按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ad the Jews then used the pure Hebrew at Jerusalem； the Hebrew word for a son is so like that for a stone； ben and eben； that such a correction might have been more easily admitted。 But Josephus wrote his former edition for the use of the Jews beyond Euphrates； and so in the Chaldee language； as he did this second edition in the Greek language； and bar was the Chaldee word for son； instead of the Hebrew ben； and was used not only in Chaldea； etc。 but in Judea also； as the New Testament informs us。 Dio lets us know that the very Romans at Rome pronounced the name of Simon the son of Giora； Bar Poras for Bar Gioras； as we learn from Xiphiline； p。 217。 Reland takes notice； 〃that many will here look for a mystery； as though the meaning were； that the Son of God came now to take vengeance on the sins of the Jewish nation；〃 which is indeed the truth of the fact； but hardly what the Jews could now mean； unless possibly by way of derision of Christ's threatening so often made； that he would come at the head of the Roman army for their destruction。 But even this interpretation has but a very small degree of probability。 If I were to make an emendation by mere conjecture； I would read instead of； though the likeness be not so great as in lo； because that is the word used by Josephus just before； as has been already noted on this very occasion； while； an arrow or dart； is only a poetical word； and never used by Josephus elsewhere； and is indeed no way suitable to the occasion； this engine not throwing arrows or darts； but great stones； at this time。
（16） Josephus supposes； in this his admirable speech to the Jews； that not Abraham only； but Pharaoh king of Egypt； prayed towards a temple at Jerusalem； or towards Jerusalem itself； in which were Mount Sion and Mount Moriah； on which the tabernacle and temple did afterwards stand； and this long before either the Jewish tabernacle or temple were built。 Nor is the famous command given by God to Abraham； to go two or three days' journey； on purpose to offer up his son Isaac there； unfavorable to such a notion。
（17） Note here； that Josephus； in this his same admirable speech； calls the Syrians； nay； even the Philistines； on the most south part of Syria； Assyrians； which Reland observes as what was common among the ancient writers。 Note also； that Josephus might well put the Jews in mind； as he does here more than once； of their wonderful and truly miraculous deliverance from Sennacherib； king of Assyria； while the Roman army； and himself with them； were now encamped upon and beyond that very spot of ground where the Assyrian army lay seven hundred and eighty years before； and which retained the very name of the Camp of the Assyrians to that very day。 See chap。 7。 sect。 3； and chap。 12。 sect。 2。
（18） This drying up of the Jerusalem fountain of Siloam when the Jews wanted it； and its flowing abundantly when the enemies of the Jews wanted it； and these both in the days of Zedekiah and of Titus； （and this last as a certain event well known by the Jews at that time； as Josephus here tells them openly to their faces；） are very remarkable instances of a Divine Providence for the punishment of the Jewish nation； when they were grown very wicked； at both those times of the destruction of Jerusalem。
（19） Reland very properly takes notice here； how justly this judgment came upon the Jews； when they were crucified in such multitudes together； that the Romans wanted room for the crosses； and crosses for the bodies of these Jews； since they had brought this judgment on themselves by the crucifixion of their Messiah。
（20） Josephus； both here and before； B。 IV。 ch。 8。 sect。 4； esteems the land of Sodom； not as part of the lake Asphaltiris； or under its waters； but near it only； as Tacitus also took the same notion from him； Hist。 V。 ch。 6。 7； which the great Reland takes to be the very truth； both in his note on this place； and in his Palestina； tom。 I。 p。 254…258； though I rather suppose part of that region of Pentapolis to be now under the waters of the south part of that sea； but perhaps not the whole country。
BOOK VI。 Containing The Interval Of About One Month。 From The Great Extremity To Which The Jews Were Reduced To The Taking Of Jerusalem By Titus。 CHAPTER 1。 THAT THE MISERIES STILL GREW WORSE； AND HOW THE ROMANS MADE AN ASSAULT UPON THE TOWER OF ANTONIA。 1。 Thus did the miseries of Jerusalem grow worse and worse every day； and the seditious were still more irritated by the calamities they were under； even while the famine preyed upon themselves； after it had preyed upon the people。 And indeed the multitude of carcasses that lay in heaps one upon another was a horrible sight； and produced a pestilential stench； which was a hinderance to those that would make sallies out of the city； and fight the enemy： but as those were to go in battle…array； who had been already used to ten thousand murders； and must tread upon those dead bodies as they marched along； so were not they terrified； nor did they pity men as they marched over them； nor did they deem this affront offered to the deceased to be any ill omen to themselves； but as they had their right hands already polluted with the murders of their own countrymen； and in that condition ran out to fight with foreigners； they seem to me to have cast a reproach upon God himself； as if he were too slow in punishing them； for the war was not now gone on with as if they had any hope of victory； for they gloried after a brutish manner in that despair of deliverance they were already in。 And now the Romans； although they were greatly distressed in getting together their materials； raised their banks in one and twenty days； after they had cut down all the trees that were in the country that adjoined to the city； and that for ninety furlongs round about； as I have already related。 And truly the very view itself of the country was a melancholy thing； for those places which were before adorned with trees and pleasant gardens were now become a desolate country every way； and its trees were all cut down： nor could any foreigner that had formerly seen Judea and the most beautiful suburbs of the city； and now saw it as a desert； but lament and mourn sadly at so great a change： for the war had laid all the signs of beauty quite waste： nor if any one that had known the place before； had come on a sudden to it now； would he have known it again； but though he were at the city itself； yet would he have inquired for it notwithstanding。 2。 And now the banks were finished； they afforded a foundation for fear both to the Romans and to the Jews； for the Jews expected that the city would be taken； unless they could burn those banks； as did the Romans expect that； if these were once burnt down； they should never be able to take it； for there was a mighty scarcity of materials； and the bodies of the soldiers began to fail with such hard labors； as did their souls faint with so many instances of ill success； nay； the very calamities themselves that were in the city proved a greater discouragement to the Romans than those within the city； for they found the fighting men of the Jews to be not at all mollified among such their sore afflictio