the antiquities of the jews-1-第40章

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naturally　be　an　indication　of　fire。　Now　the　vestment　of　the　high
priest　being　made　of　linen；　signified　the　earth；　the　blue　denoted
the　sky；　being　like　lightning　in　its　pomegranates；　and　in　the
noise　of　the　bells　resembling　thunder。　And　for　the　ephod；　it
showed　that　God　had　made　the　universe　of　four　elements；　and　as
for　the　gold　interwoven；　I　suppose　it　related　to　the　splendor　by
which　all　things　are　enlightened。　He　also　appointed　the
breastplate　to　be　placed　in　the　middle　of　the　ephod；　to　resemble
the　earth；　for　that　has　the　very　middle　place　of　the　world。　And
the　girdle　which　encompassed　the　high　priest　round；　signified　the
ocean；　for　that　goes　round　about　and　includes　the　universe。　Each
of　the　sardonyxes　declares　to　us　the　sun　and　the　moon；　those；　I
mean；　that　were　in　the　nature　of　buttons　on　the　high　priest's
shoulders。　And　for　the　twelve　stones；　whether　we　understand　by
them　the　months；　or　whether　we　understand　the　like　number　of　the
signs　of　that　circle　which　the　Greeks　call　the　Zodiac；　we　shall
not　be　mistaken　in　their　meaning。　And　for　the　mitre；　which　was　of
a　blue　color；　it　seems　to　me　to　mean　heaven；　for　how　otherwise
could　the　name　of　God　be　inscribed　upon　it？　That　it　was　also
illustrated　with　a　crown；　and　that　of　gold　also；　is　because　of
that　splendor　with　which　God　is　pleased。　Let　this　explication
（16）　suffice　at　present；　since　the　course　of　my　narration　will
often；　and　on　many　occasions；　afford　me　the　opportunity　of
enlarging　upon　the　virtue　of　our　legislator。

CHAPTER　8。

Of　The　Priesthood　Of　Aaron。

1。　When　what　has　been　described　was　brought　to　a　conclusion；
gifts　not　being　yet　presented；　God　appeared　to　Moses；　and
enjoined　him　to　bestow　the　high　priesthood　upon　Aaron　his
brother；　as　upon　him　that　best　of　them　all　deserved　to　obtain
that　honor；　on　account　of　his　virtue。　And　when　he　had　gathered
the　multitude　together；　he　gave　them　an　account　of　Aaron's
virtue；　and　of　his　good…will　to　them；　and　of　the　dangers　he　had
undergone　for　their　sakes。　Upon　which；　when　they　had　given
testimony　to　him　in　all　respects；　and　showed　their　readiness　to
receive　him；　Moses　said　to　them；　〃O　you　Israelites；　this　work　is
already　brought　to　a　conclusion；　in　a　manner　most　acceptable　to
God；　and　according　to　our　abilities。　And　now　since　you　see　that
he　is　received　into　this　tabernacle；　we　shall　first　of　all　stand
in　need　of　one　that　may　officiate　for　us；　and　may　minister　to　the
sacrifices；　and　to　the　prayers　that　are　to　be　put　up　for　us。　And
indeed　had　the　inquiry　after　such　a　person　been　left　to　me；　I
should　have　thought　myself　worthy　of　this　honor；　both　because　all
men　are　naturally　fond　of　themselves；　and　because　I　am　conscious
to　myself　that　I　have　taken　a　great　deal　of　pains　for　your
deliverance；　but　now　God　himself　has　determined　that　Aaron　is
worthy　of　this　honor；　and　has　chosen　him　for　his　priest；　as
knowing　him　to　be　the　most　righteous　person　among　you。　So　that　he
is　to　put　on　the　vestments　which　are　consecrated　to　God；　he　is　to
have　the　care　of　the　altars；　and　to　make　provision　for　the
sacrifices；　and　he　it　is　that　must　put　up　prayers　for　you　to　God；
who　will　readily　hear　them；　not　only　because　he　is　himself
solicitous　for　your　nation；　but　also　because　he　will　receive　them
as　offered　by　one　that　he　hath　himself　chosen　to　this　office。〃
The　Hebrews　were　pleased　with　what　was　said；　and　they　gave　their
approbation　to　him　whom　God　had　ordained；　for　Aaron　was　of　them
all　the　most　deserving　of　this　honor；　on　account　of　his　own　stock
and　gift　of　prophecy；　and　his　brother's　virtue。　He　had　at　that
time　four　sons；　Nadab；　Abihu；　Eleazar；　and　Ithamar。

2。　Now　Moses　commanded　them　to　make　use　of　all　the　utensils　which
were　more　than　were　necessary　to　the　structure　of　the　tabernacle；
for　covering　the　tabernacle　itself；　the　candlestick；　and　altar　of
incense；　and　the　other　vessels；　that　they　might　not　be　at　all
hurt　when　they　journeyed；　either　by　the　rain；　or　by　the　rising　of
the　dust。　And　when　he　had　gathered　the　multitude　together　again；
he　ordained　that　they　should　offer　half　a　shekel　for　every　man；
as　an　oblation　to　God；　which　shekel　is　a　piece　among　the　Hebrews；
and　is　equal　to　four　Athenian　drachmae。　（18）　Whereupon　they
readily　obeyed　what　Moses　had　commanded；　and　the　number　of　the
offerers　was　six　hundred　and　five　thousand　five　hundred　and
fifty。　Now　this　money　that　was　brought　by　the　men　that　were　free；
was　given　by　such　as　were　about　twenty　years　old；　but　under
fifty；　and　what　was　collected　was　spent　in　the　uses　of　the
tabernacle。

3。　Moses　now　purified　the　tabernacle　and　the　priests；　which
purification　was　performed　after　the　following　manner：　…　He
commanded　them　to　take　five　hundred　shekels　of　choice　myrrh；　an
equal　quantity　of　cassia；　and　half　the　foregoing　weight　of
cinnamon　and　calamus　（this　last　is　a　sort　of　sweet　spice）；　to
beat　them　small；　and　wet　them　with　an　bin　of　oil　of　olives　（an
hin　is　our　own　country　measure；　and　contains　two　Athenian　choas；
or　congiuses）；　then　mix　them　together；　and　boil　them；　and　prepare
them　after　the　art　of　the　apothecary；　and　make　them　into　a　very
sweet　ointment；　and　afterward　to　take　it　to　anoint　and　to　purify
the　priests　themselves；　and　all　the　tabernacle；　as　also　the
sacrifices。　There　were　also　many；　and　those　of　various　kinds；　of
sweet　spices；　that　belonged　to　the　tabernacle；　and　such　as　were
of　very　great　price；　and　were　brought　to　the　golden　altar　of
incense；　the　nature　of　which　I　do　not　now　describe；　lest　it
should　be　troublesome　to　my　readers；　but　incense　（19）　was　to　be
offered　twice　a…day；　both　before　sun…rising　and　at　sun…setting。
They　were　also　to　keep　oil　already　purified　for　the　lamps；　three
of　which　were　to　give　light　all　day　long；　（20）　upon　the　sacred
candlestick；　before　God；　and　the　rest　were　to　be　lighted　at　the
evening。

4。　Now　all　was　finished。　Besaleel　and　Aholiab　appeared　to　be　the
most　skillful　of　the　workmen；　for　they　invented　finer　works　than
what　others　had　done　before　them；　and　were　of　great　abilities　to
gain　notions　of　what　they　were　formerly　ignorant　of；　and　of
these；　Besaleel　was　judged　to　be　the　best。　Now　the　whole　time
they　were　about　this　work　was　the　interval　of　seven　months；　and
after　this　it　was　that　was　ended　the　first　year　since　their
departure　out　of　Egypt。　But　at　the　beginning　of　the　second　year；
on　the　month　Xanthicus；　as　the　Macedonians　call　it；　but　on　the
month　Nisan；　as　the　Hebrews　call　it；　on　the　new　moon；　they
consecrated　the　tabernacle；　and　all　its　vessels；　which　I　have
already　described。

5。　Now　God　showed　himself　pleased　with　the　work　of　the　Hebrews；
and　did　not　permit　their　labors　to　be　in　vain；　nor　did　he　disdain
to　make　use　of　what　they　had　made；　but　he　came　and　sojourned　with
them；　and　pitched　his　tabernacle　in　the　holy　house。　And　in　the
following　manner　did　he　come　to　it：　…　The　sky　was　clear；　but
there　was　a　mist　over　the　tabernacle　only；　encompassing　it；　but
not　with　such　a　very　deep　and　thick　cloud　as　is　seen　in　the
winter　season；　nor　yet　in　so　thin　a　one　as　men　might　be　able　to
discern　any　thing　through　it；　but　from　it　there　dropped　a　sweet
dew；　and　such　a　one　as　showed　the　presence　of　God　to　those　that
desired　and　believed　it。

6。　Now　when　Moses　had　bestowed　such　honorary　presents　on　the
workmen；　as　it　was　fit　they　should　receive；　who　had　wrought　so
well；　he　offered　sacrifices　in　the　open　court　of　the　tabernacle；
as　God　commanded　him；　a　bull；　a　ram；　and　a　kid　of　the　goats；　for
a　sin…offering。　Now　I　shall　speak　of　what　we　do　in　our　sacred
offices　in　my　discourse　about　sacrifices；　and　therein　shall
inform　men　in　what　cases　Moses　bid　us　offer　a　whole
burnt…offering；　and　in　what　cases　the　law　permits　us　to　partake
of　them　as　of　food。　And　when　Moses　had　sprinkled　Aaron's
vestments；　himself；　and　his　sons；　with　the　blood　of　the　beasts
that　were　slain；　and　had　purified　them　with　spring　waters　and
ointment；　they　became　God's　priests。　After　this　manner　did　he
consecrate　them　and　their　garments　for　seven　days　together。　The
same　he　did　to　the　tabernacle；　and　the　vessels　thereto　belonging；
both　with　oil　first　incensed；　as　I　said；　and　with　the　blood　of
bulls　and　of　rams；　slain　day　by　day　one；　according　to　its　kind。
But　on　t