A Pisgah-Sight of Palestine, Book 5 · Part 1 · Chapter 3 – Chapter 4
CHAP. III. Objections concerning Gad answered.
Philol.
VVHy make you the City of Iazer so in-land into this tribe, which Adrichomius placeth on the River of Arnon?
Aleth.
I can demonstrate, it could not stand on that River, and by consequence must be more within the Tribe of Gad. For, Arnon, is notoriously known to be the eastern bound of Canaan▪ Now attend what Moses saith, And the suburbs of the Cities, which yee shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the City, and outwards a thousand Cubits round about: And yee shall measure from without the City on the east side, two thousand Cubits, and on the south side two thousand Cubits, and on the west side two thousand Cubits, and on the north side two thousand Cubits, and the City shall be in the middest, this shall be to them the suburbs of their Cities. Iazer therefore being a City of thebJosh. 21. 39. Levites, could not stand upon Arnon, because they could not measure three thousand Cubits eastward, for then they should take so much out of an enemies Countrey, which belonged not to Israel. Where we may also observe, that no sea-town was allotted the Levites, because, for the reason aforesaid, it would have proved less unto them, hindering the circular dimensions of their possessions.
Philol.
You are much mistaken in the placing of the City of Aroer. The bJosh. 13. 25.Scripture saith, that it is before Rabba, or as Tremellious rendreth it, ante conspectum Rabbae, within the view, or sight of Rabba. Whereas your Map presents it six and twenty miles off from that place. Lynceus his eyes need a prospective-glass to discover Rabba from Aroer, at the distance in your description.
Aleth.
Judicious SirdHistory of the World …. part 2. book 10. chap. … 5. Walter Raleigh answers in my behalf; that Rabba, near to which Aroer was seated, was not (as you erroneously conceive) Rabba of Ammon, to which it was neither near, nor in sight, (as he worthily observes) but Rabba a chief City of Moab. Which Rabba bordered on Aroer, as in our Map of Moab doth appear; though, here straitned fro room, no mention is made thereof.
Philol.
You ill observe Scripture-instructions, in fixing the first tent of Ioab, when sent to number the people. For thec2 Sam. 24. 5. text saith that the he pitched in Aroer (that is, in the Countrey not City of Aroer, wherein I concur with you) on the right side of the City that lyeth in the midst of the River of Gad, and toward Iazer. Be your own judge, whether or no, the tent be set on the right side of the City.
Aleth.
The chief directory in placing this tent is the word right hand, and that relative term is varied, according as the face is setled. If Ioabs face in his journy respected the north, then the east is the right hand of the City, and then the posture of the tent is rightly placed. However the best is, a tent is but a tent, no solid or substantiall structure, it will be no great work, or weight, on better grounds, to take it down and remove it.
Philol.
IN Ia…obs travells you place Soccoth fifteen miles from Peniel, yet was it the very nextfGen. 33. 17. station, to which he removed. Now I appeal to Nurses and Drovers (the most competent judges in this controversie) whether it be not too long a journy, for little Children and E…s big with young; except you conceive, miles are as easily gone on the grounds, as measured in a Map with the Compass.
Aleth.
Though in Iacobs Gests, Succoth succeeds the next place to Peniel, yet it follows not, that Iacob with his train went so far in one day. Probably, he might bait, yea lodge severall days betwixt them; the Scripture not mentioning every stage of his staying, but onelyonly marking signall places, whereat some memorable accidents did happen, or wherein for some considerable time he made his abode.
Philol.
Sir Walter Raleigh (whose judgment you deservedly honour) makes the River of Iabbok the northern bound on the matter of the Tribe of Gad, therein following the example of Adrichomius. Whereas you extend this Tribe many miles beyond that river, even to the sea of Cinneroth or Galilee; a great tract of ground, which you injuriously take from Manasseh, and bestow on this Tribe.
Aleth.
I exactly follow Scripture directions, in dividing this land betwixt them.gJosh. 13. 27. The text saith expresly, that the border of the inheritance of the Gadites reached even to the edge of the sea of Cinneroth, and therefore the land betwixt Iabbok, and the edge of the sea, undoubtedly belongs to this Tribe, which justly may have an action of trespass against the foresaid Author, for depriving it of so considerable a part of its true possession. And yet (under favour) I conceive, Mr. More in his Maps doth much overdoe, stretching the inheritance of this Tribe to the utmost, and most northern part of the sea of Galilee.
Philol.
I admire much at your inconstancy. In your Map of Palestine, some seven years since prefixed to your Holy War, you set Iabesh-Gilead north of the river Iabbok in the Tribe of Manasseh, which now you have translated many miles southward into this Tribe. It seems, you need no other to confute you but your self.
Aleth.
I have seen mine*I request this mine answer may be applyed to those many differences betwixt my former Map, and this present description. error, and you see my retractation thereof. One day teacheth another. To live, and not to learn, is to loiter, and not to live. Confessions of our former mistakes, are the honourable Trophies of our conquest over our own ignorance. The main reason, why Iabesh-Gilead could not be so far north, is this, because Saul marched from Bezek in the Tribe of Ephraim, with an army of foot, in an afternoon and a night, over Iordan, unto this City, and came hither in theh1 Sam. 1…. 11. morning-watch. Now though we allow, that zeal to their brethren in danger, spurred on the souldiers, and did horse those foot in point of speed, yet they almost needed wings, in so short a time to goe so long a journey (fifty miles at least besides the crossing of two great rivers, Iordan, and Iabbok) and to come thither so early. Wherefore with master More we have placed Iabesh-Gilead south of Iabbok, some thirty miles from Bezek, having the concurrence of other Authors for the position thereof.
…hilol.
You have found a nest of Cities in thei1 Mac. 5. 26. Apocrypha, and place them all in this Tribe. Whereas two of them, namely, Bozra and Betzer, are by learnedkVid. T…m i… locum praed. Tremellius found to be, the one in Edom, the other in Reuben, many miles from the Tribe of Gad.
Aleth.
I deny not, but two Cities of the foresaid names are presented in those Countreys, but could not be the same, with these Cities which Maccabeus relieved. It is expresly recorded (oncel1 Mac. 5. 25. 27. and again for the more certainty thereof) that these places were in the land of Gilead. And that any part of Edom, or Reuben, was ever reputed to belong to the land of Gilead, is as I conceive an opinion unpresidented in any good author, and unavouchable by any strong argm…nts.
CHAP. IV. Objections concerning Manasseh beyond Jordan answered.
Philol.
YOu have made the countrey of Manasseh beyond Iordan, too large in the dimensions thereof. for, it being the portion but of half a Tribe, is, according to your scale of miles, little less in proportion, then the Countrey which other entire Tribes did possess.
Aleth.
I confess the truth of what you alledge, which is no whit strange in it self. What more common then to call a Twin, half a man? Yet I doubt not, but you have seen such half-men, as proper persons, as any single-born. And the moiety of this Tribe, possessed as much ground, as most other whole Tribes in Israel. This may appear by the number of Cities, no fewer thenaJosh. 13. …0. threescore contained therein. Yet under favour, I conceive, that the land east of Iordan was not altogether so civilized, but more wilde, and warlike, then the countrey west thereof. Especially this of Manasseh, subject to hostile incursions from the north and east; and therefore their portion was cut out in the largest size, that what they wanted in the quietness, they might have in the quan…ity of their possessions.
Philol.
You make Chorazin within two miles of Capernaum, whereas Mr. More in his Maps, placeth it on the west side of the sea of Galilee, hard by Bethsaida; in my minde with more probability of truth. For, our Saviour saith,bMat. 11. 21. Woe be to thee Chorazin, woe be unto thee Bethsaida, coupling them together in his commination, who probably would have joined Capernaum and Chorazin together, for the vicinity both of their profaneness, and place, had they been seated so near together, as they are presented in your description.
Aleth.
Your argument concludes nothing at all. Have you not often seen malefactours manacled together, whose places of birth and breeding were farthest asunder? So might it be with Chorazin, and Bethsaida; whilest Capernaum is singled out, and set solely by it self, in our Saviours threatning, as a signall offender, most eminent for its ingratitude. As for our placing of Chorazin, we have therein observed the instructions of SaintcHie…on, in locis Hebr. lit. C. & Br…chardus itin…re 3. &. 5. Hierome, and other good Authours.
Philol.
You make the brook Cherith in this Tribe, without rendering any reason, why you place it here; which Adrichomius (no doubt on good ground) appointeth to be on the west side of Iordan, in the Tribe of Ephraim.
Aleth.
The brook is but once mentioned in Scripture, and therefore we want exact instructions for the position thereof. Yea generally the Maps of Palestine take no notice of this brook. As if it had been so dried up, with the long drought in the days of Eliah, that the channell thereof did not afterwards appear. But to the point; Two things are observable in Scripture, concerning the post…re of this Cherith; First, that Eliah after his message done to Ahab in Samaria, was commanded to turn himselfd1 King. 17. 8. Eastward: Secondly, that the brook Cherith, whither he was sent, is said to be before Iordan; the Hebrew hath it foreign and Tremellius rendereth it è regione Iordanis; All which put together, clearly speaketh it, to have been …ast of Samaria, and on the other side of Iordan, where judicious Mr. More in his Map hath placed it, whom I conceive my self to follow on good reason.