the antiquities of the jews-1-第41章

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bulls　and　of　rams；　slain　day　by　day　one；　according　to　its　kind。
But　on　the　eighth　day　he　appointed　a　feast　for　the　people；　and
commanded　them　to　offer　sacrifice　according　to　their　ability。
Accordingly　they　contended　one　with　another；　and　were　ambitious
to　exceed　each　other　in　the　sacrifices　which　they　brought；　and　so
fulfilled　Moses's　injunctions。　But　as　the　sacrifices　lay　upon　the
altar；　a　sudden　fire　was　kindled　from　among　them　of　its　own
accord；　and　appeared　to　the　sight　like　fire　from　a　flash　of
lightning；　and　consumed　whatsoever　was　upon　the　altar。

7。　Hereupon　an　affliction　befell　Aaron；　considered　as　a　man　and　a
father；　but　was　undergone　by　him　with　true　fortitude；　for　he　had
indeed　a　firmness　of　soul　in　such　accidents；　and　he　thought　this
calamity　came　upon　him　according　to　God's　will：　for　whereas　he
had　four　sons；　as　I　said　before；　the　two　elder　of　them；　Nadab　and
Abihu；　did　not　bring　those　sacrifices　which　Moses　bade　them
bring；　but　which　they　used　to　offer　formerly；　and　were　burnt　to
death。　Now　when　the　fire　rushed　upon　them；　and　began　to　burn
them；　nobody　could　quench　it。　Accordingly　they　died　in　this
manner。　And　Moses　bid　their　father　and　their　brethren　to　take　up
their　bodies；　to　carry　them　out　of　the　camp；　and　to　bury　them
magnificently。　Now　the　multitude　lamented　them；　and　were　deeply
affected　at　this　their　death；　which　so　unexpectedly　befell　them。
But　Moses　entreated　their　brethren　and　their　father　not　to　be
troubled　for　them；　and　to　prefer　the　honor　of　God　before　their
grief　about　them；　for　Aaron　had　already　put　on　his　sacred
garments。

8。　But　Moses　refused　all　that　honor　which　he　saw　the　multitude
ready　to　bestow　upon　him；　and　attended　to　nothing　else　but　the
service　of　God。　He　went　no　more　up　to　Mount　Sinai；　but　he　went
into　the　tabernacle；　and　brought　back　answers　from　God　for　what
he　prayed　for。　His　habit　was　also　that　of　a　private　man；　and　in
all　other　circumstances　he　behaved　himself　like　one　of　the　common
people；　and　was　desirous　to　appear　without　distinguishing　himself
from　the　multitude；　but　would　have　it　known　that　he　did　nothing
else　but　take　care　of　them。　He　also　set　down　in　writing　the　form
of　their　government；　and　those　laws　by　obedience　whereto　they
would　lead　their　lives　so　as　to　please　God；　and　so　as　to　have　no
quarrels　one　among　another。　However；　the　laws　he　ordained　were
such　as　God　suggested　to　him；　so　I　shall　now　discourse　concerning
that　form　of　government；　and　those　laws。

9。　I　will　now　treat　of　what　I　before　omitted；　the　garment　of　the
high　priest：　for　he　＇Moses＇　left　no　room　for　the　evil　practices
of　＇false＇　prophets；　but　if　some　of　that　sort　should　attempt　to
abuse　the　Divine　authority；　he　left　it　to　God　to　be　present　at
his　sacrifices　when　he　pleased；　and　when　he　pleased　to　be　absent。
（21）　And　he　was　willing　this　should　be　known；　not　to　the　Hebrews
only；　but　to　those　foreigners　also　who　were　there。　For　as　to
those　stones；　（22）　which　we　told　you　before；　the　high　priest　bare
on　his　shoulders；　which　were　sardonyxes；　（and　I　think　it　needless
to　describe　their　nature；　they　being　known　to　every　body；）　the
one　of　them　shined　out　when　God　was　present　at　their　sacrifices；
I　mean　that　which　was　in　the　nature　of　a　button　on　his　right
shoulder；　bright　rays　darting　out　thence；　and　being　seen　even　by
those　that　were　most　remote；　which　splendor　yet　was　not　before
natural　to　the　stone。　This　has　appeared　a　wonderful　thing　to　such
as　have　not　so　far　indulged　themselves　in　philosophy；　as　to
despise　Divine　revelation。　Yet　will　I　mention　what　is　still　more
wonderful　than　this：　for　God　declared　beforehand；　by　those　twelve
stones　which　the　high　priest　bare　on　his　breast；　and　which　were
inserted　into　his　breastplate；　when　they　should　be　victorious　in
battle；　for　so　great　a　splendor　shone　forth　from　them　before　the
army　began　to　march；　that　all　the　people　were　sensible　of　God's
being　present　for　their　assistance。　Whence　it　came　to　pass　that
those　Greeks；　who　had　a　veneration　for　our　laws；　because　they
could　not　possibly　contradict　this；　called　that　breastplate　the
Oracle。　Now　this　breastplate；　and　this　sardonyx；　left　off　shining
two　hundred　years　before　I　composed　this　book；　God　having　been
displeased　at　the　transgressions　of　his　laws。　Of　which　things　we
shall　further　discourse　on　a　fitter　opportunity；　but　I　will　now
go　on　with　my　proposed　narration。

10。　The　tabernacle　being　now　consecrated；　and　a　regular　order
being　settled　for　the　priests；　the　multitude　judged　that　God　now
dwelt　among　them；　and　betook　themselves　to　sacrifices　and　praises
to　God　as　being　now　delivered　from　all　expectation　of　evils　and
as　entertaining　a　hopeful　prospect　of　better　times　hereafter。
They　offered　also　gifts　to　God　some　as　common　to　the　whole
nation；　and　others　as　peculiar　to　themselves；　and　these　tribe　by
tribe；　for　the　heads　of　the　tribes　combined　together；　two　by　two；
and　brought　a　waggon　and　a　yoke　of　oxen。　These　amounted　to　six；
and　they　carried　the　tabernacle　when　they　journeyed。　Besides
which；　each　head　of　a　tribe　brought　a　bowl；　and　a　charger；　and　a
spoon；　of　ten　darics；　full　of　incense。　Now　the　charger　and　the
bowl　were　of　silver；　and　together　they　weighed　two　hundred
shekels；　but　the　bowl　cost　no　more　than　seventy　shekels；　and
these　were　full　of　fine　flour　mingled　with　oil；　such　as　they　used
on　the　altar　about　the　sacrifices。　They　brought　also　a　young
bullock；　and　a　ram；　with　a　lamb　of　a　year　old；　for　a　whole
burnt…offering；　as　also　a　goat　for　the　forgiveness　of　sins。　Every
one　of　the　heads　of　the　tribes　brought　also　other　sacrifices；
called　peace…offerings；　for　every　day　two　bulls；　and　five　rams；
with　lambs　of　a　year　old；　and　kids　of　the　goats。　These　heads　of
tribes　were　twelve　days　in　sacrificing；　one　sacrificing　every
day。　Now　Moses　went　no　longer　up　to　Mount　Sinai；　but　went　into
the　tabernacle；　and　learned　of　God　what　they　were　to　do；　and　what
laws　should　be　made；　which　laws　were　preferable　to　what　have　been
devised　by　human　understanding；　and　proved　to　be　firmly　observed
for　all　time　to　come；　as　being　believed　to　be　the　gift　of　God；
insomuch　that　the　Hebrews　did　not　transgress　any　of　those　laws；
either　as　tempted　in　times　of　peace　by　luxury；　or　in　times　of　war
by　distress　of　affairs。　But　I　say　no　more　here　concerning　them；
because　I　have　resolved　to　compose　another　work　concerning　our
laws。

CHAPTER　9。

The　Manner　Of　Our　Offering　Sacrifices。

1。　I　Will　now；　however；　make　mention　of　a　few　of　our　laws　which
belong　to　purifications；　and　the　like　sacred　offices；　since　I　am
accidentally　come　to　this　matter　of　sacrifices。　These　sacrifices
were　of　two　sorts；　of　those　sorts　one　was　offered　for　private
persons；　and　the　other　for　the　people　in　general；　and　they　are
done　in　two　different　ways。　In　the　one　case；　what　is　slain　is
burnt；　as　a　whole　burnt…offering；　whence　that　name　is　given　to
it；　but　the　other　is　a　thank…offering；　and　is　designed　for
feasting　those　that　sacrifice。　I　will　speak　of　the　former。
Suppose　a　private　man　offer　a　burnt…offering；　he　must　slay　either
a　bull；　a　lamb；　or　a　kid　of　the　goats；　and　the　two　latter　of　the
first　year；　though　of　bulls　he　is　permitted　to　sacrifice　those　of
a　greater　age；　but　all　burnt…offerings　are　to　be　of　males。　When
they　are　slain；　the　priests　sprinkle　the　blood　round　about　the
altar；　they　then　cleanse　the　bodies；　and　divide　them　into　parts；
and　salt　them　with　salt；　and　lay　them　upon　the　altar；　while　the
pieces　of　wood　are　piled　one　upon　another；　and　the　fire　is
burning；　they　next　cleanse　the　feet　of　the　sacrifices；　and　the
inwards；　in　an　accurate　manner　and　so　lay　them　to　the　rest　to　be
purged　by　the　fire；　while　the　priests　receive　the　hides。　This　is
the　way　of　offering　a　burnt…offering。

2。　But　those　that　offer　thank…offerings　do　indeed　sacrifice　the
same　creatures；　but　such　as　are　unblemished；　and　above　a　year
old；　however；　they　may　take　either　males　or　females。　They　also
sprinkle　the　altar　with　their　blood；　but　they　lay　upon　the　altar
the　kidneys　and　the　caul；　and　all　the　fat；　and　the　lobe　of　the
liver；　together　with　the　rump　of　the　lamb；　then；　giving　the
breast　and　the　right　shoulder　to　the　priests；　the　offerers　feast
upon　the　remainder　of　the　f