the wars of the jews-第102部分
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ter 2：13； 17； which is also the language of the Apostolical Constitutions； II。 II； 31； IV。 13； V。 19； VI。 2； 25； VII。 16； VIII。 2； 13； and elsewhere in the New Testament； Matthew 10：18； 17：25； 1 Timothy 2：2； and in Josephus also； though I suspect Josephus particularly esteemed Titus as joint king with his father ever since his divine dreams that declared them both such； B。 III。 ch。 8。 sect。 9。
（8） This situation of the Mount of Olives； on the east of Jerusalem； at about the distance of five or six furlongs； with the valley of Cedron interposed between that mountain and the city； are things well known both in the Old and New Testament； in Josephus elsewhere； and in all the descriptions of Palestine。
（9） Here we see the true occasion of those vast numbers of Jews that were in Jerusalem during this siege by Titus； and perished therein； that the siege began at the feast of the passover； when such prodigious multitudes of Jews and proselytes of the gate were come from all parts of Judea； and from other countries； in order to celebrate that great festival。 See the note B。 VI。 ch。 9。 sect。 3。 Tacitus himself informs us； that the number of men； women； and children in Jerusalem； when it was besieged by the Romans； as he had been informed。 This information must have been taken from the Romans： for Josephus never recounts the numbers of those that were besieged； only he lets us know； that of the vulgar； carried dead out of the gates； and buried at the public charges； was the like number of 600；000； ch。 viii。 sect。 7。 However； when Cestius Gallus came first to the siege； that sum in Tacitus is no way disagreeable to Josephus's history； though they were become much more numerous when Titus encompassed the city at the passover。 As to the number that perished during this siege； Josephus assures us； as we shall see hereafter； they were 1；100；000； besides 97；000 captives。 But Tacitus's history of the last part of this siege is not now extant； so we cannot compare his parallel numbers with those of Josephus。
（10） Perhaps； says Dr。 Hudson； here was that gate； called the 〃Gate of the Corner；〃 in 2 Chronicles 26：9。 See ch。 4。 sect。 2
（11） These dove…courts in Josephus； built by Herod the Great； are； in the opinion of Reland； the very same that are mentioned by the Talmudists； and named by them 〃Herod's dove courts。〃 Nor is there any reason to suppose otherwise； since in both accounts they were expressly tame pigeons which were kept in them。
（12） See the description of the temples hereto belonging； ch。 15。 But note； that what Josephus here says of the original scantiness of this Mount Moriah； that it was quite too little for the temple； and that at first it held only one cloister or court of Solomon's building； and that the foundations were forced to be added long afterwards by degrees； to render it capable of the cloisters for the other courts； etc。； is without all foundation in the Scriptures； and not at all confirmed by his exacter account in the Antiquities。 All that is or can be true here is this； that when the court of the Gentiles was long afterward to be encompassed with cloisters； the southern foundation for these cloisters was found not to be large or firm enough； and was raised； and that additional foundation supported by great pillars and arches under ground； which Josephus speaks of elsewhere； Antiq。 B。 XV。 ch。 11。 sect。 3； and which Mr。 Maundrel saw； and describes； p。 100； as extant under ground at this day。
（13） What Josephus seems here to mean is this： that these pillars； supporting the cloisters in the second court； had their foundations or lowest parts as deep as the floor of the first or lowest court； but that so far of those lowest parts as were equal to the elevation of the upper floor above the lowest were； and must be； hidden on the inside by the ground or rock itself； on which that upper court was built； so that forty cubits visible below were reduced to twenty…five visible above； and implies the difference of their heights to be fifteen cubits。 The main difficulty lies here； how fourteen or fifteen steps should give an ascent of fifteen cubits； half a cubit seeming sufficient for a single step。 Possibly there were fourteen or fifteen steps at the partition wall； and fourteen or fifteen more thence into the court itself； which would bring the whole near to the just proportion。 See sect。 3； infra。 But I determine nothing。
（14） These three guards that lay in the tower of Antonia must be those that guarded the city； the temple； and the tower of Antonia。
（15） What should be the meaning of this signal or watchword； when the watchmen saw a stone coming from the engine； 〃The Stone Cometh；〃 or what mistake there is in the reading； I cannot tell。 The MSS。； both Greek and Latin； all agree in this reading； and I cannot approve of any groundless conjectural alteration of the text from ro to lop； that not the son or a stone； but that the arrow or dart cometh； as hath been made by Dr。 Hudson； and not corrected by Havercamp。 Had Josephus written even his first edition of these books of the war in pure Hebrew； or had the Jews then used the pure Hebrew at Jerusalem； the Hebrew word for a son is so like that for a stone； ben and eben； that such a correction might have been more easily admitted。 But Josephus wrote his former edition for the use of the Jews beyond Euphrates； and so in the Chaldee language； as he did this second edition in the Greek language； and bar was the Chaldee word for son； instead of the Hebrew ben； and was used not only in Chaldea； etc。 but in Judea also； as the New Testament informs us。 Dio lets us know that the very Romans at Rome pronounced the name of Simon the son of Giora； Bar Poras for Bar Gioras； as we learn from Xiphiline； p。 217。 Reland takes notice； 〃that many will here look for a mystery； as though the meaning were； that the Son of God came now to take vengeance on the sins of the Jewish nation；〃 which is indeed the truth of the fact； but hardly what the Jews could now mean； unless possibly by way of derision of Christ's threatening so often made； that he would come at the head of the Roman army for their destruction。 But even this interpretation has but a very small degree of probability。 If I were to make an emendation by mere conjecture； I would read instead of； though the likeness be not so great as in lo； because that is the word used by Josephus just before； as has been already noted on this very occasion； while； an arrow or dart； is only a poetical word； and never used by Josephus elsewhere； and is indeed no way suitable to the occasion； this engine not throwing arrows or darts； but great stones； at this time。
（16） Josephus supposes； in this his admirable speech to the Jews； that not Abraham only； but Pharaoh king of Egypt； prayed towards a temple at Jerusalem； or towards Jerusalem itself； in which were Mount Sion and Mount Moriah； on which the tabernacle and temple did afterwards stand； and this long before either the Jewish tabernacle or temple were built。 Nor is the famous command given by God to Abraham； to go two or three days' journey； on purpose to offer up his son Isaac there； unfavorable to such a notion。
（17） Note here； that Josephus； in this his same admirable speech； calls the Syrians； nay； even the Philistines； on the most south part of Syria； Assyrians； which Reland observes as what was common among the ancient writers。 Note also； that Josephus might well put the Jews in mind； as he does here more than once； of their wonderful and truly miraculous deliverance from Sennacherib； king of Assyria； while the Roman army； and himself with them； were now encamped upon and beyond that very spot of ground where the Assyrian army lay seven hundred and eighty years before； and which retained the very name of the Camp of the Assyrians to that very day。 See chap。 7。 sect。 3； and chap。 12。 sect。 2。
（18） This drying up of the Jerusalem fountain of Siloam when the Jews wanted it； and its flowing abundantly when the enemies of the Jews wanted it； and these both in the days of Zedekiah and of Titus； （and this last as a certain event well known by the Jews at that time； as Josephus here tells them openly to their faces；） are very remarkable instances of a Divine Providence for the punishment of the Jewish nation； when they were grown very wicked； at both those times of the destruction of Jerusalem。
（19） Reland very properly takes notice here； how justly this judgment came upon the Jews； when they were crucified in such multitudes together； that the Romans wanted room for the crosses； and crosses for the bodies of these Jews； since they had brought this judgment on themselves by the crucifixion of their Messiah。
（20） Josephus； both here and before； B。 IV。 ch。 8。 sect。 4； esteems the land of Sodom； not as part of the lake Asphaltiris； or under its waters； but near it only； as Tacitus also took the same notion from him； Hist。 V。 ch。 6。 7； which the great Reland takes to be the very truth； both in his note on this place； and in his Palestina； tom。 I。 p。 254…258； though I rather suppose part of that region of Pentapolis to be now under the waters of the south part of that sea； but perhaps not the whole country。
BOOK VI。 Containing The Interval Of About One Month。 From The Great Extremity To Which The Jews Were Reduced To The Taking Of Jerusalem By Titus。 CHAPTER 1。 THAT THE MISERIES STILL GREW WORSE； AND HOW THE ROMANS MADE AN ASSAULT UPON THE TOWER OF ANTONIA。 1。 Thus did the miseries of Jerusalem grow worse and worse every day； and the seditious were still more irritated by the calamities they were under； even while the famine preyed upon themselves； after it had preyed upon the people。 And indeed the multitude of carcasses that lay in heaps one upon another was a horrible sight； and produced a pestilential stench； which was a hinderance to those that would make sallies out of the city； and fight the enemy： but as those were to go in battle…array； who had been already used to ten thousand murders； and must tread upon those dead bodies as they marched along； so were not they terrified； nor did they pity men as they marched over them； nor did they deem this affront offered to the deceased to be any ill omen to themselves； but as they had their right hands
