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Sesostris； as some have very lately； in contradiction to all
antiquity； supposed； and that our Josephus did not take him to be
the same； as they pretend； but that Sesostris was many centuries
earlier than Shishak； see Authent。 Records； part II。 page 1024。
（27） Herodotus； as here quoted by Josephus； and as this passage
still stands in his present copies； B。 II。 ch。 14。； affirms； that
〃the Phoenicians and Syrians in Palestine ＇which last are
generally supposed to denote the Jews＇ owned their receiving
circumcision from the Egyptians；〃 whereas it is abnudantly
evident that the Jews received their circumcision from the
patriarch Abraham； Genesis 17：9…14； John 7：22； 23； as I conclude
the Egyptian priests themselves did also。 It is not therefore
very unlikely that Herodotus； because the Jews had lived long in
Egypt； and came out of it circumcised； did thereupon think they
had learned that circumcision in Egypt； and had it not broke。
Manetho； the famous Egyptian chronologer and historian； who knew
the history of his own country much better than Herodotus；
complains frequently of his mistakes about their affairs； as does
Josephus more than once in this chapter。 Nor indeed does
Herodotus seem at all acquainted with the affairs of the Jews；
for as he never names them； so little or nothing of what he says
about them； their country； or maritime cities； two of which he
alone mentions； Cadytus and Jenysus； proves true； nor indeed do
there appear to have ever been any such cities on their coast。
（28） This is a strange expression in Josephus； that God is his
own workmanship； or that he made himself； contrary to common
sense and to catholic Christianity； perhaps he only means that he
was not made by one； but was unoriginated。
（29） By this terrible and perfectly unparalleled slaughter of
five hundred thousand men of the newly idolatrous and rebellious
ten tribes； God's high displeasure and indignation against that
idolatry and rebellion fully appeared； the remainder were thereby
seriously cautioned not to persist in them； and a kind of balance
or equilibrium was made between the ten and the two tribes for
the time to come； while otherwise the perpetually idolatrous and
rebellious ten tribes would naturally have been too powerful for
the two tribes； which were pretty frequently free both from such
idolatry and rebellion； nor is there any reason to doubt of the
truth of the prodigious number upmost： signal an occasion。
（30） The reader is to remember that Cush is not Ethiopia； but
Arabia。 See Bochart； B。 IV。 ch。 2。
（31） Here is a very great error in our Hebrew copy in this place；
2 Chronicles 15：3…6； as applying what follows to times past； and
not to times future； whence that text is quite misapplied by Sir
Isaac Newton。
（32） This Abelmain； or； in Josephus's copy； Abellane； that
belonged to the land of Israel； and bordered on the country of
Damascus； is supposed； both by Hudson and Spanheim； to be the
same with Abel； or Ahila； whence came Abilene。 This may he that
city so denominated from Abel the righteous； there buried；
concerning the shedding of whose blood within the compass of the
land of Israel； I understand our Savior's words about the fatal
war and overthrow of Judea by Titus and his Roman army； 〃That
upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the land；
from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zacharias son of
Barnchins； whom ye slew between the temple and the altar。 Verily；
I say unto you； all these things shall come upon this
generation；〃 Matthew 23；35； 36； Luke 11：51。
（33） Josephus； in his present copies； says； that a little while
rain upon the earth； whereas； in our other copies； it is after
many days； 1 Kings 18：1。 Several years are also intimated there；
and in Josephus； sect。 2； as belonging to this drought and
famine； nay； we have the express mention of the third year； which
I suppose was reckoned from the recovery of the widow's son； and
the ceasing of this drought in Phmuiela （which； as Menander
informs us here； lasted one whole year）； and both our Savior and
St。 James affirm； that this drought lasted in all three years and
six months。 as their copies of the Old Testament then informed
them； Luke 4：25； James 5：17。 Josephus here seems to mean； that
this drought affected all the habitable earth； and presently all
the earth； as our Savior says it was upon all the earth； Luke
4：25。 They who restrain these expressions to the land of Judea
alone； go without sufficient authority or examples。
（34） Mr。 Spanheim takes notice here； that in the worship of
Mithra （the god of the Persians） the priests cut themselves in
the same manner as did these priests in their invocation of Baal
（the god of the Phoenicians）。
（35） For Izar we may here read （with Hudson and Cocceius）
Isachar； i。e of the tribe of Isachar； for to that tribe did
Jezreel belong； and presently at the beginning of sect。 8； as
also ch。 15。 sect。 4； we may read for Iar； with one MS。 nearly；
and the Scripture； Jezreel； for that was the city meant in the
history of Naboth。
（36） 〃The Jews weep to this day；〃 （says Jerome； here cited by
Reland；） 〃and roll themselves upon sackcloth； in ashes； barefoot；
upon such occasions。〃 To which Spanheim adds； 〃that after the
same manner Bernice； when his life was in danger； stood at the
tribunal of Florus barefoot。〃 Of the War； B。 II。 ch。 15。 sect。 1。
See the like of David； 2 Samuel 15：30； Antiq。 B。 VII。 ch。 9。
sect。 2。
（37） Mr。 Reland notes here very truly； that the word naked does
not always signify entirely naked； but sometimes without men's
usual armor； without heir usual robes or upper garments； as when
Virgil bids the husbandman plough naked； and sow naked； when
Josephus says （Antiq。 B。 IV。 ch。 3。 sect。 2） that God had given
the Jews the security of armor when they were naked； and when he
here says that Ahab fell on the Syrians when they were naked and
drunk； when （Antiq。 B。 XI。 ch。 5。 sect。 8） he says that Nehemiah
commanded those Jews that were building the walls of Jerusalem to
take care to have their armor on upon occasion； that the enemy
might not fall upon them naked。 I may add； that the case seems to
be the same in the Scripture； when it says that Saul lay down
naked among the prophets； 1 Samuel 19：24； when it says that
Isaiah walked naked and barefoot； Isaiah 20：2； 3； and when it
says that Peter； before he girt his fisher's coat to him； was
naked； John 21：7。 What is said of David also gives light to this；
who was reproached by Michal for 〃dancing before the ark； and
uncovering himself in the eyes of his handmaids； as one of the
vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself；〃 2 Samuel 6：14； 20；
yet it is there expressly said （ver。 14） that 〃David was girded
with a linen ephod；〃 i。e。 he had laid aside his robes of state；
and put on the sacerdotal； Levitical； or sacred garments； proper
for such a solemnity。
（38） Josephus's number； two myriads and seven thousand； agrees
here with that in our other copies； as those that were slain by
the falling down of the walls of Aphek； but I suspected at first
that this number in Josephus's present copies could not be his
original number； because he calls