the antiquities of the jews-1-第36章

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bright；　and　had　a　terrible　flame；　such　as　is　kindled　at　the
command　of　God；　by　whose　irruption　on　them；　all　the　company；　and
Corah　himself；　were　destroyed；　（2）　and　this　so　entirely；　that
their　very　bodies　left　no　remains　behind　them。　Aaron　alone　was
preserved；　and　not　at　all　hurt　by　the　fire；　because　it　was　God
that　sent　the　fire　to　burn　those　only　who　ought　to　be　burned。
Hereupon　Moses；　after　these　men　were　destroyed；　was　desirous　that
the　memory　of　this　judgment　might　be　delivered　down　to　posterity；
and　that　future　ages　might　be　acquainted　with　it；　and　so　he
commanded　Eleazar；　the　son　of　Aaron；　to　put　their　censers　near
the　brazen　altar；　that　they　might　be　a　memorial　to　posterity　of
what　these　men　suffered；　for　supposing　that　the　power　of　God
might　be　eluded。　And　thus　Aaron　was　now　no　longer　esteemed　to
have　the　priesthood　by　the　favor　of　Moses；　but　by　the　public
judgment　of　God；　and　thus　he　and　his　children　peaceably　enjoyed
that　honor　afterward。

CHAPTER　4。

What　Happened　To　The　Hebrews　During　Thirty…Eight　Years　In　The
Wilderness。

1。　However；　this　sedition　was　so　far　from　ceasing　upon　this
destruction；　that　it　grew　much　stronger；　and　became　more
intolerable。　And　the　occasion　of　its　growing　worse　was　of　that
nature；　as　made　it　likely　the　calamity　would　never　cease；　but
last　for　a　long　time；　for　the　men；　believing　already　that　nothing
is　done　without　the　providence　of　God；　would　have　it　that　these
things　came　thus　to　pass　not　without　God's　favor　to　Moses；　they
therefore　laid　the　blame　upon　him　that　God　was　so　angry；　and　that
this　happened　not　so　much　because　of　the　wickedness　of　those　that
were　punished；　as　because　Moses　procured　the　punishment；　and　that
these　men　had　been　destroyed　without　any　sin　of　theirs；　only
because　they　were　zealous　about　the　Divine　worship；　as　also；　that
he　who　had　been　the　cause　of　this　diminution　of　the　people；　by
destroying　so　many　men；　and　those　the　most　excellent　of　them　all；
besides　his　escaping　any　punishment　himself；　had　now　given　the
priesthood　to　his　brother　so　firmly；　that　nobody　could　any　longer
dispute　it　with　him；　for　no　one　else；　to　be　sure；　could　now　put
in　for　it；　since　he　must　have　seen　those　that　first　did　so　to
have　miserably　perished。　Nay；　besides　this；　the　kindred　of　those
that　were　destroyed　made　great　entreaties　to　the　multitude　to
abate　the　arrogance　of　Moses；　because　it　would　be　safest　for　them
so　to　do。

2。　Now　Moses；　upon　his　hearing　for　a　good　while　that　the　people
were　tumultuous；　was　afraid　that　they　would　attempt　some　other
innovation；　and　that　some　great　and　sad　calamity　would　be　the
consequence。　He　called　the　multitude　to　a　congregation；　and
patiently　heard　what　apology　they　had　to　make　for　themselves；
without　opposing　them；　and　this　lest　he　should　imbitter　the
multitude：　he　only　desired　the　heads　of　the　tribes　to　bring　their
rods；　（3）　with　the　names　of　their　tribes　inscribed　upon　them；　and
that　he　should　receive　the　priesthood　in　whose　rod　God　should
give　a　sign。　This　was　agreed　to。　So　the　rest　brought　their　rods；
as　did　Aaron　also；　who　had　written　the　tribe　of　Levi　on　his　rod。
These　rods　Moses　laid　up　in　the　tabernacle　of　God。　On　the　next
day　he　brought　out　the　rods；　which　were　known　from　one　another　by
those　who　brought　them；　they　having　distinctly　noted　them；　as　had
the　multitude　also；　and　as　to　the　rest；　in　the　same　form　Moses
had　received　them；　in　that　they　saw　them　still；　but　they　also　saw
buds　and　branches　grown　out　of　Aaron's　rod；　with　ripe　fruits　upon
them；　they　were　almonds；　the　rod　having　been　cut　out　of　that
tree。　The　people　were　so　amazed　at　this　strange　sight；　that
though　Moses　and　Aaron　were　before　under　some　degree　of　hatred；
they　now　laid　that　hatred　aside；　and　began　to　admire　the　judgment
of　God　concerning　them；　so　that　hereafter　they　applauded　what　God
had　decreed；　and　permitted　Aaron　to　enjoy　the　priesthood
peaceably。　And　thus　God　ordained　him　priest　three　several　times；
and　he　retained　that　honor　without　further　disturbance。　And
hereby　this　sedition　of　the　Hebrews；　which　had　been　a　great　one；
and　had　lasted　a　great　while；　was　at　last　composed。

3。　And　now　Moses；　because　the　tribe　of　Levi　was　made　free　from
war　and　warlike　expeditions；　and　was　set　apart　for　the　Divine
worship；　lest　they　should　want　and　seek　after　the　necessaries　of
life；　and　so　neglect　the　temple；　commanded　the　Hebrews；　according
to　the　will　of　God；　that　when　they　should　gain　the　possession　of
the　land　of　Canaan；　they　should　assign　forty…eight　good　and　fair
cities　to　the　Levites；　and　permit　them　to　enjoy　their　suburbs；　as
far　as　the　limit　of　two　thousand　cubits　would　extend　from　the
walls　of　the　city。　And　besides　this；　he　appointed　that　the　people
should　pay　the　tithe　of　their　annual　fruits　of　the　earth；　both　to
the　Levites　and　to　the　priests。　And　this　is　what　that　tribe
receives　of　the　multitude；　but　I　think　it　necessary　to　set　down
what　is　paid　by　all；　peculiarly　to　the　priests。

4。　Accordingly　he　commanded　the　Levites　to　yield　up　to　the
priests　thirteen　of　their　forty…eight　cities；　and　to　set　apart
for　them　the　tenth　part　of　the　tithes　which　they　every　year
receive　of　the　people；　as　also；　that　it　was　but　just　to　offer　to
God　the　first…fruits　of　the　entire　product　of　the　ground；　and
that　they　should　offer　the　first…born　of　those　four…footed　beasts
that　are　appointed　for　sacrifices；　if　it　be　a　male；　to　the
priests；　to　be　slain；　that　they　and　their　entire　families　may　eat
them　in　the　holy　city；　but　that　the　owners　of　those　first…born
which　are　not　appointed　for　sacrifices　in　the　laws　of　our
country；　should　bring　a　shekel　and　a　half　in　their　stead：　but　for
the　first…born　of　a　man；　five　shekels：　that　they　should　also　have
the　first…fruits　out　of　the　shearing　of　the　sheep；　and　that　when
any　baked　bread　corn；　and　made　loaves　of　it；　they　should　give
somewhat　of　what　they　had　baked　to　them。　Moreover；　when　any　have
made　a　sacred　vow；　I　mean　those　that　are　called　Nazarites；　that
suffer　their　hair　to　grow　long；　and　use　no　wine；　when　they
consecrate　their　hair；　（4）　and　offer　it　for　a　sacrifice；　they　are
to　allot　that　hair　for　the　priests　＇to　be　thrown　into　the　fire＇。
Such　also　as　dedicate　themselves　to　God；　as　a　corban；　which
denotes　what　the　Greeks　call　a　gift；　when　they　are　desirous　of
being　freed　from　that　ministration；　are　to　lay　down　money　for　the
priests；　thirty　shekels　if　it　be　a　woman；　and　fifty　if　it　be　a
man；　but　if　any　be　too　poor　to　pay　the　appointed　sum；　it　shall　be
lawful　for　the　priests　to　determine　that　sum　as　they　think　fit。
And　if　any　slay　beasts　at　home　for　a　private　festival；　but　not
for　a　religious　one；　they　are　obliged　to　bring　the　maw　and　the
cheek；　＇or　breast；＇　and　the　right　shoulder　of　the　sacrifice；　to
the　priests。　With　these　Moses　contrived　that　the　priests　should
be　plentifully　maintained；　besides　what　they　had　out　of　those
offerings　for　sins　which　the　people　gave　them；　as　I　have　set　it
down　in　the　foregoing　book。　He　also　ordered；　that　out　of　every
thing　allotted　for　the　priests；　their　servants；　＇their　sons；＇
their　daughters；　and　their　wives；　should　partake；　as　well　as
themselves；　excepting　what　came　to　them　out　of　the　sacrifices
that　were　offered　for　sins；　for　of　those　none　but　the　males　of
the　family　of　the　priests　might　eat；　and　this　in　the　temple　also；
and　that　the　same　day　they　were　offered。

5。　When　Moses　had　made　these　constitutions；　after　the　sedition
was　over；　he　removed；　together　with　the　whole　army；　and　came　to
the　borders　of　Idumea。　He　then　sent　ambassadors　to　the　king　of
the　Idumeans；　and　desired　him　to　give　him　a　passage　through　his
country；　and　agreed　to　send　him　what　hostages　he　should　desire；
to　secure　him　from　an　injury。　He　desired　him　also；　that　he　would
allow　his　army　liberty　to　buy　provisions；　and；　if　he　insisted
upon　it；　he　would　pay　down　a　price　for　the　very　water　they　should
drink。　But　the　king　was　not　pleased　with　this　embassage　from
Moses：　nor　did　he　allow　a　passage　for　the　army；　but　brought　his
people　armed　to　meet　Moses；　and　to　hinder　them；　in　case　they
should　endeavor　to　force　their　passage。　Upon　which　Moses
consulted　God　by　the　oracle；　who　would　not　have　him　begin　the　war
first；　and　so　he　withdrew　his　forces；　and　traveled　round　about
through　the　wilderness。

6。　Then　it　was　that　Miriam；　the　sister　of　Moses；　came　to　her　end；
having　completed　her　fortieth　year　（5）　since　she　left　Egypt；　on
the　first　（6）　day　of　the　lunar　month　Xanthicus。　They　then　made　a
public　funeral　for　her；　at　a　great　expense。　She　was　buried　upon　a
certain　mountain；　which　they　call　Sin：　and　when　they　had　mourned
for　her　thirty　days；　Moses　purified　the　people　after　this　manner：
He　brought　a　heifer　that　had　never　been　used　to　the　plough　or　to
husbandry；　that　was　complete　in　all　its　parts；　and　entirely　of　a
red　color；　at　a　little　distance　from　the　camp；　into　a　place
perfectly　clean。　This　heifer　was　slain　by　the　high　priest；　and
her　blood　sprinkled　with　his　finger　seven　times　before　the
tabernacle　of　God；　after　this；　the　entire　heifer　was　burnt　in
that　state；　together　with　its　skin　and　entrails；　and　they　threw
cedar…wood；　and　hyssop；　and　scarlet　wool；　into　the　midst　of　the
fire；　then　a　clean　man　gathered　all　her　ashes　together；　and　laid
them　in　a　place　perfectly　clean。　When　therefore　any　persons　were
defiled　by　a　dead　body；　they　put　a　little　of　these　ashes　into
spring　water；　with　hyssop；　and；　dipping　part　of　these　ashes　in
it；　they　sprinkled　them　with　it；　both　on　the　third　day；　and　on
the　seventh；　and　after　that　they　were　clean。　This　he　enjoined
them　to　do　also　when　the　tribes　should　come　into　their　own　land。

7。　Now　when　this　purification；　which　their　leader　made　upon　the
mourning　for　his　sister；　as　it　has　been　now　described；　was　over；
he　caused　the　army　to　remove　and　to　march　through　the　wilderness
and　through　Arabia；　and　when　he　came　to　a　place　which　the
Arabians　esteem　their　metropolis；　which　was　formerly　called　Arce；
but　has　now　the　name　of　Petra；　at　this　place；　which　was
encompassed　with　high　mountains；　Aaron　went　up　one　of　them　in　the
sight　of　the　whole　army；　Moses　having　before　told　him　that　he　was
to　die；　for　this　place　was　over　against　them。　He　put　off　his
pontifical　garments；　and　delivered　them　to　Eleazar　his　son；　to
whom　the　high　priesthood　belonged；　because　he　was　the　elder
brother；　and　died　while　the　multitude　looked　upon　him。　He　died　in
the　same　year　wherein　he　lost　his　sister；　having　lived　in　all　a
hundred　twenty　and　three　years。　He　died　on　the　first　day　of　that
lunar　month　which　is　called　by　the　Athenians　Hecatombaeon；　by　the
Macedonians　Lous；　but　by　the　Hebrews　Abba。

CHAPTER　5。

How　Moses　Conquered　Sihon　And　Og　Kings　Of　The　Amorites；　And
Destroyed　Their　Whole　Army　And　Then　Divided　Their　Land　By　Lot　To
Two　Tribes　And　A　Half　Of　The　Hebrews。

1。　The　people　mourned　for　Aaron　thirty　days；　and　when　this
mourning　was　over；　Moses　removed　the　army　from　that　place；　and
came　to　the　river　Arnon；　which；　issuing　out　of　the　mountains　of
Arabia；　and　running　through　all　that　wilderness；　falls　into　the
lake　Asphaltitis；　and　becomes　the　limit　between　the　land　of　the
Moabites　and　the　land　of　the　Amorites。　This　land　is　fruitful；　and
sufficient　to　maintain　a　great　number　of　men；　with　the　good
things　it