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the first of which places； the reason of the delay of the
punishment of the Amorites is given； because 〃their iniquity was
not yet full。〃 In the secured； Saul is ordered to go and 〃destroy
the sinners； the Amalekites；〃 plainly implying that they were
therefore to be destroyed； because they were sinners； and not
otherwise。 In the third； the reason is given why king Agag was
not to be spared； viz。 because of his former cruelty： 〃As thy
sword hath made the （Hebrew） women childless； so shall thy mother
be made childless among women by the Hebrews。〃 In the last place；
the apostles； or their amanuensis Clement； gave this reason for
the necessity of the coming of Christ； that 〃men had formerly
perverted both the positive law； and that of nature； and had cast
out of their mind the memory of the Flood； the burning of Sodom；
the plagues of the Egyptians； and the slaughter of the
inhabitants of Palestine；〃 as signs of the most amazing
impenitence and insensibility； under the punishments of horrid
wickedness。
（15） Josephus here； in this one sentence； sums up his notion of
Moses's very long and very serious exhortations in the book of
Deuteronomy； and his words are so true； and of such importance；
that they deserve to be had in constant remembrance。
（16） This law； both here and Exodus 20：25； 26； of not going up to
God's altar by ladder…steps； but on an acclivity； seems not to
have belonged to the altar of the tabernacle； which was in all
but three cubits high； Exodus 27：4； nor to that of Ezekiel； which
was expressly to be gone up to by steps； ch。 43：17； but rather to
occasional altars of any considerable altitude and largeness； as
also probably to Solomon's altar； to which it is here applied by
Josephus； as well as to that in Zorobabel's and Herod's temple；
which were； I think； all ten cubits high。 See 2 Chronicles 4：1；
and Antiq。 B。 VIII。 ch。 3。 sect。 7。 The reason why these temples；
and these only； were to have this ascent on an acclivity； and not
by steps； is obvious； that before the invention of stairs； such
as we now use； decency could not be otherwise provided for in the
loose garments which the priests wore； as the law required。 See
Lamy of the Tabernacle and Temple； p。 444。
（17） The hire of public or secret harlots was given to Venus in
Syria； as Lucian informs us； p。 878； and against some such vile
practice of the old idolaters this law seems to have been made。
（18） The Apostolical Constitutions； B。 II。 ch。 26。 sect。 31；
expound this law of Moses； Exodus 22。 28； 〃Thou shalt not revile
or blaspheme the gods；〃 or magistrates； which is a much more
probable exposition than this of Josephus； of heathen gillis； as
here； and against Apion； B。 II。 ch。 3。 sect。 31。 What book of the
law was thus publicly read； see the note on Antiq。 B。 X。 ch。 5。
sect。 5； and 1 Esd。 9：8…55。
（19）Whether these phylacteries； and other Jewish memorials of the
law here mentioned by Josephus； and by Muses； （besides the
fringes on the borders of their garments； Numbers 15：37；） were
literally meant by God； I much question。 That they have been long
observed by the Pharisees and Rabbinical Jews is certain；
however； the Karaites； who receive not the unwritten traditions
of the elders； but keep close to the written law； with Jerome and
Grotius； think they were not literally to be understood； as
Bernard and Reland here take notice。 Nor indeed do I remember
that； either in the ancienter books of the Old Testament； or in
the books we call Apocrypha； there are any signs of such literal
observations appearing among the Jews； though their real or
mystical signification； i。e。 the constant remembrance and
observation of the laws of God by Moses； be frequently inculcated
in all the sacred writings。
（20） Here； as well as elsewhere； sect。 38； of his Life； sect。 14；
and of the War； B。 II。 ch。 20。 sect。 5； are but seven judges
appointed for small cities； instead of twenty…three in the modern
Rabidns； which modern Rabbis are always but of very little
authority in comparison of our Josephus。
（21） I have never observed elsewhere； that in the Jewish
government women were not admitted as legal witnesses in courts
of justice。 None of our copies of the Pentateuch say a word of
it。 It is very probable； however； that this was the exposition of
the scribes and Pharisees； and the practice of the Jews in the
days of Josephus。
（22） This penalty of 〃forty stripes save one；〃 here mentioned；
and sect。 23； was five times inflicted on St。 Paul himself by the
Jews； 2 Corinthians 11：24
（23） Josephus's plain and express interpretation of this law of
Moses； Deuteronomy 14：28； 29； 26：12； etc。； that the Jews were
bound every third year to pay three tithes； that to the Levites；
that for sacrifices at Jerusalem； and this for the indigent； the
widow； and the orphans； is fully confirmed by the practice of
good old Tobit； even when he was a captive in Assyria； against
the opinions of the Rabbins； Tobit 1：6…8。
（24） These tokens of virginity； as the Hebrew and Septuagint
style them； Deuteronomy 22：15； 17； 20； seem to me very different
from what our later interpreters suppose。 They appear rather to
have been such close linen garments as were never put off
virgins； after； a certain age； till they were married； but before
witnesses； and which； while they were entire； were certain
evidences of such virginity。 See these； Antiq。 B。 VII。 ch。 8。
sect。 1； 2 Samuel 13：18； Isaiah 6：1 Josephus here determines
nothing what were these particular tokens of virginity or of
corruption： perhaps he thought he could not easily describe them
to the heathens； without saying what they might have thought a
breach of modesty； which seeming breach of modesty laws cannot
always wholly avoid。
（25） These words of Josephus are very like those of the Pharisees
to our Savior upon this very subject； Matthew 19：3； 〃Is it lawful
for a man to put away his wife for every cause？〃
（26） Here it is supposed that this captive's husband； if she were
before a married woman； was dead before； or rather was slain in
this very battle； otherwise it would have been adultery in him
that married her。
（27） See Herod the Great insisting on the execution of this law；
with relation to two of his own sons； before the judges at
Berytus； Antiq。 B。 XVI。 ch。 11。 sect。 2。
（28） Philo and others appear to have understood this law； Exodus
21：22； 23； better than Josephus； who seems to allow； that though
the infant in the mother's womb； even after the mother were
quick； and so the infant had a rational soul； were killed by the
stroke upon the mother； yet if the mother escaped； the offender
should only be fined； and not put to death； while the law seems
rather to mean； that if the infant in that case be killed； though
the mother escape； the offender must be put to death； and not
only when the mother is killed； as Josehus understood it。 It
seems this was the exposition of the Pharisees in the days of
Josephus。
（29） What we render a witch； according to our modern notions of
witchcraft； Exodus 22：15； Philo and Josephus understood of a
poisoner； or one who attempted by secret and unlawful drugs or
philtra； to take away the senses or the live