the antiquities of the jews-1-第111章

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books　of　Moses　that　were　laid　up　in　the　temple；　and　when　he　had
brought　them　out；　he　gave　them　to　Shaphan　the　scribe；　who；　when
he　had　read　them；　came　to　the　king；　and　informed　him　that　all　was
finished　which　he　had　ordered　to　be　done。　He　also　read　over　the
books　to　him；　who；　when　he　had　heard　them　read；　rent　his　garment；
and　called　for　Eliakim　the　high　priest；　and　for　＇Shaphan＇　the
scribe；　and　for　certain　＇other＇　of　his　most　particular　friends；
and　sent　them　to　Huldah　the　prophetess；　the　wife　of　Shallum；
（which　Shallum　was　a　man　of　dignity；　and　of　an　eminent　family；）
and　bid　them　go　to　her；　and　say　that　＇he　desired＇　she　would
appease　God；　and　endeavor　to　render　him　propitious　to　them；　for
that　there　was　cause　to　fear；　lest；　upon　the　transgression　of　the
laws　of　Moses　by　their　forefathers；　they　should　be　in　peril　of
going　into　captivity；　and　of　being　cast　out　of　their　own　country；
lest　they　should　be　in　want　of　all　things；　and　so　end　their　days
miserably。　When　the　prophetess　had　heard　this　from　the　messengers
that　were　sent　to　her　by　the　king；　she　bid　them　go　back　to　the
king；　and　say　that　〃God　had　already　given　sentence　against　them；
to　destroy　the　people；　and　cast　them　out　of　their　country；　and
deprive　them　of　all　the　happiness　they　enjoyed；　which　sentence
none　could　set　aside　by　any　prayers　of　theirs；　since　it　was
passed　on　account　of　their　transgressions　of　the　laws；　and　of
their　not　having　repented　in　so　long　a　time；　while　the　prophets
had　exhorted　them　to　amend；　and　had　foretold　the　punishment　that
would　ensue　on　their　impious　practices；　which　threatening　God
would　certainly　execute　upon　them；　that　they　might　be　persuaded
that　he　is　God；　and　had　not　deceived　them　in　any　respect　as　to
what　he　had　denounced　by　his　prophets；　that　yet；　because　Josiah
was　a　righteous　man；　he　would　at　present　delay　those　calamities；
but　that　after　his　death　he　would　send　on　the　multitude　what
miseries　he　had　determined　for　them。

3。　So　these　messengers；　upon　this　prophecy　of　the　woman；　came　and
told　it　to　the　king；　whereupon　he　sent　to　the　people　every　where；
and　ordered　that　the　priests　and　the　Levites　should　come　together
to　Jerusalem；　and　commanded　that　those　of　every　age　should　be
present　also。　And　when　they　had　gathered　together；　he　first　read
to　them　the　holy　books；　after　which　he　stood　upon　a　pulpit；　in
the　midst　of　the　multitude；　and　obliged　them　to　make　a　covenant；
with　an　oath；　that　they　would　worship　God；　and　keep　the　laws　of
Moses。　Accordingly；　they　gave　their　assent　willingly；　and
undertook　to　do　what　the　king　had　recommended　to　them。　So　they
immediately　offered　sacrifices；　and　that　after　an　acceptable
manner；　and　besought　God　to　be　gracious　and　merciful　to　them。　He
also　enjoined　the　high　priest；　that　if　there　remained　in　the
temple　any　vessel　that　was　dedicated　to　idols；　or　to　foreign
gods；　they　should　cast　it　out。　So　when　a　great　number　of　such
vessels　were　got　together；　he　burnt　them；　and　scattered　their
ashes　abroad；　and　slew　the　priests　of　the　idols　that　were　not　of
the　family　of　Aaron。

4。　And　when　he　had　done　thus　in　Jerusalem；　he　came　into　the
country；　and　utterly　destroyed　what　buildings　had　been　made
therein　by　king　Jeroboam；　in　honor　of　strange　gods；　and　he　burnt
the　bones　of　the　false　prophets　upon　that　altar　which　Jeroboam
first　built；　and；　as　the　prophet　＇Jadon＇；　who　came　to　Jeroboam
when　he　was　offering　sacrifice；　and　when　all　the　people　heard
him；　foretold　what　would　come　to　pass；　viz。　that　a　certain　man　of
the　house　of　David；　Josiah　by　name；　should　do　what　is　here
mentioned。　And　it　happened　that　those　predictions　took　effect
after　three　hundred　and　sixty…one　years。

5。　After　these　things；　Josiah　went　also　to　such　other　Israelites
as　had　escaped　captivity　and　slavery　under　the　Assyrians；　and
persuaded　them　to　desist　from　their　impious　practices；　and　to
leave　off　the　honors　they　paid　to　strange　gods；　but　to　worship
rightly　their　own　Almighty　God；　and　adhere　to　him。　He　also
searched　the　houses；　and　the　villages；　and　the　cities；　out　of　a
suspicion　that　somebody　might　have　one　idol　or　other　in　private；
nay；　indeed；　he　took　away　the　chariots　＇of　the　sun＇　that　were　set
up　in　his　royal　palace；　（7）　which　his　predecessors　had　framed；
and　what　thing　soever　there　was　besides　which　they　worshipped　as
a　god。　And　when　he　had　thus　purged　all　the　country；　he　called　the
people　to　Jerusalem；　and　there　celebrated　the　feast　of　unleavened
bread；　and　that　called　the　passover。　He　also　gave　the　people　for
paschal　sacrifices；　young　kids　of　the　goats；　and　lambs；　thirty
thousand；　and　three　thousand　oxen　for　burnt…offerings。　The
principal　of　the　priests　also　gave　to　the　priests　against　the
passover　two　thousand　and　six　hundred　lambs；　the　principal　of　the
Levites　also　gave　to　the　Levites　five　thousand　lambs；　and　five
hundred　oxen；　by　which　means　there　was　great　plenty　of
sacrifices；　and　they　offered　those　sacrifices　according　to　the
laws　of　Moses；　while　every　priest　explained　the　matter；　and
ministered　to　the　multitude。　And　indeed　there　had　been　no　other
festival　thus　celebrated　by　the　Hebrews　from　the　times　of　Samuel
the　prophet；　and　the　plenty　of　sacrifices　now　was　the　occasion
that　all　things　were　performed　according　to　the　laws；　and
according　to　the　custom　of　their　forefathers。　So　when　Josiah　had
after　this　lived　in　peace；　nay；　in　riches　and　reputation　also；
among　all　men；　he　ended　his　life　in　the　manner　following。

CHAPTER　5。

How　Josiah　Fought　With　Neco　＇King　Of　Egypt。＇　And　Was　Wounded　And
Died　In　A　Little　Time　Afterward；　As　Also　How　Neco　Carried
Jehoahaz；　Who　Had　Been　Made　King　Into　Egypt　And　Delivered　The
Kingdom　To　Jehoiakim；　And　＇Lastly＇　Concerning　Jeremiah　And
Ezekiel。

1。　Now　Neco；　king　of　Egypt；　raised　an　army；　and　marched　to　the
river　Euphrates；　in　order　to　fight　with　the　Medes　and
Babylonians；　who　had　overthrown　the　dominion　of　the　Assyrians；
（8）　for　he　had　a　desire　to　reign　over　Asia。　Now　when　he　was　come
to　the　city　Mendes；　which　belonged　to　the　kingdom　of　Josiah；　he
brought　an　army　to　hinder　him　from　passing　through　his　own
country；　in　his　expedition　against　the　Medes。　Now　Neco　sent　a
herald　to　Josiah；　and　told　him　that　he　did　not　make　this
expedition　against　him；　but　was　making　haste　to　Euphrates；　and
desired　that　he　would　not　provoke　him　to　fight　against　him；
because　he　obstructed　his　march　to　the　place　whither　he　had
resolved　to　go。　But　Josiah　did　not　admit　of　this　advice　of　Neco；
but　put　himself　into　a　posture　to　hinder　him　from　his　intended
march。　I　suppose　it　was　fate　that　pushed　him　on　this　conduct；
that　it　might　take　an　occasion　against　him；　for　as　he　was　setting
his　army　in　array；　（9）　and　rode　about　in　his　chariot；　from　one
wing　of　his　army　to　another；　one　of　the　Egyptians　shot　an　arrow
at　him；　and　put　an　end　to　his　eagerness　of　fighting；　for　being
sorely　wounded；　he　command　a　retreat　to　be　sounded　for　his　army；
and　returned　to　Jerusalem；　and　died　of　that　wound；　and　was
magnificently　buried　in　the　sepulcher　of　his　fathers；　when　he　had
lived　thirty…nine　years；　and　of　them　had　reigned　thirty…one。　But
all　the　people　mourned　greatly　for　him；　lamenting　and　grieving　on
his　account　many　days；　and　Jeremiah　the　prophet　composed　an　elegy
to　lament　him；　（10）　which　is　extant　till　tills　time　also。
Moreover；　this　prophet　denounced　beforehand　the　sad　calamities
that　were　coming　upon　the　city。　He　also　left　behind　him　in
writing　a　description　of　that　destruction　of　our　nation　which　has
lately　happened　in　our　days；　and　the　taking　of　Babylon；　nor　was
he　the　only　prophet　who　delivered　such　predictions　beforehand　to
the　multitude；　but　so　did　Ezekiel　also；　who　was　the　first　person
that　wrote；　and　left　behind　him　in　writing　two　books　concerning
these　events。　Now　these　two　prophets　were　priests　by　birth；　but
of　them　Jeremiah　dwelt　in　Jerusalem；　from　the　thirteenth　year　of
the　reign　of　Josiah；　until　the　city　and　temple　were　utterly
destroyed。　However；　as　to　what　befell　this　prophet；　we　will
relate　it　in　its　proper　place。

2。　Upon　the　death　of　Josiah；　which　we　have　already　mentioned；　his
son；　Jehoahaz　by　name；　took　the　kingdom；　being　about　twenty…three
years　old。　He　reigned　in　Jerusalem；　and　his　mother　was　Hamutal；
of　the　city　Libhah。　He　was　an　impious　man；　and　impure　in　his
course　of　life；　but　as　the　king　of　Egypt　returned　from　the
battle；　he　sent　for　Jehoahaz　to　come　to　him；　to　the　city　called
Hamath　（11）　which　belongs　to　Syria；　and　when　he　was　come；　he　put
him　in　bands；　and　delivered　the　kingdom　to　a　brother　of　his；　by
the　father's　side；　whose　name　was　Eliakim；　and　changed　his　name
to　Jehoiakim　and　laid　a　tribute　upon　the　land　of　a　hundred
talents　of　silver；　and　a　talent　of　gold；　and　this　sum　of　money
Jehoiakim　paid　by　way　of　tribute；　but　Neco　carried　away　Jehoahaz
into　Egypt；　where　he　died　when　he　had　reigned　three　months　and
ten　days。　Now　Jehoiakim's　mother　was　called　Zebudah；　of　the　city
Rumah。　He　was　of　a　wicked　disposition；　and　ready　to　do　mischief；
nor　was　he　either　religions　towards　God；　or　good…natured　towards
men。

CHAPTER　6。

How　Nebuchadnezzar；　When　He　Had　Conquered　The　King　Of　Egypt　Made
An　Expedition　Against　The　Jews；　And　Slew　Jehoiakim；　And　Made
Jeholachin　His　Son　King。

1。　Now　in　the　fourth　year　of　the　reign　of　Jehoiakim；　one　whose
name　was　Nebuchadnezzar　took　the　government　over　the　Babylonians；
who　at　the　same　time　went　up　with　a　great　army　to　the　city
Carchemish；　which　was　at　Euphrates；　upon　a　resolution　he　had
taken　to　fight　with　Neco　king　of　Egypt；　under　whom　all　Syria　then
was。　And　when　Neco　understood　the　intention　of　the　king　of
Babylon；　and　that　this　expedition　was　made　against　him；　he　did
not　despise　his　attempt；　but　made　haste　with　a　great　band　of　men
to　Euphrates　to　defend　himself　from　Nebuchadnezzar；　and　when　they
had　joined　battle；　he　was　beaten；　and　lost　many　ten　thousands　＇of
his　soldiers＇　in　the　battle。　So　the　king　of　Babylon　passed　over
Euphrates；　and　took　all　Syria；　as　far　as　Pelusium；　excepting
Judea。　But　when　Nebuchadnezzar　had　already　reigned　four　years；
which　was　the　eighth　of　Jehoiakim's　government　over　the　Hebrews；
the　king　of　Babylon　made　an　expedition　with　mighty　forces　against
the　Jews；　and　required　tribute　of　Jehoiakim；　and　threatened　upon
his　refusal　to　make　war　against　him。　He　was　aftrighted　at　his
threatening；　and　bought　his　peace　with　money；　and　brought　the
tribute　he　was　ordered　to　bring　for　three　years。

2。　But　on　the　third　year；　upon　hearing　that　the　king　of　the
Babylonians　made　an　expedition　against　the　Egyptians；　he　did　not
pay　his　tribute；　yet　was　he　disappointed　of　his　hope；　for　the
Egyptians　durst　not　fight　at　this　time。　And　indeed　the　prophet
Jeremiah　foretold　every　day；　how　vainly　they　relied　on　their
hopes　from　Egypt；　and　how　the　city　would　be　overthrown　by　the
king　of　Babylon；　and　Jehoiakim　the　king　would　be　subdued　by　him。
But　what　he　thus　spake　proved　to　be　of　no　advantage　to　them；
because　there　were　none　that　should　escape；　for　both　the
multitude　and　the　rulers；　when　they　heard　him；　had　no　concern
about　what　they　heard；　but　being　displeased　at　what　was　said；　as
if　the　prophet　were　a　diviner　against　the　king；　they　accused
Jeremiah；　and　bringing　him　before　the　court；　they　required　that　a
sentence　and　a　punish