Return to
The Antiquities of the Jews - Table of Contents
The Antiquities of the Jews
Written by Flavius Josephus
Translated by William Whiston
Book Four
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 . 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.
Continue on to
Book
Four,
Chapter 8,
The Antiquities of the Jews
by
Flavius Josephus
Return to
The Antiquities of the Jews - Table of Contents
Return to the
Christians Standing with Israel
*******************************************************************
Christians Standing with Israel
About Christians Standing with Israel
Israel Resources
Israel Media
Israel News
Israel Blog
Israel Pictures
Friends of Israel
Contact Christians Standing with Israel
site map
http://www.christiansstandingwithisrael.com/