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. VIII. Of the thirteen places, that were changed.

BOTH Talmuds, as also other Rabbins, who relate the story of the LXX El∣ders, add always this that they changed thirteen places in the Law: which they also reckon up. But now when those different readings are not found in the Greek Version, that story is exploded by the most, as a mere fiction; when indeed the change was not in the Version, but in the Hebrew Transcription. Let the thing speak it self.

They wrote, say they, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 God created in the beginning, Gen. I. 1. not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 In the beginning God created. Lest the King should say, Bereshith is God, and there were two powers, and the first created the later a 1.1 But now in the Greek Version it was impossible, that such a scruple should arise; it could arise only from the

Hebrew Text: and it must necessarily be, that this change, intended for an amendment, should be reckoned to be in the Hebrew words themselves.

They write, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 And Sarah laughed among her neighbours, Gen. XVIII. 12. for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 within her self.

They wrote, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Whatsoever was desirable I took not from them, Numb. XVI. 15. for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 one Ass. Now who will doubt, but that the change was made in the Hebrew words themselves? In the former from the affinity of the words; in the later from the similitude of the letters.

But instead of more, let this one Example serve. They wrote, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 And he sent worthy men of the children of Israel, Exod. XXIV. 5. for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 young men. Now if it be asked, whether they wrote the very word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or the sense of it in the Greek Language, the Jerusalem Gemarists witness, that that very same word was writ by them in this story. Three books, say they, were found in the Court of the Temple. In one of them was written 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Deut. XXXIII. 27. in two was written 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 They received those two, and they rejected the third. In one was written, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 He sent worthy men of the children of Israel. In two was written 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 He sent young men of the children of Israel. They received those two, and rejected the third. In one was written 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 nine. In two was written, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 eleven. They received those two, and rejected the third.

Now it may be asked, What, I pray, were those two Copies, in which it was written, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 They were Hebrew Copies, without all con∣troversie: and so was that without all doubt in which it was written 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

There is no reason therefore, why that tradition of the thirteen places changed should bear so ill a report, and be accounted for a fiction, because those thirteen alterati∣ons are not met with in the Greek Version. For the Talmudists plainly treat of the Seventy two not Translating out of Hebrew, but transcribing the Hebrew Books them∣selves.

Let us also add the introduction that the Jerusalem Writers make to this history. b 1.2 The Jerusalem Talmudists, say they, wrote 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Jerusalem, Jerushlema, Tzaphon, Tzephona, Teman, Temna. That is, they changed the writing of these Hebrew words: and immediately they add, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The wise Men altered thirteen places for Ptolomey the King. Which is also to be understood of the Hebrew words themselves, otherwise this does not suite with what goes before.

Notes

• a 1.1

  See the Gloss in Megill. & fol. 9. 1.
• b 1.2

  Megill. f. 71. 4.