 Book 3, Chapter 7 and 8 of the Antiquities of the Jews, Volume 1. The Antiquities of the Jews, Volume 1 by Flavius Josephus, translated by William Weston. Book 3, Chapter 7 and 8, Chapter 7 concerning the garments of the priests and of the high priests. There were peculiar garments appointed for the priests, and for all the rest which they call cohenoeoe priestly garments, as also for the high priests which they call cohenoeoe rabbe, and denote the high priests' garments. Such was therefore the habit of the rest. But when the priest approaches the sacrifices, he purifies himself with the purification which the law prescribes, and in the first place he puts on that which is called machanace, which means somewhat that it is fast tied. It is a girdle composed of fine twined linen, and is put about the privy parts, the feet being to be inserted into them in the nature of breeches, but above half of it is cut off, and it ends at the thighs, and is there tied fast. Over this he wore a linen vestment made of fine flax doubled. It is called chethon, and denotes linen, for we call linen by the name of chethon. This vestment reaches down to the feet, and sits close to the body, and has sleeves that are tied fast to the arms. It is girded to the breast a little above the elbows, by a girdle often going round, or fingers broad, but so loosely woven that you would think it were the skin of a serpent. It is embroidered with flowers of scarlet, and purple, and blue, and fine twined linen, but the warp was nothing but fine linen. The beginning of its circumvolution is at the breast, and when it has gone off and round it is there tied, and hangs loosely there down to the ankles. I mean this, all the time the priest is not about any laborious service, for in this position it appears in the most agreeable manner to the spectators. But when he is obliged to assist at the offering sacrifices, and to do the appointed service, that he may not be hindered in his operations by its motion, he throws it to the left, and bears it on his shoulder. Moses indeed calls this belt albineth, but we have learned from the Babylonians to call it Emiah, for so it is by them called. This vestment has no loose or hollow parts anywhere in it, but only a narrow aperture about the neck, and it is tied with certain strings hanging down from the edge over the breast and back, and is fastened above each shoulder. It is called Masaba Zanes. Upon his head he wears a cap, not brought to iconic form, nor encircling the whole head, but still covering more than the half of it, which is called Masnae Amphis, and it's make as such that it seems to be a crown being made of thick swaths, but the contextual is of linen, and it is doubled round many times and sewed together, besides which a piece of fine linen covers the whole cap from the upper part, and reaches down to the forehead, and hides the seams of the swaths, which would otherwise appear indecently. This adheres closely upon the solid part of the head, and is hitherto so firmly fixed that it may not fall off during the sacred service about the sacrifices. So we have now shown you what is the habit of the generality of the priests. The high priest is indeed adorned with the same garments that we have described, without a bathing one. Only over these he puts on a vestment of a blue color. This also is a long robe reaching to his feet, in our language it is called me year, and is tied round with a girdle embroidered with the same colors and flowers as the former, with a mixture of gold interwoven, to the bottom of which garment are hung fringes in color like pomegranates with golden bells by a curious and wonderful contrivance, so that between two bells hangs a pomegranate, and between two pomegranates a bell. Now this vesture was not composed of two pieces, nor was it sewed together upon the shoulders and the sides, but it was one long vestment so woven as to have an aperture for the neck, not an oblique one, but parted all along the breast and the back. A border also was sewed to it, lest the aperture should look too indecently. It was also parted where the hands were to come out. Besides these the high priest put on a third garment, which was called the ephod, which resembles the epimus of the Greeks. Its make was after this manner. It was woven to the depth of a cubit of several colors with gold intermixed and embroidered, but it left the middle of the breast uncovered. It was made with sleeves also, nor did it appear to be at all differently made from a short coat. But in the void place of this garment there was inserted a piece of the bigness of a span embroidered with gold and the other colors of the ephod and was called Essen, the breastplate, which in the Greek language signifies the oracle. This piece exactly filled up the void space in the ephod. It was united to it by golden rings at every corner, the like rings being annexed to the ephod, and a blue ribbon was made use of to tie them together by those rings, so that the space between the rings might not appear empty, they contrived to fill it up with stitches of blue ribbons. There were also two sardonyxes upon the ephod at the shoulders to fix it in the nature of buttons, having each end running to the sardonyxes of gold that they might be buttoned by them. On these were engraven the names of the sons of Jacob in our own country letters and in our own tongue, six on each of the stones on either side, and the elder sons' names were on the right shoulder. Twelve stones also were there upon the breastplate, extraordinary enlargeness and beauty, and they were in ornament not to be purchased by men because of their immense value. These stones, however, stood in three rows by four in a row and were inserted into the breastplate itself, and they were set in ouches of gold that were themselves inserted in the breastplate, and they were made so that they would not fall out. The first three stones were a sardonyx, a topas, and an emerald. The second row contained a carbuncle, a jasper, and a sapphire. The first of the third row was a ligur, then an amethyst, and the third an agate, being the ninth of the whole number. The first of the fourth row was a chrysalite. The next was an onyx, and then a beryl, which is the last of all. Now the names of all these sons of Jacob were engraven in these stones, whom we esteem the heads of our tribes, each stone having the honor of a name in the order according to which they were born. And whereas the rings were too weak of themselves to bear the weight of the stones, they made two other rings of a larger size at the edge of that part of the breastplate, which reached to the neck, and inserted into the very texture of the breastplate to receive chains finely wrought, which connected them with golden bands to the tops of the shoulders, whose extremity turned backwards and went into the ring on the prominent back part of the ephod. And this was for the security of the breastplate that it might not fall out of its place. There was also a girdle sewed to the breastplate, which was of the four mentioned colors, with gold intermixed, which when it had gone once round, was tied again upon the seam and hung down. There were also golden loops that admitted its fringes at each extremity of the girdle, and included them entirely. The high priest's miter was the same that we described before, and was wrought like that of all the other priests, above which there was another, with swaths of blue embroidered, and rounded was a golden crown polished of three rows, one above another, out of which arose a cup of gold, which resembled the herb which we call saccharus. But those Greeks that are skillful in botany call it haioschiamis. Now, lest anyone that has seen this herb but has not been taught its name and is unacquainted with its nature, or having known its name, knows not the herb when he sees it, I shall give such as these are a description of it. This herb is oftentimes in tallness above three spans, but its root is like that of a ternip, for he that should compare it there, too, would not be mistaken. But its leaves are like the leaves of mint. Out of its branches it sends out a calyx, leaving to the branch, and a coat encompasses it, which it naturally puts off when it is changing in order to produce its fruit. This calyx is of the bigness of the bone of the little finger, but in the compass of its aperture is like a cup. This I will further describe for the use of those that are unacquainted with it. Suppose a sphere is divided into two parts, round at the bottom, but having another segment that grows up to a circumference from that bottom. Suppose it become narrower by degrees, and that the cavity of that part grow decently smaller, and then gradually grow wider again at the brim, such as we see in the navel of a pomegranate with its notches. And indeed such a coat grows over this plant as renders it a hemisphere, and that, as one may say, turned accurately in a lathe, and having its notches extant above it, which, as I said, grow like a pomegranate, only that they are sharp and end in nothing but prickles. Now the fruit is preserved by this coat of the calyx, which fruit is like the seed of the herb Cideritus. It sends out a flower that may seem to resemble that of a poppy. Of this was a crown made as far from the hindered part of the head to each of the temples. But this fielus, for so this calyx may be called, did not cover the forehead, but was covered with a golden plate, which had inscribed upon it the name of God in sacred characters, and such were the ornaments of the high priest. Now here one may wonder at the ill will which men bear to us, and which they profess to bear on account of our despising that deity which they pretend to honor. For if anyone do not consider the fabric of the tabernacle, and take a view of the garments of the high priest, and of those vessels which we make use of in our sacred ministration, he will find that our legislator was a divine man, and that we are unjustly reproached by others. For if anyone do without prejudice, and with judgment look upon these things, he will find they are every one made in way of imitation and representation of the universe. When Moses distinguished the tabernacle into three parts, and allowed two of them to the priests, as a place accessible and common, he denoted the land and the sea, these being of general access to all. But he set apart the third division for God, because heaven is inaccessible to men. And when he ordered twelve loaves to be set on the table, he denoted the year, as distinguished into so many months. By branching out the candlestick into seventy parts, he secretly imitated the decanai, or seventy divisions of the planets. And as to the seven lamps upon the candlesticks, they referred to the course of the planets, of which that is the number. The veils, too, which were composed of four things, they declared the four elements. For the fine linen was proper to signify the earth, because the flax grows out of the earth, the purple signified the sea, because that color is dyed by the blood of a sea shellfish, the blue is fit to signify the air, and the scarlet will naturally be an indication of fire. Now the vestment of the high priest being made of linen signified the earth, the blue denoted the sky, being like lightning in its pomegranates, and in the noise of the bells resembling thunder. And for the ephod, it showed that God had made the universe of four elements. And as for the gold interwoven, I suppose it related to the splendor by which all things are enlightened. He also appointed the breastplate to be placed in the middle of the ephod to resemble the earth, for that has the very middle place of the world. And the girdle which encompassed the high priest round signified the ocean, for that goes round and includes the universe. Each of the sardonyxes declares to us the sun and the moon. Those I mean that were in the nature of buttons on the high priest's shoulders. And for the twelve stones, whether we understand by them the months or whether we understand the like number of the signs of that circle which the Greeks call the zodiac, we shall not be mistaken in their meaning. And for the mitre, which was of a blue color, it seems to me to mean heaven. For how otherwise could the name of God be inscribed upon it? That it was also illustrated with a crown and that of gold also is because of that splendor with which God is pleased. Let this explication suffice at present, since the course of my narration will often, and on many occasions, afford me the opportunity of enlarging upon the virtue of our legislator. CHAPTER VIII. OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF AERIN When what has been described was brought to a conclusion, gifts not being yet presented, God appeared to Moses and enjoined him to bestow the high priesthood upon Aaron his brother, as upon him that best of them all deserved to obtain that honor on account of his virtue. And when he had gathered the multitude together, he gave them an account of Aaron's virtue and of his good will to them and of the dangers he had undergone for their sakes. Upon which, when they had given testimony to him on all respects, and showed their readiness to receive him, Moses said to them, O you Israelites, this work is already brought to a conclusion in a manner most acceptable to God and according to our abilities. And now, since you see that he has received into this tabernacle, we shall first of all stand in need of one that may officiate for us, and may minister to the sacrifices and to the prayers that are to be put up for us. And indeed, had the inquiry after such a person been left to me, I should have thought myself worthy of this honor, both because all men are naturally fond of themselves and because I am conscious to myself that I have taken a great deal of pains for your deliverance. But now God himself has determined that Aaron is worthy of this honor and has chosen him for his priest as knowing him to be the most righteous person among you, so that he is to put on the vestments which are consecrated to God. He is to have the care of the altars and to make provision for the sacrifices. And he it is that must put up prayers for you to God, who will readily hear them, not only because he is himself solicitous for your nation, but also because he will receive them as offered by one that he hath himself chosen to this office. The Hebrews were pleased with what was said, and they gave their approbation to him whom God had ordained. For Aaron was of them all the most deserving of this honor on account of his own stock and gift of prophecy and his brother's virtue. He had at that time four sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eliezar, and Ithamar. Now Moses commanded them to make use of all the utensils which were more than were necessary to the structure of the tabernacle for covering the tabernacle itself, the candlestick and the altar of incense and the other vessels that they might not be at all hurt when they journeyed, either by rain or by the rising of the dust. And when he had gathered the multitude together again, he ordered that they should offer half a shekel for every man as an oblation to God, which shekel is a peace among the Hebrews and is equal to four Athenian drachmae, whereupon they readily obeyed what Moses had commanded, and the number of the offerers was 605,550. Now this money that was brought by the men that were free was given by such as were about twenty years old but under fifty, and what was collected was spent in the uses of the tabernacle. Moses now purified the tabernacle and the priests, which purification was performed after the following manner. He commanded them to take five hundred shekels of choice myrrh, an equal quantity of cassia, and half the foregoing weight of cinnamon and calamus. This last is a sort of sweet spice. To beat them small and wet them with a hint of oil of olives, a hint is our own country measure, and contains two Athenian koas or kongwises, then mix them together and boil them and prepare them after the art of the apothecary and make them into a very sweet ointment. And afterward to take it to anoint and purify the priests themselves and all the tabernacle as also the sacrifices. There were also many and those of various kinds of sweet spices that belonged to the tabernacle, and such as were a very great price, and were brought to the golden altar of incense, the nature of which I do not now describe, lest it should be troublesome to my readers. But incense was to be offered twice a day, both before sun rising and at sunsetting. They were also to keep oil ready purified for the lamps, three of which were to give light all day long upon the sacred candlestick before God, and the rest were to be lighted at the evening. Now all was finished. Veselil and Aholiab appeared to be the most skillful of the workmen, for they invented finer works than what others had done before them, and were of great abilities to join notions of what they were formerly ignorant of. And of these, Veselil was judged to be the best. Now the whole time they were about this work was the interval of seven months, and after this it was that was ended the first year since their departure out of Egypt. But at the beginning of the second year, on the month Santhakis, as the Macedonians call it, but on the month Nisan as the Hebrews call it, on the new moon, they consecrated the tabernacle and all its vessels, which I have already described. Now God showed himself pleased with the work of the Hebrews, and did not permit their labors to be in vain, nor did he disdain to make use of what they had made, but he came and sojourned with them, and pitched his tabernacle in the holy house. And in the following manner did he come to it. The sky was clear, but there was a mist over the tabernacle only, encompassing it, but not with such a very deep and thick cloud as is seen in the winter season, nor yet in so thin a one as men might be able to discern anything through it. But from it there dropped a sweet dew, and such a one as showed the presence of God to those that desired and believed it. Now when Moses had bestowed such honorary presence on the workmen, as it was fit they should receive, who had wrought so well, he offered sacrifices in the open court of the tabernacle, as God commanded him, a bull, a ram, and a kid of the goats, for a sin offering. Now I shall speak of what we do in our sacred offices in my discourse about sacrifices, and therein I shall inform men in what cases Moses bid us offer a whole burnt offering, and in what cases the law permits us to partake of them as of food. And when Moses had sprinkled Aaron's vestments, himself and his sons, with the blood of the beasts that were slain, and had purified them with spring waters and ointment, they became God's priests. After this manner did he consecrate them and their garments for seven days together. The same he did to the tabernacle and the vessels thereto belonging, both with oil first incensed, as I said, and with the blood of bulls and of rams, slain day by day upon, according to its kind. But on the eighth day he appointed a feast for the people, and commanded them to offer sacrifice according to their ability. Accordingly they contended one with another, and were ambitious to exceed one another in the sacrifices which they brought, and so fulfilled Moses' injunctions. But as the sacrifices lay upon the altar, a sudden fire was kindled from among them of its own accord, and appeared to the sight like fire from a flash of lightning, and consumed whatever was upon the altar. Hereupon an affliction befell Aaron, considered as a man and a father, but was undergone by him with true fortitude. For he had indeed a firmness of soul in such accidents, and he thought this calamity came upon him according to God's will. For whereas he had four sons, as I said before, the elder two of them, Nadab and Abihu, did not bring those sacrifices which Moses bade them bring, but which they used to offer formerly, and were burnt to death. Now when the fire rushed upon them, and began to burn them, nobody could quench it. Accordingly they died in this manner, and Moses bid their father and their brethren to take up their bodies, to carry them out of the camp, and to bury them magnificently. Now the multitude lamented them, and were deeply affected at this their death, which so unexpectedly befell them. But Moses entreated their brethren and their father not to be troubled for them, and to prefer the honor of God before their grief about them, for Aaron had already put on his sacred garments. But Moses refused all that honor which he saw the multitude ready to bestow upon him, and attended to nothing else but the service of God. He went no more up to Mount Sinai, but he went into the tabernacle, and brought back answers from God for what he prayed for. His habit was also that of a private man, and in all other circumstances he behaved himself like one of the common people, and was desirous to appear without distinguishing himself from the multitude, but would have it known that he did nothing else but take care of them. He also set down in writing the form of their government, and those laws by obedience, where too they would lead their lives so as to please God, and so as to have no quarrels one among another. However, the laws he ordained were such as God suggested to him, so I shall now discourse concerning that form of government and those laws. I will now treat of what I before omitted, the garment of the high priest, for he, Moses, left no room for the evil practices of false prophets, but if some of that sort should attempt to abuse the divine authority, he left it to God to be present at his sacrifices when he pleased, and when he pleased to be absent. And he was willing this should be known, not to the Hebrews only, but to those foreigners also who were there. For as to those stones which we told you before, the high priest bare on his shoulders, which were sardonixes, and I think it needless to describe their nature, they being known to everybody, though one of them shined out when God was present at their sacrifices. I mean that which was in the nature of a button on his right shoulder, bright rays darting out thence, and being seen even by those that were most remote, which splendor yet was not before natural to the stone. This has appeared a wonderful thing to such as have not so far indulged themselves in philosophy as to despise divine revelation. But I will mention what is still more wonderful than this. For God declared beforehand by those twelve stones which the high priest bare on his breast, and which were inserted into his breastplate, when they should be victorious in battle. For so great a splendor shone forth from them before the army began to march, that all the people were sensible of God's being present for their assistance. Whence it came to pass that those Greeks who had a veneration for our laws, because they could not possibly contradict this, called that breastplate the oracle. Now this breastplate and this sardonyx left off shining two hundred years before I composed this book, God having been displeased at the transgressions of his laws, of which things we shall further discourse on a fitter opportunity. But I will now go on with my proposed narration. The tabernacle being now consecrated and a regular order being settled for the priests, the multitude judged that God now dwelt among them, and betook themselves to sacrifices and praises to God as being now delivered from all expectation of evils, and as entertaining a hopeful prospect of better times hereafter. They offered also gifts to God, some as common to the whole nation, and others as peculiar to themselves, and knees tribe by tribe, for the heads of the tribes combined together two by two, and brought a wagon and a yoke of oxen. These amounted to six, and they carried the tabernacle when they journeyed, besides which each head of a tribe brought a bowl and a charger and a spoon of tenderix full of incense. Now the charger and the bowl were of silver, and together they weighed two hundred shekels, but the bowl cost no more than seventy shekels. And these were full of fine flour mixed with oil, such as they used on the altar about the sacrifices. They brought also a young bullock and a ram with a lamb of a year old for a whole-burnt offering, as also a goat for the forgiveness of sins. Every one of the heads of the tribes brought also other sacrifices called peace offerings, for every day two bulls and five rams, with lambs of a year old, and kids of the goats. These heads of tribes were twelve days in sacrificing, one sacrificing every day. Now Moses went no longer up to Mount Sinai, but went into the tabernacle, and learned of God what we were to do, and what laws should be made, which laws were preferable to what had been devised by human understanding, and proved to be firmly observed for all time to come, as being believed to be the gift of God, in so much that the Hebrews did not transgress any of those laws, either as tempted in times of peace by luxury, or in times of war by distress of affairs. But I say no more here concerning them, because I have resolved to compose another work concerning our laws. End of Book 3, Chapters 7 and 8, Book 3, Chapters 9 through 11, of the Antiquities of the Jews, for more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The Antiquities of the Jews, Volume 1, by Fabius Josephus, translated by William Winston, Book 3, Chapters 9 through 11, Chapter 9, The Manor of our Offering Sacrifices. I will now, however, make mention of a few of our laws which belong to purifications and the like sacred offices, since I am accidentally come to this matter of sacrifices. These sacrifices were of two sorts. Of those sorts, one was offered for private persons, and the other for the people in general, and they are done in two different ways. In the one case, what is slain is burnt, as a whole burnt offering, when that name is given to it. But the other is a think offering, and is designed for feasting those that sacrifice. I will speak of the former. Suppose a private man offer a burnt offering. He must slay either a bull, a lamb, or a kid of the goats, and the two latter of the first year, though of bulls, he is permitted to sacrifice those of a greater age. But all burnt offerings are to be of males. When they are slain, the priests sprinkle the blood round about the altar. They then cleanse the bodies, and divide them into parts, and salt them with salt, and lay them upon the altar, while the pieces of wood are piled one upon another, and the fire is burning. They next cleanse the feet of the sacrifices, and the inwards, in an accurate manner, and so lay them to the rest, to be purged by the fire, while the priests receive the hides. This is the way of offering a burnt offering. But those that offer think offerings do indeed sacrifice the same creatures, but such as are unblemished, and above a year old. However, they may take either males or females. They also sprinkle the altar with their blood. But they lay upon the altar, the kidneys, and the skull, and all the fat and the lobe of the liver, together with the ramp of the lamb. Then giving the breast and the right shoulder to the priests, the offerers feast upon the remainder of the flesh for two days, and what remains they burn. The sacrifices for sins are offered in the same manner as is the think offering. But those who are unable to purchase complete sacrifices offer two pigeons or turtle doves, the one of which is made a burnt offering to God, the other they give as food to the priests. But we shall treat more accurately about the oblation of these creatures in our discourse concerning sacrifices. But if a person falling to sin by ignorance, he offers a eulam, or a female kid of the goats of the same age, and the priests sprinkle the blood at the altar, not after the former manor, but at the corners of it. They also bring the kidneys and the rest of the fat, together with the lobe of the liver, to the altar, while the priests bear away the hides and the flesh, and spend it in the holy place on the same day. For the law does not permit them to live of it until the morning. But if any one sin and is conscious of it himself, but hath nobody that can prove it upon him, he offers a ram, the law enjoining him so to do, the flesh of which the priests eat as before in the holy place on the same day. And if the rulers offer sacrifices for their sins, they bring the same oblations that private men do. Only they so far differ that they are to bring for sacrifices a bull or a kid of the goats, both males. Now the law requires both in private and public sacrifices that the finest flower be also brought, for a ram the measure of one-tenth deal, for a ram, two, and for a bull, three. These they consecrate upon the altar when it is mingled with oil, for oil is also brought by those that sacrifice, for a bull the half of a hen, and for a ram the third part of the same measure, and one-quarter of it for a lamb. This hen is an ancient Hebrew measure, and is equivalent to two Athenian koas, or congeses. They bring the same quantity of oil which they do of wine, and they pour the wine about the altar. But if anyone does not offer a complete sacrifice of animals, but brings fine flour only for a vow, he throws a handful upon the altar as its first fruits, while the priests take the rest for their food, either boiled or mingled with oil, but made into cakes of bread. But whatsoever it be that a priest himself offers, it must of necessity be all-burned. Now the law forbids us to sacrifice any animal at the same time with its dam, and in other cases, not till the eighth day after its birth. Other sacrifices, there are also appointed for escaping these tempers, or for other occasions, in which meat offerings are consumed, together with the animals that are sacrificed, of which it is not lawful to leave any part till the next day. Only the priests are to take their own share. CHAPTER 10 CONCERNING THE FESTIVALS AND HOW EACH DAY OF SUCH FESTIVAL IS TO BE OBSERVED The law requires that out of the public expenses, a lamb of the first year be killed every day, at the beginning and at the ending of the day. But on the seventh day, which is called the Sabbath, they kill two, and sacrifice them in the same manner. At the new moon, they both perform the daily sacrifices and slay two bulls with seven lambs of the first year, and the kid of the goats also, for the expiation of sins, that is, if they have sinned through ignorance. But on the seventh month, which the Macedonians call hyperberetaios, they make an addition to those already mentioned, and sacrifice a bull, a ram and seven lambs, and a kid of the goats for sins. On the tenth day of the same lunar month, they fast till the evening, and this day they sacrifice a bull and two rams and seven lambs, and a kid of the goats for sins. And besides this, they bring two kids of the goats, the one of which is sent alive out of the limits of the camp, into the wilderness for the scapegoat, and to be an expiation for the sins of the whole multitude. But the other is brought into a place of great cleanliness, within the limits of the camp, and is there burnt, with its skin, without any sort of cleansing. With this goat was burnt a bull, not brought by the people, but by the high priest, at his own charges, which, when it was slain, he brought of the blood into the holy place, together with the blood of the kid of the goats, and sprinkled the ceiling with his fingers seven times. There was also its pavement, and again as often toward the most holy place, and about the golden altar, he also at last brings it into the open court, and sprinkles it about the great altar. Besides this, they set the extremities, and the kidneys, and the fat, with the lobe of the liver upon the altar. The high priest likewise presents a ram to God as a burnt offering. On the fifteenth day of the same month, when the season of the year is changing for winter, the law enjoins us to pitch tabernacles in every one of our houses, so that we preserve ourselves from the cold of that time of the year, as also that when we should arrive at our own country, and come to that city which we should have then for our metropolis, because of the temple therein to be built, and keep a festival for eight days, and offer burnt offerings, and sacrifice think offerings, that we should then carry in our hands a branch of myrtle, and willow, and a bow of the palm tree, with the addition of the palm citron. That the burnt offering on the first of those days was to be a sacrifice of thirteen bulls, and fourteen lambs, and fifteen rams, with the addition of a kid of the goats as an expiation for sins, and on the following days the same number of lambs, and of rams, with the kids of the goats, but abating one of the bulls every day till they amounted to seven only. On the eighth day, all work was laid aside, and then, as we said before, they sacrificed to God a bullock, a ram, and seven lambs, with a kid of the goats, for an expiation of sins, and this is the accustomed solemnity of the Hebrews when they pitched their tabernacles. In the month of Santhicus, which is by us called Nisan, and is the beginning of our year, on the fourteenth day of the lunar month, when the sun is in Aries, for in this month it was that we were delivered from bandage under the Egyptians. The law ordained that we should every year slay that sacrifice which I before told you we slew when we came out of Egypt, and which was called the Passover, and so we to celebrate this Passover in companies, leaving nothing of what we sacrifice till the day following. The feast of unleavened bread succeeds that of the Passover, and falls on the fifteenth day of the month, and continues seven days, where in they feed on unleavened bread, on every one of which days two bulls are killed, and one ram and seven lambs. Now these lambs are entirely burnt, besides the kid of the goats which is added to all the rest, for sins. It is intended as a feast for the priests on every one of those days, but on the second day of unleavened bread, which is the sixteenth day of the month, they first partake of the fruits of the earth, for before that day they do not touch them. And while they suppose it proper to honor God, from whom they obtain this plentiful provision, in the first place, they offer the first fruits of their barley, and that in the manner following. They take a handful of the ears and dry them, then beat them small, and purge the barley from the bran. They then bring one tenth deal to the altar to God, and, casting one handful of it upon the fire, they leave the rest for the use of the priest. And after this, it is that they may publicly or privately reap their harvest. They also, at this participation of the first fruits of the earth, sacrifice a lamb as a burnt offering to God. When a week of weeks has passed over after the sacrifice, which weeks contain forty and nine days, on the fiftieth day, which is Pentecost, but is called by the Hebrews Asartha, which signifies Pentecost, they bring to God a loaf made of wheat flour of two tenth deals with leaven. And for sacrifices they bring two lambs, and when they have only presented them to God, they are made ready for supper for the priests, nor is it permitted to leave anything of them till the day following. They also slay three bollocks for a burnt offering, and two rams and fourteen lambs with two kids of the goats for sins. Nor is there any one of the festivals, but in need, they offer burnt offerings. They also allow themselves to rest on every one of them. Accordingly, the law prescribes in them all what kinds they are to sacrifice and how they are to rest entirely, and must slay sacrifices in order to feast upon them. However, out of the common charges, baked bread was set on the table of show bread, without leaven of twenty-four tenth deals of flour, for so much is spent upon this bread. Two heaps of these were baked. They were baked the day before the Sabbath, but were brought into the holy place on the morning of the Sabbath, and set upon the holy table. Six on a heap, one loaf still standing over against another, where two golden cups full of frankincense were also set upon them. And there they remained till another Sabbath, and then other loaves were brought in their stead, while the loaves were given to the priests for their food. And the frankincense was burnt in that sacred fire, where in all their offerings were burnt also. And so other frankincense was set upon the loaves instead of what was there before. The high priest also, of his own charges, offered a sacrifice, and that twice every day. It was made of flour mingled with oil, and gently baked by the fire. The quantity was one tenth deal of flour. He brought the half of it to the fire in the morning, and the other half at night. The account of these sacrifices I shall give more accurately hereafter. But I think I have premised what for the present may be sufficient concerning them. CHAPTER 11 OF THE PURIFICATIONS Moses took out the tribe of Levi from communicating with the rest of the people, and set them apart to be a holy tribe, and purified them by water taken from perpetual springs, and with such sacrifices as were usually offered to God on the like occasions. He delivered to them also the tabernacle and the sacred vessels and the other curtains, which were made for covering the tabernacle that they might minister under the conduct of the priests, who had been already consecrated to God. He also determined concerning animals, which of them might be used for food, and which they were obliged to abstain from, which matters when this work shall give me occasion, shall be further explained. And the causes shall be added by which he was moved to a lot, some of them to be our food, and enjoyed us to abstain from others. However, he entirely forbade us the use of blood for food, and his team did to contain the soul and spirit. He also forbade us to eat the flesh of an animal that died of itself, as also the call and the fat of goats and sheep and bulls. He also ordered that those whose bodies were afflicted with leprosy, and that had agonorrhea, should not come into the city. Nay, he removed the women when they had their natural purgations till the seventh day, after which he looked on them as pure and permitted them to come in again. The law permits those also who have taken care of funerals to come in after the same manner when this number of days is over. But if any continued longer than that number of days in a state of pollution, the law appointed the offering two lambs for a sacrifice, the one of which they are to purge by fire, and for the other, the priests take it for themselves. In the same manner do those sacrifice who have had agonorrhea. But he that sheds his seed in his sleep, if he go down into cold water, has the same privilege with those that have lovefully accompanied with their wives, and for the lepers he suffered them not to come into the city at all, nor to live with any others, as if they were in effect dead persons. But if any one had obtained by prayer to God the recovery from that distemper, and had gained a healthful complexion again, such a one returned thanks to God, with several sorts of sacrifices, concerning which we will speak hereafter. When one cannot but smile at those who say that Moses was himself afflicted with a leprosy when he fled out of Egypt, and that he became the conductor of those who on that account left that country, and led them into the land of Canaan. For had this been true, Moses would not have made this loss to his own dishonor, which indeed it was more likely he would have opposed, if others had endeavored to introduce them. And this there rather, because there are lepers in many nations, who yet are in honour, and at only free from reproach and avoidance. But who have been great captains of armies, and have been entrusted with high offices in the common wealth, and have had the privilege of entering into holy places and temples, so that nothing hindered. But if either Moses himself, or the multitude that was with him, had been liable to such a misfortune in the colour of his skin, he might have made loss about them for their credit and advantage, and have laid no manner of difficulty upon them. Accordingly, it is a plain case, that it is out of violent prejudice only, that they report these things about us. But Moses was pure from any such distemper, and lived with countrymen who were pure of it also, and thence made the loss which concerned others that had the distemper, he did this for the honour of God. But as to this matters, let everyone consider them after what manner he pleases. As to the women when they have borne a child, Moses forbade them to come into the temple, or touched the sacrifices before forty days were over, supposing it to be a boy. But if she had borne a girl, the law is that she cannot be admitted before twice that number of days be over. And when after the before mentioned time appointed for them, they performed their sacrifices, the priests distribute them before God. But if anyone suspected his wife has been guilty of adultery, he was to bring a tenth deal of barley flour. They then cast one handful to God, and gave the rest of it to the priests for food. One of the priests set the woman at the gates that are turned towards the temple, and took the veil from her head, and wrote the name of God on parchment, and enjoined her to swear that she had not at all injured her husband, and to wish that, if she had violated her chastity, her right thigh might be put out of joint, that her belly might swell, and that she might die thus, but that if her husband, by the violence of his affection, and of the jealousy which arose from it, had been rushly moved to the suspicion that she might bear a male child in the tenth month. Now when these oaths were over, the priest wiped the name of God out of the parchment, and wrung the water into a vial. He also took some dust out of the temple, if any happened to be there, and put a little of it into the vial, and gave it her to drink. Were upon the woman, if she were unjustly accused, conceived with child, and brought it to perfection in her womb. But if she had broken her faith of wedlock to her husband, and had sworn falsely before God, she died in her approachful manner. Her thigh fell off from her, and her belly swelled with a drop-sea. And these are the ceremonies about sacrifices, and about the purifications there to belonging, which Moses provided for his countrymen. He also prescribed the following laws to them. Book 3, chapters 12 and 13 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 David Berceau. The Antiquities of the Jews, Volume 1, by Flavius Josephus, translated by William Wiston. Book 3, chapters 12 and 13. Chapter 12, several laws. As for adultery, Moses forbade it entirely, as esteeming it a happy thing that men should be wise in the affairs of wedlock, and that it was profitable both to cities and families that children should be known to be genuine. He also abhorred men's lying with their mothers as one of their greatest crimes, and the like for lying with the father's wife, and with aunts, and sisters, and son's wives, as all instances of abominable wickedness. He also forbade a man to lie with his wife when she was defiled by her natural purgation, and not to come near brute beasts, nor to approve of the lying with a male, which was to hunt after unlawful pleasures on account of beauty. To those who were guilty of such insolent behavior, he ordained death for their punishment. As for the priests, he prescribed them a double degree of purity, for he restrained them in the instances above, and moreover, forbade them to marry harlots. He also forbade them to marry a slave or a captive, and such as got their living by cheating trades and by keeping ends, as also a woman pardoned from her husband on any account whatsoever. Now, he did not think it proper for the high priest to marry even the widow of one that was dead, though he allowed that to the priests, but he permitted him only to marry a virgin and to retain her. Once it is that the high priest is not to come near to one that is dead, although the rest are not prohibited from coming near to their brethren, or parents, or children when they are dead, but they are to be unblemished in all respects. He ordered that the priest who had any blemish should have his portion indeed among the priests, but he forbade him to ascend the altar or to enter into the holy house. He also enjoined them not only to observe purity in their sacred administrations, but in their daily conversation that it might be unblameable also. And on this account it is that those who wear the sacerdotal garments are without spot and imminent for their purity and sobriety, nor are they permitted to drink wine so long as they wear those garments. Moreover, they offer sacrifices that are entire and have no defect whatsoever. And truly Moses gave them all these precepts, being such as were observed during his own lifetime. But though he lived now in the wilderness, yet did he make provision how they might observe the same laws when they should have taken the land of Canaan. He gave them rest of the land from plowing and planting every seventh year, as he had prescribed to them to rest from working every seventh day. And ordered that then what grew of its own accord out of the earth, shouldn't come and belong to all that pleased to use it, making no distinction that respect between their own countrymen and foreigners. And he ordained that they should do the same after seven times seven years, which in all are 50 years. And that 50th year is called by the Hebrews, the Jubilee, wherein debtors are freed from their debts and slaves are set at liberty. Which slaves became such, though they were of the same stock by transgressing some of those laws, the punishment of which was not capital, but they were punished by this method of slavery. This year also restores the land to its former possessors in the manner following. When the Jubilee has come, which name denotes liberty, he that sold the land and he that bought it, meet together and make an estimate on one hand of the fruits gathered, and on the other hand of the expenses laid out upon it. If the fruits gathered come to more than the expenses laid out, he that sold it takes the land again. But if the expenses prove more than the fruits, the present possessor receives of the former owner the difference that was lacking and leaves the land to him. And if the fruits received and the expenses laid out prove equal to one another, the present possessor relinquishes it to the former owners. Moses would have the same law obtained as to those houses also which were sold in villages, but he made a different law for such as were sold in a city. Where if he that sold it tendered the purchaser his money again within a year, he was forced to restore it. But in case a whole year had intervened, the purchaser was to enjoy what he had bought. This was the constitution of the laws which Moses learned of God when the camp lay under Mount Sinai, and this he delivered in writing to the Hebrews. Now when this settlement of laws seemed to be well over, Moses thought fit at length to take a review of the host as thinking it proper to settle the affairs of war. So he charged the heads of the tribes accepting the tribe of Levi to take an exact account of the number of those who were able to go to war. For as to the Levites they were holy and free from all such burdens. Now when the people had been numbered, there were found 600,000 who were able to go to war from 20 to 50 years of age besides 3,650. Instead of Levi, Moses took Manasseh, the son of Joseph, among the heads of tribes and Ephraim instead of Joseph. It was indeed the desire of Jacob himself to Joseph that he would give him his sons to be his own by adoption as I have before related. When they set up the tabernacle, they received it into the midst of their camp, three of the tribes pitching their tents on each side of it, and roads were cut through the midst of these tents. It was like a well appointed market and everything was there ready for sale and de-order and all sorts of artisifers were in the shops and it resembled nothing so much as a city that sometimes was movable and sometimes fixed. The priests had the first places about the tabernacle. Then the Levites who because their whole multitude was reckoned from 30 days old were 23,880 males. And during the time that the cloud stood over the tabernacle, they thought proper to stay in the same place as supposing that God there inhabited among them. But when it removed, they journeyed also. Moreover, Moses was the inventor of the form of their trumpet, which was made of silver. Its description is this. In length, it was a little less than a qubit. It was composed of a narrow tube, somewhat thicker than a flute, but with so much breadth as was sufficient for admission of the breath of a man's mouth. It ended in the form of a bell, like common trumpets. Its sound was called in the Hebrew language, a sassra. Two of these being made, one of them was sounded when they required the multitude to come together to congregations. When the first of them gave a signal, the heads of the tribes were to assemble and consult about the affairs to them properly belonging. But when they gave the signal by both of them, they called the multitude together. Whenever the tabernacle was removed, it was done in this solemn order. At the first alarm of the trumpet, those whose tents were on the east quarter prepared to remove. When the second signal was given, those who were on the south quarter did the like. In the next place, the tabernacle was taken into pieces and was carried in the midst of six tribes that went before and of six that followed. All of the Levites assisting about the tabernacle. When the third signal was given, that part which had their tents towards the west put themselves in motion. And at the fourth signal, those on the north did so likewise. They also made use of these trumpets in their sacred administrations when they were bringing their sacrifices to the altar, as well as on the Sabbaths, as on the rest of the festival days. And now it was that Moses offered that sacrifice which was called the Passover in the wilderness as the first he had offered after the departure out of Egypt. Chapter 13, Moses removed from Mount Sinai and conducted the people to the borders of the Canaanites. A little while afterwards, he rose up and went from Mount Sinai and having passed through several mansions of which we will speak, he came to a place called Hazaroth where the multitude began again to be mutinous and to Moses for the misfortunes they had suffered their travels. And that when he had persuaded them to leave a good land, they at once had lost their land. And instead of that happy state in which he had found them, they were now still wandering in their miserable condition, being already in need of water. And if the manna should happen to fail, they must then utterly perish. Yet while they spoke many and bitter things against Moses, there was one of them who exhorted them to be unmindful of Moses and of what great pains he had been at about their common safety, not to despair of assistance from God. The multitude thereupon became still more unruly and mutinous against Moses than before. Hereupon Moses, although he was so basely abused by them, encouraged them in their despairing condition and promised that he would procure them a quantity of flesh meat and that not only for a few days only, but for many days. This they were not ready to believe. And when one of them asked from where he could obtain such a vast plenty of what Moses had promised, Moses replied, neither God nor I who hear such shameful language will leave off our labors for you. And this soon shall appear also. As soon as ever he had said this, the whole camp was filled with quails. They stood round about them and gathered great numbers. However, it was not long before God punished the Hebrews for their insolence, for making those reproaches they had used towards him, and no small number of them died. And still to this day, the place retains the memory of this destruction and is named Kibratha Tava, which is Graves of Lust. Into Book 3, chapters 12 and 13, recording by David Bursoe, davidbercot.com. Book 3, chapters 14 and 15 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. The Antiquities of the Jews, Volume 1 by Flavius Josephus, translated by William Weston. Book 3, chapters 14 and 15. Chapter 14, how Moses sent some persons to search out the land of the Canaanites and the largeness of their cities, and further that when those who were sent were returned after forty days, and reported that they should not be a match for them and extolled the strength of the Canaanites, the multitude were disturbed and fell into despair, and were resolved to stone Moses and to return back again into Egypt and serve the Egyptians. When Moses had led the Hebrews away from thence to a place called Paran, which was near to the borders of the Canaanites and a place difficult to be continued in, he gathered the multitude together to a congregation, and standing in the midst of them he said, Of the two things that God determined to bestow upon us, liberty and the possession of a happy country, the one of them he already are partakers of, by the gift of God, and the other you will quickly obtain. For we now have our abode near the borders of the Canaanites, and nothing can hinder the acquisition of it when we now at last are fallen upon it. I say, not only no king or city, but neither the whole race of mankind, if they were all gathered together, could do it. Let us therefore prepare ourselves for the work, for the Canaanites will not resign up their land to us without fighting, but it must be rested from them by great struggles in war. Let us then send spies who may take a view of the goodness of the land and what strength it is of, but above all things let us be of one mind, and let us honor God, who above all is our helper and a sister. When Moses had said thus, the multitude requited him with marks of respect, and chose twelve spies of the most eminent men, one out of each tribe. Who, passing over all the land of Canaan from the borders of Egypt, came to the city Hamath and to Mount Lebanon, and having learned the nature of the land and of its inhabitants, they came home, having spent forty days in the whole work. They also brought with them of the fruits which the land bear, and they also showed them the excellency of those fruits and gave an account of the great quantity of the good things that land afforded, which were motives to the multitude to go to war. But then they terrified them again with the great difficulty there was in obtaining it, that the rivers were so large and deep that they could not be passed over, and that the hills were so high that they could not travel along for them, that the cities were strong with walls, and their firm fortifications round about them. They told them also that they found at Hebron the posterity of the giants. Accordingly, these spies who had seen the land of Canaan when they perceived that all these difficulties were greater there than they had met with since they came out of Egypt, they were affrighted at them themselves and endeavored to affright the multitude also. So they supposed from what they had heard that it was impossible to get the possession of the country, and when the congregation was dissolved they, their wives and children, continued their lamentation as if God would not indeed assist them but only promised them fair. They also again blamed Moses and made a clamor against him and his brother Aaron the High Priest. Accordingly they passed that night very ill and with Contamelius language against them, but in the morning they ran to a congregation intending to stone Moses and Aaron and so to return back into Egypt. But of the spies there were Joshua the Son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and Caleb of the tribe of Judah that were afraid of the consequence and came into the midst of them instilled the multitude and desired them to be of good courage and neither to condemn God as having told them lies nor to hearken to those who had affrighted them by telling them what was not true concerning the Canaanites but to those that encouraged them to hope for good success and that they should gain possession of the happiness promised them because neither the height of mountains nor the depth of rivers could hinder men of true courage from attempting them, especially while God would take care of them beforehand and be an assistant to them. Let us then go, said they, against our enemies and have no suspicion of ill success trusting in God to conduct us and following those that are to be our leaders. Thus did these two exhort them and endeavour to pacify the rage they were in but Moses and Aaron fell on the ground and besought God not for their own deliverance but that he would put a stop to what the people were unwirly doing and would bring their minds to a quiet temper which were now disordered by their present passion. The cloud also did now appear and stood over the tabernacle and declared to them the presence of God to be there. Chapter 15 How Moses was displeased at this and foretold that God was angry and that they should continue in the wilderness for forty years and not during that time either return into Egypt or take possession of Canaan. Moses came now boldly to the multitude and informed them that God was moved at their abuse of him and would inflict punishment upon them not indeed such as they deserved for their sins but such as parents inflict on their children in order to their correction. For he said that when he was in the tabernacle and was bewailing with tears that destruction which was coming upon them God put him in mind what things he had done for them and what benefits they had received from him and yet how ungrateful they had been to him that just now they had been induced through the timorousness of the spies to think that their words were truer than his own promise to them and that on this account though he would not indeed destroy them all nor utterly exterminate their nation which he had honored more than any other part of mankind yet he would not permit them to take possession of the land of Canaan nor enjoy its happiness but would make them wander in the wilderness and live without a fixed habitation and without a city for forty years together as a punishment for this their transgression but that he had promised to give that land to our children and that he would make them the possessors of those good things which by your ungoverned passions you have deprived yourselves of. When Moses had discourse thus to them according to the direction of God the multitude grieved and were in affliction and entreated Moses to procure their reconciliation to God and to permit them no longer to wander in the wilderness but bestow cities upon them but he replied that God would not admit of any such trial for that God was not moved to this determination from any human levity or anger but that he had judicially condemned them to that punishment now we are not to disbelieve that Moses who was but a single person pacified so many ten thousands when they were in anger and converted them to a mildness temper for God was with him and prepared way to his persuasions of the multitude and as they had often been disobedient they were now sensible that such disobedience was disadvantageous to them and that they had still thereby fallen into calamities but this man was admirable for his virtue and powerful in making men give credit to what he delivered not only during the time of his natural life but even there is still no one of the Hebrews who does not act even now as if Moses were present and ready to punish him if he should do anything that is indecent nay there is no one but is obedient to what laws he ordained although they might be concealed in their transgressions there are also many other demonstrations that his power was more than human for still some there have been the Euphrates a journey of four months through many dangers and at great expenses in honor of our temple and yet when they had offered their oblations could not partake of their own sacrifices because Moses had forbidden it by somewhat in the law that did not permit them or somewhat that had befallen them which our ancient customs made inconsistent therewith some of these did not sacrifice at all and others left their sacrifices in an imperfect condition many were not able even at first so much as to enter the temple but went their ways in this as preferring a submission to the laws of Moses before the fulfilling of their own inclinations they had no fear upon them that anybody could convict them but only out of a reverence to their own conscience thus this legislation which appeared to be divine made this man to be esteemed as one superior to his own nature nay further a little before the beginning of this war when Claudius was emperor of the Romans and Ishmael was our high priest and when so great a famine was come upon us that one tenth deal of wheat was sold for four drachmae and when no less than seventy Cori of flower were brought into the temple at the feast of unleavened bread these Cori are thirty one Sicilian but forty one Athenian midimni not one of the priests was so hardy as to eat one crumb of it even while so great a distress was upon the land and this out of a dread of the law and of that wrath which God retains against acts of wickedness even when no one can accuse the actors once we are not to wonder at what was then done while to this very day the writings left by Moses have so great a force that those that hate us do confess that he who established the settlement was God and that it was by the means of Moses and of his virtue but as to these matters let everyone take them as he sees fit and of book three chapters fourteen and fifteen and of book three book four chapters one and two of the antiquities of the Jews volume one 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 Paul Huckabee the antiquities of the Jews volume one by Flavius Giusephus translated by William Wiston book four chapters one and two book four containing the interval of thirty eight years from the rejection of that generation to the death of Moses chapter one the fight of the Hebrews the Canaanites without the consent of Moses and their defeat now this life of the Hebrews in the wilderness was so disagreeable and troublesome to them and they were so uneasy at it that although God had forbidden them to meddle with the Canaanites yet could they not be persuaded to be obedient to the words of Moses and to be quiet but supposing they should be able to beat their enemies without his approbation they accused him and suspected that he made it his business to keep them in a distressed condition they might always stand in need of his assistants accordingly they resolved to fight with the Canaanites and said that God gave them his assistants not out of regard to Moses' intercessions but because he took care of their entire nation on account of their forefathers whose affairs he took under his own conduct as also that it was an account of their own virtues that he had formally procured them their liberty and would be assisting to them now they were willing to take pains for it they also said they were possessed by the conquest of their enemies although Moses should have a mind to alienate God from them that however it was for their advantage to be their own masters and not so far to rejoice in their deliverance from the indignities they endured under the Egyptians as to bear the tyranny of Moses over them and to suffer themselves to be deluded and live according to his pleasure as though God did only foretell what concerns us out of kindness to him as if they were not all the posterity of Abraham that God made him alone the author of the knowledge we have and we must still learn it from him that it would be a piece of prudence to oppose his arrogant pretenses and to put their confidence in God and to resolve to take possession of that land which he had promised them and not to give ear to him who on this account and under the pretense of divine authority forbade them to do so considering therefore the distress state they were in at present and that in those desert places they were still to expect things would be worse with resolved to fight with the Canaanites as submitting only to God their supreme commander and not waiting for any assistance from their legislator when therefore they had come to this resolution as being best for them they went against their enemies but those enemies were not dismayed either at the attack itself or at the great multitudes that made it and received them with great courage many of the Hebrews were slain and the remainder of the army upon the disorder of their troops were pursued and fled after a shameful manner to their camp whereupon this unexpected misfortune made them quite despond and they hoped for nothing that was good as gathering from it that this affliction came from the wrath of God because they rashly went out to war without his approbation but when Moses saw how deeply they were affected with this defeat and being afraid lest the enemies should grow insolent upon this victory and should be desirous of gaining still victory to glory and should attack them he resolved that it was proper to withdraw the army into the wilderness to a further distance from the Canaanites so the multitude gave themselves up again to his conduct for they were sensible that without his care for them their affairs could not be in a good condition and he caused the host to remove and he went further into the wilderness as intending there to let them rest and not to permit them to fight the Canaanites before God for them a more favourable opportunity Chapter 2 The sedition of Korah and of the multitude against Moses and against his brother concerning the priesthood that which is usually the case of great armies and especially upon ill success to be hard to be pleased and governed with difficulty did now befall the Jews for they being in number 600,000 and by reason of their great multitude not readily subject to their governors even in prosperity they at this time were more than usually angry both against one another and against their leader because of the distress they were in and the calamities they then endured such a sedition overtook them as we have not seen the like either among the Greeks or the barbarians by which they were in danger of being all destroyed but were not withstanding saved by Moses who would not remember that he had been almost stoned to death by them nor did God neglect to prevent their ruin but not withstanding the indignities they had offered their legislator and the laws and the disobedience to the commandments which he had sent them by Moses were all calamities which without his providential care had been brought upon them by this sedition so I will first explain the cause when this sedition arose and then we will give an account of the sedition itself as also of what settlements made for their government after it was over Korra a Hebrew of principal account both by his family and by his wealth one that was also able to speak well and one that could easily persuade the people by his speeches saw that Moses was in an exceeding great dignity and was at it and envied him on that account he of the same tribe with Moses and of Kintahim was particularly grieved because he thought he better deserved that honourable post on account of great riches and not inferior to him in his birth so he raised a clamour against him among the Levites who were of the same tribe and among his kindred saying that it was a very sad thing that they should overlook Moses while he hunted after and paved the way for glory for himself and by ill arts should obtain it under the pretense of God's command while contrary to the laws he had given the priesthood to Aaron not by the common suffrage of the multitude but by his own vote as bestowing dignities in a tyrannical way on whom he pleased he added that this concealed way of imposing on them was harder to be born than if it had been done by an open force upon them because he did now not only take away their power without their consent but even they were unapprised of his contrivances against them for whosoever is conscious to himself that he deserves any dignity aims to get it by persuasion and not by an arrogant method of violence those that believe it impossible to obtain honours justly make a show of goodness and do not introduce force but by cunning tricks grow wickedly powerful that it was proper for the multitude to punish such men even while they think themselves concealed in their designs and not suffer them to gain strength till they have them for their open enemies for what account added he is Moses able to give why he has bestowed the priesthood on Aaron and his sons for if God had determined to bestow the honour on one of the tribe of Levi I am more worthy of it than he is I myself being equal to Moses by my family and superior to him both in riches and in age but if God had determined to bestow it on the eldest tribe that of Reuben might have it most justly and then Dathan and Abraham and on the son of Peloth would have it for these are the oldest men of that tribe and potent on account of their great wealth also now Korra when he had said this had a mind to appear to take care of the public welfare but in reality he was endeavouring to procure dignity transferred by the multitude to himself thus did he out of a malignant design but with discourse to those of his own tribe when these words did gradually spread to more people and when the here is still added to what tended to the scandals that were cast upon Aaron the whole army was full of them now of those that conspired with Korra there were 250 and those of the principal men also who were eager to have the priest had taken away from Moses's brother and to bring him into disgrace nay, the multitude themselves were provoked to be seditious and attempted to stone Moses and gathered themselves together after an indecent manner with confusion and disorder and now all were in a tumultuous manner raising a clamour before the tabernacle of God to prosecute the tyrant and to relieve the multitude from their slavery under him who, under colour of the divine laid violent injunctions upon them for had it been God who chose one that was to the office of a priest he would have raised a person to that dignity and would not produced such a one as was inferior to many others nor have given him that office and that in case he had judged it fit to bestow it on Aaron he would have permitted it to the multitude to bestow it and not have left it to be bestowed by his own brother now although Moses had for a great while ago foreseen this calamity of Quora and had seen the people were irritated yet was he not affrighted at it but being of good courage because he had given them right advice about their affairs and knowing that his brother had been made partaker of the priesthood at the command of God and not by his own favour to him he came to the assembly and as for the multitude he said not a word to them but spake as loud to Quora as he could and being very skillful in making speeches and having this natural talent among others that he could greatly move the multitude with his discourses he said O Quora, both thou and all these with thee pointing to the 250 men seem to be worthy of this honour nor do I pretend that this whole company may be worthy of their like dignity although they may not be so rich or so great as you are nor have I taken and given this office to my brother because he excelled of his enriches for thou exceedest as both in the greatness of thy wealth nor indeed because he was of an feminine family for God by giving us the same ancestor has made our families equal nay, nor was it out of brotherly affection which another might yet have justly done for certainly unless I had bestowed this honour out of regard to God and to his laws I had not passed by myself and given it to another as being nearer of kin to myself than to my brother and having a closer intimacy to myself than I have with him for surely it would not be a wise thing for me to expose myself to the dangers of offending and to bestow the happy employment on this account upon another but I am above such base practices nor would God have overlooked this matter and seen himself thus despised nor would he have suffered you to be ignorant of what you were to do in order to please him but he hath chosen one that is to perform that sacred office to him and thereby freed us from that care so that it was not a thing that I pretend to give but only according to the determination of God I therefore propose it still to be contended for by such as please to put in for it only desiring that he who has been already preferred and has already obtained it may be allowed now also to offer himself for a candidate he prefers your peace and your living without sedition to this honourable employment although in truth it was with your attribution that he obtained it for though God were the donor yet do we not offend when we think fit to accept it with your good will yet would it have been an instance of impiety not to have taken that honourable employment today it had been exceedingly unreasonable when God had thought it fit anyone should have it for all time to come and had made it secure and firm to him to have refused it however he himself would judge again who it shall be whom he would have to offer sacrifices to him and to have the direction of matters of religion for it is absurd but Korra who is ambitious of this honour should deprive God of the power of giving it to whom he pleases put an end therefore to your sedition and disturbance on this account and tomorrow morning do every one of you that desire the priesthood bring a censer from home and come hither with incense and fire and do thou, O Korra leave the judgment to God and await to see on which side he will give his determination upon this occasion but do not thou make thyself greater than God do thou also come that this contest about this honourable employment may receive determination I suppose we may admit Aaron without offence to offer himself to this scrutiny since he is of the same lineage with thyself and has done nothing in his priesthood that can be liable to exception come ye therefore together and offer your incense in public before all the people and when you offer it he whose sacrifice God shall accept shall be ordained to the priesthood and shall be clear of the present calamity on Aaron as if I had granted him that favour because he was my brother end of book 4 chapters 1 and 2 book 4 chapters 3 and 4 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 Paul Huckabee the antiquities of the Jews volume 1 by Flavius Giusephus translated by William Wiston book 4 chapters 3 and 4 chapter 3 how those that stirred up this sedition were destroyed according to the will of God and how Aaron Moses's brother both he and his posterity retained the priesthood when Moses had said this the multitude left off the turbulent behaviour they had indulged and the suspicion they had of Moses and commended what he had said for those proposals were good and were so esteemed of the people at that time therefore they dissolved the assembly but on the next day they came to the congregation in order to be present at the sacrifice and at the determination that was to be made between the candidates for the priesthood now this congregation proved to be a turbulent one and the multitude were in great suspense in expectation of what was to be done for some of them would have been pleased if Moses had been convicted of evil practices but the wiser sort desired that they might be delivered from the present disorder and disturbance for they were afraid that if this sedition went on the good order of their settlement would rather be destroyed but the whole body of the people do naturally delight in clamours against their governors and by changing their opinions upon the harangs of every speaker disturb the public tranquility and now Moses sent messages for Abiram and Dayton and ordered them to come to the assembly and wait there for the holy officers that were to be performed but they answered the messenger that they would not obey his summons nay would not overlook Moses's behaviour who was growing too great for them by evil practices now when Moses heard of this their answer he desired the heads of the people to follow him and went to the faction of Dayton not thinking it any frightful thing at all to go to these insolent people so they made no opposition but went along with him but Dayton and his associates when they understood that Moses and the principle of the people were coming to them came out with their wives and children and stood before their tents and looked to see what Moses would do they had also their servants about them to defend themselves in case Moses should use force against them but he came near and lifted up his hands to heaven and cried out with a loud voice in order to be heard by the whole multitude and said O Lord of the creatures that are in heaven in the earth and in the sea for thou art the most authentic witness to what I have done that it has all been done by thy appointment and that it was thou that affordest us assistance when we attempted anything and showedest mercy on the Hebrews in all their distresses do thou come now and hear all that I say for no action or thought escapes thy knowledge so thou wilt not disdain to speak what is true for my vindication without any regard to the ungrateful imputations of these men as for what was done before I was born thou knowest best as not learning them by report and being present with them when they were done but what has been done of late and which these men although they know them well enough unjustly pretend to suspect be thou my witness when I lived a private quiet life I left those good things which by my own diligence and by thy counsel I enjoyed with ragel my father-in-law and I gave myself up to this people and underwent many miseries I also bore great labours at first in order to obtain liberty for them and now in order to their preservation and have always shown myself ready to assist them in any distress of theirs now therefore since I am suspected by those very men whose being is owing to my labours come thou as it is reasonable to hope thou wilt thou I say who showedest me that fire at Mount Sinai and madeest me to hear its voice and to see the several wonders which that place afforded thou who commandest me to go to Egypt and declare thy will to his people thou who disturbest the happiest state of the Egyptians and gaveest us the opportunity of flying away from our under them and madeest the dominion of Pharaoh inferior to my dominion thou who dist make the sea dry land for us when we knew not whether to go and dist overwhelm the Egyptians with those destructive waves which had been divided for us thou who dist bestow upon us the security of weapons when we were naked thou who dist make the fountains that were corrupted to flow so as to be fit for drinking and dist furnishers with water that came out of rocks when we were in want of it thou who dist preserve our lives with quails which was food from the sea and fruits of the ground failed us thou dist send such food from heaven as had never been seen before thou who dist suggest to us the knowledge of thy laws and appoint to us a form of government come thou I say O Lord of the whole world and that as such a judge and a witness to me as cannot be bribed and show how I never admitted of any gift against justice from any of the Hebrews I have never condemned a man that ought to have been acquitted on account of one that was rich and have never attempted to hurt this commonwealth I am now and am suspected of a thing the remotest from my intentions as if I had given the priesthood to Aaron not at thy command but out of my own favor to him do thou at this time demonstrate that all things are administered by thy providence and that nothing happens by chance but is governed by thy will and thereby attains its end as also demonstrate that thou takest care of those that have done good to the Hebrews demonstrate this I say by the punishment of Abraham and Dathan who condemn thee as being an insensible being and one overcome by my contrivances this thou do by inflicting such an open punishment on these men who so madly fly in the face of thy glory as will take them out of the world not in an ordinary manner but so that it may appear they do die after the manner of other men let that ground which they tread upon open about them and consume them with their families and goods this will be a demonstration of thy power to all and this method of their sufferings will be an instruction of wisdom for those who entertain profane sentiments of thee by this means I shall be a good servant in the precepts thou has given me but if the calamities they have raised against me be true mayst thou preserve these men from every evil accident and bring all that destruction on me which I have implicated upon them and when thou has inflicted punishment on those that have endeavored to deal unjustly with this people bestow upon them concord and peace save the multitude that follow thy commandments and preserve them free from harm and let them not partake of the punishment of those that have sinned for thou knowest thyself it is not just that for the wickedness of those men the whole body of the Israelites should suffer punishment when Moses had said this with tears in his eyes the ground was moved on a sudden and the agitation that set it in motion was like that which wind produces in waves of the sea the people were all a-thrighted and the ground that was about their tents sunk down at the great noise with a terrible sound and carried whatsoever was dear to the seditious into itself who so entirely perished that there was not the least appearance that any man had ever been seen there the earth that had opened itself about them closing again and becoming entire as it was before in so much that such as saw it afterward did not perceive that any such accident had happened to it thus did these men perish and become a demonstration of the power of God and truly anyone would lament them not only on account of this calamity that befell them, which yet deserves our commiseration, but also because their kindred were pleased with their sufferings they forgot the relation they bear to them and at the sight of this sad accident approved of the judgment given against them and because they looked upon the people about Dathan this pestilent men they thought they perished as such and did not grieve for them and now Moses called for those that contended about the priesthood that trial might be made who should be priest and that he who sacrificed God was best pleased with might be ordained to that function there attended 250 men who indeed were honoured by the people not only on account of the power of their ancestors, but also on account of their own in which they excelled the others Aaron also and Korah came forth and they all offered incense in those senses of theirs which they had brought with them before the tabernacle Hereupon so great a fire shone out as no one ever saw in any that is made by the hand of man neither in those eruptions out of the earth that are caused by subterranean burn rags nor in such fires as a rise of their own accord in the woods when the agitation is caused by the trees rubbing one against another but this fire was very bright and had a terrible flame such as is kindled at the command of God by whose eruption on them all the company and Korah himself were destroyed and this so entirely that their very bodies left no remains behind them Aaron alone was preserved at all hurt by the fire because it was God that sent the fire to burn only those who ought to be burned Hereupon Moses after these men were destroyed was desirous that the memory of this judgment might be delivered down to posterity and that future ages might be acquainted with it and so he commanded Eleazar the son of Aaron to put their senses near the brazen altar that they might be a memorial to posterity of what these men suffered for supposing that the power of God might be eluded and thus Aaron was now no longer esteemed to have the priesthood by the favour of Moses but by the public judgment of God and thus he and his children peaceably enjoyed that honour afterward Chapter 4 What happened to the Hebrews during 38 years in the wilderness however this sedition was so far from ceasing the destruction that it grew much stronger and became more intolerable and the occasion of it growing worse was of that nature as made it likely the calamity would never cease but last for a long time for the men believing that nothing is done without the providence of God would have it that these things came thus to pass not without God's favour to Moses they therefore laid the blame upon him that God was so angry and that this happened not so much because of the wickedness of those that were punished as because Moses procured the punishment and that these men had been destroyed without any sin of theirs only because they were zealous about the divine worship as also that he who had been the cause of this diminution of the people by destroying so many men and those the most excellent of them all besides his escaping any punishment himself had now given the priesthood to his brother so firmly that nobody could any longer dispute it with him for no one else to be sure could now put in for it since he must have seen those that first did so to have miserably perished nay, beside this the kindred of those that were destroyed made great entreaties to the multitude to abate the arrogance of Moses because it would be safest for them so to do now Moses upon his hearing for a good while that the people were tumultuous was afraid that they would attempt some other innovation and that some great and sad calamity would be the consequence he called the multitude to a congregation and patiently heard what apology they had to make for themselves without opposing them and this lest he should embitter the multitude he only desired the heads of the tribes to bring their rods with the names of their tribes inscribed upon them and that he should receive the priesthood in whose rod God should give a sign this was agreed to so the rest brought their rods as did Aaron also who had written the tribe of Levi on his rod these rods Moses laid up in the tabernacle of God on the next day he brought out the rods which were known from one another by those who brought them and distinctly noted them as had the multitude also and as to the rest in the same form Moses had received them in that they saw them still but they also saw buds and branches grown out of Aaron's rod with ripe fruits upon them they were almonds the rod having been cut out of that tree the people were so amazed at this strange sight that though Moses and Aaron were before under some degree of hatred they now laid that hatred aside and began to admire the judgment of God concerning them so that hereafter they applauded what God had decreed and permitted Aaron to enjoy the priesthood peaceably and thus God ordained him priest three several times and he retained that honor without further disturbance and hereby this sedition of the Hebrews which had been a great one and had lasted a great while was at last composed and now Moses because the tribe of Levi was made free from war and warlike expeditions was set apart for the divine worship lest they should want and seek after the necessaries of life and so neglect the temple commanded the Hebrews according to the will of God that when they should gain the possession of the land of Canaan they should assign 48 good and fair cities to the Levites and permit them to enjoy their suburbs as far as the limit of 2000 cubits would extend from the walls of the city and beside this he appointed that the people should pay the tithe of their annual fruits of the earth both to the Levites and to the priests and this is what that tribe receives of the multitude but I think it necessary to set down what is paid by all peculiarly to the priests accordingly he commanded the Levites to yield up to the priests 13 of their 48 cities and to set apart for them the 10th part of the tithes which every year they receive of the people as also that it was but just to offer to God the first fruits of the entire product of the ground and that they should offer the firstborn of those forfeited beasts that are appointed for sacrifices if it be a male to the priests that they and their entire families may eat them in the holy city but that the owners of those firstborn which are not appointed for sacrifices in the laws of our country should bring a shekel and a half in their stead but for the firstborn of a man five shekels that they should also have the first fruits out of the shearing of the sheep and that when any baked bread corn and made loaves of it they should give somewhat they had baked to them moreover when any had made a sacred vow I mean those that are called Nazorites that suffer their hair to grow long and use no wine when they consecrate their hair and offer it for a sacrifice they are to allot that hair for the priests to be thrown into the fire such also as dedicate themselves to God as a Corban which denotes what the Greeks call a gift when they are desirous of being freed from that administration are to lay down money for the priests thirty shekels if it be a woman and fifty if it be a man but if any be too poor to pay the appointed sum it shall be lawful for the priests to determine that sum as they think fit and if any slave beasts at home for a private festival but not for a religious one they are obliged to bring the more and the cheek or breast right shoulder of the sacrifice to the priests with these Moses contrived that the priests should be plentifully maintained besides what they had out of those offerings for sins which the people gave them as I have set down in the foregoing book he also ordered that out of everything allotted for the priests their servants, their sons their daughters and their wives should partake as well as themselves accepting what came to them out of the sacrifices that were offered for sins for of those none but the males of the family of the priests might eat and this in the temple also and that the same day they were offered when Moses had made these constitutions after the sedition was over he removed together with the whole army and came to the borders of Idumea he then sent ambassadors to the king of the Idumeans and desired him to give him a passage and agreed to send him what hostages he should desire to secure him from any injury he desired him also that he would allow his army liberty to buy provisions and if he insisted upon it he would pay down a price for the very water they should drink but the king was not pleased with this embassage from Moses nor did he allow a passage for the army but brought his people armed to meet Moses and to hinder them in case they should endeavour to force their passage upon which Moses consulted with God by the Oracle who would not have him begin the war first so he withdrew his forces and travelled round about through the wilderness then it was that Miriam the sister of Moses came to her end having completed her fortieth year since she left Egypt on the first day of the Lunar month at Santhicus they then made a public funeral for her at a great expense she was buried upon a certain mountain which they call Sin and when they had mourned her for thirty days Moses purified the people after this manner he brought a heifer that had never been used to the plough or to husbandry that was complete in all its parts and entirely of a red colour at a little distance from the camp into a place perfectly clean this heifer was slain by the high priest the blood sprinkled with his finger seven times before the Tabernacle of God after this the entire heifer was burnt in that state together with its skin and entrails and they threw cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet wool into the mist of the fire then a clean man gathered all her ashes together and laid them in a place perfectly clean when therefore any persons were defiled by a dead body they put a little of these ashes into spring water with hyssop and dipping part of these ashes in it they sprinkled them with it both on the third day and on the seventh after that they were clean this in joined them to do also when the tribes should come into their own land now when this purification which their leader made upon the morning for his sister as it has been now described was over he caused the army to move and to march through the wilderness and through Arabia and when he came to a place which the Arabians esteemed their metropolis which was formally called Ark but has now the name of Petra at this place which was encompassed with high mountains Aaron went up one of them in the sight of the whole army Moses having before told him that he was to die for this place was over against them he put off his pontifical garments and delivered them to Eliazar his son to whom the high priesthood belonged because he was the elder brother and died while the multitude looked upon him he died in the same year where he lost his sister having lived in all a hundred and twenty three years he died on the first day of that lunar month which is called by the Athenians Heka Tombeon by the Macedonians but by the Hebrews Abba