the antiquities of the jews-1-第54节

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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；