--- title: "Jewish Antiquities · Ἰουδαϊκὴ ἀρχαιολογία" author: "Josephus" translator: "William Whiston" languages: [grc, en] shelf: "Second Temple" section: 46 of 96 url: https://scriptura.si/works/josephus-jewish-antiquities-greek/46/ cite: "Josephus, tr. William Whiston, Jewish Antiquities · Ἰουδαϊκὴ ἀρχαιολογία, section 46. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/josephus-jewish-antiquities-greek/46/" --- # 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. ## 46. Book X · sections 81–144 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/josephus-jewish-antiquities-greek/46/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/josephus-jewish-antiquities-greek/46/#p-N [¶0] 81. Upon the death of Josiah, which we have already mentioned, his son, Jehoahaz by name, took the kingdom, being about twenty-three years old. He reigned in Jerusalem; and his mother was Hamutal, of the city Libhah. He was an impious man, and impure in his course of life; but as the king of Egypt returned from the battle, he sent for Jehoahaz to come to him, to the city called Hamath which belongs to Syria; and when he was come, he put him in bands, and delivered the kingdom to a brother of his, by the father’s side, whose name was Eliakim, and changed his name to Jehoiakim and laid a tribute upon the land of a hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold; and this sum of money Jehoiakim paid by way of tribute; but Neco carried away Jehoahaz into Egypt, where he died when he had reigned three months and ten days. Now Jehoiakim’s mother was called Zebudah, of the city Rumah. He was of a wicked disposition, and ready to do mischief; nor was he either religions towards God, or good-natured towards men. > Greek: 81. Τελευτήσαντος δὲ Ἰωσίου, καθὼς προειρήκαμεν, τὴν βασιλείαν ὁ παῖς αὐτοῦ διαδέχεται Ἰώαζος τοὔνομα τρίτον καὶ εἰκοστὸν ἤδη ἔτος γεγονώς. καὶ οὗτος μὲν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐβασίλευσε μητρὸς Ἀμιτάλης καὶ πόλεως Τομάνης ἀσεβὴς δὲ καὶ μιαρὸς τὸν τρόπον· ὁ δὲ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων βασιλεὺς ὑποστρέψας ἀπὸ τῆς μάχης μεταπέμπεται τὸν Ἰώαζον πρὸς αὑτὸν εἰς Ἀμαθὰ καλουμένην πόλιν, ἥτις ἐστὶ τῆς Συρίας, καὶ τὸν μὲν ἐλθόντα ἔδησε, τῷ δὲ πρεσβυτέρῳ αὐτοῦ ἀδελφῷ ὁμοπατρίῳ ὄντι Ἐλιακείμῳ τοὔνομα τὴν βασιλείαν παραδίδωσι μετονομάσας αὐτὸν Ἰωάκειμον· τῇ δὲ χώρᾳ ἐπέταξεν ἑκατὸν ἀργυρίου τάλαντα, ἓν δὲ χρυσίου. καὶ τοῦτο μὲν ἐτέλει ὁ Ἰωάκειμος τὸ πλῆθος τῶν χρημάτων, τὸν δὲ Ἰώαζον ἀπήγαγεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον, ὃς καὶ ἐτελεύτησεν ἐν αὐτῇ βασιλεύσας μῆνας τρεῖς ἡμέρας δέκα. ἡ δὲ τοῦ Ἰωακείμου μήτηρ ἐκαλεῖτο Ζαβουδᾶ, ἐκ πόλεως δʼ ἦν Ἀβουμᾶς. ἐτύγχανε δʼ ὢν τὴν φύσιν ἄδικος καὶ κακοῦργος καὶ μήτε πρὸς θεὸν ὅσιος μήτε πρὸς ἀνθρώπους ἐπιεικής. [¶1] 84. NOW in the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim, one whose name was Nebuchadnezzar took the government over the Babylonians, who at the same time went up with a great army to the city Carchemish, which was at Euphrates, upon a resolution he had taken to fight with Neco king of Egypt, under whom all Syria then was. And when Neco understood the intention of the king of Babylon, and that this expedition was made against him, he did not despise his attempt, but made haste with a great band of men to Euphrates to defend himself from Nebuchadnezzar; and when they had joined battle, he was beaten, and lost many ten thousands [of his soldiers] in the battle. So the king of Babylon passed over Euphrates, and took all Syria, as far as Pelusium, excepting Judea. But when Nebuchadnezzar had already reigned four years, which was the eighth of Jehoiakim’s government over the Hebrews, the king of Babylon made an expedition with mighty forces against the Jews, and required tribute of Jehoiakim, and threatened upon his refusal to make war against him. He was aftrighted at his threatening, and bought his peace with money, and brought the tribute he was ordered to bring for three years. > Greek: 84. Ἔτος δʼ αὐτοῦ τῆς βασιλείας τέταρτον ἤδη ἔχοντος τὴν Βαβυλωνίων ἀρχὴν παραλαμβάνει Ναβουχοδονόσορος ὄνομα, ὃς ὑπὸ τὸν αὐτὸν καιρὸν μετὰ μεγάλης παρασκευῆς ἐπὶ Καρχάμισσαν ἀναβαίνει πόλιν, ἔστι δʼ αὕτη πρὸς τῷ Εὐφράτῃ ποταμῷ, διεγνωκὼς πολεμεῖν τῷ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων Νεχαῦ· ὑπὸ τούτῳ γὰρ ἦν ἅπασα ἡ Συρία. μαθὼν δὲ τὴν τοῦ Βαβυλωνίου προαίρεσιν καὶ τὴν ἐπʼ αὐτὸν στρατείαν ὁ Νεχαῦς οὐδὲ αὐτὸς ὠλιγώρησεν, ἀλλὰ σὺν πολλῇ χειρὶ τὸν Ναβουχοδονόσορον ἀμυνούμενος ὥρμησεν ἐπὶ τὸν Εὐφράτην. συμβολῆς δὲ γενομένης ἡττήθη καὶ πολλὰς ἀπέβαλε μυριάδας ἐν τῇ μάχῃ. διαβὰς δὲ τὸν Εὐφράτην ὁ Βαβυλώνιος τὴν ἄχρι Πηλουσίου παραλαμβάνει Συρίαν πάρεξ τῆς Ἰουδαίας. τέσσαρα δʼ ἔτη βασιλεύοντος ἤδη τοῦ Ναβουχοδονοσόρου ὄγδοον ἦν τῷ Ἰωακείμῳ τῷ τῶν Ἑβραίων ἔχοντι τὴν ἀρχήν, καὶ στρατεύει μετὰ πολλῆς δυνάμεως ἐπὶ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους ὁ Βαβυλώνιος φόρους αἰτῶν τὸν Ἰωάκειμον ἢ πολεμήσειν ἀπειλῶν. ὁ δὲ δείσας τὴν ἀπειλὴν καὶ τὴν εἰρήνην ἀντικαταλλαξάμενος τῶν χρημάτων ἤνεγκεν αὐτῷ φόρους οὓς ἔταξεν ἐπὶ ἔτη τρία. [¶2] 88. But on the third year, upon hearing that the king of the Babylonians made an expedition against the Egyptians, he did not pay his tribute; yet was he disappointed of his hope, for the Egyptians durst not fight at this time. And indeed the prophet Jeremiah foretold every day, how vainly they relied on their hopes from Egypt, and how the city would be overthrown by the king of Babylon, and Jehoiakim the king would be subdued by him. But what he thus spake proved to be of no advantage to them, because there were none that should escape; for both the multitude and the rulers, when they heard him, had no concern about what they heard; but being displeased at what was said, as if the prophet were a diviner against the king, they accused Jeremiah, and bringing him before the court, they required that a sentence and a punishment might be given against him. Now all the rest gave their votes for his condemnation, but the elders refused, who prudently sent away the prophet from the court of [the prison], and persuaded the rest to do Jeremiah no harm; for they said that he was not the only person who foretold what would come to the city, but that Micah signified the same before him, as well as many others, none of which suffered any thing of the kings that then reigned, but were honored as the prophets of God. So they mollified the multitude with these words, and delivered Jeremiah from the punishment to which he was condemned. Now when this prophet had written all his prophecies, and the people were fasting, and assembled at the temple, on the ninth month of the fifth year of Jehoiakim, he read the book he had composed of his predictions of what was to befall the city, and the temple, and the multitude. And when the rulers heard of it, they took the book from him, and bid him and Baruch the scribe to go their ways, lest they should be discovered by one or other; but they carried the book, and gave it to the king; so he gave order, in the presence of his friends, that his scribe should take it, and read it. When the king heard what it contained, he was angry, and tore it, and cast it into the fire, where it was consumed. He also commanded that they should seek for Jeremiah, and Baruch the scribe, and bring them to him, that they might be punished. However, they escaped his anger. > Greek: 88. Τῷ δὲ τρίτῳ στρατεύειν τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους ἀκούσας ἐπὶ τὸν Βαβυλώνιον καὶ τοὺς φόρους αὐτῷ μὴ δοὺς διεψεύσθη τῆς ἐλπίδος· οἱ γὰρ Αἰγύπτιοι ποιήσασθαι τὴν στρατείαν οὐκ ἐθάρρησαν. ταῦτα δὲ ὁ προφήτης Ἱερεμίας κατὰ πᾶσαν ἡμέραν προύλεγεν, ὡς μάτην ταῖς παρὰ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ἐλπίσι προσανέχουσι, καὶ ὡς δεῖ τὴν πόλιν ὑπὸ τοῦ Βαβυλωνίων βασιλέως ἀνάστατον γενέσθαι, καὶ Ἰωακείμῳ τῷ βασιλεῖ χειρωθῆναι ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ. ἀλλὰ ταῦτʼ οὐδὲν χρήσιμον οὐκ ὄντων τῶν σωθησομένων ἐλέγετο· καὶ γὰρ τὸ πλῆθος καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες ἀκούοντες παρημέλουν, καὶ πρὸς ὀργὴν λαμβάνοντες τὰ λεγόμενα ὡς οἰωνιζομένου κατὰ τοῦ βασιλέως τοῦ προφήτου τὸν Ἱερεμίαν ᾐτιῶντο, καὶ ὑπάγοντες δίκῃ καταψηφισθῆναι πρὸς τιμωρίαν ἠξίουν. καὶ οἱ μὲν ἄλλοι πάντες ἤνεγκαν τὰς ψήφους κατʼ αὐτοῦ οἳ καὶ ἀπέγνωσαν τῶν πρεσβυτέρων, οἱ δὲ σοφῆς ὄντες διανοίας ἀπέλυσαν τὸν προφήτην ἀπὸ τῆς αὐλῆς καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις συνεβούλευσαν μηδὲν διαθεῖναι κακὸν τὸν Ἱερεμίαν. ἔλεγον γὰρ οὐ μόνον τοῦτον προλέγειν τῇ πόλει τὰ μέλλοντα, ἀλλὰ καὶ Μιχαίαν πρὸ αὐτοῦ ταῦτα κατηγγελκέναι καὶ πολλοὺς ἄλλους, ὧν οὐδεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν τότε βασιλέων οὐδὲν ἔπαθεν, ἀλλʼ ὡς προφήτης τοῦ θεοῦ τιμῆς ἔτυχε. τούτοις καταπραΰναντες τὸ πλῆθος τοῖς λόγοις ἐρρύσαντο τῆς κατεψηφισμένης αὐτοῦ κολάσεως τὸν Ἱερεμίαν, ὃς ἁπάσας αὑτοῦ τὰς προφητείας συγγραψάμενος νηστεύοντος τοῦ δήμου καὶ ἐκκλησιάζοντος ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ μηνὶ ἐνάτῳ τοῦ πέμπτου ἔτους τῆς Ἰωακείμου βασιλείας ἀνέγνω τὴν βίβλον, ἣν περὶ τῶν μελλόντων συμβήσεσθαι τῇ πόλει καὶ τῷ ναῷ καὶ τοῖς ὄχλοις ἦν συντεταχώς. ἀκούσαντες δʼ οἱ ἡγεμόνες λαμβάνουσι παρʼ αὐτοῦ τὸ βιβλίον καὶ κελεύουσιν αὐτόν τε καὶ τὸν γραμματέα Βαροῦχον ἐκποδὼν αὑτοὺς ποιῆσαι, μή τισι δῆλοι γένωνται, τὸ δὲ βιβλίον αὐτοὶ φέροντες τῷ βασιλεῖ διδόασιν. ὁ δὲ παρόντων αὐτῷ τῶν φίλων ἐκέλευσε τὸν αὑτοῦ γραμματέα λαβόντα ἀναγνῶναι. ἀκούσας δὲ τῶν ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ καὶ ὀργισθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς διέρρηξέ τε καὶ βαλὼν εἰς πῦρ ἠφάνισε, ζητηθέντας δὲ τόν τε Ἱερεμίαν καὶ τὸν γραμματέα Βαροῦχον ἐκέλευσεν ἀχθῆναι πρὸς αὐτὸν κολασθησομένους. οὗτοι μὲν οὖν διαφεύγουσιν αὐτοῦ τὴν ὀργήν. [¶3] 96. Now, a little time afterwards, the king of Babylon made an expedition against Jehoiakim, whom he received [into the city], and this out of fear of the foregoing predictions of this prophet, as supposing he should suffer nothing that was terrible, because he neither shut the gates, nor fought against him; yet when he was come into the city, he did not observe the covenants he had made, but he slew such as were in the flower of their age, and such as were of the greatest dignity, together with their king Jehoiakim, whom he commanded to be thrown before the walls, without any burial; and made his son Jehoiachin king of the country, and of the city: he also took the principal persons in dignity for captives, three thousand in number, and led them away to Babylon; among which was the prophet Ezekiel, who was then but young. And this was the end of king Jehoiakim, when he had lived thirty-six years, and of them reigned eleven. But Jehoiachin succeeded him in the kingdom, whose mother’s name was Nehushta; she was a citizen of Jerusalem. He reigned three months and ten days. > Greek: 96. Μετʼ οὐ πολὺν δὲ χρόνον στρατευόμενον ἐπʼ αὐτὸν τὸν τῶν Βαβυλωνίων βασιλέα δέχεται κατὰ δέος τῶν προειρημένων ὑπὸ τοῦ προφήτου τούτου, οὐδὲν νομίζων πείσεσθαι δεινὸν μηδὲ ἀποκλείσας μηδὲ πολεμήσας, ἀπελθὼν δʼ εἰς αὐτὸν ὁ Βαβυλώνιος οὐκ ἐφύλαξε τὰς πίστεις, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἀκμαιοτάτους καὶ κάλλει διαφέροντας τῶν Ἱεροσολυμιτῶν ἀπέκτεινε μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως Ἰωακείμου, ὃν ἄταφον ἐκέλευσε ῥιφῆναι πρὸ τῶν τειχῶν· τὸν δὲ υἱὸν αὐτοῦ Ἰωάκειμον κατέστησε βασιλέα τῆς χώρας καὶ τῆς πόλεως. τοὺς δʼ ἐν ἀξιώματι τρισχιλίους ὄντας τὸν ἀριθμὸν αὐτοῦ αἰχμαλώτους λαβὼν ἀπήγαγεν εἰς τὴν Βαβυλῶνα· ἐν δὲ τούτοις ἦν καὶ ὁ προφήτης Ἰεζεκίηλος παῖς ὤν. καὶ τέλος μὲν τοιοῦτον Ἰωάκειμον τὸν βασιλέα κατέσχε βιώσαντα μὲν ἓξ καὶ τριάκοντα ἔτη βασιλεύσαντα δὲ τούτων ἕνδεκα, ὁ δὲ διαδεξάμενος αὐτοῦ τὴν βασιλείαν Ἰωάκειμος, ἐκ μητρὸς μὲν Νοόστης ὄνομα πολίτιδος δέ, ἐβασίλευσε μῆνας τρεῖς ἡμέρας δέκα. [¶4] 99. BUT a terror seized on the king of Babylon, who had given the kingdom to Jehoiachin, and that immediately; he was afraid that he should bear him a grudge, because of his killing his father, and thereupon should make the country revolt from him; wherefore he sent an army, and besieged Jehoiachin in Jerusalem; but because he was of a gentle and just disposition, he did not desire to see the city endangered on his account, but he took his mother and kindred, and delivered them to the commanders sent by the king of Babylon, and accepted of their oaths, that neither should they suffer any harm, nor the city; which agreement they did not observe for a single year, for the king of Babylon did not keep it, but gave orders to his generals to take all that were in the city captives, both the youth and the handicraftsmen, and bring them bound to him; their number was ten thousand eight hundred and thirty-two; as also Jehoiachin, and his mother and friends. And when these were brought to him, he kept them in custody, and appointed Jehoiachin’s uncle, Zedekiah, to be king; and made him take an oath, that he would certainly keep the kingdom for him, and make no innovation, nor have any league of friendship with the Egyptians. > Greek: 99. Τὸν δὲ τῶν Βαβυλωνίων βασιλέα δόντα τὴν βασιλείαν Ἰωακείμῳ παραχρῆμα ἔλαβε δέος· ἔδεισε γάρ, μὴ μνησικακήσας αὐτῷ τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς ἀναιρέσεως ἀποστήσῃ τὴν χώραν αὐτοῦ· πέμψας τοιγαροῦν δύναμιν ἐπολιόρκει τὸν Ἰωάκειμον ἐν τοῖς Ἱεροσολύμοις. ὁ δὲ φύσει χρηστὸς ὢν καὶ δίκαιος οὐκ ἠξίου τὴν πόλιν κινδυνεύουσαν διʼ αὐτὸν περιορᾶν, ἀλλʼ ἀπάρας τὴν μητέρα καὶ τοὺς συγγενεῖς παραδίδωσι τοῖς πεμφθεῖσιν ὑπὸ τοῦ Βαβυλωνίου στρατηγοῖς ὅρκους παρʼ αὐτῶν λαβὼν ὑπὲρ τοῦ μηδὲν μήτʼ αὐτοὺς παθεῖν μήτε τὴν πόλιν. οἷς οὐδʼ ἐνιαυτὸν ἡ πίστις ἔμεινεν· οὐ γὰρ ἐφύλαξεν αὐτὴν ὁ τῶν Βαβυλωνίων βασιλεύς, ἀλλὰ τοῖς στρατηγοῖς ἐπέστειλεν ἅπαντας τοὺς ἐν τῇ πόλει λαβόντας αἰχμαλώτους νέους τὴν ἡλικίαν καὶ τεχνίτας δεδεμένους ἄγειν πρὸς αὑτόν, ἦσαν δὲ οὗτοι πάντες εἰς μυρίους ὀκτακοσίους τριακονταδύο, καὶ τὸν Ἰωάκειμον μετὰ τῆς μητρὸς καὶ τῶν φίλων. τούτους δὴ κομισθέντας πρὸς αὑτὸν εἶχεν ἐν φυλακῇ· τὸν δὲ θεῖον τοῦ Ἰωακείμου Σαχχίαν ἀπέδειξε βασιλέα ὅρκους παρʼ αὐτοῦ λαβών, ἦ μὴν φυλάξειν αὐτῷ τὴν χώραν καὶ μηδὲν νεωτερίσειν μηδὲ τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις εὐνοήσειν. [¶5] 103. Now Zedekiah was twenty and one year’s old when he took the government; and had the same mother with his brother Jehoiakim, but was a despiser of justice and of his duty, for truly those of the same age with him were wicked about him, and the whole multitude did what unjust and insolent things they pleased; for which reason the prophet Jeremiah came often to him, and protested to him, and insisted, that he must leave off his impieties and transgressions, and take care of what was right, and neither give ear to the rulers, (among whom were wicked men,) nor give credit to their false prophets, who deluded them, as if the king of Babylon would make no more war against them, and as if the Egyptians would make war against him, and conquer him, since what they said was not true, and the events would not prove such [as they expected]. Now as to Zedekiah himself, while he heard the prophet speak, he believed him, and agreed to every thing as true, and supposed it was for his advantage; but then his friends perverted him, and dissuaded him from what the prophet advised, and obliged him to do what they pleased. Ezekiel also foretold in Babylon what calamities were coming upon the people, which when he heard, he sent accounts of them unto Jerusalem. But Zedekiah did not believe their prophecies, for the reason following: It happened that the two prophets agreed with one another in what they said as in all other things, that the city should be taken, and Zedekiah himself should be taken captive; but Ezekiel disagreed with him, and said that Zedekiah should not see Babylon, while Jeremiah said to him, that the king of Babylon should carry him away thither in bonds. And be- Now when Zedekiah had preserved the league of mutual assistance he had made with the Babylonians for eight years, he brake it, and revolted to the Egyptians, in hopes, by their assistance, of overcoming the Babylonians. > Greek: 103. Σαχχίας δʼ ἦν ἐτῶν μὲν εἴκοσι καὶ ἑνός, ὅτε τὴν ἀρχὴν παρέλαβεν, ὁμομήτριος μὲν Ἰωακείμου τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ, τῶν δὲ δικαίων καὶ τοῦ δέοντος ὑπερόπτης· καὶ γὰρ τὴν ἡλικίαν ἦσαν ἀσεβεῖς περὶ αὐτὸν καὶ ὁ πᾶς ὄχλος ἐπʼ ἐξουσίας ὕβριζεν ἃ ἤθελεν· διὸ καὶ ὁ προφήτης Ἱερεμίας πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐλθὼν πολλάκις ἐμαρτύρατο κελεύων τὰς μὲν ἄλλας ἀσεβείας καὶ παρανομίας καταλιπεῖν, προνοεῖν δὲ τοῦ δικαίου, καὶ μήτε τοῖς ἡγεμόσι τῷ εἶναι ἐν αὐτοῖς πονηροὺς προσανέχειν μήτε τοῖς ψευδοπροφήταις ἀπατῶσιν αὐτὸν πεπιστευκέναι, ὡς οὐκέτι πολεμήσει τὴν πόλιν ὁ Βαβυλώνιος καὶ ὡς Αἰγύπτιοι στρατεύσουσιν ἐπʼ αὐτὸν καὶ νικήσουσι· ταῦτα γὰρ οὐκ ἀληθῆ λέγειν οὐδʼ οὕτως ὀφείλοντα γενέσθαι. ὁ δὲ Σαχχίας ἐφʼ ὅσον μὲν ἤκουσε τοῦ προφήτου ταῦτα λέγοντος ἐπείθετο αὐτῷ καὶ συνῄδει πᾶσιν ὡς ἀληθεύουσι καὶ συμφέρον αὐτῷ πεπιστευκέναι· διέφθειρον δὲ πάλιν αὐτὸν οἱ φίλοι καὶ διῆγον ἀπὸ τῶν τοῦ προφήτου πρὸς ἅπερ ἤθελον. προεφήτευσε δὲ καὶ Ἰεζεκίηλος ἐν Βαβυλῶνι τὰς μελλούσας τῷ λαῷ συμφορὰς καὶ γράψας ταῦτα ἔπεμψεν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα. ταῖς δὲ προφητείαις αὐτῶν Σαχχίας ἠπίστησεν ἐκ τοιαύτης αἰτίας· τὰ μὲν ἄλλα πάντα συμφωνοῦντα εἰπεῖν συνέβη, ὡς ἥ τε πόλις ἁλώσεται καὶ Σαχχίας αὐτὸς αἰχμάλωτος ἔσται, διεφώνησε δὲ Ἰεζεκίηλος εἰπὼν οὐκ ὄψεσθαι Βαβυλῶνα τὸν Σαχχίαν τοῦ Ἱερεμίου φάσκοντος αὐτῷ, ὅτι δεδεμένον αὐτὸν ὁ Βαβυλώνιος ἄξει βασιλεύς. καὶ διὰ τὸ μὴ ταὐτὸν αὐτοὺς ἑκατέρους λέγειν καὶ περὶ ὧν συμφωνεῖν ἐδόκουν ὡς οὐδʼ ἐκεῖνα ἀληθῆ λέγουσι καταγνούς· καίτοι πάντʼ αὐτῷ κατὰ τὰς προφητείας ἀπήντησεν, ἅπερ εὐκαιρότερον δηλώσομεν. [¶6] 108. When the king of Babylon knew this, he made war against him: he laid his country waste, and took his fortified towns, and came to the city Jerusalem itself to besiege it. But when the king of Egypt heard what circumstances Zedekiah his ally was in, he took a great army with him, and came into Judea, as if he would raise the siege; upon which the king of Babylon departed from Jerusalem, and met the Egyptians, and joined battle with them, and beat them; and when he had put them to flight, he pursued them, and drove them out of all Syria. Now as soon as the king of Babylon was departed from Jerusalem, the false prophets deceived Zedekiah, and said that the king of Babylon would not any more make war against him or his people, nor remove them out of their own country into Babylon; and that those then in captivity would return, with all those vessels of the temple of which the king of Babylon had despoiled that temple. But Jeremiah came among them, and prophesied what contradicted those predictions, and what proved to be true, that they did ill, and deluded the king; that the Egyptians would be of no advantage to them, but that the king of Babylon would renew the war against Jerusalem, and besiege it again, and would destroy the people by famine, and carry away those that remained into captivity, and would take away what they had as spoils, and would carry off those riches that were in the temple; nay, that, besides this, he would burn it, and utterly overthrow the city, and that they should serve him and his posterity seventy years; that then the Persians and the Medes should put an end to their servitude, and overthrow the Babylonians; “and that we shall be dismissed, and return to this land, and rebuild the temple, and restore Jerusalem.” When Jeremiah said this, the greater part believed him; but the rulers, and those that were wicked, despised him, as one disordered in his senses. Now he had resolved to go elsewhere, to his own country, which was called Anathoth, and was twenty furlongs distant from Jerusalem; and as he was going, one of the rulers met him, and seized upon him, and accused him falsely, as though he were going as a deserter to the Babylonians; but Jeremiah said that he accused him falsely, and added, that he was only going to his own country; but the other would not believe him, but seized upon him, and led him away to the rulers, and laid an accusation against him, under whom he endured all sorts of torments and tortures, and was reserved to be punished; and this was the condition he was in for some time, while he suffered what I have already described unjustly. > Greek: 108. Τὴν συμμαχίαν δὲ τὴν πρὸς τοὺς Βαβυλωνίους ἐπʼ ἔτη ὀκτὼ κατασχὼν διέλυσε τὰς πρὸς αὐτοὺς πίστεις καὶ τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις προστίθεται καταλύσειν τοὺς Βαβυλωνίους ἐλπίσας, αἳ μετʼ ἐκείνων ἐγένοντο. μαθὼν δὲ τοῦτο ὁ τῶν Βαβυλωνίων βασιλεὺς ἐστράτευσεν ἐπʼ αὐτὸν καὶ τὴν χώραν κακώσας αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ φρούρια λαβὼν ἐπʼ αὐτὴν ἧκε τὴν τῶν Ἱεροσολυμιτῶν πόλιν πολιορκήσων αὐτήν. ὁ δʼ Αἰγύπτιος ἀκούσας ἐν οἷς ἐστιν ὁ σύμμαχος αὐτοῦ Σαχχίας ἀναλαβὼν πολλὴν δύναμιν ἧκεν εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν ὡς λύσων τὴν πολιορκίαν. ὁ δὲ Βαβυλώνιος ἀφίσταται τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων, ἀπαντήσας δὲ τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις καὶ συμβαλὼν αὐτοῖς τῇ μάχῃ νικᾷ καὶ τρεψάμενος αὐτοὺς εἰς φυγὴν ἐξ ὅλης διώκει τῆς Συρίας. ὡς δʼ ἀνεχώρησεν ὁ τῶν Βαβυλωνίων βασιλεὺς ἀπὸ τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων, ἐξηπάτησαν οἱ ψευδοπροφῆται τὸν Σαχχίαν λέγοντες οὔτε τὸν Βαβυλώνιον ἔτι αὐτὸν πολεμήσειν καὶ τοὺς ὁμοφύλους, οὓς ἀναστήσειεν ἐκ τῆς οἰκείας εἰς τὴν Βαβυλῶνα, μετὰ πάντων ἀνήξειν τῶν τοῦ ναοῦ σκευῶν, ὧν ἐσύλησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκ τοῦ νεώ. τἀναντία δὲ τούτων καὶ ἀληθῆ προελθὼν Ἱερεμίας προεφήτευσεν, ὡς ποιοῦσι μὲν κακῶς καὶ ἐξαπατῶσι τὸν βασιλέα, παρὰ δὲ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων οὐδὲν αὐτοῖς ἐστιν ὄφελος, ἀλλὰ νικήσας αὐτοὺς ὁ Βαβυλώνιος ἐπιστρατεύσειν εἰς τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα μέλλει, καὶ πολιορκήσει τε καὶ τῷ λιμῷ διαφθερεῖ τὸν δῆμον, καὶ τοὺς περιλειφθέντας αἰχμαλώτους ἄξει, καὶ τὰς οὐσίας διαρπάσει, καὶ τὸν ἐν τῷ ναῷ πλοῦτον ἐκφορήσας ἔτι καὶ αὐτὸν ἐμπρήσει καὶ κατασκάψει τὴν πόλιν, καὶ δουλεύσομεν αὐτῷ καὶ τοῖς ἐγγόνοις αὐτοῦ ἐπʼ ἔτη ἑβδομήκοντα. παύσουσι δʼ ἡμᾶς τότε τῆς ὑπʼ αὐτοῖς δουλείας Πέρσαι τε καὶ Μῆδοι καταλύσαντες Βαβυλωνίους, ἀφʼ ὧν εἰς τήνδε ἀπολυθέντες οἰκοδομήσομεν τὸν ναὸν πάλιν καὶ τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα καταστήσομεν. ταῦτα λέγων ὁ Ἱερεμίας ὑπὸ μὲν τῶν πλειόνων ἐπιστεύετο, οἱ δὲ ἡγεμόνες καὶ οἱ ἀσεβεῖς ὡς ἐξεστηκότα τῶν φρενῶν αὐτὸν οὕτως ἐξεφαύλιζον. δόξαν δὲ αὐτῷ που καὶ εἰς τὴν πατρίδα παραγενέσθαι λεγομένην Ἀναθὼθ σταδίους δʼ ἀπέχουσαν τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων εἴκοσι, συντυχὼν κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν τῶν ἀρχόντων τις συλλαβὼν κατέσχε συκοφαντῶν ὡς πρὸς τοὺς Βαβυλωνίους αὐτομολοῦντα. ὁ δὲ ψευδῆ μὲν ἐκεῖνον ἔλεγεν αἰτίαν ἐπιφέρειν αὐτῷ, βαδίζειν δʼ αὑτὸν ἔφασκεν εἰς τὴν πατρίδα. ὁ δʼ οὐ πεισθεὶς ἀλλὰ λαβὼν αὐτὸν ἤγαγεν εἰς δίκην πρὸς τοὺς ἄρχοντας, ὑφʼ ὧν πᾶσαν αἰκίαν καὶ βασάνους ὑπομείνας ἐφυλάττετο πρὸς τιμωρίαν. καὶ χρόνον μέν τινα διῆγεν οὕτως ἀδίκως πάσχων τὰ προειρημένα. [¶7] 116. Now in the ninth year of the reign of Zedekiah, on the tenth day of the tenth month, the king of Babylon made a second expedition against Jerusalem, and lay before it eighteen months, and besieged it with the utmost application. There came upon them also two of the greatest calamities at the same time that Jerusalem was besieged, a famine and a pestilential distemper, and made great havoc of them. And though the prophet Jeremiah was in prison, he did not rest, but cried out, and proclaimed aloud, and exhorted the multitude to open their gates, and admit the king of Babylon, for that if they did so, they should be preserved, and their whole families; but if they did not so, they should be destroyed; and he foretold, that if any one staid in the city, he should certainly perish by one of these ways, - either be consumed by the famine, or slain by the enemy’s sword; but that if he would flee to the enemy, he should escape death. Yet did not these rulers who heard believe him, even when they were in the midst of their sore calamities; but they came to the king, and in their anger informed him what Jeremiah had said, and accused him, and complained of the prophet as of a madman, and one that disheartened their minds, and by the denunciation of miseries weakened the alacrity of the multitude, who were otherwise ready to expose themselves to dangers for him, and for their country, while he, in a way of threatening, warned them to flee to the enemy, and told them that the city should certainly be taken, and be utterly destroyed. > Greek: 116. Ἔτει δʼ ἐνάτῳ τῆς Σαχχίου βασιλείας καὶ ἡμέρᾳ δεκάτῃ τοῦ δεκάτου μηνὸς στρατεύει τὸ δεύτερον ὁ τῶν Βαβυλωνίων βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα καὶ προσκαθίσας αὐτῇ μῆνας ὀκτωκαίδεκα μετὰ πάσης πολιορκεῖ φιλοτιμίας. συνεπέθετο δὲ εἰς ταὐτὸ πολιορκουμένοις τοῖς Ἱεροσολύμοις δύο τὰ μέγιστα τῶν παθῶν, λιμὸς καὶ φθορὰ λοιμικὴ ἐνσκήψαντα σφοδρῶς. ἐν δὲ τῇ εἱρκτῇ τυγχάνων ὁ προφήτης Ἱερεμίας οὐχ ἡσύχαζεν, ἀλλʼ ἐκεκράγει καὶ ἐκήρυσσε παραινῶν τῷ πλήθει δέξασθαι τὸν Βαβυλώνιον ἀνοίξαντας τὰς πύλας· σωθήσεσθαι γὰρ αὐτοὺς πανοικὶ τοῦτο πράξαντας, εἰ δὲ μή, διαφθαρήσεσθαι. προύλεγεν δʼ ὡς εἰ μὲν ἐπιμένοι τις ἐν τῇ πόλει πάντως ἀπολεῖται θατέρῳ ἢ λιμῷ δαπανηθεὶς ἢ σιδήρῳ τῷ τῶν πολεμίων, εἰ δὲ φύγοι πρὸς τοὺς πολεμίους, διαδράσεται τὸν θάνατον. οὐδὲ ἐν αὐτοῖς δὲ ὄντες τοῖς δεινοῖς ἐπίστευον οἱ ταῦτʼ ἀκούοντες τῶν ἡγεμόνων, ἀλλὰ μετʼ ὀργῆς ἀπήγγελλον ἐλθόντες πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ κατηγοροῦντες κατῃτιῶντο κτεῖναι τὸν προφήτην ὡς μεμηνότα καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν προκατακλῶντα καὶ ταῖς τῶν χειρόνων καταγγελίαις τὸ πρόθυμον ἐκλύοντα τοῦ πλήθους· ἕτοιμον γὰρ εἶναι αὐτὸ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς πατρίδος κινδυνεῦσαι, ὁ δὲ παρῄνει πρὸς τοὺς πολεμίους φεύγειν ἁλώσεσθαι λέγων τὴν πόλιν καὶ πάντας ἀπολεῖσθαι. [¶8] 120. But for the king himself, he was not at all irritated against Jeremiah, such was his gentle and righteous disposition; yet, that he might not be engaged in a quarrel with those rulers at such a time, by opposing what they intended, he let them do with the prophet whatsoever they would; whereupon, when the king had granted them such a permission, they presently came into the prison, and took him, and let him down with a cord into a pit full of mire, that he might be suffocated, and die of himself. So he stood up to the neck in the mire which was all about him, and so continued; but there was one of the king’s servants, who was in esteem with him, an Ethiopian by descent, who told the king what a state the prophet was in, and said that his friends and his rulers had done evil in putting the prophet into the mire, and by that means contriving against him that he should suffer a death more bitter than that by his bonds only. When the king heard this, he repented of his having delivered up the prophet to the rulers, and bid the Ethiopian take thirty men of the king’s guards, and cords with them, and whatsoever else they understood to be necessary for the prophet’s preservation, and to draw him up immediately. So the Ethiopian took the men he was ordered to take, and drew up the prophet out of the mire, and left him at liberty [in the prison]. > Greek: 120. Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς αὐτὸς μὲν ὑπὸ χρηστότητος καὶ δικαιοσύνης οὐδὲν ἰδίᾳ παρωξύνθη, ἵνα δὲ μὴ τοῖς ἡγεμόσιν ἀπεχθάνηται παρὰ τοιοῦτον καιρὸν ἀντιπράττων αὐτῶν τῇ προαιρέσει, τὸν προφήτην ἐφῆκεν αὐτοῖς ποιεῖν ὅτι ἂν θέλωσιν. ὡς δὲ τοῦτο ἐφέντος αὐτοῖς τοῦ βασιλέως εὐθὺς εἰς τὴν εἱρκτὴν εἰσελθόντες καὶ παραλαβόντες αὐτὸν εἴς τινα λάκκον βορβόρου πλήρη καθίμησαν, ὅπως ἰδίῳ θανάτῳ πνιγεὶς ἀποθάνῃ. ὁ δὲ πρὸ τοῦ αὐχένος ὑπὸ τοῦ πηλοῦ περισχεθεὶς ἐν τούτοις ἦν. τῶν δʼ οἰκετῶν τις τοῦ βασιλέως ἐν τιμῇ τυγχάνων Αἰθίοψ τὸ γένος τὸ περὶ τὸν προφήτην πάθος ἀπήγγειλε τῷ βασιλεῖ φάσκων οὐκ ὀρθῶς ταῦτα τοὺς φίλους καὶ τοὺς ἡγεμόνας αὐτοῦ πεποιηκέναι καταποντίσαντας εἰς βόρβορον τὸν προφήτην καὶ τοῦ διὰ τῶν δεσμῶν θανάτου πικρότερον οὕτως ἐσόμενον ἐπινοήσαντας κατʼ αὐτοῦ. ταῦτʼ ἀκούσας ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ μετανοήσας ἐν τῷ παραδοῦναι τὸν προφήτην τοῖς ἡγεμόσιν ἐκέλευσε τὸν Αἰθίοπα τριάκοντα τῶν βασιλικῶν παραλαβόντα καὶ σχοίνους καὶ πᾶν ὃ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ προφήτου σωτηρίαν ἐπινοεῖν χρήσιμον μετὰ σπουδῆς ἀνελκύσαι τὸν Ἱερεμίαν. ὁ δʼ Αἰθίοψ παραλαβὼν οὓς ἐπετάγη ἀνέσπασεν ἐκ τοῦ βορβόρου τὸν προφήτην καὶ διαφῆκεν ἀφύλακτον. [¶9] 124. But when the king had sent to call him privately, and inquired what he could say to him from God, which might be suitable to his present circumstances, and desired him to inform him of it, Jeremiah replied, that he had somewhat to say; but he said withal, he should not be believed, nor, if he admonished them, should be hearkened to; “for,” said he, “thy friends have determined to destroy me, as though I had been guilty of some wickedness; and where are now those men who deceived us, and said that the king of Babylon would not come and fight against us any more? but I am afraid now to speak the truth, lest thou shouldst condemn me to die.” And when the king had assured him upon oath, that he would neither himself put him to death, nor deliver him up to the rulers, he became bold upon that assurance that was given him, and gave him this advice: That he should deliver the city up to the Babylonians; and he said that it was God who prophesied this by him, that [he must do so] if he would be preserved, and escape out of the danger he was in, and that then neither should the city fall to the ground, nor should the temple be burned; but that [if he disobeyed] he would be the cause of these miseries coming upon the citizens, and of the calamity that would befall his whole house. When the king heard this, he said that he would willingly do what he persuaded him to, and what he declared would be to his advantage, but that he was afraid of those of his own country that had fallen away to the Babylonians, lest he should be accused by them to the king of Babylon, and be punished. But the prophet encouraged him, and said he had no cause to fear such punishment, for that he should not have the experience of any misfortune, if he would deliver all up to the Babylonians, neither himself, nor his children, nor his wives, and that the temple should then continue unhurt. So when Jeremiah had said this, the king let him go, and charged him to betray what they had resolved on to none of the citizens, nor to tell any of these matters to any of the rulers, if they should have learned that he had been sent for, and should inquire of him what it was that he was sent for, and what he had said to him; but to pretend to them that he besought him that he might not be kept in bonds and in prison. And indeed he said so to them; for they came to the, prophet, and asked him what advice it was that he came to give the king relating to them. And thus I have finished what concerns this matter. > Greek: 124. Μεταπεμψαμένου δʼ αὐτὸν κρύφα τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τί δύναται φράζειν αὐτῷ παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ πρὸς τὰ παρόντα σημαίνειν ἐρομένου, ἔχειν μὲν ἔλεγεν, οὐ πιστευθήσεσθαι δʼ εἰπὼν οὐδὲ παραινέσας ἀκουσθήσεσθαι, ἀλλʼ ὡς δὴ μέγα κακόν τι εἰργασμένον ἀπολέσαι διέγνωσαν οἱ σοὶ φίλοι, φησί, καὶ ποῦ νῦν εἰσιν οἱ τὸν Βαβυλώνιον οὐκέθʼ ἡμῖν ἐπιστρατεύσειν φάσκοντες καὶ ἀπατῶντες ὑμᾶς; εὐλαβοῦμαι δὲ νῦν γε τὴν ἀλήθειαν εἰπεῖν, μή με κατακρίνῃς θανάτῳ. τοῦ δὲ βασιλέως ὅρκους αὐτῷ δόντος, ὡς οὔτε αὐτὸς αὐτὸν ἀναιρήσει οὔτε τοῖς ἡγεμόσιν ἐκδώσει, θαρσήσας τῇ δεδομένῃ πίστει συνεβούλευσεν αὐτῷ παραδοῦναι τὴν πόλιν τοῖς Βαβυλωνίοις· ταῦτα δὲ αὐτῷ τὸν θεὸν διʼ αὐτοῦ προφητεύειν ἔλεγεν, εἴ γε βούλεται σώζεσθαι καὶ τὸν ἐφεστῶτα κίνδυνον διαφυγεῖν καὶ μήτε τὴν πόλιν εἰς ἔδαφος πεσεῖν, μήτε τὸν ναὸν ἐμπρησθέντα γὰρ αὐτὸν τούτων παραίτιον ἔσεσθαι τῶν κακῶν τοῖς πολίταις καὶ αὑτῷ πανοικὶ τῆς συμφορᾶς. ὁ δὲ ταῦτʼ ἀκούσας βούλεσθαι μὲν αὐτὸς ἔφη ποιεῖν ἃ παραινεῖ καὶ λέγει συνοίσειν αὐτῷ γινόμενα, δεδιέναι δὲ τοὺς αὐτομολήσαντας τῶν ὁμοφύλων πρὸς τοὺς Βαβυλωνίους, μὴ διαβληθεὶς ὑπʼ αὐτῶν τῷ βασιλεῖ κολασθῇ. παρεθάρσυνε δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ προφήτης καὶ μάτην ὑπονοεῖν τὴν τιμωρίαν ἔλεγεν· οὐδενὸς γὰρ κακοῦ πειραθήσεσθαι παραδόντα τοῖς Βαβυλωνίοις οὔτʼ αὐτὸν οὔτε τὰ τέκνα οὔτε τὰς γυναῖκας, μενεῖν δὲ καὶ τὸν ναὸν ἀπαθῆ. καὶ τὸν μὲν Ἱερεμίαν ταῦτʼ εἰπόντα ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀπέλυσεν προστάξας αὐτῷ πρὸς μηδένα τῶν πολιτῶν ἐξενεγκεῖν τὰ δόξαντʼ αὐτοῖς, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ τοῖς ἡγεμόσιν, εἰ μαθόντες αὐτὸν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ μετάπεμπτον γεγονέναι πυνθάνονται τί κληθεὶς εἴποι πρὸς αὐτόν, φράζειν τι τούτων, ἀλλὰ σκήπτεσθαι πρὸς αὐτούς, ὅτι δεηθείη μὴ ἐν δεσμῷ τυγχάνειν καὶ φυλακῇ. καὶ δὴ τοῦτο πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἔλεγεν· ἐπυνθάνοντο γὰρ ἐλθόντες πρὸς τὸν προφήτην, τί περὶ αὐτῶν ἀφίκοιτο πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα σκήπτεσθαι. ταῦτα μὲν οὕτως ἐλέχθη. [¶10] 131. NOW the king of Babylon was very intent and earnest upon the siege of Jerusalem; and he erected towers upon great banks of earth, and from them repelled those that stood upon the walls; he also made a great number of such banks round about the whole city, whose height was equal to those walls. However, those that were within bore the siege with courage and alacrity, for they were not discouraged, either by the famine, or by the pestilential distemper, but were of cheerful minds in the prosecution of the war, although those miseries within oppressed them also, and they did not suffer themselves to be terrified, either by the contrivances of the enemy, or by their engines of war, but contrived still different engines to oppose all the other withal, till indeed there seemed to be an entire struggle between the Babylonians and the people of Jerusalem, which had the greater sagacity and skill; the former party supposing they should be thereby too hard for the other, for the destruction of the city; the latter placing their hopes of deliverance in nothing else but in persevering in such inventions in opposition to the other, as might demonstrate the enemy’s engines were useless to them. And this siege they endured for eighteen months, until they were destroyed by the famine, and by the darts which the enemy threw at them from the towers. > Greek: 131. Τῆς δὲ πολιορκίας τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων ὁ Βαβυλώνιος ἐντεταμένως σφόδρα καὶ προθύμως εἴχετο· πύργους τε γὰρ μεγάλων οἰκοδομήσας χωμάτων ἀπʼ αὐτῶν ἀνεῖργε τοὺς τοῖς τείχεσιν ἐφεστῶτας, καὶ πολλὰ περὶ τὸν κύκλον ὅλον ἤγειρε χώματα τοῖς τείχεσι τὸ ὕψος ἴσα. καρτερῶς δὲ καὶ προθύμως ἔφερον οἱ ἐντὸς τὴν πολιορκίαν· ἔκαμνον γὰρ οὔτε πρὸς τὸν λιμὸν οὔτε πρὸς τὴν νόσον τὴν λοιμικήν, ἀλλὰ καίπερ ἔνδον ὑπὸ τούτων ἐλαυνόμενοι τῶν παθῶν τὰς ψυχὰς ἔρρωντο πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον, μήτε πρὸς τὰς ἐπινοίας τῶν ἐχθρῶν καὶ τὰ μηχανήματα καταπληττόμενοι, ἀλλʼ ἀντιμηχανήματα πρὸς πάντα τὰ παρʼ ἐκείνων ἀντεπινοοῦντες· ὡς εἶναι τὸν ὅλον ἀγῶνα καὶ τοῖς Βαβυλωνίοις καὶ τοῖς Ἱεροσολυμίταις τῆς ὀξύτητος καὶ συνέσεως, τῶν μὲν πλέον ἐν ταύτῃ δυνηθῆναι τὴν ἀναίρεσιν οἰομένων εἶναι τῆς πόλεως, τῶν δὲ τὴν σωτηρίαν ἐν οὐκ ἄλλῳ τιθεμένων ἢ ἐν τῷ μὴ καμεῖν μηδʼ ἀπειπεῖν ἀντεφευρίσκοντας οἷς μάταια τὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἀπελεγχθήσεται μηχανήματα. καὶ ταῦθʼ ὑπέμειναν ἐπὶ μῆνας ὀκτωκαίδεκα ἕως οὗ διεφθάρησαν ὑπὸ τοῦ λιμοῦ καὶ τῶν βελῶν, ἅπερ ἀπὸ τῶν πύργων εἰς αὐτοὺς ἠκόντιζον οἱ πολέμιοι. [¶11] 135. Now the city was taken on the ninth day of the fourth month, in the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah. They were indeed only generals of the king of Babylon, to whom Nebuchadnezzar committed the care of the siege, for he abode himself in the city of Riblah. The names of these generals who ravaged and subdued Jerusalem, if any one desire to know them, were these: Nergal Sharezer, Samgar Nebo, Rabsaris, Sorsechim, and Rabmag. And when the city was taken about midnight, and the enemy’s generals were entered into the temple, and when Zedekiah was sensible of it, he took his wives, and his children, and his captains, and his friends, and with them fled out of the city, through the fortified ditch, and through the desert; and when certain of the deserters had informed the Babylonians of this, at break of day, they made haste to pursue after Zedekiah, and overtook him not far from Jericho, and encompassed him about. But for those friends and captains of Zedekiah who had fled out of the city with him, when they saw their enemies near them, they left him, and dispersed themselves, some one way, and some another, and every one resolved to save himself; so the enemy took Zedekiah alive, when he was deserted by all but a few, with his children and his wives, and brought him to the king. When he was come, Nebuchadnezzar began to call him a wicked wretch, and a covenant-breaker, and one that had forgotten his former words, when he promised to keep the country for him. He also reproached him for his ingratitude, that when he had received the kingdom from him, who had taken it from Jehoiachin, and given it to him, he had made use of the power he gave him against him that gave it; “but,” said he, “God is great, who hated that conduct of thine, and hath brought thee under us.” And when he had used these words to Zedekiah, he commanded his sons and his friends to be slain, while Zedekiah and the rest of the captains looked on; after which he put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him, and carried him to Babylon. And these things happened to him, as Jeremiah and Ezekiel had foretold to him, that he should be caught, and brought before the king of Babylon, and should speak to him face to face, and should see his eyes with his own eyes; and thus far did Jeremiah prophesy. But he was also made blind, and brought to Babylon, but did not see it, according to the prediction of Ezekiel. > Greek: 135. Ἡιρέθη δʼ ἡ πόλις ἑνδεκάτῳ ἔτει τῆς Σαχχίου βασιλείας τοῦ τετάρτου μηνὸς τῇ ἐνάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ. εἷλον δʼ οὖν οἱ ἡγεμόνες τῶν Βαβυλωνίων, οἷς ἐπίστευσε τὴν πολιορκίαν ὁ Ναβουχοδονόσορος· αὐτὸς γὰρ ἐν Ἀραβαθᾶ διέτριβε πόλει. τὰ δὲ τῶν ἡγεμόνων ὀνόματα, εἴ τις ἐπιζητήσειε γνῶναι, οἵτινες τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα πορθήσαντες ὑπέταξαν, ἦν Ῥεγάλσαρος, Ἀρέμαντος, Σεμέγαρος, Ναβώσαρις, Ἀχαράμψαρις. ἁλούσης δὲ τῆς πόλεως περὶ μέσην νύκτα καὶ τῶν ἡγεμόνων τῶν πολεμίων εἰσελθόντων εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν γνοὺς ὁ Σαχχίας ὁ βασιλεύς, παραλαβὼν τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ τέκνα καὶ τοὺς ἡγεμόνας καὶ τοὺς φίλους φεύγει μετʼ αὐτῶν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως διὰ τῆς καρτερᾶς φάραγγος καὶ διὰ τῆς ἐρήμου. φρασάντων δὲ τοῦτό τινων αὐτομόλων τοῖς Βαβυλωνίοις ὑπὸ τὸν ὄρθρον ὥρμησαν διώκειν αὐτόν, καταλαβόντες δὲ οὐκ ἄπωθεν Ἱεριχοῦντος ἐκυκλώσαντο αὐτόν· οἱ δὲ φίλοι καὶ οἱ ἡγεμόνες οἱ συμφυγόντες τῷ Σαχχίᾳ ἐπεὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἐγγὺς ὄντας εἶδον, καταλιπόντες αὐτὸν διεσπάρησαν ἄλλος ἀλλαχοῦ καὶ σώζειν ἑαυτὸν ἕκαστος ἔγνω. περιλειφθέντα τε αὐτὸν σὺν ὀλίγοις ζωγρήσαντες οἱ πολέμιοι μετὰ τῶν τέκνων καὶ τῶν γυναικῶν ἤγαγον πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα. παραγενόμενον δʼ αὐτὸν ὁ Ναβουχοδονόσαρος ἀσεβῆ καὶ παράσπονδον ἀποκαλεῖν ἤρξατο καὶ ἀμνήμονα τῶν πρόσω λόγων, οὓς ἐποιήσατο σώζειν αὐτῷ τὴν χώραν ὑποσχόμενος. ὠνείδιζε δὲ καὶ ἀχαριστίαν παρʼ αὐτοῦ μὲν λαβόντι τὴν βασιλείαν, Ἰωακείμου γὰρ αὐτὴν οὖσαν ἀφελόμενον ἐκείνῳ δοῦναι, χρησαμένῳ δὲ τῇ δυνάμει κατὰ τοῦ παρασχόντος· ἀλλὰ μέγας, εἶπεν, ὁ θεός, ὃς μισήσας σου τὸν τρόπον ὑποχείριον ἡμῖν ἔθηκε. χρησάμενος δὲ τούτοις πρὸς Σαχχίαν τοῖς λόγοις τοὺς υἱοὺς ἐκέλευσεν ἀνελεῖν καὶ τοὺς φίλους παραχρῆμα αὐτοῦ τε Σαχχίου καὶ τῶν ἄλλων αἰχμαλώτων βλεπόντων, ἔπειτα τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐκκόψας τοῦ Σαχχίου δήσας ἤγαγεν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα. καὶ ταῦτʼ αὐτῷ συνέβη, ἃ Ἱερεμίας τε καὶ Ἰεζεκίηλος προεφήτευσαν αὐτῷ, ὅτι συλληφθεὶς ἀχθήσεται πρὸς τὸν Βαβυλώνιον καὶ λαλήσει αὐτῷ κατὰ στόμα καὶ ὄψεται τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν Ἱερεμίας εἶπε, τυφλωθεὶς δὲ καὶ ἀχθεὶς εἰς Βαβυλῶνα ταύτην οὐκ εἶδε καθὼς Ἰεζεκίηλος προεῖπε. [¶12] 142. We have said thus much, because it was sufficient to show the nature of God to such as are ignorant of it, that it is various, and acts many different ways, and that all events happen after a regular manner, in their proper season, and that it foretells what must come to pass. It is also sufficient to show the ignorance and incredulity of men, whereby they are not permitted to foresee any thing that is future, and are, without any guard, exposed to calamities, so that it is impossible for them to avoid the experience of those calamities. > Greek: 142. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἱκανῶς ἐμφανίσαι δυνάμενα τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ φύσιν τοῖς ἀγνοοῦσιν εἰρήκαμεν, ὅτι ποικίλη τέ ἐστι καὶ πολύτροπος καὶ καθʼ ὥραν ἀπαντᾷ τεταγμένως, ἅ τε δεῖ γενέσθαι προλέγει, τήν τε τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἄγνοιαν καὶ ἀπιστίαν, ὑφʼ ἧς οὐδὲν προϊδεῖν εἰάθησαν τῶν ἀποβησομένων, ἀφύλακτοι δὲ ταῖς συμφοραῖς παρεδόθησαν, ὡς ἀμήχανον αὐτοῖς εἶναι τὴν ἐξ αὐτῶν πεῖραν διαφυγεῖν. [¶13] 143. And after this manner have the kings of David’s race ended their lives, being in number twenty-one, until the last king, who all together reigned five hundred and fourteen years, and six months, and ten days; of whom Saul, who was their first king, retained the government twenty years, though he was not of the same tribe with the rest. > Greek: 143. Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἐκ τοῦ Δαυίδου γένους βασιλεύσαντες οὕτως κατέστρεψαν τὸν βίον, εἴκοσι μὲν καὶ εἷς γενόμενοι μέχρι τοῦ τελευταίου βασιλέως, ἔτη δὲ πάντες βασιλεύσαντες πεντακόσια καὶ δεκατέσσαρα καὶ μῆνας ἓξ καὶ ἡμέρας δέκα, ἐξ ὧν εἴκοσι τὴν ἀρχὴν κατέσχεν ὁ πρῶτος αὐτῶν βασιλεὺς Σαοῦλος οὐκ ἐκ τῆς αὐτῆς φυλῆς ὑπάρχων. [¶14] 144. And now it was that the king of Babylon sent Nebuzaradan, the general of his army, to Jerusalem, to pillage the temple, who had it also in command to burn it and the royal palace, and to lay the city even with the ground, and to transplant the people into Babylon. Accordingly, he came to Jerusalem in the eleventh year of king Zedekiah, and pillaged the temple, and carried out the vessels of God, both gold and silver, and particularly that large laver which Solomon dedicated, as also the pillars of brass, and their chapiters, with the golden tables and the candlesticks; and when he had carried these off, he set fire to the temple in the fifth month, the first day of the month, in the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah, and in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar: he also burnt the palace, and overthrew the city. Now the temple was burnt four hundred and seventy years, six months, and ten days after it was built. It was then one thousand and sixty-two years, six months, and ten days from the departure out of Egypt; and from the deluge to the destruction of the temple, the whole interval was one thousand nine hundred and fifty-seven years, six months, and ten days; but from the generation of Adam, until this befell the temple, there were three thousand five hundred and thirteen years, six months, and ten days; so great was the number of years hereto belonging. And what actions were done during these years we have particularly related. But the general of the Babylonian king now overthrew the city to the very foundations, and removed all the people, and took for prisoners the high priest Seraiah, and Zephaniah the priest that was next to him, and the rulers that guarded the temple, who were three in number, and the eunuch who was over the armed men, and seven friends of Zedekiah, and his scribe, and sixty other rulers; all which, together with the vessels which they had pillaged, he carried to the king of Babylon to Riblah, a city of Syria. So the king commanded the heads of the high priest and of the rulers to be cut off there; but he himself led all the captives and Zedekiah to Babylon. He also led Josedek the high priest away bound. He was the son of Seraiah the high priest, whom the king of Babylon had slain in Riblah, a city of Syria, as we just now related. > Greek: 144. Ὁ δὲ Βαβυλώνιος πέμπει τὸν αὑτοῦ στρατηγὸν Ναβουζαρδάνην εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα συλήσοντα τὸν ναόν, προστάξας ἅμα καὶ καταπρῆσαι αὐτόν τε καὶ τὰ βασίλεια τήν τε πόλιν εἰς ἔδαφος καθελεῖν καὶ τὸν λαὸν εἰς τὴν Βαβυλωνίαν μεταστῆσαι. ὃς γενόμενος ἐν τοῖς Ἱεροσολύμοις ἑνδεκάτῳ ἔτει τῆς Σαχχίου βασιλείας συλᾷ τε τὸν ναὸν καὶ βαστάζει τὰ σκεύη τοῦ θεοῦ χρυσᾶ τε καὶ ἀργυρᾶ καὶ δὴ καὶ τὸν μέγαν λουτῆρα, ὃν Σολόμων ἀνέθηκεν, ἔτι γε μὴν τοὺς στύλους τοὺς χαλκοῦς καὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν τάς τε χρυσᾶς τραπέζας καὶ τὰς λυχνίας. βαστάσας δὴ ταῦτα ἀνῆψε τὸν ναὸν μηνὶ πέμπτῳ τῇ νουμηνίᾳ ἑνδεκάτῳ ἔτει τῆς Σαχχίου βασιλείας, ὀκτωκαιδεκάτῳ δὲ τῆς Ναβουχοδονοσόρου· ἐνέπρησε δὲ καὶ τὰ βασίλεια καὶ τὴν πόλιν κατέστρεψεν. ἐνεπρήσθη δὲ ὁ ναὸς μετὰ τετρακόσια ἔτη καὶ ἑβδομήκοντα καὶ μῆνας ἓξ καὶ δέκα ἡμέρας, ἀφʼ οὗ κατεσκευάσθη· τῇ δʼ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου μεταναστάσει τοῦ λαοῦ τότε ἦν ἔτη χίλια ἑξηκονταδύο μῆνες ἓξ ἡμέραι δέκα· τῷ δὲ κατακλυσμῷ μέχρι τῆς τοῦ ναοῦ πορθήσεως χρόνος ἦν ὁ πᾶς ἐτῶν χιλίων ἐνακοσίων πεντηκονταεπτὰ μηνῶν ἓξ ἡμερῶν δέκα· ἐξ οὗ δʼ ἐγεννήθη ὁ Ἄδαμος μέχρι τῶν περὶ τὸν ναὸν συμβάντων ἔτη ἐστὶ τετρακισχίλια πεντακόσια δεκατρία μῆνες ἓξ ἡμέραι δέκα. τοσοῦτον μὲν οὖν τὸ τούτων τῶν ἐτῶν πλῆθος· ὅσα γε μὴν ἐπράχθη καθʼ ἕκαστον τῶν συμβεβηκότων δεδηλώκαμεν. ὁ δὲ στρατηγὸς τοῦ Βαβυλωνίων βασιλέως κατασκάψας τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα καὶ τὸν λαὸν μεταναστήσας ἔλαβεν αἰχμαλώτους τὸν ἀρχιερέα Σεβαῖον καὶ τὸν μετʼ αὐτὸν ἱερέα Σεφενίαν καὶ τοὺς φυλάσσοντας τὸ ἱερὸν ἡγεμόνας, τρεῖς δὲ ἦσαν οὗτοι, καὶ τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν ὁπλιτῶν εὐνοῦχον καὶ τοὺς φίλους τοῦ Σαχχίου ἑπτὰ καὶ τὸν γραμματέα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἄλλους ἡγεμόνας ἑξήκοντα, οὓς ἅπαντας μεθʼ ὧν ἐσύλησε σκευῶν ἐκόμισε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα εἰς Σαλάβαθα πόλιν τῆς Συρίας. ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς τοῦ μὲν ἀρχιερέως καὶ τῶν ἡγεμόνων ἐκέλευσεν ἐκεῖ τὰς κεφαλὰς ἀποτεμεῖν, αὐτὸς δὲ πάντας τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους καὶ τὸν Σαχχίαν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα δέσμιον ἐπήγετο καὶ Ἰωσάδακον τὸν ἀρχιερέα ὄντα υἱὸν Σαραία τοῦ ἀρχιερέως, ὃν ἀπέκτεινεν ὁ Βαβυλώνιος ἐν Ἀριβαθᾶ πόλει τῆς Συρίας, ὡς καὶ πρότερον ἡμῖν δεδήλωται.