the antiquities of the jews-1-第34章

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From　The　Rejection　Of　That　Generation　To　The　Death　Of　Moses。

CHAPTER　1。

Fight　Of　The　Hebrews　With　The　Canaanites　Without　The　Consent　Of
Moses；　And　Their　Defeat。

1。　Now　this　life　of　the　Hebrews　in　the　wilderness　was　so
disagreeable　and　troublesome　to　them；　and　they　were　so　uneasy　at
it；　that　although　God　had　forbidden　them　to　meddle　with　the
Canaanites；　yet　could　they　not　be　persuaded　to　be　obedient　to　the
words　of　Moses；　and　to　be　quiet；　but　supposing　they　should　be
able　to　beat　their　enemies；　without　his　approbation；　they　accused
him；　and　suspected　that　he　made　it　his　business　to　keep　in　a
distressed　condition；　that　they　might　always　stand　in　need　of　his
assistance。　Accordingly　they　resolved　to　fight　with　the
Canaanites；　and　said　that　God　gave　them　his　assistance；　not　out
of　regard　to　Moses's　intercessions；　but　because　he　took　care　of
their　entire　nation；　on　account　of　their　forefathers；　whose
affairs　he　took　under　his　own　conduct；　as　also；　that　it　was　on
account　of　their　own　virtue　that　he　had　formerly　procured　them
their　liberty；　and　would　be　assisting　to　them；　now　they　were
willing　to　take　pains　for　it。　They　also　said　that　they　were
possessed　of　abilities　sufficient　for　the　conquest　of　their
enemies；　although　Moses　should　have　a　mind　to　alienate　God　from
them；　that；　however；　it　was　for　their　advantage　to　be　their　own
masters；　and　not　so　far　to　rejoice　in　their　deliverance　from　the
indignities　they　endured　under　the　Egyptians；　as　to　bear　the
tyranny　of　Moses　over　them；　and　to　suffer　themselves　to　be
deluded；　and　live　according　to　his　pleasure；　as　though　God　did
only　foretell　what　concerns　us　out　of　his　kindness　to　him；　as　if
they　were　not　all　the　posterity　of　Abraham；　that　God　made　him
alone　the　author　of　all　the　knowledge　we　have；　and　we　must　still
learn　it　from　him；　that　it　would　be　a　piece　of　prudence　to　oppose
his　arrogant　pretenses；　and　to　put　their　confidence　in　God；　and
to　resolve　to　take　possession　of　that　land　which　he　had　promised
them；　and　not　to　give　ear　to　him；　who　on　this　account；　and　under
the　pretense　of　Divine　authority；　forbade　them　so　to　do。
Considering；　therefore；　the　distressed　state　they　were　in　at
present；　and　that　in　those　desert　places　they　were　still　to
expect　things　would　be　worse　with　them；　they　resolved　to　fight
with　the　Canaanites；　as　submitting　only　to　God；　their　supreme
Commander；　and　not　waiting　for　any　assistance　from　their
legislator。

2。　When；　therefore；　they　had　come　to　this　resolution；　as　being
best　for　them；　they　went　against　their　enemies；　but　those　enemies
were　not　dismayed　either　at　the　attack　itself；　or　at　the　great
multitude　that　made　it；　and　received　them　with　great　courage。
Many　of　the　Hebrews　were　slain；　and　the　remainder　of　the　army；
upon　the　disorder　of　their　troops；　were　pursued；　and　fled；　after
a　shameful　manner；　to　their　camp。　Whereupon　this　unexpected
misfortune　made　them　quite　despond；　and　they　hoped　for　nothing
that　was　good；　as　gathering　from　it；　that　this　affliction　came
from　the　wrath　of　God；　because　they　rashly　went　out　to　war
without　his　approbation。

3。　But　when　Moses　saw　how　deeply　they　were　affected　with　this
defeat；　and　being　afraid　lest　the　enemies　should　grow　insolent
upon　this　victory；　and　should　be　desirous　of　gaining　still
greater　glory；　and　should　attack　them；　he　resolved　that　it　was
proper　to　withdraw　the　army　into　the　wilderness　to　a　further
distance　from　the　Canaanites：　so　the　multitude　gave　themselves　up
again　to　his　conduct；　for　they　were　sensible　that；　without　his
care　for　them；　their　affairs　could　not　be　in　a　good　condition；
and　he　caused　the　host　to　remove；　and　he　went　further　into　the
wilderness；　as　intending　there　to　let　them　rest；　and　not　to
permit　them　to　fight　the　Canaanites　before　God　should　afford　them
a　more　favorable　opportunity。

CHAPTER　2。

The　Sedition　Of　Corah　And　Of　The　Multitude　Against　Moses；　And
Against　His　Brother；　Concerning　The　Priesthood。

1。　That　which　is　usually　the　case　of　great　armies；　and　especially
upon　ill　success；　to　be　hard　to　be　pleased；　and　governed　with
difficulty；　did　now　befall　the　Jews；　for　they　being　in　number　six
hundred　thousand；　and　by　reason　of　their　great　multitude　not
readily　subject　to　their　governors；　even　in　prosperity；　they　at
this　time　were　more　than　usually　angry；　both　against　one　another
and　against　their　leader；　because　of　the　distress　they　were　in；
and　the　calamities　they　then　endured。　Such　a　sedition　overtook
them；　as　we　have　not　the　like　example　either　among　the　Greeks　or
the　Barbarians；　by　which　they　were　in　danger　of　being　all
destroyed；　but　were　notwithstanding　saved　by　Moses；　who　would　not
remember　that　he　had　been　almost　stoned　to　death　by　them。　Nor　did
God　neglect　to　prevent　their　ruin；　but；　notwithstanding　the
indignities　they　had　offered　their　legislator　and　the　laws；　and
disobedience　to　the　commandments　which　he　had　sent　them　by　Moses；
he　delivered　them　from　those　terrible　calamities　which；　without
his　providential　care；　had　been　brought　upon　them　by　this
sedition。　So　I　will　first　explain　the　cause　whence　this　sedition
arose；　and　then　will　give　an　account　of　the　sedition　itself；　as
also　of　what　settlements　made　for　their　government　after　it　was
over。

2。　Corah；　a　Hebrew　of　principal　account；　both　by　his　family　and
by　his　wealth；　one　that　was　also　able　to　speak　well；　and　one　that
could　easily　persuade　the　people　by　his　speeches；　saw　that　Moses
was　in　an　exceeding　great　dignity；　and　was　at　it；　and　envied　him
on　that　account；　（he　of　the　same　tribe　with　Moses；　and　of　kin　to
him；）　was　particularly　grieved；　because　he　thought　he　better
deserved　that　honorable　post　on　account　of　great　riches；　and　not
inferior　to　him　in　his　birth。　So　he　raised　a　clamor　against　him
among　the　Levites；　who　were　of　the　same　tribe；　and　among　his
kindred；　saying；　〃That　it　was　a　very　sad　thing　that　they　should
overlook　Moses；　while　hunted　after　and　paved　the　way　to　glory　for
himself；　and　by　ill　arts　should　obtain　it；　under　the　pretense　of
God's　command；　while；　contrary　to　laws；　he　had　given　the
priesthood　to　Aaron；　the　common　suffrage　of　the　multitude；　but　by
his　own　vote；　as　bestowing　dignities　in　a　way　on　whom　he
pleased。〃　He　added；　〃That　this　concealed　way　of　imposing　on　them
was　harder　to　be　borne　than　if　it　had　been　done　by　an　open　force
upon　them；　because　he　did　now　not　only　their　power　without　their
consent；　but　even　they　were　unapprised　of　his　contrivances
against　them；　for　whosoever　is　conscious　to　himself　that　he
deserves　any　dignity；　aims　to　get　it　by　persuasion；　and　not　by　an
arrogant　method　of　violence；　those　that　believe　it　impossible　to
obtain　honors　justly；　make　a　show　of　goodness；　and　do　not
introduce　force；　but　by　cunning　tricks　grow　wickedly　powerful。
That　it　was　proper　for　the　multitude　to　punish　such　men；　even
while　they　think　themselves　concealed　in　their　designs；　and　not
suffer　them　to　gain　strength　till　they　have　them　for　their　open
enemies。　For　what　account；〃　added　he；　〃is　Moses　able　to　give；　why
he　has　bestowed　the　priesthood　on　Aaron　and　his　sons？　for　if　God
had　determined　to　bestow　that　honor　on　one　of　the　tribe　of　Levi；
I　am　more　worthy　of　it　than　he　is；　I　myself　being　equal　to　Moses
by　my　family；　and　superior　to　him　both　in　riches　and　in　age：　but
if　God　had　determined　to　bestow　it　on　the　eldest　be；　that　of
Reuben　might　have　it　most　justly；　and　then　Dathan；　and　Abiram；
and　＇On；　the　son　of＇　Peleth；　would　have　it；　for　these　are　the
oldest　men　of　that　tribe；　and　potent　on　account　of　their　great
wealth　also。〃

3。　Now　Corah；　when　he　said　this；　had　a　mind　to　appear　to　take
care　of　the　public　welfare；　but　in　reality　he　was　endeavoring　to
procure　to　have　that　dignity　transferred　by　the　multitude　to
himself。　Thus　did　he；　out　of　a　malignant　design；　but　with
discourse　to　those　of　his　own　tribe；　when　these　words　did
gradually　spread　to　more　people；　and　when　the　hearers　still　added
to　what　tended　to　the　scandals　that　were　cast　upon　the　whole　army
was　full　of　them。　Now　of　those　that　conspired　with　Corah；　there
were　two　hundred　and　fifty；　and　those　of　the　principal　men　also；
who　were　eager　to　have　the　priesthood　taken　away　from　Moses's
brother；　and　to　bring　him　into　disgrace：　nay；　the　multitude
themselves　were　provoked　to　be　seditious；　and　attempted　to　stone
Moses；　wad　gathered　themselves　together　after　an　indecent　manner；
with　confusion　and　disorder。　And　now　all　were；　in　a　tumultuous
manner；　raising　a　before　the　tabernacle　of　God；　to　prosecute　the
tyrant；　and　to　relieve　the　multitude　from　their　slavery　under　him
who；　under　color　of　the　Divine　laid　violent　injunctions　upon
them；　for　had　it　been　God　who　chose　one　that　was　to　the　office　of
a　priest；　he　would　have　raised　person　to　that　dignity；　and　would
not　produced　such　a　one　as　was　inferior　to　many　others　nor　have
given　him　that　office；　and　that　in　he　had　judged　it　fit　to　bestow
it　on　Aaron；　he　would　have　permitted　it　to　the　multitude　to
bestow　it；　and　not　have　left　it　to　be　bestowed　by　his　own
brother。

4。　Now　although　Moses　had　a　great　while　ago　foreseen　this　calumny
of　Corah；　and　had　seen　the　people　were　irritated；　yet　was　he　not
affrighted　at　it；　but　being　of　good　courage；　because　given　them
right　advice　about　their　affairs；　and　knowing　that　his　brother
had　been　made　partaker　of　the　priesthood　at　the　command　of　God；
and　not　by　his　own　favor　to　him；　he　came　to　the　assembly；　and　as
for　the　multitude；　he　said　not　a　word　to　them；　but　spake　as　loud
to　Corah　as　he　could；　and　being　very　skillful　in　making　speeches；
and　having　this　natural　talent；　among　others；　that　he　could
greatly　move　the　multitude　with　his　discourses；　he　said；　〃O
Corah；　both　thou　and　all　these　with　thee　（pointing　to　the　two
hundred　and　fifty　men）　seem　to　be　worthy　of　this　honor；　nor　do　I
pretend　but　that　this　whole　company　may　be　worthy　of　the　like
dignity；　although　they　may　not　be　so　rich　or　so　great　as　you　are：
nor　have　I　taken　and　given　this　office　to　my　brother　because　he
excelled　others　in　riches；　for　thou　exceedest　us　both　in　the
greatness　of　thy　wealth；　（1）　nor　indeed　because　he　was　of　an
eminent　family；　for　God；　by　giving　us　the　same　common　ancestor；
has　made　our　families　equal：　nay；　nor　was　it　out　of　brotherly
affection；　which　another　might　yet　have　justly　done；　for
certainly；　unless　I　had　bestowed　this　honor　out　of　regard　to　God；
and　to　his　laws；　I　had　not　passed　by　myself；　and　given　it　to
another；　as　being　nearer　of　kin　to　myself　than　to　my　brother；　and
having　a　closer　intimacy　with　myself　than　I　have　with　him；　for
surely　it　would　not　be　a　wise　thing　for　me　to　expose　myself　to
the　dangers　of　offending；　and　to　bestow　the　happy　employment　on
this　account　upon　another。　But　I　am　above　such　base　practices：
nor　would　God　have　overlooked　this　matter；　and　seen　himself　thus
despised；　nor　would　he　have　suffered　you　to　be　ignorant　of　what
you　were　to　do；　in　order　to　please　him；　but　he　hath　himself
chosen　one　that　is　to　perform　that　sacred　office　to　him；　and
thereby　freed　us　from　that　care。　So　that　it　was　not　a　thing　that
I　pretend　to　give；　but　only　according　to　the　determination　of
God；　I　therefore　propose　it　still　to　be　contended　for　by　such　as
please　to　put　in　for　it；　only　desiring　that　he　who　has　been
alrea