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.

SECT. I. SAGAN.

THE word Sagan is rare in the Scripture, but both the name and the dignity is very commonly known and used in the Hebrew writers. It is undoubted that he was next to the High-priest, or Vicegerent to him, but under what notion he came into this deputation is disputable, and a 1.1 Abraham Zaccuth doth purposely dispute it. One conjecture about this matter is from that Tradition mentioned in Joma. That against the day of expiation, when the High-priest was to go into the most Holy place: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 b 1.2 They appointed another Priest in his stead, who might supply the solemn work of that day, if any uncleanness did befal the High∣priest himself: And R. Judah also saith, they appointed him another wife lest his own wife should have died, because he was enjoyned to atone for himself and for his house, that is, for his wife: Now it is conceived by some, that this Priest that was appointed as a reserve, if any thing had befallen the High-priest, to make him unfit for that work, was called the Sagan. c 1.3 Josephus giveth one example, when the work of the day of Expiation was carried on by such a substitute; but this opinion maketh the Sagan useful but for one week in the year, whereas it appeareth by the Jewish records that he was in a continual office all the year thorough. Some therefore again conjecture, that the Sagan was to be he that was to be the next High-priest, and in his Sagan-ship was as a Candidate for that Office. d 1.4 So R. Solomon calleth Eleazar the son of Aaron the Sagan: And e 1.5 the Jerusalem Talmud observes that none was High-priest unless he had been Sagan first; but there are two arguments that oppose this opinion; the first is, because the High-priests, after the time of Herod especially, were so made at the arbitrary disposal of the Governor;

that it is not imaginable that they ever regarded whether he had been Sagan before or no. And another is, because in all the Old Testament where the succession of the High∣priesthood was fair and legal, and it was still known who should be High-priest next, yet there is never mention of the word or of the thing Sagan, but only in 2 King. 25. 18. and Jer. 52. 24. where is mention of Zephaniah the second Priest, and the Chaldee Para∣phrast calls him Sagan: Now unless he were son to Serajah, which I know not who ever held, he was in no possibility of the High-priesthood, had the Temple scaped the Baby∣lonian fire and desolation.

For the discovering therefore what the Sagan was, and under what notion he came into his Office, it is observable that he is most commonly called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Sagan of the Priests: So the Chaldee in the two places cited, titleth Zephaniah. So the Talmud in two places in the Treatise Shekalim speaketh of f 1.6 Ananias the Sagan of the Priests: and in divers places both in the Talmud and in other Hebrew writers, the phrase is used in this conjuncture 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Sagan of the Priests. By the which it seemeth his Office had relation as much, if not more, to Priests below him, as to the High-priest above him: and I know not what fitter conception to have of him than this, that he was as the High-priests Substitute, in his absence to oversee, or in his presence to assist in the oversight of the affairs of the Temple, and the service of the Priests: For although it is true, that in some particulars his attendance did especially respect the High-priests person, as in three reckoned by g 1.7 the Talmud of Jerusalem, yet did his Office also relate to the Priests below him, and so saith Maymonides 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 h 1.8 That all the Priests were under the disposal or command of the Sagan. For the High-priest having the chief charge and care of the holy things, and that burden and incumbency being of so great a weight, he was forced to get an assistance to help him to bear the burden [nay sometime the silliness and weakness of the High-priest did add to this necessity] and to this his assistant had the inferior Priests a respect and observance as to the High-priest himself. This was called i 1.9 especially the Memunuch or President above all the fifteen that have been named, because upon him lay the great charge of the looking to the service, as the High-priests Deputy; and of this President we shall have occasion to make somewhat frequent mention when we come to speak of the service.

In such a sense it was observed before, that Zadok and Ahimelech are said to be Priests in the days of Abiathar the High-priest, he the chief, and they in the chief care and charge and oversight under him: And whether Annas and Cajaphas may not be said to be High-priests together in this sense, Luke 3. 2. namely Cajaphas High-priest, and Annas his Sagan [the Hananiah the Sagan of the Priests mentioned out of the Talmud before] be it referred to the Learned to determine: I was * 1.10 once of another mind I confess, and supposed Annas to be called High-priest, because a Priest and head of the Sanhedrin, in which I was too credulous to Baronius a man far better skilled in Christian Antiquity than in Jewish; but now I find that never any such man was head of the Sanhedrin at all; and therefore I am now swayed to believe that Annas is called High-priest, as indeed having been so once, but now deposed, and now the Sagan under Cajaphas.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Iuchasin fol. 57.
• b 1.2

  Ioma per. 1. ab initi••.
• c 1.3

  Ioseph. Ant. lib. 17. cap. 8.
• d 1.4

  R. Sol. in Num. 19.
• e 1.5

  Aruch. in Sagan. & Iuchas. ubi sup.
• f 1.6

  Shekalim per. 3. & per. 6.
• g 1.7

  Talm. Ierus. Ioma. per. 3.
• h 1.8

  Maym. in Kele Mik. per. 4.
• i 1.9

  Id. ibid.
• * 1.10

  In Harm. of Evang. at the notes on Luke 32.