it might not fall out of its place: there was also a girdle sewed to the breast-plate, which was of the aforementioned colours, intermixed with gold: which, when it had gone once round, was tied again upon the seam, and hung down: there were likewise golden loops, that admitted its fringes at each extremity of the girdle, and included them entirely. also made with sleeves, and appeared like a || was for the security of the breast-plate, that short coat; but in the void place of this garment was inserted a piece of the bigness of a span, embroidered with gold, and the other colours of the ephod; it is called essen, or the breast-plate, which in the Greek language signifies the oracle. This piece exactly filled up the void space in the ephod, and was united to it by golden rings at every corner; and a blue riband was made use of to tie them together by those rings; and, that the intermediate space might not appear empty, they contrived to fill it up with stitches of blue ribands. There were also two sardonyxes upon the ephod, at the shoulders, to fasten it in the nature of buttons, having each end running to the sardonyxes of gold, that they might be buttoned by them. On these were engraven the names of the sons of Jacob, in Hebrew characters, six on each of the stones, on either side; and the elder sons' names were on the right shoulder: twelve stones also were upon the breast-plate, of extraordinary size and beauty; and they were ornaments not to be purchased by men, because of their immense value. These stones however stood in three rows, by four in a row, being set in ouches of gold, and inserted in the breast-plate; so that they might not fall out. The first three stones were, a sardonyx, a topaz, and an emerald; the second row contained a carbuncle, a jasper, and a sapphire; the first of the third row was a ligure, then an amethyst, and the third an agate, being the ninth of the whole number; the first of the fourth row was a chrysolite, the next was an onyx, and then a beryl, which was the last of all. Now the names of all those sons of Jacob were engraven in these stones, whom we esteem the heads of our tribes; each stone having the honour of a name, in the order according to which they were born; and whereas the rings were too weak for themselves, to bear the weight of the stones, they made two other rings of a larger size, at the edge of that part of the breast-plate, which reached to the neck: and inserted it into the very texture of the breastplate, to receive chains finely wrought, which connected them with golden bands to the tops of the shoulders, whose extremity turned backwards and went into the ring, on the prominent back part of the ephod. And this The high-priest's mitre was the same as we described before, and was wrought like that. of all the other priests: above which there was another, with swaths of blue embroidered, and round it was a golden crown of three rows, one above another: out of which arose a cup of gold, resembling the herb which we call saccharus, but those Greeks that are skilful in botany call it hyoscyamus. Now lest any one that has seen this herb, but has not been taught its name, and is unacquainted with its nature; or having known its name, knows not the herb when he sees it, I shall give a description of it. This herb is often in tallness above three spans: its root is like that of a turnip; but its leaves are like the leaves of mint: its branches send out a calyx, cleaving to the branch: and a coat encompasses it, which it naturally puts off when it is changing, in order to produce its fruit: this calyx is of the bigness of the bone of the little finger, but in the compass of its aperture is like a cup. To render this more plain: suppose a sphere be divided into two parts, round at the bottom, but having another segment, that grows up to a circumference from that bottom: suppose it to become narrower by degrees; and that the cavity of that part grow decently smaller, and then gradually grow wider again at the brim; such as we see in the navel of a pomegranate, with its notches. And indeed such a coat grows over this plant, as renders it an hemisphere, and that, as one may say, turned accurately in a lathe, and having its notches extant above it; which, as I said, grow like a pomegranate, only thatthey are sharp, and end in nothing but prickles. Now the fruit is preserved by this coat of the calyx, which fruit is like the seed of the herb sideritis; it sends out a flower, that may seem to resemble that of poppy. Of this was a crown made, as far as from the hinder part of the head, to each of the temples: but this ephielis, for so this calyx may be called, did not cover the forehead; but was covered with a* golden plate, which had inscribed upon it the name of God, in sacred characters: and such were the ornaments of the highpriest. Now here one may wonder at the ill will which men bear to us, and which they profess to be on account of our despising that Deity which they pretend to honour; for if any one do but consider the fabric of the tabernacle, and take a view of the garments of the high-priest, and of those vessels which we make use of in our sacred ministration, he will find that our legislator was a divine man, and that we are unjustly reproached by others; for if any one, without prejudice, and with judgment, look upon these things, he will find they were every one made in imitation and representation of the universe; for when Moses distinguished the tabernacle into three parts,† and allowed two of them to the priests, as a place accessible and common, he denoted the land and the sea, for these are accessible to all; but when he set apart the third division for God, it was because heaven is inaccessible to men. When he ordered twelve loaves to be set on the table, he denoted the year, as distinguished into so many months. When he made the candlestick of seventy parts, he secretly intimated the decani,‡ or seventy divisions of the planets: and as to the seven lamps upon the candlesticks, they referred to the course of the planets, of which that is the number; and for the veils, which were composed of four things, they declared the four elements, for the fine linen was pro *The reader ought to take notice, that the very Mosaic wraλov, or golden plate, for the forehead of the Jewish high-priest, was itself preserved, not only till the days of Josephus, but of Origen; and that its inscription, Holiness to the Lord, was in the Samaritan characters. See Antiq. VIII. 3, and Reland, De Spol. Templi, page 132, 133. When Josephus, both here and chap. 6, supposes the tabernacle to have been divided into three parts, he seems to esteem the bare entrance to be a third division, distinct from the holy, and the most holy places: and this the rather, because in the temple afterward there was a distinct third part, which was called the porch. Otherwise Josephus would contradict his own description of the tabernacle, which gives us a particular account of no more than two parts. These Decani, or seven times ten parts for the planets, are described in Julius Firmnicus Maturnus; to whom the reader is referred. This explication of the mystical meaning of the Jew per to signify the earth, because the flax grows out of the earth; the purple signified the sea, because that colour is dyed by the blood of a shell-fish; the blue is fit to signify the air; and the scarlet will naturally be an indication of fire. Now the vestment of the high-priest being made of linen, signified the earth; the blue denoted the sky, being like lightning in its pomegranates, and in the noise of its bells resembling thunder; and the ephod shewed that God had made the universe of four elements; and as for the gold interwoven, I suppose it related to the splendour by which all things are enlightened. He also appointed the breast-plate to be placed in the middle of the ephod, to resemble the earth, for that has the very middle place in the world; and the girdle which encompassed the high-priest round, signified the ocean, which goes round about, and includes the universe. Each of the sardonyxes declares to us the sun and the moon; those I mean that were in the nature of buttons on the highpriests' shoulders. And for the twelve stones, whether we understand by them the months, or the like number of the signs of that circle which the Greeks call the Zodiac, we shall not be mistaken in their meaning. The mitre, which was of a blue colour, seems to me to denote heaven; for how otherwise could the name of God be inscribed upon it? It was also illustrated with a crown of gold, because of that splendour with which God is pleased. Let this explication|| suffice at present, since the course of my narration will, on many occasions, afford an opportunity of enlarging on the virtue of our legislator. ish tabernacle, and its vessels, with the garments of the high-priest, is taken out of Philo, and adapted to Gentile philosophical notions. This may possibly be forgiven in Jews greatly versed in heathen learning and philosophy, as Philo had ever been, and as Josephus had long been when he wrote these Antiquities. In the mean time it is not to be doubted but in their education they must have both learned more Jewish interpretations, such I mean as we meet with in the epistle of Barnabas, in that to the Hebrews, and elsewhere among the old Jews. Accordingly, when Josephus wrote his books of the Jewish War, for the use of the Jews, at which time he was comparatively young, and less used to Gentile books, we find one specimen of such a Jewish interpretation: for there, VII. 5, he makes the seven branches of the temple candlesticks, with their seven lamps, an emblem of the seven days of creation and rest, which are here emblems of the seven planets; nor ought ancient Jewish emblems to be explained any otherwise than according to ancient Jewish, and not Gentile, notions. See of the War, I. 33. CHAP. VIII. OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF AARON. W brought 66 HEN what has been described was brought to a conclusion, gifts not being yet presented, God appeared to Moses, and enjoined him to bestow the high-priesthood upon Aaron* his brother; as upon him that best deserved to obtain that honour, on account of his virtue; and when he had gathered the multitude together, he gave them an account of Aaron's virtue, and of his good will to them, and of the dangers he had undergone for their sakes, upon which, when they had given testimony to them in all respects, and shewed their readiness to receive him, Moses said to them, "O ye Israelites, this work is already brought to a conclusion, in a manner most acceptable to God, and according to our abilities: and now, since you see that he is received into this tabernacle, we shall first of all stand in need of one that may officiate for us, and may minister to the sacrifices, and to the prayers that are to be put up for us. And, indeed, had the enquiry after such a person been left to me, I should have thought myself worthy of this honour, both because all men are naturally fond of themselves, and because I am conscious to myself that I have taken a great deal of pains for your deliverance: but now God himself has determined that Aaron is worthy of this honour, and has chosen him for his priest, as knowing him to be the most righteous person among you: so that he is to put on the vestments which are consecrated to God; he is to have the care of the altars, and to make provision for the sacrifices; and he it is that must put up prayers for you to God, who will readily hear them, not only because he is himself solicitous for your nation, but also *Exod. xxviii. 1. It is worthy observation, that the two principal qualifications here required for the constitution of the first highpriest, viz. that he should have an excellent character for virtuous and good actions, as also that he should have the approbation of the people, are here noted by Josephus, even where the nomination belonged to God himself, which are the very same qualifications which the Christian religion requires in the choice of Christian bishops, priests, and deacons, as the Apostolical Constitution informs us, II. 3, VIII. Nor is it unworthy of our notice, that Philo's peculiar word here cited, apisívdny, that the governor was to be of a most excellent character, is also the pecuhar because he will receive them as offered by one that he hath himself chosen to this office." The Hebrews were pleased with what was said, and they gave their approbation to him whom God had ordained; for Aaron was the most deserving of this honour, on account of his own gift of prophecy, and his brother's virtue. He had at that time four sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Now Moses commanded them to make use of all the utensils which were more than were necessary to the structure of the tabernacle, for covering the tabernacle itself, the candlestick, and altar of incense, and the other vessels, that they might not be at all hurt when they journeyed, either by the rain, or by the rising of the dust; and when he had gathered in the multitude together again, he ordained that they should offer half a shekel for every man as an oblation to God, which shekel is a Hebrew coin, and is equal to four Athenian drachmæ; whereupon they readily obeyed what Moses had commanded, and the number of offers was six hundred and five thousand, five hundred and fifty. Now this money, that was brought by the men that were free, was given by such as were above twenty years old, but under fifty; and what was collected was spent in the uses of the tabernacle. Moses now purified the tabernacle and the priest, which purification was performed after the following manner. He commanded them to take five hundred shekels of choice myrrh; an equal quantity of cassia, and half the foregoing weight of cinnamon, and a sort of sweet spice, called calamus; to beat them small, and wet them with a hin|| of olive oil; to mix them together, and boil them, and prepare them after the art of the apothecary, and make them into a very sweet ointment; and afterward to take it to anoint and purify the priests themselves, and all the tabernacle, as word of the Apostolical Constitutions on this occasion, VIII. 4. This weight and value of the Jewish shekel, in the days of Josephus, equal to about 2s. 10d. sterling, is by the learned Jews owned to be one fifth larger than their old shekels, which determination agrees perfectly with the remaining shekels that have Samaritan inscriptions, coined generally by Simon the Maccabee, about 230 years before Josephus published his Antiquities, which never weighed more than 2s. 44d. and commonly but 2s. 44d. See Reland, De Nummis Samaritanorum, p. 188. This hin is a Hebrew measure, and contains two Athenian choas, or corgiuses.. also the sacrifices. There were also many and various kinds of sweet spices that belonged to the tabernacle, and such as were very costly, and were brought to the golden altar of incense, whose nature I do not now describe, lest it should be troublesome to my readers. But incense* was to be offered twice a day, both before sun-rising, and sunsetting. They were also to keep oil ready purified for the lamps, threet of which were to give light all day long upon the sacred candlestick before God, and the rest were to be lighted at the evening. When all was finished, Besaleel and Aholiab appeared to be the most skilful of the workmen; for they invented finer works than what others had done before them, and were of great abilities to gain notions of what they were formerly ignorant of: and of these Besaleel was judged to be the best. Now the whole time they were about this work was seven months, and after this ended the first year since their departure out of Egypt. But at the beginning of the second year, in the month Xanthicus, as the Macedonians call it, but in the month Nisan, as the Hebrews call it, on the new moon, they consecrated the tabernacle, and all its vessels which I have already described. God shewed himself pleased with the work of the Hebrews, and did not permit their labours to be in vain; nor did he disdain to use what they had made; but he came and sojourned with them, and pitched his tabernacle in the holy house. And in the following manner did he come to it: the sky was clear, but there was a mist over the tabernacle only, encompassing it, but not with such a very deep and thick cloud as is seen in the winter season, nor yet in so thin an one as men might be able to discern any thing through it; but from it there dropped a sweet dew, which shewed the presence of God to those that desired and believed it. When Moses had bestowed such honorary presents on the workmen as it was fit they should receive who had wrought so well, he offered sacrifices in the open court of the *The incense was here offered, according to Josephus's opinion, before sun-rising, and at sun-setting; but, in the days of Pompey, according to the same Josephus, the sacrifices were offered in the morning, and at the ninth bour. XIV. 4. tabernacle, as God commanded him; a bull, a ram, and a kid of the goats, for a sin offering. Now I shall speak of what we do in our sacred offices in my discourse about sacrifices, and therein shall inform men in what cases Moses bid us offer whole burnt offerings, and in what cases the law permits us to partake of them as food. And when Moses had sprinkled Aaron's vestments, himself, and his sons, with the blood of the beasts that were slain, and had purified them with spring water and ointment, they became God's priests. After this manner did he consecrate them, and their garments, for seven days together. The same he did to the tabernacle, and the vessels thereto belonging, both with oil first incensed, as I said, and with the blood of bulls, and of rams, slain day by day one, according to its kind. But on the eighth day, he appointed a feast for the people, and commanded them to offer sacrifice according to their ability. Accordingly they contended one with another, and were ambitious to exceed each other in the sacrifices which they brought, and so fulfilled Moses's injunctions. But as the sacrifices lay upon the altar, a sudden fire was kindled from among them of its own accord; and appeared to the sight like fire from a flash of lightning, and consumed whatsoever was upon the altar. Hereupon an affliction befel Aaron, considered as a man and a father; but he supported it with true fortitude, for he had, indeed, a firmness of soul in such accidents; and he thought this calamity came upon him according to God's will; for whereas he had four sons, as I said before, the two elder of them, Nadab and Abihu, did not bring those sacrifices which Moses bade them bring, but which they used to offer formerly, and were burnt to death. Now when the fire rushed upon them, and began to burn them, nobody could quench it, accordingly they died in this manner: and Moses bid their father and their brethren to take up their bodies, to carry them out of the camp, and to bury them magnificently. Now the multitude lamented them, and were deeply affected at this death, which Hence we may correct the opinion of the modern Rabbins, who say that only one of the seven lamps burned in the day time, when Josephus, an eye witness, says there were three. An. 1531, so unexpectedly befel them; but Moses intreated their brethren and their father not to be troubled for them; to prefer their honour of God before their grief about them; for Aaron had already put on his sacred garments. Moses refused all that honour which he saw the multitude ready to bestow upon him, and attended to nothing but the service of God. He went no more up to mount Sinai; but he went into the tabernacle, and brought back answers from God to what he prayed for. His habit was also that of a private man; and in all other circumstances he behaved himself like one of the common people, and was desirous to appear without distinguishing himself from the multitude, but would have it known that he did nothing but to take care of them. He also set down in writing the form of their government, and those laws, by * These answers by the oracle of Urim and Thummim, which words signify light and perfection, or, as the LXXII. renders them, Ańλwois xai Aλa, revelation and truth; and denote, nothing farther, that I see, but the shining stones themselves, which were used in this method of illumination, in revealing the will of God, after a perfect and true manner, to his people Israel: I say, these answers were not made by the shining of the precious stones, after an awkward manner, in the high-priest's breast-plate, as the modern Rabbins vainly suppose, and as the learned interpret Philo and Josephus, but without any sufficient foundation, so far as I see; for certainly the shining of the stones might precede or accompany the oracle, without itself delivering that oracle; see Antiq. VI. 6; but rather by an audible voice from the mercy-seat, between the cherubim. See Prid. Connect. at the year 534, at large. This oracle had been silent, as Josephus here informs us, 200 years before he wrote his Antiquities, or ever since the days of John Hyrcanus, the last good high-priest of the family of the Maccabees. Now it is worth our observation, that the oracle before us, was that by which God appeared to be present with, and gave directions to his people Israel, as their king, all the while they submitted to him in that capacity, and did not set over them such independent kings as governed according to their own wills and political maxims, instead of divine directions; accordingly we met with this oracle, besides angelic, and prophetic admonitions all along, from the days of Moses and Joshua to the anointing of Saul, the first of the succession of kings. Numb. xxvii. 21, Judg. i. 1, xviii. 5, 6, xx. 18, 23, 26, 27, 1 Sam. i. 14, iii. per tot. iv. per tot. Nay, till Saul's rejection of the divine commands in the war with Amalek, when he took upon him to act as he thought fit himself, 1 Sam. xiv. 18, 19, 36, 37. Then this oracle left Saul entirely, (which indeed he had seldom consulted before; see 1 Sam. xvi. 35, 1. Chron. xiii. 3, Joseph. Antiq. VII. 4,) and accompanied David, who was anointed to succeed him, and who consulted God by it frequently, and complied with its directions constantly. See 1 Sam. xxii. 13, 15, xxiii. 9, 10, xxx. 7, 8, 2 Sam. ii. 1, v. 19, 23, xxi. 1, 1 Chron, xiv. 10, 14, Joseph. Antiq. VI. 12, VII. VOL. I.-No. 3. obedience to which they would lead their lives so as to please God, and so as to have no quarrels one among another. However, the laws he ordained were such as God suggested to him; so I shall now discourse concerning that form of government and those laws. I will now treat of what I before omitted, the garment of the high-priest: for Moses left no room for the evil practices of false prophets; but, if some of that sort should attempt to abuse the Divine authority, he left it to God to be present at his sacrifices when he pleased, and when he pleased to be absent. And he was willing this should be known not to the Hebrews only, but to those foreigners also who were there. For as to those sardonyxes* which the high-priest bare on his shoulders, the one of them shined out when 4. Saul, indeed, long after his rejection by God, and when God had given him up to destruction for his disobedience, did once afterwards endeavour to consult God when it was too late; but God would not then answer him, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets; 1 Sam. xxvii. 6. Nor did any of David's successors, the kings of Judah, that we know of, consult God by this oracle till the Babylonish captivity, when those kings were at an end, they taking upon them, I suppose, too much of despotic power and royalty, and too little owning the God of Israel for the supreme King of Israel, though a few of them consulted the prophets sometimes, and were answered by them. At the return of the two tribes, with out the return of the kingly government, the restoration of this oracle was expected: Neh. vii. 65, 1 Esd. v. 40, 1 Mac. iv. 46, and indeed it may seem to have been restored for some time after the Babylonish captivity, at least in the days of that excellent high-priest, John Hyr canus, whom Josephus esteemed as a king, a priest, and a prophet, and who, he says, foretold several things that came to pass accordingly; but about the time of his death, he here implies, that this oracle quite ceased, and not before, the following high-priests, now putting diadems on their heads, and ruling according to their own will, and by their own authority, like the other kings of the pagan countries about them, so that while the God of Israel was allowed to be the supreme King of Israel, and his directions to be their authentic guides, God gave them such directions as their supreme king and governor, and they were properly under a theocracy, this oracle of Urim, but no longer; see Dr. Bernard's notes here; though I confess I cannot but esteem the high-priest Jaddus's divine dream, Antiq. XI. 8, and the high-priest Caiaphas's most remarkable prophecy, John xi. 47-52, as two small remains, or specimens, of this ancient oracle, which properly belonged to the Jewish priests; nor, perhaps, ought we entirely to forget that eminent prophetic dream of our Josephus himself, (one next to the high-priest, as of the family of the Asmoneans or Maccabees, by his mother's side, and by his father of the first of the twenty-four classes of the priests,) as to the succession of Vespasian Cc |