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.

§. Art not the least.

This clause is far further from Micahs Text then the other, for whereas here is a very strong and Emphatical negation 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in the Prophet there is none at all, either in the Hebrew, in the LXX. or in the Chaldee Paraphrast. And indeed the Text and the quotation are one clean contrary to another; in Micah, Though thou be little, but in Matthew, Thou art not the least. Towards the reconciling of which difference, it will be necessary in the first place, to take a serious survey of the Prophets Text, and then upon the true interpretation of it, to lay this allegation to it, and to see how they do agree. The words in the Hebrew, whereupon the main doubt riseth, are but these two 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: which our English rendreth Though thou be little. The Septuagint, Thou art the least to be among the thousands: but using a differing word to signifie the least, from that used here: Some books, saith Nobilius, and the other Scholiast upon the LXX. read, Art not the least, as Hierome, Tertullian and Cyprian: but this their reading I suspect rather to be taken from this quotation of the Gospel, then found by them in the Text of Micah. The vulgar Latine, Thou art little among the thousands, &c. The Italian of Brucioli, and the French, Being little to be, or to be accounted. And much to the same tenour with our English, Aben Ezra, and David Kimchi. Rabbi Solom sheweth his construction of it in this gloss, It were fit thou shouldest be the least among the families of Juda, because of the prophaneness of Ruth the Moabitess that was in thee, yet out of thee shall come, &c. Jansenius saith, a recon∣ciliation might be made between the Prophet and the Evangelist, by reading the Prophets Text by way of interrogation, And thou Bethlehem art thou the least? Which answereth in sense to thou art not. But to all these interpretations alledged, this one thing may be opposed, that the Hebrew word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 cannot properly agree with the word Bethlehem, according to the Syntax of Substantive and Adjective; because they are of two different genders, as the Grammarian will easily observe, and cannot but confess. For Bethlehem is of the feminine gender, as are all the names of Cities, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of another, as it plain∣ly appeareth by its termination. To construe them therefore together, as Substantive and Adjective, as it is unwarrantable by the Grammar, so doth it make a sense utterly ir∣reconcileable with this of the Evangelist. To which might be added also, that these words being thus conjoyned and construed together, do make but an harsh sense and constructi∣on among themselves, amounting to this, Thou Bethlehem in being little, out of thee shall come a Ruler.

Their Interpretation therefore is rather to be imbraced, that take 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the Neu∣ter Gender, as it pleadeth it self to be, by its very termination [the Masculine and Neu∣ter in the Hebrew being indifferently taken the one for the other] and do read it thus? And thou Bethlehem Ephrata, it is a small thing to be among the Princes of Juda, out of thee shall come a Ruler, &c. As meaning this, That it is the least of thine honour that thou art reckoned among the Princes of Juda, as equal with them, for thou hast a dignity above this, and above them all in that out of thee shall come a Ruler, which shall feed my people. And to this sense and tenour should I interpret the Chaldee Paraphrase, thought

know indeed that it is generally construed another way: Chizgner havetha leithmannaah: And thou Bethlehem Ephratah, art within a little to be superiour, or perfect, among the thou∣sands of Judah, &c. As let the learned in the language judge whether the words in the Chaldee will not bear that sense: especially the sense of the first word Chizgner, being looked into the Chaldee, in Psal. 2. 12. & 73. 2. Hos. 1. 4. and in other places.

The Text of the Prophet then being rendred in this interpretation, this allegation of the Evangelist will be found, not to have any contrariety to it at all, but to speak, though not in the very same words, yet to the very same tenor and purpose: For while the one saith, It is a small thing that thou art among the Princes of Judah, and the other, Thou art not the least among them, they both fall into the same sense, or at least into no disagreement of sense at all. For if it were to be reputed a small honour to Bethlehem, to be reckoned in equality with the other Princes of Judah, in comparison of a greater honour that she was to have, in the birth of the Messias; it must readily follow what this quotation of the Evangelist inferreth; namely, that she was not the least among them. And thus doth the Evangelist express the Prophets mind, though he tie not his expression to his very words, alledging his Text to its clearest sense, and to the easier apprehension of the hearer. It is a just exception indeed that Jansenius taketh at this interpretation, because that the Scripture useth not to express this sense, It is a small thing, by the word Tsagnir, but by Megnat, as Esa. 7. 13. Gen. 30. 15. and in other places: But as it is true, that it often useth Megnat for that expression; so it is most true, that it useth not that word alone, but others also: As Tikton, in 2 Sam. 7. 19. and Nakel, in Esa. 49. 6. and why not Tsagnir then as well here?