were spread all over the Roman Empire, numberlefs Calamities, if we may believe the Pagans, afflicted the whole World. An infinite number of fuch Examples may be found, by those that will examine the Matter curiously.

And therefore the Hebrew words can only then be explain'd by the neighbouring Languages, where the Sence and Circumstance of places will naturally lead an Interpreter to them, for the Affinity of Sound and Signification are not fufficient. Nay, the defire of extolling the mighty use of the Oriental Languages, which they learn'd with incredible Toil and Industry, feems naturally to have led fome Learned Men upon (1) feeking the Roots of the Hebrew names in those Tongues.

XI. The most infallible way to trace the Signification of an obfcure word, is, in my Opinion, taken from the comparing of places, for when any word, where-ever we find it, has one certain limited Signification that fuits it best, we cannot forbear but we must think it true; and

(1) Thus fome Learned Men have derived the word Schammim, Heavens, from an Arabick word Samaa, or Samifa, or Samava, i. c. bigh, lofty, though the latter feems rather to be derived from the former; and 'tis probable that the Appellation of the word, which fignifies Heaven, was found out before that which fignifics bigh: Thus alfo Ludolfus, whofe incomparable Skill in the Ethiopick Language, is well known in the World, maintains that the word Adama is derived from an Ethiopick Root of the fame found, which fign:fies beautiful and pleasant; and that the Earth was fo called for its being pleasant, and our first Parent for his beauty.

this

this is perform'd by the Modern Interpreters, who are furnifh'd with Lexicons and Concordances, with much greater Succefs than the Ancients could pretend to, who were deftitute of these helps. Nevertheless they have not gone fo far,as to leave no Discoveries to be made by the Diligence of Pofterity. For it often happens, while they diffent from those of former Times, because they do not comprehend the Reasons they went upon, and while they indulge them selves too much in their own Conjectures which are wholly supported by obscure or ambiguous places, that they fail of attaining the true Signification of feveral words. 'Tis not enough to find out a Signification for a word, which perhaps is not amifs, for a Translator is obliged to give the Author's true meaning, and therefore ought to confult the Ufus loquendi, which for the greatest part is best found out of the Old Interpreters and Languages. But what we endeavour'd to perform throughout the whole Work, will beft appear by reading it; and how troublesom an Employment this Collation of places is, those Perfons will foon underftand, that are pleased to make the Experi

ment.

XII. The Original of words, where it can certainly be known, does often direct us to their true Signification, and therefore the Interpreters have fpared no Pains to find out the Etymologies of obfcure words. For Example, We have fhown what the word H 2 (m) Pha.

(m) Pharaoh fignifies, by finding its Root in the Arabick, Chap.12.15.who are called (m) Hhartumim, Gen. 41. 8. we have discover'd by the Signification of the words it is compounded of. We have likewife difcover'd what are those (m) Ears which are call'd Tfenoumotb in the fame Chapter, which was fhown by no one, as we know of, before.

Bochart has borrow'd a great many things out of the fame Fountain, which he has happily made ufe of, in tracing out the Nations that are call'd by their ancient Names in the tenth Chapter of Genefis; to which we have added a few of our own, as well to confirm some of his by new Arguments, as to confute others. See what we have written concerning the name of the Tibarenes, v. 2. of the Riphui and Thogarma, v.3. of Tharfi and

(m) Pharaoh is not a proper Name, but a common Title to all the Egyptian Kings till the time of Ezekiel. O quer, fays Jofephus, 1. 8. c. 2. nar' 'Aigunlius Casa onging. Our Author derives it from an Arabick word ftill in ufe, Pharaha, fummum tenuit; and Pharahon not only fignifies the top of any thing, but the Prince of a Family. Hbartumim, which we have rendred Magicians, he deduces from the Syriack and Chaldee Roots hhor or bhavar, vidit, and toam, clandere. Claufa enim & ignota aliis hominibus videre feu fcire exiftimabantur Magi: For which reafon Aquila tranflated it xgueiasas, occultatores. As for the word Tfenomoth, which our English Bibles have rendred withered, M. le Clerk has tran flated it trita, that is, thrashed. Tfunma in Chaldee fignifies a hard Stone; fo Tfenoumoth may fignifie Ears of Corn that are thrashed by a Staff fharpned upon Stones. Isaiah 28,27. makes mention of fuch a Staff; and Thevenot, Part 2. lib. 1. c. 5. tells us, that in moft parts of the Eaft they beat out the Grain with fuch a Flail.

(n) Chit.

(n) Chittim, v.4. of the Numida and Mauri, v.6. of the Chafluchæans and Caphthoreans, V. 14.

But here also especial care is to be taken that we be not deceiv'd by the Affinity of words; to prevent which, it must be fupported by Hiftorical Authority, as Bochart has done, and we have often endeavour'd to do the fame. See for Example our Obfervations upon the name (•) Charræ, upon Gen.11.31. We must likewife take heed, not to deduce all our Reasonings from the bare Etymology, as the Rabbins often do, who have Histories ready at hand that are built upon them. Oftentimes words have so strangely deviated from their Primitive Signification into another, that those who use them do not at all think of their Original. The two Greek words Te gonewer and lover, are famous Instances

(*) By this name Bochart fuppofes Italy to be meant, but our Author concludes it to be Macedonia: 1. Because Alexander is fald, 1 Macc. 1. 1. to have come out of the Land of Chettiim; and Perfes the laft King of Macedon is in the fame Book, c. 8. 5. called the King of the Chittims. 2. Because the old name of Macedon, Máneta, Manstia, or Maxia, as we find it in Stephanus, Hefychius, and others, alludes to the word Chittim. We had not room to infert the reft.

(0) Bachart, lib. 2. c. 14. Phal. thinks it was fo called from Haran, Abraham's Brother, which is fcarce credible, fince befides the difference in writing, we are told v.28.that Haran died at Ur of the Chaldeans, and we are no where inform'd that he was ever here. Now how is it probable that this City fhould take its name from a Stranger, who perhaps never faw it in his Life, and whose Father did not build it? Our Author with more reafon derives it from Hharar exuftus, aduftus fuit, by reafon of the vaft Defarts that lay round it, burnt up with the heat of the Sun. And fuch a Defcription Plutarch gives us of it in his Life of M. Craffus, fo does Appian the Hiftorian in Parthicis, p. 141. Ed, Steph.

of the Truth of this, as we could fhew, if we were now treating of the Greek Tongue.

XIII. Furnish'd with these helps especially,not to mention any more, we begin our Tranflation and Commentary upon the Old Teftament. 'Tis true, several Learned Men have gone the fame way before us, especially in the last Age, and the beginning of this, who deferve great Commen dation for their Performances. But if we may be allow'd to speak the Truth, though they neither wanted Abilities nor Diligence, yet two things ftood in their way, which hinder'd them from giving any lafting Satisfaction to those that came after them.

The first was, The want of due Helps, which we now enjoy; for we may justly say of the Writers of this Age, that they have taken more Pains in illuftrating and cultivating the Sacred Philology, than was done in two thousand years before. Hence it comes to pafs,that we have fuch vaft numbers of excellent Works to affift us to understand the Holy Volumes. The Truth of this fufficiently appears by the Polyglott Bibles, the Lexicons,and Treatifes of all forts that adorn our Libraries, which before had no fuch Treasures in them, and the reading of our Work, wherein they are so often commended, will undeniably evince it.

The other was, The general Bent of the last Age, rather towards Theological than Grammatical Learning, by reafon of the newControverfies that then employ'd the whole Chriftian World