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the antiquities of the jews-1-第378章

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the earliest intimation we have of the proper posture; used of
old; in solemn prayer; which was the stretching out of the hands
'and eyes' towards heaven; as other passages of the Old and New
Testament inform us。 Nay; by the way; this posture seemed to have
continued in the Christian church; till the clergy; instead of
learning their prayers by heart; read them out of a book; which
is in a great measure inconsistent with such an elevated posture;
and which seems to me to have been only a later practice;
introduced under the corrupt state of the church; though the
constant use of divine forms of prayer; praise; and thanksgiving;
appears to me to have been the practice of God's people;
patriarchs; Jews; and Christians; in all the past ages。

(8) This manner of electing the judges and officers of the
Israelites by the testimonies and suffrages of the people; before
they were ordained by God; or by Moses; deserves to be carefully
noted; because it was the pattern of the like manner of the
choice and ordination of bishops; presbyters; and deacons; in the
Christian church。

(9) Since this mountain; Sinai; is here said to be the highest of
all the mountains that are in that country; it must be that now
called St。 Katherine's; which is one…third higher than that
within a mile of it; now called Sinai; as Mons。 Thevenot informs
us; Travels; Part I。 ch。 23。 p。 168。 The other name of it; Horeb;
is never used by Josephus; and perhaps was its name among the
Egyptians only; whence the Israelites were lately come; as Sinai
was its name among the Arabians; Canaanites; and other nations。
Accordingly when (1 Kings 9:8) the Scripture says that Elijah
came to Horeb; the mount of God; Josephus justly says; Antiq。  B。
VIII。 ch。 13。 sect。 7; that he came to the mountain called Sinai:
and Jerome; here cited by Dr。 Hudson; says; that he took this
mountain to have two names; Sinai and Choreb。 De Nomin。 Heb。 p。
427。

(10) Of this and another like superstitious notion of the
Pharisees; which Josephus complied with; see the note on Antiq。
B。 II。 ch。 12。 sect。 4。

(11) This other work of Josephus; here referred to; seems to be
that which does not appear to have been ever published; which yet
he intended to publish; about the reasons of many of the laws of
Moses; of which see the note on the Preface; sect。 4。

(12) Of this tabernacle of Moses; with its several parts and
furniture; see my description at large; chap。 6。 7。 8。 9。 10。 11。
12。 hereto belonging。

(13) The use of these golden bells at the bottom of the high
priest's long garment; seems to me to have been this: That by
shaking his garment at the time of his offering incense in the
temple; on the great day of expiation; or at other proper periods
of his sacred ministrations there; on the great festivals; the
people might have notice of it; and might fall to their own
prayers at the time of incense; or other proper periods; and so
the whole congregation might at once offer those common prayers
jointly with the high priest himself to the Almighty See Luke
1:10; Revelation 8:3; 4。 Nor probably is the son of Sirach to be
otherwise understood; when he says of Aaron; the first high
priest; Ecelus。 45:9; 〃And God encompassed Aaron with
pomegranates; and with many golden bells round about; that as he
went there might be a sound; and a noise made that might be heard
in the temple; for a memorial to the children of his people。〃

(14) The reader ought to take notice here; that the very Mosaic
Petalon; or golden plate; for the forehead of the Jewish high
priest; was itself preserved; not only till the days of Josephus;
but of Origen; and that its inscription; Holiness to the Lord;
was in the Samaritan characters。 See Antiq。 B。 VIII。 ch。 3。 sect。
8; Essay on the Old Test。 p。 154; and Reland; De pol。 Templi; p。
132。

(15) When Josephus; both here and ch。 6。 sect。 4; supposes the
tabernacle to have been parted into three parts; he seems to
esteem the bare entrance to be a third division; distinct from
the holy and the most holy places; and this the rather; because
in the temple afterward there was a real distinct third part;
which was called the Porch: otherwise Josephus would contradict
his own description of the tabernacle; which gives as a
particular account of no more than two parts。

(16) This explication of the mystical meaning of the Jewish
tabernacle and its vessels; with the garments of the high priest;
is taken out of Philo; and fitted to Gentile philosophical
notions。 This may possibly be forgiven in Jews; greatly versed in
heathen learning and philosophy; as Philo had ever been; and as
Josephus had long been when he wrote these Antiquities。 In the
mean time; it is not to be doubted; but in their education they
must have both learned more Jewish interpretations; such as we
meet with in the Epistle of Barnabas; in that to the Hebrews; and
elsewhere among the old Jews。 Accordingly when Josephus wrote his
books of the Jewish War; for the use of the Jews; at which time
he was comparatively young; and less used to Gentile books; we
find one specimen of such a Jewish interpretation; for there (B。
VII。 ch。 5。 sect。 5) he makes the seven branches of the
temple…candlestick; with their seven lamps; an emblem of the
seven days of creation and rest; which are here emblems of the
seven planets。 Nor certainly ought ancient Jewish emblems to be
explained any other way than according to ancient Jewish; and not
Gentile; notions。 See of the War; B。 I。 ch。 33。 sect。 2。

(17) It is well worth our observation; that the two principal
qualifications required in this section for the constitution of
the first high priest; (viz。 that he should have an excellent
character for virtuous and good actions; as also that he should
have the approbation of the people;) are here noted by Josephus;
even where the nomination belonged to God himself; which are the
very same qualifications which the Christian religion requires in
the choice of Christian bishops; priests; and deacons; as the
Apostolical Constitutions inform us; B。 II。 ch。 3。

(18) This weight and value of the Jewish shekel; in the days of
Josephus; equal to about 2s。 10d。 sterling; is; by the learned
Jews; owned to be one…fifth larger than were their old shekels;
which determination agrees perfectly with the remaining shekels
that have Samaritan inscriptions; coined generally by Simon the
Maccabee; about 230 years before Josephus published his
Antiquities; which never weigh more than 2s。 4d。; and commonly
but 2s。 4d。 See Reland De Nummis Samaritanorum; p。 138。

(19) The incense was here offered; according to Josephus's
opinion; before sun…rising; and at sun…setting; but in the days
of Pompey; according to the same Josephus; the sacrifices were
offered in the morning; and at the ninth hour。 Antiq。 B。 XIV。 ch。
4。 sect。 3。

(20) Hence we may correct the opinions of the modern Rabbins; who
say that only one of the seven lamps burned in the day…time;
whereas our Josephus; an eyewitness; says there were three。

(21) Of this strange expression; that Moses 〃left it to God to be
present at his sacrifices when he pleased; and when he pleased to
be absent;〃 see t
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