The Jewish High-Priest presenting himself to Alexander the Great before the walls of Jerusalem.-Page 311. feemed it a great reward that his daughter's | cedonia, who, when I was considering with children should have that dignity; but when myself how I might obtain the dominion of the seven months of the siege of Tyre were Asia, exhorted me to make no delay, but over, and the two months of the siege of Gaza, boldly to pass over the sea thither, for that Sanballat died. Now Alexander, when he he would conduct my army, and would give had taken Gaza, made haste to go up to Je- me the dominion over the Persians; whence rusalem; and Jaddua the high-priest, when it is, that having seen no other in that habit, he heard that, was in an agony, and under and now seeing this person in it, and rememterror, as not knowing how he should meet bering that vision, and the exhortation which the Macedonians, since the king was displeased I had in my dream, I believe that I bring at his foregoing disobedience. He therefore this army under the divine conduct, and shall ordained that the people should make sup- there with conquer Darius, and destroy the plications, and should join with him in of-power of the Persians, and that all things fering sacrifices to God, whom he besought to protect that nation, and to deliver them from the perils that were coming upon them; whereupon God warned him in a dream, which came upon him after he had offered sacrifice, that he should take courage, and adorn the city, and open the gates; that the rest should appear in white garments, but that he and the priests should meet the king in the habits proper to their order, without the dread of any ill consequences, which the providence of God would prevent. Upon which, when he rose from his sleep, he greatly rejoiced; and declared to all the warning he had received from God. According to which dream he acted entirely, and so waited for the coming of the king. will succeed according to what is in my own mind." And when he had said this to Parmenio, and had given the high-priest his right hand, the priests ran along by him, and he came into the city; and when he went up into the temple, he offered sacrifice to God, according to the high-priest's direction, and magnificently treated both the high-priest and the priests. And when the book of Daniel was showed him, wherein Daniel declared that one of the Greeks should destroy the empire of the Persians, he supposed that himself was the person intended; and as he was then glad, he dismissed the multitude for the present, but the next day he called them to him, and bade them ask what favours they pleased of him; whereupon the high-priest 5. And when he understood that he was desired that they might enjoy the laws of their not far from the city, he went out in proces- forefathers, and might pay no tribute on the sion, with the priests and the multitude of the seventh year. He granted all they desired; citizens. The procession was venerable, and and when they entreated him that he would the manner of it different from that of other permit the Jews in Babylon and Media to nations. It reached to a place called Sapha; enjoy their own laws also, he willingly prowhich name, translated into Greek, signifies mised to do hereafter what they desired: and a prospect, for you have thence a prospect both when he said to the multitude, that if any of of Jerusalem and of the temple; and when them would enlist themselves in his army on the Phoenicians and the Chaldeans that fol- this condition, that they should continue unlowed him, thought they should have liberty der the laws of their forefathers, and live acto plunder the city, and torment the high-cording to them, he was willing to take them priest to death, which the king's displeasure with him, many were ready to accompany him fairly promised them, the very reverse of it in his wars. happened; for Alexander, when he saw the 6. So when Alexander had thus settled multitude at a distance, in white garments, matters at Jerusalem, he led his army into the while the priests stood clothed with fine linen, neighbouring cities; and when all the inhabiand the high-priest in purple and scarlet cloth-tants, to whom he came, received him with ing, with his mitre on his head, having the golden plate whereon the name of God was engraved, he approached by himself, and adored that name, and first saluted the high-priest. The Jews also did altogether, with one voice, salute Alexander, and encompass him about; whereupon the kings of Syria and the rest were surprised at what Alexander had done, and supposed him disordered in his mind. However, Parmenio alone went up to him, and asked him how it came to pass that, when all others adored him, he should adore the high-priest of the Jews? To whom he replied, "I did not adore him, but that God who hath honoured him with his high-priesthood; for I saw this very person in a dream, in this very habit, when I was at Dios in Ma. great kindness, the Samaritans, who had then Shechem for their metropolis (a city situate at Mount Gerizzim, and inhabited by apostates of the Jewish nation), seeing that Alexander had so greatly honoured the Jews, determined to profess themselves Jews; for such is the disposition of the Samaritans, as we have already elsewhere declared, that when the Jews are in adversity they deny that they are of kin to them, and then they confess the truth; but when they perceive that some good fortune hath befallen them, they immediately pretend to have communion with them, saying, that The placed showed Alexander might be Dan. vii. 6; viii. 3-8, 20, 21, 22; xi. 3: some or all of them very plain predictions of Alexander's conquests and surces sors. ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS. BOOK XII. they belong to them, and derive their genea- when I return, and am thoroughly informed logy from the posterity of Joseph, Ephraim, by you of this matter, I will do what I shall and Manasseh. Accordingly, they made their think proper." address to the king with splendour, and leave of the Shechemites; but ordered that And in this manner he took showed great alacrity in meeting him at a little the troops of Sanballat should follow him distance from Jerusalem; and when Alexan-into Egypt, because there he designed to give der had commended them, the Shechemites them lands, which he did a little after in Theapproached to him, taking with them the bais, when he ordered them to guard that troops that Sanballat had sent him, and they country. desired that he would come to their city, and do honour to their temple also; to whom he government was parted among his successors; 7. Now when Alexander was dead, the promised, that when he returned he would but the temple upon Mount Gerizzim recome to them; and when they petitioned that mained; and if any one were accused by those he would remit the tribute of the seventh year of Jerusalem of having eaten things common," to them, because they did not now sow there- or of having broken the Sabbath, or of any on, he asked who they were that made such a other crime of the like nature, he fled away petition; and when they said that they were to the Shechemites, and said that he was acHebrews, but had the name of Sidonans, cused unjustly. About this time it was that living at Shechem, he asked them again whe-Jaddua the high-priest died, and Onias his ther they were Jews; and when they said they son took the high-priesthood. This was the were not Jews, "It was to the Jews," said state of the affairs of the people of Jerusalem he, "that 1 granted that privilege; however, at this time BOOK XII. CONTAINING THE INTERVAL OF A HUNDRED AND SEVENTY YEARS. FROM THE DEATH OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT TO THE DEATH OF JUDAS MACCABEUS. CHAPTER I. HOW PTOLEMY, THE SON OF LAGUS, TOOK EGYPT. means of Ptolemy, the son of Lagus, underviour, which he then had. went the reverse of that denomination of Saupon Jerusalem, and for that end made use He also seized of deceit and treachery; for as he came into the city on a Sabbath-day, as if he would offer sacrifice, he, without any trouble, gained § 1. Now when Alexander, king of Mace- for they did not suspect him to be their enethe city, while the Jews did not oppose him, don, had put an end to the dominion of the my; and he gained it thus, because they Persians, and had settled the affairs of Judea were free from suspicion of him, and because after the fore-mentioned manner, he ended on that day they were at rest and quietness; his life; and as his government fell among and when he had gained it, he reigned over many, Antigonus obtained Asia; Seleucus, it in a cruel manner. Babylon; and of the other nations which of Cnidus, who wrote the acts of Alexander's Nay, Agatharchides were there, Lysimachus governed the Helles- successors, reproaches us with superstition, as pont, and Cassander possessed Macedonia; if we, by it, had lost our liberty; where he says as did Ptolemy, the son of Lagus, seize upon thus: "There is a nation called the nation Egypt: and while these princes ambitiously of the Jews, who inhabit a city strong and strove one against another, every one for his great, named Jerusalem. own principality, it came to pass that there no care, but let it come into the hands of These men took were continual wars, and those lasting wars too; and the cities were sufferers, and lost a great many of their inhabitants in these times of distress, insomuch that al! Syria, by the "eat ing things common," for "eating things unclean," as Ptolemy, as not willing to take arms, and of Egypt, and held it forty years within one. thereby they submitted to be under a hard He procured the law to be interpreted, and master, by reason of their unseasonable super-set free those that were come from Jerusa stition." This is what Agatharchides relates of our nation. But when Ptolemy had taken a great many captives, both from the mountainous parts of Judea, and from the places about Jerusalem and Samaria, and the places rear Mount Gerizzim, he led them all into Egypt, and settled them there. And as he knew that the people of Jerusalem were most faithful in the observation of oaths and covenants; and this from the answer they made to Alexander, when he sent an embassage to them, after he had beaten Darius in battle; so he distributed many of them into garrisons, and at Alexandria gave them equal privileges of citizens with the Macedonians themselves; and required of them to take their oaths that they would keep their fidelity to the posterity of those who committed these places to their care. Nay, there were not a few other Jews who, of their own accord, went into Egypt, as invited by the goodness of the soil, and by the liberality of Ptolemy. However, there were disorders among their posterity, with relation to the Samaritans, on account of their resolution to preserve that conduct of life which was delivered to them by their forefathers, and they thereupon contended one with another, while those of Jerusalem said that their temple was holy, and resolved to send their sacrifices thither; but the Samaritans were resolved that they should be sent to Mount Gerizzim. CHAPTER II. HOW PTOLEMY PHILADELPHUS PROCURED THE GIFTS TO GOD. § 1. WHEN Alexander had reigned twelve years, and after him Ptolemy Soter forty years, Philadelphus then took the kingdom lem into Egypt, and were in slavery there, who were a hundred and twenty thousand. The occasion was this:- Demetrius Phalerius, who was library-keeper to the king, was now endeavouring, if it were possible, to gather together all the books that were in the habitable earth, and buying whatsoever was anywhere valuable, or agreeable to the king's inclination (who was very earnestly set upon collecting of books); to which inclination of his, Demetrius was zealously subservient. And when once Ptolemy asked him how many ten thousands of books he had collected, he replied, that he had already about twenty times ten thousand; but that, in a little time, he should have fifty times ten thousand. But he said, he had been informed that there were many books of laws among the Jews worthy of inquiring after, and worthy of the king's library, but which, being written in characters and in a dialect of their own, will cause no small pains in getting them translated into the Greek tongue: that the character in which they are written seems to be like to that which is the proper character of the Syrians, and that its sound, when pronounced, is like to theirs also; and that this sound appears to be peculiar to themselves. Wherefore he said, that nothing hindered why they might not get those books to be translated also; for while nothing is wanting that is necessary for that purpose, we may have their books also in this library. So the king thought that Demetrius was very zealous to procure him abundance of books, and that he suggested what was exceeding proper for him to do; and therefore he wrote to the Jewish high-priest that he should act accordingly. 2. Now there was one Aristeus, who was among the king's most intimate friends, and, on account of his modesty, very acceptable to him. This Aristeus resolved frequently, and that before now, to petition the king that he would set all the captive Jews in his kingdom free; and he thought this to be a convenient opportunity for the making that petition. So The great number of these Jews and Samaritans that he discoursed, in the first place, with the capwere formerly carried into Egypt by Alexander, and now by Ptolemy, the son of Lagus. appear afterwards, in the tains of the king's guards, Sosibius of Tarenvast multitude who, as we shall see presently, were soon tum, and Andreas, and persuaded them to ransomed by Philadelphus, and by him made free, before he sent for the seventy-two interpreters: in the many gar-assist him in what he was going to intercede risons, and other soldiers of that nation in Egypt: in the with the king for. Accordingly, Aristeus famous settlement of Jews, and the number of their syna-embraced the same opinion with those that have been before mentioned, and went to the king and made the following speech to him: gogues at Alexandria long afterward: and in the vehement contention between the Jews and Samaritans under Philometer, about the place appointed for public worship in the law of Moses, whether at the Jewish temple of Jerusalem, or at the Samaritan temple at Gerizzim: of all which our author treats hereafter. As to the Samaritans earried into Egypt under the same princes, Scaliger supposes that those who have a great synagogue at Cairo, as also those whom the Arabic geographer speaks of, as having seized on an island in the Red Sea, are remains of them at this very day, as the notes here inform us. Of the sacredness of oaths among the Jews in the Old Testament, see Scripture Politics, p. 54-65. Of the translation of the other parts of the Old Tes tament by seventy Egyptian Jews, in the reigns of Ptolemy, the son of Lagus, and Philadelphus; as also, of the translation of the Pentateuch by seventy-two Jerusalem Jews, in the seventh year of Philadelphus, at Alexandria, as given us an account of by Aristeus; and thence by Philo and Josephus, with a vindication of Aristeus's history,-see the Appendix to the Lit. Accomp. of Provh. at large, p. 117-152 "It is not fit for us, O king, to overlook who had been led away captive by his father things hastily, or to deceive ourselves, but to and his army, but those who were in his kinglay the truth open: for since we have deter- dom before, and those also, if any such there mined not only to get the laws of the Jews were, who had been brought away since. And transcribed, but interpreted also, for thy satis- when they said that their redemption-money faction, by what means can we do this, while would amount to above four hundred talents, so many of the Jews are now slaves in thy he granted it. A copy of which decree i kingdom? Do thou then what will be agree- have determined to preserve, that the magnaable to thy magnanimity, and to thy good-nimity of this king may be made known. Its nature: free them from the miserable condition contents were as follows: "Let all those who they are in, because that God, who supporteth thy kingdom, was the author of their laws, as I have learned by particular inquiry; for both these people and we also worship the same God, the framer of all things. We call him, and that truly, by the name of Za [or life, or Jupiter], because he breathes life into all men. Wherefore, do thou restore these men to their own country; and this do to the honour of God, because these men pay a peculiarly excellent worship to him. And know this farther, that though I be not of kin to them by birth, nor one of the same country with them, yet do I desire these favours to be done them, since all men are the workmanship of God; and I am sensible that he is well pleased with those that do good. I do therefore put up this petition to thee, to do good to them." 3. When Aristeus was saying thus, the king looked upon him with a cheerful and joyful countenance, and said, "How many ten thousands dost thou suppose there are of such as want to be made free?" To which Andreas replied, as he stood by, and said, "A few more than ten times ten thousand." The king made answer, "And is this a small gift that thou askest, Aristeus?" But Sosibius, and the rest that stood by, said, that he ought to offer such a thank-offering as was worthy of his greatness of soul, to that God who had given him his kingdom. With this answer he was much pleased; and gave order, that when they paid the soldiers their wages, they should lay down [a hundred and] twenty drachmæ for every one of the slaves. And he promised to publish a magnificent decree, about what they requested, which should confirm what Aristeus had proposed, and especially what God willed should be done; whereby, he said, he would not only set those free Although this number, one hundred and twenty drachme (of Alexandria, or sixty Jewish shekels] be here three times repeated, and that in all Josephus's copies, Greek and Latin, yet, since all the copies of Aristeus, whence Josephus took his relation, have this sum several times, and sull as no more than twenty drach. mæ, or ten Jewish shekels; and since the sum of the talents, to be set down presently, which is little above four hundred and sixty for somewhat more than one hundred thousand slaves, and is nearly the same in Josephus and Aristeus, does better agree to twenty than to one hundred and twenty drachma; and since the value of a slave of old was, at the utmost, but thirty shekels, or sixty drachmæ, see Exod. xxi. 32, while in the present circumstances of these Jewish slaves, and those so very numerous, Philadelphus would rather redeem them at a cheaper than at a dearer rate, there is great reason to prefer here Aristeus's copies before Josepbus's. were soldiers under our father, and who, when they overran Syria and Phœnicia, and laid waste Judea, took the Jews captives, and made them slaves, and brought them into our cities, and into this country, and then sold them; as also all those that were in my kingdom before them, and if there be any that have lately been brought thither, be made free by those that possess them; and let them accept of [a hundred and] twenty drachmæ for every slave. And let the soldiers receive this redemption-money with their pay, but the rest out of the king's treasury: for I suppose that they were made captives without our father's consent, and against equity; and that their country was harassed by the insolence of the soldiers, and that, by removing them into Egypt, the soldiers have made a great profit by them. Out of regard, therefore, to justice, and out of pity to those that have been tyrannized over, contrary to equity, I enjoin those that have such Jews in their service to set them at liberty, upon the receipt of the before-mentioned sum; and that no one use any deceit about them, but obey what is here commanded. And I will, that they give in their names within three days after the publication of this edict, to such as are appointed to execute the same, and to produce the slaves before them also, for I think it will be for the advantage of my affairs: and let every one that will, inform against those that do not obey this decree; and I will, that their estates be confiscated into the king's treasury." When this decree was read to the king, it at first contained the rest that is here inserted, and only omitted those Jews that had formerly been brought, and those brought afterwards, which had not been distinctly mentioned; so he added these clauses out of his humanity, and with great generosity. He also gave order that the payment, which was likely to be done in a hurry, should be divided among the king's ministers, and among the officers of his treasury. When this was over, what the king had decreed was quickly brought to a conclusion; and this in no more than seven days' time, the number of the talents paid for the captives being above four hundred and sixty, and this, because their masters required the [hundred and] twenty drachmæ for the children also, the king having, in effect, commanded that these should be paid for, wher he said, in his decree, that they should receiv the fore-mentioned sum for every slave. |