the antiquities of the jews-1-第2章

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！


transferred　the　most　reproachful　of　human　vices　unto　the　gods；
and　afforded　wicked　men　the　most　plausible　excuses　for　their
crimes；　but　as　for　our　legislator；　when　he　had　once　demonstrated
that　God　was　possessed　of　perfect　virtue；　he　supposed　that　men
also　ought　to　strive　after　the　participation　of　it；　and　on　those
who　did　not　so　think；　and　so　believe；　he　inflicted　the　severest
punishments。　I　exhort；　therefore；　my　readers　to　examine　this
whole　undertaking　in　that　view；　for　thereby　it　will　appear　to
them；　that　there　is　nothing　therein　disagreeable　either　to　the
majesty　of　God；　or　to　his　love　to　mankind；　for　all　things　have
here　a　reference　to　the　nature　of　the　universe；　while　our
legislator　speaks　some　things　wisely；　but　enigmatically；　and
others　under　a　decent　allegory；　but　still　explains　such　things　as
required　a　direct　explication　plainly　and　expressly。　However；
those　that　have　a　mind　to　know　the　reasons　of　every　thing；　may
find　here　a　very　curious　philosophical　theory；　which　I　now　indeed
shall　wave　the　explication　of；　but　if　God　afford　me　time　for　it；
I　will　set　about　writing　it　（6）　after　I　have　finished　the　present
work。　I　shall　now　betake　myself　to　the　history　before　me；　after　I
have　first　mentioned　what　Moses　says　of　the　creation　of　the
world；　which　I　find　described　in　the　sacred　books　after　the
manner　following。

BOOK　I。

Containing　The　Interval　Of　Three　Thousand　Eight　Hundred　And
Thirty…Three　Years。

From　The　Creation　To　The　Death　Of　Isaac。

CHAPTER　1。

The　Constitution　Of　The　World　And　The　Disposition　Of　The
Elements。

1。　In　the　beginning　God　created　the　heaven　and　the　earth。　But
when　the　earth　did　not　come　into　sight；　but　was　covered　with
thick　darkness；　and　a　wind　moved　upon　its　surface；　God　commanded
that　there　should　be　light：　and　when　that　was　made；　he　considered
the　whole　mass；　and　separated　the　light　and　the　darkness；　and　the
name　he　gave　to　one　was　Night；　and　the　other　he　called　Day：　and
he　named　the　beginning　of　light；　and　the　time　of　rest；　The
Evening　and　The　Morning；　and　this　was　indeed　the　first　day。　But
Moses　said　it　was　one　day；　the　cause　of　which　I　am　able　to　give
even　now；　but　because　I　have　promised　to　give　such　reasons　for
all　things　in　a　treatise　by　itself；　I　shall　put　off　its
exposition　till　that　time。　After　this；　on　the　second　day；　he
placed　the　heaven　over　the　whole　world；　and　separated　it　from　the
other　parts；　and　he　determined　it　should　stand　by　itself。　He　also
placed　a　crystalline　＇firmament＇　round　it；　and　put　it　together　in
a　manner　agreeable　to　the　earth；　and　fitted　it　for　giving
moisture　and　rain；　and　for　affording　the　advantage　of　dews。　On
the　third　day　he　appointed　the　dry　land　to　appear；　with　the　sea
itself　round　about　it；　and　on　the　very　same　day　he　made　the
plants　and　the　seeds　to　spring　out　of　the　earth。　On　the　fourth
day　he　adorned　the　heaven　with　the　sun；　the　moon；　and　the　other
stars；　and　appointed　them　their　motions　and　courses；　that　the
vicissitudes　of　the　seasons　might　be　clearly　signified。　And　on
the　fifth　day　he　produced　the　living　creatures；　both　those　that
swim；　and　those　that　fly；　the　former　in　the　sea；　the　latter　in
the　air：　he　also　sorted　them　as　to　society　and　mixture；　for
procreation；　and　that　their　kinds　might　increase　and　multiply。　On
the　sixth　day　he　created　the　four…footed　beasts；　and　made　them
male　and　female：　on　the　same　day　he　also　formed　man。　Accordingly
Moses　says；　That　in　just　six　days　the　world；　and　all　that　is
therein；　was　made。　And　that　the　seventh　day　was　a　rest；　and　a
release　from　the　labor　of　such　operations；　whence　it　is　that　we
Celebrate　a　rest　from　our　labors　on　that　day；　and　call　it　the
Sabbath；　which　word　denotes　rest　in　the　Hebrew　tongue。

2。　Moreover；　Moses；　after　the　seventh　day　was　over（1）　begins　to
talk　philosophically；　and　concerning　the　formation　of　man；　says
thus：　That　God　took　dust　from　the　ground；　and　formed　man；　and
inserted　in　him　a　spirit　and　a　soul。（2）　This　man　was　called　Adam；
which　in　the　Hebrew　tongue　signifies　one　that　is　red；　because　he
was　formed　out　of　red　earth；　compounded　together；　for　of　that
kind　is　virgin　and　true　earth。　God　also　presented　the　living
creatures；　when　he　had　made　them；　according　to　their　kinds；　both
male　and　female；　to　Adam；　who　gave　them　those　names　by　which　they
are　still　called。　But　when　he　saw　that　Adam　had　no　female
companion；　no　society；　for　there　was　no　such　created；　and　that　he
wondered　at　the　other　animals　which　were　male　and　female；　he　laid
him　asleep；　and　took　away　one　of　his　ribs；　and　out　of　it　formed
the　woman；　whereupon　Adam　knew　her　when　she　was　brought　to　him；
and　acknowledged　that　she　was　made　out　of　himself。　Now　a　woman　is
called　in　the　Hebrew　tongue　Issa；　but　the　name　of　this　woman　was
Eve；　which　signifies　the　mother　of　all　living。

3。　Moses　says　further；　that　God　planted　a　paradise　in　the　east；
flourishing　with　all　sorts　of　trees；　and　that　among　them　was　the
tree　of　life；　and　another　of　knowledge；　whereby　was　to　be　known
what　was　good　and　evil；　and　that　when　he　brought　Adam　and　his
wife　into　this　garden；　he　commanded　；hem　to　take　care　of　the
plants。　Now　the　garden　was　watered　by　one　river；（3）　which　ran
round　about　the　whole　earth；　and　was　parted　into　four　parts。　And
Phison；　which　denotes　a　multitude；　running　into　India；　makes　its
exit　into　the　sea；　and　is　by　the　Greeks　called　Ganges。　Euphrates
also；　as　well　as　Tigris；　goes　down　into　the　Red　Sea。（4）　Now　the
name　Euphrates；　or　Phrath；　denotes　either　a　dispersion；　or　a
flower：　by　Tiris；　or　Diglath；　is　signified　what　is　swift；　with
narrowness；　and　Geon　runs　through　Egypt；　and　denotes　what　arises
from　the　east；　which　the　Greeks　call　Nile。

4。　God　therefore　commanded　that　Adam　and　his　wife　should　eat　of
all　the　rest　of　the　plants；　but　to　abstain　from　the　tree　of
knowledge；　and　foretold　to　them；　that　if　they　touched　it；　it
would　prove　their　destruction。　But　while　all　the　living　creatures
had　one　language；　（5）　at　that　time　the　serpent；　which　then　lived
together　with　Adam　and　his　wife；　shewed　an　envious　disposition；
at　his　supposal　of　their　living　happily；　and　in　obedience　to　the
commands　of　God；　and　imagining；　that　when　they　disobeyed　them；
they　would　fall　into　calamities；　he　persuaded　the　woman；　out　of　a
malicious　intention；　to　taste　of　the　tree　of　knowledge；　telling
them；　that　in　that　tree　was　the　knowledge　of　good　and　evil；　which
knowledge；　when　they　should　obtain；　they　would　lead　a　happy　life；
nay；　a　life　not　inferior　to　that　of　a　god：　by　which　means　he
overcame　the　woman；　and　persuaded　her　to　despise　the　command　of
God。　Now　when　she　had　tasted　of　that　tree；　and　was　pleased　with
its　fruit；　she　persuaded　Adam　to　make　use　of　it　also。　Upon　this
they　perceived　that　they　were　become　naked　to　one　another；　and
being　ashamed　thus　to　appear　abroad；　they　invented　somewhat　to
cover　them；　for　the　tree　sharpened　their　understanding；　and　they
covered　themselves　with　fig…leaves；　and　tying　these　before　them；
out　of　modesty；　they　thought　they　were　happier　than　they　were
before；　as　they　had　discovered　what　they　were　in　want　of。　But
when　God　came　into　the　garden；　Adam；　who　was　wont　before　to　come
and　converse　with　him；　being　conscious　of　his　wicked　behavior；
went　out　of　the　way。　This　behavior　surprised　God；　and　he　asked
what　was　the　cause　of　this　his　procedure；　and　why　he；　that　before
delighted　in　that　conversation；　did　now　fly　from　it；　and　avoid
it。　When　he　made　no　reply；　as　conscious　to　himself　that　he　had
transgressed　the　command　of　God；　God　said；　〃I　had　before
determined　about　you　both；　how　you　might　lead　a　happy　life；
without　any　affliction；　and　care；　and　vexation　of　soul；　and　that
all　things　which　might　contribute　to　your　enjoyment　and　pleasure
should　grow　up　by　my　providence；　of　their　own　accord；　without
your　own　labor　and　pains…taking；　which　state　of　labor　and
pains…taking　would　soon　bring　on　old　age；　and　death　would　not　be
at　any　remote　distance：　but　now　thou　hast　abused　this　my
good…will；　and　hast　disobeyed　my　commands；　for　thy　silence　is　not
the　sign　of　thy　virtue；　but　of　thy　evil　conscience。〃　However；
Adam　excused　his　sin；　and　entreated　God　not　to　be　angry　at　him；
and　laid　the　blame　of　what　was　done　upon　his　wife；　and