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. II. KATHOLIKIN.

EIther Maymony himself, or his Transcriber, hath put a twofold reading upon this word: For in his a 1.1 Jad Hazakah he reads it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Kathikolin but in his b 1.2 comment upon the Talmud Text he reads it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Kathilokin; and with the latter the c 1.3 Jerusalem Talmud, and other Jews agree something near, and utter it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ka∣tholkin Catholici: The Gloss interprets it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Presidents or chief Over∣seers of the Treasures: And so might the use of the word be shewed in other Authors, sometime to signifie chief Treasurers, and sometime to signifie chief Favorites or Officers. d 1.4 Rabbi Tanchuma compares Moses and Aaron in reference to God, to two Kathlikin [for so he writes it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] in reference to a King: For speaking of Gods command∣ing Moses and Aaron to go up into mount Hor and Nebo and there to die, he utters this Parable: To what is this matter like? It is like to a King that had two Katholici, who did nothing without the will of the King: one of them had some difference with the King, and the King had need of him; the King saith, although this man is in my power, yet will I not differ with him but he shall know it: So also the holy blessed God saith, these two righteous men never did any thing but according to my mind, and now I will take them away, yet I will let them know it, &c. In this comparison he takes Katholikin to be chief Favourites or Officers, without designing any peculiar Office that they were in; e 1.5 but other of the Hebrew writers assign them to the Treasuries; as Bamid bar Rabba that saith, Korah was

Katholicus to the King of Egypt, and had the keys of his Treasures: nay the same Tanchu∣mah in another Parable putteth that sense upon the word also, for he saith, f 1.6 It is like unto a King that made his friend his Katholicus, and set him over his treasures: Katholiciani in the terms of the Law, of old, signified Rationum Praefecti, the Overseers of Accounts, as is observed by the most Learned Buxtorfius.

We need not to be curious in determining these men to a peculiar Office, they were two men that were in the highest Office and Employment about the Temple, and but only two men above them, The High-priest and the Sagan: and whereas there were three com∣mon Treasurers of the Temple stock, [as we shall see by and by] these two were Head∣treasurers and Overseers over them; much like the constitution of the Presidents in the Persian State, where 120 Princes were set over the 120 Provinces, and three Presidents were set over all these to take account of them, Dan. 6. 1, 2. Maymony gives this short character of these Katholikin; That 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 g 1.7 They appointed the Kathicolin or Katholikin, to be to the Sagan, as the Sagan was to the High∣priest: substitutes and assistants, and next in place and in honour. The business of the Temple consisted especially in these two things, its service, and the disposal of its treasury or stock that came by Oblations or otherwise: Now as there were inferiour Priests that performed the dayly service, and as there were inferior Treasurers or Receivers that re∣ceived the Offerings and whatsoever was brought in into the common stock, so these four men especially, the High-priest, Sagan and the two Katholikin, were Overseers both of the one and the other: that the Treasury might be disposed fitly for the Temple service, and that the service might be performed as was fitting.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Kele Mikd. per. 4.
• b 1.2

  Gloss. in Talm. Shekal. per. 5.
• c 1.3

  Ibid. in Gemara.
• d 1.4

  Ielammede∣nu. fol. 83. col. 1.
• e 1.5

  Vid. Buxt. lexic. Talm. in voce.
• f 1.6

  Aruch. in voce.
• g 1.7

  Maym. in Kele Mikd. per. 4.