the antiquities of the jews-1-第26章

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did　he　conceal　the　invention　of　this　method；　nor　pretend　to　it
himself；　but　informed　the　multitude　who　it　was　that　invented　it：
nay；　he　has　named　Raguel　in　the　books　he　wrote；　as　the　person　who
invented　this　ordering　of　the　people；　as　thinking　it　right　to
give　a　true　testimony　to　worthy　persons；　although　he　might　have
gotten　reputation　by　ascribing　to　himself　the　inventions　of　other
men；　whence　we　may　learn　the　virtuous　disposition　of　Moses：　but
of　such　his　disposition；　we　shall　have　proper　occasion　to　speak
in　other　places　of　these　books。

CHAPTER　5。

How　Moses　Ascended　Up　To　Mount　Sinai；　And　Received　Laws　From　God；
And　Delivered　Them　To　The　Hebrews。

1。　Now　Moses　called　the　multitude　together；　and　told　them　that　he
was　going　from　them　unto　mount　Sinai　to　converse　with　God；　to
receive　from　him；　and　to　bring　back　with　him；　a　certain　oracle；
but　he　enjoined　them　to　pitch　their　tents　near　the　mountain；　and
prefer　the　habitation　that　was　nearest　to　God；　before　one　more
remote。　When　he　had　said　this；　he　ascended　up　to　Mount　Sinai；
which　is　the　highest　of　all　the　mountains　that　are　in　that
country　（9）　and　is　not　only　very　difficult　to　be　ascended　by　men；
on　account　of　its　vast　altitude；　but　because　of　the　sharpness　of
its　precipices　also；　nay；　indeed；　it　cannot　be　looked　at　without
pain　of　the　eyes：　and　besides　this；　it　was　terrible　and
inaccessible；　on　account　of　the　rumor　that　passed　about；　that　God
dwelt　there。　But　the　Hebrews　removed　their　tents　as　Moses　had
bidden　them；　and　took　possession　of　the　lowest　parts　of　the
mountain；　and　were　elevated　in　their　minds；　in　expectation　that
Moses　would　return　from　God　with　promises　of　the　good　things　he
had　proposed　to　them。　So　they　feasted　and　waited　for　their
conductor；　and　kept　themselves　pure　as　in　other　respects；　and　not
accompanying　with　their　wives　for　three　days；　as　he　had　before
ordered　them　to　do。　And　they　prayed　to　God　that　he　would
favorably　receive　Moses　in　his　conversing　with　him；　and　bestow
some　such　gift　upon　them　by　which　they　might　live　well。　They　also
lived　more　plentifully　as　to　their　diet；　and　put　on　their　wives
and　children　more　ornamental　and　decent　clothing　than　they
usually　wore。

2。　So　they　passed　two　days　in　this　way　of　feasting；　but　on　the
third　day；　before　the　sun　was　up；　a　cloud　spread　itself　over　the
whole　camp　of　the　Hebrews；　such　a　one　as　none　had　before　seen；
and　encompassed　the　place　where　they　had　pitched　their　tents；　and
while　all　the　rest　of　the　air　was　clear；　there　came　strong　winds；
that　raised　up　large　showers　of　rain；　which　became　a　mighty
tempest。　There　was　also　such　lightning；　as　was　terrible　to　those
that　saw　it；　and　thunder；　with　its　thunderbolts；　were　sent　down；
and　declared　God　to　be　there　present　in　a　gracious　way　to　such　as
Moses　desired　he　should　be　gracious。　Now；　as　to　these　matters；
every　one　of　my　readers　may　think　as　he　pleases；　but　I　am　under　a
necessity　of　relating　this　history　as　it　is　described　in　the
sacred　books。　This　sight；　and　the　amazing　sound　that　came　to
their　ears；　disturbed　the　Hebrews　to　a　prodigious　degree；　for
they　were　not　such　as　they　were　accustomed　to；　and　then　the　rumor
that　was　spread　abroad；　how　God　frequented　that　mountain；　greatly
astonished　their　minds；　so　they　sorrowfully　contained　themselves
within　their　tents；　as　both　supposing　Moses　to　be　destroyed　by
the　Divine　wrath；　and　expecting　the　like　destruction　for
themselves。

3。　When　they　were　under　these　apprehensions；　Moses　appeared　as
joyful　and　greatly　exalted。　When　they　saw　him；　they　were　freed
from　their　fear；　and　admitted　of　more　comfortable　hopes　as　to
what　was　to　come。　The　air　also　was　become　clear　and　pure　of　its
former　disorders；　upon　the　appearance　of　Moses；　whereupon　he
called　together　the　people　to　a　congregation；　in　order　to　their
hearing　what　God　would　say　to　them：　and　when　they　were　gathered
together；　he　stood　on　an　eminence　whence　they　might　all　hear　him；
and　said；　〃God　has　received　me　graciously；　O　Hebrews；　as　he　has
formerly　done；　and　has　suggested　a　happy　method　of　living　for
you；　and　an　order　of　political　government；　and　is　now　present　in
the　camp：　I　therefore　charge　you；　for　his　sake　and　the　sake　of
his　works；　and　what　we　have　done　by　his　means；　that　you　do　not
put　a　low　value　on　what　I　am　going　to　say；　because　the　commands
have　been　given　by　me　that　now　deliver　them　to　you；　nor　because
it　is　the　tongue　of　a　man　that　delivers　them　to　you；　but　if　you
have　a　due　regard　to　the　great　importance　of　the　things
themselves；　you　will　understand　the　greatness　of　Him　whose
institutions　they　are；　and　who　has　not　disdained　to　communicate
them　to　me　for　our　common　advantage；　for　it　is　not　to　be　supposed
that　the　author　of　these　institutions　is　barely　Moses；　the　son　of
Amram　and　Jochebed；　but　He　who　obliged　the　Nile　to　run　bloody　for
your　sakes；　and　tamed　the　haughtiness　of　the　Egyptians　by　various
sorts　of　judgments；　he　who　provided　a　way　through　the　sea　for　us；
he　who　contrived　a　method　of　sending　us　food　from　heaven；　when　we
were　distressed　for　want　of　it；　he　who　made　the　water　to　issue
out　of　a　rock；　when　we　had　very　little　of　it　before；　he　by　whose
means　Adam　was　made　to　partake　of　the　fruits　both　of　the　land　and
of　the　sea；　he　by　whose　means　Noah　escaped　the　deluge；　he　by
whose　means　our　forefather　Abraham；　of　a　wandering　pilgrim；　was
made　the　heir　of　the　land　of　Canaan；　he　by　whose　means　Isaac　was
born　of　parents　that　were　very　old；　he　by　whose　means　Jacob　was
adorned　with　twelve　virtuous　sons；　he　by　whose　means　Joseph
became　a　potent　lord　over　the　Egyptians；　he　it　is　who　conveys
these　instructions　to　you　by　me　as　his　interpreter。　And　let　them
be　to　you　venerable；　and　contended　for　more　earnestly　by　you　than
your　own　children　and　your　own　wives；　for　if　you　will　follow
them；　you　will　lead　a　happy　life　you　will　enjoy　the　land
fruitful；　the　sea　calm；　and　the　fruit　of　the　womb　born　complete；
as　nature　requires；　you　will　be　also　terrible　to　your　enemies　for
I　have　been　admitted　into　the　presence　of　God　and　been　made　a
hearer　of　his　incorruptible　voice　so　great　is　his　concern　for
your　nation；　and　its　duration。〃

4。　When　he　had　said　this；　he　brought　the　people；　with　their　wives
and　children；　so　near　the　mountain；　that　they　might　hear　God
himself　speaking　to　them　about　the　precepts　which　they　were　to
practice；　that　the　energy　of　what　should　be　spoken　might　not　be
hurt　by　its　utterance　by　that　tongue　of　a　man；　which　could　but
imperfectly　deliver　it　to　their　understanding。　And　they　all　heard
a　voice　that　came　to　all　of　them　from　above；　insomuch　that　no　one
of　these　words　escaped　them；　which　Moses　wrote　on　two　tables；
which　it　is　not　lawful　for　us　to　set　down　directly；　but　their
import　we　will　declare　（10）

5。　The　first　commandment　teaches　us　that　there　is　but　one　God；
and　that　we　ought　to　worship　him　only。　The　second　commands　us　not
to　make　the　image　of　any　living　creature　to　worship　it。　The
third；　that　we　must　not　swear　by　God　in　a　false　matter。　The
fourth；　that　we　must　keep　the　seventh　day；　by　resting　from　all
sorts　of　work。　The　fifth；　that　we　must　honor　our　parents。　The
sixth　that　we　must　abstain　from　murder。　The　seventh　that　we　must
not　commit　adultery。　The　eighth；　that　we　must　not　be　guilty　of
theft。　The　ninth；　that　we　must　not　bear　false　witness。　The　tenth；
that　we　must　not　admit　of　the　desire　of　any　thing　that　is
another's。

6。　Now　when　the　multitude　had　heard　God　himself　giving　those
precepts　which　Moses　had　discoursed　of；　they　rejoiced　at　what　was
said；　and　the　congregation　was　dissolved：　but　on　the　following
days　they　came　to　his　tent；　and　desired　him　to　bring　them；
besides；　other　laws　from　God。　Accordingly　he　appointed　such　laws；
and　afterwards　informed　them　in　what　manner　they　should　act　in
all　cases；　which　laws　I　shall　make　mention　of　in　their　proper
time；　but　I　shall　reserve　most　of　those　laws　for　another　work；
（11）　and　make　there　a　distinct　explication　of　them。

7。　When　matters　were　brought　to　this　state；　Moses　went　up　again
to　Mount　Sinai；　of　which　he　had　told　them　beforehand。　He　made　his
ascent　in　their　sight；　and　while　he　staid　there　so　long　a　time；
（for　he　was　absent　from　them　forty　days；）　fear　seized　upon　the
Hebrews；　lest　Moses　should　have　come　to　any　harm；　nor　was　there
any　thing　else　so　sad；　and　that　so　much　troubled　them；　as　this
supposal　that　Moses　was　perished。　Now　there　was　a　variety　in
their　sentiments　about　it；　some　saying　that　he　was　fallen　among
wild　beasts；　and　those　that　were　of　this　opinion　were　chiefly
such　as　were　ill…disposed　to　him；　but　others　said　that　he　was
departed；　and　gone　to　God；　but　the　wiser　sort　were　led　by　their
reason　to　embrace　neither　of　those　opinions　with　any
satisfaction；　thinking；　that　as　it　was　a　thing　that　sometimes
happens　to　men　to　fall　among　wild　beasts　and　perish　that　way；　so
it　was　probable　enough　that　he　might　depart　and　go　to　God；　on
account　of　his　virtue；　they　therefore　were　quiet；　and　expected
the　event：　yet　were　they　exceeding　sorry　upon　the　supposal　that
they　were　deprived　of　a　governor　and　a　protector；　such　a　one
indeed　as　they　could　never　recover　again；　nor　would　this
suspicion　give　them　leave　to　expect　any　comfortable　event　about
this　man；　nor　could　they　prevent　their　trouble　and　melancholy
upon　this　occasion。　However；　the　camp　durst　not　remove　all　this
while；　because　Moses　had　bidden　them　afore　to　stay　there。

8。　But　when　the　forty　days；　and　as　many　nights；　were　over；　Moses
came　down；　having　tasted　nothing　of　food　usually　appointed　for
the　nourishment　of　men。　His　appearance　filled　the　army　with
gladness；　and　he　declared　to　them　what　care　God　had　of　them；　and
by　what　manner　of　conduct　of　their　lives　they　might　live　happily；
telling　them；　that　during　these　days　of　his　absence　he　had
suggested　to　him　also　that　he　would　have　a　tabernacle　built　for
him；　into　which　he　would　descend　when　he　came　to　them；　and　how　we
should　carry　it　about　with　us　when　we　remove　from　this　place；　and
that　there　would　be　no　longer　any　occasion　for　going　up　to　Mount
Sinai；　but　that　he　would　himself　come　and　pitch　his　tabernacle
amongst　us；　and　be　present　at　our　prayers；　as　also；　that　the
tabernacle　should　be　of　such　measures　and　construction　as　he　had
shown　him；　and　that　you　are　to　fall　to　the　work；　and　prosecute　it
diligently。　When　he　had　said　this；　he　showed　them　the　two　tables；
with　the　ten　commandments　engraven　upon　them；　five　upon　each
table；　and　the　writing　was　by　the　hand　of　God。

CHAPTER　6。

Concerning　The　Tabernacle　Which　Moses　Built　In　The　Wilderness　For
The　Honor　Of　God　And　Which　Seemed　To　Be　A　Temple。

1。　Hereupon　the　Israelites　rejoiced　at　what　they　had　seen　and
heard　of　their　conductor；　and　were　not　wanting　in　diligence
according　to　their　ability；　for　they　brought　silver；　and　gold；
and　brass；　and　of　the　best　sorts　of　wood；　and　such　as　would　not
at　all　decay　by　putrefaction；　camels'　hair　also；　and　sheep…skins；
some　of　them　dyed　of　a　blue　color；　and　some　of　a　scarlet；　some
brought　the　flower　for　the　purple　color；　and　others　for　white；
with　wool　dyed　by　the　flowers　aforementioned；　and　fine　linen　and
precious　stones；　which　those　that　use　costly　ornaments　set　in
ouches　of　gold；　they　brought　also　a　great　quantity　of　spices；　for
of　th