A Pisgah-sight of Palestine and the confines thereof with the history of the Old and New Testament acted thereon / by Thomas Fuller ...

CHAP. 8. The second solemn division of the land of Canaan into thirty one King∣domes.

§ 1. NExt to the distinguishing of this land into seven nations,* 1.1 we must observe the division thereof amongsta 1.2 one and thirty Kings. Strange, that their scepters (except very short) did not justle one another, in so narrow a Countrey. But, we must know, that the Ge∣nius of that age, delighted not so much, in scraping much together, as in having absolute authority in that little, which was their own. Pride is commonly the sinne of young men, covetousness of old folk. The world in the youth thereof, more affected honour, then wealth, high titles, then large treasure. And these Royolets contented themselves, that their crowns (though not so big) were as bright, their scepters (though not so great) were as glistering, as those of the mightiest Monarchs, being as absolute Soveraignes in their own small terri∣tories.

§ 2. Let us consider,* 1.3 how these one and thirty kingdomes were afterwards disposed of, and how they were shared amongst the seve∣rall Tribes. In reckoning up their names, we observe the method in b 1.4 Ioshua, as he marshalls them upon order following;

Kingdomes of

• 1. Iericho.
• 2. Ali.
• 3. Ierusalem.
• 4. Heb••o••.
• 5. Iarmuth.
• 6. La••hish.
• 7. Eglon.
• 8. Gezer.
• 9. D••ber.
• 10. G••der.
• 11. Hormah.
• 12. Arad.
• 13. Libnath
• 14. Adulla••••.
• 15. Makkeda••.
• 16. Bethel.
• 17. Tappuah.
• 18. Hepher.
• 19. Aphek.
• 20. Lasharon.
• 21. Mad••n.
• 22. Ha••or.
• 23. Shimr••n-M••ron.
• 24. Achshaph.
• 25. Ta••••a••h.
• 26. Megiddo.
• 27. Kedesh.
• 28. I••••••eam of Ca••mel.
• 29. Dor in the coasts of Dor.
• 30. The nations of Gilgal.
• 31. Tirza.

allotted to

• 1. Benjamin.
• 2. Benjamin.
• 3. Ben••amin. Iudah.
• 4. Iuda••.
• 5. Iudah.
• 6. Iudah.
• 7. Iudah.
• 8. ••phraim.
• 9. Iudah.
• 10. Iudah. Sim••on.
• 11. Simeon.
• 12. Iudah.
• 13. Iudah.
• 14. Iudah.
• 15. Be••jamin.
• 16. Benjamin.
• 17. Manasseh cis I••r.
• 18. M••nas••cis I••r.
• 19. As••er.
• 20. Zebulon.
• 21. Neph••hali.
• 22. Nephthali.
• 23. Zebulon.
• 24. Asher.
• 25. Manas. cis I••r.
• 26. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cis••or.
• 27. Nephthali.
• 28. Zebulon.
• 29. Manasseb. Issachar.
• 30. B••nja••in
• 31. Ephraim.

By the King of the nations of Gilgal, understand a Soveraign over a miscellaneous company of people, the master-bee of a swarm not yet fixed in an hive, having a sufficient territory for his men, but no

considerable Metropolis of his kingdome. In this Catalogue, Sihon and Og are not reckoned, whose dominions lay ••ast of Iordan, and they make up thirty three Kings in all. So much of these Cities for the present; whereof largely hereafter in those respective Tribes to which they belong.

§ 3. Amongst these Kings one may visibly discover two distinct combinations.* 1.5

• 1 In the southern circuit of Canaan, Adoni-bezek King of Ierusalem seems to be chief of this knot, at whosec 1.6 sending the Kings of Hebron, Iarmuth, Lachish, Eglon &c. assembled themselves against Ioshua, and were destroyed by him.
• 2 In the northern Association. Thered 1.7 I••bin the King had the precedency, with whom the Kings of Madon, Shimron, and Achshaph &c. confederated themselves against Ioshua with the same success.

Had all at once ingaged against Ioshua, the task had been hard; had he fought them all severally, the work had been long to subdue them. For, these thirty and one Kings, who made up a full moneth in their number, how many years would they have made up in their resistance? Whereas now divine providence fitting the strength of Ioshua's arm, parcelled his foes into two bundles, that he might the more easily at two blows, strike through both of them.

§ 4. And here we present the Reader with a draught of the land,* 1.8 as it was in the days of Abraham, and continued till the time of Ioshua; not well satisfied, whether more properly to term it old, or new Canaan. If we count from the beginning of the world downwards, it was young or new Canaan, because nearest the creation; if we reckon backwards from our time, the old Canaan. If the Reader discover any difference betwixt this, and the next Map of the same land, as it was consti∣tuted after the days of Ioshua, let him consider,

• 1 How the same face is disguised by different dressing. Palestine afterwards (when divided betwixt the twelve Tribes) being tricked and trimmed with many new Cities, had the favour thereof quite altered.
• 2 How the pictures drawn by the same exact Artist, of the same person, first when a youth, afterwards when an old man, must have much difference betwixt them; and the distance of some hundreds of years, causeth a necessary variation in the de∣scriptions of the same Countreys.

It will be objected, that though age and accidents may alter the old, and induce new lineaments in mens faces, yet the Simile holds not in the description of Countreys, where the same chanels of sea, cour∣ses of rivers, falls of vales, flats of plains, ridges of hills, must re∣main. As for mountains, time, for want of carriage, must be forced

to leave such luggage behind her; and therefore that such land, and water-marks, must always continue, without any considerable altera∣tion. But it is answered, that even these seeming Standards of nature, are moveable with time and casualty, inundations, tempests, and earth∣quakes; in the last (being the earths violent cough) sometimes she spits up her own lungs, casting up great hills where never were any before. What the Apostle speaks in an higher sense, is true of the materiall world, and the severall countreys therein,c 1.9 The fashion of this world passeth away; so that to the very view of the eye, the shape, form, and garb thereof is meta∣morphosed. Besides, other Anagrams hapning in the land of Canaan, lands afterwards transposed for water, and water for land; one is most remarkable, namely, when the pleasant vale off 1.10 Siddim nigh the banks of Iordan, was turned into the salt-sea, or noisome Asphaltite-lake. This was the work of the Lord, and it may justly seem marvellous in our eyes. But of the cause, time, and manner of this alteration, largely God willing here∣after.

Here the Map of old Canaan it to be inserted.

[illustration]

Notes

• * 1.1

  Anciently an A••my of Kings in Canaan.
• a 1.2

  Io••h. 12. 9.
• * 1.3

  The 31 king∣domes how dispensed to the severall Tribes.
• b 1.4

  Iosh, ibid.
• * 1.5

  Two distinct combinations of thes•• Kings.
• c 1.6

  Iosh. 10. 3.
• d 1.7

  Iosh▪ •••• 1, 2, 3.
• * 1.8

  Necessary dif∣ference betwixt the two maps of Canaan.
• c 1.9

  1 Cor. 7. 31.
• f 1.10

  Gen. 1••. 3.