the antiquities of the jews-1-第257章

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government　by　him；　but　afterwards　revolted　from　him　to　Alexander；
but　not　to　Demetrius　the　son；　as　he　supposes。

（8）　Dr。　Hudson　here　observes；　that　the　Phoenicians　and　Romans
used　to　reward　such　as　had　deserved　well　of　them；　by　presenting
to　them　a　golden　button。　See　ch。　5。　sect。　4。

（9）　This　name；　Demetrius　Nicator；　or　Demetrius　the　conqueror；　is
so　written　on　his　coins　still　extant；　as　Hudson　and　Spanheim
inform　us；　the　latter　of　whom　gives　us　here　the　entire
inscription；　〃King　Demetrius　the　God；　Philadelphus；　Nicator。〃

（10）　This　clause　is　otherwise　rendered　in　the　First　Book　of
Maccabees；　12：9；　〃For　that　we　have　the　holy　books　of　Scripture　in
our　bands　to　comfort　us。〃　The　Hebrew　original　being　lost；　we
cannot　certainly　judge　which　was　the　truest　version　only　the
coherence　favors　Josephus。　But　if　this　were　the　Jews'　meaning；
that　they　were　satisfied　out　of　their　Bible　that　the　Jews　and
Lacedemonians　were　of　kin；　that　part　of　their　Bible　is　now　lost；
for　we　find　no　such　assertion　in　our　present　copies。

（11）　Those　that　suppose　Josephus　to　contradict　himself　in　his
three　several　accounts　of　the　notions　of　the　Pharisees；　this
here；　and　that　earlier　one；　which　is　the　largest；　Of　the　War　B。
II。　ch。　8。　sect。　14；　and　that　later；　Antiq。　B。　XVIII。　ch。　1。
sect。　3；　as　if　he　sometimes　said　they　introduced　an　absolute
fatality；　and　denied　all　freedom　of　human　actions；　is　almost
wholly　groundless　if　he　ever；　as　the　very　learned　Casaubon　here
truly　observes；　asserting；　that　the　Pharisees　were　between　the
Essens　and　Sadducees；　and　did　so　far　ascribe　all　to　fate　or
Divine　Providence　as　was　consistent　with　the　freedom　of　human
actions。　However；　their　perplexed　way　of　talking　about　fate；　or
Providence；　as　overruling　all　things；　made　it　commonly　thought
they　were　willing　to　excuse　their　sins　by　ascribing　them　to　fate；
as　in　the　Apostolical　Constitutions；　B。　VI。　ch。　6。　Perhaps　under
the　same　general　name　some　difference　of　opinions　in　this　point
might　be　propagated；　as　is　very　common　in　all　parties；　especially
in　points　of　metaphysical　subtilty。　However；　our　Josephus；　who　in
his　heart　was　a　great　admirer　of　the　piety　of　the　Essens；　was　yet
in　practice　a　Pharisee；　as　he　himself　informs　us；　in　his　own
Life；　sect。　2。　And　his　account　of　this　doctrine　of　the　Pharisees
is　for　certain　agreeable　to　his　own　opinion；　who　ever　both　fully
allowed　the　freedom　of　human　actions；　and　yet　strongly　believed
the　powerful　interposition　of　Divine　Providence。　See　concerning
this　matter　a　remarkable　clause；　Antiq。　B。　XVI。　ch。　11。　sect。　7。

（12）　This　king；　who　was　of　the　famous　race　of　Arsaces；　is
bethused　to　call　them；　but　by　the　elder　author　of　the　First
Maccahere；　and　1　Macc。　14：2；　called　by　the　family　name　Arsaces；
was；　the　king　of　the　Persians　and　Medes；　according　to　the　land
but　Appion　says　his　proper　name　was　Phraates。　He　is　language　of
the　Eastern　nations。　See　Authent。　Rec。　Part　II。　also　called　by
Josephus　the　king　of　the　Parthians；　as　the　Greeks　p。　1108。

（13）　There　is　some　error　in　the　copies　here；　when　no　more　than
four　years　are　ascribed　to　the　high　priesthood　of　Jonathan。　We
know　by　Josephus's　last　Jewish　chronology；　Antiq。　B。　XX。　ch。　10。；
that　there　was　an　interval　of　seven　years　between　the　death　of
Alcimus；　or　Jacimus；　the　last　high　priest；　and　the　real　high
priesthood　of　Jonathan；　to　whom　yet　those　seven　years　seem　here
to　be　ascribed；　as　a　part　of　them　were　to　Judas　before；　Antiq。　B。
XII。　ch。　10。　sect。　6。　Now　since；　besides　these　seven　years
interregnum　in　the　pontificate；　we　are　told；　Antiq。　B。　XX。　ch。
10。；　that　Jonathan's　real　high　priesthood　lasted　seven　years
more；　these　two　seven　years　will　make　up　fourteen　years；　which　I

suppose　was　Josephus's　own　number　in　this　place；　instead　of　the
four　in　our　present　copies。

（14）　These　one　hundred　and　seventy　years　of　the　Assyrians　mean　no
more；　as　Josephus　explains　himself　here；　than　from　the　sara　of
Seleucus；　which　as　it　is　known　to　have　began　on　the　312th　year
before　the　Christian　sara；　from　its　spring　in　the　First　Book　of
Maccabees；　and　from　its　autumn　in　the　Second　Book　of　Maccabees；
so　did　it　not　begin　at　Babylon　till　the　next　spring；　on　the　311th
year。　See　Prid。　at　the　year　312。　And　it　is　truly　observed　by　Dr。
Hudson　on　this　place；　that　the　Syrians　and　Assyrians　are
sometimes　confounded　in　ancient　authors；　according　to　the　words
of　Justin；　the　epitomiser　of　Trogus　…pompeius；　who　says　that　〃the
Assyrians　were　afterward　called　Syrian。〃　B。　I。　ch。　11。　See　Of　the
War；　B。　V。　ch。　9。　sect。　4；　where　the　Philistines　themselves；　at
the　very　south　limit　of　Syria；　in　its　utmost　extent；　are　called
Assyrians　by　Josephus　as　Spanheim　observes。

（15）　It　must　here　be　diligently　noted；　that　Josephus's　copy　of
the　First　Book　of　Maccabees；　which　he　had　so　carefully　followed；
and　faithfully　abridged；　as　far　as　the　fiftieth　verse　of　the
thirteenth　chapter；　seems　there　to　have　ended。　What　few　things
there　are　afterward　common　to　both；　might　probably　be　learned　by
him　from　some　other　more　imperfect　records。　However；　we　must
exactly　observe　here；　what　the　remaining　part　of　that　book　of　the
Maccabees　informs　us　of；　and　what　Josephus　would　never　have
omitted；　had　his　copy　contained　so　much；　that　this　Simon　the
Great；　the　Maccabee；　made　a　league　with　Antiochus　Soter；　the　son
of　Demetrius　Soter；　and　brother　of　the　other　Demetrius；　who　was
now　a　captive　in　Parthis：　that　upon　his　coming　to　the　crown；
about　the　140th　year　before　the　Christian　sets；　he　granted　great
privileges　to　the　Jewish　nation；　and　to　Simon　their　high　priest
and　ethnarch；　which　privileges　Simon　seems　to　have　taken　of　his
own　accord　about　three　years　before。　In　particular；　he　gave　him
leave　to　coin　money　for　his　country　with　his　own　stamp；　and　as
concerning　Jerusalem　and　the　sanctuary；　that　they　should　be　free；
or；　as　the　vulgar　Latin　hath　it；　〃holy　and　free；〃　1　Macc。　15：6；
7；　which　I　take　to　be　the　truer　reading；　as　being　the　very　words
of　his　father's　concession　offered　to　Jonathan　several　years
before；　ch。　10：31；　and　Antiq。　B；　XIII。　ch。　2。　sect。　3。　Now　what
makes　this　date　and　these　grants　greatly　remarkable；　is　the　state
of　the　remaining　genuine　shekels　of　the　Jews　with　Samaritan
characters；　which　seem　to　have　been　（most　of　them　at　least）
coined　in　the　first　four　years　of　this　Simon　the　Asamonean；　and
having　upon　them　these　words　on　one　side；　〃Jerusalem　the　Holy　；〃
and　on　the　reverse；　〃In　the　Year　of　Freedom；〃　1；　or　2；　or　3；　or
4；　which　shekels　therefore　are　original　monuments　of　these　times；
and　undeniable　marks　of　the　truth　of　the　history　in　these
chapters；　though　it　be　in　great　measure　omitted　by　Josephus。　See
Essay　on　the　Old　Test。　p。　157；　158。　The　reason　why　I　rather
suppose　that　his　copy　of　the　Maccabees　wanted　these　chapters；
than　that　his　own　copies　are　here　imperfect；　is　this；　that　all
their　contents　are　not　here　omitted；　though　much　the　greatest
part　be。

（16）　How　Trypho　killed　this　Antiochus　the　epitome　of　Livy　informs
us；　ch。　53；　viz。　that　he　corrupted　his　physicians　or　surgeons；
who　falsely　pretending　to　the　people　that　he　was　perishing　with
the　stone；　as　they　cut　him　for　it；　killed　him；　which　exactly
agrees　with　Josephus。

（17）　That　this　Antiochus；　the　son　of　Alexader　Balas；　was　called
〃The　God；〃　is　evident　from　his　coins；　which　Spanheim　assures　us
bear　this　inscription；　〃King　Antiochus　the　God；　Epiphanes　the
Victorious。〃

（18）　Here　Josephus　begins　to　follow　and　to　abridge　the　next
sacred　Hebrew　book；　styled　in　the　end　of　the　First　Book　of
Maccabees；　〃The　Chronicle　of　John　＇Hyrcanus's＇　high　priesthood；〃
but　in　some　of　the　Greek　copies；〃　The　Fourth　Book　of　Maccabees。〃
A　Greek　version　of　this　chronicle　was　extant　not　very　long　ago　in
the　days　of　Sautes　Pagninus；　and　Sixtus　Senensis；　at　Lyons；
though　it　seems　to　have　been　there　burnt；　and　to　be　utterly　lost。
See　Sixtus　Senensis's　account　of　it；　of　its　many　Hebraisms；　and
its　great　agreement　with　Josephus's　abridgement；　in　the　Authent。
Rec。　Part　I。　p。　206；　207；　208。

（19）　Hence　we　learn；　that　in　the　days　of　this　excellent　high
priest；　John　Hyrcanus；　the　observation　of　the　Sabbatic　year；　as
Josephus　supposed；　required　a　rest　from　war；　as　did　that　of　the
weekly　sabbath　from　work；　I　mean　this；　unless　in　the　case　of
necessity；　when　the　Jews　were　attacked　by　their　enemies；　in　which
case　indeed；　and　in　which　alone；　they　then　allowed　defensive
fighting　to　be　lawful；　even　on　the　sabbath　day；　as　we　see　in
several　places　of　Josephus；　Antlq。　B。　XII。　ch。　6。　sect。　2；　B。
XIII。　ch。　1。　sect。　2；　Of。　the　War；　B。　I。　ch。　7。　sect。　3。　But　then
it　must　be　noted；　that　this　rest　from　war　no　way　appears　in　the
First　Book　of　Maccabees；　ch。　16。；　but　the　direct　contrary；　though
indeed　the　Jews；　in　the　days　of　Antiochus　Epiphanes；　did　not
venture　upon　fighting　on　the　Sabbath　day；　even　in　the　defense　of
their　own　lives；　till　the　Asamoneans　or　Maccabees　decreed　so　to
do；　1　Macc。　2：32…41；　Antiq。　B。　XII。　ch。　6。　sect。　2。

（20）　Josephus's　copies；　both　Greek　and　Latin；　have　here　a　gross
mistake；　when　they　say　that　this　first　year　of　John　Hyrcanus；
which　we　have　just　now　seen　to　have　been　a　Sabbatic　year；　was　in
the　162nd　olympiad；　whereas　it　was　for　certain　the　second　year　of
the　161st。　See　the　like　before；　B。　XII。　ch。　7。　sect。　6。

（21）　This　heliacal　setting　of　the　Pleiades；　or　seven　stars；　was；
in　the　days　of　Hyrcanus　and　Josephus；　early　in　the　spring；　about
February；　the　time　of　the　latter　rain　in　Judea；　and　this；　so　far
as　I　remember；　is　the　only　astronomical　character　of　time；
besides　one　eclipse　of　the　moon　in　the　reign　of　Herod；　that　we
meet　with　in　all　Josephus；　the　Jews　being　little　accustomed　to
astronomical　observations；　any　further　than　for　the　uses　of　their
calendar；　and　utterly　forbidden　those　astrological　uses　which　the
heathens　commonly　made　of　them。

（22）　Dr。　Hudson　tells　us　here；　that　this　custom　of　gilding　the
horns　of　those　oxen　that　were　to　be　sacrificed　is　a　known　thing
both　in　the　poets　and　orators。

（23）　This　account　in　Josephus；　that　the　present　Antiochus　was
persuaded；　though　in　vain；　not　to　make　peace　with　the　Jews；　but
to　cut　them　off　utterly；　is　fully　confirmed　by　Diodorus　Siculus；
in　Photiua's　extracts　out　of　his　34th　Book。

（24）　The　Jews　were　not　to　march　or　journey　on　the　sabbath；　or　on
such　a　great　festival　as　was　equivalent　to　the　sabbath；　any
farther　than　a　sabbath　day's　journey；　or　two　thousand　cubits；　see
the　note　on　Antiq。　B。　XX。　ch。　8。　sect。　6。

（25）　This　account　of　the　Idumeans　admitting　circumcision；　and　the
entire　Jewish　law；　from　this　time；　or　from　the　days　of　Hyrcanus；
is　confirmed　by　their　entire　history　afterward。　See　Antiq。　B。
XIV。　ch。　8。　sect。　1；　B。　XV。　ch。　7。　sect。　9。　Of　the　War；　B。　II。
ch。　3。　sect。　1；　B。　IV。　ch。　4。　sect。　5。　This；　in　the　opinion　of
Josephus；　made　them　proselytes　of　justice；　or　entire　Jews；　as
here　and　elsewhere；　Antiq。　B。　XIV。　ch。　8。　sect。　1。　However；
Antigonus；　the　enemy　of　Herod；　though　Herod　were　derived　from
such　a　proselyte　of　justice　for　several　generations；　will　allow
him　to　be　no　more　than　a　half　Jew；　B。　XV。　ch。　15。　sect。　2。　。But
still；　take　out　of　Dean　Prideaux；　at　the　year　129；　the　words　of
Ammouius；　a　grammarian；　which　fully　confirm　this　account　of　the
Idumeans　in　Josephus：　〃The　Jews；