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.

Vers. 9. Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, &c.

The Text speaketh of Jews of all Nations under Heaven now dwelling at Jerusalem, and yet it reckoneth but fifteen here, which were not all the Nations in the World; no, nor all that were in the Roman Empire, by very many: but to omit the Hyperboles that the Scripture useth very commonly, as Cities walled up to Heaven, shooting at an haire, and not miss, &c. The languages here spoken of, took up all the Nations where it is imagi∣nable any Jews were scattered at this time through the world. [If so be they were not also all the languages that were spoken at Babel:] as to take example of one or two; the Parthian, Median, Persian, and Mesopotamian, were the Tongues that served all the Eastern dispersion; and all the Jews that had been Captivated by the two first Monarchies, Babylonian and Persian, wheresoever they were, in East or North, spake some of these Languages, throughout the vast space of that their scattering. For to instance in the Mesopotamian only; how many large and mighty Countries spake that one Tongue? As∣syria, Chaldea, Mesopotamia, Syria, Caelosyria, to inquire no further; all these spake that Chaldee Language, so certainly, that there needeth not the least pains to prove it. And Judea was faln into the same Tongue now also; but with so much difference from the Mesopotamian, Syriack, or Chaldee, that here it is nominated as a Language distinct: And this sheweth the reason of the Phrase, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: that he might di∣stinguish the Syriack of Judea and of Chaldea asunder: that those that dwelt in Mesopo∣tamia heard their Syriack, and those that dwelt in Judea heard theirs. Or if we should instance in the Cretan Tongue, that is here intended: the Island of Crete was but of a small compass, but the Language of Crete reacht all over Greece, not to search how far it reacht further. And the like might be observed of other of the Tongues that are here mentioned.

So that it is hard to find, if not impossible, any Jews at this time under Heaven, where one or other of these Languages here mentioned were not spoken vulgarly in that Coun∣try where they were; and so may we very properly understand that phrase, there were Jews of all Nations under Heaven, now gathered to Jerusalem.

Now as it was impossible for these to understand one another in the Languages of the Countries where they were born; for it was impossible an Arabian should understand a Cretan, or a Cretan an Arabian, a Parthian a Roman, or a Roman a Parthian; and so in the most of the rest; so was it impossible they should all of them understand any one Tongue, either Hebrew or Syriack, which are the likeliest to suppose, or whatsoever else may be supposed.

For first, how easie is it to shew how the Hebrew Tongue was utterly lost among them from common use; and how the Syriack which was in common use in Judea, yet was unknown to them in other Countries, as appeareth by the necessity of the Chaldee Tar∣gum, by the most familiar use of the Septuagint, by the writings of Philo and Josephus, and others of the Jews themselves.

Secondly, If they could have understood any one Language, which was as the common Language of the Nation; then was the gift of Tongues most utterly needless: for why should the Apostles speak divers Languages to them that could have all of them under∣stood one Tongue? Tongues indeed were given for a sign, 1 Cor. 14. 22. but this was not the proper end for which they were given, but for instruction and edification; and as was said before, for acquainting those Nations with the knowledge of God, which had lost it and him, by the loss of the Hebrew Tongue. And if the Jews had understood all of them one Tongue, this gift had been needless to have been given till the Apostles were to go to preach to the Heathens.

This then being past all denial, that these Jews of several Nations, could neither un∣derstand one another in the Tongue of the Country where they were born, nor under∣stand any one Language as common to them all; it is past all denial also, that when they were converted to Christianity, they were severed into divers Congregations; for else it was impossible for them to joyn together in Publick Worship.