Assur, sonne of Sem, or Ninus King of Assirians.writers, who this Assur is. Briefly, we may either say with [1] Iosephus and S. Augustin, that Assur the sonne of Sem built a citie, which afterwards Ninus of Chams race enlarged, enriched, and changing the name called it Ninum: or els that this word Assur here signifieth (as 4. Reg. 15. Psal. 82. Esaie 10. & 31.) the king of Assirians, to wit Ninus the sonne of Belus, who as al histories greeke and barbarous report (saith S. Hierom) was the first that raigned ouer al Asia, and among the Assirians built Ninum a citie of his owne name, which the Hebrewes cal Niniue. He set vp the Monarchie of the Assirians, called the golden Kingdom, which stood 1240. yeares: and made his father Belus to be honoured for a god. To whom the Babylonians, as Plinie testifieth, first erected statuas, altars, and temples. First false Gods.Iud. 19. Num. 25. 4 Reg. 1. 3 Reg. 16.Of this Belus or Bel of Babylon were also deriued other false Gods, as Belial the God of Libertines, or without yoke, Beelphegor God of the Moabites, Beelzebub of the Acharonites, Baal in Samaria, Baalim amongst the Philistims, and the like in other nations.
32. The Nations.) How manie Nations & tongs were in the world immediately after the towre of Babylon, is more commonly supposed then cleerly shewed by old or late writers. Only it seemeth certaine and euident, that there were iust as manie tongs as Nations. The common opinion of 72. tongs is not cleere in Scripture.But to find precisely (as the common opinion holdeth) 72. is hard. For in this chapter (where they would count this number) are not mentioned so manie. Neuertheles if we adde certaine that began distinct Nations afterwards, til Iacob with his children went into Ægypt (in whom only the Hebrew Nation and tong continued to Christs time) the number wil come right. Yet this number of nations & tongs may be probably gathered in this and other places of Genesis.Of Iapheth were borne 7. sonnes chiefe of Nations. Againe of Gomer (besides his supposed successour, who can not be counted beginner of an other distinct nation) came 2. other heads. S. Aug. 16. c. 3. ciuit.Likewise of Iauan (besides his first sonne) rose 3. more nations. Of Cham by his first sonne Chus were 6. nephewes Princes of nations. Againe of Regma (besides his successour) came one more. And Nemrod, besides his Kidgdom of Babylon, raised vp other 6. By his second sonne Mesraim came 8. nations, Chams third sonne Phut made only one nation. And Chanaan his sonnes made 11. more. Of Sem (last mentioned for better connecting the maine Historie and succession of the Church) came the chiefe and principal Nation the Hebrewes, descending from him by Arphaxad, Sale, Heber, and so directly to Iacob. The Hebrewes chiefe of these nations.Of Sem also were borne 4. other sonnes beginners of nations. Againe of Aram (besides his first sonne) were 3. fathers of nations. Likewise of Heber (besides the Hebrewes descending by Phaleg) were borne to his other sonne Iectan 13. heades of nations. Gen. 24
19.
17.
25, 6
25, 23.These are al that are named in this place: to wit, of Iapheth, 12. of Cham 33. and of Sem 21. which make in al 66. wherunto if we adioyne Nachor (Abrahams brother) Moab, and Ammon (Lots sonnes) also Ismael (Abrahams eldest sonne) and his issue by Cetura, and finally Esau (Iacobs brother) who made 6. more distinct nations, the whole number is 72. This probable collection, with the rest, we submit to better iudgement.
- ↑ li. 1. Antiq. c. 4. Li. 16. c. 3. ciuit. Euseb. in chron.
