that any such accident had happened. Thus did these men perish,* and became a demontration of the power of God. And truly, any one would lament them, not only on account of this calamity that befel them, which yet deserves our commiseration; but also because their kindred were pleased with their sufferings; for they forgot the relation they bare to them; and at the sight of this sad accident, approved of the judgment given against them: and because they looked upon the people what these men suffered, for supposing that the power of God might be eluded. And thus Aaron was no longer esteemed to have the priesthood by the favour of Moses, but by the public judgment of God, and he and his children peaceably enjoyed that honour afterward. CHAP. IV. OF WHAT HAPPENED TO THE HEBREWS DURING THIRTY. EIGHT YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS. THE sedition, however, was so far from about Dathan as pestilent men, they thought ceasing upon this destruction, that it they perished as such, and did not grieve for them. Moses now called for those that contended about the priesthood, that trial might be made who should be priest, and that he whose sacrifice God was best pleased with, might be ordained to that function. So the two hundred and fifty men approached, who indeed were honoured by the people, not only on account of their ancestors, but also on account of their own power, in which they excelled the others. Aaron and Corah also came forth; and they all offered incense, in those censers which they brought with them, before the tabernacle. Hereupon, so great a fire shone out, as no one ever saw in any that is made by the hand of man; neither in those eruptions out of the earth, that are caused by subterraneous burnings; nor in such fires as arise of their own accord in the woods, when the agitation is caused by the trees rubbing one against another; but this fire was very bright, and had a terrible flame, such as is kindled at the command of God; by whose irruption on them, all the company, and Corah himself, were destroyed so entirely, that their very bodies left no remains. Aaron alone was preserved, and not at all hurt by the fire; because it was God that sent the fire to burn those only who ought to be burned. Hereupon Moses, after these men were destroyed, was desirous that the memory of this judgment might be delivered down to posterity, and that future ages might be acquainted with it; and he commanded Eleazar, the son of Aaron, to put their censers near the brazen altar, that they might be a memorial to posterity of * Numb. xvi. 33. It appears here, from the Samaritan Pentateuch, and in effect from the Psalmist, as also from the Apostolical Constitutions, from Clement's first Epistle to the CorinVOL. I.-NO. 4. grew much stronger, and became more intolerable. And the occasion of its growing worse was of that nature, as made it likely the calamity would last for a long time. For the men believing already that nothing is done without the providence of God, would have it, that these things came thus to pass not without God's favour to Moses. They therefore laid the blame upon him, that God was so angry; and that this happened not so much because of the wickedness of those that were punished, as because Moses procured the punishment: and that these men had been destroyed without any sin of theirs, only because they were zealous about the divine worship: as also that he who had been the cause of this diminution of the people, by destroying so many men, and those the most excellent of them all; besides his escaping any punishment himself, had now given the priesthood to his brother so firmly, that nobody could any longer dispute it with him; for no one else could now put in for it, since he must have seen those that first did so, to have miserably perished. Nay, besides this, the kindred of those that were destroyed, made great entreaties to the multitude to abate the arrogance of Moses, because it would be safest for them so to do. Moses, upon his hearing that the people were tumultuous, was afraid they would attempt some other innovation; and that some great and sad calamity would be the consequence. So he called the multitude to a congregation, and patiently heard what apology they made for themselves, without opposing thians, from Ignatius's Epistle to the Magnesians, and from Eusebius, that Corah was not swallowed up with the Reubenites, but burnt with the Levites, of his own tribe. Numb. xvi. 41. Gg them; and, lest he should embitter the multitude, he only desired the heads of the tribes to bring their rods,* with the names of their tribes inscribed upon them; and he should receive the priesthood in whose rod God should give a sign. This was agreed to; so the rest brought their rods, as did Aaron also; who had written the tribe of Levi on his rod. These rods Moses laid up in the tabernacle of God. On the next day he brought out the rods, which were known from one another by Accordingly he commanded the Levites to yield up to the priests thirteen of their fortyeight cities; and to set apart for them the tenth part of the tithe which they every year receive of the people; as also that it was but just to offer to God the first fruits of the entire product of the ground; and that they should offer the first-born of those four-footed beasts that are appointed for sacrifices, if it be a male, to the priests, to be slain, that they and their entire families may eat them in the holy those who brought them; they having dis-city; but that the owners of those first-born, tinctly noted them, as had the multitude also; and as to the rest, in the same form Moses had received them, in that they saw them still: but they also saw buds and branches grown out of Aaron's rod, with ripe almonds upon them; the rod having been cut out of that tree. The people were so amazed at this strange sight, that though Moses and Aaron were before under some degree of hatred, they now laid that hatred aside, and began to admire the judgment of God concerning them. So that hereafter they applauded what God had decreed, and permitted Aaron to enjoy the priesthood peaceably. And thus God ordained him priest three several times, and he retained that honour without farther disturbance. And hereby this sedition of the Hebrews, which had lasted a great while, was at length composed. And now Moses, because the tribe of Levi was made free from war and warlike expeditions, and was set apart for the Divine worship; lest they should want, and seek after the necessaries of life, and so neglect the temple, commanded the Hebrews, according to the will of God, that when they should gain the possession of the land of Canaan, they should assign forty-eight good cities to the Levites, and permit them to enjoy their suburbs, as far as the limit of two thousand cubits would extend from the walls of the city. And besides this, he appointed that the people should pay the tithe of their annual fruits of the earth, both to the Levites, and to the priests. And this is what that tribe receives of the multitude. But I think it necessary to set down what is paid by all, peculiarly to the priests. *Concerning these twelve rods of the twelve tribes of Israel, see St. Clement's account, much larger than that in our Bible. 1 Epist. § 43. which are not appointed for sacrifices, in the laws of our country, should bring a shekel and a half in their stead; but for the first-born of a man, five shekels: that they should also have the first-fruits out of the shearing of the sheep; and that when any baked bread-corn, and made loaves of it, they should give somewhat of what they baked to them. Moreover, when any have made a sacred vow; I mean those that are called Nazarites,† that suffer their hair to grow long, and use no wine: when they consecrate their hair, and offer it for a sacrifice, they are to allot that hair to the priests, to be thrown into the fire. Such, also, as dedicate themselves to God, as a corban, which denotes what the Greeks call a gift, when they are desirous of being freed from that ministration, are to lay down money for the priests; thirty shekels if it be a woman, and fifty if it be a man; but if any be too poor to pay the appointed sum, it shall be lawful for the priest to determine the sum, as they think fit. And if any slay a beast at home, for a private festival, but not for a religious one, they are obliged to bring the maw, and the cheek, or breast, and the right shoulder of the sacrifice, to the priests. With these Moses contrived that the priests should be plentifully maintained; besides what they had out of these offerings for sins, which the people gave them, as I have set it down in the foregoing book. He also ordered, that out of every thing allotted for the priests, their servants, their sons, their daughters, and their wives, should partake as well as themselves: excepting what came to them out of the sacrifices that were offered for sins. For of those none of the family of the priests might ↑ Grotius observes, that the Greeks, as well as the Jews, sometimes consecrated the hair of their heads to the gods. On Numb. vi. 18. eat; and in the temple also; and the same day they were offered. were defiled by a dead body, they put a little of these ashes into spring water, with hyssop; and dipping part of these ashes in it, they sprinkled them with it, both on the third day, and on the seventh; and after that they were clean. This he enjoined them to do also, when the tribes should come into their own. land. Now when this purification, which their leader made, upon the mourning for his sister, as it had now been described, was over, he caused the army to remove, and to march through the wilderness, and through Arabia. And when he came to a place which the Arabians esteem their metropolis, which was for When Moses had made these constitutions, after the sedition was over, he removed together with the whole army, and came to the borders of Idumea. He then sent ambassadors to the king of the Idumeans, and desired him to give him a passage through his country: and agreed to send him what hostages he should desire, to secure him from any injury. He desired also, that he would allow his army liberty to buy provisions: and if he insisted upon it, he would pay down a price for the very water they should drink. But the king was not pleased with this ambassage from Moses, nor did he allow a passage formerly called Arce, but has now the name of the army, but brought his people armed to meet Moses, and to hinder them in case they should endeavour to force their passage. Upon which Moses consulted God by the Oracle; who would not have him begin the war first; and so he withdrew his forces, and travelled round about through the wilder ness. Then it was that Miriam, the sister of Moses, came to her* end; having completed hert fortieth year since she left Egypt; ont the first day of the lunar month Xanthicus. They then made a public funeral for her, at a great expense. She was buried upon a certain mountain, which they call Sin. And when they had mourned for her thirty days,|| Moses purified the people after this manner: He brought a heifer, that had never been used to the plough, or to husbandry; that was complete in all its parts, and entirely of a red colour; at a little distance from the camp, into a place perfectly clean. This heifer was slain. by the high-priest, and her blood sprinkled with his finger seven times before the tabernacle of God. After this, the entire heifer was burnt in that state, together with its skin and entrails, and they threw cedar-wood, and hyssop, and scarlet wool, into the midst of the fire. Then a clean man gathered all her ashes together, and laid them in a place perfectly clean. When, therefore, any persons Petra: at this place, which was encompassed with high mountains, Aaron went up one of them, in the sight of the whole army; Moses having before told him that he was to die. for this place was over against them. He there put off his pontifical garments, and delivered them to Eleazar his son, to whom the high-priesthood belonged, because he was the elder brother; and died|| while the multitude looked upon him. He died in the same year wherein he lost his sister; having lived in all an hundred and twenty-three years. He died on the first day of that lunar month, which is called by the Athenians, Hecatombæon; by the Macedonians, Lous; but by the Hebrews, Abba. CHAP. V. OF THE CONQUEST OF SIHON AND OG, KINGS OF THE AMO- HE people mourned for Aaron thirty days: and when this mourning was over, Moses removed the army from that place, and came to the river Arnon; which issuing out of the mountains of Arabia, and running through all that wilderness, fell into the lake Asphaltites, and became the limit between the land of the Moabites, and the land of the Amorites. This land is fruitful, and sufficient to maintain a great number of men, with the because the Latin copies say, it was on the tenth; and so say the Jewish calendars also, as Dr. Beraard assures us. It is said her sepulchre is still extant near Petra, the old capital of Arabia Petræ, at this day; as also that of Aaron, not far off. Numb. xx. 28. good things it produces. Moses, therefore, sent messengers to Sihon, the king of this country, desiring that he would grant his army a passage, upon what security he should please to require: he promised that he should be no ways injured; neither as to that country which Sihon governed, nor as to its inhabitants: and that he would buy his provisions at such a price as should be to their advantage; even though he should desire to sell them their very water. But Sihon refused his offer, and put his army in array, preparing every thing in order to hinder their passage over Arnon.* When Moses saw that the Amorite king was disposed to commence hostilities, he thought he ought not to bear that insult; and determining to wean the Hebrews from their indolent temper, and prevent the disorders which arose thence, which had been the occasion of their former sedition; nor indeed were they now thoroughly easy in their minds: he enquired of God, whether he would give him leave to fight? which when he had done, and God had promised him the victory, he was very courageous, and ready to proceed to fighting. Accordingly he encouraged the soldiers, and desired of them that they would take the pleasure of fighting, now God gave them leave so to do. Upon this commission, which they so much longed for, they put on their armour, and set about the work without delay. But the Amorite king was not now like to himself, when the Hebrews were ready to attack him; both himself was affrighted at the Hebrews, and his army, which before had shewn themselves to be of good courage, were then found to be timorous. So they could not sustain the first onset, nor bear up against the Hebrews: but fled away, thinking this would afford them a more likely way for their escape than fighting. For they depended upon their cities, which were strong; from which they reaped no advantage, when they were forced to fly from them. For as soon as the Hebrews saw them giving ground, they immediately pursued; and when they had broken their ranks, they greatly terrified them. And some of them broke off from the rest, and ran away to the cities. Now the *Numb. xxi. 23. This victory is celebrated in Numb. xxi. 30. Deut. i. Hebrews pursued them briskly; and obstinately persevered in the labours they had already undergone; and being very skilful in slinging, and very dexterous in throwing darts, or any thing else of that kind; and also having on nothing but light armour, which made them quick in pursuit, they overtook their enemies. And for those that were most remote, and could not be overtaken, they reached them by their slings and their bows, so that many were slain, and those that escaped the slaughter were sorely wounded; and these were more distressed with thirst, than with any of those that fought against them, for it was the summer season: and when the greatest number of them were brought down to the river, out of a desire to drink; as also when others fled away by troops, the Hebrews came round them, and shot at them; so that what with darts, and what with arrows, they made a slaughter of them all: Sihon also, their king, was slain. So the Hebrews spoiled their dead bodies, and took their prey. The land also, which they took, was full of fruits, and the army went all over it without fear, and fed their cattle upon it, and took the enemies prisoners. For they could no way put a stop to them, since all the fighting men were destroyed. Such was the destruction which overtook the Amorites, who were neither sagacious in counsel, nor courageous in action. Hereupon the Hebrews took possession of their land, which is situate between three rivers, and naturally resembling an island, the river Arnon being its northern limit, and the river Jabbok determining its southern side; which, running into Jordan, loses its own name, and takes the other. While Jordan itself runs along by it, on its western coast.‡ When matters were come to this state, Og, the king of Gilead and Gaulanitis, fell upon the Israelites. He brought an army with him, and came in haste to the assistance of his friend Sihon. But though he found him already slain, he resolved to fight the Hebrews, supposing he should be too hard for them, and being desirous to try their valour. But failing of his hope, he was both slain in the battle, and all his army was de 4. iìì. 2. iv. 46. xxix. 7, 8. Josh. xiii. 10. Judges xi. 21. Ps. cxxxv. 10, 11. cxxxvi. 18, 19. and by Philo, p. 642. Numb. xxi. 24. stroyed.* So Moses passed over the river Jabbok, and over-ran the kingdom of Og. He overthrew their cities, and slew all their inhabitants; who exceeded in riches all the men in that part of the continent, on account of the goodness of the soil, and the great quantity of his wealth. Now Og had very few equals, either in the largeness of his body, or the beauty of his appearance. He was also a man of great activity; so that his actions were not unequal to the vast largeness, and handsome appearance of his body. And men could easily guess at his strength and magnitude, when they took his bed at Rabbath, the royal city of the Ammonites. Its structure was of iron; its breadth four cubits, and its length a cubit more than double thereto. However, his fall did not only improve the circumstances of the Hebrews for the present; but by his death he was the occasion of further good success to them; for they presently took those sixty cities which were encompassed with excellent walls, and had been subject to him; and all the people got, both in general and particular, a great prey. CHAP. VI. OF BALAAM'S ATTEMPT TO CURSE ISRAEL, AND OF THE ARTIFICE BY WHICH THE HEBREWS WERE WEAKENED. W" HEN Moses had brought his army to Jordan, he pitched his camp in the great plain over against Jericho. This city was a very happy situation, and very fit for producing palm-trees and balsam. And now the Israelites began to be very proud of themselves, and were very eager for fighting. Moses then, after he had offered for a few days *See Numb. xxi. 35. Deut. iii. 3. Josh. xii. 4. Ps. cxxxv. 11, 12. and Philo. p. 643. Numb. xxii. 1. What Josephus here remarks is worthy our remark, viz. that the Israelites were never to meddle with the Moabites, Ammonites, or any other people, but those belonging to the land of Canaan, and the countries of Sihon and Og beyond Jordan, as far as the desert and Euphrates; and that, therefore, no other people had reason to fear the conquests of the Israelites; but that those countries given them by God were their proper and peculiar portion among the nations, and that all who endeavoured to possess them might ever be justly destroyed by them. Numb. xxii. 6. An opinion prevailed both in those days, and in after ages, that some men had a power, by the help of their gods, to devote not only particular per sacrifice of thanksgiving to God, and feasted the people, sent a party of armed men to lay waste the country of the Midianites, and to take their cities. Now the occasion which he took for making war upon them was as follows: When Balak, the king of the Moabites, who had from his ancestors a friendship and league with the Midianites, saw how greatly the Israelites were increased, he was much affrighted on account of his own and his kingdom's danger. For he was not acquainted with this; that the Hebrews would not meddle with any other country: but were to be contented with the possession of the land of Canaan, God having forbidden them to go any farther. So he, with more haste than wisdom, resolved to make an attempt upon them by words; but he did not judge it prudent to fight against them, after they had had the prosperous successes, and even became out of ill successes more happy than before; but he thought to hinder them, if he could, from growing greater; and so he resolved to send ambassadors to the Midianites about them. Now these Midianites, knowing there was one Balaam, who lived by Euphrates, and was the greatest of the prophets at that time, and one that was in friendship with them, sent some of their honourable princes along with the ambassadors of Balak, to intreat the prophet to come to them; that he might imprecate curses to the destruction of the Israelites. So Balaam received the ambassadors, and treated them very kindly. And when he had supped, he inquired what was God's will, and what this matter was for which the Midianites intreated him to come to them: but when God opposed his going, he came to sons, but whole armies, to destruction. This they are said to have done sometimes by words of imprecation, of which there was a set form among some people, which Æschines calls διοριζομένην αραν, the determinate curse. Sometimes they also offered sacrifices, and used certain rites and ceremonies, with solemn charms. A famous instance of this we find in the life of Crassus, where Plutarch tells us, that Atticus, tribune of the people, made a fire at the gate out of which Crassus was to march to the war against the Parthians, into which he threw certain things to make a fume, and offered sacrifices to the most angry gods, with horrid imprecations upon him; these, he says, according to ancient tradition, had such a power, that no man who was loaded with them could avoid being undone. B. |