the antiquities of the jews-1-第118章

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out　of　the　forehead　of　the　he…goat　was　meant　the　first　king；　and
that　the　springing　up　of　four　horns　upon　its　falling　off；　and　the
conversion　of　every　one　of　them　to　the　four　quarters　of　the
earth；　signified　the　successors　that　should　arise　after　the　death
of　the　first　king；　and　the　partition　of　the　kingdom　among　them；
and　that　they　should　be　neither　his　children；　nor　of　his　kindred；
that　should　reign　over　the　habitable　earth　for　many　years；　and
that　from　among　them　there　should　arise　a　certain　king　that
should　overcome　our　nation　and　their　laws；　and　should　take　away
their　political　government；　and　should　spoil　the　temple；　and
forbid　the　sacrifices　to　be　offered　for　three　years'　time。　And
indeed　it　so　came　to　pass；　that　our　nation　suffered　these　things
under　Antiochus　Epiphanes；　according　to　Daniel's　vision；　and　what
he　wrote　many　years　before　they　came　to　pass。　In　the　very　same
manner　Daniel　also　wrote　concerning　the　Roman　government；　and
that　our　country　should　be　made　desolate　by　them。　All　these
things　did　this　man　leave　in　writing；　as　God　had　showed　them　to
him；　insomuch　that　such　as　read　his　prophecies；　and　see　how　they
have　been　fulfilled；　would　wonder　at　the　honor　wherewith　God
honored　Daniel；　and　may　thence　discover　how　the　Epicureans　are　in
an　error；　who　cast　Providence　out　of　human　life；　and　do　not
believe　that　God　takes　care　of　the　affairs　of　the　world；　nor　that
the　universe　is　governed　and　continued　in　being　by　that　blessed
and　immortal　nature；　but　say　that　the　world　is　carried　along　of
its　own　accord；　without　a　ruler　and　a　curator；　which；　were　it
destitute　of　a　guide　to　conduct　it；　as　they　imagine；　it　would　be
like　ships　without　pilots；　which　we　see　drowned　by　the　winds；　or
like　chariots　without　drivers；　which　are　overturned；　so　would　the
world　be　dashed　to　pieces　by　its　being　carried　without　a
Providence；　and　so　perish；　and　come　to　nought。　So　that；　by　the
forementioned　predictions　of　Daniel；　those　men　seem　to　me　very
much　to　err　from　the　truth；　who　determine　that　God　exercises　no
providence　over　human　affairs；　for　if　that　were　the　case；　that
the　world　went　on　by　mechanical　necessity；　we　should　not　see　that
all　things　would　come　to　pass　according　to　his　prophecy。　Now　as
to　myself；　I　have　so　described　these　matters　as　I　have　found　them
and　read　them；　but　if　any　one　is　inclined　to　another　opinion
about　them；　let　him　enjoy　his　different　sentiments　without　any
blame　from　me。

BOOK　XI。

Containing　The　Interval　Of　Two　Hundred　And　Fifty…Three　Years　And
Five　Months。

From　The　First　Of　Cyrus　To　The　Death　Of　Alexander　The　Great。

CHAPTER　1。

How　Cyrus；　King　Of　The　Persians；　Delivered　The　Jews　Out　Of
Babylon　And　Suffered　Them　To　Return　To　Their　Own　Country　And　To
Build　Their　Temple；　For　Which　Work　He　Gave　Them　Money。

1。　In　the　first　year　of　the　reign　of　Cyrus　（1）　which　was　the
seventieth　from　the　day　that　our　people　were　removed　out　of　their
own　land　into　Babylon；　God　commiserated　the　captivity　and
calamity　of　these　poor　people；　according　as　he　had　foretold　to
them　by　Jeremiah　the　prophet；　before　the　destruction　of　the　city；
that　after　they　had　served　Nebuchadnezzar　and　his　posterity；　and
after　they　had　undergone　that　servitude　seventy　years；　he　would
restore　them　again　to　the　land　of　their　fathers；　and　they　should
build　their　temple；　and　enjoy　their　ancient　prosperity。　And　these
things　God　did　afford　them；　for　he　stirred　up　the　mind　of　Cyrus；
and　made　him　write　this　throughout　all　Asia：　〃Thus　saith　Cyrus
the　king：　Since　God　Almighty　hath　appointed　me　to　be　king　of　the
habitable　earth；　I　believe　that　he　is　that　God　which　the　nation
of　the　Israelites　worship；　for　indeed　he　foretold　my　name　by　the
prophets；　and　that　I　should　build　him　a　house　at　Jerusalem；　in
the　country　of　Judea。〃

2。　This　was　known　to　Cyrus　by　his　reading　the　book　which　Isaiah
left　behind　him　of　his　prophecies；　for　this　prophet　said　that　God
had　spoken　thus　to　him　in　a　secret　vision：　〃My　will　is；　that
Cyrus；　whom　I　have　appointed　to　be　king　over　many　and　great
nations；　send　back　my　people　to　their　own　land；　and　build　my
temple。〃　This　was　foretold　by　Isaiah　one　hundred　and　forty　years
before　the　temple　was　demolished。　Accordingly；　when　Cyrus　read
this；　and　admired　the　Divine　power；　an　earnest　desire　and
ambition　seized　upon　him　to　fulfill　what　was　so　written；　so　he
called　for　the　most　eminent　Jews　that　were　in　Babylon；　and　said
to　them；　that　he　gave　them　leave　to　go　back　to　their　own　country；
and　to　rebuild　their　city　Jerusalem；　（2）　and　the　temple　of　God；
for　that　he　would　be　their　assistant；　and　that　he　would　write　to
the　rulers　and　governors　that　were　in　the　neighborhood　of　their
country　of　Judea；　that　they　should　contribute　to　them　gold　and
silver　for　the　building　of　the　temple；　and　besides　that；　beasts
for　their　sacrifices。

3。　When　Cyrus　had　said　this　to　the　Israelites；　the　rulers　of　the
two　tribes　of　Judah　and　Benjamin；　with　the　Levites　and　priests；
went　in　haste　to　Jerusalem；　yet　did　many　of　them　stay　at　Babylon；
as　not　willing　to　leave　their　possessions；　and　when　they　were
come　thither；　all　the　king's　friends　assisted　them；　and　brought
in；　for　the　building　of　the　temple；　some　gold；　and　some　silver；
and　some　a　great　many　cattle　and　horses。　So　they　performed　their
vows　to　God；　and　offered　the　sacrifices　that　had　been　accustomed
of　old　time；　I　mean　this　upon　the　rebuilding　of　their　city；　and
the　revival　of　the　ancient　practices　relating　to　their　worship。
Cyrus　also　sent　back　to　them　the　vessels　of　God　which　king
Nebuchadnezzar　had　pillaged　out　of　the　temple；　and　had　carried　to
Babylon。　So　he　committed　these　things　to　Mithridates；　the
treasurer；　to　be　sent　away；　with　an　order　to　give　them　to
Sanabassar；　that　he　might　keep　them　till　the　temple　was　built；
and　when　it　was　finished；　he　might　deliver　them　to　the　priests
and　rulers　of　the　multitude；　in　order　to　their　being　restored　to
the　temple。　Cyrus　also　sent　an　epistle　to　the　governors　that　were
in　Syria；　the　contents　whereof　here　follow：

〃King　Cyrus　To　Sisinnes　And　Sathrabuzanes　Sendeth　Greeting。

〃I　have　given　leave　to　as　many　of　the　Jews　that　dwell　in　my
country　as　please　to　return　to　their　own　country；　and　to　rebuild
their　city；　and　to　build　the　temple　of　God　at　Jerusalem　on　the
same　place　where　it　was　before。　I　have　also　sent　my　treasurer
Mithridates；　and　Zorobabel；　the　governor　of　the　Jews；　that　they
may　lay　the　foundations　of　the　temple；　and　may　build　it　sixty
cubits　high；　and　of　the　same　latitude；　making　three　edifices　of
polished　stones；　and　one　of　the　wood　of　the　country；　and　the　same
order　extends　to　the　altar　whereon　they　offer　sacrifices　to　God。
I　require　also　that　the　expenses　for　these　things　may　be　given
out　of　my　revenues。　Moreover；　I　have　also　sent　the　vessels　which
king　Nebuchadnezzar　pillaged　out　of　the　temple；　and　have　given
them　to　Mithridates　the　treasurer；　and　to　Zorobabel　the　governor
of　the　Jews；　that　they　may　have　them　carried　to　Jerusalem；　and
may　restore　them　to　the　temple　of　God。　Now　their　number　is　as
follows：　Fifty　chargers　of　gold；　and　five　hundred　of　silver；
forty　Thericlean　cups　of　gold；　and　five　hundred　of　silver；　fifty
basons　of　gold；　and　five　hundred　of　silver；　thirty　vessels　for
pouring　＇the　drink…offerings＇；　and　three　hundred　of　silver；
thirty　vials　of　gold；　and　two　thousand　four　hundred　of　silver；
with　a　thousand　other　large　vessels。　（3）　I　permit　them　to　have
the　same　honor　which　they　were　used　to　have　from　their
forefathers；　as　also　for　their　small　cattle；　and　for　wine　and
oil；　two　hundred　and　five　thousand　and　five　hundred　drachme；　and
for　wheat　flour；　twenty　thousand　and　five　hundred　artabae；　and　I
give　order　that　these　expenses　shall　be　given　them　out　of　the
tributes　due　from　Samaria。　The　priests　shall　also　offer　these
sacrifices　according　to　the　laws　of　Moses　in　Jerusalem；　and　when
they　offer　them；　they　shall　pray　to　God　for　the　preservation　of
the　king　and　of　his　family；　that　the　kingdom　of　Persia　may
continue。　But　my　will　is；　that　those　who　disobey　these
injunctions；　and　make　them　void；　shall　be　hung　upon　a　cross；　and
their　substance　brought　into　the　king's　treasury。〃　And　such　was
the　import　of　this　epistle。　Now　the　number　of　those　that　came　out
of　captivity　to　Jerusalem；　were　forty…two　thousand　four　hundred
and　sixty…two。

CHAPTER　2。

How　Upon　The　Death　Of　Cyrus　The　Jews　Were　Hindered　In　Building　Of
The　Temple　By　The　Cutheans；　And　The　Neighboring　Governors；　And
How　Cambyses　Entirely　Forbade　The　Jews　To　Do　Any　Such　Thing。

1。　When　the　foundations　of　the　temple　were　laying；　and　when　the
Jews　were　very　zealous　about　building　it；　the　neighboring
nations；　and　especially　the　Cutheans；　whom　Shalmanezer；　king　of
Assyria；　had　brought　out　of　Persia　and　Media；　and　had　planted　in
Samaria；　when　he　carried　the　people　of　Israel　captives；　besought
the　governors；　and　those　that　had　the　care　of　such　affairs；　that
they　would　interrupt　the　Jews；　both　in　the　rebuilding　of　their
city；　and　in　the　building　of　their　temple。　Now　as　these　men　were
corrupted　by　them　with　money；　they　sold　the　Cutheans　their
interest　for　rendering　this　building　a　slow　and　a　careless　work；
for　Cyrus；　who　was　busy　about　other　wars；　knew　nothing　of　all
this；　and　it　so　happened；　that　when　he　had　led　his　army　against
the　Massagetae；　he　ended　his　life。　（4）　But　when　Cambyses；　the　son
of　Cyrus；　had　taken　the　kingdom；　the　governors　in　Syria；　and
Phoenicia；　and　in　the　countries　of　Amlnon；　and　Moab；　and　Samaria；
wrote　an　epistle　to　Calnbyses；　whose　contents　were　as　follow：　〃To
our　lord　Cambyses。　We　thy　servants；　Rathumus　the　historiographer；
and　Semellius　the　scribe；　and　the　rest　that　are　thy　judges　in
Syria　and　Phoenicia；　send　greeting。　It　is　fit；　O　king；　that　thou
shouldst　know　that　those　Jews　which　were　carried　to　Babylon　are
come　into　our　country；　and　are　building　that　rebellious　and
wicked　city；　and　its　market…places；　and　setting　up　its　walls；　and
raising　up　the　temple；　know　therefore；　that　when　these　things　are
finished；　they　will　not　be　willing　to　pay　tribute；　nor　will　they
submit　to　thy　commands；　but　will　resist　kings；　and　will　choose
rather　to　rule　over　others　than　be　ruled　over　themselves。　We
therefore　thought　it　proper　to　write　to　thee；　O　king；　while　the
works　about　the　temple　are　going　on　so　fast；　and　not　to　overlook
this　matter；　that　thou　mayst　search　into　the　books　of　thy
fathers；　for　thou　wilt　find　in　them　that　the　Jews　have　been
rebels；　and　enemies　to　kings；　as　hath　their　city　been　also；
which；　for　that　reason；　hath　been　till　now　laid　waste。　We　thought
proper　also　to　inform　thee　of　this　matter；　because　thou　mayst
otherwise　perhaps　be　ignorant　of　it；　that　if　this　city　be　once
inhabited　and　be　entirely　encompassed　with　walls；　thou　wilt　be
excluded　from　thy　passage　to　Celesyria　and　Phoenicia。〃

2。　When　Cambyses　had　read　the　epistle；　being　naturally　wicked；　he
was　irritated　at　what　they　told　him；　and　wrote　back　to　them　as
follows：　〃Cambyses　the　king；　to　Rathumus　the　historiographer；　to
Beeltethmus；　to　Semellius　the　scribe；　and　the　rest　that　are　in
commission；　and　dwelling　in　Samaria　and　Phoenicia；　after　this
manner：　I　have　read　the　epistle　that　was　sent　from　you；　and　I
gave　order　that　the　books　of　my　forefathers　should　be　searche