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.

CHAP. I. Of the Situation of Mount MORIAH: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (Book 1)

MORIAH * 1.1 the Mountain of the Lords House, from whencesoever it had its denomination (about which there are various conjectures) it is certain, it had its designation for that use and honour to which it was imployed, ‖ 1.2 by fire from Heaven, and of old time, * 1.3 by Abra∣ham's offering up his So•• Isaac there in a figure. a 1.4 Some are of opi∣nion that it was called Moriah from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Instruction, because from thence there went forth a Law and Doctrine for all Israel: b 1.5 others conceive the name to have been derived from the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mor, which betokeneth Myrrh, and spicery, because it was to be the only place of offering▪ Incense; c 1.6 others from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Morech jah, The Lord will be visible, because the Son of God was to appear there in humane flesh. And so they all repute, that it carried a notation pre∣dictive, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 referring to something that was to occur there in time to come. But if we will apply the Etymology of it to that time present, when it and the Country about it, and first take that name of the Land of Moriah, we may construe it, The Land of a teacher of God, (as John III. 2.) or the Land of the Lord my teacher, as being the Territory of Sem, or Mel∣chisedeck, the great Teacher of the ways of the Lord, (while the Canaanites round about did walk in blindness, and were led by Teachers only of delusion) and the Land which the Lord his teacher had designed to him in the prediction of his Father Noah.

d 1.7 This Mount was so seated in the midst of Jerusalem, that the City lay 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in form of a Theatre round about it. e 1.8 On the South lay Jerusalem it self built upon Mount Acra, and Acra naturally higher than Moriah, f 1.9 but much levelled by the Asmonean Family in the time of their reign, and the valley betwixt, well raised and filled up with Earth, that both the Temple might over-top the buildings on Acra, and that the com∣ing up from the City to the Temple, might be the more plain and easie, compare Luke III. 5. g 1.10 On the North side lay Mount Sion, furnished with the gallant buildings of the Palace, Court, and City of David. These two Mountains Acra and Sion, and the Cities

built upon them (the London and Westminster, City, and Court of the Land of Canaan) did so decline and descend upon their South-East and North-East points, that on the East and West of the Temple they met and saluted each other in a valley, having also a deep valley betwixt them and the Temple on every side, but only on the South, where it was the less deep, because of the levelling, mentioned immediately before.

Although this Mount Moriah were not so high of it self as the two Hills on either side it, yet was it of a great pitc•• and steepness, h 1.11 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 A strong heap, ••••••ep, and deep •••• every side. And it was a discerning note of a young male ch••••d, i 1.12 That he was bound to appear before the Lord, at the three Festivals, if he were once come to be able, to go up the Mountain of the Temple holding his Father by the hand.

This Mount fell so in the division of the Land, that part of it was in the lot of one Tribe, and part of it in another; k 1.13 For most part of the Courts was in the portion of Ju∣dah, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Altar, Porch, Temple, ••••d most holy place were in the portion of Benjamin. And that part that lay in the portion of Judah was made hollow under 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ••ith arches built upon arches underneath, (saith Mai∣mony) l 1.14 because of the Tent of defile••••nt.

Now this that he calleth the Tent of defilement, might very well be supposed to be a Sink, or common Shore, made under ground, and arched over for the conveyance of all the filth and wash of the Courts away, (and that there was such a thing we shall see hereafter) but he explaineth himself in another place, and saith that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 m 1.15 All the Mountain of the house (that is the outmost space) and all the other Courts were hollow under, because of an abyss or deep grave. Now the Talmudicks do use to call a Sunk, unseen or unsuspected grave, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 n 1.16 an abyss grave, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the Gospel language, Luke IX. 44. And so they call an unseen or unknown uncleaness, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 o 1.17 An abyss of uncleannesses, and they oppose to it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 An uncleanne known of. Wherefore that they might be sure that there should be no graves secretly made in any of the Courts of the Temple, by which they might be defiled, they arched all the Courts under ground, so as that there were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Arches upon arches (as my Author expresseth it, which he explain∣eth in another p 1.18 place, in another story of the like nature) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 One arch set upon two arches, so that the feet of an arch stood upon two arches that were under it. And so it was either impossible to bury above the Arch for want of soil, or if it were possible to bury below the arches, it was deep and far enough from defiling.

Notes

• * 1.1

  2 Chron. 3. ••. ••s. 2. 2.
• ‖ 1.2

  1 Chron. 21. 26. & 22. 1.
• * 1.3

  Gen. 22. 2, &c.
• a 1.4

  R. Sol. in Gen. 22.
• b 1.5

  Onkel, Ibid.
• c 1.6

  ••••ll••r ••••••s••••••. ••••••. 2. cap. 1••.
• d 1.7

  Joseph. An∣ti••••, l. 15. c. 14.
• e 1.8

  ••••d. Ezek. 40. 2. & Kimch. ibid. & Tosaph. ad Kelim.
• f 1.9

  ••••s. de Bell! lib. 5. cap. 13.
• g 1.10

  Psal. 4••. 2. Aben Ezra, ••b.
• h 1.11

  Id. de Bell. lib. 5. cap. 14.
• i 1.12

  Hagigah per. 1.
• k 1.13

  Avoth R. Na∣than. per. 34. Zevachin, per. 5. in Gemara.
• l 1.14

  Beth abbeki∣rah, per. 5.
• m 1.15

  Maym. Pa∣rah, per. 2.
• n 1.16

  Talm. Bab. Parah, per. 3. Gloss. ibid.
• o 1.17

  Nazir. per. 1. & Maym. in Bi∣ath Mikdash per. 4.
• p 1.18

  Id. in Parah per. 3.