the antiquities of the jews-1-第48节

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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　w