of the ancient favours granted to the Jews, but faid, that those who had borne arms against them, and fought them, had fuffered punishment already, and that it was not just to deprive thole that had not offended of the privileges they enjoyed.

2. We alfo know that Marcus Agrippa was of the like difpofition towards the Jews: For when the people of Ionia were very angry at them, and befought Agrippa; that they, and they only might have thofe privileges of citizens which Antiochus, the grandfon of Seleucus (who by the Greeks was called the God) had beftowed on them; and defired, that if the Jews were to be joint-partakers with them they might be obliged to worthip the gods they themselves worthipped: But when thele matters were brought to the trial, the Jews prevailed, and obtained leave to make use of their own cuftoms, and this under the patronage of Nicolaus of Damaicus; for Agrippa gave fentence, that he could not innovate. And if any one hath a mind to know this matter accurately, let him perufe the hundred and twenty-third, and hundred and twenty-fourth book of the hif. tory of this Nicolaus. Now, as to this determination of A. grippa, it is not fo much to be admired, for at that time our nation had not made war against the Romans. But one may

well be aftonilhed at the generofity of Vefpafian and Titus, that after fo great wars and contests which they had from us, they fhould ufe fuch moderation. But I will now return to that part of my hiftory, whence I made the prefent digreffion.

3. Now it happened that in the reign of Antiochus the Great, who ruled over all Afia, that the Jews, as well as the inhabi tants of Celefyria. fuffered greatly, and their land was forely harraffed: For while he was at war with Ptolemy Philopator, and with his fon, who was called Epiphanes, it tell out that thefe nations were equally fufferers both when he was beaten, and when he beat the others: So that they were very like to a fhip in a ftorm, which is toffed by the waves on both fides; and juft thus were they in their fituation in the middle between Antiochus's prosperity, and its change to adverfity.. But at length, when Antiochus had beaten Ptolemy, he feized upon Judea: And when Philopator was dead, his fon fent out a great army under Scopas, the general of his forces, against the inhabitants of Celefyria, who took many of their cities, and ir. particular our nation; which, when he fell upon them, went over to him. Yet was it not long afterward when Antiochus overcame Scopas in a battle fought at the fountains of Jordan, and destroyed a great part of his army. But afterward, when Antiochus fubdued thofe cities of Celefyria which Scopas had gotten into his poffeffion, and Samaria with them, the Jews, of their own accord, went over to him, and received him into the city [Jerufalem,] and gave plentiful_provifion to all his army, and to his elephants, and readily affilted him when he befieged the garrifon which was in the citadel of Jerufalem. Wherefore Antiochus thought it but juft to requite the Jews

diligence and zeal in his fervice: So he wrote to the generals of bis armies, and to his friends, and gave teftimony to the good behaviour of the Jews towards him, and informed them what rewards he had refolved to bellow on them for that their behaviour. I will fet down prefently the epiftles themselves, which he wrote to the generals concerning them, but will firft produce the teftimony of Polybius of Megalopolis; for thus does he fpeak, in the fixteenth book of his hiftory: "Now Scopas, the general of Ptolemy's army, went in hafte to the fuperior parts of the country, and in the winter time overthew the nation of the Jews. He alfo faith, in the fame book, that when Scopas was conquered by Antiochus, Antiochus received Batanea and Samaria, and Abila and Gadara; and that, a while afterwards, there came in to him thole Jews that inhabited near that temple which was called Jerufalem: Concerning which, although I have more to fay, and particularly concerning the prefence of God about that temple, yet do I put off that hiftory till another opportunity." This it is which Polybius relates. But we will return to the series of the hiftory, when we have first produced the epiftles of king Antiochus.

"King Antiochus to Ptolemy, fendeth greeting :

Since the Jews, upon our firft entrance on their country, demonftrated their friend(hip towards us; and when we came to their city Jerufalem, received us in a fplendid manner, and came to meet us with their fenate, and gave abundance of provifions to our foldiers, and to the elephants, and joined with us in ejecting the garrifon of the Egyptians that were in the citadel, we have thought fit to reward them and to retrieve the condition of their city, which hath been greatly depopulated by fuch accidents as have befallen its inhabitants, and to bring those that have been fcattered abroad back to the city. And, in the firft place, we have determined, on account of their piety towards God, to bestow on them as a penfion, for their facrifices of animals that are fit for facrifice, for wine and oil, and frankincenfe, the value of twenty thousand pieces of filver, and fix facred artabra of fine flour, with one thoufand four hundred and fixty medimni of wheat, and three hundred and feventy-five medimni of falt. And these payments I would have fully paid them, as I have fent orders to you. I would alfo have the work about the temple finished, and the cloifters, and it there be any thing elfe that ought to be rebuilt. And for the materials of wood, let it be brought them out of Judea itself, and out of the other countries, and out of Libanus tax free: And the fame I would have obferved as to those other materials which will be neceffary, in order to render the temple more glorious And let all of that nation live according to the laws of their own country: And let the fenate and the priests, and the scribes of the temple, and the façred fing

ers, be discharged from poll-money and the crown tax, and other taxes alfo. And that the city may the fooner recover its inhabitants, I grant a discharge from taxes for three years to its present inhabitants; and to fuch as fhall come to it, until the month Hyperbereteus. We alfo difcharge them for thefuture from a third part of their taxes, that the loffes they have fuftained may be repaired. And all thofe citizens that have been carried away, and are become flaves, we grant them and their children their freedom; and give order that their fub ftance be reftored to them."

4. And thefe were the contents of this epiftle. He also publifhed a decree, through all his kingdom, in honour of the temple, which contained what follows: "It fhall be lawful for no foreigner to come within the limits of the temple round about; which thing is forbidden alfo to the Jews, unlefs to thofe who, according to their own cuftom have purified themfelves. Nor let any flesh of horfes, or of mules, or of affes, be brought into the city, whether they be wild, or tame; nor that of leopards, or toxes, or hares; and, in general, that of any animal which is forbidden for the Jews to eat. Nor let their fkins be brought into it; nor let any fuch animal be bred up in the city. Let them only be permitted to ufe the facrifices derived from their fore-fathers, with which they have been obliged to make acceptable atonements to God. And he that tranfgreffeth any of thefe orders, let him pay to the priests three thousand drachmæ of filver." Moreover this Antiochus bare testimony to our piety and fidelity, in an epiftle of his, written when he was informed of a fedition in Phrygia and Lydia, at which time he was in the fuperior provinces, wherein he commanded Zeuxis, the general of his forces, and his moft intimate friend, to fend fome of our nation out of Babylon into Phrygia. The epifle was this :

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King Antiochus to Zeuxis his father, fendeth greeting.

"If you are in health, it is well. I also am in health. Having been informed that a fedition is arifen in Lydia and Phrygia, I thought that matter required great care: And upon adviling with my friends what was fit to be done, it hath been thought proper to remove two thoufand families of Jews, with their effects, out of Mefopotamia and Babylon, unto the caftles and places that lie most convenient; for I'am perfuaded that they will be well difpofed guardians of our poffeffions, because of their piety towards God, and because I know that my predeceffors have born witnefs to them, that they are faithful, and, with alacrity, do what they are defired to do. I will, therefore, though it be a laborious work, that thou remove thefe Jews; under a promife, that they fhall be permitted to ufe their own laws. And when thou thalt have brought them to the places fore-mentioned, thou fhalt give every one of their

families a place for building their houses, and a portion of land for their hufbandry, and for the plantation of their vines; and thou shalt difcharge them from paying taxes of the fruits of the earth for ten years; and let them have a proper quantity of wheat for the maintenance of their fervants, until they receive bread-corn out of the earth: Alfo let a fufficient thare be given to fuch as minister to them in the neceffaries of life, that by enjoying the effects of our humanity, they may fhew themfelves the more willing and ready about our affairs. Take care likewise of that nation, as far as thou art able, that they may not have any disturbance given them by any one." Now thefe teftimonials which I have produced, are fufficient to declare the friendthip that Antiochus the Great bare to the Jews.

CHA P. IV.

How Antiochus made a league with Ptolemy; and how Onias provoked Ptolemy Euergetes to anger; and how Jofeph brought all things right again, and entered into friendship with him; and what other things were done by Jofeph, and his fon Hyr

canus.

1. AFTER this Antiochus made a friendship and a league

with Ptolemy; and gave him his daughter Cleopatra to wife, and yielded up to him Celefyria, and Samaria and Judea, and Phenicia, by way of dowry. And upon the divifion of the taxes between the two kings, all the principal men framed the taxes of their several countries and collecting the fum that was fettled for them, paid the fame to the [two] kings. Now at this time the Samaritans were in a flourishing condi tion, and much diftreffed the Jews, cutting off parts of their land, and carrying off flaves. This happened when Onias was high-prieft; for after Eleazar's death, his uncle Manaffeh took the priesthood, and after he had ended his life, Onias received that dignity. He was the fon of Simon, who was called the Juft; which Simon was the brother of Eleazer, as I faid before. This Onias was one of a little foul, and a great lover of money; and for that reafon, because he did not pay that tax of twenty talents of filver, which his forefathers paid to these kings, out of their own eftates, he provoked king Ptolemy Euergetes to anger, who was the father of Philopater. Euergetes fent an ambaffador to Jerufalem, and complained that Ŏnias did not pay his taxes, and threatened, that if he did not receive them, he would feize upon their land, and fend foldiers to live upon it. When the Jews heard this message of the king's, they were confounded: But fo fordidly covetous was Onias, that nothing of this nature made him afhamed.

2. There was now one Jofeph, young in age, but of great reputation among the people of Jerufalem, for gravity, prudence, and juftice. His father's name was Tobias; and his

mother was the fifter of Onias the high-prieft, who informed him of the coming of the ambaffador; for he was then fojourning at a village named * Phicol, where he was born. Hereupon he came to the city [Jerufalem,] and reproved Onias for not taking care of the prefervation of his countrymen, but bringing the nation into dangers, by not paying this money. For which prefervation of them, he told him he had received the authority over them, and had been made high-prieft: But that, in cafe he was fo great a lover of money, as to endure to fee his country in danger on that account, and his countrymen fuffer the greatest damages, he advifed him to go to the king, and petition him to remit either the whole, or a part of the fum demanded. Onias's anfwer was this, That he did not care for his authority, and that he was ready, if the thing were practicable, to lay down his high priesthood; and that he would not go to the king, because he troubled not himfelf at all about fuch matters. Jofeph then asked him, If he would not give him leave to go ambassador on behalf of the nation? He replied, That he would give him leave. Upon which Jofeph went up into the temple; and called the multitude together, to a congregation, and exhorted them not to be difturbed nor affrighted, becaufe of his uncle Onias's careleffnefs, but defired them to be at reft, and not terrify themfelves with fear about it; for he promised them that he would be their ambassador to the king, and perfuade him that they had done him no wrong. And when the multitude heard this, they returned thanks to Jofeph. So he went down from the temple, and treated Ptolemy's ambaffador in an hofpitable manner. He also prefented him with rich gifts; and feafled him magnificently for many days, and then fent him to the king before him, and told him that he would foon follow him: For he was now more willing to go to the king, by the encouragement of the ambaffador, who earnestly perfuaded him to come into Egypt; and promiled him that he would take care that he should obtain every thing that he desired of Ptolemy, for he was highly pleafed with his frank and liberal temper, and with the gravity of his deportment.

3. When Ptolemy's ambaffador was come into Egypt, he told,he king of the thoughtlefs temper of Onias; and informed him of the goodnefs of the difpofition of Jofeph; and that he was coming to him, to excufe the multitude, as not having done him any harm, for that he was their patron. In short, he was fo very large in his encomiums upon the young man, that he difpofed both the king and his wife Cleopatra to have a kindnefs for him before he came. So Jofeph fent to his friends at Samaria, and borrowed money of them, and got ready what

The name of this place, Phicol, is the very fame with that of the chief captain of Abimelech's host, in the days of Abraham, Gen. xxi. 22, and might poflibly be the pace of that Phicol's nativity or abode; for it feems to have been in the fouth part of Palestine, as that was.