the antiquities of the jews-1-第3章
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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 said that
he was deceived by her; and thence became an offender; while she
again accused the serpent。 But God allotted him punishment;
because he weakly submitted to the counsel of his wife; and said
the ground should not henceforth yield its fruits of its own
accord; but that when it should be harassed by their labor; it
should bring forth some of its fruits; and refuse to bring forth
others。 He also made Eve liable to the inconveniency of breeding;
and the sharp pains of bringing forth children; and this because
she persuaded Adam with the same arguments wherewith the serpent
had persuaded her; and had thereby brought him into a calamitous
condition。 He also deprived the serpent of speech; out of
indignation at his malicious disposition towards Adam。 Besides
this; he inserted poison under his tongue; and made him an enemy
to men; and suggested to them; that they should direct their
strokes against his head; that being the place wherein lay his
mischievous designs towards men; and it being easiest to take
vengeance on him; that way。 And when he had deprived him of the
use of his feet; he made him to go rolling all along; and
dragging himself upon the ground。 And when God had appointed
these penalties for them; he removed Adam and Eve out of the
garden into another place。
CHAPTER 2。
Concerning The Posterity Of Adam; And The Ten Generations From
Him To The Deluge;
1。 Adam and Eve had two sons: the elder of them was named Cain;
which name; when it is interpreted; signifies a possession: the
younger was Abel; which signifies sorrow。 They had also
daughters。 Now the two brethren were pleased with different
courses of life: for Abel; the younger; was a lover of
righteousness; and believing that God was present at all his
actions; he excelled in virtue; and his employment was that of a
shepherd。 But Cain was not only very wicked in other respects;
but was wholly intent upon getting; and he first contrived to
plough the ground。 He slew his brother on the occasion following
: … They had resolved to sacrifice to God。 Now Cain brought the
fruits of the earth; and of his husbandry; but Abel brought milk;
and the first…fruits of his flocks: but God was more delighted
with the latter oblation;(6) when he was honored with what grew
naturally of its own accord; than he was with what was the
invention of a covetous man; and gotten by forcing the ground;
whence it was that Cain was very angry that Abel was preferred by
God before him; and he slew his brother; and hid his dead body;
thinking to escape discovery。 But God; knowing what had been
done; came to Cain; and asked him what was become of his brother;
because he had not seen him of many days; whereas he used to
observe them conversing together at other times。 But Cain was in
doubt with himself; and knew not what answer to give to God。 At
first he said that he was himself at a loss about his brother's
disappearing; but when he was provoked by God; who pressed him
vehemently; as resolving to know what the matter was; he replied;
he was not his brother's guardian or keeper; nor was he an
observer of what he did。 But; in return; God convicted Cain; as
having been the murderer of his brother; and said; 〃I wonder at
thee; that thou knowest not what is become of a man whom thou
thyself hast destroyed。〃 God therefore did not inflict the
punishment 'of death' upon him; on account of his offering
sacrifice; and thereby making supplication to him not to be
extreme in his wrath to him; but he made him accursed; and
threatened his posterity in the seventh generation。 He also cast
him; together with his wife; out of that land。 And when he was
afraid that in wandering about he should fall among Wild beasts;
and by that means perish; God bid him not to entertain such a
melancholy suspicion; and to go over all the earth without fear
of what mischief he might suffer from wild beasts; and setting a
mark upon him; that he might be known; he commanded him to
depart。
2。 And when Cain had traveled over many countries; he; with his
wife; built a city; named Nod; which is a place so called; and
there he settled his abode; where also he had children。 However;
he did not accept of his punishment in order to amendment; but to
increase his wickedness; for he only aimed to procure every thing
that was for his own bodily pleasure; though it obliged him to be
injurious to his neighbors。 He augmented his household substance
with much wealth; by rapine and violence; he excited his
acquaintance to procure pleasures and spoils by robbery; and
became a great leader of men into wicked courses。 He also
introduced a change in that way of simplicity wherein men lived
before; and was the author of measures and weights。 And whereas
they lived innocently and generously while they knew nothing of
such arts; he changed the world into cunning craftiness。 He first
of all set boundaries about lands: he built a city; and fortified
it with walls; and he compelled his family to come together to
it; and called that city Enoch; after the name of his eldest son
Enoch。 Now Jared was the son of Enoch; whose son was Malaliel;
whose son was Mathusela; whose son was Lamech; who had
seventy…seven children by two wives; Silla and Ada。 Of those
children by Ada; one was Jabal: he erected tents; and loved the
life of a shepherd。 But Jubal; who was born of the same mother
with him; exercised himself in music;(7) and invented the
psaltery and the harp。 But Tubal; one of his children by the
other wife; exceeded all men in strength; and was very expert and
famous in martial performances。 He procured what tended to the
pleasures of the body by that method; and first of all invented
the art of making brass。 Lamech was also the father of a
daughter; whose name was Naamah。 And because he was so skillful
in matters of divine revelation; that he knew he was to be
punished for Cain's murder of his brother; he made that known to
his wives。 Nay; even while Adam was alive; it came to pass that
the posterity of Cain became exceeding wicked; every one
successively dying; one after another; more wicked than the
former。 They were intolerable in war; and vehement in robberies;
and if any one were slow to murder people; yet was he bold in his
profligate behavior; in acting unjustly; and doing injuries for
gain。
3。 Now Adam; who was the first man; and made out of the earth;
(for our discourse must now be about him;) after Abel was slain;
and Cain fled away; on account of his murder; was solicitous for
posterity; and had a vehement desire of children; he being two
hundred and thirty years old; after which time he lived other
seven hundred; and then died。 He had indeed many other
children;(8) but Seth in particular。 As for the rest; it would be
tedious to name them; I will therefore only endeavor to give an
account of those that proceeded from Seth。 Now this Seth; when he
was brought up; and came to those years in which he could discern
what was good; became a virtuous man; and as he was himself of an
excellent character; so did he leave children behind him who
imitated his virtues。(9) All these proved to be of good
dispositions。 They also inhabited the same country without
dissensions; and in a happy condition; without any misfortunes
falling upon them; till they died。 They also were the inventors
of that peculiar sort of wisdom which is concerned with the
heavenly bodies; and their order。 And that their inventions might
not be lost before they were sufficiently known; upon Adam's
prediction that the world was to be destroyed at one time by the
force of fire; and at another time by the violence and quantity
of water; they made two pillars; (10) the one of brick; the other
of stone: they inscribed their discoveries on them both; that in
case the pillar of brick should be destroyed by the flood; the
pillar of stone might remain; and exhibit those discoveries to
mankind; and also inform them that there was another pillar of
brick erected by them。 Now this remains in the land of Siriad to
this day。
CHAPTER 3。
Concerning