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.
Lightfoot, John, 1602-1675., G. B. (George Bright), d. 1696., Strype, John, 1643-1737.

CHAP. LXXXI. Some history of Tiberias: The Ierusalem Talmud was written there. And when.

TIBERIASa was built by Herod the Tetrarch in honour of Tiberius: and that in a common burying place, or in a place where many Sepulchres had been. Hence it was, that the Founder was fain to use all manner of perswasion, inticements and libe∣rality, to invite inhabitants. The very delightful situation of the place seemed to put him on to wrestle with such a difficulty, and inconvenience, rather than not to enjoy so pleasant a soil and seat. For on this side the Sea washing upon it, on that side within a little way Jordan gliding by it, on the other side the hot Baths of Chammath, and on ano∣ther the most fruitful Country Gennesaret adjacent, did every way begirt this City, when it was built, with pleasure and delight.

It did every day encrease in splendor, and became at last the chief City, not only of Galilee, but of the whole land of Israel. It obtained this honour, by reason of the University translated thither by Rabbi Judah, and there continued for many ages. It was innobled by b thirteen Synagogues: among which 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉cThe antient Serongian Synagogue was one. It was famous also for the Sanhedrin sitting there, for the Talmudic Mishna, perhaps collected here by R. Judah, and for the JerusalemPage  73Talmud, written there for certain. That very Volume does openly speak the place where it was published: in which the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉here, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉hither, do most plainly design Tiberias, almost in infinite places. But there is a greater controversie about the time: it is agreed upon by very many learned Men, that this Talmud was writ∣ten about the year of Christ CCXXX. which I do indeed wonder at, when the menti∣on of the Emperor Diocletian, unless I am very much mistaken, does occur in it. Let us note the places.

d〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉When the King Docletinus came hither (to Tiberias,) they saw R. Chaija bar Abba climing a Sepulchre to see him. This sto∣ry is repeated in eNazir, and he is there called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Doclinus, by an error, as it seems, of the Coppiers.

f〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Dicletinus gathered the Rivers together, and made the Sea of Apamia. And this story is recited in gChetubboth, and there he is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Docletianus.

h〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Docletinus had〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉most fine gold, even to the weight of a Gordian peny.

i〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉When Docletianus came thither, he came with an hundred and twenty myriads.

k〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉The boys of R. Ju∣dah the Prince bruised Diclot the keeper of hogs with blows. That King at length escaped, and coming to Paneas, sent for the Rabbines, &c. He said to them, Therefore, because your Creator worketh miracles for you, you contemn my Government.〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉To whom they said, we con∣temned Diclot the hogheard, we contemned not Diocletianus the King. Hence arose a su∣spition among some learned Men, that this was not to be understood of Diocletian the Emperor, but of some little King. I know not whom, of a very beggerly original: of which opinion I also was sometime, until at last I met with something, that put the thing past all doubt.

That you find in lAvodah Zarah. There enquiry is made by one 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉What of the Mart of Tsur? There is this Inscription there▪ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉I Diocletianus the King built this Mart of Tsur (or Tyre) to the fortune of my Brother Herculius eighty days. The very sound perswades to render 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Herculius, and the agreeableness of the Roman History, from which every one knows, how near a kin there was between Diocletian, and Maximian Her∣culius.

mEusebius mentions the travailing of Diocletian through Palestine; and all the Ro∣man Historians speak of his sordid and mean birth; which agree very well with the things, that are related by the Talmudists.

These are all the places, unless I am much mistaken, where this name occurs in this Talmud, one only excepted, which I have reserved for this place, that after we have dis∣covered by these quotations, that this was Diocletian the Emperour, some years after him might be computed. That place is in Sheviith,n〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Diocletianus afflicted the men of Paneas: they said therefore to him, We will depart hence: but〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉a certain Sophist said to him, Either they will not depart, or, if they do, they will return again: but if you would have an Experiment of it, let two young Goats be brought hither, and let them be sent to some place afar off, and they will at last come back to their place. He did so: for the Goats were brought; whose horns he gilded, and sent them into Africa: and they after thirty years returned to their own place. Consider that thir∣ty years passed from this action of Diocletian, which if you compute even from his first year, and suppose that this story was writ in the last year of those thirty, you come as far as the ninth or tenth year of Constantine.

Mention also of King Sapor occurs, if I do not fail of the true reading. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉oA Serpent under Sapor the King devoured Ca∣mels. Yea, I have I know not what suspicion, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Lulianus the King, of whom there is mention in that very same place, does denote Julianus the Em∣peror. When Lulianus the King, say they, came thither, an hundred and twenty myriads accompanied him. But enough of this.

There are some, who believe the Holy Bible was pointed by the wise men of Tiberias. I do not wonder at the Impudence of the Jews, who invented the story; but I wonder at the credulity of Christians who applaud it. Recollect, I beseech you, the names of the Rabbines of Tiberias, from the first situation of the University there to the time that it expired: and what at length do you find, but a kind of men mad with Pharisaim, be∣witching with Traditions and bewitched, blind, guileful, doting, they must pardon me, if I say, Magical and monstrous? Men, how unfit, how unable, how foolish, for the Page  74 undertaking so divine a work! Read over the Jerusalem Talmud, and see there, how R. Judah, R. Chaninah, R. Judan, R. Hoshaia, R. Chaija Rubba, R. Chaija bar Ba, R. Jo∣chanan, R. Jonathan, and the rest of the grand Doctors among the Rabbines of Tiberias, behave themselves, how earnestly they do nothing, how childishly they handle serious matters, how much of sophistry, froth, poyson, smoke, nothing at all, there is in their Disputes! And if you can believe the Bible was pointed in such a School, believe also all that the Talmudists write. The pointing of the Bible savours of the work of the Holy Spirit, not the work of lost, blinded, besotted men.

R. Juda, who first removed the University to Tiberias, sat also in Zippor for many years, and there died: so that in both places were very famous Schools. He composed and digested the Mishnaioth into one volume. For when he saw the Captivity was prolonged (they are the words of Tsemach David, translated by Vorstius) and the Scholars to be∣come faint hearted, and the strength of Wisdom and the Cabala to fail, and the Oral Law to be much diminished, he gathered, and scraped up together all the Decrees, Statutes, and say∣ings of the wise Men; of which he wrote every one apart, which the house of the Sanhedrin had taught, &c. And he disposed it into six classes; which are Zeraim, Moed, Nezikin, Nashim, Kedoshim, Tahoroth. And a little after, All the Israelites ratified the Body of the Mishnaioth, and obliged themselves to it: and in it, during the life of Rabbi, his two sons, Rabban Gamaliel, and R. Simeon, employed themselves, in the School of the land of Israel: and R. Chaija, R. Oshaia, R. Chanina, and R. John, and their companions. And in the School of Babylon, Rabh and Samuel exercised themselves in it, &c.

Therefore it is worthy of examination, whence those differences should arise be∣tween the Jerusalem Mishna, and the Babylonian, differences in words without number, in things in great number, which he that compares them will meet with every where. You have a remarkable example in the very p entrance of the Jerusalem Mishna, where the story of R. Tarphons danger among thieves is wanting, which is in that of Babylon.

Whether R. Judah composed that System in Tyberias, or in Zippor, we are not solici∣tous to enquire: he sat in both, and enriched both with famed Schools, and Tiberias was the more eminent. For 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉qThe Universi∣ty of Tiberias was greater than that of Zippor.