66 66 passed all nations in good-will towards us, and frequently have undertaken the greatest dangers 27" of all men for our sake? Loose, loose utterly, "the unjust bonds: send them away in peace to "their own homes, having asked their forgiveness 28" of what has been already done. Set free the "sons of the almighty, heavenly, living God, who "from the days of our ancestors until this pre"sent time has vouchsafed to our affairs an uninterrupted prosperous stability." 29 66 Thus he spake; and the Jews being released in a moment blessed the holy God their deliverer, 30 having that instant escaped from death. Then 31 the king returning to the city called for him who was over his revenues, and commanded him to supply the Jews with wines and other things requisite for a feast during seven days: resolving that in the place wherein they had expected to meet destruction, in that they should keep a festival of deliverance with all joyfulness. Then those who before were reviled and were near to death, or rather were entering into it; instead of a bitter and most lamentable fate, formed together a festive party to celebrate their preservation; and parted the places, which had been pre pared for their fall and funeral, into several tents, (or companies,) being filled with gladness. And 32 leaving off their doleful strain of lamentation, they again took up the hymn of their fathers, praising the Saviour and wonder-working God: and having put away from them all groaning and wailing, they formed themselves into dances as a sign of peaceful joy. In like manner also the king made 33 a great feast on this occasion, and without ceasing made acknowledgments to Heaven in a magnificent way, on account of the unexpected deliverance which had befallen them. And they, who before gave them up as lost and 34 about to be devoured by birds", and had joyfully registered them; now groaned for that they had clothed themselves in shame, and their fire-breathing boldness was ingloriously quenched. But the Jews, as we have said already, having 35 formed the aforementioned dance, passed the time in feasting, with joyful thanksgivings and psalms. And made a common decree on this occasion 36 through all the dwellings of their pilgrimage for after generations; and appointed to celebrate the above-named days as days of gladness: not for the sake of drinking and gluttony 2, but by reason of that deliverance which they had received through 37 God. And they addressed themselves to the king, desiring their dismissal to their own homes. 38 Now they had registered them from the five and twentieth day of Pachon, to the fourth day of Epiphi, during forty days: and they determined their destruction from the fifth day of Epi39 phib until the seventh, for three days. In which the Lord of the universe did most gloriously manifest his mercy, and delivered them all together without hurt. 40 And they feasted, being supplied with all things by the king, until the fourteenth day, wherein 41 they made address for their dismissal. And when the king had acceded to their request, he wrote for them to his commanders in every city the subjoined epistle, to the following generous purport d. 1 CHAPTER VII. Ptolemy's letter in favour of the Jews. turn home. Their happy re "KING Ptolemy Philopator to the commanders "in Egypt, and all who are set over our affairs, 2" joy and health. We ourselves are well, as also 1550 renders it, "not to bib "and bowl in, for gluttony;" thus incidentally illustrating the English habits and games of the age of king Edward VI. a This Egyptian month answers nearly to our April and May. b Answering nearly to our June and July, and to the Macedonian Panemus. Archbishop Ussher reckons these forty days of registering to have included from the 20th of May to the 29th of June. c Or, "had commanded "them :" Gr. ovvaivéσas avTOÚS. Compare ch. vii. 12. d Gr. μεγαλοψύχως τὴν ἐκτεvíav exovorav. Josephus, on a similar occasion, uses the phrase, προσθεῖναι γράμματα ὑπέσχετο μεγαλοπρεπῶς ἔχοντα. Antiq. xii. c. 2. "are our children, the great God having directed "our affairs according as we wish. 66 "Certain of our friends, out of ill-nature, did 3 frequently press hard upon us, and persuade us "to collect in a body the Jews who were in our 66 66 66 kingdom, and to punish them with the strange "punishments of traitors. Alleging that our af- 4 "fairs would never be firmly settled, by reason of "that disaffectionb which these men have towards "all other nations, until this were done. Who also, 5 having brought them in bonds with vexation, as "slaves, or rather as traitors, attempted to put "them to death without any examination or inquiry, having cloked themselves in a more than Scythian barbarity. But we upon this most 6 severely threatened them, out of that equity "which we bear towards all men, and with difficulty granted them their lives; and acknowledging that God of heaven, who has protected "the Jews in safety; and constantly has fought "for them as a father for his children: and call- 7 ing to mind that firm, friendly affection, which they have had for us and our ancestors; 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 66 we have in justice released them from all blame, on any account whatsoever. And have enjoined g "them every one to return to their own homes, "no person in any place doing them harm, or reproaching them with the things which have "been done to them without all reason. 66 For 9 "know ye, that if we shall maliciously devise evil a Compare chapter iv. 4, and the note there: also 3 Macc. ix. 6. b See, above, the note on chapter iii. 7. c Gr. νόμου Σκυθῶν ἀγριοτέραν ἐμπεπορπημένοι ωμότητα, The expression is remarkable, signifying literally "fastening " around them as a cloak." 10 66 66 against these men, or at all grieve them, we shall ever inevitably have not man, but the Most High "God, the Lord of all power, opposed to us, for "the avenging of such deeds. Fare ye well." But the Jews having received this epistle, did not immediately hasten to begin their journey: but petitioned the king that those of the Jewish race who had voluntarily transgressed against the holy God and the law of God, might meet through them such punishment as they had deserved d. 11 Alleging that they who had transgressed the Divine commands for their belly's sake, would never be well affectede even to the king's affairs. 12 He then, admitting what they said to be true, and approving it, gave them full liberty to destroy those who had transgressed the law of God, in every place within his kingdom: and this with all freedom, without any further authority or inspec13 tionf from the king. Hereupon, having paid him d See Deuteron. xiii. 6— 10. In subsequent times the Jews were compelled to ask permission from their foreign rulers to execute this law: as at Esther vi. 8—11, and here. So likewise the Jews hypocritically reply to Pontius Pilate, "It is not lawful for 66 us to put any man to "death." John xviii. 31. e Grotius, in a note on this passage, cites the act of Constantius Chlorus, father of the emperor Constantine; who, wishing to put to a proof the fidelity and principle of his officers, threatened all of them with the loss of their dignities unless they renounced Christianity. And when some surrendered their religious f Gr. ἄνευ πάσης βασιλικῆς ἐξουσίας ἢ ἐπισκέψεως. |