EGY – ELI

Volume I, pages 479–496 of the 1732 edition, from EGY to ELI: everything printed on these pages, in order.

Continued from Egypt

Lastly, others will have it, that the Egyptians were so averse to the Hebrew, and other shepherds, on the score of their killing and eating sheep, kids, and goats, which were the objects of their worship.

We have examined in the Article CEREMONIES, whether the Hebrews received those Laws and Ceremonies, which are common to both Nations, from the Egyptians, or whether the Egyptians received them from the Hebrews.

Nothing is more common in Scripture than the name of Egypt. This Country, properly speaking, was the cradle of the Hebrew nation. Joseph being carried thither and sold as a slave, was soon, by a very sensible effect of God’s Wisdom and Providence, established Governour, and as it were Viceroy of all Egypt. Hither he invited his father and all his family to the number of about seventy persons, and after an abode there of two hundred and fifteen years, they departed thence They came into Egypt in the year of the World 2298, and departed thence in 2513, before J. C. 1487, before the Vulgar Æra 1491.in number six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty men, capable of bearing arms, without reckoning women and children. The King of Egypt would not permit the Hebrews to leave his country till he was compell’d thereto by miracles and chastisements inflicted on his people. Moses afflicted Egypt with ten plagues, before this obstinate Prince could resolve with himself to let a numerous people go, whom he had enslaved, and from whom he received great services: and after he had dismissed them, and compelled them to go away, he repented, pursued them with his army, and having inconsiderately followed them into the channel of the Red Sea, he there perished with all his people.

The common name of the Egyptian Kings was Pharaoh, which among them signified sovereign power. But besides this, they had another name which was proper to them. History has preserved the names of several Kings of Egypt, and a succession of their Dynasties. But the inclination of these Historians to cry up the great antiquity of their nation, Vide Manethon. apud Joseph. l. 1. contra Appion. Chronic. Ægypt. apud Syncel. Marsham Can. Chronolog. Ægypt.has induced them to inlarge very much in their accounts of the duration of their Empire, whereby they have forfeited their credit with all people, who are lovers of truth. They assert, that Egypt was successively governed by Gods, Demigods, or Heroes, and at last by Men, or Kings. The reign of the Gods and Demigods lasted, as they pretend, four and thirty thousand two hundred and one years; that of their Kings from Menes to Nectanebus, two thousand three hundred and twenty four years. Nectanebus was deposed by Artaxerxes Ochus, King of Persia, fifteen years before the Monarchy of Alexander the Great. From Nectanebus to the birth of Jesus Christ, there are reckoned about three hundred and forty years. So that from the beginning of the Egyptian Monarchy to the birth of our Saviour, there must have been by this account thirty-six thousand eight hundred sixty-five years. A computation which is given up by all our Chronologers.

It is supposed that the way wherein the ancient Egyptians computed their years, must have contributed much to swell their Chronology so immoderately, and to the multiplying the great number of years which their first Kings are supposed to have reigned. Palæphatus says, that of old they Palæphat. Fragm. ex Chron Alexand.reckoned the duration of their Princes reigns by days, and not by years. And who will warrant us, that they who came after, did not set down years instead of days; and that when they read, for example, that Helios the son of Vulcan reigned four thousand four hundred and seventy seven days, that is to say, twelve years, three months and four days, they did not affirm that he reigned four thousand four hundred and seventy seven years?

Diodorus the Sicilian says, that the Egyptians tell us fabulous stories, when they affirm to us, that the most ancient of their Gods reigned each, at least twelve hundred years, and the least ancient of them not less than three hundred years. So that from the reign of Helios, or the Sun, to Alexander the Great’s passage into Asia, they reckon two and twenty thousand years. But, he adds, as this number of years exceeds all belief, some have endeavoured to excuse them by observing, that at the beginning, their year consisted only of one month, according to the course of the moon; so that the twelve hundred years of every God’s reign were reduced to twelve hundred months, or an hundred years. Afterwards, as he proceeds to say farther, the Egyptian year having been made up of four months, they asserted that their Kings reigned every one at least three hundred years, which make twelve hundred months, or an hundred years. By this means the excessive antiquity of the Egyptian Dynasties Censorin. de die natali, c. 19.was reduced to a reasonable duration. Censorinus assures us, that anciently the Egyptian year consisted only of two months, and that King Pison added two months more to the year, and at last fixed it at twelve months.

It is farther certain, that the Dynasties of Egypt, which are so much talked of, were not all successive, but were many of them collateral, and that the greatest part of those Kings, who are placed one after the other, were oftentimes contemporary; one reigning in one Canton of Egypt, another in another. These Lists also bear seven different names according to the seven Cantons, wherein the Dynasties subsisted: viz. at This, at Memphis, Diospolis, Thanis, Sethron, Elephantina, and at Sais. Now if these Dynasties are placed successively, we may easily imagine that the duration of

them may be very much enlarged, and such an antiquity attributed to them as no way belongs to them. Wherefore to avoid the danger of publishing what is false for truth, we shall be excused if we do not here set down a list of the first Kings of Egypt.

From Mizraïm the Scripture perpetually calls the Kings of this Country by the name of Pharaoh, and has delivered down to us the proper names of four only of these 1 Kings xi. 40. 2 Kings xxiii. 29. Jerem. xlvi. 2. 2 Kings xvii. 4. Jerem. xlv. 30. Herodot. l.2.c.158, 159. Herodot. l.2.c.141. Herodot. l.2.c.161, &c.Princes, Shishak, Necho, So, and Hophrah. Shishak is perhaps Sesonchis¹; Necho is Nechos in Herodotus; So is the same as Sabacon or Sethon; and Hophrah is Apries. Shishak lived in the time of Rehoboam the son of Solomon; Necho, in the time of Josiah King of Judah; So, in the time of Hoshea King of Israel; and Hophrah in the time of Jeremiah and Zedekiah. Herodotus makes him to be the son of Psammis, and grandson of Necho. The history of him may be seen in this Author. After Apries we find Amasis, and Psammitichus, in whose reign Cambyses made a conquest of Egypt, in the year of the World 3479, before Jesus Christ 521, before the Vulgar Æra 525². After this, we again find the following Kings in Egypt, Inarus, Ackoris, Tuchos, Nectanebus. This last was deprived of his Kingdom by Artaxerxes Ochus, in the year of the World 3654, before Jesus Christ 346, before the Vulgar Æra 350. About nineteen years after, Alexander the Great entred Egypt, and conquered it, in the year of the World 3673, before Jesus Christ 327, before the Vulgar Æra 331.

The Ptolemys succeeded Alexander, and we have a series of them in the order of their succession, which may be depended upon.

Ptolemy the son of Lagus, surnamed Soter, reigned nine and thirty years; from the death of Alexander, which happened in the year of the World 3681, to 3720.

Ptolemy Philadelphus reigned nine and thirty years; from 3720 to 3758.

Ptolemy Euergetes, reigned five and twenty years; from 3758 to 3783.

Ptolemy Philopater, seventeen years; from 3783 to 3800.

Ptolemy Epiphanes, four and twenty years; from 3800 to 3824.

Ptolemy Philometor, thirty seven years; from 3824 to 3861.

Ptolemy Euergetes, or Physcon, fifty three years, from 3861 to 3888.

Ptolemy Lathyrus, thirty six years, six months; from 3888 to 3923.

Cleopatra, the daughter of Lathyrus, and wife of Alexander I. reigned six months.

Alexander I. the nephew of Lathyrus, established in 3924, died in 3943. Vide Usserium ad annum mundi 3924.

Alexander II. the son of Alexander I. was banished by the Alexandrians in 3939.

Ptolemy Nothus, or Auletes, reigned thirteen years; from 3940 to 3953.

Ptolemy Dionysius, or Bacchus, reigned three years, and eight months; he died in 3957.

Cleopatra, Ptolemy’s sister, from 3957 to 3974.

There will be particular Articles relating to all these Kings, who are named in the Bible, or were any ways concerned in the Affairs of the Jews.

EGYPT; the Brook, or River of Egypt. The Scripture frequently mentions the Brook or River of Egypt, as the southern limits of the Land of Promise, on the side of Egypt. For example; God says to Abraham, Gen. xv. 18. 2 Chron. vii. 8.Unto thy seed have I given this land from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates. And in another place, Solomon convened a general Assembly of all his people at the dedication of the Temple, from the entring in of Hamath, unto the river of Egypt. Lastly, Moses, describing the southern boundaries Numb. xxxiv. 5.of the promised Land, places them from Azmon unto the river of Egypt, and the goings of it, says he, shall be at the sea, the Mediterratean. See the same thing, Joshua xv. 4.

The subject of our present enquiry is to know what this river of Egypt is. Several 1 Sam. xxx. 10. Josh. xiii. 3. Amos vi. 14.have taken it to be the brook Besor, otherwise the brook of the wilderness, situated between Gaza and Rhinocorura. But we do not in the least question but that it was the Nile³, the only river that flows through Egypt. Joshua visibly describes it by the name of Sichor, which is the true name of the Nile; as if it were said, the muddy river, because the waters of this river are frequently thick and muddy. Amos takes notice of it by the name of the River of the wilderness; because the most eastern arm of the Nile, and the nearest to the Land of Canaan, was near Arabia, or the wilderness, called in Hebrew, Araba, and watered the canton, by the Egyptians called Arabian. The Hebrew word Nahal, translated brook, signifies likewise a river.

EHI, the sixth son of Benjamin, Gen. xlvi. 21. The Septuagint make Ehi the

son of Bela, and grandson only of Benjamin. Ehi and Ahiram are the same person; Numb. xxvi. 38.

EHUD, the third son of Simeon, was one of those who went down into Egypt with Jacob his grand-father, and Simeon his father, Gen. xlvi. 10. in the year of the World 2298, before Jesus Christ 1702, before the Vulgar Æra 1706.

EKRON, a City and Government of the Philistins. It fell by lot to the Tribe of Judah in the first division made by Joshua; Josh. xv. 45. but afterwards it was given up to the Tribe of Dan, Josh. xix. 43. It was situated very near the Mediterranean, between Ashdod and Jamnia. Ekron was a powerful City; and it does not appear by history, that the Jews were ever sole peaceable possessors of it: the Ekronites were the first, who said, that it was necessary to send back the Ark of the God of Israel, in order to be delivered from those calamities which the presence of it brought upon their country; 1 Sam. v. 10. The Idol Beelzebub was principally adored at Ekron, 2 Kings i. 2, &c. Some have attempted very preposterously to confound Ekron with Strato’s Tower, where Herod the great afterwards built the City of Cæsarea in Palestine. Cæsarea was much more north than Ekron.

I. ELAH, Aholibamah’s successor in the government of Edom, Genes. xxxvi. 41.

II. ELAH, the son of Baasha King of Israel. He was assassinated by Zimri, after a reign of two years. He left a son, whose 1 Kings xvi. 6, 7, 8, 9.name was Hoshea; and who killed Pekah the Usurper of his Crown; 2 Kings xv. 30.

III. ELAH, the place where the Israelites were encamped, when David fought Goliath, 1 Sam. xvii. 19.

ELADA, the son of Tahath, and grandson of Ephraim, 1 Chron. vii. 20.

ELAI, Judith’s grandfather, Judith viii. 1.

I. ELAM, was one of those, whose children returned from the Babylonish Captivity with Zerubabel; Ezra viii. 7.

II. ELAM, a City of Edom situated upon the Elanitick Gulph of the Red Sea. Eusebius places it at no more than ten miles distance eastward from Petra. David having subdued the Edomites, made himself master of Elam. The Edomites having recovered their liberty in the reign of Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, they continued independent till the time of Uzziah or Azariah, who retook Elam from them, 2 Kings xiv. 22. But he did not long preserve this conquest. Rezin, King of Syria, took it once more from Uzziah, and drove the Jews out of it. Elam is to be met with in the Ancients under the name of Elana, Elath, Elas, Ælan, or Elon. Strabo places it at the distance of twelve hundred and sixty furlongs from Gaza, which make about an hundred and fiftyseven thousand paces. This difference is small for so great a distance. St. Jerom says, that the City of Elam lay at the extreme part of Palestine. Procopius also places it at the eastern extremity of Palestine. In the Councils we find some Bishops of Elam among those of the third Palestine.

Abulfeda gives us the following account of this City. He says, it was formerly a small town with some fruitful lands about it: at present it is no more than a Tower, which serves as an habitation for a Governour, who depends upon the Governour of Grand Cairo. There is no such thing there now as fields sown with corn. Formerly there was a fort built in the sea, but at present it is all in ruins. The commanding Officer lodges in the tower we mentioned, which is built upon the shore. Elam is situated over-against Colzum; Elam being to the east, and Colzum to the west. Mount Sina is between both. Abulfeda places Elam in the fifty-fifth degree of longitude, and in the twenty-ninth degree of latitude. He cites Almostarcus, who sets it down in the fiftysixth degree of longitude and forty minutes, and in the twenty-eighth degree of latitude and fifty minutes.

ELANITE, or ELANITICK. The Elanitick Gulph derives its name from the City of Ela or Ailan, which is situated upon the eastern shore of the Red Sea. Pliny makes it to be an hundred and fifty miles from Gaza to Elath; and Strabo to be twelve hundred and sixty furlongs. Elath or Elan was one of the three ports in the Red Sea. The first was at Berenice; the second at Clysma; and the third at Elath.

ELDAAH, the son of Midian, and grandson of Keturah and Abraham, 1 Chr. i. 33.

Numb. xi. 24, 25, &c.ELDAD and MEDAD, were appointed by Moses to be of the number of the seventy Elders of Israel, who were to assist him in the government of the people; and though they were not present with their Collegues in the Assembly, they were notwithstanding filled with the Spirit of God, as the rest were, and began to prophesy in the Camp. Joshua having notice of it, and fearing lest this might be a prejudice to the honour of Moses, said to him, My Lord, forbid them. But Moses replied, Enviest thou for my sake? would to God that all the people prophesied, and that God would pour forth his Spirit upon them! There are some who believe, that Eldad and Medad were brothers to Moses; but these are traditions without any foundation.

ELDERS of Israel. By this name we understand the Heads of Tribes, or rather of the great Families in Israel, who in the beginbeginnings,

Exod. xii. 16. iv. 29. &c.and before the settlement of the Hebrew Commonwealth, had a kind of government and authority over their families, and over the whole people. For example, when Moses was sent into Egypt to deliver Israel, he called together the Elders of Israel, and told them, that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, had appeared to him in the wilderness, and commanded him to conduct them out of Egypt. Moses and Aaron treat upon all occasions with the Elders of Israel, as the representatives of the whole nation.

Exod. xxiv. 1, 9, 10.When God was pleased to manifest his glory to Israel, and give the law to Moses, he said to him, Take Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu his sons, and the seventy Elders of Israel, and worship ye afar off. They advanced as far as the foot of the mountain; they saw the God of Israel, and under his feet as it were a paved work of Saphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in its brightness: but they did not go up, Moses alone with Joshua ascended the mountain, and at his departure from them, he said, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you; and behold Aaron and Hur are with you, if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them. Upon all occasions afterwards, we find this number of seventy Elders. But it is credible, that as there were twelve Tribes, there were likewise seventy two Elders, six of each, and that a round number seventy is set down, instead of seventy two; or rather that Moses and Aaron made the seventy first and second, and that there were but four Elders of the Tribe of Levi, supposing them not to be included.

Grotius in Exod. iv. 29. Bertram. de Rep. Heb.Some have been of opinion, that these seventy Elders of Israel formed a kind of Senate in Egypt, for the better governing, and doing justice to the people, while they were dependant on the King of Egypt; and that from hence the famous Sanhedrim is derived, whereof there is such frequent mention made in the writings of the Jews. But it is much more credible, that in the beginning these elders exercised each over their respective Tribe, and all together over the whole people, a jurisdiction only like that which the fathers of families exercise over their children; an authority in the way of friendship, advice, and persuasion, founded upon the respectful obedience, which is due to parents, rather than an authority shewn in the way of compulsion and constraint. The Commissioners appointed to inspect how the children of Israel performed their tasks in Egypt, or according Exod. v. 14, 15. שטרים LXX. Γραμματεῖς. Scribæ.to the Hebrew, the Soterim, were, as some will have it, the same with those whom we just now called Elders of Israel, who judged and commanded the people. The Septuagint translate the original Scribes, Commissioners who had a list of those that worked, who parcelled out to them their several tasks, and took care that they performed them.

After Jethro’s arrival in the Camp of Israel, Moses made a considerable change in the government of the people. Till then he alone had judged them, and this fatiguing employment took him up so intirely, that he had scarce time to breathe. Upon the remonstrances of Jethro his father-in-law, he established over all Israel heads of Exod. xviii. 24, 25, &c.thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens, that justice might at all times be administred to the people, and that whatever difficult cases arose, should be referred to Moses: but this constitution did not continue long without change; for upon the murmuring of the people at the incampment called the Numb. xi. 24, 25. In the Year 2516. Numb. xxxii. 37.Graves of Lust, Moses appointed seventy Elders of Israel, to whom God communicated part of this Legislator’s spirit; they began to prophesy, and ceased not afterwards to do so. This, according to the generality of Interpreters, was the beginning of the famous Sanhedrim; but to support this opinion, many things are necessarily to be supposed, whereby it may be made appear, that this Court of Justice was all along in being.

Josh. ix. 15. Joshua xxiii. xxiv. 1. xxiv. 32.We believe that the establishment of the seventy Elders by Moses continued, not only during the life of this Legislator, but under the government of Joshua likewise, and even after his death, under the Judges. The Elders of the people and Joshua swore to the treaty with the Gibeonites. The same Joshua, a little before his death, renewed the covenant with the Lord, together with the Elders, the Princes, the Heads, and Officers. After the death of Joshua and the Elders who survived him, the people were several times brought into bondage, from which God as often delivered them, by his instruments, the Judges. We do not see distinctly what authority the Elders had all this time, and still less under the Kings who succeeded them. See our Dissertation on the Polity and Justice of the Hebrews, and hereafter the article SANHEDRIM.

ELEAD, the grandson of Ephraim, who was killed in the city of Gath, while the Hebrews sojourned in Egypt, 1 Chr. vii. 21.

ELEALEH, a town belonging to the Tribe of Reuben. Eusebius places it at the distance of a mile from Heshbon.

ELEASA, or Laisa, the name of a place near Beræa, or rather Berotho, a city in the Tribe of Benjamin, whereof we have no knowledge in the Scripture, but by the battle which was fought there between Judas Maccabæus on one side, and Bacchides and Alcimus, High Priest of the 1 Macc. ix. 1, &c.Jews, on the other. Demetrius

Soter having intelligence of Nicanor’s death, and the defeat of his army, sent Bacchides again, and Alcimus into Judea, with the right wing of his army, that is to say, with the choice of his troops, to the number of two and twenty thousand foot and two thousand horse. They came at first to Jerusalem, thinking to meet Judas there, but upon intelligence that he was incamp’d at Eleasa with three thousand chosen men, they went thither and incamped at Beræa, a place not far from it. Judas’s troops seeing so great a multitude of enemies, were terrified to such a degree, that the generality of them deserted, so that eight hundred soldiers only remained with him.

Judas finding himself to be thus abandoned at a time when there was a necessity for his engaging, was very much concerned, and so much the more, for that there was no opportunity to gather new forces; notwithstanding, he omitted nothing to encourage those who remained with him, and animate them to the combat. They represented to him that as their number was so inconsiderable, it was more expedient to wait for some reinforcement; to which he replied, God forbid that we should do so, and fly before our enemies: if our hour is come, let us die courageously for our brethren, and not sully our glory by so base an action. The enemy leaving their camp, marched to meet them, having disposed the horse in both the wings; the Slingers and the Archers marched before the army, and the first rank was composed of the most valiant soldiers, Bacchides taking his post on the right wing. The trumpets on both sides began to sound, the mountains round about echoed with the noise, and Judas having observed, that the right wing, where Bacchides commanded, was the strongest, he attacked it, broke, and pursued it to the mountain of Azotus; but the left wing having hemmed in Judas and his people in the rear, the combat was a long time obstinate, and Judas, at last overwhelmed with the multitude of his enemies, fell down dead upon the spot, and his people fled.

Observations on the battle of Eleasa between Judas Maccabæus and Bacchides. 1 Macc. ix. 1, &c.This action of Judas Maccabæus, who resolved with eight hundred men to attack an army of twenty thousand foot, and two thousand horse; this action, I say, surprizes those very much, who do not know that History is full of extraordinary exploits of this kind: but they recover from their surprize, when they consider, that an able and enterprizing General, who is acquainted with the valour and resolute boldness of his troops, never despairs at a time of necessity, when death and a retreat being inseparable, there is nothing left but either to conquer or perish.

Judas, after the desertion of the greatest part of his troops, was under this melancholy necessity; he made use of the powerful battery of Religion, to raise the courage of those, who continued faithful to him. This was the most effectual expedient that Generals could devise in great dangers. In the time of the Maccabees miracles were rare; they were to be seen only at great distances of time, notwithstanding there always was an appearance of some, and God had not intirely forsaken his people; he still had compassion of their calamities, tho’ they had rendred themselves unworthy of his favours. The virtue, piety and admirable qualities of Judas Maccabæus, whom Dom. Calmet compares with Jesus Christ, Commentaire sur le liv. 1. c. ix. vi. 18. des Maccabées.long withheld the wrath of God from this ungrateful and perfidious people; but at last this great man perished in this action, and they who would not leave him, were rather overwhelmed, than conquered.

1 Macc. ix. 5. Ib. verse 6.Judas incamped at Eleasa with three thousand chosen men. I cannot tell for what reason the Sacred author adds the epithet chosen, which is generally interpreted brave, valiant, courageous; for tho’ they were in a condition to make head against, and even to defeat this formidable army of Bacchides, the greatest part of them were pusillanimous creatures, since above two thirds of them had not the courage to make a stand, but unworthily deserted so brave a General, and who ought to have been so dear to them. His people, says the Sacred Author, seeing the multitude of the other army to be so great, were sore afraid; whereupon many conveyed themselves out of the host, insomuch that there abode of them no more than eight hundred men. If all the cowards, as well officers as soldiers, were expelled out of an army, at the instant of a decisive action, there would be few remaining; but these few delivered from such a vile crew, would do infinitely more, than if the cowards had continued intermixed with them.

Judas was extremely concerned, and his spirits almost sunk, to see the baseness of those who abandoned him; nevertheless this great Hero, re-assuming his courage, directed himself to those who would have diverted him from fighting, and said, What would you Ib. verse 10.fly before your enemies? If our time is come, let us die courageously for our brethren, rather than stain our honour by so ignominious an action. He found himself probably so far ingaged, and so near the enemy, that there was more danger in retreating than in fighting; because by fighting, his honour was at least secured; besides, he had often experienced, that victory was in the hands of God, who gave it to whom he pleased, without having a regard to number.

Ib. verses 11, 12.With that the host of Bacchides removed out of their tents, and stood over

against them ; the cavalry was divided into two bodies posted on the wings, the slingers and the archers marched before the army, and the first rank was formed out of the strongest and most valiant men. Bacchides was in the right wing, and the battalions on both sides marched, and sounded their trumpets. Dom. Calmet translates the following passage, proximavit legio ex duabus partibus, by these words, the battalions marched on both sides. This to me seems not to be exact, for the word legio in the singular number, should not be interpreted many battalions, since the method of putting themselves into order of battle among the Asiatick people, was different from that of the Romans, and they fought in phalanxes, and drawn up in one line only, not by battalions or cohorts. Wherefore in my opinion it should be translated, the Phalanx of both sides, or of both the wings, made its approach. We may easily comprehend, that the two wings of Bacchides advanced, in order to hem in Judas’s troops; we cannot think otherwise For how could it be said that the battalions marched on both sides, since Judas had but an handful of men? and by translating it thus, one would believe that he was at the head of many battalions.

They also of Judas side sounded their trumpets, and the earth shook with the noise of the armies. If the author had only Judas’s people in view, this hyperbole would be a little extravagant: and the battle continued from morning till night. I can scarce comprehend, that eight hundred men could so long resist an army so very much superior to them, and which incompassed them on every side. I can easily conceive that soldiers so resolute and brave, with such a General at their head as Judas Maccabæus, might break and put to flight the enemy’s right wing ; but I cannot conceive that so great a Captain could pursue the run-aways as far as the mountain Azotus, while he left all the rest of Bacchides’s army behind him, in a condition to repair this misfortune by following him, and falling on his rear, as indeed they did, which was the cause of his ill success: once more I say, I cannot attribute such an instance of imprudence, and so gross a fault to so great a soldier as Judas, for in the course of all his atchievements, we see that he is perhaps the only eminent Captain that has not laid himself open to exceptions in the execution of his designs. His people must have been transported with ardour upon their victory, and he, whether he would or no, must have been under the unhappy necessity of following them; for otherwise, if after the defeat of this wing he had turned upon the flanks of the enemy, while they were in consternation at the routing of their right wing, this would have been acting within rules, and victory had been certain.

1 Macc. ix. 16.But they who were on the left wing, says the Sacred Writer, seeing the right wing defeated, followed Judas and his people in their rear, who observing themselves to be followed by the main body of Bacchides’s army, were obliged to let the run-aways escape, and face about to sustain another combat. It is something difficult to clear well certain circumstances related by the author; there are movements which extremely perplex us, nor is there any way of accounting for them but by conjectures. Wherefore I presume that the enemies put themselves at first in order of battle; but the right of their horse, which before the action was otherwise disposed, having been broken and put to flight, and unhappily for Judas pursued too far, the army of Bacchides turned to follow the conqueror, and stop him in his retreat: this conjecture to me seems very probable. The Sacred Author gives us the disposition and distribution of Bacchides’s troops, and says nothing of the Jews as to this particular; but I suppose them ranged in two Bodies, of a great depth, according to their usual method of fighting.

The battle was a long time obstinately maintained, and many on both sides were killed and wounded, Judas himself was killed, and all the rest fled. The rest of Bacchides’s army having followed Judas, who fought like a lion, and overthrew all that came in his way, attacked him behind, so that he was between two armies, in which situation he performed prodigies of valour; but at last being over-born by numbers, he was wounded and fell upon an heap of dead bodies, whereof he had made a circle about him: thus died this Great Hero. The reader may see the magnificent encomium which the learned Commentator has made of him, and the admirable resemblances discovered by him between Jesus Christ and Judas. See Dom. Calmet’s Comment on this place.

1 Chr. ii. 39.ELEASAH, the Son of Helez, the father of Sisamai.

I. ELEAZAR, the third son of Aaron, and his successor in the dignity of High Priest. Phineas succeeded Eleazar. He entred the land of promise with Joshua, and is thought to have lived there three and twenty, or five and twenty years. The High Priesthood continued in his family to the time of Eli the High Priest, who was of Ithamar’s family. Eleazar was buried at Gabaath, belonging to Phinehas, in the Josh. xxiv. ult.tribe of Ephraim.

II. ELEAZAR, the son of Aminadab, to whose care the Ark was committed, when it was sent back by the Phili

stins. It is believed that Eleazar was a Priest, or at least a Levite, tho’ his name is not inserted in the catalogues of the 1 Sam. vii. 1. In the Year of the World 2888, before J. C. 1112, before the Vulgar Æra 1116.sons of Levi. He dwelt at Gibeah, which probably was the safest and most elevated place in the city of Kirjath-jearim. Gibeah in Hebrew signifies an eminence. The Scripture says, that Eleazar was consecrated to be the guardian of the Ark of the Lord; whether this consecration were a bare appointment to this employment, or that he received the Sacerdotal Unction, or was obliged to purify himself in order to receive this Sacred Depositum in his house,

III. ELEAZAR, the son of Dodo, one of those three gallant men belonging to David, who passed through the camp of the Philistins, to bring him water from the 2 Sam. xxiii. 9. 1 Chr. xi. 16, 17.well of Beth-lehem. This is the same Eleazar, who alone put the army of the Philistines one day to a stand, and made so great a slaughter of them, that his Sword 1 Chr. xi. 13. 2 Sam. xxiii. 10. 1 Macc. vi. 43. Joseph. Antiq. l. 12. c. 14.stuck to his hand.

IV. ELEAZAR, surnamed Savaran, brother to Judas Maccabæus. In Josephus he is called Auran or Avran. Eleazar perceiving an Elephant in King Antiochus Eupator’s army, more beautiful, and more richly harnessed than the rest, and imagining that the King, who was then laying siege to Bethsura, might be upon him, he made his way thro’ the enemy, and getting under the animal pierced its belly with his sword; but the Elephant falling on him, crushed him to death.

V. ELEAZAR, a venerable old man of Jerusalem, who suffered death under the persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes. It is questioned whether he finished his martyrdom at Jerusalem or Antioch. It seems certain from the second book of Maccabees and Josephus, that he suffered in the presence of King Antiochus Epiphanes, as well as the seven brethren the Maccabees; but it is not 2 Macc. vi. ultimo. vii. 1, 2, &c.so clear whether it were at Antioch or Jerusalem. The old Translator of Josephus’s book entitled, Of the Empire of Reason, says it was at Antioch; but the Greek text of Josephus does not say so; it supposes on the contrary, that the seven brethren suffered at Jerusalem. The same author mentions the same thing in the 12th book of his Antiquities, c. 7. Others maintain, that the seven brethren were martyred at Antioch, where formerly their tombs were shown. St. Austin speaks of a Church in this city, dedicated by their name. The Martyrologies, Liranus, Serrarius, Tirinus, Hieron. de locis Hebr. verbo Modin. Aug. Serm. 1. de Mac. 30. ult. Edit. 2 Macc. vi. 18, 19, 20, &c.and Josephus Gorionides, fix their Martyrdom at Antioch. Now it seems certain, that Eleazar suffered at the same place as the seven brethren the Maccabees. All the authors that make any mention of him, join his martyrdom with that of these generous brethren.

The holy old man, of whom we are now speaking, was one of the principal Doctors of the Law. Gregory Nazianzen and St. Ambrose believe with Josephus, that he Nazian. Orat. de Macc. Ambros. l. 2. de Jacob. & vita beata, c. 10.was of the Sacerdotal Family. He was presented to Antiochus Epiphanes, and they would have compelled him to eat Swine’s flesh, by forcing open his mouth to that purpose. But he preferring death to life, which he saw was to be preserved only by a criminal compliance, chose rather to go voluntarily and of himself to execution. They who were present, moved with an unjust compassion, by reason of the ancient friendship which they had for him, took him aside, and entreated him to consent, that they might bring him meat which he was allowed to eat, that so they might inform the King how punctually he had obeyed his orders, in eating the flesh of the sacrifice, and by this means might preserve him from death. But he considering his age, his gray hairs, and the innocent life which he had hitherto led, answered, that he had much rather go to his grave, than perform what they desired of him; for it does not become me, said he, in this advanced part of life, to use dissimulation, whereby many young people, imagining that Eleazar at ninety years of age, had deserted from the Jewish to the Pagan way of living, might be induced to imitate him; whereby I should draw an infamous blemish on my self, and the curses of men on my old age: for altho’ I might by this means deliver my self from the penalties wherewith I am threatned, yet I could not avoid the hand of the Almighty, neither during my life, nor after my death.

At these words they who led him to execution, were immediately enraged against him, believing what he had said to proceed from pride: and as he was ready to expire under the blows with which they overwhelmed him, he uttered a great sigh, and said, Lord thou knowest that having it in my power to avoid death, I suffer in my body the most sensible pains, but my soul is overjoyed to die for thy religion. Having said these words, he expired. This is all we learn from the second book of Maccabees, which we Roman Catholicks maintain to be Canonical.

But Josephus in his book concerning the Empire of Reason, relates the matter more at large. He says, that Antiochus coming to Jerusalem, and observing how the people despised his Edicts, went up to the highest place in the city, with the principal men of his court, and his soldiers in arms, and having commanded the Jews should be constrained to eat Swine’s flesh, and whatsoever had been sacrificed to Idols, otherwise to suffer a very cruel death ; Eleazar was the first pre

sented to him ; whom Antiochus spoke to, and endeavoured to persuade him to obey his orders: but he answered in a manner which manifested his wisdom and resolution, and refused with great constancy to submit to the King’s impious directions. Whereupon the guards immediately fell upon Eleazar, dragged him to the place of execution, stript him, tied his hands behind him, and severely scourged him, while a Herald cried out to him, Obey the King’s orders: but he continued immoveable amidst all the blows they gave him, till being quite exhausted with loss of blood, and lashes wherewith his body was miserably mangled, he fell to the ground, without losing however any thing of the vigour of his soul. Hereupon a soldier leaped upon his belly with a design of forcing him to rise, but invincible patience was all the return he made for this cruel treatment. Some of his old friends would have persuaded him to make a shew at least of eating meats sacrificed to Idols, but he absolutely refused, and his refusal enraged them. They threw him into the fire, tormented him with instruments made of iron, and poured stinking liquors into his nostrils. In the midst of these tortures he died, begging of God to accept his life and blood as an expiatory sacrifice for his brethren. He suffered in the year of the World 3837, before J. C. 183. before the Vulgar Æra 167.

VI. ELEAZAR, High Priest, son to Onias I, and brother to Simon surnamed the Just. Simon having left a Son, whose name was Onias, too young to fill the office of an High Priest, Eleazar the minor’s uncle exercised this charge for nineteen years in his room; from the year of the World 3727, to 3744. before J. C. 260.

VII. ELEAZAR, the son of Eliud, and father of Matthan, grandfather to Joseph, Matt. i. 15.

VIII. ELEAZAR, the son of Mahli, and brother of Kish, 1 Chr. xxiii. 21.

IX. ELEAZAR, son of Boëthus, appointed In the Year of the World 4004. of J.C.4. and the first of the Vulg. Æra. of the Vulgar Æra 23.High Priest by Archelaus Ethnarch of Judæa. He was succeeded by Jesus the son of Siah.

X. ELEAZAR, the son of Ananus, appointed High Priest by Valerius Gratus. He succeeded Ishmaël, the son of Phabus, and was succeeded by Simon the son of Camith.

XI. ELEAZAR, the son of Dinæus, captain of a band of thieves. He attacked the Samaritans several times, and was at last defeated, taken, and put to death by Cumanus.

XII. ELEAZAR, the Son of Ananias the High Priest, was one of the incendiaries in Lat. in Gr. p.809, 810.who stirred up the Jews to that rebellion, which at last drew upon them the destruction of their Temple and Nation.

There are several others of this name mentioned in Josephus, but as they have no relation to the Scripture, I shall take no notice of them in this place.

ELECTA, was, as is generally believed, a Lady of quality, to whom St. John the Evangelist addressed his second Epistle. She lived in the neighbourhood of Ephesus, and St. John wrote to her and her children, to precaution them against the Hereticks of that time, who denied the Divinity of Jesus Christ, and the Truth of his Incarnation. Some are of opinion that Electa, which signifies chosen, is not a proper name, but an honourable Epithet given this Lady, whose proper name is not expressed in St. John’s Epistle. Others will have it, that her proper name was Kyria. Others, that the Epistle was not directed to any one person, but to a whole Church. St. Clement of Alexandria, in his Comment on the Canonical Epistles, says, that Electa, whom St. John wrote to, was a Lady of Babylon.

II. ELECTA; St. John salutes Electa, of whom we have been speaking, in the name of her sister Electa and her children. The accounts of her are as perplexed as those we have already taken notice of concerning the former Electa. We do not know whether the latter of the two was a Lady, or a Church.

ELECTRUM. There is a natural Electrum which is found in mines, and another that is artificial made with the addition of a certain quantity of silver. If this quantity exceeds a fifth part, the Electrum will not bear the anvil. Homer speaks of Electrum in his description of King Menelaus’s palace. Helena consecrated a cup made of Electrum in the Temple of Minerva, in the Isle of Lindos. The true Electrum shines much stronger by the light than silver. Cups made of this metal are said to discover the poison which is put into them, by a sort of brightness like the rain-bow, and a noise as if there were fire.

Plin. 33. c. 4.ELECTRUM is likewise sometimes used for Amber, or Succinum, which is a bituminous substance of a resinous taste, and something sharpish; if any pieces of it are rubbed one against another, it smells like oil of turpentine, and a little disagreeable when burnt: it is generally yellow and transparent, sometimes red, and other times again whitish, or rather pale; and when it is warmed with rubbing, it attracts straw. ——— Electrum, is gathered principally upon the coasts of the Baltick Sea, and particularly upon those of Prussia. Some of it is found even upon the land at some distance from the Sea. But it does not appear that the old Hebrews had any knowledge of this Electrum. That mentioned in Ezek. i. 4—viii. 2.Ezekiel, was,

St. Jerom says, a more precious metal than either gold or silver. The Hebrew word Hachasmal, signifies rather, according to Bochart, Orichalcum.

Hachasmal. Pagnin. Crepitans Hamma. Bochart. de animal. sacr. t. 2. l. 6. c. 16. Job xl. 10, 11, &c.ELEPH, a Town in the Tribe of Benjamin, Josh. xviii. 28.

ELEPHANT, the largest of all four-footed beasts. They who have studied the nature of the Elephant with most accuracy, tell us many very extraordinary things of the sagacity, faithfulness, prudence, and even understanding of this creature⁴. It has been often observed to do such things, as are much above the capacity of other beasts. The Hebrews seem generally to have described it under the name of Behemoth, which signifies in general beasts of service. The Greeks and Latins often denote Elephants by the general name of beasts, which is much the same in signification with the Hebrew, Behemoth. The word Elephas may be derived from aleph, which signifies to instruct, by reason of the docility of this animal; or from Eleph, which signifies a head, or captain, because the Elephant is as it were the head of all other terrestrial animals.

You have here an account of the Elephant or Behemoth from God’s discourse to Job: He eateth grass like an ox; which agrees admirably with what Historians relate of him. The Elephant does not feed upon carrion, and is not at all wild; hay, herbs, and legumes are his nourishment, as they are of our tame beasts.

His strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly. The natural parts of an Elephant are under his belly, like those of an horse, but his testicles lie concealed in his loins. The virtue of begetting is often expressed in Scripture by terms very like these. See Gen. xlix. 3. Deut. xxi. 17. Psal. lxxxii. 51. civ. 36, &c.

His tail, as is continued in Job, ver. 12. is like a cedar; the nerves of that part of the Elephant which serves for generation are interwoven together. The female Elephant receives the male lying upon her back, contrary to the nature of other beasts, and he never covers the female as long as any one appears in fight. Ver. 13. His bones are as strong pieces of brass, and his small bones like bars of iron. These hyperbolical expressions shew the extraordinary strength of the Elephant; with one stroke of his trunk he kills a camel or an horse. An Elephant has been seen to draw two cast canons five hundred paces with his teeth; they were fastned together with cables, and weighed each three thousand pounds. We read in the 1 Macc. vi. 37.Maccabees of an Hieronym. in Ezek. i. חשמלElephant in Antiochus’s army, which carried two and thirty armed men. They were all in a tower made of very solid wood, upon the Elephant’s back, and the tower was bound with a very strong chain under the Elephant’s belly.

He is the chief of the ways of God; he that made him, will make his sword approach unto him. This animal is, as it were, the master-piece of God among four-footed beasts. He exceeds all others in size, strength, docility, address, modesty, fidelity, pudicity, agility, and long life.

If we consider his industry, sagacity, and gratitude, no animal comes nearer man: he understands the language of his guide. Lastly, so many things are related of his docility, and aptness to learn, as would seem fabulous, were they not attested by many serious and grave Authors.

The Scripture adds, that God hath put his sword into his hands, hath trusted him with his arms; the Elephant is terrible when provoked: nothing can stand against him, he oversets trees, houses, and walls: he tramples under foot all that comes before him; he overthrows whole squadrons: his arms are his trunk, and his teeth, or horns, for so some of the Ancients call them. His trunk is a long hollow cartilage, like a large trumpet; it hangs between his teeth, and serves him for hands: by one blow with his trunk he will kill an horse; and will raise a prodigious weight with it. His teeth are the ivory, which is so well known to us, and is what people work upon in Europe: it is of the nature of horn, and may be softned. There have been Elephant’s teeth seen as large as one’s thigh, and a fathom in length. When they fight one against the other, they strike one another with their teeth, as bulls do with their horns.

Ver. 15. Surely the mountains bring him forth grass, where all the beasts of the field play. Elephants are the gentlest animals that we know; they never use their strength but when they are compelled to it. These are not of that sort of animals which create terror in others: if he is obliged to pass through a herd of other beasts, he puts them gently out of his way with his trunk to make room for him: he feeds in the fields and meadows, and the weakest and tamest animals play with impunity before him.

Ælian. l. 4. c. 24. & l. 13. c. 8. l. 9. c. 56. & l. 17. c. 7, &c.Ver. 16. He lieth under the trees in the covert of the reed and fens. This agrees all admirably well with the Elephant. Ælian says, that he may be called an animal of the marshes, because he lives along waters, and in moist places. He

sometimes plunges himself into rivers in such a manner, that no more of him is to be seen than the end of his trunk: in the summer-time he covers himself with mud, to avoid the heat.

Plin. l. 8. c. 12.Ver. 18. He spoileth the river, and is frighted at nothing: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. He drinks a great deal, and large draughts, as if he were to swallow up the river, and as if Jordan were scarce sufficient to satisfy his thirst. The literal construction of the Hebrew is, he will drink a river, and make no haste: he will drink leisurely, and take time to disturb the water which he drinketh; as if this were a way to make it more nourishing, or to add a certain taste to it, and take away the sweetness of it, which is not sufficiently pungent to his tongue. It is agreed that the Elephant drinks much, and Aristot. l. 8. Hist. Animal. c. 9.Aristotle assures us, that there have been some who have been seen to drink fourteen Amphora’s of the Macedonian measure. The Amphora, according to Budæus, is about the eighth part of a Paris hogshead, or holds about three bushels. The Scripture adds, He trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth, or he fears nothing, though Jordan were to beat against his mouth. He boldly passes the greatest rivers, provided he may put the end of his trunk only out of the water.

Judith x. 17.Ver. 19. He is taken by the eyes, as a fish is taken with a hook. Serpents attack Elephants principally in the eyes. Oculos maximè petunt, says Pliny; inde fit ut plerumque cæci, & fame ac mœroris tabe confecti reperiantur (Elephantes.) It is said Idem, ibid.likewise, that there are Serpents in the Ganges sixty yards long, who take them by the trunk as they are drinking, drag them along, and drown them in the waters. But this passage may be understood more simply by keeping close to the Hebrew: he is taken by the eyes in snares, his nose is pierced. Wild Elephants are caught with the help of a female Elephant, which is ready for the male, and put into some narrow place between barricades, where the Elephant engages himself, and is taken. This is what is meant here by taking by the eyes, answerable to what is said of Holofernes, that he was taken by the eyes, while he beheld Judith’s beauty.

They lay snares likewise for Elephants: they are taken in deep ditches dug particularly for this purpose, and covered with a little earth scattered over hurdles, which close the open part of them. I do not read it, that they pierced his nostrils, or trunk, as they do camels, buffalo’s, and even horses in the east: but probably in Job’s time they might have a different method from that used at present.

1 Kings x. 22.In the first book of Kings, there is mention of Ivory, or Elephants teeth. In the שנהביםHebrew it is Schenhabbim; schen we know signifies a tooth, but we have some reason to question whether habbim signifies an Elephant. I should rather chuse to say, that schen signifies ivory, which is not to be disputed, and that habbim, or rather habenim, signifies ebony; and so separate these two words, which are improperly put together, and made one.

There is frequent mention of Elephants in the books of the Maccabees; because after Alexander’s reign, these animals were very much used in the armies, which were set on foot by the Kings of Syria and Egypt; whereas before it does not appear that any such had been seen in Judæa or Syria.

1 Macc. vi. 34.We read in the Maccabees, that the Elephants of Antiochus Eupator’s army had the blood of grapes and mulberries shewn them, that thereby they might be animated to the combat, to accustom them as it were to the sight of blood: for naturally this animal is not sanguinary, nor cruel. 3 Macc. v.In another place we see it was usual to intoxicate them by giving them wine mixt with incense, or with parcels of incense, which parcels were dipt in the wine in order to make the fumes of it the stronger, and consequently more proper to intoxicate the Elephants, with a design to have them crush the Hebrews to death under their feet, who were in Egypt. This is a kind of punishment which the Ancients were unacquainted Vide 1 Macc. xi. 7. Joseph. Antiq. l. 13. c. 8, 9.with.

ELEUTHERUS, a river in Syria, the source whereof lies between Libanus and Antilibanus. After it has watered the valley situated between these two mountains, it discharges itself into the Mediterranean towards Arad. Several place Eleutherus very improperly between Tyre and Sidon. It was a great way beyond these northward.

Vide Reland. Palæstin. 1. l. 2. c. 5. p. 422.ELEUTHEROPOLIS, a City in the Tribe of Judah, whereof there is no mention in the sacred writings; but it must have been very celebrated in the time of Eusebius and St. Jerom, since they generally take from hence the distance of the southern cities of Judah. It was an episcopal city of Palestine, as appears from the old ecclesiastical Registers. It is something singular, that it should be so hard to fix so remarkable a City in the map, which was the settled point from whence Eusebius and St. Jerom determined the distances and position of other cities. We know from Josephus, that it was twenty miles from Jerusalem. Antoninus, in his Itinerary, informs us, that it was four and twenty miles from Askelon, and eighteen miles from Lydda. Eusebius places it at five miles distance from Gath, six from Lachish, five and twenty from Gerar, twenty from Jattir, and eight from Keilah.

1 Chron. xi. 26.ELHANAN, the son of Dodo; the same probably with Elhanan the son of Jair, which St. Jerom translates, Adeodatus filius 2 Sam. xxi. 19.Saltûs.

ELI, High-Priest, of the race of Ithamar, died in the year of the World 2888, before Jesus Christ 1112, before the Vulgar Æra 1116, after having been forty years Judge of 1 Sam. iv. 18.Israel; from the year of the World 2848, to 2888. He succeeded Abdon, and was himself succeeded by Samuel, in the government of the people: but in the High-Priesthood he was succeeded by his third son Abitub. While Eli judged the people, and governed them in all Affairs civil and religious, Samson performed the office of a Deliverer and Defender of Israel against their enemies, particularly against the Philistins.

How Eli came to the High-Priesthood, and how this dignity was transfer’d from Eleazar’s family to that of Ithamar, of which Eli was descended, is what we are not informed of. There are some who believe, that the High-Priesthood was conferred on Eli, by reason of the negligence, the minority, or want of proper qualifications in those of Eleazar’s family. Others assert, that this dignity was bestowed on him in consideration of his Office as Judge of Israel. It is certain, that this was not done without an express declaration of God’s will; as we may gather from the language of the man of God, who was sent to reproach him with the ill conduct of his sons: I chose the house of Aaron thy father to offer upon mine altar, and to exercise my Priesthood; wherefore therefore have ye trampled under foot my sacrifice, and honoured thy sons above me? Wherefore thus saith the Lord, I said indeed, that thy house, and the house of thy father should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me, I will honour; and they that despise me, shall be lightly esteemed. The prophet added, that the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, should die both in one day; that God would transfer the Priesthood to another family, and that Eli’s family should fall into contempt and indigence.

These predictions were verified, when in the reign of Solomon, the exercise of the High -Priesthood was taken from Abiathar, of 1 Kings ii. 26. In the year of the World 2990, before J. C. 1010, before the Vulg. Æra 1014. 1 Sam. ii. 12, 13, 22, 23. 1 Sam. ii. 27, 28.Eli’s family, and reserved to Zadoc only, who was of the race of Eleazar. Eli’s great fault was his negligence, and too great indulgence to his sons. He was not unacquainted with the disorders which they committed in the Tabernacle, and the scandal which they gave by their ill-conduct. But instead of punishing them, and removing them from the sacred ministry, he was satisfied with saying to them, Why do you all these things which I am informed of, and all the people talk of? Do so no more, my sons; it is very uneasy to me to hear that you induce the people of the Lord to violate his commands. If one man offends against another, God may be made propitious to him: but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall pray for him? But his sons did not hearken to the voice of their father; and when the prophet, above-mentioned, declared to him the calamities with which his family was threatned, we do not see that this kindled his zeal, or encreased his just severity to his sons.

1 Sam. iii. 1, 2, 3, &c. In the year of the World 2861. Samuel being born in 2849, was then twelve years of Age.God once more admonished him by Samuel, who was then a child, and said to him, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it, shall tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end. I will judge his house for ever; and his iniquity shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever. Eli having heard these things from the mouth of Samuel, made no other reply than this, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good. God still defer’d the execution of his vengeance seven and twenty years, and it was the year 2888, before Jesus Christ 1112, before the Vulgar Æra 1116, when the sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were put to the sword by the Philistins, the Ark of the Lord was taken; and Eli himself, upon the receipt of this melancholy news, fell backward from 1 Sam. iv. 12, 18. Joseph. Antiq. l. vi. c. 7.his chair, and broke his neck. According to Josephus, and the most common opinion in this particular, he was succeeded by Ahitub his third son, as others will have it, by Ahiah. It is certain that Ahiah was High-Priest in the beginning of Saul’s reign. Several of 1 Sam. xiv. 18.the Ancients have been inclined to rank Samuel among the Jewish High-Priests, but it is very clear, that he was not of the priestly race, but of the stock only of the Levites.

ELI, who is named by St. Luke iii. 23. as the last of our Saviour’s Ancestors according to the flesh, is the same probably as Joachim the father of the blessed Virgin, and mentioned in several old monuments, which are very much respected among the eastern people.

ELI, Eliakim, Hilkiah, and Joachim are almost the same name, and we shall hereafter observe the same High-Priest to have been called Hilkiah, Joachim, and Matth. xxvii. 46. אלי אלי למה עזבתניEliakim.

ELI, that is to say, My God. Our Saviour when he was upon the cross, cried out, Eli, Eli, Lama Sabacthani, or rather, Lama Sabadetani; My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? which is taken from Numb. i. 9.Psalm xxii. 1.

I. ELIAB, the son of Helon, Prince of the Tribe of Zebulun.

II. ELIAB, the son of Jesse, David’s brother, 1 Sam. xiv. 6.

III. ELIAB, the son of Elkanah, and father of Jeroham, of the Tribe of Levi, 1 Chron. vi. 27.

IV. ELIAB, one of those brave men, who were distinguished in David’s army. He came and joined this Prince at Ziklag, while he was flying from the persecution of 1 Chron. xii. 9.Saul. He is called Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 1 Chron. xi. 33.

I. ELIADAH, the son of David by one of his concubines, 2 Sam. v. 16. 1 Chr. iii. 8.

II. ELIADAH, the father of Rezon, 1 Kings xi. 23.

III. ELIADAH, one of the Generals of King Jehoshaphat’s army, 2 Chron. xvii. 17.

Ezra x. 21, 26.ELIAH. We find two men of this name in Ezra, who dismissed their wives when they returned from the captivity, because they had married them against the prescription of the Law.

I. ELIAKIM, of the race of the Priests, he returned from Babylon with Zerubabel, Nehem. xii. 41.

II. ELIAKIM, the son of Hilkiah, steward of the houshold to King Hezekiah. The Hebrew text may be so construed as to 2 Kings xviii. 18.signify, that he had the care of the Temple, or the house of God; for House absolutely taken, often signifies the Temple. It is our opinion, that Eliakim was the son of 2 Kings xviii. 18, 26, 37. xxii 8, 10. xxiii. 4. 24.Hilkiah the High-Priest, who lived in the reign of Hezekiah; and that he succeeded his father, and enjoyed the dignity of High -Priest under Manasseh. He was Isai. xxii. 20, 21. Judith iv. 5. Judith. xv. 9.High-Priest during the siege of Bethulia. He is sometimes called Jehoiakim; and there is a great deal of probability, that he is the same as Hilkiah, who lived in the reign of Josiah, and afterwards.

2 Kings xxii. 4.III. ELIAKIM, King of Judah, surnamed 2 Chron. xxxiv. 9. Baruch i. 7.Jehoiakim. He succeeded his brother Jehoahaz, and did evil in the sight of the Lord. See hereafter Jehoiakim, and 2 Kings xxxiii. 34, 35.

IV. ELIAKIM, the son of Abiud, and father of Azor, Matth. i. 13.

I. ELIAM, the father of Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, who became afterwards the wife of David, and mother of Solomon, 2 Sam. xi. 3.

II. ELIAM, the son of Ahitophel, of the 2 Sam. xxiii. 34.city of Gelon, and one of the thirty gallant men in David’s army.

ELIAS, see ELIJAH.

ELIASAPH, the son of Deuel, was Prince of the Tribe of Gad, in Moses’s time, Numb. i. 14.

ELIASHIB, High-Priest, of the race of Joseph. Antiq. l. 2. c. 5.Eleazar. He succeeded Joiakim, whom Josephus mentions as living in the reign of Xerxes. He was High-Priest in the time of Nehemiah, and lived in 3550. We neither know particularly the year of his death, nor the duration of his Pontificate. He was called likewise Joasib and Chasib. His successor was Joiada or Juda, Neh. xii. 10.

Judith i. 6.ELIATHAH, the eighth son of Heman. His business was to sing before the Ark of the Lord. He was in the twentieth Class of Levites, 1 Chron. xxv. 27.

ELICIANS. In the book of Judith there is mention of Arioch, King of the Elicians. The Greek and Syriac read, Arioch, King of the Elymæans, or people of the land of Elam in Media, or in the ancient country of the Persians. We see in Genesis, Arioch King of Ellasar; this Kingdom of Ellasar might very well be that of the Elicians.

ELIDAD, the son of Chislon, of the Tribe of Benjamin, was one of the Deputies appointed to make a division of the land of Canaan, Numb. xxxiv. 21.

I. ELIEL, of the Tribe of Manasseh, a very valiant man, who lived in the time of Jotham King of Judah, and Jeroboam II. King of Israel, 1 Chron. v. 34.

II. ELIEL, a Levite of Kohath’s family, 1 Chron. vi. 34.

III. ELIEL. We find two more of this name among those brave men, who followed David in his misfortunes during the persecution of Saul, 1 Chr. xi. 46.

Gen. xxiv. 2, 3. D’Herbelot Bibl. Orient. p. 261. Dameschack. In the year of the World 2148, before J.C. 1852, before the Vulgar Æra 1856.I. ELIEZER. The Mussulmen call him Dameschack, or Damascennis, and believe him to have been a black slave given to Abraham by Nimrod, at the time when he saw him, by virtue of the name of God, walking out of the midst of the flames, into which he had been cast by his orders. Abraham conceived such an affection for him, that he gave him the inspection of his whole family, and before the birth of Isaac designed him even for his heir. Abraham upon his arrival in Syria, built a city there, which he called by the name of his slave, Dameschack: this is the city of Damascus, so celebrated at this day. Others believe with more probability, that Eliezer was a native of Damascus, and that he had a son whom Abraham intended for his heir. See Gen. xv. 1, 2, 3. and the Commentators on this place.

When Abraham had resolved to send Eliezer into Mesopotamia, he said to him, Put thy hand under my thigh, and promise with an oath never to take any Canaanite for a wife to my son. But thou shalt go into the country, where my relations live, and there take a wife unto my son Isaac. If the woman will not come, thou shalt be no longer obliged by thy promise; only bring not my son thither again. Eliezer performed what his master required of him, and departing with many camels, and rich presents, he went to the city of Nahor in Mesopotamia.

When he arrived near a well without the city, he made his Camels kneel in

order to repose themselves, and begged of God to discover to him by some sign the person whom he appointed to be Isaac’s wife. Let it come to pass, said he, that the Damsel to whom I shall say, let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink, and she shall say drink, and I will give thy Camels drink also; let the same be she whom thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac. Scarce had he finished his prayer, when Rebekah the daughter of Bethuel, Isaac’s cousin german, appeared, with a pitcher of water upon her shoulder. Eliezer desired some of her; immediately she let down her pitcher, and let him drink, and offered to give water to his camels also. Eliezer charmed with this happy adventure, made her a present of two pendants for her ears, and two gold bracelets, asked her who she was, and if he could lodge at her father’s house. Rebekah told him that she was the daughter of Bethuel, and that there was every thing at her father’s house, which was necessary either for himself or his retinue. Eliezer bowed his head very low, returned thanks to God, and declared that he belonged to Abraham.

Rebekah ran immediately with this news to her mother, and her brother Laban went to Eliezer, in order to conduct him to the house. When they were ready to sit down to table, Eliezer said, he would not eat, till he had made known the subject of his errand. He related to them therefore his journey, and what happened to him at the city-gate with Rebekah, and concluded with desiring her in matrimony for Isaac. Laban and Bethuel her brothers answered, The Lord hath sufficiently declared his will in this affair, and we cannot oppose it; take her, carry her with thee, and let her be wife to thy master’s son. Eliezer hereupon bowed very low, made great presents to Rebekah, her mother, and her brothers; after which they sat down to table.

The next day Rebekah’s mother and her brothers desired Eliezer, that the young woman might continue with them at least ten days: but Eliezer replied, that he could not defer his return: and they said, call the Damsel, and let us ask her opinion. When she came, they said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? she answered, With all her heart. They therefore suffered her to go, and Eliezer set out that very day for Beersheba, where Abraham at that time dwelt.

II. ELIEZER, the son of Moses and Zipporah, was born at Midian while Moses Exod. ii. 18, 22. 1 Chr. xxiii. 17.his father abode in this country. He had a son whose name was Rehabiah. Some⁵ have thought, that what is related Exod. iv. 24, 25. of an Angel’s meeting Moses, when he was upon his return from Midian into Egypt is to be understood, as if this Angel intended to kill Eliezer, because he was not circumcised. The Scripture does not say very clearly, whom the Angel had a design upon, whether Moses or Eliezer; and there are different opinions concerning it.

III. ELIEZER, a Levite, blowed the trumpet before the Ark, when David removed it to Jerusalem. 1 Chr. xv. 24.

IV. ELIEZER, the son of Zichri, of the Tribe of Reuben; he commanded four and twenty thousand men of his Tribe in the reign of Solomon. 1 Chr. xxvii. 16.

V. ELIEZER, the son of Dodavah, a Prophet, who foretold Jehoshaphat King of Judah, that the ships which he had equipped in conjunction with the impious Ahaziah, King of Israel, should be disabled in the port of Ezion-geber, without being in a condition to proceed on the intended 2 Chr. xx. 37.voyage to Tarshish.

VI. ELIEZER, a Levite, who when the Jews returned from the Babylonish captivity, dismissed his wife, because he had married her contrary to the disposition of the law. Ezra x. 23.

VII. ELIEZER, the son of Jorim one of our Saviour’s ancestors after the flesh. Luke iii. 29.

ELIHOREPH, one of Solomon’s Counsellors. 1 King iv. 3.

I. ELIHU, the son of Shemaiah, one of those brave men of the Tribe of Manasseh, who followed David’s party during his flight in Saul’s reign. 1 Chr. xii.20.

II. ELIHU, one of the porters of the Temple, appointed by David. 1 Chron. xxvi. 7.

III. ELIHU, David’s brother, head of the Tribe of Judah. 1 Chr. xxvii. 18.

IV. ELIHU, one of Job’s friends, descended from Nahor. Job xxxii. 2. xxxiv. 1, &c. xxxvi. 1, &c.

ELIJAH, or Elias, a famous Prophet, a native of the town of Tishbe, situated beyond Jordan, in the land of Gilead. Some⁶ make him a Priest descended from Aaron, and say, one Sabaca was his father. But these particularities which are taken notice of neither in the Scripture nor in any of the Ancients, are of no great authority. Several of the fathers⁷ were of opinion, that he lived in a single state, and with unspotted purity. This Prophet was raised up by God, to be set like a wall of brass, in opposition to Idolatry, and particularly to declare against the worship of Baal, which Jezebel and Ahab had introduced in Israel. The first time the Scrip

ture speaks of Elijah, it represents him to 1 Kings xvii. 1, 2. In the Year of the World 3092, before J.C. 908, before the Vulg. Æra 912.us, saying unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

At the same time the Lord commanded him to retire and conceal himself beyond Jordan, near the brook Cherith. He obeyed, and God sent Ravens to him every morning and evening, who brought him flesh and bread; and he drank water from the brook⁸. But the brook being dried up by reason of the heat, God bid Elijah go to Zarephath, a city of the Sidonians, where he should find a widow, who would supply him with food. He went thither, and when he was at the city-gate, he perceived a widow woman gathering sticks, from whom he desired a little water to drink; and as she was going to fetch it, he called to her and said, Bring me, I pray thee, also a morsel of bread: she answered, As the Lord liveth I have no bread, but only an handful of meal, and a little oil in a cruse, and I am now gathering some sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. Elijah said to her, Make me first a little cake, and bring it me, and after make for thee and thy son: for thus saith the Lord, the barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth. It fell out as he foretold, and he dwelt at this In the Year of the World 3093, before J.C. 907, before the Vulg. Æra 911. 1 Kings xvii. 17.widow’s house.

Some time after, this woman’s son fell sick and died. The mother overwhelmed with grief, came to Elijah, and said, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? Art thou come here to renew the memory of my sins, and to kill my son? Elijah said to her, Give me thy son: and taking him in his arms, he laid him upon his bed, and cried unto the Lord, begging the restitution of the child’s life. After this he laid himself three times upon the child, stretching himself upon his little body; and the Lord heard the Prophet’s voice, and restored In the Year of the World 3096, before J.C. 904, before the Vulg. Æra 908. 1 Kings xviii. 1, 2, &c.the child to life.

Three years after, the Lord commanded Elijah to go to Ahab King of Israel. In the mean time the famine being very extreme at Samaria, Ahab sent some of his people throughout all the country to enquire after some place, where they might find forrage for the subsistence of their cattle. Obadiah, one of the officers of the King’s houshold being employed in this search, Elijah presented himself before him, and directed him to go tell Ahab, Behold Elijah is here! Obadiah excused himself, saying, As soon as I am gone from thee, the Spirit of the Lord shall carry thee whither I know not, and when Ahab cannot find thee, he will slay me. Elijah said, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew my self unto him this day. Obadiah therefore went immediately, and informed Ahab, who came without delay to meet Elijah, and as he drew near to him, accosted him in this manner: Art not thou he that troubled all Israel? Elijah answered, I have not troubled Israel, but thou and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim. Now therefore assemble all Israel upon Mount Carmel, and bring thither the four hundred and fifty Prophets of Baal, with the four hundred Prophets of Astarte, who are supported at Jezebel’s table, and we will see whether your Religion or mine be the true one.

Ahab therefore convened the people of Israel, and the false prophets of Baal and Astarte on Mount Carmel; and Elijah said to them, How long will ye halt between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him; if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered not a word. Elijah then added, I only remain a Prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s Prophets are four hundred and fifty men; let them give us two bullocks, they shall sacrifice one, and I another. The bullock upon which fire shall descend from Heaven, shall discover him to be the true God, to whom it is sacrificed. The proposition was accepted by the people; Baal’s Prophets prepared their Altar, sacrificed their Bullock, and placed it on the Altar, and began to call upon their Gods. And as Baal continued deaf to their invocations, they leaped upon the Altar, and made incisions after their manner in their bodies, crying aloud with all their force. In the mean time Elijah insulted them, saying, Cry louder, for Baal is perhaps asleep, or upon a journey, and does not hear you.

But at last mid day being past, Elijah called the people, repaired the Altar of the Lord before them which had been broken down, took twelve stones in memory of the twelve Tribes of Israel, and with them built a new Altar. He made a trench, and as it were two ridges round about, prepared the wood, cut the bullock in pieces, laid it on the Altar, poured three several times abundance of water upon the wood, and the burnt sacrifice, so that the water ran about the Altar, and the trench was full of it. After this, he called upon the Lord, and besought him to declare in a miraculous manner that he was the only true God. At the same time, the fire of the Lord fell upon the Altar, and consumed the wood, the burnt-sacrifice, the stones, and the very dust of the place. Where

upon all the people fell upon their faces to the ground, saying, The Lord is the true God. At the same time Elijah exhorted the people to take the false Prophets of Baal, and not suffer one of them to escape. They accordingly took them, carried them down from the mountain, and slew them all at the brook Kishon.

After this, Elijah said to Ahab, Go eat and drink, for I hear the noise of abundance of rain; whereof, notwithstanding at that time there was no appearance: but the Prophet knew that a very great quantity of it would fall that very day. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, and throwing himself down upon the earth, he put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, Go up, look toward the Sea, and observe, if you can discern any thing. He went six times without seeing any thing: but the seventh time Gehazi came and told him, that he saw a cloud rising out of the Sea, as large as a man’s hand. Elijah therefore said to his servant, Go, and say unto Ahab, prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. The King got into his chariot, and went to Jezreel. Elijah, for his part, girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab’s chariot; and the rain fell in great abundance.

Jezebel, the wife of Ahab, being informed that Elijah had put to death all the Prophets of her Gods, sent notice to him, 1 Kings xix.that the next day she would take away his life. The Prophet hereupon fled as far as Beer-sheba, in the most Southern part of the Tribe of Judah. As soon as he arrived there, he dismissed his servant, and pursuing his journey farther into Arabia Petræa, he walked all day, and in the evening being extremely fatigued, he laid himself down under a Juniper-tree, and prayed to God to take him out of the world. At the same time an Angel touched him, and said, Arise and eat. He arose, and looking near the place where his head lay, he saw a cake baked on the coals, and a cruse of water; he therefore eat and drank, and laid down again and slept. The next day the Angel again awakened him, and said, Rise and eat, because the journey is too great for thee. He rose, eat and drank, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights, unto Horeb the mount of God.

When he was come thither, he lodged in a cave, and the Lord said unto him, what doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I am very jealous for the Lord of Hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine Altars, and slain thy Prophets with the sword, and I, even I only am left, and they seek my life to take it away. The Lord said, Go forth, and stand at the entrance of thy cave upon the mountain. When he was there, the Lord made him hear a strong wind passing by, but the Lord was not in this impetuous wind; after this, the Earth trembled, but the Lord was not in the Earthquake; after the Earthquake there was a Fire, but the Lord was not in the Fire; after the Fire there was heard the breathing of a gentle Wind, which was the sign of God’s presence. At this instant, Elijah threw himself prostrate on the Earth, and covered his face in his mantle. The Lord asked him as before, What dost thou here, Elijah? he answered, I have been very jealous for the Lord, because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine Altars, and slain thy Prophets with the sword, and I only am left, and they seek my life to take it away.

The Lord said to him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be King over Syria, and Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be King over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat shalt thou anoint to be Prophet in thy room. Whosoever escapeth the sword of Hazael, shall Jehu slay; and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu, shall Elisha slay. Nor do thou think, that thou only hast continued faithful to my covenant, for I have reserved seven thousand men in Israel, who have not bowed their knees to Baal, who have not adored him, by lifting up their hands to their mouths and kissing them.

Elijah therefore departing from Mount Horeb, went into the Tribe of Ephraim, near Abel-meholah, where he found Elisha plowing with twelve yoke of Oxen, upon whose shoulders he threw his mantle, and declared the will of God to him, who called him to the prophetick ministry. Elisha immediately left his oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, Permit me, I pray thee, to go and embrace my father and mother, and after this duty is paid, I will follow thee. To which Elijah replied, Go, and return; for, as for my part, what I had to do, I have performed.

Some years after, Ahab having taken In the Year of the World 3105, before J. C. 895, before the Vulg. Æra 899. 1 Kings xxi. 1, 2, 3, &c. 1 Kings xxi. 17, 18.Naboth’s vineyard, and Jezebel condemned this honest Israelite unjustly, as will be observed in the Article Naboth; the Lord commanded Elijah to go to Ahab, and reproach him with the crime which he had committed. Elijah therefore met this Prince, who was going to Naboth’s vineyard, in order to take possession of it, and said to him, Thus saith the Lord: Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? In the very place where the dogs lick the blood of Naboth, shall they lick thy blood also. And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O my Enemy? And he answered, I have found thee, because thou hast sold thy self to

work evil in the sight of the Lord. Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity from off the Earth; I will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, because thou hast made Israel to sin. And farther, the sentence which the Lord hath pronounced against Jezebel, is this, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. If Ahab die in the city, the dogs shall eat him; if in the fields, the fowls of the air shall prey upon him. Ahab hearing these words, rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, fasted, lay in sackcloth, and walked with his head hanging down. Whereupon the Lord said to Elijah, Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days, but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.

Abaziah King of Israel, being dangerously wounded by a fall from the platform 2 Kings i. 3.of his house, sent some of his people to consult Baal-zebub, the God of Ekron, and know whether he should recover of his illness. In the Year 3108, before J. C 892. before the Vulg. Æra 896.But the Angel of the Lord directed Elijah to go and meet the King of Samaria’s messengers, and say to them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baal-zebub the God of Ekron? Now therefore, saith the Lord, thou shalt not rise up any more from the bed on which thou liest, but shalt die most certainly. And when he had said thus, he departed. They, who had been sent by Ahaziah being returned, related to him, what had happened to them, and that a stranger had told them, that he should most surely die. The King asked them, what sort of a man he was, who spoke to them? they answered, that he was an⁹ hairy man, girt about with a leathern girdle on his loins. By these marks Ahaziah knew it was Elijah.

He immediately sent a Captain to him, who commanded fifty men with his company; the officer coming up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of an hill, said, Thou man of God, the King commands thee to come down. Elijah answered, If I am a man of God, let fire come down from Heaven and consume thee and thy fifty men. The Prophet’s words were immediately followed with effects; the Captain was destroyed by fire from Heaven, with all his company. The King having again sent another, he likewise was consumed. At last a third going to Elijah, threw himself at his feet, and conjured him to save his and his people’s lives. Then the Angel of the Lord ordered Elijah to go down with him; he therefore descended In the Year of the World 3108, before J. C. 892, before the Vulgar Æra 896. 2 Kings ii. 1, 2, 3.from the hill, and followed him; and when he appeared before the King, he repeated to him what he had already told his messengers, that he should not recover of this disease: and accordingly he died in a short time after.

Elijah having understood by revelation, that God intended very soon to transport him out of this world; he was desirous to conceal the miracle of his remove from Elisha his inseparable companion. But God discovered it not only to Elisha, but to other Prophets of Bethel and Jericho. Elijah therefore said to Elisha, Tarry thou here, because the Lord hath sent me to Bethel; to which Elisha answered, As the Lord liveth, I will not leave thee. When they were at Bethel, Tarry thou here, said Elijah, for the Lord hath sent me to Jericho. But Elisha again replied, that he would not forsake him. When they were at Jericho, he desired Elisha to stay there; for, said he, the Lord hath sent me to Jordan. But Elisha swore, as he had done before, that he would not be separated from him. They went therefore together towards Jordan, and fifty of the sons of the Prophets at a distance followed them. When therefore they were come to the banks of Jordan, Elijah took his mantle and folding it together, he struck the waters with it, which instantly divided into two parts, and they passed over on dry ground.

Isa. xl. 2.When they were got over, Elijah said to Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee before I be taken away from thee. I pray thee, said Elisha, let a double portion of thy Spirit be upon me: that is to say, obtain the gift of prophecy from God for me, in the same measure, that thou possessest it. Double may signify, like; or, give me a double share in thine inheritance, and double portion of thy Spirit, the gift of prophecy, and that of miracles in a degree double to that wherein thou doest possess it. Or, lastly, double may signify abundance, as in these passages; She hath received of the Lord’s hand double, &c. and, Jerem. xvii. 18.destroy them with double destruction.

Elijah answered him, Thou hast asked me a very hard thing; nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. As they continued their journey, a fiery chariot with horses of fire, on a sudden separated them from one another, and Elijah was carried in a whirlwind up to heaven. Elisha, at the same time, cried out, My father, my father, thou who art the chariot of Israel, and the conductor of it. After this, he saw him no more; and gathering up the mantle, which Elijah had let fall as he was ascending up to heaven, he

returned to the banks of the river Jordan, took Elijah’s mantle, smote the waters with it, which at his first striking them did not divide, but upon repeating this ceremony, they parted asunder, and he passed through them.

Hereby the Prophets of Jericho and the places adjacent were convinced, that the spirit of Elijah had rested upon Elisha; and when they met him, they desired him to give them leave to send fifty strong men in search after Elijah, believing that the Spirit of God might perhaps have transported him into some desart and remote place. Elisha told them, that this was to no purpose. Notwithstanding they went, but after they had spent three days in their pursuit, and sought in vain for him, they returned. This happened in the year of the World 3108, before the birth of Jesus Christ 892, before the Vulgar Æra 896.

Eight years after the miraculous ascension In the year of the World 3116, before J. C. 884, before the Vulgar Æra 888. 2 Chron. xxi. 12.of Elijah, letters were brought to Jehoram King of Judah from the prophet Elijah, the substance whereof was this: Thus saith the Lord God of David thy father, because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa King of Judah, but hast walked in the way of the Kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredom of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father’s house, which were better than thy self; behold, with a great plague will the Lord smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods. Thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out, by reason of the sickness day by day.

There are some who believe, that this Ita Hebræi. Tirin. Mariana. Menoch. Jun. Piscat. Kimchi. Grotius in 2 Chr. xxi. 12.letter was written from the place where the prophet Elijah is at present; others are of opinion, that it was sent before the prophet’s transportation; others again, that Jehoram dreamt all this. There was a book extant formerly¹⁰ with this title, The Prophecy, or Revelation, or Ascension of Elijah, from whence St. Paul is thought to have borrow’d these words, cited by him 1 Cor. ii. 9. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entred into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. The Rabbins in their Seder olam, or the Succession of Ages, say, that Elijah is at present employ’d in writing the Acts and Events of all the several Ages of the World.

Elijah and Enoch are believed to be still at this day living, and by some it is imagined, that they are to come at the end of the world, in order to encounter Antichrist. Both Jews¹¹ and Christians¹² have embraced this opinion; and the following words in the Revelations are generally explained as relating Rev. xi. 3.to this their coming; I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

Gemar. Sanhedr. c. xi. §.29. Gemar. Aboda Sarae. c. 1. &c. e If. Voff. de Sybillin. orac. c.8.Lastly, the Jews make one Elias or Elijah, whome some have taken for the Prophet we have been speaking of, to be the author of a prophecy, declaring it to be a tradition from the house of Elijah, that the world will last six thousand years, viz. two thousand years without the Law, two thousand under it, and two thousand more under the Messiah. But so many years of the Messiah’s period as are expired without his appearing, have so passed away by reason of our sins. There is a great deal of probability, that this tradition proceeds from an Elijah more modern than the Tishbite; as well as the three books which we are told of¹³, intitled, 1. The grand Order of Elijah; 2. The petty Order of Elijah; and, 3. The Cave of Elijah.

Ecclus. xlviii. 1, & seq.The Author of Ecclesiasticus has dedicated an encomium to the memory of Elijah, wherein he has given an epitome of his life, and his true character. Then stood up Elias the prophet as fire, and his word burnt like a lamp. He brought a sore famine upon them, and by his zeal he diminished their number. By the word of the Lord he shut up the heaven, and also three times brought down fire. O Elias, how wast thou honoured in thy wondrous deeds! and who may glory like unto thee! who didst raise up a dead man from death, and his soul from the place of the dead by the word of the most High. (He speaks here of the widow’s son of Sarepta.) Who broughtest Kings to destruction, and honourable men from their bed. (He means Ahab, Ahaziah, and Jezebel, to whom he foretold the great misfortunes which would befall them.) Who heardest the rebuke of the Lord in Sinai, and in Horeb, the judgement of vengeance. Who anointedst Kings to take revenge, (Jehu and Hazael) and Prophets to succeed after him. (Elisha was Elijah’s successor.) Who wast taken up in a whirlwind of fire, and in a chariot of fiery horses. Who wast ordained for reproofs in their times, to pacify the wrath of the Lord’s judgement before it brake forth into fury, and to turn the heart of the father to the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.

The Author of the book of Ecclesiasticus Mal. iv. 6.alludes here to this passage in Malachi, Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. This is what must be executed at the consummation of ages, before the last Judgement. But our Saviour informs us in the Gospel, Matth. xi. 14. xvii. 10, 11, 12.that the prophet Elijah is already come in the spirit, in the person of John the Baptist; and the Evangelists tell us, that in the transfiguration of our Saviour, Elijah and Matth. xvii. 3, 4. Mark ix. 3. Luke ix. 30.Moses both appeared and conversed with him concerning his future passion.

Many of the Jews were persuaded that Elijah was the same as Phinehas the son of Eleazar, and grandson to Aaron, by reason of the great zeal which both expressed for God’s glory; an opinion founded on the doctrine of the transmigration, which is common among the Mahometans, among many of the Jews, and among some eastern Christians; for we know that Phinehas lived many ages before Elijah.

Lastly, many of the Jews in our Lord’s Matth. xvi. 14. Mark vi. 15. Luke ix. 8.time believed Elijah to be risen from the dead in his person, or that the soul of Elijah had passed into the body of Jesus Christ.

The Mussulmen relate, that one Kheder D’Herbelot. Bibl. Orient. p. 491. Ilia. & 992. Kheder.or Khizin, General of Alexander’s troops, not Alexander the Great, but one more ancient of the same name, had the good fortune to find the fountain of life, which Alexander had for a long time sought in vain. Kheder drank large draughts of it, and so became immortal. He is called Kheder, which signifies verdant, because from that time he enjoyed a flourishing and immortal life. Kheder is, according to them, Elijah, who lives in a place of retirement, in a delicious garden, where the fountain of life runs, and the tree of life is to be found, by the help whereof his immortality is preserved: there it is that he expects the second coming of Jesus Christ, at which Elijah is to appear once more in the world.

The Magi of Persia pretend, that their master Zoroastres was one of the prophet Elijah’s disciples; at least that their ancestors were instructed by the disciples of the two prophets Elijah and Elisha. This fiction is founded on Elijah’s procuring fire 1 Kings xviii. 24.to fall from heaven, and his being carried 2 Kings i. 10, 12.away in a fiery chariot; the disciples of Zoroastres esteeming this element as the 2 Kings ii. 11. Ecclus. xlviii. 9.principal object of their worship.

ELIKA, the Harorite, one of the thirty brave officers, who had principal commands 2 Sam. xxiii. 25.in David’s Army.

ELIM, the seventh incampment of the Israelites in the wilderness, where they found twelve fountains, and seventy palm-trees. From Elim they went to the wilderness of Sin.

ELIMELECH, of the City of Bethlehem, and husband to Naomi, of whom he had two sons Mahlon and Chelion. There being a great famine in the land, Elimelech was obliged to retire with his wife and children to the land of Moab, where he died at ten years end, as did also Mahlon and Chelion, whom he had married to two Moabitish women, named Orpah and Ruth, of whom we shall speak under their proper Author. Tradit. Hebr. in Paralip. Lyran. Tost. Hebr. 1 Chron. iv. 22.Articles.

The Hebrews explain what is said in the Chronicles as relating to Elimelech; And Jokim, and the men of Choreba, and Joash, who married in Moab, and dwelt at Lehem¹⁴. Which St. Jerom has expressed after this manner in the Vulgate, Qui stare fecit solem, virique mendacii, & securus & incendens, qui principes fuerunt in Moab, & qui reversi sunt in Lehem. Jokim is Elimelech. His name signifies, He hath put a stop to. And the Hebrews relate, that Jokim observing his country-men, the inhabitants of Beth-lehem, to be plunged in great disorders, endeavoured to reform them by his remonstrances and miracles. He stop’d the course of the sun, as Joshua had done before him; but this prodigy producing no good effect upon the Bethlemites, he foretold that a remarkable famine would happen; which did so accordingly, and obliged him to retire into the land of Moab, with his two sons, called, as they say, in the Chronicles, The men of lyes, because they had no children. There they married and dwelt at Bethlehem; not they themselves in person, for they died among the Moabites, but in the persons of Naomi their mother, and Ruth her daughter-in-law, who there married Booz, by whom she had Obed, David’s grandfather. But these are particulars, which we set down as so many Rabbinical Fables.

I. ELIOENAI, the son of Neariah and one of his concubines.

II. ELIOENAI, the son of Asiel, of the Tribe of Simeon. 1 Chr. iv. 36.

III. ELIOENAI, the son of Becher, of the Tribe of Benjamin. 1 Chr. vii. 8.

IV. ELIOENAI, the son of Asaph, one of the porters of the Temple. 1 Chr. xxvi. 3.

V. ELIOENAI, the son of Zerahiah, who after that the Jews returned from Babylon, separated from his wife, because she was of a foreign religion. Ezra viii. 4. and x. 22.

ELIONEUS, High-Priest of the Jews: he succeeded Matthias the son of Ana-

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