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. LVI. Samaria. Sychem. (Book 56)

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a 1.1 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. The Country of Samaria lies in the middle between Judea and Gallilee. For it begins at a Town called Ginea, lying in the great plain, and ends at the Toparchy of the Acrobateni: the nature of it nothing differing from Judea, &c.

[* 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, b 1.2 Acrabata was distant from Jerusalem, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the space of a days journy Northwards.]

Samaria under the first Temple was the name of a City, under the second of a Coun∣try. Its Metropolis at that time was Sychem; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, c 1.3 A place desti∣ned to revenges: and which the Jews, as it seems, reproached under the name of Sychar: Joh. IV. 5. from the words of the Prophet 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Wo to the drunken Ephra∣mites, Esa, XXVIII. 1. The Mountains of Gerizim and Ebal touched on it.

The City Samaria was at last called Sebaste: and Sychem, Neapolis. R. Benjamin thus writes of them. d 1.4 Sebaste [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] is Samaria; where still the Pallace of Ahab King of Israel is known. Now that City was in a mountain, and well fortified, and in it were springs, and well watered land, and Gardens, and Paradises, and Vinyards, and Oliveyards. And two Parsae thence (eight miles) is Neapolis; which is also Sychem, in mount Ephraim. And it is seated in a valley between the mountains Garizim and Ebal: and in it are about an hundred Cutheans observing the Law of Moses only, and they are called Samaritans: and they have Priests of the seed of Aaron. And a little after, They sacrifice in the Temple in mount Gerizim, on the day of the Passover, and the feast days, upon the Altar, which they built up∣on mount Gerizim, of those stones, which the children of Israel set up, when they passed over Jordan, &c. And afterwards, In mount Gerizim are Fountains and Paradises: but mount Ebal is dry like the stones and rocks: and between them in the valley is the City Sichem.

Josephus speaking of Vespasian; e 1.5 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. He turned away to Ammaus, thence through the Country of Samaria, and by Neapolis so called, but Mabartha by the Inhabitants, &c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Maabartha.

f 1.6 R. Ismael ben R. Josi, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, went to Neapolis. The Cutheans came to him: to whom he said, I see that ye do not worship to that mountain, but to the Idols, which are under it: for it is written; And Jacob hid the Idols under the Grove, which was near Shechem.

You may not improperly divide the times of Samaria under the second Temple, into Heathenism, namely before the building of the Temple at Garizim, and after that into Samaritanism, as it was distinguished from Judaism, and as it was an Apostasie from it: although both Religions indeed, departed not an hairs bredth from deceitful super∣stition.

The Author of Juchasin does not speak amiss here. g 1.7

Then (under Simeon the Just) Israel went into parties. Part followed Simeon the Just, and Antigonus his Scholar, and their School; as they had learned from Ezra and the Prophets: Part Sanaballat, and his son in law: and they offered sacrifices without the Temple of God, and instituted rites out of their own heart. In that Temple, Manasseh, the son in law of Sanaballat, the son of Jehoshua, the son of Jozedek the high Priest performed the Priests office. And at that time Zadok and Baithus, the Scholars of Antigonus did flourish; and hence was the beginning of the Schism; namely, when in the days of Antigonus many went back to mount Gerizim.

h 1.8 That Temple flourished about two hundred years, and i 1.9 it perished by the sword and fire of Hyrcanus: but the Samaritane superstition perished not, but lasted for many ages; as odious to the Jews as Heathenism, Joh. IV. 9. Yet they confess that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 l 1.10 the land of the Samaritanes was clean, and their fountains claen, and their dwellings clean, and their paths clean. But much dispute is made about their victuals, in the place noted in the margin. R. Jacob Bar Acha in the name of R. Lazar saith,

The victuals of the Cutheans are lawful, which is to be understood of that food, with which their wine and vinegar is not mingled. It is a Tradition. They sometime said, Why is the wine of Ugdor, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] forbidden? Because of (its nearness to) Caphar Pagash. Why the wine of Burgatha? Because of Birath Sorika. Why the wine of En Cushith? Because of Caphar Salama. But they said afterwards. If it be open, it is every where forbidden; if it be covered, it is lawful.

And a story concerning R. Simeon ben Lazar follows; who came into a certain City of the Samaritanes, and a certain Samaritane Scribe came to him; from whom when he asked something to drink, and it was set before him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, he doubt∣ed about it, &c. And other things to that purpose are read not much after. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

No wine was found in all Samaria on a certain Eve of the Sab∣bath, but in the end of the Sabbath there was abundance; for the Syrians had brought it, and the Samaritanes received it of them, &c.

m 1.11 They took not the half shekel of the Cutheans, nor the pigeons of women after child birth, &c. n 1.12 Rabbi said,

A Samaritane is as a Heathen. R. Simeon ben Gamaliel saith, A Cuthean is as an Israelite in all things. R. Lazar, The tradition is concer∣ning the Heathen, not concerning the Cutheans, &c. But the Tradition contradicts R. Lazar, &c.

But that deserves to be observed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 o 1.13

The Cutheans, when they make their unlevened bread with the Israelites, are to be believed concerning the putting away of leven: but when they do not make their unlevened bread with the Israelites, are not to be believed concerning the putting away of leven. R. Josah saith, This is to be understood of them as to their houses; but as to their Courts, they may be suspected: for so they interpret, Leven shall not be found in your houses; not, In your Courts. It is a Tradition. Rabban Simeon ben Ga∣maliel saith, In whatsoever precept the Cutheans converse, they are more accurate in it, than the Israelites. This is to be understood, saith R. Simeon, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Concerning the time past, namely when they were scattered about in their Towns; but now when they have neither precept, nor any remainders of a precept, they are suspected, and they are corrupted.

The word -〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, they that were scatter∣ed, from a word that signifies drowning, brings that of R. Abhu to mind, who said 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, p 1.14 Thirteen Cities were drowned among the Cutheans, that is, mixed and confounded among them. It is something difficult, what that means, They were scattered in their Towns, whether it is spoken of the Cutheans residing within their own Towns, or of the Jews residing with them, or of them residing with the Jews. Whatsoever that is, it is clear certainly both hence and elsewhere, that the Samaritans sometime did dwell together with the Jews, being here and there sprinkled among them, and the Jews here and there among the Samaritans. Certainly that is worthy of obser∣ving, which Josephus relates of Herod, rebuilding Sebaste, heretofore called Samaria: q 1.15 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c.

In the land of Samaria (saith he) he compassed a City with a very fair wall twenty furlongs, and brought six thousand inhabitants into

it, (Do you think all these were Samaritans?) and on these he bestowed a very fertile land, and in the middle of this work he set up a very great Temple to Cesar, and made a Grove about it of three half furlongs, and called the City Sebaste.

The Samaritans, r 1.16 saith R. Benjamin, have not the letters 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 He, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ain, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Cheth.〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, He is in the name of Abraham, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, And they have not Honour. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Cheth is in the name of Isaac, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, And they have not Mercy. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Ain is in in the name of Jacob, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, And they have not Gentleness. But for these letters they use 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Aleph: and hence it is known that they are not of the seed of Israel.

Compare these things with the Samaritane interpreter of the Pentateuch, and judge.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Joseph. de Bell. lib. 3. cap. 4.
• b 1.2

  Maasar Sheni, cap. 5. hal. 2.
• c 1.3

  Tanchum, fol. 17. 2.
• d 1.4

  Benjam. in I••iner. mihi p. 60.
• e 1.5

  Joseph. de Bell. lib. 4. cap. 26.
• f 1.6

  Hieros. Avo∣dah Zar. fol. 44 4.
• g 1.7

  Juchas. fol. 14. 2.
• h 1.8

  Ibid▪
• i 1.9

  Joseph. Antiq. lib. 13. cap. ••7.
• l 1.10

  Hieros. Avod. Zarah, fol. 44. 4.
• m 1.11

  Shekalim, cap. 1. hal. 5.
• n 1.12

  Hieros. there fol. 46. 2.
• o 1.13

  Hieros. Pesa∣chim, fol. 27. 2.
• p 1.14

  Id. Kiddushin. fol. 65. 3.
• q 1.15

  Joseph. de Bell. lib. 1. cap. 6.
• r 1.16

  In Itinerar. mihi, p 6••.