A treatise of the situation of Paradise written by P.D. Huet; to which is prefixed a map of the adjacent countries ; translated from the French original.

CHAP. VII. Continuation of the Explana¦tion of the eleventh Verse.

I. The most common opinion con¦cerning the Phison is, That it i•• the Ganges. II. The Ground of this Opinion. III. Which d•• not satisfie all the Objections. IV. Others believed that the Phi¦son was the Indus; others th•• Hydaspes; others the Hyphas•…•… V. Haython, the Oxus. VI. Many Rabbins, the Nile. VII. Others the Phasis. VIII. Some the Da¦nube. IX. Some others, the Na¦harmalca. X. And in fine, others the easterly Canal of the two, int•• which the Tigris and Euphra¦tes joined together, are divided XI. The Phison is the westerly Canal of the two, into which are divided the Tigris and Euphrate after they be joined together, and

the proofs of it. XII. The Origin of the word Phison serves to prove it. XIII. Many learned Men have had some knowledge of what the Phison is. XIV. The Phison hath since given its name to other Rivers.

I. VErse 11. The name of the first is* 1.1 Phison. The word River must be supplied here, which the sacred Author expresseth afterward when he speaks of the other Rivers. This is the first of the four, into which the great River that went out of Eden and Paradise was divided. It would be a very great undertaking, very tedious to the Reader, and yet more to me, to relate in particular the different opinions Men have had about this River, the Names of the Authors that maintained them, and the rea∣sons whereon they grounded them; and to lose time in examining and contradicting them. I will only touch upon them by the bye, being per∣swaded that they cannot be better confuted, than by carefully seeking after the Truth, and endeavouring firmly to establish it, when it is found;

for this being done, every thing that will not agree with it, must necessarily fall of it self. The most ancient and generally liked opinion is, That the Phison is the Ganges. It seems that Josephus was the first Author of it;* 1.2 Eusebius, St. Ambrosins, St. Epiphanius, St. Jerom, St. Austin, many other Fa∣thers of the Church, and most of the modern Interpreters and Divines have followed the opinion of Josephus. The Indians themselves were of the same opinion, and it was upon this account that they believed the Ganges Holy, that it washes away their Sins, and Sanctifieth them, when they wash in it, and that it will save them after Death, if their Bodies be plunged in it.

II. The Beauty, Riches and Conve∣niencies* 1.3 of that River wherewith the Books of Travellers are filled, are the chief reasons why Men gave credit to that opinion; for tho' Arrian hath written that all the Indians, whom Alexander subdued, had no Gold, yet* 1.4 there was some in their Country; and Moses had a regard to the Nature of the Country, and not to the Man∣ners of the Inhabitants. It is cer∣tain that the Ganges hath some Gold

in its Sands, and on its Banks; that it is reckoned one of the chief Rivers that produceth precions Stones; that the Kingdoms of Golconda and Bis∣nagar, that lie on the westerly Coast of the Gulf of Bengal, where the Ganges empties it self, are full of Pearls and precious Stones; and it not being likely that mean Rivers should come out of a place prepared and adorned by the hands of God, that Honour could not be ascribed, but to the most famous Rivers of the World. So the Beauty and Riches of the Ganges made Men believe, that it came out of Paradise, and this opi∣nion was the occasion of its being re∣puted Holy. But besides, as those who pretend that the Phison is the Ganges, do also perswade themselves that the Gehon is the Nile, we discover another Motive, that inclined them to give credit to that opinion. I mean this* 1.5 place of Ecclesiasticus, where we read that God filleth all things with his wis∣dom as Phison, and as Tigris in the time of the new fruits. He makes the understanding to abound like Euphrates, and as Jordan in the time of the Harvest. He maketh the doctrine of knowledge ap∣pear as the light, and as Gehon in the

time of Vintage. The Fathers in read∣ing this, perswaded themselves that the Author had begun the Enumeration of those Rivers with the East, and finished it with the West, according to the custom of the Hebrews, to look on the East in their Geographical De∣scriptions, and by consequence to have the North at their left hand and the South at their right; and that the Phison being the most easterly of the five, it could be no other than the most noble of the Rivers of the East, which is the Ganges. The Tigris comes after, as being the most easterly of the four others; next to it comes the Eu∣phrates; then Jordan; and in fine the Gehon, which ought to be the most famous River of the West, as the Ganges was of the East; and they found none to be preferred to the Nile. But no∣thing that I see can induce us to be∣lieve, that that sacred Author had a regard to this, in disposing these Rivers in such an order, but that rather he did dispose them so by chance.

III. This ground being laid, that the* 1.6 Phison is the Ganges, they took no notice of the Objection that might reasonably be made, concerning the distance of its Spring, from the Springs

•• the other Rivers, which came out •• the same place; by which they ••ade the Garden almost as big as the ••arth. They had recourse to some ••••••olous Conjectures, or to Fictions ••ithout any ground, or to a Miracle, ••hich is the ordinary Reinge of those ••ho have no Reason to defend them∣••lves, and a most sure means to justifie ••e most strange Opinions. They had ••••ard some falsly say, that the Tigris ••d Euphrates sprung out of the same ••ead; and they had heard it truly said, ••at pretty near that Spring, they hid ••hemselves under the Earth, and soon ••fter came out again. They did not ••xamine the length of this hidden ••nning, and they gave a huge extent •• a length of few Miles. They said, that ••is pretended Spring divided its Wa∣••ers into four Rivers, which afterwards ••d themselves under the Earth, and ••at thorough long and unknown turn∣••gs, under many Countries and Seas, ••hey run to the Extremity of the World, ••d there came out again. Upon that ••ound they made choice of what ••ivers they pleased, to make the Phison ••d Gehon out of them. And indeed ••iver for River, they could not chuse ••etter than the Ganges.

IV. Those who without going s••* 1.7 far, believed that the Phison is th•• Indus, or Hydaspes that falls into it, o•• the Hyphasis, which, as some think, fal•• also into it; or according to the opi¦nion of others, enters into the Sea b•• its proper mouth, found in it some o•• the Advantages that the others foun•• in the Ganges. The Hydaspes bea•• Gold and precious Stones; and Phil•• storgius, to shew that the Hyphasis ••* 1.8 the Phison, says, there grows the Clov•• tree, which the Inhabitants of th•• Land think to be one of the Trees o•• Paradise; and that it presently cure those who plunge themselves in it in the heat of a Fever.

V. But I cannot guess upon wh••* 1.9 account Haython Prince of Armeni•• and Friar of the Order of Premonstr•• tho' very well instructed in the Astai•• of the East, called Phison the gre•• River of Oxus, which falls into th•• easterly side of the Caspian Sea, not withstanding all the Arabian Write•• call it Gehon, being perswaded that •• is the River so called that comes out o•• Paradise.

VI. Many Rabbins of great Repu••* 1.10 and very Ancient, with the Arabian and amongst others the Translators ••

Scripture printed in England, gave to the Nile the Title of Phison upon the same accounts it had been adjudged to the Ganges.

VII. Those who pretended that it* 1.11 was the Phasis, so renowned by the Voyage for the Golden Fleece, had not much ado to find Gold in it. Its Spring is not far from those of the Tigris and Euphrates. Its Waters are extraordinary good. There are some Pearls to be found in the neigh∣bouring Seas, but so ruddy, that the Inhabitants do not take the pains to gather them. But I do not see how they will find there the Onyx, or any other precious Stones, or the Bdellium; and I see much less, how they will be able to make Colchis to be the Land of Chavilah.

VIII. Caesarius, Brother to St. Gre∣gory* 1.12 of Nazianzum, and Severianus Bi∣shop of Gabala, did not surely think of all these Circumstances, when they affirmed that the Danube is the Phi∣son; for though some ancient Au∣thors reckoned the Danube amongst the Rivers that afford Gold and pre∣cious Stones, and that Hungary, through which it runs, and Bohemia that lieth near it, may have afforded

it some, I do not think that either precious Stones; or Bdellium, were ever found there, or that Germany ever pretended to the Honour of being Chavilah. Many learned Men of ancient times, very able in other respects, have been very ignorant of Geography. Caesarius, whom I just now quoted, maintains, that this same Phison, which he supposes to be the Danube, is nevertheless also the Ganges and Indus; and that having run through Aethiopia and Elymais, which he fansies to be the Land of Chavilah, it falls into the Ocean near Cadis.

IX. But those who supposed it to* 1.13 be the Naharmalca, one of the Canals that join the Euphrates with the Tigris, minded neither these relations, nor the nature of that Canal, which was made by Nabuchodonozor, and there∣fore was called Naharmalca by the Chaldaeans, and the Royal River by the Graecians, and by consequence was not in Moses's time, and much less in Adam's time. They had done better to side with those who ingenuously confessed, they did not know the situa∣tion of that River.

X. Amongst all those that have* 1.14 been mistaken in this Inquiry, none are more excusable, and are come nearer to truth, than those who be∣lieved that the Phison is the easterly Canal of the two into which the Tigris and Euphrates are divided, after their coming together near Apamea, and before their falling into the Sea. Calvin, as I already observed, was the* 1.15 first Author of this opinion. Scaliger, commended it very much, and im∣braced it 〈…〉〈…〉 afterwards many others. They might perhaps find Pearls, pre∣cious Stones and Gold along the sides of that Canal, but certainly they ne∣ver found there the Land of Chavilah.

XI. Having shewed what the Phison* 1.16 is not, we must now shew what it is. I already said, that it is the westerly Canal of the two into which the Tigris and Euphrates joined together are di∣vided. To shew it, we must remem∣ber that Moses wrote his Pentateuch in Arabia Petraea; and that of the four Rivers which he mentioned, this Canal was the nearest him: So that natural order required that he should name it first. The easterly Canal presented it¦self next to it, and I shall make it evi∣dent that this Canal is really the Gehon,

which he named the second. Having passed over this River, and turning to the left hand, to come back to the place that we came from, we meet with the Tigris, and then with the Euphrates; and that is the order ob∣served by Moses. As if I had a mind to make the Enumeration of the four greatest Rivers in France, I being at Paris, and having begun with the Loire, should in the second place men∣tion the Garonne, the natural order would require of me to go next to the Rhone, and then to end at the Seine, that kind of circuit. Besides we must observe, that Moses hath given more marks, to distinguish the Phison, than for any of the other three; be∣cause that being once known, we can scarce mistake the others. Then he puts some marks on the two following, the Gehon and Tigris, and none on the Euphrates, which cannot remain uncertain, when the three others are known.

XII. The Etymology of the word* 1.17 Phison helpeth also to distinguish it; for most of the Hebrew Gramma∣rians agree, that it is derived from the Verb 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Pusch, which signi∣fies to run out, to be full, to increase, to

multiply; or from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Pascha, which signifies to spread it self; because, as I have already said, Tides are so vio∣lent and so high at that end of the Persian Gulf, that Trenches were not a sufficient defence against their Ir∣ruptions into the grounds, that are very soft and low. So all that Coast is full of Lakes, marshy places, and Sands* 1.18 as Strabo observeth. In Moses's time, when the Industry of Men had yet opposed nothing to those attacks, it is credible the overflowings were much greater than they are now. No name could then be given more suitable to that Canal that was apt so often to* 1.19 overflow, than the name of Phison, which Josephus very well rendred by the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is to say, Plenty; and Scaliger yet better, by that of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies, the overflow∣ings of the Tide, the flux of the Sea. The Author of the Ecclesiasticus made* 1.20 an Allusion to that Etymology, when he says of God, That he filleth all with wisdom like the Phison. I know there are many other Etymologies of that word; but this which I do propose, is authorized by the votes of the most famous Grammarians.

XIII. Schickard a German Professor,* 1.21 a Man who understood extraordinary well the easterly Languages, and Affairs of the East, seems to have had a glimpse of the truth, when he wrote in his Commentary on the Tarich of the Kings of Persia, that he is sure the Phison is to be lookt for in Arabia, and that all the Rivers of Paradise run into the Persian Gulf, and that their mouths are very near one another. Steuchus speaks yet▪ more expresly of* 1.22 it, saying, That the Phison comes from the Euphrates, and runs towards the Arabians of Chavilah. Yet he is mistaken in this, that he doth not de∣rive the Phison from the Tigris and Eu∣phrates joined together, but from the Euphrates alone before their joining. The Arabians have hit the nail, when they said, that the Phison was the Canal of the Euphrates, which runs not far from Bassora. Some of them had given that name to the Nile, as I already observed; but others more clear sighted, undeceived themselves and acknowledged the Truth. * 1.23 Gig∣geius and † 1.24 Golius must be consulted upon that. I know not where * 1.25 Father Kircher a Jesuit took the Geographical Map which he inserted in his De∣scription

of the Tower of Babel, whe∣ther he had it from the Arabians, or from his own Learning which was ex∣traordinary great. He describes in that Map the running of the four Rivers, Phison, Gehon, Tigris, and Euphrates, and gives the name of Phison to the westerly Canal, and the name of Gehon to the easterly one, into which the Tigris and Euphrates are divided after their coming together. Mr. Bochart,* 1.26 who designed to declare his mind more plainly and at large upon this, in his Treatise concerning the Earthly Para∣dise, leaves us to guess at his opinion, when he says by the bye, in his Book concerning the Beasts of Holy Scri∣pture, that the Phison is that branch of the Euphrates, of which Teixeira, in the* 1.27 Book of his Travels from the Indies into Italy, says, that it runneth into the Persian Gulf, towards Catif, near Baharen. Catif is a Town on the easterly Coast of Arabia, that gave to the Persian Gulf the name of Elcatif-Sea, as it is now called. And Baharen is an Island of the same Gulf, about ten Leagues off from Catif, of which I shall have an occasion to speak here∣after.* 1.28 Mr. Thevenot in the Books of his Travels describes this Canal. He

says, that it runneth between the Coun∣try of Bassora, and the Island Chader, straight towards the South; that the easterly Canal bears the same name with the Tigris and Euphrates joined to∣gether, and is called Schattel-Arab, that is to say, the Arabian River; and that these two Branches make the great Island Chader, to which Teixeira gives above fourscore Leagues in length: I believe that he meant Spanish Leagues, which make about sixscore of ours. The Canal which runs along that Island to∣wards the West, is probably the same that Alexander caused to be made in a stony Soil, and more firm than the na∣tural Canal through which one might sail toward Arabia, which was not two Leagues distant from it. This last which Moses speaketh of, was easily shut up by the ebbing of the Sea; its bottom being very soft and apt to be stirred, did not make a great resistance It was truly this that was called Phison; but because that of Alexander took its place, and was very near it, I gave it the same name, according to ordinary use; that alloweth not the names of Rivers to be altered, when their Chanel or their mouth is altered; no more than it doth the

names of Towns, when they alter their Situation.

XIV. The name of Phison in Moses's* 1.29 time was peculiar to that westerly Canal, that run towards Arabia; but it hath been given since to the Tigris and Euphrates joined together; and from the names of Phison and Tigris made but one, came that of Pasitigris, which was given since even to the easterly Canal. So that the names of Tigris, Euphrates, and Pasitigris were al∣most indifferently given to all the parts of the Euphrates, that are betwixt its joining with the Tigris, and the Sea. As now adays the name of Schattel-Arab, that is to say, Arabian River, is given almost to all the same parts. And to make it yet more intricate, Alex∣ander's Soldiers returning from the East, gave to the River Oroatis which li∣miteth the Susiana on the East, the name of Pasitigris which limiteth the same on the West; Whether they mi∣stook in it, or did it on purpose; af∣fecting to give famous names to the places they conquered, that they might increase the Fame of their Victories. After this manner they gave the name of Caucasus to the Mount Parapamis••••, and the name of Tanais to the River

Orexartes. The Historians who after∣wards did write Alexander's Conquests, according to what these Soldiers re∣lated, and did not distinguish the false Pasitigris, I mean the Oroatis, from the true one, that is the Tigris, made a new Pasitigris, not only out of these two Rivers, but also out of the Eulaeus, which, as some think, is the Choaspes; and according to others only receives it into its Chanel; and having given to it the name of Pasitigris, they gave it also the name of Tigris, and that of Euphrates.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The most common O∣pinion con∣cerning the Phison is, that it is the Ganges.
• * 1.2

  Joseph. Antiq. l. 1. c. 2. Euseb. de locis Hebr. Ambros. de Parad. c. 3. Epiph. An∣cor. c. 58. Hieron. Epist. 4. ad Rust. c. 1. & quaest. Heb. in Gen. August. de Gen. ad li∣ter. l. 8. c. 7.
• * 1.3

  The grounds of this Opi∣nion.
• * 1.4

  Exped. Alex. l. 5.
• * 1.5

  Eccl. 2••. 35. & seq.
• * 1.6

  Which doth not satisfie to the Obje∣ctions made against it.
• * 1.7

  Others thought that the Phison was the In∣dus; others the Hyda∣spes; others the Hypha∣sis.
• * 1.8

  Philostorg. l. 3. c. 10.
• * 1.9

  Haython, the Oxus.
• * 1.10

  Many Rab∣bins, the Nile.
• * 1.11

  Others the Phasis.
• * 1.12

  Some the Danube.
• * 1.13

  Some others the Nahar∣malca.
• * 1.14

  And in fine, others the easterly Ca∣nal of the two into which the Tigris and Euphrates joined toge∣ther, are di∣vided.
• * 1.15

  Calv. in Gen. 2. 8. Scal. de emend. temp. l. 5. & epist. l. 4. Epist. 441.
• * 1.16

  The Phison is the west∣erly Canal of the two, into which the Tigris and Eu∣phrates joined toge∣ther, are di∣vided, and the proofs of it.
• * 1.17

  The Etymo∣logy of the word Phi∣son serves to p••••ve it.
• * 1.18

  Strab. l. 16.
• * 1.19

  Joseph. Antiq. l. 1. c. 2. Scal. de emend. temp. l. 5.
• * 1.20

  Eccl. 24. v. 35.
• * 1.21

  Many learn∣ed Men had some know∣ledge of what the Phison is.
• * 1.22

  Steuch. Co••mop.
• * 1.23

  Gigg. lex. Arab. tom. 3. p. 1056.
• † 1.24

  Gol. lex. Arab. p. 1039.
• * 1.25

  Kirch. Turr. Bab. ••. 1. c. 5.
• * 1.26

  Bochar. Hieroz. Part. 2. l. 5. c. 5.
• * 1.27

  Teixeir. Travel from the Indies into Italy, Chap. 3.
• * 1.28

  Voyage d•• Mr. Theve¦not, Tom 2 Liv. 3. Ch. 9 & 1
• * 1.29

  The Phis•••• hath since given its name to o∣ther Rivers.