St. Augustine, Of the citie of God vvith the learned comments of Io. Lod. Viues. Englished by I.H.

Tha the Hebrew tongue (so called afterward of Heber) was the first language vpon the earth, and remained in his family when that great confusion was. CHAP. 11.

VVHerefore euen as sinne wanted not sonnes when they had all but one language, (for so it was before the deluge, and yet all deserued to perish therein but Noah and his family) so when mans presumption was punished with his languages confusion, whence the Citty Babilon, their proud worke, had the name, Hebers (a) house failed not but kept the old language still. Where-vpon as I said, Heber was reckoned the first of all the sonnes of Sem, who begot each of them an whole nation: yet was hee the fift from Seth in descent. So then be∣cause this language remained in his house, that was confounded in all the rest, (being credibly held the onely language vpon earth before this) hence it had * 1.1 the name of the Hebrew tongue, for then it was to bee nominally distinct from the other tongues, as other tongues had their proper names. But when it was the tongue of all, it had no name, but the tongue or language of man-kinde, wherein all men spake. Some may say: if that the earth was diuided by the languages in Phalechs time, Hebers sonne, it should rather haue beene called his name then Hebers: O but wee must vnderstand that (b) Heber did therefore giue his sonne Phalec such a name, that is, diuision, because hee was borne vnto him iust at the time when the earth was diuided, so meanes the Scripture when it saith, in his dayes the earth was deuided. For if Heber were not liuing when the confusion be∣fell, the tongue that was to remaine in his family should not haue had the name from him: and there wee must thinke that it was first vniuersall, because the con∣fusion of tongues was a punishment, which Gods people were not to cast off: Nor was it for nothing that Abraham could not communicate this his language vnto all his generation, but onely to those that were propagate by Iacob, and a∣rising into an euident people of God, were to receiue his Testament, and the Sauiour in the flesh. Nor did Hebers whole progenie beare away this language, but onely that from whence Abraham descended. Wherefore though there be no godly men euidently named, that liued at the time when the wicked built Babylon: yet this concealement ought not to dull, but rather to incite one to inquire further. For whereas we read that at first, men had all one language, and that Heber is first reckoned of all the sonnes of Sem, beeing but the fift of his house downeward, and that language which the Patriarches and Prophets vsed in all their words and writings, was the Hebrew: Verily when woe seeke where that tongue was preserued in the confusion (being to bee kept amongst them to whom the confusion could be no punishment) what can wee say but that it was preserued vnto this mans family of whome it had the name? and that this is a great signe of righteousnesse in him, that where as the rest were afflicted with the confusion of their tongues, hee onely and his family was acquit of that af∣fliction. But yet there is another doubt: How could Heber and his sonne Phalec become two seuerall nations, hauing both but one language? And truly the He∣brew tongue descended to Abraham from Heber, and so downe from him vntill

Israell became a great people. How then could euery sonne of Noahs sonnes pro∣genies become a particular nation when as Heber and Phalec had both but one lan∣g•…•…? The greatest probability is, that (c) Nembroth became a nation also, and yet was reckned, for the eminence of his dignity, and corporall strength, to keepe the number of seauenty two nations inuiolate: but Phalec was not named for growing into a nation, but that that strange accident of the earths diuision fel out in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 daies: for of the nation and language of Heber, was Phalec also. We need not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 at this, how Nembroth might liue iust with that time when Babilon was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and the confusion of tongues befell, for there is no reason, because Heber was the sixt from Noah, and hee but the fourth, but that they might both liue vn∣to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 time & in one time, for this fel out so before, where they that had the least 〈◊〉〈◊〉 liued the longest, that they that had the more, died sooner: or they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ad few sonnes had them later then those that had many, for wee must con∣•…•… this, that when the earth was builded, Noahs sonnes had not onely all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 issue (who were called the fathers of those nations) but that these also 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and numerous families, worthy the name of nations. Nor may wee 〈◊〉〈◊〉 then that they were borne as they are reckened. Otherwise, how could 〈◊〉〈◊〉 twelue sonnes (another sonne of Hebers) become of those nations, if hee 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ne after Phalec, as hee is reckned? for in Phalecs daies was the earth 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

Wee must take it thus then, Phalec is first named, but was borne long 〈◊〉〈◊〉 brother Ioktan, whose twelue sonnes had all their families so great that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ht be sufficient to share one tongue in the confusion, for so might he that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 borne, be first reckned, as Noahs youngest sonne is first named, name∣•…•… Cham the second the next, and Shem, the eldest, the last. Now some of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…s names continued, so that we may know to this day whence they are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…s, the Assirians of Assur; the Hebrewes of Heber, (d) and some con∣•…•… of time hath abolished, in so much that the most learned men can 〈◊〉〈◊〉 finde any memory of them in antiquity. For some say that the Egypti∣•…•… they that came of Mizraim (e) Chams sonne: here is no similitude 〈◊〉〈◊〉 at all: nor in the Aethiopians which they say came of Chus, another 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Chams. And if wee consider all, wee shall finde farre more names lost 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ayning.

L. VIVES.

〈◊〉〈◊〉 (a) house.] Some thinke they consented not vnto the building of the Tower and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…efore had the first language left onely to them. Herodotus writeth that Psameti∣•…•… •…•…yptian king, caused two children to be brought vp in •…•…e woods, without hearing 〈◊〉〈◊〉 mans mouth, thinking that that language which they would speake of themselues 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ould bee that which man spake at first: after three yeares, they were brought vnto 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ey said nothing but Bec, diuers times. Now Bec is bread in Phrygian, wherevpon 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Phrygian tongue to bee the first: but it was no maruaile if they cryed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 continually brought vp amongst the goates, that could cry nothing else. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉] Prophecying of what was to 〈◊〉〈◊〉, saith Hierom. (c) Nembroth became,] 〈◊〉〈◊〉, it is vncertaine: where hee raigned is playne, Gen. 2. In Babilon, and Arach that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Hierom) Edessa, and Accad, that is now called Nisibis, and in Chalah, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…d called Seleucia of Seleucus, or else that which is now called Ctesiphon.

Perhaps hee was the father (but doubtlesse the great increaser) of those nations. (d) And some] So saith Hierome of all Ioctans sonnes. And no maruell, since that all the mountaines, hilles, and riuers of Italy, France and Spaine, changed their names quite into barbarous ones within the compasse of two hundred yeares. (e) Ghams sonne] Nay Egipt (saith Hierome) * 1.2 bare Chams owne name: for the seauenty put the letter X. for the Hebrew He, continually, to * 1.3 teach vs the aspiration dew to the word, and here they translate Cham, for that which in the Hebrew is Ham, by which name Egipt in the countries proper language is called vnto this day. Thus farre Hierome. But it might bee that Egipt was called Mizraim of him that first peopled it, as Hierome saith the Hebrews call it continually. Egipt was also called afterwards Aeria, because as Stephanus saith, the ayre was thicke therein: it was called further-more Neptapolis of the seauen citties therein. And lastly Egypt of Egyptus, Belus his sonne. Homer calles the riuer Nilus, Egipt. (f) Ethiopians] The Hebrews call Ethiopia, Chus. Hieron. It was called Atlantia of Atlas, and Ethiopia afterwards of Ethiops, Uulcans sonne, as some * 1.4 say. But I thinke rather of the burnt hew of the inhabitants: for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Greeke, is black: Homer that old Poet saith, there are two Ethiopa's. Odyss. 1.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. This lyes vpon the East, that on the West.

There is also a part of the Ile Eubaea called Aethiopon.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The He∣brew tongue.
• * 1.2

  Egypt.
• * 1.3

  Ham.
• * 1.4

  Aethiopia.