n the vineyards, and Sabdi over the store of the wine; Baal Hanan over the olive trees, and Joash over the store of the oil; also that he had herdmen that had charge over his cattle, both in the high lands and in the plains, over his sheep, camels, and asses. And this custom of enriching themselves by husbandry and cattle the ancient kings every where held, both before and after David's time. For we read of Pharaoh, that he spoke to Joseph to appoint some of his brethren, or of their servants, to be rulers over his cattle. We read of Uzzia, that he loved husbandry, had much cattle, and ploughmen, and dressers of vines: likewise we read it in all Greek poets, that the wealth of the ancient kings did especially consist in their herds and flocks, whereof it were needless to cite Augeas and Admetus, or any other, for examples, the rule holding true in all. Now concerning David, it is not unlikely, but that those captives which were not employed in husbandry, were many of them used by him in all sorts of gainful professions, as the ancient Romans in like manner used their slaves. To these profits (besides the tributes and impositions which doubtless were great, and besides the innumerable presents which yearly were brought him, or extraordinarily sent him, by Tehu and others) we may add the great spoils which he found in the cities and countries which he conquered; also the head-money which was gathered per legem capitationis, "by the law of capitation," or head-money, every man, rich or poor, paying half a sicle of the sanctuary, which is about as much as fourteen pence, and so in all it amounted to a wondrous sum in that kingdom; wherein 1,570,000 fighting men were numbered by PJoab. Now although this law of capitation be thought by some very learned not to have been perpetual, (which opinion of theirs nevertheless they confess is against the Hebrew expositions,) yet David upon this occasion is not unlikely to have put it in practice. And by these means might he be able to leave those huge treasures to Salomon. Yet it may seem, that • 2 Chron. xxvi. n Gen. xlvii. RALEGH, HIST. WORLD. VOL. II. M m PI Chron. xxi. of this great mass of gold and silver left by David, the least part was his own in private, and so will it appear the less wonderful that he left so much. Of his own liberality we find that he gave to the building of the temple 3000 talents of gold, and 7000 talents of silver, a great sum, but holding a very small proportion to the other. Wherefore we are to consider, that the treasures of the sanctuary itself were exceeding great, as needs they must have been, having received continual increase, without any loss or diminution, ever since the time of Moses and Joshua. The revenues of the sanctuary (besides all manner of tithes and oblations, which defrayed the daily expenses, and maintained the priest and Levites) were partly raised out of the headmoney before mentioned; partly out of the spoils gotten in For all the booty was divided into two parts, whereof the soldiers had one, and the people which remained at home had the other half; whereby all the country received benefit of the victory, yet so that the soldiers had a far greater proportion than the rest, as being fewer, and therefore receiving more for every single share. war. Out of this purchase was deducted the Lord's tribute, which was one in fifty of that which the people received, and one in five hundred of that which was given to the soldiers; namely, one hundred and one thousandth part of the whole booty. So in the spoil of Midian, 32,000 women being taken, the army had 16,000 of them for slaves, and the congregation had other 16,000; but out of the 16,000 given to the army were exempted thirty-two for the Lord's tribute. Out of the people's number were taken 320. By this means, the lesser that the army was which had exposed itself to danger, the greater profit had every soldier; but when it consisted of many hands, they who remaining at home were fain to undergo more than ordinary travel in domestical affairs, did receive by so much the greater portion. But the Lord's tribute was always certain, yea, many times it was increased, either by some especial commandment, as when all the gold, and silver, and other metals found in • Numb. xxxi. 27. Numb. xxxi. 40. Jericho were consecrated unto God; or by thankfulness of the rulers and people, as when, after the victory obtained against the Midianites without the loss of one man, all jewels, bracelets, earrings, and the like, were offered up as voluntary presents. Now howsoever the Israelites were many times oppressed, and trodden down by other nations, yet were not these treasures robbed or spoiled; for the enemies never gat possession of the tabernacle that was in Shilo. Wherefore it cannot otherwise be, than that the wealth of the sanctuary must have been exceeding great; as containing above one hundredth part of all the money and other goods found by the Israelites in the whole land of "Canaan, and of all that was purchased by so many victories as they obtained against the bordering nations. For that this treasury was not defrauded of the due portion, it is evident; seeing that, before the time of David and his lieutenant Joab, it is recorded, that Saul and Abner, and before them Samuel, had used to dedicate of the spoils obtained in war to maintain the house of the Lord: the like whereof may be well presumed of the former judges and captains in other ages. Certain it is, that the conquest of David brought into the land far greater abundance of riches than any former victories had purchased, those of Joshua perhaps excepted; but these vast sums, of an hundred thousand talents of silver, may seem rather to have been made up by the addition of his winnings and liberality to the treasures laid up in many former ages, than to have been the mere fruits of his own industry. Now concerning the riches of Salomon, it is more manifest how he gathered them; for he received of yearly revenues, with his tributes, 666 talents of gold, besides the customs of spices. He had also six rich returns from the East Indies, which greatly increased his store. For his ships performed that voyage every three years, and he began that trade in the twenty-second year of his reign, and • Josh. vi. 19. Numb. xxxi. 50. " I Chron. xxvi. 27, 28. * A talent of gold is 770 French crowns, 1 Kings x. 14. ruled forty years. Besides this, all Judæa and Israel were now mastered to his hands; all the Arabians his borderers, the Syrians of Zobah, of Damascena, of Palmyra, of Ituræa; all of y Idumæa, Moab, and Ammon, paid him tribute; as likewise did the Hittites, who with the Perizzites, Hevites, Jebusites, and other races of the Canaanites, were not as yet extinguished, though subjected. Into this flourishing estate was the kingdom of Israel reduced by David, who, after forty years' reign, and seventy years of life, died in a good age, full of days, riches, and honour, and was buried in the city of David. It is written by a Josephus, that there was hid in David's tomb a marvellous quantity of treasures, insomuch as Hyrcanus, (who first of the Chasmanæi, or race of the Maccabees, called himself king,) 1300 years after, drew thence 3000 talents, to rid himself of Antiochus, then besieging Jerusalem; and afterwards Herod opening another cell, had also an exceeding mass of gold and silver therein. And it was an ancient custom to bury treasure with the dead. So the Peruvians and other Americans did the like, which being discovered by the Spaniards, they enriched themselves by nothing so much in their first conquest. That Salomon did bury so much treasure in his father's grave, it would hardly be believed, in regard of the great exactions with which he was fain to burden the people, notwithstanding all the riches which he got otherwise, or which were left unto him; were it not withal considered, that his want of money grew from such magnificent employments. Particularly of the sepulchre of David the scriptures have no mention, but only the sepulchres of the kings of Juda, as of an honourable place of burial. Yet the monuments of those kings, as (by relation of the duke of bUlika) they remained within these thirty years, and are like to remain still, are able to make any report credible of the cost bestowed upon them. y 1 Kings ix. 20. and x. 29. 1 Chron. xxix. 28. a Jos. Ant. 1. 7. b Peregrinat. Hierosol. D. N. Ch. Radz. Epist. 2. SECT. X. Of the Philistines, whom David absolutely mastered; and of sundry other contemporaries with David. OF the Philistines, whose pride David was the first that absolutely mastered, in this conclusion of David's time somewhat here may be spoken. They descended of Casloim, who, according to Isidore, 1. 9. 19. and Jos. 1. 1. Ant. 17. was one of the sons of Misraim, and was surnamed Philistim, as Esau was surnamed Edom, and Jacob Israel. There were of them five cities of petty principalities; namely, Azotus or Asdod, Gaza or Aczaph, Ascalon, Geth or Gath, and Accaron. It seemeth that Casloim was the first founder of this nation, because of his kindred on either hand, the Canaanites and the Egyptians. The first king of these Philistines, which the scriptures have named, was that d Abimelech which loved Sara, Abraham's wife. The second Abimelech lived at once with Isaac, to whom Isaac repaired in the time of famine, Abimelech then residing at Gerar in the border of Idumæa, which Abimelech fancied e Isaac's wife; as his father had done Sara. After Abimelech the second, the Philistine kings are not remembered in the scriptures till David's time; perhaps the government was turned into aristocratical: for they are afterwards named princes of the Philistines, howsoever f Achis be named king of Gath, the same to whom David fled, and who again gave him Siklag to inhabit in Saul's time. After him we read of another Achis, who lived with Salomon, to whom Shimei travelled to fetch back his fugitive servant, what time the seeking of his servant was the loss of his life. Jeremiah the prophet speaketh of the kings of Palestine, or Philistine. Amos nameth the king of Ascalon; C1 Sam. vi. d Gen. xx. • Gen. xxvi. f Judg. xvi. 1 Sam. xviii. 29. 1 Sam. xxi. 11. 1 Kings ii. |