the antiquities of the jews-1-第45章

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by　him　before　they　had　well　tasted　of　his　virtue。　Now　one　may
make　a　guess　at　the　excess　of　this　sorrow　and　lamentation　of　the
multitude；　from　what　happened　to　the　legislator　himself；　for
although　he　was　always　persuaded　that　he　ought　not　to　be　cast
down　at　the　approach　of　death；　since　the　undergoing　it　was
agreeable　to　the　will　of　God　and　the　law　of　nature；　yet　what　the
people　did　so　overbore　him；　that　he　wept　himself。　Now　as　he　went
thence　to　the　place　where　he　was　to　vanish　out　of　their　sight；
they　all　followed　after　him　weeping；　but　Moses　beckoned　with　his
hand　to　those　that　were　remote　from　him；　and　bade　them　stay
behind　in　quiet；　while　he　exhorted　those　that　were　near　to　him
that　they　would　not　render　his　departure　so　lamentable。　Whereupon
they　thought　they　ought　to　grant　him　that　favor；　to　let　him
depart　according　as　he　himself　desired；　so　they　restrained
themselves；　though　weeping　still　towards　one　another。　All　those
who　accompanied　him　were　the　senate；　and　Eleazar　the　high　priest；
and　Joshua　their　commander。　Now　as　soon　as　they　were　come　to　the
mountain　called　Abarim；　（which　is　a　very　high　mountain；　situate
over　against　Jericho；　and　one　that　affords；　to　such　as　are　upon
it；　a　prospect　of　the　greatest　part　of　the　excellent　land　of
Canaan；）　he　dismissed　the　senate；　and　as　he　was　going　to　embrace
Eleazar　and　Joshua；　and　was　still　discoursing　with　them；　a　cloud
stood　over　him　on　the　sudden；　and　he　disappeared　in　a　certain
valley；　although　he　wrote　in　the　holy　books　that　he　died；　which
was　done　out　of　fear；　lest　they　should　venture　to　say　that；
because　of　his　extraordinary　virtue；　he　went　to　God。

49。　Now　Moses　lived　in　all　one　hundred　and　twenty　years；　a　third
part　of　which　time；　abating　one　month；　he　was　the　people's　ruler；
and　he　died　on　the　last　month　of　the　year；　which　is　called　by　the
Macedonians　Dystrus；　but　by　us　Adar；　on　the　first　day　of　the
month。　He　was　one　that　exceeded　all　men　that　ever　were　in
understanding；　and　made　the　best　use　of　what　that　understanding
suggested　to　him。　He　had　a　very　graceful　way　of　speaking　and
addressing　himself　to　the　multitude；　and　as　to　his　other
qualifications；　he　had　such　a　full　command　of　his　passions；　as　if
he　hardly　had　any　such　in　his　soul；　and　only　knew　them　by　their
names；　as　rather　perceiving　them　in　other　men　than　in　himself。　He
was　also　such　a　general　of　an　army　as　is　seldom　seen；　as　well　as
such　a　prophet　as　was　never　known；　and　this　to　such　a　degree；
that　whatsoever　he　pronounced；　you　would　think　you　heard　the
voice　of　God　himself。　So　the　people　mourned　for　him　thirty　days：
nor　did　ever　any　grief　so　deeply　affect　the　Hebrews　as　did　this
upon　the　death　of　Moses：　nor　were　those　that　had　experienced　his
conduct　the　only　persons　that　desired　him；　but　those　also　that
perused　the　laws　he　left　behind　him　had　a　strong　desire　after
him；　and　by　them　gathered　the　extraordinary　virtue　he　was　master
of。　And　this　shall　suffice　for　the　declaration　of　the　manner　of
the　death　of　Moses。

BOOK　V。

Containing　The　Interval　Of　Four　Hundred　And　Seventy…Six　Years。

From　The　Death　Of　Moses　To　The　Death　Of　Eli。

CHAPTER　1。

How　Joshua；　The　Commander　Of　The　Hebrews；　Made　War　With　The
Canaanites；　And　Overcame　Them；　And　Destroyed　Them；　And　Divided
Their　Land　By　Lot　To　The　Tribes　Of　Israel。

1。　When　Moses　was　taken　away　from　among　men；　in　the　manner
already　described；　and　when　all　the　solemnities　belonging　to　the
mourning　for　him　were　finished；　and　the　sorrow　for　him　was　over；
Joshua　commanded　the　multitude　to　get　themselves　ready　for　an
expedition。　He　also　sent　spies　to　Jericho　to　discover　what　forces
they　had；　and　what　were　their　intentions；　but　he　put　his　camp　in
order；　as　intending　soon　to　pass　over　Jordan　at　a　proper　season。
And　calling　to　him　the　rulers　of　the　tribe　of　Reuben；　and　the
governors　of　the　tribe　of　Gad；　and　＇the　half　tribe　of＇　Manasseh；
for　half　of　this　tribe　had　been　permitted　to　have　their
habitation　in　the　country　of　the　Amorites；　which　was　the　seventh
part　of　the　land　of　Canaan；　（1）　he　put　them　in　mind　what　they　had
promised　Moses；　and　he　exhorted　them　that；　for　the　sake　of　the
care　that　Moses　had　taken　of　them　who　had　never　been　weary　of
taking　pains　for　them　no；　not　when　he　was　dying；　and　for　the　sake
of　the　public　welfare；　they　would　prepare　themselves；　and　readily
perform　what　they　had　promised；　so　he　took　fifty　thousand　of　them
who　followed　him；　and　he　marched　from　Abila　to　Jordan；　sixty
furlongs。

2。　Now　when　he　had　pitched　his　camp；　the　spies　came　to　him
immediately；　well　acquainted　with　the　whole　state　of　the
Canaanites；　for　at　first；　before　they　were　at　all　discovered；
they　took　a　full　view　of　the　city　of　Jericho　without　disturbance；
and　saw　which　parts　of　the　walls　were　strong；　and　which　parts
were　otherwise；　and　indeed　insecure；　and　which　of　the　gates　were
so　weak　as　might　afford　an　entrance　to　their　army。　Now　those　that
met　them　took　no　notice　of　them　when　they　saw　them；　and　supposed
they　were　only　strangers；　who　used　to　be　very　curious　in
observing　everything　in　the　city；　and　did　not　take　them　for
enemies；　but　at　even　they　retired　to　a　certain　inn　that　was　near
to　the　wall；　whither　they　went　to　eat　their　supper；　which　supper
when　they　had　done；　and　were　considering　how　to　get　away；
information　was　given　to　the　king　as　he　was　at　supper；　that　there
were　some　persons　come　from　the　Hebrews'　camp　to　view　the　city　as
spies；　and　that　they　were　in　the　inn　kept　by　Rahab；　and　were　very
solicitous　that　they　might　not　be　discovered。　So　he　sent
immediately　some　to　them；　and　commanded　to　catch　them；　and　bring
them　to　him；　that　he　might　examine　them　by　torture；　and　learn
what　their　business　was　there。　As　soon　as　Rahab　understood　that
these　messengers　were　coming；　she　hid　the　spies　under　stalks　of
flax；　which　were　laid　to　dry　on　the　top　of　her　house；　and　said　to
the　messengers　that　were　sent　by　the　king；　that　certain　unknown
strangers　had　supped　with　her　a　little　before　sun…setting；　and
were　gone　away；　who　might　easily　be　taken；　if　they　were　any
terror　to　the　city；　or　likely　to　bring　any　danger　to　the　king。　So
these　messengers　being　thus　deluded　by　the　woman；　（2）　and
suspecting　no　imposition；　went　their　ways；　without　so　much　as
searching　the　inn；　but　they　immediately　pursued　them　along　those
roads　which　they　most　probably　supposed　them　to　have　gone；　and
those　particularly　which　led　to　the　river；　but　could　hear　no
tidings　of　them；　so　they　left　off　the　pains　of　any　further
pursuit。　But　when　the　tumult　was　over；　Rahab　brought　the　men
down；　and　desired　them　as　soon　as　they　should　have　obtained
possession　of　the　land　of　Canaan；　when　it　would　be　in　their　power
to　make　her　amends　for　her　preservation　of　them；　to　remember　what
danger　she　had　undergone　for　their　sakes；　for　that　if　she　had
been　caught　concealing　them；　she　could　not　have　escaped　a
terrible　destruction；　she　and　all　her　family　with　her；　and　so　bid
them　go　home；　and　desired　them　to　swear　to　her　to　preserve　her
and　her　family　when　they　should　take　the　city；　and　destroy　all
its　inhabitants；　as　they　had　decreed　to　do；　for　so　far　she　said
she　had　been　assured　by　those　Divine　miracles　of　which　she　had
been　informed。　So　these　spies　acknowledged　that　they　owed　her
thanks　for　what　she　had　done　already；　and　withal　swore　to　requite
her　kindness；　not　only　in　words；　but　in　deeds。　But　they　gave　her
this　advice；　That　when　she　should　perceive　that　the　city　was
about　to　be　taken；　she　should　put　her　goods；　and　all　her　family；
by　way　of　security；　in　her　inn；　and　to　hang　out　scarlet　threads
before　her　doors；　＇or　windows；＇　that　the　commander　of　the　Hebrews
might　know　her　house；　and　take　care　to　do　her　no　harm；　for；　said
they；　we　will　inform　him　of　this　matter；　because　of　the　concern
thou　hast　had　to　preserve　us：　but　if　any　one　of　thy　family　fall
in　the　battle；　do　not　thou　blame　us；　and　we　beseech　that　God；　by
whom　we　have　sworn；　not　then　to　be　displeased　with　us；　as　though
we　had　broken　our　oaths。　So　these　men；　when　they　had　made　this
agreement；　went　away；　letting　themselves　down　by　a　rope　from　the
wall；　and　escaped；　and　came　and　told　their　own　people　whatsoever
they　had　done　in　their　journey　to　this　city。　Joshua　also　told
Eleazar　the　high　priest；　and　the　senate；　what　the　spies　had　sworn
to　Rahab；　who　continued　what　had　been　sworn。

3。　Now　while　Joshua；　the　commander；　was　in　fear　about　their
passing　over　Jordan；　for　the　river　ran　with　a　strong　current；　and
could　not　be　passed　over　with　bridges；　for　there　never　had　been
bridges　laid　over　it　hitherto；　and　while　he　suspected；　that　if　he
should　attempt　to　make　a　bridge；　that　their　enemies　would　not
afford　him　thee　to　perfect　it；　and　for　ferry…boats　they　had　none；
…　God　promised　so　to　dispose　of　the　river；　that　they　might　pass
over　it；　and　that　by　taking　away　the　main　part　of　its　waters。　So
Joshua；　after　two　days；　caused　the　army　and　the　whole　multitude
to　pass　over　in　the　manner　following：　…　The　priests　went　first　of
all；　having　the　ark　with　them；　then　went　the　Levites　bearing　the
tabernacle　and　the　vessels　which　belonged　to　the　sacrifices；
after　which　the　entire　multitude　followed；　according　to　their
tribes；　having　their　children　and　their　wives　in　the　midst　of
them；　as　being　afraid　for　them；　lest　they　should　be　borne　away　by
the　stream。　But　as　soon　as　the　priests　had　entered　the　river
first；　it　appeared　fordable；　the　depth　of　the　water　being
restrained　and　the　sand　appearing　at　the　bottom；　because　the
current　was　neither　so　strong　nor　so　swift　as　to　carry　it　away　by
its　force；　so　they　all　passed　over　the　river　without　fear；
finding　it　to　be　in　the　very　same　state　as　God　had　foretold　he
would　put　it　in；　but　the　priests　stood　still　in　the　midst　of　the
river　till　the　multitude　should　be　passed　over；　and　should　get　to
the　shore　in　safety；　and　when　all　were　gone　over；　the　priests
came　out　also；　and　permitted　the　current　to　run　freely　as　it　used
to　do　before。　Accordingly　the　river；　as　soon　as　the　Hebrews　were
come　out　of　it；　arose　again　presently；　and　carne　to　its　own
proper　magnitude　as　before。

4。　So　the　Hebrews　went　on　farther　fifty　furlongs；　and　pitched
their　camp　at　the　distance　of　ten　furlongs　from　Jericho；　but
Joshua　built　an　altar　of　those　stones　which　all　the　heads　of　the
tribes；　at　the　command　of　the　prophets；　had　taken　out　of　the
deep；　to　be　afterwards　a　memorial　of　the　division　of　the　stream
of　this　river；　and　upon　it　offered　sacrifice　to　God；　and　in　that
place　celebrated　the　passover；　and　had　great　plenty　of　all　the
things　which　they　wanted　hitherto；　for　they　reaped　the　corn　of
the　Canaanites；　which　was　now　ripe；　and　took　other　things　as
prey；　for　then　it　was　that　their　former　food；　which　was　manna；
and　of　which　they　had　eaten　forty　years；　failed　them。

5。　Now　while　the　Israelites　did　this；　and　the　Canaanites　did　not
attack　them；　but　kept　themselves　quiet　within　their　own　walls；
Joshua　resolved　to　besiege　them；　so　on　the　first　day　of　the　feast
＇of　the　passover＇；　the　priests　carried　the　ark　round　about；　with
some　part　of　the　armed　men　to　be　a　guard　to　it。　These　priests
went　forward；　blowing　with　their　seven　trumpets；　and　exhorted　the
army　to　be　of　good　courage；　and　went　round　about　the　city；　with
the　senate　following　them；　an