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. V. Dalmanutha. Mark VIII. 10.

I. A Scheme of the Sea of Genesaret, and the places adjacent. II. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The house of Widowhood, Zalmon. Thence Dalmanutha.

MAtth. XV. 39. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. And came to the coasts of Magdala. Mark VIII. 10. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Came into the parts of Dal∣manutha.

The story is one and the same; and that Country is one and the same: but the names Magdala and Dalmanutha are not so to be confounded, as if the City Magdala was also called Dalmanutha, but Dalmanutha is to be supposed to be some particular place within the bounds of Magdala. I observe the Arabick Interpreter in the London Polyglot Bible, for Dalmanutha in Mark, reads Magdala, as it is in Matthew; in no false sense, but in no true interpretation. But the Arabick of Erpenius his edition reads Dalmanutha. Erasmus notes, saith Beza upon the place, that a certain Greek Copy hath Magdala. And Augustin writes that most Copies have Mageda. But in our very old Copy, and in another besides, for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Into the parts of Dalmanuth•…•… is written 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Into the Coasts of Madegada.

If the name and situation of Magdala in the Talmudists, had been known to these In∣terpreters, I scarcely think they would have dashed upon so many uncertainties. We have largely and plainly treated of it in another Volume, out of those Authors: and out of the same, unless I mistake, something may be fetched, which may afford light to Marks Text of Dalmanutha. Which thing before we take in hand, perhaps it will not be un∣acceptable to the Reader, if we describe the Sea of Genesaret, and the places adjoyning, by some kind of delineation, according to their situation, which we take up from the Hebrew Writers.

SECT. I. A Scheme of the Sea of Genesaret, and the places adjacent.

[illustration]

COmparing this my little Map with others, since you see it to differ so much from them, you will expect, that I sufficiently prove and illustrate the situation of the places, or I shall come off with shame. I did that, if my opinion deceive me not, a good while ago in some Chapters in the Chorographical Century. I will here dispatch the sum total in a few lines.

I. a 1.1 Chammath was so called because of the warm baths of Tiberias: from which it was so very little distant, that as to a Sabbath days journey the men of Tiberias, and the men of Cham∣math might make but one City.

It is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Chammath of Gadara, not only to distinguish it from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Chammath of Pella, that is, Callirrhoe; but because a part of it was built upon the bank of Gadara, and another part upo•• the bank of Nephthali, or Tiberias, the bridge lying between: which shall be shewn presently.

Tiberias stood touching on the Sea; b 1.2 for on one side it had the Sea for a Wall.

Genesaret was a place near Tiberias where were Gardens and Paradises. They are the words of the Aruch.

Capernaum we place within the Country of Genesaret upon the Credit of the Evange∣lists, Matth. XIV. 34. and Mark VI. 53. compared with Joh. VI. 22, 24.

c 1.3 Taricha was distant from Tiberias thirty furlongs: Bethmaus four furlongs.

Magdala was beyond Jordan; for it is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Magdala of Gadara: and that which is said by the Talmudists, d 1.4 The Gadarens might, by the permission of R. Juda Nasi, come down to Chammath on the Sabbath, and walk through it, unto the furthest street, even to the bridge; is expressed and expounded by them in the same place, That the people of Magdala, by the permission of R. Juda Nasi, went up to Chammath, &c. From which single tradition one may infer, 1. That Magdala was on the bank of Gadara. 2. That it was not distant from Chammath above a Sabbath days journey. 3. That it was on that side of Chammath, which was built on the same bank of Gadara, by which it reached to the bridge above Jordan, which joyned it to the other side on the bank of Galilee.

e 1.5 Hippo was distant from Tiberias thirty furlongs. With which measure compare these words, which are spoken of Susitha; which that it was the same with Hippo, both the derivation of the words, and other things do evince.

R. Juda saith, f 1.6 The Monoceros entred not into Noahs Ark, but his whelps entred. R. Ne∣hemiah saith, Neither he, nor his whelps entred, but Noah tyed him to the Ark. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 And he made furrows in the waves, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for as much space as is from Tiberias to Susitha. And again, g 1.7 The Ark of Noah swam upon the waters, as upon two rafters, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as much space as is from Tiberias to Susitha.

h 1.8 Gadara was distant sixty furlongs from Tiberias.

i 1.9 Bethsaida was in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 lower Gaulanitis, beyond Jordan in Batanea. It is shewn to Pilgrims on the shore of the Sea of Genesaret in Galilee; and thence the er∣ror of the Maps was taken. Hear our Countryman Biddulph, who saw those places about the year MDC.

March the twenty fourth we rode by the Sea of Galilee, which hath two names, Joh. VI. 1. The Sea of Galilee and Tiberias of Galilee, because it is in Galilee; and of Tiberias, because the City of Tiberias was built near it: also Bethsaide, another antient City. We saw some ruines of the Walls of both. But it is said in that Chapter, Joh. VI. 1. That Jesus sailed over the Sea of Galilee. And elsewhere, that he went over the Lake; and Luke IX. 10. it is said, that he departed into a desert place near the City Bethsaida. Which Text of John, I learned better to understand by seeing, than ever I could by reading. For when Tiberias and Bethsaida were both on the same shore of the Sea, and Christ went from Tiberias, to, or near Bethsaida: hence I gather that our Saviour Christ, sailed not over the length, or bredth of the Sea, but that he passed some bay, as much as Tiberias was distant from Bethsaida. Which is proved thence, in that it is said elsewhere, That a great multitude followed him thither on foot; which they could not do, if he had sailed over the whole Sea to that shore among the Ger∣gasens, which is without the Holy Land. These are his words.

But take heed, Sir, that your Guids, who shew those places under those names, do not impose upon you. If you will take Josephus for a Guid, he will teach, That l 1.10 Phi∣lip repaired the Town Bethsaida, and he called it Julias, from Julias the Daughter of Cesar. And, That m 1.11 that Julias was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, In lower Gaulanitis. Nor is the argument good, Otherwise they could not follow him a foot: for from Capernaum and Tiberias, there was a very beaten, and common way by the bridge of Chammath into the Country of the Gadarens, and so to Bethsaida.

Cana was a great way distant from Tiberias: n 1.12 Josephus spent a whole night travailing from this Town to that with his Army. It was situate against Julias of Betharamptha, as may be gathered from the same Author in the place quoted in the margin o 1.13. Now that Julias was situate at the very influx of Jordan into the Sea of Genesaret.

These things might be more largely explained and illustrated, but we are affraid of be∣ing too long; and so much the more, because we have treated copiously of them else∣where. This will be enough to an unbiassed Reader, to whose judgment we leave it: and now go on to Dalmanutha.

SECT. II. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Zalmon. Thence Dalmanutha.

IF we may play a little with the name Dalmanutha, hear a Talmudical Tradition. p 1.14 He that sells a Farm to his neighbour, or that receives a place from his neighbour, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to make him a house of betrothing for his son, or a house of widowhood for his daughter; let him build it four cubits this way, and six that. Where the Gloss, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 An house of widowhood for his daughter, whose hus∣band is dead, and she now returns to the house of her father.

The meaning of this Tradition is, When the son of any one had married a wife, he did not use to dwell with his father in Law; but it was more customary, for his Father to build him a little house near his own house. So also when the husband was dead, and the daughter now being a widow returned to her father, it was also customary for the father to build her a little house; in which she dwelt indeed alone, but very near her father.

But now from some such house of more note than ordinary, built for some eminent widow; or from many such houses standing thick together, this place perhaps might be called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Dalmanutha, that is, The place of widowhood. And if some more pro∣bable derivation of the name occurred not, it might not without reason have had re∣spect to this.

But we suppose the name is derived elsewhere; namely, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Zalmon, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Tsaddi being changed into 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Daleth; which is no strange thing to the Syrians and Ara∣bians.

Of Zalmon we meet with mention, Judg. IX. 48. namely, a Mountain, or some tract in a Mountain, near Sychem: but that place is a very great way off of that, concerning which we are now treating. But the Talmudists mention a place called Zalmon, which agrees excellently well with Dalmanutha. q 1.15

There is a story, say they, of a certain man in Zalmon, who said, I N. the son of N. am bitten by a Serpent, and behold I die. They went away, and found him not: they went away therefore, and married his wife. The Gloss is, They heard the voice of him crying, and saying, Behold, I die, but they found not such a man in Zalmon. And again, r 1.16 There is a story in Zalmon of a certain man, who planted his Vineyard sixteen and sixteen cubits; and a gate of two ranks of Vines: now he turned on this side, and the year following on the other, and plowed on both sides. And the cause was brought before the wise Men, and they ap∣proved of it.

None will suspect this Zalmon to be the same with that near Sichem, when it is said that they brought the cause before the wise Men; for what had the Samaritans to do with the wise Men of the Jews? One might rather believe it to be some place near to Tiberias (where was an University of wise Men) well known, and commonly spoke of, and mentioned in the Traditions cited, as a place so known. So divers places about Tiberias are mentioned by the Talmudists, as well known, which you will scarce find any where but in the books of the Talmudists. Such are Chammath, Magdala, Beth Meon, Palta∣than, Caphar Chittaia, &c. Concerning which we have spoken in another place. There was also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mizgah, s 1.17 The seat of Simeon ben Lachish; and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 t 1.18 It is of Tiberias, a place near Tiberias, of an unwholsom air; and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 u 1.19 The Cave of Tiberias; and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Bar Selene, and others, which are no where mentioned, but in these Authors; but in them of very noted name. Of this number we suppose this Zalmon was, a place so near to Tiberias, and so known, that it was enough to name it only. But now when any that spake Hebrew would pronounce it Zalman, and Zalmanu∣tha, he that spake Syriack would pronounce it Dalmon and Dalmanutha.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Megill. fol. 6. 1 Hieros. Erub. fol. 23. 4. Id. Kiddush. fol. 64. 3. Id. Shtviith, fol. 36. 3.
• b 1.2

  Megill. in the place above.
• c 1.3

  Joseph. in his own life.
• d 1.4

  Hieros. in ••••ubh. in the place above.
• e 1.5

  Joseph. in his own life.
• f 1.6

  Bereshi••h rab. Sect. 31.
• g 1.7

  Ibid. Sect. 32.
• h 1.8

  Joseph. in the place above.
• i 1.9

  Id. de bell. lib. 2. cap. 13.
• l 1.10

  Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 3.
• m 1.11

  Id. in the place above.
• n 1.12

  In his own life, p. 631.
• o 1.13

  Ibid. p. 653.
• p 1.14

  Bava bathra, fol. 98. 2.
• q 1.15

  ••vamoth, fol. 122. 1.
• r 1.16

  Kilaim, cap. 4 hal. 9. Bava Bathra, fol. 82. 2.
• s 1.17

  Bereshith rabb. § 34.
• t 1.18

  Ibid. §. 31.
• u 1.19

  Hieros. Horai∣oth, fol. 48. 1.