The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

CHAP. XLIX.

Jacob blesseth every one of the Tribes, vers. 28. therefore in his words to Reuben, Simeon and Levi, which are the most bitter, we must find a blessing or we lose his sence. His words also concern the future events of the Tribes, as much or more than the twelve Patriarks that stood before him, vers. 1. These ground-works being then thus laid for the understanding of these his last words as necessarily they must, let it be tole∣rated to touch upon some of them of the most difficulty, as far as Grammatical constru∣ction, and truth of history will warrant and justifie.

Reuben thou art my first born, my might and the beginning of my strength. There is a rem∣nant of dignity for thee, and a remnant of strength: For so the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth many times in the Bible, and so was Reuben dignified in leading the Van in the wars of Canaan,

Josh. 4. 12. And so had he a residue of strength in being frontier against the Hagarens, 1 Chron. 5. 10.

Vers. 4. Unstable as water in affecting the Priesthood; Numb. 16. 1, 2. and in refusing* 1.1 of the Land of promise, Numb. 32. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Leave no remnant of thine instability, &c.

Vers. 5. Simeon and Levi brethren, their traffickings are instruments of cruelty, for their* 1.2 pretence of trading with Shechem they made an instrument to execute their bloodiness.

Vers. 6. For in their anger they slew a man, as for their will they would hough an ox. For they used Circumcision, as a means to master and murder me, as if they should have cut the sinews of an Ox to bring him under to their will.

Vers. 13. Zebulon shall dwell at the haven of the Seas: the Sea of Galilee or the lake of Genezaret East, and the Sea of Phaenicia or the Mediterranian North-West.

Vers. 14. Issachar is an Asse of bone couching down between two burdens of the Kingdom of Phaenicia on the one side, and the Kingdom of Samaria on the other.

Vers. 22. Joseph is a son of fruitfulness, his fruitfulness in sons shall be by the well: In daugh∣ters it goeth even to the Enemy. This Interpretation of that part of Josephs blessing be re∣ferred to the censure of the learned Reader as conjectured at, rather than boldly averred, and that upon these considerations. First, That there is a plain Antithesis betwixt Ben and Bavoth, and therefore is to be construed accordingly of sons and daughters. Second∣ly, That the word Ben is by his place in regimine, but by his vowel not, so is Porah by his last letter in regimine, but not by this place: and therefore both of them to be render∣ed something answerable to this their double condition. Ben-Porath, Joseph is a son of fruitfulness, here they have the due of their place, and Porath Ben fruitfulness of sons: here they have the due of their vowels and letters. Thirdly, That Porath also is to be understood in the latter clause, Porath Bavoth, fruitfulness in daughters. Fourthly, That Shur signifieth natively in Hebrew an Enemy, Psal. 92. 12. and it is but from the Chaldee idioms that it betokeneth a wall. Josephs fruitfulness in sons then did chiefly shew it self by the well of Shechem, where Joshua of Joseph aslembleth all the Tribes as Prince over them, and there also Jeroboam of Joseph raiseth up that house to a Kingdom. From these words of Jacob the inhabitants of Sychar had their warrant to maintain, that their well was Jocobs well, and that his sons and cattel drank of it. For it might not have been digged of a thousand years after Jacob was dead and gone, for ought any Samaritane alive could tell, if he fetched not his authority from these words of Jacob, who having given that portion of ground to Joseph, Gen. 48. 22. doth here intimate that there was a well in it, and besides that well in his house should rise to ho∣nour. His fruitfulness by daughters you may see in Judg. 21. where the daughters of Jabesh Gilead and of Shiloh, both of Joseph, make up the breach of an hostile Tribe the Tribe of Benjamin, or else it had decayed.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ne relinquas.
• * 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Venditionis Ipsorum.