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present at his sacrifices when he pleased； and when he pleased to
be absent；〃 see the note on B。 II。 against Apion； sect。 16。
（22）These answers by the oracle of Urim and Thummim； which words
signify； light and perfection； or； as the Septuagint render them；
revelation and truth； and denote nothing further； that I see； but
the shining stones themselves； which were used； in this method of
illumination； in revealing the will of God； after a perfect and
true manner； to his people Israel： I say； these answers were not
made by the shining of the precious stones； after an awkward
manner； in the high priest's breastplate； as the modern Rabbins
vainly suppose； for certainly the shining of the stones might
precede or accompany the oracle； without itself delivering that
oracle； see Antiq。 B。 VI。 ch。 6。 sect。 4； but rather by an
audible voice from the mercy…seat between the cherubims。 See
Prideaux's Connect。 at the year 534。 This oracle had been silent；
as Josephus here informs us； two hundred years before he wrote
his Antiquities； or ever since the days of the last good high
priest of the family of the Maccabees； John Hyrcanus。 Now it is
here very well worth our observation； that the oracle before us
was that by which God appeared to he present with； and gave
directions to； his people Israel as their King； all the while
they submitted to him in that capacity； and did not set over them
such independent kings as governed according to their own wills
and political maxims； instead of Divine directions。 Accordingly
we meet with this oracle （besides angelic and prophetic
admonitions） all along from the days of Moses and Joshua to the
anointing of Saul； the first of the succession of the kings；
Numbers 27：21； Joshua 6：6； etc。； 19：50； Judges 1：1； 18：4…6； 30；
31； 20：18； 23； 26…28； 21：1； etc。； 1 Samuel 1：17； 18； 3。 per tot。；
4。 per tot。； nay； till Saul's rejection of the Divine commands in
the war with Amalek； when he took upon him to act as he thought
fit； 1 Samuel 14：3； 18； 19； 36； 37； then this oracle left Saul
entirely； （which indeed he had seldom consulted before； 1 Samuel
14：35； 1 Chronicles 10：14； 13：3； Antiq。 B。 7 ch。 4 sect 2。） and
accompanied David； who was anointed to succeed him； and who
consulted God by it frequently； and complied with its directions
constantly （1 Samuel 14：37； 41； 15：26； 22：13； 15； 23：9； 10； 30：7；
8； 18； 2 Samuel 2：1； 5：19； 23； 21：1； 23 ：14； 1 Chronicles 14：10；
14； Antiq。 B IV ch。 12 sect。 5）。 Saul； indeed； long after his
rejection by God； and when God had given him up to destruction
for his disobedience； did once afterwards endeavor to consult God
when it was too late； but God would not then answer him； neither
by dreams； nor by Urim； nor by prophets； 1 Samuel 28：6。 Nor did
any of David's successors； the kings of Judah； that we know of；
consult God by this oracle； till the very Babylonish captivity
itself； when those kings were at an end； they taking upon them； I
suppose； too much of despotic power and royalty； and too little
owning the God of Israel for the supreme King of Israel； though a
few of them consulted the prophets sometimes； and were answered
by them。 At the return of the two tribes； without the return of
the kingly government； the restoration of this oracle was
expected； Nehemiah 7；63； 1 Esd。 5：40； 1 Macc。 4：46； 14：41。 And
indeed it may seem to have been restored for some time after the
Babylonish captivity； at least in the days of that excellent high
priest； John Hyrcanus； whom Josephus esteemed as a king； a
priest； and a prophet； and who； he says； foretold several things
that came to pass accordingly； but about the time of his death；
he here implies； that this oracle quite ceased； and not before。
The following high priests now putting diadems on their heads；
and ruling according to their own will； and by their own
authority； like the other kings of the pagan countries about
them； so that while the God of Israel was allowed to be the
supreme King of Israel； and his directions to be their authentic
guides； God gave them such directions as their supreme King and
Governor； and they were properly under a theocracy； by this
oracle of Urim； but no longer （see Dr。 Bernard's notes here）；
though I confess I cannot but esteem the high priest Jaddus's
divine dream； Antiq。 B。 XI。 ch。 8。 sect。 4； and the high priest
Caiaphas's most remarkable prophecy； John 11：47…52； as two small
remains or specimens of this ancient oracle； which properly
belonged to the Jewish high priests： nor perhaps ought we
entirely to forget that eminent prophetic dream of our Josephus
himself； （one next to a high priest； as of the family of the
Asamoneans or Maccabees；） as to the succession of Vespasian and
Titus to the Roman empire； and that in the days of Nero； and
before either Galba； Otho； or Vitellius were thought of to
succeed him。 Of the War； B。 III。 ch。 8。 sect。 9。 This； I think；
may well be looked on as the very last instance of any thing like
the prophetic Urim among the Jewish nation； and just preceded
their fatal desolation： but how it could possibly come to pass
that such great men as Sir John Marsham and Dr。 Spenser； should
imagine that this oracle of Urim and Thummim with other practices
as old or older than the law of Moses； should have been ordained
in imitation of somewhat like them among the Egyptians； which we
never hear of till the days of Diodorus Siculus； Aelian； and
Maimonides； or little earlier than the Christian era at the
highest； is almost unaccountable； while the main business of the
law of Moses was evidently to preserve the Israelites from the
idolatrous and superstitious practices of the neighboring pagan
nations； and while it is so undeniable； that the evidence for the
great antiquity of Moses's law is incomparably beyond that for
the like or greater antiquity of such customs in Egypt or other
nations； which indeed is generally none at all； it is most absurd
to derive any of Moses's laws from the imitation of those heathen
practices； Such hypotheses demonstrate to us how far inclination
can prevail over evidence； in even some of the most learned part
of mankind。
（23） What Reland well observes here； out of Josephus； as compared
with the law of Moses； Leviticus 7：15； （that the eating of the
sacrifice the same day it was offered； seems to mean only before
the morning of the next； although the latter part； i。e。 the
night； be in strictness part of the next day； according to the
Jewish reckoning；） is greatly to be observed upon other occasions
also。 The Jewish maxim in such cases； it seems； is this： That the
day goes before the night； and this appears to me to be the
language both of the Old and New Testament。 See also the note on
Antiq。 B。 IV。 ch。 4。 sect。 4； and Reland's note on B。 IV。 ch。 8。
sect。 28。
（24） We may here note； that Josephus frequently calls the camp
the city； and the court of the Mosaic tabernacle a temple； and
the tabernacle itself a holy house； with allusion to the latter
city； temple； and holy house； which he knew so well long
afterwards。
（25） These words of Josephus are remarkable； that the lawgiver of
the Jews required of the priests a double degree of parity； in
comparison of t