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 〉.

In the Hebrew tongue.

THAT is in the language beyond Euphrates, or the Chaldean.

Aruch upon the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is, the lan∣guage of those beyond the flood.

l 1.1 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 if the holy Books be written in the Egyptian, or Medes, or Hebrew language: Gloss. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 In the Hebrew, that is, the language of those beyond Euphrates.

m 1.2 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Hebrew writing is that of those beyond the river.

So that by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 they mean the Chaldee language, which from their return out of Babylon, had been their mother tongue; and they call it the language of those be∣yond Euphrates, (although used also in common with the Syrians on this side Euphrates) that with respect to the Jews, they might distinguish it from the ancient holy tongue, q. d. not the tongue they used before they went into captivity, but that which they brought along with them from beyond Euphrates.

The Jews to whom this was the mother tongue were called Hebrews; and from thence are distinguisht from the Hellenists, which every ones knows. Whence St. Paul should call himself an Hebrew, 2 Cor. XI. 22. when he was born in Tarsus of Cilicia, might deserve our consideration.

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

Having five Proches.

It mightily obtains amongst some that in Bethesda the sacrifices were washt before they offer'd them; but here I am a little at a stnd. For,

I. It is very difficult proving that the Sacrifices were washt at all, either here or in any place else, before they were offer'd. The Holy Scriptures are wholly silent as to any such thing; nor as far as I have yet found, do the Traditional writings speak of it. It is confest the entrails were washt after the beast had been slain, and for this service there was set apart in the very Temple 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the washing room. But for their bodies, their skins, or backs, whether they were washt before they were slain, is justly question∣able.

II. Amongst all the blemishes and defects whereby the beast was render'd unfit for sa∣crifice, we do not read that this was ever reckon'd, that they had not been washed. Do we believe that Abraham washt the Ram caught in thickets, Gen. XXII. before he sacrific'd it? It is said indeed, n 1.3

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 That he took it and wiped it. But this was after he had taken off the skin.

He took it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and taking off the skin, he said, Be∣hold this, O Lord, as if the skin of thy servant Isaac was taken off before thee. He wi∣ped it [Gloss. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he wiped it with a sponge] and said, Behold this as if Isaac was wip'd.

He burnt it and said, &c.

I. I would therefore judg rather that men and not beasts were washed in the Pool of Bethesda. I mean the unclean, that by washing they might be purify'd. For whoever con∣siders the numbers of the unclean that did every day stand in need of being wash∣ed; and whoever would a little turn over the Talmudick Treatises about Purifications, and the gatherings of waters for those purposes, might easily perswade himself that both Bethesda, and all the other Pools in Jerusalem did serve rather for the washing of men, and not of beasts.

I would further judg that the Syriack Interpreter when he renders that passage, There was at Jerusalem 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a certain place of Baptistery, that he intended rather the washing unclean persons than beasts.

II. o 1.4 There was not any like to Benaiah the Son of Jehojadah under the second Temple, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he one day struck his foot against a dead Tortoise, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and went down to Siloam, where breaking all the little particles of hail, he washed himself.—This was on the shortest day in winter, the tenth of the Month Tebeth.

I do not concern my self for the truth of this story; but must take notice what he hints that telleth it; viz. that in such a case men were wont to wash themselves in Siloam, not the Fountain, but the Pool.

p 1.5 Simeon Sicuensis dug Wells, Cisterns and Caves in Jerusalem—saith Rabban Jochanan ben Zacchai, if a woman should come to thee and ask thee about her Menstrua, Thou saist to her 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 dip thy self in this Well, for the waters thereof will purifie.

III. Those five Porches therefore seem to be the several entrances by which the unclean went down into the waters to be washed; and in which before washing they might lay up

their Cloths, and after it, put them on again being there always protected from the rain. And perhaps they had their different entrances and descents according to the different sorts of uncleanness, that all those that were one and the same way defiled, should have one and the same entrance and descent into the Pool. That this was the first design and use of these Porches, I do not at all doubt, though afterward there was another use for them brought in. And as to the washing of the unclean in this Pool, let me also superadd this one remark. That when they allowed (and that of necessity because of the multitudes of unclean persons) the lesser gatherings of waters, viz. forty Seah's of water in a place fitted on purpose both for bredth and depth, if there was no greater plenty of water, then we must not suppose that they would by any means neglect the Ponds and Pools.

Notes

• l 1.1

  Schabh. fol. 115. 1.
• m 1.2

  Gloss. in San∣hedr. fol. 21. 2.
• n 1.3

  Bemidbar rabba, fol. 268▪ 3.
• o 1.4

  Targ. in 1 Chron. XI. 22.
• p 1.5

  Midras Cohe∣leth, fol. 95. 3.