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. | Early English Books Online | University of Michigan Library Digital Collections

VERS. XII.

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

A Sabbath-days journey.

I Have already said something in Luke, XXIV. concerning a Sabbath-days journey. I will add a few things in this place. i 1.1 Whosoever goeth beyond the bounds of the City on the Sabbath day, let him be scourged, because it is said, let no one go out from his place on the seventh day, this place, is the bounds of the City. The Law doth not determine the

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compass of these bounds. But the wise men define these bounds from without, to be about twelve miles, according to the Israelites camp: for Moses our Master said unto them, ye shall not go out of your camp. However, it is ordained by the words of the Scribes, let no one go out of the City beyond two thousand cubits. For two thousand cubits are the sub∣urbs of the City. From whence we may learn, that it is lawful to walk clear through the City on the Sabbath day, be it as spacious as Nineveh, and whether it be walled or no. He may also expatiate beyond the City to the length of two thousand cubits from every side of it—But if a man go beyond these two thousand cubits, they scourge him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 with the scourge of Rebellion, that is, if he go so far as twelve miles, but if he go out of the City beyond twelve miles, though it be but the space of one cubit, he is scourged according to the Law. Let us comment a little.

I. It was commonly believed that the Israelites encamping in the wilderness, was about twelve miles square. k 1.2 The length of the Israelites camp was twelve miles, and the bredth twelve miles.

The bredth of the waters (that is, those that were divided in Jordan) was twelve miles answerable to the camp of Israel, according as our Rabbins expound it. l 1.3 The waters which came down from above, stood and rose up upon an heap, Jos. III. 16. And what was the height of these waters? it was twelve miles height upon twelve miles bredth, according to the camp of Israel. Where the Gloss is, The camp of the Israelites was twelve miles up∣on twelve miles, (that is, twelve miles square) and they past over Jordan according to their encampings, viz. the whole bredth of their camp past over together for the space of twelve miles. m 1.4 Hence that in Hieros. Sotah, n 1.5 Adam and Zarethan (i. e. the place, from whence, and the place to which the waters were divided) were distant from one another twelve miles.

Whether they took the number of twelve miles precisely, from allusion to the twelve Tribes, or from any other reason retained that exact number and space, is not easy to determine; yet this is certain, that the Israelites camp was very spacious, and had a very large compass, especially granting a miles distance between the first Tents and the Tabernacle. And indeed, as to this commonly received opinion of the camps be∣ing twelves miles square on every side, we shall hardly believe it exceeds the just pro∣portion, if we consider the vast numbers of that people: nay it might rather seem a wonder, that the encamping of so many Myriads, or rather so many hundred thousands, should not exceed that proportion. Place the Tabernacle in the midst: allow the space of one mile from each side of it (in which space were the tents of the Levites) before you come to the first tents of the Israelites, and then guess what length and bredth and thickness all the other tents would take up.

II. It is supposed lawful for any one to have walked upon the Sabbath day, not on∣ly from the outmost border of the camp to the Tabernacle, but also through the whole camp from one end of it to the other; Because the whole encamping was of one and the same, and not a diverse jurisdiction. According to that known Canon concerning 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Commixion or Communion of Courts. And hence it is that Maimonides makes such mention of twelve miles, and the lawfulness of walking on the Sabbath day through any City, be it as spacious as Nineveh it self.

III. But when the people were disposed of and placed in their several Cities and Towns in the Land of Canaan, and the face of things quite changed from what it had been in the wilderness, it seemed good to the wise men to circumscribe the space of a Sabbath-days journy within the bounds of two thousand Cubits. And that partly, because the inmost borders of the Israelites tents, was so much distant from the Taber∣nacle, as may be gathered from Jos. III. 4. and partly because it is said, Numb. XXXV. 4, 5. From the wall of the City ye shall measure a thousand Cubits, and from without the City ye shall measure two thousand Cubits. Now, o 1.6 a thousand Cubits are the suburbs of the City, and two thousand Cubits are the bounds of the Sabbath.

IV. As to these words therefore of the Evangelist now before us, we must suppose they do not define the exact distance of the mount of Olives from Jerusalem, which indeed was but five furlongs, p 1.7 nor do they take in the town of Bethany within the bounds of the Sabbath, which was distant fifteen furlongs, Joh. XI. 18. but they point out that place of the Mount, where our Saviour ascended into Heaven, viz. that place where that tract of the Mount of Olives ceased to be called Bethphage, and began to be called Bethany. Concerning which we have discoursed more largely in another place.