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vour on the Egyptians*, and the children of the third generation of Egyptian origin were to be allowed to enter the congregation; but it was ordained also that when a king should be established among the Israelites "he "should not cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply "horses, forasmuch as the Lord had said, "henceforth ye shall return no more that way."

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The Egyptians had been highly distinguished for their wisdom from the earliest period. Their great attainments in knowledge, and advancement in arts and sciences are every where celebrated by sacred and profane writers; but their persuasions on subjects of religion, appear to have been in general, erroneous and absurd. Many of the precepts of the Mosaic law were directed against their customs.

The people became so corrupt in later times, that the prophet predicted their destruction, from the infatuation which they manifested, declaring that they should become the basest of the kingdoms, and no more exalt themselves among the nations §.

Deut. xxiii. 7, 8.
Herod. lib. ii. c. 121. 160.
Ezek. xxix. 14, 15.

+ Deut. xvii. 16, 17.

Previously to the time of Solomon an occasional intercourse subsisted between the two countries, notwithstanding the prohibitions upon the subject delivered by the Almighty.

Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and married his daughter *, laying the foundation of his misery in disobedience; and under subsequent reigns, Egyptians were admitted into Canaan, in order to contribute to its defence.

The Jews also were carried into Egypt at different times when conquered by the armies. of that country, and occasional emigrations of the people took place under circumstances of dissension, as particularly in the civil wars of the Asmoneans, which drove many of them into exile. Alexander, when he built Alexandria, transported many Jews from their own country to people his new city, and encouraged others to establish themselves there, by conceding to them considerable privileges, particularly that of appointing their own magistrates, and many were at the

* 1 Kings iii. 1.

+Joseph. cont, Apion. lib. ii. De Bel. Jud. lib. ii. c. 18. 26. Antiq. lib. xiv. c. 12. Philo legat. lib. ii. c. 8..

same time dispersed into other cities of Egypt.

These greatly increased, and maintaining at Alexandria, and other places, a constant intercourse with the Greeks who resorted to Egypt, they acquired a knowledge of that language, and were called Hellenistic Jews or Grecians*, being sometimes regarded as schismatics by their own countrymen.

The Jews had synagogues in Egypt, and in every place, indeed, in which ten persons of full age and free condition were to be found †.

Several successive kings of Egypt are related to have carried the inhabitants of Judæa into Egypt, taken in different expeditions; and Ptolemy, the son of Lagus, in particular, about the year 312 before Christ, took with him in his retreat from Phoenicia, many to whose fidelity he committed the strong places of his kingdom, and some of whom he placed in Lybia about Cyrene, knowing that he could confide in their oath ; and among others whom he carried away was Hezechias, an eminent person, and high

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priest of the Jews, mentioned by Hecatæus, then with Ptolemy, as a man of great wisdom, from whom he had derived information concerning the religion, manners, and policy of the Jews *.

Ptolemy Euergetes offered up sacrifices at Jerusalem for the victories which he had obtained over the king of Syria, having perhaps read, as Prideaux supposes, the phecies of Daniel relating to those victories †.

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The repulse of Ptolemy Philopater, who in his progress through Judæa attempted at Jerusalem to enter the Holy of Holies, and persisting in spite of the remonstrance of the high priest, was smitten, must have excited much attention, particularly as the hardened king on his return to Alexandria persecuted the Jews, endeavouring to make them apostatize, or to exterminate them.

Ptolemy, called Philometor, and his queen Cleopatra, committed the management of important affairs in Egypt to Jews, one of whom,

Joseph. cont. Apion. lib. i. Euseb. Præp. Evang. lib. viii. c. 9, 10. Joseph. Antiq. lib. xii. c. 2. 1. 11. c. 8. Origen cont. Cels. lib. 1.

+ Joseph. cont. Apion. lib. ii. § 5.

3 Maccab. c. 1.

namely, Onias, obtained permission from the king and queen to build a temple for the Jews at Hierapolis in Egypt, like that at Jerusalem*, alleging the prophecy of Jeremiah, that there should be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt; and the king and queen in their rescript speak honourably of the law and of Isaiah. Divine service was continued in this temple till the time of Vespasian, when it was suppressed by that emperor's order: previously, however, to that time, it is probable that many of the Egyptian Jews went up to Jerusalem on great solemnities +.

The Septuagint version, before mentioned, afforded for near three centuries before the time of Christ a facility to the various people, who resorted to Egypt, of becoming acquainted with the sacred oracles, and we know that it attracted attention. Aristobulus is related to have written a commentary on it, which he dedicated to the king ||, and the

*Joseph. de Bell. Jud. lib. vii. c. 10. and Prideaux, Part II. book iv.

+ Newton on the Prophecies, vol. i. c. 12. Clem. Alex. Strom. lib. i.

Acts ii. 10. viii. 27.

Euseb. Præp. Evang. lib. iii. c. 12. Huet. Demon. Evan. Prop. iv. c. 2. § 25. p. 50.

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