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The Antiquities of the Jews - Table of Contents
The Antiquities of the Jews
Written by Flavius Josephus
Translated by William Whiston
Book Four
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.
Continue on to
Book
Four,
Chapter 5,
The Antiquities of the Jews
by
Flavius Josephus
Return to
The Antiquities of the Jews - Table of Contents
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