A Pisgah-Sight of Palestine, Book 5 · Part 1 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Objections against Manasseh on this …ide Jordan answered.
Philol.
ANd why so much of the Map of Issachar presented again in Manasseh? What need this waste, and repetition of the same again?
Aleth.
The squaring of the Map necessarily commanded the repetition thereof; nor is it lost labour, because two scattered pieces in Issachar belonged to Manasseh.
Philol.
But ô what a medley motley pieced Map have you made of this half Tribe of Manasseth! Surely Iosephs coate consisted not of more aGen. 37. 3.colours then Manasseh (Iosephs sons) portion is made up of shreds and parcels as you have presented it, marring the in…ireness of this halfe Tribe with your manifold divisions.
Aleth.
And yet no more then what are warranted by Gods word. Let none part what he hath put together, nor put together what he hath parted. I delight not out of wantonness, to make smp… of Manasseh's portion, but the Tex… puts the Shears into my hand, commanding me to cut it so: because Manasseh hadbJosh. 17.11. three Countreys in Issachar and Asher: That is, surrounded with them, which necessitates the cantoning of this halfe Tribe into such dis-jointed parcels.
Philol.
You make a piece of Asher, parted from the main body thereof, to confine on Manasseh, whilest Bonfrerius finds a fitter expedient by cutting off the west ends of Zebulun and Issachar from the Mediterranean, and continuing Asher along the sea side to Manasseh, so preserving Asher intire thereby.
Aleth.
His Expedient raiseth more difficulties then it allaieth; as directly opposite to Scripture, Reason, and the generall consent of Writers, as formerly hath been largely proved in our Objections against Zebulun. Better it is therefore to admit a parcell of Asher separated from the main of the Tribe (Instances in English Counties being frequent in this case) then by Bonfrerius his shift, to allow Truth parted from Iacobs cGen. 49. 23.prophecy, which inevitably followes, if Zebulun be made Land…locked, and cut off from bounding on the sea.
Philol.
Indeed you put Manasseh's separate Countreys within Issachar, but not within Asher, not invironed there with, but onelyonly joining thereto, whereas the Text saith equally,*Josh. 17. 11. And Manasseh had in Issachar and Asher &c.
Aleth.
The main body of Issachar confining on Manasseh afforded us conveniency to insert such Countreys therein. But Asher his part being in it self but a small dis-jointed portion, is not so capable of surrounding a Countrey within it, seeing such a parcell within a parcell would appear so diminutive a subdivision as almost inconsiderable. Besides, the preposition foreign rendred In in the Text, may sometimes be satisfied with signifying ad, or juxta, nigh, or by, that is, a bare proximity, apposition, and contiguousnes of a thing. In which sense Manasseh had land bordering on this dis-jointed piece of Asher.
Philol.
In*Parag. 32. Ephraim you say that Iezreel was more then twenty miles from Samaria, which measured by the scale in your Map are not above twelve miles asunder.
Aleth.
Let not the Typographicall mistake of the Printer be accounted the Topographicall errour of the Author; That twelve should be twenty, and in the Errata is mended accordingly.
Philol.
You might almost as well inscribe this Map the Tribe of Levi, as the Half Tribe of Manasseh. It was the complaint in time of Popery, that the Church did eate up the Commonwealth; every third foot in the kingdome being Church-land, before the dissolution of Abbies. You endevour to reduce Palestine to the same proportion. It was a pious wish of Moses, cNum. 11. 29.Would God, that all the Lords people were Prophets: But a covetous desire in you to convert so much of the land into the Levites portion, by extending the circular suburbs of their Cities to six miles Diameter; whereas Authours contract them, within less then halfe that compass, yet observing the true dimension of the Cubit therein.
Aleth.
For number such Cities are no moe then the Scripture assigneth, though here haply falling thicker then in other Maps. As for the three thousand Cubits of their extent on all sides, we have in the manner of the measuring thereof followed the direction of judiciousfVid. on Num. 35. 4, 5. Mr. Ainsworth, (as he the learned Rabbi Maimony) preferring it amongst various expositions, as most naturall to the Text. Now let none wonder that we make a thousand Cubits adequate to a thousand paces, or on English mile. For, although lesser Cubits were used by the Iews, about their vessels, and buildings; yet their Geometricall Cubit (generally employed for their better expedition, because largest, in their surveying of land) contained six lM. Godwin his Moses and Aaron lib. 6. pag. 248.common Cubits; and RabbimIn Ez…kielis ca. 48. 2. cited by Arias Montanus de Mensuris sacris. Kimhi expresly saith that a thousand Emoth, or Cubits make a mile. Besides, consider I pray, these three thousand Cubits were to be measured from the wall of the City, the flexures and bendings whereof, produced the parallel bendings in the bounds of the Levites suburbes. But because we cannot be instructed in what from the line of their walls ranged about, we begin our measure from the midst of the City, and therefore … bound to make their lands amends with the largeness of the C…ibts, because beginning our mensuration to their disadvantage, from the …n…er of the City, in s…ead of the [unknown] circumf…ce thereof.
Philol.
I am not satisfied in the situation of …, that it was seated in this half Tribe of Manass…h.
Aleth.
It is seated according to Adrichomi…s, and the judgment of most other*Merca…or, G…il. Tyrius & generally in most Maps. Authors. But if I might interpose mine own opinion, I conceive it many miles nearer unto Ierusalem in the Tribe of Ephraim, rather nigh then on the sea, in the road betwixt Ierusalem, and Cesarea, some thirty miles from the former; whither I shall remove the same, when my opinion herein shall be countenanced with the approbation of others. My reason that Antipatris could not be so far northward, (full sixty miles as they make it from Ierusalem) is, because theiAct. 23. 31, 32. …ootmen sent to attend Saint Paul marched thither from Ierusalem in one night. Now, although their suspicion of the Iews pursuing them to rescue Saint Paul, might quicken their pace, yetkIbid. v. 23. 32. foot-souldiers could not be foot-posts, it being impossible for spearmen to go so far, in so short a time, betwixt the third hour [nine a clock at night] and the next morning.