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. Their searching out for Leaven.

THE next care they were to have in reference to the Passeover, was to refrain from the eating and use of Leaven at Passeover time, and that at the time when the Passeover was slain it should not be found within their houses. The Law in this point was exceeding strict. In the first month on the fourteenth day of the month at Even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the Month at Even. Seven days there shall be no leaven found in your houses, for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the Congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger or born in the land, Exod. 12. 18, 19. & 13. 7. and so in Lev. 23. 6. Numb. 28. 17.

Now what analogy there was between this Law and their redeeming out of Egypt, and what relation the one could have to the other, Abarbinel disputing, concludeth thus, a 1.1 that it lay in this, because it signified unto them the hastiness of their coming out of Egypt, insomuch that they had not time to leaven their bread, as Exod. 12. 39. and he addeth withal, that in those hot Countries, bread will not keep above a day, unless it be lea∣vened: so that the command of unleavened bread might read unto them in that respect a Lecture of dependance upon Providence, when they were enjoyned to forsake the com∣mon and known way of preserving their bread, and to betake themselves to a way ex∣traordinary and unsafe, but only that they had the Command of God, and his Injunction for that way, and they must learn to live by the word of God.

The Jews to meet with this Command that was so exceeding strict, and to make sure to provide for its observance soon enough, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 b 1.2 Did on the fourteenth day while yet there was some light; make search for leaven by the light of a Candle. Thus is the Tradition, in which by the light of the fourteenth day their Glossaries tell us that we must understand c 1.3 the thirteenth day at even, when it began to be duskish and candle-lighting. The rubrick of the Passeover in the Hebrew and Spa∣nish tongues renders it in Hebrew Letters, but in the Spanish Language thus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 En entrada di quatorze del mez de Nisan, d 1.4 At the entrance of the fourteenth day of the Month Nisan, they searched for leaven in all the places where they were wont to use leaven, (in Barnes, Stables, and such out houses they needed not to search) even in holes and cranies, and that not by light of Sun and Moon, or Torch, but by the light of a wax candle, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 i. e. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 con candela di cera. And the reason why they used a Candle rather than any other light, was e 1.5 because it is the fittest for searching holes and corners, f 1.6 and because the Scripture speaketh of searching Jerusalem with Candles.

g 1.7 After the evening of the fourteenth day was come in, (which was after Sun setting) they might not go about any work (no not to the study of the Law) till they had gone

about this search; therefore h 1.8 there was not so much as Divinity Lectures that evening▪ lest they should hinder that work.

i 1.9 Before he began to search he said this short ejaculation, Blessed be thou O Lord our God, the King everlasting, who hath sanctified us by his commandments, and hath enjoyned us the putting away of leaven. And he might not speak a word betwixt this praying and searching, but must fall to work, and what leaven he found he must put it in some box, or hang it up in such a place as that no Mouse might come at it. And he was to give it up for nul in these words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. All the leaven that is within my Possession, which I have seen, or which I have not seen, be it null, be it as the dust of the earth.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Abarbinel in Exod. 12. fol. 151.
• b 1.2

  Talm. in Pesachin. per. 1.
• c 1.3

  R. Sol. & Gloss. R. Alphes. in Pesach. per. 1. Maym. in H••a∣mets ••matsah. per. 2.
• d 1.4

  Seder. Hag∣gadah Shel. Pesach. fol. 1.
• e 1.5

  R. Alphes ubi supr.
• f 1.6

  Tosapht. in Pesach. per. 1.
• g 1.7

  Seder Hag∣gadah ubi supr.
• h 1.8

  Maym. ubi supr.
• i 1.9

  Id. ibid. cap. 3. & Seder Haggad. ••••is••p.