An exposition with practical observations upon the three first chapters of the book of…

That it was a custom to put in much treasure into Tombs, is observed by Josephus in his 13th. book of Antiquities and 15th.¹ chapter, showing how Hircanus opened Davids Sepulchre, and took out three thousand Talents; And in his 16th. book, chap. 11. he notes, that afterward Herod opened the Sepulchre of David, and thought to have found a great deal of treasure there, but found only some precious garments, &c. And the story is famous out of Herodotus concerning Semiramis, ²That she having built a stately Tomb, makes this inscription upon it, Whatsoever King shall succeed here and wants money, let him open this Tomb and he shall have enough to serve his turn; Which Darius in after ages being in straits for want of treasure attempting to do, in stead of money found only this reproof written and laid up there. Unless thou hadst been extremely covetous and greedy of filthy lucre, thou wouldest not have opened the graves of the dead to seek for money. The Lord, threatens by the Prophet Jeremiah, that the Chaldeans shall bring out the bones of the King of Judah, and the bones of his Princes, and the bones of the Priests, and the bones of the Prophets, &c. out of their graves, chap. 8.1. It is conceived that the reason why the Chaldeans digged up and raked in the graves of the Jews, was not so much from cruelty as from covetousness: They having heard that the Jews used to put rich ornaments upon the dead, or riches into their graves with them. Or this might be as a just punishment of that greediness after gain, so eminent in the Jews, that the Prophet in the very Chapter where this is threatened, chargeth them thus, ver. 10. Every one from the least to the greatest, is given to covetousness. Thus it is clear, that there was a custom to put riches and treasure into the grave with the dead, to which Job might allude in this place,

That it was a custome to put in much treasure into Tombes, is observed by Josephus in his 13th. book of Antiquities and 15th.¹ chapter, shewing how Hircanus opened Davids Sepulcher, and tooke out three thousand Talents; And in his 16th. booke, chap. 11. he notes, that afterward Herod opened the Sepulchre of David, and thought to have found a great deale of treasure there, but found only some precious garments, &c. And the story is famous out of Herodotus concerning Semiramis,