Solomon are still extant in Fabricius's Cod。 Pseudepigr。 Vet。
Test。 page 1054； though I entirely differ from Josephus in this
his supposal； that such books and arts of Solomon were parts of
that wisdom which was imparted to him by God in his younger days；
they must rather have belonged to such profane but curious arts
as we find mentioned Acts 19：13…20； and had been derived from the
idolatry and superstition of his heathen wives and concubines in
his old age； when he had forsaken God； and God had forsaken him；
and given him up to demoniacal delusions。 Nor does Josephus's
strange account of the root Baara （Of the War； B。 VIII。 ch。 6。
sect。 3） seem to be other than that of its magical use in such
conjurations。 As for the following history； it confirms what
Christ says； Matthew 12；27 〃If I by Beelzebub cast out demons； by
whom do your Sons cast them out？〃
（5） These epistles of Solomon and Hiram are those in 1 Kings
5：3…9； and； as enlarged； in 2 Chronicles 2：3…16； but here given
us by Josephus in his own words。
（6） What Josephus here puts into his copy of Hiram's epistle to
Solomon； and repeats afterwards； ch。 5。 sect。 3； that Tyre was
now an island； is not in any of the three other copies； viz。 that
of the Kings； Chronicles； or Eusebius； nor is it any other； I
suppose； than his own conjectural paraphrase； for when I； many
years ago； inquired into this matter； I found the state of this
famous city； and of the island whereupon it stood； to have been
very different at different times。 The result of my inquiries in
this matter； with the addition of some later improvements； stands
thus： That the best testimonies hereto relating； imply； that
Paketyrus； or Oldest Tyre； was no other than that most ancient
smaller fort or city Tyre； situated on the continent； and
mentioned in Joshua 19：29； out of which the Canaanite or
Phoenician inhabitants were driven into a large island； that lay
not far off in the sea； by Joshua： that this island was then
joined to the continent at the present remains of Paketyrus； by a
neck of land over against Solomon's cisterns； still so called；
and the city's fresh water； probably； was carried along in pipes
by that neck of land； and that this island was therefore； in
strictness； no other than a peninsula； having villages in its
fields； Ezekiel 26：6； and a wall about it； Amos 1：10； and the
city was not of so great reputation as Sitlon for some ages： that
it was attacked both by sea and land by Salmanasser； as Josephus
informs us； Antiq。 B。 IX。 ch。 14。 sect。 2； and afterwards came to
be the metropolis of Phoenicia； and was afterwards taken and
destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar； according to the numerous Scripture
prophecies thereto relating； Isaiah 23。； Jeremiah 25：22； 27：3；
47：4； Ezekiel 26。； 27。； 28。： that seventy years after that
destruction by Nebuchadnezzar； this city was in some measure
revived and rebuilt； Isaiah 23：17； 18； but that； as the prophet
Ezekiel had foretold； chap。 26：3…5； 14； 27： 34； the sea arose
higher than before； till at last it over flowed； not only the
neck of land； but the main island or peninsula itself； and
destroyed that old and famous city for ever： that； however； there
still remained an adjoining smaller island； once connected to Old
Tyre itself by Hiram； which was afterwards inhabited； to which
Alexander the Great； with incredible pains； raised a new bank or
causeway： and that it plainly appears from Ifaundreh； a most
authentic eye…witness； that the old large and famous city； on the
original large island； is now laid so generally under water； that
scarce more than forty acres of it； or rather of that adjoining
small island remain at this day； so that； perhaps； not above a
hundredth part of the first island and city is now above water。
This was foretold in the same prophecies of Ezekiel； and
according to them； as Mr。 Maundrell distinctly observes； these
poor remains of Old Tyre are now 〃become like the top of a rock；
a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea。〃
（7） Of the temple of Solomon here described by Josephus； in this
and the following sections of this chapter； see my description of
the temples belonging to this work； ch。 13； These small rooms； or
side chambers； seem to have been； by Josephus's description； no
less than twenty cubits high a piece； otherwise there must have
been a large interval between one and the other that was over it；
and this with double floors； the one of six cubits distance from
the floor beneath it； as 1 Kings 6：5
（8） Josephus says here that the cherubims were of solid gold； and
only five cubits high； while our Hebrew copies （1 Kings 6；23； 28）
say they were of the olive tree； and the LXXX。 of the cypress
tree； and only overlaid with gold； and both agree they were ten
cubits high。 I suppose the number here is falsely transcribed；
and that Josephus wrote ten cubits also。
（9） As for these two famous pillars； Jachin and Booz； their
height could be no more than eighteen cubits； as here； and 1
Kings 7：15； 2 Kings 25：17； Jeremiah 3：21； those thirty…five
cubits in 2 Chronicles 3：15； being contrary to all the rules of
architecture in the world。
（10） The round or cylindrical lavers of four cubits in diameter；
and four in height； both in our copies； 1 Kings 7：38； 39； and
here in Josephus； must have contained a great deal more than
these forty baths； which are always assigned them。 Where the
error lies is hard to say： perhaps Josephus honestly followed his
copies here； though they had been corrupted； and he was not able
to restore the true reading。 In the mean time； the forty baths
are probably the true quantity contained in each laver； since
they went upon wheels； and were to be drawn by the Levites about
the courts of the priests for the washings they were designed
for； and had they held much more； they would have been too heavy
to have been so drawn。
（11） Here Josephus gives us a key to his own language； of right
and left hand in the tabernacle and temple； that by the right
hand he means what is against our left； when we suppose ourselves
going up from the east gate of the courts towards the tabernacle
or temple themselves； and so vice versa； whence it follows； that
the pillar Jachin； on the right hand of the temple was on the
south； against our left hand； and Booz on the north； against our
right hand。 Of the golden plate on the high priest's forehead
that was in being in the days of Josephus； and a century or two
at least later； seethe note on Antiq。 B。 III。 ch。 7。 sect。 6。
（12） When Josephus here says that the floor of the outmost temple
or court of the Gentiles was with vast labor raised to be even；
or of equal height； with the floor of the inner； or court of the
priests； he must mean this in a gross estimation only； for he and
all others agree； that the inner temple； or court of the priests；
was a few cubits more elevated than the middle court； the court
of Israel； and that much more was the court of the priests
elevated several cubits above that outmost court； since the court
of Israel was lower than the one and higher than the other。 The
Septuagint say that 〃they prepared timber and stones to build the
temple for three years；〃 1 Kings 5：18； and although neither our
present Hebrew copy； nor Josephus； directly name that number of
years； yet do they both say the building itself did not begin
till Solomon's fourth year； and both speak of the preparation of
materials beforehand； 1 Kings v。 18； Antiq。 B。 VIII。 ch。 5。 sect。
1。 There is no reason； therefore； to alter the Septuagint's
number； but we are to suppose three years to have been the just
time of the preparation； as I have done in my computation of the
expense in building that temple。
（13） This solemn removal of the ark from Mount Sion to Mount
Moriah； at the distance of almost three quarters of a mile；
confutes that notion of the modern Jews； and followed by many
Christians also； as if those two were after a sort one and the
same mountain； for which there is； I think； very little
foundation。
（14） This mention of the Corinthian ornaments of architecture in
Solomon's palace by Josephus seems to be here set down by way of
prophecy although it appears to me that the Grecian and Roman
most ancient orders of architecture were taken from Solomon's
temple； as from their original patterns； yet it is not so clear
that the last and most ornamental order of the Corinthian was so
ancient； although what the same Josephus says； （Of the War； B。 V。
ch。 5。 sect。 3；） that one of the gates of Herod's temple was
built according to the rules of this Corinthian order； is no way
improbable； that order being； without dispute； much older than
the reign of Herod。 However； upon some trial； I confess I have
not hitherto been able fully to understand the structure of this
palace of Solomon； either as described in our Bibles； or even
with the additional help of this description here by Josephus；
only the reader may easily observe with me； that the measures of
this first building in Josephus； a hundred cubits long； and fifty
cubits broad； are the very same with the area of the cart of the
tabernacle of Moses。 and just hall' an Egyptian orout； or acre。
（15） This signification of the name Pharaoh appears to be true。
But what Josephus adds presently； that no king of Egypt was
called Pharaoh after Solomon's father…in…law； does hardly agree
to our copies； which have long afterwards the names of Pharaoh
Neehob； and Pharaoh Hophrah； 2 Kings 23：29； Jeremiah 44：30；
besides the frequent mention of that name Pharaoh in the
prophets。 However； Josephus himself； in his own speech to the
Jews； Of the War； B。 V。 ch。 9。 sect。 4； speaks of Neehao； who was
also called Pharaoh； as the name of that king of Egypt with whom
Abraham was concerned； of which name Neehao yet we have elsewhere
no mention till the days of Josiah； but only of Pharaoh。 And；
indeed； it must be conceded； that here； and sect。 5； we have more
mistakes made by Josephus； and those relating to the kings of
Egypt； and to that queen of Egypt and Ethiopia； whom he supposes
to have come to see Solomon； than almost any where else in all
his Antiquities。
（16） That this queen of Sheba was a queen of Sabea in South
Ara