types, personal or real, is shortly touched. Whatever I knew of, in history, correspondent to scripture-predictions, relative to persons, nations, churches, or cities, is briefly related; and except where the predictions were exceeding numerous, as in the article CHRIST, CHURCH, HEBREWS, have quoted the prophetic passages, that the readers, by viewing them in their Bibles, and comparing them with the history here exhibited, may perceive the exactness of their accomplishment. Perhaps it may be necessary to observe, (1.) That I have only hinted the significations which words have in the Bible. (2.) That I have omitted many words, which could be rendered no plainer; or that expressed the name of a person or city, of which almost nothing was known; or no more than is plainly hinted in the inspired passage where it is found. (3.) That the mark at the end of an article, signifies, that there are other persons, or things of the same name, but of which nothing important is known. (4.) That a word, different from that of the article, printed in capitals, often refers the reader to its own article. (5.) That the mark † in quotations, signifies a marginal reading. (6.) That, by observing what words in a text are most hard to be understood, and observing the first three letters of a word, and their order in the alphabet, and seeking for the like word here in the same order, one is to expect to have it explained. (7.) Where two or more words, and names of persons or places, are almost alway connected, one will ordinarily find the explication or account, under the word that is first in order in the scripture-text; and where the same person or thing has different names, the explication is to be expected under that which is most common, or which comes first in the order of the alphabet. (8.) Few fancies of the Christian fathers, or of the Jewish or Mahometan writers, are here inserted, as I knew not how they could be of use: nor have I insisted on criticisms of the original words, as these could have been of small use to many of the readers; and the learned can find plenty of them in the latter editions of Leigh's Criticia Sacra; or in Gussetius' Hebrew Commentaries; Hiller's Onomasticon; Glassius, Whitby, &c. (9.) I have not wilfully kept back the solution of any difficulty; but it is often given, especially in historical articles, without the least critical noise or parade. I have bestowed no small pains in rendering this edition considerably more perfect than the former. If God bless it for promoting the knowledge of his word, and the edification of his church, I shall esteem my labour richly rewarded. Under the ARTICLE BIBLE, add, The New Testament was published in the Croation language, by Tu ber Creim, and two others, in 1562 and 1563. The Welch Bible was translated by William Morgan and Richard Davis, in 1588. The Malagan Bible was translated by Brower and Valentin, two Dutch divines. The Iceland Bible was translated by Thorlak, and published in 1584. The Grison Bible was translated by Coire, and published in 1720. By whom the Hungarian, Georgian, and Earse Bibles were translated, I know not. sioning their aggravated labour and About two months after, while the ARON, a Levite, the son of Amram, and brother of MoSES and Miriam. He was born in the year of the world 2430, about a year before Pharaoh order-gypt, fought with Amalek in Rephied the male infants of the Hebrews dim, Aaron and Hur attended Moto be slain. When he was grown ses to the top of an adjacent hill, and up, he married Elisheba the daugh- held up his hands, while he continuter of Aminadab, a chief prince of ed encouraging the struggling Hethe tribe of Judah, and had by her brews, and praying for victory to four sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar them, id. xvii. 10,-13. At Sinai, and Ithamar, Exod. vi. 20, 23. He he, with his two eldest sons, and was an holy and compassionate man, seventy of the elders of Israel, acan excellent speaker, and appointed companied Moses part of his way up of God to be spokesman for his bro-to the mount; and, without receivther Moses to Pharaoh, and the He- ing any hurt, had very near and brews; id. iv. 14,-16. Along with distinct views of the glorious symbols his brother, he intimated God's gra- of the divine presence, when the cious purpose, of their speedy deli- Lord talked with Moses, id. xxiv. verance, to his distressed kinsmen; 1, 2, 9,-11. Almost immediately and, in the name of God, demanded after, he and his posterity were diof Pharaoh an immediate allowance vinely chosen, to execute the office for them to go into the wilderness of priesthood among the Jews, till of Arabia, to serve the Lord their the coming and death of the promisGod. Pharaoh ordered Aaron and ed Meffiah, id. xxix, Scarce was Moses to be gone from his presence, this distinguished honour assigned and increased the Hebrews' servi- him, when, to mark his personal intude, denying them straw where- sufficiency for recommending others with to make their bricks. Aaron to the favour of God, he himself fell. and Moses were hereupon upbraided into the most grievous crime. The and cursed by their brethren, for Hebrews solicited him to make them asking their admiffion, and so occa- gods, to be their directors, instead of Moses, who still tarried in the mount. I should taste wine when he was going to officiate in holy things. Aaron was entirely resigned to this just but awful stroke; nor did he and his surviving sons make any lamentation for them, except forbearing to eat the flesh of the people's sin-offering that day, id. x. He ordered them to bring him all their pendants and ear-rings; these were brought, perhaps more readily than he expected: Having collected them into a bag, he caused melt them down into a golden calf, in imitation of the ox Apis, which the natives, and probably too many of the Hebrews, had adored in Egypt. This idol he ordered them to place on a pedestal, to render it the more conspicuous he appointed a solemn feast to be observed to its honour, and caused to proclaim before it, "These be thy gods, O Israel, "which brought thee out of the land "of Egypt.' While he was thus occupied, Moses descended from mount Sinai, and sharply reproved him for his horrid offence. Amidst the deepest confusion, he attempted to excuse himself, by laying the blame on the wickedness of the people; and by a false and stupid pretence, that he had but cast the earrings into the fire, and the golden calf had been formed out of them by mere chance,id. xxxii. Aaron heartily repented of this scandalous crime; and, with his four sons, was, about two months after, solemnly invested with the sacred robes, and consecrated by solemn washing, unction and sacrifices, to his office of priesthood, Lev. viii. He immediately offered sacrifices for the congregation of Israel; and, while he and his brother Moses blessed the people, the sacred fire descended from heaven, and consumed what lay on the brazen altar, id. ix. His two eldest sons, perhaps intoxicated with wine, drunk at their consecration, instead of taking sacred fire from the brazen altar, took common fire to burn the incense with on the golden altar; provoked with their inattention and disobedience, God immediately consumed them with a flash of lightning; and ordered, that henceforth no priest It was perhaps scarce a year after, when Aaron and Miriam, envying the authority of Moses, rudely upbraided him for his marriage with Zipporah the Midianitess; and for overlooking them in the constitution of the seventy elders. Aaron, whose priestly performances were daily necessary, was spared, but Miriam was smitten with an universal leprosy. Aaron immediately discerned his guilt, acknowledged his fault, begged forgiveness for himself and his sister; and that she might speedily be restored to health, Numb. xii. It was not long after, when KORAH and his company, envying the honours of Aaron, thought to thrust themselves into the office of priests. These rebels being miraculously destroyed by God, the Hebrews reviled Moses and Aaron as guilty of murdering them; the Lord, provoked herewith, sent a destructive plague among the people, which threatened to consume the whole congregation. Aaron, who had lately, by his prayers, prevented their being totally ruined along with Korah, now generously risked his own life for the deliverance of his ungrateful and injurious brethren: he ran in between the living and the dead, and, by offering of incense, atoned for their trespass, and so the plague was stayed. To reward this benevolent deed, and prevent future contention about the priesthood, God confirmed it to Aaron, by making his rod, all of a sudden, when laid up before the mercy-seat, blossom and bear almonds; while the rods for the other Hebrew tribes continued in their withered condition, Numb. xvi. and xvii. |