the antiquities of the jews-1-第86章

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man　was　appointed　over　all　this　country；　Shimei　was　intrusted
with　the　lot　of　Benjamin；　and　Gabares　had　the　country　beyond
Jordan；　over　whom　there　was　again　one　governor　appointed。　Now　the
people　of　the　Hebrews；　and　particularly　the　tribe　of　Judah；
received　a　wonderful　increase　when　they　betook　themselves　to
husbandry；　and　the　cultivation　of　their　grounds；　for　as　they
enjoyed　peace；　and　were　not　distracted　with　wars　and　troubles；
and　having；　besides；　an　abundant　fruition　of　the　most　desirable
liberty；　every　one　was　busy　in　augmenting　the　product　of　their
own　lands；　and　making　them　worth　more　than　they　had　formerly
been。

4。　The　king　had　also　other　rulers；　who　were　over　the　land　of
Syria　and　of　the　Philistines；　which　reached　from　the　river
Euphrates　to　Egypt；　and　these　collected　his　tributes　of　the
nations。　Now　these　contributed　to　the　king's　table；　and　to　his
supper　every　day　（3）　thirty　cori　of　fine　flour；　and　sixty　of
meal；　as　also　ten　fat　oxen；　and　twenty　oxen　out　of　the　pastures；
and　a　hundred　fat　lambs；　all　these　were　besides　what　were　taken
by　hunting　harts　and　buffaloes；　and　birds　and　fishes；　which　were
brought　to　the　king　by　foreigners　day　by　day。　Solomon　had　also　so
great　a　number　of　chariots；　that　the　stalls　of　his　horses　for
those　chariots　were　forty　thousand；　and　besides　these　he　had
twelve　thousand　horsemen；　the　one　half　of　which　waited　upon　the
king　in　Jerusalem；　and　the　rest　were　dispersed　abroad；　and　dwelt
in　the　royal　villages；　but　the　same　officer　who　provided　for　the
king's　expenses　supplied　also　the　fodder　for　the　horses；　and
still　carried　it　to　the　place　where　the　king　abode　at　that　time。

5。　Now　the　sagacity　and　wisdom　which　God　had　bestowed　on　Solomon
was　so　great；　that　he　exceeded　the　ancients；　insomuch　that　he　was
no　way　inferior　to　the　Egyptians；　who　are　said　to　have　been
beyond　all　men　in　understanding；　nay；　indeed；　it　is　evident　that
their　sagacity　was　very　much　inferior　to　that　of　the　king's。　He
also　excelled　and　distinguished　himself　in　wisdom　above　those　who
were　most　eminent　among　the　Hebrews　at　that　time　for　shrewdness；
those　I　mean　were　Ethan；　and　Heman；　and　Chalcol；　and　Darda；　the
sons　of　Mahol。　He　also　composed　books　of　odes　and　songs　a
thousand　and　five；　of　parables　and　similitudes　three　thousand；
for　he　spake　a　parable　upon　every　sort　of　tree；　from　the　hyssop
to　the　cedar；　and　in　like　manner　also　about　beasts；　about　all
sorts　of　living　creatures；　whether　upon　the　earth；　or　in　the
seas；　or　in　the　air；　for　he　was　not　unacquainted　with　any　of
their　natures；　nor　omitted　inquiries　about　them；　but　described
them　all　like　a　philosopher；　and　demonstrated　his　exquisite
knowledge　of　their　several　properties。　God　also　enabled　him　to
learn　that　skill　which　expels　demons；　（4）　which　is　a　science
useful　and　sanative　to　men。　He　composed　such　incantations　also　by
which　distempers　are　alleviated。　And　he　left　behind　him　the
manner　of　using　exorcisms；　by　which　they　drive　away　demons；　so
that　they　never　return；　and　this　method　of　cure　is　of　great　force
unto　this　day；　for　I　have　seen　a　certain　man　of　my　own　country；
whose　name　was　Eleazar；　releasing　people　that　were　demoniacal　in
the　presence　of　Vespasian；　and　his　sons；　and　his　captains；　and
the　whole　multitude　of　his　soldiers。　The　manner　of　the　cure　was
this：　He　put　a　ring　that　had　a　Foot　of　one　of　those　sorts
mentioned　by　Solomon　to　the　nostrils　of　the　demoniac；　after　which
he　drew　out　the　demon　through　his　nostrils；　and　when　the　man　fell
down　immediately；　he　abjured　him　to　return　into　him　no　more；
making　still　mention　of　Solomon；　and　reciting　the　incantations
which　he　composed。　And　when　Eleazar　would　persuade　and
demonstrate　to　the　spectators　that　he　had　such　a　power；　he　set　a
little　way　off　a　cup　or　basin　full　of　water；　and　commanded　the
demon；　as　he　went　out　of　the　man；　to　overturn　it；　and　thereby　to
let　the　spectators　know　that　he　had　left　the　man；　and　when　this
was　done；　the　skill　and　wisdom　of　Solomon　was　shown　very
manifestly：　for　which　reason　it　is；　that　all　men　may　know　the
vastness　of　Solomon's　abilities；　and　how　he　was　beloved　of　God；
and　that　the　extraordinary　virtues　of　every　kind　with　which　this
king　was　endowed　may　not　be　unknown　to　any　people　under　the　sun
for　this　reason；　I　say；　it　is　that　we　have　proceeded　to　speak　so
largely　of　these　matters。

6。　Moreover　Hiram；　king　of　Tyre；　when　he　had　heard　that　Solonion
succeeded　to　his　father's　kingdom；　was　very　glad　of　it；　for　he
was　a　friend　of　David's。　So　he　sent　ambassadors　to　him；　and
saluted　him；　and　congratulated　him　on　the　present　happy　state　of
his　affairs。　Upon　which　Solomon　sent　him　an　epistle；　the　contents
of　which　here　follow：

Solomon　To　King　Hiram。

〃（5）Know　thou　that　my　father　would　have　built　a　temple　to　God；
but　was　hindered　by　wars；　and　continual　expeditions；　for　he　did
not　leave　off　to　overthrow　his　enemies　till　he　made　them　all
subject　to　tribute。　But　I　give　thanks　to　God　for　the　peace　I　at
present　enjoy；　and　on　that　account　I　am　at　leisure；　and　design　to
build　a　house　to　God；　for　God　foretold　to　my　father　that　such　a
house　should　he　built　by　me；　wherefore　I　desire　thee　to　send　some
of　thy　subjects　with　mine　to　Mount　Lebanon　to　cut　down　timber；
for　the　Sidonians　are　more　skillful　than　our　people　in　cutting　of
wood。　As　for　wages　to　the　hewers　of　wood；　I　will　pay　whatsoever
price　thou　shalt　determine。〃

7。　When　Hiram　had　read　this　epistle；　he　was　pleased　with　it；　and
wrote　back　this　answer　to　Solomon。

Hiram　To　King　Solomon。

〃It　is　fit　to　bless　God　that　he　hath　committed　thy　father's
government　to　thee；　who　art　a　wise　man；　and　endowed　with　all
virtues。　As　for　myself；　I　rejoice　at　the　condition　thou　art　in；
and　will　be　subservient　to　thee　in　all　that　thou　sendest　to　me
about；　for　when　by　my　subjects　I　have　cut　down　many　and　large
trees　of　cedar　and　cypress　wood；　I　will　send　them　to　sea；　and
will　order　my　subjects　to　make　floats　of　them；　and　to　sail　to
what　place　soever　of　thy　country　thou　shalt　desire；　and　leave
them　there；　after　which　thy　subjects　may　carry　them　to　Jerusalem。
But　do　thou　take　care　to　procure　us　corn　for　this　timber；　which
we　stand　in　need　of；　because　we　inhabit　in　an　island。〃

8。　The　copies　of　these　epistles　remain　at　this　day；　and　are
preserved　not　only　in　our　books；　but　among　the　Tyrians　also；
insomuch　that　if　any　one　would　know　the　certainty　about　them；　he
may　desire　of　the　keepers　of　the　public　records　of　Tyre　to　show
him　them；　and　he　will　find　what　is　there　set　down　to　agree　with
what　we　have　said。　I　have　said　so　much　out　of　a　desire　that　my
readers　may　know　that　we　speak　nothing　but　the　truth；　and　do　not
compose　a　history　out　of　some　plausible　relations；　which　deceive
men　and　please　them　at　the　same　time；　nor　attempt　to　avoid
examination；　nor　desire　men　to　believe　us　immediately；　nor　are　we
at　liberty　to　depart　from　speaking　truth；　which　is　the　proper
commendation　of　an　historian；　and　yet　be　blameless：　but　we　insist
upon　no　admission　of　what　we　say；　unless　we　be　able　to　manifest
its　truth　by　demonstration；　and　the　strongest　vouchers。

9。　Now　king　Solomon；　as　soon　as　this　epistle　of　the　king　of　Tyre
was　brought　him；　commended　the　readiness　and　good…will　he
declared　therein；　and　repaid　him　in　what　he　desired；　and　sent　him
yearly　twenty　thousand　cori　of　wheat；　and　as　many　baths　of　oil：
now　the　bath　is　able　to　contain　seventy…two　sextaries。　He　also
sent　him　the　same　measure　of　wine。　So　the　friendship　between
Hiram　and　Solomon　hereby　increased　more　and　more；　and　they　swore
to　continue　it　for　ever。　And　the　king　appointed　a　tribute　to　be
laid　on　all　the　people；　of　thirty　thousand　laborers；　whose　work
he　rendered　easy　to　them　by　prudently　dividing　it　among　them；　for
he　made　ten　thousand　cut　timber　in　Mount　Lebanon　for　one　month；
and　then　to　come　home；　and　rest　two　months；　until　the　time　when
the　other　twenty　thousand　had　finished　their　task　at　the
appointed　time；　and　so　afterward　it　came　to　pass　that　the　first
ten　thousand　returned　to　their　work　every　fourth　month：　and　it
was　Adoram　who　was　over　this　tribute。　There　were　also　of　the
strangers　who　were　left　by　David；　who　were　to　carry　the　stones
and　other　materials；　seventy　thousand；　and　of　those　that　cut　the
stones；　eighty　thousand。　Of　these　three　thousand　and　three
hundred　were　rulers　over　the　rest。　He　also　enjoined　them　to　cut
out　large　stones　for　the　foundations　of　the　temple；　and　that　they
should　fit　them　and　unite　them　together　in　the　mountain；　and　so
bring　them　to　the　city。　This　was　done　not　only　by　our　own　country
workmen；　but　by　those　workmen　whom　Hiram　sent　also。

CHAPTER　3。

Of　The　Building　Of　This　Temple

1。　Solomon　began　to　build　the　temple　in　the　fourth　year　of　his
reign；　on　the　second　month；　which　the　Macedonians　call
Artemisius；　and　the　Hebrews　Jur；　five　hundred　and　ninety…two
years　after　the　Exodus　out　of　Egypt；　but　one　thousand　and　twenty
years　from　Abraham's　coming　out　of　Mesopotamia　into　Canaan；　and
after　the　deluge　one　thousand　four　hundred　and　forty　years；　and
from　Adam；　the　first　man　who　was　created；　until　Solomon　built　the
temple；　there　had　passed　in　all　three　thousand　one　hundred　and
two　years。　Now　that　year　on　which　the　temple　began　to　be　built
was　already　the　eleventh　year　of　the　reign　of　Hiram；　but　from　the
building　of　Tyre　to　the　building　of　the　temple；　there　had　passed
two　hundred　and　forty　years。

2。　Now；　therefore；　the　king　laid　the　foundations　of　the　temple
very　deep　in　the　ground；　and　the　materials　were　strong　stones；
and　such　as　would　resist　the　force　of　time；　these　were　to　unite
themselves　with　the　earth；　and　become　a　basis　and　a　sure
foundation　for　that　superstructure　which　was　to　be　erected　over
it；　they　were　to　be　so　strong；　in　order　to　sustain　with　ease
those　vast　superstructures　and　precious　ornaments；　whose　own
weight　was　to　be　not　less　than　the　weight　of　those　other　high　and
heavy　buildings　which　the　king　designed　to　be　very　ornamental　and
magnificent。　They　erected　its　entire　body；　quite　up　to　the　roof；
of　white　stone；　its　height　was　sixty　cubits；　and　its　length　was
the　same；　and　its　breadth　twenty。　There　was　another　building
erected　over　it；　equal　to　it　in　its　measures；　so　that　the　entire
altitude　of　the　temple　was　a　hundred　and　twenty　cubits。　Its　front
was　to　the　east。　As　to　the　porch；　they　built　it　before　the
temple；　its　length　was　twenty　cubits；　and　it　was　so　ordered　that
it　might　agree　with　the　breadth　of　the　house；　and　it　had　twelve
cubits　in　latitude；　and　its　height　was　raised　as　high　as　a
hundred　and　twenty　cubits。　He　also　built　round　about　the　temple
thirty　small　rooms；　which　might　include　the　whole　temple；　by
their　closeness　one　to　another；　and　by　their　number　and　outward
position　round　it。　He　also　made　passages　through　them；　that　they
might　come　into　on　through　another。　Every　one　of　these　rooms　had
five　cubits　in　breadth；　（7）　and　the　same　in　length；　but　in　height
twenty。　Above　these　there　were　other　rooms；　and　others　above
them；　equal；　both　in　their　measures　and　number；　so　that　these
reached　to　a　height　equal　to　the　lower　part　of　the　house；　for　the
upper　part　had　no　buildings　about　it。　The　roof　that　was　over　the
house　was　of　cedar；　and　truly　every　one　of　these　rooms　had　a　roof
of　their　own；　tha