the antiquities of the jews-1-第255章

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have　given　us　for　the　genuine　book　itself；　no　religious　Jews
could　well　be　the　authors　of　it；　whose　education　obliged　them　to
have　a　constant　regard　to　God；　and　whatsoever　related　to　his
worship；　nor　do　we　know　that　there　ever　was　so　imperfect　a　copy
of　it　in　the　world　till　after　the　days　of　Barchochab；　in　the
second　century。

（22）　Concerning　this　other　Artaxerxes；　called　Muemon；　and　the
Persian　affliction　and　captivity　of　the　Jews　under　him；
occasioned　by　the　murder　of　the　high　priest's　brother　in　the　holy
house　itself；　see　Authent。　Rec。　at　large；　p。　49。　And　if　any
wonder　why　Josephus　wholly　omits　the　rest　of　the　kings　of　Persia
after　Artaxerxes　Mnemon；　till　he　came　to　their　last　king　Darius；
who　was　conquered　by　Alexander　the　Great；　I　shall　give　them
Vossius's　and　Dr。　Hudson's　answer；　though　in　my　own　words；　viz。
that　Josephus　did　not　do　ill　in　admitting　those　kings　of　Persia
with　whom　the　Jews　had　no　concern；　because　he　was　giving　the
history　of　the　Jews；　and　not　of　the　Persians　＇which　is　a
sufficient　reason　also　why　he　entirely　omits　the　history　and　the
Book　of　Job；　as　not　particularly　relating　to　that　nation＇。　He
justly　therefore　returns　to　the　Jewish　affairs　after　the　death　of
Longimanus；　without　any　intention　of　Darius　II。　before　Artaxerxes
Mnemon；　or　of　Ochus　or　Arogus；　as　the　Canon　of　Ptolemy　names
them；　after　him。　Nor　had　he　probably　mentioned　this　other
Artaxerxes；　unless　Bagoses；　one　of　the　governors　and　commanders
under　him；　had　occasioned　the　pollution　of　the　Jewish　temple；　and
had　greatly　distressed　the　Jews　upon　that　pollution。

（23）　The　place　showed　Alexander　might　be　Daniel　7：6；　8：3…8；
2022；　11：3；　some　or　all　of　them　very　plain　predictions　of
Alexander's　conquests　and　successors。

BOOK　12　FOOTNOTES

（1）　Here　Josephus　uses　the　very　word　koinopltagia；　〃eating　things
common；〃　for　〃eating　things　unclean；〃　as　does　our　New　Testament；
Acts　10：14；　15；　28；　11：8；　9；　Romans　14：14；

（2）　The　great　number　of　these　Jews　and　Samaritans　that　were
formerly　carried　into　Egypt　by　Alexander；　and　now　by　Ptolemy　the
son　of　Lagus；　appear　afterwards　in　the　vast　multitude　who　as　we
shall　see　presently；　were　soon　ransomed　by　Philadelphus；　and　by
him　made　free；　before　he　sent　for　the　seventy…two　interpreters；
in　the　many　garrisons　and　other　soldiers　of　that　nation　in　Egypt；
in　the　famous　settlement　of　Jews；　and　the　number　of　their
synagogues　at　Alexandria；　long　afterward；　and　in　the　vehement
contention　between　the　Jews　and　Samatitans　under　Philometer；
about　the　place　appointed　for　public　worship　in　the　law　of　Moses；
whether　at　the　Jewish　temple　of　Jerusalem；　or　at　the　Samaritan
temple　of　Gerizzim；　of　all　which　our　author　treats　hereafter。　And
as　to　the　Samaritans　carried　into　Egypt　under　the　same　princes；
Scaliger　supposes　that　those　who　have　a　great　synagogue　at　Cairo；
as　also　those　whom　the　Arabic　geographer　speaks　of　as　having
seized　on　an　island　in　the　Red　Sea；　are　remains　of　them　at　this
very　day；　as　the　notes　here　inform　us。

（3）　Of　the　translation　of　the　other　parts　of　the　Old　Testament　by
seventy　Egyptian　Jews；　in　the　reigns　of　Ptolemy　the　son　of　Lagus；
and　Philadelphus；　as　also　of　the　translation　of　the　Pentateuch　by
seventy…two　Jerusalem　Jews；　in　the　seventh　year　of　Philadelphus
at　Alexandria；　as　given　us　an　account　of　by　Aristeus；　and　thence
by　Philo　and　Josephus；　with　a　vindication　of　Aristeus's　history；
see　the　Appendix　to　Lit。　Accorap。　of　Proph。　at　large；　p。
117152。

（4）　Although　this　number　one　hundred　and　twenty　drachmee　＇of
Alexandria；　or　sixty　Jewish　shekels＇　be　here　three　times
repeated；　and　that　in　all　Josephus's　copies；　Greek　and　Latin；　yet
since　all　the　copies　of　Aristeus；　whence　Josephus　took　his
relation；　have　this　sum　several　times；　and　still　as　no　more　than
twenty　drachmae；　or　ten　Jewish　shekels；　and　since　the　sum　of　the
talents；　to　be　set　down　presently；　which　is　little　above　four
hundred　and　sixty；　for　somewhat　more　than　one　hundred　thousand
slaves；　and　is　nearly　the　same　in　Josephus　and　Aristeus；　does
better　agree　to　twenty　than　to　one　hundred　and　twenty　drachmae；
and　since　the　value　of　a　slave　of　old　was　at　the　utmost　but
thirty　shekels；　or　sixty　drachmae；　see　Exodus　21：32；　while　in　the
present　circumstances　of　these　Jewish　slaves；　and　those　so　very
numerous；　Philadelphus　would　rather　redeem　them　at　a　cheaper　than
at　a　dearer　rate；　…　there　is　great　reason　to　prefer　here
Aristeus's　copies　before　Josephus's。

（5）　We　have　a　very　great　encomium　of　this　Simon　the　Just；　the　son
of　Onias；　in　the　fiftieth　chapter　of　the　Ecclesiasticus；　through
the　whole　chapter。　Nor　is　it　improper　to　consult　that　chapter
itself　upon　this　occasion。

（6）　When　we　have　here　and　presently　mention　made　of
Philadelphus's　queen　and　sister　Arsinoe；　we　are　to　remember；　with
Spanheim；　that　Arsinoe　was　both　his　sister　and　his　wife；
according　to　the　old　custom　of　Persia；　and　of　Egypt　at　this　very
time；　nay；　of　the　Assyrians　long　afterwards。　See　Antiq。　B。　XX。
ch。　2。　sect。　1。　Whence　we　have；　upon　the　coins　of　Philadelphus；
this　known　inscription；　〃The　divine　brother　and　sister。〃

（7）　The　Talmudists　say；　that　it　is　not　lawful　to　write　the　law　in
letters　of　gold；　contrary　to　this　certain　and　very　ancient
example。　See　Hudson's　and　Reland's　notes　here。

（8）　This　is　the　most　ancient　example　I　have　met　with　of　a　grace；
or　short　prayer；　or　thanksgiving　before　meat；　which；　as　it　is
used　to　be　said　by　a　heathen　priest；　was　now　said　by　Eleazar；　a
Jewish　priest；　who　was　one　of　these　seventy…two　interpreters。　The
next　example　I　have　met　with；　is　that　of　the　Essenes；　（Of　the
War；　B。　II。　ch。　8。　sect。　5；）　both　before　and　after　it；　those　of
our　Savior　before　it；　Mark　8：6；　John　6：11；　23；　and　St。　Paul；　Acts
27：35；　and　a　form　of　such　a　grace　or　prayer　for　Christians；　at
the　end　of　the　fifth　book　of　the　Apostolical　Constitutions；　which
seems　to　have　been　intended　for　both　times；　both　before　and　after
meat。

（9）　They　were　rather　political　questions　and　answers；　tending　to
the　good　and　religious　government　of　mankind。

（10）　This　purification　of　the　interpreters；　by　washing　in　the
sea；　before　they　prayed　to　God　every　morning；　and　before　they　set
about　translating；　may　be　compared　with　the　like　practice　of
Peter　the　apostle；　in　the　Recognitions　of　Clement；　B。　IV。　ch。　3。；
and　B。　V。　ch。　36。；　and　with　the　places　of　the　Proseuchre；　or　of
prayer；　which　were　sometimes　built　near　the　sea　or　rivers　also；
of　which　matter　see　Antiq。　B。　XIV。　ch。　10。　sect。　9；3；　Acts　16：13。
16。

（11）　The　use　of　oil　was　much　greater；　and　the　donatives　of　it
much　more　valuable；　in　Judea；　and　the　neighboring　countries；　than
it　is　amongst　us。　It　was　also；　in　the　days　of　Josephus；　thought
unlawful　for　Jews　to　make　use　of　any　oil　that　was　prepared　by
heathens；　perhaps　on　account　of　some　superstitions　intermixed
with　its　preparation　by　those　heathens。　When　therefore　the
heathens　were　to　make　them　a　donative　of　oil；：　they　paid　them
money　instead　of　it。　See　Of　the　War；　B。　II。　ch。　21。　sect。　2；　the
Life　of　Josephus；　sect。　13；　and　Hudson's　note　on　the　place　before
us。

（12）　This；　and　the　like　great　and　just　characters；　of　the
justice；　and　equity。　and　generosity　of　the　old　Romans；　both　to
the　Jews　and　other　conquered　nations；　affords　us　a　very　good
reason　why　Almighty　God；　upon　the　rejection　of　the　Jews　for　their
wickedness；　chose　them　for　his　people；　and　first　established
Christianity　in　that　empire；　of　which　matter　see　Josephus　here；
sect。　2；　as　also　Antiq。　B。　XIV。　ch。　10。　sect。　22；　23；　B。　XVI。　ch。
2。　sect。　4。

（13）　The　name　of　this　place；　Phicol；　is　the　very　same　with　that
of　the　chief　captain　of　Abimelech's　host；　in　the　days　of　Abraham；
Genesis　21：22；　and　might　possibly　be　the　place　of　that　Phicol's
nativity　or　abode；　for　it　seems　to　have　been　in　the　south　part　of
Palestine；　as　that　was。

（14）　Whence　it　comes　that　these　Lacedemonians　declare　themselves
here　to　be　of　kin　to　the　Jews；　as　derived　from　the　same　ancestor；
Abraham；　I　cannot　tell；　unless；　as　Grotius　supposes；　they　were
derived　from　Dores；　that　came　of　the　Pelasgi。　These　are　by
Herodotus　called　Barbarians；　and　perhaps　were　derived　from　the
Syrians　and　Arabians；　the　posterity　of　Abraham　by　Keturah。　See
Antiq。　B。　XIV。　ch。　10。　sect。　22；　and　Of　the　War；　B。　I。　ch。　26。
sect。　l；　and　Grot。　on　1　Macc。　12：7。　We　may　further　observe　from
the　Recognitions　of　Clement；　that　Eliezer；　of　Damascus；　the
servant　of　Abraham；　Genesis　15：2；　24。；　was　of　old　by　some　taken
for　his　son。　So　that　if　the　Lacedemonians　were　sprung　from　him；
they　might　think　themselves　to　be　of　the　posterity　of　Abraham；　as
well　as　the　Jews；　who　were　sprung　from　Isaac。　And　perhaps　this
Eliezer　of　Damascus　is　that　very　Damascus　whom　Trogus　Pompeius；
as　abridged　by　Justin；　makes　the　founder　of　the　Jewish　nation
itself；　though　he　afterwards　blunders；　and　makes　Azelus；　Adores；
Abraham；　and　Israel　kings　of　Judea；　and　successors　to　this
Damascus。　It　may　not　be　improper　to　observe　further；　that　Moses
Chorenensis；　in　his　history　of　the　Armenians；　informs　us；　that
the　nation　of　the　Parthians　was　also　derived　from　Abraham　by
Keturah　and　her　children。

（15）　This　word〃　Gymnasium〃　properly　denotes　a　place　where　the
exercises　were　performed　naked；　which　because　it　would　naturally
distinguish　circumcised　Jews　from　uncircumcised　Gentiles；　these
Jewish　apostates　endeavored　to　appear　uncircumcised；　by　means　of
a　surgical　operation；　hinted　at　by　St。　Paul；　1　Corinthians　7：18；
and　described　by　Celsus；　B。　VII。　ch。　25。；　as　Dr。　Hudson　here
informs　us。

（16）　Hereabout　Josephus　begins　to　follow　the　First　Book　of　the
Maccabees；　a　most　excellent　and　most　authentic　history；　and
accordingly　it　is　here；　with　great　fidelity　and　exactness；
abridged　by　him；　between　whose　present　copies　there　seem　to　he
fewer　variations　than　in　any　other　sacred　Hebrew　book　of　the　Old
Testament　whatsoever；　（for　this　book　also　was　originally　written
in　Hebrew；）　which　is　very　natural；　because　it　was　written　so　much
nearer　to　the　times　of　Josephus　than　the　rest　were。

（17）　This　citadel；　of　which　we　have　such　frequent　mention　in　the
following　history；　both　in　the　Maccabees　and　Josephus；　seems　to
have　been　a　castle　built　on　a　hill；　lower　than　Mount　Zion；　though
upon　its　skirts；　and　higher　than　Mount　Moriah；　but　between　them
both；　which　hill　the　enemies　of　the　Jews　now　got　possession　of；
and　built　on　it　this　citadel；　and　fortified　it；　till　a　good　while
afterwards　the　Jews　regained　it；　demolished　it；　and　leveled　the
hill　itself　with　the　common　ground；　that　their　enemies　might　no
more　recover　it；　and　might　thence　overlook　the　temple　itself；　and
do　them　such　mischief　as　they　had　long　undergone　from　it；　Antiq。
B。　XIII。　ch。　6。　sect。　6。

（18）　This　allegation　of　the　Samaritans　is　remarkable；　that　though
they　were　not　Jews；　yet　did　they；　from　ancient　times；　observe　the
Sabbath　day；　and；　as　they　elsewhere　pretend；　the　Sabbatic　year
also；　Antiq。　B。　XI。　ch。　8。　sect。　6。

（19）　That　this　appellation　of　Maccabee　was　not　first　of　all　given
to　Judas　Maccabeus；　nor　was　derived　from　any　initial　letters　of
the　Hebrew　words　on　his　banner；　〃Mi　Kamoka　Be　Elire；　Jehovah？〃
（〃Who　is　like　unto　thee　among　the　gods；　O　Jehovah？〃）　Exodus　15：11
as　the　modern　Rabbins　vainly　pretend；　see　Authent。　Rec。　Pa