Of southmost Abarim; in Hesebon
And Horonaim, Seon's realm, beyond

The flowery dale of Sibma clad with vines,
And Eleäle to the Asphaltic pool.

410

Peor his other name, when he enticed
Israel in Sittim, on their march from Nile,

To do him wanton rites, which cost them woe.
Yet thence his lustful orgies he enlarged
Even to that hill of scandal, by the grove
Of Moloch homicide; lust hard by hate;

415

Nebo, a city eastward, afterwards belonging to the tribe of Reuben. [Numb. xxxii. 38.] Abarim, a ridge of mountains, the boundary of their country to the south: [called also Nebo and Pisgah: Deut. xxxii. 49. xxxiv. 1.] Hesebon or Heshbon, and Horonaim, Seon's realm, two cities of the Moabites, taken from them by Sihon king of the Amorites, Numb. xxi. 26. [Isaiah xv. 5. Jer. xlviii. 3.] Sibma, [or Shibmah, Numb. xxxii. 38.] a place famous for vineyards, as appears from Jer. xlviii. 32. O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for thee. [Isaiah xvi. 8. 9.] Elealè, another city of the Moabites: [Elealeh, Numb. xxxii. 3. 37. Isaiah xvi. 9.] not far from Heshbon. Asphaltic pool, or Dead Sea, so called from the Asphaltus or bitumen abounding in it; the boundary of the Moabites (with the Jordan) to the West.' N.-'The Asphaltic Pool or Lake, is not mentioned in the Scriptures by this name, but it is there called the Salt Sea, Gen. xiv. 3. It is supposed to have been turned from a pleasant plain into a dismal lake, at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, which stood there. It is seventy miles in length, and sixteen over. Though so large, yet Milton, by the figure meiosis, gives it the diminutive name of a Pool. Thus Virgil puts gurges for the open sea, Æn. i. 122. 'Apparent rari nantes in gurgite vasto." MASSEY.

413. Sittim, or Shittim, in the plains of Moab; where there died of the plague 24,000. See Numb. xxv.

415. orgies: from the Gr. opyta, (Th. ¿pyǹ, rage) properly the frantic rites of Bacchus.

416. 1 Kings xi. 7. Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.'

420

Till good Josiah drove them thence to hell.
With these came they, who, from the bordering flood
Of old Euphrates to the brook that parts
Egypt from Syrian ground, had general names
Of Baälim and Ashtaroth; those male,
These feminine for spirits, when they please,
Can either sex assume, or both; so soft
And uncompounded is their essence pure;
Not tied or manacled with joint or limb,
Nor founded on the brittle strength of bones,

425

Like cumbrous flesh; but, in what shape they choose, Dilated or condensed, bright or obscure,

Can execute their aery purposes,

430

And works of love or enmity fulfil.

For those the race of Israel oft forsook

Their living Strength, and unfrequented left
His righteous altar, bowing lowly down

To bestial gods; for which their heads as low

435

418. See 2 Kings xxiii. 13. 14. 2 Chron. xxxiv. 4. 419. the bordering flood of old Euphrates. It is rightly called old, being mentioned by the oldest historian in the earliest accounts of time, Gen. ii. 14. And it is likewise called the bordering flood, being the utmost limit or border eastward of the Promised Land, according to Gen xv. 18. 'Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates ;' and the Psalmist speaking of the vine that was brought out of Egypt, says, Ps. lxxx. 11. She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river,' i. e. from the Mediterranean to the river Euphrates: to the brook that parts Egypt from Syrian ground, most probably the brook Besor mentioned in Scripture: (near Gaza: 1 Sam. xxx. 21.)' N.

423. The general names of the gods and goddesses of Syria, Palestine, and the neighbouring countries. The sun and moon and host of heaven, are supposed to be meant. Judges ii. 11.

435. See Judges ii. 13. 14. 21. Thus Judah, under Rehoboam, for their idolatry, were defeated by Shishak king of Egypt, and

Bow'd down in battle, sunk before the spear
Of despicable foes. With these in troop
Came Astoreth, whom the Phoenicians call'd
Astarte, queen
of heaven, with crescent horns ;
To whose bright image nightly by the moon
Sidonian virgins paid their vows and songs;
In Sion also not unsung, where stood

Her temple on the offensive mountain, built
By that uxorious king, whose heart, though large,
Beguiled by fair idolatresses, fell

To idols foul. Thammuz came next behind,

440

445

the temple and palace plundered: 1 Kings xiv. 22-26. Manasseh also, for the same sin, was carried captive to Babylon: 2 Chron. xxxiii. 11.

bestial Gods: literally so, as the golden calves: Exod. xxxii. 1-6. 1 Kings xii. 28-32. the brazen serpent, to which the children of Israel offered incense, and which the pious king Hezekiah brake in pieces: 2 Kings xviii. 4. 'the sea-monster Dagon:' see below 462. Also Ezek. viii, 10.

438. Astoreth or Astarte was the Goddess of the Phoenicians, and the moon was adored under this name. She is rightly said to come in troop (in company) with Ashtaroth, as she was one of them, the moon with the stars. She is called queen of Heaven, Jer. vii. 18. xliv. 17. 18. 19. 25. the goddess of the Zidonians, 1 Kings xi. 5. the abomination of the Zidonians, 2 Kings xxiii. 13. as she was worshipped very much in Zidon or Sidon, a famous city of the Phoenicians, upon the Mediterranean. Solomon, who had many wives that were foreigners, was prevailed upon by them to introduce the worship of this Goddess into Israel, 1 Kings xi. 5. and built her temple on the mount of Olives, hence called the mount of corruption, 2 Kings xxiii. 13. as here by Milton, the offensive mountain, and before, that opprobrious hill, and that hill of scandal.' N.

439. Horace Carm. Sæc. 35. Siderum regina bicornis, audi, Luna.'

444. heart, though large: 1 Kings iv. 29. And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand is on the sea-shore.'

446. 'Thammuz was the god of the Syrians, and the same with

Whose annual wound in Lebanon allured
The Syrian damsels to lament his fate
In amorous ditties all a summer's day;
While smooth Adonis from his native rock
Ran purple to the sea, supposed with blood
Of Thammuz yearly wounded: the love-tale
Infected Sion's daughters with like heat;
Whose wanton passions in the sacred porch.
Ezekiel saw, when, by the vision led,
His eye survey'd the dark idolatries
Of alienated Judah. Next came one

Who mourn'd in earnest, when the captive ark
Maim'd his brute image, head and hands lopp'd off
In his own temple, on the grunsel edge,
Where he fell flat, and shamed his worshippers:
Dagon his name, sea-monster, upward man,
And downward fish: yet had his temple high
Rear'd in Azotus, dreaded through the coast
Of Palestine, in Gath and Ascalon,

450

455

460

465

Adonis. He was slain by a wild boar in mount Lebanon, from whence the river Adonis descends; and when the river began to be of a reddish hue, as it did at a certain season of the year, this was their signal for celebrating their Adonia or feast of Adonis, and the women made loud lamentations for him, supposing the river was discoloured with his blood. The like idolatrous rites were transferred to Jerusalem, where Ezekiel saw the women lamenting Tammuz: viii. 13. 14. 16. (and men worshipping the sun.)' N.

451. Ovid, Fast. vi. 565. ed. Keightl.flumenque Toleni Purpureum mixtis sanguine fluxit aquis.'

458. See 1 Sam. v. 4.

460. grunsel for groundsill, or groundsell, threshold.

464. The five principal cities or lordships of the Philistines, were Azotus or Ashdod, Gath, Ascalon or Askelon, Accaron or Ekron, and Gaza. 1 Sam. vi. 17.

And Accaron and Gaza's frontier bounds.
Him follow'd Rimmon, whose delightful seat
Was fair Damascus, on the fertile banks
Of Abbana and Pharphar, lucid streams.
He also against the house of God was bold:
A leper once he lost, and gain'd a king;
Ahaz, his sottish conqueror, whom he drew
God's altar to disparage and displace
For one of Syrian mode, whereon to burn
His odious offerings, and adore the gods

Whom he had vanquish'd. After these appear'd
who, under names of old renown,

A crew,

Osiris, Isis, Orus, and their train,

470

475

466. Gaza's frontier bounds. It was the southern extremity of the Promised Land towards Egypt; so mentioned by Moses, Gen. x. 19.' N.

467. Rimmon, a Syrian idol: 2 Kings v. 18.

469. The valley of Damascus, which lay between Libanus and Antilibanus, was washed by five rivers, the two principal of which descended from mount Hermon, namely, Abana and Pharpar; the latter of which flowed by the walls of Damascus, and the other through the city, and divided it into two parts, 2 Kings v. 12. Damascus is perhaps the most ancient city in the world, that is now standing, and retaining its first name; for it was in being in Abraham's time, above 3600 years ago. Josephus says that it was built by Uz the son of Shem and grandson of Noah.' MASSEY.

471. A leper: Naaman the Syrian : 2 Kings v. 17.

472. Ahaz king of Judah, with the assistance of the king of Assyria, having taken Damascus, saw there an altar, and sent a pattern of it to Jerusalem to have another made by it. On his return he removed the altar of the Lord from its place, and set up this new altar in its stead, and offered thereon, 2 Kings xvi. 10.; and instead of the God of Israel, sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, whom he had subdued. 2 Chron. xxviii. 23.' N.

478. Osiris and Isis were the principal deities of the Egyptians by which it is most probable they originally meant the sun and moon. Orus was the son of Osiris and Isis, frequently confounded with Apollo; and these and the other gods of the Egyp