III.

2.

I fhall begin with the fettlement of Aram, as being the SECT. First nation of the branch of Sem, adjoining to the nations of the branch of Japhet already spoken of. For the portion that fell to the nation of Aram lay in the countries called by the The nation Greeks Armenia, Mefopotamia, and Syria. It is probable, of Aram, that Armenia took its prefent name from Aram. Mefopo- ed. tamia, as it was fo called by the Greeks from its fituation between the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, fo it was called by the Hebrews Aram-Naharaim, i. e. Aram of or between the two

rivers.

where feat

3. Padan-A

And whereas one part of this country, viz. that lying next to Armenia, was very fruitful, and the other to the south, very ram, what, barren, and so of the like foil with Arabia Deferta, to which and where. it adjoined, and under which it was by fome writers comprehended; hence the upper and northern part of Mesopotamia is that, which in Scripture is diftinguished by the peculiar name of Padan-Aram, and in Hofea xii. 13. by the name of Sedan-Aram: both which names are of a like importance, and denote as much as fruitful or cultivated Aram.

4.

Aram and

fwers to the

Though the Hebrew word Aram be frequently rendered Syria, yet it must not be thought that they are words exactly Syria, how equivalent. The word Syria may indeed be sometimes ufed far one anin old authors, to denote not only Syria commonly fo called, other. but also Mefopotamia. And hence it is that Jacob, called in the Hebrew an Aramite, is agreeably enough faid in our Verfion to be a Syrian; namely, either as being descended of Syrians or Mefopotamians, or elfe as dwelling many years in the country of Syria. For by Syria (Hof. xii. 12.) must be understood Mefopotamia, as is evident from the words immediately following, wherein it is faid, that Ifrael ferved for a wife, and for a wife kept sheep; which was done in Mefopotamia. But then as to the country commonly called Syria, the name of Aram appertained only to part of that, namely, to fo much of it as fell to the nation of Aram; that is, the northern and eastern parts thereof. For as to Phoenicia and Paleftine, though they are esteemed as parts of Syria, yet did they not belong to Aram, but fell to the lot of Canaan. From the Hebrew name Aram, the old Greeks feem to have denoted

G4

III.

CHAP. denoted the inhabitants of the parts that fell to Aram, by the name "Agu, Arimi; which therefore we meet with in old Homer, Iliad ii. ver. 783. The name Syri, or Syria, is not to be found in that ancient author, as being probably of a latter date, derived namely from Sor or Tyre, which is likewise never mentioned by Homer, as being likely not then grown famous, if built.

5.

The fituation of Uz,

fon of A

ram.

6.

tion of Hul, fon of Aram.

Proceed we now to find out the first fettlements of the families of the nation of Aram, which are reckoned four, according to the number of Aram's immediate fons mentioned by Mofes, viz. Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mafh. As for Uz, he is by a great agreement of the ancients faid to be the builder of the city Damafcus: whence it may be reasonably fuppofed, that the land of Uz mentioned in Scripture did denote the country about Damafcus, fo as to comprehend a good part of Arabia Deserta, and to extend itself to Arabia Petræa. And in this latitude both what is faid in Scripture concerning Job's living in the land of Uz, as alfo of Edom's being in the land of Uz, is applicable enough to the country fo denominated from Uz, the son of Aram, at the first plantations; and there is no need of making two other diftinct lands of Uz, called fo one from Uz, the fon of Nahor, brother of Abraham, the other from Uz, a defcendant of Edom. In process of time, the city Damascus became the capital of a kingdom, as we read in Scripture; which kingdom feems to be that which is denoted in the facred writings by the name of Aram Dammesek, that is, Syria Damafcena.

The family of Hul, or, as it is written agreeably to the oriThe fitua- ginal word, Chul, may with great probability be placed in Armenia, particularly the greater Armenia. For there we find the names of several places, beginning with the radicals of Chul; as Cholua, Choluata, Cholimna, Colfa, Colura, and to mention but one more, Cholobetene: which last seems to have been formed from the oriental Cholbeth, which denotes the fame as the house or dwelling of Chol. Now this Cholobetene being the name of a province in Armenia, from this especially we may gather with good probability, that Chul with his family feated himself in these parts.

Between

III.

7.

Mash, or

Between Hul to the north, and Uz to the fouth, their bro- SECT. ther Mash seated himself, namely, about the mountain Masius, which is probably enough thought to have taken its name from him. From this mountain issues out a river of Mefo- The fituapotamia, called by Xenophon, Mafca; which is likewife tion of with good probability conjectured to have been fo named from Mehoch, this Mafh, or, as he is otherwise called in the Scripture, Meshech, the radicals whereof are plainly contained in the name Masca. The inhabitants of the tract adjoining to the mountain Mafius, are by Stephanus exprefsly called Mafieni, or Mafiani. So that here may be placed very reasonably the first settlement of Mash, or Meshech.

fon of A

ram.

8.

The fettle

ment of

of Aram.

But it is not fo clear, where the remaining fon of Aram, namely Geter, fettled himself. Bochartus thinks the river Centrites, which is faid by old writers to part the Carduchi Geter, fon from Armenia, might originally be called Getri, from Geter's feating himself in these parts. Others have in Ptolemy obferved a city of Albania, which borders on Armenia, to be called formerly Getaræ, and a river of the fame country to be called Getras. And indeed thefe names carry in them fuch an affinity to Geter, as to make it probable that this might be the first fettlement of Geter.

9.

Of the na

tion of Af

Shem.

Pass we on now to the nation of Asfhur, which lay on eastward to the nation of Aram, and which is by universal confent efteemed to fix itself in the country, called Asfhur in the east- fhur, fon of ern tongues, in the western Affyria, from the founder of this nation. But by Affyria is here to be understood the country, properly and originally fo called, that is, the country lying east of the Tigris, and wherein stood the city of Nineveh; and which afterwards was peculiarly diftinguished by the name of Adiabene. Which word the Greeks, after their wonted manner, deriving from words of their own language, thought this country was fo called as being 'Adalaros, unpaffable, namely, by rea-. son of the many and large rivers running therein. But Ammianus Marcellinus acquainting us, that there are in these parts two rivers, one named by the Eafterns Diavas, the other Adiavas; it is likely that this tract took the name of Adiabene from one or both of the faid rivers. Bechart obferves,

that