the antiquities of the jews-1-第239章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


perhaps　in　Moses　also；　with　him　who　is　before　called　head　cook　or
captain　of　the　guard；　and　to　whom　Joseph　was　sold。　See　Genesis
37：36；　39：1；　with　41：50。　They　are　also　affirmed　to　be　one　and　the
same　person　in　the　Testament　of　Joseph；　sect。　18；　for　he　is　there
said　to　have　married　the　daughter　of　his　master　and　mistress。　Nor
is　this　a　notion　peculiar　to　that　Testament；　but；　as　Dr。　Bernard
confesses；　note　on　Antiq。　B。　II。　ch。　4。　sect。　1；　common　to
Josephus；　to　the　Septuagint　interpreters；　and　to　other　learned
Jews　of　old　time。

（5）　This　entire　ignorance　of　the　Egyptians　of　these　years　of
famine　before　they　came；　told　us　before；　as　well　as　here；　ch。　5。
sect。　7；　by　Josephus；　seems　to　me　almost　incredible。　It　is　in　no
other　copy　that　I　know　of。

（6）　The　reason　why　Symeon　might　be　selected　out　of　the　rest　for
Joseph's　prisoner；　is　plain　in　the　Testament　of　Symeon；　viz。　that
he　was　one　of　the　bitterest　of　all　Joseph's　brethren　against　him；
sect。　2；　which　appears　also　in　part　by　the　Testament　of　Zabulon；
sect。　3。

（7）　The　coherence　seems　to　me　to　show　that　the　negative　particle
is　here　wanting；　which　I　have　supplied　in　brackets；　and　I　wonder
none　have　hitherto　suspected　that　it　ought　to　be　supplied。

（8）　Of　the　precious　balsam　of　Judea；　and　the　turpentine；　see　the
note　on　Antiq。　B。　VIII。　ch。　6。　sect。　6。

（9）　This　oration　seems　to　me　too　large；　and　too　unusual　a
digression；　to　have　been　composed　by　Judas　on　this　occasion。　It
seems　to　me　a　speech　or　declamation　composed　formerly；　in　the
person　of　Judas；　and　in　the　way　of　oratory；　that　lay　by　him。　and
which　he　thought　fit　to　insert　on　this　occasion。　See　two　more
such　speeches　or　declamations；　Antiq。　B。　VI。　ch。　14。　sect。　4

（10）　In　all　this　speech　of　Judas　we　may　observe；　that　Josephus
still　supposed　that　death　was　the　punishment　of　theft　in　Egypt；
in　the　days　of　Joseph；　though　it　never　was　so　among　the　Jews；　by
the　law　of　Moses。

（11）　All　the　Greek　copies　of　Josephus　have　the　negative　particle
here；　that　Jacob　himself　was　not　reckoned　one　of　the　70　souls
that　came　into　Egypt；　but　the　old　Latin　copies　want　it；　and
directly　assure　us　he　was　one　of　them。　It　is　therefore　hardly
certain　which　of　these　was　Josephus's　true　reading；　since　the
number　70　is　made　up　without　him；　if　we　reckon　Leah　for　one；　but
if　she　be　not　reckoned；　Jacob　must　himself　be　one；　to　complete
the　number。

（12）　Josephus　thought　that　the　Egyptians　hated　or　despised　the
employment　of　a　shepherd　in　the　days　of　Joseph；　whereas　Bishop
Cumberland　has　shown　that　they　rather　hated　such　Poehnician　or
Canaanite　shepherds　that　had　long　enslaved　the　Egyptians　of　old
time。　See　his　Sanchoniatho；　p。　361；　362。

（13）　Reland　here　puts　the　question；　how　Josephus　could　complain
of　its　not　raining　in　Egypt　during　this　famine；　while　the
ancients　affirm　that　it　never　does　naturally　rain　there。　His
answer　is；　that　when　the　ancients　deny　that　it　rains　in　Egypt；
they　only　mean　the　Upper　Egypt　above　the　Delta；　which　is　called
Egypt　in　the　strictest　sense；　but　that　in　the　Delta　＇and　by
consequence　in　the　Lower　Egypt　adjoining　to　it＇　it　did　of　old；
and　still　does；　rain　sometimes。　See　the　note　on　Antiq。　B。　III。
ch。　1。　sect。　6。

（14）　Josephus　supposes　that　Joseph　now　restored　the　Egyptians
their　lands　again。　upon　the　payment　of　a　fifth　part　as　tribute。
It　seems　to　me　rather　that　the　land　was　now　considered　as
Pharaoh's　land；　and　this　fifth　part　as　its　rent；　to　be　paid　to
him；　as　he　was　their　landlord；　and　they　his　tenants；　and　that　the
lands　were　not　properly　restored；　and　this　fifth　part　reserved　as
tribute　only；　till　the　days　of　Sesostris。　See　Essay　on　the　Old
Testament；　Append。　148；　149。

（15）　As　to　this　encomium　upon　Joseph；　as　preparatory　to　Jacob's
adopting　Ephraim　and　Manasses　into　his　own　family；　and　to　be
admitted　for　two　tribes；　which　Josephus　here　mentions；　all　our
copies　of　Genesis　omit　it；　ch。　48。；　nor　do　we　know　whence　he　took
it；　or　whether　it　be　not　his　own　embellishment　only。

（16）　As　to　the　affliction　of　Abraham's　posterity　for　400　years；
see　Antiq。　B。　I。　ch。　10。　sect。　3；　and　as　to　what　cities　they
built　in　Egypt；　under　Pharaoh　Sesostris。　and　of　Pharaoh
Sesostris's　drowning　in　the　Red　Sea；　see　Essay　on　the　Old
Testament；　Append。　p。　132…162。

（17）　Of　this　building　of　the　pyramids　of　Egypt　by　the　Israelites；
see　Perizonius　Orig。　Aegyptiac；　ch。　21。　It　is　not　impossible　they
might　build　one　or　more　of　the　small　ones；　but　the　larger　ones
seem　much　later。　Only；　if　they　be　all　built　of　stone；　this　does
not　so　well　agree　with　the　Israelites'　labors；　which　are　said　to
have　been　in　brick；　and　not　in　stone；　as　Mr。　Sandys　observes　in
his　Travels。　p。　127；　128。

（18）　Dr。　Bernard　informs　us　here；　that　instead　of　this　single
priest　or　prophet　of　the　Egyptians；　without　a　name　in　Josephus；
the　Targum　of　Jonathan　names　the　two　famous　antagonists　of　Moses；
Jannes　and　Jambres。　Nor　is　it　at　all　unlikely　that　it　might　be
one　of　these　who　foreboded　so　much　misery　to　the　Egyptians；　and
so　much　happiness　to　the　Israelites；　from　the　rearing　of　Moses。

（19）　Josephus　is　clear　that　these　midwives　were　Egyptians；　and
not　Israelites；　as　in　our　other　copies：　which　is　very　probable；
it　being　not　easily　to　be　supposed　that　Pharaoh　could　trust　the
Israelite　midwives　to　execute　so　barbarous　a　command　against
their　own　nation。　（Consult；　therefore；　and　correct　hence　our
ordinary　copies；　Exodus　1：15；　22。　And；　indeed；　Josephus　seems　to
have　had　much　completer　copies　of　the　Pentateuch；　or　other
authentic　records　now　lost；　about　the　birth　and　actions　of　Moses；
than　either　our　Hebrew；　Samaritan；　or　Greek　Bibles　afford　us；
which　enabled　him　to　be　so　large　and　particular　about　him。

（20）　Of　this　grandfather　of　Sesostris；　Ramestes　the　Great；　who
slew　the　Israelite　infants；　and　of　the　inscription　on　his
obelisk；　containing；　in　my　opinion；　one　of　the　oldest　records　of
mankind；　see　Essay　on　the　Old　Test。　Append。　p。　139；　145；　147；
217…220。

（21）　What　Josephus　here　says　of　the　beauty　of　Moses；　that　he　was
of　a　divine　form；　is　very　like　what　St。　Stephen　says　of　the　same
beauty；　that　Moses　was　beautiful　in　the　sight　of　Acts　7：20。

（22）　This　history　of　Moses；　as　general　of　the　Egyptians　against
the　Ethiopians；　is　wholly　omitted　in　our　Bibles；　but　is　thus　by
Irenaeus；　from　Josephus；　and　that　soon　after　his　own　age：　…
〃Josephus　says；　that　when　Moses　was　nourished　in　the　palace；　he
was　appointed　general　of　the　army　against　the　Ethiopians；　and
conquered　them；　when　he　married　that　king's　daughter；　because；
out　of　her　affection　for　him；　she　delivered　the　city　up　to　him。〃
See　the　Fragments　of　Irenaeus。　ap。　edit。　Grab。　p。　472。　Nor
perhaps　did　St。　Stephen　refer　to　any　thing　else　when　he　said　of
Moses；　before　he　was　sent　by　God　to　the　Israelites；　that　he　was
not　only　learned　in　all　the　wisdom　of　the　Egyptians；　but　was　also
mighty　in　words　and　in　deeds；　Acts　7：22。

（23）　Pliny　speaks　of　these　birds　called　ibes；　and　says；　〃The
Egyptians　invoked　them　against　the　serpents；〃　Hist。　Nat。　B。　X。
ch。　28。　Strabo　speaks　of　this　island　Meroe；　and　these　rivers
Astapus　and　Astaboras；　B。　XVI。　p。　771；　786；　and　B　XVII。　p。　82＇。

（24）　This　superstitious　fear　of　discovering　the　name　with　four
letters；　which　of　late　we　have　been　used　falsely　to　pronounce
Jehovah；　but　seems　to　have　been　originally　pronounced　Jahoh；　or
Jao；　is　never；　I　think；　heard　of　till　this　passage　of　Josephus；
and　this　superstition；　in　not　pronouncing　that　name；　has
continued　among　the　Rabbinical　Jews　to　this　day　（though　whether
the　Samaritans　and　Caraites　observed　it　so　early；　does　not
appear）。　Josephus　also　durst　not　set　down　the　very　words　of　the
ten　commandments；　as　we　shall　see　hereafter；　Antiq。　B。　III。　ch。
5。　sect。　4；　which　superstitious　silence　I　think　has　yet　not　been
continued　even　by　the　Rabbins。　It　is；　however；　no　doubt　but　both
these　cautious　concealments　were　taught　Josephus　by　the
Pharisees；　a　body　of　men　at　once　very　wicked　and　very
superstitious。

（25）　Of　this　judicial　hardening　the　hearts　and　blinding　the　eyes
of　wicked　men；　or　infatuating　them；　as　a　just　punishment　for
their　other　willful　sins；　to　their　own　destruction；　see　the　note
on　Antiq。　B。　VII。　ch。　9。　sect。　6。

（26）　As　to　this　winter　or　spring　hail　near　Egypt　and　Judea；　see
the　like　on　thunder　and　lightning　there；　in　the　note　on　Antiq。　B。
VI。　ch。　5。　sect。　6。

（27）　These　large　presents　made　to　the　Israelites；　of　vessels　of
and　vessels　of　gold；　and　raiment；　were；　as　Josephus　truly　calls
them；　gifts　really　given　them；　not　lent　them；　as　our　English
falsely　renders　them。　They　were　spoils　required；　not　of　them；
Genesis　15：14；　Exodus　3：22；　11：2；　Psalm　105：37；）　as　the　same
version　falsely　renders　the　Hebrew　word　Exodus　12：35；　36。　God　had
ordered　the　Jews　to　demand　these　as　their　pay　and　reward；　during
their　long　and　bitter　slavery　in　Egypt；　as　atonements　for　the
lives　of　the　Egyptians；　and　as　the　condition　of　the　Jews'
departure；　and　of　the　Egyptians'　deliverance　from　these　terrible
judgments；　which；　had　they　not　now　ceased；　they　had　soon　been　all
dead　men；　as　they　themselves　confess；　ch。　12。　33。　Nor　was　there
any　sense　in　borrowing　or　lending；　when　the　Israelites　were
finally　departing　out　of　the　land　for　ever。

（28）　Why　our　Masorete　copy　so　groundlessly　abridges　this　account
in　Exodus　12：40；　as　to　ascribe　430　years　to　the　sole
peregrination　of　the　Israelites　in　Egypt；　when　it　is　clear　even
by　that　Masorete　chronology　elsewhere；　as　well　as　from　the
express　text　itself；　in　the　Samaritan；　Septuagint；　and　Josephus；
that　they　sojourned　in　Egypt　but　half　that　time；　…　and　that　by
consequence；　the　other　half　of　their　peregrination　was　in　the
land　of　Canaan；　before　they　came　into　Egypt；　…　is　hard　to　say。
See　Essay　on　the　Old　Testament；　p。　62；　63。

（29）　Take　the　main　part　of　Reland's　excellent　note　here；　which
greatly　illustrates　Josephus；　and　the　Scripture；　in　this　history；
as　follows：　〃＇A　traveller；　says　Reland；　whose　name　was＇　Eneman；
when　he　returned　out　of　Egypt；　told　me　that　he　went　the　same　way
from　Egypt　to　Mount　Sinai；　which　he　supposed　the　Israelites　of
old　traveled；　and　that　he　found　several　mountainous　tracts；　that
ran　down　towards　the　Red　Sea。　He　thought　the　Israelites　had
proceeded　as　far　as　the　desert　of　Etham；　Exodus　13：20；　when　they
were　commanded　by　God　to　return　back；　Exodus　14：2；　and　to　pitch
their　camp　between　Migdol　and　the　sea；　and　that　when　they　were
not　able　to　fly；　unless　by　sea；　they　were　shut　in　on　each　side　by
mountains。　He　also　thought　we　might　evidently　learn　hence；　how　it
might　be　said　that　the　Israelites　were　in　Etham　before　they　went
over　the　sea；　and　yet　might　be　said　to　have　come　into　Etham　after
they　had　passed　over　the　sea　also。　Besides；　he　gave　me　an　account
how　he　passed　over　a　river　in　a　boat　near　the　city　Suez；　which　he
says　must　needs　be　the　Heroopolia　of　the　ancients；　since　that
city　could　not　be　situate　any　where　else　in　that　neighborhood。〃

As　to　the　famous　passage　produced　here　by　Dr。　Bernard；　out　of
Herodotus；　as　the　most　ancient　heathen　testimony　of　the
Israelites　coming　from　the　Red　Sea　into　Palestine；　Bishop
Cumberland　has　shown　that　it　belongs　to　the　old　Canaanite　or
Phoenician　shepherds；　and　their　retiring　out　of　Egypt　into　Canaan
or　Phoenicia；　long