BOOK IV.
CONTAINING THE INTERVAL OF THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS.
FROM THE REJECTION OF THAT GENERATION TO THE DEATH OF MOSES.
CHAPTER 1.
FIGHT OF THE HEBREWS WITH THE CANAANITES WITHOUT THE CONSENT
OF MOSES; AND THEIR DEFEAT.
1. NOW this life of the Hebrews in the wilderness was so disagreeable
and troublesome to them, and they were so uneasy at it, that although
God had forbidden them to meddle with the Canaanites, yet could
they not be persuaded to be obedient to the words of Moses, and
to be quiet; but supposing they should be able to beat their enemies,
without his approbation, they accused him, and suspected that
he made it his business to keep in a distressed condition, that
they might always stand in need of his assistance. Accordingly
they resolved to fight with the Canaanites, and said that God
gave them his assistance, not out of regard to Moses's intercessions,
but because he took care of their entire nation, on account of
their forefathers, whose affairs he took under his own conduct;
as also, that it was on account of their own virtue that he had
formerly procured them their liberty, and would be assisting to
them, now they were willing to take pains for it. They also said
that they were possessed of abilities sufficient for the conquest
of their enemies, although Moses should have a mind to alienate
God from them; that, however, it was for their advantage to be
their own masters, and not so far to rejoice in their deliverance
from the indignities they endured under the Egyptians, as to bear
the tyranny of Moses over them, and to suffer themselves to be
deluded, and live according to his pleasure, as though God did
only foretell what concerns us out of his kindness to him, as
if they were not all the posterity of Abraham; that God made him
alone the author of all the knowledge we have, and we must still
learn it from him; that it would be a piece of prudence to oppose
his arrogant pretenses, and to put their confidence in God, and
to resolve to take possession of that land which he had promised
them, and not to give ear to him, who on this account, and under
the pretense of Divine authority, forbade them so to do. Considering,
therefore, the distressed state they were in at present, and that
in those desert places they were still to expect things would
be worse with them, they resolved to fight with the Canaanites,
as submitting only to God, their supreme Commander, and not waiting
for any assistance from their legislator.
2. When, therefore, they had come to this resolution, as being
best for them, they went against their enemies; but those enemies
were not dismayed either at the attack itself, or at the great
multitude that made it, and received them with great courage.
Many of the Hebrews were slain; and the remainder of the army,
upon the disorder of their troops, were pursued, and fled, after
a shameful manner, to their camp. Whereupon this unexpected misfortune
made them quite despond; and they hoped for nothing that was good;
as gathering from it, that this affliction came from the wrath
of God, because they rashly went out to war without his approbation.
3. But when Moses saw how deeply they were affected with this
defeat, and being afraid lest the enemies should grow insolent
upon this victory, and should be desirous of gaining still greater
glory, and should attack them, he resolved that it was proper
to withdraw the army into the wilderness to a further distance
from the Canaanites: so the multitude gave themselves up again
to his conduct, for they were sensible that, without his care
for them, their affairs could not be in a good condition; and
he caused the host to remove, and he went further into the wilderness,
as intending there to let them rest, and not to permit them to
fight the Canaanites before God should afford them a more favorable
opportunity.
CHAPTER 2.
THE SEDITION OF CORAH AND OF THE MULTITUDE AGAINST MOSES, AND
AGAINST HIS BROTHER, CONCERNING THE PRIESTHOOD.
1. THAT which is usually the case of great armies, and especially
upon ill success, to be hard to be pleased, and governed with
difficulty, did now befall the Jews; for they being in number
six hundred thousand, and by reason of their great multitude not
readily subject to their governors, even in prosperity, they at
this time were more than usually angry, both against one another
and against their leader, because of the distress they were in,
and the calamities they then endured. Such a sedition overtook
them, as we have not the like example either among the Greeks
or the Barbarians, by which they were in danger of being all destroyed,
but were notwithstanding saved by Moses, who would not remember
that he had been almost stoned to death by them. Nor did God neglect
to prevent their ruin; but, notwithstanding the indignities they
had offered their legislator and the laws, and disobedience to
the commandments which he had sent them by Moses, he delivered
them from those terrible calamities which, without his providential
care, had been brought upon them by this sedition. So I will first
explain the cause whence this sedition arose, and then will give
an account of the sedition itself; as also of what settlements
made for their government after it was over.
2. Corah, a Hebrew of principal account, both by his family and
by his wealth, one that was also able to speak well, and one that
could easily persuade the people by his speeches, saw that Moses
was in an exceeding great dignity, and was at it, and envied him
on that account, (he of the same tribe with Moses, and of kin
to him,) was particularly grieved, because he thought he better
deserved that honorable post on account of great riches, and not
inferior to him in his birth. So he raised a clamor against him
among the Levites, who were of the same tribe, and among his kindred,
saying, "That it was a very sad thing that they should overlook
Moses, while hunted after and paved the way to glory for himself,
and by ill arts should obtain it, under the pretense of God's
command, while, contrary to laws, he had given the priesthood
to Aaron, the common suffrage of the multitude, but by his own
vote, as bestowing dignities in a way on whom he pleased."
He added, "That this concealed way of imposing on them was
harder to be borne than if it had been done by an open force upon
them, because he did now not only their power without their consent,
but even they were unapprised of his contrivances against them;
for whosoever is conscious to himself that he deserves any dignity,
aims to get it by persuasion, and not by an arrogant method of
violence; those that believe it impossible to obtain honors justly,
make a show of goodness, and do not introduce force, but by cunning
tricks grow wickedly powerful. That it was proper for the multitude
to punish such men, even while they think themselves concealed
in their designs, and not suffer them to gain strength till they
have them for their open enemies. For what account," added
he, "is Moses able to give, why he has bestowed the priesthood
on Aaron and his sons? for if God had determined to bestow that
honor on one of the tribe of Levi, I am more worthy of it than
he is; I myself being equal to Moses by my family, and superior
to him both in riches and in age: but if God had determined to
bestow it on the eldest be, that of Reuben might have it most
justly; and then Dathan, and Abiram, and [On, the son of] Peleth,
would have it; for these are the oldest men of that tribe, and
potent on account of their great wealth also."
3. Now Corah, when he said this, had a mind to appear to take
care of the public welfare, but in reality he was endeavoring
to procure to have that dignity transferred by the multitude to
himself. Thus did he, out of a malignant design, but with discourse
to those of his own tribe; when these words did gradually spread
to more people, and when the hearers still added to what tended
to the scandals that were cast upon the whole army was full of
them. Now of those that conspired with Corah, there were two hundred
and fifty, and those of the principal men also, who were eager
to have the priesthood taken away from Moses's brother, and to
bring him into disgrace: nay, the multitude themselves were provoked
to be seditious, and attempted to stone Moses, wad gathered themselves
together after an indecent manner, with confusion and disorder.
And now all were, in a tumultuous manner, raising a before the
tabernacle of God, to prosecute the tyrant, and to relieve the
multitude from their slavery under him who, under color of the
Divine laid violent injunctions upon them; for had it been God
who chose one that was to the office of a priest, he would have
raised person to that dignity, and would not produced such a one
as was inferior to many others nor have given him that office;
and that in he had judged it fit to bestow it on Aaron, he would
have permitted it to the multitude to bestow it, and not have
left it to be bestowed by his own brother.
4. Now although Moses had a great while ago foreseen this calumny
of Corah, and had seen the people were irritated, yet was he not
affrighted at it; but being of good courage, because given them
right advice about their affairs, and knowing that his brother
had been made partaker of the priesthood at the command of God,
and not by his own favor to him, he came to the assembly; and
as for the multitude, he said not a word to them, but spake as
loud to Corah as he could; and being very skillful in making speeches,
and having this natural talent, among others, that he could greatly
move the multitude with his discourses, he said, "O Corah,
both thou and all these with thee (pointing to the two hundred
and fifty men) seem to be worthy of this honor; nor do I pretend
but that this whole company may be worthy of the like dignity,
although they may not be so rich or so great as you are: nor have
I taken and given this office to my brother because he excelled
others in riches, for thou exceedest us both in the greatness
of thy wealth; (1) nor indeed because he was of an eminent family,
for God, by giving us the same common ancestor, has made our families
equal: nay, nor was it out of brotherly affection, which another
might yet have justly done; for certainly, unless I had bestowed
this honor out of regard to God, and to his laws, I had not passed
by myself, and given it to another, as being nearer of kin to
myself than to my brother, and having a closer intimacy with myself
than I have with him; for surely it would not be a wise thing
for me to expose myself to the dangers of offending, and to bestow
the happy employment on this account upon another. But I am above
such base practices: nor would God have overlooked this matter,
and seen himself thus despised; nor would he have suffered you
to be ignorant of what you were to do, in order to please him;
but he hath himself chosen one that is to perform that sacred
office to him, and thereby freed us from that care. So that it
was not a thing that I pretend to give, but only according to
the determination of God; I therefore propose it still to be contended
for by such as please to put in for it, only desiring that he
who has been already preferred, and has already obtained it, may
be allowed now also to offer himself for a candidate. He prefers
your peace, and your living without sedition, to this honorable
employment, although in truth it was with your approbation that
he obtained it; for though God were the donor, yet do we not offend
when we think fit to accept it with your good-will; yet would
it have been an instance of impiety not to have taken that honorable
employment when he offered it; nay, it had been exceedingly unreasonable,
when God had thought fit any one should have it for all time to
come, and had made it secure and firm to him, to have refused
it. However, he himself will judge again who it shall be whom
he would have to offer sacrifices to him, and to have the direction
of matters of religion; for it is absurd that Corah, who is ambitious
of this honor, should deprive God of the power of giving it to
whom he pleases. Put an end, therefore, to your sedition and disturbance
on this account; and tomorrow morning do every one of you that
desire the priesthood bring a censer from home, and come hither
with incense and fire: and do thou, O Corah, leave the judgment
to God, and await to see on which side he will give his determination
upon this occasion, but do not thou make thyself greater than
God. Do thou also come, that this contest about this honorable
employment may receive determination. And I suppose we may admit
Aaron without offense, to offer himself to this scrutiny, since
he is of the same lineage with thyself, and has done nothing in
his priesthood that can be liable to exception. Come ye therefore
together, and offer your incense in public before all the people;
and when you offer it, he whose sacrifice God shall accept shall
be ordained to the priesthood, and shall be clear of the present
calumny on Aaron, as if I had granted him that favor because he
was my brother."
CHAPTER 3.
HOW THOSE THAT STIRRED UP THIS SEDITION WERE DESTROYED, ACCORDING
TO THE WILL OF GOD; AND HOW AARON, MOSES'S BROTHER BOTH HE AND
HIS POSTERITY, RETAINED THE PRIESTHOOD.
1. WHEN Moses had said this, the multitude left off the turbulent
behavior they had indulged, and the suspicion they had of Moses,
and commended what he had said; for those proposals were good,
and were so esteemed of the people. At that time therefore they
dissolved the assembly. But on the next day they came to the congregation,
in order to be present at the sacrifice, and at the determination
that was to be made between the candidates for the priesthood.
Now this congregation proved a turbulent one, and the multitude
were in great suspense in expectation of what was to be done;
for some of them would have been pleased if Moses had been convicted
of evil practices, but the wiser sort desired that they might
be delivered from the present disorder and disturbance; for they
were afraid, that if this sedition went on, the good order of
their settlement would rather be destroyed; but the whole body
of the people do naturally delight in clamors against their governors,
and, by changing their opinions upon the harangues of every speaker,
disturb the public tranquillity. And now Moses sent messengers
for Abiram and Dathan, and ordered them to come to the assembly,
and wait there for the holy offices that were to be performed.
But they answered the messenger, that they would not obey his
summons; nay, would not overlook Moses's behavior, who was growing
too great for them by evil practices. Now when Moses heard of
this their answer, he desired the heads of the people to follow
him, and he went to the faction of Dathan, not thinking it any
frightful thing at all to go to these insolent people; so they
made no opposition, but went along with him. But Dathan, and his
associates, when they understood that Moses and the principal
of the people were coming to them, came out, with their wives
and children, and stood before their tents, and looked to see
what Moses would do. They had also their servants about them to
defend themselves, in case Moses should use force against them.
2. But he came near, and lifted up his hands to heaven, and cried
out with a loud voice, in order to be heard by the whole multitude,
and said, "O Lord of the creatures that are in the heaven,
in the earth, and in the sea; for thou art the most authentic
witness to what I have done, that it has all been done by thy
appointment, and that it was thou that affordedst us assistance
when we attempted any thing, and showedst mercy on the Hebrews
in all their distresses; do thou come now, and hear all that I
say, for no action or thought escapes thy knowledge; so that thou
wilt not disdain to speak what is true, for my vindication, without
any regard to the ungrateful imputations of these men. As for
what was done before I was born, thou knowest best, as not learning
them by report, but seeing them, and being present with them when
they were done; but for what has been done of late, and which
these men, although they know them well enough, unjustly pretend
to suspect, be thou my witness. When I lived a private quiet life,
I left those good things which, by my own diligence, and by thy
counsel, I enjoyed with Raguel my father-in-law; and I gave myself
up to this people, and underwent many miseries on their account.
I also bore great labors at first, in order to obtain liberty
for them, and now in order to their preservation; and have always
showed myself ready to assist them in every distress of theirs.
Now, therefore, since I am suspected by those very men whose being
is owing to my labors, come thou, as it is reasonable to hope
thou wilt; thou, I say, who showedst me that fire at mount Sinai,
and madest me to hear its voice, and to see the several wonders
which that place afforded thou who commandedst me to go to Egypt,
and declare thy will to this people; thou who disturbest the happy
estate of the Egyptians, and gavest us the opportunity of flying
away from our under them, and madest the dominion of Pharaoh inferior
to my dominion; thou who didst make the sea dry land for us, when
we knew not whither to go, and didst overwhelm the Egyptians with
those destructive waves which had been divided for us; thou who
didst bestow upon us the security of weapons when we were naked;
thou who didst make the fountains that were corrupted to flow,
so as to be fit for drinking, and didst furnish us with water
that came out of the rocks, when we were in want of it; thou who
didst preserve our lives with [quails, which was] food from the
sea, when the fruits of the ground failed us; thou didst send
us such food from heaven as had never been seen before; thou who
didst suggest to us the knowledge of thy laws, and appoint to
us a of government, - come thou, I say, O Lord of the whole world,
and that as such a Judge and a Witness to me as cannot be bribed,
and show how I never admitted of any gift against justice from
any of the Hebrews; and have never condemned a man that ought
to have been acquitted, on account of one that was rich; and have
never attempted to hurt this commonwealth. I am now and am suspected
of a thing the remotest from my intentions, as if I had given
the preisthood to Aaron, not at thy command, but out own favor
to him; do thou at this time demonstrate that all things are administered
by thy providence and that nothing happens by chance, but is governed
by thy will, and thereby attains its end: as also demonstrate
that thou takest care that have done good to the Hebrews; demonstrate
this, I say, by the punishment of Abiram and Dathan, who condemn
thee as an insensible Being, and one overcome by my contrivances.
This thou do by inflicting such an open punishment on these men
who so madly fly in the face of thy glory, as will take them out
of the world, not in an manner, but so that it may appear they
do die after the manner of other men: let that ground which they
tread upon open about them and consume them, with their families
and goods. This will be a demonstration of thy power to all and
this method of their sufferings will be an instruction of wisdom
for those that entertain profane sentiments of thee. By this means
I shall be a good servant, in the precepts thou hast given by
me. But if the calumnies they have raised against me be true,
mayst thou preserve these men from every evil accident, and bring
all that destruction on me which I have imprecated upon them.
And when thou hast inflicted punishment on those that have endeavored
to deal unjustly with this people, bestow upon them concord and
peace. Save this multitude that follow thy commandments, and preserve
them free from harm, and let them not partake of the punishment
of those that have sinned; for thou knowest thyself it is not
just, that for the wickedness of those men the whole body of the
Israelites should suffer punishment."
3. When Moses had said this, with tears in his eyes, the ground
was moved on a sudden; and the agitation that set it in motion
was like that which the wind produces in waves of the sea. The
people were all aftrighted; and the ground that was about their
tents sunk down at the great noise, with a terrible sound, and
carried whatsoever was dear to the seditious into itself, who
so entirely perished, that there was not the least appearance
that any man had ever been seen there, the earth that had opened
itself about them, closing again, and becoming entire as it was
before, insomuch that such as saw it afterward did not perceive
that any such accident had happened to it. Thus did these men
perish, and become a demonstration of the power of God. And truly,
any one would lament them, not only on account of this calamity
that befell them, which yet deserves our commiseration, but also
because their kindred were pleased with their sufferings; for
they forgot the relation they bare to them, and at the sight of
this sad accident approved of the judgment given against them;
and because they looked upon the people about Dathan as pestilent
men, they thought they perished as such, and did not grieve for
them.
4. And now Moses called for those that contended about the priesthood,
that trial might be made who should be priest, and that he whose
sacrifice God was best pleased with might be ordained to that
function. There attended two hundred and fifty men, who indeed
were honored by the people, not only on account of the power of
their ancestors, but also on account of their own, in which they
excelled the others: Aaron also and Corah came forth, and they
all offered incense, in those censers of theirs which they brought
with them, before the tabernacle. Hereupon so great a fire shone
out as no one ever saw in any that is made by the hand of man,
neither in those eruptions out of the earth that are caused by
subterraneous burn-rags, nor in such fires as arise of their own
accord in the woods, when the agitation is caused by the trees
rubbing one against another: but this fire was very bright, and
had a terrible flame, such as is kindled at the command of God;
by whose irruption on them, all the company, and Corah himself,
were destroyed, (2) and this so entirely, that their very bodies
left no remains behind them. Aaron alone was preserved, and not
at all hurt by the fire, because it was God that sent the fire
to burn those only who ought to be burned. Hereupon Moses, after
these men were destroyed, was desirous that the memory of this
judgment might be delivered down to posterity, and that future
ages might be acquainted with it; and so he commanded Eleazar,
the son of Aaron, to put their censers near the brazen altar,
that they might be a memorial to posterity of what these men suffered,
for supposing that the power of God might be eluded. And thus
Aaron was now no longer esteemed to have the priesthood by the
favor of Moses, but by the public judgment of God; and thus he
and his children peaceably enjoyed that honor afterward.
CHAPTER 4.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE HEBREWS DURING THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS IN THE
WILDERNESS.
1. HOWEVER, this sedition was so far from ceasing upon this destruction,
that it grew much stronger, and became more intolerable. And the
occasion of its growing worse was of that nature, as made it likely
the calamity would never cease, but last for a long time; for
the men, believing already that nothing is done without the providence
of God, would have it that these things came thus to pass not
without God's favor to Moses; they therefore laid the blame upon
him that God was so angry, and that this happened not so much
because of the wickedness of those that were punished, as because
Moses procured the punishment; and that these men had been destroyed
without any sin of theirs, only because they were zealous about
the Divine worship; as also, that he who had been the cause of
this diminution of the people, by destroying so many men, and
those the most excellent of them all, besides his escaping any
punishment himself, had now given the priesthood to his brother
so firmly, that nobody could any longer dispute it with him; for
no one else, to be sure, could now put in for it, since he must
have seen those that first did so to have miserably perished.
Nay, besides this, the kindred of those that were destroyed made
great entreaties to the multitude to abate the arrogance of Moses,
because it would be safest for them so to do.
2. Now Moses, upon his hearing for a good while that the people
were tumultuous, was afraid that they would attempt some other
innovation, and that some great and sad calamity would be the
consequence. He called the multitude to a congregation, and patiently
heard what apology they had to make for themselves, without opposing
them, and this lest he should imbitter the multitude: he only
desired the heads of the tribes to bring their rods, (3) with
the names of their tribes inscribed upon them, and that he should
receive the priesthood in whose rod God should give a sign. This
was agreed to. So the rest brought their rods, as did Aaron also,
who had written the tribe of Levi on his rod. These rods Moses
laid up in the tabernacle of God. On the next day he brought out
the rods, which were known from one another by those who brought
them, they having distinctly noted them, as had the multitude
also; and as to the rest, in the same form Moses had received
them, in that they saw them still; but they also saw buds and
branches grown out of Aaron's rod, with ripe fruits upon them;
they were almonds, the rod having been cut out of that tree. The
people were so amazed at this strange sight, that though Moses
and Aaron were before under some degree of hatred, they now laid
that hatred aside, and began to admire the judgment of God concerning
them; so that hereafter they applauded what God had decreed, and
permitted Aaron to enjoy the priesthood peaceably. And thus God
ordained him priest three several times, and he retained that
honor without further disturbance. And hereby this sedition of
the Hebrews, which had been a great one, and had lasted a great
while, was at last composed.
3. And now Moses, because the tribe of Levi was made free from
war and warlike expeditions, and was set apart for the Divine
worship, lest they should want and seek after the necessaries
of life, and so neglect the temple, commanded the Hebrews, according
to the will of God, that when they should gain the possession
of the land of Canaan, they should assign forty-eight good and
fair cities to the Levites; and permit them to enjoy their suburbs,
as far as the limit of two thousand cubits would extend from the
walls of the city. And besides this, he appointed that the people
should pay the tithe of their annual fruits of the earth, both
to the Levites and to the priests. And this is what that tribe
receives of the multitude; but I think it necessary to set down
what is paid by all, peculiarly to the priests.
4. Accordingly he commanded the Levites to yield up to the priests
thirteen of their forty-eight cities, and to set apart for them
the tenth part of the tithes which they every year receive of
the people; as also, that it was but just to offer to God the
first-fruits of the entire product of the ground; and that they
should offer the first-born of those four-footed beasts that are
appointed for sacrifices, if it be a male, to the priests, to
be slain, that they and their entire families may eat them in
the holy city; but that the owners of those first-born which are
not appointed for sacrifices in the laws of our country, should
bring a shekel and a half in their stead: but for the first-born
of a man, five shekels: that they should also have the first-fruits
out of the shearing of the sheep; and that when any baked bread
corn, and made loaves of it, they should give somewhat of what
they had baked to them. Moreover, when any have made a sacred
vow, I mean those that are called Nazarites, that suffer
their hair to grow long, and use no wine, when they consecrate
their hair, (4) and offer it for a sacrifice, they are to allot
that hair for the priests [to be thrown into the fire]. Such also
as dedicate themselves to God, as a corban, which denotes what
the Greeks call a gift, when they are desirous of being
freed from that ministration, are to lay down money for the priests;
thirty shekels if it be a woman, and fifty if it be a man; but
if any be too poor to pay the appointed sum, it shall be lawful
for the priests to determine that sum as they think fit. And if
any slay beasts at home for a private festival, but not for a
religious one, they are obliged to bring the maw and the cheek,
[or breast,] and the right shoulder of the sacrifice, to the priests.
With these Moses contrived that the priests should be plentifully
maintained, besides what they had out of those offerings for sins
which the people gave them, as I have set it down in the foregoing
book. He also ordered, that out of every thing allotted for the
priests, their servants, [their sons,] their daughters, and their
wives, should partake, as well as themselves, excepting what came
to them out of the sacrifices that were offered for sins; for
of those none but the males of the family of the priests might
eat, and this in the temple also, and that the same day they were
offered.
5. When Moses had made these constitutions, after the sedition
was over, he removed, together with the whole army, and came to
the borders of Idumea. He then sent ambassadors to the king of
the Idumeans, and desired him to give him a passage through his
country; and agreed to send him what hostages he should desire,
to secure him from an injury. He desired him also, that he would
allow his army liberty to buy provisions; and, if he insisted
upon it, he would pay down a price for the very water they should
drink. But the king was not pleased with this embassage from Moses:
nor did he allow a passage for the army, but brought his people
armed to meet Moses, and to hinder them, in case they should endeavor
to force their passage. Upon which Moses consulted God by the
oracle, who would not have him begin the war first; and so he
withdrew his forces, and traveled round about through the wilderness.
6. Then it was that Miriam, the sister of Moses, came to her end,
having completed her fortieth year (5) since she left Egypt, on
the first (6) day of the lunar month Xanthicus. They then made
a public funeral for her, at a great expense. She was buried upon
a certain mountain, which they call Sin: and when they
had mourned for her thirty days, Moses purified the people after
this manner: He brought a heifer that had never been used to the
plough or to husbandry, that was complete in all its parts, and
entirely of a red color, at a little distance from the camp, into
a place perfectly clean. This heifer was slain by the high priest,
and her blood sprinkled with his finger seven times before the
tabernacle of God; after this, the entire heifer was burnt in
that state, together with its skin and entrails; and they threw
cedar-wood, and hyssop, and scarlet wool, into the midst of the
fire; then a clean man gathered all her ashes together, and laid
them in a place perfectly clean. When therefore any persons were
defiled by a dead body, they put a little of these ashes into
spring water, with hyssop, and, dipping part of these ashes in
it, they sprinkled them with it, both on the third day, and on
the seventh, and after that they were clean. This he enjoined
them to do also when the tribes should come into their own land.
7. Now when this purification, which their leader made upon the
mourning for his sister, as it has been now described, was over,
he caused the army to remove and to march through the wilderness
and through Arabia; and when he came to a place which the Arabians
esteem their metropolis, which was formerly called Arce, but
has now the name of Petra, at this place, which was encompassed
with high mountains, Aaron went up one of them in the sight of
the whole army, Moses having before told him that he was to die,
for this place was over against them. He put off his pontifical
garments, and delivered them to Eleazar his son, to whom the high
priesthood belonged, because he was the elder brother; and died
while the multitude looked upon him. He died in the same year
wherein he lost his sister, having lived in all a hundred twenty
and three years. He died on the first day of that lunar month
which is called by the Athenians Hecatombaeon, by the Macedonians
Lous, but by the Hebrews Abba.
CHAPTER 5.
HOW MOSES CONQUERED SIHON AND OG KINGS OF THE AMORITES, AND
DESTROYED THEIR WHOLE ARMY AND THEN DIVIDED THEIR LAND BY LOT
TO TWO TRIBES AND A HALF OF THE HEBREWS.
1. THE people mourned for Aaron thirty days, and when this mourning
was over, Moses removed the army from that place, and came to
the river Arnon, which, issuing out of the mountains of Arabia,
and running through all that wilderness, falls into the lake Asphaltitis,
and becomes the limit between the land of the Moabites and the
land of the Amorites. This land is fruitful, and sufficient to
maintain a great number of men, with the good things it produces.
Moses therefore sent messengers to Sihon, the king of this country,
desiring that he would grant his army a passage, upon what security
he should please to require; he promised that he should be no
way injured, neither as to that country which Sihon governed,
nor as to its inhabitants; and that he would buy his provisions
at such a price as should be to their advantage, even though he
should desire to sell them their very water. But Sihon refused
his offer, and put his army into battle array, and was preparing
every thing in order to hinder their passing over Arnon.
2. When Moses saw that the Amorite king was disposed to enter
upon hostilities with them, he thought he ought not to bear that
insult; and, determining to wean the Hebrews from their indolent
temper, and prevent the disorders which arose thence, which had
been the occasion of their former sedition, (nor indeed were they
now thoroughly easy in their minds,) he inquired of God, whether
he would give him leave to fight? which when he had done, and
God also promised him the victory, he was himself very courageous,
and ready to proceed to fighting. Accordingly he encouraged the
soldiers; and he desired of them that they would take the pleasure
of fighting, now God gave them leave so to do. They then, upon
the receipt of this permission, which they so much longed for,
put on their whole armor, and set about the work without delay.
But the Amorite king was not now like to himself when the Hebrews
were ready to attack him; but both he himself was affrighted at
the Hebrews, and his army, which before had showed themselves
to be of good courage, were then found to be timorous: so they
could not sustain the first onset, nor bear up against the Hebrews,
but fled away, as thinking this would afford them a more likely
way for their escape than fighting, for they depended upon their
cities, which were strong, from which yet they reaped no advantage
when they were forced to fly to them; for as soon as the Hebrews
saw them giving ground, they immediately pursued them close; and
when they had broken their ranks, they greatly terrified them,
and some of them broke off from the rest, and ran away to the
cities. Now the Hebrews pursued them briskly, and obstinately
persevered in the labors they had already undergone; and being
very skillful in slinging, and very dexterous in throwing of darts,
or any thing else of that kind, and also having nothing but light
armor, which made them quick in the pursuit, they overtook their
enemies; and for those that were most remote, and could not be
overtaken, they reached them by their slings and their bows, so
that many were slain; and those that escaped the slaughter were
sorely wounded, and these were more distressed with thirst than
with any of those that fought against them, for it was the summer
season; .and when the greatest number of them were brought down
to the river out of a desire to drink, as also when others fled
away by troops, the Hebrews came round them, and shot at them;
so that, what with darts and what with arrows, they made a slaughter
of them all. Sihon their king was also slain. So the Hebrews spoiled
the dead bodies, and took their prey. The land also which they
took was full of abundance of fruits, and the army went all over
it without fear, and fed their cattle upon it; and they took the
enemies prisoners, for they could no way put a stop to them, since
all the fighting men were destroyed. Such was the destruction
which overtook the Amorites, who were neither sagacious
in counsel, nor courageous in action. Hereupon the Hebrews took
possession of their land, which is a country situate between three
rivers, and naturally resembled an island: the river Arnon being
its southern ; the river Jabbok determining its northern side,
which running into Jordan loses its own name, and takes the other;
while Jordan itself runs along by it, on its western coast.
3. When matters were come to this state, Og, the king of Gilead
and Gaulanitis, fell upon the Israelites. He brought an army with
him, and in haste to the assistance of his friend Sihon: but though
he found him already slain, yet did he resolve still to come and
fight the Hebrews, supposing he should be too hard for them, and
being desirous to try their valor; but failing of his hope, he
was both himself slain in the battle, and all his army was destroyed.
So Moses passed over the river Jabbok, and overran the kingdom
of Og. He overthrew their cities, and slew all their inhabitants,
who yet exceeded in riches all the men in that part of the continent,
on account of the goodness of the soil, and the great quantity
of their wealth. Now Og had very few equals, either in the largeness
of his body, or handsomeness of his appearance. He was also a
man of great activity in the use of his hands, so that his actions
were not unequal to the vast largeness and handsome appearance
of his body. And men could easily guess at his strength and magnitude
when they took his bed at Rabbath, the royal city of the Ammonites;
its structure was of iron, its breadth four cubits, and its length
a cubit more than double thereto. However, his fall did not only
improve the circumstances of the Hebrews for the present, but
by his death he was the occasion of further good success to them;
for they presently took those sixty cities, which were encompassed
with excellent walls, and had been subject to him, and all got
both in general and in particular a great prey.
CHAPTER 6.
CONCERNING BALAAM THE PROPHET AND WHAT KIND OF MAN HE WAS,
1. NOW Moses, when he had brought his army to Jordan; pitched
his camp in the great plain over against Jericho. This city is
a very happy situation, and very fit for producing palm-trees
and balsam. And now the Israelites began to be very proud of themselves,
and were very eager for fighting. Moses then, after he had offered
for a few days sacrifices of thanksgiving to God, and feasted
the people, sent a party of armed men to lay waste the country
of the Midianites, and to take their cities. Now the occasion
which he took for making war upon them was this that follows :--
2. When Balak, the king of the Moabites, who had from his ancestors
a friendship and league with the Midianites, saw how great the
Israelites were grown, he was much affrighted on account of his
own and his kingdom's danger; for he was not acquainted with this,
that the Hebrews would not meddle with any other country, but
were to be contented with the possession of the land of Canaan,
God having forbidden them to go any farther (7) So he, with more
haste than wisdom, resolved to make an attempt upon them by words;
but he did not judge it prudent to fight against them, after they
had such prosperous successes, and even became out of ill successes
more happy than before, but he thought to hinder them, if he could,
from growing greater, and so he resolved to send ambassadors to
the Midianites about them. Now these Midianites knowing there
was one Balaam, who lived by Euphrates, and was the greatest of
the prophets at that time, and one that was in friendship with
them, sent some of their honorable princes along with the ambassadors
of Balak, to entreat the prophet to come to them, that he might
imprecate curses to the destruction of the Israelites. So Balsam
received the ambassadors, and treated them very kindly; and when
he had supped, he inquired what was God's will, and what this
matter was for which the Midianites entreated him to come to them.
But when God opposed his going, he came to the ambassadors, and
told them that he was himself very willing and desirous to comply
with their request, but informed them that God was opposite to
his intentions, even that God who had raised him to great reputation
on account of the truth of his predictions; for that this army,
which they entreated him to come and curse, was in the favor of
God; on which account he advised them to go home again, and not
to persist in their enmity against the Israelites; and when he
had given them that answer, he dismissed the ambassadors.
3. Now the Midianites, at the earnest request and fervent entreaties
of Balak, sent other ambassadors to Balaam, who, desiring to gratify
the men, inquired again of God; but he was displeased at [second]
trial (8) and bid him by no means to contradict the ambassadors.
Now Balsam did not imagine that God gave this injunction in order
to deceive him, so he went along with the ambassadors; but when
the divine angel met him in the way, when he was in a narrow passage,
and hedged in with a wall on both sides, the ass on which Balaam
rode understood that it was a divine spirit that met him, and
thrust Balaam to one of the walls, without regard to the stripes
which Balaam, when he was hurt by the wall, gave her; but when
the ass, upon the angel's continuing to distress her, and upon
the stripes which were given her, fell down, by the will of God,
she made use of the voice of a man, and complained of Balaam as
acting unjustly to her; that whereas he had no fault find with
her in her former service to him, he now inflicted stripes upon
her, as not understanding that she was hindered from serving him
in what he was now going about, by the providence of God. And
when he was disturbed by reason of the voice of the ass, which
was that of a man, the angel plainly appeared to him, and blamed
him for the stripes he had given his ass; and informed him that
the brute creature was not in fault, but that he was himself come
to obstruct his journey, as being contrary to the will of God.
Upon which Balaam was afraid, and was preparing to return back
again: yet did God excite him to go on his intended journey, but
added this injunction, that he should declare nothing but what
he himself should suggest to his mind.
4. When God had given him this charge, he came to Balak; and when
the king had entertained him in a magnificent manner, he desired
him to go to one of the mountains to take a view of the state
of the camp of the Hebrews. Balak himself also came to the mountain,
and brought the prophet along with him, with a royal attendance.
This mountain lay over their heads, and was distant sixty furlongs
from the camp. Now when he saw them, he desired the king to build
him seven altars, and to bring him as many bulls and rams; to
which desire the king did presently conform. He then slew the
sacrifices, and offered them as burnt-offerings, that he might
observe some signal of the flight of the Hebrews. Then said he,
"Happy is this people, on whom God bestows the possession
of innumerable good things, and grants them his own providence
to be their assistant and their guide; so that there is not any
nation among mankind but you will be esteemed superior to them
in virtue, and in the earnest prosecution of the best rules of
life, and of such as are pure from wickedness, and will leave
those rules to your excellent children; and this out of the regard
that God bears to you, and the provision of such things for you
as may render you happier than any other people under the sun.
You shall retain that land to which he hath sent you, and it shall
ever be under the command of your children; and both all the earth,
as well as the seas, shall be filled with your glory: and you
shall be sufficiently numerous to supply the world in general,
and every region of it in particular, with inhabitants out of
your stock. However, O blessed army! wonder that you are become
so many from one father: and truly, the land of Canaan can now
hold you, as being yet comparatively few; but know ye that the
whole world is proposed to be your place of habitation for ever.
The multitude of your posterity also shall live as well in the
islands as on the continent, and that more in number than are
the stars of heaven. And when you are become so many, God will
not relinquish the care of you, but will afford you an abundance
of all good things in times of peace, with victory and dominion
in times of war. May the children of your enemies have an inclination
to fight against you; and may they be so hardy as to come to arms,
and to assault you in battle, for they will not return with victory,
nor will their return be agreeable to their children and wives.
To so great a degree of valor will you be raised by the providence
of God, who is able to diminish the affluence of some, and to
supply the wants of others."
5. Thus did Balaam speak by inspiration, as not being in his own
power, but moved to say what he did by the Divine Spirit. But
then Balak was displeased, and said he had broken the contract
he had made, whereby he was to come, as he and his confederates
had invited him, by the promise of great presents: for whereas
he came to curse their enemies, he had made an encomium upon them,
and had declared that they were the happiest of men. To which
Balaam replied, "O Balak, if thou rightly considerest this
whole matter, canst thou suppose that it is in our power to be
silent, or to say any thing, when the Spirit of God seizes upon
us? - for he puts such words as he pleases in our mouths, and
such discourses as we are not ourselves conscious of. I well remember
by what entreaties both you and the Midianites so joyfully brought
me hither, and on that account I took this journey. It was my
prayer, that I might not put any affront upon you, as to what
you desired of me; but God is more powerful than the purposes
I had made to serve you; for those that take upon them to foretell
the affairs of mankind, as from their own abilities, are entirely
unable to do it, or to forbear to utter what God suggests to them,
or to offer violence to his will; for when he prevents us and
enters into us, nothing that we say is our own. I then did not
intend to praise this army, nor to go over the several good things
which God intended to do to their race; but since he was so favorable
to them, and so ready to bestow upon them a happy life and eternal
glory, he suggested the declaration of those things to me: but
now, because it is my desire to oblige thee thyself, as well as
the Midianites, whose entreaties it is not decent for me to reject,
go to, let us again rear other altars, and offer the like sacrifices
that we did before, that I may see whether I can persuade God
to permit me to bind these men with curses." Which, when
Balak had agreed to, God would not, even upon second sacrifices,
consent to his cursing the Israelites. (9) Then fell Balaam upon
his face, and foretold what calamities would befall the several
kings of the nations, and the most eminent cities, some of which
of old were not so much as inhabited; which events have come to
pass among the several people concerned, both in the foregoing
ages, and in this, till my own memory, both by sea and by land.
From which completion of all these predictions that he made, one
may easily guess that the rest will have their completion in time
to come.
6. But Balak being very angry that the Israelites were not cursed,
sent away Balaam without thinking him worthy of any honor. Whereupon,
when he was just upon his journey, in order to pass the Euphrates,
he sent for Balak, and for the princes of the Midianites, and
spake thus to them: - "O Balak, and you Midianites that are
here present, (for I am obliged even without the will of God to
gratify you,) it is true no entire destruction can seize upon
the nation of the Hebrews, neither by war, nor by plague, nor
by scarcity of the fruits of the earth, nor can any other unexpected
accident be their entire ruin; for the providence of God is concerned
to preserve them from such a misfortune; nor will it permit any
such calamity to come upon them whereby they may all perish; but
some small misfortunes, and those for a short time, whereby they
may appear to be brought low, may still befall them; but after
that they will flourish again, to the terror of those that brought
those mischiefs upon them. So that if you have a mind to gain
a victory over them for a short space of time, you will obtain
it by following my directions: - Do you therefore set out the
handsomest of such of your daughters as are most eminent for beauty,
(10) and proper to force and conquer the modesty of those that
behold them, and these decked and trimmed to the highest degree
able. Then do you send them to be near camp, and give them in
charge, that the young men of the Hebrews desire their allow it
them; and when they see they are enamored of them, let them take
leaves; and if they entreat them to stay, let give their consent
till they have persuaded leave off their obedience to their own
laws, the worship of that God who established them to worship
the gods of the Midianites and for by this means God will be angry
at them (11). Accordingly, when Balaam had suggested counsel to
them, he went his way.
7. So when the Midianites had sent their daughters,as Balaam had
exhorted them, the Hebrew men were allured by their beauty, and
came with them, and besought them not to grudge them the enjoyment
of their beauty, nor to deny them their conversation. These daughters
of Midianites received their words gladly, and consented to it,
and staid with them; but when they brought them to be enamored
of them, and their inclinations to them were grown to ripeness,
they began to think of departing from them: then it was that these
men became greatly disconsolate at the women's departure, and
they were urgent with them not to leave them, but begged they
would continue there, and become their wives; and they promised
them they should be owned as mistresses all they had. This they
said with an oath, and called God for the arbitrator of what they
promised; and this with tears in their eyes, and all such marks
of concern, as might shew how miserable they thought themselves
without them, and so might move their compassion for them. So
the women, as soon as they perceived they had made their slaves,
and had caught them with their conservation began to speak thus
to them: -
8. "O you illustrious young men! we have of our own at home,
and great plenty of good things there, together with the natural,
affectionate parents and friends; nor is it out of our want of
any such things that we came to discourse with you; nor did we
admit of your invitation with design to prostitute the beauty
of our bodies for gain; but taking you for brave and worthy men,
we agreed to your request, that we might treat you with such honors
as hospitality required: and now seeing you say that you have
a great affection for us, and are troubled when you think we are
departing, we are not averse to your entreaties; and if we may
receive such assurance of your good-will as we think can be alone
sufficient, we will be glad to lead our lives with you as your
wives; but we are afraid that you will in time be weary of our
company, and will then abuse us, and send us back to our parents,
after an ignominious manner." And they desired that they
would excuse them in their guarding against that danger. But the
young men professed they would give them any assurance they should
desire; nor did they at all contradict what they requested, so
great was the passion they had for them. "If then,"
said they, "this be your resolution, since you make
use of such customs and conduct of life as are entirely different
from all other men, (12) insomuch that your kinds of food are
peculiar to yourselves, and your kinds of drink not common to
others, it will be absolutely necessary, if you would have us
for your wives, that you do withal worship our gods. Nor can there
be any other demonstration of the kindness which you say you already
have, and promise to have hereafter to us, than this, that
you worship the same gods that we do. For has any one reason to
complain, that now you are come into this country, you should
worship the proper gods of the same country? especially while
our gods are common to all men, and yours such as belong to nobody
else but yourselves." So they said they must either come
into such methods of divine worship as all others came into, or
else they must look out for another world, wherein they may live
by themselves, according to their own laws.
9. Now the young men were induced by the fondness they had for
these women to think they spake very well; so they gave themselves
up to what they persuaded them, and transgressed their own laws,
and supposing there were many gods, and resolving that they would
sacrifice to them according to the laws of that country which
ordained them, they both were delighted with their strange food,
and went on to do every thing that the women would have them do,
though in contradiction to their own laws; so far indeed that
this transgression was already gone through the whole army of
the young men, and they fell into a sedition that was much worse
than the former, and into danger of the entire abolition of their
own institutions; for when once the youth had tasted of these
strange customs, they went with insatiable inclinations into them;
and even where some of the principal men were illustrious on account
of the virtues of their fathers, they also were corrupted together
with the rest.
10. Even Zimri, the head of the tribe of Simeon accompanied with
Cozbi, a Midianitish women, who was the daughter of Sur, a man
of authority in that country; and being desired by his wife to
disregard the laws of Moses, and to follow those she was used
to, he complied with her, and this both by sacrificing after a
manner different from his own, and by taking a stranger to wife.
When things were thus, Moses was afraid that matters should grow
worse, and called the people to a congregation, but then accused
nobody by name, as unwilling to drive those into despair who,
by lying concealed, might come to repentance; but he said that
they did not do what was either worthy of themselves, or of their
fathers, by preferring pleasure to God, and to the living according
to his will; that it was fit they should change their courses
while their affairs were still in a good state, and think that
to be true fortitude which offers not violence to their laws,
but that which resists their lusts. And besides that, he said
it was not a reasonable thing, when they had lived soberly in
the wilderness, to act madly now when they were in prosperity;
and that they ought not to lose, now they have abundance, what
they had gained when they had little: - and so did he endeavor,
by saying this, to correct the young inert, and to bring them
to repentance for what they had done.
11. But Zimri arose up after him, and said, "Yes, indeed,
Moses, thou art at liberty to make use of such laws as thou art
so fond of, and hast, by accustoming thyself to them, made them
firm; otherwise, if things had not been thus, thou hadst often
been punished before now, and hadst known that the Hebrews are
not easily put upon; but thou shalt not have me one of thy followers
in thy tyrannical commands, for thou dost nothing else hitherto,
but, under pretense of laws, and of God, wickedly impose on us
slavery, and gain dominion to thyself, while thou deprivest us
of the sweetness of life, which consists in acting according to
our own wills, and is the right of free-men, and of those that
have no lord over them. Nay, indeed, this man is harder upon the
Hebrews then were the Egyptians themselves, as pretending to punish,
according to his laws, every one's acting what is most agreeable
to himself; but thou thyself better deservest to suffer punishment,
who presumest to abolish what every one acknowledges to be what
is good for him, and aimest to make thy single opinion to have
more force than that of all the rest; and what I now do, and think
to be right, I shall not hereafter deny to be according to my
own sentiments. I have married, as thou sayest rightly, a strange
woman, and thou hearest what I do from myself as from one that
is free, for truly I did not intend to conceal myself. I also
own that I sacrificed to those gods to whom you do not think it
fit to sacrifice; and I think it right to come at truth by inquiring
of many people, and not like one that lives under tyranny, to
suffer the whole hope of my life to depend upon one man; nor shall
any one find cause to rejoice who declares himself to have more
authority over my actions than myself."
12. Now when Zimri had said these things, about what he and some
others had wickedly done, the people held their peace, both out
of fear of what might come upon them, and because they saw that
their legislator was not willing to bring his insolence before
the public any further, or openly to contend with him; for he
avoided that, lest many should imitate the impudence of his language,
and thereby disturb the multitude. Upon this the assembly was
dissolved. However, the mischievous attempt had proceeded further,
if Zimri had not been first slain, which came to pass on the following
occasion: - Phineas, a man in other respects better than the rest
of the young men, and also one that surpassed his contemporaries
in the dignity of his father, (for he was the son of Eleazar the
high priest, and the grandson of [Aaron] Moses's brother,) who
was greatly troubled at what was done by Zimri, he resolved in
earnest to inflict punishment on him, before his unworthy behavior
should grow stronger by impunity, and in order to prevent this
transgression from proceeding further, which would happen if the
ringleaders were not punished. He was of so great magnanimity,
both in strength of mind and body, that when he undertook any
very dangerous attempt, he did not leave it off till he overcame
it, and got an entire victory. So he came into Zimri's tent, and
slew him with his javelin, and with it he slew Cozbi also, Upon
which all those young men that had a regard to virtue, and aimed
to do a glorious action, imitated Phineas's boldness, and slew
those that were found to be guilty of the same crime with Zimri.
Accordingly many of those that had transgressed perished by the
magnanimous valor of these young men; and the rest all perished
by a plague, which distemper God himself inflicted upon them;
so that all those their kindred, who, instead of hindering them
from such wicked actions, as they ought to have done, had persuaded
them to go on, were esteemed by God as partners in their wickedness,
and died. Accordingly there perished out of the army no fewer
than fourteen (13) [twenty-four] thousand at this time.
13. This was the cause why Moses was provoked to send an army
to destroy the Midianites, concerning which expedition we shall
speak presently, when we have first related what we have omitted;
for it is but just not to pass over our legislator's due encomium,
on account of his conduct here, because, although this Balaam,
who was sent for by the Midianites to curse the Hebrews, and when
he was hindered from doing it by Divine Providence, did still
suggest that advice to them, by making use of which our enemies
had well nigh corrupted the whole multitude of the Hebrews with
their wiles, till some of them were deeply infected with their
opinions; yet did he do him great honor, by setting down his prophecies
in writing. And while it was in his power to claim this glory
to himself, and make men believe they were his own predictions,
there being no one that could be a witness against him, and accuse
him for so doing, he still gave his attestation to him, and did
him the honor to make mention of him on this account. But let
every one think of these matters as he pleases.
CHAPTER 7.
HOW THE HEBREWS FOUGHT WITH THE MIDIANITES, AND OVERCAME THEM.
1. Now Moses sent an army against the land of Midian, for the
causes forementioned, in all twelve thousand, taking an equal
number out of every
tribe, and appointed Phineas for their commander; of which Phineas
we made mention a little before, as he that had guarded the laws
of the Hebrews, and had inflicted punishment on Zimri when he
had transgressed them. Now the Midianites perceived beforehand
how the Hebrews were coming, and would suddenly be upon them:
so they assembled their army together, and fortified the entrances
into their country, and there awaited the enemy's coming. When
they were come, and they had joined battle with them, an immense
multitude of the Midianites fell; nor could they be numbered,
they were so very many: and among them fell all their kings, five
in number, viz. Evi, Zur, Reba, Hur, and Rekem, who was of the
same name with a city, the chief and capital of all Arabia, which
is still now so called by the whole Arabian nation, Arecem,
from the name of the king that built it; but is by the Greeks
called Petra. Now when the enemies were discomfited, the
Hebrews spoiled their country, and took a great prey, and destroyed
the men that were its inhabitants, together with the women; only
they let the virgins alone, as Moses had commanded Phineas to
do, who indeed came back, bringing with him an army that had received
no harm, and a great deal of prey; fifty-two thousand beeves,
seventy-five thousand six hundred sheep, sixty thousand asses,
with an immense quantity of gold and silver furniture, which the
Midianites made use of in their houses; for they were so wealthy,
that they were very luxurious. There were also led captive about
thirty-two thousand virgins. (14) So Moses parted the prey into
parts, and gave one fiftieth part to Eleazar and the two priests,
and another fiftieth part to the Levites; and distributed the
rest of the prey among the people. After which they lived happily,
as having obtained an abundance of good things by their valor,
and there being no misfortune that attended them, or hindered
their enjoyment of that happiness.
2. But Moses was now grown old, and appointed Joshua for his successor,
both to receive directions from God as a prophet, and for a commander
of the army, if they should at any time stand in need of such
a one; and this was done by the command of God, that to him the
care of the public should be committed. Now Joshua had been instructed
in all those kinds of learning which concerned the laws and God
himself, and Moses had been his instructor.
3. At this time it was that the two tribes of Gad and Reuben,
and the half tribe of Manasseh, abounded in a multitude of cattle,
as well as in all other kinds of prosperity; whence they had a
meeting, and in a body came and besought Moses to give them, as
their peculiar portion, that land of the Amorites which they had
taken by right of war, because it was fruitful, and good for feeding
of cattle; but Moses, supposing that they were afraid of fighting
with the Canaanites, and invented this provision for their cattle
as a handsome excuse for avoiding that war, he called them arrant
cowards, and said they had only contrived a decent excuse
for that cowardice; and that they had a mind to live in luxury
and ease, while all the rest were laboring with great pains to
obtain the land they were desirous to have; and that they were
not willing to march along, and undergo the remaining hard service,
whereby they were, under the Divine promise, to pass over Jordan,
and overcome those our enemies which God had shown them, and so
obtain their land. But these tribes, when they saw that Moses
was angry with them, and when they could not deny but he had a
just cause to be displeased at their petition, made an apology
for themselves; and said, that it was not on account of their
fear of dangers, nor on account of their laziness, that they made
this request to him, but that they might leave the prey they had
gotten in places of safety, and thereby might be more expedite,
and ready to undergo difficulties, and to fight battles. They
added this also, that when they had built cities, wherein they
might preserve their children, and wives, and possessions, if
he would bestow them upon them, they would go along with the rest
of the army. Hereupon Moses was pleased with what they said; so
he called for Eleazar the high priest, and Joshua, and the chief
of the tribes, and permitted these tribes to possess the land
of the Amorites; but upon this condition, that they should join
with their kinsmen in the war until all things were settled. Upon
which condition they took possession of the country, and built
them strong cities, and put into them their children and their
wives, and whatsoever else they had that might be an impediment
to the labors of their future marches.
4. Moses also now built those ten cities which were to be of the
number of the forty-eight [for the Levites;]; three of which he
allotted to those that slew any person involuntarily, and fled
to them; and he assigned the same time for their banishment with
that of the life of that high priest under whom the slaughter
and flight happened; after which death of the high priest he permitted
the slayer to return home. During the time of his exile, the relations
of him that was slain may, by this law, kill the manslayer, if
they caught him without the bounds of the city to which he fled,
though this permission was not granted to any other person. Now
the cities which were set apart for this flight were these: Bezer,
at the borders of Arabia; Ramoth, of the land of Gilead; and Golan,
in the land of Bashan. There were to be also, by Moses's command,
three other cities allotted for the habitation of these fugitives
out of the cities of the Levites, but not till after they should
be in possession of the land of Canaan.
5. At this time the chief men of the tribe of Manasseh came to
Moses, and informed him that there was an eminent man of their
tribe dead, whose name was Zelophehad, who left no male children,
but left daughters; and asked him whether these daughters might
inherit his land or not. He made this answer, That if they shall
marry into their own tribe, they shall carry their estate along
with them; but if they dispose of themselves in marriage to men
of another tribe, they shall leave their inheritance in their
father's tribe. And then it was that Moses ordained, that every
one's inheritance should continue in his own tribe.
CHAPTER 8.
THE POLITY SETTLED BY MOSES; AND HOW HE DISAPPEARED FROM AMONG
MANKIND.
1. WHEN forty years were completed, within thirty days, Moses
gathered the congregation together near Jordan, where the city
Abila now stands, a place full of palm-trees; and all the people
being come together, he spake thus to them: -
2. "O you Israelites and fellow soldiers, who have been partners
with me in this long and uneasy journey; since it is now the will
of God, and the course of old age, at a hundred and twenty, requires
it that I should depart out of this life; and since God has forbidden
me to be a patron or an assistant to you in what remains to be
done beyond Jordan; I thought it reasonable not to leave off my
endeavors even now for your happiness, but to do my utmost to
procure for you the eternal enjoyment of good things, and a memorial
for myself, when you shall be in the fruition of great plenty
and prosperity. Come, therefore, let me suggest to you by what
means you may he happy, and may leave an eternal prosperous possession
thereof to your children after you, and then let me thus go out
of the world; and I cannot but deserve to be believed by you,
both on account of the great things I have already done for you,
and because, when souls are about to leave the body, they speak
with the sincerest freedom. O children of Israel! there is but
one source of happiness for all mankind, the favor of God (15)
for he alone is able to give good things to those that deserve
them, and to deprive those of them that sin against him; towards
whom, if you behave yourselves according to his will, and according
to what I, who well understand his mind, do exhort you to, you
will both be esteemed blessed, and will be admired by all
men; and will never come into misfortunes, nor cease to be happy:
you will then preserve the possession of the good things you already
have, and will quickly obtain those that you are at present in
want of, - only do you be obedient to those whom God would have
you to follow. Nor do you prefer any other constitution of government
before the laws now given you; neither do you disregard that way
of Divine worship which you now have, nor change it for any other
form: and if you do this, you will be the most courageous of all
men, in undergoing the fatigues of war, and will not be easily
conquered by any of your enemies; for while God is present with
you to assist you, it is to be expected that you will be able
to despise the opposition of all mankind; and great rewards of
virtue are proposed for you, if you preserve that virtue through
your whole lives. Virtue itself is indeed the principal and the
first reward, and after that it bestows abundance of others; so
that your exercise of virtue towards other men will make your
own lives happy, and render you more glorious than foreigners
can be, and procure you an undisputed reputation with posterity.
These blessings you will be able to obtain, in case you hearken
to and observe those laws which, by Divine revelation, I have
ordained for you; that is, in case you withal meditate upon the
wisdom that is in them. I am going from you myself, rejoicing
in the good things you enjoy; and I recommend you to the wise
conduct of your law, to the becoming order of your polity, and
to the virtues of your commanders, who will take care of what
is for your advantage. And that God, who has been till now your
Leader, and by whose goodwill I have myself been useful to you,
will not put a period now to his providence over you, but as long
as you desire to have him your Protector in your pursuits after
virtue, so long will you enjoy his care over you. Your high priest
also Eleazar, as well as Joshua, with the senate, and chief of
your tribes, will go before you, and suggest the best advices
to you; by following which advices you will continue to be happy:
to whom do you give ear without reluctance, as sensible that all
such as know well how to be governed, will also know how to govern,
if they be promoted to that authority themselves. And do not you
esteem liberty to consist in opposing such directions as your
governors think fit to give you for your practice, - as at present
indeed you place your liberty in nothing else but abusing your
benefactors; which error if you can avoid for the time to come,
your affairs will be in a better condition than they have hitherto
been. Nor do you ever indulge such a degree of passion in these
matters, as you have oftentimes done when you have been very angry
at me; for you know that I have been oftener in danger of death
from you than from our enemies. What I now put you in mind of,
is not done in order to reproach you; for I do not think it proper,
now I am going out of the world, to bring this to your remembrance,
in order to leave you offended at me, since, at the time when
I underwent those hardships from you, I was not angry at you;
but I do it in order to make you wiser hereafter, and to teach
you that this will be for your security; I mean, that you never
be injurious to those that preside over you, even when you are
become rich, as you will he to a great degree when you have passed
over Jordan, and are in possession of the land of Canaan. Since,
when you shall have once proceeded so far by your wealth, as to
a contempt and disregard of virtue, you will also forfeit the
favor of God; and when you have made him your enemy, you will
be beaten in war, and will have the land which you possess taken
away again from you by your enemies, and this with great reproaches
upon your conduct. You will be scattered over the whole world,
and will, as slaves, entirely fill both sea and land; and when
once you have had the experience of what I now say, you will repent,
and remember the laws you have broken, when it is too late. Whence
I would advise you, if you intend to preserve these laws, to leave
none of your enemies alive when you have conquered them, but to
look upon it as for your advantage to destroy them all, lest,
if you permit them to live, you taste of their manners, and thereby
corrupt your own proper institutions. I also do further exhort
you, to overthrow their altars, and their groves, and whatsoever
temples they have among them, and to burn all such, their nation,
and their very memory with fire; for by this means alone the safety
of your own happy constitution can be firmly secured to you. And
in order to prevent your ignorance of virtue, and the degeneracy
of your nature into vice, I have also ordained you laws, by Divine
suggestion, and a form of government, which are so good, that
if you regularly observe them, you will be esteemed of all men
the most happy."
3. When he had spoken thus, he gave them the laws and the constitution
of government written in a book. Upon which the people fell into
tears, and appeared already touched with the sense that they should
have a great want of their conductor, because they remembered
what a number of dangers he had passed through, and what care
he had taken of their preservation: they desponded about what
would come upon them after he was dead, and thought they should
never have another governor like him; and feared that God would
then take less care of them when Moses was gone, who used to intercede
for them. They also repented of what they had said to him in the
wilderness when they were angry, and were in grief on those accounts,
insomuch that the whole body of the people fell into tears with
such bitterness, that it was past the power of words to comfort
them in their affliction. However, Moses gave them some consolation;
and by calling them off the thought how worthy he was of their
weeping for him, he exhorted them to keep to that form of government
he had given them; and then the congregation was dissolved at
that time.
4. Accordingly, I shall now first describe this form of government
which was agreeable to the dignity and virtue of Moses; and shall
thereby inform those that read these Antiquities, what our original
settlements were, and shall then proceed to the remaining histories.
Now those settlements are all still in writing, as he left them;
and we shall add nothing by way of ornament, nor any thing besides
what Moses left us; only we shall so far innovate, as to digest
the several kinds of laws into a regular system; for they were
by him left in writing as they were accidentally scattered in
their delivery, and as he upon inquiry had learned them of God.
On which account I have thought it necessary to premise this observation
beforehand, lest any of my own countrymen should blame me, as
having been guilty of an offense herein. Now part of our constitution
will include the laws that belong to our political state. As for
those laws which Moses left concerning our common conversation
and intercourse one with another, I have reserved that for a discourse
concerning our manner of life, and the occasions of those laws;
which I propose to myself, with God's assistance, to write, after
I have finished the work I am now upon.
5. When you have possessed yourselves of the land of Canaan, and
have leisure to enjoy the good things of it, and when you have
afterward determined to build cities, if you will do what is pleasing
to God, you will have a secure state of happiness. Let there be
then one city of the land of Canaan, and this situate in the most
agreeable place for its goodness, and very eminent in itself,
and let it be that which God shall choose for himself by prophetic
revelation. Let there also be one temple therein, and one altar,
not reared of hewn stones, but of such as you gather together
at random; which stones, when they are whited over with mortar,
will have a handsome appearance, and be beautiful to the sight.
Let the ascent to it be not by steps (16) but by an acclivity
of raised earth. And let there be neither an altar nor a temple
in any other city; for God is but one, and the nation of the Hebrews
is but one.
6. He that blasphemeth God, let him be stoned; and let him hang
upon a tree all that day, and then let him be buried in an ignominious
and obscure manner.
7. Let those that live as remote as the bounds of the land which
the Hebrews shall possess, come to that city where the temple
shall be, and this three times in a year, that they may give thanks
to God for his former benefits, and may entreat him for those
they shall want hereafter; and let them, by this means, maintain
a friendly correspondence with one another by such meetings and
feastings together, for it is a good thing for those that are
of the same stock, and under the same institution of laws, not
to be unacquainted with each other; which acquaintance will be
maintained by thus conversing together, and by seeing and talking
with one another, and so renewing the memorials of this union;
for if they do not thus converse together continually, they will
appear like mere strangers to one another.
8. Let there be taken out of your fruits a tenth, besides that
which you have allotted to give to the priests and Levites. This
you may indeed sell in the country, but it is to be used in those
feasts and sacrifices that are to be celebrated in the holy city;
for it is fit that you should enjoy those fruits of the earth
which God gives you to possess, so as may be to the honor of the
donor.
9. You are not to offer sacrifices out of the hire of a woman
who is a harlot (17) for the Deity is not pleased with any thing
that arises from such abuses of nature; of which sort none can
be worse than this prostitution of the body. In like manner no
one may take the price of the covering of a bitch, either of one
that is used in hunting, or in keeping of sheep, and thence sacrifice
to God.
10. Let no one blaspheme those gods which other cities esteem
such; (18) nor may any one steal what belongs to strange temples,
nor take away the gifts that are dedicated to any god.
11. Let not any one of you wear a garment made of woolen and linen,
for that is appointed to be for the priests alone.
12. When the multitude are assembled together unto the holy city
for sacrificing every seventh year, at the feast of tabernacles,
let the high priest stand upon a high desk, whence he may be heard,
and let him read the laws to all the people; and let neither the
women nor the children be hindered from hearing, no, nor the servants
neither; for it is a good thing that those laws should be engraven
in their souls, and preserved in their memories, that so it may
not be possible to blot them out; for by this means they will
not be guilty of sin, when they cannot plead ignorance of what
the laws have enjoined them. The laws also will have a greater
authority among them, as foretelling what they will suffer if
they break them; and imprinting in their souls by this hearing
what they command them to do, that so there may always be within
their minds that intention of the laws which they have despised
and broken, and have thereby been the causes of their own mischief.
Let the children also learn the laws, as the first thing they
are taught, which will be the best thing they can be taught, and
will be the cause of their future felicity.
13. Let every one commemorate before God the benefits which he
bestowed upon them at their deliverance out of the land of Egypt,
and this twice every day, both when the day begins and when the
hour of sleep comes on, gratitude being in its own nature a just
thing, and serving not only by way of return for past, but also
by way of invitation of future favors. They are also to inscribe
the principal blessings they have received from God upon their
doors, and show the same remembrance of them upon their arms;
as also they are to bear on their forehead and their arm those
wonders which declare the power of God, and his good-will towards
them, that God's readiness to bless them may appear every where
conspicuous about them. (19)
14. Let there be seven men to judge in every city, (20) and these
such as have been before most zealous in the exercise of virtue
and righteousness. Let every judge have two officers allotted
him out of the tribe of Levi. Let those that are chosen
to judge in the several cities be had in great honor; and let
none be permitted to revile any others when these are present,
nor to carry themselves in an insolent manner to them; it being
natural that reverence towards those in high offices among men
should procure men's fear and reverence towards God. Let those
that judge be permitted to determine according as they think to
be right, unless any one can show that they have taken bribes,
to the perversion of justice, or can allege any other accusation
against them, whereby it may appear that they have passed an unjust
sentence; for it is not fit that causes should be openly determined
out of regard to gain, or to the dignity of the suitors, but that
the judges should esteem what is right before all other things,
otherwise God will by that means be despised, and esteemed inferior
to those, the dread of whose power has occasioned the unjust sentence;
for justice is the power of God. He therefore that gratifies those
in great dignity, supposes them more potent than God himself.
But if these judges be unable to give a just sentence about the
causes that come before them, (which case is not unfrequent in
human affairs,) let them send the cause undetermined to the holy
city, and there let the high priest, the prophet, and the sanhedrim,
determine as it shall seem good to them.
15. But let not a single witness be credited, but three, or two
at the least, and those such whose testimony is confirmed by their
good lives. But let not the testimony of women be admitted, on
account of the levity and boldness of their sex (21) Nor let servants
be admitted to give testimony, on account of the ignobility of
their soul; since it is probable that they may not speak truth,
either out of hope of gain, or fear of punishment. But if any
one be believed to have borne false witness, let him, when he
is convicted, suffer all the very same punishments which he against
whom he bore witness was to have suffered.
16. If a murder be committed in any place, and he that did it
be not found, nor is there any suspicion upon one as if he had
hated the man, and so had killed him, let there be a very diligent
inquiry made after the man, and rewards proposed to any one who
will discover him; but if still no information can be procured,
let the magistrates and senate of those cities that lie near the
place in which the murder was committed, assemble together, and
measure the distance from the place where the dead body lies;
then let the magistrates of the nearest city thereto purchase
a heifer, and bring it to a valley, and to a place therein where
there is no land ploughed or trees planted, and let them cut the
sinews of the heifer; then the priests and Levites, and the senate
of that city, shall take water and wash their hands over the head
of the heifer; and they shall openly declare that their hands
are innocent of this murder, and that they have neither done it
themselves, nor been assisting to any that did it. They shall
also beseech God to be merciful to them, that no such horrid act
may any more be done in that land.
17. Aristocracy, and the way of living under it, is the best constitution:
and may you never have any inclination to any other form of government;
and may you always love that form, and have the laws for your
governors, and govern all your actions according to them; for
you need no supreme governor but God. But if you shall desire
a king, let him be one of your own nation; let him be always careful
of justice and other virtues perpetually; let him submit to the
laws, and esteem God's commands to be his highest wisdom; but
let him do nothing without the high priest and the votes of the
senators: let him not have a great number of wives, nor pursue
after abundance of riches, nor a multitude of horses, whereby
he may grow too proud to submit to the laws. And if he affect
any such things, let him be restrained, lest he become so potent
that his state be inconsistent with your welfare.
18. Let it not be esteemed lawful to remove boundaries, neither
our own, nor of those with whom we are at peace. Have a care you
do not take those landmarks away which are, as it were, a divine
and unshaken limitation of rights made by God himself, to last
for ever; since this going beyond limits, and gaining ground upon
others, is the occasion of wars and seditions; for those that
remove boundaries are not far off an attempt to subvert the laws.
19. He that plants a piece of land, the trees of which produce
fruits before the fourth year, is not to bring thence any first-fruits
to God, nor is he to make use of that fruit himself, for it is
not produced in its proper season; for when nature has a force
put upon her at an unseasonable time, the fruit is not proper
for God, nor for the master's use; but let the owner gather all
that is grown on the fourth car, for then it is in its proper
season. And let him that has gathered it carry it to the holy
city, and spend that, together with the tithe of his other fruits,
in feasting with his friends, with the orphans, and the widows.
But on the fifth year the fruit is his own, and he may use it
as he pleases.
20. You are not to sow with seed a piece of land which is planted
with vines, for it is enough that it supply nourishment to that
plant, and be not harassed by ploughing also. You are to plough
your land with oxen, and not to oblige other animals to come under
the same yoke with them; but to till your land with those beasts
that are of the same kind with each other. The seeds are also
to be pure, and without mixture, and not to be compounded of two
or three sorts, since nature does not rejoice in the union of
things that are not in their own nature alike; nor are you to
permit beasts of different kinds to gender together, for there
is reason to fear that this unnatural abuse may extend from beasts
of different kinds to men, though it takes its first rise from
evil practices about such smaller things. Nor is any thing to
be allowed, by imitation whereof any degree of subversion may
creep into the constitution. Nor do the laws neglect small matters,
but provide that even those may be managed after an unblamable
manner.
21. Let not those that reap, and gather in the corn that is reaped,
gather in the gleanings also; but let them rather leave some handfuls
for those that are in want of the necessaries of life, that it
may be a support and a supply to them, in order to their subsistence.
In like manner when they gather their grapes, let them leave some
smaller bunches for the poor, and let them pass over some of the
fruits of the olive-trees, when they gather them, and leave them
to be partaken of by those that have none of their own; for the
advantage arising from the exact collection of all, will not be
so considerable to the owners as will arise from the gratitude
of the poor. And God will provide that the land shall more willingly
produce what shall be for the nourishment of its fruits, in case
you do not merely take care of your own advantage, but have regard
to the support of others also. Nor are you to muzzle the mouths
of the oxen when they tread the ears of corn in the thrashing-floor;
for it is not just to restrain our fellow-laboring animals, and
those that work in order to its production, of this fruit of their
labors. Nor are you to prohibit those that pass by at the time
when your fruits are ripe to touch them, but to give them leave
to fill themselves full of what you have; and this whether they
be of your own country or strangers, - as being glad of the opportunity
of giving them some part of your fruits when they are ripe; but
let it not be esteemed lawful for them to carry any away. Nor
let those that gather the grapes, and carry them to the wine-presses,
restrain those whom they meet from eating of them; for it is unjust,
out of envy, to hinder those that desire it, to partake of the
good things that come into the world according to God's will,
and this while the season is at the height, and is hastening away
as it pleases God. Nay, if some, out of bashfulness, are unwilling
to touch these fruits, let them be encouraged to take of them
(I mean, those that are Israelites) as if they were themselves
the owners and lords, on account of the kindred there is between
them. Nay, let them desire men that come from other countries,
to partake of these tokens of friendship which God has given in
their proper season; for that is not to be deemed as idly spent,
which any one out of kindness communicates to another, since God
bestows plenty of good things on men, not only for themselves
to reap the advantage, but also to give to others in a way of
generosity; and he is desirous, by this means, to make known to
others his peculiar kindness to the people of Israel, and how
freely he communicates happiness to them, while they abundantly
communicate out of their great superfluities to even these foreigners
also. But for him that acts contrary to this law, let him be beaten
with forty stripes save one (22) by the public executioner; let
him undergo this punishment, which is a most ignominious one for
a free-man, and this because he was such a slave to gain as to
lay a blot upon his dignity; for it is proper for you who have
had the experience of the afflictions in Egypt, and of those in
the wilderness, to make provision for those that are in the like
circumstances; and while you have now obtained plenty yourselves,
through the mercy and providence of God, to distribute of the
same plenty, by the like sympathy, to such as stand in need of
it.
22. Besides those two tithes, which I have already said you are
to pay every year, the one for the Levites, the other for the
festivals, you are to bring every third year a third tithe to
be distributed to those that want; (23) to women also that are
widows, and to children that are orphans. But as to the ripe fruits,
let them carry that which is ripe first of all into the temple;
and when they have blessed God for that land which bare them,
and which he had given them for a possession, when they have also
offered those sacrifices which the law has commanded them to bring,
let them give the first-fruits to the priests. But when any one
hath done this, and hath brought the tithe of all that he hath,
together with those first-fruits that are for the Levites, and
for the festivals, and when he is about to go home, let him stand
before the holy house, and return thanks to God, that he hath
delivered them from the injurious treatment they had in Egypt,
and hath given them a good land, and a large, and lets them enjoy
the fruits thereof; and when he hath openly testified that he
hath fully paid the tithes [and other dues] according to the laws
of Moses, let him entreat God that he will be ever merciful and
gracious to him, and continue so to be to all the Hebrews, both
by preserving the good things which he hath already given them,
and by adding what it is still in his power to bestow upon them.
23. Let the Hebrews marry, at the age fit for it, virgins that
are free, and born of good parents. And he that does not marry
a virgin, let him not corrupt another man's wife, and marry her,
nor grieve her former husband. Nor let free men marry slaves,
although their affections should strongly bias any of them so
to do; for it is decent, and for the dignity of the persons themselves,
to govern those their affections. And further, no one ought to
marry a harlot, whose matrimonial oblations, arising from the
prostitution of her body, God will not receive; for by these means
the dispositions of the children will be liberal and virtuous;
I mean, when they are not born of base parents, and of the lustful
conjunction of such as marry women that are not free. If any one
has been espoused to a woman as to a virgin, and does not afterward
find her so to be, let him bring his action, and accuse her, and
let him make use of such indications (24) to prove his accusation
as he is furnished withal; and let the father or the brother of
the damsel, or some one that is after them nearest of kin to her,
defend her If the damsel obtain a sentence in her favor, that
she had not been guilty, let her live with her husband that accused
her; and let him not have any further power at all to put her
away, unless she give him very great occasions of suspicion, and
such as can be no way contradicted. But for him that brings an
accusation and calumny against his wife in an impudent and rash
manner, let him be punished by receiving forty stripes save one,
and let him pay fifty shekels to her father: but if the damsel
be convicted, as having been corrupted, and is one of the common
people, let her be stoned, because she did not preserve her virginity
till she were lawfully married; but if she were the daughter of
a priest, let her be burnt alive. If any one has two wives, and
if he greatly respect and be kind to one of them, either out of
his affection to her, or for her beauty, or for some other reason,
while the other is of less esteem with him; and if the son of
her that is beloved be the younger by birth than another born
of the other wife, but endeavors to obtain the right of primogeniture
from his father's kindness to his mother, and would thereby obtain
a double portion of his father's substance, for that double portion
is what I have allotted him in the laws, - let not this be permitted;
for it is unjust that he who is the elder by birth should be deprived
of what is due to him, on the father's disposition of his estate,
because his mother was not equally regarded by him. He that hath
corrupted a damsel espoused to another man, in case he had her
consent, let both him and her be put to death, for they are both
equally guilty; the man, because he persuaded the woman willingly
to submit to a most impure action, and to prefer it to lawful
wedlock; the woman, because she was persuaded to yield herself
to be corrupted, either for pleasure or for gain. However, if
a man light on a woman when she is alone, and forces her, where
nobody was present to come to her assistance, let him only be
put to death. Let him that hath corrupted a virgin not yet espoused
marry her; but if the father of the damsel be not willing that
she should be his wife, let him pay fifty shekels as the price
of her prostitution. He that desires to be divorced from his wife
for any cause (25) whatsoever, (and many such causes happen among
men,) let him in writing give assurance that he will never use
her as his wife any more; for by this means she may be at liberty
to marry another husband, although before this bill of divorce
be given, she is not to be permitted so to do: but if she be misused
by him also, or if, when he is dead, her first husband would marry
her again, it shall not be lawful for her to return to him. If
a woman's husband die, and leave her without children, let his
brother marry her, and let him call the son that is born to him
by his brother's name, and educate him as the heir of his inheritance,
for this procedure will be for the benefit of the public, because
thereby families will not fail, and the estate will continue among
the kindred; and this will be for the solace of wives under their
affliction, that they are to be married to the next relation of
their former husbands. But if the brother will not marry her,
let the woman come before the senate, and protest openly that
this brother will not admit her for his wife, but will injure
the memory of his deceased brother, while she is willing to continue
in the family, and to hear him children. And when the senate have
inquired of him for what reason it is that he is averse to this
marriage, whether he gives a bad or a good reason, the matter
must come to this issue, That the woman shall loose the sandals
of the brother, and shall spit in his face, and say, He deserves
this reproachful treatment from her, as having injured the memory
of the deceased. And then let him go away out of the senate, and
bear this reproach upon him all his life long; and let her marry
to whom she pleases, of such as seek her in marriage. But now,
if any man take captive, either a virgin, or one that hath been
married, (26) and has a mind to marry her, let him not be allowed
to bring her to bed to him, or to live with her as his wife, before
she hath her head shaven, and hath put on her mourning habit,
and lamented her relations and friends that were slain in the
battle, that by this means she may give vent to her sorrow for
them, and after that may betake herself to feasting and matrimony;
for it is good for him that takes a woman, in order to have children
by her, to be complaisant to her inclinations, and not merely
to pursue his own pleasure, while he hath no regard to what is
agreeable to her. But when thirty days are past, as the time of
mourning, for so many are sufficient to prudent persons for lamenting
the dearest friends, then let them proceed to the marriage; but
in case when he hath satisfied his lust, he be too proud to retain
her for his wife, let him not have it in his power to make her
a slave, but let her go away whither she pleases, and have that
privilege of a free woman.
24. As to those young men that despise their parents, and do not
pay them honor, but offer them affronts, either because they are
ashamed of them or think themselves wiser than they, - in the
first place, let their parents admonish them in words, (for they
are by nature of authority sufficient for becoming their judges,)
and let them say thus to them: - That they cohabited together,
not for the sake of pleasure, nor for the augmentation of their
riches, by joining both their stocks together, but that they might
have children to take care of them in their old age, and might
by them have what they then should want. And say further to him,
"That when thou wast born, we took thee up with gladness,
and gave God the greatest thanks for thee, and brought time up
with great care, and spared for nothing that appeared useful for
thy preservation, and for thy instruction in what was most excellent.
And now, since it is reasonable to forgive the sins of those that
are young, let it suffice thee to have given so many indications
Of thy contempt of us; reform thyself, and act more wisely for
the time to come; considering that God is displeased with those
that are insolent towards their parents, because he is himself
the Father of the whole race of mankind, and seems to bear part
of that dishonor which falls upon those that have the same name,
when they do not meet with dire returns from their children. And
on such the law inflicts inexorable punishment; of which punishment
mayst thou never have the experience." Now if the insolence
of young men be thus cured, let them escape the reproach which
their former errors deserved; for by this means the lawgiver will
appear to be good, and parents happy, while they never behold
either a son or a daughter brought to punishment. But if it happen
that these words and instructions, conveyed by them in order to
reclaim the man, appear to be useless, then the offender renders
the laws implacable enemies to the insolence he has offered his
parents; let him therefore be brought forth (27) by these very
parents out of the city, with a multitude following him, and there
let him be stoned; and when he has continued there for one whole
day, that all the people may see him, let him be buried in the
night. And thus it is that we bury all whom the laws condemn to
die, upon any account whatsoever. Let our enemies that fall in
battle be also buried; nor let any one dead body lie above the
ground, or suffer a punishment beyond what justice requires.
25. Let no one lend to any one of the Hebrews upon usury, neither
usury of what is eaten or what is drunken, for it is not just
to make advantage of the misfortunes of one of thy own countrymen;
but when thou hast been assistant to his necessities, think it
thy gain if thou obtainest their gratitude to thee; and withal
that reward which will come to thee from God, for thy humanity
towards him.
26. Those who have borrowed either silver or any sort of fruits,
whether dry or wet, (I mean this, when the Jewish affairs shall,
by the blessing of God, be to their own mind,) let the borrowers
bring them again, and restore them with pleasure to those who
lent them, laying them up, as it were, in their own treasuries,
and justly expecting to receive them thence, if they shall want
them again. But if they be without shame, and do not restore it,
let not the lender go to the borrower's house, and take a pledge
himself, before judgment be given concerning it; but let him require
the pledge, and let the debtor bring it of himself, without the
least opposition to him that comes upon him under the protection
of the law. And if he that gave the pledge be rich, let the creditor
retain it till what he lent be paid him again; but if he be poor,
let him that takes it return it before the going down of the sun,
especially if the pledge be a garment, that the debtor may have
it for a covering in his sleep, God himself naturally showing
mercy to the poor. It is also not lawful to take a millstone,
nor any utensil thereto belonging, for a pledge, that the debtor,
may not be deprived of instruments to get their food withal, and
lest they be undone by their necessity.
27. Let death be the punishment for stealing a man; but he that
hath purloined gold or silver, let him pay double. If any one
kill a man that is stealing something out of his house, let him
be esteemed guiltless, although the man were only breaking in
at the wall. Let him that hath stolen cattle pay fourfold what
is lost, excepting the case of an ox, for which let the thief
pay fivefold. Let him that is so poor that he cannot pay what
mulet is laid upon him, be his servant to whom he was adjudged
to pay it.
28. If any one be sold to one of his own nation, let him serve
him six years, and on the seventh let him go free. But if he have
a son by a woman servant in his purchaser's house, and if, on
account of his good-will to his master, and his natural affection
to his wife and children, he will be his servant still, let him
be set free only at the coming of the year of jubilee, which is
the fiftieth year, and let him then take away with him his children
and wife, and let them be free also.
29. If any one find gold or silver on the road, let him inquire
after him that lost it, and make proclamation of the place where
he found it, and then restore it to him again, as not thinking
it right to make his own profit by the loss of another. And the
same rule is to be observed in cattle found to have wandered away
into a lonely place. If the owner be not presently discovered,
let him that is the finder keep it with himself, and appeal to
God that he has not purloined what belongs to another.
30. It is not lawful to pass by any beast that is in distress,
when in a storm it is fallen down in the mire, but to endeavor
to preserve it, as having a sympathy with it in its pain.
31. It is also a duty to show the roads to those who do not know
them, and not to esteem it a matter for sport, when we hinder
others' advantages, by setting them in a wrong way.
32. In like manner, let no one revile a person blind or dumb.
33. If men strive together, and there be no instrument of iron,
let him that is smitten be avenged immediately, by inflicting
the same punishment on him that smote him: but if when he is carried
home he lie sick many days, and then die, let him that smote him
not escape punishment; but if he that is smitten escape death,
and yet be at great expense for his cure, the smiter shall pay
for all that has been expended during the time of his sickness,
and for all that he has paid the physician. He that kicks a woman
with child, so that the woman miscarry, (28) let him pay a fine
in money, as the judges shall determine, as having diminished
the multitude by the destruction of what was in her womb; and
let money also be given the woman's husband by him that kicked
her; but if she die of the stroke, let him also be put to death,
the law judging it equitable that life should go for life.
34. Let no one of the Israelites keep any poison (29) that may
cause death, or any other harm; but if he be caught with it, let
him be put to death, and suffer the very same mischief that he
would have brought upon them for whom the poison was prepared.
35. He that maimeth any one, let him undergo the like himself,
and be deprived of the same member of which he hath deprived the
other, unless he that is maimed will accept of money instead of
it (30) for the law makes the sufferer the judge of the value
of what he hath suffered, and permits him to estimate it, unless
he will be more severe.
36. Let him that is the owner of an ox which pusheth with his
horn, kill him: but if he pushes and gores any one in the thrashing-floor,
let him be put to death by stoning, and let him not be thought
fit for food: but if his owner be convicted as having known what
his nature was, and hath not kept him up, let him also be put
to death, as being the occasion of the ox's having killed a man.
But if the ox have killed a man-servant, or a maid-servant, let
him be stoned; and let the owner of the ox pay thirty shekels
(31) to the master of him that was slain; but if it be an ox that
is thus smitten and killed, let both the oxen, that which smote
the other and that which was killed, be sold, and let the owners
of them divide their price between them.
37. Let those that dig a well or a pit be careful to lay planks
over them, and so keep them shut up, not in order to hinder any
persons from drawing water, but that there may be no danger of
falling into them. But if any one's beast fall into such a well
or pit thus digged, and not shut up, and perish, let the owner
pay its price to the owner of the beast. Let there be a battlement
round the tops of your houses instead of a wall, that may prevent
any persons from rolling down and perishing.
38. Let him that has received any thing in trust for another,
take care to keep it as a sacred and divine thing; and let no
one invent any contrivance whereby to deprive him that hath intrusted
it with him of the same, and this whether he be a man or a woman;
no, not although he or she were to gain an immense sum of gold,
and this where he cannot be convicted of it by any body; for it
is fit that a man's own conscience, which knows what he hath,
should in all cases oblige him to do well. Let this conscience
be his witness, and make him always act so as may procure him
commendation from others; but let him chiefly have regard to God,
from whom no wicked man can lie concealed: but if he in whom the
trust was reposed, without any deceit of his own, lose what he
was intrusted withal, let him come before the seven judges, and
swear by God that nothing hath been lost willingly, or with a
wicked intention, and that he hath not made use of any part thereof,
and so let him depart without blame; but if he hath made use of
the least part of what was committed to him, and it be lost, let
him be condemned to repay all that he had received. After the
same manner as in these trusts it is to be, if any one defraud
those that undergo bodily labor for him. And let it be always
remembered, that we are not to defraud a poor man of his wages,
as being sensible that God has allotted these wages to him instead
of land and other possessions; nay, this payment is not at all
to be delayed, but to be made that very day, since God is not
willing to deprive the laborer of the immediate use of what he
hath labored for.
39. You are not to punish children for the faults of their parents,
but on account of their own virtue rather to vouchsafe them commiseration,
because they were born of wicked parents, than hatred, because
they were born of bad ones. Nor indeed ought we to impute the
sin of children to their fathers, while young persons indulge
themselves in many practices different from what they have been
instructed in, and this by their proud refusal of such instruction.
40. Let those that have made themselves eunuchs be had in detestation;
and do you avoid any conversation with them who have deprived
themselves of their manhood, and of that fruit of generation which
God has given to men for the increase of their kind: let such
be driven away, as if they had killed their children, since they
beforehand have lost what should procure them; for evident it
is, that while their soul is become effeminate, they have withal
transfused that effeminacy to their body also. In like manner
do you treat all that is of a monstrous nature when it is looked
on; nor is it lawful to geld men or any other animals. (32)
41. Let this be the constitution of your political laws in time
of peace, and God will be so merciful as to preserve this excellent
settlement free from disturbance: and may that time never come
which may innovate any thing, and change it for the contrary.
But since it must needs happen that mankind fall into troubles
and dangers, either undesignedly or intentionally, come let us
make a few constitutions concerning them, that so being apprised
beforehand what ought to be done, you may have salutary counsels
ready when you want them, and may not then be obliged to go to
seek what is to be done, and so be unprovided, and fall into dangerous
circumstances. May you be a laborious people, and exercise your
souls in virtuous actions, and thereby possess and inherit the
land without wars; while neither any foreigners make war upon
it, and so afflict you, nor any internal sedition seize upon it,
whereby you may do things that are contrary to your fathers, and
so lose the laws which they have established. And may you continue
in the observation of those laws which God hath approved of, and
hath delivered to you. Let all sort of warlike operations, whether
they befall you now in your own time, or hereafter in the times
of your posterity, be done out of your own borders: but when you
are about to go to war, send embassages and heralds to those who
are your voluntary enemies, for it is a right thing to make use
of words to them before you come to your weapons of war; and assure
them thereby, that although you have a numerous army, with horses
and weapons, and, above these, a God merciful to you, and ready
to assist you, you do however desire them not to compel you to
fight against them, nor to take from them what they have, which
will indeed be our gain, but what they will have no reason to
wish we should take to ourselves. And if they hearken to you,
it will be proper for you to keep peace with them; but if they
trust in their own strength, as superior to yours, and will not
do you justice, lead your army against them, making use of God
as your supreme Commander, but ordaining for a lieutenant under
him one that is of the greatest courage among you; for these different
commanders, besides their being an obstacle to actions that are
to be done on the sudden, are a disadvantage to those that make
use of them. Lead an army pure, and of chosen men, composed of
all such as have extraordinary strength of body and hardiness
of soul; but do you send away the timorous part, lest they run
away in the time of action, and so afford an advantage to your
enemies. Do you also give leave to those that have lately built
them houses, and have not yet lived in them a year's time; and
to those that have planted them vineyards, and have not yet been
partakers of their fruits, - to continue in their own country;
as well as those also who have betrothed, or lately married them
wives, lest they have such an affection for these things that
they he too sparing of their lives, and, by reserving themselves
for these enjoyments, they become voluntary cowards, on account
of their wives.
42. When you have pitched your camp, take care that you do nothing
that is cruel. And when you are engaged in a siege; and want timber
for the making of warlike engines, do not you render the land
naked by cutting down trees that bear fruit, but spare them, as
considering that they were made for the benefit of men; and that
if they could speak, they would have a just plea against you,
because, though they are not occasions of the war, they are unjustly
treated, and suffer in it, and would, if they were able, remove
themselves into another land. When you have beaten your enemies
in battle, slay those that have fought against you; but preserve
the others alive, that they may pay you tribute, excepting the
nation of the Canaanites; for as to that people, you must entirely
destroy them.
43, Take care, especially in your battles, that no woman use the
habit of a man, nor man the garment of a woman.
44. This was the form of political government which was left us
by Moses. Moreover, he had already delivered laws in writing (33)
in the fortieth year [after they came out of Egypt], concerning
which we will discourse in another book. But now on the following
days (for he called them to assemble continually) he delivered
blessings to them, and curses upon those that should not live
according to the laws, but should transgress the duties that were
determined for them to observe. After this, he read to them a
poetic song, which was composed in hexameter verse, and left it
to them in the holy book: it contained a prediction of what was
to come to pass afterward; agreeably whereto all things have happened
all along, and do still happen to us; and wherein he has not at
all deviated from the truth. Accordingly, he delivered these books
to the priest, (34) with the ark; into which he also put the ten
commandments, written on two tables. He delivered to them the
tabernacle also, and exhorted the people, that when they had conquered
the land, and were settled in it, they should not forget the injuries
of the Amalekites, but make war against them, and inflict punishment
upon them for what mischief they did them when they were in the
wilderness; and that when they had got possession of the land
of the Canaanites, and when they had destroyed the whole multitude
of its inhabitants, as they ought to do, they should erect an
altar that should face the rising sun, not far from the city of
Shechem, between the two mountains, that of Gerizzim, situate
on the right hand, and that called Ebal, on the left; and that
the army should be so divided, that six tribes should stand upon
each of the two mountains, and with them the Levites and the priests.
And that first, those that were upon Mount Gerizzim should pray
for the best blessings upon those who were diligent about the
worship of God, and the observation of his laws, and who did not
reject what Moses had said to them; while the other wished them
all manner of happiness also; and when these last put up the like
prayers, the former praised them. After this, curses were denounced
upon those that should transgress those laws, they ,answering
one another alternately, by way of confirmation of what had been
said. Moses also wrote their blessings and their curses, that
they might learn them so thoroughly, that they might never be
forgotten by length of time. And when he was ready to die, he
wrote these blessings and curses upon the altar, on each side
of it; where he says also the people stood, and then sacrificed
and offered burnt-offerings, though after that day they never
offered upon it any other sacrifice, for it was not lawful so
to do. These are the constitutions of Moses; and the Hebrew nation
still live according to them.
45. On the next day, Moses called the people together, with the
women and children, to a congregation, so as the very slaves were
present also, that they might engage themselves to the observation
of these laws by oath; and that, duly considering the meaning
of God in them, they might not, either for favor of their kindred,
or out of fear of any one, or indeed for any motive whatsoever,
think any thing ought to be preferred to these laws, and so might
transgress them. That in case any one of their own blood, or any
city, should attempt to confound or dissolve their constitution
of government, they should take vengeance upon them, both all
in general, and each person in particular; and when they had conquered
them, should overturn their city to the very foundations, and,
if possible, should not leave the least footsteps of such madness:
but that if they were not able to take such vengeance, they should
still demonstrate that what was done was contrary to their wills.
So the multitude bound themselves by oath so to do.
46. Moses taught them also by what means their sacrifices might
be the most acceptable to God; and how they should go forth to
war, making use of the stones (in the high priest's breastplate)
for their direction, (35) as I have before signified. Joshua also
prophesied while Moses was present. And when Moses had recapitulated
whatsoever he had done for the preservation of the people, both
in their wars and in peace, and had composed them a body of laws,
and procured them an excellent form of government, he foretold,
as God had declared to him "That if they transgressed that
institution for the worship of God, they should experience the
following miseries: - Their land should be full of weapons of
war from their enemies, and their cities should be overthrown,
and their temple should be burnt that they should be sold for
slaves, to such men as would have no pity on them in their afflictions;
that they would then repent, when that repentance would no way
profit them under their sufferings. "Yet," said he,
"will that God who founded your nation, restore your cities
to your citizens, with their temple also; and you shall lose these
advantages not once only, but often."
47. NOW when Moses had encouraged Joshua to lead out the army
against the Canaanites, by telling him that God would assist him
in all his undertakings, and had blessed the whole multitude,
he said, "Since I am going to my forefathers, and God has
determined that this should be the day of my departure to them,
I return him thanks while I am still alive and present with you,
for that providence he hath exercised over you, which hath not
only delivered us from the miseries we lay under, but hath bestowed
a state of prosperity upon us; as also, that he hath assisted
me in the pains I took, and in all the contrivances I had in my
care about you, in order to better your condition, and hath on
all occasions showed himself favorable to us; or rather he it
was who first conducted our affairs, and brought them to a happy
conclusion, by making use of me as a vicarious general under him,
and as a minister in those matters wherein he was willing to do
you good: on which account I think it proper to bless that Divine
Power which will take care of you for the time to come, and this
in order to repay that debt which I owe him, and to leave behind
me a memorial that we are obliged to worship and honor him, and
to keep those laws which are the most excellent gift of all those
he hath already bestowed upon us, or which, if he continue favorable
to us, he will bestow upon us hereafter. Certainly a human legislator
is a terrible enemy when his laws are affronted, and are made
to no purpose. And may you never experience that displeasure of
God which will be the consequence of the neglect of these his
laws, which he, who is your Creator, hath given you."
48. When Moses had spoken thus at the end of his life, and had
foretold what would befall to every one of their tribes (36) afterward,
with the addition of a blessing to them, the multitude fell into
tears, insomuch that even the women, by beating their breasts,
made manifest the deep concern they had when he was about to die.
The children also lamented still more, as not able to contain
their grief; and thereby declared, that even at their age they
were sensible of his virtue and mighty deeds; and truly there
seemed to be a strife betwixt the young and the old who should
most grieve for him. The old grieved because they knew what a
careful protector they were to be deprived of, and so lamented
their future state; but the young grieved, not only for that,
but also because it so happened that they were to be left by him
before they had well tasted of his virtue. Now one may make a
guess at the excess of this sorrow and lamentation of the multitude,
from what happened to the legislator himself; for although he
was always persuaded that he ought not to be cast down at the
approach of death, since the undergoing it was agreeable to the
will of God and the law of nature, yet what the people did so
overbore him, that he wept himself. Now as he went thence to the
place where he was to vanish out of their sight, they all followed
after him weeping; but Moses beckoned with his hand to those that
were remote from him, and bade them stay behind in quiet, while
he exhorted those that were near to him that they would not render
his departure so lamentable. Whereupon they thought they ought
to grant him that favor, to let him depart according as he himself
desired; so they restrained themselves, though weeping still towards
one another. All those who accompanied him were the senate, and
Eleazar the high priest, and Joshua their commander. Now as soon
as they were come to the mountain called Abarim, (which
is a very high mountain, situate over against Jericho, and one
that affords, to such as are upon it, a prospect of the greatest
part of the excellent land of Canaan,) he dismissed the senate;
and as he was going to embrace Eleazar and Joshua, and was still
discoursing with them, a cloud stood over him on the sudden, and
he disappeared in a certain valley, although he wrote in the holy
books that he died, which was done out of fear, lest they should
venture to say that, because of his extraordinary virtue, he went
to God.
49. Now Moses lived in all one hundred and twenty years; a third
part of which time, abating one month, he was the people's ruler;
and he died on the last month of the year, which is called by
the Macedonians Dystrus, but by us Adar, on the
first day of the month. He was one that exceeded all men that
ever were in understanding, and made the best use of what that
understanding suggested to him. He had a very graceful way of
speaking and addressing himself to the multitude; and as to his
other qualifications, he had such a full command of his passions,
as if he hardly had any such in his soul, and only knew them by
their names, as rather perceiving them in other men than in himself.
He was also such a general of an army as is seldom seen, as well
as such a prophet as was never known, and this to such a degree,
that whatsoever he pronounced, you would think you heard the voice
of God himself. So the people mourned for him thirty days: nor
did ever any grief so deeply affect the Hebrews as did this upon
the death of Moses: nor were those that had experienced his conduct
the only persons that desired him, but those also that perused
the laws he left behind him had a strong desire after him, and
by them gathered the extraordinary virtue he was master of. And
this shall suffice for the declaration of the manner of the death
of Moses.
