Secondly, It signifies a Rod to govern with, or to rule with; and hence this word denotes the Sceptre of a Prince. The two great Emblems of Magistracy are a Sword and a Sceptre. The Sceptre is in the fashion of a Rod or Wand, which imports chastening and correction; and from hence it was that the chief of the Tribes of the Children of Israel (Numb. 17.2.) were commanded to take every one of them a Rod, according to the house of their Fathers, twelve Rods, and to write every mans Name upon his Rod, and lay them up in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, &c. Now those Rods given in by the Princes of the Tribes, were as so many Emblems of their Power and Authority, because to the chief Magistrate the punishment of the faults and miscarriages of all under his government did belong. And hence the same word signifies a Magistratical Rod or Sceptre of Government, and a Tribe or whole Family under the Rod o• Sceptre of a Governor, because as Rods or B•anches g•ow from one Root, so many Tribes or Families from one Father; thus the Twelve Tribes of Israel sp•ung from Jacob. And that's the Reason why the Latin Translator renders this place, not as we, (whether for correction) but, Whether for a Tribe; the meaning of which reading, Whether for a Tribe, or for his Land, is thus given, Whether it be for one particular place, or for the whole Country or earth in general, as ⟨p. 515⟩will further appear in opening those words, For his Land. This Translation of the Vulgar Latin, and the Interpretation given upon it, suits well with that of the Prophet ([…] 4.7) where the Lord saith, I caused it to […] upon one City, and not upon another: Here was Rain for a Tribe, and not for his Land, not an universal Rain all the Land over; he causeth it to rain upon one City, not upon ano her, upon one Tribe, not upon another; that's a good sense, and the word will bear it.
Secondly, It signifies a Rod to govern with, or to rule with; and hence this word denotes the Scepter of a Prince. The two great Emblems of Magistracy are a Sword and a Scepter. The Scepter is in the fashion of a Rod or VVand, which imports chastening and correction; and from hence it was that the chief of the Tribes of the Children of Israel (Numb. 17.2.) were commanded to take every one of them a Rod, according to the house of their Fathers, twelve Rods, and to write every mans Name upon his Rod, and lay them up in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, &c. Now those Rods given in by the Princes of the Tribes, were as so many Emblems of their Power and Authority, because to the chief Magistrate the punishment of the faults and miscarriages of all under his government did belong. And hence the same word signifies a Magistratical Rod or Scepter of Government, and a Tribe or whole Family under the Rod o• Scepter of a Governour, because as Rods or B•anches g•ow from one Root, so many Tribes or Families from one Father; thus the Twelve Tribes of Israel sp•ung from Jacob. And that's the Reason why the Latine Translator renders this place, not as we, (whether for correction) but, Whether for a Tribe; the meaning of which reading, Whether for a Tribe, or for his Land, is thus given, VVhether it be for one particular place, or for the whole Country or earth in general, as ⟨p. 515⟩will further appear in opening those words, For his Land. This Translation of the Vulgar Latine, and the Inte•pretation given upon it, sutes well with that of the Prophet (〈…〉 4.7) where the Lord saith, I caused it to 〈…〉 upon one City, and not upon another: Here was Rain for a Tribe, and not for his Land, not an universal Rain all the Land over; he causeth it to rain upon one City, not upon ano her, upon one Tribe, not upon another; that's a good sence, and the word will bear it.
