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.

The Book of PSALMS. (Book Psalms)

BEsides those Psalms that we have already mentioned, and ranked as we have come along, there are about 120 more that are of an uncertain date, or of uncertain Authors, or both, and therefore not certainly to be applied to any fixed time or occasion, and yet may not unfitly nor impertinently be taken in here at the end of the five and twentieth Chapter of the first of Chronicles: For when the Reader hath there seen how David dis∣poseth of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to be chief Singers in the Temple, and their Sons under their hand, he may very properly turn his thoughts to those Psalms that were committed to these men to sing, or that were made by them to be sung.

He will find twelve that bear the name of Asaph, viz. Psal. 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83. whether all or any of these were made by Asaph, or committed to him being made by some other I will not dispute: be it the one or the other, it is very seasonable and very Chronical to take these Psalms to thought, when the Text before you in the Book of Chronicles is telling you of Asaph set up a chief singer, and his sons under him.

There is but one Psalm in the Book that bears the name of Heman in the front of it, and that is, Psal. 88. But that Heman that made that Psalm, and this Heman that was appointed by David to be a chief singer, were two diffe∣rent men, of two several Tribes, and of far distant times: For Heman that made the 88 Psalm was of the Tribe of Judah, the immediate son of Zera, and lived in Aegypt in the time of Israels affliction there: see 1 Chron. 2. 6. but this Heman the singer was a Levite, living in the time of David, and was the Grand-child of Shemuel, 1 Chron. 6. 33. therefore there is not one Psalm at all that bears the name of this Heman that we have in hand, and yet there are divers that have reference to him, and to his sons though under another ti∣tle; for this Heman was of the stock and line of Korah, 1 Chron. 6. 33. 37. and all those Psalms that bear the name of the sons of Korah in their front and title refer to him and his sons, as Psalm 42. 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49. 84, 85, 87.

Jeduthun is named only in the title of three Psalms, viz. 39. 62. & 77. Now besides all these that have been named, both now as referring to these three men, and before as owning David for their Author, and holding out the occasion whereupon they were made; there are very many Psalms that have no title at all, and own neither Author nor occasion, by whom and upon which they were made: and there are very many again that own David for their Author, but own not the occasion of their making; since therefore it is not possible to re∣duce and fix these to their proper time and place in the History and Chronolo∣gy, this may be as fit a place to take them in as any other, namely, now in the conclusion of Davids Story. The Septuagint that we have, if we would take their direction, would help us both to find the Authors of many Psalms, and the occasion of many others, when neither the one nor the other is mentioned in the title of the Psalm it self. As Psal. 33. 43, 91. 95. 96, 98. 99. 104. they ascribe to David, Psalm 137. to Jeremy. Psalm 145, 146, 147, 148. to Haggai and Zachary. Psal. 71. to the Sons of Jonadab and the people of the first Captivity. And so for occasions, Psal. 66. They title, A Psalm of the Resurrection. Psal. 76.

A Song to the Assyrian. Psal. 48. For the second day of the week. Psal. 94. For the fourth day of the week. Psal. 93. For the day before the Sabbath when the earth was inhabited. Psal. 24. For the first day of the week. Psal. 38. Concerning the Sabbath. Psal. 27. Before David was anointed. Psal. 29. At the going out of the Tabernacle. Psal. 143. When his son persecuted him. Psal. 144. To Goliah, &c. But these things I only name, I dare not recommend them to the Reader for his direction: I know the occasions of the most if not of all the Psalms, that name it not themselves, is guessed at and conjectured by various Authors, and variously, and so might I have done likewise, and fixed all these Psalms to one place or other of the Story as it hath been drawn along; but this I had rather the Reader should do himself, then I to do it to his hands, and then he to dislike it: I have conjectured at two or three Psalms before in this kind, and let that suffice.

1 CHRON. XXVI. XXVII. XXVIII. & XXIX. to vers. 26.

MOre Officers disposed of about the Temple, the chief heads of the peo∣ple Commanders of the Army and Officers of the King are numbred and setled. And thus the chief Agents both in Church and State be∣ing fixed and determined, and now altogether they anoint Solomon a second time, &c.

1 KING. II. to ver. 12. and with ver. 10, 11. Read 1 CHRON. XXIX. ver. 26. 27, 28, 29, 30.

DAVID dying leaveth charge with Solomon about Joab, Shimei, &c. He dieth seventy years old, see Psal. 90. 10. and Esay 23. 15. A very glorious Type of Christ, in his birth in Bethlehem, in his Shepheardry, in his victory over Goliah, in his power over Sauls Devil. In his persecutions in his Kingdom, in his victoriousness over his Enemies, in his setling of Religion, and the service of God, &c.

The time of his reign is certainly fixed and determiend in a gross sum of forty years, but for particular passages to own them particular years there is very lit∣tle certainty; or if there be certainty, it is very obseure: I want not ground for the times according to which I have laid them, though to avoid prolixity, I have avoided to express and to dispute them, I shall only here name one or two things that have swayed with me, to suppose of the particular times of Davids reign, as I have laid them.

I was once of opinion, and I went not alone in it, but had abundance both of Jews and Christians that were of the same mind, that Saul reigned but three years in all, 1 Sam. 13. 1. and that the forty years mentioned at the break∣ing out of Absaloms rebellion, 2 Sam. 15. 7. were to be reckoned from the time of Sauls first anointing, or of Israels asking a King, and so that that rebellion fell out in the seven and thirtieth year of the reign of David. But now having a second time as seriously as I can viewed the times, and finding so many things occurring betwixt the first anointing of Saul and the days of his death, as are not imaginable to have been acted in three years, especially it being said, that David was one whole year and four months in the country of the Philistims, after all his persecutions, and before Sauls death, 1 Sam. 27. 7. and it appearing also most probable according to the order, as the Chapters themselves lye, that the three years famine for the Gibeonites were after Davids restoring to his Kingdom again after Absaloms rebellion; I cannot but upon these second thoughts re∣tract my first, and conceive of these times according as I have laid them now, with these conceptions concerning them.

• 1. That Davids numbring and setling the Officers of State, and the Priests and Levites, was in his fortieth year, 1 Chron. 26. 31.
• 2. That this was begun presently upon the Lords designing the place of the Temple by fire from Heaven, 1 Chron. 22. 1, 2. which was in Davids thirty ninth, 2 Sam. 24. 8.
• 3. That the year that David sinfully numbred the people, was the very next year after the three years famine, 2 Sam. 24. 13.
• 4. That the first of these three years famine was the year that next followed the year of Absaloms rebellion.
• 5. That the year of that rebellion was forty years after Davids first anointing in Bethlehem.
• ...

• 6. That Saul reigned but three years before that anointing of David. And though he lived five years after, yet are not those years reputed of his reign, for now the Lord had cast him off, and he acted not now the part of a King but a Persecutor.

1 KING. II. from ver. 12. to ver. 39.

[World 2990] [Solomon 1] SOLOMON reigned: Adonijah slain for desiring his fathers wife: Abia∣thar of the line of Ithamar, put from the High Priesthood. Joabs blood shed at the Altar: Benaiah a Priest the Executioner, and made General of the Army: Shimei is confirmed. This year Solomon begetteth Rehoboam of a Lady of Ammon, see 1 King. 14. 21. &c.

2 CHRON. I. to vers. 14. 1 KING. 3. from ver. 3. to the end.

THE Story of the death of Shimei is anticipated and joyned to the Story of his confinement, though it were three years after, that the Relation might have done with Shimei at once. So also is the Story of Solomons marry∣ing Pharaohs daughter, laid sooner then its Chronical time; for it was not before Solomons going to Gibeon, and there begging wisdom, but it was after. But the reason of the placing of it before, is given by the Jews to be because he married not Pharaohs daughter before he had slain Shimei; and therefore the Stories of them are so laid together: But upon viewing well the scope of the Stories preceeding, about the death of Joab, and the exclusion of Abishai from the Priesthood, &c. the reason of joyning Solomons marriage with Pha∣raohs daughter will easily appear; namely, because the Text would lay the po∣litick ways of Solomon for the establishing of his Kingdom close together; and those were these two, The taking away those that might disquiet it at home; and by making league and affinity with powerful Princes abroad: And then it cometh to tell the sure and divine way how to make it sure; and that it also expresseth to be two, namely, loving the Lord, and begging wisdom of him.

At Gibeon was the greatest Synagogue in the Land, for there stood the Ta∣bernacle, and the brazen Altar that Moses had made; being brought thither as to the chief residence of the sons of Ithamar, who waited on the Sanctuary when Shiloh fell. There Solomon asketh wisdom of the Lord, and obtaineth it: And coming to Jerusalem, he sheweth it in determining the doubtful case be∣tween the two Harlots. He was now but twelve years old.

1 KING. XI. ver. 21, 22.

THE very reading of ver. 21. doth plainly shew, that it is proper to take in this Story of Hadads returning to his own Country here.

CHAP. IV, V. 2 CHRON. I. vers. 14, 15, 16, 17. And II. all.

[Solomon 2] THE matter of the fourth Chapter of Kings, and the conclusion of [Solomon 3] 1 Chron. 1. is not of a fixed and determinate date, tied to any one year, but it runneth through the story of many years; for it sheweth the growth and continuance of Solomons strength, establishment, and prosperity in his Kingdom, and the evidencing of his wisdom, all his time till his declining to Idolatry: And therefore as for the method and place of it, it might be laid even any where in the Story of all that time, this construction being made of it where∣soever it is laid. But the Holy Ghost hath laid it in the beginning of his Histo∣ry, that that general matter concerning his power and prosperity, might be con∣cluded before the relation come to speak of particular actions. It is no doubt but the transfaction of business betwixt Solomon and Hiram King of Tyre, was very early in Solomons reign, because he would not loose time towards the building of the Temple. But the Text would dispatch the other before, as a general thing, that particular Stories might be fallen upon, and receive no in∣terruption.

Hiram or Hirom or H••ram, King of Tyre, [for all these ways his name is written] confesseth God the Creator, 2 Chron. 2. 12. maketh a Covenant with Solomon; supplieth him with necessaries for his building, and sendeth him a choice workman, Hiram. This Hirams father was of the Tribe of Naphtali,

1 King. 7. 14. but said to be a Tyrian because he dwelt there, [as Obed-Edom a Levite is said to be a Gittite] his mother was of the Tribe of Dan, 2 Chron. 2. 14. the place of Idolatry.

Solomon setteth one hundred fifty three thousand six hundred Proselites to frame materials for the Temple, seventy thousand to bear burdens, eighty thousand to be hewers in the mountains, and three thousand six hundred over∣seers, 2 Chron. 2. 18. that is, three thousand three hundred overseers of the one hundred and fifty thousand Workmen, 1 King. 5. 16. and three hundred overseers of them and all.

The Princes of Solomon at home, and his chief Officers for his houshold pro∣vision reckoned, 1 King. 4. Azariah the Son of Zadok, ver. 2. that is, the Son of Ahimaaz the Son of Zadok, 1 Chron. 6. 8, 9. is chief of the Sanhedrin. Za∣dok and Abiathar, are Priests ver. 4. though Abiathar was expelled by Solomon from the High Priesthood, Chap. 2. 26. Yet might he exercise the Function of a Priest at Gibeon, till the Temple was built. There were twelve Officers for the twelve Months 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 vers. 19. which the Rabbins interpret, And one Officer which was in the Land for the Leap-year, or for the thirteenth Month which befel every third year. Solomon had four thousand Stables of Horses and Chariots, 2 Chron. 9. 25. that is forty thousand Stalls of Horses for his Chariots, 1 King. 4. 2. one Horse in every Stall, and ten Horses to a Chariot, and in a Stable. So seven hundred Chariots, 2 Sam. 10. 18. is rendred seven thousand, 1 Chron. 19. 18. that is, seven thousand men with seven hundred Cha∣riots, ten to a Chariot. Solomon is said to be wiser then Heman, and Ethan, and Chalcol, and Darda, that is, in humane learning; for these men lived in Egypt in the time of Israels affliction there, and it seemeth were singularly skilled in all the wisdom of the Egyptians: Yet Solomon went beyond them in Philosophy.

CHAP. II. from vers. 39. to the end. And CHAP. III. vers. 1, 2.

ABout the latter end of Solomons third year, or beginning of his fourth, Shimei compasseth his own death, by breaking the bonds and bounds of his consinement. And as the Jews held; Solomon after that marrieth Pha∣raohs daughter. The time is uncertain, and the determination of it not much material. Solomon preferreth her before the rest of his wives, for they were of Nations that were his Subjects, but she the daughter of an intire King, and by this match he allieth that potent King to him, and secureth himself the better abroad; especially from Hadad his Enemy, who had married a Lady from the same Court, 1 King. 11. 19.

CHAP. VI. all. And VII. from vers. 13. to the end. 2 CHRON. III; IV.

[World 2993] [Solomon 4] THE foundation of the Temple laid on Mount Moriah, where Isaac had [Solomon 5] been offered: It is said, That the foundation of the house of the Lord was [Solomon 6] laid in Solomons fourth year, in the month Zif, or the second month, and in the eleventh year in the month Bul (which is the eighth month) it was finished, and [Solomon 7] [Solomon 8] so was he seven years in building it. It was exactly seven years and six months [Solomon 9] in building, but the odd six months are omitted for roundness of the sum, as [Solomon 10] the six odd months are of Davids reigning in Hebron. Compare 1 King. 2. 11 with 2 Sam. 5. 5.

Now the beginning of the seventh Chapter of 1 Kings relateth the Story of Solomons building his own house, before it come to mention the furniture of the Temple: because the Holy Ghost would mention all Solomons fabricks together: or the piles of his buildings before it come to speak of the fur∣niture of any.

CHAP. VIII. all. 2 CHRON. V. & VI. & VII. to ver. 11.

[World 3000] [Solomon 11] THE Temple finished in the three thousand year of the world: and dedica∣ted by Solomon with Sacrifice and Prayer: and by the Lord with fire from Heaven, and the cloud of glory. This dedication of the Temple was in the month Tisri, or Ethanim, the seventh month answering to part of our September, at which time of the year our Saviour, whom this Temple typified, Joh. 2. 19. was born, and 29 years after Baptized.

And thus have we an account of three thousand years of the world, beginning with the Creation, and ending with the finishing of Solomons Temple.

CHAP. VII. From vers. 1. to vers. 13.

[World 3001] [Solomon 12] SOLOMON after the building of the house of the Lord buildeth his [Solomon 13] own house in Jerusalem, and buildeth a summer house in Lebanon, and an [Solomon 14] house for Pharaohs Daughter and his own Throne, so sumptuous as there was [Solomon 15] not the like: And thus doth he take up twenty years in this kind of work in [Solomon 16] building the house of the Lord, and his own houses. His wisdom, power, [Solomon 17] [Solomon 18] peace, and magnificence exceeding all Kings upon earth, did make him not on∣ly [Solomon 19] renowned among all people▪ but also in these he became a type of Christ. [Solomon 20] Thus high in all eminencies and perfections that earth could afford did the [Solomon 21] Lord exalt him, and yet afterward suffered him so fouly to fall, that he like [Solomon 22] Adam in happiness might exemplifie, that no earthly felicity can be durable, and [Solomon 23] that here is nothing to be trusted to, but all things vanity, but the Kingdom [Solomon 24] that is not of this world.

CHAP. IX. From beginning to Vers. 10. 2 CHRON. VII. From Vers. 11. to the end.

SOLOMON hath an answer to his prayer, made in the Temple thirteen years ago: Then the Lord made a return to it, by fire and a cloud, and here he doth the like again by an apparition: this is the second time that the Lord appeareth to him. The first was when he was even entring and begin∣ning upon his Kingdom, and this is, now he is come to the height of settle∣ment, and prosperity in it.

CHAP. IX. From Vers. 10. to the end. 2 CHRON. VIII. all.

[Solomon 25] SOLOMON buildeth Cities up and down the Country, conquereth [Solomon 26] Hamath Zobah, setleth Pharaohs Daughter in the house he had built for her, [Solomon 27] setteth out a Fleet at Ezion-Geber for Ophir, is growing still more and [Solomon 28] more potent, rich and magnificent. Is constant still and forward in Religion, [Solomon 29] and offereth a constant rate of Sacrifices every day, and extraordinary ones at [Solomon 30] the solemn festivities.