Priests Garment signifieth the Sun and Moon The number of the Gems allude to L the number of the Months or the twelve Houses or the equal number of parts of that Circle which the Grecians call the Zodiack The Thiara or Mitre likewise hath an allusion to Heaven by reason of its Azure or Hyacinthine colour for otherwise the Name of God might not be placed therein and the Triple Crown of Gold by its brightness represents his glory and Soveraign Majesty Let this suffice for the present for that which we will discourse hereafter will furnish us with sufficient and ample matter to shew and set out the Wisdom of our Law-giver CHAP. IX Of Aaron's Priesthood Exod. 28 29. and the Laws which appertain to the Feasts and Sacrifices M AFter these things were thus order'd and it remained onely to consecrate the Tabernacle Hedio Ruffinus cap. 12. God appeared to Moses commanding him to establish Aaron his Brother Exod. 28. v. 1 2 3 High Priest who in respect of his vertue deserved that Title of Honour above all the rest 29. 1. ad 28. For which cause Moses assembling the congregation discoursed unto them his vertues God elected Aaron Moses Brother for High Priest and discovered his good affection and reckoned up unto them how many dangers he had suffered in their behalf Every one approved this choice declaring the forward zeal and love they alwayes bare unto him Whereupon he spake unto them after this manner The work is now brought unto such an end as it hath pleased God and hath been possible for us and for that you know we are to receive him into N this Tabernacle we ought above all things to have a special care in the election of such an one who is to make sacrifice and supplication for us Touching my self if the matter depended on my private choice I should esteem no Man more worthy than my self to execute this Function both for that naturally Men love themselves and for that I am well assured how many travels I have supported for your sake But God himself hath judged Aaron worthy of this honour and hath chosen him for his High Priest in that he excelleth all other in equity and justice commanding that he should be invested with the Sacred Robes and take charge of the Altars and Sacrifices He shall make Prayers for you unto God who will hear them willingly by reason that he hath care of your Race and will receive them proceeding from a person whom he himself O hath elected These words of his were grateful unto the People and they all approved the election which God had made For Aaron was more capable of that honour than any A other both by reason of his race and in regard of the gift of prophecy which he had receiv'd and also for the eminent vertue of his Brother He had at that time four Sons Nadab Abihu Eleazar and Ithamar But whatsoever remained of those things which were gathered for the building of the Tabernacle was imployed to make Veyles to cover the Tabernacle Candelstick Altar and the other Instruments to the end that in their travel they might not be soyled either by rain or dust Aarons Sons And having once more assembled the People together Exod. 36. 8. he commanded them to offer every one of them half a Sicle the Sicle is a kind of Hebrew Coyne that is as much in value as four Athenian Drams whereunto they obeyed willingly Sicle The number of them that offered was six hundred five thousand five hundred and fifty And they that brought this Money B were such as were of a free condition The number of the Israelites betwixt twenty and fifty years of age and betwixt the years of twenty and fifty and that which was received was imployed in the necessaries of the Temple Then did he purifie the Tabernacle and the Priests in this manner He took the weight of five hundred Sycles of chosen Myrrh and the like quantity of Ireos of Cinamon and of Calamus which is a most Odoriferous Drug the half of the said weight and he caused all these to to be beaten and infused into a Hin of Oyl of Olive this Hin is one of our Measures containing two Choas of Athens all which he mixed and boyled together according to the Art of Perfumers and he made thereof a most Odoriferous Oyntment which he took and anointed the Priest therewith and all that which belonged to the Tabernacle The Holy Oyntment to the intent to purifie them offering many and sundry sorts C of Perfumes of great price upon the Altar of Gold whereof I forbear to speak any further for fear I should grow tedious to the Readers Twice a day before Sun-rise and Sun-set The Sacrifices they were to burn Incense and supply the Lamps of this purifi'd Oyl whereof three were to burn every day upon the sacred Candlestick in honour of God and the rest were lighted in the evening Amongst them that wrought and finished these things Beseleel and Eliah were the most excellent and expert workmen for whatsoever had been enterprized by others v. 2. they in their Art polished and perfected And they found out many new things Beseleel of their own invention yet was Beseleel judged the most excellent of the two All the time imployed in this work was seven months and at that time was the year D accomplished which began at their departure out of Egypt In the beginning of the second year in the moneth which the Macedonians call Xantichus and the Hebrews Nisan upon the new Moon they dedicated the Tabernacle with all things belonging thereunto Exo. 40. 1 2 3. according as I have made mention And God presently testified that both their Gifts and Works were acceptable in his sight The Tabernacle was dedicated on the first day of April the second year after their departure out of Egypt the year after the Creation of the World 2455. before Christs birth 1509. by his presence honouring the Tabernacle after this manner The Sky being elsewhere clear and fair over the Tabernacle alone there was a Cloud not wholly thick like a Winter strom nor yet so thin that a Man could see thorow the same from whenc there descended a Dew that gave testimony of Gods presence unto them that had Faith Moses having recompenced all the Work-masters with such rewards as appertained unto them by desert offer'd sacrifice E according as God had commanded him in the Door or Porch of the Tabernacle a Bull and a Ram and a Kid for their sins but with what ceremony these things are done I will declare when I treat of Sacrifices as also what Offerings are to be burnt by fire and according to the Law are allowed to be fed upon and with the blood of the slaughtered Beasts he sprinkled the Vestment of Aaron and purified both him and his Children
Enemy the Canaanites hoping that God would be their Guide Ver. 43. so as they needed not the assistance of their Lawgiver The Canaanites put the Hebrews to flight When this sentence was approv'd by a general consent they flock out in multitudes against their Enemies who neither affrighted by their boldness nor multitude valiantly resisted them who desperately charg'd them so that the better part of the Hebrews being slain they pursued the rest enforced shamefully to turn their backs even unto their Camp This overthrow hapning besides all mens opinion wondrously dejected the minds of the multitude so that they grew desperate of all future good fortune concluding that God had sent and inflicted that plague upon them because without his counsel and order O they had enterpriz'd the Battel But when Moses saw that his Countreymen were dismay'd with the overthrow which they had receiv'd and the Enemy grown proud with A their late Victory fearing likewise lest not content with their present success they should attempt further he determined to retire his Forces back again into the Desart And whereas the People promised thenceforward to be obedient to him being taught by their own misery that nothing would fall out prosperously unto them without the counsel and conduct of their Guide they disincamping themselves Moses retireth the people into the Desart retired into the Desart with this resolution that they would no more attempt a Battel against the Canaanites till they received a sign of their good success from Heaven But even as in a great Army it accustomably falleth out especially in time of trouble that the common multitude wax head-strong and disobedient to their Governors so did the like also happen amongst the Jews For whereas they were in number 600000 and even in their better B Fortunes sufficiently disobedient to their Governors so much the more were they exasperated by their wants and misfortunes Sedition against Moses both amongst themselves and against their Governor For which cause there arose so great a Sedition as neither among the Greeks or Barbarians the like was ever heard Which things without doubt had overthrown them being brought into so desperate an estate had not Moses forgetting the injury he had received which was no less than a purpose to stone him to death succoured and relieved their distressed Fortunes Neither did God utterly abandon the care of them but although they were contumelious against their Lawgiver and transgressed also against the Laws which he had delivered them by Moses yet delivered he them out of that danger of which without his special Providence there could be expected no C other but a lamentable issue This Sedition as also how Moses governed the estate when the troubles were ended we will now declare having first expressed the cause thereof CHAP. II. The Sedition raised by Chore against Moses and his Brother for the Priesthood CHore a Man noble by Birth Numb 16. 1. ad 4. and famous for his wealth amongst the Hebrews and endowed with a certain kind of popular Eloquence seeing Moses placed in the highest place of Authority Chore endeavoureth to persuade the multitude to mutiny against Moses was filled with jealousie and envy thereat For although he were of the same Tribe and Kindred yet he thought it a great indignity to himself to D be held his inferior being both more potent in Riches and his equal in Parentage For which cause he began to murmur and complain to the Levites which were of the same Tribe with him and his Kinsmen telling them That it was not to be suffered that Moses under a pretext of Communication with God should by ambitious policy to other mens prejudice onely study his own glory having of late against all sort of reason given the Priesthood to his Brother Aaron and distributed other dignities at his own pleasure like a King without the suffrage and approbation of the People That this injury done by him was not to be endured by reason that so covertly he had insinuated himself into the Government that before it could be observ'd the People would be brought into servitude For he that knoweth himself to be worthy of a Government endeavors to obtain the same by the consent of the People and not E by force and violence but they that despair by good means to attain thereunto do notwithstanding abstain from force lest they should lose the opinion of their goodness and honesty yet endeavor they by malicious subtilties to attain thereunto That it concerned the Commonweal to check the attempts of such Men lest of private they at last grow publick Enemies For what reason said he can Moses give why he hath bestowed the High Priesthood on Aaron and his Sons If God had decreed that this honour should be bestowed on one of the Tribe of Levi there were more reason that I should have it who am of the same Kindred with Moses and who surpass him both in riches and age On the contrary If this honour appertain to the most ancient of the Tribes that of Reuben ought by right to enjoy it namely Dathan and Abiram and Phalal Alias Baâ—â—â— who are the most ancient of that Tribe and the most powerful in riches These things F spake Chore under colour and pretence of the good of the Commonwealth but in effect only to raise a Tumult amongst the multitude and intrude into the office of the High Priest Ver. 35. Which discourse of his passing by little and little from one ear to another Two hundred and fifty men follow Chore's Faction amongst the multitude and multiplied by the envious and such as maligned Aaron at last brought all the Tribes into a mutiny so that 250 of the chiefest Nobles grew at length to be partakers of Chore's Conspiracy and all of these conspir'd together to take away the Priesthood from Moses's Brother and to transfer it to him The People likewise were in such sort incensed They cry out to stone Moses that they sought to stone Moses and ran all of them confusedly with noise and uproar crying out before the Tabernacle of God that the Tyrant was to be cut off and the People delivered from thraldom who under pretext G of Religion had insupportable thraldom imposed on them For if it were God that had chosen him to be High Priest he would have preferred such an one to the dignity who had been worthy and would not have confer'd it on those who were far inferior to others That if he had decreed to bestow it on Aaron he would have remitted the election H to the People and not left the disposition thereof to his Brother Although Moses was inform'd of Chore's treacherous Calumnies and saw the People highly incensed yet was be nothing at all abashed thereat but being satisfi'd in his Conscience that he had governed the estate uprightly and well assured that his Brother obtained the Priesthood not
the crown and reward of Felicity as on the contrary that they who depart from the diligent observance thereof instead of succeeding in their designs how just soever the same may seem to themselves fall into all sort of misfortunes and into miseries without recovery For which cause I exhort all those that shall read these Books to conform themselves to the Will of God and to observe in Moses our excellent Law-giver how worthily he hath spoken of his Divine Nature how he hath manifested that all his Works are proportionable to his infinite Greatness and how his whole Narration thereof is pure and free from the vanity of Fables wherewith all other Histories are poysoned For the Antiquity alone of his History secures him from the suspition K that one might entertain of his having mingled any thing of fabulous in his writings inasmuch as he was born more than two thousand years ago which is a continuance of Ages to which the Poets neither durst refer the original of their gods neither the deeds or laws of men whereof they make mention But in pursuit of our History the sequel of our Discourse shall declare all things exactly and in the order which is observ'd in the Sacred Books For in compiling this Work I have promised neither to add nor to pretermit any thing And for that all whatsoever we shall declare doth almost wholly depend on the knowledge which the wisdom of our Lawmaker Moses hath given us thereof it is necessary before all other things that I speak somewhat of himself lest perhaps any man should wonder that in a History wherein it may seem that I ought to relate nothing but Actions pass'd and Precepts concerning manners nevertheless L I intermix so many things which concern the knowledge of Nature We ought therefore to know that Moses thought it most especially necessary for him that will either virtuously dispose his own life or impose Laws to other men to begin with the knowledge of God and after having attentively consider'd all his Works to strive as much as in him lieth to imitate his most perfect example and follow him with all diligence For it is impossible that a Law-giver being void of this contemplation should have good sense or that his writings should be of any moment to induce them unto virtue who should receive those Laws except before all things they learn that God who is the Father and Lord of all and that seeth all giveth happy life unto those that follow him and contrariwise invironeth them with great calamities who forsake the way of virtue and righteousness Moses therefore intending to instruct his Citizens in M this doctrine began not his Ordinances with the Treatise of Contracts and Covenants which we practise one with another as other Lawgivers are accustomed to do but he hath raised their minds to the knowledge of God taught them in what manner this World was made by him and shew'd them that the principal work among all those things which God made in the World is Man And after that he had made them capable of things concerning Piety then might he more easily persuade them in the rest Whereas other Lawgivers addicting themselves unto Fables have in their discourse imposed on their gods the infamy of sins committed by men and by that means have brought to pass that the wicked sort are yet more wicked and addicted to evil doing But our admirable Lawgiver after having declared that God is in himself all virtue pure and unspotted he shews that men also ought to endeavor to imitate the same and on those N that neither conceive nor believe those things he inflicteth a grievous and inevitable punishment I exhort the Reader therefore to examine our Writings according to these Rules for to those that consider after this manner nothing shall seem either absurd or unworthy the Majesty of God or of his love to men by reason that all things have their disposition conformable to the universal nature which our Lawgiver hath declared sometimes obscurely sometimes in convenient Allegories gravely and elsewhere expressing that manifestly and publishing that in plain words which ought openly to be made known The causes whereof if any man would search he might find need of a most deep and philosophical contemplation which I overslip at this present without staying longer thereon but if God shall give me time I will inforce my self to compose it in a Volume as soon as I shall have finished this Work For this present then I O will apply my self to relate those things which have been done beginning at the Creation of the World according as Moses hath taught us and I have found written in the Holy Scriptures A The First Book of the History of the JEWS drawn out of the Old Testament and continu'd to the Empire of NERO by FLAVIVS JOSEPHVS under the Title of JEWISH ANTIQUITIES The Contents of the Chapters of the First Book 1. The Creation of the World Adam and Eve disobey the Command of God and are driven B out of the earthy Paradise 2. Cain kills his Brother Abel God banishes him for it His Posterity is as wicked as himself The Virtues of Seth the other Son of Adam 3. Of the Posterity of Adam till the Deluge from which God preserved Noah and his Family in the Ark. 4. Of the Tower of Babylon and the change of Tongues 5. How Noah's Posterity disperst themselves thorough the whole World 6. The Descendants of Noah down to Jacob. The several Countries which they possess'd 7. How Abraham the Author of our Nation departed from the Land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in the Countrey of the Canaanites which is now called Judea C 8. Abraham pressed by Famine departed into Egypt where having stayed awhile at last he returned back again 9. The overthrow of the Sodomites by the Assyrians Lot is taken Prisoner 10. Abraham parsueth the Assyrians and returneth victorious 11. The destruction of Sodom 12. Of Ishmael Abraham's Son and of the Arabians Posterity 13. Of Isaac Abraham's Legitimate Son 14. The death of Sarah Abraham's Wife Gen. 23. per totum 15. How the Nation of the Troglodytes descended from Chetura the Wife of Abraham 16. Of Abraham's death Gen. 25. 7 8. D 17. Of Isaac's Sons Esau and Jacob and of their Nativity and Education Gen. 25. 18. How Jacob fled into Mesopotamia for fear of his Brother Gen. 28. 19. Isaac dieth and is buried in Hebron Gen. 35. 29. CHAP. I. The Creation of the World Adam and Eve disobey the Command of God and are driven out of the earthly Paradise IN the Beginning God created Heaven and Earth The year of the World 1 before Christ's Nativity 3963. Now the Earth not being subject to sight but covered with thick darkness and traversed with an Air coming from E high God commanded that there should be Light and after the Light was made having considered the universal matter he separated
The matter was no sooner motioned but the effect followed Having conquered the Ethiopians and given thanks to God for the favors he had done him Moses accomplished the Marriage and sent the Egyptians back again into their Countrey Who nevertheless I conceived great hatred against him the Author and cause of their safety and victories The Egyptians seek to betray Moses and began seriously to consult and advise amongst themselves how they might destroy him suspecting lest by reason of the happy success he had had should begin to think of making himself Master of Egypt They accused him therefore of Murther before the King who already of himself had him in suspition as well through the hatred he bare him for his noble carriage and courage Exod. 2. 11. ad 14. whilst he was General as also through the fear he had conceived of the destruction of Egypt foretold by his Priests who incessantly incited him against Moses so that the King was upon the point to lay hands on him and murther him But he having intelligence of these practises escaped and fled secretly flying from K his presence through the Desart by which the Enemies least suspected his flight and although at no place in his journey he found victuals to sustain him yet overcame he his penury by his patience Hedio Ruffinus cap. 11. all 8. And arriving near a City of the Madians scituate upon the shore of the Red Sea that was named by one of Abraham and Chetura's sons he sat him down near a Fountain Moses flieth to the City of Madian refreshing himself and taking his ease after his laborious journey for it was about Noon and the City already appeared in his sight In this place an occasion befel by which he both gave proof of his virtue and found an opportunity to better his estate For whereas the Region is much troubled with want of water the Shepherds had a custom to strive which of them should first possess the Pits for fear lest the water would be quite consumed by others before they and their Catttel had quenched L their thirst To this Fountain therefore there came seven Virgins which were daughters of Raguel otherwise called Jethro the Priest whom the Inhabitants of that place held in great estimation who had the charge to attend their Fathers flocks for that is the exercise wherein the Troglodites are wont to employ their Women These hasted to draw sufficient water for their flocks into the troughs A v. 16. ad 19. expresly made to receive the water Moses assisteth Raguels daughters against the shepherds and when in the mean time the shepherds came and surprized them and drove away the Virgins to the end they might be Masters of the water Moses judging it a shame to himself to suffer this outrage drove away the shepherds who would have enjoyed that which appertained not unto them and gave a just assistance to the dismayed Maidens who as soon as they were returned into their Fathers presence told him the outrage M that was done them by the shepherds and the help that they found by the hands of a stranger beseeching him that the courtesie which he had shewn unto them might not be forgotten but that he might receive some token of gratitude The Father commending his daughters thankfulness towards their Benefactor commanded them to bring Moses into his presence to the end he might thank him according as he deserved As soon as he was come Raguel told him That his daughters had given him to understand how kindly he had assisted them and having his virtue in admiration he said that he had not adventured himself Ver. 21. nor done kindness to those that were without sense of the courtesies that were shewed unto them Ragnel marrieth his daughter to Moses Hedio Ruffinus cap. 12. but unto those who were capable to give him thanks yea so ready to requite him that the greatness of their requital should far surpass the measure N of his humanity He therefore adopted him for his son and gave him his daughter Zephora to Wife and made him Superintendent and Master of the flocks in which in those days the wealth and riches of most Nations consisted Moses having obtained this good fortune at Jethro's hands for such was Raguels sirname he abode there with him and attended his flocks But not long after he led his Cattel to graze near the Mountain Sinai which is the highest of all those that are in that quarter and good for pasturage by reason of the wholsom Herbs that grow thereabouts which notwithstanding was not fed upon before that time because the shepherds durst not frequent it in regard of an opinion of those that dwelt in that Countrey That God inhabited that Mountain There hapned there unto him a marvellous Prodigy â—xod 3. 1 2. which was that a flame of fire seemed O round about him in a Bush God appeared to Moses in the bush without offending either the green Herbs or the Flowers or the Boughs charged with fruit although the flames were great and vehement He not a A little amazed at this unexpected spectacle The year of the World 2454. befâ—re Christ's Nativity 1510. at last grew more and more so when he heard a voice issuing out of the fire which called him by his name charging him with boldness in that he was not afraid to tread upon that ground which hitherto had been frequented by no Man bidding him to depart afar off from the flame and content himself with that vision God convinceth Moses and the Israelites by miracles to the end they might put trust in his promises for although that he were a virtuous Man yet that he ought not to be curious to make further search into the same The same voice also told him That the honour and glory which he obtained amongst Men was by the assistance of God charging him to be of a good courage and to repair into Egypt for in that place he should be Captain and Guide of the Hebrew Nation and should deliver the People which were there from the outrage and servitude which they suffered For said the voice they shall B inhabit that happy Country wherein your Father Abraham dwelt and they shall enjoy all sorts of blessings under the conduct of thee and thy prudence Moreover it commanded him That having brought the Hebrews out of Egypt he should offer sacrifice of Thanksgiving at such time as he should arrive again in that place And such was the Oracle which he received out of the flame Moses altogether ravished at that which he had both heard and seen spake thus O Lord it were madness in me and no prudence if I should distrust thy power which I reverence and which I know hath been manifested unto my Predecessors notwithstanding I stand in doubt how I who am a Man of no eloquence and of less force should persuade
left behind them but God desisted not to punish his wickedness by divers most grievous Plagues far more tedious than the former yea such as were dispersed over all the People E For their bodies were grievously tormented with ulcers C. 9. 3. and corrupted inwardly The fifth plague the plague and after this sort the greater part of the Egyptians perished But the King being not melted nor mollified by this Plague God rained down Hail upon them which never before that time was seen in Egypt Ver. 10. and further so great The sixth plague botches or rather greater than that which falleth to the Northward near the Pole Artique though it was a considerable time of Spring and spoiled all their fruit Ver. 23. After which an Army of Grashoppers devoured all those buds and fruits which were unhurt by the Hail The seventh plague hail so that all the hope which the Egyptians had of their Harvest C. 10. 14. was utterly overthrown These afflictions had been sufficient to persuade a man of the meanest wit except a Reprobate to grow wise The eighth plague grashoppers and make use of that which was most profitable for him But Pharaoh knowing the cause of F the same enforced himself to resist God not only through imprudence but malice so that he voluntarily destroy'd his poor Subjects He therefore commanded Moses to lead away the Hebrews with their Wives but that they should leave their substance behind them for a prey to the Egyptians to recompense them for what they had lost Moses answered That he demanded an unjust thing since that hereby they would not have wherewith to offer sacrifice to God C. 10. v. 22. Now while the time pass'd in these consultations a most dismal darkness overspread the land of Egypt The ninth plague darkness by reason of which many perish'd after sundry manners and others fear'd to run the same fate living in the most disconsolate condition imaginable This darkness being dispersed after three days and so many nights Moses seeing that Pharaoh would not repent nor let the people of Israel depart came unto G him and spake after this manner As long as you shall resist the Ordinance of God who commandeth you to suffer the Hebrews to depart there is no means whereby you may be exempted from these mischiefs in doing that which you do The King enraged at these words threatned him to cut off his head The year of the World 2454. before Christ's Nativity 1510. if once more he durst appear in his presence to motion H to him any such matter Moses answered him That he would no more speak unto him touching this matter but that shortly both himself and the chiefest amongst the Egyptians would entreat him and the Hebrews to depart which said he forsook his presence Ver. 28. But God intending to express that he meant yet once more to plague the Egyptians Pharaoh driveth away Moses and to constrain them to deliver the Hebrews commanded Moses to declare unto the people that they should have their sacrifice in a readiness on the thirteenth day of the month Xanthicus Exod. 12. 2. to celebrate the same the fourteenth of the said month by the Egyptians called Pharmuth Zanthicus amongst the Macedons is April as Suidas testifieth and by the Hebrews Nisan and Xanthicus by the Macedonians and that he should lead forth all the Hebrews carrying with them all their Goods Whereupon he who had the Hebrews already in a readiness to depart and had distributed them I by families kept them in one place and in the same order but when the fourteenth day was come all of them ready to depart offer'd sacrifice and with the blood of the Lamb purged their Houses besprinkling them with branches of Hyssop And after they had supt The Hebrews passeover signifieth a passage they burnt the flesh that remained as being at the point to depart Whereupon even at this day we retain the said custom to sacrifice in like sort and do call this solemnity Pascha which is as much as to say the passage by reason that on that day God leaving and overpassing the Hebrews without harm C. 12. 29. struck the Egyptians with sickness for a Plague in the night-time cut off all the first begotten in Egypt The tenth plague the first begotten amongst the Egyptians both men and beasts dye whereupon multitudes that dwelt round about the Palace assembled themselves in the presence of the King and besought him to let the Hebrews go for which cause Pharaoh calling Moses K gave order that they should depart the Countrey supposing that as soon as they were gone Egypt would be no more afflicted with such like Plagues Moreover they honoured the Hebrews with Presents partly to the end they should depart with the more expedition partly for the neighborhood and acquaintance sake which they had one with another And as they departed the Egyptians wept 33. The Israelites depart out of Egypt and repented them of the evil usage they had shewed them but they took their way towards Latopolis at that time desart and in which place afterwards Babylon was built at such time as Cambyses destroyed Egypt The third day they came unto Beelzephon near the Red Sea and for that they wanted victuals in this Desart they tempered their Meal with water and kneaded it as well as they could and bak't Cakes with which they sustained themselves for the space of thirty L dayes for they had brought no more provision out of Egypt than enough to serve them for that time at the end of which they were in want of food although they had liv'd very sparingly The feast of the Azymes rather feeding for necessity than eating to satiety For which cause in memory of that want The number of the children of Israel we celebrate a feast for the space of eight dayes which we call the feast of Azymes that is to say of unleavened bread But it is not easie to number the multitude of them that came out of Egypt if we consider the Women and Children but those that were of full age and fit to bear Arms were in number six hundred thousand M N O A CHAP. VI. The Hebrews depart out of Egypt under the conduct of Moses THus the Israelites departed out of Egypt the 14 day of the month Xanthicus 430 years after Abraham our Father came into Canâ—an and in the 215 year after Jacob went down into Egypt Exod. 14. 1 7 9. and in the eightieth year of Moses age who had Aaron to his Brother three years elder than himself The time of their departure out of Egypt they carried also with them the Bones of Joseph according as he had commanded his Sons But the Egyptians repented that they had suffer'd the Hebrews to depart Hedio Ruffinus cap. 14. the King also was very
their hands to stone him they should oppose themselves against God and his Commands Thus pacifi'd he them and assuag'd the fury they had conceiv'd to endanger his life and so much prevail'd he that they repented of that Enterprize whereby they sought to destroy him Moses imploâ—eth God's help And for that he knew that they had some reason to be thus mov'd he address'd O himself to prayer and supplication and ascending a certain Rock he desir'd God's help to relieve their infirmities wants and affliction in whose hands only the salvation A of the people consisted beseeching him in mercy to forgive the people being exasperated with extreme miseries and by reason thereof distracted and withdrawn from their duty Whereupon God promis'd him to have care of the people promising him to send them a speedy and present deliverance Which when Moses understood he came down to the multitude who perceiving joy in his countenance by reason of those promises which he had receiv'd from God exchang'd their dolesom lamentations into gladness He therefore standing up in the midst of them told them that he brought unto them a most speedy remedy for their necessity Cap. 16. 13. And not long after a number of Quails which about the gulf of Arabia multiply and encrease more than any sort of Birds flew cross the Sea God sendeth Quails into the Hebrews Army and being wearied in their flight came and fell amidst the Camp of the Hebrews B who caught them as a provision prepar'd for them by God and sent to relieve their Famine Whereupon Moses once more addressed himself to call upon God yielding him thanks for the present and future good he had promis'd him The people being after this manner fed and refreshed God feedeth the Israelites with Manna were soon after supplied with a new kind of food For as Moses stretched out his hands and pray'd to God a dew descended from Heaven which thickned betwixt his hands and for that he suppos'd it to be another kind of sustenance sent them by God Ver. 14. he tasted the same and found it very pleasant Then addressing to the people who knew not what it was but thought it to be Snow which fell in that place according to the season of the year he told them that it was no ordinary dew falling from Heaven as they suppos'd but that God had sent it them for C the preservation and nouriture of their bodies and having eaten thereof before them he gave them of it to the end he might strengthen their belief who tasting the same in like manner as he had done were greatly refresh'd with the sustenance for in sweetness and pleasure it equal'd Honey in odor Bdellium and in form and greatness the grain of Coriander Ver. 16. whereupon every one gather'd of it And Moses commanded that every one of them should particularly gather every day but the measure of an Assaron A Commandment how much Manna should be gathered which is the tenth part of an Epha which was done lest the weaker should want whil'st the stronger through avarice gather'd more than suffic'd them And if any one contrary to the command gather'd more than was permitted although he toiled and travelled more than any of them yet was his portion no ways encreas'd by that means D For whatsoever beside the appointed measure of the Assaron remained till the next morning was of no value but became bitter and full of Worms So divine and admirable was this kind of food and of that nature that who so had sufficient thereof needed no sort of sustenance Moreover even in these our days there falls in that Countrey a dew like that Manna what it signifieth which God in favor of Moses sent for the peoples sustenance The Hebrews call it Manna for in our Tongue Man is an Interrogation signifying What is that Exod. 17. 1. Thus liv'd they joyfully being sustain'd by this kind of meat sent them from Heaven The Israelites fed 40 years space on Manna and us'd the same for the space of 40 years during the time they were in the Desart But afterwards when they were dislodg'd from that place and encamped near to Raphidim they were extremely troubled with thirst The Israelites arrive at Raphidim and are troubled with thirst for upon their first arrival they found E some few Springs but afterward they found the land wholly distitute of water They therefore once more were incens'd against Moses But he withdrawing himself apart from the fury of the people betook himself to God in prayer beseeching him that as he had given them food in their necessity 3. he would now also give them drink since they were ready to perish with thirst and praying him to provide them drink also otherwise their meat was unprofitable to them God presently granted his prayer promising Moses that he would give him a Fountain and abundance of Water from that place from whence he least expected it To which end he commanded him to strike with his Rod the Rock which was there hand by and promis'd to make the water come forth immediately so that the people should have sufficient without taking pains to F seek for it Which command when Moses had receiv'd he return'd to the people who expected him and had their eyes fix'd upon him with great impatience as he descended from the Rock where he had made his prayer No sooner was he arriv'd but he told them that God would deliver them from the necessity wherein they were and would graciously grant them an unexpected relief Moses striketh the Rock with his Rod and there issueth water by causing a stream suddenly to break from that Rock But they being amaz'd at that which they heard and doubting lest tyred with thirst and spent with journeys they should be enforc'd to hew and cleave the Rock Moses struck the same in such sort with his Rod that it divided asunder and there issu'd out most clear and pure water in great abundance The people were greatly astonish'd at this so strange accident and no less rejoyced They fell to drink of the Water and G and found it very sweet and pleasant as being a miraculous Water and a Present of the goodness divine bounty and power of God For this cause they highly esteem'd Moses seeing that God had honour'd him in this sort and they acknowledged God's providence offering Sacrifices and humbly thanking him for the care he had over them The H Holy Scripture which is kept in the Temple testifies that God foretold Moses that Water should in this sort issue from the Rock CHAP. II. How the Amalekites and their Associates were overcome and how great a Prey the Israelites obtained thereby BUt when the Renown of the Hebrews was become great and spread abroad in all parts it came to pass that the Neighbouring Nations were in very great fear of them whereupon sending
Ambassages the one unto the other they mutually conspir'd I to expel and if possible utterly extirpate the whole people Amongst the rest Hedio Ruffinus cap. 2. those of the Countrey of Cobol and the City Petra who are call'd Amalekites a Nation very warlike and more active than the rest were the chief Agents in this Expedition Exod. 17. 8 9. whose Kings both encourag'd one another and stir'd up the Neighbour Nations to the Israelites destruction The Amalekites war against the Israelites telling them that a Foreign Army flying from the thraldom of the Egyptians had invaded their Countrey whose multitudes were not a little to be suspected counselling them before they had gather'd head and recover'd more means and a Countrey to dwell in and grew more confident by their forbearance to charge them first rather than to expect their increase and so to oppress them esteeming it a better point of wisdom to repress their insolency and forwardness K in the Desart than to expect whil'st they were possess'd of strong and rich Cities For this said they is the part of wise men to resist the beginnings of power of their Adversaries and not to expect till by daily Exploits they more and more increase and rather to provide to prevent than deliver themselves from peril After these Ambassages it was decreed by general Council That they should endevor to invade and assault the Hebrews These determinations and designs of theirs troubled Moses very much for that he expected no Hostility When therefore he perceiv'd that the people were affrighted and amaz'd to see themselves being wholly unprovided to be charg'd by so strong and well-furnish'd an Army he re-comforted them and will'd them to bethink themselves of God's promises who by his power had set them at liberty L assuring them that they should overcome all those that made head against them to destroy them wishing them to think that though they were inferior to their Enemies in Weapons Ver. 9 10. Wealth Moses encourageth the people to expect nothing but victory and Munition and the like yet since they had God to friend and ready to fight for them against their Enemy they ought to be of good courage as being furnish'd with more than humane supplies Alledging further that they were not ignorant how great an Assister God was having had so often tryal of his goodness in their greatest dangers as an Enemy to their enemies and favorable to their proceedings which favor of his he most manifestly express'd by his miraculous deliverance of them from hunger and thirst by procuring them free escape when they were shut in by the Sea and Mountains And that which should most animate them to the Fight and Victory M was That if they came off victorious they should want nothing that appertain'd to a more commodious and peaceable life Moses thus having encourag'd the people by his words call'd unto him the chiefest of the Tribes and every one of them that had the charge of them both in private and publick Assembly commanding the younger to obey the elder and the elders to be obedient to their General Hereupon the people contemn'd their danger and were desirous of Fight hoping that this Conflict would prove the end of their calamities For which cause they earnestly desir'd Moses to lead them forth against the Enemy and not to dull the alacrity of the Soldiers by any untimely delay Ver. 9. Whereupon choosing out among the whole multitude such as were most fit for War he appointed the son of Naveus the Ephramite Josuah made Captain over the Israelites to lead them a man N valiant in Arms and prudent in counsel and of great piety as having been train'd up therein by Moses his Master He also in such sort disposed certain Bands that he might not be cut off from water he left so many as might guard the Camp and weaker company Thus stood they all Night long in Arms expecting only the Signal of their General and the Order of their Captains to attack their Enemies On the other side Moses slept not but instructed Josuah how he should conduct the Army And as soon as the day appear'd he encourag'd Josuah to shew himself such an one in that Battel as both the place wherewith he was honour'd and the Cause for which they fought requir'd wishing him by his prowess and good conduct to give life and courage to his Soldiers that follow'd him He likewise exhorted the chiefest of the Hebrews in particular and in O general heartned and emboldned all others that entred the Battel A After he had thus dispos'd the Army and given all necessary orders he committing the Army to God's protection and Josuah's conduct retir'd upon a Mountain Then encountred the Armies on both sides and every one fought most valiantly neither wanted there encouragement on either side And as long as Moses lifted up his hands the Hebrews had the better against the Amalekites But for that he was unable continually to support the same and because he observ'd that as often as he held down his hands so long the Enemies drove the Israelites to retreat he willed his brother Aaron and Vron his sister Maries husband to stand on each side of him and sustain his hands Which when they had perform'd the Hebrews by main force overcame the Amalekites so that all of them had been slain if the Chase had continu'd and had not been cut off B by the approach of the night Thus our Ancestors obtain'd a most happy and advantagious Victory For besides the glory they got in having overcome so potent Enemies and cast a terror into the hearts of the Nations round about to whom they have ever since been formidable they became Masters of the Enemies Camp and both in general and in particular got Riches whereas before that time they had not necessary means to maintain themselves And this Victory of theirs was the cause of their very great good fortune not only for the present but also for the time to come For not only had they their Enemies bodies under their subjection but also their spirits so as they were fear'd by all the Nations round about And they multiplied both in strength and riches Ver. 13. for there was a great quantity of gold and silver taken in the Camp Divers C Vessels likewise The Israelites recover a great prey in the Camp of the Amalekites and Tables of Brass were found therein likewise great quantity of Tissue-work and excellent Furniture for War Moreover they had all their Baggage Tents Harness and Horses and generally the whole provision of an Army became their prey The distribution of the spoils and prey Thus ended this Battel The success whereof so exalted the courage of the Israelites that they thought henceforward nothing would be unpossible to them The next day Moses caused the Enemies that were slain to be rifled and the scatter'd
sequestred them for the space of seven days after which it was lawful for them to converse with Men. The like decreed he of those that had assisted at the burial of a dead Man whom he permitted not to converse with the other till seven days were expired It was also decreed by Law that he that had a flux of seed beyond seven days should sacrifice two Wethers one of which should be sacrific'd and the other given to the Priests Also that he that hath unnatural pollution should wash himself with cold water Goâ—orrhaâ— The like must Husbands do after they have had use of their Wives Of Lepers He likewise order'd that the Leprous should be separated for ever not permitting them to frequent any Mans company but esteeming them as little differing from the dead And if any one by his prayers made unto God was delivered D from this disease and his skin reduced to its native colour such an one presented himself before God with divers oblations and sacrifices Against them that object against Moses and his Followers that they fled out of Egypt for Leprosie of which we will speak hereafter Whence it appears how ridiculous a fable it is that Moses fled out of Egypt because he was a Leper and that all the Hebrews whom he conducted with him and brought into the Land of Canaan was troubled with that disease For if that were true Moses would not have made these ordinances to his own shame and if any other had proposed them he would have opposed himself against them especially since among divers other Nations there are Lepers who are held in great honour and who are so far from disdainand contempt that they have been made Generals of Armies and elected for Governors of Common-wealths having liberty to enter the Temples and to be present at the sacrifices E What therefore hindred Moses if he had been infected with this malady to make such Laws and ordain such Statutes among those People who honoured and obeyed him whereby such as were therewith infected might be preferred By which it is manifest that those things that are objected against him are rather of malice than probability But Moses being clean from such sickness and conversing amongst his Countrey-men which were untainted made these ordinances for them that were sick having regard to the honour of God But of these things let each Man censure as best liketh him He forbad women to enter into the Temple soon after their deliverance Hedio Ruffinus cap. 14. or to assist at the sacrifice until forty days were expired if they had been brought a-bed of a Son The Laws of Women that are brought a-bed but if it were a Daughter he appointed that the number of the dayes should be F doubled and that when they should enter they should present their offerings to God whereof one part was consecrated and the other belonged to the Priests And if any one suspected that his Wife had committed adultery Numb 5. v. 15. ad finem he brought an Assar of Barly Meal and cast an handful thereof upon the Altar The Laws of adultery and jealousie and the rest was reserved for the maintenance of the Priests and then the Priest placing the Woman in the porch which is right over against the Tabernacle and taking the cover from her head writeth the name of God upon a Parchment and maketh her swear that she hath not violated her faith to her Husband and wish if she had transgressed the bounds of chastity that her right thigh might be put out of joynt her belly burst and death follow thereupon but if her Husband had been inconsiderately drawn into that suspition through excess of love then it pleased G God at the end of ten months to give her a Son And after such an oath ministred unto her the Priest dippeth in water the Parchment on which the name of God was written and then taking some of the earth of the Temple according as he findeth it and having mingled the same giveth it to the Woman to drink and if she had been H unjustly accused she became with child and brought forth happily but if she had falsified her faith to her husband and forsworn her self before God then dyed she a shameful death in the manner above mentioned You see what Laws Moses provided for the sacrifices and purifications Of adultery and incest He furthermore made these Laws which ensue He generally forebad Adultery judging it to be a great felicity if Men demeaned themselves honestly in Marriage and that both in politick Estates and private Families Exod. 22. it was a thing most profitable Deut. 17. that children should be born in Lawful Matrimony Levit. 18. 20 21 29. He condemn'd also as a horrid crime for a Man to have the use of his Mother or his Fathers Wife his Aunt or his Sister or his Sons Wife and detesteth it as a most I heinous and hideous offence He prohibited also the use of a Woman when she hath her monthly sickness also the lying with Beasts or boys by reason that such affections are abominable and against the transgressors of these Laws he established Capital punishments He willed also that the Priests should be more chaste than the rest for he not onely forbad them that which he prohibited others but moreover he enjoyned them not to marry Women that had been cast off or Slaves or Prisoners or Victualers and Taverners forsaken by their Husbands for any occasion whatsoever And touching the High-Priest Lev. 21. 7 8 9 he permitted him not to match with a Widow although it were Lawful for the other Priests and granted him onely liberty to take a Virgin to his Wife What Wife the High-Priest might marry with and to keep her The said High-Priest is also forbidden to approach a dead Man K although the other Priests are not forbidden to approach their Brothers Fathers and Mothers and children deceased Requiring that they should be sincere and true in all their words and actions He likewise ordained that the Priest which had any bodily defect should be maintained by the other Priests but in the mean time that he should not approach the Altar nor enter into the Temple willing that not onely they should be pure in that which concerned the divine service but also that they should study and endeavour to be so in all the actions of their life to the end that no Man might reproach them For which cause when they wore the habit of Priests besides their general obligation to be always pure and sober they were forbidden to drink Wine and they were to offer up entire L sacrifices and no ways maimed These Statutes did Moses make in the Desart and caus'd to be observ'd during his life Levit. 25. v. 2. ad 8. Afterwards he made others also which both the People might practise in that place The
promising them that although by injurious speeches he had undeservedly been offended by them yet he would obtain of God for them store of flesh not for one day onely but also for many But they being incredulous and some one amongst them demanding Ver. 4. How he could make provision for so many thousand men God saith he and I The Israelites obtain Quails in the Desart although we be evil spoken of by you yet will we never desist to be careful for you and that shall you shortly perceive Scarce had he spoken this but that all the Camp was filled with Quails Psal 78. 24. of which every one took as many as he would Yet God not long after punished the insolency and mutiny of the Hebrews The graves of Concupiscence by the death of no small number from G whence at this day the place hath its name which for that cause was imposed thereon and it is called Cabrothaba that is to say The Sepulchres of Concupiscence CHAP. XIII H Of the Spies that were sent to search the Land of Canaan and how returning to the Israelites they discourag'd them with fear BUt after Moses had led them out of that place and brought them into a Countrey not so apt for habitation Hedio Ruffinus cap. 17. not far from the borders of the Canaanites call'd Pharan he called the People to a Council Num. 13. 1. ad 24. and standing up in the midst of them spake after this manner God saith he having decreed to grant you two great benefits Liberty and the Possession I of a happy Countrey hath made you already enjoy the one and will shortly make you masters of the other For we are upon the borders of Canaan from whence both the Cities and Kings are so far from driving us that the whole Nation being united together is not of power to expel us Let us therefore address our selves very confidently to attempt the matter for neither without fight Moses sendeth Spies to search the Land of Canaan will they resign the Title of their Countrey unto us nor without great conflicts can we obtain the Palm of Victory Let us therefore send out certain Spies to discover the Forces of the Countrey and how great their power is but above all things let us be at unity one with another and let us honour God who assisteth us in all dangers and fighteth for us After Moses had spoken this the People applauding his counsels chose Twelve out of the Noblest Families of the Tribes to go and view the Countrey out of every K Tribe one who beginning from the parts extending towards Egypt visited all the Countrey of the Canaanites until they came to the City of Amath and the Mountain of Libanus And having consider'd both the Land and the nature of the Inhabitants they return'd home again having spent 40 days in this journey Moreover they brought with them such fruits as the Countrey yielded and by the beauty thereof and by the abundance of riches which they reported to be in that Countrey they encourag'd the hearts of the People to fight valiantly but on the other side they dismay'd them with the difficulty of the Conquest saying that there were certain great Rivers unpassable both for their wideness and depth that there were therein also unaccessible Mountains and Cities fortifi'd both with Walls and Bulwarks Moreover they told them L that in Hebron they saw a race of Gyants and that they had seen nothing so terrible since their departure out of Egypt Thus the fear of these Messengers brought the rest of the multitude into a dangerous consternation and perplexity C. 13. 24. who conjecturing by their discourse The Spies drive fear into the Israelites that it was impossible to conquer the Land dissolving the Assembly returned each to their Houses C. 14. 1 2. lamenting with their Wives and Children saying That God had only in words promis'd many things The murmur of the people against Moses but that they saw no effects of them Moreover they blam'd Moses and revil'd both him and his brother Aaron the High-Priest And thus spent they all the Night in disquiet venting their discontents both against the one and the other But on the morrow they re-assembled their Council tumultuously with intention to stone Moses and his brother and then return back again to M Egypt from whence they came But two of the discoverers namely Josua the son of Nave of the Tribe of Ephraim and Caleb of the Tribe of Juda seeing this disorder and fearing the consequences of it Ver. 6. they went into the midst of them and appeas'd the multitude Josua and Caleb appease the people Praying them to be of good hope and not to accuse Almighty God of unfaithfulness by yielding certain slight belief to some who spreading vain rumors of the affairs of Cannan had terrified the credulous multitude but rather follow them who both would be the Actors and Conductors also of them in the Conquest of the Countrey and that neither the greatness of the Mountains nor the depth of the Rivers could hinder them that like valiant men were prepared to attempt especially God being their Guide and ready to fight for them in that Battel March forward therefore said they and laying aside all fear and being N assured of the divine succors follow us with a bold courage whithersoever we lead you Hedio Ruffinus cap. 18. With these words labour'd they to appease the tumultuous multitude In the mean while Moses and Aaron falling prostrate on their faces besought God not for their own safety but that it would please him to restore the despairing multitude to a better mind who were troubled with so many present necessities and vain apprehensions of the future Whereupon suddenly a Cloud appear'd on the Tabernacle and gave testimony that God was there present Which when Moses perceiv'd being full of confidence he press'd into the midst of the multitude and told them That God was provoked to take punishment of the outrage which they had committed against him yet not so severely us the iniquity of their sins deserved but in that discipline which fathers are accustomed to use for O the amendment of their children For at such time as he stood before God in the Tabernacle and besought him with tears for the safety of the multitude God had recounted unto him how A many benefits and favours they had received from him and how ungrateful they shewed themselves towards him and that at the present being transported with passion and fear they had given more credit to the reports of the Spies than to his promises Notwithstanding all which he would not utterly consume them all nor exterminate their whole Race whom he had honoured above all the Nations of the earth but for punishment of their sin Ver. 23. 33. they should not possess the Land of Canaan The
Israelites should wander in the Desart 40 years nor taste the sweetness and plenty of its fruits but they should live in the Desart without House or City for the space of forty years Yet hath he promised said he to give the Countrey to your children whom he will make Lords of the Goods and Heirs of those Possessions of which you have render'd your selves unworthy by your murmuring and disobedience B After Moses had discours'd these things in this manner The repentance of the people the People were in great sorrow and calamity and besought Moses that he would appease God's wrath conceiv'd against them beseeching him that forgetting their faults that were past in the Desart he would make good his promises to them Moses answer'd them That God was not incensed against them according to the manner of humane weakness but that he had given a just sentence against them In this place it is not to be suppos'd that Moses who was but a man only did appease so many multitudes of displeased men but that God assisted him Moses a man of great authority and brought to pass that the People were wrought upon by his words having by divers disobediences and by the calamities whereinto they were fall'n known that obedience was both good and profitable But what greater proof can be desir'd of C the eminent virtue of this Lawgiver and of the strange Authority he acquir'd thereby than that not only they who liv'd in his time but even at this day there is not any one amongst the Hebrews but takes himself oblig'd to obey the Ordinances made by him and regards him as present and ready to punish the Transgressors of the same There are besides divers great and evident signs of the more than humane virtue which was in him and amongst the rest this was not the least That of certain strangers that have Travel'd out of the Regions beyond Euphrates a four months journey to their great charges and with no less peril to honour our Temple and offer Sacrifice yet some have not obtain'd licence or permission to offer in that by our Laws it was not lawful for them to do it and some other without sacrificing others the Sacrifice half finish'd the D rest not permitted to enter the Temple have return'd back again to their homes without finishing their purpose choosing rather to submit to Moses's Law than to satisfie their own wills and that without the least repining or complaint So much did the opinion once conceiv'd of this man prevail that he is esteem'd more than a man out of the consideration that he had receiv'd Laws from God and deliver'd them to men Of late also The great scarcity during the Empire of Claudius not long before the Wars of the Jews during the Empire of Claudius when Ismael was High-Priest amongst us so great a Famine oppress'd our Nation that an Assar of Meal was sold for four drams and there was brought to the Feast of Azymes the quantity of seventy Cores which make 30 Sicilian and 40 Athenian Medimni almost two Bushels of ours none of the Priests were so bold as to eat one grain of it E notwithstanding the Countrey was in that extremity fearing the Law and God's displeasure extended always against sins conceal'd For which cause we ought not to wonder at that which hapned at that time considering that the Writings left by Moses are in such force even at this day that they themselves who hate us confess that God instituted our Government by the means and ministry of Moses and his virtue But of these things let every man think as it pleaseth him F G The Fourth Book of the Antiquities of the JEWS H Written by FLAVIVS JOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the Fourth Book 1. The Fight of the Hebrews with the Canaanites and their overthrow by them without Moses's knowledge 2. The Sedition raised by Chore against Moses and his brother for the Priesthood 3. How the Authors of the Sedition were slain by God's judgment and the Priesthood confirmed I to Aaron and his sons 4. What chanced to the Hebrews in the Desart for the space of 38 years 5. How Moses overcame Sehon and Og Kings of the Amorites and overthrew their Armies 6. Of the Prophet Balaam 7. The Victory of the Hebrews against the Madianites and how the Countrey of the Amorites was granted by Moses to two and an half of the Tribes 8. Moses's Laws and how he was taken out of the World CHAP. I. K The Fight of the Hebrews with the Canaanites and their overthrow by them without Moses's knowledge WHilst thus the Hebrews passed their Lives in great penury and perplexity in the Desart Numb 14. 4. groaning under the burthen of their grievous Afflictions The Israelites without Gods or Moses command devise how to assail the Enemies there was nothing that more distracted and distemper'd them than this That God had forbidden them to fight with the Canaanites They would now no longer give ear unto Moses who persuaded them to Peace but growing confident in themselves that both without his L conduct and counsels they might easily obtain Victory over their Enemies they accused him as if he sought after no other thing but that they being daily pressed with great wants might be enforc'd continually to depend upon his counsels Whereupon they resolv'd upon a War against the Canaanites presuming with themselves that God would succor them not only in regard of Moses but also for that he had a general care of their Nation ever since the time of their Forefathers whom he had always held under his protection and by reason of whose virtues he had already granted them liberty They said likewise that if they fought valiantly God would give them Victory that they were strong enough to overcome their Enemies though they were left to themselves yea though Moses should endevor to estrange God from them In a word that M it was more for their advantage to govern themselves and that being redeem'd from the servitude of Egypt they ought not to suffer Moses to Tyrannize over them or to conform their Necks under his yoke in a vain belief that God had only discover'd to Moses that which was good for them by reason of the affection which he bare him As if all of them were not deriv'd from the loins of Abraham and that he onely were the Guide of all in foreknowing the things that should happen unto them by particular instruction from God That prudence oblig'd them to condemn his pride and fix their trust onely upon God for conquering the Countrey which he had promis'd them in spite of Moses's contradiction who for this cause hindred them pretending the Authority of God for it That therefore considering their necessity and the Desart which N daily more and more aggravated their misery they should prepare themselves couragiously to march against the
passages of their Country by which they thought their Enemy might break in preparing themselves to repell them with force and valor Yet no sooner did Phinees with his Forces charge them Cap. 3. 8. ad 18. but upon the first encounter so great a multitude of the Madianites was slain Five Kings of the Madianites slain that the number of the Carcasses could hardly be reckoned Neither were their Kings saved from the Sword these were Och Sur Robeas Vbes and Rechem from whom the chiefest City of the Arabians deriveth its name Otherwise Aâ—â—â—eme or Arca. and at this day retaineth O the same and is call'd Receme and by the Grecians Petra The Hebrews having thus put their Enemies to flight ravaged the Region and carried away with them great A spoils The year of the World 2493. before Christ's Nativity 1471. and killing all the Inhabitants thereof both Men and Women they onely spared the Virgins according to the command Phinees had received from Moses who returning home with his Army in safety brought with him a memorable and glorious prey of Oxen 52067 of Asses 60000 of gold and silver Vessels an incredible number which the Madianites were wont to use for their domestick occasions A great prey gotten from the Madianites so great was their great Riches and Luxury There were also led Captives about 30000 Virgins But Moses dividing the prey gave the fiftieth part thereof to Eleazar and the Priests and to the Levites another fiftieth Num. 27. 18. the remainder he distributed amongst the People who after this Battel lived in great security Deut. 3. 22. having gotten Riches by their Valor Moses appointed Joshua for his Successor and Peace also to enjoy the same Now for that Moses was well stricken in years he appointed Joshua to B succeed him in the Offices both of a Prophet a Prince and a Governor for God had so commanded that he should make choice of him to be his Successor in the principality for he was most expert in all divine and humane knowledge Numb 32. 1 5 c. being therein instructed by his Master Moses The Tribes of Reuben Gad and the half of Manasses require the land of the Amorites About that time the two Tribes of Gad and Reuben with the half Tribe of Manasses being abundantly stored with Cattel and all other manner of Riches by common consent requested Moses to give and assign to them in particular the Country of the Amorites which not long since they had conquered by the Sword for that it was full of rich Pastures But he suspecting that through fear they sought to withdraw themselves from the War with the Canaanites under pretext of care of their Cattel sharply reproved them saying that they were fearful and that their desire was to possess C that Land which was conquered by the Valor of the whole People to the end they might lead their lives in idleness and pleasure and not to bear Arms with the rest of the Host to help them to posses the Land beyond Jordan which God had promised them by overcoming those Nations which he commanded them to account for their Enemies These Tribes lest he should seem to be deservedly incensed against them answered that neither through fear they fled danger neither through sloth shunned labour but onely design'd to leave their prey in commodious places to the end they might be more fit to follow the War saying that they were ready if so be they might receive Cities for the defence and receipt of their Wives Children and Substance to follow the rest of the Army whithersoever they were conducted and to adventure their lives with them D for the common interest Moses satisfi'd with their reason in the presence of Eleazar the High Priest and Joshua with the rest of the Magistrates granted them the Land of the Amorites with this condition that together with the rest of the People they should march against their common Enemies Numb 35. 34 c. till the War were accomplished according to their desire accordingly having received that which they demanded they built them walled Cities Deut. 4. 43. and left their Children Josh 20. 8 9. Wives and Substance in the same Moses also built ten Cities in that Region which are to be reckoned in the number of those 48 abovemention'd in three whereof he appointed Sanctuaries The Cities of refuge and places of refuge which they only might take benefit of who fled thither for Casual Homicide and he appointed them their term of Exile till the time of the death of the High Priest under whom the E Manslaughter was committed at which time they might safely return into their Countrey And during the time of their Exile it was lawful for any of the Kin to take revenge upon the Offender by killing him only at such time as he was found without the City of Refuge which right he gave onely to those that were akin but not to others Now the Cities of Refuge were these in the Confines of Arabia Bosora in the Region of Galadena Numb 36. 1 2. Arimanum in the Countrey of Bazan Gaul Moses also ordained that after the Conquest of Canaan The daughters of Salpades have their inheritance in their fathers place three more Cities of the Levites should be appointed to that end that they might give refuge and habitation to such sort of Offenders At that time when one of the Magistrates called Salphates of the Tribe of Manasses was dead and had onely left Daughters behind him the Governors of the Tribe came unto Moses F and asked his counsel The history of Deuteronomy Whether they should inherit the Lands of their Father Moses answered them Ruffin cap. 5. That if they married within their Tribe they should inherit but if they made choice to marry themselves into another Tribe Hedio cap. 8. then they should lose their Patrimony in their own Deut. 41 c. ad 43. and for this cause made he this Ordinance to the end that every Tribe should continually possess its proper inheritance But whereas now there remained but 30 days only to fulfill the number of 40 years since their departure out of Egypt Moses summoning an Assembly in that place near to Jordan where now the City of Abila is scituate environed with fields beset with Palm-trees as soon as he saw the People ready to hear him spake unto them after this manner G CHAP. VIII H Moses Laws and how he was taken out of this world from the company of Men Deut. 4. MY dear friends Moses oration unto the people before his death and companions in my long Travels with whom I have run through so many dangers since it is thought requisite by God and mine age amounting to the number of one hundred and twenty years requireth no less that I must depart out of this life and
ten in number who having K travelled over the whole Countrey Joshua 13 19. and surveyed the same returned again Joshua divideth the Region of Canaan to the nine Tribes and the half Tribe of Manasses at the end of six moneths to Siloe where the Ark was kept Then Joshua taking unto him Eleazar with the Elders and Princes of the Tribes divided the Region amongst nine Tribes and the half of the Tribe of Manasses proportionably to the greatness of each Tribe and when the lot was cast there fell to the Tribe of Judah all the higher Judaea Joshua 14 15. 19. per totum which extendeth it self in length to Jerusalem and in breadth to the lake of Sodom to which likewise were annexed the Cities of Ascalon and Gaza The Tribe of Simeon which was the second obtained a part of Idumaea confining upon Egypt and Arabia The Benjamites had that Countrey which extendeth from Jordan to the Sea in length and in breadth from Jerusalem to Bethel this portion L was very small by reason that the Countrey was good for it contained the Cities of Jericho and Jerusalem The tribe of Ephraim was alotted its portion in length from Jordan to Gadara and in breadth from Bethel to the great Plain The half Tribe of Manasses had the Territory from Jordan to the City of Dora in length and in breadth to the City of Bethsan which is at this day called Scythopolis After them Issachar had that which lies between mount Carmel and the River of Jordan in length and the Mountain Itobir for the bounds of its breadth The Tribe of Zabulon was allowed that Countrey which stretcheth out as far as Genazereth and abutteth on mount Carmel and the Sea The Countrey which is betwixt Carmel and Sidon was adjudged to the Asserites in which portion was comprized the City of Arce which is also called Actipus M The Nephthalites possessed that quarter that stretcheth out from the East to the City of Damascus and the lower Galilee as far as the Mountain of Libanus and the head of Jordan that issueth from the same on that side which confines on the City Arce Northwards To them of Dan were assigned the Valleys extending Westward and terminated by the Cities of Azoth and Doris Supra lib 4. chap. 7. containing all the Countrey of Jamnia and Gitta from Abaron even unto that Mountain where beginneth the portion of Juda. After this manner did Joshua divide the Countrey of six Nations bearing the name of Canaan and gave it in possession to nine Tribes and an half Numb 32. 8 9 For Ammorhaea so called from of the Sons of Canaan had been already taken by Moses Joshua 13. 24 29. and assigned by him to two Tribes and an half as I have already declared But all the N quarter of Sidon of the Aruceans Amatheans and Aritheans were not comprized in this division But Joshua finding himself burthened with years and unfit to execute his enterprises in his own person Joshua severally commandeth every Tribe to root out the race of the Canaanites and observing that the Governors of the people to whom he gave employments acted negligently he exhorted every Tribe in particular to bestir themselves couragously in the extent of the Territory allotted to them for exterminating the remainder of the Canaanites as Moses had before told them that their safety and the maintenance of the Laws and Religion consisted in that one point which he had likewise learned by his own experience The Cities of refuge Further that they should deliver unto the Levites thirty eight Cities because they had already ten in their possession within the Land of Amorrhaea Numb 35. 6 11 14. three of which were ordained for Cities of refuge to those that O fled Deut 19 2. for he advised them with all consideration and care to omit nothing of that which Moses had commanded them Joshua 20. per totum of the Tribe of Juda Hebron of that of Ephraim A Sichem and of Nephthali Cades which is in higher Galilee Moreover he distributed unto them the surplusage of the prey which was very great so that not only in publick but in private they got no small quantity of sustenance for there was so much Gold and Rayment and Houshold-stuff and so great store of Cattel and Horses that the Common-Wealth and all particular persons were enriched with it The distribution of the prey After which he assembled the whole Army and to those that were planted on the other side of Jordan who had born Arms with the rest and were in number no less than 50000 he spake after this manner Joshua 22. 22. ad 6. Since God the Father and Master of our Nation hath given this Countrey into our possession B Joshua's oration to those that dwelt on the other side of Jordan and had served with the rest and hath promised to continue and conserve the same so for ever and since likewise you have willingly and forwardly assisted us in all our necessities and dangers according to Gods command and direction it is requisite at this present since there remains not any further matter wherein we have need to employ you that we dismiss you home to enjoy some quiet not doubting that if hereafter we shall have need of you you will with no less willingness be as industrious to do us kindness We therefore yield you hearty thanks for that you have vouchsafed to be companions in our perils and we desire that you will continue your mutual affection remembring us as your friends and how you have gotten your possessions by our help as we by Gods favour and your assistance have attained to this our present felicity Neither have you adventured without some reward of your travels for in this your warfare you are enriched C and shall bear away with you a great quantity of Gold and Silver and besides all these our benevolence and love tyed unto you with all sincerity whensoever you shall have cause to use us For you have neither forgot nor set light by Moses command before he departed out of this life and have spared no endeavour whereby you might tye our affections to you We therefore dismiss you to your own possessions in fulness of contentment praying you to remember these things and never to put any bounds to the inviolable amity which is between us and let not the River Jordan which is betwixt you and us hinder you from considering us as Hebrews For all of us both those that dwell on this side and on the other side of Jordan are the posterity of Abraham and one and the same God gave life both to your and our progenitors whose Laws and Religion instituted by Moses are diligently to be observed D for by this means he will become our helper and favourer as on the contrary if we shall degenerate from his Statutes he will be our Enemy
King accompanied by his Sons coming towards him v. 20 21. he ran out to meet him Oronna the Jebusite and I humbled himself before him This man was by Nation a Jebusite and one of the greatest friends that David had by means whereof he plundred him not at such time as the fortress of the Jebusites was taken supra l. 7. c. 2. called Orphona as we have heretofore declared Oronna asked him for what cause his Lord came thus unto him v. 22 23. who was his Servant David answered that it was to purchase his threshing-floor Oronna giveth David his floor to the intent that he might build an Altar in that place and offer sacrifice unto God Oronna replied that both his Floor his Ploughs and Oxen were the Kings to offer up for a burnt-sacrifice The summe that was paid for the threshing floor beseeching God that he would graciously accept that offering To this the King answered that he commended his liberality and beneficence and that he accepted the offer he had made him yet that it was his pleasure that he should receive the price of the same The place of the Altar that was built because he ought not to offer sacrifice unto K God upon other mens charges To this Oronna answered that his Majesty might do as best pleased him Gen. 22. Hereupon he bought the foresaid Floor of him for fifty sicles Then erected he an Altar in this place supra l. 1. c. 13. and offered sacrifice thereon as well burnt-offerings as peace-offerings and by this means the Divine Majesty was appeased and ever after shewed himself favourable Now this place was the very same whereto Abraham in times past had brought his Son Isaac to offer up for a burnt-sacrifice unto God and as he was about to sacrifice him a Wether upon the instant presented it self unto the Altar which Abraham offered up in stead of his Son as we have heretofore related David seeing that God had heard his prayer and favourably accepted his sacrifice decreed that in that place the general Altar of the people should stand and that on L the very same Floor he would build a Temple unto God which words of his God afterwards ratified For sending his Prophet unto him he assured him that his Son that should succeed him should build a Temple After this Prophetical declaration the King commanded to number the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and it was found that there were one hundred and fourscore thousand men of which number he appointed eighty thousand to intend the hewing of stones Hedio Ruffinus chap. 14. and ordered that the rest of the common people should bear Stones unto them and he appointed three thousand and five hundred The workmen alloâ—ted for the building of the Temple who should govern them and have the overseeing of the works He gathered also a great quantity of Iron and Brass to work upon with store of huge Cedar-trees which they of Tyre and Sidon sent him whom he had put in trust to furnish him therewith M 1 Chron. 22. telling his friends that he made that preparation at that time to the intent that when his Son should govern after him à 1 ad 5. and v. 14. he might have materials in a readiness for the building of the Temple David gathereth great store of Iron Brass and Wood. and to the intent that he being as yet young and unexperimented should not be troubled with the gathering thereof but having all things in a readiness might finish the building of the Temple CHAP. XI DAVID during his life time surrendereth the Kingdom to SOLOMON THEN calling unto him his Son Solomon he charged him that after his decease and N his own instalment in the kingdom v. 5 6. he should build a Temple unto God telling him that though he had both a will and intent to perform the same The building of Solomons Temple is commanded yet that he was not permitted by God because he had been a man of blood and brought up in War Adding further that it was fore-prophesied unto him that the finishing of that Edifice was by Gods appointment reserved to his younger Son that should be called Solomon whom God should not lesse tender and care for than the Father doth his Son and how the whole Land of the Hebrews should be made happy under this Prince and among other benefits that they should have peace which is an especial blessing and not only be freed from foreign Wars v. 7 ad finem but also from civil dissentions For which cause said he since by God thou wert appointed King before thou wast born David counseleth Solomon to honour God take care to make O thy self worthy of so great an honour by thy piety justice and fortitude and keeping those his Ordinances and Laws which he gave us by Moses and not permitting others to transgress A the same And as touching the Temple which he will that thou shalt build when thou shalt obtain the Kingdom take care to discharge that duty towards God neither be thou dismaid or afraid at the greatness of the work For before I shall depart out of this world I will set all things in a readiness for thee Know therefore that I have already gathered ten thousand talents of Gold and an hundred thousand talents of Silver and an incredible quantity of Brass and Iron of Stone and of Wood. Moreover thou shalt have many thousands of Masons and Carpenters and if after this any thing else shall be wanting thou shalt thy self make provision thereof à v. 1 ad 5. thou shalt hereby perform that which is most agreeable in the sight of God The treasure that was gathered towards the building of the Temple and he shall be thy sovereign and safe conductor He exhorted also the Governours of the people to set to their helping hand and yeeld their assistance to his Son in finishing this Work B and in furthering the service of God without suspition of any inconveniency assuring them that they should enjoy a firm peace The Assistants that Solomon had in building the Temple and flourishing estate such blessings as God bestoweth upon those that study after piety and justice Moreover he charged him to place the Ark within the Temple at such time as it should be finished with all other sacred utensils for the reception whereof the Temple should long since have been builded The comandment as touching the Ark and laying up all other sacred utensils within the Temple had not their fore-fathers neglected Gods command who had enjoyned them that at such time as they should possess their Enemies Land they should build him a Temple These were Davids exhortations not only unto his Son but also to the other Princes Now when David was very old so that by reason of his years his body was cold and benum'd Hedio
it would cost much time and expence he denied their request permitting them nevertheless to pave their City with broad Stone Matthias the Son of Theophilus High Priest He took the Priesthood from Jesus the Son of Gamaliel and gave it to Matthias the Son of Theophilus in whose time the Wars betwixt the Romans and the Jews began But I think it not amiss Hedio Ruffinus chap. 18. but very answerable to the course of this present History N to speak of the High Priests The Succession and number of the High Priests among the Jews and to shew how they had their beginning and to whom this honour may be lawfully communicated and how many they were in number until the end of the War The first of them was Aaron Moses's Brother after whose death his Children succeeded him and from that time forward the honour hath continued with their Successors For it is a Law observed by our Ancestors that no man should be admitted to the Priesthood There were eighty three High Priests in all except he be of Aaron's Posterity for albeit he were a King if so be that he were of another Line it was impossible for him to obtain the Priesthood All the Priests after Aaron who as we have said was the first until Phanasus whom the Seditious created Priest in the time of the War have been in number eighty three whereof thirteen have executed the Office from the time that O Moses erected God's Tabernacle in the Desart until such time as arriving in Judaea King Solomon builded a Temple to God For in the beginning the High Priesthood continued A with the Possessors for term of life but afterwards although the Priests were yet alive yet were there other Successors put in their rooms These thirteen were of Aaron's Posterity and obtained this degree in succession the one after the other Their first Government was Aristocracy which is the Government of the Nobility afterwards a Monarchy and at last a Royal Government The number of years wherein these thirteen flourished were six hundred and twelve years from the day that our Fathers departed out of Egypt under the conduct of Moses until the building of the Temple in Jerusalem by King Solomon After these thirteen High Priests there were eighteen others who after Solomon's time succeeded one after another until the time that Nabuchodonozor King of Babylon B having encamped before the City took it and burned the Temple and transported our Nation into Babylon and led away the High Priest Josedech Prisoner The time of the Priesthood and continuance of these eighteen was four hundred sixty years six months and ten days so long as the Jews have had the Royal Government After the surprizal of Jerusalem by the Babylonians until such time as Cyrus King of Persia dismissed the Jews and gave them leave to return from Babylon into their own Countrey with permission to re-edifie their Temple there are seventy two years and at that time the Captives being returned Jesus the Son of Josedech took upon him the High Priesthood who with those of his Posterity to the number of fifteen have governed in a Democracy or Popular Government until the time of Antiochus surnamed C Eupator for the space of four hundred and fourteen years This Antiochus was the first who with his General Lysias displaced Onias surnamed Menelaus of his Priesthood commanding him to be killed at Berith and after he had driven his Son out of the Succession he established Jacim High Priest who notwithstanding was of Aaron's Race but not of his Family For this cause Onias the Son of Onias and Nephew to the deceased Onias retired himself into Egypt Where growing familiar with Ptolomey Philometor and Cleopatra his Wife he perswaded them to build a Temple in the Confines of Heliopolis not unlike to that of Jerusalem and to create a High Priest in the same of which Temple in Egypt we have made very oftentimes mention After that Jacim had held the Priestood for the space of three years he died without D Successor so the City remained seven years without a High Priest Again the Asmoneans recovered the Government of their Nation and after they had made War against the Macedonians they established Jonathan High Priest who exercised the Office seven years but afterwards he was killed in an Ambush and Treason conspired against him by Tryphon as we have declared elsewhere After him Simon his Brother undertook the Priesthood who was not long after killed treacherously by his Son-in-Law at a Banquet After him succeeded his Son Hircanus who enjoying this Dignity for the space of thirty one years died when he was very old leaving behind him Judas surnamed Aristobulus who dying left his Brother Alexander his Heir both of the Kingdom and High Priesthood After that Aristobulus had obtained the E Royal Government he enjoyed both Dignities one whole year For this Judas surnamed Aristobulus was the first that set the Diadem on his head causing himself to be called a King the which Alexander did continue for he also joyned the Kingdom with the High Priesthood and reigned twenty seven years And feeling himself draw near to his death he left in Alexandras his Wife's hands to dispose of the Priesthood as she pleased She therefore bestowed it on Hircanus and as for the Kingdom she kept it in her own hands nine years and afterwards died Her Son Hircanus was High Priest for so long time For after Alexandra's death his Brother Aristobulus made War against him and having overcome him he took the Kingdom from him and not only seized on the Crown but the Priesthood After he had reigned three F years and as many months Pompey repaired to Jerusalem and took it perforce and laying hold of Aristobulus sent him bound unto Rome with his Children After which he restored the Priesthood once more to Hircanus committing the Government of the Nation unto his hands forbidding him in the mean space to wear the Diadem Besides the first nine years Hircanus governed twenty and four But Barzapharnes and Pacorus Princes of the Parthians passed Euphrates and made war against Hircanus and took him alive Prisoner and made Antigonus Aristobulus's Son King But after he had governed three years and three months Sosius and Herod took him alive perforce and Antonius sent him to Antioch where he was beheaded After that Herod was created King by the Romans there was never any High Priest created of G the Posterity of the Asmoneans for he gave the High Priesthood to certain men of obscure and base extraction who were of the Order of Priests Aristobulus only excepted This Aristobulus was Hircanus's Nephew who was a Prisoner among the Parthians and having given him the Priesthood he married Mariamne his Sister to the intent H to continue himself in the good liking of the people in remembrance of Hircanus But afterwards fearing lest all of them should turn to Aristobulus's