[1] Παραδόξου δὲ τῆς σωτηρίας τοῖς Ἑβραίοις οὕτως γενομένης δεινῶς ἐλύπει πάλιν αὐτοὺς ἀγομένους ἐπὶ τὸ Σιναῖον ὄρος ἡ χώρα τελέως οὖσα ἔρημος καὶ τῶν τε πρὸς τροφὴν αὐτοῖς ἄπορος, σπανίζουσα δὲ καὶ ὕδατος εἰς τὸ ἔσχατον, καὶ μὴ μόνον ἀνθρώποις τι παρασχεῖν ἐνδεής, ἀλλὰ καὶ μηδ' ἄλλο τι τῶν ζῴων ἱκανὴ βόσκειν: ψαφαρὰ γάρ ἐστι καὶ νοτερὸν ἐξ αὐτῆς οὐδὲν ὅ τι καὶ φῦσαι καρπὸν δύναιτο. τοιαύτην δὲ οὖσαν τὴν χώραν ἐξ ἀνάγκης ὥδευον ἑτέραν ἀπελθεῖν οὐκ ἔχοντες. [2] ἐπεφέροντο δ' ἐκ τῆς προωδοιπορημένης ὕδωρ τοῦ στρατηγοῦ κεκελευκότος, καὶ τούτου δαπανηθέντος ἐκ φρεάτων ἐποιοῦντο τὴν ὑδρείαν ἐπιπόνως διὰ σκληρότητα τῆς γῆς, καὶ τὸ εὑρισκόμενον δὲ πικρὸν ἀλλ' οὐ πότιμον ἦν, καὶ τοῦτο δὲ σπάνιον. [3] ἀφικνοῦνται δὲ τοῦτον ὁδεύοντες τὸν τρόπον περὶ δείλην ὀψίαν εἰς Μὰρ τόπον οὕτως διὰ τὴν τοῦ ὕδατος κακίαν ὀνομάσαντες: μὰρ γὰρ ἡ πικρία λέγεται. καὶ αὐτόθι τεταλαιπωρημένοι τῷ τε συνεχεῖ τῆς ὁδοιπορίας καὶ τῇ τῆς τροφῆς ἀπορίᾳ, καὶ γὰρ τότ' αὐτοὺς τελείως ἐπιλελοίπει, κατάγονται: [4] φρέαρ γὰρ ἦν, διὸ καὶ μᾶλλον ἔμειναν, οὐδ' αὐτὸ μὲν ἐξαρκεῖν δυνάμενον τοσούτῳ στρατῷ, βραχεῖαν μέντοι παρέχον αὐτοῖς εὐθυμίαν ἐν ἐκείνοις εὑρεθὲν τοῖς χωρίοις: καὶ γὰρ ἤκουον παρὰ τῶν ἐξερευνώντων μηδὲν ἔμπροσθεν βαδίζουσιν εἶναι. πικρὸν δὲ ἐκεῖνο τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ ἄποτον ἦν οὐκ ἀνθρώποις μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ὑποζυγίοις ἀφόρητον.

001 After their miraculous rescue, the Hebrews found the going very difficult as they were led towards Mount Sinai. The terrain was entirely desert and barren of food and held far too little water, not alone for the people but also to water their livestock. All was parched and unable to sustain vegetation, but such was the way they had to travel, having no other route available. 002 At their leader's orders, they had brought water with them from earlier in the journey, but when that was used up they had to draw water from wells, with difficulty because of the hardness of the soil, and what little they found was bitter and unfit to drink. 003 As they journeyed on in this way, they came late at night to a place named Mar, from the foulness of its water, for Mar means bitterness. There they halted, worn out by constant marching and lack of food, which had now entirely run out. 004 There was a well in the place, which is the reason they stayed there, which, although insufficient for such a large army, still gave them some comfort, to find it at all in such a desert place. They heard from the scouts that if they travelled on farther there was nothing. Yet this water was bitter, unfit for people to drink, and intolerable even for the pack animals.

[5] Ὁρῶν δ' ὁ Μωυσῆς ἀθύμως διακειμένους καὶ τοῦ πράγματος τὸ ἀναντίλεκτον, οὐ γὰρ καθαρὸς ἦν στρατὸς ὥστε τῷ βιαζομένῳ τῆς ἀνάγκης ἀντιτάξαι τὸ ἀνδρεῖον, ἀλλὰ διέφθειρε τὸ κατ' ἐκείνους γενναῖον παίδων τε καὶ γυναικῶν ὄχλος ἀσθενέστερος τῆς ἐκ λόγων διδασκαλίας, ἐν χαλεπωτέροις ἦν τὴν συμφορὰν τὴν ἁπάντων ἰδίαν αὐτοῦ ποιούμενος: [6] καὶ γὰρ οὐδ' ἐπ' ἄλλον τινὰ συνέτρεχον ἀλλ' ἐπ' αὐτόν, ἀντιβολοῦντες γύναια μὲν ὑπὲρ νηπίων οἱ δ' ἄνδρες ὑπὲρ ἐκείνων μὴ περιορᾶν, ἀλλ' ἐκπορίζειν αὐτοῖς ἀφορμήν τινα σωτηρίας. ἱκετεύειν οὖν τρέπεται τὸν θεὸν μεταβαλεῖν τὸ ὕδωρ ἐκ τῆς παρούσης κακίας καὶ πότιμον αὐτοῖς παρασχεῖν. [7] καὶ κατανεύσαντος τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν χάριν λαβὼν τομάδος τὸ ἄκρον ἐν ποσὶν ἐρριμμένης διαιρεῖ μέσην καὶ κατὰ τὸ μῆκος τὴν τομὴν ποιησάμενος, ἔπειτα μεθεὶς εἰς τὸ φρέαρ ἔπειθε τοὺς Ἑβραίους τὸν θεὸν ἐπήκοον αὐτοῦ τῶν εὐχῶν γεγονέναι καὶ ὑπεσχῆσθαι τὸ ὕδωρ αὐτοῖς παρέξειν οἷον ἐπιθυμοῦσιν, ἂν πρὸς τὰ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ κελευόμενα μὴ ὀκνηρῶς ἀλλὰ προθύμως ὑπουργῶσιν. [8] ἐρομένων δ' αὐτῶν, τί καὶ ποιούντων ἂν μεταβάλοι τὸ ὕδωρ ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον, κελεύει τοὺς ἐν ἀκμῇ περιστάντας ἐξαντλεῖν λέγων τὸ ὑπολειπόμενον ἔσεσθαι πότιμον αὐτοῖς προεκκενωθέντος τοῦ πλείονος. καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐπόνουν, τὸ δ' ὑπὸ τῶν συνεχῶν πληγῶν γεγυμνασμένον καὶ κεκαθαρμένον ἤδη πότιμον ἦν.

005 When Moses saw them so despondent and the situation so critical, for this was no healthy army able to cope bravely with the pressure of need but one weakened by the throng of children and women too weak to be motivated by words, he felt in dire straits, for he made everyone's plight his own. 006 They all ran to him, the women petitioning for their infants and the men for the women, not to overlook them but to work out some way to save them. So he interceded with God to change the water from its present vileness and make it drinkable. 007 When God granted him this favour, he took up a stick lying at his feet and divided it down the middle and threw it into the well, persuading the Hebrews that God had heard his prayers and promised to render the water as they wanted, if they obeyed all He would require, promptly and without fail. 008 When they asked what they must do to have the water changed for the better, he told their strongest men to draw out water, saying that when most of it had been taken away, the rest would be drinkable. They worked hard at it until the water was so stirred that it was purified and became fit to drink.

[9] Ἄραντες δ' ἐκεῖθεν εἰς Ἦλιν ἀφικνοῦνται πόρρωθεν μὲν ἀγαθὴν ὁραθῆναι, καὶ γὰρ φοινικόφυτος ἦν, πλησιάζουσα δ' ἀπηλέγχετο πονηρά: καὶ γὰρ οἱ φοίνικες ὄντες οὐ πλείους ἑβδομήκοντα δυσαυξεῖς τε ἦσαν καὶ χαμαίζηλοι δι' ὕδατος ἀπορίαν ψαφαροῦ τοῦ παντὸς ὄντος χωρίου: [10] οὔτε γὰρ ἐκ τῶν πηγῶν δώδεκα οὐσῶν τὸν ἀριθμὸν νοτερόν τι προσαρδεῦον αὐτοῖς δι' ἐλπίδα χρήσιμον, ἀλλὰ μὴ δυναμένων ἐκβλύσαι μηδ' ἀνασχεῖν ἰκμάδες ἦσαν ὀλίγαι, καὶ διαμωμένοις τὴν ψάμμον οὐδὲν ἀπήντα, κἂν εἴ τι δὲ στάζον ἔλαβον εἰς χεῖρας, ἄχρηστον ηὕρισκον ὑπὸ τοῦ θολερὸν εἶναι: [11] καρπόν τε φέρειν ἦν ἀσθενῆ τὰ δένδρα διὰ σπάνιν τῆς ἐξ ὕδατος εἰς τοῦτο ἀφορμῆς καὶ παρακλήσεως. εἶχον οὖν ἐν αἰτίᾳ τὸν στρατηγὸν καὶ κατεβόων αὐτοῦ τὴν ταλαιπωρίαν καὶ τὴν πεῖραν τῶν κακῶν δι' αὐτὸν πάσχειν λέγοντες: τριακοστὴν γὰρ ἐκείνην ὁδεύοντες ἡμέραν ὅσα μὲν ἐπεφέροντο πάντ' ἦσαν ἀναλωκότες, μηδενὶ δὲ περιτυγχάνοντες δυσέλπιδες ἦσαν περὶ τῶν ὅλων. [12] πρὸς δὲ τῷ παρόντι κακῷ τὴν διάνοιαν ὄντες καὶ ἐν μνήμῃ εἶναι τῶν ὑπηργμένων αὐτοῖς ἔκ τε τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τῆς Μωυσέος ἀρετῆς καὶ συνέσεως κωλυόμενοι δι' ὀργῆς τὸν στρατηγὸν εἶχον καὶ βάλλειν αὐτὸν ὡρμήκεσαν ὡς αἰτιώτατον τῆς ἐν ποσὶ συμφορᾶς.

009 Moving on from there they came to Elim, which looked attractive from a distance, for it had a grove of palm-trees; but when they came nearer it seemed a foul place, for there were no more than seventy palm-trees, all stunted and withered for lack of water, as the region was all parched. 010 Its twelve wells were not real springs surging up from the ground or really flowing, and gave too little water for the trees. Even digging into the sand they found nothing, and if they got a few drops of liquid into their hands, they found it useless, due to the mud. 011 The trees were too weak to bear fruit, for lack of water to nourish and enliven them. So they put the blame on their leader and complained against him, attributing to him their miserable state and plight. By now they had journeyed for thirty days and had consumed all the provisions they had brought with them, and felt desperate at finding no relief. 012 Focussed only on their present troubles and unable to remember the blessings they had received from God, through the virtue and wisdom of Moses, they were enraged at their leader and were ready to stone him, as the one most responsible for the plight they faced.

[13] Ὁ δ' οὕτως ἀνηρεθισμένου τοῦ πλήθους καὶ πικρῶς ἐπ' αὐτὸν κεκινημένου τῷ θεῷ θαρρῶν καὶ τῷ συνειδότι τῆς περὶ τοὺς ὁμοφύλους προνοίας πάρεισιν εἰς μέσους, καὶ καταβοώντων καὶ κατὰ χεῖρας ἔτι τοὺς λίθους ἐχόντων, ὁραθῆναί τε κεχαρισμένος ὢν καὶ πλήθεσιν ὁμιλεῖν πιθανώτατος, καταπαύειν ἤρξατο τῆς ὀργῆς, [14] μὴ τῶν παρόντων αὐτοὺς δυσκόλων μεμνημένους λήθην ἔχειν τῶν ἔμπροσθεν εὐεργεσιῶν παρακαλῶν, μηδ' ὅτι νῦν πονοῦσι τῆς διανοίας ἐκβάλλειν τὰς τοῦ θεοῦ χάριτας καὶ δωρεάς, ὧν μεγάλων καὶ ἐκ παραδόξου ἔτυχον γενομένων, προσδοκᾶν δὲ καὶ τῆς παρούσης ἀπαλλαγῆναι ἀμηχανίας ἐκ τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ κηδεμονίας, [15] ὃν εἰκὸς δοκιμάζοντα τὴν ἀρετὴν αὐτῶν πῶς τε καρτερίας ἔχουσι καὶ μνήμης τῶν προυπηργμένων, εἰ μὴ πρὸς ἐκεῖνα γίγνοιντο διὰ τὰ ἐν ποσὶ κακά, γυμνάζειν αὐτοὺς τοῖς ἄρτι χαλεποῖς. [16] ἐλέγχεσθαι δὲ αὐτοὺς οὐκ ἀγαθοὺς οὔτε περὶ τὴν ὑπομονὴν οὔτε περὶ τὴν μνήμην τῶν εὖ γεγονότων, οὕτως μὲν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τῆς ἐκείνου γνώμης, καθ' ἣν ἐκλελοίπασι τὴν Αἴγυπτον, καταφρονοῦντας, οὕτως δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν ὑπηρέτην αὐτοῦ διατεθέντας καὶ ταῦτα μηδὲν αὐτοὺς διαψευσάμενον περὶ ὧν εἴποι τε καὶ πράττειν κατ' ἐντολὴν τοῦ θεοῦ κελεύσειε. [17] κατηρίθμει τε πάντα, πῶς τε φθαρεῖεν Αἰγύπτιοι κατέχειν αὐτοὺς παρὰ τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ γνώμην βιαζόμενοι, καὶ τίνα τρόπον ὁ αὐτὸς ποταμὸς ἐκείνοις μὲν αἷμα ἦν καὶ ἄποτος αὐτοῖς δὲ πότιμος καὶ γλυκύς, [18] πῶς τε διὰ τῆς θαλάσσης ἀναφυγούσης αὐτοῖς πορρωτάτω καινὴν ὁδὸν ἀπελθόντες αὐτῇ ταύτῃ σωθείησαν μὲν αὐτοί, τοὺς δὲ ἐχθροὺς ἐπίδοιεν ἀπολωλότας, ὅτι τε σπανίζοντας ὅπλων εἰς εὐπορίαν ὁ θεὸς καὶ τούτων καταστήσειε, τά τε ἄλλα ὅσα πρὸς αὐτῷ τῷ διαφθαρήσεσθαι δόξαντας γεγονέναι καὶ σώσειεν ὁ θεὸς ἐκ παραλόγου καὶ ὡς δύναμις αὐτῷ: [19] μὴ ἀπογινώσκειν δὲ μηδὲ νῦν αὐτοῦ τὴν πρόνοιαν, ἀλλ' ἀοργήτως περιμένειν, λογιζομένους μὲν τὴν ἐπικουρίαν μηδὲ βραδεῖαν γίνεσθαι, εἰ μὴ παραυτίκα καὶ εἰ μὴ πρίν τινος πειραθῆναι δυσκόλου πάρεστιν, ἡγουμένους δὲ οὐ κατὰ ὀλιγωρίαν μέλλειν τὸν θεόν, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ πείρᾳ τῆς ἀνδρείας αὐτῶν καὶ τῆς περὶ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἡδονῆς, [20] ἵνα μάθοι πότερόν ποτε καὶ τροφῆς ἀπορίαν καὶ σπάνιν ὕδατος ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς ἐστε ἐνεγκεῖν γενναῖοι, ἢ δουλεύειν μᾶλλον ἀγαπᾶτε καθάπερ τὰ βοσκήματα τοῖς κρατοῦσι καὶ τοῖς πρὸς τὰς ἐκείνων ὑπηρεσίας ἀφθόνως τρεφομένοις: [21] δεδιέναι δ' εἰπὼν οὐχ οὕτως ὑπὲρ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ σωτηρίας, πείσεσθαι γὰρ οὐδὲν κακὸν ἀδίκως ἀποθανών, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν, μὴ δι' ὧνπερ αὐτὸν βάλλουσι λίθων τοῦ θεοῦ κατακρίνειν νομισθῶσιν,

013 But while the crowd were so roused and bitter against him, he trusted in God and his providence for his people, so he went among them, even as they shouted at him, with stones in their hands. He had an agreeable presence and could persuade the people by his speeches, 014 so he began to pacify their anger and urged them not to be so obsessed with present woes as to forget the benefits already given to them. They should not, in their present hardship, put out of mind the wonderful things they had received from God's grace and favour, but expect to be saved even now by the same divine care. 015 Probably God was testing their virtue, to see their bravery and how well they would recall his former miracles or if they would fail to recall them now, amid their present woes. 016 He blamed them for not being good either in patience, or in recalling what had been formerly done for them, and for despising God and his purpose, by which they had left the Egypt, and for how they treated him, God's servant, who never deceived them in what he said or had ordered them to do by God's command. 017 He listed all that had occurred: how the Egyptians were destroyed for trying to detain them against the will of God; how the same river that others found bloody and undrinkable, they found sweet and drinkable; 018 how they went by a new road through the sea, which fled from them so that they were saved, while they saw the enemy destroyed; and how when they were in need of weapons, God provided plenty of them; and all the times God had surprisingly saved them when they seemed on the edge of destruction. 019 He still had the power and they must not now despair of His providence but should stay calm and to know that even if help did not come instantly, it would not come too late if it reached them before they suffered a disaster. They should reflect that God delays his help, not out of neglect, but to test their courage and their love of freedom, 020 and learn if they had the spirit to bear for its sake lack of food and scarcity of water; "or if instead you love to be slaves, like livestock to their owners who feed them well, but only in order to keep them fit for their service." 021 His own fear was not for his personal safety, as even if he were unjustly killed it would be no great harm, but for them, in case by stoning him they should be guilty of condemning God himself.

[22] ἐπράυνεν αὐτοὺς καὶ τῆς μὲν τοῦ βάλλειν ὁρμῆς ἐπέσχε καὶ εἰς μετάνοιαν ὧν ἔμελλον δρᾶν ἔτρεψε. παθεῖν δ' οὐκ ἀλόγως αὐτοὺς διὰ τὴν ἀνάγκην τοῦτο νομίσας ἔγνω δεῖν ἐφ' ἱκετείαν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ παράκλησιν ἐλθεῖν, καὶ ἀναβὰς ἐπί τινα σκοπὴν ᾔτει πόρον τινὰ τῷ λαῷ καὶ τῆς ἐνδείας ἀπαλλαγήν: [23] ἐν αὐτῷ γὰρ εἶναι τὴν σωτηρίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐν ἄλλῳ: συγγινώσκειν δὲ τοῖς νῦν ὑπὸ τῆς ἀνάγκης ὑπὸ τοῦ λαοῦ πραττομένοις φύσει δυσαρέστου καὶ φιλαιτίου τοῦ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐν οἷς ἂν ἀτυχῇ γένους ὄντος. ὁ θεὸς δὲ προνοήσειν τε ἐπαγγέλλεται καὶ παρέξειν ἀφορμὴν ἣν ποθοῦσι. [24] Μωυσῆς δὲ τοῦ θεοῦ ταῦτ' ἀκούσας καταβαίνει πρὸς τὸ πλῆθος: οἱ δ' ὡς ἑώρων καὶ ταῖς ἐπαγγελίαις ταῖς παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ γεγηθότα μετέβαλον ἐκ τῆς κατηφείας πρὸς τὸ ἱλαρώτερον, καὶ στὰς ἐκεῖνος ἐν μέσοις ἥκειν ἔλεγε φέρων αὐτοῖς παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν περὶ τῶν ἐνεστηκότων ἀπόρων ἀπαλλαγήν. [25] καὶ μετ' ὀλίγον ὀρτύγων πλῆθος, τρέφει δὲ τοῦτο τὸ ὄρνεον ὡς οὐδὲν ἕτερον ὁ Ἀράβιος κόλπος, ἐφίπταται τὴν μεταξὺ θάλατταν ὑπερελθὸν καὶ ὑπὸ κόπου τε ἅμα τῆς πτήσεως καὶ πρόσγαιον μᾶλλον τῶν ἄλλων ὂν καταφέρεται εἰς τοὺς Ἑβραίους: οἱ δὲ συλλαμβάνοντες ὡς τροφὴν αὐτοῖς τοῦ θεοῦ ταύτην μηχανησαμένου τὴν ἔνδειαν ἰῶνται, καὶ Μωυσῆς ἐπ' εὐχὰς τρέπεται τοῦ θεοῦ ταχεῖαν καὶ παρὰ τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν ποιησαμένου τὴν ἐπικουρίαν.

022 In this way he pacified the people, stopping them from stoning him and having them repent of what they planned to do. But their need made their passion seem less absurd to him, he felt he should pray and intercede with God, so going up to a high place, he asked for some relief for the people. 023 Their hope of salvation depended on God alone, so he asked him to forgive what need had forced the people to do, as this was the nature of mankind, being hard to please and quick to blame when under adversity. So God promised to care for them and give them the help they craved. 024 Moses, having heard this from God, came down to the crowd, and when they saw him radiant at the divine promises they changed their mourning into gladness, and standing among them he said he came from God to bring them deliverance from their state of need. 025 Shortly afterwards there came a flock of quails, the more plentiful of all birds in the Arabian Gulf, flying over the sea and hovering over them, until wearied by their flight, and skimming unusually near to the ground, they came down among the Hebrews. These caught them for food and saw them as the means by which God meant to satisfy their hunger, and Moses gave thanks to God for helping them even more quickly than he had expected.

[26] Εὐθὺς δὲ μετὰ τὴν πρώτην ἀφορμὴν τῆς τροφῆς καὶ δευτέραν αὐτοῖς κατέπεμπεν ὁ θεός: ἀνέχοντος γὰρ τοῦ Μωυσέος τὰς χεῖρας ἐπὶ ταῖς εὐχαῖς δρόσος κατηνέχθη, καὶ περιπηγνυμένης ταῖς χερσὶ Μωυσῆς ὑπονοήσας καὶ ταύτην εἰς τροφὴν ἥκειν αὐτοῖς παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ γεύεταί τε καὶ ἡσθείς, [27] τοῦ πλήθους ἀγνοοῦντος καὶ νομίζοντος νίφεσθαι καὶ τῆς ὥρας εἶναι τοῦ ἔτους τὸ γινόμενον, ἀνεδίδασκεν οὐ κατὰ τὴν ἐκείνων ὑπόληψιν ἀπ' οὐρανοῦ καταφέρεσθαι τὴν δρόσον, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ τῇ αὐτῶν καὶ διατροφῇ, καὶ γευομένοις τοῦτο αὐτοῖς παρεῖχε πιστεύειν. [28] οἱ δὲ μιμούμενοι τὸν στρατηγὸν ἥδοντο τῷ βρώματι: μέλιτι γὰρ ἦν τὴν γλυκύτητα καὶ τὴν ἡδονὴν ἐμφερές, ὅμοιον δὲ τῇ τῶν ἀρωμάτων βδέλλῃ, τὸ δὲ μέγεθος τῷ κοριάννου σπέρματι: καὶ περὶ συλλογὴν λίαν αὐτοῦ ἐσπουδάκεσαν. [29] παρηγγέλλετο δ' ἐξ ἴσου πᾶσιν ἀσσαρῶνα, τοῦτο δ' ἐστὶ μέτρον, εἰς ἑκάστην ἡμέραν συλλέγειν ὡς οὐκ ἐπιλείψοντος αὐτοῖς τοῦ βρώματος, ἵνα μὴ τοῖς ἀδυνάτοις ἄπορον ᾖ τὸ λαμβάνειν δι' ἀλκὴν τῶν δυνατωτέρων πλεονεκτούντων περὶ τὴν ἀναίρεσιν. [30] οἱ μέντοι πλέον τοῦ προστεταγμένου μέτρου συναγαγόντες οὐδὲν περισσότερον εἶχον τοῦ κακοπαθῆσαι: ἀσσαρῶνος γὰρ οὐδὲν πλέον εὕρισκον: τοῦ δ' ὑπολειφθέντος εἰς τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν ὄνησις οὐδ' ἥτις ἦν διεφθαρμένου ὑπό τε σκωλήκων καὶ πικρίας: οὕτω θεῖον ἦν τὸ βρῶμα καὶ παράδοξον. [31] ἀμύνει δὲ τοῖς ταύτην νεμομένοις τὴν ἐκ τῶν ἄλλων ἀπορίαν, ἔτι δὲ καὶ νῦν [ὕεται] πᾶς ἐκεῖνος ὁ τόπος, καθάπερ καὶ τότε Μωυσεῖ χαριζόμενον τὸ θεῖον κατέπεμψε τὴν διατροφήν. [32] καλοῦσι δὲ Ἑβραῖοι τὸ βρῶμα τοῦτο μάννα: τὸ γὰρ μάν ἐπερώτησις κατὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν διάλεκτον, τί τοῦτ' ἔστιν ἀνακρίνουσα. καὶ οἱ μὲν χαίροντες ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀπ' οὐρανοῦ καταπεμφθεῖσιν αὐτοῖς διετέλουν, τῇ δὲ τροφῇ ταύτῃ τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη ἐχρήσαντο ἐφ' ὅσον χρόνον ἦσαν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ.

026 Soon after this first supply of food, God sent them a second, for as Moses was lifting up his hands in prayer, a dew fell on them, and finding that it stuck to his hands, he reckoned that this too had come from God as food for them. He tasted it and liked it, 027 but the people in their ignorance thought it was snow such as falls at that time of year. He taught them that this dew from heaven was not as they imagined, but was for their survival and nurishment, and they should taste it and convince themselves about it. 028 They imitated their leader and were pleased with the food, for it was sweet like honey and pleasant to taste, resembling bdellium, one of the sweet spices, and in size equal to coriander seed; and so they gathered it eagerly. 029 He told them to gather it in equal measures, an omer a day for each one, because this food would not fail them, so that the weaker might not be fail to get their share, through the greed of the strong in collecting it. 030 The latter, even if they gathered above their assigned measure, had no more than others, but only gave themselves more work, for they found no more than an omer apiece, and whatever extra they got was no good, since it was corrupted by worms and by its bitterness. Such was this divine and wonderful food. 031 For those who ate it, it supplied for the lack of other foods and even now, in all that region, this manna comes down like rain, just as it was granted to Moses by God, who sent it down as food. 032 The Hebrews call this food manna. For man, in our language, is the question What is this? So they were very glad with what was sent to them from heaven and used this food for forty years, all the while they were in the desert.

[33] Ὡς δ' ἐκεῖθεν ἄραντες εἰς Ῥαφιδεὶν ἧκον ταλαιπωρηθέντες ὑπὸ δίψους εἰς ἔσχατον ἔν τε ταῖς πρότερον ἡμέραις πίδαξιν ὀλίγαις ἐντυγχάνοντες καὶ τότε παντάπασιν ἄνυδρον εὑρόντες τὴν γῆν, ἐν κακοῖς ἦσαν καὶ πάλιν δι' ὀργῆς τὸν Μωυσῆν ἐποιοῦντο. [34] ὁ δὲ τὴν ὁρμὴν τοῦ πλήθους πρὸς μικρὸν ἐκκλίνας ἐπὶ λιτὰς τρέπεται τοῦ θεοῦ παρακαλῶν ὡς τροφὴν ἔδωκεν ἀπορουμένοις οὕτως καὶ ποτὸν παρασχεῖν, διαφθειρομένης καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ τροφῇ χάριτος ποτοῦ μὴ παρόντος. [35] ὁ δ' οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν τὴν δωρεὰν ἀνεβάλλετο, τῷ δὲ Μωυσεῖ παρέξειν ὑπισχνεῖται πηγὴν καὶ πλῆθος ὕδατος ὅθεν οὐ προσδοκήσειαν, καὶ κελεύει τῷ βάκτρῳ πλήξαντα τὴν πέτραν, ἣν ἑώρων αὐτόθι παρακειμένην, παρ' αὐτῆς λαμβάνειν τὴν εὐπορίαν ὧν δέονται: φροντίζει γὰρ καὶ τοῦ μὴ σὺν πόνῳ μηδ' ἐργασίᾳ τὸ ποτὸν αὐτοῖς φανῆναι. [36] καὶ Μωυσῆς ταῦτα λαβὼν παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ παραγίνεται πρὸς τὸν λαὸν περιμένοντα καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἀφορῶντα: καὶ γὰρ ἤδη καθεώρων αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς σκοπῆς ὁρμώμενον. ὡς δ' ἧκεν, ἀπολύειν αὐτοὺς καὶ ταύτης τῆς ἀνάγκης τὸν θεὸν ἔλεγε καὶ χαρίσασθαι σωτηρίαν οὐδ' ἐλπισθεῖσαν ἐκ τῆς πέτρας ποταμὸν αὐτοῖς ῥυήσεσθαι λέγων. [37] τῶν δὲ πρὸς τὴν ἀκοὴν καταπλαγέντων, εἰ ὑπό τε τοῦ δίψους καὶ τῆς ὁδοιπορίας τεταλαιπωρημένοις ἀνάγκη γένοιτο κόπτειν τὴν πέτραν, ὁ Μωυσῆς πλήττει τῇ βακτηρίᾳ, καὶ χανούσης ἐξέβλυσεν ὕδωρ πολὺ καὶ διαυγέστατον. [38] οἱ δὲ τῷ παραδόξῳ τοῦ γεγονότος κατεπλάγησαν, καὶ πρὸς τὴν ὄψιν αὐτοῖς ἤδη τὸ δίψος ἔληγε, καὶ πίνουσιν ἡδὺ καὶ γλυκὺ τὸ νᾶμα καὶ οἷον ἂν εἴη θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον δόντος ἐφαίνετο: τόν τε οὖν Μωυσῆν ἐθαύμαζον οὕτως ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ τετιμημένον, καὶ θυσίαις ἠμείβοντο τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ περὶ αὐτοὺς πρόνοιαν. δηλοῖ δὲ ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ἀνακειμένη γραφὴ τὸν θεὸν προειπεῖν Μωυσεῖ οὕτως ἐκ τῆς πέτρας ἀναδοθήσεσθαι ὕδωρ.

033 When they moved on from there, they came to Rephidim, ravaged by extreme thirst, and while in earlier days they had come on a few small springs, they now found the earth entirely lacking in water, they were in a terrible state, and again turned their anger on Moses. 034 For a while he avoided the crowd's fury and devoted himself to prayer to God, imploring him that as he had given them food when they needed it, so he would also give them drink, since their gratitude for the food would fade if they had nothing to drink. 035 God did not long delay the gift but promised Moses to provide a spring and plenty of water where they would not expect it. He told him to strike with his rod the rock standing before their eyes, and from it to take all that they needed, for he would see drink coming to them without labour or toil. 036 Receiving this command from God, Moses came to the people, who waited with their eyes fixed on him, for already they saw him hurrying down from the heights. As he arrived, he said that God would unexpectedly rescue them from their need, and that a river would flow for them from the rock. 037 They were aghast at this, thinking that, weary with thirst and marching, they would have to hack the rock to pieces. But Moses only struck the rock with his rod, opening a channel from which poured clean water in abundance. 038 They were so astounded at this wonder that their thirst was quenched by the very sight of it, and they drank this water which tasted sweet and pleasant, as might be expected in a gift from God. They were amazed at how Moses was honoured by God, and by a sacrifice thanked God for his providence towards them. A writing deposited in the temple tells how God foretold to Moses, "So shall water be given from the rock."

Chapter 2. [039-062]
Israel defeats the Amalekites and other enemy nations

[39] Τοῦ δὲ Ἑβραίων ὀνόματος ἤδη πολλοῦ κατὰ πάντας διαβοωμένου καὶ τοῦ περὶ αὐτῶν λόγου φοιτῶντος ἐν φόβῳ συνέβαινεν οὐ μικρῷ τοὺς ἐπιχωρίους εἶναι, καὶ πρεσβευόμενοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους παρεκάλουν ἀμύνειν καὶ πειρᾶσθαι τοὺς ἄνδρας διαφθείρειν. [40] ἐτύγχανον δὲ οἱ πρὸς τοῦτο ἐνάγοντες οἵ τε τὴν Γοβολῖτιν καὶ τὴν Πέτραν κατοικοῦντες, οἳ καλοῦνται μὲν Ἀμαληκῖται, μαχιμώτατοι δὲ τῶν ἐκεῖσε ἐθνῶν ὑπῆρχον, ὧν πέμποντες οἱ βασιλεῖς ἀλλήλους τε καὶ τοὺς περιοίκους ἐπὶ τὸν πρὸς Ἑβραίους πόλεμον παρεκάλουν, στρατὸν ἀλλότριον καὶ τῆς Αἰγυπτίων ἀποδράντα δουλείας ἐφεδρεύειν αὐτοῖς λέγοντες, [41] ὃν οὐ καλῶς ἔχει περιορᾶν, ἀλλὰ πρὶν ἢ λαβεῖν ἰσχὺν καὶ παρελθεῖν εἰς εὐπορίαν καὶ αὐτὸν τῆς πρὸς ἡμᾶς κατάρξαι μάχης θαρρήσαντας τῷ μηδὲν αὐτοῖς παρ' ἡμῶν ἀπαντᾶν καταλύειν ἀσφαλὲς καὶ σῶφρον δίκην αὐτοὺς καὶ περὶ τῆς ἐρήμου καὶ τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ πραχθέντων ἀπαιτοῦντας, ἀλλ' οὐχ ὅταν ταῖς πόλεσιν ἡμῶν καὶ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἐπιβάλωσι τὰς χεῖρας. [42] οἱ δὲ ἀρχομένην δύναμιν ἐχθρῶν πειρώμενοι καταλύειν ἀγαθοὶ συνεῖναι μᾶλλον, ἢ οἱ προκόψασαν μείζω κωλύοντες γενέσθαι: οἱ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ περισσοῦ δοκοῦσι νεμεσᾶν, οἱ δ' οὐδεμίαν αὐτοῖς ἀφορμὴν κατ' αὐτῶν ἐῶσι γενέσθαι. τοιαῦτα τοῖς τε πλησιοχώροις καὶ πρὸς ἀλλήλους πρεσβευόμενοι χωρεῖν τοῖς Ἑβραίοις ἐγνώκεσαν εἰς μάχην.

039 The Hebrews' reputation began to be known everywhere and rumour about them spread, making them greatly feared by the people of those lands, who sent round messengers urging each other to repel and try to destroy them. 040 Those who roused the others to this were the so-called Amalekites who lived in Gobolitis and Petra and were the most warlike nation living in that area. Their kings urged each other and their neighbours to make war on the Hebrews because this army of strangers who had escaped from slavery under the Egyptians would soon ruin them. 041 With prudent concern for their own safety they dared not ignore them, but must crush them before they could gather strength and prosper - "and maybe soon attack us, despising our indolence in not attacking them first. We should take revenge for what they have done in the wilderness, but it cannot easily be done once they have occupied our cities and our goods. 042 Those who try to crush an enemy power in its infancy are wiser than those who try to check it once it has become formidable. They seem to rouse themselves only when the treat is well established, while others leave no room for their foes to threaten them." After such messages among themselves and to the nations round about, they resolved to engage the Hebrews in battle.

[43] Μωυσεῖ δ' οὐδὲν προσδοκῶντι πολέμιον ἀπορίαν καὶ ταραχὴν ἐνεποίει τὰ τῶν ἐπιχωρίων, καὶ παρόντων ἐπὶ τὴν μάχην ἤδη καὶ κινδυνεύειν δέον ἐθορύβει χαλεπῶς τὸ τῶν Ἑβραίων πλῆθος ἐν ἀπορίᾳ μὲν ὂν ἁπάντων, μέλλον δὲ πολεμεῖν πρὸς ἀνθρώπους τοῖς πᾶσι καλῶς ἐξηρτυμένους. [44] παραμυθίας οὖν ὁ Μωυσῆς ἤρχετο καὶ θαρρεῖν παρεκάλει τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ ψήφῳ πεπιστευκότας, ὑφ' ἧς εἰς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἠρμένοι κατανικήσειαν τοὺς περὶ αὐτῆς εἰς μάχην αὐτοῖς καθισταμένους, [45] ὑπολαμβάνειν δὲ τὸ μὲν αὐτῶν εἶναι στράτευμα πολὺ καὶ πάντων ἀπροσδεές, ὅπλων χρημάτων τροφῆς τῶν ἄλλων, ὧν παρόντων ἐκ πεποιθήσεως πολεμοῦσιν ἄνθρωποι, κρίνοντας ἐν τῇ παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ συμμαχίᾳ ταῦτα αὐτοῖς παρεῖναι, τὸ δὲ τῶν ἐναντίων ὀλίγον ἄνοπλον ἀσθενές, οἷον καὶ μὴ ὑπὸ τοιούτων, οἵοις αὐτοῖς σύνοιδεν οὖσιν, νικᾶσθαι βουλομένου τοῦ θεοῦ. [46] εἰδέναι δ' οἷος οὗτος ἐπίκουρος ἐκ πολλῶν πεπειραμένους καὶ δεινοτέρων τοῦ πολέμου: τοῦτον μὲν γὰρ εἶναι πρὸς ἀνθρώπους, ἃ δ' ἦν αὐτοῖς πρὸς λιμὸν καὶ δίψος ἄπορα καὶ πρὸς ὄρη καὶ θάλασσαν ὁδὸν οὐκ ἔχουσι φυγῆς, ταῦτ' αὐτοῖς διὰ τὴν εὐμένειαν τὴν παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ νενικῆσθαι. νῦν δὲ γίνεσθαι παρεκάλει προθυμοτάτους, ὡς τῆς ἁπάντων εὐπορίας αὐτοῖς ἐν τῷ κρατῆσαι τῶν ἐχθρῶν κειμένης.

043 This stirring of the locals caused anxiety and worry to Moses, who had not expected such hostility. When these nations were ready to fight and the Hebrews had to risk battle, his people were worried and lacking in everything, yet had to wage war against people who were fully well prepared for it. 044 Then Moses began to urge and exhort them raise their spirits to rely on the help of God who had given them freedom and victory over those who had fought to deprive them of them. 045 They should imagine their own army as numerous, lacking nothing, weapons, money, provisions, or anything that gets men to fight bravely and reckon that with God as their ally all these things are theirs and think of the enemy army as small, unarmed, weak and lacking in essentials, when it is the will of God for them to be defeated. 046 They must recall Him as their helper, as they had found amid many trials, and they had survived worse than war, which is only against a human enemy, for they had endured famine and thirst, things by nature insuperable, and gone through mountains and the sea which offered no way out, and all these had been overcome by God's gracious kindness. So he urged them to have courage this time too, as their entire future depended on victory over the present enemy.

***

[47] Καὶ Μωυσῆς μὲν τοιούτοις παρεθάρσυνε τὸ πλῆθος λόγοις συγκαλῶν τούς τε φυλάρχους καὶ τῶν ἐν τέλει καθ' ἑκάστους τε καὶ σὺν ἀλλήλοις τοὺς μὲν νεωτέρους παρεκάλει πείθεσθαι τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις, τοὺς δὲ ἀκροᾶσθαι τοῦ στρατηγοῦ: [48] οἱ δ' ἦσαν ἐπὶ τὸν κίνδυνον τὰς ψυχὰς ἠρμένοι καὶ πρὸς τὸ δεινὸν ἑτοίμως ἔχοντες ἤλπιζον ἀπαλλαγήσεσθαί ποτε τῶν κακῶν, καὶ τὸν Μωυσῆν ἐκέλευον ἄγειν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους ἤδη καὶ μὴ μέλλειν, ὡς τῆς ἀναβολῆς ἐμποδιζούσης τὴν προθυμίαν αὐτῶν. [49] ὁ δὲ τῆς πληθύος ἀποκρίνας πᾶν τὸ μάχιμον Ἰησοῦν ἐφίστησιν αὐτῷ Ναυήκου μὲν υἱὸν φυλῆς τῆς Ἐφραιμίτιδος, ἀνδρειότατον δὲ καὶ πόνους ὑποστῆναι γενναῖον καὶ νοῆσαί τε καὶ εἰπεῖν ἱκανώτατον καὶ θρησκεύοντα τὸν θεὸν ἐκπρεπῶς καὶ Μωυσῆν διδάσκαλον τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν εὐσεβείας πεποιημένον τιμώμενόν τε παρὰ τοῖς Ἑβραίοις. [50] βραχὺ δέ τι περὶ τὸ ὕδωρ ἔταξε τῶν ὁπλιτῶν ἐπὶ φυλακῇ παίδων καὶ γυναικῶν τοῦ τε παντὸς στρατοπέδου. καὶ νύκτα μὲν πᾶσαν ἐν παρασκευαῖς ἦσαν τῶν τε ὅπλων εἴ τι πεπονηκὸς ἦν ἀναλαμβάνοντες καὶ τοῖς στρατηγοῖς προσέχοντες, ὡς ὁρμήσοντες ἐπὶ τὴν μάχην ὁπότε κελεύσειεν αὐτοὺς Μωυσῆς. διηγρύπνει δὲ καὶ Μωυσῆς ἀναδιδάσκων τὸν Ἰησοῦν ὃν τρόπον ἐκτάξειε τὸ στρατόπεδον. [51] ἠργμένης δὲ ὑποφαίνειν τῆς ἡμέρας αὖθις τόν τε Ἰησοῦν παρεκάλει μηδὲν χείρονα φανῆναι κατὰ τὸ ἔργον τῆς οὔσης περὶ αὐτὸν ἐλπίδος δόξαν τε διὰ τῆς παρούσης κτήσασθαι στρατηγίας παρὰ τοῖς ἀρχομένοις ἐπὶ τοῖς γεγενημένοις, τῶν τε Ἑβραίων τοὺς ἀξιολογωτάτους ἰδίᾳ παρεκάλει καὶ σύμπαν ἤδη τὸ πλῆθος ὡπλισμένον παρώρμα. [52] καὶ ὁ μὲν οὕτως παραστησάμενος τὸν στρατὸν τοῖς τε λόγοις καὶ τῇ διὰ τῶν ἔργων παρασκευῇ ἀνεχώρει πρὸς τὸ ὄρος θεῷ τε καὶ Ἰησοῦ παραδιδοὺς τὸ στράτευμα.

047 Moses encouraged the people with these words, and then assembled their tribal leaders and notables, both individually and together. He bade the young men obey their officers and the officers to heed their leader. 048 So the people were in high spirits and ready for the ordeal, hoping thereby to be finally set free from all their troubles. They even asked Moses to instantly lead them against the enemy, so as not to be delayed from what they had resolved. 049 Moses chose all who were fit for war into different troops and set over them Joshua, the son of Nauekos, of the tribe of Ephraim, a man of great courage and patient amid trials, quick of understanding and ready with words, serious about the worship of God and indeed like another Moses, a teacher of piety to the Hebrews. 050 He appointed a party of armed men to stay near the water-hole and guard the children and women and the whole camp. That whole night they got ready for the battle, bearing what useful weapons any of them had and attentive to their officers, ready to rush out to battle as soon as Moses gave the word. Moses kept awake too, telling Joshua how to order his forces. 051 At daybreak Moses again urged Joshua to prove himself in the way his reputation led people to expect from him and win glory in the minds of his subjects by his exploits in this battle. He also personally exhorted the Hebrew officers and the whole army as it stood armed before him. 052 Having thus animated and prepared the army by word and action he withdrew to the mountain, entrusting the army to God and to Joshua.

[53] Προσέμισγον δὲ οἱ πολέμιοι κἀν χερσὶν ἦν ἡ μάχη: προθυμίᾳ δὲ καὶ διακελευσμῷ τὰ πρὸς ἀλλήλους χρωμένων μέχρι μὲν οὖν Μωυσῆς αὖθις ἀνίσχει τὰς χεῖρας, καὶ τοὺς Ἀμαληκίτας κατεπόνουν οἱ Ἑβραῖοι. τὸν οὖν πόνον τῆς ἀνατάσεως τῶν χειρῶν ὁ Μωυσῆς οὐχ ὑπομένων, ὁσάκις γὰρ ἂν αὐτὰς καθίει τοσαυτάκις ἐλαττοῦσθαι τοὺς οἰκείους αὐτοῦ συνέβαινε, [54] κελεύει τόν τε ἀδελφὸν Ἀαρῶνα καὶ τῆς ἀδελφῆς Μαριάμης τὸν ἄνδρα Οὖρον ὄνομα στάντας ἑκατέρωθεν αὐτοῦ διακρατεῖν τὰς χεῖρας καὶ μὴ ἐπιτρέπειν κάμνειν βοηθοῦντας. καὶ τούτου γενομένου κατὰ κράτος ἐνίκων τοὺς Ἀμαληκίτας οἱ Ἑβραῖοι, καὶ πάντες ἂν ἀπωλώλεισαν, εἰ μὴ νυκτὸς ἐπιγενομένης ἀπέσχοντο τοῦ κτείνειν. [55] νίκην καλλίστην καὶ καιριωτάτην νικῶσιν ἡμῶν οἱ πρόγονοι: καὶ γὰρ τῶν ἐπιστρατευσάντων ἐκράτησαν καὶ τοὺς περιοίκους ἐφόβησαν, μεγάλων τε καὶ λαμπρῶν ἐκ τοῦ πονεῖν ἐπέτυχον ἀγαθῶν ἑλόντες τὸ στρατόπεδον τῶν πολεμίων, πλούτους τε μεγάλους δημοσίᾳ καὶ κατ' ἰδίαν ἔσχον οὐδὲ τῆς ἀναγκαίου τροφῆς πρότερον εὐποροῦντες. [56] ὑπῆρξε δ' αὐτοῖς οὐκ εἰς τὸ παρὸν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς τὸν αὖθις αἰῶνα τῶν ἀγαθῶν αἰτία κατορθωθεῖσα ἡ προειρημένη μάχη: οὐ γὰρ τὰ σώματα μόνον τῶν ἐπιστρατευσάντων ἐδούλωσαν ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ φρονήματα, καὶ τοῖς περιοίκοις ἅπασι μετὰ τὴν ἐκείνων ἧτταν ἐγένοντο φοβεροί, αὐτοί τε πλούτου μεγάλου δύναμιν προσέλαβον: [57] πολὺς γὰρ ὁ ἄργυρός τε καὶ χρυσὸς ἐγκατελήφθη ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ καὶ σκεύη χαλκᾶ, οἷς ἐχρῶντο περὶ τὴν δίαιταν, πολὺ δὲ ἐπίσημον πλῆθος ἑκατέρων ὅσα τε ὑφαντὰ καὶ κόσμοι περὶ τὰς ὁπλίσεις ἥ τε ἄλλη θεραπεία καὶ κατασκευὴ ἐκείνων λεία τε παντοία κτηνῶν καὶ ὅσα φιλεῖ στρατοπέδοις ἐξωδευκόσιν ἕπεσθαι. [58] φρονήματός τε ὑπεπλήσθησαν ἐπ' ἀνδρείᾳ Ἑβραῖοι καὶ πολλὴ μεταποίησις ἦν ἀρετῆς αὐτοῖς πρός τε τῷ πονεῖν ἦσαν ἀεὶ τούτῳ πάντα ληπτὰ νομίζοντες εἶναι. καὶ ταύτης μὲν τῆς μάχης τοῦτο τὸ πέρας.

053 The armies joined battle in a hand-to-hand fight, both sides encouraged by rallying-calls, and while Moses kept his hands stretched upwards, the Hebrews had the better of the Amalekites. But when Moses could not keep his hands outstretched, as often as he lowered them his people were worsted. 054 So he bade his brother Aaron and Hur, their sister Miriam's husband, to stand on either side of him and hold up his hands and not let their help fail him. When this was done, the Hebrews overwhelmed the Amalekites, who would all have died except that the onset of night made the killing cease. 055 So our ancestors obtained a fine and most timely victory. They not only defeated their opponents but also terrified the nations round about and won great profit from the enemy through their efforts in this battle. Once they had taken the enemy camp they got easy booty for public and private use, while up to then they had no surplus even of the necessary food. 056 The success in this battle won them prosperity not just for the moment, but for ages to come. For not only did they capture the bodies of their enemies, but also subdued their minds, and after this battle, were feared by all who lived round about them, and gained great riches too, 057 for a large amount of silver and gold was left in the enemy's camp, and bronze vessels for use at meals and many utensils embellished in two ways, some woven and some that adorned their armour and other trappings and apparatus, and spoils of livestock and of all that accompanies armies into the field. 058 So the Hebrews now prided themselves on their courage and aspired to heroism, and grew used to effort, by which they reckoned all things were attainable. Such was the outcome of this battle.

[59] Τῇ δ' ὑστεραίᾳ Μωυσῆς νεκρούς τε ἐσκύλευε τῶν πολεμίων καὶ τὰς παντευχίας τῶν φυγόντων συνέλεγεν ἀριστεῦσί τε τιμὰς ἐδίδου καὶ τὸν στρατηγὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐνεκωμίαζε μαρτυρούμενον ἐφ' οἷς ἔπραξεν ὑπὸ παντὸς τοῦ στρατοῦ. ἀπέθανεν δὲ Ἑβραίων μὲν οὐδείς, τῶν δὲ πολεμίων ὅσους οὐδ' ἀριθμῷ γνῶναι δυνατὸν ἦν. [60] θύσας δὲ χαριστήρια βωμὸν ἱδρύεται νικαῖον ὀνομάσας τὸν θεὸν προεφήτευέ τε πανωλεθρὶ τοὺς Ἀμαληκίτας ἀπολουμένους καὶ μηδένα αὐτῶν ὑπολειφθησόμενον εἰς αὖθις διὰ τὸ Ἑβραίοις ἐπιστρατεύσασθαι καὶ ταῦτα ἐν ἐρήμῳ τε γῇ καὶ ταλαιπωρουμένοις, τόν τε στρατὸν εὐωχίαις ἀνελάμβανε. [61] καὶ ταύτην μὲν τὴν μάχην πρώτην μαχεσάμενοι πρὸς τοὺς κατατολμήσαντας αὐτῶν μετὰ τὴν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου γενομένην ἔξοδον οὕτως ἐπολέμησαν, ἐπεὶ δὲ τὴν τῶν ἐπινικίων ἑορτὴν ἤγαγον, ὁ Μωυσῆς ἀναπαύσας ἐπ' ὀλίγας ἡμέρας τοὺς Ἑβραίους μετὰ τὴν μάχην προῆγε συντεταγμένους: [62] πολὺ δ' ἦν ἤδη τὸ ὁπλιτικὸν αὐτοῖς: καὶ προιὼν κατ' ὀλίγον ἐν τριμήνῳ μετὰ τὴν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου κίνησιν παρῆν ἐπὶ τὸ Σιναῖον ὄρος, ἐν ᾧ τά τε περὶ τὸν θάμνον αὐτῷ καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ φαντάσματα συντυχεῖν προειρήκαμεν.

059 The next day, Moses stripped the enemy corpses and collected the armour of those who fled and rewarded the valiant and gave high praise to their general, Joshua, who was acclaimed by all the army for what he had done. Of the Hebrews not one was killed, but of the enemy too many to be counted. 060 He offered a thanksgiving sacrifice and built an altar dedicated to God the Victorious and foretold the utter destruction of the Amalekites, and that none of them would survive into the future, since they fought the Hebrews when they were under pressure in the wilderness. Then he revived the army with feasting. 061 This was first battle they fought with those who dared oppose them after their exodus from Egypt. When they had celebrated the victory festival, Moses let the Hebrews rest for a few days after the battle and then he led them out in military order. 062 Many of them were now armed, and going forward in stages, three months after leaving Egypt they came to Mount Sinai, where he had met with the experience at the bush and other visions, as we have already said.

Chapter 3. [063-065]
Raguel, Moses' father-in-law, visits him at Mount Sinai

063 When his father-in-law, Raguel, heard of his success, he came to meet him with joy and greeted Moses and Sapphorah and their children. Moses was glad of of his father-in-law's visit and after offering sacrifice, gave a feast for the people near the Bush which had escaped the flames. 064 All the people shared in the feast, in their family groups, while Aaron and his family welcomed Raguel as their guest and sang hymns to God, as the source of their safety and freedom. 065 They also praised their leader, as the one through whom everything had turned out well for them and Raguel too, in his oration, praised the whole people for their gratitude to Moses, and expressed admiration for the bravery of Moses and his care for the saving of his friends.

Chapter 4. [066-074]
Moses accepts Raguel's advice, on organising the people

[63] Καὶ Ῥαγουῆλος ὁ πενθερὸς αὐτοῦ πυνθανόμενος εὐπραξίαν ἀσμένως ἀπήντα τόν τε Μωυσῆν καὶ τὴν Σαπφώραν δεχόμενος καὶ τοὺς παῖδας αὐτῶν. ἥδεται δὲ Μωυσῆς ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ πενθεροῦ ἀφίξει καὶ θύσας εὐωχεῖ τὸ πλῆθος τοῦ θάμνου πλησίον, ὃς διαπεφεύγει τοῦ πυρὸς τὴν φλόγωσιν: [64] καὶ τὸ μὲν πλῆθος κατὰ συγγένειαν ὡς ἕκαστοι τῆς εὐωχίας μετελάμβανον, Ἀαρὼν δὲ σὺν τοῖς παροῦσι Ῥαγουῆλον προσλαβόμενος ὕμνους τε ᾖδον εἰς τὸν θεὸν ὡς τῆς σωτηρίας αὐτοῖς καὶ τῆς ἐλευθερίας αἴτιον καὶ ποριστὴν γεγενημένον, [65] καὶ τὸν στρατηγὸν εὐφήμουν ὡς κατὰ ἀρετὴν ἐκείνου πάντων αὐτοῖς κατὰ νοῦν ἀπηντηκότων. καὶ Ῥαγουῆλος πολλὰ μὲν ἐγκώμια τοῦ πλήθους ἐπὶ τῇ πρὸς τὸν Μωυσῆν εὐχαριστίᾳ διεξῄει, ἐθαύμαζε δὲ καὶ τὸν Μωυσῆν τῆς ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ τῶν φίλων ἀνδραγαθίας. [66] Τῇ δ' ὑστεραίᾳ θεασάμενος ὁ Ῥαγουῆλος τὸν Μωυσῆν ἐν ὄχλῳ πραγμάτων ὄντα: διέλυε γὰρ τὰς δίκας τοῖς δεομένοις πάντων ἐπ' αὐτὸν βαδιζόντων καὶ μόνως ἂν τοῦ δικαίου τυχεῖν ἡγουμένων, εἰ διαιτητὴς αὐτοῖς οὗτος γένοιτο: [67] καὶ γὰρ τοῖς ἡττωμένοις κοῦφον ἐδόκει τὸ λείπεσθαι κατὰ δικαιοσύνην οὐ κατὰ πλεονεξίαν αὐτὸ πάσχειν νομίζουσι: τότε μὲν ἡσυχίαν ἦγε μὴ βουλόμενος ἐμποδίζειν τοῖς ἀρετῇ χρῆσθαι τοῦ στρατηγοῦ θέλουσι, παυσάμενον δὲ τοῦ θορύβου παραλαβὼν καὶ συμμονωθεὶς ἀνεδίδασκεν ἃ δεῖ ποιεῖν. [68] καὶ συνεβούλευε τῆς μὲν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἥττοσι ταλαιπωρίας ἑτέροις ἐκστῆναι, περὶ δὲ τῶν μειζόνων καὶ τῆς σωτηρίας τοῦ πλήθους ἔχειν τὴν πρόνοιαν αὐτόν: δικάσαι μὲν γὰρ ἀγαθοὺς κἂν ἄλλους Ἑβραίων εὑρεθῆναι, φροντίσαι δὲ τοσούτων μυριάδων σωτηρίας οὐκ ἄλλον τινὰ δύνασθαι μὴ Μωυσῆν γενόμενον. [69] "αἰσθανόμενος οὖν τῆς ἀρετῆς, φησί, σαυτοῦ καὶ οἷος γέγονας ἐπὶ τῷ τὸν λαὸν ὑπουργῶν τῷ θεῷ σώζειν τὴν μὲν τῶν ἐγκλημάτων δίαιταν ἐπίτρεψον αὐτοῖς ποιεῖσθαι καὶ ἐπ' ἄλλων, σὺ δὲ πρὸς μόνῃ τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ θεραπείᾳ κατέχων σεαυτὸν διατέλει ζητῶν οἷς ἂν τὸ πλῆθος ἀπαλλάξειας τῆς νῦν ἀπορίας. [70] ὑποθήκαις δὲ ταῖς ἐμαῖς περὶ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων χρησάμενος τὸν στρατὸν ἐξετάσεις ἀκριβῶς καὶ κατὰ μυρίους τούτων κεκριμένους ἄρχοντας ἀποδείξεις, εἶτα κατὰ χιλίους, διαιρήσεις δὲ μετ' αὐτοὺς εἰς πεντακοσίους, καὶ πάλιν εἰς ἑκατόν, εἶτ' εἰς πεντήκοντα. [71] ἄρχοντάς τε ἐπὶ τούτοις τάξεις, οἳ κατὰ τριάκοντα μερισθέντας διακοσμήσουσι καὶ κατὰ εἴκοσι καὶ κατὰ δέκα συναριθμουμένους, ἔστω δέ τις ἐπὶ τούτοις εἷς τὴν προσηγορίαν ἀπὸ τοῦ τῶν ἀρχομένων ἀριθμοῦ λαμβάνων, δοκιμασθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ πλήθους παντὸς εἶναι ἀγαθοὶ καὶ δίκαιοι, [72] οἳ περί τε τῶν διαφόρων αὐτοῖς κρινοῦσι κἂν ᾖ τι μεῖζον ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐν ἀξιώματι τὴν περὶ τούτου διάγνωσιν ἐπανοίσουσιν, ἂν δὲ κἀκείνους διαφύγῃ τὸ περὶ τοῦ πράγματος δύσκολον, ἐπὶ σὲ τοῦτο ἀναπέμψουσιν: ἔσται γὰρ οὕτως ἀμφότερα: καὶ τῶν δικαίων Ἑβραῖοι τεύξονται καὶ σὺ τῷ θεῷ προσεδρεύων εὐμενέστερον ἂν ποιήσειας αὐτὸν τῷ στρατῷ.

066 The next day, the father-in-law Raguel saw Moses burdened with duties, for he settled conflicts for any who appealed to him and everyone came to him with the idea that they would get justice only if he arbitrated for them. 067 Even those who lost their cases did not feel wronged, knowing that they lost them justly and not through greed. Raguel said nothing to him at the time, not wishing to hinder people from availing of their leader's virtue, but he took him aside alone, later, and advised him what he ought to do. 068 He should leave the solving of lesser cases to others, but take care of the major ones and of the people's security himself. Some other good men could be found to judge among the Hebrews, while nobody but a Moses could be responsible for the safety of so many thousands of people. 069 "Therefore think of your own strength" he said, "and what you have done in serving the people's safety under God. Let the judging of common cases be done by others, and let you devote yourself only to God and how to save the populace in their present predicament. 070 Follow what I suggest to you in dealing with people; review the army carefully and appoint chosen officers over tens of thousands and then over thousands. Sub-divide them into five hundreds and again into hundreds and fifties. 071 Set officers over each group, dividing them into thirties for good order, and numbering them by twenties and by tens. Let there be a leader over each group, named according to the number of those he leads, good and righteous men, tested and approved by the whole people. 072 Let those officers decide any differences they have with each another. Let them report graver cases to a higher-ranking officer, but if a major matter arises, too difficult for even them to decide, let them bring it to you. This will bring two advantages: the Hebrews will get justice, and you will be free to attend to God and win his fuller favour for the rank and file."

[73] Ταῦτα Ῥαγουήλου παραινέσαντος Μωυσῆς ἀσμένως προσήκατο τὴν συμβουλίαν καὶ ποιεῖ κατὰ τὴν ὑποθήκην τὴν ἐκείνου τοῦ τρόπου τὴν ἐπίνοιαν οὐκ ἀποκρυψάμενος οὐδὲ σφετερισάμενος αὐτήν, ἀλλὰ ποιήσας φανερὸν τὸν ἐξευρηκότα τῷ πλήθει. [74] κἀν τοῖς βιβλίοις δὲ Ῥαγουῆλον ἔγραψεν ὡς εὑρηκότα τὴν διάταξιν τὴν προειρημένην, καλῶς ἔχειν ἡγούμενος τἀληθῆ μαρτυρεῖν τοῖς ἀξίοις, εἰ καὶ δόξαν ἔμελλε φέρειν ἐπιγραφομένῳ τὰ ὑπὸ ἄλλων εὑρημένα, ὥστε τὴν Μωυσέος ἀρετὴν κἀκ τούτου καταμαθεῖν. ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν ταύτης εὐκαίρως ἐν ἄλλοις τῆς γραφῆς δηλώσομεν.

073 This was Raguel's counsel, and Moses gladly took his advice and followed his suggestion, not hiding the source of this procedure or claiming it as his own, but making clear to the people who had devised it. 074 Indeed, in the books he wrote he named Raguel as the one who devised this ordering of the people, thinking it right to give credit where it is due, although he might have added to his reputation by crediting the inventions of others to himself. This teaches us the virtuous character of Moses, of which we shall have occasion to speak in other parts of this writing.

Chapter 5. [075-101]
Moses ascends Mount Sinai to receive the Divine Torah

[75] Μωυσῆς δὲ συγκαλέσας τὴν πληθὺν αὐτὸς μὲν εἰς τὸ ὄρος ἀπέρχεσθαι τὸ Σιναῖον ἔλεγεν ὡς συνεσόμενος τῷ θεῷ καί τι λαβὼν παρ' αὐτοῦ χρήσιμον ἐπανήξων πρὸς αὐτούς, ἐκείνους δ' ἐκέλευσε πλησίον μετασκηνῶσαι τῷ ὄρει τὴν γειτνίασιν τοῦ θεοῦ προτιμήσαντας. [76] ταῦτ' εἰπὼν ἀνῄει πρὸς τὸ Σιναῖον ὑψηλότατον τῶν ἐν ἐκείνοις τοῖς χωρίοις ὀρῶν τυγχάνον καὶ διὰ τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τοῦ μεγέθους καὶ τῶν κρημνῶν τὸ ἀπότομον ἀνθρώποις οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἀναβατὸν ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ὁραθῆναι δίχα πόνου τῆς ὄψεως δυνάμενον ἄλλως τε διὰ τὸ λόγον εἶναι περὶ τοῦ τὸν θεὸν ἐν αὐτῷ διατρίβειν φοβερὸν καὶ ἀπρόσιτον. [77] Ἑβραῖοι δὲ κατὰ τὰς Μωυσέος ἐντολὰς μετεσκήνουν καὶ τὰς ὑπωρείας τοῦ ὄρους κατελαμβάνοντο ἠρμένοι ταῖς διανοίαις ὡς μετὰ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ἣν προύτεινεν αὐτοῖς, ἐπανήξοντος Μωυσέος παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ. [78] ἑορτάζοντες δὲ τὸν στρατηγὸν περιέμενον ἁγνεύοντες τήν τε ἄλλην ἁγνείαν καὶ ἀπὸ συνουσίας τῆς γυναικῶν ἡμέρας τρεῖς, καθὼς ἐκεῖνος αὐτοῖς προεῖπε, καὶ παρακαλοῦντες τὸν θεὸν εὐμενῆ συμβάλλοντα Μωυσεῖ δοῦναι δωρεάν, ὑφ' ἧς εὖ βιώσονται. ταῖς τ' οὖν διαίταις ἐχρῶντο πολυτελεστέραις καὶ τῷ κόσμῳ γυναιξὶν ὁμοῦ καὶ τέκνοις ἐκπρεπῶς ἤσκηντο.

075 Moses assembled the people to tell them he was leaving to go to mount Sinai and converse with God, to receive from him and bring back to them a valuable thing. He told them to move their camp nearer the mountain, in order to dwell nearer to God. 076 Saying this, he went up Mount Sinai, the highest of all the nearby mountains and hard to ascend, not only for its great height, but for its precipitous slopes. It cannot be gazed upon without hurting one's eyes, and was fearful and inaccessible due to the report that God lived there. 077 The Hebrews moved camp at Moses' command and took over the lower parts of the mountain, and were exalted in spirit, expecting Moses to return from God with news of the good things he had promised them. 078 So they feasted and waited for their leader and kept pure in other respects, not having intercourse with their wives for three days, as he had told them. They begged God to favour Moses at their meeting and to grant them a gift by which they could live well. They dined more splendidly and dressed their wives and children more ornately than usual.

[79] Ἐπὶ δύο μὲν οὖν ἡμέρας εὐωχούμενοι διῆγον, τῇ τρίτῃ δὲ πρὶν τὸν ἥλιον ἀνασχεῖν νεφέλη τε ὑπεράνω ἀνέσχε τοῦ παντὸς στρατοπέδου τῶν Ἑβραίων οὐ πρότερον τοῦτο ἰδόντων γενόμενον καὶ τὸ χωρίον οὗ τὰς σκηνὰς ἦσαν πεποιημένοι περιέγραφε, [80] καὶ τοῦ λοιποῦ παντὸς ἐν αἰθρίᾳ τυγχάνοντος ἄνεμοί τε σφοδροὶ λάβρον κινοῦντες ὑετὸν κατῄγιζον, ἀστραπαί τε ἦσαν φοβεραὶ τοῖς ὁρῶσι, καὶ κεραυνοὶ κατενεχθέντες ἐδήλουν τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ θεοῦ οἷς Μωυσῆς ἔχαιρεν εὐμενοῦς παρατυχόντος. [81] καὶ περὶ μὲν τούτων ὡς βούλεται φρονείτω ἕκαστος τῶν ἐντευξομένων, ἐμοὶ δὲ ἀνάγκη ταῦτα ἱστορεῖν καθάπερ ἐν ταῖς ἱεραῖς βίβλοις ἀναγέγραπται. τοὺς δὲ Ἑβραίους τά τε ὁρώμενα καὶ ὁ ταῖς ἀκοαῖς προσβάλλων ψόφος δεινῶς ἐτάραττεν, [82] ἀήθεις τε γὰρ ἦσαν αὐτῶν, καὶ ὁ περὶ τοῦ ὄρους διαπεφοιτηκὼς λόγος ὡς εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο φοιτῶντος τοῦ θεοῦ σφόδρα τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν ἐξέπληττε. κατεῖχον δ' αὑτοὺς πρὸς ταῖς σκηναῖς ἀχθόμενοι καὶ τόν τε Μωυσῆν ἀπολωλέναι νομίζοντες ὑπ' ὀργῆς τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ περὶ αὐτῶν ὅμοια προσδοκῶντες.

079 Two days they passed in this kind of feasting, but on the third day, before sun-up, a cloud such as none had seen before spread over the whole Hebrew camp and surrounded the place where they had pitched their tents. 080 Then while all the rest of the air was clear, strong winds sprang up with downpours of rain, and lightning that terrified the onlookers, and thunderbolts, showing that the God in who gave joy to Moses was graciously present. 081 Regarding these events, let each one think as he pleases, but I must narrate them as they are described in the sacred books. Thess sights and the sound that struck their ears greatly troubled the Hebrews, for they were so uncommon, 082 and the widespread rumour that God dwelt on that mountain gripped their minds, so they stayed put within their tents, thinking that Moses had been killed by the wrath of God and expecting a similar fate for themselves.

[83] Οὕτως δ' αὐτῶν διακειμένων ἐπιφαίνεται Μωυσῆς γαῦρός τε καὶ μέγα φρονῶν. ὀφθείς τε οὖν αὐτὸς ἀπαλλάσσει τοῦ δέους αὐτοὺς καὶ περὶ τῶν μελλόντων κρείττονας ὑπετίθετο τὰς ἐλπίδας, αἴθριός τε καὶ καθαρὸς ὁ ἀὴρ τῶν πρὸ ὀλίγου παθῶν ἦν Μωυσέος παραγεγονότος. [84] ἐπὶ τούτοις οὖν συγκαλεῖ τὸ πλῆθος εἰς ἐκκλησίαν ἀκουσόμενον ὧν ὁ θεὸς εἴποι πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ συναθροισθέντων στὰς ἐπὶ ὑψηλοῦ τινος, ὅθεν ἔμελλον πάντες ἀκούσεσθαι, "ὁ μὲν θεός, εἶπεν, ὦ Ἑβραῖοι, καθάπερ καὶ πρότερον εὐμενὴς προσεδέξατό με καὶ βίον τε ὑμῖν εὐδαίμονα καὶ πολιτείας κόσμον ὑπαγορεύσας πάρεστι καὶ αὐτὸς εἰς τὸ στρατόπεδον. [85] πρὸς γοῦν αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν ἔργων, ἃ δι' ἐκεῖνον ἡμῖν ἤδη πέπρακται, μὴ καταφρονήσητε τῶν λεγομένων εἰς ἐμὲ τὸν λέγοντα ἀφορῶντες μηδ' ὅτι γλῶττα ἀνθρωπίνη πρὸς ὑμᾶς λέγει: τὴν δ' ἀρετὴν αὐτῶν κατανοήσαντες ἐπιγνώσεσθε καὶ τὸ μέγεθος τοῦ νενοηκότος καὶ ἐπὶ συμφέροντι τῷ ὑμετέρῳ πρὸς ἐμὲ μὴ φθονήσαντος εἰπεῖν: [86] οὐ γὰρ Μωυσῆς ὁ Ἀμαράμου καὶ Ἰωχαβάδης υἱός, ἀλλ' ὁ τὸν Νεῖλον ἀναγκάσας ᾑματωμένον ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ῥυῆναι καὶ ποικίλοις δαμάσας κακοῖς τὸ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων φρόνημα, ὁ διὰ θαλάσσης ὁδὸν ὑμῖν παρασχών, ὁ καὶ τροφὴν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ μηχανησάμενος ἐλθεῖν ἀπορουμένοις, [87] ὁ ποτὸν ἐκ πέτρας ἀναβλύσας σπανίζουσι, δι' ὃν Ἄδαμος τῶν ἀπὸ γῆς τε καρπῶν καὶ θαλάσσης μεταλαμβάνει, δι' ὃν Νῶχος ἐκ τῆς ἐπομβρίας διέφυγε, δι' ὃν Ἅβραμος ὁ ἡμέτερος πρόγονος ἐξ ἀλήτου τὴν Χαναναίαν κατέσχε γῆν, δι' ὃν Ἴσακος γηραιοῖς ἐτέχθη γονεῦσι, δι' ὃν Ἰάκωβος δώδεκα παίδων ἀρεταῖς ἐκοσμήθη, δι' ὃν Ἰώσηπος ἐδεσπότευσε τῆς Αἰγυπτίων δυνάμεως, οὗτος ὑμῖν τούτους χαρίζεται τοὺς λόγους δι' ἑρμηνέως ἐμοῦ. [88] σεβάσμιοι δ' ὑμῖν γενέσθωσαν καὶ παίδων περιμαχητότεροι καὶ γυναικῶν: εὐδαίμονα γὰρ διάξετε βίον τούτοις ἑπόμενοι καὶ γῆς ἀπολαύοντες καρπίμου καὶ θαλάσσης ἀχειμάστου καὶ τέκνων γονῆς κατὰ φύσιν τικτομένων καὶ πολεμίοις ἔσεσθε φοβεροί: τῷ θεῷ γὰρ εἰς ὄψιν ἐλθὼν ἀκροατὴς ἀφθάρτου φωνῆς ἐγενόμην: οὕτως ἐκείνῳ τοῦ γένους ἡμῶν καὶ τῆς τούτου μέλει διαμονῆς."

083 While they were in this state, Moses showed up, joyful and highly exalted. When they saw him, they were set free from fear and became more hopeful about the future. The air also cleared and shed its former strangeness, when Moses appeared. 084 He called the people into assembly, to hear what God wished to say to them, and when they were together he stood on a height from which all could hear him and said, "O Hebrews, God has received me graciously as before, and has proposed for you a happy form of life and government, and is now present in the camp. 085 So for his sake and the works he has done for us, do not despise what I am going to say, because I pass on what was said to me, even if it is a human tongue delivering them to you. If you recognise their importance, you will know the greatness of Him whose work they are, who has not disdained to speak them to me for your good. 086 They come not from Moses, son of Amram and Jochebed, but from Him who for your sakes made the Nile run blood-red and by various strokes tamed the Egyptians' pride. It was He who gave you a way through the sea and provided food from heaven, when you needed it. 087 The One who made water flow from a rock, when you were short of it; by whom Adam shared in the fruits of land and sea; by whom Noah escaped the deluge; by whom Abraham our forefather, a wandering pilgrim, gained the land of Canaan; by whom Isaac was born to aged parents; by whom Jacob was adorned with the virtue of twelve sons; by whom Joseph powerfully ruled the Egyptians - he it is who grants you these words with me as his interpreter. 088 Let them be sacred to you and valued more highly by you than your own children and wives, for if you follow them, you will live happily and enjoy fruitful land, calm seas and the fruit of the womb born as nature requires, and you will be feared by your enemies. For I have been admitted into the presence of God and allowed to hear his pure voice, such is his concern for our nation and its survival."

[89] Ταῦτ' εἰπὼν προάγει τὸν λαὸν γυναιξὶν ὁμοῦ καὶ τέκνοις, ὡς ἀκούσαιεν τοῦ θεοῦ διαλεγομένου πρὸς αὐτοὺς περὶ τῶν πρακτέων, ἵνα μὴ βλαβείη τῶν λεγομένων ἡ ἀρετὴ ὑπὸ ἀνθρωπίνης γλώττης ἀσθενῶς εἰς γνῶσιν αὐτοῖς παραδιδομένη. [90] πάντες τε ἤκουον φωνῆς ὑψόθεν παραγενομένης εἰς ἅπαντας, ὡς διαφυγεῖν μηδένα καὶ λόγων οὓς Μωυσῆς ἐν ταῖς δύο πλαξὶ γεγραμμένους κατέλιπεν: οὓς οὐ θεμιτόν ἐστιν ἡμῖν λέγειν φανερῶς πρὸς λέξιν, τὰς δὲ δυνάμεις αὐτῶν δηλώσομεν.

089 Saying this, he brought the people forward, with their wives and children, to hear God telling them what they were to practice; that the power of what was spoken might not be weakened by being uttered in a human tongue, for their understanding. 090 They all heard a voice coming to them all from above, so that they missed none of these words which Moses left written on the two tablets. It is not lawful for us to set them down clearly in writing, but we will declare their import.

[91] Διδάσκει μὲν οὖν ἡμᾶς ὁ πρῶτος λόγος, ὅτι θεός ἐστιν εἷς καὶ τοῦτον δεῖ σέβεσθαι μόνον: ὁ δὲ δεύτερος κελεύει μηδενὸς εἰκόνα ζῴου ποιήσαντας προσκυνεῖν: ὁ τρίτος δὲ ἐπὶ μηδενὶ φαύλῳ τὸν θεὸν ὀμνύναι: ὁ δὲ τέταρτος παρατηρεῖν τὰς ἑβδομάδας ἀναπαυομένους ἀπὸ παντὸς ἔργου: [92] ὁ δὲ πέμπτος γονεῖς τιμᾶν: ὁ δὲ ἕκτος ἀπέχεσθαι φόνου: ὁ δὲ ἕβδομος μὴ μοιχεύειν: ὁ δὲ ὄγδοος μὴ κλοπὴν δρᾶν: ὁ δὲ ἔνατος μὴ ψευδομαρτυρεῖν: ὁ δὲ δέκατος μηδενὸς ἀλλοτρίου ἐπιθυμίαν λαμβάνειν.

091 The first word teaches us that God is one and we should worship him alone; the second commands us not to make the image of any living thing and worship it; the third, not to swear by God to anything false; the fourth, to keep the sabbath by resting from all work. 092 The fifth, to honour our parents; the sixth to abstain from murder; the seventh not to commit adultery; the eighth, not be steal; the ninth, not to bear false witness; the tenth, not to desire anything that is another's.

[93] Καὶ τὸ μὲν πλῆθος ἀκροασάμενον αὐτοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ περὶ ὧν Μωυσῆς διελέχθη χαῖρον ἐπὶ τοῖς προειρημένοις τοῦ συλλόγου διελύθη, ταῖς δ' ἐφεξῆς φοιτῶντες ἐπὶ τὴν σκηνὴν ἠξίουν αὐτὸν καὶ νόμους αὐτοῖς παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ κομίζειν. [94] ὁ δὲ τούτους τε τίθεται καὶ περὶ τῶν ὅλων ὃν ἂν πραχθείη τρόπον ἐν τοῖς αὖθις ἀπεσήμαινε χρόνοις, ὧν μνησθήσομαι κατὰ καιρὸν οἰκεῖον. τοὺς δὲ πλείονας τῶν νόμων εἰς ἑτέραν ἀνατίθεμαι γραφὴν ἰδίαν περὶ αὐτῶν ποιησόμενος ἀφήγησιν.

093 The populace was glad to hear from God himself the things Moses had spoken of, and the assembly parted, but on the following days they came to his tent to ask him to bring them other laws from God. 094 So he established them and told them how to act act in everything. These laws I shall mention at the proper time, but I shall reserve most about the laws to be explained in another work.

[95] Οὕτω δὲ τῶν πραγμάτων αὐτοῖς ἐχόντων ὁ Μωυσῆς πάλιν εἰς τὸ Σιναῖον ὄρος ἀνῄει προειπὼν τοῖς Ἑβραίοις, βλεπόντων δ' αὐτῶν ἐποιεῖτο τὴν ἄνοδον. καὶ χρόνου τριβομένου, τεσσαράκοντα γὰρ ἡμέρας διήγαγεν ἀπ' αὐτῶν, δέος εἶχε τοὺς Ἑβραίους, μή τι Μωυσῆς πάθοι, καὶ τῶν συντυχόντων δεινῶν οὐκ ἔστιν ὃ οὕτως ἐλύπησεν αὐτούς, ὡς τὸ νομίζειν Μωυσῆν ἀπολωλέναι. [96] ἦν γὰρ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἔρις τῶν μὲν ἀπολωλέναι λεγόντων θηρίοις περιπεσόντα, καὶ μάλιστα ὅσοι πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀπεχθῶς ἦσαν διακείμενοι ταύτην τὴν ψῆφον ἔφερον, τῶν δὲ πρὸς τὸ θεῖον ἀνακεχωρηκέναι. [97] τοὺς δὲ σώφρονας καὶ μηδέτερον τῶν λεγομένων εἰς ἡδονὴν λαμβάνοντας ἰδίαν, καὶ τὸ θηρίοις περιπεσόντα ἀποθανεῖν ἀνθρώπινον ἡγουμένους καὶ τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ πρὸς αὐτὸν μεταστῆναι διὰ τὴν προσοῦσαν ἀρετὴν εἰκὸς νομίζοντας, πρᾴως ἔχειν οὗτος ὁ λογισμὸς ἐποίει. [98] προστάτου δὲ ἠρημῶσθαι καὶ κηδεμόνος ὑπολαμβάνοντες, οἵου τυχεῖν οὐκ ἂν ἄλλου δύναιντο, σφόδρα λυπούμενοι διετέλουν καὶ οὔτε ὑπονοεῖν αὐτοὺς εἴα τὸ προσδοκᾶν τι χρηστὸν περὶ τἀνδρὸς οὔτε μὴ λυπεῖσθαι καὶ κατηφεῖν ἠδύναντο. τὸ δὲ στρατόπεδον οὐκ ἐθάρρουν μετάγειν Μωυσέος αὐτοὺς ἐκεῖ παραμένειν προειρηκότος.

095 When things reached this state, Moses again went up Mount Sinai, telling the Hebrews in advance and going up in their sight. When he was there such a long time, staying away from them forty days, fear gripped the Hebrews, that Moses had come to some harm, and nothing troubled them so much as the idea that Moses had died. 096 People's opinions varied about this, some saying that wild animal had killed him and those of this opinion were mainly ill-disposed to him, but others said that he had left and gone to God. 097 The more prudent were satisfied with neither of those views, realising that while people sometimes fall victim to wild beasts, it was possible that due to his virtue he might also have left and gone to God, so they remained quietly awaiting the outcome. 098 They were very sorry to lose such a leader and guardian as they might never have again, leaving them no consolation about this man, so they could not help being sad and downcast about him. However, the camp dared not move all this while, since Moses had told them to stay there.

[99] Ἤδη δὲ τεσσαράκοντα ἡμερῶν διεληλυθυιῶν καὶ τοσούτων νυκτῶν παρῆν οὐδενὸς σιτίου τῶν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νενομισμένων γεγευμένος. χαρᾶς δ' ἐνέπλησε τὴν στρατιὰν ἐπιφανείς, καὶ τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ πρόνοιαν ἣν εἶχε περὶ αὐτῶν ἀπεδήλου τόν τε τρόπον καθ' ὃν εὐδαιμονήσουσι πολιτευόμενοι λέγων αὐτῷ κατὰ ταύτας ὑποθέσθαι τὰς ἡμέρας, [100] καὶ σκηνὴν ὅτι βούλεται γενέσθαι αὐτῷ, εἰς ἣν κάτεισι πρὸς αὐτοὺς παραγινόμενος, ὅπως καὶ μεταβαίνοντες ἀλλαχοῦ ταύτην ἐπαγώμεθα καὶ μηκέτι δεώμεθα τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ Σιναῖον ἀνόδου, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς ἐπιφοιτῶν τῇ σκηνῇ παρατυγχάνῃ ταῖς ἡμετέραις εὐχαῖς. [101] γενήσεται δὲ ἡ σκηνὴ μέτροις τε καὶ κατασκευῇ οἷς αὐτὸς ὑπέδειξεν ὑμῶν ἀόκνως ἐχόντων πρὸς τὸ ἔργον. ταῦτ' εἰπὼν δύο πλάκας αὐτοῖς ἐπιδείκνυσιν ἐγγεγραμμένους ἐχούσας τοὺς δέκα λόγους, ἐν ἑκατέρᾳ πέντε. καὶ χεὶρ ἦν ἐπὶ τῇ γραφῇ τοῦ θεοῦ.

099 When the forty days and as many nights were over, he came down, having tasted none of what a person usually needs as nourishment. His appearance filled the group with gladness and he declared God's care for them and how they could live happy lives, and said that during the days of his absence 100 he wanted a tent built for God, where he would descend to be present to them, and we should carry it round with us when we move from this place, and that we would no longer need to go up Mount Sinai, for God himself would dwell in his Tent and be present to our prayers. 101 The Tent must measure and be furnished as God had shown him and "you must diligently apply yourselves to this work." Then he showed them the two tablets, engraved with the ten commandments, five upon each, written by the hand of God.

Chapter 6. [102-150]
Moses builds a tent for God's honour, forerunner of the Temple; its furnishings

[102] Οἱ δὲ χαίροντες οἷς τε ἑώρων καὶ οἷς ἤκουον τοῦ στρατηγοῦ τῆς κατὰ δύναμιν αὐτῶν σπουδῆς οὐκ ἀπελείποντο, ἀλλ' εἰσέφερον ἄργυρόν τε καὶ χρυσὸν καὶ χαλκὸν ξύλα τε τῆς καλλίστης ὕλης καὶ μηδὲν ὑπὸ τῆς σήψεως παθεῖν δυνάμενα, αἰγείους τε τρίχας καὶ δορὰς προβάτων τὰς μὲν ὑακίνθῳ βεβαμμένας τὰς δὲ φοίνικι: αἱ δὲ πορφύρας ἄνθος, ἕτεραι δὲ λευκὴν παρεῖχον τὴν χρόαν: [103] ἔριά τε τοῖς προειρημένοις ἄνθεσι μεμολυσμένα καὶ λίνου βύσσον λίθους τε τούτοις ἐνδεδεμένους, οὓς χρυσίῳ καθειργνύντες ἄνθρωποι κόσμῳ χρῶνται πολυτελεῖ, θυμιαμάτων τε πλῆθος συνέφερον: ἐκ γὰρ τοιαύτης ὕλης κατεσκεύασε τὴν σκηνήν. ἡ δ' οὐδὲν μεταφερομένου καὶ συμπερινοστοῦντος ναοῦ διέφερε. [104] τούτων οὖν κατὰ σπουδὴν συγκομισθέντων ἑκάστου καὶ παρὰ δύναμιν φιλοτιμησαμένου, ἀρχιτέκτονας τοῖς ἔργοις ἐφίστησι κατ' ἐντολὴν τοῦ θεοῦ οὓς καὶ τὸ πλῆθος ἂν ἐπελέξατο τῆς ἐξουσίας ἐπ' αὐτῷ γενομένης. [105] τὰ δὲ ὀνόματα αὐτῶν, καὶ γὰρ ἐν ταῖς ἱεραῖς βίβλοις ἀναγέγραπται, ταῦτ' ἦν: Βασάηλος [μὲν] Οὐρὶ παῖς τῆς Ἰούδα φυλῆς, υἱὸς δὲ Μαριάμης τῆς ἀδελφῆς τοῦ στρατηγοῦ, Ἐλίβαζος δὲ Ἰσαμάχου Δανίδος φυλῆς. [106] τὸ δὲ πλῆθος οὕτως ὑπὸ προθυμίας τοῖς ἐγχειρουμένοις ἐπῆλθεν, ὥστε Μωυσῆς ἀνεῖρξεν αὐτοὺς ὑποκηρυξάμενος ἀρκεῖν τοὺς ὄντας: τοῦτο γὰρ οἱ δημιουργοὶ προειρήκεσαν: ἐχώρουν οὖν ἐπὶ τὴν τῆς σκηνῆς κατασκευήν, [107] καὶ Μωυσῆς αὐτοὺς ἕκαστα περὶ τῶν μέτρων κατὰ τὴν ὑποθήκην τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ μεγέθους ὅσα τε δεῖ σκεύη χωρεῖν αὐτὴν ἀνεδίδασκε πρὸς τὰς θυσίας ὑπηρετήσοντα. ἐφιλοτιμοῦντο δὲ καὶ γυναῖκες περί τε στολὰς ἱερατικὰς καὶ περὶ τὰ ἄλλα ὅσων ἔχρῃζε τὸ ἔργον κόσμου τε καὶ λειτουργίας ἕνεκα τοῦ θεοῦ.

102 They were glad of what they had seen and heard from their general and did not fail to show enthusiasm according to their ability. They brought silver and gold and brass and high-quality wood which would not decay or rot; and camel hair and sheep-skins, some of them dyed blue and some scarlet; and some brought flowers for the purple colour and others brought white. 103 They brought fleeces dyed with the aforesaid flowers, and fine linen and precious stones, which people set in gold for lavish ornaments; and a large amount of spices. Of materials like these, Moses fashioned the Tent, which was no less than a movable, itinerant temple. 104 When these things were diligently brought, for everyone was ambitious for the work, even beyond their ability, he set architects over the works, by the command of God, whom the people themselves would have chosen if the choice was theirs. 105 Their names are written in the sacred books, and were these: Basaelos, son of Uri, of the tribe of Judas, the son of the chief's sister, Miriam, and Elibazos, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. 106 The people went on eagerly with the undertaking, so that Moses had to restrain them by proclaiming that what had been brought was sufficient, as the artisans had told him, so they began work upon the building of the Tent. 107 At God's direction Moses told them what its size and measures were to be, and how many vessels it should contain to serve the sacrifices. The women also vied with each other in making the priestly vestments and other things this work required, for ornament and for the worship of God.

[108] Πάντων δ' ἐν ἑτοίμῳ γεγενημένων χρυσίου τε καὶ χαλκοῦ καὶ τῶν ὑφαντῶν, προειπὼν ἑορτὴν Μωυσῆς καὶ θυσίας κατὰ τὴν ἑκάστου δύναμιν ἵστη τὴν σκηνήν, πρῶτον μὲν αἴθριον διαμετρησάμενος τὸ μὲν εὖρος πεντήκοντα πηχῶν ἑκατὸν δὲ τὸ μῆκος. [109] κάμακας δὲ ἔστησε χαλκέας πενταπήχεις τὸ ὕψος καθ' ἑκατέραν πλευρὰν εἴκοσι τῶν ἐπιμηκεστέρων, δέκα δὲ τῶν ἐν πλάτει κειμένων τῆς κατόπιν, κρίκοι δὲ τῶν καμάκων ἑκάστῃ προσῆσαν: Κιονόκρανα μὲν ἀργύρεα, βάσεις δὲ χρυσαῖ σαυρωτῆρσιν ἐμφερεῖς, χαλκαῖ δὲ ἦσαν, ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐρηρεισμέναι. [110] ἐξήπτετο δὲ τῶν κρίκων καλώδια τὴν ἀρχὴν ἥλων χαλκέων πηχυαίων τὸ μέγεθος ἐκδεδεμένα, οἳ καθ' ἑκάστην κάμακα παρέντες κατὰ τοῦ ἐδάφους ἀκίνητον ὑπὸ βίας ἀνέμων τὴν σκηνὴν ἔμελλον παρέξειν. σινδὼν δ' ἐκ βύσσου ποικιλωτάτη διὰ πασῶν ἐπῄει ἀπὸ τοῦ κιονοκράνου κατιοῦσα μέχρι τῆς βάσεως πολλὴ κεχυμένη, περιφράττουσα ἅπαν κύκλῳ τὸ χωρίον, ὡς μηδὲν δοκεῖν τείχους διαφέρειν. [111] καὶ οὕτως μὲν εἶχον αἱ τρεῖς πλευραὶ τοῦ περιβόλου: τῆς δὲ τετάρτης πλευρᾶς, πεντήκοντα γὰρ οὖσα πήχεων ἡ ἑτέρα μέτωπον τοῦ παντὸς ἦν, εἴκοσι μὲν πήχεις ἀνεῴγεσαν κατὰ πύλας, ἐν αἷς ἀνὰ δύο κάμακες εἱστήκεσαν κατὰ μίμησιν πυλώνων. [112] ὅλαις δ' αὐταῖς ἄργυρος ἦν ἐπικεχαλκωμένος πάρεξ τῶν βάσεων: χαλκαῖ γὰρ ἦσαν. ἑκατέρωθεν δὲ τοῦ πυλῶνος τρεῖς κάμακες ἦσαν ἑστῶσαι, αἳ τοῖς πυλούχοις ἐμβεβήκεσαν ἐρηρεισμέναι, καὶ κατ' αὐτῶν δὲ βύσσινον ὕφος σινδόνος ἦν περιηγμένον. [113] τὸ δὲ κατὰ τὰς πύλας μήκους μὲν ὄντος πήχεων εἴκοσι πέντε δὲ βάθους ὕφος ἦν πορφύρας φοίνικος σὺν ὑακίνθῳ καὶ βύσσῳ πεποιημένον πολλῶν αὐτῷ συνανθούντων καὶ ποικίλων, ὁπόσα μὴ ζῴων ἐξετυποῦτο μορφάς. [114] ἐντὸς δὲ τῶν πυλῶν περιρραντήριον ἦν χάλκεον ὁμοίαν αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν κρηπῖδα παρεχόμενον, ἐξ οὗ τοῖς ἱερεῦσι τὰς χεῖρας ἀποπλύνειν καὶ τῶν ποδῶν καταχεῖν παρῆν. καὶ ὁ μὲν τοῦ αἰθρίου περίβολος τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον ἦν διακεκοσμημένος.

108 When all was ready, the gold, silver, brass and fabrics, Moses declared there would be a festival, with sacrifices offered according to each one's ability, and set up the Tent. First he measured the open court, fifty feet broad and a hundred long, 109 and set up bronze poles, five feet high, twenty on each of the longer sides and ten for the breadth behind, and each of the poles had a ring. Their tops were of silver and their bases of brass, like the points of spears with the brass ends fixed into the ground. 110 Cords were passed through the rings and tied at their farther ends to brass nails of a foot long, driven into the floor at every pole, to keep the Tent from shaking in the force of the winds. A curtain of fine soft linen went round all the poles and hung down in a sweeping fashion from their tops to the floor, enclosing the whole space and seeming not unlike a wall. 111 Three sides of the enclosure were like this. On the fourth side, which was fifty feet long and formed the front of the whole, there was an entrance of twenty feet wide, with two poles on each side, resembling open gates. 112 These were entirely plated with silver except the bases, which were of brass. On each side of the gates stood three poles, fittted into the concave bases of the gates, and round them was drawn a curtain of fine linen. 113 The gates were twenty feet wide and five feet high and the curtain was made from purple and scarlet and blue and fine linen, embroidered with many sorts of shapes except those of animals. 114 Within the gates was a bronze wash-basin, on a base of similar material, from which the priests could wash their hands and sprinkle their feet. This was the adornment of the enclosure about the court of the Tent, which was open to the air.

[115] Τὴν δὲ σκηνὴν ἵστησιν αὐτοῦ κατὰ μέσον τετραμμένην πρὸς τὰς ἀνατολάς, ἵνα πρῶτον ὁ ἥλιος ἐπ' αὐτὴν ἀνιὼν ἀφίῃ τὰς ἀκτῖνας. καὶ τὸ μὲν μῆκος αὐτῆς ἐπὶ πήχεις ἐγήγερτο τριάκοντα τὸ δὲ εὖρος ἐπὶ δέκα διειστήκει, καὶ ὁ μὲν ἕτερος τῶν τοίχων νότιος ἦν, ὁ δὲ ἕτερος κατὰ βορέαν ἐτέτραπτο, κατόπιν δ' αὐτῆς ἡ δύσις κατελείπετο. [116] ἀνίστασθαι δ' αὐτὴν ἐχρῆν ἐφ' ὅσον προβαίνοι τὸ εὖρος. κίονες δ' ἦσαν ξύλου πεποιημένοι κατὰ πλευρὰν ἑκατέραν εἴκοσι τετράγωνοι μὲν τὸ σχῆμα εἰργασμένοι, εἰς δὲ πλάτος διεστῶτες πήχεώς τε καὶ ἡμίσους, τὸ δὲ βάθος δακτύλων τεσσάρων. [117] λεπίδες δ' αὐτοῖς ἦσαν ἐπικεχαλκευμέναι πανταχόθεν χρυσαῖ διά τε τῶν ἔνδοθεν καὶ τῶν ἐκτὸς μερῶν. δύο δ' αὐτῶν ἑκάστῳ προσῆσαν στρόφιγγες ἐλαυνόμενοι κατὰ δύο βάσεων: αὗται δ' ἀργυραῖ μὲν ἦσαν, πυλὶς δ' ἑκατέρᾳ τούτων προσῆν δεχομένη τὴν στρόφιγγα. [118] τοῦ δὲ κατὰ δύσιν τοίχου κίονες μὲν ἓξ ἦσαν, συνῄεσαν δ' ἀλλήλοις ἀκριβῶς ἅπαντες, ὥστε μεμυκότων τῶν ἁρμῶν ὡς ἕνα δοκεῖν εἶναι τοῖχον αὐτῶν τὴν συνέλευσιν χρύσειον τά τε ἔνδοθεν καὶ τὰ ἐκτός: [119] ἀνηλόγει γὰρ ὁ τῶν κιόνων ἀριθμός: εἴκοσι γὰρ ἦσαν καὶ παρεῖχε πλάτος Τρίτον σπιθαμῆς ἕκαστος αὐτῶν, ὥστε συμπληροῦσθαι τοὺς τριάκοντα πήχεις ὑπ' αὐτῶν: κατὰ δὲ τὸν ὄπισθεν τοῖχον, ἐννέα γὰρ πήχεις οἱ ἓξ κίονες παρέχονται συνελθόντες, δύ' ἑτέρους ποιοῦνται κίονας ἐκ πήχεως τετμημένους, οὓς ἐγγωνίους ἔθεσαν ἐπ' ἴσης τοῖς μείζοσιν ἠσκημένους. [120] ἕκαστος δὲ τῶν κιόνων κρίκον εἶχε χρύσεον κατὰ τὸ ἔξω μέτωπον προσφυὴς ὥσπερ ῥίζαις τισὶν ἐμπεπλεγμένος κατὰ στίχον πρὸς ἀλλήλους τετραμμένοι τὴν περιφέρειαν, καὶ δι' αὐτῶν ἐπίχρυσοι σκυταλίδες ἐλαυνόμεναι πέντε πήχεων ἑκάστη τὸ μέγεθος σύνδεσμος ἦσαν τῶν κιόνων, ἐμβαινούσης κατὰ κεφαλὴν σκυταλίδος ἑκάστης τῇ ἑτέρᾳ τεχνητῷ στρόφιγγι κοχλίου τρόπον δεδημιουργημένῳ. [121] κατὰ δὲ τὸν ὄπισθεν τοῖχον μία φάλαγξ ἦν διὰ πάντων ἰοῦσα τῶν κιόνων, εἰς ἣν ἐνέβαινον πλάγιαι αἱ τελευταῖαι τῶν σκυταλίδων ἐξ ἑκατέρου τοίχου τῶν ἐπιμηκεστέρων καὶ κρατεῖσθαι συνέβαινεν αὐταῖς γιγλύμοις τῷ θήλει τοῦ ἄρρενος συνελθόντος. τοῦτο μέντοι πρὸς τὸ μήθ' ὑπὸ ἀνέμων κραδαίνεσθαι μήτ' ἄλλης αἰτίας τὴν σκηνὴν συνεῖχεν, ἀλλ' ἀκίνητον αὐτὴν ἐν ἠρεμίᾳ πολλῇ διαφυλάξειν ἔμελλεν.

115 He placed the Tent in the middle of that court, turned towards the east, so that the sun's first rays would fall on it. When set up, its length was thirty feet and its breadth was ten. One of its walls faced south and the other faced the north and its back was turned to the west. 116 Its height had to equal its width. There were twenty wooden boards on each side, shaped in the form of a quadrangle, each a foot and a half wide and four fingers thick, 117 with thin plates of gold fixed on both the inner and the outer sides, each with two silver tenons; and in each base was a socket to receive the tenons. 118 On the west wall were six boards, with all these tenons and sockets precisely fitted so that the joints were invisible and it seemed to be one single, entire wall, covered inside and outside with gold. 119 The number of pillars was equal on the opposite sides with twenty on each side and each of them was a third of a hands-breadth thick, so that between them they amounted to thirty feet. On the back wall where the six pillars together measured only nine feet, they made two other pillars, cutting each to the size of one foot, which they placed in the corners and made them as fine as the others. 120 Each of the pillars had rings of gold fixed in front, as if they were rooted in the pillars, and they stood row opposite row; through the rings were inserted gold-plated bars, each five feet long, uniting the pillars, each bar running into the next like mortise and tenons, formed in the shape of a shell. 121 The back wall had only a single row of bars running through all the pillars, into which ran the ends of the bars from each side of the longer walls; the "male" and "female" joints being so connected that they held the whole tent together, unshaken by the winds or anything else, steady and stable.

[122] Ἐντὸς δὲ διελὼν τὸ μῆκος αὐτῆς εἰς τρία μέρη μετὰ δέκα πήχεας ἡρμοσμένους ἐκ τοῦ μυχοῦ τέσσαρας ἵστησι κίονας ὁμοίως τοῖς ἄλλοις εἰργασμένους καὶ βάσεσιν ὁμοίαις ἐπικειμένους διαλείποντας ἀλλήλων κατ' ὀλίγον. τὸ δ' ἐνδοτέρω αὐτῶν ἄδυτον ἦν, τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν ἡ σκηνὴ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ἀνεῖτο. [123] τὴν μέντοι διαμέτρησιν τὴν τοιαύτην τῆς σκηνῆς καὶ μίμησιν τῆς τῶν ὅλων φύσεως συνέβαινεν εἶναι: τὸ μὲν γὰρ τρίτον αὐτῆς μέρος τὸ ἐντὸς τῶν τεσσάρων κιόνων, ὃ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ἦν ἄβατον, ὡς οὐρανὸς ἀνεῖτο τῷ θεῷ, οἱ δ' εἴκοσι πήχεις, ὥσπερ γῆ καὶ θάλασσα βάσιμος ἀνθρώποις, οὕτως τοῖς ἱερεῦσι μόνοις ἐπετέτραπτο. [124] κατὰ μέτωπον δέ, ἐξ οὗ τὴν εἴσοδον ἦσαν πεποιημένοι, κίονες ἕστασαν χρύσεοι χαλκείαις βάσεσιν ἐφεστῶτες τὸν ἀριθμὸν πέντε. κατεπετάννυσαν δὲ τὴν σκηνὴν ὕφεσι βύσσου καὶ πορφύρας ὑακίνθου καὶ φοίνικος βαφῆς συγκεκραμένης. [125] καὶ πρῶτον μὲν ἦν πήχεων δέκα πανταχόθεν, ᾧ κατεπετάννυσαν τοὺς κίονας, οἳ διαιροῦντες τὸν νεὼν τὸ ἄδυτον ἔνδον αὑτῶν ἀπελάμβανον: καὶ τοῦτο ἦν τὸ ποιοῦν αὐτὸ μηδενὶ κάτοπτον. καὶ ὁ μὲν πᾶς ναὸς ἅγιον ἐκαλεῖτο, τὸ δ' ἄβατον τὸ ἐντὸς τῶν τεσσάρων κιόνων τοῦ ἁγίου τὸ ἅγιον. [126] ὡραῖον δὲ τὸ φάρσος ἄνθεσι παντοίοις, ὅσα γῆθεν ἀνέρχεται, διαπεποικιλμένον τοῖς τε ἄλλοις ἅπασιν ἐνυφασμένον, ὅσα κόσμον οἴσειν ἔμελλε, πλὴν ζῴων μορφῆς. [127] ἕτερον δὲ τούτῳ καὶ τῷ μεγέθει καὶ τῇ ὑφῇ καὶ τῇ χρόᾳ παραπλήσιον τοὺς ἐπὶ ταῖς εἰσόδοις πέντε κίονας περιέβαλλε κατὰ γωνίαν ἑκάστου κίονος κρίκου κατέχοντος αὐτὸ ἀπὸ κορυφῆς ἄχρι ἡμίσους τοῦ κίονος. τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν εἴσοδος ἀνεῖτο τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ὑποδυομένοις. [128] ὑπὲρ δὲ τούτου λίνεον ἦν ἰσομέγεθες φάρσος ἐφελκόμενον ἀπὸ κάλων ἐπὶ θάτερα, τῶν κρίκων τῷ τε ὕφει καὶ τῷ κάλῳ διακονούντων πρός τε τὸ ἐκπετάννυσθαι καὶ συνελκόμενον ἵστασθαι κατὰ γωνίαν ἐμποδὼν οὐκ ἐσόμενον πρὸς τὸ κατοπτεύεσθαι καὶ μάλιστα ἐν ταῖς ἐπισήμοις ἡμέραις. [129] κατὰ δὲ τὰς λοιπὰς καὶ μάλισθ' ὅταν ᾖ νιφετώδης προπεταννύμενον στεγανὸν ἐποίει τὸ ἐκ τῶν βαμμάτων ὕφος: ὅθεν δὴ παρέμεινε τὸ ἔθος καὶ τὸν ναὸν οἰκοδομησαμένων ἡμῶν, ὥστε τὴν σινδόνα τοιουτότροπον περικεῖσθαι ταῖς εἰσόδοις. [130] δέκα δὲ ἄλλα φάρση πηχῶν τὸ πλάτος τεσσάρων τὸ δὲ μῆκος ὀκτὼ καὶ εἴκοσι, χρυσείους ἔχοντα γιγλύμους ἐπὶ συναφῇ θηλείας τε καὶ ἄρρενος συνείλεκτο, ὡς ἓν εἶναι δοκεῖν, εἶτα ὑπερτεινόμενα τοῦ ναοῦ τό τ' ἐφύπερθεν ἐσκίαζε καὶ τῶν τοίχων τοὺς κατὰ πλευρὰν καὶ κατόπιν ἑστῶτας ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ὅσον πῆχυν ἀνέχοντα. [131] ἴσαι δὲ τῷ πλάτει καὶ ἄλλαι σινδόνες μιᾷ πλείους τὸν ἀριθμὸν τὸ δὲ μῆκος ὑπερβάλλουσαι, τριακονταπήχεις γὰρ ἦσαν, ὑφασμέναι δ' ἐκ τριχῶν ὁμοίως κατὰ λεπτουργίαν ταῖς ἐκ τῶν ἐρίων πεποιημέναι ἐτέταντο μέχρι τῆς γῆς κεχυμέναι Κατὰ θύρας ἀετώματι παραπλήσιον καὶ παστάδι παρεῖχον, τοῦ ἑνδεκάτου φάρσους εἰς τοῦτο παρειλημμένου. [132] ἄλλαι δ' ἐπάνω τούτων ἐκ διφθερῶν κατεσκευασμέναι ὑπερῄεσαν σκέπη καὶ βοήθεια ταῖς ὑφανταῖς ἔν τε τοῖς καύμασι καὶ ὁπότε ὑετὸς εἴη γεγενημέναι. πολλὴ δ' ἔκπληξις ἐλάμβανε τοὺς πόρρωθεν θεωμένους: τὴν γὰρ χρόαν τοῖς κατὰ τὸν οὐρανὸν συμβαίνουσιν οὐδὲν ἐδόκουν διαφέρειν. [133] αἱ δ' ἐκ τῆς τριχὸς καὶ τῶν διφθερῶν πεποιημέναι κατῄεσαν ὁμοίως τῷ περὶ τὰς πύλας ὑφάσματι τό τε καῦμα καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ὄμβρων ὕβριν ἀπομαχόμεναι. καὶ ἡ μὲν σκηνὴ τοῦτον πήγνυται τὸν τρόπον.

122 He divided its inside length into three sections. Ten feet from the farther end, he placed four pillars, fashioned like the rest and set on similar bases with them, each separated a little from the next. The area within those pillars was the sanctuary while the rest of the Tent was open for the priests. 123 These measurements of the Tent turn out to be an imitation of the nature of the universe. The one third of it, within the four pillars, inaccessible to the priests, is like God's private heaven. Then the space of the twenty feet, is, as it were, sea and land, where people live, and this part is special to the priests only. 124 But in front, where they made the entrance, they placed pillars of gold, standing on bases of brass, seven in number, and spread over the Tent veils of fine linen and purple and blue and scarlet colours, embroidered. 125 The first veil was ten feet each way and this they spread over the pillars dividing the temple, to keep the most holy place concealed within, not visible to anyone. While the whole temple was called The Holy Place, the part within the four pillars and to which none were admitted, was called The Holy of Holies. 126 This veil was beautiful and decked with every kind of flower that springs from the earth and interwoven with ornaments of every variety, except the forms of animals. 127 Another veil covered the five pillars at the entrance, like the former in size and texture and colour, hanging from a ring from the top to halfway down the pillars, the other half allowing an entrance, for the priests to creep beneath it. 128 Over this there was a linen veil, of the same size as the former: that could be drawn to either side by cords, with rings fixed to the texture of the veil and to the cords to allow the veil to be drawn or rolled aside in the corner, and not block the view of the sanctuary, especially on solemn days. 129 On other days and especially when it was snowing, it could be spread and give some cover to the veil of many colours. From this comes our custom, once the temple was built, of having a fine linen veil drawn over the entrances. 130 The ten other curtains were four feet wide and twenty-eight feet long, with "male" and "female" golden clasps so exactly fitted together that it seemed to be one entire curtain. These were spread over the temple and covered all the top and parts of the walls, on the sides and behind, to within one foot of the ground. 131 There were other curtains just as wide but longer and one more of them, for they were thirty feet long, woven of hair as skillfully as those of wool and reaching loosely down to the ground, providing a high, triangular front entrance, the eleventh curtain being used for this purpose. 132 Above these there were also other curtains of skins to provide covering and protection for the woven ones in hot weather and when it rained. Whoever viewed those curtains at a distance was amazed, for they seemed not to differ from the colour of the sky. 133 Those made of hair and skins reached down in the same way as did the veil at the gates, warding off the heat of the sun and any harm from the rains. Such was the form of the Tent.

[134] Γίνεται δὲ καὶ κιβωτὸς τῷ θεῷ ξύλων ἰσχυρῶν τὴν φύσιν καὶ σῆψιν παθεῖν οὐ δυναμένων: ἡ δ' ἐρὼν μὲν καλεῖται κατὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν γλῶτταν, ἡ δὲ κατασκευὴ τοιαύτη τις ἦν: [135] μῆκος μὲν ἦν αὐτῇ πέντε σπιθαμῶν, τὸ δ' εὖρος καὶ τὸ βάθος τριῶν σπιθαμῶν εἰς ἑκάτερον: χρυσῷ δὲ τά τ' ἐντὸς καὶ τὰ ἔξωθεν περιελήλατο πᾶσα, ὡς ἀποκεκρύφθαι τὴν ξύλωσιν, στρόφιγξί τε χρυσοῖς τὸ ἐπίθεμα προσηνωμένον εἶχε θαυμαστῶς, ὃ πανταχόθεν ἴσον ἦν κατ' οὐδέτερον μέρος ἐξοχαῖς τὴν εὐαρμοστίαν λυμαινόμενον. [136] καὶ καθ' ἑκάτερον δὲ τοῖχον τῶν ἐπιμηκεστέρων κρίκοι προσῆσαν χρυσοῖ δύο τοῦ παντὸς διήκοντες ξύλου, καὶ δι' αὐτῶν ἔνετοι σκυταλίδες ἐπίχρυσοι καθ' ἑκάτερον τοῖχον, ὡς ἂν ὑπ' αὐτῶν ὁπότε δεήσειεν ἄγοιτο κινουμένη: οὐ γὰρ ἐπὶ ζεύγους ἐκομίζετο, ἀλλ' ὑπὸ τῶν ἱερέων ἐφέρετο. [137] τῷ δὲ ἐπιθέματι αὐτῆς ἦσαν πρόστυποι δύο, Χερουβεῖς μὲν αὐτοὺς Ἑβραῖοι καλοῦσι, ζῷα δέ ἐστι πετεινὰ μορφὴν δ' οὐδενὶ τῶν ὑπ' ἀνθρώπων ἑωραμένων παραπλήσια, Μωυσῆς δέ φησι τῷ θρόνῳ τοῦ θεοῦ προστυπεῖς ἑωρακέναι. [138] ταύτῃ τὰς δύο πλάκας, ἐν αἷς τοὺς δέκα λόγους συγγεγράφθαι συμβεβήκει ἀνὰ πέντε μὲν εἰς ἑκατέραν ἀνὰ δύο δὲ καὶ ἥμισυ κατὰ μέτωπον, ἐγκατέθετο. καὶ ταύτην ἐν τῷ ἀδύτῳ κατατίθησιν.

134 An ark, sacred to God, was also made, of naturally strong and corruptible timber. This was called in our own language, Eron and its workmanship was as follows. 135 It was five spans long, and its breadth and height was each three spans. It was covered all over with gold, inside and out, so that its wooden parts were invisible. It had also a cover wonderfully joined to it by golden hinges, most closely fitted to it and had no eminences to hinder its exact conjunction. 136 There were also two golden rings belonging to each of the longer boards and passing through the entire wood and through them gilt bars passed along each board, that it might thereby be moved and carried about, as occasion should require, for it was not drawn in a cart by beasts of burden, but borne on the shoulders of the priests. 137 After this cover were two images, which the Hebrews call Cherubims. They are flying creatures, whose form is not like that of any of the creatures seen by humans, though Moses said he had seen such beings near the throne of God. 138 In this ark he put the two tables on which were written the ten commandments, five on each table and two and a half on each side of them; this ark he placed in the most holy place.

[139] Ἐν δὲ τῷ ναῷ τράπεζαν ἱδρύεται Δελφικαῖς παραπλησίαν τὸ μῆκος μὲν δύο πηχῶν, τὸ δὲ πλάτος ἑνὸς πήχεως καὶ σπιθαμῶν τριῶν τὸ ὕψος. ἦσαν δ' αὐτῇ πόδες τὰ μὲν ἐξ ἡμίσους ἕως τῶν κάτω τελέως ἐξηρτισμένοι οἷς Δωριεῖς προστιθέασι ταῖς κλίναις ἐμφερεῖς, τὸ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὴν ἀνατεῖνον τετράγωνοι τῇ ἐργασίᾳ. [140] κοιλαίνεται δὲ καθ' ἕκαστον πλευρὸν κοιλαίνουσά πως κατὰ παλαιστὴν τὸ ἔδαφος ἕλικος περιθεούσης τό τε ἄνω καὶ τὸ κάτω μέρος τοῦ σώματος, καθ' ἕκαστον δὲ τῶν ποδῶν καὶ ταύτῃ ἐλήλατο κρίκος οὐκ ἄπωθεν τοῦ ἐπιθέματος, δι' ὧν ᾔεσαν στελεοὶ χρύσεοι ξύλου τἄνερθεν ὄντες, οὐκ ἐξαίρετοι: [141] κοῖλον γὰρ εἶχεν ἐπ' αὐτοῖς τὸ κατὰ τοὺς κρίκους κοινωθέντας: οὐδὲ γάρ εἰσι διηνεκεῖς, ἀλλὰ πρὶν συνελθεῖν εἰς τὸ ἄπειρον εἰς περονίδας τὴν ἀρχὴν τελευτῶντες, ὧν ἡ μὲν εἰς τὸ προανέχον ἐμβαίνει τῆς τραπέζης, ἡ δὲ εἰς τὸν πόδα: καὶ τούτοις κατὰ τὰς ὁδοὺς ἐκομίζετο. [142] ἐπὶ ταύτης, ἐτίθετο γὰρ ἐν τῷ ναῷ τετραμμένη πρὸς ἄρκτον οὐ πόρρω τοῦ μυχοῦ, διετίθεσαν ἄρτους τε δώδεκα ἀζύμους κατὰ ἓξ ἐπαλλήλους καθαροῦ πάνυ τοῦ ἀλεύρου ἐκ δύο ἀσσάρων, ὃ μέτρον Ἑβραίων ἑπτὰ κοτύλας Ἀττικὰς ἔχει. [143] ὑπὲρ δὲ τῶν ἄρτων ἐτίθεντο φιάλαι δύο χρύσεαι λιβάνου πλήρεις, μετὰ δὲ ἡμέρας ἑπτὰ πάλιν ἄλλοι ἐκομίζοντο [ἄρτοι] ἐν τῷ καλουμένῳ ὑφ' ἡμῶν Σαββάτῳ: τὴν γὰρ ἑβδόμην ἡμέραν Σάββατα καλοῦμεν: τὴν δ' αἰτίαν ἐξ ἧς ταῦτα ἐπενοήθησαν ἐν ἑτέροις ἐροῦμεν.

139 In the holy place he placed a table, like those at Delphi. Its length was two feet and its breadth one foot and its height three spans. It had feet the lower half of which were complete, resembling those which the Dorians put to their bedsteads, but the upper parts towards the table were wrought in a square form. 140 The table had a hollow to each side, with a ledge of four fingers deep going round about like a spiral, on the upper and lower part of the main work. On each of the feet was inserted a ring, not far from the cover, through which went non-removable bars of gilded wood. 141 Inside there was a cavity where it was joined to the rings, which were not entire rings, but before they came fully around they ended in sharp points, one of which was inserted into the prominent part of the table and the other into the foot, and by these it was carried when they journeyed. 142 On this, which stood on the north side of the temple, near the sanctuary, were put twelve loaves of unleavened bread, six in each pile, one above another, made of two assarons of purest flour, a Hebrew measure equal to seven Athenian cotylae. 143 Above the loaves were put vessels full of frankincense and every seven days other loaves were brought to replace them, on the day we call Sabbath, for we call the seventh day Sabbath. But about the reason for placing loaves here, we will speak in another place.

[144] Κατὰ πρόσωπον δὲ τῆς τραπέζης τῷ πρὸς μεσημβρίαν τετραμμένῳ τοίχῳ πλησίον ἵσταται λυχνία ἐκ χρυσοῦ κεχωνευμένη διάκενος σταθμὸν ἔχουσα μνᾶς ἑκατόν: Ἑβραῖοι μὲν καλοῦσι κίγχαρες, εἰς δὲ τὴν Ἑλληνικὴν μεταβαλλόμενον γλῶτταν σημαίνει τάλαντον. [145] πεποίηται δὲ σφαιρία καὶ κρίνα σὺν ῥοίσκοις καὶ κρατηριδίοις, ἑβδομήκοντα δ' ἦν τὰ πάντα, ἐξ ὧν ἀπὸ μιᾶς βάσεως συνετέθη πρὸς ὕψος, ποιήσαντος αὐτὴν συγκειμένην εἰς μοίρας εἰς ὅσας τοὺς πλανήτας καὶ τὸν ἥλιον κατανέμουσιν. [146] ἀπαρτίζεται δὲ εἰς ἑπτὰ κεφαλὰς καταλλήλας ἐν στίχῳ διακειμένας. λύχνοι δ' ἐπιφέρονται αὐταῖς ἑπτὰ κατὰ μίαν τῶν πλανητῶν τὸν ἀριθμὸν μεμιμημένοι, ὁρῶσι δὲ εἴς τε τὴν ἀνατολὴν καὶ τὴν μεσημβρίαν λοξῶς αὐτῆς κειμένης.

144 In front of the table, near the southern wall, was a candlestick of cast gold, hollow inside and weighing one hundred pounds, which the Hebrews call Chinchares, if it be turned into the Greek language, it means a talent. 145 It was made with its knobs and lilies and pomegranates and bowls, about seventy in all, so that the shaft rose up high from a single base and spread out into as many branches as there are planets surrounding the sun. 146 It ends in seven heads, in one row, all parallel to each other, and these branches hold seven lamps, imitating the number of the planets, looking to the east and the south, the candlestick branching out at an angle.

[147] Μεταξὺ δὲ αὐτῆς καὶ τῆς τραπέζης ἔνδον, ὡς προεῖπον, θυμιατήριον ξύλινον μέν, ἐξ οὗ καὶ τὰ πρότερα ἦν σκεύη μὴ σηπόμενα, στερεὰ δὲ περιελήλατ' αὐτῷ λεπίς, πηχυαῖον μὲν κατὰ πλευρὰν ἑκάστην τὸ πλάτος ὕψος δὲ διπλάσιον. [148] ἐπῆν τε ἐσχάρα χρυσεία ὑπερανεστῶσα ἔχουσα κατὰ γωνίαν ἑκάστην στέφανον καὶ τοῦτον δ' ἐκπεριοδεύοντα χρύσεον, ᾗ καὶ κρίκοι καὶ σκυταλίδες προσῆσαν, αἷς κατὰ τὰς ὁδοὺς ὑπὸ τῶν ἱερέων ἐφέρετο. [149] ἵδρυτο δὲ καὶ πρὸ τῆς σκηνῆς βωμὸς χάλκεος ὑπόξυλος καὶ αὐτὸς ἑκάστην πλευρὰν πέντε πήχεσιν ἐκμεμετρημένος, τὸ δὲ ὕψος τρίπηχυς, ὁμοίως τῷ χρυσῷ κεκοσμημένος, χαλκείαις λεπίσιν ἐξησκημένος, δικτύῳ τὴν ἐσχάραν ἐμφερής: ἐξεδέχετο γὰρ ἡ γῆ τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐσχάρας πῦρ καταφερόμενον τῆς βάσεως διὰ παντὸς οὐχ ὑποκειμένης. [150] ἀντικρὺ δ' ἐτίθεντο τοῦ χρυσέου οἰνοχόαι τε καὶ φιάλαι σὺν θυίσκαις καὶ κρατῆρσιν ἦσαν ὅσα τε ἄλλα πρὸς τὰς ἱερουργίας πεποίητο χρύσεα πάντα ὑπῆρχε. καὶ ἡ μὲν σκηνὴ τοιαύτη τε ἦν καὶ τὰ περὶ αὐτὴν σκεύη.

147 Between this and the table, which, as we said, were inside, was the altar of incense, made of the same imperishable wood but entirely plated over with gold. Its breadth on each side was a foot, but the height double. 148 Upon it was a grate of gold, that stood above the altar, with a golden crown surrounding it, attached to rings and bars by which the priests carried it when they journeyed. 149 Before the tent stood a bronze altar, with its inside made of wood, measuring five feet on each side, and three feet high, likewise adorned with brass plates as bright as gold. It had also a bronze hearth of network, for the ground underneath received the fire from the hearth, because it had no basis to receive it. 150 Facing it were the basins and vessels and censers and caldrons, made of gold, but the other vessels, made for the use of the sacrifices, were all of brass. And such was the construction of the Tent, and these were the vessels belonging to it.

Chapter 7. [151-187]The priestly vestments and the high priest's mitre

[151] Γίνονται δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἱερεῦσι στολαὶ πᾶσί τε τοῖς ἄλλοις, οὓς χαναναίας καλοῦσι, καὶ δὴ καὶ τῷ ἀρχιερεῖ, ὃν ἀραβάχην προσαγορεύουσι: σημαίνει δὲ ἀρχιερέα. Τὴν μὲν οὖν τῶν ἄλλων στολὴν τοιαύτην εἶναι συμβέβηκεν. [152] ὅταν δὲ προσίῃ ταῖς ἱερουργίαις ὁ ἱερεὺς ἡγνευκὼς ἣν ὁ νόμος ἁγνείαν προαγορεύει, πρῶτον μὲν περιτίθεται τὸν μαναχάσην λεγόμενον: βούλεται δὲ τοῦτο συνακτῆρα μὲν δηλοῦν, διάζωμα δ' ἐστὶ περὶ τὰ αἰδοῖα ῥαπτὸν ἐκ βύσσου κλωστῆς εἰργασμένον ἐμβαινόντων εἰς αὐτὸ τῶν ποδῶν ὥσπερ εἰς ἀναξυρίδας, ἀποτέμνεται δὲ ὑπὲρ ἥμισυ καὶ τελευτῆσαν ἄχρι τῆς λαγόνος περὶ αὐτὴν ἀποσφίγγεται.

151 Special vestments called Caanaeae were assigned for the priests and all the others, and the high priestly Anarbache [for it denotes high priest.]
The dress of the others will be described. 152 When the priest approaches the sacrifices, he purifies himself with the purification which the law prescribes, first he puts on what is called Machanase, which means something tied. It is a girdle, composed of stitched fine linen and is worn about the private parts, the feet being inserted into them like breeches. It ends above the waist and reaches to the thighs, where it is tied firm.

[153] Ἐπὶ δὲ τούτῳ λίνεον ἔνδυμα διπλῆς φορεῖ σινδόνος βυσσίνης, χεθομένη μὲν καλεῖται, λίνεον δὲ τοῦτο σημαίνει: χέθον γὰρ τὸ λίνον ἡμεῖς καλοῦμεν. ἔστι δὲ τοῦτο τὸ ἔνδυμα ποδήρης χιτὼν περιγεγραμμένος τῷ σώματι καὶ τὰς χειρῖδας περὶ τοῖς βραχίοσιν κατεσφιγμένος, [154] ὃν ἐπιζώννυνται κατὰ στῆθος ὀλίγον τῆς μασχάλης ὑπεράνω τὴν ζώνην περιάγοντες πλατεῖαν μὲν ὡς εἰς τέσσαρας δακτύλους, διακένως δ' ὑφασμένην ὥστε λεβηρίδα δοκεῖν ὄφεως: ἄνθη δ' εἰς αὐτὴν ἐνύφανται φοίνικι καὶ πορφύρᾳ μετὰ ὑακίνθου καὶ βύσσου πεποικιλμένα, στήμων δ' ἐστὶ μόνη βύσσος. [155] καὶ λαβοῦσα τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς ἑλίξεως κατὰ στέρνον καὶ περιελθοῦσα πάλιν δεῖται, καὶ κέχυται μὲν πολλὴ μέχρι καὶ τῶν σφυρῶν ἕως οὗ μηδὲν ὁ ἱερεὺς ἐνεργεῖ, πρὸς γὰρ εὐπρέπειαν οὕτως ἔχει τοῖς ὁρῶσι καλῶς, ὅταν δὲ σπουδάζειν περὶ τὰς θυσίας δέῃ καὶ διακονεῖν, ὅπως μὴ κινουμένης ἐμποδίζηται πρὸς τὸ ἔργον, ἀναβαλόμενος ἐπὶ τὸν λαιὸν ὦμον φέρει. [156] Μωυσῆς μὲν οὖν ἀβαίθ αὐτὴν ἐκάλεσεν, ἡμεῖς δὲ παρὰ Βαβυλωνίων μεμαθηκότες ἐμίαν αὐτὴν καλοῦμεν: οὕτως γὰρ προσαγορεύεται παρ' αὐτοῖς. οὗτος ὁ χιτὼν κολποῦται μὲν οὐδαμόθεν, λαγαρὸν δὲ παρέχων τὸν βροχωτῆρα τοῦ αὐχένος ἁρπεδόσιν ἐκ τῆς ὤας καὶ τῶν κατὰ στέρνον καὶ μετάφρενον ἠρτημέναις ἀναδεῖται ὑπὲρ ἑκατέραν κατακλεῖδα: μασσαβάνης καλεῖται.

153 Over this he wore a linen vestment, made of a double thickness of linen. It is called Chethomene and means linen, for Chethon is our word for linen. This vestment reaches down to the feet and sits close to the body, and has sleeves tightly fastened at the arms. 154 It is girdled at the breast close to the armpits, by a girdle twined around, four fingers wide and so loosely woven that it looks like the skin of a snake. It is embroidered with flowers of scarlet and purple and blue and fine linen, with its warp entirely of fine linen. 155 It is wound around, beginning at the breast, and after another turn it is tied and sweeps down to the ankles whever the priest is not about any manual work, in which form it is seen by onlookers to the best advantage, but when he must assist in offering sacrifices and to in serving, he throws it to the left and wears it over his shoulder so as not be hindered in his actions by its movement. 156 Moses calls this girdle the Abaneth, but we have learned from the Babylonians to call it the Emia, their name for it. This tunic has no folds, but only a narrow aperture at the neck. It is tied with strings hanging down from the edge over the breast and back and fastened above each shoulder and is called Massabazanes.

[157] Ὑπὲρ δὲ τῆς κεφαλῆς φορεῖ πῖλον ἄκωνον οὐ διικνούμενον εἰς πᾶσαν αὐτὴν ἀλλ' ἐπ' ὀλίγον ὑπερβεβηκότα μέσης: καλεῖται μὲν μασναεφθῆς, τῇ δὲ κατασκευῇ τοιοῦτός ἐστιν ὡς στεφάνη δοκεῖν ἐξ ὑφάσματος λινέου ταινία πεποιημένη παχεῖα: καὶ γὰρ ἐπιπτυσσόμενον ῥάπτεται πολλάκις. [158] ἔπειτα σινδὼν ἄνωθεν αὐτὸν ἐκπεριέρχεται διήκουσα μέχρι μετώπου τήν τε ῥαφὴν τῆς ταινίας καὶ τὸ ἀπ' αὐτῆς ἀπρεπὲς καλύπτουσα καὶ ὅλη δὲ τῷ κρανίῳ γιγνομένη ἐπίπεδον: ἥρμοσται δὲ ἀκριβῶς, ὡς ἂν μὴ περιρρυείη πονοῦντος περὶ τὴν ἱερουργίαν. καὶ ὁποία μέν ἐστιν ἡ τῶν πολλῶν ἱερέων στολὴ δεδηλώκαμεν.

157 On his head he wears a cap, not of conical shape or concealing it all, but covering a little over half of it. It is called the Masnaefthes, and its structure resembles a crown, being made of a thick band of layers of linen, well compressed and sewed together. 158 A piece of fine linen covers the whole cap from the top down to the forehead, hiding the seams of the swathes, which would otherwise be unsightly, and it fits closely to the head, where it is so firmly held as not to fall off while he is engaged in the liturgy. Such is the vesture of the ordinary priests.

[159] Ὁ δὲ ἀρχιερεὺς κοσμεῖται μὲν καὶ ταύτῃ παραλιπὼν οὐδὲν τῶν προειρημένων, ἐπενδυσάμενος δ' ἐξ ὑακίνθου πεποιημένον χιτῶνα, ποδήρης δ' ἐστὶ καὶ οὗτος, μεεὶρ καλεῖται κατὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν γλῶσσαν, ζώνῃ περισφίγγεται βάμμασιν οἷς ἡ πρότερον ἤνθει διαπεποικιλμένῃ χρυσοῦ συνυφασμένου: [160] κατὰ πέζαν δ' αὐτῷ προσερραμμένοι θύσανοι ῥοῶν τρόπον ἐκ βαφῆς μεμιμημένοι ἀπήρτηντο καὶ κώδωνες χρύσεοι κατὰ πολλὴν ἐπιτήδευσιν τῆς εὐπρεπείας, ὥστε μέσον ἀπολαμβάνεσθαι δυοῖν τε κωδώνοιν ῥοίσκον, καὶ ῥοῶν κωδώνιον. [161] ἔστι δ' ὁ χιτὼν οὗτος οὐκ ἐκ δυοῖν περιτμημάτων, ὥστε ῥαπτὸς ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων εἶναι καὶ τῶν παρὰ πλευράν, φάρσος δ' ἓν ἐπίμηκες ὑφασμένον σχιστὸν ἔχει βροχωτῆρα πλάγιον, ἀλλὰ κατὰ μῆκος ἐρρωγότα πρός τε τὸ στέρνον καὶ μέσον τὸ μετάφρενον: πέζα δ' αὐτῷ προσέρραπται ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ διελέγχεσθαι τῆς τομῆς τὴν δυσπρέπειαν: ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ὅθεν αἱ χεῖρες διείργονται σχιστός ἐστιν.

159 The high priest is adorned with all of the aforementioned robes, but over these he wears a blue vestment reaching to the feet. In our language it is called the Meeir, and is girded around with a sash adorned with similar colours and floral patterns, interwoven with gold. 160 Fringes of the colour of pomegranates hang from the bottom of this vestment, nicely interspersed with golden bells, so that between each two little bells is a pomegranate and between two pomegranates a little bell. 161 This tunic is not made of two pieces, nor sewn together at the shoulders and the sides, but is one long woven piece with an opening for the neck, not cut crossways but lengthwise, from the breast to the middle of the back. This is woven with a border so that the cut should not look unsightly; and there are similar slits for the hands.

[162] Ἐπὶ δὲ τούτοις τρίτον ἐνδύεται τὸν λεγόμενον μὲν ἐφώδην, Ἑλληνικῇ δ' ἐπωμίδι προσεοικότα: γίνεται γὰρ τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον. ὑφανθεὶς ἐπὶ βάθος πηχυαῖον ἔκ τε χρωμάτων παντοίων καὶ χρυσοῦ συμπεποικιλμένος ἀπερίπτυκτον τοῦ στέρνου τὸ μέσον καταλιμπάνει χειρῖσι τε ἠσκημένος καὶ τῷ παντὶ σχήματι χιτὼν εἶναι πεποιημένος. [163] τῷ δὲ διακένῳ τοῦ ἐνδύματος σύνεισι περίτμημα σπιθαμῆς τὸ μέγεθος χρυσῷ τε καὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς τῷ ἐφώδῃ βάμμασι διηνθισμένον: ἐσσὴν μὲν καλεῖται, σημαίνει δὲ τοῦτο κατὰ τὴν Ἑλλήνων γλῶτταν λόγιον: [164] πληροῖ δὲ ἀκριβῶς τοῦ ἐφώδου ὅπερ ὑφαίνοντες κατὰ στῆθος ἐξέλιπον, ἑνοῦται δ' ὑπὸ κρίκων χρυσέων αὐτῷ τε κατὰ γωνίαν ἑκάστην κἀκείνῳ τῶν ἴσων προσκεκοινωμένων, ῥάμματος ὑακίνθου παραληφθέντος εἰς τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους κατάδεσιν τοῖς κρίκοις. [165] πρὸς δὲ τὸ μὴ χαλαρὸν εἶναι τὸ ἐν μέσῳ τῶν κρίκων καταλιμπανόμενον ῥαφὴν αὐτοῦ νήμασιν ὑακινθίνοις ἐπενόησαν. πορποῦσι δὲ τὴν ἐπωμίδα σαρδόνυχες δύο κατὰ τῶν ὤμων ἑκάτερον τέλος ἐπ' αὐτοὺς ἐπιθέον χρύσεον ἔχοντες πρὸς τὸ ταῖς περονίσιν ἐπιτήδειον εἶναι. [166] ἐγγέγραπται δὲ τούτοις τῶν Ἰακώβου παίδων τὰ ὀνόματα γράμμασιν ἐπιχωρίοις γλώσσῃ τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ κατὰ ἓξ τῶν λίθων ἑκατέρῳ, οἱ πρεσβύτεροι δ' εἰσὶ κατὰ ὦμον τὸν δεξιόν. ἐπίασι δὲ καὶ τὸν ἐσσήνην λίθοι δώδεκα μεγέθει καὶ κάλλει διαφέροντες οὐ κτητὸς ἀνθρώποις κόσμος διὰ τιμῆς ὑπερβολὴν ὄντες: [167] οὗτοι μέντοι κατὰ στίχον τρεῖς ἐπὶ τεσσάρων διακείμενοι γραμμῶν ἐνήσκηνται τῷ ὕφει, χρυσὸς δ' αὐτοὺς ἐκπεριέρχεται τὰς ἕλικας ἐντιθεὶς τῷ ὕφει πρὸς τὸ μὴ διαρρεῖν οὕτως πεποιημένος. [168] καὶ ἡ μὲν πρώτη τριάς ἐστι σαρδόνυξ τόπαζος σμάραγδος, ἡ δευτέρα δὲ ἄνθρακα παρέχεται καὶ ἴασπιν καὶ σάπφειρον, τῆς δὲ τρίτης λίγυρος μὲν ἄρχει εἶτα ἀμέθυσος ἀχάτης δὲ τρίτος ἔνατος ὢν τοῖς πᾶσι, τετάρτου δὲ στίχου χρυσόλιθος μὲν πρόκειται, μετὰ δὲ αὐτὸν ὄνυξ, εἶτα βήρυλλος, τελευταῖος οὗτος. [169] γράμματα δὲ ἐπετέτμητο πᾶσι τῶν Ἰακώβου υἱῶν, οὓς καὶ φυλάρχους νομίζομεν, ἑκάστου τῶν λίθων ὀνόματι τετιμημένου κατὰ τάξιν ἣν ἕκαστον αὐτῶν γενέσθαι συμβέβηκε. [170] τῶν οὖν κρίκων ἀσθενῶν ὄντων κατ' αὐτοὺς ἐνεγκεῖν τὸ βάρος τῶν λίθων ἑτέρους δύο κρίκους μείζονας τῇ πέζῃ τοῦ ἐσσήνου ᾗπερ ἀνήκει πρὸς τὸν τράχηλον ἐμβεβηκότας τῷ ὑφάσματι ποιοῦσι, δεξομένους ἁλύσεις εἰργασμένας, αἳ συνῆσαν κατ' ἄκρον τῶν ὤμων σειραῖς ἐκ χρυσοῦ πεπλεγμέναις συνάπτουσαι, ὧν τὸ ἄκρον ἀνεστραμμένον ἐνέβαινε κρίκῳ προέχοντι τῆς νωτιαίας πέζης τοῦ ἐφώδου. [171] καὶ τοῦτο ἦν ἀσφάλεια τῷ ἐσσήνῃ πρὸς τὸ μὴ περιρρεῖν, ζώνη δὲ τῷ ἐσσήνῃ προσέρραπτο βάμμασιν οἷς προεῖπον μετὰ χρυσίου προσφερής, ἣ περιοδεύσασα δεῖται πάλιν ἐπὶ τῇ ῥαφῇ καὶ κατακρεμνᾶται: τοὺς δὲ θυσάνους χρύσεαι σύριγγες καθ' ἑκατέραν ἄκραν ἐκλαβοῦσαι πάντας ἐμπεριέχουσιν αὗται.

162 Over these, the high priest wore a third vestment called the Ephod, resembling the Epomis of the Greeks, fashioned like this: it was about a foot wide and woven of several colours intermixed with gold, and was in general shaped like a tunic with sleeves, which left the middle of the breast uncovered. 163 Within the gap of this vestment was inserted a piece of about a hand's width, embroidered with gold and the other colours of the ephod and called the Essen, which in the Greek means the Oracle. 164 This piece exactly filled the gap in the Ephod to which it was joined by golden rings at each corner. Similar rings were attached to the ephod and a blue ribbon was used to fasten them together at the rings. 165 To avoid sagging in the space between the rings, they contrived to fill it up with a texture of blue stitching. Upon the Ephod, to fasten it, were two sardonyxes at the shoulders, each of which had an extremity to which the golden pins could be fastened. 166 On these were engraved the names of the sons of Jacob, in the local alphabet and in our own tongue, six on each stone, with the names of the elder sons on the right shoulder. There were also twelve stones on the Essen, of unusual size and beauty, a priceless ornament of immense value. 167 These stones stood in four rows of three, worked into the Essen and set in golden clasps which were themselves so set within the fabric as not to fall out. 168 The first triad were a sardonyx, a topaz and an emerald; the second held a carbuncle, a jasper and a sapphire; the third row had first a ligure, then an amethyst and then an agate, being the ninth in all;.the fourth row began with a chrysolite, then came an onyx and last of all a beryl. 169 The names of all the sons of Jacob were engraved in these stones, whom we regard as the founders of our tribes, each stone being honoured with a name according to the order of their birth. 170 As the rings were too weak to bear the weight of the stones by themselves, they inserted two other larger rings into the texture of the Essen near the throat, to receive slim chains connected by golden bands to the tops of the shoulders, the ends of which connected the ring to a projection at the back of the ephod. 171 This was to secure the Essen, that it might not fall from its place. There was also a sash sewn to the Essen, of the aforesaid colours interwoven with gold, which was again tied over the seam after one turn and allowed to hang down. This sash was also fringed by tassels surrounded by golden sheaths.

[172] Πῖλον δὲ ἦν ὁ καὶ πρότερον αὐτῷ παραπλησίως εἰργασμένος τοῖς πᾶσιν ἱερεῦσιν, ὑπ' αὐτὸν δὲ συνερραμμένος ἕτερος ἐξ ὑακίνθου πεποικιλμένος περιέρχεται στέφανος χρύσεος ἐπὶ τριστιχίαν κεχαλκευμένος. θάλλει δ' ἐπ' αὐτῷ κάλυξ χρύσεος τῇ σακχάρῳ βοτάνῃ παρ' ἡμῖν λεγομένῃ ἀπομεμιμημένος, ὑὸς δὲ κύαμον Ἑλλήνων οἱ περὶ τομὰς ῥιζῶν ἐμπείρως ἔχοντες προσαγορεύουσιν. [173] εἰ δέ τις ἢ θεασάμενος τὴν βοτάνην ἀμαθίᾳ τούτου ἀγνοεῖ τὴν φύσιν αὐτῆς ἢ τὴν κλῆσιν ἐπιστάμενος οὐκ ἰδὼν δ' ἀναγνωρίσειε, τοῖς οὕτω δὴ ἔχουσι σημανῶ τὸν τρόπον: [174] βοτάνη μέν ἐστιν ὑπὲρ τρεῖς σπιθαμὰς πολλάκις αὐξανομένη τὸ ὕψος, τὴν δὲ ῥίζαν ἐμφερὴς βουνιάδι, ταύτῃ γὰρ οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοι τις εἰκάζων αὐτήν, τὰ δὲ φύλλα τοῖς εὐζώμων: ἐκ μέντοι τῶν κλάδων ἀνίησι κάλυκα προσεχῆ τῷ κλωνί, περίεισι δ' αὐτὴν ἔλυτρον, ὅπερ ἀποκρίνεται κατ' αὐτὸ πρὸς τὸν καρπὸν μεταβαλεῖν ἠργμένης: ὁ δὲ κάλυξ μεγέθους ἐστὶ σκυταλίδος τοῦ μικροῦ δακτύλου, κρατῆρι δ' ἐμφερὴς τὴν περιγραφήν. σημανῶ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο τοῖς οὐ μεμαθηκόσι: [175] σφαιρίδος εἰς δύο τετμημένης περὶ τῷ πυθμένι τὴν ἑτέραν τομὴν ἔχει φυόμενος ἀπὸ ῥίζης περιφερής: εἶτα συνιὼν κατ' ὀλίγον ὑποκοιλαινούσης εὐπρεπῶς τῆς ὑποχωρήσεως ἀνευρύνεται πάλιν ἠρέμα κατὰ χεῖλος, ὁμοίως ὀμφαλῷ ῥοιᾶς τετμημένος. [176] ἐπίθεμα δ' αὐτῷ ἡμισφαίριον προσπέφυκεν ἀκριβῶς ἂν εἴποι τις τετορνευμένον, ὑπερανεστώσας ἔχον τὰς ἐντομάς, ἃς εἶπον τῇ ῥοᾷ παραπλησίως βλαστάνειν, ἀκανθώδεις καὶ εἰς ὀξὺ παντελῶς ἀποληγούσας τὸ ἄκρον. [177] φυλάττει δ' ἐπὶ τῷ ἐπιθέματι τὸν καρπὸν διὰ παντὸς τοῦ κάλυκος ὄντα βοτάνης σπέρματι τῆς σιδηρίτιδος ὅμοιον, ἀφίησι δ' ἄνθος τῷ τῆς μήκωνος πλαταγωνίῳ δυνάμενον δοκεῖν ἐμφερὲς εἶναι. [178] ἐκ τούτου μὲν στέφανος ἐκκεχάλκευται ὅσον ἀπὸ τοῦ ἰνίου πρὸς ἑκάτερον τῶν κροτάφων. τὸ δὲ μέτωπον ἡ μὲν ἐφιελὶς οὐκ ἔπεισι, λεγέσθω γὰρ οὕτως ὁ κάλυξ, τελαμὼν δ' ἐστὶ χρύσεος, ὃς ἱεροῖς γράμμασι τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν προσηγορίαν ἐπιτετμημένος ἐστί. καὶ τοιοῦτος μὲν ὁ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως κόσμος ἐστί.

172 His head-dress was the same as that described earlier and made like that of all the other priests, but above it was another, embroidered in blue and round it a golden crown, in three rows, from which arose a cup of gold like the herb we call Saccharus, but which is called Hyoscyamus by Greeks who are skilled in the cutting of roots. 173 In case anyone has seen this herb but has not learned its name or is unaware of its nature, or, though knowing the name does not know the herb when he sees it, I shall now describe it. 174 This herb is often more than three hands-width tall, but its root is like that of a turnip, to which it may fairly be compared, but its leaves are like those of mint. From its branches it sends out a calyx joined to the branch, surrounded with a jacket which it naturally sheds when it begins to turn into fruit. The calyx is as large as the bone of the little finger, but its opening is like a cup. I will describe it further, for those who are unfamiliar with it. 175 Imagine a sphere cut in half, round at the bottom, but with another segment growing up from that base and gradually narrowing and then gracefully widening again at the top, such as in the indented navel of a pomegranate. 176 The plant is surmounted by a top that makes it hemispherical as though carefully turned on a lathe, with notches above it, as I said, like a pomegranate, prickly and ending in a sharp point. 177 The fruit is protected within the coat of the calyx, and is like the seed of the herb Sideritis and sends out a flower which can resemble a poppy. 178 Of this the crown was made, from the back of the head to the temples on either side, but this Ephielis, as the calyx may be called, did not cover the forehead, which was covered with a golden plate, inscribed with the name of God in sacred characters. Such is the adornment of the high priest.

[179] Θαυμάσειε δ' ἄν τις τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀπέχθειαν, ἣν ὡς ἐκφαυλιζόντων ἡμῶν τὸ θεῖον ὅπερ αὐτοὶ σέβειν προῄρηνται διατετελέκασιν ἐσχηκότες: [180] εἰ γάρ τις τῆς σκηνῆς κατανοήσειε τὴν πῆξιν καὶ τοῦ ἱερέως ἴδοι τὴν στολὴν τά τε σκεύη, οἷς περὶ τὴν ἱερουργίαν χρώμεθα, τόν τε νομοθέτην εὑρήσει θεῖον ἄνδρα καὶ ματαίως ἡμᾶς ὑπὸ τῶν ἄλλων τὰς βλασφημίας ἀκούοντας: ἕκαστα γὰρ τούτων εἰς ἀπομίμησιν καὶ διατύπωσιν τῶν ὅλων, εἴ τις ἀφθόνως ἐθέλοι καὶ μετὰ συνέσεως σκοπεῖν, εὑρήσει γεγονότα: [181] τήν τε γὰρ σκηνὴν τριάκοντα πηχῶν οὖσαν νείμας εἰς τρία καὶ δύο μέρη πᾶσιν ἀνεὶς τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ὥσπερ βέβηλόν τινα καὶ κοινὸν τόπον, τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν ἀποσημαίνει: καὶ γὰρ ταῦτα πᾶσίν ἐστιν ἐπιβατά. τὴν δὲ τρίτην μοῖραν μόνῳ περιέγραψε τῷ θεῷ διὰ τὸ καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνεπίβατον εἶναι ἀνθρώποις. [182] ἐπί τε τῇ τραπέζῃ τοὺς δώδεκα τιθεὶς ἄρτους ἀποσημαίνει τὸν ἐνιαυτὸν εἰς τοσούτους μῆνας διῃρημένον. τὴν δὲ λυχνίαν ἐξ ἑβδομήκοντα μορίων ποιήσας συγκειμένην τὰς τῶν πλανητῶν δεκαμοιρίας ᾐνίξατο: καὶ λύχνους ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς ἑπτά, τῶν πλανητῶν τὴν φοράν: τοσοῦτοι γάρ εἰσι τὸν ἀριθμόν. [183] τά τε φάρση ἐκ τεσσάρων ὑφανθέντα τὴν τῶν στοιχείων φύσιν δηλοῖ: ἥ τε γὰρ βύσσος τὴν γῆν ἀποσημαίνειν ἔοικε διὰ τὸ ἐξ αὐτῆς ἀνεῖσθαι τὸ λίνον, ἥ τε πορφύρα τὴν θάλασσαν τῷ πεφοινῖχθαι τῶν ἰχθύων τῷ αἵματι, τὸν δὲ ἀέρα βούλεται δηλοῦν ὁ ὑάκινθος, καὶ ὁ φοῖνιξ δ' ἂν εἴη τεκμήριον τοῦ πυρός. [184] ἀποσημαίνει δὲ καὶ ὁ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως χιτὼν τὴν γῆν λίνεος ὤν, ὁ δὲ ὑάκινθος τὸν πόλον, ἀστραπαῖς μὲν κατὰ τοὺς ῥοίσκους ἀπεικασμένος βρονταῖς δὲ κατὰ τὸν τῶν κωδώνων ψόφον. καὶ τὴν ἐφαπτίδα τοῦ παντὸς τὴν φύσιν ἐκ τεσσάρων δοχθεῖσαν γενέσθαι τῷ θεῷ χρυσῷ συνυφασμένην κατ' ἐπίνοιαν οἶμαι τῆς προσούσης ἅπασιν αὐγῆς. [185] καὶ τὸν ἐσσῆνα μέσον ὄντα τῆς ἐφαπτίδος ἐν τρόπῳ γῆς ἔταξε: καὶ γὰρ αὕτη τὸν μεσαίτατον τόπον ἔχει: ζώνῃ τε περιοδεύσας τὸν ὠκεανὸν ἀποσημαίνει: καὶ γὰρ οὗτος ἐμπεριείληφε τὰ πάντα. δηλοῖ δὲ καὶ τὸν ἥλιον καὶ τὴν σελήνην τῶν σαρδονύχων ἑκάτερος, οἷς ἐνεπόρπωσε τὸν ἀρχιερέα. [186] τήν τε δωδεκάδα τῶν λίθων εἴτε τοὺς μῆνάς τις θέλοι νοεῖν, εἴτε τὸν οὕτως [ἀριθμὸν τῶν] ἀστέρων, ὃν ζωδιακὸν κύκλον Ἕλληνες καλοῦσι, τῆς κατ' ἐκεῖνο γνώμης οὐκ ἂν ἁμάρτοι: καὶ ὁ πῖλος δέ μοι δοκεῖ τὸν οὐρανὸν τεκμηριοῦν ὑακίνθινος πεποιημένος, [187] οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἄλλως ὑπερανετίθετο αὐτῷ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ θεοῦ τῇ στεφάνῃ ἠγλαισμένον καὶ ταύτῃ χρυσέᾳ, διὰ τὴν αὐγήν, ᾗ μάλιστα χαίρει τὸ θεῖον. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἐπὶ τοσοῦτόν μοι δεδηλώσθω πολλάκις τε καὶ ἐν πολλοῖς τὴν ἀρετὴν τοῦ νομοθέτου παρεξόντων ἡμῖν διελθεῖν τῶν πραγμάτων.

179 Here one may wonder at people's ill-will toward us which they claim is due to our despising the Deity whom they profess to honour. 180 If one simply considers the fabric of the Tent and looks at the vestments of the high priest and the vessels we use in our liturgy, one finds that our Legislator was a divine man and that what others reproach us with is false, for if one regards them wisely and without envy, he will find they were all made as an imitation and representation of the universe. 181 By dividing the Tent, which was thirty feet long, into three parts, allotting two of them to the priests as a place accessible to all, he denoted these two as land and sea, these being accessible to all, but set apart the third division for God, for heaven is inaccessible to humanity. 182 By the twelve loaves to be set on the table he means the year, divided into as many months. By the seventy sections of the candelabrum he hints at the tenfold division of the planets, for the seven lamps on each candlestick refer to the course of the seven planets. 183 The fourfold texture of the veils points to the four elements. The fine linen signifies the earth, as the flax grows from the earth; the purple means the sea, for that colour is dyed by the blood of fish from the sea; the blue means the air, and the scarlet will be the sign of fire. 184 The high priest's vestment of linen signifies the earth and the blue is the sky, its pomegranates among the sounding bells being signs of lightning and thunder. The ephod shows how God made the universe of four elements, and the interwoven gold, I suppose, relates to the splendor lighting up all things. 185 He assigned the Essen in the middle of the Ephod to signify the earth, which is the centre of the universe. The sash around the high priest signifies the ocean, encircling and enfolding the world. The two sardonyxes pinning the high priest's vestment point to the sun and the moon. 186 The twelve stones can well refer either to the months, or to the signs of the circle which the Greeks call the Zodiac; and, with its blue colour, the mitre seems to me to mean heaven, 187 How otherwise could the name of God be inscribed upon it? That it was also adorned with a crown of gold is because of the splendor in which God rejoices. Let this explanation suffice for now, since my narrative will often give me occasion to expand upon the virtue of our Legislator.

Chapter 8. [188-223]
Aaron and sons are consecrated as priests. Moses receives God's laws, in the Tent of Meeting

[188] Ὡς δὲ τὸ προειρημένον πέρας εἶχε, τῶν ἀναθημάτων μήπω καθιερωμένων ἐπιστὰς ὁ θεὸς Μωυσεῖ τὴν ἱερωσύνην Ἀαρῶνι τἀδελφῷ προσέταξε δοῦναι ὡς ἁπάντων δι' ἀρετὴν τῆς τιμῆς δικαιοτέρῳ τυχεῖν. καὶ συναγαγὼν εἰς ἐκκλησίαν τὸ πλῆθος τήν τε ἀρετὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν εὔνοιαν διεξῄει καὶ τοὺς κινδύνους οὓς ὑπομείνειεν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν. [189] μαρτυρούντων δ' ἐφ' ἅπασιν αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ περὶ αὐτὸν πρόθυμον ἐνδεικνυμένων, "ἄνδρες, εἶπεν, Ἰσραηλῖται, τὸ μὲν ἔργον ἤδη τέλος ἔχει οἷον αὐτῷ τε τῷ θεῷ ἥδιστον ἦν καὶ δυνατὸν ἡμῖν, ἐπεὶ δὲ δεῖ τοῦτον τῇ σκηνῇ καταδέχεσθαι, δεῖ πρῶτον ἡμῖν τοῦ ἱερατευσομένου καὶ ὑπηρετήσοντος ταῖς θυσίαις καὶ ταῖς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εὐχαῖς. [190] καὶ ἔγωγε ταύτης ἐμοὶ τῆς σκέψεως ἐπιτραπείσης ἐμαυτὸν ἂν τῆς τιμῆς ἄξιον ἔκρινα διά τε τὸ φύσει πάντας εἶναι φιλαύτους, καὶ ὅτι πολλὰ ἐμαυτῷ καμόντι περὶ σωτηρίας τῆς ὑμετέρας σύνοιδα: νῦν δ' αὐτὸς ὁ θεὸς Ἀαρῶνα τῆς τιμῆς ἄξιον ἔκρινε καὶ τοῦτον ᾕρηται ἱερέα, τὸν δικαιότερον ἡμῶν μᾶλλον εἰδώς, [191] ὡς οὗτος ἐνδύσεται στολὴν τῷ θεῷ καθωσιωμένην καὶ βωμῶν ἐπιμέλειαν ἕξει καὶ πρόνοιαν ἱερείων καὶ τὰς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εὐχὰς ποιήσεται πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἡδέως ἀκουσόμενον, ὅτι τε κήδεται γένους τοῦ ἡμετέρου καὶ παρ' ἀνδρὸς ὃν αὐτὸς ἐπελέξατο [192] γινομένας προσδέχεται ταύτας." Ἑβραῖοι δὲ ἠρέσκοντο τοῖς λεγομένοις καὶ συνῄνουν τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ χειροτονίᾳ: ἦν γὰρ Ἀαρὼν διά τε τὸ γένος καὶ τὴν προφητείαν καὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν τἀδελφοῦ πρὸς τιμὴν ἁπάντων ἀξιολογώτερος. ἦσαν δ' αὐτῷ καὶ παῖδες κατ' ἐκεῖνον τὸν χρόνον τέσσαρες Νάβαδος Ἀβιοῦς Ἐλεάζαρος Ἰθάμαρος.

188 When that was done but the offerings not yet consecrated, God appeared to Moses and told him to give the high priesthood to his brother Aaron, as the one who for his virtue was most deserving of that honour. After gathering the people, he spoke to them of Aaron's virtue and goodwill towards them and the risks he had taken on their behalf. 189 When they assented to all this and were favourable to him, he said, "Israelites, the task is done according to our abilities, in a way most pleasing to God. But to welcome Him into this tent, we must first have someone to officiate and serve the sacrifices and the prayers on our behalf. 190 If it were left to me, I would find myself worthy of this honour, since all people naturally love themselves and I am aware of having done much for your salvation. But God himself has judged Aaron worthy of this honour and has chosen him as his priest, knowing him the most righteous person among you. 191 So he will wear the sacred vestments before God, and care for the altars and the sacrifices, and offer prayers for us to God, who will hear them gladly, not just because of his care for our nation, but because they come from the man he has chosen." 192 The Hebrews were pleased with what he said and accepted the one God had chosen, for of them all Aaron was the most deserving of this honour, due to his background and his prophetic gift and his brother's virtue. At that time he had four sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

[193] Ὅσα δὲ τῶν πρὸς τὴν τῆς σκηνῆς κατασκευὴν παρεσκευασμένων ἦν περιττὰ ταῦτ' ἐκέλευσεν εἰς φάρση σκεπαστήρια τῆς τε σκηνῆς αὐτῆς καὶ τῆς λυχνίας καὶ τοῦ θυμιατηρίου καὶ τῶν ἄλλων σκευῶν ἀναλῶσαι, ὅπως κατὰ τὴν ὁδοιπορίαν ταῦτα μήτ' ἐξ ὑετοῦ μηδὲν μήτ' ἐκ κονιορτοῦ βλάπτηται. [194] τό τε πλῆθος ἀθροίσας πάλιν εἰσφορὰν αὐτῷ προσέταξεν εἰσφέρειν σίκλου τὸ ἥμισυ καθ' ἕκαστον, [195] ὁ δὲ σίκλος νόμισμα Ἑβραίων ὢν Ἀττικὰς δέχεται δραχμὰς τέσσαρας: [196] οἱ δ' ἑτοίμως ὑπήκουον οἷς ἐκέλευσε Μωυσῆς καὶ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν εἰσφερόντων ἦν ἑξήκοντα μυριάδες καὶ πεντακισχίλιοι καὶ πεντακόσιοι καὶ πεντήκοντα. ἔφερον δὲ τὸ ἀργύριον τῶν ἐλευθέρων οἱ ἀπὸ εἴκοσι ἐτῶν ἄχρι πεντήκοντα γεγονότες. τὸ δὲ συγκομισθὲν εἰς τὰς περὶ τὴν σκηνὴν χρείας ἀναλοῦτο.

193 Moses directed them to use all the materials surplus to what was needed for its building, to make coverings for the Tent, the candlestick and altar of incense and the other vessels, to prevent their being damaged by the rain or the dust on the journey. 194 Gathering the people again, he ordained that they should offer half a shekel for every man, as an offering to God. 195 The shekel is a coin among the Hebrews, equivalent to four Athenian drachmae. 196 They readily obeyed what Moses said and the number of contributors was six hundred and five thousand five hundred and fifty. This, money was freely given by those above twenty years old, but under fifty, and what was collected was spent in the uses of the Tent.

[197] Ἥγνιζε δὲ καὶ τὴν σκηνὴν καὶ τοὺς ἱερέας τρόπῳ τοιούτῳ ποιούμενος αὐτῶν τὴν κάθαρσιν. σμύρνης ἐπιλέκτου σίκλους πεντακοσίους καὶ ἴρεως ἴσους, κινναμώμου δὲ καὶ καλάμου, ἔστι δὲ καὶ τοῦτο εἶδος θυμιάματος, ἡμίσειαν τῶν πρότερον ὁλκὴν κεκομμένα δεύειν ἐκέλευσεν, ἐλαίου τε ἐλαίνου εἴν, μέτρον δ' ἐστὶ τοῦτο ἐπιχώριον δύο χόας Ἀττικοὺς δεχόμενον, ἀναμίξαντας καὶ καθεψήσαντας σκευάσαι τέχνῃ μυρεψῶν χρῖσμα εὐωδέστατον. [198] κἄπειτα τοῦτο λαβὼν αὐτούς τε τοὺς ἱερέας καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν σκηνὴν χρίων κεκάθαρκε, τά τε θυμιώμενα, πολλὰ δ' ἐστὶ ταῦτα καὶ ποικίλα, κατὰ τὴν σκηνὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ χρυσοῦ θυμιατηρίου μεγάλης πάνυ τιμῆς ὄντα συνεφέρετο, ὧν παραλείπω τὴν φύσιν ἐκδιηγεῖσθαι, μὴ δι' ὄχλου γένηται τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσι. [199] δὶς δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας πρίν τε ἀνασχεῖν τὸν ἥλιον καὶ πρὸς δυσμαῖς θυμιᾶν ἐχρῆν ἔλαιόν τε ἁγνίσαντας φυλάσσειν εἰς τοὺς λύχνους, ὧν τοὺς μὲν τρεῖς ἐπὶ τῇ ἱερᾷ λυχνίᾳ φέγγειν ἔδει τῷ θεῷ κατὰ πᾶσαν ἡμέραν, τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς περὶ τὴν ἑσπέραν ἅπτοντας.

197 Moses now purified the Tent and the priests and the purification was done as follows. He told them take five hundred shekels of choice myrrh, an equal amount of iris and half as much of cinnamon and the sweet spice calamus, beat them small and wet them with a hin of oil of olives (a hin is our own measure equal to two Athenian choas) and mix and boil them to prepare sweet ointment, with the apothecary's art. 198 With this they should anoint and purify the priests and the whole tent, and the sacrifices. There were various kinds of expensive spices belonging to the Tent for the golden altar of incense, whose nature I omit to describe so as not to burden my readers. 199 Incense was to be offered twice a day, both before sunrise and at sunset. They were also to keep purified oil for the lamps; three of which were to shine all day long before God, on the sacred candlestick, and the rest to be lit in the evening.

[200] Ἁπάντων δ' ἤδη πέρας εἰληφότων ἔδοξαν ἄριστοι τῶν δημιουργῶν Βεσέβηλος καὶ Ἐλίαβος, τῶν γὰρ ἐξευρημένων τοῖς προτέροις αὐτοὶ προεθυμήθησαν ἀμείνονα προσεξεργάσασθαι, λαβεῖν τε ἐπίνοιαν ὧν πρότερον ἠγνόουν τὴν κατασκευὴν ἱκανώτατοι: [201] τούτων μέντοι Βεσέβηλον συνέβη κριθῆναι τὸν κράτιστον. ὁ δὲ πᾶς χρόνος εἰς τὸ ἔργον διῆλθε μηνῶν ἑπτὰ καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο ἀφ' οὗ τὴν Αἴγυπτον ἐξέλιπον ἐνιαυτὸς αὐτοῖς πρῶτος ἐτελειοῦτο. ἀρχομένου δὲ τοῦ δευτέρου ἔτους μηνὶ Ξανθικῷ κατὰ Μακεδόνας Νισὰν δὲ κατὰ Ἑβραίους νουμηνίᾳ τὴν σκηνὴν ἀφιεροῦσι καὶ πάνθ' ὅσα περὶ αὐτὴν σκεύη μοι δεδήλωται.

200 All was finished, with Besabeel and Eliab seen to be the most skilled of the workmen. These surpassed the works of others before them and had great skill in inventing what they formerly did not know. 201 Of these, Besaleel was judged to be the best. The whole time spent on this work was seven months, and then the first year since their departure from Egypt came to an end. At the beginning of the second year, on the new moon of the month the Macedonians call Xanthicus, and the Hebrews call Nisan, they consecrated the Tent and all its vessels that I have already described.

[202] Ἐπέδειξε δὲ ὁ θεὸς αὑτὸν ἡσθέντα τῷ ἔργῳ τῶν Ἑβραίων καὶ μὴ μάτην αὐτοὺς πονήσαντας ὑπερηφανίᾳ τῆς χρήσεως, ἀλλ' ἐπεξενώθη καὶ κατεσκήνωσε τῷ ναῷ τούτῳ. τὴν δὲ παρουσίαν οὕτως ἐποίησεν: [203] ὁ μὲν οὐρανὸς καθαρὸς ἦν, ὑπὲρ δὲ τὴν σκηνὴν μόνην ἤχλυσεν οὔτε βαθεῖ πάνυ νέφει καὶ πυκνῷ περιλαβὼν αὐτήν, ὥστ' εἶναι δόξαι χειμέριον, οὔτε μὴν λεπτὸν οὕτως, ὥστε τὴν ὄψιν ἰσχύσαι τι δι' αὐτοῦ κατανοῆσαι: ἡδεῖα δὲ ἀπ' αὐτοῦ δρόσος ἔρρει καὶ θεοῦ δηλοῦσα παρουσίαν τοῖς τοῦτο καὶ βουλομένοις καὶ πεπιστευκόσι.

202 God showed himself pleased with the work of the Hebrews and did not let their work be in vain or disdain to use what they had made, but he came as their guest and pitched his tent in the sanctuary. He showed his presence as follows. 203 The sky was clear, but there was a mist surrounding the Tent alone, a cloud not so deep and thick as one sees in winter, nor yet so thin that one could see through it, and from it there dropped a sweet dew that showed the presence of God to those who asked and believed it.

[204] Μωυσῆς δὲ τοὺς τέκτονας οἵαις εἰκὸς ἦν δωρεαῖς τοὺς τοιαῦτα ἐργασαμένους τιμήσας ἔθυεν ἐν τῷ τῆς σκηνῆς αἰθρίῳ κατὰ προσταγὴν θεοῦ ταῦρον καὶ κριὸν καὶ ἔριφον ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτάδων, [205] καὶ δὴ, λέγειν γὰρ ἐν τοῖς περὶ θυσιῶν μέλλω τὰ πρασσόμενα περὶ τὰς ἱερουργίας ἐν ἐκείνοις δηλώσων περί τε ὧν ὁλοκαυτεῖν κελεύει καὶ ὧν μεταλαμβάνειν τῆς βρώσεως ἐφίησιν ὁ νόμος, κἀκ τοῦ αἵματος τῶν τεθυμένων τήν τε στολὴν τοῦ Ἀαρῶνος καὶ αὐτὸν σὺν τοῖς παισὶν ἔρραινεν ἀφαγνίσας πηγαίοις τε ὕδασι καὶ μύρῳ, ἵνα τοῦ θεοῦ γίγνοιντο. [206] ἐπὶ μὲν οὖν ἡμέρας ἑπτὰ τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον αὐτούς τε καὶ τὰς στολὰς ἐθεράπευε τήν τε σκηνὴν καὶ τὰ περὶ αὐτὴν σκεύη ἐλαίῳ τε προσχριομένῳ, καθὼς εἶπον, καὶ τῷ αἵματι τῶν ταύρων καὶ κριῶν σφαγέντων καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ἑνὸς κατὰ γένος, τῇ δὲ ὀγδόῃ κατήγγειλεν ἑορτὴν τῷ λαῷ καὶ θύειν προσέταξε κατὰ δύναμιν. [207] οἱ δ' ἀλλήλοις ἁμιλλώμενοι καὶ ὑπερβάλλειν φιλοτιμούμενοι τὰς θυσίας, ἃς ἕκαστος ἐπιφέροι, τοῖς λεγομένοις ὑπήκουον. ἐπικειμένων δὲ τῶν ἱερῶν τῷ βωμῷ αἰφνίδιον ἐξ αὐτοῦ πῦρ ἀνήφθη αὐτόματον, καὶ ὅμοιον ἀστραπῆς λαμπηδόνι ὁρώμενον τῇ φλογὶ πάντα ἐδαπάνα τὰ ἐπὶ τοῦ βωμοῦ.

204 When Moses had given suitable gifts to the workmen and recompensed them their work, he sacrificed in the open court of the Tent at God's command, a bull, a ram and a kid goat, for a sin-offering. 205 When I treat of sacrifices I shall say what is done in our liturgy and tell of when the Law requires holocaust and when it lets us use them for food. He sprinkled the vestments of Aaron, and Aaron himself and his sons, with the blood of the sacrifices and purified them with spring water and ointment, so that they belonged to God. 206 Over seven days he consecrated them and their vestments in this way, anointing the Tent and its vessels with oil first incensed, as I said, and with the blood of bulls and rams, killed day by day, one of each kind; and on the eighth day he decreed a feast for the people, telling them to sacrifice according to their ability. 207 At his word they rivalled each other and sought to exceed each other in the sacrifices they brought; and as the sacrifices lay upon the altar, a sudden fire spontaneously kindled among them, looking like the flame of a lightning flash and consumed every gift upon the altar.

[208] Συνέβη δὲ καὶ Ἀαρῶνι συμφορά τις ἐκ τούτου λογιζομένῳ ὡς ἐπ' ἀνθρώπῳ καὶ πατρί, γενναίως δ' ὑπ' αὐτοῦ καρτερηθεῖσα, ὅτι καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν πρὸς τὰ συμπίπτοντα στερρὸς ἦν καὶ κατὰ βούλησιν τοῦ θεοῦ ἡγεῖτο τὸ πάθος γεγονέναι: [209] τῶν γὰρ υἱῶν αὐτοῦ τεσσάρων ὄντων, ὡς προεῖπον, δύο οἱ πρεσβύτεροι Νάβαδος καὶ Ἀβιοῦς κομίσαντες ἐπὶ τὸν βωμὸν οὐχ ὧν προεῖπε Μωυσῆς θυμάτων, ἀλλ' οἷς ἐχρῶντο πρότερον, κατεκαύθησαν τοῦ πυρὸς ἐπ' αὐτοὺς τὴν ὁρμὴν βαλόντος καὶ τὰ στέρνα καὶ τὰ πρόσωπα φλέγειν αὐτῶν ἀρξαμένου καὶ σβέσαι μηδενὸς δυναμένου. [210] καὶ οἱ μὲν οὕτως ἀπέθανον: Μωυσῆς δὲ κελεύει τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς βαστάξαντας τὰ σώματα καὶ κομίσαντας τῆς παρεμβολῆς ἔξω θάψαι μεγαλοπρεπῶς. πενθεῖ δὲ αὐτοὺς τὸ πλῆθος χαλεπῶς ἐπὶ τῷ θανάτῳ παρὰ δόξαν οὕτω γεγενημένῳ διατεθέν. [211] μόνους δὲ Μωυσῆς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ τὸν πατέρα μὴ φροντίζειν τῆς ἐπ' αὐτοῖς λύπης ἠξίωσε προκρίναντας τὴν εἰς τὸν θεὸν τιμὴν τοῦ περὶ αὐτοὺς σκυθρωποῦ: ἤδη γὰρ Ἀαρὼν καὶ τὴν στολὴν τὴν ἱερὰν ἠμφίεστο.

208 A misfortune came upon Aaron, as a man and a father, which he nobly bore with fortitude, for his soul was inured to such incidents and he thought this suffering happened according to the will of God. 209 As I have said, he had four sons, and the two elder of them, Nadab and Abihu, did not bring those sacrifices which Moses had said, but what they formerly used to offer, and were burned to death. The fire suddenly engulfed them and began to burn their chests and faces, and nobody could quench it. 210 They died in this manner; and Moses bid their father and their brothers to take up their bodies, to bring them outside the camp and give them a splendid burial. The populace was deeply grieved by the death which came on them so unexpectedly. 211 But Moses begged their brothers and their father not to dwell upon their sorrow for them and to put the honour of God above their bereavement, for Aaron had already been invested with the priestly robe.

[212] Μωυσῆς δὲ πᾶσαν τιμὴν παραιτησάμενος, ἣν ἑώρα τὸ πλῆθος αὐτῷ παρασχεῖν ἕτοιμον, πρὸς μόνῃ τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ θεραπείᾳ διετέλει. καὶ τῶν μὲν εἰς τὸ Σιναῖον ἀνόδων ἀπείχετο, εἰς δὲ τὴν σκηνὴν εἰσιὼν ἐχρηματίζετο περὶ ὧν ἐδεῖτο παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ἰδιωτεύων καὶ τῇ στολῇ καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἄλλοις ἄγων ἑαυτὸν δημοτικώτερον καὶ μηδὲν βουλόμενος τῶν πολλῶν διαφέρειν δοκεῖν, ἢ μόνῳ τῷ προνοούμενος αὐτῶν βλέπεσθαι. [213] ἔτι δὲ τὴν πολιτείαν καὶ νόμους αὐτῶν ἔγραφε, καθ' οὓς κεχαρισμένως τῷ θεῷ βιώσονται μηδὲν ἀλλήλοις ἐγκαλεῖν ἔχοντες: ταῦτα μέντοι κατὰ τὴν ὑπαγόρευσιν τοῦ θεοῦ συνετάττετο. διέξειμι μὲν οὖν περὶ τῆς πολιτείας καὶ τῶν νόμων.

212 Moses refused all the honour which he saw the people ready to bestow upon him and attended to nothing but the service of God. He went no more up to Mount Sinai, but went into the Tent and brought back God's answers on what he prayed about. In all other things he dressed and behaved as a private citizen and did not wish to seem different from the people, except that he took care of them. 213 He also wrote down their governance and those laws by which they could live pleasing to God and without mutual accusations. What he ordained was what God directed; so I shall now discuss their governance and laws.

[214] Ὃ μέντοι περὶ τῆς τοῦ ἀρχιερέως στολῆς παρέλιπον διελθεῖν βούλομαι: οὐδαμόθεν γὰρ προφητῶν κακουργίαις κατέλιπεν ἀφορμήν, εἰ δέ τινες τοιοῦτοι γένοιντο παρεγχειρεῖν τῷ τοῦ θεοῦ ἀξιώματι, αὐτοκράτορα δ' εἶναι τὸν θεὸν παρατυγχάνειν τοῖς ἱεροῖς κατέλιπεν ὁπότε θελήσειε καὶ μὴ παρεῖναι, καὶ τοῦτ' οὐχ Ἑβραίοις δῆλον εἶναι μόνον ἠθέλησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ξένων τοῖς παρατυγχάνουσι. [215] τῶν γὰρ λίθων, οὓς ἐπὶ τοῖς ὤμοις φέρειν τὸν ἀρχιερέα προεῖπον, σαρδόνυχες δὲ ἦσαν καὶ σημαίνειν αὐτῶν τὴν φύσιν ἡγοῦμαι περισσὸν πᾶσιν εἰς γνῶσιν ἀφιγμένων, συνέβαινε λάμπειν, ὁπότε ταῖς ἱερουργίαις ὁ θεὸς παρείη, τὸν ἕτερον τὸν ἐπὶ τῷ δεξιῷ τῶν ὤμων πεπορπημένον αὐγῆς ἀποπηδώσης καὶ τοῖς πορρωτάτω φαινομένης, οὐ πρότερον ταύτης ὑπαρχούσης τῷ λίθῳ. [216] θαυμαστὸν μὲν οὖν καὶ τοῦτο τοῖς μὴ τὴν σοφίαν ἐπ' ἐκφαυλισμῷ τῶν θείων ἠσκηκόσιν, ὃ δ' ἐστὶ τούτου θαυμασιώτερον ἐρῶ: διὰ γὰρ τῶν δώδεκα λίθων, οὓς κατὰ στέρνον ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς ἐνερραμμένους τῷ ἐσσῆνι φορεῖ, νίκην μέλλουσι πολεμεῖν προεμήνυεν ὁ θεός: [217] τοσαύτη γὰρ ἀπήστραπτεν ἀπ' αὐτῶν αὐγὴ μήπω τῆς στρατιᾶς κεκινημένης, ὡς τῷ πλήθει παντὶ γνώριμον εἶναι τὸ παρεῖναι τὸν θεὸν εἰς τὴν ἐπικουρίαν, ὅθεν Ἕλληνες οἱ τὰ ἡμέτερα τιμῶντες ἔθη διὰ τὸ μηδὲν ἀντιλέγειν δύνασθαι τούτοις τὸν ἐσσῆνα λόγιον καλοῦσιν. [218] ἐπαύσατο μὲν οὖν ὅ τε ἐσσὴν καὶ ὁ σαρδόνυξ τοῦ λάμπειν ἔτεσι διακοσίοις πρότερον ἢ ταύτην ἐμὲ συνθεῖναι τὴν γραφὴν τοῦ θεοῦ δυσχεράναντος ἐπὶ τῇ παραβάσει τῶν νόμων, περὶ ὧν ἐροῦμεν εὐκαιρότερον. τρέψομαι δὲ νῦν ἐπὶ τὸν ἑξῆς λόγον.

214 I wish now to speak of what I omitted earlier, the vestment of the high priest. He left no room for falsification by prophets, but if some of that kind tried to usurp the divine dignity, he left it in God's hands to be present at, or absent from his sacrifices, as he pleased; and he wanted this to be known not only to the Hebrews but also to foreigners who might be there. 215 For of those sardonyx stones mentioned earlier, which the high priest bore on his shoulders, (and I think it needless to describe their nature, as they are known to all,) one shone out when God was present at their sacrifices. The one on his right shoulder gleamed and even to those furthest away, the stone appeared brighter than before. 216 This amazed all except those whose quest of wisdom led them to despise divine signs, but I will tell something more amazing still, how by the twelve stones worn on the high priest's breastplate God foretold when they would be victorious in battle. 217 Such light shone from them before the army began to march, that all the people were aware of God's present to help them; which is why the Greeks who venerated our laws, finding it impossible to deny these things, called the breastplate the Oracle. 218 The breastplate and sardonyx ceased shining two hundred years before I composed this book, when God was displeased at the breaking of his laws. We shall treat more about this at a fitter time, but now I will follow the thread of my narrative.

10.

[219] Καθιερωμένης γὰρ δὴ τῆς σκηνῆς καὶ διακεκοσμημένων τῶν περὶ τοὺς ἱερέας τό τε πλῆθος ὁμόσκηνον αὐτῷ τὸν θεὸν ἔκρινεν εἶναι καὶ τρέπεται πρὸς θυσίας τε καὶ ἀνέσεις ὡς ἅπασαν ἤδη κακοῦ προσδοκίαν ἀπεωσμένον, καὶ περὶ τῶν μελλόντων ὡς ἀμεινόνων ἐπιθυμοῦντες δωρεάς τε τῷ θεῷ τὰς μὲν κοινῇ τὰς δὲ κατ' ἰδίαν ἀνετίθεσαν κατὰ φυλάς: [220] οἵ τε γὰρ φύλαρχοι κατὰ δύο συνελθόντες ἅμαξαν καὶ δύο βόας προσκομίζουσιν: ἓξ μὲν οὖν ἦσαν αὗται καὶ τὴν σκηνὴν ἐν ταῖς ὁδοιπορίαις παρεκόμιζον. πρὸς τούτοις ἕκαστος φιάλην τε κομίζει καὶ τρύβλιον καὶ θυίσκην, τὴν μὲν δαρεικοὺς δέκα δυναμένην καὶ πλήρη θυμιαμάτων: [221] τὸ δὲ τρύβλιον καὶ ἡ φιάλη, ἀργυρᾶ δὲ ἦν, σίκλους μὲν αἱ δύο διακοσίους εἷλκον, εἰς δὲ τὴν φιάλην ἑβδομήκοντα μόνοι δεδαπάνηντο, πλήρεις δὲ ἦσαν ἀλεύρων ἐλαίῳ πεφυραμένων, οἷς ἐπὶ τῷ βωμῷ χρῶνται πρὸς τὰς ἱερουργίας: μόσχον τε καὶ κριὸν σὺν ἀρνίῳ ἐτείῳ ὁλομελῆ καυθησόμενα καὶ σὺν αὐτοῖς χίμαρον ἐπὶ παραιτήσει ἁμαρτημάτων. [222] προσῆγε δὲ τῶν ἀρχόντων ἕκαστος καὶ ἑτέρας θυσίας σωτηρίους λεγομένας καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν δύο βόας καὶ πέντε κριοὺς σὺν ἀρνάσιν ἐτείοις καὶ ἐρίφοις. οὗτοι μὲν δὴ θύουσιν ἐπὶ ἡμέρας δώδεκα κατὰ πᾶσαν ἡμέραν εἷς: Μωυσῆς δὲ οὐκέτ' ἀναβαίνων ἐπὶ τὸ Σιναῖον ἀλλ' εἰς τὴν σκηνὴν εἰσιὼν ἀνεμάνθανε παρὰ θεοῦ περί τε τῶν πρακτέων καὶ τῶν νόμων τῆς συντάξεως: [223] οὓς κρείττονας ἢ κατὰ σύνεσιν ἀνθρωπίνην ὄντας εἰς τὸν ἅπαντα βεβαίως αἰῶνα συνέβη φυλαχθῆναι δωρεὰν εἶναι δόξαντας τοῦ θεοῦ, ὡς μήτ' ἐν εἰρήνῃ ὑπὸ τρυφῆς μήτ' ἐν πολέμῳ κατ' ἀνάγκην Ἑβραίους παραβῆναί τινα τῶν νόμων. ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν τούτων παύομαι λέγων γραφὴν ἑτέραν ἠξιωκὼς συνθεῖναι περὶ τῶν νόμων.

219 With the Tent now consecrated and a graceful settlement made for the priests, the people trusted in God's dwelling among them and took time to sacrifice and to rest, feeling safe from every threat and hoping for better times ahead. Each tribe offered gifts to God, some for the whole nation and some for themselves. 220 Two by two, the heads of the tribes gathered, each two bringing a waggon with a pair of oxen, making six in all, and these carried the Tent when they journeyed. Besides, each brought a bowl and a salver and a censer to hold ten darics of incense. 221 The bowl and salver were of silver and together weighed two hundred shekels, of which the salver cost no more than seventy, and these were full of fine flour mixed with oil, such as they used on the altar around the sacrifices. They brought also a young bullock and a ram, with a lamb of a year old as a holocaust, and a goat as a sin offering. 222 Each of the tribal officers brought other so-called peace-offerings, for every day two bulls and five rams, with year-old lambs and kid goats. These spent twelve days in sacrificing, one for each day. No longer did Moses go up Mount Sinai, but entering the Tent he learned from God what must be done and what laws to make. 223 These were better than what human understanding could devise and indeed were firmly preserved for all time to come, as God's own gift, so that the Hebrews did not break any of the laws, whether tempted by luxury in peacetime, or by distress in time of war. But I say no more about them here, as I plan to write another work about our laws.

Chapter 9. [224-236]
Instructions about various kinds of sacrifice: Holocausts, Sin-offerings, Thank-offerings

[224] Νυνὶ δ' ὀλίγων τινῶν ἐπιμνησθήσομαι τῶν ἐφ' ἁγνείαις καὶ ἱερουργίαις κειμένων: καὶ γὰρ τὸν λόγον μοι περὶ τῶν θυσιῶν ἐνεστάναι συμβέβηκε. δύο μὲν γάρ εἰσιν ἱερουργίαι, τούτων δ' ἡ μὲν ὑπὸ τῶν ἰδιωτῶν ἑτέρα δ' ὑπὸ τοῦ δήμου συντελούμεναι κατὰ δύο γίνονται τρόπους: [225] τῆς μὲν ὁλοκαυτεῖται πᾶν τὸ θυόμενον καὶ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ τὴν προσηγορίαν τοιαύτην ἔλαβεν, ἡ δὲ χαριστήριός τέ ἐστι καὶ κατ' εὐωχίαν δρᾶται τῶν τεθυκότων: ἐρῶ δὲ περὶ τῆς προτέρας. [226] ἀνὴρ ἰδιώτης ὁλοκαυτῶν θύει μὲν βοῦν καὶ ἀρνίον καὶ ἔριφον: ταῦτα μὲν ἐπέτεια, τοὺς δὲ βοῦς ἐφεῖται θύειν καὶ προήκοντας: ἄρρενα δὲ ὁλοκαυτεῖται τὰ πάντα. σφαγέντων δὲ τούτων τὸν κύκλον τῷ αἵματι δεύουσι τοῦ βωμοῦ οἱ ἱερεῖς, [227] εἶτα καθαρὰ ποιήσαντες διαμελίζουσι καὶ πάσαντες ἁλσὶν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμὸν ἀνατιθέασι σχιζῶν ἤδη πεπληρωμένον καὶ πυρὸς φλεγομένου. τοὺς δὲ πόδας τῶν ἱερείων καὶ τὰ κατὰ νηδὺν ἐκκαθάραντες ἀκριβῶς τοῖς ἄλλοις καθαγνισθησόμενα προσεπιφέρουσι, τὰς δορὰς τῶν ἱερέων λαμβανόντων. καὶ ὁ μὲν τῆς ὁλοκαυτώσεως τρόπος ἐστὶν οὗτος.

224 While we are on the topic of sacrifices I will mention a few of our laws on purifications and rituals. These rituals are of two kinds, one for individuals and the other for the whole people, and they follow two forms. 225 What is sacrificed is entirely burned and so is called "holocaust." The other form is a thank-offering and is meant as a feast for those who make the sacrifice. I shall speak about the former. 226 If a private citizen offers a holocaust, he must kill either a bull, a yearling lamb or a kid goat, though a bull for sacrifice may be somewhat older, and all holocausts must be males. When they are slaughtered, the priests sprinkle the blood around the altar. 227 They then cleanse the carcass and divide it and salt the pieces and lay them on the altar, with the fire set and burning. They carefully cleanse the feet of the sacrifices and the innards and lay them to be purified with the rest, while the priests receive the hides. Such is the form used for holocausts.

[228] Τὰς δὲ χαριστηρίους θυσίας ἐπιτελοῦντες τὰ αὐτὰ μὲν ζῷα θύουσιν, ὁλόκληρα δὲ ταῦτα καὶ τῶν ἐπετείων πρεσβύτερα, ἄρρενα μέντοι θήλεσι συνδυαζόμενα. θύσαντες δὲ ταῦτα φοινίσσουσι μὲν αἵματι τὸν βωμόν, τοὺς δὲ νεφροὺς καὶ τὸν ἐπίπλουν καὶ πάντα τὰ πιμελῆ σὺν τῷ λοβῷ τοῦ ἥπατος καὶ σὺν αὐτοῖς τὴν οὐρὰν τοῦ ἀρνὸς ἐπιφέρουσι τῷ βωμῷ. [229] τὸ δὲ στῆθος καὶ τὴν κνήμην τὴν δεξιὰν τοῖς ἱερεῦσι παρασχόντες ἐπὶ δύο ἡμέρας εὐωχοῦνται τοῖς καταλειπομένοις τῶν κρεῶν, ἃ δ' ἂν περισσεύσῃ κατακαίουσι.

228 For thank-offerings, they sacrifice the same animal, using those that are unblemished and over a year old, whether male or female. They also sprinkle the altar with their blood, but lay upon the altar the kidneys and the caul and all the fat and the lobe of the liver, along with the rump of the lamb. 229 After giving the breast and the right shoulder to the priests, the offerers feast for two days upon the rest of the flesh, and burn up whatever remains.

[230] Θύουσι δὲ καὶ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτάδων καὶ ὁμοίως τῷ προειρημένῳ τὸ περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτάδων τῆς ἱερουργίας τρόπῳ γίνεται. οἱ δὲ ἀδύνατοι πορίζειν τὰ τέλεια θύματα περιστερὰς ἢ τρυγόνας δύο, ὧν τὸ μὲν ὁλοκαυτεῖται τῷ θεῷ, τὸ δὲ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν εἰς βρῶσιν διδόασιν. ἀκριβέστερον δὲ περὶ τῆς θυσίας τῶνδε τῶν ζῴων ἐν τοῖς περὶ θυσιῶν ἐροῦμεν. [231] ὁ μὲν γὰρ κατὰ ἄγνοιαν εἰς τοῦτο προπεσὼν ἄρνα καὶ ἔριφον θήλειαν τῶν αὐτοετῶν προσφέρει, καὶ τῷ μὲν αἵματι δεύει τὸν βωμὸν ὁ ἱερεὺς οὐχ ὡς τὸ πρῶτον ἀλλὰ τῶν γωνιῶν τὰς ἐξοχάς, καὶ τούς τε νεφροὺς καὶ τὴν ἄλλην πιμελὴν σὺν τῷ λοβῷ τοῦ ἥπατος ἐπιφέρουσι τῷ βωμῷ, οἱ δὲ ἱερεῖς τάς τε δορὰς ἀποφέρονται καὶ τὰ κρέα ἐπ' ἐκείνης δαπανήσοντες τῆς ἡμέρας ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ: ὁ γὰρ νόμος εἰς τὴν αὔριον ἀπολιπεῖν οὐκ ἐᾷ. [232] ὁ δὲ ἁμαρτὼν μὲν αὑτῷ δὲ συνειδὼς καὶ μηδένα ἔχων τὸν ἐξελέγχοντα κριὸν θύει τοῦ νόμου τοῦτο κελεύοντος, οὗ τὰ κρέα κατὰ τὸ ἱερὸν ὁμοίως οἱ ἱερεῖς αὐθημερὸν σιτοῦνται. οἱ δὲ ἄρχοντες ἐφ' οἷς ἡμάρτανον ἐκθυόμενοι ταὐτὰ μὲν κομίζουσι τοῖς ἰδιώταις, διαλλάσσουσι δὲ τῷ προσάγειν θύματα ταῦρον ἔριφον ἄρσενας.

230 There are also sacrifices for sins, which are offered in the same way as was described. But those unable to purchase complete sacrifices offer two pigeons, or turtle doves, one of which is burned in worship to God and the other they give as food to the priests. When discussing sacrifices we shall speak more fully of the offering of these animals. 231 If a person sins by ignorance, he offers an ewe lamb, or a female kid goat of the same age, and the priests sprinkle the blood on the altar, not as before, but at its corners. They also bring the kidneys and the rest of the fat, along with the lobe of the liver, to the altar, and the priests take away the hides and the flesh and use it that same day in the holy place, for the law does not allow them to leave it until morning. 232 If one sins consciously but has nobody accusing him of it, he offers a ram, as the law commands, and as before the priests eat the flesh of it in the holy place, that same day. If the leaders sacrifice for their sins, they bring the same offerings as private citizens except that theirs must be a bull or a kid goat, both males.

[233] Νόμος δὲ ταῖς ἰδιωτικαῖς καὶ ταῖς δημοσίαις θυσίαις καὶ ἄλευρον ἐπιφέρεσθαι καθαρώτατον, ἀρνὶ μὲν ἀσσαρῶνος μέτρον κριῷ δὲ δυοῖν ταύρῳ δὲ τριῶν. τοῦτο καθαγνίζουσιν ἐπὶ τῷ βωμῷ μεμαγμένον ἐλαίῳ: [234] κομίζεται γὰρ δὴ καὶ ἔλαιον ὑπὸ τῶν τεθυκότων ἐπὶ μὲν βοὶ ἰνὸς ἥμισυ, ἐπὶ δὲ κριῷ μέρος τούτου τρίτον τοῦ μέτρου, καὶ τετάρτη μερὶς ἐπ' ἀρνί: ὁ δὲ ἲν μέτρον ἀρχαῖον Ἑβραίων δύναται δύο χόας Ἀττικούς. τὸ δ' αὐτὸ μέτρον τῷ ἐλαίῳ καὶ οἴνου παρῆγον, σπένδουσι δὲ περὶ τὸν βωμὸν τὸν οἶνον. [235] εἰ δέ τις θυσίαν οὐκ ἐπιτελῶν ἐπήνεγκε κατ' εὐχὴν σεμίδαλιν, ταύτης ἀπαρχὴν μίαν ἐπιβάλλει τῷ βωμῷ δράκα, τὴν δὲ λοιπὴν οἱ ἱερεῖς πρὸς τροφὴν λαμβάνουσιν ἢ ἑψηθεῖσαν, ἐλαίῳ γὰρ συμπεφύραται, ἢ γενομένων ἄρτων. ἱερέως δὲ κομίσαντος καὶ ὁποσονοῦν ὁλοκαυτεῖν ἀναγκαῖον. [236] κωλύει δὲ ὁ νόμος θύειν ζῷον αὐθημερὸν μετὰ τοῦ γεγεννηκότος ἐπὶ ταὐτό, οὐδ' ἄλλως δὲ πρὶν ὀγδόην ἡμέραν γεννηθέντι διελθεῖν. γίνονται δὲ ἄλλαι θυσίαι ὑπὲρ τοῦ τὰς νόσους διαφυγεῖν ἢ κατ' ἄλλας αἰτίας, εἰς ἃς πέμματα σὺν ἱερείοις ἀναλίσκεται, ὧν εἰς τὴν ὑστέραν οὐδὲν ὑπολιπεῖν ἐστι νόμιμον, τῶν ἱερέων μέρος ἴδιον λαβόντων.

233 Both for private and public sacrifices, the law requires that the finest flour be brought, for a lamb one tenth of an assar, for a ram two, and for a bull three. This they purify with a mixture of oil, on the altar. 234 Oil is also brought by those who sacrifice, half a hin for a bull, a third of the same measure for a ram and a quarter for a lamb. This hin is an ancient Hebrew measure equivalent to two Athenian choas. They bring the same amount of oil and wine, but they pour the wine around the altar. 235 One who instead of an animal sacrifice brings only fine flour to fulfil a vow, throws a handful upon the altar as its first-fruits, while the priests take the rest for food, either boiled or mixed with oil, or baked into loaves. The sacrifice of a priest himself must be a holocaust. 236 The law forbids the sacrifice of an animal within eight days after its birth, or on the same day and place as its parent. Other sacrifices are appointed for avoiding sickness or for other reasons, when pieces of meat are consumed along with the victims, no part of which may be left until the next day, and the priests get their share.

Chapter 10. [237-257]
The festivals, their dates, and how they must be observed

[237] Ἐκ δὲ τοῦ δημοσίου ἀναλώματος νόμος ἐστὶν ἄρνα καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν σφάζεσθαι τῶν αὐτοετῶν ἀρχομένης τε ἡμέρας καὶ ληγούσης, κατὰ δὲ ἑβδόμην ἡμέραν, ἥτις σάββατα καλεῖται, δύο σφάττουσι τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ἱερουργοῦντες. [238] τῇ δὲ νουμηνίᾳ τάς τε καθημερινὰς θυσίας ἐπιτελοῦσι καὶ δύο βόας σὺν ἀρνάσιν ἐνιαυσιαίοις ἑπτὰ καὶ κριόν, ἔριφον δὲ ἐπὶ παραιτήσεσιν ἁμαρτάδων, εἴ τι κατὰ λήθην γένοιτο.

237 By law, at public expense, a yearling lamb must be killed every day, at the day's beginning and end; but on the seventh day, called the Sabbath, they kill two and sacrifice them in the same way. 238 At the new moon, they perform the daily sacrifices and kill two bulls, with seven year-old lambs and a kid goat, to expiate sins committed through ignorance.

[239] Τῷ δ' ἑβδόμῳ μηνί, ὃν Μακεδόνες Ὑπερβερεταῖον καλοῦσι, προσθέντες τοῖς εἰρημένοις ταῦρον καὶ κριὸν καὶ ἄρνας ἑπτὰ θύουσι καὶ ἔριφον ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτάδων.

239 On the seventh month, which the Macedonians call Hyperberetaeus, in addition to the above they sacrifice a bull, a ram, seven lambs and a kid goat, for sins.

[240] Δεκάτῃ δὲ τοῦ αὐτοῦ μηνὸς κατὰ σελήνην διανηστεύοντες ἕως ἑσπέρας θύουσι δ' ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταῦρόν τε καὶ κριοὺς δύο καὶ ἄρνας ἑπτὰ καὶ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτάδων ἔριφον. [241] προσάγουσι δὲ δύο πρὸς τούτοις ἐρίφους, ὧν ὁ μὲν ζῶν εἰς τὴν ὑπερόριον ἐρημίαν πέμπεται ἀποτροπιασμὸς καὶ παραίτησις τοῦ πλήθους παντὸς ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτημάτων ἐσόμενος, τὸν δ' ἐν τοῖς προαστείοις εἰς καθαρώτατον ἄγοντες χωρίον αὐτόθι σὺν αὐτῇ καίουσι τῇ δορᾷ μηδὲν ὅλως καθάραντες. [242] συγκατακαίεται δὲ ταῦρος οὐχ ὑπὸ τοῦ δήμου προσαχθείς, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων ἀναλωμάτων τοῦ ἀρχιερέως παρασχόντος: οὗ δὴ σφαγέντος εἰσκομίσας εἰς τὸν ναὸν τοῦ αἵματος ἅμα καὶ τοῦ ἐρίφου ῥαίνει τῷ δακτύλῳ τὸν ὄροφον ἑπτάκις, [243] τοῦ δ' αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ ἔδαφος καὶ τοσαυτάκις εἰς τὸν ναὸν καὶ περὶ τὸν χρύσεον βωμὸν καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν περὶ τῷ μείζονι κομίσας εἰς τὸ αἴθριον: πρὸς τούτοις τὰς ἐξοχὰς καὶ τοὺς νεφροὺς καὶ τὴν πιμελὴν σὺν τῷ λοβῷ τοῦ ἥπατος ἐπιφέρουσι τῷ βωμῷ. παρέχεται δὲ καὶ κριὸν ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς ὁλοκαύτωσιν τῷ θεῷ.

240 On the tenth day of the same lunar month, after fasting until evening they sacrifice a bull and two rams and seven lambs and a kid goat, for sins. 241 Besides, they bring two goat kids, one of which is sent alive into the wilderness outside the camp as a scapegoat, to expiate the sins of the whole people, while they bring the other to a most pure place within the camp, and burn it there, with its skin, with no sort of cleansing. 242 With it is burned a bull, not provided by the people, but by the high priest at his own expense. When it is killed, he brings its blood with that of the kid goat into the holy place and with his finger sprinkles seven times towards the ceiling. 243 He does the same to the pavement and as often again to the sanctuary and around the golden altar, and finally brings it out of doors. Besides, they set upon the altar the extremities and the kidneys and the fat, with the lobe of the liver. Then the high priest presents a ram as a holocaust to God.

[244] Τῇ δὲ πέμπτῃ τοῦ αὐτοῦ μηνὸς καὶ δεκάτῃ τρεπομένου τὸ λοιπὸν τοῦ καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν χειμερινὴν ὥραν σκηνὰς πήγνυσθαι κελεύει κατὰ οἰκίαν ἕκαστον, τό τε κρύος ὑφορωμένους ἐπὶ φυλακῇ τοῦ ἔτους, [245] ὅταν πατρίδων ἐπιτύχοιεν, παραγινομένους εἰς ἐκείνην τὴν πόλιν, ἣν διὰ τὸν ναὸν μητρόπολιν ἕξουσιν, ἐφ' ἡμέρας ὀκτὼ ἑορτὴν ἄγοντας ὁλοκαυτεῖν τε καὶ θύειν τῷ θεῷ τότε χαριστήρια, φέροντας ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν εἰρεσιώνην μυρσίνης καὶ ἰτέας σὺν κράδῃ φοίνικος πεποιημένην τοῦ μήλου τοῦ τῆς περσέας προσόντος. [246] εἶναι δὲ τῇ πρώτῃ τῶν ἡμερῶν τὴν τῆς ὁλοκαυτώσεως θυσίαν ἐκ τριῶν καὶ δέκα βοῶν καὶ ἀρνῶν ἑνὶ πλειόνων καὶ κριῶν δύο κατὰ παραίτησιν ἁμαρτιῶν ἐρίφου προστιθεμένου. ταῖς δ' ἑξῆς ἡμέραις ὁ μὲν αὐτὸς ἀριθμὸς τῶν ἀρνῶν καὶ τῶν κριῶν σὺν τῷ ἐρίφῳ θύεται, ὑφαιροῦντες δὲ ἑκάστης ἡμέρας ἕνα τῶν βοῶν εἰς ἑπτὰ καταντῶσιν. [247] ἀνίενται δὲ ἀπὸ παντὸς ἔργου κατὰ τὴν ὀγδόην ἡμέραν καὶ τῷ θεῷ, καθάπερ εἰρήκαμεν, μόσχον τε θύομεν καὶ κριὸν καὶ ἄρνας ἑπτά, ὑπὲρ δὲ ἁμαρτημάτων παραιτήσεως ἔριφον. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν Ἑβραίοις τὰς σκηνὰς πηγνύουσιν ἐπιτελεῖν ἐστι πάτριον.

244 On the fifteenth day of the same month, when the season is changing to winter, he commands us to pitch tents in each of our houses, as a protection from the cold of that time of the year, 245 and that when we reach our fatherland and the city to be our metropolis on account of the temple, we should keep a festival for eight days and offer holocausts and thank-offerings, and carry in our hands a bouquet of myrtle and willow and a palm branch, and some persea fruit. 246 The holocaust on the first of those days must be a sacrifice of thirteen bulls and fourteen lambs and fifteen rams, and a kid goat, to expiate for sins. On the following days the same number of lambs and of rams, with the kid goats, with one bull less every day, until they came down to seven. 247 On the eighth day all work was put aside and then, as we said before, they sacrificed to God a bullock, a ram and seven lambs, with a kid goat, as an expiation of sins. This is the practice of the Hebrews, when they set up their tents.

[248] Τῷ δὲ μηνὶ τῷ Ξανθικῷ, ὃς Νισὰν παρ' ἡμῖν καλεῖται καὶ τοῦ ἔτους ἐστὶν ἀρχή, τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ κατὰ σελήνην ἐν κριῷ τοῦ ἡλίου καθεστῶτος, τούτῳ γὰρ τῷ μηνὶ τῆς ὑπ' Αἰγυπτίους δουλείας ἠλευθερώθημεν, καὶ τὴν θυσίαν, ἣν τότ' ἐξιόντας ἀπ' Αἰγύπτου θῦσαι προεῖπον ἡμᾶς πάσχα λεγομένην, δι' ἔτους ἑκάστου θύειν ἐνόμισεν, καὶ δὴ τελοῦμεν αὐτὴν κατὰ φατρίας μηδενὸς τῶν τεθυμένων εἰς τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν τηρουμένου. [249] πέμπτῃ δὲ καὶ δεκάτῃ διαδέχεται τὴν πάσχα ἡ τῶν ἀζύμων ἑορτὴ ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας οὖσα, καθ' ἣν ἀζύμοις τρέφονται καὶ καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ταῦροι σφάζονται δύο καὶ κριὸς μὲν εἷς ἑπτὰ δὲ ἄρνες. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ὁλοκαυτεῖται προστιθεμένου τοῖς πᾶσι καὶ ἐρίφου ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτάδων εἰς εὐωχίαν κατὰ ἡμέραν ἑκάστην τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν. [250] τῇ δὲ δευτέρᾳ τῶν ἀζύμων ἡμέρᾳ, ἕκτη δ' ἐστὶν αὕτη καὶ δεκάτη, τῶν καρπῶν οὓς ἐθέρισαν, οὐ γὰρ ἥψαντο πρότερον αὐτῶν, μεταλαμβάνουσι καὶ τὸν θεὸν ἡγούμενοι τιμᾶν δίκαιον εἶναι πρῶτον, παρ' οὗ τῆς εὐπορίας τούτων ἔτυχον, τὰς ἀπαρχὰς αὐτῷ τῆς κριθῆς ἐπιφέρουσι τρόπον τοιοῦτον. [251] φρύξαντες τῶν ἀσταχύων τὸ δράγμα καὶ πτίσαντες καὶ καθαρὰς πρὸς ἄλεστον τὰς κριθὰς ποιήσαντες τῷ βωμῷ ἀσσαρῶνα προσφέρουσι τῷ θεῷ, καὶ μίαν ἐξ αὐτοῦ δράκα ἐπιβαλόντες τὸ λοιπὸν ἀφιᾶσιν εἰς χρῆσιν τοῖς ἱερεῦσι: καὶ τότε λοιπὸν δημοσίᾳ ἔξεστι πᾶσι καὶ ἰδίᾳ θερίζειν. θύουσι δ' ἐπὶ ταῖς ἀπαρχαῖς τῶν καρπῶν ἀρνίον εἰς ὁλοκαύτωσιν τῷ θεῷ.

248 In the month of Xanthicus, which is called Nisan by us and begins our year, on the fourteenth day of the lunar month, when the sun is in Aries, this month when we were saved from slavery under the Egyptians, every year by law we offer that sacrifice, called the Passover, as we did when we came from Egypt, and so we celebrate it in companies, preserving no part of what is sacrificed until the following day. 249 After the passover, on the fifteenth comes the feast of the Azymes, lasting for seven days, when they eat unleavened bread. On each of these days two bulls are killed and one ram and seven lambs. These are entirely burned, with the kid goat added in as a sin-offering, as a treat for the priest on each of those days. 250 On the second day of unleavened bread, which is the sixteenth day of the month, they first partake of the fruits of the earth, and up to then they do not touch them. They think it right to honour God, from whom they receive this bounty, by first of all offering the first-fruits of their barley in this way. 251 They take a handful of the ears and dry them and thresh them, to separate the barley from the bran. They then bring one assar to the altar, to God, and throw a handful of it upon the fire, leaving the rest for the use of the priests. Then they may reap their harvest, whether publicly or privately. At this time of first-fruits they also sacrifice a lamb in holocaust to God.

[252] Ἑβδόμης ἑβδομάδος διαγεγενημένης μετὰ ταύτην τὴν θυσίαν, αὗται δ' εἰσὶν αἱ τῶν ἑβδομάδων ἡμέραι τεσσαράκοντα καὶ ἐννέα, [τῇ πεντηκοστῇ], ἣν Ἑβραῖοι ἀσαρθὰ καλοῦσι, σημαίνει δὲ τοῦτο πεντηκοστήν, καθ' ἣν προσάγουσι τῷ θεῷ ἄρτον ἀλφίτων μὲν πυρίνων ἀσσαρῶνας δύο μετὰ ζύμης γεγονότων, θυμάτων δὲ ἄρνας δύο: [253] ταῦτα μὲν γὰρ τῷ θεῷ προσάγειν νόμιμον μόνον, εἰς δὲ δεῖπνον τοῖς ἱερεῦσι σκευάζεται καὶ καταλιπεῖν οὐδέν ἐστιν ἐξ αὐτῶν εἰς τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν συγκεχωρημένον: ὁλοκαυτωθησομένους μόσχους τε θύουσι τρεῖς καὶ κριοὺς δύο καὶ ἄρνας τεσσαρεσκαίδεκα, ἐρίφους δὲ δύο ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτημάτων. [254] ἔστι δ' οὐδεμία τῶν ἑορτῶν, καθ' ἣν οὐχ ὁλοκαυτοῦσιν οὐδὲ τῶν πόνων τῶν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἔργοις ἄνεσιν οὐ διδόασιν, ἀλλ' ἐν πάσαις νόμιμον τό τε τῆς θυσίας εἶδος καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀργίας ἀταλαίπωρον καὶ πρὸς εὐωχίαις εἰσὶ τεθυκότες.

252 When after this sacrifice a week of weeks has passed, that is forty nine days, on the fiftieth day, called by the Hebrews Asartha, which means Pentecost, they bring to God a loaf of wheat flour, of two assars, with leaven, and a sacrifice of two lambs. 253 After these are duly presented to God, they are made ready as supper for the priests, and nothing of them may be left until the morrow. They also offer in holocaust three bullocks and two rams, and fourteen lambs, with two kid goats, for sins. 254 None of the festivals is without holocausts, and on each of them they also allow themselves to rest from work. The law prescribes for all what kinds of sacrifice to offer and how to be at ease and to rejoice in their sacrifices.

[255] Ἐκ μέντοι τοῦ κοινοῦ σῖτος ὀπτὸς ζύμης ἄμοιρος, ἀσσαρῶνες δ' εἴκοσι καὶ τέσσαρες εἰς τοῦτο ἀναλοῦνται. ὀπτῶνται δὲ ἀνὰ δύο διαιρεθέντες μὲν τῇ πρὸ τοῦ σαββάτου, τῷ δὲ σαββάτῳ πρωὶ κομισθέντες ἐπὶ τῆς ἱερᾶς τραπέζης τίθενται κατὰ ἓξ εἰς ἀλλήλους τετραμμένοι. [256] δύο δὲ χρυσέων ὑπερκειμένων πινάκων λιβανωτοῦ γεμόντων διαμένουσιν ἕως τοῦ ἑτέρου σαββάτου: καὶ τότε μὲν ἀντ' ἐκείνων ἄλλοι κομίζονται, οἱ δὲ τοῖς ἱερεῦσι πρὸς τροφὴν δίδονται, καὶ τοῦ λιβανωτοῦ θυμιωμένου ἐπὶ τῷ ἱερῷ πυρί, ἐφ' ᾧ καὶ ὁλοκαυτοῦσι τὰ πάντα, λιβανωτὸς ὑπὲρ ἐκείνου ἄλλος ὑπὲρ τῶν ἄρτων προστίθεται. [257] θύει δ' ὁ ἱερεὺς ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων ἀναλωμάτων, καὶ δὶς ἑκάστης ἡμέρας τοῦτο ποιεῖ, ἄλευρον ἐλαίῳ μεμαγμένον καὶ πεπηγὸς ὀπτήσει βραχείᾳ, καὶ εἷς μέν ἐστιν ἀσσάρων τοῦ ἀλεύρου, τούτου δὲ τὸ μὲν ἥμισυ τὸ πρωί, τὸ δ' ἕτερον δείλης ἐπιφέρει τῷ πυρί. τὸν μὲν οὖν περὶ τούτων λόγον ἀκριβέστερον αὖθις δηλώσομεν, ἱκανὰ δέ μοι δοκεῖ καὶ νῦν περὶ αὐτῶν προειρῆσθαι.

255 Twenty-four assars of unleavened bread was set on view at public expense; two batches of which were baked the day before the sabbath, but were brought into the holy place on the sabbath morning and set on the holy table, six loaves per heap. 256 Two golden cups of frankincense were set upon them and there they remained until the next sabbath, when other loaves were put in their place, while those were given to the priests as food and the frankincense was burned in that sacred fire where all their offerings were burned, and other frankincense was set upon the loaves in place of what was there before. 257 Twice every day, at his own expense, the priest offered a sacrifice of one assar of flour, mixed with oil and lightly baked. He brought half of it to the fire in the morning and the other half at night. I shall describe these sacrifices more fully later, but I think that for the present I have said enough about them.

Chapter 11. [257-273]
Purification laws for Levites, "unclean" animals, isolation of lepers, purification of women after childbirth

[258] Μωυσῆς δὲ τοῦ Λευὶ τὴν φυλὴν τῆς πρὸς τὸν λαὸν κοινωνίας ὑπεξελόμενος ἱερὰν ἐσομένην ἥγνιζε πηγαίοις ὕδασι καὶ ἀενάοις καὶ θυσίαις, ἃς ἐπὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις νομίμους παρέχονται τῷ θεῷ, τήν τε σκηνὴν αὐτοῖς καὶ τὰ σκεύη τὰ ἱερὰ καὶ τὰ ἄλλ' ὅσα πρὸς σκέπην τῆς σκηνῆς ἐπεποίητο παρέδωκεν, ὅπως ὑφηγουμένων τῶν ἱερέων ὑπηρετήσωσιν: ἤδη γὰρ τῷ θεῷ καθιέρωτο.

258 Moses set the tribe of Levi apart from the rest of the people as a holy tribe, and purified them with water from perennial springs and with such sacrifices to God as the law prescribes, and entrusted to them the Tent and the sacred vessels and the curtains for covering the Tent, to minister under the guidance of the priests who were already consecrated to God.

[259] Καὶ περὶ τῶν ζῴων δὲ διέκρινεν ἕκαστον, ὅτι τρέφοιντο καὶ οὗ πάλιν ἀπεχόμενοι διατελοῖεν, περὶ ὧν ἐν οἷς ἂν ἡμῖν ἀφορμὴ τῆς γραφῆς γένηται διελευσόμεθα τὰς αἰτίας προστιθέντες, ἀφ' ὧν κινηθεὶς τὰ μὲν αὐτῶν βρωτὰ ἡμῖν ἐκέλευσεν εἶναι, τῶν δὲ προσέταξεν ἀπέχεσθαι. [260] αἵματος μέντοι παντὸς εἰς τροφὴν ἀπηγόρευσε τὴν χρῆσιν ψυχὴν αὐτὸ καὶ πνεῦμα νομίζων, καὶ κρέως τοῦ τεθνηκότος αὐτομάτως ζῴου τὴν βρῶσιν διεκώλυσεν, ἐπίπλου τε καὶ στέατος αἰγείου καὶ προβατείου καὶ τοῦ τῶν βοῶν ἀπέχεσθαι προεῖπεν.

259 He also decided about which animals may be used for food and which they must not use. When occasion arises later in this work, this will be further explained, as well as the reasons which moved him to allot some as our food while bidding us abstain from others. 260 He entirely forbade us to use blood as food, reckoning it to hold the soul and spirit. He also forbade us to eat the flesh of any animal that dies of itself, and the membrane and the fat of goats and sheep and bulls.

[261] Ἀπήλασε δὲ τῆς πόλεως καὶ τοὺς λέπρᾳ τὰ σώματα κακωθέντας καὶ τοὺς περὶ τὴν γονὴν ῥεομένους καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας δ' αἷς ἡ τῶν κατὰ φύσιν ἔκκρισις ἔπεισι μετέστησε πρὸς ἡμέραν ἑβδόμην, μεθ' ἣν ὡς ἤδη καθαραῖς ἐνδημεῖν ἐφίησιν. [262] ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τοῖς κηδεύσασι νεκρὸν μετὰ τοσαύτας ἡμέρας νόμιμον τὸ ἐνδημεῖν: τὸν δ' ὑπὲρ τὸν ἀριθμὸν τούτων τῶν ἡμερῶν ἐνεχόμενον ἐν τῷ μιάσματι θύειν νόμιμον ἀμνάδας δύο, ὧν τὴν μὲν ἑτέραν καθαγνίζειν δεῖ, τὴν δ' ἑτέραν οἱ ἱερεῖς λαμβάνουσιν. [263] ὁμοίως δὲ θύουσι καὶ περὶ τοῦ τὴν γονὴν ῥεομένου. ὃς δ' ἂν κατὰ τοὺς ὕπνους ἀποκρίνῃ γονήν, καθεὶς αὑτὸν εἰς ὕδωρ ψυχρὸν ὁμοίως τοῖς κατὰ νόμον γυναικὶ πλησιάζουσιν ἐξουσίαν ἔχει. [264] τοὺς δὲ λεπροὺς εἰς τὸ παντελὲς ἐξήλασε τῆς πόλεως μηδενὶ συνδιαιτωμένους καὶ νεκροῦ μηδὲν διαφέροντας: ἂν δέ τις ἐξικετεύσας τὸν θεὸν ἀπολυθῇ τῆς νόσου καὶ τὴν ἐρρωμένην κομίσηται χρόαν, ὁ δὴ τοιοῦτος ποικίλαις ἀμείβεται θυσίαις τὸν θεόν, περὶ ὧν ὕστερον ἐροῦμεν.

261 He banned from the city any with bodies afflicted by leprosy or who had gonorrhea, and had women set apart, during their periods, until the seventh day, after which they were allowed back as pure again. 262 The law also allows those who have buried a corpse to rejoin society after that number of days. But a person who stayed defiled for more days than this must by law offer two lambs, one for purification and the other for the priests. 263 The same sacrifice applies for those with gonorrhea, but whoever has a flow of seed during sleep may, by bathing in cold water, purge himself, just like those who have had legitimate intercourse with their wives. 264 He banished lepers from the city, not letting them live in society, almost as if they were dead. But if, by prayer to God, one recovers from that sickness and regains a healthy skin, such a one is to thank God by means of various sacrifices, about which we will speak later.

[265] Ὅθεν καὶ καταγελάσειεν ἄν τις τῶν λεγόντων Μωυσῆν λέπρᾳ κεκακωμένον αὐτόν τε ἀπ' Αἰγύπτου φυγεῖν καὶ τῶν ἐκπεσόντων διὰ ταύτην τὴν αἰτίαν ἡγησάμενον εἰς τὴν Χαναναίαν ἀγαγεῖν αὐτούς. [266] εἰ γὰρ τοῦτ' ἦν ἀληθές, οὐκ ἂν ἐπὶ τῇ αὑτοῦ Μωυσῆς ἀτιμίᾳ τοιαῦτ' ἐνομοθέτησεν, οἷς εὔλογον ἦν αὐτὸν καὶ ἑτέρων εἰσηγουμένων ἀντειρηκέναι, καὶ ταῦτα παρὰ πολλοῖς ὄντων λεπρῶν ἔθνεσι καὶ τιμῆς ἀπολαυόντων, οὐ μόνον ὕβρεως καὶ φυγῆς ἀπηλλαγμένων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἐπισημοτάτας στρατείας στρατευομένων καὶ τὰς πολιτικὰς ἀρχὰς πιστευομένων καὶ εἰς ἱερὰ καὶ ναοὺς ἐχόντων ἐξουσίαν εἰσιέναι: [267] ὥστ' οὐδὲν ἐκώλυε καὶ Μωυσῆν, εἰ τοιούτῳ τινὶ συμπτώματι περὶ τὴν χρόαν ἢ τὸ σὺν αὐτῷ πλῆθος ἠλάττωτο, νομοθετῆσαι περὶ αὐτῶν τὰ κάλλιστα καὶ μηδεμίαν τοιαύτην ὁρίσαι ζημίαν. [268] ἀλλὰ δῆλον μέν, ὡς ταῦτα περὶ ἡμῶν λέγουσιν ὑπὸ βασκανίας προαγόμενοι, Μωυσῆς δὲ τούτων καθαρὸς ὢν ἐν καθαροῖς τοῖς ὁμοφύλοις περὶ τῶν νενοσηκότων ἐνομοθέτει κατὰ τιμὴν τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦτο ποιῶν. ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν τούτων ἕκαστος ὡς αὐτῷ δοκεῖ σκοπείτω.

265 So one can only laugh at the claim that Moses himself suffered from leprosy when he fled from Egypt and he became leader of those who were banished for it, to bring them into Canaan. 266 If this were true, Moses would not have made such laws which could dishonour himself, and would more likely have objected if others tried to introduce them. In many nations there are lepers who are held in honour and far from being reproached or avoided, have led eminent campaigns and been entrusted with high offices of state, with the right to enter holy places and temples. 267 Hence, if either Moses himself, or those with him, had been afflicted with any such skin ailment, there was nothing to prevent him making favourable laws about it and imposing no such penalty upon them. 268 Clearly it is only from prejudice that they report these things about us. Moses was clear of such sickness and lived within a clean people, and legislated for others who really were sick, acting in this for the honour of God. But on these matters let each one judge as he pleases.

[269] Τὰς δὲ γυναῖκας ἐπειδὰν τέκωσιν εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν εἰσιέναι κεκώλυκε καὶ θυσιῶν ἅπτεσθαι μέχρι τεσσαράκοντα ἡμερῶν, ἂν ἄρρεν τὸ τεχθὲν ᾖ: διπλασίονας γὰρ εἶναι τὰς ἡμέρας ἐπὶ θηλυτοκίαις συμβέβηκεν. εἰσιοῦσαι μέντοι μετὰ τὴν προειρημένην προθεσμίαν θυσίας ἐπιτελοῦσιν, ἃς οἱ ἱερεῖς πρὸς τὸν θεὸν διανέμονται.

269 He forbade women after childbirth to come into the temple, or touch the sacrifices, until forty days had passed, in the case of a boy, and twice that in the case of a girl, after which they can enter to offer sacrifices which the priests then dedicate to God.

[270] Ἂν δ' ὑπονοήσῃ μεμοιχεῦσθαί τις αὐτῷ τὴν γυναῖκα, κομίζει κριθῆς ἀληλεσμένης ἀσσάρωνα, καὶ μίαν αὐτῆς δράκα ἐπιβαλόντες τῷ θεῷ τὸ λοιπὸν τοῖς ἱερεῦσι διδόασιν εἰς τροφήν. τὴν δὲ γυναῖκα στήσας τις τῶν ἱερέων κατὰ τὰς πύλας, αἱ δ' εἰσὶ τετραμμέναι πρὸς τὸν νεών, καὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς τὸ ἱμάτιον ἀφελὼν ἐπιγράφει μὲν τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν προσηγορίαν διφθέρᾳ, [271] κελεύει δὲ ὀμνύειν μηδὲν ἠδικηκέναι τὸν ἄνδρα, παραβᾶσαν δὲ τὸ σῶφρον τοῦ δεξιοῦ σκέλους ἔξαρθρον γενέσθαι καὶ τὴν γαστέρα πρησθεῖσαν οὕτως ἀποθανεῖν: ἂν δ' ὑπὸ πολλοῦ τοῦ ἔρωτος καὶ τῆς διὰ τοῦτον ζηλοτυπίας προπετῶς ὁ ἀνὴρ διὰ τὴν ὑπόνοιαν εἴη κεκινημένος, μηνὶ δεκάτῳ γενέσθαι παιδίον ἄρρεν αὐτῇ. [272] τῶν δ' ὅρκων τελειωθέντων τῆς διφθέρας ἀπαλείψας τοὔνομα εἰς φιάλην ἐκπιέζει, προκομίσας τε ἐκ τοῦ ἱεροῦ γῆς εἴ τι προστύχοι καὶ καταπάσας ἐκπιεῖν δίδωσιν: ἡ δ' εἰ μὲν ἀδίκως ἐνεκλήθη, ἐγκύμων τε γίνεται καὶ τελεσφορεῖται κατὰ τὴν γαστέρα: [273] ψευσαμένη δὲ τὸν ἄνδρα ἐπὶ τοῖς γάμοις καὶ τὸν θεὸν ἐπὶ τοῖς ὅρκοις μετ' αἰσχύνης καταστρέφει τὸν βίον τοῦ τε σκέλους ἐκπεσόντος αὐτῇ καὶ τὴν κοιλίαν ὑδέρου καταλαβόντος. καὶ περὶ μὲν τῶν θυσιῶν καὶ τῆς ἁγνείας τῆς ἐπ' αὐταῖς ταῦτα Μωυσῆς τοῖς ὁμοφύλοις προενόησε, νόμους δὲ αὐτοῖς τοιούτους ἔθετο.

270 If a man suspects his wife of adultery, he brings an assaron of barley flour, of which one handful is set before God and the rest given as food to the priests. One of the priests sets the woman at the gates facing the temple and taking the veil from her head, writes the name of God on parchment, 271 and bids her to swear that she has done her husband no wrong, but if she has violated her chastity, that her right leg should go out of joint and her belly swell up and she die like that; but that if, by excess of love and ensuing jealousy, her husband had been too quickly suspicious, that she might bear a male child nine months later. 272 When the oaths are sworn, he wipes the name of God from the parchment and wrings the water into a bowl. Then taking some temple clay lying to hand, he puts it into the bowl and gives it her to drink. If she was unjustly accused, she becomes pregnant and bears a child in her womb. 273 But if she has deceived her husband and sworn falsely to God, she dies shamefully, her leg falling off and her belly swollen with dropsy. Such rites of sacrifice and accompanying purifications Moses provided for his countrymen, and added the following laws:

Chapter 12. [274-294]
Laws against adultery and incest; requirement of priestly purity; the musical innovations of Moses

[274] Μοιχείαν μὲν εἰς τὸ παντελὲς ἀπεῖπε νομίσας εὔδαιμον τὸ περὶ τοὺς γάμους ὑγιαίνειν τοὺς ἄνδρας, καὶ ταῖς τε πόλεσι καὶ τοῖς οἴκοις συμφέρειν τὸ τοὺς παῖδας εἶναι γνησίους. καὶ μίσγεσθαι δὲ μητράσι κακὸν μέγιστον ὁ νόμος ἀπεῖπεν, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ πατρὸς συνεῖναι γαμετῇ καὶ τηθίσι καὶ ἀδελφαῖς καὶ παίδων γυναιξὶν ὡς ἔκφυλον ἔχον τὴν ἀδικίαν μεμίσηκεν. [275] ἐκώλυσε δὲ καὶ γυναικὶ μεμιασμένῃ τοῖς κατὰ φύσιν πλησιάζειν μηδὲ κτήνεσιν εἰς συνουσίαν φοιτᾶν μηδὲ τὴν πρὸς τὰ ἄρρενα μῖξιν τιμᾶν διὰ τὴν ἐπ' αὐτοῖς ὥραν ἡδονὴν θηρωμένους παράνομον. κατὰ δὲ τῶν εἰς ταῦτ' ἐξυβρισάντων θάνατον ὥρισε τὴν τιμωρίαν.

274 He ruled out adultery entirely, reckoning it right for men to be faithful in wedlock, and good for both cities and families alike that children should be legitimate. The Law outlaws intercourse with one's mother as the worst of evils, and likewise intercourse with a step-mother or aunts or sisters or the wives of one's sons, as a major wrong. 275 He also forbade intercourse with a menstruous woman, mating with a beast, or sodomy for lawless pleasure. For offences against these he decreed the death penalty.

[276] Τῶν δ' ἱερέων καὶ διπλασίονα τὴν ἁγνείαν ἐποίησε: τούτων τε γὰρ αὐτοὺς ὁμοίως τοῖς ἄλλοις εἴργει καὶ προσέτι γαμεῖν τὰς ἡταιρηκυίας ἐκώλυσε, μήτε δούλην μήτ' αἰχμάλωτον γαμεῖν αὐτοὺς κεκώλυκε καὶ τὰς ἐκ καπηλείας καὶ τοῦ πανδοκεύειν πεπορισμένας τὸν βίον μηδὲ τὰς τῶν προτέρων ἀνδρῶν ἐφ' αἱσδηποτοῦν αἰτίαις ἀπηλλαγμένας. [277] τὸν ἀρχιερέα μέντοι οὐδὲ τεθνηκότος ἀνδρὸς ἠξίωσε γυναῖκα τοῦτο τοῖς ἄλλοις ἱερεῦσι συγχωρῶν, μόνην δ' αὐτῷ [δέδωκε] γαμεῖν παρθένον καὶ ταύτην φυλάττειν: ὅθεν οὐδὲ νεκρῷ πρόσεισιν ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς τῶν λοιπῶν οὐ κεκωλυμένων ἀδελφοῖς καὶ γονεῦσι καὶ παισὶ τοῖς αὑτῶν προσιέναι μεταστᾶσιν. [278] ἀφελεῖς δὲ εἶναι πᾶσαν ἀφέλειαν: τὸν δὲ μὴ ὁλόκληρον τῶν ἱερέων νέμεσθαι πρὸς τοὺς ἱερεῖς ἐκέλευσε τὰ γέρα, ἀναβαίνειν δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν βωμὸν καὶ εἰσιέναι εἰς τὸν ναὸν ἐκώλυσε: μὴ μόνον δὲ περὶ τὰς ἱερουργίας καθαροὺς εἶναι, σπουδάζειν δὲ καὶ περὶ τὴν αὐτῶν δίαιταν, ὥστ' αὐτὴν ἄμεμπτον εἶναι. [279] καὶ διὰ ταύτην τὴν αἰτίαν οἱ τὴν ἱερατικὴν στολὴν φοροῦντες ἄμωμοί τέ εἰσι καὶ περὶ πάντα καθαροὶ καὶ νηφάλιοι, πίνειν οἶνον ἕως οὗ τὴν στολὴν ἔχουσι κεκωλυμένοι: ἔτι δὲ καὶ τὰ ἱερεῖα θύουσιν ὁλόκληρα καὶ κατὰ μηδὲν λελωβημένα.

276 For the priests he set a double level of purity, not only barring them from the above practices but forbidding them to marry a prostitute, a slave, or a prisoner-of-war, or women who earned their living by hawkers or inn-keepers, or a woman separated from her husband, on whatever grounds. 277 He deemed it unsuitable for the high priest to marry even one whose husband had died, though it was allowed to the other priests, but allowed him only to marry a virgin of his own tribe. While others may not approach a deceased brother or parent or child, the high priest must never approach a corpse. 278 They must also be unblemished in all respects; so he ordered that a priest with a blemish could indeed have his portion among the priests but could not ascend the altar, or to enter into the sacred building. And they must observe purity not only in their sacred ministries, but must take care that their private life be blameless too. 279 That is why those who wear the priestly robes are spotless, eminently pure and faultless, nor may they drink wine while they are wearing that vesture. Moreover, the very sacrifices they offer are entire and free from mutilation.

[280] Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἤδη καὶ κατὰ τὸν ζωῆς χρόνον τῆς αὐτοῦ γινόμενα παρέδωκε Μωυσῆς, τῶν δὲ αὖθις καίπερ ἐπὶ τῆς ἐρημίας διαιτώμενος προενόησεν, ὅπως ἐπειδὰν τὴν Χαναναίαν λάβωσι τάδε ποιῶσι: [281] δι' ἑβδόμου ἔτους ἄνεσιν δίδωσι τῇ γῇ ἀπό τε ἀρότρου καὶ φυτείας, ὥσπερ καὶ αὐτοῖς δι' ἑβδόμης ἡμέρας τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων προεῖπεν ἀνάπαυσιν. καὶ τῶν αὐτομάτως ἀναδοθέντων ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς κοινὴν εἶναι τοῖς θέλουσι τὴν χρῆσιν τῶν τε ὁμοφύλων καὶ τῶν ἀλλοτριοχώρων, μηδὲν ἐξ αὐτῶν φυλάττοντας: ποιεῖν δὲ τοῦτο καὶ μεθ' ἑβδόμην ἐτῶν ἑβδομάδα. [282] ταῦτα πεντήκοντα μέν ἐστιν ἔτη τὰ πάντα, καλεῖται δὲ ὑπὸ Ἑβραίων ὁ πεντηκοστὸς ἐνιαυτὸς ἰώβηλος, ἐν ᾧ οἵ τε χρεῶσται τῶν δανείων ἀπολύονται καὶ οἱ δουλεύοντες ἐλεύθεροι ἀφίενται, οὓς ὄντας ὁμοφύλους καὶ παραβάντας τι τῶν νομίμων τῷ σχήματι τῆς δουλείας ἐκόλασε θάνατον οὐκ ἐκδεχομένους. [283] ἀποδίδωσι δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἀγροὺς τοῖς ἀρχῆθεν αὐτῶν δεσπόταις τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον: ἐνστάντος τοῦ ἰωβήλου, ἐλευθερίαν σημαίνει τοὔνομα, συνέρχονται ὅ τε ἀποδόμενος τὸ χωρίον καὶ ὁ πριάμενος, καὶ λογισάμενοι τοὺς καρποὺς καὶ τὰς εἰς τὸ χωρίον δαπάνας γεγενημένας τῶν μὲν καρπῶν πλεονάζειν εὑρεθέντων προσδέχεται τὸν ἀγρὸν ὁ ἀποδόμενος, [284] τοῦ δ' ἀναλώματος ὑπερβάλλοντος ὑπὲρ τοῦ λείποντος καταβαλὼν τὸ ἱκνούμενον ἐξέχεται τῆς κτήσεως, ἴσων δὲ συναριθμουμένων τῶν τε καρπῶν καὶ τῶν ἀναλωμάτων ἀποδίδωσι τοῖς καὶ πρότερον νεμηθεῖσι. [285] τὸ αὐτὸ δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ ταῖς οἰκίαις νόμιμον ἰσχύειν ἠθέλησε ταῖς κατὰ κώμας πεπραμέναις: περὶ γὰρ τῶν ἐν τῇ πόλει πεπραμένων ἔγνωκεν ἑτέρως. εἰ μὲν γὰρ πρὸ τοῦ τελειωθῆναι τὸν ἐνιαυτὸν καταβάλοι τὸ ἀργύριον, ἀναγκάζει τὸν πριάμενον ἀποδοῦναι, εἰ δὲ πλῆρες γένοιτο τὸ ἔτος, βεβαιοῖ τὴν κτῆσιν τῷ πριαμένῳ. [286] ταύτην Μωυσῆς τὴν διάταξιν τῶν νόμων, ὅθ' ὑπὸ τὸ Σιναῖον καθιδρύκει τὴν στρατιάν, ἐξέμαθε παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τοῖς Ἑβραίοις γεγραμμένην παραδίδωσιν.

280 These precepts that Moses gave them were already observed during his lifetime, for while living in the wilderness, he still made provision in advance for when they had captured the land of Canaan. 281 So every seventh year he rested the land from ploughing and planting just as he had prescribed for them to rest from working every seventh day, and said that what grows of itself from the earth belongs equally to all who wish to use it, making no distinction there between their own countrymen and foreigners. The same was to be observed after seven times seven years, 282 which amount to fifty years, and that fiftieth year the Hebrews call a Jubilee, when debtors are freed from their debts and slaves are set free, that is to say, slaves of our race, who for transgressing some law were punished with slavery rather than the death penalty. 283 He also restores fields to their original owners as follows: At the time of the Jubilee, which means liberty, the seller of the land meets the buyer, and together they make an estimate of the fruits gathered, and of the amount spent for it. If the fruits gathered come to more than the amount expended, the seller must get the land back, 284 but if the expenditure is more than the fruits, the present owner receives from the seller the difference of value and leaves the land to him and if the fruits received and the expenditure prove equal, the present owner relinquishes it to the seller. 285 He applied the same law also to houses sold in villages, but he made a different law for those sold in the city, for if he that sold it tendered the purchaser his money again within a year, he was bound to restore it, but if a year had passed, the purchaser would own the property outright. 286 This was the code of laws which Moses learned from God when they camped beneath Mount Sinai and this he delivered in writing to the Hebrews.

[287] Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καλῶς αὐτῷ τὰ περὶ τὴν νομοθεσίαν ἔχειν ἐδόκει, πρὸς ἐξέτασιν τοῦ στρατοῦ τὸ λοιπὸν ἐτράπη τῶν πολεμικῶν ἤδη κατὰ νοῦν ἔχων ἅπτεσθαι, προστάσσει τε τοῖς φυλάρχοις πλὴν τῆς Λευίτιδος φυλῆς ἀκριβῶς τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἐκμαθεῖν τῶν στρατεύεσθαι δυναμένων: ἱεροὶ γὰρ ἦσαν οἱ Λευῖται καὶ πάντων ἀτελεῖς. [288] γενομένης δὲ τῆς ἐξετάσεως εὑρέθησαν μυριάδες ἑξήκοντα τῶν ὁπλιτεύειν δυναμένων ὄντων ἀπὸ εἴκοσι ἐτῶν ἕως πεντήκοντα καὶ τρισχίλιοι πρὸς ἑξακοσίοις καὶ πεντήκοντα. ἀντὶ δὲ Λευὶ κατέλεξεν εἰς τοὺς φυλάρχους Μανασσῆν τὸν Ἰωσήπου παῖδα καὶ Ἐφράην ἀντὶ τοῦ Ἰωσήπου: δέησις δὲ ἦν αὕτη Ἰακώβου πρὸς Ἰώσηπον ποιητοὺς αὐτῷ παρασχεῖν τοὺς παῖδας, ὡς καὶ προεῖπον.

287 When he was satisfied with the ligislation, he finally decided to review the troops with an eye to warfare. So he instructed the heads of the tribes, except the tribe of Levi, to gauge exactly the number of those who were fit to go to war. The Levites were set apart and free from all such things. 288 When the people were examined, six hundred and three thousand, six hundred and fifty were found who were fit for war, from twenty to fifty years old. In place of Levi, Moses listed Manasses, son of Joseph, among the heads of tribes, and Ephraim in place of Joseph, for Jacob had asked Joseph to let him adopt his sons as his own, as I have already said.

[289] Πηγνύντες δὲ τὴν σκηνὴν μέσην ἀπελάμβανον τριῶν φυλῶν κατὰ πλευρὰν ἑκάστην παρασκηνουμένων: ὁδοὶ δὲ διὰ μέσων ἐτέτμηντο, καὶ κόσμος ἦν ἀγορᾶς, καὶ τῶν πωλουμένων ἕκαστον ἐν τάξει διέκειτο, καὶ δημιουργοὶ τέχνης ἁπάσης ἐν τοῖς ἐργαστηρίοις ἦσαν, οὐδενί τε ἄλλῳ ἢ πόλει μετανισταμένῃ καὶ καθιδρυμένῃ ἐῴκει. [290] τὰ δὲ περὶ τὴν σκηνὴν πρῶτοι μὲν οἱ ἱερεῖς κατεῖχον, ἔπειτα δὲ οἱ Λευῖται πάντες ὄντες τὸ πλῆθος, ἐξητάσθησαν γὰρ καὶ αὐτοὶ τοῦ μὲν ἄρρενος ὅσον τριακοστὴν εἶχεν ἡμέραν γενόμενον, δισμύριοι καὶ δισχίλιοι πρὸς τοῖς ὀκτακοσίοις ὀγδοήκοντα. καὶ ἐφ' ὅσον μὲν ὑπὲρ τὴν σκηνὴν συνέβαινεν ἑστάναι τὴν νεφέλην, μένειν αὐτοῖς ὡς ἐπιδημοῦντος ἐδόκει τοῦ θεοῦ, τρεπομένης δὲ ταύτης μετανίστασθαι.

289 When they set up the Tent, they kept it in the middle of their camp, three tribes on each side of it, and paths were made though the centre. It was ordered like a market with things for sale laid in lines, and artisans in all the shops, and looked like a city that is sometimes shifted and sometimes fixed. 290 The priests had the first places around the Tent, and next the Levites, who, as they were all counted starting from thirty days old, were twenty-three thousand eight hundred and eighty males. So long as the cloud stood above the Tent, they thought they ought to stay in that place, thinking that God dwelt there among them, but when it moved, they journeyed too.

[291] Εὗρε δὲ καὶ βυκάνης τρόπον ἐξ ἀργύρου ποιησάμενος, ἔστι δὲ τοιαύτη: μῆκος μὲν ἔχει πηχυαῖον ὀλίγῳ λεῖπον, στενὴ δ' ἐστὶ σύριγξ αὐλοῦ βραχεῖ παχυτέρα, παρέχουσα δὲ εὖρος ἀρκοῦν ἐπὶ τῷ στόματι πρὸς ὑποδοχὴν πνεύματος εἰς κώδωνα ταῖς σάλπιγξι παραπλησίως τελοῦντα: ἀσώσρα καλεῖται κατὰ τὴν Ἑβραίων γλῶσσαν. [292] γίνονται δὲ δύο, καὶ τῇ μὲν ἑτέρᾳ πρὸς παρακέλευσιν καὶ συλλογὴν ἐχρῶντο τοῦ πλήθους εἰς τὰς ἐκκλησίας: καὶ μιᾷ μὲν ἀποσημάναντος ἔδει τὰς ἀρχὰς συνελθεῖν σκεψομένας περὶ τῶν οἰκείων, ἀμφοτέραις δὲ συνῆγε τὸ πλῆθος. [293] τῆς δὲ σκηνῆς μετακινουμένης ταῦτα ἐγίνετο: ἀποσημήναντος γὰρ τὸ πρῶτον οἱ παρὰ ταῖς ἀνατολαῖς ἐσκηνωκότες ἀνίσταντο, καὶ πρὸς τὴν δευτέραν οἱ πρὸς τὸν νότον αὖθις καθεστῶτες. εἶθ' ἡ σκηνὴ λυομένη μέση τῶν προιουσῶν ἓξ φυλῶν ἐκομίζετο καὶ τῶν ἑπομένων ἕξ, Λευῖται δὲ περὶ τὴν σκηνὴν πάντες ἦσαν. [294] τρίτον δὲ σημήναντος τὸ κατὰ λίβα τετραμμένον τῶν ἐσκηνωκότων μέρος ἐκινεῖτο, καὶ τέταρτον τὸ κατὰ βορρᾶν. ταῖς δὲ βυκάναις ἐχρῶντο καὶ ἐπὶ ταῖς ἱερουργίαις προσάγοντες τὰς θυσίας καὶ τοῖς σαββάτοις καὶ ταῖς λοιπαῖς ἡμέραις. θύει δὲ τότε πρῶτον μετὰ τὴν ἀναχώρησιν τὴν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου τὴν πάσχα λεγομένην ἐπὶ τῆς ἐρήμου.

291 Moses invented the form of their trumpet, which was made of silver in this way: In length little less than a foot, composed of a narrow tube, rather thicker than a flute and wide enough to admit the breath of one's mouth and ending in the shape of a bell, like an ordinary trumpet. It was called in the Hebrew tongue an Asosra. 292 There were two of these and one of them was sounded to call the people to assembly. When the first trumpet sounded, the heads of the tribes assembled to consult about matters relating to them, but when both of them signalled they called the people together. 293 Whenever the Tent was moved, it was done in this order. At the first trumpet sound, those camped on the east side prepared to move; at the second those who were on the south did so; next, the Tent was taken apart and carried with six tribes going before and six following, and all the Levites around the Tent. 294 At the third signal those camped on the west side set off, and at the fourth those on the north did likewise. They also used these trumpets in their liturgies, when they were bringing their sacrifices to the altar on Sabbaths and on other days. And now he offered the sacrifice which was called the Passover, the first since leaving Egypt, there in the wilderness.

Chapter 13. [295-299]
Journey from Mount Sinai to the borders of Canaan

[295] Καὶ βραχὺ διαλιπὼν ἀπανίσταται τοῦ Σιναίου ὄρους καὶ τόπους τινὰς ἀμείψας, περὶ ὧν δηλώσομεν, εἴς τι χωρίον Ἐσερμὼθ λεγόμενον παρῆν, κἀκεῖ τὸ πλῆθος πάλιν στασιάζειν ἄρχεται, καὶ τὸν Μωυσῆν αἰτιᾶσθαι τῶν τε κατὰ τὴν ἀποδημίαν αὐτῷ πεπειραμένων, [296] καὶ ὅτι γῆς ἀγαθῆς αὐτοὺς πείσαντος ἀπαναστῆναι τὴν μὲν ἀπολέσειαν, ἀντὶ δὲ ἧς ὑπέσχετο παρέξειν εὐδαιμονίας ἐν ταύταις ἀλῶνται ταῖς ταλαιπωρίαις, ὕδατος μὲν σπανίζοντες, εἰ δὲ καὶ τὴν μάνναν ἐπιλιπεῖν συμβαίη τέλεον ἀπολούμενοι. [297] πολλὰ δὲ εἰς τὸν ἄνδρα καὶ δεινὰ λεγόντων, εἷς δέ τις αὐτοῖς παρῄνει, μήτε Μωυσέος καὶ τῶν πεπονημένων αὐτῷ περὶ τῆς κοινῆς σωτηρίας ἀμνημονεῖν μήτ' ἀπογινώσκειν τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ βοηθείας. τὸ δὲ πλῆθος πρὸς τοῦτο μᾶλλον ἐκινήθη καὶ θορυβῆσαν ἔτι μᾶλλον πρὸς τὸν Μωυσῆν ἐπετείνετο. [298] Μωυσῆς δὲ παραθαρσύνων αὐτοὺς οὕτως ἀπεγνωκότας ὑπέσχετο καίπερ αἰσχρῶς ὑπ' αὐτῶν περιυβρισμένος πλῆθος αὐτοῖς παρέξειν κρεῶν οὐκ εἰς μίαν ἡμέραν ἀλλ' εἰς πλείονας. ἀπιστούντων δ' ἐπὶ τούτῳ καί τινος ἐρομένου, πόθεν ἂν τοσαύταις εὐπορήσειε μυριάσι τῶν προειρημένων, "ὁ θεός, εἶπε, κἀγὼ καί τοι κακῶς ἀκούοντες πρὸς ὑμῶν οὐκ ἂν ἀποσταίημεν κάμνοντες ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν [299] ἔσται." ἅμα ταῦτ' ἔλεγε καὶ πίμπλαται τὸ στρατόπεδον ὀρτύγων ἅπαν καὶ ἤθροιζον αὐτοὺς περιστάντες. ὁ μέντοι θεὸς οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν μετέρχεται τοὺς Ἑβραίους τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν θρασύτητος καὶ λοιδορίας: ἀπέθανε γὰρ οὐκ ὀλίγον πλῆθος αὐτῶν, καὶ νῦν ἔτι κατ' ἐπωνυμίαν ὁ χῶρος ὀνομάζεται Καβρωθαβά, ἐπιθυμίας μνημεῖα λέγοιτο ἄν.

295 Shortly afterwards he rose and left Mount Sinai, and, touching on several places of which we will speak, he came to a place called Esermoth, where the people again began to mutiny and blame Moses for all they endured in their travels. 296 For they had lost the good land they left at his persuasion and instead of the happiness he had promised them, they were still miserably wandering, already in want of water, and if the manna should happen to fail, they would perish utterly. 297 Even while they were hurling such abuse at him there was one who warned them that they should not forget Moses and the trouble he had taken to save them all, and not to despair of help from God; but the people were becoming fiercer and louder and more riled than ever against Moses. 298 Despite their shameful jeering of him, to rouse them from their despair Moses promised to provide them with plenty of meat, not just for a few days but for many. As they disbelieved this and one of them asked how he could obtain such an amount as he foretold he replied, "Neither God nor I, who hear such insulting language from you, will cease working on your behalf, and this will happen before long." 299 When he had said this, the whole camp was full of quails, which they surrounded and collected. But a little later God punished the Hebrews for their insolence and insults and a large number of them died. Still to this day the place retains the memory of this and is named Kabrothavah, the Tomb of Lust.

Chapter 14. [300-310]
Hebrew spies report on the Canaanite's strength
The people turn against Moses and want to return to Egypt

[300] Ἀναγαγὼν δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐκεῖθεν ὁ Μωυσῆς εἰς τὴν καλουμένην Φάραγγα πλησίον οὖσαν τοῖς Χαναναίων ὁρίοις καὶ χαλεπὴν ἐνδιαιτᾶσθαι εἰς ἐκκλησίαν ἀθροίζει τὸ πλῆθος καὶ καταστάς, "δύο, φησί, τοῦ θεοῦ κρίναντος ἡμῖν παρασχεῖν ἀγαθά, ἐλευθερίαν καὶ γῆς κτῆσιν εὐδαίμονος, τὴν μὲν ἤδη δόντος ἔχετε, τὴν δὲ ἤδη λήψεσθε. [301] Χαναναίων γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῖς ὅροις καθήμεθα, καὶ κωλύσει τὸ λοιπὸν ἐπιόντας οὐ μόνον οὐ βασιλεὺς οὐ πόλις ἡμᾶς, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τὸ πᾶν ἀθροισθέντων ἔθνος. παρασκευαζώμεθα οὖν πρὸς τὸ ἔργον: οὐ γὰρ ἀμαχητὶ παραχωρήσουσιν ἡμῖν τῆς γῆς, ἀλλὰ μεγάλοις αὐτὴν ἀγῶσιν ἀφαιρεθέντες. [302] πέμψωμεν δὲ κατασκόπους, οἳ τῆσδε τῆς γῆς ἀρετὴν κατανοήσουσι καὶ πόση δύναμις αὐτοῖς. πρὸ δὲ πάντων ὁμονοῶμεν καὶ τὸν θεόν, ὅς ἐστιν ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἡμῖν βοηθὸς καὶ σύμμαχος, διὰ τιμῆς ἔχωμεν."

300 When Moses had led the Hebrews away from there to a place called the Ravine, near the borders of Canaan, a place difficult to stay in, he gathered the people to a meeting and stood up and said, "God has determined to give us two things: freedom and to own a happy land. One of these you have already by the gift of God and the other you will have soon. 301 For we are now poised at the borders of Canaan and nothing can stop us taking possession of it, now that we have finally reached it. No king or city, not even the whole human race of mankind all together, can stop us; so let us prepare ourselves for the task, for the Canaanites will not give up their land to us without a fight and it must be wrested from them by mighty struggles. 302 We should send spies to survey the goodness of the land and its strength, but above all things, let us be of one mind and honour the One who is our helper and ally over all."

[303] Μωυσέος δὲ ταῦτ' εἰπόντος τὸ πλῆθος αὐτὸν τιμαῖς ἀμείβεται, καὶ κατασκόπους αἱρεῖται δώδεκα τῶν γνωριμωτάτων ἐξ ἑκάστης φυλῆς ἕνα, οἳ διεξελθόντες ἀπὸ τῶν πρὸς Αἰγύπτῳ τὴν Χαναναίαν ἅπασαν ἐπί τε Ἀμάθην πόλιν καὶ Λίβανον ἀφικνοῦνται τὸ ὄρος, καὶ τήν τε τῆς γῆς φύσιν καὶ τὴν τῶν ἐνοικούντων ἀνθρώπων ἐξιστορήσαντες παρῆσαν τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέραις εἰς πᾶν καταχρησάμενοι τὸ ἔργον, [304] ἔτι τε καρποὺς ὧν ἔφερεν ἡ γῆ κομίζοντες τῇ τε τούτων εὐπρεπείᾳ καὶ τῷ πλήθει τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ἃ τὴν γῆν ἔχειν διηγοῦντο, πολεμεῖν ἐπαίροντες τὸ πλῆθος, φοβοῦντες δὲ πάλιν αὐτὸ τῷ τῆς κτήσεως ἀπόρῳ ποταμούς τε διαβῆναι λέγοντες ἀδυνάτους ὑπὸ μεγέθους ἅμα καὶ βάθους καὶ ὄρη ἀμήχανα τοῖς ὁδεύουσι καὶ πόλεις καρτερὰς τείχεσι καὶ περιβόλων ὀχυρότητι: [305] ἐν δ' Ἐβρῶνι καὶ τῶν γιγάντων ἔφασκον τοὺς ἀπογόνους καταλαβεῖν. καὶ οἱ μὲν κατάσκοποι τεθεαμένοι πάντων οἷς μετὰ τὴν ἔξοδον τὴν ἀπ' Αἰγύπτου ἐνέτυχον μείζω τὰ κατὰ τὴν Χαναναίαν αὐτοί τε κατεπλάγησαν καὶ τὸ πλῆθος οὕτως ἔχειν ἐπειρῶντο.

303 When Moses had said this, the people listened with respect and chose twelve spies, one of the most eminent from each tribe, who traversed all the land of Canaan, from the borders of Egypt to the city of Hamath and Mount Lebanon, and having learned the nature of the land and its inhabitants, returned after a total of forty days. 304 They brought with them some of the fruits the land bears and described the many excellent things it contains, to rouse the people to go to war. But then they made them afraid of the great difficulty of taking it: that the rivers were too large and deep to cross; that there were mountains one could not get past, and that the cities were strong, with walls and fortifications all round them. 305 They even claimed they had found the descendants of the giants in Hebron! So having made their survey and seen that the obstacles in Canaan were greater than they had met since coming out of Egypt, they were fearful themselves and tried to frighten the people too.

[306] Οἱ δὲ ἄπορον ἐξ ὧν ἠκροάσαντο τὴν κτῆσιν τῆς γῆς ὑπελάμβανον καὶ διαλυθέντες ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας σὺν γυναιξὶ καὶ παισὶν ὀλοφυρόμενοι διῆγον, ὡς οὐδὲν ἔργῳ τοῦ θεοῦ βοηθοῦντος λόγῳ δὲ μόνον ὑπισχνουμένου. [307] καὶ τὸν Μωυσῆν πάλιν ᾐτιῶντο καὶ κατεβόων αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ Ἀαρῶνος τοῦ ἀρχιερέως καὶ πονηρὰν μὲν καὶ μετὰ τῶν εἰς τοὺς ἄνδρας βλασφημιῶν διάγουσι τὴν νύκτα. πρωὶ δ' εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν συντρέχουσι, δι' ἐννοίας ἔχοντες καταλεύσαντες τόν τε Μωυσῆν καὶ τὸν Ἀαρῶνα ἐπὶ τὴν Αἴγυπτον ὑποστρέφειν.

306 From what they had heard the latter thought that it impossible to take the region and after the assembly ended continued with their wives and children to complain as though God gave them no help, but had only made false promises to them. 307 Again they blamed Moses and complained of him and his brother, Aaron the high priest and spent the night hurling abuse at them. In the morning they held a meeting with the intention of stoning Moses and Aaron and then returning to Egypt.

[308] Τῶν δὲ κατασκόπων Ἰησοῦς τε ὁ Ναυήχου παῖς φυλῆς Ἐφραιμίτιδος καὶ Χάλεβος τῆς Ἰούδα φυλῆς φοβηθέντες χωροῦσιν εἰς μέσους καὶ τὸ πλῆθος κατεῖχον θαρσεῖν δεόμενοι καὶ μήτε ψευδολογίαν κατακρίνειν τοῦ θεοῦ μήτε πιστεύειν τοῖς ἐκ τοῦ μὴ τἀληθῆ περὶ τῶν Χαναναίων εἰρηκέναι καταπληξαμένοις, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἐπὶ τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν καὶ τὴν κτῆσιν αὐτοὺς τῶν ἀγαθῶν παρορμῶσιν: [309] οὔτε γὰρ τῶν ὀρῶν τὸ μέγεθος οὔτε τῶν ποταμῶν τὸ βάθος τοῖς ἀρετὴν ἠσκηκόσιν ἐμποδὼν στήσεσθαι πρὸς τὰ ἔργα καὶ ταῦτα τοῦ θεοῦ συμπροθυμουμένου καὶ ὑπερμαχοῦντος αὐτῶν. "ἴωμεν οὖν, ἔφασαν, ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους μηδὲν ἔχοντες δι' ὑποψίας ἡγεμόνι τε τῷ θεῷ πεπιστευκότες καὶ ὁδηγοῦσιν ἡμῖν ἑπόμενοι." [310] καὶ οἱ μὲν ταῦτα λέγοντες ἐπεχείρουν τὴν ὀργὴν καταπραύνειν τοῦ πλήθους, Μωυσῆς δὲ καὶ Ἀαρὼν πεσόντες ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν τὸν θεὸν ἱκέτευον οὐχ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἑαυτῶν σωτηρίας, ἀλλ' ὅπως τῆς ἀμαθίας παύσῃ τὸ πλῆθος καὶ καταστήσῃ τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν ὑπὸ τῆς ἀμηχανίας τοῦ παραστάντος αὐτοῖς πάθους τεταραγμένην, παρῆν δ' ἡ νεφέλη καὶ στᾶσα ὑπὲρ τὴν σκηνὴν ἐσήμαινε τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν τοῦ θεοῦ.

308 But among the spies, Joshua the son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim, and Caleb of the tribe of Judas, fearing that outcome, came among them and calmed the people and implored them to take heart, and not to condemn God as a liar or heed those who had scared them by telling them untruths about the Canaanites. They should rather listen to those who encouraged them to hope for success, and that they would take win the prosperity promised to them. 309 Neither the height of mountains, nor the depth of the rivers could stop brave men from attempting them, since God would take care of them and fight on their behalf. "Let us go then," they said, "against our enemies with no thought of failure, trusting in God to conduct us and following those who will show us the way." 310 That is how they tried to pacify the rage of the crowd. Moses and Aaron fell on the ground and begged God, not for their own safety, but to end the foolishness of the people and bring them to a peaceful spirit, instead of the disorder of their present passion. The cloud then appeared and stopped above the Tent, showing that the presence of God was there.

Chapter 15. [311-322]
For their sin, the people must wander for forty years in the desert, before entering Canaan

[311] Μωυσῆς δὲ θαρρήσας πάρεισιν εἰς τὸ πλῆθος καὶ τὸν θεὸν ἐδήλου κινηθέντα ὑπὸ τῆς ὕβρεως αὑτῷ λήψεσθαι τιμωρίαν, οὐκ ἀξίαν μὲν τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων, οἵαν δὲ οἱ πατέρες ἐπὶ νουθεσίᾳ τοῖς τέκνοις ἐπιφέρουσι. [312] παρελθόντι γὰρ εἰς τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτῷ καὶ περὶ τῆς μελλούσης ὑπ' αὐτῶν ἀπωλείας ἀποκλαιομένῳ τὸν θεὸν ὑπομνῆσαι μέν, ὅσα παθόντες ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ πηλίκων εὐεργεσιῶν μεταλαβόντες ἀχάριστοι πρὸς αὐτὸν γένοιντο, ὅτι τε τῇ νῦν τῶν κατασκόπων ὑπαχθέντες δειλίᾳ τοὺς ἐκείνων λόγους ἀληθεστέρους τῆς ὑποσχέσεως ἡγήσαντο τῆς αὐτοῦ. [313] καὶ διὰ ταύτην τὴν αἰτίαν οὐκ ἀπολεῖ μὲν ἅπαντας οὐδ' ἐξαφανίσει τὸ γένος αὐτῶν, ὃ πάντων μᾶλλον ἀνθρώπων ἔσχε διὰ τιμῆς, τὴν μέντοι Χαναναίαν οὐ παρέξειν γῆν αὐτοῖς λαβεῖν οὐδὲ τὴν ἀπ' αὐτῆς εὐδαιμονίαν, [314] ἀνεστίους δὲ ποιήσειν καὶ ἀπόλιδας ἐπὶ τῆς ἐρημίας ἐπ' ἔτη τεσσαράκοντα καταβιῶναι τῆς παρανομίας ποινὴν ταύτην ἐκτίνοντας: παισὶ μέντοι τοῖς ὑμετέροις παραδώσειν τὴν γῆν ὑπέσχετο κἀκείνους τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ὧν ἑαυτοῖς ὑπὸ ἀκρασίας ἐφθονήσατε μετασχεῖν, ποιήσειν δεσπότας."

311 Moses took heart and went among the people and told them God was angry at their despising Him and would punish them, though not as much as their sins deserved, but rather as parents punish their children, to correct them. 312 When he was in the Tent weeping for the destruction that imminent because of them, God reminded him of all he had done for them and the blessings they had received from him and how ungrateful they were, so that even recently, through the fear of the spies, they had been led to think their report was truer than His own promise to them. 313 On this account, though he would not destroy them all or annihilate their nation which he honoured above the rest of mankind, he would not let them take possession of the land of Canaan or enjoy its prosperity. 314 To punish their fault He would make them wander in the wilderness, without a fixed abode or city, for forty years. "But He still promised to give that land to your children and make them masters of the good things of which you by your lack of discipline have robbed yourselves."

[315] Ταῦτα δὲ Μωυσέος κατὰ τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ γνώμην διαλεχθέντος ἐν λύπῃ καὶ συμφορᾷ τὸ πλῆθος ἐγένετο, καὶ τὸν Μωυσῆν παρεκάλει καταλλάκτην αὐτῶν γενέσθαι πρὸς τὸν θεὸν καὶ τῆς ἄλης τῆς κατὰ τὴν ἐρημίαν ἀπαλλάξαντα πόλεις αὐτοῖς παρασχεῖν. ὁ δ' οὐκ ἔφασκε τὸν θεὸν τοιαύτην πεῖραν προσήσεσθαι, μὴ γὰρ κατὰ κουφότητα προαχθῆναι τὸν θεὸν ἀνθρωπίνην εἰς τὴν ὀργὴν τὴν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἀλλὰ γνώμῃ καταψηφισάμενον αὐτῶν. [316] οὐ δεῖ δὲ ἀπιστεῖν, εἰ Μωυσῆς εἷς ἀνὴρ ὢν τοσαύτας μυριάδας ὀργιζομένας ἐπράυνε καὶ μετήγαγε πρὸς τὸ ἥμερον: ὁ γὰρ θεὸς αὐτῷ συμπαρὼν ἡττᾶσθαι τοῖς λόγοις αὐτοῦ τὸ πλῆθος παρεσκεύαζε, καὶ πολλάκις παρακούσαντες ἀσύμφορον ἑαυτοῖς τὴν ἀπείθειαν ἐπέγνωσαν ἐκ τοῦ συμφορᾷ περιπεσεῖν.

315 When Moses had told them this by the will of God, the people grieved and dejected and begged Moses to reconcile them with God and no longer have them wander in the wilderness, but to give them cities to live in. He replied that God could not be tested like this, as He had not decided this through any human levity or anger, but had sentenced them in right judgment. 316 It is no surprise that Moses, though just one man among many thousands of angry people, calmed them and brought them to a milder temper, for God was with him, making the people yield to his words. Though they had often disobeyed, they now realised that disobedience was harmful and was the cause of their troubles.

[317] Θαυμαστὸς δὲ τῆς ἀρετῆς ὁ ἀνὴρ καὶ τῆς ἰσχύος τῆς τοῦ πιστεύεσθαι περὶ ὧν ἂν εἴπῃ οὐ παρ' ὃν ἔζη χρόνον ὑπῆρξε μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ νῦν: ἔστι γοῦν οὐδεὶς Ἑβραίων, ὃς οὐχὶ καθάπερ παρόντος αὐτοῦ καὶ κολάσοντος ἂν ἀκοσμῇ πειθαρχεῖ τοῖς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ νομοθετηθεῖσι, κἂν λαθεῖν δύνηται. [318] καὶ πολλὰ μὲν καὶ ἄλλα τεκμήρια τῆς ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπόν ἐστι δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ, ἤδη δέ τινες καὶ τῶν ὑπὲρ Εὐφράτην μηνῶν ὁδὸν τεσσάρων ἐλθόντες κατὰ τιμὴν τοῦ παρ' ἡμῖν ἱεροῦ μετὰ πολλῶν κινδύνων καὶ ἀναλωμάτων καὶ θύσαντες οὐκ ἴσχυσαν τῶν ἱερῶν μεταλαβεῖν Μωυσέος ἀπηγορευκότος ἐπί τινι τῶν οὐ νομιζομένων οὐδ' ἐκ τῶν πατρίων ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς συντυχόντων. [319] καὶ οἱ μὲν μηδὲ θύσαντες, οἱ δὲ ἡμιέργους τὰς θυσίας καταλιπόντες, πολλοὶ δ' οὐδ' ἀρχὴν εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν δυνηθέντες ἀπίασιν ὑπακούειν τοῖς Μωυσέος προστάγμασι μᾶλλον ἢ ποιεῖν τὰ κατὰ βούλησιν τὴν ἑαυτῶν προτιμῶντες, καὶ τὸν ἐλέγξοντα περὶ τούτων αὐτοὺς οὐ δεδιότες, ἀλλὰ μόνον τὸ συνειδὸς ὑφορώμενοι. [320] οὕτως ἡ νομοθεσία τοῦ θεοῦ δοκοῦσα τὸν ἄνδρα πεποίηκε τῆς αὐτοῦ φύσεως κρείττονα νομίζεσθαι. οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦδε τοῦ πολέμου μικρὸν ἔμπροσθεν Κλαυδίου Ῥωμαίων ἄρχοντος Ἰσμαήλου δὲ παρ' ἡμῖν ἀρχιερέως ὄντος, καὶ λιμοῦ τὴν χώραν ἡμῶν καταλαβόντος, ὡς τεσσάρων δραχμῶν πωλεῖσθαι τὸν ἀσσάρωνα, [321] κομισθέντος ἀλεύρου κατὰ τὴν ἑορτὴν τῶν ἀζύμων εἰς κόρους ἑβδομήκοντα, μέδιμνοι δὲ οὗτοι Σικελοὶ μέν εἰσιν εἷς καὶ τριακόσιοι Ἀττικοὶ δὲ τεσσαράκοντα εἷς, οὐδεὶς ἐτόλμησε τῶν ἱερέων κρίμνον ἓν φαγεῖν τοσαύτης ἀπορίας τὴν γῆν κατεχούσης, δεδιὼς τὸν νόμον καὶ τὴν ὀργήν, ἣν καὶ ἐπὶ ἀνεξελέγκτοις ἀεὶ τὸ θεῖον τοῖς ἀδικήμασιν ἔχει. [322] ὥστ' οὐ δεῖ θαυμάζειν περὶ τῶν τότε πεπραγμένων, ὁπότε καὶ μέχρι τοῦ νῦν τὰ καταλειφθέντα ὑπὸ Μωυσέος γράμματα τηλικαύτην ἰσχὺν ἔχει, ὥστε καὶ τοὺς μισοῦντας ἡμᾶς ὁμολογεῖν, ὅτι καὶ τὴν πολιτείαν ἡμῖν ὁ καταστησάμενός ἐστι θεὸς διὰ Μωυσέος καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς τῆς ἐκείνου. ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν τούτων ὡς αὐτῷ τινι δοκεῖ διαλήψεται.

317 This man was admirable in virtue and in the power to gain people's trust in what he said, and not only during his own lifetime. Even now there is no Hebrew who does not obey the laws he laid down, as though Moses were present, ready to punish him if he should do anything wrong, even if he could keep it a secret. 318 There are many other proofs that his power was more than human. Some people travel the four-month journey from beyond the Euphrates, through many dangers and at great expense, to worship in our temple, even if, after making their offerings, they could not partake of their own sacrifices, because something had happened that is forbidden by the law of Moses or by our ancestral customs. 319 Some did not sacrifice at all while others left their sacrifices incomplete, and many were unable, in principle, even to enter the temple, but went their way, preferring to submit to the laws of Moses than to follow their own inclinations, not out of fear of anybody accusing them, but guided solely by conscience. 320 This legislation was so clearly from God that this man is revered as supernatural. A little before the beginning of this war, when Claudius was emperor of the Romans and Ismael was our high priest, such famine afflicted our land that an assar was sold for four drachmae. 321 At that time at the feast of unleavened bread no less than seventy cors of flour were brought into the temple, each weighing thirty-one Sicilian or forty-one Athenian medimni, and none of the priests dared to eat a crumb of it, despite the distress in the land, out of respect for the law and for the wrath of God against unlawful acts, even when there is no one to accuse the doers. 322 So we need not wonder at what was done in those days, when even today the writings of Moses have such force that even those who hate us have to admit that this system was established by God, through Moses and his virtue. But let each one assess these matters as he thinks fit.

Antiquities (Greek Text) Book 3

Exodus. Desert wanderings. Food-laws, priests, festivals

Antiquities of the Jews -- 3

Chapter 1. [001-038] The Journey to Mount Sinai, amid many difficulties

Chapter 2. [039-062] Israel defeats the Amalekites and other enemy nations

Chapter 3. [063-065] Raguel, Moses' father-in-law, visits him at Mount Sinai

Chapter 4. [066-074] Moses accepts Raguel's advice, on organising the people

Chapter 5. [075-101] Moses ascends Mount Sinai to receive the Divine Torah

Chapter 6. [102-150] Moses builds a tent for God's honour, forerunner of the Temple; its furnishings

Chapter 7. [151-187]The priestly vestments and the high priest's mitre

Chapter 8. [188-223] Aaron and sons are consecrated as priests. Moses receives God's laws, in the Tent of Meeting

Chapter 9. [224-236] Instructions about various kinds of sacrifice: Holocausts, Sin-offerings, Thank-offerings

Chapter 10. [237-257] The festivals, their dates, and how they must be observed

Chapter 11. [257-273] Purification laws for Levites, "unclean" animals, isolation of lepers, purification of women after childbirth

Chapter 12. [274-294] Laws against adultery and incest; requirement of priestly purity; the musical innovations of Moses

Chapter 13. [295-299] Journey from Mount Sinai to the borders of Canaan

Chapter 14. [300-310] Hebrew spies report on the Canaanite's strength The people turn against Moses and want to return to Egypt

Chapter 15. [311-322] For their sin, the people must wander for forty years in the desert, before entering Canaan

Chapter 1. [001-038]
The Journey to Mount Sinai, amid many difficulties