The consent of time disciphering the errors of the Grecians in their Olympiads, the vncertaine computation of the Romanes in their penteterydes and building of Rome, of the Persians in their accompt of Cyrus, and of the vanities of the Gentiles in fables of antiquities, disagreeing with the Hebrewes, and with the sacred histories in consent of time. VVherein is also set downe the beginning, continuance, succession, and ouerthrowes of kings, kingdomes, states, and gouernments. By Lodovvik Lloid Esquire.

CHAP. VII.

Of the returne of the Iewes into Ierusalem after the captiuitie, first by the decree of Cyrus, after by Darius, and last by Arta∣xerxes: of the second building of the Temple by Esdras, Nehe∣mia, and Zorobabel, and of the gouernment vnder the high priests.

AFter the captiuitie of the Iewes, Daniel grew in great fauour with Nabuchodono∣sor, being by God instructed to expound the dreames of the king, and to vanquish Bel and all his priests, and to conuert Na∣buchodonosor to acknowledge God after he saw a dreame of foure beastes which came vp from the sea one differing from another. The first was a Lion which had Eagles wings, and the wings thereof

were pluckt off, and a mans heart was giuen him, meaning the Chaldeans and the Assyrians which were strong and fierce, * 1.1 and yet their power ouerthrowen by the Persians power. The second beast like a Beare, which had three ribs in his mouth betweene his teeth, meaning the Persians which were barba∣rous * 1.2 and cruell. The third was like a Leopard, which had vp∣on his backe foure wings of a fowle: this beast also had foure heads, signifying, Alexander the great with his foure cap∣tains, which after Alexanders death had the empire among them: for Cassander was king of Macedone, and Antipater after * 1.3 him. Saleucus had Babylon and Asia the great, and Antigonus had Asia the lesse, and Ptolomeus had Egypt.

The fourth beast which Daniel sawe, was fearefull and ter∣rible: * 1.4 it had iron teeth, it deuoured and brake in pieces, and stampt the residue vnder his feete. This was meant by their Romane empire, a monster exceeding all kind of beasts: for the tyrannie and greedines of the Romanes excelled the rest: for that which the Romanes could not quietly enioy in other countries, they would giue it to other kings, vpon condicion to take them again when it pleased the Romanes. To this Da∣niel was the vision of the 70. weekes opened by the angel Ga∣briel, * 1.5 who enformed him and instructed him of the time of the Messias comming, saying: 70. weekes are determined vpon the people, and vpon the holy Citie, to finish the wic∣kednes, to seale vp sinnes, to bring euerlasting righteousnes, and to annoint the most holy.

Now at what time the 70. weekes began, some contro∣uersie there is: some from the first edict of Cyrus: some from Darius: and some from the time that Daniel spake it: and o∣thers from the 7. yeere of Artaxerxes Longimanus, which was 80. yeeres after the first commandement of Cyrus.

The captiuitie of Babylon fell at that time when Tarquinius Priscus raigned in Rome, after whom the Romanes had no more * 1.6 kings after but two, so that the Iewes and the Romanes were gouerned by a state called Aristocratia of the Iewes. The 70. weekes, and the very last yeere of the captiuitie, was likewise

the last yere of the Assyrians & Chaldeans: for euen they which saw the destruction of Ierusalem, sawe also the destruction of Babylon: and what spoile soeuer Nabuchodonosor brought from Ierusalem vnto Babylon, the same did Cyrus in the last yeere of * 1.7 his raigne restore, with a commaundement giuen to all the princes that ruled vnder Cyrus, to suffer the Iewes againe frō all places where they were scattered, to returne to Iudea, to builde vp Ierusalem againe, and to repaire the temple: and if any were not able through pouertie to returne, king Cyrus commanded that they should be furnished with necessaries: for God raised vp Cyrus to bee a friend to his people, and hee called Zorobabel, who was the chiefe gouernour of the Iewes.

The nomber of them that returned from the captiuitie of Iuda, with the bountifulnes of Cyrus towardes them, you may in the booke of Esdras reade at large: For after that Cyrus was slaine by Tomiris in the warres of the Massegits, his sonne Cambyses succeeded him: who by the Samaritans complaint, commaunded the Iewes to staye from the buil∣ding, * 1.8 and from their repairing of Ierusalem, which conti∣nued 9. yeeres after. Cambyses returning from Egypt died at Damascus, after hee had subdued Egypt: succeeded Darius the sonne of Histaspis. Hee againe in the 2. yeere of his raigne au∣thorized the Iewes to do as Cyrus had commanded them: for so Darius found in a coffer of Cyrus in Ecbatana, a booke wher∣in * 1.9 the acts of the kings of Medes & Persians were written, and the decree of Cyrus which he also established, by the meanes of Zorobabel in pleasing the king for his probleame, as it is written in Esdras. * 1.10

But God still exercised his people with some crosses, be∣cause of their stubbernes: for from the time they came home vnder Zorobabel, they had maried with the Gentiles, and offen∣ded God vntill the comming of Esdras from Darius with au∣thoritie to build, to repaire, and to inhabite Ierusalem: for so doth Bucholcerus in his Chronicles write, saying, that Daniel doeth comprehend in two words, Ierusalem inhabitabitur &

aedificabitur, the whole summe of Esdras bookes. Nowe in the time of Darius, of Cambyses before him, and of Cyrus before Cambyses, God stirred vp diuers excellent men to helpe his people, to restore his Church, and to builde his city againe, as Zorobabel, Esdras, Nehemias with others, whose care, de∣light, and zeale are extant in their owne bookes which they * 1.11 wrote.

For after their returne from Babylon, there was peace and tranquilitie in Iudea vntil Ochus time, for Nehemias liued 130. yeres, and saw (being very old) a new broile, and a greater ca∣lamitie of his coūtrey: for though the posteritie of Dauid cō∣tinued vntil the time of the Machabees as gouernors & Iudges of the people, not naming themselues kings, for the reue∣rence and feare which they bare vnto the kings of Persia. Sala∣thiels sonne first gouernor of the Iewes after the captiuitie of Babylon: Zorobabel of whom mention is made in Zacharie, ruled Israel wisely & discreetly 50. yeres. Resa Mesulla the 2. gouer∣nour, in whose time Nehemias and Esdras came from Babylon to Ierusalem. After him succeeded Iohanna Benresa, the third Iudge who gouerned Israel 53. yeres. The 4. was Iudas Hirca∣nus the first of that name, and thought of Melancthon to be so * 1.12 called, for that Ochus king of Persia brought with him a nom∣ber of the Iewes to Hircania, and therfore Iudas was sirnamed Hircanus. This iudged Israel when Alexander conquered Da∣rius, & raigned 14. yeres. Then Ioseph the first, ruled the Iewes 7. yeeres. The 5. ruler after Ioseph came Abner to gouerne the Iewes, in whose time Ptolomeus the sonne of Lagi the first king of Egypt after Alexander the great, vnder pretence to do sacrifice vpon the Sabboth day, tooke the towne, spoiled the temple, slew & imprisoned the Iewes, and brought to Egypt infinite treasure. Now after this Abner, the 6. Iudge since the time of Alexāder, succeeded of Dauids stock, frō Abner to Ianna Hircanus the 2. who was the last of 15. gouernors ouer the Is∣raelites * 1.13 after the captiuitie: for they cōtinued euen vnto the time of the Machabees. After this, Haman plaied his part, and thought to haue al the Iewes slaine, & cōmanded a gallowes

to be made for Mardocheus: the historie hereof is found in the booke of Esther: for about the time of Cyrus death, the gouernment was then altered in Rome: Consuls were made after the building of Rome 244. yeres, & in the 67. Olympiad, in the beginning of the 9. Iubilie, at what time Cambises had subdued Egypt & brought them subiects to the lawes of Per∣sia. After Cambises Darius went against the Getes, and ouer∣threw * 1.14 them, and his chiefe captaine Zopirus sonne Megabi∣sus vanquished the Thracians, and subdued the Peonians and * 1.15 tooke Perinthus. During this time the Lacedemonians had warres against Policrates, the tyrant of Samos.

The Philosopher Pythagoras and Hippocrates the Phisition liued this time. While the Iewes (as you heard) were in plan∣ting themselues in Ierusalem againe, the Graecians were busie one with another: Tyrants ruled Greece, and gouerned by the bloodie law of Draco: for Hipparchus and Hippias vsed ty∣rannie in Athens, and were slayne both by Hermodius and A∣ristogiton. Aristagoras a tyrant, reuolted and rebelled against Darius, which mooued Darius in armes against the Ionians, and ouerthrew them, and tooke their chiefe citie called Mi∣letum. A litle after Miltiades the chiefe captaine of Athens, by the councel of Callimachus the famous Graecian, ouerthrewe Darius king of Persias lieutenant called Hippias, in the battell of Marathon, where he slewe 6300. Persians, as both Thucidides * 1.16 and Iustine doe report.

This ouerthrow of the Persians was at that very time when Tarquinius superbus made his last battel with the Romane Di∣ctator * 1.17 Posthumius, where he was put to flight, and after died in exile. Aristides surnamed the Iust, was banished this time from Greece, and Alcibiades called backe to Athens from his ba∣nishment. Now Nehemia causing the law of Moses to bee read, as an ordinance to serue God, and reproouing them for their disobedience in ioining themselues with strangers, they were in some quietnesse for a time: though sometime murther and slaughter were betweene themselues commit∣ted: for the which cause Bagoses the generall of Artaxerxes * 1.18

armie, vnderstanding that the high Priest slewe his brother in the Temple, being a deare friend to Bagoses, he plagued the Iewes againe for the space of seuen yeeres, and reuenged his death with slaughter and tribute: he placed Iaddus in the of∣fice of the priesthood in his fathers place. This high priest had to his brother one named Manasses, which was sent to Samaria by Darius the last king of Persia.

A little while after this, Alexander the great, after that his * 1.19 father Philip died, hauing brought his armie ouer the Greci∣ans sea called Helespont, vnto the riuer of Granicus, hauing subdued the Lydians, Tyre besieged and taken, Thebes wasted and spoiled al Asia, he ouerthrew Darius the king of Persia, ca∣rying his souldiers through Caria, inuaded Pamphilia, came ouer Euphrates vnto Syria, tooke Damascus, besieged Tyre and Sidon, and he wrote to Hierusalem to the hie Priest Iaddus, that his souldiers might haue passage without interruption, and also requiring the tribute that was paied to Darius to be paid * 1.20 to him, and to the crowne of Macedonia, for that Alexander had vanquished Darius, and had caried the Empire of Persia vnto Greece: they of Hierusalem were frighted and much ama∣sed what to doe.

But cōcluding among themselues, they opened the gates, and the hie Priest came out with all the Priestes, the Elders, * 1.21 and Nobles of the Citie in most solemne sort to meete Alex∣ander out of Hierusalem, vnto a place named Sapha, and salu∣ted Alexander most humbly, being in precious garments and pontifical robes, with his sacred mitre, whereupon was writ∣ten the name of the God Iehoua.

The solemnitie and state whereof made Alexander to light * 1.22 from his horse, and to yeelde to the hie Priest more honour and reuerence, then his countreymen the Macedonians thought wel of, so great a king, so mightie a cōquerour, euen Alexander the great, to humble himselfe to a silie priest. Par∣menio demaunding the cause of Alexander why he honoured the priest somuch, he answered, that he reuerenced God, whom the hie Priestrepresented at that time: for I dreamed

of these men, euen as I behold them nowe when I was yet in Macedonia: This Priest exhorted me then to be of good cou∣rage, and bade me goe forward with my armie to Persia.

Thus with great honor and solemne sacrifice was Alexan∣der * 1.23 receiued vnto Ierusalem, where Daniels prophecies were brought vnto him, and where also it was read vnto him, that a king of Greece shoulde bring the Monarchie of Persia vnto Greece, which was himselfe. After all these things were done, Alexander shewed great courtesie, enlarged their common wealth, quieted the Samaritans their enemies, and brought all the Prouinces about vnder the Iewes. Againe hee graunted them what they woulde aske of him, permitted them to vse * 1.24 their religion, to obserue their owne lawes, and also promi∣sed that those Iewes which were scattered amongst the Calde∣ans, Assyrians, and Medes, should haue such libertie to vse their religion and lawes, as they had in Ierusalem: and this continu∣ed during the time of Alexander, which was but short. For when he died, the Empire was deuided betweene his No∣bles: * 1.25 Antigonus had Asia: Seleucus had Babylon: Lysimachus had Hellespont: Cassander had Macedonia, and Ptolomeus Lagi had E∣gypt. These successors of Alexander, hauing continuall warres one with an other, which continued long, Ptolomeus king of Egypt came vpon the Sabbath day to Ierusalem, vnder pre∣tence * 1.26 to offer sacrifice to the God of Israel, tooke the towne, vsed the Citizens hardly, handled the Iewes most seuerely and sharpely, (they mistrusting him not) imprisoned them, and brought them with him in heapes to Egypt.

Thus still was Ierusalem exercised with tribulations and crosses: but God stirred vp this kings sonne Ptolome philadel∣phus to them a friende, louing and beneficiall, wise, learned, * 1.27 and most desirous not onely to doe them good, but also most willing to admit their lawes, their Religion to come to Egypt, and made a decree, that all the Iewes wheresoeuer they were by his father imprisoned and captiuated, shoulde be enlarged, & be set at libertie, which were aboue 100000. Iewes, as Ptolome in his Epistle written to the high Priest E∣leazar doeth testifie: where lie entreateth Eleazar to send to

Egypt, sixe of euery tribe of the best, wisest, and skilfullest men, to translate the Bible then being onely in the Hebrewe tongue, into the Greeke tōgue: for that Ptolome was most de∣sirous to haue the Bible in Greeke to be in his studie, where * 1.28 he had a hūdred & twentie thousand bookes in his Librarie.

In the dayes of this Ptoleme Lagi, florished Theophrastus the Philosopher, and Theodorus Athenaeus: he sent messengers for this purpose to Ierusalem Aristaeus, and one Andreas captaine of the Kings garde, with whome he sent 100. talents of siluer, to honour the Temple, and to doe sacrifice therein, besides viginti phialas aureas, triginta argenteas, quinque crateras, & * 1.29 mensam auream, which in Iosephus all at large are described, and set foorth worth the reading: which things being most gratefull vnto the high Priest, hee receiued them most lo∣uingly, and vsed them with all humanitie and fauour, and sent with them 70. wise and discreete men which shoulde translate the Bible, as Philadelphus request was.

These seuentie men came to Alexandria, where after much welcome, long feasting, great conference, and disputations, so much he ioyed of their comming, and delighted in their company, that the king Philadelphus continued his feast 12. * 1.30 dayes: where wisedome and learning were exercised, dispu∣tations practised, arguments propounded, the questions whereof you may reade in a booke which Aristeus wrote on∣ly * 1.31 concerning the meeting and comming togeather of these learned men. These seuentie interpreters so named, tran∣slated * 1.32 the Bible from Hebrue into Greeke, in the yere of the world 3695. in the 24. Iubile, and in the 127 Olympiad, in the 12. yeere of Philadelphus reigne. About this time Megasthenes * 1.33 the Persian writeth his histories, & Aratus the great Astrolo∣ger wrote his booke entituled Pheonomenon. Nowe when Phi∣ladelphus had this sacred booke thus in Greeke translated, he reioyced much, and thought himselfe happy to haue such a booke in his Librarie: and so conferring with Demetrius, mu∣sed greatly that neither Historiographers, Philosophers or Poets, had not translated this booke before.

But Demetrius tolde the cause to the king, saying, that the * 1.34

Heathens durst not attempt it: for diuers were punished for their rash enterprises to meddle therein, as Theopompus, who * 1.35 for writing of some sentences of the Scriptures amongst his owne prophane writings, was xxx. dayes depriued of his memorie, distracted of his minde, vntill by a vision in his sleepe, he was warned to knowe his faults, and to reconcile himself for the same. Euen so Theodecta the Poet, for putting * 1.36 a sentence of Gods booke presumptuously with his owne in a tragedie which he made, was mad for a time, and blind.

This learned king Philadelphus rewarded these 70. inter∣preters * 1.37 at their departure in this sort: euery one of them had two talents of gold, 3. sutes of costly and rich apparell, and a standing golden cup, which wayed a whole talent, which by Budeus computation is 600. crownes, if it be golde: and * 1.38 euery of them had of him a precious, costly and delicate bed, wrought with all silke. Moreouer, he sent by them to E∣leazar the hie Priest 10. riche tables with siluer feete, with all things belonging thereunto, a Chalice of 30. talents, a dia∣deme or a crowne ful of precious stones, two golden cuppes to be dedicated to the altar, 10. sutes of purple, with 100. ba∣sens and censers of gold for sacrifice.

Thus much doth Iosephus report of this Ptolomeus Philadel∣phus: but within a short time after this came Antiochus magnus, * 1.39 who had al Asia & Syria vnder his sword: he vexed the Iewes, spoiled the countrey, slue the Citizens, taketh the kingdome of Iudea, subdued Egypt: he full of all wickednes, setteth vp I∣dols, altars, groues, and Chappels of Idols: he polluted the Sanctuarie, defiled the Sabbath and the feast, hee offered vp swines flesh and vncleane beastes. Antiochus thus played the part of a tyrant, that Ierusalē was desolate, the Citizens fled, the women and their children taken captiues, and Antiochus forced Israel to forsake their God, and to doe sacrifice to his * 1.40 Idoles, sending commissioners to all Iudea to see the execu∣tion of them: so great difference was betweene two heathen kings, Alexander the great, and Antiochus the great, the one honoring the hie Priest, sacrificed in the Temple, brought

all things vnder the Iewes againe, vsed great courtesie: the o∣ther, Antiochus the great, stealed, wasted, robbed the Temple, the Citie, & all the Cities of Iuda, vntill Mattathias a godly zealous man, borne in the citie of Madis, saw how Antiochus blasphemed God, committed idolatrie in all Iudea, somed in blood, and practised al mischiefe and wickednesse.

He consulted with his fiue sonnes, Iohn, Iudas afterwarde * 1.41 called Machabeus, Simon, Eleazar, and Ionathas, to whom hee opened the calamities of his countrey, the defacing of Moses lawes, the blasphemie and idolatrie that were vsed by Antio∣chus * 1.42 in all Syria and Iudea: and where that their predecessours euen from Abrahams time defended the Church with their owne blood, so now it was as necessarie to stop the rage of this tirant, as Moses, Iosua, & Dauid did to the enemies of God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Chalde∣ans and the Assyrians.
• * 1.2

  The Medes and Persians.
• * 1.3

  The Macedo∣nians and Grecians.
• * 1.4

  The fourth beast the Ro∣mans.
• * 1.5

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. weekes.
• * 1.6

  The kings of Iuda, and the kings of Rome, ended almost about one time.
• * 1.7

  The first re∣turne of the Iewes in Cy∣rus time.
• * 1.8

  Ioseph. lib. 7. cap. 3.
• * 1.9

  Ecbatana the chiefe citie of the Medes.
• * 1.10

  Esdras cap. 6.
• * 1.11

  Zorobabel.
• * 1.12

  Melancthon lib. 2. Chron.
• * 1.13

  Hircanus 2. the last of 15. go∣uernours.
• * 1.14

  Herodot. lib. 4.
• * 1.15

  Cambyses went against the Getes.
• * 1.16

  Herodot. 6. Thucidides 1.
• * 1.17

  Iustin. lib. 2.
• * 1.18

  Ioseph. lib. 11. cap. 7.
• * 1.19

  Alexander the great.
• * 1.20

  Tribute to Alexander.
• * 1.21

  The solemne receiuing of Alexander the great vnto Ie∣rusalem.
• * 1.22

  The reue∣rence of Alex∣ander to the high Priest.
• * 1.23

  The benefits and good turnes of A∣lexander.
• * 1.24

  Alexanders be∣nefits.
• * 1.25

  The successi∣on of Alexan∣der.
• * 1.26

  Ptolome the sonne of Lagi.
• * 1.27

  Ptolome Phila.
• * 1.28

  The Bible first translated from Hebrue to Greeke.
• * 1.29

  Ioseph. lib. 12. cap. 12.
• * 1.30

  Polot. Philadel.
• * 1.31

  Aristeus.
• * 1.32

  70. interpre∣ters.
• * 1.33

  Megasthenes. Aratus.
• * 1.34

  Demetrius.
• * 1.35

  Theopompus.
• * 1.36

  Theodecta.
• * 1.37

  The great li∣beralitie of Philadelphus.
• * 1.38

  A talent of gold 600. crownes.
• * 1.39

  Antiochus Magnus.
• * 1.40

  The diffe∣rence be∣tweene the great Alex. and Antio∣chus the great.
• * 1.41

  The 5. sonnes of Mattathias.
• * 1.42

  Antiochus ty∣rannie.