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nature of the universe; while our legislator speaks some things wisely, but enigmatically; and others under a decent allegory: but still explains such things as require a direct explication plainly and expressly. However, those who have a mind to know the reasons of every thing, may find here a very curious philosophical theory, which I now indeed shall have the explication of; but if God afford me time for it,* I will set about writing it after I have finished the present work. I shall now betake myself to the history before me, after 1 have first mentioned what Moses says of the creation of the world, which I find described in the sacred books, after the manner following:

* As to this intended work of Josephus's concerning the reasons of many of the Jewish laws, and what philosophical or allegorical sense they would bear; the loss of which work is by some of the learned not much regretted ; I am inclinable, in part, to Fabricius's opinion, ap. Havercamp, page 63, 64, that "We need not doubt but, among some vain and frigid conjectures derived from Jewish imaginations, Josephus would have taught us a great number of excellent and useful things; which perhaps, nobody, neither among the Jews, nor among the Christians, can now inform us of."

ANTIQUITIES

OF

THE JEWS.

BOOK I.

I

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Containing an interval of 3833 Years from the Creation to the Death of Isaac.

CHAP. I.

OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE WORLD AND THE DISPOSITION OF THE ELEMENTS.

N the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. But when the earth did not come into sight, but was covered with thick darkness, and a wind moved upon its surface, God commanded that there should be light, and when that was made, he considered the whole mass, and separated the light and the darkness; and the name he gave to one was night, and the other he called day; and he named the beginning of light, and the time of rest, the evening and the morning. And this was indeed the first day. But Moses said it was one day, the cause of which I am able to give even now; but because I have promised to give such reasons for all things in a treatise by itself, I shall put off its exposition till that time. After this, on the second day, he placed the heaven over the whole world, and separated it from the other parts: and he determined it should stand by itself. He also placed a crystalline firmament round *Note, that this and the other titles of chapters are wanting in the best MSS.

† See Gen. 1. 1. et sequel.

One is put for the first, not only here in the Hebrew and Numb. xxix. 1. Dan. ix. 1. but elsewhere in Josephus,

VOL. I.NO. I,

it; and put it together in a manner agreeable to the earth: and fitted it for giving moisture and rain, and for affording the advantage of dews. On the third day he appointed the dry land to appear, with the sea round about it; and on the same day he made the plants and the seeds to spring out of the earth. On the fourth day he adorned the heaven with the sun, the moon, and the stars, and appointed them their motions and courses, that the vicissitudes of the seasons might be clearly signified. And on the fifth day he produced the living creatures, both those that swim, and those that fly: the former in the sea, the latter in the air. He also sorted them as to society, and that their kinds might increase and multiply. On the sixth day he created the four-footed beasts, and made them male and female. On the same day he also formed man. Accordingly Moses, says, that in six days the world, and all that is therein, was made; and that the seventh day was a rest, and a release from the labour of such operations, whence it is that we celebrate a rest from our labours on that day, and call it the Sabbath, which word denotes rest in the Hebrew tongue.

VIII. 5. XVIII. 4. and in the Greek, Matt. xxviu. 1. John XX. 19. 1. 1 Cor. xvi. 2. as Ainsworth observes on this text. It is also in Philo, and among the Egyptians and Chaldeans, and even in Diodorus Siculus.

Moreover Moses, after the seventh day was over, begins to talk philosophically;* and concerning the formation of man says thus: that God took dust from the ground,† and formed man, and inserted in him a spirit and a soul. This man was called Adam, which in the Hebrew tongue signified one that is red, because he was formed out of red earth compounded together, for of that kind is virgin and true earth. God also presented the living creatures, when he had made them, according to their kinds, both male and female, to Adam, and gave them those names by which they are still called. But when he saw that Adam had no female companion, no society, for there was no such created, and that he wondered at the other animals which were male and female, he laid him asleep, and took away one of his ribs, and out of it formed the woman; whereupon Adam knew her when she was brought to him, and acknowledged that she was made out of himself. Now a woman is called in the Hebrew tongue Issa: but the name of this woman was Eve, which signifies the mother of all living.

* Since Josephus, in his preface, says, that Moses wrote some things enigmatically, some allegorically, and the rest in plain words; since in his account of the first chapter of Genesis, and the three first verses of the second, he gives us no hints of any mystery at all; but when he comes to ver. 4. &c. he says, that Moses, after the seventh day was over, began to talk philosophically, it is not improbable that he understood the rest of the second and the third chapters in some enigmatical, allegorical, or philosophical sense. The change of the name of God just at this place from Elohim to Jehovah Elohim, from God to Lord God, in the Hebrew, Samaritan, and Septuagint, also seems to favour some such change in the narration or construction.

† Gen. ii. 7.

Josephus supposed man to be compounded of Spirit, soul, and body, with St. Paul, 1 Thess. v. 23, and the rest of the ancients. He elsewhere says also, that the blood of animals was forbidden to be eaten, as having in it soul and spirit.

§ Gen. ii. 22.

The place wherein the country of Eden, as mentioned by Moses, seems most like to be situated, is Chaldea, not far from the banks of the Euphrates. To this purpose, when we find Rabshekah vaunting his master's actions, have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed, as Gazan and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden, which were in Telassar? As Telassar, in general, signifies any garrison or fortification, so here, more particularly, it denotes that strong fort which the children of Eden built in an island of the Euphrates, towards the west of Babylon, as a barrier against the incursions of the Assyrians on that side. And therefore, in all probability the country of Eden lay on the west side,

Moses says farther, that God planted a paradise in the east, flourishing with all sorts of trees, and that among them was the tree of life, and another of knowledge, whereby was to be known what was good and evil; and that when he had brought Adam and his wife into this garden, he commanded them to take care of the plants.|| Now the garden was watered by one river,** which ran round about the whole earth, and was parted into four parts. Phison, which denotes a multitude, running into India, makes its exit into the sea, and is by the Greeks called Ganges. Euphrates also, as well as Tigris, goes down into the Red Sea,tt Now the name Euphrates, or Phrath, denotes either a dispersion or a flower; by Tigris, or Diglath, is signified what is swift, with narrowness; and Geon runs through Egypt, and denotes what arises from the East, which the Greeks call Nile.

God therefore commanded that Adam and his wife should eat of all the rest of the plants, but to abstain from the tree of knowledge, and foretold to them, that if they touched it, it would prove their destruction. But while all or rather on both sides the Euphrates, after its conjunction with the Tigris, a little below the place where, in process of time, the famous city of Babylon came to be built. Thus we have found out a country called Eden, which for its pleasure and fruitfulness, as all authors agree, answers the character which Moses gives of it. Herodotus, who was an eye witness of it, tells us, that where Euphrates runs out into Tigris, not far from the place where Ninus is seated, that region is, of all that ever he saw, the most excellent so fruitful in bringing forth corn, : that it yields two hundred fold; and so plenteous in grass, that the people are forced to drive their cattle from pasture, lest they should surfeit themselves. B.

** Whence this strange notion came, which is not peculiar to Josephus, but Dr. Hudson says, is derived from elder authors; as if four of the greatest rivers in the world, running two of them at vast distances from the other two, by some means or other watered Paradise, is hard to say. Only, since Josephus has already appeared to allegorize this history, and takes notice that these four names had a particular signification: Phison for Ganges, a multitude; Phrath for Euphrates, either a dispersion or a flower; Diglath for Tigris, what is swift with narrowness; and Geon for Nile, what arises from the east; we perhaps mistake him when we suppose he literally means those four rivers, especially as to Geon, or Nile, which arises from the east; while he very well knew the literal Nile arises from the south; though what farther allegorical sense he had in view is now, I fear, impossible to be determined.

†† By the Red Sea is not here meant the Arabian Gulf, which alone we now call by that name, but all that South Sea which included the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, as far as the East Indies; as Reland and Hudson truly note from the old geographers.

the living creatures had one language* at that time, the serpent, which then lived together with Adam and his wife, shewed an envious disposition at his supposal of their living happily, and in obedience to the commands of God; and imagining that when they disobeyed they would fall into calamities, he persuaded the woman, out of a malicious intention, to taste of the tree of knowledge, telling them, that in that tree was the knowledge of good and evil, which knowledge when they should obtain they would lead a happy life: nay, a life not inferior to that of a god; by which means he overcame the woman, and persuaded her to despise the command of God. Now, when she had tasted of that tree, and was pleased with its fruit, she persuaded Adam to make use of it also. Upon this they perceived that they were become naked‡ to one another; and being ashamed thus to appear abroad, they invented somewhat to cover them, for the fruit sharpened their understanding; and they covered themselves with fig-leaves, and tying these before them, out of modesty, they thought they were happier than they were before, as they had discovered what they were in want of. But when God came into the garden,|| Adam, who was wont before to come and converse with him, being conscious of his wicked behaviour, went out of the way. This behaviour surprised God: and he asked what was the cause of his procedure; and why he, that before delighted in that conversation, did now fly from, and avoid it? When he made no reply, as conscious to himself that he had transgressed the command of God, God said

* Hence it appears, that Josephus thought several at least of the brute animals, particularly the serpent, could speak before the fall: and I think few of the more perfect kinds of those animals want the organs of speech at this day. Many inducements there are also to a notion, that the present state they are in is not their original state, and that their capacities have been once much greater than we now see them.

† Gen. iii. 5.

Those who take the word naked in a literal sense, suppose that upon the fall, the air, and other elements, immediately became intemperate and disorderly; so that our first parents soon knew, or felt, that they were naked, because the sun scorched them, they became wet with the rain and the cold pierced them. Others take the expression in a figurative sense, to denote the commission of such sins as man in his senses may well be ashamed of. To this purpose they have observed, that when Moses returned from the Mount, and found that the people had

"I had before determined about you both, how you might lead a happy life, without any affliction, care, or vexation of soul; and that all things which might contribute to your enjoyment and pleasure should grow up by my providence, of their own accord, without your labour and pains taking: which state of labour would soon bring on old age, and death would not be at any remote distance. But now thou hast abused my good-will, and hast disobeyed my commands; for thy silence is not the sign of thy virtue, but of thy evil conscience." However, Adam excused his sin, and intreated God not to be angry with him; and laid the blame of what was done upon his wife, and said, that he was deceived by her, and thence became an offender; while she again accused the serpent. But God allotted him punishment, because he weakly submitted to the counsel of his wife; and said, the ground should not henceforth yield its fruits of its own accord, but that when it should be harassed by their labour, it would bring forth some of its fruits, and refuse to bring forth others. He also made Eve liable to the inconveniency of breeding, and the sharp pains of bringing forth children; and this because she persuaded Adam with the same arguments wherewith the serpent had persuaded her, and had thereby brought him into a calamitous condition. He also deprived the serpent of speech, out of indignation at his malicious disposition towards Adam. Besides this, he inserted poison under his tongue, and made him an enemy to men; and suggested to them that they should direct their strokes against his head, that being the place wherein lay his mischievmade and consecrated a golden image, the expression in scripture is, the people were naked, they were become vile and reprobate sinners, (for so the word youvos signifies in the New Testament, Rev. xvi. 15,) for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame, among their enemies, Exod. xxxii. 25. See Nicholl's conference, vol. I. B.

Our first parents were conscious of the approach of God to them in the garden by the voice which they heard as usual from the divine presence. The word voice may be rendered noise; and since God's usual way of notifying his presence afterwards was either by a still small voice, or noise, 1 Kings xix. 12. or by a noise like that of great waters, Ezek. i. 24, or like the rustling of wind in the trees, 2 Sam. v. 24. we may reasonably suppose, that it was either a soft gentle noise, like a breeze of wind among the trees of Paradise, or a louder one like the murmuring of some large river, which gave Adam notice of God's approach. B.

ous designs towards men, and it being easiest to take vengeance of him that way; and when he had deprived him of the use of his feet, he made him to go rolling along, and dragging himself upon the ground; and when God had appointed these penalties for them, he removed Adam and Eve out of the garden* into another place.

CHAP. II.

OF THE POSTERITY OF ADAM, AND THE TEN GENERATIONS FROM HIM TO THE DELUGE.

A

DAM and Eve had two sons,† the elder of them was named Cain, which name, when interpreted, signifies a possession. The younger was Abel, which signifies sorrow. They also had daughters. Now the two brethren were pleased with different courses of life for Abel the brother was a lover of righteousness, and believing that God was present at all his actions, he excelled in virtue, and his employment was that of a shepherd. But Cain was not only very wicked in other respects, but was wholly intent upon getting, and he first contrived to plough the ground. He slew his brother on the following occasion:-they had resolved to sacrifice to God; now Cain brought the fruits of the earth, and of his husbandry: but Abel brought milk,|| and the first fruits of his flocks. But God was more delighted with the latter oblation, when he was honoured with what grew naturally of its own accord, than he was with what was the invention of a covetous man, and gotten by forcing the ground. Cain, therefore, was very angry that Abel was preferred by God before him, and he slew his brother, and

*Gen. iii. 23.

† Gen. iv. et sequel.

St. John's account of the reason why God accepted the sacrifice of Abel, and rejected that of Cain; as also why Cain slew Abel, on account of his acceptance with God, is much better than this of Josephus; I mean, because "Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous." 1 John iii. 22. Josephus's reasons seems to be no better than a Pharisaical notion or tradition.

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hid his dead body, thinking to escape discovery. But God knowing what had been done, came to Cain and asked him, What was become of his brother? because he had not seen him many days, whereas he used to observe them conversing together at other times. But Cain was in doubt with himself, and knew not what answer to give to God. At first he said, that he was himself at a loss about his brother's disappearing; but when he was provoked by God, who pressed him vehemently, as resolving to know what the matter was, he replied, "He was not his brother's guardian or keeper, nor was he an observer of what he did." But in return God convicted Cain, as having been the murderer of his brother, and said, "I wonder at thee, that thou knowest not what is become of a man whom thou thyself has destroyed." God however did not inflict the punishment of death upon him, on account of his offering sacrifice, and thereby making supplication to him not to be extreme in his wrath to him: but he made him accursed and threatened his posterity in the seventh generation. He also cast him, together with his wife, out of that land; and when he was afraid, that in wandering about he should fall among wild beasts, and by that means perish, God told him not to entertain such a melancholy suspicion,|| but to go over all the earth without fear of what mischief he might suffer from wild beasts; and setting a mark upon him that he might be known, he commanded him to depart.§

When Cain had travelled over many countries, he, with his wife, built a city, named Nod,** which is a place so called, and there by way of interrogation, is my iniquity too great to be forgiven? A learned annotator has observed that as there are seven abominations in the heart of him that loveth not his brother, Prov. xxvi. 25. there were the like number of transgressions in Cain's conduct. 1. He sacrificed without faith. 2. He was displeased that God respected him. not. 3. He hearkened not to God's admonition. 4. He spake dissemblingly to his brother. 5. He killed him in the field. 6. He denied that he knew where he was. 7. He neither hoped or asked for mercy from God, but despaired, and so fell into the condemnation of the devil. Ainsworth's Annot. B.

§ Of this punishment of Cain in the seventh generation, and of the punishment of Lamech in the seventy-seventh generation, as also of the mark set upon Cain and his posterity, see Literal Accomplishment of Scripture Prophecies, Supplement at large, page 106-154,

** Gen. iv. 16.

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