BAT – BEN

Volume I, pages 261–279 of the 1732 edition, from BAT to BEN: everything printed on these pages, in order.

Continued from Bat

gascar and the Maldives are as large as ravens, and have a head like a fox’s: they cling to trees by little clasps which grow at the joints of their wings, and suck the blood of men while they are sleeping in the night, fastening upon the first member which they find uncovered.

BATANÆA. This is the country of Bashan beyond Jordan. See above Bashan.

BATH¹, or Bathus, or Epha, a sort of Hebrew measure, containing the tenth part of an Omer, or seven gallons and four pints, as a measure for things liquid, and three pecks and three pints, as a measure for things dry. Some have imagined without any reason, that there was a sacred measure of this name, different from the common one: the first, they tell us, contained a Bath and an half of the other; which they endeavour to prove, by what is said in the first book of Kings, of Solomon’s molten Sea, that it contained two thousand Baths, compared with what is said in the second book of Chronicles iv. 5. that it held three thousand Baths. But this difference is easily reconciled by saying that the brazen Sea itself contained two thousand Baths only, as is mentioned in the third book of Kings, but that the foot of this vessel was hollow and contained a thousand more; in all three thousand Baths, as the book of Chronicles has it.

BATH-KOL, or Daughter of the Voice. This is the name, whereby the Jewish Writers² distinguish the revelation of his will, which God made to his chosen people, after that all verbal Prophecy had ceased in Israel; that is to say, after the times of the Prophets Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The generality of their traditions, and the customs of their nation, are founded on this Bath-Kol. They pretend that God revealed them to their Elders, not by any articulate Prophecy, but by some secret inspiration, or by some tradition, which they call the Daughter of the Voice³.

The Rabbins acknowledge three ways of prophesying usual in their nation. First, by the means of Urim and Thummim, the voice of which Prophecy was heard from the extremity of the Sanctuary, or from the High-Priest’s Pectoral; the second sort was the Spirit of Prophecy inspiring the Prophets as well before the Law, as after Moses; the third was the Daughter of the Voice, or Bath-Kol.

The first continued, as they say, from the building of the Tabernacle to the Temple. The second from the beginning of the world to the death of Malachi, the last of the Prophets, under the second Temple, tho’ the use of it was most frequent under the first Temple. The third began after Malachi, and has subsisted to this day in their nation,

They pretend, that the Daughter of the Voice is a voice from Heaven, heard in an articulate manner, much after the same way as the voice which called young Samuel, when God revealed to him what was to befal the High-Priest Eli, and his Family: God then called him three times 1 Sam. iii. 4, 5, &c.with an articulate voice. Samuel replied in the same manner as he would have answered a man, not knowing as yet how to distinguish the voice of God; or the Daughter of the Voice resembles that which was uttered from the Sanctuary, when the Lord spoke to Moses, or answered the High-Priest, who consulted him by the Urim and Thummim. These two sorts of voices were, as we may say, the Mother of that other voice which succeeded them, and was called Bath-Kol, Daughter-Voice, or Daughter of the Voice, because it was as it were the Daughter of this first Voice: it was a much less perfect way of inspiration; but notwithstanding as certain as the first.

But it would be a great mistake to imagine, that the revelation of Bath-Kol was performed always by an articulate voice from Heaven, and heard distinctly by those to whom God communicated his will in this manner. We cannot certainly affirm, that even the old Prophets heard articulate voices when the word of God came to them: Factum est verbum Domini ad Isaiam, &c. It is sufficient to believe, that it was some inward speech, some inspiration, motion, or light which wrought upon them, and discovered to them in a clear and lively manner, what it was the good pleasure of God they should declare to mankind. Thus in proportion, when God manifested his will by the Daughter of the Voice, he did so either with an articulate voice distinctly heard, or by some lively impression in the mind or imagination, or lastly by a voice heard by chance, which was understood as an Oracle proceeding from Heaven.

An Example of this I shall here lay before you taken from the Talmud. Two

Rabbins desirous of visiting their friend Rabbi Samuel Doctor of Babylon, said to one another, Let us follow the direction of Bath-Kol; as they were passing by a school, they heard a young lad reading this passage of the first book of Samuel c. xxv. v. i. And Samuel died. From hence they concluded, that Samuel was dead: the event justified what they had prognosticated, for they found that at that time Rabbi Samuel of Babylon had departed. We might cite many other examples of the same sort scattered up and down the writings of the Jews. These casual and odd Oracles were esteemed as voices of God’s appointment, much after the same manner as in the Church, people for many Ages drew presages of what was to befal them from the first words they read in any book which they opened at random.

BATH-SAMA. Joseph. lib. vi. Antiq. c. 2. The same in all probability as Beth- Shemesh.

BATH-SHEBA. The Daughter of Eliam or Ammiel, and Wife to Uriah the Hittite. She dwelt at Jerusalem, in a house very near David’s palace. This Prince rising one day from his bed, after he had been sleeping at noon-day, as is customary in warm countries, went upon the terras of his 2 Sam. xi. 2, 3, & seq.Palace, and in the court or garden belonging to a neighbouring house saw Bathsheba bathing herself¹. As she was a woman of an uncommon beauty, David sent to inquire who she was. He was told that her name was Bathsheba, and that she was the Wife of Uriah the Hittite. Immediately he had her brought to him, and abused her. She returned to her own house, purified herself, and some time after sent David word, that she was with child. Hereupon David sent In the Year of the World 2969, before J. C. 1031, before the vulg. Æra 1034.to Joab, General of his Army then imployed in the siege of Rabbah, the capital City of the Ammonites, to dispatch Uriah to him. Joab obeyed; and upon the arrival of Uriah, David asked him news of what passed in the Army, and afterwards bid him go home wash his feet, and rest himself. At the same time he sent him provision from his own table, that he might eat and drink at home with his Wife. David proposed by this means to conceal his Adultery, because the child which Bathsheba was to be delivered of, might pass for Uriah’s, if he returned, and spent a night with her. But Uriah instead of going home, spent the night with the King’s guards at the Palace gate. David being inform’d of it, asked why after returning from his journey he did not go home; to which Uriah answered, The ark and all the people abide in tents, and my Lord Joab and the servants of my Lord are incamped in the open fields, shall I then go into mine house to eat and to drink, and to lye with my Wife? As thou livest and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing. The next day the King invited him to his own table, and there made him drunk. But Uriah instead of going home, lay in his bed with others of the King’s guards; for he was in David’s service, and as is believed, one of his guards. David perceiving that he was not able this way to secure Bathsheba’s Honour, resolved to get rid of Uriah, and marry her. He sent orders therefore to Joab, to expose Uriah in places of the greatest danger, that so he might be killed. Uriah was himself the bearer of these orders; which were too punctually executed.

2 Sam. xii. 1, 2, 3, &c.Bathsheba hearing of her Husband’s death, mourned after the customary manner; and when the season for this ceremony was over, David brought her to his own house and married her. Soon after this she was delivered of a Son. Now this action was extremely displeasing to the Lord, who therefore sent the Prophet Nathan unto David, to reproach him with his sin. Nathan upon this occasion proposed the Parable to him of a rich man, who had abundance of sheep and oxen, but instead of taking any out of his own flocks to entertain his friend, who was come out of the country, he went to a poor man’s, who had only one ewe-lamb, took it and dressed it for his friend the traveller. David at first did not discern that this picture was drawn for himself; but said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, he who hath done this action shall surely die: the lamb he shall restore fourfold. Then said Nathan to him, Thou art the man; and continuing to reproach him with his ingratitude and infidelity to God, who had bestowed so many blessings on him; he threatned him in a terrible manner, and said, The sword shall never depart from thine house; I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them to thy neighbour: and he shall lye with thy wives. Thou hast done this action secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the Sun.

David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord Nathan answered, The Lord has transferr’d the punishment of thy sin; thou shalt not die, but the Child which is born unto thee shall surely die. Accordingly the Child was struck by God, and its health very soon despaired of. David intreated the Lord for him, fasted, retired, and continued lying on the earth; the principal persons of his family came and pressed him earnestly to rise, and receive some nourishment, but he refused, and persisted in this state of humiliation and repentance. On the seventh day the Child⁴

In the year of the World 2971, before J. C. 1029. before the vulgar Æra 1033.Child died: and David’s servants did not dare to tell him of it. But he observing their perplexity, and knowing he was dead, rose from the earth, bathed himself, anointed himself with oil⁵, changed his dress, entred into the house of the Lord, worshipped him, returned to his house, and took nourishment. His Officers thought this behaviour very singular, and were surprized at it; but when they asked him the reason of it, he told them, that he had fasted and wept while the Child was yet living; because he had then room to hope that God would restore him to his health; now he is dead, says he, wherefore should I fast and mourn? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

After this David comforted Bathsheba, and she conceived a Son, who was named Solomon. Nathan came and told David, that the Lord loved this Child, and called him Jedidiah, that is to say, the well-beloved of the Lord. God afterwards declared, that he should succeed David in the Throne, that he should build a Temple to him, that he should be blessed with Psalm cxxxi. 11. 2 Sam. vii. 12, 13, &c.a great measure of wisdom, riches, and understanding. Towards the end of David’s life and reign, Adonijah having formed a party, presumed upon the privilege of his Age, and pretended that he ought to reign preferably to Solomon, who was much younger than himself. Nathan gave notice of his design to Bathsheba, and advised her to speak of it to the King, promising her, that he would come himself and second what she should say.

1 Kings i. 15.Bathsheba went therefore to David; she found him in his chamber, and bowed with great respect before him. He asked her what it was she desired of him. My Lord, said she, you promised my Son Solomon your servant with an oath, that he should reign after you, and be seated in your Throne, nevertheless Adonijah has proclaimed himself King, without your knowledge or approbation. He hath slain many sheep and oxen, and hath made a great entertainment, to which he has invited all the King’s Children together with Abiathar the High Priest, and Joab the General of your Armies; but Solomon he did not invite. In the mean time the eyes of all Israel are upon you, expecting you to declare your Successor. For when it shall come to pass, that my Lord the King shall sleep with his Fathers, I and my Son Solomon shall be treated as criminals.

She was still speaking to the King when notice was given him that the Prophet Nathan was there, and waited for admission. When he was called in, he made his reverences in a very profound manner to the King, and said, My Lord, O King, have you appointed Adonijah for Successor in the Throne? for he has this day made a great entertainment for the King’s Sons, the High Priest Abiathar, and Generals of the Army, and the cry is, Long live King Adonijah. But he did not invite Zadok the High Priest, nor Benaiah the Son of Jehoiada, nor Solomon, nor myself, who am thy servant. The King directed immediately that Bathsheba should be called in again; and when she entred, he said to her, As the Lord liveth, who hath delivered me from so many dangers, I will this day execute the promise which I have sworn to perform, saying, Solomon thy Son assuredly shall reign after me. Bathsheba threw herself prostrate on the earth before him, and said, Let my Lord King David live for ever. The King said farther, Call me Zadok, Nathan and Benaiah; when they came, he commanded them to put Solomon on his own mule, and conduct him to Gihon; that there the High Priest Zadok and the Prophet Nathan should crown him; that they should sound the trumpets and say, Long live King Solomon; then return and seat him on his Throne: for, says he, he shall be King in my stead, and I have appointed him to be Ruler over Israel and over Judah. All this was executed, as we shall shew elsewhere; and after the death of David, Solomon reigned peaceably over all his Dominions.

Now when Adonijah saw Solomon thus seated on the Throne of David, he came to 1 Kings xi. 12, & seq.Bathsheba and said, You know that the Kingdom of right belonged to me, and that all Israel had chosen me for their King: but the Lord hath otherwise disposed of it, and the Kingdom has been given to Solomon. Now therefore I have only one small favour to ask, which is, that Solomon would give me Abishag the Shunamite, that I may marry her. Bathsheba promised to propose it to the King, and accordingly went to him. Solomon seeing her, rose from his Throne, met her, saluted her with profound respect, sat down on his Throne, and commanded another to be placed on his right hand for his Mother. Bathsheba then told him, that she had an inconsiderable favour to ask of him, which she desired him not to refuse her. Solomon encouraged her to proceed, and said it would by no means be just for

him to send her back dissatisfied. Whereupon she said, Give Adonijah thy Brother the Shunamite Abishag for his Wife. Solomon penetrating the design of Adonijah, replied to his Mother, Why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunamite for Adonijah? ask for him the Kingdom also. Thou knowest, that Abiathar the High Priest, and Joab the Son of Zerviah General of the Troops are for him, and that he is my elder Brother. I swear therefore by my life and by my throne, that Adonijah shall be In the Year of the World 3990, before J. C. 1010, before the vulgar Æra 1014. 1 Chr. iii. 5. 2 Sam. v. 14.put to death this day. Accordingly he sent Benaiah the Son of Jehoiada, who fell upon Adonijah and killed him. From this time, we have no more mention of Bathsheba.

The first book of Chronicles, and the second book of Samuel take notice of other Sons, which Bathsheba had by David, such as Shammuah, Shobab and Nathan, besides Solomon, of whom we have been speaking. Some Interpreters are of opinion, that these three Sons Shammuah, Shobab, and Nathan, were the Sons of Uriah the Hittite; but the generality maintain, that they were the Sons of David. The Text in the second book of Samuel is very clear for this opinion; and S. Luke gives us the genealogy of Nathan the Son of David, as one of the Messiah’s anceстors. The passage in the Prov. iv. 3.Proverbs, where Solomon says, that he was the beloved Son of his Father, and the only Son of his Mother, proves no more than the very tender affection which David and Bathsheba had for him, by reason of the promises of God, and the favours he vouchsafed to him.

The xxxist Chapter of the Proverbs is commonly believed to be Bathsheba’s instruction to her Son Solomon, to consecrate the memory whereof this Prince determined to place it in the collection of his Proverbs, or Maxims of Morality. There are some who go so far as to say, that Bathsheba was inspired, as she intimates in these words, The Prophecy that his Mother taught him. And if it be acknowledged, that this Chapter as it stands in the book of Proverbs, was written by Bathsheba, it must be necessarily owned to be inspired. But it is very possible, that Solomon to do honour to his Mother, might have reduced the instructions which he received from her into this form, and published them as if she herself had either dictated or written them.

BATHYRA, a City built by Herod in the Batanæa to secure the Jews, who came from Babylon against the inhabitants of the Trachonitis, who attacked them often in the way⁶.

BATH-ZACHARIAS, a place situated 1 Macc. vi. 32, 33.in the neighbourhood of Bethsura. Epiphanius in his book of the Lives of the Prophets says, that the Prophet Habbakuk was born within the territories of Bath-zacharias. S. Luke tells us, that the holy Luke i. 39, 40.Virgin went to salute Elizabeth, and entred the house of Zacharias, which may be understood of Bath-zacharias, or Bethzachar, this, signifying the house of Zacharias, which is in the mountains of Judah, and neighbourhood of Hebron. But it is more natural to say, that S. Luke did not set down the name of the City, where Zechary dwelt, but only that the Virgin entred into the place where he lodged.

Bath-zacharias is celebrated for the battle fought between Antiochus Eupator and Judas Maccabæus. Antiochus seeing himself braved by Judas, and understanding that he was retired to the narrow pass of Bath-zacharias, commanded his Army to march against him. It was composed of an hundred thousand foot, twenty thousand horse, and two and thirty elephants 1 Macc. vi. 30.prepared for battle. But because the ground was not large enough, he was obliged to give orders, that his numerous Army should march in three lines. Every elephant carried a tower full of archers, and was attended by five hundred horse and a thousand foot; the rest of the troops were directed to gain the two sides of the mountain. In this condition Antiochus’s Army advanced to the charge, the soldiers shouted so lowd, that the inhabitants of the neigbouring country were frightned, and the Sun shining on their gold and brass shields, they dazzled the eyes of all the world. But Judas Maccabæus, whose heart was incapable of fear, received them with great vigour, so that six hundred men at the first shock fell dead upon the spot. His Brother Eleazar firnamed Savaran, seeing an elephant more magnificently harnassed than the rest, thought the King was upon it; wherefore exposing his life for the deliverance of his people, he moved forward, and made his way through a crowd of enemies, killed many of them, and slipping under the elephant’s belly pierced him with his sword, and the animal falling immediately, Eleazar was crushed with his weight, and so ended his life gloriously. Judas hereupon, seeing it impossible for him to resist any longer so numerous and strong an Army, retreated to Jerusalem, with a resolution to sustain the siege of it.

I do not at all call in question the great actions performed by the Maccabees , in the several wars which they maintained against the most formidable powers of Asia. * Observations on the Combat between Judas Maccabæus, and the Army of Antiochus Eupator, in the narrow Pass of Bethzacharias.If the

Scripture had said nothing of them, I should have believed Josephus in his History of the Jews, an Author who deserves credit; but that these wars should have escaped the observation of Polybius, a contemporary Author, and that no notice should be taken by him of the very names of these great men, who acquitted themselves with so much glory in them, is what must surprize every one beyond expression, since the Greek and Latin Historians, who wrote after him concerning the events which happened in Asia, have made no mention of them. These wars must certainly not have been so considerable as is pretended, so that the fame of them could not come to the knowledge of people who lived remote from Judæa. As much convinced as I am, of the great atchievements accomplished by these Heroes of the Jewish people, and of the victories obtained by them, I am persuaded, that there is a little aggravation used with respect to the number of their enemies against the nothing, as I may say, which made head against them; for so I call a body of troops consisting of between eight and ten thousand men, and very often fewer, against Armies of sixty thousand fighting men. Here we have one of an hundred thousand foot and twenty thousand horse against another in all probability of between eight and ten thousand men; for the Scripture says nothing particularly of Judas’s forces: I am confident that he had scarce a greater number, and am not at all surprized, that this great Captain should dare to attack the enemy’s Army, and should get a considerable advantage over it. I know sufficiently what bold and intrepid valour is capable of, when under good conduct, and how many small Armies have been victorious against the greatest, tho’ oftentimes made up of the bravest and most disciplined troops. Ancient and modern History abound with examples of this sort, and some there are beyond even those of the Maccabees. As to the surprizing of Armies, I refer the Reader to Polybius’s History for his conviction in this point.

As to the number of these prodigious Armies brought in opposition to the Maccabees, I know not what to say of them. If they had been such as the Author represents them, their defeat would have produced so much noise in the world, that there can be no doubt but Polybius, a contemporary Author, would have spoken of them. When we reflect on them, so great a disproportion cannot but surprize us. As to the elephants loaded with towers, machines of war, and thirty fighting men, I am of Bochart’s opinion, who looks upon this to be exaggerated; and believes that these Armies were not such as the Author represents them; but in comparison with the forces of these celebrated Jewish Captains, they were very great, and the elephants very large and powerful, without having so great a burthen upon them.

The Scripture explains very clearly to us the disposition of Antiochus’s Army, and the situation of the places, where the action passed. It says not a word of that under the command of Judas Maccabæus, whose conduct and courage appear to me very astonishing. He made his onsets doubtless in separate bodies drawn up very deep, which was an admirable and prudent way of engaging, and the method of the Jews: as they were always or almost continually inferior to their enemies, the necessity of defending themselves against the formidable power of their neighbours, who endeavoured to subdue them, animated as they were with zeal for the true God, whose cause they maintained; all this joined together inspired them with that vigorous way of combating, so proper for small Armies. These eminent Captains, weak as they were, considering the small number of their troops, had no other refuge but in the skilful use of military discipline, in surprize, most frequently under the cover of darkness, and in the advantages of places, where they waited for their enemy, without fear of being hemm’d in, and hereby obliged them to engage in a front equal to theirs; and oftentimes they attacked them in the plains, so proper was their way of drawing up for every thing, and so ready were their soldiers to do and to attempt every thing.

The action here in question was neither general nor decisive; it happened in the narrow part of a valley; Antiochus’s Army took up the entrance, and Judas drew up in the closest part of the Defile: Josephus says plainly, that the post of Bathzacharias was a very narrow Pass; but as almost all valleys, which open into a plain, grow wider and wider, as rivers towards their mouths, Antiochus first of all posted himself at the opening of the valley; and as it grew straighter in proportion as he advanced, he saw himself under a necessity of sending some troops to the top of the Mountains, perhaps with a design of inclosing the Jews, and cutting off their retreat, and to march with several Phalanxes doubled. This is a conjecture which I venture to make, and not so inconsiderately but that to me it seems very probable; it is the more so, in that I am persuaded the combat which begun at the first line with the cavalry intermixed among the elephants, brought the second into disorder. Nothing can be more exact and clear than the description of the order of battle on Antiochus’s side, and his march into the valley. The first line,

where he had placed the elephants, was alone capable of infusing terror, it was disposed in admirable order, and in each Army there was another to support it, so that to me it seems to have been stronger than their prodigious Phalanx. The enemies1 Macc. vi. 35., says the Scripture, divided the beasts among the Armies, that is to say, by Brigades, and for every elephant they appointed a thousand men armed with coats of mail, and with helmets of brass on their heads; and besides this, for every beast were ordained five hundred horsemen of the best, that is to say on the side, as I suppose them to be placed. I imagine a second line to be formed of a thousand men, who supported the first: both thus disposed were of as much service as the Phalanx, or more properly speaking, the preservation of it depended on them; for if Judas had broke through that of the elephants, it had overset, or very much disordered the second rank; and if these had been routed, the Phalanx had not been able to resist: as that was composed of one mass alone without intervals, the run-aways must have put it into confusion, and borne it down without a possibility of procuring the least remedy. The ancient Greeks and Asiaticks drew up in Phalanx, and when the ground would not allow them to extend themselves with their whole front, they doubled it, that is to say, they disposed themselves into two Phalanx’s which was very dangerous; for by this absurd method a small body of troops engaging with an equal front, might beat an Army infinitely superiour, because it was sufficient to overthrow the first, it being certain, that the defeat of one would draw after it that of all the rest. This is what happened to Hannibal at the battle of Zama, where his glory and reputation lost ground miserably. He had drawn up his people in three lines like Phalanx’s, one behind the other, at a certain distance; and tho’ he had an Army of fifty thousand men used to action, he was nevertheless defeated by Scipio, whose whole forces consisted in twenty two thousand men ranged in columns: and thus this small Army broke through these three Phalanx’s. To beat the first was sufficient in order to be assured of routing the other two without Hannibal’s having it in his power to redress the evil; at least he did not think it possible to repair so great a blunder.

To return to the order of battle in Antiochus’s Army, I have said, that as to the two first lines I thought it excellent: as to the Phalanx I have spoke my sentiments of it; he drew it up according to the common custom, which was as ancient perhaps as War; but this usage of so long prescription, and which still continues, does not prove the goodness of it, as I have demonstrated in the sixth book of my Comment upon Polybius. As to the Cavalry, it was placed upon the wings to support the Infantry. Altho’ this Army of Antiochus was formidable, yet this perhaps had never put a stop to Judas after his first advantage: he knew very well by experience, that to beat the first line was sufficient for him to have had afterwards a good account of the rest, without the loss of many men: nevertheless he retreated. The reason whereof has been above mentioned; which was, he was afraid of being intercepted by the troops, which marched by the way of the high lands; and as there is no mountain without some back passage, he thought it proper to disengage himself out of this danger, that he might not be stop’d in his retreat. As to Eleazar’s devoting himself, who crept under an elephant’s belly which was adorned more magnificently than the rest, and stab’d him with his sword, believing the King to be upon him, and so was crushed to death with his fall, this was a very handsome action, and worthy of a truly brave man; but people’s devoting themselves in this manner is so common in History, that we are too much accustomed to it to look upon it as a prodigy of Valour.

BAVAR, the Son of Henadad was one of those, who when the Jews returned from the Captivity, contributed towards the building of Jerusalem. Neh. iii. 18.

BEALIAH, one of the thirty brave Officers in David’s Army. 1 Chr. xii. 5.

BEAN. It is said in the first book of Maccabees, Ch. v. 4, 6. that the Children of Bean were a shame and an offence unto the people of Israel, they having laid ambushes for them in their way. We do not know whether Bean is the name of a Man or a City. Some think it is the name of a City called Bean, beyond Jordan. Numb. xxxii. 3. Others, that Bean is put for Batanæa; others again, that it is the name of a Man.

BEAR, in Latin, Ursus, in Greek, Arctos, and in Hebrew, Dob. Bears were very common in Palestine. David says, 1 Sam. xvii. 34, 36.that he had often fought with Bears and Lions. The Prophet Elisha having cursed some of the children of Bethel, for crying out in an insulting manner, Go up, thou Bald-pate, go up, thou Bald-pate, two Bears issued out from a neighbouring 2 Kings xi. 23, 24.forest, and devoured two and forty of them. The sacred Writers to aggravate the transports of a man in passion say, He is 2 Sam. xvii. 8. Prov. xvii. 12. Hosea xiii. 8.chaf’d in his mind as a bear robbed of his whelps. The Hebrew word Dob is given them by reason of the shagged hair with which every part of their body is loaded. Their claws are very hooked, and they make use of them in ascending to the tops of

trees: they feed upon fruits, honey, bees, and flesh. There are white Bears to be seen in the Northern countries. Many of them are to be found in Poland, Muscovy, Lithuania, and the great forests of Germany. Some have believed, that Bears bring their young into the world shapeless, and that their dams lick them into form. There are particular Writers who derive Ursus from the verb ordiri to begin, as if it were said orsus begun, rough-drawn; but this is a popular error. Aristotle and Pliny⁷ say, that Bears when they are first littered are scarce bigger than a mouse, and that they grow as long as they live; that they have neither eyes nor hair, and that their claws only appear. The dams go no longer than thirty days, and generally produce five young ones. Pariunt trigesimo die, ut plurimum quinos. Hi sunt candida informisque caro, paulò muribus major, sine oculis, sine pilo, ungues tantum prominent. Hanc lambendo paulatim figurant.

They lye hid all the winter and asleep. The male continues in this condition forty days, and the female four months. They sleep so soundly for the first fourteen days, that blows will not wake them. During these forty days they are said to have no nourishment but from licking their feet. It is certain that in all this time they eat nothing, and that at the end of it the males are very fat. The flesh of Bears was much esteemed by the Ancients. Even at this day the paw of a Bear well salted and smoaked is served up at the tables of Princes. This animal, as rough and stupid as it seems to be, is capable of discipline, it leaps, dances, and plays a thousand little tricks at the sound of a trumpet. Some affirm, that it is Isai. xi. 7.even susceptible of love for women.

Isaiah describing the happiness of the Messiah’s reign, says, that then the Ox and the Bear will be seen feeding together, and their young living peaceably in the same stable; by the Bear the Gentiles, by the Ox the Jews were signified, these two people Dan. vii. 5.will be united in the Church, and compose but one flock. Daniel in his description of the four great Monarchies, represents that of the Chaldæans under the idea of a Lioness; that of the Persians under the notion of a Bear; that of the Greeks under the figure of a Leopard, and that of the successors of Alexander the Great, under the idea of a terrible Animal. The Bear described by the Prophet had three rows of teeth in his jaw; by this Cyrus was principally represented.

Rev. xiii. 2.S. John in the Revelations describes to us the persecutors of the Church, under the idea of a Beast with seven heads, having ten horns with ten diadems upon them, and the names of blasphemy. His body resembled that of a Leopard; his feet were like those of a Bear, and his mouth like that of a Lion. Some believe that by this Beast with seven heads the seven Roman Emperors were meant who persecuted the Church from the time of S. John the Evangelist, namely, Dioclesian, Maximian, Galerius, Maximinus, Severus, Maxentius and Licinius; in these there met together the cruelty, strength, voracity and malice of the Leopard, the Bear, and Lion.

The Author of Ecclesiasticus says, That the anger of a woman changeth her countenance; she puts on a melancholy, fierce look like a Bear; her complexion turns livid like a sackcloth. xxv. 17. A Bear when angry is terrible. This animal has of itself an hideous look, but when it is enraged it makes people tremble.

If. lix. 11.Isaiah compares the despair of the wicked to the roarings of a Bear. Rugiemus quasi ursi omnes: The cries of Bears grown furious are sufficient to frighten the most intrepid.

BEARD. The Hebrews all wear a Beard Levit, xix. 27. Jerem. xli. 5. and xlviii. 37. If. xv. 2. Baruch vi. 30.upon their chin, but not upon the upper lip or cheeks. Moses forbids them to cut off intirely the angle, or extremity of their Beard, that is to say, to manage it after the manner of the Egyptians, who left only a little tuft of Beard at the extremity of their chins; whereas the Jews still at this day suffer a little fillet of hair to grow from the lower end of their ears to their chins, where, as well as upon their lower lips, their Beards are in a pretty long bunch. While they mourned they intirely shaved the hair of their Heads and Beards, and neglected to trim their Beards, that is to say, to cut off what grew upon their upper lips and cheeks. In times of grief and affliction they 2 Sam. xix. 24. Ezra ix. 3. 2 Sam. x. 4, 5. and 1 Chr. xix. 5.pluckt off the hair of their Heads and Beards, as was the practice of other Nations under great calamities.

The King of the Ammonites designing to insult David’s Ambassadors, cut off half their Beard and half their Cloaths, that is to say, he cut off all their Beard on one side of their faces, and David did not permit them to appear at Court, till their Beards were intirely Lev. xiv. 9.grown again.

When a leper was cured of his leprosy, he washed himself in a bath, and shaved off all the hair of his body, after which he returned into the camp or city, and seven days after he washed himself and his cloaths again, shaved off all his hair, and offered the Sacrifices appointed for his purification. a Plin. lib. viii. c. 36.

Numb. viii. 7.The Levites, on the day of their consecration, were purified by bathing and washing their bodies and cloaths, after which they shaved off all the hair of their bodies, and then offered the Sacrifices appointed for their consecration. See hereafter To Shave.

Altho’ the Hebrews took great care of their Beards, to make them grow in a certain manner, at times when they were not in mourning, and on the contrary did not trim them when they were in mourning ; yet I do not observe that they had any veneration for their Beard. “ On the “ contrary, the Arabians⁸ have so much “ respect for theirs, that they look upon “ them as sacred ornaments given by God, “ to distinguish them from women.” They never shave them, but suffer them to grow from their youth. Nothing can be more infamous than for a man to be thus shaved ; they make the preservation of their Beards a capital point of Religion, because Mahomet never cut off his. It is likewise a mark of authority and liberty among them, as well as among the Turks. The Persians who clip them, and shave above the jaw, are reputed Hereticks. The razor is never drawn over the Grand Seignior’s face : they who serve in the Seraglio, have their Beard shaved, as a sign of their Servitude. They do not suffer it to grow till the Sultan has set them at liberty, which is bestowed as a reward upon them, and is always accompanied with some employment.

Young people, who are not married, may cut their Beards ; but when they are married, or have a child, they forbear doing so, to shew that they are become wiser, have renounced the vanities of youth, and think no longer of any thing but their honour and salvation. When they comb their Beards, they hold a handkerchief upon their knees, and gather very carefully the hairs that fall, and when they have got together a certain quantity, they fold them up in paper, and carry them to the place where they bury the dead.

Among them it is more infamous for any one to have his Beard cut off, than among us to be publickly whipt or branded with a hot iron. There are abundance of people in this country, who would prefer death to this kind of punishment. — — The wives kiss their husbands Beards, and children their fathers, as often as they come to salute them : the men kiss one another’s Beards reciprocally on both sides, when they salute one another in the streets, or come off from any journey. ---- They say, that the Beard is the perfection of the human face, which would be more disfigured by having this cut off than the nose.

They admire and envy those who have fine Beards. Pray do but behold, they cry, that Beard ; the very sight of it would persuade any one, that he whom it belongs to is an honest man. If any one with a fine Beard is guilty of an unbecoming action ; what a disadvantage is this, they say, to such a Beard, how is such a Beard to be pitied. If they would correct any one’s mistakes, they will tell him often, for shame of your Beard, does not the confusion that follows such an action light upon your Beard ? If they entreat any one, or make use of oaths in affirming or denying any thing, they say, I conjure you by your Beard, by the life of your Beard to grant me this : or by your Beard this is or is not so. They say farther in the way of acknowledgment, May God preserve your blessed Beard ; may God pour out his blessings on your Beard. And in comparisons, This is more valuable than one’s Beard.

One of the principal Ceremonies observed in serious visits, is to throw sweetscented water on one’s Beard, and to perfume it afterwards with aloes-wood, which sticks to this moisture, and gives it an agreeable smell, &c. This is something like what is said in Psalm cxxxiii. v. 2. of the precious ointment which was poured on Aaron’s head, and ran down upon his Beard and the skirts of his garments.

BEAST, an animal destitute of reason, appointed for the service of Man, and the ornament of the Universe. God in the beginning created the fishes of the Sea, and the fowls of the Air on the fifth day of the Gen. i. 20, 21, 23. — i. 24, 26, 31. — xi. 19.world : he afterwards created the Beasts of the Earth and Man upon the sixth day : lastly, he brought the fowls of the Air, and the animals of the Earth to Adam, that he might call them by their particular names, and thereby begin the exercise of that Dominion which God had granted — i. 28.him over all Creatures. The Lord blessed man, the fowls, fishes, and beasts of the Earth ; commanded them to multiply, and gave them all the fruits and herbs of — i. 29. — ix. 3.the Earth for their food. It was not till after the deluge that he granted the use of flesh-meat to mankind ; and even then he forbad the eating blood, threatning to punish the effusion of it with a penalty answerable, and to chastise even Beasts — ix. 5. Exod. xxi. 28, 29. Lev. xx. 15, 16. Deut. xiii. 15.which should shed human blood.

Accordingly in the Law of Moses, every Beast which should have killed a man, or have been made use of in a certain abominable crime, is punished with death. Cities guilty of apostacy are devoted to the fire, with their inhabitants and cattle. When Noah went out of the Ark, together with his children and the animals which he had preserved there with him,

God said that he had made a covenant with Noah, with his family, and descendants, and with all the several creatures which came out thence with him, and that he engaged himself never to send such a deluge again upon the Gen. ix. 9. Isa. xx. 10.earth. God enjoining rest upon the Sabbath, declares it to be his pleasure, that cattle as well as slaves should enjoy the benefit of this repose. God smote in Egypt the first-born of men and beasts; and as a memorial of his having spared the Hebrews, he commands the first-born of men and beasts to be consecrated to him.

Eve conversed with the Serpent without being Gen. iii. 1.at all surprized to hear him speak and reason. Balaam in like manner discourses with his Ass, and replies to her as he would have answered a reasonable man. After the fall of Adam and Eve, Numb. xxii. 28.God spoke to the Serpent, cursed, punished him, and foretold his misery, with as much form and Gen. iii. 14.circumstance as he did the same to Adam and Eve. Moses observes, that the Serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field, and our Saviour enjoins us to have the prudence of the Serpent, and the simplicity of the Dove; the wise man refers the idle to the Ant, and describes these creatures as composing a little commonwealth, in Matth. x. 16. Prov. vi. 6.which abundance of activity and providence was visible. In the Prophets God threatens to extirpate utterly both the people and the cattle of such countries as incurr’d his indignation. Jonah Prov. xxx. 25.having preached at Nineveh, that God was ready to display his wrath against the City; the Ninevites were converted, covered themselves Jerem. l. 51. Ezek. xiv. Zeph. i. 1. Jonah iii. 5, 6.with sackcloth from the greatest to the meanest, the King himself descended from his Throne, and forbad both man and beast to eat or drink. Why are beasts thus required to fast, if they are not capable of reason, of merit or demerit? And when God moved with the humiliation of the Ninevites had forgiven their sin, and Jonah complained of his indulgence, he was told, Why should I not pardon this City wherein there are so many who do not know how to distinguish their right hand from their left, and so great a number of beasts! As if this multitude of animals Jonah iv. 11.was a motive to the forgiving Nineveh.

The Egyptians, among whom the Hebrews dwelt for so long a time, adored Beasts, and consequently believed them not only to be reasonable, but likewise to be superior to man. These also were probably the principles of the Israelites, since they paid their worship to the golden Calf in the wilderness, and after Jeroboam’s Schism, continued to adore the like Deities.

The Doctrine of Transmigration so common throughout all the East, and even among the Hebrews, a Doctrine the remains whereof were visible among the Israelites of our Saviour’s time⁹, and even in the Apostles before they had received the Holy Ghost; this opinion supposes manifestly, that Beasts are reasonable, because the same souls which animated the wisest and most understanding men, pass successively into the bodies of Beasts.

¹⁰ Omnia mutantur: nihil interit: errat & illinc Huc venit, hinc, illuc, & quoslibet occupat artus, Spiritus, éque feris humana in corpora transit, Inque feras noster, nec tempore deperit ullo.

These opinions are neither new nor uncommon among the Jews: they are however to be observed with some variety in Philo¹¹ and in the most celebrated Rabbins¹².

Many affirm that Birds have a sort of language intelligible to themselves. Porphyry relates, that Tiresias and Apollonius Tianæus understood this language, and there are still at this day people in Arabia¹³, who value themselves upon this knowledge. They tell us, that they have been acquainted with it ever since the time of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, who had a Bird called Huddud, which is the Hoop, made use of by them in sending amorous messages to one another. Some Arabian Authors¹⁴ have believed, that there were Elephants of the Mahometan Religion, and which adored God. Pliny¹⁵ and others after him have asserted in their writings, that Elephants were capable of Religion, that they worshipped the Sun and Moon.

The Philosophers of Antiquity, such as Empedocles, Pythagoras, Galen, Cleanthes, Eudoxus, Porphyry, Ælian, Pliny, and many more, did generally believe that Beasts reasoned. Diogenes Laertius¹⁶ tells us, that Eudoxus a Pythagoræan Philosopher translated out of Egyptian into Greek a Dialogue between Dogs. Lastly, all the world almost, Philosophers and others, in Europe particularly believed Beasts to be rational, before Descartes invented his System of Machines. It is true indeed, that before him a Spanish Physician, whose name was Gosnesius Pereira, had advanced, that Beasts were mere Machines: he was thirty years in composing his Book, and published it in 1554; but so little notice was taken of it, that no one condescended to confute it. Father Pardies a Jesuite wrote a book concerning the knowledge of Beasts, to shew that they are not destitute of thought or understanding.

Thomas

Thomas Willis has likewise written a treatise concerning the Souls of Beasts: there is another on the same subject by M. Le Grand, and a Book intitled, Of the Souls of Beasts, printed at Lions in 1676, composed by Antony D’Illy Priest of Ambrun.

Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes, whether he proposes his own thoughts or those of the Philosophers and Free-thinkers of his time, expresses himself in a manner to persuade people that Beasts have understanding Eccles. iii. 18, 19, 21.and a reasonable soul: I said in my heart concerning the estate of the Sons of Men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are Beasts; for as the one dieth, so dieth the other, yea they have all one breath, so that a man hath no pre-eminence above a Beast. --- Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? The Scripture speaks of the death of Animals and Ps. civ. 29. Job xxxiv. 14.Men much in the same manner: Thou takest away their breath and they die, and return to their dust. And Job, If he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath, all flesh shall perish together.

But we are not to carry the consequences of these passages too far, nor should we infer from them that Beasts are in every respect equal to Man, that they reason like him, that they are capable of Religion, of knowing God, of attaining to a state of Beatitude, and of acting by supernatural views. The knowledge, reasoning, desires and designs of Beasts are limited to the knowledge and discernment of what may contribute to their temporal happiness, the preservation of their bodies, and the multiplication of their species. Their Souls may indeed judge and distinguish between hot and cold, what is advantageous and dangerous to their health; but will never enable them to discern between moral good and evil, between what is just and unjust, lawful and unlawful; they will be, if any one will have it so, immortal and eternal, because if they think, they must necessarily be spiritual; but this is a privilege which is common to them with bodies, and matter, the essence whereof is indefectible, nor can their nature perish. Matter may change in figure or situation, be at rest or in motion; but it cannot be annihilated, nor cease to be, unless God ceases to preserve it; and in this sense the Angels themselves, and the Souls of Men have no more privilege than Matter.

But what becomes of the Souls of Beasts when separated from Matter? To this we can make no reply, because we have no principle which can discover it to us; neither revelation, nor experience, nor reasoning by effects and causes can furnish us with the least light in this particular. We know that God created all things for his Glory, that the Souls of Beasts are incapable of being elevated to such a degree, as to have a knowledge and love of their Creator; he therefore must be glorified by them some other way which is not known to us. Why then should we desire to fathom the secrets of his Wisdom, and judge of things which lye beyond our reach?

We know the great objection which is borrowed from S. Austin¹⁷ against the Souls of Beasts; under a just God, no one can be unhappy that does not deserve it: Neque enim sub Deo justo miser esse quisquam, nisi mereatur, potest. Now if Beasts have sense and reason they are unhappy, they therefore have deserv’d to be so; nor can they by any thing have merited to be so but by sin. Now supposing they have sinn’d, they are therefore capable of Religion, of the Love and Knowledge of God; which is contrary to all that has been said above. Let it be granted that they are miserable, for this cannot be denied, since men kill and eat them, subject them to the hardest and most extream labours, beat, use them ill, and persecute them, without any other reason than their will, their good pleasure, or diversion. If Beasts had a Soul capable of sense and reason, would God have given sinful Man so intire and absolute a dominion over them?

To this we may reply, that God being absolute Lord over his creature, may dispose of it as he pleases without being obliged to give an account to any one of his conduct. Has not the potter full power to do every thing which he thinks proper with his clay, to make either a vessel of honour, Rom. ix. 21. Wisd. xv. 7, 8.or one designed for ignominious uses? God created Beasts for Man, to Man he has given an absolute empire over them; these are truths very well known: he has permitted Man to eat, and consequently to kill them: Man uses this power, this liberty; so far things are right. What then can Beasts, whom we suppose reasonable, complain of? Will they tell God, that they are innocent, and he subjects them to wicked, brutal, and foolish Men, who manifestly abuse the power and dominion which he hath given them over them? Shall the sinful and unhappy Child, the Son of wrath and indignation, born for misery and labour, shall he say unto his Father, What begettest thou? or to the Woman, What hast thou brought forth? Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

Do we not see in the instance of Job, that God sometimes punishes the just, tho’ innocent, Job ix. 17.He multipheth my wounds without a cause;

a cause; and in another place God says to the Devil; Thou movedst me against him to destroy him without a cause. And in the John ix.Gospel, the Disciples seeing one born blind, asked our Saviour, Whether he had merited this misfortune by his own sins, or by those of his parents? He answered, By neither one nor the other; but God had so ordained, that his works might be manifested in him. We know that the Blessed Virgin and S. John the Baptist lived in a state of innocency, and brought none of the blemishes of original sin with them into the world; yet the Holy Spirit informs us, that the sword of grief pierced the very soul of Mary: and that S. John after having suffered much in prison, died Matth.by the sword of the wicked. The innocent and just therefore are not always exempt from pain and suffering; and to return to Beasts, God exercises his sovereign power over them, he makes use of that right which he possesses as a Father and Creator, and does injustice to no one. It was in his choice either to create Beasts or leave them in the state of non-entity. In the midst of their unhappiness they are infinitely obliged to him, since after all they derive from him being, life, action, and all the good that they enjoy.

BEAUTY. The Hebrew word Naveh, which signifies Beauty, is likewise taken frequently for a Dwelling. The Lord hath loved the Beauty of Jacob, his Temple, his Place of abode which he hath chosen in Jacob. Ps. xlvi. 5.Elegit nobis hæreditatem suam, speciem Jacob quam dilexit. This other passage of Psalm xlix. 2. Sion species decoris ejus may be expounded after the same manner. And again Psalm lxvii. 13. Speciei domus dividere spolia: In the Hebrew, the habitation of the house, they who continued at home divided the spoil with those, who went to war. The Temple of the Lord and his Tabernacle, which are the places of his abode among men, are likewise called his habitation. God delivered the Beauty of the Israelites, the Ark of the Lord, into the hands of the Philistines. Jeremiah xxxi. 23. calls the Temple Pulchritudo Justitiæ, Mons sanctus. And in another place, he compares it to a Lion, and calls it, Pulchritudinem robustam by reason of its strength. Job says, that he cursed the Beauty of the wicked. Job v. 3. in the Hebrew, his Habitation. Concerning the Beauty of Jesus Christ, see the Article Jesus Christ.

BDELLIUM, is a Gum which comes from a tree, that is very common in Arabia, and many other places of the East. Pliny saysm, that the best Bdellium comes Genes. ii. 11.from the Bactrian; that the tree, which produces it, is black, as large as an olive-tree with leaves like those of an oak, and fruit like that of the caper-tree. Bdellium should be transparent, and yellow as wax, bitter to the taste, and oily; it smells like the unguis odoratus, when it is burnt. There is Bdellium to be found likewise in the Indies, in Media and Babylonia. In Hebrew it is called Bdolack. Moses says, there is some of it in the country through which the river Pison runs, and that the Manna of the Israelites was of the colour of Bdellium, that is, inclining to yellow.

BEBAI, the children of Bebai returned from Babylon to the number of six hundred twenty three.

BEBETHEN, a City eight miles Eastward from Ptolemaïs¹⁸.

BECAH or Bekah, half a Shekel¹⁹. Every Israelite paid an hundred Bekahs a head every year for the support of the Exod.Temple. See Matth. xvii. 23. and hereafter under the title Didrachma.

I. BECHER, the Son of Ephraim; chief of the Family of the Bachrites. Numb. xxvi. 35.

II. BECHER, the Son of Benjamin, and Father of Zemira, &c. Genes. xlvi. 21. and 1 Chr. vii. 6, 8.

BECHORATH, the Son of Aphia, and Great-Grandfather of Kish the Father of Saul. 1 Sam. ix. 1.

BECTILET. See Judith ii. 21. in the Greek. It is said that Holofernes departing from Nineveh, after three days march arrived with his Army at Bectilet, and incamped near the mountain, which is to the left of Cilicia. We take Bectilet to be the country of Bagdania, to the left or North of Mount Argeé, in the Vulgate called Mount Ange.

Genef. xxxv. 35.BEDAD, the Father of Hadad the Edomite. The Septuagint in Genesis and in the Chronicles call it Barad.

1 Chr. i. 46.BEDAN. It is said in the first book of Samuel, xii. 11. that the Lord sent several Deliverers for the preservation of Israel, such as Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel. Jerubbaal and Gideon we know are the same, but we no where find the name of Bedan among the Judges of Israel. The Septuagint instead of Bedan read Barak. Others²⁰ assert, that Bedan is the same as Jair of the Tribe of Manasseh, who judg’d Israel for three and twenty Judg. x.3. 1 Chr. ii. 21, 22.years. There was one Bedan Great-grandson to Machir. Jair was descended from a Daughter of Machir. The Chaldee, the Rabbins, and after them the generality of the Commentators²¹, have affirmed²²

affirmed, that Bedan was Samson, who was of the Tribe of Dan. But I should prefer rather their opinion, who make Bedan and Jair to be the same person. The names of Samson and Barak were added in many Latin Copies²³, before the corrections of them by the Roman Censors were published.

BEDEIAH, was one of those who after the return from Babylon separated from their Wives which they had married contrary to the Law.

BEELIADA, the Son of David. 1 Chr. xiv. 7.

BEEL-MEUS. Nine miles from Esbron. Eusebius says, that there are warm waters at Baal-meus. It is the same as Baal -meon.

Ezra iv. 9. & seq.BEEL-TEEM, or Rehum Beel-teem. Rehum was his name, Beel-teem was that of his dignity, which some believe to have been that of Counsellor, or Secretary, or Chief-Treasurer. He was at the head of those Officers of the King of Persia, who commanded in Samaria and Palestine. He wrote to Artaxerxes, otherwise called Smerdis or Oropastes the Successor of Cambyses, to oppose the rebuilding of the Temple of Jerusalem. His Letter had the effect he desired; for Artaxerxes hereupon sent orders to discontinue the works.

BEEL-ZEBUB, or Belzebub. The God Fly, a Deity adored by those of Ekron. There are disputes concerning the form and quality of this ridiculous God. We have treated at large on this matter in our Dissertation concerning the Gods of the Philistines, printed before our Comment on the first book of Kings, p. 27. Beel-zebub, or as he is often called in Greek and Latin, Beel-zebul or Beel-zebut, had a celebrated Temple and Oracle at Ekron. Ahaziah King of Israel, having fallen from the terrass of his house into the dining 2 Kings i. 2, 3, &c.-room, and received thereby some dangerous hurts, sent to consult Beel-zebub to know if he should be cured of his wounds. Matt. xii. 24. Luke xi. 15. Mark iii. 22.In the New Testament Beel-zebub is often called the Prince of the Devils.

Some Commentators will have it, that the name of Beel-zebub is not the true name of this Deity, but Bel-samin the God of Heaven, whom the Hebrews in derision called Beel-zebub, the God Fly, or Beelzebul the God of Ordure. Others are of opinion, that this Deity of the Ekronites was called the God of Flies, because he defended people from the Flies, in like manner as the Eleans adored Jupiter the Driver away of Flies²⁴, under which quality the Romans too worshipped him²⁵. Lastly, others²⁶ believe that the fly or beetle, and the figure of this Insect was adored. Pliny²⁷ assures us, that the Egyptians, who lay so near to the Philistines in whose country Ekron was, paid divine honours to the Beetle. It is observed that there are Beetles in the picture of Isis, on which Pignorius has made a Comment. The Author of the book of Wisdom, having Wisd. xii. 8.said that God sent flies and wasps to drive the Canaanites and Ammonites by degrees out of their country, adds, that God made those very things, to which they paid divine honours, the instruments of their punishment; they therefore adored Flies and Wasps. There are said to be medals and old seals, on which Flies and Beetles are represented. Why the Jews in Jesus Christ’s time should call Beel-zebub the Prince of the Devils we do not very well know.

Some Authors are of opinion, that the name of Achor²⁸ the God invoked at Cyrene against Flies, comes from Accaron, the City where Beel-zebub was worshipped. Others think, that the true name which the Philistines gave their Deity was Beelzeback, God of Sacrifice, or Beel-zebaoth, God of Hosts, or Beelzebul, God of the Habitation or of Heaven; and that the Jews, who delighted in disfiguring the names of false Gods, and were scrupulous of calling them by their proper appellations, gave them in derision that of God Ps. xvi. 4. Exod. xxiii. 13.Fly, or God of Ordure. The name of Beelzebuth is not very different from that of Beelzebaoth, God of Hosts. The worship of this false God must have been in reputation in our Saviour’s time, since the Jews accused him with driving out Devils in the name of Belzebub Prince of the Devils, that is to say, of Satan, Lucifer, or Chief of the rebellious Angels, whom the Jews of our Saviour’s time called Belzebut or Belzebub. This appears clearly by our Lord’s answer and way of Matth. xii. 24. Ibid. verf. 26, 27. 2 Kings i. 12.arguing; If Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself, how then can this kingdom stand?

It is a question which is the true reading of S. Matthew’s Text, xii. 24. whether Belzebub, as we find in the Vulgate; or Belzebul, as the old Greek Copies, and the Oriental Translations from the Greek read it; or Belzebuth, as the French pronounce it. It is certain that in the Hebrew books of the Old Testament we always read Belzebub v, that is to say, the God Fly, or the God of the Fly. The²⁹ Septuagint

translate it Baal the Fly, and consequently they read Belzebub. Some think that the originals of the New Testament had the same reading, and that the Copiers through ignorance or derision substituted Belzebul in the room of it, which signifies the God of Ordure ; but of this there is no proof. As for Belzebuth, some would justify it by saying that it is the Plural of Sebub, and that at first the name was Beelsebuboth, God of Flies, and in the way of abbreviation Beelsebuth ; but there is no other passage to be produced, wherein we find Beelsebuboth instead of Beelsebub. See Bochart. de Animal. Sacr. P. 2. l. iv. c. 9. & Selden, De Diis Syriis. Syntag. 1. c. 6.

BEER, or Beera. This word signifies a Well in Hebrew³⁰. There is a City of this name four leagues from Jerusalem, in the way to Schechem or Naplouse³¹. It is very probable, that Jotham the Son of Gideon retired to this place, to prevent his falling Judg. ix. 21.into the hands of his Brother Abimelech.

BEER-ELIM, or Puteus-Elim in Isaiah xv. 8. that is to say, the Well of the Princes, is probably the same with that Numb. xxi. 17.mentioned in the book of Numbers, under the name of the Princes Well, Beersarim.

I. BEEROTH, a City belonging to the Gibeonites, which was yielded afterwards Josh. ix. 17. 2 Sam. iv. 2.to the Tribe of Benjamin. Eusebius says, that Beeroth was situated at seven miles distance from Jerusalem, in the way towards Nicopolis. S. Jerom instead of Nicopolis, reads Neapolis, or Naplouse. M. Reland prefers Eusebius’s reading. The Reader may examine his proofs³².

II. BEEROTH of the Children of Jaakan. It is spoken of in Deuteronomy x. 6. and Eusebius says, that this station of the Israelites was shewn ten miles from the City of Petra³³. Moses in Numb. xxxiii. 31, 32. reads only Bene-Jaakan, instead of Beeroth-bene-Jaakan. Deut. x. 6.

BEERAH, Head of the Tribe of Reuben. He was carried away into captivity by Tiglath-pilesér. 1 Chr. v. 6.

I. BEERI, Father of the Prophet Hosea. Hos. i.

II. BEERI, Father of Judith the Wife of Esau. Genes. xxvi. 34.

BEER-SHEBA, the Well of an Oath, or the Well of Seven ; because here Abraham made an alliance with Abimelech Genes. xx. 31.King of Gerar, and gave him seven ewelambs, to serve as a monument of that Genes. xxi. 30, 31.Covenant which they had sworn to. Beersheba was at first given by Joshuah to the Tribe of Judah, and afterwards a cession Josh. xv. 28. — xix. 2. 2 Sam. xvii. 11, &c.of it was made to that of Simeon. It was situated twenty miles from Hebron, towards the South, and there was a Roman Garrison there in Eusebius’s and S. Jerom’s time³⁴. The limits of the Holy Land are often expressed in Scripture by these terms, From Dan even unto Beer-sheba. Dan was at the Northern, and Beer-sheba at the Southern extremity of the Land.

BEES, a sort of Flies producing honey. See hereafter Honey. Bees were declared to be unclean by the Law. Levit. xi. 23.

BEESTERA. This is the same as Bostra or Bozra, capital of the Eastern part of Edom. See Bozra.

BEGABAR, a City beyond Jordan ; the Prophet Naham’s Country³⁵. It is probably the same as Beth-abara.

BEGGING, to beg, mendicare, mendicusDeut. xv. 4, 7. — xv. 11.. Moses exhorting the Israelites to Alms -giving, says, To the end that there be no poor among you ; for the Lord shall greatly bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it. And a little lower ; If there be among you a poor man of one of thy Brethren, within any of thy gates, in thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor Brother. The Hebrew Text of this place does not speak of begging. Besides we very well know, that there were at all times poor persons and beggars among the Jews as well as among other people. God himself in the same Chapter says, The poor shall never cease out of the land. And we see by the Gospel, that there were several beggars in Jerusalem, and other places in the land³⁶. Lazarus was poor, and forced to beg ; and so was the man born Mark x. 46. Luke xviii. 35. John ix. 8. Luke xvi. 20.blind, who was cured by Jesus Christ, and some other blind men at Jericho. The true sense therefore of the passage in Moses is, that God will so plentifully bless the lands of the Hebrews in the sixth year, that tho’ there be no harvest in the sabbatical year, nevertheless there will be no poor among them, provided they faithfully observe his precepts ; or it was his design to recommend charity and alms-giving to them in such a manner that there should be no poor among them. Be so charitable and liberal of your alms, that there may be no indigent person seen in Israel. The Jews still at this day observe great discipline, in order to prevent as much as possible, there being any poor among them³⁷. They give alms, and make collections in publick and private for the poor ; and it³⁸

is very rare to see any beggars of their Nation, in places, where they are numerous and powerful e.

Some have been of opinion that Jesus Christ and his Apostles were reduced to such a degree of poverty, as to beg. The Author of a Sermon upon Sunday in the Octave of the Epiphany, printed under the name of S. Bernard, but written in reality by Alfred Abbot of Rieval, of the Cistercian Order in England, who lived in the twelfth Age³⁹, says expressly, that Jesus Christ begg’d from door to door during his three days stay at Jerusalem, when he remained there without the knowledge of his parents, being at that time twelve years of age. Quasi unus è turba pauperum stipem per ostia mendicabat. S. Thomas⁴⁰ in his Answer to William of S. Amour, who had attacked the Preaching Friars, on the score of their begging, and maintained, that neither our Saviour nor his Apostles ever begg’d, endeavours to prove, that Jesus Christ in reality did beg; for example at Jericho, when he said to Zachæus, Make haste and Luke xix. 5.come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. But it must be confessed, that this passage does no way prove, that our Saviour begg’d on this occasion, and Alfred’s opinion is of no consequence, because it is founded only upon a conjecture, and a very uncertain fact. But we know indubitably, that our Saviour had some persons, who followed him, and supplied his wants, they — viii. 3.ministred unto him of their substance. He had a common purse, into which was put whatsoever was voluntarily offered to him. Judas had the bag, and bare what was put John xii. 6.therein. Lastly, Jesus Christ before his preaching, was of a trade, and worked at it with his Father Joseph, Is not this the Carpenter? The Disciples also had trades, Mark vi. 3.which they exercised even during their preaching. See what S. Paul says, Acts xx. 34. These hands have ministred to my necessities, and to them that were with me. See also 1 Cor. iv. 12. Ephes. iv. 28. Acts xviii. 2, 3, &c. See hereafter the Article Poor.

BEGHAI, and his Sons returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel. Ezra ii. 2, 14. See Biguai.

BEHEMOTH. Job speaks of an Animal, Job ix. 10. בהמותwhich he calls Behemoth, the particular properties whereof are described at large by him. Bochart has taken a great deal of pains to make it appear, that it is the Hippopotamus, or River-horse. Sanctius thinks it to be an Ox. The Fathers suppose the Devil to be meant by it; but we agree with the generality of Interpreters in their opinion, that it is the Elephant. Behemoth in Hebrew signifies Beasts in general, particularly the larger kind of animals, which are fit for service. The Rabbins tell us, that Behemoth is the largest four-footed creature that God has created; that in the beginning he made two, male and female; the female he killed and salted, to reserve it as an entertainment for the Elect, whenever the Messiah shall come: the male is still living, but when this time comes, God will kill it, and give it to the Israelites, who shall then rise from the dead. They are so fully convinced of these extravagancies, that they often swear by the share they are to have of Behemoth.

BEIZA or Beizath. This word in Hebrew signifies an Egg⁴¹, and a certain measure in use among the Jews. They say that an Egg contains the sixth part of a Log, and consequently three cubick inches and this fraction ⁶⁷⁸⁸⁹⁵/₄₁₄₉₀₇. The Beiza is likewise a sort of gold coin common among the Persians: it weighs forty drachma’s, and from this word, not from the City Byzantium the Besam was formed. A Besam is worth two Dinars, and every Dinar twenty or five and twenty Drachma’s⁴². The Persians say Philip of Macedon owed Darius King of Persia a thousand Beizaths, or gold Eggs, for Tribute-money; and that Alexander the Great succeeding Philip, refused to pay them, saying, the bird which laid these Eggs was flown into the other world.

BEKAH, see Becah.

BEL or Belus, the first King of Babylon, who after his death received divine honours in this City, and throughout all Chaldæa. We do not know exactly whether it were Nimrod, or Belus the Father of Ninus, or some other of their Kings, whom they worshipped under the name of Belus; or whether it were the Sun, or Saturn, or Jupiter. See above the Jerem. 1. 2.Article Baal. Jeremiah speaking of the Destruction of Babylon by the Medes and Persians, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces, her Idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces. The same Prophet in another Id. 1. 44.place says, And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up, and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him; yea the wall of Babylon shall fall. This was seen to be executed under Cyrus, Darius the Son of Hystaspes, and the Princes who succeeded them. See Babylon.

The Babylonians worshipped Bel as a living God; they attributed to him the gift of healing diseases, and believed he

Baruch vi. 40.eat and drank like a living person. Baruch says, that one dumb was presented to him, that he might restore him to the use of speech, as tho’ he were able to understand. Dan. xiv. 2.And Daniel relates in what manner he discovered the cheat of Bel’s Priests, who came every night through private doors, to eat what was offered to this false Deity.

Herodotus⁴³ describes the Temple of Belus at Babylon, as one of the most wonderful works in the World. It was a prodigious Tower, the basis whereof was a square, every side of which was a Furlong or an hundred twenty five Paces, and consequently an hundred Paces in circuit; it consisted of eight Towers built one upon another. Strabo⁴⁴ in his description of it, calls it a Pyramid, because it decreased as it rose higher, and says it was a Furlong or an hundred twenty five Paces in height. People went up it by stairs which were carried round about the outside of it. The eight Towers were as it were so many stages, wherein several large Chambers were contrived, supported by Pillars. Upon the very top of the Tower was the Temple of Belus, wherein were many Statues of massy Gold; one among the rest forty foot high. This Temple⁴⁵ with its riches was in being till the time of Xerxes; who returning from his unfortunate expedition into Egypt, demolished the Temple, and carried off the immense wealth, which was inclosed in it; consisting not only in golden Statues, but in furniture and instruments appointed for the worship of them. See above Babel, Tower of Babel.

I. BELA, the same as Bala, or Zohar. See Zohar.

II. BELA, the Son of Beor, King of Genes. xxxvi. 32.Dinhabah, in the Eastern part of Edom.

III. BELA, the Son of Benjamin, a chief of the family of the Belites. Numb. xxvi. 38.

BELEUS or Belus, a little river of Galilee, which falls into the Mediterranean, at the distance of two Furlongs from Ptolemais⁴⁶. Pliny says⁴⁷, it springs up in a lake, and does not run above the space of four miles. Its waters are not good to drink, and the bottom of it is marshy; but the water of the Sea flowing with the tide into its channel, washes away the sand, and of this they make Glass. The bank, from whence the sand is taken for this use, is not in extent above five hundred Paces, and tho’, for so many Ages, so much has continually been carried away, yet it remains inexhaustible, and furnishes perpetually a fresh stock. Josephus and Tacitus⁴⁸ speak of it as well as Pliny; but the Authors who treat of the Holy Wars, take no other notice of the sands of Belus, than of something which in their time was out of use, and known only by the writings of the Ancients.

BELGA, Chief of the fifteenth Band of 1 Chron. xxiv. 14.Priests established by David.

BELGAI, of the sacerdotal family, was one of those who signed the covenant with the Lord, when the Jews returned from Nehem. x. 8.Babylon.

BELIAL. This term is plainly Hebrew⁴⁹; it signifies a wicked worthless Man, one who is resolved, to endure no subjection, a Rebel, a disobedient Fellow. Thus the Inhabitants of Gibrah, who abused the Levite’s Wife, have the name of Belial Judg. xix. 22. 1 Sam. xi. 12.given them. Hophni and Phineas, the High -Priest Eli’s Sons, are likewise called Sons of Belial, upon the score of the several crimes they had committed, and the unbecoming manner with which they behaved themselves in the Temple of the Lord.

Sometimes the name of Belial is taken to denote the Devil. For example, St. Paul 2 Cor. vi. 15.says, What concord hath Christ with Belial? From whence we may conclude, that in his time the Jews, under the name of Belial, commonly understood the Devil to be meant, in the places where this term is to be met with in the Old Testament.

BELL. Moses ordain’d, that the lower part of the blew Robe, which the High-Priest wore when he perform’d religious Ceremonies, should be adorned with Pomegranates and gold Bells intermixed equally, and at equal distances. The Pomegranates were of Wool, in colour blew, purple and crimson, and the Bells were of Gold. Moses Exod. xxviii. 33, 34.adds, And it shall be upon Aaron to minister; and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the Lord, and when he cometh out, that he dye not. Some of the Hebrews believe these little Bells to be round like ours; others that they were such as were then commonly in use.

The Kings of Persia are said to have had the hem of their Robes adorned like that of the Jewish High-Priest, with Pomegranates and gold Bells⁵⁰. The Arabian Ladies who are about the King’s Person⁵¹, who serve and divert him, have little gold Bells fastened to their legs, their neck, and elbows, and when they dance, the motion of these Bells makes a very agreeable harmony. The Arabian Princesses⁵² wear large hollow gold Rings, which are filled with little flints, that sound like little bells when they walk: Or they are large circles with little rings hung all round, and produce the same effect. These rings are open

in one place in the form of a crescent, through which they get in the small of their legs. Besides these they have abundance of flat bobs fixed to the end of their hair, which is matted and hangs long behind; these make a noise as often as they stir, and give notice that the Mistress of the house is going by, that so the Servants in the family may behave themselves respectfully, and Strangers may retire, to avoid seeing the Person who is passing.

It was therefore in all probability with a design of giving notice, that the High-Priest was passing by, that he too wore little Bells at the hem of his robe; or it was as it were a kind of publick notice that he was going into the Sanctuary. In the King of Persia’s Court no one entered the apartments without some warning, not by knocking or even speaking, but by the sound of something. Thus the High Priest out of respect did not Judith xiv. 8, 9.knock as he went into the Sanctuary, but by the sound of the little Bells fastened to the bottom of his robe, he in some sort desired permission to enter, that the sound of the Bells might be heard, and he not punished with death, says Moses.

As to the number of Bells worn by the High-Priest, Authors are not agreed. Some say there were twelve, others fifty, others sixty six, some again seventy two, and others fourscore: but there is nothing certain in any of these suppositions; it depending on the size which they were made of; for if they were small Bells, there might be a good many of them used in embellishing the bottom of the High-Priest’s tunick.

There is frequent mention in the Scripture of Bells, which were sometimes made use of in the Temple. The figure of them is 1 Chron. xv. 19.not known to us. The Hebrew⁵³ terms them Mizeloth, or Mizlothaim. They were of copper, the sound of them was sharp, and heard at a great distance. The Prophet Zachary speaks of Bells hung to the bridles of War-horses, that thereby they might be Zach. xiv. 20.accustomed to noise. In that day, says the Prophet, shall there be upon the bridles of the horses Holiness unto the Lord. A horse which had not been trained, nor used to wear Bells by the Greeks, was called one that had never heard the noise of Bells. The mules that were employed in the funeral pomp of Alexander the Great had at each jaw a gold Bell w.

BELLY, is often taken for Gluttony, Tit. i. 12. Philip. iii. 19.The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies; and elsewhere, There are many whose God is their Belly. And to the Rom. xvi. 18.Romans, People of this sort serve not the Lord Jesus but their own bellies.

Belly is used likewise for the heart, the bottom of the Soul. The words of a talebearer go down into the innermost parts of Prov. xviii. 8. — xx. 27.the Belly, and wound the very bottom of the Soul. And in another place, The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the Belly. The Spirit of man is like the light of God, which penetrates the very bottom of the Soul. And — xxii. 18.again, Preserve the lessons of Wisdom, if thou keep it within thy Belly, in thy heart, it will not break out upon thy lips.

The Belly of Hell, the grave, or some imminent danger of death. The Author of Ecclesiasticus says, that he was delivered de Eccl. li. 7. Jonah ii. 3.altitudine ventris inferi; and Jonah that he cried to the Lord out of the Belly of Hell, from the bottom of the Sea, from the whale’s Belly.

Judith. vii. 3.BELMA. The Book of Judith speaks of Belma, or Belmon, near the valley of Esdraelom.

BELMEN. Judith iv. 4. in the Greek mentions Belmen, the same probably as Beel-maïn; perhaps Abel-maïn, of the Tribe of Naphtali, 2 Chr. xvi. 4. or Abelmehira, as the Syriac reads it, Judith iv. 4. and vii. 3. So that Belmen, Belma, Belmaïm and Abel-mehola may be all the same place.

BELSHAZZAR, the Son of Evilmerodach, and Grandson to the Great Nebuchadnezzar. This Prince made an entertainment for a thousand of his most eminent Dan. v. 1, 2, &c.Courtiers, at which every one drank according to his Age⁵⁴. The King overpowered with wine, commanded the gold and silver vessels to be produced before him, which Nebuchadnezzar his Grandfather brought from the Temple of Jerusalem, that he might drink out of them with his Wives, his Concubines, and the Grandees of his Court. They began therefore to drink and praise their false Gods; at that very instant there was an appearance seen as it were of a man’s hand and fingers, writing upon the wall of the King’s hall over against the candlestick.⁵⁵ Belshazzar observing this, was very much astonished, made a great outcry, and commanded all the Diviners and Sages of Babylon to be sent for, in order to have that explained which was written on the wall.

When they came the King promised, that whoever should expound this writing, should be clothed with scarlet, should wear a gold chain round his neck, and should be the third person of his Kingdom in place and power. The Magi

could comprehend nothing at all of this writing, which increased the disorder and uneasiness that the King was in and his whole Court. In the midst of this disturbance, the Queen Mother, Wife⁵⁶ to the late Nebuchadnezzar the Great, coming into the room of entertainment, told Belshazzar, that there was one Daniel in his Dominions, who had more knowledge than all the Magi and Soothsayers of Chaldæa, and had given proofs of his sufficiency in the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. Hereupon the King immediately sent for him, and directed him, if he could, to interpret what was written on the wall, with an assurance, that he should have the third place in his Kingdom, should be clothed in scarlet, and wear a gold chain about his neck. Daniel thanked him for the presents which he mentioned, and promised to perform what he required of him.

He reproached him with great freedom for his ingratitude to God, who had advanced him to the rank and authority of a Sovereign, and for his profanation of the Vessels which were consecrated to the Lord; then he said, the writing is this, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin, which is to be thus interpreted, Mene God hath computed the days of thy reign, and hath appointed the end of it. Tekel, thou hast been weighed in the balance, and found light. Peres thy Kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.

Daniel hereupon was clothed with scarlet, had a gold chain put on, and was proclaimed the third person in the Kingdom: and that very night Belshazzar was killed, and Darius the Mede succeeded him in his Kingdom at the age of sixty two years. This is what we read in the fifth chapter of Daniel concerning Belshazzar. But we are infinitely perplexed, when we attempt to reconcile profane History with the account of this particular in the sacred Writings. It is generally believed, that Evil-merodach was succeeded by Nerigliffor, and that Nerigliffor was succeeded by Laborosoardoch; and that Belshazzar is the same as Nabonidas or Labynites. See our Comment upon Dan. v. 1. pages, 627, 628, 629, and 638. and the Discourse concerning the four great Monarchies prefixed to our Comment on Isaiah, pages 57 and 58.

All the marks whereby Nabonidas is described in History, agree with Belshazzar. Herodotus⁵⁷ says, that Nabonidas, otherwise called Labynites, was the last King of Babylon, that he was not of Nerigliffor’s or Laborosoardach’s Family, but was the Son of the great Queen Nitocris. Belshazzar in like manner is the last King of the Chaldæans, Son to a King of Babylon, Dan. v. 2.who can be no other than Evilmerodach. Daniel somewhere calls Belshazzar the Son of Nebuchadnezzar; but this is because the Grandsons, in the stile of the Hebrews have often the name of Sons given them. Lastly, Jeremiah says expressly, that all the Jerem. xxvii. 6, 7.nations shall be subject to Nebuchadnnezzar his Son, and Grandson, till the time shall come when vengeance is to be taken on himself and his country.

Xenophon⁵⁸ says, that Cyrus took Babylon by stratagem, having cut the channel of the Euphrates in several places: and diverted the Waters of it into ditches dug long before by Queen Semiramis; that his Army entred into the City by the channel of the river, and the gates through which it had a passage into Babylon; that the whole City was then engaged in debauchery and joy, by reason of some Festival which was that day celebrated; that the King of Babylon was put to death in his palace by the people belonging to Gadutas and Gobrias Babylonians, who had deserted to the party of the Medes, in order to revenge themselves on the King of Babylon.

Berosus and Megasthenes⁵⁹ relate, that Nabonidas was attacked by Cyrus in the seventeenth year of his reign; Nabonidas gave him battle and lost it. He fled for security with some few of his troops to Borsippe. Cyrus by this means became master of Babylon, and having demolished the outward walls of it he marched directly to Borsippe; but Nabonidas did not think it proper to stand a siege, he surrendered therefore to Cyrus, who treated him with humanity, and gave him a retreat in Carmania, where he passed the rest of his life. This doubtless is very different from what the Scripture tells us of Belshazzar.

But what variety soever may be observed in the different Historians, the result of their accounts is always this, that the Prophecies against Babylon were for the most part literally fulfilled at the death of Belshazzar. This City was besieged by an Army composed of Medes, Elamites, and Armenians, according to the Predictions of Isaiah and Jeremiah, that the fords of the If. xiii. 17. xxi. 2. Jerem. l. 11, 27, 28, 29, 30. Jerem. l. 38. li. 36.river should be seized, that confusion and disturbance should prevail throughout the City, that the bravest of the inhabitants should be in a consternation, that the river Euphrates should be made dry, and the City taken in a time of rejoicing, that its Princes, Sages and Captains should be overwhelmed with drunkenness, and pass from a natural to an eternal sleep, out of which they never should awake, that the City Jerem. li. 39, 57.which was

formerly so beautiful, so powerful, and so flourishing, should become a dwelling for bitterns Isaiah xiv. 23.and birds of bad omen.

II. BELSHAZZAR, one of the wise men who came to worship Jesus Christ at Bethlehem, is called by this name: but we have no proof that any one of them was so denominated.

Dan. i. 7.BELTESHAZZAR. The name given Daniel at the court of Nebuchadnezzar.

BELUS. See Bel or Beleus.

BELZEPHON or Belsephon. See Baal-zephon.

BEMESELIS, otherwise Bethome, a city subdued by Demetrius King of Syria. Compare Josephus de Bello, l. i. c. 3. & Antiq. l. xiii. c. 22.

BEN-ABINADAB, governor of the country of Dor, married Taphath, the daughter of Solomon. 1 Kings iv. 11.

I. BENAIAH, the Son of Jehoiada, Captain of David’s guard. He took the two lions 2 Sam: xxiii. 20.of Moab, that is to say, the two cities of Ar or Ariel, or the city Ar⁶⁰, divided in two by the river Arnon. He killed also a lion that had fall’n into a pit in a time of great snows. He fought a giant five cubits high, armed with sword and spear, tho’ he had a staff only in his hand, and left him dead upon the spot. He adhered to Solomon’s party against Adonijah, was sent by Solomon to kill Joab, and was 1 Kings i. 36. ii. 29.made Generalissimo in his place.

II. BENAIAH, or Bananias, the Son of Pahaih-Moab. After his return from Babylon, Ezra x. 30.separated from his wife, whom he had married against the Law.

III. BENAIAH, the Son of Banai, and Benaiah the Son of Parosh, both Jews, who left their wives after their return from the Captivity, because they had married them contrary to the Law. Ezra x. 25 & 35.

BEN-DEKAR, Governor of the cities of Makaz Shaalbim, Bethshemesh, Elon and Bethanan, in the reign of Solomon. 1 Kings iv. 9.

BENE-BERAK, a city in the Tribe of Dan. The Vulgate makes two cities of it, Josh. xix. 54.Bane and Barak.

I. BENEDICTION. The Hebrews under this name often understand the presents which friends make to one another; in all probability because they are generally attended with blessings and compliments, both from those who give, and those who receive them. See Gen. xxxiii. 11. Jos. xv. 19. 1 Sam. xxv. 27. xxx. 26. 2 Kings v. 15, &c.

III. BENEDICTIONS. Solemn Blessings, given the people by the Priests in certain ceremonies; for example, Moses says Numb. vi. 23. &c.to Aaron the High-Priest, On this wise shall ye bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The Lord bless thee and keep thee, the Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee, the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. He pronounced these words standing, with a loud voice, and hands elevated and extended. The Prophets also, and inspired men, frequently blessed the Servants of God, and People of the Lord: The Psalms are full of Benedictions of this nature. The Patriarchs on their death-bed blessed their children and Gen. xxvii. 49. Deut. xxxiii. Tob. vii. 7. Deut. xi. 26, 29. &c. xxvii. xxviii.families. God ordains, that upon the arrival of the people of Israel in the promis’d land, the whole multitude should be convened between the mountains of Ebal and Gerizim, and that blessings should be published on mount Gerizim, for those who should observe the Laws of God, and curses on mount Ebal against the violators of these Laws. This was executed by Joshua, after he had conquered part of the land of Canaan. See the article Jos. viii. 30, 31. 2 Cor. ix. 6.Ebal.

III. BENEDICTION, signifies likewise abundance; He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly; and he who soweth with benediction, shall reap with benediction, with Job vi. 5.abundance. And again, I exhorted the brethren that they would go before unto you, and make up before hand your blessing, that it Gen. xlix. 25.may be, as it really is, a blessing and not of covetousness: And Jacob wishes his Son Joseph the blessings of heaven above, or rain and dew in abundance, blessing of the deep that lieth under, or water from the springs, blessings of the breasts and of the womb, fruitful women and cattle. And the Psalmist, Psal. cxlv. 16. 2 Chron. xx. 23, &c.Thou fillest all things living with benediction, with abundance of thy benefits

IV. BENEDICTION, Valley of Blessing. A place situated in the Tribe of Judah, near the Dead-sea and En-geddi. It was called the Valley of Berachah, or Blessing, after the miraculous Victory which Jehosaphat obtained over the confederated army of the Ammonites, Moabites and Edomites, in the year of the world, 3108. before J. C. 892. before the vulgar Æra 896.

BEN-GABER, the Son of Gaber, of the Tribe of Manasseh; he possessed the cities of Jair, and all the region of Argob, beyond the river Jordan. 1 Kings iv. 13.

I. BEN-HADAD, Son of Tabrimon King of Syria; he came to the assistance of Asa King of Judah, against Baasha King of Israel; and obliged Baasha to return and succour his own country, and abandon Ramah, 1 Kings xv. 18.which he had undertaken to fortify. This happened in the year of the world 3066. before the vulgar Æra 938. This Ben-hadad is 1 Kings xi. 25.probably Hadad the Edomite, who rebelled against Solomon at the end of this Prince’s reign.

II. BEN-HADAD, King of Syria, Son 1 Kings xx. 34. Ibid. per totum.of that Ben-hadad we have been speaking of, made war against Ahab King of Israel, in the year of the world 3103. that is to say, seven and thirty years after the war of Ben-hadad I. against Baasha King of Israel. We have discoursed very particularly of this war, under the article Ahab. BenhadadIn the Year of the World 3103, & 3104. before the vulgar Æra 900, and 901. was defeated, and lost all his baggage. His generals told him, that the God of the Hebrews was the God of the mountains, and that if he intended to subdue this people, he must set a new army on foot, and attack them in the plain. Ben-hadad pursued this advice, and in the beginning of the year following came to Aphek with a powerful army. Ahab took the field likewise, with his troops; both armies were seven days in sight of each other, without coming to blows: At last, on the seventh day they engaged, and the Israelites killed an hundred thousand of Ben-hadad’s people; and the remainder of his army endeavouring to secure themselves in Aphek, the walls of the city fell upon them, and crushed to death seven and twenty thousand more. Ben-hadad concealed himself in the most private part of his palace, to prevent his falling into the hands of Ahab.

Then Ben-hadad’s servants said to him, we are inform’d that the Kings of Israel are mild and merciful, let us therefore put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes about our necks, and beg our lives of king Ahab. They went to him therefore, and said, thy servant Ben-hadad sent us to ask life of thee: If he is yet alive, said Ahab, he is my brother, Go, bring him to me. Ben-hadad being come, Ahab obliged him to get up into his chariot, and the king of Syria said to him, I will restore the cities which my Father took from thy Father, and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my Father made in Samaria, and give me liberty. Ahab accepted these conditions and let him go. Hereupon God sent a Prophet to him, to reprove him for thus giving a wicked Prince his liberty; and Ahab, transported with indignation, imprisoned the Prophet, and laughed at his predictions.

About twelve years after, the same Ben In the Year of the World 3115. 2 Kings vi. 8. & seq.-hadad declared war against Jehoram, the Son and successor of Ahab; but the Prophet Elisha discovered all Ben-hadad’s designs to Jehoram, and thereby disappointed them. Ben-hadad suspected some treachery in his officers, but he was told, that all his projects were revealed by Elisha, to his enemy. He resolved therefore to lay hold of Elisha, and understanding that he was at Dothan, he sent some of his best troops to invest the city, and seize him, but the Prophet struck them with blindness, so that they were not able to distinguish him when he spake to them, and was in their company. He led them as far as to Samaria before they perceived any thing of it, and when they were there, he prayed to God to open their eyes, and desired Jehoram to furnish them with provisions, and dismiss them without offering any violence to them.

In the year of the World 3119, before J. C. 881. before the vulgar Æra 885.Some years after, when Ben-hadad besieged Samaria, the famine was so extremely great in the place, that the head of an ass, which the Hebrews look upon to be an unclean sort of food, was sold for fourscore shekels, and about a pint of a particular kind of pease⁶¹ for five shekels: in short matters were at such a pass, that a certain mother eat her own child. Jehoram being informed of these calamities, attributed them to Elisha, and sent orders to put him to death; but before his people could get into the Prophet’s house, he came 2 Kings vii.thither himself; and Elisha foretold, that the next day about the same hour, a measure of fine flour would be sold at the gate of Samaria for a shekel, which accordingly happened; for in the night-time a panick fear spread through the Syrian army: They imagined that Jehoram had procured an army of Hittites and Egyptians to come to his assistance, and leaving their horses, tents, and provisions, they thought of nothing more than of saving themselves by flight.

Four lepers, who were without the city, their disease not allowing them to dwell with other men, ventur’d into the Syrian camp, and finding it to be deserted, and withal observing it to abound with all sorts of riches, they gave notice of it to Jehoram. The King immediately rose, for it was night, but thought the Syrians designed only to insnare him; he sent people therefore to make what discoveries they could, and they reported, that all the way they went, they found cloaths and arms which the Syrians had thrown away, that they might be more expeditious in their flight. As soon as this news was confirmed, the people of Samaria went out, and pillaged the Syrian camp; then was seen the perfect completion of Elisha’s prediction who had said, that a measure of fine flour should be sold at the gate of Samaria for a Year of the World 3120, before J. C. 880, before the vulg. Æra 884. 2 Kings viii. 7, 8, & seq.shekel. The next year, Elisha being gone somewhere towards Damascus, Ben-hadad, who was then fallen sick, sent Hazael with presents to meet the Man of God, and learn from him, whether there were hopes

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