1. Hebrew Bible, Exodus, 16.32-16.33 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 16.32. וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה מְלֹא הָעֹמֶר מִמֶּנּוּ לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם לְמַעַן יִרְאוּ אֶת־הַלֶּחֶם אֲשֶׁר הֶאֱכַלְתִּי אֶתְכֶם בַּמִּדְבָּר בְּהוֹצִיאִי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם׃ 16.33. וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל־אַהֲרֹן קַח צִנְצֶנֶת אַחַת וְתֶן־שָׁמָּה מְלֹא־הָעֹמֶר מָן וְהַנַּח אֹתוֹ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם׃ | 16.32. And Moses said: ‘This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded: Let an omerful of it be kept throughout your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.’" 16.33. And Moses said unto Aaron: ‘Take a jar, and put an omerful of manna therein, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept throughout your generations.’" |
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2. Hebrew Bible, Numbers, 1.51, 4.5-4.20, 18.1-18.7, 18.21-18.24 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
| 1.51. וּבִנְסֹעַ הַמִּשְׁכָּן יוֹרִידוּ אֹתוֹ הַלְוִיִּם וּבַחֲנֹת הַמִּשְׁכָּן יָקִימוּ אֹתוֹ הַלְוִיִּם וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב יוּמָת׃ 4.5. וּבָא אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו בִּנְסֹעַ הַמַּחֲנֶה וְהוֹרִדוּ אֵת פָּרֹכֶת הַמָּסָךְ וְכִסּוּ־בָהּ אֵת אֲרֹן הָעֵדֻת׃ 4.6. וְנָתְנוּ עָלָיו כְּסוּי עוֹר תַּחַשׁ וּפָרְשׂוּ בֶגֶד־כְּלִיל תְּכֵלֶת מִלְמָעְלָה וְשָׂמוּ בַּדָּיו׃ 4.7. וְעַל שֻׁלְחַן הַפָּנִים יִפְרְשׂוּ בֶּגֶד תְּכֵלֶת וְנָתְנוּ עָלָיו אֶת־הַקְּעָרֹת וְאֶת־הַכַּפֹּת וְאֶת־הַמְּנַקִּיֹּת וְאֵת קְשׂוֹת הַנָּסֶךְ וְלֶחֶם הַתָּמִיד עָלָיו יִהְיֶה׃ 4.8. וּפָרְשׂוּ עֲלֵיהֶם בֶּגֶד תּוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי וְכִסּוּ אֹתוֹ בְּמִכְסֵה עוֹר תָּחַשׁ וְשָׂמוּ אֶת־בַּדָּיו׃ 4.9. וְלָקְחוּ בֶּגֶד תְּכֵלֶת וְכִסּוּ אֶת־מְנֹרַת הַמָּאוֹר וְאֶת־נֵרֹתֶיהָ וְאֶת־מַלְקָחֶיהָ וְאֶת־מַחְתֹּתֶיהָ וְאֵת כָּל־כְּלֵי שַׁמְנָהּ אֲשֶׁר יְשָׁרְתוּ־לָהּ בָּהֶם׃ 4.11. וְעַל מִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב יִפְרְשׂוּ בֶּגֶד תְּכֵלֶת וְכִסּוּ אֹתוֹ בְּמִכְסֵה עוֹר תָּחַשׁ וְשָׂמוּ אֶת־בַּדָּיו׃ 4.12. וְלָקְחוּ אֶת־כָּל־כְּלֵי הַשָּׁרֵת אֲשֶׁר יְשָׁרְתוּ־בָם בַּקֹּדֶשׁ וְנָתְנוּ אֶל־בֶּגֶד תְּכֵלֶת וְכִסּוּ אוֹתָם בְּמִכְסֵה עוֹר תָּחַשׁ וְנָתְנוּ עַל־הַמּוֹט׃ 4.13. וְדִשְּׁנוּ אֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וּפָרְשׂוּ עָלָיו בֶּגֶד אַרְגָּמָן׃ 4.14. וְנָתְנוּ עָלָיו אֶת־כָּל־כֵּלָיו אֲשֶׁר יְשָׁרְתוּ עָלָיו בָּהֶם אֶת־הַמַּחְתֹּת אֶת־הַמִּזְלָגֹת וְאֶת־הַיָּעִים וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָקֹת כֹּל כְּלֵי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וּפָרְשׂוּ עָלָיו כְּסוּי עוֹר תַּחַשׁ וְשָׂמוּ בַדָּיו׃ 4.15. וְכִלָּה אַהֲרֹן־וּבָנָיו לְכַסֹּת אֶת־הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְאֶת־כָּל־כְּלֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ בִּנְסֹעַ הַמַּחֲנֶה וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵן יָבֹאוּ בְנֵי־קְהָת לָשֵׂאת וְלֹא־יִגְּעוּ אֶל־הַקֹּדֶשׁ וָמֵתוּ אֵלֶּה מַשָּׂא בְנֵי־קְהָת בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד׃ 4.16. וּפְקֻדַּת אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן־אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן שֶׁמֶן הַמָּאוֹר וּקְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים וּמִנְחַת הַתָּמִיד וְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה פְּקֻדַּת כָּל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־בּוֹ בְּקֹדֶשׁ וּבְכֵלָיו׃ 4.17. וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל־אַהֲרֹן לֵאמֹר׃ 4.18. אַל־תַּכְרִיתוּ אֶת־שֵׁבֶט מִשְׁפְּחֹת הַקְּהָתִי מִתּוֹךְ הַלְוִיִּם׃ 4.19. וְזֹאת עֲשׂוּ לָהֶם וְחָיוּ וְלֹא יָמֻתוּ בְּגִשְׁתָּם אֶת־קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו יָבֹאוּ וְשָׂמוּ אוֹתָם אִישׁ אִישׁ עַל־עֲבֹדָתוֹ וְאֶל־מַשָּׂאוֹ׃ 18.1. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־אַהֲרֹן אַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ וּבֵית־אָבִיךָ אִתָּךְ תִּשְׂאוּ אֶת־עֲוֺן הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְאַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ אִתָּךְ תִּשְׂאוּ אֶת־עֲוֺן כְּהֻנַּתְכֶם׃ 18.1. בְּקֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים תֹּאכֲלֶנּוּ כָּל־זָכָר יֹאכַל אֹתוֹ קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה־לָּךְ׃ 18.2. וְגַם אֶת־אַחֶיךָ מַטֵּה לֵוִי שֵׁבֶט אָבִיךָ הַקְרֵב אִתָּךְ וְיִלָּווּ עָלֶיךָ וִישָׁרְתוּךָ וְאַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ אִתָּךְ לִפְנֵי אֹהֶל הָעֵדֻת׃ 18.2. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־אַהֲרֹן בְּאַרְצָם לֹא תִנְחָל וְחֵלֶק לֹא־יִהְיֶה לְךָ בְּתוֹכָם אֲנִי חֶלְקְךָ וְנַחֲלָתְךָ בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ 18.3. וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם בַּהֲרִימְכֶם אֶת־חֶלְבּוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ וְנֶחְשַׁב לַלְוִיִּם כִּתְבוּאַת גֹּרֶן וְכִתְבוּאַת יָקֶב׃ 18.3. וְשָׁמְרוּ מִשְׁמַרְתְּךָ וּמִשְׁמֶרֶת כָּל־הָאֹהֶל אַךְ אֶל־כְּלֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְאֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לֹא יִקְרָבוּ וְלֹא־יָמֻתוּ גַם־הֵם גַּם־אַתֶּם׃ 18.4. וְנִלְווּ עָלֶיךָ וְשָׁמְרוּ אֶת־מִשְׁמֶרֶת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לְכֹל עֲבֹדַת הָאֹהֶל וְזָר לֹא־יִקְרַב אֲלֵיכֶם׃ 18.5. וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֵת מִשְׁמֶרֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְאֵת מִשְׁמֶרֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה עוֹד קֶצֶף עַל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ 18.6. וַאֲנִי הִנֵּה לָקַחְתִּי אֶת־אֲחֵיכֶם הַלְוִיִּם מִתּוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לָכֶם מַתָּנָה נְתֻנִים לַיהוָה לַעֲבֹד אֶת־עֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד׃ 18.7. וְאַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ אִתְּךָ תִּשְׁמְרוּ אֶת־כְּהֻנַּתְכֶם לְכָל־דְּבַר הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וּלְמִבֵּית לַפָּרֹכֶת וַעֲבַדְתֶּם עֲבֹדַת מַתָּנָה אֶתֵּן אֶת־כְּהֻנַּתְכֶם וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב יוּמָת׃ 18.21. וְלִבְנֵי לֵוִי הִנֵּה נָתַתִּי כָּל־מַעֲשֵׂר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְנַחֲלָה חֵלֶף עֲבֹדָתָם אֲשֶׁר־הֵם עֹבְדִים אֶת־עֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד׃ 18.22. וְלֹא־יִקְרְבוּ עוֹד בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לָשֵׂאת חֵטְא לָמוּת׃ 18.23. וְעָבַד הַלֵּוִי הוּא אֶת־עֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְהֵם יִשְׂאוּ עֲוֺנָם חֻקַּת עוֹלָם לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם וּבְתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יִנְחֲלוּ נַחֲלָה׃ 18.24. כִּי אֶת־מַעְשַׂר בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר יָרִימוּ לַיהוָה תְּרוּמָה נָתַתִּי לַלְוִיִּם לְנַחֲלָה עַל־כֵּן אָמַרְתִּי לָהֶם בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יִנְחֲלוּ נַחֲלָה׃ | 1.51. And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up; and the common man that draweth nigh shall be put to death." 4.5. when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall go in, and his sons, and they shall take down the veil of the screen, and cover the ark of the testimony with it;" 4.6. and shall put thereon a covering of sealskin, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall set the staves thereof." 4.7. And upon the table of showbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the pans, and the bowls, and the jars wherewith to pour out; and the continual bread shall remain thereon." 4.8. And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of sealskin, and shall set the staves thereof." 4.9. And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and its lamps, and its tongs, and its snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it." 4.10. And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of sealskin, and shall put it upon a bar." 4.11. And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of sealskin, and shall set the staves thereof." 4.12. And they shall take all the vessels of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of sealskin, and shall put them on a bar." 4.13. And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon." 4.14. And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, the fire-pans, the flesh-hooks, and the shovels, and the basins, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of sealskin, and set the staves thereof." 4.15. And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the holy furniture, and all the holy vessels, as the camp is to set forward—after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear them; but they shall not touch the holy things, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting." 4.16. And the charge of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the continual meal-offering, and the anointing oil: he shall have the charge of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, whether it be the sanctuary, or the furniture thereof.’" 4.17. And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying:" 4.18. ’Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites;" 4.19. but thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden;" 4.20. but they shall not go in to see the holy things as they are being covered, lest they die.’" 18.1. And the LORD said unto Aaron: ‘Thou and thy sons and thy fathers’ house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary; and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood." 18.2. And thy brethren also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou near with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee, thou and thy sons with thee being before the tent of the testimony." 18.3. And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the Tent; only they shall not come nigh unto the holy furniture and unto the altar, that they die not, neither they, nor ye." 18.4. And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tent of meeting, whatsoever the service of the Tent may be; but a common man shall not draw nigh unto you." 18.5. And ye shall keep the charge of the holy things, and the charge of the altar, that there be wrath no more upon the children of Israel." 18.6. And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel; for you they are given as a gift unto the LORD, to do the service of the tent of meeting." 18.7. And thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priesthood in everything that pertaineth to the altar, and to that within the veil; and ye shall serve; I give you the priesthood as a service of gift; and the common man that draweth nigh shall be put to death.’" 18.21. And unto the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of the tent of meeting." 18.22. And henceforth the children of Israel shall not come nigh the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin, and die." 18.23. But the Levites alone shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity; it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, and among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance." 18.24. For the tithe of the children of Israel, which they set apart as a gift unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance; therefore I have said unto them: Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.’" |
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3. Hebrew Bible, 2 Kings, 25.4 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 25.4. וַתִּבָּקַע הָעִיר וְכָל־אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה הַלַּיְלָה דֶּרֶךְ שַׁעַר בֵּין הַחֹמֹתַיִם אֲשֶׁר עַל־גַּן הַמֶּלֶךְ וְכַשְׂדִּים עַל־הָעִיר סָבִיב וַיֵּלֶךְ דֶּרֶךְ הָעֲרָבָה׃ | 25.4. Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war [fled] by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king’s garden—now the Chaldeans were against the city round about—and the king went by the way of the Arabah." |
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4. Hebrew Bible, Lamentations, 2.9 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)
| 2.9. טָבְעוּ בָאָרֶץ שְׁעָרֶיהָ אִבַּד וְשִׁבַּר בְּרִיחֶיהָ מַלְכָּהּ וְשָׂרֶיהָ בַגּוֹיִם אֵין תּוֹרָה גַּם־נְבִיאֶיהָ לֹא־מָצְאוּ חָזוֹן מֵיְהוָה׃ | 2.9. Her gates are sunk into the ground; He hath destroyed and broken her bars; Her king and her princes are among the nations, Instruction is no more; Yea, her prophets find No vision from the LORD." |
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5. Anon., Testament of Moses, 3.1 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. CE)
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6. Septuagint, 2 Maccabees, 1.11-1.17, 1.21, 2.1-2.8, 2.17-2.18, 2.21, 3.24-3.40, 4.16-4.17, 4.38, 5.2-5.4, 5.18, 6.12-6.17, 8.5, 8.11, 8.18-8.20, 8.24, 8.36, 9.4-9.12, 9.18, 10.29-10.30, 10.38, 11.8-11.9, 11.13, 12.11, 12.15-12.16, 12.22, 12.28, 13.4, 13.17, 15.21-15.27, 15.29, 15.34-15.35 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 1.11. Having been saved by God out of grave dangers we thank him greatly for taking our side against the king. 1.12. For he drove out those who fought against the holy city. 1.13. For when the leader reached Persia with a force that seemed irresistible, they were cut to pieces in the temple of Nanea by a deception employed by the priests of Nanea.' 1.14. For under pretext of intending to marry her, Antiochus came to the place together with his friends, to secure most of its treasures as a dowry.' 1.15. When the priests of the temple of Nanea had set out the treasures and Antiochus had come with a few men inside the wall of the sacred precinct, they closed the temple as soon as he entered it.' 1.16. Opening the secret door in the ceiling, they threw stones and struck down the leader and his men, and dismembered them and cut off their heads and threw them to the people outside.' 1.17. Blessed in every way be our God, who has brought judgment upon those who have behaved impiously.' 1.21. And when the materials for the sacrifices were presented, Nehemiah ordered the priests to sprinkle the liquid on the wood and what was laid upon it.' 2.1. One finds in the records that Jeremiah the prophet ordered those who were being deported to take some of the fire, as has been told,' 2.2. and that the prophet after giving them the law instructed those who were being deported not to forget the commandments of the Lord, nor to be led astray in their thoughts upon seeing the gold and silver statues and their adornment.' 2.3. And with other similar words he exhorted them that the law should not depart from their hearts. 2.4. It was also in the writing that the prophet, having received an oracle, ordered that the tent and the ark should follow with him, and that he went out to the mountain where Moses had gone up and had seen the inheritance of God.' 2.5. And Jeremiah came and found a cave, and he brought there the tent and the ark and the altar of incense, and he sealed up the entrance.' 2.6. Some of those who followed him came up to mark the way, but could not find it.' 2.7. When Jeremiah learned of it, he rebuked them and declared: 'The place shall be unknown until God gathers his people together again and shows his mercy.' 2.8. And then the Lord will disclose these things, and the glory of the Lord and the cloud will appear, as they were shown in the case of Moses, and as Solomon asked that the place should be specially consecrated.' 2.17. It is God who has saved all his people, and has returned the inheritance to all, and the kingship and priesthood and consecration,' 2.18. as he promised through the law. For we have hope in God that he will soon have mercy upon us and will gather us from everywhere under heaven into his holy place, for he has rescued us from great evils and has purified the place.' 2.21. and the appearances which came from heaven to those who strove zealously on behalf of Judaism, so that though few in number they seized the whole land and pursued the barbarian hordes,' 3.24. But when he arrived at the treasury with his bodyguard, then and there the Sovereign of spirits and of all authority caused so great a manifestation that all who had been so bold as to accompany him were astounded by the power of God, and became faint with terror.' 3.25. For there appeared to them a magnificently caparisoned horse, with a rider of frightening mien, and it rushed furiously at Heliodorus and struck at him with its front hoofs. Its rider was seen to have armor and weapons of gold.' 3.26. Two young men also appeared to him, remarkably strong, gloriously beautiful and splendidly dressed, who stood on each side of him and scourged him continuously, inflicting many blows on him.' 3.27. When he suddenly fell to the ground and deep darkness came over him, his men took him up and put him on a stretcher' 3.28. and carried him away, this man who had just entered the aforesaid treasury with a great retinue and all his bodyguard but was now unable to help himself; and they recognized clearly the sovereign power of God.' 3.29. While he lay prostrate, speechless because of the divine intervention and deprived of any hope of recovery,' 3.30. they praised the Lord who had acted marvelously for his own place. And the temple, which a little while before was full of fear and disturbance, was filled with joy and gladness, now that the Almighty Lord had appeared.' 3.31. Quickly some of Heliodorus' friends asked Onias to call upon the Most High and to grant life to one who was lying quite at his last breath. 3.32. And the high priest, fearing that the king might get the notion that some foul play had been perpetrated by the Jews with regard to Heliodorus, offered sacrifice for the man's recovery.' 3.33. While the high priest was making the offering of atonement, the same young men appeared again to Heliodorus dressed in the same clothing, and they stood and said, 'Be very grateful to Onias the high priest, since for his sake the Lord has granted you your life.' 3.34. And see that you, who have been scourged by heaven, report to all men the majestic power of God.'Having said this they vanished.' 3.35. Then Heliodorus offered sacrifice to the Lord and made very great vows to the Savior of his life, and having bidden Onias farewell, he marched off with his forces to the king.' 3.36. And he bore testimony to all men of the deeds of the supreme God, which he had seen with his own eyes.' 3.37. When the king asked Heliodorus what sort of person would be suitable to send on another mission to Jerusalem, he replied,' 3.38. If you have any enemy or plotter against your government, send him there, for you will get him back thoroughly scourged, if he escapes at all, for there certainly is about the place some power of God.' 3.39. For he who has his dwelling in heaven watches over that place himself and brings it aid, and he strikes and destroys those who come to do it injury.' 3.40. This was the outcome of the episode of Heliodorus and the protection of the treasury. 4.16. For this reason heavy disaster overtook them, and those whose ways of living they admired and wished to imitate completely became their enemies and punished them.' 4.17. For it is no light thing to show irreverence to the divine laws -- a fact which later events will make clear. 4.38. and inflamed with anger, he immediately stripped off the purple robe from Andronicus, tore off his garments, and led him about the whole city to that very place where he had committed the outrage against Onias, and there he dispatched the bloodthirsty fellow. The Lord thus repaid him with the punishment he deserved.' 5.2. And it happened that over all the city, for almost forty days, there appeared golden-clad horsemen charging through the air, in companies fully armed with lances and drawn swords --' 5.3. troops of horsemen drawn up, attacks and counterattacks made on this side and on that, brandishing of shields, massing of spears, hurling of missiles, the flash of golden trappings, and armor of all sorts.' 5.4. Therefore all men prayed that the apparition might prove to have been a good omen. 5.18. But if it had not happened that they were involved in many sins, this man would have been scourged and turned back from his rash act as soon as he came forward, just as Heliodorus was, whom Seleucus the king sent to inspect the treasury.' 6.12. Now I urge those who read this book not to be depressed by such calamities, but to recognize that these punishments were designed not to destroy but to discipline our people.' 6.13. In fact, not to let the impious alone for long, but to punish them immediately, is a sign of great kindness.' 6.14. For in the case of the other nations the Lord waits patiently to punish them until they have reached the full measure of their sins; but he does not deal in this way with us,' 6.15. in order that he may not take vengeance on us afterward when our sins have reached their height. 6.16. Therefore he never withdraws his mercy from us. Though he disciplines us with calamities, he does not forsake his own people.' 6.17. Let what we have said serve as a reminder; we must go on briefly with the story. 8.5. As soon as Maccabeus got his army organized, the Gentiles could not withstand him, for the wrath of the Lord had turned to mercy.' 8.11. And he immediately sent to the cities on the seacoast, inviting them to buy Jewish slaves and promising to hand over ninety slaves for a talent, not expecting the judgment from the Almighty that was about to overtake him.' 8.18. For they trust to arms and acts of daring,'he said, 'but we trust in the Almighty God, who is able with a single nod to strike down those who are coming against us and even the whole world.' 8.19. Moreover, he told them of the times when help came to their ancestors; both the time of Sennacherib, when one hundred and eighty-five thousand perished,' 8.20. and the time of the battle with the Galatians that took place in Babylonia, when eight thousand in all went into the affair, with four thousand Macedonians; and when the Macedonians were hard pressed, the eight thousand, by the help that came to them from heaven, destroyed one hundred and twenty thousand and took much booty.' 8.24. With the Almighty as their ally, they slew more than nine thousand of the enemy, and wounded and disabled most of Nicanor's army, and forced them all to flee.' 8.36. Thus he who had undertaken to secure tribute for the Romans by the capture of the people of Jerusalem proclaimed that the Jews had a Defender, and that therefore the Jews were invulnerable, because they followed the laws ordained by him.' 9.4. Transported with rage, he conceived the idea of turning upon the Jews the injury done by those who had put him to flight; so he ordered his charioteer to drive without stopping until he completed the journey. But the judgment of heaven rode with him! For in his arrogance he said, 'When I get there I will make Jerusalem a cemetery of Jews.' 9.5. But the all-seeing Lord, the God of Israel, struck him an incurable and unseen blow. As soon as he ceased speaking he was seized with a pain in his bowels for which there was no relief and with sharp internal tortures --' 9.6. and that very justly, for he had tortured the bowels of others with many and strange inflictions.' 9.7. Yet he did not in any way stop his insolence, but was even more filled with arrogance, breathing fire in his rage against the Jews, and giving orders to hasten the journey. And so it came about that he fell out of his chariot as it was rushing along, and the fall was so hard as to torture every limb of his body.' 9.8. Thus he who had just been thinking that he could command the waves of the sea, in his superhuman arrogance, and imagining that he could weigh the high mountains in a balance, was brought down to earth and carried in a litter, making the power of God manifest to all.' 9.9. And so the ungodly man's body swarmed with worms, and while he was still living in anguish and pain, his flesh rotted away, and because of his stench the whole army felt revulsion at his decay.' 9.10. Because of his intolerable stench no one was able to carry the man who a little while before had thought that he could touch the stars of heaven. 9.11. Then it was that, broken in spirit, he began to lose much of his arrogance and to come to his senses under the scourge of God, for he was tortured with pain every moment.' 9.12. And when he could not endure his own stench, he uttered these words: 'It is right to be subject to God, and no mortal should think that he is equal to God.' 9.18. But when his sufferings did not in any way abate, for the judgment of God had justly come upon him, he gave up all hope for himself and wrote to the Jews the following letter, in the form of a supplication. This was its content:' 10.29. When the battle became fierce, there appeared to the enemy from heaven five resplendent men on horses with golden bridles, and they were leading the Jews.' 10.30. Surrounding Maccabeus and protecting him with their own armor and weapons, they kept him from being wounded. And they showered arrows and thunderbolts upon the enemy, so that, confused and blinded, they were thrown into disorder and cut to pieces.' 10.38. When they had accomplished these things, with hymns and thanksgivings they blessed the Lord who shows great kindness to Israel and gives them the victory.' 11.8. And there, while they were still near Jerusalem, a horseman appeared at their head, clothed in white and brandishing weapons of gold.' 11.9. And they all together praised the merciful God, and were strengthened in heart, ready to assail not only men but the wildest beasts or walls of iron.' 11.13. And as he was not without intelligence, he pondered over the defeat which had befallen him, and realized that the Hebrews were invincible because the mighty God fought on their side. So he sent to them' 12.11. After a hard fight Judas and his men won the victory, by the help of God. The defeated nomads besought Judas to grant them pledges of friendship, promising to give him cattle and to help his people in all other ways.' 12.15. But Judas and his men, calling upon the great Sovereign of the world, who without battering-rams or engines of war overthrew Jericho in the days of Joshua, rushed furiously upon the walls.' 12.16. They took the city by the will of God, and slaughtered untold numbers, so that the adjoining lake, a quarter of a mile wide, appeared to be running over with blood.' 12.22. But when Judas' first division appeared, terror and fear came over the enemy at the manifestation to them of him who sees all things; and they rushed off in flight and were swept on, this way and that, so that often they were injured by their own men and pierced by the points of their swords.' 12.28. But the Jews called upon the Sovereign who with power shatters the might of his enemies, and they got the city into their hands, and killed as many as twenty-five thousand of those who were within it.' 13.4. But the King of kings aroused the anger of Antiochus against the scoundrel; and when Lysias informed him that this man was to blame for all the trouble, he ordered them to take him to Beroea and to put him to death by the method which is the custom in that place.' 13.17. This happened, just as day was dawning, because the Lord's help protected him.' 15.21. Maccabeus, perceiving the hosts that were before him and the varied supply of arms and the savagery of the elephants, stretched out his hands toward heaven and called upon the Lord who works wonders; for he knew that it is not by arms, but as the Lord decides, that he gains the victory for those who deserve it.' 15.22. And he called upon him in these words: 'O Lord, thou didst send thy angel in the time of Hezekiah king of Judea, and he slew fully a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of Sennacherib.' 15.23. So now, O Sovereign of the heavens, send a good angel to carry terror and trembling before us.' 15.24. By the might of thy arm may these blasphemers who come against thy holy people be struck down.'With these words he ended his prayer.' 15.25. Nicanor and his men advanced with trumpets and battle songs; 15.26. and Judas and his men met the enemy in battle with invocation to God and prayers. 15.27. So, fighting with their hands and praying to God in their hearts, they laid low no less than thirty-five thousand men, and were greatly gladdened by God's manifestation.' 15.29. Then there was shouting and tumult, and they blessed the Sovereign Lord in the language of their fathers.' 15.34. And they all, looking to heaven, blessed the Lord who had manifested himself, saying, 'Blessed is he who has kept his own place undefiled.' 15.35. And he hung Nicanor's head from the citadel, a clear and conspicuous sign to every one of the help of the Lord.' |
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7. Philo of Alexandria, On The Life of Moses, 2.94 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)
| 2.94. and with this there were also many sacred vessels made, an ark, and a candlestick, and a table, and an altar of incense, and an altar of sacrifice. Now, the altar of sacrifice was placed in the open air, right opposite to the entrances of the tabernacle, being distant from it just so far as was necessary to give the ministering officers room to perform the sacrifices that were offered up every day. |
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8. Anon., 2 Baruch, 6.4-6.6, 6.8-6.10, 9.1-9.2, 10.2-10.4, 10.6-10.7, 10.18-10.19, 13.11, 23.4, 33.2, 78.6, 80.1-80.3 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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9. Josephus Flavius, Jewish Antiquities, 3.125, 14.71-14.72, 14.482-14.483, 18.85 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 3.125. The first veil was ten cubits every way, and this they spread over the pillars which parted the temple, and kept the most holy place concealed within; and this veil was that which made this part not visible to any. Now the whole temple was called The Holy Place: but that part which was within the four pillars, and to which none were admitted, was called The Holy of Holies. 14.71. of the Jews there fell twelve thousand, but of the Romans very few. Absalom, who was at once both uncle and father-in-law to Aristobulus, was taken captive; and no small enormities were committed about the temple itself, which, in former ages, had been inaccessible, and seen by none; 14.72. for Pompey went into it, and not a few of those that were with him also, and saw all that which it was unlawful for any other men to see but only for the high priests. There were in that temple the golden table, the holy candlestick, and the pouring vessels, and a great quantity of spices; and besides these there were among the treasures two thousand talents of sacred money: yet did Pompey touch nothing of all this, on account of his regard to religion; and in this point also he acted in a manner that was worthy of his virtue. 14.482. 3. And now Herod having overcome his enemies, his care was to govern those foreigners who had been his assistants, for the crowd of strangers rushed to see the temple, and the sacred things in the temple; 14.483. but the king, thinking a victory to be a more severe affliction than a defeat, if any of those things which it was not lawful to see should be seen by them, used entreaties and threatenings, and even sometimes force itself, to restrain them. 18.85. 1. But the nation of the Samaritans did not escape without tumults. The man who excited them to it was one who thought lying a thing of little consequence, and who contrived every thing so that the multitude might be pleased; so he bid them to get together upon Mount Gerizzim, which is by them looked upon as the most holy of all mountains, and assured them, that when they were come thither, he would show them those sacred vessels which were laid under that place, because Moses put them there. |
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10. Josephus Flavius, Jewish War, 1.152-1.153, 2.321, 6.288-6.309, 6.389 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.152. 6. But there was nothing that affected the nation so much, in the calamities they were then under, as that their holy place, which had been hitherto seen by none, should be laid open to strangers; for Pompey, and those that were about him, went into the temple itself whither it was not lawful for any to enter but the high priest, and saw what was reposited therein, the candlestick with its lamps, and the table, and the pouring vessels, and the censers, all made entirely of gold, as also a great quantity of spices heaped together, with two thousand talents of sacred money. 1.153. Yet did not he touch that money, nor any thing else that was there reposited; but he commanded the ministers about the temple, the very next day after he had taken it, to cleanse it, and to perform their accustomed sacrifices. Moreover, he made Hyrcanus high priest, as one that not only in other respects had showed great alacrity, on his side, during the siege, but as he had been the means of hindering the multitude that was in the country from fighting for Aristobulus, which they were otherwise very ready to have done; by which means he acted the part of a good general, and reconciled the people to him more by benevolence than by terror. 2.321. 4. At this time it was that every priest, and every servant of God, brought out the holy vessels, and the ornamental garments wherein they used to minister in sacred things.—The harpers also, and the singers of hymns, came out with their instruments of music, and fell down before the multitude, and begged of them that they would preserve those holy ornaments to them, and not provoke the Romans to carry off those sacred treasures. 6.288. 3. Thus were the miserable people persuaded by these deceivers, and such as belied God himself; while they did not attend nor give credit to the signs that were so evident, and did so plainly foretell their future desolation, but, like men infatuated, without either eyes to see or minds to consider, did not regard the denunciations that God made to them. 6.289. Thus there was a star resembling a sword, which stood over the city, and a comet, that continued a whole year. 6.291. This light seemed to be a good sign to the unskillful, but was so interpreted by the sacred scribes, as to portend those events that followed immediately upon it. 6.292. At the same festival also, a heifer, as she was led by the high priest to be sacrificed, brought forth a lamb in the midst of the temple. 6.293. Moreover, the eastern gate of the inner [court of the] temple, which was of brass, and vastly heavy, and had been with difficulty shut by twenty men, and rested upon a basis armed with iron, and had bolts fastened very deep into the firm floor, which was there made of one entire stone, was seen to be opened of its own accord about the sixth hour of the night. 6.294. Now, those that kept watch in the temple came hereupon running to the captain of the temple, and told him of it; who then came up thither, and not without great difficulty was able to shut the gate again. 6.295. This also appeared to the vulgar to be a very happy prodigy, as if God did thereby open them the gate of happiness. But the men of learning understood it, that the security of their holy house was dissolved of its own accord, and that the gate was opened for the advantage of their enemies. 6.296. So these publicly declared that the signal foreshowed the desolation that was coming upon them. Besides these, a few days after that feast, on the one and twentieth day of the month Artemisius, [Jyar] 6.297. a certain prodigious and incredible phenomenon appeared: I suppose the account of it would seem to be a fable, were it not related by those that saw it 6.298. and were not the events that followed it of so considerable a nature as to deserve such signals; for, before sunsetting, chariots and troops of soldiers in their armor were seen 6.299. running about among the clouds, and surrounding of cities. Moreover, at that feast which we call Pentecost, as the priests were going by night into the inner [court of the] temple, as their custom was, to perform their sacred ministrations, they said that, in the first place, they felt a quaking, and heard a great noise 6.301. began on a sudden to cry aloud, “A voice from the east, a voice from the west, a voice from the four winds, a voice against Jerusalem and the holy house, a voice against the bridegrooms and the brides, and a voice against this whole people!” This was his cry, as he went about by day and by night, in all the lanes of the city. 6.302. However, certain of the most eminent among the populace had great indignation at this dire cry of his, and took up the man, and gave him a great number of severe stripes; yet did not he either say anything for himself, or anything peculiar to those that chastised him, but still he went on with the same words which he cried before. 6.303. Hereupon our rulers, supposing, as the case proved to be, that this was a sort of divine fury in the man, brought him to the Roman procurator 6.304. where he was whipped till his bones were laid bare; yet he did not make any supplication for himself, nor shed any tears, but turning his voice to the most lamentable tone possible, at every stroke of the whip his answer was, “Woe, woe to Jerusalem!” 6.305. And when Albinus (for he was then our procurator) asked him, Who he was? and whence he came? and why he uttered such words? he made no manner of reply to what he said, but still did not leave off his melancholy ditty, till Albinus took him to be a madman, and dismissed him. 6.306. Now, during all the time that passed before the war began, this man did not go near any of the citizens, nor was seen by them while he said so; but he every day uttered these lamentable words, as if it were his premeditated vow, “Woe, woe to Jerusalem!” 6.307. Nor did he give ill words to any of those that beat him every day, nor good words to those that gave him food; but this was his reply to all men, and indeed no other than a melancholy presage of what was to come. 6.308. This cry of his was the loudest at the festivals; and he continued this ditty for seven years and five months, without growing hoarse, or being tired therewith, until the very time that he saw his presage in earnest fulfilled in our siege, when it ceased; 6.309. for as he was going round upon the wall, he cried out with his utmost force, “Woe, woe to the city again, and to the people, and to the holy house!” And just as he added at the last, “Woe, woe to myself also!” there came a stone out of one of the engines, and smote him, and killed him immediately; and as he was uttering the very same presages he gave up the ghost. 6.389. He also delivered to him the veils and the garments, with the precious stones, and a great number of other precious vessels that belonged to their sacred worship. |
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11. Mishnah, Middot, 4.5 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 4.5. The mesibbah (a winding walkway) went up from the north-east corner to the north-west corner by which they used to go up to the roofs of the cells. One would ascend the messibah facing the west, traversing the whole of the northern side till he reached the west. When he reached the west he turned to face south and then traversed whole of the west side till he reached the south. When he reached the south he turned to face eastwards and then traversed the south side till he reached the door of the upper chamber, since the door of the upper chamber opened to the south. In the doorway of the upper chamber were two columns of cedar by which they used to climb up to the roof of the upper chamber, and at the top of them was a row of stones showing the division in the upper chamber between the holy part and the Holy of Holies. There were trap doors in the upper chamber opening into the Holy of Holies by which the workmen were let down in baskets so that they should not feast their eyes on the Holy of Holies." |
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12. New Testament, Apocalypse, 2.17, 7.1-7.3 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 2.17. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows but he who receives it. 7.1. After this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth, or on the sea, or on any tree. 7.2. I saw another angel ascend from the sunrise, having the seal of the living God. He cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was given to harm the earth and the sea 7.3. saying, "Don't harm the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, until we have sealed the bondservants of our God on their foreheads! |
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13. New Testament, Hebrews, 9.4 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 9.4. having a golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covet overlaid on all sides with gold, in which was a golden pot holding the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covet; |
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14. Ps.-Philo, Biblical Antiquities, 26.13 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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15. Tacitus, Histories, 5.13 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 5.13. Prodigies had indeed occurred, but to avert them either by victims or by vows is held unlawful by a people which, though prone to superstition, is opposed to all propitiatory rites. Contending hosts were seen meeting in the skies, arms flashed, and suddenly the temple was illumined with fire from the clouds. of a sudden the doors of the shrine opened and a superhuman voice cried: "The gods are departing": at the same moment the mighty stir of their going was heard. Few interpreted these omens as fearful; the majority firmly believed that their ancient priestly writings contained the prophecy that this was the very time when the East should grow strong and that men starting from Judea should possess the world. This mysterious prophecy had in reality pointed to Vespasian and Titus, but the common people, as is the way of human ambition, interpreted these great destinies in their own favour, and could not be turned to the truth even by adversity. We have heard that the total number of the besieged of every age and both sexes was six hundred thousand; there were arms for all who could use them, and the number ready to fight was larger than could have been anticipated from the total population. Both men and women showed the same determination; and if they were to be forced to change their home, they feared life more than death. Such was the city and people against which Titus Caesar now proceeded; since the nature of the ground did not allow him to assault or employ any sudden operations, he decided to use earthworks and mantlets; the legions were assigned to their several tasks, and there was a respite of fighting until they made ready every device for storming a town that the ancients had ever employed or modern ingenuity invented. |
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16. Tosefta, Sotah, 13.1 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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17. Tosefta, Kippurim, 2.15 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
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18. Anon., Pesikta Rabbati, 26 (2nd cent. CE - 4th cent. CE)
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19. Anon., Sifre Deuteronomy, 306 (2nd cent. CE - 4th cent. CE)
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20. Babylonian Talmud, Horayot, 12a (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 12a. ומי הוה שמן המשחה והתניא משנגנז ארון נגנז שמן המשחה וצנצנת המן ומקלו של אהרן שקדיה ופרחיה וארגז ששלחו פלשתים דורון לישראל שנאמר (שמואל א ו, ח) ואת כלי הזהב אשר השבותם לו אשם תשימו בארגז מצדו ושלחתם אותו והלך,ומי גנזו יאשיהו מלך יהודה גנזו שראה שכתוב בתורה (דברים כח, לו) יולך ה' אותך ואת מלכך וגו' צוה וגנזום שנאמר (דברי הימים ב לה, ג) ויאמר ללוים המבינים לכל ישראל הקדושים לה' תנו את ארון הקדש בבית אשר בנה שלמה בן דוד מלך ישראל אין לכם משא בכתף עתה עבדו את ה' אלהיכם ואת עמו ישראל,ואמר רבי אלעזר אתיא שם שם אתיא משמרת משמרת אתיא דורות דורות אמר רב פפא באפרסמא דכיא,ת"ר כיצד מושחין את המלכים כמין נזר ואת הכהנים כמין כי מאי כמין כי אמר רב מנשיא בר גדא כמין כף יוני,תני חדא בתחלה מוצקין שמן על ראשו ואח"כ נותנין לו שמן בין ריסי עיניו ותניא אחריתי בתחלה נותנין לו שמן בין ריסי עיניו ואח"כ מוצקים לו שמן על ראשו תנאי היא איכא דאמרי משיחה עדיפא ואיכא דאמרי יציקה עדיפא,מ"ט דמאן דאמר יציקה עדיפא דכתיב (ויקרא ח, יב) ויצוק משמן המשחה על ראש אהרן וימשח אותו לקדשו ומאן דאמר משיחה עדיפא מ"ט קסבר שכן אתה מוצא אצל כלי שרת והכתיב ויצוק ובסוף וימשח הכי קאמר מאי טעם ויצוק משום דוימשח,ת"ר (תהלים קלג, ב) כשמן הטוב [וגו'] יורד על הזקן זקן אהרן וגו' כמין שני טפי מרגליות היו תלויות לאהרן בזקנו אמר רב פפא תנא כשהוא מספר עולות ויושבות לו בעיקר זקנו ועל דבר זה היה משה דואג אמר שמא חס ושלום מעלתי בשמן המשחה יצתה בת קול ואמרה כשמן הטוב וגו' (תהלים קלג, ג) כטל חרמון מה טל חרמון אין בו מעילה אף שמן המשחה שבזקן אהרן אין בו מעילה,ועדיין היה אהרן דואג אמר שמא משה לא מעל אבל אני מעלתי יצתה בת קול ואמרה לו (תהלים קלג, א) הנה מה טוב ומה נעים שבת אחים גם יחד מה משה לא מעל אף אתה לא מעלת,ת"ר אין מושחים את המלכים אלא על המעיין כדי שתמשך מלכותם שנא' (מלכים א א, לג) ויאמר המלך להם קחו עמכם את עבדי אדוניכם [וגו'] והורדתם אותו אל גחון,אמר רבי אמי האי מאן דבעי לידע אי מסיק שתיה אי לא ניתלי שרגא בעשרה יומי דבין ראש השנה ליום הכפורים בביתא דלא נשיב זיקא אי משיך נהוריה נידע דמסיק שתיה,ומאן דבעי למיעבד בעיסקא ובעי למידע אי מצלח אי לא מצלח לירבי תרנגולא אי שמין ושפר מצלח,האי מאן דבעי למיפק [לאורחא] ובעי למידע אי חזר ואתי לביתא אי לא ניקום בביתא דחברא אי חזי בבואה דבבואה לידע דהדר ואתי לביתא ולאו מלתא היא דלמא חלשא דעתיה ומיתרע מזליה אמר אביי השתא דאמרת סימנא מילתא היא [לעולם] יהא רגיל למיחזי בריש שתא קרא ורוביא כרתי וסילקא ותמרי,אמר להו רב משרשיא לבריה כי בעיתו מיעל ומיגמרי קמי רבייכו גרסו מתניתא ועלו לקמי רבייכו וכי יתביתו קמיה חזו לפומיה דכתיב (ישעיהו ל, כ) והיו עיניך רואות את מוריך וכי גרסיתו גרסו על נהרא דמיא דכי היכי דמשכן מיא משכן שמעתתייכו ותיבו אקילקלי דמתא מחסיא ולא תיבו אפדני דפומבדיתא טב גלדנא סריא [דמתא מחסיא למיכל] מכותחא דרמי כיפי,(שמואל א ב, א) רמה קרני באלהי רמה קרני ולא רמה פכי דוד ושלמה שנמשחו בקרן נמשכה מלכותן שאול ויהוא שנמשחו בפך לא נמשכה מלכותן:,המשוח בשמן המשחה וכו': ת"ר משיח יכול מלך ת"ל כהן אי כהן יכול מרובה בגדים ת"ל משיח אי משיח יכול משוח מלחמה תלמוד לומר והכהן המשיח שאינו משיח על גביו,מאי משמע כדאמר רבא הירך המיומנת שבירך הכא נמי המשיח המיומן שבמשוחים,אמר מר משיח יכול מלך מלך פר הוא דמייתי שעיר הוא דמייתי איצטריך ס"ד אמינא על שגגת מעשה יביא שעיר על העלם דבר יביא פר קמ"ל:,אין בין משוח בשמן המשחה כו': מתניתין דלא כרבי מאיר דאי ר"מ הא תניא מרובה בגדים מביא פר הבא על כל המצות דברי ר"מ ולא הודו לו חכמים,מ"ט דר"מ דתניא (ויקרא ד, ג) משיח אין לי אלא משוח בשמן המשחה מרובה בגדים מנין תלמוד לומר הכהן המשיח,במאי אוקימתיה כרבנן | 12a. The Gemara asks with regard to the fact that Jehoahaz was anointed: bAnd was there anointing oilduring the days of Jehoahaz? bBut isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: bWhen the Ark of the Covet was sequestered, the anointing oil, and the jar of imanna /i(see Exodus 16:33), band Aaron’s staffwith bits almonds and blossoms(see Numbers 17:23), band the chest that the Philistines sentas ba gift to Israel,were all bsequesteredwith it, bas it is stated:“And you shall take the Ark of the Lord, and lay it upon the cart, band put the vessels of gold that you return Him as a guilt-offering in a chest by its side and send it away that it may go”(I Samuel 6:8)., bAnd who sequesteredthe Ark? bJosiah, king of Judea, sequestered it, as he saw that it is written in the Torahin the portion of rebuke: b“The Lord will lead you, and your kingwhom you shall establish over you, unto a nation that you have not known” (Deuteronomy 28:36). bHe commanded andthe people bsequestered them, as it is stated: “And he said to the Levites who taught all Israel, and who were sacred unto the Lord: Place the sacred Ark in the room that Solomon, son of David, king of Israel built; there shall be no more burden upon your shoulders. Now serve the Lord your God and His people Israel”(II Chronicles 35:3)., bAnd Rabbi Elazar says: One derivesa verbal analogy between the term: bThere,written with regard to the Ark (see Exodus 29:43), and the term: bThere,written with regard to the jar of imanna(see Exodus 16:33); and between the term: bKeepsake,written with regard to the jar of imanna(see Exodus 16:33), and the term: bKeepsake,written with regard to Aaron’s staff (see Numbers 17:25–26); and between the term: bGenerations,written with regard to the jar of imanna(see Exodus 16:33), and the term: bGenerations,written with regard to the anointing oil (see Exodus 30:31). By means of these verbal analogies it is derived that all of these items were sequestered. bRav Pappa said:They anointed Jehoahaz bwith pure balsamoil, not with anointing oil.,§ bThe Sages taught: How does one anoint the kings?One smears the oil in a manner that is bsimilar tothe form of ba crownaround his head. bAndhow does one anoint bthe priests?One smears the oil in a shape blikethe Greek letter bchi.The Gemara asks: bWhatis the meaning of: bLikethe Greek letter bchi? Rav Menashya bar Gadda said: Likethe bGreekequivalent of the Hebrew letter ikaf /i. /b, bIt is taughtin bone ibaraita /i: bInitially, they pour oil onthe priest’s bhead, and thereafter, they place oil for him between the lashes of his eyes. And it is taughtin ba different ibaraita /i: bInitially, they place oil for him between the lashes of his eyes, and thereafter, they pour oil on his head.The Gemara explains: bIt isa dispute between itanna’im /i. Some say: Anointingwith oil between his eyes bis preferableand takes precedence, band some say: Pouringoil on his head bis preferableand takes precedence., bWhat is the reasonfor the opinion bof the one who saidthat bpouringoil on his head bis preferable?It is bas it is written: “And he poured from the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head and anointed him to sanctify him”(Leviticus 8:12), indicating that pouring precedes anointing. bAnd the one who saidthat banointing is preferableand takes precedence, bwhat is the reasonfor his opinion? bHe holds:Anointing takes precedence basthat is what byou find with regard to service vessels(see Numbers 7:1). They were anointed, but the anointing oil was not poured on them. The Gemara asks: bBut isn’t it writtenwith regard to the priests: b“And he poured,” and ultimately: “And anointed”?The Gemara answers: bThisis what the verse bis saying: What is the reasonthat bhe pouredthe oil? It is bdue tothe fact bthat hehad already banointedthem. Anointing is the primary component of the process., bThe Sages taught: “It is like the precious oil upon the head coming down upon the beard, Aaron’s beard,that comes down upon the collar of his garments” (Psalms 133:2). bTwo dropsof anointing oil, bshaped like pearls, were suspended for Aaron from his beard. Rav Pappa saidthat it is btaught: WhenAaron would bspeakand his beard would move, those drops would miraculously brise and settle on the roots of his beardso that they would not fall. bMoses was concerned about this matter. He said: Perhaps, Heaven forfend, I misusedthe consecrated banointing oiland poured more than necessary, as two additional drops remain? bA Divine Voice emerged and said: “It is like the precious oilupon the head coming down upon the beard, Aaron’s beard, that comes down upon the collar of his garments. bLike the dew of Hermon”(Psalms 133:2–3). This analogy teaches: bJust as there is no misuse of the dew of Hermon,which is not consecrated, bso too,with regard to bthe anointing oil that is on Aaron’s beard, there is no misuseof consecrated property., bAnd still Aaron was concerned. He said: Perhaps Moses did not misuseconsecrated property; bbutperhaps bI misusedconsecrated property, as the additional oil is on my beard and I enjoy it. bA Divine Voice emerged and said: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity”(Psalms 133:1). bJust asyour brother bMoses did not misuseconsecrated property, bso too, you did not misuseconsecrated property., bThe Sages taught: One anoints the kings only upon a spring,as an omen, bso that their kingdom will continuelike a spring, bas it is statedwith regard to the coronation of Solomon before the death of David: b“And the king said unto them: Take with you the servants of your lord,and let Solomon my son ride upon my own mule, band bring him down to Gihon.And let Tzadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel and sound the shofar and say: Long live King Solomon” (I Kings 1:33–34).,§ Apropos good omens, the Gemara cites a statement that bRabbi Ami said: Thisperson bwho seeks to know if he will complete his year or ifhe will bnot,i.e., whether or not he will remain alive in the coming year, blet him light a lamp, during the ten days that are between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, in a house in which wind does not blow. If its light continuesto burn, bhe knows that hewill bcomplete his year. /b, bAnd one who seeks to conduct a business venture and wishes to know if he will succeedor bifhe will bnot succeed, let him raise a rooster. Ifthe rooster bgrows fat and healthy, he will succeed. /b, bOne who seeks to embark on a journey and wishes to know if hewill breturn and come tohis bhomeor bifhe will bnot, let him go to a dark [ idaḥavara /i] house. If he sees the shadow of a shadow he shall know that hewill breturn and come home.The Sages reject this: This omen bis nota significant bmatter. Perhaps he will be disheartenedif the omen fails to appear, band his fortune will sufferand it is this that causes him to fail. bAbaye said: Now that you saidthat ban omen isa significant bmatter, a person should always be accustomed to seeingthese bon Rosh HaShana: Squash, and fenugreek, leeks, and chard, and dates,as each of these grows quickly and serves as a positive omen for one’s actions during the coming year.,Apropos good omens, bRav Mesharshiyya said to his son: When you seek to enter and study before your teacher, study the ibaraita /ifirst, bandonly then benter before your teacher. And when you are sitting before him, look to his mouth, as it is written: “And your eyes shall see your teacher”(Isaiah 30:20). bAnd when you study, study adjacent to a river of water; just as the water flows, your studies will flowunimpeded. He added: bAndit is preferable for you to bsit on the rubbish heaps [ iakilkelei /i] of Mata Meḥasya, and do not sit in the palaces [ iappadnei /i] of Pumbedita. Better to eat the rotten fish [ igildana /i] of Mata Meḥasya thanto eat ikutḥa /i, which displaces rocks,a metaphor for how potent it is.,Apropos good omens for anointing, it is stated in the prayer of Hannah, Samuel’s mother: b“My horn is exalted in my God”(I Samuel 2:1). The Gemara infers: bMy horn is exalted, and my jug is not exalted. David and Solomon were anointed withoil from ba horn.This was a good omen for them and btheir reign endured. Saul and Jehu were anointed withoil from ba jug and their reign did not endure. /b,§ The mishna teaches: And who is the anointed priest? It is the High Priest bwho is anointed with the anointing oil,not the High Priest consecrated by donning multiple garments. bThe Sages taught: “Anointed”is written in the verse (Leviticus 6:15). One bmighthave thought that the reference is to ba king.Therefore, bthe verse states: “Priest.” Ifthe reference is to ba priest,one bmighthave thought that the reference is to a priest consecrated by donning bmultiple garments.Therefore, bthe verse states: “Anointed.” Ifthe reference is to one who is banointed,one bmighthave thought that the reference is even to a priest banointed for war.Therefore, bthe verse states: “And the anointed priest,”indicating bthat there is no anointedpriest bover him;rather, he is the highest-ranking priest.,The Gemara asks: bFrom whereis this binferred?The Gemara answers: It is bas Rava saidwith regard to the term b“the thigh”in the verse: “The sciatic nerve that is on the hollow of the thigh” (Genesis 32:33); the reference is to bthe stronger of the thighs. Here too,where the verse states: b“The anointed,”the reference is to bthemost bdistinguished ofthose banointed,i.e., the High Priest.,The Gemara analyzes the ibaraita /i: bThe Master said: “Anointed”is written in the verse. One bmighthave thought that the reference is to ba king.The Gemara asks: bIs it a bull that a king bringsfor a sin-offering? bIt is a male goat that he brings,as the Torah states explicitly, later in that passage. The Gemara answers: It bwas necessaryfor the itannato say this, as it may benter your mind to say:It is bfor the unwittingperformance bof an actionfor which all people are liable to bring a sin-offering that a king bshall bringa male goat as his offering; but bfor absenceof awareness bof the matterwith the unwitting performance of an action, a king bshall bring a bull.Therefore, the itanna bteaches usthat it is only the High Priest who brings a bull.,§ The mishna teaches: bThe difference betweena High bPriest anointed with the anointing oiland one consecrated by donning multiple garments is only that the latter does not bring the bull that comes for the transgression of any of the mitzvot. The Gemara comments: bThe mishna is not in accordance withthe opinion of bRabbi Meir, as, if it wasin accordance with the opinion of bRabbi Meir, isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita /i: A priest who is consecrated by donning bmultiple garments brings a bull that comes forthe transgression of bany of the mitzvot;this is bthe statement of Rabbi Meir, but the Rabbis did not concedethat point bto him. /b,The Gemara asks: bWhat is the reasonfor the opinion bof Rabbi Meir?It is bas it is taughtin a ibaraita /i: b“Anointed”is written in the verse. bI havederived bonly a priest anointed with the anointing oil. From wheredo I derive the ihalakhaof a priest who is consecrated by donning bmultiple garments? The verse states: “The anointed priest,”from which it is derived that anyone who is appointed as the High Priest is included, even if he was not anointed.,The Gemara asks: bIn accordance with whichopinion bdid you interpretthe mishna? It is bin accordance withthe opinion of bthe Rabbis. /b |
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21. Babylonian Talmud, Keritot, 5b (3rd cent. CE - 6th cent. CE)
| 5b. וכי נס אחד נעשה בשמן המשחה והלא נסים הרבה נעשו בו מתחלתו ועד סופו תחלתו לא היה אלא י"ב לוג ובו נמשח המשכן וכליו ואהרן ובניו כל שבעת ימי המלואים ובו נמשחו כהנים גדולים ומלכים וכולו קיים לעתיד לבא,שנאמר (שמות ל, לא) שמן משחת קדש יהיה זה לי לדורותיכם זה בגימטריא י"ב לוגין הויין,ת"ר (ויקרא ח, י) ויקח משה את שמן המשחה וימשח את המשכן וגו' רבי יהודה אומר שמן המשחה שעשה משה במדבר הרבה נסים נעשו בו מתחלתו ועד סופו תחלתו לא היה אלא י"ב לוגין כמה יורה בולעת כמה עיקרין בולעין כמה האור שורף ובו נמשח משכן וכליו אהרן ובניו כל ז' ימי המלואים,ובו נמשחו כהנים גדולים ומלכים ואפי' כהן גדול בן כ"ג טעון משיחה ואין מושחין מלך בן מלך ואם תאמר מפני מה משחו את שלמה מפני מחלוקת אדוניה ואת יהואש מפני עתליה ואת יהואחז מפני יהויקים אחיו שהיה גדול מאחיו שתי שנים,אמר מר ואפי' כ"ג בן כ"ג טעון משיחה מנלן דכתיב (ויקרא ו, טו) והכהן המשיח תחתיו מבניו נימא קרא והכהן שתחתיו מבניו מאי המשיח הא קמ"ל דאפי' מבניו ההוא דמשח הוי כ"ג ואי לא משח לא הוי כ"ג,אמר מר אין מושחין מלך בן מלך מנלן אמר רב אחא בר יעקב דכתיב (דברים יז, כ) למען יאריך ימים על ממלכתו הוא ובניו כל הימים ירושה היא,ומפני מה משחו את שלמה מפני מחלוקת אדוניה מנלן דכי אתי מחלוקת בעי משיחה ולא כל דבעי מלכא מורית ליה מלכותא אמר רב פפא אמר קרא (דברים יז, כ) בקרב ישראל בזמן ששלום בישראל,תנא אף יהוא בן נמשי לא נמשח אלא מפני מחלוקת יורם בן אחאב אמאי תיפוק ליה דמלך ראשון הוא חסורי מיחסרא והכי קתני מלכי בית דוד מושחין מלכי ישראל אין מושחין ואם תאמר מפני מה משחו יהוא בן נמשי מפני מחלוקת יורם בן אחאב,אמר מר מלכי בית דוד מושחין ואין מלכי ישראל מושחין מנלן דכתיב (שמואל א טז, יב) קום משחהו כי זה הוא זה טעון משיחה ואין אחר טעון משיחה,אמר מר מפני מחלוקת יורם ומשום מחלוקת יורם בן אחאב נמעל בשמן המשחה כדאמר רב פפא באפרסמא דכיא ה"נ באפרסמא דכיא,ואת יהואחז מפני יהויקים שהיה גדול ממנו שתי שנים ומי קשיש והכתיב (דברי הימים א ג, טו) ובני יאשיה הבכור יוחנן והשני יהויקים והשלישי צדקיהו והרביעי שלום וא"ר יוחנן הוא יהואחז הוא צדקיהו הוא שלום,אלא לעולם יהויקים קשיש ואמאי קרי ליה בכור שהוא בכור למלכות ומי מוקמינן זוטא קמי קשישא והכתיב (דברי הימים ב כא, ג) ואת הממלכה נתן ליהורם כי הוא הבכור ההוא ממלא מקום אבותיו הוה,אמר מר הוא שלום הוא צדקיה והא בדרי קחשיב ומאי קרי ליה שלישי שהוא שלישי לבנים ומאי קרי ליה רביעי שהוא רביעי למלכות משום דמלך יכניה קמיה בתחלה מלך יהואחז וסוף מלך יהויקים וסוף מלך יכניה וסוף מלך צדקיה,ת"ר הוא שלום הוא צדקיה ולמה נקרא שמו שלום שהיה שלם במעשיו דבר אחר שלום ששלם מלכות בית דוד בימיו ומה שמו מתניה שמו שנאמר (מלכים ב כד, יז) וימלך את מתניה דודו תחתיו ויסב שמו צדקיה,דאמר לו יה יצדיק עליך את הדין אם תמרוד בי שנאמר (דברי הימים ב לו, י) ויביאהו בבלה וכתיב (דברי הימים ב לו, יג) וגם במלך נבוכדנאצר מלך בבל מרד אשר השביעו באלהים,ומי הוה שמן המשחה והתניא משנגנז ארון נגנז צנצנת המן וצלוחית שמן המשחה ומקלו של אהרן שקדים ופרחים,וארגז ששגרו פלשתים דורון לאלהי ישראל שנאמר (שמואל א ו, ח) ואת כלי הזהב אשר השיבותם לו אשם תשימו בארגז מצדו ומי גנזו יאשיה מלך יהודה גנזו שנאמר (דברי הימים ב לה, ג) ויאמר המלך אל הכהנים תנו את ארון הקדש,ואמר רבי אלעזר אתיא שם שם,אתיא דורות דורות,אתיא משמרת משמרת אמר רב פפא באפרסמא דכיא,ת"ר מושחין את המלכים כמין נזר ואת הכהנים כמין כי אמר רב מנשיה כמין כי יוני תני חדא בתחלה מציק שמן על ראשו ואחר כך נותן לו שמן בין ריסי עיניו ותני אחריתי בתחלה נותן לו שמן בין ריסי עיניו ואחר כך מציק לו שמן על ראשו,תנאי היא איכא למאן דאמר משיחה עדיפא ואיכא למאן דאמר יציקה עדיפא מאי טעמא דמ"ד יציקה עדיפא שנאמר (ויקרא ח, יב) ויצק משמן המשחה על ראש אהרן ומאן דאמר משיחה עדיפא קסבר שכן נתרבה אצל כלי שרת,והכתיב ויצק ולבסוף וימשח ה"ק מה טעם ויצק משום וימשח אותו לקדשו,ת"ר (תהילים קלג, ב) כשמן הטוב היורד על הראש וגו' כמין שתי טיפין מרגליות היו תלויות לאהרן בזקנו אמר רב כהנא תנא כשהוא מספר עולות ויושבות בעיקרי זקנו ועל דבר זה היה משה רבינו דואג שמא חס ושלום מעלתי בשמן המשחה,יצתה בת קול ואמרה (תהילים קלג, ג) כטל חרמון שיורד על הררי ציון מה טל אין בו מעילה אף שמן שיורד על זקן אהרן אין בו מעילה,ועדיין אהרן היה דואג שמא משה לא מעל ואני מעלתי יצתה בת קול ואמרה לו (תהילים קלג, א) הנה מה טוב ומה נעים שבת אחים גם יחד מה משה לא מעל אף אתה לא מעלת,ת"ר אין מושחין את המלכים אלא על המעיין כדי שתימשך מלכותן שנאמ' (מלכים א א, לג-לד) ויאמר המלך (אל בניהו) וגו' והורדתם אותו על גיחון (וגו') ומשח אותו שם,אמר רב אמי האי מאן דבעי לידע אי משכא שתא אי לא מייתי שרגא בהלין עשרה יומין דבין ריש שתא ליומא דכיפורי וניתלי בביתא דלא נשיב זיקא אי משיך נהוריה נידע דמסיק שתיה,ומאן דבעי נעביד עיסקי ובעי דנידע אי מצלח עיסקי אי לא נירבי תרנגולא אי שמין ושפר נידע דמצלח,האי מאן דבעי ניפוק באורחא ובעי דנידע אי הדר לביתיה ניעול ניקום בביתא דבהתא אם חזי | 5b. bAnd wasjust bone miracle performed with the anointing oil? But many miracles were performed with it, from its initialpreparation bto its end.He explains: bIts initialpreparation bwas onlythe measure of btwelve ilog /i, andeven so bthe Tabernacle and its vessels were anointed with it, andlikewise bAaron and his sonswere anointed with it ball the seven days of inauguration, and High Priests and kings were anointed with itthroughout the generations, bandyet despite the reduction in the amount of oil during its preparation process, as well as its multiple uses throughout history, bit allremains bintact forits use in bthe future. /b,Rabbi Yehuda adds that this is bas it is stated: “This [ izeh /i] shall be a sacred anointing oil to Me throughout your generations”(Exodus 30:31). The word izehhas a numerical value [ ibigimatriya /i]of btwelve,which teaches that the original twelve ilog /iof oil that existed at the outset bareextant throughout all the generations. If so, i.e., if such miracles were performed in connection with the oil, it is no wonder that its initial preparation was miraculous., bThe Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i: b“And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the Tabernacleand all that was in it and sanctified them” (Leviticus 8:10). bRabbi Yehuda says:With regard to bthe anointing oil that Moses prepared in the wilderness, many miracles were performed with it, from its initialpreparation bto its end. Its initialpreparation bwas only twelve ilog /i;consider bhow muchof it ba cauldron absorbsfrom what is cooked inside it, band how muchof it the brootsof the plants babsorb, how muchof it bthe fire burns, andyet bthe Tabernacle, and its vessels,and bAaron, and his sons wereall banointed with it all seven days of the inauguration. /b,The ibaraitaadds: bAnd High Priests and kings were anointed with it, and even a High Priest, the son of a High Priest, requires anointingwith the oil. bBut one does not anoint a king, the son of a king. And if you say:If so, bfor whatreason bdid they anoint King Solomon,who was the son of King David? It was bdue to the disputeover the throne instigated by his older brother bAdonijah,who attempted to usurp the monarchy. bAndsimilarly bJoash,son of Ahaziah, was anointed king (see II Kings 11:12) bdue tothe threat of bAthaliah,his paternal grandmother, who attempted to seize the monarchy for herself (II Kings 11:1–3). bAnd Jehoahaz,son of Josiah, was anointed as king (II Kings 23:30) bdue tothe competition from bJehoiakim, his brother, who was two years older than his brother,i.e., Jehoahaz. Ordinarily the older brother succeeds the father, but Jehoahaz was more worthy of the throne.,The Gemara clarifies several aspects of this ibaraita /i. bThe Master saidearlier: bAnd even a High Priest, the son of a High Priest, requires anointing.The Gemara asks: bFrom where do wederive this ihalakha /i? It is derived from a verse, bas it is written: “And the anointed priest that shall be in his stead from among his sons”(Leviticus 6:15). bLet the verse saymerely: bThe priest that shall be in his stead from among his sons. Whatis taught by the addition of the term b“anointed”? This teaches us that evenwhen the new High Priest is bfrom amongthe bsonsof the previous High Priest, only bthatpriest bwho is anointedwith oil bisthe bHigh Priest, but ifhe is bnot anointedwith oil he bis notthe bHigh Priest. /b, bThe Master saidearlier: bBut one does not anoint a king, the son of a king.The Gemara asks: bFrom where do wederive this ihalakha /i? bRav Aḥa bar Ya’akov saidthat this is bas it is written: In order that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his sons, all the daysin the midst of Israel (see Deuteronomy 17:20). The mention of a king’s sons teaches that the kingdom bis an inheritance,which does not need to be confirmed by anointing.,The ibaraitafurther taught: bAnd for whatreason bdid they anoint King Solomon? Due to the disputeover the throne instigated by his older brother bAdonijah.The Gemara asks: bFrom where do wederive bthatin a situation bwhere there is a disputethe new king brequires anointing, and thecurrent bking cannotsimply bgrant the kingship as an inheritance to whomever he desires? Rav Pappa saidthat bthe verse states:“He and his children bin the midst of Israel”(Deuteronomy 17:20). bAt a time when there is peace in Israelthe monarchy transfers smoothly to the king’s son, but not when there is a dispute.,It was btaughtin a ibaraita /i: bAlso Jehu,son of Jehoshaphat, bson of Nimshi, was anointedby Elisha the prophet bonly due tothe bdisputewith bJoram, son of Ahab,who was the incumbent king, against whose reign Jehu rebelled (see II Kings 9:1–6). The Gemara asks: bWhyis it necessary to state this reason? bLetthe itannaof the ibaraita bderivethat Jehu required anointing due to the fact bthat hewas bthe first kingof his lineage, as Jehu was not the son of a king. The Gemara answers: The ibaraita bis incomplete, and thisis what bit is teaching: One anoints the kings of the house of Davidwith the anointing oil, but bone does not anoint the kingsfrom the kingdom bof Israel. And if you say: For whatreason bdidElisha banoint Jehu,son of Jehoshaphat, bson of Nimshi?This was bdue tothe bdisputewith bJoram, son of Ahab. /b, bThe Master saidearlier: bOne anoints the kings of the house of Davidwith the anointing oil, but bone does not anoint the kings of Israel.The Gemara asks: bFrom where do wederive this ihalakha /i? It is derived from a verse, bas it is writtenwith regard to the anointing of David: b“Arise, anoint him; for this is he”(I Samuel 16:12). bThisking, i.e., any king from the house of David, brequires anointing, but anotherking, i.e., from the kingdom of Israel, whose kings were not descendants of the house of David, bdoes not require anointing. /b, bThe Master saidearlier that Jehu was anointed bdue tothe bdisputewith bJoram.The Gemara asks: bAnd due tothe bdisputewith bJoram, son of Ahab, will we misuseconsecrated property by anointing someone unnecessarily bwith the anointing oil,which is called “a sacred anointing oil” (Exodus 30:31)? After all, kings of the kingdom of Israel do not require anointing. The Gemara answers: This is bas Rav Pappa saidwith regard to Jehoahaz: They anointed him bwith pure balsamoil, rather than with the anointing oil. bHere too,Elisha anointed Jehu bwith pure balsamoil, not the anointing oil.,It was further stated in the ibaraita /i: bAnd Jehoahaz,son of Josiah, was anointed bdue tothe competition from bJehoiakim, his brother, who was two years older than him.The Gemara asks: bAnd wasJehoiakim in fact bolderthan Jehoahaz? bBut isn’t it written: “And the sons of Josiah: The firstborn Joha, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum”(I Chronicles 3:15); band Rabbi Yoḥa says:The one who is called Joha in that verse bisalso called bJehoahaz,and the one who biscalled bZedekiah isthe same as the one called bShallum.If so, Jehoahaz is the eldest son, not Jehoiakim. Why, then, was it necessary to anoint Jehoahaz?,The Gemara answers: bRather, Jehoiakimwas bactually olderthan Jehoahaz. bAnd whydoes the verse bcallJehoahaz the bfirstborn?This is referring to the fact bthatJehoahaz was the bfirstborn with regard to the monarchy,i.e., he became king first. The Gemara asks: bAnd do we establish the youngerson as king bbefore the olderson? bBut isn’t it writtenwith regard to Jehoshaphat: b“And he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn”(II Chronicles 21:3)? The Gemara answers: Jehoram bwasone bwho filled the place of his fathers,i.e., he was fit to serve as king, and therefore as he was firstborn he received the kingship, whereas Jehoiakim was deemed unworthy of the honor, despite being the oldest among his brothers., bThe Master saidearlier: The one who biscalled bShallum isalso called bZedekiah.The Gemara objects: bBut the Torah countsthese individuals bin a row,i.e., one after the other, as I Chronicles 3:15 mentions the first, second, third, and fourth sons. This indicates that they are different people. The Gemara answers: Shallum and Zedekiah are in fact one and the same, band whatis the reason the verse bcallsZedekiah the bthird?The reason is bthat he is third of the sons,i.e., the third in order of birth. bAnd whatis the reason the verse bcallsShallum the bfourth?The reason is bthat he is fourth to the kingship, because Jeconiah reigned before him.How so? bInitially Jehoahaz reigned, and afterward Jehoiakimreigned, band afterward Jeconiahreigned, band afterward Zedekiahreigned. Accordingly, Zedekiah, called Shallum, was fourth to the kingship., bThe Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i: The one who biscalled bShallum isalso called bZedekiah, and why was he called Shallum? Because he was perfect [ ishalem /i] in hisgood bdeeds. Alternatively,he was called bShallum because in his days the kingdom of the house of David was completed [ ishalam /i],as he was the last king in the Davidic dynasty. bAnd whatwas bhistrue bname? Mattaniahwas bhis name, as it is stated: “And the king of Babylonia made Mattaniah, his father’s brother, king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah”(II Kings 24:17).,The ibaraitaexplains: Why did the king of Babylonia, Nebuchadnezzar, call him by the name Zedekiah? The reason is bthatNebuchadnezzar bsaid to him: God will justify [ iyatzdik /i] the judgment over you if you rebel against me, as it is statedwith regard to Nebuchadnezzar and Jehoiachin: b“And brought him to Babylon”(II Chronicles 36:10), and with regard to Zedekiah it is stated: b“And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God”(II Chronicles 36:13).,§ The Gemara raises a difficulty with regard to the statement that Jehoahaz was anointed: bAnd was there anointing oilin the days of Jehoahaz? bBut isn’t it taughtin a ibaraita( iTosefta /i, iYoma2:15) that bfrom whenthe bArk was sequestered,along with it bwas sequestered the jar of mannathat was next to it (see Exodus 16:33), band the flask of the anointing oil, and Aaron’s staffwith its balmonds and blossoms(see Numbers 17:23).,The ibaraitacontinues: bAndalso sequestered with the Ark was the bchest that the Philistines sent as a gift to the God of Israelafter they captured the Ark and were stricken by several plagues, bas it is stated: “And put the jewels of gold that you return to Him for a guilt offering, in a coffer by its side,and send it away that it may go” (I Samuel 6:8). bAnd who sequesteredthe Ark? bJosiah, king of Judah, sequestered it, as it is stated: And the king said to the priests: Put the sacred Arkin the house that Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel, built (see II Chronicles 35:3)., bAnd Rabbi Elazar says:How do we know that all these items needed to be sequestered together with the Ark? The ihalakhathat the jar of manna was to be kept with the Ark is bderivedthrough a verbal analogy between the words b“there”and b“there.”The word “there” is stated with regard to the Ark: “Where I will meet with you there” (Exodus 30:6), and it is also stated with regard to the manna: “And put there” (Exodus 16:33).,The ihalakhathat the anointing oil was to be kept together with the Ark is bderivedthrough a verbal analogy between the words b“generations”and b“generations.”This term is stated with regard to the jar of manna: “To be kept throughout your generations” (Exodus 16:33), and also with regard to the anointing oil: “This shall be a sacred anointing oil to Me throughout your generations” (Exodus 30:31).,Finally, the ihalakhathat Aaron’s staff was to be kept together with the Ark is bderivedthrough a verbal analogy between the terms b“to be kept”and b“to be kept.”This term is stated with regard to the jar of manna, and also with regard to Aaron’s staff: “To be kept there, for a token against the rebellious children” (Numbers 17:25). All these items, which are connected through these verbal analogies, including the anointing oil, were kept by the side of the Ark, and therefore they were sequestered together with the Ark. If so, how was Jehoahaz anointed with the anointing oil? bRav Pappa said:They did not anoint Jehoahaz with the anointing oil, but bwith pure balsam. /b,§ bThe Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i: bOne anoints the kingsby placing the oil around the head in a shape bsimilarto ba crown, and one anoints theHigh bPriestsby placing the oil upon the head in the shape bsimilarto bchi.In explanation of this statement, bRav Menashya says:It is placed in a shape bsimilarto the bGreekletter bchi,which looks like the letter Χ. It bis taughtin bone ibaraita /i: bFirst, one pours oil onthe bhead ofthe High Priest, band afterward one places oil between his eyelashes. And it is taughtin banother ibaraita /i: bFirst, one places oil between his eyelashes, and afterward one pours oil on his head.The ibaraitotcontradict each other.,The Gemara explains: This bisa matter of dispute between itanna’im /i,as bthere isa itanna bwho says: Anointingbetween his eyelashes is bpreferableto pouring on the head and therefore comes first, band there isa itanna bwho saysthat bpouringon the head is bpreferableto anointing between his eyelashes, and therefore comes first. bWhat is the reasoning of the one who saysthat bpouringon the head is bpreferable? As it is stated: “And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s headand anointed him to sanctify him” (Leviticus 8:12), which indicates that pouring is first, followed by anointing. bAndas for bthe one who saysthat banointingbetween his eyelashes is bpreferableto pouring on the head and precedes it, bhe holdsthat anointing is preferable bin thatits use bis increased,i.e., it is performed bon the service vessels,whereas pouring is not mentioned with regard to the service vessels.,The Gemara raises a difficulty: bButaccording to the opinion that anointing is preferable, bisn’t it written: “He poured,” and ultimately: “He anointed”(Leviticus 8:12)? The Gemara explains that bthisis what the verse bis saying: What is the reasonfor b“he poured”?This action was made possible bdue tothe fact that he had already: b“Anointed him to sanctify him.”In other words, the pouring came after the anointing, which is the primary act., bThe Sages taughtin a ibaraita /i: The verse states: b“It is like the precious oil upon the headdescending upon the beard; the beard of Aaron, that descends upon the collar of his garments” (Psalms 133:2). bTwo dropsof anointing oil shaped blike pearls hung from Aaron’s beard. Rav Kahana saysit is btaught: WhenAaron bwould speakhis beard would move, and these drops bwouldmiraculously brise and sit on the roots of his beard,so that they would not fall to the ground. bAnd with regard to this matter Moses, our teacher, was concerned,thinking: bPerhaps, God forbid, I misused the anointing oilby pouring too much, which resulted in these two additional drops., bA Divine Voice emerged and said:“It is like the precious oil upon the head, descending upon the beard; the beard of Aaron, that descends upon the collar of his garments, blike the dew of the Hermon that comes down upon the mountains of Zion”(Psalms 133:2–3). This comparison serves to teach: bJust as the Hermon’s dew is not subject to misuseof consecrated property, as it is not consecrated but can be used by all, bso too,the anointing boil that descends upon Aaron’s beard is not subject to misuseof consecrated property., bAnd still Aaron himself was concerned,thinking: bPerhaps Moses did not misuseconsecrated property bbut I misusedthe oil, as the additional oil is on my body and I derive benefit from it. bA Divine Voice emerged and said to him: “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity”(Psalms 133:1). bJust asyour brother bMoses did not misuseconsecrated property, bso too, you did not misuseconsecrated property.,§ The Gemara cites a ibaraitawhich discusses the anointing of kings. bThe Sages taught: One may anoint kings only next to a spring.This is done as a fortuitous sign, bso that their kingdom should continueuninterrupted just as the waters of the spring flow uninterrupted throughout the year. bAs it is statedwith regard to the coronation of Solomon in the days of King David: bAnd the king said to Benaiah:Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon my own mule, band bring him down to Gihon. Andlet Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet banoint him thereking over Israel (see I Kings 1:33–34). The Sages derived from here that all kings should be anointed near a spring.,Parenthetical to this matter of performing an act as a fortuitous sign, the Gemara cites that which bRav Ami says: One who desires to know if he willlive bthroughthis current byear or not should bringa lit bcandle during those ten days between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur and hang it in a housethrough bwhich wind does not blow,and he should watch it carefully: bIf its light continues he shall know that he will live out his year. /b, bAnd one who desires to conduct business and wants to know ifhis bbusiness will succeed or not should raise a rooster. Ifthe rooster bgets fat and beautiful he shall know thatthe venture bwill succeed. /b, bThis one who wishes to leave on a journey and wants to know whether he will return to his home should enter a dark house. If he sees /b |
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22. Eusebius of Caesarea, Preparation For The Gospel, 9.39.5 (3rd cent. CE - 4th cent. CE)
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23. Anon., 4 Ezra, 10.22
| 10.22. our harp has been laid low, our song has been silenced, and our rejoicing has been ended; the light of our lampstand has been put out, the ark of our covet has been plundered, our holy things have been polluted, and the name by which we are called has been profaned; our free men have suffered abuse, our priests have been burned to death, our Levites have gone into captivity, our virgins have been defiled, and our wives have been ravished; our righteous men have been carried off, our little ones have been cast out, our young men have been enslaved and our strong men made powerless. |
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24. Anon., 4 Baruch, 3.8, 3.14, 4.4-4.5, 8.5, 8.7
| 3.8. And Jeremiah said: Behold, Lord, now we know that you are delivering the city into the hands of its enemies, and they will take the people away to Babylon. What do you want me to do with the holy vessels of the temple service? 3.14. And the Lord said to Jeremiah: Send him to the vineyard of Agrippa, and I will hide him in the shadow of the mountain until I cause the people to return to the city. 4.4. But taking the keys of the temple, Jeremiah went outside the city andthrew them away in the presence of the sun, saying: I say to you, Sun, take the keys of the temple of God and guard them until the day in which the Lord asks you for them. 4.5. For we have not been found worthy to keep them, for we have become unfaithful guardians. 8.5. As he told them the words that the Lord had spoken to him, half ofthose who had taken spouses from them did not wish to listen toJeremiah, but said to him: We will never forsake our wives, but we will bring them back with us into our city. 8.7. And Jeremiah and Baruch and Abimelech stood up and said: No man joined with Babylonians shall enter this city! |
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