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copies say it was on the tenth； and so say the Jewish calendars
also； as Dr。 Bernard assures us。 It is said her sepulcher is
still extant near Petra； the old capital city of Arabia Petraea；
at this day； as also that of Aaron； not far off。
（7） What Josephus here remarks is well worth our remark in this
place also； viz。 that the Israelites were never to meddle with
the Moabites； or Ammonites； or any other people； but those
belonging to the land of Canaan； and the countries of Sihon and
Og beyond Jordan； as far as the desert and Euphrates； and that
therefore no other people had reason to fear the conquests of the
Israelites； but that those countries given them by God were their
proper and peculiar portion among the nations； and that all who
endeavored to dispossess them might ever be justly destroyed by
them。
（8） Note that Josephus never supposes Balaam to be an idolater；
nor to seek idolatrous enchantments； or to prophesy falsely； but
to be no other than an ill…disposed prophet of the true God； and
intimates that God's answer the second time； permitting him to
go； was ironical； and on design that he deceived （which sort of
deception； by way of punishment for former crimes； Josephus never
scruples to admit； as ever esteeming such wicked men justly and
providentially deceived）。 But perhaps we had better keep here
close to the text which says Numbers 23：20； 21； that God only
permitted Balaam to go along with the ambassadors； in case they
came and called him； or positively insisted on his going along
with them； on any terms； whereas Balaam seems out of impatience
to have risen up in the morning； and saddled his ass； and rather
to have called them； than staid for their calling him； so zealous
does he seem to have been for his reward of divination； his wages
of unrighteousness； Numbers 23：7； 17； 18； 37； 2 Peter 2：15； Jude
5； 11； which reward or wages the truly religious prophets of God
never required nor accepted； as our Josephus justly takes notice
in the cases of Samuel； Antiq。 B。 V。 ch。 4。 sect。 1； and Daniel；
Antiq。 B。 X。 ch。 11。 sect。 3。 See also Genesis 14：22； 23； 2 Kings
5：15； 16； 26； 27； and Acts 8；17…24。
（9） Whether Josephus had in his copy but two attempts of Balaam
in all to curse Israel； or whether by this his twice offering
sacrifice； he meant twice besides that first time already
mentioned； which yet is not very probable； cannot now be
certainly determined。 In the mean time； all other copies have
three such attempts of Balaam to curse them in the present
history。
（10） Such a large and distinct account of this perversion of the
Israelites by the Midianite women； of which our other copies give
us but short intimations； Numbers 31：16 2 Peter 2：15； Jude 11；
Revelation 2：14； is preserved； as Reland informs us； in the
Samaritan Chronicle； in Philo； and in other writings of the Jews；
as well as here by Josephus。
（11） This grand maxim； That God's people of Israel could never be
hurt nor destroyed； but by drawing them to sin against God；
appears to be true； by the entire history of that people； both in
the Bible and in Josephus； and is often taken notice of in them
both。 See in particular a most remarkable Ammonite testimony to
this purpose； Judith 5：5…21。
（12） What Josephus here puts into the mouths of these Midianite
women； who came to entice the Israelites to lewdness and
idolatry； viz。 that their worship of the God of Israel； in
opposition to their idol gods； implied their living according to
the holy laws which the true God had given them by Moses； in
opposition to those impure laws which were observed under their
false gods； well deserves our consideration； and gives us a
substantial reason for the great concern that was ever shown
under the law of Moses to preserve the Israelites from idolatry；
and in the worship of the true God； it being of no less
consequence than； Whether God's people should be governed by the
holy laws of the true God； or by the impure laws derived from
demons； under the pagan idolatry。
（13） The mistake in all Josephus's copies； Greek and Latin which
have here fourteen thousand instead of twenty…four thousand； is
so flagrant； that our very learned editors； Bernard and Hudson；
have put the latter number directly into the text。 I choose
rather to put it in brackets。
（14） The slaughter of all the Midianite women that had
prostituted themselves to the lewd Israelites； and the
preservation of those that had not been guilty therein； the last
of which were no fewer than thirty…two thousand； both here and
Numbers 31：15…17； 35； 40； 46； and both by the particular command
of God； are highly remarkable； and show that； even in nations
otherwise for their wickedness doomed to destruction； the
innocent were sometimes particularly and providentially taken
care of； and delivered from that destruction； which directly
implies； that it was the wickedness of the nations of Canaan； and
nothing else； that occasioned their excision。 See Genesis 15；16；
1 Samuel 15：18； 33； Apost。 Constit。 B。 VIII。 ch。 12。 p。 402。 In
the first of which places； the reason of the delay of the
punishment of the Amorites is given； because 〃their iniquity was
not yet full。〃 In the secured； Saul is ordered to go and 〃destroy
the sinners； the Amalekites；〃 plainly implying that they were
therefore to be destroyed； because they were sinners； and not
otherwise。 In the third； the reason is given why king Agag was
not to be spared； viz。 because of his former cruelty： 〃As thy
sword hath made the （Hebrew） women childless； so shall thy mother
be made childless among women by the Hebrews。〃 In the last place；
the apostles； or their amanuensis Clement； gave this reason for
the necessity of the coming of Christ； that 〃men had formerly
perverted both the positive law； and that of nature； and had cast
out of their mind the memory of the Flood； the burning of Sodom；
the plagues of the Egyptians； and the slaughter of the
inhabitants of Palestine；〃 as signs of the most amazing
impenitence and insensibility； under the punishments of horrid
wickedness。
（15） Josephus here； in this one sentence； sums up his notion of
Moses's very long and very serious exhortations in the book of
Deuteronomy； and his words are so true； and of such importance；
that they deserve to be had in constant remembrance。
（16） This law； both here and Exodus 20：25； 26； of not going up to
God's altar by ladder…steps； but on an acclivity； seems not to
have belonged to the altar of the tabernacle； which was in all
but three cubits high； Exodus 27：4； nor to that of Ezekiel； which
was expressly to be gone up to by steps； ch。 43：17； but rather to
occasional altars of any considerable altitude and largeness； as
also probably to Solomon's altar； to which it is here applied by
Josephus； as well as to that in Zorobabel's and Herod's temple；
which were； I think； all ten cubits high。 See 2 Chronicles 4：1；
and Antiq。 B。 VIII。 ch。 3。 sect。 7。 The reason why these temples；
and these only； were to have this ascent on an acclivity； and not
by steps； is obvious； that before the invention of stairs； such
as we now use； decency could not be otherwise provided for in the
loose garments which the priests wore； as the law required。 See
Lamy of the Tabernacle and Temple； p。 444。
（17） The hire of public or secret harlots was given to Venus in
Syria； as Lucian informs us； p。 878； and against some such vile
practice of the old idolaters this law seems to have been made。
（18） The Apostolical Constitutions； B。 II。 ch。 26。 sect。 31；
expound this law of Moses； Exodus 22。 28； 〃Thou shalt not revile
or blaspheme the gods；〃 or magistrates； which is a much more
probable exposition than this of Josephus； of heathen gillis； as
here； and against Apion； B。 II。 ch。 3。 sect。 31。 What book of the
law was thus publicly read； see the note on Antiq。 B。 X。 ch。 5。
sect。 5； and 1 Esd。 9：8…55。
（19）Whether these phylacteries； and other Jewish memorials of the
law here mentioned by Josephus； and by Muses； （besides the
fringes on the borders of their garments； Numbers 15：37；） were
literally meant by God； I much question。 That they have been long
observed by the Pharisees and Rabbinical Jews is certain；
however； the Karaites； who receive not the unwritten traditions
of the elders； but keep close to the written law； with Jerome and
Grotius； think they were not literally to be understood； as
Bernard and Reland here take notice。 Nor indeed do I remember
that； either in the ancienter books of the Old Testament； or in
the books we call Apocrypha； there are any signs of such literal
observations appearing among the Jews； though their real or
mystical signification； i。e。 the constant remembrance and
observation of the laws of God by Moses； be frequently inculcated
in all the sacred writings。
（20） Here； as well as elsewhere； sect。 38； of his Life； sect。 14；
and of the War； B。 II。 ch。 20。 sect。 5； are but seven judges
appointed for small cities； instead of twenty…three in the modern
Rabidns； which modern Rabbis are always but of very little
authority in comparison of our Josephus。
（21） I have never observed elsewhere； that in the Jewish
government women were not admitted as legal witnesses in cour