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（16） Here St。 Luke is in some measure confirmed； when he reforms
us； ch。 3：1； that Lysanias was some time before tetrarch of
Abilene； whose capital was Abila； as he is further confirmed by
Ptolemy； the great geographer； which Spanheim here observes； when
he calls that city Abila of Lysanias。 See the note on B。 XVII。
ch。 11。 sect。 4； and Prid。 at the years 36 and 22。 I esteem this
principality to have belonged to the land of Canaan originally；
to have been the burying…place of Abel； and referred to as such；
Matthew 23：35； Luke 11：51。 See Authent。 Rec。 Part。 II。 p。
883885。
（17） This form was so known and frequent among the Romans； as Dr。
Hudson here tells us from the great Selden； that it used to be
thus represented at the bottom of their edicts by the initial
letters only； U。 D。 P。 R。 L。 P； Unde De Plano Recte Lege Possit；
〃Whence it may be plainly read from the ground。〃
（18） Josephus shows； both here and ch。 7。 sect。 3； that he had a
much greater opinion of king Agrippa I。 than Simon the learned
Rabbi； than the people of Cesarea and Sebaste； ch。 7。 sect。 4；
and ch。 9。 sect。 1； and indeed than his double…dealing between
the senate and Claudius； ch。 4。 sect。 2； than his slaughter of
James the brother of John； and his imprisonment of Peter； or his
vain…glorious behavior before he died； both in Acts 12：13； and
here； ch。 4。 sect。 1； will justify or allow。 Josephus's character
was probably taken from his son Agrippa； junior。
（19） This treasury…chamber seems to have been the very same in
which our Savior taught； and where the people offered their
charity money for the repairs or other uses of the temple； Mark
12：41； etc。； Luke 22：1； John 8：20。
（20） A strange number of condemned criminals to be under the
sentence of death at once； no fewer； it seems； than one thousand
four hundred！
（21） We have a mighty cry made here by some critics； as the great
Eusebius had on purpose falsified this account of Josephus； so as
to make it agree with the parallel account in the Acts of the
Apostles； because the present copies of his citation of it； Hist。
Eceles。 B。 II。 ch。 10。； omit the words an owlon a certain rope；
which Josephus's present copies retain； and only have the
explicatory word or angel； as if he meant that angel of the Lord
which St。 Luke mentions as smiting Herod； Acts 12：23； and not
that owl which Josephus called an angel or messenger； formerly of
good； but now of bad news； to Agrippa。 This accusation is a
somewhat strange one in the case of the great Eusebius； who is
known to have so accurately and faithfully produced a vast number
of other ancient records； and particularly not a few out of our
Josephus also； without any suspicion of prevarication。 Now； not
to allege how uncertain we are whether Josephus's and Eusebius's
copies of the fourth century were just like the present in this
clause； which we have no distinct evidence of； the following
words； preserved still in Eusebius； will not admit of any such
exposition： 〃This ＇bird＇ （says Eusebius） Agrippa presently
perceived to be the cause of ill fortune； as it was once of good
fortune； to him；〃 which can only belong to that bird； the owl；
which as it had formerly foreboded his happy deliverance from
imprisonment； Antiq。 B。 XVIII。 ch。 6。 sect。 7； so was it then
foretold to prove afterward the unhappy forerunner of his death
in five days' time。 If the improper words signifying cause； be
changed for Josephus's proper word angel or messenger； and the
foregoing words； be inserted； Esuebius's text will truly
represent that in Josephus。 Had this imperfection been in some
heathen author that was in good esteem with our modern critics；
they would have readily corrected these as barely errors in the
copies； but being in an ancient Christian writer； not so well
relished by many of those critics； nothing will serve but the
ill…grounded supposal of willful corruption and prevarication。
（22） This sum of twelve millions of drachmae； which is equal to
three millions of shekels； i。e。 at 2s。 10d。 a shekel； equal to
four hundred and twenty…five thousand pounds sterling； was
Agrippa the Great's yearly income； or about three quarters of his
grandfather Herod's income； he having abated the tax upon houses
at Jerusalem； ch。 6。 sect。 3； and was not so tyrannical as Herod
had been to the Jews。 See the note on Antiq。 B。 XVII。 ch。 11。
sect。 4。 A large sum this！ but not； it seems； sufficient for his
extravagant expenses。
（23） Reland takes notice here； not improperly； that Josephus
omits the reconciliation of this Herod Agrippa to the Tyrians and
Sidoninus； by the means of Blastus the king's chamberlain；
mentioned Acts 12：20。 Nor is there any history in the world so
complete； as to omit nothing that other historians take notice
of； unless the one be taken out of the other； and accommodated to
it。
（24） Photius； who made an extract out of this section； says they
were not the statues or images； but the ladies themselves； who
were thus basely abused by the soldiers。
BOOK 20 FOOTNOTES
（1） Here is some error in the copies； or mistake in Josephus； for
the power of appointing high priests； alter Herod king of Chalcis
was dead； and Agrippa； junior； was made king of Chalcis in his
room； belonged to him； and he exercised the same all along till
Jerusalem was destroyed； as Josephus elsewhere informs us； ch。 8。
sect。 ； 11； ch。 9。 sect。 1； 4； 6； 7。
（2） Josephus here uses the word monogene； an only begotten son；
for no other than one best beloved； as does both the Old and New
Testament； I mean where there were one or more sons besides；
Genesis 22：2； Hebrew 11：17。 See the note on B。 I。 ch。 13。 sect。
1。
（3） It is here very remarkable； that the remains of Noah's ark
were believed to he still in being in the days of Josephus。 See
the note on B。 I。 ch。 3。 sect。 5。
（4） Josephus is very full and express in these three chapters；
3。； 4。； and 5。； in observing how carefully Divine Providence
preserved this Izates； king of Adiabene； and his sons； while he
did what he thought was his bounden duty； notwithstanding the
strongest political motives to the contrary。
（5） This further account of the benefactions of Izates and Helena
to the Jerusalem Jews which Josephus here promises is； I think；
no where performed by him in his present works。 But of this
terrible famine itself in Judea； take Dr。 Hudson's note here： …
〃This （ says he ） is that famine foretold by Agabus； Acts 11：28；
which happened when Claudius was consul the fourth time； and not
that other which happened when Claudius was consul the second
time； and Cesina was his colleague； as Scaliger says upon
Eusebius； p。 174。〃 Now when Josephus had said a little afterward；
ch。 5。 sect。 2； that 〃Tiberius Alexander succeeded Cuspius Fadus
as procurator；〃 he immediately subjoins； that〃 under these
procurators there happened a great famine in Judea。〃 Whence it is
plain that this famine continued for many years； on account of
its duration under these two procurators。 Now Fadus was not sent
into Judea till after the death of king Agrippa； i。e。 towards the
latter end of the 4th year of Claudius； so that this famine
foretold by Agabus happened upon the 5th； 6t