reading and interpretation of the words, they made their benches of ivory inlaid on box, brought out of the iles of Chittim, that is out of the iles of the Mediterranean, and most probably from Corfica, which was famous above all places for box, as Bochart hath proved by the teftimonies of Pliny, Theophraftus, and Diodorus. Daniel foretelling the exploits of Antiochus Epiphanes, faith (XI. 29, 30.) that he should come towards the fouth, that is invade Egypt. but the ships of Chittim shall come against him, therefore he shall be grieved and return: the ships of Chittim can be none other than the thips of the Romans, whofe (7) embaffadors coming from Italy to Greece, and from thence to Alexandria, obliged Antiochus, to his great grief and difappointment, to depart from Egypt without accomplishing his defigns. The author of the first book of Maccabees, fpeaking of Alexander fon of Philip the Macedonian, faith (I. 1.) that he came out of the land of Chettiim: and afterwards (VIII. 5.) Perseus, the last king of Macedon, he calleth king of the Cittims. By these inftances it appears, that the land of Chittim was a general name for the countries and ilands in the Mediterranean: and therefore when Balaam faid that Ships should come from the coast of Chittim, he might mean either Greece, or Italy, or both, the particular names of those countries being at that time perhaps unknown in the east: and the paffage may be the better. understood of both, because it was equally true of both, and Greece and Italy were alike the fcourges of Afia. And shall afflict Asshur. Asshur, as we noted before, fignifies properly the defcendants of Ashur, the Affyrians: but (8) their name was of as large extent as their empire, and the Syrians and Affyrians are often confounded together, and mentioned as one and the fame people. Now it is fo well known as to require no particular proof, that the Grecians under the command of Alexander the Great fubdued all those countries. The Romans afterwards extended their empire into the fame (7) Vide Livii Lib. 45. Cap. 10, 11, 12. Polyb. Legat. p. 915, 916. Edit. Cafaubon. (8) Tam latè patuit hoc nomen quam late patuit imperium,-multi veterum Soros et Affyrios pro iifdem habent. Bochart. Phaleg. Lib. 2. Cap. 3. Col. 72, G4 regions regions; and as (9) Dion informs us, Affyria properly fo called was conquered by the emperor Trajan. And shall afflict Eber. Two interpretations are proposed of the word Eber, either the pofterity of a man fo called, or the people who dwelt on the other fide of the river Euphrates. If by Eber we understand the posterity of Eber, as by Asshur the posterity of Asshur, which appears a very natural construction: then Balaam, who was commiffioned to bless Ifrael at first, prophefied evil concerning them at last, though under another name: but men and manners usually degenerate in a long course of time; and as the virtues of the progenitors might intitle them to a bleffing, fo the vices of the defcendents might render them obnoxious to a curse. However we may avoid this feeming inconfiftence, if we follow the other interpretation, and by Eber understand the people who dwelt on the other fide of the river Euphrates, which fenfe is given by (1) Onkelos, and is approved by feve ral of the ancients, as well as by many of the most able commentators among the moderns, and is particularly enforced by a learned (2) profeffor of eminent skill in the oriental languages. The two members of the period would then better connect together, and the sense of the latter would be fomewhat exegetical of the former; and Shall afflict Asshur and shall afflict Eber, shall afflict the Affyrians and other neighbouring nations bordering upon the river Euphrates. And this interpretation I would readily embrace, if I could fee any inftance of a parallel expreffion. Beyond the river, meaning Euphrates, is indeed a phrafe that fometimes occurs in fcripture, and the concordance will fupply us with instances: but where doth beyond alone ever bear that fignification? I know Gen. X. 21. is usually cited for this purpose; but that text is as much controverted as this, and the question is the fame there as here, whether Eber be the proper name of a man, or only a prepofition, fignifying beyond, and beyond fignifying the people beyond the river Euphrates: or in other words, whether the passage should be tranflated (9) Dionis Hift. Rom. Lib. 68. p. 783. Edit. Leunclav. Hanov. 1606. (1) Et fubjicient trans flumen Eu phratem. Onk. the .. ! the father of all the children of Eber, or the father of all the children of the people on the other fide of the river Euphrates. Ifaiah's manner of speaking of the fame people is by them beyond the river, by the king of Affyria: (VII. 20.) and one would expect the like here, Jhall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict them beyond the river. But which ever of these interpretations we prefer, the prophecy was alike fulfilled. If we understand it of the people bordering upon the Euphrates, they as well as the Affyrians were fubdued both by the Grecians and Romans. If we understand it of the pofterity of Eber, the Hebrews were afflicted, though not much by Alexander himself, yet by his fucceffors the Seleucidæ, and particularly by Antiochus Epiphanes, who spoiled Jerufalem, defiled the temple, and flew all those who adhered to the law of Mofes. (1 Maccab. I.) They were worfe afflicted by the Romans, who not only fubdued and oppressed them, and made their country a province of the empire, but at last took away their place and nation, and fold and dispersed them over the face of the earth. And he also shall perish for ever, that is Chittim, who is the main fubject of this part of the prophecy, and whose ships were to afflict Asshur and to afflict Eber: but this notwithstanding, he also shall be even to perdition, he also shall be destroyed as well as Amalek, for in the original the words are the fame concerning both. He in the fingular number cannot well refer to both Asshur and Eber. He must naturally fignify Chittim the principal agent: and if by Chittim be meant the Grecians, the Grecian empire was entirely fubverted by the Roman; if the Romans, the Roman empire was in its turn broken into pieces by the incurfion of the northern nations. The name only of the Roman empire and Cæfarean majesty is fubfifting at this day, and is transferred to another country and another people. It appears then that Balaam was a prophet divinely inspired, or he could never have foretold fo many distant events, fome of which are fulfilling in the world at this time: and what a fingular honour was it to the people of Ifrael, that a prophet called from another country, country, and at the same time a wicked man, should be obliged to bear teftimony to their righteoufnefs and holiness? The commendations of an enemy, among enemies, are commendations indeed. And Mofes did juftice to himself as well as to his nation in recording these tranfactions. They are not only a material part of his hiftory, but are likewise a strong confirmation of the truth of his religion. Balaam's bearing witness to Mofes is fomewhat like Judas's attesting the innocence of Jefus. VI. MOSES'S PROPHECY OF A PROPHET LIKE UNTO HIMSELF. MOSES is a a valuable writer, as upon many occounts, fo particularly upon this, that he hath not only preserved and tranfmitted to pofterity several ancient prophecies, but hath likewise shown himself a prophet, and inferted feveral predictions of his own. Among these none is more memorable, than that of another prophet to be raised like unto himself. He was now about to leave his people, and comforts them with the promife of another prophet. Deut. XVIII. 15. The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye Shall hearken. The fame is repeated at ver. 18, in the name of God, I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. It is farther added at ver. 19. And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. Plain as this prophecy is, it hath strangely been perverted and misapplied: but I conceive nothing will be wanting to the right understanding both of the prophecy and and the completion, if we can thow first what prophet was here particularly intended, if we show fecondly that this prophet refembled Mofes in more refpects than any other perfon ever did, and if we show thirdly that the people have been and still are feverely punished for their infidelity and difobedience to this prophet. I. We will endevor to show what prophet was here particularly intended. Some have been of opinion, (1) that Joshua was the perfon; because he is faid in Ecclefiafticus (XLVI. 1.) to have been fucceffor of Mofes in prophecies: and as the people were commanded to hearken unto this prophet, unto him ye shall hearken; fo they faid unto Jofhua, (I. 17.) According as we hearkened unto Mofes in all things, fo will we hearken unto thee, Some again have imagined, (2) that Jeremiah was the perfon; because he frequently applies (fay they) the words of Mofes; and Abarbinel in his preface to his commentary upon Jeremiah reckons up fourteen particulars wherein they resemble each other, and observes that Jeremiah prophefied forty years, as Mofes alfo did, Others, and those many more in number, (3) understand this neither of Joshua, nor of Jeremiah, nor of any fingle perfon, but of a fucceffion of prophets to be raifed up like unto Mofes; because (fay they) the people being here forbidden to follow after inchanters and diviners, as other nations did, nothing would have fecured them effectually from following after them, but having true prophets of their own, whom they might confult upon occafion; and the latter are opposed to the former. But still the propounders and favorers of thefe different opinions, I think, agree generally in this, that tho Jothua, or Jeremiah, or a fucceffion of prophets was primarily intended, yet the main end and ultimate scope of the prophecy was the Meffiah: and indeed there appear fome very good reafons for understanding it of him principally, if not of him folely, befides the preference of a litteral to a typical interpretation. (1) See Munster, Drufius, Fagius, Calmet, &c. (2) See Munster, Fagius, Patrick, (3) See Fagius, Poole, Le Clerc, Calmet, &c. Calmet, &c. There |