the antiquities of the jews-1-第29章

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fringes　at　each　extremity　of　the　girdle；　and　included　them
entirely。

6。　The　high　priest's　mitre　was　the　same　that　we　described　before；
and　was　wrought　like　that　of　all　the　other　priests；　above　which
there　was　another；　with　swathes　of　blue　embroidered；　and　round　it
was　a　golden　crown　polished；　of　three　rows；　one　above　another；
out　of　which　arose　a　cup　of　gold；　which　resembled　the　herb　which
we　call　Saccharus；　but　those　Greeks　that　are　skillful　in　botany
call　it　Hyoscyamus。　Now；　lest　any　one　that　has　seen　this　herb；
but　has　not　been　taught　its　name；　and　is　unacquainted　with　its
nature；　or；　having　known　its　name；　knows　not　the　herb　when　he
sees　it；　I　shall　give　such　；as　these　are　a　description　of　it。
This　herb　is　oftentimes　in　tallness　above　three　spans；　but　its
root　is　like　that　of　a　turnip　（for　he　that　should　compare　it
thereto　would　not　be　mistaken）；　but　its　leaves　are　like　the
leaves　of　mint。　Out　of　its　branches　it　sends　out　a　calyx；
cleaving。　to　the　branch；　and　a　coat　encompasses　it；　which　it
naturally　puts　off　when　it　is　changing；　in　order　to　produce　its
fruit。　This　calyx　is　of　the　bigness　of　the　bone　of　the　little
finger；　but　in　the　compass　of　its　aperture　is　like　a　cup。　This　I
will　further　describe；　for　the　use　of　those　that　are　unacquainted
with　it。　Suppose　a　sphere　be　divided　into　two　parts；　round　at　the
bottom；　but　having　another　segment　that　grows　up　to　a
circumference　from　that　bottom；　suppose　it　become　narrower　by
degrees；　and　that　the　cavity　of　that　part　grow　decently　smaller；
and　then　gradually　grow　wider　again　at　the　brim；　such　as　we　see
in　the　navel　of　a　pomegranate；　with　its　notches。　And　indeed　such
a　coat　grows　over　this　plant　as　renders　it　a　hemisphere；　and
that；　as　one　may　say；　turned　accurately　in　a　lathe；　and　having
its　notches　extant　above　it；　which；　as　I　said；　grow　like　a
pomegranate；　only　that　they　are　sharp；　and　end　in　nothing　but
prickles。　Now　the　fruit　is　preserved　by　this　coat　of　the　calyx；
which　fruit　is　like　the　seed　of　the　herb　Sideritis：　it　sends　out
a　flower　that　may　seem　to　resemble　that　of　poppy。　Of　this　was　a
crown　made；　as　far　from　the　hinder　part　of　the　head　to　each　of
the　temples；　but　this　Ephielis；　for　so　this　calyx　may　be　called；
did　not　cover　the　forehead；　but　it　was　covered　with　a　golden
plate；　（14）　which　had　inscribed　upon　it　the　name　of　God　in　sacred
characters。　And　such　were　the　ornaments　of　the　high　priest。

7。　Now　here　one　may　wonder　at　the　ill…will　which　men　bear　to　us；
and　which　they　profess　to　bear　on　account　of　our　despising　that
Deity　which　they　pretend　to　honor；　for　if　any　one　do　but　consider
the　fabric　of　the　tabernacle；　and　take　a　view　of　the　garments　of
the　high　priest；　and　of　those　vessels　which　we　make　use　of　in　our
sacred　ministration；　he　will　find　that　our　legislator　was　a
divine　man；　and　that　we　are　unjustly　reproached　by　others；　for　if
any　one　do　without　prejudice；　and　with　judgment；　look　upon　these
things；　he　will　find　they　were　every　one　made　in　way　of　imitation
and　representation　of　the　universe。　When　Moses　distinguished　the
tabernacle　into　three　parts；　（15）　and　allowed　two　of　them　to　the
priests；　as　a　place　accessible　and　common；　he　denoted　the　land
and　the　sea；　these　being　of　general　access　to　all；　but　he　set
apart　the　third　division　for　God；　because　heaven　is　inaccessible
to　men。　And　when　he　ordered　twelve　loaves　to　be　set　on　the　table；
he　denoted　the　year；　as　distinguished　into　so　many　months。　By
branching　out　the　candlestick　into　seventy　parts；　he　secretly
intimated　the　Decani；　or　seventy　divisions　of　the　planets；　and　as
to　the　seven　lamps　upon　the　candlesticks；　they　referred　to　the
course　of　the　planets；　of　which　that　is　the　number。　The　veils；
too；　which　were　composed　of　four　things；　they　declared　the　four
elements；　for　the　fine　linen　was　proper　to　signify　the　earth；
because　the　flax　grows　out　of　the　earth；　the　purple　signified　the
sea；　because　that　color　is　dyed　by　the　blood　of　a　sea　shell…fish；
the　blue　is　fit　to　signify　the　air；　and　the　scarlet　will
naturally　be　an　indication　of　fire。　Now　the　vestment　of　the　high
priest　being　made　of　linen；　signified　the　earth；　the　blue　denoted
the　sky；　being　like　lightning　in　its　pomegranates；　and　in　the
noise　of　the　bells　resembling　thunder。　And　for　the　ephod；　it
showed　that　God　had　made　the　universe　of　four　elements；　and　as
for　the　gold　interwoven；　I　suppose　it　related　to　the　splendor　by
which　all　things　are　enlightened。　He　also　appointed　the
breastplate　to　be　placed　in　the　middle　of　the　ephod；　to　resemble
the　earth；　for　that　has　the　very　middle　place　of　the　world。　And
the　girdle　which　encompassed　the　high　priest　round；　signified　the
ocean；　for　that　goes　round　about　and　includes　the　universe。　Each
of　the　sardonyxes　declares　to　us　the　sun　and　the　moon；　those；　I
mean；　that　were　in　the　nature　of　buttons　on　the　high　priest's
shoulders。　And　for　the　twelve　stones；　whether　we　understand　by
them　the　months；　or　whether　we　understand　the　like　number　of　the
signs　of　that　circle　which　the　Greeks　call　the　Zodiac；　we　shall
not　be　mistaken　in　their　meaning。　And　for　the　mitre；　which　was　of
a　blue　color；　it　seems　to　me　to　mean　heaven；　for　how　otherwise
could　the　name　of　God　be　inscribed　upon　it？　That　it　was　also
illustrated　with　a　crown；　and　that　of　gold　also；　is　because　of
that　splendor　with　which　God　is　pleased。　Let　this　explication
（16）　suffice　at　present；　since　the　course　of　my　narration　will
often；　and　on　many　occasions；　afford　me　the　opportunity　of
enlarging　upon　the　virtue　of　our　legislator。

CHAPTER　8。

Of　The　Priesthood　Of　Aaron。

1。　When　what　has　been　described　was　brought　to　a　conclusion；
gifts　not　being　yet　presented；　God　appeared　to　Moses；　and
enjoined　him　to　bestow　the　high　priesthood　upon　Aaron　his
brother；　as　upon　him　that　best　of　them　all　deserved　to　obtain
that　honor；　on　account　of　his　virtue。　And　when　he　had　gathered
the　multitude　together；　he　gave　them　an　account　of　Aaron's
virtue；　and　of　his　good…will　to　them；　and　of　the　dangers　he　had
undergone　for　their　sakes。　Upon　which；　when　they　had　given
testimony　to　him　in　all　respects；　and　showed　their　readiness　to
receive　him；　Moses　said　to　them；　〃O　you　Israelites；　this　work　is
already　brought　to　a　conclusion；　in　a　manner　most　acceptable　to
God；　and　according　to　our　abilities。　And　now　since　you　see　that
he　is　received　into　this　tabernacle；　we　shall　first　of　all　stand
in　need　of　one　that　may　officiate　for　us；　and　may　minister　to　the
sacrifices；　and　to　the　prayers　that　are　to　be　put　up　for　us。　And
indeed　had　the　inquiry　after　such　a　person　been　left　to　me；　I
should　have　thought　myself　worthy　of　this　honor；　both　because　all
men　are　naturally　fond　of　themselves；　and　because　I　am　conscious
to　myself　that　I　have　taken　a　great　deal　of　pains　for　your
deliverance；　but　now　God　himself　has　determined　that　Aaron　is
worthy　of　this　honor；　and　has　chosen　him　for　his　priest；　as
knowing　him　to　be　the　most　righteous　person　among　you。　So　that　he
is　to　put　on　the　vestments　which　are　consecrated　to　God；　he　is　to
have　the　care　of　the　altars；　and　to　make　provision　for　the
sacrifices；　and　he　it　is　that　must　put　up　prayers　for　you　to　God；
who　will　readily　hear　them；　not　only　because　he　is　himself
solicitous　for　your　nation；　but　also　because　he　will　receive　them
as　offered　by　one　that　he　hath　himself　chosen　to　this　office。〃
The　Hebrews　were　pleased　with　what　was　said；　and　they　gave　their
approbation　to　him　whom　God　had　ordained；　for　Aaron　was　of　them
all　the　most　deserving　of　this　honor；　on　account　of　his　own　stock
and　gift　of　prophecy；　and　his　brother's　virtue。　He　had　at　that
time　four　sons；　Nadab；　Abihu；　Eleazar；　and　Ithamar。

2。　Now　Moses　commanded　them　to　make　use　of　all　the　utensils　which
were　more　than　were　necessary　to　the　structure　of　the　tabernacle；
for　covering　the　tabernacle　itself；　the　candlestick；　and　altar　of
incense；　and　the　other　vessels；　that　they　might　not　be　at　all
hurt　when　they　journeyed；　either　by　the　rain；　or　by　the　rising　of
the　dust。　And　when　he　had　gathered　the　multitude　together　again；
he　ordained　that　they　should　offer　half　a　shekel　for　every　man；
as　an　oblation　to　God；　which　shekel　is　a　piece　among　the　Hebrews；
and　is　equal　to　four　Athenian　drachmae。　（18）　Whereupon　they
readily　obeyed　what　Moses　had　commanded；　and　the　number　of　the
offerers　was　six　hundred　and　five　thousand　five　hundred　and
fifty。　Now　this　money　that　was　brought　by　the　men　that　were　free；
was　given　by　such　as　were　about　twenty　years　old；　but　under
fifty；　and　what　was　collected　was　spent　in　the　uses　of　the
tabernacle。

3。　Moses　now　purified　the　tabernacle　and　the　priests；　which
purification　was　performed　after　the　following　manner：　…　He
commanded　them　to　take　five　hundred　shekels　of　choice　myrrh；　an
equal　quantity　of　cassia；　and　half　the　foregoing　weight　of
cinnamon　and　calamus　（this　last　is　a　sort　of　sweet　spice）；　to
beat　them　small；　and　wet　them　with　an　bin　of　oil　of　olives　（an
hin　is　our　own　country　measure；　and　contains　two　Athenian　choas；
or　congiuses）；　then　mix　them　together；　and　boil　them；　and　prepare
them　after　the　art　of　the　apothecary；　and　make　them　into　a　very
sweet　ointment；　and　afterward　to　take　it　to　anoint　and　to　purify
the　priests　themselves；　and　all　the　tabernacle；　as　also　the
sacrifices。　There　were　also　many；　and　those　of　various　kinds；　of
sweet　spices；　that　belonged　to　the　tabernacle；　and　such　as　were
of　very　great　price；　and　were　brought　to　the　golden　altar　of
incense；　the　nature　of　which　I　do　not　now　describe；　lest　it
should　be　troublesome　to　my　readers；　but　incense　（19）　was　to　be
offered　twice　a…day；　both　before　sun…rising　and　at　sun…setting。
They　were　also　to　keep　oil　already　purified　for　the　lamps；　three
of　which　were　to　give　light　all　day　long；　（20）　upon　the　sacred
candlestick；　before　God；　and　the　rest　were　to　be　lighted　at　the
evening。

4。　Now　all　was　finished。　Besaleel　and　Aholiab　appeared　to　be　the
most　skillful　of　the　workmen；　for　they　invented　finer　works　than
what　others　had　done　before　them；　and　were　of　great　abilities　to
gain　notions　of　what　they　were　formerly　ignorant　of；　and　of
these；　Besaleel　was　judged　to　be　the　best。　Now　the　whole　time
they　were　about　this　work　was　the　interval　of　seven　months；　and
after　this　it　was　that　was　ended　the　first　year　since　their
departure　out　of　Egypt。　But　at　the　beginning　of　the　second　year；
on　the　month　Xanthicus；　as　the　Macedonians　call　it；　but　on　the
month　Nisan；　as　the　Hebrews　call　it；　on　the　new　moon；　they
consecrated　the　tabernacle；　and　all　its　vessels；　which　I　have
already　described。

5。　Now　God　showed　himself　pleased　with　the　work　of　the　Hebrews；
and　did　not　permit　their　labors　to　be　in　vain；　nor　did　he　disdain
to　make　use　of　what　they　had　made；　but　he　came　and　sojourned　with
them；　and　pitched　his　tabernacle　in　the　holy　house。　And　in　the
following　manner　did　he　come　to　it：　…　The　sky　was　clear；　but
there　was　a　mist　over　the　tabernacle　only；　encompassing　it；　but
not　with　such　a　very　deep　and　thick　cloud　as　is　seen　in　the
winter　season；　nor　yet　in　so　thin　a　one　as　men　might　be　able　to
discern　any　thing　through　it；　but　from　it　there　dropped　a　sweet
dew；　and　such　a　one　as　showed　the　presence　of　God　to　those　that
desired　and　believed　it。

6。　Now　when　Moses　had　bes