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第5章

the antiquities of the jews-1-第5章

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This might be the man about whom Moses the legislator of the Jews
wrote。〃

7。 But as for Noah; he was afraid; since God had determined to
destroy mankind; lest he should drown the earth every year; so he
offered burnt…offerings; and besought God that nature might
hereafter go on in its former orderly course; and that he would
not bring on so great a judgment any more; by which the whole
race of creatures might be in danger of destruction: but that;
having now punished the wicked; he would of his goodness spare
the remainder; and such as he had hitherto judged fit to be
delivered from so severe a calamity; for that otherwise these
last must be more miserable than the first; and that they must be
condemned to a worse condition than the others; unless they be
suffered to escape entirely; that is; if they be reserved for
another deluge; while they must be afflicted with the terror and
sight of the first deluge; and must also be destroyed by a
second。 He also entreated God to accept of his sacrifice; and to
grant that the earth might never again undergo the like effects
of 'his wrath; that men might be permitted to go on cheerfully in
cultivating the same; to build cities; and live happily in them;
and that they might not be deprived of any of those good things
which they enjoyed before the Flood; but might attain to the like
length of days; and old age; which the ancient people had arrived
at before。

8。 When Noah had made these supplications; God; who loved the man
for his righteousness; granted entire success to his prayers; and
said; that it was not he who brought the destruction on a
polluted world; but that they underwent that vengeance on account
of their own wickedness; and that he had not brought men into the
world if he had himself determined to destroy them; it being an
instance of greater wisdom not to have granted them life at all;
than; after it was granted; to procure their destruction; 〃But
the injuries;〃 said he; 〃they offered to my holiness and virtue;
forced me to bring this punishment upon them。 But I will leave
off for the time to come to require such punishments; the effects
of so great wrath; for their future wicked actions; and
especially on account of thy prayers。 But if I shall at any time
send tempests of rain; in an extraordinary manner; be not
affrighted at the largeness of the showers; for the water shall
no more overspread the earth。 However; I require you to abstain
from shedding the blood of men; and to keep yourselves pure from
murder; and to punish those that commit any such thing。 I permit
you to make use of all the other living creatures at your
pleasure; and as your appetites lead you; for I have made you
lords of them all; both of those that walk on the land; and those
that swim in the waters; and of those that fly in the regions of
the air on high; excepting their blood; for therein is the life。
But I will give you a sign that I have left off my anger by my
bow 'whereby is meant the rainbow; for they determined that the
rainbow was the bow of God'。 And when God had said and promised
thus; he went away。

9。 Now when Noah had lived three hundred and fifty years after
the Flood; and that all that time happily; he died; having lived
the number of nine hundred and fifty years。 But let no one; upon
comparing the lives of the ancients with our lives; and with the
few years which we now live; think that what we have said of them
is false; or make the shortness of our lives at present an
argument; that neither did they attain to so long a duration of
life; for those ancients were beloved of God; and 'lately' made
by God himself; and because their food was then fitter for the
prolongation of life; might well live so great a number of years:
and besides; God afforded them a longer time of life on account
of their virtue; and the good use they made of it in astronomical
and geometrical discoveries; which would not have afforded the
time of foretelling 'the periods of the stars' unless they had
lived six hundred years; for the great year is completed in that
interval。 Now I have for witnesses to what I have said; all those
that have written Antiquities; both among the Greeks and
barbarians; for even Manetho; who wrote the Egyptian History; and
Berosus; who collected the Chaldean Monuments; and Mochus; and
Hestieus; and; besides these; Hieronymus the Egyptian; and those
who composed the Phoenician History; agree to what I here say:
Hesiod also; and Hecatseus; Hellanicus; and Acusilaus; and;
besides these; Ephorus and Nicolaus relate that the ancients
lived a thousand years。 But as to these matters; let every one
look upon them as he thinks fit。

CHAPTER 4。

Concerning The Tower Of Babylon; And The Confusion Of Tongues。

1。 Now the sons of Noah were three; … Shem; Japhet; and Ham; born
one hundred years before the Deluge。 These first of all descended
from the mountains into the plains; and fixed their habitation
there; and persuaded others who were greatly afraid of the lower
grounds on account of the flood; and so were very loath to come
down from the higher places; to venture to follow their examples。
Now the plain in which they first dwelt was called Shinar。 God
also commanded them to send colonies abroad; for the thorough
peopling of the earth; that they might not raise seditions among
themselves; but might cultivate a great part of the earth; and
enjoy its fruits after a plentiful manner。 But they were so ill
instructed that they did not obey God; for which reason they fell
into calamities; and were made sensible; by experience; of what
sin they had been guilty: for when they flourished with a
numerous youth; God admonished them again to send out colonies;
but they; imagining the prosperity they enjoyed was not derived
from the favor of God; but supposing that their own power was the
proper cause of the plentiful condition they were in; did not
obey him。 Nay; they added to this their disobedience to the
Divine will; the suspicion that they were therefore ordered to
send out separate colonies; that; being divided asunder; they
might the more easily be Oppressed。

2。 Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and
contempt of God。 He was the grandson of Ham; the son of Noah; a
bold man; and of great strength of hand。 He persuaded them not to
ascribe it to God; as if it was through his means they were
happy; but to believe that it was their own courage which
procured that happiness。 He also gradually changed the government
into tyranny; seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of
God; but to bring them into a constant dependence on his power。
He also said he would be revenged on God; if he should have a
mind to drown the world again; for that he would build a tower
too high for the waters to be able to reach! and that he would
avenge himself on God for destroying their forefathers !

3。 Now the multitude were very ready to follow the determination
of Nimrod; and to esteem it a piece of cowardice to submit to
God; and they built a tower; neither sparing any pains; nor being
in any degree negligent about the work: and; by reason of the
multitude of hands employed in it; it grew very high; sooner than
any one could expect; but the thickness of it was so great; and
it was so strongly built; that thereby its great height seemed;
upon the view; to be less than it really was。 It was built of
burnt brick; cemented together with mortar; made of bitumen; that
it might not be liable to admit water。 When God saw that they
acted so madly; he did not resolve to destroy them utterly; since
they were not grown wiser by the destruction of the former
sinners; but he caused a tumult among them; by producing in them
divers languages; and causing that; through the multitude of
those languages; they should not be able to understand one
another。 The place wherein they built the tower is now called
Babylon; because of the confusion of that language which they
readily understood before; for the Hebrews mean by the word
Babel; confusion。 The Sibyl also makes mention of this tower; and
of the confusion of the language; when she says thus: 〃When all
men were of one language; some of th

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