the antiquities of the jews-1-第60章

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detestation；　and　do　you　avoid　any　conversation　with　them　who　have
deprived　themselves　of　their　manhood；　and　of　that　fruit　of
generation　which　God　has　given　to　men　for　the　increase　of　their
kind：　let　such　be　driven　away；　as　if　they　had　killed　their
children；　since　they　beforehand　have　lost　what　should　procure
them；　for　evident　it　is；　that　while　their　soul　is　become
effeminate；　they　have　withal　transfused　that　effeminacy　to　their
body　also。　In　like　manner　do　you　treat　all　that　is　of　a　monstrous
nature　when　it　is　looked　on；　nor　is　it　lawful　to　geld　men　or　any
other　animals。　（32）

41。　Let　this　be　the　constitution　of　your　political　laws　in　time
of　peace；　and　God　will　be　so　merciful　as　to　preserve　this
excellent　settlement　free　from　disturbance：　and　may　that　time
never　come　which　may　innovate　any　thing；　and　change　it　for　the
contrary。　But　since　it　must　needs　happen　that　mankind　fall　into
troubles　and　dangers；　either　undesignedly　or　intentionally；　come
let　us　make　a　few　constitutions　concerning　them；　that　so　being
apprised　beforehand　what　ought　to　be　done；　you　may　have　salutary
counsels　ready　when　you　want　them；　and　may　not　then　be　obliged　to
go　to　seek　what　is　to　be　done；　and　so　be　unprovided；　and　fall
into　dangerous　circumstances。　May　you　be　a　laborious　people；　and
exercise　your　souls　in　virtuous　actions；　and　thereby　possess　and
inherit　the　land　without　wars；　while　neither　any　foreigners　make
war　upon　it；　and　so　afflict　you；　nor　any　internal　sedition　seize
upon　it；　whereby　you　may　do　things　that　are　contrary　to　your
fathers；　and　so　lose　the　laws　which　they　have　established。　And
may　you　continue　in　the　observation　of　those　laws　which　God　hath
approved　of；　and　hath　delivered　to　you。　Let　all　sort　of　warlike
operations；　whether　they　befall　you　now　in　your　own　time；　or
hereafter　in　the　times　of　your　posterity；　be　done　out　of　your　own
borders：　but　when　you　are　about　to　go　to　war；　send　embassages　and
heralds　to　those　who　are　your　voluntary　enemies；　for　it　is　a
right　thing　to　make　use　of　words　to　them　before　you　come　to　your
weapons　of　war；　and　assure　them　thereby；　that　although　you　have　a
numerous　army；　with　horses　and　weapons；　and；　above　these；　a　God
merciful　to　you；　and　ready　to　assist　you；　you　do　however　desire
them　not　to　compel　you　to　fight　against　them；　nor　to　take　from
them　what　they　have；　which　will　indeed　be　our　gain；　but　what　they
will　have　no　reason　to　wish　we　should　take　to　ourselves。　And　if
they　hearken　to　you；　it　will　be　proper　for　you　to　keep　peace　with
them；　but　if　they　trust　in　their　own　strength；　as　superior　to
yours；　and　will　not　do　you　justice；　lead　your　army　against　them；
making　use　of　God　as　your　supreme　Commander；　but　ordaining　for　a
lieutenant　under　him　one　that　is　of　the　greatest　courage　among
you；　for　these　different　commanders；　besides　their　being　an
obstacle　to　actions　that　are　to　be　done　on　the　sudden；　are　a
disadvantage　to　those　that　make　use　of　them。　Lead　an　army　pure；
and　of　chosen　men；　composed　of　all　such　as　have　extraordinary
strength　of　body　and　hardiness　of　soul；　but　do　you　send　away　the
timorous　part；　lest　they　run　away　in　the　time　of　action；　and　so
afford　an　advantage　to　your　enemies。　Do　you　also　give　leave　to
those　that　have　lately　built　them　houses；　and　have　not　yet　lived
in　them　a　year's　time；　and　to　those　that　have　planted　them
vineyards；　and　have　not　yet　been　partakers　of　their　fruits；　…　to
continue　in　their　own　country；　as　well　as　those　also　who　have
betrothed；　or　lately　married　them　wives；　lest　they　have　such　an
affection　for　these　things　that　they　he　too　sparing　of　their
lives；　and；　by　reserving　themselves　for　these　enjoyments；　they
become　voluntary　cowards；　on　account　of　their　wives。

42。　When　you　have　pitched　your　camp；　take　care　that　you　do
nothing　that　is　cruel。　And　when　you　are　engaged　in　a　siege；　and
want　timber　for　the　making　of　warlike　engines；　do　not　you　render
the　land　naked　by　cutting　down　trees　that　bear　fruit；　but　spare
them；　as　considering　that　they　were　made　for　the　benefit　of　men；
and　that　if　they　could　speak；　they　would　have　a　just　plea　against
you；　because；　though　they　are　not　occasions　of　the　war；　they　are
unjustly　treated；　and　suffer　in　it；　and　would；　if　they　were　able；
remove　themselves　into　another　land。　When　you　have　beaten　your
enemies　in　battle；　slay　those　that　have　fought　against　you；　but
preserve　the　others　alive；　that　they　may　pay　you　tribute；
excepting　the　nation　of　the　Canaanites；　for　as　to　that　people；
you　must　entirely　destroy　them。

43；　Take　care；　especially　in　your　battles；　that　no　woman　use　the
habit　of　a　man；　nor　man　the　garment　of　a　woman。

44。　This　was　the　form　of　political　government　which　was　left　us
by　Moses。　Moreover；　he　had　already　delivered　laws　in　writing　（33）
in　the　fortieth　year　＇after　they　came　out　of　Egypt＇；　concerning
which　we　will　discourse　in　another　book。　But　now　on　the　following
days　（for　he　called　them　to　assemble　continually）　he　delivered
blessings　to　them；　and　curses　upon　those　that　should　not　live
according　to　the　laws；　but　should　transgress　the　duties　that　were
determined　for　them　to　observe。　After　this；　he　read　to　them　a
poetic　song；　which　was　composed　in　hexameter　verse；　and　left　it
to　them　in　the　holy　book：　it　contained　a　prediction　of　what　was
to　come　to　pass　afterward；　agreeably　whereto　all　things　have
happened　all　along；　and　do　still　happen　to　us；　and　wherein　he　has
not　at　all　deviated　from　the　truth。　Accordingly；　he　delivered
these　books　to　the　priest；　（34）　with　the　ark；　into　which　he　also
put　the　ten　commandments；　written　on　two　tables。　He　delivered　to
them　the　tabernacle　also；　and　exhorted　the　people；　that　when　they
had　conquered　the　land；　and　were　settled　in　it；　they　should　not
forget　the　injuries　of　the　Amalekites；　but　make　war　against　them；
and　inflict　punishment　upon　them　for　what　mischief　they　did　them
when　they　were　in　the　wilderness；　and　that　when　they　had　got
possession　of　the　land　of　the　Canaanites；　and　when　they　had
destroyed　the　whole　multitude　of　its　inhabitants；　as　they　ought
to　do；　they　should　erect　an　altar　that　should　face　the　rising
sun；　not　far　from　the　city　of　Shechem；　between　the　two　mountains；
that　of　Gerizzim；　situate　on　the　right　hand；　and　that　called
Ebal；　on　the　left；　and　that　the　army　should　be　so　divided；　that
six　tribes　should　stand　upon　each　of　the　two　mountains；　and　with
them　the　Levites　and　the　priests。　And　that　first；　those　that　were
upon　Mount　Gerizzim　should　pray　for　the　best　blessings　upon　those
who　were　diligent　about　the　worship　of　God；　and　the　observation
of　his　laws；　and　who　did　not　reject　what　Moses　had　said　to　them；
while　the　other　wished　them　all　manner　of　happiness　also；　and
when　these　last　put　up　the　like　prayers；　the　former　praised　them。
After　this；　curses　were　denounced　upon　those　that　should
transgress　those　laws；　they　；answering　one　another　alternately；
by　way　of　confirmation　of　what　had　been　said。　Moses　also　wrote
their　blessings　and　their　curses；　that　they　might　learn　them　so
thoroughly；　that　they　might　never　be　forgotten　by　length　of　time。
And　when　he　was　ready　to　die；　he　wrote　these　blessings　and　curses
upon　the　altar；　on　each　side　of　it；　where　he　says　also　the　people
stood；　and　then　sacrificed　and　offered　burnt…offerings；　though
after　that　day　they　never　offered　upon　it　any　other　sacrifice；
for　it　was　not　lawful　so　to　do。　These　are　the　constitutions　of
Moses；　and　the　Hebrew　nation　still　live　according　to　them。

45。　On　the　next　day；　Moses　called　the　people　together；　with　the
women　and　children；　to　a　congregation；　so　as　the　very　slaves　were
present　also；　that　they　might　engage　themselves　to　the
observation　of　these　laws　by　oath；　and　that；　duly　considering　the
meaning　of　God　in　them；　they　might　not；　either　for　favor　of　their
kindred；　or　out　of　fear　of　any　one；　or　indeed　for　any　motive
whatsoever；　think　any　thing　ought　to　be　preferred　to　these　laws；
and　so　might　transgress　them。　That　in　case　any　one　of　their　own
blood；　or　any　city；　should　attempt　to　confound　or　dissolve　their
constitution　of　government；　they　should　take　vengeance　upon　them；
both　all　in　general；　and　each　person　in　particular；　and　when　they
had　conquered　them；　should　overturn　their　city　to