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.

§. When he was in Mesopotamia.

For Chaldea was also reckoned to Mesopotamia: and so Pliny accounteth it, Lib. 6. Nat. Hist. cap. 26. Babylon Chaldaicarum gentium caput diu summam claritatem obtinuit in toto orbe, propter quam reliqua pars Mesopotamiae Assyriaeque Babylonia appellata est. And after∣wards, Sunt etiamnum in Mesopotamia Hipparenum, Chaldaeorum & hoc, sicut Babylon: And presently after, Orchein quoque tertia Chaldaeorum doctrina, in eodem situ locantur.

Vers. 3. And said unto him, Get thee out of thy Country.

Divers expositors have intricated themselves into a perplexitie, they cannot well tell how to get out of, by supposing these words, and the words of Moses, Gen. 12. 1. to be the same, and to speak of the same time and thing: whereas they are visibly and vast∣ly distant and different, and they mean two several calls of God to Abraham, the one in Chaldea, the other in Charran: In Chaldea God appears to him, and bids him Get thee out of thy Country and from thy kindred, but maketh no mention of leaving his fathers house, for that he took along with him, Gen. 11. 31. The Holy Ghost indeed hath ascribed the conduct of this journy to Terah as if he had received the call, and had been the chief mover in the business, but it is only to shew his conversion and forsaking of his native Country and Idolatry, and his readiness to go with Abram when God calleth Abram: but that the call was to Abram, it is not only asserted by Stephen here, and Joshuah Chap, 24. 2. but also confessed by some of the Jews themselves, as Aben Ezra on Gen. 12. 1. The Lord commanded Abram whilst he was yet in Ur of the Chaldees that he should leave his Coun∣try. But when God calls him from Haran or Charran, he then bids him depart from his fathers house as well as he had done from his country and kindred before, for now he left his brother Nahor and all his fathers house behind him. Had this been observed, there could never so many s••ruples have risen about Terahs age at Abrahams birth, nor about Abrahams journey, as there have done; nor would there be such ambiguity about translating the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Gen. 12. 1. as there hath been: The story in Genesis runs current and in a continuation: and may be illustrated in this Paraphrase: God in Ur of the Chaldees ap∣peared to Abraham and said unto him, Get thee out of thy Country and from thy kin∣dred, but take thy fathers house with thee and go to a land which I shall shew thee: And when Abram told Terah of this command, Terah condescended and consented; And

Terah took Abram, and Lot and Sarai, and they (Terah and Abram) went with them from Ur to Haran and dwelt there: And Terah died in Haran; And then God saith to Abram, Get thee out of thy Country and from thy kindred, and from thy fathers house also now, and go into Canaan, &c. And to take away all cavils that might be made against the matter in this respect, in that both Ur and Haran, are called Abrams country and kindred, Stephen hath laid them both in Mesopotamia, as is noted before.

Vers. 5. Not so much as to set his foot on.

As Deut. 2. 5. Abram was forced to buy a place of burial, though all the land was given him by promise.

Vers. 6. And intreat them evil four hundred years.

There is a double sum of years mentioned concerning the seed of Abraham, namely four hundred, and four hundred and thirty, Gen. 15. 13. Exod. 12. 40. The four hundred and thirty was from Abrams receiving of the promise, to the delivery out of Egypt. And the four hundred was from the fifth year of Isaac to that delivery: Then did Ismael mock and then began affliction to Abrahams seed, and from thence they were in affliction and sojourning, in a strange land Canaan and Egypt, four hundred years: See the LXX at Exod. 12. 40.

Vers. 7. And serve me in this place.

This clause is here alledged by Steven as if it had been spoken to Abraham, whereas it was spoken to Moses four hundred years after, but the holy Ghost useth to speak short in known stories, as Matth. 1. 12. 1 Chron. 1. 36. Mark 1. 2, 3. &c.

Vers. 14. Threescore and fifteen souls.

Whereas Moses saith that all the souls of the family of Jacob that went down into Egypt were but threescore and ten, Gen. 46. 27. Exod. 1. 5. Deut. 10. 22. Stephen in∣largeth the number, and saith threescore and fifteen: and herein he followeth the Septu∣••gint who in the two first cited places have that sum: and they make up the account in Gen. 46. by fetching the names of five children of Joseph out of the book of Chronicles, which Moses mentioned not, and which indeed were not born at their going into Egypt but after, and these are Machir, Giliad, Shutelah, Tahen, and Eden: and the reason of this their reckoning I have shewed elswhere, viz. In Harm. of Evang. at Luke 3. 36.

Vers. 16. And were carried over into Sichem, &c.

The shortness of the Language in this verse hath bred some difficulty, and as Stephens speaking more than Moses in the Verse foregoing, was the cause of some obscurity there, so is it a cause of more in this verse, for that he hath not spoken so much. Moses hath told that Jacob was buried in Hebron, Stephen here speaks as if he had been buried in Sichem. Moses maketh Jacob the buyer of the land of Emor the father of Sichem, Steven seemeth to make Abraham the buyer of it: And in conclusion to make Jacob and his twelve sons to lie in one Sepulcher, and Abrahams and Jacobs purchase to be but one and the same. Now Stephen and Moses speak but the same thing, and intend the same mean∣ing, only Stephen useth shortness of speech in relating a story which was so well known that a word was enough for a sentence: and he spake in a language which had its propri∣eties and Idioms, which those that heard him, easily understood.

[And were carried over into Sichem.] The Syriack and Arabick apply this only to Ja∣cob, for they read it in the singular number, He was translated, directly cross and con∣trary to Moses who telleth plainly that Jacobs burial was in Hebron, Gen. 50. 13. And in Hebron Josephus would have all the sons of Jacob buried likewise, Antiq. lib. 2. cap. 4. and by his report they were buried there before Joseph, for that they were brought thither as they died, but Josephs burial was put over, till all the Nation came out of Egypt: Now it is not to be imagined that Stephen, a man so full of the Holy Ghost, would ever have spoken a thing in which every ordinary man, woman or child that heard him, could so easily have confuted him, as they might have done if the twelve Patriarks had been buried in Hebron, much less when he spake to the Councel and to men of learning and

understanding, that would readily have tript him, if he had faltered in so plain and com∣mon a story: therefore it is past all doubting, that Sichem was knownly and generally reputed the place of the Patriarks burial: For as, although there be mention only of Mo∣ses bringing up the bones of Joseph, Exod. 13. 19. yet R. Solomon well observeth that we may learn from that very place that the bones of all the Patriarks were brought up with him: so though there be mention of the burial of Joseph only in Sichem, Josh. 24. 32. and no record of the burial of the rest of the twelve there: yet might it very well be supposed, had not Stephen asserted in that they were also buried there with him. For we may prove the bringing of their bones out of Egypt, yea though Stephen had not told it;

For,

• 1. The same cause that moved Joseph to desire burial in the land of Canaan could not but move the other of the twelve to desire the like: were it in faith in the pro∣mise, or because of the interest in the Land, or in hope of the resurrection, all the rest had the very same principles to move them to it that Joseph had.
• 2. The rest of the Tribes bare the same honour to their Patriarks, that the Tribe of Joseph did to him, and therefore if they, in honour to Joseph would preserve his bones (that at their removal, they might be taken out of Egypt) the children of therest of the Tribes would do so by their Patriarks also.
• 3. To which might be added the kind of necessity which there was that the twelve Fathers of the Church of Israel, and heirs of the Land of Canaan should have their in∣terment in that Land, and not be left in the land of bondage.

So likewise may there be arguments sufficient to prove that they were buried with his bones in Sichem. As 1. There was no reason they should be severed in the burial who had been united in their removal. 2. Josephs bones were most regardable, and the same Sepulcher that served him, would have best befit them. 3. The convocation of all Is∣rael by Joshua was to Sichem, and there, upon their possessing of the land he makes a covenant betwixt them and God, and it is incomparably more probable that they should bury the bones of all the Patriarks there, than in Hebron, where we do not read that Joshua ever came but to destroy the City.

Now the reason why Stephen speaking of the burials of Jacob and his sons which were in distant and different places, doth yet couch their story so close together, as if they were all laid together in the same place, is,

• 1. Because treating of two numbers so unequal, as twelve and one, he first followeth the story of the greater number.
• 2. He useth the singular number for the plural, Sepulcher for Sepulchers, which is a thing so common, as that nothing is more common in the Scripture Language.
• 3. He useth an Ellipsis or cutting off of the conjunction Va•• or And, which also is exceeding common in the same Language, as 1 Sam. 6. 19. Psalm. 133. 3. 2 Kings 23. 8. and divers other places.

So that though he spake so very curt and short as he did, yet to them that were well enough acquainted, both with the story it self, and with such Hebraisms, his shortness would breed no obscurity, but would they readily take him in this sense: And Jacob and our Fathers died, and were removed to Sichem, and were laid in Sepulchers, in that which Abra∣ham bought for mony, and in that that was bought from the sons of Emmor, the Father of Sichem.

Vers. 20. And was exceeding fair.

Gr. [Fair to God] He was a goodly child, supernaturally born, when his mother was past the natural course of childbearing.

Vers. 22. And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians.

This Steven speaketh by necessary consequence from his Princely education.

Vers. 23. And when he was full forty years old.

There are that say that Moses was forty years in Pharaohs Palace, forty years in Mi∣dian, and forty years in the wilderness. Tauchuna in Exod. 2.

Vers. 43. Ye took up the Tabernacle of Moloch, &c.

I. In Amos the words lie thus, Chap. 5. 26. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which the Rabbins Kimchi and Jarchi construe in the future Tense, and take it for a threatning of their punishment as much as an upbraiding of their sin: as if he should have said unto them, ye would not take up the Commandments of the Lords to bear them, but you shall bear your Idols into captivity with you, and your enemies shall lay them upon your shoulders: And this might have been a very plausible and fair sense, but that Steven hath taught us to construe the Verb in the time past, and not in the time to come, and to read it thus, ye have born or taken up, &c.

II. Now the fixing of this time when Israel took up this Idolatry is somewhat difficult: It is some facilitating of the matter if we can be sure it was not in the forty years in the Wilderness: And that appears to be so, by the very scope of Stevens speech: for 1. he telleth that they made a golden calf in the verse before: and that God for this Idolatry gave them up to worship all the host of heaven: whereupon it is evident, that this Idola∣try with the calf, was neither of these mentioned in this verse, neither with Moloch nor Remphan: but as it were a cause of these, for, for it the Lord gave them up to these. 2. He seemeth to handle this justice of God upon them in giving them up to Idolatry under these two heads: 1. In neglect of Gods own service in the Wilderness, ye offered me no sacrifice for forty years. And 2. in their choosing of Idols to worship afterward. So that the two verses seem to run in this sense, O house of Israel ye were not content to offer me sacrifices for forty years together in the wilderness, but ye were well content to sa∣crifice to Idols and to worship all the host of heaven afterward.

III. The Tabernacle of Moloch: In the Hebrew in Amos it is Siccuth Malkekem: which is rendred by some, Siccuth your King, by others, the Tabernacle of your King: by a third sort, the observance of your King: as if it were derived from the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Deut. 27. 9. Vid. Ab. Ezr. in loc. & Kimchi in Michlol; The Seventie in the unprickt Bible read it Succoth a Tabernacle, which Steven followeth, and they both do not cross but illustrate the sense of the Hebrew.

Now Molech or Moloch, was the Idol of the children of Ammon, 1 King. 11. 17. pro∣hibited to Israel in a singular manner, Lev. 18. 21. and 20. 2. yet did they worship him most familiarly, 2 Chron. 28. 3. Jer. 7. 31. And Solomon built an high place for him, on mount Olivet before Jerusalem, 1 King. 11. 7. The Valley between was called Tophe and the Valley of the Sons of Hinnom, 2 King. 23. 10, &c. This Idol and Idolatry is thus described by the Rabbins: Our Rabbins of happy memory say: Although all houses of Idolatry were in Jerusalem, Molech was without Jerusalem, and the Image was made hollow, set within seven Chappels: Now whosoever offered flower, they opened to him the first of them: who so offered Turtles or Pigeons, they opened to him the second: whosoever offered a Lamb, they opened to him the third: whosoever offered a Ram, they opened to him the fourth: who∣soever offered a Calf, they opened to him the fifth: whosoever offered an Ox, they opened to him the sixth: but whosoever offered his Son, they opened to him the seventh. Now his face was like a Calf, and his hands were stretched out, as a mans that reacheth out to receive some∣thing from his neighbour: And they set him over a fire, and the Priests took the child, and put him between the arms of the Idol, and there the child gave up the Ghost, D. Kimch. on 2 King. 23. 10. He was made of brass and was heat with fire under till he was glowing hot, and then the Priests put the child into his arms, and there he was burnt, and the Priests made a noyse in the mean while with Drums, that the Father might not hear the childs cry: And therefore it was called Tophet from Toph, a Drum or Taber, Vid. R. Sol. on Jer. 7. 31.

These seven Chappels (if there be truth in the thing) help us to understand, what is meant by Molechs Tabernacle, and seem to give some reason why in the Prophet he is called Siccuth, or the Covert God, because he was retired within so many Cancelli, (for that word Kimchi useth) before one could come at him. And so the translation of the Seventy, is but a gloss or exposition of that phrase in the Prophet, ye took up Siccuth or the Covert God your King, which they render, according as the Nation readily under∣stood the thing, the Tabernacle of Moloch, that Idol you so highly prize as your chiefest King. Now Molech or Moloch, or Milchom or Malcham (for all these names are but one and the same) was also called Baal in a special and distinctive sense, as is apparent by Jer. 7. 31. and 19. 5. compared together: and this consideration helpeth to under∣stand divers places where the word Baal is singly used, as 1 King. 16. 31, 32. and 18. 19, &c. And according to this sense should I understand the matter of Baal-peor in which

Israel was joyned to him, to have been sacrificing their children to Molech. And answer∣ably should I interpret that speech of the Psalmist, They ate the sacrifices of the dead, Psal. 106. 28. that is, sacrifices offered up when they offered up their children to be burnt: And this was the first time, they committed this horrid Idolatry in the very close of the forty years in the Wilderness, in which forty years they had not cared to offer any sacrifices to God: And this abomination with Molech they committed also presently after they were come into the Land, Psal. 106. 35, 36, 37. Judg. 2. 13.

IV. [And the Star of your God Remphan.] Here is the main difficulty of this Verse, and that not only in regard of the difference of these words of Stephen from those of Amos, but also in regard of the obscurity of the matter it self: Amos readeth thus: Chijun your Images, the Star of your God. Now the question in the first place is, what is meant by Chijun, and it may be scrupled whethere it be the proper name of an Idol, as some think, or a word appellative, to another sense: I should rather take it the latter way [although I know generally it is construed for an Idols name, either for Hercules, who among the Egyptians was called Chon: or for Saturn, who among the Arabians was called Chevan, as see Aben Ezra on Amos, and Beza on this place.]

For there are two things in this passage of Stephen and Amos very considerable toward the understanding of this place.

• 1. That Stephen saith, God gave them up to worship all the host of heaven: now if Chijun betoken but one Idol, or one Planet, this cometh very short of the intent that he aimeth at their worshipping of all.
• 2. That Amos saith Chijun Tsalmekem, the latter word in the plural number, and as it seemeth by the very posture of it, the latter of two Substantives, and not in appositi∣on: For if Chijun were but one Idol, it is somewhat improper to say Chijun your images, as speaking of more.

I should therefore construe Chijun appellatively for the ordering or disposing of their Images, as that it meaneth thus, that they had their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or representations as Stephen calls them, of the whole heaven and host of it in one Series, or in one body (as see Ezek. 8. 10.) beset with variety of Stars and Figures, representing this or that Pla∣net, and this or that constellation: And that Amos meaneth thus, you took up Siccuth your King, and the frame or disposal of your Images in one compact piece, the stars of your Gods which you have made to your selves: shewing that when they would worship all the host of heaven in Images and representations, that they made a fabrick and com∣pacture in one bulk or in one room, representing in several fashions and forms in it, the several planets and constellations of Heaven: and this he calleth Chijun Tsalmekem, the ordering or disposing of your Images. See 2 King. 23. 4, 5.

V. Now for the word Remphan, in which lieth the most obscurity of all, many con∣jectures are given upon it. The Seventie hath rendred Chijun 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: mistaking one piece of a letter, as it is conceived by Buxtorfius, and reading 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Beza conceiveth it was purposely done, for that by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which signifieth a Giant is to be understood Hercules: and yet he scrupleth whether it should not be rather read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 than 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as aiming at the God of the Syrians, 2 King. 5. 18. But not to insist upon producing such variety of conjectures upon this matter, which are to be seen in several authors: it seemeth to me, 1. that Stephen doth something follow the Seventy in this word, as well as he doth in the rest of the Text: and for the new Testa∣ment to follow them, differently from the Hebrew Text is no wonder, and needeth no∣thing to be said upon it. 2. That Stephen doth add a letter to the word, or doth a lit∣tle change it from those very Syllables that the Septuagint use, that he might give the sense of the Prophet the more clearly, and speak out the matter he hath in hand the more plainly. And the word Remphan seemeth to be compounded either of an Hebrew and a Greek word, or of two Hebrew words together, and to mean either the high shiner, of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or the high representation of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and the latter the more probable: For as the Prophet in the word Chijun expressed the Fabrick of the host of heaven, which the Idolatrous people had wrought and represented in one piece, so would Stephen speak to the very same sense, and therefore forsaketh the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which he found in the Septuagint, and taketh up, or formeth it into 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which sig∣nifieth the high face or high representation, or that whole piece that represented the whole heaven, which he calleth their God, because in that they adored all the Stars and hosts of Heaven at once, and so, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is but one number put for another, one star for many.

VI. [I will carry you away beyond Babylon] Both in the Hebrew of Amos, and in the Greek of the Septuagint, it is, Beyond Damascus: which Stephen seemeth purposely to have changed into beyond Babylon: because that as he had treated in the beginning of the Chapter of Abrahams coming out of those parts into that land, he would now shew e contra, how they for their Idolatry should be carried out of that land into those parts again.