 Preface of the Antiquities of the Jews, Volume 1. This is the LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The Antiquities of the Jews, Volume 1, by Flavius Josephus, translated by William Wisty. Those who undertake to write histories do not hyper-seize, take that trouble on one and the same account, but for many reasons, and those such as are very different one from another. For some of them apply themselves to this part of learning to show their skill and composition, and that they may therein acquire reputation for speaking finely. Others of them there are who write histories in order to gratify those that happen to be concerned in them, and on that account has spared no pains, but rather gone beyond their own abilities in the performance. But others there are who are often necessitated by force aren't driven to write history, because they are concerned in the facts, and so cannot excuse themselves from committing them to writing, for the advantage of posterity. Nay, there are not a few who are induced to draw their historical facts out of darkness into light, and to produce them for the benefit of the public on account of the great importance of the facts themselves, with which they have been concerned. Now these several reasons for writing history, I must profess that two last were my own reasons also, for since I was myself interested in that war which we Jews had with the Romans, and knew myself its particular actions, and what conclusion it had, I was forced to give the history of it, because I saw that others perverted the truth of those actions in their writing. Now I have undertaken the present work as thinking it will appear to all the Greeks worthy of their studying, for it will contain all our antiquities and the constitution of our government, as interpreted out of the Hebrew scriptures, and indeed I did formally intend, when I wrote of the war, to explain who the Jews originally were, what fortunes they had been subject to, and by what legislature they had been instructed in piety and the exercise of other virtues, what wars also they had made in remote ages, till they were unwillingly engaged in this last with the Romans, but because this work would take up a great compass, I separated it into a set treatise by itself, with the beginning of its own, and its own conclusion, but in process of time, as usually happens to such as undertake great things, I grew weary and went on slowly, it being a large subject, and a difficult thing to translate our history into a foreign, and to us on a custom language. However, some persons there were who desired to know our history, and so exhorted me to go on with it, and above all the rest, Epaphroditus, a man who is a lover of all kind of learning, but is principally delighted with the knowledge of history, and this on account of his having been himself concerned in great affairs, and many terms of fortune, and having shown a wonderful rigour of an excellent nature, and an immovable virtuous resolution in them all. I yearned it to this man's persuasions, who always excites such as have abilities in what is useful and acceptable to join their endeavours with his. I was also ashamed myself to permit any laziness of disposition to have a greater influence upon me, than the delight of taking pains in such studies as were very useful. I thereupon stirred up myself, and went on with my work more chiefly. Besides the foregoing motives, I had others which I greatly reflected on, and these were that our forefathers were willing to communicate such things to others, and that some of the Greeks took considerable pains to know the affairs of our nation. I found therefore that the second of the Ptolemies was a king, who was extraordinarily diligent in what concerned learning, and the collection of books, that he was also peculiarly ambitious to procure a translation of our law, and of the constitution of our government therein contained into the Greek Torah. Now Ilezar, the high priest, one not inferior to any other of that dignity among us, did not envy the forenamed king the participation of that advantage, which otherwise he would for certain have denied him, but that he knew the custom of our nation was to hinder nothing of what we esteemed ourselves from being communicated to others. Accordingly, I thought it became me both to imitate the generosity of our high priest, and to suppose that there might even now be many lovers of Leninlil the King, for he did not obtain all our writings at that time, but those who were sent to Alexandria as interpreters gave him one of the books of the law, while there were a vast number of other matters in our sacred books. They indeed contained in them the history of five thousand years in which time happened many strange accidents, many chances of war, and great actions of the commanders, and mutations of the form of our government. Upon the whole, a man that will peruse this history may principle learn from it that all events succeed well, even to an incredible degree, and the reward of felicities proposed by God. But then it is to those that follow his will and do not venture to break his excellent laws, and that so far as men anyway apostatize from the accurate observation of them what was practical before becomes impracticable, and whatsoever they set about as a good thing is converted into an incurable calamity. And now I exhort all those that peruse these books to apply their minds to God, and to examine the mind of our legislator, whether he hath not understood his nature in a manner worthy of him, and hath not ever ascribed to him such operations as become his power, and hath not preserved his writings from those indecent fables which others have framed, although by the great distance of time when he lived, might have securely forged such lies. For lived two thousand years ago, at which vast distance of ages, the poets themselves have not been so hardy as to fix even the generations of their gods, much less the actions of their men or their own laws. As I proceed, therefore, I shall accurately describe what is contained in our records in the order of time that belongs to them, for I have already promised so to do throughout this undertaking, and this without adding anything to what is therein contained, or taking away anything therefrom. But because almost all our constitution depends on the wisdom of Moses, our legislator, I cannot avoid seeing somewhat concern in him beforehand, though I shall do it briefly. I mean, because otherwise those that read my book may wonder how it comes to pass that my discourse, which promises an account of laws and historical facts, contains so much of philosophy. The readers therefore to know that Moses deemed exceeding necessary that he who would conduct his own life well and give laws to others in the first place should consider the divine nature, and upon the contemplation of God's operations should thereby imitate the best of all patterns, so far as it is possible for human nature to do, and to endeavor to follow after it. Neither could the legislator himself have a right mind without such a contemplation. Nor would anything he should write tend to the promotion of virtue in his readers. I mean, unless they be taught first of all that God is the Father and Lord of all things, and sees all things, and that thence he bestows a happy life upon those that follow him, but plungers such as do not walk in the paths of virtue into inevitable misery. Now when Moses was desirous to teach this lesson to his countrymen, he did not begin the establishment of his laws after the same manner that other legislators did. I mean, upon contracts and other rights between one man and another, but by raising their minds upwards to regard God and his creation of the world, and by persuading them that we men are the most excellent of the creatures of God upon earth. Now when once he had brought them to submit to religion, he easily persuaded them to submit in all other things. For as to other legislators, they followed fables, and by their discourses transferred the most reportable human vices into the gods, and afforded wicked men the most plausible excuses for their crimes. But as for our legislator, when he had once demonstrated that God was possessed of perfect virtue, he surpassed that men also had to strive after the participation of it, and on those who did not so think, and so believe, he inflicted the severe punishments. I exalt therefore my readers to examine this whole undertaking in that view. For thereby it will appear to them that there is nothing there indisagreeable either to the majesty of God, or to his loved mankind. For all things have here reference to the nature of the universe. While our legislator speaks on things wisely but enigmatically, and others under a decent allegory, he still explains such things as required a direct explication plainly and expressly. However, those that have a mind to know the reasons of everything may find here a very curious philosophical theory which I now indeed shall waive the explication of. But if God afforded me time for it, I will set about writing it after I have finished the present work. I shall now but take myself to the history before me, after I have first mentioned what Moses says of the creation of the world, which I find described in the sacred books after the man of following. End of PREFESS. RECORDING BY CREATE Book 1, chapters 1 and 2 of the Antiquities of the Jews This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Ethan Rampton The Antiquities of the Jews Volume 1 by Flavius Josephus Translated by William Whiston Book 1, chapters 1 and 2 Chapter 1 The Constitution of the World and the Disposition of the Elements In 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 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 dues. On the third day He appointed the dry land to appear, with the sea itself round about it, and on the very 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 other 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 mixture for procreation, 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 said that in just six days the world and all that is therein was made, and that the seventh day was a rest and a release from the labor 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. Moreover, Moses, after the seventh day was over, begins to talk philosophically, and concerning the formation of man, says thus. The 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 signifies 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, who 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 Isa, but the name of this woman was Eve, which signifies the mother of all living. Moses says further 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 it was to be known what was good and evil, and that when he 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 divided into four parts, and Phyzen, 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. Now the name Euphrates, or frath, denotes either a dispersion or a flower. By Tigris, or diglath, is signified what is swift, with narrowness, and Gion 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 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 the living creatures had one language, at that time the serpent, which then lived together with Adam and his wife, shooed an envious disposition at his supposal of their living happily and in obedience to the commands of God, and imagining that when they disobeyed them they would fall into calamities, he persuaded the woman out of a malicious intention to taste 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 tree 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 want before to come and converse with him, being conscious of his wicked behavior, went out of the way, misbehavior surprised God, and he asked what was the cause of this his procedure, and why he, that before delighted in that conversation, did now fly from it, and avoid it. When he made no reply, as conscious to himself that he had transgressed the command of God, God said, I had before determined about you both how you might lead a happy life without any affliction and care and 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 own labor and painstaking. Which state of labor and painstaking would soon bring on old age, and death would not be at any remote distance. But now thou hast abused this, my good will, and has disobeyed my commands, for thy silence is not the sign of thy virtue, but of thy evil conscience. However Adam excused his sin, and entreated God not to be angry at 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 thenceforth yield its fruits of its own accord, but that when it should be harassed by their labor it should bring forth some of its fruits, and refuse to bring forth others. He also made Eve liable to the inconvenience 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 mischievous designs towards men, and it being easiest to take vengeance on him that way. And when he had deprived him of the use of his feet, he made him to go rolling all 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. Chapter 2 Concerning the posterity of Adam and the ten generations from him to the deluge Adam and Eve had two sons. The elder of them was named Cain, which name, when it is interpreted, signifies a possession. The younger was Abel, which signifies sorrow. They had also daughters. Now the two brethren were pleased with different courses of life, for Abel the younger 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 plow the ground. He slew his brother on the occasion following. 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 lateral blation, when he was honored 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. Once it was that Cain was very angry that Abel was preferred by God before him, and he slew his brother, and 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 of 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 has become of a man whom thou thyself has destroyed. God therefore 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 bid him not to entertain such a melancholy suspicion, and 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. And when Cain had travelled over many countries, he, with his wife, built a city named Nod, which is a place so called, and there he settled his abode, where also he had children. However, he did not accept of his punishment in order to amendment, but to increase his wickedness. For he only aimed to procure everything that was for his own bodily pleasure, though it obliged him to be injurious to his neighbors. He augmented his household substance with much wealth by rapine and violence. He excited his acquaintance to procure pleasures and spoils by robbery, and became a great leader of men into wicked courses. He also introduced a change in that way of simplicity wherein men lived before, and was the author of measures and weights. And whereas they lived innocently and generously while they knew nothing of such arts, he changed the world into cunning craftiness. He first of all set boundaries about lands. He built a city and fortified it with walls, and he compelled his family to come together to it, and called that city Enoch, after the name of his eldest son Enoch. Now Jared was the son of Enoch, whose son was Malaliel, whose son was Methuselah, whose son was Lamec, who had seventy-seven children by two wives, Silla and Ada. Of those children by Ada, one was Jable. He erected tents and loved the life of a shepherd. But Jable, who was born of the same mother with him, exercised himself in music, and invented the sultry and the harp. But Jable, one of his children by the other wife, exceeded all men in strength, and was very expert and famous in martial performances. He procured what tended to the pleasures of the body by that method, and first of all invented the art of making brass. Lamec was also the father of a daughter, whose name was Neymar, and because he was so skillful in matters of divine revelation that he knew he was to be punished for Cain's murder of his brother, he made that known to his wives. Nay, even while Adam was alive, it came to pass that the posterity of Cain became exceedingly wicked, everyone successively dying one after another more wicked than the former. They were intolerable in war and vehement in robberies, and if any one were slow to murder people, yet was he bold in his profligate behavior, in acting unjustly and doing injuries for gain. Now Adam, who was the first man and made out of the earth, for our discourse must now be about him, after Abel was slain and Cain fled away on account of his murder, was solicitous for posterity, and had a vehement desire of children, he being 230 years old, after which time he lived other 700 and then died. He had indeed many other children, but Seth in particular. As for the rest, it would be tedious to name them. I will therefore only endeavor to give an account of those that proceeded from Seth. Now this Seth, when he was brought up and came to those years in which he could discern what was good, became a virtuous man. And as he was himself of an excellent character, so did he leave children behind him who imitated his virtues. All these proved to be of good dispositions. They also inhabited the same country without dissensions, and in a happy condition, without any misfortunes falling upon them till they died. They also were the inventors of that peculiar sort of wisdom which is concerned with the heavenly bodies and their order, and that their inventions might not be lost before they were sufficiently known upon Adam's prediction that the world was to be destroyed at one time by the force of fire, and at another time by the violence and quantity of water. They made two pillars, the one of brick, the other of stone. They inscribed their discoveries on them both, that in case the pillar of brick should be destroyed by the flood, the pillar of stone might remain, and exhibit those discoveries to mankind, and also inform them that there was another pillar of brick erected by them. Now this remains in the land of Syriad to this day. End of Book 1, Chapters 1 and 2. of the Jews. Volume 1 by Flavius Josephus. Translated by William Weston. Book 1. Chapters 3 through 5. Chapter 3 concerning the flood and after what manner Noah was saved in an ark with his kindred and afterwards dwelt in the plain of Shinar. Now this posterity of Seth continued to esteem God as the Lord of the universe and to have an entire regard to virtue for seven generations. But in process of time they were perverted and forcipped the practices of their forefathers, and did neither pay those honors to God, which were appointed them, nor had they any concern to do justice towards men. But for what degree of zeal they had formerly shown for virtue, they now showed by their actions a double degree of wickedness, whereby they made God to be their enemy. For many angels of God accompanied with women and begat sons that proved unjust, and despisers of all that was good on account of the confidence they had in their own strength. For the tradition is that these men did what resembled the acts of those whom the Grecians called giants. But Noah was very uneasy at what they did, and being displeased at their conduct persuaded them to change their dispositions and their acts for the better. But seeing they did not yield to him, but were slaves to their wicked pleasures, he was afraid they would kill him together with his wife and children and those they had married, so he departed out of that land. Now God loved this man for his righteousness, yet he not only condemned those other men for their wickedness, but determined to destroy the whole race of mankind and to make another race that should be pure from wickedness, and cutting short their lives, and making their years not so many as they formerly lived, but one hundred and twenty only. He turned the dry land into sea, and thus were all these men destroyed, but Noah alone was saved. For God suggested to him the following contrivance and way of escape, that he should make an ark of four stories high, three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits broad, and thirty cubits high. Accordingly he entered into that ark and his wife and sons and their wives, and put into it not only other provisions to support their wants there, but also sent in with the rest all sorts of living creatures, the male and his female for the preservation of their kinds, and others of them by sevens. Now this ark had firm walls and a roof and was braced with crossbeams, so that it could not be any way drowned or overborn by the violence of the water, and thus was Noah with his family preserved. Now he was the tent from Adam as being the son of Lamech, whose father was Methuselah, he was the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, and Jared was the son of Mahalo, who with many of his sisters were the children of Canaan, the son of Enos, now Enos was the son of Seth, the son of Adam. This calamity happened in the six hundredth year of Noah's government in the second month called by the Macedonians Daes, but by the Hebrew Marqueshvon, for so did they order their year in Egypt. But Moses appointed that Nyson, which is the same with Xanthicus, should be the first month of their festivals, because he brought the amount of Egypt in that month, so that this month began the year as to all the solemnities they observed to the honor of God, although he preserved the original order of the months as to selling and buying and other ordinary affairs. Now he says that this flood began on the twenty seventh day of the four mentioned month, and this was two thousand six hundred and fifty six years from Adam, the first man, and the time is written down in our sacred books, those who then lived having noted down with great accuracy both the births and deaths of illustrious men. For indeed Seth was born when Adam was in his two hundred and thirtieth year, who lived nine hundred and thirty years. Seth begat Enos in his two hundred and fifth year, who, when he had lived nine hundred and twelve years, delivered the government to Canaan his son, whom he had in his hundred and ninetieth year. He lived nine hundred and five years, Canaan, when he had lived nine hundred and ten years, had his son, Maholol, who was born in his hundred and seventieth year. This Maholol, having lived eight hundred and ninety-five years, died, leaving his son Jared, whom he begat, when he was in his hundred and sixty-fifth year. He lived nine hundred and sixty-two years, and then his son Enoch succeeded him, who was born when his father was one hundred and sixty-two years old. Now he, when he had lived three hundred and sixty-five years, departed and went to God, whence it is that they have not written down his death. Now Methuselah, the son of Enoch, who was born to him when he was one hundred and sixty-five years old, had Lomash for his son, when he was one hundred and eighty-seven years of age, to whom he delivered the government when he had retained it nine hundred and sixty-nine years. Now Lomash, when he had governed seven hundred and seventy-seven years, appointed Noah his son to be ruler of the people, who was born to Lomash when he was one hundred and eighty-two years old, and retained the government nine hundred and fifty years. These years collected together, make up to some before set down, but let no one inquire into the deaths of these men, for they extended their lives along together with their children and grandchildren, but let him have regard to their births only. When God gave the signal and it began to rain, the water poured down forty entire days, till it became fifteen cubits higher than the earth, which was the reason why there was no greater number preserved since they had no place to fly to. When the rain ceased, the water did, but just began to abate after one hundred and fifty days, it then ceasing to subside for a little while. After this the ark rested on the top of a certain mountain in Armenia, which, when Noah understood, he opened it, and seeing a small piece of land about it, he continued quiet, and conceived some cheerful hopes of deliverance. But a few days afterward, when the water was decreased to a greater degree, he sent out a raven as desirous to learn whether any other part of the earth were left dry by the water, and whether he might go out of the ark with safety. But the raven, finding all the land still overflowed, returned to Noah again, and after seven days he sent out a dove to know the state of the ground which came back to him covered with mud and bringing an olive branch. Hereby Noah learned that the earth was become clear of the flood, so after he had stayed seven more days, he sent the living creatures out of the ark, and both he and his family went out, when he also sacrificed to God and feasted with his companions. However the Armenians called this place the place of descent, for the ark being saved in that place its remains are shown there by the inhabitants to this day. Now all the writers of barbarian histories make mention of this flood and of this ark, among whom is Borosis the Chaldean, for when he is describing the circumstances of the flood he goes on thus. It is said there is still some part of this ship in Armenia at the mountain of the Cordians, and that some people carry off pieces of the bitumen which they take away and use chiefly as omulates for the averting of mischiefs. Hieronimus, the Egyptian also, who wrote the Phoenician antiquities, and Menaces, and a great many more, make mention of the same. Nay, Nicolaus of Damascus, in his ninety-sixth book, hath a particular relation about them, for he speaks thus. There is a great mountain in Armenia over Menace called Barus, upon which it is reported that many who fled at the time of the deluge were saved, and that one who was carried in an ark came on shore upon the top of it, and that the remains of the timber were a great while preserved. This might be the man about whom Moses the legislator of the Jews wrote. But as for Noah he was afraid, since God had determined to destroy mankind, least he should drown the earth every year, so he offered burnt offerings and besought God that nature might hereafter go on in its former orderly course, and that he would not bring on so great a judgment any more, by which the whole race of creatures might be in danger of destruction. But that having now punished the wicked he would of his goodness spare the remainder, and such as he had hitherto judged fit to be delivered from so severe a calamity. For that otherwise these last must be more miserable than the first, and that they must be condemned to a worse condition than the others, unless they be suffered to escape entirely, that is, if they be reserved for another deluge, while they must be afflicted with the terror and sight of the first deluge, and must also be destroyed by a second. He also entreated God to accept of his sacrifice, and to grant that the earth might never again undergo the like effects of his wrath, that men might be permitted to go on cheerfully and cultivating the same, to build cities, and live happily in them, and that they might not be deprived of any of those good things which they enjoyed before the flood, but might attain to the like length of days and old age, which the ancient people had arrived at before. When Noah had made these supplications, God, who loved the man for his righteousness, granted entire success to his prayers and said that it was not he who brought the destruction on a polluted world, but that they underwent that vengeance on account of their own wickedness, and that he had not brought men into the world if he had himself determined to destroy them, it being an instance of greater wisdom not to have granted them life at all than, after it was granted, to procure their destruction. But the injuries, said he, they offered to my holiness in virtue, forced me to bring this punishment upon them, but I will leave off with the time to come to require such punishments, the effects of so great wrath, for their future wicked actions, and especially on account of thy prayers. But if I shall at any time send tempests of rain, in an extraordinary manner, be not affrighted at the largeness of the showers, for the water shall no more overspread the earth. However, I require you to abstain from shedding the blood of men, and to keep yourselves pure from murder, and to punish those that commit any such thing. I permit you to make use of all the other living creatures at your pleasure, and as your appetites lead you, for I have made you lords of them all, both of those that walk on the land, and those that swim in the waters, and of those that fly in the regions of the air on high, accepting their blood, for therein is the life, but I will give you a sign that I have left off my anger by my bow, whereby is meant the rainbow, for they determined that the rainbow was the bow of God, and when God had said and promised us, he went away. Now, when Noah had lived three hundred and fifty years after the flood, and that all that time happily, he died, having lived the number of nine hundred and fifty years. But let no one, upon comparing the lives of the ancients with our lives, and with the few years which we now live, think that what we have said of them is false, or make the shortness of our lives at present an argument that neither did they attain to so long a duration of life, for those ancients were beloved of God and made by God himself, and because their food was then fitter for the prolongation of life, might well live so great a number of years, and besides, God afforded them a longer time of life on account of their virtue and the good use they made of it, and astronomical and geometrical discoveries which would not have afforded the time of foretelling unless they had lived six hundred years, for the great year is completed in that interval. Now I have for witnesses to what I have said all those that have written antiquities, both among the Greeks and barbarians. For even Manatho, who wrote the Egyptian histories, and Borosas, who collected the Chaldean monuments, and Hestias, and besides these, Hyaronimus, the Egyptian, and those who composed the Phoenician history, agreed to what I here say. Hesiod, also, and Hikatsuus, Helliniacus, and Acuselos, and besides these, Ephorus and Nicolaus, relate that the ancients lived a thousand years. But as to these matters, let everyone look upon them as he sees fit. End of Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Concerning the Tower of Babylon and the Confusion of Tongues Now the sons of Noah were three, Shem, Jepet, and Ham, born one hundred years before the deluge. These, first of all, descended from the mountains into the plains, and fixed their habitation there, and persuaded others who were greatly afraid of the lower grounds on account of the flood, and so were very loath to come down from the higher places to venture to follow their examples. Now the plain in which they first dwelt was called Shinar, God also commanded them to send colonies abroad for the thorough peopling of the earth, that they might not raise sedition among themselves, but might cultivate a great part of the earth, and enjoy its fruits after a plentiful manner. But they were so ill-instructed that they did not obey God, for which reason they fell into calamities, and were made sensible by experience of what sin they had been guilty. For when they flourished with a numerous youth, God admonished them again to send out colonies. But they, imagining the prosperity they enjoyed, was not derived from the favor of God, but supposing that their own power was the proper cause of the plentiful condition they were in, did not obey him. Nay, they added to their disobedience of the divine will. The suspicion that they were, therefore, ordered to send out separate colonies that, being divided asunder, they might more easily be oppressed. Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and contempt of God. He was the grandson of Ham, the son of Noah, a bold man, and of great strength of hand. He persuaded them not to ascribe it to God as if it was through his means they were happy, but to believe it was their own courage which procured that happiness. He also gradually changed the government into tyranny, seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God, but to bring them into a constant dependence on his power. He also said he would be revenged on God. If he should have a mind to drown the world again, for that he would build a tower too high for the waters to be able to reach, and that he would avenge himself on God for destroying their forefathers. Now the multitude were very ready to follow the determination of Nimrod and to esteem it a piece of cowardice to submit to God, and they built a tower, neither sparing any pains nor being any degree negligent about the work, and by reason of the multitude of hands employed in it it grew very high, sooner than anyone could expect, but the thickness of it was so great, and it was so strongly built, that thereby its great height seemed upon view to be less than it really was. It was built of burnt brick, cemented together with mortar, made of bitumen, that it might not be liable to admit water. When God saw that they acted so madly, he did not resolve to destroy them utterly, since they were not grown wiser by the destruction of the former centers. But he caused a tumult among them by producing in them divers languages, and causing that, through the multitude of those languages, they should not be able to understand one another. The place wherein they built the tower is now called Babylon, because of the confusion of that language which they readily understood before, for the Hebrews mean, by the word Babel, confusion. The Sybil also makes mention of this tower and of the confusion of the language when she says thus, when all men were of one language, some of them built a high tower, as if they would thereby ascend up to heaven, but the gods sent storms of wind and overthrew the tower, and gave every one his peculiar language, and for this reason it was that the city was called Babylon. But as to the plain of Shinar in the country of Babylonia, Hestius mentions it when he says thus, such of the priests as were saved took the sacred vessels of Jupiter and Elias, and came to Shinar of Babylonia. End of Chapter 4 Chapter 5 After what manner the posterity of Noah set out colonies and inhabited the whole earth? After this they were dispersed abroad, on account of their languages, and went out by colonies everywhere, and each colony took possession of that land which they lied upon, and unto which God led them, so that the whole continent was filled with them, both the inland and the maritime countries. There were some also who passed over the sea and ships and inhabited the islands, and some of those nations do still retain the denominations which were given them by their first founders, but some have lost them also, and some have only admitted certain changes in them that they might be the more intelligible to the inhabitants, and they were the Greeks who became the authors of such mutations, for when in after ages they grew potent, they claimed to themselves the glory of antiquity, giving names to the nations that sounded well in Greek, that they might be better understood among themselves, and setting agreeable forms of government over them as if they were a people derived from themselves. End of Chapter 5 End of Book 1, Chapters 3-5 Recording by Jim Clevenger, Lilla Rock, Arkansas Jim at joccldb.com Book 1, Chapters 6 and 7 of the Antiquities of the Jews, Volume 1 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Ethan Rampton, The Antiquities of the Jews, Volume 1 by Flavius Josephus, translated by William Whiston, Book 1, Chapter 6 and 7 Chapter 6 How Every Nation Was Denominated From Their First Inhabitants Now they were the grandchildren of Noah, in honor of whom names were imposed on the nations by those that first seized upon them. Japheth, the son of Noah, had seven sons. They inhabited so that, beginning at the mountains Taurus and Aminus, they proceeded along Asia, as far as the river Tansus, and along Europe to Cadiz, and settling themselves on the lands which they lied upon, which none had inhabited before, they called the nations by their own names. For Gomor found those whom the Greeks now called Galatians, Gauls, but were then called Gomorites. Magod found those that from him were named Magogites, but who are by the Greeks called Scythians. Now as to Javen and Medae, the sons of Japheth, from Medae came the Medians, who were called Midis by the Greeks, but from Javen, Ionia, and all the Grecians are derived. Thobel founded the Thobelites, who are now called Iberis, and the Mosokinae were founded by Mosok. Now they are Cappadocians. There is also a mark of their ancient denominations still to be shown, for there is even now among them a city called Mesakha, which may inform those that are able to understand that so was the entire nation once called. Theras also called those whom he ruled over Theratians, but the Greeks changed the name into Thracians, and so many were the countries that had the children of Japheth for their inhabitants. Of the three sons of Gomor, Ascanax founded the Ascanaxians, who are now called by the Greeks Reginians, so did Rifath found the Rifheans, now called the Paphlegonians, and Throgramma founded the Throgrammians, who as the Greeks resolved were named Phrygians. Of the three sons of Javen also, the son of Japheth, Elysa, gave name to the Elyseans, who were his subjects. They are now the Aeolians. Tharsis to the Tharsians, for so was Silesia of old called, the sign of which is this, than the noblest city they have, and a metropolis also is Tharsis, the Tau being by change put for the Theta. Sathamus possessed the island Sithema, it is now called Cyprus, and from that it is that all islands, and the greatest part of the sea coasts, are named Sithym by the Hebrews. At one city there is in Cyprus that has been able to preserve its denomination. It has been called Scytius by those who use the language of the Greeks, and has not by the use of that dialect escaped the name of Sithym. And so many nations have the children and grandchildren of Japheth possessed. Now when I have premised somewhat, which perhaps the Greeks do not know, I will return and explain what I have omitted, for such names are pronounced here after the manner of the Greeks to please my readers. For our own country language does not so pronounce them, but the names in all cases are of one or the same ending, for the name we here pronounce Noes is their Noah, and in every case retains the same termination. The children of Ham possessed the land from Syria and Aminus, and the mountains of Libanus, seizing upon all that was on its sea coasts and as far as the ocean, and keeping it as their own. Some indeed of its names are utterly vanished away, others of them being changed, and another sound given them are hardly to be discovered, yet a few there are which have kept their denominations entire. For of the four sons of Ham, time has not at all heard the name of Chus. For the Ethiopians, over whom he reigned, are even at this day, both by themselves and by all men in Asia, called Chusites. The memory also of the Misreities is preserved in their name. For all we who inhabit this country of Judea call Egypt Mestri, and the Egyptians Mistraeans. Fout also was the founder of Libya and called the inhabitants Foutites from himself. There is also a river in the country of Moors which bears that name, whence it is that we may see the greatest part of the Grecian historiographers mention that river and the adjoining country by the appellation of Fout. But the name it has now has been by change given it from one of the sons of Misreem, who was called Libios. We will inform you presently what has been the occasion why it has been called Africa also. Canaan, the fourth son of Ham, inhabited the country now called Judea, and called it from his own name Canaan. The children of these four were these, Sabas, who founded the Sabians, Ivelus, who founded the Ivelians, who are called Gatuli, Sabathis founded the Sabathans, they are now called by the Greeks Astorborans, Sabathis settled the Sabathans, and Ragnus the Ragnians, and he had two sons, the one of whom Judetus settled the Judidians, a nation of the western Ethiopians, and left them his name, as did Sabas to the Sabians, but Nimrod, the son of Chus, stayed and tyrannized at Babylon, as we have already informed you. Now all the children of Misreem, being eight in number, possessed the country from Gaza to Egypt, though it retained the name of one only, the Philistim, for the Greeks called part of that country Palestine, as for the rest, Ludiame, and Enemim, and Labim, who alone inhabited in Libya, and called the country from himself Nedim, and Phithrosim, and Chesluim, and Sceptorim, we know nothing of them besides their names, for the Ethiopic war, which we shall describe hereafter, was the cause that those cities were overthrown. The sons of Canaan were these, Sedonius, who also built a city of the same name, it is called by the Greeks Sidon Amethus, inhabited in Amethin, which is even now called Amathi by the inhabitants, although the Macedonians named it Epiphania, from one of his posterity. Arudius possessed the island Aridus, Aruchus possessed Arcee, which is in Libanus, but for the seven others, Ueus, Chetius, Jubucius, Amorius, Gurgisus, Udeus, Sinius, Samarius, we have nothing in the sacred books but their names, for the Hebrews overthrew their cities, and their calamities came upon them on the occasion following. Noah, when after the deluge the earth was resettled in its former condition, set about its cultivation, and when he had planted it with vines, and when the fruit was ripe, and he had gathered the grapes in their season, and the wine was ready for use, he offered sacrifice, and feasted, and being drunk he fell asleep, and lay naked in an unseemly manner. When his youngest son saw this, he came laughing, and showed him to his brethren, but they covered their father's nakedness, and when Noah was made sensible of what had been done, he prayed for prosperity to his other sons, but for Ham he did not curse him by reason of his nearness in blood, but cursed his prosperity, and when the rest of them escaped that curse, God inflicted it on the children of Canaan. But as to these matters we shall speak more hereafter. Shem, the third son of Noah, had five sons, who inhabited the land that began at Euphrates, and reached the Indian Ocean, for Elam left behind him the Elamites, the ancestors of the Persians. Ashur lived at the city Nineve, and named his subjects Assyrians, who became the most fortunate nation beyond others. Arfexad named the Arphaxidites, who are now called Chaldeans. Aram had the Aramites, whom the Greeks called Cyrians, as Lord founded the Lodites, which are now called Lydians. Of the four sons of Aram, Uzz founded Trachonitis and Damascus. This country lies between Palestine and Celesyria. Uzz founded Armenia, and gathered the Bactrians, and Misa the Massinians. It is now called Karex Spasinai. Cela was the son of Arfexad, and his son was Heber, from whom they originally called the Jews Hebrews. Heber begat Joatan and Pheleg. He was called Pheleg because he was born at the dispersion of the nations to their several countries, for Pheleg among the Hebrews signifies division. Now Joctan, one of the sons of Heber, had these sons, Elmodad, Cela, Azimoth, Jira, Adoram, Azal, Decla, Ibal, Abelmael, Sebeus, Ophir, Yulat, and Jobab. These inhabited from Cofan, an Indian river, and in part of Asia adjoining to it, and this shall suffice concerning the sons of Shem. I will now treat of the Hebrews. The son of Pheleg, whose father was Heber, was Raghav, whose son was Sirag, to whom was born Nahor. His son was Thera, who was the father of Abraham, who accordingly was the tenth from Noah, and was born in the 292nd year after the Deluge, for Thera begat Abraham in his 70th year. Nahor begat Heran when he was 120 years old. Nahor was born to Sirag in his 132nd year. Raghav had Sirag at 130. At the same age also Pheleg had Raghav. Heber begat Pheleg in his 134th year. He himself being begotten by Cela when he was 130 years old, whom Arfexad had for his son at the 135th year of his age. Arfexad was the son of Shem, and born 12 years after the Deluge. Now Abraham had two brethren, Nahor and Heran. Of these Heran left the son Lot, and also Sirag and Milka his daughters, and died among the Kaldians in a city of the Kaldians called Ur, and his monument is shown to this day. These married their nieces, Nahor married Milka, and Abram married Sirag. Now Thera, hating Kaldia, on account of his mourning for Ilaran, they all removed the Heran of Mesopotamia where Thera died and was buried, when he had lived to be 205 years old, for the life of man was already by degrees diminished, and became shorter than before till the birth of Moses, after whom the term of human life was 120 years, God determining it to the length that Moses happened to live. Now Nahor had eight sons by Milka, Uz and Bouz, Kemuel, Qaizad, Azau, Feldes, Jadelf, and Bethuel. These were all the genuine sons of Nahor, for Teba and Gam and Tachas and Mecha were born of Ryoma his concubine, but Bethuel had a daughter Rebekah and a son Laban. Chapter 7 How Abram our forefather went out of the land of the Kaldians and lived in the land then called Canaan but now Judea. Now Abram, having no son of his own, adopted Lot, his brother Heran's son, and his wife Surai's brother, and he left the land of Kaldia when he was 75 years old, and at the command of God went into Canaan and therein he dwelt himself and left it to his posterity. He was a person of great sagacity, both for understanding all things and persuading his hearers and not mistaken in his opinions, for which reason he began to have higher notions of virtue than others had, and he determined to renew and to change the opinion all men happened then to have concerning God. For he was the first adventure to publish this notion that there was but one God, the creator of the universe, and that as to other gods, if they contributed anything to the happiness of men, that each of them afforded it only according to his appointment and not by their own power. This his opinion was derived from the irregular phenomena that were visible both at land and sea, as well as those that happened to the sun, the moon, and all the heavenly bodies. Thus, if said he, these bodies had power of their own, they would certainly take care of their own regular motions. But since they do not preserve such regularity, they make it plain that insofar as they cooperate to our advantage, they do it not of their own abilities, but as they are subservient to him that commands them, to whom alone we ought justly to offer our honor and thanksgiving. For which doctrines, when the Kaldians and other people of Mesopotamia raised a tumult against him, he thought fit to leave that country, and at the command and by the assistance of God he came and lived in the land of Canaan. And when he was there settled, he built an altar and performed a sacrifice to God. Borosis mentions our father Abraham without naming him, when he says thus, In the tenth generation after the flood there was among the Kaldians a man righteous and great, and skillful in a celestial science. But Hecatsias does more than barely mention him, for he composed and left behind him a book concerning him. A Nikolas of Damascus, in the fourth book of his history says thus, Abraham reigned at Damascus, being a foreigner, who came with an army out of the land above Babylon, called the land of the Kaldians. But after a long time he got him up, and removed from that country also, with his people, and went into the land, then called the land of Canaan, but now the land of Judea. And this when his posterity were becoming multitude. As to which posterity of his we relate their history in another work. Now the name of Abraham is even still famous in the country of Damascus, and there is shown a village named from him the habitation of Abraham. End of Book 1, Chapter 6 and 7. Chapter 8. That when there was a famine in Canaan, Abraham went thence into Egypt, and after he had continued there a while he returned back again. Now after this, when a famine had invaded the land of Canaan, and Abraham had discovered that the Egyptians were in a flourishing condition, he was disposed to go down to them, both to partake of the plenty they enjoyed, and to become an auditor of their priests, and to know what they said concerning the gods. Designing either to follow them if they had better notions than he, or to convert them into a better way if his own notions proved the truest. Now seeing he was to take Sarai with him, and was afraid of the madness of the Egyptians with regard to women, lest the king should kill him on occasion of his wife's great beauty, he contrived this device. He pretended to be her brother, and directed her in a dissembling way to pretend the same. For he said it would be for their benefit. Now as soon as he came into Egypt, it happened to Abraham as he supposed it would, for the fame of his wife's beauty was greatly talked of, for which reason Pharaoh the king of Egypt would not be satisfied with what was reported of her, but would needs see her himself, and was preparing to enjoy her. But God put a stop to his unjust inclinations by sending upon him a distemper, and a sedition against his government. And when he inquired of the priests, how he might be freed from these calamities, they told him that this his miserable condition was derived from the wrath of God upon account of his inclinations to abuse the stranger's wife. He then out of fear asked Sarai who she was, and who it was that she brought along with her. And when he had found out the truth he excused himself to Abraham that supposing the woman to be his sister and not his wife he set his affections on her as desiring an affinity with him by marrying her, but not as incited by lust to abuse her. He also made him a large present in money, and gave him leave to enter into conversation with the most learned among the Egyptians, from which conversation his virtue and his reputation became more conspicuous than they had been before. For whereas the Egyptians were formerly addicted to different customs, and despised one another's sacred and accustomed rites, and were very angry one with another on that account, Abram conferred with each of them, and confuding the reasonings they made use of, every one for their own practices, demonstrated that such reasonings were vain and void of truth, whereupon he was admired by them in those conferences as a very wise man, and one of great sagacity when he discoursed on any subject he undertook, and this not only in understanding it, but in persuading other men also to assent to him. He communicated to them arithmetic, and delivered to them the science of astronomy. For before Abram came into Egypt they were unacquainted with those parts of learning, for that science came from the Chaldeans into Egypt, and from thence to the Greeks also. As soon as Abram was come back into Canaan he parted the land between him and Lot, upon account of the tumultuous behavior of the shepherds concerning the pastures wherein they should feed their flocks. However he gave Lot his option, or leave, to choose which lands he would take, and he took himself what the other left, which were the lower grounds at the foot of the mountains, and he himself dwelt in Hebron, which is a city seven years more ancient than Tunis of Egypt. But Lot possessed the land of the plain and the river Jordan, not far from the city of Sodom, which was then a fine city, but is now destroyed by the will and wrath of God, the cause of which I shall show in its proper place hereafter. Chapter 9 The Destruction of the Sodomites by the Assyrian Wall At this time when the Assyrians had the dominion over Asia, the people of Sodom were in a flourishing condition, both as to riches and the number of their youth. There were five kings that managed the affairs of the country, Balas, Barsas, Sonabar, and Sumabor, with the king of Bela, and each king led on his own troops, and the Assyrians made war upon them, and dividing their army into four parts, fought against them. Now every part of the army had its own commander, and when the battle was joined, the Assyrians were conquerors and imposed a tribute on the kings of the Sodomites, who submitted to the slavery 12 years, and so long they continued to pay their tribute. But on the thirteenth year they rebelled, and then the army of the Assyrians came upon them, under their commanders Amrafel, Ariak, Tadorlo Omer, and Tidal. These kings had laid waste all Syria and overthrown the offspring of the giants, and when they were come over against Sodom, they pitched their camp at the Vale called the Slime Pits, for at that time there were pits in that place. But now upon the destruction of the city of Sodom, that Vale became Lake Asphaltides, as it is called. However concerning this lake we shall speak more presently. Now when the Sodomites joined battle with the Assyrians, and the fight was very obstinate, many of them were killed, and the rest were carried captive, among which captives was Lot, who had come to assist the Sodomites. Chapter 10. How Abram fought with the Assyrians and overcame them, and saved the Sodomite prisoners, and took from the Assyrians the prey they had gotten. When Abram heard of their calamity, he was at once afraid for Lot his kinsmen, and pitied the Sodomites his friends and neighbors, and thinking it proper to afford them assistance, he did not delay it, but marched hastily, and the fifth night fell upon the Assyrians near Dan, for that is the name of the other spring of Jordan. And before they could arm themselves, he slew some as they were in their beds, before they could suspect any harm, and others who were not yet gone to sleep, but were so drunk they could not fight, ran away. Abram pursued after them, till on the second day he drove them in a body unto Hobah, a place belonging to Damascus, and thereby demonstrated that victory does not depend on multitude and the number of hands, but the alacrity and courage of soldiers overcome the most numerous bodies of men, while he got the victory over so great an army with no more than three hundred and eighteen of his servants, and three of his friends. But all those that fled returned home ingloriously. So Abram, when he had saved the captive Sodomites, who had been taken by the Assyrians, and lot also his kinsmen, returned home in peace. Now the king of Sodom met him at a certain place, which they called the king's dale, where Melchizedek, king of the city Salem, received him. That name signifies the righteous king, and such he was without dispute, in so much that, on this account, he was made the priest of God. However, they afterward called Salem Jerusalem. Now this Melchizedek supplied Abram's army in an hospitable manner, and gave them provisions in abundance, and as they were feasting he began to praise him, and to bless God for subduing his enemies under him. And when Abram gave him the tenth part of his pray, he accepted of the gift. But the king of Sodom desired Abram to take the pray, but entreated that he might have those men restored to him whom Abram had saved from the Assyrians, because they belonged to him. But Abram would not do so, nor would make any other advantage of that pray than what his servants had eaten, but still insisted that he should afford a part to his friends that had assisted him in the battle. The first of them was called Escal, and then Enner and Mambre. And God commended his virtue and said, Thou shalt not, however, lose the rewards thou hast deserved to receive by such thy glorious actions. He answered, And what advantage will it be to me to have such rewards when I have none to enjoy them after me, for he was hitherto childless? And God promised that he should have a son, and that his posterity should be very numerous in so much that their number should be like the stars. When he heard that, he offered a sacrifice to God as he commanded him. The manner of the sacrifice was this. He took an heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old, and a ram in like manner of three years old, and a turtle dove, and a pigeon. And as he was enjoined, he divided the three former, but the birds he did not divide. After which, before he built his altar, where the birds of prey flew about, as desirous of blood, a divine voice came to him, declaring that their neighbors would be grievous to his posterity when they should be in Egypt for four hundred years, during which time they should be afflicted. But afterwards should overcome their enemies, should conquer the Canaanites in war, and possess themselves of their land and of their cities. Now Abram dwelt near the oak, called Ogages. The place belongs to Canaan, not far from the city of Hebron. But being uneasy at his wife's barrenness, he entreated God to grant that he might have male issue. And God required of him to be of good courage, and said that he would add to all the rest of the benefits that he had bestowed upon him, ever since he led him out of Mesopotamia, the gift of children. Accordingly, Sarai, at God's command, brought to his bed one of her handmaidens, a woman of Egyptian descent, in order to obtain children by her. And when this handmaid was with child, she triumphed and ventured to a front Sarai, as if the dominion were to come to a son to be born of her. But when Abram resigned her into the hand of Sarai to punish her, she contrived to fly away, as not able to bear the instances of Sarai's severity to her. And she entreated God to have compassion on her. Now a divine angel met her as she was going forward in the wilderness, and bid her return to her master and mistress, for if she would submit to that wise advice, she would live better hereafter. For that the reason of her being in such a miserable case was this, that she had been ungrateful and arrogant towards her mistress. He also told her that if she disobeyed God and went on still in her way, she should perish. But if she would turn back, she would become the mother of a son who would reign over that country. These admonitions she obeyed, and returned to her master and mistress, and obtained forgiveness. A little while afterwards she bear Ishmael, which may be interpreted heard of God, because God had heard his mother's prayer. The forementioned son was born to Abram when he was eighty-six years old, but when he was ninety-nine, God appeared to him and promised him that he should have a son by Sarai, and commanded that his name should be Isaac, and showed him that from this son should spring great nations and kings, and that they should obtain all the land of Canaan by war from Sidon to Egypt. But he charged him in order to keep his posterity unmixed with others, that they should be circumcised in the flesh of their foreskin, and that this should be done on the eighth day after they were born, the reason of which circumcision I will explain in another place. And Abram inquiring also concerning Ishmael, whether he should live or not, God signified to him that he should live to be very old, and should be the father of great nations. Abram therefore gave thanks to God for these blessings, and then he and all his family and his son Ishmael were circumcised immediately, the son being that day thirteen years of age, and he ninety-nine. Chapter 11. How God overthrew the nation of the Sodomites out of his wrath against them for their sins. About this time the Sodomites grew proud on account of their riches and great wealth. They became unjust towards men, and impious towards God, in so much that they did not call to mind the advantages they received from him. They hated strangers, and abused themselves with Sodomitical practices. God was therefore much displeased at them, and determined to punish them for their pride, and to overthrow their city, and to lay waste their country, until there should be neither plant nor fruit grow out of it. When God had thus resolved concerning the Sodomites, Abraham, as he sat by the oak of Mamre, at the door of his tent, saw three angels, and thinking them to be strangers, he rose up and saluted them, and desired they should accept of an entertainment and abide with him, to which, when they agreed, he ordered cakes of meal to be made presently, and when he had slain a calf he roasted it, and brought it to them, as they sat under the oak. Now they made a show of eating, and besides they asked him about his wife Sarah, where she was, and when he said she was within, they said they would come again here after, and find her become a mother. Upon which the woman laughed, and said it was impossible she should bear children, since she was ninety years of age, and her husband was a hundred. Then they concealed themselves no longer, but declared that they were angels of God, and that one of them was sent to inform them about the child, and two of the overthrow of Sodom. When Abraham heard this, he grieved for the Sodomites, and he rose up and besought God for them, and entreated him that he would not destroy the righteous with the wicked. And when God had replied that there was no good man among the Sodomites, for if there were but ten such men among them, he would not punish any of them for their sins, Abraham held his peace. And the angels came to the city of the Sodomites, and Lot entreated them to accept of allodging with him, for he was a very generous and hospitable man, and one that had learned to imitate the goodness of Abraham. Now when the Sodomites saw the young men to be of beautiful countenances, and this to an extraordinary degree, and that they took up their lodgings with Lot, they resolved themselves to enjoy these beautiful boys by force and violence, and when Lot exhorted them to sobriety and not to offer anything immodest to the strangers, but to have regard to their lodging in his house, and promised that if their inclinations could not be governed, he would expose his daughters to their lust instead of these strangers. Neither thus were they made ashamed. But God was much displeased at their impudent behavior, so that he both smote those men with blindness, and condemned the Sodomites to universal destruction. But Lot, upon God's informing him of the future destruction of the Sodomites, went away, taking with him his wife and daughters, who were two instill virgins. For those that were betrothed to them were above the thoughts of going, and deemed that Lot's words were trifling. God then cast a thunderbolt upon the city, and set it on fire with its inhabitants, and laid waste the country with the like-burning, as I formerly said when I wrote the Jewish War. But Lot's wife continually turning back to view the city as she went from it, and being too nicely inquisitive what would become of it, although God had forbidden her so to do, was changed into a pillar of salt, for I have seen it, and it remains to this day. Now he and his daughters fled to a certain small place, encompassed with the fire, and settled in it. It is to this day called Zohar, for that is the word which the Hebrews use for a small thing. There it was that he lived a miserable life on account of his having no company, and his want of provisions. But his daughters, thinking that all mankind were destroyed, approached to their father, though taking care not to be perceived. This they did, that humankind might not utterly fail, and they bear sons. The son of the elder was named Moab, which denotes one derived from his father, the younger Bear Ammon, which name denotes one derived from a kinsman. The former of whom was the father of the Moabites, which is even still a great nation. The latter was the father of the Ammonites, and both of them were inhabitants of Celesaeria, and such was the departure of Lot from among the Sodomites. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Hollis Hanover. The Antiquities of the Jews, Volume 1, by Flavius Josephus. Translated by William Whiston, Book 1, Chapter 12 through 15. Chapter 12 Concerning Abimelech and concerning Ishmael, the son of Abraham, and concerning the Arabians, who were his posterity. Abraham now removed to Gerar of Palestine, leading Sarah along with him, under the notion of his sister, using the life dissimulation that he had used before, and this out of fear. For he was afraid of Abimelech, the king of that country, who did also himself fall in love with Sarah, and was disposed to corrupt her. But he was restrained from satisfying his lust by a dangerous distemper which befell him from God. Now when his physicians despaired of curing him, he fell asleep and saw a dream, warning him not to abuse the stranger's wife. And when he recovered, he told his friends that God had inflicted that disease upon him by way of punishment for his injury to the stranger, and in order to preserve the chastity of his wife, for that she did not accompany him as his sister, but as his legitimate wife. And that God had promised to be gracious to him for the time to come, if this person be once secure of his wife's chastity. When he had said this, by the advice of his friends, he sent for Abraham, and bid him not to be concerned about his wife, or fear the corruption of her chastity, for that God took care of him, and that it was by his providence that he had received his wife again without her suffering any abuse. And he appealed to God and to his wife's conscience, and said that he had not any inclination at first to enjoy her if he had known she was his wife. But since, said he, thou letst her about as thy sister, I was guilty of no offense. He also entreated him to be at peace with him, and to make God propitious to him. And that if he thought fit to continue with him, he should have what he wanted in abundance. But that if he designed to go away, he should be honorably conducted, and have whatsoever supply he wanted when he came thither. Upon his saying this, Abraham told him that his pretence of kindred to his wife was no lie, because she was his brother's daughter, and that he did not think himself safe on his travels abroad without this sort of dissimulation, and that he was not the cause of his distemper, but was only solicitous for his own safety. He said also that he was ready to stay with him. Whereupon Abimelech assigned him land and money, and they covenanted to live together without guile, and took an oath at a certain well called Beersheva, which may be interpreted, the well of the oath, and so it is named by the people of the country unto this day. Now in a little time Abraham had a son by Sarah, as God had foretold to him, whom he named Isaac, which signifies laughter. And indeed they so called him, because Sarah laughed when God said that she should bear a son, she not expecting such a thing as being past the age of childbearing, for she was ninety years old and Abraham a hundred. So that this son was born to them both in the last year of each of those decimal numbers, and they circumcised him upon the eighth day, and from that time the Jews continued the custom of circumcising their sons within that number of days. But as for the Arabians, they circumcised after the thirteenth year, because Ishmael, the founder of their nation, who was born to Abraham of the concubine, was circumcised at that age, concerning whom I will presently give a particular account with great exactness. As for Sarah, she at first loved Ishmael, who was born of her own handmade Hagar, with an affection not inferior to that of her own son, for he was brought up in order to succeed in the government. But when she herself had borne Isaac, she was not willing that Ishmael should be brought up with him, as being too old for him, and able to do him injuries when their father should be dead. She therefore persuaded Abraham to send him and his mother to some distant country. Now, at the first, he did not agree to what Sarah was so zealous for, and thought it an instance of the greatest barbarity to send away a young child and a woman unprovided of necessaries. But at length he agreed to it, because God was pleased with what Sarah had determined, so he delivered Ishmael to his mother, as not yet able to go by himself, and commanded her to take a bottle of water and a loaf of bread, and so to depart, and to take necessity for her guide. But as soon as her necessary provisions failed, she found herself in an evil case, and when the water was almost spent, she laid the young child, who was ready to expire, under a fig tree, and went on further, so that he might die while she was absent. But a divine angel came to her, and told her of a fountain hard-buy, and bid her take care, and bring up the child, because she should be very happy by the preservation of Ishmael. She then took courage upon the prospect of what was promised her, and, meeting with some shepherds, by their care she got clear of the distresses she had been in. When the land was grown up, he married a wife by birth in Egyptian, from whence the mother was herself derived originally. Of this wife were born to Ishmael twelve sons, Navioth, Kedar, Abdel, Mobsam, Idumas, Masmous, Masaus, Chodad, Themen, Jettur, Nafisus, Cadmus. These inhabited all the country from Euphrates to the Red Sea, and called it Navatim. They are an Arabian nation, and name their tribes from these, both because of their virtue, and because of the dignity of Abraham their father. Chapter 13 Concerning Isaac the Legitimate Son of Abraham Now Abraham greatly loved Isaac, as being his only begotten, and given to him at the borders of old age by the favor of God. The child also endeared himself to his parents still more by the exercise of every virtue, and adhering to his duty to his parents, and being zealous in the worship of God. Abraham also placed his own happiness in this prospect that, when he should die, he should leave this his son in a safe and secure condition, which accordingly he obtained by the will of God, who, being desirous to make an experiment of Abraham's religious disposition toward himself, appeared to him, and enumerated all the blessings he had bestowed on him, how he had made him superior to his enemies, and that his son Isaac, who was the principal part of his present happiness, was derived from him. And he said that he required this son of his as a sacrifice and holy oblation. Accordingly, he commanded him to carry him to the mountain Moriah, and to build an altar, and offer him for a burnt offering upon it, for that this would best manifest his religious disposition towards him, if he preferred what was pleasing to God before the preservation of his own son. Now Abraham thought it was not right to disobey God in anything, but that he was obliged to serve him in every circumstance of life, since all creatures that live enjoy their life by his providence, and the kindness he bestows on them. Accordingly, he concealed this command of God, and his own intentions about the slaughter of his son from his wife, as also from every one of his servants, otherwise he should have been hindered from his obedience to God. And he took Isaac, together with two of his servants, and, laying what things were necessary for a sacrifice upon an ass, he went away to the mountain. Now the two servants went along with him two days, but on the third day, as soon as he saw the mountain, he left those servants that were with him till then in the plane, and having his son alone with him, he came to the mountain. It was that mountain upon which King David afterwards built the temple. Now they had brought with them everything necessary for a sacrifice, excepting the animal that was to be offered only. Now Isaac was 25 years old, and as he was building the altar, he asked his father what he was about to offer, since there was no animal there for an oblation. To which it was answered that God would provide himself an oblation, he being able to make a plentiful provision for men out of what they have not, and to deprive others of what they already have when they put too much trust therein. That therefore, if God pleased to be present and propitious at this sacrifice, he would provide himself an oblation. As soon as the altar was prepared and Abraham had laid on the wood, and all things were entirely ready, he said to his son, O son, I poured out a vast number of prayers that I might have thee for my son. When thou wast come unto the world, there was nothing that could contribute to thy support for which I was not greatly solicitous, nor anything wherein I thought myself happier than to see thee grown up to man's estate, and that I might leave thee at my death the successor to my dominion. But since it was by God's will that I became thy father, and it is now his will that I relinquish thee, bear this consecration to God with a generous mind, for I resign thee up to God, who has thought fit now to require this testimony of honor to himself, on account of the favors he hath conferred on me, in being to me a supporter and defender. Accordingly, thou, my son, will now die, not in any common way of going out of the world, but sent to God, the father of all men, beforehand by thine own father, in the nature of a sacrifice. I suppose he thinks thee worthy to get clear of this world, neither by disease, neither by war, nor by any other severe way, by which death usually comes upon men, but so that he will receive thy soul with prayers and holy offices of religion, and will place thee near to himself, and thou wilt there be to me a succorer and supporter in my old age, on which account I principally brought thee up, and thou wilt thereby procure me, God, for my comforter, instead of thyself. Now Isaac was of such a generous disposition as became the son of such a father, and was pleased with this discourse, and said that he was not worthy to be born at first, if he should reject the determination of God and of his father, and should not resign himself up readily to both their pleasures, since it would have been unjust if he had not obeyed, even if his father alone had so resolved. So he went immediately to the altar to be sacrificed, and the deed had been done if God had not opposed it, for he called loudly to Abraham by his name, and forbade him to slay his son, and said it was not out of a desire of human blood that he was commanded to slay his son, nor was he willing that he should be taken away from him whom he had made his father, but to try the temper of his mind, whether he would be obedient to such a command. Since therefore he now was satisfied as to that, his alacrity, and the surprising readiness he showed in this, his piety, he was delighted in having bestowed such blessings upon him, and that he would not be wanting in all sort of concern about him, and in bestowing other children upon him, and that his son should live to a very great age, that he should live a happy life, and bequeath a large principality to his children, who should be good and legitimate. He foretold also that his family should increase into many nations, and that those patriarchs should leave behind them an everlasting name, that they should obtain the possession of the land of Canaan, and be envied by all men. When God had said this, he produced to them a ram, which did not appear before, for the sacrifice. So Abraham and Isaac, receiving each other unexpectedly, and having obtained the promises of such great blessings, embraced one another, and when they had sacrificed they returned to Sarah, and lived happily together, God affording them his assistance in all things they desired. Chapter 14 Concerning Sarah, Abraham's wife, and how she ended her days Now Sarah died a little while after, having lived 127 years. They buried her in Hebron, the Canaanites publicly allowing them a burying place, which piece of ground Abraham bought for 400 shekels of Ephron, an inhabitant of Hebron, and both Abraham and his descendants built themselves sepulchres in that place. Chapter 15 How the nation of the Troglodytes were derived from Abraham by Ketura. Abraham, after this, married Ketura, by whom six sons were born to him, men of courage and of sagacious minds, Zambran and Jayzar and Medan and Median and Josephak and Seuss. Now the sons of Seuss were Savathan and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Latusam and Asur and Luam. The sons of Mediao were Ephesus and Ofron and Anak and Ebedus and Eldus. Now, for all these sons and grandsons, Abraham contrived to settle them in colonies, and they took possession of Troglodytes and the country of Arabia the happy as far as it reaches to the Red Sea. It is related of this Ofron that he made war against Libya and took it, and that his grandchildren, when they inhabited it, called it, from his name, Africa. And indeed, Alexander Polyhistor gives his attestation to what I hear say, who speaks thus. Cleodomus the prophet, who was also called Malchus, who wrote a history of the Jews in agreement with the history of Moses, their legislator, relates that there were many sons born to Abraham by Keturah. Nay, he names three of them, Afr, Surim, and Jafran. That from Surim was the land of Assyria denominated, and that from the other two, Afr and Jafram, country of Africa, took its name, because these men were auxiliaries to Hercules when he fought against Libya and Anteus, and that Hercules married Afr's daughter, and of her he began a son, Deodorus, and that Sophan was his son, from whom that barbarous people called Sophatians were denominated. End of Book 1, chapters 12 through 15, recording by Hollis Hanover. Book 1, chapters 16 through 18, of the Antiquities of the Jews, Volume 1. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Ethan Rampton. The Antiquities of the Jews, Volume 1, by Flavius Josephus. Translated by William Whiston. Book 1, chapters 16 through 18. Chapter 16. How Isaac Took Rebecca to Wife. Now when Abraham, the father of Isaac, had resolved to take Rebecca, who was granddaughter to his brother Nehor, for a wife to his son Isaac, who was then about forty years old. He sent the ancient of his servants to betroth her, after he had obliged him to give him the strongest assurances of his fidelity, which assurances were given after the man of following. They put each other's hands under each other's thighs. Then they called upon God as the witness of what was to be done. He also sent such presence to those that were there as were in esteem, on account that they either rarely or never were seen in that country. The servant got thither not under a considerable time, for it requires much time to pass through Mesopotamia, in which it is tedious traveling, both in the winter for the depth of the clay, and in summer for want of water. And besides this, for the robberies there committed, which are not to be avoided by travelers, but by caution beforehand. However, the servant came to Hurran, and when he was in the suburbs, he met a considerable number of maidens going to the water. He therefore prayed to God that Rebecca might be found among them, or her whom Abraham sent him as his servant to espouse to his son, in case his will were that this marriage should be consummated, and that she might be made known to him by the sign that while others denied him water to drink, she might give it him. With this intention he went to the well, and desired the maidens to give him some water to drink. But while the others refused, on pretense that they wanted it all at home, and could spare none for him, one only of the company rebuked them for their peevish behavior towards the stranger, and said, What is there that you will ever communicate to anybody, who have not so much as given the man some water? She then offered him water in an obliging manner. And now he began to hope that his grand affair would succeed, but, desiring still to know the truth, he commended her for her generosity and good nature, that she did not scruple to afford a sufficiency of water to those that wanted it, though it cost her some pains to draw it, and asked who were her parents, and wished them joy of such a daughter. And mayst thou be espoused, said he to their satisfaction, into the family of an agreeable husband, and bring him legitimate children. Nor did she disdain to satisfy his inquiries, but told him her family. They, says she, call me Rebekah. My father was Bethuel, but he is dead, and Laban is my brother. And together with my mother takes care of all our family affairs, and is the guardian of my virginity. When the servant heard this, he was very glad at what had happened, and at what was told him, as perceiving that God had thus plainly directed his journey. And producing his bracelets, and some other ornaments which it was esteemed decent for virgins to wear, he gave them to the damsel, by way of acknowledgment, and as a reward for her kindness in giving him water to drink, saying it was but just that she should have them, because she was so much more obliging than any of the rest. She desired also that he might come and lodge with them, since the approach of the night gave him not time to proceed farther. And producing his precious ornaments for women, he said he desired to trust them to none more safely than to such as she had shown herself to be. And that he believed he might guess at the humanity of her mother and brother that they would not be displeased from the virtue he found in her. For he would not be burdensome, but would pay the higher for his entertainment, and spend his own money. To which she replied that he guessed right as to the humanity of her parents, but complained that he should think them so parsimonious as to take money, for that he should have all on free cost. But she said she would first inform her brother Laban, and if he gave her leave she would conduct him in. As soon then as this was over, she introduced the stranger, and for the camels the servants of Laban brought them in, and took care of them. And he was himself brought into supper by Laban. And after supper he says to him, and to the mother of the damsel, addressing himself to her, Abraham is the son of Tara, and a kinsman of yours, for Nahor the grandfather of these children was the brother of Abraham, by both father and mother, upon which account he had sent me to you, being desirous to take this damsel for his son to wife. He is his legitimate son, and is brought up as his only heir. He could indeed have had the most happy of all the women in that country for him, but he would not have his son marry any of them. But out of regard to his own relations he desired him to match here, whose affection and inclination I would not have you despise, for it was by the good pleasure of God that other accidents fell out in my journey, and that thereby I lighted upon your daughter and your house. For when I was near to the city, I saw a great many maidens coming to a well, and I prayed that I might meet with this damsel, which has come to pass accordingly. Do you therefore confirm that marriage, whose espousals have been already made by a divine appearance, and show the respect you have for Abraham, who had sent me with so much solicitude in giving your consent to the marriage of this damsel? Upon this they understood it to be the will of God, and greatly approved of the offer, and sent their daughter as was desired. Accordingly Isaac married her, the inheritance being now come to him, for the children by Ketura were gone to their own remote habitations. Chapter 17 Concerning the Death of Abraham A little while after this Abraham died. He was a man of incomparable virtue, and honoured by God in a manner agreeable to his piety towards him. The whole time of his life was one hundred seventy and five years, and he was buried in Hebron with his wife Sarah, by their sons Isaac and Ismael. Chapter 18 Concerning the sons of Isaac, Esau and Jacob, of their nativity and education. Now Isaac's wife proved with child after the death of Abraham, and when her belly was greatly burdened, Isaac was very anxious and inquired of God, who answered that Rebekah should bear twins, and that two nations should take the names of those sons, and that he who appeared the second should excel the elder. Accordingly she in a little time, as God had foretold, bear twins, the elder of whom, from his head to his feet, was very rough and hairy, but the younger took hold of his heel as they were in the birth. Now the father loved the elder, who was called Esau, a name agreeable to his roughness, for the Hebrews call such a hairy roughness Esau or seer, but Jacob the youngest was best beloved by his mother. When there was a famine in the land, Isaac resolved to go into Egypt, the land there being good. But he went to Gerar, as God commanded him. Here Abimelech the king received him, because Abraham had formerly lived with him, and had been his friend. And as in the beginning he treated him exceedingly kindly, so he was hindered from continuing in the same disposition to the end, by his envy at him, for when he saw that God was with Isaac, and took such great care of him, he drove him away from him. But Isaac, when he saw how envy had changed the temper of Abimelech, retired to a place called the valley, not far from Gerar. And as he was digging a well, the shepherds fell upon him and began to fight, in order to hinder the work. And because he did not desire to contend, the shepherds seemed to get the hymn, so he still retired, and dug another, and when certain other shepherds of Abimelech began to offer him violence, he left that also still retired, thus purchasing security to himself a rational and prudent conduct. At length, they gave him leave to dig a well without disturbance. He named this well Ryoboth, which denotes a large space, but of the former wells one was called Escon, which denotes strife, the other Sitenna, named signifies enmity. It was now that Isaac's affairs increased, and in a flourishing condition, and this his great riches. But Abimelech, thinking in opposition to him, while their living made them suspicious of each other, and retiring showing a secret enmity also, he afraid that his former friendship with Isaac would not secure him, if Isaac should endeavor the injuries he had formerly offered him. He therefore renewed his friendship with him, Phylok, one of his generals. And when he had obtained everything he desired, by reason of Isaac's good nature, who preferred the earlier friendship Abimelech had shown to himself and his father to his later wrath against him, he returned home. Now when Esau, one of the sons of Isaac, whom the father principally loved, was now come to the age of forty years, he married Ada, the daughter of Helon, and Aholibama, the daughter of Esebion, which Helon and Esebion were great lords among the Canaanites, thereby taking upon himself the authority and pretending to have dominion over his own marriages, without so much as asking the advice of his father. For had Isaac been the arbitrator, he had not given him leave to marry thus. For he was not pleased with contracting any alliance with the people of that country, but not caring to be uneasy to his son by commanding him to put away these wives, he resolved to be silent. But when he was old and could not see at all, he called Esau to him, and told him that besides his blindness and the disorder of his eyes, his very old age hindered him from his worship of God by sacrifice. He bid him therefore to go out hunting, and when he had caught as much venison as he could, to prepare him a supper that after this he might make supplication to God, to be to him a supporter and an assister during the whole time of his life. Saying that it was uncertain when he should die, and that he was desirous by prayers for him to procure beforehand God to be merciful to him. Accordingly, Esau went out hunting, but Rebekah thinking it proper to have the supplication made for obtaining the favor of God to Jacob, and that without the consent of Isaac, bid him kill kids of the goats and prepare a supper. So Jacob obeyed his mother according to all her instructions. Now when the supper was got ready, he took a goat's skin and put it about his arm, that by reason of its hairy roughness he might by his father be believed to be Esau, for there being twins and in all things else alike differed only in this thing. This was done out of his fear that before his father had made his supplications he should be caught in his evil practice, unless he should, on the contrary, provoke his father to curse him. So he brought in the supper to his father. Isaac perceived to be Esau, so suspecting no deceit he ate the supper and betook himself to his prayers and intercessions with God, and said, O Lord of all ages and Creator of all substance, for it was Thou that didst propose to my father great plenty of good things, and hast vouchsafed to bestow on me what I have, and hast promised to my posterity to be their kind supporter, and to bestow on them still greater blessings. Do Thou therefore confirm these Thy promises, and do not overlook me, because of my present weak condition, on account of which I most earnestly pray to Thee. Be gracious to this my son, and preserve him, and keep him from everything that is evil. Give him a happy life, and the possession of as many good things as Thy power is able to bestow. Make him terrible to his enemies, and honorable and beloved among his friends. Thus did Isaac pray to God, thinking his prayers had been made for Esau. He had but just finished them, when Esau came in from hunting. And when Isaac perceived his mistake, he was silent. But Esau required that he might be made partaker of the like blessing from his father that his brother had partook of. But his father refused it, because all his prayers had been spent upon Jacob. So Esau lamented the mistake. However, his father being grieved at his weeping said that he should excel in hunting, and strengthen the body, in arms, and all such sorts of work, and should obtain glory forever on those accounts, he and his posterity after him, but still should serve his brother. Now the mother delivered Jacob. When she was afraid that his brother would inflict some punishment upon him because of the mistake about the prayers of Isaac, for she persuaded her husband to take a wife for Jacob out of Mesopotamia, of her own kindred, Esau having married already Basimath, the daughter of Ismael, without his father's consent. For Isaac did not like the Canaanites, so that he disapproved of Esau's former marriages, which made him take Basimath to wife in order to please him, and indeed he had a great affection for her.