募 home from time to time, their riches, and moft likely would be tempted to take a part with them. Joppa ferved as a Port to Judæa and Jerufalem, and Solomon made use of it to import the materials for his buildings; for this wife Prince, fent to King Hiram, for a number of his most fkilful workmen in metals, ftone and wood, Founders, Mafons, Carvers and Architects, and then raised a Levy of thirty thousand Ifraelites no doubt to be inftructed by them, for the curious part of all the work was wrought on the Plains of Jordan. At that time all the Oriental Coaft of Africa went under the general name of Ophir, and all the Western Coast of Africa and Spain was then called Tarshish, but we do not hear of the HEBREWS having much diftant Commerce by Sea before the Navigation regularly carried on in the reign of Solomon. There were then two Fleets, one failed from Tyre under the inspection of of King Hiram, in which Solomon had a fhare, and the other was more directly fitted out by the Ifraelites. These Fleets failed through the ftraits of Gibralter quite to Guinea. Solomon carried on a Traffick with the Spice Merchants in Arabia and the South, and another profitable Merchandize with the inhabitants in the North, and he traded largely to Egypt for Linens, Yarns, Horfes and Carriages. Although the Jewifh Territories were fo fmall, the HEBREWS fo very numerous, and their Sabbatic year deprived them of the produce of one year in feven, yet they exported great quantities of Corn, Oil, Honey, Wine, and Fruits to Tyre and other Countries The Nations who were tributary to them, paid their tribute in fuch Commodities, as their Country abounded with, either for food food or raiment, and the annual Tributė to Ifrael, from Mesha King of Moab was, one hundred thousand Lambs, and as many Rams with their wool. The Additions are large to the Histo rical Parts, as in our Bibles, enough is not told of the reigns of fome of the Jewish Kings, to intereft you in their Story, for the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah and Ifrael, fo often referred to, is loft. A very humble attempt is made to separate their Reigns, occafioning much repetition, and fometimes (it mult be allowed) obfcuring the Period. Their characters, here enlarged, are held up for imitation, or portraits of Vice and Deformity. The Ifraelitish History, as conveyed down to us in the Scriptures of the Old Teftament, finishes with the Book of Efther, in a very concife and most superficial manner, it is here carried on to VOL. I d the of King Hiram, in which Solomon had a fhare, and the other was more directly fitted out by the Ifraelites. These Fleets failed through the straits of Gibralter quite to Guinea. Solomon carried on a Traffick with the Spice Merchants in Arabia and the South, and another profitable Merchandize with the inhabitants in the North, and he traded largely to Egypt for Linens, Yarns, Horfes and Carriages. Although the Jewifh Territories were fo fmall, the HEBREWS fo very numerous, and their Sabbatic year deprived them of the produce of one year in feven, yet they exported great quantities of Corn, Oil, Honey, Wine, and Fruits to Tyre and other Countries The Nations who were tributary to them, paid their tribute in fuch Commodities, as their Country abounded with, either for food food or raiment, and the annual Tributé to Ifrael, from Mesha King of Moab was, one hundred thousand Lambs, and as many Rams with their wool. The Additions are large to the Historical Parts, as in our Bibles, enough is not told of the reigns of fome of the Jewish Kings, to interest you in their Story, for the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah and Ifrael, so often referred to, is loft. A very humble attempt is made to separate their Reigns, occafioning much repetition, and fometimes (it mull be allowed) obfcuring the Period. Their characters, here enlarged, are held up for imitation, or portraits of Vice and Deformity. The Ifraelitish Hiftory, as conveyed down to us in the Scriptures of the Old Teftament, finishes with the Book of Efther, in a very concife and most fupercial manner, it is here carried on to YOL. L |