effed, as by en- ticing them to debaucheries with the Moaiitijh and Mi- diamtijh women. And therefore he advifed them to fend die moft beautiful virgins they could find, to the Ifraelitijb camp, with proper inftru Aions 1.
This was put in execution; the chief men among them making no fcruple to proftitute their daughters on Uiis oc- cafion ^ : and the ftratagem fucceecjed but too well. Fqf the Ifraelites were immediately taktn with the charms of thefe fair idolatrefles ; and, abandoning them&lves to tliem, were eafily feduced to worfhip their falfe gods. This oc- cafioned a dreadful plague, which deftroyed 24,000 of them, befides. thofe who were put to death by the order of Mofes n.
Their hiring of Balaam to curfe Ifrael was the reafon why the Moabites were not to be admitted to mix or inter* marry with that people, as has been obfer^^ed « ; but the Alidianites^ who feem to have been more particularly the inftruments of feducing them to idolatry, were more fe-* verely punilhed foon after, as will be related in a more proper place : and Balaam himfelf had his due reward, being flain by the Ifraelites when they took their revenge on Midian P.
The next a£lion which is recorded of the Moabites^ is, Year of that they were the inftruments of the fecond opprefSoii of the flood the Ifraelites after thdr fettlement in the land of. Canaan, 1005. For that people, on the death of Othniel the fon of Kena%^ Bef. Chr. being widiout an head, returned again to idolatry ; where- 1 343 upon God raifed up Eghn king of Mdab to punifh them. ^ I'his prince, entering into an alliance with the Ammonites and AmaUkites^ invaded lfrael\ and, having made himfelf mafter of the city of palm^trees^ that is, as interpreters ge- nerally underftand it, of Jericho (P), kept the Ifraelites in
fubjefticn
' Joseph, antsq. 1, iv. c. 6. "» Numb^ xxv. i^. n i^id. vcr. 1—5. ° See before, p. 125. p Numb. xxxi. 8.
Joseph, antiq. 1. v. c. 5.
(P) Jericbo^ was femous a- ferent kinds^ which grew in its mong other things for the great neighbourhood {62). Jofephus numbers of pad-trees of dif- feys (63), that Eglon removed
(62) Dait, X3aiv. 3. Jojef^b* debelhjvd, /. v.c. 4. (65) Idem, ar,t:f^
/• ?t ?♦ $•
134 ^^ Hifiory of Moab. B. I,
fubje£^ion eighteen years. But God, upon their reouring ' to him, railed them up a deliverer, a Benjamite^ named £hud ; who, being appointed by his countrymen to cany a prefent to Eglon^ refolved to lay hold of that opportunity, to deliver his people from the oppreffion diey had h ]aDg groaned under. Accordingly, having delivered the prefac to the ]cing, and accompanied thofe who had brought i^ as far as the quarries near Gilgal (QJ, on their way homci he returned from thence,' pretending he had' foniediiiig tb impart to Eglon in private. Being thereupon admitted to the king's prefence, and the reft all ordered to lyithdraw, he told him, that he had a meflage to hini from God; which Eghn rifing from his feat to receive, EbudttalMi. him in the belly with a daggbr, which he had prepared, and concealed under his garnlent for that purpofe (R). The wound lyas given with hich violence, that the haft went in after the blade ; fo that the &t dofing upon it, for Egkn was very corpulent, Ehudw2& obliged to leave the daffiq*. in his body. The fervants, after Ehud was gone, havW ymXQ^ a iQng time at the door, which they found locked, opened it at laft, and faw their mafter lying breathlefi on the floor. Ehud in the mean time efcaped beyond Jtr- dan^ and, gathering together what forces he could, at- tacked the Moabites that were garifoned on the weft of the river within the land of Canaan^ and flew ten tboii- iand of their heft men ^ which utterly broke the power
his conrt to this city : bat he turesj, which ibme {uppcdk (o
&tms to have been midaken : have been fet up there by £|-
for after it had been biirnt by Ion (Sj), Jojhua (64), who curfcd the ( R ) This adion of Ehd
perfon that fhould rebuild it feme jaflify, by foppofii^ he
\^l\ it lay in rains till the had GodV exprefs conunand
days oi Ahah (66). However, for it (68). But as the Scrip-
the place might ferve for a ga- tore intimates no fach thing;
rifon to keep the country in others think he might lawfbltf
awe, for whi^ ufe it was very rid his country. of a tyiut,
well £tuated. who had unjoilly enilaved ir,
(Q^Theword^(^//», which by any means (69). A pofi-
in our verfion is rendered the tion which may encourage aEaf-
quarries, is by the Septuagint iinations in every cafe^ where
tranilated id y^v^^A, and in the a£lor judges the caufe he
the Vulgate, the idolsy the/culp- engages in to be righteous.
(64) Jojb, vi. 24, (65) Idem, vtr, 26. (66) I Kim xW, 34.
(67) Chytraus, &c. See niol, i. f, i-jq, in tbe notes. (68) Vid, Fanek,
in kc, (69) Cleric, in foe.
I
C. IV. ' TJf Hipry of Moab. 135
of il/0tf^, and freed the Ifraelites from the yoke of that nation "i.
We hear no more of the Moabites after this di(after, till the time of Saul^ who warr,ed againfl them with fuo cefs '• The enmity which fubfiftcd between him and this nation, probably induced David^ when perfecuted by that prince, to ask the king of Moaif*s protedlion for his pa-r rqnts, till his affairs fhould be in a better pofture ' ; which the A^oaUte readily granted, and treated them witb great hofpitality, while David lay in the cave of yfdullam. How- ever, when he came to the crown, the Moabites entered into a confederacy againft him with feveral of the neigh- bouring nations^: whereupon he declared war againft them ; and, having obtained a iignal viftory, put two thirds of them to the fword (S), and made tlie reft his vaiTals and tributaries u.
From this time they continued fubjeft to Solomon and Year of R0b$boatn^ till the revolt of the ten tribes ; upon which, 'he flood it feems, they became tributaries to the kings of Ifrael^ '45*-. though they had all along kings of their own, who were^®^"^'^"^ little better than viceroys. Mejha^ one of them, paid ^ ^^ Ahab a yearly tribute of 100,000 lambs, and as many wethers, ^ith the wool ; his riches coixfifting chiefly in flieep ^. But, when Mab was dead, he rebelled againft his fon Ahaziah *, whofe ihort reign not permitting any attempt to reduce him, his brother and fucceflbr Jeijoram^
« Judges ill. 12—30. ' I Sam. xiv. 47. « \ Sam^
xxii. 3, 4. Joseph, antiq. 1. vi. c. 14. ^ PfaJ, Ixxxiii.
c, 6, &c. " 2 Sam. viii. 2. i Chron. xyiii. 2. Joseph.
antiq. 1. vii. c. 5. '*' '2 Kings iii. 4. ^ z ELings i. 1,
suid iii. 5.
(S) This is the meaning of Le Clerc thkiks this, probably,
the facred hiftorian, when he was a juft retaliation for fome
fays, That David meafured cruelties of the ikme kind^
them ijoith a line, cafting them which the MQobvtei had been
dirwn to the ground ; e*ven ivith guilty of. As the Scripture
invo lines meafured he y to put to does not fay, VfhsiYitT Da^vid
death ; and with one full line put to death two thirds of the
^to keep alive, 1' feems to have whole nation, or only of thofe
been a coilom in the ea(t, to who appeared in arms againft
order the priibners of war him r it is more for the honoui
to lie down, and to meafuie of thajt prince to fuppofe (h^
i)y a line ifuch of them, as latter (70), ^hey defigned -to put to death.
(70) Idem, in 2 SJtm, vili. 2,
I 4 ii:\it -/*
136 The Hifiory of Moab. B. %
afliftcd by Jehojhaphat king of Judah^ and the king of Edom his tributary, made an expedition for that putpolci and took a compafs of feven days march through the de* fcrt of Edom^ in order to furprife ithe enemy. Haviqg reached the land of Moab^ the army was diftreiTed for want of water, and muft have peri(bed» had not the pn- phet EUJha (Stained a fudden and large fup|)ly for toem by a land-flood. The Moabitis^ bring by this time ahmud, got together all that were able to ucdx arips ; aad» carW in the morning, feeing the water to the wdftward kok red, like blood, by reafon of the reflexion of the fun, and never fufpe£ling it to be water in that 4ry defert, and in fo great a quantity, they immediately took it to be bloodj and, fuppofing the confederated princes had fallen out, and turned their arms againft one another, concluded, they had no more to do than to take the fpoil. On thb imagination they ran in confufion to the camp of Ifrad^ but foon found their miilake ; for, not being able to fuf* taiii the iirft attack of the IfraeliUSy they prefently turne4 their backs, and great numbers of them were flain by the enenly, who purfued them into the very heart of their country, wafted their lands, and demolimed their cities, except Kir^barafethj where the king of Moab fliut htm- fclf up. Mejhoj being befieged, and clofely .prdicdi made a fally with 700 choice men, and endeavoured to efcape, by breaking through the quarters of the Ed§mltts^ which were the weakeft ; but, failing in the attempt, in the height of defpair, he took his eldeft fon, who uouU have fucceeded him in the throne, and offered faim fort burnt-facrifice on the wall (T|. Which barbarous aA
(T) Several writers (71) fup- for, not to infift on theftrifi
pofe Me/ha did not iacrifice hi3 acceptation of the two pa^^
own fon, but the fon of the king one (peaking of a kii^ of Eim^
pf Edom^ whom, they (ay, he and the other of akiiig*s fon,
took in the folly ; and^ that this it was a knowp cuflom in aa-
is the fome adion with that tient times, for princes, in ex-
mentioned by the prophet .4«0/, treme calamities of the pnUic^
who threateneth Moab, becaufe to offer their moft beloved child
be burnt tbe bongs oftbi king of as an expiatory ficrifice, tv
Edom into lime (72). But they avert the impending yengeanoB
feem to be different actions ; of the gods (73).
fsufcd
C. IV. ff*f Jlifiory of Moab. 137
jraifed fuch horror and indignation in his enemies, that they, immediately raifed the fiege, and returned home y.
It was not long before the Moabites^ entering into an .alliance with the Ammonites^ the Edomltes of mount Seir^ and other neighbouring nations (U), attempted to revenge the lofles they had fuftained in this invafion, onjehojha- pbat king of Judab^ by whofe afliftance, chiefly, Jehoram nad been enabled to undertake it. But though they had got within thirty miles of his capital, before he had any advice of their motions, yet their attempt proved unfuc- .celsful, and ended in their total ruin. For, upon ^Jehojha^ fbdt^s recurring to God, the enemy, feized with a kind of panic phrenzy, fell upon one another, and continued ^he flaughter with incredible fury, till they were all cut ioff % as we fhall relate more at length elfewere.
After this we do not find that the Moabites difturbed Ifrael for many years ; however, between this and the reign of Uzziah king of jfudah^ they had invaded thcu:
J Ibid. ver. 6> 27. Josbph. antiq. I. ix. c. 1. * 2 Chroa. 1. — 25. Joseph. ubi fupr.
{U) Who thefe nations were, book of Chronicles (74) (tio* is uncertain. The original word the Engfijh tranflation in the Idebaammonim (hould be tranf- firft place takes it for an at>- lated Us it is in the Vulgate) peliative, and renders it the nvitb the Ammonites y were it not habitations) ^ and is in both by that the children of Amman are the Seftuagint tranAated Mi^ mentioned before. To avoid n^ans. Wherefore Bochart the abfurdity of which repeti- prefers the Greek reading in tion, the Septumgint^ if the the pailage before us^ -to the copies they followed were not Hebrew \ being of opinion, different from the prefent that there is a tranfpofuion of Hibrenu in this place, ren- the letters mm and ain (75]. der it, fomi of the Minaeans ; The Chaldee paraphrail has it, of which name, Bochart fap- ^tth the Edomltes. But there poies, there were two people, feems to be no occafion for any one of the race of ^hemy dwel- change, iince the particle pre^ ling in Arabia felix^ and the fixed may, agree<ibly |o its Other of the race of ffi^xfi, who- force elfewhere, be rendered fettled in Arabia Petrara^ and beyond or befidei {76) ; for are meant in this place, being, which reafonthefrr^/ry^verfien as he thinks, by the Je^s is judged to have rightly in- called Meouim, which word terprcted the word% and others .occurs in two places of the he^des I'i^^ -Ammonites.
' (74-) 1 Cbron, fv. 41. 1 Cbroft. xxvi. 7, (75) ' Bochart , plakg, L ii. r. ^3* (76) Vide Clerk* in /ctr,
neighbours
13$ y*^ Hijiory of Moab* B. I,
neighbours of Edom ; and, having overcome them, inhu« manly burnt their king (whether alive or dead^ is not faid), and reduced his bones to afbes : for which piece of cruelty God denounced fcvere judgments againft them by the prophet Amos >• And, on the declenfion tX the kingdom of IfraeU they alfo feem to have retaken from the tribes of Reuben and Gad great part of the land, which had formerly belonged to them before the invafion of Sihon ; for, in the prophecies of Ifaiah and Jeremiah againft Moah^ feveral cities in thofe territories are men- tioned, as then in the pofTcil^on of that nation, or of the Ammonites^j who were probably their confederates in op« preffing the Ifraelites. Thefe fucceffes elated the Moabitn (o much, that, for their pride and infolence, Gop threatened them with utter deftruilion, by feveral of his prophets c; and Ifaiah^ in particular, foretold, that within three years, Ar and Kir-Harajheth^ two of their principal cities, fhould be deftroyed, and the reft of their country brought to contempt and defolation.**. This prophecy, a| it is dated in the firft year of king Hezekiab^^ muft hayc been executed the very year that Samaria was firft bc- . fieged by Shalmanefer king of AJfyria yV^ho probably fubjedej . Moahy and placed garifons in thofe towns, to ftop the io- . curiions, which the Arabs might that way make, before be began the fiege ^*
After the dreadful deftruflion of the army of Z^mt^ eherih the fon of Shalmanefer ^ the Moakites often rcf olteil from his fucceftbrs, and were as often reduced, till th^ were intirely fubdued by Nebuchadnexxar^ into whofe hands their king was given, according to a prediction of yeremiah%, the fifth year after his t2i\in\g J erufalemy TOT the Babylonijh yoke fat fo uneafy on them, that tho* they took advantage of the low condition of Judab^ and miflfed few or no opportunities of harafling that na- tion ', yet, on Nebuchadnezzar^ s departure from Judia and Syria^ after his fecond expedition into thofe parts, they, with the other neighbouring nations, propofed t» Zedekiah to enter into a league with him againft tl^ Chaldeans ; which that prince *", notwithftanding the rc- monftrances of Jeremiak to the coi^trary, ponfenting to,
• Amos ii. ly 2, 3. ^ Ifaiah xv. & xvi. Jerem . Ixviii.
* Ibid. & Ezek. xxv. 8, and 9. Zeph. ii. 8, 9> lo, 1 1. ^ Ifiu. XV. I. xvi. 7. « Ibid, c. xiv. 28. ^ Vide Prid. conned, parti, b. i. p. 18. « Jerem. xxvii. 3 — 6. xxv. 21. '•Joseph. antiq. 1. x. c. 1 1 .' 2 Kings xxiv. 2. '* Jerem. xxvii. i z, &c
p. IV. me ftiftory of Ammon. 139
on the acceffion of the Egyptians to their confederacy, it became the occafion of his utter ruin; his new allies de- fcrting him in his diftrefs.
From this time hiftory makes very little mention of the MoabiteSf who weie henceforward fubjeft to the great empires ; and, at length, became one people with the neighbouring nations which inhabit the dcferts of Syria : fo that though Jofephus mentions the Moabites as a diftinft nation long after, faying, they were fubdued by Alexander Jannaus king of the Jews >, and tells us, they were a Numerous nation, even iq his time " ; yet, in the third century after Christ, they had loft their antitnt name, and were comprehended under the more general denomi- nation of Arabians °.
S E C T- IL
fhe Hiftory of Ammon,
THIS people were the poftcrity of Ammon^ otherwife called Ben Ammi (tho* that is not politively known), iignifying the fon of my people our kindred, the offspring of Lot and his younger daughter ^. We have taken notice of this inccftuous birth, in fpeaking of Moab^ the fon of the elder fifter by her father p.
The children of Ammon poffeffed themfelves of the country, called, after their own name, Ammonitisy bor- 0/ the uering on the northern part of Moabitis^ after having ^^««/ry driven out the ZamzumnJmSy as they called them, who P^JTe^eJ by V'ere giants, and the antient inhabitants of the land 9.^^^ ^ro- Tphis country % as well as Mbabiti-y is, by foma, reckoned "^®"*^^^- a part of Coplefyria^j and, by others, ox Arabia, But we ihail fpeak of it at length in our defcription of Judea.
We are almoft utterly unacquainted with the manners and cuftoms of this people. They had kings, and were circumcifed <, and feem to have been principally addi6ted to husbandry. They, as well as the Moabites^ were among the nations, whofe peace or profperity the Ifraelites were not to difturb. Neither the one nor the other were to be admitted into the congregation to the tenth genera- tion 5 fo wide was the diftance between the Ifraelites and them ! The reafon, becaufe they did not come out to re-
> Joseph, de bello Jud. I. i. c. 4. » Idem ant. l.i. c. 10.
» ORiGEN.in Job. 1. i. ® Gen. xix. 38. p See before, p. 125. 9 Deuter. ii. 20. ^ Joseph, antiq. 1. i. c. 16.
• Steph. de orb. In'^AyLAVw. * Jcrcro. ix, 25, 26.
lieve
I40
^c Hiflory of Anunoii. B. L
lieve them in the wildernefs ; and becaufe they jointlj hired Balaam to curfc them '• However, we find there was afterwards a very good underftanding between their king Nahajh and David ^.
Ths religion of the Ammonites y as we have already ob- ferved concerning that of the Moabitesy was originsdly ts pure as it could flow from fo clear a ftream as the in- Aru£lion of Lot ; but they alfo fwervcd from it by degrecS| And at length degenerated into the moft ftupid^ a^, as is generally fuppofed, the moft cruel idolat^.
Their chief and peculiar deity js, in the Scripturei called Moluhy or Moloch. He is alfo thought to be ua- derftood under the names of Baaly Milcom^ MoUihy AdrameUchy Anamelechy and the like. Tbefe names, or titles, iignify no more than lord, or king \ and (bmetinus have an epitnet prefixed to them, as in the two laft, where he is ftiled the mighty and rich Melechy Mokcbj or king: thefe two were the gods of the Setharyites. We flujl only fpeak of the Ammonitijh Moloch in this place. Hk learned are not poiitively agreed in what relates to hiita. It is on all hands allowed, that they addrefled him under the title of king, or Moloch ^ His image is faid to hate been hollow, and divided into feven receptacles. Tbe firft was opened for an offering qf fine flour ; the fecond for an offering of turtles ; the third for a (beep ; the fourth for a ram ; the fifth for a calf; the fixch for an (»» the feventh for a child. It had the head of an ox, and the arms of a man ftretched out in zQ. to receive "> (A).
Thefc
" Deut. xxxiii. 4. ^2 Sam. x. 2. * Vide Voss. 4 idololat.& Selden. de diis Syr. fyntag. i. c. 6. " Paul.
Fagi us apud eund. ubl fupr.
(A) An antient Tiwv^ tra- veller fays, ** that when he was in thefe parts, there were yet funding remains of the antient temple of the Am- *' monites^ and therein their idol feated upon a throne. This idol was of Hone, gilt over with gold, and had on each hand the image of a woman in a fitting pofturc (77) : before the idol was
€<
«
C(
€<
i«
<C
(C
t<
the altar, on which thtlm* *^ momtis offered their fiicri- ^* £ces and incenfe.'* Stldm thinks this idol, and thi< tem- ple cannot be thought to have been ereded to Moloch, that moil antient deity of the Jimr monites (7 8) . And, indeed, «f think this traveller muft ban been fome way or other iffl* pofed on, or miflaken. How^ ever, we mufl not apprehend
(77) Bsr}an:in :tir.:rjrt
(73} Infyr.tag* prim* de diis Syr,
d«
C. IV. 3^ Hi^ of Ammon; 141
Tbefe feven receptacles are alfo called feven chapeb i 2XiA^ inftead of being >¥ithin the image itfelf, are placed or- derly before it "• Whatever was the difpofition of tbefe feven places, their number correfponding with that of the fun, moon, and five other planets, has gi^en room to fup« pofe, that they worihiped the fun o i and the rather, as the oblations feem to rife in fuch proportion, as might beft anfwer the degree of each of thefe heavenly bodies. But ic were endlefs to expatiate in conjectures upon fo obfcure a fubjed, as the learned have done. Some accounts there are farther concerning this idol, but they are very doubt- ful (B). Chemojh alio was a god of the Ammonites ^ con* ceming whom we have faid already all we can p.
As to the fuperftitions paid to Molach^ there is great dif- agreement among authors. By the Scripture it is often faid^ that the Ammonites pajfed their feed thro* fire to Moloch. This expreffion is taken in a literal fenfe by fome, in a figurative fenfe by others. The firft ientiment is cm- braced by the Jewijh writers (C), who, for the moft part hold, that the children were barely carried or led betweea two fires, by way of puriixcation : the latter is adopted
by
» Sec B£DFORD*s Script, chronol. p 259' ® Vide Vos?,
nbi fupra. p See before, p. 125 — i 27.
that the images of M0/9ri& were pnefts; who, upon their re-
always large and fixed : they taming them, were carried by
were likewife fmall and porta- their parents upon their ihoul-
hie, and carried ap and down ders, between two fires^ Ac* .
in fhrines, according to ap- cording to others, the priells
pearance, and as the coftom was carried them. A very eminenc
with other idolaters, as will be Jewi/b writer fays,. •* That
obferved in due times (70), *• the priefts, or fcrvants of
(6) To give the r^der the '^ fire> perfuaded men, that
various opinions of fome learn- '^ their children would die, if
cd men, Mohch has been taken ** they did not pafs them thro*^
for Priapus^ for Mercurjj for ** fire : wherefore, parents be-
Satttm^ and for Venus ^ or the '* ing anxious for the lives of
morning fkr (So), But^ as *^ their children^andperceiving^
&icy chiefly rules over thefe '^ there was neither danger nor
conjed^ares, it is enough, that ^ difficulty in performing thc^
we barely mention them. *' ceremony, no one negledled
(C) Some of the Jeuoifi ** it, confidering, that the chil-
writers hold. That the children " dren were not to be con-
Were folemnly delivered to the <^ fumed by fire, but only to
{pi^ Vide emd. ibid. (Sd} Vidi. T^ di id^hbtri^i, B. L*. r. c.
** pais.
142
The Hiftory of Ammon; ft 1;
hy the Chriftian writers chiefly who think, that they actually burnt their children, by way of iacrifice to this; grim idoL There was a place near JerufaUm^ where this horrid cuftom was obferved. It was called the vallaj cf the Jons of Hihnom p (D), fo named from the fhrieb of the children facrificed : as alfo Topbeth % from a Hi- brew word, toph, Signifying a drum or tabret, t^hicb they ufed among other inflrumehts to drown the dreadful outcries of the unhappy vidlinis. 7beydrhf€ As the Moabites drove out the EmimSy and pofiefled tut the themfelves of their country, fo the Ammonites forced the Zamzom- Zuzims or Zamzummims^ as they called them, from thei/ nums. habitations, and fettled there. Thefe Zamzummiths^ ai well as the Emims, are ftilcd giants ^ , and were, doubtlefi, both derived from the fame ftock K This gigantic race had been invaded by Chedorlaomer king ^f Elam ^ ; andj perhaps, his having deftroyed great numbers of them, rcn- ciered it the more eafy for the children of jfmmon to diflodgp the reft. When this expulfion was eflFefted, or in wbi manner, we know not. HoweVcr, the Jtmmonites them-
P 2 Chron. xxviii. 3. *i 2 Kings xxiii. 10. ' Dent
ii. 20, 21. « Sec before, p. 128. ^ Gen. xivi 5. .
" pafs through it (81)." This alfo is the opinion of Solomon Tarhi,Jo/ephKaroy and others; but Aben Ezra^ diifenting from them, affirms, thdX pajjing thro* fire muft be here underllood of burning, VoJJius infills on it, that where- ever the expreflion of pajfng through fire is met with, it mufl be taken in the ilridnefs of the letter ; but al- lows, that in cafes cf great ca- lamity, and upon other parti- cular occaiions, they gave up their offspring as an expiatory iacrifice to their god (82). Sei- den is of a quite different fen^ timent, and will have it, that they not only led their chil- dren through fire, but burnt them alfo at the fame time.
This he proves, as ^ as a mat- ter of this nature can be aibe^ tained (83). Upon the whok^ remembering how common % pradlice it was to olTer up thde unnatural oblations among CmmI of the neighbouring nations, the fame may probably have prevailed among the Ammmket. (D) This valley was a de- lightful place, watered by the fprings of Siloah. It was (badyr and beautified with gardeoi. And, indeed^ it is remarkable^ that the heathens commpnlf chofe fountain-heads and fo" lemn groves for the feencia|-3 the homage they paid dtetfi deities. This cudom our an- thor fuppofes they borrotfol from th&jimmonites (84). ■
(Si) M"fes Maim, more ncvork. lib, iil. c. 7%, (82) J'lJ: Y^. S\
[upr. (83) y'idc SM ubij'u^r, {^%^) Hieron. injtnuu c, vii. 32.
fclvo
C.'Vf. T^be Hiftory of Ammoii. X4j
/elves underwent the fame fate in the days of Mofes^ htn% difpofleflfed by Sibon the Amoritey who drove them into the mountains.
The names of their firft kings do not occur. They Thiir hi* Joined Eglon king of Moab againft Ifrael^^ and ttaxtdfiory. in the fucccfles of that war ; but who was their leader, at that time, is not fa id.
About 150 years after, we find the Ammonites en-^^p '^^f gaged as principals in a war, under an anonymous king, '"•^^^ /^^ againft the Ifraelites. This prince refolved to attempt ^*™^'^ the recovery of ^he antient country of th^ Ammonites,^^ ^* made afudden irruption into it ; and, bearing all down f f ^'^^^'^ before him, reduced the land, and kept the inhabitants 'y^ f 18 years in fubjeftion '^. Encouraged by his firft fuccefs, ^^ ^j^ he crofled the Jordan (E), in order to fall upon the tribes of , ^^^ yudahy Binjamin^ and Ephraim *. But, in the mean time, Bef.ChriA the Ifraelites^ turning to God, were infpired with courage 1 1 gg, to oppofe the infulting invader. Accordingly, they af- v«^y^^ fembled at Mizpeh^ whence Jephthahy whom they had choftnfor their general, fent an expoftulatory meflageto the king of the Ammonites. The king anfwered, that thofe hnds belonged to the Ammonites^ who had been unjuftly difpofleiTed of them by the IfraeliteSy when they came out of Egypt 'y and therefore exhorted him to reftore them peaceably to the lawful owners. Hereupon Jephthah fent him a fecond meifage, endeavouring to convince him of the injuftice of his claim by an hiftorical account of what Iiad pafTed on the occafion the Ammonite had mentioned. But, finding him bent, at all events, upon war, he fell upon him near Aroer ; and, having put his army to Bight, pur- fucd the fugitives with great flaughter, as far as the plain rf the vineyards y. The Ammonites loft on this occafion twenty cities. And thus, after eighteen years bondage, an end was put to the tyranny of Ammon over the Ifraelites beyond the Jordan.
The next of their kings we find mentioned, is called Nahalh Nahash. He flourifhed in the days of Saul^ from whom king,
^* See before, p. 133. "^ Judg. x. 8. « Joseph, antiq. lib. V. c. 9. / Judg. xi. 33.
(£) There is a very confide- Scripture fays, the Ammonites
lable difference here between did adlually crofs over to fight
the Scripture and Jo/ephus. He with Judah^ and Benjamin^ and
Iays» the Ammonites and the Ephraim \ fo that the Ifraelites
fiiliftines had only prepared were in great diilrels. ^QiK&tiitxiyti Jordan. The
144 ?^ Hiftory of Ammon* B.I
Year of he received the juft reward of bis great infolence and hir« the flood bar'ity. For, reviving the old claim upon the territory ia- 1 25 3. habited by the Ifraelites on the other fide fordan^ he wag^ Bef ehrift war with them ; and, beinjg at firft attended with g^ 1095. fuccefs, he even laid fiege to the city of Jahijb, The ^^v^i^ terror of his arms was fo great, that the innabitants were at once for throwing tbemfelves at his feet, and acknow- leging him for their lord and king. This fubmifliony which would have mollified a generous heart, ferved only to bar* den his. He would hearken to them upon no other coo- dition, than their confencing every one to the \ob of hb right eye, that in them he might fligmatize' the whole body ef Ifrael. The inhabitants anfwer^jThat if he wotdd allow them bat feven days to endeavour a deliverance from him, they would fubmit to his terms after the ei- piration of that time, if none was found to deliver theni^ f This he granted them, and, fecure within himfelf, waited for the cruel fatis&dtion he propofed fliortly to enjoy. But he was aiTaulted in three feveral parts of his camp by 5mi/, very early on the eighth morning, when he expeoed to fee the inhabitants marching out to him^ as thev deceit- fully told him they fhould the night before ; and nis army was thrown into fuch confufion, that the IfratUtis \ai little elfe to do but to put them to the fword. Inftead of a battle, it is termed a daughter, which hfled till dw heat of the day ; at which time the furviving remnant of Nar hajh*s army was fo difperfed^ that no-where two of tfaea were to be feen togedier '• Thus ended this war. We are informed, that Nabaflf did fome kindnefies to king David, Jofe^bus di&rs from Scripture in bis account of this war (F). Hanon Hanun fucceeded hi& &ther Nahajh (G) in the king- Ung. dom ; but whether this Naiafif be the very fame who was defeated by Saul at Jahtjbj we are not tdd. However
this 2 t Sam.xi. II.
(F) 'Jofephttt writes^ that de of that tft too s aUd ft
Vabafo began this war, and reduce them to a llavery ht
carried it on^ for fome time^ life, (eeing they wonld he
with the violences ufual in the un2d>le to defend thctnlelvet.
like cafes, and with this po- This hjftorian (eems hei« to
litical addition, of plucking be quite wide of the ftaft of f!
out the right eyes of all chofe the lacred text, he took, that they might lofe (G) Notwithftanding ^/^
the ufe of their bucklers, which phus informs as, that n§it^
covered the left eye^ or the was killed upon the hreakinf-
G, IV. ^^ tJiftory of Ammon* 145
this was, we arc informed, that Nahajhj the father of Hanun^ lived in friendftiip with David ; who no foonet heard, that Nahajh was dead, and that his fon had fucceeded hinn, than, for his father's fake, he fent embafladors to the young king, to condole with him for his lofs, to congratulate him upon his acceilion, and to offer a con- tinuance of the friendfhip which had been cultivated be* tween the late king and him. Hanun feems to have been a weak prince, and had very ignorant counfellors about him. For when he received thefe compliments from king David by the mouth of his embafladors, inftead of im- proving them to advantage, he took a falfe ftep, which he never could recover* He was fo far from entertaining thefe embafladors with the hofpitality and decency which became him, that he fuflrered himfclf to be perfuaded, they were no better tiian fpies ; and accordingly, forgetting the fdcrednefs of their character, he fliaved off half of their beards, cut away their garments Ihort, and, in that (hame- ful difguife, fent them back to their king. This amazing defcd in policy, and contempt of Davldj in open de- fiance of the laws of nature, hofpitality, and gratitude, occafioned a war *, which brought deftrucftion upon him and his kingdom*
He was foon informed, how grievoufly David refertted Yc^rof the affront, and what preparations he was making to cha- ™ "*^^ ftize him for 1t. Hanun^ therefore, perceiving himfelf '3J3- on the brink of a war, to which he, fmgly, was unequal, «^*'^"rUt djfpatched embafladors to the neigbouring princes, to hire ^ ^,^}^ Mid folicit the af&fl;ance of troops from them^ to enable him to withflrand the invafion which threatened his king- dom. What the troops he procured were, either in qua- lity or number, is not certainly known, fince the Scrip- ture feems to vary concerning them (H), Firfl^ we arc
told,
* 2 Sam. X. 2-4. t Chron. xix. 1-4. Joseph* antiq4 1* vii. c. 6.
upof the fiege of 7/7*5^(85), naturally enough have lived we cannot forbear thinking, fifty or threefcore years after- chat he lived many years after- wards. We are feemingly fup- wa'rds^ and was the father of ported in our opinion by the thrs iianun. His bishaviour Scripture itfelf. tiijabejb fjpeaks him to have' (H) This we cannot pretend been a rafh, hot-'headed young to account for, nor do we know Ikian at that thne, and he might that it was ever dcared by an/
(85) 7*A^^« «»>//. Rh vf, f. 6. Vol. II. X fw
The Hijtcrj cf Ammon, B. L
told, that Hanun fent to the Sjriams of Betb-rebcby and to the Syrians of Z^bah^ hom whom be had twenty tbou- fand frx;tnien ; to the king of Maacbab^ wbo fiiniiflied one thoufand men ; and to the king of IfiHwb^ who Cent twelve thoufand men «. With this J§fepbus agrees pretty well in refped to number, retrenching only the one diou- fknd men fupplied by the king of Aiaacbmb^ and allowing bim and the king of Ifkoh to have contributed twdve thoufand men between them^. Whence, inftead of making the number of thefe mercenaries to have amounted to thirty-three thoufand, as the Scripture does, be gives them at thirty-two thoufand. Aga'in^ we are toM, that Hanun fent a thou land talents of iilver, therewith to hire chariots and horfemen out of Alefop§tamiay and out of Syria Maachah^ and out of Xohab ^ and that he adually hired thiny-two thoufand chariots, befides the king of Adaachah's men c. Between Jofephus and this paflage of Scripture there is a more material difference than before: he hysj thofc who came out of MefopQtamia were foot- men ^, Here alfo we fee the Scripture keeps to the num- ber of thirty-three thoufand. However, though the number be the fame as before, the difference is very great. But let us proceed to the aftions and event of this war.
Hanux, having thus drawn a confiderable force ftom the nei;:hbouring countries, and raifed an army of* his own fubjecls, marched out of Rabhab to fight yoab^ whom David had fent at the head of his army. The Am- monites and their auxiliaries drew up in two diffin£l bodies; (viz.) the Amjnonites under the walls of their city, and the auxiliaries at fome diflance on the plain. By this dif- pofition they thought to have charged yoab*s front, and, at the fame time, to have fallen upon his rear ; but their defign was fruftrated, tor the Ammonites were attacked, by Alijhai, Joah\ brother, whilft Joab himfelf charged the Syrians. Tht Ammonites (E) fuftained Abijhai^s charge
with
• 2 Sam. ubi fupr. vcr. 6. * I Chron. ubi fupr. ver. 6, 7.
one in a fatisfadlory m^ner. Haderezer is in Scripture men- tioned as the chief prince of the Syrian nations. Jo/ephus ipcaks of one Syrus as chief, and calls him king of Mefopo- tamia (86). (86) Ibid, lib. vU. b, 4
. ^
^Joseph, antiq. ubi fupt <* Ubi fupra.
(E) In what concerns this battle, wc rt]t&. Jo/epbus (i\ and chufe to interpret the Scri^ pture according to reafon, and the nature of things. He iays» the Ammonites, perceiving their allies to be routed, hurried into
(i) Anti^, lib. vii. c. 7.
Chcir
C. IV. "The Hifiory of Ammori: 147
ynAk great refblutbn and intrepidity, till, perceiving their Syrian fnends to give ground, they thought it advifeable to return into their cit^.
The next year their Syrian alh'es, afhamed of their laft defeat, made head again (F) ; but, being utterly routed by . David in perfon, the Ammonites were left to defend them- ielves asainft the violent but juft refentmcnt of their injured enemy 3^; which fell heavy upon them ; for the very next year, the third of this war, the country was entered by '^ \b^ who haraffed and wafted it far and wide j and at ;h beileged Hanun in Rabhah, the capital of his king- dom : the place held out about two years, during whichy Hanun made one defperate fally, and cut off many of the befiegers, and, among the reft, t/riah the huiband of Bath-^ Jbeha^ At length the city was reduced to the utmoft ex** tremities of famine, and ftormed by David in perfon, who ciame to have the honour of completing the work. In the
^ Sam. ubi fupm. Joseph, antiq. ubi fupra*
their dty without flriking a xiliaries in a furious and doubt*
firoke. Partiality for his fore- ful confliiSl with ^oab, they
Others might perhaps have mull have had ienfe and cou*
tempted him to reprefent them rage enough to march up to
(o very formidable to their ene* Abijhai^ and force him to bat-
nues^ But can it be fuppofed^ tie, before the Syrians began to
that when Joab divided his ar- fly. If the whole ftory be well
my between his brother and confidered, it is not to be ima-
himfelfy they did not ad- gined that Ahijbai and the Am*^
ranee with an equal pace each monites kept looking at one'
againft hts oppofite ? and e- another, or^ what is next of
^ ipecially, as Jofephus allows, kin to it, made very flow ad*
that the Syrians flood their vances towards each other, ^uad till a coniiderable flaugh*- (F) Thus it appears by Scri*
ter was made among them» pture, which turning the ta-
which cpuld not be tb^ work bles makes the Syrians prin-
of a minute : Ahijbai muH have cipals in this war, rather aveng*
moved on veiy flowly, if^ be- ing their laft overthrow thaa
ibre the^iyriiutf were broken ,he efpoufing the eaufe of the Am*
did not charge the Ammonites, monites, Jofephus ftrays here
Qa the other fide, the Ammon' again very unaccountaUy. He
itss^ who wexB principals in makes the Ammonites fend to
this wtr, if they had perceived one Balama, a king of the Sy*
Atybai afraid to give them rians^ beyond the Euphrates^
buide* orfeemingly (b, and at . for another army thrice as big
tte fiwtiae beaeld their ^u- as that they hired before [i).
{y)mifupra.
jj^J ^ Hifiory of Ammon. Br. t
afTault Hanun was flain ; and his crown, which weighed a talent of gold (113. pounds 10 ounces one peny-weight 10^ grains of our troy- weight ^L and was adorned with precious ftones, a fardonyx, Jofiphus favs, was taken fixxn off his head by David. What other fpod was found in diis metropoGs is no-where fpecified. The inhabitants were treated with extraordinary feverity, being led out and put to death with the moft exquifite torments ; harrowed, fawn, hacked with axes, and pafl'ed through the brick-kiln. This dreadful ufage extended to the reil; of the cities of Ammn (G), which held out againft the conqueror ; all fuch {haring in the fate of the city of Rabbahj which was deftroyed^ and laid level with tlie ground ^.
After this dreadful vengeance and execution^ it is na wonder we hear nothing of a king of Ammon^ nor indeed of the nation itfelf, till the reign of Jehojhaphat king di Judah. At this time we find them united widi their Die- diren the Moabites, and the inhabitants of mount Setr^ againft the faid king of Judah. The particulars of this war, and how it ended, we have given in the hiftory of Moaht, • After this they were overthrown by, and made tn^ butary to, Uzziah king of Judah h.
Th e Ammonites bore this yoke as long as Uzziah lived,* but in die reign of his fon Jotham they had an anonymous king over diem, who ftirred them up to rebellion againft him. The nation at this time muft have been pretty well recovered, and having a martial prince at their head, they refolved to free themfelves from the oppreflions of their okt enemies in Judah, The event was unhappy j they were overthrown in batde, and were reduced to compound for their peace with Joihamy by paying a tribute of 100 talents of filver,. 10,000 meafures of wheats and as many erf bar- ley i; in all, about 160,000 of our bufliels : and this £uDe . tribute did they pay for three fuccefSve years ^.
At length, when the Babylonians grew mighty, aiid threatened all the kingdoms of this part of AJia with fub-
^ See Arbuth. tab. of an. coinsv Weights, and meafures, tilv XX. ^ See 2 Sam. xii. 29* 31. Joseph, ubi fupra, c. 7.
I Chron. xx. « Sec before, p. 1 3.6, 1 37. *> 2 Chron. xxvi. 8» Joseph, antiq. I. ix. c. z i. ^ Vid. Arbuth. ubi fapix
^ Idem ubi fupra.
(G) The Scriptnre feys it means only all fuch as held oat extended to all the. cities of obftinately, and defied the king- jitnmon ; but we cannot forbear of Ifrael ; and herein we are thinking that this cxprellzon fnpportcd by Jo/ephus.
jedUoflt
C. IV. TbeHi/tny ^ Ammon.
jcEdon, tfaejr perhaps entertained thoughts of i^thftanding the commoti enemy with their joint force ; and hence might arife a good underftandins between Baalis the laft king of AmmiHy and Zedekiah mt laft king of Judab K But when deftru£tion came upon Zedekiah and Jerufalem^ i&nt jtmmonitis exulted over the ruins of that unhappy city m, for which diey were feverely threatened by the prophet »• It was not eafy for them to rorbear it, confidering the in- veterate enmi^ which had fo long fubfifted between the na- tions. However, Baalis received all the Jews that fled into his dominions to avoid the captivity, and^ among idiofe, one IJhmael^ of the royal blood, whofe intereft he oreteifded .to have much at heart. And to give him an in- llaAce of his :readineis to affift him, with his counfel at Jeaft, headvifed him to go back again into his own country, .and ailailinate Gedaliah^ whom the Babylonians had let <)ver the poor remnant of the Jews. By thus ftirring up JL pretender, he Teems to have aimed at the utter extirpation 4>f the nation, either out of a pure deilre of revenge, or ^th fome view to his own advantage. His counfel was put in execution .; but .the afTaffin was obliged to flyback again to Baalisj who received him into his protenion o. Baalis lived not long unpunifhed for having been accef&ry ^o the murder of the innocent Gedaliah : for, a ihort time after, he was attacked by Nebuzaradan the Babylonian ge- neral, who put his country to fire and fword, deitroyed his chief city Rabbahy and carried away him and moft of the jiobles of Ammon into captivity, as had been prophefied by Amos : I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rablmh, and tt /hall devour the palaces thereof \ and their king jhall go into xaptivity^ he and his princes together^ faith the LordP : and £%ekiel : And I will deliver thee for a fpoil unto the men of the eaji^ and will give them the Ammonites in pojfejfion^ .that the Ammonites may not be remembred among the nations 9.
This laft prophecy was in due time completed, their name being, in the end, blotted out from the book of nations. But, in the mean time, they are mentioned as ^conjoined with the Arabians^ Moabites^ and Samaritans^ in giving all the difturbance they were able to the rebuild- ing of the temple of Jerufalem j which they endeavoured
* 2 Chron. xxvii. 5. "> Sec Jerem. xxvii. 3. " See
JEzek. XXV. ^ See Jerem. c. xl. xli. ' Amos i. 14, 15.
^£zek. xxY. 7— K).
K 3 to
\^6 ^hi Hiftory of Midiaii; . R L
to prevent a^ much as in them lay. One Tobidbj called the ferva^nt, is faid to have been dien at their head 4.
As they lived in peace and quietnefs under the great monarchi^^ in procefe of time they grew to be more coo- . (iderable ;*and in the days of Judas Maccabeus^ were af- fembled againft that general in a very great zrtay^ under their governor Timotheus. They came to a battle, wherem Timotheus and the Jmmoniteswert worfted, and the fiune ill-fortune attended them in other fubfequent confli& un« der the fame leader, and againft the fame enemy. In the end their city Jafer (it was notantiently reckoned a dty of theirs), and the neighbouring ' towns, fell a prey to the yews, who fmote Sic men, carried their wives and chil- dren into captivity, and plundered and burnt the city of yafer ; and thus ended this, as it feems, their laft wamre • with the defcendants of Ifrael r.
Nevertheless, towards the beginning of the fecond century of the chriftian ara^ they were thought worthy of being called a numerous nation < ; but, towards the hXbac end of the fame, their name vaniihed, and they themfelvel were blended with the Arabians < i as were alfo the AAab^ itesy EdomiUSj and others.
SECT. III.
The hifiory ^/Midian, or Madian.'
Their de- T T is generally agreed that this people drew their origin /cent. A from Midian, the fourth fon of Abraham by Keturabj from whom they were called Midianites, He received large gifts from his father, as did the reft of his brethren y and was, as well as they, fent into the eaft country, to bi at a proper diftance from Ifaac ». The fons of Midian were Fphahy and Epher^ and Henoch^ and Ahidab^ and Eldaah b.
The Midianites were, in their moft early times, evi- dently confounded with the IJhfnaelites cj and, many ages afterwards, they are mentioned in conjunftion with the
q Sec Nehem. ii. iv. vi. xiii. See i Mace. v. 6—8..
Joseph, antiq. 1. xii. c. 1 1, i z. Prideaux conne£l. part ii. book jv. p. 212. ' Vide Just. Mart, in dial, cum Tryph. p. 272. t Oric. 1. i. in Job- ■ Geo. xx. 2, 6. i Chron. i. 32. j
*> Ibid. vcr. 33. Gcn. xxv. 4. « Sec Qcn, xxxvii. ^5—28, |
Judg. viii. 24.
Nabatean^
C IV. The Wfiery of Midian. 151
Nahiteans and Kedarenes^ the pofterity of Nabaiifh and KidoTy the Tons of Ifhmatl^, Doubtlefs, remembring their kindred, they adhered to each other, and were blended together. On the other hand, we find them to have been fo incorporated, as it were, with the M$abites^ that Mofes almoft confidercd them as but one nation ^. Their reli- gion was the fame, and they aded in the ftrifteft concert '
ti^ether againft him and the Ifraelites. The ties of blood united them likewife, as on the one fide they were de- fccnded from Abraham^ and on the other from Lot. So, juft as they happened to live in the northern or fouthern parts of their country, they joined either the Moabites or the IflmaeliUs.
The Midianites were a very numerous race, and may Their be difUnguiffaed into two forts, fhepherds and merchants. «w«»^/. The fliepherds moved up and down in tents, and drove their cattle before them, even when they went to war ». The merchants alfo travelled from place to place in com- panies ®, or caravans, as the merchants of thqfe parts do at this day, and left the care of their cattle to the women, as appears by the fiory of Jethro^s daughters (A). The (hep- herds, it is likely, had few or no fixed habitations, except fome ftrongholds near their borders : the merchants pro- bably had few or none but marts and ftations, in places convenient for their trade. Thefe grew to be exceeding rich ; and, by exchanging their gold and jewels with their brethren for tiieir cattle, the (hepherds became rich in pre- cious ornaments P. Their manners muft have been in many refpe<Sts as different as their way of life : however,
«* Ifa. Jx. 6, 7. * See Gen. xxxvi. 35. i Chron. i. 46.
n Sec Judg. vi. 5. P Sec Gen. xxxvii. a 8. * See
Numb. xxxi. 50, 51, 52. Judg. viii. 24.
. (A) That ftory feems to in- indeed in this he feeming1ycon« form us, that the men in the tradidls what he fays but a line foath part of Midian were not or two before^ <viz., that the (hepherds ; and therefore we Ihepherds of the country were imagine they were merchants, continually at ftrife which Jofephus exprefly tells us, that ihould get firftferved with wa- it was the cuilom of the women ter ; and from thence infers the in this part (which he, by mi- irregularity committed upoq fUke, calls Troglodytica) to T^/Jre's daughters (i). overlook the cattle; though
K 4 Uiey
they are in general reprefented to have been very fumptuoui in their apparel. We read of theiv jewels of goldy cbawh bracelets^ rings ^ ear-rings, tablets % the purple raiment §f their kings, and the gold chains or collars round the neck ^ their camels^, Their It appears very plain from Job^ that the ufe of writing
learning, was very early known in thefe parts *, ampng the defcend- ants of Abraham ; and the Midianites being alfo of the number, we cannot fuppofe them to have been unac* quainted with it. Sir Ifaac Newton allows them the honour of inftru£ling Mofes in writing ^ The merchant muft alfo have been verfed in fome kind of arithmetic ; and there being fhips on the Mediterranean fo early sis the dayi pf the patriarch Jacob ", and thefe being themldves traders, and fituated on the Red Sea, it cannot be fuppofed that they could refrain from fliip-building, and viewing the fhores of their own fea, and the contiguous coafts. From hence we may naturally enough extend the circle of their fciences beyond bar^ writing and arithmetic, an4 allow them a competent fkill in geography, geometry, and aftronomy. Their reli' It is plain that the Midianites varied as much fron;i each gion. other in matter of religion, as in their manner of life. At firft they were, no doubt, pure and right in their way \ how long they perfevered in it is not faid, But in th^ days of Mofes they wallowed in all the abominations of the Moabites w ; thofe we mean who were ncareft to thaj idolatrous nation ; nay, they exceeded them in their endear vours to perVort the children of Ifracl when they lay in the plains of Moah^ in periaading them to bow down to Peor 'f ; but wc are indeed told, that Pcor was worfhiped by the M'ldlumt'ijh women chiefly y. 1'hus ftood religion in the north of :Udian, Now in the fouthwe find them enlijrht- ened by a rational and fublime fyftcm, long after their bre- thren bad f.iUcn into the fouleft corruption. As a proof of this, wc need only mention Jethro^ who is commonly ftilcd theprieft of ■"> idian^ and is laid to have lived among % and by fome thought to have pr^fided » over the A idianites,
'Numb ubi fup. ' J'^^g- »ibi Tup. ver. 26. s See Job
xix 23, 24. f Chron. Of ancient kingd. amended, p. 210.
° Sec Gen. xlix. 13. wSee before, p. 125. '^Sce
Numb. XXV. 18. Joseph, antiq. 1. iv. c. 6. ^ Hieron. ia
Num. horn. 20. * Joseph, anrit^. I. iL c. 1 1. ■ Vid«
Tremslliz Bibl. Lat. £xod. iii.
pcaf
jC. IV, SrV IRfi^ ^ Midian. :t$i
near tbe Red Sea. His behaviour b in the camp of I/railh a fufficient argument in favour of them ; yet, thoueh their idigion ¥ras otherwife very pure, it is remarkable they could not hfar circumciiion^. They offered up praifb^ diaDkfgivings, and facrifices, to God ; but their religious rites or ceremonies are not fpoken of, ' We know not whether they were divided as much from each other in form of government as in occupation and re- ligion : excepting the cafe of yetbro^ their government is reprefcnted rather as ariilocrabcal than monarchical. Their Avth however are fliled kings ; and therefore we fhall dignify them with the fame tiue,
Th e mofl antient record we find concerning this nation, fi^if^ ^*. ^ifter what has been already faid, is their war with Hadadn^ry^ tfie Horite^ when Midian was fmitten by him in the field of Mwb i
Th e next is their purchafing of Jofeph from his brethren for twenty pieces of filver, and carrying him away with them into Egypt ^ where they fold him to Poiiphary one of PharaoV% chief officers «.
Many years after lived in Madian, by the Red Sea^^ apriefl, or prince (£}, of the fouthern Midianites, called Jbielj or Jethro (F), or the Kinite^ the father-in-law of Jcthro, Mefes g. In his time A'ofes, flying from Pharaoh^ arrived in jvidian ; and, upon his arrival, met with much fuch another adventure as yacob had in Padan^Aram. For, V^hile he was taking fome reft near a well, the daughteris pf yethroy feven in number, coming thither to draw water for their father's flocks (G), were infulted and driven away
H ^ Exod. xviii. 10 — 12. ^ See ibid. iv. 25, 26. ** Gen.
mcxvi. 35. ^ Ibid, xxxvii. 28, 36. ^ Josejph. ubi fupr*
g £xod. iii. 1 . Judg. i. 1 6.
(E) The nehrtw word is of 5V/^r«'s father (6) : but with IDD chohen^ which fignifies a what foundation, may be cur- prince, or a pried, and is pro- forily coniidered hereafter, glifcuoufly tranflated both. (G) This infult has given
(F) This is by fome held to birth to a fufpicion, that their have been the fumame of the father was fo far from being fiimily (5). The Senjenty call chief, either as prince or prief^ him 'Pce^ot/:}A, Raguel^ and fo that he was only an inferior ii| docs the Vulgate, and even our the facred order ; and then no own verfion in another place : wonder they were abufed, iays however, this name is by fome our commentator. Indeed, if f)u>ughc to have been the name we do not fuppofe thefe ihep*
(5) yidt CUric. in Ejtod, ii, {6j rtde eund, ibid.
herds
154 3^*^ Hiftofy of Midian. R L
by fome fhepherds ; but Mofes; taking their part, dbli^ die fliepherds to retire, and affifted the damfels in watering the flocks. On their return home, their father, furprifed to fee them come back fooner than ufual, inquired into the caufe of their difpatch ; when thev acquainted him with . what had happened. Hereupon Jethro^ upbraiding them 6r not bringing home with them the kind Egyptian (ibr fo they called Mofes )^ fent them back to invite him. M§fa complied with the invitation ; and Jethr^^ highly pleam with his behaviour and condu6):, committed the care of hii flocks to him, gave him, in procefs of time, his dau^tter Zipporah in marriage, and kept him with him 40 years. At length, underftanding that his- fon-in-law was conuniffiooed by God to lead out the children of Ifrael from bondm^ he confentedto part with him, and his daughter, and nil grandchildren ; who fet out for Egypt : but a difputearififlg between Mofes and his wife, about circumciii]V| a child upon the road \ fhe came, or was fent back (H) by her hufband, who purfued his journey without her^.
When Jethro heard of the mighty things which tb Lord had done through l^ofes^ and how he had deUvatd his people, and brought them out of Egypt ^ he took hii daughter Zipporahy and her two fons, and his own foQ
^ Exod. ii. iii. iv. ^ Ibid, xviii a,
herds to have been firangers in efpecially when the fuljeS of
this part, it muft be acknow- the difpate was fo veiy im*
leged^ that it does not look as portant. Farthermore, if the
if Jethro was a man in any cuilom had been diat JitMs
great repute or authority. family was circiundfed, 2^^
(H) In cafes of doubt like rah his daughter wodd cer-
this, we can only take what tainly have made no woxdi
feems to us the mod rational about the execution of a prac-
£de of the queftion. Divines tice which (he muft have thought
have explained this matter ma- to have been eiTential. That
ny ways (y), and fome feem there was fome fort of mifmi-
unwilling to allow there Was derflanding in this matter not
any jar between Mo/es and his be allowed^ and therefore «e
wife, apprehending, perhaps, have urged it as an infianoe to
that It cannot fuit with the dig- prove that thefe Midiamites did f^
nity of that lawgiver's charac- not ufe circumdiion ; and hafe '^
ter. But, for our parts, we alfo made it the caufe of Z^ *
do not perceive how it can re- porah'^s returning back to her *
fled any difhonour upon him, father. ||
(7) Vidi Lightfiot, Uhifipr, §. 8, 9. Cleric, in Exod. xf.
Hohahi
tV. The Hift(My of Midiztt: tgg
0^; and fet out with them towards his fon-in-law fSf to congratulate him, and reconcile him with his ;htcr ZipporaL They were all received very af- (Miately by Mefes ; and Jethro hearing from him the drous works which had been done for Ijrael^ he blefled > for the fame, acknowleged him to be far fuperior 11 other gods, and took a burnt-offering and facrifices 3oD : and Aaron and all the elders of Ifrael came to : at the folemnity^ and to pay him the refpeA due to fo stable a perfon.
*ftK next day jethro had an opportunity of difplaying p^at wifdom and fkill in the due regulation of govern- t. He obferved that the people crouded about Mofes he day long ; and afking him die meaning of Jt, Mofts irered him, that he had been fitting in judgment Upon , Jethro told him, he was quite wrong to charge him- wjth fo grievous a burden, too much for any one man ear ; that it would be enough for him to attend upon fublimer concerns only, to confult with God, to de- e his holy laws and ordinances, to mftrucl the peo- in the right way, (ffr. and commit the judging and l-ordering of the people to a fele£l number of the \ righteous men among the multitude, who (hould, ac- ling to their abilities, be appointed over thoufands, dreds, fifties, and tens ; abftaining from every bufmels ifelf that was not of the higheft moment. Jethro gave this counfel in vain, and thereby adminiftred great eafc lis fon-in-law Mofes ^ (I).
This
^ Ibid. ver. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, & feq.
I ] A very eminent divine our author, to a time when as
tends » that this whole floryr yet the tabernacle was not
ifpla^, and ought to (land ereded, nor any altar built ;
vcen the tenth and eleventh Nio/es had not yet received any
iS» of the tenth chapter of laws from God ; nor had th^
whirs ( 8 ) : Firft, becaufe reached mount Sinai, But it is
hro is faid to have taken neverthelefs pofTible, that 7'/^^
Dt-offerings and facrifices for might have offered a facrifice
D. Secondly, becaufe Mo- in his way, particularly as he
is iaid to have fat to judge was a prieft ; nor is it unlikely
people, and to have made that Mofes afled as judge and
nvn to them the flatutes of arbitrator, before he received
D, and his laws. As this any particulaer fyflem of laws
J now (lands, it refers, fays from God. But thirdly, be-
(S) Liglftfoet, uhi fu(r.\ §. aj,
caaib
fhe Hijtary i?/ Midhuu & L
This is til that we know concerning Jetbra^ exeat
that Afrfes difmifled him ; that he left his (on Hohab (K)
behind him, with a friendly intent that he fbould ferve ai
a guide through the wildemels : but it was with rdudance
caafe hfo/es puts off the infki* lotion of the j udges and eiders over the people, which he was advifbd to by Jetbroy till after they moved from mount SiuAi, This third proof ieems to be more valid than the two former, but yet« not quite fo plain and <lecifive as might be wiihed. The putting of Jetbr^% advice in execution effedlually and or- ^rly, mud have been certainly the work of time. But were %ve to enlarge upon thefeobfcu- Tities fo far as we might, there would be no end to our work. (K) It is very flrange, that ithofe who know not how to think that Rague/ suad Jethro were both names belonging to •one man, will yet have it that Hohah and Jethro mean one and the fame perfon ; and, con- trary to the apparent reafon of things, that it was Jethro him- ielf, under the name of Hohah, who is here in treated to ferve as a guide to the Ifraelttes (9). Jofefbus frequently calls him hy the name of Raguel^ and fays he was Mofes\ father ; fo fays the Scripture, under the name of Raguei, in the place where Hohah is mentioned. In Scripture he is conllantly called Ruel, or Jethro, till he de- parted from the camp. Shall we fuppofe, that he came back again, and was thencefor- ward called Hohah ? That Je-
thro retomed to hb own coun- try, is exprefly iaid( 10). Tlut Hobab did ferve the Ifrae&iesu a guide, is phiinly enoogfa m» finuated (11). What (etd^ ment could Jetbra want ? how« as father of a famMy, could lie defert them ? how, as he wait prieft ora magiftrate» coold be be abfent from his charge ? Ob the other fide, kow can it be fuppoied that a man, who ex- preiled fb much good-will to- wards the children of Ifraeh who was fo thankful to God for their deliverance, who own- ed his oonvifUon, that tbcy were under the prote^on aM •care of the Lord Goo ; how can it be fuppofed, that fucb a perfon would have made the lead fcruple of doing any thing that could have been requeued by Mofesy whom he looked on as the immediate minider of the Almighty? It is more ra- tional to fuppoie that it was a fon of his, called Hohaby who is here ^oken of, and was left behind by his father^ as one who, being well acquainted with the defert, might be of good ufe to Mofesi but who, not having the fame faith and confidence in God which his father had, wanted to return home ; but that be was pre- vailed upon to flay, and go through v\ith them, is clearly enough fa id.
(9) Vide Cleric, in Exod. xi. (£ Num. X. (ic) Exod. xviii. 27. JudgX !<•
{lijJofcLjb. anti^, I, y, c, Z%
he
C. 17. fbe Hfjiofy 0f Midian. 15^
he went through with them ; nor was he prevailed on to do it without very large promifes K We r«wl farther con- cerning the defcendants of Jethroy that thejr were called KitiiUs ; and that they joined the children of Judah^ and q-y^ Yit* marched with them from the city of palm-trees [Jericho o^] nitcs* into the wildemefe of Judab n ; that» upon the taking of Hebron ,they were rewarded with a large portion of ground, in confideration of their having forfaken their native place, and fufFered with the IfraeUUs all the toils of their wars, and all the diftrefles in the wildemefso^ : that Heber^ the hulband of JaeU who killed Sifera^ was of thi» family P : that, on the aforefaid confideration alfo, the Kenites were many years afterwards warned by Saul to move ofF from the AmalekiteSy when he had it in charge to extirpate diat Bation, that they might be no way prejudiced thereby. Thus were diey preferved, and fixing their feat upon a rock, and there poffefling a ftronghold, they grew wanton and pre- fiunptubus ; but were in the end carried away into captivity by the Anyrians^ together with the ten tribes oilfraelj as Ba^ laam hadprophefied long before : And he [Balaam] looked on tbg Kenites • . . and/aid^ Strong is thy dwelling-place^ and tbouputtejl thy nefton a rock. Neverthelefs the Kemttfiedl be wqftedy until Afhur Jhall carry thee away captive 9.
1 HB Midianitesy whom we fliall have now occaiion to Bicntion as at enmity with Ifraely we apprehend to have been chiefly thofe who bordered upon, or lived, as it were, in common with the il^tfi7^//^j* Evi^ Rebem(L)j /&r,Evi, Re- ZtoTj zii<d^Ribahy were all kings or dukes of ^iftf»(M),kcm^Hur; when Mofes overcame Sihon the Amorite \. and greatly fear- Zur, and inc for themfelves, they confulted with Balai king of Moaby Rebah, what meafures they fhould take to avoid the dangers which they thought threatened them. We ihall not repeat here what we have already faid on this fubje£l in the hiftory of Moah r.
' Numb. X. zg-^yi* * Sec before,, in the notesy p. 13J.
■ Jodg.i. 16. « Joseph, antiq. lib. v.c. 2. ^ Judg. ir. 11. * Nomb.xxiv. 21,22. ' See before, p. 128 — 133.
(L) Jo/epbus calls thefe fivt princes of Midian^ and dukes
kingft Oems;, Sitres, Robeas^ Uresy, under Sihon king of the Amor'^
aod Recem ; and fays, tluc this ites (14). Perhaps they might
lafi boilt and gave name to the have paid feme homage or tri-
city of ReitMy the capital of bute to Sihon p or fome . other
Arabia^ by tne Greeks called way might have been deemed
Fetra (13). as feudatories under him.
(M) They are alio Hiled
(13) J^fefi'' antif. /ih,- IT. e, 7. ( 14} Jo/b, ziii. 02.
Only
rbe ajiorj rf Nfidiao. B. I.
Only it will be necelTary to remark once more, diat the /£. dianites feem to have fignalized themfelves in a moft extraor- dinary manner, in their endeavours to turn the children of 7/*- r^^/ from God. Foritmiiftberemembred,thatj5tf£7tfiirhad fent them word either upon, or after, his return home, that it was in vain they hoped to hurt the darlings of heaven by any other way than enticing them to fin, ^the fole means whereby Gcd could be brou^t to foriake them : and diat, purfuant to his advice, they fent the moft beautiful of dieir young women to the Ifraelites », who played their parts fo wdl, as to bring many of them to bow down before Baal-' peor^ which was attended with great calamities on the whole nation (N). It is obfervable, that Ziir, one of the kings of Midian^ did not fcruple to proftitute his daughter Cozbi on this occafion ^ But it proved fetal to her ; for ihe and her paramour Zimri were killed with the feme weapon, and the fame wound.
The Midianites herein enjoyed but a (hort-lived farif* faflion ; their forwardnefe upon this occafion, and trea- cherous pradices, kindled the wrath of God againft them, and Mofes had pofitive orders to fmite them in particular. When they heard that the divine command was on the point of being executed by twelve thoufand Ifraelites^ un- der the conduct ofPhinebas^ they made the heft preparations they could to withftand the invafion, by armine their caftles, and muttering their ftrength. But their caftles, and die ftrength they muftered, availed them little. They were defeated, and all their cities, and goodly caftles, laid in afljes. Not one male of any age or degree was fpared ; they were all put to the fword ; and, among the rdft, Balaam w (0), as were all the females likewife that were not pure virgins. The country was laid wafte, and all the catde driven off b^ore the conqueror, to the number of fix hundred fcvcnty-
•Seep* 133. ' Numb, XXV, 15— I S. Joseph, antiq,Lir, c. 6. Seebefcre, p, 133. * Numb^;c3txi. 1—8.
(N) Jofephus fpeabi of a i^^ethcr he came back again
plague upon this occafion, in compliance with & feoond
which carried off fourteen meiTage, or whether of his own
thoufand fouls (15% accord, to fee the iffuc of his
(O) Balaam U pofitively fa!d wicked eounfel, or to ibrw^
to have gone Co his place ( f 6), it, is not &id. to nave returned hoo^; but
firA
e. IV. Tbe Hipry of Midian. i5jl^
five thoufand Iheep, feventy-two thoufand oxen, and fixty- one thoufand afies. The virgins which were carried away captive were thirty-two thoufand in number ; and there is mention made of great riches in gold, and filver, and iron, and other metals, which were carried off in this general devaftation v.
Thus was a branch of the Midianltes utterly cut off; but ia proceis of time this lofs was fupplied, and it pleafed- God, for the punifhment of Jfrael^^ that they rofe up in war againft that finful nation, and in their turn were very near deftroying the whole generation of them by fire, (word, and famine, for feven fucceffive years. For, about one hundred and fifty years after this flaughter of the Mi-^ dianitis^ two kings appeared at their head, leading with ^lem the Amalekites and yfrabians.
These two kings, called Zebah and Zabnunna^ waged Zebah io cruel a war againfl the Ifraelites^ that, not daring Xx^and Zal* fiay in the low country, they betook them to the moun- muoiia. tains, and there made caves and fortrefTes for their fhelter. Th^Midianites^ having therefore no enemy thatwithftood Year of them, wailed the fruits of the earth, and drove off all the the flood ca^e* This deflruclion they continued for feven years 1103. together, marching every fummer-feafon in vafl multi-Bcf. Chr. tudes, with 'numberlefs camels, and herds of cattle, about . '^4$' ^e time the fruits were far advanced, all which they reaped for themfelves ; fo that between them, and their infinite flocks, there was fcarce any fuflenance left for the Ifrael- itis^ who continually fled up to the mountains upon their approach ^.
But God, at length, put a flop to thefe mercUefs in* pirfions of Zebah and Zalmunna^ who meant nothing lefs than to flarve the inhabitants, and poflefs themfelves of the land y. Gideon was chofen by heaven for the deliyery of his country on this occaiion, and he did it fo efFe^ually, that the Midianites never dared afterwards to contend with JfraeL Zebah and Zalmunna^ and their confederates, march- ing into the country, according to their annual cuftom, pitched their tents in the valley of Jezreel, on this fide y^ r- dan. Here as they lay, covering a vafl tradl: of ground, ihdrcamp was explored hy Gideon in the night, who, over- hearing one of the camp telling his dream to another, who interpreted it in favour of Gideon^ was more than ever en*
f k
^ Ibid. ver. 9^ 10, 11. Be feqq. Joseph, nbifopra* c. 7. • Jndg. vi. I —6. JossrH, antiq. 1. v. c. 7, ^ pftlm
bdaciii. 11, u«
couraged
rte Hi^ <f MkfiM. B. I.
eouniged to pot in ryfciifiou a Antigen wIimJi he had fofiDcd for their dcAnidioa, wici ooIt three hundred men, armed with no other weipons dian a xam's ham in one hand, and a li^it concealed in a pitcher inAeodicr. Ac* cordkielyy about midnight, the \Rdiamta were ahrmed in three (erveral quarters of their camp, far the found of one hundred horns or trumpets in each ; and, ftarting firom their fleep, perceived alfo as manv lights breatdr^ in upon diem on three feveral tides. The found of the horns, the ^are of the lights, the gfloom of the night, and the loud (houts thej heard, ftnick them widi horror and amazement ; and^ having no time to recover from their firft conftematioii, thejr fell into confiifion ; and, being of difiei^ent languages^ attacking each other, a dreadful daughter enfued. The kings Zebah and Zalmunna^ ho we\'er, found means to make dieir efcape, with a body of about fifteen thoufand men ; as did Oreb and Zebj two princes of Midian ( P) ; but the latter immediately fell into the hands of the Epbraimites^ who put them, to death ; and, by the fbughter which hap- pened on this occafton, and had happened before in the camp, there fell one hundred and twenty thoufand men. The kings Zebah and Zahiurtna (Q,), with their party, got over the river, to Karkor^ where they thought them- felves fafe ; but were foon obliged to abandon that place^ and continue their flight, being clofely purfued by Gideon ; who overtook them at lafl, dil'perfed their party, confifting of 150CO mens and took them both prifoners*.- Having brought T^ehah and Zalmunna home with him, he asked them what kind of men they were whom they had former- ly (lain at Tabjr ; and they anfwering, they were juft fuch as himfelf, of majeflic deportment, he replied, they were his brethren, and therefore he would not fpare their lives. Accordingly he ordered his fon to kill them ; but they, per- ceiving the youth to be but weak and fearful, requefled it of Gideon^ as a favour, that he would difpatch them him-
* Judge? ubi fup. 10, 12, 1 3. & feqq. vii. viii. i — 18. • Vid. Joseph, ubi fup. c. 8.
(P) According to Jo/epbus^ and Hezarbon (1%). He fays
Oreb and Zeb were kings of alfo, that thefe Hfceen thoufend
Midian (17). men were all flain (19); but the
(QJ Jo/epbus fays they were Scriptqre only fays, they were
brethren, and calls them Zebin difcomfited or terrified.
' ('7) J^fepl' (i'tij- //i'.v. f. 8. (iS) Idem uhifup^ (19) Jif»
felf.
C. IV. "The Hiftory of Edom. i6i
felf; which he did; and they were no fooner difpatched,than the ornaments were taken from the necks of their camels. Thus were the Midtanites ilau^tered a fecond time, and plundered of immenfe wealth in cattle, gold, jewels, rich attire, l^c. The very ear-rings only, taken frorh them, weighed 1700 fliekels K This down&l is, by the prophet, termed, the day of Midianc, and the Jlaugbter of Miclian ai therocjtofOi^^, Henceforward they gave over the trade of war c.
Thby werei however, a famous nation many ages af- ter, and ^e mentioned for their induftry, riches ^ ^ and the magnificence of their tents 8 : but in the firft century their name was difufed, and fwallowed up by the more famous of Arabia. , Between three and four hundred years ago, there was a ruined city which bore the antient name (R) ; in the beighbourhood of which they pretend to (hew ^ place where Mofes watered his &ther-in-law's cattle.
SECT. IV.
^be Hiftory of Edom.
Tp SJUj called alfo Edom, was the progenitor of thisT^^V^^; '^ people. He was the fon of Ifaac^ the fon of jlbra^ceftor^ ham^ by Rebekahy and born at a birth with Jacobs being bis twm-brother, and the elder of the two (A). Thefe twins contended i^ile yet in their mother's womb ; an early prefage of the ilrife which was to take birth between 'em, and be tranfmitted to their defcendants, as God him-« felf explained it to their mother. Efau was born with red hair all over him (B) ; and, as he grew up, he proved to be
a very
^ Judges viii.. 1 8, 26. . ' Ifa. ix. 4" ^ If^* x- 26-
f Judges ubifup. ver. 28^ ^Ifa. U. 6. 'Habak*
lu. 7.
(R) AbuUfeda^ from whom (A) It is . remarkable^ that,
we have authority to fay this, as he came into the world, his
calls it Madjan^ and Mofes*% brother ^^ro^ had him ^ hold
fkther-in-lawj Sboaib (20); and by the heeU to intimate that he
the place is (till one of the ila- would fupplant him, as he af*
tions in the pilgrimage from terwards did, fays ■ a : learned
Egypt to Mecca ^ under the name commentator ( i ).
otSboaib's cave (21). (B) Much is 4id eoaeemiflg
(to) Deferip, jfrab. ^.41. inttr gto, vtt,finpt, Cnc, mtJ, rJ*^) ^'*
^ay*s e§Ile£i, of curious trave/s and voyages, tfm. ii. /. i^Z, (xy'Tat^fth^*
ggrnmant, uponCtn, 9»v. 261
\
fhe Hijlory of E4om. B. I.
a very ftrong and aftive perfon, and, delighting in the chace, became a m^;/ of the field \ by which means providii^ plen- tifully and delicioufly for his father's table, he won his par- ticular affcAion. On the other hand, being of a very maf- culine turn of mind, and much abfent from home, he re- tained not the kind inclinations of his mother Rebekah^ who prided herfelf wholly in Jacobj 2, gende-fpirited man, and more frequently in ner eye. It happened that E/au came home one day quite fpent with failing and exercife; and per- ceiving that his brother Jacob had cooked fome pottage^ begged he would fhare it with him. facdh^ taking advan- tage of his brother's diftreis, ofFered to relieve him, pro- vided he made over his birth-right to him. To this un- generous motion Efau confcntecl, thinking himielf at the point of death \ ana thus he is faid to have deftifei lb hirth-right. Upon this occafion he was called Edmf which ngnifies red ; for fuch was the colour of the pot- tage yAiicYi Jacob fo dearly fold him* (C). * At the ;^of
forty * Gen..xxv. 24— 34.
this extraordinary hairinefsof interpretation has an eye to the the new-born E/au : but, not faStiion among the Arabs of to enter into the litde uncertain wearing ikins (4)^ as fome of niceties of a fabjedl of this kind, them do at this day 1 bat they it is in general thought, that he are fheeps-lkins, warm and (akf had not only hair on his head^ fown together, the wool bdng but all over his body ; and that worn innennoft (5). this hair was as ihrong as bri- (C) We are well apprifed of ^es ; in ihort, that he was as all that has been fiudf by corn- rough and fhaggy as a (atyr ( 2) : mentators and others apoa this and this, indeed, feems to be the great tranfa£Uon between thefe meaning of the text, which fays brethren ; but it will hardly be he was redallovery like an hairy expedked we (hould ran the &me garment. This expreflion has lengths they have, or enter in- given birth to a conjeflure, to a detail ofwhat they have i^ that the hair-garments they on this fubjedli and therefore wore in thofe days^ were of a we fhall briefly toach opon reddifh colour, like the hair of fome general poiats only. The Efau['^), Inftead of garment pottage, it feems, was red, or the LXX render it S'o^d t^Ao-vf, yellowifh, and made of lentils a brillly, fhaggy ikin ; and the (6) from Egypt (7) ; of vfikh Vulgate has the fame interpret* there were two forts, one darker ation. It is thought, that each than the other (8), and each
(2) Idem ubijupra, ver, ac, (3) Cleric* in Gen. locfupra eif»
(4) Idem ibidm ($) Thcverjot , part u lib, ii. c. 32. (6) Gen,
xxv. 30, 34. (7} St* Juguji, in PfaL ^Vu (8) Plin, bift, tiMt.
/• xviii.f. 31*
high!/
rtr. 9%e fliJltfTy if Udortu 16^
f yhx^ be pve great trouble and forrow to bis pa- Vear of i trV marrying among the' daughters of Hetb ; be took flood ^cti (rf tiiem, Judith the dau^ter of Beeriy and Bajhe-^^- Chr, k ^daughter of £&;f ^ i but this wore off in time, and ^ ^79^ ^
• ■ ■ ■
^ Geo. xxvl. 34, 35.
[jrjptifeeci by the antients, (12). Thiirdlx^ a fupmc^ity
QUhe eaft and weft. Plt^ over the reft of the childnm^
b from bthersy that equa- is thought^ by fome, to have
tyisdie^ufualefiedoffed- been the principal prerogative
Qtion lentils : and another of the birth-right; aikl the
r Jays fJuSy infpire joy. challenging a particular blefling
mt the^ had no fath ef- of the dying parent* by others.
is pbin from the ftrife To conclude, the prerogatives
kipiSed between EJau of the primogeniture were
yiSei. To this fome not Confined to the perfon of
a** that E/au had never the ibn^ on whom the blefQng
any before ( 10) ; and was conferred* fo as to die with
is. pretended from £Jau*s him* but defcended to his pofte-
g only, Give me fome of rity. So the promifes made td
"•ti^ red, as it is in the pri- ^acoh in his bleffing were not
jiTb^t tBIs 18* at firft fight* ful^lied in him* but ih his chil-
at^i^efy.to be true ; for^ drett after him. Such was the
l^s*' tfiefd lentils mu& pottage* and fuch the birth-
boea a food hi^ and the reft ri^bt* which were fet in oppo-
le ^£imi1y were well ac- fition to each other. The Hr-
ted. with i fo that what hrew word '^'^JQ^yyn halhiteni,
itienti held conceminff the which J?^* uTes in addteffing
onibus eSeds lentils nave; ^acob^ occurs no-where but in
t&e' mind* can have no this place* and therefore has
attbih. But* to leave this Been variouily interpreted.
% ttt us take a view of^ Some* with the LXX* expound
ira-ri^ft't' which was ex- it* as if he ^fked but for a bare
jdd! for thefe' lentils. The' tafte } others* countenanced by
privilege of the birth- the ^tf»iar//aff reading* pretend
fiiy fome* Iwas the inhe- that he afked for the whole* oi^
a double portion of the thelargeft (hare« fiut/not to
^ eSktc (t I )' : others an* dwell on fuch idle inquinVs* we
i^ prieffliobd hereto* and ihall only add here^ that i^fon
lb that i?y2i»'s cloaths^ cian neither juftify7^r»^*sinfift*
dfiich ieieiab dad Jacobs ing* nor Efauh parting with a
Sis laceHToiar veffimcnts birth-right on fUch term^ (13).
Su PairJek^t comment . uhi fup, ^uer, 50, (11) Vtr. 3 r .
^kf»&mt ohfervat, inOentJm, c. ZXTJi. (13} Vid* Citric,
(TwSijiipra^
tz his
^./-v-s^
164 The Hifiary of Edom. ^B.i.
his fiithcr received him into favour again. Ifaac, now
grown old and dim-lighted, called Efau to him ; and told
him, that he knew not how near he might be to his end ;
: and dicreforc Hiould be glad if he would take his weapons,
' ' , his quiver, and his bow, get him vcnifon, and drefs it for
him in a favoury manner, as he had often done, that bisfiul
might blefi him brftre he died {V>). E/au obeyed ; but
while he was zbfent, his mother, who heard the words
_ , which pafled between his father asd him, drefled her ka
Of^Jin Jacob in Efau'% doaths [E), and, preparing a di(h of &-
Dgf £|jj voury meat, fent him in with it to his famer, who pro-
"' (D) It ii tlipught, tbat Ifaae freft the brain, when pot on ; only lent out £^« by way of Snd -confequemly, thatitiie- probation ; tbat is, to try whe- quany abfurd and ridicukms ii thcr he had good foccefs or not, the "Ji^s to imagine they d^ thereby to faciify himfelf in a fcended from Aiiam to AW, fcruple he had whether be and fo downwards co AhrahB£\ Ihoutd blels him or no. For, &mily(i7]. Besides, icmaybe ai by hii former ill fuccefi he alked, how it came to paf],t[iU wai reduced to the neceflity of Xfaa^ could part with fopt^ making over hit birth-right 1 dons a relique to his Iob, da- lb now, if the Ikme ill luck at- ring his own life-time ? £ythc tended him, he fhould take it fiatU of the field \t isnatunlto fi>r a' dgn, that the bleffing was imderlland a Icent more manly to depart &om him : and tho^ than the Aeams of a perfume, he had pronounced the great cfpecially as Efau was fo grtU blelling over 7<*f'^> yet when snunter, and perpetually in die he perceived, thai Efau had field. However, that expreffian brought home the venifon he it fuppofed to have a [Afferent lenthiinfbr,hedeemeditatacit import, and to mean, thachis expreflion of the will of God cIcKuhs were exijuifiEdy fcenC- that Efau Ihould have his blef- ed : and this feems to be cou- fing aiib i and he blefled him ac- firmed from the Samarim* cordin^y (ij). reading, which, after theword _{E) Concerning thefecloatbs, TTNi jAadsh, afield, has WO it it laid they had been worn by full; and fo the Ixx have jidtm in his miniflry, and that rendered it at i'Jitha.yfS TtJh they retained the ineffable fra- fisc and To the Fatgifte has it, gr3ncyofparadife(i6}. Others Sicut adar agri pltni ; at dB only fuppofe, that they were fmell of a fall field, or, aslt laid up in aromatic flowers, or it is fupphed, at ibefmtihf' other perfomei, to preferve fold full of fuaeet htrbi ai them from mothf, and to n- Jlevicrs.
nouooii
/
C. IV: TbeHifiory cf Edom.
nounced die irrevocable bleffing over Jacob. Thus viras Ifaae deceived, and Efau fupplanted, who coming in with his venifon juft after Jacob was gone, IJaac in a great agony totd mm, he haa been circumvented by his brother, and diat he neither could nor would rccal the bleffing. When Efau heard this, he wept bitterly, and upbraided his brother with thus deceitfully extortmg firft his birth- right from him, and now robbing him of his bleffing. Ikiwever, Efau ^id fo far prevail with his tears, and preu- ing intreaties, that his father blefled him alfo to this elFed ; that bis dwelling Jbould be the fatnefs of the earthy and of the diw §f heaven from above (F) ; that hefhould live by the fxmriy andferve Us brother y but that he Jbould fbake off the fski at laji. It was with a difcontented mind that he heard nis lot, and his refentment wroudit fo flrongly upon him, that at firft he determined to kill Jacob as foon as their fadier fhould die ; which coming to the knowlege of Re^ hekab^ flie fent Jacob away to Padan^Aramy under prc-=
l6
(P) Some give this part of X/Sw*8 Ueffing a quite contrary ttun, and will have it, that his lot was to be in a barren land; and that his living (hoald be b7 limine and violence \ and ac- cordingly that Edom was an an- gpsteftti foil, not refreihed with Cjniely rains (lo). The inter- petation of the LXX, with 4 finall variation of cctJ, by 9iaking it either a prepofition. Of an adverb, may be taken both ways. But, on the other hand, it is ob&rved, that if we IbUow our own tranflation, which is diredly in the fenfe of the Vulgate^ and in the fenfe St, Jermn took it, there will be iUll a wide diflbrence between Jmctlf'% bleffing and Efa}C% ; that in the latter there is no mdition made of com and wine ; no fach dommioH pro- miied as in Jacobs ; and that^
(x^) lion vbi jitpr. ver. 30, • 39, ('i) Numk zzt T7-
laftly, whatfoever fiitnefs was in the (oil of his country, it did not laft long (20). Neverthe- less, Mofis feems to tell us, that the land of Edom was not fo de- ftitute as (bme may imagine ; when he promifes the king of Edem^ that, if he wonld permit the children oilfratl to pais through his country, they fhould hurt neither the fields, nor the vineyards (21) : the fields may, perhaps, have been rather corn-fields than pafture; and, if this be true* the E4om^ ites had their com and wine too. As to what Malacbi fays of the barrennefs and defolation of the kingdom of Edom (zz), that muft, we think, be rather attributed to the cruel effedb of their unfortunate wars, than to any ^ure in the nfual pro^ dud of the foil.
(zo) Patrick^t eommene, uki fufra* LO. (a J AfaUukr i 3.
L 3 '■ te(ic^
tencc of getting him a wife there from among her ami. Idndred «• But EJau cooled again» generoufy fhrgpt aB that had paft, and, finding that I/aac and Rthheik had « great avenion to the daughters <^ Canaany he went qicc to IJbmaelj ?ixA took his dauj^ter Jlftf&ffZ^. Ao fiftfX of! iJebaioth (G), adding her to the wjyes. he h^d befope^i. and removed with hi$ fiunily to mount Siir^^ oot& mMcL- with a defign to (ettle there» perhaps, a$ to ftrve a fR&Qli. conveniency. The fpot he occupied in this coyitfry todlij his name, and was called the field of Edom %^ aoui'iu alni/ years he became a very conflderable perfon. Year of F o R, when new? was brought him, that bb hloAcf flood 609. Jacob was on his return from PAdan-^Aramy b^ ^vjent oit^ Bef. Chr. to meet him with a train of four hundred fiJIoiwen^ in ph 1739. der to honour and affift his brother, and not fAJIfsigSk. \m, ' a$ he did^ The interview was very tender 00 botli fidci; Ejau efpecially, umnindful of what moft men vouM ever have remembred, accofted Ti^^ ^^ with tears ct fcfg^ ini the moft tender and brotheny aCe£iion : he nobWithU the prefents wherewith his brother would. noodiGfif km hribol him to a reponciliation, and prefled him |oih«ULM his way to mount 5/ir, that they m^t be neijditi^mii^ sfei live together ; and when Jacob artfuUy wavM^th^i JBV)t%*! tion, under pretence of his ihort nmdics for dwiUtt ^ the children and cattle, and promiied to foUowfann^ i^fipk defired he would let him at leaft leave fbmeof haa. Mknma^ behind, to affift and condud: him on his way % but dkii^: ing rejected, he with re]u£bnce left Jac9b beh&id hn^tfit took die prefents which had been forced upon bun hrf^ ] timorous brother (H); '^o, beipg npwno le& afirudtv 1 follow hipi, than h^ had been before to give idfii x/gu&Sft 1
denial^
« Gen. x)mi.4i— 46. * Gen. xxviii.fi— 9. • Cf^»paSL S.^in tbeipnarg. ' .
(G) It IS manifeftly 60m Ejkm and Jacob at it&ii . „
Ijence that £/2i« paid no regM iog« that ihc foriBeE upaijH
to the divine revelation^ or he fa great a. reprobaiip^ ec vtfMt
would not have ta^n the de- lally ib bad a vaow.m fiai
icendantofa bond- woman [H4;- jjiave vnreaibnaUy rqutfaMli
gar]y who could not inherit the him. "fj? ^liad KUftiioSm
promifes made to ^r«i4fl» and upon this natter- ia. die. bwf
J/aac (23). of E/ku ; but, indi^ ^-PM^
(H) It appears rtry plain roofly dooci to our haadt JR-^
from what ww pafled between very worthy dir^^ we ImB
C IV. The Hifiory of Edom.
denial ^9 went and dwelt in Shechem. As for EfaUy he re- mained in Seirj till he heard, that his &ther Ifaac was either dead, or at the point of death, when he went to Mamre^ affifted there Jacob at the funeral of their deceafed parent, and took pofleffion of his inheritance ; foxjacob*^ birth-right was a fpiritual prerogative, and no ways related to his fa- ther's temporal eflate ; fo that by this addition to his for- mer fbore> and Jacd> being alfo very rich, and mafter of much cattle, they perceived it would be next to impoifible to enjoy fuch laijce poileffions together in a country where they were both Itrangers ; and therefore, as Abraham and Lot bad done before, they parted. Efau^ returning to the country of 5Wr, being an hundred and twenty years old, Oiarried Abolibamah^ 2l daughter of the couiUry, but ori*
^ Ibid. &xxxiii.
16;
content ouriiblves with the fub- ilance of what he fays : E/au was a plaip, generous, and ho- ncft man ; nor does he feem to kave been more wicked than die other men of bis age and dmcs. His generous and good temper appears by hi? afieSkm- ateoeportment towards his bro- ther, and his fpeedy and utter oblivion of the injuries and il^ts he received from him : and though St. Paul calls him the profane£/2i«9and £iys he was &ated by God, it cannot thence he gathered^that he was a wick- ed man, or that God punifhed him for an immoral life. i. This fentence could not extend to his pofierity, and is not faid to be founded upon his a£iions, 3. GoD*s hatred of S/au was Boc an hatred which induced him to pnniih him with an evil i for he was as happy in the bleffings of this life saMrabam^ J/aac^ or Jac^f if not more. His children became mafiers of the brddof their poiTeffion much fixmser than the I/raeJita ; and
God was pleafed to command the Ifraeliies not to diilurb *em in their rights. And if his earthly felicity was fuch, why fhould we deipair of his being a partaker of the heavenly ? 3. If he was excluded from being the heir of the bkfiingy fo was Lot and yob^ and other good and virtuous men, 4. St. Paul means no more than to (hew- the JrwSf that God had aU along bellowed the £ivoara which led to the Messiah oa whom he pleafed ; to Mraham^ not io Let i to Jacob, not to E/au I to the Gentiles, not to the Jews^ 5 . Though S/au be called pi^nAof or pro^ne, he is never called A^iCm or AyLdUf'^ T6>A^f, wicked or immoral. So that the only defe^ in his da- rader is, that he does not ieem to have been fo mindful of the promifes made to his.fiunily as. Jacob was j from whence, and from his temper, it ajppears that he was not quite fo nt to be the^ hdr of the mercies peculiar ta his family (24}.
(24) SbuckfirtTi fwnt^, eftlffocr, andfrof. hi/leryofth V^IJ, W. U."
JU 4 gpatty
ne Hifiory of Edom. B, I,
^nally of Canaan % ^ and henceforward took fuch meafures as might be moft conducive to the good and peaceable fettlemetit of his defcendants in this country, which was defigned by God for the inheritance of his line \ as that of Canaan was for the line of Jacob. But thf defcripdon of this land we referve to the general defcripdon of Ptf/I^*«f,
f This country, fo far as we know, was originaUy inha- bited by a people called Horites P, who were firft, in all likelihood, governed by patriarchs or heads of families, that being the moft antient form of government. Th^ were afterwards r\iled by kings, who were elefted into that of- fice. In procefs of time the andent form of government took place again, the governors being flyled dukes, and fucceeding, it feems, in right of birth. As to the Edomitesj or defcendants of Efau^ they were firfl governed, like the Horites, by dukes, and afterwards by kings, as will be feen in the courfe of this fecUon.
a* The character we have of the Edomites^ is, diat diey V^ere a bold and daring people, fond of broils and tumults^ which they as much delighted in, as others did in the foft- ^ing pleafures of luxury 9. But this was more peculiarly tiie character of the latter Edomites^ who migrated into Ju- dea \ nor fhould we have inferted it here, but that it feems to be agreeable to the genius of the whole people, as their great anceftor Ifaac foretold it. However, diough cou- rage was to be one of their charafteriftics, and, perhaps, the chief, yet we are under no necefEty to believe it to have been of fo brutal a fort as Jofephus reprefents it above; for as they were, doubtlefs, a trading nation, we cannot well fuppofe they were a ndA. of robbers and incendiaries, fewer fuch being found among thofe who are addlded to commerce, and confequendy enjoy all the world can af- ford them, than among lazy and flothful nadons, and fuch as condemn induftry out of a vain and ridiculous nodpn of honour. For the latter are, for the moft part, mean, beggarly, and bafe ; the former quite the reverfe, as they flourifh in plenty and eafe. What therefore their anceftor foretold of them, that they fhould live by the fword, per- haps, imports no more than that they fhould maintain their rights, whether natural or ufurped, with an high hand j as all thofe who have claimed the empire of the fea, have ever done. Thus, for want of due authority, have we attempted the charadlcr of the Edomites^ by
« Ubi fup. xjotv. xxxvi. * Deut. ii. 5. Jofh. xxiv. 4.
* Gen. xxxvi. 22, 30. ' Joseph, antiq. lib. xiii.
draw-
q.IV. The Hiftory of Edom: 169
<!rawing a parallel between them and others of later and our own times. And, abating the difference of climates, ivrfiich 18 attended with a difference of tempers, we cannot be much out of the way in comparine them with other trad- ing ftates that ilourifh within our' knowlege, and are far from livinj^ upon plunder and rapine. In this we fhall be more confirmed when we come to view their behaviour towards Mofis ; to whom tho' they refufed admittance into their territories, yet they were ready to traffick with him, and flipply him with neceflaries, as we fhall fee anon. The Edomitesy whofe charaAer yofephus draws above, were a d^enerate race, quite flrangers to the liberties and noble fpnt of their forefathers, as we fhall fee in the fequel.
Their arts and fciences were doubtlefs great, cot&- Arts and dering the time ; many, and well perfeAed ; and xhoy^^^/ciencis. perhaps^ there may be no neceffity to fupppfe, as ^he ex- cellent Sir Ifaac Newton has done, that diey were the pa- rents of thofe amiable fiflers ; yet we may farely pronounce, that they were not much, if at all, behindhand with the mofl antient learned nations. The invention and ufe of conftellations appear by the book of Job r to have been .known to the Edomitesj among whom he dwelt ^ ; a rare inftance of the early progrefs of aflronomy, if we fuppofe his book to be of fuch antient date as many think. Writ- . ing is there mentioned < alfo, and fhips u, and many hints given, fufficient to confirm us in a belief, that the fecrets sind beauties of nature, morality, and much fublime and truly-ufeful knowlege, were cultivated among them. Nor is there wanting very ample evidence fi-om profane authors to make this appear, as we fhall take proper opportunities pf fhewing : and, indeed, it has been a common opinion of the learned, that great veneration is due to their memory on that account.
CoNCERNiNQ their religion we are much in the dark. ReBgm. They at firft were right in their belief and praftice, as they were defcended from Ifaac^ and ufed circumcifion ; but they by degrees forgot all, erred into idolatry (for idols it ieems they had ^), and had quite laid afide circumcifion tiU Hyrcan incorporated them with the Jews^ from which time they were confidered as but one nation with them in divine matters, as will be feen at the decay of their flate.
' Chap. be. 9. • St, August, de dvitat. Dei ubi
fiipr. Lamcniat. ubifupr. * Sec before, p, 152. « Job f. ix. 26. X See 2 Chron. xxy. in the argument.
1 70 The Hijlory of Edbm.' B. I.
Hifiorj. We now refume the hiftory oiEfau the fiither of this people. The number of his family and domefticsy when he nxed his dwdlii^ here, is uncertain^ though probaUv, very numerous. According to the hypothefis ^, wiiich m diis very obfcure cafe we think ourfelves obliged to adopts he fettlol here imder one of the Horite kings $ and there- fore he lived in a private manner, and was never oonfidercd any more than as the chief of his own houfe ; and thence is dignified with no particular title by Mojes. ConcemiDg this matter we cannot but think, with bifhop Cumbirhid^ that the Horites were at firft ruled by fevend independent chiefs or patriarchs, till they were overpowered by Cht- dorlaomer king ofElam^ who fwept them before him, widi the neighbounng nations. To fecure themfelves, there- fore, from fo great an evil for the time to come, they united under a more ftable and perfcd kind of govenh> ment, and formed themfdves into an ele<%ve kingdom ; ani their kings were.
Be LA, the fon ofBeor : the liame of his city was Dm-^ habab.
JoBAB, the fon of Z^r^i^ of Bozrab. From a fimili- tude of names he has been taken for the holy and padent yohy whofe hiftory we (haU find a more proper place tti enlarge upon, when we come to that of the jews.
Hush AM of the land of Temanu
Hadad, the fon ofBedad : he imote Midian in the field of Moaby and the name of his city was Avltb.
Samlah of Marejkah : in his reign, or in that of his fuccefilbr, came EJau^ as we think, into this country.
Saul of RehoUth.
Baal-Hanan, the fon of Acbhor.
Hadar : the name of his city was Pau^ and his wife's name was MihetabeL
Under the three laft, or four laft of thefe kings, SA Efau 2nd his family live, as fojoumers in a ftrange land, . as Abrabam and ifaacy their forefathers, had done before them, in other parts. This monarchy, which was plainlj ele£Uve, came, we know not how, to be interrupted aoa broken into feveral petty and independent principalities or dukedoms ; and, feeing that the pofteritv of Efau exccel in the number of their dukes, it cannot oe very incongru- ous to fuppofe, that they had the largeft ihare in biineing- about this revolution. It is very accurately obferved b^ a late and learned writer^ that the firft dukes of the Edimtii.
^ Sec biihop Cumbirknfi orig. gent, astiq;^
are
C» IV. ne Hijloryi of Edom. i; i
are iiot ftiled dukes of Edotrty but dukes in the land vf Edom '. From whence wc gather, that the grandchil- dren of Efauj grown ftrong and potent, could no longer brook fubje£Uon to a ftrange line ; b that now the whole country became divided into fevcral diftin6t juriicU&ions, lod under feveral pettv princes, called dukes, both of the pofteritvof £/2r«, ana of that of Seir^ who were all colla- teral. The dukes in the land of ^Edom were, i. duke Tenmn \ 2. duke Omar ; 3. duke Zepho ; 4. duke Kenax ; Cj, duke Korah ; 6. duke Gatam ; 7. duke AmaUL Thefe i|ven were the fons of Efipbaz the firft-bom of Efati. 8- Duke Nahatb; 9. duke Zerab; lo. duke Hammah ; II. duke Mtzzab :■ thefe four were the ions of Reuety the fecond fon of Efau \ 12. duke leuflj ; 13. duke 7^^- ^ I duke Korah : thefe three were the fons of Efau nim- felf, begot by him after he was an hundred and twenty years old, on Aholibamah his laft wife* AU thefe were the dukes in the land of Edom ; that is, in that part poflefled by the Edomites^ and theace called after them. At the feme time were feven dukes over the pofieflion of (be de- fcendants of Seir : i. Duke Latan ; 2. duke SboMi 3. duke Zibetm i 4. duke Aaeb : be found mules (O) in the
wilder-
> SaucKFoaii*li ooaacA. of the fiatd and profine bxft. book TuLp. 192.
(O) Cooeeming this rcmaik- idiom» tn uneonnion difcovcry
able event dieic is ibme variety in a defert, and tbcrefcre wor-
of jadgment and interpretation, thy of notioe. Some will have
Tke Hihrruf word is aiOiP, it to mean hot waters in the
h^indm, which the LXX not Fbaminan tongue. Some a-
knowing how to raider, have ^on^ that he foAtred wildafles
iccained, and accordingly have vo cover his tame ones, and that
iAfjL j^and fohirt 7he94htmt^ die fwifteft breed of thofe crea-
Aqmhy and Sjmmachtu. From tuies^ called jamim^ ijprang
St. Jorom we have ieveral tra- from thenoe. And molt of the
ifitiont of die Jews conceniin|» vmbbins teach, that he» firft of
this matter. Some thought, all men^ foffored aifes to cover
that by the above word muft- the marts in the wildemeb ;
be underflood ftas^ or large whence the annatnral breed ^
waters ; for the &me letters mules were (hewn to the world,
are ofed lor the word vdikh Now thefe iaterpmadoas^ or
bcara that in^Kvt: and wUl Ibppoitionsj, are thus combated.
have it» that while he fed his 1. To make the ihhnw word
:\ afibs in the wOderneis, mtSAjoms^ it muft be altered in he found a aJie^on of waters, the readbg contrary to all an- oribtt^iattdNPg to the IMrrw thority axd likelihood: and
bcfidcs.
172 the Hifiory of IBAom. B;L
wildemefe, as he fed the afles of Zibeon his £itber ; 5^ duke Di/htn ; 6. duke E%er ; 7. duke Dijhari^. Now, fedng that the dukes of Efau^s hne, in the land of Edom^ ^^f^^ more in number, may have been greater in mi^t^ thin thofe of the Horites in the land of Seir^ it feems not un- natural to fuppofe, that the latter were now expelled \q the former, who feized^on the land by die preordained dii« tribution of God X. At the fame tune, AmaUky or his fpu« rious offspring, may have been driven out alfo.
Accordingly, the next generation of thefe princd are ftiled dukes of Edom^ and had no rivals of any other family in any other part of the country, which now we fuppofe to have been all called Edom. The dukes of this fecond race were, i. duke7/m»tf&; 2. ixikit Alvahy%^ duke Jetheth^ j^, iuke Jbolibamah *, 5. duke Eiahy 6*
* Gen. xxxvi. 20, zi. ^ Deat 11, is.
beiidesy as the Hebrews call ver had been before ; 2* Be-
great ponds, or lakes, (eas, tt is caufe they were afies whkh
no wonder* that he found out Anab fed, and not horib; 4.
fuch congregatioDs of. water; Becaufe in Scripture there is no
but there is nothing of that kind mention made of mules to the
in thofe parts, except the lake time of David. But* to oon«
JJphaltiies, which was made dude, it is thought by a learned
afterwards. 2. Thofe who ren- interpreter to be the proper
dtt the word bot-baths^ as the name of a people, the O^DV,
Vulgate^ according to the P^&dr- Emim, whom Me/es mentiou
nician ^gnification, feem to as a Amous people, dwelling'
have rea<r:ili'0'n,^i&AKriMi, and in the neighbourhood of ^iv
to have believed, that it is fy- (39). And this is further oon-
nonymous with Q^on, bbant' firmed by ihtS amor item nuir
mim, which fignifies bot-batbs ; ing, which has it* that hcfimi
but this is countenanced by no t^faddenlyi that is, M on
reading or interpretation. 3. them by furpri^e, ixA iat
Thofe who will have him to comfitol them I and this is die
have firft found out the breed of mod likely meaning of te
mules^are confuted by ^0Ci&4^r/* Hebrew text in this places ic
with the following arguments ; having the very fame fignii-
I. Becaufe mules were never cation in feveral other placet
called by that name; 2. Be- (40). However, thewtudii
caufe the word &<^2fO, matxa^ alfo thought to have been die
which Mofes ufes, imports the name of fome ufeful plant or
finding what exifls already, and herb (41 ), which Anab firft^
not the invention of what ne- covered.
(39) Oen, xiv. 5. (§ Deut, xi. lo. (40} Vid, C/erie. etmm. tHCati
c. xxxvi. 24, (41} mj, fTa^eit. enwu in tit. Talm* Sot, ^
duke
C. IV. Tie Hiftory of Edom. 1 73
duke Pinen'f 7. duke Kenaz\ 8. ^\xktTimani 9. duke Afihzar ; lo. duke Magdiel ; 1 1. duke iMtn 2 (P). Thefe eleven were dukes of Edom when the children of Ifrael c^me into the wildernels ; and, being difmayed at the ap- proaiqfa of fo formidable a body, as yet unprovided with a feat, dreaded an invafion, not knowing that the Ifraelites were under a flrid injundion, by no means tomoleft them. Whereibre,fen(ible of the imperfe£lion of their prefent con- ftitution, they united. under one head, or king, and pre- pared to maintain, their ground againft all foreign at* tempts.
- To this namelefs king, or, perhaps, his fucceilgr, came meflengers from Mofesy then drawing near the end of his days, to intreat a paiTage through hb country for him and his people. And though it was remonftrated to him, that the IfraeUUi were his brethren ; and as he could not but know how they and their fathers had wandered from place to place, without any fixed habitation ; how they had been oppreflfed in Egypt \ how God had now led them out from under their bofidages and' that they had reached his borders,
I
' Gen. ubi fup.
(P) In Scripture the names been the firft king of Ifrad^ of thefe kings and dukes run and to be meant here. It can- in a feemingly-confufed order ; not be proved, that any of the and (bme are unwilling to think ikid kings were of the line of that they fucceeded in the or- Efau ; and this firft monarchy, der we have, from bifliop Cum- fet up by the Jhritij^vfzs plainly herlandy placed them in (42). dedivei whereas that monar- Tbis difFerence in opinion pro- chy, ereded by the children of ceeds from thefe words of the E/au^ was, by the very little wtf text prefixed to the lift of the know of it, at leaft feemingly, kings; And theft are the kings hereditary: for Hadad was a that reigned in tkeJandofEdom, minor when David conquered iefiri there reigned any king Edom. But we are afraid of muer the land of IfraeL Thu trefpaffing too much on our is fuppofed to be an .inter- reader^s patience, by running pol^tion ; and if we dp npt al- into the many particulars of low all the kings of the lift to this debate; and ihall only fay, have been elder than Mofes^ we that we have embraced that saofl fappofe the whole to be opinion, .which, upon mature intfrpohited too ; and, accord- deliberation, foms to us to bf ui|^Xi ^^ ^^^ Mofes to have the heft founded.
(42) Si* SbuckfQrd*t c$nne^, of tbi /acr, sndfrof, bi/t% book vii. p, 19 x, &
being
The Hiftory of Edom. B. I.
being m, or near the town of Kadijh ; it was to be hopei^ he would let them paG freely through his country, in tfadr way to the land of Canaan : that, if he was wilUng to be- friend them, they would keep the highway, and not oftf to turn to the right or the left, to hurt the fields, or the vinmrds, or drain the wells of water, until they Ind matt crofied his territories. To this the jeakiis king of Edm anfwered, that he would by no means grant them a pA fage; and advifed them not to make the leaft attempt to^ wards it : that,if they did, they mieht exped to be oppoU by the whole ilrength of his kinedom. And when tbdb embaiTadors, or, perhaps, thofe of a fecond embaffir, meed him ftill farther upon this important bufinefs, and ma£i renewal of promifes, and aflurances of the mofl peaceabU behaviour, if they might have the paflage they foliciced | protefling, that they would pay for every thing they might have bccafion for on the way ; and that they would be il expeditious in their marches as their feet would permit ; he was highly provoked at their reiterated inffamces ; and,fiBtf- ing the Ifraelites might make fome defperatc attempt to force the pafTage he denied them, took the field, and marched towards them, to intimidate them, and (hew that he was not to be prevailed on ^. However, hb enmity did jiot run to the pitch of diflreffing them in matters wherein be could relieve them without danger to hnnfelf ; and^ |fer> haps, to prevent their growing defperate, he ftirnillied dijeo^ for money, with what his country afiorded «•
After this, there is fcarce any hiftory (b obfcureanf interrupted, as this of Edom : and, particularlv, wefijodno mention made of them from thefe days to tnofe of kioy David: however, we will fupply thischafm, in part^ by. obferving, that, in the mean time^ the EdomiUs extended their dominion, and applied themfelves to trade and aavi-. gation, and feized on the empire of the fea, we mean of. the Arabian gulpb, at leafl, and the trade thereof. They deaJt, it fcems, in very rich commodities ;. pure gold^ gdr of Ophirj the topaz of Ethiopia^ coral*, pearls, and the- like h ; and became a very confideraUe kingdon> vl-dlB' moft common opinion is^.
But in the height of their profperity their cotinMr i»tf Year of invaded by the conquering arms of I/rael^ and Edom Dtffit the flood ^ feel tj^g cffeOs of Ifaac's prophecy, that thi eldirfimt,,
J,3^- ferve the younger. For David^ having gaiht&d^veVjr tdbfi*^^ Bcf. Cnr. j^^jjjg yj^Qj-j^g gy^j ^^ Syrians^ MoabiUs^^ond Amtiumtitm
1040. . . -^ ' . ». .^, . »
■Num. XX. 14,21. * Deut. ii. 28, 29. ''Jobxxviu. 15— 20.
Q. IV. ne Hifiory of Edom.* 1 75
&c. finiflied his conquefts with Idumea. What drew upon them fo dreadful a war, is hard to guefs, the facredhi- ftorians being quite filent about it ( Q.) : but this they tdl us, in the whole, that 18000 of them were cut oiF in the Valley of fait ^ ; and that the reft were either brought under the yoke by Joab^ or forced to retire into foreign coun- tries (R). Hadad their king, as yet a minor, and a party with him, took the way of Midian (S), thinlcing, per* baps, to crofs the Red Sea \ but, underftanding that they and their young king would be favourably received by Pharaoh^ they carried him thither ; and Hadad was ac* cordingly received, and fuppoxted by Pharaoh with all the dignity becoming his royal rank ; and, to complete all the favours and kindnelTes which were unfparingly heaped on him, he had the queen's [Taphenes^s] fifter given to him in marriage <>. But at the fame time that Hadad aoAt his way tovrards Egypt^othcvs took different routes: fome, fly* ing to the Philijiinesy fortified yfzothj or Jzotus^ for them (T) ; and proved a confiderable acceffion of power,
and
* 2 Sam. viii. 13. I Chron. xvlii. 12. ^1 Kings xi.
15, 20.
( QJ Indeed there is but fapported by very ample aatho-
veiylittleroomtoguefsatwhat ritys as we (hall immediately
might pditively be the caufe of obferve. this ruin executed upon the E- (S) From hence we luMre, af-
dtmiUsi but« probably, /^ao//^ ter Roland^ fuppofed, that Mi*
treating with them for fome of diam was partly bounded on the
theadvantagesof JTAf/^band^'- north hy Edom{^^)t asif they
oi^eier^ they refuied to hearken were obliged to fly through Mi*
to him, and thereby provoked diam to go to Egypt ; but it it
him to wreft thofe important more likely,that they ftruck in*
places, the only marts of the ^ Midian^ as the ihorteft cat to
very rich commodities he want- get i^wAy ^rom the enemy^-with '
ed, out of their hands. defign tq imbark for Egypt ^ at
(R) Sir Ifaac Newton makes IMi^^ ^ ^<une other Aarpoct.
this difperiion to have been of of th^t country, as the ioBAi :
very beneficial confequence to way. to go into Egypt. the feveral nadons they went (T) According to Six Ifaeet
Cp^ fuppofing they carrira their Newten'^ hypothefisyftyis^aifd
arts* fences, and induflry,with his followers were the more
them where-ever they went kindly received by the king of
(^^ : and herein he is, in partji Egypt^ as he forefaw the advan*
(^) Cbron^ of. sm, kingd, MmtnJtJ, J>, ft 09. f 45^ See hzftm^ ^- x s l»
S *»5e
1 76 ^e Hiftory of Edonii B. t.
and of very fingular benefit, to that people (U) : and others, that dealt in fhipping, taking a longer way to elcape the rage of the conqueror, went towards, or into, the Perjian gulph <1 : in a word, diey were difperf^ into all parts, there being no fafety for them in thcil: bative country (W).
HadaDi
^ See Sir Isaac Newton^s chronol. of ant. kiogd. arnhKhd, p. 104, 105.
tage they would be of to him, by bringing with them their ikill in letters, aftronomy, na- vigation, and the like; in which the Egyptians were, till then, ignorant.
(U) The afbrefaid chronolo- ger holds, among other things, that fome of them,flying to the Pbiliftines and the fea-portSyim- proved the inhabitants there in the arts of navigation and com- merce : and, indeed, it is more thaajonce (aid, that the Phofni- dans came from the RedSsa, Hirodotus (47) tells us fo ; and Stephanus (48) relates, that A- xotus was built by the fugitives which fled from the Red Sea, •* The Pbienicians^ therefore, '* came fr«om the RedSea,in the ** dayt of la, and her brother Phoreneus, king of Argos ; and, by confequence, at that time, when DawV conquered the Edomitesy and made them *» fly every way from the Red ^ Sea . . • And this flight gave ** occafion to the Philiftines to ** call many places Etythrai iii ** memory of their being Ery- ** tbreans or Edomites^ and of '' their coming from the Ery^ ** threanSea: forErythrawM ^ the Dome of a city in Ionia ;
((
(C C( €€ €S €€
€S
ft
ft
U
€C
it
*€
U
*t
^' of another in Libya i of u- other in Locris; of anotbet in Beeotiai of another ife Cyprus I of another in ^h-
lia i of another in .^'^i'^^ Cbius: zodErytbiaAcrawm a promontory in Libya^ ind Eryibreum a promontory m Creie, and Erytbros^^^aiDt near Tibnr^ and ErytJMt dty or country in P^biagh niai and the name £r^£iff, or£r^/^r^r,wasgiventotllB j ifland of Gades, peopled by . j Pbeenicians .... Edem^E^ I rytbra^ and PbamieiOf IR names of the fame figniia- tion, the words denotiag A " red colour ; which makes i " probable, that theJTryfi&fiMr " who fled from Dandd ietdcd in great numbers in Pbam* cia ; that is, in all die ib* *^ C02&& of Syria fiom Eg^\» ^^ Zidon; and by calling OOB^ *' felves Pbeenicians in theln^ <' guageof^ra, infteadofl- *^ ryibreans, gave the name of ^' Pbanicia to ail that i^ *^ coaft,andtothatonly(4n).** (W) The fame chronologBf holds,that the Oes of JReUa&h theOannesof Bert/ks (50), ml the Eubadnes of Uj^^stus ({i)» are feveral names given ton
(^T) L. j. £. I. /. vU. c. S9. C^l) Jn vocm^AX0!r' ^C4§) ••
bit ebr^ntL cf ant, lingd, amtndii, p» (oS, 109. (f^o) See p9i»Lp» t^
4 JldtmH
C. IV. rbe Uifiary $f Edom. i 77
Hadad, though he lived in great eafe and fplendor in the Egyptian court, yet, being confcious of his birth, un* willing to live in dependence, and thiriling after his king* doni, waited only a favourable opportunity to recover it> efpecially when it was told him, that David and the ter* rible yoah were both dead. At length the time came, when Sohmon wallowed in all kinds of impurity ; and,think- ing this a proper feafon to take his revenge, he difclofed his mind to his hxothcX'Xn'U'W Pharaoh y begging he would dif« mifs him. The wife king of Egypt ^ perceiving the great troubles and dangers which he muil be expofed to in exe- cuting his defign, endeavoured to divert him from fo dan* gerous an undertaking \ but Hadady in the end, obtained a difmif&on, and, returning to Idumta^ made feveral attempts to recover his dominions, but without fuccefs, his fubjeds being overawed by the garifons, which David had fet over them<l. He had a fon by his Egyptian wife, named Genu-' bathy who had a princely education in the palace of Pha^- raob ; but Hadady failing in his view upon his own king- dom, probably eftabliOied himfelf in Syria^ where weHnd the royal family bore the name of Hadad,
In the mean time^ the kingdom Of Edom continued un* dcr the houfeof Dan)id till the days of Jehojhaphat^ being governed by deputies, or viceroys, appointed by the kings of Judah^ And though we have, in the hiftory of Moti^ made mention of a king of Edom^ who affifted 'Jchoram king of Ifraely and "J ehoflmpbat king of yudah^ in the rc- dutElion of Mtfha king of Moah ; we there fpeak only in the freedom of Scripture phrafe : for that kin?, as he is called, attended upon Jehofljdpbat as a vafTal, and not as aft auxiliary «. However, though the hiftory of that war does peculiarly belong to the reigns of Jehofljaphat and yehoram^ kings of Ifrael and yudah^ who were the principals in it ; yet we have here occafion to repeat, that this chief of EdonC% fon is thought to have been the perfon facrificed by Mejha^ the king of Moab^Mi'^n the walls of the city, where he was blocked up ; though he is believed, by omers, to have been the Mcaiite's own fon f .
We have feen the time wherein EfaU was to be a fer- vant to his brother ; and now we come to that wherein he
^ JosBf H. antiq. 1. viii. c.2. ' See 1 Sings xxii.47.
<* See before, p. 136.
Edomite commander^ who now into ChaUea : but this, we ap«
fled to the PerfUm gulph, and prehend^ is allowing a Uttle too
firft introduoed the afcful arcs much.
Vol.* II. M was
r
178 ^i>^ Hiftory of Edom. . B, L
was to fhake ofF the yoke, and be fubje£t to bim no more. p'or, finding a fair opportunity to recover their andent li- berty, the Edomites embraced it, and fucceeded. Thc^ bad already (hewn how ill they were difpofed,even towarn yi'hajbapbatj when part of them joined the Atoabites and Ammonites in an attempt to furprife him when he was un- prepared for die affault ; but they fell intofuch a confufioa, that they were all cut off* by the Ammonites and AhaUtiSf Year of who afterwards butchered each other f. Butinthedayi flood of Jihoramy the fon of Jeho/hapbatj the whole nation of 1459. ^^^^ arofe, and, aflTaiTinating or expelling their vicen^i Bef.Chr. made themfelves a king after their own liking ; and, upoe^ 889. advice that Jehoram was coming, with a formidable powcTi 0^v>J to reduce them, they marched towards him, and found means to furround him on all fides in the night; but, in the end, they were defeated, with great flaughter, and forced to take fhelter in their retrenchments. Though this was bat an indifferent beginning, yet they could never after bean* ncxed again to the houfe of David 6. ' Thus was the long-wi(h'd-for revolution brought about after one hundred and fifty years of oppreffion; but who was their chief upon this occafion, or what he did ftrthcTi or who fucceeded him, we are no-where told.
After this, they had no attempts made upon them b? the kings of Judah for upwards of fixty years i in mdiiai time they muft, in all likelihood, have recovered their an- tient fplendor : notwithftanding which, they fufferedalig- nal overthrow from Amaziah^ iBng of yudah^ in the ^% ef falt^ where ten thoufand of them fell in battle, andii many were taken prifoners : after which, their capital, S^ lah^ was taken by ftorm, and the ten thouland captiva were, by Amaziah^s order, thrown down from the ragged precipices which flood about that city, and'dafhed to pieces. Selah was now by the conqueror called JoktbeelK
Whether after or before this, we cannot difcover,die Edomites engaged in a war with their neighbours the Mh abitesy which proved unfuccefsful ; for their king fell into the hands of the enemy, who burnt him, whether deadoc alive, we know not, till his bones were reduced to aibes (X).
ThM
' Sec before, p. 136, « 2 Chron. xxi. 8. * a USaff
XIV, 7.
(X) It is doubted whether mMe/S^a, k]iM;^of Afoci^ ..^. this he not the fame war where* fic^ Im-ovm m^ or the ion oC
tli«
CIV. The l^^bry of Edom: 179
Thus have we hitherto joined together the incoherent parts of this hiftory, in the beft manner we have been able : in the mean time, they became fuhjcft to the king of Babylon^ to fulfil what fevcrai prophets had threatened ihera with*. And when utter deftruftion fell upon the Jtws^ and they were carried away captive, then did tljeir fury blaze out, fo far as to cut ofF fuch of them as attempted to make their efcape^ and, as if they defigned now to take a full revenge for what they had fuffered in the days of king Da^ vid, they vented their rage on the fad remains of the tem- ple, which they confumed with fire, as foon as the Chal" dies or Babylonians were withdrawn. They even attempted to level the whole city with the ground, infulting the God of IJrael-'w'ith horrid blafphemies, butchering the few re- nuins, who, by his favour, had efcaped the hands of the Babylonians ; and, flattering themfelves with the pleafure of feeing, fliortly, an utter end of the Jnuijh nation. For this they were threatened, by the propfiets, with a fevere re* taliation ; vtz. that, for the devafbtions they had forwarded in yudah^ they fhoujd behold their land become defolate, when thofeof their now-opprefTed enemies (hould flourifh^. Accordingly, theyfcll, foon after, into dreadful con- fufion, and violent inteftine commotions and perfecutions i infomuch that a great part of them left their own country, and fetded in the empty land of Judea, zndy particularly, in the fouth-weftern parts'; and it was, perhaps, at this time they made an end of the temple of Jerufalem, Thofe who flayed behind in Edom, joined the children of Nibaiothj and were called Nabateans ever afterwards : fo that the antient kingdom of Edom now lofl its name, which was transferred to that part of the land of Judea which the refugees had pitched in, and which had never been any part of their old kingdom, but the lot of the tribes of Simeon and Judab. And this is the Idunua^ and tfaefe the Idumeam^ mentioned by Pliny^ Ptolemy^ Strabo^ and other antient writers* For, becaufe of their wicked dealing with their opprefTed brethren, their kingdom was
i.See I(a. xxi, xxxs. Jer. ix, xxv, xxvii, xlix. Lam. iv. Ezck. XXV, xzxii, xxxv, xxxvi. Joel iii. Amos i, ix. ^ See Exck. XXV. Joel iii. Aznos i. Obad. i. Se« P&l* cxxxvii, ^ Strabo, 1. xvi. p. 760.
the king ot€blt{ of Ed^m(^6), take them to bt one and thQ Oar tnnllaton of the Bible lame event,
M 2 to
The Hififffy cf Edom. Kt
to lofe all its glory, and bcoome a defert ; ftrangen fnm the fouth o were to fjfefs it ; it was never to rife, imt thenceforward to be caSnA tbt hwier §f unciedmejif \ though it pleafed God to fpare a remnant of this people, by permitting them to feize on a part of their hrethrcnspor* tion ; by which means, they came to be wiited into ooe br mily with them, as they were defcended from the loiaiof one man.
We have now pointed out the downial of die anticBt kingdom of Edom^ and (hall proceed to the interrupt- ed affairs of thofe Edomites who fettled in Judca ; coo-' cerning which We only know, that a decree was ifliied out againft them from Darius HyJfa/peSyComauu[kdiiig them to deliver up all they had belonging to the yews 9 ; but wiat cScA this had, We find no-wbere recorded. Upon the de- cline of the Perfian monarchy, and after the days of jOex' andery they were under the power of the Seleucidit^ when the antient averfion they had to the Jews being revived, they warred againft that nation, under the condud of 6«r« giasy ihe'ir govtrnoT for y/tttiocbus Epipbanes : buttiicj nothing thereby, but ruin, being confbntly worfted by das Maccabeus ; who, at laft, took and fackcd their city Hebron '. Their ftrongbolds, wherewith they awed the JewSy were forced, by that valorous commander, who cut off twenty thoufandof them, in feveral afTaults ; but a refidue of ninethoufand fled to two ft rong towers % where they were well prepared to fuftain a fiege; whence, by a bribe of 70,000 drachms j a good part of them were fuf- fered to efcape : but, when the treachery was difcovered by the Jewijh general, a ftop was put to this outlet. Thefe two ftrong caftles were alfo forced, and no lels than twenty thoufand Idumeans again * put to the fword. Thus was their zeal againft their brethren rewarded as it deferved, as ftiall be more minutely related in the Jewijb hiftory.
After thefe very troublefome times, we know not how it fared with the Edomites in Idumea^ except that they feem to have been continually agitated by broils and wars, . till they were conquered by yohn Hyrcanus^ who reduced them to the fore neceflity of embracing the Jewifi reli- ^ gion, or of quitting their country. They chofe the for- mer, and, fubmitting to be circumcifed, became incorpo-
0 Obad. ubi fup. p MalacL i. *» i Efdr. iv. ver.
50. ^ I Maccab. v. 65, 6S. • Vcr. 4. 5. 2 Maccab. x.
18, 23. ' Ibid. vcr. 21,23.
rated
C. IV, ne Hi/t9fy rf Amalek- , t|i
rated with the Jews u ; and, confidering their defcent, as well as their converfion, they were, upon a double account, reckoned as natural Jnus : and, accordingly, in the firft tentury after Chriji^ the name of Idumean was loA, and quite difufed ^ ( Y). We therefore here break oiF, referv- ine, what farther relates to this people, to the Jewijb hittory.
SECT. V. The Hijiory of Amalek.
jjMA LE K was the fiather of this people, and from '^^ him were they called Amaleiites^ and their country Their a>h\ jfmaleittis. He was the fon of E/att*s iirfiborn Eli-^^ft^r. •fba^^A)^ by his concubine Timna. Notwithftanding thje
fpuri-
« Joseph, antiq. I.xiii. c. 17. ^ Ppideaux's conned,
of tte old and new teft. book v. p. 307, 308.
■'"'
( Y) Yhe name of Edomite is
not ib wholly lo0, but the Jrws
make ufe of it llill. '< The rabbins fpeak of Edom and Edomites long after this;
'* but thereby they do not mean
'' IJumeay or the fens ofEdomy
** but i'^omf , and the Chriftians
** of the Roman empire. For,
•* fearing the diipleafure of the
** Chriflians,among whom they live, foravoidiog it, when- ever they fpeak any reproach-
manner, and make him fome generations older than Jbra^ bamt as follows :
|
Noahf |
Uz, |
|
Ham, |
Ad, |
|
Jiram, |
Amalek (i). |
«
(C
M
€€
it
They fay, alfo, that the y/«i7- hkitij, in antient times, poffef- ied the country zhovLt Mecca, whence they were expelled by the Jorbamite kings (2). Some fol thing of Chriflians, or of hold, that Ad was the fon of their religion, th^y ufually Aws,oiUx, th& ion oi Aram,
blend it under feigned names ; ibmetimes calling us Cuihe- ans, i. e. Samaritans , and fometimes Epicureans, and fometimes Edomites : and this laft is the civilefl: appellation they give us (51)." (A) The Arabians deduce his genealogy in a different
«<
«<
the ion of Shem» the fon of Naab. Others, that>^4^ was the fon oi Amalek, the fon of Ham (3) ; but the contrary is the re- ceived opinion. Some com- mentators on the Koran (4) tell us, that the old Jdites were of prodigious ftaturey the largeft being an hundred cubits, and the
($1) Prideaux's conneB. of the Old and New teft, part ii. hook v. p, |o8i flf Biuctorfli lexie, rahbin, p. 30, 31, (t) Vtde Reiaild. Fal^H. illujt, f.
14. (z) Pocock, fpectm. hp. Arab, p* 173. ^3^ D^Heriekt, p, 5 f ,
110* (^) JaUalo'ddin & iamakjharu
M 3
leaft
;
1
l82 The Hiftory of Amalek. • B.1
fpuriournefs of his birth, he is reckoned among die dukesii
the land of Edom^ and is faid to have fucceeded Gmkrn^
which is all we know, for certain, concernii^ him.
The early reparation of this family froai that of B^m b
not without fome great difficulties. It might, indeed^ be
reafonably enough afcribed either to the fpurioufnefi of
his birth, or to fome other inteftine broils: but, iirtieft we
call to mind the previous wars of the AmaUkites with Ck*
dorlaomer^ hinted at in the laft note ; when we confider
Balaam calling them the firfi^ or beginning of nations, as «t
ihall fee anon ; when we refled, that Mofes never, fiiki
them the brethren of I frail or Edem ; that the latter Mver
held any confederacy or friendly harmony with them in iB
their wars, but fuffered them to be invaded and butdNrel
by Saul^ without lending them any affiftance ; Iaftly,when
we find them always mentioned with the Amorites^ Pbh
lijlinesj and other Canaanitljh nations, and with them in*
volved in the fame curfe ; we can fcarcdy forbear kiob'ng
upon them rather as a tribe of thofe nations, than s tbe
defcendants of Efau^ contrary to the received opiniottt
Of the country they inhabited, wefhall fpeak heraft?.
T/jiircu" Of their religion, and civil cuftoms, we can knownh
Jfoms and thing, for certain, fince we are in the dark about their de-
religion, fcent. If from Efau^ we may fuppofe they ufed dicum-
ciiion; and that the decree of their total excifion wu o«>
ing to the outrages they committed on the diffarefled HtmA^
ius h ; but if of a Canaanitijh race, their horrid idoutriei
fubjefled tbem,without all doubt,toone common doom with
the Canaanitijh nation : if the former, they had, at leafti
* Gen. xxxvi. 12. i Chron. i. 36. *> Ezod.xvii. 9, 14^ 16. I
leaft fixty ; which they pretend dorUumer made war on them
to prove by the authority of under that Dame^which hefup-
the Koran (5). In fine, it is alfo pofes muft be prolepdctUy a-
iaid, by the Arabian writers, ken at firft. But, GonfideiiDE
that Amalek was the fon of that the Amalek here ipoken m
A%dy the fon of ^bem (6). Le was of the houie of Ejem^ «ndi
Clert (7) is willing to adopt this whom t)it J/raelites werecom-
notion fo far as to think, that the ywapfM to be at peace, he
Amalekites were a great nation changes his mind, and iraaginei
before the days of Abraham or they had no relation tothiii^M-
lot i becaufe he 4nds, that Che- /c/M>ut fprang from fomeocbor.
($) Kbrsn, r 7» (^) ?^ SLobtt^ (7) b Gem, lir. 7. tf .
J^HV, xxiv. 20,
fa
CIV. "The Hfftory of kmTltVi: 183
for fome time, the fame religion with their progenitors, Abraham^ Ifaac^ &c. if the latter, they gave, probal^ly, into all the abominations of their neighbours. Jofephus ^ mentions their idols ; but the Scripture terms them the idols of mount Seir \ fo that they feem to have more pro- perty belonged to tht Edomites^ than to the Amalekites.
Their arts, fciences, and trade, we can only pxt^s^XTbtirartfy from their fituation : for it is probable, they had the know- &c. lege^nd commerce of thofe times pretty much in common with their neighbours the £rf^W/^jk^ the Egypt latis^ and thofe of the fea-coafts of Judea. And this is the lefs dif- putable, as their king is pfaced in fo high a fphere of ma- ■ jefty, and themfelves ftiled the iirft of the nations, as we ihall fee anon. Much the fame may be faid of their man- ners, genius, and policy.
Concerning their government, thus much appears, Ti^^/V^^. that it was monarchical 3 and that the firft, or,atleaft,onevr/*i»e»/ff/, of the firft of their kings, was called Agag^ ; as was, alfo, their- laft ^ ; from whence it has been imagined, that all their intermediate kings bore the fame appellation.
The Amalekites reduced very early the country which T'i&fiV ^i- they feized on, when driven out of the land nf Edomjiory^ by the defcendants of Efau : and very remarkable it is, that they fuddenly grew up to fuch a height of power and fplendor, that their king is fpoken of as far above all others: for Balaam^ foretelling the future majefty of the 7nvijh ftate, exprefles himfelf, that their king Jhiill be tigher than A gag ; and ftiles them, the Jirjl of the na^ tions " ( ^) ; which feems to countenance the extraordinary
things
« * Antiq. I. ix. c. lo. ^ See before, p. 169. ^ Num.
xxiv. 7. "* 1 Sam. xv. 8. " Num. ubi fup. & vcr. 20.
(£) Their rife muft have been narchy, it could not have been
fadden ; for their kingdom was of much above forty years ftand-
not fo old as that of the Edom- ing. The expreflion oiAmalek's
itejf by whom they were driven being tbefirfiofthe nationsyour
oat of the land of Edom, The verfion turns otherwife, in the
kingdom of Edomites commen- margin, tbe firfi of the nations
€td at the exodus^ as we have that warred againft Ifrael.
ihewD, in the hiftory of that Much the fame turn does On-
people ( 16) ; and therefore kelos give it; but if we coro-
when Balaam expreiTed him-r pare what is faid of Agog him*
ielf in fo high a (b-ain con- felf but thirteen verfes before,
ccrning ^^j^, and his mo- we ihall not beat a lofs for the
(i€JSeekefirr,p, 1-;^,
M 4 rights
x94 ^^^ Hiftcry of Amalck. J, I,
thtitgs xktArahan hiftorians have concerning the u^in«/iei^ ites : as that they conquered Egypiy and pofleued tfae tbronc of that kingdom for feveral generations? (F).
But, not to deviate from the authority we muft rely oq, it appears that this kingdoip was haughty and infoient in its very cradle: they no foqner heard, that the IfraelitesYai^ croiTed the Red Sea^ than they refulved to cut them off. The Scripture mentions none but jfrnalei-^ upon tbisoca- fifin ', which, whether it is fpoken of the king alone, or of the whol^ nation, 19 not agreed. Jo/ephus rqlates that they had no lefs than {\ve kings, who, confulting togetbefi joined forces with this view f (G} : he that as it wul, ^ jimalekites fell on the rear of the IfracHtes as they ii^reoq full march from Repbiditn to mount Honb, Some havock they made ; but it returned feverely upon themfelves, as foon as Jojhua could ^et ^e fighting men into order ; bf whom, being, in thei^- turn^t ailaulted, a long and bloody battle enfued ; but, in the end, the Jimalekites were put to 4 precipitate flight, with the heavy doom on their head, that|
P Sep before, p. 116— 119. ^ £xod. xvli. %. r JoiBrE. antiq. 1. iii. c. 2.
righty or, at leaft, natural explii is faid by as of the CmmMmU^
cation of the paffiige before us; to have fled into Jifiie (i8)i
which, doubdefs, means, that and that the AmalekittM were
they were the greatefl,and moil fometimes coiiiprebeiidc^ under
noble nation of that time: and the general denominatioii of
this is the mod generally ap- Tbaenicians^ may be obfervoi
proved opinion. In LeClere*s hereafter, verfion they are filled the frft- (G) VfYiZtJsfephus heic&ys,
fruits of the nations i by which, need not be fuppofed to implr,
in his commentary, he under- that the AmaUkites were oivi*
flands them to have been the ded into many kingdoms. It is
moft antient and potent nation, po/Iible, and very protable.tbat
and to have been before any of lome of the petty kings of C«<*
thofe which proceeded from the naan joined the king of jbui*
loins of Abraham and Lot. lekitis now, as he did iova^ of
(F) What the Arabic hiftory the Canaanites afterwards, to
fays of thcfe AmaUkites^ bears prevent the Ifraelites from en-
»n affinity with what the Egyp- tcring their borders. This jon-
tian records report of the Pbae- 6lion may have been pafledorer
nician (hepherds ; for they were ^yJW^/,who thought it enougb^ i
at length expelled by the na- that he mentioned the princiml |
mes [ 1 7), and are fuppofed, as and ring-leader of the aJSaoitr
(17) Ex lihro Mirt^. Csinatiia: (ihj i^il Reland. Paiafi, t/kp.
for
CIV. ^t Hiftcry of AxMltk. j»4
for this outrage, their name Jb^utd be put out frem undir beaven K
In the mean time, however, itpleafed GoD.tom^ke ufe of them, in conjunfiion with feme of the Canaanites^ as bis inftruments to punifli the difobedience of the IfraeU itesj attempting to enter the Land offromife^ in contra** 4i^on to the exprefs decree of Goo,that not one of theoi» from twenty years and upwards, ibould fet foot in it (4 The (laughter the Amalekites helped to make of the Ifrael- iiis^ upon this occaTion, will be told in the hiftory of Ca--
After this, they feem to have mifled no opportunity of haraffing the Jewi/b nation, till they were ripe for the fxcifion denounced againft them. They confederated with JEglon king of Moahy and the Ammonites u, and a^erwarda with the Midianitef under Zebah and Zalmunna^ to root put the Ifraelites^ and poflefs themfelves of the land, as tbey had vainly projeded : but what fuccefs they had in the attempt, and how they, in the end, fell by their oiftk fwords, and thofe of their friends and allies, we have al^ r.eady related at large M^.
After this, there is a very wide gap in the hiftory of Year.ctf this people, which reaches even to the days of Saul, At flood this time, their king was a very graceful perfon, and of no- iaj3. Ue prefence and addrefs, which flood him in good {lead : Bef.Chr« for, on account of thefe perfonal accomplifliments, was his *^9S' Ijferpared, itfeems, in the general maflacre of his fubje^'. ^ut, with all this fpecious outfide, he is upbraided as an in- folent and mercileis tyrant; and in his reign the nation was grown ripe for the exciiion they had been threatened with about four hundred years before : and, as a forerunner of it, the Kenites were warned to leave their country, and feek ipme other feat, left they ihould be involved in the impend- ing calamity ^. As foon as the Kenitt$ had obeyed the fummons, the Amalekites vfere invaded by Saulj at the head of two hundred and ten thoufand men (H). Not being
• Exod. ubi fup. 8—16. ' Num. xiv. 29, 30. » See before, p. 123. ^ See p. ij6— 161. * Jossph. antiq. L in. c. 8. y See before^ p. 157^
(ti)yo/epbus makes this arniy ites coal^ hardly efcape, if they
to have confided of no more attempted to flvany-whm( 19}.
than 70,000 men, and tells us. But tins is faid 9,t randqmjias we
that the country was fo poflef- think, (ed by them> that the ^nalek-
(i^J Jfpph, ant if* /, vi, €, 8«
aUc
1 86 The Hiftery of Amalek. B. I.'
able to make head againft fo numerous an army, they were all cut off, except ^tff, and fome who had the good luck to make their efc^ipe, or conceal themfelvea in places where they were not difcovered : neither mother nor fucking child were fpared, and the whole country was laid wafte. ^^m^ and the heft of the cattle, only were fuflcred to life. However, /!gag did not long enjoy this favour ; fox Samud no fooner heard, that he was alive, than he fent for him, and, notwithilanding his infinuating addrefs, and the vain hopes with which he flattered himfelf, that the bittermfi §f death was pajfed^ he hewed him to pieces, or caufed him to be hewed by others, in Gi/galj before the Lord *•
The poor remnant of the jfmalekittSy who efcaped the fword of Saul J returned to their defolate country, and lived there in peace, it feems, till fuch time as Davidj obliged to fue for protection to Achijhy king of the Philifiinesj againft the hatred and jealoufy of Saul^ hzd Ziklag allotted tohiAi. At this time the jfmaUkites are mentioned as afTocia ted with the Gejhurites and Gezerites (I). Tht Amalekius^ thus re- covering flrength, were flaughtered, once nrore, by thdr new and near neighbour Davidj who thought it, perhajN, a duty incumbent on him to complete the work which Saul had left uniinifhed. Thus once more were the>£iif" lekites^ men and women, butchered and difperfed, their country laid wafte, and all the cattle that came in theeiK* my*s way driven off «.
The Amalekites meditated revei^ for this cruel injurfi
as they, doubtlefs, called it ; and, muftering their ftreng^,
went up to Ziklagy the abode of Davidj who happened
then to be abfent with his fmall party, fo that the townwai
left defencelefs : wherefore they eafily made themfclvo
Year of matters of the place, and confumed it with fire; but fpaied
flood the inhabitants ; which, confidering what they had futtcred
1293. fo lately from Davidy might pafs for a great piece oi mo-
Bef. Chr. deration, if they had not fome farther views in prefervisg 1055.
^'^^^^'^^ X I Sam. XV. 32, 33. Joseph. 1. vi. c. 9. * i Sam. xxvii-g.
(I) Who thefcGeJhuriiis and nally of this country ; brtM
Gezerztes were, is uncertain, nations nvere, of old^ the inka*
They are taken for reliques of bitants of tbt lami^ as tbtup'
the Canaanites (20] ; but, by efi /«Shur, iven unto the Inm^f
the words of the text, it might Egypt (21). be imagined, they were origi-
(20) Vtdt Citric. & Pstrky, upm i Sim. xxvii. (ai) I Sam, xxf S. t
tbcffli
C TV. "ihe Hiftory of Amalck. 1 87
them (K). Among their captives were David's two wives, Abhtaam the yezreelite^ and Abigail^ who had been wife to Nabal the Carmelite* Having thus fucceeded to their wifh, -they - refolved to fccure what they had got, by an expedi- ^tious return homewards, determined not to flop by the way till theyfhould reach fome place equally fafeand agreeable. Hurrying on with this precipitation, they left behind one of their number, an Egyptian by birth, who could not keep pace with them. Davids in the mean time, having notice of the revenge the Amalekites had taken on him, purfued them very eagerly ; gnd, in his way, took this Egyptian^ who informed him of the place where they intended to halt. The Amalekites arrived at the appointed place, and gave a loofe to mirth and jollity, recreating themfelves fcveral days together : as they wer(S in this carelefs pofture, they were difcovered by David from the neighbouring hills, to^- wards the clofe of day ; and,after they had fpent thewhole night in debauchery, they were fet upon by him and his men, and flaughtered from break of day till funfet; ib that not a foul of them efcaped the edge of the fword, ex* cept four hundred young men, who rode upon dromedaries, and who, leaving all their companions and booty behind ihem, were burdened with nothing but the doleful news of fo dreadful a misfortune, after fuch uncommon fuccefs in their attempt upon Ziklag '.
Thus by degrees were the Amalekites reduced ; and at lafl the fatal blow was given them in the days of He%ekiah^ hy the Simeonites \ who, having utterly deftroyed and di- fperfed them, poffefled themfelves of their country : fuch is the imperfeft account we have of the deftru6tion of the Amiilekites : as Balaam had prophefied long before, ^imalek was the firft of the nations 5 hut his latter end fliall be, that beperijb for ever "".
' • Sam. XXX. •• Sec i Chrpn. iv. 40—43. • Num.
pdv. 20.
(K) It is ^idy they were a iowed a conje£lare of ourowq,
poor covetous people, who in- they kept their prifoners alive .
tCDded to fell them for flaves, to fupply the lofs of thofe who.,
and make money of them (22) ; had lately perifhed by the hand
prwantedfervants for their own of David i and this does not
ufe, and therefore (hewed this feem to be a very lUmaturaJ
g^rcy. But if we may be ai- fuppoiition,
^zi) Sii Patrick an i Sum* XUU 2. & Cleric*
But
X 8 8 Tbe Hiftorj of Gmaan J B. I.
But afterwards a man of Amalekitijh blood had taluo ample revenge on the Jews^ had not GoD interpofedf as it were, by a miracle ; for Haman is called .an Agagiti or J[malekite\ and it is well known how near he was having the pleafurc of feeing his bloody defigns againft the yews put in execution ; but this fa£l, being traniacbd in another couo- txy and period, muft be related elfewhere. However, it may be called the laft a£l of the Amakkites'^ and therefixt we fhall clofe with it this fedtion.
SECT. VL
^be Hifiory of Canaan.
WE have already » given the hiftory of the anceftonef this nation, and of their origin ; and therefore flial not repeat it here.
Canaan the fon of Ham^ die Ton of Ncah^ had ekvoi
fons, Sidon or Zidon^ Hethy Jibujij Em0ri or jfmcriy Gir^
or Gergajhij Hivi or Hevi^ Arcbi or Arki^ Stmt
frvadij Zemari^ and Hamathi. Thefe were the fiidien of
the following tribes or nations ; the Sidonians or Xiiomns^
the Hettites or Hittites^ th^jebujitesj the Emoritis or
jlmoriteSj the Gergajites or Cfergajhites^ the Hivkes or
HeviteSi the Arkifes or Archites^ the SiniUs, the Arva£ttSy
the Zemarites and the Hamathites \ Five of thefe are
known to have dwelt in the land of Canaan^ the Hittitts^
the Jebujites^ the Emorttes^ the Gergafitesj and the HivlUs.
To thefe are added two others, the Perizzites and Cu-
naanites ; and thefe make up the feven primary nations of
tiie Canaanites : but how the Perizzites came to be a
diftindl body, or whence the Canaanites are peculiarly fo
called, is a difficulty that can, at beft, be only guefled at
Thefe feven nations laboured in particular under the evil
influences of the curfe denounced by Noah againft their
ungodly anceftor Ham^ being doomed in the end to ex-
pulfion, excifion, or fubjeSiion. Whether the fix other
nations we have mentioned are to be reckoned among die
inhabitants of the land of Candan^ by us commonly b
called, is affirmed by fome, and denied by others, who
think they were exempt from the ruin which was to light
on the other feven i being countenanced by the filenoc
which is obferved concerning them in the wars the other
ArVi
■ Sec vol.i, p, 268, 274, 275. ^ Gen. x. 15.
C. IV. Tie Hijiory $/ Canaan. 189
Canaanita hzd with Jojbua and his fucceiTors. For therein is no mention made of the Stdonians^ the Arkites^ the SimteSj the Arvaditesj the Zemaritesy or the HatnathiUs ; which is ver^ remarkable, feeing they were primary na- tions or families* We therefore are of opinion, that they were not included ; elfe fo many petty ftatcs or kingdoms could never have been particularized, and they paflcd over. We muft therefore feek for thefe fix original tribes elfc- where. It cannot well be doubted but the k\Qn nations, as they are called, were fubdivided into many little king- doms I we fay little, fince we mufl: look for them all with-* in the narrow limits of Joft)ud*s conquefts. Within that final] compais we have no fewer than the following num- ber of Canaanitijh kings, faid to be fubdued by him ^ the king of yerichoy the king of Aiy the king of yerufalemy the king of llebrony the king of Jarmuthy the king of Lachijb^ the king of Eglon^ the king of Gezer^ the king of Dehir^ the king of Geder^ the king of Hormahy the king of Arad^ &c king of Liifnahy the king of Adullam^ the king of ^^i^- kidaby theking of Betb^el J Ae king of Jappuah^ the king oi HiphiTy the king of Apheky the king of Lajharon or SharQHj the king of Madon^ the king of Haxovy the king of Sbimron-meron^ the king of Achjhaphy the king of Taanachy the Vingof Megiddoy the king of Kedejby the king of Jonk-- mam of Carmel, the king of Dor^ the king of the nations of Gilgaly and the king of Tirzahj thirty-one in all c (A) ; Who were either all, or moft of them, comprehended under the primary denominations of the feven nations, the /iiV- titesy the jehufitesy the AmoriteSy the GirgaJhiteSy Hivites^ Pirizxitesy or Canaanites (B) properly or peculiarly fo caI-»
c Joihua xii. 9-*24.
(A) But we muft not for this received much hurt from 7^
fuppoie there were no more fifua.
than thirty-one in the whole (B) In thefe feven we may
coantry who bore the royal fuppofe the tea nations com«
title. Thofe are only men- pnfed that were promifed to
boned who were conquered by Abraham^ the KmittSy the Kg' .
y^fiua. The Scripture hiftory nixsdtesy the KadmvmttSy the
acknowkges, that the Ca- Hittites^ the PerizsuUsy the '
suuadtis were never wholly lUphaimt the AmoriteSy the Ca*
fubdued by him ; whence we maamtest the Girgq/kitesy and
may infer^ that many had the yebufitts (i). We may
dtt .ddc.of kingy who never touch on thismatter anon,
■ *
(X) Gmf. XT. X9- -ai.
lcd»
ipa The Hifiory of Canaan. R !•
led. Nor were thefe all the branches of the Canaaniusj who were poffcfled of the Land ofpromife. But the de- fcription of this country, and its feveral di^dftons or can- tons, we referve to the general defcription of PaUfiinty where we (hall aflign a peculiar place to each, at leaft, of the primary nations. ^heir cw To fpeak here of the cuftoms, manners, arts, fciences, ftomSf &c. and language of thefe feveral nations, we may fuppofej that in fome points they diflfered widely from eacii other, according as their fituation led them into different courfcs of life. We need not fay, that the Canaanites on the fca- fide were merchants, in which capacity we (hall confider them at large, when we come to fpeak of them as Phcpitt' dans ; for by that name, it is commonly agreed, they were afterwards known to the Greeks : accordingly tfie SeveMj^ inftead of the kings of the Canaanites, which were by thijw^ have rendered it, the kings of the Phoenicians, on the JtM' coafi. And, by the fame, the whole land of Canaan is called the country of the Phoenicians y, though thofe only were properly fo called who inhabited the fea-coaft : and thefe we fhall dwell upon more particularly under thehead of antient Phoenicians, The other Canaanites j who had an inland fituation, were employed in pafturage partly, and partly in tillage, and in the exercife of arms, m whidi dw will be feen to have been \^e]l verfed. Thofe who dvwit in the walled cities, and fixed abodes, cultivated the land, as we may fuppofe ; and thofe who wandered about, a particularly the Perizzites feem to have done, grazed cat- tle, or carried arms. So that it is eafy to difcern among them the feveral diflinft claffes of merchants, and confe- quently feamen, of artificers, foldiers, (hepherds, and huf- bandmen, if not ftudents. As much as they were divided in intercft and ways of life, we fhall perceive by didr hiftory, that they were ready to join in the common caufe; that they were very well appointed for war, whether dfio^ five or defenfive j that their tovims were well fortified^ wd themfclves well furniffaed with weapons to fight in'tb field ; that they particularly had warlike chariots, fodrefeit^ ful among the antients, and which they are thou^ tst have borrowed from the Egyptians (F) ; that they >fj^.
^ Joa. cap. V. com. i, la,
■
(F) This iff biihop Cumber^ part of them to Ime-diDda- tand's thought^ who fuppofes a two hundred years In Bgyfii 4 ' aol
C. IV. Tbe Hifiory of Canaan. 191
daring, obftinate, and almoft invincible ; and, in the exam- ple of the Gibeonites beneath, we fhall fee they wanted not . cxaft and policy- The language they fpoke was, it fecms, well underilood by Abraham ; for, by what appears, he converfed very readily with them, upon all occafions ; but, for their manner of writing, whether they had any origi- nally of their own, which, confidering all things, cannot well be doubted, or whether they had it in common with the other nations then fubfifting m that part of the world, who all fpoke the fame tongue, or very nearly the fame, or whether they borrowed it at firft from the Ifraelitesy may be confidercd when we come to fpeak of the Hebrew lai^age K
They retained the pure religion quite down to the days TbiimU' {3S Abraham, who acknowleeed ^^/<:^//^^^i to be pricft of^iM. |he moft high God; and Melchifedek was indifputably a Canaanitej or, at leaft, dwelt there at that time in high cfteem and veneration (G). They never offered to moleft Abraham ; on the contrary, they were ready to oblige him in every tfiing, a noble example of which we have in the behaviour and good intentions of Ephron towards him in the afiFair of the cave oi Machpelah, To dwell no longer on this fubjefi, we muft hence allow, that there was not a general corruption of religion among the Canaanites at this day ; but.it muft be granted, that the .very Hittitesy fo feemingly commendable in the days of Abraham-^ degenerated apace,
s See Shucicford*s conned, of the ikcr. and prof. hid. fol. L book 2. p. 100. See alfo univ. hiH. vol. i. p. 356.
and that the Canaanites and the moft likely to give the If-
Pirizxites, when named toge- raelites trouble (lo). ther. mail be underftood of (G) Sir Ifaac Newtoa (ii)
tkofe mingled tribes of all the concludes, that they perfevefed
CoMoamteSf who had been en- in the true religion till the
gaged in fierce wars with the death of Melchifedek ; but that
EgyfHam ; and farther, that afterwards they fell from it»
thefe two bodies are particu* and began to embrace idolatry,'
larly marked down for deftruc- now fpreading, as he thinks^
don, as they were the moft from Cbaldea. They are faid
warlike and skilful in martial to have been given to the fa-
aflSdn, training up their chil- perftitions of the antlentP/r^
cben to the fame difopline, and Jians (12).
(10^ Sh Cumberland mgin, gtntt anthu* f, 132, 133. (11) Chromi» of Mt. tojMT^hwJ amendtd;^ 188. {izj Sit'^ckfhrirt X9m:^* offacr^ Mnd
fnf, bijit VQi% u bwk V, ^0 SZS* ' -••*•■ - ■ y
fmce
^e Hyiory ef Canaan." B. L
fince they were become the averfion of Ifaac and Rebekab^ who could not endure the thoughts of didr fon JacoVs marrjring among the daughters ofHetby as their fon EJam had done^ to their great grief'. So that about this tune we muft date the rife of (H) thofe abominations which fub*- je£ted them to the wtzA of G0D5 and made them un* worthy of the land which they pofTefled. In the days of Afofes they were become incorrigible idolaters ; for he com- mands the I/raelites to ieftroy their altars ^ and break down their images ^ ftatues or pillars, and cut down their groves (I), and burn their graven images with fire. And^ left they ihould pervert the Ifraelites^ the latter were ftridly in- joined not to rntermarry with them j but to finite them^ and utterly dejiroy tbem^ nor Jhew mercy upon them **. By this we may form an idea of their abominable errors. They are accufed of the cruel cuftom of facrificing men^ and are (aid to have pafled their feed through fire to Mo' loch ^, The cuftom of facrificing men they are charged with, as being the anceftors of the Phoenicians \ and there- fore we fhall not repeat what we have already d faid on that fubjefl:, nor anticipate what we may have to add in our Phoenician hiftory. Their morals were as corrupt as
• See before, p. 163. ^ Dcut. vii. i-— 5. ^ Levit.
xviii. 21. See before, p. 140—142. <* See vol. i. p.
314.
(H) It is the opinion^ how- 6ut» befides that the original
tver, of bifhop Cumberland [ 13), may as well be rendered, thver^
that the Canaanites were ido- // ; a//&. the grove that was
kters before the congrefs of over the altar; we fhall ihew in
Me/cbifede^ and Mraiam, which the fequel, that thofe groves
we know not how to allow. were not only very common^
(I) The original word ajba- but defigned to conceal tkeir
rim^ which we render gropes, impious rites. Sir .^/aac New*
U by ibme underilood to mean ton remarks upon the whole
the wooden images of ^izr/^; paftage, that the Canaamtet
they snflanceG/Viftfff's throwing had no temples. Mofes com*
down the altar, and cutting manded Ifrael to deftroy the
down the grove, that was by altars^ images^ high-plaas^ and
\Ky or« as the Hebretu and LXX groves of the Canaanites 1 but
have it« upon it ; which they made no mention of tbdr tern*
urge could not be the grove, ples^ashe^uoouldha'uedone^bai
but the image upon it (14). there been any in thofe days {i^).
(i 3) Origin, genu avtiqulf, p, 4^7. (14) Scidm de diit Syritjynttignu &. (iSj Cbrttfl. of ant, Hngd/amttuUJ, />. 22X,
their
C. IV. ne.H^ary §f Canaan. 193
their doArine ; adultery^ beftiality pf all forts, profana- tion, inccft, and all manner of uncleannefs, are the fins laid to their charge, and which brought on the calamities they were doomed to ^ : and this may ferve as a fupplement to the charaiiSer of this people, after they erred from the right way.
Concerning their government thus much may be^-^^y^. iaid. That they were comprehended under a great number <j^^,^,„^/. of fiates, and under fubje£Uon to limited chiefs or kings, as they are called ; and tranfadled all their bufmefs in po- pular aflemblies : fo Abraham bowed not down to the king of the children of Heth^ but to the children of Httb \ fo Ephren fecms to have treated with Abraham with the par- ticipation of his whole tribe : fo Hamor kiiig of Shechem^ would not conclude upon what anfwer he fhould make to fhe propofals of the fons of Jacobs till he had confulted his citizens s and throughout all their tranfaclions the fame tenor of conduiS): in their princes will be obferved by every attentive reader : nor is it likely, that fo many petty king- doms ihould have been flanding when Jajhua invaded them, had exorbitant ambition and lufl of rule been known among them ; but as nature, perhaps, taught them. That every man as an individual, and every flate as a colle£live body, is free and independent, fo they may thereby have been reflrained from invading each other's rights, or elfe one or a few mufl have fubdued the refl ; and, though this opinion may be combated by the ambitious cruelty oi Ado^ muhik c, that one example can have no more force againfl diis argument than a fmgle exception has to a general rule : that the main body of them thought and a£led upon differ- ent principles, af^ears pretty plain. This is as much as we need, or can well fay concerning their government, laws, and policy.
We now come to their hiflory, the beginnings of which 72#iV hU ar6 too dark and unfettled for us to dwell on them, and tooftorj. much incunibered with the hypothefes of the great men, who have turned their thoughts towards their antiquities. Wherefore, taking Scripture, and the natural lights re- lieved from it, iat our principal guides, we fhall }ufl toudi upon what the learned have advanced from their own ftock* When we confider the fituation and diflance of ^ this country t we cannot but think it was at firfl peo« pled hj Canaan and his defcendants upon the firfl difper*
* Lcvit. xviii. 21. « Judg. c. x. vcr. 7, k feq.
Vol. n. N fion
1^4 ^^^ Hifiory of Canaan. B. I |(
fion after the flood (K)« What concerns they originaDj la had with Egypt ^ are rather guefled at than confirmed to |? us, in refp^ of the time when they were tranfa£tcd ^ bnti finding that there was a fettled averfion amoi^ the Efj* ptians^ in the days of yacob^ againft fuch as fed cattle, it ii thought the Phoenician fhepherds or Canaaniies may have warred upon, and opprefled the Egyptians^ before Jbruham removed into Canaan ; though this is liable to fome ob- jc£tions (L) : therefore we muft here acknowlege, as nt did formerly, our great ignorance in this matter, and di& tisfa£tion with what the learned have advanced upon it AH we can pretend to in this matter, is to mark out the times in which the learned pretend to fix what Mandk tells us of the Phoenician ftrangers in Egypt. In confomii^ to this, it is pretended ^ , that fome of them, upon the ifi- creafe of their families, being ftreightened for want of taaa^ moved fouthwards, as ^(t/^j intimates, as others did nofdn wards, fuch as the Hamathite and Jrvadite\ and that the former penetrated far into Egypt ^ or at leaft pofleiled tfaem- felves of the Arabian fide of that country, which thcj will have was Gojhen. Here, fay they, did thcj fiettk^ even under Mizraim himfelf j creded a feparate kuigdoD} and, differing from the pure Egyptians in religious m^toi) and in way of life, fierce contentions arofe between them, which ended in their total cxpulfion in the manner we for- merly related in the hiftory of Egypt 3 and this, lay dief, happened in the days of Abraham.'
Thb vale of Siddim^ where Sodom and Gonarrab ftoodi was within the bounds of the antient country of CgnaM\
ii
^ See Cumberland on Sanchoniatho, p. 351, 352, fifi* & Bedford's Scripture chronol. p. 201, 202^ 250^ 251, 25I1
253> 337-
(K) There is an old tradi- Shem to their rightful poftf-
tion which fays otherwife ; for iion (16). it tells us, that this country (L) For wethinkitispictqr
did originally belong to the obvious, that the EgMim
children of Shm, by virtue of muft have looked on Jirdm
a diviiion made among the as a Pbcemcian or CanmMm^
fons of Noah ; but that the paftor» when he wai annf
children of Canaan difpoileffed them ; but we do not find, tilt
them (15) : whence it is ar- they had any averfion to hirt 1^
gued, that God did but ftrid on that account: ^econtiaryii ^^
juftice in redoring the line of certain (17}.
(lO Efii>bAareJ. 46. 11.84. (16) Fil JUucJfi pentat. (ij)k frc
CtM, XU.
m
C. IV. Tb€ HifiOry of Cahaitt.
the (cene of the firft action we find, for certaih» of this people. The inhabitants of this vale were invaded by ChidarlaomeTy king of Elam^ and reduced to a tribute ( M ), which they paid for twelve years fucceffively ; but in the thirteenth diey rebelled, and this drew on them a fecond war» which we £ball fpeak of anon.
In the mean time the other parts of the country received Year of" Jhraham with great hofpitality and veneration, two or flood 427. three years after this invafion ; but, foon aftbr his arrival^ Bef. Chr. the whole land was opprefied by famine, and the Cdnaaniu 1921* b now expreflv faid to have been in the land (N). The dearth drove Abraham into Egyp : whence we learn, that the whole country at this time was in great want \ The famine was of no long continuance, and Jtrabam, re- tumii^ into this country, found that the Pirizzite was alio in the land ; whence it is thought, they are fpoken of as new comers^ and that they had lately been expelled fix>m Egypt^ or, dreading an cxpulfion, had voluntarily for- Taken that kingdom \ and the rather becaufe Abraham and Lot feem now to have been ftreightened for want of room^ which caufed their feparation, as if the country was now become more populous than they at firft found it (O). It
^ Gen. xii. io. Jos&Pk. and^. l.i. c. 9.
(M) By an old tradition we have already mentioned, this war upon the inhabitants of the vale of SUdim was a very jaft one ; for if it be true, that the land of Canaan^ of which this was nndoubtedly a part, originally belonged to the chil- dren of Sbem^ from whom it was forcibly taken by the chil- dren of Htf«(i8), no wonder that the kings of the eaft, who were of that defcent, laid claim to thii coontry in general, and to diit moft lovely fpot in par- CiCoIar» lor Elam defcended from Shim (19).
(N) Aoeording to what you read in the preceding note, this
means no mote, than that the Canaanitis had invaded the country before Abraham cam^ thither. But we mud remem* bet, that this is building a fu- perftrudlure upon a very weak foundation, a tradition : much the fame may be faid upon thei paflage afterwards, that theF^- rixxites were alio ih the Itod.
(O) But upon this we may ftatt one qu^ion^ which in this cafe cannot be readily anfwer- ed ; How came fuch a weak prince as Hamor king of She- cbifti to have ib much ground to fpare, as he afterwards talks of, when he hoped to make an union with Jacob (20) ?
|
(18) ^ tbeprtadingfagi^ {K)i |
(19) Gen» z. X2« |
(ac) S(€ |
|
Goi.XXliv* 21, |
||
|
N 2 |
was |
^be Hifiory of Canaan. B. 1
was at this time that the whole land was promifed to Abra*
r The five kings of the vale of Siddim^ Bera king of
^.Sodomy Birjha king of Gomorrah^ Sbinab king of Mmahy
'. Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela or Z^ar^
' rebelled in the thirteenth year after they had been fubdued
J by Chedorlaomer^ as we have already obferved. Wherefore
Chedorlaomer and his allies marched hither again iH die
fourteenth year, taking feveral other nations or tribes in
his way; or rather he fetched a circuit to come at them,
reducing, among others, the HoriteSy the Amdlekitesj and
the Jmprites of Jia%e%ontamar. At laft he fell on the five
kings of Siddhrii who were refolved to difpute their righti
with him ; but they fell under the preffure of the enemy
once more ; and all the inhabitants were either flain in
battle, carried into captivity, or obliged to fly for flidter
to their cities and mountains. Sodom and Gomorrah^ and
the reft, were pillaged with the utmoft. rigour. Among
the prifoners was Lot ; but he was foon refcued by Ahra"
At this time Melchifedek (P) was king of Salemj and
prieft
* Gen. xiii. 14, & feq. ^ Gen. xiv. 16.
(P) Thejenvs will have him to have been Sbem, unwilling to own, that their father (hould have had any fuperior among the Canaanites ; and they are not without their advocates among the ChritHan writers, and fome of them very emi- nent : we will give the words of a very learned prelate of oar own church upon this point . . I am glad that I can cite Grotius to abet my opinion [That Melchifedek was the Shem of Mo/es^ and the juil « judge of P/&/V(? Byblius] thus far, that he faith in his notes on Hebr, vii. i. Melchifedek is the man meant by Sydic in Philo Byblius, And that «« Shem had this title oiMel-
tc
ft
€(
€t
€€
«
chifedekf or thejufi ktMg^ as Pompey was ordinarily called Magnus, and 0<f?iia;iM called AugufiuSi is the jadgment of the eldeft and leamedeft JewSf and of many modern learned men in Jewifib anti- quity ; to whofe ju<i^;ineBt herein I fubfcribe with great iatis^dion. And» whereas ** others think him fome finall king of CanaoHt I concor thus far with them, that I believe he neither had, nor fought, any large dominions forhimfelf (21) .... This then is a favourite opinion, we fee; and no doubt the great man, whofe words thefe are, had perfefUy fatisfied himfelf, that the thing muft have been
<c
it
u
tt
€€
«t
it
it
€t
U tt
tt
tt
(21) Cumberland m Sgncbsriitbo, f* 174*
fo.
rV. 5R&f H0ory of Canaan.
\ alio of the moft high God (Q^) : and as Abraham returning from the war, he prefented him with bread
and
197
Bat as eminent a prelate of oar own di&rs fb far die fi»rmer» whofe words ave given above, that be en how any Chriffian can tain fach a notion, foevi- jrdeftroyedby theapofUe tHihrtws (23), where it icfly iaid, that Mglchiftdik not ytnftKTykfAp^ c^ r, his defcent or pedigra Mf c9MnUdfrom th$m ^the ]; which is not true of . <' Nor could Shim be 1 to be trnthout fathtr §r thtr, whofe genealogy is ident from Mam. Nor 8 ^i&««i^8 priefthood, if he 1 any, ofa different order im Livi^s, who was in his OS, as well as in the loins Abraham. And therefore cannot be (aid, that Ltvi d him tythes in the loins Abraham i but it would as true, that he received iies in the loins of Shsm, r, according to this inter* station, he was in the loini '}k of him that received hes, and of him that paid an ; and fo the whole ar- (Dentation of the apoftle is to the ground, fiat, ting afide theie, and other fifiian reafons, there is caofe, that we can difeem, \f Mofes fhould call Shim iiom he fo often mentions) aj^ other name than his n : nor is it likely, that reigned in the land of
* Canaan, which now was in
* the pofTedion of his brocher^s ' fon. Nor could Abram be *' iaid to jtjowm there as in a
* ftrange country^ if his noble ' anceltor Shem had been king ' there (24). Thefe argu- ments mull be allowed to be \cxy flrong, and it is pretty clear, that the notion which ol>- tains among ^tje^fi writers, is of no very antient date. Jo- fepbus exprefly calls Melchifedek a potentate if the Canaanites (25). The Arabians deduce him from Peleg (26). To pafs over fome notions of the church , and of fome heretics concern- ing him, which are wide from our preient purpoie; he was both a king and a priefl ; which offices were antiently joined in one per&n, of which feveral inilances are obferved in antient writers, both Greek and Ra-
(QJ Salem is by Jofepbus [27) called Solymai who alio lays, that Melchifedek was the £rft founder of it ; that he eredcd a temple in it, and offi* dated as a prieft, calling it Je* rufalemi whereas its former name was Solyma. But what he (ays in this cafe has no weight with the moft accurate 9pd learned of the Chriflian writers, who^ for the OkoSt part, have a different notion. There is a Salem mentioned in the ^ew TeiUment (28) ; which is fappo(ed jU> have been the
Set Patrick uptn Gen. Xit. 18. (23) Heb. vii. 6. (24) Idem
(»5) De beUt Judaic. I. vii. c. 1%. (26) Hotting, fmeg.
^. SS^, a6o, 306. {2.^) Idim ubi fupr, {2.%) Jibn'm. ^7^
N 3 fame
srtt Hijlory of Canaan. B. I.
and wine (R) ; that is, gave him an entertainment, and received from him tythes of all (S); having blefled him in the name of the moft high God, pofleflfor or creator of heaven and earth. The kmg of Sodom was at thb remark- able interview, and feems to have afted a verv generous and modeft part, claiming nothing of all that Abraham ha4 retaken from the ejiemy,* except the perfons of his fub- jefts, leaving the reft to his difcretion : but he met with as generous a return from Abraham j who, fo far as in him lay, m^de hinn^ ample reftitution of all that belonged ta him, whether perfons or goods j but Aner^ EJbcoly and Mamre^ his Canaanitijh confederates, who virere all three Amorites^ were left to do as they pleafed 1 5 and how far they followed Abraham^ % example, is not faid. f For fifteen years there is an utter filence as to the i.aflfairs of this people; but fome time after a fevere judg- r- ment was executed en the inhabitants of the vale of Sid- dim. Living in great eafe and affluence, they were grown *^ to fuch a height of impiety, that they left no room for mercy ; which if it could have been obtained by the interceflion of Abraham^ they had been delivered from the wrath of God now, a? they had been fornierly refcued by
^ Cen.xiv. 21, ^fcq,
fkme where Mehhi/edek reign- meat and drink, which he of-
ed (29). The Arabians will fered to ^^r^^/r/^y, according to
have ity that Jerufaiem was the hofpitality of thofe times :
built by twelve neighbouring eating of bread, in the Scrip-
kingSy who, touched with a ture phrafe, is feafling.
deep veneration for Melchife- (S) It is remarked (32), that
dek, built it in honour of him, the words of the text itfclf are
or for his convenience; which fo ambiguous, that there would
when they had done, he called have been no knowing whether
it Jerufaiem {10). it was ^^r<j/&49M that gave, or
(R) As he is generally ac- Mekhifedeky had not the apo-
knowleged to have been a file (33) explained it: whence
type of Chriil, fo fome have Eupolemus thought Melcbifedek
discovered, in this bread and had beflowed gifts vpon Abra-
wine, a near relation to the fa- ham. Of what kind the tythes
crament of the Lord*s fupper: were that Mdchifedek received
but this is a pious mifiake ; the from Abram, is not known \
words of Mofes mean what but we may enlarge on this in
Jofephus (31) explains ; it was the life oi Abraham. ho more than a refreihment of
(2,9) See Patrick ubi fupr» (30) Etttycb, amnal, p, 67. (31) Arttif,
/. i. c. 10, (32) See Patrick ubi [ufr.njtr. I^, (33) Hebrews y'lu
ver* 2.
his
C IV. ne Htfiory of Canaan. zj)9
his arm out of the hands of their enemies. The fin they fufiered for, already well known >», has, from the chief city of that vale, Sodomy ever flnce borne the name of Sodomy. The particulars of this cataflrophe we have already given 0 in fpeaking of Loty and (hall now only fay, that the four cities of this fertile and pleafant fpot. Sodomy Gomorrahy Ad^ maby and Zeboiimy were deftroyed by a rain of brimftone and fire, or by thunder and lightning, and the whole vale was confumed Q^ and thenceforward became the Dead or Salt'fiay or lake Jfphaltites (T), 7'hus perifhed a branch of the Cana(inites with their whole territory ; favingthe city oSBekty henceforward called Zoar p.
The Hittitei after this treated with Ahrahamy who de- lired to purchafe the C2ive of Machpelahy for a burial-place; and their behaviour towards that patriarch well deferves a place here. In a public aflembly they offered him the choiceft of their fepulchres to depofit his dead in, and that in the moft refpe6Hul ternis. But, when he fignified his defire to have a feparate place for his family, and had caft his eye upon the cave of Machpelahy belonging to one of their tribe, called Ephron the fonof Zohary with whom he deiired them to intercede in his behalf; Ephron himfelf, whP i&. fuppofed to have prefided in this aflembly, generoufly oflEbred to make him a prefent, not only of the cavq he wanted to purchafe, but of the grouiyl or field adjoining, and prefied him much to accept of the offer : but, by the. poble fpirit of Abraham^ he was difappointed fo far as to be obliged to fell the field and the cave to him for four hun- dred fhekels, which he looked upon as a trifle between Abraham and him ; fo great was his defire of retaining th^ fiiyour and friendfhip ot that patriarchy
^ G^. 3iix. 4, U feq. " See before, p. 1 22. ^ Gen. ubi fupr. P^i^t. 3(xyc. 23. ' See before, p. 122. q Gen. xxiii. 1 1, & feq.
(T) How this terrible fab, it^or flaftiing along the furfiice Terfion wasefie^ed^ is thus ac- of it, kindled the combufbble Gocmted for. The vale being parts ( 3 5 }» whiclji had the dread- fall of flime-pits( 3 4), or places faleBedtof turning this once' whence naphtha sgod bitumen, inchancingpanadife into a loath-*, werecxtraded, it is fuppofed to feme lake. But we (hall fpeak have been uQiverfally ixnpreg- of this lake hereafter in the geo- nated with igneous matter ; graphy of this country, as it and the lightning, darting upon was under the Jews^
(34) Gen, xiv. 10. (35) Vidt Cleric, dijfcrtat, de Ssdoma fub--
%trj^wij ^.4.
N ^ NoTHINQ
TbeHifiory ^/Canaan. B.!.
Nothing occurs after this that we can take notice of here for the fpace of about one hundred and twenty-eight years. At this time reigned Hamor in Shechem^ a poor and weak kingdom ; though Hamor himfelf feems to have been worthy of a better dominion, and a better chance, than be- ,f fel him. He fold a piece of ground to Jacob ^^ and it hap« 4. pencd that Dinah the daughter of Jacob coming to fee and ir. converte with the daughters of the land, fhe was obfenred by Shechem the fon of Jlamor^ who, being taken with her ij charms, forced and deflowered her ; but, having a real paifion for her, and being fenfibly afFeded with the wrong he had done her, he womd have pacified and perfuaded her to confent to marry him. And, fpeaking alfo to his father HamoTf he intreated him to ufe his endeavours, that he might have Dinah for his wik. Accordingly Hamor went to Jacob to conmiunicate the ardent inclinations his fon had for Dinah j and to afk his confent. But the injury and aflPront were highly refented by Jacob's (bns, who were prefent, as was alfo Shechem himfelf. This laft, finding that the others were greatly exafperated at the violence he had committed on their fitter, ofiercd all the fitdsiadioQ they could wifli for, if they would but forgive him, and grant him her in marriage. Shechem thought he had gained his point upon the anfwer he received from them ; ^^ch was, that if he and all of his tribe or city would amfent to be circumcifed, he fhould have his fuit granted. Shechem willingly fubmitted to this painful propofal, and fo did his father Hamor for his fake ; for he had an efpecial love for him above all his other children. Wherefore, returning to the cit)^, they aflembied the people in the gate, and be- fpoke them to this efie£b ; that feeing Jacob and his family dwelt with them in great harmony, and there was full room for all, it would be very prudent to unite with them by reciprocal marriages ; that, indeed, there was an hard condition infifted on ; which was, that they fhould all be circumcifed ; but that the pain thereof would be amply compenfated by fuch an acccffion of wealth as mull flow in upon them by being one people with Jacob. The men of the city, partly out of affection to Hamor and She- chemj we may fuppofe, :ind partly upon the \sA confider.- ation, declared they were ready to be ciicunicifed \ and were circumcifed accordingly; but while they laboured
' Gen, xxxiii. i?, k fcqq.
under
C. iV. The Hifiory of Canaan. 2ox
under the inconveniencles of this compliance (U), upon die third day they were all fuddcnly cut ofF by two of yac^Vs fons at the head of their fervants ; and their wivesj children^ cattle, houlhold-goods, and all belonging to them, &U a prey to the fons of Jacobs Simeon and Levt^ the au- thors of fo cruel and bloody an attempt upon an helplcfs, and, to all appearance, innocent people 9. . Hitherto we have been obliged to give the hiftory of this people by incoherent pieces, and fo we muft con- tinue to do : there is no conne&ion, no fucccffive train of events to be expected here. When Mofes drew towards die borders of the Promifed landj for the iirft time, the Canaanites in the fouth-eaftem parts of the country were jpiined by the Amalikites i^, who, we may fuppofe, were eager to take their revenge upon the Ifraelites K Thefe, miderftanding that fpies had been in the land from Mofes^ drew towards the frontiers ; and the Ifraelites^ attempting to enter their territory againft the exprefs decree of God, were by them repulfed with great (laughter, quite to Hor- maiK
. Whether before or after this is not precifely known, Sihatij king of the /fmoritesy invaded the children oiMoab and Ammon^ and dirppfTeflTed them of their country on the Other fide Jordan^ and thq Dead Sea u ; this conqueft is celebrated by the moft antient poem ^ that is extant among piofkne writers. Arad (W) was king in thefouth-eaft of Canaan^ whenArad^ Itfes had a fecond time reached the borders of the Promifed
■^ Gen. xxxiv. per tot. ' Num. xiv. 43. * Seehefore, p. 1 84. ' Num. abi fiipr. ver. 45. " See before, p. i zg, 143. * Numb. xxi. 27.
«
(U) (36) " And began to be (W) It is doubted, whether
a little feverifli : for the this be the name of the king
^ sreateft pain and anguiih the himfelf» or of his city. There
" jewj obferved was upon the was a city of this name, and
*f third day after circumciiiony one of Canaau^s fons was (b
^ which very much indifpofed called, according to the LXX,
'* them (37). And indeed, and the Kulgat^ who h tn^nf*
** Hifpocrates £i/s the fame of late thcBeirenv ofJrvffd; who
*< all wounds ahd ulcers, that therefore may have given hit
'* chey are then moft inflamed name to this country,, aiid ihf
" by a conflux of iharp hu- city may haye been called ainr
" foouri to them.'* him (38}.
(16) Patrick upon Gen, xxxiv, ze,. (27) EUez. Pirke, c, ig,^&
F^jfi, 4tMnef0t. />. 9$. (38) Fide Patrick ^ Clcric\ in Namb, xxi. 1 .
• : hndi
TbeHiJiory ^/Canaan. • B.L
land s and, being informed of their coming by iS^t^way df fpies (X), he went out, attacked them, and took fevenu of them prifoners ; but, fortune changing, he was vanquifh'd by them, and his country utterly deftroyed ».
SiHON the Amorite foon after this, refiding in the an- tient country of the Moqbites and AfhmmiUs^ was intreated by meflengers from Mofes for a free paflage through hii^ country, in his way to Canaan : but this rcqueft he arro- gantly rejcfted ; and, inftead of complying, marched ouf againft him ; but it proved a very unfortunate expedition. He was defeated at Jaazer with a total overthrow, which was attended with the intire lofs of all he had, to Mofn and his people.
Og, king oiBaJhan^ is reckoned a king of the Amorites'fy
and was of the race of the giants, or Rephaim *, and the
^ very laft of them. His . iron bedfi-ead, of nine cubits in
"'length, we have already mentioned. He was a dreadful
^'^^ enemy *. His whole kingdom took its name from the hill
of Bajhan^ which is compared to God's hill^, and has
^fince been called Batanea. In it were no lefs than fixtf
walled towns, befidcs villages c. This country afforded an
excellent breed of cattle <), and fhitely oaks ^, In ihort, it
was a plentiful and populous territory. Of 's refidencc w»
at Ajhtarotb^ (Y) and at Edreif at or near which place he
was vanquifhed, as he was efpoufing the caufe of Sihmiy
. and attempting to flop the progrefs of Mofes and his pecH
* Ibid. ver. i, 2, 3. ^ Dcut. iii. 8, 1 1. * See
before, p. 128. ■ Vid. Joseph, antiq. 1. iv. c. 5. *> Pial.
Ixviii. 15. <^ Deut, iii. 4y 5. Jofh. xiii. 30. Joseph.
antiq. ubi fupra. ^ Dent, xxxii. 14. Pial.xxii^^ 12. « lia. ii. 13. ^ Joih. xii. 4.
(X) This is fappofed to be a (Y) This city being elfc-
road, or a way, fo called from where called J/htaroth-kamaim
the (pies who entered the coun- (39), or the tivo-homedt has
try formerly, 38 years before, given room to fuppofe it de*
Some underiland it, that the rived its name from the goddeis
king heard fpies were coming Aftarte. But, as is oUbnred,
into his country. The Hebrew it might as well be fuppoied,
word, here rendred fpies, is that the city was in the fhape
tanrifein baatbarimi which of an half-moon (40), the LXX have retained as the name of the place, and call it
(39) Gen. xiv. $• (40) See Patrick on the alnve pajfage 9fGenefia,
C. IV. ^bi Hiftcry of Canaan. 203
pie. He fell in battle, and his whole kingdom was tranf* ferred to the IfraeliUs under Mofes 8.
The news of what Mofes had done on the other fide the river Jordan^ to Sihon and Og^ kings of the Amorites^ was matter of great furprize, we may fuppofe, to the Canaanitis of every denomination ; but when diey alfo heard how the viraters of the river had been divided, to give the Ifraelifes a pafTage, their furprize was changed into terror and confternation. Jericho was die firft p&ce that fislt the fury of the approaching ruin, being difinantled by the fhouts of the Ifraelites^ the found of feven rams-homsy and the carrying the ark of the covenant round it ; no foul was fpared but the harlot Rahab and her family, who had been inftrumental in faving the fpies that had been lent by yoJhvM into this city, which was now reduced to afhes ; and the man curfed that fhould ever auempt to rebuild ith.
Ths news of this foon raifed up the little ftate of ^f. Year of ^diofe kin^, in the iirft fkirmifh, gained fome fmall advan- flood 897. t^ againft Jojhua ; the occafion of which fhall be related Bef. Chr. in a more proper place. But he foon perceived, that the 1451- war was not to be decided by fo flight a fiivour of fortune on his fide ; and therefore fent to the men of Bethel^ who were his fubjeds, requiring them to join him againfl the Common enemy. It Mras not long ere he had advice, that yojhua was moving towards him. In general, he appre- hended Jojhua^s intent was to befiege him ; but he was not aware of a ftratagem formed to ruin him, anddefboy his city. He faw fojhua appear before his walls with no very for-* midable force, and at once refolved to engage him : which he no fooner offered to do than the Ifraelites faced about and fled ; which v4ien he faw, he ordered every man to come out of the city, and purfue the enemy that feigned only to run from him» By this means his city was left deflitute of all defence, which thofe who lay in ambufh no fooner knew than they rofe up, feized upon the city, and fet the out-fkirts of it on fire. The king of ///', looking back, faw the finoke of his city afcending up to heaven ; and, in the midft of his confternation, the enemy flopped fliort, fbouted, and £iced about. His return to the ci^ was intercepted by diofe who had fet it on fire, and were now advancing to affifl in cutting him off. The men of ^/, perceiving there- fore that their city muft perifh without refource, and that they were to be attacked on all fides, were quite difhearten-
« Numb.xjd. 33-— 3$. ^ Jofli. vi. 26.
S cd.
Z04 ^^ Hifiwj of Canaan. B. L
cdy and all put to the fword, excqpt their king, "vriio was taken alive, and led to Jojbua. Axxl, after this daughter of their army, their city was entered, and burnt hydie vidon, and all who were found in it cut to pieces. There fell in the whole about 12,000 fouls ; the city was reduced t» a heap of ruins, and continued fo ever after. The captife king was hung upon a tree till even-tide, when his body was taken down, and buried in one of the gates of the city, under an heap of ftones, which was thrown over him >. The fad cataftrophe of thefe two alarmed all the neigh- bouring kingdoms. Gibeon, a city of the Htvitts^ but far ftronger, and more confiderable, thani/i, both for coun- iel, and valour of its inhabitants^, was the only one that chofe to avert the impending ruin hy ftratagem, rather than by joining the united forces of their neighbours. At ter confulting what could be done in fo dangerous a coo- jundure, they came to the refolution of (encune to Jtfm fome embafladors, who flxould be drefled in dd tattered garments, with clouted fhoes, with dry mouldy bread, ani with fuch a worn-out equipage, as mi^ht maJte them ap- pear like men come from fome far diftant country, b this guife they fet out for JoJhud*s camp in Gifgai^ wfaeic^ being arrived, thev told him, they were come from afiv off to fedc his friendmip ; and, being queftioned as to their 6^ cerity, they anfwered equivocally ; and, being ftill further prefled upon the point, th^ replied with great fubmiffion, That they were a£lually of a very far diftant country ^ and diat the fame of the Lord God, and what he had done for Ifrael in Egypt 9 and fmce then by the deftrufiion of Sihon and Og, thdk mighty kings, had been the induce- ments which had brought them fo far from home, beiif fent by the unanimous vote of all their countxymen* diat they might make their homage, and defire to oe acoepted into a league with Ifrael ; and as a proof, that, in- aU diej had faid, they had confined themfelves to ftrid truA, they produced their dry and mouldy bread, which diey averred they had taken hot from their houfes the day they fet out: Our bottles of wine, faid they, were new, and fee how they are rent; our garments and fhoes were fb too^ but they are worn out by reafon of our very long journey, hi all this they aded then: parts with the utmoft cunning, and being too eafily believed, they perfuaded fojhua and Ae Jfraelites to make a league with them. Thus did diflf over-reach their enemies, and thereby fave their livesi Al
^ Jofh. vii. viii.. ^ Jolh. iz. Cojnpare ver. 3. vnxk ver. 7*
/a * JoflL X, a.
r^ the
C. XV. fbe IRfi^ry ef Canaan. 105
the end of tl»ee days the whole artifice was difcovered ; but they had already brought the Ifraelites under a folenui engagement to proteA them as friends: however, they &red not fo well as diey, perhaps, expe£ted, being con<^ demned to be hewers of wood, and drawers of water ; that is, to be flaves, or little better °>.
When Jdonizideky king of Jerufalem^ heard how ^^-Adoake- rich^ and Ji had been utterly defhoyed, and, what wasdek. worfe to the common caufe, that the Gibtonttes had fub* nitted to Jo/hua^ he was divided between difdain and fear. But, relbmng to make an example of the Gibemites^ thereby to ddtxx others from following fo cowardly and dannroua a precedent, he called in Hobam kins of Hebron^ Piram king of Jarmuth^ Japhia kinz of Lachijh^ and Debit king of Egbn^ to join him againft Gibe$n ; and accordinelr diey all joined, and befleged it The inhabitants in niis difnefs difpatched notice to Jojhua of wtnt was befallen them, and begged his fpeedy fuccour to refcue them from dieir enraged countrymen. Jojhua came accordingly, and, falling upon the confederate lungs, as they were beiiegii^ die city, obliged them to retire with the utmoft preemp- tion. As thev were flying, and had almoft reached Beth^ barWf there fell a dreadful tempeft of hail-ftones, of fuch cnonnous fize, that they did more execution than the fword of Jojhua. Thus perfecuted by the heavens above, and prefTed by the Ifraelites in the rear, they fled, as chance direAed them, not knowing whither they were going. In fo general a difperiion many might have efcaped, had not the fun, at the command of Jojhua^ ftopped his career, that the Ifraelites might fee to overtake and ^t&rof the fcattered multitude. And now the five kings, feeing no- thins but deftrudtion and defoladon before their eyes, made the beft of their way to a cave near the city of Makkedah» Happily, as they thought, they reached this afylum; but, be^ ing dilcovered, and information thereof being carried to Jojhua^ they foon faw the mouth of their cave flopped up With ^eat ftones : and under diis difmal confinemekit did diey remain till the adion of this miraculous day was con* diided, when, being dragged out, they were thrown be- fore the coi^egatipn of Jlraely the chiefs of whom trod on their necks : they were afterwards all five,put to death, and their dead bodies hung, each on a tree ; and there they re^ maioed till die fetting fun, when diey were taken down, Jtad dubwn into the cave ; which was aj^in filled up with
• JoflLisb
4 V^
The Hiftoty of Canaan. B. I,
¥eat ftones, as a monument of their fall and unhappy end. his was the fate of the five confederate kings, while fome of their fubje£b were fo fortunate as to get into the fenced cities, and fo efcape for the prefent K
J A BIN king of Hazor^ when he heard this; and that moreover Makkedah^ Libnah^ Lachijh^ Eglon^ Hebron^ and Debify had been fubverted, and all dieir inhabitants put to the fword ; and again, that Horam king of Gezer^ and his whole force, had perifhed in attempting to relieve La- chijh ; fuch a croud of calamities together made him r&> folve to raife all the tribes of the Canaanites to withftand the deftruiStion which alike threatened them all. He fent therefore to Jobab king of Madon^ to the king of Shim- ron^ to the king oi Achjhaph^ to the kings on the north of the mountains, to thofe in the plains fouth of Cinnerothi and in the valley, and on the borders of Dor on the weft^ and to the Canaanites^ peculiarly fo called, on the eaft and weft, and to the AmBrite^ and the Hittite^ and the Periz" zitej and the Jebu/tte in the mountains, and to the HiviU under Hermon^ in the land of Mizpeh. Thefe all 'confer derated together againft Jfraehy they were as the fand on the fea-fhore for numbers, and very ftrong in horfe and cha- riots (Z) ; a dreadful enemy iox jojhua and his people to deal with, who were utterly unprovided with bodii. JBeing thus united, they encamped near the waters of Merom^ lince called the lake Samachonitis, Here, as they lay con- fulting together, they were affaulted by furprize, driven out of their camp, and broken into as many diftin£b bodies^ perhaps, as diey were tribes, each haftening homewards^ But the main body fled towards Zidon the great, weftwardy and Mtzrephoth-maim ; while another party took their route towards the valley of Mizpeh eaftwards. But they were every- where fo clofely purfued, that moft of them fell by
n Jofh. X.
(Z) This is all the account the text gives us of this nu- merous army. Jofephus adds, that it confided of 300,000 foot, 10,000 horfe, and 20,006 armed chariots ( 1 ). That of Jojhua was not only vaftly in- ferior in number, but quite deflitute of chariots and horfes ;
k that his (iiccefs was diiefljf owing to the fuddenneis with which he fell upon them. For it is faidy that he came la fight of them in five days; though Gilgal, whence he fct out, was, at lead, 6b iliile^ off, and the country vcfy rocky.
(i) yoftj^h, antip /*?. c. It
the
CIV. Tie Hiftofy of Caiiaart. 207
the way. JaUn himfelf had the luck to efcape for the pre- fent» but he periihed with his city foon afterwards : it was not loiig' before Hazar was taken, her inhabitants all cut oS^ and the place burnt down to the ground. It was rec- koned the chief of all the cities belonging to the kings of this confederacy, and therefore treated with the greater ri«
Sur ; but the reft of the cities of thefe princes, which alfb I into the hands of Jojhua^ were fuffered to ftand, tho' ncme of the inhabitants were fpared °.
No lofles, however great, could for a conflderable while break the fpirits of the Canaanitfs \ they flood their ground, and kept Jojhua employed fix years ^ : In the end, great numbers are fuppofed to have left their country, and, tra- velling towards ^r/V, to have fettled there, ereding a mo- nument in memory of the calamities which had driven them from their native place, and inveighing againfl Jojhua by a very injurious appellation, as will be obferved hereafter in the hiftory of that continent. In their way thither they are fuppofed to have feized on the lower Egypt j where dicv ereded a monarchy, which fubfifled under feveral of their own kings ; but, being at h& overpowered, they were obliged to retire farther weflward into Afric : which hai induced fome to think them the Phamician paflors, who lorded it fo long over Egypt P.
After the Canaanites h2Ld been fucceffively defeated, and at length difperfed and reduced, ihc Jnakims R {Z),, who alfo inhabited lome of the mountains of the land, a fierce and barbarous race, and of an origin diftindl from the Canaanites^ as is thought, were invaded, and cut off ; and thus by degrees the I/raelitis became mafters of the greatefl part of the land of Canaan,
« Jofli. xi. * UssER. annal. ad A. M. 2554. p Sec before, p. 40, (C). ^ Joih. ubi fupr.
(Z) Thefe are held to have whether they were only a more
been what we call giants^ and numeroas and (lout people, or
are derived from one Aria, who really men of a larger fizc» has
ieiaed on the city oi Hebron^ beendifputed; though we think
tnm whom it was called Kir- without reafon, if we believe
jmib'Arba^ the city of ^rha. the defcription of thefpies fent
From Arba deicended Anak by Mofes to view the land (4^).
(41), who» it feems, had three As for the various etymons of
Ions, whom we (hall mention their name, they are too an-
kereafier. From Anak the certain and ^r<fetched to defer vc
AnaAims derive their name ; but a place here.
(41) Jojb.xxr, 15. XX. 13, 14. (4*) Numk xi'iu r/er, ult,
Bcr
"Thi H^ory df Canaan? B. L
But ftill the Canaanites of feveral denominations were ftroi^ and potent, and held no mean fhare of the country; and, for nineteen or twenty vears, the remainder of J9* fi)ua^^ days, they were very httle mokfted ; being fufifered to breadie, while the important bufineis of dividing their country, by the conqueror, could be regulated and ad* jufted.
This dividon being made, the Canaanites were on all fides invaded again by the tribes of ifrael^ who wanted each to drive them out of their refpenive lots. The Ca* naaniu$ and Perizzites in Bezek were accordinzlv invaded by the tribes of Simeon and Judahj and there fell of them ten thoufand men. Being dius routed in the field, tbqr retreated to the city of Bezek^ where jldonibezekj the Jung of that place, as his name imports, refided. This king it infamous for his Angular cruelty and infolence ; for, bf his own confefnon, having taken feventy kings captive, hil cut off the thumbs and great toes of each, and obliged 'cm to receive their meat under his table, like fo many dogi. The city itfelf was now aflaulted and carried ; and all dime within the walls were put to the fword. AdonibexekMa!^ felf was in the city at this time, though he, it feems, efcap* ed : but, being afterwards overtaken in his flight, his thumbi and great toes were cut off ; a jufl requital, as he himielf acknowleged, for his former cruelty \ but his life was im- defervedly fpared, he being carried alive to Jerufalem^ where he died ; for that city had been taken ana burnt be- fore ; but whether by Jojhua formerly, or the tribe of Jw^ dah now »^, is not veiy clear (A).
Imme* ' Judg.i. 3—8.
(A) Jerufalem is mentioned both the fort and the city wfadi
as taken by Jojhua i bat, as Danjid gave them their frtal
may be obferved, ^he Canaan^ blow ; and, confidering the
ites retook feveral places which temper and infolence of t£e 7f
Jojhuti had torn from them ; bufitis^ it is not likely, tlui^
and die fame may have hap- while they poileifiNi the dta-
pened at Jerufalem: for» tho* del, they would fufier the If'
it 18 by moft commentators raelites to live quietly in the
imagined, that the Ifraelites town. Upon the whole, tho*
held thetowB, and the jif^j^/^j the place may have been re*
the fbrtrefs of Zion^ ever duced by Jq/bua^ repofieflJBd
afterwards \ Jo/epbm ( 43 ) by the Jebufiteh and redncoi
^inly enougli telb us, they had a iecond time by the iribe of
(43) JoSf^h.Lv\.c.i,
JtdJe
T. The Hiftory of Canaan. aojj
If EDI A T E LY after this the Canaanites were invaded era! other parts, and particularly in Hebron and De^ :wo cities which had formerly been deftroyed by r, but were now in the hands of the Canaanites again ; ance, among many others, of the refolution of this ;, and their relu£bmce to quit their pofleffions. And, neral the Canaanites in the highlands or mountains (educed ; but thofe in the low- country were able to iieir ground, becaufe they had chariots of iron. He^ in this war, fell into the hands of Calebs who thence ed the three fohs oi Anak^ (B). [E other tribes made alfo fome vigorous, but fuccefe- ttempts againft thofe cities that had fallen to their lot. ^0/2^ was attended with better fuccefe againft Beth'- lich was betrayed to them, and taken by furprize.
> on the contrary, was fo far from gaining any ad- je againft thofe of A echo ^ Zidon^ Ahlab^ Achzibj &c. 3 fettlement among them feems rather to have been
* Judg. i. 9—20.
now, yet it is likely there brother? that is, mjbo is mf [ways difpu tea between the equal? £y the name oi S be- tes and the IJraelites^ and Jhai\}ckQ fecond, he fuppofes him he latter were driven out to him to have been fix cubits former a fecond time ; and high, as Goliath is faid to have in the days of /)^?i//V, the been, ^almai^ the name of tes bad both the city and the third, he derives from ta- s in their own hands j as fam^ a furrtyw (45), as if he us aiTures as above. It feemed in length equal to the babiy on this account, furrow of a field. This is an z tells us elfewhere (43), ingenious thought, fome may le tribe oijudab did now fay,and (bme may think it a little Jtrujalem^ but did not prefumptuous.7tfy2|;^^x'i(46),ashi8 i in the attempt. cuflom is too frequently, gives The names of thefe fons us a fearful account of thefe %k are Ahiman, Shejbai^ inhabitants of/Zf^rfl^r; "Among 'eUmai (44] ; concerning '* the ilain, fays he, were found ; we (hall only remark " fome gigantic forms, who not Bccbart has faniied, as to *' only exceeded the ordinary iport of their namet. To ''fizeofmen, but differed al£> with their fether, Anak ** from them in afpedt and
ikes to fqaare with the ** voice Some of their
same Torquatus ; the '' bones are expofed as a pro*
► f^r firft of the brother's " digy to this day." Abtman, or, nvhi is my
<'(V> ^v. c. 2, (44) Numb, xiii. 22, (4$) Canaan, 1,1 e. r«
)L. IL O con'
aio tbeHytory i>^ Canaan. .B.I
confined to fuch places as were granted on certain condi- tions iqipofed by the old ijihabitants. The Amorites pncflU hard upon the children of Dan^ and confined them (o dn mountains ; thofe of Aijalon and Shaalbim ftill kqpt tk mountain of Heres in their own hands. But the DmAni being in time aflifted by the houfe of Jofeph^ brought tben at length, under tribute, enlarged theu: own territories, ani fixed thoie of their opprelEve neighbours yr^m thigiunif to Akrabbimyr^/w the rock^ and upwards ^ (G).
Thus, upon the divifion of their country, and the at- tempts made by the feveral tribes to drive them out, tb whole land w^asin a ferment of war, which ended with. W great fuccefs on either fide ; and the adverfe parties feecvv^ have been pretty equally matched. So that altboug^i 'i^ certain, that multitudes of this people were (lain in th^^ ^ with Jojhua^ and that, as is very rationally fuppofed, isL of them fled the land in queft of more fure and quiet at: -yA
yet fuch was their remaining number, valour, or fi ipc
(kill in war, that after all their calamities they feem been but little inferior to the Ifraelitis. Nor after we mifs one tribe of them, except the Girgafites (D
The Canaanittiy the Sidomans^ and the mount Lebanon^ from Baalhermon to
I
I J
left to prove Ifrael^ to exercife rhrm irUh frinpii „|^j^i|
t Judg. i. ai — 36*"
«f . -
•J41 •
(C) For want of knowing the cxadlfituation of the places here mentioned, we are at a loTs to underhand whether the Amor- ites were left mailers of a ftnall or a large territory. Obfcu- rities of the fame kind there are many ; bat our reader, we hope, will/ upon this occafion, and all of alike nature, excufe our want of prefumption ; or» that we do not pretend to ihcw him the exa^ iituations of places, which* ftiom the heft lights we have, can hardly be guefled at ; and muft for ever, i( is likely, remain a difpute
f I
among fuch a« hay&^.ri^^ waile, and littlp eUb '^ d^,fi think of. '."-3^ u-i
(D) We arc pofitiin^^ii they Hed ni^XQAfrU {s^jr^ they ^ed iheir fta^. ^.- .,w their being onutted is — _ ^ tionalljf accountec|fiu'|r- ^ ^ it were difficult ^. ~ none |>eionging ta
tribes aocosipanipj
trod afteJTwajds i^
fteps^. yet may w$.
dude^that xiitGirga^
the^ebipf of .^ ft^^
tbis country^ ^mSf^ «^ -^
ipeak when w^ cone ^ ^^-^
(46) Gm€r% Hiercf(,ljmltt sd tit, Shthitib, c, 6.
:V. Hi Hift&fy ^ Catiaan^ «li^
cry and (In (£), and the more immediately devoted 11189 the Canaanites^ Hittites^ Amorites^ Perixzites^ 'ftti^ and Jebuf$USy dwelt, as it were, in common, the children of Ifrael in their promifed land. Being blended together, they^ in time, wrought fo upon inftable mimls of the Ifraelites^ as to perfuade thenl termarry With them, and ferve their gods ", thereby Vating their minds, as they afterwards did their bodies. 311 in a very few years, nine or ten, or thereabout, ^^^/;, II. » , whom we may reckon the fecond of the name. Year of g he reiided at the very fame place with the former, the flood employed by Gob to puniih the Ifraelttts^ as the in- 1063. nent of his wrath. This prince, it is likely, rebuilt Bef. Chn #r(F), which had been deftroyed by Jeflma^ re^a- 1285. ed the royal feat there. Was mailer of nine hundred '
chariots ■ Judges ii. 21— 23. iii. 1 — 7.
) Here we fee a reniarka- liftindion made between *>mMmanitis of Jo/hud's con- p and thofe who were not as if thefe, who were their borderers, were more \Xt or more likely to tempt fraeUtes than thofe who
aftually inmates with . Whence, whether we 3 conclude, that the ido- of the former was more nting than that of the *^ or their luxary more ing; or whether at all,
was aay real difference een them; we leave the r to fanfy. Both religious political reafons have been led for this mercy towards *mMsuudteSi Of the former liat the Ifratiites might ;rowfluggi(h for want of
.to awaKen and ilir up odarage^ and to keep up nil difapllne among them, duit they might always
a more immediate (late
) Set Pttritk upon Juifitt uL 2. Vi. 22.
of dependence on God, ot look conftantly up to him for fuc- cour (47). Of the latter, That no part of the country^ which was too extend ve to be tho- roughly inhabited by thcl/iaei- itcsi might lie defolate,. fo as to be left for a harbour to wild beaftsj which might, by their increafe, prove a more dreadful and pernicious enemy than thd Canaanites (48}.
(F) We think with thofe, whofuppoie xYihJabin to have defcended from the other, who fell by the hand of Jo^a j and that he now feized on the fpot where Hazor formerly ftood^ and rebuilt that cityi which, feeing he was fo power- ful a prince, is not at all un- likely, though feme quedion it. Whether Jahin was an np- pellation common to all the kings of Ha»or, we cannot af- firm from pofitivc authority i though it feems to have been a common cuflom in thefe pans
(48) S€e Excd. xxiii. 29. and
O 2
foir
^12
The Hijlory of Canaan. B.l
chariots of iron (G), which, as well as the reft oflw hnft-, were under the command of Stfera^ whodWelcii Hijjhnreth of the Gentiles (H). yabin therefore rcdiicrf the Ifraelites to a ftate of flavery, and cnicHy opprcfly them for twenty years. But whether he held them ing^ ncral under fuhje^kion, or the northern tribes oniyi b uncertain. Be that as it will, his dominion overthm
for kings to fucceed each other under the fame appellation, as Pharaoh in Egypt, Agag in AniaUkitis, &c. He is in the text called king of Canaan ; which, whether it . relcrs to the CanaaniteSf peculiarly fo called, or to the whole body of the Canaanites in general, we take not on us to lay.
(G) The number of thefe chariots, which are all along taken for the fcythed fort, is much wondered at by the learned. Whether he had fuch a multitude of them before he waned upon I/rael, or whe- ther, by reducing them, he at once enlarged his empire, and augmented his forces, is not faid j though, it is probable, he had not fo many before.
But what fhall we fay to the extravagant account, which Ja- fephus gives of thefe armies, hinted in a late note (49) ? If Bochart wonders, as he does, at the 900 chariots the Scri- pture gives him, obferving, that Mithridates had but 100 in his army, and Darius but 200 (50) ; what muft he have thought of Jofephui\ 3000 ? Indeed, not only in the num- ber of the chariots, but in that alfo of the horfe and foot, he is too large to be eafily cre- dited ; nor, perhaps, is it al •
I
ways fafe to lend an attends ear to that hiftonan. And \ is to be noted, that notwith'' (bLoding he, on this fide^ \!^ vadly exceeds what the ^otr ptare feems here to^intenk4c^l( agrees therewith in the ni^jgh of the Ifraelites^ who roi^ a' recover their rights, recU^a^ them at only io.ooc:r-j'ti What authority he had ^■bir very extraordinary exoe^HlsiB numbers of the C againft the IJraeliies^ not : but his vie^ been to do hottbUf^ ample, as in odi«i countrymen and: with the Romanss .wWorrijiy chiefly in their milxtij 0. ploits, and in what th^r&idm had done before : ti^em cte way.
(H) U Haxor was x^iot .» built, then Hajboriti .^J^^ Gentiles bids fan* to lutv the royal feat. It is a the Gentiles^ as k l\ from a confluence of who came now to pat felves mider the _ Jabin*s growing qnpiie cities were fltuated qn t Smachon, Or SissnechoL which the JorJoB b]^' courfe, and near the pb^ ^ Seleucia was fince built ( Ji'
(49) An'Aj^ lib, v. r. 6, ♦ '0 Jvf'^^^^ uii fu^ira.
(<;o) Hierozoie, pMtt i* lik^f*f> (52) yid. Eujd. Uc. Heir.
expired
t
IV. Tie Hift&ry of Canaan. 2/^
UF^ at the end of twenty years, as wc have faid. iws.l^as brought to Sifera^ that the Ifraelites had been red. up to rebellion \ and that they were a<^ually in arms, ifulcing together, how they might ihake ofF his maftcr's "Xfim Whereupon he prepared the nine hundred chariots irpn, and iflued a proclamation, requiring the men of r toaflemble together, to march out againft the Ifrael^ ', who were but teii thoufand ftrong, with Deborah \ Barak at their head. They came to a battle, and lira waa routed, and purfued, with great flaughter, quite the gates of Hajhoreih of the Gentiles (I). That ge- al j apprehending he might fall into the enemies hands, tCted his chariot, and, flying on foot, dire6);ed his fteps He tent of Heber the Kenite^ who was at amity with !6f. He found Jael^ Heber^s wife, in the tent-door, 69 perceiving the hurry and diforder he was in, in- ated him to fiep in, and fear nothing; which he no ncr did, than fhe covered him, in order to conceal ^
ly or that he might take no harm while he repofed, » the fatigue of the battle and flight. He had not lain ' 2 ere he complained he was thirfly, and begged a Mghtof water; inilead whereof his kind hoflefs presented • with a bowl of new millc, of which when he had drank, I covered him again. Then he called out, and deflred ^'Iff any one came to inquire if flie had any man within, Atitwer no, and to ftand at the tent- door for that pur- fc. Now, being greatly fatigued, he fell into a deep
1
I) The particulars of the gaged, than there arofe a fu-
Je are not recorded in the rioas wind^ which drove fuch
«d text ; but thence it very sl tempeft of hail and rain into
My appears, that there was the feces of the Canaanites^ as
lethihg miraculous and ex- flifled and blinded them, and
ihlibary in this defeat of benumbed their fingers to that
l|ji*s hoU, thunders, light- decree, that they were, in all
^« and frightful founds reipeds, difabled from action ;
lUiDg^ in their ears ; fo that fo that they were eafily broken
^eavens bad the principal and dlfperfed^ and trampled to
i m this overthrow. An4 death by the horfe, and torn
tfius^ that we may not won- to pieces by their own chariots,
at the riiin of fo mighty a which» together with the exe-
ttr by fo' contemptible a cation made on them by the'
dfol of. ifraelites^ tells Ifraelites^ quite diffipated this
rery drtfumitantially. That mighty multitude, and reduced
armies were no fooher en- them to nothing (52 j.
(52) Jopfbus, ubi fs^a%
O 3 flccpj
^be Hijiory of Canaan. . B,l,
fleep ; and JaeU taking one of the tent-nails, an J a bammeri trod foftly up to him, drove the nail into his temples, and thus killed him. By this time Barak having reached the tent in queft of Si/era^ f^^h ^ith a triumphant air, went out to him, and invited him to the tight of the nun he fought, whom he here faw dead with the nail driven into his temples. So fell Stfera ; and with him yabinh-^xj and oppreilion, which gave the Ifraelites a forty years peaceful refpite ^ (K).
f Now what the Canaanitis did, or what was done
d againft them after this, for a long feries of years, we are no- where told. Thus much appears, They had been able
if): to maintain their ground in feveral parts, and particularly in Jerufalem^ till the reign of David, Wh^n the J^
J bujites^ who held that city, or at lead the fortrefe of Z/^/7, faw David a£iually advanced up to them to bcfieg^
^ them, they pofied their lame and their blind (L) to defend
them, ^ Judg. iv. per tot.
(K) Jofephus gives us the folution of it s and hokbitpift
particulars of his downfal. difpute, that this was a flpofifli
^abin met Barak as he was in of thrafpnifm in the Jihitfae^i
lull march againft f^^ss^r/ and who planted their Janus and
was encountered by him and their blind, that is, their noft
flain ; and Hazor, the feat of infirm and unfit people, to de-
his empire, was laid level with fend them : while Dr. Gregtrj
the ground ; and thus fell the (56), who has a whole difiota-
empire of the Jabins in Hazor tion aboi^t it, underflands them
a fecond time (53), according to have been the gods of this
to this hiftorian. people, who, as the pfahnift
(L) Who or what thefe exprelTes it, had tyes, audfim
lame and blind were, is made not, and feet^ and nvaHted nti
a doubt; it is difputed, whe- (SJ)'" and this opinion isfap-
ther we mull, with Jofephus ported by thefe very planfible
(54), und^rftand them to have arguments j i. How could jPo^
been perfons a£lually labouring W difUnguifh the halt, or
under the infirmities of lame- the lame, or the blind, from.
nefs and blindnefs, or whether able men, when poiled upon
fomething elfe is here to be un- lofty walls, iince thofe in£rmi-
^erflood, as others think. Bo- ties are not difcernible but near
€hart (55) deems this fo plain at hand ? 2. How can it be
a cafe, that he wonders how fuppofed there was fuch a niun-
fbme great men had puzzled her of thefe unfortunate per-
their brains with finding out a ions in fo fmall a dty as m%ht
C^S) Idem ibid. (f.^) Ibid, lib, vii, c. 2. {^^ Phalii^hb, iv,
f. 36. (56) In Patn(X*$ (gmmenfary ujfon tlu faffkge, (57) P/S/. cxv.
tV. 3le rn/iary if Canaan.
a^ faying, they were fufficient to keep off to mean leader, relyine wholly on the ftrength of their walls Situation. They were, however, difappointed, and place was carried by ftorm''(M). But the circum- X8«of this event are left in the dark. HIS, doubtlefs, was a very fevere blow to the Ca^ tiff in general, and muft luive perplexed them much :
to complete their misfortunes, they were invaded in r by Pharaoh ; upon what provocation, or whether
is utterly unknown (N) : their city was burnt, and
they * 2 Sam. V. 6-^9,
ai5
fuch a purpofe ? 3. And Ihould David fay, as he that bis foul hated them ; it would have been bat il in him to have com- ited their unhappy con- ? From tkefe aigumentt Doluded, that it was not me and the blind of the whom the Jehufiia re- r, but their idols, which, P/alme^ are deiicribed in Jtaftic^l words we have d above, and which they i upon their walls, by power or influence to off the enemy i which koped would have been fo otts a means of pre- ; them, that they truiUd ' would be unable to pre- ;ainft their fupematural ions. And here a pa- a(e is drawn in reference Palladium^ the city of ciog fuppoied to be im- bie, while that xenudned !lftm I and fome fucht or tdt notion mi^.have ob- unoog tltityehufif^i QQW. up their god or gods |>; t^ we ihaU adcl one AO^iP^tioa of a Jrwi/k upon this event. H^
PWlCM^. in a &nii,^.^, '
pretends, that when Abraham bought the cave of Machpelah of the children of Heth^ he formally covenanted with them, that, when his pofterity ihould come to be pofleflbrs of the land (which they had a fore- i^ght of), they ihould not touch the dty of Jebusi and that now they engraved this cove- nant upon brazen flatues, and planted them upon their walls, pretending that Da^id could not attempt them, but by the breach of the covenant his forefather Abraham had made with them (59).
(M) We have already ob- iervedy that, according to Ja- fifhus (60), the Jibufites were in Doffeffion both of the dty of jerufalem^ and the fortrels of Zion i to whi(;h he adds, that the lower town was eaUly carried by an ailault, with La- vid at the head of it i but that the cadle or fortrels held out till Jcab fucceeded in the im- portant fervice of aflaulpi^g it,
(N) A late commentator, is of opinion, that Pharaoh at* tacked the Canaanit^r at tivis places out of cpmplaiianice.to Qolomon, who had married his
($9) Elietu^ Fhh^ t»f^ 36.
O 4 daughter i
21 6 The Hijiory of Canaan* B. I.
they put to the fword. The city was afterwarda rebuilt or repaired by Sohmon^ who had it with his wife, Pba-^ raoh's daughter y. Year of l^HUs opprelled by the Ifraelites on the one hand, and the flood by the mighty power of Egypt on the other, the remnant 1336. of the AmoriteSy Hittites, Perizzites^ HiviteSj and Jthuf- Bcf. Chr. ;7^j were reduced, in the reign of Solomon j to a rate of 1012. flavery ; whence it is gathered, that they were now brought ^^f^f^^ to fo low an ebb, as to be unable to anfwer the demands . of a tribute ; wherefore, being admitted into a covenant, mom esy ^ j^ ^^^^ rationally fuppofcd, with klngSolomoriy he would ^^ * not cut tliem off, but employed them in the heavy labour ducedto a^^ carrying on his vaft and fumptuous works* And diis ftati of Servility was entailed on their pofterity * ; for, although it fla*v§ry. ^^ ^^^7 certain, that they, upon their firft redu£tion, be* came profelytes to the Jewijh religion, yet, it is thought, they were diflinguifhed from the Jewi^ and reckoned of a more ignoble blood, and as born to drudgery. This is fuppofed to have been their fate, and thus are they thought to have been blended with the Jews ; though it b fiur from being pofitively known (O). And now it remains only for us to obferve. That among the tribes of the Canaan*
y I Kings IX. 16. ' See ver. 20, 21. See aUoEzn
ii. 55, 58. and Nehem. xi. 3.
daughter ; for, apprehending ter. It is firA iaid, j4nd.attth9 the Je^ws to be very little ac- people that were left of tht quaintcd with the arts of con- Jmorites, Hittites^ Periz,xJtes, during a fiege^ he fuppofes Hi'vites and JeBufiies tvkich they were not able to mafter were not of the children ^ this city of Gexer (61); which, IfraeU their children that lum how it came to be fo much left after them in the laai^ ilronger than Jerufalemy and njobom the children of Ijroil the fortrefs of Zion, and many alfo nvere not able to defirff^ other places by them fubdued, upon thofe did Solomon levj « is hard to guefs. This Pharaoh tribute of bond- fer^uice unto tUx isbyaIearnedchronologer,who </^y? (63). And, at theretom takes this to have been the firft from captivity, there is men- expedition the Egyptians made tion made of the children %f
out of their own country, Solomons fer^vants Jbd
called Ramejfex Miamun (62\ . all the Netbinimsj and the clnlr
(O) We will give the reader dren of Solomon^ s femjonis^itien
the mofl obvious texts of Scri- three hundred ninety-t^wo (64).
pture which relate to this mat- And elfewhere are the NM*
(61) Vide Ckrie, in 1 Reg, ix. 16. (62) Meirjh, can, chren. edfee*
'3> '4* (63) 1 Kingi ix, ao, ar^ {64) Enre ii. 55, 5S.
f. ^he Hiftary of the Philiftines. 21 f
snumerated above to have been laden with the yoke lemon^ xht CanaaniteSy peculiarly fo called, as we hitherto fpoken, are omitted : thefe, therefore, we conclude, bore none of the burden, but remained % and independent in their poffeffions on the fea-coaft, ftcr wards to a great height of fame, and, continually ving themfelves in navigation, commerce, and the arts, were comprifed under the famous appellation
SECT. VII.
^e Hijlory of the Philiftines.
E have already obferved, that this people defcended T'^^^/r ^^ from the Cafluhim partly, and partly from the Caph-gin, •, both from the loins of Mizraim, the fon of Ham^ n of Noah, This is their origin j whence it appears, Egypt was their firft feat : nor have we aught to a(fd ming the origin of this people, except we acquaint our
readers a See vol. i. p. 373, 374.
mui the children of Solo- math, and made them his tribu-
(grwantSy mentioned to- taries, they paying their tri-
(65); and in thefe laft bute in fervile works and la-
oar tranflators refer us hour ; to which purpofe they
to the firft, as if they were to furnifh Solomon with a
the childreh of the Ca- certain number of flaves agreed
'*i, on whom Solomon im- on, who were to till the ground,
a tribate of bond-fervice. and go through other forts of
bere is a difficulty to ac- drudgery ; and over thefe, faya
£6r the fmalnefs of the he, were fix hundred officers
5r, fb that commentators appointed to fot them their
irilling to deduce thefe tasks, and keep them to their '
med upon the return work (66) ; afterwards, cnu-
Mylon, from fome other merating thofe who returned
. Perhaps we (hall find from Baby Ion y be reckons up
traces of them in Jofe- fix hundred and fifty, who
who, with fome varia- pafiTed for I/raelites, but could
firom Scripture, having not make out their extraction :'
inted us. That Solomon others of uncertain genealogy
id a ftubborn remnant of there were five hundred twcnty-
wmumitesy inhabiting be- five ; and of fervants that at*
HMQnt Libanus and Ha- tended upon the whole multi-
5) Ncbm. Xi. 3. (66} Jofepb. antif. lib, yiU, c.%.
tode,
4l8 72>if Hiftory of the Philiftin^s. B. I.
readers more panicularly than wc hivt already l* with dis improbable notiom* as we thtnlc them, of fooie of the learned concerning the CaJJuhim and Capitofim {A). But wc have, as much as polHble, fofbom td per^Aour reader with what can afford no (blid frtirt. A^^we"cas further fay with any certainty, is what Mf/n tells' uvdle- where < ; viz. that they drove out the jfvim or 4t>itii tna to Azxah or Gaxa, and fettled there. When this etpul- fion happened, is quite uncertain ; but, upon theMrhotei it is plain, that the Cajluhim and Caphtorim, frdm whom the Philijiinis arc deiccnded, came originally from Egjp{; and, having fettled in this country, gave their name to it. But, for the defciiption of this delicious fpoi, we refa our readers to the geography of the Land of promift, of which it was a chief, if not the belt, part ; arid flial) only fpeak here of the government, cuflums, religion, C^c. w fo renowned a people. 7heirgt- Thmr mott antient form of government wsls a^- vtmmtni, niftred by kings, who were all honoured with the appdb- tuftams, iian oi AbimiUeh ; fuch were the kings of this people, fa- *c* ther and fon, who dealt with Ahrahsm and IJaac : but, u
we have obfcrved concerning the Canaaniiis, ami dS will be plainly fecn in 'the following hiftory, theft Uttti&a^ were under great limitations. The fceptrc depaiiftl Cltini tfiis race very foon ; for, in the days or Mofei^ tTlelf ti»- narchy was changed into anariftocracy of five lordj, ivbo ieem to have been in part independent of each otliert tto' tiiey were alfo, it feems, obliged to aS in concert for flje common caufe. After this they had a king over than; but how this change was brought about, or whether it ms their choice or not, is utterly unknown. This fecOnd race of kings are called, fo far as wc know, by the appeUatiMi of
^ See vol. i, p. 373, 374. • Deut. ii. 25.
tude,ferenthourand three hun- each 1 and, .moreova-, tku died thirty-feven (67]. Thefe multitudes of them remaiiMil three numbers making eight behind in the place of .tbeir Chou&nd five hundred and captivit/. twelve, may, it is likely, have (A) As that the d^uhm been Cawanita; but fiill the were the antient Celcbi'^t- number is too final], except we fcribed by tftrsJa/a) ; and ihf fuppofif, that the &r greateft Cafhiorim, the CaMa/hcitm
rt of the better fort were in Jfia miiitr ) which, choiitli blended with the Jiws, we have rejected a!re<i(iy IM\, that there was no diftinguUhing we may have DCcaficn' 19 i,e- between the pretenuons of fume hereafter.
(«7} Id'Bi aid. lit. si. e. 4. {6i) Sn Wi. /■ 37], 374>
C IV. 5nhf Hiftirj of ibi PhiUftinei. %i^
Achijb^ diough they bore likewife the name of AhlnuUch. Three of thefe we have fome account of, and their power feems to have been circumfcribed within very narrow bounds ; they were fubje£i: to the controul of their impe- rious nobks, and particularly of the lords, the five, wo think, who feem to have fubfifted under thefe kings ; fo that thefe princes were, in all likelihood, to a<^ merely a* Umpires, and to appear at the head of affairs, cyphers of ftate, without any real power. We find little or no men- tion of thisfecond race of kings. They held their refidence at Gath^ during their befl times ; from whence the royal feat was removed to Afcahn^ and from that city to Gaxa. \fi a word, we may lay, that the Philifttnes had very flrong notions of liberty. They did not circumcife, and, in their earliefl times at leaft, held adultery in the greateft abomi- nation.
After what we have faid, we need not obferve thatTAr/r they were a very warlike people ; but we muft add, thztcbaractir^ diey diftinguifhed themfelves by their induftry. Their cha- ^•w'f «<sf^^ racier muft be confidered at different times ; for we may*''''* ««- fay, they were not always the fame people. In the days '^^^^^^^t of Abraham and Ifaac they were, without all doubt, a ^^' righteous and hofpitable nation ; and fo, in great meafure, they may have been under their firfl race of kings : but 4dterwards a revolution in government, religion, and morals, may have enfued. From henceforward they be- came like other idolatrous nations, the fame enormities crept in, and prevailed among them. They are conflantly mentioned in Scripture as ftrangers j and, though poffefTed of a moft confiderable part of the Land of promijey yet God would never fufFer them to be driven out ; they being Egy^ ftians by defcent, and not original natives, whofe land only was promifed to Abraham and his feed. Their arro- gance and ambition were great, and fo irreconcileable was their enmity (E) to the IfraeliteSy that one would bealmofl
tempted
(E) And from a pailage in fenfe we mad take this pafiage
Chronicles {%)'yx. is gueffed to in. As to the time it was
have been of very antient date ; tranfafled, moft people allow
where it is laid, that the. men it to have been while the chil-
fif Gath Jlrw the children of dren of IJrael were ibjoumera
Epfaraim, nuho luould ha*ve in ^gypt. It plainly appears
taken their cattle from them, by the next verfe, that Epbraim
This incident is no where elfe Mimfelfwas living.at the time.
to be fbmidy and there are va- The Targum fuppoies hi» chil*
rioas thoughts concerning the dren mifcompBted the time
(3) z Cbron. vii. 21,
they
2 20 The Hificry of the Philiftiiwu B, t
tempted to think they were created on purpofe to be a thorn in their fide ; for» though the hand of God was evidendy againft them feveral times, and particularly when they de- tained the>ark, yet they hardened their hearts, and dofed their tyts againft convidion, flattering themfelves, that they might one day compafs their ends againft the Ifrael- ties. They feem to have entertained a very fond venen- tion for their deities, in which they perilfted, though they were eye-witnefles of the fhame and ignominy which b&- fel them in the prefence of the captive ark ; nay, thgr were fo biafled in their favour, as to imagine that their ; gods might prevail againft him, who had, m fo glaring a manner, put them to fhame and difgrace. They were much addiiSied to trade, which, confidering their fituation, they may have exercifed from the beginning ; but, by t}ie acceiEon of the fugitive Edomites in David's time k, thqf rofe to fo great a reputation as merchants, that the Greeks^ it feems, preferred them to all other nations in that re- fpe6t ; and, from them, called all the country borderii^ on theirs Palejline J. Their language was not fo different from that fpoken by the Hebrews j as to caufe any difficulty for them to converfe together, as will be perceived by their intercourfe with Abraham and Ifaac\ fo that^ in ^ di^^. region, the feveral nations fpoke one and the farne tdng^ perhaps with fome variation of disJeft. They hajj, doji^-^ le(s, the arts and fciences in common with the mpft leaiiie(L- and ingenious apiong their contemporaries ; and, perbags^ fome of them in greater perfeftion. They had gjanti among them, who, whether they were origmally of the breed of the Anakimsy who retired hither when they W€« expelled Hebron "», or were fprung from accidental oirths, iz not eafily determined. We muft not forget, that the
k See before, p. 175, 176. ^ See Cumberland mgoi^
gent. antiquiiT. p. 37. « See before, p. 207.
they were to fcrve in Egypt^ fenfc, which feems moft ob- and began too early an attempt vious, they may ferve to ic* upon their promifed land. Dr. count for the reafon why lihftt Lightfoote^i^) makes the men of would not condudl the Ifreuh- Gath to have been the aggref- ites by the way of the Pbi^- fers, and fuppofes the £^i&rtf/«- Jiines. If this be the ^aie,' it ites only ftood up to defend muft have been fome horrid i&^ themfelves and tattle. But, jury, or wtxy uncommonly re- taking the words in the firft fented.
(4) Annstatt in Gen* Juh fne%
4 invention
C. IV. Sie Hiftory of the Philiftines. 32 1
invention of the bow and arrow is afcribed to them (F), and diat they were particularly (killed in the ufe of them.
Xhbir religion was different at different times : unAtr Their re- dicir firft race of kings they were of one religion with the^'i*^*. Hebrews : Abimelech^ in the fin he had like to have com- mitted with Sarahj through AbrahanCs timidity, was fa- voured with a divine admonition from God ; and, by his fpcech and behaviour at that time, it fccmfs as if he had been ufed to converfe with God. In after-times they erred into endlefs fuperftitions, and different kinds of ido- latry J each of the principal, or five cities, feeming to have hsul an idol of its own. Marna^ Marnasy or Marnajh o, wtoWorfhiped at Gaxa^ and is faid to have migrated into Crete (G), and to have become the Cretan Jupiter. Dagon was wormiped at Azotu5\ he feems to have been the greateft, the moft antient, and moft favourite god they had : to which may be added, that he, perhaps, fubfifled the longqft of any ^ that did not ftraggle out of the country.
" HiERONYM. in Efai.
« See I Mace. x.
7F ) It 13 fuppofcd ( 5 ) that bttbre they removed from Pf- hfiuWy where they are thought to liave firft inhabited, as we Ihkll fliew hereafter, they had occafion to annoy the enemies, who then infelled them, at a diftance ; whereupon they in- vented the bow and arrow, wherewith they armed their ftoutefl men^ whom they palled Cherethites (6) ; a name which includes this whole nation, as will be obferved hereafter.
(G) The migration of this god may be naturally enough accounted for, if true it be that the Pi//^/»^j planted the ifland of Crete \ and it feems plain, that the inhabit- ant? there were a colony from GascA in particular, the pecu- liar pUce of his worfhip. The
Fhllifiines are, in feveral places of Scripture, (7) called Chere^ t bites: particularly, they arc To called by the Egyptian ( 8 ) whom Da'oid took when he was in purfuit of the Amalek- tttSy who had burnt Ziklag\ whence we may infer this to have been their jSj[^//it» name, or the name they were known by in. Egypt. The LXX every- where tranflate the word Cbe^ rethim, or Cherethites, by that of Cretans \ as they do that of Phiiiftiftes by allophyloi^ftrang" ers: and on this foundation fome learned men have .built their notion of deriving the Cretans from the ^Pbilifiinesi and from hence they proceea farther, and derive the Curetes alfo from them ; which we may coniider hereafter.
(5) See Bedftri's Script, cbronoU p. 245. (6J Becbart, Can, /. i. r. is*
(7) I Sam, ZXX* 14. Mffitlt* XXVt t6« Zffbun, iu S« . (8) x Sam.
^ Ta
122 The liijlory of the PKliftinics. R I
To him they afcribcd the invention of bread*coro, or of agriculture, as his name imports P. We cannot enter into the common notion of his being reprefented as a monfter, halfman, half fifh; or confequently into another,. almoft as common, that he is the fame with the Syrian goddefs DercetOj who, we are told, was reprefented under (bmc fuch mixed form. Our opinion is, that this idol was in fhape wholly like a man ; for we read of his head, hk hands, and his feet^ (H). He flood in a temple at^svfir;, and had priefts of his own, who, it feems, paid a verycon- ftant attendance on him r. Next to Dpgon was BaaheM the god of Ekron. In the text of the New l>ftamcnt he is Beelzebub^ and the prince of devils. His name is rendered, lord of flies \ which, by fome, is held to be a mock appd-
i I
t
P See vol. i. p. 308, in the notes. Fifgah-iighc,bookii. c. 10. J. 32.
1 See FuLLSiL*s 'See I Sam. V. 3,4.
f H ) That he had feet , we nnderlland from a Greek pead- ing of the LXX in Fuller ( 9 \ where mention- is made of Da- gpn\ mutilation; which runs thus ; ifAt^oTifct^ Tflt l^p / ra
Here we are told, that the foles of his feet were offf that is, his feet. In the edition before us, which is after the Vatican copy, we read rti i^y^ Tm "/(jttfZv, or the files of his hands ; which (eems abfurd. We have never obferved, that the Greek word \yy^ is put for the palm of the hand. And we the rather re- je^ this reading, becaufe a xt- ry fenfelefs tautology follows at ; for it is faid, that theiurifts tf his hands were gone alfo. Whence it muft appear, that bands, in the firfl place, are corruptly placed for feet ; and thatZ)^z^off had hands, and head, and face, and feet. Sure no
?
one, allowing this, will give him a fi(h's tail : that wooU make him Horace* s monfler in- deed. And here we cannot but note the fondnefe of the geB^ ralityof the learned, rather to derive his name firom yy de^^t fifh, than from jj^i* bread-con (10): it feems no difficult mat- ter to chufe which we are to flick by. From this laft cty- I mology it may be radoDaOy enough fuppofed, that they bor- rowed their idolatry from Egjft ( 1 1 }; and that Dagom is aoo- py of their IfiSf to whom modi the fame invention is attriboteif^ Not that they brought it away from Egypt i from thence, tbw hiflory plainly aflures us, dey brought a pure fyflem of idi' gion ; and we do not reoiember ^ that Mo/es mentions the Efy ptians of his time as idolatets, once throughout all his wri- tings.
{9)Pif^ab'Jightyhookn, c. to. % %l* in the margin, (10) Sti^''^*
f. 308, ttt not^ (11) Sit Shuckford't^ conne^i, ^ tht facr, mnd frrf*^' nfcl. i, p, 344,
< latioa
C. IV. pe Hifti^ of the PhUiftincs. 223
lation beftowed on him by the yiws \ but others think him {o ftiled by his worfhipers, as Hercults Apomyos^ and others, were, from his driviiig thofe infefts awav \ and urge, that AhoTaah^ in his ficknefs ', would fcarcely I^ave applied to him, if his name had carried any reproach with it. But it niuft be remembred, it is the facred hiftorian that makes ufe*of that contemptuous term in derifion ; whereas the idolatrous monarch, who was one of his votaries, might call him by his common name, fuppofed to have been Baal-zebacth^ the lord of armieSy or Baal-Jhamim^' lord 9f htavin^ or fome other bordering on Baal-ztbub, How or under what form he was reprefented, is uncertain : foine • place him on a throne, and attire him like a king; others paint him as a fly ^ ; a very wide difference ! Not to dwell on this obfcurity ; it appears, that he h% became an oracle, of the higheft repute for omnifcience and veracity ; that he had priefts of his own ; and that he, in the middle times at leaft, was much fought after by thofe who were anxious about futurity, or felicitous concerning other hidden mat- ters. Derceto we take certainly to have been the goddefs of Jfcalon u ; but, as we are herein only fupported by pro« biic authority, without the leaii countenance from Scri- ,pture> we (hall not infift on it. Gath.is feemingly the only city of all the five unprovided with a deity ; wherefore, as the Scripture declares, that AjbtarQth^<i or /IjUrte^ was worfliiped by this people, we are ready to place her at G^ih 5 and the rather, as this, of all their cities, may have had moft communication with ^idon ; but concerning her we muft be filent here, feeing we (hall have a more proper •opportunity to mention her hereafter. To fpeak in gene- ra concerning their religious rit^ and ceremonies, which b all we can dp ; they leem to have erecSted very large and fpacibus temples, or very wide halls, for the celebra- tion of their fdemn feafons and feftivals ^, for fuch they furely had \ that their religious ofiices \vere attended with muca pomp,, and a great concpurfe from all parts \ and that diey prefented their gods with the chief of their fpoil, and carried them about to war with them. We do not find kfi Scripture that they facriiiced their children ; and v^ the Cuntes (I) are faid to be derived fronl them. V We
^ 2 Kings i. 2. ' Procopius Gazevs. • Vide Dioo, Sic. l.ii.p. 65. "^ I Sam.xrxi. to. * Judg. xvi. 2^.
(I) The Curetes did facrifice and, from the fimilitude this their chiUrca xp Saturn (12) ; name bears to ChentSitc^f or
Phi-
224, The Hijiory of tbeVWrnr^. B.I
We (hall now proceed to the hiftory of this extraordi- nary nation. Thev came dire£Hy out of Egypt (K), but upon what motive is not pofitively known, no more than the time of their removal ; and, finding the Avims f feated
in y Deut. ii. 23.
Pbiliftinesy it ha? been advanced, that they are the fame peo- ple ( 13}; but as we have no warrant for faying the Phili- ftines pradtifed fo barbarous acd unnatural a cuflom, we may venture to pronounce, that they learned it not from them, hue borrowed it elfewhere.
(K) This we take to have been really the cafe, and fo do many of great authority ; but there is alfo another opinion concerning this niatter ; for it IS th6ught there is a great affi- nity in name between the Ca- fiuhim and the Colchi \ whence it has been taught, that they migrated firil into the country of Colchis^ now Mingrelia\ and from thence, returning towards J^gyp^9 in their way, feized on tht country of the A-vims, and there fixed their abode. Bochart (14) takes this to be plainly proved by what is faid of the agreement between the Colchi and the Egyptians^ in Herodo- tus and others; therein for- getting, that the Fhilifiines did not circumcife ; which He- rodotusz^wxG^ us the Colchi^\^, Again, nothing can be pofi- tively afferted in this matter, by what the fame author re- lates, who fpeaks of them as dwelling in Colchis in his time, where they had abode ib long, that it yiz& doubtful when they
fettled there firfl ; fo thatfron him no fblid argument can be deduced, to prove that the d/- chi he fpeaks of were the Cf- Jluhim ofMofes, In like man- ner the Capbtorim^ from, whott alfo the Fhilifiines are derived, are placed in Cafpadocim^ a country oi Afia ffwVi0/', adjoining to the country oi Colchis. Hoc^ lay they ( 1 5 ), we find thedtf called Side^ and the country 5/* dene^ mentioned by Strah: and becaufe Jide, in Greek, and caphtorj in Hehrenjj, fignify a pomegranate, therefore, in iB likelihood, the fame conntiy was, by the ^^^rrzvj, called Cth phtor, and, by the Greeks^ St dene. But, to fiiew that no- thing can be fixed from fnch a manner of arguing, it. may not be amifs to add, that the C«« phtorim are, on the other hau^ fuppofedto have dwelt mAfnt^ on the bay ofSyrtiSf which is fuppofed to have been cdkd •^in C^T chaph'tbor, the rir- cularjhore, as it forms a fan!- circle ; and that the pomcgn* nate was fo called by the Br* hrenvs, becaule it came torn that part of A/Hc^ coaSaam to what Pliny writes conoeniil the origin of that firuit ( 16). Another judicious aathor kll made it much more probabb that Caphtor is the ifland flf Crete, We refer the readerib
(13) Bocbart, Cafi/e, See. (14) FhaUg, L iv. c. 3I. (15) BoebMrt. ^fit' (16; FJdcCUric, in Cen, X. Z4,
biiri
**5
7. The Hiftory of the PhUiftines:
pleafant and fruitful land, and themfelves were ftrong gh tx) expel theni) they made their attempt and fuc- xL We are not much inclined to think them a very Tous multitude, when they iirft fettled in this their left ; for their king, even in the days of Ifaac^ grew IS of that patriarch's power; which is no great fign lis own was very coniiderable ; tho' poffibly they may been fettled there many years before, ana muft con* ntly have been much more numerous than they were }. But, fuppoiing this kingdom or ftate to have been reak in its beginnings, as moft others were, we pro- to the next notice we have of their aiFairs. iiMELECH (L), their king mAbraham^s days, wasAbime- Jy andjuft perfon, and appears to have had (bme in- lech I. urfe* with God. He refided at Gerar^ of which Year of he is called king, and had like to have been drawn ^<^ I very fatal fnare by the too great caution of Abraham ; ^5 * *. ^ coming into his kingdom, to be at a diftance from the ^f thrift li Siddimy pretended that Sarah was not his wife, but ' ^''
» Gen. XX. 3, & fcq.
'or his reafons (17}^ as IS to what we have al-
advanced as our opi- (18}. It would be in for US to touch on the f of the PhUiftines before emoved out of Egypt ^ or
the laft place of their
before they came into nd of the Antims \ but ill, however, briefly in- vhat fbme have been id to ^y upon that ve- fcure fubjedt. Accord- bifhop Cumberland ^ 1 9}* ohabited with the Fhtg'
or CanaaniteSf in Go- that is, that fide of E- ext to Arabia ; but, find- eir country invaded by kindred, the other fons 'xraimj they left it, to the miferies of the im-
pending war between the pa- llors and the pure Egyptians ; and removed . into the land . where Abraham found them. (L) One Fhiliftinus^ whom Jo/ephus (26) makes a fon of Adizraim, is fometimes reck- oned their firfl king (21 } ; from whom that J^wijh wri- ter derives the name of Pale* Jline, Whatever truth there may be in this^ it is al(b like- ly, that either they borrowed their name - from PWx^am, or Pelufium from them ; for here, or hereabouts, did they firlt fettle, according to the common opinion (22) ; and it will not be much out of the way, if wc fuppofe they founded that city, and dwelt there till force or inclination made them remove.
C«/«ff . dijpsrt, in i Sam, ( 1 8 ) Sit I'oL i. />. 3 74. (^9)0 '-
r. /». 37a. (zo) Afitif. I. i. f. 7. [z\)ride bin, Jul. /-
at^ft* (22) 6'w 1/t/. i. ubt fupr,
)L. II P his
ne Hifiory of tbe FhiliftuMS R I.
his fifier. AtimeUch (aw her, was taken wxdi her charms^ and, underftandin^ (he was a iingle woman, idbhred to take her to his bed : but, ere he had accompiiflied his de* fires, he was warned by God to return the Woman to her concealed huftand, and that upon pain of deadi. Abtrni" lech hereupon excufedhimfelf to the divine vifion, upon the initbcence of his intentions ; and, feeming to have frdh in mind the terrible overthrow of Sod$m and Gomorraby Ltri^ fays he^it'Ut thou alfo flay a righteous nation? as if he would take vengeance on his people for a crime he W7& going ig- norantly to commit. But he had die comfortable anfwer in a vifion or dream, that God knew well, and approved his integrity \ that he had withheld him from fuming ; and that Abraham fliould, at his requeft, pray for him, and he ihould ]ive< Being thus admonifhed, he firft acquainted his fervants with what had happened ; vdio were inftandy ietzed with great dread : then, calling Abraham^ he afked what he had done to him, that he (hould miflead him into fo dangerous an error ; or what offence he had ever com- mitted againft him, that he fhould tempt him to fuch a fin,' as might have proved the ruin, not of himfelfonly, but of hfb whole kingdom. Indeed, fays he, you have not ufcd me well ; what have you obferved in the morals or beha* viour of me and my people, that you fhould imagine we would offer any violence to your wife ? The anfwer he re- ceived from Abraham was a frank confeffion of the truth, he acknowleging, without difguife, that he feared they had not been mdued with right notions of God and his [^ws, and that he fhould certainly be deprived of his life, that they might the more freely enjoy Sarah, He added, that, in faying fhe was his fifler, he had fpoken nothing but the truth,^ fhe being really fo ; and ended his apology with acquainting the king, that, in flrange places, it had always been his cuflom to make her pafs for his fitter <mly, for fear of the worftr Abimelech^ fatisfied with what he heard (in confequence thereof, and in obedience to the di- vine command), not only returned Sarah to Abraham^ but made him a very handfome prefent in fheep, oxen, and fervants, both men and women ; declaring to hiih withal, that he was welcome to live in what part of his dominions be beft liked. He alfo made a confiderable prefent to Sarah, and accompanied it with a fpeech, which ouf;s, and inofl verfions, have rendered as a reproof; but was the quite contrary, as we fhall fee in the Jeivijh hiflory. In this manner did Abimelech comply with the divine admo- nition, and, upon the prayers oi Abraham j he and his
whole
XX W. the iiijiary of the Philiftines. %%7
whole houfe were reftored to their natural faculties, of Whidi they had been deprived for Sarah*sbkc'f the Lord having rendered the men impotent, and the women barren (M). Ever after this Abinitlech lived in perfect harmony with jRraham ; and, that the iame might be tranfmitted down to pofteritr, Abimtlech^ with the participation of Pbiciol^ the chief captain of his hoft, propofed an oath to Abraham^ whereby he (hould bind his pofterity to live in. amity with his, and deal by them juft as he had 4ealt bv him. This was readily embraced by Abraham ; but firft he defired a difpute might be deciaed, concerning a well which AbimeUch'^ fervants had forcibly taken from him. AbimeUch declared, he never heard of this outrage till that moment ; and that nothing of the kind fhould have been then to be complained of, had Abraham informed him of it. And^ that this matter might be terminated in fuch a manner as to admit of no farther difpute, Abrahamy among itfae numerous prefents he made him, of (beep and oxen, fevered feVen ewe-lambs, ^hich he gave him, to be a ftand- in^ teftimony of his having dug, and confcquently of his- bemg the right owner of that well. Abimetech accepted bf them accordingly^ and the well was, from tlieni, called Beerjhebah. After a mutual mtification of their co- Voiaht, Abimelechj and Phicholj the chief captain of his hoft^ rofe up, and returned from whence they came ^ (N).
Aci-' * Gen. ubi fupra, $c xxi. 22—32*
(M) ^* Or with fuch fwell- cafe from the text. We find
** ings in the fecrpt parts, that . this whole ftory quite altered by
*' the men could neither eojoy Jofipbus (24), who (ays, AU-
^ their wives, or the women- melicb was taken with (o vio«
^' who were with child be deli- ■ lent a fit of fickneis that his life
" vered (22).'' They maft was defpaired ofi that, in the
have been very fenfible of fach midft of it, he had a dream,
aki alteration as this ; but it is, which admoniihedhim oonoem-
On the other hand, fappo(ed to. in^ Sarah i that, finding him*
have been fomething imper^ felf apon the mending ha4id^ he '
ceptible, both by the men and called' together hit friends,- and
women, and a matter not to be difclofed to them his dream,
difeovered, but by length of and the violence of hispaiffion i
time $ and thence it is concluded, and that thereupon he made up
that Abraham andSarah were a the matter with Abraham^ Uzi
confiderabie time at Abimelech\ (N) In the text it it^ They ri-
court (23). Nothing can be turned into the land of tbi ^hx*
pofitively determined in this lifkincs ( 25 ) ; as if they had
(»») Patrick upon Gen, xx. i8. (23) VidtCkric. in Gen, rx. 27. (24) An* -ti], L i. f. 15. (rf) Cen, xxi. 31.
P z come
22» rbe Hiftory of the Vla^i^cs. B.I f]
Abime LECHy the fon of Abmekch^ and therefore caHcd the fccond (O) of that nam;, fuccteied his fadier in the j}, kingdom of the Philtfiines^ reigned alfo at Gerary had at moir the fame tranfadiions with Ifaac as his fother had widi Alfrahanij and feems to have been a£tuated by the very fame principles as his father, and to have well deferved ta be ftiled a juft and pious prince. In his days came Ifaac to Girary fore prefled by famine^ and conducing KdeUk with him, whom, in imitation of his father,' he madepafi for his fitter. Whether Abimelech and his fubje£b had re- membrance of that fallkcy before, and what had like there- upon to have enfiied, to the detriment of the whole nations or whether the morals of this country were ftHl fb pure, and chaftity and hofpitality in fuch due and high efteem, that they abhorred the thoughts of an impure attempt;^ we kmnr not J but it is certain that Rebekah wa&unmoleftedby fuit- ors of any fort ; and Ifaac had no occafion to comphm upon her account. H[owever> it is pretty evident, dnt Abimelech himielf, at leaft, had ' a fibrewd fufpicioa dxj were man and wife ; for, looking one day out of his window, as it is exprefled, he (aw ifaac caremng RMA in fuch a manner as convinced him they were much Beam related than they pretended to be. Wherefore he caDel Ifaac to him, and afked htm, how he could be fo deceit- ful, pretending that (he, who was really his wife, was no
come oat of it to make a league only ground of fuch a fonBife with Abraham^ who was ^11 a It is fuppofed he may have beci
ibjourner in PaUftine : it can fimamed the HittiU,
therefore mean no more than from having conquered dnt
that Abimelech returned to the tribe, or from having cntmd
place of his own abode ; as if a into a league with them (28):
dilUndion was now made of that but nothing of this kind is to be
part of the country occupied by depended upon, or bdieicd.
Abraham'^ which, by the co- Thisfecond ^/m^/^iftistbeBa-
VtnaAt made, was now confi- tural fucceffoE of the fDffiiin,4i
dered as bis own, and no longer appears by his name or appda*
under the jqrifdidion of the tion, andby theferies of tine'.
Philiftines, has father was contempoiaiT
, (O) Some (26), betweea WnYk Abraham^ ashewaawitt
thefe two AbimeUchs^ place E- Ifaac ; but fo plain a cafe OB
fhroH the Hittite, who was fa admit of no difpute with tsff
kind to Abraham ( 27 J, which, but fuch as are fond of nochiai
perhaps, is the bed, if not the elfe.
(-:6) rbeopkil. Antioeb. (ty) See before, p, 199^ (,28) ftdthf*
Jul, tH regit, VaUfi, p, 76.
. . jsoir
V. ne Htftofy of the PhUiftines; 229
than his fifter. To which Ifaac pleaded his father ttfin's excufe. Ablmelech replied, it was by no means y done of him ; for that, ignorantly, fomc or other 5 people might have enjoyed her, and thereby involved ^hole nation in a moft dangerous fin (?\ Which to nt, he proclaimed what Ifaac had told him, forbidding
0 touch Rebekah or her nufband, upon pain of death, ing can well be added to give us a more favourable of this upright king, than his behaviour In this cafe : deis h^ was no ftranger to what had happened on a tccafion to his father ; and having the judgments of before his tyos^ believed and dreaded them. And. remarkable it is, that, though it might have been ex- d that he would have driven out Ifaac from his domi-
1 as one who, either malicioufly or ignorantly, had ed his whole nation to irretrievaolc rum ^ yet he fuf- him to abide in the land till his power began to give imbrage. Then indeed the PbiliJIines^ beholding the jious increafe of Ifaac* z ftorc, envied him, and gave* 10 fmall difturbance, by filling up his weUs as {z& a& rvants diig them, and by other fuch like ill offices. At 1 Abimelech fent him a pofitivc order to remove. Thisw ge was couched, it feems, in fuch civil terms, thatJ , who was not confcious to himfelf of any evil dcfiga
Notwithftanding this A- well knowing the cprruption of
th makes fo amiable a fi- his own heart, he bejgan te
n the writings of Mofes^ be afraid of the confequences
us ( 29 ) reprefents him his inhofpitnble breach might
;ry ill and corrupt perfon; bring on him and his, and*
9 mend the matter, tells thought it beft to propofe to
ry in a very broken man- him the renewal of the cove*
Pafling over what relates nant which was made between*
^Aab, and lfaac\ denial him and Abraham ; for he all
lor his wife,, he fays, that alone takes ^\z Abimelech ^x
kcb did behave with the mme that converfed with
outward refpe^ to Ifaac j-.braham^ thereby to blacken
his 6r(l arrival in his him the more, as a man of -no
y I but, in time, finding faith or fimplicit}' of intention ;
> be more in the favour and beiides, thereby makes him
[> than himielf, he broke abundantly too old,, except he
am» and> burning with fuppoTes^^^^/rXi^ to have been
gsive him all the iU-na- but a child, or a mere lad, when
trauble he could upon all Abraham firft xx^movcd into the
)n8. Bat in the end, per- land of the fhiliftinei^
g the man's increaje,. and ■
(29) Antii* /.. i. r. iS.
• • P 3 • * 5f ..tuft
ajo ^^ Hifi^y ^'th PhiBflinps. B. I,
:^ainft him, only removed from one part of his country to another. He had not been long come to this canton, voictt new broils and contentions aro(e between the Pbilifiitui of Gerar and Ifaac's fervants, who, opening the weUs which
herdfmen claimed as their right ; whence the wells thusdif- puted, two in number, were one of them, by Ifaacy csBXeAeftl^ or contintion J zndtht othtr ^t?iah, or hatred. By thefeven-. tious and obftinate claims, Ifaac was obliged to (hift from place to place, till Abimelechj at laft reftiembring, we 0117 fuppofe, the covenant between his father and Abraham^ an^ plainly perceiving that Ifaac was favoured with God's (pe« cial Ueffing, dbought it his duty, or his interefl, to renew the aforefaid covenant ; and, taking with hixn Abuxxath^ n intimate friend, and Phichol (QJ, the chief captain of nil ho&x went to Ifaac^ who could not help declanng hisfuT" prize in feeing them, after what bad pafTed. To whidi thev anfwered, that diey plainly faw God was with him, ana that he was rifmz to a high pitch of power and pidbe- lity ; and therefore &fired to enter into bonds of fricndmip with him, by a new covenant, or by a revival of the old; defiriftg no other terms, than that the PhiUJUms^ and their {K>fterity, might be ufed and confidered by Ifadc^ and hb pofterity, as he and his family had been confidered and ufed by AbimeUch and his 'people. They were all three then en* tertained by Ifaac \ and die league they defired being mu- 1;ual!y fworn to next morning, they departed in peace*.
The hiQiory of the Philijiimsj hitherto clear and cir- cumftantial, is all at once involved in an impenetrable mifti through which we can only perceive, that the men ofGttk fSsll on the children of Ephraimy and flew them, for attempt- ing to drive ofF their cattle K When this happened, or the particulars of it, or the confequences that enfued, wc know not c.
* Gen xxvu 1 —33. ^ i Chron, vii. 21. « ScebefaiCi
p, 219, 220, in the notes.
(01 The chief captain of his cbol to have beea a title of ho-
£ither*s hoSt, as may be re* nour or dignity ; and tlM^ H
membred, was alio GiUed Pbi" the king was conilaotly fflWI
^/(3o); bot, as it is inpof- uf^imi^<^, his chief miaiflcr.cr
£ble, or very highly improba* pnen^ wad conftantlv oM ble at leafl, that this was the PiicJb$l &me man, we conclode Pbi- '
Fob
C. iV. Tke Hifiory of tie PhiUftiriM. 231
For a very long feries of years we hear nothing of this people, and are only left to guefs, that they, in- the meail time, diflblved their antient form of government, and con- traded an averfion to the Ifraelites ; for, when they are next mentioned, they are reprefented under diftindt jurif* diflions, and at ftrife with the children of Ifrneh
We do not read of any war they had with Jojhua ; but, after his death, Gaza^ Askelon^ and Ekron (R), were taken from them, by the united tribes of Simeon and yudah^ ; which, however, we find them, in a fhort time, poffcfled of again « ; but whether they recovered them by force of arms, or they were reftored to them by the conquerors, is |iot faid.
About 120 years after the reduftion of the three cities above-mentioned, the Philiflines held the Ifraelites under their yoke, till they were delivered by Shamgarj who flew fix hundred of then^ with an ox-goad ^ (S). Nor muft w c Year of forget, that the Philiftines fuflered in common with the flood Ifraelites ^^ by the mcurfions and ravages of Zebah 9Xtii *043- Zalmunna kii\^ of Midian K Bef.Chrift
I3PJ^
^ Judg. i. 18. ejbid. xiv, 10. flhid. iii. 31. V^W^
I Sec Judg. vi. 4. *> Sec before, p. 159,
(K) Here Je/ephus (31) tells offered to explain or Uludrat^
US of only Askelon^ and A/bdodt this a6^ion. A paralldl cafe is
or Avuitus^ z,% fubdued ; and, by found in Horner^ where Lycurgm
an unpardonable inaccuracy, puts to flight the Bacciuc with
reckons them to the Canaan' an ox* goad, ^y the Vulgate it
ites. But for Ga%a and EJ^ou^ h interpreted a plough-fhare,
or Accaron^ {ays be, they were induced thereto by the LXX.
in the flat country, veryibong 3ut thofe ( 33 ) feem to think
in chariots, an4 wel} able to very rationally, who imagine
make a zopd defence i where- that Shamgar puthimfelf at the
by they ^ved themfelves froA^ head of a tumultuary maltitude
the calamities of their neigh- of coimtry-peoplc« who were
hours. arm?d in their ruflicway, with
(S) It is worth obferving, tha^ the implements of tillage ; an4
Jefephus (32^, who is fo fond that ^ hamgar happened to have
of extraor4inary events, andfo an ox-goad in his hand when
apt to maiee more of them than, thefe fix hundred of the Fbili"
ic is likely, he found them, quite Jiinis fell; not that he kille^
paflEbs over this. Wf will not thena all himfelf \yixh that ^eie^-
dwell ojD the niceties ^hich are pon.
(31) Antiq, I, V. f. 2. (32) Antxq. I, v. c. $* (Sl)^*^
icnc, in jkJu, m, 31.
P 4 A-^SCOND
;a32 ne Hiftory of the Philiftincs. ^X
A SECOND time they opprefTed the IfraeliUSj in con- jundion with the Ammonites^ in the days of yepbtbabK
A THIRD time they reduced the Ifraelltes^ by the ptf* miffion of God, and kept them in fubje&ion 40 yeais. la the mean time was Samfon bom, to check their pride fT). He, when grown up, fell in love with a damfel or this Year of country, who dwelt ztTimnath. At the celebratioa of flood the nuptials, ^o young Philijiines were appointed to attenl 1 21 1, on Samfon (Cf) ; who propofed a riddle to them, concem- BefChrifting a lion he had killed, in whofe carcafe, a twdvemondi 1 1 37- after, he found honey. It was propofed to thefe young men by Samfon^ that, if they unraveled his riddle, he fhould give them 30 fuits of apparel, one to each ; but if they could not anfwer him at the end of the feven days of the marriage-feftival, they fhould each of them give him the fame. They accepted the offer, defu^d to hear the riddle ; but, having in vain perplexed themfelves dierewith for three days together, and defpairing to overcome the difficulty, they went to their country-woman, Samfiifs bride, defiring her to declare the myftery, and threatening, if (he did not, to bum her and all her Kindred, as perfixB who had on purpofc introduced a ftranger, to plimder them of their fubftance. This made a deep impreflka on the young woman ; who, by continual intreaties, pre- vailed at laft on her hufband to difclofe the ambigui^ to her, which ihe communicated to the thirty young men; in confequence of which they won the prize. This broudit a misfortune upon Askehn ; for Samfon^ to make good nb engagements, went thither, and flew 30 men; whofe gv- nients he gave to the 30 cxpofitors of his riddle ^^.
This marriage was the beginning of great mifery upon the Philijiines ; for Samfon^s father-in-law, apprehending his daughter was not well pofleffed of her hufband's hearty gave her away to another, and denied Samfony who had
* Sec before, p. 143. ^ J^dg. xiv. 1 2— 1 9.
( T ) Jc/ephus ( 34 ) reckons Samfon^ who was come to narry
that the Pbiliftines wereftripped among them i but nothing leb
of their dominion over Ifmel appears by Jofepbus (35}, who
by Samfon ; but he is plainly writes that thefe young mqi
miftaken. were fet as a guard upon liiaii
(Uj This we take to have to prevent his doing any mif-
been the caftom of the country chiefs when overcome widi
in caics of a like nature, and an drink.
ttfoal compliment now paid to
(J4) Jtntiq, /. ▼. f. 10. (35) Uhifupr^
beta
I
C IV. ne HifUry of the Philifiines. 2 33
been abient a twelvemonth, all accefs to his wife ; but, to pacify his refentment, he would have given him another daughter, who, as he faid, was younger and handfomer. This did by no means mollify Samfcnj who, in revenge, y^^Qf lent out three hundred foxes, with firebrands at their tails, ^^ jh^qJ into the corn-fields ; and all the ftanding-corn was thereby 1212. confumed, as 'were alfo the other fiiiits of the earth, andfief. Chr. the vines, and the olives. The Phili (lines were amazed at 1 1 36. fo terrible a difafter ; and, underftanding the motives " 'which had induced Samfon to ufe them fo cruelly, they looked on his father-in-law as the chief incendiary ; and therefore went, and burnt him, together with his daughter; who alfo may be called the caufc of all this mifchief (W). But this they did not with impunity ; they were fmittcn hip and diigh by Samfon. They determined then to take their revenge on him \ and, underflanding he had retreated to the rock Etam^ they went thither to take him ; but he was delivered bound to them by the men of fudah^ who dreaded their difpleafure. The Philijiines fliouted aloud at the fight of Samfon bound ; but riieir joy was foon turned into mourning j iovSamfony breaking his cords, found the Jaw-bone of an ds at hand, and with it Jdlled a thou- land of them ^.
All this the Philiflines never forgot, and wilhed for liothing fo much as an opportunity to be revenged on Samfon, The Gazites^ about twenty years after the laft llaughter, thought they had him fecure in their city. Being informed that he was there with an harlot, they vratched him, and made hA their gates, with a defign to
' Judg. XT. I— 16.
(W) This (eems to have been may be remembred, when
inflifted on them by way of they began to defpair, that they-
retaliation ; for as through fhould ever unfold Sam/hna
their indircretion they drew riddlet thieacened the bride to
OD their country fo iifui a re- burn her and her father's
VfDge by fire, the reft might houfe» if (he did not befriend
think it but Jaft and natural, them. It is fuppofed they
that they fliould perilh thereby were taken by furprize, and
to expiate their crime. Bat, burnt in their houfe ; and it is
on the odier hand, we find that obferved, that the bride and
puniihing or revenging by fire her father's houfe fufFered the
was a notorious pradice in fame calamity ihe fought to
thofe days with this people i avoid by betraying her huf-
^or the thirty young men, as band (36).
(36) Sfi Patrick uptnjudg, XV. 6«
kill
the Hiflofy of the Philiftinw. B, I,
kill him the next morning. But their precaution Was to no purpofe ; for Samfin^ riiing at midnight, took the citjr sates and pofts, and bar», and carried them away towarcu xletron^ le^vine an open place behind him.
The lords of die Philiftines then heard) that Samf0n was ^amoured of another hiurlot of their nation in the valley of Sorek^ whofe name wa$ DeliiaL The five lords came to this won^ui) and promifed her, each of them, eleven hundred pieces of filver, if ihc would betray Samfon to them, by enticing himio tell her where his ftrength lay, and how he mi^ht be reduced to the ordinary ftrength of another m^n. bo large a bribe corrupted Delilah^s heart, luid fhe ufed her beft endeavours to earn it ; thinking Aq was acquainted with the fecret, (he fent for the Philijlims to execute their pleafure on him ; but fhe was deceived, and they difappointed. A fecond time fhe was deceived in like mannerj, and a third time ; but the fourth (he v^as fincerc- ly informed, that his l^ength lay in his hair, which flie cut off, and delivered Samfon an. helplefs prey to the lo^ds of the Philijiints^ who gave her the pronufed reward, put put SamforC^ eyes, and, binding him with fetters of brafs^ carried him to Gaza^ and there made him grind in the prifon-houfe.
Tif £ Y then met in a folenui manner to celebrate a feftir val to their god Dagon^ and to offer him thanks, and praifes, and facrifices. They met together to the number of many thoufands, and wer^ all in one place ; whether a temple, a theatre, or a palace, is quite unknown ; but the fabric was of fuch' extent, that no fewer than three thoufand, perfons were on the top of it (X). In the height of their
jollity
■
(X) We find the generality how eould this roof be coo-^
,of the learned moft inclined to trived, fo thatfuch a maltitade
think this vaft building a thea- might partake o^ the diveriion
tre, fuch as formerly the Ro- Samfon was roajkine below ? It
w^w contrived, and which were is anfwered, that Siofe on tb|i^
almofl incredibly capacious : roof were the vul^ fort, wnp,
this may have been the truth had conveniencies o£ looking
of the matter, and we (hould down into a great haU« lyheir
moil readily have embraced the the lords and chiefs and better
fame opinion, did we not per- fort fat in ftate ; which will
ceive, that this building was ilill make the building more
roofed, and that fo firmly as extenfive. A roof it had^.
to bear the weight of three which we fuiHcicntly undcr-
thoufand perfons upon .its top. fbnd by the two pillars which
A di^cul^y ilarts up here * , Samfon palled down, and which
5 fuppoited
p. iV. fh H^ory of the Phlliffines. 155
ioUitj thejr fent for the blind Samfon to make fport with him ( Y), forzetting his hair was by this time pretty well Year of grown again fZ)^ and his ftren^, confequently, returned the flood to him. They made y^t diverfidn they pleafed with 1231. him, but paid dear for it ; for thev all periiheid by the fall Bef. Chr. of the building they vfere in, ¥6hich was broMght down by 1 1 1 7- SamfoH. This was a terrible difidler, fmce moft of the ' ^ ^ chi^ of the Pbilifiinesy if not ail, perUhed by ^t ; fo that the nation muft have been brought to si Iqw conditioni fceing d^ftitu^e of governors, commanders, and men of wifdom m.
The Ifrae\iteiy taking advantage of this di&fter^ and the Gonfternation attending it, marched agaijift the eneo^ widi« put lofs of tim^, and pitched at Eben^zer, The PhtUJiims^ notwithftanding the great lofs they had fuftai^ecl, came out to meet them, and encamped at Afhik* The (wo armies foon came to a£Uon^ ^^d the day turned in £ivour <if the Philijiines^ who put ^ enexj^y to a precipitate
Sht, and, h^vuig flain four dioufand of-diem, drove the \ into their camp. The Philijlimsj in the midft of their triumph, upon this o^afion, heard 9n uncommm fhout of joy from the Hebrew camp ; and, inquiring into the caufe of it, were told that the Hebrews had fent for the ark of the Lord, and that it was Come into their camp. Vpon hearing this, they cried out in the utmoft confter-
» Judg. xvLpertot.
(iipporced it. It lience mt^ gather,, that J^ofepbus (59) i^
have been a place of a parcicu- right in faying this wis an an-
iaa coD&raAiony like the Egy noal feaft in nonour of their
ftian hall in Fitruvius (37), god Dagon, as appears alfo by
knd nothing like the theatres the text of Scriptare ; where
of the antient Qreeh or Ra- gf^t thanks are returned to.
ijums. Dagon for delivering Samfon
( Y) Jofephus ( 3 8) anderftands into their hands, which was ftili
that they wanted to fiput and uppermoft in their thoughts,
jeer him; though alfo they and what they had chiefly de-
taiay have made him go through iired feveral years paft. From
a courfe of ridiculous geftures hence we may learn, that the
and speeches. worfhip of Dagon was not con •
(Z) Tn the mamn of our fined to AJhdod^ though it may
verfioD it is. As lAwen he was ' have been his peculiar place,
fianjen ; or it was grown to and that in thele days he was
the fiune length it was of when the moft highly revered of any
Dililab dipt it. Whence we god they had.
(37) yid^L Ti. €, ^ (38) Ubifupr. (39) Ubifupr.
nation.
* 3
236 The Hifiory if ibe PhiUQiMS. B.l
nation, God is come into the cnemyjs camp ; what will become of us ! Such a thing was never known before; and greatly did .they bewail their unhappy lot, defpairixf to he delivered from thofe mighty gods, as they fpoke, who had fo feverely fmitten the Egyptians. They now were quite daunted and fpiritlefs, till their chiefi, or fome of the more refolute, difpclled their fears, exhorting them to be of good chear, and behave like men, left they fhould fall under the power of the Hebrews, and become their fervants, inftead of being their matters: Behave like men, faid they, and fear not. Ti:!> exhortation had its cffeft upon the drooping hearts of the Phlliftines, and infpired them with frem courage. Thus animated, they came to a battle ; and the attack was fo furious, that they flew 30,000 of the enemy's foot ; and, to crown all, took dw ark of God, which, at firft, gave them fo much trouUe, and flew Hophni and Phinehas, the priefts who attended it. Doubtlefs they called this a moft complete vidory, and rejoiced in a moft extraordinary manner, not being aware of the evil confequences they were to fuffer in return. In high triumph they carried the captive ark to AJhdod, and placed it in the temple of their idol Dagon, as an acccfit- able offering to him, and as his captive, we may fuppc^ The next morning they went into the temple, and, BeboU^ Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth, befon tbe4ri of we Lord. They took him up therefore, and fet him in his place again, attributing this firft humiliation to fome unheeded accident ("A). But on the fecond day, when they went in again, they not only faw their god in Ac fame humble pofture they beheld him the day before, but without head, hands, or feet, which lay on the threfliold; nor was any thing left of him but the trunk of his body. Hence came a fuperftitious cuftom among his priefts, never to tread on the threfliold as they went into his temple (B),
eidier
(A) They might impate it talned for many ages, as xUf to fome defefl in the pedellal, be gathered from Zipbmmah or imagine the flatue itfelf not (39),where thofe are threatened to have been exactly poifed, or, that leap on tbe thrtfiboU, Heoct finally, attribute it to fome uu- it appears, that they were woot ufual fliock, as of an earth- to leap over the tbzeflioM.' quake, and the like. This, no doubt, alludies to tUt
(B) This fuperftition ob- ridiculous fuperflition (40J.
;.?9} Zc^h, :. Q» ' (|o) T^dcBcchjr*, bierizs!:, par, i. /, jj. c, 36.
Tls
r. Tbe Hiftcry of the PhiKftmcs. 2^7
' in remembrance of this mutilation^ or becaufe It had hallowed by the touch* of the fcatcered limbs of their led deity. But their concern for him was quickly red bv a more lively fenfe of then: own real calamities, whole country being fmitten with a fudden plague, liich many of them died, while tliofe who furvived grievoully tormented with emerods. yfjhdod and its 5 territory labouring under fo dreadful a calamity, refqlved to keep the ark no longer among them, ; too fcnfibly convinced, that they fuffcred on that ae- t. But that they might not take an hafty ftep, they I an aflembly of all the lords of the Philijiines to deli- e upon the means of delivering them from this racing and what was beft to be done with the fatal ark. The ition they came to was, Tliat the ark fhould be re- A to Gath^ apprCfiendfng, as is thought, that Ajhdod I place unacceptable to it (C). T^hey carried it thi- but the fame plague, and another fort cSenurods (O) ved it to Gathy without diftindlion of fniall or gr^'at. , men of Gath then fent the ark to Ekron \ but the in- ants of that city, knowing what Gath and Ajhdod had
Jt^s have an idle ftory, is ev'ident enough, that fhii
the Pbiiiftinesj hencefor- plague was in feme manner al-
forfaking Dagon himfelf, tercd ; and it being the moll
tiped the threfhold of his univerfally interpreced in both
e (41). places, that they were afHiftcJ
) Juft as ^neas and his by emerods, there is no other
r ind'iBed their beds itnd way that occurs ro us of ac-
houfes of the di/nflers that coundng for this alteration, but
them ; and Cadmus for- that at JJhdod they had the
>// own aty, ordinary fort, which appear
iDquamfbrtanalocorum, outwardly, and chat now at
1 fua fe premeret. - Gath they hsd the h/iffd fort,
'the ill luek njehieh hunted which are inward. Ihllead of
had been tbe placets, not^ ^»2fr/?^j,fomc (43) Ipeak of vio-
wn ; as our Dr. Jackfin lent difordcra in, tiiK inttftines,
ves out of Onjtdy in his of their rotting alive, and of
lal of unbelief, chap. 1 8. their wailing away by dyfente-
rr. 4. (42). Hes and vomivir.gs, thereby
>) kx, AJhdody it is faid, difcharging their loathfomccor-
wcrc fmitten with emerods ruption. Other opimonci there
without any addition: are concerning this matter ; but
now it is iaid, they none fo generally recti ;-td a^
fmitten with emerods what we have f iid or the fwt
eirfecrct parts: whence it reds,
) Vide Buxtorf, hifi, arc. c. 19. p. int. \A'\) P.'TtLL u%:-.
; vsr. 8. (41) Jefffi^. unt:^, ;'. u ^.2,
already fuSered by detaining i^, cried out, tliat the ark ^ tj)e God of Ifrael was fent to deftroy them. Their ksa V^ere not vain ; for great numbers of them died, and the raginc dilkemper, the emerodsy gathered ftrength, as it fpread (E.) Therefore they had no fooner received the ari» than, all in confufion, they fent to the lords of the Phi^ lijiinesto confult with them about the manner of fending. > the ark to its place. The refult of this council is not ex- prefled \ they feem to have removed the ark isito the coun< try (F), and hereby to have only increafed the number of die
(E) We find their lamenta- had yet been affieftod in ^
Cion and afflidtion expreiled in deeper terms, upon every re- moval ^ which gives room for thisa&rtion.
manner of AJbioi^ Gathi and Ekroriy where the ark liadbMr lodged. It feems that the aik being removed into the fields
(F) Jofipbiu (44) relates^ gave t^th to thofe pcodiriou thlt the ark went through all ^arms of mice» which did ett
the ^ye cities of the Pbilijiines^ which we have no warrant to ailert from Scripture^ except that the five cities being eqoal- iy afiiiAed, and theu- gods equally peHecuted, as after- wards appears^ may be accepted for a demonilrative proof thete- of t but there is no room to fuppofe this, fince we find, that the Skronites, convinced of the deftrodUon and plague which followed the ark^ did not fo much as think of procuring it to be (ent either to Jikelon, or Gaxa ; but only, that it might be fent back to its place. Their lequeft, it ieems, was no ^- ther complied with by the reft than the removing it from them into the country or the fields, for that is the fenfe of the ori« ginaiy where it remained feven months ; nor is it likely, that either of thofe two cities would iuve admitted it within their gates after a thrice-repeated experience of what the confe- quence would be, if they did ; nor does it appear, that they
up the country, and that Gmui and Asktlon were now fmiaai by the plagues alfb, that tht whole body of this peopU groaning under the fiune Seve- rities and diftrefi, there migkl be no diflenfion among that about difmifilng the ark. kA hence, perhaps, we may dUb- ver> thit as much as they woi divided into five fatrapies or lordfhips, they were neverthe^ le(s fo linked together, thatooift of them could not a& in ao/ niatter of public concern with- out the concurrence of aD die reft; which is no-wherefoevi* dent as in this caft of die Ekn^ ites, who were fo thoroi^y convinced the ark was to U fent home» that we cannot con- ceive what fhould have prevoB- ed them from a6ling according- ly, had it not been that they were afraid of making a breach in their common conftitution; or dreaded to be called to an account by the reft for prefum- ing to ad without their confat. in an affair of fuch moment.
(44) J^i^t^^ oi^'p A vi. f. %n
cvib
C. IV. The Hiftory of tbi Philiftines. 239
evils that affli£ted them, the country being now laid vifalle %j an extraordinary produftion of mice. Finding there- fore that their condition became every day worfe, and ibeir evils multiplied as often as the ark was removed, they called for their priefts and diviners to demand of them \vfaat they thought moft e7q)cdient to be d<»ie on this mournful occafion ; and in what manner it would be fitteft |o remove the caufe of their difaftcrs. Their anfwer. was^ That they ought not to fend it away empty, but, by all means, with a trefpafs-offering, as an atonement. Being Aen afked what this trefpafs^offcring muft be, they re- plied, five golden emerodsy and five golden micey according to the number of the lords of the Philijiims ; the fam6 plague having been common to them all. Thgr then di- refted them in what manner they were to difmifs the ark ; and their directions being pundually complied with, the ark returned to the Ifraelites^ as is related at length in holy writ ; and the Philijiines were made thoroughly fenlible of the hand that had chaftifcd them n.
Wb have fufficient reafon to conclude, that the P/>/» Ufiines^ by difmifling the ark, delivered themfelves from ifae evils tney groaned under. But they foon forgot the mighty power of the God of Ifraely who had thus aiHi£led them. For, not above twenty years after, underftanding the Ifraelites were gathered in a oody at Mizpehy they re- iblved to difperfe them, apprehending, perhaps, that they tiBerc deliberating upon meafures of throwing ofF their yoke. They marched therefore towards Mizpehj and the ifraeU Hes^ ftruck with terror at their approach, applied to Samue/y who was in the midft of them, begging he would tot cea/e to cry out to the Lord for them. In the mean time the Philijiines purfued their march, unmindfiil of* hixaj who was ever ready, when his people turned to him, to confound the ftrength and devices of their ene- miesi however wife and powerful, as he did on this very Dccafion. For while the Philijiines were upon the point of falling on the Ifraelites j they were, by a dreadful and unexpected ftorm of thunder and lightning (H), broken, liifperfed^ and thrown into the utmoft confufion, of which
" I Sam. iv. v. vi.
(H) To this J&fefhus (45) k violent, that it was with addi, that they were in part mach ado they conld keep oa fwiiUowcd by an earthquake, their legs, ^
(4S} Autij, /. vi. e, u
the
st40 ^e Hifiory of the PhiHftincs: B. t
the Ifraelites taking advantage, purfued them with grot flaughtcr as far as Beth-can This proved a fatal over- throw to the Philtftinesy being attended with the lofi of the dominion they had excrcifed over the Hebrewsy and the many encroachments they had madp on their terri" tory o.
How great foever this lofs was, the Philifiines foon rec<>-»
vered it ; nay, in a few years, they became more powerful
Year of than ever. For, being informed that one of their fortrefles,
the flood called G<?^^, had been lurprifed by Jonathan the fonof&ra^
1252. they aflembled 30,000 chariots, 6coo horfe (I), and foot n
Bef. Chr. the fand of the fea, to fight with, or rather plunder d»
^^^ , Ifraelites^ who ftill laboured under the ill effe6b of thdr
**^'*' tyrannical policy, by continuing deftitute of arms: hxb
long as they held them in fubjeftion, they did not cvcB
0 I Sam. vii. 5—13.
( I ] Sir Ifaac Nekton (46), had on foot at this time ; ui
from this vail number of cha- partly, deiigned to move of
riots and horfemen, is tempted the plunder of the whole coob-
to think the Fbiliftines were try, which they (eem to -hut
now very powerfully fuccour- grafped at with the moftinth
ed, and their numbers mightily lent prefumptton : and tfc
increafed, by the acceflion of upon obferving the method il
the fhepherds out o^ Egypt ^ which this war was oirnBdoi^
who were now expelled that mud have been their d^^ly,
kinedom : we (hall not con- fuch a number of caAiMi
tend with him upon fo dark a which, if we reduce to niee
point, wherein he may as well thoufand, as the number flttdi
be right as not. But we can- in the Syriac and ArMe O-
not refrain from noting, that pics, will, as is very jodi^dly
betakes thcfc thirty thoufand remarked (47), be&rtoomi-
chariots to be of the warlike ny to fuppofe them to bii
fort, and defigned for battle, been warlike chariots, 'fin
wondering at the great excefs Mithridatis had but onehin-
of the number, when compared dred, Darius but two huildl4
with thofe that followed Pha- and Antiochus BptpbaXn tat
raoh^ who perijhcd in the Red three hundred ; and no on^ca
Bea. Forour part, we cinnot imagine, that the PbiiifmUf
take thefe chariots to have and whofoever elie may bait
been any other than carriages, joined them upon this ooG^
that were ufed, partly, in car- fion, were able to mnflcr
rying the baggage of fo great fuch a force in chariots
an army, as ihey feem to have ther of thofe three montick
(46) CbroKcl. cf ant, king, amended, p. 167. (47J Patn'tt m
3 &Btt
I
G..IV. The H0ory rf the Philiftines; ^i^
fuStt a fmith to dwell among them. This very numerous multitude went out, and, encamping in il^iV^m^, occa- iioned (b general a confternation, that happy was the IfraeUte whQ could conceal himfelf from them^ Michmajb was their ftation, whence they fent out three bands, three ftveral ways, to fpoil the country ; which they did with- out the leaft oppofition, having to deal with an unarmed enemy.
At Aftchmajh they continued, while their parties were Year of buiied in ravaging the country : but in the midft of their the flood depredations they received a check from Jonathan^ who, 1253. hurried on by a divine impulfc, and accompanied only by ^^f- ^hr. his armour-bearer, made a confidcrable (laughter of one of '^9>' their out-guards; the noife of which fpreading to the whole body, they were feized with a fudden panic, which occaiioned fo great a tumult among them, that, hyperbo- lically fpeaking, the very earth trembled therewith (K). In the height of this diforder, they firft fell upon each odier with grieat {laughter (L}, aiui then betook themfelves
to
(k) Not that there was really (50). It looks vtvy much as if in earthquake upon this occa- this great hoft, for fuch it may fion. Befides the thirty thou- be juftly iUled, though not, per- iod chariotSy and Hx t^ouiand haps, quite (b ilrong as is repre- horfemen, mentioned in Seri- {bated to us, had not a mutual ptnre, Jofepbus (48) numbers confidence in each ofiher, fo far the foot at three hundred thou* as to be certain, that a defefUbxv iand. But a late commentator and treachery might not be (49), from the alarm given them brought to pafs among them by yonathan, and his armour- by the artifices of the enemy.. liearer, and the fearful efieds The out-guard routed by Jo* of the fame, takes occafion to fiua and his armour-bearer fa- think, that the PhiUfiines were voured ftrongly of treachery^ Beithef {b numerous as is in Scri- The . bare fame of an attack' ptu^ faid, or fo well ikilled.in made by any two pcrfons'on fo war as they are ufually deemed: vaft an army, could never, of and infers, that the text muffi itfelf, have caufcd fo wild an bave been corrupted. uproar; but fomecHine, at the
(L) This fevours, very much/ fame time, muft have been ad-
thcci)hje4iure,ofSiri)5ifl.f AVw- dcd thereto., that made them,
im^ who fuppofes they had, enraged againjfl each other, and
about this time, an acceffion of fired them with the utmofl fury
{he (hepherds from £'^//,as we and indigQatrion. Nor does wl^^c
have already noted froxn him we here infiuuate,by any means
(4S) J^ntiphvi. c. 7. (49) Ci'iric. in I Sam, xiv. ij, (50) 3ee
tU preceding paige, in tbt mtes,
Yoir.n. Q^ derogate"
t^i Tbt Sifitry of the FhiUftines.; EIJ
to fi%;kt, ma wjlduprouand fury; which the 7)^««/iV«iis^ fooner obferved, tlun they purfucd theiBj with- SmtH[ thsir hetd : and if he had not been in too great « hvttfti mi fotba hit men to fland- to take a Jitile Tefr«QiaKiHr; the loft of the PhiMirut had been much greaterl. Itwtg^ however, very conuderablc (M) j for they were purfdedt {TtaiMiebtnajh to AijaleHi. ■', ir i
Though they were thusvifibly defeated by tbe'hlBldl of heaven; yet, in a few yean, they revived again, and putj bemfelves under arms, once more, to try their Rrea^H with the IJraelites ; being, perhaps, induced chereufltd.«|in an hearing that Saul was difturbed in his mind. But though; tfacy made a great noife and parade, they did not proocvt with fuch fury ai formerly, nor did they feeni fo eaget^' a battle. They firll rendczvoufed in Shocbohy in tbe^eriiil of yujah ; but, advancing thenCe, and finding Saul ratif to receive them, they pitched upon a mountain oppoficett another, on which ifrael -wa^ encamped. They had in their army, at this time, a giant, one Gtliatb of.GalhjVbo va> fix cubits and a fpan high, and armed cap-a-p^ wkh brafi (N) : the ftafF of his fpcar was like a weaver's bcacS| and the head of it weighed fix hundred fliekeb of imj
' I Sam. xiii. 17— (3, xir. i-rri;. ", '. ,iv'
. ., .A . ,' , M.-,nivh oetogate from the concein the Ihekels of iron, excee4cd cm- Almighty had, ID tbii miracii- and -twenty of tbe fame /Wi lout deliverance of his people i (52)- Thcweight of [lic<<,acd fincc, in cafes of this kind, he the other pans gf his aujioiir has fo often a£ted by fecond and arms, whole weight is not caufes. fpecified, was not, pixKpi',
{M) According to Jafipfitu heavy for fo gigantW; it perfen, (51), they now loll fixty thoQ- whale ftrengtJi.doubclefi, wis !d &id men. proportion to his (latun
(N| According to the£B^/p!5 yec fome are willing tothiikii
Aandud, the height of Ga/(WA was too cumbct-folM; and
was twelve foat eight inchti, therefore chufe to fay, tlvAf-
and fomewhat better than three kcis emun crated above^andcan-
ttnths. His coat of mail, alone, monly taken ibr tlie wcijJs*'
wrfghed five thoufand Ihekeh hiscoat of matt, werfeCbefW
of brafi, or upwards of one 0511(53); ^bich ^Kminbe
hundred and eighty-nine of our as much too tittle an th" V"*!
ftmdt 7rey: and, by the fame as it may appear too UMcfcn
rore. the head of hi* fpear, the otter. ' l-
which weighted fix hondred -5-
I fabta tfantiatt oiu, ovfil'i
V. Tie mjitry of the PhUiftbea: 24^
liefere him went one who bore his fhield. This gigdn* srfon feems to have been very fenfible of his firengtb, CO have fanfied, that he alone could fupport his coun« caufe : accordingly, whether by his own fuggeftions, ! the fdicitation of his countrymen, we know not, he
on him to fight any one in the hoft of Ifrael, and, by ide combat, to determine which of the two nations Id rule, and which obey. With this, he went down the valW which parted the two camps, and there chal-* id the ifrailites, to find out a man among them who i'to encounter hi m (0)» This arrogant challenge was Accepted, the Ifrailita being ftruck with terror, and ^ difinayed at his enormous fize, and menacing ik. But, as confident as Goliath was, in his own igth, and, in confequence thereof, how ready foever 'as to fight, the reft of his countrymen feemed to have nclination to it ; remembering how terribly it had, 9 than once, fared with them, in their contentions with tL Wherefore, though the firft day's experience con- ed them, that none of the Ifraelites vro\x\i enter the with Goliath ; yet, having no mind to come to a battle,
every morning and evening fent him out to repeat his challenge,for forty days together. At laft, as the armies 5 drawing down to each other, in battle-array, Goliath inced out of the ranks, as ufual ; and, in the height of pretended expedations, that one would come out (for sndcd they muft have been, after fo many fruitlefs re- gions of the fame defiance), he faw a hahdfome ruddy th advancing towards him, from the I fr a elites^ in the t and appearance of a fhepherd. The fight fired him I indignation ; and, obferving a ftafi^ in his hand, Vhat, fays he, am I a dog, that you are come againft le withaftaff ? *' and,curfing him oy his gods, *^ Come lither, faid he, that I may give your fle& to the fowl.<; f the air, and the beafts of the field.'* Having heard ag David'$ anfwer, he ftepped forward to punij(h bim bis prefumption ; but, before he could reach him, he ^by a ftone, which David Hung at him, ftruck on the head, and laid on the ground. He no fooner fell, than
1) Jim not 1 a PhilifiiDe^ in that country ; axsd reviles the
Jbtt mul you fomfanti to ^n/ZrV^j as fervants, or flaves ;
i? by which words, com- infiooating, that he did them
itators think, he either re- honour in offering to demean
entsbimfelf asalordamong himfelf fo far as to contend in
Pbilifiintsi or,rather,boa(ls fingle combat with any one of
(lis liberty, as he was bom them.
Q, 2 Davids
^bt:Hifiery.af ihe PMIifiif^ .EI. David, advancing, fevered, with thcgiain1s>6llm fmotit his head from his body, and carried it otF^ with him in firiA umph. The Philiftinii no foonerfaw thto:obanK)ion dod^ tlian they fled (P), ai if their hopes had aM centred in himi aHOv to fudge by their behavionr, it was rally da cafe. They fled, leaving theii tents and baggage IkIiM tliem, and were purfued by Ssiul, <]uice batnc!-to the ^Uea of their own cities, Gatb and Kkron, with great S\aa^aet' no doubt {Q_). • ^ . .
, T'ME fame hand which had dcprivad them ^■^aiulki proved fat^ to fome of. them foon after ; for two hvKlrcd of (hem were flain by DavrJ, for the. fake of > tlieir fcn- fkinsonly, that he might perform tlie condition. ia^Mfedoa himby5tw/,befoiehewouJd givchimhisdiiughteEtowi£o^ hut the particulars of this flaughter are not Ipecified iaikt text of Scripture. Thence, however, it may be gathetedf riiat rhi.s was the caufe of a frcOi rupture; andtdiatthi princes of the Phil i/iittei undertook to revenge ihe'it^nfi but what fucecfs attended them, is not fajd. . ■; ,-' ' ;.n.''. Soon af[er this, they were overthrown in battle hf Av vid^y and fome great change fteitu, about thb tiine^H have been wrought in their government : for, ncvaittk t\w- jiliinuUchs they are reprefented under lardvunpcnBt 16 now we read of a king they had, wht^enOmcivatiiAjiifij
' rSam.xvii.1— 5;. 'Jbid,xvHi. 32— aSrk \t SMSuXtx^
(P) From this llight, com- match for any in the hoAof
mentaiora are apt to imagine, J/rail, %)i£y were not agitnll
that what Galiath did jn offer- what be took oa him, aa thtjl
iog :o decide the fate of each champion ; but tha^ ihey &i,:
nation by fuigle combat, was mallyagreed toltasd towhatb'
his own a£l and deed.and with- promifed, is unlikely : fuct^;
ou[tiieaffentofthePi(///?(«j; cifions, l^ fingle combat, tvsB,
or clfe, that, if they did bind not to have been the cuftomoE
themfelvestofubmilto thefkte thefe early times i but the «li^
of fuch a battle, they were feems to be the efi«a of gCBt
feithlefs enough to flight the pride and vanity in the cbun-
obligaiion. To us it appears, pion, and a mixture of fiQpi-
that they did, in a y^ty great dity aod cowardice in the reft, meafure, depend on Goliath for ( QJ If we hearken to J*-
fuccefs in this war; that they fephui (54), they^ had tkui|
prided .themfelves chiefly in thouland killed, jadtwicetbl
him; and that, flattering them- number wounded, in thii'ip-
felves be wa« invincible, and,by fuit; which feem to b^ dCfef' '
his ftlcrgthaiidaraiour,anover- ingly too many. "
(54) AMif. I «. e. n.
ncHiftdry of the Philiftines. i^i
bo redded at Gath ^ He is cKewhcre called Jbime^- the antient appellation, as we have fecn, of the (irft of this people* Damd^ to avoid the evil defigns of fled to Gath^ and was brought before this kfng ; imagining him^ by his behaviour, to be beTidehim- ould cs^ke DO farther notice of him, than to older he be brouprht no more into his prefence ^. E.PhiU/iinci^ who all this time were upon no fettled with Saul^ diverted him from laying hold on David wildcrnefs of Maon ; but they were again^ it feems, ed with biid fuccefs, in their attempts againft him , ther fled, or retreated, before SauL
4ISH, the fon of Maocb (R), after this, received Dor Year of lis wives, and all his followers, into his protection ; the Hood cated the diftreiTed refugees with great hofpitality : 1288. t David* s requefi, that he might have fome place al- ^t;f. Chr. Um for bis particular dwelling, he very generouily 1060. i^iklag for that purpofe; whence it was, ever after, ^^'W^ rd by the kings of Judah. This was, indeed, the rffe^ual means of binding David to his intereil, as iferved in the laft note ; and Jchifl) had, it feems, in- s.over the Philijiines^ to make them facrifice their re- sqt for.the wrongs they had received from that i'ugi- iace, to. their prefent intereft and iafetyi and to let
Stt»/xxi. 10. " Pfal. xxxiv. « i Sam. ubi
Dud. xxi. 14, 15.
■J A
•ttom this mention of fears; and may afterwards have
ilei^titoe»fomeare wil- entertained a correfpondence
i^tHfak him a different with a perfon of fuch known
^^fifam' the former: to worth, invited him into his^do-
'they feem to be partly minions, and aflured him of
fVy the kind manner in protedlion againft the evil in-
receivedZ^tfv/VjWhom tentions of Saul; hoping,
er had defpifcd, as an thereby, to weaken Saul, and
or a mad-man. But we keiep up a divifion in his king.-
rekncmber, that David dom, at the fame tinie that he
^ played that part to Ih-engthened himfelf. Ifnohu-
S hfe ; and it is no won- manity may be allowed to
Achifi? did not care to be Achijh, in this cafe, a large
sd with fo unhappy a fhare of human policy may be
I,, as Danid then made admitted : nor do we perceive-
F: but the fame man may any folid ground for fuppofing
^torned to a better mind this Achijh^ and the former, to
ning him, when he was be different perfons. . :o the fecret of David"^ . .
fbe Hffiory cf ibe PhiHftincs. B. L
him live peaceably among them, rather than hazard the confequences of his return, and reconciliation with Saul (S). Achifh^ who conceived very high thopghts of David^ un- derftanding he had been out upon fome expedition, exa* mined him concerning it ; and, receiving from him fuch an anfwer, as made him imagine he had been plundering his own nation, he expreiled great fatisfaf^ion thereat, hc^n^ David had done fomediing to make himfelf odious in the eyes of his countrymen ; and that now he fhould have him a fervant for ever. Preparing, foon after, to war with Saul^ he told David, that he expected hin to head hb fol* lowers, and march with him ; promifing to recompenfe him with fome eminent poll in his fervice. The Philiftines firft gathered together at Shunem^ and there encamped ; from thence they removed to ^pA^^ : here the feverai bo* dies of the Pbiltflines appeared together, in a kind of re- view, under their refpe£tive chiefs, and £>i7i;/^/ and hismen followed about or after Achijh ; from whence it is gathered, that the poft he promifed him was, to be captain of his guard. At this the lords and chiefis of the PhiliJHnes take* ing offence, expoftulated with Achijh, who in vain endea- voured to perfuade them, that David was a faft and tniftjr friend. Inftead of being fatisfied with what the king £u(l, they were incenfed againft him, and infifted on his imme* diately difmifSng David^ and fending him back to Ziklai, left he ihould have it in his power to betray them in battle; that being the only means of reconciling himfelf with his natural lord and mafter. In (hort, they could not imagine that David, who was the idol of his people, would forfeit his popularity, by fighting againft them. Achifl), unable to refift all this clamour, called David to him, and sdTured him, that, for his own part, he had the higbeft fenfe of fais fmcerity and merit, and had been perfe^y fatisfied with his behaviour ever fince he had (heltered him ; but that, fmce the krds were far from being difpofed to think fo well of him, it were in vain, and imprudent, to contend againft them ; and therefore dedred him to return quietly to Zik- lag^ David refenting the unkind notions the lords enter- )f tained concerning him, and protefiing his readinefs to fight )d in his caufe i Acbijh anfwered him, with great eameftnefi,
•
^^- (S] It Teems, at leaft, more than either to the extraordinary
^- reafonable to us, to afcribe their generoiity of that nation, or to
^ anexpe£led moderation towards the interpofition of providence,
a man who had fo ill deferved as ibmc have done.
of them, to fach political views.
That
C iV. ^be Hi/hry of the Philiftines: 247
That he waa folly conyinced of his affedkm j that he bad 4 .fioguhir veneration tor him \ and thar» in his eyes» he was am m^l pf God : but that, feeing the lords were To vnreaUoBably bent againft hin, he muft confent to iiet out for Ziilag early the next morning.
I>a^.id: fet out, accordingly, and yfchi/b and tht Phi- Jiftiai^ marched againft Saul, who was encamped on mount Gilboa» A battle was fought on that fame mount, and the BbiUJiines gained a complete vidtory over the Ifratlius^ aad drove them before them with great daughter : in par- ticular, they purfued clofe after Saul and his fons ; and khefe, Jonathan and Jbinadabj and Malchijhua, they (lew« They difcharged their arrows, with great cagerneis, after Aw/, who was fore wounded by them ; but they had not the honour of difpatching him : be fell, ere they reached bioi, by his own weapon. Thus the PhiU/iinn^ at lengthy . obtained a complete vi^ry ; in confequence of which, they pofiefTed themfelves of a great part of the enemy^ country. The day after the battle, when they came to firip the ilain, they found Saul, kixig of IJraely and his three fons, among the reft, in mount Gilbui. They cutoff ' SauPs head ', ftripped him of his armour, which they dedi- , icated in the temple of AJbtaroib ; and his body, and'thofe, tS&y, of his fons, they ignominioufly hung upon ■ the waUs . of Bithjhan* What (hey did, particularly, with ht3 head, IB not related ; but it feems as if they at ndS fent it up and down with his armour, to dedicate both in the tjemplesof ^ their idols, and to feaft the eyes of their people with ■ fuch grateful obje£b, and undeniable marks' of ti6bry* But the bodies of Saul, and his threefons, hung not long where the Pbilifiinei expbfed them ; for the brave inhabit- ants of Jahi/h-GiUad, whom that monarch had lately faved from imminent deftrudion^, took this opportunity of ifaewing their gratitude to their late deliverec, and, at the peril of their lives, fetched away thofe mangkd remains from the enemy, and give them a more honourable burial tn their own city y.
After the battle of Gilboa, David tcmov^ fj^nvZri- 2r^ CO tkbrM, where he was proclaimed king^ by the great*. tft part of the tribes %. As for Achijh^ x\i^M%\\ we read' no > - more of him, yet there is reafon to fuppofe, that he con- tioued. his good offices to Dan^id tor fomc conficjdrable time^ for, during the whole conteft between himi-aml
.;i . ...»':■
■ • - . ; I
'See beR>pe, p. I44i- - "^ i Sani. xviii^ x^xi^ryAJ ''■''* Ses- Sc fc(i. ■ ■ ■"■ ■■■■■ = ■'■■■'- •■
0^4 iiJ^hJJ^ctK
fU Hijtory of ci^.Phififtiiies. • B. !, |<
f/bbojbetb^ the furnving fon of 5«v/, the Phiilfimes ncvtr offered to diihirb him, though they might, at ^t jnndore, have cafily cruflied him in the bud. This pacific dti^fition can hardly be afcribcd to any thing but the idnd intcrpp- fition of Achijh : however, the Philiftifus no foooer under- flood, that his rival was dead, and that ail Ijrael^xA'Jndah had fubmitted themfelves to him, than they began hoftili- ties : but whether this rupture was owing to the lo6of Us friend and prote£lor, to the jealoufy the Pbiliftims con- ceived of his great power, or to fome other motive, the text leaves us quite in the dark. Be that as it will, they marched, and encamped in the valley of Repbaim ; ftoQi whence they removed to Baal-pera^im^ where they were encountered by David^ and by him fo completely over- thrown, that, intent upon nothing but faving themfelve«, they left their baggage behind them, and even their gods, which they carried about with them, in imitation of tbe
>f Ifraelites^ when they brought their ark againft them. The
d Philifliius feem to have rallied again, to refcue their cap- tive gods. They drew up again, in battalia, in the valley
^' of Rephaim (T) ; but were defeated anew by David^ m. a fudden onfet, and purfued, with great (laughter, from
^ Geba to ^azer ^, a place, it feems, on their own &oih tiers. ' '
* 2 Sam. V. 17—25.
(T) Or the fualley of tbe gi- of all their baggage, and their ants, as Jofephus (55) renders gods. Jofepbus is very food of it i who fuppofes that they trebling the forces of a van* were now unable to raifean ar- quifhed people, as we havebt- n>y themfelves, and that they ferved before (56^^ and may were joined by the Syrians and have occafion to obferve hcre- Fhcenicians: as a proof of after. But why he fhoolfl whicl; , he alleges, they returned imagine the Fhiliflims were at home uj»on their firft defeat, fo low an ebb, as to be nnablc and came back to the charge to make war with Dami of with thrice the numbers they themfelves, we do not dearly had before, and drew up in the perceive,even though we ihould fame place where the former alio w of the great flaughter and battle was fought j and that deftruftion he makes of them they were agam miraculoufly in fome of the preceding bat- defeated with MtTy great eafe, tics (57). and put to Hight, with the lofs
(5O Antiq. I. vij. c, 4. (56) See before, in tbe notti, p. iia.
(^7, See before J in tbe notes, f* 1/^1, 244,
The
7. The Hiftmj of the Philiftincs. 249
HE war did not end here ; for, a (hort time after, they Year of invaded by David y and Mttheg-ammah (U; was (aken the flood d»ih *. 1304.
HB PhiliJIinis had fcveral men of extraordinary ftature ^^f Chr. ig them, and all, it feems, of the kindred of GV/- 1044. W) : and, though they had experienced the little ufe V->''V^^ ich men in an army, yet they feem to have caft their upon thefe, now flattering thcmfelveSj that, by their , they might retrieve their honour, and take revenge yavid. Wherefore, after they had lain quiet fevcral !, they broke out into a war again with Ifrael^ and eiants marched with them. They came to a battle, hich IJhbi'benob (X), a fon of Goliath^ as is thought, le David at fome difadvantage, had like to have Sain
■ 2 Sam. vjii. i^
')• Or, as it is in the mar- tbe jhridle of Ammsihi or, is explained in the Cbroni- ^8)9 the city of Gatbj and uritory thereunto belong* There are many, and very us,expofitions of this point; 18 ^he context clears it up ally, we (hall p^fs them and adhere to that, as moft f and juft. Only let it be ved, that as Gatb was the I feat, it may, on many ac- ts, have been called u bri- i the reil of the land. As landing upon an hill cal- ^tKmabj as fome commen- s teachy they would have well, had they produced authority : the word^m- on the contrary, fignifies If r ; which th&Jews thcre- foppofe to have ran be- \xGatb 4nd Me f beg, a port he other fide, which re- d new reinforcements from 3rmer,till David cutoff the nunication, by flopping or ing thecourfeof thcflream.
(W) If they were not imme- diately his fon?, they may pof- fibly have been of the fame fa- m ily . To fay nothing of their defcent firom the Ana kirns, who were expelled from /f^^r^xr, and took up their abode at Gatb, which is a very obfcure piece of hiflory, it is common, in all nations, to fee families remark- able for their extraordinary ila- ture : nor is there any need to fuppofe them defcended from any antient race of giants. We are, indeed, told, that the Jna- kirns either fled from Hebron to the cities of the Fbiliftines, or elfe wereantiently planted there ( ^9). Bat how it came to pafs, that they were fo dwindled away there in the days of Davidi and how it comes to pafs, that we read no-where of them in the armies of the Fbiliftines, to the days of Saul\ we prefume not to conj eft lire.
(X) Jofephus (60) calls him Amchon,
) 1 Cbnn^ xviii. u (s^) Jf^fi* xi. 22,
(60) AnU(i, /, vii. r. 10.
him :
S50 93fe Hifiory *>f t^ Philiftinai. B. I.
hrm: but, miffing his? aim, befellby theteind<^-ZWfi, ailifted by Ah'tjhqi^ although the head of bis ^ar weighed three hundred ibekeb of brais ( Y), and be in^ iii>aA;«t- ,traordmary manner, appointed (Z) for warj ''A iiiONid battle was fought near a place cail^ G^hy wherein &^ another fon of Goliuth\y was flain by SiSbeci^ thfc Ifijk' athiU : and a third at Gob, alfo, when Gp/ztf^b-'s brotheTi ' the ftafF of whofe fpear was like a weaver^* beacm, Ui^hj the valorous might of Elhanan the fbn of 'Ja^fre-^'egm^ \ Bethlehemite. From this laft place the war was transfertd into the territory of Gath ; where, in a fourth bfttrie}- an- other fon of Goliaih% who had iix fingers upon <€a0 hand, and fix toes upon each foot, challenged, in imiti- tion of hi3 father, the whole army of Ijrafl Co Aol out one of their number to fight him ; but he fell bf ie hand of Jonathan^ the fon of Shimia^ the brother ot Dih vid. The Philtftinesy thus exhaufted of their, eigantic brood, or perceiving that their mighty ftature and .ftraig^ fiood them in no manner of (lead, refrained from a fiutbcr profecution of the war, which, notwithftanding their muif lofles, they had hitherto fo ohftinately maintained^
From henceforward the affairs of this people are moie flightly touclied on ; whence it may be argued, thEat ibeir power was greatly weakened : and, accordingly^ 'M 06 told, that their hsrn was broken a/under by thew UHttm- nate wars with David ^, who now made them trilktetoi to his throne (A) : though, on the other hand, it'!ihM!lie alfo concluded, that having fo often, and to (b litffi'piiif-
pofe, engaged in bloody and deftruflive wars, they grt*
■.'■»•
«» 2 Sam. XXI. 15—22. « Sec Ecclos xhfii. 8. ■
( Y) To judge of him by the Jofefbus (62) fays QiiIy,tkl|dK weight of his ^>ear, he was not had his fword by hia fide-Ofdi
of much above half the (Irength the expofitions we haTefin^iie and nature of GoUathy the head approve of that mo^
of whofe fpear, as we have no- gueflfes that his fword
ted (61), weighed fix hundred on purpofe for him (63),t»tt
&ekelf, or twenty-two of our his llrcngth, which fiufstt
poundsT;-^; whereas this man's that of an ordinary JBao.j.*.: 1^ weighed biit three hundred (he- (A) According to.^^S|/fi[^ ||i
kds, or eleven of the iame (64.), this was the laA faaik L
Founds. they had with the Hdnmi i
[Z) The words of the text never daring to look then li ^
are obfcurc: it fays, be ivas the face again ; which mid b
girded nvitb a fre*io fword—— one of hismiftak^,
(61) >\y hf-rr, .« the r.:tfi, p. 242. (62) Uh' fuf. C^S)!^
Ciii./.v. in -. i'u*a. Jixi. iC. (64) IJbi f:*^^
3 wifwi
C. IV. «f Hiftory of tie Phififtincs. 251
- viler, and ratber applied thcmfelves to commerce, and the \ adtancement of their nation that way (B). And hence it
JVkay be, that we find their country open to the ifraelites in I Hk beginning of Salomon*s reign, Achijb^ thefbn of Maa- H Aoby then reigning: at Ctff£; who, whether he is the fame \ Jkhifi who was fo Jcind to David, we will not take upon ^ JOB to determine, commentators being divided aboutjt^
probably he was notd. r
Many ^ears after thefe wars, the Philijiines were ha- Year of ' ;itfled by hadah^y king of Ifratl, who laid fifge to a city theBood \ 4f theirs, called Gihhithon\ which city was again befieged 1395. \ hf Elaby king of IfraeVy fome years afterwards ; for it be-Bef. Chr. \ longed to their kingdom, though xh^PhiliflineSj finding it 953 ■• 4fe(cxted by the Levitts 8, feized on it, and kept it, in fpite
<£ the feveral efforts of the kings of Ifrael to tear it from
them ; that kingdom being then in great diflrafllon. But, notwithftanding this their vigorous oppofitlon to
the kings of Ifrael j they afterwards courted the favour of
* 1 Kings ii. 39. « Ibid. xv. zj, ^ Ibid. xvi. 15,
t a Chron. xi. 14..
(B) We the rather think af- (67) fuppofes this to have &llen ttr this manner; it being pretty oat in the reign of David.
t, that they had been in- for he oblerves, tha^ in Solo-
creaiedy fome years ago, by the man's re^, the ZUomansy tho*
fbgitive Edomites (65)9 who fettled at Tyre^ had not yet lolb
brought with them their fupe- their Dame. We read, in Ju-
srior ikill in commercial and fiin (68)9 that Sidou was taken
nautical affairs: not that the by the Pbiliftines\ though he
Pbiliftims were wholly ignorant ieems to be miflakeD, in laying
therein till the Edomitei came it was done by the king of J/-
^MQong them : but it is now calm ; for we do not read of a
likely they applied themfelves king of that place any-where
diereto much more than ever, elfe. Remembrine the ilory
and that they were greatly im- of the Syrian goddefs Derceto^
proved therein. Sir J/aac Nerw- who was metamorphofed here
*fr (66) reckons, that they took (69), the Greeks and Romans
Sidon by the advice and affifl- may have coniidered the city of
anceof the J?i^iV^j; thereby, J/calon as the metropolis of
it is likely, meaning to extend Palefiine : whence we £nd the
their trade, which they had now king of Palefiine phced in that
chiefly at heart, by deflroying city by Trogus, whom yu/lin
fo dangerous a rival. He alfo epitomizes.
(65) Ssihepre^ p, 175, 176. (66j Cbronolpf antient kingd, amtndedi p. 3104,205. {djjUiifop, (68) Z.. xviii. (. 3. (6^) See
i€fire^ p, aza* ,
Jebojha^bft
952 The H^ryof the PhififtinelA 'B. L
Jehojhapbat king of Judah^ by a voluntajy.ipaymciiti^f the tribute^, which had been, as we ttwy hence condu4% impofed on them by their conqueror -Daviui^C)}; ind which, it feems, they had negleded to pay^.to baa&vX^Ji^ hojhapbafs predecefibrs, as this ftory plainly :eixiagfa/mfr nuates, and as will be farther confirmed, by what felkflni, Year of For they rebelled againft^/^r^/n the fon of y^aA^/Ai^it^
ibe flood broke into his kingdom, rifled his palace of all the wealth th^ 14^0. found in it, and carried their rage s^ainftbim to fiicht
Bcf. Chr. height, as to exterminate all his family, except AtbaUai^ 88S. her fon Maziah^who had the good luck to cfoape theinfoi^
\y^v^\JAt this time, we alfo gather, that they carried off. a. grot number of captives, fome of whom they fold tothe £iiiih itfs'j next to themfelves, the worft enemies the Ifm^A had, and fome to the Grecians ^ % thereby fending tfaein:b far from home, that they could have but little or nochuND of feeing their native country again. .This extraordiouT fiiccefe may have been owing, in great meafure, to ihsir fiAance they received from the Arabians^ who, at the.CuBB time, made war upon the Ifratlites ^ ; but whetbcf icfa* rately, or in conjunflion with the Phili/titus^ wriooir
not. .:. ijlL
Year of Whbncbsoever their fuccefs arofe, intfae jend.itkon
the flood ved very unfortunate to them. I'hey were invaded J>^w
i$4*- xf£}dkingbf Juiah^ who difmantled Gixtk^ -an(di^«My
Bef. Chr. and >j^^^/, and built cities of ftrength- among i many H
^^7* avi^ them, and keep them in fubjed;ion <& ;- whichuMi
^-'''^'''^^^ have r^uced them to a kind of flavcry. -H
They groaned under this fatal blowall the days of Ur
%/>^, we may fuppofe, and, perhaps,* of yotbam too; \fLi^
in the reign of yZ/je/z, perceiving the crazy ftate of diei^q^
dom of Judah^ they took up arms again, and vWiDi
Year of againft 4ha% with fuch I'uccefs, as made ample amenlElbr
the flood the lofTes they had fuibained in the time of C/zssfiiMi»
1608. grandfather: for they reduced the cities of Bethfimfh
Bef. Chr. Ajalon^ Gedorotb^ Shochoh^ Timnahy ztiiGifnza.^.mLio
740. feveral territories thereunto belonging, and there baidi
* Ibid. xvii. it. * Amos i. 6. ■ * Jodiirjl^
' 2 Chron. xxi. 16, 17. « Ibid. xxvl. 6.
(Cj Jofefhus (70) calls it none but Daxnd q6M'\iV% their accujftomcd tribute; aud impofed it on then, ."":
(-^Q) Ami J, I. Yuu f. 9« *
. th«df
C. TV. Tieffi/hry of tht Philiftines: 25J
thereby adding % targe portion of the kingdon .of Judah to their own coutitry o^
' THUfr'did the Philiftines gain more than they had loft : but this £sie acquiittionwas a very ibort time in their hands* They were, immediately after, admonifhednot to rejoice, became the rod of him that fmote them was broken ifor that 9Ut 9f the ferpent^f r^ot Jhould €o/n€ forth a cockatrice • • . . . which Jhould dijfohe their whole country o. And this was feverely fulfilled by Hezekiah the Ton of Ahaz^ whom y^ar of they had conquered : for .He^kiahy as we underhand it, the fJood over-ran their whole c9untryo j and, to add to their misfor- 163 j. tunes, they were, at the fame time, attacked by thc>f^- Bcf. Chr. tiam^ in the reign of Sennacherib^ who fen t his general 713. Tartan^ to reduce them. Their city AJhdod was bcfieged ^<>^v*0 accordingly, and taken by him f ; , and thus were they, at length, reduced to the loweft ebb.
And now the period of their final deftru£lion was come. By their fubjedlion to the AJfyriam^ they not only loft their liberties, but^ at the fame time, their country became tl^e feat of a long and obftinate war. For Pfammitichus king of £gypt^ jealous of the growing power of the AJfyrians^ and apprehenfive that Egypt might (hare the fate of its nei^bours, undertook to drive them out of Palejiine. Year of With .this view, he laid (lege to Afl)dod of /fzoios ; . but he the BooJ Va& twenty-nine years before that place ere he could reduce 1678. it? i durii^ which time, it cannot be doubted but that the Bcf. Chr. country fighed under all the calamities ufual in fuch cafcs» 670.
From henceforward they were tributary to the great monarchies, as they fuccecded each other. In the begin- ning of this flavery they were piferably harafTed by the Egyptians^ who, willing to make tbeir barrier as ftrong as podGble, felzed on great part of thcircountry, and, parti- ciifarly, on the city of Gaza ^.
y-i^vwEK thi», we read of a king of Gaza^, concerning ^bom we have nothing to add ; nor have wc aught to add cobceming the Pbilijiines in general. What, . in the end, bdcsime ot them, will be belt, learned from the threats of the prophets, and, particularly, Zephaniah^ who paints their deftru&ion in very lively and natural colours (D) : Gaza
■ Jhall
™ 2Chron. xxviii. iS. " Ife. xiv. 29—31. ^2 Kings Xviii. 8. f Ifa. XX. i. p-Herodot. 1. ii. c. 157.
1 Jcrem. xlvii. 1. *■ Zach. ix. 5. *
(D) Here it is worth ob- as if already deftroyed, as it, (crvJng, that Gath is Qmitted, doubtlcfs^ was ; beii^ moft ob- noxious
"The Hifiorj of the Miwtt Sftiam. B.L
sut MtAoi at tbi rmn-day^ and Ekron flmll be r§§Ud mp. Wo unto tbo inhabitants of the Jea-coafts^ the nation of tbi Cheretbites ! the word of the Lord is agoing you : OCa- naan, the land of the rhiliftines, I wiU dejlroy tbee^ that there Jhall be no inhabitant ; and thefea'-coaftfiaUbedweU* ings and cottages for foepherdsj and folds for flocks ••
C H A P. V.
7he hijiory of the antient Syrians.
?/.
S E C T. L
A defcriftion of Syria.
QTR I a is, in Hebrew^ Aram ; fo named from Aram^ 43 the youngeft fon of Shem. This Hebrew name is of very wide extent, perhaps of little lefs than th6 Greet name ^yria ; at Icaft it included what we now call Syrid and Mefopotamia^ which is the Aram Naharaim^ or Syria of the two rivers *.
Aram, then, is its firft, and genuine name : as for thit of Syria J fome *> derive it from one Syrus^ who fprung from the earth (A) ; others c, from Syrus^ the fon of Agt-
nor*
• Zephan. xi. 4— 6. Seealfo, Joeliii. Amosi^ Jerem. xlvii. Ezek. XXV. Zach. ubi fup. * See voL i. p. 369. ^ ApftF
.CftN. apud Syncell. p. 150. • Chronic. Alcxand. p. lor.
noxious to the enemy, as.it was the royal feat of this turbulent people, a key to, and a curb upon, the whole country (71). Hence, therefore, it muft have been, that the throne of this kingdom was removed to Gaza ; but to purfue this point any farther, were time loft. We muft only acquaint the reader, that the Gatb, which Eufebius and Jerom mention as ftill
ftanding in their days (72)9 fna different from this metropelis, Gath^ in the Hebrew^ figntfiei a vine, or oil-prep. Hence it ti no wonder we find feveral towns of that name, and fome of thesD joined to another appellative} fuch as Gath'Rimmon, Gatb^ Epber, Gath'Shemane, &c.
(A) Perhaps this fabulous ap* count may have taken birtk from an antient tradition^whidl
(71) See he/ore, in tti tnttt, p. a49»
(72) L9C. Heh. Of uShi,
o;ii
G Y. Thi Hift$ry of the antient Syrians. 255[
mr. Other opinions are not wanting, on this fubjed ; but the moft common, and beft-grounded, is, that Syria is a contradion of Ajfyria ^ \ thcfe two names being confounded, and indifierently ufed, by the antients (B). ,
Authors are not agreed upon the exa£i: bounds of this country, becaufe they confider it at different times, when iti naifie was more or lefi famous, and its empire more or left ample. But, confining ourfelves to the proper Syria^ we may venture to fet bounds to it, and determine its di- menfions. It lay between the Mediterranean on the weft, the Euphrates on the eaft, mount Taurus on the north, and Arabia the defert, Palejixne^ and Phosnice^ on the feath ; extending from the 34th to the 38 th degree of north latitude.
Syria, in antient times, has been very variouOy divided, hsdivh
At firft, it was, without doubt, parcelled out into (cvtt2A fions.
little kingdoms and jurifdiftions ; in after-times it feems
to have been divided into four principal ones, Zobah^ Da--
tufcuSf Hamath^ and Gejhur ; the reft we find in Scripture,
fuch as Beth-rehohy Ijhtoby Maacha^ were fubdivifions, as
(ve*think. Afterwards, the whole country was divided into
two parts only, ihou^ the Phcenicians^ Idumeans^ yews^
Gazs'teSy and jfzotitesy or the whole country of the Pbi"
iijlines^ were included ; which two parts were, Ccelefyrid
and Phosnice ^. After the death of Alexander^ Syria ^ in
the great extent of its name, was thus divided ; Commagene^
Sileucis of Syrioy Caelefyria^ Phoenice^ on the fea-coaft,
and Jtideay'm the midland. This is 5/r/7^o's drvifion ;
who, neverthelcfs, elfcwhere diftinguiflhes Phoenice from
Bjria ^ : but Ptolemy fubdividcs thefe, and, in the proper
ejria only, reckons Commageney Pieria^ Cyrrijiica^ or
Cyrrbejiica^ SeleuciSy CaJJiotis^ or Cajiotis^ Chalyboniiis^
Cbalcidice^ or Chakideney Apamene^ Laodicene^ Phcenicia
Mediterranean Coelefyria^ and Palmyrene,
* Vid. Herodot.1. vii. c. 63. Justin: 1. i. c. 2. *Strab. L zvi. fub init. ^ Idem ibid. 1. ii. p. 86.
tOl obtains, in the count ry, as we refer our reader, who would
^ (hall (hew hereafter, that be thoroughly informed and
ddmm was created in Syria, convinced thereof. We ihalionly
(B) Mr. Selden, io his prole- add, that Lucian (8), who was
r9metm to his Syrian gods^ has himfelf a Syrian of Samojatay
iweit on this point ; to whom calls himfelf an AJfyrian,
rr*
ne Hiftory of the aniietU Syrian^. B, L |
To follow the divifion of Ptolemy ; Ccmmagene^ or d' I magene^ had, on the weft, mount Jtnanus ; on the nortir, I part of mount Taurus ; on the eaftj it Was wafhed by the I Euphrates ; but on the fouth, whether it was conterminous I with Seleucisj or Cyrrhe/lica, or both, is uncertain : it was the north corner of Syria, The chief cities of this pro-* vioce were, Samofata upon the Euphrates^ the metropolis, Antiochia ad Taurum^ Germanicia *, Singa^ Chaonia^ and feveral other cities, once of great note, but long fince ut«- terly deftroyed.
Seleucis contained, according to Strabo^s divifion^ Pieria and Cafiotis^ the firft lying to the north, and tbelaft to the fouth. Ptolemy divides this traft into Pieria^ Sr- leucis^ and Cajiotis ; but the whole is comprifed, by Mela IJ and P//«y, under the general name of Antiochene^ anfwcr- j ing to Straho\ Seleucis, In this part of Syria flood the - following cities 5 Myriandrus on the Sinu% IjficuSy or the IJftc gulph, 'Rhofus^ or Rhoffus^ Seleucia^ Pofidonium^ Hf raclea^ Laodicea Gabala^ Pabks Balanaa^ and Camiy on the borders of Syria and Phctnice. Seleucia was fo ca&ed from Seleucus Nicator ^who repaired and imbellifhed it wkb many magnificent buildings* It is conftantly ftiled, by the antients, Seleucia Pieria, or Seleucia on the coajl ; t6 di-» ilinguiih it from the other eight cities, to which Siltuoa Nicator gave the fame name ». It borrowed the name of Pieria from the province, as the province did from mount Pierius, which flood in it, and was fo called^ by the Mt cedonians, from its refemblance to the famous mount P/^ rius in Greece, Of all the cities bearing the fame name^ this, and the Seleucia on the Tigris y were the moft re- nowned b. Alexandria isj hy Pt^emy^^ placed in 5yrftf; but, by Pliny d, and raoft other geographers, in Cilicia^ and) perhaps, more properly ; as it flood without the PyUc SyrUi commonly faid to be the boundaries between Syriu and Ci- licias Between Seleucia and Pojidonium, was the ifland Meliloca, formed by the flagnant waters of the Onntei^ and once famous for its fcarlet dye.
Thus far of the cities on thecoaft. In the inland, or Mediterranean Seleucis^ flood the famous Antioeb on the Orontesy Seleucia ad Belum, or at the foot of mount Belus^ Apamea, Emiffa, or Emefa, Epiphanea, LariJfayArethufety &c. Antioch was the metropolis of all Syria^ and the ufual refidence of the Macedonian kings. It conlifted of
^ Flin. 1. V. c. 24. Strab. 1. xvi. p. 516. a Appian. Syriac. p. 202. ^ Appian. ibid. ^ PxgjL. 1. v. c, 15. ** L. v.
C. ZJ.
four
□ t
J. I
€ C
IJuVi. The Hi/tory of the nntient Syrians, 257
fcw parts, or, rather, cities, each feparaced from the reft 9^tsoi^m wall, and all inclofed by a common one ^. Of ™^ founders of thefe cities, we fliall have occafion to fpeak JJl^ur hiftory of the Seleucida in ^yria. Afamepy fo called ^^Jlpanuty wife to Sehucus Nicator^ by whom it was ?J*n(Ied , ftood near the confluence of the rivers Oronies 2*^ ^arfyas \ and gave the name of Apamene to the adjoin- 6 cauiitry, Emcja was antiently a city of great note, ^ ^ie birth-place of the emperor rleliogabalus. It is fup- j^/« to have ftood on the fpot where the prefent town of ^!/2? ftands ; which name fome derive from Emefa, J- ^[^KHESTICA lay between 5^/^«n/, Comagene^ and CyrrheiU*' ' -^^djphrates^ It was fo called from its metropolis Cyr- ca. ^ 9x1 d Cyrrhus from a city of the fame name in Macedom \ ^^tie-r cities in this part of Syria y of moft note, were, ^^^//Ls^ called, alfo, Bamhyce^ and, by the Syrians^ Ma* ~^eracle<i^ and Bercta, Zeugma is placed, by Pto* this province; but, by Strabo^ 2ind Pliny ^^ in •^ Bamhyc£ was the antient name of the city iBrft mentioned ^ but 5^/^t;r^^ changed it into that ^^^olisy or th^ holy city* j probably, on account of "^^ip that was there paid to the Syrian goddefs. ^ eajcs of facred fifhes at Bambyce^ we fuppolc in the £asy on which it ftood, that were conftantjy feen g in flioals ; one, that fcemed to be their prince, -, fwimmiiig before the reft. He adds, that they ■^ a kind of friendftiip with each other, the goddefs ; them with a wonderful union and agreement ^ fentcity of Aleppo^ or Chalep^ as the Crr^^^ writers liddlc ages ftile it, is thought to have fucceedcd in a of Berosa, Zeugma was fo called from a famous . ^here over the Euphrates^ faid, by Pliny %y Dion '^>> the poet Lucan'^^ znd Stepha nut ^ to have been ' Alexander the Greats on occafion of his crofling that "ith his army. But Arrian writes, that Alexander h^ Euphrates at Thapfacus^ having firft repaired the 1^^x. Darius had built there *^.. And, truly, this rout ^^jcb Ihojtcr, and far more convenient iox Alexander ^ as then returning from Egypt to meet Darius march- m Babylon, Thapfacus lay in his way, whereas he
I^^^^^RAB. 1. xvi.c. 516. * Plin. 1. v. c. 23. Strab. 1. ^^'^ J 1 7, « Idem, 1. xvi, p, 516. ^ Plin^ l.v. c. ^4. ^^*^ AM. hift. anioial. 1. xii. c. 1 1. ^ Idem ibid. « Plin. ^ *iv.c. ij. '^ Dig, 1. xl. p. 12S. * Lucan. 1. yiii. * ^ 37. fc Arrian. 1. iii. p. 168.
258 ^be Hijtory of the antient Synans. B, \
mufi have fetched a great circuit to pafs the river at Zaj- ma^ which it is highly improbable he did, as he bad i bridge much nearer, that only wanted a little repair, Chalci- Chalcidhne was wholly an i/tlaiid province, being dene, bounded by Antiochene^ or Seleucis^ on the weft ; Cyrrhe/Hct^ on the north ; Chalybonitisjon the eaft ; and by Jpamem and Ceelefyria^ on the fouth. It took the nanie of Chakiim from its metropolis Chalets^ the only city of note in tiiii province, though commended, by F/i;fy, as the moft ferdk of all Syria '. Chalybo- Chalybonitis extended from Coelefyria to the -fit- iiitis. phrates^ and was fo called from Chalybon^ the only cityit contained worthy of notice. Some, fuppofingCAtf/J^ tobc an abbreviation of Chalybon^ conclude Aleppo-^ or ChM^ and Chalyhon^ to be one and the fame. city : but Chafyhni placed, by Ptolemy ^ at the 35 th degree of latitude, and jiff of longitude ; and, confequently, a great way fouth ot tk prefent Aleppo, Palmy- Palmyrene was a fpacious and fertile province in the icnc, midft of a frightful defert, having Chalybonitis to the nordi^ Co^lefyria to the weft, the Euphrates to the eaft, and Anr bia Dcferta to the fouth. The chief cities of this proviare were Palmyra and Tl^apfacus. Of Palmyra^ which g»l name to the province, and the ruins, that are ftill to be fecn in the place where it itood, we fball fpeak anon ; ani only obferve here, that the inhabitants having revolted fxom the emperor Aureltan^ and adhered to one Antiochn^ or Achilles J as Vopifcus calls him, who had aflTumcd the purple, their city was, by the emperor's orders, rafcd to the ground ""*. Aurelian foon repented of what he had done, and ordered it to be rebuilt " : but it never rofc again toiCf antient fplendor y nay, in the time of the emperor '^ " Kiian^ the far greater part of it ftill lay in ruins o. facus is placed, by Ptolemy^ in Arabia Defer ta ; but, by Pi ny P and Stephanus^ in Syria. The latter writer telh us^ that it was built by Seleucus ; but he was certainly miflakeni fmce it is mentioned by Xenophon^ in his account of tbec^ pedition of Cyrus S. It could, therefore, be only repainl and imbellifhed by Seleucus, In the time of the Mtctih nian kings it was known by the Greek n^me jfmphipi&h Here Cyrusy with his whole army, forded the EuphratiStA
' Plin. 1. V. c. 23, ^ Vopisc. in Aurel. c.30. Zoi.
C.61. n VoPisc.ibid. ^ Procop. dexdi£c. 1. ii.in£lli P Plin. 1. v. c. 24. *» Xenoph. deCyr. cxpcd. hi. p. ijoi
' Plin. ibid,
fooh
I
)
1 ■• , •
C. V. ^ Hiftofj of the antient Syrians. 255
Iboty the water reaching no higher than their breafb*. Here Darius croflfed the fame river on a bridge, as he ^Fched into CiUcia to meet Alexander ; and re-crofTed it, * on his return, as he fled from him ^ Straho makes fre- quent mention of Thapfacusj and places it at the diftance of two thoufand ftadia from Zeugma, It feems, alfo, to be mentioned in holy writ: for where Solomon's empire is faid to have extended from Thiphfach to Azza, or Gaza u, the Greet has Thapfa, and the vulgate Thaphfa \ and the river mentioned there, as the boundary of Solomcn^s dominions, is, by the Chaldee^ interpreted the Euphrates , and very rightly, in the opinion of Bonfrerius and Grotius j fince Jjavid extended his empire to the banks of that river : fo that it was bounded on the eafl by the £a;^^rtf/^^, on which ^iapfacus Rood ^ and on the weft by Gaza^ on the confines of Egypt.
CoELESYRiA, properly fo called, lay, according to Ccelefy* Straho '^^ whom we chufe to follow, between the twaria, mountains Libanus and Antiltbanus ; and was thence called Ccelefyriaj or the Hollow Syria. The principal cities in this part were, Heliopolis^ Abila^ DamafcuSj and Laodicea Cahiofa^ or ad Libanum, Heliopolis^ or the city ofthefun^ fo called from the worfhip paid there to that planet, is pla- ced, by Pliny *, n?ar the head of the Oronies. Of the flately remains of this city, now known by the name of Balhekj we (hall fpeak hereafter. Ahila flood, according to Ptolemy^ between Heliopotis and Damafcus. That gco^ grapher ftilcs it Abila Lyfania^ that is, Abila of Lyfanias ; which agrees with St. Luke*s divifion of the tetrarchyX. From Abila the neighbouring country took the name of Abilene; whence Lyfanias is ftiled, by St. Luie^ tetrarch of AUfene. Zofimus places a town, named Aphaca^ half vvay between Heliopolis and BybluSy famous for a temple of Ve- nms^ and a lake near it ; in which the gifts, that were of- fered to the goddefs, however light, funk to the bottom, if acceptable ; but floated, however heavy, on the furface pf the water, if difpleafing *. Seneca mentions a lake in Syria^ no doubt the fame lake, on which even the hear vieft bodies floated a : but he takes no notice either of the goddefs, or the gifts offered to her. The temple of Venus^ at Apbaca^ was a fchool of wickednefs, as Enfebius ftilcs it,
<XtN^M.ibid. Arrian. I.i. p. 116. ^ Strab.1. zvi. p« 513, &c. « I Kings iv. 24, *^ Strab. 1. xvi. p. 520. » Plim. I. T. c. 22. y Luke iii, t« ■ Zos. I, i. c. 58.
* iuvi. q[iueft. nat. l.iii. c 26.
R % and
i
2^0
• «
The Hiftory of the antient SyriaM. B. I.
and therefore rafed to the ground by Conftantim the Greats Damafcus is frequently mentioned^ both by the facred and profane hiftorians. ' It was once the metropoUs of Syrk^ and, in Strabo^s time, a mod confpicuous city <^. Tbe em- peror yulian^ furnamed the apojiate^ ftiles it, the eye of all the eajly the facred and moji magnificent Damafcus $ and commends it on account of its temples, fountains, nven, the richnefs and fertility of its foil, l^c ^, Some of the antients fuppofe this city to have been buih by one Ba- vjafcus^ whofe name it borrowed ; but the moft generaDy received opinion is, that it was founded by TJ%^ Aranti cldeft fon ^. Be that as it will, thus muchis certaioi that it was in being in Abraham^ time % and confequcntljr may be reckoned one of the moft antient cities now cr tant. Of the feveral viciflitudes it unlderwent, in antient times, under its own and foreign princes, we fhall hive occafion to fpeak in the fequel. As to its profcnt flatCi we fhall infcrt, in a note, an abftradl of what a hte tn- vcller of our own tells us concerning it (A), The dtjr
a
^ £us£B« in vit. Conflant. 1. iii. c. 55. « Stkaio,
1. xvi. p. 520. ^ Jul. imp. 'ep. 24. ad Serapion. * BocHAir geog. facr. 1. ii. c. 8. 'Gen. xiv. 15. and xv. 2.
(A) The city of Damafcus, according to Mr. MaundrelPs account, is fituated on an even plain of fo great extent, that one can but juft difcern the mountains, which compafs it on the farther fide. It (lands on the wefl fide of the plain, about two miles diflant from the head of the river Barrady, which waters it. It is of a long, ilrait figure, about two miles in extent, adorned with mofques and ileeples, and incompaffed with gardens, ac- cording to computation, full thirty miles round. The river Barradji as foon as it ifTues out from between the clefts of the Antilibanus into the plain, is divided into three flreams, whereof the middlemoft and biggeft runs direftly to Damaf- €usp and is diilributed to all
the ciilerns and fbi;uitauii of the city ; while the other tm^ which feem to be the woiicrf art, are drawn round, one to ^ the right hand, andtheodcr to the left, on the bonlen of the gardens, into which tbef are let by little current^ aM fo every-where difjpeded. The houfes of the city, jAtk ilreets are very narrow, « all built, on the outfide^ ci- ther with fun-burnt faricki tf Flemijh wall ; and yet it i no uncommon thing to fa lb gates and doors adorned wiA marble portals, carved and w laid with great beauty andifr riety, and within theie poiol to find large fquare ooolib beautified with fragrant tm% and marble fountains, ad compaifed round with fpkadid apartments. In thefe apvf
■1
\
\ Tie Hifiory of the anfieni Syrhns. i6i
a§dicea^ called by fome Laoiicea Cabiofay but moft
donly Laodicea ad Libanum •?, to diftinguifti it from a
if the fame name, which we have mentioned above, on
mStof Seleucisj flood on thcOronUs^ notfarfrom mount
tfif to the weft, and near the borders of the proper Caele^
to the fouth. From this city the adjoining territory,
h Ptolemy makes a feparate province, took the name
aodicene. Of Phoenicia ' Mediurranea hereafter.
*DER ^dn^ Roman empire, the proper iSyr/^ was iX- Other M-^
into Comagena or Etiphratenfis^ Syria Palmyrena^ or*vi/lanj. '■ Salutaris^ and Phcenicia Libani, or Libanejia. The srtckon Pale/line into Syria on the one hand, and even Nion the other, and call it Sham ; and Abulfeda divides fholc into five junds or provinces, the Kinnefryne^ the fme^ the Damafcene^ the Jordanitic^ and the Palejiine.' CH is the fertility of this country, that it may he Fertility.
a pleafant garden. It abounds with all thmgs,
fdr the profit and delight of man. It is moftly a plain try, covered with a deep rich foil, and yields to no Dn earth that lies under the famq happy parallel. he rivers of this country that we fhall take notice of Richer f,
die Orontes (B), the largeft of them all, a turbid,
rapid * Strabo, 1. xvi. p. 520. Plin. 1. v. c. 23,
( the delings and traves with whom St. Paul lodged* fually richly painted and wherein is an old tomb, the ly and their duansy which fuppofed burying-place of Ana- last of low Ilages feated nias, which the Turks hold in le pleafanteft part of the fuch veneration, that they y and elevated about 16 maintain a lamp continually inches above the floort burning over it. This is the xm iht Turks eat, deep, fubflance of Dr. Maundreir^ e, receive vifits, fay their account, to which wc may add, m^^c, are floored, and that the fruit-tree called the led on the. ildes with va- dama/ceue, and the flower of marble mixed in mofkic called the damask-ro/e, were I and mazes, fpread with tranfplanted from the gardens ti9 and furnifiied all round belonging to this dty ; and that bolfters and cuflxions to the fllks and linen, known by cry height of luxury. In the name of dasnasksy werd d^ is (hewn the church probably the invention of the dm thi Baptifiy now con- inhabitants of this dty ( i). d into a ^mous mofque, (B) This river, according mSt of Ananias y which is to Strabo (2), difappeared at a a imali grotto or cellar, place called Charybdisy between "ciA n nothing remarka- ^p^^i^a and y^^/W^; and, after and die houfe of Judas, having run five miles under-
See PFilb*s geagrai'bt of the Ntw T^. (2) Sttab, /. vi. p» 27s.
& 5 ground.
tbtHifi&ry of the antim Syrians. OB. t.
rapid ftream, with wateis not fit to drink, and fifli unfit to cat ^ ; and the Barrady^ formerly the CbryforrbMSj which, milling from Antilihanus down to DamafcuSy if there divided into endlefs ftreams for the fuppty and deco« ration of that city ; but, uniting again at fome dtfiance from it, they lofc themfclves in a bc^S. The Abana and. Pharpar muft have been only branches (C) of this rivdr.
^ See Mavndi.£ll's joarney firom Aleppo tojeruiakm, p. 4« * Ibid. p. 1 23.
groand, appeared again. In and Fhrnrfar ; hot tells us (4) \
the fame author (i) aifo there of three rivers that water /><
is a fabulous tradition concern* nutfcus^ and meet at the a^
ing the origin of this river ; as of the town ; one <if wbicii,
that Typhon^ in his flight, fur* in the chapter fbUowii^ ^
rowed up the earthy ami formed calls Baniat. Thfcrt as
the caoaJ ; that he was thim- footfiep of the naoaes Ai
der-ftruck at the fountain-head and Pharpar (5) among the ^
of this river 1 and that his go- Arabian geographers. AUl^
in^ down, was the ciufe of the feia tells us, that the fiream
foring which rifes there. They which fuppIiesZ)tf«M^#j,comei
feigned him to be an huge dra- out of a cavern on the weft fide
gon. This may be acided to of the city, and immediately
xht. fabulous accounts we have divides ; which is {o exadly
already given of ^yphonS Dr. Maundrelfs (6) defcriptioa
death (z). of this water, that diey verf
(C) RadsuvWe ( 3), the pala- abundantly confirm etch other^
tine of Wilna, tells us roundly This iaft travelif r cooki «et ft
of the rivers Ahana and Pbar- moch as find any memory of
par^ which watered the city of the names of Aiana and Phar*
"PamafcMi when he was there, par^ and fiq^ibs they mdt
which is about one hundred have been blanches c^ this xi«
and fifty years ago ; and that ver Barrady^ whidh Comes oat
they were then annavigable, of the rock. And, as he lb
but full of fi(h, and fireamed nicely agrees widi ^^*/^^ in
down to it from the mountain the approach of this nrer toi
Chritcoroa^ which fhould have Bamafcus^ he does the iaaiQ
been wriuen Chryfyrrboas^ the with 7)&fq;ew/ in its departure
Greek name of the river which therefrom ; they l»th agree*
watered Damafcus^ and not of ing, that its divided ftreams
apy mountain there. Jbe^venot^ meet again on the t>ther fide
who was fo curious and minute of the town. Dr. MaundreO
an obierver of twtry thing in then in this cafe may be fafely
and about Damafcus, never relied on, in what he fays oT"
once mentions the rivcTS Aiana this remarkable ftream*
(l) IcUm, I. xn. p. 750» (2) See he/ore, p. 34. (^^ Peregrw^
Jfenfa'ym. epift. ii. /». 31. (4) 'Travels to the Levant, part ii. 6cok i, c, 4^
(f ) f^ide Alher. Scb'ult. comment, geograpb. in •vlt. Salad, ad 'Votem Jhumafcm* J6} journey fro:n. Aleppo t^jcrujalem, ^, 12a.
4 TlilNGI
C. V. ^ Hiftory of tie antient SjnzxA. z6$
Things more particularly remarkable in this country Natural are the two valleys of fait, the one within four hours of raritus. jllifpo^^ the other in the neighbourhood of Palmyra ', which (boot forth that mineral in furprifing abundance ; the foil to a confiderable depth being ftrongly impregnated therewith, as is faid of the valley near Aleppo ; und as might, doubtleis, have been faid of the other, had trial there- of been made. The medicinal waters alfo in and about Pfilmyra^ and in feveral other parts of Palmynne ^, might claim our attention, were this a proper place. Among the remarkable things of this country we may alfo reckon the few cedars which are now ftanding upon Lebanon^ or Liianus. They are near a Chriftian moi^afiery, called CanMne^ about ten hours journey from Tripoli. They fiand in the midft of fnow(D), near the higheft part of Libflmu. Of the old ones, which are very large, there are only fixteen \ but young ones, of a lefler growth, there ane in great numbers. One of the largeft of th^ former, being meafured, was foimd to be twelve yards fix inches in girt, yet perfeSly found, its branches fpreadmg thirty- ftven yards in circumference : and about five or fix yards from the ground it divided itfelf mto five branches, each equal to a great tree >• Another traveller », who was alfo
. ^ Idem bid. fub finem. ^ Philofoph. tranfad. numb. 217*
1). 83. ^ Ibid. p. 103, 104. ' Maundrell ubi
iipra, p. 142. ^ De LA Roqub, voyage de Syric,
torn. i. p. 88,
(D) RamJDoJf^ who viiited ways in the midft of foow :
thde cedars ;dbout midfununer, but we arc aiTured of the con^
complains of the rigoar of the trary by another traveller (5),
cold and the (hows here. Rad- according to whom, the fnows
zkfilU, who was here in Jtme here begin to melt in Jpri/, and
about five y.ears after him, talks are no more to be feen after
pf the fjQOW that never melts July ; nor is, fays he, any at
away firom thcie mountains, all left, but in fuch clefts of the
Other travellers talk to the mountains which the fun can*
fime purpofe ; among whom not come at : that the fnow
oar Maundrell reprefents the begins not to fall again till D#«
cedars (landing in the midft of cemher ; and that he himfelf,
finow ; but he was there in the when he was here, faw no
9ionth of May. From all this fnow at all : and it is prpba*
we might have formed a judg- hie, th^t he fpeaks nothing but
laent, that the cedars ftand sd- the truth.
(s) De la Ro^ue vtyage de Syn'e, torn, i. /• ^«
R 4 en
ne fiijlory of the antim Symiii: B. L
Ott the fpot, tells us, that the largeft he meafured was^ towards the middle of the trunk, feven feet, wanting twd inches, round ; at the fame time that he reckons its boughs one hundred zn^ twenty ^ttt about. But, either in thisf^ or the former account, there muft he a monftrous flip of the pen, or error of the prefs ; for the difference between feven feet and twelve yards is quite furprifing. But the difference between thefe travellers does not end here: the latter fays, the largeft of the cedars had not » trunk above fix or feven feet high out of the ground, which falls moft Unaccountably (hort of what has been juft now faid upon that point: and yet this author [De la Roque] talks of the enormity of the trunks of thefe trees, and of the pro^ digious fize of their branches ; which is throwing away great IVords very improperly, if he is not moft egregioufly out in the dimeitfions he gives us; which are fo trifling, that they cannot deferve 'admiration in any degree. This, tho* a digreffion of fuch a kind as is unnt to find pl^/ce in a work of this nature, we hope the reader will excufe, as we have made it only to obviate what might be pbje^Sed) by fome, to the difcredit of a very fincere traveller of our ow'^n nation (E). It will not be expefted of us to give aik accurate dcfcription of this noble tree ; therefore we fliaH only fay, that it bears a narrow leaf, of a^ fad green, to- gether with a cone like that of the pine-tree,' but darker,
(E) We cannot forbear 6b- the cedars fo much. It is sot
fcrving, that there feems to be his owfn voyage, though* he fet%
almolt as great a diStrence, jhis name to it, whid^ is fome-
concerning thefe cedars, be- what odd. He is ho more than
twecn RauwoI/(6) and Raif- editor of this, as well as of
tLiviile f;), who vifitcd them other voyages under his name,
about a century and an half ago. which were really and properly
Tiie former reckons the largeft Monf. le chevalier '^•-<frv/>«;r'5.
cedars at feveral fathoms in To prove that it muft be his
circumference. The latter fays, miftake, we ftiall only recur td
they were handfome proper the memoirs of the mifltonaries
trees," v.'ith wide fpreading [^) in the Levant, w\ierQiL]t-
branches, like the trees the fuit, who mcafured the largeft
Pofei call Modrzenxji he does of thefe cedars, tells us, it was
not ralfe the admiration at all. in girt fix fathom, which fquare
But the truth of it is, Mr. de very well with Maundrel^
la Ro^ue muft be excufed, if he twelve yards, does deceive us« by leffening
(6) Ray's colUa. of 'voyages y ubi fupr, (7) Peregrin, Icrofolym,- ubifupr* {%) Tom, iv./». 55S» ■ ' ^
.4
C. V. ^Cbe Hiji&ry of the antient SyritnsJ 265
and of a fmoother coat. As thele cedars fpread out ex* tremely with a broad flat bead, which is compared to tht top of an umbrella, the weight of the fnow that might lodge upon them at certain Teafons, would break down their branches : but, to prevent this, they are reported to have the extraordinary faculty of preparing themfelves againft it, by ftretching their branches upwards, till tb^ form a cone ; thereby exhibiting the fmalleft furface poN fible to the heavens, and, by that means, preferving themfelves from ruin *• As thefe cedars of Lebanon make fo noble a figure in the Old Teilament, and have been antiently the pride of this country, we could not well (ay kfi than we have done, concerning the few of them left^ which are held in the greateft veneration, by the inhabit"* ants(F).
As we have been fo particular in defcribing the Egyptian Artificial monuments* of antiquity, we cannot pais over the chiefjn»^/i«/«' at leaft, of thofe wliich are found in this country, and may fap thought no way inferior to any thing of the kind in Egypt, Who founded the noble edifices, of which wc iball here defcribe the remains, is quite uncertain ; but nothing is more probable, than that they were not ereded .under any of the princes in the enfuing hiftory, they being in the moft corre£^ Aile of the antient Greeks and Romansm .Upon this account we might be taxed with irregularity in introducing them into a period, when they had no. being, had we not this for our excufe i that being quite in the dark, as to the time when they were built, we may a$ .M^ell fpeak of them here as any « where elfe*
« Da LA RoQUE ubi fupr. p. 90, 91,
•,/l^XWcare told (9), that at. By anoAer it is added; that
the foot of the largefl of thefe the patriarch ofitciates jpootit-
cedars are four ilone altars : fically upon this folemn occa«
.(hat, upon the day ofthetranf- iion ; that they are particular-
figMtatUn, the patriarch of the ly jaadndful of the blefic4 ^ip>
Mar»nites'rt^\ts to them, at- gin uf on this day ; becauife the
-tended by a number of bilhops. Scripture compares her ■ tq th^
priefts, and n^onks ; and - fol- cedars of Lebanon ; and that
K»wed by five or fix thoufand the fame holy father threatens
of their religion from all parts ; with his church-thunderbolts
^nd th^ under thefe trees they fuch as (hall prefume to (lo)
felebrate that feftival, which h4rt thefli« • '. • «
ihey mifcal the feaft of codars^ ..•.••
(9} Ibid. (10) Dc ^ ^iojue uhiffpr, f» 87^ 89*
Though
7 *
%H STki Bfi^^f the antitnt SyriaM 1^1^
Though therje are nuny oobJe veftiges of the magjoiT
ficence of Syria^ fcattered up and down th^ country, hockj
Piagan and Chriftian, we fliall dwell on two only % BalM%i
finrmerly JHsliopalis, as is commonly fuppofed^ and PWt
oyrtf or Tadm$r in the wilderneis.
ntfing Balbei^ or Balbe^k is mentioined by the Arabians as ths
TMins at wonder of Syria (G) ; and fuch of our European travellers
tieliopo- as have vifited it, are fo charmed with what they beheld
lis, now jjacre^ that they are at a lofs how to expreis their admirar
Sadbek. tjon. On the fouth^wefi of the town, which ftands in a
delightful plain on the weft foot of jtutilibanus^ is an
beathen temple, with the remains of fome other edifices }
^d, among the reft, of a magnificent palace. TheCr
anticiat ftrudures have been patched and pieced in latar
times, and converted into a caftle, as it is called. As
\ . . . you draw near to itheie venerable ruins, you meet with a
^€ r^tmh, rotunda^ or round pile of building, incirded with pillan
^- of the Corinthian order^ which fupport a cornice that nms
all round the ftruSure ; .the whole of great elegMyc* aai
ftatelineis, but now in a very tottering condition ■>• It is
moftly of marble, and, though round on the outfide, is as
o^bagon within ; being, in the infide, adorned with eigfaC
;archcs, fupported by eight Corinthian <:dkxnms^ each of
one piece. It is now open at top, but appears to have
been covered and imbellifiied with the figures of eagles.
The Greeks i who have converted this round- into I
cAiurch, have fpoiled the beauty of the infide, by daub^
4ng .it over with plafier ^. Leaving (his, you come to I
large, firm, and J^ery lofty pile of building, through
which you pafs into a noble arched walk or portico, one
hundred and |ifty paces long, that leads to the temple.
n kfAUNDREtL obi fupr. p. 135; • La fip^l
'ttbiibpr. p. 152.
(G) The Arabian ksdcogra- ** palaces with marble '€»• pher^ cited hySchultenSf m his ** lanuM, fach as in the wh^ geogra|>faicalcoininentary(ii)« '< world are no*where elfeta at the end of his edition of *< hc{<o&x\,^''ATiAAbu*lfidm:*^h!t fihdn Salah^aidin^^ life, fays ; << Baihek are palaces of hewa ^* Balbek is a city of three << flone with moft lofty to- days journey from Damaf- «« lumns; nor is. therein A cus, where .are wonderful <« Syria any fh>ne ftrodloft fcftindations and magnificent '< more adinirable or m^ni* vefiiges of antiquity, and •<« ficent.'*
(x i) jid voCiin Balbecutru
U
I
£• V. ns Hificry of the antient Syrians. 267
^ This temple has reiifted the injuries of tinie, and tht7ht great
fnadnefs of fuperftition, being yet almoft intire. It is an temple^
fpblong fquare, in its general form and proportion, exadljr
like £/» PauPs Covint^Garden ; but, for magnificenoe of
ftrudure and dimenfion, there is fcarce any comparifon^
this temple being almoft as big again every way. Its length
on the outfide is one hundred ninety-two feet, and it$
breadth ninety-fix p ; its length in the infide one hundred
and twenty feet, and its breadth fixty. The tponaos^
or ante->temple, took up fifty-four feet of the hunored and
ninety, but is now ruined ; and the pillars which fupported
k^ are broken. The whole body of this temple, as it
BOW ftands, is furrourided with a noble portico, fupported
by pillars of the Corinthian order, fix feet three inches in
diameter, about fifty-four in height (H), and each of
three flones apiece. Their diilance from each other, and
firom the wall of the temple, is nine feet. There ar^
fourteen of them on each fide of the temple, and eight
It each end, counting the corner pillar-s in each number.
The architrave and cornice, which are fupported all round
by thefe pillars, are exquifttely carved. And, as you
walk round this temple, between its waH and the piUars
which go roun<) it^ you have, over-head, a folid arcade
all the way, of great ftones hollowed out arch-wife \ in
Ihe centre of each of which is a god, a goddefs, or a hero
(I^ ftruck out with that life, that is not to be conceived 9,
and all round the foot of the wall of the teikiple itfelf is
9 Mavudrell abi fupr. q Idem ibid.
.■ (H) Theie fifty-four are tor}% the other a conflant ob*
Tnncb feet, which, according ferver, at we may call them.
to Mamdrell^ ought to be but Sjb^«8, an this cafe the thing
&rt/-five Englijb^ which is a fpeaks itfelf i^ for, according to
very great di^erience. I'he oar mean skill in architefturc^
JPri«ri& author viewed this place a Corinthian pillar^ whofc jdia<*
6tt a fortnight together, where- meter is fix feet, in which they
' our Engli/h traveller was both agree, will require at leaft
icarce here a day ; fo that the fifty feet of height, to appear
firmer may be chiefly relied with any manner of elegance
on in moil particulars ; and, and delicacy. IKOOfdingly, we have adhered (I) An emperor, or an em»
chiefly to him; though they prefs, fays De la 'Roqut{\2)i
both agree vtxy well, confider- but in this we choofe to rely
ipgi that the one w9« a tranfi on MatrndicIPz judgment.
a doubly
26S fbi Hiftory of the ant tent Synans.* B. L
a double border of marble, the loweft part of which is a continued bas* relief in miniature, expreffing heathen myfteries and ceremonies ; where, without any confufion, you fee a furprifing mixture of men and beafts, in the ^noft happy compofition, and moft agreeable variety r.
Having thus defcribed the outfide of this temple, we proceed to the infide ; but let us firft take a view of the entrjince, than which nothing can be more auguft. The afcent to it is by thirty fteps, on each fide bounded by a Wall^^ that terminates in a pedeftal, on which formerly fiood a ftatue, as we may naturally fuppofe. The front i$ compofed of eight Corinthian pillars, as we have al- ready iaid, fluted, as are all the reft that go round the U^mpk, and an ample and nobly proportioned triangular pediment. Within thefe eight pillars, at the diftance of about-fix feet, are four others, like the former, and two pillar^ of three faces each, that terminate the walls of the teoipk)*. which come out a good way* from the body of the temple itfelf. All thefe form a porch or portico before the do<Mr of the temple*, in depth about itwenty-fbur feet, lUdd in breadth fixty odd : thro' thefe ipillars appears the fipor of the temple, under the vault of the portico ; but it tl§ere appears with^reat majefty, and without the leaft fj^nfuispn; fo nice are the proportions of the pillars^ ^eii diftance from each other, and the recefs of the door |M^if« .The door-c^fe, or portal, is-fquare, and of marble, HP Rrj^Rortion and conftru£lion juft like the great marUe portal at the weft end of St. Paulas, but far richer in Iculpture, and larger, if we miftake not. The whole height of it is about forty feet, and its whole width about' tAremy'-eight, with an opening of about twenty feet wide*. You arc no fooner under this portal, but, looking up, you ftc the bottom of the lintel, enriched with a piece of Iculpture, hardly to be equalled. It is a vaft eagle in bas- Tcltef, expanding his wings, and carrying a caduceus m kis pounce ; and on each fide of him is a Fame « or Cupid ^ fupporting one end of a feftoon by a ftring or ribband, the other being held ih the eagle's beak ^.
"As to the infide of the temple; it is divided into three ifles, two narrow on the fides, and one broad in the mid- dle» after the manner of our churches, being formed by two. f6w$ of fluted Cot^inthian pillars, of between three and four feet diameter, ^d in height, including the pedefltal,
' J>B LA RoQUE ufar- fapr. p. 138, 147. * Idem uM
fopr. p. 136. t Maundrell ubi fupr, » De la
.RocyjE ubifupr. p. IJ7. ^^ Idem ibid,
about
^ y. tbeH06ry of the auiient Syrians^ a%
jjbibut thirty-fix. Thefe pillars afe twelve in number, fix oh a fide, at the didance of about eighteen feet from each other, and about twelve from the walls of the temple* The walls are adorned with two rows or orders of pilafteis one over another, and between each two of the lowermoft is a round nich about fifteen feet high. The bottom of tihe niches is upon a level with the bafes of the pillars, and the wall to that height is wrought in the proportions of a Corinthian pededal, and the niches themfelves are Corin^ ikian in all their parts, with the ftrideft precifion, and niceft delicacy. Over thefe round niches is a row of Iquare ones between the pilafters of the upper order : the bmaments belonging to them are all marble, and they are each crowned with a triangular pediment (K). Towards the weft end of the middle ifle you afcend to a choir, as it is called, by thirteen fteps, which are the whole breadth of this part. This choir is diftinguifhed from the reft of the temple by two large fquare columns adorned with pilafters, which form a noble entrance, exaSly cor* refponding with that of the temple itfelf. Here is a great profufion of aftoniftiing fculpture ; but the architedlure is the lame here as in the body of the temple, except that die pillars have no pedeftals, and the niches ftand upon the pavement ^, The two large fquare pillars, which fo re- markably diftinguifli this part of the temple, are thought to have fupported a canopy ; but nothing of that kind is to be feen now. In the bottom of this choir is a vaft mar- ble nich, where ftood the principal deity here worfhiped. In this choir are feen the moft finely imagined fculptures, feftoons, birds, flowers, fruits j and fine bas-reliefs, Nep^ tunes J Tritons, fifhes, fca-gods, yfrion and his dolphin, and other marine figures >". The cieling or vault of this temple is bold, and divided into compartments filled with excel- lent carvings. It is open towards the middle ; but whe- ther a cupola or lantern ftood there for the admifllon of light, or whether it was always open, cannot be judged at this diftance of time*. In a word, tfie charming fymme* try, the correft tafte, and the height wherewith all the
* Idem ubi fapr. p. 140—142. 3^ Mavni>r£il ubi
fupr. D£ LA RoquB ubi fupr. p. 143. ' Idem ubi fup.
p. 144, 145.
(K) In the draught Mouh- a£Uy alike, both round: this is
yr^//(i3) has given us of the a remarkable difference; but
infide of this temple, the upper which way to reconcile them
9JQd the lower niches are ex- we know not.
(13) Jonnuyfrm AU^ t9 Jtruf^
carvings
The Hiftory of the antient Syrians. B. L
tarvings are finiflied, even at fuch elevation^, where fo great liicenefs is thought unneceflkry, are fuch, that it may bft truly faid, the whole pile is without die leaft blemi(L The whole ftands upon vaults of fuch excellent architec- ture, and fo bold a turn, that it is thought they ferved fo^ fomething more than merely the fupport of the fuperin- cumbent weight, and may have been a fubterraneous tcro-*- pie, applied to fome particular fervice in the Pagan wor- ihip. And, though this temple now ftands by itfelf, there are evident marks, that it was accompanied by other build- ings, no way unworthy of it j among which are reckoned four • different afcents to it, one upon each angle, with marble fteps fo long that eight or ten perfons may go up abreaft *.
Within the walls of this caftle, as it is now called, are alfo great remains of what muft have been a palace fcarce inferior to any royal feat that has ever been in the world ; but, being by no means in fo perfeft a ftate as the temple, we fhall fpeak of it in general terms, and of fuch parts only as defer ve oixt greateft attention. But, fifft of all, it muft be obferved, that the old wall, which inclofed both this and the temple above defcribed, is built of fuch monftrous blocks of ttone, as exceed all belief, and have given birth to a tradition among the natives, that the whole is the work of the devil. There are particularly three, which lie end for end with each other, and which togedicr extend one hundred eighty-three feet in length, whereof one is fixty-three feet long, and the other two fixty apiece. Their depth is twelve feet, and their breadth the fame; and, what adds to the wonder, thefe ftones are lifted twenty feet from the ground. The reft of the ftones of this wall are of furprifmg dimenfions, but none quite fo large as thefe \
Going through the long arched walk, which we have already mentioned" as leading to the temple, and which looks like a fubterraneous pallage, adorned with manv bufts, which for want of liglit cannot well be difcemedf the firft objeft which ftrikes the fight is a fpacious hexa- gonal building or wall, forming a kind of a fpacioa$ thea- tre, which is open at the other end, and prefents you with a terrace, to which you afcend by marble fteps. Thil aperture admits yoii into a fquare court, larger than the firft, round which are magnificent buildings. On cadi
* Idcmubifup. p. 149, 150. ** Maundrbll ubi fopr.
p. 138. De la Ro<^s ubifupr. p. 121.
hand|
Gi y. fbe Hifiory of the ant tent Syrians. iyi
land, you have a double row of pillars, which form por- ticoes or galleries of fixty-fix fathom in length, and eight in breadth. The bottom of this court Kras taken up by a third building, more fumptuous than the reft, and deeper, which feems to have been the body of tke palace, fronting eaft, as all the fronts in this caftle do. The columns be- longing to this part are of fuch fize, that they are com* pared with thofe of the hippodrome at Confiantinopli. Nine of thefe columns are ftanding (L), and a good piece of the entablature, which evince it to have been one of Ac wonders pf AJia ; and, to crown all, each of thefe nine pillars is but one block. Many confiderable afid di- ionGt veftiges of the feVeral parts of this palace are ftill extant. The Corinthian order prevails chiefly throughout the whole; and fcarce are any- where to be found fuch precious remains of architeSure and fculpture. The or- naments are various, but without any of the wild extra- vagancies of modern architefts. The fine tafte of Greece^ and the magnificence of Rome, here meet j ftatues without number, bufts of all forts, proud trophies, curioufly- wrought niches, walls and cielings inriched with has- l^efs, incruftations, and other works of the fineft mar- ble ; tiierms and caryatides, judicioufly placed. Under- neath the whole are vaft vaults ; where from time to time JOU difcover, through the ruins, long flights of marble Ibiirs^ near two hundred in a flight. The turn and ele- vation of thefe vaults are bold and furprifmg : and in thefq lubterraneous parts you find many rooms, halls, rich apartments intire, and many marble tombs. The wall$ sere alfo are adorned with niches, bas-reliefs^ and infcrip- tions in Roman chara<£ters ; but theie infcriptions are quite dflBiced by the length of time, and the damps. Some of thefe vaults are quite dark, and muft be vifited with lights, either becaufe of th^ir great depth, or becaufe the paflages which may have given them light are ftopped up by rul>- bifli ; but others receive light by great windows, which fiand on the level of the ground aoove : and laftly, all thefe
(L) Maundrell remembers fart of fomi virj auguft pilei
tkde pillars in the following hut 'what one now fees of it is
words : About fifty yards diftant kutjuft enough to give a regret,
/rem thi temfle^ is a row of that there Jhould he no more, of
CoinxiXh^XXifillarSf very great it remainisig (i^O, He did not
mtd lofty i with a nuft ftately vifit the palace; not imagining,
mrcbitrame and cornice at top. we fuppefe, that there had been
jbiif peaks itjelf to hatte heem any building of tho kin4 there.
(14) Jwmyfrm AUpfp tojtrujalm^ f'^%7*
edifices
tyz Tie Hijiory of the antient Syrians. B» L v
edifices are built with ftones of the enormous fize already ^- mentioned, wthout any vifible morter, cement, or binding
whatfocverc. The temple and thefe ruins ftand in the fame indofure, as we have faid, and may challenge any monument of antiquity now extant, either at Athens or Rotju^ or even in Egypt. All over and about the ^town you, at «very ftep, meet with fome melancholy fragment of antiquity. The quarry from whence they had the ftone for thefe works is a little way out of the town. It is cut out in fteps fomethingJike an amphitheatre, where lies one ftone ready hewn, which feems to furpafs all that have been already defcribed. A notion prevailed, that it was too heavy to be moved ; but, upon a nice examuiation, it was found feftened to the rock ^. Such was the city oif Balietj and from its furpriling grandeur and magnificence we may well conclude it to have been once the moft con^ Cderable place in Syria^ and the delight of fome mighty j prince, who there chofe to refide (M). ne ruins But the magnificent ruins of Palmyra feem equally to rf^zX" claim our admiration. We fhall not here examine who mynu was the original^ founder of this city, whether Solomon^ or fome other before him, nor to whom we are indebted for what now fl:ands of "this dcfolate and abandoned towiL Such difcuflions will come more naturally in their proper places, as they may occur in the body of this work. Thus much, however, we may fafely premife, that at Palmyra
^ Idem ubifup. p, 1 24— 132. ^ Idem ubi fap. ?• ijU
. i
(MJ We flatter ourfelves, not fay there is no fimilitade ^ that no antiquary will, accord- between the two edifices. This " ing to this defcription of Bal- he avers upon an accurate and y heky allow Solomon to have had diligent obfervation, as he telb j any hand in what we fee there ; us ; and adds as a further proof ; Bnd yet prince .^a^«/<i;/7/f ( 1 5 )y of it, that the buildhngs have who isy in the main, a very ju- not fufFered any violence, but Vicious traveller, thinks it paft are crumblred away and decayed difpute, that it is the work of by mere length of time. He ; Solomon, He imagines it to be muft have minded thefe ruioi^ ^ thehouie he built for Pharaoh*^ in general ; he cannot have de- daughter, and that it moft ex- fcended to particulars ; or he < adly anfwers the defcri, tion had never been fo egregionfly of that palace in the book of miftaken as he ii^ms to hav9 Kings (16): and indeed we eaU'^ been.
(15) Pirigrin, Itrofolym, tpifi» %» ^. ;tjr, (i6) I Kkgt vii. f —^jj;
^i
)■
I'
C. V. ^ie Hiftory $/ the antitnt Syrians* 273
we fee no remains, or next to none, of Solomon's Tadmor^ this city having been more than once facked and demolifhed fince his time, as will appear hereafter.
Palmyra, by the Greeks ^nd Romans i in the Scrips //j ji^^^j ture, Tadmnr in the wildernefs 5 by Jofephus^ Palmira and aifj JUiui* Tbadamor \ by the feptuagint copies, i'heodmor and Thed-tion. mor ; and by the Arabs and Syrians at this day, Tanmor^ Tadmur^ and Tatmor ; was once a noble city in the fouth- eaftem. parts of Syria. The origin of thefe names is dark «nd uncertain (N). It ftood on a fertile iflandj if we may
(N) The author of the dc-
fiaiption oi Palmyra (17} calls
it Fahnira^ which he derives
ftom the palms about it ; and
fuppofes it to be the tranflation
of an Hehrenx) word> importing
a palm. Halley ( 1 8] derives it
from iTtih^vif palmys, which
Heffchius interprets a king or
I fadier, or from il AKyivim Pal-
\ mytes^ an Egyptian god> accord-
t ing to the fame Hejychhs,
f Seller ( 1 9) is of another mind ;
he cannot think of deriving ic
from palmys^ a king or &ther,
or from Palmytes^ an Egyptian
god; for what, fays he» had
.the gods of Egypt to do fo near
the banks oi Euphrates? He
derives it therefore from TraiAfin
falme, sl Perfian fhield, or
feurmay as the Latins render
it. This he fupports with
Ibme authority, and a good
deal of probability, rejedihg
the &ntailic etymology of Ma-
iila (20), who will have it
called Palmyra^ <^/ce to ttaKai
Tdt\tei6f becau{e Da*vid flew Goliath there ; which few or none will be willing to allow. The etymology of Tad^or is
ilill darker, if pofllble ; but^ as dark as it is, we cannot for- bear acquainting the learned and inquifitive reader with the thoughts of *Sr^«///«i in his geo* graphical commentary (21) upon both the names Tadmor . and Palmyra. He obferves, that in the text it is written •)0r ^^'ftor, and in the margin "^Oin Tadmor. Tanior he rec- kons to have become the ufual name of this place, for ioftnefs- fake, and to refer to "IDH tamar^ the palm ; with which, in the next note, this place will be feen to have abounded. He fuppofes alfoythat originally in Arabic they did not fpell it Tadmor, but "^CPn Tatmor y and thus he accordingly finds it in his ^^ahic geographical lexicon ; as if you (hould fay palmiferous^ or palm-beating, the /, for found-fake, being changed into d. The ahera • tion of this name he afcribes wholly to the Romans, who upon finding the place called Tadmor or Tadmur^ may at firft have corrupted it is to Tal* mura ; but that foon after, un- derdanding the city had itt
(17) PhiUfipb, tranfaff. numb, 2T7. p* 8f. (18) Ibid, numb, '>.iS.
p, 161. (19) Hi/i, 6f Palmyra y in the appendix, p. 177. (20) Far. i.
/. 182. Par,U,p, 153, (21) li ^it, Saljid, advKcmTadmora,
Vol. II.
S
fo
Tbi tlifti^ df thi antient Syriaw. B. 1.
{6 call it, furrounded on all iides by a thirfty and barren xlcfcrt. The firft objeft that now occurs as you approach this forlorn place, is a caftle of mean architedure, and imcertain foundation, though formerly by fituation impreg- nable, about half an hour from the city. Thb caftle (lands on the north (ide of the city, and from thence you defcry Tadmor^ inclofed on three fides by long ridges of moun- tains ; but to the fouth is a vaft plain, which ftretches out of fight. The air is exceeding good j but the foil is bar- ren (O), affording nothing green but a few palm-trees in the gardens, and a few more fcattered up and down. The city mufl have been of large extent by the fpace now taken up by the ruins ; but there are no veftiges of tiie walls, whereby to judge of its antient form. It b now a deplor- able fpeflacle to behold, being only inhabited by thirty or forty miferable families, who have built poor huts of mud, within a fpacious court, which once inclofed a magnificent heathen temple. *at To begin the defcription here : This court, which flands td about the fouth end of the city, is two hundred and twenty yards on eiach fide, with an high and (lately wall of large Iquare flone, adorned with pilafters within and without, to the number, as near as could be judged, of fixty-two on a fide. The beautiful cornices have been purpolcly beaten down by the Turks^ who have thereby deprived the world of one of the fined works of the kind, that, peAaps, was ever feen, as here-and-there a fragment, which has efcaped their fury, abundantly evinces. The weft fide of this court, by which you enter it, is moft of it broken down ; and towards the middle of it there are remains of an old caille, built by the Mamluksy as is fuppofed, out of part of the ruins which are here in fuch abundance. This caftle flirouds the remains of an antient fabric of exquifite beauty, as appears by what is ftill ftanding of its entrance, being two ftones of thirty-five feet in length, carved with vines and clufters of grapes, exceeding bold, and to the
name from its palm-trees, they converted Talmura into Pal- mura, whence Palmyra.
(O) Not that it had always the fame fleril appearance. Abulfeda^ViYio though he calls ^admor a fmall city in the de- fert of Syria, yet places it in Jrahia, writes, that Falmyrtm^
for the meft part* aboanded in fait ; and that the palm and olive flourifhed there ; adding, that there are many great aw noble ruins there to be fcen. In him moreover we read,thit it had perpetual fprings, and yielded fruits and corn.
life.
■ > .
C. V. Tie tSMy tf tie untiint Syriani* ft^5
life. They are both in their right places, and by them it appears, that the door or gate was fifteen feet wide. In this great court are the remains of two rows of very noble marble pillars thirty-feven feet high, with capitals of the iineft carved work ; and the cornices muft have been of equal beauty, though quite deftroyed by the relentlefs fu- perftition of the Mohammedans. Of thefe pillars fifty-eight are intire. They muft iiave been many more in number ; for, by what appears, they went quite round the court, and fupported a mofl fpacious double piazsKa or cloifter. 'ITie walks on the weft iide of this piazza, which face the fixMit of the temple, feem to have been the moft fpacious and {lately of all ; and attach end of it are two niches for ftatues at their full length, with their pedeftals, borders, fupporters, and canopies, carved with the greateft artifice and curiofity. The fpace within this once beautiful in- dofure is conceived to have been an open court, as we have already called it, in the midft of which ffcands the temple^ incompafTed with another row of pillars of a different order, and far exceeding the former in dimcnfions, being fifty feet high. Of thefe, fixteen are now flanding; but there muft have been about double that number, which, whether they formed an inner court, or fupported the roof of a cloifter^ is uncertain. One great ftone lies on the ground, ivhich feems to have reached from thefe pillars to the walls of the temple ; fo that the latter conjeflurc may naturally enough take place. The whole fpace contained within thefe pillars is one hundred and feventy-feven feet in length, and in breadth^ eighty>-four. In the midft of this fpace is the temple, extending ninety*nine feet in length, and in breadth, about forty. It has a fumptuous entrance on the Weft, eXadly in the middle of the building, and, by what remains, it feems to have been one of the moft glorious ,
edifices in the world. You here fee vines and clufters of grapes executed to the life ; and over the door you can juft trace out a fprcad eagle, as at Balbeky which takes up the ^riiole width ; with fgme angels or Cupids accompanying it on the fame ftone, and feveral eagles are feen upon ftones that are fallen down. Nothing of this temple is ftanding but the walls, in which it is obfervable, that the windows, though not large, are narrower at top than at bottom, but mightily enriched with fculpture. It has been aukwardly patched up to ferve for a mofque, all but the north end, where are very precious reliqucs ; which, whether they were in the nature of canopies over altars, or to what uh;
S 2 die
«f6 .^[it Hiftory of the amienf Sfnaaa . K'\.
- eKe tbcy fenrcd, is not cafy to conjedure. They are beau* tified with the moft curious fret-work and iculpture ; in the midft of which is a dome or cupola^ fix feet diameter, all of one piece ; but whether they are hewn out of the folid rock, or molded of fine cement or compofition, is made a doubt. Promi/cu- When you leave this court and temple, a prodinoua ous ruins, number of marble pillars prefent themfelves to your fight, fcattered up and down for the fpace of near a mile ; but, in fuch confufion, that there is no room to guefs for what end they were framed. Ohelijk Advancing towards the north, as you leave die tem- andtnvo pie, you have a tall and flately obelifk or pillar before you, pillars, confifling of feven large flones, befides its capital. It ia wreathed ; and the fculpture here, as every- where elfe, ex- tremely fine. It is above fifty feet in height, twelve feel and an half in compafs jufl above the pedeftal, anda flatue is conceived to have once flood upon it. On the eafl and wefl of this, at die diflance of a quarter of a mile, is a large pillar, and a piece of another near to the eaflem pillar, which looks as if there had been once a condnued row oi them. The height of this eaflern pillar, as taken by a quadrant, is above forty feet. Its circumference is pro* portionable, and on the body of it is a Greek infcripdon in commemoration of two patriots, by an order of the fenatc and people, which, with the others of the fame and other kinds we may hereafter meet with, we fhall pj^ ov«r for the prefent, that we may not break in upon the diread of this defcription. The weflern pillar has another infcr^ don of the like fort 3 but not quite fo paie<^ as ^ former. ne great PRocEEDrNG on from the obelifk or pillar lafl-mett- fiazza. doned, at the dif}:ance of one hundred paces, is a muni- ficent entrance, vafMy large and lofty, and for workmaii>- fhip nothing inferior to any piece hitherto defcribed ; but 4inhappily it has fufFered the fame fate with the rtik. This entrance leads into a noble piazza, above half a mile long, and forty feet broad, formed by two rows of flately mar- ble pillars twenty-fix feet high, and eight or nine about Of thefe pillars one hundred and twenty-nine are flanding; but by a moderate calculation they cannot have been fewer at firfl, than five hundred and fixty. Covering ovei them there is none remaining, nor pavement beneath, that can be feen. Upon moft of thefe pillars are infcriptions in Greek and Palmyrene charafters ; fo that this feems ta
l« 4« ■ • 'V
C. V. The Hiftory of the antient Syriani a yj
have been a much frequented and moft confpicuous part of the city, and therefore moft proper for the daily and ho- nourable commemoration of fuch as had deferred well of their fellow-citizens, or friends and relations- And, as if infcriptions were not fufficicnt, it feems as if here they placed the ftatues alfo of celebrated perfons ; there being pedeftals jetting out from thefe pillars, foiiietimes one way, and fometimes more, whereon muft have ftood ftatues, which have long ago fallen vidims to the furious and bar- barous zeal of the Mohammedans ; and upon thefe pede- ftals are infcriptions, even when none are on the pillar they belong to, and fometimes too when there are. The upper end of this fpacious piazza was fliut in by a row of pillars, ftanding clofer together than thofe on each fide ; ' and perhaps a banqueting-room ftood upon them, though no fign of it remains. Bat, on the left-hand, a little far- ther, appear the ruins of a very fl^tely pile, which may have been of fuch a kind ; of finer marble than is obfer\'ed Banqunt^ in the piazza, and with an air of delicacy throughout t)\ti»g-hQk/t, • whole, far furpailing what is obferved in the piazza itfelfl The pillars which fupported this laft pile arc all of on^ ftone, twenty- two feet long, and eight feet nine inches round. Among thefe ruins is found the only Latin in- fcription that was feen in this place.
In the weft fide of the above pia^^a are feveral openings, fuppofed to have been for gates, whic^h led into the court of the palace. Two of thefe gates look as if they h^^Porpfyry : b^en the moft magnificent and glorious in the worki, hoxhfiliartamd^i for the elegance of the work in general, and for die ftatelyjkz/ar#. porphyry pillars, wherewith they were adorned. Each
fate aid four, not ftanding in a line with thofc of the v^l, ut placed by couples in die front of the gate, facing the palace, two on the one hand, and two on the other. Of thefe porphyry pillars, there are but two inure, and but one ftanding in its proper place. They are ^bout thirty feet in length, and nine in circumference, and of fo very hard a confiftcncc (P), that it is a difficult matter to injure them. Thefe, of all the pieces of porphyry here found, are the moft beautiful, The palace itfcif is fo completely demolifhed, that there is no forming a judgm^it of what it has been, either for majcfty or ornaments It plainl}^ appears to have been thrown down by violence;, which»
(P) This our author fays, anardficialcompQiItion,.whic]iit fpppofing porphyry to be is difpuced. .
S '3 together
Ithe Hi/iory of tHaitfim Syiiate^ B. h
together with the length of time, has quite defaced this oBoa noble pile, there being only broken pieces of its walls left ftanding here-and there. But it is very likely, that it fronted the famous piazza bef<ire-mentioned, and that it was furrounded with rows of -pillars of different orders, many of which are ftill ftanding, fome plain, and fome wrought and chaneled, as thofe immediately encompaff- ing the temple. To thefe pillars alfo there are pedeftak with infcriptions. •
O;^ the eaft fide of the fame piazza is, if the exprcflio^ /may be allowed, a wood of marble pillars, fome perfeft, fome deprived of their beautiful capitals, but fo fcattered and confufed, that there is no reducing them to order, or conjefturing to what ufe they formerly ferved. In one place are eleven together, forming a fquare in this difpo-
fition, \ \ paved with broad flat ftone, but without « • •
any manner of roof.
fi At a little diftance from hence, is a fmall ruined tem- ple, which, by what remains of it, appears to have been a very curious edifice. The entrance into this temple looks, to the fouth, and before it is a piazza of fix pillars, two on one fide of the door, and two on the other, and one at each end. The pedeftals of thof^ in the front have been filled up with infcriptions in Greek and other charafters,^ but fcarce intelligible,
il* But of all the venerable remains of this defolate place, none more attraft the admiration of the curious, than their coftly fepulchres, which are fquare towers, four or five ftories high, ftanding on each fide of a hollow way, to-, wards the north end of the city. They extend a mile, and may antiently have extended ftirther. At a diftance they look like the fteeples of decayed churches, or the baftions of a ruined fprtification. Many of them, though built of marble, have funk under the weight of years, or fubmitted to the malice of violent hands. They are all of one form, but of different fize, in proportion to the for- tune of the founder. In the ruins of one of them, that was intirely marble, were found pieces of two ftatues, the one of a man, the other of a woman, in a fitting, or rather leaning pofture. By thefe it is difcovered, that their habit was very noble, rather agreeing with the European, than the prefent eaftern fafliions ; whence they are conjcSured to have been Romans, Of all thefe fepulchres, there arc two which fcem to be more intire than the rett. They
4r«
C V,.. Tfii Wfiovy. ^tht aniienLSf^mx^' .. 2^9
, are iquare towers, five ftories high, thefr outfides of com* mon llone, but their partitions and floors within, of mar- ble. They are beautified vpith \'cry Hvely carvings and paintmgs, and Jigures both of men and women, as far aa . the bre:!ift and fbouldersy but mifcrably de^ed. Under ' them', or on one fide, are Paimyrenian cbarafters, whieh are thought to be the names of the perfons there depofited. To judge of the conftruAion of the reft of thefe fepulchrcs, by what is obferved in one of them ; they had a walk quite acrofs from north to fouth, exa£Uy in the middle, by which they entered. The vault below was divided in the . fame manner, and the divifion on each hand fubdivided by thick walls into fix, or more or lefs, partitions, each big enough to receive the largeft corpfe, and deep enough to contam at leaft fix or feven one upon another. In the loweft, fecond, and third ftorieis, thefe partitions were the ^ fame, excepting that the fecond had a partition, anfwering . to the main entrance, for the convenience of a ftair-cafe, . lEgher up this method was difcontinued ; becaufe the buuding, growing narrower towards the top, could no longer admit of tt. In the two uppermoft rooms it is likely that no bodies were depofited, except that of the founder him- fclf, whofe ftatue, wrapt up in funeral apparel, and in a lying pofture, is placed in a hich, or rather window, in tne frpht of the monument, fo as to be vifible both within . and without. Here is a Gree^ epitaph ^.
Such were once the magnificent abodes, and fu«h the noble fepulchres,of the Pahnyrenians. From what we have laid of both, we may well conclude, that the world never faw a more glorious city i a city not more remarkable for i^s ftately buildings, than for the extraordinary perfonages who once flouriftied in it, among whom the renowned Zenobiay and the incomparably Lofiginusj muft for ever be rf mcmbred with admiration and regret.
' Philofophical tranfaftions^ numb. 217,
$4 sect;
> ' .' . "'•»«<.'
J
250 ' Tbe Hijtory of tie antitnt Syriansi ■ B. I.
SECT. II.
Of the Antiquiiyy Government^ LawSy Religionj Guftcmsy JvrtS'i Learningy and Trade of the antient Syrians.
lAut'^idty T^HE antient Syrians or Aramtes (A) fcarce fubmitted ^ ^ ' •*• to any other 'nation under the fun, in point of anti- quity,' being the firft that inhabited the fertile and well fituated region of their abode after the general deluge, as we have already obferved *. But the pofterity of Shem by Aram did not poffefs this country wholly to themfelves ; their relations of G7»<7^«*s line, being ftreightened for want of room in the places where they fettled at firft, encroached upon them by degrees, feized on a portion of their lot, and kept it, till they were both involved in the fame cap- tivity and deftruftion. To ufe many words in proof of this twofold defcent of the Syrians^ from the righteous line of Sbevty and the unrighteous line of Ham^ is needlefs, fince we find a very noted portion of the country of Aram or Syria denominated from Hajnathi^ one of the eleven fons of Canaan^ who may have fettled here in perfon. The fame we might hete fay of the Arkite^ the iinite^ Zemarifey and the Arvadite\ though not wi^h the like foundation. We can only deliver it as our opinion, that moft of thefe Ganaanite families, if not all, fixed their abode in Syria (B). But whether the gr^t^r part of the country vras pofTefTed' by the Aramites^ or by the Canaanites^ w^ forbear inquiring, fmce we have little or no authority to build upon. The antient Syrians then were partly defcended from Ham, and partly from Sb^my both pf almoft the fame ftanding in this
• Sec vol. i. p. 369.
(A) This name was not (B) The Arals have a tra-
wholly unknown to thcGreeh, dition there were Canaanites
Strabo calls them Aranuei \ for very antiently in Syria \ for
thofCy fays he (i), whom we they talk of Dimajhc (2) th^
call Syrians^ call themfelves fqn of Canaan^ who built the
Arameans, Hence the Aram, famous city of Dama/cus (3). Arimiy Eremhi, .and the like names.
(1} Gtopnafh, ly\.p* 42. (2) yi^ Schulfeni comment. gevgra^k*
in vit. Salad, ad vocem Damajcuu f^J ScevtL 2. ^« 369.
country.
V V. The Hiftory of the Mtient Syrians. 281
3untrv, and very little behind any nation in antiquity ; ut, it we believe a tradition current among the prefent ihabitants, no country in the world was peopled before icirs (C).
That they were antiently governed by heads of fami- Go<uint> es, called kings, and that there were great numbers of ment, l\em in the country, is certain -, and no lels certain it is, hat they continued under the fame government, in part, ven to the days of Saul-, as appears from the kings of ifihab ^j and the petty kings in Mefopotamia^ who wMere Unmioned to dXXsxiABenhadad in his wars, no fewer than 32. Seeing therefore, that this moft iimple and natural form of ^vernment, obtained among their neighbours in Canaan isx the one hand, and in Mefopotamia on the other, and liat even we find veftiges of the fame in Syria itfelf, down jO the days of Saul^ we cannot doubt, but that they were It firft divided into many fmall kingdoms. Not that this was jie only form that feems to have taken place; for, as Gibeon in Canaan^ in the days of yojhua^ feems to have been a :x>mmonwealth among the many kingdoms there \ • fo Da"- fhfifcus in Syria feems to have been one in David's time. What we have to offer in fupport of this opinion is not in- jifputably clear ; but Damafdus is fpok^ of as without a chief, ancf as if the power was wholly in the people in liavi(ts time. It is faid, that the Syrians of Damafcus\ not their king, fent an army, of upwards of 20,000 to thc^ relief of Hadadezer king of Zobah 5 which feems to imply, that a kind of republican government prevailed among them. The foundation and nature of the kingdom of Ze- ' bah we pretend not to fpeak of; but that of Damdfcus^ which rofc upon its ruins, as Zobah did upon the fubverfion
*» See I Sara. xiv. 47. * 2 Sam. viii. 5, 6. . »
■ •
(C) For here they partica- under-ground, in tedimony of *
larly pretend that Adam was the innocent Ahel^ as they told '
formed (3), and that Cain (lew him ; that the place is held in '
Abil ( J.) i both which places great veneration, and indued *
they (new to travellers that with a miraculous power of
viiit Damafcui ; for they are healing fuch as labour under >
in the neighbourhood of that any violent difeafe, if they but
ci^y Is)* To which Rad- lie down n^ked thereon;. ;Te-
ZfviiU adds, that hollow iloring them immedtacely '^ta""
groans are ibmetimes heard their priiline health. *
(3) Set Tbtvemt, Maundrell, &c, (4) See v;/. !. ^ I531 in the notes.
Is) Peregrin* Urttfcljm, efiji* ii. ^. 30.
of
2S^ 7%c H^cfry^^ the an$im Sjmm. Bv L
of the (mailer principalities, ieems to have been of the ty- rannical and arbitrary kmd. The kingdom of Danwfais • was eftaUiihed by. violence ; whencd we may conclude its government to nave anfwered its origin, haughty, uncon- ' troulable^ and ambitious to fubdue its neighbours ; and, in truth, it rofe to the univerial monarchy of all the parts on both. (Ides of the Euphrates y under Hazael^ as^ will be (hewn in its due place* ntir ^ £ ha^® 1^ (yftemof dieir laws, and icarce wherewithal
iaws, to k/^m any. particular idea of them ; but wo are not (a
much at a lofa for what concerns their religion. Their re- It is certain they had many idols of very great repute 5 Upon. among. the reft, ^imi»9» (D), whofe temple ftood at Da^ maJcHS : he feems. to have been, at leaft, the princip^ god- oC Damofcene % which is all we Oiall venture to fay con- cerning him.
Tkis antient god, in time, gave vray to another 3 for the Syrians deifyins their king, Ben-hadad 11. under the - ftile of Adady or Ader <1, he was co^fidered as their moft glorious and aufpicious god (£), This god, and others
of
^ Joseph, antiq. 1. ix, c. 2,
. (P) tliif Baine,. ia the hux- Mesibyt one (8)> nuty theBfitr
guaeML pf the CMd Teftameat, have beui borrowed. VffU&uzpmegraMate : whence (£) Jdadis alfo called Jdt4M •
this deity, whether god or the iing of the gods (9)9 and
god()efiy is thought to haye Adad is interpreted one (lo); .
borne feme relation to Venus, ^nd, where we have this mter**..
Seiden (6) is moft inclined to pretaticniir we are told, he w^
derive it from an rum^ bigb^ their greateft god.^^^^( 1 1 )and
or lofty. We forbear to fpeak Ifaac Voffius ( i z) are vtry nice
pf Gad^ and refer the reader in deducing the true import of
to this laft author. The Syri- this name ; which we (hall pais
eins had a deity alfo called Ba» over, becaufe it appears to osa
£ia,.agodde(s» from whom the that, according to the Scri-
children and young people were pture orthography, it ought
called Baiias (7), thought, to be (pelt /f«4/«^/, as is.plaim
perhaps, to be under her tute- from Jofephus ( 1 3), who, ii^
lagei and our EngUJb. word, fpeaking of the Scripture kingp
(6k^ Vtdt Selien dedih Sjr,fyrttag» il. r. 10. (7) Damafi, vrt,-ffidbr,
nM fha. c. 14*. 1%) Purchases pilgrim^ k u e. %o. at the mJ,
(9} Sancbon, apud Eujeh, fr^ipsr, evangel, /. i. f, 38* (|o^ Mmnk*
SatvmaL i. c. 28. (11) Vti fypr, Jyntag. i. c, 6. (is) De ido/o/atria, '
ill. r. 22. [t^)Antiffl,ix,c.2*
7**1 fSHtafy #/ tbe mient Syrians.
fiune ftamp, flouriflied as long, we may fuppofe, a$ tient Syrians poflefled this dieir feat. But both they leir gods, in great meafure, underwent the fame fate» Syria was conquered and tranfplanted by Tiglath* •
RE UPON the religion of the cx)untry may be faid to :hanged face : a new idolatry was introduced, or many Dns to the oM weyc brought in, by the new inhabit- ivho were fent hither by the AJfyrians, What changes Iterations this fyfl^m lufFerecT under the Babylonians the Per/tans afterwards, and laftly, ufider the Seleu^ und Romans J we cannot prefume to fay ; but an ac- of it, fuch as it was in the fecond century of the chri- era, we (hall borrow from Lucian ; who was an eye- 6 of what hp fays, for the moft part, and the reft he from the priefts.
' Hierapolisi or the holy city^ or Magog j as the Sy^. Jiemfelves are faid « to have called it, in the province of ejiicay ftqodthe temple of the gre^tS/mngoddefi (F),
Vpon • Plin. hift, nat. 1. v. c. 23.
Stf
i>y calls them Adud^ of and particuUirly, wric« the great BoM-hadadi the I of that name in Scri- , he tells ut» he vjas dei- or honoured with divine ip, as was alio l^is fuc- » HazaiL Here we h&ve :ft account of their deify - f Adadf or, as the Scri- ftiles him, Ben-hadadi if' we except his fucceiTor il, was the grcateft prince intienc Syrians can bead ind we .are of opinion, ;fais great god Hudad^ or ; is no other than the 1 BiM-ifodadi and from e, it appears, that there S^'iBiprinces of the name £^ before they had any b called. By Jdad they it the fttn» and pidured
him wit1| rays darting down* wards, to exprefi his benefit cence^ and. to ihew» that the chief ififlaence of the heavens b in the beam^ of the fun (14). This high compliment might have fuited better with Hasuul^ whofe reign was a oontiaued-. feries of profperity, than with. Bim-Badad, who was fevera^, times unfortunate; but, as Jofepbus telb us they were both deifted, and as Adad^ or Hadady was a name commoq to all the kings ofSyria^ as ap- pears both by Scripture, and Nicolas of Damafeus (15), it may have been the Haxjsil of ScriptMf% who was fa bighlf revored.
(F> Who the Syriam goddeft was^ it is impoi&Ue pofitivdy to determine; but we find a
jMttrt^. ^itturnsL uh' frfr, (is) Aptdjoj^b, snSif, J, vU. e. 6*
floijr
I
TbeHiJiory of the antient ^yiisaiat, JB.I;
upon tm eminence, in the midft of the city, furrounded by a double inclofure, or two walls, the one old, the other new. At the north iide it bad a court- or porch before it, of about five or fix hundred feet in circumference, where flood the priapSj 300 fathom, or 300 cubits, high ; for we find both thefe meafures ; but both Teem to us exorbitandj large. Thefe obfcene images, or rather columns, were * but flender, as we (hall (hew" hereafter ; but by whom, or to whom, they were erefiled, was the fubjeft of much fa- ble. The front of the temple itfelf flood eafl, and before it was a tower, raifed upon a terrace, about 12 feet high ; which was no fooner mounted than the temple appeared. It was built after the manner of the Ionian temples ; the porch wa^ adorned with golden doors ; nay, the whole temple glittered with gold, and particularly the roof. The air there was nothing inferior to the fweeteftof -/^r^7^/<7, and it fo flrongly perfumed the garments of all who vifited the temple, that they retained the fragrancy for a confiderable time^. 2» Th is temple was not without its fanftuary, into which no :. admiflion was allowed, even to fuch of the priefts as were not in an efpecial manner allied to the gods there kept, or >e wholly addidled to their fervice and worfhip. Within the fanftuary, which was alwajrs open, were the flatues of Jupiter and y«w, as the Greeks were pleafed to callthemt' uibugh the inhabitants, as our author afTures us, had other names for them. But, iince we have not the true names, we muft be contented with the Greek. The flatues of ^upiter and Jt^ were of gold, yuno fat upon lions, and ^upiter was lupportcd by bulls, hcing, in looks and pcfturc, Tike the Jupiter of the Greeks ; but the ftatueof Juno was contrived fo as to participate of Minerva^ Venus^ Lvna^ Rhea^ Diana^ Nemejis^ and the Dejiiniesy accoi"ding to the different points of yiew. In one hand ftie had a fceptre, in the other a diftaff ; on her head rays and a tower ; and ihe was girt with the cejius^ or girdle, of the celeftial Venus, ^ She was adorned with a great variety of gems, which had from time to time been prefented to her by Egyptians^ In\
^ LuciAN. Syr. dea, c. 28 — 37.
ftory in Juftin { 1 6), that a king, q ueen, according to Nicolas of
from whom Damafcus derived Damafiusy was older than
its name, had a queen called Abraham^ whom he reckons
Jirathisy whofe fepulchre was among the kings of DamafcMti
religiouily frequented by the as we fhall have occafion to'
Syrians^ who efleemed her as obferve hereafter, their principal deity : and this
(x6) JL. xxxvi. c, 2.
dinns^
X!« V. fbe Hiji^ of the antient Syrians. 2(5
dians^ Ethiopians^ Medesj JrmenianSj and Babylonians^ Buty of all thefe, the moft remarkable was the lycj^nis fhc wore at her fide.. This fione is faid to fliiiie mod by candle- light ; and with it ihe illuminated, fays our author, the temple by night. In the day-time it had no remarkable luftre, but only looked like fire. This ftatue, on what- ever fide of it a perfon flood, flill looked at himS. Between Jupiter and funo was anotlicr eolden ftatue, but with no chanuSteriftics, or peculiar enligns, and only called the Sign. It is uncertain who was rcprefented by this ftatue ; . but, becaufe it had a golden dove on its head, fome were willing to think it was Semiramis. Twice every year it was carried in proceftion to the fea-fide^. On the left-hand, going into the temple, was the throne of the Sun^ but it had no ftatues ; for they held it abfurd to make ftatues of the Sun or Moon^ who were fo refplendcntly vifible to mor- . • tal eyes ; but reafonable, on the other hand, to form the ftatues of fuch as were invifible '• Next after this throne was the- ftatue oi Apollo^ not a ftripling, but with a large . beard \ for they could not endure the thoughts of addrefting . themfelves to any god that was under age ; and moreover, they covered this idol with cloaths, which was done to no other ^. Next to Apollo flood Atks^ then Mercury ^ then Lu- etna I all which made the fide furniture of the temple. On the right-hand, in entering the temple, was. ^l2axd Semi •■ ramisj pointing tojfuno i for that emprefs had had the arro^ gance to place herfelf above, all other deities, not excepting even jfunoi whereupon being feverely punilbed by the gods, who perfecuted her with difeafes, and various calamities, to humble her pride, flie at laft fubmitted to the goddefs; and,, for tliis reafon, was figured as pointing to Juno j in perpetual acknowlegement of her arrogant error ; and to dire<5l people, that the faid goddefs was to be worfhiped, not herfelf. ^fext tQ Semiramis was Helen, then Hecuba j Andromache^, Parisy JHsiiQry Achilles, Nereus the fon of Aglaia, Philomel and Progne, Tereus turned into a bird, another ftatue of Serru^ rams, Combabusj Stratenice, a beautiful piece, Alexander done after the life, and Sardanapalus, in a peculiar habit and attitude. Under this temple they fliewed the cleft where the waters drained oflF at Deucalion's flood : on this. place, faid they, did Deucalion ere<St an altar to Juno ; and this tradition brought on an extraordinary ceremoay^ ivhich we fliall mention hereafter. This hole or cleft was but fmall when our author faw it K
s Idem ibid. c. 32. ^ U. ibid. e. 33. ^ Id. ib, c. 34. k Ibid. c. 35. » Ibid. c. a« & fe^. .
Finally,
flie Hiftory of ibe axTioit Sfmos. B.l«
Finally, within the inclofures of the taaplt they kept oxen, horfes, lions, bears, eagles ; all which were no vnj noxious to men, but all facred and tame. -ed Close to the temple was a lake, where facred fiflies were preferved and attended. Some of the largeft had names, and came when called. One of thefe, ouraudior particularly obferved, had golden fins. - The lake idelf wii deep, two hundred fathom, as the priefts reported ; and} in the midfl of it, flood a flone altar, which feemed to fwim, as mofl thought it did ; for the pillar, or what elfe fup* poited it, was not eafily to be difcerned. This altar wa for ever crowned, and reeking with incenfe, and daily fi^ quented, as we fhall fee anon. Without the temple fbod a large brazen altar, and fbitues of kings and prieils,'aliiK)ft innumerable.
The oracle in the temple was quite extraordinary, and may (erve to evince how deepl/ thepriefb were verfed mthc mjrflrery of their profeffion. Here were images that feemed to move, fwcat, and deliver oracles, as if alive ; and noifts were often heard in the temple, when it was ihut up. Jpolloy as we underfland our audior, was the chief oracik Other idols delivered their anfwers by their priefh : tfab Syrian JpolU did all himfelf. He, as we have already ob- ferved, was the only god that had cloaths; the reafon of which was, as we apprehend, that a living perfon mig^ the more eafily be concealed under that covering, and afi the part of the pretended deity. When he conddfccndcd to anfwer thofe who confulted him, he firfl began to movie himfelf; upon which, he was immediately lifted upbjf the priefts ; for, if they did not run to his affiftance, Ik foon fell into violent agonies and convulfions* However,dK priefls who came to his afliflance he treated very rouriiif) till the high-prieft, coming up to him, propofed his auc^it He had the dire£lion of all matters facr^ and civil, bdng upon all occafions confulted ; and he always declared die time when it was proper to carry the image we have calidd the Sign^ in proceffion to the fea. In fine, our audior afTures us, that he faw this god walk in the air «.
The revenues and treafure of this temple were in pro* portion to its fplendor, to the great majefly of the goddefs^ and to the migh^ power and excellence of her kindred deities that attended her. Arabia^ Phosnice^ Bahylma^ Cappadociaj Cilicia^ and Syriny paid to her their liberil contributions. Here were coflly prefeiits fhewn, in gar- ments, and other things, of incftimable value, which were
* Ibid. c. 35. 5 carefully
C. V. 7%r Hifimry nf tie Miim Syrians. ;tY7
carefully kept ; fo that, in this refpe£i, it was a very L$ret§.
As for the priefls, they were of difierent ranks or orders, Xicttj •/ each a£^ed to particular tafks. Some killed the Sacrifices, /^/m^. ibme bore the drink-offerings, fome carried fire, and fome •waited at the altar ; and of thefe, above 300, in white ha- bits, and with caps or bonnets on their heads, attended the lacrifices. Befides them, there were other confecrated or- ders ; as of minftrels ikilful in the touch of feveral inftru- ments, galli^ or eunuch-priefts, and frantic women. The office of high-prieft was annual, he wore purple, and a golden mitre. Other forts of holy perfons there ¥rere, of the feveral nations, who held the Syrian goddefs in vene-. ration, whofe bufinefs it was to inftrudl their countrymen, who from time to time reforted hither in pilgrimage, in the rules and cuftoms of this holy city. They were called matters, or inftru£tors.
It is remarkable of their eunuch-priefts, that they wen emafculated by the voluntary operation of their own hands. How this unnatural cuftom came to prevail, is accounted for by the following ftory : Stratonice^ who built this tem- ple, having for fome time negle&ed the admonitions of the goddeis, requiring her to undertake the work, was, in the end, by a grievous diftemper, with which the goddefs afflicted her, forced to comply 1>. The king, her hufband, readily agreed to her obeying the goddefs, but committed the care o? her to a beautiful youth, named C»mbabus ; who, no way The ftory fond of his commiflion, but dreading the confequences of 0/*Com- beine fo much alone x with the beauteous queen, deprived babua. himlelf of the marks of his fex, and gave them, carefully fisaled up, to the kii^. Being afterwards tempted by the ^ueen to betray his truft, he acquainted her with the condi- tion to which he had voluntarily reduced himfelf. However he was, thro' malice or envy, convided of adultery, and con- demned to expiate with his death his infidelity to the prince, and impiety to the goddefs. As they were leading him to the place of execution, he called for the treafure he had left with the king ; which being produced, his intended puniibment was converted into die moft tender embraces in the arms of his prince, who, heaping honours and riches em him, granted him leave to finifh the temple ; where he paiied^die remainder of his life : and there flood his ftatue in bra&, as we have already faid, the work of Heru^^laus ^ Rhodinn. And becauie it was induftrioufly reported, tot fome of his dearefl companions refolvcd to undergo the
^ Ibid. c. 19.
funie
(
The HiftMj of the antieni Sytkm. • B. \\
fame calamity for his fake, or that yuno infpired feverd with a rage of umnamiing themfelves, that he might not be fingle in his misfortune ; many mad zealots, either in honour of Combahusy or to pleaue yuno^ performed thfc like operation on themfelves every year in the temple, as wc fhall hereafter relate. Furthermorej thefe galU^ or devoted eunuchs, took on them the habit and offices of women; becaufe a ftrange woman had fallen in love with Combabusy not knowing the violence he had done to his fex ; which to prevent for the future, he put on the outward appear- ance of a woman c. Such were the ^tf///, their inftitutidni and their patron.
With refpeft to the facrifices, ceremonies, and .1
cuftoms peculiar to this holy city ; they facrificed twice
a day, to Jupiter in iilence, to Juno with great noife
of minftrels and fingers. Every ipring they celebrated
an extraordinary facrifice ; for, felling fome great trees,
in the court of the temple, they garnifhed them with
goats, flieep, birds, rich veftments, and fine pieces of
wrought gold and fdver : they then carried the facrcd images
round thefe decorated trees, and fct fire to them, and all
was confumed. At this facrifice there was always a great
concourfe of people from all parts, every one bringing his
facred images with him, made in imitation of thofe in the
temple. There was alfo a private facrifice made by everjr
one that undertook the pilgrimage to the city of Hierapolis,
The pilgrim killed a flieep, cut it up in joints, and feafled
on it, fpreading the fleece on the ground, and kneeling upoD
it. In this pofture, he put the feet and head of the viflim
upon his own head, and befought the goddefs to accept his
facrifice, and vowed her a better. To thefe we may addf ,
the offerings made upon the following ^occafion : twice
a year a man climbing up to the top of one of the prills "Wt
have mentioned, continued there feven days. He kt
down a chain, to draw up what was given him ; for manjf
upon thefe occafions brought their offerings, and declared
their names, which one below took care to bawl out to the
man fitting above ; who thereupon began a prayer, ftriking
a kind of a bell all the time. Finally, they had fometimes
a way of facrificing which was truly fhocking and barbarous.
They firfl crowned die vidtims with garlands, and then
drove them out of the porch or court of the temple, one
fide of which was a fleep precipice, where they perifhcd.
Nay, fome were fo mad as to tie up their children in facks,
and then fliove them down the fame precipice^.
' Ibid. c. 20--27. *^ Ibid. c. 57.
Some
C. V. The Hiftory of the antient Syrians. 289
Some of their feftivals^ if fo they may be called, vrtttFeftivais, cbferved in memory of Deucalion^s flood. Twice a year they went to the fea-fide, and thence brought water into the temple; in which la{x)ur, not only the priefts were employed, but alfo all Syria and Arabia^ fays our author* Tms water they poured out in the temple^ and it ran ofFby the hole or cleft we have already mentioned. This they did by a pretended command of Deucalion^ as our author, after the Greek manner, calls him. What ceremonies they . pradifed at the fea-fide we are not told ; but it feems they Vrere very extraordinary. Returning with their vcffels fiiil ' of water, and fealed up, they cari-ied them firft to a facreq perfon, called AUSlryo\ who, receiving them^ examined i the feals, and taking his due from each votary for his pains, \ untied the firing, took ofF the feal, and returned his bur* ; den to each ; who carried it into the temple, for the pur- pofe before^mentioned. This JU^ryo^ whoever he was,. , received a confiderable revenue for holy ufes upon thefe folemn days. They had another kind of feftival, when their gods paid a vifit to the bottom of the lake we for- i; merly .mentioned. Junoy or the Syrian goddefs herfelfj I went down firft, for the prefervation of her ravourite fiihes i which, had they (eenjupitery would have died. Upon thefe occafions, a remarkable &rce was aAed between the ' laid goddefs and god. He offered to go down firft, but fhe interpofed ; and, after much ado, prevailed on him to return back. But, of all their holidays, the great burning, as wc inay call it, was the moft conliderable. Upon this occa-> fion, there came people from all parts, to afiift at the great lacrifice we have already defcribed, and the other religious duties of the feafon. This feftival was of fome days con- tinuance, as we underfland our author ; and at particular times, while it lafted, the whole multitude was drawn into the temple, while the priefts ftood without ; fome of them znangling their bodies, fome ftriking violently each other^ while others beat tabrets, or drums, founded mufical in- ilruments, fang out aloud, and prophefied. And it was in the midft of afl this uproar, the frenfy of caftrating them- felves feized on many in the temple, who, crying out with ^ loud voice, and drawing their fwords, performed the operation, and devoted themfelves to the goddefs.
The religious cuftoms, laws, and traditions of this place^ Mifcelld- were as extraordinary as any thing elfe we have hitherto neout mai* fcen. Twice a year a man went up to the top oiters, one of ihepriapSj as we have faid, and there remained feven days. Hij n^ann^r of getting up was thus: he fur- VoL. It,' T rounded
'The Hijiory of the dntient Syrians* B. t
rounded the pi'lap and himfelf with a chain, and afcended by the help of that, and certain pegs, or pins, which ftuck out of the fides of the priap for that purpofe, lifting up the chain after him at every ftep he mounted. Here we cannot help taking notice of an obfervation of our author; viz. that they who had feen how they climb up the palm-trees in Egypt zx\d Arabia^ might readily underftand hini : whence we gather thefe phalli ^ or priapSy fo monftroufly high, to have been fo flender that a man might grafp them. Whe- ther we reckon the height he gives them at 300 fathom, which is monftrous, or even at y>o cubits, which is fome- what more credible; they were about as high as our mo- nument. How fo flender a body could be reared to fuch an height, we leave thofe to examine who are better fkOIed in fuch matters than ourfelves. When the perfon had reached the top of the priap^ he let down a chain, where- with he drew up whatever was neceflary for his mainte- nance, or to make himfelf a feat, or kind of neft. It was given out, that, during the feven days, he had a more im- mediate intercourfc with the great goddefe ; and alfo, that this was done in memory of DeUcalion^s flood, when men faved themfelves by climbing up mountains and trees. During thefe feven days the perfon never flept; and if at any time he happened to dofe, a facred fcorpion, faid they, went and awaked him. Our author rather thinks, that the fear of falling kept him from fleeping «.
Every day many people fwam to the altar in the midft of the lake, tnere to perform their devotions.
They facrificed oxen, fheep, and the like 5 but fwinc they held to be unclean.
But the facrifice was not performed at the temple. The vi6lim was only prefented at the altar. The reft was done at home.
Fish, and doves or pigeons, were accounted holy; the former to Derceto^ the latter to Sefniramis ^ 3 in memory of their different transformations.
They fed many doves in and about their houfes ; and, if a man had toucned one of them, he was unclean all 4c relt of that day ; as holy as they efteemed them.
As foon as any man had commenced ^tf//«x, or euniich- pricft, by difmembring himfelf, he ran about the city with the part in his hand ; till at length, throwing it into fomc houfe, he thence received a woman's attire, and, from that time forward, his life was intirely agreeable to his new drefi.
*Idem ibid. c. 29—32. '"See before, p. 285.
/r«_--
C V, tHe Hifiory of the antient Syriapfi; '291
Th£ eunuch*priefts, however, entertained a pa^ion ibr women, X and the women for them; which, far from being thou^t fcandalous or portentous, was efteemed puro and ■holy.
It was unlawful for any gallusj or cunuch-prieft, to enter into the temple.
Whosoever took on him the pilgrimage to Hierapth- Jisj this holy city, firft ihaved his head and eye-brov^ then offered up a (hcep, in the manner already mentioned. After which, he was not allowed to bathe but in cold wa» ter, or to drink of any thing elfe, or lie upon aught but die cold ground, till he had reached the city.
The pilgrims, bei^g arrived, were entertained at the public charge, and lodged with people of their refpe£tive countries, here called inftru£tors, or mafters ; who were paid by the public, for inQru^Ung them in the rites and ce- remonies of the place.
. The pilgrims were, all branded with marks upon the neck and wrifts. .
The young men and boys confecrated the firft-fruits of their beards, and heads of hair ; which, being (haved, or clipped, in the temple, were dq)oiited in a gold or filver box, with the name of the perfon it belonged to, and kept in the temple.
When any of the galli died, their funeral was not per- formed in the ordinary manner. Their companions carried their dead bodt^ into the fuburbs, where, fetting them down, they hurled flones over them, and left them lying upon the bier ; there they lay the fpace of feven days, and then were conveyed into the temple ; but to have done it before had been profane.
He that had feen a dead perfon was not allowed to enter the temple that day : but the next he was abfolved from his uncleannefs, if he purified himfelf.
All the family of any one deceafed were to keep from the temple 30 days, and ihave their heads g,
Thus much we have thought neceflary to fay con* ceming the great Syrian eoddefs, and her worfliip ; all which is very unhappily di%uifed* in a Greei drefs. We cannot doubt, but that here we have great remains both of the dodbrines and praftices of the antient Syrians j though blended and confounded with many additional fuperflitions*
For d)e prefent, we ihall add no more concerning the religions of Syria. Wc arc not fure that Plutarcb mc^ms
t LuciAN. ttbi fapra.
Ta wiii
t^z Tbi Hifiory of thi antittU SyiUnt. B. I.
' this Syrian geddefs (for {he was not the onlv idol that fecms to have borne the tide), y^en he fays, that (he punifhed thofe who eat of two certain forts of fifii, with ukers and boyls all over their bodies, and a diflblution of die liver 9. They are faid to have expiated this crime, by putting themfelves in a fack, and rolling themfelves in the dirt K Their tern" We learn from Plutarch^ that the Syrians^ of his time per, at leaft, were an effeminate people, prone to tears, and very remarkable for their way of mourning for dieir de^ ceafed, hiding themfelves from the light of the fim^ in caves, or other dark places, many days together. This tender and effeminate temper of mind may have always been one of the chara£teriftics of the Syrians^ as it ftill is. Thfir We can fay nothing particular touching the cuftoms of die
lemrnifig^ antient Syrians^ or their civil concerns. As to their arts ^ndarts. and learning; they were bv fome* antiendy joined with the Phoenicians^ as the firre inventors of letters ; but, however true or felfe this may have been, certain it is, that they yielded to no nation that ilounfhed with them, in hu- man knowlege, and fkill in the fine arts. They were fo happily fituated, that they may, almoft, be (aid to have been in the centre of the odd world ; and as, in the fun(h!ne of their empire, they were enriched by die fpoils, tribute, and commerce, of the nations far and near, they certainly ;irofe to a great pitch of fplendor and magnificence, thoie great encouragers of ingenuity and induftry. The altar at Damafcus^ which fo ravi(hed Aha% king of Judah ^^ may ferve as a noble fpecimen of the (kill of their artificers. TI>i!r /«». Thkir language is one of thofe diale£b we commonly guaje. call tjje oriental tongues, and is pretended to have been the mother of them all } concerning which, and for our thoughts thereon, we muft refer the readers to what we have already faid '. It became a diflin^t tongue fo early as the days of yacoh ; for what his father-in-law and uncle, Laban of Padan-aram^ or Mefopotamiaj calls ^J egar-fahadutha^ is hy Jacob himfelf called Galeed^. The Syriac was not only the language of Syria, but alfo oi Mejopoiamia^ Chaldea (for there is no more difference between the Chaldee and Syriac, than between the Englijh and Scotch), Affy^ici^ and, after the Babylonijh captivity, of Palejiine.
s rif^ox J'eiTtJ^ctifj.ovtet^, p. 170. ** Menan. apud Por-
phyr. n«f/ diro^x^i Ifj.-^.^'/uv 7ra.pitfjLV^vtTiKd< ^§i^ Airoh^J p. 1 13. * Clem. Albxandr. ftrom.I. i. p, 307. ^ 2 Kiogt xvi, 10. 1 S^e vol.i. p. 347, 348; " See Gencf. xxxi. 47* •
There
2 2
> ^
C. V* He Hifiory oftbeantient Syrians. i^j
There are three diale£b of the Syrian toi^ue : i. Th« Armmany or Syriacy properly fo called, which is the moft .. . degant of all, and ufed in Atefopotamiay and by the inha* bitants oi Roha^ or Edejpij ox Harran^ and the outer Syria. 2. The dialefl of Ptf/£/?i>^ fpoken by the inhabit* ants of Damajcusy mount Libanus^ and the inner Syria, 3- The Chalaee^ or Nabath^an dialed, the moft unpolifhed of die three, and current in the mountainous parts of /IJJy^ riay and in tht villages of /r^i, or Babylonia^.
The Syriac chara£ter is very antient, and fuppofcd by fonie to have been in ufe above 300 years before the birth of Christ o. There are two forts of this charader j the Ejirangelo (G), which is the more antient and unpolifhed, and chiefly found in the titles of books, as capitals with us ; and that called the FJhitOy xht fimple or common -dharafter, . which is much more expeditious and beautiful. There was a proje£l kt on fgot by Paui of Amiochy for adding the letters that are wanting in the Syriac alphabet, as the fireeks had done ; the execution of which he recoitimended j 'to James of EdeJpXy who declined it, becaufe he feared that the books wrote in the imperfed ch;uraAer> or alpha* . bet, might, by fuch an iimovation, be loft P.
« ' m
The Syriac alphabet.
The common charaSfer. The eJlrangeU.
Ppw;er. Figure. Names. Figure.
Joined to Joined to Joined to
the foil, the prec. thefbli. Single* ^
and prec only, ^ only. ' 'k-
.Df a vowel. ■ ^ ■■ \ -^ "*
B. sif C2L :^ i^ Beth.
■ Abu'lfarag, 'hift.dynaft. p. II. •Bernard, tab.
aM. P AssEHfAM, biblioth. orient, tom.i. p. 479.
(G) This name is generally word, we ihould rather chuft derived from the Greek word to take it in Tbeophrafim^t rfo>JuA^-, rounds as if it was* fcnfc, who ufcs ^foyyihtt a round charadter, whereas it ^wAa (i), for rough unhewn is rather Square i wherefore, timber, by reafon of its rudf; i/ it m jft be derived from that and unpoliftied form,
{x)De plant it. '
The common cbara£fer. 7be ejfrangib.
Power. Figure. Names. FigurCi
|
• |
Joined to Joined to the&lL theprec. andprec. .only* |
) Joined to the fell. on]]r. |
Single. |
|
|
H. |
ou |
CI jh;?. |
CD |
|
|
W. |
a |
o Waw. |
a |
|
|
Z. |
V |
\ Zain. |
\ |
|
|
nh. |
JJW VKJb |
yi* |
Ca» Ubetb. |
. |
|
Cor Kb. |
A.' |
T |
^ |
r |
Cof. |
^ |
|
L. |
^ |
\. |
^ |
'^ |
LomaJ, |
:^ |
|
M. |
^ |
/» |
:to |
^ |
Mim. |
iQ |
|
N. |
J- |
c |
J |
V |
Nun. |
>i |
|
S. |
tt. |
oa |
xo |
OD |
Semcatb.^^ ffH |
|
|
ppt.of a vow- bat a guttur. -F. or P. |
Si, |
2i |
<9 |
E. Pe. |
||
|
^Cgrofly •^ 2 pron. |
A |
J" |
a ' |
CO |
Sode. Kof: |
|
|
n. |
Rijh, |
^ |
||||
|
Sh. |
JL |
(A. |
9^. |
(A, |
Shitty |
;^ |
|
T, or Tb. |
^. |
I |
Tau. |
^ |
• The Striae writing, like that of the other eafiem tongues, was deftitute of vowels till towards the latter end of the eighth century, when tHcy were introduced, as
«e
C -V, , Sifi i0,ory offU wtknt Syri^^as, .29^
is genqrally fuppofed, by T%eophilus of Edejfa^ chief aftro- loger to oie khalif al Mohdt^ who borrowed them from the Greek alphabet, and firft made ufe of them todiftinguifh the Greek pronunciation of the names and patronymics^ in his Syriac tranflation of the works of Horner?^ The marks to exprefs thefe vowek are ftill nearly in the form of five of the Greek vowels ; for they rejeft the epjilon and the omicron ; diere being no fhort vowels in their tongue. But James of Edejfa^ who flouriihed about a centurv before Theophi- ItiSj invented feven new charafters for all the Greek vow- els, at the defire of Paul o( jfniiochy to whom he fent them -, and they are ftill extant 9.
The Syriac is faid to have much degenerated, till James of EdeJ/a reftored it to its antient purity. He was the firft Aat wrote, a grammar in Syriac r. It is an eafy and ele-
Ent, but not a very copious tongue, and has a great num- r of Greek words, which were incorporated with it, in the times of the Seleucida, There is a great number of looks in the Syriac j very little knovm to the Europeans j of which a late writer ^ has given an ample account ; but what this tongue is moft to be valued for, are the excellent tranflations of the Old and New Teftament ; which equal, if they do not furpafs, thofe in any other language.
Perhaps no nation, of equal antiquity, had a more con- Their fiderable trade than the antient Syrians, We cannot doubt tra4^» but that they had fhips on the Mediterranean as foon as any of their neighbours ; and, by the vicinity of the river £«• phrates^ it is paft difpute, that they traded with tfce eaftern regions upon diat river very early. They had many valuable commodities of their own to carry into other parts. The cafy and fafe navigation of the Euphrates^ when compared with that of the iea, almofl inclines us to confider them as older merchants than the Phoenicians j or even the Edom^- ites ; who muft have made very early attempts upon the Arabian gulf j in comparifon of which, the Mediterranean Was a main ocean. Herodotus ^ reports, that the Phaeni^ dans were much older navigators than cither the antient Syrians or Egyptians \ faying, that they carried on the commerce -of AJfyria and Egypt by their Clipping. Here, by the way, is a ftronger proof than any we have hitherto
P Abu^lfarag. ubi fapr. p. 147. Echellensis in not. ad catal. Ebedjefw. p. 180. Asseman. ubi fupr. p. 522. ^ Apud Bar. Hebr. (vel Abtt'lfarag.) in libr. fplendor. Vide Asss- MAN« ubi fapr. p. 479* ' Idem ibid* t Idem ibid.
tL^i.c. I.
T 4 given,.
^e Hiftory of the antienf Syriittuu R I.
given, that Syria and JJfyria were confounded -together by the antients. For how fhould the Phoenicians have failed to the coafts of the proper y^r/tf, an inland country ; a country they could not poflibfy have reached, but by doubling the cape of Good-hope^ and entering thcP^- Jian gulf? A voyage which could have anfwered no end, feeing they might have fupplied that country, and have been fupplied from thence, at an infinitely cheaper rate, by means of their next neighbours, the Syrians^ who navigated the Euphrates ; and who, it cannot well be dif- puted, were the firft that brought the Perjian and Inim commodities into the weft of Afta* Syrid was therefore the moft antient magazine for fiich commoditier^ and chiefly fupplied all the weftem parts'; nor can we^thini otherwife, than that the Mtdianitijh merchants «, who bought Jofephy had' loaded their camels m Syria with the aroma tics, and other precious things, they were carrying into Egyp't. Among which It is not unlikelv that thw haa commodities of other countries befid^ thofc of Syria.
Now, becaufe the Syrians engrofled this lucrative com: iTierce, they may in great meafure'have negle6{ed the Me- diterranean navigation, chiefly intent upon their caftcm trade, which drew merchants from all the weftern parts to trafEck in their country, as well for their own growth, a; for foreign produdiions ; and particularly the Phamicians^ their next and moft induftrious neighbours. So that He- rodoim ^ may be in the right, when he talks of the trade they antiently carried on for ^Jfy^ia [53r/<7], and Egypt We might draw fome natural parallels of this cafe, to ren- der it more plain. The Spaniard^ and Portuguefe^ who have engrofled all the wealth, as it were, of the tVeJi'In- dies^ make little or no ufe of Ihipping, if comjpared with the two trading nations, England afid Holland.^ who may be faid to drive on the conimerce of the whole world in their bottoms. The Syrians then, it is likely, negleded fca-affairs, and therein fell much (hort of the Phoenicians. ' This was the ftate of the antient Syrian trade and na- vigation, which we may fafely fuppbfe increafcd from time to time, till their king Haxael^ as will be fecn in his reign, grafped' at 'the vvhole trade of both eaft and foiith, by fcizing en the famous emporium Elath^ on the Red Sea. The Syrians now had a commodious outlet to the fouthemmoft parts of Arabia^ Ethiopia^ and the more fouthern fhores Of Jfricy not to mention Fgvpt^ which could not be very
J See before, p. i j 3 , * Ubi fupr.
fond
' C. V. • TbeHifiory of the antient Syrians. a.97
fond of her new neighbours, and may have been jealous of them, upon very juft grounds. But this Syrian monopoly vvas of ihort duration. They had fcarce fettled themfelves <m the fhores of the Arabian gulf, when they loft their king Hazady and with him Eiath-y which, however, they recovered a^m under their laft king Rezin ; but their eiA- pire was foon after, extinguifiied : and therefore, though the Syrian colony remained afterwards at Elath, we fliall pur- fue dieir commerce no further, it being foreign to our prefent purpofe ; but we fliall endeavour to confirm what .-vwe have here advanced, when we tr^at of the Phtsnician >«flSiIrs« In the mean time, let any one confider the ftate ei tizAeiatiit Mediterranean^ before the difcovery br re-» difcovery, as fome* will have it, of the cape oiGotPd- Hopi^ and, perhaps, he will be of our opinion. Diodorus Sicnlus numbers the Syrians among the mariners employed by Semiramis in her Indian expedition ; but his author, ptejiasy is by no means to be relied on.
SECT. III.
.Of the chronology of the antient Syrians.
IJEFORE we proceed to the little we can fay upon ■^ this obfcure fubjedl, we will exhibit a feries of the races of the antient kings of Syria^ according to different ^writers.
The kings of Zobah, or Sophene.
According to According to Contemporary
Scripture. Jofephus. with
Rehob - - - Arach - - «. fiquL
X Vid. HuET hiftoir. du com. et de la navigat. des anc. c. 8«
(A) The difference between woider we find this king*t tht Htbtenv i ^ and the Hebrew name fpelt thefe two ways ( i^. S r is fo little^ that it is no
The
The kiDg^ of Demmfcms. According to Scripture. Acoording to Nte. DamfL
♦ ♦*♦♦♦♦ jUmH. - - - . • . Jijzm ------ jUadlL - - . - -
HezifiH ------ jUaJIlL - - - - -
TabriiMH ----- AdadlN. - - - - -
BenAhidadl. - - - - JdadW. -----
Ben-badadVL - - - . AdadVL - - - . -
^z^/ .-,... jfiWVII. - . - - .
^M-i&^i^^in. ^£^WVIIL - - - - .-
*«»♦».»♦ jUadlSL - - - - * JJ«/« ♦ # ♦ ♦ * ^flWX.
hccoxUxigXD Joffphus. CcHitemporarywitfa
♦♦♦*♦♦» Z)OTi/.
Jdad ------ Solomon.
♦ « » * « # # Reboboam. Adad ------ Abijawu
♦ ♦ » « * ^ * Ma.
Adad ------ yehojhapbat and ydwam^
Hazael ------ Ahaziab and yoq/b.
Adad ------ Amaziab.
♦ ♦ * * * ♦ » f/zz/^A.
J^yjpj or Arafes - - - yotham and >^z«
The kings of Hamath.
According to According to Contemporary
Scripture. Jofepbus. with
7ir - - - • Tbanus - - - DUvljI*
yoram or Hado* «v *. * j^ a
•-.rm 7^w»i - - * ♦ ♦ ♦ •
r j/w - - - -^
m ^ % % . % % % % .^ * % m
The kings of Gejhur.
According to Scripture. CcMitcmporary with
Ammihud ----- S^«/. Talmai ------ David.
p. y. ^ Hi^ofy^ of tbea^knt. Syrians. 2oq
■ 'We h^ve not miilded the fehicrfityofthcre kingdoms, by ^cing them either in an exaft collateral, or fucceffive orders but have given the iecond place to Damafcus^ be- caufe it arofe upon the ruins of Zobah ; though Hamatb and Gejhur were kmgdoms before it.'
Wb cannot pofitively affirpn, that Hobah coalefced un- tier one king in the days of Saul^ and, confequently, that Rebob was their firft king ; but only conjedure. Their kings had been vanquifhed by Saul\ and they thereupon may have come to the reiblution of fubmitting to one^ perceiving the Ifraelites to profper under their new mo- narchy. The PhiUftines feem to have done the like y, %t the fame time, and for the. fame reafon. If this be granted, none, is fo likely to have been their firft king, as Riboby the father of the great Hadadeztr^ who, in the days of Daviid^ was fo firmly feated on the newly- erefbd throne of Zobah^ that he afpired at the univerfiil monarchy of Syriay and, in effeA, was become a very
Eeat and mighty prince, as will appear in the biftory of s reign ; and like wife, that if be was not the fecond^ be was certainly the laft, king^f Z^^^; for we hear no more of that kingdom.
The kingdom of Damafcus rofe upon the rujns of the kingdom of Zobah. It was founded by Rezon^ probably, in the latter part of Selomon*s reign ^, while that prince was taken up with his vanities, and had forgot both him** felf and his people.
. TosEPHUs, as may be obferved in the table, makes one jjad, king of Damafcus^ contemporary with David ; in Avbich he is a &x\8t follower of Nicolas of Damafcus^ whom, in the next reign, he drops. That writer >, in- Acad of allowing Rezon to have made himfelf king of Damafcus^ feems to infinuate, that he made Hadadj the MdomiUy king there, or fomewbere elfe in Syria.
Nicolas of Damafcus feems to agree well enough -with the Scripture accounts of the. Dgmafcene kings, and forticularly , if we fuppofe his fivA Jdad to have hcenHadad- ssur of Zobah ; and that he was, is pretty plain: nor ought we to wonder at that writer's making his native city the metropolis of a kingdom, by one reign only, more antient than it really was. Befides, he may not be altogether miflaken, in calling his firft Adad king of Damafcus % ibr, as may be obferved hereafter, he certainly was king «r chief over that province, though he did not refide
» I Sam. xhr. 47, ^ Sec before, p. 244, « See
I Kings xi. z^ f A^tiq. 1. viii. c. Z*
4 there*
'joo The H(/hry cf Oe M^ieMi Sjmm. B.I
there. By calling his firft Jdad the Hadadex£r of ZMf^ we reconcile him with the Scripture.
It is inipoffible to determine the exaft number of jcss each king reigned : wherefore we have only placed then over-agamft die- princes of David*% line, or the kiap oi Judah.
We have on purpofe avoided a dry difcuffion of dM point ; for there is no certainty to be expeded in whit concerns the fucceffion of thefe king^, and the length of their reigns.
Th£ kingdom of Hamatb role together with that of Zobahy as appears pretty plain by the wars between thea. But that %i^ or l%irmis^ as Jofepbus ftilcs him,^was Ac- ceeded by his fon Joram^ is only our conjedure.
The kingdpm of Gijhur feems to have pfen together with Zehah and Jdamath. We are not fure, that Ammkd preceded his fon Talmai in the kingdom % but it is raj }ikcly he did.
SECT. IV.
The reigns of the kings of the amwU Syrians.
The KINGS of ZOBAH.
lUhob. I^^ HOB we fuppofe to have been the firft fble l^iiV if ■'^ Zobahy and to have laid the foundations of hi$ &sl% grandeur,
Hadade- Hadadezer, or Haderezer^ the (on of Rthob^
zer. a great and ambitious prince, and remarkable for Va on^
fortunate wars with king David. He bad warred witk advantage againft the king of Hamatb ; but, when heopr pofed David's progrefs towards the redudion of the bid} Which had been promifed to Abraham^ and his feed, quite Vear of to the Euphrates ■, his good fortune left him. In tlK
the flood firft battle he fought with David, he loft one thouftif 1 304*, chariots, feven thoufand horfe, and twenty thoufand foot
Bef.Chrift The Syrians of Damafcus then fent their army to rd»^ '^44* force him. But, ncyerthelefs, in the fecond battte, be loft two-and-twenty thoufand men. The conqucroif taking advantage of fo fignal a vidory, pofl'efted bimldf of great part of Syria, and, particularly, of Damafam* Hadadezer now loft his golden fliiclds ; for fuch he had in his treafury, we fuppofe ^ his two cities Betab and B^
■i * See Gcncf. xv. 1 8.
rplbaif
Cr V. Tie Hifiary of the anttent Syrians. 301
ftbai^ exceedingly rich in brafs, were plundered ^^ and
bis kingdom greatly diminifhed. But, it is Jikely> nothing
perplexed . him more than the defedion of RezoHj after-
vrards king of Damafcus ; who, leading the forces fent
him from that province, or Hadadezer^s own, abandoned *
lum to his adverfe fortune ; and, gathering a band of men
about him, employed them in die purfuit of his awn am?
bitious views c. t
It is not exprefled, that Hadadezir became tributary to king Davids nor, indeed, is it likely that he did, at leaft on this occafion. For he furnifhied. Hanun^ king of ^
, Ammon^ with twenty thoufand men agatnft David \ but diey, with the other auxiliaries of that war, were put to it ihameful flight by Joab ^. Though he was paid for thefe twenty thoufand men, and was by no means a principal in thb war, yet, the next year, he feems to have made himfelf fo ^. He called in ail the petty kings, that owed him homage, on the other fide the Euphrates ; and every- ^riiere elfe, as far as his power extended, he levied forces. By which means, he got together a very confiderable army^ which he committed to the condu£l of Shobach, his ge- neral, to affifl Hanun againfl David a fecond time ; or . rather, to make a defperate effort to retrieve his own loflies, or to humble David, But this great" hofl:, too, was routed at a place called Hetam ; about 40,000 of the Syrians were (lain ; and, among the refl:, Shobach him* ftlf. The petty princes, that ferved Hadadezer in this
' fiital warfare, made their peace with David ^ and became Us tributaries ^, as did, in all likelihood, Hadadezer him-
.:felf; concerning whom, or the kingdom of Zobah^ we
-.find no further account.
The KINGS of DAMASCUS.
The kingdom of Zobah being overthrown, that ofReson; Damafcus rofe upon the ruins of it. Rezon was the firf( king, the fame who deferted from Hadadezer king of Zobah. He feized on Damafcus^ founded that king- dom, and proved a very troublefome and inveterate enemy to Solomon %. ' HlxioN fucc^ed Rezon ; but whether he was his fon, Hezioi^
, '• > 2 Sam. viii. 3—8. • i Kings ad. 23, 24. ** See
tefeu, p. 146. ^ See before, in the notes, p. 147. ^2 Sam. IL 15— 19* * X Kings xi. 23— 2{.
or
'30! ^ H0ofy of ibe oHiUni Syim^ RL
or anjr otberwife related to bim,- we know not (A). He Jived at peace and amity with the kings of Ifudab and IJraelK ^
Tabrimon (B) the fbn of Hmgm. Neither be, nor
bis father, had any mifunderftanding with the kingi cf
Judtfh and Ifrael K
Sen-ha- Bek-madad the ion of Tabrimtn, £mbafladoi3 came
dad I. to him with large gifts from Jfa king of Jwiah^ by whom
Year of he was induced to make war upon oaajha king of Ifradi
the flood ffom whom he took IJ9n^ Dan^ j/bel-beib-maacab^ al
1408. Cirmeroth^ and the land of Napbtati k.
Bcf. Chr. Ben- HAD AD, the fon of Ben-hadad. He vigorouflf
940* profecuted the enmity his father had^fo fuccefsfully b^ua
^^O^^^againft Ifrael ; but therein was twice very remarkablf
^^ rr ' baffled by the interpofitjon of heaven. When he fiin
Year of ^^^^^^ againft Ifrael^ he had no fewer than thirty-two
the flood ^i'^g' i" ^^^ army ; and, with them, an incredible number
1447. of horfe, foot, ^d chariots. With this powerful bofi
Bef. Chr. he fat down before Samaria^ and ftrait fummoned JUt
goi, the king to acknowlege himfelf his vailal, and deliver
' up to him all his (liver and gold, and, likcwife, his wivet
and children (C). To this infolent mefiage the pufil-
lanimous prince returned a moft fubmiffivc anfwer ; viz*
That he, and all he had, was at his difpofal i whicfai
however, did not fatisfy the haughty and infulting enem/i
For, he immediately acquainted the timorous king, by a
fecond meifage. That the next day, about the fame timei
he intended to fend fome of his officers to fearch his pa*
lace, and the city, and bring away all his wealth, and
whatever was pleafant in his eyes. To this indignity tbo
king of Ifraely animated by the elders, refufed to confent;
* Ibid. XV. 1 8. ' Ibid. * iBid. ver. 20.
(A) tt is the joint opinion ^yria (5), in this king^s reigfc of Sir ^0^» Marjhdm[\\ Sir according to his hypothecs Ifaac Newton (2), and archbi- and that his fon Ben-h^dhi fhop UJher (3), that Reiion and fliook off the yoke. Hezion are different names for (C) . This laft particulaf h the fame king. aggravated by fome (6} into a
(B) Sir If, Nenuten (4) reck- great piece of infolence ni ons him to have been fubjed brutality ; as if he feoc to to (lie Egyptians^ who, under Ahab for his moft b^atifri Sifdc or Shijhaky conquered male children to abule tbtfli.
(i) Canon cbr'.vic. fecul. 1 3. (2) CbronoU of anty kingd, amiiM,
f' 221. (3) Ad cnn. mund, 3064. (4) Ubi frpr. (5) S»
he/ore, ir thf r '-/*•;, ^. 5^. (6) ytde Cleric, in Rejr, xx. 3.
which
Cf. V. 3& Hi^otj of the antieia Sytiimi j^ J
which gave occafion to a third meflage from the haughtV SyriaHj which was. That he wifhcd himfclf in a wor(e * condition than Jhab^ if he did not bring fuch an army before Samaria^ that, every foldier taking but a handful of it (D), there {hould be no figns of it left. Jhaby in anfwer to this vain menace, advifed him to wait the event of things before he reckoned upon them *.
The Syrian army was now ordered to invefl the city of Samaria in form, and get all readv for the aflault. In die mean time, Ben-badad, who feems to have been at very voluptuous prince, and much given to drink, fol* lowed his pleafures, fearlefs of all danger, for he coukl ap- prehend none. As he was in the midft of his fecurity and caroufals, he was told, that a party was drawing near from the city, which at firft caufed a fmall alarm in the campi and difturbed Btn-hadad himfelf. But, upon far- ther information, he ordered thofe, who were coming, to be brought before him alive, whatever their defigns were ; and then returned to his pleafures. The party, which was coming out of the city, was Ahab and a choice com- pany of 132 young men with him ; who, though it was noon-day, were encouraged by a prophet to fall upon the
¥cat hoft of the Syrians^ and promifed certain vi£lory. he Syrians^ on the other hand, dreaming of nothing Icfi dnn an aflault, thought they (hould have nothing to
* I Kings XX. I— 21,
(D) This proud meflage is It much as we do ; that if each
ireryvarioufly interpreted. The man in his army took bat a
words of the text itfelf are, handful of the ruins of S^immr
Tbe gods do fo unto mty and ria, they might carry the
$H9ri a//b, if tbe duft of $a- whole place away with them.
mmria P?all fuffice for b€mdfulsf Others (io) again fuppofe his
for M tbe people that follow meaning to have been, that
(7) ; or, as it is in the mar* he would return with fuch aa
gill, are at my feet. This, ac- army, that if each foldier took
oirding to J^epbus (8), means but a handful of his country,
BO more, than that he had fo nothing of it ihould be Idt
momberlefs a multitude with remaining. Take it which-
him, that each, taking but an way you will, it was a high'
handful of esuth, could en- vaunt, and paflionately fpoke»'
compafi Samaria with works to fet ofiF the greatndfs of hir
that ihould overtop the wall kingdopi* of the city. Others (9) take
i
tj) I Kims xz. to, (8) Jntiq, /. iw. r* 8. (9] Ckric* i^i
I teg, ukijupr. (10} FMtritk ttptn t HSf^s zx« X0i
do^
J04 ^^ HiftoTf of the ofUient Syriani. B. I;
do. but to condud them to their king. But when Ahah and his followers came up, and fell furioufly upon them, they fled ; and a panic fear fpreading itfelf all over the camp, there wai no one that thought of any thing elfe but favtng himfelf ; Ben-hadad mounted his horfe, and rode away with the reft, inftead of rallying and confirm- ing his people. The flight was general, and the IfraeUus purfued them with great flaughter.
The Syrians were covered wich (hame at fo inglorious a flight, and would gladly have found out fome excufeto palliate it. They pretended, that the gods of the IJrailitet being the gods of the hills, it was no wonder that (uch a mif- fortune Kad be&llen them ; and, to comfort their king, aiTured him, that if he could but draw out the IfroiliUs upon a plain, his gods would prevail in their turn, as they prefided over the plains (£). They moreover laid fome blame upon the two-and-thirty kings, as not hearty in his caufe, or fubmiffive enough to difcipline ; and deiired that trufty, skilful oflicers might be fubiiituted inftead of them. They then advifed their king to levy juft fuch aa army as the former, chariot for chariot, horie for horfcf and not to doubt of fucccfs.
Ben-hadad hearkened to all.this^ and bore his dif-
honour as uneafily, we may fuppole, as any of his fubjeds.
The following year, he marched towards the king of
Ifrael with fuch an army, as if he meant to make gooa
Year of his menaces againft the city of Samaria. He pitched in
the flood Jph^k^ in a plain, without doubt, to be under the pro-
xJf^nu ^^^*°P ^f ^^ °^'^ P^^^^ » ^^^ filled the country ^ as it is ex- . ^nr.pj.^^j'^^ Seven days he lay here encamped, ovcr-againfl
^^' die ^tfpicable numbers. of the Jfra elites {¥). Upon the
(£) So early was the notion that the Syrians^ confideriog of topical deities, and of the the theology of the timet/ gods fighting in favour of fliou Id talk after ib wild a rate, the men who worfhiped them. (F) It may be very well Howe\'er, they maft have asked, why the Syrians, fee- known, that the Jewoijb. law ing the advantage of numbets was delivered on a hill ; that fo greatly on their iida, lay the temple of Jerusalem ftood idle {o lovig f But it may b« on a hill. They could not but anfwcred, that the IfraeUM know, that the enemy's coun- were encamped on a hill, and try was very hilly, and that therefore they would not ven- the I/raelites were particularly ture to attack them, chafing fond of facrificing and wor- to ftay tiJl they ihottld fhift ihiping in high places. Know- their quarters.
SBg ail thi9> it is no-wonder^
fcveflft"
t.V: .m Hytaij 9f the MtkHt SyiAs^ |tfjt
feventh day they came to a battle, in which the Sy^ ri^ms loft, oif foot only, one hundred dioufand. The reft fled with precipitation to the city of Jphikj which was near, where twenty-feven thoufand of tiiem were cruihed to death by the city wall, which fell on them (G).
Bbn-h ADAD now gave all over for loft, and wa(s not a litde furprifed, perhaps^ that his gods had failed him. In defpair, therefore, he concealed himfelf in the city of jtphik ; but his officers,- reminding him that the kings of Ijrail had been generous enemies, advifed him to throw jiimfdf upon AhaVs mercy, and offered to prepare the tonqueror to receive him kindly, by appearing before him widi (ackcloth on their loins, and ropes about their necks. In this humble difguife they accordingly went and accofted ^baby and intreated him in behalf of their king. Mab^ (nrerjoyed at his vi£tory, was in admirable temper td receive them, and, in a kind of tranfport, called Ben- badad his brother and declared, he was glad to hear he was living. The artful Syrians made the beft ufe they could of that kind expreffion for the fervice of their dif- confolate king. B^n-hadad then was brought to Ahabj who took him into his .chariot ; when the Syrian^ court- ing the friendfhip of the conqueror, promifed to deliver up all his father had wrefted from Ifrael ; and, moreover, to allow Ahab the fame authority in Damafcus^ which his own father had enjoyed in Samaria (H), By thefe fair
fpeeches
(G) Thisisfoextfaorfinary (H) What privilege or au-
a cafualty, that it may be well thority Ben-hadad promifes
asked, how it came to pafs ? to ^^^/^^ is very doubtful. What
It is fuppofedy they ranged privilege or authority ^^«->&^z-
themfelves round the walls of dad\ rather enjoyed in Soma-
the city to make a defence ; ria, is a queftion we ihould be
and that the walls were beaten glad to clear up, were it pofli-
down upon them by the Ifrael- ble. Jofepbus ( 1 3) has it, that
iiis, or ihaken down by an Abab fhould have as full li-
earthquake (11); in a word, berty in Damafcus as his fa-
that God was immediately ther had in the city of Sama-
concerned in this deflru^lion ria^ which was built but a few
(12). It need not be fuppofedy years before by 0/«r/ king of
they were all deftroyed, but IfraeL It is mofl likely,
pardy killed, and partly wound- according to theLXX, and the
ed or difperfed. Vulgate^ that he promifes^i&^^V
(11) Patrick upon' I Kings XX, 39* (iz) C/^nV. in I Reg, xx. 30*
(13) jinti^, ubijufr^
Yoh. II. P and
'iheHiftery of tht aaiait SfrmA. B.I.' .
fpeeches he fo wrought upon die miiKl of j/tak, tJiat he was immediately rcftored es hi» liberty, and a peace «at condaded-".
How ftridly focver Ben-iir^d adheFrd to hb wonl with jfbab in othrr refpefts, he kept poflcffion of' Rsiattb- gilrad, v^ich was the fubjed of a frefli war, in whtcfa ■jfttfi prcTaiW on Jehe^aphetj king of jMdah^ to :join htm. The two kings led their forces againft Ramnh- gtUad; where they found the Sjriant prepared to receive them -, hmMah, having fufficienticafon to feu, tbattfae enemy would mark him out for deftru&i<Hi, -dtfeuiM himfelf before the battle, while the king of Jud^ put on his royal robes. The apprehenfion» erf jfbab were not without foundation ; for the king of Syria commanded his two-and-thirty capt^ns, who had rule over his chariots, to direft their arms only againfl the king of JfreiL This had like to have proved fatal to Jehtfha^at ; for ilie officers, miHaking Jehejhophal for Jhab, pnrfiied IttiQ clofe, and would have Itain him, had they not diftonre^ in time, that he was not the pecfon they had in comnuYr
■■ ■ King! X,
the Ifretiius Ihould live free in *
JDaaafcui, with all the liber- '
ties chey enjoyed at home ; that ■
they Ihoulii have liree tngrefs •
and egrefs [t^c/^], accord- *
ing to the former, or build *
them Areeta to live together, '
by their own coiintry laws, ac- '
cording to the latter ; and the <
fame, it feems, had been enjoy- '
ed by the Syrians in Samaria: '•
this is the apparent fenfe of our '■
own veriion of this paj&ge, "
and the moll ftriflly agreeable "
with the original. " Some "
" think, by Jlreeii, he means "
" market-places, where com- "
" modities were fold, the toll "
" of whick {hould belong to "
" Ahah. Others think he "
" means couiti of judgment, "
" where he fhould maintain a "
^- '-34- ::
'' jaril(]iAionorer^<K-&ajlu^» ' fubjefb; or. viim vi'tam '■' call a piazza,, of.whidi ' .^^ajlhouldreceivetherentf. ' But commonly interpreters ' thinklemeans_/or/yi'cfl/WBj, ' whereby he might bridle the ' chief city of the kingdom ' of Sjria i that they might ' not makeirtuptions into the ' land of Ifraet; citadels, as ' we now fpeak, to keep them ' in awe, and to be a check la ' them, if they attempted any. ■ thing againft the 1/ratliiat ■■ yet, after all. Golf. Vatlan- ' dm hath faid a great deal to prove, that the Hthrtv word figniJies/ii/af^j ; which he being allowed to builil, was a great .token of fub- jeaion(i3V
{i;3Pa(HV»«/wi JD'i^li;
34-
.C. V* 282* Hifiety iff the antient Syriaas. 307
-iion to deflroy. But Ahab\ precautious could not £ive Year of him J -for one of the Syrians (I)> drawing a bow at^a ven- the flood ture, fmotc him betwcn the joints of his harnefs : upon H5'- .which he ordered his charioteer to carry him out of the^^- ^^^^ field 6l Battle, and died in the evening. The battle was ^ ^7* Uoody and obAinate, and ^flcd till nighty under the co- vert of which, each fide drew off with equal lofs, and doubtful vi£lory ". The general > who, on this occafion, had the chief command of the Syrian army, was the ce- lebrated Naaman^ who was miraculoudy cured, by the prophet Eiijha, of the Icprofy, Avith which he was grievoufly aAi<9bBd, as is related at length in holy writ <" (K). As he
was
» 1 Kings xxii. 3^-3 J. ® 2 Kings v. per tot.
(I) The Syrian who drew this bow is, by Jofephus^ called Aman. . According to the fame hiHorian^ Bm^hadad was in this battle himfelf; to us it feemsy that he did not com- mand in perfon, but committed the condudt of this war to Naamaut
• (K) Elijba ordered him to f^fli himfelf feven times in the yordan. It is to be obferved, that by the laws of Mofes lepers were fprinkled feven times ( 1 4) • It is f Qppofed, that there was fomething peculiarly efficacious hi a fevenfdid repetition, as the Almighty went through tht great and beneficent work of creation within feven days (15); diat accordingly, it was injoined in hononr of God ; and, being perforincd, had its proper ef ic6b.
This, fays bifhop Patrick (16), was the only cure of a leprofy we read of, till Christ, the great prophet, came into the world. It was, and ilill is.
in thofe parts, as loathfome % difeafe, as it is inveterate. It differs much from the leprofy which is feen among us. It defiles the whole furfece of the body with a foul fcurf, de- forms the joints, particularly at the wrifts and ankles, which f^^ell out with a gouty fcro- phulous fubftance, very loath'^ feme to look on ; the legs of thofe afHi£led with it look like thofe of old battered horfes: in (hort, it may pafs for the utmoft corruption of the hu- man body on this flde the grave (17).
Naaman intreated the pro- phet to grant him two mule- loads of earth, being refolved to facrifice to «f other god^ hut unto the Lord ^18^.
It is not faid in the text, that Elijha granted this his re- queft; but our tranilators, in their argument to the chapter, where this whole ilory is found, imagine that he did. From the words which follow, it ap-
(14) Le-vit, xiv. 7. (15) Clerk, in 2 Re^. v. (i6) Upon z Kings
▼#14. (17) M lundrtW I purney from Aleppo to ^^fff- in the append*
litttr ii. (18) a Kingi v. 17.
U 2 pears.
3o8 ^he Hijiory of the antient Syrians. B. 1.
was fenPible of the miracle, and by what hand it was wrought j he returned with great joy to the prophet, and, renouncing idolatry, acknowleged, thm there was no goi in all tbi earth but in Ifrael p (L).
Soon after Naamans return to Damafcus^ Ben-badad began to execute fome private defigns againfl ^^^^r^m kii^ of Ifrael \ whence it may be naturally enough g^there<C
P Ibid. vcr. 15.
])ears, that he wanted this carch to raife an altar with it ; ai pious motive^ though mifta- ken.
He alfo confulted Elijbay whether or no he might attend \l\% mailer in the temple of Rimmony his oEoe requiring kim to fapport his prince at his devotions ; fo that he couM not avoid bowing down, when he bowed. But, with refpedl to this (cruple, we have not the prophet^s deciiion. The Ic- profy which alHided Naaman, .was entailed upon Gehazi, and his poUerity (18); which is laid, but by a mere tradition, to have given this generous Sy^ irtan an opportunity of difplay- ing a noble in fiance of bis ge- nero/ity, the good cfFeds of which are faid to fubfill to this day, m an hofpital, by the walls of Damafcusy richly en- dowed, for the reception of lepers, and faid to have been founded by Naaman for Ge- hazi (ig).
(L) A late writer (20) tells us, that Naaman loft his great office of genera!,, for refufmg to worfhip Rimmoui but the argument he builds on> feems to be but weak.
The words of the text (ai) itfelf are ; nen the king of iSy- ria tvarred againft Ifrael, ani took counfel wtb his fer*oanti^ faying, infucb andfucb a fUee fhall be my camp > and, by what follows, he ii^oined them IbiA fecrecy. From heooe the wri- ter {it) we juft now mentioned, afirfns, tHax'NaamoH was dil^ placed i for which reafon, the king of Syria now commanded his army in perfon, and, being not u(ed to fuch exerpiies^ he on all occaiions con(uIted hit general officers. 'D'liwitpen' badad command his drmy twice in perfon before; ones at Samaria y and once in the fatal day of Aphtha why then ihould he not coihmand it a third time ? and why mnft he be fo ignorant in military af* fairs ? if he committed his ai' my for once to the condudl of another, muft it be thought he did it always ? Finally^ what wife king was there ever, who did not, on all occaiions, confult- his -general officers.^ It is certainly wrong in an fai- ftorian to be poUtive in matters of palpable darkneis, to be fond of an hypothecs, that is» t^ Write by the fpirit.
(iS) Jhid, ver. 27. (19) The'Vt/u.t*s trsvelt into the tfoant, part H.
ho'^k i. chap, 4. (ao) Bedford's Script, chron, p, 627. X^O ^ ^"S'
vu S» ^ {zz) Bedfird ubi fapr,
that
G. V. Th Hifiory af the antient Syrians. 509
that N^aman either died, refigncd, or was difgraced.. But tiie king was difappointed in a|] his aims, and thereupo^i hepn to fufpeft the fidelity of thofe about him ;. who, to remove fo dangerous a fuipicion, told him^ that none but ^lifia could thus difconcert all his meafures, Jjc being in- dued with {fuch a degree of knowlcge, that nothing could be concealed from him, tho' done in the greateft pri- vacy. Ben'hada4^^^ heard enough concerning that prophet, to believe what he was told ; and, therefore, being re- folved to feize him, he detached a ftrong party to Dathan^ >^hexe he underflood him then to be. They came to that cjty in the night, and the next morning were, by the prophet, fmitten with blindnefs, and led by him into the very heart of the city of Samariay where their eyes were opened, that they might behold their fituation. Here, iofiead of being made prifoners of war, they were hofpi- tably entertained, and generoufly difmifled ; and, making their report to Ben-hadad of all that had happened, of ^ prophet's power, and the king's humanity, a fiop wa^ put to the war o (P>.
This peaceful dilpofition was but (hort-Iived, and Ben* hadad marched againft Samaria p once more, and, having Bcfieged it with his whole force, reduced it to the greateft Areights, and was on the point of taking it by famine j fo jrtiat cither the fiege was long and obftinate, or elfe the place was poorly ftored. But in the mean time he was alarmed in the night, by a noife like that of a great army rufliing upon him ; wnereupon, apprehending, that Jo* ram had hired the kings of the Hittites (Q^) and Egypt to come to his relief, he raifed the fiege with fuch preci- pitation, that his army did not fo much as take time to mount, but left their horfes and every thing Handing ia
<> a Kings vi. 13—23. P 2 Ibid. 24—29,
(P) According to Jofephus the kings of the iflands. That
{%z\ upon the report they any remnant of the C/7»/7a«i//y>^
made to their king, he gave Hittites (hould at this time be
over his private defigns ; and formidable in any of thefc par ts^
ftrait refolved, inftead thereof, is pafl: our underftanding, tho*
to wage open war with Jeho- feme think they were (24). Wc
ram, are told, the remnant of them
CQJ Who thefe kings of the was reduced to the moil abjcdt
fiittites were, is very uncer- degree of fervitude by Solo*
tain. Jofepbus (23) calls them mon (25).
(2z) Antiq, /. ix. f. 2, (23) Ubifupr, (24.) Pstrick upon
1 Kin^i X. »9i Cleric, in % Reg. vii. 6. (25)^« ^{f^^^j /. 2i6.
U J th»
The Hiftory ofth antieni ij^viZ B. I.
the camp, juft as it Was when they tooK thfe alarm j dropping what was, In the leaft cumberfometb ih^iii^iri their flight q. ' • • •;. ■ r.
Ben-had AD muft at this time have been well actvahcfecf in years ; and, whether he had contrafted fomeillntfs by the fatigue of his flight, and violence of hi^Turjirtie, at! whether his fpirits were broken by fuch frequent mfsfof- tunes, he took to his bed. As he lay fick, it w^s told him, the prophet EUJha was coming to Dafnafcus (RJ ; whereupon he fent Hazael with forty camels load of tne choiceft produftions (S) of Damafcus^ to confult' the pfo-- phet concerning his indlfpofition. Hiizael accofted* him in the moft refpc6lful hianner, on the behalf of Ben-hadad. But the anfwer he received was, that Ben-hadad might recover, but fliould furely die. The prophet, having thus cxprefl^ed himfelf, fixed his eyes iiport /fcz^^/, till he put him out of countenance (T) ; and fuddenly bdfft into tears. Hazael^ amazed at this, and humbly defiring tb know, what might be the caufe of it, was told. That he was to fucceed Ben-hadad^ and to be a cruel and mercilefl perfecutor of the children of Ifrael \ that he would 'fct their ftrong holds on fire, flay their young men with the fword, da(h their children, and rip up their womeri- with child. Hazael profefTed not to underfland what the ^r6- phet meant, nor could conceive how fp inconfiderable a perfon as himfelf could ever- have it in his power to com-i mit fuch outrages (U) : whereupon he was aflured anew by the prophet, that he fi^ould be king aver. Aijyria,, He
^ lb. vii. 6, 7,
(R) By Jofephus (26), the text. Hazad beheld the pro*
prophet was not yet arrived at phet with an eye <ii VeDera-
Daffwfcus, and Hazael was fent tion, and as one infinitely his
out to meet him. Some (37) fuperior, and therefore was-
fuppofe he was jail coming into abafhed when Elicit <ixcd l^
the city. eyes fo fledfaftly upon him.
(S) By thelargenefs of this (U) The text runs £ But
prelent, it is thought EliJ/ja n.vhaty is thy fer^ant ^ dogf .
was. accompanied by many of that be Jhould do this great
the fons of the prophets, or thing? Whereby moft have
that even four camels load had underflood, that he difclaimed
been fufRcicnt(2S). fuch bart>arity as'the prophet
(T) This feems to be the foretold of him ; but the rea{
moft natural explication of the meaning of this pafiage is. But
(2.6) I'bi fupr, ^2j) Fdtrid upon 2 Kir.gs vioi. 7. (2S3 Cleric,
in i Rigf viii. (J,
C. V. 3ic Hificry of tie antient Syrians; 3 1 i
then returned to his mafter, and flattered him with hopes of recovery; but the next day ftifled him with a thick cloth dipped in water \ So ended the reign of the great Bift-badadi who, having adorned Damafcus with fine ilru^lures, as is faid, and added to the glory of Syria ^ was ranked among the gods, and honoured with divine worihip* (X).
.Ha2^£L, having thus murdered his lord, afcended hisHazael. throne, to which, by the wife providence of God, he Year of had been nominated ibme years before, and the prophet the flood Elijah had orders to anoint bim^ He was a fcourge in i4^4*. the hand of God, to chaftife the kingdoms of Judab and B«^- thrift Ifraely. and under him the Syrian monarchy arofe to its ^ ^4^ n^eridian. However, he fcems to have reigned very ' peaceably, till he was provoked by Joram king of Ifraeiy and Jbaziah king of Judah, who leagued to wreft Ra^ nuuh^gilead out of his hands, in imitation of what their fathers had attempted in the reign of Ben-hadad* In this atteinpt they were attended with fuccefs, though Joram was dangeroufly wounded. But Hazael made himfelf ample amends, by invading both the kingdoms of Judab
■\- \
.' Xbid..viii. 7 — 17. • Joseph, antiq. 1. ix. c. 2. * 1 Kings anx. 15.
luhat is thy ferntanty a dog ? this Ben-hadad by the names Eluding to liis mean condition, oi Adad, Adar^ and Aden which would never allow him which difference arifes from to commit what only a great the near fimilitude of the Hi* prince had power to do (29). brew r and d, as we have al* This is confirmed by the pro- ready (30) noted. According phet^s anfwer, that he was to to Sir Jfaac Neiuton (31), the be king of Syria ; which Damafcus and Aratbes we for'^ comes in very naturally. merly mentioned (32), were • (X) We are almoft tempted this Ben^badad and his queen^ t» think, that Hazael may who were worfluped in their have been the chief promoter fepalcres or temples. But, hy- of this deiAcationy to cover his this fuppofition, it fhould feem^ own guilt. He ikems to have that idolatry was yet in its non- been a^kl it (hould be known age among the Syrians, where^, lie ^was the. murderer of his zsjofepbus (13) talks of ftatel^ itfafter, by his manner of di- temples ereoed by Ben-badmi^ ij^tihfng hint. Jo/efbus caUs in his lifis-time (34}. v
'{%i^)'See Patrick ufn 2 Kinrs fiii. 13. Vii. etiam Ckrit, in % Mtft* vifl. 13. Gf y^'fipb, antip ubifitpr, (30) Se$. before in tjiie mtei, ^ ajkj.: , \%\) Short chfonol. /). 34. (32) See before^ in (Ite notes, f, 2B4.-" (33) Ubi
!'*£''* ( 34) ^« ^i'' (T*^^ NewtiP^j fbron. of ant* Kjtigdn 0mndf f* ^^^^
U 4 and
an4 Ifrael^ and purfuing tbfim admoft tQ ddfaruAion. fle (legan with.J^^i^ ;kUig.of //ri7</, an4 fixbilued wbatlbever belot^ged to the J(ingdom of IJrqely Qn the .other iUe Jor^ dan^ the countrias of Gilead ajpd Bajhan^ the tHo tsibe8» Reuben and Gi7//, and the half-tribe of Manajfth'^m la the profecution of this conqueft, he, no doubt, punAually fulfilled, by his cruel»rage, what the prophet had ioxtXsiA him, in the remarkable coQverfation they bad together: (Y).
With the fame fury and fucce(9 be wagecl war jupotf jehoabazj the fon of Jehuj tiU he had left him but fifty horfe, ten chariots, and ten thoufand foot j for the reft had periflied in battle againft Hazael^ who, as it is ftrong? ly exprelTed, made them like the dufi by threjhing ; and^ to conclude, he opprelTed Ifrael all hb days ?. )f Hazabl having thus chaftifed Ifrael^ turned hisana^ )d againft the kingdom of Judah ; for they had both con- • federated againft him ; fo that he bad a fair pretence for ^'■•attacking both. He crolTed, the Jordan^ therefore; and, after feveral fuccefsful attempts upon other places* ^ as we may fuppofe, made himfclf mafter of the ftrong and royal city of Oath y, which had been the feat of the Phi- Mine kings, but was now pofleffed by the houfc of havid^^. His next thought was to attempt 'feriifalpii, itfelf; but, as he was meditating this great enterprize^ he was diverted from it by the rich gifts of the weai; and apoftate Jehoajh^ who then reigfted at JirufoUm ^ and who, dreading the Syrian power, fent Hazael 2M the ireafure and rich moveables that had been fet apart and dedicated by his father for facred and other ufes, Hazael was pacified with fo noble a prefent, and defifted from hi^ defigns againft Jerufalem^ for a while.
But it was not long ere he renewed die war figalnft that City, which had not yet been fufficiently punifl^. For he detached, towards the end of the fame year, as we apprehend, a party to reduce yerufalem. This party is exprefly remarked to have been very fmall ; but yet ij prevailed againft the great hoft of Jeboajh king of yurfst^ facked Jerttfalem^ flew all the princes of the people there,
w 2 Kings X. 31-- :^3« ^ l^bid. xiii. 3, 7, 22. J Ihid*
xii. 17. ^ See brfbre> in the notes, p. 249, 253, 254.
* 2Kingsxii. 17, 18. " •• .
(Y) Jo/ephusi^s) aflfures us, ever he came, but put all to, he did ; that he neither fpared £re and fwcrd, man, woman, or child, where-
il^)Vhifutr.e.U
and
T, &0 Mf/^dty df tbi cnfim Syrians. j^t j|
fisbt tbeir fpoil' to Hazael at Damafcus (Z)« And olfe jqpedition did Hazael alfo make himfelf mafter Ihtk en th« jRrdf 5r<7, aa appears, and as we (hall en- Mir to confirm hereafter, in the hiftory of Rezin the king of Syria. Hazael^ having thus fubdued,an4 imized over the kingdoms of Ifr^el and Judahy died, was deified (A).
B left behind him a Ton and fucceflbr, called Ben-hb- BenJift« who fufFered a total reverfe of his father's fortune, dad IIL MB had reigned k)ng (B}. Thrice was he defeated by
yehaaftf^
',) yofifhus (36) makes but expedition of thefe two. irdiDg to him, HazaelhtLV' aken GatJb^ ftrait befieged faJept } whence he wfu pre- 1 on to depart^ by the ; bribes mentioned in Scri- U But it is impo0ible, what is faid of Hazael*s with Judah^ as it is re- nted in the fecond book ings (37)> and in the book hranicles (38), fhould have otfaerwife than we have ifentcd. Nothing is plain- han that thofe two books ; of twp very different
.) It is no wonder^ con- ng the blindnds of the y that they deified fo for- e and fo great a prince ^fts^eL He, as well as xtAtctSav Ben-badady ad- l Damafcus with tern- and their flatues were sd about in proceflion in lays of Jofephus (39), the !9> boaftmg their antiquity. \ hence there is room to ine thefe two to have been primary deities, and that
the temples they are famed for building, were no more than noble f^ulchres for them- felves (40) ; bat we forbear to expatiate 6n this fub^ ; acd^ having, given the hint, fubmit it to better judges.
(B)Iti$faid(4i), Tht anger ofthi\LiQZj> ewas kindlid againfi ffraely and he deli'vered them int9 the hand of Haviael king of Syria, and Ben-hadad the fon of Ha%aeh all their days* Whence it might be imaginipdy that Ben-hadad kept Ifrael un- der as long as he lived, fiuc the word their is not in the priginal ; and, by what follows (42), it is evident, that the text means no fuch thing, re* ferring only to the days pf HaxxLel himfelf. To fblve this matter, however, it is li^ifi^y, that Ben-hadad was taken into the government by hi$ £%thcr» as his coll(;gue ; and that a9 long as they reined tpgetber^ they U^ft I/rael under- St, Jerom (43^ writes, that all the fub^iient kings of Syria were called Ben-hadad, froQi this prince, the third of the
(37) xii. 17, 18. (38) xxiv, 13, 24. (39) £^^'
) Jh:d, _ .. . _
f , 2. (40) See Sir Ifaac Nnvton's cbron. if ant, Jdngd'amendm
I. Su hsfore, />. aSz— 284.^ (41) 2 Kings xiii, 3, (42) rer. la, 4mos i«
name.
^f^ £te Hifioryof the auient SymtiH^ B. I;
Year ofjihoafi?^ the Ton of Jehoaba% king of IfratU whereby .he
the flood Iq;^ all whatever his father h^d wrefted komJfrad ; whkh
I5I2- ifr.all we luiow of this obfcure ^d. unfonunate reffin.'
Bef. Chr.^^igv^r^ nothing is more likely, than that: tht^ £<ii<Xi^
^3^- 4^ i>ecame tributary to J^rohfamy the fon of J^hoa/h
^^v^^^ting of i/rfl^/, who kept Syrw in fubje^lion^ during fait.
reign, which was very long. » ^
](^i^ii.,. .. -.TTbc Syrians recovered themfelves again amidft the Jif- Ytarfi orders which reigned in the kingdom of Jfrtiel upon ]^4^\ the flood r^fm's death $ but not fo perfedly^ as to be quite a fcee- 1606. people; for, we are apt to think, they were under con* Bef. Chr.fiderable acknowlegements to the newly-ere£ted empire of; 742. Affyria (C). But, not to dweU on this uncertainty, Bjh. ' zin was their laft king. Towards the latter end of hif- reign, he entered into a league with P/AffA king of Ifrady againft Aha% king of Judah. They were ftirred up by heaven to punifli Jhaz, and their defign was to dethrone him, and make room for a ftranger to David's line, called Tabeal^, With this intent they befieged ^A^zin Jirufalim^ but were obliged to raife the fiege, without prevailing in the enterprize. Rezin^ however, that he
^ Ifa. vii. 1—6,:
name, according to Sci'ipture. This we take notice df, as it is apparently a great miflake. Th^ prince borrowed the name of Ben-badad from the firft race of the Damafcem kings, to which his father was an alien. The names Hadad and Ben- hadad were affe^ed, as it feems, by all the kings of Syrian from HadadexAr of Zohah down- wards. Btn-hadadii^x^t^ only the fon of Hadad. The fa- ther of the firil prince of this name is called Tabritnon 1 but, by his fon^s name> it may to fome appear, that he was alfo IHled Hadad (44). Jofepbus call him Jldad.
(C) This is a conje£lure, which we apprehend to have fcme tolerable foundation. The
«
kingdom of Dama/eus h^' been weakened by its fabjedlon ' to Ifraeli and when Pu^ king of Affyrta was ftirred up a- gainft Menabemy the third that bore the title of king in Ifraet after Jerohoamy we cannot con-', ceive, but he muft have march -^] ed thrbugh Sjrioy and made] himfelf ihafter of it in the fit^^ place. It is plain, he wa^ bentf- upon extending his dominion;, and how he could think- of re* ducing Ifrael before he had fecured Syrtay which lay be- tween him and his projeded conquell farther wefhvard, i» what we cannot conceive. It is likely, that Syria fubmitted to him, and now firft became a province of Afyria,
(4^) St:heforeyf. 302.
might
t. V. fh Hiftory of the antient Syrians. 315
might not be wholly a fufFcrer by this difappointmcnt, inarched his army into Edom^ and made himfelf mafter of Eiath on the Red Sea^ which he annexed once more to the dominion of Syria (D) ; and there he planted a colony of his own (E), which fubfifted many years after the fubvcr- fion of the kingdom itfelf of Syria «.
The next year Rezin and P^i^zA profccuted the war Year of againft Jhaz ; and, to diftracl him the ihore, divided their the flood forces into three bodies, with a defign to invade him in 1607. three different places at once. Rezin^ for his part, fuc^Bef. Chr, ceeded well by this divifion ; for he loaded his army with 741. fpoils, and led away multitudes of captives, wherewith V his avarice being pretty well glutted, he returned to i>4- majcui ^.
!But this acquifition proved fatal to Rezin and his king* dom : for Ahaz^t grown defperate, and bent upon'revenge,
c z Kings xvi. 6. <* See 2 Chron, xxviii. 5.
(D)Ourverfionfays,he;vr^'/- the text from Cll"liib Laaram^
r/i/£lath /0 Syria ; fo, fays the to QHN^ Leedom. It had
Vulgate ; in tempore illo rejfituit been but Common juftice in
Jtafin rex Syri<e Ailam Syria. Rezin to have reflored it to its
Whence we gather, it muft natural lord ; but we cannot
have been conquered to Syria enter into Le CIcrc*s notion*
by Hazae/y when he fent part that he did it, becaufe the
of his army againil 'Jerufalem place was too far out of his ,
{45). Ben-hadad II. his pre- reach to keep. He was ftrong*
deceiTor, had no war, that we er than the king of Judah^
read of, with the king of Ju- and might, upon that account,
dab ; and, after HazaePs have kept it long enough, had
death, Syria was unable to he lived, make her own caufe good, and (£) Both the LXX and the
therefore but ill qualified to Vulgate agree, that Rezin hav«
extend her dominion. Azariah ing fubdued this place, the
king of Judah reftorcd it to Edomites took po&flion of it.
Judah (46), and drove ou( the But it is not to be imagined,
Syrians (47), when they were that Rezin could fo eafily part
fubdued by Jeroboam king of with fo fine an acquifition. If
IfraeL Le Clerc, in his ver- any heed may be given to 7»-
lion, will have it, that he re- /epbus (48), he agrees with our
flored this noble emporium to reading and tranAation, faying,
the Edomites, taking on him, that Rezin planted a colon/
by a little too much prefump- of Syrians in Elath. tion, to alter the reading of
(4<;) See hfore, ^ 312, (^-S) 2 Kinp xiv. 12, (47) Set
fiifrifk Hfi.n 2 Kingi xvi, 6. (48) Ubi jitpr» e, 12,
fent
f^ WJhfyof tbt nntient Syrians. B. E
f ftnt all he had to Tiglath-pikfar king of Affyria^ there- id with to bribe him againft Rezirt. Hence it was (F) that . i2/2»« was invaded by Tiglath-pilefar^ who flew him; a^d if- carried D^mafcus (G) away captive to Kir^ whither they were tranfplanted'*. Thus was the empire of the antienf O Syrians aboliflied, according to the prophets; Behold;
£>amafcu$ is taken away from being a city and ^he
JUngdam Ihall ceafe from Damafcus^ and the remnant 9f Syria '.---/ will fend a fire into the houfe of Hazaei^ which Jball devour the palaces of Ben-hadad. f will - - - - cut off '^ " him that holdeth the fceptre from the houfe of Eden : and the people of Syria fball go into captivity unto Kir J faith the Lord %.
The KINGS of HAMATH.
We have but a very fhort and imperfed account of thefe kings, both as to their eflablifhment, and their con- tinuance ; nay, there is even fome doubt concerning the fituation of their city (H). They feem to have drawn
tbdr
« 2 Kings libi fupr. ver. 9. * liaL xvii. 1—3. t Amos i. 4f ^
{ F) Not for this reafoa only ; (here may have been another. We apprebend, that RezJft, being a tLirbdent enterpriiing prince, gave umbrage to Tig* iath'ptlffar, to whom he was certainly tributary, or under ibme other obligation. For Ttglath-pile/ar had warred in thefe partt before, with great fuccefs, againft the Ifraelitijh dominions (49]. He may have been prompted to defixoy ^^- ziff, as he looked on him with a jealous eye, as well as to earn Abates bribe, who promifed heiidcs to become his tri- butary.
(G) Jo/ephus (50) makes bat one 4idion of this and the foregoing.
(H) This city was called Hamatht and fbrnetiiDCs Hfi* math the Great (51) ; whena fome have conceived there were two Hamaths, or dues (b di- (Hnguifhed ; but, for the fame reafon, they ought to think, there were two Sidons^ which were fometimes caUed Sidn, and fometimes Sidon the Great
(52). Je/'^^ (53) places a-
matb to the north of the laiid of Canaan; zndMu'/feda{^^9 who reigned in Hamath^ and who, being fo learned a prinoo as he waf, fiiould know, at leail as well as any other, places Hamath upon the Om- tes, between Hems and Afa* mea, that river furrounding it on the eaft and north. Thers
(49"\ .W 2 Kr'rtpXV, 29. (50) Ubi fupr, {^l) Amoiv'u 2,
(^-) y''A xi. 8. (s3) Jnri^. l. ix. c. ii. (54) Vid. ScbuU. cmmtMtn
gfgr, in v;;. Sd!eJ» ad tfoces Flwjiui Oroares ^ Uamatat
^be Hi/iety of ibtantim Syrians; ^t^
orktn from the Syrians of the Canaaniti/h blood (J)^ « Sme time that the Syrians of Zobab^, who, iwe 9 were Aramtes^ extStxA their kingdom. And this did» perhaps, to defend themieWes agakift the tm^ 19 views of that new monarchy, and to keep tbemr in one diftind and intire bod)r. But however this for we are intirely in the dark . concerning it ; thus certain, tliat 7^i, their firft king we read of, was red in an unequal war with Hadaiexfr^ the gre»C of Zohah \ the ground of which we can appre- to have been nothing eHe bat his refufal to fnbmit e power of that ambitious prince, to whom he was ibly on the point of fubmitting, when Hadade%er ielf yielded to the fuperior might of David ; who, humbling the pride of Zohah, was looked upon by Year of s his prefent deliverer, and his future proteffcor. In the flood : therefore to fecure himfelf on the throne, he fent his 1 304. foram with a coftly prefent^ in veflels of gold, filver, Bef. Chr« brafs, therei^th to court the favour of the conqueror, 1044. ongratulate him on his fuccefTes, and return him ks for the deliverance he owed him ^. From dl this onclude, that Toi thenceforth became the creatore of nd, and tributary to his throne. Whoever fucceeded Toi, whether Kis fon Jorefm, or 'otam^ or any other, it is likely he cultivated a good ligence with the kix^s at "Jerufalem, till Rezon, the der of the Damafcene kingdom, arofe. At this time^ likely^ the king of Hamath fubmitted to a. new mafter»
^ 2 Sam.viii. 9^ io«
a country of Hapuui, fur- to whldi we will now add ftom
id Zobahs which lay to ^s'^^n (57), that this whole
eafiward of the land of country was called Sbd/Uf be-
um, dboutP^^yra or Tad' caufe Biany of the ions of Ca^
(55} » fo that here may naoM Ta(bdmu travelled to-
: been another ciQr of the wards the left hand in migrar"
c, whence, after all, may log thither ; for Syria lies to
I been derived the diiHn£fc- the left of the Caaba at Mtcca*
of Hamath the Grtat* This is one way of accounting
) We have already offered iat the name of Sham ; there
^ng from the orientals^ in are others, which may bl re^
if that fome of Canaan's marked hereafter. t .
endants fettled mSyria (56);
j) Sei 2 Cbr*n, >iii, 3,4. i Kings ix. 18. (56) Set hefsrt, in the
,/f %%Q% (57) ^i^* Scbultt ubi fttfrt ad voicm Syn\
*or
**,!.
^i8 - The Hifi^ of the antient SyHafis.
or prote£tor. Be that as it will) this kingdom was cer- tainly fubjed to the kings of Damafcusy as was the reft of Syria y till yeroboathlAivg oijemfalim prevailed z^ainftitl Upon die redu£Uon of Damafcusy when the inhabitants of that city were carried into captivity, it may have lifted up its head a little ^^ ; but the Hamathites were, in their turn, conquered and tranfplahted, by Sennacherib and Efar* haddon ^ kings of AJfyria. Thus ended the antient king- dom of Hamath.
7be KINGS of Gefliur.
The kings of G^i^r, if compared with thofe ofZ^
taby DamaJcuSy 2nA Hamathy were, it is likely, but petty
princes (L). Perhaps they were more confiderable for the
alljance David made with their family, than for the extent
of their dominion. We take them to have been one of the
royal families which, in antient times, divided the whole
country of Syria among them. The firfl: of them wc
" meet with is called Ammihudy who Was the father of Tal-
mai^'y and as Talmai is exprefly faid to have been kipg
pf this part, we venture to give him the fame title.
T^^ Talmai had a daughter named Maachoy who ym,
thcflaxl yp^g ^Q David^y and the mother of Ahfahniy whom hp
1.3 '^' flicltered three years o, when he fled to him for the murder
''of his brother Amnon. We cannot doubt, but that Gefin/r
^,^^ ,Bore the Damafcene yoke, till they finally changed it for
the AJfyriaUy and were tranfplanted \ as were all the othdr
Syriam.
' 2 Kings xiv. 28. ^^ 2 Kings xviii. 34. xix. 11,13.
' G)mpare Ezra iv. 2. with 2 Kings xvii. 24. °^ 2 Sam. xiji. 37. "Ibid. iii. 3. ^'Ibid. xiii,37, 38. xv. 8.
(L) Jofephus (59) does not note and figure in the coundy allow them to have been where they dwelt, kings, but only a &mily of
(59) Antiq. /. vii. c, 8.
CHAP.
t C. VI. Sbi Hilary of tU PhoBnkasois;
&>|i
C
i
\
i
SI
CHAP. VI.
The bijiory of the Vhaexivaxn's,
S E C T. I,
7be defcription ^/Phoenice.'
H E traft \re commonly call Phcenicia^ is, more vj^ accurately, Phcenice y .which being fufEciently ' known to the learned, we fhall not multiply worc(| abpicrt it, but haften to what is more material.
Whence it borrowed the name of Phcenice is not de^i\r4Mr« terfnined. Some a derive it from one Phoenix : others ?>^ froni the Greek word phcenix^ fignifying a palm, or date; as if that tree remarkably^ abounded here: fomc* again fuppofe, that Phcenice is originally a tranflation of Ac Hebrew word Edonty from the Edomites^ who fleet himer<i in the days of David. By the cpntraftion of Ca^s nagn {iov it was a part of that land) it was alfo callea • . ChnaS aiid zntkntly Khabbothiny and Colpitis ^ {A) • Thft jfVsrt/i commonly called it Canaan S ; thougji fome part ^>
•Syncell. p. 152, ^ Chron- Alex. p. 158;. « S^:
liAAC Newton's chron. of ant. kingd. amended. ^ See bis*, fire, p. 175, 176. « See vol. i. p . 3 1 7, in the notes. ^ St e ph«, Byz AN. ad vocem ^o/j'Jxw, « Vid. Matt. xv. 22.
(A) This laft name isa tranf- kjdon of the firft.[yin3*» ^^b- Utfen is, in Hebrew, a great gulf, or bay. From rabhot- ftu^ by changing the Hebrew if into the Greek /, comes rabboteni and, with a little variation, rhabbothin, Ko At^-, Colposy is Greek alfo for a bay or gulf; whence it appears, that colpitis, or colpites, is a tranflation 0^ rhabbothin. Bo- chart [i) therefore is of opi- nion, that thefe names did not properly belong to the eaftern
Phcenice, or the country pro- perly'fo called, but to thfe Phcenician colonies in Africa^ whofe principal cities ilpod upon great and deep gulfi^ or bays. " However, he is not; wholly anfWilling to allow, tk^ thefe names may have difhn- guiflied a part of the proper Phcenice y near Libanus, as he expreffes himfelf, becaufe it had a deep gulf or bay, ao cording to Mela, Tripoli Aands in the deepeft bay, at prefent^ on this coafl.
(i) Ce9gr^ fact, /. ii. M3. cd. 746,
it.
the Hiflory of the Phoenidatii. % tl
it, at leaft, they knew by the name of Syropboenice'^ (B); Thefe were the names peculiar to the fmall country before lis ; though, of them, Phaenice was (bmetimes extended to all the maritime countries of Syria and Judea ; and Canaan to the Philijitnes\ and even to rfie AmaUkitit (C). Oh the contrary, thefe tWo names, and the refl^ were moft generally fwallowed up by thok of Pale/iim^ and Syria (D).
Th e pf oper Pha^niee, fo far as we can gather from dw antient geograph^s, lay between the 34th and 36th de- grees of north latitude j and was bounded by Syria on the north and the eaft, by Judea on the fouth, and by tte Mediterranean on the Weft. There is fomc
hVid.Markvii. 2& *Zcphan. ii. ^. *&•
telbre, p. 22o» 261.
(B) Bochart (2) clears up in its largcft exteiftt (7), it
this matter thus : he fuppofes, fometimes comprehended PiuiN
that the borderers, both upon nice and dtlejyria. Hiiwdiht
the Pbanician and Syrian fide, plainly confounds thefe dm
were called by the common names ; we mean, ufos one H
maLOit of SyrophceniciansjSLS i^X' the other indifierently. Fiitp
caking equally ofboCh nations, he (ays, atktPhmnicians^ooaaan
Some (3] would have it, that into Syria from the RedSm^
tti^ Phoenicians of Jfia in ge- fettled in the maritime ptrli
neral were called Syropbaeni- of Syria^ and that the Pbth
tians to difHcguiih them from nicians dwelt in Syria (8^. la
ati^ African Phoenicians, Others the next place,- he (kys, tW^.
(4) take the Syrophaenicianj Ph^nice waS a part of Pedh
and Cctlejyrians for the fame ftine ; which, according Iff
people. him, ftretched along the foi-
(C) Accordingly Phila (5) fhore, quite to Pehpwm iB
deludes the -^OT^/^i;Vi?/ under jE"^// {9). Tlurdly,hepllfll
the denomination of Phani- AJhdod^ or jfxotui^ in
dant. ^ (10], and AfcaUn in the Pd^
(D) Or rather Phoenice, Pa- ftine Syria ; but yet its inll*^
hfiiney and Syria^ were pro- bitants he caBs PhcenitimH
mifcuoufly ufed for each other, (ii). In a word, we coilU
and particularly the two for- wifh, that the geogrulifi
mcr. Phcenice and Paleftine^ fincef/^r^^i^/tfi^s time, had beei
feys Stephanus Byz,antinus (6), lefs confufed than his is lit
were the fame. As for Syria^ many cafes. We have already obferved, that,
(2) Geogr, faer. p. 349. (3) /Jpud Bcckirty uhi fupr, p. gcjo. (f) ^. nnd. ibid, (5) L, i. />. 636. (6) Ad v&cem 'f oxi^. (7) Sn
ktfore^i^, 155. (8) L. vii. c, 89. (9) Ihd. g /. 2. f. 104.
(10) ifr/W, f, 157, (11} /. i. , f, ios»
3 amoj^
C 1^1. ?te m/t^ of tbf Phcenidanb: 9a t
unong aull^6is, - with refped to tKe northern limits of this country. For Pulitny makes die river EUutberuf the boandaiy kjX Phanice to the north; but P/iifyt, Mek^^ Md Stephanuhy place in it the ifland of Aradus^ lying north of that river. Straho only fays, that fome wiU have the river EUuthtrus to be the boundarv of Seks/at^ on the , .
fide of Phcenice and Cceiejyria «. On the coaft of Pha^ miee^f and fouth of the river Elmthirus^ ftood the follow- ii^ cities : Simyra^ Orthojia^ Tripi^lis^ B^trys^ Byhlusj PmUehyhlos^ Berytus^ Sidcft^ Safeptay Tyrusy Palatyrus. Simyra is mention^ by Pliny % and Mifa b, as flanding at ft ffloall diftance from the river EUutherus. Strah calls it Taxymera^; which is fuppofed to be a miftake. Next to 'Simyra Pliny and Mela place MarathoSy which the latter calls a city of (bme note ; but neither Ptolemy nor Strabi take notice of it. Orth$Jiay of Orthojiasy is mentioned by PtoUmyy Straboy Pliny^ and the author of the lirft book of the Maccahces K
Sip ON we may properly enough call the metropolis ofSidon. J^haenicfs fince it feems to have been the oldeft city of this Mrt^. borrowing its name from Sidofiy the eldeftfon of Canaan^ by whom they ^ pretend it to have been. built i l^faich is not onlikjcly : though all are notagreed in thc.do« ijvation of that name (£)•
u
^j"PiiN. I.v. €• ao. *> Mela, I. ii. €.7. « Strabo^L xvi.
f, 518. « FuM. ib. *» Mela';. I. L C.I 2. iSxiiABo, ib. Maccab. 11 L c 15. ver. 37, 'Joseph, antiq^ L i. c. 7.
- \E)Tr9ptt (12) derives the felf, denoting thereby thcA-
tene from a Pbegmcinn word, tXer oiP the Sidemansi or the
iMw, fienifyiag a Mtt^ And founder of that dty. what'
4118 i^«r£tff (-I3>- fives into; foeyer his name was: bat
ibr f m/, die name of this why the name of the eldeli;
dty at prefent^ n, as we ma^ fo» (honld be paifed over
icndcr it» a fifliing-place. The ami the reft Ipedlied, is what
fime Bwbart ('14} feems to we are not able to conceive,
doabt whether orno Canaan' % Others (16) again derive the
fim wi^ called Sidm i for, by name of this city from Sida^
that name, HAfes (15) meant, the daughter, as chey pretend,
acooi^if to Mm, the city it* ^Bt/nt,
f la) 7«/r. ;. xviii. c.%. (13) G^gr. facr, f. 30a. (14) md.
(«5}iS«i^<^,f.i88. . {ih) rid. Sand. tr^'O.f. %lo.
VoL.IL . X This
.the Hijiory pf the Phceiiiciail& B. I.
This city was feated on die fea^fide, and is iaid to havt had a fummer and winter harbour » (F), or one much more land-locked, or incbfed, than the other $ which we take to be a miffcikc {G) that may be tolerably accounted for (H). It is now called Sevde.
Tyre, antiently Sor (I), is commonly called the dau^« ter of Sidony and flood aUb upon the fea, two hundred fiades, or furlongs, to the fouthward of Sidon* Tyre muft be diftinguiihed into three different cities in order of time?: as Tyn on the continent, or Palatyrus [old Tyre]^ Tyre on the ifland, and Tyre on the peninfula, after the iiland was joined to the main land (K). It had two ha-
■ AcHiLL. Tat. apud Reland. Palaeft. illuftr. ^'Wd.
Palaeft. illufh-. vol. ii. ad vocem Tyrus.
( F) This we imagine, be- its fplendor ; as appears from
cau(e we find no mention made the veftiges of the antient dtf
of a double harbour by any of that ar^ left (19}.
the moil accurate travellers and (I) From hence this dty
geographers ; whereas, as we came to be called Sarra^ by
ihall obferve hereafter, there the Latins, and not from Sar,
are ftill vifible marks of this a fi(h, as Servius upon Firgd
ztTyre. This city had a mole, intimates (ap). From hence
till Faccardine, the emir of the alfo, fay the^, is derived (21)
Drufesy demoliflied it, to {xe^ Tyre ; it being the Syriam way
himfelf from the vifits of the to convert the TS, or S^ into
*IurkiJh galleys ; fo that now 7". So that the Syriams pro-
the fhipping have no other nounced it T^r, TWr, Tyri and
fhelt^r, than a fmall ledge of hence the Gr//i/, adding their
rocks, about a mile diflant termination, formed Ti^,
from the ihore, on the north in Latin, Tyrus* Some pre-
lide of the dty (17). tend, that thiscity gave nane
(G} It is obferved, that Si- to the whole country of Syrith
donian and Tyrian were fyno- and that Bjria^ iyria, ttd
nymoufly ufcd (18). Whether JJ}ria, were indi&rently o^
or no the Teeming miHake, here furped for each other (za) ; to
noted, may not have arifen which we cannot aflent. TUs
from fome fuch ufage, we namefignifiesarock (23); ftr
leave the reader to judge. it flood upon lyhat may. be
(H) It is, at this day, pretty called a rock. well flocked with Inhabitants, (K) There were ibur difiB^
but much flirunk from its an- ent places in Phetnicet which
tient extent, and more from bore the name of Tyre [2,/^.
(17) Maundr.purfi, from Aiep^tajeruf. p. 4«j. (18) Vid»Re2, PulJLf, $?6. (i^) Maund, ubifufr, (20) Vid, Bocbart. uhi fitpr.p, 735. (n) Kii^ Cell, gcqgr. antiq, toJtt. ii. /. m. c. 12. p. 277. (22) S<e Sir jfas€ NntMtt
tbronol of ant. kingd, amend, {23) Fid. Bochart, ukifttpr^ {24} /7^ 5rt4 penpl.inmi^jsr, Hudfcn,v:f,U. J r s^j j
e VI. ^S& Hifi^ry of the PhoehicuUw.
vens (L)) the one looking tawards Sidon^ the other towar<ls Egypt '• This cinr, indudingPeLetyruSj was 10,000 paces in circiimference( M) ibut by itfelf was only 22 f urlongs,or not quite three of our miles' s which is even allowing it con-^ iiderably too much, if our modem accounts may be relied on (N). However, it appears, that this famous, emporium
was
■
* Plin. hid. nat. I. v. c. 19.
old city muft have been by much the moft excenfivepart of the whole, and elpecially as the place appears at this day. According to P/ifty (28), the iiland was. but 700 paces from the continent; ^ Wording toStrah, ( 29] tt was.'36ilade6,or fomewhat better than three of our miles, from Fa/atyrus ; andj( according . to the iame geographer {30), ^re was Wholly an iflscjad, after the firme manner as Araiui^ excopt« ing the artificial' ifbhmu?, which fbrmeditTntbapenifrfda. Noc to lofe time cipon ib' obfcore a fttbje£t» as whether' 7)^# and the old town were joincsj by buildings aq^ofs the iflhmus, we (hsdU only ll^tax ^hat we advanced at m^^ dud which we fhall endeavpur.td ^iike outia the next note,' that .old 7yre wais much laiger; thatis,imod upon more ground than the iiew, if P/r«y's circumference be allowed of.
(N) By them it appears, that l^yre itielf was but a finall city in extent, though it co^- veredthe whole ifland; and the fcantineis of their ground was^ dottbtlefs, what induced them
%n
■ Strab. 1. xvl. p. 757.
(L) Thefe were formed by the ifthmuSy which joined, the ifland to the main land ; and were . called, the one Ofiu^ and the other Clofe. The former looked towards E^ypt \ was the foathifemmoft of- the two; and was accordingly called ^(t Egyptian port (25). The iharif Edryfy fays, tnat one of thefe ports had an arch over th^'ent/anoe of it, thlr6* which the.(hip]^g pstflTed, tad that it was fortified with' a chain, drawn acrols it (a6). Thefe boys, or port ft, are ftill pretty large, and, in part, de^ •feaded from the ocean, ttx^ by a long ridge, refemUkigii mole^ ftretching difedljr bat on both fides, from the head of the ifland ; but whether theib lidges are walls, or'rocki,' is ancertaia (27) ; it is moft likely, however, that they .are waU$. ' (M) Prom hence it feemi plain, that ^yre on the iflandi and old 7yr# on the main, were coniidered as but one city, al^ ter the ifthmus was thrown up between them ; and poffibly they may have had buildings contignoos to each other. If /'/fiiprs aumbers are right, the
.. t
(*5) $traK uhijufr, f. 757. Sj/^Jin. Mdvoctm-*]yrut,
(16) Fi</. jilhert, Sclult. M, gtep', in^U-
(27) Sdaund. ubi /*^4* (19J L. avi. p. 5x1. . (30} ;A/V. /.sao.
X 2 to
1 24 7<^ Hiftory of ibe Phcenicuuis. B. I.
was never of very great bi|nefs. It could extend its vralb no farther than to die borders of die ifland. For this rea- fon it muft have been, that they built dicir hoofes very lofty, and with more ftorics, as we are told, dian diehoufes had at Rome*. 'The buildings of this dtv in general were fpacious and magnificent; and, above the reft, appeared die temples built by Hiram to Jupiter^ Hercules^ and JJlarti^, Its walls were 150 feet high, proportionably broad,' aiid- firmly built,' of large blocks of ftone, bound together with white plaftcr*. It is now called Stir (O). Aradus. Ar adits (P) was not, ffri£My foeaking, a citj' diPha^ mce. IfWflcs an Jftand-citv,; like Tyrfy and flood oppofite to die fouthem liihits of tne fei-coaft of Syria y. That the
Pbeenicums^
^ Stuabo, ulu fup. " Mesakd. & Dius apod JoAph. antiq. 1. viiL c a. & apudeunfl. Gcmcr. Ap. L iL , ^ Arri ah de e;cped, Alex. magn. 1. ii. ^ 6ocHAs.T»pba]fg» i. iv. Ci^d.
col. 305. . \
to raife their biuldings fo high nemt A soodptrt of ibt ifltad
as they did ;' a piethod tl^ey fMtf .tMi&.ffQmi.{3S)i Mm
would othcrwife h^v? ^voi4p4i call, iu . . '.. - ^
for fear o)rcarthanakes, whiqh 1 £0) ItJn 90ir jiJB^tieJM
had threattn^ rf^^ with dt^n f^f ^nqken waHs^ P^Hu^ ^^9»
firuAion (iii/Atprefent, tbie (fcibere bemg no fhdb thiag
lilaod appears tohave been, in ic^ 49 ope io^ bouft; kft^ Its
naturalu^te^Qfacircalarfoi-aij prefait inh^bitarics are pnl/s
hardly Gontaining 40 acres of few poor wretches^ who kur*
ground ; and the foundations of boor themfelves. ip vaulty, and
the wall which ftirrounded it, fabfiA cbjefly by ifhing (36).
are jdiil to.. be ieen at the ut- fP) B§chart (37) tf£» this
moft maigin of the land (32). Ma that par^ of the coBtiaent
If then it be true, that di^ oppofite to it^ to be the feat of
whole circni t of the okl and new ike Canaanit^ in\^ palkd
^re was 10,000 paces, or 19 ^rtwdites (38} 1 acijii we ait
Homan miles (33); and that very ranch inclined to fobfeiihe
they weredifiaat from each tohis judgment upon this bead^
9ther but 33 ftades, or three oi The ifland o^Amdm 11 about ao
the fkme miles, and three quar- fiades. or two It^mdn qulesand
ters (34) ; it muft be evident, an half, firom the (bore, wd
that the old city flood upon, ^ut ieven eighths of ft IBrmmp
much more ground than the mile in circumfarence. TM
(31) Strabo ubiju^r, (32) Maund, uhi fupr. p, 50. (gO PBn*
Aj^. nst. I, ▼. f, t^, (34) Strata vbi fufr, p. 75S. (35) MaojuL
& Dius, apud JofephK A viii. c, 2. (36) Maundr, nhifupr, p. 48, 49.
D* Bn^tin voy, an Lev, /wps, U. in 4*0. p. 341. . (37) Phaig, /, ]▼. c 36*
cV» %os. (3S} Stt htf^ipt tSSj 1%^^ andz/Qi, in sbcnQUs,
5 baildingf
C yi* . ^^ Hifi^ ^\^ PboeAicmns. j2f
Pbamicians^ however, reckoned this city as a part 6f their) country, is plain from the authors we have quoted abovet. There are fome remains of it extant ( Qj.
TRiPoti, on the fea-Goaft of the continent, derived itiTripoti. origin from die joint contribution of the three cities before- mentioned^ Sidony iyri^ and Araduu A(;cordIxigly it was at firft three diftind cities, a furlong diflant from each, other, inhabited by three different dr^ights, or colonies, but. all within one common inclofure, or wall y. It is itill a confiderable place (R)^ and bears its old name.
Byblus is reported to have been the firft city built in ByUos. this country ^ ; but whether we are here to ur^dcrftand the Byhbii ¥rhich flood on the fea, or the old Byhlus {PaUc^ hyblus\y which was within the land, would be a needleia inouiry (S).
DERYTUs mx& not have been much inferior ^^-^^^^^^ ByUus in antiquity, flnce it is faid to have been ftanding in the days of Cronus «. Under the Rotnan emperors, it was no leis famous for the fhidy of the law.in the e^&y dian Rmu was in the wefl s whence it was flyled, by the tm^TotyuJiinian^ the taother and nwrfe of the laws. The civil law was there taught in Greeks as it was at Rami in Latin. By whom this academy Was founded ia not certainly known ; but that it flounfhed long before the reign of the emperor DUclefian is manifeft from a de-
7 DioD. Sic. 1. xvi. c. 41, Plin . ubi fopr. &c. * See vol. i^ p. 309^ 'See vol. i. p. 316.
buildings were, like thofe of (R) And there are feme re-«
9[yr#, many flories high (39). mains of the .antient city, or
By the (ame pen we are Km. dties, fiill to be feen, in the
M ^ ^^cry remarkable tlung, fields near the fhore ; and ma«
t]&at the Arabiemt^ when be- ny heaps of ruins, and pillars
fiegfid, couklfby the help of of granite (42).
long tubes, draw up freih wa^ (S) Byblus was the city and
tnr £rom the bottom of the fea (eat of the famooi fuperi^tion
(40)* in memory of Adonu. It is
(02^ I^feems to the eye to pleafandy fituatedi but at pre-
be not above two or thxte fur^ fent it is but finall ; thoagh
tongs in length % and is ^(holly iinall as it is, its handful of in-
:(Ued up with tall buildings, habitants have rooiQ to ipare
like cafUes. Jl^ Turk C^U it (4 3). ^«rf(4i},
(39) ^^^^^ ^ xvi. f* %l^y 7$4|, ire. (40] Hem iM» f^d, $tiem*Pbn*
hii' not, lAue. 103. /• v. r. 31. (41) Maundr, ubijupr* f^ I9, (42) Idem iiid. ^ 3 s. (43) idtm ibid, f% 38.
X 3 ^re^
« « •* ■ •
gt6 91&^ Hiftory oftht Phoeniciars. B. I.
tree of that prince «. From this academy the two famous civilians Dorotheus and Anatolius were called by Juftitiian^ that jointly, with others, they might have a fliare in com- .' .''^ poling the ///^>^i; and that prince would allow no other academies but thofe of Rome^ Beryfus, and Con/lantinofU^ to explain the laws^. It is now bdled BariU oi Be- r4>ot{T). Sarepta. Sarept a, as it is called by St. Luke^^ andbyP//»jf«, or Zarpatbj as we read in the Hebrew^ and, in ourverfibn, Za- refhath f , where the prophet Elijah dwelt fome dme, and raifed the widow's fon % : it ftobd between Sidon and Tyre^ but was fubjeft to the former city ; whence it is called a city of Sidon K Jofephus writes it Sarepbtha ». The wine of Sarepta is commended by feveral writers of the later ages k. Between Sarepta and Tyre a river empties itfclf into the fea, which the modem geographers call EUutbe* rus \ but no river between thcfe two cities, bearing that name, was known to the antients. Phosnici Extended, ac- cording to Ptolemy^ even beyond mount Carmelut: for that geographer places in Phcenice not only EcdtpM and Ptolemais^ but oycaminum aiid Dara\ which ftand fouth of that mountain. But, as they belonged, properly Q>eak- ing^ to PaUftinej we (halt have occafion to mentiob them hereafter. - ^ . .:.
Pbanicia Wg will hot take upon us to mark out the bptufds of the
Mediter- midland Phcenice. Ptolemy reckons in it the fqOowiog
ranca. towns ; Aj'ca^ Pdtabyblus [oM' ByUus]^ Gabala^ and Gr-
Jarea Pania. This province Was confiderably extended
in the times of Chriflianity j when, being confidcred as a
• Cod. leg. i. 1, lo. •» JuATiN. prccsm. dige^. <* Lake c. iv. ver. 26. « Plin. 1. v, c. ig. ^ i Kings cxvii,
ver. 9, 10. 8 lb. h jb, i Joseph, antiq. 1. viii. c 7, * SiD. ApoLL.car. xvii. Fulg£nt, mytholog. 1. ii. c. 15,
I,
u «
«( «<
(T)« At prcfent it retains no- *< 33 to befecure fromitsover-
thingof itsantientfelicity,cx- ** flowings, and all other noxi.
ccpt thcfituation ; and in that « ous and unwholfome efieds
particular it isi indeed very " of that clement. It has the
happy. It is feated on the ** benefit of good frcfh fprings^
fea-fide, in a foil fertile and •« flowing down to it from th^
delightful, raifed only fo " adjacent hills (44)." high above the falt-water,
(44) Um m.
province
C VI. • fbe Hificry of the Phoenicians^ 327
province of Syrian it included not only Damafcus^ but Palmyra alfo ^.
The foil of this country is good, and produdHve ot Soil and many neceflaries for food and cloatfaing. The air is whol- cUmatt. fome. The climate is of the beft. It is plentifully wa- tered by fmall rivers ; which, running down from mount Labatmsy are fubje^ to fwell to an immoderate de- gree ; either increafed by the melting of the fhows on that mountain, or by heavy rains. Upon thcfe occafions they overflow, to the great danger and hindrance of the tra- veller, and damage of the country. Amon? thefe rivers is that of Adonis ; which we (hall have occauon to mention anon.
The fea on this coaft formerly abounded with fuch fSk Natural asV in an extraordinary manner, redounded to the honour c«r/^//>/. and profit of Tyre in particular. Therewith they dyed the choiceft purple. And on the fliore there was a fand where- with the iirft and beft glafs was made (U) ; a ftaple manu- fii£hire of this antient country. To thefe we fhall add a remarkable property of the river Adonis, At certain fea- foiiS) dnd upon certain occafions, it appears bloody. Hence was continued, at leaft, the fuperftitious ceremony per- foniied in memory of Thammuzy or Adonis^ yearly wounded. The caufe of this red face of the river was an- tic^tly known $ and, by thofe who were not fo fuperfti- tipus as the reft of their contemporaries and countrymen, afcribed to a Idnd of minium^ or red earth, whioi this river brought away when it (welled to an unufiial height d. It is ftill JubjeA to the fame appearance in the time of floods (W).
There are yet fome few remains of the antient fplen- ' 4ar of this now defolate land. Theuimt ^ teUs us, there * are fine antiquities to be beheld at Tyre^ but does not fpe- cify them. Sandys^ could difcover nothing there but an
f \^dc Reland. Palaeft. illuft, p. 217. * Vide Luc. dc
iite Syr. * Travels into the Lev. part i . book ii. c. 6o.
"♦L. iii. p. t68»
.s* .
(U) There anticntly went a *' nii\ . \ . ftained to a fur-
Aory, that this (and could be *^ prifing rednefs; a^id . . ob-
sndted no-where bat at Sidon " ferved . . . // had difcoloured
(45). " the fea a great way into a
(W) . . . « We faw . " reddifh hue (46).**
f' the water [of the river .^1^
(45) Str0b9 wH fufr, /• 758, (46) MaunJ, uhi fifr,f,%^. '
X 4 keap
heap of ruins. The moft modern travellers g are more particular. They take notice of the ruins of the metropo- > nton church there, near which is an extraordinary kind of
a colunuiy of unufual dimenftons, which onel> reprefenta as a triple, another s as a double column only, or two joined together* This laft^ informs us, chat it is of gra- nite, of one block only, and fou^fcore feet long. Beudes this, there are many columns intire, and many broken >• But nothing in and about this ruined city demands our at- tention more defervedly, than a place the Turks odl Bjh- felayne ; where are feen Sohfnon\ ciftems, oz; wells, as they are vulgarly called. The current tradition is, that they are filled from a fubterrancous river, which that wife lung, by his great fagacity, difcovered to run under- ground here ; and which made him undertake fo admirable a work. The country-people fay, that nobody could ever reach the bottom of thele wells, though the tnineha^ been attempted with great lengths of line ; and one of our travellers pretends to give a reafon for the fruitleflheis of thefe attempts, by fuppofing tb^ current, or fpring, to be fo very ftrong, at a certain depth, as to pre\'entthe lead finmi finking to the bpttom ■". But this is confuted by anoliicr traveller °; who fuppofes thefe wells cannot have been built before the days of/tiixand^r i becaufe the aquedufb, whidi copvey3 the water from theip to 73^rc,:ii'carrieci over the ifthmus, formed by that conquefor, v^en he made himfelf mafler of Tyre : and, as thefe cifhms cannot be fuppofed to be antienter than the aquedu<^ fb we may be fure, iays he, that the aquedu£l is not <4der than the ground it ftands upon. Of thefe ciftems there arc three intire at this day ^ one about a furlong and an half diftant from the fea, the other two a litide farther. The firft is an o^bgon in form, 20 yards in diameter. On the Ibuth fide it is elevated nine yard$ above the ground, ^nd en the north but fix ; and, as unfathomable as it is reputed to be, ten yards of line confuted that opinion. Its wall is only of gravel and pebbles, butfo firmly confplidated with a flrong cement, that it feems to be an intire piece of rock-^ Upon the briiik there is a walk round it, eight feet in breadth ;
< Db Brvyn voy. an Lev. torn. ii. 4to. p. 338, 339, &c. Dg th RoquB voy. de Syr. Se M. Lib. torn. i. p. 17, 18, &c
Maundrbll's jouro. from Aleppo to Jeruf. p. 48, 49, &c. * De Bruyn ubi fupr. ^ De ia B.0^1 obi fapr- ■ Ibid.
' Db Bruyn ubi fupr. » liaa ibicL ^^Maukdkklv
ubi fupr.
frojs
from whence, defcending by one flep on the ibuth fidei ^d by two on the north, you land on another walk, 31 fieet broad. All this ftrudnire, though b very bixnd at top, ia hollow, Co that the water conies in underneath ths walks ; nor could the extremity of the cavity be reached with a long rod. The whole veflelxrontains a V2& body of excellent water ; and is fo plenti&dly fupplied, that, though there iifues from it a brook which drives four mills, it is always brim-full. On the odlfide of this ciflem was the antient outlet of the water, by an aquedud, xaifed about fix yards from llie ground, and containing a dianel one vard wide. This aqueduA (now dry) is carried eaft* ' ward about 120 paces, and thep approaches the two other ciftems, which are of a quadnla^ral figure, the one I2, the other 20 yards fquare. Thefe have each of them a Chanel, which communicates with the aquedu^ ; and the water of thefe two excellent fpringi, being thus joined, flowed together to Tyre. The aqu«lu£t is now decayed, but may eafily be traced out. It ftretches northward about an hour's journey, and then, turning to the weft, extends over the iftfamus into the city. - Some footfteps of what Sidon once was, are to be (een among the gardens without the walls of the prefent cityo; fuch as beautiful columns, and other fragments of that kind. Here they pretend to (hew a monument of great antiquity, no lefs than the tomb of Zebulun^ (landing widi* in a fmall diapel in a garden P, andhi^hly revered by die Jews 9. This tomb is made of two ftones only; the one fuppofed to be at the head, and the other at the feet, of the deceafed. Their diftance is better than 10 of our feet; yrhich they give out to have been the ftature of this pa- * triarch r.
. At ByUtts alfo aremanv heaps of ruins^ and fine pillars, (cattered up and down m the gardens near the prefent Cown s. Finally, on the continent, a little fouthward of the ifle of Aradus^ whereon the city of that name antient- ly flood, are feveral antiquities ot a very extraordinary Jjcind. The firft is a dike, 30 yards over at top, cut into the firm rock. Its fides go doping down, widi ftairs cut out of the rock, and ddcending gradually from top to ))ottom. This dike ftretches in a direA line, eaft and weft, more than a furlong, bearing continually the fame
i * Uem iUd. p. 44. Sabdts trav. 1. iii. p. 1 64. ' Idem
ibid. Theven. voy. aa Lev. part ii. 1. i. c. 3. ^ Sandys
obi fupr. f Tbivbn. obi fupr. * Maund. obi fygt. p. ^3.
iigure
fbi Hifiwy of the PhaemcaM. \k I.
figure of flairs, running in ridit lines all along its fides. It breaks ofFat buft at a flat maiuiy ground, extending about two furlongs between it and the fea. Our obferver thinks it hard to imagine, that the water erer flowed up thus bieh ; and harder, without fuppofing diat, to de%'ife why alTthb pains was taken in cutting the rock after fuch a fafhion. Secondly, A little to the fouthward of this dikei there is a court 0/55 yards fquare, cut alfo into the natu- ral rock ; the fides of the rock ftanding round it are about three yards hi^, and fupply the place of walls. On three fides it is thus incompaflfed ; but to the northward it lieslopen. In the centre of this area a fquare partofthe rock is left ftanding, being dure yards hish, anil five and an half fquare. Jliis ferves for a pedeftal to a throne J ere£led upon it. The throne is compofed of four \xM fiones ; two at the fides', one at the back, and one at m top, in the manner of a tribunal, or canopy. This whok ftru^rc is about twenty feet high, and fiices towards die open fide of the court. The ftone that forms the canopy is five yards and three quarters fquare, and adorned with an handfome cornice. At the two innermoft angles of die court, and likewife at the open fide, are left piUars of the I natural rock, three at each of the former, and two at the ' latter. :
About half a mile to the fouthward of diis court, and this throne, are two towers, fuppofed to be fepulcrd monuments; for they ftand over an antient burying* place. They are about 10 yards diftant ftom each other. The one is, m form, a cylinder, crowned by a multilateral pyramid, and 33 feet high, including the pedeflal, which is 10 feet high, and 15 fquare. 1 he other is a long cone, difcontinued at about the third part of its height \ and, in- . ftead of ending in a point, is wrought into an hemifpherical form. It ftands upon a pedeftal, fix feet hieh, and i#«« feet fix inches fquare, adorned at each angle with Ae figure of a lion in a fitting pofture, pretty much defaced ; thoug|i ' the fculpturc appears to have been but bad. TTiis is all that is vifible of thefe fepulcres, as well as of a Aird, and others near, above-ground. But under-ground there are fquare chambers, of convenient height for a man, and long cells branching out from them, varioufly difpofed^ and of different lengths, wherein the dead bodies were de- . pofited. Thefc fubterraneous chambers and cells are all cut out of the hard rock > : but, as a bare defi:ription
* Mavkdr. journey from Aleppo to Jeniialen.
1 WpuM
C VL fbe Hiftory of the Phaenidaris.
would give but an imperfect idea of them, on account of the variety and irregularity of their dlfpofition, we rsferthe reader to the draught before hiiD.
33t
SECT. II.
Of the antiquity^ government^ laws, religion ^ cuftoms^ ortSy learnings and trade of the antient Phoenicians.
IT is univerfally allowed, that ihe Phoenicians vftrt Ca'Anttjuiij. naanites (A) by defcent j nothing is plainer, or lefe con- tefted ; and therefore it were time loft to prove it. Wc ihall only add, that their blood muft have been mixed with that of foreigners, in procefs of time, as happens in all tra- ding places ; and that many ftrange families muft have fet« ded among them, who could confequently lay no claim to diis remote origin, how much foever they may have been called Phoenicians^ and reckoned of the fame defcent with Ae antient proprietors.
The Phoenicians were governed by kings, and their ttr- Govern^ ritory, as fmall a flip as it was, included feveral kingdoms, i»«8/. as thofe of Sidon, fyre^ Aradusy Berytusy and Byblus. In ii this they imitated and adhered to the primitive government of their forefathers, who, like the other Canaanitcs, were under many petty princes, to whom they allowed die fo- veiieign dignity, reserving to themfelves the natural rights mi, liberties of mankind K It may appear plain by dieir hiftory, that even the kines of Siden and Tyre^ when in ' ' their zenith, were far from being uncontroulable.
We have no particular fjdlem of their civil laws, and ihall therefore pafs to their religion.
m^
* Seebe&re« p. 193.
» (A) Bpcbart (1) iniinaates, that the Canaanites were a* ihamed of their name, on ac- count of the ctirie denounced on their progenitor, and terri- fied by the wars fo vigoroufly and fuccefsfully waged on them by the Ifraelites, parely be- caofe they were Canadnitesi aod that therefore^ to avoid the
•
(t) Pbfiltg^ /. iv. f. 34. (9i, 301. 5. *. /. 491.
ignominy of the onc» and tha danger of the ' other, they ab- jar^ their old name, and changed it for Pbcenicians^ Sy* riaiUy SyrophofMicianSfZad Affy^ rians, Heidegger (2) conje- dures alio, that they were afhamedof their anceflor C#^
naan.
(2 J Hijf, patriarch, exere, 23.
The
^^Z fbe Hifiory of the Phoenidan^ B. I.
Religiw- '^H E Phcenicians^ being originally Canaonites^ muft once) as well as die reft of their kindred, have had a knowlcge of the true God, whom they, as is moft likely^ called, Biial or lord *>. But by degrees degenerating to tfie deifi- cation and worlhip of fuch as were once mortals like themfelves, they became perverfe and blind idolaters. Tha chief of their deities, in order, as we find them in their own I'ecords, are diefe : Beelfamen^ which, in Phoenician^ is hfd of heaven^ thereby meaning the fun « j Cronus or Baal^y Mdio is likely to have been the Baalberith^ or the Cronus antiently worfhiped at Berytus « ; Jftarte ^ ; Cronus or Baal the fecond; Zeus Belus or Baal{li) j Apollo 5 Meli- £arthus^ Melcarius^ or Hercules S. Thefe are the gods we fliall chiefly take notice of here ; the reft we have fpoken of at lengtn in the antiquities and mytholo^ of this people. We will only add one obfervation ; which is. That it is almoft certam the Phoenician idolatry and fuperftition is not all their own ; and that their fiiDJcftion to the AJfj- riansy Babylonians^ PerJians^Tcad Greeks^ made great alter- ations in the whole fyftem of their religbn. We need only look back to what happened in Siria ^ upon its being fubdued, to be fully convinced of this.
How iar they retained, or loft, a due fenfc and. notion of the true God in this their multifarious idolatry, is hard to determine. It is reported of the EgjtiianSj 4uit, amidfl , their endle(s polytheifm, they ftiU acknowlcged one (u- preme Gonk : and ftnce, as we fhall fee, the religion of the old Phoenicians was in fubftance hardly different from that of xht Egyptians (C), as has been formerly obferved 'j
it
^ Vid. Seld. de di. Syr. fyntag. ii. c. 7. « Sec vol. i,
p. 183. d Ibid. 3^56, (H). * Ibid. f Ibid. p.
3"o»3i3» 3H- * Ibid, vol.i. p. 312. »» Ibid.p.
182 189, 303— —317. * Sec before, p. 382, 283.
* See vol. i. p. 480. » Ibid, p. 1 87, (H).
(B) Here we have no lefs nician god Baal^ in general, to
than three Baals^ who are laid reprefent the fun (3).
to have been once mortal men ; (C) BiAiop Cumberiand (4)
which might fairly induce one draws the following parallel
to think, that the learned are between them, tofliew hev
suftakeninfoppofingthePi&^- nearly they were related.
(^) ^tde Seld, dt df\ Sjr, fifntag. u. r, 7. ^ Bocbart.geogr.facr. (^) waSambtf, 107*
C. VI. Tbd mhry ef Oe
k IS very probable, that their theory and dodrine agreed togccher, as wetl as their praftice and traditions.
How they reprefented S«/^0M»¥r&no-wh«re.iind;.we are of opinion, that they did not reprefent him at all : fof^ n^sankig by him, in a more efpecial mam>er, the fun, whom they had (o daily before their e^es in all his glory^ it is likely they made their addrefles immediately to him,, ac- cordmg to the antient rite K There were matr^ Baals >\ Hie Baalof Sidan was called TialaffiuSy-or tH^ $ui Baal^ There was Baal-berith (D), and others, eadi reprefented.
333
*.
as
Ibid. p. 183.
Cbnviii. 5.
• Hbiycit.
f* i.Phaiarch (c) makes Ofrts ^ Ae fea efRiifat a wire of ^ 'Cramu : fa our author ^att- H cJhomatio] owAB Rh^ Mr^
Ml makeif Ifa to Ahd, iLtSyhim^^ •« - « bfeg called U^kMnitr^ and « tkat-Muae a plainly delved ^ £poil» the H^rfvi^ MiUc or
^^^t^^ ihMMiinn appmpriafetd ^ twuneM ly lo JCtmus or Ham «: in o|d dmes. 5. Tli(e<pi«in «t JlJ^iWikJfis tfoniid at; ^X^^^» ft PAii#i«r^ (Clls 08 is i^ Ibme «• called; Jljimu {jbt ^J^te, ^-itLsitn in the ^nek^i^whAck i' Is the name of one of' Cro» ^'tiu\mvf€s \n StmcbBniatiw^ ^ 4. PHitarck makes ITfphik % '■ OMemporary With- Cronus ^ and his children } fo ddt& ^ S^mcifMafhor When the wbtAe k weighed on tadi'&de, it m\A be allowed, that the aMittt Ibythdiogy of both was dttlved from the &me'fo«roe; falitvriiether thtPbtmicHin gods #HV ^ anckxit as tk^ fop- fDlbd Aem, and as -diey' ere commonly thought to be, is wkat we iha^ examine here- after.
(D) lliis is a fiuther proof with us, that all the Bsaltof XhtPhatmcianiv/tTt not intend- ed for tfakfon: we here fee one denoffiinaitd from' the fca ; a lord cf the fea, as well as a lord of heaven I which Ibene to diiinguifk them into twd very diffisrent deities. We can- «ot' liilpr'thLdikingy'that they had dilfeftRt geiwalogiea fiiiV Md Iradkions of all dieir Ane^^ This appeHA froai what iwt kave oranred in the note above the laft* We fee th^ were procreated fiiobeffively from fa* ther to foni and it is hard to fuppofe^ that they had the fame ilories of, and the fame de-^ pendenCe on them all: how*^ ever, tlpo will not aafwer for aU the iDconiiftencies that may have CMpt iato the minds of the idolatroas Pbemicians, nor examine into the pretences that the partilaiisof each idol may have broached in favour of its antiquity or pre-eminence. Af^ ter all, chey ftiay have each laid claim to the firt honour^ ^d^, confequently, they may have each tranfbted their Baal into the fun, or biigbt god of liear
C'jJ Su ic/frtg p. 47,
vcn;
33+ 7*^^ Hificry of the Phoenicians. B. L
as wc may fuppofe, under their proper attributes ; but ive 1^0 w nothing particular (£) of their idols. Baal is called fometimes a god, and fometimes a goddefs ; and, on the otherhand, Jjiarte is fometimes termed a goddeis, and fometimes a god (F) : but, by the Phcenician mythcJogyt {he was indifputably a goddefs ; for there we find her men- tioned as the mother of many children o. She is particu- larly called the goddefs of the Sidomans^ and, in Hebrew^ JJbtarotb (G}. Some P will have it, (be was fo called, be-
cauft
• See vol. i. p. 310. Syx, fyntag. ii. c. 2.
Ten; fo that all their (iiperfli- tion may, indeed, have centred in him. We are very much inclined to think the fan and moon were the two neat ob- je& of their worlhips and thefe we uke moft g^rally to have been ftiledAsn/ and Jftarig.
(E) Full^ (6) ventures to fiidL\ixe Baal in general as a xoyal hero, with armour and t mantle on his body, a diadem on his head, and a. fword in kis hand, in ad to ftrike.
(F) This arofe from theH^- hre^*s knowing no difHndion of fex in the gods. There are xnany infiances co prove this ; but we (hall only produce one*, where in one varic only, with reference to Baal^ he is both mafculine and feminine. Kct/
a iKhMfA-^Av yorv t» B*<iA.,
durS {7). In oAer copies bowever it is r^haUA- but the lame in other places make the
R. EiMCH. apud Seld. dedL
name feminine. JB«r£«r#.(8) will have Baal-beritb to have been a goddefs, becaufe &• rttb in Hibriw is femininei but, as it is moft likely, that thereby is meant no more than the fiaal of Bi* rytm (^), we look npoa this conjedure as groandie& Afiartt was calleda god bythi Hibnms, they haying no mmi in their tongue ffipr a gpd^ dei8(io).
(G) AJtiarth, wJiich 4gBi- fies flocks of iheep or goats. It is conjedured, that men in aa- tient times, being chiefly ad- dided to a pafloral life, and delighting chiefly therein, diew their moft favourite fimilies of beauty from thence. . This it fuppoled to have bem the let- fon why AJhtaroth^ or A^artu was fo called ( 1 1> Itwasfirf ftarted by biOiop Cambirlmd (12), that her firft namewsi Naamab, His lonUhip tdh us, that he conid not think of Pbaarcb^s Nfmamis, Crmnfl vinfe, but Naamab came iatt
re; Pifgab^jigbt.
C.I7. C0/.775. (^)
Vtde Bocb, ubi fupr, fizj Ubifu^r.
(T) Reg. xix. 18. yide Cumbirland onSmnebon, ^i 151. ^ (w)
.151. (10)
(11 J Vide Bed ftrd'sfcript. cbran. /.ajf
Ul
I. fbe Hiftary of the Phoenicians.
ihe was repreiented in the form of a (beep. But this sded as a groundlefs notion. She was certainly re- ited as Ifis was 4, with cows horns on her head r (H),
and
< Sec vol. i. p. 470. r Ibid. p. 314.
S3S
ind. A late author has up thi$, and pufhed it as
it can poffibly go. He that Naamab fignifies the M#. He finds alfo, that as the wife of Ham : that arrying her about with ** changed her name to ^ that, in another Ian- ige, had the fame fignifi- ion^and called \AxAfiarte^ it is in the Gnek^ or Jfi^ '^tb, in the Hebnw i lich word fignifies, in the ter language, flocks of :tle, fheep, or goats.*' rding to thefe interpreta- , we do not perceive the
fonilitude of thefe two S, Naamab and Afiartt. e is an alli)£ve one, if you Kfidr woman was a beauti- objed, fo was Sijlo^k of cat- antient days; trgo Naamab 4ftarte are tranflations of other. However, our au- brings us back again to his vu ; for Lucian in his ac* t of the Syrian goddefs, ening to fay a prie'il afTu- dm, that ^t'arte was Ew
theflfUr ofC^flTifi; it is icnt for him to believe
really were but one ; thus he returns to Naamab air-faced one : for, Bocbart ihing after the etymology mrofa, finds that blSi^-nin
nr-afpay in the Pbaniciam tongue, is in Greek MvKOTfo^ fff^ov^ which may be aptly enough rendered fair of face ; therefore our author calls Bocbart in to his aid, and dif- covers felf-evidently, that£«- rota is Jfiarte, and Jftarte Naamab. J^ E, D. How forced and uncertain fuch de* dudtions are, is too glaring for us to animadvert upon them ; nor (hould we have taken notice, of this pretended di&overy, had it not been delivered as from the tripos. As fome of the Jews abfurdly. derive her jn^e from her. being reprefented under the form of a i(heep(i4),others(i5) derive it from the numbers of vi&ims offered up to her i' as if they facr.l6rcd to hjcr by whok flocks at a time.
(H):4^5r/r, weare told(i6}, put on a buli*s head, a^ the. mark of her fbvereignty ; but Mercury daps on a. bull's or ox^s hoad upon Ifis^ to fupfdy the place of her diadem, which the enraged (Snu had torn off (17). We may fee, by:. both thefe fibries, that the ox's head was eileemed an eniign of ftt« pfem'edignity s and i^t-JJifirii and Ifis were names for one jperfon. Bocbart ( 1 8) obferves, that the word AJhtarotbrnBy be extended to herds in general.
1) Bedfgrd't fcript, cbron, ubifuf, (i^) Vide Sel4. dtdi. Syr,
l» ii« tf« I* (15) StaUg, apud turd, (i6) Stt Wi i.
h (17) Sti iifirt, p, 35. (iB) Canaan, /.U. <. a.
>09«
' "and
336 Sii Hiji^ tf fh Pbbemdmi. B.I.
and for the fame reafon; that is, to reprefent die moon'i increafe and decreafe ; for fhe was undoubtedly confe- $ crated into that planet <, and adored under the ftile of fUifn ofheavin (I). She was alfo the Phoenician Aphro* dite or Vitms (K).
As
• Ibid.
and II not confined to the fmal- ler cattle only ; and infinaatesy that (he may be the Grecian b^ turned into a cow. It is alfe held, Aat ibe was the great yuH9^ as- we (hall (ee anon. Whence, by the way, we may accotmt for the t^whttHon^t fb c^en- foefbws upon yuna^ BoiiTTt^ ''Hfr, the ox-eyed yuno. Doctor CktrA^ iii his notes apoii Hemer( 1 9), thinks that nothing particular is alluded to there- by I that this epithet is ulbi •nly to exprefs the maje(ty of her countenance ; and cites Li- ^Mittf, who (ays as mnchy
w/?" d'jriip tKdKt^' which is, thsLtHmfr only nnderflood ihe had a large, fine eye.
(1) ThFs appears fufixciently from her horned front. Lucian (20) took her for the moon. Nerodgan(2i), miftakcninhcr name, calling her Jflroarche, lays, that thcPAmV/Vwj would have her to be the moon. Se/- den (2z) thmks it indubitable, that (he was the Balifama^ cor- wpted homBaietb-famain, the fueen ofbeanfen, as alfo Baaltis, S)Ome;23)fay, on the contrary, that (he was worihiped in the ilar called Lucifer ; but the (ame confider her under the
name of Aphroditi^ or Venutf which alfo (he bore; fo that her attribute may have been altered or varied in this cafe, as well as her name. We (hall have occafion to refume this fubjedl anon.
(K) Cicero (24) is v^ ex- plicit upon this. Ennmeradng the feveral Venus*s^ the fourth, (ays he, was a Syrian of Tjrt called Afiarie 1 who, as the tradition goes, married Aiemt, That (he was a Venus^ we nn- der(bnd from (everal other
■
writers ; but, for thtf pre(ent, (hall content ouHelves with this one very plain teltinumy ; upon which we beg leave Co aninud^ vert a little. Cicn% places hef the fourth in order, which we apprehend he does, as fuppofii^j the three that precede her in his account to be dder thad (he. Again, (he marries Ado- nis, who is univtrfally allow- ed to bean 4Z^i7^iff bydefoent What are we to tondode from hence ? Why, it feems appa- rent enough, that the fvLptr- fiition in honour of Adonis was introduced by die AJTyrimm^ when they conquered Fkenia^ and that Aftarie was his eon- temporary. This feems to take offconfiderably from her great antiquity. Sir ^aac Nfwim (25) reckons, that the Baalim
4 j Dt nat, eeer, /. lu.
and
C. VI* The Hiftory of tbe Phaenidans.
As diete were many Baals j fo alfo there were many jtftartes (L)k She went under different names, and was tfoubdefs very varioufly reprefented (M). She is faid to
have
337
and AJbtihroth came origihally fix)m the banks of tbe Tjgris, whence they migrated into Phofnici, Hence he derives all the fuperllition and idolatry of the Phoenicians and Syrians : the Tjrian^ Syrian^iLadjfffyrian BtUUf bys he( 2 5 ), were all one. If we might be allowed to de- dare car fentiments on this fa^adyjK^ woaldadd^ that the greaCeft part of what we know of the Piatnician religion is of Jffjrian origin, and that it was impofed on them together with the jj^Ms yoke. This will bring down the antiquity of thefe febulous deities very low. We know how the Syrians boafted the antiquity of their great Adod or Jdad^ the king of ^QA9^^%Sanchoniatbo{z6) in his Phixnician antiquities ftiles him : we know alfo how vainly they did it, and how falfly ( 27). If then there be fuch a flaw to be found in the pretended age of jidad^ the fame muft a^fedl Cro- rnu and jfftarte, bis contempo- raries (28). They are certainly oflatedate^ in compariibn of what the learned have generally thoQght them.
(L) This we have fufficxentl^ infinuated already. For we have ieen her Venus^ Juno^ and theiUpMr. The LXX more than oBce mention her in the plazal number. A ftther of
the church (29) obferves, that Juno was undoubtedly the Aftarti of the Petniy and con- fequently of the Phoenicians \ and that fhe was mentioned in the plural with regard had to . the many ibtues of her \ and that as each fbtue was called a Junoy thence came many 7«»9/, or Aftartes. To this we will add» that Afiarte was pofitively the Grecian lo (30}.
(M) We cannot doubt but (he was pillared as varioufly as the charafiers (he bore, and the attributes beilowed on her, required. As much a Fsnus as (he was, it feems fhe was pidiur- ed with arms, as the goddefs of war (31). She was far other- wife reprefented in her temple, on mount Libanus, where (he was mourning her loft Adonis : her head was mufRed up in a veil i her left-hand, which was under her mantle, fupported her head ; and floods of tears dreamed down her cheeks (32). It mufl have been, we think, an Afiarte that tucian faw crowned with a tower, and with a fifh-um in her hand, and fupported by lions ; but we cannot difcover from him in what temple, or where, he faw this idol. It cannot be the Sy- rian goddefs, as he calls her, of whom he gives a difFerent de- fcription(33). This laft idol
(25) Ihid. p. »79. (a6) Sie tioL i. />. 313. (a:)"^''' ^-
firey tM tbe notes, jfr. 282, 283. (z8) Seivtl, i. /». ^13. (29) --%■.
mdjud. il. qn^ft, 67. (30) Eurtp. apud. i^eld, uhifapn (31)
Vtde Bccbart, Cottaan, 1 1. c, a*. coL 664. (3a) Macrob, Saturn^
hi, c. 27. (33) 5« before, p, 284, 285.
Vol. II. Y refem-
.m Hificrj ^ fht
and for the fame reaTon; that is, to tvp*^^T\^ gr^
incre^ and dccrcaie ; for flic was imdc*"^- ^^^'f^- crated into that planet •, and adored uinl* j^ _ ^ jf/'f ^tfti ef heeeven (I). She was alfo the /'*' ^p=^./*- '--" £te or Vmut (K).
• Ibid.
audit am confined to the final- kr cattle only i and mfinoatcs; that flte taay be the Gricie* b, turned into a cow. It ii »l'K%'
■i/J
til
•Kb held, diatlbenai the great ^fi^zr': yuna, as we Ihall fee anon.- 1 *'? •' i T Whence, by the way, we ro» |^Pj i S acconntfbr the tptiKtSmiftll ^ - ■ fc (^len- beftowi Hpon"jj/j^:f B«i»(s'Hfr, theMr-*7f^^/j J " Doftor C^i, hi hkoo*'.,' ' - f *■ ifaw#r[i9),thhrkitkr! ..''
particular li alhufe'r-' by I tbat riiis ci^(,- ^ •idy toexpit&tjtf'
iirthat
Ihehs
■■■ , "«ndiiuii(jg)
/ So oiled frMi'^
/^ «(,, which AfA<^,(„<'Jj;
.,. pofe. to be 7>.,. ffij
.what JVrK.rwr (to rejeft»thii notion
jar,wLich and rather derives hii namt
.ave carried to from his liaving been the foon-
1 of im' ■»*? - der, or governor, or prince of
I, be would read the city of Cartiia in Staa,
irn vti x-^o-mw Hifychius (42) feya, that the
acquainting us Amathttfiam called HertMUi b»
(U3 s« w. i. p. +70.
g . Arifietlt, that there was a the name ofMaJie. P&nUx]
\ jdof eagle calleda/ma; he calli him, corruptly, Jlfi4^-,
. ^ald therefore have it a bird, tut. He was a great nan-
,'nllead of a (tar. But by what gator, and the £rft that
precedes, ii i^ moH ]ik.ely that brought lead from the CaS-
it was really a Aar they meant, teridei, or iflands of Britaa
The praaice fquares very nice- According to others {44), he in^
ly with the dofliine, as does vented tlie fliell-pnrpler hru
alfo the ftory of the liar that accidental remark of a iogH
was wont to fall from the top mouth fiained therewith.
(^2
4^ of the Fhoeniciani.-
His temple had no images init^
Ue inftance of his ^-eat antiqui-
_^ derated afterwards m>m this lau-
XX appear when we come to die reign of.
^"^^te Aeir gods we may alfo place j^donisy
>^^hich you will (S) ; nor muft we
forget
339
K'^. -:•••
5^>'-
■•>
jptian or
, for both
^ in this fame
^iC informs us : there
jiAy two plain brazen
^8 credlcd to the Egyptian
Ogreules. But though the gods
- •ere unreprefcnted, their tem-
f^ Se wasadorn'd with the twelve
c&L^urs tS Hircules (as they
>^^ commonly called) finely
^grrooght ; the by^a^ and Z)/-
Jm^^ hbrfe. In this temple
> We have already given ilogy in the Phcenician •r-. (48). The£^:^//.
* their Hircules to thoufand years .iieir king Amafis ae Syrians were more iiy and only reckon their arcules to be as old. as their city, which was two thoufand three hundred years (50). The Syrians paid as great a veneration to their hero as the Egyptians could do to theirs (51); but whether both their Hircules* s were in reality one and the fame, is what we pretend not to decide. Cicero (52) reckons the Tyrian Her- cules the fourth of thofe he enu- merates, and calls him the fon oi Jupiter and Afteria^ the filler o{ Latona^ and the father of Carthage, Lucian (53) fays.
,^cre kept the golden belt of that the Syrian Hercules was
fgti£gr and the golden olive of not the Hercules celebrated by
pmagfg/icni, bearing fmaragdint the Greeks y but another, far
]^^!of wonderous workman- •"'"— ^"^•-'"•^ «,k^.„«e « cr^^i^^
flupl47)- By.^is may be l«Mthat,.atkafl,theiri^- Ian Htrcules was the Tyrian
MelcartMs ; for we need not fay Whence the people oiAmathusy ^t PygmaHon was king of an aotient city ofC^/jr/z^jform- jy^^, ed lYitxx Adonojiris (54), which
(45) Uid. : (46) Stt W. i. f, 312, 31 J. (T). (47) Pbiitji. in
mu Ap^U T^^"- '• ^* ^'1' P' *7'- ., . , (4S) 5« '!!^^;}'P' y^' , (49)
more antient,whowa$ a Tyrian hero.
(S) They were certainly but one, or meant the fame objed.
Utr^d^l ii. c. 43' (?=) ^*« '*'*''• ^•44- ( S 1 ) ^'^
j^j^ (52) Denattdeor, (s,-},) De d:a Syr,
^tepk* Bjxatit. dturh. d^ popuL ad v:cem 'Afta6u(>
• ' " Y 2
(54) r^u is
Tbe Hiftcfj of the Vhcevaani. B. I.
have confecratcd T)r/, by dqxjfidng a fallen ftar there ^ (N). We have Htdc or nothing to fav df dicir Afclh (O). He * b taken for the Pi^w/ of M^fts^ and Psrf % whence the. Pyihius ^ of the Greeks. Hercules or Milcarius (P) was die great and anrient god of Tyre. They antientlj rcprc-
* SuiD. ad voccm 'Artf fT*** " See vol. i. p. 312, (R)"
^ Vide BocH AK.T. gcogr. iacr. L L c. 3. col. 11.
refembles, in fome particoiars, certain images of -^^ (34) ; bat to trace her out through all her form.?, is a task we are onequal Xo^ for want of proper lights.
f N; Hence it was, we fupr pofe, that (he was worfhiped as a ftar (35) ; and hence the notion of the ibr, or globe of light, which at certain times darted down from the top of mount Lihanus near her temple at Aphacy and plunged itfelf in- to the river Adonis below, and was thought to be Venus ( 36). Bochart (37) knows not what to make of this fallen ihr,wh:ch AJiarte is faid to have carried to Tyre. Inflead of S'^isv tffp - 'TTi'TYi a$-^fa, he would read
tf ? sp/fitK, jElian acquainting us from Arijiotle, that there was a kind of eagle csWtA ajieria : he v/ould therefore have it a bird, in/lead of a ftar. But by what precedes, it is moft likely that it was really a ftar they meant. The pradlice fquares very nice- ly with the do^tiine, as does alfo the ilory of the Har that was wont to fall from the top
of Liheaau into the river be- low.
(O) We only know, €kai k was in great lepuic snoig them ; and that the Tyruna^ when befieged by jSltxmaier^ were fo much afraid^ that Ik (hoald leave them, and go ofw to the enemy, that thcf ckun- ed him with golden dudat (58) to the altar of Hercmhs (39).
(P) So called bom. "PD fiin^P miUc-ceurtba^tbtlm^f iht cityy ¥^ch&ri&^zrf (4o)nip- poies to be Tyre. Sh Ifut Newton (4.1 ) rejeds this nottOD, and rather derives his name from his having been the foun- der, or governor, or prince of the city of Carteia in SpMt. Hefychius (42) {ays, that the Amathufians called Herewies bj the name of Malic, PUsiy (43) calls him, corruptly, MHacn" tus. He was a great navi- gator, and the firft that brought lead from the Ca§r teridesj or iHands of Srii4i», According to others (44)9 he in- vented the (hell-purple^ byaa accidental remark of a dog*9 mouth Ihined therewith.
(35} See before, p. 336,»o.'r (I). (jd) • If
{n,j^) See 'vol.u p. ^-O, Vidf Py.chart. ubi fupr. cc/.r^g, " (3-) Ubi 'fupr ^ col, 709.' ' (}^
Died. Sic. I. xvii. p. f 84. (39) Plutarch, in vit. Alex,. {40)
Csir.aaK uiifupra, col. 709. (41) Chron. of ant. kin^d. ammM,p,
I ' ^ n 2. (42} Jtud Bochart. ubi fupr, (43) UhfVuU
b^* (44^ Inityfus upud Huid, advuem.
fentcd
1^4 fie Hijtoty of fbe Phomicmt-
d him in no form. His temple had no images in it ^ » a feeming undeniable inftance of his great antiqui- l). However, they deviated afterwards from this lau- i cuftom, as will appear when we come to the reign of. Hiram. Among their gods we may alfo place y^donis^ moiXy or Ofirisy which you will (S) ; nor muft we
forget
« Sec vol. i. p. 312, 31 3» (P)-
339
) This is in part contra- i by Pbilofiratus, in his ^^polionius ofTyanay who »krly dwells on the tern- 'Gmiira^ or G^i^<fj, which j;) &id to have had no Sly and to have conti- inthat£mple fiate to the ^iSilius Italictts [j^d). In 9rmtus we find, indeed, here were nofiatues ered- ither to the Egyptian or m Hercules ; for both wqrfhiped in this fame £» a$ he informs us : there only two plain brazen > ere£led to the Egyptian ties. But though the gods unreprefented, their tem- as adorned with the twelve rs of Hercules (as they :ommonly called) finely ght ; the hydray and Z>/- 9 hbrfe. In this temple kept the golden belt of r, and the golden olive of laUony bearing fmaragdine of wonderous workman- 47). fiy.^is may be ed, that, at leafl, the T^he- Hercules was the lyrian irtus ; for we need not fay Fygmalion was king of
(R) We have already given his genealogy in the Pheenician antiquities (48). The Egypti- ans reckoned their Hercules to be feventeen thoufand years older than their king Amafis (49). The Syrians were more modefl, and only reckon their Hercules to be as old. as their city, which was two thoufand three hundred years (50). The Syrians paid as great a veneration to their hero as the Egyptians could do to theirs (51); but whether both their nerculei*s were in reality one and the fame, is what we pretend not to decide. Cicero (52) reckons the Tyrian Her- cules the fourth of thofe he enu- merates, and calls him the fon o^ Jupiter and Jperia^ the filler oi Latona^ and the father of Carthage. Lucian (53) fays,- that the Tyrian Hercules was not the Hercules celebrated by the Greeks, but another, far more antient,whowa$ a Tyrian hero.
(S) They were certainly but one, or meant the fame objedl. Whence the people oiAmathuSy an aotient city of C^/r/zj, form- ed their Adonofiris (54), which
) Bid.
(46) See W. i. ^. 312, 313. (T).
fp0il, Tyan, /. v. c» l. p. 211. (48) See t/ol. i. />. 3 u. (49)
, /. ii. c. 43. (50) Idem ibid. c. 44. ( s 1) ^'de Macrob. Sawn.
(52) De fiat, dear, (s,';^) De d:a Syr.
Byxatit, d$ urb. & popuU ad v^cem 'Afta6u^<
Y 2 IS
{^l)Pbil:Jl. in
(54) r.u
Tie Hiftory of the Phoenicians. B. I.
forget the Pataci (T) they carried about in the prows of their {hips *. Other deities they had, which we know no- thing of. The Cabiri will have their turn in the Grecum^ mythology*.
Wf do not read, that ihePbesnicianSjhovrneuij fiieircr they may have agreed with the Egyptians in the main points of their fuperftition, ever extended their woxihip, like them, to the inanimate creation : but fince thefe was fuch an harmony between them in other refpcds, it is by no means unlikely, that they were tainted with fome of the meanefl:, and moft unaccountable, fuperftitions of that kingdom.
* Herod. l.iii. c. 37. p. 306.
13 a compound of both the names, Adonis and Ofirit ; for the Phxnicians and Egyptians laid equal claim to him (55) under different appellations, though he was certainly an Egyptian (56). So then tht beautiful Adonis^ begotten by Cinyras an AJfyrian (57), is in reality the Egyptian OJiris, The ceremonies performed in their honour were almofl the fame (58) : they had both their a^AU(rfj2(y dif appearance y or death ; they both had their ^inncTi^f or their fearch after them with mourning ; and they both had their 61/^^0-/^, or in- 'vention, with joy and gladnefs. In reality they were but one. Both the nations in this cafe meant no other than the fun j concerning whofe approach and departure they framed iUch fa- bles as might beft take with
* See vol. i. in the mCh^
the people. The month of Jtme was the feafon when aU this fuperilities was tnxASti both by the PbcanesMs wtA Egyptians (59).
(T) They were fmall ia- tues. Herodotus (60) compufl them to pygmies. Hifycbht (6 1 ) and Suidas will have tboi to have been placed in tb? poops of the fhips. The h- fhion was, no doubt, -cbangrf in the great length of time be- tween them and HerMhtm. They were the tutelar gods 0^ feafaring men (62), and car- ried about for prote^Uon frooi difaflers of the fea. Thus die Spaniards at this day carry 10 fea with them little imag^ of the iaintSy that they may ftaal their friends in difh-efs (63). Thefe are Chriflian PaiaH, Why ihould we wonder at tbf blind Phcenicians ?
(5S) Videeund. ibid. (56) Vide eund, ibid. (57) VidkJIfd.
hibl. l. iii. c. 13. and Cyril, in If. /. jj. torn. iif. p, 274. (58) PUt
Marjh. can. chron.fecu/. 1. p. 31. (59) Videwnd, ibid. (60)
L. iij. c. 37. (61) Ad'vocem n^raKo;. (62) Vide Stld. d* £»
Syr.fyntag. ii. c. 16. Bochart. Canaan, /.ii. c. 3. coL 714, 713. (63)
&ee FriKier's voyage to the South-fea, p, 143, of the T^ng, tranj. in 4/*,
BcEtSAMSKi
C, VI. ne Hiftory of the Phoenicians. 541
Beblsamen we underftand, as we have hrntcd above, 7]&ri> to have been, in an efpecial manner, the fun himfelf ^ \pri€fts^ fi- juA to him thev addrefTed themfelves with their armsAs^^*^* &etched out c. What clfe was pra^lifed, when they madc^^Mv^^t &c. tiicir addrefles to the fun only, we np- where find.
Baal bad his prophets, and his pri>fts, in great numbers. We read of four hundred and fifty of them,which were fed «tf JezebePj table only <i. They were wont to offer burnt* offerings and facrifices to this god ^, and to dance about die altar, with violent gefticulations (U) ; and, having worked themfelves to the height of phrenfy, by this exer-> cife, and a violent flraining of their voices, they began to cut their bodies with knives and lancets : then they betook themfelves to prophecy ^, as it is called, or, rather, raved^ as if po&fTed. by fome invifible power S : fuch was their barbarous v^y of worfhip ( W). Nor need we wonder at it, confidering their more tsarbarous cuflom, in earlier days, of facrificing even fuch perfons as were moft deai to them, to appeaf^ or reconcile their falfe gods, when they laboured under aiiy public calamities. This is charged very homt ' upon them, not only by the teftimony of other&i»y but by their own confeffion ^ : fo barbarous a pradice they had Itk common with the Egyptians ^. But it was diicontinued here, as well as in Egypt ^ pretty early ; at what time> and upon what motives, we are not told.
Many priefts, or prophets, attended, 2X^0^ on Afiarte.
Jezebel had no fewer than four hundred of them to her are *• Our verfion caUs them prophets ef the groves .* ,^ut Mr. Selden has proved, by comparing many paflages of
* Sec befbre, p. 332. • See vol A, p. 1S3. * i Kings xviii. 19. ^ 2 Kings x. 24. ^ 1 Kings ubi
ftp. 8 Vide Patkicic in loc. ^ PoRyxYR. Tipi
tfTojf Sf<, 1, ii. §. 56, &c. * See vol. i. p. 3 14. ^ See
vol. i. p. 483. 1 v Kings obi iiip. ver. 1 9.
(U) It k aacertain, whether (W) Though all this was
■they danced round the altar, ef pra^ifed upon a particalar pc-
leaped upon it, or jumped over cafion, or when they took on
It, or how this was. Abarbanel them to perform a miracle ; .
thinks, '< this leaping or dan- wc are perfuadeci, there is no*
^ cing was a rite ufed in the thing new in it. They are faid
** worihip of the fun ; which to have wounded their bodi«&
** puts ail things in xnotiDn a^i their ufual manner (64).
'' (63).^
^3) Pairiik vj^oa I Kfngi XvUt 26. {6j^J I Kings xviii. 2S.
* Y 3 ■ Scripture
fie Hiftory of the PhcenidattS. B,I,
Scripture together ^y that they were the priefts cfAftarU\ and fome », who know not how to conteft thb interpret- ation, believe, thatgoddefs was worlhiped in agrore, wtiA is very likely ; fuch places being, for the rnoft part, ac- counted facred, in the firft times o. There b no room to doubt but (he was ferved with much form, pomp^ and my* fiery ; and women, particularly, are (aid to have bcen-em- ployed to weave hangings or tabernacles for her P. When {be was adored as the queen of heaven^ or the moon itiUf, they offered up cakes to her, which were prepared £or that fervice with great ceremony : The children gathered the woody and the fathers kindled the fire^ and tbt womeu kneaded the doughy to make cakes for the queen of beavtn^. They alfo burned incenfe, and poured out <lriiikroflFeriif;s to her r. This Aflarte^ queen of heaven^ was, as we have faid, the moon itfelf ' : for, as they paid their homage im- mediately to the fun, the fame, we may fuppofe, they did to the moon. It was an antient cuftom* Xhofe great -i lights were always confidered together; The inimkable *Joh fays «, If / beheld the fun when it jhined^ or the wmm walking in hrighinefsy and my heart hath been fecretfy enticeij or my mouth hath kijfedmy hand i this alf6wer£ aninifdlf to be punijhed by the judges. Some u fanfy, that her cakes were flamped with a crefcent. At Byblus (he was worfliipeil in a particular manner ; for there flie had a temple as the Venus of Adonis w .- and there, fuch women as would not conform to the cuilom of (having their heads, at the an- nual time of lamenting ^i^0;z/V, were bound to proiUtute their bodies, one intire day, for hire; and the money, thtii earned, was prefented to the goddefs *. Her temple at 'Aphacy on mount Zr/^^««j, was a perfe£l fink of lewdnefs; a fchool of the moft fhameful luft. The men there funk into the moft degenerate effeminacy, to comfort the mourn- ful goddefs y. The moft fhameful commerce between die fexes was allowed, within thofe profane walls : and this was permitted, and pradifed, as fome ^ conjefture, becaufe, in this place, Venus firft rufhed into the arms of Adonis ; or, as others a fay, becaufe this was either the firft, or the laft
^ Patrick in loc. " Cleric, in loc. cit. ®See
before, in the notes, p. 142. p 2 Kings xxiii. 7. ^ Jer.
vii. 18. r Idem, xliv. 17, 18. s Sec before, p. 336.
^ Job xxxi. 26, 27,28. " See Fuller's Pifgah-fight.
^ LuciAN. dedeaSyr. ^ Idem ibid. y-$eebeR)re,
in the notes, p. 337. z Bochart. Canaan, 1. ii. c. if
coi. 740. « Etymol. magn. apud eund. ibid.
place,
.CVI. .The Hiftory of the Fhcenkians. 343
{dace, where they enjoyed each other. Other temples fhe, doubtlefs, had, and other rites, which it were in vain for us fo attempt either to diiftnguifh, or enumerate. What dfe may be faid of her, or her worfhip, we may have oc- cafion to refume hereafter. Though ffae is called thegod- «defs of the SidanianSi her principal temple feems to have been that at Tyre built by Hiram *>.
Aft ER what manner they worfliiped their Apollo^ is un- certain ; but to their Hercules they are faid to have paid
Eeat honour. His worfliip was performed with great fo- ouiity : the affiftants were all clad alike, in Egyptian \v- neoi They, offered incenfe to him with a loofe flowing garment ; the prieftly veft was adorned with broad ftreaks, cr ftr^>es, «of purple ; their feet were bare ; their heads fliaven ; they were pure from any pollution, as it was thought, contraded from the other fex ; and the fire of the altjur never went out. Women were not allowed to enter into the temple, and fwine were carefully kept from approaching it<: : fuch were the ceremonies ufed, and cu- ; ftoms obferved, in the worfliip of the Tyrian Hercules.
We fliall now clofe up this account of their religious pradices, cufioms, and ceremonies, with what they did in commemoration oi Adonis ^ox OJiris^ or Adonofiris^ oxTham" muz : for, as we have already obferved d, all thefe names centred in one objedl. His father, they pretend, was one Cinyrasj an AJ/yrian, who founded the city of Pathos in the ifland of Cyprus <^, Some fay, his name was Gingrisy or Gingras^j among the Phoenicians i but whatever his name was, it is agreed, he was a moil beautiful youth. On the one hand 8, it is reported, that Venus was enamoured •of him from bis infancy, and committed the care of bis education to Proferpine ; that,when Venus came to demand him of her, (he refufed to deliver him ; and that hence a difpute arofe between them, which was decided by Jupiter^ who decreed, that the youth fliould be one third of the year with Proferpine^ another with Venus ^ and the laft third he fhould difpofe of himfelf, as he beft liked : that, in confequenqe of this, Adonis^ taken with the charms of VenuSy fpent two thirds of his time with that goddefs ; whereat Diana taking offence, fent a wild boar to put an end to his life. On the other hand '', it is reported, that
^ Mf NANP. & Dius apad Jofeph. antiq. 1. viii. c. z, . « Si- nus Ital. l.iii. ^ See before, p. 339. ® Apollod. l^ibliQth. ubi fup. ^ Jul. Pol; 1. ii. c. 4. 1. iy. c' 14.-: * Apol- lod, biblidtK. ubifup, *» Cyril, in If, uW&p. .• -
Y 4 Adonh
244 ^^^ Hiftory of the Phoenicians. B. L
AdonU was the offspring of an inceftuous embrace : that be was begot by his father Cinyras on his own daughter My^ rha : that, to hide the guilt of fo unlawful a commerce from the eyes of the world,, he was expofed on tbemoim* tains, where he was nurfed by the nymphs, and became t great fportfman : that Venus., feeing him at his manly fport, ^11 in love with him, and admitted him to great intimacy With her : and that Mars^ conceiving a violent jealouly thereat, turned himfelf into a wild boar, and flew the beau- teous youth : that Fenus, being unfpeakably grieved at the fad news, followed him to the (hades, to demand him j but that Proferpine^ at iirft, refufing to deliver him, was, at length, brought to this agreement, that he (bould be half the year with her, and half the year with /^/ii»x; whore* turned, with joy, to the earth again, acquainted her foUow- cr^ with the fuccefs of her defcent, and ordained a feftival to be celebrated in commemoration thereof. Whoever compares this with what is related of Ifes and Oferis \ will find it to be the very fame ftory, in a different dre&. In confequence of this myfterious tradition, there was mat grief among the women, at Byblus efpecially, for thedeith of Adonis \ which was fucceeded by as great joy for hb xe« covery.
But the Jiwijh writers have apK)ng them another ftory concerning the origin of the rites of Thammuz^ otJdmus. Maimonides ^ relates, that the antient Zabii held Thammmi to have been an idolatrous prophet, who, preaching to a certain king the do£lrine of worshiping die fevcn planets, and the twelve figns ; the king ordered him to be put to a cruel death : that, on the very night of his death, sdl die idols, from the uttermoft parts of the earth, met together in the temple of the, golden Jiatue, or the fun^ at Babylon ; and that he acquainted them with the tragical end of Tham- » muz : that, hereupon, the images wept and lamented all night for Thammuz ; and that, as foon as morn appeared, they all flew back to theu: places. Hence, fays he, was derived the cuflom of mourning over Thammuz. FinaUji it is faid, he was the fon of an heathen king, whofe image the Jewijh women adored with flliedding tears,and even of- fering facrifices to it ^
Whoever he was, the fuperilition of mourning over him was univerfally praftifed by the women in thofe parts. They began their lamentadons at a fbted time : they fet
See be£)fe, p. 3 1 ^3 j. k in more nevodvim. ' P»i- 1A5T. apnd SeU. de di. Syr. f/ntagm. ii. c 1 u
lip
C VI. fii Hijiory of fbe Phoenicians. 345
up their outcries as foon as they perceived the river Adonis to appear of a bloody hue ^^ as at certain times it did ». The lamentations of a mother for the lofs of her only fon couM not be more loud, or tender ^ : they then proceeded to their facrifices of the dead, having firft difcipiined tfaem- (elves with whipping ; and, the nttt day, pretending him to be revived, and afcended through the air to the upper regions, they fliaved their heads, as the Egyptians did for the lofs of Jpis ; and, at Byhlusy at leaft, thofe who would not comply, were bound to proftitute themfelves in the manner, and for the purpofes, above fpecifiedp. Some 4 relate, that, on a certain night, while this folemnity lafted, diey laid an image in a bed, and, having gone through tL, bead*roll of lamentations over it, light was brought in, and the prieft, anointing the mouths of the affiftants, whifpered 'to them, that falvation was come — that deliverance was brought to pafs ; upon which, their forrow was turned into joy, and the image taken, as it were, out of its fepulchre : or, as others fay ^ , the priefis of OJiris^ in Egypt , wrote to the women of Byblus\ fignifying to them, that they had fimnd that god. They fent this letter in an earthen pot, as ibflfie fay, or in a fmall ark, or head, as it is called % made of the papyrus, which came by fea, of itfelf, to Byblus. This voyage it performed in fcven days « ; and it no fooncr appeared in the port, but the women danced, feafted, and rejoiced, as extravagantly as they had before wept,mourned9 •and lamented u. This cuftom has made fo lading an im- preffion on the women of thofe parts, that fome traces of • it are kept up by them of Aleppo to this day ^.
There are different ways of explaining away all this mj^- ftery. Adonis was the fun ; the upper hemifphere of the earth, or that which we think fo, was antiently called Vo^ mis ; the under, Proftrpine : therefore, when the fun was in the fix inferior figns, they faid, he was with Proferpine ; when he was in the fix fuperior, with Venus. By the boar . that flew Adonis y they underftood winter : for the boar they made, and not unaptly, the emblem of that rigid feafon '• Or by Adonis they meant the fruits of the earth ; which are, for one while, j)uried ; but, at length, appear flourlfh*
* LxrciAN. de dea Syr. ^ See before, p. 327. ^ AmMp Marcell. 1. xix. P Seebefbre, p. 342. ^ Jul.
FxKM. apod Puich. pilgr. 1. i. c. 17. p^ 90. ' Procop. &
Cyril, in I&.XYiii. « Lucian. nbifup. ^ Idem
ibid. ^ Procop, &Cyriu ubifup. '*^ SeeSiLLFR*s
hillory of Faltnyniy in die preface. , ^ Macrob. Saturn.
1.1. C. £1.
^6 The Hifiory of the Phoenicians. B.I;
ing to the fight. When, therefore, the feed was throim into the ground, they faid Adonis was gone to Proferpimi but when it fprouted up, they faid, he had revihtcd the light, and Venus. And hence, probably, it was, that they fowed corn, and made gardens for Adonis ; for fuch a cur ftom they alfo had y. We may well fuppofe, there was no fmall variation among thofe who received this piece of fu- perflition, when they talked of what it meant, and why it was praSifed. Finally, Plutarch ^ takes Adonis to be Bac chus : OJiris was both the fun » and Adonis^ as we have feen^ It was alfo faid, that OJiris was buried at Byblus c. The . word Adonis imports lord, and (6 does the word Baal^.
Plutarch alfo informs us <^, that Ifis had a temple at
Byblus, where they worfhiped the heath which bad coo-
cealed OJiris's coffin. This Byblian Ifis muft certainly have
. been Ajiarte ; fo that we end with the Baalim znd Ajtantb
as we have begun.
Herodotus ^ fuppofes the Phoenicians to hzvehetn circumcifed ; but Jofephus aflerts 8, that none of the na- tions, included under the vague naihes of Pale/line. zndSy- riay ufed that rite, the Jews excepted : fo that if the Pbo' • nicians had antiently that cuftom, they came, in tiRie, to negledl it, and, at length, wholly laid it afide. They abs- tained from the flefli of fwine *». neir arts MucH is faid of the PhaenicianSy their arts, fcienceS) and learnr^nd manufadures ^ but as what we find, concerningtbeP) ing^ is couched in general terms only, we cannot expatiate on
■ particulars. The Sidonians, under which denomination wc comprehend the Phoenicians in general, as was antiently ufual *, were of a moft happy genius, and frame of miiui i. Arithmetic and aftronomy either took rife ^mong them^ or were brought, by them, to great perfeflion : from them . thofe excellent fciences flowed into Greece^, together with their letters «i. They were, from the beginning, as it were, addifted to philofophical exercifes of the mind ; infomuch that a Sidonian, . by name Mofchus, taught the doctrine of atoms before the Trojan war " j and Abdomenus^ of Tyre^i
y VideVos. de idololat. 1. if. c. t;. p. 167, * Sympof.
1. iv. p. 671. * See vol. i. p. 467. ^ *> Seebeforc,
.P- 339- / ^uc- ^^ ^^ ^yr- '^ See before, p. 332. *Dc 'ifid. & Ofirid. ^ L.ii. c. 104. s Contr. Ap. 1. i. ''Hb- RODiAN. 1. V. ♦ Vide BocHART, phaleg, 1. iv. c. 37. col.
301. ' Idem ibid. col. 303. '^ Strabq, l.xvi. p. 757.
Mdem ibid. » Herodot. l.v. c. 58. " Posidonius apM Strab. ubi fup. 0 Men and. &:DitJs apud Jofcph. l.viii,
c.a. &c6nt. Ap.Li, " • • .
challenged
"C VL ^be Hifiory tf the Phoenicians. , 347
-challenged. 5«i^m0», though the wifeft king on earth, by .the fubtle qqefiions he propofed to him. Phaenia conti- nued to be one of the feats of learning, and both Tyre and Sidon ^ produced their philofophers of later ages ; Boethus «nd Diodatus of Sidofiy Antipater of Tyre^ and Jpollonius of the fame place ; who gave an account of the writings and difciples of ZenoV. Their dodlrine concerning the -origin of the world, and the formation of things, we have rftlready mentioned 9.
Th jiiR language was, at loaft, a dialed of the Hebrew : neir hm" It was that of the antient Canaamies, Their letters, or ch^-guage. rafters, were either the fame with, or very like to the 5^7^^- ritan charafters.
How great foever they were for the fciences, and for T^/i> jbm- jdifcoveries and improrements in point of learning, it is far««Ai- from being improbable, that they excelled much more in the^^'*^'- labours ot the hand, than in thofe of the head '. The glafs .of Sidou^ the purple of Tyrey and the exceeding fine linen ithey wove, were the produft of their own country, and i^their own inventions^ : and for their extraordinary fkill in working of metals, in hewing of timber and flone, in a word, :fbr their perfeft knowlege of what was folid, and great, and ornaihental, in architefture, we need only put the reader in mind of the large (hare they had in erefting and deco- rating of the temple at Jerufalem under their king Hiram i {than which, nothing can more redound to their honour, or infmuate a clearer or greater idea of what their own build- ings mufl have been. Their fame was fuch for their juft tafte, fine defign, and ingenious invention, that whatever was elegant, great, or pJeafing, whether in apparel, vef^ fels, or toys, was diflinguifhed, by way of excellence, with the epithet of Sidonian ^
Thus far we have confidered them as learned men, and Their artificers, improving thcmfelves, and cultivating their minds /r^^/p «»/ •iedately at home. It remains that we mention them as w^**;'!^^- merchants, navigatorsy and planters of endlefs colonies m^ion. foreign parts. As they were merchants, they may be faid to have ingrofTed all the commerce of the weflern world, •at leafl : as navigators, they were the boldefl, the mofl ex- perienced, and greatefl difcoverers, of the antient times : they had, for many ages, no rivals. And as they were •planters of colonies, they did fo much that way, that, when
; o SxRABOy ubifup. P Idem ibid. S See vol. i. p. 23 — 25. ' Vide BocHART. phaleg, 1. iv. c. 35. col. 393. • Vide cund. ibid, t Vide eund. ibid. .
it
^btHifiory of the Phcenicians, . B. L
it is remembred, that their country was, probably, little more than the flip of ground between mount Libamu and the fea, it is furprifing how they could fumifb Aich fiip- plies of people, and not wholly depopulate their native country. They were the mofl induftrious, nuxft entcr- .prifing people, that can well be conceived.
We have ftarted a conjedure, that the PhoenictMns were induced to deal in foreign commodities, by their neighbour- hood with the Syrians^ whom we have confidered as the moft antient of thofe who carried on a confiderable and re- gular trade with the more eaftern r^ions u : and we fee no reafon to depart from this conjedure. For their own ter- ritory was but fmall, and little able to afford any confider- able exports, if we except manufaftures ; but that their jnanufa^res were any ways confiderable, till they begaa to turn all the chanels of trade into their own country, is hard to believe. In Syria^ which was a large country, they found ftore of 'produdions of the natural growdi of that country ; and many choice and ufeful oMnmoditio brought from the eaft. Hereupon, having a fafe coaft, aal convenient harbours, on the one fide, and excellent nxM- rials for fhip-buildii^, upon the mountains, on the odier^ and perceiving, by degrees, how acceptable many comnxh dities, that Syria furnifhed them with, would be in fortiga parts ; and being, at the fame time, perhaps, {hewn the way by the Syrians tbemfelves, who may have navigated tKe Mediterranean y they turned all their thoughts to trade and navigation ; and,by an uncommon aj^lication thereto, foon eclipfed the Syrians thcmfelves on the Mediterranean Sed. Nature herfelf pointed out to them their advantages \ and daily experience, joined to a laudable ambition, may have prompted them to chat which brought them to be confidered as the firft of the earth for riches and fplcndw, if riot for power.
It were in vain to talk of the Edcinites^ who fled hither in David's time w ; or to inquire why Herodotus fuppofei the Phoenicians to have come from the Red Sea * ; their ori- gin we have already feenV. That fome of the Edomitn fled into this country in the days of David^ and that they were a trading people, we have elfewhere (hewn * : what improvements they brought with them into Phcemee^ is han} to fay : and, by the way, it is as hard to fpeak of their
" See before, p. 292. ^ See before, p. 175. * See
before, in the notes, p. 1 76. ^ See before, p.'33 1 . ^ * Sec
keforc, p. 16 8,
numbers)
C. VI. The Hiftory of tbi Phoenicians. 143
nuQibers, or to fity how it could be poflible for a parcel of refugees to communicate their own name to the antient proprietors, as is pretended «: it feems to be plain, that they brought with them a knowlege of the Red Sea^ and of the fouth parts of Arabia^ ^gyph ^nd Ethiopia ; and that, by their inftrudUons and lights, they made the Pha^-' nicians acquainted with thofe coafts, which before were unknown to them ; and,, by that means, enabled tbem to undertake the voyages they did, in thofe parts, for Solomon^ and for Pharaoh Nechoy king of Egypt* But we will dwell no longer on thefe particulars, fo hard to be afcertained. We fhall only add, that, in our opinion, the Phoenicians Were both younger merchants and navigators than the Sy- riansy and reaped confiderable advantages by the accefs of the fugitive Edomites that fought for ihelter among them in David*s time.
Th e ir whole thoughts were how to advance their trade* . They afFe6led no empire but that of the fea, fought to en- large oo other dominion, and feem to have aimed at no- thing but {he peaceable enjoyment of their commerce. Tliey traded to all the known parts they could reach ; to the Britijh ifles, commonly underftood by the CaJJiterides 5 to Spaiuy and other places in the ocean, both to the north and fouth of the freights mouth; and, in general, to all the ports of the Mediterranean^ the Black Sea^ and the lake Maotis *». In all thefe parts they had fettlements and correfpondents, from which they drew what was ufeful to tbemfelves, or might be fo to others ; and thus they exer«» cifed the three great branches of trade, as it is commonly divided into importation, exportation, and tranfportationj in full latitude i fuch was the extent of their fea*trade : as for that which they carried on by land, in Syria^ Mefopo-^ tamia, Ajfyria^ Babyloniay Perjuiy Arabia^ and even in India^ it was of no lefs extent ; and may give us an idea of What this people once was, how rich, and how deferv- edly their merchants are mentioned in Scripture as equal to princes ^. Their country was, at that time, the great virarcr houfe, where every thing, that might either adminifter to the neceffities or luxury of mankind, was to be found; which they diftributed as they judged would be beft for tiieir own interefl. It would be in vain for us to undertake a de- tail of what they brought by fea, 0/ what was fent them over land from each particular place, or of what they ient
« See before, p. 391. *» Vide Hvit. hift, de.la cosn. *
de la navig. des anc. p. 58« * Ifa. xxiii. 8.
3 t»
>•
J JO The Hiftory of the Phoenicians. BAi
to" the fevcral countries they dealt with : we (ball have oc- cafion to rpecify the particulars, when wc come to mention the anticnt trade of each country. Their own principal commodities were, the purple of Tyn^ the glafs of Siimy and the exceeding fine linen made in this country ^ : thefe^ and other fine pieces of art, in metals and wood, feem ta have been the chief, and almoft only commodities of Phop" nice itfelf. Their country was fo fmall, that it is not to be imagined they pould afford to export any of their own growth : it is more likely, that they rather wanted, than abounded with the fruits of the earth.
Having thus fpoken, in general terms, of their trade^ wc fliall now juft touch upon their {hipping, and fome things remarkable in their navigation. Their larger im- barkations were of two forts : they divided them into round fhips, or gauli'y and long (hips, galleys, or triremes^'*. When they drew up in line of battle, the gauli were at a fmall diftance off^ each other in the wings, or in the van and the rear ; their triremes were contracted together in the centre ^. If, at any time, their (hips, bound on a voy-* age, obferved that a flranger kept them company, or fot. lowed them in their track, they were fure to get rid o( him, if they could, or deceive him, if polHble ; in which- they went fo far, as to venture the lofs of their (hips, and even their lives, fo that they could but deftroy or difap* point him 8 ; fo jealous were they of foreigners, and Co tc- nacioufly bent on keeping all to themfelves. And, to adcf to the dangers of the fca, and to difcourage other nations from expofmg themfelves to them, they aiFefted piracy ^ ; or pretended to be at war with fuch as they met when they thought themfelves ftrongeft. This was but a natural ftroke of policy, in a people who grafped at the whok commerce of the then known world. We muft not forgtt here the famous fi(hery of Tyre^ which fo remarkably en- riched that city, in particular. The fi(h they fought after were thofe wherewith they dyed purple, the richeft dye in the world ; they were always careful to take them alive. An antient author i attributes the diffblutenefs of Tyre to the number of the dyers there : from whence we may ga- ther, they were a rich and numerous body of people, proud and extravagant, vain and debauched. This Rlh is hoW
«* See before, p. 347. « VideBocHART.Canaan, I.if.
c. II. col. 739. f Poly JEN. l.vi. 8 VideSxRAB.
I. iii. p. 175. * HuET. ubi fup. c. 16. p. 70. * Idem, Lxvi^
either-
*
ex VI. Tie Hiftcry of the Phoenicians.
either loft (X), or thofe on that coafi, at prefent, know not* how to catch it.
We might here fpeak of the Phoenician voyages, in the fervke of Solomon^ had we not a more proper place in view to expatiate on that fubjed. The long voyage fome of them undertook in the fervice of Necho king of Egypt^ round Afric^ going out of the Red Sea^ and returning by the way of the ftreights mouth, ought not to be pafled over : in this voyage, they employed three years (Y). The
reader.
25^'
(X) We are aflurcd, by an cye-witriefs, who is too modeft to alIo^y us the life of his name, that they have a kind of fifh en the rocks, on the coa(i, a little to the weftward of Pa- namtty with which the Indians dye a red purple; that they carry their yarn dowB to the iea-fide; that they bring it back dyed ; and that their hands are always difcoloured> like thofe of our dyers.
(Y) Hence it would follow, that tkePortugme/e were only the re-difcoverers of the cape of Good Hope, Here we will beg leave to animadvert a little upon a celebrated author (65), who will have it,that t\it Phoenicians made it a common practice to trade with Indiay by the way of tlH( cape of Good Hope, from the times of Solomon ; which, to uSjieems incredib!e,on many aocoonts. i. The Phoenicians iiad no fuch temptation to un« dertake fo long and dangerous a voyage, as we have : the voy- age, to them, muft have been much longer than it is, at pre- (ent, to lis. 2. They are not above half fo far from India as 4ve are. 3. It is incredible, that the Aru^ture and rigging
of their (hips were rightly ad- apted for fo unfavourable a na- vigation : nor is it likely, that they could, at once, furnifh themfelves with (lores and pro* viiions fufEcient for their ufe and necelTities, and, at the fame time, have any great cargo of goods on board. ^, Thefedif-' advantages confidered, it mu(k appear, that they might have been fupplied with all the ead- ern commodities in genera1,at a much cheaper rate, from the Egyptians and Edomites on the Arabian gulf, and from Syria on the Euphrates: and this, certainly, was a part of the trade they drove with Syria and Egypt \66). 5. It is not to be imagined, if the contrary pradice had been ufual, that all memory of it would have been loft ; that the Romans , in 0<vid'% time, would have talked of the torrid zone as uninhabitable ; and that Herodotus would have reckoned it as fo noble a tranf- z&ionoi Nechus\ reigr,that he fent the moft expert Phcenicians, he could procure,to explore the (hores of Afric (67) ; or that the fame, in other refpe6tf,mofl knowing hiftorian v,'ould have difputcd the credibility of what
(^%) Huet, b'Jioire du com, fif deia narjig, des anc, c, 8i fi^'i P." ^9*» (^7 J Sf* ^fire, /. 84,
(66) See hi-
the
ne Hi/iory of the FhaauoaaL %tf
reader, we hope, will not be difpleafed, that we htvedwd( fo long on this extraordinary people : he wiO perceive» W«[ might have faid a great deal more ; and that it was uqpQC* fible for us to fay left of them than we have (aid, eithpr la. refrefli l^is memory, or give him information. Thorax lonies and fettlem^nts will be particularly remarked, ia tim order they may occur. «
SECT. m.
The Chronology ef the Phcenicians.
IT were labour tn vain to dwell on this fubjeflr. In ge* neral we may fay, that the hiftory*of the Phcemciam is no other than a continuation of ^at ofi^anaaftj as is, oi all hands, allowed (A). Their particular epochs it is im* poflible to difcover. Their records, once fo faithfully keptS are now no more. We will not, therefore, enter, ^^rofeStHj^ upon fo dark a matter ; but ihali content ourfelves wm ;| touching thereon occafionally, hereafter. It- is dbiiervcd^^ that they boafted an exceflive antiquity, no lefi than iXSlg ^thoufand years ; in which, however, they were £arfl reafonablethan fome others, who certainly could ciauft little or nothing beyond them, in that particular. Toj here to the method we have laid down, we fhall futgoiD feries of the kings of the different kingdoms of this c< try, fo far as we can colIe£t them.
• Vid. Joseph, cent. Ap. l.i. p, 17.
^ African, apod Syno4r
••
the failors reported,on their re- tarn, that they had the fun on thdr right-hand (68) ; it be- ing the antient cuilora, to fet the face to the weftward; in which pofture, the fun muft be on the right-hand of him who is to the fouthward of its courie ; which they muft have often been, who doubled the cape of GooJ Hope, In Ihort, the Indian commerce, by that courfe, could have anfwercd no manner of end to the Phani-
eiansi nor ooald they been tempted to frequent it, if ^ tuated, as they were, betmt'- Egypt and Syria, thetw^^dt magazines of whatever tbe Ml afforded. \ • "
(A) Wc have already JiW/. feveral proofs to evince tkiL* We (hall add, that the am piler of the AlexamUi^m^m^ nicle(i), fpeaking of the naanites driven out by JVKi^l calls them, in part, fh$ri^ cians.
(68) L. iv. C.4Z.
(1) P. 283. 1.
Km
|
4 |
- Kings df Sidon« * |
|
* |
«»«««>« |
|
• - • |
- - JgenoVy Phcenix^ Phalis, |
|
«*«««## |
|
|
An anonymous king^ |
|
|
1 |
»«♦««♦♦ |
|
\ |
Sidony Tetramne^uSf - |
|
4 «' « « * « # ^«' |
|
|
• |
V.
BalhnymuSj Ahdahtnimiy Ahd^lomiut^ ' ox Jiynomus.
r
Reigiied, and Judges According fo ilf^- According to TiJ^- of Tyrei nandi £phe/l ophiL Jntioc,
jtbiialy ovAbetmali .Uiraniy Hiirbm^
Hieromen^Iront ,
Chiraniy or. Sii*
ron^
Ba^rius^or^ 7 yea- ^ - - ^ - -17)'-*
•Jhdiaftartusy g---- ---J2
*nieeldeftoftheJ
murderers ofCi2---- ---
* Jbdafiartusy 3 - AjiartuSy 12---- •--;
:/*«|A|r7/)KaeryOr>/- ^
\^- iSatymusy f, 9. -.---•
*tPheUeSy or HeUes^ 8 months r • -
\L Mjuthobat, ^ 32 years . . ^ 12
^ Badezor^oxBazor^ 6 ---.-.•--7 • ^adezor*s fon,
JMettinus^ 9--., ••-ig
■jfot. H. . 1^ Kings
■1?.-
*
• • •
^
thi Iliftory of /^^.Phoemdatu. ' B. £
Kings and judges According to Mt^ According toTZr- oiTyre. nand. Ephef. ' ^bil. Mti§c*
Reigned^ Pygmalion^ 40 years - - - . -
• « 4it 4it 4it « «t
ElulauSy 36---- --.
^^» ^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^
Jtbobal^
Baalj 10 -------
r Eehnlbaly - 2 months - - -
M I Chelbis^ -"--.-••- ---
3 1 high-prieft, 3 ^ " \ Myttonus 2XiAl ^
BalatOTj --I ---- •--
Merbalj --4---- ---
Tr^/w, ---20---- ---
Maffhtj
StratOy
4ifc « « « « « « Azelmicy
^ 1^ ^ ^ IF tF *
,7!5^ /f/«^J o/Arddy or Aradus.
« « « 41 # 4t «
Gero/Iratus.
We need only refer the reader to the very unaccomiti ble difference between Menander the Ephejtan^ and ?l«f philus of Antioch; in their reigns of the Tyrian princes, tD judge of the impoflibility of fixing on any thing certain in the chronology of even the beft and cleareft times of th Phoenicians in general.
sect;
C VL ^i Hifiory ef the Phoenicians. 35^
S E C T. IV.
?2tf Phoenician Idngs^ from the antient fabulous
biftory of the Greeks.
11 E FO R E we enter upon the hiftory of the Phcvnictan Agenor, ^^ kings, we are, in fome manner, obliged to infcrt the following dark and fabulous account of the family oi Age^ •w, the firft king of Phcenia mentioned by the Greeks^
AgengH and Bdus were, according to Apollodorus «, the fons of Neptune by Libya j daughter of Epaphusy who way kihg of a part of Egypt. Belus rftigncd in Egypt ^ and aaxiied Anchinoe d^u^tcr of NiiuSj by whom he had\^^^'- ptus and Danaus. Agenor pafled from Egypt into Phcrnice^ where he fettled, and became the father of a numerous race. He married Telephaffa (Stephanus caUs her Telcphe)^ by whom he had Europa^ CadmuSy Phcenix^ Cillx b, and, according to Paufanias^ EleSfra c, and ^hafus d. Phcre- cydis^ as quoted by the fcholiaft of Apollonius^ gives him two wives, the one named Damno^ by whom he had Phce^ nixy Ifaoy and Melia ; the other called Argiope^ who was mother to Cadmus and Europa. Plutarch mentions a fourth wife, called Diorippey who brought forth Sipylus « ; Antonius Liber alts a fifth, named Cajfiopea^ v/ho bore him a daughter, by name Carina ; and Cedrenus a fixth, whom he calls Tyrus^ pretending that the city of Tyre borrowed its name from her. Europa (whom fome writers will have to be the daughter of Phoenix^ and not of Agenor) was ftolenrby Jupiter transformed into a bull, that is, in a (hip named the buU^ or bearing the figure of a bull in her ttem; and carried into Crete'. Agenor^ being extremely grieved for the lofs of his daughter, fent his (on Cadmus^ with a great fum of money, in queft of her : but he, not finding her, nor daring to return home without her, re- vived to go and fettle elfewhere. With this defign, hav- uifi; fitted out a fmall fleet, he put to fea, and landed in Torace^ where he had the good luck to difcover a gold mine, ip the mount Pangaus. Being enriched with that metal, and in a condition to p.urfue his deiign, be was ad- Vifed by the oracle of Delphos to leave Thrace^ and pafs into Bceotiay which he did accordingly ; and, having driven out the Hyantesj who oppofcd him, and allowed the Aones^
.«.L. ii. *» Idem, 1. iii. *^ Pausan. iji Baot;
**Hem, in Eliac. * PtuTAjicK. dc fluviis.
Z 2 who
i
^e Hifiory of the Phcmcians. B«1«
who voluntarily fubmitted to him, to live in the countzy mixed with his PhosnicianSy he founded a new kingdom, and built a city; which, in derivation from his own name, he called Cadmea, That city was afterwards embellifhed, and Inlarged by Jmphion and Zethus^ the two fons of Antiofi (for they invaded the throne, during the minority of £«itfi the Ton oiLabdacus^ Cadmus^s grandron),and by diemcalU 7hebei^ in honour of Thebe their aunt, by the modwr^i fide f (A).
IsABA ' Pausan. in Boeot.
(A) We £nd fuch a difa- plain, if we follow Jt^^
greement among authors, in (wbofeapthorit/,astotiuspi^
the accounts they give of ^r- ticular, is far preferable to tbt
nor^ and his defcendants, that of the Greeks)^ that th^ tm
it is impoflible to come at cities were not built by 0119 ail
the truth ; and therefore the fame perfon. Tjrt mu^
not worth our while to at- without doubt, a colony of tk
tempt the unravelling of fo Sidonians^ it being calkd ift
perplexed and intricate a fub- Scripture tht daugbttr 9/ Sf
je£l. What mod authors feem don (2). And Juftin Xi&iAmf
to agree upon, is, i. Th^tj^ge- in exprefs terms, that the Of
jior was by birth an Egyptian ; of Tyrg was built before tk
that from Egypt he pafled (on taking of Troy, by the Siduh
what occafion we know not) ans, who, being driven cot of .
into Phcenicij where he fettled, their own country by the knt
and became the father of a nu- of the Afealmiansy werefinon
merous race. 2. All the Gr^^i to feek new feats (3). 3. Itii
writers agree him to have been agreed upon, by moft <^thr
the firil king of Fhcenicey and antients, that Europa, Cadtm^
the founder of the cities of Si- Phoenix, and Cilix^ weretk
don and Tyre. But in the fuccef- children oi Agenor ; and tbit
£on of the kings, fome of theL/7 - with them a great many FA**
iins place Belus the elder before nicians and Syrians went iil0
him ; and moft of the moderns, AJta Minor, Crete, GreecitVA
upon the authority of Jo/epbus Libya ; and there. introdnOBl
( 1 ), make Sidon, the eldeft fon of letters, muiic, poetry, and othir
C ana any founder of the city of arts, fciences, and cufloms cf
Sidoiiy which was fo called from the Fhmnicians, It is pretend-
him. And as to the city of ed, that Europa being carrirf
Tyre, the {^tat Jo/epbus tells us^ away by Taurus king oiCrtti,
that it was founded 240 years y^^^^r fent her brother in quel
before the building of Solomon* s of her ; who, on that occaiioa^
temple : from whence it is as they were injoioed not to »•
U) Jofepb, ant:<i, /. ii. c. 6. (2) Ijd, xxv, la. (3)7^*'
/. xviii. r. 3. •'
fiirm
7t. . '^btHift^fy bf //t^ Phoenicians. 35;jf
^isA and Mtlia^ Agen$r's two daughters, married Uus and Danaus^ their couim-germans. CUix is fald,
by
vithout her^ founded fe- are told l^ NtmHus^^)^ many
P&mV/«ff colonies in ^1(7 walled towns. Their leader
'y Greecty and Libyat was alfo there called Cadmus
I we (hall have occafion (wliich imports ^ man come
ak of hereafter. But Sir from the ea(l)yand his wife ^<-
Ara;/0/r is of opinion, that thwis, z Sidoniau. Sir I/aac
Phcemcians went not to adds, that fome of the Sidoni"
Im-opa^ but new feats, be- ans^ who were driven out b/
riven out oiSidou by the the Edomites flying from .Da-*
lits, whom Da*vid had <z/2V, laid the £rft foundations of
lered and difperfed. For, the cities' of Tyre and jfrad^ ancL
Img to his computation, made Ahlhalus^ their leader,
oqaeft of the land tAEdom king of Tyre. So that, accord*
tvfV, the coming oSCad' ing to his computation, TyrJt
ito Greece^ and the found- was built in the time of Davids
f Tbehes in B^otia^ and and about the i6th year of his
Fbemician colonies in reign (5). But this is plainly
puts, happened much contradided hyjefepbtis^ who
the fame time. The tells us, that J^/v was built two.
itesj fays he, not being hundred and forty years before
3 withfland Da<uid^ aban- the building of Solomon'^ tern-
Edom^ and fled, fome in- pie (6) } which work Solomort
rr^/, with their young king undertook in the eleventh year
i I others to the Perjiun of the reign of Hiranty fon and
with their commander fuccefTor to Ahihal king of
w; and fome from the Tyre, It is therefore plain,,
V/7, to the coafl of the both from JofepbuSt and the
'^rr/?»^^», where they for- Tyrian annals,, which he
izotb againfi David i and, quotes, that Abibal was not the-
^ out the ^/Vim/^»/, made founder of 7)^^, and that that
elves mailers of their city was built long before Da^
it being very convenient a?i^s time. be merchants, who fled Neither was Alibal the firfi
the Red Sea. The Sido- king of Tyre^ though he is the
being thus expelled, went firfl: we find mentioned in hifto-
at numbers, under Cad- ty ; as appears from the fame
md his brother?, into Ci- [fofepbus^ who, in fpeaking of
Afia Mittor, and Greece ; Me«ander\ hiflory,, tells us,
others fled, under other that Menandery after having
rs, to feek new feats in Li* given an account of the reigns
where they built, as we of the other kings oiPbaenke^
DhnyfiaH^L xiii. (5) Sir Jfaac Neivton <brtn» of ant. kitt^J.
(6) y'>fc^b» tntif. It viii. r. 2* (7} Idem iltJ-^
*L 3 comc5
\
9%e Hiflorj of the Phoenicians. R L
by yfpolhdorus 8, to have fettled in Cilicia^ and given his name to that country. That author adds, that Thafia built the city of Thajos in Thrace^ which is confirmed by Paufanias^, All we know of Elelfra is, that one of the gates of Thebes borrowed its name from her «. Of Sipf' lus we read in Plutarch ^^ that mount Sipylus was (b called from him. We fliall have occafion to relate more at lengthi what wp read oi Cadmus in the antient Greek writers, when we come to write the hiftory of the Theban kings.
Phoenix is fuppofed by the Greeks to have fucceeded his father in the kingdom of Phcenicey or rather of Sidm \ which city, as likewife that oiTyre^ they pretend to have been built by /f^enor ; wherein they are followed, among tlie Latins^ by .^. Curtius ^ That country, according to them, borrowing its name from Phoenix ^ was called Piflr- «/tY, and the inhabitants, Phaenicians, Eufebius adds^, that lie was the firft who found out the (carlet colour, which was therefore called at firft Phamiciusy and after- wards, with a fmall alteration, Puniceus color ^
The next king oiSidon we meet with in hiftory isP&r* //y, who flouriftied in the time of the Trojan war« He proved a faithful ally to the Greeks ^ and'ufed his utmoft endeavours, though in vain, to draw Sarpedon^ king of Lycioy over to their fide ". He is mentioned by Horner^ and honoured with the title of moft illuflrious o.
These are the kings of Sidon we find mentioned in the antient Greek writers ; but as their accounts are no ways to be depended upon, being interwpven and darkened with a thoufand fables, we have thought fit .to treat of than apart, left we fhould feein to confound what is iabulous with v/hat is truly hiftorical.
« Apolloo. 1. iii. *» Pausan. in Eliac. ' Idem
in BoBot. 1' Plutarch, de fluviis. > (^
Cltrtius, 1. iv. c. 4. " Prajpar. cvangj. i. c. 5. " Dictys 1. i. * OdyiT, iv. 627.
comes at laft to Himm^ who Jo/ephus and Menander)^ thit
was aflumed to the throne upon Abihal was preceded by ieveial
the death of his father Abibal other kings, whofe reigns and
(8). From which paffage it is adlions Menander had defcri*
nianifell (if we give credit to bed,
(8) 'Jf^feph, cor.tr, Afion. /. u
!•
SECT.
C. VI. SfJf H0ory of tie Phoeniciani.' 3 5P
V
SECT. V.
^e reigns of the kings of Phoenicc.
pHOE NICE J as wc have faid, was divided into fe- ^^ veral fmall kingdoms ; for, befides the kings of Sidon and ^rfy mentioned in Scripture, we read in hiftory of Mlbafus king of Beryius^ ta whom Sanchontatho^ accord* ing to Eufebim^^ dedicated his hiftory, of Erylus king of Bybbis \ and of other Phcenician kings «, whofe dominions were confined within the narrow bounds of o^ie city, and its territory. Of all the kings of Phoenice^ thofe of Sidon^ Tyre^ and jfrad, feem to have been the moft powerful and wealthy, and make the beft figure in hiftory. But their
• fucceifions, and the years of their refpcftiye reigns, are ovcrcaft with fuch a mift, and interrupted with fo many chafms, that it is no cafy matter to give any tolerable ac- count of them. However, we ftiall here produce what oc- curs in hiftory relating thereto, and feems chiefly to be de- pended upon ; beginning with Sidon^ the moft antient city
• q{ Phcenice,
The kings of Sidon.
SiDON, the eldeft fon of Canaan^ was, according tosidon.
■ yefephus <*, the founder, and, very likely, the firft king of this city, or at leaft, the father of the people. But, as to
. his actions, or the years of his reign, we are left quite in the dark. Neither arc we better acquainted with the kings who fucceeded him 5 for though the Sidonians are men- tioned in the hiftories of Mofes^ Jojhua^ and the Judges^ Yezx of yet we find not, in holy writ, exprefs mention made of flooj their kings, till the time of the prophet yeremiah^ who 1750. ipeaks of embafladors fent by the klngof 5/W«7i to propbfeBcf. Chr. to Zedekiah a league againft Nebuchadne%zar king of Ba^ 598. bylon «. i.^v%w^
■ The next king we find mentioned in hiftory, is STifrtf-Tctra- mne/iuSy who affifted Xerxes in his expedition againft Greece^^^^^^' vrith 300 galleys, and is counted by Herodotus ^ among the ^^ ? chief commanders of the Pcrfian navy. o^
Tennes appears next: it is uncertain whom he fuc- ^^ ^ ^; ceeded. In his reign the SidonianSi and other Pheeni dans j 'g
a EujEB. praepar. evang. 1. i. c. 6. *> Arrian, K ii. <f^„gj
* Strabo 1. xvi. p.520. "^ Joseph, antiq.l.i, c. 7. ^Jerem. c. xxvii. vcr. 3. ^ Herqpot. 1, vii. c. 98.
Z 4 not
1 69 fie Hiftory of the Phoenidims." • B, t
not being able to bear the haughty behaviour, and tyran- ■ nical proceedings, of thofe whom Darius Ochus king of Perfta had fet over them, entered into a confederacy with Ne^anebus kin^ of Egypt (9, and rofe up in arms, with dc- iign to fhake oft the Perftan yoke, and recover their antient ; liberty, As the Per/tans were then making. vaft prcpaiir ' tions to reclaim Egypt-, which they could not well approach but by marching through Phoenice^ this revolt happened very opportunely for NecfanebuSf Therefore, to encoun^ the Phoenicians to ftand out in it, he fent a body of fear thoufand Greek mercenaries, under the command of Mm^ Ur the Rhodian^ to their affiftance, hoping, thereby to make Phcenice a kind of barrier to Egypt^ and carry on the war at a di(lance. On the other iide, Tennes kir^of SU 4on (which city then exceeded all the others of Phcam in wealth), having fitted out, with great expedition, a pow^ crful fleet, and raifed a confiderable army in his own domi-* nions, took the field ; and, being flrengthened by the Grai auxiliaries, engaged and routed the governors of Syria and Cili'cia^ whom Ochus had fent to reduce him ; and drove the Perftans quite out of Phoenice. The SidonianSj oq their firft taking up arms, had laid wafte a delicious gar- den belonging to the kings of Perfia., cutting down all dw trees wherein they took great delight ; feized and bunit all the forage which the Perftan governor had laid up hi the fubfiflencc of his cavalry ; and, what is ftil} worfe, pu-« nifhed with the utmofl feverity fuch of their Perftan ojh preflbrs as fell into their hands. Ochus vtras provoked to fuch a degree at thefe proceedings of the Sidoniansy efpeci* cially after ne^'s was brought him of his lieutenant's being defeated, and the Per fans driven out of Pboenice^ that now he breathed nothing but revenge, threatening total deftnic- tion not only to the Sidonians^ but to all the inhabitants of Phcentce. Being thus bent upon revenge, he drew together all the forces he could ; and, having muftered them at Ba- iy/ff«,* marched from thence into Phaenice^ at the hjead(^ an army of three hundred thoufand foot, and thirty tiiou- fand horfe. Mentor ^ who was then in Sidon^ being terri- fied at the approach of fo powerful an army, fent privately a trufly fervant of his own, called Thejfalion^ to rfie king of Perfta^ offering not only to put him m pofTeilion of Sidon^ but likewife to aflift him in the reducing of Egypt ; where, as he was well acquainted with the country, he was capa- i)fc cf doing him good fervicc. Ocbusy glad of this ofFcr^
« Sec before, p. 105,
fpared
C VI. J'he Hiflory $f the Phoenicians- 361
fpared no prbmifes to engage Mentor in his fervice ; who^ having received fuch alTurances from the king of Perfia as he denred, found means to draw Ttnnes king of Sidon into the fiime treafon. In the mean time, the Sidonians^ not puflrufting Mentor^ and much lefs their own king, were preparing for a vigorous defence. The city was furniflied with arms, and provifions of all forts, to hold out a long fiege ; and the citizens had drawn a triple trench, and an high wall, round them. B^fides the mercenaries, the place was garifoped with a brave body of tall, handfome, and ftout Sidofiians^ all well exercifed, and trained up in mar- tial difcipline ; and the fea-coaft was guarded with a fleet of an hundred large galleys. But all was to no purpofe ; for Tennes ^o fooner heard that the Perfian army was draw^ ine near, but, feigning to go to the general afiiembly of the Phoenicians^ he marched out with a body of five hundred pien, and, taking along wjth him an hundred of the chief citizens to be created fenators, as he pretended, went ftrait to the enemy's camp, and delivered them up to Ochus^ who received him as a friend, but caufed all the citizens, as authors of the rebellion, to be immediately put to death* This feverity of OrA«j, joined with the treachery oiTennes^ ftnick fuch terror into the SidonianSj that five hundred more of the citizens, all men of rank, went out to throw tbemfelves at their enemy's feet, and implore his mercy, with all the refpe6t and fubmiflion imaginable. Ochusy on feeing them, a(ked Tennes^ whether it was in his power to put him in pofiefHon of the city ; for he was unwilling to take it upon treaty, being b^t on the utter ruin of the 5/- (ioniansy in hopes that fuch an inftance of feverity would piake the other Phoenicians voluntarily fubmit. Tennes afTured him, he could deliver the city into his hands when- ever he plcafed : whereupon Ochus caufed the five hundred dtizens, though they were come out with olive-branches |n their hands, as badges of fubmiflion, to be (hot with dafts upon the fpot. After this, Ochus and Tennes marched at the head of the Perfian army towards the city ; and were admitted without the leaft oppofition, by Mentor and the Greek mercenaries, to whom Tennes^ in leaving the city, had delivered up one of the gates for that end. The Sido'- niansy on the approach of Ochus*s army, had defignedly -• ^ burnt all their ihips, to prevent any one's withdrawing n ' ? himfelf from the defence of his country. And therefore, j finding themfelves thus betrayed, and the enemy within the Bcf . Chr walls, without any means left them to make their eftapc, -\,, ' cither by fea or land, they (hut themfelves up with their
V^ives
• The Hiflary of the Phoeniciansr B* l
wives and children in their houfes, and, fetting fire to them,. confumed themfelves, to the number of forty thouiand, and the moft valuable things they had, in the flames. Tetnus met with no better fate than his fubje£ts ; for Ochusj feeing he could do him no further fervice, and detefting in his heart the treachery of the man, caufed his throat to be cut^ left he fhould outlive the ruin which he himfelf had brought upon his country. As Sidon was, at that time, in a very flourifhing condition, and the moft wealthy city ofPheenice; a vaft quantity of gold and fdver was melted down by the flames, and found in the afhcs, which Ochus fold for great fums of money. The ruin, and total deftru£lion, ofSiJiB terrified the other cities oiPhcenia tofuch a degree, that they all voluntarily fubmitted to the conqueror, each of them making peace with the king upon the beft terms thcjr could. Neither was Ochus unwilling to compound with them, that he might be no longer retarded from putting in execution the delign he had upon Egypt • And thus all Phcenice was again broucrht under ^t Per/tan yoke^ ; and the prophecies of If at ah i, feremiah k, Ezekiei*y and Zf* chiiriah "*, touching the deftruition oiSidoriy fulfilled. .
After Tennes^ reigned Strata \ for fiich of the 5/ii- nlans^ as, by being abfent on traflick at fea, or on other occafions, had efcaped the mafTacre, returning home after Ochus was gone back into Perfia^ rebuilt the city ; but ever afterwards bore an immortal averfion to the Perfian name. No wonder then, if, a few years after, they fo readily fub- mitted to Alexander the Greats and fo greedily embraced that opportunity of (baking off the yoke they groaned un- der. For the Sidcnians are counted among the firft in thofe parts, who fent embafl'adors to Alexander^ as he marched through Pha^mce, to make their fubnniffion to him. Strata^ it fcems, did not approve of this refolution, but could not prevent it, the citizens being obftinately bent
f againft the Pcrfians, For we arc told, that Mexanaer de- prived him of the crown, becaufe he fubmitted at the in- ftigation of the citizens, and not of his own accord ". 7l^
r» opompusy as quoted by Athenaus o, gives him the charaSer of a moft lewd and voluptuous prince ; and tells us in
■^ particular, that, in order to afTcmble the women, and have thereby an opportunity of choofing the moft beautiful for
*" DioD. Sic. I. xvi. p. 551—533. * Ifa. xxiii. ^ Jeren. xlvii. 1 Ezck. xxviii. and xxxii. » Zcch. ix.
n Curt. I.iv. c. 2. Justik. l.xi. c. 10. & DiOD. Sic, l.xvii. • AiHE.N.l. xii. c. 13.
CVL Tie Hijiory cf fbe VhasniosM. ^Sj
his own ufe, he inftituted publick fports for them, confift- ing chiefly in dancing and Tinging, wherein fuch as excelled the others were amply rewarded. £Uan P fays, he died an unnatural death. Of one Strata^ king of Sidon^ St. Jerom^, relates, that, having adhered to the king of Egypt againft the Perjians^ and finding himfelf in danger of falling into the hands of an enemy, from whom he had no reafon to exped any favour, he refolved to prevent the impending calamity, by laying violent hands on himfelf; but, fainting in the execution of his defign, his wife, who was prefent, fnatching, with a manly refolution, the fword out of his hand, freed him from that perplexity, by putting firft him, and dien hcrfelf, to death, without fliewing the leaft con- cern. But d^e circumfVances of this king's death, if true, pl^nly fliew, that he was not the fame perfon whom Jlex- ander the Great ftript of his dominions, on account of his attachment to the Perfian intcreft. This Strato^ king of Sidoriy is alfo mentioned by Maximus Tyrius r,
Str ATo was fucceeded by Ballonymus^ of whofe afTum- Ballony- ption to the throne we have the following account fromn^us- ■ Diodorus '. Alexander^ having depofed StratOy gave /£r- phaftio power to beftow the crown of Sidon upon which of his friends he pleafed. Whereupon Hephajiio named to the royal dignity one of the chief citizens, in whofe houfe he then lodged, and was fplendidly entertained ; de- firing him to accept of it as a pledge of his friendfhip, and an acknowlegement of the many favours he had received in his houfe. The citizen, not at all dazled at the fight of a crown, returned his generous gueft a thoufand thanks \ but at the fame time earneflly begged, he would excufc him from aiTuming a dignity to which he had no title, as not being of the royal family. Hephajiio was not a little fur- prifed at this anfwer ; but, finding the Sidonian to be in earnefl, defired he would name fome one of the royal race to be invefled with the dignity himfelf had refufed. Upon this he named Ballonymus^ a man of an unblcmifhed cha- racter, but fo poor, that he was reduced to live in a very obfcure condition, and to maintain himfelf with his daily labour. However, his poverty, and mean condition, were no objcftion to Hephajiio^ who immediately difpatched a mefTcnger to him with the royal robes, and tidings of his elevation to the throne. The melFenger found him all in rags, and working in a garden as a common labourer. He
' ^LiAK. var. bift. 1. vii. c. 2. ^ Hier. contra
Jovian. Ir^l. >^ Ma:)c.Tyr. ferm, iy; * Ubifupr,
was
Sle Hifiory of the Phoenicians. B. I.
was aAually employed in drawing water out of a well, when the mefleneer acquainted him with his aflixmptioii to the throne, and cloathed him with the royal robes. He accepted, without more ado, the new dignity ; and, pro- ceeding with the meflenger towards the city, was there re- ceived by Hiphaftioy with all the marks of diftin£lion due to his character, and by him introduced into the forum^ where, among the joyful fhouts of the people who were extremely pleafed with this eledion, he was proclaimed king oi Sidon^. The fai*ie occurrence is related, with fome fmall variation of circumftances, by Plutarch^, CuT' tius u, and Juftln *. Plutarch calls this king jflynomuu Curtius Abdolomius ; and ytijiin Abdalominus, Plutarch makes him king of Paphus ^ and Diodorus^ both him and his predeceflbr, kings of Tyre. But, in this par- ticular, we have abandoned him, to follow the current of moft writers, who place both Strato and Balbnymus (as Diodorus calls him) among the kings of Sidon. All we know of his reign is, that, to the laft, he proved fkidh ful to the Macedonians^ to whom he was indebted for hb crown. And now, that we have brought the kings of Sidon down to the conqueft of Phoenice by Xh^ Macedonians^ let us turn back to the kings of Tyre.
Kings of Tyre.
We are left quite in the dark as to the feries of the kings who reigned at Tyre before Abibal^ with whom 7#- fephus and Theophilus Antiochenus begin the fucceffion they have furniflied us with from Menander the Ephejian^ and Diusy both authors, as Jofephus calls them 7, of unqueftion- able credit. Dius^ who was by birth a Phoenician, wrote the hiftory of Tyre, extraSed from the public records, which were carefully prefcrved in that city. And Me- nander compiled the lives and aftions of princes, both Greet ^Jii Barbarian^ as the fame Jofephus tells us*, from the pub- lic archives of the places he treats of.
The firft king of Tyre^ mentioned by thefe hiftorians,
as quoted by Jofephus and Theophilus^ is Abibal, as Jofepbm
f calls him a, or AbeimaU as he is named by Theophilus b. As
d to his adions, and years of his reign, we are left quite in
the dark. He was contemporary with David, and pro-
r. bably joined with the neighbouring nations againft him,
^ DicD. Sic. ibid. '^ Plutarch de fortuna Alexandri.
-^i. ii. » Curtius,!. iv. c. 2. ^ Justin. 1. xi.
c. lo. y JosEPif, contra Apion. I. i. » Idem
ibid. a Jdeni ibid. "• Theopiiil. A)»tioch. 1. 3»
3 fuwc
CVI. The Hifidry of the ?hosmasiis. 365
fince David counts the inhabitants of Tyre among his ene- mies ^
Abibal was fucceeded by his fon Hiram^ whom The-Hinm^ tphilus calls fometimes Hieromus^ and fometimea Hierome- y ^^ nus ; Jofephus^ Hiram and Irom i Tatian and Zonaras^ Chi-" ^^^ ramus. This prince maintained a ftri£l friendfhip with i^oz. king Davidy to whom he fent embaffadors, probably, to g^^ q^^^ congratulate him upon his viftory over the Jebufitesy whom j 046. he had juft then driven from the ftronghold of Zion^ and ^ to conclude an alliance with him. He prefented him with cedar-trees, and fent (kilful workmen to build him a palace in yerufalem •. And hence he is (aid in Scripture to have, been ever a lover of David^ ; which fhews, that he was not only a faithful ally, but a fincere friend of David's. Upon the death of Davidy and the fucceffion of Solomon to the throne, the affection Hiram had ever maintained for the father, prompted him to fend a gratulatory embafly to the fon, upon the news of his acceffion to the govern- ment, expreffing great joy to fee it continued in the family. Upon the return of theie embaffadors, Solomon embraced the occafion, and wrote a letter to Hiram^ in thefe terms :
King Solomon to king Hi ram j greeting.
Be it kno%vn to thee, O kingy that my father David had it € long time in his mindy to ereff a temple ta the Lord ; butf. being perpetually in war^ and under a necejjity of clearing his hands of his enemies^ and making them all his tributa- rieSy before he could attend this great and holy worky he hath left it to mcy in time of peace ^ both to hcgin^ and to finifl) it^ according to the direlfiony as well as the prediSIiony of AL- MIGHTY God, BleJJedbe his great name^ for the pre^ fent tranquillity of my dominions I a7id by his gracious afftfl' ancCy I Jhall now dedicate the bejl improvements of this liberty and leifure to his honour and worjlnp. Wherefore I make it my requefty That you will let fome of your people ^o along with fome fervants of mine ^ to mount Libanus, to ajjiji them in cutting down materials towards thh building j for the SI* donians under/land it much better than we do. As for the V}orkmens reward^ or wages y whatever you thifik reafonai>ii Jhall be pwiSfually paid them,
Hiram was much pleafed with Solomuns letter, and returned him the follow anfwer :
** Pfal. Ixxxiii. 7. * 2 Sam. v. xi. and i Chr. xiv. 1.
f I Kings V. I.
356 The Hiftory of the Phoenicians. B. L
King Hiram to king Solomon*
Nothing could have been more welcome to me^ than to wr- derjland^ that the government of your hlejfed father is di-' volvedy by GocTs providence^ into the hands offi excellent^ fi wifsy ondfo virtuous a fucceffor : His holy natne be praijed for it ! That which you write for Jhall be done with all cart and good will : for 1 will give order to go down^ and export fuch quantities of the fairejl cedar s^ ana cyprefs-trees, asytu Jhall have occajionfor. My people jhall bring them to the fea- fide for you^ and from thence Jhip them away to what part you pleafe^ where they may lie ready for your own men to tranjport them to Jerufalem. It would be a great obli^a- tiony after all thisy to allow us fuch a provifion of corn in exchange^ as may Jland with your convenience ; for that is the commodity we iflandcrs want mojl g. . .
JosEPHUs aflures us, that the originals of thefe letter* were extant in his time, both in the yewi/h and Tyrian records ** (B). And they are intirely agreeable with what is delivered in Scripture upon the fame fubje£l *. Solomon was highly pleafed with Hiram's anfwer, and, in return for his generous offers, ordered him a yearly prefent of twenty thoufand meafures of wheat, and twenty meafures of pure oil ^. Befides the cedar-wood, and other materiab for the building of the temple, Hiram fent to Solomon a man, who was very famous in Tyre^ for working in gold,, filver, and other metals, to aflift and dircft him in that great undertaking '. Neither did Hiram's friendfliip and kind- Dcfs towards Solo?non ftop here ; for he not only fumiihed him with the choiceft wood from mount Libanusy and able archited^s and workmen, but moreover advanced him I20
t Joseph. 1. viil. c. 2. ^ Idem ibid. ' i Kiogi
V. 2, & feqq. ^ i Kings v. 1 1. ^ i Chron. ii. 13,
(B) But it is pretty odd, that nicians and Tyrians .... That
Eufibius [ I ), who calls this king the archited he fent him was a
Surortf (hould give us this letter Tyrian by birth ; but that by
with fo much variation from the mother's iide he was de*
Jofephus as he does. He there- fcended of the tribe of David i
in fpecifies, that he had fent to and the like.
SQktnon eighty thoufand Fbce^
' ( i) Prapttr* n/ang, I. ix. p. 449,
talenti
C. VI. ^he H^fiofy of the Phoenicians.' 367
talents of gold, for the finifliing of the fabric »». And S9^ Jomon was not behindhand wm him, in his acknowlege* ments and prefents ; for, befides the yearly fupply of wheat and oil above-mentioned, he beftowed upon him twenty cities in the land of Galilei «, not far from Tyre ; which Siramy upon a view of them (they not being much to his Uking), fairly declined, with a refpe£lful excufe to Solomoity ihat he had no need of thofe cities. From this refi^fal, that part of the country was called Cabul^ that is, difpkajing^.
Hiram proved no lefs ferviceable to Solomon in the Liiilding of his fleet, than in perfecting the grand work of the temple. For he no fooner heard that Solomon de* figned to build a fleet at EUth and Ezion-geber (two fca- port towns on the Red Sea) in order to carry on a trade fiom thence to Ophiry but he generoufly fumifhed him with as many builders and (hipwrights as he had occafton for : and, after having thus affifled him in building, fitting, and rigging out of his navy, he fent him expert pilots, and flcil- fuimariners, to conduct his fleets to the land of Ophtr ; the Syrians being in thofe days, and for many ages after, the moft experienced of all men in fea affairs P.
Dius, as quoted by Jofepbus% tells us, that the love of wifdom was the chief inducement to that tendernefs of friendfhip betwixt Solomon and Hiram ; that they inter- •changed certain riddles to be unfolded, upon condition, ihat he who felled of the folution, fhould incur a forfeiture ; and that Hiram^ finding the queflion too hard for him, paid the penalty. But one Abdemonus^ a Tyriany refolved the faid quefllon, and propofed new ones to SolomoH^ upon the penalty of paying fo much to Hiramy if he did not un- cypher them.
The kingdom ofTyre was in a very flourlfhing condi- tion under this prince. He repaired and improved divers cities in the eafrern parts of his dominions ; inlarged Tyre^ and, by the help of a dam, joined it to the temple of the Olympian yupiter, flanding in an ifland. In this temple h© -dedicated a golden pillar to Jupiter. He built two temples, one to Herculesy another to J/larte ; and beautified them with rich donatives. To Hercules he alfo eredled a flatue, and is faid to have repaired the temples of other gods, and enriched them with offerings to a very great value r. i/;-
^ I Kings ix. 14. » i Kings ix, 11. and Joseph, ubi
fupra. <> I Kings ix. 13. and Josiph. ubi fupra. P i Kings ix. 27. and 2 Chron. viii. 18. and Joseph, ubi fupra. ' Jo- seph, ubi fupra, &1. i. contra Apion. ' Menand. Ephet; k Divs, apud Joseph, ubi fupra.
X ram^
%.
l6S fie Hi^oty df the PhoeAieblte. B. t
r€itnj it feems, was rather a religious, than a wariike prince; for the only militanr expedition we read of, during hi» reign, is that which ne andertook againft the Efceansj wfao refofed to pay him a certain tribute that was doe to hiniy but were reduced iti a very (hort tiifie^ •
It is related bv Tatian^ bom ThetrdatttSy HjJUraies^ and
Mochus^ diree Phoenician hiftoHans, tfiat kifig Hiram ^tve
his daughter in marriage to Sebmon: he adds, that by her
Solomon was induced to worihip AJhteroth^ the goddefs of
the '-i^oniansK Hiram Ihred 53 year^^ and reigrfed 34*.
Saleazar. He was fucceeded by his foil BalemiAr, Baua/larhts or
Year of Bazor, as Theophilus calls him, who reigned fcren years,*
flood accorcting tojofephusi arid fevcntecn^ according to Tbeofbi'
'33^- lus y and died in the forty-third year of Iris age ^. .
Bef. Chr. Abdastartus, the ton oi Bdleazar^ fucceededt his fe-
■^' ^' ther; and died, according to Jofephusi in the twentieth year
V|OC^ of his life, and the ninth of his reign* Theophilus fays, he
. ' died at the age of fifty-four^ after having refgned tweht
years. This prince was murdered by his nurfe's fbtir fons,
and the eldeft of them ufurped the kingdom^ and governed
twelve years-
Aftartas. Astartus, the brother o{ Abdaftartusy recovered the
tbmne to his family, Hired fixty-fix years, and reigned
twelve.
Aftarimus After him came his brother Aftarimnsi wlio lived, if
we believe JofephuSy fifty- four years, and reigAed twelve.
Theophilus calls him Atharymusy and fays that he lived fifty-
cieht years. He was murdered by his brother PA^/frj",
who took the government upon him in the fiftieth ycarrf
his age.
Phelles. Phelles^ or^ Z9 Theophilus t2&% Vimy HelleSy did noC
long enjoy the throne he had ufurped, by fo bafe and
wicked an aft, being murdered in die eighth month of his
reign ^ by
Ithobal. Ithobal^ whom Theophilus mmes J tithohal^ fon fe
Year of Aftariniusy and chief-prieft of the goddefs AJlarte ; Which
flood dignity was next to that of the king. Ithobal lived to dw
1052. age of fixty-eight years, and ruled thirty-two, fays ^'tf/*-.
Bef. Chr. phus : but if we credit Theophtlusy he lived but forty years,
^ 1296. and reigned but twelve. He is called in Scripture Eth'
' baaly and filled king of the Sidonians *. ^ofephus p\'CS
^ Tatian. orat. contra Graecos. t Thboph. Aktioc*
1. iii. o Joseph. 1. i. contra Apion. Josbph, SiThbopH.
ubi fupra. x | Kings xvi. 31.
C VL the Hijiory vf the Phoenicians. 369
him the title of king of Tyre and SidonY. Whence it is- blsun, diat in PtMaaFs time^ Sid^n was fubjeft to Tyre. When l^t fubje£tion Began, is uncertain; for, even in king KranCi dme^ the Tyrians were^ in all probability, mafters of Sidon ; fince Solomon^ in the beginning of his reign, ap^ plied to IjSram for workmen of Sidon^ who were famous for their fldll in hewing of timber ^. Ithobal built Botrys m Pbaenice^ and Auzatei in AfricK Jezebel^ king Jha^s wife (wKom we (hall have occafion to mention hereafter}, was daughter to this prince. Menandery as quoted by Jo- Jethusj tells us, that in the thne e/'Eth-baal king of lyrcy there was an extreme drought for want ofrain^ that lofted from the month Hyperberetaeus, //// the fame month next year* There were prayers indeed^ fays he, put up for the averting of the judgment^ which were' followed by mighty tlaps of thunder^. This was undoubtedly the drought un- der Ahal'y for it was in hi^ reign that Eth-baal was king of Tyre.
After him his fcm Badezor (who is called by Theopbi* Bade2or« ./kt, Bakor) reigned, according to Jofephusj fix years, and lived forty-*five. Theophilus fays, he reigned feven.
His {onJkfeitinus fucceeded him ; and reigned nine years, Mettinus. fkys Jofephus ; twenty-nine, (ays Theophilus. He died in the thirty-fecpnd year of his age, leaving behind him two Ions, Pygmalion and Barca^ and as many daughters, Eli fa and 4^na.
Pygmalion afcehded the throne on the death of hispygmali- f&ther Mettinusy being at that time, as we ate told by on. Jtiftin c, very young j that is, fixteen^ according to the computation of Jofephus^ who fuppofes him to have lived fifty-fix years, and reigned forty <J. It was in the feventh year of his reign that his fifter kUfa^ called alfo Dido^ fly- ing from Tyre^ built Carthage in Jfric. The occafion of her flight is commonly related thus : Pygmalion^ covet- ing the immenfe riches of his uncle Sichaus^ who was a pheft of Hercules^ and had married his fifter Elifa^ deter* n^ined, by foihe means or other, to make them his own. £ut as that could not be efie£ted fo long as Sichaus was alive, he invited him one day to hunt with him ; and while thofe who attended him were engaged in the purfuit of a wild boar, ran him through with his fpear ; and then throw.
y Joseph, antiq. 1. viii. c. 7. & 1» ix. c. 6. * 1 Kings
V. 6. a Menand. £ph£s. apud Joseph, antiq. 1. viii.
c. 7. •> Idem ubi fupra. ^ Justin, hb.xviii.
* Joseph, contra Ap, 1. i.
Vol. IL a ^ ijig
9T;t Hijiorj cf the Phomknns. i. t
ing him down a prccipker, give out, that the faD had 1)eea the occafion of his death, jojlin and Vlrpl &y, that Af^ malion barbaroufly murdered nis unde at the anar^. K^ however that be, he reaped no fruit from his wklEed at- tempt, being difappointcd when he Icafl expected it, by the prudent and artfiil condud of his Hiler EUJd ; idio^ at ihe was a woman of great (agacity and penetration, wid knew what had prompted him to the murder <Sf hsx hut band ; but at the fame time concealing her thmi^ts wtdi an artful diflimulation, fhewed.the fame kindnefs and efteem for him, as though fhe had not entertained the leaft fufpi- cion of him. In the mean while, having formed a defign of leaving T^re^ and (aving both herfelf and the treafures of her deceafed hufband, from the cruel avarice of Pygma- lion ; under pretence of retiring to Charta or Chartaca^ a final! city between B'tdon and Tyrcy as if to live tfiere with her brother Barca^ fhe defired Qie king to fumifli her with men and (hipf to convey thither her efFe6b. The cx>vetous prince looked upon this as a fair opportunity of fe^iK at laft what he had for fo long a time eamefUjr de&ed, though always in vain ; becaufe SUhausy who was dio* roughly acquainted with his nephew's avaritious tiemper, had taken care to conceal his riches under-ground. With this view Pygmalion willingly granted Elija her demands > which he foon repented ; for, as fhe was affifled by her* brother S^rc^, and feveral fenators, who were priVy to her true defign, and engaged to follow her at all adventures; her treafures were put on fhip-board, and the fleet out of fight, before Pygmalion was apprifed of her refolutlon. We are told, that, feeing himfelf thus deluded by a woman, and the vaft riches which he deemed already fecured in his own. coffers, fnatched, by fuch a cunning device, out of hk hands, he ordered a fleet to be fitted out witfi all poffibfe expedition, in order to purfue the fugitives ; but was pre* vented by the tears of his mother, and the threats of an oracle. The firft place our adventurers put into was the ifle of Cyprusy from whence they carried off a great tium- ber of young women, a commodity they wanted moft of all, fmce their defign was to plant a new colony. P>om Cyprus they fteercd their courfe for the coafls of JfriCf Where they put an end to their voyage; and being kindly entertained by the inhabitants of Uticay a Tyrian colonel laid the foundations of Carthage ; a city, which, in after- ages, became fo powerful, both by fea and land, as to con-
« Justin. 1. xviii. C..4. ViRC. i iEneid. vcr. 348—350^ 3 tend
*
C. VI. SHe Wfiory ef the Phcenkians. 371
tend with Rome for the empire of the world K From Barca fprang the illuftrioiis family of the Barca in Afric^ which produced manv celebrated heroes, and among others the great HatmibaL But of the Carthaginian afiairs hereafter : fct us now return to Phcenice, Pygmalion is faid by ^te^ fhanus to have built the city of Carpajia in the ifland of Cyprus. He fent to the temple of Arcules^ ftanding in the ifland of Gades^ a rich donative, being die figure of an olive-tree, of maffive gold, and of moft exquiflte and curi- ous workmanfliip ; its berries, which were of emerald, bearii^ a wonderous refemblance with the natural fruit of that tree 8.
The next king of Tyre we find/mentioned in hiftory, isElulseus. £luLeuSj who reigned in the time of Shalmanefer king; of jfffyria. This prmce, feeing the Philijiines brought low by the war, which Hezikiah had made upon them, laid hold of the opportunity of reducing Gath^ which had fome time before revolted from the Tyrians. Whereupon the Gittitety applying to Sbalmane/ery engaged him in their caufe ; fo that he marched at the head of a powerful army into Phoenice'i but, upon the conclufion of a^peace between him and ElulauSy he withdrew his troops, and retired. Not long after Sidon^ Arce^ Palatyrm^ and feveral other ma- ritime towns of Photnice^ revolting from the Tyrians^ pro- claimed Shalmanefer their king. Upon this, a new war be- Year of ing kindled between the Tyrians and AJJyrians^ Shalmanefer^ i)^^ flood highly provoked againft the 73'^'^^^> the only people in 1631. Phaenice thatdifputed his power and authority, refolved toBef. Chr. ufc his utmoft endeavours towards the reducing of their 717. city : and therefore, befides his land-forces, he ordered a V^V'vJ fleet of fixty fail to be fitted out againfl them. But the fleet was encountered and difperfed by the Tyrians with only twelve veflels, and five hundred of the rowers were taken prifoners. This vidlory gained the Tyrians fuch a reputation for naval affairs, that Shalmanefer^ dreading to engage them a fecond time at fea, turned the wax* into a iiegc, and, leaving the army to block up the city, returned into Ajfyria. The forces he left behind him reduced the place to great flreights, by flopping the aquedufts, placing guards by the fprings, and cutting ci^ all the conveyances
^ JVSTIN. I. XViii. C, 4. EuSTATH. inDlONYS. VlLLEIUS,
vol. ii. Orosius, 1. iv. c. 2. Appianui de bell. Pun. \a\\.
decad. iv. 1. iv. Servius in lib. iv. i£neid. Joseph, ubi •
fupra, &c. i Philostrat. in vita Apollonii, 1. v. c. i.
A a 2 >of
. * .
37* ^e Hipry df the VhaenKktis. B,L
of water. However, by digging of wells within the city, they found fome relief in their diftrefs, which enabled them to hold out for the fp2u;e of five years ; at the end of which,^ Shalmanefer dying, the fiege was raifed K Elulaus reigned thirty years. Ithoballl. It hob al Ii» reigned in the time oiNebuchadnexzar king Year of ^^ Babylon^ who laid fiege to the city of Tyre<^ ijrfiich kept the flood ^^ migftty monarch, that king of kings^ as the prophet I -5- ^ Ezeklel ftiles him >, employed for thirteen years together ^ : Bcf. Chr.'^*^'^ was the power of die Tyrians at that time. We have ^ 8 J . the defcripdon of the fiege in E%eklel 1, who mendons a fort ^^"Vv^ raifed againft the place, a moimt caft up, and engines of war creftcd to batter down its walls. At lafl Nebuchad- nezzar ^ zSt'^ii a fiege of thirteen years continuance, made himfclf mafter of the city ^ but as moft part of the citizens had retired, with all their efFe£h, elfewhere, before he en- tered the city, he had nothing but an empty town for his pains, as is plain from the Scripture, where it is faid, Nt- Yaar of buehadnezzar king of Babylon caufedhis army to ferve a great the ^Qod fervice agatnji Tyrus , ... yet had he no wages j nor Ins 1776. army ^ for Tyrus. Therefore, finding himfelf thus difap- Bcf. CJir. pointed, he vented his rage upon the buil(Ungs, and the few 57^- • ^ inhabitants who Were left, rafmg the town to the ground, * and putting all he found in it to the fword. To this deplora^ ble condition was Tyre reduced by the Babylonians j and the fe\'ere prophecies, foretelling the overthrow of that city, plainly fulfilled ». Ithobal^ in whofe reign happened the deftruftion of Tyre^ was, according to the charader the prophet gives hirti ", a moft proud, arrogant, and affuming prince J pretended to know all fecrets, to be as wife as Daniel^ and even went fo far as to rank himfelf among the gods ; which brought that heavy judgment upon him. Be- caufe thou hajl fet thine heart as the heart of Gou ; beholdy therefore, I will bring Jiraztgers upon thee — they /hall bring thee down to the pit, and thou /halt die the death of then that are /lain in the midjl of thefeas ^. From whence we may conclude, that in this war he was flain by the Jj/yrians,
As it is plain from Scripture, that Nebuchadnezzar ut- terly deftroyed the city of Tyre, which he found empty ; and as, on the other hand, we are told by the Phoenician
^ Joseph, andq. I. ix. c. 14, ^ Ezek. xxvi. 7. *Phi* tosTRATus apod Jofeph. andc[. 1. x. c. 1 1. & l.Lcontr. ApioD. • ' Ezek. xxvi. 8, & (eq. ^ Jerem. xxix. 22. xxvii. 3.
xlvii. 4: Ezek. xxvi. 3. Amosi. 9, 10. Joeliii.4. ^ Ezek. xxviii. 3, 4. 0 Idem ibid. ver. 6, 7, 8.
hiftoriansy
C. VL ^be Hijlory of tbi Phoenicians. 373
hiftorians, that Ithobal was fucceeded in the kingdom of
Tyre by Baal^ and Baal by feveral temporary magiiftrates o ;
it is very probable, that the inhabitants ot Tyre retreated
with their cffefts, before Nebuchadnezzar got poffefHon
of the city, to an ifland about half a mile dittant from the
Ihore, where they built themfetves i^ new city ; which,
after the deftru£tion of the old town, fubmitted to Nebu^
€hadnezzar^ who thereupon appointed Baal to be kiilgBaal.
under him ; but, upon BaaFh dead), in order to make the
government more dependent on the Affyriansy changed the
royaj dignity into that of temporary magiftratcs, called
fuffetes (C), ox judges \ a name well known among the
Carthaginians y who were originally Tyrianty and whofc
chief magiftratcs were cdXiti Juffetes P.
Baal reigned ten years, anoupon his death the follow- Tyre go-
mg judges had the government of thfe city, viz. Ecmbal^ tverned by
the fon of Basbech^ two months; ChelbeSy the fon of judges.
AhdauSy ten months; the high-prieft Abbar^ three months ; Year bf
A^tgonus or Myitonus and GeraftuSy the fons oi Abdelimusy the flood
iix years *J. After Tyre had been thus governed for fome ^1^^-
years by judges, the i'oyal dignity was reftored, and ^^ ^^-
* Balator created king; but both heand his fucceffors 5^^*
'were intirely dependent of, and tributaries to the Afyrians^ pO^**^
for the fpace of feventy years ; which being expired, they ^7^^^
^ recovered, according to the prophecy of Ifaiah '^, their y^ /.
antient liberty, and former privileges; of which in its pro- ^^^ g^.
per place. Balator reigned but one year. j.
Upon his death the Tyrians invited Merbal from Baby- gcf. Chr
^/7, who reigned four years/ -^5
Merbal was fucceeded by his brother Jr$my who o-W>
reigned twenty years In the fourteenth year of /r<7///8 Merbal.
I^eign, CyruSy according to the Phoenician annals, made Irom.
k'mfelf mafter of the Perfian empire «. Year of
Several years after Irom reigned Marten the fon of the flood
' Sirom. He ferved in Xerxes's navy againft the Greeks; .'797-
;ind with the other commanders, advifed him to engage the ^^^* ^^^^•
551.
^ Vide Joseph. 1. i. contra Apion. ' Liv. 1. xxviii. xxx. ^^''""^^ xxxiv. ^ Joseph, ib, >rl{a. jgdii. 15, 17. »Joseph. 1, i. Ycarof
contra Apion. ^^^ ^^^^4
1868.
(C) " Suffefes had its '• whereby the chief govemori ^^^- ^^^'
V derivation from the Hebrenji; " of Ifraelvitv^ caRed for fen 4^^-
<'• vford/hophetimy i.e. judges; <* vera! generations,befofe they ^^^J""^'"'^'^^
«< v^hich was the ytry name ** had kii^s (i).'* Marten.
A 9. 3 GyfikJi
*»
Tbi Hijlory of the PhoenSdafis. B. I.
Grecian fleet at Sdlamis \ l^he Tyriansj as JweXL as the other Phcenuiansy were, at this time, as may be gathered from Herodotus J tributaries to the Perjians^ though under a king of their own ; being greatly favoured by th6 Perfian monarchs^ in confideration of the feivices they rendered them in their naval ex:peditions.
About this time reigned Strata ^ whofe accefEon to the throne is related hyyujiin u thus : The (laves, who were then v^y numerous at Tyre^ having fcrmed a confpiracy againil their mafters, miirdered them all in one n^ht (except Strata^ whom his flave fecretly fayed) ; and, taking poflcf- fion of the city, married their miftrefles, and put all the others to the fword, who were not of their own race. Having thus not only recovered their liberty, but made themfelves abfolute lords of tie ftate, they refolve to create a king out of theif own body ; and unanimoufly agree, that he Ihould be raifed to that dignity, a$ being the xpoft ac* ceptable to the gods, who Ae next morning (hould firft fee the rifm^ fun. In purfuance of this refolution and agreement, they appointed to meet about midnight in ai open field, lying on the eaft fide of the city, and there, with one accord, beftow the crown upon die perfon to whom the fun fhould {hew himfelf firft. In the meaa time. Strata^ flave, havfaig imparted the whole matter to his matter, whom he kept carefiiUy concealed, was by him inftrufted to turn himfelf, not to the eaft, as th^ others would probably do ; but to the weft, and there keep his eyes fixed on the top of the higheft tower of the city- The flave obeyed his maftef's dire<Stions, and was therefore looked upon by the whole multitude as no better than a mad-man; it feeming to them very ftrar^ge, that a man ftiould look for the rifing fun in the weft. But diey were foon made fenfible of their error ; for while the others flood gazing towards the eaft, in expeftation of feeing the fun appear. Strata's flave fliewed them the high edifices of 4c city already illuminated with his rays : whereupon he w« highly applauded by his companions, and eagerly prefled to name the perfon to whom he was indebted for fuch a wife thought -, which they could not afcrihe to him, or any other flave. He refufed at firft to gratify their curio* fity ; but at laft, upon promife of impunity for himfelf and the perfon he fhould name, he owned, that, out of com- paf&on and gratitude toward his mafter, who had always
« Herod. I. vi. c. 98. Sc L viii. c. 67. • Justus
h xviii. c. 3.
treated
C VI;" ^e Hilary of ibe PhcenioMis. 3 75
trea^ted him with great humanity aiid kindnefs, he had laved both him and his fon in the common nufiacre, and a<^ed in the aiFair th^ were fo inquiiitive about, accordji^ to his dii^d^ons. 7 he multitude, hearing this, not only pardoned the ^ve, but, looking upon the mailer as one preferved bj a particular providence of the gods, imme- diately proclaimed him their king. This is all we know of Strata.
Upon his death, his fon was placed on the throne ; zrA the kingdom of Tyre was enjoyed by his defcendants ^, among whom, the only one we find mentioned in hiftory is Axtlmic^ in whofe reign happened the memorable fi^eAzdrnJc. and reduiStion of that city by Alexander the Great y. We may judse of its flouriflung condition at that time, from A
the ftancT it made againft that victorious prince, ilnce it flopped the courfe of his whole army full feven months. As die conqueror approached the territories of Tyre^ thp Syrians fent out embafladors to meet him (amongft w]join was the king's own fon) with prefents for himfelf, and pro^ vifions for his army : but when he defired to enter the city, under pretence of offering facrifice to Hercules^ thejr reiufed him admittance ; which provoked Alexander •y now flufhed with fo many viftories, to fuch a degree, that he refolved to ftorm the city, and enter it by force. On the oriaer hand, the Tyriani^ not at all terrified by Alexander^ % Tyre Ar* threats, detentiined to ftand it out to the lafl. What ^v^'fi^g'd hy couraged^hem to this refolution was the ftrength of the ^'^^^^^^^ place, and the confidence they had in the Carthaginians^ Year of their allies. The city then ftood on an ifland half a mile the flood diftant from the fljore; was furrounded with a ftrong wall 2^15,. an hundred and fifty feet high, and was ftored with great JBcf. Chr. plenty of provifions, and all forts of warlike machine : 333. befides, the Carthaginians^ who were a powerful ftate, and then mailers of the feas, had promifed to fend them fuccours during the war. What animated the Tyrians to ftand a fiege, gave Alexander jao fmall uneafinefe in the undertaking and carrying it on. For be could no other* wife make his approaches to it, than bv carrying a mole or caufey from the continent to tlie.iilana on y^ich the city ftood. This grand work he undertook; and, as he waa^ refolved at any rate to reduce the city, he accomplifhed it at laft, maugre the innumerable, and almoft infurmount'^ able difficulties he met with in.fo bojid an attempt. He was ^fted in raifmg the JX\ole (which was two hundred
> Idem ibid. . ^ Arrianvs^ 1« xu
A^ 4 fict
The Hijlory of the Phoenician^ ' %\
feet in breadth) by the inhabitants of the ne^bouring cities, who were ail called in on this occafiotr; a^dfuj^ plied with ftones from the ruins of old Tyrt^ gnd wrai timber from mount Lihanus. T^h^Tyrians at ftrft looked upon this undertaking as a rafli and- de(per&te attempt, which could never be.^tended with any fuccefe: and therefore, from their ihips, laughing at the king, aiked him, whether he believed himfelf to be gfe^ter dSn Ne^ tune ? But, feeing the mole, contrary to their cjqpcdation, beginning to appear above water, they refplve<f, for fear of the worft, to fend their wives and children, and fiicha^ were not fit for fervice, to Carthage ; but were prevented by the arrival of Alexander*^ fleet from Cyprus. Neither could the Carthaginians afEft them with the promifed fuc- cours, being detained at home by domeftic troubles. However, the Tyrians fainted not jin the refolution of fiand- ing to their defence ; firft from their fhips, and aftervardsi as the mole was brought nearer the city, from the walk, withfliowers of arrows, darts, ftones, 6fr. wherewith Acy made a moft dreadful havock of die Macedonians^ who were employed in the work, and expofed wthout any de- fence. But what moft of all difheartened the MacedMianSj was a violent ftorm, which, ariting all on a fudden^ carrie<) away, in great part, the caufey, after it hs^ beei^ widi unwearied labour, and great lofs of men, brought near ^ walls of the city. This unlucky accident perplexed Ale*- ander to iwcii a degree, that he began 'to repent he had undertaken the fiege; and would have fent embailadors to the Tyrians with terms of peace, had he believed they would have hearkened to them. But as they had thrown headlong into the fea the embafl!adors, wno before tbe fiege had , in his name, fummoned them to furrender ; he was afraid thofe he (hould fend now, might meet with ftich like, or more fevere treatment. B«ing therefore diverted, by this apprehenfion, from all thoughts of making up mat* ters, by way of treaty 5 and fully apprifed, that his reputa- tion, and the future progrefs of his arms, intirely depended on the fuccef$ of the prefent undertaking ; he reamimed, with feeming chearfulnefs, the work ; repaired, with in- credible expedition, the breach which the fea had made in the mole ; and, having brought it again almoft home to Ac city, began to- batter it with all forts^ of warlike engines; while the archers and flingers haraflTed, without inter- ruption, thofe who defended it, in order to drive them from their pofts. But the Tyrians flood their ground^ and, by means, of a new contrivance of wheels with many
fpokes^
C. VI. fbe Hifiiny tf tbi Phoenicians. 3 77
fepkesy ^ich, being whirled about with an engine, etth^r inattered in pieces the enemy's darts and arrows, or broke idieir force, covered themfelvqs againll die 2lggr^R>rs, and killed great numbers of diem, without fufiering any con- iideraUe lols on dieir own Ude. But,in the mean time, thp ■wall began to yield to the violence of the rams that battered ' jt night and day without interruption. Whereupon th^ befieged, ietting all hands to work, raifed, in a very (hort time, z new w^, t^en cubits broad, and five cubits diftant frmm the former ; and, by fi}lihg up the empty fpace be- ;tween the two walls with earth and ftones, kept the A//7rf- donians a long while employed, ere they could make, with all their engines, the leaft impreilion on this new piece c^ fortification. However, Alexander^ having joined many of his fhips together, and mounted upon them a vafl number •of battering engines, befides thofe he had already placed \on the mole,''fucceeded at lafl in the attempt, and made a breach an hundred feet wide. But when he came to the afTault, in hopes of breaking into the city over the ruins, the Macedonians^ though encouraged with the prefence of their king, were forced to give ground, and retire with great lofs to their fhips. jflexqnder defigned to renew the attack next morning ; but the breach having been repaired ■by the Tyriansj during the night, he perceived himfelf no further advanced than when he firfl began to batter the "Walls. Hereupon the Macedonian refolved to change his meafures ; ana,having firfl of all brought the mole home to the wall, caufed feveral towers to be built equal in height to the battlements. Thefe towers he filled with the moft |>rave and refolute men of his army, who, purfuant to his <lire£tions, having formed a bridge, ^ith large planks, refl- ing with one ei\4 on the towers, and with the other on the top of the ramparts, endeavoured, fword in hand, to gain the wall ; but could not prevail, being oppofed by the Ty- rians with unparalleled bravery, and weapons, which the Macedonians we^e altogether unacquainted with. Thefe were three-forked hooks, fattened with a cord (one end whereof they held themfelves), which, being thrown at a little diftance, fluck in the enemies targets, andgavis the Syrians an opportunity, either of plucking their targets out of their hands, and by that means eypofing them, without defence, t% fhowers of darts and arrows \ or, if they were unwilling to part with their fhields, of pulling them head** long out of the towers : fome,1)y throwing a kind of fifh- ing-nets upon the Macedonians that were engaged on the bridges, entangled their band^, <b that they could neither
defend
defend thcmfelves, or o£Fend the enemy : others, with loi|g poles, armed with iron hooks, drew them « off the brid|ges, and da&ed their hraias out agaioft the wall, ^r qd die caufey. In the xnean time, a ^reat maay eaginfls, placed on the walls, played, incefiantly, upon the aggretflbrs, wilh maily pieces of red-hot iron, which fwept away in.^fe ranks at once. But what moft of all diiheartened the AA^ udonianSy in the attack, and forced them, at laft^togixreit. over, was, the (corching fand, which the Tyrians^ by a new eontrivaiice, ihowered upon them : for this (and (which was thrown in red-hot mields of iron, or brafs), gettii^ within their breaftplates, and coats of maU, tormented them to fuch a decree, that many, finding no other relief, threw thcmfelves headlong into the iea ; and pthers, dying in the anguifh of inexpreffible torments, ftruck, widi their defperate cries, a terror into all thoie who heard them. This occafioned unfpeakable confiiiion among the aggref> fors, which gave new courage to the Tyrians i who, nov leaving the walls, charged the enemy hand to hand, on his own bridges, with fuch refolution, that Alexander^ feeing his men give ground, thought fit to found the retreat, and, by that means, fave, in fome degree, the reputation ^ \m Macedonians. Such defperate attacks were frequently re* newed by the aggrefTors, and always fuftained with tbe fame unbroken and undaunted courage, by the befiegoL And now Alexander began to entertain fbme thoughts of abandoning the enterprize, and continuing his mardi into Egypt : but, again confidering the dangerous conCequences that muft unavoidably attend fuch a refolution, he iieter^ mined to goon with the fiege, at all adventures, though, of all his captains, none was found, but Amyntas^ whoap^ proved of that determination. Having, therefore, exhortei the diflieartened Macedonians to ftand by him, and infu£e(f into them all the courage he could, he furrounded thecit£ with his fleet, and began to batter it on all fides : in the mean time, a fancy taking the Tyrians, upon a dream (bme of them had, that ^d//9 defigned to forfake them, and go over to Alexander, they fattened his ftatue, with golden chains, to the altar of Hercules, This flatue, or colofitis (for it was of an extraordinary fize), belonged formerly to the city of Gela in Sicily, and was fent from thence by the Carthaginians, when they took Gela, to Tyre, their mother city *. In this Apollo the Tyrians greatly confided ; and therefore, upon the rumour that he was to abandon them^
* Dioo. Sic. 1. xiii. j>. 390.
C. VI. ne Hifiory ^ tU PhcBnidans. 3 ^^
they bad recourfe even to chains, in order to prevent his de- parture : but their utter ruin being already decreed by the true God, and foretold by his prophets ^, the confidence they placed in their idols could not avert the impendiug judgment. .They were deftined to deftru£lion, and deftru- &xoxi was their fate : for AUxanitr ^mn^^^ at laft, battered down the walls, and taken the town by ftorm, after feven months iiege, fully ^ecuted the fentence, which the 7y- rians had, by their pride, and other vices, drawn down upon themfelves and their country. The city was burnt down Tyre /tf** to the ground, and the inhabitants (excepting thofe whomi^v, tini the Sidonians fecrctly conveyed away in thtir fhip^) '^ixtdefiroyid. cither deftroyed, or enflaved by the conqueror, who, upon Yttrof 4)is iirft entering the city, put eight thoufand to the (word, ^ flood caufed two thoufand of thofe he took prifoncrs to be crucc- *^6» iied, and fold the reft, to the number of thirty thoufand^ Brf^OWk £iys^r«a», for flaves. His cruelty towards the two thou^ ^ M^ fand that were crucified, was highly unbecoming a generous ^ conqueror. Alexander treated them thus, for no other rea- son, than becaufe they had fouglu with fuch bravery and refdution in defence of their country ; but, to palhate the true caufe of fo bafe an a£tion, he gave out, that he did it to revenge, upon the prefent Tyriansy the crime which their forefathers committed, when they murdered their mafters, as we have related above ; and that, being flaves by origin, crucifixion was the punifliment due to them. To make this look the more plaufibte, be faved all the defcendants of Straio^ as not being involved in fihat guilt ; and^ among them, king Azelmicy who,^in the beginning of thefiege, was out with his fleet upon a naval expedition, in coi^un- dlion with AutaphradaUs^ the Perfian admiral, bat haid haft- cned home, as foon as he was acquainted with the danger J|^is country. After the city was reduced, he took fan^tuary ' «£ in the temple of Hefcules^ and was not only fpared by the conqueror, but reftored to the throne, ^Sttx AUjutnder ha4 re-peopled the place. For, having thus cleared it of its for* mer inhabitants, he planted it anew, with colonies drawn from the neighbouring places j and thenceforth filled hini- fclf the founder of ^fyre^ a city which he had moft unge- jieroufly deftroyed. Upon taking the city, he unchained jfpQlloj returning him thanks for his intention of coming Qvcr to the Macedonians i offered fatrrfice to Hercules i and,
* I^, xxiii. Ezek. xxvi. xxvii. xxviii.
after
W.I
3«o ^: rbe Hijiory of df Jews B; I;
tr performiDe niany other fuperftitious follies, coittinued inarch into ^gypt K
How Marion came to rule over Tyre^ will be more re- gularly toU hereafter.
Thi kings of Arad. ;
Arad, or Aradus^ had its kings, as well as ^ii/iny
Tyre^ and, perhaps, moft other cities of Phcenice : but we
find three of them only mentioned in hiftory ; viz. Arhal^
his fon Narbaly who ferved uruler Xerxes^ in his great expc-.
Year of *'*''^^ *> ^^^ Geroftratusy who reigned many years after.
the flood ^^ fcrved D^r/^^j againft Alexander^ joining the Perfiai^
20 1 c. ^^^> ^ other Phoenician and Cypriof princes did, till, hear-
BeC Ur. ''^S ^^^ ^9 5/r^7/0 had put a crown of gold upon the heai
332. of Alexander^ and eiven up to him the ifland-city of Aradus^
a^ city of Marathusy on the main land, over-againft it,as^
a^fo, the city of Afariammia^ or Miuriame^ and whatever
elfe belonged to the Aradian dominion ; he thought it mfift
for his intereft to approve, feemingly, at leaft, of what hii
Ton had doae^ and to make his fubmiilion to AUxandtr^
CHAP. VII.
»
^e bijiory of the Jews, from the birth of Abraham to the Babylonifti captivity. -
Jhbnof \[ 71 iT ^ have, in the fecond chapter of the preceding tbtscbap^ VV volume «, carried on the hiftory of the world, and, fir, ^ ^ particularly, of the defcendants of &hem^ ftgm
the flood to the birth of Abraham : and are now to continuft : it in the family of that celebrated patriarch, from that ve- markabie epoch in which he was call^, by the divine pro- vidence, out of his native country, into the Promijedlani^ • %o that fatal one in which his defcendents were^ by the fame divine appointment, expelled out of it, and configned to a fcvere feventy years captivity in Babyhn^for their horrid in- gratitude, obftinate difobedience, and other crying fins
^ Diop. Sic. ad Olymp. iiz. ann. i. Bi^iilrARCH. ia Alexandro. Q^ Curtius, 1. iv. c. 5,6, ii>i5. A1.RIAN.
i. ii. p. 49. Justin 1. xi. c. 40. & 1. ;^viii. c. 34. Joseph. antiq. 1. xi. cap. ultim. * Herodot. I. vii. c. 98,
<* Arrian. de expcd. Alex. Magn. 1. ii pi 1 19. & Curt. l.iv.
C.J, * P. 252, ^fc^.
• and
C.VIi. to ihe Bibyloniih CaptivH^ . r $8i
and rebellions. And tlK>ugh neither he, nor bis pofterity^ got into the adual pofieffion of this land, till fome gencrr rations, or even centuries, after bis death, and onl/ wan4 dered through it, like ftrangers and pilgrims, till jacoV% (Jefcent into Egypt^ of which we (ball (peak more fully in the fequel ; yet, as this whole territory was given ioMrg'* bmn himfelf by promife, and the boundaries a(figned to it hj God* ; we (ball, accordingly^ purfue the method. Wo have prefcribed to ou'rfelves, of beginning every hiftory with the, defcription^ of the country. But as this chapter tontains a very confiderable period of time, and is fraught Vith. a multiplicity and variety of material tranfadions ; other fubje6h, not only curious and inftru£tive, but of a re- ligious and important nature ; fuch as the choice of the jewijh nation to be Qod's peculiar people, his paternal and miraculous care over them, their iignal deliverai}ce out o£ the Egyptian bondage, and forty years wandering in the wildernefs ; their paifage through oie Rid Sea, and con* quefi of the Promijed kifd \ their receiving the divine law on mount Sinai ; their frequent rebellions, puni(h(pents, and deliverances, under their judges, prophets, and kings, ^c. all which are well'worthy ofour panicular attention Sind regard, and will, confequently, draw it to a propor- rionable length ; we ftall, for the convenience of our read* Krs, and the clearer diftinf^ion of the feveral parts and epo- - ^has it compr^ends, divide it, as we have already done • that of Egypf, into fo many different feftions. We begin Birith the defcription of the land.
S E C T. ' I.
. . fhe geography of Pale(line, or Holy Land.
^Tp tl 1 S once happy and fertile fpot, -^nd the peculiar ob- Land of
^ jed of the divine providence, was firft called the hnd promife
A Canaan^ or Chanaan^ /rom A/i^A's grand fon, hy vfhomde/criM.
It was peopled ^ : but it has been flnce more difiinguifhed ,
by other names ; fuch as the land of projnife^ the land of
God, the land of Ifraelj the holy landy and fometimes, hyVarUut
way of pre-eminence, /^^ land. It hath again been Q^Xi^names.
Taiejiine, frq^i Xhe Paiejiinesy or Phi It/fines, who polTeffcd a
• * •
*
• Gen. 3^1. 6, 7. xiii.fi4, ftfeq. ** Sec vol. i.%p. 268,
574, 275.. Vol. ii. p. 1 88, & feqq.
great
3t4 fbiUifiofyofibi}cm% iLt
tkher As to the other names by which proSme anthon Imi
tailed it, fuch as Syria^ PaUsftina fjAm^ CStfjrim^ Idwm^ Idumea^ and Pbagnkia^ or Phgmce $ it was otaj dooe out oi contempt to the Jiwifif nation, wboAi they did not ac- count worthy to be dffimgiiilbed by tOf but die moft con- ihon names of thofe noted provinces that were about tfaem, and of which they looked upon thedi only as an oblbm and inconfiderable part. We find it even called Idmmmi on no other account^ ^ we can fe^ biit beranfe the JUb- means feized on (oMe parts of it durhig the BaijUni/b cap- tivity ; though they were, fome time after the cetotni dn^ ven from it by the brave Maccabtes^ and even conqoeid by them, as we have feen in their hiftory, p. i8o ^fm How yudea came to be called alio Pbaemcii or Pbcemcui. we have alresldy fhewn, in the hiftory of that natioii Sminow P- 3^0 ^^ ^^ notes* At prefent, th6 name of Pale/tine i Ytktssyt^ ^hat which has moft prevailed among die Cbrifiian doflon, Mobammedan atid other writers'*. And thus mudi^l for the various liames of this country. tkuation. As to its fituation, the Jews^ from a particular ¥€06 ration for fo celebrated a fpot, as well, as from foroe miftt ken pafl'ages in one or two of the prophets, in which Ji* rufalem is faid to have been feated, by the Almighty, in th midft, or, as the Hebrew figuratively terms it, the navd of the earth, Vc. hat.e takc^ a notion that it ftands juftii Believed the very heart of all the nations, and the centre of die tbe centre World ; which Was the more exciifable, confidering the ut« bf ehe XJtx ignorance mankit)cf, and tbe ^ews^ above all the reft, mjorld. had of every thing that related to geography , and even of the figure, extent, and motion, of the earth ; efpecially, fucc we find, that the very Atbenians and Delpbians^ and even the n^ore polite Cbinefe^ have run into the (ame notioii, with regard to their own countries. Upon what accourU thefe. did it, will be beft feen, when we come to treat d them: however, leaving thefe fond dreams, vreihallno* defcribe its true boundaries, on all fides ; which are asfo)' * , low : It was inclofed, on the weft, by the MediterramaL\ wn a- 2i^^^Q^ the eaft, by the lake Afphaltites^ the yordan^ aik the fea of Tiberias^ or of Galilee^ and the Samacbinii lake ; to the north it had thd mountains of Libanus^ OT;
^ Sec Rbland. Palasftin. ilkftrat. c. ;^.
rabbinic whimfies ; and have ad- place in a woris: of this natiuc ded many other abfurd notions and flill pay a deep veneratioi concerning the holinefs of this to it, as we fhall have occafia land, which are not worth a to fhew in the fequel.
rather
^. VIL to fh Babyfoi}«(k Captivity. 3 S5
rather, of JmUH^musi or the; province of Phaenida ; and^ to the fouth, that of Edom, or Idumea ; from which ft was Itkewife parted by anodier rjd||e of high mountains. It muft be here obferved, that we Aave confined ourfelves to that part which is properly called the land of promife: as Ibr the other part, viz* that which belonged to two tribeis ' and an half, on the other (\it Jordan^ and which was cal- led Peraa ; and the land, or Kingdoms of Og^ Sihofty &c. their boundaries are more difficult to be fixed (D), as well as thofc of the conquefis and acquifitions which they after- wards made, under the reigns of their profperous kings; which laft will be beft feen in the fequel : and as to their fituation, with refpe£t to the nations round about them, we Ihall, additional to what hath been already hinted, under their refpeftire hiilories, fubjoin a brief account of them, at the clofe of this fe£Hon. The extent of it is likewife£;r/«r/; varioufly fettled by geographers j fome giving it no more than about 170 or 180 miles in length, from north to fouth; and about 140 in breadth, froip eaft to weft, where broad- eft, as it is towards the fouth ; and but about 70, where narroweft, as it is towards the north. But, from thelateft and moft accurate maps, it appears to extend near 20Q miles in length, and about 80 in breadth, about the liiiddle; and 10 or 15, moreorli^s, where it widens or. flirinks. It reaches from 31 deg. 30 min. to 33 deg. 20 ihin. of north latitude ; and from 34 deg. 50 min. to 37 deg. 15 min'. of eaft longitude ^ ; and is under the 4th and
* Comp. fyft. geogr. vol. il. p. lo^.
(D) All that we can iay of rare, uii fluvium JEgypH^ '■
tbexn, with any tolerable pro- l^ Euphratem, (^ Mare
bability, is, that the river Ar- Magnum ; licet in - codia
IM« was the firH northern bound- Hehraorutn aliorum locorum,
ary pn that fide j and, with re- in Jinlhus fitoruMy fiat mentio.
SjIfcSi to thofe on this fide Jar- Contextus Hebraus ita habet :
deiHy we cannot forbear taking Termini Canaan funt a Sidone
notice of a confiderable differ- Gerarum ufque Gaxam^ qua itur
ence obfervedlong ago by the SodomantyGomorrhamyAdumam,
Accurate ^^/tfir^, with regard to Zeboimyufque ad Lefcha, Sama"
the boundaries affigned to it by, ritanushoc comma ita exbibet — •
the Hebrew and Samaritan Etfuit terminusCanan^orum a
lienmteuch. Hiswoxdsare thcfe JJwvio JEgyptiy ufque ad fiumen
( f ) : Quodeulterminas Palaftin^ magnum Euphratemyi^ ufque ad
dttinet defcriptos Genef. x. lo. MarePofteriusyi.e, Occidental'e.
gft obfer*vsUu di^ntaa pentateucb- Fides infignem: differentiamyquit
um Hebriti'Sofriaritanum nm inter Hebraum^ Samaritanum
mfi duoe trefve extremos mtmo- codicem inter^enit^
Vol. II. Bb 5*
gS6 The Hifiory ff the Jev& t.l
5th climates : fo that its longcft day is about 14 hours, ij minutes.
These limits, however, have appeared, kt beA, foTcr; narrow, coitfidering that die country b Itkewife iotcrfeded with many a ridge of high mountains, barren woods, de- ferts, i^c, that many learned men have bcco induced to queftion what we read of its richncf&and populoufoeTs is the facred books ; efpectally of its being able not only tomain- jtain fo many millions of ibuU, as it contained, with plenty ^^^^,^^, of corn, wine, oil, fleih, fifh, and fowl, and all otfact IK- tiliif, ^elTaries and delicacies of life ; but, lilcewife, to fupp^ lb •uibtnet. m^uy other countries with them. And it muA-bec^ned, that, were we to judge of its aotient and fiourilhing fiaie, when it was cultivated with the utmoft diligence, hy men well acquainted with every branch of agricultpre. Aid) ts .• .. its antient inhabitants appear to have been i andasttvas afterwards improved, under the influence of ths Divine Providence } with what it hath been, fincc the total extir- pation of tiie.^'U't out of it ; and, more particularly, fincc it haib fo feverely groaned under the yoke of ^urkijhfa- very, which hath reduced both it, and all the onc^-fcnile Prt/mt and opulent countries round it, into mere deferts; the thing barrta- would appear abfolutelyimpoffible. We (hall have occafion, nifi. hy-and-byi to mention (bme of the manifeft caufes of this great and melancholy change: in thcmeaniimejet us take ■ a view of It In its antient, and more blcfled Hate.
So rich and fruitful doth it appear to have been, eveo be- fore the IfratUus got into the pdffeffion of it, that Mtjti Za«i/,i5*w<'cfcribes it ih thefe eifiphattcal terms * : A land thar fiow- defiribid etb with millc and honey; a land of broolcs^ and water], by Mofes. of fountains and depths, that fpring out of the valleystod hills; a land of wheat and barley ; of vines, figs, and poiD- granates ; of oil, olives, and honey: a land where is W lack or fcarcity of any thing j whofc Hones (or roc]»}iK iron; and out of whole mountains thoumaycftdigupbnlii Wf . all which the Ifraelitts found literally true, as it plalulf appears, even from the account which the pufillanimousfpis gave of it, after their return ; and from the fruit tbef ^^;/,jj. brought from thence, as a fpecimenof the reflf. Itemi tided exceeded, in many particulars, the fo much celebratsd liol Egypt. °f ^SyP^i .efpecially in the vaft numbers of noble cittl^ great and fmall, which it bred ^ in the quantity anda-^
^ Dent. via. 7, & feq. ^ Nun. ziu. S3, U ftq.
cetlcDoe
C Vn. to ihi BibylohiBi Capivtiy. 387
cellence of its oil, wine, and other fruits (£}. Sl^veral cir*
cumftances contributed to this wonderful fecundity ; fuch
as the excellent temperature of the air, which was ntytrSeremair.
rubje£tto exceffive heats or cokb ; the regularity of its fca-
ibns, efpecially the former and latter rain ; the natural fat-
riefs and fertility of its foil, which re(;uired neither dung- RicbfiiL
ing or manuring, and could be ploughed with a fingle yoke
of o>^n-, and a fmall kind of plough : fo^ the foil was, and
is fKll,' fo fhailow, that, to have gone deep into it, would
rather endanger, than improve the crop (F). Withrcfpeft
to the ejccellency of its corn, we are told, that the bread oiBxciUgni
Jtrufalem was preferred above all other ; and we (hall fee,rprar*
m the fequel, that the tribe of Aflitr produced the heft of
both, and in greater quantity, than any other tribe : and
fuch plenty was there of it, that, befides what fufficed the
inhabitants, who made it their chief fuftenance ; Sohmdn^
we read, could aiFord to fend 20000 cors, or meafures^ of
(E) With refpcft to the two
laft particalars, it is plain, that
the olives and oil of Canaan
Exceeded thofe of Egypt ^ in fine
nefi ; fince the ttibes lent them
thither from hence : and as for
vines, the Egyptians^ Herodotus
lells us (6), hud none at all, but
(applied the want of their juice
^th a liquor made of barley.
The preiehts which good old
'^yacob fent to his ion Jofeph,i)\t
•wppofed furly lord of Egypt , of
• honey, fpices, myrrh, almonds,
^nd other fruits of PaUfiine^
Ihew, that they muft have been
much better here, than there
(^), kabjhakeh made no fcru*
pie, accordingly, to Hile this
country a land of corn aAd wine,
of bread and vineyards, of oil,
6livcs> h6hey, Gfr (8). And, to
conclude with Retand^ who
knows not,that the wine of Ga-
fca^ jf/caUft, and Sarepta, was
fsLsncd, among the molt remote
- (6) L. ii. ff. 77. (7) Gm. xliii. IT. See a!f>, Bocbart. pba/eg
(8) z Kings xvWu ^,1, \s) 74'^b.antiq '•"* t/^r.- -:.. _
(rl) Theopbra/i^ bift, plant, /.xi. c. %. Jsrif, €.11,
nations? though it is allowed, alfo, that that which was made at and in the neighbourhood of Bethlibem^ in great quantities, was equal, at lealt, if not fupe* ,rior, to any (9) of the others; and that of Libanus, mentioned by the prophet, was too lefs ce-* lebrated for its excdleYit flavour
(10).
(F) This needs 00 proof; fince the heat reverberated from the ilohy bottom would foon dry up the clods, and parch the feed. For this reafon, we are told (t I ), thatfin all thefe coun- tries, they made ufe only of fmall and (hallow ploughs, which is farther confirmed by a modef n eye-witnefs ; who tells us, that it is ftill pradlifed in the fame manner,and only with two oxen : and adds, that the land is ftill fo rich and fertile, as to re* quire no &rther manure ( 1 2),
Bb %
(10) Hojea xiv. 7. (11) Br»cb0rd* dijcr, term
it.
2 8 8 ^e Hifiory of the Jews B. I.
it, and as many of oU, yearly, to Hiram king of Tyri^\ befides what th^y exported into other countries* And we £nd, even fo late as king /£?r«^,furiiamedi^//>^» the countries of Tyn and Sidon received moft of their fufle? nance from his tetrarchy «. GrapeSf As to their fruits, the grapes were delieious, finely fla;* /r«///> devoured, and very large. The palm-tree, and ita dates, were in no lefs requeit ; and the plain of Jericho^ among other places, was ^med for the great plenty and excelleBce of that fruit ; infomuch that the metropolis of that territory was emphatically ili^ed, tbt city of palm-trees^ as we ftall fee in the fequel. But what both this plain, and other parts of Palejline^ were moft celebrated for, was,tbe baUam Balm. ihrub, whofe balm was efteemed fo precious a.drug, amoD| the Greeks^ Romans^ Egyptians^ and other nations, and k ftill, to this day, under the name of balm of GiUad{Q).
^ I Kings V. II. * AOsxU. so*-
{G)The9phrafiusS^^e3kmg€^{ antient authors, fuch as l^/iii;,
this valuable fhrub, only iays,in Diofcorides^ and even yofefhus^
general, that it grew in fome mention it as the peculiar prO'
valley of Syria (13). But both dud of it ; and Diodoruf Siadm
Juftittf JofephttSt Strain, an4 (15)9 and others, add, that it
others, do plainly fey, it grew, grew no-wherein Ae world but
in Judea; and the former of about the territory of J?ji||^/i4
them exprefly names the valley and ibme other places abodt di^
or plain of Hiericbo- (14) : anc( Dead Sea. Jofephus adds (16)9
adds, that it is furrounded with that the country whence that
mountains, as with a wall; queen brought it, had, k(ig
and extends about 200 acres, iince, ceaied to produce it. Bs^
^^A/u^«j infinuates^ as if ithad fays Reland^ Pro/per Jlfitus,
been brought thither by the and P. Bel/omui, will have it,
queen of Sbeia, among other that they are all miftaken ; be-
valuable preients, to king ^0^- cauie thofe that grow in JudiM
mon : but, by what we read of are no- where to be found but in
thofe which Jacob fent into gardens, and require a grof
Egypt ^ among which this pre- deal of care and attendansef
cious balm is proved, by the whereas baliam, of evihy bttt
learned hocbaitt^ Le Scene, and comes from ^rjrter,a9fromitt
others, to have Wen one ; it own native foil, and is thence
mull have been of much earlier exported into other 'imtioiu.
date here, if it was not really But, continues oa^ author, I
of the natural growth of the am of opinion, that Jofepbut
country. And, indeed, feveral and D/^/r^iVr/ fpoke troth;
(1 3) Ubi (itp. U ix, f . ^, (14) L, xxxvii. C«5) /- ii. *. 4>«
for
to the Babylonifh Captiviiy. Jt^
^, likewife, the greateft variety of other fruit-trees "^ft perfedion, and which might be, in foine n>etual, becaufe they were not only covered
•erdure, but becaufe the new buds always Confiant • boughs before the old fruit was ripe j 'verdun. ^. which were in too great quanti- 'v maturity, they gathered enough
^L pickles and iweetmeats, efpecialiy
^ -nges, and apples of paradife, which Orangag
.jg by hundreds in a clufter, and as big as &<^> . of an excellent tafte and ^vour. Their ^ grapes twice, and fometimes three times, a Vims. 4. quantities of which were dried up, and prelerved ., as well as their figs, plums, and other fruits, lad plenty of honey ; the very trees diftilied it; and Hmej. :ks yielded it in great quantities : but whether that latter kind were there depoiited by the induftrious >r produced ibme other way, is much difputed by Ts and naturalifis (Hj. They likewife cultivated
fugar-
it is no reafoD why that flourifhed 1700 |;o» in one country, may un)gdi of time, be pro- 1 others,^ dif^t from 7). Bat whatever be ifiui of it, it muH be that there is bat little daced now in PaleJHui ; I ArmUa, and even E^ It efpecialiy the former, :, in great abundance, merchants that bring it EfCftf, ^and other parti, lund out (b many ways crating, and even coon- igity that it is no won- uulifank fi> much in its itputatioD, and value, parifbn with that which y grew in (his fertile
This wild honey, which t calls [Ai^iiyfiw, and
tells us the baptift made part of his food (18], and which was in fuch plenty in this country, that it dropt fixmi the trees upon the ground (19), the learned Beehart thinks to have been gathered, by the bees, in the fame manner as the com- mon fort, which Rilandcaoi by no means agree toi quoting Dicdoru^ and P/ity^ who fpeak of another kind, which dropt from the trees in Nahatea, Sj^ ria, 8cc, and which they>drank mixed with water: and thence concludes this wild one of Pa- itfiifu to have been of that fort» and to -be that which gave the air that delightful fragrancy of honey which lAxMaundrtlloh' ferved in the maritime parts of this country (20). Which of the two is right, we will not de- cide : however,it is well known.
^Imud, ukifitp.
(i€)/ll«f.iU.4*
Bb 3
(19) X Saau xiy. 15, 16.
that
39«
Sugar, Caitam.
Cyprets^
ani^thtr
trgfi.
Tafturi* grounds.
Tijb, in
great
fUntj.
Tbc Bpry of tbd Jt^ \ . B.t
fugar-canes in great abundance ; and the cotton^ bcrap, anj fl^x, were moftly of their own growth and manu&^iirci except fome, of a finer fort, that were brought to them from Egypty and worn by thofe of the higher rank. Thdf vicinity to Libanus ma4e the cedars, cyprefles, and oCfacp ftately and fragrant trees, ve^y common in moft parts o{ the land, but, more efpecially, in 'Jirufalem. Catde,botb large and fmall, they fj^d in yaft quantities ; and the hilljt countries not only afforded th^m variety and plenty of pftx fture, bu( s^lfo of wa^er, which defcpnded thence into th^ valleys ai>d lowlands, and ferti)izeci them to the degree we have feen^ befides feveral other rivers and brooks, fome of the moft remarkaUte of which we (ball fpeak of in thdc proper places. But the moft fertile pafture- grounds were thofe on each fide the river 'Jordan^ befides thofe of Sbarm^ or Sarona^ the plains of Lydda^ yajfinia^ and fome otheoi then juftly famed for their fecundity (I). A^ for fiib, the
that both here, and in (bveral other parts of J^ia^ as well as in Euroft and Africa^ where bees are very nuinerous,becaa(e they don^t deftroy them there, as we do here, for their honey, they will depoilt their combs, not only in hollow trees,but be- tween their bi'^pches, in tlie cracks of rooks, and other fuch convenient places ; and that this kind of honey is commonly ftiled wild, in oppofition to that which is gathered from the hives. And this will, perhaps, much better account for the fragrant odour lately men- tioned. For the bees, which gather it in thefe kind of places, are obferved to be moil bufy on the wild thyinc,fagc,rofcmary, marjoram, hyffop, and other odoriferous plants; which muft, doub^lefs, give their honey a much more fweet and aromatic pdour than can be fuppofed to be
in the liquor that drops fiw any of thofe trees.
(I) There are ieveral plioei mentioned in holy writ fy dc name of Sharon ^ or Sotomm^ p famed for their extraordinaij fruitfulnefs : and the prophet accordingly, makes ufc of iHat word (? I ) to fignify it ; w. i, The territory lying betiraci mount Tahor and the fiaof fr* ieriaj(Z2). 2. Thatbetwcci Cif/area-Pa/ifiiw, a|id Jm (23;; and, 3. ThecantoAlKr vond Jordan, that was 10 tk Kingdom of Ba/an, and HI to the lot of the tribe of Gnd{2j(i. This laft is oppofed by Rdai, though with no folid grounds} there being no likelihood, tint that tribe ihould come fo fiiras the neighbourhood oiP 7(^i de/area, and Lydda, which k takes to be the Sharon that meant, to feed their flodu. We find a fourth Sharon meo-
(2 ) Ifa. xxxiii. 9. XXXV. 2. (22; Mufeh. fif Hreroft, he, JW^. fit
vctf (23) Hicr.»H. in JJa, xxxiii. 65 • ^H) » Cbron, v. J 6.
C- VIL to the Babylonifli Captivity. 391 ^
rivers above-mentionedjthe lake of Tiberias^ and the iWrrf/- ttrraneanSia^ afforded, as they do to this day, great plenty and variety. Vaft quantities were brought to "Jerufalem^ on which the inhabitants moftly fubfifted ; and hence one of the gates of that metropolis was, according to St. Jerom^ €sd\td^ the Jljlh-gate K The lake Afphaltites yielded fait '\nSab* abundance, wherewith to feafon and preferve their fifh, which Gakn aiErmstohave been preferable to anv other, for wholfomenefs, digeflion, and extenuation. To con- clude this article, the Scripture is fo pregnant with proofs of the extraordinary richnefs and fecundity of this once happy land, and the vaft number of people that lived in it, almoft wholly upon its produS(K),t6 (ay nothingof the vaft exports of its corn, wine, oil, raifins, and other fruits, &r. that a man muft have taken a ftrange warp to infidelity, that can call it in queftion, merely on account of the me- lancholy and quite oppofite figure it now makes, under its prefent tyrannical government.
But it ought to be confidered, that it was then inhabited Jgricul" by an induftrious people, who knew how to improve every turt ncou- kich of their land, and had made even the moft defert and ragid. /Karren places to jrield fome kind of produfiions, by pro- per care and manure ; fo that the very rocks, whicn now appear quite bare and naked, were made to produce com, pulie, or pafture ; being, by the induftry of the old inha-
. ^ Vid. Rbland. ubi fup. I. i. c 57.
tfoiied fince hy travellers, fo of Canaan (27). By fighting
called on the £une account} men are meant men found in
nfi». the fertile pldn between health and limbs, from twenty
Mfdipon zxiA Ptolemais, We tofixty'years of age, cxdufive
might add a fifth mentioned in of all the rdli who, with
liMi (25), or, as thuHehriw the vaft multitude.of ftrangers,
vd^itf La SbarQm the king of flaves, and fervants, of both
which was defeated by that fexes, that followed them oat
Hehrrtx) general: and a fixtb, of £^/, amoanted, in a mode-
by St. I»if (26), in the neigh- rate computation; to aimoft
•l)OurhoodofI;^/</«;allofthem double that number. And in
cclebratedon the fame account, the muftcr-roU ■ whtch Joah
' (K) Wic need not a more brought to i)iw^i/ (28), the
tnr^^ht proof of their popa- amount isiaid to have been, of
ioufnefs, than theit mutter- the I/rae/itis, 8ep,ooo fij^t-
roUs; according to which, we ing men; aAd, tf the bare tribe
find no lefi than 600,000 figjit- of Jndab, 500,00©. ing men entering into the bad
^
*5) 7*fi>" «ii. (a6) Jifft ix. 35. (a;) SxotL xii. 37,
Bb 4 bitants
3^ The Uifiory pf the Jew.s . B. I
bitants, covered with mould, which, through the lazinefs of the fuccoeding proprietors, has been iince wa(hed off h thi ^ith rains and ftorms. We may add, that the kii^ thean- khzs ; ielves were not above encouraging all kind of agnculture, both by precept and example i and, above all, that they had the divine blei£ng promifed to their honeft endeavours and induflry ; whereas it is now, and hath been long iince, and now inhabited by a poor, lazy, indolent people, groaning under neglt^id. an intolerable fervitude, and all manner of difcourage* ments ; by which, their averfion to labour and agricul- ture, farther than what barely ferves to fupply their pro- ient wants, is become, in a manner, natural and invind- bU. We may ferther obferve, after the judicious Mr. Maundreil^ that there h no forming an Idea of its antient fiourilhing ftate, when under the influence of heaven, from what it is now, under a vifiWe curfew. And, ifw had not feveral concurring teftimonies from profane au- thors, who have extolled the fecundity of PaJeJline^ that fmgle one of Julian the apoftate, a fwofn enemy to Jew$ and Chriftians, as well as to all the facred writings would be more than fufficient to prove it ; who &- quently makes mention^ in his epiftles, of the perpetuity, tt well as excellence, and great abundance, of its fruits saA produdl. The vifiWe effe£fe of God's anger, .which tim country has felt, not only under Titus Vefpafian (whdl myriads of inhabitants were either flain, or perlfhed by the moft fevere famine, peftilence, and other calamities ; and fha !reft fold for flaves, into all lands ; and new coloniei (ent to re-people it ; who found it in iiich a defolate ftate^ as quite difcouraged them from reftoring it to its priftinp iruitfulneis); but much more fmce that emperor's time, in the inundations of the northern barbarians, of ^ SartKWx and of the more cruel and deftruftive Chrifl^s>, during the holy wzx (L) y and in the cruel opprefEons it now feet un-»
der ' Journey from Aleppo to Jerufalcm, p. 65.
(L)Theremutaal horrid deva- of this once happy countrjs Rations between the Chriflians as they have given occaiioo to and Mohammedans^ wherein the wild ^/*«6/iy and other wani the former feem to have been dering tribes, to feize on thofe a£Ud with fuch a blind and depopulatedplacesyand fix their bloody zeal againfl the latter, abode in them, who now live al- and fuch jealouiies and perfidy together upon plunder, and aH againft each other, as refle6t kinds of depredations, notoolf an indcleble diihonour upon on the caravans, and all tra- them, and their religion, have vellcrs, that fkll into thcit helped to complete the x^ifery hands, but likewife on villages
abd
C VII. t A 4he BabyhniQi Captivity. 39g
dcr the Turkift) yoke, may be eafily owned to be more thsm fufficient to have wrought the difmal change we are 4>eaking of, aad to have reduced the far greater part into ameredeiert.
NfVERTHsrE^s, if we may credit thofe who have viewed it in this doleful condition, they will tell us, there 97/ Ai«i areftill fuch viiible figns of its natural richnefs and fertility,////A«/« as plainly fbew, that the bare want of culture is the main,^'^^* if not the CHiIy caufe of its preient poverty and barrennefe* We (hall hint, as a proof of it, what a learned traveller bath lately written of it from his own <^fervation ^.
^' The Holy Land^ iays that accurate author, were it f ^ as well peopled and cultivated as in former time$, "would Dr. •* ftili be more fruitful than the verv heft part of the coaft ShawV . «« of Syria mi Phaenke\ for the foil is generally much «^^^«»/ ?^ <* richer, and, all things confidered, yields a more pre-^/* ^' ferable crop. Thus the cotton that is gathered in the ^ plains of Kamah^ Efiraelon^ and Xsbidun^ is in greater << weem than what is cultivated near Sidon and Trip^B* ^^ Neither is it poffible for pulfe, wheat, or any fort of ** grain, to be more excellent than what is fold at Jeru* ** falim. The barrennels, or fcarcity rather, which fome << authors may, either ignorantly or maliciouflyt complain f« of, doth not proceed from the incapacity or natural ♦* unfruitfidnefs of the country, but from the want of in- << habitants, and the great averfion there is to labour and ♦« induftry, in thofe few who poflefs it. There are, be- *< fides, iuch perpetual difcorck and depredations among •* the petty princes who fliare this fine country, that, al- •« lowing it was better peopled, yet there would be fmall <* encouragement to fow, when it was uncertain who «* ihould gather-in die harveft. Otherwife, the land fe a «« good land, and ftifl capable of affording its neighbours ^ Sbie like fuppties of com and oil, which it is known to w have done m the time of SotomonJ* . We (hall go no farther with thefe phyfical remarks, which the curious may read with pleafure and profit in the
• »Dr, Shaw's travels, p. 365, & fcq.
wSl towns, againft which they globe more dangerous to h«-
' jpomc in herds, and fcizc on vcl, or comfordels to live in ;
ajl that they can carry off; in* as the common report of every
jbmuch that there is fcarccly traveller who has been there
i^ place on the forfiice of the fufSciently tejdifies.
booli;
ne Hlflory of the Jews B. 1
book itfelf, as they will all fufficiently clear the point wt are upon, beyond all doubt or contnuiidicm. And thus much fhall fuffice for die extraordinary fertility of diis country : though, were the cafe at prefent ever fo much otherwife, and the nature of its foil had been quite degene- rate, from the mod fertile to die moft barren and defohte, it would be no wonder, and ought to be only looked. upon as one of thofe changes that commonly happen in moft countries, even after a fhorter feries of ages than this (M).
The antient ftate of PabJUm^ under its firfl: inhabit- ants, with regard to its government under feveial tch parchies, has been already feen, p. 193, 217, ^fm* and we (hall now (hew how it hath been divi^ fmce its conqueft by the children of Ifrael* Judta^ in its krgeft fenfe, was divided into maritime and inland, and into mountainous and champain ; and, as the river Jordan ran acro(s it, it was again dirided into Judia oft this fide, and Judea beyond Jordan, But the moft con- fiderable divifion is that which was made, accordii^ to the divine appointment, among the 12 tribes^ by lot, to prevent all murmuring and difcontent among that ftub- born people »; and of which, two and an half were feafed beyond Jordan^ and the reft on this fide. The next rc^ markable one was made by king Solomon^ who divided his kingdom into 12 provinces, or diftrifts, each fet under a peculiar officer, and each of which was to fupply the king with provifions for his houfhold in dieir turn j that
■ Jo(h. xiv. 2, k feq.
(M) And it may not be amifs the promifed time, when diey
to obferve here, that there may (hall all be reunited into one
be the fame providence in pre- nation, and become once again
ferving to this country (b much the happy owners of the bhc*
of its native fertility, as there ritance of their fbrefathen.
viHbly is, in the prefervation This expedlationofthein.il
of its once happy inhabitants ; founded on fbtne very pr^tni&t
who, though under fo long and pailkges of Scripture i and there
fevere thraldom and difper- have, and are dill, many kan-
£on through all the world, and ed divines among ChrilHaiis of
notW4th(landing th^ defpond- all denominations, whobelieie
enpy of fome, and infidelity that this reftoration of tk
of others, have ftill continued Je^ws to their own hind will
in the fame flate, unmixed with immediately follow their ooi^
other nations j and the greateft vcrfion, part of them ftill waiting for
CJ. VIL f9 the Babylonifh Captivity. 395
is, each for one month of the year o. But, as the extent, limits, and quota of each, are not mentioned in the text, wefliall fay no more of them here (N). But the moft fatal ^^/^^^ of all was, that which was made under his imprudent fon /^^ ^^^j^ ^ehohqaniy wh^, bv the divine permiffion, 10 of the 12^/^.^^^,, tribes Revolted from nim, under die conduct of Jeroboam^ yfhq became h^ad of this new monarchy, ftlled tt)e )cing« dom of Ifraely in oppofition to that of Judah^ the tifle which the maimed kingdom of Rehoboam was known by, from that time downwards j and of both which we Ihall give a fuller account v^en we come to their hiftory, tJn4e^ ^he fecond temple the diftin£lion lafted a confidera- f>Ie time, and the fame bloody hatred and hoftilities con- tinue4 between thofe two kingdoms ; one of which, vix. that of Ifraely had taken a new name, viz, that of Sama- ria j from its capital, and the inhabitants, now a mixture of the old Ifraelite^y aj)4 of new colonies, funt thither by Jhe kings of AJfyrioy after tlieir conqueft of it, till they wereT^odued by the ^c^ccahw^ and their metropolis de- ftroyed. Under the Romans it began to be divided into «*'''" '^ tetrarchies and toparchies, foptie greater than others : ^<^°**°*- the larger were thofe of Tudea^ Samaria^ and Galilee^ upper and lower; the leuer thofe of Gerariticoj Sa^ rona^ ^d feme otiiers of lefs note (O) ; ^1 which were on
this
\ Jlinjs iV. 7, k fcq.
(N) This new divifion wa<, in all likelihood, made in as equal parts as it could well be -ilone s £»r, as to that of the twelytt (hbesj it was fo^difpro- partionate, both with regarid to extent and produ^^, that, to have taxed them all alike, mufl have been a great hardihip to ibme of the imall and poorer 1>liei. RiltuU hatli, by the ]ielpQf7«y^^«/, attempted to give us fome account of it ; but, asitjs not matter of moment enough for iuch a work as this, we £all refer out reader to him (29).
(O] Pliny reckons i4p ip to- parchies in this country ; <uix,. I. y eric Bo; 2, Emmaus ; j. Lydda i 4. yofifa ; 5. jicraba* tena % 6. Gophnai 7. ^hamna ; 8. Betbleftephane ; 9. Orina ; lO.Herodium (30). Jofefhtu (31) tells us there were eleven, but names only ten ; which he ranks in the following order } I. Gopbna ; 2. Acrabdtta \ 3. Tbamna ; 4. Lydda ; 5 . Em- maus ; 6. Fel/a ; 7. Jdtanea ; 8. Engad^t ; 9. Herodion ; lO. Jericho i fo'that there is one ftill wanting. Where the mif- ul^e lies, is npt worth inquiry ;
(29) FmUft. Wuflr, ubi fupr, c, 1^, Q fif, (3 0 P^ ^if//. lib* iii. r. 4.
(30) Hifi, L T. f. 14.
the Hiftcry of the JcwS B- 1.
this fide of the Jordan. The others, on die oAer fide, were thofe of Gtltcdj Ptraa^ Gaulemth^ Avranitisy Ba* tanestj and Decapclu. Jofephus mentions P another divi- fion, made in Gabinius's time, into five diftri£b, or, as be ftyles them, ^wiJ^fiet, or cx)unci]s, agreeable to the Roman manner ; and tbcfe were y.erufalemy yericbo^ and Sepborisj on this fide Jordan^ and Gadaris and Amatlm on the other ; but theJe did not laft long, and fo we need fay the lefs of them. In proccfs of time, in the reigns of theChriftian emperors, it was divided afrefh intoPaheJHna prima J Palaftina Jtcunda^ and Palaftina tertta^ or Sabaih risj vihich included the far greater part, if not ^e whofe country, as we fliall have occafion to (hew in the fbllow&ig; hiftory. On that account, we (hall wave all other dn vifions and changes that happened to it under the northern barbarians, Saracens j &c. and conclude this article widi the prefent ftate and divifion of it under the Turis. The whole country of Pale/tine is now reduced to a difbi^t, or province, under the beglerbegate, or baf&fhip^ of Scbamf or Damafcusy who hath me feven following fangiacs^ or fub- governors, under him, who are ftiled, according to the dif- ferent places of their refidence'^ i, the fangiac oiDamaJaUy who is under the bafha of that province ; 2- of yirufakm^ or, as the Turks call it, Cudfemharic^ or Coudfchmfi 3. Aglum ; 4. Sahara ; 5. Set fat ; 6. Gaza ; 7. Nabous. Each of thefe have a number of ziamets, and thefe each a number of timariots, under them j for a fuller underfiand- ing of which, we ihall refer our readers, at prefent, Co Sir Paul Ricaut*s account of the Ottoman empire, and here« after, to our modern hiftory of Turky : at prefent^ it wiB be fufEcient to fay of thefe inferior fubdivilions, onder iim fangiac, of this diftri£t, or fangiaqate, of Jerufakm^ thatk ham nine of the former, and fixteen of the latter dafit
p Ant.L xiv. c. io»
he hath only added that of and is fuppofed to be the flufll
Pel/a to thofe of Pliny, and with Bethlebaotb, which ftood
omitted th^itofBetbleptepbanei in the tribe of Simeon^ a litdt
which yet he mentions as a way fouthof 5Vn^/n» (3}). toparchy in another place [ 3 2),
(32) L, V. <. 4. '(33) Jojb, xlm 6.
Neither
C. y n. /« tii BabylonUb CafHvUy. |9 jp
Neither muft the reader imagine thefe fangiacated, or {lAh governments, to be any thiiig confideiable, or the reCdencc of thefe officers to be places of any note or opulence. The former indeed live upon the oppreffion of the people under them, and make an extortionate gain of every thing tiiat comes within their reach ; fuch as the protection of travellers, merchants, caravans, *(s^£. but, being all under their refpe<3ive baflias, who are ftill more griping than their underlings, thofe commonly fleece them of fome con- ilderable part of their unjuft gains ; and, as for the places of their refidcnce, except it be hese^and-there one in a con* fideraUe city, as here at Damajcus^ and JerufaUm^ the reft are only either fome old cities, or even inconliderable villages ; as will be more clearly feen wH^n we come to the geography of the Turhijh empire. Thus much (hall fuffice for the divifions of PaleJHne ; but, before we come to (peak of that capital one between the 12 tribes, which mott properly belongs to this fedion, it will be proper to begin with a general deicription of the whole 5 and, in or- der to avoid needlefi repetitions, to give an account of the principal mountains, feas> rivers,, l^es, deferts, plains^ <:fc. that belong to it.
We begin with the mountains; the higjieft and moft^*'**'^'*' confiderable of which are thofe of Lebanon^ fo often cele-^?,^''^' brated. in holy vrrit, efpecially in the poetic books of i^j-^!^' and by other authors, antient and modern, under the -^^nS^ Dames of Libanus and Antilibanus. As that famed chain i^^^o^^ is equally a boundary to Syria and to Pale/line^ by dividing the two countries from each other, and might confequently be placed under eidier, we have ehofen to fpeak of it here^ 88, on the one hand, it is placed by Jeronty Theodoret % and many other andent writers, in the Land of promife^ or Palefiim ; and, on the other, it makes in many refpefb a confiderable a figure iii the Jewijh hiftory ; particu- larly on account of the prodigious number of its cedar% that contributed fo much to the adorning of the Jewifi templ^ and metropolis $ infomuch that both, as weU as oolamdn*$ ftately nalace;, are, in fome of the pro* pheC9 and Canticl^ft, called by the name, of Ldanon '• Tfacfe iiiou0tain$» with reijpeA to their extent»^ fituaticn, and die relation they bm to each other> havo- been but inir
^ See below^ p. 399. ' See, among other places, Zechar. xi. i. E2ck« xvii. 3. X Kings vix, z. Calcic Wi. 4.
perfe^y
♦ * ir
400 •" The Hifiory of the ^tm. ' B. L
Grots, wclias jnore retired. It chiefly confifts of fundry grotty cut into the rock \. of which the church is one of the hrgeft. A river, which empties itfelf at THj^^//, runs a littfc below it, and fuppKes it with water. Near the g^rot of St. Marina, who is reported to have lived here as aa hermit, in man's cloaths, our author tells us of ibme
Vines. noble vines, which afford an excellent wine, and fome fine young mulberry-trees, which he faw there^ as well as cedars, and other curiofities, which we have not time to dwell on, and may be feen in his book n.
Rivers. There are feveral confiderable rivers that haveAeir fource on this mountain ; viz. the Jordan^ Rochaniy Na^ har^RoJ/ian, and Nahar-Cadicha j the firffi only gf which runs through Palejitne, and will be fpoken of in its place. Befides thefe, are feveral others, of a leffer dream, that run between the valleys ; particularly that rf AbouaUi which flows down into the Romantic valley, fo called, be- caufe furrounded on all fides with high rocks. This river runs with a rapid courfe, and great noife ; and is £> co- vered with trees, that it is hardly to be leen* Thefe rivers, in coming down from fuch heights, foi'm fevenl
Cafcades, beautiful cafcades, like thofe of the Nili. Some andeot fathers, as St. "Jerom, and Eufebius, have defcribed the U-
Winding. ^^'^ ^^^ Jntiliban as one continued ridge, winding about in the form of an horfefhoe ; which o^ins about three or four leagues from the Meditenf^ian^ a littfe above Smyrna, and, running fouthward* 1|pwards £1^11, began there to take an eaftern courfe; towards Danm- feus ; bending thence northward,,' towards Laodicta Cabiofa ^. Tne weftern ridge is M^at is pjfpperly calU Lebanusy as the eaftern is Jntilebanus, and the hdlpw between Ccelefyria. The worft of this mountain, is, Alt it hath mofl:ly been, and is ftill, to this day, a place.^ retreat and refuge for vaft numbers of robbers, and oAa defperate people* ■• /"''
HcrmoD. The next in dignity, for hei^tv \s m&ant Hermtl^ which, like Lehmum, appears capped ' widi'-'^fipant^ and once famed for an ancient tempte \lfSSdL roir^M, veneration, and much reforted to, by the toi^^SmsilBk heathens from all the riei^bouring . countria * (RJ j: att
'^ \\ % " Pococke's defcrip of the Eail, p. i04^/& feq^ ^ HDisias. loc. Hebr. invoc. Antilib. Euseb. onoinaft.. in lifaam. '£i* «EB. fub voc. A/p/zo^'.
^ (R) Heope j^obably it tfx>k ^r/qO|,.figm(pBv Attaehemmy OTj Us name, which, in the He- a place devoted to it : tiit 3^
^•. ciyp¥
C VII. to the Babylonilh Captivity. 401
(n the PfalmS:^ for its refrdhing dews y, which defcended
on the adjoining one of Sion, &t, yerom tells us, that it
was above the PaneaSy and that its ihow was carried away
to Tyre^ Sidon^ &c. to be mixed wjth their drink ; and
. the Chaldee and Samaritan flyle it the mount of JhoiL\
There is fome difficulty to reconcile what is faid ot it in
feveral places of the Old Teftament, concerning its fitua-
tion, which we fhall not trouble our readers with, nor
about the queftion which fome make, whether that which
is now fhewn for it,, and is called, by the Turks,, J^^il-
Jheiekj and antiently Ptf»/2/x, be the very fame as that
mentioned by Mofes^ Jojhua^ &c. One proof Mr. Maun--
drell gives of it however ; v/z. its exceflive dews ; which,
he tells us, had wetted their tents as bad as if it had rained
^1 nights In conjun£Uon with this the Pfalmift mentions
Mount Tahor * ; whofe fituation is better known, and Tabor. )ielps to fix that of die former (S). It hath its name from the Hebrew Thabur^ which fignifies the navel, on account of i}5 eminent form, and riiing, as it were, from a plain ; but Was sjfo called Mons AtabyriuSj and Itabyriumy on account of a city of that name built upon it (T), and mentioned by
Pcly.
y Pf. cxxxiii. 3. See Pococke, vol. ii. p. 74. Calmet, k al, i^Journey from Aleppo to j€ruf«lem, p. 57. ■ Pfalm
Ixxxix. 12.
cryphal book of £jr0r/& {ays. It fometimes joined with itf
was (b called'from the curfe, or which fignifies properly lord s
oath)^hich the fi)n» of God, but, according to the detefbble
whom he fliles angels, or theology of thofe nations, was
watchmen, and of whom we the general name of their de-«
xeadin G^fi$j that they fell ities; z&Baalfeor, BaaUehub^
m We With the daughters of &c.
men (42)»took upon this moan- (S) Not as being contiguous
tain, not to return to their to, or near it, but in regard to
abode till they compafled their their pofition to each other.
end. But it is more likely to The Pfalmift fays, in the for-
luLve been callod fo from iome mer part of the verfe, that Goo
abominable fuperftitions per- had formed the nordi and the
fermed upon it by the old in- fbath ; and then adds, that -
habitants, and fuch as were Tabor on the one» and HermoH
▼cry common ampng all the on the other, fhould join in his
Canaanitijh nations, whoni praife ; fo that the one mufb
God devoted xq anathema oii have ftoodoppofite to the other. that very account : and hen^, (T) Hence we find, in fome
pcobably, the word Baal is medals, Jupiter is ftyled Ata-
{4a} Cb. W. a. Vox.. Ih C C h^Tius ;
^ Hiftory of the Jews IS. t*
Polybius \ The mountain is juftly admired for its beauty, regularity, fertility, and conftant verdure, as wdl as for its fituation in the midft of a large plain, and at a difiance from any oAer hill. Jofephus ddcribes it c as being 30 ftades, or furlongs, high,' and its plain on die top about 26 ftades, in compafs, and furrounded with walls, and inac- ceffible on the north fide (U). He likewife hints at a city being within that inclofure, when, he fpeaks of lus having inclofed it with walls 40 days ; during which, the inhabitants had none but rain-water. He adds, that it 16 fituate between the great plain and Scythopolis ; irfiidi plain cannot be underftood of that of Jefreely or Efdraelnh but of another fpacious one, at the foot of mount Carmelj which extends around three fides of it; vix> north, fouth, and eaft. But what hath rendered this moun- tain moft venerable is, its being faid to have been the fcene of our Lord's transfiguration <i ; on which account, it hath
*> Lib. V. c. 70, & alib. • Ant. 1. iv. c. 2. & de bell. 1. ▼.
' Matt. xviL pa£. Mark ix. 2, & fcc[. Lak« iz. 28. 2 F^ 3. 18.
lyrius ; thongh there were h The latter adds, that finne of
many cities of that name, as in his oomjpany went op to it on
Rhodes y Sicily y Phcenia^ Per" horfeback ; from whkh, it
Jiay &c, that it is not eafy to plainly appears tbajt the ac-
prove from which of them he divity of it is not quite b
had that farnamc. The name abrapt as is commonly fop*
jitabyr^ or Jtabur^ properly pofedfiom itsfium ofaiiiig^-
fignifies a place of good pafturc, loaf' (45}. Mr. Pmc^ckg .tldi
fuch as this mount and thole fince coofirmed bo(h pohitB(t),
above-named were (43) . haying rode np to tb^ tm i aa^
(U) This aasonnt of its as to its height^ lue .fiys, it
height and width is however may be about two mik^ai
much difputed by fome modem to the winding aibent op to it 1
travellers, whether confidered which .is pret^ oeiir wkit
perpendicularly or obliqady, Thewtuit bjs of & 2 aad vitk
particularly by Mawulrell\^ ; idped to the extent of tk
who afiirmsy that he got op to plam on the top^ Jb^ cooipatti
the top of it in lefs than an it only about half a mSkloab
hour; and by Thgiuenot, who and near a quarter of Ajnileii
computed its height to be ra- breadth ; which comes ytMf
Cher le& than half a league. ihortof7e/i;f^'idifflenfioK.
(4;{) f^d. Hitler, onomofi, ap, Rtland, uhi fup, e, 51. (44) Ukifif,p, Xl>
C- . VII. to the Babylonifh Captivity. 405
been refdited to, with great devotion, by C}>riftians ih all ages (W).
Th £. accx)unt which authors give, both of its antient and FetHii^^ modem ftate^ difiers (o much, that we fhall not troubIe««^ v^r- our readers with it« The laft perlbn who hath written oidure, is from his own obiervation, telk us that it ftill retains its furprifing verdure and fertility, and enjoys one of the no*** NoBUfro* bleft profpeds that can be imagined, cfpecially of mzny/^e^* places filmed in (acred writ ; iuch as the hills oi Samaria ftnd Engadi on the fouth ; on the eaft and north-eafl thofe of Gilboah and Herman ; and at the foot of it, the cities of Nairn and Endor i on the fouth-weft, mount Car^ nuh Oiie has likewife here a view of the fea of Tiberias f the tovm cifSapbet^ fituate on a very high mountain, ht* fides that of the large plain it commands all around. There areftill fome remains of the wall built by Jofephus^ round the top, and fome of the gates ; and on the eaft part, thofe of a ftrongcaftle j within the cinfture of which are three altars, in memory of the three tabernacles which St. Peter ^
(W) And fb it would jaft- perly applicable to the three
\y deferve, were there any difciples whom Christ took
great probability chat this was apart, that is, into ibme ob-
the very fpot on which that glo- fcure place, which will quite!
rious trania^lien was wrought ; overturn the inference. How-
but that is jolUy doubted by ever; Mr.' Reland owijis it in
many, on feveral accounts we (bme ibrt rafii to difpute a point*
have not time to ran through ; that hath been fo generally re*
one of which js, that this niU ceived for many ages $ thoi^h
is not once menticmed by name he addsj that he cannot but be
either by the evaogelifts, qx by in (bme doubt about the thipg,
St. Peter, when he {peaks of fcr many geographical jumI
thetransfiguratioiji (46). The other Fe9i(bn8»'particu]arIytho(e
main point on wluq^ (ne?^ ta hinted ' above, of the name
conamon traditiop, which, in Tbabar. not being once qien-
cafes of this nature, can feldom tioned by any of the facred pen-*
be &fely rel\ed on) they found men (47) : to which mpy:.be
this notion, is the expre^on added^ tjbat the words ^» bigih.
ufed by the £vangd[ift4 He tooA wmntait, ufed by SuMe^t/JlH^
them Hf^intg amuMtain apart i and St. Mark^ do not fecsgi
which laft wpxd, it ii.thought, to agreeAltogether fo well with
muft'be meant- of this very- thedjm^nfions d^at are %vfp^^
mountain, which ilands apart us of thii by the travellers above
fitim any other; but the ex-, quot^. preifign <7^tfr/ Teems rather pro-
(4$) a Mfift, i. iS. <47) VU fufr.l, i.c, 51,
C c a in
• ^i Uiftory of the Jews' • B. C
in his ecftafy, propofed to build, and where the Latin .&* thers celebrate divine fervice on the feaft of the transfigu- re, ration* On the fide of an hill is ih^wn ia churchy in a grot, where, they fay, Christ retired, to cjiarge his dilbples not to fpeak of his transfiguration till after he was rifeiL This is all that is now to be feen' on this hiH; < but we are ' told, that there was a magnificent church, built by the emprefs Helena^ which was a cathedral whoi die town was a bifhop's fee; as likewlfe a convent oi Betudi^hus\ and, on another part, one of the Bafiltans^ wtiece the Greth likewife perform divine fervice on the felUval above* mentioned «. , The next mountain in dignity is that called . Ceiriftf^ fo which ftands on the ikirts of the fea, ajnd is thc; xnoft remarkable head of land in all that coaft* It extends eaftward froni the fea as far as the plain of Jefr€il^A2Xx^y mentioned, and frpmthe bay of its name, quite to C^Jarea on the fouth. It feems.to have been fo c^ed on account of its fertility (X). Carmel is the name of the mountain, and of a city built on it, and of ahheathen deity wor* Aliped in it ( Y), but v^ithout either temple' or fratue ^ j
• * PococKE ubi fup, p. 64, Sec, Mavndr^lLx.^I^ f Tacit, hiil. 1. ii. c. 78.
(X) The word Carmel, ac- the TttrJiifitm^irt ; and efpe-
cording to the Hebrenn im- cially where they are to dread-
port, fignifies the vine of God, fully expofed to the, cxcnrfioni
and is conilantly ufed in the of the Arahi^ and ocher , dif*
prophetic books, to iigtiify a couragements; 'Wi^ axi^ tolil
fruitful fpot, or any place likewiie,. tha't'&e. same of
planted with fruit-trees; and Carmet vi2a given tq a pard-
this efpecially, we are told, cular &riof porpIeiwJi«»was
was very fertile, particularly dyed with a ihellffiDb oi^
on the top (48): and Mr. along this coaft (49). 5"^
Sandys aflfures us, that, when fhus places this mountain in
well cultivated, it abounds with Galfhe [ko), though it rather
olives, vines, and with variety belon^ea to the tribe of iM^-
of fruits and herbs, both medi- najih^ being fituate cm the
cinal and aromatic. But Raw fouth of that tX AJher (5 1 )•
ifjolf and Thevenot reprefent ( Y) We are told, this place
it rather as dry and barren ; was called by the Greiis Opbf
by which we may fuppofe, that U^ov A/^ (52), or perhaps,
it hath lain fince much neg- rather, ''Opo^ Xtfi/^pay A/ V,/i«
leaed, like moft other parts of mowtain andtmple ^Jupiter.
If 4 S) ///Vr^«. he. Ihhr. (49) B<^hart, bitrox. part, 1 1 5. c. 48, & atih.
Vr^ i> J V."';^' V . (50 ^f'jojb. Xix. a6. (^*) ScjL Caryani.
iTid Rrhf;d, uh fup. /, :. r, 5©. \j / v y
though
evil. tc tie Bsi>yhmih Captivity. '40$
though fome temple there muft have been on it, fince lam* dntitnt blichus tells us, this place was the favourite retreat oi Pv* tmpU. tbagoras^ who fpent a good deal of time in the temple^ without any perfon with him g* But what hadi remicred it moft celebrated and revered both by Jews and Chri- flians, is, its having been the refidence of Elijah^ who is ^' ^^A* ^ fuppofed to have lived in a cave which is there fhewn, ^'*^' ?/^ before he was taken up into heaven j as it was alfo the^^'J*"' fcene where that great prophet, by calling for a miracu^ lous fire from heaven, which confumed the divine facri* fice, convinced the Ifraelites of their folly in halting be- tween their God and Baal^. On which account, the Chriftians began, from the earlieft ages, to fhew a more than ordinary veneration for it ( Z ) ; and both the mountain and cave of EUaSy as well as the place where they tell you was his garden, are vifited and reverenced not oiily by Chriftians and Jews, but by the very Mohammedans K
But that which claims our jufteft and deepeft regard, is mount Olivet^ or, the mount of Olives (A), which™**'
ftands^^^«-
' In vit. Pythagon ] ^ i Kings xylii. palT. ^ Mauhdrell, PococKi, &c.
*
(Z) We are likewiie told, this celebrated moant, the
that there was a church and reader may fee in Matrndreii^
monaftery ereded on it in Ibme Pococke^ aiid other authott
of the eaiiy ag^ of chrilUanity; above-mentioned, and that, it having been^ by (A) Jt was originally called^
length of time, and the fury by ihtjews, the momt §f
of its enemies, almoft deftroy* UjUtiott, on accoont of the
cd, a new one was afterwards greatauantitiesofoil that were
erededy by the zeal of a Cata* made from die olives that grew
Brian prieft ] who, upon feme upon it : hot when Solomom had
revelation, whether pretended once defiled it, by ere£Une of
or real, gathered abouit ten fondry temples to the go£ of
more, ahd with them, began the Jmmoiiites, Mhahites^ &c.
to recover the yeneration of the in complai(ance to his ftrange
pkce : and hmce arofe the wivest they then changed the
order of the Carmelites (53), name of it, by a ftnall altera*
iince fpread through all the tion of the letters, that is, of
Abaian-catholic coontries, and nnu;o into Il^nu;D (^^® ^
of whom there are ftill acer- Kings xxiv. I3.)> into aq*
tain number, who live in this other, which fignifies, tbi
antient monsiftery : the further mount rf Corruption^ D/*
particulars of which, and of ftru&ion^ or Offence. How^
(53} MaundrfU, Pccccie, Calmtt, l^r*
C c 3 ever.
Tbe Hijiory of the Jews B, L
ftards about a mile diflant eaft from Jirufa/em^ and com- cnir.cs the profped of the whole city, from which it is piTted by the brook Kidrsn^ and the valley oiJehoJhaphaU Ir is not a fuifirle hill, but rather part of a long ridge, with three for, according to Mr. Pococle^ four k) he^ds or fummits, extending from north to fouth \ the middlcmoll of which is that, from the top of which our Saviour afcended up into heaven, and which wean {LJ the print of his feet (B), and hath a {mall round church
built 1^ Id. ibid. p. 28.
cv;r, the Greeks have retaised moved by the Turks into their
itssLnueat one, of Ops(tAAi«ir, great moique on mount A6-
or o:^ TiiT iKAtm-^ mowtt tf riabi or, as others think, bj
Oui't:. Soms affeAed to call theQiriftians, during the tins
it tb£x:2a:te/tbe Three Lights, of the crufede, whence diey
becaufc ic was lighted on the removed it to their great
vcft by the fire of the altar» church* fince turned into the
on the eift by the n£Bg fuo, mofque above-named, into
and becaofe it abided oil to which the Chriftians are not
m:erLainathird(brt(54\But» aUowed to fet their feet. The
it is likelvy that the three print in this chapel is thite
lights alluded to the fun*s early inches deep in thez^ck, and a-
T2.ys enlightening its three adiy reprefenting the ibleofa
icnunits^and making chemap- foot. The good people there
pear like fo many diftant add, that, when that pious
lights :, 5 5 \» emprefe built the great chuxdi,
^B) Here was formerly a ibe wooki have paved it all
magnificent church, built by with fine marble 1 but that,
the cDpre&^fiiiM, in memory when they came to cover the of CHuisT'sgbriousaiGenixon; print of our SAViova^s ftct, b»it all that remains of it is they found it impiafticable, only a GsibU o&^nal capob, that place not fu&ong anjr about ci:ht yards in diameter, thing to be laid on it; upon and tb^.ding, as they a£rm, which they left them unoo- cver the tctt place where vexed, and built this kind of were ie: die Uilfix>tileps of the chapel over them (f ) ; wluch
S:n- cf Go3 here upon earth, is round within, and o&igooal Acccrdu^iy :hey xhew you, without (56). Pococke adds, w::i:a t:ie p!^ce, in the hard that it ibmds in the nudft of a reck, the print of one of his large icclofure, with Ibine
*'^- They icll you the other buildings about, it ; and that it
r*^i ucrc die, but \^as le- is now converted into a moiqaei
■ "n '^ ■-■*-• *■*-.*-/• '• -a- .>?' S.-s SjfJrs's JtfcrtMiofi of it, Calmet\
#t. :>...... j , ^ 7^ £i :r , : s T.r. C-i iisf. Ji'ln, (^ tf/. (56) Maagdr^
C. VIL to the Babylonifli Captivity.
•built over it. The fecond, towards the fouth, is that called the mount o( Corruption^ or Offence. The third, to the north- ivard, which is the higheft of all, and ftands about two furlongs from the middlemoft, is that ^ich was moft commonly ftiled the mount of Galilee (C). Here they ihew you likewife all the places mentioned in the gofpel ; fuch as th&t where Christ mounted the afi, where he weptv ov^xjerufalem^ &c. ; which are ftill vifited by multitudes of Chriftians of all forts; diough the Latins have the pof- ieffioh of them, and perform the particular ceremonies that belong to each refpeflivc place (D).
Mount
407
but that, on Afeenfion-i*ve^ the ChnfHans come and encamp iq that court, and perform a kind of parafoeve for the next fo- kmnity. The Latins have here two altars, and the Greeks^ CoptSy and Armefnans^ one
others in greater number will have it, it was fo called from the high tower ereded upon it, in memory of the apparition of the two angels to the apoflles after the afcenfion, who &luted them in thefe words. Ye men
'each, on which they fay mafs £/* Galilee (60) ; wefhall have
(57) ; but all forts of Chriftians farther occafion to inquire,
bave free accds to the plae^ all when we come to fpeak of that
theyear round, upon paying a remarkable tranfaflion; and
certain caphar. They (hew Xhsdl only fay here, that, from
yott a great many other places the tenor of it, this name of
upon this mountain, fuch as that where Christ wq)t over Jerufalem^ that where the apo- fUes compofed their creed, Csfr. all whidi have either a church, chapel; or oratory, to feed the devotion of pilgrims, and the mdigence of the monks that ihew them ; but, for a fuller account of which, we fhall re- fer to the travellers above- quoted.
Galilee feems to be of older' date, and to have been given to this fummit on account of its neamefs, at leaft^ to the pro- vince fo called \ probably, as fome have thought, from fome inn, or caravanlera, built there for the reception of the Ga/i* leans ^ when they came to (hare in the three grand folemnities that were celebrated at Jeru* falemi for every tribe had
(C) Whether this part of thofc kind of conveniencies, ORvet was really in Galilee^ which ftood without the city s
and the town of Catia^ where our Saviour turned the water into wine (58), flood but two furlongs from it, as hath been affirmed by fome (59), and hence was called by the name of that province ; or, as
there not being room enough within the walls to have con- tained one tenth part of them at fuch times,
(D) Thus, for inftance, on Palm-Sundayy the monks and prieils atteod their fuperior
(J7) Vhifup, p. 28. (5«) Jobn ii. I, &fef, (59) ^iJ. PcrJif.
Bphj* defcn lerofil, (^ euSt% anonjm, ab eo ci*at. (60] dSi it i it
C c 4
from
, ^he Hifiot} of tie Jews .*n B. I.
yiovm' C(tivary, alias GehMha-, is aaothOr iq^iintiiii . in this laiid, held in the grcatcu veneratioa on. .^C^uot of our SAviouR^.crucifixioiv upon it. It-ihariJ .^thofc-two . «ames probably from its rouiw]ne£,.or refcisblanfB-to » human (kull i though fome have fetched the-eWnwMi' far- ther than we dare to warrant (E) i and ftood; antieiulj ■ without the walls of the city, it beiJigthc place ■whwctiie criminals ufed to be put to deathj according tqtbitiiA^j/v'' law', hat Cimjiantine jhe Great ^ sita his (^my^nfl, caufcd it to be inclofed within the pew 'ftrajls, an<l;«>edild ft ma|nificent church over it^ of whicJi we i}jaU.l\>e«lciii the Jequel ; and it has continued a place of as gre^t vene- ration among the Chriftians, as ever the temj^ was anuHig thejwr.
Mount Morlah, on whichthcfamed templecrf'Sii/mm was built "", Hands fouth-caft of Calvary^ having Affik on the Weft, fo called from the filling up of that deep valley, ill order to raifc it to a level with the reft. It is commonly thought, that it was on this mount that jf&raham whs com- mandcd to facrificc his fon Ifaao.; diough that notion >) not without fome difficulties, which we may haveocadion to fpcak of more fully in the fetfuel. The Samdritatfs'^ bj
iVideHebr.uIt. ver, ii, .' flt jCIirwi.iu,.Ei ■ ■'
from the place where Chkist, cradbed upoD this tno^yliii.
mounted on an aft, proceeded blood might be ipVinklcd'-ui^
lojerujalim. HeudreOcdio thu of the lirft, -aitd^'tAizlit
his pontifical hAbil, and mount- make him partaker afthS W-
cd alfo on ap afi, and is accom- nefits of his death aiid ¥)S'i&tai-'
panicd by crouds of fpe&ators, tisn (6z). A»totbe'iiu£6fii^(lf
who cut down aod flrew [heAiountwichiathe WMbiOW^
branches before him, and make it be commonly altHbed t^tlit
the air refouod with chdr ho- emperor Can/lMtim, ^^t Wb
faunas (6 1 ). done lots beftt^e t^ 'AJrfiit,
(E) The common tradition who aaled theiity' tobetC'
was.thacthenaroeof Gg^i/ia, built, not where tlM'^'oie
which, in Syriac, fignilks a had Aood, but more tb tls
Ikull, was given lo ihi) moun- northward of it ffo that liioiut
tain oD account of j/^nn'b head Calvary, Which ftood-'befoie
having beeo buried here by without the wait), ax&t to be '
Shem the fon o£ Noai, with a almoU in the centre of the new
prophetic view, that Christ, one; as we iball have V
the fecond Mam, being to be to fliew in the fcqoel,
reading
/C^VIL »W ^ihyloniQi Captivity. 409
' Teaik%. Hs'^iuane m Gen^s ^ Moreh^ inftead of Moriah^
■ hai^'tstkrn occs^oh toamrm^ diat it was on mount Gi- titesdh^^ndarSBichm m&^Moreh^ that God direded that
. patriaircJh to dffcr up-lnViSn.
■ W'^'ftill mention }hii one mount more here ; viz. that /^Gihcfii aiid give die names of the; reft in a marginalGihon, . itotej* - Gf*wr ft^ and at a fmaller^^ ^'-^^
yii\&mc^ ihm Ctthary ; viz. about two fudongs diftance^^**'^'*'- fpoltiy BeMeBem^s gptQ, Jt was here xhzX. S.olomon was, by his fether^s expreis command, anointed It^ng by the pro- phet NdthisTij and Zadoi the high-prieft 9. There was a celebrated pool of that name upon it, whofe water king
^M^Zikiah c&ufed to be brought, by an aquedud, into the city. It is ftill a ftately pool, 106 paces lonjg, and 67 broad, lined with a wall of plafter, and well ftored with watitt' f (F). We flxall conclude this article of the moun-
i ' • • tains
■':^^..■' . ■ '
« Coftf. Gen. xii; 6. and xxii. 2. ® 1 Kii^s i. 33^
h fcq; ■'■ ^ MauWdrbll, Scealfo 2 Chron. xxxii. 30.
(P) The Other mountaiiiain and Samarttan^ about the for-
TaUftine^ worth mentioning, mer of thefe mountains ; in
are, mount G^in23:iffi» on which which they accaie each other
ilood the ^Sammritan temple ; of having corrupted the facred
and mount Ebai^ or Hebaly text : all which will be like-
which ibod oppofiie to it ; and wife ften in their hiftory here*
both i^ar the jtityof.iSAtt-^WHfy after. lAoani En^adi^ near
and not oyer«^aiiift ytricifQ^ the lake of Sodfnty or Bead Sea,
v/ktiX ^ufehius. m^ St* tjer$m £uned for its fraitfal vines, pre;-
placfid;them. Thefe two lure cioas balm, and iitiepalm-trees,
pmtedoaly by.a narrow valley on whkh' account it was alfo
oi[, it^ 200 paceti; and ■, thfi caXltAHasatzoH'tbamar^ or city
fomer is very fertile, and the of palm-trees (66). Its name,
lai;t<r very barreii* On the Engadt\ imports the fountain
former • it was that M^es or- of the goat ; and it was in one
deied..4he bleffings to be put of its caverns that Da*uid Co
or. pronounced ; and on the greatly fignalized his loyalty
latter the curies by the Ifratl* and fidelity, in fparing the life
iV//, when they ihould have ofSatJ^ when he had him in
crofiiad the^W^^ (64}> which his power {6y), It flood near
was accordingly done by ^«- the mouth of the ^^r^^tz/r, where *
J^ua (65), as we ihall (ee in the it throws itfelf into the lake
feqael. There are great con- above-mentioned, not far from
troverfies between the yrws the city of Jericho^ and about
(<?j) StfCalmet, in v9C» CarixKm. (64) Deut, xi. 20, & alib.
(65) JoJb.yv&, 33. (66) zCbnn, xx. ». and Cant, u 14, (67)
J $am, xxiv. 1, &/«f .
300
# f
T'be Hi/lofy of the Jews . i9i.U
tains with d)ferving, diat thofe in the kingdotti:<|f>y«iai xnofllv ftand routhward& of it> towards liie ImdoS-Edkn^ but tnofe of the kingdom: q£ IfroilBxc 'mUxCjptxfiA^yn^,
in it. ■'.,:■... ■ ■ ■■ . r.i
From thefe we are natuiaily led down .to At, nr^ejrs |
but we fhall forbear entering^intb too nice-^ d^^V^'^^ of what were properly fuch, and what might be mcMTc ppr.
300 furlofigs eaft fh>m Jeru/a- atid iatan (74). It' ftU& f» Iem(6S), Mount jima/ech(6g) the eaftward of tSie Joi^dalh and Gahajh were in the tribe sind parted the two ttibes and of Epbraim (70} | the laft had half, on that iide^ fmn Jrk- a town and brook of its name, bia deferta ; and extends froB and was near ^inmatb-ftrahf Lebamn^ on the north» to the where Te/^iM was buried. Fijb- kingdom of 5ii&0A king c/ ttn gab and Nebo^ on the other fide Amorites^ yielded finoe to the Jordan, whence Mofes was al- tribe of Reuben ; fo that it lowed to view the Promifed moft have a length of abo?e Land 5 foon after which he 70 leagues from north to foodi died> and was buried on one (75). This mountain^ or ra- of them (71). Thefe were ther chain of hills, was mod only parts or fummits of that celebrated for its excellent T^ famed ridge called the moun- fin, or rather balm (76). And tains of Abarim^ near that of we are told, that the merduirts FeoTy over-againft Jericbo^ in that bought T^^/i;^^ and canied the road between Liinas and him into Egypi>r WCM coltte Hejhbon (72). Peor, more pro- from Giliadt laden 'With dot perly Baal-peor, fo called pro- and other commodities firon bably from a filthy deity wor- thence for that ktogdom (77). ihiped there, of w hich we have Mr. Pococke hath pven os-wdK fpoken p. 126 (£), zz^^^ /eq, ^rther account of that fiuned The mountains ofG//^tfi6,famed plant, which is Hailprowiif for the defeat of ^W and yo«<7- about the plains q£ ^erUk tban(y2)f flood, according to {yS)* To thefe we wght^ Eufebius and St. Jtrom^ about a number of othoff^ Jcqm fix miles from Betb-Jhean, or chiefly from the naaei of tk Scytbopolh ; at the foot of them towns that arebuilt upon thai i was (till to be feen a large place fuch as the mount JfS^^fff^ called Ge/bus, and a frefh fpring Hebnm^ NazaretJh^.&bnn, 2#- running into the valley oijix- pbim, Sbileb, Scd,. bot^M tk^ reel(y^). Laftly, and to name have nothing eUe worA ^ no more, the mountain of G/- readers notice^ «9C fhiUliayaf ieady fo called from the monu- more of them iiere^ , : ments reared upon it by Jacob
^ (68) y^fepb.antiq, Lix,c, r. (69) Judg^xn.ult. (70) y«/£. zxIt. JBb (71) Numb^ xxi. zo. Deut. xxxiv. i, ^ fej, (72) i Sam, xxxl i,
& fiS' (73) Loc, Hsbr. (74) Gen. xnd; «t, Qf^ •
(75) See Eufeh, in vocCalard, (76) SeeJerem^vWuzz, xlvi.lt* M« (77) CcneJ, juuvii. ^5. (78) Ubi Jup. /». 32.
pcrly
C VII. to the BabyloDilh Captivity. 41 1
perhr cdlcd plains. Whoever duly examines the fiice of ndB country, fo remarkably diftinguiflied into high and low lands, may eafily think it aneedlefs talk, in a work like this i and thole who arc curious in fuch matters may fee it ' done; with g)reat accuracy by Rilandy to which we (hall re- ier tbem^ ; neidier have we room to dwell on them all, efpe* cially as the ikuation of many of them is unknown to us $ but iball content ourfelves witn a Ihort mention of the moft * noted of them : and thefe are,
u Thb valley of Bleffing ; in the Hebrew^ the valley Valey of jof Berakbaby in the tribe of Judab^ on the weft fide of the Bleffing^j lake of Ssdom (G), and in the wildemeis of Tikoah r. fsTr. ,7.^ The vale of Siddim^ or Hajfidiniy famed for the over- throw of Chidorlaomer^ and his confederate kings *, and for •the cities of Soiinn and Gomorrah (H), which were here .confumed with fire from heaven, as wie have related clfe- . where ^ 3. The valley of Sbaveh^ or royal valley, and king's dale, and namea Shaveh from a city of that name in it u. This is the place where the king or Sod^m met vi<So- .xious Abraham^ after the defeat of the confederate kings. 4* The vale of Salt j famed for the overthrow of the Edom- lUs by David (I) and Jmaziah w. 5. The valley ofjez- nel^ or Efdraehn^ or the large or great field ; in w^hich Aood the city of the fame name, famed for the death ofje- ^ubely the idolatrous wife of Jlbab ^, by Jibu. We took notice a little higher, that this valley reached quite from Scytbopolis to mount Carmtlj and was in the tribe of IJa- char 7. The town ftood about 10 miles diftant from
* ^ Ubi fajp. cap. 54. ' See 2 Chroti. xx. z6: & Gen. *iSeri, 2. irfeq. t See befbre/p. 120; & fcq. » Comp. 'Gen. xiv. 17. and z Sam. xviii. 18. ^2 Sam.viii. 13. V'Kingsxiv. 7. ' * 2 Kings ix. 30, & feq. y See 'gtJiZB. invoc* Jesreel 1 and Jo£. xix. 18.
(6) So ftikd frem a fignal three nations, p. 136, to which
vtdory which God granted to we refer the reader.
the good kukgjebo^afhat over (H) This valley is alfo call-
Clie ^cAnbined forces of the ed the fFoody njalley, the yal-
'MoaibiUs, Amnwntes^ and j?« ley of Pitch, Limiy^nd of Salt -,
• domitei (79) ; and on that ac- and is the fatal place which •county more properly rendered forms now the lake Aphaltites,
by the Sift uagint, Kot,\ei( €uao- (I) It is commonly placed in
.. yictfy or valley of praifc. Of the land of Edom, eaft of the
. .this vidiory we have already lake of Sodom, between Tadmor
fpoken in. the hiftory of thofe and Bozrah (80).
(79) 2 Ckroo, XX, jz 26. (80) See Calmet, invoc. Save.
ScythO'^
fie Hiftory of the Jews B, tj
ScythopoUs. 6. The valley of Mamre^ or Mambre^ fo called from the owner of it, an AmorttCj in alliance wiA Abraham^ and for the oak of that name, under which the patriarch dwelt *, and, after him, his fon Jfaac (K), 7. The vale of Rephaim^ or of the Tttam and giants (L), whole fituation near the tribes of Judah and Benjamin makes it doubtful, in which of thoIc two tribes it was. Jofma^ however, mentions it as one of the boundaries of me for* jncr '• ; and it plainly appears to have been pretty near die city of Jerufalem. 8. The vale of Jebojhaphat is moh tioned but once in Scripture ^ ; and is, by fomc, placed in Jerufalem^ ; and, by others, in the neighbourhood of it^i and a third fort think it the fame with the valley of Berak' hahy mentioned a little higher ; and to h^e had both namei on account of the viftory gained by Jehojbaphaty in Aat valley «. We are more inclined to adopt a fourth no- tion y which is, that the term is meant fymboUcally hj
* Genef. xiv. 13, & ult. xxxv. 28. "* Jofh.xv.l.
xviii. !6. *» Joeliii. 2, & iz. * Bed a de loc, Bwh
CARD, k al. plur. ^ Cyril. Alex, in Joel. iii. * Abbih
EZRA, &al.
(K) This oak, or as Ibme verfions render it, terebinth- tree, ilood about 1 5 miles from Hebron y and 25 from Jerufa" km ; and was reforted to, and held in great veneration, not only by the Je^Sy but by the Chriftians, on account, efpeci- ally, o^ Abraham's entertaining the three heavenly vifitors un- der it (81). Eufebius and St. Jerom tell US, that it was ihll Handing, and much reverenced and vifited in their time (82). The Je%L's have added many fables about its plantation, growth, ^V. which favour too much of their fupcrftition to ceferve a place here : and Jo^ fephusj who places it nearer to Hebron^ by nine or ten miles.
tells us„ it had fbod there ew fince tl^ creation (83)*
(L) This valley wasfiBMBJ' by Jo/hua^ and in the reigpttrf David^Mii his fucceflbis^wtter the name oi Repbidmi' ^VAl It had from a raGero^i^ana^ antient inhalntaats iSf^MkMl^ long before die caaassgiil-^' Jenus into it. We raiA*4rf » great number of gigsntirlGtfliit lies (84), and we mee(-triil them even from the^nkHieWir
Abraham (85) dowd- lO^tlol' of David, whole hcrbck mk fuch havock among theti^^^ they feem to have deftrojfot the whole race (86). Wc haie fpoken of them before* p.2(^ 242, 249, &c.
(81) Genef. xviH, T, & fif. (82) Demotiflr, evang, &/•«£
Canjhntin. /.iii. e, ^i. Jfieron. he JLhr, fub ifoe. (83) BelL J^
i' V. :. 7, (84} yid. Gen. xiv. 5, Jojh. xii. 4. (85)15**
V, 18, tsf /rf. xxiii. 13, Gf aUb, faf. (S6) Ibid^ f, 21, /*^,
thft
iriL to the Babyloniih Captivity. 413
prophet) like many others of the fame nature (M). fevtx that be, it hiath been by the generality of the s^ and fomeof the fathers, and other divines, under* 1. literally, and fuppofed tis be the fcene of the laft and ral judgment 9. The valley oiHinnom^ or of the Ijren of liinnom^ near the walls of the city of Jerufa^ N), infiunous for the horrid fuperftitions, andfUoody l^iformed there in antient times. lo. The valley of ^m% fo named from one 6f the four cities which pe- id, with S>Qiom by fire from heaven ^, and cohfequently near the Deed Sea. The town, however, feems to have It Ti^ilt ibmewhere in the neighbourhood, fince we find ^tioned after the return from the Babyhnijh captivity 6. The. valley of Achor^ near yericbo^ fo called from the Ue which Acban brought on the Ifraelitijh hoft, by his kgQ ; and for his being put to death there for it K 'jnoe'ysi\leyx}{Bachimj or of the mourners, or weepers, died £rom the univerfal mourning and weeping which ' f/raelites made there, on account of die dreadful mef-
I Sam. xiii. 1 S, & al. < Nehem. xi. 34. ^ Jofh.
^h— 26.
4) The word Jebofiaphatt by Sir John UmndemlU^ Theve-
20 Hebrewi fignifies the not, prixide Radzt^vitie, and the
nent of God ; and shay be= whol6 clafs of writers, and
rftoodinthefiiitiefymbpli- through which the brook C#-
jpb as..that of the valley dron h (aid to ran) appeared,
teifin, asjour veriion hath however, of fuch uncertain fita«i
; fbn^ngf mentioned by ation to Mr.Relandf than whom
(ane . prophet (87) ; bar, no man has more carefully
ding jto the ^#£r./«;9 more confidered the geog^phy of
erly.means, here, a valley this country, that he owns
mined or appointed by himfelf nniatisfied about it
. lor the jiu%iog of the (88).
OS. Maay of the Jewf- (N) We have already given
imagined mount Olivit, an account of this place, and of
tt^yniiley of yebojShafbatf the abominations pra^i(ed in
! jlQDtiguous ; and that the it : as fol* the fituation of it^
adjudge ihallfiand on the Eufebius places it on the eaft
er»: and the nations to be fide, dole to the walls ofjerw
h1'4|Q the -latter. This fdlem{%<^]\ bat i?f^W feems
K (which is generally (hew- rather inclined to think it on
travellers, and affirmed to the fouth fide of it (90). ar the walls of the city,
) 7«/iy. 14, (S8) Vbi fupr. c. 54* (89) id voc. Vatw*
. fege
The Hifiory of the }cw% .. . S<l2
(age they received from God, oa account of dieir diibbe« dience to his commands, with r^ard to the natioiis thej had invaded *• It is coaunonly fuppofed to have been at feme fmall diftance from Jervfalem (O)* 13. The hft wordi mentioning is, the valley of Elab (r), famed for the defeat and death of GoUab by Davii^ and for the vidoiy which the Ifraelites gained againfl the PbiliJlitusK The reft may be feen in the lafi: note.
There were likewife feveral famed plains in thb coon* try ; the two moft confiderable of idiich are, that pio*
*atperly fo called, through the midft of which the river jif' dan runs ; whichisxpmputed about 150 miles in lengdii and extending ASpwirard, according to "Jofepbusj £nm the city of Scythopohsy on the f^ of Tiber iasj quite to the Afphaltiti lake K A great part of this large trad is called, in the New Teftament, thf landj or rarion, abottt ysrdan ; otherwiie the wildemefs ofjordan °> ; mat is, comparatively with feme other of the more delightful parts of it} rf which we may have farther occafion to fpeajk. The other is ftiled the great plain of Efdraelony or great plains ad
f valley of Jezreel^ the fields of Efdrela^ and the plain ofLt' gion B s the firft of which names it had from the capital
< Judg. 11. r, & ieq. ^ i Sam. xvii. 2, ic feq. ^ Aotiq. 1. vi. c. 2. "> Comp. Matth.iii. 5. Marki. 4. and Loka
iii. 3. *» Vid. Relavd. ubi fupr. c. 55;
(O) This {t«ai% plain from this thevalley of the terdlTiAi
what we read of the battle Others tranflate it an 01k. Witf
foaght in this valley by Dn- omit many other vtUeys rus^
*vid againft the PhiUJlines (9 1 )» tioned in Scripture ; ftch a
near to that metropolis. It is that ofEJhcBl^ orof^ haadk
true, ours, and fome verfions, of grapes (92), lying feodivf
here read the word Jhcbim^ the Fropdfed Land i thofe tf
niulberries, it fignifying both Jjaion, Sorec, y^pbtbael^ G^
in the Hebrew ; from which &c. fo named from their diief
fome think, this valley, and cities ; the vadley-of fittiwri^ opff
that of the weepers, to be dif- the mount of Samaria ; thcnt'
ferent ; and that the latter was ley of Ifeughter, of vifioii,&f
near Shiloh, where the taber- whofe namet are rather pfO-
nacle was whea the meifage phe tic than topical ^ thenlkf
came to them. of artificers, near the Jordan
(P) The word Elah is, by and many others, whofe fi»
the Scptuagint, and Vulgate, tion and names are ftill mt^.
roiidrcd a terebinth -tree, and obfcure. ' '
(91) 2 Sam. V. 24, (92) Numb, xxtau 9«
It. t4tbeMflbnifhC^ivky: 4.1^
^0Brtiif or EfdreliH (Q^), and reached, as was lately I, from Scytb§p9Us to mount Carmtl^. Mr. Reland ) dus Gnat Plain to have reached partW into GaliUe^ ortly mto Samaria (R). Befides theie two, which !ie moft remarkable plains in all Pahjiine^ we may that the whole coaft from mount Carmel down to mthermoft borders of it, towards Idunua^ is altbge* a plain level ground, excepting here-and-there fome
and gentle hills, or fandy heaps. This great extent, ;vcr, was not all known or called by the fame name af- le fecond temple P ; for the northern part of it, from %toCafarea^ and no farther, ¥^as called Sharon^ Saron^ Of Sha- troaa\ and was very fertile in pafture-grounds ; inron. h, Mr. Reland thinks % the Gadites fed their nu- us herds and flocks, and bred fuch vaft quantities of il though we have ventured to ihew, in a former note, they had fome fertile plains of their own called by the
name (S). The fouthem part of it was callea >/-»
phelahj
LVSEB*. in voc. Jezreel and Efdrela. Josbph. beL Jud. 1. iv. ^ Reland*. ubifupra.
J Situate at the foot of It Carmel, fifteen miles ^f Nazareth, and fappofed Line place with the modern 9#. The name of Legion pfobaUy, given to it from legion of Romans garifon^ lere, to goard the paiTes nenPtoUmais and Cafarea-^ ftina I the town bemg, in meafare, the key %APa- f, on tluit fide. As for nafiies Bfdrehn, aod Bf- ^ they are plainly a cor- OD, or, if you pleafe, a afag, Greece more, of the ! karih otte ot Jezreel, 1] Henoe he concludes it ve given birth to the yAyA if Xa^eifUTtSof, or the : plain of Samaria, of Jo* v(93). The Seftuagint nonly tranilate it llwUv-
(liydk "E^r/pwXor and if It b^ objefled, that neither the Scri- pture nor St. Jerom fpeak of it as a plain of fuch large dimen* fion, it may be anfwered, that; though the territory of that city moft be, in itfelf, of fmal« ler compafj, yet it was coQfi- derable enough to caufe the other parts of the plain, tho* diftinguiihed by proper names, to be called by that general one (93} ; inllances of that nature being very frequent, and well known.
(S) We have had occasion to mention feveral fertile plains called by the name of Sharon, or Saron ; and that Mr. Reland excludes one of them, by nu- king this to be the place where the Gadites, who were the greateft graziers and Shepherds
(93} ^f^ 7^* liLe.2* (94) PU Rtland, ttltifufr^
Of
tbi Hijicry cf the Jews R I?
* phelahj or the plain ; and extended weftward and foiitfa- ward of Eleuiharopolis^ \ wliidi name was fffca ftiD, in Eufebius and St. Jtrom\ time, to all dot tnift > (T). The pbin of "Jericho^ thou^ rather a port of the G>Atf ' J^lain^ properly fo called, is likewile much celd>rated ia ^Scripture for its fine palm-trees, its balm-flirub, htdy mentioned, as well as for its famed rofe and rofe-tree; with which the whole plain was faid to be almoft co- vered ; and feveral wonderful virtues are, "without anjr foundation, attributed to it, by audiors, and bj the inha- bitants of thofe plains : one of them, however, is certain, viz. that it is incorruptible ; and, being kept (bme litde while in water, will blow, and appear in full bloom ; and, being taken out, it clofes up again ; and this it will do at any Teafon in the year (U). Odier plains here are too io- confiderable to be mentioned.
We find a great many deferts and wildemefles in diii country, mentioned in the facred books ; by which, how- ever, mufl not be underflood places quite barren, defti- tute, or uninhabited -, there being feveral of them wiuch
r Id. ibid.
s Onomaft. in Sephela.
of all the tribes, fed their numerous flocks, and not that which we, after many other authors, fuppofe to have been Dn the other fide the Jordan^ We would not willingly differ from fo accurate an author ; but the diftance of the Gadites from the grounds about Lydda^ Jop- pay and C^e/area, makes it, at leaft, very improbable that they fhould come fo far, efpe- cially as they had the land of Bajhan, which was fpacious and fejtile enough for their pur- pofef, on their fide.
(T) The word in the Hehreiv properly fignifies a plain or Jew country, fuch as this was ; and the Latin and Gree^ inter- preters have accordingly tranf- Jntcd it fo, except that the LXX haVe here-and-there pre-
ierved its Hebretv name. It was in this plain that wt are tdld Simon the Maceakt fortified the town of Jdtadg
(95). (U) Thefhrub thatbetnic
is fomewhat like oar alder,
and fhoots its Rowers in grot
bunches, which at firft are of
a reddiih colour, but by dcgreei
grow whiter. It is not peoi-
liar, however, to this |hn^
there being like wife fQaodgiqi
quantities elfewherc^ partki'
larly in Arabia. S^C htt
writers, however, telt lu^ dtt
the palm-trees are now unci
more fcarce, and the finit Avt
of what they were ; and tk
rofe-tree we are menttoniil
fcarce to be Icen in aH tht
plain (96),
(9O iMiccah, xii. 38.
(96) ibaw, Pccocfg^ (g<.
u^X
CVIL tp tbi ^^yloniOx Capshifys 4^1 j
had cities and villages, rich,' ^and well-peopled ; and few cities there were here, that had not fome defert, accord- ing to die Scripture idiom, belonging to it, for the feed* ing of their cattle ; fo that that word conunonly meant no more than a land or tra£l that bore neither com, wine, nor oil, but was left to its fpontaneous produdHon (W). Accordingly we find in the defert of judab^ where the ^
baptift preached S no lefs than fix cities, belides the vil- lages belonging to them ; vi%* Bethabarahj Middin^ Sf- cacabj Nib/ban^ the city of Saltj and that of Engaddi u. We have not room to dwell on a defcription of all thofc deferts ; but fhall only mention fome of the moft noted ; and thefe are, Amoriy in which runs the river of that name through the land of GiUad ; Ziph^ where David hid himfelf w • Cadejb^ near Cadejh-bameahj on the /buth fide of Judab^j and mentioned as the place where Mojes and Aaron Were puniihed for fmidng the rock)", and where .tiieir lifter died. The defert of Maborii or Maotiy on the borders of Judabj on the fouth of yejhimon j'this was an- other place where David retired from the fury of y^i/Z^t. Thofe of Tekoahy Bezer^ Bozor^ or Bozra^ Giheonj or Gabaa^ and others of lefs note, were like wife denominated from the cities they belonged to, and have nothing worth farther notice, except that the laft of thefe is mentioned by jfofepbus a, as well as all the mountainous tract from yeri-
* Matth.iii. i. » Jolh.xvi. 61,62. . ^ Numb.
xxi. 13. I Sam.xxiii. 15. * Gen. xiv. 7, & allb. plur. > Num. XX. I. Exod. xvii. 7^ & feq. '* t S^* xxiii. 24. a 2 Sam. 3ci. 24. Bell. Jud. 1. iii. c. 8. -
' ' . ■ . • •
(W) Mr. Rtland hath fiilly Kkewife inform u?y that the
fliewn, that the Hebrrwword fmall cattle, fuch »i -iheep,
'Xl'liOymidiaryV/hichiktGrieh goats, ?sfr. were npt fuBered to
rendered iffiiJLOf, and the Latins feed on thefe, but either in Sj-
difertum and ^foUtudo^ bear no ria, or the wilderneiTes of Ju-
aiklcfiy to efich other ; and that dea (97) ; and it is evident, that
-the former were fet afidefbr thefe were Htccft for that pur-
Jeeding of flecks, whilft the pofe, bccaufe they produced
leoltivated lands were fliled plenty of thyme, marjoram,
j)]ains> valleys ; and thofe that fage, and other aromatic herbs,
cxdelled in fecundity were di- which gave a more delicious
•fiiiiguifhed with fome proper tafle and flavour both to their
epithets^ or even names of that milk and flefh, than any pailure-
import. The Jewjh rabbles grounds properly lb called.
•
(97) Vhi fafra.e. sS.
. Vol. n. D d <ho
The Hifitny of the Jews - B.I.
cho to Scythopolisy as quite barren and uninhabited ; and in- cludes, under the fame chara£ter,moft of the fpace alongdie 'Jordan^ from the fea ofTlherias to thcJ/pbabitf hke; Ao' moft travellers have unjudicioufly crouded both fides with towns and villages, without any foundation, and widi more zeal and warmth than difcretion or authority K
To thefe we may add fomc woods or forefts, men- tioned alfo in holy writ ; {uch as, particularly, thofe of Hareihj in the tribe of Judab^ to which David withdrew from Saul^ ; of Ephratm^ where Mfahm received the due reward of his unnatural rebellion <1: this ftood on the other fide ^ordariy not far from Mahanaim^ vidiere David abode, while the battle was fought ; that of heha* non^ where Solomon built a ftately palace ^, fo called, in all probability, on account of the many ftately trees that (haded it (X) ; tne foreft of Bethel y fuppofed to have ftood near the city of that name, whence the two flie-bears came, and devoured the children that infulted the prophet Elifi)aK Others of Icfs note we pafs over to come to the feas, lakes, and rivers of the country.
We begin with the feas ; of which there are commonly reckoned five ( Y) ; viz. The Mediterranean^ called by die
facrcd
^ Vid. Reland. ubifupr. c. 56. « x Sam.xxii. 5.
^ 2 Sam. xviii. 5, & fcq. ^ 1 Kings vii. z. ^2 Kings
ii. 23, & feq.
( X ) Some authors have placed large pools, which bore no kind this place in the mountains of of proportion to them, fuch as Lebanon^ properly fb called ; the other three we have mco- whereas it is much more pro- tioned above, which were pro- bable, that it flood in or near perly mere lakes, and Ibme of JerufaUm, Witnefs the 300 them not over-large. They golden ihields which were car- even gave that name to ibme ried before that monarch, and large rivers, fuch as the KiU^ which arc exprefly faid to have Euphrates, Tigris, Sec. whidi been conllantly kept in the hall we purpofely take notice of of this palace (98). * here, becaufe without liidi pre-
(Y; The Hebrews gave the vious notice it would be im-
name of u3^ , yam, or fea, not poffible to underftaod fundry
only to thofe properly fo called, pa^ges in Scriptare, e^pedaOj
as the Mediterranean and Red m the prophetic books (09).
Sea, but to lakes, and other Thus Ho/ea ftiles the Ba^
(98) X Kirgt X. 17. (99) ^'^' »'''• •'• ^/^'» »»• »5« Xviii. 2. ZzLl*
XXvii. I. Jo-.-n, li. 36, 42, inch, xxxii. i, Doa, jd, 45, ^c.
ai^Mi
C. VII. t0 the Babylonifli C/i/>//i;//jr. 419
facred writers the Gnat Sea : 2. the Dead ea^ or lake of Sodom : 3. the fea oi Tiberias : 4. the Samachonite Seaj or Jake : and, 5. the fea of Jazer S ; which laft was but a fmall lake near the city of that name ; fo that only the firft of them deferred the name 6f/ea\ and this they di- fiinguifhed, not only by the title of great ^ but of Salt ^rc?, Mediter * ] Sea of the Philifilnes^ and alfo the Hinder Sea^ or Sea ^^irraneah. bind one ; from its (ituation, with refped to the land (Z) : the Dead Sea, called alfo, from its fituation, the Eafi Sea^^^ ^?' the Sait Sea^ the fea of Sodom, the fea of the Dejert, and fea of the Plain, by the facred writings ; and by other au- thors, the Afphaltite Lake, on account of the v;aft quanti- ties of that bituminous drug which ^rc thrown up by its waves, and thence by the wind towards the ihore. Jofephuf afliires us, it rifcs in lumps as big as an ox without i(^ head ; fome are even larger, and others fmallcr -, and in gre^ requeft among phyficians and embalmers ( A}» Many tilings
« Jerem. xlviii. jf .
numiuAEgyftiam the children weft (4), as thtyamittf or right
of the iea ; tor fo the words of hand^ for the fouth.
the original import (100). And (A) It is to be obierved herc«
Nahum^ fpeaking of the city of that the name of Dead Sea is
Ko^Ammm in ^gyft^ fuppofed not to be found in the facred
CO be that of Thebes or Decapv^ writings^ but hath been given
///y fays, that the fea is itstrea^ to it becaufe no creature wilt
^ure, and the waters of it its ii^^e in iu on account of its ex-
ramparts (i) $ which could b^ eeffive <nefs, or rather bicu^
only the river Niie (t). minous quality ; for the He*
(Z) The Hebrews had an- bre^jus rank fulphur^ nitre, and
cicndy no other rule for flat- bitumen, under the general
t«g and diitingui^ing the points name of file, Hpwever, fom e
of the compafs, than tluit of late travellers have found caufe
looking forthright to the fun- to fufpe^ the common report
riling, which they filled m^* of Jts oreeding no living crea-
Aedem^Qi front, i. ^. theeaft s the ture ; one ofthem having ob-
right and left made the fouth ferved, on the Aiore, two or
and north, and what was be- three (hells of fifh like thcfc of
hind was the weil ( 3 ) . Hence an oy fter, among thp pejbblps on
this fea, which lies weft of, or the fliore, and which he fup^
behind them, was called Jcha* pofes to have' been thrown up
rwt or Acharonith'y and is as by the waves, at two hours di-
frcquently ufed to ilgnify the fUncc from the mouth pf tb9
& ml, (5) See Cen.Xiu 8, 13. xiii. J^, (^ alih. pajf. {4)
yidt ifff, nU l^foU cvii. 3, in the cn^irj/,
P d s Jordan^
rbeHiJtary if ite Jvm B.L
have hc?n faid and wrote of this famed, or, if riicy were in- deed true, ratlicr in£uiiOus lake ; fucfa as that it arole from die
fub*
VfTrian^ which he there takes was there infonned, that it was
notice of, left the/ fliould be laifed at certain tunes from the
fufpeded to have been brought bottom, in large hemHpheies,
into the lake by that way {>)• which, as foon as they tooch
A bter author, though he (aw the fur&oe, and are aded by the
neither fi(h nor (hells, tells us, ei(temal air, bnrft at once, with
on the authority of a monk, great noife and iinoke, like the
that fome fortof Bfh had been fml'uis/mlmiMaMsofthtchYnu&it
caught in it ; and gives us bis and <&fperie themfelves about
opinion, that as fo many (brts ina thouiandpieces(ii). From
live in fea-water, fome kind both thefejudicions authors we
may be fo formed as to live in a may conclude the reafbn ofMr.
bituminous one (6). Matmdreir^ miftake,both as to
It is on account of this bito- the lake's throwing it op only
men that it hath had the name on certain ieafbns (that rere-
of Afphaltite Lake^ it being re- rendgeatleman might chancefio
ported to have thrown up great be there at the wrong time);aod
quantitiesof thatdrog(7),which likewifeas to his not obfarviiig
was much in u(e among the it aboat the ihores, ieeiiig the
Egyptians^ and other nations, ^ra^/ are there ready to gather
for embalming of dead bodies it as ibon as thrown up r all
(8). But, whatever it may have of tbem deicribe it as lefem-
formerly done, we are aflured bling our black pitch, foasnot
by modern eye-witnefles, that to be diftinguifhed from it, but
it ib now to be found but in by its fulphurous imoke.aixi
fmall quantities along the (hore, fiench when fet on fire ; and it
though in much greater near hath been conimonly thought
the mountains on both fides the to be the fame with that which
lake (9). But the contrary is pur druggifts fell nnder the
fince aiHrmed by two more late name of bitumen Juiaicum^ or
travellers, the one of which Jewijb pitch, though we ha?e
tells us, that it is obferved to reafon to think, that thb laftis
float on the furface of the wa- faditions, and that there is now
ter, and to come on the ihore none of the right a/pbaUm
after windy weather, where the brought from Jitdea, Arabiam gather it, and put It hath, moreover, been OOQ-
it to all the ufcs that common founded with a fort of blackifh
pitch is ufed for, even in the combullible (lone thrown on the
compofitions of fome medicines fliore, and called by (bme iM#-
( 10) : and another tells us, he fei\ ftone, which, being held ii
(«;) MaurJrelVijcurneyfr'im Aleppo to Jeruf, p.%/^, (6) Pococbf
uhi fup. p. 57. (7J Brocard, defer, ter, fan£I, c, 7. RadxiviL p. 9?.
(8) t*6i»cke ubi fu^r. (9) Maundrei. uli fupr, (xo) F^otke
uki fu^r. />. 30. (ii) ^htrw'i travels, p. 374, & fej.
i^n. 10 ibe B^yhmfh Captivity. 42i
lerfion of the vale oiSiMim^ where once ftood, as Is roonly reported, the three cities which perifhed in the culous conflagration, with thofe of Sodom and Gomor-- Fal/e re- B), for their unnatural and deteftable wickedneis ; onports nhout :h account this lake hath been looked upon as a XvAingitfxfloded. ument of the juft judgment of God, to deter mankind I fuch abominations. Hence it is added, that the wa- of the lake arefo impregnated with fait, fulphur, and r bituminous ftuiF, that nothing would fink or live in ind that it caft fuch ftench and fmoke, that the very I died in attempting to fly over it. The dcfcription vife of the apples that grew about it, fair without, and
alhes and bitternefs within, were looked upon as a icr monument of God's anger. So likewife the de- tion which many travellers give not only of the lake, jf all the country round about, of the whole appear^- dreadful to behold, all fulphurous, bituminous, ftink-'
and fufFocating ; and laftly, what hath been farther ned of the ruins of the five cities ftill being to be ktn ear weather, and having been aSually feen in thefe
times 5 all thefe furprifmg things, and ill-grounded ins, though commonly, and fo long, received among ftians, have beeh of late fo much exploded, not only le teftimony of very credible witneflfes, but even by the jrity of Scripture, that we mull be obliged to give them \ pious inventions, unlefs we will fuppofe the face and
amc of a candle, will foon (B) Thence called Pentapo*-
, and call a (moke, and in-> Us : Straio, however^ on the
able ftench; but with this authority of an antient and re-
ordinary property, that ceived tradition;reckoned up x 3
sK it loles much of its of them, of which So Jam was
ht and colour, it becoming the capital ; and adds, that they
nanner white, yet it dimi- were overthrown by a violent
s nothing of its bulk. But earthquake, occafioned by fub-
f. Dr. Pococke tells us, are terraneous fire, which threw
1 about two or three leagues up this great and fulphurous
the (hore. He concludes, lake, in which all thofe cities
JVer, from it, that a ftra- were fwallowed up (13). Jo^
>f that ftone under the lake fepbus affurcs us likewife, that
robably one part of the on the overthrow of ^»^<m« this
tr that feeds the fubterra- vale became the lake Affhalr
8 fire, and caules the bitu- iitei (14).
to boil up out of it (12.)
|
.9, |
(13) Ceogr. L xvu p, 764^ |
(14) Ant'tq. |
|
Ddj |
mtiiro |
4.22
^be Hifiory of thi JeWs B. L
mture ctf all thefe t'lings to have been intircljr changed (C). With refpecl to theiituation of the PeNtapoIis before-men- tioned, on the fame fpot whefe the lake now lies, Mr. Re* land is the firft that hath attempted to confute it from Scri- pture ; the fubftance of whofc arguments the reader may ice in note(D), What likewife relates to the conftant
(C) Thofc in pjirtieular, of bodies nd finking in the water» and of birds being ftifled by the exhalations of it, appear now falfe in fad« *Tis trucj the quantity of falr^ alumi and ful- phuri with which it is impreg- nated, render it fo fpecincally heavier (Dt. Pococie fays one- fifth (15), than freih water), that bodies will not fo ealily fink ; yet that author^ and others, affarc ns^ they have fwam and dived in it t ^d, as to the birdsi we are told like- wife, that they will fly over it without any harm. How to reconcile thefe things with the experiments which Plitty tells us had been made by Veffafiitn^ IS f 1 6) irapoffible, without fup- pofiiig that thofe ingredients have been fmc? much exhaufl^ ed» whif h is not at all impro - bable ; iuch quantities of them, that is, of the bitumen and fait, having been all along, and be- ing Hill taken of{; and fuch ilrcams of frelh water continu- ally pqqring into it, as may reafonahly be fuppof^d to have Confiderably dimiui^ed its gra- vity and ^enfenefs. For, with refpedl to its fait, we arc told, the Ai^aht make quantities of it from ^hat l^ke, in large pits ;^boat the ihore^ which they dil
with that water, ami teave to br cryilaltsed by the fun. Thii fait, as we observed a littk be- fore, is in fome caies much commended by Galen^ as very wholfome, ^vA a ftrengthener of the (lomach, £?>. on accoont of its unpleaiant bitterDeis(i7]. (D) He firft judicioufly ob- ferves, that the five kings of thofe cities are iaid to have rendezvoufed in the vale of SidJimi which feems plainly to intimate, that they did not dwell there, but at ifome di- ftance from it: neither, k* oondly, doth the (acred hifto' rian any-where hint, that tkofe five cities were in this vaki nor, thirdly, is there anymen* tion made, in any part of holy writ, of their fubmerfion, but only of their deftru^iiom he goes on, fourthly, with proving, that this fuppofed fab- merfion is contrary to feveral paiTages of Scripture he there quotes ; but which we omil for brevity : and laftly, hcpnh duces fome farther argmtients, to prove that not all the five cities, if any, did (land on thi fpot where the lake now is; all which he fubmits to be i^r- ther difcuffcd by the learned (18} I in which we fhall alff foUaw )iis example.
fi«;) Vhifuf'f.f, 36.
ri6) Nat.hi/I.Lv.c. r6.
(17) 5«
fmokc
CVn. iatbeBsbyloniik Captivity.
finoke afcending from the lake, its dianging the colour of its water diree times a day, fo ccmiidenuv affirmed by Jo-- /fpbuSf and other andents, and confirmed oy prince Radzi- villej and other modems b, who pretend to have been eye«> witnefles of it, is all now in the fame manner exploded by others of more modern date, and, at leaft, of equal can- dor (E). As to what was affirmed of the five cities ap- pearing under the water, in a clear fky ; that too is rather exploded than confirmed. (F). As to the water, it. is, tho'
clear,
^ Bell. Jud, I. V. c. 5. Radz. ubi fupr.
423
(E) All that is iaid on thit beady as well as of the infernal apples mentioned by J^fifbus and Jacitui (19], the reader may fee exploded in the author above quoted (20) ; from which niay be concluded, that thofe notions have been vended and entertained by fuperllitious vo- taries, with more zeal than diicretion, or knowlege, except it be, perhaj^s, the ateve-men- doned change of the colour of the water ; 'viz., bladdfh in the morning, bluifh at noon, and yellow and turbid in the even- ing ; which may* by the help Ota little optic, be eaiily ac- counted for: andy as for the mpples heisiatisHed they ne- ver had any exigence, but in the fickle imaginations of crazy votaries ; there being now not the leafl traces of that kind to be found.
(F) What the fame author lays of them is as follows (2 1 ] : «« I carefully furVeyed the wa- «' ters as fkr as my eye could << reach; but could difcem nei- ** ther heaps of ruins, nor.
<«
(srr.^-rbut, continues he, I muft not omit what was con- fidently attefted to me by the &ther-guardian and the pro- curator oijerufalim^ both men in years, andfeemingly not deffitnte of fenfc and *' probity ; *uiz, that they had once i^ti one of thofe ruins ; that it was fo near the fhore, and the u'aters io fhallow at that time, that ^y* together with fome Frenchmen^ went to it, and found feveral pillars, and other fragments of build- ings.** Thefe ruins have been fince fuppofed to be thoie of Sodom^ which lay ^rther north (22) ; but neither ^//^xu/, nor any ot)ier author, lay any fh«(s on what was told Mr. Maundrclli though they would have made no quefiion of it, had he himfelf affirmed it.
The unhealthinefs of the air about the lake was affirmed by Jojifhus (23) and FUny^ Spe- cially on the weft (24] : the monks that live in the neigh- bourhood confirm the iame,and
«
u
u
«
<<
( !•) BtlL Jui, /. V. e, ^. Bift» U ▼. (»3) UhifMfra.
(20) Mitundrell uhifufir, p, (21 ) Uhi fufra,f. 85. (»i) ruie C^thmt in vcc.
(24) Ngt, bip* /. ▼. r. 1$.
X) d 4. would
k
424 Tie H^ory ijf th$ Jews . \ . . 3, t
i\^9 dif- clear, fo impregnated with fait, that thofe that dive into it^ ithargi of come out covered with a kind of brine K There is oae re- i/i iMiter, markable thing relating to this lake, generally agreed on by all travellers and geographers ; viz. that it receives the waters oifordariy a confiderable river we (hall fpeak of in the fequel \ the brooks of Jabok^ Kijhon^ Antony and other fprings which flow into it from the adjacent mountain^ and yet never overflows, though there is no viflble vriiy to be found, by which it difcharges that great influx. The common opinion is, that it hath fome Subterraneous vent, either into the Mediterranean^ or the Red Sea ^ (G). It is inclofed on the eaft and weft, with exceeding high moun- tains, many of them craggy, and dreadful to behold ; on the north it has the plain of fericho ; or, if we take in both fides of the Jordan, it has the Great Plains properly io called, on the fouth } which is open, and extends beyond the reach of the eye, yofephus gives this lake 580 furlongs in length, from the mouth of die Jordan to the town of Segory on the oppofite end j that is, about 22 leagues, an4 about 150, or five leagues, in its largeft breadth ' ; but our modern accounts commonly give it 24 leagues in length, and fix or fevcn in breadth. . On the weft fide of it is a kind of promontory, where they, pretend to fhew the remains of Lot's met^morphofed wife in. Jofephus fays it was ftill ftanding in his time; but when prince Radziville inquired after it, they told him there was no fuch fait pillar or ftatue to be found in all that part ». However, they have found
^ Galen, defcript. medicatfi. Sallust. c. 19. Pocock. ^ See R£ L A N D . ubi fupni, and the authors quoted there. ' Antiq. J.viii.c. 2. debell. 1. iv. c. 14. ^ Maundrel. ubi fupra.
p. S4, Sc feq.
Ubi fupra.
would have difluaded Dr. Po- cocke from going to it on that account ; and, as he ventured to go and bathe in it^ and was, two days after, feized with a di zzinefs, and violent pain in the ilomach, which lafled near - three weeks, they made no doubt but it was occafioned by ix\ and he doth not feem to tontradidit(24).
(G)Doaor5^^w(25)hath
here endeavoured to account for it in the fame ingenious way as Dr. Halley had done by the Mediterranean^ that is, by exhalation, without having re- cOurfe to any other folution; and we (hall fubmit both com- putations to the judgment of the learned; fuch philolbphi- cai difqliifitions being foreign to a work of this nature.
(24) Ubifup.p, 3S.
. (25) u^i f"p> f' z7Zt & fin-
meansj
C;^. to Oe Babylbmih CaptPiAy. 435)^
meaas, about a centurv after him, to recover, as they pre* tendisi to aflure Mr. Maundnllj a block or ftiunp of it •, whic^may in time grow up, with a little art, into its an- tient bulk.
The fea of Tiberias^ or Galilee {R)^ is, in moft rt-SearfTi^ fpe£b, quite oppofite to thatof S^i^m; and is highly com-berias. mended by the Jewijh hiftoriano, amongft other things,for the fweetnefs, tioolnefs, and excellency, of its water, and the abundance and variety of noble fifli that breed in it ; contrary to the other, which fufiers nothing to live in it^ and whofe waters are reprefented as altc^ether diftafteful and horrid p. The river Jordan runs quite through it, and fupplies it with frefli water: and here it was that St. Peter j Andrew^ Jobn^ and James^ exercifed their profeffion of fifhermen 9« Jofephus ' gives it an hundred furlongs m length, and about forty in breadth.
3. The lake of Samachon^ or Samacon^ near the city of 0/ Sa- l}any and the fpring-head of the Jordan^ which runs quitemachofw through it, lies about an hundred furlongs north of that of Ttherias. We do not find it once named in the OW Te- ftament, cither by that, or any other name (I), by which
one
» Ubi fup. *> Bell. Jud. l.iii. c. 18. f L. iv. c. i.
9 Mat.iv. 18. Mark i. i6> & alib. ^ L. lii. c. 18.
(H) It had {everal other country of that name in the names, 10 the facred writings ; tribe oi Naphtaii (zj) ; as that Aich as Cinnerethf Cinnerotb^ or of Tiberias is certainly from the fea and lake of Kznneretb , or city of that name iituate on the JCinnerotb i the lake or water fputh-weft (here of the lake. of GenezaretbfOT Genezar ; and Jofepbus adds, with relation to the like. The name of fea of its water»that the neighbouring Galilee was given to it on ac- inhabitants, who made ufe of it, count of its being almoll fur- were wont toexpofe it all night rounded with that province, 26] . to the open air,in fummer-time. The other names, of C inner etb^ which gave it a coolnefs equal &c. were, moft probably, from to that of fnow {28). the towns of thefe names adja- (I) Whence it derived that cent to it; though fome fetch name,isnotear/ to guefs. The them from a muiiad inftrument Greek of Jofepbus (29) writes it of that name, in ufe among the XdL^a.'/uviri^ and ^^^lr;2(6>fi■- 7^<K;J. But /^r/^/r^ratherchuies T/f, which fome derive from the former etymon, from the the Arabic famachy a fijh^ in
(26) yid, Hum, xxxiv. ir. Jojh, xii. 3. I Maccab, xu 67. Jofepb. uhi fup, (27) See Heb. ubi fup, /. i. c . 40. (2S} Ubj fup, /. iv. c. i.
^29) Ibid^
the
The Hi/iory of the ^tw% ' . RL
one may conclude it to have been known to the facred U- ftonans(K). Its length is computed near fixty furlongs* or about feven miles ; and its breadth thirty furlongs^ or thrcQ miles and an haU'. But a late traveller, who viewed- it, affures us, it is now no more than four in breadth^ where broadeft, and in other places not above two*. As to the lake, it is famed onlv for the thicknefs of its water, from which it is fuppofed to have had its name, as was hinted in the laft note but one. Joftpbus adds, that the whole territory about it was full of marihes < ; and that the city of Ha%or^ where reigned Sabin^ one of the kings of Canaan "^9 was featcd upon it ; as that of Seleucia hath iince been. We have gone through the thre^principal feas, or lakes, of Palejiine ; for that of Jaxer we have already ta- ken notice of, as too ioconfiderable todeferve a frrtherde- fcription ; and that of Phiala (hall be mentioned in the fe- quel, on another account. We (hall therefore come to the rivers.
Of thefe, the Jordan Is the moft conHderable, and the only one that deferves that name ^ the others, though often
* PococK. ubi fup. p. 7 J, t Joseph, ubi fup. ■ Vid, jofli. xi.5. Judg. iv. 2.
the plural famacbon: others (K) Some authors have there-,
from the Chaldee famak^ redi fore fuppofed, that the waters of
on account of its reddifh muddy MeremyTatniioiCd in^^irtf (33],
water. Some think it to be the were t\k\%Samacbonite lake f 34) » .
fame lake of which P//;r>'fpeaks becaufe it is iaidy in yo/ifhus,
(30],and which he places about that the Hazor where yaiiu
150 furlongs from the Mr^/V^r- reigned was fituate upon it
ranean, not far from Lebanon: But this conieqaence hathbeei
and adds, that it produced fome fo well confuted by anodicr
odoriferous reeds. Jofephus(2Lys^ learned critic, that nothing Ctt
that the marfhes about it extend be replied to it. We (haU re-
themfelves as (siTSLsDafbne{ 31]; fer our reader to that judidoai
but it is probable, that this is a author,for fear of drawing it ID
miflake of the copyi(l,and that too great a length (35); and
he wrote Dane, or Dan ; fmce only obferve,from him, that the
he fays there, that the waters of Merom of Jojbua and Jtiigif
the Jordan fall into this lake a (36) was far enough from the
little below the temple of the lake above-mentioned : fo that
goiden uilf, which is known to it doth not appear to have been
have been in the city of Dan at all mentioned in Scripture. (32)-
(.?o) L, xii. c. 22. (31) BelU Jui, /. Jv. c. 1. (32) See 1 JCf«p
X"- *9- (35) J'^fh. xl. <;, 6f 7. (34) PuQtk, ^ al (35) CoibtC
iijlferom, (3b} Cb, v. l8.
mentioned
C. Vn» U tie Babylonifli C&pthify.
mentbncd under that title, being rather brooks,.or rivulets, in comparifon of cither that, or the NiU^ Euphrates^ &C. and thefc are, the Jmon^ Jabok^ and Chefith^ on the other fide 7^^«; the Sorec^ Kijhon^ Bo for y Belus\ the biook of jexreeU which falls into the Jordan near Scytho^ polls ^ the tJahar^eUfaraty ^ fome others of lefs note; of which we (hall juft fay fomething in the margin (L), and only dcfcribe that of Jordan here.
That
4^7.
(L) The >jfrMff,oftmentionM in Scripture, hath its fource a* Sttong the mountains of Qiltad^ and runs down, at firft, from north to fouth ; thenccituming from ead to weft, falls into the Dead Sea on the eafi fide of it. The Jahoe fprings from the fame mountains, and falb Into the Jordan a little above the fea of TiBerias. That river divided the country of the^^M- monites from that of Gaulonitu, and the kingdom of Bajhan. The Chertth &med only for the
frophet Elijah^ % retreat (37). ts fpring is not known, but it falls into the Jordan a little be- low Bethjhean^ or Scythopoiis {r 8). The Sorec runs through the valley of the fame name, in the tribe of Dan^ and near the place where the infamous De^ Uiahdweh (39). Jofephm places it near Zorah and EftftAoi^vfYiert Sam/on refided (40). This val- ley, and the Cafhar Sorec, or tonjimof Sorec, were famed for an excellent wine often men- tioned in Scripture (41), and cried up by the Jenji^yh rabbis
S\X) i infbmuch that the word *\orec ieems, in many places, to mean, emphatically, either an <p;cellent vine« or th^ fruit of
it (43). Ki/^f al, Cijon, TVm$ through the vale of Jexreelp near and fbuth of mount Ta^ hort whence it runs into the fea at the port of Jeco^ or Jcra, al. Ptofemaiu It is a pretty hr^e river, and receives many fprmgsfrom mount Carwr/, and the ]»ain adjacent, jyt, Pocock was told, that it rifes to the ibuth of mount Tabor i and near this river it was that Eli' jab caufed the prophets of Baal to be flain. "Dodiot Shanvj'who (aw the four chief fprings of it called RasalKiJhony or head of Kiihon, adds, that it receives fo many fprings in its courie^ which, in rainy feafons,fell into it as fo many torrents, that it overflows all its banks,and runs with fiich rapidity, as to fweep all before it. Its courfe, like* wife, which, he fays, p. 332. is not above feven miles in length, is hailened by its declivity,tho\ except in fuch extemporaneous overflowings abovementioned,it never falls into the fea in a full flream, hut burieth itfelf in a bank of fand, which the north winds throw againft the mouth of it. Bofor^ or Bexar ^ parts the tribes of Judah and Simeon flxA difcharges itfelf into the Medi^
(37) 1 Kingt Kxv. 3. (38) Vld. Eufii. & Huron. (39) Jud^^
Xvi. 4. (40) Lor. Heh. in vot^ Ssara. (41) K/</. intfr al.XSen. xlix.
1 1. I/a. xii. 1%, £t^ fe^, Jer* ii. 21, ^ alH, plur. (4s) Midra/b, in /tcn
terranean
^be Hifiory if ibe Jews: : B.I
That famed river, of which a late author ^ iays, that 'd. next to the Nsle^ he hath not feen fo cbnfiderable an one, either in the Levant ^ or Barbary^ hath its fource at the fit* med lake of Phiaky about ten miles north of that of Sa-
"** Dr. Shaw, ubi fap. p. 373, & feq.
terranean between Gaza, or,ra- ther, Majuma, and Antbedon, It is alfo called the river, or tor- rent of thcdefcrt{44), which feme have thence,inadvcrtcntly , confounded with the river of Egypt t mentioned, alfo, in fomc places of holy writ (45) ; tho' by this laft could only be meant the JV//^,or the right-arm of it, fer enough from this of Bezor^ Belusy Bel, Beleus, a fmall ri- ver of Galilee, that difcharges itfelf into the Mediterranean about two furlongs from Ptole- mais (46). Pliny tells us (47), that it fprings from a lake, or marfh, called Cendevia; and that its courfe is only about five miles ; and that it is filled with fand, which the fea is continu- ally throwing into it ; and it is of that fand they make glafs. Jofephus (4S) and Tacitus [^()) I'ciy much the fame ; but our modern travellers, and thofe who iiavc wrote of the crufade, ipeak of this as of a thing now out of ufe, and only known to rhem from thewritingsof thefe amicnt authors (50). Dr,SbanAj lavc, it is now called Kar- dhana ; and that, as it runs through the plain of Efdraelon, u receives kveral fpringSjwhich cielcend from mouniCa/me/{ 51). i jjc lail river, worth mention-
ing, is called NoiJ^ar-e/'/aratfif Nebel frat, that is, the riven/ the moufe^ which hath its fource about a league to the north-eaft of Jerufakm (52). The reafon of its name is iuppoied toariie from its /beam's burying itfelf in the ground, as foon almoflas it begins to run ; and fi> conti- nues riiing,and loiing itfelf thro* the vale of Jericbo^ till it falls into the Jordan. To thefe we might add fome other carious fountains and fprings, of excel- lent water, which dilcover them- felves along the (ea-fhore, a lit- tle below Bellmotfnt^ and which are fuppofed to have their fource at about a league diibnce to the eaftward of it i where there is a fpacious grotto, famed for a plentiful ftream, which burfls out at once, and lofes itfelf immediately, under the fame cave. This place, which, the lafl-quoted author tells us, is near half a milekm^ and fometimcs fiftyi aiM] fome* times an hundred yards broad, is vaulted, by nature, in fo r^ gular a manner, that art alono feems to be concerned in the performance. Other waters, fuch as the pools of Solomm, ^iloamy &c. may be taken no- tice of in a more convenient place.
'4.-,) Av.'s vi. 14. (4-) 'jojh, XV. 4, 47. zCbran. v5. S, & ihk
•-f^'/ y-'V'^- 'A- t,-.'l. Jul. /. ii. I. 19. (47) L. xxxvi. c. 16. (48) V^i
t'uf>. ' (49) //./?./. V . "^ ■ ::o) FiH.geli. del / «rr. Frjnc, Gf al. mu.'t,
-.^ ^ a; ,-^^ />, ';?2. rJ, Pc'^.i. i*li, jup, p, 54. Jlfaunjtil. & at.
machon i
C VII. to the BabyloniOi Captii)iiy. 429
machpn ; though this was not fully proved till Philip the te« trarch tried the experiment of throwing fome itraw, or chafiV into the lake, which came out at the Panion^ot Pa^ 9fA7f, or the place where that river emerges out of the earth, after having run about 1 20 furlongs under-ground ; and which was, till then, fuppofed to be the fpring of it Its fin-ing- Tliis Phialny or Fiai^ a name commonly given to all other ^^^• refervoirs of that kind, is fltuate In a mod delightful coun- try, and fo excellently well adapted for commerce, that • . - marts and fairs are held in the places adjacent all the fum« mer long, by the neighbouring inhabitants ^, The origin of the name Jordan is varioufly deduced, as the reader may Nami* fee in the following note (M) ; but its ftream was looked upon as fo confiderable, in reference to the reft we have lately defcribed, which are but mere brooks in comparifon- of it, that it is fometimes fliled, by way of emphafis, the river y* yofephus^ in fpeaking of it, feems to make two rivers, or flreams, of it, which he calls the greater and leflcr ; the laft of which he makes to fpring from the Pa- mum above-mentioned, and the former from mount Leba-
V • . r
* Sanch. ap. Reland. ubi fup. 1. i. c. 41. , >' Joseph.
ant. L V. c. t. L viii. c. 3.
(M) Its Hebre^v name is, which was not till above eighty
properly, Jarden ; but as the years after the exodus. Some
Greeks and Latins have wrote pretend, that Mofes gave it that
it JordaneSf and Jordanis^ fome name by a prolepfis,. not un-
etymologies have made two common to that and other fa*
words of it ; *vix, Jor^ which cred writers ; but why doth he
in Hebrew fignifies river ; and not then call it Jordan^ rather
/)tf»,afmall city near the ipring- than Jar den? We therefore
head of it. Others have attri- agree intirely with thofe who
buted to it a twofold fource ; derive that name from 1"t> ja-
'viz, the Jor and D/tn, whofe rad, defce.ndit^ or jarden^ de-
waters, uniting, made the com- fcenfusy from its rapid defccnt
pound word Jordan, Both ety- thro' that countx*^y. The Arabs
mons are falfe,that river having call it Arden or Harden^ and
but one fpring-head, mentioned Ordonnon^ the Perjians Aerdun,
above ; and its name being of and che Nubian geographer, or
much older date than the city the fharif Edrifi^ gives ic th^
of Dan^ which was not built, name of Zaccbar ; which, in
or, at leaft^ fo named, till the Arabic^ fignifies tumidy JhneH-
Danites took poiTefTion of Laijh^ ing^ overflowing ; and is no
and called it Dan^ after the lefs proper a name for it ( 5 4)." name of their progenitor (53),
(53) l^^Z' '^^'»-' ^ ^ /'77' ^ =9' (54} ^''•'» ^diind^ uh% jup. e. 4^
3 no?i :.
STfe Hifiory of the Jews . B. L
non * : but it is plain, he means not two diftinA ftreams, or rivers ; but only diftinguifhes between that which it fiearer the fountain-head, which he rightly ftiles the kis ; from that which is farther from it, and which is, by that time, grown large enough to have the title of great. And in this he hath only followed the example of profane wri- ters, feveral inftances of which the reader may fee in Rt- land^y and other geographers*
The courfe of the Jordan^ after it hath taken its fc^ cond rife from the Panioftj is moftly foiithward, bending a few degrees towards the weft : after a run of about ten or twelve miles, it carries its waves quite through the Sama- ebonite lake, whence, after a courfe of about eighteen or twenty miles more, exclufive of its windings, it enters into the fea of Tiberias on the north fide of it, and comes out again on the fouth fide, at a fmall dif^ance from the city of that name : it thence continues its courfe ftiil foutlv-weft* ward, through a plain and defert of about fixty miles more, and falls into the Afphaltite lake above^efcribed. Its courfe is very rapid, though its bed is very deep. As to its breadth, -a late author tells us, it is about that of the Thames z\ Windfor^ ; and another gives it only thirty yards in breadth ^ ; but obferves, that its depth makes fujficient amends, it be* ing three yards deep, even at the very brink. Its courfe and banks are various, according to the places it runs through, fome very beautiful, others choaked up with high and thick reeds, canes, and trees j fuch as willows, tamarilks, fcfr. which quite hide the fight of it ; and are a harbour for lions, and other wild beafts ^. We fhall refer our reader ^o Jofephusy Reland^ and the other authors laft quoted, for a farther defcription of this river, and the towns, ruins, woods, and other particulars, to be feen on each fide of it ; a farther detail of which would carry us beyond our bounds*
It is recorded, in holy writ, as well as by Jofephus^ and others, to have overflowed its banks, conflantly, about the time of the early barvcft, or foon after Eajler ^ ; contrary to the nature of other rivers, which commonly fwell mol during the winter, for which many reafons have been af* figned \ one of which, in particular, is very wild ; viz. it(
* Ibid, h L iil c, 1 S, - Ubi ftp, * Fococ?. uK
fup. p. 33. ^ Shaw, ubI fup. p. 374. <* Vjd. Ra»-
z< viL, Maunorsl. Pocock. &t al, ubi lup. ^ Joih, iit. 15* I Chron, %\\, ^5. Ecclus« XA;iv. 26. Jossph. ubi fup*
4 Yxml I
C. VIL la the Babylonilh Captivity. 43 1
having a fubterranean communication with the Nile (K). But the moft probable b, the melting of the fnows about that time, and the early rains of that feafon, which pour down plentifully into it. However, our modem travellers afTure us^ that it hath loft that quality ; that river having, Cea/e/. as they fuppofe, by the rapidity of its airrcnt, worn its cbanel deeper than formerly, or perhaps divertol fome of its waters another way. So that, at prefent, it hath, in (bme (cnfe, a twofold bank, the nethermoft of which is that which contains its water during its natural ftate, and the uppermoft when it is fwelled up to its higheft mark« Mr. Maundrell^ who was there in March ^ the time men- tioned for its overflow, doth farther aflure us, that it was then two yards below the brmk of its chanel ^, which, he fays, was then deeper than his height. Dr. Poceck^ how* ever, tells us, that thofe banks are fifteen feet dcepS; which makes it probable, that it hath worked itfclf a deeper bed ; which may well enough be fuppofed. the caule of its not overflowing, as it formerly did. We arc told, farther, both by him and other travellers, that, between the upper and lower bank, there arc vaft numbers of reeds, canes, *«nd trees, growing ; which are commonly inhabited by the lions, and other wild beafts above-mentioned ; and which. Banks in- at the time of the river's overflowing, are obliged to aban-/^M don their dwellings, till the waters are again abated : znd ivitb wild this. 16 elegantly alluded to by the prophet Jeremy ^, The^^^'A- waters of it are commonly very turbid, by reafon of its ra- Waters^ pidity ; but are aflirmed to be very wholfome, and incor- ruptible > : and we are farther aiTured, that other extraor- dinary virtues are commonly afcribed to them, by the cre«> dulous and fuperflitious ; even to the waihing away fin (O).
All
' Ubi fup, « PococK. ubi fup. p. 33. * Ch.
xlix. 19. 1.44. ' R ADZ IV. ubi fup,
(N) One reafon for this others, mentions this particula-
llrange fuppofltion is, that the rity^ adds^ that not only men,
rorarimv;, a fifli pretended to be but women^ are ambitious of
peculiar to the Ni7f, hath been reaping the benefit of thefe fa*
taken in the Jordan, A wild lutiferous waters ; the former
concluiion this, as well as its by fwimmine in it^not Without
premife, and not worth a far* great hazard, by ^^eafon of its
ther confuution (55). great rapidity ; on which ae-
(O) Dr. P$m^, who,among count, they are obliged to tak^
(55) ^'<^* J^t ^^. tfnJ, iHi^
432 "The Hijiory of the ]t7T% ' B.t
All that need be added, with regard to this famed river, iS| that the plain, on both fides, from the fea of Tiberias^ quite to the Afphalticy or Dead Sea^ which yofephus fays is 1200 furlongs in length, and 120 in breadth, is extremdy dry, fultry, and unhealthy^ during the heat of the fummer; and every-where barren, except that part which lies near, and is watered by that river ^. We have, by this time, taken a view of the principal feas, lakes, and rivers^ of PaUJiine ; and (halt ik>w give a fhort account of its moS remarkable rarities. Natttral These are commonly divided, rigntly enough, ititona" rarities, tural and artificial ; but in a country, bke this, where fo much chafF is commonly mixed with the wheat, one had need make a farther diftinc^ion of them into eertairiy fro- labUy doubtfuly and falfe : but we hope we flull fo bx forbear entering into a detail of thofe of the thurd and fourth clafles, as to make that diilin£lion needlefs ; by referring thofe of our readers who are fond of fuch things, oace for all, to the authors often quoted in this fe£tion. fetfified Among thofe of the natural kind, we may }uftly reckoa /rmts,ScQ, ^^ ^^^ citrons, melons, olives, peaches, and other fuch fruit, in ftone, found upon mount Carmel; which yet, with a mod curious exaftnefs, imitate thofe vegetable pro- duAions, both within and without : and we are farther told, that the melons, when opened, emit an agreeable fmell '• Our author adds, that here, alfo, are found a kiiid of oyfter^, and other fifh ; and, as he was told, even bunches of grapes, of the fame flony nature and confid- ence ; but whether owing to petrefadion, or the luxuriant work of nature, is yet undetermined. Of thefc, and fomc other fuch curiodtics, of a fuperftitious nature, the reader may fee the judgment of a learned traveller and diyine, In
^ Joseph, dc bell. 1. iii. c. 1 8.^ , ' Le Brxtyn voy. aa
Levant, vol. iv. p. 308^ quarto edit.
h^ hold of fome of the boughs and having the water peored
of the trees that grow along upon them (56) by fome of the
the banks, to prevent their be- by-flanders. The Latin priefis,
ing carried away with the he fays, eredl altars along thofe
ftream. As for the latter, they banks^ where they fay mafsto
content themfelves with flrip- the devout pilgrims.
ping to their under-garments,
(.6) Vbifup.p,,'
t^C
C^yfl* t$tiiB^flom&i Cupfhity. 433
the following -note (P). Of tfac fame kind are the little round ftoa«8, exaSIy refendblibg peas, which arb found on Peas- a ipot of gioluid near RaihtPz tomb, not hv from BithU-ftomt. iem, which they pretend to have been not the work of na* iurCf but the cffeA of a miracle wrought by the Firgin
Mary.
(P) The gieAteft part of the inonatain of Camul^ and of thofe in the neighboarhood of Jerufukm and Bithlehem^ are, Iav8 Dr. Sinw (^y)^ made op or a kind of white chalky ftrata^ ttk the former of which they gather a great many flones, which, being in the form, as is pretended, of olives, melons, peadies, &r. are commonly Impofed npon pilgrims,not only fbr fach curiofities, but as anti- dotes agaiaft feveral diflempers. The olives, the lapides Judaid of the ihops, have been always an approm medicine againft the gravel and done: but little, continues he, can be faid in fo- vour of the melons and peaches, which are only fo many differ* ent iizes of round hollow flint- ilones, beautified in the infide with fuch fparry and flalagmi- tical knobs, as are made to pafs fbr the like number of feeds and kernels. The little round calculi commonly called the Virgin Mar fs peas, the chalky done of the grotto near BethU- hem, and called her milk ; the waters of Jordan and Siham ; the oil of zacone, the rofes of Jericho, beads made of the olive-floffes of Gethfemane i With various curiofities of the like nature; are the prefents which pilgrims dually receive hi retnm for their chatity.
Thus &r our author ; who.
by way of illuftration, gives U5» Ukewife, fome other inftances of fuch petrifications in various fifhes, or, as he fliles them, fof- iil fifhes, in his phyfical obfer- vations on ^yria and Phocnice, and concerning which he ex- preiTes himfelf in the following terms (58}, concerning fundry remains of the deluge : '* Up- ** on the Caftra^an mountains «' above ^tfr0»/r, is another cu- « rious bed, likewifc, of white- <' ifh ilone of the date kind^ ** which unfolds,in every fieak ** of it, a great number and va- '< riety of fiflies t thefe,fer the << moft part, lie exceeding fiat «* and comprefs'd, like the fof- . *' fil fern-plants; yet, at the " fame time, are fo well pre- *' ferved, that the fmallcft <' firokes and lineaments of *• their fins, fcalcs, and other fpecifical diilindions, are ea- ^y diflinguifhed. Among *' thofe that were brought to ** me from this place, I have a •' beautiful fpecimen of the " iquilla, which, though the " tendereft of the cruftaceous " fifties, yet hath notfufFered ** the leaft injury from the ** length of time, or any other " accidents." We fhall beg leave to add, that thofe curious fpecimens, which our learned author hath brought with him from thence, and which fome of us, among many more ^url-
«
<c
Vol- IL
(57) Wi7«>>. ^ 372.
£e
(58) ihii.
ofitles^
Tie Hfftay of the Jew%\ \tX
Mary^, We have likewife had occafion to mention tbe fand of the river Bdus^ which was mt only' bcdfllentlbr making glafs, but is reported to have,' hfvatnt acti^bait, miniftred the hint of that noble invention'^: ' Oif theftmc road is a fountain, called tbe apoftUs fiuntuiki^^^iiAyZlkvlk farther, the dcfcrt to which our Saviour retired^* and was tempted by the devil o ; a moft barren and difnial'place diis! land fo dreadfully torn and mangled, to alUpp^fctiihce, diat a beholder is ready to think tlw cterth hath tHeri fiiBeri9 fonrre extraordinary convulfton, which had turhcid its very bowels inftde-outwards P. Near this defert, of, rktber, asa part of it, is fcen a very craggy high mdAitairi,'caHe«l^«iir* drantana^ or ^arantanioy of difficult and dangerous a fcen t, which is faid to be that on which tte temper (hewed our Saviour all the kingdoms of the i^rld. 'Our author richtly obferves here, that thofe who, ftom our ver« fion's calling it a wilderne6, imagine it to be a wood, oi fomc kind of wildernefs, are moft egregiotifly aiiftaken . here being neither tree nor ihrub to be feen^ but rock only, and moft rugged clifis. On the top of fhb above mentioned mountain are two chapels, one hieha" than th other, about both which are a great many hideoiis tkvie and holes in the rock, formerly the folitary retreat of chr ftian anchorets 9 ; and, probaUy, likewife, of the more at tient E^rncs ( Q.).
Hot and medicinal A^'aters, of fcvcral forts, maySiiEk wife ranked under this clafs ; and of thefc they had vatiet It may be obfcrved, in general, that the Hebnw names cL tnah^ chnmatl\ and chamim^ which the Greet and Vulgc write emmausj amatha^ hamataj amatby and ^mathitSy ways fignify fuch places as had thefe hot waters : and
^ Maundrel. ubi fap. p. 87. Sandys^ &c. >^Mat
DR-EL. ibid. p. 56. ° Mat. iv. i, &fcq. ? Mai
DREL. ubi fup. p. 79. ^ Ibid. 80. Radzivil. pen
p. 99.
ofitiesyhave been favoured with places,, and pretended .rari
the fight ofj^ do perfe^ly anfwer with which they fised the fai
the above defcriptioiiyand richly of tbe religious pUgnms; 1
deferve the title of natural ra- as the ilones which the Mm
rities. defired Cbrifi to tumiatabi
( Q^) A fe£l of Jew{/b and a great number, of oti
monks, or hermits, of whom which thefe rdigiout gi
we fhall fpeak, in the fequel of have the art of turning
this hiftory. We forbear men- money, without any minu tioning a vafl number of other
435
G. VII, . _ to ^&^ Batyforaifli Cipivity..
tbenl.iiKciy^nc) ieveial ia Paleflincy who& waters wdre ti- med fof^fuucing,^ a variety, of .<;iireares r ^ome by ba(l]lng, , othersj^y.iirinkiug. The fuperftitioug J^ws w<;re fuili ad* 'jniiers ipf, fome. qf \htx»^ as to imagine, that their virtue .ivas xQiraculous^ though Jofephus owns it to be natural* lliofe,: in particular, of that EnwMus ^bout 22 leagues .from, l^ida^ti the fea-{ide, and fince called NicopcHs : the ^.l^r^ter^ Wi^XTe of fuch efficacy againft moil diftempers, that ,the Chxiftjans. attributed it to our Saviour's having wafhed ^liis &et<in them, and given that virtue to them: infomuch, \^i^utliah the apoftate caufed their fource to befiopt, out o^iiatried tsohim.
, Qi;HJEJL natural rarities are, i. The faline efflorefcences, Salintef- wHicl^ i^re pbferved, at the diftance of fome few league^^^rf- from JthQ.i7A7^/ £^^> much like thofe which are mentionedyr^«rr/. ,to he j^px Aleppo^ after an inundation; a plain indication, tbiit ,^.vvhole plain about muft be, in an extraordinary imanncr, impregnated with that minerals 2. The hiK 'locks, ~wjrth which the plain, about an hour's diftance from ^ftie tii€jad Sea J is here-and-rhere covered, not .unlike tho(e ^]^Iaces.in England where there have been fome lime^Jcilns, 'but which are here pretended to be the pits where the kings qf Sddprn a^d Gomorrah were overthrown by the fpur kingsf. 3. The celebrated fruit called, by the Arabs j zachone (R), The za- If): the plain of Jtricbay which grows on a Jkind of tliorny chone, bufh> with fmall leaver, and both in (hape and colour re^ fepible^, a fmall unripe walnut. The Arabs bray the ker- nels of it in a mortar, and throw the pulp into fcalding water, bii the furfaccof which the oil rifes ; which; beirg ■ ikimfned off,, they apply inwardly for bruifcs, and outwardly
.^ r Maun ORE Lt, p. 81. « Gcn.xiv. paff. SocMaund.
9iibifup. p. 83. and before^ p. 194, &feqq.
M '
^
(R) Dr. Pococi, who faw it, and calls it zoccum, and ililes it ft trae, gives as. a more parti- . cular accDtaat of it> as follows : the faaik.'o£;it is like that of -.Uke hoUf^* it iiatb very ftrong tbrnms^iAMt. a leaf fooietbing like^tluitof the berbeiry-trec : il iNM'Jigreen Doti the ikia or fldh ov» it is thin, and the nut ribbed; hath a thick fhell» and
avery (mall kernel. They gfind. the whole, and prefs an oil out of it, as they do out of olives^ a»d call ic a balfam. I takte it. to be the myrobaUnuHt mtxi- tioned by Jefefhusy as growing about Jericho ; efpecially as it anfwers to the fruit defcribed by Piiny as the prodoce of that ^t; oi Arabia which was be« tiyeen Judea and Egypt (59).
(19) ObJirv% fn VaUfiin, wA ii p, 32,
EC2
for
for wounds 9 and prefer it) in both-cafcsj evofttdlhe baki of GikaiK* On the fame {»laif|:|^ro«s^tll8:;teiodI«lood» olivev "theniAtward coat of which'tB greeny lite tbaljaflbd cohim^H olive; 'but, being takenoff^ difaoviefssmtaut of wocdf fubftance, ribbed lengthwife, aitd of th&tUGlmdacf an almond fteitr The kernel within is likr tbotYrf' a4»> ffaiehov aiid without of a chefnut brown, but Jni^id^ m^ likelihood*. Much of t4ie iartie naftutbiatkitdbDt.ofMi which the monks of the convent in &• y«&i^sdcAitdBbe«9 and ftile the locuft-tree, and ^pretend to be tlieaig^tkx^bft*:) trecy of whofe fruit the bapdft lived ; (nrwiricb WDcmat^ Radziv'tlU calls them by no better name tfaaii jaonii^iwa of the ignorance of the middle times ^;:wiKh'noi9 be jtf ft ^nou^h, with regard to that particubu- (S) ; bi^-dock not forbid their being ranked among the natural rtritiesiif^ this country^ fmce we do not find tkey paw aap-wkere] elfe. -Dr.' Fdc^ck gives us this account of them : tfa^are calfard taroubS) and bttar a fmic like a bean, butrtflatter, ia which arfe fome imall feeds r tbe^H of it, wbcss Avp^'m eaten, and- iinsah^reeable tafte: atid it is on tbefetfaat tha ba[^tift M^-as theytherepretefid^ TbtBumdiifliall fuffi<?e for ttud Aatural rarities of this land* As for. the ia^ dkinsy or, aiKMir verfion renders that word^tbemaadrakes//
• - • ■ ,} :'-^ ..V.':
* MAUHiMLELLy p. 87. * Li Brvvn^ nbt fopu'P^ a^^.-
^v Pcrcgr. p. 89. ^ Ubi fup. p. 46. , , : .
(S) It is,indeed» tbecommon date,niay be inferred, fromtl^f
opmiony. that the osxei/fr, or permiAon that is given fpreat-
kcufts, which the baptiil fed up- log it in ^himticfil law»^^^h^|:e.
on, were the fame which we a particular diAin^lion' is made
call by that name, and not the between reptiles with and with-
fruit above meant: and it is ou t wings; the former of vvhich
plain, that, in mofl parts of might be eaten, fbrtbeTeaftm
AJia and Africa, where they there given (60) ; <i;/«. their
come,, fonie years,in fuchqoan- having wings and kg8»t6 raifc
titles, that th^y darken thefun, themfelves up intothiew. The
and would devoar every green common way of dreffiftg then
thing that came in their way^f was, by plucking off^tfaeieg
the inhabitants did not deftroy and wings, and boiba^ tl^
them; in thefe parts, we fay, it over a Maze, in a pan 'folic
is common for people to eat holes ; or elfe, wJ
them,and even to prefer ve them in fwanns,to knock them dewi
in fait or pickle, and feveral o- and lay them in heaps^jand* the
ther ways : and that this kind kindle a fire about them ^l) of food was of very antient
(6?) Uvit, xi. 21, ^ Jc<i2. (61) Uq Jfcr,'LudQlph, & al,
3 inention(
C. Vn. toAe Babjriomih CaptMty. 437
meatiooed. kt. Genejisy the krkaiMi or gourd of yotia^L^ andibiiio tithers»of the feme doubtful nature^ we jnay hav/e occafioa to fpeak of them inthe courfe of this hiftory.
Tr& artificud pnes^are ftill more in number, and woi^ld, in ail likdihood, tire our readers, weire we to give thefdme , detail ianddefcriptions which travellers have given us : but Ais weihall avoid, by mentioning only the mcA rein;u-k-« ahb, : andjbeft attefted of that kind : among which, we^ may hmk^.a* The ruins of PtiUmais^ or St. J^hn d Acre^^ Ruins g/^ otjhra^ from its antient Hebrew name Acce^ or Accho (T)l Acra. Whoever oonfiders theferuins with attention, would beal- moftrTiiidiiced to conclude, that the city confifled only pC caftlesvTwitiQDut the intermixture of private houfes. It hafi twowalb, well flanked with towers, and other bulwarks ^ and each wail had a ditch, lined with ftone, ^d many private pofteFns beneath : but now that huge waUy and a|l< its arches, ^c. are turned topfy^turvy \ and its fragments like ib-many huge rocks upQ» the foundation y. In the. fields, without thefe fiupendeus works*, afefiren, fcatfiered up and down, great ftone baiis, of at leaft thirteen or foufr teen inches in diameter, formerly ufed in battering the city^ before the ufe of cannon was known ^. Among the ruin^ within tfaofe broken walk, .which carry ftill foro^ tokens of their antient magnificence and ftrength, the cathedral, for- /// catbe^ inerly dedicated to St. AndreiVy challenges partictiiar notice, dral, both on account of its- height above the reft^r and neigh- bourhood to the fea, and of the vifible relicksof its 2LC\t\^t\t.and otbey fplendor ; it being a noMegothic ftruflure^ wi|ha portico ^'s^^/fw* round it«. 2. The church of St, Johrty the mmr faint '»^^- of the city, the remains of- which appear to be a low maf-
y Sandys, I. iii. p. IC9. " Maundrel. ubi fup. p. 54* * Idem ibid. Pocock. uoi fap.p. 53.
(T) This towa is, among fe** The oaxne of Piolemais was.
veral others^ mentioned in the fince given it ffom one of
book of ytu^es (62), as being the PtoUmies of Bg^t (64) i
in the tHbe of u^er, but ^ and that o£ ^cra, probably.^
ftrong^ that that tribe could not from its forti£cauons, and im-
drive oat the old inhabitants : portance; whence the knights •
lb that it fihns to have retained of St. John of Jsru/aicm did
its antieBtnamt among thena- afterwards give it that of St^
tives, feetig the ^a£r do (Uli Johnd*/.arh> call it Akka^ at this time (63).
(62) Ch, L nm. 31, (63) ?oc9ck* nbl fup. p. 52, (64) i M,ic-
£ e 3 five
five btiiMing; ib thu, it ie^probablc, tbeicvMV^and church over it. In the vndt-of irtbore -is.«\ielief.«f St. johi't bead in a chir^r. - j,- 1^ cmwenti^tbe kdi^tt bofptlallert, whofe remaining walls btarif^&laient icfli- monv of in llrength and grandeur. ^ Thc-palaBcifrf^iheii grand msfter, Aill exhibiting a bvge xaiKeA^^aiaait, and part of a ftately chapeti or dnrcb, bBlmgisg taitr, the walls of whichare ftill intirc. -5.' Theknflxro'afolKC, of which fgme remaini are ^L to be reen,'tuicehecaAB- dral. 6. Lillly, and to name no more (lI>v'')>a:n3fi(hK of a oncc-fomed nunnery, and the chuich bolonpBg oiit ; the walls of tbs former Hill ibinding,. aiod tho :las«r fliU ifliirc (W), To th^fe, however, wc oiay add AunsjtttiB ; l' >■ of
(U) Other tnvellera give lu he {ays, there IfnatD'JbMre'bon
fiime farther fragmeaU of the three waUs b]r.th0.if(|-M4 ^-
ruins sbovQ-mentioned i parti- lidei other buildings (67]. Ttc
cularly TbtiMot, who i/^yi, town is now poofly bjilcaiui
tbereajxllill.io beicen there- jjihabired.icarcdya mjeaboui,
mains of about thirty charchef, and without wall s.or.acy other
and. particu(»r!y, of one, above dtfL-rcc ; ttie Jrati not pennil-
the reft, where the knights kept tin^ it to be [[iclofed, left they
a iroafure which was known flwuIJIofc the power they have
only to them by apjrticular' now ever tr, a-idbe, in cime,
jiicccof marble. Thii creafare, <]u]te fhutoutof it. ThtGntk
we are told, was nfterwatds jiivea bilhopandanbldctrarcl
fetched aivay by the Maluft, in it, and the Lta(n fertun :
whocnmc thither in thedifgnife kane, or inn, wftb' a. chipe'
of merchants (65]. ^am^jadds which ferves them inftead of
;66). that this trcafure was convent. All tbe£>r^^«j(
ke;:t in thevaultof thechnrch likewife lodge in it, except t'
above- mentioned, and that, be- Englijh coDfuf, who bath
ing difcovered to the fucceflbts houfe of his own. - ' ofUiofeknighu.it wasabout^Q (W) CoDceriui^ thb qi
years before his tipie brought ncry, we are told a r^tpaffca
a«.'ay by (hegalleysof A/«//fli particular! vi'x. t)<at,wt»nt
the poor inliabitancs of the town town was taken fa]r..(Ue7B
abandoning the place,when they the lady abbefi exhprW
faw them land. Mr. Maandnil flock to cut off their Bofcs,
thinks the churcli in quellion to mangle their face*, io^idf
Jiavc been the cathedral. Dr. preferve their chaAity.
.fBMfi adds another remiirkablo fliewed them tbe'cxao
piece of antkjuiiy ; ijiz.. the whichwasimmcdiacelyibll
remains of a llroiig building by all the nuns, with iuch
called ihii^imcaJlle,i!oin which, that when the turiyb bail
«•
of apahce, Which, by tbc paflant lion, appears to have had oar kittgf sHgmy for its founder. We uial) conclude thii^ artick^ dlJceo^ ¥nth thexurious pyramidal hill abdut half a mile eaft bf it^ which is fo improved by art, if it be not altogether owing to it, that its fteepnefs render^ it alto^ sether inaoceffible, except on the fouth-weft fide : fo that, nom its fituation and form, it appears to have been a mound^ or dunp, of the befiegers ; it being about half a mile in length, and a quarter of a mile broad. And it is on tbisvfaill that the bafta- commonly pitches his pavilion, vjien-^ lie takes this town in his circuit. We omit fome other curious particulars, related by the fame author, which the reader may fee in his bookb.
II. The remains of Seba/fe, or theantlent Samaria^ Ruins of though long ago laid in ruinous heaps, and a great part of Samaria ^ ic- turned into plowed land, and garden^ground, do fiill retain' (bme monuments of its antient gramteur, and of thofe noble- edifices with which king Herod caufed it to be adorned (X) : particularly, towards the north fide of it, is feen a large fquare piazza, incompafTed with marble pil- - hrs, fome ftanding, foihe lying ; together with the frag- ments (tf ilout walls at a diftance from it. But the moft worth notice is the church, faid to have been biiilt, by the emprefs Helena^ over the place where St. John the bapttjt was beheaded, or, as fome others will have it, buried ; dbe dome of which, together with fome other parts, adorned Dvith. fine marble columns, capitals, and curious mofaic wofk> fltew it to have been a moft noble fabric (Y).
III. J acob's
** P. 5?, &fcq<j.
I. •
held them fo horridly mangled, tber to the Turhi which laft is
itra fitofiage; he ordered them paved with marbJe, and hath a
all to be maifacred ( 69) . chapel uiider-grouikl,Tnto which
J It) Thb city was inlargjcd onedefcendsbya flaircafeof^^
bdnitified bv Herod^ and Heps : and in it are feen three
called by hint 5^^y?e, and^fx- tombs, furrduaded with low
gufta^in honour of the emperor walls ; in which, it is pretended,
Augaftiu^ hid good friend, and the baptift lies buried, betweien
patrotf(^o); ' the propheta EU/ha^tAOha-
' (Y) The poor remains of this dlah. They like wife fay^ that
dhuidi' are now divided into it was in that chadel that he
two par^; one of which be- was ioiprifoncd, aha beheaded,
longs torAt'Chriftratu, the o- ' l^e TurJis will, for a Httlemo-
*(6^) Maundrth Pocock, ^a!, ibid, fyo) ^^fil^. antt A XTtif, ix.
• - E e 4 ncy,
44^
Jacob'/
n .
befools
ij/'SoIo-
saon.
Staled fountains.
gir flgf fljqr j^^^ Jews. . ;- J. I
III. Jacob's wdl is fiill ibcvred^ ancl iVYcranctd bj^ travcUen, not only oa accouot of its antiquitj, and of 4ke fntriarcb wbofe name it beax9 • but by ChriiKapyianich fldorc, on account of Cbrt/i*s condelceiiding to bolda con- ference with, the Samariian woman. . It fianils, iodeed^ at prefent, too far for the people of Samaria tD.lavc fttcbad theif water from it ; but it muft be remembered, t^tthat city, which Jof^bus tells us c was no left than twenty fiir- longs in compafif, ftretched itfelf farther this way thntbe ruins of it abovermentioned now do. The well is^.atpn* fent, covered with an old done vault; into which bctog kt doiyn through a very fireight hole, the mouth 4rf it is difcovered. It is all hewn out of the folid rock, and about th.ree yards in diameter, and thirty-^five in depth, five of which Mi^MaundrtU feuivl fuU-^ water (Z).
IV, The pools of Solomon^ fo called from hia btiiig commoiily allowed to have, caufed them to be madf 9 inof» der to fupply not only his palaces ajid gardens, hut, at Andc think, eyeu .the city of jArufakm^.V9\ikk water, appear ftill, by what remains of them, to have been a work of im-' menfe coftii^nd labour, and worthy of .that p^ mo- narch (A)* The fame we may fay of the iealedToumaias, which lie oppofite to them, towards the north-weft comer of tint ^me Jiill, in the neighbourhood q£ fftiUbff/i: thefe. pools are three in a row, oneiover the oibar^iitui (9 difpofed, dot the water of the uppermofl may deibend int^ the fecond, and from the iecond into the third. Tljry art all three quadrangular, and all of an equal breadth^ tnz^
« Debell. 1. i.e. 16.
neyM^Chrifiians go down into the chapel, and behold the tombs, through feveral holes in the wall that furrounds them (71}. Mr. Maundrell (ays^the Turks have ere^ed a fmall mofque over thefe tombs, but wilt admit a Chrlftian into it for a little money {72),
(Z) This plainly contradidls a ^bulous legend believed a- mong th& fuperilitioos people, that this well is dry all the year, except on the anniverfary oif the
day on which our Savioor fat on it ; when, they tell yon,.it bob- bles up with abqndance of wa- ter (73).
{ A ) Thefe ftupenditnif works, whidi were the delight, and fuppofed the contrivaxiceof that fatified monarch, are alluded to in his book of SccUfiafits\ where, among other infiances of his grandeur and magnifi- cence, he reckons up his gar- dens and vineyards, his fbun- taiss^ conduits, &r. (74;.
(71) Tbenff net's voy. par: «. €. 56. (72) MoundrcL ubi fmp. /. $9.
(73) Idem ibid, ^. 63, (74) Cb, 3U» 5^ ^
about
about/mia^ty fam i but in kngth they difFft; tbe fitfi of
> thorn JMdii|gj60' paces, the fecond aoo, and the. third lao:
landtaUuthree ar9 of & confiderable^pch, well walled ai)d
^ikiftered^ onvi coittaiA » large quantity of water. Abcmt
«iM fsicea 4iiftantfrofD them, is tbe fpntig which fupplies
/thcn% andiwhich tbe>frier6 will have to be the fealed feuA-
4ttia ^K>]|3eii of in the Gantkies (B) . The aqueduA ia built J^auM.
on «:*ibundation of ftones, and the water rune in earthen
»pipfli^ ' about ten inches in diameter, which are cafed ;with
•CWKi-i^onfiSy hewn (basto .fit them; which- are likewilb
^xweficd over with other, but rough ftones, well cemented
together ; and the whole is fo funk into the ground on the
•iid^ lOif ^ -the ^Is, that, hi many places, nothing is to be feen ' ' ^
of vit^ This work did formerly extend the length
pf five or fix Ijeaguea, and appears, by theftrengtbandcoije . ^
*^ivance of- it, to have been defigned to laA as long as the
jmrld, lAnd though -neither of our two authors have given
9ia thei dimenfions of thofe fiones, yet, by their manner of
pxiyefliQB tiiqmfelye»» efpccially the former, they appear to
r' ^ Se^MAVNDRkt. tibi fffap. p. 88. PoeocK. nbi fup. p. 44. THtvKvoT, & ad.
ffi) It is plain, from the to-* litde btfoie> the beginniogof mr of tbe vthole (75 ), tkat^^- the Jmuifi^ war (77)1 and the Im^u there ijpeaks aU^ericaUy^ fpot of gBoond the fiuae where ^pdm ^ the fiegolar charity Joftpbm 'voSatmA us, S^imm
o([t^^U^» there celebrated, ufed fiequeptljr tp take hit
But tike friers have found a diveri]on(7&). Whether the re»
way of amufing the people fervoin, here mentioned, con-
with a pretended tradition, that veyed the waters quite to the
hp re^ly caofed thefe fprings to city, or no, is a queftionthak
be ihut up, and fealed with his cannot be eaiily determined*,
royal fignet, that the waters We read, not only thatP/Ai/^,.
m^ht be preferved pupe and but, long befbre, HtztiUih^.
unauxupted, Mr. MmtmdrtU brought thoie waiprsiioom esct.
adds {70^9 that it wa^ no diffi* to the other : bus whether the;
cukthipgtefecurethemjfteiDg conduit that oonveyed thrai
they rife undcr-ground,and haj^ had not been made by. S§iomiit^.
no avenue to them but by a lit- and been only broken: by the*
de hole, , like the mouth of a enemy, in &m» of, their wan,
nauow .well. However tiao is not improbable; feeing that .
be, theiLare fuppofed to be the which is ftUl renaiiuBg is^coB^-.
feme wiuch PiUie cauied (b be monly aJRrrfted; to him. oonveyed ihenoe to Tmf/StZnML
(75) Cttwi. W. 11. (76J Uhifup. p, 89. (77)7«/'M- ««. ^•'^iy-
. \ have
it4a yfe Hiftofy of the Jews • - " 1B^ f.
have been very confiderable in bignefs. Howerer, ail chefe great precautions have not been able to prevent, in a great •meafure, its being deftroycd by die violent hands or the Jrahsy who make no fcruple to break ail before them, when- ever they are in want of water. So that there are only -f>me fragments of it here-and-there to be found, though J" enough to convince us, that, upon die ^^riiole, it muft have
'been a very expenfive and ftupendous work* As for the gardens, if any fuch there were here, they have long fincc Seen deftroyed ; and the fpot, at prefent, appears but litde adapted to fuch noble plantations (C)« To thefe we may add, ^§^ of V. The famed pools of Babefda and Gih^rty tlie former Beti&^ay TX^itufaUm^ lao paces long, 40 broad, and, at }eaft, 8 &r. 4^9 but now without water, and the old arches, which it ftill diicovers at the weft end, quite dammed up; theother about a quarter of a mile without BfthUhim-pto weft- ward, a ftately felick, 106 paces long, and 67 broad, lined with wall and plafter, and ftill well ftored with water. The reader may fee a fuller account of thefe, and feme ptbers of inferior note, in the authors often quoted, which we are forced to omit, for brevity-fake. Jhitftti^ VI. In the city of Bethlehem^ befides a great many holjr 'w* tf places, fuch as Ac' ftable, and the very nianger and place BdhJe- where the divine infant was born and laid, ^c. they flicW ***"* at grotto cut wholly out of a chalky rock, in which, they prctctKl, the blcftd Virgin conceafedheriyf and cWld from the fury of Herad\ and where fome of her milk, having fallen on the ground, gave not only an uniform whitcncft to the wrhole place, but likewife a miraculous virtue to it, to increafe the mUl^ of fuckling women (D). At Nazareth
is
(C) The groDnd, it feems, refpood with this deicriptioo,
appears, at prefent^ fo rocky the fpot being a rocky i^ey,
and barreOfthat Mr.Mattfuirell defoending from the pools, and
thinks, S^lomom difplayed his inclofed^ on all fides, widi
wealth more than his wifdom, high mountains, if he made choice of it for (he ( D) It is furpriiing to hear
purpoiefuppored (79): though, with what ftupid greedioefs
as he there adds,if it be fo plain thefe legends are fwallowed,
that here were his fealed foun- not only by the fuperftitious
tains»it is not unlikely that here Latins^ Greeks ^ kc but by the
muft have been his gardens al- ytry TurJb and jirmisi ifiia*
fy. The fituationfeemstocor- much that lumps of that chalk I
^ C, Vn, H the Babylpnilh Captivity. 443
is a ftately church under-ground, built, as is reported, onA^iNaza* t}ie very cave where the Virgin Mary received the angel's rcth, hail ; and where, juil: ^t the ie£tion of the crofs, are ereiSed (wo-plliars of granite, each a little above two feet in d^« fneter, and about three feet dift^nt from each other. Thefe aie fuppofed to ftand on the places, the one where the angel, the other where theblefTed Virgin ftood at the time of the annunciation (£)• Near this church arefeen fome noble remains of a much larger one, fuppofed, from tbear- phite£ture of it, to have been built by the emprefs Helena ^ .or about her time. There arefeen, among other frag- ments, feveral capitals and bafes, and other pieces of an- . tieut work in a tolerable good taile ; and over a door there is an old alt-relief of Judith*^ cutting off the head of Holo-' fhemes^* But the greateft curiofity in this way is,, the . great church, built by the fame empreis, over our Saviour's fepulchre, and, from thence, called the church of the Holy Stpulcbre \ but of this we ihall have a more proper occafion to fpeak, when we come to defcribe the city of Jerufalem. The VUth clafs of a,rtificial rarities in this country, ^nd the laft worth mentioning in this place, is, that of the fepulchral monuments that are fcattered all over it, and out
• FococK. ubi fup. p. 63,
;ftre br(4&en o^ in great quan- by what art U is foftained, our
. (itie9» and carried to T^z-A/tfi^My author could not difcern^ It
. v^here, being impreiT^ with touches the roof above, and is,
..the f<»l of the city, they are probably, hung upon that,
conveyed thence into 'Europe^ unlefs you had rather take the
and other parts. Our author frier^s account of it^ that It is
adds (80], that he met with a fupported by a miracle (82).
phyfician, at Venice^ Ample Dr, PococJt adds (83), that
enough to afk him for fome of they (hew you the very fpot
it, for a patient of his, who was ' from which, they iay, the' holy
ibinty of her milk. houfe was removed to hereto,
(E) The latter, or innermoft Th^e is a defcent into this
of thefe piUarSyWe are told (8t ), church by fleps, s^nd within it
hath been broken*away by the a grotto cut oiit of the fofc rock,
Turhy^ in expectation of Hnd- to which, it is faid, the houfe
ing fbme hidden treafure under adjoined; fo that the grotto
it ; fo that, at leaft, eighteen was part of their habitation.
inches of it are clean gone, be* This church, our author adds,
. fween it and its ped^l : ne- is mentioned by writers of the
verthelefs, it remains ered, tho' feventh and twelfth centuries.
(80) yiJ. Maundrell, p,^7, LeBruynuhi fup, p» z2i. (Si) Idem
ibid, /, n 2 . (S2) Ihid. (S3) W >/• t' ^l*
of
Tfc Hijlory of ibe Jews ^. I.
But the moft curious, grand, and elaborate piece, in this kind, are the grots which are ftiled the fepulchrcs of the kinss, without the walls of JeryfuUm^ fiorth of Bf Tetha. Why they are ftiled the roya] (epukhres (I), and to what kings they belonged, is not agreed on ; though there is not the leaft queflion to be nude of their being real de- pofitories cf the dead, as appears from the coffins which are ftill to be feen in them, of which we fliaU have occalioo to fpeak in the fcquel. But whofefbever they were, the whole appears a work of fuch vaft expence and labour, thit ft may be juftly enough pronounced a royal work, the moft noble, furprifing, and magnificent, in that kind ; and, if really the fepulchres of the antient ytivijb monarchs, the molt, if not the only authentic renuins of the old royal fjplendor,that are to be met with in orabout ^erufaUm, They are all cut out of the folid marble rock. On the cafl fide is the entrance, ten feet deep into theftone, leading intofc* veral deep, fpacious, and elaborate apartments ; the firft of which is a large (lately court, about I20 feet fquare, neatly
(I) This name is fuppofcd^ by a late learned tra\'el]er, to be taken from J§jefbtu^ who fays, the wall went by the (epul- chrcs of the kings ^89). How- ever, prince Radxi'ville roundly affirms the kings of Judah to have been interred here ; ima- gining, that they were formerly within,though now without the walls of the city (90) : in which miffaike he hath been followed by other travellers {91}. Whilft M r. Maundrell \ 9 2 ;,examining the m cter more clolely, con- dudes it certain, that none of the kings of Judah or Ifratl were buried here, unlel"?, per- haps. Hevukiah. Whence he thinks it not improbable, that they were the fepulchres of the fons of Da*vid mentioned in the fecond book of Chronicles [()i).
But here Dr. Po<ock judici-
oufly cbTerrr*. that Jofefhu, partkolarly, mentions the fine wall running likewife along fay the iepukhre of Heienat\wa of Adiabenei and that this la] had three pyramids over it Moreover, yillalfamdmt/vcL^ fcribing theie xx>yal repofitorie takes notice of one pynuD fbnding over them hi his tim from which our aiuher a dudes this famed grot -10 the fepulchre of HgUnm^ other cmpX) pyramids kav been, probably, deftroycd fore, as the third hath I fince his time. However be, they commoiily ^ bj Dame of the fepidchres of Idngf, meaning of Jmiahi more frequently, che iirJM of Da^d\ of which wi have occafion co i|)eak following hiilory.
(gc) P'.regr. f, IC4. i
[92) Ui;i/. /. ;6, C93JC
445^
-t.4/^11. to the Babylonifli Captivity.
cut, and pplifhed, out of the fame marble quarry. On the left, or fouth fide of it» is a noble gallery, or portico, with : . , a kind of architrave in front, fupported by columns, all, "^ likewife, cut out of the fjme rock. It was once adorned 'wld)*feftoons, and other architefture, but now almoft de- uced; and on the' left of the portico is the defcent into the fepulchrcs, into which one enters by creeping on onc*s belly on the ground, through a narrow paflage, which brings you into the firft apartment. ; This is a large handfome room, about feven or eight
iards fquare, fo very neatly and exaflly formed, that it may e juftly ftiled a fine chamber, hollowed out of one (olid piece of marble. From three of the fides of this chamber^ :you,may pafs into a great number of others, aH of the fame fabric and fquare, but a great deal lefs, and of unequal bignefs ; and from thefe into others, ftill lefs, one within another, of an oblong figure, fome of which are divided into two, and others not; the innermoft of which are deeper than the reft, by a defcent of fix or feven fteps. In every one of thefe rooms, the firft excepted, are ftone Romn^ coffins placed in niches, carved in the fides of the cham-»iV^«^/, J>ers, which were formerly covered with handfome femi* coffins* circular lids, adorned with flowers, garlands, ^c. but moft of tbepa are now broken to pieces (K). But what appeait
- (K) The misfortune is, that travellerSywho venture into fuch obfcuce and damp places^ are i:omiBeBly full of gloomy ap* prehenfioQS aad dread } which, in^ fpiitie of all their curiofity, makes them hurry over tvety (bing that is (hewed to them, and make all the hafte they can out of them.. And henc^ pro* QBcds the diffisrence we meet with in their accounts. Thus, frith fefped to thefe coffins, Li Bnm mentions no more than Airee, one' broken, the ether two iQtire(Q4) i which ihews, ^imi he dia lake only a tran- fient views wfailft MawtdnU frems to infinuate, as if there were a greater number of them
fHll intire; though he doth not fpecify how many (95 ) . Rod* zivil/i computes, that aboot forty odd might be conveni- ently depoiitcd in the fides^ or niches, cut in the fides of thefir lelier apartments. AadLtSritm thinks, there is room enough for fifty coffins. Dr. PccacJtf who hath been moft carious in his delineacion, neither tdls at the number of thofo coffins,nor how many the whole nomber of thofe cells might contain ; but takes notice of fix or (even of the fiurthennoft of them, which are fmall^ and moftly about three foet h]gb,which,he thinks^ were defigned for foudler bo« diesf.
(94} ^^y* sm Levant^ v»/. ii. /. I95« d|/f tUt*
a fist' tw/i^.^»s-
4
(95) tt^ifif. p. xo4^
moft
448 Ti&r Hijiory of the Jews ' B-li
moil furprifing, and hath, till of late, puzzled moft of tfai Extras- beholders, is, that, on the doors leading from one cbamber jimirj to another, the door-cafes, hinges, pivots, &f • are tD cf jt§rt. the fame ftone with the reft ; which is jufllv looked upon as a wonderful piece of art ; fince thefe aoots appear to have been cut out of the very piece to which they hangy and not wrought elfe^ere, or from any other block : and that this (hould have been all done by lamp, or torch-l^t^ for no other they could have, makes the whole ftill aore furprifing ». But the whole myftery of thefe doors feems, of late,to have been unravelled by a more curious beholder o, whoobfcrved, that the only one of them now left hangiogi znd which is two feet and an half wide, five feet and an half long, and five inches thick, and left rough within, did not touch its lintel, by at leaft two inches ; fo that he believes it might have been eafily lifted up, and unhinged. He took notice, befides, that thofe which had been thrown down, had their hinges at the upper-end twice as long as thofe at the bottom ; which plainly difcoven the whole contrivance ; which is, however, juftly to be admired, and much more fo, if Dr. Pocock^s obfervation be right, that the door- places are cut archwife at the top on the outfidCf and in a ftrait line within P. This laft hath given us a more curious delineation of thefe fepulchres, and the proportions of the feveral inner apartments within, than any we know ; and to him we (hall refer our curioufc readers for a fuller account. Thus much (hall fuffice for the artificial ra- rities of Paleftine,
We might add to thefe, a good number of fupernatural
t)nes, which are much cried up by the fnonks,and other dc-
votees,as well as by moft travellers ; but as they are, for the
greateft part, founded upon too flight an authority to de-
fervc a place in this work, we (hall only finglc out two or
liiraeu' ^bree of the moft remarkable ; viz. (irft, the impreffion
ims rati' of our Saviour's foot, or feet, in the rock, on the mountain
ties, from which he afcendcd into heaven, and of which we have
already given an account, in fpeaking of that mount : the
Cleft of next is the cleft faid to have been made on the fame moun-
iberock. tain, by the miraculous earthquake that happened at our
Saviour's crucifixion?. It is inciofed in the great cbuicb
of St, Sepulchr€, and is about a fpan vvide, and two deep ;
after which, it clofes, and opens again below, as one oaf
iee in another chapel contiguous to the. fide of Calvary^
" Thevenot, Le Bruyn, & al. ® Maundrel. ubi
fap. p. 78, P Ubi fup. p. 20, & feq, ^ Mat. xxvii. j i.
. an3
449
C Vl!; b ijbc Babylonilh tapiwfiy.
aiid runs down, to an unknown depths in the earth (L). The laft we fhall name is the jthldama^ or fiild ofhkody Field of formerly, th^ potter* s fitldy and fince ftiled cafnpo-fantQy blood. or boly, fi$ld^ purchafed with the price of Judas*^ treaft^n ^» for the burial of firangers. This fpot, which is not above thirty yards long, and fifteen in breadth *, has, they af- firm, acquired fuch virtue^ that its earth will confume a dead body, though only laid upon it, and not at all covered by.it, in twenty-four hours^ according to fome \ or fprty- cight, according to others, to the very bones. But fome naoreclear-fighted fpedators have found reafon to be con- vinced, that, if it ever had fuch a pretended virtue, it hath fince loft it ; anci that the dead bodies, buried in it, are no- thing near fo foon corrupted as the above-quoted authors affirm (M). We fhall clofe this article with two other
^ Mat, xxvii. 7. Afts i. i S« p. loi, &al,
(L) That thh rent was made by the earthquake that hap-
ri at Gor Lord*! paffion,(^ Mmumdreii (ffi)^ there is •nly traditioa to prove: but that it is a natural and genuine breach, and not counterfeited by arty the fenfe of every one that fees it may convince him ; for the fides of it fit each other like two tallies: and yet it runs ill fuch intricate windings, a^ coold not be-coailterfeited by *rt, nor arrfved at by any in> ffrumcnt (97).
(M) RadzHnlle ^{f)^) and 9^'djs (90) are the two authors who proreJ& to have been eye- witnefies of this extraordinary -virtue. A greedy grave, the latter fays, it is, that is great enough to devour the dead of a whole nation. Bat Mr. Maun- drills who hath examined it more dofely, aflurcs us, that the earth of it is of a chalky fttbftances and that, by look-
(96) Uhi ftp. (97) Ubi Jup. p, 77. (98) Uii fup. p. 64.
{99) tVtfvf/f, ^, 145, (xuc) Jiadmvil, ubi Cup* MawdreJ, uhijup,p, 10 1«
Vol. a. Ft inftances
* MAtTNDREL. ubi fufl.
ing through the holes at which the bodies are let down, he could obferve manj of them under ieveral degrees of decay : from which he ju^y concluded, that it did not make that vtry ' quick difpatch, as is commonly reported.
However that be» this is now the burying- place' of the Arme^ ninns^ who, for a fmall fum, will admit thofe of other na- tions to be interred in if, that it may ftiU bear the name of a fe- l^nlcre for Grangers. They have walled it round,to prevent the Turks abufing the bones of Cbriftians % and one half of it is tak^ up by a building in the nature of a charnel-houfe, fquare, and about twelve yards high, with litde open domes on the top, for the convenience of letting down the dead bodies : and this chamel-houfe is the proper place of burial (100).
nc Hijicrj of the Jews • : B. t
inftancei of the fuperftition that reigns in thefe regions of holy pilgrimages s and which, beii% peculiar- to XbitTurb^ will convince our readers, that diejr are no le6 credutotis, and fond of wonders, than the Greeks and Lathum The 1 firft IS a fort of pillar jetting .out of die city-wall; over- againft the valfcy of JeboJbapbaU of which, they tcByon, among many other wonden, that it is to be the place whereon their prophet ihall fit in judgment at the lA day, whilft all the children of Adam fhall be gathered bfcjow, in the vaile}', to receive thrir everkfting doom from his moudi. The other b the wall which they have caofed to be reared to flop the entrance into the temple-gate ; from a pro- phecy, that goes current among them, that their expuUion out of that land, and final extirpation, will come in at that gatet(N).
W£ (hall (ay nothing here of the topical rarities which
-are fhewn to, and vimed by aO ffarangers ; there being
fcarce any place or tranfafion mentioned, either in the
Old or the New Teftament, but they ihew you the
very fpot of ground where the one flood, and the other
was done, even to thofe very ones which are mentioned in
f. the parabolic way : fiich as the houfe of Dives ^ and thefty
> .or place where Lazarus was laid (O) ; and- many others of
the
f Maundrel. ubifup. p. 103, &feq. Thevenot, nbifup part. i. C.50.
(N) This lafl particular is looking out for firfhaccdatior
* confirmed by mofl travellers i and falfe witnefles, in order I
who add, that, on the fameac- condemn him with more fees
count, and from that fame fu- ing jaiUce. The place whe
perilitious dread, they ihut up he fainted under his croTs, a
all the other gates of the city left the print of his hict oc
every Friday ^ which is their napkin, or handkerchief, w
fabbath, till after morning-fer- which a woman, whom tl
vice is over ; it being on that have fliled §t. Ver^Hica^ ca
day, and time, that their £nal to wipe the fweat off his brc
expulfion is expcdled to be ac- The gallery where Pi
complifhed. brought him forth to the 7
';0) They go even beyond bedecked with the cruel cni
;his, and will Ihew you others of mock-royalty j *ui%,
of which not the leaft mention ragged purple fcornful :
is made in holy writ: fuch as and crown of thorns;
the identical olive-tree to which many others of the like na
they pretend our Saviour was which are rather a di:cre(
tied, whilfl his enemies were his religion; eipeciallyas
r. VII, to the Babylonilh Captivity. «,i
the like nature ; for which we (hall refer thofe, that are curioua id fuch kind dC things^ to the authors often quoted through this fedion. Having gone through our general defcription of the Holy LUnd^ we ihal) now take a UK)rt view of the feveral lots and countries ai&gned to the twelve tribes ; in doing which, vire (hall begin with thofe of the two tribes and an half featcd beyond the Jordan^ as being the firft conqueft they made, in their way to the£W of prmiife. The next fhall be that of the other nine and an half on this fide of that river, and ftiied, more properly, Xh^Holy^ or Promt fed Land-y and in which we (hall defcribe them, not according to their fcniority, or dignity, but as they lie in our way from north to foutb, according to the limits we afligned them at the beginning of this feftion : and, laftly, we fhall, according to our promife, give the topical defcription of thofe countries that were contiguous to fkdea^ and whofe inhabitants were either intermixed with^ or near to, and concerned with the fews^ and whofc hiftory hath been given in the feVeral foregoing chapters (P).
Tht
are cbieHy calculated to obtain We have already taken no- the more money from the de- tice, that they were defcended vout llrangers, and for which from //<?», or C^^jw, the young- this only excufe can be made; eft fon of ^oah^ who is rightly w%, the extreme poverty, and fuppofed to have come wich his cruel exadiions, which thofe ^- eleven fons, foon after the di- thers labour under,through the fperfion of ^ahel ( i ) . Five of tyranny of the Turkijb govern* them we have already feen fet- ment, and under which it would tied in Phagnice and Syria ; viz. be impoffible for them to fup- Hethy J thus y Hemor, Girgajbi\ port themfelves, did not thde and Hs<vi; and who» with their pious frauds bring them, from father C^jMaffybecame the heads time to time, fuch charitable of fo many nations. Sena was relief. another, whofe fettlement we (P) It will not be amifs to are in the dark about : only give our reader a fliort iketch fome authors, from the affinity of this country, as it lay before of the names, fuppofe the de- the Ifraelites took pof&flion of fertof ^i«, and mount Sinai, to it, at lead fo far as relates to be the place ; and to have been thofe feven nations which they fo called from him (2). The were utterly to dedroy, and Hitbitesy or Hittitts, inhabited which were then in adual pof- about Hehrony quite up to Beer -% feilion of the Promi/ed land, fifeha, and the brook Befor^ properly fo called. reckoned by Mofei the fouth
(i) Gtn. X. 6. 15, Sf /«f. <S« htfvfy f. \%%y ^ff^J.. (2) lieylin,
TrcmcL VdUty fif ah
Ff2 limits
Tbi Hlfi«hf9l thi^Jatn^.^ III. I
■J* * ,i
Jfttdain<
*i Jit
We have had occafion, in ibme feraMT' ch^^ttts^ Id mention fome friendly embaffics, fent kf JUbfi^ <m the Icings of EJontj Moab^ and thofe of ^9 Am^thn %rA Bafl)an^ for leave to [uUs through their couiitry iintD the land of Canaan \ and that, upon thehr being mu&d by them all, they were exprefly forbid to commit ^nyliofti- lities againft the former, but oidered to figbt tbMfelveg a paiTage through the territories of the two latter | which they did vi^ith fuch fuccefs, as to make themfehra mafien of both their kingdoms ; which they found fo rich, de-
limits of Canaan. The y/* hufittSi or defomdants of Jf hus^ dwelt near them on the north, as far as the dty of Jebus^ fince Jtrufaltm\ the Jmorites pofTefTed the coun- try on the caft fide of Jor- dan^ between the river Amtn on the fouth-eafl, and mount Gilead on the north, af- terwards the lot of Reuben and Gad, The Girgajhltes lay next above the Amoritesy on the eaft fide of the fea of 57- beriasy and theirland was af' terwards pofrciTed by the half^ tribe of Manajfeh. The Hi- •vitesy defcended from He<vi^ dwelt northward, under mount Lihanus, The Perizzites, who make one of the (even na- tions of the Canaanites (3), are fuppofed by Heylin^ and others, to be the defcendants of Sena above-mentioned ; and, it is very likely, fince we read nothing of their abode in cities, iffc. that they lived difperfed, and in tents, like the Scythians, roving on both fides Jordany On the hills and plains 1 and that they were called by that
name front the HAnw rmt%^ which fignifies to di^wrfir. The Camaamtts dwelt in the midland of all, and were fur- rounded by the reft. This ii, as near as can' be condoded from the facred writings, the fituation of thpfe (even natiom, doomed to deftrndion for their horrid idolatry and wickednefs, when the Ifraelites firft enteted into thdr knd (4).
And here it will hardly be needful to remind oar readers that the itubborn Ifratliu were {o fer from defboym thofe inhabitants, and rootis op the memory c^ them, ar their horrid idolatries, th t\icy quickly fell in love wi their ways, contra6^d affini and alliances with them, t by degrees, they gave into their abominations, and came like them, qnite c trzxy to theexpreis comm of God. Upon which acco the^rcfidue of thofe nat were reprieved from their dr ful doom, and fufFered to and be a perpetual paniflv to them.
(3) Gentf. xiii. 7. Jojh, xvii. 15, fif aUh, fajf, fifh, KeUndn CsUar, Cslmet, fi^f.
(4) Dt hit
v>.
l.'rrk
C Vn. to $be Babylonifli Captivity. 45 j
lightfuly and (pacious, that the two tribes of Reuhm and
Gad^ and half of Manajpth^ were permuted to fettle
in tbcm «. Accordingly, that ot Reubeny which fbg kt ef
ivas the eldeft, was allowed, by the divine lawgiver j^euben.
the fouthern part of their new conqueft. This region
extended from the north-eaft coafts of the Dead Sea
along the eaflern banks of the Jordan; and was divided.
on the fouth from Midian^ by the river Jmon ; on the
north, from the tribe of Gadj by another fmall river ;
and was hemmed in on the eaft, partly by the Moabites^.
and partly by the Ammomtes ; whilft the Jordan parted it
on the weft from Canaan^ properly fo called. It reached
from 3i*deg. 40 min. to 32. 25. of latitude, and from
36 to 37 eaft longitude ; and was every-where fertile in
corn, wine, fruits, and efpecially in pafture-grounds.
Jofepbus {ataiq. L iv. r. 5.) rightly compares this coun*
try to a peninfula, or to an ifland, the weft fide of which
is wafhed by the river y^^r^l^;!, the north by that of Jabbok^
and the fouth by that of jtrmn. It haid likewise three
celebrated mountains, viz. Nebo^ Pjfgab^ and Peor^ or
Pbegor. We have not room to enter into a further de-
fcription of them ; they were probably, all three, parts o£
the fame chain ; and the laft of them might be fo called
from fome filthy deity of that name worfbiped there '*'•
The chief towns in it were Hejhbon the capital, Jaza^ Cities^
Bamoth Baal^ Betbpeor^ Medaba^ Mefbatb Abilab^ Edom
or Adaniy Sbittim^ LiviaSj Betbabarab^ Macberon^ Bexir^
Bozifj or Bozrabj La fa or Laijhj fince Callirhoiy Ced*
motb or Kedemothj aU jfetbfan^ and Betbjefomth +. We
know fo little of thofe cities, and of their true fituation,
that we fhall fay nothing farther of them ; and only ob*
ferve in general, that thofe which have the Hebrew word
beib before them, which fignifies either houfe or temple
(as Bethpeory Bethjhemejh)^ were probably fo named from
fome particular deity, except it may be that here of Betb^
abarabj which fignifies either a fording-place, or the
office where any kind of cuftom or tribute was paid,
which was ufually done at fuch noted fords*
On the north fide of Riuben was feated the tribe of Of Gad. Gady having likewife the Jordan on the weft, the Am^ monites on the eaft, alid the half tribe of Manajfeb on
* Deut. ii. I, & feqq. iii. i, & feqq. & alib. paiT. See alfo "before, jp. 189. ^ Vid. Numb. xxv. 3, & feqq. and before, p. 125. f De his vide Deut. iii. paiT. Joseph. Iceland,
Cellar. & a!.
F f 3 the
454 ^^^ Hifiory of the Jews • B, L
the north, and reaching from 32. 5. to 32. Co. of latit tude, and from 36. 15. to afmoft 37 eaft longitude;, It was no lefs rich and fertile than the tormer> efpecially in pafture-grounds, as hath been formerly hinted. In Citiis. chief towns were Mahandim and Penuel^ both fo named fey Jacob *, Succothj where he built his booths, MiffAa, or Mafpha Rebbahy the metropolis of Bajhan^ fince called Ribbothj and more lately Philadelphia^ Ram&th GiUady or high lands of GiUady Rogeliniy the native place of good old Barzillai y, Thijhbiy Sharon^ Sophafy Armon^ Mazejhy pebbir or Dabbir^ JJhtarothy Jazer or y ah/or y Dilboriy AroeVy Bethharatiy and Emn or EnnoHy the place where '^ohn baptized ^ ; which laft was on the eaft bank of hrdauy between that and Salim\ about eight xqiles fouth of Scythopolis^. HaI/}AA' North WAjiD of Gad was feated the ^^ half- tribe naiTeh. of Manajfehy having that on the fouth, tlie Jordan and Samachonite lake on the weft, the hills of Bajhan and Hermon on the eaft, and part of the Lebanon on the north. This territory, which was almoft as large as the other two, extended from 32, 36. to 33. 36. of latitude, and was more properly called afterwards Upper GaHleey or the Qalilee of the Gentiles ; of which more in the next article. It had feveral large territories, and confiderable cities : thofc of the former fort, were known by the names of Gileady Bataneay Gaulonitisy Auranitis, 'Machonit'tSy Gejhufy Auran or Amranty and Argob ; all of them fp called from their capitals. We fhall juft give a fketch of the chief of them. i. Gaulonltis extended from Peraa quite to Lebanon, Its capital, once a famed city, was given to the Levittcnl tribe, of the family of GerJhQuiy and was made a city of refuge W It was the birth-place of the famed Judas GalilauSy or Gaulonites^ chief of th^ Herodian fedt^, 2. G Heady fo called from the fon of Machiry and grand (on of ManaJJ'eh^. We have already fpoken of the mountains of that name. 3. Batanea was properly the land or kingdom of Bajhany bounded by G/- lead and the Ammonites on the eaft, by the brook jabkk on the fouth, by mount Hermon on the north, and by the Jordan on the weft ; the canton of Argob was part of it, and both were famed for their ftately oaks, and vaft
^ Gen. xxxii. 2, & feqq. y 2 Sam. xvii. 27, & feqq.
« John iii. 23. * Vid. Euseb. loc. Hebr. Sc Tub voc. JEmn. & auiTt. Aip. citat. ^ Deut. iv. 43. Jolh. xxi. 27. « Joseph. de bell. ^ Numb. xxvi. 29, k leqq.
herds
C- ^11. to tie Babylonifli Captivity. 455
herds of cattle «. 4. Auranitisj or Juran^ was another fertile canton, fituate between the upper fpring of Jordariy and the country of Gejhur. Others place it along the fea of Tiberias ; and we are told, that the Syrians and Arabs called that coaft by that name ^ ; and Jofephus makes it the fame with ItureaZ. 5. Machonitis^ or Maachonitisy from its capital Maachah^ was a fmall can- ton, near the head of the Jordan^ on the call fide of it, in the way to Damafcus. It was the utmoft border north of this half-tribe ; and we find, that the Manajfites for- bore todeftroy the old inhabitants, and lived friendly with them ^ : the fame is faid there of the Gejhuritts^ who lived in the next canton to Maachonitis.
The cities of this half-tribe were Bofra^ or Bozrah, Selfcha-, Maachah^ or Maacati^ Gerjhoriy J/htaroth^ Aarachy or Hadrach-kedar^ or the tents of Kedar (Q^), Suefay GamaUiy Efdraij Giieady Pdla, AbeU Abel-Maa- chahy QT Ahel'Beth-Maachahy Jabejh-Gileady Coraziriy or Corozaimy JuliaSy Bethfaidoy near the defert of its name, Gerafsy aL Girgejhay HippOy Gadar, and Ephrouj bcfides a good number of others of lefTer note.
The nine tribes and half on this fide of the Jordan.
Crossing .the Jordan from the half-tribe of M^majfehy Galilee. we laft defcribed, we enter into the province of Lower Galileey which lay on the fartheft northern verge of Judea (R), and in which we find the tribes of Afier^
Zebulun^
« Vide Reland Pateft. illuftr. 1. i. p. 200. & feq.q. *.Gol. not. in Abu'lpharag. Vid,. R^^and, ubi fup.cap. 20. « Ant. 1. xvii. c. 7. ** Jolh.xiii. 13.
(QJ This, the* mentioned have fpread themfelvcs from
as a city, was more probably a Arabia into almoft every part
canton of the Kedarites, or of Afric i and, in all probabi-
defcendants from IJhmael (5), lity, were wont then, as they
which arc mentioned by P/r«y, are known firice, to live moftly
and other antient writers, un, upon plunder and rapine,
der the names of Cedarenes, Hence, probably, that pathetic
Cedraiy Sec, and as living a expoflulation of the Pfahnif^,
kind of wandering life in tents, Pfal. cxx. 5, ^ feqq,
and were difperfed about Ara- (R) The province of G^z////^,
bia^ Phaenicei Syria, &c, and as hath been obferved a little
are ftill to this day not only higher, was divided into uppey
ot'er all thefe countries, but and lower ; the former beyond,
(5) yid, Cenef, XXV. 13.
F f 4 and
.«
45^ tbeHiftorynf Aijemt* * %%
Zehulntt^ Naphtalij and i^r&«r,r fettled by k^ It was
very fertile and cbampain^ except oi^ the nortfaera iide
towards Syria ; and produced excellent poxU^ vine^ oi]|
fruits of aU forts, with little labour; and was, in its
flouri(bing ftate, fo full of towns, beiides Tillages widiout
number, and all of them fo populous^ tbat y^Jt^husy
who was made governor of it, tdls us^ that the Jeaft of
them contained fifteen thoufand fouls ' f but whether to.
no he hatl^ fpoken within compafs, there is.iea£m fiif-
ficient to believe, that the country was realljr very ricl^
and populous, and its inhabitants of a fiout and warliUb
difpofition, aqd very zeabus for the Jivuifi)^ rdigion, as
will be made more evident in tbe fequel ibf tfab Jewifi^
hiflory. It had, in particular, a (pacious valle]s fo very
rich, that it was fliled, by way of emphafis, tbe fat valley :
it hath been fince better Juiown by that of St^Geerge^
from a fort or paflile built on it, and de4icated to thaf
faint.
friieof «• The tribe of Jjher was feated on the north-weft
Aiher. corner of the province, adjoining on the north fide tq
Phcenice ; and having the j^diterranean on the weft.
Zebulun on the fouth, and Naphtali on the eaft. It bad
feme conftderable cities near the fea, though no fea-port
of any note (S). It was fo fruitful in corn, wine, oil, fcff.
of the beil; lands, that it fiiUy anfwered the ble^g which
^ying < De bell. 1. ill.
»
and the latter on this fide Jar- whether it (xmtained any part
Jan, The former, furnamed of th^ kingdom of jS^^^osi for.
aifo Galilee of the Gentiles^ in tha( caie, the difp'uce would
probably, becauie inhabited by be at an ^nd ; this laft being
moft of that fort, whom the known to be on the other fidS
Manajftes had fpared^ and of that river : but, as it would
lived intermingled with, or carry us beyond oqr bounds,
rather, perhaps, becaufe it lay tq enter farther into ity we fliall
contiguous to the heathen na- refer our readers to Ligbtfoote
tions. This^ we are now upon, and Cellarius^ who have wrote
was flikd l&ivfr^ on account of for the one, and Reland^ whq
its fituation, and flat country, hath declared againft thein, or
in qpmparifon with the other^ to Calmet^ who has, we think,
wliich was altogether moun- decided tbe controvcrfy be-
pinous. There has been, tween them (6). however, no fmall controverfy, (S) The famed city of Tyr/,
whether Qalilee did really which is fituate on this coaftj
l^xtend beyond Jordan^ and fputh a little from the moutH
(6) Difflrt* M tbe faered geography^ frtfixtit^ bis comment on jfojbua.
C. VII. to thf, l^jXov^CapUvity. 457
iym%Jac9h gave to it ) that the bnad of it Jhould b^fai^ 0nd thut it Jhmld yield ryal dairaies ^. It was in this tribe that, the lands of MiJ]^a and CaUul hy^ which Set" ifimfitt gave to iiirqm king of Tyre >; who^ being difpleafed with it, g^ve it that contemptible naxne. The phief towns Their d* pf it were Elkatb^ or jflcath^ Cana the greater^ Gabak ties. ftabaK Aphek^ Hacok^ Gifchahy Bethjhernejh^ Achfapb^ fieth-Dagon^ A^a^ Accoa^ Acra^ or Ptolemait^ Utely dc* fcribed^ with a good number of inferior towns.
2. Th^ tribe of Naphtqli lay on the caft of A/ber^ Tribe of fcetweeh it and the Jordan j overragainfl the half- tribe of Naphtaii. Manaffeb. It was very fertile, and had, on the north, ^ fpring-htads of the Jordan formerly mentioned ; and extended . along the weftern banks of it, from mount Lebanon down to the fea of Tiberias. The chief towns Their ei^ in it iVere Dan^ v^hich was formerly called Laijb and ties. Lajhem ^^ and taken by a colony of the Danites^ who gave it the name of their tribe (T), Bierim^ £!mathj and
Arbites^
•
^ Genef. xlix. 20. ' i Kings ix. \i9Sc fcqq. ^ Judges xviii. 14, $c feqq.
of the Eleutherus^ has. how- that name ; the old one, built ^ver, been fuppofed to haye at fome diftance from the fea, belonged to the AJheritfs ; but on which was the temple above- it is mach queiHoned, whether mentioned^ and the new, fince they ever drove the antient in- built on an iiland, or neck of liabitants out of it. Befides, land ovefag^inftit, and at about if Jofepbus may be credited* 700 paces diHance from tb^ that city was not built till about lane} (9). But we ihall refer 240 years before the te^nple of our readers to what his beeii Solomon (7). This is wide already (aid of it in the hiflory enough, indeed, from whajt of Pbaenice (10). flerodotus fays of it, that the (T) This City became after - priefb of it boailed their tem- wards inftmous for the calf f$t pic of Hercules to have been up by Jeroboam (11), whicli jbredled 3 c 96 years before that was reforted to by all the re- author, which brings it about volted tribes on this fide ; and, } 290 years before' the flood as it ftpod on the utmoft verge (8}. But. befides that all thofe of Judea^ as Beerjbeba did on heatheniih priefb pnded them^ the oppofite, it gave nfe t^the felves in fuch prodigious anti- com^non proverb, ^Mi Dan to quity^ one may eafily fuppofe, Beerjbeba. Wheii the Romans ^hat there were two cities of took it| they |;ave it the name
' (7) Atitlf. /. viii. e. 2. (8) L. ii. c. 44. Ftd. Ufo. in an^ muni. 3$$9«
(9) Plin. /. V. f. 19. (10) Set Ifefortf f» 322, 9 fefO. [}^)7*S* ^^*i* /. XX. c. 8. Dt kttts /• i« ^« 16, • < .
45* 9^ ITtJturf 9f the Jews B. L
AriiUtj each a capital of a confidciable terrttory, Hdk^ poUsy andenthr Htr-Cberefb^ or the dty of the fun ; aod il^ice then Batbek, defcribcd in a former diapter% jtUodimf jtmatb^r or Jmaibarj Htr-Cajatbain or KhjiUbaim^ Ablaldj Merom^ near the lake of its name^ Hanzitb^ or Arazotby Hazar^ tents or camp of Heber^ ^diere the Kenites dwelt^ MaskeUtb^ MigJbtdtly KadeJb-NapbtaUj Sepberjxt Kirjatb-Sefber^ fuppofed, from its name, an antient univeriity, or citjr of books, Betbjbemejby difimnt from that in JJber^ Cartban^ Kammafij (o called from its hot waters. Mom Cbrtfti^ and Capernaum (U). ITrihe of 3. On the fouth of JJher and Naptbtali^ was feated /^alan. the. tribe of Zebuliqi^ or Zabulony having the Mediterra- nean on the weft, the lea of Galilee on die eaft ; and, being parted on the north from AJber by the river Jepbtael^ and on the fouth from Iffacbar by ^at of Kijhon ; and, by its vicinity to the fea, the number of its ports, and largenefs of its commerce, it exadly verified the bleifings given to the tribe, both by Jacob and Mofes (W). The
• ' ciljes n P. 266, & feqq-
of Paneasy and bellowed it on daring the fpace of three years | Philip the fon of Herod^ who for which he met with fudi tjalled it Cafarea Philippi (12): ungrateful letums, that he told and it is from this city, that the them, their fate would be wprfe woman (13) came to be healed than that of Sodom and^ Go- of her flux ; in memory of morrah ; and that their proud which, we are told, fhe caufed city,which was exalted fo high, a (latue to be reared to her di- Ihould be reduced to the loweft vine phyfician, which flood till degree of ruin (15); from 72<//^z/r theapoflatecaiffedit tQ which it is juRly concluded, be pulled down (14). that it was fituated on ^e (U) This lafl ym fitu^te on confiderable eminence near that the north fide of the fea fii fea.
^iberiasy at fome diftance well (W) The former of thcfc
from the mouth of the y^r^fl^; foretold (16), that this tribe
but though we are told it flood ihould dwell at the haven of
till the feventh or eighth ten- the fea, and be a reception for
tCiry, as appears from the tra- fhips, and ftretch its border
vels of Adamnamm and Villi- unto Si don ; and the latter adds
haldus^ yet the true fituation (17), that it fhall rejoice in its
of it is quite loft. It was the going out, or commerce ; fuck
reiidence of our Saviour, and the abundance of the feas, and
fcene of many fignal miracles of treasures hid in the fandj
(i^) Mattb. ix. 20, ^ [eqq. (13) Mark v. 25, Gf />ff. 6f alii,
(14) Eufeh: UB, viii. ^, 4, Nicepb, L vin. c. is,. (15) Mattb, xi, ?j.
(16) CcneJ, xlix. 13. (17) Dcuter, xxx:ii. 18, 19.
both
G. VII. to tbi Babylonifh Captivity. 459
cities of it were Zaiulorr^ the capital (X), Bethfaida^ Mag- Cities,icc> dahn, Jotapay Jfippa, Cinmrethj fince Tiberias j on the lake of that name, Cartha^ Bethulia^ Rimmon^ Dothaim^ Damnay Somerom, Tabor^ both city and mount, Sapha^ Sffffhij or Siporisj Nazareth^ Cana the leffer, commonly Cana of Galilee, Iconiunty znd Sicaminum^ aL Porphyreon (Y), and Heiphah, aL Ceipha. 4.
both which were fuIfiUai by the large commerce it drove, as well as by its metals, and the manufadure of glafs from the fand of the xiverBe/us, of which we haye had occafion to fpeak a little higher, and which ran through part of this tribe.
(X) This city feems to have paffed from the tribe of JJi^ery to which it joins, to this of Zebulun ( 1 8). It flood on the ^editeKraneariy near the mouth of the Jephtaeii and was once fUled Zabulun Andron, or of xnen, on account .of its ex- traordinary populoufhefs (iq). It was adorned with fine build- ingFj^ after the manner of Tyre^ iiidovy and Berytus, and nuich admired on that account by Cefliusy who, neverthelefs, toolc^ plundered, and burnt it to the ground (20).
JY) Its antient name was n^^ heipba, and not HQO, which we take notice of, be- caufe thej Greeks and Latins having changed it into cepha and capha, fome have taken a notion, that it was fo called from the rocky ground, which they fuppofe it to be built upon, or furrounded with. This is, in particular. Dr. Pococke*s conjecture (21), who adds, that there are many fe- .pulcres cut in it, mofUy like
fingle coffins, but not fevered from the rock, and very much in the Jewifi tafte; from which he condudes, that it was antiently inhabited by Jews, The names of Sycaminos *and PorphyreoH were probably given to it, the lirft from the Sycamine trees, which grew about it I and the latter from the fhell-£fh which was taken on its coafl, and which -they ufed in dying of purple. It is iituate at the foot of mount Carmel to the north of it, on the gulf of Ftolemais or Acco ; and is only parted from it by its fair and fpacious haven, fo that thofe two cities iland hpt at about fifteen miles didance by fea, or, in a diredl line, but feven or eight; the way by land being twice as long (22). Dr. Pococke adds, that it is now the real port of^^m,where ihips lie at anchor, it being a bad ihore on the other fide, where they cannot ride in ^fety, by xeafon of the fhallownei^ of the water (23).
Other towns in this tribe, that deierve notice, are, Magdo' lon^ in the fruitful canton of Gennezer, Genezar^ or Gentr xarethf a very flrong fea-port on the Mediterranean ; Jotta' pay on the fame coafl, flrongly fituated on a craggy rock, in-
(iB) Fee Jopj. xix. 27. (19) Jojeph. de Ml, /. UL e, 2
;^/</. /. ii. r. 22, ' (21) U^i Jup. f>. <;6,
a/>, Jlc/anJ. uli flip, p. $1^,
(23) mi/up.
(io) Id.
(Z2) l\'ubien, geography
acceffible
460 ST^i Hilary of tht Je^ii. B. i
frihtrf 4* The laft tribe in lower Galike wm dat t£IJpiebar^ bounded like the former by the MtdlterraMum on the weft, by Zebubm on the norA, by the ynrdam on the ea8» ^^di parted it from that of Gadj and on the Ibuth by the other half of Manajfeh. Its moft remarkahk places were the mounts Cannel^ and GiWoabj and the Tallej of yizrul^ aO lately defcribed. The great plain of Aie^dii^ called alfo the plain of Galilefy and now Saia^ from a caftle btiflt upon tt» and funed, like dut of yt%reel^ fcr the many battles fought upon it ; as well as far the adNm- dance of corn, wine, oQ, ^c. it ^oduced. The chief towns were Tarubea^ Cetm^ Iffuhmr^ Canmtb^ f i^f&n- lifM, Rabbitb^ C€i4ejby A^k^ Enbadda^ Sbmmm or Swrn^ the place where the hoTpitable Sbtaamitt lodged the pro- phet Elijah^ EndoTy where the pytfaonefi entcrtauied Jdng Sauly Naim^ where Chrift rarfed the poor widow's Ion, Bethjbemefiy ^narul^ or Efdrelam^ aL Efdraehn^ ^ Caftrum Pertgrimrum (Z). Ai^d thus far reached the province of lower GaliUi,
South
accrffible on all fides bat one, of thofe piaces, nay fee it 10,
and &ncd for the noble de- Jcfefhu^ Rslmmd^CMlmgi^kc.
Jeoce which it laade againft the (Z)Aniu^ them, was dat
Mtmrnms^ onder J9fepms^ who of Tarubga^ ieaJOed on die
commandfri in*it; J^^y an- hanks of the iea of GaMkf^ other coovedent fegi-port on about eight miles fouth of fir-
die fame ooaft, a few miles berias'^ of great ftiei^thy and
firom the former; Tiieruu, hmcd for the defence it made
on the lake of GaUUe, and fo againft Vefpajiam. J^fi^
called by Htrtd^ in hoooor places it where we have (25) ;
of Tihertms, and built and but PBftf (26), in the middle
adorned by the former on the of the lake towards the weft
^t, where the antient Cttme- end of it. Jexreel ftood oa
retb Hood; BetbuUa^ a pbioe the weft foot of mount GfZfivo^y
of ftreugthy and xefidenoe of was the royal refidenoe of ili^
the femed JuMtb ; T'nivr, a king of I/rael^ and became in-
Levitical city upon the mount famous for the death ofNabttb,
.€€ that name, and already de- and the iad cataftrophe of Je-
feribed'; Nazaretb, the place subei (27). Jfbei, another
where our Saviour was brought royal dty in the valley of Jei^
9p, fitnate on a hill* feme miles ne/^ where SamI and his army
^rom the brook Kijbon ; 2nd encamped near mount GilbtMh
Camm of Galilet^ famed for his (28). There were other dtia
$rft miracle there (24). Thofe of the feme name ; one in Jm-
who de£re a further account dea^ another in J^ber^ and a
^24) John n. I, &feqq. (15) Jn tntafua, & U. Jmd. /. n. r. it
(«6) Vide KeUni, ubi pt^. {^^) I Khgi tiX/ffff^ " (iS) 1 Ssm. XXiX. I, Qfeqf,
thim
C. Vn. t9 tbe Babylonilh Captivity. 461
South of Zebulm ]ay the other half-tribe of Manajfeh\ Other and fouth of this» diat of Ephraim^ fince known, 2% half 9/ vill be feen in the fequel, by the name of Samaria ; it Matuflelu being in this laft tribe, that the fatal rupture of the two Jungdoms of Judah and Ifrael beg^n, of which a fuller ' account will be given in its proper place. The territories of thefe two tribes, though contiguous^ varied pretty much, fome parts being mountainous atnd rocky, barren^ and even defert ; whilft others, and by much the larger^ were pleafant, fertile, and well inhabiied. That of Ma^ najffeh waf hemmed in, north and ibuth^ by IJfachar and Mphraim^ and eaft and .weft, by the Jordan and Medi^ tirranean. It had an admirable varietj^of plains, moun-* taius, valleys, fprings^ and a good number of ftately cities; among which were thofe that follow: Beth-^ Jhian^ al, Scyth(^oJisj SaUm^ Aner^ Bezech, Abtl-Mtholah^ Caftrum Alexandr'tnum^ iirjhah or Terfa^ Acrabata^ The^ hi%^ Tbanae or Tanac^ Gath-Rimmony Mac^oth^ Enmn^ Migiddoy Gilgal^ Dor or Dora^ Cafarea Palaftinoy and jtntipatris (A).
The
t3itrd in Syrian where was Ibnght the famed battle be- tween Benhadad king pf it, and ^^^^ (29). Cmftrttm Pe- rtgrinpnon was a fortrefs built in the time of the holy war, for the fccurity of pi^rims mTtUing towards the H^iy iMfid, and flood near di« fea- £de about feven or eight miles wefl of Betbjhemefl?.
(A) Btthfan^ or rather Beth'Jhtan (30) fince called ScythopolU (or the city ^ the
ing, it a{^Kars to have betn aa opulent ticy. The fecond book of Maciabi9$ places it 1600 furlongs, or 75 miles north of Jeru/aiim (32), and Jofiphm « about 120 from Tihinas (33), which lafl fhews it ms not ^ near that fea as the geography commonly j^ce it. S^iJem, on the iiorth-«ail corner of thia tribe, near the weft coaft of the JordaM, is fuppofed to have been the feat of the celebrated Melchkcedekf who isalfo bb-
Scythians^ after an irrupden of lieved to have been king that nation into Judtam the of JirufaJem (34). Btzgi'
reign of Jofiah king of ytuUh (31), who rebuilt it, and gave it that name) flood on a little ridrt of land that ran into the tribe of Jfachar, and became one of the ten fliled Dicap$Usn By the ruins of it ftill remain-
was the royal refidence of the tyrant AdntiihtTuk (25), Caftrum AUxandrimtm was a phioe fortified by Ahxander tha fon of Ariftobulus aeainfi ^ infiilting Rmmu (20). Dor, or Ihra, was a flrong dty, and
Spmi. p, 114. (]aj Ch, xii. 19.
(30) ViJ. Ju^. \. 17. (3 X j Vijg ^ •£/• *'4- (I*) Cb, xU. 19. . (33) ^ V>. /JM, p. I0»5.
indiArcfl(t
454 The HiJi(Mry of the ]t^n B.I.
Ephraim. The tribe of Ephraim took up the fouth fide of Sama- ria, and extended, like that of Manajjeh laft-men- tioned, from the Miditirranean on the weft, to the Jor- dan on the eaft ; being bounded on the fouth by the territory of Benjamm, and part of Dan. Here, likewifc, fome parts are rocky and mountainous, though covered with trees, and good pafture, and the low lands exceedingly
Cities. rich, fruitful, and even luxuriant. The cities and towos were numerous, large, and well peopled ; among wUcb, were thefe that follow ; viz. Saron or Sarona^ Lyddaoi Diofpolisy Ebtiy Ramathaim or Arimatbea, B^tborsn, Ga^ %ery or Gaferaj Timnath'Seraby Pbaraton or Pirathon^ Cajlrum Hyrcaneunty Sichem or Shecbem^ iince Niap^lisj Samaria y fii^ce Sebajity Jechmariy Tapbnahy Dog^ Dicb, or 'Dagen, Najoth^ Gatb Rimmonj Miibmajh^ iince Byra^ and Sbih or Sio (B). Thefe were the chief places in the
- tribe
indifFerent fea-porty on the iea- ever hatching fome. feditjoir,
coaft, and felzed on by Gryphon till it was taken by Veffafiau^
from JonatbaK Maccabeus, who who put a Roman colony in iu
was there taken and ilain(27) Antipatris was next to it in
hy that traitor. It is com- opulence and beauty, ay^d^wik
monly placed between Qafarea- by. Herod on the fpot where the
•Tal€efitna^ and mount Carmel^ aotient Qapbarfalansa &oodf
about three leagues o6f the The old itinerary of Jiriifa-
fbrmer. ButthemoHconilder- lem places it ten miles froa
able of all was the defarea Lyd^a^ and 25 {buth from
above-mentioned, antiently Cafarea ; but jo/epbus, on the
ililed Strata^ tower, but great- road between this and Jerub'
]y adorned and fortified by He- lem ; which if right, it could
*rod, and made fmce the re- not (land ib near the fea, as ic
iidence of the Roman gover- is commonly placed (30). How-
nors, and metropolis of Pale- ever, it was finely fituate in a
Jiinei and here it was that St. delightful plain,; aad incom-
P^2«i pleaded his own caufe be paffed with a (lately grove;
fore Fejlus (28). The. reader and the whole (o well watered,
may fee it amply defcribed by that it was elleemed the rickei
Jofepbus (29), who places it and fweeteft fpot in ail Pali"
about 600 furlongs, or 26 Jiine[ii\,
miles, weft of Jerufalem, It (B) Sharon, fince latinized
had a fair commodious haven, into Sarona, an antient royal
and was inhabited partly by city, conquered by y^»ij( 3 2),
Greeks, and partly by Je^s, and fo called from its delightful
who «were ever at daggers* and fertile fituation, as was
drawing againft each other, and hinted a little higher, flood
(27) 1 Maccab. xiii. pajf. xv. Il, & feqq, (.28) A6is xxv. 4, & fe^'
(29) De bell. 1. i. c. 3. Antiq. /. xiii. c. 19. (3b) Id, ibid. c. 15.
upon
C. ■ VII. td the Babyloniih Captivity,
tribe <^ Ephraim. And thus hfive we gone through two parts of Paieftine on this fide y«r<&K. The laft, and moft confiderable part, is ftill to be fpoken of.
JUDEA,
463
upon an eminence about 12 miles fouth-well from Antipa- trisy on one fide, and from the fea on the other (33). Lydda^ antiently Lud or Lod^ 1 5 miles :fouth from Sarona ; the Greeks -called it DioJpoHsy or the city -of Jupiter y probably from •iome. temple dedicated to him .there. But, iince the holy war, it hath been called St, George ; jmd E magnificent church was built, and dedicated to that faint by the emperor Jufttniany , on account of his being report- ed to have been martyred and buried there. It was one of the three toparchies that were difmembered from Samaria^
and given to the 7^WJ (34)» and was one of thofe places Where the Jews, after the de-
'ftrufiion oC their metropolis,
-fet up an academy, in which
:the celebrated R. Akiba was for fome time profefifor, but was forced to refign his place to Gamaliely who was fucceed- cd by Tefiphoy or Trypho, an-
' other learned rabbi, j^lfly fup- pofed to be t)iat againft whom
\Jufiin the -martyr wrote his learned dialogue (35). Lydda^ though in the XxtSxq{ Ephraim^ feems to have been yielded to that of Benjamin, iince the re-
. turn from the captivity (36) ; and it was here that St. Peter
^ wrought a miraculous cure on
old JSneas (37). Ttmnath-fe' rahy iince ^himnafiray the in- heritance and burying-place of yo/hua (38), gave name to a jurifdidion, called I'oparcbea Tamnitica, A few miles from it ilood the ilrong cafUe or foir trefs of Hyrcaniitm{^g),
Sicbenty antiently Sbetheikf the place whert Dinah was deflowered by the prince df its name (40), ftood ten miles eaft from Hyrcaniumy in the valley between the mounts Ebal and Garisczim, The name of Sbi- cary which iignifies drunken, was given it by the Jewsy in contempt for their revolt from the kingdom of Judaby in al- lufion to the prophet, who ftiles them drunkards of E* pbraim{^\) ; but it was once coniiderable, being a Levitical city of refuge, and afterwards the metropolis of the revolted kingdom fince the defbruftion o£ Samaria, It is, to this very day, the Samaritans place of worfhip ; they having former- ly built a fchifmatic temple, which is ilill ilanding, and re- paired to by them on all their religious feftivals (42) . Sama^ rJa, antiently Someromy from the mountain on which it was built, was likewife the capital of the revolted kingdom, and raifed by its monarchs to a great height of fplendor ; but
(33) J^S^^' «»''f» ^« *»'• ^« 8. 1 Maccab. xi. 34. (34) Jojepb, ibid»
(35) ^^i^^ Bafnag, btjf, dfs Juifs, (36) Ncbm, xi. 35. (37) ABs
IX. 33, & feqq, (38) jjpj. c, ult, V, 30. f 39) W^i. de bell,
••/. i. £>. 14. (^) Cenef, xxxiv. paj/l (^1) jfai. xxviii. i.
[^z'^MaundrellfUhi Jup,
S .. after
4* rf> .4
JUDEA, friperly fo catttJ.
Judea/iv This canton which contained the tribes of Benjamin^ per, yudaby DaH^ and Simeon^ was iituate on the moft
ibuthern fide of the whole, having Samaria or Bphram^ laft defcribed, on the north, the Meditirrammm on the weft, Idunua and jE*^^ on the foutb, and the Jnian and Dead Sea on the ^ft. The climate was much warmer thaa t{kat of the. other two, being moftlv under the jpA degree of latitude ; but was fb well refreihed with eooUng WHids From the Teas and mountains^ that it was quite flto- derate and delijriitful. The foil was here likewife beautt- hAf variegated with plains, hills, valleys, and fetie de- fots, moft of them well Watered with pteafant ftfelins, rivulets, and a vaft number of fpring», which camedewn from the mountains ; fo that, in the whole, it fM ia fee- tile in corn, win€, oil, fruits, pafture-grcunds, &r. as any of the reft®. ^. ^f .. I. The tribe of Benjamin lay contiguous to Samaria ScnjaimD.^^ the north, to Judah on the fouth, and to Dan on the weft, which parted it from the Mediterranean. It had not n«ar fb manv cities and towns as moft of the reft ; but Uhi wasaaiply compenfated by its containing tte moft ooiifidcrable, and the ntictropoli$ of all th^ reft, vi%. the £» jaftiy xdebrated city of jerufalemy the centre of the y<8wijh worfliip and religion, and the feat of lafll tHkyeuiifi aionarchs and pontifis, and of the famed fanhedrim^ or grand court and council of the nation ; of all whi^li we ^ See JosEFHUs, Rkland, Sec, obi fup.
' ;^fteritwasd«ftroyedbythe-<d^- en the north borders of that
j^r/iuu^ the new colonies, which of Befnamin^ about lo or 12
ttiey {ekt to repe#ple it, never miles fouth of SJhed^em, in the
could raife it to its antient diftridl of Acrabateni ; and was
greatnefs, till Herod rebuilt once a famed city, whiU the
and adorned it with many ftate- ark condnuicd in it (43) ; fnce
if edifices, as has been alrea- which its milled fUte became
y hinted : . how it was again a kind of a proverb, or by-
deftroyed^ will be feen in the word (44). And it was fo
iequel ; and we have already ruined in St yerom'*^ 4ijne,
given an account of its melan- that there was itothtng to be
choly remains, under the arti- feen of -i|, but the fooiKlation
cle of artificial rarities. Shi- of the altar of bumt-oferiiigs
hh is the laft place in this tribe (45]. worth mentioning. It ftood •
(^1) See 1 Sam, iv. 3, 17. (/^) Jerem. vii, IJ, 14. xjLvi. 6, J.
(^%) Jerom, com. in SoPbcti, Q epitaph, Pau!a%
4 ftali
ihall ghre an account in the fequel. The other places of note, fuch as the mounts Moriah^ Zion^ Gihon^ Cahary^ Olmt^ &c. the vaHeyt of Hhmmn, Rephaim^ Jehojhaphati &c. bdonsing to ibis tribe and city, have been fpoken of under anbcner article. The odier cities, befides the great Ciiiif,^ metrpoolts above-mentioned, were Jericho^ GibioHy Bethel^ Gibiab^ Haiy Gilgal^ j6utBotb^ JNeh^ or Nebo ; to which we may add, die two noted villages of Bethany and Gitb-- fmuNU.
Of the antient ftate, name, fituatioii, and Srength of jerufalem diat once famed capital of the Jebufitesy and of its con- dtfcribtii queft, in part, by the Israelites \xvAtx Joflma^ and its total redudion by Daviety we have already fpoken in a former chapter ', and fhall have farther occafion to do fo, in the hiflory ^ that monarch, who did immediately fet about ibrtifying and adorning it with fome new works and edi- fices, and is fuppofed to have given it the name of Jeru^ /atem\C) ; though it did not rife to its zenith of opulence , and
f See befbte, p. 2o8y (A}.
(C) Which name, in the SiibriWy pvperly iignifies the ▼ifioOy inheritance, or poflef- fion of peace. The Greeks and Lf/i«i ^c^lled it Sefymm and Jertfifyaa^ which Uobk^ authors luive imagined to be m compound of die Greek U^f and Xikv/iAy bat withoac fimndation. Much wider frotti the mark are they, who derive the former ftpm tht Spfymi mentianed hy.Hmtr and Ciae- rilust a wonderful people, ac< cordW to them, who fpokte the fhanician tongue, wore their \^ croptronnd and (Kort, and dwdt.tn the meunouos, caikd by fhexr name, near a rtij hu^ lakb (46) 5 all Ivhich, among othen, Radius (47) and Jrfefihut have thought cooM not bd q>p]icable t* any other than the Jews, «i^m«they £bp|>6fed ' called ^^^/, inmi
' • (4*) Fid: Jififki amtl i^phv. /. i, I xix. %i. ,.■ •
Vo*. II.
their capital of Ssfyma. We need not, indeed, wonder fo much at Tacitus giving into fuch a notion, who had (6 fu-
?;riicial a knowlege of the iruv/^eir laws, and their way of living; bM thztyo/e- fbus (hottld be of that fentiment, who knew in particular, that the cutting of the hair round, was fo cxprefly forbidden by' the levitical law (48), and cpn- iequently aTafliion ndt ufedrSy them, is ibmewhat fiirprifing ; efpecially confidering the great diibince of the Dead Sea, which is the lake fuppofed to be here meant; and that the Jeijos knew nothing of the weapons which thoie poets fay were ufed by the Sofymt, particularly the helmets^ made of the skin of horfes h^adt, dried in the iinoak ; and we (hall have oc- ^on to 0iew in the fequely
(47) Hifl, L V. c. »• • (48) Lrvit'
Gg
that
*y ntHifiny.*/ ibidem . iB-l
tnd gnndeur, till tbe reiga of hu foo Stitmut M wiQ bt ften in the fcijwH. ,i,.r
This city, in its moft flourifliing flate, was divided Joto four puts, each indofed with its own walb} viz; i. Tbe old ci^ ot Jtbutt which ftood c« mpunt Zu»,^,7^e the propbeil dweh, and where JitviJ built, a o^^^aificCnt caflle and pabce, which became tbe r<rfi(W!&ca,.,'^qtb of himfelf and liicceflbra i od which account it iUWiWapW titalty called, tbt 4ty if David (Dj. a. The lower cijy» called airct th* davgbttr tf Zion, beii^ built: jiAccitt an which ftood the two magnificent paUces, whictrSe/Run built for himfelf and hil queen ; tiiat of the Matcabion prrnces ; and the ftatcly amph^beatre built by HeraJ, capable qf' conTaining 8o,0DO Tpefibtors ; tht fltong cita- del, built by Antitchus, to command and overtop the tem- ple, but fjnce rated by Sinan X\x Sfauabee, who recovered tbe city frotp tbe Sjri»m i and, lalUy, a fecond citadel, ^uilt by Hired, upon an h^^and craggy rock, and called o; him, yfatinia. 3. Tbe new city, modly inhabited l^ indernKn,. artificers* a^d ft^rchatiUj and, 4. Muunt Aiariab, on Which wu built lh^ lb fanied temple of Sek- taatt^ .iJeft:ribcd in the jlx4h and fevcnih chapters of the fecond hodnei Kingt (£).} and, fince then, that rebtjitt
- ..... .■:..,■ . : :... ,.^ .. ,by
that the cavalry wa« of little hm thit lail notion, who tells
uf( among tbe Jtvit, whole »i ofjiEown called £0^11 op
country was too roogh and the Mher fide Jordan, in the
.niountibnoui .fot it, and wbat pronncf called Gauhadiis {!i'i).
thqr ufed wa) «f ivucb laur ..(D) T^is Aately building
date. wai greatly enlarged and bcau-
Wbo theft £«j{nr/ were, iifii- tified ^^Seloauni bui, being
leigntoDurpre^purpofciaDd deiboynl kKIi the rcA of the
welhaUlerbeir&yioganylluiig dty and temple, by Nf6ucliaJ-
oooceming them, efpecially H mexxm; was never thoroughly
as authors are io divided about rebaitt fiace C)ll.i|ii% <$iga gf
then, fome placing the6'«^iiB BtnJ tit GrtMt, vitq.^ei, tt
hills ts far as PifiJU {49), toamoA fumptupuaaodpl^t
others as near as the lake of firufltue, and iei^j^ed .4! |a
^^iaititei, where the Maaiilti j^fnM* and Ci^/Sui^(5ji,)^, .
and Midiamtti, who were (^ This fffi :f3^tMated
reckoned among the jlrabt, ftni&iue hath been ..^wfai^itcd
duelr, and who were reported |a the world by .^.iiuiDy,.au-
to have cropped their hair in tbori, and in facb.itariety of
that round form ; ain^Ja/effiiu {anat, efpedally of late if^tit
fcemi in Tome meafure to con- than ever, and Juth been f«
'4") '''<h Li l\hhi f^ria {acrm, w, u. 'f. Sa6, tttmKinvtc. (jo) b *"-/-'■ (50 W' -"'f-
bigDl}
fe. Vli. i» the Babylonifli tjtptvbiff. \6j
by the Jinus on their return from BiAyUn^ and afterwards built almoft ahew and grefeitly Adorned and enriched, by Uerod.
The V\A\y cried op for its wekxMr- fi^m die Babfhmjh taptivlty^ ful elegance and regnlarity, which, we fin^' was fo inferior even to the effinning, that all to it, that thoie who had feen the five orders of architedure, the former, wept At the fight and their oid( beautiful oriia* of the latter (53). But thit inents^ weietakenfroinit(52), was what we auiy properly that we might well excufe oar- call a new one, built onl/ on lUvea firom attemptu^ a de- the foundation of the old, but fcriplion of it in a work of enriched by l^kroii the Qnat^ this nature, confidering efpe- with every thing that was cu- Cially how impoffible it is to rious and cofily, eiUier in art reconcile, that vaft difcrepancy, br nature, as well as with all which we find among thoTe the improvements which ar* that have been already pub . ehitdClure had received during li(hed, to each othtr, and a feries of ages, bofh from much ttiote'to the facred books' Greece and Rmt. And as for above qnotedv firom which the TakiuidiJIs^ ^ey lived long sdone they fliould have fetched i^fier tiie defiru6tion of it, and «U their ihtelligenoe, inflcad of hever fiiw it in any other fonn» Inving recourie^ as they have thaa that heap of ruins, in had. to tbofe o£ yo/ephms 2aid which the/?oj0Mifjleft it, accord* tlie jtwijh rabbis, whofe luxu- ine to our Saviour^s exprefi fiaht ftncy, a:nd ambilkMi of predidion 1(54), ami Jcfepimi*% raifing the rei>atatioh of their ample teftxmony of iti Thefe 7ru>^ monarch) have enrkh- are CBll lefs to be follow- ed that^fiee with a Airprifing ed, or indeed to be credited, number and variety of parts who have, without liny autho- mid embelliihments, for* which rity, but that of their own fisr- there is not the leaft foundar tile brain, fo much improved tfon, or- uny mention made in npon that ofjrfifhus^ and have the in(^red winters. J^efhm . railed it to that ftupendous fii- may indeed be fuppefed co brie, in which Villaiftmius^ hiave defcribed that which he Lamy^ Whiftm^ and many had feen,' and- which was in -his others, have reprefented it. time deifaYiyed by the i?#«Mei, And no wonder, confidering «%ith B fiiithfal exa&nefi; and the materials cofi: themlkrle without any partial emggeia- but -paper and ink» nor any tion f but then it muil be re- other labour but that of the men^red, that this wis nei- fiincy. ther tlw antient temple of ^- We fiiaU, however, for the /mwv, or much kfs that wiiich &(isfii6lion of the learned, ve»-
was rebuilt after -the ittum icure to give our reader a phm
V. ..I . • - .
(5a} <S<e VUlalpanin N> Dt t^a, Csfeh & ah (53} Emrs iS. x:,
^., . G g a and
46:8. The Hijiory of the Jews B, I
FolomonV Thb reader may fee, by what hath been faid in tbe fen^lt. laft note, tiae reafon why he is not to exped a particular defcriptton of this fo celebrated ftrudure, in this fefiiofii bat in a feparate appendix at the clofe of this hiftorjr. Li the mean time, fetting aficle all controverted points con- cerning it, weihall confine our prefent account of it to fuch particulars only, as are agreed on all hands, and founded on the authority of the divine writers, init which will ferve to give our readers a general idea of the whole. As firil*, that there were no leS than 163,300 men em- ployed in the work. 2. That, notwithfianding that prckligious number of hands, it took up feven who& years Dimifi' In building. 3. That the l^eigbt of thfs bulMin^ Was I2D /ms. Sec. cubits, or 82 yards, nther more than left ^ and t|ie courts round it, about half as high. 4. That the fronts on the ^aft fide» was fuftaihed by ramparts of iquare ftone, of vaft bulk, and built up from the vaUey below, which laft was 300 cubits high, and, being added eo that of the ec^fice, amounted to 420 cubits ; to which, if we add^ 5iThe height of the principal tower above all the reft, vist. 60, will bring it to 480 cubits, which, retkotiing at two feet to a <;ubit (F), will amount to 960 feet ; but, according to tbe kng^ of that meafure^ as others reckon it, visu' a< -two ftet
■ '■ ■ ^ — ^ and
and defcnpcion of that noble clofe of the firft part of this edifice, as it has been commu- y^wi/b hiilory. nitatedtousbyaiearnedfriendy (F) This Htbraic meafure who hath taken it, not from is very difierently fettled by Jofephus^ nor from the Ta/- authors, 'vix. by Bp. Cwuitr* mudifti and Jfivijh comments, Und and others, to 20 inches but wholly and folely from the and an half, by others at i9. account of the iacredhtflorians, Capellus and others think the without any other embelliih* Jiws had two cubits, one ft- ments, arts, or dimenfions, cred, the other common; the but fuchas may be fairly drawn firll of 36, the other of i& from a. right underilaoding of inches ; which they prove firoai tliem. But, as the piece is . fuodry dimensions, whichil/^/ quite elaborate, and too cri- gives to the i><v//im/ territory tical to be inferted in this gco- ' round their cities ; 'vix, in one graphical /edion, we ih^ll Tub- verfe at 1000 cubits, and^ ia join it by way of appendix, to- the very next at 2000 ( 5 $ ) 1 the gether with ibme otjier curious former being fuppofed the fii« remarks of the iame author otx . cred, and the fecond the com* the antient ciiy Q{'JerufaItm» mon. Likewiie. . the columns from the fame infpired foun- .reared by Solomon are iaid in tain, in his own words, at the one pUce to be 18^ and in ah-
oth^ (55 j Humfh xxxv. 4> 5*
C. VII. to the Babyloiifli Captivily. 46^^
and an half, it will amount to 1200 feet ; a prodigious heisfat this, from the ground, and fach as might well make jo- fephus fay, that the very deftgn of it was fufficient to have turned the brain of any but Solomon q. The reader will eafily adjuft the above diflFerence of cubits, from what hath been -faid in the iaft note. 6« Thefe ramparts, which were raifed in this manqer, to fill up the prodigious cfaafm made by the deep valley below, and to make the area or a fufficient breadth and length for the edifice, were 1000 cubits in^ lepgth.at the bottom, and 800 at the top, an(f the breadth of them 100 more. 7. The huge buttrefiea which fuppocted the ramparts, were of the fame iieight, /quare at the top, and 50 cubits broad, and jotted out 150 cubits at the bottom. 8. The ftones, of which they were buijt, .were, according to Jefephus^ 40 cubits long, 22 tbickf and 8 high, aU of marble, and fo exquifitel^ joined, .that they feemed on^ Ciontinued pieces 1 or rather poliibed. rock. . 9. According to the fame y^i«;7/^ihifto-' rian, there were 1453 Cplumns of Parian marble, ark| twice that number of pilars, and of fucb l^ickn^f^,' that three men could hardly embrace them^ and their height ^nd capitals proportionable, and of the Corinthuitk order. But it is likely, yofepbus hath given us thefe two Iaft articles from the temple of Herod {G)^ there being
nothing^ ^ Antiq. 1. viii. c. 2,
^Kei>55CQbit9inhe]'^ht($6);^ lowed by moft tbmment^tort
which cannot well be recbndkd. to be the true Ji^ijh tuhit. '
without Aippo^ the above (G) We maft hm refer oub*
difierence. NotwithitaddtD]g. carious readers, for a further
which^'itk ftillmuchqueftioo-. accoiuit of tliis edifice^ to the
ed) whether the Jews had' learned Cafeilus, ooe of the
any fueh twofold cubit, at bed and moft aocurate authors^
leaft before their return froin* who hath wrote on this fub^
the CElptivity» when there was jed, next to the inipired writ*
a neceffity to diftingpilh be-' ers, and who has taken the
tweea that which they had been^ pains to (hew all the roifiakef
ufed to at Bahyhm^ and thiit of the Jefwifli hiftorian, as far
which was in ufc amongH; thenv as he differs fro)n the Scripture.
before that time. And this account ; and hath alfb taken
feems exprefly marked by the to pieces thofe of the T'a/xvW///^
prophet (57)» who fays, that Rni of n/UIpandtu, and thofe
the true cubit was a cubit and other authors, who have too
an hand-breadth, which is al- cldfely followed .them. The
(56) Cfii/ I Kin^i va« 15. t CbroK, in. 15* (57) Sxek, xliiL i>
G g 3 reader
•;j,yo ^*^ Hifi&fy of, the Jews B. I.
noithiflg* like them mentioned by the facred hiflorians, but a great deal about-tbe prodigious cedars of Lebamn', ufed in that noble edifice, the excellent workmanfhip oC them, adapted to their feveral ends and defi^is, toge« ther with their gildings, and other curious ocaameats. The only thing more we (ball venture to add is, whit is af&rmed in the text r, that-all the materials of this ftupeo*. dous &bric were finifiied and adapted' to tbeiF fevend icnds, before they were brought t6 yemfslmy that is,- the flones in their quarries, and the cedars in JMmwtti fO( that there was no noife of ax, hammer, of any = toot: hc^d ^n the rearing of it. Thus much ifhali fufficeac p/efent tasiyeoiir readers an idea of thisimmenfe workii' the remainder will be heft feen in the appendix ab^Ve pro^ miied. The various fates, both of the city apd temple, Vrillalf^ be more pipperly mentioned in the fequgl of thii biftpry; a|id,*a9 we have taken notice pf the .mpft re- ipa^kaUe. pls^ct;^ mountains, yaUejrs, bfc*^ under a (:>rmeG artidf, we (hall now conclude this ^ith an acppimt of it^ prefisat depJbrakle. condition, under the.,7«rif.- As : lot orfaer towns of .note in the tribe of Benjamin^ the- leader may- fee aH tint is wortb notica concerning themy in the l^fglli(H).' -
? i K^ngsvl 7. ■ '
■ - •
• • ■
reader win there find, likewife, thefe, to avoid needlefi repeti-
i^ot only ail Jthediinenfions we lions, will be referred t6' tluB
have gifen above from him, appendix;
fully proved, but likewife all (H) t. Not, If^ie, NwbM.
the other pi^rts of it, fuch as Jffomba, a facerdotal citjr at the
the holy and moft holy place, ^theft end weftward of this
the chambers, and other ilpne tribe, and the place where the
rooms, GOiut'of the pjiefts, of ark ibme time refted, after the
the laymen, of the women, taking of ShiUb hy the P^
and of the gentiles, or profe- Hftinesy and which was fb to-
lytesj all which wbuld carry ully rdined by kiiig'^tf»/(65),
us too £ir to enter into a de* on ' account of the (inall af-
taif, in a work like this, fiftance which the high-prieft
We (hail, however, take care, Mimehch had given the fugi-
that nothing efcapc us that is tiv6 I>if<ti/V, that St. Jtrm
worthy our r^er*s notice, or tells us, it ftiil lay in ruios
'Kath any reja^ipn Wi;h, or may ip his time, which were theq
C^rve to explsun, any part of to be feen at fome fmaU di«
^e follQwiog hiftory; but ftanoe from Dm^^/tj (66).
2. Gi6i9M4
C. Vn. to the BiibylonUh Captiviiy.
Tma' (Uice ftately and opulent metropolis is at prefeht
dlkd bj tbe Ttirist Cudjimiark and Caudfierlf, and
reduced
2. Gihtn, CohoM, fi) ffi]0d 4. Gilgai, Galt»i> Gi^alo'
hun'SH being Advanagcotifl/ fitiuieon the banfs of thenar,
fituftte'vn an eaunencs about Am, where the Ifreilim crof-
fbrty or fifty furlongs, or fix led at their entnmcf into llw
or eight miles north from Je- pTwmif*4 hand, and &tned igr
nr^/rim(67),and&nedforThe the tnonuntent which J^tK^
which its inhabitants, nand there, in meaiary of
. who were originally /frfiVw, that miraculous parage [74^. nude nfe of to obtain a peace 5. Bitbel, antiently Zm,
and alliance with 7?/*Ba (S8), bat (b ftiled hy Jatti in jne-
was then a confiderable, opu- mory of hu figtial vifion there
lent, and populous city, and (75), that word fignUying, th<!
had a conduit or pool, much houje Of Goo. ' It Hood ok
celebrated in Scripture and thewefrof^*,"* Catnani/ijt
"Jsftfbui (69) ; and was, upon city, taken immt^tely after
fome account or other, not ftritht, aboBt twelve lAitea
alentioiied by either'of tbtin, Borth from Jtruplm, to tbt
fliMde tfae nMe^ffitK btni road to £btttm { j(t), tmi btr
Uk(7o);''' " came inJamous for the golden
' ^. Gi^ui, or GiiiatASaM/, calf let itp there lly ^m^MM
ft called for being the birth- [77). It Aood on the bonlcn
idad^of that monarch, aiid to of Epbrmm, and was afier-
diftingoith it from eibtalb'Pbi- wards made a ftrong fbrtrefs by
nfas, in the tribe of Ep^reiM, the revolted tribes, and a thorn
fiood,reven or eight nuia north ts the kiiwdpni of j^fuffb, wbp
from JtrHfltlm, aiid. ax many often trial, in vain^ to recover
north-weft from Gihfah-Sij},), it from them; tiU ^^i^^ took
and becamv fatal to the p7be of it. and new-fortified it 'agtinft
BvgamH fcr iV infult^oAend thein (7S). i . .. -
to the .wandering Zn'itf' and 6. Aaaihtth, % laceidDta)
ior tbi oUliittcy gf the il^gui- aMytnffaioM, the iHrtb-placc wtilts, ': in fefu^q; to ddivcr of Jiremiah, and iaheritaoce up the iofcalntanta of it^cOB- of many of the7'w^ ponci&
dignpiaiftimcnt (7a ),iiji which 7- j?//^eMj>, a lamjol village
B£tioa diat tpbe ful&i»eni|y ve- on the roan between JtrUb*
riliad Jac^S prapbetic cha- and Jtrmfalm, and the dweJ.
r^fler of it: Btnjamln JmU ling-pbce of IjiKirrui, md'
rmvn £if « i^tf, kc. (7}]. his ^o £fleii(7^) ; there are
V67J Coif, Jtf^h. mi*' I. at. c.io. & ktlf. 3^' I- fi- ■'. VT-
d, it£t!iL f. H. (TO) I C*n». xxi. 19. effin. , (71} %p.
iYlii.j4. JI«r.>i.j6. 'j4^.^i{Mf. (7») yrt- *i«- <^ JW.
(II) Ge«f. xlii. .7. (7+) yid. J'^.p^-^ (7S) C™,f. xiVSft:
*h.'U,»fift. (7«) •Cir„.^.6. (7y7d.ai.i;*J«/
^ ■. V • C g 4 AiU
.47^
"Stbe IJiJkry df *bi ]m^ . B,?.
. reduced to a poor thinly inhabited town, of At mofi three miles in circuit. It (lands in 31 deg, 48 min. of north
latitude,
ftill fome remains of an old a fpacioas fertile plaiir/oovend caflle ftwding, laid to have with all forts of froitBy efix- been theirs : and the tomb out daily palm-trees, and ftued of which be was raifed* and from shence the €iiy •/ fuku which hach ^ deicent of 25 (81). It is alfo affirmed to fleps» and at the bottom the finiaii room, where he was laid, flill ihewn, and held in
are
freat veneration (80), both by urks and Cbrifiians. 8. Gethfemam, which figm- fies an oil-prefs, was a vilSige on the mount of OUves^ and
have produced the &med faaha in great plenty » of which there are now ao remain? (82). It was an opulent and pppulov royal city, and that with whidi y^a hc^ tbiB conqueft qf this lan4f who ^^Stoyedand laid it ^fjfi^ a curie (85V fi)
perhaps ib called, becanle cif that it w^ not reftored tOl t)i^ the preifing of that oil there, reign o^ the idolfUrqnt kin|g
jiioai, when the people ha4
^t is chiefly noted for a gar- den, to which our Savioar waLS wont to lefort at night with his diiciples, and where he was
loft in fenfe of reug^on ; and fliiJ ventured to rebuild i^ though with the death c£ his
betrayea by Jffdas, and le^ two ions (84). However/ we
awSiy bound.
9. ^;, by ibcS^uagpttAmi^ hy Jo/fpbus Aim, and by others Jj4b\ was £tuate weft of Bethely and at a iinall dir fiance north-weft from Jericho, It was at this city, that the Jfraelitcs, under Jojhua^ met with a ' furprifing repulie; which put them upon the ftra- tagem hereafter mentioiieds by which they carried and de- ' ftroyed both the town and its inhabitants (Sec Jojh, vii. 3.
The laft, and moft confldera- ble city in this tribe, next- to
may fiippoie ^ith Jtfipbw^ ]Mt. there had been a new one built, at fome iinall diflaooe from it, and called by the lame uarne* fince we find it mention- ed more than once in the hi- ^xy of the Jeiuyb kings long before Ahah (85) : he adds, that when this laft ijvas rebiuJt, the inhabitants made no (diffi- culty to remove from the other to this. He likewife mentions near it a fine ipring, which fupplied the whole place widi a iufficieney of water (86); only we read, that it was ori-
, ginally bitter and (altiih, till
jerufalem^ was that of Jeri-- the prophet afterwards gave
cho^ about fix miles weft from it a fweet tafte, and foretold
the Jordan^ and 22 almoft eaft its virtue, from which it had
fromy/^jy/Si/^Itwasfituatein the name of the fountain of
t86) Msimdnl, uhijup.p, 79. Pococke, ubijuf.p, 29. (gi) Dsut.
xxwv. 3. (82) Ant. A vr. r. <. (83) Jojb. ri. p^ffl & 'uer, 26.
^84) 1 Kin^s xvi. 34* (85) Fid. int, g/, z Sam, 1. 45. (86) Di
Elijabs
C VIL to the Bftbylonifli Captivity. 473
latitude, and 35. 34, of eaft longitude, on a rocky moun- tain furrounded on ail fides, except on the north, with. fteep afcents, and deep valleys below ; and thefe again enyuroned with other hilU at fome diftance from them. The foil noW) for want of care, is, for the moft part, ftony, £indys and barren i yet here-and-there produces fome corn, wine, oil, ^c. efpecially about the neighbourhood of the pity ; but, at a diftance from it, fcafcely bears any thing but grafs, heath, and oth^r fpontaneous herbs afnd fiirubs, vdiich are left to run to feed. There was a period indeed, after its total deftruftion by Titus Vefpafian^ in which it v«s likely to have recovered its former grandeur ; namely, yrititti the emperor AdrianhxxAt, a new city, almoft upon Rebuilt fy the fpot of the old one, which he called yElia Capitolina^ Adiizn. and adorned with walls, and other noble edifices, permitting tHe Chrifiians to fettle apd live in it. But this was a (hort- IJved chaiigc ; fp «that when the pious emprcfs Helena^ ilipther of CanJioLntine the Qreat^ and, by birth, a Britijh ]kdy, came to yiGt this theatre of th^ world's redemption, , (he found it in fuch a forlorn aod ruinous condition, as raifed her pityjnto.a noble zeal of reftoring it to its antieot lu&e. To whicfh end fhe caufpd, with a great deal of cbft ReJloreJ and labour, al) the rubhiih that had been thrown upon thofe h *ht em^ places, where our Saviour had fuffered, had been buried,/''^ ^* &^f • to be removed j in the doing 6^ which they found ^^^^' the croft, on Which he died, as well as thofe'of the two malefiEi£lors, who were put to death with him ; and, as the writers of tfaofe times relate, difcovered, by a miracle, that which had borne the Saviour of mankind. Mount Calvary thus cleared, Ihe caufed a magnificent church to be built upon it, which (hould inclofe as many of the fcenet of his fufFerings, as could be conveniently done ; which ftately edifice is fiill Ending, and is kept in good * repair, by the generous oiFerings.of a conftant concourfe ^ of pilgrims, who annually refprt to it, as well as the con- tributions of feveral Chriftian princes.
The walls of it are of ftone,. the roof of cedar ; the eafl end inclofes mount Cahary^ and the weft tlie holy
Elijah (87) r the city was af- lage, except fome arched parts
terwards adorned with a mag- of an old conduit, fuppofed to
nificent palace, and other edi- have been made to convey the
£ceabailt by fT/rsi; but of all waters of the fpring above*
its antient iplendor nothing mentioned into the city, and
now remains; the place being' parta adjacent (88). dwindled into a poor vil-
(S7} 1 JGift ik 2, &feff. (Sft) F^fOe, ubijup, p. 31.
fepukrc.
474- Tbe Hiftory ,of the ^tfn B^L
7b€ great fepulcre. The former is covered with a noble capob,
tburib of fupported by i6 maffive columns^ whkb were crufied
€t. Sepal- with marble. The centre of it is opened on the top joft
eve. over the fepulcre, and over the high altar at die jeaft end
is another ftately dome. The nave of the church conlii*
ttttes the chotr; and in the infide ifles are (hewn the ^acei
where the moft remarkable circumftances of our Lord's
paffion were traniafied, together with the tbrnk of dir
fre^ and Baldwin^ the two firft Chriftian kings <]if 7a«*
Jafem. Going up an afcent of 22 fteps, we come to a cnapei,
, . where that part of Calvary is ihewn, on which Cbrift was
. crucified 9 and the very hole in the rock, in which b»
crofs was fixed. The altar hath three crofies on it, aail
is richly adorned, with other coftly embeUtftunents^ pav^
ticularly with forty-fix lamps of immenfe valuey that hang
before it, and are kept conftantiy burning. - Ad^ouiing to
this, is another (inall chapel, frondng, like thts^^the. body
, of the church. At the weft end is: that of the fepulcre^
which is he.wn in that form out of the iblid rode, and hath
a fmall dome of lantern, fupported by pillars of (jorphyry.
The cloifter round the iepulcre is divided intb fdndry
^hapels> appropriated to the ieveral fe£h of Chrtftians, who
refide there, fuch as Greiks^ j/frnnnians^ MaltrnketiJ/i^
sotitesj Copts, JbyJJinesj Georgiant\ &c. and on the n^irtb^
weft are the apartments of tl^ Latins^ who have the care
of the church, and are forced to refide conftkntly^ iA'tr,
tht Turks keeping the keys of it^ and not fuffering . any
of them to go out, but obliging theni to receive tbeJT
provifions in at a wicket.
Cereme^ Easter is the time ip which the grandeft cere-
wii* per- monies are performed within this place, and which (cMefly
ffrmed tf/confift in reprefentations of 01^ Lord's pa^on, crucifixion,
£after. death, and refurre£|ion ; all whicH are a3ed with their
concomitant circumftances, though, as we are informed
by feveral witnefTes of undoubted credit, ii^ a manner
not altogether fo fuitable to tlie facr^dnefi, of the fubjed.
At this (olemnity every pilgrim, paying a certain (ee, i^
admitted in to affift at the folemn proceilion, and odier
ceremonies belonging to it; and, at the end of it, is
let out again: and of thefe there is commonly a vaft con*
courfe, and fome of them that chufe to' go in on the
eve of Good Friday, and to ftay till Eafter Monday^
We muft refer our readers, for the farther particulars
of this grand ceremony, and of this and other edir
fices, built by that piou; emprefs in other psarts of this
city I as well as fevera][ other partitulars of Judea^, to
thofc
CVIL to tbe.BabjlomSh Captivity. j^y<g
thofe autbbrsf who have written of them ; particularly :. tbore mentioned in the margin «; and, amongfl them, to theRey. Dr. Shaw S and Dr. Pococke^^ who have,enricfaed ' their mrcountof tfaofcfacred places, with many curious and: learned remarks, well worth the reading \ but which we ate obliged to omit, for fear of running beyond oinr bounds.
Tn B laft tbmg we fhall take notice of under this article, is am edi6cr ece&d on mount Moriab^ on the fouth-eaft part'of the city ;i tAVLtiSehmon^s Temple^ and flanding on ^ 010^4 or near ^eipox where the antient one did. But, as yn temple are well aCured, that the old one was^totally deftroyed hy itdlt. ^tm'Xpm&Hh accordiing to our Saviour's predidion, it is not
?fytQ gueiit ifrtien^ or by whom, this mock one wasrear'd* bsr entrance into it ia at the eaft end, under an o^-* gon^ ^adorntd with a cupola, roof, and lantern ; and fevwardj towards^ the weft, is a fair flraitifle, like that of a cburthi the whole furrouindedwiih a (^acious fquare court, ir9Blled..on every fide. Theextent of this place, according i|o Mc. AfdiCffi^///^ i»'i70 common' paces long, and 370 .broad/ In- the tnidft iSf it, and where ^at'Jewijh fanBiuk JMnSorum is f«iid lo* have ftood, b ere£led a Turkijh mofque, cneith^r cobfiddrable for ^ its largeneis nor flru6hire, bat iwfaich) n^erthblefs, makesaftately figure, by the folead* vantage of ks fituation.^ This place, our author tells us, is |)eld in fuch veneration by the Turksy that a flranger can- J^fcQ^. not go tiear its border without being in danger of forfei ting r^nrr^fy his life, or religion w. -. Jt lies ovef-againft the mount of /<&/Turks* olives, and is parted from it by the vaie of Jeho/haphat ; ^od one niay eafily judge what an hnmeme labour it ^ • mtift have cofl to level fuch a fpacions area upon fb ftrohgand rocky a mountain. Dr. Pococke^ who hath taken ^more partictdar vje^' of that edifice,- much extols the beauty of the profpedl, a& well as the materials and work^ manfhip of it;, the flones, both without, and (as he was told) within, beingtafed with tiles of different colours, but chieAy greens the colonnades being of the Cerintbian order, itnely Wrought, and" the arches turned over them ; bein^, as he fuppofe6,the porticos leading to theinfide of tfie build- ing,, which, he thinks, 'was formerly a Chriftian church. TheTeader may fee the farther particulars in that author 9.
■ « ' &
» Radzivil. Thevemot, Sakdts, Le Bruyn, Rsland^ MavaDKELL, & al. mult. < Travels to ^e Levant, p. J44.
it feqq. ■ Ubi fup, v<d. ii. p. j, & 6q. ^ MAixN-
ta^i;, obi fup. p. io6« x Ubi fap. p. 14, & Icq.
The
476 . ^be IS0ofy cf the Jt^s R I.
Prefini The City is now under the govemment of a (aogiac, govern- v^hofe refidence is in an houfe laid to hav£ been that of mentof the Pontius Pilate^ overagainfi the caflle of jlntania^ buSt by ' tity, Herod the Great 5 where they ihcw the flairs by which
our Saviour afcended up to the gallery where that governor e^pofed hitn to the people; at leaft they iliew a new flight of them : for, as to the old ones, call^ fcala fafita, they are faid to have been carried to Rome. All that we ihall add, concerning this famed city, is, that many of thofe ftately church^, built in memory of fome re- markable gofpel*tranfa£lion, have been fuice turned into mofques, into fome of which money will procure an entrance, and into others not. Bptb friers, and other Chrifiians, are kept ft> poor, by tbe tynomy of the go- vernment, that the chief fupfKHt -and trade of the place confifls in providing ftrangers with food, and other accommodationa, and felling tb^m beside, relics, and other religious trinkets ; for which they kit obliged to i^ty confiderable fums to the fangiac, ^ well as to hisoffioon: and thefe are feldom fo well contdnte4 with their dfual dues, but they frequently extort fome ff tiftiones frbift them, efpecially from the FrancifcanSj whofe oonvient is the com- mon receptacle for all pilgrims, and for which jbey have confiderable allowances 'from th^ pope, and other crowned heads ; befides the uJTual prefents which thefe ftrangers gp* nerally make to them at their departpre.
TtU tribe ef Jucjah., .
netrihe This canton extended fouth of Bef^amin about 27 ^ Judah. niiles, that is, quite to the mountains of S«>, or Ed^m^ which were the frontiers between it and Idumea ; and was bounded on the eail by the De^d Sea^ and on the weft by the tribes of Dan and Simetm^ both which lay between it and the Mediterranean, yudab was reckoned the laigeft and moft populous tribe of all the twelve, and the inhabit- ants the ftouteft, and moft valiant. It was, moreover, the , chief and royal tribe, from which the kingdom was deno- minated, as hath been already hinted. The land wa3 beau- tifully variegated with fertile plains, hills, dales, fmall lakes, fprings, £5V. and produced great plenty of corn, wine, oil, fruits, pafture, £!fr. except where it lay con- tiguous to Idumea. It was properly in the territory of Judah that the Canaanites dwelt ; and here it was, like- wifci thsLiAbrahfim and his defc^ndenu fojourned^ till
tkik
C VII. /^ th Babylonift Captivity. 477
their going down into Egypt. The principal places in this tribe were, Libna^ Makkidnbj Axecha^ Beth-%or or Ci^iej. Btthforay Emmausj NicopoltSy Bezechy Bethlehtm^ Tekoah^ Engaddiy Odalla^ Keylah^ Hebron^ ytther^ yerimoth^ TTdphnah^ Kirjath-yearim^ Maon^ tiolon^ Gozen^ Geh^ Cahzaely Hazor or Chadzory and Majfada\ the moft remarkable of which the reader will find defcribed in the m«i*#fginy(A),,
y De his vid. Reland. ubi fup. 1. i. c. iS> S:feq. Cella- R^uMy Joseph, k ai.
(A) At the head of all thefe with the mod; remarkable things
we i&^f juftly place the royal in and about it: the Chriftians
dty of Bttbhbem^ not only on chiefly live here upon mak-
jK^cottnt of its being.the burth- ing croiTes^ beads, and models
place of king Da*vid, and from of the church of St, Sepulcrtf
}am emphatically filled the city of wood inlaid with mother of
(>f Dmfid^ but much more fo« pearl; which they fell to the
ifk it was appointed by provi- pilgrims (3). Our author idds,
^ence to be the birth-place of that the women of Betbhbem
tn6 'Saviour of the world (i)^ bear a much better charafler
though at prefent reduced to a than thofe of Jtrufaltm : but
poor village. It is fituate on aa whether the reafons he gives
hill, in a fertile and delightful for it will bear the te(l:>we fub-
plain, about five or fix miles, mit to the reader*s judgment
according to yij/Jr^irirj and i?tf- (4).
fehiusy but feven or eight, ac- Hebron^ now called El-kabil,
cording to more modern tra- the antient feat of Daojtd be-
vellers, fouthpf y/r^/f/9 (2); fore he had taken Jerufalem
and is ftill held in great efleem, (5), (lands on a ridge of moun-
both for the magnificent church tains, which overlook a moft
which the pious emprefsi%/r«a delicious valley twenty miles
caufed to be built over the grot fouth of that metropolis. The
where the Divine Infant was old city hath long lince*Jain in
born, and for the great con- ruins, but near to them flandv
courfe of pilgrims, who yearly a village,in whictv^is ilili a good
repair to it. The building, handfpxne church, built by th^
which' is roofed with cedar, fame pious emprels, over the
fuppoi^ed by four rows of cave where ^^r^^^i/w and ^y^r^v,
(lately pillars of white marble, Ifaacy Jacobs and Leab, lie bu-
ten m a row, and the walls ried. The Turks have fmce
feced with the fame flone» we turned it into a mofque, and the
have already defcribed with the place is much revered by them,
otherurQficial nufities^together as well as by the Je<ivs and
^i) Micab V. z. Mdt, ii. z^^ ftf. .(a) MdHttdreli, Poexkc, &u
(jj^PxKke, ^. 4i> ^ fi^f. (4) ^^^» (5) 2 Sam, a. 2, *§ %.
Cbrif.wns.
478
Trihetf
The H^tdtj^ j*# j€Mw
tht tribe iff l)an.
B.Ii
I.
South- WEST of the tribe of Judab^ between it and the Mediterranean^ lay the two laft tribes We have ilill to fpeak^
: ofi
Chrifiians, Hebron^ asxncon- £derable as it is now, in other re(pe^ was juftly efieemed one of the antienteft cities in th6 world ; finqp Mofes himfeif tells usy it was built feven years he- foieTbantsiTiBgypt\6). Its antient name was J^rjath-arBa^ or the city and birch-place of ^rha, the father o( Anak^ and of his gigantic (bns (7). And, rainated as it now is, it is Hill the capita! of a diftri^l, (tiled, by the Turks, the territory of the friends of God, and con- £ftingof about twenty -five vil- lager more (8).
Makkedaby a royal city, near which the fLwtAmontiJh kings were put to death by Jojhua (9),was once a very ftrong city, and placed, by Eupehius, about eight miles from EleutheropoUi (10).
Lehnay a flrong city, fituate in a narrow neck of land in this tribe, which ran northwards between thofe of Dan and Ben- jamin. It fell, at firft, to the lot of Judah{\ i), and became afterwards a prieftly city of re- fuge (12) ; and is indifferently called Lebna^Liiona,2LTid Lobna, in the Vulgate, Eufelius, St. Jeronty &c.
^2;fri^/7, another ftrongp^e-^ both by fituation, and its &6at walls ;feated in the fame north- weft comer with lielnUt isi, Makkedabyin the valley ot fi* rebiutbf where Ditvid flew Gi* Iiab{i^).^ This dty,;asweA as Leina, revolted from Ju- dab,9ni formed- themfelves int6 free fiates. And Eujebiusapdiu Jerom tell us, there wksfBlI & city, of the name ofJzecta^ Handing in their titne (14).
Betbzor, or Stfh/ora, fo called from its£tuation Opoo ad high and ftrong rock, was a very (lout fortrefs, * efpedaliy about the time of tbk'Macca- hees{\z)i but had fbtmerljf beeh fortified by king'if^i^ boam^ to keep the panihj id awe. And indeed it was, by its fituation,a key of the kingdbm on the fide of Idumea likewi(2 (16). , The author of the 2J book ofMaccabeej (ch. xi. ver. 5.) places Bethjora within five furlongs diftance from Jerufa- lem : but that is a palpable er- ror ; for it could not then have been in the tribe of Judab:^ but Eufebius aiTures us, it was twenty miles from it, oh the road to Hebron (17). And near it is faid to be the fbootain
(6) iV»«. xiii. 22. (7) Jojh, xiv. 15. xv. I3. f Sj Maimdnl nhi
1 1 , Sf feq. (10) tec, Hebraic, ( i i ) Jojh, 7. At.'
XxL 13. I Cbnn, vi. 57. (13) r ^««b. xviL i, & feoq.
Hebr, fuh I'lx, (15) Jo/h. xv. 28, I Matcab, v. ^^
^ £nJeh, in v:c. (17) Uhi fup.
(12)/^. (i6) Jerm,
C. VII. to tbfi B%loniJh Captivity.
of; vi%. Dan and Simeon \ beyond which vit^Q ftill feated, along the fea-coaft, the.antie^nt PMUfiines^ once mailers of
the
47*
i|i. which Philip baptized the canQch of queen Candace ( 1 8] ; whidi Hands on fo craggy an billy as ieems quite unfit. for fachafcene; unlefs it hath been illteredy linoe that time^ for the ^orfe, which is far from im- nrbbabie (19). However that ht^ on the top of the hill where Betbxbr is fuppoied to have flood, there is now a village trailed ^^Philtp, probably m memory of that tran{adlion« And we may farther obferve, that though this part of jud^h be called a defert^'or wildernef^ it producesplenty of coraywine,
oil, &fc(20).
Emmons^ xtiHehrfw^J^ham^ mn\ from its hot and (alu'ttfe- rous waters, and famed fqr our SayiourV appearance to two of bis difciples, Ilood, as.theevan- gelill there tells us, about fixty lurlofigs, or eight miles, fouth- weil from JirufaUm{z\)^ and bad a churchy built on the fpot Vfhcre,Chri^ manifeiled himielf to tbe two difconfolate travel- ers. Jo/ffhus adds (22), that^ after the deftru^Uon oi Jtru^ fakm^Tttus VeJ^fian left 806 of his (bldiers in Judta^ Xo whom he gave this town to dwell In ; and agrees with St» X«i^ about the fituationof the placed . There was a fecond city of the ian^Q name, and to calld on account of its mineral bot
waters^andiince Niccpo/UfV/hich St. Jerom feems to have con- founded with the former ; tho* Reland\i^.}^ fully proved them, from their different iites and di- fiances, to be two diilind towas^ in the fame tribe (23).
TiJbah, Ticua^ fituate on the iide of an hill about nine miles from B$tblehemi between Beth* fira and Engaddi, Jo/epbus iay Sp it was not hx firom the calUe of Herodion ; and fpeaks of the de- iert lying between it and the Dead Sea, in which king Jehg^ Jhaphat gave the Moaiitis a mi- raculous overthrow (24). Somt modem travelers highly comr mend the noble proipe^ of the town, both towa|:ds the Dea4 Sea^ and the. fertile plain and valleys about it ; and.by the no- ble remains that are Hill to be feen, conclude it to have beea formerly a confiderable city ,tho* it now lies in <;oofuied ruin* ous heaps (25}.
Engaddif or the fiuntain of the goat, formerly Hazazon Tiamar^ or city of palm- trees 9 is fituate on the top of an high and fteep rock near the D4ad Sea, furrounded with a terri- tory much famed for the great quantities of p^s, and other odoriferous trees that grow on it ; though it be likewife oftea called a wilderneG, on account of the mountains and woods
£. 6. p, 4};, ^ fiff* (24) % Chrott» XX. %o, & fef, J*feph, de helL
/. V. c. 7« (15) IJqm% vofagi de U icrrt f»bnt, p* 440, Pi(9ck, uhifup.
that
480 ^^ Hilary of ihe Jews B, 1.
the whole, from the confines of Pbetnice^ on the nofdi^to Philiftine thofe of Idunua on the foucb. The cities along thiscoafl dtiis. woe
barren eminence, at a littledi- ilanoe to the foath-iHreft of tin Dtad Sia. Tte hills about it were full of large caves and dens, in which Davui likewife harboured fbme time. Aboot eight miles weft ofMa§/t, wu the town of Ho/m, or Oin » and between thofe two ftood the hill CarmilpOn which churl* i(h Nakil dwelt, and diferent from the other of that name formerly mentioned (28). It was on this mount that Smilbt up a trophy; or, as Ibme rer- fions render it, a triomphsl arch, in memory of a ^nalvi- dory over Jmalek (29).
The kft place worth notion in this tribe, was, the fiuned fortrefs of Maffada, built by Judas Maccahiut, and ofieo mentioned by Jofipbmt u im- pregnable. It ftood a 6w miles louth of Engaddi, aiyl weft of the DeadSgUtOm an higb cragfl;y rock, inacceflible on all m& but one, and that very difficalt and fteep. We fhall, in the fe- quel, bave occafion to fpeak of its famed liege by the Rmans^ which is, perhaps, one of the moft remarkable in hiAory. What was ftill more worthy of notice in this place, wai, that, notwithftanding its dread- ful ruggednefs around, it was crowned with a line fpSidoos plain, fertile enough to fupply the town with corn» fruit, &r. Herod the Great, c^iervhg its
that furround the town. Both this of Engaddi, and that of ^ekoah^ laft mentioned, are full of large caverns, fome of which the reader may fee delcribed in the authors lately quoted ; par- ticularly, in the former, that to which Lot and his inceftuous daughters retired, after the con- flagration of Sodom ; and that where David fo generoufly fpared the life of ^W,and only cut the fkirt of his garment f . Engaddi ftands about three or four miles eaft of Tekoah, and ft little farther off it ftands a Iharp high hill, called, iince,the mountain of the Franks^ from its having been ftoutly defended by a party of crufadors, forty years after the lofs of Jeru- falem,
ZifBf from which the neigh- bouring defert hath its name,- ftood on an high hill, about 8 miles eaflrof Hebron, according to St. Jerom (26), and was (till a confiderable town in his time. Z)«<t;/V continued fome time in the defert of it, and it was from thence that he came into SauP^ tent in the night, and carried off his pitcher and lance (27). There was another town of the fame name in this tribe, near Maon and mount Carmel, and mentioned by Jojbua in the fame chapter with this (ver. 55.).
Maoiti another ftrong city, which gave name to the neigh- bouring wildemefs, ftood on-a
. ^ (^6) Jbp}, XV. 14. yid, fir Jertm, he
Uthr, fub w. (%'j) I 5«w, xxiii. 14, ^ y>y, xXfi. fsjf^ (%%) Uii»
fireogthr
+ X Sam, xxiv. paff. 'dhr, fub tf9e, (^7)
>xv. a, ^ j€j» (i^J Ibid, XV. IS.
C. VU. to the^Mp\oi&ih Captivity*. 48 1
were fo ilrong and populous,, that the Danitti could not prefently wreft them from their brave inhabitants } but were forced to gain them by degrees, as they could, and at lafl: to leave them in c^uiet poiTeflion of fix of the moft conii<> derable ; viz^ Gatby Accarorij JJhdod^ Afcalon^ Gaza^ and JUajuma ; together with the territories belonging to them 3 ]whilft they contented themfelves with thoCe which lay north of them, up to Joppa. And much the fame were the Si- mionita obliged €0 do in their lot« as we ihall fee under the next article; immediately after which, we ihall giveanac-» count of the fix PhiUJiine cities above'-mentionedyand thofe two others that lay below them fouthwards, on the fame coaft; viz. Anthedoftj and Rhimcolura^ &c**
The lot of Dan was bounded on the north by Ephtaimy^^^*^ bn the weft by the Phili/lines and the Mediterraneanyon the ^««^'** fouth by Simeon y and on the eaft by Judah and Benjatnin.^*'** Its greateft length, from north to (outh, did ilot exceed forty miles; and it was exceeding narrow on the north fide^ and not above twenty-five broad on the fouth. But what It wanted in room, was, in a great meafure, made up by the fertility of the (oil, and the induftry and bravery of its inl^bitants; fome of whom, rather than be confined within their narrow limits, ventured fo far, as the city of Laijb^ in the utmoft verge north oiPalefiifUy after new fet* tlements, as hath been lately hinted. As for the country^ it abounded with com, wine, oil, fruits, and all other ne-» celTaries. And here was the famed valley called Nahal Efc9ly or of the grapes 5 whence the fpies, fent by Ahfes^ brought fuch noble fpccimcns of its fertility to the IfraeU ififi camp*. Dan had, befides, a good number of cities^ . within its fmall extent ; the chief of which were, Joppa^ Jamniay Cafphin, Thimnaby Bethjhemejhy AjaUn^ Lacbijh^ Modiny Elteiy Lehi, Gibbethony and Zord or Sora\
* Ibid. * Nam. xiii. pair. ^ See Relanp^ ubi
fap. p. 1(^4, 371, Be alib. Joseph. Cellar. Sc al.
firengthaniiinportance,great]y of any revolt, he m^ht take
improved it with fbrtilications, reiiige there. The walls weror
and other edifices ; particularly, feven furlongs in compafs^ hav-
with large ciAems and refer** ing corn, vines, and other fruits, -
voirs, to receive the rain-water< growing both within and with- .
He iikewiie ftored it with all oat them: and the hill,OQ which
kinds of proviii^nsy in vafl it ftood, was called, by the R9*
quantities, and built himfelf a manSf Collis Achillea (50}. fiately palace in it, that, in' cafe
(30) Jofefb. de bell, L vu.c. 2S. u« ^ alib. faff,
Vol. II. H h Of
482 5^ Hifiorj of t%e Jews • B. I
Of thefe, wc fhall defcribc here only the tv/o former, which were maritime ones, and refer the others to the margin (B).
JOPPA,
(B) CaJ^bin was a finall, but ftood' near the borders of Ja^
Well-fortified town, (eated on a dabj and was given to the &-
fmall lake about fix miles eaft- cerdotal family of Coatb (35}.
ward oijamnia^ and famed, in There were four cities of that
the time of the Maccahitifip name ; one in the tribe of Jn«
wars. About five or fix miles jamin^ about three miles eaft
fouth of it, and weft from Hiof- from Bethel (^6) : a fecond in
fo/iSf on the road to EleiUherO' that of Epbratm^ two miles
/«r//j(3i), flood the Le*vitical from Shecbem^ on the road to
city of Gatb-rimmon, or Getb' Jerufalemi^yj) : a third in the
rimmoftf given by the tribe of tribe of Zebulun, whofe fitua^
Dan to the family of Ceatb (32). tion is uncertain ; and the fourth
Its name fignifies the pre/s of in this of Dan^ between ^im"
pomgranates^ and it is likely nab and Bethjhetnejh^ lately
liiey made fome quantities of mentioned. This laft is that of
wine here from that noble fruit, which J^<^»a fpake, when he
Bethfhemefl?^ another Levitical bid the fun fiand ftill in GibeoHf
city, about fix or feven miles and the moon in the vale of
fouth of G^i&-rfMM«oJ9^and near ji;alon{^S). La cbijH^^ on tkc
the feacooft (33), is fiuned for frontiers of Judah^ and where
being the {dace where the ark Settnacberih laid fiege when he
returned from the land of the fent that haughty mefiage to
FhiUftines ; and much more for Hezekiab ( 39), was ftill a fmaU
the dreadful puniihment infli- town, abou^ feven miles fouth
£ted on its inhabitants for hav- from Eleutberop^Ui^ in Eufebius
ing dared to look into that fa- and St. Jerom's time (40). Aff*
cred fymbo],and which we fhall ^//V, famed for being the birth
hive occafion to fhew» in the fe- and burying-place of the Mac-
quel, was nothing fo great as cabean princes, was feated on
ours, and other verfions,make it an hill at a fmall diflance from
(34). There were feveral other the fea. Their tombs, which
cities of the fame name, and were very magnificent, could
no wonder ; that word f^gnify- be feen at fuch a diftanceofFat
ing the houfe or temple of the fea, as to ferve for a land -mark;
fun every place that had fuch and were ilill flanding in St.
a temple, affedled to call it by J^eronCi time, not far from the
that name, as the Greeks did by city of Dio/polis ; but the town
that oi Heliopolis^ which im- was dwindled in to a village (41).
plies the fame thing. Ajalon Lehi, the place where SamfiB.
(31) Jerm, loc. Hehr. (p) y%Jh, xxi. 23, fif feq, (33) JoJb.Ta*
'^« (l^) » ^«w» vi» '*• ^'^« Retand, uhi Jup^ p, 656. ('^e,) Jofi,
acix.4.z. xxi. 24. C36; 2 Cbron, xi. lo. (if) Eufeb, loc Hebr.
fubvoc. Jeromibid, H^) Jofb. x. la. ^39; Ibid. rv. 39. - Kingx
xviii. T7. (ao) Loc, Hebr. f/^jj Vid. lA'-accab.ii, 15. ix. 19. xiii.
I -flew
C. VII. to the Babylonifti Captivity. 48 j
JopPA, yaphoj now Jaffa', once a confiderable feaport Joppa. on the Mediterranean^ and the only one which the Jews had on that fea, was feated on an high fpacious hill, which commanded a full profped of the fea on one fide, and of a delightful fertile country on the othen It had the town of J omnia on the fouth, Cafarea^P aloft ina on the north, and Rama or Ramula on the eafl: ; and is often mentioned, both in the Old and New Teftament. But this fine city was fo ihtirely ruined, during the • holy war, that it had fcarcely any buildings left landing but the old caftle, which is fituate on an eminence above it, and another near the fea- fide. At prefent the town is rebuilt to** wards the fea, with good fione houfes ; and drives a con- fiderable trade, particularly, in the Rama and Jeru- ^^^ traffic^ folem foap. There are likewife great quantities of rice,/^''^ &c« corn, and other commodities, brought thither from Egypt,, and exported thence into other countries. The misfortune is, that the port hath been formerly fo marred, that no ihips of burden can come into it, but are obliged to ride on the road before it; which is,- however, fafe, and convenient enough. On the weft fide of the haven is a charming ipring, which fupplies the town, and refre(hes all the paf- fengers that go and come by it. The reader may fee a farther account of this town in Sir Paul Lucas^ who was there ; and in the authors quoted in the margin c. It is /uppofed to have been the fcene of the famed adventure of Perfeus and Andromeda ^ ; and St. Jerom tells us, there were ftill to be feen, in his time, fome of the links of the chain with which the latter was fattened to the rock ^: ,
' Idem ibid. ^ St£ph. de urb. fub Joppe. « la
Jonas i. & epitaph. Paul.
flew 1000 Philtftines with the Hahakkuk (43). LafUy, the
jaw-bone of an afs» was near famed city of Zorah^ or Sorai,
EUek, or Eltaka, a iacerdotal the birth-place of Samfin (44},
city, given to the fons of Coath which ftood on a (pacious plain
(42). Gibbetbon,OT Gabbatbon^ near the frontiers of Dan and
probably the fame with Gab- Judab, ten miles from Elew
iatba, a Levitical city on the tberopoUs^ on the road to Nic9^
frontiers ofjudabytwclvt miles foils (45) ; near which was the
from E leutberopolif, y/hcre they eunuchs fountain, and the val*>
ihewed the tomb of the prophet ley of J^c^^lately mentioned.
C^^) Jofb, ziz. 44. xxi. 23. Judg. xv. 14, ^ /<f. ^43^ Evjeh, Sm
Jerom, ubi fup, Jojb. xix. 44. (^) Judg. xui. », fiT )Jy. ^45^ Eujeb^ Jilbvof
H b 3^ though
484 51&^ Hifiary of the Jews B. J.
though it is more hkely, that this fabulous ftory took its rife from the prophet Jonah*s imbarking at this place, and being fwallowed up by a whale, or, as the Hebrew imports, a fea-monfter, or monftrous large fifii ^. Jamnia. Jamnia, Jamni, yamnes^ Jemney or yemmau^ fi- tuate on the fame coafF, between yoppa and Azotuiy and in a pleafant champaign country, is not mentioned by any of thofe names in the Hebrew text ; but we meet with that oi Jabne among thofe which king Uzziah took from the Philijiine5%y which is, without doubt, the very fame, it ftanding on the fame coaft with the reft, yofephus tells us, it was given from the tribe of yudah to that of Dan ^ : and the fecond book of Maccabees^ which makes it a con- fiderable town, places it about 240 furlongs weft of Jeru' falem '\ It was made an epifcopal fee under that of Ca* farja^ in the early times of Chriftiahity ^^, but at prefent hath nothing worth our farther notice : we fliall therefore pafs into the next and laft canton of Palejiine\ viz.
T^he tribe of Simeon.
Tribe of This tribe was confined to a very fmall lot on the moft
Simeon, fouthern corner^ of yudea \ being bounded by Dan on
the north ; the little river Sichor on the fouth, which
parted it frona Idiimea j by yudah on the eaft, and by a
fmall neck of land, towards the Mediterranean ^ on the weft.
The greateft part of it was fo mounuinous, fandy, and
barren, efpecially that which lay on the fouth fide of the
river Bezor^ which ran acrofs it, and on the north of which
they had but a very narrow flip of fertile land; and was,
moreover, fo harafled by the Philijtines on one fide, and
the Idumeans on the other; that, finding neither room and
fuftcnance fuffi.cicnt, nor any quietnefs in their inheritance,
Differ fed they were obliged to feek their fortune among other tribes;
out of from the very beginning hiring themfelves out to affift their
their lot . brethren in the conqueft of their lots, for the fake of
having feme fmall fliare allotted to them ; whilft others
difperfed themfelves among every tribe, where, it feems,
they ferved as fcribes, notaries, fchoolmafiers, ^r. fo
truly was their father yacoV% curfe verified on them, as well
*" Joseph, de bell, l.iii. c. 15. & al. mult. s 2 Chron.
xxvi. 6. b Ant. 1. v. c. i . i Ch. xii. ver. 9. * Notit. patriarch. Hierofol. & alib.
as.
C-VII. fo ^be B^hylomfh Cafthify. 485'
as on the tribe of Levi (C), on account of their bloody maflacre of the Shechemites : Cur fed be their anger ^ for it was fierce ; and their revenge^ for it was inhuman : I will difperfe them in Jacob, and fcatter them in Ifrael ^. Their towns were few, and none of them very confiderable, butF/c¥ rather anfwerable to the thinnefs and poverty of the inhabit- /tfw«J. ants. The chief of them werq, Ziklag or Sice/eg^ Hain oxAen^ HorTjfah^ Debir^ zntiQVxxiy Kirjath-fepher^ Gerar^ alias Gezarah^ Beerjheha^ ^Anthedon^ and Rhinocolura '^ : the two laft, which lay near the fea-coafts, were, indeed, the moft confiderable ; but it is a queftion, whether the S;- meonttes ever got pofleflion of either, if they were then in being. However that be, the reader may fee the former (even defcribed, with the reft, in the following note (D).
As
^ Gen. xlix. 5, & fcq. 60Q, & alib.
« Vid. Reland. ubi fop. p. 151,
(C) As the Simeonites vftre forced to difperfe tfaemfelves among the other tribes, for want of room and fuflenancey fo were the Le*vites; they being debarred from having any lot or inheritance among the reil, and obliged to live on the tythes and offerings of the other tribes (46). They, how- ever, got their fentence,in fome meafure, mitigated, by the ex- traordinary zeal they ihewed againft the idolatrous rearers of the golden calf in Horei ; and had afterwards a number of ci- ties and territories allotted to them (47 )» which were a kind of places of refuge, of which more hereafter. But, upon the whole, as they were appointed the keepers of the Jemjifh reli- gion, and inftrudlors of the people, providence (48) fo or- dered their lot, that their tem-
poral welfare ihould rife or fall, according to the pains they took in keeping up the fpirit of religion among the other tribes. And the Jevut/b hiflory gives us many fignal inftances in which theirihamefulremiflnefs, in this refpe£t,hath been always attended with extreme want and poverty (49).
(D) Ziklag^ by the Septua- gint and Vulgate called Siceleg, given by Acbijh to king Davids during his abode among the Pbiliftines (50), was made a IboDg forcrefs by him, foon after he came to the crown. It fell, at firft, to the lot of Si^ meon (51), and is, by Eu/ebius, placed in the moft fouthem frontier of the land of Ca^ naan (52). Hain^ Ain^ Aen^ was given by Judah to Simeon^ who af&fled hin^ in the conqueft of his lot (53). There were
(^6) Num. Xviii. 24, @ fif, (^7) Jff'd, ii. pajf, Mahch. ii. 7. &
miih, paff, (4ZJ Num. xxxv. I, & jeq. Jofi, xx. 7, ^ feq. xxU 19, d^
feq. (J^) I Sam. li. 36. Mic. iii. 1 1, fif alib. f 50) i Sam, xvii, 6, ^^ S^* (l^^ Jojb.xin.^^ (s,z) Loc.Hebr, fub Siceleg^ (szJ OomJ\ jcjbn XV. 32. Judg. i, 3, •
Hh g man/
As fior ibolc alJKtiaim and RhimtcBhrg^ tbcj wiB better come, in order, after the fix PInlifiime ones, whkh hj on the ^me coaft : b that vr hate now finiChed our oourfe tSrough an the tirehre tribes, and have notfaiog left t > ipak of bat the five Pbili/Ume latrapics, and tlv two towns aborc-mmtkined, before we come to the geography
BU117 towns of dot oaaie^ it itwas theboinidairjr of theCc- §gmfyiaga fimmtMtm} oowUck uaantts ; beii^ fitiiate oa the aocoimt they were£iiiigiuflMd river Bextr^ aboot ieren miles bf the addition of icmie other; lbcith-«-ei of Z>«^, andfixeift as Aimfi:ewuflf, Jim-gamMsm^ ice of Beer/b^ (6 1 }. This kfl^ Em/ihimsaWi this,wearefiseak- called alib Berfabe and Bmrfbt^ ing ci^Beib-aim^znt^ Beth amm ; At, had its name 60m the wdl asd places it aboat 4 miks from on mMy^Ahraham and .^^ur ^/^'fl«(54). HarmabfZTOjtl ratified their allianrr^ by an city, to called by Jofhma^ who oath, with AbiauUcb above- rowed it to deftroAioa ; hot named (62). The city was fi- which was known before by tnate on the fbathcrmoft verge the nameof Sefbaat (55), and of all Jmdem^ as Dmm was on fiood in the luogdom m Arad the moft northern ; from which (56) , bat fell to die tribe of ^r- came the proverb* Frmm Dan t9
meoH on the divifion of the Beeriheba (63). ScJ^Mtaad
land (57). Dehir^Dabir^ an* Emfibius teD os, that it had a
tieatly Kirjatb-fepbiry or ibe Rtwutm garifon in dMur time.
city of hooks, and thence fup- At prefent it is a poor vil-
pofed an aniveriity, was inha- lage , beyond which lies a
bited by a gigantic race called large, iandy, and barren de-
Anakim^ from ^xoi, their pro* iert, altogether uninhabited,
genitor f . It ftood at fome except towards the lea-coaft;
fmall diftance from Hehron^ajA on which fiand the two &•
fell to the lot of 7^^^(5S)> ^^ ^^^ ^^ Antbeim and
who took It, and put its mo RbUocobtra, above-mentioned,
narch to death^and gave it with Beerjbeha was given by yuiab
his own daughter to the brave to the SimeoaiUs (64), and flood
Othniely who was one of the about twenty miles fouth of
firil that mounted the breach Hebron, and feven weft of Gr-
(^9). Geravy or Gexarah, the rar^ and both of them about
royal refidence of the kings of three days journey from Jeru"
that nanie,furnamed Ahimelech, falem (65 ) . Our modem maps
and famed for their juflice, and now place them about 33 miles
generous hofpitalicv to Abraham fbuth-wefl of that metropolis, and Ijaac (60) ; at which time
('^^) Ubi Jup. fuh Betbanim, (5^)7"^' »• ^7- Cs^) -^«>W- X».
1, & feq, (Si) Jsjh, XV. 30. t JoJh.Tiiw. 15. Xv. 14, &feq. Num.
Xiii.22. 1^58; Jop. X. 38, ^ Jeq. xii. 13. (c<)) Judg. i. i, & feq.
(So) Gen. XX. pajf, xxvi. pajf, (S t ; Jerom £'^£ufii, /oc. Hehr.fuh vaf .
(6z) Gen, ubt Jup, (b{) iSam. xvii. 1 1, (^ Jea, (t/L) Ccnf. Jojb,
XV. 22. &fxix.2. {6^J Tradi'tJuCenef ^ J ^j
of
C.VII. to ^ Babyloniih Captivity. 487
of thofe nations that inhabited round the IJraelkiJh pro- vinces we have now defcribed.
The jfivf Philiftine fatrapies defcribed.
These, we have already hinted, were fituate along the^^f /^' Mediterranean'C02Ay between that and the tribes of Si- P"'hiline meon^ Dan^ and part of Benjamin \ and extending from-^''*^^'''' the ieaport of J omnia to the mouth of the river Be» %or. How far their territories extended towards the in- land, is not eafy to guefs \ but, upon the whole, it ap- pears, they were confined within very narrow limits : for though they have b^en able to raife very confiderable ar- mies againft the Ifraelites^ yet the far greater part of them feem to have confifted of auxiliaries from Edom^ or Idu^ tnea. We have given an account of thofe brave people, in a former chapter 5 and fhall refer our rea(}ers,for every par- ticular relating to them, except the geography of their country, which was referved for this. Their names were as follow, as they lay from north to fouth.
I. Gath ; 2. Accaron^ or Ecron\ 3. JJhdod^ or JxO' ius ; 4. Afcalon ; and 5. Gaza^ with its feaport, called Portus Gaxee^ and Majuma : of all which we can only fay^ in general, that they appear to have been ftrong, rich, and populous ; and to have had each of them fome confiderable towns and villages under them ; all of them fituate, as far as can be gathered from the facred records, in fertile terri- tories, and well cultivated by the induftrious inhabitants.
I. Gath, or Geihj the birth-place of the famed G^-Gath. liah^^ was firft conquered hy David {E)y fortified by his grandfon Rehoboam o, and retaken by ifzziah and Heze^ kiah P. It flood about five or fix miles fouth of Jamnia^ about fourteen fouth ojf Joppa^ and thirty-two weft of Je-
■ I Sam. vi. 17. xvii. 4, ^feq. ^ 2 Sam. viii. i, & feq.
2Chron. xi. 8. p Ibid. xxvi. 6. Vid. & Joseph, antiq.
1. ix. c. 1 1, & feq. Vid. & Reland. 1. iii. p. 789, & feq.
(E) The text there fays only. Chronicles (66) fujfficiently cx-
that Da'vid took Metheg and plains the meaning, by (aying,
.///R/«4/& out of the hands of the that he took Gath and her
Fhiliftines \ and the margin, daughters \ that is, the towns
the bridle of Ammah : but the under it. So that Gatb was
original imports, Metheg and the mother,or capital ; and they
her mother. And the book of the daughters, or fubordinate.
(6^) I Cbron, xviii. I.
H b 4 rufahm i
'^ii The Hiftiry of the Jews R !•
rufalem ; under the 35 ch degree of eaft longitude, and 31 degrees 56 minutes of north latitude (F). It recovered its liberty and luftre in the time of the prophets jfmos and^- cab\ but was afterwards demolifbed by Haxael king of Syria ; iince which it became of but little confideration, till the time of the holy war j when Fulky Vsn^oi Jerufalem^ built a caflle on its ruins ^
2. Ekron, or Accarm^ fltuate about ten miles fouth of Gath (G), f^ll, at iirfti to the lot of Judah^ and was thence
given
q Amos vi. z. Mie, i; \o,8e ieq,
and Maunorell.
r Sec the holy war,
(F) Some authors havecom- Snicted an egregious miflakeyiQ niakingG^z/]^ the mod fouthern, and Accaron the moil northern of the Pbilifline cities (67), as if tbefe two had been the two boundaries of their dominions ; whereas thefe two cities are not above five miles afunder, and Ga%a is the laft of the five fa- trapies fouth. And Jo/ef bus tx- preiTes himfelf plainly enough, when he fays (68), that Hez^- iiab took all the Pbi/tfiw ci- ties from Gaza to Gatb, St. jferom feems to have placed it much farther fouth, when he iays, it flood on the road from Gaza to EUutheropoHs, Some niiflake mull have therefore crept into his writings, or elfe he mail mean another G/i/i& ; there being many more,ashath been fhewn already, of that . name, which fignifies, in the Hebrew', a woine-frefs, . We find the name of Gittaim in ibme other places (69), which is the dual number of Gatby or the plural, if we exclude the points, and read it Gittbim; but as
there is nothing in the conteft to lead us to think them the fame with this, or any other, we fhall fay no more about them. Several more of the name of Gitby or Gatb^ are mentioned in Eufebius and St, Jerom, whofe fituation, acconl- ing tQ them,plain]y (hews them to have been difierent places from this, and from each other, befides thofe which had an ad- jund to diftinguifh them ; fack as Gatb-epber^ Gath-rimmtm^ &c(7o). We read of one of them, in particular, againft which the Epbraimites, whilfi yet in Egypt^mside an incurfion, and were all cut off (71). From which we may fuppofe xhhGati to have been much more fouth from, and nearer to Egypt than this maritime one of the Pbi- UJiines ; and may, probably ,be that which is mentioned above, as the fouch^rn border of the Pbiliftines^
(G) The reader may fee, by what was faid in the laft note, that fome have placed this city north of Gatb : and the author
(67) Ca/met in ntoe, Gtth, (SQ) Atitiq, L ix. e. 13,
if. 3. Nehem, xi. 33. (70) Onomafiic, in vw, Getb%
C6g) 2 Saa, (71 J J Cbrtn,
9f
C. VII. to the Bal^Ionilh ^Captivity: 489
given to the tribe of Dan • ; and appears to have been a very ftrong confiderable city : and it is a queftion, whether it ever was at all maftercd by either of thofe two tribes. For we find, even as early as the time of Samuel^ the fa- traps of Ekron wtrt the firft of the five who propofcd the fending back the ark *. Sofne geographers have confounded this city with Straton*s tower, where Herod afterwards built Cafarea-PaLeJiina u j whereas this laft flood above forty miles north of it ; vi%, in the half-tribe of Manajfeh^ where we have, accordingly, placed it. Accaron^ accord- ing to our lateft maps, flood in 31 deg. 55 min. lat. and 34 deg. 57 min. eafl Ion. and about 34 miles wefl from yerufalem.
3- AzoTH, JJhdod^ or Azotus^ was fituate about four- ^20 th teen or fifteen miles fouthof Ekron, between that and -^ talon^ and was a celebrated feaport on the Mediterranean'* It fell, at firft, to the lot of Judah w, but continued a con- fiderable time in the hands of its antient oy/ners: and it was in this city that the idol Dagon fell in pieces before the ark «. And fo ftrong a place it was, if we may believe -Hr- rodotus^y that itfuftained a fiege of twenty-nine years, the longeft that ever was heard of, under Pfammitichusj the then powerful king of Egypt. But they could not make
» Conf; Jofh.xv. 45. xix, 43, * i Sam. v. 10, &feq. * v '
• Jergm. com. in Amos vi. 2, ic alib. "^ Jofli. xv. 47.
^. I Sam. V. z, &feq. ^ L. ii. c. 157.
of the book of Samuel (^z) feems to confirm it, who fays, that the Pbiliftines were forced to reflore all the^cities ftomEk- ron unto Gath. Bat as we have there fettled the latter from ^ofephus^ and other authorities, on the northern fide of the for- mer, it is not improbable, that feme literal error hath crept in- to the text of Samuel I and that it fhould be written from Ekron unto GattM ; which, as will be feen in the fequel,. was, indeed, the ippft fouthem border: whereas wc do not read pf any
cities between Gatb and Ekron^ but only of fome towns and vil- lages under their juriiciidion, which can hardly be the mean- ing of the text. Reland^ the moH accurate of all (73}, as well as Cellarius (74), fecm to leave it undetermined, which lay mod to the north . Gatb or Ekron. Under fuch uncertainty we have, with the generality of authors, followed the order in which St. Jerom hath placed them ; 'vi%. from fouth to north, Gaza, AfcaloUf Azotb, Accaron, and G<J/^ (75).
(72) Ch. vii. 14. ■ (^73) mi juf. I ill. p. 745, ^ feq. (^74; C?«^. «i//f . /. iii. a 13. *. 365, §r y^. (T^) Cm* in Amot vi. 2. ^ Ohad,
fuch
49^ ^STte Hiftory of the Jcwa B. I
fuch a reflftance againft tht Maccabees ^ who took and burnt both city and temple, and with them about eight thoufand men ». A&alon. 4. AscALoN, another maritime town and fatrapy, about eight or nine miles fouth of Afbdody and between it and Gazoy was efteemed the ftrongeft of all on the Phi^ lifiine coaft ^ notwithftanding which, the tribe of Judab^ to whofe lot it fell, made themfelves mafters of it foon after the death oi Jojhua a. Jofephus places it about 320
furlongs weft of JerufaUm^, We have had occafion to fpeak of it in the lot of Judahn It is ftill in being, though dwindled into a village. Origen mentions, in his time, fome famed wells near it, faid to have been dug by Jbraham^^ Take of and fome profane authors fpeak of a fmall lake full of fiihes Strceto. confecrated to the goddefs Derceto <1 ; on which account, , the Afcaloniam forbore to eat them ; as they did, alfo, pi- geons, becaufe fuppofed to belong likewife to her. This city was made an epifcopal fee from the earlieft ages of Chriftianity, and, during the holy war, had been adorned with many ftately edifices, all which have been ruined fince, by the Saracens and Turks «^. It was the native place of Herod the Great jwho was thence furnamed Afcalonites^\ andAands in 31 deg. i6min.lat. and 34deg. lomin.eaft long. Ijaza* The laft fatrapy was Gaza^ about fifteen miles fouth of
Jfcalon^ and about four or five north of the mouth of the river Bezor^ and at a fmall diftance from the Mediterra' nean. It was fituate on an eminence furrounded with the moft beautiful and fertile valleys, watered by the above- mentioned river, and a number of other fprings ; and, at a farther diftance, incompafted on the inland fide with hills, all planted with variety of fine fruit-trees. The city itfelf was ftrong, both by its fituation, and by the ftout walls, and flately towers, that furrounded it, and built after the Philijiine manner. It was, however, taken by Caleb y then chief of the tribe of Judah 8 ; but foon after regained by the antient inhabitants, and held by them till Samfon carried ofF the gates of it, in the night l^. It often fihifted hands, and pafTed fi'om the Jews to the Chal- deansj PerJianSy and Egyptians^ till it was deflroycd by
« I Maccab. x. 83, & feq, • Judg. i. 18. »» ])e
bell. I. iii. c. i . ^ Cont. Celf. 1. iii. Vid. & Euseb. ono-
maft. fub voc. *ferfc. * Diod. Sic. 1. i. Lucia n. dedea
Syr. Philo ap. Eufeb. de praepar. 1. viii. &al. .« Voy. de
la terre faint. 1. ir, c. 22. ^ Joseph, antiq. 1. xiv. c. 27.
t Judg. i. 18. <» Ibid. xvi. 3, & feqq.
Alixartdar
C- VII. io the Babylonifli Captivity.
Alexander the Great i, and a fecond time by the brave Mac^ cabees^ ; after which we hear no more of it till St.Luh fpeaks of it as a ruinated place 1 (H). The diftance of it from the fea is varioufly fettled by geographers, feme make* ing it a feaport city, miftaking it for New Gaza, or Afa^ juma J others placing it fome miles from it, Art tan gives it only twenty furlongs, or two miles and an half, from it ; and not twenty miles, as Calmet hath done, by miftake* The former adds, that the accefs to it was very difficult, by rieafon of the fandy grounds about it on one fide, and the wet and dirt on that next the fea. In other refpe£ls he de- fcribcs it much after the fame manner we have done above, both with refpefl: to its ftrength and fituation. Farther particulars relating to its antient Aate, and the difference between that and the New^ the reader may fee in the au- thors quoted in the margin «.
As to its prefent flute, though it be far inferior, in all
refpeAs, to its antient ; yet it retains fo many monuments
. of its former grandeur, as may well be worth a curious read^
cr's notice. It ftands on the fame fpot with the OA/, that
is, between two and three miles from the fea, but in a
much fmaller compafs; and is almoft full of the no-
'bleft pieces of antiquity, on all fides : fuch as fome rdws of
the mofl (lately marble columns, with all their ornaments,
fome noble burying-places, with all the tombs of the fame
flone, finely wrought. Among thefe, is one, in particular,
furrounded with an high wall, and belonging now to fome
Turkijh family, with many noble tombs, of large marble
ftones, taken, probably, from the ruins of other edifices,
which, Mr. Tljevenot tells us, are here in great number.
491
* Vid. Plutarch, in Alexand. Joseph, antiq. 1. xiii. c. 21, & al. ^ I Maccab. xi. 61. xiii. 43. ' A6lsviii.26.
» De exped. Alexan. l.ii, p. 150. " Vid. Reland. ubi
fup. 1. ii. p. 436. 461 . 509^ ic alib. Cellar, ubi fup. ]. iii. c. 13, p. 368. Calmet^ fubvoc. La Martiniere, & al.
(H) We are, indeed, told by Jo/ephuSf that it was rebuilt by GabiniuSi during his ivars with the Maccabees (76) ; and, if fo. It mud have been deflroyed again. But it is mere likely, that that which he there men- tions, adding elfewhere that it
was afterwards given by the emperor Auguftus to Herod tbg Great, was not the Old, but Ne^ Gascoy or, as it was an- tiently called. Ma juma ; which made, then, a great figure ; as will be feen under the next ar- ticle.
(76) Jhtt. Uvr e^iu
Ncaf
49 i ^e Hiftdry of the Jt9r% B.I.
Near the city ftands a round caftlc, flanked with four fquare towers, and in good repair : it takes in a fmall circuit, but is fenced with two ftout iron gates, and other works. Over-againft it is the feraglio, where the bafhas wives, and their attendants, are kept ; and a little above it are the re- mains of an old Reman caflle, the materials of which are . ftill fo firm, that the hammer can make no impreffion on them. The Greeks have here an handfome church, the roof of which is large, and bold, fupported by two rows of ftately marble pillars, of the Corinthian order. That of the Armenians is little inferior to it ; where they (hew you the fpot where flood the antient temple which Samfm pulled down over his head, and which is now reduced to an heap of rubbifli. The caftle is the reiidence of the fangiac, or governor, who bath about three hun- dred towns, or villages, under him©. The territory about it is ftill pleafant and delightful ; but beyond it, quite to the river of Egypt ^ the ground is more barren; and, in- ilead of the tribes of Simeon and Dan^ is inhabited by a breed of wild Arabs ^ who arc under no regular government, and always wandering P. Majama, Majum A, or New Gaza, was the antient feaport to the »r New former, and a place of fome note on that account, but Gaza., much more fo in the reign of Conjiantine the Great ^ who gave it the name of Con/taniia, from his fon Con/iantiuSj and endowed it with many fingular privileges, of which it was afterwards ftripped by Julian the apofrate, out of ha- tred to that pioLS emperor (I). Majuma flood near the mouth of the river Btzor^ about ten miles fouth of Afca-
^ Thevexot ubi fup. partii. c. 36. ? See Pocock. uhi
fup. vol. i. p. 1 8.
(I) We arc told, that it was pendent : and this proved the
then not only the port and dock, true and only motive for which
but,likewife, thearfenalof OA/ that apoflate fucceflfor dcpri*
Gaza: by which one may ved it of its freedom, and fub-
conclude, that the latter had jc6led it again to Old Gaxa,
been rebuilt fince St. Luie^s at Icali fo far as the temporal ;
time. And it was, it feems, for, as to its eccleiiaflical flate
fo over-run with idolatry, that it continued under its own bi-
Conftantine, who would not fhop and clergy, and kept its
have his new Conftantia to be epifcopal territory uninfringed,
dependent upon fo heatheni(h a and diilindl from that of the
city, made it iret and inde- old city (77).
(77) Fkurj eccl bjft. fub ath 36a.
C. Vll. to the Babylonifh Captivity. 49 j
lon^ and about as many north-weft of Anthedon ; in 31 deg. 41 min. lat. and 34 deg. 50 min. eaft longir. It hath ftill fome curious antiquities remaining; but it is noteafy to fay . whether they belonged originally to New or Old Gaza 9.
South o( Afaju?na flood the two maritime cities lately mentioned, of Anthedon and Rhinocolura^ the only twowe Anthe- have to fpeak of under this article. The former was a don. fmall fcaport on the Mediterranean^ but dtftroyed by Alex- ander yanneuSy one of the Maccahitijh monarchs, and fince rebuilt by Herod^ and called, by him, Jgrippiasy in honour of his ftedfaft friend Agrippa^ a great favourite of Augiijlus r. It flood between Gaza on the north, and Rhinecolura on the fouth ; about fifteen miles from the former, and twenty from the latter «.
Rhinocolura, or,as others, though improperly, write Rhinoco- it, Rhinocorura^ was the laft city on this coafl, being feated lura. on the northern fide of the river of Egypt ^ which parted that kingdom from the tribe of Simeon. There are va- rious fentiments concerning its founders, and the occafion •f its name, which the reader may fee in the margin (K).
' Sec La Martiniere, fub Gaza.'" ' Joseph, antiq^
]. xiii. c. 21. * Vid. Re land, ubi fup. 1. ii. p. 439. 460^
& alib. Cellar. 1. iii. c. 1 3.
(K) The Greek word pro- count is generally fuipedled as
perly fignifies y?// ff^rzVi : and ^bulous.
the account that is given, both There has been, likewife, no
of the city, and name, is as fol- fmall difpute about the river
lows : That a numerous gang of near which it is fituate ; fome
banditti, which had, for a long taking it to be that of Bezor^
time, infefted the Perjtan domi- others the torrent of the wilder-
nions, were, at length, caught^ nefs mentioned in the facred
and fen t, with their noflrils (lit, books (80), and fome the ri-
into this defert place by one ver of Egypt, mentioned by o-
of its monarchs (fuppofed Cam thers (81). Dr. Pococke, who
^y^j),wherc they built this city, calls it a rivulet, fcemsconfi-
which was, from them, iligma- dent, that it is that which is
tized with that name (78). meant by the river and torrent
Another author (79) fays, it of £'^y// mentioned in thofe in-
w^sAtti/aruStkingot Ethiopia, fpircd writings (82) ; whereas
who made thofe^<zW////undergo Dr. ^haw feems to have fully
that punifhment ; but that ac- confirmed the common opinion
(-]%) Strab» i,xv\ Seneca de gra, /. iii. c. 23. ^79.^ D^oJ, S::. /. i.
e.6 * (^'^J y?/^- *v, 4. 47. //.{. xxviii. 7 2. (^i) IoSjw. XXX. 9,
IQ. 21. y^tros VI. 14, {<^ alik* £ic hit vid, Rdir.d, C*iinut, Ctilur.^ al,
of
The Hiftory of the Jews B. t
Tt was likewife indiiFcrcntly placed, by antient writers, in PaUJfinej Syria^ or even in Egypt ; having, at different times, belonged to them all^ : but what name it was called by whilft under the Jnus^ or, indeed, till the fabulous Greeks gave it the above-mentioned, is no- where to be found. It became a very early bifliopric under the metro- politan of Peluftum in Egypt ^ and, fince then, a ftrong for- trefs, during the holy war, though it changed its name into that of Phar arnica^ and was of fingular ufe to prevent the Turkljh auxiliaries from coming out of Egypt into Palejline* It is fmce gone to decay, and is now an inconfiderable place, and the territory about it a mere wildernefs : and with that we now clofe the geography of Palejiine (L).
* Vid. HiERON. in Ifa. m. & xxvii.
of the moderns, that, by the ri- ver of Egypt^ is meant the Nile (83) ; which was fsir enough from this town: and further- more, that there was no river running by it; which is.indeed, what Mr. Reland hath fhewn bcfore,from Diodorus,3.nd other authorities (84). However.that there was a river called the river of Egypt, which divided Pa- leftine from Egypt ^ and emptied itfelf into the Mediterraneatij feems evident, from the places quoted above out of Jofl^ua^ and other facred authors, whe tYi^rRhinocolura was feated near, or at a diftancc from it. There 'wSiS an old tradition, on what foundation is hard to guers,that this was the place where Noah divided the world between his three Tons (85). And we read of the city of Flaccidia, in the neighbourhood of it, famed for the long retreat of St. Hilarion^ a celebrated hermit (S6). (L) It will not be amifs to
mention here two dties more, placed, by geographers, along this coaft ; and, by fbme, be- tween Ga%a and Rbinocolura ; and, by others, between this and Egypt ; 'vix, Laris or Lariffa^ and Raphia. The former,if wc may believe Thfvmot and Bam* drandy was a city o^ Idumeaf fo called from the mount of that name, and the fame with the modern mount Cafius^ and ii- tuate about twelve leagues fouth from Gaza, Off this phcePjmpey received his death, and his fepulchre in it; the former by the command of the treacherous king of Egypt, and the latter from a generous private foldier. Here the em- peror Adrian afterwards eredl- ed a (lately monument in me- mory of that brave and unfor- tunate geiieral. BaldiAjin, the firft king of Jerujalem, like- wife,died here. Anno 11 87 (87> Mr. Sandys ;9i\iO calls ilAriffa^ places it near the frontiers of
(S {) Supplement to his travels, p. 21. Gf J'i, fef fc^, (84) L. iii. p. 970, ^7'7' V'') }'f^'pf'(in. inwrat. c.ror ic. pafc. p. 26. ^ jea, (86) if/V-
w. //; i/;r. iiiLr, (U7) /^/V. La M^t inicn Jub Lari^le^
Judea,
C, VII. to the Babylonifli Captivity. 495
It remains now, that we fpeak of thofe few nations that were feated round about it, and were, though moft of them of the feed or kindred of Abraham^ at perpetual war with the yews : fuch as were the IJhmaelites^ Moah^ ittSy Ammonites^ Edomites^ Amalekites^ &c. whofc hiilory we have given in fome of the foregoing chapters, and in defcribing whofe feveral countries we fhall not now rank them according to their dignity, with refpecft to elderfhip, or eminence, but take them as in courfe they lie in oux way round thofe of the Ifraelites ; beginning with IdumeOy as the neareft to Judahy Simeon^ and the Philiflines^ laft defcribed.
Edom, or Idumea. > This country lay fouth of Palejiine^ and was part oi Land of Arabia Petrea ; having yudea on the north ; Egypt^ and a Edom, or branch of the Red Sea, on the weft ; the reft of Arabia ^^"nica. Petrea on the fouth ; and the defert of Arabia on the eaft. Jt lay moftly under the 30th degree of latitude, and 34th
Judeuy about two miles from moil authors place it fouth of
the fea, and three miles fouth Gaxa^ and between that and
from GazM, ; but it is now only Egypt. And Jofepbus (90) and
a poor town, defended by an Polyhius (91) mention it as the
old caflle»and a garifon of about very firil city of Syria^ in coni«
an hundred men. Dr. Pococke ing from Egypt, However that
places a gulf of the fame name be, the firfl time we read of ^-
near it, in his map of Egypt^ phia in the Jrwijh books is,
and juft above it the city of where that famed vidlory is
Raphia, mentioned which Ptolemy Philo-
This lad became a celebra- pator gained over Anthcbus thi
ted place in the times of the Great, king of Syria, near it
Maccabees^ but is not men- (91). The next we hear of it
tioned by that name in the He^ is its being taken by Alexander
irew books : whence a learned Janneus, and almoft deftroyed
modem (88) fuppofes it to be by the wars, till reftorcd by
)the city of Gath, which be- Gabiniusi^gz). Mr.Peland,v/ho
longM to the rephaim, or gi- places it north of Rbinocohtra^
ants (89) ; whence it might de- mentions feveral medals flruck
rive the name of Rephia, or at Raphia, as alfo fome biQiops
Raphia, But, if that be the of that fee that affiiled at the
cafe, it mud have been (ituate eaflern councils (93]. much £irther north; whereas
(88) Calmit fub RMpbia. (89) l Cbrcn.xn, paJT. 2 Sam ixi. ic, ^
fe?o (90) Antiq, I. V. c. 14, (91) Hifi. I. v. c.%^. 92) 3 A'ac.aL
j. II. ^i7tiq. I. xiii. c. 2 i. xlv. c. le. (9?) L. iii. />. 967, fif fc^. Vid. (St I. L /. 286. ii. 43 5. 4^. Cellar, I. iii. p* 3 72.
of
49^ ^e Hijiory of the Jews B. I.
of eafl longitude. As to its extent,it hath fo often changed, that there is no ftating it, without having regard to the various periods of time through which it palled. At iirft| EJau^ or Edoniy from whom it received its name a, and his defcendants, fettled along the mountains of Seir on the caft, and fouth of the Dead Sea^ from whence they fpread themfelves, by degrees, through the weft part of jlrabia Petrca^ from that fea quite to the Mediterranean^ In the times of Mofes^ Jojhua^ and even of the Jewijb kings, they were hemmed in by the Dead Sea on one fide, and thc£/i«/f/V gulph on the other ; but^ during the Jexjoljk captivity at Babylon^ they advanced farther north \nto judea^ and fpread themfelves as far as Hebron^ in the tribe of Ju' dah. So that Strabo, and, after him, many modern geo-
fraphcrs, have rightly enough divided it into Ea/iem and out hern Idumea^ with regard to its fituation from jPtf- lejline ; the capital of the former of which was called Boz* rahy and that of the latter Petra^ or JeifaeL J^fiphui^ with regard to its different extent at diifcrent periods, di- How di' ftingLiifli^ i^ when at the largeft, by the epithet of Great^ vided, ^^ oppofition to its more narrow boundaries ; and even places Hebron among the Idumean cities •*. He feems, like- wife, to make a kind of diftin£Hon between that which he calls the Lower and Upper Idumea ; but, upon the whole, the country is, both in the facred books, and all other au- thors that have wrote of it, reprefented as hot, dry, moun- Barren tainous, and, in fome parts, barren and defert j and the r^'l mountains full of dreadful rocks and caverns ^ ; in which
rcfpcdt, it was not at all unlike the fouthern part of Judab^ which is called a defert, and full of fuch rocky recefles and caverns, commonly afterwards the lurking-places of thieves and bandittis as will be feen more fully in the fequel (A).
We
3 See'before, p. i6i,&feqq. ^ Vid. Reland. ubi fup. l.i.c. 12. Cellar, l.iii. c. 14, & al. mult. ^ £rocard. Boh*
FRERius, ToRNiEL, Reland, Calmet, &al. ^ Bell.
Jud. 1. v. c. 7. ^ Idem ibid. & alib. pafT. Jsrom. in Obad. i. Euseb. &al.
(A) This barren defcription fipould he the fatnefs •/ the
of Edom^ or Idumea^ is not earthy and tbt detv of heaven
eafy to reconcile with the blef- from aho^je (i). Tho' the next
fing which Jacob gave to his part of it ; 'vix, that he ihould
fon Efau\ that bis duelling live by the fword, andfirrvehift
(1} dn, xxvii. 39, ^ frj,
brother}
t. fa. to tie Babyioiiifli Cdpthiiy. 49 ^
Jn thehiftoryof this country^ wc have given an account df the various changes it hath gone through, as far as wo have been able to gather from thofe authors that have virrit- ten of it ; but for many ages paft little has been faid of it by 'geographers and travellers, except that it lies moftly waftc and uncultivated ; and is inhabited by Wild Arahs^ with whom our Europeans have little or no converfe : and if thejr had, they could learn but little of them ; feeing they are Ihy, quite unpolifhed, and have not, perhaps, the leaft literature among them. All this hath been farther confirmed to us by a very learned travellers, who hath vifited mbft of thefe eaftern parts,a(hd hath favoured the world with fuch curious obferva- tions geographical,hiftoric;i], and philofophical, as have jufcljr iiiritled him to the thaink^ of all the learned. He traveled throf* this country in the months of September and Olfpber^ and the srccounc he gives of its prefent difmal condition, is as follows : " If we leave Egypt on the right-hand, and pur- ^* fue out obfervations direflly forwards into the land of 2>. ShawV ^* EddfUy -wt fliall be prefented with a variety of quite /«/^^r- •* different profpe£ts from thofe we have met with in th^ count ^tt*
«
^ Set before, p. 174, & fcq* t Dr. Shaw'« travels^ ch.
brother 1 was tnz&Xy verified it is liot improbable, that they
in his d^fceiidants. fiutitmuil fettled there at iirft; fince it
be remembered, that the i^^i^m- was more eafy to drive the
t/// came inta tliat country after antient natives out of thefe^
thef/^rr^^/^j, who were the an- than out of the more moun-
tient inhabicaQts } and feized on tainous parts. Befides, the fame
their lands, which we may fup- may be laid of this tradl of
pofe to have been very well cul- ground, that we obferved con-
tivated ; thofe people, as well as cerning Paleftiue in general |
the Canaanites, having the art that though from its prefent
of making even the high and defolate appearance one might
rocky mountains, much more be apt to conclude it to have
the valleys beneath, to. bear been moftly a barren wikiernefs^
corn» wine, and truits,efpecially yet we have not the leafl reafoa
palm-trees i which were here in to doubt of its having been for*
great plenty : befides which, we mcrly a very rich and fruitful
may obferve, that that part of country, whilfl rightly cuitiva-
l^ount Seir^ and all the tcrrit ted by its induilrious inhabitants
tory along it, quite to the Medi- ( 2) . What a different condition
ierranean, Was much more fer- it is now in^ will be feen in iu
tile and level than the reft. And proper place. ,
\ou II. I i •' land
Frefent govern- ment.
498 The Hfftory of the Jews B. L
*^ land of Canaan : tor we are not here to be entertained ** with any pajiures cloathed with flocks^ or valleys Jf and- '* ing thick with corn ; here are no vineyards or olive' *' yards j but the whole is a lonefome defolate wildernefs, ^^ no otbcrwufe diverfiiied, than by plains covered with ^* fand, and mountains that are made up of naked rocki *' and precipices. Neither is this country ever, unlcfi << fometimes at the equinoxes, refrefbed with rain; but ** tiie few hardy vegetables which it produces, are ilunted ^^ by a perpetual drought ; and the nourilbment which is ^' contributed to them by the dews in the night, is fuffi- ^' ciently impaired by the powerful heat of the fun in the *^ day. The intenfencfs of the cold and heat, at thefg *' refpeclive times, very emphatically accounts for thepro- ^^ vifion of providence in fpreading out for the Ifrailius ** <z cUud to be a covering hy davy and fire to give light ** (and heat) in the night-Jeafon^ rfal. cv. 39." We art forced to omit his other remarks, though equally learned and valuable, for fear of running beyona our limits. This C9untry is now in the pofleffion of the Turkic though ix doth not appear,that they keep any garifons in it, except 00 the fca-coaft, for fccuring the road between Egypt and Pa- Uftine^ and where ftand fome caftles mentioned by tra- vellers ; among which is that of Larijfa^ of whicn w« have lately given an account ; and to which we fhali onlf add that of Salha^ near the frontiers of Egypt^ which is the refidence of the baflia of this province K The otben, which are lefs confiderablc, the reader may fee in the margin (B). Antient The antient cities belonging to Idumeay and mentioned #///>/. by the facred writers, are many ; the moft confiderable of which were, Dinhabah^ the feat of Bela^ the fon of Bior^ one of the chief defcendants of Efau^ or Edomy and prince
** ThevenoTjRicaut, &al. Seealfo this vol. p. i^o^&fcq.
(B) Other places where the Turks keep foldiers, are, Tina^ a town on the fea-fhore ; and C^tjo, a callle with a garifon ; where a caphar^ or toll, is ex- adted from all merchants and paflengers. This laft is fituate in a defert, and is forced to fend *]uite to the former for water.
and other provifions.. 7#r, a fmall feaport andca(l]e,near the ftreightsof Suex, where an agtk commands the garifon. Near this laft is a fair fpacious con- vent of Greek monks^ who givt an hofpitable reception toa)| traTdlers(3).
(3; thn-engt, uV fup. & 0L
«f
€. VII. to the Babylonifh Captivity. 4^9
of that territory K Bozrahy Bezevy Befora^ and BoflrOy the capital of the Eaftern Idumea^ and royal rcfidence of Jobaby the fon of Zerah^ duke of Edom : this city is com- monly mentioned as fituate in a wildernefs, becaufe it flood on the confines of Arabia Deferta (C), and was furrounded on all fides with wild deferts. It was, ncverthclcfs, a Con- fiderable place ; we find it made a Levttical city by Je^ Jhua ^y and a city of refuge : it is likewife celebrated by antient writers and medals; and hath had fevcral of its bilhops, who afBfted at fome of the antient councils. The Perftan geographer' gives this account of it in his time * : It ftands four days journey diftant from Damafcusy hath a very ftrong caftle, a gate twenty cubits high, ahd one of the largeft bafons, or refervoirs, in all thtlLevant, PaUy or Phatiy is mentioned, alfo, as another royal city, iand the refidencc of yfdar, the laft Edt)mitijh king mentioned by Mofes. Anethy ox Anahy the royal city of Hadad'y and fome others, not worth naming »". Befides thefe, we find thofe of Caparofu and Gainaris mentioned by Ptolemy as chief cities of Idumea ; but as there is nothing to be met with in hiftory concerning them,' we fhall (ay no more of them (D) : and thus much Ihall fuffice for t)^ kingdom of Idumea* « The
■ Gen. xxxvi. 32. * Jofti.xx. 8. xxi, 36. * D*Hir- HELOT, biblioth. orient, fab Bofor. Calmet, fub voc. ^ Gen. xjcxvi. pafi*.
(C)£»/^^i«xpIacesitat about mer, with no lefs than a total
twenty*fbur miles diftance from dellrudion (4); which was
Adra^ or Edrai: and as it was exadly verified afterwards, by
feated on the frontiers of Riu* Jndas Maccabeus^ who took
ben^ Mo^, and Edom^ it is in- it, and put it to fire and fword
differently placed in thefe three (5 ).
countries , according as the (D) It will not be amifs to
ftrongeft of them could make obferve here, that, in the later
themfelves makers of that im- accounts of Idumea^ they in-^
portanc place. And this is, pro- eluded all that part of the tribe
bably, the reafon, why geogra- of Simeon which lay fouth of
phers have mentioned feveral the river ^/«0r, and even G^^/r,
cities of the fame name, tho' and all the other P^/Vz/^iVr^fatra*
withoat any foundation. , We pies within its bounds : fo that
find this city dreadfully threat- not only Antbedon and Rhino *
ened by the prophets Ifaiah colura, hut even BeerJ^eba, the and Jertmiah \ and, by the for- lail city in Simeon^ was reckouV
(4) Ifa, xxxiv. 6. Ixiii. i. ^«rm. xlviii. 24, ^ fe^, xlix. 13, ^ 22.
lis ai
se%
Tbf Hii^ory of tkf Jew* . B. h
7he land This nation, whore origin and biftory we tuve eiven in o/*Ama- a former chaptipr Q, was featpd in that part of Aralfia Ps- Uk. traa y/hicblay eafi qf the Eflomita laft defcribed » and ba4
Alidian^ or Madian^ on the north, with part of that of the Ifimaelites \ jira^ia Petraa on the fouth ; the Drfirta^ qn the eaft > and reached alinoft as far north as the Veod^ %xA fouth ward as ^he R^dSett ; or, as the facre(i tpct word$ it, between Havilah and Shur^ which is over-againft £gypt ^. But it is not to be fuppofed, that they mii any conitant dwelling, being moftly of the wapdcring kind, and living in booths and tents, l^ke the ^r<7^^, or eyen ca-: vcrns, either in the rocks, or under-ground : infomuch Ko citiis. that we do not find ope fiiigle city they b^dt -exccpgt d)at which Saul is faid to have laid fiege f^, ^d wbicb the teyt doth not fo ^u^h a^ n^me 9, And s^ they W(M^t divide into tribes, or hords, it is likely, (hat thefe pl^^ were no more than hamlets, of more or Icfs extent; and ibatlhQ Wander- country being )vide enough, t|iey ihiftec} their flbodpfrqai ingUfe, one canton to another, as thf if ccuivenicn^e Pf faacy; Ib4 them. It were therefore in vain to attenript the fetting any limits to them, who, befides the vaft trai^ of ground they had to range in, might, moreover, live intermixed, dn their outficirts, with their neighboucs cm each Ade : and^ accordingly, we find them, in the times of tbe judges^ joined with the Midianites and Moabites ag.iinft ffrael^i who were delivered from the former by Ehud^ and from the latter by Gideon ' (£). Mr. Rtland feems to placid
them
n Sec before, p. i8i. o i S^pa. xv. 7. 1^ ibid.
ver. 5, ^ Judg. iii. 13. vi. 5. ' Ibid; 2ir, &fc^j
vii. pair.
as part of it, of whjch Clwve- rtus makes Gaxa to have been thcaipital(6).
(E) Concerning this hatred of the Amalckltes to the Jrws, we ihall have a farther occafion to fpeak, in the hiftory of the latter : and it w ill be fufficient here to obfcrve, that the former
made an ungcnerojis, if not itt- human alTault upon them, fooij after their coming out of iB- gypt ; taking their fetigoed real at a difadvantagc, iana deftroy- ing a good part of it j for whict they were,on the very next day defeated by Jojhua, and a per petual war injoined, by Gop
( fj Set Reland, /. ii. p^ 462, ©* allL pajf.
*ir**\
X*kA
them between thp defefts of Qadejh ai>d Ettgqdl^ though ibmewhat nearer to the Mfdit$rraman K Byt the truth \^9 tbejr fituation and neighbours ar^ io diflPorently afljgned in thp pUces of Scripture, where any m^ntipii is m^de qf eact, that they muft have either fpre^d theoifelves v^ry ^ide, or, as we hinted above, haye changed their abod$ foiVf frpp§p^ oitQT^9 that nothing can be fixed about them with any to- limU* If rable fatisf^flion j except, perhaps, wh^t Jopphus haa £ud of thepi : that they extended from Pelufinm t ) the Red Sm ' 9 and, in another plaqe,betwcpq GoboUtis v^ndPetra « i suid, as a Iparned traveller, often quoted v, fupppf^s, in thei l)({righbpurbood of th^t n^i^tfopolis {F}.
The land of Midian, or Midianitls. >
< The Midianite^^ the defccndants oi Abraham by Ki- The land tmah ^, w«r« fcatcd on the north of the Awale kites ; have-9/*Midianv ing the Dead Sea on the weft, the IJhmaelites on the eaft, and the Moahius ^nd Reuhenite^ on the north ; the rivei^ jitnon parting them from this laft tribe r. Their country Vn^ hot, £indy, and, in many parts, quite defert ; yet ^^beunded with cattle \ particularly, fheep, goats, and deeri
I Palaeft. illuft 1. i. p. 79, & feq. t Antiq, I. vi. c. 8*
» Ibid. 1 iii. c. 2. * Dr. 8haw's geogr. obferv. p. 3^4^
* -Gen. XXV. See before, p. 150, & feq. y See RfitANn,
ubi fup. 1, j. p. 98^ 5^^q. Calmet |h Madian, Josephus,
againft them, till their name (F) ?etra was the capital of
was quite blotted -out (7). Jor Arabia? etraa^2^\xi 135 miles
fephus ^w'ldiiti IdumeaxuXQ Ama- cafl of Gaza, and four day 9
/eiitiJhaLndGobo/it(/^(S); from journey to the fouthward of
which one would be apt to in- Jiricho; fifty miles caftward of
fer, that the Edomites and Ama- Kadejh^ and, as our author iHt
lekites were quite intermixed on fers, near the confines of th^
one fide ; but the contrary ap* Moahites and Midianites. Jox
p^ars from o^er places (9), y^^^j calls that city ^rrr ( 1 1 ),
cfpegially from the different which Bocbart fuppofes a cor-
treatment each met with from ruption of Rekem^ the true an^
Mof^Sy who quite deflroyed the antient name of it, from its
latter, and only begged a paf<^ founder, one of the kings of
fage through their country from Midia» [12). the former (10).
(7) Ex9d, xvii, 8, 6?/^f. S :e before fp\%^, (8) Antiq. /. ii. r. i. (9) I *
ChroH. xviii. II. (10) Cc«/*. Exod, xvii. 13, ^ jry. & Num, xx. 17, & fij* (11] Anti^^ Lvr. C.4, (12} Num* xui. S. $ee Shaw's traveh, /. 354*.
but.
got 51&^ Hijiory of the Jews B. I.
but, more particularly, with camels * : a very ufcful bcaft of burden for their caravans, with which they ufed to trade into Egypty fo early as the time of the patriarch yacob *. Their country we find, likewife, divided into a kind of DMded pentarchy in the time of the exodus ; fo that the Ifraelltes^ inio fivi in the war which they waged with them, are faid to have iimgdom, flain the five kings of it ; viz. of Evi^ Rekem^ Z«r, Hur^ and Reba ^ ; whofe capitals are fuppofed to have been fitu- ate near the DeadSta, But they had, befides, a famed me- tropolis of their progenitor's name, often mentioned in the prophetic bookstand other authors ; particularly in Jofephusy who places one of that name near the Red Sea c, not far from where Ptolemy places that of Madiana (G). Tothcfe Cities, cities already named we may add th«fe of Dibon-gadj which, Eufebius fays, was a large town on the river Amon above-named ; and Almon-diblathaim^ which could not be fsur from it, becaufe it was the next encampment of the Jfraelites from Dibon-gad : the city of Beeroth, fo called, probably, from its many wells ; and fome others, which are commonly placed by geographers within the Midtanitijh territories. And no doubt but they had a great many fuch, as well as caftles, even in thofe earlier times, as we may guefs by the havock which Mofes tells us thtlfraelites made of them in the war above-mentioned ; and the vaft numbbn of men,women,cattle,(3rr. they brought away with them<
* Jehom comm. in Ifa. lx« & in Ezek. xxv. Eusbb. odo* snaft. in Median. * Gen. xxxvii. 28. ^ Num. xxxi. S. Jofii. xiii. 2 1 . See alfo this vol. p. 1 5 7. * Antiq, 1, ii. c, 5 . <* Num. a:xxi. 10, & feq.
(G) This laft feemsjhowever, fituate on the river Amon^ the
to be -T^ry different from the farthefl boundary north (14);
former, which we call the ca- and that of the latter on the caft
pital of the Midianites, though, of the Red Sea, and fo near it,
probably, built and named by that they were under the grcat-
theip, and the capital of a dif- eft dread, when they hcard,that
fcrent canton of the land of the Ifraelites had paffed it in fo
Midian\ 'viic. that to which miraculous a manner (15). Of
Mofes retired from the refent- this latter, whichy/^^^^^^ places
ment of the km^ of Egypt (13), on the very border of thatfea,
and which was different enough over-againft Tabuc, and about
from the other. The former lay fix days journey from it, thai
eaft of the Dead, and this near author fays, that it lay in ruim
the north-eaft coall of the Red on that coafl (16). Sea: the capital of the one was
(13) Exod. \u i'^,S f'f' See Jofepbui anti'f. /. ii. r. 1 1. ( 14) Eufd, y^rom kc. Hehr, (15) Nahtk, lii. 7. (j6; Defer. Arab, p, 31.
€. VII. to the Babylonilh Captivity.
As to the city oi Midian^xt is more than probabIe,that they rebuilt it in time, fmce Eufeblus and St. Jerom^ who place it on the river Arnoriy eaft w^rd of the Dead Sea^ and foutb of Jr^ or jireopoUsy tell us, there were ftill fome remains to be feen of it in their time ^.
B^$
The land of Moab, or Moabitis,
So called from Moab^ one of the inceftuous fons ofMoabitis^ Lot f, was fituate, likewife, in Arabia Petraa, and on tiktorUautof north of Midian above-defcribed ; having the river ^rifon Moab. on the weft, which divided it all the way from the tribe of Reuben (H) ; the IJhmaelites on the eaft ; and the land of Gikad on the north. Their land was at firft inhabited by the gigantic Ernims^ whom they expelled in time, and made' themfelves mailers of it g, and of all thet cities, which were in great number, and fome of them very confider- able. Jofephus hath given us an account of fome of the moft noted and opulent ; among which he bath mentioned feveral of them ^, which, being on the other fide the river Arnon^ cpuld not properly be faid to be in Moabitis^ but ra- ther in the land of ,tfae Amorites^ or Reubenites ; particu^ larly, that of Hejhbon^ but might have been, probably, in- habited by the Moabites, The reft were, Medaba^ Lemba^ CiiUi^, Oronasy Thelitho^ Z^r^, with Aulon^P^Ua ^znd fome others ; all which were afterwards pofleffed by the yews^ In the rdgn of Alexander Janneus. The truth is, thefe liniltt were then in a conftant fluctuation ; and, accordingly, ve read of the plains of Moab^ which are alfo called by Mofes the land of Moab i, but which had been taken by Sihon^ quite as far as the river above-men tiqned ^, The very mount
* Loc. Hcbr. fub Madian. ^ Gen. xix. 37. See before,
p. 1 24, ic fcq. < Deut. ii. 9, Sc feq. »» Antlq. I ^iii.
c. 23. . -- .
* Deut. xxk. I.
^ . Num, xxi. 26,
(H) Jofephus^ who rightly 4efcribes the courfe of that ri- ver from the mountains ofAra- ^/«9 where it hath itscourfi: through this whole region^nto jthe lake Afphaltites^ or Dead Sea, fays, it divided the Amor' ites from the Moabi/es (ty) i wlvich agrees with the account
which Mo/es gives us, that the kingdom of SiboH^ king of the Amoritis,\vsLsg{vca to (he lieu- benites ; as that of Bajkan was to Gadt and half Manafib ; of which tribes, and their lots, we have fpokea in a former f arc of tbi5ieAion(i8).
(ij) 4r.tii. /. iv. c.4,C^5. (\%^ Sf<p,^$% 455.
Nebs
Tbi Hijtory of ihe JtWi t.t
Nih9 is by M^fes placed in the land of M^ab <, tfaougli faiced on the other fide the Arnon^ and, confequently, in d)e kingdom of 8ihon, From all tvhich it is plain, thefe petty monarchs often infringed on each other's territo- ries. However, that river feeni9 to have been the moft common, as well as moft proper, northern boundary be* twcen thofe two kingdoms, as well as this of Moab fcems to have been the fouthern one between Arabia Petnta and Defer ta " (I). Befides the cities wc have already men- tioned out of J^fep^yfy in the times of the Maccabitijh kings, wc find the following mentioned in jfenmiab^ as be- longing to the kingdom of Af^lb ; viz. ^eboj Kirjatbaim^ Mlfgab^ whence they expelled the Emims ; Hejbbori^ Mai* man^ Horonaim^ Ltthilb^ Dibon^ Ckemojh^ Aroer^ Helon^ Jahxahy Mephaath^ Beth-dibhrthaimy Beth-gafnulj Beth^ tneon^ Kerioth, Bozrahy Kir-herejh^ Jaa%er^ Shibifmb^ Eleahy Zoar^ and Afe-nimrim ^ i againft ail which the propl^ct denounces deftrudion and* captivity \ and which) it is probable, they underwent under Nebucbadnexxar.
^ Deut. xxxii.49. jclviii. paC
B^ Joseph, de bell. 1. ill. ۥ a. * J^^
(I) There was the greater i^eccfliry to obfcrve this varia- tion of limits mentioned by Mvfes'f Ixjcaufc he exprefly fay?, that the I/raelites did not ponefs any part of the Moahitip king- dom, nor even fet foot into it, but fetched a compafs round it, to enter into that of the Amor- itf, (19): which could only be meant of that part of Moab- itis properly fo called, or on the fouth fide of Amort, For as to tliofif which the Moahites might have conquered from king Si- Loit r>n the north fide, as they tliJ noL properly belong to them, tiii.t ia, had not been given to tii'.in Lv God, as the other was; th-jy niadc no difHculty of en- tering, fulnlulng, and keeping podl'irion of them (20), as we
have already feen: fo tiiati^ whatever part they are laid to have pafTed throagh/>f the land of 7l/<?tf 3,before they crofled die Jordan^ muft be uliderftood to have been out of the brigioal boundaries of that kingqom. And this is farther cohvmed, by the mefiage which JtfhtbAi judge of I/rae/fCcnt to the king of Ammofif whofe territory they w^re likewife forbid to toMIt with f and which, accordingly, that judge tells him, they pSed by untouched, as weDas that of Moab} and only took thoft countries which belonged to 5^ bon on the other hdeAnt^ig (21 ^ which, he there exprefly telfe him, was the boundary of M^^ ab{i2).
D :
'. li. 0.
r^
r-
li. 9, If /. 7.
•>. I J, jn j'1'3. z C'v-^
p7. h.c'' Cv:f. Xum,x%\.i^, xtxiii. 49,^
( 2 1 ) Jutig . xi . : 4 , c-i' /''f • (22) ^^^^
X'C. 'J,
7h
b. VII. to /^<f Babylbnilh Captivit};.
505
The land of the 'AtAttiorates.
These, who'Vt^re, likewHe, the defcehdanfs of Zff/,but Zand of by his youngeft;iaughter o, Were feated in Arabia Deferia^the Am- north-caft of the moabites'\ having ftill the fame river inonitbs. Arlhoh on the weft, which' divided them from the land of. Gilead and the tribe of Gad. They had on the fouth the IJhmaelitcSy on the eaft: the deferts of Arabia^ and on the north the hills of Gilead and Bajhan P. This land, which hfld been likewife given t^ them by providence, was to re- main untouched by the Ifrdelites 9. It had been formerly inhabited by a gigantic nation, ftiled, by Mofes^ Zam^ zummimi who fell a prey to the Ammonites^ togetlier with their land, and ftout and populous cities ** ; particularly that famed one called Rabbah of the fons of Ammm^ Rabbai' ammana^ or, fimply, Ammana^ and fincc Philadeiphia (Kj ;
in
' ° Gen. XIX. ult. See before, p. 139. i> Vid. R£lani5.
Iibi fup. 1. i. p. 103. Cellar, ubi fup. 1. iii. c. 14. Joseph: ant. 1. V. c. 9. ^ Deut. ii. 19. ^ Ibid, ver; 20, (§ .
feq.
(K) Eufebius tells us, that tMs city was the metropolis of the Ammonites^ and yet feizcd on by the tribe of Gad {2^) ; which is exprefly contrary to the prohibition of GoD-men- tipned above; uolefs we will fuppofe it. either to have been out of their own territories, af- figned by God, and taken from fome other neighbouring king- dom; or eife, to have» in pro- ccfs of time, began fome hofti- litiesagainft that tribe, which gave tlicm a right to fight a- gainft it, and take it, a:^ it is plain David did afteryyards (24), in his war againll the Ammonites, who were here the firll aggrcffors: for Jofephus feems to intimate, that the If-
rdeiites had it iii their power to have taken it, though they for- bore doing it (25) ; probably, becaufe it was not one of their original cities, as we jafl now hinted. However, it is certain, that this prohibition of God extended no farther than the prcfent time of the Ifraeiitts pafling by their territories : for after thev were fettled in the land, and the Moabius^ Am- munites^ KdamiteSy &c. began to make fuch united and fierce wars againll Urael^ it became lawful to thefe to make what inroads and conqueib ihcy could againll them; yet with this provifo, that they were not the firft aggreflbrs (26). At length thefe hoUilities of the Ammon*
(23) Oiwmaji* in Amman, (24) 2 Sanu xi. fiT xii. pfffi (ij) An^
fif. L v.^. 9. (26) Vid, J^Z' X' 9? ^ fii*
Vol. n.
Jvk
ite:
The Hijifiry of the Jews B. L
in which was (een the monftrous iron bed of Og^ the king of Bafan ». According to the facred hiftorians, their terri- tories feem antiently to have been confined by the rivers Jrn$n and Jabbok * ; but this is now liable to fuch difficul-r ties from other places, as we (hall not trouble our readers with ; there being no other way to reconcile our finding them extended beyond thofe bounds, but by what wc have already obferved, of their frequent conquefts on their neighbours, which occafioned their boundaries to be in a cpnflant fluduation u. And the fame mzy be faid of their other cities, which, for that reafon, we inall (ay no more of^.
Th$ laftd of the Khmaelites.
These were the dcfcendcnts of IJhmael^ the fon of Abraham by Hagar^ his Egyttiqn bondmaid * ; and were feaied in Arabia Diferta^ eaitward of the Midianites and Mgabites ; and bounded on the north by the Ammonites : but how far they extended fouthward and eaftward^ efpecially in thofe early times, is not eafy to gueis. Afo/es only tells us, that, in his time, they fpread thcm- f Ives from Havilah unto Shur that is before Egypt, as thoa g )eft into A£yriaY. From which we may guefs how far they extended then; fince Havilah^ according to the g^e^ rality of writers, was fituate near the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates (L), and Shur on the ifthmus wbjch
divides
• Dcut. iii. n> & feq. Vid. & Joseph, ant. 1. iv. c. c. * Dcut. ii. 1 6. xix. 37. &Num. xxi. 24. Jo(h. xii. 3. ■ V»« Relano. ubi fup. p. 104. "^ De his. yid. Cellar. ubi(up«
p.4ia. ^ Gen,xvi. 15, &fcq. yGen.xxv. 18.
ites drew down the divine ven- geance upon them,accQrding to the prophet's predidlion (27), that their remembrance Ihould be quite deftroyed from the face o' the earth ; which was not fo Jiterally fulfilled, however, but Jujlin Martyr tells us, ther^ were fill! fome of them in his time (28) ; though Origen tells
us, that,in his days, both they, and the Moabites, &c. were ill blended together, under t^e common name of Arabf (29). ( L) As Mo/es feems expreily to fay, that they had fpread themfelves fo hr when IJhnuul died, it can hardly be fuppofed that this Hafvilah was that men- tioned by him; there being
(27) "Jer, xlix. \^£^) fcq. £:pcL xxv. 4, Gf /«■/. (28) Dial. con.Sryfb. ">. 291 » (29) la Job i.
above
C VII. to the Babylonifli Captivity. 5ej|
divides Arabia from l^gypt^ now called the ifthmus of Suez *• From thence, we doubt not but they (bread thcmfelves on thofe two fides fo far, as to have poflelTed the greateft part of Arabia ; whence yofephus makes no fcruple to ftile their progenitor the founder of the Arabian nation *• For this reafon we ihall fay no more of them here, but refer all the reft till we come to fpeak of that large country. And we have only faid thus much of their antient fite here, as we find theiji to have joined with the Moabites^ AmaUkiUs^ &c. in their wars againft the Ifraelites b.
We have, by this time, gone round the territories of the fevcral antient nations with whom the Ifradites were en- gaged in war, and who were defcended from Abraham and Lot : as for the other kingdoms, fuch as Syriay Egypt^ Phoenice^ &c. their geography hath been already given at the beginning of their hiftory, to which we have nothing farther to add here. There are fome others mentioned in Scripture ; fuch as that of Soba^ Zobah^ or Aram-zabab^ of Cujhan-rijbathaim^^ ftiled king oi Aram^ or Mefopo^
' BocHART, & al. * Antiq. 1. i, c. 13. *> Vid.
Int. al. Judg. vii. Sc viii. paff. Pfal. Ixxxiii. 6. i Chron. v. 10. 19, 20. ^ Judg.iii. 10.
above 600 miles diftance from fore, feems mofl probably to
that to Shur, But we read of have been the original bound*
another Ha<vilah in the land of aries of IJhmael^ and his de-
the Amalekit0Sf where it is faid fcendants^ at the time of his
that Saul beat that enemy from death ; and fo far they may
thence to Shur (30), which is reafonably be fuppofed to have
more likely to be it ; Amaleky extended themfelves in that ihort
as we have fhewn above, being time^ and from which they
feated fouth-eail of Faleftine^ might beafterwards driven more
andofthe^#^^^a,andfpread-r eaftward, by the Amalekites^
ing themfelvesy perhaps, weft- who were henmied in by them
wardy quite to the ifthmus of on that fide, and by the Edom^
Suez^ or boundary of Egypt ites on the other. The reader
(for both the places above quoted may fee what we have faid
feem to intimate a town or city, heretofore of Havilah in gene-
and not the land of M/i'vitah,SLS ral ( 3 1 ), which the learned Hw
above-mentioned ; which nei- etius tells us is the moft difficult
ther Saul, nor any of his fuc- to fix of any (32) ; as well it
ceflbrs, appear to have ever may, when there were, perhaps^
come nigh to, whatever the more than the two above-m^n^
wandering IJhmaelites might do tioned of that name, in procefs of time) . This,there-
fezreftr, r»8.
4 tamia^
5oS tttW^mj^j Aelctn^lSz. Bl L
tmmii^ Sec rJt wTtzt: finarxm «e have » Scr'c cg^inry.
dar t?:^ ssnaer wl omk 3r:.cuiT. one ^
flit r^r-Hf to cfse r/ the csntnns ct Jt^jw .- 'rue s x <har^*i .t3 aanaft afesnnr2iy cr was ttfci"'^, ir i 3»-t
ice* «e crx.^cSb^rc !C *'^ hasr bess ariarfft la c-je acm-
C2&'«^ri of TTJt hair- nice cc JAw^l ?. 3c»oc*i ''^rrir^^ be- nPBea the hil^ cf Bsjkam oq tiie >:'^t.T, 231 cae .^x-n ^f Dfima'tms <Xi the acfcli •*
riff END cf the Sccosd Vol c mi.
* ^
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