The Annals of the World, History 1 · Age of the world 5 · History of Judah alone

The Annals of the World · History 1 · Age of the world 5 · History of Judah alone

p. 69In the second year of Mardocempedus, Year of the World 3284. b. or of Merodach, The Julian Period. 3994 there was seen another eclipse of the moon in Babylon, Year before Christ 720 in the 28 year of Nabonasar, upon the 18 day of the month Thoth, at midnight (to wit, in the beginning of the 9 of March, according to the Julian Calender, upon Saturday) and 176 daies, 20 houres and a half after, a third eclipse of the moon, upon the 15 day of the month Phamenoth (in the end of the 1. of September, being Sunday) three houres and a half before midnight, Ptolomeus lib. 4. magn. Syntax, cap 6, and 7.

Seucchus the Ethiopian, Year of the World 3285 Sabacons son, The Julian Period. 3995 reigned in Egypt, Year before Christ 719 14 years, [African,] who seemeth to be Sethos, Priest unto Vulcan: of whom Herodo…us, in his second book, c. 141. maketh mention.

Candaules having shewed his wife to Gyges a Courtier of his, Year of the World 3286 the son of Dascylus, The Julian Period. 3996 in an unseemely manner, Year before Christ 718 was by him (his wife setting him on thereto) murthered; and he thereby got, not only her, but with her the kingdom it self of Lydia also, for his labour, which is mentioned by Archilocus, of the Isle of Paros, who lived at the same time, in a Trimeter lambus of his; and so the kingdom of Lydia fell from the race of the Heraclide into the stock of the Mermuades: wherein it continued by the space of 170 years: of which Gyges himself reigned eighteen in it; Herod. lib. 1. Now that this Gyges was but a bond-slave, appeareth by that saying of Cresus his grandchild in Xenophon, Iustit. Cyri. l. 7. foreign. (i.e.) I under stand that the first of my Ancestors that here reigned, was made a king and a free man both at once: and Plato in his 2 de Repub. saith, that he was master of the kings cattle, and his name Gyges, in the eastern dialect seemeth to have been foreign (i.e.) Gug, or Gog.

Gyges having thus gotten the kingdome, Year of the World 3287 sent sundry great offerings to Delphos, made war upon Miletus and Smyrna: The Julian Period. 3997 and took the City of Colophos, Year before Christ 717 by force, Herod. lib. 1. cap. 17.

Eluleus king of Tyre, reduced under his obedience the Gitteans, which had revolted from him, making a voyage thither by sea. Against the Tyrians, Salmanasar king of Assyria marching with his army, invaded all Phenicia: yet shortly after, making a peace with them, he returned home again: and not long after, Sidon and Ace (called afterward Ptolomais) and Poletyrus or old Tyrus, with sundry other Cities, fell off from the Tyrians to the Assyrians; and when the Tyrians only now stood out against him, he returned a second time: in which action, the Phenicians furnished him, with sixty ships, and eight hundred Mariners: whom the Tyrians set upon with twelve ships only, and routed all that Navie, and took five hundred prisoners of them: whereby they got no small reputation at sea: But Salmanasar returning to besiege it, set guards upon the river, and conduits, which served the City, and cut them off: which hindered them from watering: which course being held against them five year together, forced them at last to digg wells within their Citie walls, and to live of that. This is delivered by Menander of Ephesus, in his Chronicles, translated into Greek, out of the Tyrian Annals, cited by Ioseph. 9. Antiq. cap. ult. where for Eluleus, Rufinus, an ancient Latine interpreter, calleth him Ayluleus; and thence Scaliger taketh occasion to call him Eliseus; from whom yet I dissent in this, that he here saith that the Cyprians were by Menander called Kitteans: whereas he by the name of Gitteans, understood in deed the inhabitants of Gitta, or Gath knowen well enough by that name in the holy Scriptures, [2 Sam. 15. 18. and c. 21. 19.] compared with [1 Sam. 17. 4.] who were also subdued to Juda, by Esechia, in the very time of this Eluleus or Eliseus, as may be gathered out of Josephus: who saith that Esechia made war upon the Philistines, and having vanquished them, joyned all their Cities and Countrie, from Gath, to Gaza, to the kingdom of Juda: 9. Antiq. c. last save one: as also, it is clear out of [2 Reg. 15. 18. and 18. 8.] that Esechia did smite the Philistines as far as Gaza, and the territories thereof: but against the Tyrians, who at this time were grown proud and insolent by reason of their wealth and successe in wars, was uttered that prophecie by [Esaias, 23. 1.]

But when Salmanasar died, his son Sennacharib reigned in his stead, [Tob. 1. 18.] whom Herod. l. 2. calleth the K. both of Assyria, and Arabia too, perchance for that the Assyrians p. 70at that time, together with Peraea, or the land of Gilead, and Hamath, or Ituraea held also a part of Arabia, either Petraea, or Deserta. For that Ivua, or Ava, which Sennacherib so much boasteth of, to have been conquered by him or his ancestors, [2 Reg. 18, 34. chap. 19. 13. Esay 37. 13.] was a country lying in the desert of Arabia, Fram. Junius affirmes, upon [2 Reg. 17. 24.] and the prophet Isaiah; foretelling the calamity which was to fall upon the Moabites, under Salmanasar, of which I speak before upon the year of the world 3278. and 3280. threatens them, that what ever they had laid up in store, the Assyrians should carry it away into the valley of the Arabians. Berosus also, in his History of the Chaldeans, cited by Josephus, lib. 10. cap. 1. saith, both that Sennacharib reigned in Assyria, and also that he made hot war upon all Asia and Egypt.

Now that this war of his upon Egypt, Year of the World 3291 lasted 3 whole years, The Julian Period. 4001 and that Palaestina also joyned with him therein, Year before Christ 713 I gather out of the 20 of the prophet Esay: where putting off his coat of hairy cloath (belonging to his prophetical function, as in Zach. 13. 4.) from his loynes, and his shoes from off his feet, he was commanded to walk up and down, naked and bare-foot 3 years together, for a sign and token to the Egyptians and Ethiopians; intimating, that that time once run out, they should in like manner, stript out o… their cloths, and barefoot, be led away into captivity and bondage, by the king of Assyria, which command the prophet is said to have received in the year, when Tartan being sent by Sargon, King of Assyria, besieged Ashdod and took it, [Esay 20. 1.] where, by Sargon, we must understand; Sennacharib himself: among whose commanders we find this Tartan to be named, [2 Reg. 18. 17.] and by Ashdod, that famous city Azotus, a city of the Philistins; whom we shewed before out of Josephus to have been subdued by King Ezekia.

But when Ezekia had shaken off the king of Assyria's yoake (which his father Achaz had taken) and would no longer serve him, [2 Reg. 17. 7.] then in the 14 of his reign, toward the end thereof, Sennacharib, coming up against the kingdom of Juda, besieged their fenced cities, and took a many of them, [Esay 36. 1. 2 Reg. 18. 13. 2. Chron. 32. 2.] And when Ezekia perceived that he had a draught upon Jerusalem likewise, taking advice with his princes, he stopt up all the fountains that were about the city, and turned away the brook Gichon, which ran through, and overflowed the region thereabout, and then built up all that part of the wall, which Joas the king of Israel had demolished in the time of Amazia, and a vaumure without; and fortified the house of David, and provided himself of Darts and Targets in great abundance, and set captains and colonels over the people, and calling them together to him in the street, of the gate of the city, he made a very pithy and grave oration to them, perswading them to be of courage, and not to have any dread of the king of Assyria, nor of his army, [2 Chron. 32. 2, 8, 30.]

In those dayes, Ezekia fell deadly sick, and being told by Isaiah that he should dye, powring out his tears and prayers unto God, he recovered his health, and obtained a prelongation of his life and kingdom, for fifteen years, [Esay 38. 1. 5, 21. 2 Reg. 2. 1, 7. 2 Chron. 32. 24.] Whereupon he composed and set forth that song; wherein first he sheweth, the grievousnesse of his bodily sicknesse, with the trouble, and disquietnesse of mind, which he endured therein, and withall his prayer unto God thereupon; and then acknowledgeth the great benefit of his recovery received from God; and last of all, testifieth his faith in God, and promiseth to be everlastingly thankfull to him for the same. It is true, that in the scripture this is set down, after the story of the slaughter of Sennacharib, and his army; yet not precisely, but with a general annotation onelyonly of the time, In those dayes. For that this sell out before his sicknesse, those words do plainly shew, I will add unto thy dayes fifteen years, and wil deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city, [Esay 38. 5, 6. 2 Reg. 20. 6.] Now if we will subduct, out of the 29 years which Ezekias reigned, these 15 years, we shal plainly find, that this slaughter of Sennacharib and his army fell out, in the later end of the 14 year of his reign.

Now the signe of Ezekia his recovery, which God at his request gave unto him, was that miraculous going back of the shadow of the sun, upon the diall of Ahaz; of which we read in Esay 38. 8. Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the Sundyal of Achaz, ten dayes backward, so the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down. For so Jerom renders the word foreign which Jonathan the Chldee Paraphraser interprets, to be foreign the stone of the hours, and renders it, by the hours and the clock, yet in his commentary upon this place, he observeth, that the Hebrew word signifieth, degrees. Which also in [2 Reg. 2. 9,] he thus expresseth, wilt thou that the shadow ascend ten degrees, or that it return back ten degrees? not may we make light of the Greek interpretation of this place, as being more ancient than any of these, which saith, that by these words of foreign and foreign here …sed, no other thing is meant in this history, but the degrees of those scales or staires which were made by Achaz, seeing that it cannot be made appear, that till after their returne, from the captivity of Babylon, there was any observation or use at all of houres, among the Jews: and others also attribute the invention of the Gnomon in the diall among the Greeks, to men of a younger date p. 71as Anaximadder or Anaximener, as I shall shew hereafter upon the year of the World, 3457. which yet that they received origanally from the Babylonians appeareth by that place of Herodotus, where he saith, lib. 2. cap. 109. foreign. That is, The Pole, and the Diall, and the distribution of the day into twelve hours, all these the Greekes learned from the Babylonians.

But as concerning the retrogradation of the Sun, mentioned in, [Esay 38. 8. and Ecclesiastic. 48. 8.] as when the Sun stood still at the prayer of Joshua, the Moon also stood still at the same time, [Josh. 10. 12, 13.] so here also, it is manifest, that with the Sun, the Moon also, and all the frame of heaven was retrograde and went backward, and that there was as much substracted from the night, as there was added to the day. For albeit, that there was a miraculous alteration in the parts of the civil day, yet that by the divine providence, things were therein so ordered, that no hurt or hinderance did there by accrue to the constant and ever self-like motion and harmony of the heavenly bodies, is evident by those three lunary Eclipsis, of which I spake before, out of Ptolomie: the account whereof being cast up from these our times backward, yeild the same result of the times, as was formerly observed by the Chaldeans, and in the same manner, as if no such retrogradation or going back of the Sun had ever been.

Now in the beginning of the 15 year of Ezechia's reign, renewed, as it were, together with his life, Merodach, or Berodach Baladan, the son Baladan, the King of Babylon, sent messengers with Presents to him, to inform themselves of that prodigious and miraculous retrogradation of the Sun, which was made in the World. To whom when Ezechia out of pride and vain ostentation, had shewed all his Treasure and Pomp of riches; God presently foretold him of the captivity of Babylon, which was to ensure, in these words. Behold the day's come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried away into Babylon; nothing shall be left, saith the Lord: adding further concerning his sons, when as he had yet none born, that they should also be carried into captivity, in this manner. Thy sons also, that shall issue from thee, and which thou shalt beget, shall they take away, and they shall be eunuchs in the Palace of the King of Babylon, [Esay 39. and 2 Reg. 20. 12, 19.] Neverthelesse when Ezechia had humbled himself for his former pride, both he, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the fierce wrath of the Lord fell not upon them, in all Ezechia his dayes, [2 Chron. 32. 25, 26, 31.]

Mica also the Morathite, prophesied to the people in Ezechia his dayes; That Sion should be plowed, and Jerusalem laid in heaps, and the mountain it self of the house of the Lord, as the high places in a forrest [chap. 3. 12. Jer. 26. 18, 19.]

Memnon writeth, Year of the World 3292 that Astacum in Bithynia, The Julian Period. 4002 was built by the Megarenses, Year before Christ 712 in the beginning of the 17 olympiade, in Biblioth,. Photii. pa. 374.

Herodotus, lib. 2. cap. 141. telleth us, that Sennacharib invaded Egypt, with a vast Army, and made war upon Sethon, the Priest of Uulcan, a poor spirited King, and famous for nothing; but for being devoutly, or rather superstitiously addicted to the worship of his petty god Vulcan. Where he also addeth, that even in his time, there remained an image of his cut in stone, holding a mouse in his hand, and uttering these words in a label of letters;

Let every man that looks on me,

Learn godly and devout to be.

which Hieroglyph▪ the Priests there, for his, and their countries, and their own Priesthoods honour, expound in such manner, as if Setho, being both King and Priest, had by virtue of his piety and prayers to his god Vulcan, so far prevailed with him, as that when Pelusium, which stands in the very enterance of Egypt was besieged by the enemy, their horsebridles, and buckles of their bucklers, were so gnawn in pieces by the mice, that the next day they were faine to run all away, with the losse of many of their men; but what ever the matter was at Pelusium, the undoubted word of the Prophet assures us, that the Assyrians, marched far into the very body of Egypt, and thence took and led away a great multitude of them captive.

In this expedition of Sennacharibs, I conceive, it was, that the foreteling of Nahum the Prophet against Nô, a great and strong City in Egypt, was fulfilled: The words of which prophesie, were these; yet was she carried away; she went into captivity, her young children also were dashed in pieces in the top of every street, and they cast lots for their honourable men, and all her great men were bound in chaines, [chap. 3. 10.]

In the rest of Egypt also, Year of the World 3292 was fulfilled what was spoken 3 years before by the Prophet, [Esay 24.] The King of Assyria shall carry away a great multitude of the Egyptians captive; and of the Ethiopians young and old prisoners, naked and bare-footed: neither do I see, why that should not be referred to the Jewes which is said in the two verses next following; viz. And they shall be ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory: and the inhabitants of this country shall say in that day: Behold such is our expectation, whither we flee for help to be delivered from tde King of Assyria, and how shall we escape?

p. 72For it was not for nothing, that the Assyrian messenger put them in mind, of Egypt, saying, Now behold, you trust in the staff of this bruised reed Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand and pierce it; for even so is Pharao, to all such as trust upon him, [2 Reg. 18. 27.] for we finde the same similitude used by God of the Egyptians and Israelites, in Ezekiel, 29. 6, 7. and likewise in Esay, chap. 30. and chap. 31. many things, spoken against the vain hope which the Jews had of help from Egypt, and among the rest this also, Therefore, saith he, shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and your trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion, for the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cryed concerning this, Their strength is to stay at home, [chap. 30. 3, 7.]

Sennacharib, returning out of Egypt into Palestine, besieged Lachish, and all his power with him, [2 Chron. 32. 9.] Ezekias sent unto him to Lachish, to buy his peace, and agreed with him for it, at a certain price; wherefore draining all his own treasure, whereof he had formerly been so proud; as also the treasury of the temple, he paid him 300 talents of silver, and 30 talents of gold; but he having received the money, stood not to his word, but sent Tartan, who had now taken Azotus, and Rabsari's, and Rabsheca with a great army, from Lachish to Jerusalem, [2 Reg. 18. 14, 17.]

These coming to Jerusalem, stood at the cundit, of the upper pool, upon the high-way of the fullers field, and when they called out to speak with the king Eliakim, the son of Hilkia; which was over the houshold, and Shebna the scribe, and Joach the son of Asaph, the Recorder, went fourth unto them. And when they would not deliver up the city, as was desired, Rabsecah then cried out, that Ezekia did all in vain rely upon God for help, and that he himself came not thither, but as he was sent from God; and having reviled the God of Israel and Ezekia, his servant with many reproachfull languages, he moved at last the people, to mutiny and to fall over to his master the king of Assyria. And this they speak aloud, and in the Hebrew tongue; that the people which then stood upon the wall might hear and understand what they said; to frighten and perplex their minds, that in that tumult they might assault and take the city, [Esay 36. 2 Reg. 18. from v. 17. to the end of the chapter, 2 Chron. 32. 9. 18.]

Ezekia hearing thereof, rent his clothes, and putting on sackcloth, went into the house of the Lord; and withal, sent Eliakim and Shebna, and with them, the elders of the priests, clothed likewise in sackcloth unto Isaiah the prophet, to pray him that he would ask counsaile of God, in this sad case, and power forth his prayers unto him for help, and the prophet bade him be of good comfort; for that the king of Assyria, should hear a flying report, and thereupon should break up his siege, and get him gone into his own country, and there be slain with the sword; all which forth-with came to passe, [Esay 37. 1. 17. 2 Reg. 19, 1, 7.]

Rabshekah, when he could not prevail, returned to Sennacarib, whom he found risen from before Lachish, and besieging Libna, [Esay 37. 8. 2 Reg. 19. 8.]

Tiraka king of Ethiopia, did not invade Egypt, and Syria, as Scaliger, without all ground, in his notes upon Eusebius; p. 72. and in his Isagogical Canons, pag. 311. would have it; but rather, he sent forces to assist and help the Egyptians and Jews; for the Scripture is clear, that he came forth to fight against Sennacharib, [Esay 37. 9. 2 Reg. 19. 9.] This Tirhaka, Strabo lib. 1. and 15. calleth, Tearcon the Ethiopian: and further reporteth out of Megasthenes, a writer of the affairs of India, that he passed over into Europe, and went as far as Hercules his pillars.

Sennacharib therefore hearing a report of Tirhaka his approach, being ready to remove to Libna, sent his minatory and rayling letters unto Ezekia, speaking therein of the God of Israel, as of the gods of the nations, the work of mens hands, which Ezekias opening and spreading before the Lord in his Temple, with many tears powred forth, craved aide and deliverance from God, against the Assyrians, and received an answer from God by Isaias the prophet, that God would defend that city, and that the king of Assyria should not so much as come before it, but should return by the way he came; [Esay 37. 9, 35. 2 Reg. 19. 9. 2 Chron. 32. 17, 19, 20.]

The very self same night after these things passed at Jerusalem, and a few dayes, after his victory atchieved against the Ethiopians, which to have fallen out much about this time, some gather out of the 18 and 20 chapters of Isaiah, God sent his Angel, and destroyed every man of valour, every commander, and chief man in the Assyrian army, and the next morning there were found one hundred fourscore and five thousand dead carcases lying on the ground: whereupon Sennacharib with shame, brak up, and returned into his own land, and rested him at Ninive; where it came to passe, that as he was at his devotions, before his god Nisroch, Adramelich and Sharezer slew him with the sword; which done, they fled presently into the land of Ararat, or Armenia; and Esor-haddon his son reigned in his stead, [Esay 37. 36, 37, 38. 2 Reg. 19. 35, 36, 37. 2 Chron. 32. 21.] All which had been fore-told by the prophet Isaiah, [c. 38. and in chap. 31. 9. also,] as some conceive.

p. 73In the first chap. of the book of Tobia, there are these things found which belong to this story; That Sennacharib, when he came fleeing out of Judea, for the very hatred which he bare to the Israelites, slew many of the Jewes, and that Tobit, or Tobia the elder, stole away the dead bodies, and bestowed burial on them; and that being thereof accused to the King of Nitive, he was faine to get him gone from thence, and to hide his head elsewhere for a certain time: and that he was plundred and spoiled of all his goods, having naught left him to trust unto, save onelyonly Anne his wife, and Tobias his son. That after 45 dayes, or as the Greek copy hath it, before 55 dayes, Sennacharib was murdered by his sons; and that they fleeing away into the mountains of Ararat, Esarchaddon his son reigned in his stead, being wrong named in sundry copies; in some Achirdon, in some Sarchedon; and that the new King set Achiacarus, the son of Hananeel Tobits brother, over all his fathers accounts and his own: insomuch, that he was not onelyonly his Steward and keeper of his accounts; but was also cup-bearer, and privy seal unto him, and was the second man after the King.

Ezekias had his son Manasses, by Hephziba, after the prolonging of his life 3 years, and 12 before his death.

When the Medes had hitherto now lived without a King, and Dejoces would not attend the judging of their causes and controversies any longer, and thereupon ensued nothing but spoilings and robberies in all places; the people finding the inconveniences of an Anarchie, or want of a King, whereof the least was not, that the Assyrian taking hold of this occasion, had possessed himself of many cities and places in Media; as I noted before upon the year of the World, 3283. they submitted all with one accord to Dejoces, 150 years before Cyrus began his reign: as Herodotus in his first book averreth; whom, giving off Ctesias in this point, both Dionysius, Halicarnasseus, and Appianus Alexandrinus, in the beginning of his Roman Histories, do follow. Though Diodorus Siculus, in his second book: whether thorough failler of memory, or false copying, hath here put Cyaxaris for Dejoces; who is said to have been elected King over the Medes, about the second year of the 17 olympiade, according to Herodotus: For subducting 150. years from the beginning of Cyrus his reign, which as he supposes, falls in with the beginning of the 55 olympiade, and consequently with the midst of the year, 4154. of the Julian Period: it followes that the 1 year of Dejoces the first King of the Medes must be placed upon the 3 year of the 17 olympiade, and the middle of the 4004. year of the Julian Period; allowing the later end of the second year of the same olympiade, to have been taken up and spent in the transaction of the businesse it self, and election made of the new King; which first Epocha or point of the beginning of this new kingdom of the Medes to have been most rightly assigned and set down by Herodotus, the precise times of every Kings reign, compared with the Eclipse of the Sun, which befel in the reign of Cyaxares, here underneath, in the year of the World, 3403. to be spoken of, will manifestly declare.

The fifteenth Jubilie, which was the middle-most of all the rest, and the most joyfully kept, Year of the World 3295. a. next to that of Solomons at the dedication of the Temple; both for the fresh memory of so great a deliverace, and also for the great prosperity of the place ensuing thereupon: So that many brought offerings and gifts to the Lord at Jerusalem; and rich presents to the King himself; for he was magnified after this among all nations, and prospered in whatever he undertook, [2 Chron. 32. 23, 27, 30.]

And God himself did so rule, and govern the people it self of Juda, after such their delivery, that (according to his own promise made) they took root downward, and brought fruit upward, [2 Chron. 32. 22. Esai. 37. 31, 32.] Moreover the consideration of the Jubilie is necessary for the understanding of that sign of Gods mercy given the year before unto Ezekia: You shall eat, saith God, this year, that which groweth of it self, and the second year, that which springeth of the same; and in the third year, sow ye, and reape ye, and plant vineyards, and eat of the fruit thereof, [Esai. 37. 30. 2 Reg. 19. 29.] for because the last years harvest was either gathered by the enemy which roved all the country over, Year of the World c. (according to Gods threatning, Levit. 27. 16. Deut. 28. 33. Jerem. 5. 17.) or by them spoiled and troden underfoot; necessary it was for the people to live that year upon that which grew of it self: and this year by reason of the Jubilie, it was not lawful either to sow or reape, which otherwise, no sabbatical year intervening, might well have been done: seeing the Assyrian Army being destroyed by the Angel, there was nothing to hinder them. But the year following, when there was neither enemy to fright them, nor sabbatical year to withhold them, they might fall securely to their husbandry as at other times.

Unto Mardosempadus, Year of the World b. or Merodach Baladam, after he had reigned 12 years in Babylon, succeeded Arkianus in the 29 year of Nabonaser, and reigned 5 years [Ptol. in Reg. Can.]

Parion in the coast of Hellespont, near unto Lampsacus, was built, Euseb. Chron. or rather re-edified by the Milesians and Erythreans, who sent thither a Colony at this time to plant it anew.

Dejoces King of the Medes in the first year of the 18 olympiade, Year of the World 3296 which was this year, The Julian Period. 4006 p. 74built Ecbatan, Year before Christ 708 as we read in Eusebius his Greek Chronicle; This City in [Ezra 6. 2.] is called Acmetha: but by Ctesias in his Persica, as Stephanus Byzantinus saies, was called Agbatana: a fuller description of which building is to be found [c. 1. of the book of Judith,] where it is said that it was built by Arphaxad king of Medes, and by Herodotus, and other writers it is attributed to Dejoces; whereby it appears, that one and the same man was called by both names; of which matter more will hereafter be said in the year of the world, 3448.

Taracas the Ethiopian, Year of the World 3299 called before in the year of the world 3294. The Julian Period. 4009 Tirhaka reigned in Egypt 18 years: Year before Christ 705 [Africanus.]

After Arkianus, Year of the World 3300 there was a vacancie of a king for 2 years, The Julian Period. 4010 [Ptol. Year before Christ 704 Reg. Canon.]

Belibus, Year of the World 3302 al. The Julian Period. 4011 Belithus, Year before Christ 703 and Belelus, held the kingdom of Babylon, 3 years: Ibid.

Apronadius reigned likewise there 6 years, Year of the World 3305 Ibid. The Julian Period. 4014 Year before Christ 700

Ezechias was buried in the upper part of the sepulchers of the posterity of David, Year of the World 3306 and all Juda, The Julian Period. 4016 and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem, Year before Christ 694 did him what honour possibly they could in his death, [2 Chron. 32. 33.] After whom came his son Manasses, and reigned 55 years, [2 Reg. 21. 1.] He again set up the High places, which his father Ezechias had pulled down: he built altars to all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord: and made his son passe the fire in the valley of the Son of Hinnom; used Divinations and Sorceries and Soothsayings: and set up a molten Image in the house of the Lord; making Juda and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go astray, and do worse than all the Nations, whom God had driven out before the face of the Israelites, [2 Reg. 21. 2, 11. 2 Chron. 33. 2, 9.] and moreover shed much innocent blood; insomuch that he filled Jerusalem therewith: besides his own sin committed, in making Juda to sin, and to do that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, [2 Reg. 21. 16. and 24. 4.] In which shedding of innocent blood, the death of the Prophet Isaiah is principally remembred, whom he caused to be cut in two pieces with a wooden saw; as the Babylonish Talmud, in their Treatise foreign and Justin Martyr in his Coloquie with Tryphon, Jerome upon Isaiah, [c. 20. and 57.] and others of our men, report, who expound that word foreign, [Heb. 11. 37.] i.e. Were sawed in pieces, as meant of the Prophet Isaiah: For all which, God threatned that he would stretch out over Ierusalem, the line of Samaria, and the plumb of the house of Achab: and that he would wipe Ierusalem, as one useth to do, when he wipes a dish, and turneth it upside down, [2 Reg. 21. 13.]

Rigibelus reigned over the Babylonians one year, Year of the World 3311 [Ptol. The Julian Period. 4020 Reg. Year before Christ 694 Can.]

Mesissimordacus reigned there likewise 4 years, Year of the World 3312 Ibid. The Julian Period. 4025 Year before Christ 693

There was a vacancie of a king in Babilon 8 years, Year of the World 3316 Ibid. The Julian Period. 4026 Year before Christ 688

Dejoces enlarged the dominions of the Medes, as far as the river Halys, 128 years before the end of Aastyages his reign, as may be gathered out of Herodotu…, lib. 1. c. 130.

In the 23 Olimpiade, Herostratus Naucratites a merchant of Egypt, coming to Paphos in the Island of Cyprus, is said to have bought there a litle image of Venus, of the bignesse of the palm of a mans hand, and of very ancient workmanship, and that by the power thereof, being miraculously delivered out of a main danger at sea, by virtue of that image, he consecrated the same at Naucratis in the Temple of Venus, with great solemnity; as we find in Atheneus, who was himself a town-born child of the same place, in his 15 book Deipnosophist. But if we will rather believe Srabo, lib. 17. there was no such town as Naucratis then built in Egypt: nor till afterward that it was built by the Milesians, in the time of Cyaxeris king of Medes, and of Psamyticus king of Egypt, who lived at the same time with him.

Troubles growing in Egypt; Year of the World 3317 there was there a vacancie of a king for 2 years, The Julian Period. 4027 [Diod. Year before Christ 687 Sic. lib. 1.]

After which Egypt was ruled by an Aristocracie of twelve men, Year of the World 3319 which governed that kingdom by Common Council and advice; The Julian Period. 4029 which government, Year before Christ 685 is by Herod. l. 2. c. 147, and Diod. Sic. l. 1. said to have lasted 15 years; whereunto Tremellius is of opinion, that that burthen of Egypt, spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah, [c 19.] refers where [v. 5, 6.] speaking of the drying up of the river Nilus, this is also foretold, They shall want of their waters, to run into the sea, so that their river shall be dryed up, and turning away their waters, they shall empty and dry up their chanels fenced with banks: which out of Herodotus, Tremellius thus expounds, These 12 petty kings, by the labour of this miserable people, shall strive to over-rule the very works of nature, and shall turne away the water of Nilus; even to lay the channels thereof dry, that they might finish, their pond or lough of Marios with their Pyramides and Labyrinth, only for their lust and pleasures sake. But Scaliger in his Canon, Isagog. understands it, that there should be there so great a drouth, that their river Nile, in the summer season, should not p. 75rise nor flow, nor water Egypt as it used to do; and refers this prophesie to the former times of Soii or Sabbacon.

The race of the babylonish Kings failing after those 8 years vacancy, Esarchaddon the King of Assyria, Year of the World 3323. c. reduced them under their former yoke of his obedience, and held that kingdom 13 years: as we learn out of Ptolomeis, Can. Reg. For that this Assaradinus is the same with our Esarchaddon, appears, not onelyonly by the vicinity and likenesse of the name, but also by the consent of holy Scripture, which intimates to us, that he was King both of Assyria and Babylon at the same time; as we shall see anon, in the year of the World 3327.

Ardys the son of Gyges, Year of the World 3324 reigned in Lydia the space of 49 years: The Julian Period. 4034 he took Pryene by force, Year before Christ 680 and invaded Miletus, [Herod. lib. 1. cap. 15.]

In Sicily, Year of the World 3327 the City Gela was built, The Julian Period. 4037 and Phaselis in Pamphilia by two brothers, Year before Christ 677 Antiphemus and Lacius, [Euseb. Chron.] who consulting the Oracle at Delphos concerning a place to plant in; were answered, that the one should saile westward, and the other eastward, as Stephanus Byzantinus in the word Gela, reports, out of Aristenetus his first Commentary of Phaselis. And Heropythus in his book of the Borders of the Colophonians, treating of the building of Phaselis, saith that Lacius, who transported a colony thither, gave unto one Cylabra, a shepherd, whom he met driving his flock to feed, the price of the ground whereon he built his city, in certain in poundred provisions, which he required. But Philostephanus: in his book entitled, Of the Cities of Asia, delivereth more fully, that Lacius, a man of Argos, one of them which went with Mopsus (the founder of the city Colophos) and whom some call Lindius, brother to Antiphemus the builder of Gela (which Lindius, is also said to have been of Rhodes by Herodotus lib. 7. and by Thucidides lib. 6.) and that being sent by Mopsus with certain other men, by the Oracle and bidding of Mantus, Mopsus his mother, for that the poopes of his Ships were in a tempest split about the Chelidonian Isles, he could not arrive till late at night: and that there he bought the plat of ground whereon he built his city, as Mantus had foretold, giving certain salt meats for it unto Cylabra the owner of it, such as out of all their ship-provisions he most desired. [Athenae Deipnosoph. lib. 7.]

This year also was fulfilled the prophesie spoken by the mouth of the Prophet Esaiah, [chap. 7. 8.] in the beginning of the reign of Achaz, within sixty and five years Ephraim shall he broken in pieces, so that it shall be no more a people. For although the greatest part of them were carried away by Salmanasar 44 years before, and the kingdom utterly abolished, yet among them which were left, there was some shew of a government. But now they left off to be any more a people, by reason of the great multitude of forreigners which came to dwell there; in comparison of whom, the small remainder of the Ephraimites were counted as nothing; for, that they were not utterly extinct in their own country appears, out of the story of Josias, [2 Chron. 34. 6, 7, 33. and chap. 35. 18. with 2 Reg. 23. 19, 20.] But there were ever now and anon, new colonies or companies sent out of Babel, Cu…h, Hava, and Sepharuaim; which possessing Samaria by way of inheritance, dwelt in all the cities thereunto belonging, [2 Reg. 17. 24.] And that this was so done by Esarchaddon King of Assyria (who was also called, Asnapper the Great. and magnificent) is easie to be understood by the confession of the Cuthites, mentioned, [Ezra 4. 2, 10.]

At which time also, as it should seem, and in the same expedition, whereby these things were done in the land of Israel; some of the chief Commanders of the Assyrian Army, made an inrode into Judea, and there took Manasses the King, as he lay hid in a thicket, and binding him with chains of brasse, carried him away captive into Babylon, [2 Chron. 33. 11.] which calamity so falling upon Judea, some think to have been foretold, by the Prophet Isaiah, where he saith, within sixty five years Ephraim shall be so broken in pieces, that it shall be no more a people. And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria, is the son of Remaliah: And if you will not believe, you shall not be established, [chap. 7. 9.] (i.) as Jacobus Capellus hath noted in his Chron. you your selves also shall be broken in pieces. Where he addeth further, that the Jews also in Seder Olans Rabba, and the Talmudists, cited by Rabbi Kimchi, upon, [chap. 4. Ezekiel] do deliver, That Manasses 22 of his reign, was carried away captive into Babylon; and that he repented him of his sin 33 years before his death: after which the Scripture witnesseth, that God again restored him to his liberty and kingdom, [2 Chron. 33. 12, 13.] For that his captivity lasted not long; may be gathered by this, that taking no notice thereof, it is recorded that he reigned 55 years in Jerusalem, [2 Reg. 21. 1. 2 Chron. 33. 1.]

The new inhabitants of Samaria, when as, at their first coming thither, they served not the God of Israel, were troubled with Lions: whereof when the King of Assyria was enformed, he took order that one of the Priests, which were brought from thence in the captivity should be remanded thither; and he coming thither, made his residence at Bethel, and there taught them how to worship God indeed: but all after the manner of Jeroboams appointment. But when together with the Calf which they found there, they worshipped also their old idols, they are said to have feared God, and not to have p. 76feared him; for that there is little difference between worshipping of many gods & no God at all, [2 Reg. 17. 25. 33. 41.] And this was the beginning of that strangenesse which grew afterwards between the Samaritans and the Jews, [Ezra 4. 1. Neh. 4. 2. John 4. 9.]

Chalcedon, Year of the World 3329 or Calcedon, (as it is found in some old coines) was this year built, The Julian Period. 4039 by the Megarenses, Year before Christ 675 Euseb. Chron. at the mouth of the Euxine sea, among the Thracians, which had possessed themselves of Bithynia in Asia. Thucidid. lib. 4. Strabo lib. 12.

Psammiticus Saits, Year of the World 3334 the son of Pharao Neco, The Julian Period. 4044 which was done to death by Sabbacon the Ethiopian, Year before Christ 670 and one of those twelve tyrants of Egypt, having at length got all the power into his own hands, reigned there 54 years. Herod. lib. 2. cap. 152. and cap. 157. whereunto that prophet of Isaias seems to point; where he sayes, And the Egyptians will I give up into the hands of Lords, which shall lord it cruelly over them, till a fierce king shall come to rule them, [Esay 19. 4.] for Psammitichus, who was sent away, and confined in the Fenne countrey near the sea, hiring souldiers out of Arabia, and a number of pirates of the Iones and Carions, which roved about that shore, with such Egyptians as sided with him, in a main battle; fought near to memphis, overthrew the rest of those domineering Lords, and the Ionians and Carions for their good service, had a place assigned them, to inhabit in, somewhat about the cityes of Bubastis, and Pelusium, which stood upon that mouth or outlet of the river Nile, which was from thence called foreign, (i.e.) the souldiers, or armies field; and from that time forward, the Grecians and other foreiners, were alwayes welcom into Egypt, Herod. lib. 2. Diodor. Sic. lib. 1. The same Herodotus also reporteth, that this Psammiticus took in by force, a great city in Syria called Azotus, after 29 years siege. ib. cap. 157. to wit the city of Ashdod, which as I shewed before upon the year of the world. 2391. was taken by Tartanes commander of the king of Assyria his army in one year, and which was so ruined by Psammitichus, that, as the prophet Jeremy saith, there was but a remainder of it left in his dayes, [Jer. 25. 20.]

After Assaridinus, Year of the World 3336 or Esarchaddon, The Julian Period. 4046 the Empire of Assyria and Babylon both, Year before Christ 668 was governed by Saosduchinus 20 years, [Ptol. Can. Reg.] This man in the book of Judith, written in the Chaldee language, by some Jew living in Babylon, is called Nabuchodonosor, as by a name common to all kings of Babylon; who yet is there also called, the king of Assyria; and is said to have reigned in the great city of Ninive, [Jud. 1. 1.] where nevertheless, Franc, Junius, a famous man for learning, would have it understood of him, whom the scripture calleth Merodach-Baladan, the grand-father of that Nebucadnetzar, who was the father of that great Nebucadnetzar, by whom king Manasses was taken prisoner, and carryed to Babylon, and at last released. For (saith he) this man was first king of Babylon, and was afterward made king of Assyria, succeding in that kingdom, after Esarchaddon the Great, when his brothers being guilty of parricide, were deomed unworthy of the kingdom: whereupon all Asia fell on fire, with a war which lasted a long time after. And verily this succession of Asar-Adon Merodach, Ben-Merodach, and Nebucadnetzar, first and second, is taken onelyonly out of Anianus, that false Metasthenes. For in truth, Merodach was neither grand-father of Nebucadnetzar or rather Nabopolas…ar of Nebucadnetzar the great, nor was at first a trustee onelyonly of the king of Assyria, and afterward came himself to be king of Assyria and Babylon both, as Junius hath well observed. Nor did he ever succed Esarchaddon the great, in any kingdom of his, seeing that this Mardocempadus, or Merodach left off to reign, eleven years, before ever Manasses came to be king, and that 42 years after his death, Assaradinus or Essarchaddon left Saosduchinus to succeed him, as wel in the Assyrian as in the Babylonish kingdom, as we formerly made to appear, out of Petolomies Canon, Reg. which if Junius, a man of no less modesty than learning, had seen, no doubt, he would have altered his opinion in this point, whereof I thought good in this place to put the reader in mind, to the end, that out of a thing which never was, he should not think, that sense or exposition to agree with the prophecy of Ezekiel, [c. 31. 11. or v. 18.] as he distinguisheth them, to wit, That Esarchaddon the Assyrian, was put down, or thrust out of his kingdom, by Berodach Baladan, and that therefore, all fell off from him, and many of them fled to the king of Babylon, as in the sentence following, So that now, the land of Assyria, was most shamefully troden under foot, The Julian Period. 4049 and brought into contempt of all men, Year before Christ 665 ver. 20.

Meshullameth the daughter of Hazuzi, Year of the World 3339 c. of Jotba, bare unto Manasses his son Ammon, who was 22 years old when he began to reign, The Julian Period. 4053 [2 Reg. Year before Christ 661 21. 19.]

Was the 16 Jubile. Year of the World 3344. a.

Nabucadonosor, Year of the World 3347 king of Assyria, The Julian Period. 4057 in the 12 year of his reign, Year before Christ 657 is said to have overcome Arphaxed the king of Medes, the founder of the city Ecbatan, in the great plain of Ragau, near to Euphrates, and Tigris, and Jadason, in the champion country of Erioch king of the Elicians, (for so we read in the first chap of the book of Judith; which Jerom, at the request of Paula and Eustochiam translated into Latin,) but whoever it was that published that book in Greek, with many alterations and additions of his own, first tells us, that Nabuchodanosor, in the 12 year of his reign, fought a battaile, with king Arphaxad in a great plain, near unto Ragau, wherein were present, all that inhabited the hill-countries, p. 77and all that bordered upon the river of Euphrates and Tigris, and Hydaspes, and that dwelt in the plaine of Arioch King of the Elymeans. But afterward, as forgetting himself, tells us, that he fought this battaile against Arphaxad, in the seventeenth year: and that having gotten the better of it in this fight, he spoiled all them of Ecbatan, and that having taken Arphaxad in the hill countries of Ragan, he thrust him through with his own darts, and at length, having done all his businesse, as his heart could wish, he returned to Ninive, and therewith all his army kept a feast, and banqueted himself and them, by the space of 120 dayes; where it is to be noted, that Dejoces his death, according to Hetodotus, fell in with the 12 year of Saosduchinus: which is a great argument, that Saosduchinus and Dejoces, are none other, than they who in the book of Judith are called by the names of Nabuchadonosor and Arphaxad. For the opinion of Fr. Junius hath no ground at all for it, whiles, seeking to reconcile the succession of the kings of Media, which is nothing but a meere device and forgerie of Ctesias a very fabler, and of a supposed Metasthenes, with Herodotus, who is entitled the father of histories, he will needs divide Media into two parts, giving one of them to Dejoces, who is here called Arioch, as is noted in [Judith, 1. 6. and in Jer. 49. 34.] and assigning the other to Artecarmus (whom Ctesias calleth Articam, and who is here called Arphaxad) who, as he saith, established the seat of his kingdom at Ecbatan, to the end, that having so strong a place to trust to, he might the better withstand both Dejoces, and all other enemies that should assault him: whereas, if any such division had been made of Media (as never any was) both the name of Arphaxad and the kingdom of Ecbatan, should have been given, not to Arioch, nor to Articarmes, but to Dejoces: for that Arphaxad was the founder of Ecbatan, the book of Judith hath it: and that Dejoces was, Herodotus and others affirme, but that Arioch or Artecarmes built it, no man ever wrote.

After Dejoces, Phraortes his son succeeded; and reigned 22 years: The Julian Period. 4058 Herodotus, Year before Christ 656 lib. 1. c. 102.

Nabuchadonosor, Year of the World 3348. c. or Saosduchinus king of the Assyrians, the next year after the overthrow of Arphaxad or Dejoces (who in Judith 2. 1. according to the Chaldee copie, is said to be the 13 king of Ecbatan but in the Greek, the 18) upon the 22 day of the first month, entered into a deliberation how to subdue Nations and Countries to his dominion, making Holophernes General of all his armies; who when he came before Bethulia, al. Beth-Hoglam, a City of Judea, and had closed it up with a siege, had there his head taken off by Judith a woman of the tribe of Simeon; who after the death of her husband Manasses, which dyed in the time of barly harvest, had spent 3, or, as the Greek copy hath it, Year of the World 3349 4 years in widowhood in that City, The Julian Period. 4059 [Judith 2. 8, Year before Christ 655 13.]

Isthemus and Borysthenes were this year built in the Country of Pontus, so was Lampsacus in Hellespont, and Abdera in Thrace, Euseb. Chron. to wit, Borysthenes by the Milesians of Ionia, Lampsacus by the Phoceans, Abdera by the Citizens of Clazomene: Solinus c. 10. tells us that Abdera was first built by Diomedes his sister: and that afterward falling to decay it was new built and enlarged by the Clazomenians, in the 51 Olympiade, which ended the last year before this. The conductor of which Colony, was Timesius a Citezen of Clazomene, as we have it in Herodotus, lib. 1. c. 168. who yet addeth this, that he being beaten off by the Thracians, was not able to go through with the work.

Amon had his son Josias by Fredida, Year of the World 3355. c. the daughter of Hadaia a Boscathite, The Julian Period. 4065 who was eight years old when he began to reign, Year before Christ 649 [2 Reg. 22. 1.]

After Saosduchinus succeeded Chyladanus both in the Assyrian and also in the Babylonish kingdome and reigned 22 years, Year of the World 3356. c. Cano. Reg. Ptolom▪ The Julian Period. 4066 Alexander Polyhistor calleth him Saracus, Year before Christ 648 which name, as well as that of a Saracen signifies a Robber, or a Spoiler.

Grinus the son of Esanius, king of the Island of Thera, was commanded by the Oracle of Delphos, to go build a City of Lybia: which lying dead a long while, because no man there, knew where Lybia was, it is said, that it rained not in that Island for 7 years after: and that all the trees there, save one, perished in that drought. Herodotus lib. 4. cap. 150. 151.

King Manasses returning this year out of his captivity, Year of the World 336. c. having in part restored the true worship of God, which he had formerly so much defaced, dies: and was buried in the garden of his own house, [2 Chron. 33. 2 Reg. 21. 8.] and as we may well think, according to his own appointment by his last will or testament, as if repenting him now at last of his former evil doings, he deemed himself unworthy to lie among his own royal ancestors. [Tremelius.]

After him his son Amon reigned 2 years; Year of the World 3363 who forsaking the Lord God of his forefathers, The Julian Period. 4073 offered sacrifice, Year before Christ 641 to all the graven Images, which his father had set up, and worshipt them: but never repented him thereof, as his father did; but sinned more that way, than ever he had done, [2 Reg. 21. 19, 28, 21. 2 Chron. 33. 21, 22, 23.]

This impious Amon, was murthered by his own houshold servants, in his own house; and was buried with Manasses his father, in the garden of Uzza: and the people slew all that were of the conspiracie against him, [2 Reg. 21. verse 23, 24, 26. 2 Chronicles 33. 24, 25.]

p. 78And unto him succeeded his son Josias, a child of 8 years old, and reigned 31 years [2 Reg. 22. 1. 2 Chron. 34. 1.]

Those of the Isle of Thera, Year of the World 3364 wearied out with their seven years drouth, The Julian Period. 4074 hired one Corobius, Year before Christ 640 a trader… in scarlet, of the City of Itanus in the Isle of Crete, who had formerly been driven by a tempest into a place called Platea, an Isle of Lybia: and sent him a second time with some of their own country-men, to spie out that Isle: These leaving Corobius there with provision for certain months, returned with all speed, to let their country-men know what they had found: But not returning from thence to Platea, according to the time appointed, it fortuned that a ship of Samos, wherein was Master, one Coleus, coming out of Egypt, put in there, and left Corobeus a years provision more for him and his company, and then putting to sea again; and being hurried with a strong wind, was set quite out beyond Hercules his Pillars into the main Ocean; and came unto Tartessus in Spain, Herod. 1. 4. c. 151. 152.

The Thereans; out of their seven townes taken by lot, so many as should serve for that Colonie, sent them away to Platea, in two ships, under the command of one Battus, otherwise called Aristoteles, or Aristeus, [Herod. lib. 4. c. 151. 152.

Thales the son of Examius, was this year also born at Miletus in Ionia: in the 35 Olympiade: in the first year thereof: as Laertius reports out of Apollodorus his Chronicle.

The Cimmerians, being turned out of their dwellings by the Scythian Shepheards, called Nomades, passed out of Europe into Asia, and keeping on thier way by the sea side, came at length to Sardes, where they took all the City save the Castle at what time Ardys the son of Gyges there reigned, [Her. l. 1. c. 15. & 130. and in his 4 book, c. 1. and 12.]

The Thereans, when they had dwelt in Platea now two years, leaving one of their company behind, Year of the World 3366 failed all to Delphos to know of the Oracle there, what was the cause why things went no better with them than they did, The Julian Period. 4076 since their coming into Lybia: Year before Christ 638 and answer was made them, that they were not yet come to the City of Lybia, whither they were bid to go, wherefore returning again to Platea, and taking in him whom they had there left, they sate them down in a place in the continent of Lybia, over against the Isle o… Platea, called Aziristus; environed with most pleasant hills, and a river running under it on either side, [Herod. l. 4. c. 157.]

In that place near adjoyning to the gardens of the Hesperides, and the greater Syrt, or quick sand, the earth happening to grow moist, with a shower of rain of pitch, of sulphure there presently grew up an herbe called Sylphius or Laser. (i.e.) Beniamin, as the Cyreneans saye: which fell out seven years before the building of their city: [Theophrast▪ in his History of Plants, l. 6. Plin. in his natur. Hist. lib. 19. c. 3.]

Phraortes king of the Medes, dyed at the siege of Ninive with a great part of his army. After whom came his son Cyaxares, Year of the World 3369 who reigned 40 years: The Julian Period. 4079 in the beginning of his reign he purposed to revenge his fathers death, Year before Christ 635 and making first all Asia, as far as the river Halys, fast unto him, he began his war against the Assyrians: [Herod. lib. 1.]

Josias, at the 16 year of his age, had a son called Eliakim, of Zebudda the daughter of Pedaia, Year of the World 3370. a. of Ruma: which was 25 years old, when he came afterward first to reign, [2 Reg. 23. 36.]

Yet he, when he came to be sixteen years of age, and though then a father, yet but a child, began to seek after the God of his father David, [2 Chron. 34. 3.]

Cyaxares overcame the Assyrians in battel, but when he went to besiege Ninive, a vast army of the Scythians fell upon him, to wit, those Scythians who having driven the Cimmerians out of Europe, pursued their point, & departing from the lough of meotis, left the mountain Caucasus on their left hand, and entered media, under the conduct of their king Madois the son of Protothya, [Herod. lib. 1. c. 104. lib. 2. c. 1. and lib. 7. c. 20.] which was none other, than Indathyrsus the Scythian, which breaking out of Scythia, went over the belly of all Asis, till he came into Egypt; as Strabo, in the entrance of his Geography, reports out of Megasthenes, and Arrianus in his book, of the affaires of Judea, being of the same name with that Indathirsus, against whom Darius the son of Hystaspes afterward made such an unlucky voiage, as we read of in Herod. l. 4. c. 76. 126, 127. Here then the Medes being overthrowen in battel by the Scythians, lost the sovereignty of Asia; which the Scythians held for 28 years after, [Herod. lib. 1. c. 104. and lib. 4. c. 1.] To which Tremellius and Junius refer that prophecie of Nahum, [c. 2. 5.] He (to wit, Cyaxares, besieging Ninive) shall reckon up his great men; but they shall fall in their perambulation: to wit, in the perambulation of the Scythians; whose coming at this time into Asia might well be termed a perambulation, or sodain passing through, rather than any settled government or kingdom in Asia; as those who in the space of 28 years over-ran, possest, and lost Media, Assyria, and all Asia, They shall hasten to his wall, as if they would be his Protector, (i.e.) They shall come hastily to Ninive, as if they had delivered it out of the hand of Cyaxares, and would deliver it.

In this year was born unto Josias, Shallum or Jehoachaz, by Hamital the daughter of Jeremias of Lybna, Year of the World 3371. c. for him, The Julian Period 4801 being 23 years old, Year before Christ 633 did the people (putting by his elder brothers) make king in his fathers room, [2 Reg. 23. 30, 31.] The name of Shallum, as p. 79it seemeth, being, for good lucks-sake, changed into Jehoachaz, which otherwise had been the same with Shallum the son of Jabeth, who, having reigned not past one monethmonth, was murdered by Manahemus, [1 Reg. 15. 13, 14.] for of four sons which Josias had, mentioned, [1 Chron. 3. 15.] it is manifest, out of [Jeremy 21.. 11, 12. compared with 2 Reg. 23. 30, 31.] that this Shallum is last named; not Johannanes the first born, as some have imagined; for that Jehoachaz was not the first-born is easily gathered, because it is said, that he was anointed by the people, [2 Reg. 23. 30.] because the first born of kings, were not wont to be anointed, upon whom the kingdom by common right descended; and also, by his age of 23 years, of which he is said to have been, at the time of his anointing: seeing that when his brother Eliakim, was at three moneths end set in his place, he is said to have been 25 years old, whereby it is manifest, that he was elder than this Jehoachaz, and so Josephus, in his tenth book of Antiquities, cap. 6. al. 7, affirms.

Sadyattes the son of Ardyis, Year of the World 3373 reigned in Lydia 12 years, The Julian Period. 4083 Herodot. Year before Christ 631 lib. 1. cap. 16.

Those Scythians, having gotten all the upper Asia, went straight into Egypt, unto whom, when they were come as far as Syria Palestina, Psamitichus the king of Egypt came in person, and what by entreaty, what by gifts and presents, wrought so far with them, that they went no further that way. But when in their return they came to Askalon, which is in Syria, the greatest part of the army passing a long without hurt doing, some straglers coming in the rear, robbed the Temple of Venus Vrania, whose posterity were ever after striken with the Emerodes, [Herod. lib. 1. cap. 105.] But this year, which was the second of the 37 Olympiad, those Scythians invaded Syria Palestina; as Eusebius in Chron. notes, as also that Sinope, was this year built; which being the chief city, in all the kingdom of Pontus, was built by the Milesians, as Strabo in his 12 book saith, but by Macritius of the Isle of Coos, as Phlegon says, cited by Stephanus de Tribibus, in Sinope. But sure enough it is, that the Cimmerians, coming into Asia, when they fled from the Scythians, built Chersonesus, in the place, where Sinope a city of the Grecians now standeth, saith Herod l. 4. c. 12.

The men of Thera, in the 7 year after they were seated, and had dwelt in Aziristus, by the perswasion of the Libyans, removed from thence, and went to a place called Irasa, and there seated themselves, near to a fountain, which was called after Apolloes name, [Her. lib. 4. cap, 158.] and there Battus, having built a city, which was called Cyrene, in the second year of the 37 Olympiade, reigned 40 years, and after him his son Arcesilaus, 16 years, with those of the first plantation onelyonly; but afterward in the reign of Battus the second Arcesilaus his son, there went thither a great multitude of other Greeks, stirred up thereto, by the oracle of Delphos, at what time Apryas reigned among the Egyptians, [Herod. lib. cap. 159.] which concurrence of the reign of this Egyptian king, sheweth, that what I have said of the time, when the city of Cyrene was built, is much truer, than what others have variously written of it.

Josias in the 12 year of his reign, Year of the World 3374. c. began to cleanse Juda and Jurasalem from that filth of Idolatry, The Julian Period. 4084 wherein they had so long lain, Year before Christ 630 and from the high places and groves, and altars of Baal, with the images which were openly placed on them, destroying their graven and molten images, and burning the bones of their priests upon their own altars, and and then proceeding to their cities of Manasses, Ephraim and Symeon, as far as Nephthaly, he threw down all the altars and groves, and graven o… carved images; and all their statues, which stood without doors, did he demolish and deface, throughout all the land of Israel, Year of the World 3375. c. [2 Chron. 34. 3, 7.]

Jeremias, in the 13 year of king Josia, was called by God to his prophetical function; but refused to take it upon him: til being called thereto the second time, & strengthened withall by sundry promises, and signs belonging to the office and function of a prophet, he was bid to fore-warne the Jews, of the calamitie, which was to be brought upon that place, by the king of Babylon, [Jer. 1. 2. 17. with c. 28. 3.] to whom was also joyned the prophet Zephany, and others, all who sought to move that rebellious people, to repentance, but could not, [Zeph. 1. 1. Jer. 25. 3, 4, 5.]

Prusias, or Prusa was built in Bythinia, [Euseb. Chron.]

Nabopolasur of Babylon, Year of the World 3378 who was made General of the army by Saraco, The Julian Period. 4088 al. Year before Christ 629 Chinaladanus king of Assyria and Chaldaea, and Astyages, who was made Governour of Media, by his father Cyaxares, entering now into affinity, by Astyages, his giving his daughter Amyitis in marriage unto Nebucadnesar the son of Nabopolasar, joyned their forces together, and took the city of Nineve, and therein Saraco the king, (as we gather out of a fragment of Alexander Polyhistors (misunderstood by Georgius Symelius, who cites it in Graec. Scalig. p. 38, 39.) And as we also find in the end of the book of Tobit, in the Greek copie, that Nabuchodonosor, al. Nabopolasur, and Assuerus. al. Astyages, called also Assuerus, [Dan. 9. 1.] whiles Tobit the younger was yet living, who when Salmanasar took Samaria, being together with his father, by Salmanasar carryed away into Assyria, is said to have lived to the age, of 127 years, whereas 95 years passed, from the captivity of Israel, unto this time; and so, Josias yet reigning, (as Jerom also, in his commentaries upon the prophet Jonas affirmes) Nineve was destroyed, and the prophecies both of Nahum and Esay, concerning the destruction of Ninive, were fulfilled, whereof as of a thing p. 80already come to pass and done, there is a most elegant description in the 31 ch. of Ezekiel.

Saracus therefore being now dead, Nabopollasar took into his hands the kingdom of Chaldaea, as Polyhistor, expressely sayes; which he held by the space of 21 years, as Berosus in his third book of the Affaires of Chaldaea; and Ptolomy, in Reg. Can. affirms.

Sadyattes king of Lydia,…379. invaded the territory of the milesians, The Julian Period. 4089 with his army, Year before Christ 625 and continued that war for six years space.

Josias in the 18 year of his reign,3380. …. gave charge to Hilkia the high priest, The Julian Period. 4090 that with the money which had been collected, Year before Christ 624 he should repaire the house of the Lord, and he, falling in hand therewith, found the original book of the law, which was at the first laid up in the side of the Ark of the covenant, [Deut. 31. 26.] and which seemeth to have been missing ever since the beginning of Manasses his reign: and having found it, sent it by Shaphan the scribe, to the king. Josias, having heard the book read all over to him, asked counsaile thereupon of Hulda the prophetesse; who foretold him, that that kingdom should certainly be destroyed; yet not whiles he lived; [2 Reg. 22. 3. 20. 2 Chron. 34. 8. 28.] whereupon the king calling to him the elders of Juda and Jerusalem, with the priests and prophets, caused that book of the Law to be read over before all the people, renewed the covenant, between God and the people; and again, cleansed the city from idolatry, and throughly restored the worship of God, [2 Reg. 33. 1, 14. 2 Chron. 34. 29, 30.] demolished the altar and high place, which Jeroboam the son of Nebat had set up, having first burnt the bones of the dead upon the altar, as had been expressely foretold it should come to passe, 350 years before, [2 Reg. 13. 2.] And when he had taken away the altars which the kings of Israel had built in the cities of Samaria, and had slain all their priests, and burnt dead mens bones upon them, he then returned to Jerusalem, [2 Reg. 23. 15, 20.] And from this solemn renewing of the covenant, and general reformation of religion, joyning therewith, that inevitable decree of desolation, which was to ensue, for the sins of the people, is deduced the Epocha or, beginning both of the 30 years, spoken of in the first of the prophecie of Ezekiel, and also of the 40 years of the iniquity of Juda, [c. 4. 6. of the same book.]

Josias, Year of the World 3381 in the same 18 years of his reign, The Julian Period. 4091 toward the end thereof, Year before Christ 623 14 day of the first monethmonth (our May 4. being munday) in the presence of all Juda and Israel, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, kept the feast of the passeover, with more solemnity, than ever had been done by any of the kings of Israel or Juda in former times, [2 Reg. 23. 21, 22, 23. 2 Chr. 35. 1. 19.] to conclude, he took away all witches and sooth-sayers, all Images and dung-hil gods, and all the abominations, which were found in the land of Juda, & in Jerusalem, that he might performe all the words which were written in the book that was so found by Hilkia the priest, in the house of the Lord, [2 Reg. 33. 24. with Deut. 18. 9, 10, 11.]

Toward the later end of the 5 year of Nabopolassar, Year of the World 3383 (which is the 127 from the Epoch of Nabonazar,) The Julian Period. 4093 upon the 27 day of the monethmonth Athyr, Year before Christ 621 of the Egyptians, drawing on to the 28 thereof, the moon entred into an Eclips at Babylon, beginning 5 measured hours after midnight; Ptol. Syntax. p. 125. in the Greek edition, to wit, 22 of April, according to the Julian Calender, falling on a Saturday, or the 27 of Athyr, drawing to an end; which was our Friday, for that is Ptolomies meaning, when he saith, that it was from foreign (i.e.) from the 27 to the 28, being in all, six measued hours after midnight of the 27 day, to the sun-rising, when the 28 day was to begin.

Hammutula bare unto Josia▪ Year of the World 3384 after Shallum, The Julian Period. 4094 or Jehoachaz, Year before Christ 620 Mattania also, who was afterward called Sedechias, for he was 21 years old when he began to reign, [Jer. 21. 2 Reg. 2417. 18.]

Xenophanes Colophonius, chief of the sect, of the Eleatic discipline in Philosophy, foreign, (i.e.) was begotten as Elius Empiricus saith, in his first book, contra Mathematicos, c. 12. or foreign, as is more rightly related out of Apollodorus, cited by Clemens Alexandrinus, lib. 1. Strommat. (i.e.) was born, in the 40 Olympiade.

After Sadyattes, Year of the World 3385 his son Halyattes, the younger reigned in Lydia 57 years, of which he spent the first 5 years in prosecuting the war which his father had commenced against the Lydyans, [Herod. lib. 1. cap. 17, 18, 25.]

Jehojakim son of Josias, Year of the World 3387. c. had a son, The Julian Period. 4097 by Neheshta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem, Year before Christ 517 called Jehojakim, al. Jeconia, who was 18 years old when he began to reign, [2 Reg. 28. 8.]

Neco, Year of the World 3388 the son of Psammitichus, reigned in Egypt 16 years, [Herod. l. 2. c. 159.] who in the scripture is Neco or Pharao Neco, The Julian Period. 4098 [2 Chr. 35. 24. 2 Reg. 23. 29. Ier. 46. 2.] Year before Christ 616 This man began from the Nile, into the gulf of Arabia, in which work he spent the lives of 120 thousand Egyptians. But giving that work off in the midst of it, he sent certain Phaenicians, to saile round about Africa, and they setting saile out of the gulf of Arabia, or the red-sea, went into the southern sea; and compassing about the coast, came at length, into the streit of Gibraltar, and so returned into Egypt, in the third year after they set out, [Herod. lib. 1. cap. 158. and lib. 4. cap. 52.]

In the 12 year of the war between the Lydians and the Milesians, Year of the World 3390 when the Lydian army had burnt the harvest of the Milesians, The Julian Period. 4100 as commonly every year they did, Year before Christ 614 it happened, that the flame, driven by force of the winde, caught in the Temple of Minerva in Assesus, and burnt it to the ground, and when at the return of the Army, Halyattes, was p. 81fallen sick, and lay long of it, at length, he sent to consult the Oracle at Delphos, and had answer made him by the prophetesse there, that untill he had repaired the Temple, which his men had burnt, he should get no answer there. Thrasibulus, understanding what answer was made at the Oracle, by Periander the son of Cyphelus, tyrant at Corinth, with whom he was very inward; took order that at the coming of Halyattes his Ambassadors about that matter, all the Milesians should dispose themselves to all kind of feasting and merriment: whereupon Halyattes supposing that there was no want of any thing, but rather great abundance of all provisions; made a peace & a league of friendship with them; and instead of one temple which was before, he built up two temples of Minerva at Assesus: and having thereupon recovered his health, sent rich presents and offerings unto Delphos, [Herod. lib. 1. ca. 19. 20, 22, 23, 24. with Polyaenus, lib. 6. Stratag.] The Julian Period. 4102

Was the 17 Jubilie. Year before Christ 612

Anaximander Milesius, Year of the World 3393. a. c. the son of Praxidemus, The Julian Period. 4103 was born in Ionia. Year before Christ 611 See hereafter in the year of the World, 3457.

Neco king of Egypt, The Julian Period. 4104 by Gods command went against the king of Assyria, Year before Christ 610 who at that time made war upon him, Year of the World 3394. c. to besiege Carchemish upon the River Euphrates, [2 Reg. 23. 29. 2 Chron. 35. 20, 21, 22.] or, as Josephus hath it; to fight against the Medes and Babylonians, who had overthrown the Empire of the Assyrians, [lib. 10. Antiq. ca. 6.] And indeed that Carchemish, in the time of Sennachrib did belong to, and was possessed by, the Assyrians, appears in [Esay 9.] but that kingdom being ruined; it returned into the hands of the Babylonians: And as the king of Persia, having overcome Babylon and Assyria, [Ezra 6. 22.] was called king of the Assyrians; so here the king of Babylonia, having now gotten Assyria, was likewise called king of Assyria: besides that, Heathen authors also tell us, that Babylon was in former times part of Assyria, and the holy Scriptures teach us, that the kingdom of Chaldea was founded by the king of Assyria, [Esay 23. 13. See Num. 24. 22. Esay 52. 4. Nehem. 9. 22.]

Iosias, unadvisedly engaging in this war was slain, [2 Reg. 23. 29, 30. 2 Chron. 32. 22. 23.] in the valley of Megiddo, which belonged to the tribe of Manasses, [Jos. 17. 11. Iudg. 1. 17.] to which that story of [Herod. lib. 2.] refers, where he saith, foreign. (i.) Necos falling upon the Syrians with an army of foot, overthrew them in Magdala, and after the fight took Cadytis a great city of Syria: where learned Scaliger noteth, that this Kadytis was Kadesh, mentioned in [Num. 20. 16.] and conceives, that Magdala and Megiddo, stood near together: but because Magdala was the more noted place of the two, therefore that fight was said to have been there: as the battel fought by Alexander against Darius at Gaugamela, is commonly said by Writers to have been fought at Arbela, because Gaugamela was an obscure place. But what will we say, if Magdala and Megiddo were all one? and mean the place from whence that other Mary took her surname of Magdalen; for certain it is, that in [Mat. 15. 39.] where we read Magdalam, the Syrian renders it, Mageda: and the old Latine translation, Magedan; a name not much varying from Magiddo.

The good King being thus taken out of the world, whose life onelyonly kept off the Babylonish captivity from that nation, [2 Reg. 22. 20.] a world of miseries growing on upon it, the last years Jubilie, was turned this year into lamentions: so that it grew almost into a common proverb, The lamentation of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo, [Zacha. 12. 11.] For not onelyonly the whole people which was then living wonderfully bewailed the death of Josias; but even in after-time, a publick mourning for him was voluntarily kept, as if it had been ordained by a law: the Prophet Jeremy also, in rememberance thereof, wrote his mourning Song of Threnes, or lamentations, [2 Chron. 35. 24. 25.] wherein bewailing the calamities which were shortly to befall that people, as if he had then presently beheld them, in a most passionate manner, and pointing, as it were, with his finger, at the death of Josias; as at the source and original of all ensuing miseries, he useth these words: The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, is taken in their pits: of whom we said, under the shadow of his wings we shall live among the heathen, [Lament. 4. 20.] So that we may very justly question the first verse, or proeme of that book; which we find in the Greek and vulgar Latine translation: but contrary to Jeromes minde, prefixed before the Threnes or Lamentations of Jeremy; to wit: And it came to passe after that Israel was carried into captivity, and Jerusalem laid wast, Ieremy the Prophet sate down and wept, and made this lamentation in Ierusalem, and sighing and howling, out of the bitternesse of his heart, said: which whosoever made, should have remembred that saying of the Wiseman, Adde not to his words, that he blame thee not, and thou be found a liar, [Prov. 30. 6.] There was also a second Song of Lamentations for the miserable condition of the kingdom of the Jews, after the death of Josias, composed by the Prophet Ezechiel, and appointed to be sung, [Ezech. 19. 1, 14.]

After the death of Josia, the people, fearing least the King of Egypt should invade the kingdom in the vacancy of a king, anointed his youngest son Shallum or Jechoachaz, to be their king: And he presently fell to doing of that which was evil in the sight of the p. 82Lord: even as his forefathers had done, [2 Reg. 23. 30, 31, 32. 2 Chron. 36. 1.] See before in the year of the World, 3371.

Neco at his return from his voyage into Assyria, removed Shallum from the throne, when he had reigned onelyonly 3 moneths, and made Eliakim his elder brother King in the roome of his father Josias, changing his name into Jehojakim, [2 Reg. 23. 31, 32, 34. 2 Chron. 36. 2, 3, 4.] that thereby he might testifie to the World, that he ascribed the victory by him gotten against the Assyrians to the Lord Jehovah onelyonly, as he formerly professed that it was he by whom he was sent against him, [2 Chron. 35. 21, 22.] and then imposing a tribute of one hundred talents of silver, and one talent of gold, upon the land of Juda: he put Shallum or Jehojakim in fetters at Ribla, and carried him away with him prisoner into Egypt, where also he ended his dayes, [2 Reg. 23. 33, 34, 35. 2 Chron. 36. 3, 4. Ezech. 19. 3, 4.]

The Prophet Jeremy, going by Gods appointment to Shallum, the new Kings Palace, earnestly moved both him, and his Courtiers, and all the people, what with promises, what with threats from A mighty God, to a newnesse of life: foretelling them, that Shallum or Jehojakim should be carried away captive into Egypt, saying, weep not for him that is departed (meaning Josia) nor make lamentation for him; but weep for him that is to depart: (that is Shallum) because he shall return no more to see his native soile, [Jer. 22. 1, 2, 10, 11, 12.]

In the beginning of the reigne of Jehojakim, Year of the World 3395. a. Jeremy, commanded by God, went and stood in the court of the Temple, and there exhorted the people (assembled out of all the cities of Juda; to bow themselves there before the Lord; (it being then the feast of Tabernacles, wherein all the males out of the cities were bound to appear at Jerusalem, Deut. 16. 16.) to repentance; and when they would not, he denounced the judgement of God against them, saying, That that House should become as Shilo: and that city should be aecursed among all the nations of the earth: Whereupon, he was presently apprehended by the Priests and Prophets, and all the people that were then in the court; and accused as a man worthy of death: but was acquitted and set at liberty by the publick judgement of the Princes and Elders, [Jer. 26. 1, 2, 19.]

Uria also the son of Shemaria, The Julian Period. 4105 of Kiriath-jearim, Year before Christ 609 prophesied against Jerusalem, and the land of Juda, agreeablely to the sayings of the Prophet Jeremy; and when Jehojakim the King sought to put him to death, he fled into Egypt. But the King sent after him Elnathan the son of Achor, and others with him who overtook him, and brought him back to the King, and he put him to the sword, and threw his carcasse among the vilest sepulchres of the common people; yet Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, who had formerly been a man of great authority with king Josia, [2 Reg. 22. 12. 2 Chron. 34. 20.] stickled so well for the Prophet Jeremy, that he was not delivered over into the hand of the people to be put to death, [Jer. 26. 20. 24.]

To these I might adde the Prophet Habakkuk; to whom, when he complained of the stubbornnesse of the Jews, God made this answer: That he would shortly send the Chaldeans into Judea; and further declared his purpose concerning that matter, in these words. I will do a work in your dayes, which you will not believe when it shall be told unto you: For behold I will stir up the Chaldeans, a firce nation, and a swift: which shall walk thorough the breadth of the land, to possesse a land which is none of theirs as their own inheritance, [Habakkuk 1. 5, 6.]

In the beginning also of the reigne of Jehojakim, Jeremy also foretold that Sedechia should be king of Juda, and Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon; and that he should subdue the neighbouring nations to his dominions, [Jerem. 27. 1, 11.]

When the Governour of Coelosyria and Phoenicia, Year of the World 3397 had revolted from Nabopolassar king of Babylon, The Julian Period. 4107 father to Necho, Year before Christ 607 king of Egypt, after the taking of Carchemish; Nabopolassar sent against them his son Nebuchadnesar (having first associated him in the kingdom) with a great army: and that this was done in the later end of the third and beginning of the fourth year of Jehojakim king of Juda, is gathered by comparing the [1 cap. v. 1. of the Prophet Daniel, with the cap. 25. 1. of Ieremy.]

When Nebuchadnesar was associated with his father in the kingdom, The Julian Period. 4107 the things which he was to act, were presently revealed unto …eremy: the first whereof was the overthrow of the Egyptians; first at the River Euphrates, then in their own country, and that Nebuchadnesar should make himself master of it, [Jer. 46.] The first whereof came to passe almost immediately; Pharao Neco his forces, which he left at Carchemish being cut off by Nebuchadnesar King of Babylon, in the 4 year of Jehojakim, [Jer. 46. 2.] The second was not till after the taking of Tyre, in the 27 year of the captivity of Jeconia, [Ezek. 29. 17, 18, 19.]

In the self same 4 year of Jehojakim, which was the first of Nebuchadnesar King of Babylon; the Prophet Jeremy reproving the Jewes, for not harkening to the word of the Lord, which from time to time he had spoken to them, from the 13 year of King Josia, even to that present 4 year of Jehojakim; this, saith he, is 23 years, and for that they had shewed themselves stubborne and refractory to the admonitions and exhortations p. 83of himself, and all the other Prophets which the Lord had sent unto them: and then again told them of the coming of Nebuchadnesar upon them, and of their being carried away captives to Babylon, and that captivity to last 70 years long: which terme Judea first, Year of the World c. then the other nations there mentioned every one in his order, were to serve the King of Babylon: and that at last the kingdom of Babylon it self, should be destroyed, and the land of Chaldea exposed to desolation, [Ier. 25. 1, 3, 11, 12.] of which 70 years mention also was long before made by the Prophet Esaiah, though more obscurely, when he spake of the destruction of Tyrus, [Esai. 23. 15, 17.]

In the 4 year of Jehojakim, Baruc the son of Neria wrote in a book from the mouth of the Prophet Jeremy, all the words of the Lord which he had spoken to him concerning Israel and Juda, from the time of Josia until that day: and he read them in the house of the Lord, in the audience of the men of Jerusalem, and of all the Jews which were there assembled out of all their cities, in the day of the fast, [Ier. 36. 1, 8.] to wit, of that solemn fast which was yearly kept upon the 10 day of the 7 monethmonth, [Levit. 16. 29. &c. 23. 27. & Num. 29. 7.] five dayes before the feast of Tabernacles; wherein all the males out of all the cities of Judea, were to appear at Jerusalem; as I have shewed before in the year of the World 3395. As for Baruc himself, who was extreamly amazed and afflicted in his soul, with the horror of these direful judgements which he had written, the Prophet comforted him, by the word of the Lord▪ over this calamity which was to be brought upon all flesh by the Babylonians, and assured him of his own life, in the middest of all these troubles, J Ier. 45. 1, 5.] whereunto also perhaps all those consolatory speeches contained in 30 and 31 chapters of the same Prophet, and promises made concerning the restauration of the Church, may be referred.

The Rechabites, of the posterity of Jonadab, the son of Rechab, [2 Reg. 10. 15.] when Nebuchadnesar King of Babylon approached now unto Judea, for fear of the host of the Chaldeans and Syrians, leaving their tents (wherein, by the rule of their forefather Jonadab, they were wont to remain and dwell) came into Jerusalem [Ierem. 35. 11.] whence (seeing they speak of the present time; so we do now remain in Jerusalem) we gather, that the matter of this chapter which concerns the Rechabites refusing to drink wine, was in agitation, at what time the city was besieged round, by Nebuchadnesar, [Dan. 1. 1.]

God therefore gave up Jehojakim the King of Juda, into the hands of Nebuchadnesar King of Babylon, with part of the furniture of the House of the Lord, [Dan. 1. 2.] to wit, in the 9 monethmonth called Cisleu: as may be collected out of the anniversary fast, which in rememberance, as it seemeth, of this calamity, by a received custom of the Jews, [Zachar. 7. 3, 5. and chap. 8. 19.] was kept in this monethmonth, [Jer. 36. 9.]

Nebuchadnesar put Jehojakim at first in chaines, to carry him away to Babylon, [2 Chron. 36. 6.] but afterwards, upon submission, and his promises of subjection, he left him in his own house: where he lived his servant 3 years. From which entering of the King and people of the Jewes into the subjection and service of Nebuchadnesar, are the 70 years of the captivity of Babylon to be reckoned, which were foretold by the Prophet Jeremy, [Ier. 25. 11. and c. 29. 10.]

Nebuchadnesar gave order to Ashpenash the over-seer of the eunuches, or pages, that he should carry from thence of the children of Israel, both of the blood-royal, (as was expressely foretold by Esay the Prophet to Ezechia it should come to passe, Esay 39. 7.) as also of the noblest families, the choicest boyes, both for beauty and wit, that he could find: which being by his care educated 3 years in the language and sciences of the Chaldeans, might be thought afterward fit to stand before the King, and serve in his Palace: among whom of the tribe of Juda, were Daniel, who was Beltshazar, Hananiah, who was Shadrach, Mishael, who was Meshach; and Anania, who was Abendego: every of them having his name changed at the discretion of the overseer, or master of the Eunuchs, [Dan. 1. 3, 7.]

Now after those Scythians of whom I spake before, had taken their pleasure in Asia 28 years, Cyaxares and the Medes feasting them, and making them all drunk upon a certain day, cut all or the greatest part of their throats, [Herod. lib. 1. ca. 106.] Besides which, certain other Scythians of the Nomades or Shepherds, being driven out of their own country by a contrary faction, had been entertained by Cyaxares, and by him imployed, partly in hunting, partly in the educating of children: who being roughly and basely used by him, and also, as it seems, repining at the general massacre of their other country-men, killed one of the boyes which they had taken to educate and instruct; and dressing the flesh of him for venison, set it before Cyaxares and his guests to eat: which done, they fled away speedily to Halyattes the King at Sardes, and put themselves under his protection; whom when Cyaxares demanded to be given up unto him, and Halyattes refused to deliver them; there grew thereof a war between the Medes and Lydians, which lasted five years, [Herod. lib. 1. ca. 73. 74.] As for the Cimmerians of whom I spake before in the year of the World, 3368. Halyattes himself drave them out of all Asia, [Herod. ib. ca. 16.]

p. 84In the 9 monethmonth of the 5 year of Jehojakim, Year of the World 3399. a. there was a solemn fast before the Lord proclaimed to all the people at Jerusalem, in rememberance, as it seemeth, of the taking of the city by the Caldeans the year before in the same monethmonth. Where Baruc standing at the gate of the House of the Lord, read all the words of the Lord, which he had taken from the mouth of Jeremy the Prophet, out of a book, in the audience of all the people, who were then assembled at Jerusalem out of all the cities of Juda; whereof the Princes being advertised by Micah the son of Gemaria, called Baruc unto them; heard him read the same book, and for fear of the King, advised Jeremy and him, to hide themselves out of the way: But the King himself, having heard some part of the book read unto him, first cut the book thorough with a pen-knife, and then hurled it into the fire, that was in the chimny, and burnt it, [Jer. 36. 9, 25.] in memory of which detestable act of the King, the Jews to this day keep a fast, upon the 7 day of the 9 monethmonth called Caslu.

And Jehoiakim, having burnt the book, gave order to Jerochmeelie his son, and to Seraia the son of Azriel, and to Shelemia the son of Abdiel, to apprehend Baruc the Writer, and Jeremia the Prophet: But God hid them, and against that impious King and his kingdom, Year of the World b. pronounced this sentence. The Julian Period. 4109 Thou hast burnt this book, Year before Christ 605 saying, Why hast thou written therein, that the King of Babylon shall surely come, and shall lay wast this land, so that there shall no man nor beast remaine therein? Therefore thus faith the Lord concerning Jehoiakim King of Juda; There shall none of his sit upon the throne of David; and his carcasse shall be thrown out and exposed to the scorching of the day, and freezing of the night; and I will punish the wickednesse of him and of his seed, and servants: and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon all the men of Juda, all the evil which I said I would bring upon them: to wit, in that book, which they had burnt. Afterward by Gods appointment, Baruc wrote again from the mouth of the Prophet Jeremy, the same words, which he had written in the former, adding many like things thereto, [Ier. 36. 26, 32.]

Nebuchadnesar, following the point of his victory gotten, took from the Egyptian all that ever he possessed, between Egypt and Euphrates, so that from thence forward, Neco was faine to keep himself within his own bounds of Egypt, [2 Reg. 24, 7.] Mean while his father Nabopolassar, falling into infirmities, in the land of babylon, died: when he had reigned 21 years. Which no sooner came to Nebuchadnesars eare, but he giving order for the bringing away of the captives, as well of the Jews, as others; Syrians, Phoenicians, and Egyptians, to Babylon, with the army and baggage; posted with a small company the nearest way thorough the desert, and came to Babylon before them; who being received as sole Lord, of all his fathers large Dominions, he disposed the captives, when they were brought, here and there, by way of colonies as he thought fit. [Berosus lib. 3. of the affairs of Chaldea,] of the vessels also, and other furniture of the Temple Nebuchadnesar, took away with him to babylon what he thought fit: and disposed of them in the temple of his god, [Dan. 1. 2. 2 Chron. 36. 7.] to wit, Belus; whom he called his Progenitor; as Abydenus in his Assyrian History, and Brosus also tells us, that he did wonderfully enrich and adorne that Temple, with the spoile which he had taken in that war.

The remainder of the Scythians, which had escaped the slaughter of the Medes returning home, were met by a great army of lusty young-men, which had been begotten on their own wives, in their long absence, by their slaves: with these they fought many a sharp battel: but at last, laying aside their swords, they took every man a whip in his hand, as more proper for the correction of slaves, and thereby made them all to flee. [Herod, in the beginning of his 4 book.]

Jehoiakim, Year of the World 3401. a. when he had lived 3 years in subjection to the King of Babylon, The Julian Period. 4111 according to his allegeance, Year before Christ 603 fell off and rebelled against him, [2 Reg. 24. 1.]

Daniel and his three followers, when, refraining the diet provided them of the Kings allowance, they dined onelyonly of pults and water; yet were they found to look more lively and fair of complexion, than the rest which did eat of the Kings fare. And when at the three years end, they were brought to Court to attend the King, they appeared in all matters of knowledge, wisdom, and sciences, which the King was pleased to ask them in, far and far, to excell, all the Magi, and Astronomers that were in his kingdom, [Dan. 1. 5, 20.]

In the second year of his kingdom, or of the Babylonish Monarchie, begun by his father Nabopolassar, Nebuchadnesar, dreampt his dream, of the great Image, made of divers mettals: and forgetting his dream, what it was, would needs know of his Magi and Astronomers, both what his dreame was, and also what it meant: and when they could not satisfie him in so unreasonable a demand, he commanded them all to be put to death. But Daniel, when he saw the execution preparing, and understood the cause thereof, moved the King to forbear a while; and joyning in prayer with his fellowes unto God, obtained both the dreame it self, and also, the interpretation thereof to be revealed to him. He therefore declared to the King what his dream was, and also the four Monarchies which were in their order to succeed, which was the thing signified by that Image which p. 85he saw in his dream: whereupon the King enriched him presently with great gifts, and made him governour of all the Province of Babylon, and chief over all the wisemen thereof; and moreover at his request, made his three fellowes, Shadrach, Misach, and Abednego, principal officers in all that Province, [Dan. 2. 1, 49.]

In the beginning of the sixth year of the war between the Medes and the Lydians, Year of the World 3403. d. the victory enclining neither way; The Julian Period. 4113 there fell out an Eclipse of the Sun, Year before Christ 601 which Thales the Philosopher of Miletus had foretold the Ionians of. At which, both the foresaid armies seeing the day grown dark like the night, left off fighting, and afterward, by the mediation of Syennesis of Cilicia, and of Labynitus the Babylonian (which was Nebuchadnesar) they made a peace between themselves; and Halyattes gave his daughter Ariena, to Astyages the son of Cyaxeres to wife, [Herod. lib. 1. ca. 74.] And that this Eclipse so foretold by Thales, fell out at the very instant, when Cyaxeres the father of Astyages and King of the Medes and Halyattes Cresus his father, and King of the Lydians, were in fight together, is confirmed by Endemus, in his Astronomical History; and Pliny also, speaking thereof, and giving the reason of the Eclipses of these two great stars, lib. 1. cap. 12. saith in this wise; Apud Graecos investigavit primus omnium Thales Milesius, olympiadis 48 anno quarto, praedicto Solis defectu qui, Alyatte Rege, factus est, V. C. an. 170. (i.) Among the Graecians, the first that found it out, (to wit, the reason of the Eclipses) was Thales the Milesian, who foretold the Eclipse of the Sun, in the 4 year of the 48 olympiade, which was in the reign of Alyattes, (for so the old copy reads it, not of Astyages, as the vulgar edition hath it) 170. years after the building of Rome. Clemens Alexan. lib. 1. strom. placeth this fight of Cyaxares, and Eclipse of the Sun, about the 50 olympiade; wherein he is far wide of the opinion of Endemus, whom he cites for it; for both the time assigned, as well by him as by Pliny, suites not with Cyaxares, but with Astyages his reign; and also out of Ptolomies, Sun and Moon-Tables, which are the same with those of Hipparchus, it appeareth plainly that the Sun was eclipsed in the 4 years of the 44 olympiade, to wit, in the 147. of Nabonasar, on the 4 day of the Egyptian monethmonth Pacon, (or 20 day of September, according to the Julian Calender, on a Sunday,) 3 hours 25 minutes before noon: And this Eclipse was of 9 digits, and continued almost two hours. Year of the World 3404. c.

Psamnis the son of Neco reigned in Egypt 6 years. The Julian Period. 4114 [Herod. lib. 2. cap. 161.] Year before Christ 600

The Phocenses, setting saile out of Ionia, built Marseilles, upon the coast of Liguria in Italy 120. years before the sea-fight at Salamis: as Marcianus in his Periegesis reports out of Timeus; to wit, in the first year of the 45 olympiade, as both Euseb us delivers in his Chronicle: and Solinus in Polyhistor, though this latter confounds this first plantation of the Phocenses made in the dayes of Tarquinius Priscus, with their latter under Servius Tullus; whereof more hereafter in the year 3461. But the story of the wedding which gave occasion of the building of this City, is more at large set out by Atheneus, lib. 3. out of Aristotle, where he speaks of the common-wealth of the Marseilians, and by Justin in his 43 book out of Tro. Pomp. who relates the same thing, though differing in the names of the persons concerned therein.

Nebuchadnesars army consisting of troupes and companies of Syrians, Caldeans, Moabites, and Ammonites, going against Jehoiakim, wasted all Judea, [2 Reg. 24. 2.] leading away from thence 3023. prisoners, an. 7 of Nebuchadnesar, [Jer. 52. 28.]

Astyages or Asuerus, [Dan. 9. 1.] had issue by Ariena, (whom he married the year before,) his son Cyaxares; who was also called Darius, the Mede, and who was 62 years old when he succeeded Belshasser, (who was slaine) in the kingdom of the Chaldeans, [Dan. 5. 30, 31.] But Astyages, in the life time of his father, married Mandanes his daughter, borne of his former wife, to Cambyses son of Achemenes, King of Persia (as Xenophon sayes in his first book of the education of Cyrus) who derives his pedigree from Perseus; and of these two, the year following, was borne Cyrus: so that we may in no sort believe Ctesias, who contrary to Herodotus and Xenophon and others, agreeing with them, will in no wise have it, that Astiagas (for so he calls him) was any kin at all to Cyrus.

Jehoiakim being taken prisoner by the Chaldeans, Year of the World 3405. c. was thrown out without burial, The Julian Period. 4115 that is, Year before Christ 599 was buried like an asse: his carcasse being tugg'd and drawn out of the gate of Jerusalem, according as was foretold by the Prophet, [Jeremy 22. 18, 19. and chap. 36. 30.] though in reference to the common course of nature, he also may be said to have slept with his fathers, as he is, [2 Reg. 24. 6.]

After him came his son Jehoiachin, who was also called Conias and Jeconias, and reigned 3 moneths and ten dayes in Jerusalem; and he also did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his father Jehoiakim had done before him, [2 Reg. 24. 8, 9. 2 Chron. 36. 8, 9.] Against him therefore a most dread…ul decree went out from God, in the end of the 22 of Ieremy, and as an Act to be entered of record, concluded in this wise. Write this man childlesse, a man which shall not prosper in his dayes; for none of his seed shall prosper to sit in the throne of David, nor reign any more in Juda, [Ier. 22. 30.] concerning which matter, more is to be read in Christophorus Helvicus his book of the Genealogie of Christ. p. 86And at this time also, the prophe…ie of Jeremiah contained in the chapter following, [c. 23] seemeth to have been uttered.

In the same year, after the sending of the former army, came up the servants of Nebuchadnezar king of Babylon, to besiege Jerusalem. And when Nebuchadnesar himself came before the City, whiles his servants besieged it: Jehojachim the king, with his mother Nehushta, a woman of Jerusalem, and his servants and officers, with all his Courtiers, came forth to the king of Babylon: Him the king of Babylon took; in the 8 year of his reign over Babylon: and taking from thence all the treasure, both of the Temple, and of the kings house, he brake in pieces all the golden vessels and furniture, which Salomon had made for the Temple of the Lord▪ as the Lord, [Isai. 39. 6.] had foretold; and the k. carried away king Jehojachim, unto Babylon; with his mother, and his wives, or women, and his Courtiers, and out of all Jerusalem, the Magistrates, and every man of strength, to the number of ten thousand men: and all Carpenters and Smiths; leaving none behind him at Jerusalem, besides the poorer sort of people: and out of other parts of the land, he carried away 7000 men of able bodies, and of Smiths and Carpenters, ten thousand, all strong men, and fit for the wars; all which were carried prisoners into Babylon, [2 Reg. 28. 8, 16. 2 Chron. 36. 10. Jer. 24. 1. and c. 29. 1, 2. Ezech. 17. 12.] among which captives, one was Mordecai of the tribe of Benjamin, the son of Jairus, [Esth. 2. 5, 6.] and Ezechiel the priest, the son of Buzi, an other: Who therefore in his prophecie reckons the time all along from the beginning of this captivity, [Ezech. 1. 2, 3.] which he also terms his own banishment, [c. 40. 1.] An Epistle said to be Jeremiahs, is sent to those that were appointed to be carried away to Babylon, to beware of the Idolatry, which they should see used in Babylon, [Baruc. 6.]

Whiles the king of Babylon thus raged in Judea, God prepared a worme, which in due time, should eat out this spreading tree; the cry of this poor people entering into the ear of the Lord: O daughter of Babylon, wasted with misery, happy shall he be that shall reward thee, as thou hast served us, who shall take thy children, and dash them against the stones, [Psal. 137. 8.] For in this very year, was Cyrus the Perso-Median born; whose father was a Persian, and his mother a Mede, as I shewed before; of whom this very Nebuchadnesar, at the houre of his death, as Aby-denus hath it, uttered this prophecie, There shall come a Persian Mule, who shall make use of your Devils, as his fellow-souldiers, to bring you into bondage: as also was foretold by that Oracle given to Croesus,

When a mule King, shall to the Medes be borne, &c.

Which the Pythian Priestes interpreted to be meant of Cyrus, which was to be borne of a father and a mother of two divers Nations, a Persian and a Mede: Herod. l. …. c. 55. and 91.] but above all most plainly and truly our Isaiah foretold, [c. 11. 1, 2.] that the Babylonians also should have a time wherein to endure their hell of slavery; and that their children should one day be dasht against the stones before their eyes, [c. 13. 16.] and that these miserably captivated Jewes, should one day be restored to their liberty; calling their deliverer so many years before by his proper name of Cyrus, [Isa. 44. 28. and 45. 1.] God himself giving the reason, of this his so unusual a revelation, in these words; For my servant Jacob, and for Israel my chosens sake, have I called thee by thy name, and given thee a surname, though thou hast not known me, [Isa. 45. 4.]

As for the age of this Cyrus, we are beholding to Tully for it; who in his 1 book de Divinatione, cites it out of one Dionysius a Persian writer, in this manner; The sun (saith Dionysius) appeared to Cyrus in his sleep, standing at his feet, whom, when Cyrus thrice endeavoured to take in his hands, the sun still turned aside, and went away: and the Magi, who are counted as wise and learned men among the Persians, said▪ that by his thrice offering to take hold of the sun, was portended to him that he should reign thirty years, which came to passe accordingly, for he lived to the age of seventy years, when he began not to reign till he was forty: From which dream perhaps, so expounded by the Magicians, Cyrus took his name; for, as Ctesias rightly sayes, Cyrus in the Persian language, signifies the sun: So doth Plutarch, following him, in the life of Artaxerxes; and so doth Chur or Churshid, in the Persian Poets, as it is said, unto this day. And out of this place of Tullies, compared with [Dan. 5. 31.] it appears that Darius the Mede, or Cyaxares the son of Astyages, Cyrus his uncle, was born before him, and is therefore by Xenophon, in his book entitled, of the Institution of Cyrus, lib. 6. brought in, speaking in this manner, foreign, (i.e.) seeing I am here present, and am elder than Cyrus, it is fit that I speak first: And in the fourth of the same book, Cyrus writing to Darius, useth these words, foreign, (i.e.) I advise you, though I be the younger of the two.

Nebuchadnesar, made Mattania, Jechonia his uncle and son to Josia, king in Jeconia his stead, changing his name into Sedechia; which signifieth the Justice of the Lord; [Jer. 37. 1. 2 Reg. 24. 17.] for whereas he had made a covenant with him, and had taken an oath of allegeance from him, and Sedechia, had taken an oath by God to performe it, [2 Chron. 36. 13. Ezech. 17. 13, 14, 18.] by the imposition of this name, his purpose was to put him in mind of the just judgement of God, in case he should break it.

Sedechias reigned full 11 years in Jerusalem, and did evill in the sight of the Lord his p. 87God; nor did he humble himself before Jeremy the prophet, who spake unto him in the name, and from the mouth of the Lord; but stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart, that he might not return to the Lord God of Israel, [Jer. 1. 3. and chap. 32. 1, 2. 2 Reg. 24. 18. 19. 2 Chron. 36. 11, 12, 13.] yea, all the chief of the priests, and the people of the whole land sundry wayes transgressed the law, polluting the house of the Lord, which he had sanctified in Jerusalem; nor would they hearken to the word of the Lord, which he spake unto them by the mouth of his prophet Jeremy, and other prophets, but despised them, and mockt the messengers, which God sent unto them, till the fire of Gods fury brake forth against his people, for that there was no remedy to heal them, [Jer. 37. 2. 2 Chron. 63. 14, 15, 16.]

After Jeconia was carryed away, God by a vision of two baskets of figs, signified to Jeremy, the carrying away of the new king Sedechia, and the remainder of the people, [Ier. 24. 1, 2. 8, 9.]

In the beginning of Sedechia his reign; the prophecie concerning the Elamites, both of their fall and riseing again, was uttered by the prophet Jeremy, Jer. 49. 34, 39.] For Nebucadnezar had taken from Astyages, the whole province of Elemais, with the city Susa, the Metropolis thereof, and which was seated upon the river Ulaie or Ulie; and annexed it to the Empire of Chaldaea, [Ier. 25. 25. with Dan. 8. 1, 2.] But afterward, these Elemites combining with the Medes, against the Babylonians, [Esay 21. 2.] when Belshasar was destroyed, recovered their state again, under Cyrus, the anointed of the Lord; and their chief city Susa, was made by Cyrus, the seat of the Persian kingdom, as Strabo in his 15. book teacheth us.

When Embassadors came from the several kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon to Jerusalem, to visit the new king Sedechia, God willed Jeremy to deliver unto every of them chains and whips, to be presented to their several masters, and commanding them withall to submit themselves to Neubchadnezar; not to give ear any longer, to their wizards and star-gazers, who advised them to the contrary: he advised also Sedechia, to hold him fast to the king of Babylon, and to beware of false prophets, and both by threats and promises, perswaded all sorts of the people, to submit unto, and obey the king of Babylon, [Ier. 39.]

After the carrying away of Jechonia, and the other captives, Sedechia sent Elhasham, the son of Shapsan, and Gemaria the son of Helkia, to Nebuchadnezar in Babylon; and by them also Jeremias gat a letter to be carryed, which he had written to the Elders, and Priests, and Prophets, and the rest of the people, which had been carryed from thence by Nebuchadnezar, king of Babylon; in which letter, the prophet instructeth them, how to demean themselves in that condition of captivity, wherein for the present they were; and comforts them, with a gracious promise of deliverance, at the expiration of the 70 years, and foretells them, of the grand calamities, which were to fall upon them, whom they had left behind them in Jerusalem, and of the miserable end which Ahab, the son of Kolaia, and Sedechia the son of Mahaselia, the two false prophets should come unto, [Ier. 29. 1. 2, 23.]

Shemaja, Year of the World 3406 sent letters, The Julian Period. 4116 as it seems, Year before Christ 598 by Sedechia his messenger, when they returned to him from Babylon, unto Zephania, (who was the second chief priest, 2 Reg. 25. 18.) and the rest of the priests at Jerusalem, against what the prophet Jeremy had written in his to them: which being read in his hearing, he presently denounced a heavy judgement from God upon him, [Ier. 29. 24, 32.] At what time also it seemeth, were uttered those notable prophecies of his, concerning the kingdom of Christ, and restauration of the church contained in the two following chapters, [30. and 31.]

This year was born Craesus, Year of the World 3407 the son of Halyattes, The Julian Period. 4117 king of Lydia, Year before Christ 597 begotten upon his wife, a woman of Caria, for it appeareth, that he was 35 years of age, when he began to reign, [Herod. lib. 1. cap. 26. and 92.]

In the 5 monethmonth of the 4 year of Sedechia, Year of the World 3408. d. Hananias a false prophet, The Julian Period. 4118 prophecied, Year before Christ 596 that at the end of two years, all the vessailes, and furniture of the house of the Lord, and Jeconia, and all the people, which were carryed away to Babylon, should returne and be brought home again: and when Jeremy gain-said him, he took a yoak of wood, from about his own neck, and brake it, saying, Thus shall the Lord break the yoak of Nebuchadnezar, within two years precisely, from off the neck of all the Nations: whereunto Jeremy replyed, That God, in stead of that wooden yoak, would lay an Iron one upon the neck of all these nations, under which they should bow, and serve the king of Babylon, [Ierem. 28. 1. 14.]

Hannania the false prophet, Year of the World 3409. a. in the seventh monethmonth dyed, The Julian Period. 4119 according to the fore-telling of Jeremy, Year before Christ 595 Astyages, after the death of his father Cyaxares, reigned over the Medes 35 years, [Herod. lib. 1. cap. 130. Dan. 9. 1. and Tobit 14. 17.] where he is called, Ahasuerus, or Asuerus.

God by his prophet Jeremy, Year of the World c. foretold that Babylon, and the land of Chaldaea should be over-run and wasted by the Medes and Persians: and re-comforts his own people with the sweet promises of their deliverance, Ierem. 50. and chap. 51.]

p. 88Sedechia, in the 4 year of his reign, went, or rather, in his own stead, sent Seraia, the son of Neria, the son of Maaseia, prince of Menucha, to Babylon, to whom Jeremy delivered the foresaid prophecies, of the destruction of Babylon, written in a book to be first read, and then to be thrown into the river Euphrates, [Ier. 51. 59.] with whom his brother Baruc, son also of Neria, the son of Moaseia, [Ier. 32. 12.] Jeremy his pen-man, is thought also to have gone to Babylon.

Baruc is said to have read all the words of his own book,…. in the audience of Jeconia, the son of Jehojakim, and of all the captives, that were then dwelling with him at that time in Babylon, in the 5 year, (to wit, after Jeconia, his being carryed away to Babylon) in the 7 monethmonth, at the time when the Chaldeans took Jerusalem, and burnt it with fire, (Baruc. 1. 2, 3, 4.] even in the same monethmonth, as it is thought, wherein, Jeconia giving himself up to the king of Babylon, Jerusalem was taken, and perhaps begun in part, to be set on fire by the Chaldeans: for I cannot assent to Severus Salpicius, who (grounding himself perchance upon this text) saith, that at this very time, Nebuchadnezar entered Ierusalem with his army, and laid both city and walls, Temple and all, eaven with the ground, in his first book of his Sacred History, yet the former guesse of Fran. Junius, concerning the quenching of the fire, and having the city, is somewhat more tolerable, than that of our Seminary priests at Doway is, where they say, that the whole time of the taking of Ierusalem, lasted eleven years before it was wholly burnt: to wit, from the time, when it was taken under Jeconia, till the time it was taken under Sedechia, and this book was written in the fifth year of that interval of time. But Hugo Grotius thinks, that the first writer thereof, here meant, the fifth year, after the carrying away of Jeconia, but that the rest of the burning of Ierusalem, was added afterward, by some other hand, who was of opinion, that Baruc never went to Babylon, till after the consuming of Jerusalem by fire, which fell out in Sedechia his reign.

In the beginning then of the 30 year, from that solemn renewing of the covenant, and restauration of the worship of God, in that memorable year, the eighteenth of Josia his reign, which falls in with the fifth year of the carrying away of Iehojachim, al. Icconia, in the beginning thereof, in the fifth day of the fourth monethmonth, (upon the 24 of our Iuly, falling upon a Saturday) was the first vision from Cod shewed to Ezekiel, being then, among the rest of the company, carryed away to Babylon, by the river Chebar, called by Strabo and Ptolomy, Chaborra, [Ezek. 1. 1, 2, 28.] and from hence was he sent, to execute the function of a prophet among the Iews of the captivity, unto whom, dwelling at Thel-abibi, near the river Chebar, when he was come, he sate him down, as a man besotted, for 7 dayes space: after which time, God again put him in mind of his charge, both with promises, if he undertook it, and with threats, if he refused; and then confirmed him, with a new sign shewed unto him; gave him courage and boldness by his word and ratifying his vocation by a new command, Ezek. 2. & 3.]

The prophet is commanded to make a draught of the siege of Ierusalem, in a table of s…ate, and to lye a long upon one side 396 dayes, which was to be a type or prefiguration, of so many dayes, that the siege of the city of Ierusalem should last, and of so many years, of the iniquity of the house of Israel, [Ezek. 4.]

Psammis king of Egypt, returning from his journey which he had made into Ethiopia, shortly after died, and to him succeeded his son Apryes, who reigned 25 years, [Herod. lib 2. cap. 161.] and is the same, who in the scripture is called Pharao Hephra, [Ier. 44. 30.] He with an army every way well furnished, having made an incursion upon the Isle of Cyprus, and upon Phaenicia, took Sidon by main force, and the rest of that country, by the very dread and terror of his name, and after a main victory gotten at sea, over both Cyprians and Phaenicians, returned into Egypt, with a huge spoile taken from them, [Diod. Sic. lib. 1.] And it is reported of him, that he was altogether of opinion, that no God was able to put him besides his kingdom, so sure he thought he had made it, [Herod. 2 cap. 169.] which in [Ezek. 39. 3.] (as Tremelius hath noted) is in that allegoricall Prosopopeia, most elegantly expressed, The river is mine own, for I have made for it my self.

Ezekiel, Year of the World c. when he had laien 350 dayes upon his left side, turned him on his right, and there lay 40 dayes more, which were for a type of as many years of the iniquity of Juda, [Ezek. 4. 6.] to which we must also refer what is said in the fifth chapter, of the same prophecy, with the two chapters following.

In the sixth year of Jeconia his going into captivity, Year of the World a. and fifth day thereof, (which was the 22 of our Septem, falling upon a Wednesday) God carrying away Ezekiel by the spirit, to Jerusalem, in a vision there, shewed him the infinite Idolatry there used; and the plagues which were to befall that city for the same, [Ezek. 8. 1. and c. 9. 10. 11. ib.]

According to his foretelling, Pelatia, the son of Benaja died. God comforts the godly in their captivity in Babylon, by the sanctification of his presence, and with his evangelical promises for the time to come. The vision vanishing, the prophet is brought back by the spirit, to his people in Chaldea, and there declares to them, all that God had shewed him, [chap. 11. 13, 25.]

God both by typical signes, and also in plain words foretels Sedechia his flight by night p. 89the putting out of his eyes, his leading into captivity, his dying in Babylon, the carrying away of the Jews into captivity, and the calamities which they were to endure before their going, [Ezek. 12.] to which year also the seven following chapters belong▪ out of which we further understand, that Daniels name was at that time grown very famous for the continual prayers which he made for the people of the captivity, [Ezek. 14. 14, 20.] and that Sedechia, not regarding the covenant and oath which he had sworne, rebelled against Nebuchadnesar, [c. 17. 15, 17.]

In the 7 year of Jeconia his captivity, 10 day of the 5 month (27 of our August, being sunday) Ezechiel reproved the Elders, which came and requested him to aske counsel of God, for their grosse hypocrisie: and then foretells them of the calamities that were to come upon all flesh; pronounces Gods judgements upon the Idolaters, and gives sweet comforts to the godly, [Ezek. 20. 1.] to which the three chapters following, seem also to appertain.

After Battus the founder of the kingdom of Cyrene, succeeded his son Arcesilaus, and reigned 16 years, [Herod. lib. 4. c. 159.]

This fell out to be a sabbatical year; wherein the men of Jerusalem, hearing that Nebuchadnesar approached with his army, proclaimed liberty to their servants, [Jer. 34. 8, 9, 10.] according to the law, [Exod. 21. 2. Deut. 15. 1, 2, 12.] For Nebuchadnesar marching with his army against Sedechia, and having wasted all the country, and taken their strong holds, came now before the very walls of Jerusalem, [Joseph. Antiq. l. 10. c. 10.] For he had taken all the Cities of Juda, saving only Lachish, Azeka, and Jerusalem: all which, he besieged with all the forces which he could make out of all the lands of his dominions, [Ier. 34. 1, 7.]

But the siege of Hierusalem began not till the middest of winter, for in the 9 year of the reign of Sedechia upon the 10 day of the 10 month, (answering to our 30 of Ianuary, falling upon a thursday,) Nebuchadnesar with all his army came before Jerusalem: raising forts round about it, [2 Reg. 25. 1. Ier. 39. 1. c. 52. 4.] For a memorial whereof, not only during the captivity, [Zach. 8. 19.] but even unto this day there is a yearly fast kept among the Jews.

Upon the very self-same day, was the siege of Jerusalem, revealed by God to Ezechiel, being then in Chaldea; and the utter destruction thereof, represented to him by the type a seething pot; and his wife died that day in the evening; for whose death he was charged not to mourne: thereby signifying the grievous calamity of the Jewes, which was to surpasse all expressions of grief by mourning, [Ezech. 24. 1, 2. &c.]

Jeremiah the Prophet was commanded by God to foretell the utter destruction and burning of Jerusalem by the k. of Babylon, to Sedechia: and that he should be carried away prisoner to Babylon; and that there he should end his daies, and yet be honourably enterred, [Jer. 34. 1, 7.]

The Prophet for so laying, was by Sedechia clapt up, in the court of the prison of the kings house, where in the tenth year of Sedechia and beginning of the 18 year of Nebuchadnesar, having a promise of his delivery, made him by God, he recovered the land of Hanameel, his uncles son, by right of redemption, [Ier. 32. 1, 16.] and all things then came to passe which he foretold, and are conteined in the 32 and 33 chapters of his Prophecie.

Pharaoh Hophra, al. Vaphris, coming with his army out of Egypt, to relieve Sedechia, the Chaldeans raised the siege from before Jerusalem; and Sedechia sent messengers to Jeremiah (who upon the raising of the siege was set at liberty, and not yet cast into the dungeon, as afterwards he was,) to pray him to make intercession to God for the deliverance of the people; but the Prophet returned him answer, that those succours out of Egypt, should into Egypt returne again, and that the Chaldeans should returne to Jerusalem, and take the City, and destroy it by fire [Ier. 37. 3, 10.]

They of Jerusalem seeing the siege raised, and themselves quit of that fear, presently took back their Hebrew servants again, whom they had formerly set at liberty according to the law; and made them serve as before, contrary to their covenant; for which, as for a most impious and barbarous act, Jeremy reproved them; and to cry quittance with them for it, proclaimed a liberty to the sword and pestilence and famine, against them, telling them withall, that the Chaldeans, should come again to the siege, and should take their City, and destroy, it with fire, [Ier. 34. 11, 22.]

But while the Chaldeans were away to encounter the Egyptian army, Ieremiah purposed to save himself by flight; but was prevented by the Princes, and taken and scourged, & cast into the Dungeon, which was in Ionathans house, & there lay a long time, [Ier. 37. 11, 16.] Nebuchadnesar, at his going against the Egyptians in the 18 year of his reign, took 832 men which had fled out of Ierusalem to him, for safegard, and sent them all away prisoners to Babylon, [Ier. 52. 29.]

Pittacus of Mitylene, one of the 7 wise men, was sent against Phrynon, sirnamed the Pancratiast, i.e. a man excellent in all feats of chivalrie, and the Olympionicest, i.e. one that had won the bell in the games at Olympus; and at that time, General of the Athenian army, and had taken two towns, Sigeum and Achilleum, from the Lesbians, with a Navie to Troas; in which battel, the Athenians, having gotten the victory, took the Target of Abraeus, the Poet of Mitylene, who in flying had throwen it away, and p. 90hung it up in the temple of Minerva in Sigeum: Phrynon afterward challenged any man that durst encounter him to a single combat. Pittacus undertook him, and with a little net which he had hid privily under the hollow of his target, caught him by the head, and so slew him with his three-forked Spear; forwhich service, when the Mitylenians offered him a large proportion of land, he desired no more of it, than so far onelyonly as he could throw his Spear; wherein he afterward built a temple, which from him was called Pittacium. This story seems to be mangled and is imperfect in Herodotus, [lib. 5. ca. 95.] but that defect in him, is supplyed by Plutarch, in his book entitled, De malignitate Herodoti, (i.) of the envy, or spightfulnesse of Herodotus, together with [Strabo, lib. 13. Polyenus, lib. 1. Festus, in the word, Retiarius (i.) a fighter with a net: and Diogenes Laertius, lib. 1.] who tells us, that the Mitylenians for that service made him their Prince, or Sovereign, of their own accord, 20 years before he died: which, as he there saith, was in the third year of the 52 olympiade: and which upon a due account I chuse rather to place in the 3 year of the 57, than with Eusebius, upon the 2 year of the 43 olympiade: though that seems more to favour his opinion, because in the Catalogue of the Stadionicests, (i.) of those which gat the prize in running. Phrynon, is said to have gotten it in the 36 olympiade. Neither yet was the war ended by this duel; but the matter of their quarrel being referred by both parties to Periander of Corinth, who was also reckoned an other of the seven Wisemen of the world; as to an indifferent Arbitrator, he ordered, that each party should hold what they had then in their possession: (i.) that the Mitylenians should keep the Town of Achilleum, and the Athenians Sigeum, [Herod. lib. 5. cap. 94. 54. Strabo lib. 13.] which Periander, as Laertius in his life, out of Solicrates shews, died, 6 years after this, and before the 49 olympiade; which bewrayes Herodotus his error in his account of times, where he makes this peace so made between the Athenians and Mitylenians, not to have been till toward the latter end of the Pisistratidae, or successors of Pisistratus in the government of Athens.

In the 10 year of the carrying away of Jeconia, Year of the World 3415. b. and on the 12 day of the 10 monethmonth, The Julian Period. 4125 (upon our Feb. Year before Christ 589 1 falling upon a Sunday) Ezechiel uttered his prophesie against Pharao and all Egypt: that he should prove but a staffe of reed to the house of Israel; for he had all in vaine already attempted to relieve them, and first for Pharao Hophra or Apryes himself, that he should have an overthrow given him in the Desert of Lybia by the Cyrenaeans, (as we shall see anon in the year 3430. of the World) and then for Egypt it self; that it should be miserably wasted by the Babylonian; and that, that desolation should last 40 years, [Ezech. 29. 1, 16.]

When Nebuchadnesar had routed the Egyptian army, Year of the World c. he presently returned to the siege of Jerusalem about the 15 day of the 3 monethmonth, to wit, 30 dayes before he took it: as we may gather out of that type or representation of, [Ezech. 4. 5, 8.] But then Ieremia, being consulted with by Sedechia, told him that he must be given up into the hands of Nebuchadnesar: and he then, at Ieremies humble suite, commanded him to be removed out of the Dungeon of the prison in Ionathans house, into the court of the prison; and that he should have a rowle of bread daily out of the bakers street, so long as there was any bread left in the city, [Ier. 37. 17, 21.]

The siege continuing, Year of the World d. Sedechia sent again to Ieremy; but he still sent him the same answer, that both King and people must fall into Nebuchadnesars hands: that they who would stay in the city should perish, either by the sword, or by famine, or by pestilence: but they that would go out, and submit to the King of Babylon, should have their lives saved; and be glad with that, [Ieremy 21.]

For this answer, the Princes cast Ieremy into Malchias his Dungeon, which was in the court of the prison; from whence, yet he was delivered by the help of Ebed-Melech, one of the kings Eunuchs, and was again consulted by the king; and when he still continued in pronouncing judgment against the Land of Iudah, he was still kept in the Court of the prison, till the very taking of the City. [Iere. 38.] Where he assured Ebed-Melech, in the Name of the Lord; that he for his own part, should be free from all harme and danger in that general calamity, [Ier. 39. 15, 18.]

In the 11 year of the carrying away of Ieconias, Year of the World 3416. c. in the first day of the first monethmonth; as it seemeth, not of the 5 monethmonth, as Tremellius and Pradus would have it, (for that would fall upon the 12 year of Jeconia his carrying away to Babylon) God, by Ezechiel, foretold the city of Tyrus, which much rejoyced in the wretched condition into which Jerusalem was fallen, by the power of Nebuchadnesar King of Babylon, that she also should perish by the same hand, and in so dreadfull a manner, that all who had seen her former wealth and bravery should be amazed thereat: Foretelling the like misery to befall the Sidonians, their neighbours, to the glory of God, and good of his Church; concluding this whole prophesie with this assurance to her, [Ezech. 26. 1. and from thence to the end of the 18 chapter.] In all which prophesie this is also to be noted; that at that time the fame of Daniels wisdom was grown so great, even in forreigne nations, that they used to say, by way of a proverb; as wise as Daniel, from whence it was that God upbraiding Ithobolus King of Tyre, with his pride and arrogancy of his minde; Behold, p. 91saith he, thou art wiser than Daniel; no secret can be hid from thee, [Ezech. 28. 3.]

In the same year, the 7 day of the 3 monethmonth, (our 26 of April, upon a Tuesday) God revealed his will to Ezechiel, of sending and arming Nebuchadnesar against Pharao, to the ruine of Egypt, [Ezech. 30. 20, 26.]

In the same year also, upon the first day of the 3 monethmonth, (June 19. falling upon a Sunday) God declared that the Egyptian, could no more avoide his determination, than the Assyrian had done before him, [Ezech. 31.]

In the latter end of the 11 year of Sedechia, [Ier. 1. 3.] 9 day of the 4 monethmonth (27 of our Iuly, upon a Wednesday) when the famine grew strong in Ierusalem; the Citie was broken up, and the Caldeans entered it, [2 Reg. 26. v. 2. 3. 4. Ier. 39. v. 2. 3. and c. 52. v. 5. 6. 7.]

The City being taken, Sedechia, and all the men of war, fled away by night: but the Caldeans pursuing after them, tooke Sedechia, and brought him prisoner to Ribla, where Nebuchadnezzar lay, and where having seen his children slaughtered before his eyes, he had then his eyes put out, and being clogged with chaines of steel, he was carried away from thence to Babylon, [2 Reg. 25. v. 4. 7. Ier. 39. v. 4. 7. and chap. 52. 7, 11.] fullfilling therein the prophesies foretold of him, that with his eyes he should see the King of Babylon, [Jer. 32. 4. and chap. 34. 3.] but Babylon, he should not see, though he was to die there, [Ezech. 12. 13.]

Upon the 7 day of the 4 monethmonth (being of our August 24. Wednesday) Nebusaradan, Captain of the Guard, sent by Nebuchadnesar, made his entry into the city, [2 Reg. 25. 8.] and having spent two dayes in making provision, upon the 10 day of the said month, (our Aug. 27. falling upon the Sabbath) to which time perhaps he had purposely put off the execution of that his charge; he set fire on the Temple, and on the Kings Palace, and upon all the Noble-mens houses, with all the rest of the houses in Jernsalem, and burnt all down to the ground, [Jer. 52. 13. with chap. 39. 8.] though our Country-man Tho. Lydiate, thinks that fire was set on it, upon the 7 day; but not burnt down till the 10. In rememberance of which calamity, the fast of the 5 monethmonth was ordained to be kept, [Zach. 7. 3, 5. and chap. 8. 19.] which is observed by the Jewes unto this day: though kept by them, upon the 9 day, and not the 10 of the monethmonth Ab. But the Temple was destroyed in the 19 year of Nebuchadnesars reign, [Jer. 52. 12. 2 Reg. 25. 8.] in the latter end thereof, in the beginning of the first year of the 48 olympiade, in the 160 year, running of Nabonasars account, 424 years, 3 moneths and 8 dayes, from the time that Solomon laid the first stone thereof.

Upon the same 5 monethmonth, [Ier. 1. 3.] all the walls of Jerusalem being razed to the ground, all that were left in the City, and all that had formerly fled over to Nebuchadnesar, and all the common people of the City, with all the treasure of the King, and of his Nobles, and furniture of the Temple, did Nabuzaradan carry away unto Babylon, [Ier. 93. 8, 9. ca. 52. 14, 23. 2 Reg. 25. 10, 17. 2 Chron. 36. 18, 19, 20.] And thus was Juda carried away out of her own land, [Ier. 52. 27. 2 Reg. 25. 21.] 468 years after David began to reign over it; from the dividing of the 10 Tribes, from the Tribe of Juda, 388 years, and from the destruction of the kingdom of Israel, 134 years.