stim to be the city here mentioned; and the place, to which the messengers were sent. But our most early version, the Septuagint, expresses the term Zebub, in the singular, Osov Murav; distinct from the title Baal. And at the same time it makes Accaron, instead of a place, to be the proper name of the deity, the Deus Musca, or Fly-God---TINTNOαTE EV τῳ Βααλ (i. e. εν τῷ ἱερῷ Βααλ) Μυιαν Θεον Ακ nagwv. Go, and inquire in the temple of Baal of the Fly-God Accaron. This occurs three times in the same chapter: and these passages all shew that, according to the early interpretation of the Jews in Egypt, the person, to whom the messengers were sent by Ahaziah was Baal, Deus Musca, the deity stiled Accaron, the Fly. Gregory Nazianzen, among other writers, alludes to this passage, when he says, that the people, shall no more put their trust in idols, ' δε ζητησουσι Μυίαν Θεού Ακκάρων, nor seek, or inquire of, the Fly-God Accaron. The like occurs in Josephus, where he is giving the same history of Ahaziah, as has been afforded above. He says, that the king, after his fall--- "νοσησαντα πέμψαι προς τον Ακκάρων

1

' Contra Julianum, 1. 2. p. 102. edit. Etonens.

Antiq. 1. 9. c. 2. p. 474. If there had been any refer

Θεον Μυιαν, τέτο γαρ ην όνομα τῷ θεῷ,---being ill, sent to inquire of Accaron, the God-Fly: for that (Accaron) was the name of the deity. It seems, I think, plain, that these writers did not imagine the term Accaron related to a place, the same which we stile Ekron; but to a deity, worshipped by that name under the symbol of a fly. As to Josephus it is manifest past contradiction, that he speaks determinately of the term Anzagav, as the proper name of the Ακκαρών, deity. On this account we may be assured, that the reading in the next page is faulty, where it is made to refer to a place Ekron and its inhabitants-προς δε τον Ακκαρωνιτων επεμπες παρ' αυτε πυνθανόμενος. It should be---προς τον Ακκαρών επεμπες, παρ' αυτε πυνθανόμενος. p. 475. You sent to Accaron, (the God) to inquire of him, not to the people of Accaron, or Ekron, in Palestine. The ellipsis, as the passage now stands, is too bold: and by no means warrantable.

ence to a place he would have used the word with the Greek inflexion προς Θεον Μυιαν Ακκαρώνος, as his custom is in other places..

Αρχοντες Ακκαρώνος, μέχρι πολεως Ακκαρώνος. Antig. 1. vi. c. 1 and 2. p. 312, 315.

The true Place ascertained.

It may be asked, If the message were not sent to Ekron, or Accaron, in the southern part of Judah, to what place was it directed? I answer to Baal of the Tyrians and Sidonians, whose temple and oracle seem to have been about this time famous. The worship of this deity had been introduced into the kingdom of Israel by Ahab, the father of this very prince, with whom we have been so much concerned.

1 Kings, ch. xvi. ver. 30. And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him.

V. 31. And it came to pass-that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians; and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.

V. 32. And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.

Hence we find it intimated, that Ahab had visited the shrine and altar of this deity at Tyre or Sidon, and when he married a princess of that country, he introduced these fo

reign rites into his own kingdom; and raised an house and altar to Baal in Samaria.

But

the priests were all slain by Elijah; and the temple consequently deserted: and probably for a time ruined. When therefore Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, who resided in Samaria, wanted to know about his recovery: he sent messengers to inquire, not of Baalzebub the God of Ekron: but of Baal, sov Muiar, the FlyGod, called Accaron; whose temple will be found to have been at Tyre. To this interpretation the authors of the Greek version bear witness. Και απέστειλεν αγγέλες, και είπε προς αυτές, δευτε και επιζητηζατε εν τῷ Βααλ (i. e. εν τῷ ἱερῷ Βααλ) Μυιαν θεον Ακκαρών, ει ζησομαι εκ της αρρωστίας. And he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, and inquire, in the temple of Baal, of the Fly-God Accaron, if I shall recover of my infirmity. The angel of the Lord gave immediate directions to Elijah to go and meet these messengers, and to say unto them-E παρα το μη είναι θεον εν Ισραηλ ὑμεις πορεύεσθε επιζητησαι εν τω Βααλ Μυιαν Θεον Ακκάρων. Is it, because there is no God in Israel, that ye go to inquire in the house of Baal of the Fly-God Accaron? It is repeated in the sixth verse.-E

παρα το μη είναι θεον εν Ισραήλ σε πορευη επιζητη σαι εν τω Βααλ Μυιαν θεον Ακκαρών. The same occurs, v. 16. We have seen that Josephus accords with the authors of the Greek version; as does Gregory Nazianzen: and from them we may infer that Accaron was the name of the Deus Musca, who was worshipped in the temple of Baal at Tyre; and that Ahab was the first recorded, who applied to this oracle, when he fetched his idolatrous wife from that part of the world. From hence I should think, as I have before urged, that there was not in this passage any reference to the city Ekron in the tribe of Dan: but to a temple and deity belonging to the king of the Tyrians and Sidonians. Josephus says expressly of the God introduced at Samaria· Ουτος ὁ Βααλ Τυρίων ην θεος. This Baal was a deity of the Tyrians. The original, as it stands now expresses it differently. 7

דרשו בבעל by which is signified the God of : זבוב אלהי עקרון

Ekron, or Accaron. But we have seen that the fly was certainly worshipped under the name

Ant. 1. ix. c. 6. p. 489. There was no city Accaron, nor people called Accaronitæ, in Tyre or Sidon; from whence we may be assured, that the name could not relate to a place, or people but to a deity of the former city.

F