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.

§. 5. War betwixt Aretas and Herod.

There had been a long grudge betwixt Aretas the King of Arabia Petraea, and Herod the Tetrarch, and a field had been fought between them before this. For Herod having put away his wife which was Aretas daughter, and having taken Herodias (the wife of his own brother Philip and he yet living) in her stead, it is no wonder if Aretas dogged him for revenge for this indignity to his Daughter and himself. Wherefore he begin∣neth to quarrel with him and to seek occasion of war, by challenge of a territory con∣trovertible, and they come to a pitched battel, in which Herods Army is utterly over∣thrown, by means of some treachery wrought by some fugitives from his brother Philips Tetrarchy which had taken up Arms to fight under his colours: And here, as Josephus hath observed, It was the observation of divers that this his Army utterly perished through Gods just punishment upon him for the murder of John the Baptist. And it is worth the marking, that this overthrow took beginning from men of that Country whence Hero∣dias the causer of that murder, and of the present disquietness had come. Herod upon this defeat, doubtful of better success at another time, for it may be his conscience told him this was but deserved, betaketh himself by letters to Tiberius, certifying him of the accident, and it is likely, not without much aggravation. The Emperor either displea∣sed at the fortune of Aretas in his victory, or at his audaciousness in stirring so within the Empire, or at both together, sendeth angry letters to Vitellius the Governor of Syria, charging him to undertake the war, and either to bring the rebellious King prisoner alive, or to send his head to Rome. But before the design came to maturity, Tiberius that had thus threatned another mans life had lost his own, as will appear hereafter: when this first battel was that was so fatal to Herod, it shall not be insisted on to question, but that this brewing towards a new war, befel in this year, is apparent sufficiently by the sequel.