---
title: "Jewish Antiquities · Ἰουδαϊκὴ ἀρχαιολογία"
author: "Josephus"
translator: "William Whiston"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Second Temple"
section: 13 of 96
url: https://scriptura.si/works/josephus-jewish-antiquities-greek/13/
cite: "Josephus, tr. William Whiston, Jewish Antiquities · Ἰουδαϊκὴ ἀρχαιολογία, section 13. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/josephus-jewish-antiquities-greek/13/"
---

# Jewish Antiquities · Ἰουδαϊκὴ ἀρχαιολογία

*Josephus, tr. William Whiston*

The history of the Jews from the Creation to the eve of the revolt, in twenty books, with the passages on John the Baptist and Jesus: Niese’s Greek beside Whiston’s English.

> Greek: ed. Benedikt Niese, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0526.tlg001, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: William Whiston, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0526.tlg001.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (books, chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## 13. Book III · sections 172–248

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/josephus-jewish-antiquities-greek/13/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/josephus-jewish-antiquities-greek/13/#p-N

[¶0] 172. The high priest’s mitre was the same that we described before, and was wrought like that of all the other priests; above which there was another, with swathes of blue embroidered, and round it was a golden crown polished, of three rows, one above another; out of which arose a cup of gold, which resembled the herb which we call Saccharus; but those Greeks that are skillful in botany call it Hyoscyamus. Now, lest any one that has seen this herb, but has not been taught its name, and is unacquainted with its nature, or, having known its name, knows not the herb when he sees it, I shall give such, as these are a description of it. This herb is oftentimes in tallness above three spans, but its root is like that of a turnip (for he that should compare it thereto would not be mistaken); but its leaves are like the leaves of mint. Out of its branches it sends out a calyx, cleaving. to the branch; and a coat encompasses it, which it naturally puts off when it is changing, in order to produce its fruit. This calyx is of the bigness of the bone of the little finger, but in the compass of its aperture is like a cup. This I will further describe, for the use of those that are unacquainted with it. Suppose a sphere be divided into two parts, round at the bottom, but having another segment that grows up to a circumference from that bottom; suppose it become narrower by degrees, and that the cavity of that part grow decently smaller, and then gradually grow wider again at the brim, such as we see in the navel of a pomegranate, with its notches. And indeed such a coat grows over this plant as renders it a hemisphere, and that, as one may say, turned accurately in a lathe, and having its notches extant above it, which, as I said, grow like a pomegranate, only that they are sharp, and end in nothing but prickles. Now the fruit is preserved by this coat of the calyx, which fruit is like the seed of the herb Sideritis: it sends out a flower that may seem to resemble that of poppy. Of this was a crown made, as far from the hinder part of the head to each of the temples; but this Ephielis, for so this calyx may be called, did not cover the forehead, but it was covered with a golden plate, which had inscribed upon it the name of God in sacred characters. And such were the ornaments of the high priest.

> Greek: 172. Πῖλον δὲ ἦν ὁ καὶ πρότερον αὐτῷ παραπλησίως εἰργασμένος τοῖς πᾶσιν ἱερεῦσιν, ὑπʼ αὐτὸν δὲ συνερραμμένος ἕτερος ἐξ ὑακίνθου πεποικιλμένος περιέρχεται στέφανος χρύσεος ἐπὶ τριστιχίαν κεχαλκευμένος. θάλλει δʼ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ κάλυξ χρύσεος τῇ σακχάρῳ βοτάνῃ παρʼ ἡμῖν λεγομένῃ ἀπομεμιμημένος, ὑὸς δὲ κύαμον Ἑλλήνων οἱ περὶ τομὰς ῥιζῶν ἐμπείρως ἔχοντες προσαγορεύουσιν. εἰ δέ τις ἢ θεασάμενος τὴν βοτάνην ἀμαθίᾳ τούτου ἀγνοεῖ τὴν φύσιν αὐτῆς ἢ τὴν κλῆσιν ἐπιστάμενος οὐκ ἰδὼν δʼ ἀναγνωρίσειε, τοῖς οὕτω δὴ ἔχουσι σημανῶ τὸν τρόπον· βοτάνη μέν ἐστιν ὑπὲρ τρεῖς σπιθαμὰς πολλάκις αὐξανομένη τὸ ὕψος, τὴν δὲ ῥίζαν ἐμφερὴς βουνιάδι, ταύτῃ γὰρ οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοι τις εἰκάζων αὐτήν, τὰ δὲ φύλλα τοῖς εὐζώμων· ἐκ μέντοι τῶν κλάδων ἀνίησι κάλυκα προσεχῆ τῷ κλωνί, περίεισι δʼ αὐτὴν ἔλυτρον, ὅπερ ἀποκρίνεται κατʼ αὐτὸ πρὸς τὸν καρπὸν μεταβαλεῖν ἠργμένης· ὁ δὲ κάλυξ μεγέθους ἐστὶ σκυταλίδος τοῦ μικροῦ δακτύλου, κρατῆρι δʼ ἐμφερὴς τὴν περιγραφήν. σημανῶ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο τοῖς οὐ μεμαθηκόσι· σφαιρίδος εἰς δύο τετμημένης περὶ τῷ πυθμένι τὴν ἑτέραν τομὴν ἔχει φυόμενος ἀπὸ ῥίζης περιφερής· εἶτα συνιὼν κατʼ ὀλίγον ὑποκοιλαινούσης εὐπρεπῶς τῆς ὑποχωρήσεως ἀνευρύνεται πάλιν ἠρέμα κατὰ χεῖλος, ὁμοίως ὀμφαλῷ ῥοιᾶς τετμημένος. ἐπίθεμα δʼ αὐτῷ ἡμισφαίριον προσπέφυκεν ἀκριβῶς ἂν εἴποι τις τετορνευμένον, ὑπερανεστώσας ἔχον τὰς ἐντομάς, ἃς εἶπον τῇ ῥοᾷ παραπλησίως βλαστάνειν, ἀκανθώδεις καὶ εἰς ὀξὺ παντελῶς ἀποληγούσας τὸ ἄκρον. φυλάττει δʼ ἐπὶ τῷ ἐπιθέματι τὸν καρπὸν διὰ παντὸς τοῦ κάλυκος ὄντα βοτάνης σπέρματι τῆς σιδηρίτιδος ὅμοιον, ἀφίησι δʼ ἄνθος τῷ τῆς μήκωνος πλαταγωνίῳ δυνάμενον δοκεῖν ἐμφερὲς εἶναι. ἐκ τούτου μὲν στέφανος ἐκκεχάλκευται ὅσον ἀπὸ τοῦ ἰνίου πρὸς ἑκάτερον τῶν κροτάφων. τὸ δὲ μέτωπον ἡ μὲν ἐφιελὶς οὐκ ἔπεισι, λεγέσθω γὰρ οὕτως ὁ κάλυξ, τελαμὼν δʼ ἐστὶ χρύσεος, ὃς ἱεροῖς γράμμασι τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν προσηγορίαν ἐπιτετμημένος ἐστί. καὶ τοιοῦτος μὲν ὁ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως κόσμος ἐστί.

[¶1] 179. Now here one may wonder at the ill-will which men bear to us, and which they profess to bear on account of our despising that Deity which they pretend to honor; for if any one do but consider the fabric of the tabernacle, and take a view of the garments of the high priest, and of those vessels which we make use of in our sacred ministration, he will find that our legislator was a divine man, and that we are unjustly reproached by others; for if any one do without prejudice, and with judgment, look upon these things, he will find they were every one made in way of imitation and representation of the universe. When Moses distinguished the tabernacle into three parts, and allowed two of them to the priests, as a place accessible and common, he denoted the land and the sea, these being of general access to all; but he set apart the third division for God, because heaven is inaccessible to men. And when he ordered twelve loaves to be set on the table, he denoted the year, as distinguished into so many months. By branching out the candlestick into seventy parts, he secretly intimated the Decani, or seventy divisions of the planets; and as to the seven lamps upon the candlesticks, they referred to the course of the planets, of which that is the number. The veils, too, which were composed of four things, they declared the four elements; for the fine linen was proper to signify the earth, because the flax grows out of the earth; the purple signified the sea, because that color is dyed by the blood of a sea shell-fish; the blue is fit to signify the air; and the scarlet will 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 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.

> Greek: 179. Θαυμάσειε δʼ ἄν τις τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀπέχθειαν, ἣν ὡς ἐκφαυλιζόντων ἡμῶν τὸ θεῖον ὅπερ αὐτοὶ σέβειν προῄρηνται διατετελέκασιν ἐσχηκότες· εἰ γάρ τις τῆς σκηνῆς κατανοήσειε τὴν πῆξιν καὶ τοῦ ἱερέως ἴδοι τὴν στολὴν τά τε σκεύη, οἷς περὶ τὴν ἱερουργίαν χρώμεθα, τόν τε νομοθέτην εὑρήσει θεῖον ἄνδρα καὶ ματαίως ἡμᾶς ὑπὸ τῶν ἄλλων τὰς βλασφημίας ἀκούοντας· ἕκαστα γὰρ τούτων εἰς ἀπομίμησιν καὶ διατύπωσιν τῶν ὅλων, εἴ τις ἀφθόνως ἐθέλοι καὶ μετὰ συνέσεως σκοπεῖν, εὑρήσει γεγονότα· τήν τε γὰρ σκηνὴν τριάκοντα πηχῶν οὖσαν νείμας εἰς τρία καὶ δύο μέρη πᾶσιν ἀνεὶς τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ὥσπερ βέβηλόν τινα καὶ κοινὸν τόπον, τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν ἀποσημαίνει· καὶ γὰρ ταῦτα πᾶσίν ἐστιν ἐπιβατά. τὴν δὲ τρίτην μοῖραν μόνῳ περιέγραψε τῷ θεῷ διὰ τὸ καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνεπίβατον εἶναι ἀνθρώποις. ἐπί τε τῇ τραπέζῃ τοὺς δώδεκα τιθεὶς ἄρτους ἀποσημαίνει τὸν ἐνιαυτὸν εἰς τοσούτους μῆνας διῃρημένον. τὴν δὲ λυχνίαν ἐξ ἑβδομήκοντα μορίων ποιήσας συγκειμένην τὰς τῶν πλανητῶν δεκαμοιρίας ᾐνίξατο· καὶ λύχνους ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς ἑπτά, τῶν πλανητῶν τὴν φοράν· τοσοῦτοι γάρ εἰσι τὸν ἀριθμόν. τά τε φάρση ἐκ τεσσάρων ὑφανθέντα τὴν τῶν στοιχείων φύσιν δηλοῖ· ἥ τε γὰρ βύσσος τὴν γῆν ἀποσημαίνειν ἔοικε διὰ τὸ ἐξ αὐτῆς ἀνεῖσθαι τὸ λίνον, ἥ τε πορφύρα τὴν θάλασσαν τῷ πεφοινῖχθαι τῶν ἰχθύων τῷ αἵματι, τὸν δὲ ἀέρα βούλεται δηλοῦν ὁ ὑάκινθος, καὶ ὁ φοῖνιξ δʼ ἂν εἴη τεκμήριον τοῦ πυρός. ἀποσημαίνει δὲ καὶ ὁ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως χιτὼν τὴν γῆν λίνεος ὤν, ὁ δὲ ὑάκινθος τὸν πόλον, ἀστραπαῖς μὲν κατὰ τοὺς ῥοΐσκους ἀπεικασμένος βρονταῖς δὲ κατὰ τὸν τῶν κωδώνων ψόφον. καὶ τὴν ἐφαπτίδα τοῦ παντὸς τὴν φύσιν ἐκ τεσσάρων δοχθεῖσαν γενέσθαι τῷ θεῷ χρυσῷ συνυφασμένην κατʼ ἐπίνοιαν οἶμαι τῆς προσούσης ἅπασιν αὐγῆς. καὶ τὸν ἐσσῆνα μέσον ὄντα τῆς ἐφαπτίδος ἐν τρόπῳ γῆς ἔταξε· καὶ γὰρ αὕτη τὸν μεσαίτατον τόπον ἔχει· ζώνῃ τε περιοδεύσας τὸν ὠκεανὸν ἀποσημαίνει· καὶ γὰρ οὗτος ἐμπεριείληφε τὰ πάντα. δηλοῖ δὲ καὶ τὸν ἥλιον καὶ τὴν σελήνην τῶν σαρδονύχων ἑκάτερος, οἷς ἐνεπόρπωσε τὸν ἀρχιερέα. τήν τε δωδεκάδα τῶν λίθων εἴτε τοὺς μῆνάς τις θέλοι νοεῖν, εἴτε τὸν οὕτως [ἀριθμὸν τῶν] ἀστέρων, ὃν ζωδιακὸν κύκλον Ἕλληνες καλοῦσι, τῆς κατʼ ἐκεῖνο γνώμης οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοι· καὶ ὁ πῖλος δέ μοι δοκεῖ τὸν οὐρανὸν τεκμηριοῦν ὑακίνθινος πεποιημένος, οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἄλλως ὑπερανετίθετο αὐτῷ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ θεοῦ τῇ στεφάνῃ ἠγλαϊσμένον καὶ ταύτῃ χρυσέᾳ, διὰ τὴν αὐγήν, ᾗ μάλιστα χαίρει τὸ θεῖον. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἐπὶ τοσοῦτόν μοι δεδηλώσθω πολλάκις τε καὶ ἐν πολλοῖς τὴν ἀρετὴν τοῦ νομοθέτου παρεξόντων ἡμῖν διελθεῖν τῶν πραγμάτων.

[¶2] 188. 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.

> Greek: 188. Ὡς δὲ τὸ προειρημένον πέρας εἶχε, τῶν ἀναθημάτων μήπω καθιερωμένων ἐπιστὰς ὁ θεὸς Μωυσεῖ τὴν ἱερωσύνην Ἀαρῶνι τἀδελφῷ προσέταξε δοῦναι ὡς ἁπάντων διʼ ἀρετὴν τῆς τιμῆς δικαιοτέρῳ τυχεῖν. καὶ συναγαγὼν εἰς ἐκκλησίαν τὸ πλῆθος τήν τε ἀρετὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν εὔνοιαν διεξῄει καὶ τοὺς κινδύνους οὓς ὑπομείνειεν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν. μαρτυρούντων δʼ ἐφʼ ἅπασιν αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ περὶ αὐτὸν πρόθυμον ἐνδεικνυμένων, ἄνδρες, εἶπεν, Ἰσραηλῖται, τὸ μὲν ἔργον ἤδη τέλος ἔχει οἷον αὐτῷ τε τῷ θεῷ ἥδιστον ἦν καὶ δυνατὸν ἡμῖν, ἐπεὶ δὲ δεῖ τοῦτον τῇ σκηνῇ καταδέχεσθαι, δεῖ πρῶτον ἡμῖν τοῦ ἱερατευσομένου καὶ ὑπηρετήσοντος ταῖς θυσίαις καὶ ταῖς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εὐχαῖς. καὶ ἔγωγε ταύτης ἐμοὶ τῆς σκέψεως ἐπιτραπείσης ἐμαυτὸν ἂν τῆς τιμῆς ἄξιον ἔκρινα διά τε τὸ φύσει πάντας εἶναι φιλαύτους, καὶ ὅτι πολλὰ ἐμαυτῷ καμόντι περὶ σωτηρίας τῆς ὑμετέρας σύνοιδα· νῦν δʼ αὐτὸς ὁ θεὸς Ἀαρῶνα τῆς τιμῆς ἄξιον ἔκρινε καὶ τοῦτον ᾕρηται ἱερέα, τὸν δικαιότερον ἡμῶν μᾶλλον εἰδώς, ὡς οὗτος ἐνδύσεται στολὴν τῷ θεῷ καθωσιωμένην καὶ βωμῶν ἐπιμέλειαν ἕξει καὶ πρόνοιαν ἱερείων καὶ τὰς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εὐχὰς ποιήσεται πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἡδέως ἀκουσόμενον, ὅτι τε κήδεται γένους τοῦ ἡμετέρου καὶ παρʼ ἀνδρὸς ὃν αὐτὸς ἐπελέξατο γινομένας προσδέχεται ταύτας. Ἑβραῖοι δὲ ἠρέσκοντο τοῖς λεγομένοις καὶ συνῄνουν τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ χειροτονίᾳ· ἦν γὰρ Ἀαρὼν διά τε τὸ γένος καὶ τὴν προφητείαν καὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν τἀδελφοῦ πρὸς τιμὴν ἁπάντων ἀξιολογώτερος. ἦσαν δʼ αὐτῷ καὶ παῖδες κατʼ ἐκεῖνον τὸν χρόνον τέσσαρες Νάβαδος Ἀβιοῦς Ἐλεάζαρος Ἰθάμαρος.

[¶3] 193. 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. 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.

> Greek: 193. Ὅσα δὲ τῶν πρὸς τὴν τῆς σκηνῆς κατασκευὴν παρεσκευασμένων ἦν περιττὰ ταῦτʼ ἐκέλευσεν εἰς φάρση σκεπαστήρια τῆς τε σκηνῆς αὐτῆς καὶ τῆς λυχνίας καὶ τοῦ θυμιατηρίου καὶ τῶν ἄλλων σκευῶν ἀναλῶσαι, ὅπως κατὰ τὴν ὁδοιπορίαν ταῦτα μήτʼ ἐξ ὑετοῦ μηδὲν μήτʼ ἐκ κονιορτοῦ βλάπτηται. τό τε πλῆθος ἀθροίσας πάλιν εἰσφορὰν αὐτῷ προσέταξεν εἰσφέρειν σίκλου τὸ ἥμισυ καθʼ ἕκαστον, ὁ δὲ σίκλος νόμισμα Ἑβραίων ὢν Ἀττικὰς δέχεται δραχμὰς τέσσαρας· οἱ δʼ ἑτοίμως ὑπήκουον οἷς ἐκέλευσε Μωυσῆς καὶ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν εἰσφερόντων ἦν ἑξήκοντα μυριάδες καὶ πεντακισχίλιοι καὶ πεντακόσιοι καὶ πεντήκοντα. ἔφερον δὲ τὸ ἀργύριον τῶν ἐλευθέρων οἱ ἀπὸ εἴκοσι ἐτῶν ἄχρι πεντήκοντα γεγονότες. τὸ δὲ συγκομισθὲν εἰς τὰς περὶ τὴν σκηνὴν χρείας ἀναλοῦτο.

[¶4] 197. 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 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, upon the sacred candlestick, before God, and the rest were to be lighted at the evening.

> Greek: 197. Ἥγνιζε δὲ καὶ τὴν σκηνὴν καὶ τοὺς ἱερέας τρόπῳ τοιούτῳ ποιούμενος αὐτῶν τὴν κάθαρσιν. σμύρνης ἐπιλέκτου σίκλους πεντακοσίους καὶ ἴρεως ἴσους, κινναμώμου δὲ καὶ καλάμου, ἔστι δὲ καὶ τοῦτο εἶδος θυμιάματος, ἡμίσειαν τῶν πρότερον ὁλκὴν κεκομμένα δεύειν ἐκέλευσεν, ἐλαίου τε ἐλαΐνου εἴν, μέτρον δʼ ἐστὶ τοῦτο ἐπιχώριον δύο χόας Ἀττικοὺς δεχόμενον, ἀναμίξαντας καὶ καθεψήσαντας σκευάσαι τέχνῃ μυρεψῶν χρῖσμα εὐωδέστατον. κἄπειτα τοῦτο λαβὼν αὐτούς τε τοὺς ἱερέας καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν σκηνὴν χρίων κεκάθαρκε, τά τε θυμιώμενα, πολλὰ δʼ ἐστὶ ταῦτα καὶ ποικίλα, κατὰ τὴν σκηνὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ χρυσοῦ θυμιατηρίου μεγάλης πάνυ τιμῆς ὄντα συνεφέρετο, ὧν παραλείπω τὴν φύσιν ἐκδιηγεῖσθαι, μὴ διʼ ὄχλου γένηται τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσι. δὶς δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας πρίν τε ἀνασχεῖν τὸν ἥλιον καὶ πρὸς δυσμαῖς θυμιᾶν ἐχρῆν ἔλαιόν τε ἁγνίσαντας φυλάσσειν εἰς τοὺς λύχνους, ὧν τοὺς μὲν τρεῖς ἐπὶ τῇ ἱερᾷ λυχνίᾳ φέγγειν ἔδει τῷ θεῷ κατὰ πᾶσαν ἡμέραν, τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς περὶ τὴν ἑσπέραν ἅπτοντας.

[¶5] 200. 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.

> Greek: 200. Ἁπάντων δʼ ἤδη πέρας εἰληφότων ἔδοξαν ἄριστοι τῶν δημιουργῶν Βεσέβηλος καὶ Ἐλίαβος, τῶν γὰρ ἐξευρημένων τοῖς προτέροις αὐτοὶ προεθυμήθησαν ἀμείνονα προσεξεργάσασθαι, λαβεῖν τε ἐπίνοιαν ὧν πρότερον ἠγνόουν τὴν κατασκευὴν ἱκανώτατοι· τούτων μέντοι Βεσέβηλον συνέβη κριθῆναι τὸν κράτιστον. ὁ δὲ πᾶς χρόνος εἰς τὸ ἔργον διῆλθε μηνῶν ἑπτὰ καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο ἀφʼ οὗ τὴν Αἴγυπτον ἐξέλιπον ἐνιαυτὸς αὐτοῖς πρῶτος ἐτελειοῦτο. ἀρχομένου δὲ τοῦ δευτέρου ἔτους μηνὶ Ξανθικῷ κατὰ Μακεδόνας Νισὰν δὲ κατὰ Ἑβραίους νουμηνίᾳ τὴν σκηνὴν ἀφιεροῦσι καὶ πάνθʼ ὅσα περὶ αὐτὴν σκεύη μοι δεδήλωται.

[¶6] 202. 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.

> Greek: 202. Ἐπέδειξε δὲ ὁ θεὸς αὑτὸν ἡσθέντα τῷ ἔργῳ τῶν Ἑβραίων καὶ μὴ μάτην αὐτοὺς πονήσαντας ὑπερηφανίᾳ τῆς χρήσεως, ἀλλʼ ἐπεξενώθη καὶ κατεσκήνωσε τῷ ναῷ τούτῳ. τὴν δὲ παρουσίαν οὕτως ἐποίησεν· ὁ μὲν οὐρανὸς καθαρὸς ἦν, ὑπὲρ δὲ τὴν σκηνὴν μόνην ἤχλυσεν οὔτε βαθεῖ πάνυ νέφει καὶ πυκνῷ περιλαβὼν αὐτήν, ὥστʼ εἶναι δόξαι χειμέριον, οὔτε μὴν λεπτὸν οὕτως, ὥστε τὴν ὄψιν ἰσχύσαι τι διʼ αὐτοῦ κατανοῆσαι· ἡδεῖα δὲ ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ δρόσος ἔρρει καὶ θεοῦ δηλοῦσα παρουσίαν τοῖς τοῦτο καὶ βουλομένοις καὶ πεπιστευκόσι.

[¶7] 204. 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 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.

> Greek: 204. Μωυσῆς δὲ τοὺς τέκτονας οἵαις εἰκὸς ἦν δωρεαῖς τοὺς τοιαῦτα ἐργασαμένους τιμήσας ἔθυεν ἐν τῷ τῆς σκηνῆς αἰθρίῳ κατὰ προσταγὴν θεοῦ ταῦρον καὶ κριὸν καὶ ἔριφον ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτάδων, καὶ δὴ, λέγειν γὰρ ἐν τοῖς περὶ θυσιῶν μέλλω τὰ πρασσόμενα περὶ τὰς ἱερουργίας ἐν ἐκείνοις δηλώσων περί τε ὧν ὁλοκαυτεῖν κελεύει καὶ ὧν μεταλαμβάνειν τῆς βρώσεως ἐφίησιν ὁ νόμος, κἀκ τοῦ αἵματος τῶν τεθυμένων τήν τε στολὴν τοῦ Ἀαρῶνος καὶ αὐτὸν σὺν τοῖς παισὶν ἔρραινεν ἀφαγνίσας πηγαίοις τε ὕδασι καὶ μύρῳ, ἵνα τοῦ θεοῦ γίγνοιντο. ἐπὶ μὲν οὖν ἡμέρας ἑπτὰ τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον αὐτούς τε καὶ τὰς στολὰς ἐθεράπευε τήν τε σκηνὴν καὶ τὰ περὶ αὐτὴν σκεύη ἐλαίῳ τε προσχριομένῳ, καθὼς εἶπον, καὶ τῷ αἵματι τῶν ταύρων καὶ κριῶν σφαγέντων καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ἑνὸς κατὰ γένος, τῇ δὲ ὀγδόῃ κατήγγειλεν ἑορτὴν τῷ λαῷ καὶ θύειν προσέταξε κατὰ δύναμιν. οἱ δʼ ἀλλήλοις ἁμιλλώμενοι καὶ ὑπερβάλλειν φιλοτιμούμενοι τὰς θυσίας, ἃς ἕκαστος ἐπιφέροι, τοῖς λεγομένοις ὑπήκουον. ἐπικειμένων δὲ τῶν ἱερῶν τῷ βωμῷ αἰφνίδιον ἐξ αὐτοῦ πῦρ ἀνήφθη αὐτόματον, καὶ ὅμοιον ἀστραπῆς λαμπηδόνι ὁρώμενον τῇ φλογὶ πάντα ἐδαπάνα τὰ ἐπὶ τοῦ βωμοῦ.

[¶8] 208. 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.

> Greek: 208. Συνέβη δὲ καὶ Ἀαρῶνι συμφορά τις ἐκ τούτου λογιζομένῳ ὡς ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπῳ καὶ πατρί, γενναίως δʼ ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ καρτερηθεῖσα, ὅτι καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν πρὸς τὰ συμπίπτοντα στερρὸς ἦν καὶ κατὰ βούλησιν τοῦ θεοῦ ἡγεῖτο τὸ πάθος γεγονέναι· τῶν γὰρ υἱῶν αὐτοῦ τεσσάρων ὄντων, ὡς προεῖπον, δύο οἱ πρεσβύτεροι Νάβαδος καὶ Ἀβιοῦς κομίσαντες ἐπὶ τὸν βωμὸν οὐχ ὧν προεῖπε Μωυσῆς θυμάτων, ἀλλʼ οἷς ἐχρῶντο πρότερον, κατεκαύθησαν τοῦ πυρὸς ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς τὴν ὁρμὴν βαλόντος καὶ τὰ στέρνα καὶ τὰ πρόσωπα φλέγειν αὐτῶν ἀρξαμένου καὶ σβέσαι μηδενὸς δυναμένου. καὶ οἱ μὲν οὕτως ἀπέθανον· Μωυσῆς δὲ κελεύει τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς βαστάξαντας τὰ σώματα καὶ κομίσαντας τῆς παρεμβολῆς ἔξω θάψαι μεγαλοπρεπῶς. πενθεῖ δὲ αὐτοὺς τὸ πλῆθος χαλεπῶς ἐπὶ τῷ θανάτῳ παρὰ δόξαν οὕτω γεγενημένῳ διατεθέν. μόνους δὲ Μωυσῆς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ τὸν πατέρα μὴ φροντίζειν τῆς ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς λύπης ἠξίωσε προκρίναντας τὴν εἰς τὸν θεὸν τιμὴν τοῦ περὶ αὐτοὺς σκυθρωποῦ· ἤδη γὰρ Ἀαρὼν καὶ τὴν στολὴν τὴν ἱερὰν ἠμφίεστο.

[¶9] 212. 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.

> Greek: 212. Μωυσῆς δὲ πᾶσαν τιμὴν παραιτησάμενος, ἣν ἑώρα τὸ πλῆθος αὐτῷ παρασχεῖν ἕτοιμον, πρὸς μόνῃ τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ θεραπείᾳ διετέλει. καὶ τῶν μὲν εἰς τὸ Σιναῖον ἀνόδων ἀπείχετο, εἰς δὲ τὴν σκηνὴν εἰσιὼν ἐχρηματίζετο περὶ ὧν ἐδεῖτο παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ἰδιωτεύων καὶ τῇ στολῇ καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἄλλοις ἄγων ἑαυτὸν δημοτικώτερον καὶ μηδὲν βουλόμενος τῶν πολλῶν διαφέρειν δοκεῖν, ἢ μόνῳ τῷ προνοούμενος αὐτῶν βλέπεσθαι. ἔτι δὲ τὴν πολιτείαν καὶ νόμους αὐτῶν ἔγραφε, καθʼ οὓς κεχαρισμένως τῷ θεῷ βιώσονται μηδὲν ἀλλήλοις ἐγκαλεῖν ἔχοντες· ταῦτα μέντοι κατὰ τὴν ὑπαγόρευσιν τοῦ θεοῦ συνετάττετο. διέξειμι μὲν οὖν περὶ τῆς πολιτείας καὶ τῶν νόμων.

[¶10] 214. 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. 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, 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.

> Greek: 214. Ὃ μέντοι περὶ τῆς τοῦ ἀρχιερέως στολῆς παρέλιπον διελθεῖν βούλομαι· οὐδαμόθεν γὰρ προφητῶν κακουργίαις κατέλιπεν ἀφορμήν, εἰ δέ τινες τοιοῦτοι γένοιντο παρεγχειρεῖν τῷ τοῦ θεοῦ ἀξιώματι, αὐτοκράτορα δʼ εἶναι τὸν θεὸν παρατυγχάνειν τοῖς ἱεροῖς κατέλιπεν ὁπότε θελήσειε καὶ μὴ παρεῖναι, καὶ τοῦτʼ οὐχ Ἑβραίοις δῆλον εἶναι μόνον ἠθέλησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ξένων τοῖς παρατυγχάνουσι. τῶν γὰρ λίθων, οὓς ἐπὶ τοῖς ὤμοις φέρειν τὸν ἀρχιερέα προεῖπον, σαρδόνυχες δὲ ἦσαν καὶ σημαίνειν αὐτῶν τὴν φύσιν ἡγοῦμαι περισσὸν πᾶσιν εἰς γνῶσιν ἀφιγμένων, συνέβαινε λάμπειν, ὁπότε ταῖς ἱερουργίαις ὁ θεὸς παρείη, τὸν ἕτερον τὸν ἐπὶ τῷ δεξιῷ τῶν ὤμων πεπορπημένον αὐγῆς ἀποπηδώσης καὶ τοῖς πορρωτάτω φαινομένης, οὐ πρότερον ταύτης ὑπαρχούσης τῷ λίθῳ. θαυμαστὸν μὲν οὖν καὶ τοῦτο τοῖς μὴ τὴν σοφίαν ἐπʼ ἐκφαυλισμῷ τῶν θείων ἠσκηκόσιν, ὃ δʼ ἐστὶ τούτου θαυμασιώτερον ἐρῶ· διὰ γὰρ τῶν δώδεκα λίθων, οὓς κατὰ στέρνον ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς ἐνερραμμένους τῷ ἐσσῆνι φορεῖ, νίκην μέλλουσι πολεμεῖν προεμήνυεν ὁ θεός· τοσαύτη γὰρ ἀπήστραπτεν ἀπʼ αὐτῶν αὐγὴ μήπω τῆς στρατιᾶς κεκινημένης, ὡς τῷ πλήθει παντὶ γνώριμον εἶναι τὸ παρεῖναι τὸν θεὸν εἰς τὴν ἐπικουρίαν, ὅθεν Ἕλληνες οἱ τὰ ἡμέτερα τιμῶντες ἔθη διὰ τὸ μηδὲν ἀντιλέγειν δύνασθαι τούτοις τὸν ἐσσῆνα λόγιον καλοῦσιν. ἐπαύσατο μὲν οὖν ὅ τε ἐσσὴν καὶ ὁ σαρδόνυξ τοῦ λάμπειν ἔτεσι διακοσίοις πρότερον ἢ ταύτην ἐμὲ συνθεῖναι τὴν γραφὴν τοῦ θεοῦ δυσχεράναντος ἐπὶ τῇ παραβάσει τῶν νόμων, περὶ ὧν ἐροῦμεν εὐκαιρότερον. τρέψομαι δὲ νῦν ἐπὶ τὸν ἑξῆς λόγον.

[¶11] 219. 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.

> Greek: 219. Καθιερωμένης γὰρ δὴ τῆς σκηνῆς καὶ διακεκοσμημένων τῶν περὶ τοὺς ἱερέας τό τε πλῆθος ὁμόσκηνον αὐτῷ τὸν θεὸν ἔκρινεν εἶναι καὶ τρέπεται πρὸς θυσίας τε καὶ ἀνέσεις ὡς ἅπασαν ἤδη κακοῦ προσδοκίαν ἀπεωσμένον, καὶ περὶ τῶν μελλόντων ὡς ἀμεινόνων ἐπιθυμοῦντες δωρεάς τε τῷ θεῷ τὰς μὲν κοινῇ τὰς δὲ κατʼ ἰδίαν ἀνετίθεσαν κατὰ φυλάς· οἵ τε γὰρ φύλαρχοι κατὰ δύο συνελθόντες ἅμαξαν καὶ δύο βόας προσκομίζουσιν· ἓξ μὲν οὖν ἦσαν αὗται καὶ τὴν σκηνὴν ἐν ταῖς ὁδοιπορίαις παρεκόμιζον. πρὸς τούτοις ἕκαστος φιάλην τε κομίζει καὶ τρύβλιον καὶ θυΐσκην, τὴν μὲν δαρεικοὺς δέκα δυναμένην καὶ πλήρη θυμιαμάτων· τὸ δὲ τρύβλιον καὶ ἡ φιάλη, ἀργυρᾶ δὲ ἦν, σίκλους μὲν αἱ δύο διακοσίους εἷλκον, εἰς δὲ τὴν φιάλην ἑβδομήκοντα μόνοι δεδαπάνηντο, πλήρεις δὲ ἦσαν ἀλεύρων ἐλαίῳ πεφυραμένων, οἷς ἐπὶ τῷ βωμῷ χρῶνται πρὸς τὰς ἱερουργίας· μόσχον τε καὶ κριὸν σὺν ἀρνίῳ ἐτείῳ ὁλομελῆ καυθησόμενα καὶ σὺν αὐτοῖς χίμαρον ἐπὶ παραιτήσει ἁμαρτημάτων. προσῆγε δὲ τῶν ἀρχόντων ἕκαστος καὶ ἑτέρας θυσίας σωτηρίους λεγομένας καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν δύο βόας καὶ πέντε κριοὺς σὺν ἀρνάσιν ἐτείοις καὶ ἐρίφοις. οὗτοι μὲν δὴ θύουσιν ἐπὶ ἡμέρας δώδεκα κατὰ πᾶσαν ἡμέραν εἷς· Μωυσῆς δὲ οὐκέτʼ ἀναβαίνων ἐπὶ τὸ Σιναῖον ἀλλʼ εἰς τὴν σκηνὴν εἰσιὼν ἀνεμάνθανε παρὰ θεοῦ περί τε τῶν πρακτέων καὶ τῶν νόμων τῆς συντάξεως· οὓς κρείττονας ἢ κατὰ σύνεσιν ἀνθρωπίνην ὄντας εἰς τὸν ἅπαντα βεβαίως αἰῶνα συνέβη φυλαχθῆναι δωρεὰν εἶναι δόξαντας τοῦ θεοῦ, ὡς μήτʼ ἐν εἰρήνῃ ὑπὸ τρυφῆς μήτʼ ἐν πολέμῳ κατʼ ἀνάγκην Ἑβραίους παραβῆναί τινα τῶν νόμων. ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν τούτων παύομαι λέγων γραφὴν ἑτέραν ἠξιωκὼς συνθεῖναι περὶ τῶν νόμων.

[¶12] 224. 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.

> Greek: 224. Νυνὶ δʼ ὀλίγων τινῶν ἐπιμνησθήσομαι τῶν ἐφʼ ἁγνείαις καὶ ἱερουργίαις κειμένων· καὶ γὰρ τὸν λόγον μοι περὶ τῶν θυσιῶν ἐνεστάναι συμβέβηκε. δύο μὲν γάρ εἰσιν ἱερουργίαι, τούτων δʼ ἡ μὲν ὑπὸ τῶν ἰδιωτῶν ἑτέρα δʼ ὑπὸ τοῦ δήμου συντελούμεναι κατὰ δύο γίνονται τρόπους· τῆς μὲν ὁλοκαυτεῖται πᾶν τὸ θυόμενον καὶ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ τὴν προσηγορίαν τοιαύτην ἔλαβεν, ἡ δὲ χαριστήριός τέ ἐστι καὶ κατʼ εὐωχίαν δρᾶται τῶν τεθυκότων· ἐρῶ δὲ περὶ τῆς προτέρας. ἀνὴρ ἰδιώτης ὁλοκαυτῶν θύει μὲν βοῦν καὶ ἀρνίον καὶ ἔριφον· ταῦτα μὲν ἐπέτεια, τοὺς δὲ βοῦς ἐφεῖται θύειν καὶ προήκοντας· ἄρρενα δὲ ὁλοκαυτεῖται τὰ πάντα. σφαγέντων δὲ τούτων τὸν κύκλον τῷ αἵματι δεύουσι τοῦ βωμοῦ οἱ ἱερεῖς, εἶτα καθαρὰ ποιήσαντες διαμελίζουσι καὶ πάσαντες ἁλσὶν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμὸν ἀνατιθέασι σχιζῶν ἤδη πεπληρωμένον καὶ πυρὸς φλεγομένου. τοὺς δὲ πόδας τῶν ἱερείων καὶ τὰ κατὰ νηδὺν ἐκκαθάραντες ἀκριβῶς τοῖς ἄλλοις καθαγνισθησόμενα προσεπιφέρουσι, τὰς δορὰς τῶν ἱερέων λαμβανόντων. καὶ ὁ μὲν τῆς ὁλοκαυτώσεως τρόπος ἐστὶν οὗτος.

[¶13] 228. 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 flesh for two days; and what remains they burn.

> Greek: 228. Τὰς δὲ χαριστηρίους θυσίας ἐπιτελοῦντες τὰ αὐτὰ μὲν ζῷα θύουσιν, ὁλόκληρα δὲ ταῦτα καὶ τῶν ἐπετείων πρεσβύτερα, ἄρρενα μέντοι θήλεσι συνδυαζόμενα. θύσαντες δὲ ταῦτα φοινίσσουσι μὲν αἵματι τὸν βωμόν, τοὺς δὲ νεφροὺς καὶ τὸν ἐπίπλουν καὶ πάντα τὰ πιμελῆ σὺν τῷ λοβῷ τοῦ ἥπατος καὶ σὺν αὐτοῖς τὴν οὐρὰν τοῦ ἀρνὸς ἐπιφέρουσι τῷ βωμῷ. τὸ δὲ στῆθος καὶ τὴν κνήμην τὴν δεξιὰν τοῖς ἱερεῦσι παρασχόντες ἐπὶ δύο ἡμέρας εὐωχοῦνται τοῖς καταλειπομένοις τῶν κρεῶν, ἃ δʼ ἂν περισσεύσῃ κατακαίουσι.

[¶14] 230. The sacrifices for sins are offered in the same manner as is the thank-offering. But those who are unable to purchase complete sacrifices, offer two pigeons, or turtle doves; the one of which is made a burnt-offering to God, the other they give as food to the priests. But we shall treat more accurately about the oblation of these creatures in our discourse concerning sacrifices. But if a person fall into sin by ignorance, he offers an ewe lamb, or a female kid of the goats, of the same age; and the priests sprinkle the blood at the altar, not after the former manner, but at the corners of it. They also bring the kidneys and the rest of the fat, together with the lobe of the liver, to the altar, while the priests bear away the hides and the flesh, and spend it in the holy place, on the same day; for the law does not permit them to leave of it until the morning. But if any one sin, and is conscious of it himself, but hath nobody that can prove it upon him, he offers a ram, the law enjoining him so to do; the flesh of which the priests eat, as before, in the holy place, on the same day. And if the rulers offer sacrifices for their sins, they bring the same oblations that private men do; only they so far differ, that they are to bring for sacrifices a bull or a kid of the goats, both males.

> Greek: 230. Θύουσι δὲ καὶ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτάδων καὶ ὁμοίως τῷ προειρημένῳ τὸ περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτάδων τῆς ἱερουργίας τρόπῳ γίνεται. οἱ δὲ ἀδύνατοι πορίζειν τὰ τέλεια θύματα περιστερὰς ἢ τρυγόνας δύο, ὧν τὸ μὲν ὁλοκαυτεῖται τῷ θεῷ, τὸ δὲ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν εἰς βρῶσιν διδόασιν. ἀκριβέστερον δὲ περὶ τῆς θυσίας τῶνδε τῶν ζῴων ἐν τοῖς περὶ θυσιῶν ἐροῦμεν. ὁ μὲν γὰρ κατὰ ἄγνοιαν εἰς τοῦτο προπεσὼν ἄρνα καὶ ἔριφον θήλειαν τῶν αὐτοετῶν προσφέρει, καὶ τῷ μὲν αἵματι δεύει τὸν βωμὸν ὁ ἱερεὺς οὐχ ὡς τὸ πρῶτον ἀλλὰ τῶν γωνιῶν τὰς ἐξοχάς, καὶ τούς τε νεφροὺς καὶ τὴν ἄλλην πιμελὴν σὺν τῷ λοβῷ τοῦ ἥπατος ἐπιφέρουσι τῷ βωμῷ, οἱ δὲ ἱερεῖς τάς τε δορὰς ἀποφέρονται καὶ τὰ κρέα ἐπʼ ἐκείνης δαπανήσοντες τῆς ἡμέρας ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ· ὁ γὰρ νόμος εἰς τὴν αὔριον ἀπολιπεῖν οὐκ ἐᾷ. ὁ δὲ ἁμαρτὼν μὲν αὑτῷ δὲ συνειδὼς καὶ μηδένα ἔχων τὸν ἐξελέγχοντα κριὸν θύει τοῦ νόμου τοῦτο κελεύοντος, οὗ τὰ κρέα κατὰ τὸ ἱερὸν ὁμοίως οἱ ἱερεῖς αὐθημερὸν σιτοῦνται. οἱ δὲ ἄρχοντες ἐφʼ οἷς ἡμάρτανον ἐκθυόμενοι ταὐτὰ μὲν κομίζουσι τοῖς ἰδιώταις, διαλλάσσουσι δὲ τῷ προσάγειν θύματα ταῦρον ἔριφον ἄρσενας.

[¶15] 233. Now the law requires, both in private and public sacrifices, that the finest flour be also brought; for a lamb the measure of one tenth deal, - for a ram two, - and for a bull three. This they consecrate upon the altar, when it is mingled with oil; for oil is also brought by those that sacrifice; for a bull the half of an hin, and for a ram the third part of the same measure, and one quarter of it for a lamb. This hin is an ancient Hebrew measure, and is equivalent to two Athenian choas (or congiuses). They bring the same quantity of oil which they do of wine, and they pour the wine about the altar; but if any one does not offer a complete sacrifice of animals, but brings fine flour only for a vow, he throws a handful upon the altar as its first-fruits, while the priests take the rest for their food, either boiled or mingled with oil, but made into cakes of bread. But whatsoever it be that a priest himself offers, it must of necessity be all burnt. Now the law forbids us to sacrifice any animal at the same time with its dam; and, in other cases, not till the eighth day after its birth. Other sacrifices there are also appointed for escaping distempers, or for other occasions, in which meat-offerings are consumed, together with the animals that are sacrificed; of which it is not lawful to leave any part till the next day, only the priests are to take their own share.

> Greek: 233. Νόμος δὲ ταῖς ἰδιωτικαῖς καὶ ταῖς δημοσίαις θυσίαις καὶ ἄλευρον ἐπιφέρεσθαι καθαρώτατον, ἀρνὶ μὲν ἀσσαρῶνος μέτρον κριῷ δὲ δυοῖν ταύρῳ δὲ τριῶν. τοῦτο καθαγνίζουσιν ἐπὶ τῷ βωμῷ μεμαγμένον ἐλαίῳ· κομίζεται γὰρ δὴ καὶ ἔλαιον ὑπὸ τῶν τεθυκότων ἐπὶ μὲν βοῒ ἰνὸς ἥμισυ, ἐπὶ δὲ κριῷ μέρος τούτου τρίτον τοῦ μέτρου, καὶ τετάρτη μερὶς ἐπʼ ἀρνί· ὁ δὲ ἲν μέτρον ἀρχαῖον Ἑβραίων δύναται δύο χόας Ἀττικούς. τὸ δʼ αὐτὸ μέτρον τῷ ἐλαίῳ καὶ οἴνου παρῆγον, σπένδουσι δὲ περὶ τὸν βωμὸν τὸν οἶνον. εἰ δέ τις θυσίαν οὐκ ἐπιτελῶν ἐπήνεγκε κατʼ εὐχὴν σεμίδαλιν, ταύτης ἀπαρχὴν μίαν ἐπιβάλλει τῷ βωμῷ δράκα, τὴν δὲ λοιπὴν οἱ ἱερεῖς πρὸς τροφὴν λαμβάνουσιν ἢ ἑψηθεῖσαν, ἐλαίῳ γὰρ συμπεφύραται, ἢ γενομένων ἄρτων. ἱερέως δὲ κομίσαντος καὶ ὁποσονοῦν ὁλοκαυτεῖν ἀναγκαῖον. κωλύει δὲ ὁ νόμος θύειν ζῷον αὐθημερὸν μετὰ τοῦ γεγεννηκότος ἐπὶ ταὐτό, οὐδʼ ἄλλως δὲ πρὶν ὀγδόην ἡμέραν γεννηθέντι διελθεῖν. γίνονται δὲ ἄλλαι θυσίαι ὑπὲρ τοῦ τὰς νόσους διαφυγεῖν ἢ κατʼ ἄλλας αἰτίας, εἰς ἃς πέμματα σὺν ἱερείοις ἀναλίσκεται, ὧν εἰς τὴν ὑστέραν οὐδὲν ὑπολιπεῖν ἐστι νόμιμον, τῶν ἱερέων μέρος ἴδιον λαβόντων.

[¶16] 237. THE law requires, that out of the public expenses a lamb of the first year be killed every day, at the beginning and at the ending of the day; but on the seventh day, which is called the Sabbath, they kill two, and sacrifice them in the same manner. At the new moon, they both perform the daily sacrifices, and slay two bulls, with seven lambs of the first year, and a kid of the goats also, for the expiation of sins; that is, if they have sinned through ignorance.

> Greek: 237. Ἐκ δὲ τοῦ δημοσίου ἀναλώματος νόμος ἐστὶν ἄρνα καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν σφάζεσθαι τῶν αὐτοετῶν ἀρχομένης τε ἡμέρας καὶ ληγούσης, κατὰ δὲ ἑβδόμην ἡμέραν, ἥτις σάββατα καλεῖται, δύο σφάττουσι τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ἱερουργοῦντες. τῇ δὲ νουμηνίᾳ τάς τε καθημερινὰς θυσίας ἐπιτελοῦσι καὶ δύο βόας σὺν ἀρνάσιν ἐνιαυσιαίοις ἑπτὰ καὶ κριόν, ἔριφον δὲ ἐπὶ παραιτήσεσιν ἁμαρτάδων, εἴ τι κατὰ λήθην γένοιτο.

[¶17] 239. But on the seventh month, which the Macedonians call Hyperberetaeus, they make an addition to those already mentioned, and sacrifice a bull, a ram, and seven lambs, and a kid of the goats, for sins.

> Greek: 239. Τῷ δʼ ἑβδόμῳ μηνί, ὃν Μακεδόνες Ὑπερβερεταῖον καλοῦσι, προσθέντες τοῖς εἰρημένοις ταῦρον καὶ κριὸν καὶ ἄρνας ἑπτὰ θύουσι καὶ ἔριφον ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτάδων.

[¶18] 240. On the tenth day of the same lunar month, they fast till the evening; and this day they sacrifice a bull, and two rams, and seven lambs, and a kid of the goats, for sins. And, besides these, they bring two kids of the goats; the one of which is sent alive out of the limits of the camp into the wilderness for the scapegoat, and to be an expiation for the sins of the whole multitude; but the other is brought into a place of great cleanness, within the limits of the camp, and is there burnt, with its skin, without any sort of cleansing. With this goat was burnt a bull, not brought by the people, but by the high priest, at his own charges; which, when it was slain, he brought of the blood into the holy place, together with the blood of the kid of the goats, and sprinkled the ceiling with his finger seven times, as also its pavement, and again as often toward the most holy place, and about the golden altar: he also at last brings it into the open court, and sprinkles it about the great altar. Besides this, they set the extremities, and the kidneys, and the fat, with the lobe of the liver, upon the altar. The high priest likewise presents a ram to God as a burnt-offering.

> Greek: 240. Δεκάτῃ δὲ τοῦ αὐτοῦ μηνὸς κατὰ σελήνην διανηστεύοντες ἕως ἑσπέρας θύουσι δʼ ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταῦρόν τε καὶ κριοὺς δύο καὶ ἄρνας ἑπτὰ καὶ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτάδων ἔριφον. προσάγουσι δὲ δύο πρὸς τούτοις ἐρίφους, ὧν ὁ μὲν ζῶν εἰς τὴν ὑπερόριον ἐρημίαν πέμπεται ἀποτροπιασμὸς καὶ παραίτησις τοῦ πλήθους παντὸς ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτημάτων ἐσόμενος, τὸν δʼ ἐν τοῖς προαστείοις εἰς καθαρώτατον ἄγοντες χωρίον αὐτόθι σὺν αὐτῇ καίουσι τῇ δορᾷ μηδὲν ὅλως καθάραντες. συγκατακαίεται δὲ ταῦρος οὐχ ὑπὸ τοῦ δήμου προσαχθείς, ἀλλʼ ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων ἀναλωμάτων τοῦ ἀρχιερέως παρασχόντος· οὗ δὴ σφαγέντος εἰσκομίσας εἰς τὸν ναὸν τοῦ αἵματος ἅμα καὶ τοῦ ἐρίφου ῥαίνει τῷ δακτύλῳ τὸν ὄροφον ἑπτάκις, τοῦ δʼ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ ἔδαφος καὶ τοσαυτάκις εἰς τὸν ναὸν καὶ περὶ τὸν χρύσεον βωμὸν καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν περὶ τῷ μείζονι κομίσας εἰς τὸ αἴθριον· πρὸς τούτοις τὰς ἐξοχὰς καὶ τοὺς νεφροὺς καὶ τὴν πιμελὴν σὺν τῷ λοβῷ τοῦ ἥπατος ἐπιφέρουσι τῷ βωμῷ. παρέχεται δὲ καὶ κριὸν ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς ὁλοκαύτωσιν τῷ θεῷ.

[¶19] 244. Upon the fifteenth day of the same month, when the season of the year is changing for winter, the law enjoins us to pitch tabernacles in every one of our houses, so that we preserve ourselves from the cold of that time of the year; as also that when we should arrive at our own country, and come to that city which we should have then for our metropolis, because of the temple therein to be built, and keep a festival for eight days, and offer burnt-offerings, and sacrifice thank-offerings, that we should then carry in our hands a branch of myrtle, and willow, and a bough of the palm-tree, with the addition of the pome citron: That the burnt-offering on the first of those days was to be a sacrifice of thirteen bulls, and fourteen lambs, and fifteen rams, with the addition of a kid of the goats, as an expiation for sins; and on the following days the same number of lambs, and of rams, with the kids of the goats; but abating one of the bulls every day till they amounted to seven only. On the eighth day all work was laid aside, and then, as we said before, they sacrificed to God a bullock, a ram, and seven lambs, with a kid of the goats, for an expiation of sins. And this is the accustomed solemnity of the Hebrews, when they pitch their tabernacles.

> Greek: 244. Τῇ δὲ πέμπτῃ τοῦ αὐτοῦ μηνὸς καὶ δεκάτῃ τρεπομένου τὸ λοιπὸν τοῦ καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν χειμερινὴν ὥραν σκηνὰς πήγνυσθαι κελεύει κατὰ οἰκίαν ἕκαστον, τό τε κρύος ὑφορωμένους ἐπὶ φυλακῇ τοῦ ἔτους, ὅταν πατρίδων ἐπιτύχοιεν, παραγινομένους εἰς ἐκείνην τὴν πόλιν, ἣν διὰ τὸν ναὸν μητρόπολιν ἕξουσιν, ἐφʼ ἡμέρας ὀκτὼ ἑορτὴν ἄγοντας ὁλοκαυτεῖν τε καὶ θύειν τῷ θεῷ τότε χαριστήρια, φέροντας ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν εἰρεσιώνην μυρσίνης καὶ ἰτέας σὺν κράδῃ φοίνικος πεποιημένην τοῦ μήλου τοῦ τῆς περσέας προσόντος. εἶναι δὲ τῇ πρώτῃ τῶν ἡμερῶν τὴν τῆς ὁλοκαυτώσεως θυσίαν ἐκ τριῶν καὶ δέκα βοῶν καὶ ἀρνῶν ἑνὶ πλειόνων καὶ κριῶν δύο κατὰ παραίτησιν ἁμαρτιῶν ἐρίφου προστιθεμένου. ταῖς δʼ ἑξῆς ἡμέραις ὁ μὲν αὐτὸς ἀριθμὸς τῶν ἀρνῶν καὶ τῶν κριῶν σὺν τῷ ἐρίφῳ θύεται, ὑφαιροῦντες δὲ ἑκάστης ἡμέρας ἕνα τῶν βοῶν εἰς ἑπτὰ καταντῶσιν. ἀνίενται δὲ ἀπὸ παντὸς ἔργου κατὰ τὴν ὀγδόην ἡμέραν καὶ τῷ θεῷ, καθάπερ εἰρήκαμεν, μόσχον τε θύομεν καὶ κριὸν καὶ ἄρνας ἑπτά, ὑπὲρ δὲ ἁμαρτημάτων παραιτήσεως ἔριφον. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν Ἑβραίοις τὰς σκηνὰς πηγνύουσιν ἐπιτελεῖν ἐστι πάτριον.

[¶20] 248. In the month of Xanthicus, which is by us called Nisan, and is the beginning of our year, on the fourteenth day of the lunar month, when the sun is in Aries, (for in this month it was that we were delivered from bondage under the Egyptians,) the law ordained that we should every year slay that sacrifice which I before told you we slew when we came out of Egypt, and which was called the Passover; and so we do celebrate this passover in companies, leaving nothing of what we sacrifice till the day following. The feast of unleavened bread succeeds that of the passover, and falls on the fifteenth day of the month, and continues seven days, wherein they feed on unleavened bread; on every one of which days two bulls are killed, and one ram, and seven lambs. Now these lambs are entirely burnt, besides the kid of the goats which is added to all the rest, for sins; for it is intended as a feast for the priest on every one of those days. But on the second day of unleavened bread, which is the sixteenth day of the month, they first partake of the fruits of the earth, for before that day they do not touch them. And while they suppose it proper to honor God, from whom they obtain this plentiful provision, in the first place, they offer the first-fruits of their barley, and that in the manner following: They take a handful of the ears, and dry them, then beat them small, and purge the barley from the bran; they then bring one tenth deal to the altar, to God; and, casting one handful of it upon the fire, they leave the rest for the use of the priest. And after this it is that they may publicly or privately reap their harvest. They also at this participation of the first-fruits of the earth, sacrifice a lamb, as a burnt-offering to God.

> Greek: 248. Τῷ δὲ μηνὶ τῷ Ξανθικῷ, ὃς Νισὰν παρʼ ἡμῖν καλεῖται καὶ τοῦ ἔτους ἐστὶν ἀρχή, τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ κατὰ σελήνην ἐν κριῷ τοῦ ἡλίου καθεστῶτος, τούτῳ γὰρ τῷ μηνὶ τῆς ὑπʼ Αἰγυπτίους δουλείας ἠλευθερώθημεν, καὶ τὴν θυσίαν, ἣν τότʼ ἐξιόντας ἀπʼ Αἰγύπτου θῦσαι προεῖπον ἡμᾶς πάσχα λεγομένην, διʼ ἔτους ἑκάστου θύειν ἐνόμισεν, καὶ δὴ τελοῦμεν αὐτὴν κατὰ φατρίας μηδενὸς τῶν τεθυμένων εἰς τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν τηρουμένου. πέμπτῃ δὲ καὶ δεκάτῃ διαδέχεται τὴν πάσχα ἡ τῶν ἀζύμων ἑορτὴ ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας οὖσα, καθʼ ἣν ἀζύμοις τρέφονται καὶ καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ταῦροι σφάζονται δύο καὶ κριὸς μὲν εἷς ἑπτὰ δὲ ἄρνες. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ὁλοκαυτεῖται προστιθεμένου τοῖς πᾶσι καὶ ἐρίφου ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτάδων εἰς εὐωχίαν κατὰ ἡμέραν ἑκάστην τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν. τῇ δὲ δευτέρᾳ τῶν ἀζύμων ἡμέρᾳ, ἕκτη δʼ ἐστὶν αὕτη καὶ δεκάτη, τῶν καρπῶν οὓς ἐθέρισαν, οὐ γὰρ ἥψαντο πρότερον αὐτῶν, μεταλαμβάνουσι καὶ τὸν θεὸν ἡγούμενοι τιμᾶν δίκαιον εἶναι πρῶτον, παρʼ οὗ τῆς εὐπορίας τούτων ἔτυχον, τὰς ἀπαρχὰς αὐτῷ τῆς κριθῆς ἐπιφέρουσι τρόπον τοιοῦτον. φρύξαντες τῶν ἀσταχύων τὸ δράγμα καὶ πτίσαντες καὶ καθαρὰς πρὸς ἄλεστον τὰς κριθὰς ποιήσαντες τῷ βωμῷ ἀσσαρῶνα προσφέρουσι τῷ θεῷ, καὶ μίαν ἐξ αὐτοῦ δράκα ἐπιβαλόντες τὸ λοιπὸν ἀφιᾶσιν εἰς χρῆσιν τοῖς ἱερεῦσι· καὶ τότε λοιπὸν δημοσίᾳ ἔξεστι πᾶσι καὶ ἰδίᾳ θερίζειν. θύουσι δʼ ἐπὶ ταῖς ἀπαρχαῖς τῶν καρπῶν ἀρνίον εἰς ὁλοκαύτωσιν τῷ θεῷ.