xxxiii.12.

Benjamin's Claim is, by the generality of Interpreters, juftified from the celebrated Prediction of Mofes concerning this Tribe, before his Death. And of Benjamin be Deut. faid, The beloved of the LORD fhall dwell in fafety by him; and the LORD fhall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his fhoulders. Befides which, it is exprefly faid, The children of Benjamin did Judges i. not drive out the Jebufites that inhabited 21 Jerufalem; but the Jebufites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerufalem unto this day. Whence we may conclude, that the City of Jerufalem came to be affign'd to both thefe Tribes, because of the Bigness of it; and which has led fome to think that part of the Temple itself stood upon the Portion of the Tribe of Benjamin.

Be that as it will, these two Tribes fo border'd upon each other, and remain'd fo closely attach'd in Fealty to Rehoboam, when the other ten went off from him, that thenceforward they were look'd upon as united by a kind of Coalition; and were both of them call'd and known by the Name of Judah.

But

But as God had defign'd Jerufalem for the Place of his Worship, David having, by divine Appointment, obtain'd the Crown, immediately fet himself about driving the Jebusites out of that City. And 2 Sam. v. taking the strong Hold of Zion, fortify'd it, and built a Citadel there, and call'd it The City of David; repairing, beautifying, and much enlarging the whole beyond its ancient Boundaries.

7.

Upon one Part of the Hill of Sion, (which confifted of feveral Mounts) he built the Royal Palace, and fet up the Ark of the Covenant; upon another, call'd Mount Moriah (even the fame on which Abraham was directed to offer up his Son Ifaac) he intended to build the Temple; but, being restrain'd by a fpecial Meffage from God, he left that Work for his Son and Succeffor Solomon to perform; who began and finish'd it, accordingly, with great Magnificence: and, for the Defence of it, built a Fort upon a third Mount of the Hill; as * Jofephus affures

us.

*V. Book of Wars. VII. of Antiquit.

SECT.

SECT. V.

The BABYLONISH Captivity.

However, in the fifth Year of Rebo- 2 Chron. boam, Son of Solomon, (one who forfook xii. 2. the Law of the LORD) Shifhak King of Egypt came up against Jerufalem, with a great Force, and fack'd the City; and took away the Treasures out of the House of the LORD, and out of the House of the King.

xxxii. 5.

Afterwards, in the Reign of Hezekiah, Sennacherib, King of Affyria, fent a great Army and laid clofe Siege to it. Upon this, Hezekiah fortify'd and repair'd it; 2 Chron. and the Hand of the LORD being with him (for he was a pious, good King) the Affyrians, after a Time, were forc'd to raise the Siege, not being able to take the City. Yet, after this, it was taken and plunder'd three feveral times by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon; first, in the Reign of Jehoiakim; again, in that of Jeboiachin, his Son; and a third time, in that of Zedekiah his Brother: when he burnt the whole City, demolish'd the Walls

and

and Fortifications of it, and carried away all the People to Babylon.

SECT. VI.

Their Return to their own Land.

Upon their being permitted to return by Cyrus King of Perfia, after they had remain'd in Captivity Seventy Years, Zerubbabel rebuilt the Temple, and Nehemiah the City; and Ezra, the Priest and Scribe, reftor'd the Law. And thus they stood, till the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, who plunder'd the City, burnt the Law, and profan'd the Temple.

But all was foon after fet right again by the valorous Conduct of Judas Maccabeus; and they continued in a flourishing Condition for many Years; 'till Hyrcanus and Ariftobulus, two Brothers, contending about the Crown, Pompey, who happen'd at that time to be at the Head of the Roman Army in Syria, took Advantage of this Diffenfion, and feiz'd the City'; which Antigonus the Son of Ariftobulus, by the Affiftance of the Parthians, foon after recover'd,

From

From him it was presently after taken by the first Herod, who, by the Favour of the Romans, and the Affistance of their Proconful of Syria, was declared King thereof.

Thenceforward it continued in Subjection, fometimes to the Herods, but mostly to Governors fent from Rome, till, because of the rebellious Difpofition of its Inhabitants, it was, as we before obferv'd, together with the Temple, utterly deftroy'd and levell'd with the Ground, by Titus the Son of Vefpafian Cafar. After which, the Jews never attempted more to return to it.

CHA P. IV.

SECT. I. Their Religious Affairs.

TH

HE LAW, as was obferv'd before, confifting of two Parts; one relating to the religious Worship of God, the other to the civil Duties of Man; it is but reafonable that we should treat of that Part,