The history of the world

§. I. How the Nations with whom the Israelites were to haue Warre, were diuers wayes, as it were, prepared to be their enemies. [unspec 30]

IN like manner if we looke to the qualitie of the Na∣tions, with whom the Israelites, after their comming out of Aegypt, had to doe, either in the Wildernesse, or afterward: we shall finde them long before-hand, by the disposing prouidence of God, as it were prepared for enmitie: partly in respect that they were most of them of the issue of Canaan, or at lest of Ham: and the rest (as the Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites, and Ismac∣lites) were mingled with them by mutuall marriages: [unspec 40] whereas the Israelites still continued strangers, and se∣parate from them: and so partly in this respect, and partly by ancient injuries or enmities, and partly by reason of diuersitie in Religion, were these Nations, as it were prepared to be enemies to the Israelites: and so to serue for such purposes as God had reserued them for. To make these things more ma∣nifest, we must vnderstand that this part of Syria bounded by the mountaines of Li∣banus, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 on the North, by the same mountaines continued as farre as the Springs of Arnon on the East: by the way of Aegypt, and the Red Sea on the South: and by the Mediterran Sea on the West: was inhabited and peopled by two Nati∣ons, the one springing from the sonnes of Cham, the other from 〈◊〉〈◊〉: but those of [unspec 50] 〈◊〉〈◊〉, were but as strangers therein for a long time, and came thither in effect but with* 1.1 one familie, to wit, that of Abraham, and a few of his kindred. The other for the greatest part were the Canaanites, the ancient Lords and Possessors of those Territories: by processe of time diuided into seuerall families and names: whereof

some of them were of eminent stature and strength, as the Anakims, Zamzummims, or Zuzei, Emims, Horites, and others. These (as men most valiant and able com∣monly doe) did inhabite the vtter borders and mountaines of their Countries: the rest were the Zidonians, Iebusites, Amerites, Heuites, Hetites, and others, who tooke name after the sonnes of Canaan, and after whom the Countrie in generall was still called.

As for the Hebrewes which descended of Shem by Abraham, they were of ano∣ther familie, and strangers in that Countrie: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Israelites, and this was some cause that the Canaanites did not affect them, or indure them: no more then the Philistims 〈◊〉〈◊〉, who descended also of Cham by Mizram. For though Abraham [unspec 10] himselfe being a stranger was highly esteemed and honoured among them: especi∣ally by the Amorites inhabiting the West part of Iordan: yet now euen they which descending from Abraham, or from his kindred, abode and multiplied in those* 1.2 parts, were alienated in affections from the Israelites: as holding them strangers and intruders: making more account of their alliance with the Canaanites, and the rest of the issue of Cham, with whom they dayly contracted affinitie: than of their olde petigree from Abraham.

True it is that these Nations descended of Abraham, or of his kindred, who had* 1.3 lincked themselues and matched with the Canaanites and others, had so farre possest themselues of the borders of those Regions, as they began to bee equall in strength to the bordering Canaanites, if not superiour. For of Lot came those two great fami∣lies [unspec 20] of the Moabites, and Ammonites: of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Idumaeans: of Madian the Madia∣nites: of Ismael, the eldest son of Abraham, came the Ismaelites, with whom are ioyned as of the same nation, the Amalekites, whom though the more common opinion thinketh to haue been a tribe of Edom, because Esau had a grand-child of that name, yet manifest reason conuinceth it to haue been otherwise. For the Israelites were for∣bidden* 1.4 to prouoke the Eaomites, or doe them any wrong, whereas contrariwise 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was cursed, and endlesse warre decreed against him: but hereof more else∣where.* 1.5 Chap. 8. §. 3. Of Ismaels eldest Sonne Nabeth sprung the Arabians of Petraea, called Nabathaei. Now euen as Abraham besought God to blesse Ismael, so it* 1.6 pleased him both to promise and performe it. For of him those twelue Princes [unspec 30] came, which inhabited, in effect, all that Tract of Land betweene Hauilath vpon Tigris, and Sur which is the West part of the Desart of Arabia Petraea. Yet howsoe∣uer the strength of these later named nations, which descended from Abraham, were great: yet it is not vnlikely, but that some reason which moued them not to fauour the entrance of the Israelites into Canaan, was in respect of feare: because all Princes and States doe not willingly permit any stranger or powerfull Nation to enter their Territories. Wherefore, though all these families beforenamed, were not so vni∣ted, in and among themselues, but that they had their jealousies of each other, and contended for Dominion: yet fearing a third more strong than themselues, whe∣ther [unspec 40] they stood a-part or vnited, they were taught by the care of ther owne preser∣uation, to joyne themselues together against Israel: though they did it nothing so maliciously and resoluedly as the Canaanites did. For the Edumaeans only denied the Hebrewes a passage: which the Moabites durst not denie: because their Countrie lay more open; and because themselues had lately beene beaten out of the richest part of their Dominions, by the Amorites: and as for the Ammonites, their Countrie lay altogether out of the way, and the strength of Sehon and Og Kings of the Amorites, was interjacent: and besides that, the border of the Ammonites was strong, by rea∣son of the mountaines which diuided it from Basan. Againe, that which moued the* 1.7 Moabites in their owne reason not much to interrupt Israel, in the conquest of Sehon [unspec 50] the Amorite, and of Og his Confederate, was that the Moabites might hope after such time as the Amorites were beaten by Moses, that themselues might recouer againe their owne inheritance: to wit, the Vallies and Plaines lying betweene the moun∣taines of Arabia and Iordan: But as soone as Sehon was slaine, and that the King of

〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, perceiued that Moses allotted that valley to the Tribes of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and Ru∣ben, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 began to practise with Balaam against Israel, and by the Daughters of Mi∣dian, as aforesaide, to allure them to Idolatric: and thus at length the Moabites by 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 were more and more stirred vp to enmitie against Israel. And as for diuers of the rest that were descended from Abrahams kindred, wee may note, how in the beginning, betweene the Authors of their Petigrees, God permitted some en∣mities to be as it were presages of future quarrells, which in the posteritie might bee the easier incensed, by the memorie of olde grudges: and withall by some disdaine from the elder in nature to the yonger. For the Ismaelites being descended from the [unspec 10] eldest sonne of Abraham, and the Edomites from the eldest sonne of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Iacob, be∣ing but a second sonne, of a second brother, those Princes which were descended of the elder Houses being naturall men, might scorne to giue place, much lesse to sub∣iect themselues, to their inferiours, as they tooke it, and for a more aggrauation the* 1.8 issues of Esau Princes of Edumaea, might keepe in record that their Parent was bought* 1.9 out of his birth-right by Iacobs taking his aduantage, and that he was deceiued of his Fathers blessings also by him: and that Iacob after reconciliation came not vnto him* 1.10 as he promised into Seir or Idumaea.

So also in the posteritie of Ismael, it might remaine as a seede or pretence of enmi∣tie, that their fore-father was by the instigation of Sara, cast out into the Desart, with his Mother Hagar: and had therein perished, but that it pleased God by his Angel [unspec 20] to relieue them. Ismael also had an Aegyptian both to his Mother and to his Wife: and Amalec was also an Horite by his Mother: which Horites were of the ancient Ca∣naanites. The Edumaeans also, or Edomites, were by their Maternall line descended of the Canaanites. For Esau tooke two Wiues of that Nation: one of them was A∣dath, the Daughter of Elou, the Hittite, and the other Aholibamah, the grand child of* 1.11 Zibeon the Heuite, Lord of Seir, before the same was conquered by Esau, and called after his name, Edom, or Edumaea.

Lastly, it appeareth that all those families of the Ismaelites, Amalekites, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, &c. were in processe of time corrupted, and drawne from the knowledge and worship of God, and became Idolaters, infected and seduced by the [unspec 30] conuersation of those people among whom they dwelt, and by those Wiues of the Canaanites which they had married: onely a few of the Kenites and those Madianites, which inhabited on the edge of the Red Sea, whereof Iethro was Priest, or Prince, or both, worshipped the true and euer-liuing God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  It seemeth also that Hus, the Sonne of Nachor, & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his Brother, planted them∣selues in the Eastside of Tor∣dan, about Ba∣san: where they finde the Land of Hus: in which both Iob dwelt, as one of the issue of Hus the Sonne of Nachor, and E∣libu, his friend, which is called a Buzit. See hereafter Cha. 10. §. 7.
• * 1.2

  Exod. c. 17. v. 16
• * 1.3

  Deut. c. 11. v. 5.
• * 1.4

  Deut. c. 11. v. 5.
• * 1.5

  Exod. c. 17. v. 16
• * 1.6

  Gen. 17.
• * 1.7

  Num. c. 21. v. 24
• * 1.8

  Gen. 25.
• * 1.9

  Gen. 27.
• * 1.10

  Gen. 33. 14.
• * 1.11

  Gen. 36.