the antiquities of the jews-1-第19章

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Egypt　with　no　more　than　seventy　souls；　while　you　are　now　become
above　six　hundred　thousand。　Know　therefore　that　I　shall　provide
for　you　all　in　common　what　is　for　your　good；　and　particularly　for
thyself　what　shall　make　thee　famous；　for　that　child；　out　of　dread
of　whose　nativity　the　Egyptians　have　doomed　the　Israelite
children　to　destruction；　shall　be　this　child　of　thine；　and　shall
be　concealed　from　those　who　watch　to　destroy　him：　and　when　he　is
brought　up　in　a　surprising　way；　he　shall　deliver　the　Hebrew
nation　from　the　distress　they　are　under　from　the　Egyptians。　His
memory　shall　be　famous　while　the　world　lasts；　and　this　not　only
among　the　Hebrews；　but　foreigners　also：　…　all　which　shall　be　the
effect　of　my　favor　to　thee；　and　to　thy　posterity。　He　shall　also
have　such　a　brother；　that　he　shall　himself　obtain　my　priesthood；
and　his　posterity　shall　have　it　after　him　to　the　end　of　the
world。

4。　When　the　vision　had　informed　him　of　these　things；　Amram　awaked
and　told　it　to　Jochebed　who　was　his　wife。　And　now　the　fear
increased　upon　them　on　account　of　the　prediction　in　Amram's
dream；　for　they　were　under　concern；　not　only　for　the　child；　but
on　account　of　the　great　happiness　that　was　to　come　to　him　also。
However；　the　mother's　labor　was　such　as　afforded　a　confirmation
to　what　was　foretold　by　God；　for　it　was　not　known　to　those　that
watched　her；　by　the　easiness　of　her　pains；　and　because　the　throes
of　her　delivery　did　not　fall　upon　her　with　violence。　And　now　they
nourished　the　child　at　home　privately　for　three　months；　but　after
that　time　Amram；　fearing　he　should　be　discovered；　and；　by　falling
under　the　king's　displeasure；　both　he　and　his　child　should
perish；　and　so　he　should　make　the　promise　of　God　of　none　effect；
he　determined　rather　to　trust　the　safety　and　care　of　the　child　to
God；　than　to　depend　on　his　own　concealment　of　him；　which　he
looked　upon　as　a　thing　uncertain；　and　whereby　both　the　child；　so
privately　to　be　nourished；　and　himself　should　be　in　imminent
danger；　but　he　believed　that　God　would　some　way　for　certain
procure　the　safety　of　the　child；　in　order　to　secure　the　truth　of
his　own　predictions。　When　they　had　thus　determined；　they　made　an
ark　of　bulrushes；　after　the　manner　of　a　cradle；　and　of　a　bigness
sufficient　for　an　infant　to　be　laid　in；　without　being　too
straitened：　they　then　daubed　it　over　with　slime；　which　would
naturally　keep　out　the　water　from　entering　between　the　bulrushes；
and　put　the　infant　into　it；　and　setting　it　afloat　upon　the　river；
they　left　its　preservation　to　God；　so　the　river　received　the
child；　and　carried　him　along。　But　Miriam；　the　child's　sister；
passed　along　upon　the　bank　over　against　him；　as　her　mother　had
bid　her；　to　see　whither　the　ark　would　be　carried；　where　God
demonstrated　that　human　wisdom　was　nothing；　but　that　the　Supreme
Being　is　able　to　do　whatsoever　he　pleases：　that　those　who；　in
order　to　their　own　security；　condemn　others　to　destruction；　and
use　great　endeavors　about　it；　fail　of　their　purpose；　but　that
others　are　in　a　surprising　manner　preserved；　and　obtain　a
prosperous　condition　almost　from　the　very　midst　of　their
calamities；　those；　I　mean；　whose　dangers　arise　by　the　appointment
of　God。　And；　indeed；　such　a　providence　was　exercised　in　the　case
of　this　child；　as　showed　the　power　of　God。

5。　Thermuthis　was　the　king's　daughter。　She　was　now　diverting
herself　by　the　banks　of　the　river；　and　seeing　a　cradle　borne
along　by　the　current；　she　sent　some　that　could　swim；　and　bid　them
bring　the　cradle　to　her。　When　those　that　were　sent　on　this　errand
came　to　her　with　the　cradle；　and　she　saw　the　little　child；　she
was　greatly　in　love　with　it；　on　account　of　its　largeness　and
beauty；　for　God　had　taken　such　great　care　in　the　formation　of
Moses；　that　he　caused　him　to　be　thought　worthy　of　bringing　up；
and　providing　for；　by　all　those　that　had　taken　the　most　fatal
resolutions；　on　account　of　the　dread　of　his　nativity；　for　the
destruction　of　the　rest　of　the　Hebrew　nation。　Thermuthis　bid　them
bring　her　a　woman　that　might　afford　her　breast　to　the　child；　yet
would　not　the　child　admit　of　her　breast；　but　turned　away　from　it；
and　did　the　like　to　many　other　women。　Now　Miriam　was　by　when　this
happened；　not　to　appear　to　be　there　on　purpose；　but　only　as
staying　to　see　the　child；　and　she　said；　〃It　is　in　vain　that　thou；
O　queen；　callest　for　these　women　for　the　nourishing　of　the　child；
who　are　no　way　of　kin　to　it；　but　still；　if　thou　wilt　order　one　of
the　Hebrew　women　to　be　brought；　perhaps　it　may　admit　the　breast
of　one　of　its　own　nation。〃　Now　since　she　seemed　to　speak　well；
Thermuthis　bid　her　procure　such　a　one；　and　to　bring　one　of　those
Hebrew　women　that　gave　suck。　So　when　she　had　such　authority　given
her；　she　came　back　and　brought　the　mother；　who　was　known　to
nobody　there。　And　now　the　child　gladly　admitted　the　breast；　and
seemed　to　stick　close　to　it；　and　so　it　was；　that；　at　the　queen's
desire；　the　nursing　of　the　child　was　entirely　intrusted　to　the
mother。

6。　Hereupon　it　was　that　Thermuthis　imposed　this　name　Mouses　upon
him；　from　what　had　happened　when　he　was　put　into　the　river；　for
the　Egyptians　call　water　by　the　name　of　Mo；　and　such　as　are　saved
out　of　it；　by　the　name　of　Uses：　so　by　putting　these　two　words
together；　they　imposed　this　name　upon　him。　And　he　was；　by　the
confession　of　all；　according　to　God's　prediction；　as　well　for　his
greatness　of　mind　as　for　his　contempt　of　difficulties；　the　best
of　all　the　Hebrews；　for　Abraham　was　his　ancestor　of　the　seventh
generation。　For　Moses　was　the　son　of　Amram；　who　was　the　son　of
Caath；　whose　father　Levi　was　the　son　of　Jacob；　who　was　the　son　of
Isaac；　who　was　the　son　of　Abraham。　Now　Moses's　understanding
became　superior　to　his　age；　nay；　far　beyond　that　standard；　and
when　he　was　taught；　he　discovered　greater　quickness　of
apprehension　than　was　usual　at　his　age；　and　his　actions　at　that
time　promised　greater；　when　he　should　come　to　the　age　of　a　man。
God　did　also　give　him　that　tallness；　when　he　was　but　three　years
old；　as　was　wonderful。　And　as　for　his　beauty；　there　was　nobody　so
unpolite　as；　when　they　saw　Moses；　they　were　not　greatly　surprised
at　the　beauty　of　his　countenance；　nay；　it　happened　frequently；
that　those　that　met　him　as　he　was　carried　along　the　road；　were
obliged　to　turn　again　upon　seeing　the　child；　that　they　left　what
they　were　about；　and　stood　still　a　great　while　to　look　on　him；
for　the　beauty　of　the　child　was　so　remarkable　and　natural　to　him
on　many　accounts；　that　it　detained　the　spectators；　and　made　them
stay　longer　to　look　upon　him。

7。　Thermuthis　therefore　perceiving　him　to　be　so　remarkable　a
child；　adopted　him　for　her　son；　having　no　child　of　her　own。　And
when　one　time　had　carried　Moses　to　her　father；　she　showed　him　to
him；　and　said　she　thought　to　make　him　her　successor；　if　it　should
please　God　she　should　have　no　legitimate　child　of　her　own；　and　to
him；　〃I　have　brought　up　a　child　who　is　of　a　divine　form；　（21）　and
of　a　generous　mind；　and　as　I　have　received　him　from　the　bounty　of
the　river；　in　；　I　thought　proper　to　adopt　him　my　son；　and　the
heir　of　thy　kingdom。〃　And　she　had　said　this；　she　put　the　infant
into　her　father's　hands：　so　he　took　him；　and　hugged　him　to　his
breast；　and　on　his　daughter's　account；　in　a　pleasant　way；　put　his
diadem　upon　his　head；　but　Moses　threw　it　down　to　the　ground；　and；
in　a　puerile　mood；　he　wreathed　it　round；　and　trod　upon　his　feet；
which　seemed　to　bring　along　with　evil　presage　concerning　the
kingdom　of　Egypt。　But　when　the　sacred　scribe　saw　this；　（he　was
the　person　who　foretold　that　his　nativity　would　the　dominion　of
that　kingdom　low；）　he　made　a　violent　attempt　to　kill　him；　and
crying　out　in　a　frightful　manner；　he　said；　〃This；　O　king！　this
child　is　he　of　whom　God　foretold；　that　if　we　kill　him　we　shall　be
in　no　danger；　he　himself　affords　an　attestation　to　the　prediction
of　the　same　thing；　by　his　trampling　upon　thy　government；　and
treading　upon　thy　diadem。　Take　him；　therefore；　out　of　the　way；
and　deliver　the　Egyptians　from　the　fear　they　are　in　about　him；
and　deprive　the　Hebrews　of　the　hope　they　have　of　being　encouraged
by　him。〃　But　Thermuthis　prevented　him；　and　snatched　the　child
away。　And　the　king　was　not　hasty　to　slay　him；　God　himself；　whose
providence　protected　Moses；　inclining　the　king　to　spare　him。　He
was；　therefore；　educated　with　great　care。　So　the　Hebrews　depended
on　him；　and　were　of　good　hopes　great　things　would　be　done　by　him；
but　the　Egyptians　were　suspicious　of　what　would　follow　such　his
education。　Yet　because；　if　Moses　had　been　slain；　there　was　no
one；　either　akin　or　adopted；　that　had　any　oracle　on　his　side　for
pretending　to　the　crown　of　Egypt；　and　likely　to　be　of　greater
advantage　to　them；　they　abstained　from　killing　him。

CHAPTER　10。

How　Moses　Made　War　With　The　Ethiopians；

1。　Moses；　therefore；　when　he　was　born；　and　brought　up　in　the
foregoing　manner；　and　came　to　the　age　of　maturity；　made　his
virtue　manifest　to　the　Egyptians；　and　showed　that　he　was　born　for
the　bringing　them　down；　and　raising　the　Israelites。　And　the
occasion　he　laid　hold　of　was　this：　…　The　Ethiopians；　who　are　next
neighbors　to　the　Egyptians；　made　an　inroad　into　their　country；
which　they　seized　upon；　and　carried　off　the　effects　of　the
Egyptians；　who；　in　their　rage；　fought　against　them；　and　revenged
the　affronts　they　had　received　from　them；　but　being　overcome　in
battle；　some　of　them　were　slain；　and　the　rest　ran　away　in　a
shameful　manner；　and　by　that　means　saved　themselves；　whereupon
the　Ethiopians　followed　after　them　in　the　pursuit；　and　thinking
that　it　would　be　a　mark　of　cowardice　if　they　did　not　subdue　all
Egypt；　they　went　on　to　subdue　the　rest　with　greater　vehemence；
and　when　they　had　tasted　the　sweets　of　the　country；　they　never
left　off　the　prosecution　of　the　war：　and　as　the　nearest　parts　had
not　courage　enough　at　first　to　fight　with　them；　they　proceeded　as
far　as　Memphis；　and　the　sea　itself；　while　not　one　of　the　cities
was　able　to　oppose　them。　The　Egyptians；　under　this　sad
oppression；　betook　themselves　to　their　oracles　and　prophecies；
and　when　God　had　given　them　this　counsel；　to　make　use　of　Moses
the　Hebrew；　and　take　his　assistance；　the　king　commanded　his
daughter　to　produce　him；　that　he　might　be　the　general　（22）　of
their　army。　Upon　which；　when　she　had　made　him　swear　he　would　do
him　no　harm；　she　delivered　him　to　the　king；　and　supposed　his
assistance　would　be　of　great　advantage　to　them。　She　withal
reproached　the　priest；　who；　when　they　had　before　admonished　the
Egyptians　to　kill　him；　was　not　ashamed　now　to　own　their　want　of
his　help。

2。　So　Moses；　at　the　persuasion　both　of　Thermuthis　and　the　king
himself；　cheerfully　undertook　the　business：　and　the　sacred
scribes　of　both　nations　were　glad；　those　of　the　Egyptians；　that
they　should　at　once　overcome　their　enemies　by　his　valor；　and　that
by　the　same　piece　of　management　Moses　would　be　slain；　but　those
of　the　Hebrews；　that　they　should　escape　from　the　Egyptians；
because　Moses　was　to　be　their　general。　But　Moses　prevented　the
enemies；　and　took　and　led　his　army　before　those　enemies　were
apprized　of　his　attacking　them；　for　he　did　not　march　by　the
river；　but　by　land；　where　he　gave　a　wonderful　demonstration　of
his　sagacity；　for　when　the　ground　was　difficult　to　be　passed
over；