that book of Solomon, which the Hebrews write Hascirim, of 5000 verses, of which that part called Canticum Canticorum only remaineth, 1 Kings iv. 32. and with this divers other of Solomon's works have perished, as his book of the natures of trees, plants, beasts, fishes, &c. 1 Kings iv. 33. with the rest remembered by Origen, Josephus, Jerome, Cedrenus, Ciccus Asculanus, Picus Mirandula, and others. Of these and other books many were consumed with the same fire wherewith Nebuchadnezzar burnt the temple of Jerusalem. But let us return thither where we left. SECT. VIII. Of Moses's sparing the issue of Lot; and of the giants in those parts; and of Sehon and Og. WHEN Moses had past Arnon, he encamped on the other side thereof at Abarim, opposite to the city of Nebo, leaving the city of Midian on his left hand, and attempting nothing upon the Moabites on that side. For Moab did at this time inhabit on the south side of Arnon, having lost all his ancient and best territory, which was now in the possession of Sehon the Amorite. For t Moses was commanded by God not to molest Moab, neither to provoke them to battle, God having given that land to the children of Lot; the same which was anciently possessed by the Emims, who were men of great stature, and comparable to those giants called Anakims, or the sons of Anak. God also commanded Moses to spare the Ammonites, because they likewise were descended of Lot; who had expelled from thence those giants which the Ammonites called Zamzummims. For it seemeth that all that part, especially to the east of Jordan, even to the desert of Arabia, as well on the west as on the east side of the mountains of Gilead, was inhabited by giants. And in the plantation of the land promised, the Israelites did not at any time pass those mountains to the east of Basan, but left their country to them, as in the description following is made manifest. We find also, that as there were many giants both before and after Deut. ii. 9-12. the flood; so these nations, which anciently inhabited both the border of Canaan, and the land itself, had among them many families of giant-like men. For the Anakims dwelt in Hebron, which sometimes was called the city of Arbah, which Arbah in "Joshua is called the father of the Anakims, and the greatest man of the Anakims. There had also been giants in the land of the Moabites, called Emims; and their chief city was Aroer or Ar, near the river of ArTo the giants of the Rephaims, the Ammonites gave the name of Zamzummims, which were of the same ancient Canaanites; and their chief city was Rabba, afterwards Philadelphia. They were also called Zuzims, which is as much to say, as viri robusti, horrendique gigantes; “strong men, and fearful giants," who inhabited other cities of Ham, or Hom, in the same province, and not far to the north of Aroer. non. 66 Now Moses having passed Arnon, and being encamped at Abarim, and having (as before) sent to Sehon, as he had done to Edom, to pray a passage through his country, was denied it. For Sehon being made proud by his former conquest upon Vaheb the Moabite, which nation the Amorites esteemed but as strangers and usurpers, (themselves being of the sons of Canaan, and the Moabites of Lot,) refused to grant Israel any entrance that way, and withal prepared to encounter Moses with as much speed as he could, because Moses encamped in the country of his new conquests, to wit, the plains of Moab, the forty-second and last mansion; which Moses wasted with the multitude of his people and cattle. Towards him therefore hasting himself, they encountered each other at Jahaz; where Sehon with his children and people were broken and discomfited; and the victory so pursued by Moses, as few or none of the Amorites escaped. He also slaughtered all the women and children of the Amorites, which he found in Essebon, and all the other cities, villages, or fields, they being of the race of Canaan, as those of Basan also were; and descended of Emoreus, or Amoreus; for x Moses calleth the Basanites also " Jos. xv. 13. xiv. 15. * Deut. i. 8. Amorites. And although Israel might now have taken a ready way and passage into Judæa, being at this time, and after this victory, at the banks of Jordan; yet he knew it to be perilous to leave so great a part of that nation of the Amorites on his back, as inhabited all the region of Basan, or Trachonitis; and therefore he led on his army to invade Og, a person of exceeding strength and stature, and the only man of mark remaining of the ancient giants of those parts, and who at that time had sixty cities walled and defenced, lying between the mountain of Hermon (which mountain, saith Moses, the Sidonians call Shirion, and the Amorites Shenir) and the river of Jordan. And it befell unto the king of Basan (who attended Moses's coming at Edrei) as it did unto Sihon; for he and his sons perished, and all his cities were taken and possessed. After this, Moses withdrawing himself back again to the mountains of Abarim, left the prosecution of that war unto Jair the son of Manasseh; who conquering the east parts of Basan, to wit, the kingdom of Argob, even unto the nations of the Gessuri and Machati, sixty walled cities, called the same after his own name Havoth Jair; of all which conquests afterwards the half tribe of Manasseh possessed the north part as far as Edrei, but the east part that belonged to Sihon the Amorite, with the mountains of Gilead adjoining, was given to Reuben and Gad. SECT. IX. Of the troubles about the Midianites, and of Moses's death. AFTER these victories, and while Israel sojourned in `the valley of Moab, the Midianites and Moabites (over both which nations it seemeth that Balak king of the Moabites then commanded in chief) sought, according to the advice of Balaam, both by alluring the Hebrews to the love of their daughters, and by persuading them to honour and serve their idols, to divide them both in love and religion among themselves; thereby the better both to defend their own interest against them, as also to beat them out of Moab and the countries adjoining. The Israelites, as they had ever been inclined, so were they now easily persuaded to these evil courses, and thereby drew on themselves the plague of pestilence, whereof there perished y 24,000 persons; besides which punishment of God, the most of the offenders among the Hebrews were by his commandment put to the sword, or other violent deaths; after this, when that Phinehas the son of Eleazar had pierced the bodies of Zimri, a prince of the Simeonites, together with Cosbi, a daughter of one of the chief of the Midianites, the plague ceased, and God's wrath was appeased. For such was the love and kindness of his all-powerfulness, respecting the ardent zeal of Phinehas in prosecuting of Zimri, (who being a chief among the Hebrews became an idolater,) as he forgave the rest of Israel, and stayed his hand for his sake. In this valley it was that Moses caused the people to be numbered the third time; and there remained of able men fit to bear arms 2601,730, of which, as his last enterprise, he appointed 12,000 to be chosen out to invade the cities of Midian, who, together with the Moabites, practised with Balaam to curse Israel; and after that sought to allure them (as before remembered) from the worship of the true God to the service of Beth-Peor, and to the rest of their barbarous idolatry. Over which companies of 12,000 Moses gave the charge to Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the high priest ; who slew the five princes of the a Midianites, which were, or had lately been, the vassals of Sehon, as appeareth by b Joshua. These five princes of the Midianites slain by Eleazar, were at that time but the vassals of c Sehon the Amorite, to wit, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the dukes of Sehon, saith Joshua. He slew also all the men, male-children, and women, saving such as had not yet used the company of men, but those they saved, and dispersed them among the children of Israel to serve them. And Moses having now lived 120 years, making both his own weakness of body known to the people, and his in y Numb. xxv. 9. b Jos. xiii. 21. c Ibid. d Deut. xxxi. 2. ability to travel; and also that he was forewarned of his end by the Spirit of God, from whom he received a new commandment to ascend the mountains of Abarim, and thereon to render up his life; he hastened to settle the government in Joshua; whom he persuaded with most lively arguments to prosecute the conquest begun, assuring him of God's favour and assistance therein. And so having spent these his latter days after the conquest of Og and Sihon, kings of the Amorites, in the repetition and exposition of the law, (or an iteration of the law, according to St. Augustine,) using both arguments, prayers, and threats unto the people; which he often repeated unto them, thereby to confirm them in knowledge, love, fear, and service, of the all-powerful God; he f blessed the twelve tribes, that of Simeon excepted, with several and most comfortable blessings; praising the greatness and goodness of Him, unto whom in his prayers he commended them; he also commanded the priests to lay up the book of the law by the side of the ark of God; the last that he indited was that prophetical song, beginning, & Hearken, ye heavens, and I will speak, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth; and being called by God from the labours and sorrows of this life, unto that rest which never afterwards hath disquiet, he was buried in the land of Moab, over against Beth-Peor; but no man knoweth of his sepulchre to this day; which happened in the year of the world 2554. SECT. X. Observations out of the story of Moses, how God disposeth both the smallest occasions and the greatest resistances, to the effecting of his purpose. NOW let us a little, for instruction, look back to the occasions of sundry of the great events which have been mentioned in this story of the life of Moses, for excepting God's miracles, his promise, and fore-choice of this people, he wrought in all things else by the medium of men's affec e Aug. 1. 4. de mirab. sacr. scrip. f Deut. xxxiii. 8 Deut. xxxii. 1. |