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deep； and two hundred and fifty feet broad。 However； its depth
is； in the next section； said by Josephus to be immense； which
exactly agrees to Strabo's description； and which numbers in
Strabo are a strong confirmation of the truth of Josephus's
description also。
（6） That is； on the 23rd of Sivan； the annual fast for the
defection and idolatry of Jeroboam； 〃who made Israel to sin；〃 or
possibly some other fast might fall into that month； before and
in the days of Josephus。
（7） It deserves here to be noted； that this Pharisaical；
superstitious notion； that offensive fighting was unlawful to
Jews； even under the utmost necessity； on the Sabbath day； of
which we hear nothing before the times of the Maccabees； was the
proper occasion of Jerusalem's being taken by Pompey； by Sosius；
and by Titus； as appears from the places already quoted in the
note on Antiq。 B。 XIII。 ch。 8。 sect。 1； which scrupulous
superstition； as to the observation of such a rigorous rest upon
the Sabbath day； our Savior always opposed； when the Pharisaical
Jews insisted on it； as is evident in many places in the New
Testament； though he still intimated how pernicious that
superstition might prove to them in their flight from the Romans；
Matthew 25：20。
（8） This is fully confirmed by the testimony of Cicero； who：
says； in his oration for Flaecus； that 〃Cneius Pompeius； when he
was conqueror； and had taken Jerusalem； did not touch any thing
belonging to that temple。〃
（9） Of this destruction of Gadara here presupposed； and its
restoration by Pompey； see the note on the War； B。 I。 ch。 7。
sect。 7。
（10） Dean Prideaux well observes； 〃That notwithstanding the
clamor against Gabinius at Rome； Josephus gives him a able
character； as if he had acquitted himself with honor in the
charge committed to him〃 ＇in Judea＇。 See at the year 55。
（11） This history is best illustrated by Dr。 Hudson out of Livy；
who says that 〃A。 Gabinius； the proconsul； restored Ptolemy of
Pompey and Gabinius against the Jews； while neither of them say
any thing new which is not in the other to his kingdom of Egypt；
and ejected Archelaus； whom they had set up for king；〃 &c。 See
Prid。 at the years 61 and 65。
（12） Dr。 Hudson observes； that the name of this wife of Antipater
in Josephus was Cypros； as a Hebrew termination； but not Cypris；
the Greek name for Venus； as some critics were ready to correct
it。
（13） Take Dr。 Hudson's note upon this place； which I suppose to
be the truth： 〃Here is some mistake in Josephus； for when he had
promised us a decree for the restoration of Jerusalem he brings
in a decree of far greater antiquity； and that a league of
friendship and union only。 One may easily believe that Josephus
gave order for one thing； and his amanuensis performed another；
by transposing decrees that concerned the Hyrcani； and as deluded
by the sameness of their names； for that belongs to the first
high priest of this name； ＇John Hyrcanus；＇ which Josephus here
ascribes to one that lived later ＇Hyrcanus； the son of Alexander
Janneus＇。 However； the decree which he proposes to set down
follows a little lower； in the collection of Raman decrees that
concerned the Jews and is that dated when Caesar was consul the
fifth time。〃 See ch。 10。 sect。 5。
（14） Those who will carefully observe the several occasional
numbers and chronological characters in the life and death of
this Herod； and of his children； hereafter noted； will see that
twenty…five years； and not fifteen； must for certain have been
here Josephus's own number for the age of Herod； when he was made
governor of Galilee。 See ch。 23。 sect。 5； and ch。 24。 sect。 7；
and particularly Antiq。 B。 XVII。 ch。 8。 sect。 1； where about
forty…four years afterwards Herod dies an old man at about
seventy。
（15） It is here worth our while to remark； that none could be put
to death in Judea but by the approbation of the Jewish Sanhedrim；
there being an excellent provision in the law of Moses； that even
in criminal causes； and particularly where life was concerned； an
appeal should lie from the lesser councils of seven in the other
cities to the supreme council of seventy…one at Jerusalem； and
that is exactly according to our Savior's words； when he says；
〃It could not be that a prophet should perish out of Jerusalem；〃
Luke 13：33。
（16） This account； as Reland observes； is confirmed by the
Talmudists； who call this Sameas； 〃Simeon； the son of Shetach。〃
（17） That Hyreanus was himself in Egypt； along with Antipater； at
this time； to whom accordingly the bold and prudent actions of
his deputy Antipater are here ascribed； as this decree of Julius
Caesar supposes； we are further assured by the testimony of
Strabo； already produced by Josephus； ch。 8。 sect。 3。
（18） Dr。 Hudson justly supposes that the Roman imperators； or
generals of armies； meant both here and sect。 2； who gave
testimony to Hyrcanus's and the Jews' faithfulness and goodwill
to the Romans before the senate and people of Rome； were
principally Pompey； Scaurus； and Gabinius ；of all whom Josephus
had already given us the history； so far as the Jews were
concerned with them。
（19） We have here a most remarkable and authentic attestation of
the citizens of Pergamus； that Abraham was the father of all the
Hebrews； that their own ancestors were； in the oldest times； the
friends of those Hebrews； and that the public arts of their city；
then extant； confirmed the same； which evidence is too strong to
be evaded by our present ignorance of the particular occasion of
such ancient friendship and alliance between those people。 See
the like full evidence of the kindred of the Lacedemonians and
the Jews； and that became they were both of the posterity of
Abraham； by a public epistle of those people to the Jews；
preserved in the First Book of the Maccabees； 12：19…23； and
thence by Josephus； Antiq。 B。 XII。 ch。 4 sect。 10； both which
authentic records are highly valuable。 It is also well worthy of
observation； what Moses Chorenensis； the principal Armenian
historian； informs us of； p。 83； that Arsaces； who raised the
Parthian empire； was of the ：seed of Abraham by Chetura； and that
thereby was accomplished that prediction which said； 〃Kings of
nations shall proceed from thee；〃 Genesis 17：6。
（20） If we compare Josephus's promise in sect。 1； to produce all
the public decrees of the Romans in favor of the Jews； with his
excuse here for omitting many of them； we may observe； that when
he came to transcribe all those decrees he had collected； he
found them so numerous； that he thought he should too much tire
his readers if he had attempted it； which he thought a sufficient
apology for his omitting the rest of them； yet do those by him
produced afford such a strong confirmation to his history； and
give such great light to even the Roman antiquities themselves；
that I believe the curious are not a little sorry for such his
omissions。
（21） For Marcus； this president of Syria； sent as successor to
Sextus Caesar； the Roman historians require us to read 〃Marcus〃
in Josephus； and this perpetually； both in these Antiquities； and
in his History of the Wars； as the learned generally agree。
（22）