the antiquities of the jews-1-第88章

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believed　upon　sight；　for　when　he　had　filled　up　great　valleys　with
earth；　which；　on　account　of　their　immense　depth；　could　not　be
looked　on；　when　you　bended　down　to　see　them；　without　pain；　and
had　elevated　the　ground　four　hundred　cubits；　he　made　it　to　be　on
a　level　with　the　top　of　the　mountain；　on　which　the　temple　was
built；　and　by　this　means　the　outmost　temple；　which　was　exposed　to
the　air；　was　even　with　the　temple　itself。　He　encompassed　this
also　with　a　building　of　a　double　row　of　cloisters；　which　stood　on
high　upon　pillars　of　native　stone；　while　the　roofs　were　of　cedar；
and　were　polished　in　a　manner　proper　for　such　high　roofs；　but　he
made　all　the　doors　of　this　temple　of　silver。

CHAPTER　4。

How　Solomon　Removed　The　Ark　Into　The　Temple　How　He　Made
Supplication　To　God；　And　Offered　Public　Sacrifices　To　Him。

1。　When　king　Solomon　had　finished　these　works；　these　large　and
beautiful　buildings；　and　had　laid　up　his　donations　in　the　temple；
and　all　this　in　the　interval　of　seven　years；　and　had　given　a
demonstration　of　his　riches　and　alacrity　therein；　insomuch　that
any　one　who　saw　it　would　have　thought　it　must　have　been　an
immense　time　ere　it　could　have　been　finished；　and　would　be
surprised　that　so　much　should　be　finished　in　so　short　a　time；
short；　I　mean；　if　compared　with　the　greatness　of　the　work：　he
also　wrote　to　the　rulers　and　elders　of　the　Hebrews；　and　ordered
all　the　people　to　gather　themselves　together　to　Jerusalem；　both
to　see　the　temple　which　he　had　built；　and　to　remove　the　ark　of
God　into　it；　and　when　this　invitation　of　the　whole　body　of　the
people　to　come　to　Jerusalem　was　every　where　carried　abroad；　it
was　the　seventh　month　before　they　came　together；　which　month　is
by　our　countrymen　called　Thisri；　but　by　the　Macedonians
Hyperberetoets。　The　feast　of　tabernacles　happened　to　fall　at　the
same　time；　which　was　celebrated　by　the　Hebrews　as　a　most　holy　and
most　eminent　feast。　So　they　carried　the　ark　and　the　tabernacle
which　Moses　had　pitched；　and　all　the　vessels　that　were　for
ministration；　to　the　sacrifices　of　God；　and　removed　them　to　the
temple。　（13）　The　king　himself；　and　all　the　people　and　the
Levites；　went　before；　rendering　the　ground　moist　with　sacrifices；
and　drink…offerings；　and　the　blood　of　a　great　number　of
oblations；　and　burning　an　immense　quantity　of　incense；　and　this
till　the　very　air　itself　every　where　round　about　was　so　full　of
these　odors；　that　it　met；　in　a　most　agreeable　manner；　persons　at
a　great　distance；　and　was　an　indication　of　God's　presence；　and；
as　men's　opinion　was；　of　his　habitation　with　them　in　this　newly
built　and　consecrated　place；　for　they　did　not　grow　weary；　either
of　singing　hymns　or　of　dancing；　until　they　came　to　the　temple；
and　in　this　manner　did　they　carry　the　ark。　But　when　they　should
transfer　it　into　the　most　secret　place；　the　rest　of　the　multitude
went　away；　and　only　those　priests　that　carried　it　set　it　between
the　two　cherubims；　which　embracing　it　with　their　wings；　（for　so
were　they　framed　by　the　artificer；）　they　covered　it；　as　under　a
tent；　or　a　cupola。　Now　the　ark　contained　nothing　else　but　those
two　tables　of　stone　that　preserved　the　ten　commandments；　which
God　spake　to　Moses　in　Mount　Sinai；　and　which　were　engraved　upon
them；　but　they　set　the　candlestick；　and　the　table；　and　the　golden
altar　in　the　temple；　before　the　most　secret　place；　in　the　very
same　places　wherein　they　stood　till　that　time　in　the　tabernacle。
So　they　offered　up　the　daily　sacrifices；　but　for　the　brazen
altar；　Solomon　set　it　before　the　temple；　over　against　the　door；
that　when　the　door　was　opened；　it　might　be　exposed　to　sight；　and
the　sacred　solemnities；　and　the　richness　of　the　sacrifices；　might
be　thence　seen；　and　all　the　rest　of　the　vessels　they　gathered
together；　and　put　them　within　the　temple。

2。　Now　as　soon　as　the　priests　had　put　all　things　in　order　about
the　ark；　and　were　gone　out；　there　cane　down　a　thick　cloud；　and
stood　there；　and　spread　itself；　after　a　gentle　manner；　into　the
temple；　such　a　cloud　it　was　as　was　diffused　and　temperate；　not
such　a　rough　one　as　we　see　full　of　rain　in　the　winter　season。
This　cloud　so　darkened　the　place；　that　one　priest　could　not
discern　another；　but　it　afforded　to　the　minds　of　all　a　visible
image　and　glorious　appearance　of　God's　having　descended　into　this
temple；　and　of　his　having　gladly　pitched　his　tabernacle　therein。
So　these　men　were　intent　upon　this　thought。　But　Solomon　rose　up；
（for　he　was　sitting　before；）　and　used　such　words　to　God　as　he
thought　agreeable　to　the　Divine　nature　to　receive；　and　fit　for
him　to　give；　for　he　said；　〃Thou　hast　an　eternal　house；　O　Lord；
and　such　a　one　as　thou　hast　created　for　thyself　out　of　thine　own
works；　we　know　it　to　be　the　heaven；　and　the　air；　and　the　earth；
and　the　sea；　which　thou　pervadest；　nor　art　thou　contained　within
their　limits。　I　have　indeed　built　this　temple　to　thee；　and　thy
name；　that　from　thence；　when　we　sacrifice；　and　perform　sacred
operations；　we　may　send　our　prayers　up　into　the　air；　and　may
constantly　believe　that　thou　art　present；　and　art　not　remote　from
what　is　thine　own；　for　neither　when　thou　seest　all　things；　and
hearest　all　things；　nor　now；　when　it　pleases　thee　to　dwell　here；
dost　thou　leave　the　care　of　all　men；　but　rather　thou　art　very
near　to　them　all；　but　especially　thou　art　present　to　those　that
address　themselves　to　thee；　whether　by　night　or　by　day。〃　When　he
had　thus　solemnly　addressed　himself　to　God；　he　converted　his
discourse　to　the　multitude；　and　strongly　represented　the　power
and　providence　of　God　to　them；　…　how　he　had　shown　all　things　that
were　come　to　pass　to　David　his　father；　as　many　of　those　things
had　already　come　to　pass；　and　the　rest　would　certainly　come　to
pass　hereafter；　and　how　he　had　given　him　his　name；　and　told　to
David　what　he　should　be　called　before　he　was　born；　and　foretold；
that　when　he　should　be　king　after　his　father's　death；　he　should
build　him　a　temple；　which　since　they　saw　accomplished；　according
to　his　prediction；　he　required　them　to　bless　God；　and　by
believing　him；　from　the　sight　of　what　they　had　seen　accomplished；
never　to　despair　of　any　thing　that　he　had　promised　for　the
future；　in　order　to　their　happiness；　or　suspect　that　it　would　not
come　to　pass。

3。　When　the　king　had　thus　discoursed　to　the　multitude；　he　looked
again　towards　the　temple；　and　lifting　up　his　right　hand　to　the
multitude；　he　said；〃　It　is　not　possible　by　what　men　can　do　to
return　sufficient　thanks　to　God　for　his　benefits　bestowed　upon
them；　for　the　Deity　stands　in　need　of　nothing；　and　is　above　any
such　requital；　but　so　far　as　we　have　been　made　superior；　O　Lord；
to　other　animals　by　thee；　it　becomes　us　to　bless　thy　Majesty；　and
it　is　necessary　for　us　to　return　thee　thanks　for　what　thou　hast
bestowed　upon　our　house；　and　on　the　Hebrew　people；　for　with　what
other　instrument　can　we　better　appease　thee　when　thou　art　angry
at　us；　or　more　properly　preserve　thy　favor；　than　with　our　voice？
which；　as　we　have　it　from　the　air；　so　do　we　know　that　by　that　air
it　ascends　upwards　＇towards　thee＇。　I　therefore　ought　myself　to
return　thee　thanks　thereby；　in　the　first　place；　concerning　my
father；　whom　thou　hast　raised　from　obscurity　unto　so　great　joy；
and；　in　the　next　place；　concerning　myself；　since　thou　hast
performed　all　that　thou　hast　promised　unto　this　very　day。　And　I
beseech　thee　for　the　time　to　come　to　afford　us　whatsoever　thou；　O
God；　hast　power　to　bestow　on　such　as　thou　dost　esteem；　and　to
augment　our　house　for　all　ages；　as　thou　hast　promised　to　David　my
father　to　do；　both　in　his　lifetime　and　at　his　death；　that　our
kingdom　shall　continue；　and　that　his　posterity　should
successively　receive　it　to　ten　thousand　generations。　Do　not　thou
therefore　fail　to　give　us　these　blessings；　and　to　bestow　on　my
children　that　virtue　in　which　thou　delightest。　And　besides　all
this；　I　humbly　beseech　thee　that　thou　wilt　let　some　portion　of
thy　Spirit　come　down　and　inhabit　in　this　temple；　that　thou　mayst
appear　to　be　with　us　upon　earth。　As　to　thyself；　the　entire
heavens；　and　the　immensity　of　the　things　that　are　therein；　are
but　a　small　habitation　for　thee；　much　more　is　this　poor　temple
so；　but　I　entreat　thee　to　keep　it　as　thine　own　house；　from　being
destroyed　by　our　enemies　for　ever；　and　to　take　care　of　it　as
thine　own　possession：　but　if　this　people　be　found　to　have　sinned；
and　be　thereupon　afflicted　by　thee　with　any　plague；　because　of
their　sin；　as　with　dearth　or　pestilence；　or　any　other　affliction
which　thou　usest　to　inflict　on　those　that　transgress　any　of　thy
holy　laws；　and　if　they　fly　all　of　them　to　this　temple；　beseeching
thee；　and　begging　of　time　to　deliver　them；　then　do　thou　hear
their　prayers；　as　being　within　thine　house；　and　have　mercy　upon
them；　and　deliver　them　from　their　afflictions。　Nay；　moreover；
this　help　is　what　I　implore　of　thee；　not　for　the　Hebrews　only；
when　they　are　in　distress；　but　when　any　shall　come　hither　from
any　ends　of　the　world　whatsoever；　and　shall　return　from　their
sins　and　implore　thy　pardon；　do　thou　then　pardon　them；　and　hear
their　prayer。　For　hereby　all　shall　learn　that　thou　thyself　wast
pleased　with　the　building　of　this　house　for　thee；　and　that　we　are
not　ourselves　of　an　unsociable　nature；　nor　behave　ourselves　like
enemies　to　such　as　are　not　of　our　own　people；　but　are　willing
that　thy　assistance　should　be　communicated　by　thee　to　all　men　in
common；　and　that　they　may　have　the　enjoyment　of　thy　benefits
bestowed　upon　them。〃

4。　When　Solomon　had　said　this；　and　had　cast　himself　upon　the
ground；　and　worshipped　a　long　time；　he　rose　up；　and　brought
sacrifices　to　the　altar；　and　when　he　had　filled　it　with
unblemished　victims；　he　most　evidently　discovered　that　God　had
with　pleasure　accepted　of　all　that　he　had　sacrificed　to　him；　for
there　came　a　fire　running　out　of　the　air；　and　rushed　with
violence　upon　the　altar；　in　the　sight　of　all；　and　caught　hold　of
and　consumed　the　sacrifices。　Now　when　this　Divine　appearance　was
seen；　the　people　supposed　it　to　be　a　demonstration　of　God's　abode
in　the　temple；　and　were　pleased　with　it；　and　fell　down　upon　the
ground　and　worshipped。　Upon　which　the　king　began　to　bless　God；
and　exhorted　the　multitude　to　do　the　same；　as　now　having
sufficient　indications　of　God's　favorable　disposition　to　them；
and　to　pray　that　they　might　always　have　the　like　indications　from
him；　and　that　he　would　preserve　in　them　a　mind　pure　from　all
wickedness；　in　righteousness　and　religious　worship；　and　that　they
might　continue　in　the　observation　of　those　precepts　which　God　had
given　them　by　Moses；　because　by　that　means　the　Hebrew　nation
would　be　happy；　and　indeed　the　most　blessed　of　all　nations　among
all　mankind。　He　exhorted　them　also　to　be　mindful；　that　by　what
methods　they　had　attained　their　present　good　things；　by　the　same
they　must　preserve　them　sure　to　themselves；　and　make　them　greater
and　more　than　they　were　at　present；　for　that　it　was　not
sufficient　for　them　to　suppose　they　had　received　them　on　account
of　their　piety　and　righteousness；　but　that　they　had　no　other　way
of　preserving　them　for　the　time　to　come；　for　that　it　is　not　so
great　a　thing　for　men　to　acquire　somewhat　which　they　want；　as　to
preserve　what　they　have　acquired；　and　to　be　guilty　of　no　sin
whereby　it　may　be　hurt。

5。　So　when　t