1 I ments about the Temple, by the Name of Nethinims. Which Name, fignifying those who are furrender'd or devoted to a peculiar Use, they obtain'd, either from their furrendering themselves up to Joshua at first, or from their being appropriated and given up to the Service of the Levites, afterward, by David's Establishment. 1 And thus we find them mention'd, and number'd at the Return from the Captivity; Of the Nethinims, whom David Ezra viii. and the princes, had appointed for the Service of the Levites, Two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of them were expressed, by name. We likewife find they were, 1 * 20. 28. at that Time, as zealous as any other, Neh. x. for the Restoration of the Law; and enter'd into a Curfe for the Observance of it. They likewife, as the Priests and Levites, had their Heads and Chiefs, who were to marshal and order them as Occafion requir'd. We are told; The Ne- ib. xi. 21. thinims dwelt in Ophel: and Ziha and Gifpa were over the Nethinims. *It is most likely they were fo called from the firft; though the Generality of Interpreters, derive it from the latter. SECT. SECT. XVI. The NAZARITES. So much, for those Perfons who were employ'd in the Administration of Religious Affairs, in the Service of the Tabernacle and Temple. We have yet, under the Name of Holy Perfons, fome others to treat of; fuch as in the old Testament, we find, were call'd Nazarites, Prophets, and Scribes. Of thefe, in their feveral Turns. We will begin with the Nazarites : who were a kind of Religious, that confecrated themselves to God by a Vow for a Time; whereby, they likewise bound themselves to certain Rules and Abftinences, during the whole Time of their Vows. What the Law injoins concerning them, Numb. vi. 1, &c. is as follows; When either man or woman Shall Separate themselves, to vow a vow of a * Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD. He shall separate himself from wine and ftrong drink,and shall drink no vinegar *Which Word fignifies One that is separated. of of wine or vinegar of ftrong drink; neither Shall be drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moift grapes or dried. All the days of his feparation, fhall be eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the busk. All the days of the vow of his feparation, there shall come no razor upon bis bead; until the days be fulfill'd, in which he feparateth himself unto the LORD, be fhall be holy; and fhall let the locks of the hair of his head grow. He shall come at no dead body. He shall not make himfelf unclean (mourn) for his father, or for bis mother, for his brother, or for his fifter, when they die. And, if any man die very fuddenly, by him, and he hath defiled the head of his confecration; then he shall fhave his head, in the day of his cleanfing; on the feventh day fhall be have it: and on the eighth day, he shall bring two tur-. tles, or two young pigeons, to the Prieft, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And the Priest fhall offer the one for a fin-offering, and the other for a burntoffering, and make an atonement for him, and fhall ballow his head that fame day. And he shall confecrate unto the LORD the days of his feparation; and fhall bring a lamb of the first year, for a trespass-offering: But the days that were before, shall be loft; becaufe his feparation was defiled. These were the Conditions of the Vow; then follows an Account of what Offerings were to be made, and other Particulars to be obferved, at the Expiration of the Term, for which the Vow was made. After which it is faid; This is the law of the Nazarite, who bath vowed; and of bis offering unto the LORD for his feparation, befides that that his hand fhall get. Which makes it reasonable to conclude, that this Vow was undertaken, mostly, by People in narrow Circumftances; who, having nothing else to offer, offer'd themfelves to the LORD; and therefore it was look'd upon as a very meritorious and holy Action. A Pair of Turtles, was the Offering of thofe who were not of Abi lity to afford a better. But we find, bet ter was expected, if his Hand fhou'd get it; if he throve and profper'd in the World, afterwards. We have one notable Instance of this Kind, in Samfon; concerning whom, an Angel 5. an Angel declares, even before he was conceiv'd, that no razor fhould come upon Judg. xiii. his head, for he should be a Nazarite unto God from the womb. Then the woman came and told her husband, faying, A man of God faid unto me, Behold, thou fhalt conceive, and bear a fon : and now drink no wine nor ftrong drink, neither eat any unclean thing; for the child fhall be a Nazarite to God, from the womb to the day of his death. Upon this Condition, he was to deliver Ifrael. And therefore when, afterwards, his Hair was cut off by Dalilab, his great Strength immediately left him. II. We have another Inftance in Samuel; whofe Mother vowed a vow, and faid, O 1 Sam. i. LORD of Hofts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and give unto thine handmaid a man-child, then I will give him unto the LORD, all the days of his life; and there shall no razor come upon bis head, Of the temporary Vow of Nazaritism, we have something occurs in two Places in the New Teftament: And, both, *I * Hammond thinks the first relates to Aquila, St. Paul's Companion. X 2 think, |