the wars of the jews-第104章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
oyed them more suddenly。 And that this city could contain so many people in it； is manifest by that number of them which was taken under Cestius； who being desirous of informing Nero of the power of the city； who otherwise was disposed to contemn that nation； entreated the high priests； if the thing were possible； to take the number of their whole multitude。 So these high priests； upon the coming of that feast which is called the Passover； when they slay their sacrifices； from the ninth hour till the eleventh； but so that a company not less than ten （33） belong to every sacrifice； （for it is not lawful for them to feast singly by themselves；） and many of us are twenty in a company； found the number of sacrifices was two hundred and fifty…six thousand five hundred； which； upon the allowance of no more than ten that feast together； amounts to two millions seven hundred thousand and two hundred persons that were pure and holy； for as to those that have the leprosy； or the gonorrhea； or women that have their monthly courses； or such as are otherwise polluted； it is not lawful for them to be partakers of this sacrifice； nor indeed for any foreigners neither； who come hither to worship。 4。 Now this vast multitude is indeed collected out of remote places； but the entire nation was now shut up by fate as in prison； and the Roman army encompassed the city when it was crowded with inhabitants。 Accordingly； the multitude of those that therein perished exceeded all the destructions that either men or God ever brought upon the world； for； to speak only of what was publicly known； the Romans slew some of them； some they carried captives； and others they made a search for under ground； and when they found where they were； they broke up the ground and slew all they met with。 There were also found slain there above two thousand persons； partly by their own hands； and partly by one another； but chiefly destroyed by the famine； but then the ill savor of the dead bodies was most offensive to those that lighted upon them； insomuch that some were obliged to get away immediately； while others were so greedy of gain； that they would go in among the dead bodies that lay on heaps； and tread upon them； for a great deal of treasure was found in these caverns； and the hope of gain made every way of getting it to be esteemed lawful。 Many also of those that had been put in prison by the tyrants were now brought out； for they did not leave off their barbarous cruelty at the very last： yet did God avenge himself upon them both； in a manner agreeable to justice。 As for John； he wanted food； together with his brethren； in these caverns； and begged that the Romans would now give him their right hand for his security； which he had often proudly rejected before； but for Simon； he struggled hard with the distress he was in； fill he was forced to surrender himself； as we shall relate hereafter； so he was reserved for the triumph； and to be then slain； as was John condemned to perpetual imprisonment。 And now the Romans set fire to the extreme parts of the city； and burnt them down； and entirely demolished its walls。
CHAPTER 10。 That Whereas The City Of Jerusalem Had Been Five Times Taken Formerly； This Was The Second Time Of Its Desolation。 A Brief Account Of Its History。 1。 And thus was Jerusalem taken； in the second year of the reign of Vespasian； on the eighth day of the month Gorpeius ＇Elul＇。 It had been taken five （34） times before； though this was the second time of its desolation； for Shishak； the king of Egypt； and after him Antiochus； and after him Pompey； and after them Sosius and Herod； took the city； but still preserved it； but before all these； the king of Babylon conquered it； and made it desolate； one thousand four hundred and sixty…eight years and six months after it was built。 But he who first built it。 Was a potent man among the Canaanites； and is in our own tongue called ＇Melchisedek＇； the Righteous King； for such he really was； on which account he was ＇there＇ the first priest of God； and first built a temple ＇there＇； and called the city Jerusalem； which was formerly called Salem。 However； David； the king of the Jews； ejected the Canaanites； and set…tied his own people therein。 It was demolished entirely by the Babylonians； four hundred and seventy…seven years and six months after him。 And from king David； who was the first of the Jews who reigned therein； to this destruction under Titus； were one thousand one hundred and seventy…nine years； but from its first building； till this last destruction； were two thousand one hundred and seventy…seven years； yet hath not its great antiquity； nor its vast riches； nor the diffusion of its nation over all the habitable earth； nor the greatness of the veneration paid to it on a religious account； been sufficient to preserve it from being destroyed。 And thus ended the siege of Jerusalem。
WAR BOOK 6 FOOTNOTES
（1） Reland notes here； very pertinently； that the tower of Antonia stood higher than the floor of the temple or court adjoining to it； and that accordingly they descended thence into the temple； as Josephus elsewhere speaks also。 See Book VI。 ch。 2。 sect。 5。
（2） In this speech of Titus we may clearly see the notions which the Romans then had of death； and of the happy state of those who died bravely in war； and the contrary estate of those who died ignobly in their beds by sickness。 Reland here also produces two parallel passages； the one out of Atonia Janus Marcellinus； concerning the Alani； lib。 31； that 〃they judged that man happy who laid down his life in battle ；〃 the other of Valerius Maximus； lib。 11。 ch。 6； who says； 〃that the Cimbri and Celtiberi exulted for joy in the army； as being to go out of the world gloriously and happily。〃
（3） See the note on p。 809。
（4） No wonder that this Julian； who had so many nails in his shoes； slipped upon the pavement of the temple； which was smooth； and laid with marble of different colors。
（5） This was a remarkable day indeed； the seventeenth of Paneruns。 ＇Tamuz；＇ A。D。 70； when； according to Daniel's prediction； six hundred and six years before； the Romans 〃in half a week caused the sacrifice and oblation to cease；〃 Daniel 9：27。 For from the month of February； A。D。 66； about which time Vespasian entered on this war； to this very time； was just three years and a half。 See Bishop Lloyd's Tables of Chronology； published by Mr。 Marshall； on this year。 Nor is it to be omitted； what year nearly confirms this duration of the war； that four years before the war begun was somewhat above seven years five months before the destruction of Jerusalem； ch。 5。 sect。 3。
（6） The same that in the New Testament is always so called； and was then the common language of the Jews in Judea； which was the Syriac dialect。
（7） Our present copies of the Old Testament want this encomium upon king Jechoniah or Jehoiachim； which it seems was in Josephus's copy。
（8） Of this oracle； see the note on B。 IV。 ch。 6。 sect。 3。 Josephus； both here and in many places elsewhere； speaks so； that it is most evident he was fully satisfied that God was on the Romans' side； and made use of them now for the destruction of that wicked nation of the Jews； which was for certain the true state of this matter； as the prophet Daniel first； and our Savior himself afterwards； had clearly foretold。 See Lit。 Accompl。 of Proph。 p。 64； etc。
（9） Josephus had before told us； B。 V。 ch。 13。 sect。 1； that this fourth son of Matthias ran away to the Romans 〃before〃 his father's and brethren's slaughter； and not 〃after〃 it； as here。 The former account is； in all probability； the truest； for had not that fourth son escaped before the others were caught and put to death； he had been caught and put to death with them。 This last account； therefore； looks like an instance of a small inadvertence of Josephus in the place before us。
（10） Of this partition…wall separating Jews and Gentiles； with its pillars and inscription； see the description of the temples； ch。 15。
（11） That these seditious Jews were the direct occasions of their own destruction； and of the conflagration of their city and temple； and that Titus earnestly and constantly labored to save both； is here and every where most evident in Josephus。
（12） Court of the Gentiles。
（13） Court of Israel。
（14） Of the court of the Gentiles。
（15） What Josephus observes here； that no parallel examples had been recorded before this time of such sieges； wherein mothers were forced by extremity of famine to eat their own children； as had been threatened to the Jews in the law of Moses； upon obstinate disobedience； and more than once fulfilled； （see my Boyle's Lectures； p。 210…214；） is by Dr。 Hudson supposed to have had two or three parallel examples in later ages。 He might have had more examples； I suppose； of persons on ship…board； or in a desert island； casting lots for each others' bodies； but all this was only in cases where they knew of no possible way to avoid death themselves but by killing and eating others。 Whether such examples come up to the present case may be doubted。 The Romans were not only willing； but very desirous； to grant those Jews in Jerusalem both their lives and their liberties； and to save both their city and their temple。 But the zealots； the rubbers； and the seditious would hearken to no terms of submission。 They voluntarily chose to reduce the citizens to that extremity； as to force mothers to this unnatural barbarity； which； in all its circumstances； has not； I still suppose； been hitherto paralleled among the rest of mankind。
（16） These steps to the altar of burnt…offering seem here either an improper and inaccurate expression of Josephus； since it was unlawful to make ladder steps； （see description of the temples； ch。 13。； and note on Antiq。 B。 IV。 ch。 8。 sect。 5；） or else those steps or stairs we now use were invented before the days of Herod the Great； and had been here built by him； though the later Jews always deny it； and say that even Herod's altar was ascended to by an acclivity only。
（17） This Perea； if the word be not mistaken in the copies； cannot well be that Perea which was beyond Jordan； whose mountains were at a considerable distance from Jordan； and much too remote from Jerusalem to join in this echo at the conflagration of the temple； but Perea must be rather some mountains beyond the brook Cedron； as was the Mount of Olives； or some others about such a distance from Jerusalem； which observation is so obvious； that it is a wonder our commentators here take no notice of it。
（18） Reland I think here judges well； when he interprets these spikes （of those that stood on the top of the holy house） with sharp points； they were fixed into lead； to prevent the birds from sitting there； and defiling the holy house； for such spikes there were now upon it； as Josephus himself hath already assured us； B。 V。 ch。 5。 sect。 6。
（19） Reland here takes notice； that these Jews； who had despised the true Prophet； were deservedly abused and deluded by these false ones。
（20） Whether Josephus means that this star was different from that comet which lasted a whole year； I cannot certainly determine。 His words most favor their being different one from another。
（21） Since Josephus still uses the Syro…Macedonian
