the wars of the jews-第127章
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（3） This is an excellent reflection of Josephus； including his hopes of the restoration of the Jews upon their repentance； See Antiq。 B。 IV。 ch。 8。 sect。 46； which is the grand 〃Hope of Israel；〃 as Manasseh…ben…Israel； the famous Jewish Rabbi； styles it； in his small but remarkable treatise on that subject； of which the Jewish prophets are every where full。 See the principal of those prophecies collected together at the end of the Essay on the Revelation； p。 822； etc。
（4） This destruction of such a vast quantity of corn and other provisions； as was sufficient for many years。 was the direct occasion of that terrible famine； which consumed incredible numbers of Jews in Jerusalem during its siege。 Nor probably could the Romans have taken this city； after all； had not these seditious Jews been so infatuated as thus madly to destroy； what Josephus here justly styles； 〃The nerves of their power。〃
（5） This timber； we see； was designed for the rebuilding those twenty additional cubits of the holy house above the hundred； which had fallen down some years before。 See the note on Antiq。 B。 XV。 ch。 11。 sect。 3。
（6） There being no gate on the west； and only on the west； side of the court of the priests； and so no steps there； this was the only side that the seditious； under this John of Gischala； could bring their engines close to the cloisters of that court end…ways； though upon the floor of the court of Israel。 See the scheme of that temple； in the description of the temples hereto belonging。
（7） We may here note； that Titus is here called 〃a king；〃 and 〃Caesar；〃 by Josephus； even while he was no more than the emperor's son； and general of the Roman army； and his father Vespasian was still alive； just as the New Testament says 〃Archelaus reigned；〃 or 〃was king；〃 Matthew 2：22； though he was properly no more than ethnarch； as Josephus assures us； Antiq。 B。 XVII。 ch。 11。 sect。 4； Of the War； B。 II。 ch。 6。 sect。 3。 Thus also the Jews called the Roman emperors 〃kings；〃 though they never took that title to themselves：〃 We have no king but Caesar；〃 John 19：15。 〃Submit to the king as supreme；〃 1 Peter 2：13； 17； which is also the language of the Apostolical Constitutions； II。 II； 31； IV。 13； V。 19； VI。 2； 25； VII。 16； VIII。 2； 13； and elsewhere in the New Testament； Matthew 10：18； 17：25； 1 Timothy 2：2； and in Josephus also； though I suspect Josephus particularly esteemed Titus as joint king with his father ever since his divine dreams that declared them both such； B。 III。 ch。 8。 sect。 9。
（8） This situation of the Mount of Olives； on the east of Jerusalem； at about the distance of five or six furlongs； with the valley of Cedron interposed between that mountain and the city； are things well known both in the Old and New Testament； in Josephus elsewhere； and in all the descriptions of Palestine。
（9） Here we see the true occasion of those vast numbers of Jews that were in Jerusalem during this siege by Titus； and perished therein； that the siege began at the feast of the passover； when such prodigious multitudes of Jews and proselytes of the gate were come from all parts of Judea； and from other countries； in order to celebrate that great festival。 See the note B。 VI。 ch。 9。 sect。 3。 Tacitus himself informs us； that the number of men； women； and children in Jerusalem； when it was besieged by the Romans； as he had been informed。 This information must have been taken from the Romans： for Josephus never recounts the numbers of those that were besieged； only he lets us know； that of the vulgar； carried dead out of the gates； and buried at the public charges； was the like number of 600；000； ch。 viii。 sect。 7。 However； when Cestius Gallus came first to the siege； that sum in Tacitus is no way disagreeable to Josephus's history； though they were become much more numerous when Titus encompassed the city at the passover。 As to the number that perished during this siege； Josephus assures us； as we shall see hereafter； they were 1；100；000； besides 97；000 captives。 But Tacitus's history of the last part of this siege is not now extant； so we cannot compare his parallel numbers with those of Josephus。
（10） Perhaps； says Dr。 Hudson； here was that gate； called the 〃Gate of the Corner；〃 in 2 Chronicles 26：9。 See ch。 4。 sect。 2
（11） These dove…courts in Josephus； built by Herod the Great； are； in the opinion of Reland； the very same that are mentioned by the Talmudists； and named by them 〃Herod's dove courts。〃 Nor is there any reason to suppose otherwise； since in both accounts they were expressly tame pigeons which were kept in them。
（12） See the description of the temples hereto belonging； ch。 15。 But note； that what Josephus here says of the original scantiness of this Mount Moriah； that it was quite too little for the temple； and that at first it held only one cloister or court of Solomon's building； and that the foundations were forced to be added long afterwards by degrees； to render it capable of the cloisters for the other courts； etc。； is without all foundation in the Scriptures； and not at all confirmed by his exacter account in the Antiquities。 All that is or can be true here is this； that when the court of the Gentiles was long afterward to be encompassed with cloisters； the southern foundation for these cloisters was found not to be large or firm enough； and was raised； and that additional foundation supported by great pillars and arches under ground； which Josephus speaks of elsewhere； Antiq。 B。 XV。 ch。 11。 sect。 3； and which Mr。 Maundrel saw； and describes； p。 100； as extant under ground at this day。
（13） What Josephus seems here to mean is this： that these pillars； supporting the cloisters in the second court； had their foundations or lowest parts as deep as the floor of the first or lowest court； but that so far of those lowest parts as were equal to the elevation of the upper floor above the lowest were； and must be； hidden on the inside by the ground or rock itself； on which that upper court was built； so that forty cubits visible below were reduced to twenty…five visible above； and implies the difference of their heights to be fifteen cubits。 The main difficulty lies here； how fourteen or fifteen steps should give an ascent of fifteen cubits； half a cubit seeming sufficient for a single step。 Possibly there were fourteen or fifteen steps at the partition wall； and fourteen or fifteen more thence into the court itself； which would bring the whole near to the just proportion。 See sect。 3； infra。 But I determine nothing。
（14） These three guards that lay in the tower of Antonia must be those that guarded the city； the temple； and the tower of Antonia。
（15） What should be the meaning of this signal or watchword； when the watchmen saw a stone coming from the engine； 〃The Stone Cometh；〃 or what mistake there is in the reading； I cannot tell。 The MSS。； both Greek and Latin； all agree in this reading； and I cannot approve of any groundless conjectural alteration of the text from ro to lop； that not the son or a stone； but that the arrow or dart cometh； as hath been made by Dr。 Hudson； and not corrected by Havercamp。 Had Josephus written even his first edition of these books of the war in pure Hebrew； or had the Jews then used the pure Hebrew at Jerusalem； the Hebrew word for a son is so like that for a stone； ben and eben； that such a correction might have been more easily admitted。 But Josephus wrote his former edition for the use of the Jews beyond Euphrates； and so in the Chaldee language； as he did this second edition in the Greek language； and bar was the Chaldee word for son； instead of the Hebrew ben； and was used not only in Chaldea； etc。 but in Judea also； as the New Testament informs us。 Dio lets us know that the very Romans at Rome pronounced the name of Simon the son of Giora； Bar Poras for Bar Gioras； as we learn from Xiphiline； p。 217。 Reland takes notice； 〃that many will here look for a mystery； as though the meaning were； that the Son of God came now to take vengeance on the sins of the Jewish nation；〃 which is indeed the truth of the fact； but hardly what the Jews could now mean； unless possibly by way of derision of Christ's threatening so often made； that he would come at the head of the Roman army for their
