按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
（21） I have never observed elsewhere； that in the Jewish
government women were not admitted as legal witnesses in courts
of justice。 None of our copies of the Pentateuch say a word of
it。 It is very probable； however； that this was the exposition of
the scribes and Pharisees； and the practice of the Jews in the
days of Josephus。
（22） This penalty of 〃forty stripes save one；〃 here mentioned；
and sect。 23； was five times inflicted on St。 Paul himself by the
Jews； 2 Corinthians 11：24
（23） Josephus's plain and express interpretation of this law of
Moses； Deuteronomy 14：28； 29； 26：12； etc。； that the Jews were
bound every third year to pay three tithes； that to the Levites；
that for sacrifices at Jerusalem； and this for the indigent； the
widow； and the orphans； is fully confirmed by the practice of
good old Tobit； even when he was a captive in Assyria； against
the opinions of the Rabbins； Tobit 1：6…8。
（24） These tokens of virginity； as the Hebrew and Septuagint
style them； Deuteronomy 22：15； 17； 20； seem to me very different
from what our later interpreters suppose。 They appear rather to
have been such close linen garments as were never put off
virgins； after； a certain age； till they were married； but before
witnesses； and which； while they were entire； were certain
evidences of such virginity。 See these； Antiq。 B。 VII。 ch。 8。
sect。 1； 2 Samuel 13：18； Isaiah 6：1 Josephus here determines
nothing what were these particular tokens of virginity or of
corruption： perhaps he thought he could not easily describe them
to the heathens； without saying what they might have thought a
breach of modesty； which seeming breach of modesty laws cannot
always wholly avoid。
（25） These words of Josephus are very like those of the Pharisees
to our Savior upon this very subject； Matthew 19：3； 〃Is it lawful
for a man to put away his wife for every cause？〃
（26） Here it is supposed that this captive's husband； if she were
before a married woman； was dead before； or rather was slain in
this very battle； otherwise it would have been adultery in him
that married her。
（27） See Herod the Great insisting on the execution of this law；
with relation to two of his own sons； before the judges at
Berytus； Antiq。 B。 XVI。 ch。 11。 sect。 2。
（28） Philo and others appear to have understood this law； Exodus
21：22； 23； better than Josephus； who seems to allow； that though
the infant in the mother's womb； even after the mother were
quick； and so the infant had a rational soul； were killed by the
stroke upon the mother； yet if the mother escaped； the offender
should only be fined； and not put to death； while the law seems
rather to mean； that if the infant in that case be killed； though
the mother escape； the offender must be put to death； and not
only when the mother is killed； as Josehus understood it。 It
seems this was the exposition of the Pharisees in the days of
Josephus。
（29） What we render a witch； according to our modern notions of
witchcraft； Exodus 22：15； Philo and Josephus understood of a
poisoner； or one who attempted by secret and unlawful drugs or
philtra； to take away the senses or the lives of men。
（30） This permission of redeeming this penalty with money is not
in our copies； Exodus 21：24； 25； Leviticus 24：20； Deuteronomy
19：21。
（31） We may here note； that thirty shekels； the price our Savior
was sold for by Judas to the Jews； Matthew 26：15； and 27；3； was
the old value of a bought servant or slave among that people。
（32） This law against castration； even of brutes； is said to be
so rigorous elsewhere； as to inflict death on him that does it。
which seems only a Pharisaical interpretation in the days of
Josephus of that law； Leviticus 21：20； and 22：24： only we may
hence observe； that the Jews could then have no oxen which are
gelded； but only bulls and cows； in Judea。
（33） These laws seem to be those above…mentioned； sect； 4； of
this chapter。
（34） What laws were now delivered to the priests； see the note on
Antiq。 B。 III。 ch。 1。 sect。 7；
（35） Of the exact place where this altar was to be built； whether
nearer Mount Gerizzim or Mount Ebal； according to Josephus； see
Essay on the Old Testament； p。 168171。
Dr。 Bernard well observes here； how unfortunate this neglect of
consulting the Urim was to Joshua himself； in the case of the
Gibeonites； who put a trick upon him； and ensnared him； together
with the rest of the Jewish rulers； with a solemn oath to
preserve them； contrary to his commission to extirpate all the
Canaanites； root and branch； which oath he and the other rulers
never durst break。 See Scripture Politics； p。 55； 56； and this
snare they were brought into because they 〃did not ask counsel at
the mouth of the Lord；〃 Joshua 9：14。
（36） Since Josephus assures us here； as is most naturally to be
supposed； and as the Septuagint gives the text； Deuteronomy 33：6；
that Moses blessed every one of the tribes of Israel； it is
evident that Simeon was not omitted in his copy； as it unhappily
now is； both in our Hebrew and Samaritan copies。
BOOK 5 FOOTNOTES
（1） The Amorites were one of the seven nations of Canaan。 Hence
Reland is willing to suppose that Josephus did not here mean that
their land beyond Jordan was a seventh part of the whole land of
Canaan； but meant the Arnorites as a seventh nation。 His reason
is； that Josephus； as well as our Bible； generally distinguish
the land beyond Jordan from the land of Canaan； nor can it be
denied； that in strictness they were all fercot： yet after two
tribes and a half of the twelve tribes came to inherit it； it
might in a general way altogether be well included under the land
of Canaan； or Palestine； or Judea； of which we have a clear
example here before us in Josephus； whose words evidently imply；
that taking the whole land of Canaan； or that inhabited by all
the twelve tribes together； and parting it into seven parts； the
part beyond Jordan was in quantity of ground one seventh part of
the whole。 And this well enough agrees to Reland's own map of
that country； although this land beyond Jordan was so peculiarly
fruitful； and good for pasturage； as the two tribes and a half
took notice； Numbers 32：1； 4； 16； that it maintained about a
fifth part of the whole people。
（2） It plainly appears by the history of these spies； and the
innkeeper Rahab's deception of the king of Jericho's messengers；
by telling them what was false in order to save the lives of the
spies； and yet the great commendation of her faith and good works
in the New Testament； Hebrews 11：31； James 2：25； as well as by
many other parallel examples； both in the Old Testament and in
Josephus； that the best men did not then scruple to deceive those
public enemies who might justly be destroyed； as also might
deceive ill men in order to save life； and deliver themselves
from the tyranny of their unjust oppressors； and this by telling
direct falsehoods； I mean； all this where no oath was demanded of
them； otherwise they never durst venture on such a procedure。 Nor
was Josephus himself of any other opinion or practice； as I shall
remark in the note on Antiq。 B。 IX。 ch。 4。 sect。 3。 And observe；
that I still call this woman Rahab； an innkeeper； not a harlot；
the whole history； both in our copies； and especially in
Josephus； implying no more。 It was indeed so frequent a thing；
that women who were innkeepers were also harlots； or maintainers
of harlots； that the word commonly used for real harlots was
usually given them。 See Dr。 Bernard's note here； and Judges 11：1；
and Antiq。 B。 V。 ch。 7。 sect。 8。
（3） Upon occasion of this devoting of Jericho to destruction； and
the exemplary punishment of Achar； who broke that duerein or
anathema； and of the punishment of the future breaker of it；
Hiel； 1 Kings 16：34； as also of the punishment of Saul； for
breaking the like chefera or anathema； against the Amalekites； 1
Samuel 15。； we may observe what was the true meaning of that law；
Leviticus 27：28： 〃None devoted which shall be devoted of shall be
redeemed； but shall be put to death；〃 i。e。 whenever any of the
Jews' public enemies had been； for their wickedness； solemnly
devoted to destruction； according to the Divine command； as were
generally the seven wicked nations of Canaan； and those sinners
the Amalekites； 1 Samuel 15：18； it was utterly unlawful to permit
those enemies to be redeemed； but they were to be all utterly
destroyed。 See also Numbers 23：2； 3。
（4） That the name of this chief was not Achan； as in the common
copies； but Achar； as here in Josephus； and in the Apostolical
Constit。 B。 VII。 ch。 2。； and elsewhere； is evident by the
allusion to that name in the curse of Joshua； 〃Why hast thou
troubled us？ … the Lord shall trouble thee；〃 where the Hebrew
word alludes only to the name Achar； but not to Achan。
Accordingly； this Valley of Achar； or Achor； was and is a known
place； a little north of Gilgal； so called from the days of
Joshua till this day。 See Joshua 7：26； Isaiah 65：10； Hosea 2：15；
and Dr。 Bernard's notes here。
（5） Here Dr。 Bernard very justly observes； that a few words are
dropped out of Josephus's copies； on account of the repetition of
the word shekels； and that it ought to be read