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 that required of the people； of which he gives
several instances immediately。 It was for certain the case also
among the first Christians； of the clergy； in comparison of the
laity； as the Apostolical Constitutions and Canons every where
inform us；
（26） We must here note with Reland； that the precept given to the
priests of not drinking wine while they wore the sacred garments；
is equivalent； to their abstinence from it all the while they
ministered in the temple； because they then always； and then
only； wore those sacred garments； which were laid up there from
one time of ministration to another。
（27） See Antiq； B。 XX。 ch。 2。 sect； 6。 and Acts 11：28。
BOOK 4 FOOTNOTES
（1） Reland here takes notice； that although our Bibles say little
or nothing of these riches of Corah； yet that both the Jews and
Mahommedans； as well as Josephus； are full of it。
（2） It appears here； and from the Samaritan Pentateuch； and； in
effect； from the psalmist； as also from the Apostolical
Constitutions； from Clement's First Epistle to the Corinthians；
from Ignatius's Epistle to the Magnesians； and from Eusebius；
that Corah was not swallowed up with the Reubenites； but burned
with the Levites of his own tribe。 See Essay on the Old
Testament； p。 64； 65。
（3） Concerning these twelve rods of the twelve tribes of Israel；
see St。 Clement's account； much larger than that in our Bibles； 1
Epist。 sect。 45； as is Josephus's present account in measure
larger also。
（4） Grotius； on Numbers 6：18； takes notice that the Greeks also；
aswell as the Jews； sometimes consecrated the hair of their heads
to the gods。
（5） Josephus here uses this phrase； 〃when the fortieth year was
completed；〃 for when it was begun； as does St。 Luke when the day
of Pentecost was completed；〃 Acts 2：1。
（6） Whether Miriam died； as Josephus's。 Greek copies imply； on
the first day of the month； may be doubted； because the Latin
copies say it was on the tenth； and so say the Jewish calendars
also； as Dr。 Bernard assures us。 It is said her sepulcher is
still extant near Petra； the old capital city of Arabia Petraea；
at this day； as also that of Aaron； not far off。
（7） What Josephus here remarks is well worth our remark in this
place also； viz。 that the Israelites were never to meddle with
the Moabites； or Ammonites； or any other people； but those
belonging to the land of Canaan； and the countries of Sihon and
Og beyond Jordan； as far as the desert and Euphrates； and that
therefore no other people had reason to fear the conquests of the
Israelites； but that those countries given them by God were their
proper and peculiar portion among the nations； and that all who
endeavored to dispossess them might ever be justly destroyed by
them。
（8） Note that Josephus never supposes Balaam to be an idolater；
nor to seek idolatrous enchantments； or to prophesy falsely； but
to be no other than an ill…disposed prophet of the true God； and
intimates that God's answer the second time； permitting him to
go； was ironical； and on design that he deceived （which sort of
deception； by way of punishment for former crimes； Josephus never
scruples to admit； as ever esteeming such wicked men justly and
providentially deceived）。 But perhaps we had better keep here
close to the text which says Numbers 23：20； 21； that God only
permitted Balaam to go along with the ambassadors； in case they
came and called him； or positively insisted on his going along
with them； on any terms； whereas Balaam seems out of impatience
to have risen up in the morning； and saddled his ass； and rather
to have called them； than staid for their calling him； so zealous
does he seem to have been for his reward of divination； his wages
of unrighteousness； Numbers 23：7； 17； 18； 37； 2 Peter 2：15； Jude
5； 11； which reward or wages the truly religious prophets of God
never required nor accepted； as our Josephus justly takes notice
in the cases of Samuel； Antiq。 B。 V。 ch。 4。 sect。 1； and Daniel；
Antiq。 B。 X。 ch。 11。 sect。 3。 See also Genesis 14：22； 23； 2 Kings
5：15； 16； 26； 27； and Acts 8；17…24。
（9） Whether Josephus had in his copy but two attempts of Balaam
in all to curse Israel； or whether by this his twice offering
sacrifice； he meant twice besides that first time already
mentioned； which yet is not very probable； cannot now be
certainly determined。 In the mean time； all other copies have
three such attempts of Balaam to curse them in the present
history。
（10） Such a large and distinct account of this perversion of the
Israelites by the Midianite women； of which our other copies give
us but short intimations； Numbers 31：16 2 Peter 2：15； Jude 11；
Revelation 2：14； is preserved； as Reland informs us； in the
Samaritan Chronicle； in Philo； and in other writings of the Jews；
as well as here by Josephus。
（11） This grand maxim； That God's people of Israel could never be
hurt nor destroyed； but by drawing them to sin against God；
appears to be true； by the entire history of that people； both in
the Bible and in Josephus； and is often taken notice of in them
both。 See in particular a most remarkable Ammonite testimony to
this purpose； Judith 5：5…21。
（12） What Josephus here puts into the mouths of these Midianite
women； who came to entice the Israelites to lewdness and
idolatry； viz。 that their worship of the God of Israel； in
opposition to their idol gods； implied their living according to
the holy laws which the true God had given them by Moses； in
opposition to those impure laws which were observed under their
false gods； well deserves our consideration； and gives us a
substantial reason for the great concern that was ever shown
under the law of Moses to preserve the Israelites from idolatry；
and in the worship of the true God； it being of no less
consequence than； Whether God's people should be governed by the
holy laws of the true God； or by the impure laws derived from
demons； under the pagan idolatry。
（13） The mistake in all Josephus's copies； Greek and Latin which
have here fourteen thousand instead of twenty…four thousand； is
so flagrant； that our very learned editors； Bernard and Hudson；
have put the latter number directly into the text。 I choose
rather to put it in brackets。
（14） The slaughter of all the Midianite women that had
prostituted themselves to the lewd Israelites； and the
preservation of those that had not been guilty therein； the last
of which were no fewer than thirty…two thousand； both here and
Numbers 31：15…17； 35； 40； 46； and both by the particular command
of God； are highly remarkable； and show that； even in nations
otherwise for their wickedness doomed to destruction； the
innocent were sometimes particularly and providentially taken
care of； and delivered from that destruction； which directly
implies； that it was the wickedness of the nations of Canaan； and
nothing else； that occasioned their excision。 See Genesis 15；16；
1 Samuel 15：18； 33； Apost。 Constit。 B。 VIII。 ch。 12。 p。 402。 In
the first of which places； the reason of the delay of the
punishment of the Amorit