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accuracy, both the births and deaths of illustrious men.

his sons and their wives; and put into it not only provisions to support their wants there, but also sent in with the rest all sorts of living For, indeed, Seth was born when Adam was creatures, the male and his female, for the pre-in his two hundred and thirtieth year: who servation of their kinds: and others of them lived nine hundred and thirty years. Seth by sevens.* Now this ark had firm walls, begat Enoch in his two hundred and fifth and a roof; and was braced with cross beams, year; who, when he had lived nine hundred so that it could not be any way drowned, or and twelve years, delivered the government overturned by the violence of the water: thus to Cain his son; whom he had at his hundred was Noah, with his family, preserved. Now and ninetieth year. He lived nine hundred he was the tenth from Adam, as being the son and five years. Cain, when he had lived nine of Lamech, whose father was Methusela: he hundred and ten years, had his son Malaleel, was the son of Enoch, the son of Jared; and who was born in his hundred and seventieth Jared was the son of Malaleel; who, with year. This Malaleel, having lived eight hunmany of his sisters, were the children of Cain,dred and ninety-five years, died, leaving his the son of Enos: now Enos was the son of Seth, the son of Adam.

This calamity happened in the six hundredth year of Noah's government or age, in the second month, † called by the Macedonians Dius; but by the Hebrews Marhesvan: 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; so that this month began the year, as to all the solemnities they observed in honor of God: although he preserved the original order of the months as to buying and selling, and other ordinary affairs. Now he says that this flood began on the seventeenth day of the before-mentioned month; and this was 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

little controverted. Some will have it to be the cedar,
others the pine, others the box, and others (particularly
the Mahometans) the Indian plane tree. But our learned
Fuller, in his Miscellanies, has observed, that it was no-
thing else but that which the Greeks call Kunapocos, or
the cypress tree: for, taking away the termination, cupar
and gopher differ very little in the sound. This observa-
tion the great Bochart has confirmed, and shown very
plainly that no country abounds so much with this wood
as that part of Assyria which lies about Babylon. To
this we may add the observation of Theophrastus, who,
speaking of trees that are least subject to decay, makes
the cypress the most durable; for which Vitruvius gives
this reason, that the sap, which is in every part of the
wood, has a peculiarly bitter taste, and is so very offensive
that no worm or other corroding animal will touch it, so
that such things as are made of this wood will in a manner
last for ever,
Universal Hist. B.

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 father was one hundred and sixtytwo years old. Now he, when he lived three hundred and sixty-five years, departed and went to God. Whence it is that they have not written down his death. Now Mathusela, the son of Enoch, who was born to him when he was one hundred and sixty-five years old, had Lamech for his son, when he was one hundred and eighty-seven years of age; to whom he delivered the government when he had retained it nine hundred and sixty-nine years. Now Lamech, when he had governed seven hundred and seventy-seven years, appointed Noah his son to be ruler of the people; who was born to Lamech when he was one hundred and eighty-two years old, and retained

• Gen. vii. 2.

+ Josephus here truly determines, that the years 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 one hundred and fifty days to the 17th day of the seventh month, as Gen. vii, ult. with viii. 3.

Josephus here takes notice, that these ancient genealogies were first set down by those that then lived, and from them were transmitted down to posterity: which I suppose to be the true account of that matter: for there is no reason to imagine that men were not taught to read and write soon after they were taught to speak; and perhaps all by the Messiah himself, who, under the Father, was the Creator or Governor of mankind, and who frequently, in those early days, appeared to them.

the government nine hundred and fifty years. These years collected together make up the sum before set down. But let no one inquire into the deaths of these men, for they extended their lives all along together with their children and grandchildren; but let him have regard to their births only.

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. 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 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 was left dry by the water, and whether he might go out of the ark with safety; but the raven, finding all the land still overflowed, returned to Noah again. But 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. Hereby 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 place AnoCalcov, the Place of Descent: for, the ark being saved in that place, its remains are showed by the inhabitants to this day.

Now all the writers of profane history make mention of this flood and of this ark, among

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whom is Berosus, the Chaldean; for when he was describing the circumstances of the flood, he went on thus:

"It is said there is still some part of the 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 Phoenician Antiquities; and Manaseas, and many more, make mention of the same. Nay, Nicolaus 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 whoin Moses, the legislator of the Jews, wrote."

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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 as, if they be reserved for another deluge, while they must be afflicted with the terror and the sight of the deluge, and must also be destroyed by a

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blood, for therein is the life. But I will give you a sign that I have laid aside 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.

Now when Noah had lived three hundred and fifty years after the flood, and all that time happily, he died; being nine hundred and fifty years old: 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; er make the shortness of our lives at present an argument that they did not 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 promulgation 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 them time for fortelling the periods of the stars, unless they had lived six hundred years, for the great year is completed in that interval.

When Noah had made these supplications, God, who loved the man for his righteousness, granted 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 Now I have for witnesses to what I have if I shall at any time send tempests of rain in said all those that have written antiquities, an extraordinary manner, be not affrighted at both among the Greeks and Barbarians; for the copiousness of the showers, for the water even Manetho, who wrote the Egyptian Hisshall no more overspread the earth. How-tory; and Berosus, who collected the Chalever I require you to abstain from shedding the blood of men, and to keep yourselves pure from murder, and to punish those who commit any such thing; I permit you to make use of all the other living creatures, at your pleasure, and as your appetites lead you; for I have made you lords of them all; both of those that walk on the land, and those that swim in the waters, and of those that fly in the regions of the air on high, excepting the

* Gen. ix. 13.

dean Monuments; and Mochus, and Hes tiæus, and besides these, Hieronymus, the Egyptian, and those that composed the Phonician History, agree to what I here say. Hesiod † also, and Hecatæus, and Hellanicus, and Aculsilans; 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.

they might be esteemed great infants, I prefer that read+ Since the Latin copies have here generally Isiodorus, ing. But what a catalogue of ancient authors are there instead of Hesiodus; Vossius, and perhaps Hudson, in- that confirm the Sacred History in one of its most difclined to think the writer here meant was Isidorus ficult branches! To which, had Josephus read the Latin Characenus, who produced instances of kings who reign--authors, as he did the Greek, he might have added Varro, ed a long time. But since the Greek copies have constantly Hesiod, and since Hesiod says, that men's lives were once so long, that at one hundred years of age

the most learned of the Romans, who made this inquiry, What the reason was that the ancients were supposed to have lived one thousand years?

CHAP. IV.

OF THE TOWER OF BABYLON, AND THE CONFUSION OF

TH

TONGUES.

tyranny, seeing no other method 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

HE sons of Noah were three, Shem, Ja-world again; for that he would build a tower phet, and Ham, born one hundred years too high for the waters to be able to reach, before the deluge. These first of all de-and that he would avenge himself on God for scended from the mountains into the plains, destroying their forefathers." and fixed their habitation there, and per- Now the multitude were very ready to folsuaded others, who were greatly afraid of low the determination of Nimrod, and to the lower grounds on account of the flood, esteem it a piece of cowardice to submit to and so were very loth to come down from the God; and they built a tower, neither sparing higher places, to venture to follow their ex- any pains, nor being at any degree negligent ample. Now the plain in which they first about the work; and, by reason of the multidwelt was called Shinar. God also com-tude of hands employed in it, it grew very manded 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 of; 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 disobedience to the divine will, the suspicion that they were ordered to send out separate colonies, that, being divided asunder, they might the more easily be oppressed.

Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and contempt of God; he was the grandson of Ham, the son of Noah, a bold man, and of great strength of hand. He persuaded them not to ascribe it to God, as if it were through his means that they were happy, but to believe that it was their own courage that procured that happiness. He also gradually changed the government into

*Gen. xi. 29.

+ See this testimony in the original, and in English in my Edition of the Sybylline Oracles, p. 11. 93, 94; but there it is in verse, and here in prose, the reason of which difference I by no means understand. But what is here

high sooner than any one could expect; but the thickness of it was so great, and it was so strongly built, that thereby its great height seemed, upon view, to be less than it really was. It was built of burnt brick, cemented together with mortar, made of bitumen, that it might not be liable to admit water. When God saw them acting so madly, he did not resolve to destroy them utterly, since they were not grown wiser by the destruction of the former sinners; but he caused a tumult among them by producing in them divers languages, and causing that, through the multitude of those languages, they should not be able to understand one another. The place wherein they built the tower is now called Babylon, because of the confusion of that language which they readily understood before, for the Hebrew means, by the word Babel,* confusion. The Sibyl† also makes mention of the tower, and of the confusion of the language, when she says thus:-"When all men were of one language, some of them built an high tower, as if they would thereby ascend up to heaven; but the gods sent storms of wind, and overthrew the tower, and gave every one his peculiar language; and for this reason it was that the city was called Babylon." But as to the plain of Shinar, in the country of Babylonia, Hesticus mentions it

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