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.

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Title: 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.
Author: Lightfoot, John, 1602-1675.
Publication: London :: Printed by W. R. for Robert Scot, Thomas Basset, Richard Chiswell,; 1684.
Rights/Permissions: To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
Subject terms: Lightfoot, John, 1602-1675.; Church of England.; Theology -- Early works to 1800.; Theology -- History -- 17th century.
Link to this Item: http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A48431.0001.001
Cite this Item: "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." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A48431.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 15, 2024.

Pages

SECT. VIII. 2 Sam. XX. 18. discusst.

AMongst all the Cities and Countries that bear the name of Abel, the most celebra∣ted is that in 2 Sam. XX. made famous by the History of a foolish Sheba and a wise Woman. The Woman's expression is not a little wrested and tortured by Inter∣preters. :〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 They were wont to speak in old time, saying, they shall surely ask counsel at Abel; and so they ended the mat∣ter.

The Greek Version hath more perplext it: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The Latine Interpreter renders it thus: They spake a word in former days, saying, asking he was asked in Abel, and in Dan, if those things have failed which the faithful of Israel laid up. Asking they will ask in Abel, and so if they have failed.

If any one can make any tolerable sense of these words, he would do well to teach others how to do it too; especially let them tell the reason why Dan should be added here. It is true Dan and Abel beth Maacah are mentioned together as not very distant from one another, 1 King. XV. 20. And if we do by the words understand their neigh∣borhood to one another, I see nothing else that can be pickt out of them.

However, both the Roman and Alexandrian Edition agree in this reading, which have the preference of all other Editions of the Greek Version. And let them now who are for correcting the Hebrew Bibles by the Greek, say whether they are for having them corrected here: only let them give me leave to enjoy the Hebrew Text as we now have it.

The Hebrew makes the sense plain if the first words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 be but rightly applied, namely to Sheba and his party speaking; When Sheba and his followers come hi∣ther, they at first certainly said thus, that they would ask Abel of its peace, or on whose side it was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and so they made the matter intire, or made a show of their own integri∣ty. For that that Joab was chiefly to be satisfied in, was, that this City had not taken part with the Conspirators, which is directly done, if we admit this sense and interpre∣tation of the words. This prudent Woman assures him that those of Abel had by no means invited Sheba and his fellow Rebels into their Town, or by any consent with them in their Rebellions would ever willingly have admitted them, but that they were miserably deceived by their fawning and false words, whiles they only pretended to enquire about the peace and well being of that City. And that you may know more effectually that all this is true which I now affirm to you, we will immediately throw you the head of Sheba over our wall.