7.
1. What kinde of Creature this was, no man can tell certainly. The Sept. translate it both here, and in the Psaim 105. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. And so Philo, and the vulgar edition retains the word, Sciniphes, Ciniphes, or Kniphes, seem to come from the word, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies to Prick, and they were a kinde of Gnat: and Pliny renders them Culices muliones, and sometimes simply Culices; as likewise Columella. Dioscorid. cap. 112. terms them, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 And Hesych. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 So Isidor. 1. 12. Origin. and Oros. 7, 8. and so Origen. Yet Iunius and Tremell. and the French, and the Eng∣lish, and divers other Translations, render it by Lice, and Lice too might have wings; for Diod. Sicul. 1. 3. c. 3. speaking of the Acridophagi, or carer: of Locusts, says, that when they grow old, their bodies breed a kinde of uinged Lice, by which they are devoured. It seems to me most probab c, that it was some new kinde of creature, called analogically by an old known name, which is Pererius his conjecture, and is approved by River: And this I take to be the reason why the Magicians could not counterseit this miracle, as it was easie for them to do those of the Serpents, the Blood and the Frogs, which were things to be had every where. This I think may pass for a more probable cause then the pleasant sincy of the Hebrews, who say, that the Devils power is bounded to the producing of no creature less then a grain of Barley, or then S. Augustines allegorical reason, and too poetical even for Poetry, who affirms, that the Magicians sailed in the ibird Plague, to shew the defect of humane Philosophy, when it comes to the mysterie of the Trinity but, such pitiful allusions do more hurt then good in Divinity.