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.

VERS. II.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

As it is written in the Prophets.

HERE a doubt is made of the true reading: namely, whether it be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, In the Prophets, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, In Esaias the Prophet. These particulars make for the former.

• I. When two places are cited out of two Prophets, it is far more congruously said, As it is witten in the Prophets, than, As it is written in Esaias, but especially, when the place first alledged is not in Esaias, but in another Prophet.
• II. It was very customary among the Jews (to whose custom in this matter it is very probable the Apostles conformed themselves in their Sermons) to hear many testimonies cited out of many Prophets under this form of speech 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 As it is written in the Prophets. If one only were cited, if two, if more, this was the most common manner of citing them, As it is written in the Prophets. But it is without all example, when two testimonies are taken out of two Prophets, to name only the last, which is done here, if it were to be read, As it written in Esaias the Prophet.
• III. It is clear enough from the scope of the Evangelist, that he propounded to him∣self to cite those two places, both out of Malachi; and out of Esaias. For he doth two things most evidently. 1. He mentions the Preaching of the Baptist, for the illustra∣ting of which he produceth the same text, which both Matthew and Luke do, out of Esaias. 2. He saith that that preaching was The beginning of the Gospel; to prove which he very aptly cites Malachi, of sending a Messenger, and of preparing the way of the Lord.

But what shall we answer to Antiquity, and to so many, and so great men reading, As it is written in Esaias the Prophet. I wonder, saith the very learned Grotius, that any doubt is made of the truth of this writing, when beside the Authority of copies, and Ire∣neus so citing it, there is a manifest agreement of the ancient Interpreters, the Syriac, the Latine, the Arabic. True indeed, nor can it be denyed that very many of the Antients so read, but the Antients read also, As it is written in the Prophets. One Arabic copy hath, In Esaiah the Prophet: but another hath, In the Prophets. Ireneus once reads, In Esaiah: but reads twice, In the Prophets. a 1.1 And, so we find it written, saith the famous Beza, (who yet follows the other reading,) in all our ancient copies, except two, and that my very ancient one, in which we read, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, In Esaias the Prophet.

The whole knot of the question lies in the cause of changing the reading; Why, As it is written in Esaias the Prophet, should be changed into, As it is written in the Pro∣phets; the cause is manifest, saith that very learned man, namely, because a double testimony is taken out of two Prophets. But there could be no cause, saith he, of chang∣ing of them. For if Mark in his own Manuscipt, wrote, As it is written in the Prophets, by what way could this reading at last creep in, As it is written in Esaias, when two Prophets are manifestly cited?

Reader, will you give leave to an innoncent and modest guess. I am apt to sus∣pect, that, in the Copies of the Jewish Christians, it was read, In Esaiah the Prophet; but in those of the Gentile Christians, In the Prophets: and that the change among the Jews arose from hence, that St. Mark seems to go contrary to a most received Canon and Custom of the Jews. b 1.2 He that reads the Prophets in the Synagouges 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Let him not skip from one Prophet to another. But in the lesser Prophets, he may skip: with this provision only that he skip not backward: that is, not from the latter to the former.

But you see, how Mark skips here (from whom far be it, to be subject to such foolish Canons) from a Prophet of one rank, namely, from a Prophet who was one of the twelve, to a Prophet of another rank: and you see also, how he skips backward from Malachi to Esaiah. This perhaps was not so pleasing to the Christian-Jews, too much Judaizing yet, nor could they well bear, that this allegation should be read in their Churches, so differently from the common use. Hence, In Esaiah the Prophet, was inserted for, In the Prophets. And that they did so much the more boldly, because those words which are cited out of Malachi are not exactly agreeable either to the He∣brew Original, or the Greek Version: and those that are cited from Esaiah, are cited also by Matthew and Luke; and the sense of them which are cited from Malachi may also be fetched from the place alledged out of Esaiah.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Lib. 3. cap. 11. & 18.
• b 1.2

  Megil. f. 24. 1.