A Treatise Proving Melchizedek to be Shem, Part

A Treatise Proving Melchizedek to be Shem · Part

A discourse touching the Greeke tranſlation.

I Will ſeparate theſe two from the former,A diſcourſe touching the Septuagint. by a diſcourſe touching the Greke tranſlation: and that the Grekes caſe and iudgement may better be knowen, I wyll here enterlace a long diſcourſe, to ſhew how Gen. 5. & 11. the Greke tranſlation differeth from the true grounde and infallible the Hebrew text: wherof from Ezras age, eueryevery‡‡Rabbi Sadaias hath made a Treatiſe of that: which Elias hath ioyned to his Hammaſoreth letter in the Hebrew was reckoned. I wyl lay downe the vſual tranſlation accordyng to the Hebrew, and alſo that of the Greeke, from the Septuaginta: Whoſe tranſlation, though we hauehave not ſincere, but for many ſentences, patched of ſundry other tranſlations, a ſentence being repeated ſundry wayes, and tymes, where the Hebrew hath but one ſaying: yet for the body of the worke, it is the Septuagint, as may be gathered. For the newe Teſtament writeth many hundredes of proper names, accordyng to the common Tranſlation which is called the Septuagint: as Ar, not Har: Mageddon, not Megiddo: Sadduc in Sadducees, as Sadoc is Sadduc. Ez. 7. and many ſuch: But theſe examples I bring, to ſhewe that the Greeke**Apocal. 17. Mat. 3. Mar. 12 Luk. 20. Act. 5Rev 17Matt 3Mark 12Luke 20Acts 5 copies are not (as ſome write) in thoſe wordes corrupted. Such alſo are foreign Hope, Ruth. 1. 12. Heb. 3. 14. foreign to oppreſſe. Iob. 35. Luk. 3. 14. foreign. Pro. 3, 6. 2. Tim. 2. 15. to ſettle a ryght, foreign. Pſa. 53. Eph 6. 6. And as foreign for vnreligious, or robbe Altar Act. 17. cannot wel be expounded, but by Demoſtines frō his oration, for Cteſiphon: as Vlpian expoundeth him: and agayne as foreign Luk. 22. 25. cannot be expounded ſo well as from the ſame orator, making a difference thereby betweene the equall voyces in Attens gouernement: and the ſole principalitie of a kingdome, where all paſſeth by one voyce and commander: ſo many places of ſeuerall common wordes, vſed by the Apoſtles, and alſo hundredes of phraſes may and muſt be referred for examination to the Greeke tranſlation whith we hauehave now: though ſo much mangled, and differing in ſundry copies, that ſome tymes it woulde ſeeme a ſeuerall worke by diuerſitie of copies. And this I dare affirme, that who ſo is not acquainted with it, vnderſtandeth not fully the Greeke of the new Teſtament. That being ſo, as the common vſe helde, we may holde that the common Greke tranſlation (though in ſome poyntes compounded of others fiue**Aquilas, Symmachus, Theodotion: and two without the Authors names. Theſe ioyned, made Hexaplun: that is a ſixfold worke: the Hebrewes both in Hebrew letters, & alſo in Greke letters, but Hebrewe wordes made vp Octaplun the eyghtfolde worke. The tranſlation of Lucian the martyr: & that of Sophronius, though not from the Hebrew, were of good accompt. Moſes of late dayes is ſet foorth, in a Greeke tranſlation: but in Hebrew letters, by a wicked Iew: to deface the Greke now vſed. or ſixe, which Athanaſius & Epiphanius reckon, and wholly is an other for the booke of Daniel:) yet that for farre the greater part, it is the olde Septuagint. That alſo appeareth by the Greekes citations. Doubtles the Romiſtes thynke the Edition of Pius quintus, to come neare to the Septuagint. According to that will I tranſlate the 5. and 11. of Geneſis, and ſet it ouer againſt the Hebrewe, ioyning ſome obſeruations, not vnprofitable for them that louelove the trueth. Herein you ſhal ſee yeeres more then the Sunne meaſured, haſtenyng to the North, and returnyng to the South. For ſeuerall hundredes be added to all theſe men, to Adam, to Seth, to Enoſh. to Kenan, to Mahalaeel, to Enoch, to Arphaxad, and to hym a new Kenan (a man of Vtopia, that neuer was) with yeeres lyke the reſt: after him to Selah, to Eber, to Peleg, to Regu, to Sarug, to Nahor: to eche one of theſe ſeuerall hundrethes of yeeres. Theſe dayes God ſought not out: and lyght dyd neuer ſhyne in them. The Starres that brighten the day knewe them not, nor the Horizon of the Ocean that beareth vp VVhales. But as the Egyptian Greekes folowed the old Egyptians and Chaldeans, that faygned yeeres: whoſe dayes neuer came in number of monethes: So for their weakenes did the Greeke learned Hebrewes fayne a thouſand yeeres, and many hundredes, that neuer ſaw the eyelidde of the mornyng.

Great cauſe they thought offered ſo to dally, with prophane folke that ſought for the Hebrewes learnyng and bookes, onelyonly for brauerie of a Library, nothing for conſcience to the Law of God: and would come with ſuch mindes to ſpie likelyhood of errour, to catch at: as the men of Iericho came vntounto the houſe of Rachab, to hauehave caught the ſpies. Therefore as Rachab vſed a mockage with her enemies: and ſayde an irony or floute, that they taking her wordes in proprietie, let the Spyes eſcape ſafe: So the Ebrewes coueted to do: being requeſted to turne their Prophetes into Greeke, by a King whoſe father, before that tyme, pretendyng fauour to the Iewes religion, and comming into their towne on the Sabbath quietly, ſtraight way by force did ſurpriſe their Citie.R. Abraham, Ben-Dauid in Kabala. They were in feare leaſt the ſonne woulde folow his fathers ſteppes, and picke quarrelles at their wrytinges: which he woulde try by Heathen, no whit further eſteeming them, then with Heathen they had ſame likelihood of agreement. They thus fearyng harme, ſeeing no hope of doyng good with proper trueth, woulde not caſt Pearles before Hogges, nor holy thinges before Dogges: to tread them vnderunder their feete, and to be rented them ſelues: but altered ſuch poyntes, as moſt woulde hauehave ſtirred Egyptians to contention. The tyme and Chronicle was the chiefeſt poynt, wherein the Heathen woulde fight agaynſt them. For ſome inckling they had of the11Homer, Plato in Timaeo. Creation, of a22Heſiod in Pandora. woman full of giftes, that brought ſorowe into the worlde,33Nicander Ther. of diſdayning a perpetual youth, and enuying that a fire**Alexander polyhiſtor. (which 44Clem. 1. Strom.is lyght of knowledge) was hid from them: of olde age, brought in by a Serpentes counſell: and yet55Ioſeph out of Heſiod: and Diod. Sic Ouid. 1. Metam. Herod 2. Euſeb 1. praep. reaching to ‡‡Manethus, Molus, Eſtiaeus, Ecataeus, Ellanicus, Acouſilaus, Ephorus, Sibylla.a thouſand yeres, whoſe infancie might endure an hundred yeeres: of lyuing by foode of Plantes,§§Beroſſus Chaldeus, Hieronymus aegiptius▪ Ni colaus Damaſcenus, Mnaſeas. of the deluge: of ♓♓Eupolemus. Euſeb. 9. prap.the Tower buylding, of the Sunne twiſe altered in his courſe, of Moſes, of Chanaan ſubdued. Theſe poyntes, and many ſuch dyd y^e heathen ſomwhat know: but for the times would they chiefly hauehave bralled. Great is that matter, and greatly to be conſidered. For that ſentence which Tatianus in Euſebius vſed as one ſufficient to ouerthrow all the Philoſophers learnyng: and of late for the contemners in our tyme, M. Ioſeph Scaliger, that rare learned man, prefixed in the entrance to his booke de Emendatione temporū: The ſame doubtles had the ancient Hebrewes in their mynde. And this is that ſentence, which wayeth ſo much: VVhere the deſcription of time is not well ſetled togeather, there can be no trueth of ſtorie. Wherein the Egyptians and the Chaldeans were extreamely deceyued, as may appeare by Greeke recordes.Diog Laer. in his Proaem. Marke for theſe howe the Greekes reckon their tymes. Laertius writeth of the Egyptians, that Vulcane the ſonne of Nilus was authour of Philoſophy: of whom continued a ſucceſſion of Prieſtes and Prophets.In Egypt the learned were called Hiereis, and Prophe… ae thence the Septuagint borowed theſe two termes to tranſlate Cohenim and Nebyir. Th' Apoſtles in Greeke reteine the Septuagint termes, and for Cohenim put Hiereis▪ but neuer for o…e vnderunder the Goſpel, that is ſeruant in the worde and Sacramentes. Wiſedome woulde thinke their termes the beſt: but cuſtome will rule. Nowe from this Vulcane to Alexander the Macedonian were yeeres, eight and fourtie thouſande, eight hundred ſixtie and three, Iump forſooth. They woulde ſeeme not to miſſe one yeere of ſo great a tyme: whereas at Alexanders byrth, the whole worlde neuer had yet ſerne yeeres three thouſande fyue hundred and eightie: by the Scripture accompt, conferred with the greateſt conſtancie of the Heathen. And to make their tales ſomewhat more notable: they ioyne further obſcruations, to make all more ſure, that in this ſpace there were Eclipſes of the Sunne three hundred ſeauentie and three: of the Moone, eight hundred thirtie and two.

The Chaldeans for profeſſion are lyke the Egyptians, as thinketh Diodorus Siculus. In him they bragge for Aſtrologicall experience of foure hundred and ſeauentie thouſande yeeres. Mar. Tullius much agreeth with Diodorus Siculus, who recordeth in his booke de Diuinat. 2. that they affirme foure hundred thouſand yeres to hauehave been ſpent of them in tryall & experimentes of obſeruing chyldrens byrthes, with the ſtarres ſituation, to caſt their deſtiny.

With ſuch mates had y^e Greke learned Hebrewes to deale. Their hatred toward Abrahams ſonnes & learning, Moſes and Daniel ſheweth.**Baal Aruch … lachnai or Iannes: who alſo citeth the Talmud: and Numenius in Euſeb. Praep. 9. Iewes & Heathen kept the memorie & name of Iannes & Iambres. For ſuch weake heades the Septuagint altered the text: not to be holden ſo in good trueth of the faythfull, but done for preſent neceſſitie of their caſe.

But now I wyl returne to the Text: of the Hebrew the infallible: and the Septuagint: ſettyng one ouer againſt the other: and addyng ſome Obſeruations, where I thinke it needefull.

The Hebrew originall.

ADAM liued an hundreth and thirtie yeres, and begate Seth. And the dayes of Adam after he had begotten Seth, were eight hundreth yeeres. So all the dayes that Adam lyued were nine hundreth and thirtie yeeres: and he died.

Seth liued an hundreth and fiue yeeres▪ and begate Enoſh: and Seth liued after he had begate Enoſh, eight hundreth and ſeuen yeeres. So al the dayes of Seth were nine hundreth and twelue yeeres: and he dyed.

Enoſh liued nintie yeeres, and begate Kenan. And Enoſh lyued after he begate Kenan, eight hundreth and fifteene yeeres. So all the dayes of Enoſh were nine hundreth & fiue yeeres: and he died.

Kenan liued ſeuentie yeres and begate Mahalaleel. And Kenan liued after he begate Mahalale…l, eight hundreth and fourtie yeeres. So all the dayes of Kenan were nine hundreth and ten yeeres: and he dyed.

Mahalaleel liued ſixtie and fiue yeeres and begate Iered Alſo Mahalaletl lyued after he begate Iered, eight hundreth and thirtie yeeres. So all the dayes of Mahalaleel were eight hundreth ninetie and fiue yeeres: and he died.

Iered lyued an hundreth ſixtie and two yeres, and begate Henoch. Then Iered liued after he begate Henoch, eyght hundreth yeeres. So all the daies of Iered were nine hundreth ſixtie and two yeeres: and he died.

Henoch liued ſixtie & fiue yeeres, and begate Metheuſelah. And Henoch walked with God, after he begate Methuſelah three hundreth yeeres. So all the dayes of Henoch were three hundreth ſixtie & fiue yeeres: and God tooke him away.

Methuſelah liued an hundreth eightie & ſeuen yeres, and begate Lamech. And Methuſelah liued after he begat Lamech, ſeuen hūdreth eightie and two yeeres. So all the dayes of Methuſelah were nine hundreth ſixtie & nine yeeres: and he dyed.

Lamech liued an hundreth eightie and two yeeres, and begate Noah. And Lamech liued after he begate Noah, fiue hundreth nintie & fiue yeeres. So all the dayes of Lamech were ſeuen hundreth ſeuentie and ſeuen yeeres: and he dyed.

And Noah was fiue hundreth yeeres olde: and Noah begate Sem, Cham, & Iapheth. And Noah was ſixe hundreth yeres olde when the flood of waters was vponupon the earth. So Noah entred and his ſons, and his wyfe, and his ſonnes wyues, with hym into the Arke, becauſe of the waters of the flood.

The Greeke Tranſlation.Obſeruations.

ADAM liued**In the former tymes ſome note…, as it appeareth yet, very badly, and blaſphemoſly, that Moſes omitted an hūdred yeres. So at the fyrſt they woulde deface all his authoritie. What wyll they ſay for his later ſumme, hauing more thē the Greeke hath by …n hundreth yeeres: and yet the whole ſumm… in moſt equall: in all ſauing Lamech. two hundreth and thirtie yeeres, and begate Seth. And the dayes of Adam after he had begotten Seth, were ſeuen hundreth yeeres. So all t…e dayes that Adam liued, were nine hundreth and thirtie yeeres: and he died.

Seth liued two hundreth and fiue yeeres, and begate Enoſh. And Seth lyued after he had begate Enoſh. ſeuen hundreth and ſeuen yeeres. So all the dayes of Seth were nine hunreth & twelue yeres: and he died.

Enoſh liued an hundreth and nintie yeeres, and begate Kenan. And Enoſh lyued after he bgate Kenan ſeuen hundreth and fifteene yeres. So all the dayes of Enoſh were nine hundreth and fiue yeeres: and be dyed.

Kenan liued an hundreth and ſeuentie yeres, & begate Mahalaleel. And Kenan liued after he begat Mahalaleel, ſeuen hūdreth & fourtie yeeres. So all the dayes of Kenan were nine hundreth and ten yeeres: and he dyed.

Mahalaleel liued an hundreth ſixtie and fiue yeerres, and begate Iered Alſo Mahalaleel liued after he begate Iered ſeuen hundreth and thirty yeere. So all the dayes of Mahalaleel were eight hundreth ninetie and fiue yeeres: and he dyed.

**In him the Greeke tranſlation altereth nothyng: her in Noah.Iered liued an hundreth ſixtie and two yeres, and begate Henoch Then Iered l…ued after he begate Henoch, eight hundreth yeres. So all the dayes of Iered were nine hundreth ſixtie & two yeeres: and he dyed.

Henoch liued on hundreth ſixtie and fiue yeeres, and begate Methuſelah. And Henoch walked with God, after he begate Methuſelah, two hun…reth yeeres. So all t…e dayes of Henoch were three hundreth ſixtie and fiue yeeres: and God tooke him away.

Methuſelah liued an hundreth **So he ſhould be a Father twenty yeres ſooner then he was in the Hebrew trueth. And of 955. yere old at the Flood: wherfore the reſt of his age he muſt be 14. yeres ſomwhere. Some woulde beleeue that he was with Henoch tyll the Flood was paſt, rather then beleeue y^e Hebrew text. Aug. Ciuit. 15. Cha. 11. As though al the lewes would, or could corrupt the Hebrew text: cited ſo muche in Commentaries, and founde vniforme yet. By this impoſſibilitie, the Septuagint would hauehave the worlde to knowe, that they for a cloſer purpoſe woulde not communicate the trueth of the Fathers ages with prophane Heathen. It is a pittifull thing to ſee how tyl this day men are bent to imagine vntruethes agaynſt the Hebrewe trueth, to diſanul the holines of the worde.ſixtie and ſeuen yeeres, and begate Lamech. And Methuſelah lyued after he begate Lamech, eight hundreth & two yeres. So all the dayes of Methuſelah were nine hundreth ſixtie and nine y. & he died.

Lamech liued an hundreth eighty and eight yeres and begate Noah. And Lamech liued, after he begate Noah, fiue hūdreth ſixty & fiue yeere. So all the dayes of Lamech were ſeuen hundreth fiftie and three yeeres: and he died.

And Noah was fiue hundreth yeres olde: and Noah begate Sem, Cham, & Iapheth. And Noah was ſixe hundreth yeres old, when the flood of waters was vponupon the earth. So Noah entred and his ſonnes, and his wyfe, and his ſonnes wyues with hym into the Arke, becauſe of the waters of the flood.

As they dealt with the Fathers of the fyft chapter: So dealt they with them that be in the eleuenth: and ſome what more ſtrangely, as touching additions of one man, and of this ſentence: And he died. To nine of them Moſes for ſpeciall cauſe hath omitted it. Marke that poynt likewyſe.

The Hebrew. GEN. 11.

SEM was an hundreth yeeere olde, and begate Arphaxad two yeeres after the Flood. And Sem liued after he begate Arphaxad, fiue hundreth yeeres.

And Arphaxad liued fiue and thirtie yeeres, and begate Selah. And Arphaxad liued after he begate Selah foure hundreth and three yeeres.

And Selah liued thirtie yeeres, and begate Eber. So Selab liued after he begate Eber, foure hundreth and thirtie yeeres.

Likewyſe Eber lyued foure and thirtie yeeres, and begate Peleg. So Eber liued after he begate Peleg, foure hundreth and thirtie yeeres.

And Peleg lyued thirtie yeres, and begate Regu. And Peleg lyued after he begate Regu. two hundreth and nine yeeres.

Alſo Regu lyued two and thirtie yeeres, and begate Serug. So Regu lyued after he begate Serug, two hundreth and ſeuen yeeres.

Moreouer Serug lyued thyrtie yeeres, and begate Nahor. And Serug lyued after he begate Nahor, two hundreth yeeres.

And Nahor lyued nine and twentie yeeres, and begate Terah. So Nahor liued after he begate Terah, an hundreth and nineteene yeeres.

So Terah lyued ſeuentie yeeres, and begate Abram, Nahor, and Haran. So the dayes of Terah were two hundreth and fiue yeeres, and Terah died in Charan.

The Greeke.

SEm was an hundreth yeere olde, & begate Arphaxad two yeeres after the Flood. And Sem lyued after he begate Arphaxad, fiue hundreth yeres: and he died.Moſes in the Hebrew omitteth mention of Sems death, to ſtay the reader in expectation of ſome rare dignitie of his perſon: and that men ſhoulde not thinke that he died before the bleſſing was faſtened vponupon Abraham: as in trueth he lyued after Terahs death, or the promyſe, ſeuentie & fiue yeeres, vntounto the fiftieth yeere of Iſaaks age: by the Ebrew vnfallible.

And Arphaxad lyued an hundreth fiue and thirtie yeres, and begate Cainan. And Arphaxad liued after he begat Cainan, foure hundreth and thirtie yeres: and he dyed.

And Cainan liued an hundreth and thirtie yeeres and begate Selah And Cainan liued after he begate Selah, three hundreth & thirtie yeres: and he dyed.

Here the Greekes enterlaced that fayned ſentence: And Ca…nan liued. &c. (that neuer was) and he died. And here a man mayſe… that they did but dally with the Heathen, by this fained name, as in Chap. 10. they make a Ca…inan the ſixt ſonne of Sem.And Selah liued an hundreth and thirtie yeere, and begate Eber. So Selah liued after he begate Eber, three hundreth and thirtie yeeres: and he died.

Likwiſe Eber liued an**By the Greeke accompt Sem ſhould die in the 105. yeere of Ebers age. hundreth thirtie and foure yeeres, and begate Peleg. So Eber liued after he begate Peleg, ‡‡Becauſe Eber doubled the ages of the men borne after Babels buylding: the Septuagint to hide that, ſhorten his time much.two hūdreth & ſeuentie yeres: and he died.

And Peleg liued an hundreth and thirtie yeres, and begate Regu. And Peleg lyued after he begat Regu, two hundreth & ninty y. and he died.

Alſo Regu liued an hūdreth thirtie and two yeres, & begat Serug. So Regu liued after he begate Serug two hundreth & ſeuen yeeres: and he died.

Moreouer Serug liued an hundreth and thirty yeeres, and begate Nahor. And Serug liued after he begat Nahor, two hundreth yeres: and he died.

And Nahor ‡‡The Septuagint for 29. geue Nachor 179. to ſurmount Terahs 130. according to his age compared with Abrahams. But Epiphanius copies wyll differ in this, and many other poyntes, as ſhall …one appeare▪liued an hundreth ſeuentie and nine yeeres, and begate Terah. So Nahor liued after he begate Terah, an hundreth twentie and fiue yeers: and he died.

So Terah lyued ſeuentie yeeres, and begate Abram, Nahor, and Haran. So the dayes of Terah were two hundreth and fiue yeeres, and Terah died in Charan.