entertain such a melancholy suspicion, and to go over all the earth without fear of what mischief he might suffer from wild beasts; and, setting a mark upon him, that he might be known, he commanded him to depart.

will therefore only endeavour to give an account of those that proceeded from Seth. Now this Seth, when he was brought up, and came to those years in which he could discern what was good, he became a virtuous man; and, as he was 2. And when Cain had travelled over many himself of an excellent character, so did he leave countries, he, with his wife, built a city named childrent behind him, who imitated his virtues. Nod, which is a place so called, and there he set- All these proved to be of good dispositions.tled his abode; where also he had children.-They also inhabited the same country without However, he did not accept of his punishment in dissensions, and in a happy condition, without order to amendment, but to increase his wicked- any misfortunes falling upon them, till they died. ness; for he only aimed to procure every thing They also were the inventors of that peculiar that was for his own bodily pleasure, though it sort of wisdom which is concerned with the heaobliged him to be injurious to his neighbours. venly bodies and their order. And, that their He augmented his household substance with inventions might not be lost before they were much wealth, by rapine and violence; he excited sufficiently known, upon Adam's prediction that his acquaintance to procure pleasure and spoils the world was to be destroyed at one time by the by robbery, and became a great leader of men force of fire, and at another time by the violence into wicked courses. He also introduced a change and quantity of water, they made two pillars;§ in that way of simplicity wherein men lived be- the one of brick, the other of stone; they inscrifore; and was the author of measures and bed their discoveries on them both, that in case weights; and whereas they lived innocently and the pillar of brick should be destroyed by the generously while they knew nothing of such arts, flood, the pillar of stone might remain, and ex he changed the world into cunning craftiness.hibit those discoveries to mankind; and also inHe first of all set boundaries about lands; he form them that there was another pillar of brick built a city, and fortified it with walls, and he erected by them. Now this remains in the land compelled his family to come together to it; and of Siriad to this day. called that city Enoch, after the name of his eldest son Enoch. Now Jared was the son of Enoch, whose son was Malaleel, whose son was Methusela, whose son was Lamech, who had seventy-seven children by two wives, Silla and ah was saved in an Ark, with his Kindred; and Ada. Of those children by Ada, one was Jabel; afterwards dwelt in the Plain of Shinar. he erected tents, and loved the life of a shepherd. $1. Now this posterity of Seth continued to es But Jubal, who was born of the same mother teem God as the Lord of the universe, and to with him, exercised himself in music,* and in-have an entire regard to virtue for seven generavented the psaltery and the harp. But Tubal, tions; but in process of time they were pervertone of his children by the other wife, exceededed, and forsook the practices of their forefathers; all men in strength, and was very expert and fa- and did neither pay those honours to God which mous in martial performances. He procured were appointed them, nor had they any conceri what tended to pleasures of the body by that to do justice towards men; but for what degree method; and first of all invented the art of ma- of zeal they had formerly shown for virtue, they king brass. Lamech was also the father of a now showed by their actions a double degree of daughter, whose name was Naamah; and be-wickedness, whereby they made God to be their cause he was so skilful in matters of divine re-enemy. For many angels of God accompanied velation, that he knew he was to be punished for with women, and begat sons that proved unjust, Cain's murder of his brother, he made that and despisers of all that was good, on account of known to his wives. Nay, even while Adam the confidence they had in their own strength; for was alive, it came to pass, that the posterity of the tradition is, that these men did what resemCain became exceeding wicked, every one suc-bled the acts of those whom the Grecians call cessively dying, one after another, more wicked than the former. They were intolerable in war, and vehement in robberies: and if any one were slow to murder people, yet was he bold in his profligate behaviour, in acting unjustly, and doing injuries for gain.

CHAP. III.

Concerning the Flood; and after what manner No

Giants. But Noah was very uneasy at what they did; and, being displeased at their conduet, per suaded them to change their dispositions and their actions for the better; but seeing they did not yield to him, but were slaves to their wicked pleasures, he was afraid they would kill him, together with his wife and children, and those they had married; so he departed out of that land.

2. Now God loved this man for his righteousness. Yet he not only condomned those other

3. Now Adam, who was the first man, and made out of the earth, (for our discourse must now be about him,) after Abel was slain, and Cain fled away on account of his murder, was solicitous for posterity, and had a vehement de-men for their wickedness, but determined to desire of children, he being two hundred and thirty years old; after which time he lived other seven hundred, and then died. He had indeed many other children, but Seth in particular. As for the rest, it would be tedious to name them: I

From this Jubal, not improbably, came Jobel, the trumpet of Jobel or Jubilee, that large and loud musical instrument, used in proclaiming the liberty at the year of Jubilee.

stroy the whole race of mankind, and to make another race that should be pure from wickedness, and cutting short their lives, and making their years not so many as they formerly lived, but one hundred and twenty only,¶ he turned the dry land tell a Conflagration and a Deluge, which all antiquity witnesses to be an ancient tradition; nay, Seth's posterity might engrave their inventions in astronomy on two such pillars; yet, it is no way credible that they could survive the deluge, which has buried all such pillars and edifices far under ground, in the sediment of its waters, especially since the like pillars of the Egyptian Seth or Sesostris were extant after the flood, in the land of Siriad, and perhaps in the days of Josephus also, as is shown in the place here referred to.

The number of Adam's children, as says the old tradition, was thirty-three sons, and twenty-three daughters. ‡ What is here said of Seth and his posterity, that they were very good and virtuous, and at the same time very happy, without any considerable misfortunes, for seven generations, [see chap. ii. sect. 1, before, and chap. iii. sect. 1, hereafter,] is exactly agreeable to the state of the world, and the conduct of Providence in all the first ages. 3 Of Josephus's mistake here, when he took Seth the son of Adam for Seth or Sesostris, king of Egypt, the Josephus here supposes, that the life of these giants erector of these pillars in the land of Siriad, see Essay on (for of them only do I understand him) was now reduced the Old Testament, Appendix, p. 159, 160. Although the to 120 years; which is confirmed by the fragment of main of this relation might be true; and Adam might fore-Enoch, sect. 10, in Authent. Rec. part 1, p. 268.

This notion, that the fallen angels were in some sense the fathers of the old giants, was the constant opinion of antiquity.

For as

Now he, when he had lived three hundred and sixty-five years, departed, and went to God; whence it is that they have not written down his death. Now Methusela, the son of Enoch, who was born to him when he was one hundred and sixty-five years old, had Lamech for his son,

into sea; and thus were all these men destroyed; || father was one hundred and sixty-two years old. but Noah alone was saved; for God suggested to him the following contrivance and way of escape: That he should make an ark of four stories high, three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits broad, and thirty cubits high. Accordingly he entered into that ark, and his wife, and sons, and their wives, and put into it not only other provisions to sup-when he was one hundred and eighty-seven port their wants there, but also sent in with the years of age; to whom he delivered the governrest all sorts of living creatures, the male and his ment, when he had retained it nine hundred and female, for the preservation of their kinds, and sixty-nine years. Now Lamech, when he had others of them by sevens. Now this ark had firm | governed seven hundred and seventy-seven walls, and a roof, and was braced with cross years, appointed Noah his son to be ruler of the beams, so that it could not be any way drowned, people, who was born to Lamech when he was or overborne by the violence of the water. And one hundred and eighty-two years old, and rethus was Noah, with his family, preserved. Now tained the government nine hundred and fifty he was the tenth from Adam, as being the son of years. These years collected together make up Lamech, whose father was Methusela; he was the the sum before set down. But let no one inquire son of Enoch, the son of Jared; and Jared was into the deaths of these men; for they extended the son of Malaleel, who, with many of his sisters, their lives all along, together with their children were the children of Cain, the son of Enos. Now and grandchildren; but let him have regard to Enos was the son of Seth, the son of Adam. their births only.

3. This calamity happened in the six hundredth year of Noah's government, [age,] in the second month,t called by the Macedonians Dius, but by the Hebrews Marhezvan; for so did they order their year in Egypt. But Moses appointed that Nisan, which is the same with Xanthicus, should be the first month of their festivals, because he brought them out of Egypt in that month. So that this month began the year as to all the solemnities they observed to the honor of God, although he preserved the original order of the months as to selling and buying, and other ordinary affairs. Now he says, that this flood began on the twenty-seventh [seventeenth] day of the forementioned month; and this was two thousand six hundred and fifty-six [one thousand five hundred and fifty-six] years from Adam the first man; and the time is written down in our sacred books, those who then lived having noted down with great accuracy both the births and the deaths of illustrious men.

4. For indeed Seth was born when Adam was in his two hundred and thirtieth year, who lived nine hundred and thirty years. Seth begat Enoch in his two hundred and fifth year; who, when he had lived nine hundred and twelve years, delivered the government to Cainan his son, whom he had at his hundred and ninetieth year. He lived nine hundred and five years. Cainan, when he had lived nine hundred and ten years, had his son Malaleel, who was born in his hundred and seventieth year. This Malaleel, having lived eight hundred and ninety-five years, died, leaving his son Jared, whom he begat when he was at his hundred and sixty-fifth year. He lived nine hundred and sixty-two years; and then his son Enoch succeeded him, who was born when his

5. When God gave the signal, and it began to rain, the water poured down forty entire days, till it became fifteen cubits higher than the earth; which was the reason why there were no greater number preserved, since they had no place to fly to. When the rain ceased, the water did but just begin to abate after one hundred and fifty days; that is, on the seventeenth day of the seventh month, it then ceasing to subside for a little while. After this, the ark rested on the top of a certain mountain in Armenia; which, when Noah understood, he opened it, and seeing a small piece of land about it, he continued quiet, and conceived some cheerful hopes of deliverance. But a few days afterward, when the water was decreased to a greater degree, he sent out a raven, as desirous to learn whether any other part of the earth were left dry by the water, and whether he might go out of the ark with safety; but the raven returned not. And after seven days, he sent out a dove, to know the state of the ground, which came back to him covered with mud, and bringing an olive branch. Here by Noah learned that the earth was become clear of the flood. So after he had stayed seven more days, he sent the living creatures out of the ark, and both he and his family went out, when he also sacrificed to God, and feasted with his companions. However, the Armenians call this places Aroßarnotov, the Place of Descent; for the ark being saved in that place, its remains are showed there by the inhabitants to this day.

6. Now all the writers of the barbarian bistories make mention of this flood, and of this ark; among whom is Berossus the Chaldean. For when he was describing the circumstances of the flood, he goes on thus: "It is said, there is still to the rest of mankind, Josephus himself confesses their suppose to be the true account of that matter. For there tives were much longer than 120 years, for many genera- is no reason to imagine that men were not taught to read tions after the flood, as we shall see presently; and he and write soon after they were taught to speak: and persays, they were gradually shortened till the days of Mo-haps all by the Messiah himself, who, under the Father, ses, and then fixed (for some time] at 120, chap. vi. sect. was the Creator or Governor of mankind, and who fre 5. Nor indeed need we suppose that either Enoch or Jo-quently in those early days appeared to them. sephus meant to interpret these 120 years for the life of men before the flood, to be different from the 120 years of God's patience (perhaps while the ark was preparing] till the deluge; which I take to be the meaning of God when he threatened this wicked world, that if they so long continued impenitent, their days should be no more than 120 years.

* A cubit is about 21 English inches.

See

This Aroẞarnpiov, or place of descent, is the proper rendering of the Armenian name of this very city. It is called in Ptolemy, Naruana, and by Moses Chorenensis, the Armenian historian, Idsheuan; but at the place itself Nachidsheuan, which signifies the first place of descent; and is a lasting monument of the preservation of Noah in the ark, upon the top of that mountain, at whose foot it was built, as the first city or town after the flood. Antiq. B. xx. chap. ii. sect. 3. and Moses Chorenensis, p. 71, 72; who also says, p. 19, that another town was related by tradition to have been called Seron, or the place of dispersion, on account of the dispersion of Xisuthrus, or Noah's sons, from thence first made. Whether any re mains of this ark be still preserved, as the people of the country suppose, I cannot certainly tell. Mons. Turnfurt Josephus here takes notice, that these ancient genea-had not very long since a mind to see the place himself, logies were first set down by those that then lived, and but met with too great dangers and difficulties to venture from them were transmitted down to posterity; which I through them.

↑ Josephus here truly determines, that the year at the flood began about the autumnal equinox; as to what day of the month the flood began, our Hebrew and Samaritan, and perhaps Josephus's own copy, more rightly placed it on the 17th day instead of the 27th, as here; for Josephus agrees with them as to the distance of 150 days to the 17th day of the 7th month, as Gen. vii. ult. with viii. 3.

some part of this ship in Armenia, at the mountain of the Cordyæans; and that some people carry off pieces of the bitumen, which they take away, and use chiefly as amulets, for the averting of mischiefs."-Hieronymus the Egyptian also, who wrote the Phenician antiquities, and Mnaseas, and a great many more, make mention of the same. Nay, Nicholas of Damascus, in his ninety-sixth book, hath a particular relation about them; where he speaks thus: "There is a great mountain in Armenia, over Minyas, called Baris, upon which it is reported, that many who fled at the time of the deluge were saved; and that one who was carried in an ark, came on shore upon the top of it; and that the remains of the timber were a great while preserved. This might be the man about whom Moses the legislator of the Jews wrote."

7. But as for Noah, he was afraid, since God had determined to destroy mankind,lest he should drown the earth every year; so he offered burnt offerings; and besought God that nature might hereafter go on in its former orderly course; and that he would not bring on so great a judgment any more, by which the whole race of creatures might be in danger of destruction; but that, having now punished the wicked, he would of his goodness spare the remainder, and such as he had hitherto judged fit to be delivered from so severe a calamity; for that otherwise these last must be more miserable than the first, and that they must be condemned to a worse condition than the others, unless they be suffered to escape entirely; that is, if they be reserved for another deluge, while they must be afflicted with the terror and the sight of the first deluge, and must also be destroyed by a second. He also entreated God to accept of his sacrifice, and to grant, that the earth might never again undergo the like effects of his wrath; that men might be permitted to go on cheerfully in cultivating the same; to build cities, and live happily in them; and that they might not be deprived of any of those good things which they enjoyed before the flood; but might attain to the like length of days, and old age, which the ancient people had arrived at

before.

9. Now when Noah had lived three hundred and fifty years after the flood, and all that time happily, he died, having lived the number of nine hundred and fifty years. But let no one upon comparing the lives of the ancients with our lives, and with the few years which we now live, think, that what we have said of them is false; or make the shortness of our lives at present an argument, that neither did they attain to so long a duration of life, for those ancients were beloved of God, and [lately] made by God himself; and because their food was then fitter for the prolongation of life, might well live so great a number of years; and besides, God afforded them a longer time of life on account of their virtue, and the good use they made of it in astronomical and geometrical discoveries, which would not have afforded the time for foretelling, [the periods of the stars,] unless they had lived six hundred years; for the great year is completed in that interval. Now I have for witnesses to what I have said, all those that have written antiquities, both among the Greeks and Barbarians: for even Manetho, who wrote the Egyp tian history, and Berossus, who collected the Chaldean monuments, and Mochus and Hestiæus, and besides these Hieronymus the Egyptian, and those that composed the Phenician history, agree to what I here say. Hesiod also, and Hecatæus, and Hellanicus, and Acusilous; and, besides these, Ephorus and Nicolaus relate, that the ancients lived a thousand years. But as to these matters, let every one look upon them as they think fit.

CHAP. IV.

Concerning the Tower of Babylon and the Confusion of Tongues.

1. Now the sons of Noah were three, Shem, and Japhet, and Ham, born one hundred years before the deluge. These first of all descended from the mountains into the plains, and fixed their habitation there; and persuaded others who were greatly afraid of the lower grounds on account of the flood, and so were very loath to come down from the higher places, to venture to follow their examples. Now the plain in which they first dwelt, was called Shinar. God also commanded them to send colonies abroad, for the thorough peopling of the earth, that they might not raise seditions among themselves, but might cultivate a great part of the earth, and enjoy its fruits after a plentiful manner. But they were so ill instructed that they did not obey God; for which reason they fell into calamities, and were made sensible, by experience, of what sin they had been guilty. For when they flourished with a numerous youth, God admonished them again to send out colonies; but they, imagining that the prosperity they enjoyed was not derived from the favour of God, but supposing that their own power was the proper cause of the plentiful condition they were in, did not obey him. Nay, they added to this their disobedience to the Divine will, the suspicion that they were therefore ordered to send out separate colonies, that being divided asunder,they might the more easily be oppressed.

8. When Noah had made these supplications, God, who loved the man for his righteousness, granted entire success to his prayers; and said, That it was not he who brought the destruction on a polluted world, but that they underwent that vengeance on account of their own wickedness; and that he had not brought men into the world, if he had himself determined to destroy them, it being an instance of greater wisdom not to have granted them life at all, than, after it was granted, to procure their destruction; but the injuries, said he, they offered to my holiness and virtue forced me to bring this punishment upon them. But I will leave off for the time to come to require such punishments, the effects of so great wrath, for their future wicked actions, and especially on account of thy prayers. But if I shall, at any time, send tempests of rain, in an extraordinary manner, be not affrighted at the largeness of the showers; for the water shall no more overspread the earth. However, I require you to abstain 2. Now it was Nimrod who excited them to from shedding the blood of men, and to keep your- such an affront and contempt of God. He was selves pure from murder; and to punish those that the grandson of Ham, the son of Noah, a bold commit any such thing. I permit you to make man, and of great strength of hand. He peruse of all the other living creatures at your plea-suaded them not to ascribe it to God, as if it was sure, and as your appetites lead you; for I have made you lords of them all, both of those that walk on the land, and of those that swim in the waters, and of those that fly in the regions of the air on high, excepting their blood, for therein is the life. But I will give you a sign that I have left off my anger, by my bow (whereby is meant the rainbow, for they determined that the rainbow was the bow of God.) And, when God had said and promised thus, he went away.

through his means they were happy, but to believe that it was their own courage which procured that happiness. He also gradually changed the government into tyranny, seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God, but to bring them into a constant dependence on his own power. He also said, "He would be revenged on God, if he should have a mind to drown the world again; for that he would build a tower too high for the waters to be able to

leg because he was born at the dispersion of the nations to their several countries; for Phaleg among the Hebrews signifies division. Now Joctan, one of the sons of Heber, had these sons, Elmodad, Saleph, Asermoth, Jera, Adoram, Aizel, Decla, Ebal, Abimael, Sabeus, Ophir, Euilat, and Jobab. These inhabited from Cophen, an Indian river, and in part of Aria adjoining to it. And this shall suffice concerning the sons of Shem.

5. I will now treat of the Hebrews. The son of Phaleg, whose father was Heber, was Ragau; whose son was Serug, to whom was born Nahor; his son was Terah, who was the father of Abram, who accordingly was the tenth from Noah, and was born in the two hundred and ninety-second year after the deluge; for Terah begat Åbram in

the Evileans, who are called Getuli; Sabathes founded the Sabathens; they are now called by the Greeks Astaborans; Sabactas settled the Sabactens; and Ragmus the Ragmeans; and he had two sons, the one of which, Judadas, settled the Judadeans, a nation of western Ethiopians, and left them his name; as did Sabas, to the Sabeans. But Nimrod, the son of Chus, stayed and tyrannized at Babylon, as we have already informed you. Now all the children of Mesraim, being eight in number, possessed the country from Gaza to Egypt, though it retained the name of one only, the Philestim, for the Greeks called part of that country Palestine. As for the rest, Ludiem, and Enemim, and Labim, who alone inhabited in Libya, and called the country from himself; Nedim and Pethrosim, and Chesloim, and Cephthorim, we know nothing of them be-his seventieth year. Nahor begat Haran, when sides their names; for the Ethiopic war,* which he was one hundred and twenty years old; Nawe shall describe hereafter, was the cause that hor was born to Serug at his hundred and thirty those cities were overthrown. The sons of Ca- second year; Ragau had Serug at one hundred naan were these: Sidonius, who also built a city and thirty; at the same time also Phaleg had of the same name; it is called by the Greeks Ragau; Heber begat, l'haleg in his hundred and Sidon; Amathus inhabited in Amathine, which thirty-fourth year; he himself being begotten is even now called Amathe by the inhabitants, by Sala, when he was a hundred and thirty although the Macedonians nained it Epiphania, years old, whom Arphaxad had for his son at the from one of his posterity; Arudeus possessed the hundred and thirty-fifth year of his age. Arisland Aradus; Arucas possessed Arce, which is phaxad was the son of Shem; and born twelve in Libanus. But for the seven others [Eueus,] years after the deluge. Now Abram had two Chetteus, Jehuseus, Amorreus, Gergeseus, Eu- brethren, Nahor and Haran; of these Haran left deus, Sineus, Samareus, we have nothing in the a son, Lot; as also Sarai and Milcha his daughsacred books but their names, for the Hebrewsters; and died among the Chaldeans, in a city of overthrew their cities; and their calamities came the Chaldeans called Ur; and his monument is upon them on the occasion following. showed to this day. These married their nieces. 3. Noah, when after the deluge the earth was Nahor married Milcha, and Abraham married resettled in its former condition, set about its Sarai. Now Terah hating Chaldea, on account cultivation; and when he had planted it with of his mourning for Haran, they all removed to vines, and when the fruit was ripe, and he had Haran of Mesopotamia, where Terah died, and gathered the grapes in their season, and the wine was buried, when he had lived to be two hundred was ready for use, he offered sacrifice, and feast- and five years old; for the life of man was ed, and being drunk, he fell asleep, and lay na- already by degrees diminished, and became ked in an unseemly manner. When his youngest shorter than before, till the birth of Moses; son saw this, he came laughing, and showed him after whom the term of human life was one hunto his brethren; but they covered their father's dred and twenty years, God determining it to the nakedness. And when Noah was made sensible length that Moses happened to live. Now Na of what had been done, he prayed for posterity hor had eight sons by Milcha; Uz, and Buz, to his other sons; but for Ham, he did not curse Kemuel, Chesed, Azau, Pheldas, Jadelp, and him, by reason of his nearness in blood, but cur- Bethuel. These were all the genuine sons of sed his posterity. And when the rest of them Nahor; for Teba, and Gaam, and Tachas, and escaped that curse, God inflicted it on the chil-Macha, were born of Reuma his concubine; but dren of Canaan. But as to these matters, we Bethuel had a daughter Rebecca, and a son shall speak more hereafter. Laban.

CHAP. VII.

How Abram our Forefather went out of the Land of the Chaldeans, and lived in the Land then called Canaan, but now Judea.

4. Shem, the third son of Noah, had five sons, who inhabited the land that began at Euphrates, and reached to the Indian ocean. For Elam left behind him the Elamites, the ancestors of the Persians. Ashur lived at the city Nineve; and named his subjects Assyrians, who became the most fortunate nation beyond others. Arphaxad named the Arphaxadites, who are now called Chaldeans. Aram had the Aramites, which the Greeks called Syrians; as Laud founded the Laudites, which are now called Lydians. Of the four sons of Aram, Uz founded Trachonitis and Damascus: this country lies between Palestine and Celosyria. Ul founded Armenia; and Gather the Bactrians; and Mesa the Mesaneans; it is now called Charax Spasani. Sala was the son of Arphaxad; and his son was Heber, from whom they originally called the Jewst Hebrews. Heber begat Joctan and Phaleg; he was called Pha-pened then to have concerning God; for he was

* One observation ought not to be here neglected, with regard to that Ethiopic war, which Moses, as general of the Egyptians, put an end to, Antiq. B. ii. ch. x. and about which our late writers seem very unconcerned; viz. that it was a war of that consequence, as to occasion the removal or destruction of six or seven nations of the posterity of Mitzraim, with their cities; which Josephus would not have said, if he had not had ancient records to justify those his assertions, though those records be all now lost.

That the Jews were called Hebrews from this their progenitor Heber, our author Josephus here rightly af

1. Now Abrain, having no son of his own, adopted Lot, his brother Haran's son, and his wife Sarai's brother; and he left the land of Chaldea when he was seventy-five years old, and at the command of God went into Canaan, and therein he dwelt himself, and left it to his posterity. He was a person of great sagacity, both for understanding all things, and persuading his hearers, and not mistaken in his opinions; for which reason he began to have higher notions of virtue than others had, and he determined to renew and to change the opinion all men hap

firms; and not from Abram the Hebrew, or Passenger over Euphrates, as many of the moderns suppose. Shem is also called the Father of all the children of Heber, or of all the Hebrews, in a history long before Abram passed over Euphrates, Gen. x. 21, though it must be confessed, that, Gen. xiv. 13, where the original says, they told Abram the Hebrew, the Septuagint renders it the Passenger, neparns: but this is spoken only of Abram himself, who had then lately passed over Euphrates, and is another signification of the Hebrew word, takon as an appellative and not as a proper name.