Tiresias: The Ancient Mediterranean Religions Source Database

7234

Josephus Flavius, Jewish Antiquities, 9.53

φήσαντος δέ τινος τῶν παρόντων ψευδοδοξεῖν αὐτόν, μηδὲ ὑπονοεῖν αὐτὸν ὡς πρὸς τὸν ἐχθρὸν αὐτοῦ κατειρηκότας τὴν ἔκπεμψιν τῶν ἀναιρησόντων αὐτούς, ἀλλὰ γινώσκειν ὅτι ̓Ελισσαῖός ἐστιν ὁ προφήτης ὁ πάντα μηνύων αὐτῷ καὶ φανερὰ ποιῶν τὰ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ βουλευόμενα, προσέταξε πέμψας μαθεῖν ἐν τίνι πόλει τυγχάνει διατρίβων ̓Ελισσαῖος.

And one that was present said that he should not mistake himself, nor suspect that they had discovered to his enemy his sending men to kill him, but that he ought to know that it was Elisha the prophet who discovered all to him, and laid open all his counsels. So he gave order that they should send some to learn in what city Elisha dwelt.

Intertexts (texts cited often on the same page as the searched text):

16 results

1. Hebrew Bible, Exodus, 20.21, 28.2, 28.36 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)

20.21. מִזְבַּח אֲדָמָה תַּעֲשֶׂה־לִּי וְזָבַחְתָּ עָלָיו אֶת־עֹלֹתֶיךָ וְאֶת־שְׁלָמֶיךָ אֶת־צֹאנְךָ וְאֶת־בְּקָרֶךָ בְּכָל־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת־שְׁמִי אָבוֹא אֵלֶיךָ וּבֵרַכְתִּיךָ׃ 28.2. וְעָשִׂיתָ בִגְדֵי־קֹדֶשׁ לְאַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ לְכָבוֹד וּלְתִפְאָרֶת׃ 28.2. וְהַטּוּר הָרְבִיעִי תַּרְשִׁישׁ וְשֹׁהַם וְיָשְׁפֵה מְשֻׁבָּצִים זָהָב יִהְיוּ בְּמִלּוּאֹתָם׃ 28.36. וְעָשִׂיתָ צִּיץ זָהָב טָהוֹר וּפִתַּחְתָּ עָלָיו פִּתּוּחֵי חֹתָם קֹדֶשׁ לַיהוָה׃

20.21. An altar of earth thou shalt make unto Me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings, and thy peace-offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be mentioned I will come unto thee and bless thee. 28.2. And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, for splendour and for beauty. 28.36. And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and engrave upon it, like the engravings of a signet: HOLY TO THE LORD.

2. Hebrew Bible, Genesis, 3.6 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)

3.6. וַתֵּרֶא הָאִשָּׁה כִּי טוֹב הָעֵץ לְמַאֲכָל וְכִי תַאֲוָה־הוּא לָעֵינַיִם וְנֶחְמָד הָעֵץ לְהַשְׂכִּיל וַתִּקַּח מִפִּרְיוֹ וַתֹּאכַל וַתִּתֵּן גַּם־לְאִישָׁהּ עִמָּהּ וַיֹּאכַל׃

3.6. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.

3. Hebrew Bible, Proverbs, 1.3 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)

1.3. לָקַחַת מוּסַר הַשְׂכֵּל צֶדֶק וּמִשְׁפָּט וּמֵישָׁרִים׃ 1.3. לֹא־אָבוּ לַעֲצָתִי נָאֲצוּ כָּל־תּוֹכַחְתִּי׃

1.3. To receive the discipline of wisdom, Justice, and right, and equity;

4. Hebrew Bible, Psalms, 8.6, 28.1, 95.7 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)

8.6. וַתְּחַסְּרֵהוּ מְּעַט מֵאֱלֹהִים וְכָבוֹד וְהָדָר תְּעַטְּרֵהוּ׃ 28.1. לְדָוִד אֵלֶיךָ יְהוָה אֶקְרָא צוּרִי אַל־תֶּחֱרַשׁ מִמֶּנִּי פֶּן־תֶּחֱשֶׁה מִמֶּנִּי וְנִמְשַׁלְתִּי עִם־יוֹרְדֵי בוֹר׃ 95.7. כִּי הוּא אֱלֹהֵינוּ וַאֲנַחְנוּ עַם מַרְעִיתוֹ וְצֹאן יָדוֹ הַיּוֹם אִם־בְּקֹלוֹ תִשְׁמָעוּ׃

8.6. Yet Thou hast made him but little lower than the angels, And hast crowned him with glory and honour. 28.1. [A Psalm] of David. Unto thee, O LORD, do I call; My Rock, be not Thou deaf unto me; Lest, if Thou be silent unto me, I become like them that go down into the pit. 95.7. For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, and the flock of His hand. To-day, if ye would but hearken to His voice!

5. Hebrew Bible, 1 Samuel, 15.30 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)

15.30. Then he said, I have sinned: yet do me honour now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Yisra᾽el, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord thy God.

6. Hebrew Bible, Isaiah, 44.18 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)

44.18. לֹא יָדְעוּ וְלֹא יָבִינוּ כִּי טַח מֵרְאוֹת עֵינֵיהֶם מֵהַשְׂכִּיל לִבֹּתָם׃

44.18. They know not, neither do they understand; For their eyes are bedaubed, that they cannot see, And their hearts, that they cannot understand.

7. Hebrew Bible, Jeremiah, 10.21 (8th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)

10.21. כִּי נִבְעֲרוּ הָרֹעִים וְאֶת־יְהוָה לֹא דָרָשׁוּ עַל־כֵּן לֹא הִשְׂכִּילוּ וְכָל־מַרְעִיתָם נָפוֹצָה׃

10.21. For the shepherds are become brutish, And have not inquired of the LORD; Therefore they have not prospered, And all their flocks are scattered.

8. Septuagint, Ecclesiasticus (Siracides), 3.11, 45.12 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)

3.11. For a mans glory comes from honoring his father,and it is a disgrace for children not to respect their mother. 45.12. with a gold crown upon his turban,inscribed like a signet with "Holiness," a distinction to be prized, the work of an expert,the delight of the eyes, richly adorned.

9. Septuagint, Wisdom of Solomon, 3.11, 45.12 (2nd cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)

3.11. The sinner stumbleth and curseth his life, The day when he was begotten, and his mother’s travail. 3.11. for whoever despises wisdom and instruction is miserable. Their hope is vain, their labors are unprofitable,and their works are useless.

10. Philo of Alexandria, On The Decalogue, 121, 165, 51, 106 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)

106. And after this commandment relating to the seventh day he gives the fifth, which concerns the honour to be paid to parents, giving it a position on the confines of the two tables of five commandments each; for being the concluding one of the first table, in which the most sacred duties to the Deity are enjoined, it has also some connection with the second table which comprehends the obligations towards our fellow creatures;

11. Philo of Alexandria, On The Embassy To Gaius, 347 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)

347. What is this that you say? Do you, who are a man, seek to take to yourself the air and the heaven, not being content with the vast multitude of continents, and islands, and nations, and countries of which you enjoy the sovereignty? And do you not think any one of the gods who are worshipped in that city or by our people worthy of any country or city or even of any small precinct which may have been consecrated to them in old time, and dedicated to them with oracles and sacred hymns, and are you intending to deprive them of that, that in all the vast circumference of the world there may be no visible trace or memorial to be found of any honour or pious worship paid to the true real living God?

12. Philo of Alexandria, Who Is The Heir, 171 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. CE)

171. The fifth commandment is about the honour due to parents. For this also is a sacred command; having reference not to men, but to him who is the cause of birth and existence of the universe, in accordance with whom it is that fathers and mothers appear to generate children; not generating them themselves, but only being the instruments of generation in his hands.

13. Anon., The Life of Adam And Eve, 28.4 (1st cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)

14. Josephus Flavius, Jewish Antiquities, 3.188, 9.29-9.43, 9.60-9.87, 12.42 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

3.188. ̔Ως δὲ τὸ προειρημένον πέρας εἶχε, τῶν ἀναθημάτων μήπω καθιερωμένων ἐπιστὰς ὁ θεὸς Μωυσεῖ τὴν ἱερωσύνην ̓Ααρῶνι 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. 9.29. Παραλαβὼν δὲ τὴν βασιλείαν ̓Ιώραμος ἐπὶ τὸν Μωαβιτῶν ἔγνω στρατεύειν βασιλέα Μεισὰν ὄνομα: τοῦ γὰρ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ, καθὼς προείπαμεν, ἔτυχεν ἀποστὰς φόρους τελῶν ̓Αχάβῳ τῷ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ μυριάδας εἴκοσι προβάτων σὺν τοῖς πόκοις. 9.29. πέμψαντός τε τὰ νόμιμα καὶ τὴν περὶ τὸν θεὸν τοῦτον ὁσίαν διδαχθέντες ἐθρήσκευον αὐτὸν φιλοτίμως καὶ τοῦ λοιμοῦ παραχρῆμα ἐπαύσαντο. χρώμενοί τε τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἔτι καὶ νῦν ἔθεσι διατελοῦσιν οἱ κατὰ μὲν τὴν ̔Εβραίων γλῶτταν Χουθαῖοι, κατὰ δὲ τὴν ̔Ελλήνων Σαμαρεῖται 9.31. ̓Ιώραμος δὲ τοιούτων αὐτῷ τῶν παρὰ ̓Ιωσαφάτου περὶ τῆς συμμαχίας κομισθέντων ἀναλαβὼν αὑτοῦ τὴν στρατιὰν ἧκεν εἰς ̔Ιεροσόλυμα, καὶ ξενισθεὶς λαμπρῶς ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως τῶν ̔Ιεροσολυμιτῶν, δόξαν αὐτοὺς διὰ τῆς ἐρήμου τῆς ̓Ιδουμαίας ποιήσασθαι τὴν πορείαν ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους, οὐ γὰρ προσδοκήσειν αὐτοὺς ταύτῃ ποιήσεσθαι τὴν ἔφοδον, ὥρμησαν οἱ τρεῖς βασιλεῖς ἐκ τῶν ̔Ιεροσολύμων, ὅ τε τούτων αὐτῶν καὶ ὁ τῶν ̓Ισραηλιτῶν καὶ ὁ τῆς ̓Ιδουμαίας 9.32. καὶ κυκλεύσαντες ἑπτὰ ἡμερῶν ὁδὸν εἰς ἀπορίαν ὕδατος τοῖς τε κτήνεσι καὶ τῇ στρατιᾷ περιέστησαν πλανηθέντων τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῖς τῶν ἡγουμένων, ὡς ἀγωνιᾶν μὲν ἅπαντας, μάλιστα δὲ τὸν ̓Ιώραμον καὶ ὑπὸ λύπης ἐκβοῆσαι πρὸς τὸν θεόν, τί κακὸν αἰτιασάμενος ἀγάγοι τοὺς τρεῖς βασιλεῖς ἀμαχητὶ παραδώσοντας ἑαυτοὺς τῷ Μωαβιτῶν βασιλεῖ; 9.33. παρεθάρρυνε δ' αὐτὸν ὁ ̓Ιωσαφάτης δίκαιος ὢν καὶ πέμψαντα εἰς τὸ στρατόπεδον ἐκέλευσε γνῶναι, εἴ τις αὐτοῖς τοῦ θεοῦ προφήτης συνελήλυθεν, “ἵνα δι' αὐτοῦ μάθωμεν παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ, τί ποιητέον ἡμῖν.” οἰκέτου δέ τινος φήσαντος τῶν ̓Ιωράμου ἰδεῖν αὐτόθι τὸν ̓Ηλία μαθητὴν ̓Ελισσαῖον Σαφάτου παῖδα πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀπίασιν οἱ τρεῖς βασιλεῖς ̓Ιωσαφάτου παραινέσαντος. 9.34. ἐλθόντες δ' ἐπὶ τὴν σκηνὴν τοῦ προφήτου, ἔτυχε δ' ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς κατεσκηνωκώς, ἐπηρώτων τὸ μέλλον ἐπὶ τῆς στρατιᾶς, μάλιστα δὲ ὁ ̓Ιώραμος. τοῦ δὲ μὴ διοχλεῖν αὐτῷ φράσαντος ἀλλὰ πρὸς τοὺς τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς μητρὸς βαδίζειν προφήτας, εἶναι γὰρ ἐκείνους ἀληθεῖς, ἐδεῖτο προφητεύειν καὶ σώζειν αὐτούς. 9.35. ὁ δὲ ὀμόσας τὸν θεὸν οὐκ ἂν ἀποκριθῆναι αὐτῷ, εἰ μὴ διὰ ̓Ιωσαφάτην ὅσιον ὄντα καὶ δίκαιον, ἀχθέντος ἀνθρώπου τινὸς ψάλλειν εἰδότος, ἐπεζήτησε γὰρ αὐτός, πρὸς τὸν ψαλμὸν ἔνθεος γενόμενος προσέταξε τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν ἐν τῷ χειμάρρῳ πολλοὺς ὀρύξαι βόθρους: 9.36. “οὔτε γὰρ νέφους οὔτε πνεύματος γενομένου οὔτε ὑετοῦ καταρραγέντος ὄψεσθε πλήρη τὸν ποταμὸν ὕδατος, ὡς ἂν καὶ τὸν στρατὸν καὶ τὰ ὑποζύγια διασωθῆναι ὑμῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ ποτοῦ. ἔσται δὲ ὑμῖν οὐ τοῦτο μόνον παρὰ θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ κρατήσετε τῶν ἐχθρῶν καὶ καλλίστας καὶ ὀχυρωτάτας πόλεις λήψεσθε τῶν Μωαβιτῶν, καὶ δένδρα μὲν αὐτῶν ἥμερα κόψετε, τὴν δὲ χώραν δῃώσετε, πηγὰς δὲ καὶ ποταμοὺς ἐμφράξετε.” 9.37. Ταῦτα εἰπόντος τοῦ προφήτου τῇ ἐπιούσῃ πρὶν ἥλιον ἀνασχεῖν ὁ χειμάρρους πολὺς ἐρρύη, σφοδρῶς γὰρ ἀπὸ τριῶν ἡμερῶν ὁδοῦ ἐν τῇ ̓Ιδουμαίᾳ τὸν θεὸν ὗσαι συνέπεσεν, ὥστε εὑρεῖν τὴν στρατιὰν καὶ τὰ ὑποζύγια ποτὸν ἄφθονον. 9.38. ὡς δὲ ἤκουσαν οἱ Μωαβῖται τοὺς τρεῖς βασιλέας ἐπ' αὐτοὺς βαδίζοντας καὶ διὰ τῆς ἐρήμου ποιουμένους τὴν ἔφοδον, ὁ βασιλεὺς αὐτῶν εὐθὺς συλλέξας στρατιὰν ἐκέλευσεν ἐπὶ τῶν ὅρων βάλλεσθαι τὸ στρατόπεδον, ἵνα αὐτοὺς μὴ λάθωσιν εἰς τὴν χώραν ἐμβαλόντες οἱ πολέμιοι. 9.39. θεασάμενοι δὲ ὑπὸ τὴν ἀνατολὴν ἡλίου τὸ ἐν τῷ χειμάρρῳ ὕδωρ, καὶ γὰρ οὐδὲ μακρὰν ἦν τῆς Μωαβίτιδος, αἵματι τὴν χροὰν ὅμοιον, τότε γὰρ μάλιστα πρὸς τὴν αὐγὴν τὸ ὕδωρ ἐρυθραίνεται, ψευδῆ δόξαν περὶ τῶν πολεμίων ἐλάμβανον ὡς ἀπεκτονότων ἑαυτοὺς διὰ δίψος καὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ αἷμα αὐτοῖς ῥέοντος. 9.41. ἐμβαλόντες δὲ εἰς τὴν Μωαβιτῶν οἱ βασιλεῖς τάς τε πόλεις κατεστρέψαντο τὰς ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ τοὺς ἀγροὺς αὐτῶν διήρπασαν καὶ ἠφάνισαν πληροῦντες τῶν ἐκ τῶν χειμάρρων λίθων, καὶ τὰ κάλλιστα τῶν δένδρων ἔκοψαν, καὶ τὰς πηγὰς ἐνέφραξαν τῶν ὑδάτων, καὶ τὰ τείχη καθεῖλον ἕως ἐδάφους. 9.42. ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς τῶν Μωαβιτῶν συνδιωκόμενος τῇ πολιορκίᾳ καὶ τὴν πόλιν ὁρῶν κινδυνεύουσαν αἱρεθῆναι κατὰ κράτος ὥρμησε μεθ' ἑπτακοσίων ἐξελθὼν διὰ τοῦ τῶν πολεμίων ἐξιππάσασθαι στρατοπέδου, καθ' ὃ μέρος ἐνόμιζεν αὐτοὺς τὰς φυλακὰς ἀνεῖσθαι. καὶ πειραθεὶς οὐκ ἠδυνήθη φυγεῖν: ἐπιτυγχάνει γὰρ ἐπιμελῶς φρουρουμένῳ τῷ τόπῳ. 9.43. ὑποστρέψας δὲ εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἔργον ἀπογνώσεως καὶ δεινῆς ἀνάγκης διεπράξατο: τῶν υἱῶν τὸν πρεσβύτατον, ὃς μετ' αὐτὸν βασιλεύειν ἤμελλεν, ἀναγαγὼν ἐπὶ τὸ τεῖχος ὥστε ἅπασι φανερὸν γενέσθαι τοῖς πολεμίοις ἱερούργησεν εἰς ὁλοκαύτωσιν τῷ θεῷ. θεασάμενοι δ' αὐτὸν οἱ βασιλεῖς κατῴκτειραν τῆς ἀνάγκης καὶ παθόντες ἀνθρώπινόν τι καὶ ἐλεεινὸν διέλυσαν τὴν πολιορκίαν καὶ ἕκαστος εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν ἀνέστρεψαν. 9.61. καὶ στρατεύει μετὰ μεγάλης δυνάμεως ἐπὶ τὸν ̓Ιώραμον, ὃς οὐχ ἡγούμενος αὑτὸν ἀξιόμαχον εἶναι τοῖς Σύροις ἐνέκλεισεν αὑτὸν εἰς τὴν Σαμάρειαν θαρρῶν τῇ τῶν τειχῶν ὀχυρότητι. ̓́Αδερ δὲ λογισάμενος αἱρήσειν τὴν πόλιν, εἰ καὶ μὴ τοῖς μηχανήμασι, λιμῷ μέντοι καὶ σπάνει τῶν ἐπιτηδείων παραστήσεσθαι τοὺς Σαμαρεῖς, προσβαλὼν ἐπολιόρκει τὴν πόλιν. 9.62. οὕτω δὲ ἐπέλιπε τὸν ̓Ιώραμον ἡ τῶν ἀναγκαίων εὐπορία, ὡς δι' ὑπερβολὴν τῆς ἐνδείας ἐν τῇ Σαμαρείᾳ πραθῆναι ὀγδοήκοντα μὲν ἀργυρῶν νομίσματος κεφαλὴν ὄνου, πέντε δὲ ἀργυρῶν νομίσματος ξέστην κόπρου περιστερῶν ἀντὶ ἁλῶν ὠνεῖσθαι τοὺς ̔Εβραίους. 9.63. ἦν δ' ἐν φόβῳ μὴ διὰ τὸν λιμὸν προδῷ τις τοῖς ἐχθροῖς τὴν πόλιν ὁ ̓Ιώραμος καὶ καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ἐκπεριήρχετο τὰ τείχη καὶ τοὺς φύλακας, μή τις ἔνδον εἴη παρ' αὐτῶν σκεπτόμενος καὶ τῷ βλέπεσθαι καὶ φροντίζειν ἀφαιρούμενος καὶ τὸ βούλεσθαί τι τοιοῦτον καὶ τὸ ἔργον, εἰ ταύτην τις τὴν γνώμην ἤδη λαμβάνειν ἔφθασεν. 9.64. ἀνακραγούσης δέ τινος γυναικός “δέσποτα ἐλέησον” νομίσας αἰτεῖν τι μέλλειν αὐτὴν τῶν πρὸς τροφὴν ὀργισθεὶς ἐπηράσατο αὐτῇ τὸν θεὸν καὶ μήτε ἅλως αὐτῷ μήτε ληνοὺς ὑπάρχειν ἔλεγεν, ὅθεν τι καὶ παράσχοι ἂν αὐτῇ δεομένῃ. 9.65. τῆς δ' οὐδενὸς μὲν τούτων χρῄζειν εἰπούσης οὐδ' ἐνοχλεῖν τροφῆς ἕνεκα, κριθῆναι δὲ ἀξιούσης πρὸς ἄλλην γυναῖκα, κελεύσαντος λέγειν καὶ διδάσκειν περὶ ὧν ἐπιζητεῖ συνθήκας ἔφη ποιήσασθαι μετὰ τῆς ἑτέρας γυναικὸς γειτνιώσης καὶ φίλης αὐτῇ τυγχανούσης, ὅπως ἐπεὶ τὰ τοῦ λιμοῦ καὶ τῆς ἐνδείας ἦν ἀμήχανα διαχρησάμενοι τὰ τέκνα, ἦν δὲ ἄρρεν ἑκατέρᾳ παιδίον, ἀνὰ μίαν ἡμέραν θρέψωμεν ἀλλήλας. 9.66. “κἀγὼ μέν, φησί, πρώτη τοὐμὸν κατέσφαξα καὶ τὴν παρελθοῦσαν ἡμέραν τοὐμὸν ἐτράφημεν ἀμφότεραι: νῦν δ' οὐ βούλεται ταὐτὸ ποιεῖν, ἀλλὰ παραβαίνει τὴν συνθήκην καὶ τὸν υἱὸν ἀφανῆ πεποίηκε.” 9.67. τοῦτ' ἐλύπησε σφοδρῶς ̓Ιώραμον ἀκούσαντα, καὶ περιρρηξάμενος τὴν ἐσθῆτα καὶ δεινὸν ἐκβοήσας ἔπειτα ὀργῆς ἐπὶ τὸν προφήτην ̓Ελισσαῖον πληρωθεὶς ἀνελεῖν αὐτὸν ὥρμησεν, ὅτι μὴ δεῖται τοῦ θεοῦ πόρον τ' αὐτοῖς καὶ διαφυγὴν τῶν περιεχόντων κακῶν δοῦναι: τόν τε ἀποτεμοῦντα αὐτοῦ τὴν κεφαλὴν εὐθὺς ἐξέπεμψε. 9.68. καὶ ὁ μὲν ἐπὶ τὴν ἀναίρεσιν ἠπείγετο τοῦ προφήτου: τὸν δ' ̓Ελισσαῖον οὐκ ἔλαθεν ἡ τοῦ βασιλέως ὀργή, καθεζόμενος δὲ οἴκαδε παρ' αὑτῷ σὺν τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἐμήνυσεν αὐτοῖς, ὅτι ̓Ιώραμος ὁ τοῦ φονέως υἱὸς πέμψειε τὸν ἀφαιρήσοντα αὐτοῦ τὴν κεφαλήν. 9.69. “ἀλλ' ὑμεῖς, φησίν, ὅταν ὁ τοῦτο προσταχθεὶς ἀφίκηται, παραφυλάξαντες εἰσιέναι μέλλοντα προσαποθλίψατε τῇ θύρᾳ καὶ κατάσχετε: ἀκολουθήσει γὰρ αὐτῷ πρός με παραγινόμενος ὁ βασιλεὺς μεταβεβουλευμένος.” καὶ οἱ μὲν τὸ κελευσθὲν ὡς ἧκεν ὁ πεμφθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπὶ τὴν ἀναίρεσιν τὴν ̓Ελισσαίου ἐποίησαν: 9.71. ̓Ελισσαῖος δὲ εἰς τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν ἐπηγγέλλετο κατ' ἐκείνην τὴν ὥραν, καθ' ἣν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀφίκετο πρὸς αὐτόν, ἔσεσθαι πολλὴν εὐπορίαν τροφῆς καὶ πραθήσεσθαι μὲν ἐν τῇ ἀγορᾷ σίκλου δύο κριθῆς σάτα, ὠνήσεσθαι δὲ σεμιδάλεως σάτον σίκλου. 9.72. ταῦτα τόν τε ̓Ιώραμον καὶ τοὺς παρόντας εἰς χαρὰν περιέτρεψε: πιστεύειν γὰρ τῷ προφήτῃ διὰ τὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς προπεπειραμένοις ἀλήθειαν οὐκ ὤκνουν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ἐπ' ἐκείνης ἐνδεὲς τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ ταλαίπωρον ἡ προσδοκωμένη κοῦφον αὐτοῖς ἐποίει. 9.73. ὁ δὲ τῆς τρίτης μοίρας ἡγεμὼν τῷ βασιλεῖ φίλος ὢν καὶ τότε φέρων αὐτὸν ἐπερηρεισμένον “ἄπιστα, εἶπε, λέγεις, ὦ προφῆτα: καὶ ὥσπερ ἀδύνατον ἐκχέαι τὸν θεὸν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καταρράκτας κριθῆς ἢ σεμιδάλεως, οὕτως ἀμήχανον καὶ τὰ ὑπὸ σοῦ νῦν εἰρημένα γενέσθαι.” καὶ ὁ προφήτης πρὸς αὐτόν “ταῦτα μέν, εἶπεν, ὄψει τοῦτο λαμβάνοντα τὸ τέλος, οὐ μεταλήψῃ δ' οὐδενὸς τῶν ὑπαρξόντων.” 9.74. ̓Εξέβη τοίνυν τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον τὰ ὑπὸ ̓Ελισσαίου προειρημένα: νόμος ἦν ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ τοὺς λέπραν ἔχοντας καὶ μὴ καθαροὺς ἀπὸ τῶν τοιούτων τὰ σώματα μένειν ἔξω τῆς πόλεως. ἄνδρες οὖν τὸν ἀριθμὸν τέσσαρες διὰ ταύτην τὴν αἰτίαν πρὸ τῶν πυλῶν μένοντες μηκέτι μηδενὸς αὐτοῖς διὰ τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τοῦ λιμοῦ 9.75. τροφὴν ἐκφέροντος εἰσελθεῖν μὲν εἰς τὴν πόλιν διὰ τὸν νόμον κεκωλυμένοι, κἂν ἐπιτραπῇ δ' αὐτοῖς διαφθαρήσεσθαι κακῶς ὑπὸ τοῦ λιμοῦ λογισάμενοι, τοῦτο δὲ πείσεσθαι κἂν αὐτόθι μείνωσιν ἀπορίᾳ τροφῆς, παραδοῦναι τοῖς πολεμίοις αὑτοὺς ἔκριναν ὡς εἰ μὲν φείσαιντο αὐτῶν ζησόμενοι, εἰ δ' ἀναιρεθεῖεν εὐθανατήσοντες. 9.76. ταύτην κυρώσαντες τὴν βουλὴν νυκτὸς ἧκον εἰς τὸ στρατόπεδον τῶν πολεμίων. ἤρχετο δ' ἤδη τοὺς Σύρους ἐκφοβεῖν καὶ ταράττειν ὁ θεὸς καὶ κτύπον ἁρμάτων καὶ ἵππων ὡς ἐπερχομένης στρατιᾶς ταῖς ἀκοαῖς αὐτῶν ἐνηχεῖν καὶ ταύτην ἐγγυτέρω προσφέρειν αὐτοῖς τὴν ὑπόνοιαν. 9.77. ἀμέλει τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον ὑπ' αὐτῆς διετέθησαν, ὥστε τὰς σκηνὰς ἐκλιπόντες συνέδραμον πρὸς τὸν ̓́Αδερα λέγοντες, ὡς ̓Ιώραμος ὁ τῶν ̓Ισραηλιτῶν μισθωσάμενος συμμάχους τόν τε τῶν Αἰγυπτίων βασιλέα καὶ τὸν τῶν νήσων ἐπ' αὐτοὺς ἄγει: προσιόντων γὰρ αὐτῶν ἐπακούειν τοῦ κτύπου. 9.78. ταῦτα λέγουσιν ὁ ̓́Αδερ, καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸς περιεψοφεῖτο ἤδη τὰς ἀκοὰς ὁμοίως τῷ πλήθει, προσέσχε καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς ἀταξίας καὶ θορύβου καταλιπόντες ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ τοὺς ἵππους καὶ τὰ ὑποζύγια καὶ πλοῦτον ἄφθονον εἰς φυγὴν ἐχώρησαν. 9.79. οἱ λεπροὶ δὲ οἱ ἐκ τῆς Σαμαρείας ἀναχωρήσαντες εἰς τὸ τῶν Σύρων στρατόπεδον, ὧν μικρὸν ἔμπροσθεν ἐπεμνήσθημεν, ὡς γενόμενοι πρὸς τῇ παρεμβολῇ πολλὴν ἡσυχίαν καὶ ἀφωνίαν ἔβλεπον οὖσαν καὶ παρελθόντες δὲ εἴσω καὶ ὁρμήσαντες εἰς μίαν σκηνὴν οὐδένα ἑώρων, ἐμφαγόντες καὶ πιόντες ἐβάστασαν ἐσθῆτα καὶ πολὺν χρυσὸν κομίσαντες ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς ἔκρυψαν: 9.81. καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐλθόντες πρὸς τὸ τῆς Σαμαρείας τεῖχος καὶ ἀναβοήσαντες πρὸς τοὺς φύλακας ἐμήνυον αὐτοῖς τὰ περὶ τοὺς πολεμίους, ἐκεῖνοι δὲ ταῦτ' ἀπήγγειλαν τοῖς τοῦ βασιλέως φύλαξι, παρ' ὧν μαθὼν ̓Ιώραμος μεταπέμπεται τοὺς φίλους καὶ τοὺς ἡγεμόνας. 9.82. πρὸς οὓς ἐλθόντας ἐνέδραν καὶ τέχνην ὑπονοεῖν ἔλεγε τὴν ἀναχώρησιν τοῦ τῶν Σύρων βασιλέως ἀπογνόντος ἡμᾶς τῷ λιμῷ διαφθαρήσεσθαι, ἵνα ὡς πεφευγότων εἰς διαρπαγὴν ἐξελθόντων τῆς παρεμβολῆς αἰφνιδίως ἐπιπέσῃ καὶ κτείνῃ μὲν αὐτούς, ἀμαχητὶ δὲ ἕλῃ τὴν πόλιν: ὅθεν ὑμῖν παραινῶ διὰ φυλακῆς ἔχειν αὐτὴν μὴ καταφρονήσαντας τῷ τοὺς πολεμίους ἀνακεχωρηκέναι: 9.83. φήσαντος δέ τινος, ὡς ἄριστα μὲν καὶ συνετώτατα ὑπονοήσειε, πέμψαι γε μὴν συμβουλεύσαντος δύο τῶν ἱππέων τοὺς τὴν ἄχρι ̓Ιορδάνου πᾶσαν ἐξερευνήσοντας, ἵν' εἰ ληφθέντες ὑπὸ λοχώντων τῶν πολεμίων διαφθαρεῖεν φυλακὴ τῇ στρατιᾷ γένωνται τοῦ μηδὲν ὅμοιον παθεῖν αὐτὴν ἀνυπόπτως προελθοῦσαν: “προσαριθμήσεις δέ, φησί, τοῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ λιμοῦ τεθνηκόσι τοὺς ἱππεῖς, κἂν ὑπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ληφθέντες ἀπόλωνται.” 9.84. ἀρεσθεὶς δὲ τῇ γνώμῃ τότε τοὺς κατοψομένους ἐξέπεμψεν: οἱ δὲ κενὴν μὲν πολεμίων τὴν ὁδὸν ἤνυσαν, μεστὴν δὲ σιτίων καὶ ὅπλων εὗρον, ἃ διὰ τὸ κοῦφοι πρὸς τὸ φεύγειν εἶναι ῥίπτοντες κατέλιπον. ταῦτ' ἀκούσας ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ διαρπαγὴν τῶν ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ τὸ πλῆθος ἐξαφῆκεν. 9.85. εὐτελὲς δὲ οὐδὲν οὐδ' ὀλίγον ὠφελοῦντο, ἀλλὰ πολὺν μὲν χρυσόν, πολὺν δὲ ἄργυρον, ἀγέλας δὲ παντοδαπῶν κτηνῶν, ἔτι γε μὴν σίτου μυριάσι καὶ κριθῆς αἷς οὐδ' ὄναρ ἤλπισαν ἐπιτυχόντες τῶν μὲν προτέρων κακῶν ἀπηλλάγησαν, ἀφθονίαν δ' εἶχον, ὡς ὠνεῖσθαι δύο μὲν σάτα κριθῆς σίκλου σεμιδάλεως δὲ σάτον σίκλου κατὰ τὴν ̓Ελισσαίου προφητείαν: ἰσχύει δὲ τὸ σάτον μόδιον καὶ ἥμισυ ̓Ιταλικόν. 9.86. μόνος δὲ τούτων οὐκ ὤνατο τῶν ἀγαθῶν ὁ τῆς τρίτης μοίρας ἡγεμών: κατασταθεὶς γὰρ ἐπὶ τῆς πύλης ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως, ἵνα τὸ πλῆθος ἐπέχῃ τῆς πολλῆς ὁρμῆς καὶ μὴ κινδυνεύσωσιν ὑπ' ἀλλήλων ὠθούμενοι συμπατηθέντες ἀπολέσθαι, τοῦτ' αὐτὸς ἔπαθε καὶ τοῦτον ἀποθνήσκει τὸν τρόπον τὴν τελευτὴν αὐτῷ προφητεύσαντος ̓Ελισσαίου, ὅτε τοῖς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ περὶ τῆς ἐσομένης εὐπορίας τῶν ἐπιτηδείων λεγομένοις μόνος ἐξ ἁπάντων οὐκ ἐπίστευσεν. 9.87. ̔Ο δὲ τῶν Σύρων βασιλεὺς ̓́Αδερος διασωθεὶς εἰς Δαμασκὸν καὶ μαθών, ὅτι τὸ θεῖον αὐτόν τε καὶ τὴν στρατιὰν αὐτοῦ πᾶσαν εἰς τὸ δέος καὶ τὴν ταραχὴν ἐκείνην ἐνέβαλεν, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐξ ἐφόδου πολεμίων ἐγένετο, σφόδρα τῷ δυσμενῆ τὸν θεὸν ἔχειν ἀθυμήσας εἰς νόσον κατέπεσεν. 12.42. διηγήσομαι δὲ τὰ κατασκευάσματα καὶ τὸν τρόπον τῆς δημιουργίας αὐτῶν μετὰ τὸ προεκθέσθαι τὸ ἀντίγραφον τῆς ἐπιστολῆς τῆς γραφείσης ̓Ελεαζάρῳ τῷ ἀρχιερεῖ, ταύτην λαβόντι τὴν τιμὴν ἐξ αἰτίας τοιαύτης: 12.42. Δημήτριος δ' ἀπαγγελθείσης αὐτῷ τῆς Νικάνορος τελευτῆς καὶ τῆς ἀπωλείας τοῦ σὺν αὐτῷ. στρατεύματος πάλιν τὸν Βακχίδην μετὰ δυνάμεως εἰς τὴν ̓Ιουδαίαν ἐξέπεμψεν.

3.188. 1. When what has been described was brought to a conclusion, gifts not being yet presented, God appeared to Moses, and enjoined him to bestow the high priesthood upon Aaron his brother, as upon him that best of them all deserved to obtain that honor, on account of his virtue. And when he had gathered the multitude together, he gave them an account of Aaron’s virtue, and of his good-will to them, and of the dangers he had undergone for their sakes. 9.29. And when he thereupon sent them, and the people were by them taught the laws, and the holy worship of God, they worshipped him in a respectful manner, and the plague ceased immediately; and indeed they continue to make use of the very same customs to this very time, and are called in the Hebrew tongue Cutlans, but in the Greek tongue Samaritans. 9.29. 1. When Joram had taken upon him the kingdom, he determined to make an expedition against the king of Moab, whose name was Mesha; for, as we told you before, he was departed from his obedience to his brother [Ahaziah], while he paid to his father Ahab two hundred thousand sheep, with their fleeces of wool. 9.30. When therefore he had gathered his own army together, he sent also to Jehoshaphat, and entreated him, that since he had from the beginning been a friend to his father, he would assist him in the war that he was entering into against the Moabites, who had departed from their obedience, who not only himself promised to assist him, but would also oblige the king of Edom, who was under his authority, to make the same expedition also. 9.31. When Joram had received these assurances of assistance from Jehoshaphat, he took his army with him, and came to Jerusalem; and when he had been sumptuously entertained by the king of Jerusalem, it was resolved upon by them to take their march against their enemies through the wilderness of Edom. 9.32. And when they had taken a compass of seven days’ journey, they were in distress for want of water for the cattle, and for the army, from the mistake of their roads by the guides that conducted them, insomuch that they were all in an agony, especially Joram; and cried to God, by reason of their sorrow, and [desired to know] what wickedness had been committed by them that induced him to deliver three kings together, without fighting, unto the king of Moab. 9.33. But Jehoshaphat, who was a righteous man, encouraged him, and bade him send to the camp, and know whether any prophet of God was come along with them, that we might by him learn from God what we should do. And when one of the servants of Joram said that he had seen there Elisha, the son of Shaphat, the disciple of Elijah, the three kings went to him, at the entreaty of Jehoshaphat; 9.34. and when they were come at the prophet’s tent, which tent was pitched out of the camp, they asked him what would become of the army? and Joram was particularly very pressing with him about it. And when he replied to him, that he should not trouble him, but go to his father’s and mother’s prophets, for they [to be sure] were true prophets, he still desired him to prophesy, and to save them. 9.35. So he swore by God that he would not answer him, unless it were on account of Jehoshaphat, who was a holy and righteous man; and when, at his desire, they brought him a man that could play on the psaltery, the Divine Spirit came upon him as the music played, and he commanded them to dig many trenches in the valley; 9.36. for, said he, “though there appear neither cloud, nor wind, nor storm of rain, ye shall see this river full of water, till the army and the cattle be saved for you by drinking of it. Nor will this be all the favor that you shall receive from God, but you shall also overcome your enemies, and take the best and strongest cities of the Moabites, and you shall cut down their fruit trees, and lay waste their country, and stop up their fountains and rivers.” 9.37. 2. When the prophet had said this, the next day, before the sun-rising, a great torrent ran strongly; for God had caused it to rain very plentifully at the distance of three days’ journey into Edom, so that the army and the cattle found water to drink in abundance. 9.38. But when the Moabites heard that the three kings were coming upon them, and made their approach through the wilderness, the king of Moab gathered his army together presently, and commanded them to pitch their camp upon the mountains, that when the enemies should attempt to enter their country, they might not be concealed from them. 9.39. But when at the rising of the sun they saw the water in the torrent, for it was not far from the land of Moab, and that it was of the color of blood, for at such a time the water especially looks red, by the shining of the sun upon it, they formed a false notion of the state of their enemies, as if they had slain one another for thirst; and that the river ran with their blood. 9.40. However, supposing that this was the case, they desired their king would send them out to spoil their enemies; whereupon they all went in haste, as to an advantage already gained, and came to the enemy’s camp, as supposing them destroyed already. But their hope deceived them; for as their enemies stood round about them, some of them were cut to pieces, and others of them were dispersed, and fled to their own country. 9.41. And when the kings fell into the land of Moab, they overthrew the cities that were in it, and spoiled their fields, and marred them, filling them with stones out of the brooks, and cut down the best of their trees, and stopped up their fountains of water, and overthrew their walls to their foundations. 9.42. But the king of Moab, when he was pursued, endured a siege; and seeing his city in danger of being overthrown by force, made a sally, and went out with seven hundred men, in order to break through the enemy’s camp with his horsemen, on that side where the watch seemed to be kept most negligently; and when, upon trial, he could not get away, for he lighted upon a place that was carefully watched, he returned into the city, and did a thing that showed despair and the utmost distress; 9.43. for he took his eldest son, who was to reign after him, and lifting him up upon the wall, that he might be visible to all the enemies, he offered him as a whole burnt-offering to God, whom, when the kings saw, they commiserated the distress that was the occasion of it, and were so affected, in way of humanity and pity, that they raised the siege, and every one returned to his own house. 9.60. 4. Now when these men were come back, and had showed Benhadad how strange an accident had befallen them, and what an appearance and power they had experienced of the God of Israel, he wondered at it, as also at that prophet with whom God was so evidently present; so he determined to make no more secret attempts upon the king of Israel, out of fear of Elisha, but resolved to make open war with them, as supposing he could be too hard for his enemies by the multitude of his army and power. 9.61. So he made an expedition with a great army against Joram, who, not thinking himself a match for him, shut himself up in Samaria, and depended on the strength of its walls; but Benhadad supposed he should take the city, if not by his engines of war, yet that he should overcome the Samaritans by famine, and the want of necessaries, and brought his army upon them, and besieged the city; 9.62. and the plenty of necessaries was brought so low with Joram, that from the extremity of want an ass’s head was sold in Samaria for fourscore pieces of silver, and the Hebrews bought a sextary of dore’s dung, instead of salt, for five pieces of silver. 9.63. Now Joram was in fear lest somebody should betray the city to the enemy, by reason of the famine, and went every day round the walls and the guards to see whether any such were concealed among them; and by being thus seen, and taking such care, he deprived them of the opportunity of contriving any such thing; and if they had a mind to do it, he, by this means, prevented them: 9.64. but upon a certain woman’s crying out, “Have pity on me, my lord,” while he thought that she was about to ask for somewhat to eat, he imprecated God’s curse upon her, and said he had neither thrashing-floor nor wine-press, whence he might give her any thing at her petition. 9.65. Upon which she said she did not desire his aid in any such thing, nor trouble him about food, but desired that he would do her justice as to another woman. And when he bade her say on, and let him know what she desired, she said she had made an agreement with the other woman who was her neighbor and her friend, that because the famine and want was intolerable, they should kill their children, each of them having a son of their own, “and we will live upon them ourselves for two days, the one day upon one son, and the other day upon the other; and,” said she 9.66. “I have killed my son the first day, and we lived upon my son yesterday; but this other woman will not do the same thing, but hath broken her agreement, and hath hid her son.” 9.67. This story mightily grieved Joram when he heard it; so he rent his garment, and cried out with a loud voice, and conceived great wrath against Elisha the prophet, and set himself eagerly to have him slain, because he did not pray to God to provide them some exit and way of escape out of the miseries with which they were surrounded; and sent one away immediately to cut off his head 9.68. who made haste to kill the prophet. But Elisha was not unacquainted with the wrath of the king against him; for as he sat in his house by himself, with none but his disciples about him, he told them that Joram, who was the son of a murderer, had sent one to take away his head; 9.69. “but,” said he, “when he that is commanded to do this comes, take care that you do not let him come in, but press the door against him, and hold him fast there, for the king himself will follow him, and come to me, having altered his mind.” Accordingly, they did as they were bidden, when he that was sent by the king to kill Elisha came. 9.70. But Joram repented of his wrath against the prophet; and for fear he that was commanded to kill him should have done it before he came, he made haste to hinder his slaughter, and to save the prophet: and when he came to him, he accused him that he did not pray to God for their deliverance from the miseries they now lay under, but saw them so sadly destroyed by them. 9.71. Hereupon Elisha promised, that the very next day, at the very same hour in which the king came to him, they should have great plenty of food, and that two seahs of barley should be sold in the market for a shekel, and a seah of fine flour should be sold for a shekel. 9.72. This prediction made Joram, and those that were present, very joyful, for they did not scruple believing what the prophet said, on account of the experience they had of the truth of his former predictions; and the expectation of plenty made the want they were in that day, with the uneasiness that accompanied it, appear a light thing to them: 9.73. but the captain of the third band, who was a friend of the king, and on whose hand the king leaned, said, “Thou talkest of incredible things, O prophet! for as it is impossible for God to pour down torrents of barley, or fine flour, out of heaven, so is it impossible that what thou sayest should come to pass.” To which the prophet made this reply,” Thou shalt see these things come to pass, but thou shalt not be in the least a partaker of them.” 9.74. 5. Now what Elisha had thus foretold came to pass in the manner following: There was a law at Samaria that those that had the leprosy, and whose bodies were not cleansed from it, should abide without the city: and there were four men that on this account abode before the gates, while nobody gave them any food, by reason of the extremity of the famine; 9.75. and as they were prohibited from entering into the city by the law, and they considered that if they were permitted to enter, they should miserably perish by the famine; as also, that if they staid where they were, they should suffer in the same manner,—they resolved to deliver themselves up to the enemy, that in case they should spare them, they should live; but if they should be killed, that would be an easy death. 9.76. So when they had confirmed this their resolution, they came by night to the enemy’s camp. Now God had begun to affright and disturb the Syrians, and to bring the noise of chariots and armor to their ears, as though an army were coming upon them, and had made them suspect that it was coming nearer and nearer to them. 9.77. In short, they were in such a dread of this army, that they left their tents, and ran together to Benhadad, and said that Joram the king of Israel had hired for auxiliaries both the king of Egypt and the king of the Islands, and led them against them for they heard the noise of them as they were coming. 9.78. And Benhadad believed what they said (for there came the same noise to his ears as well as it did to theirs); so they fell into a mighty disorder and tumult, and left their horses and beasts in their camp, with immense riches also, and betook themselves to flight. 9.79. And those lepers who had departed from Samaria, and were gone to the camp of the Syrians, of whom we made mention a little before, when they were in the camp, saw nothing but great quietness and silence: accordingly they entered into it, and went hastily into one of their tents; and when they saw nobody there, they eat and drank, and carried garments, and a great quantity of gold, and hid it out of the camp; 9.80. after which they went into another tent, and carried off what was in it, as they did at the former, and this did they for several times, without the least interruption from any body. So they gathered thereby that the enemies were departed; whereupon they reproached themselves that they did not inform Joram and the citizens of it. 9.81. So they came to the walls of Samaria, and called aloud to the watchmen, and told them in what state the enemies were, as did these tell the king’s guards, by whose means Joram came to know of it; who then sent for his friends, and the captains of his host 9.82. and said to them, that he suspected that this departure of the king of Syria was by way of ambush and treachery, and that, “out of despair of ruining you by famine, when you imagine them to be fled away, you may come out of the city to spoil their camp, and he may then fall upon you on a sudden, and may both kill you, and take the city without fighting; whence it is that I exhort you to guard the city carefully, and by no means to go out of it, or proudly to despise your enemies, as though they were really gone away.” 9.83. And when a certain person said that he did very well and wisely to admit such a suspicion, but that he still advised him to send a couple of horsemen to search all the country as far as Jordan, that “if they were seized by an ambush of the enemy, they might be a security to your army, that they may not go out as if they suspected nothing, nor undergo the like misfortune; and,” said he, “those horsemen may be numbered among those that have died by the famine, supposing they be caught and destroyed by the enemy.” 9.84. So the king was pleased with this opinion, and sent such as might search out the truth, who performed their journey over a road that was without any enemies, but found it full of provisions, and of weapons, that they had therefore thrown away, and left behind them, in order to their being light and expeditious in their flight. When the king heard this, he sent out the multitude to take the spoils of the camp; 9.85. which gains of theirs were not of things of small value, but they took a great quantity of gold, and a great quantity of silver, and flocks of all kinds of cattle. They also possessed themselves of [so many] ten thousand measures of wheat and barley, as they never in the least dreamed of; and were not only freed from their former miseries, but had such plenty, that two seahs of barley were bought for a shekel, and a seah of fine flour for a shekel, according to the prophecy of Elisha. Now a seah is equal to an Italian modius and a half. 9.86. The captain of the third band was the only man that received no benefit by this plenty; for as he was appointed by the king to oversee the gate, that lm might prevent the too great crowd of the multitude, and they might not endanger one another to perish, by treading on one another in the press, he suffered himself in that very way, and died in that very manner, as Elisha had foretold such his death, when he alone of them all disbelieved what he said concerning that plenty of provisions which they should soon have. 9.87. 6. Hereupon, when Benhadad, the king of Syria, had escaped to Damascus, and understood that it was God himself that cast all his army into this fear and disorder, and that it did not arise from the invasion of enemies, he was mightily cast down at his having God so greatly for his enemy, and fell into a distemper. 12.42. Now I will give a description of these vessels, and the manner of their construction, but not till after I have set down a copy of the epistle which was written to Eleazar the high priest, who had obtained that dignity on the occasion following: 12.42. 1. But when Demetrius was informed of the death of Nicanor, and of the destruction of the army that was with him, he sent Bacchides again with an army into Judea

15. Josephus Flavius, Jewish War, 3.354, 3.361, 3.400, 4.462-4.464, 4.626 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

3.354. κἀπειδὴ τὸ ̓Ιουδαίων, ἔφη, φῦλον ὀκλάσαι δοκεῖ σοι τῷ κτίσαντι, μετέβη δὲ πρὸς ̔Ρωμαίους ἡ τύχη πᾶσα, καὶ τὴν ἐμὴν ψυχὴν ἐπελέξω τὰ μέλλοντα εἰπεῖν, δίδωμι μὲν ̔Ρωμαίοις τὰς χεῖρας ἑκὼν καὶ ζῶ, μαρτύρομαι δὲ ὡς οὐ προδότης, ἀλλὰ σὸς εἶμι διάκονος.” 3.361. Δείσας δὲ τὴν ἔφοδον ὁ ̓Ιώσηπος καὶ προδοσίαν ἡγούμενος εἶναι τῶν τοῦ θεοῦ προσταγμάτων, εἰ προαποθάνοι τῆς διαγγελίας, ἤρχετο πρὸς αὐτοὺς φιλοσοφεῖν ἐπὶ τῆς ἀνάγκης: 4.462. προελθὼν γὰρ ἐπὶ τὴν πηγὴν καὶ καταβαλὼν εἰς τὸ ῥεῦμα πλῆρες ἁλῶν ἀγγεῖον κεράμου, ἔπειτα εἰς οὐρανὸν δεξιὰν ἀνατείνας δικαίαν κἀπὶ γῆς σπονδὰς μειλικτηρίους χεόμενος, τὴν μὲν ᾐτεῖτο μαλάξαι τὸ ῥεῦμα καὶ γλυκυτέρας φλέβας ἀνοῖξαι 4.463. τὸν δὲ ἐγκεράσασθαι τῷ ῥεύματι γονιμωτέρους [τε] ἀέρας δοῦναί τε ἅμα καὶ καρπῶν εὐθηνίαν τοῖς ἐπιχωρίοις καὶ τέκνων διαδοχήν, μηδ' ἐπιλιπεῖν αὐτοῖς τὸ τούτων γεννητικὸν ὕδωρ, ἕως μένουσι δίκαιοι. 4.464. ταύταις ταῖς εὐχαῖς πολλὰ προσχειρουργήσας ἐξ ἐπιστήμης ἔτρεψε τὴν πηγήν, καὶ τὸ πρὶν ὀρφανίας αὐτοῖς καὶ λιμοῦ παραίτιον ὕδωρ ἔκτοτε εὐτεκνίας καὶ κόρου χορηγὸν κατέστη. 4.626. “αἰσχρὸν οὖν, ἔφη, τὸν προθεσπίσαντά μοι τὴν ἀρχὴν καὶ διάκονον τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ φωνῆς ἔτι αἰχμαλώτου τάξιν ἢ δεσμώτου τύχην ὑπομένειν” καὶ καλέσας τὸν ̓Ιώσηπον λυθῆναι κελεύει.

3.354. and said, “Since it pleaseth thee, who hast created the Jewish nation, to depress the same, and since all their good fortune is gone over to the Romans, and since thou hast made choice of this soul of mine to foretell what is to come to pass hereafter, I willingly give them my hands, and am content to live. And I protest openly that I do not go over to the Romans as a deserter of the Jews, but as a minister from thee.” 3.361. 5. Upon this Josephus was afraid of their attacking him, and yet thought he should be a betrayer of the commands of God, if he died before they were delivered. So he began to talk like a philosopher to them in the distress he was then in 3.400. “Thou, O Vespasian, thinkest no more than that thou hast taken Josephus himself captive; but I come to thee as a messenger of greater tidings; for had not I been sent by God to thee, I knew what was the law of the Jews in this case? and how it becomes generals to die. 4.462. for he went out of the city to this fountain, and threw into the current an earthen vessel full of salt; after which he stretched out his righteous hand unto heaven, and, pouring out a mild drink-offering, he made this supplication,—That the current might be mollified, and that the veins of fresh water might be opened; 4.463. that God also would bring into the place a more temperate and fertile air for the current, and would bestow upon the people of that country plenty of the fruits of the earth, and a succession of children; and that this prolific water might never fail them, while they continued to be righteous. 4.464. To these prayers Elisha joined proper operations of his hands, after a skillful manner, and changed the fountain; and that water, which had been the occasion of barrenness and famine before, from that time did supply a numerous posterity, and afforded great abundance to the country. 4.626. “It is a shameful thing (said he) that this man, who hath foretold my coming to the empire beforehand, and been the minister of a Divine message to me, should still be retained in the condition of a captive or prisoner.” So he called for Josephus, and commanded that he should be set at liberty;

16. Anon., Letter of Aristeas, 228

228. Having expressed his agreement with the answer, the king asked the sixth to reply to the question, To whom ought we to exhibit gratitude? And he replied, 'To our parents continually, for God has given us a most important commandment with regard to the honour due to parents. In the next place He reckons the attitude of friend towards friend for He speaks of'a friend which is as thine own soul'. You do well in trying to bring all men into friendship with yourself.' 228. Having expressed his agreement with the answer, the king asked the sixth to reply to the question, To whom ought we to exhibit gratitude? And he replied, 'To our parents continually, for God has given us a most important commandment with regard to the honour due to parents. In the next place He reckons the attitude of friend towards friend for He speaks of "a friend which is as thine own soul". You do well in trying to bring all men into friendship with yourself.'

Subjects of this text:

subject	book bibliographic info
aaron	Levison, The Greek Life of Adam and Eve (2023) 545
deception	Levison, The Greek Life of Adam and Eve (2023) 545
elisha	JonquiÃ¨re, Prayer in Josephus Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity (2007) 213
head	Levison, The Greek Life of Adam and Eve (2023) 545
jerusalem	Levison, The Greek Life of Adam and Eve (2023) 545
josephus, as character	JonquiÃ¨re, Prayer in Josephus Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity (2007) 213
joshua	JonquiÃ¨re, Prayer in Josephus Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity (2007) 213
michael	Levison, The Greek Life of Adam and Eve (2023) 545
priest'	JonquiÃ¨re, Prayer in Josephus Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity (2007) 213
priest, high	Levison, The Greek Life of Adam and Eve (2023) 545
submission	Levison, The Greek Life of Adam and Eve (2023) 545
tree	Levison, The Greek Life of Adam and Eve (2023) 545
vespasian	JonquiÃ¨re, Prayer in Josephus Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity (2007) 213