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may take notice； that although Josephus was one of the greatest
lovers of truth in the world； yet in a just war he seems to have
had no manner of scruple upon him by all such stratagems possible
to deceive public enemies。 See this Josephus's account of
Jeremiah's imposition on the great men of the Jews in somewhat
like case； Antiq。 B。 X。 ch。 7。 sect。 6； 2 Samuel 16：16； &c。
（10） This son of a murderer was Joram； the son of Ahab； which
Ahab slew； or permitted his wife Jezebel to slay； the Lord's
prophets； and Naboth； 1 Kings 18：4； 21：19； and he is here called
by this name； I suppose； because he had now also himself sent an
officer to murder him； yet is Josephus's account of Joram's
coming himself at last。 as repenting of his intended cruelty；
much more probable than that in our copies； 2 Kings 6：33； which
rather implies the contrary。
（11） This law of the Jews； for the exclusion of lepers out of the
camp in the wilderness； and out of the cities in Judea； is a
known one； Leviticus 13：46； Numbers 5：14。
（12） Since Elijah did not live to anoint Hazael king of Syria
himself； as he was empowered to do； 1 Kings 19：15； it was most
probably now done； in his name； by his servant and successor
Elisha。 Nor does it seem to me otherwise but that Benhadad
immediately recovered of his disease； as the prophet foretold；
and that Hazael； upon his being anointed to succeed him though he
ought to have staid till he died by the course of nature； or some
other way of Divine punishment； as did David for many years in
the like case； was too impatient； and the very next day smothered
or strangled him； in order to come directly to the succession。
（13） What Mr。 Le Clerc pretends here； that it is more probable
that Hazael and his son were worshipped by the Syrians and people
of Damascus till the days of Josephus； than Benhadad and Hazael；
because under Benhadad they had greatly suffered； and because it
is almost incredible that both a king and that king's murderer
should be worshipped by the same Syrians； is of little force
against those records； out of which Josephus drew this history；
especially when it is likely that they thought Benhadad died of
the distemper he labored under； and not by Hazael's treachery。
Besides； the reason that Josephus gives for this adoration； that
these two kings had been great benefactors to the inhabitants of
Damascus； and had built them temples； is too remote from the
political suspicions of Le Clerc； nor ought such weak suspicions
to be deemed of any force against authentic testimonies of
antiquity。
（14） This epistle； in some copies of Josephus； is said to come to
Jotare from Elijah； with this addition；〃 for he was yet upon
earth；〃 which could not be true of Elijah； who； as all agree； was
gone from the earth about four years before； and could only be
true of Elisha； nor perhaps is there any more mystery here； than
that the name of Elijah has very anciently crept into the text
instead of Elisha； by the copiers； there being nothing in any
copy of that epistle peculiar to Elijah。
（15） Spanheim here notes； that this putting off men's garments；
and strewing them under a king； was an Eastern custom； which he
had elsewhere explained。
（16） Our copies say that this 〃driving of the chariots was like
the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi； for he driveth furiously；〃
2 Kings 9：20； whereas Josephus's copy； as he understood it； was
this； that； on the contrary； Jehu marched slowly； and in good
order。 Nor can it be denied； that since there was interval enough
for king Joram to send out two horsemen； one after another； to
Jehu； and at length to go out with king Ahaziah to meet him； and
all this after he was come within sight of the watchman； and
before he was come to Jezreel； the probability is greatly on the
side of Josephus's copy or interpretation。
（17） This character of Joash； the son of Jehoahaz； that 〃he was a
good man； and in his disposition not at all like to his father；〃
seems a direct contradiction to our ordinary copies； which say （2
Kings 13：11） that 〃he did evil in the sight of the Lord； and that
he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam； the son of Nebat；
who made Israel to sin： he walked therein。〃 Which copies are here
the truest it is hard positively to determine。 If Josephus's be
true； this Joash is the single instance of a good king over the
ten tribes； if the other be true； we have not one such example。
The account that follows； in all copies； of Elisha the prophet's
concern for him； and his concern for Elisha； greatly favors
Josephus's copies； and supposes this king to have been then a
good man； and no idolater； with whom God's prophets used not to
be so familiar。 Upon the whole； since it appears； even by
Josephus's own account； that Amaziah； the good king of Judah；
while he was a good king； was forbidden to make use of the
hundred thousand auxiliaries he had hired of this Joash； the king
of Israel； as if he and they were then idolaters； 2 Chronicles
25：6…9； it is most likely that these different characters of
Joash suited the different parts of his reign； and that；
according to our common copies； he was at first a wicked king；
and afterwards was reclaimed； and became a good one； according to
Josephus。
（18） What I have above noted concerning Jehoash； seems to me to
have been true also concerning his son Jeroboam II。； viz。 that
although he began wickedly； as Josephus agrees with our other
copies； and； as he adds； 〃was the cause of a vast number of
misfortunes to the Israelites〃 in those his first years； （the
particulars of which are unhappily wanting both in Josephus and
in all our copies；） so does it seem to me that he was afterwards
reclaimed； and became a good king； and so was encouraged by the
prophet Jonah； and had great successes afterward； when 〃God had
saved the Israelites by the hand of Jeroboam； the son of Joash；〃
2 Kings 14：27； which encouragement by Jonah； and great successes；
are equally observable in Josephus； and in the other copies。
（19） When Jonah is said in our Bibles to have gone to Tarshish；
Jonah 1：3； Josephus understood it that he went to Tarsus in
Cilicia； or to the Mediterranean Sea； upon which Tarsus lay； so
that he does not appear to have read the text； 1 Kings 22：48； as
our copies do； that ships of Tarshish could lie at Ezion…geber；
upon the Red Sea。 But as to Josephus's assertion； that Jonah's
fish was carried by the strength of the current； upon a nean； it
is by no means an improbable determination in Josephus。
（20） This ancient piece of religion； of supposing there was great
sin where there was great misery； and of casting lots to discover
great sinners； not only among the Israelites； but among these
heathen mariners； seems a remarkable remains of the ancient
tradition which prevailed of old over all mankind； that I
Providence used to interpose visibly in all human affairs； and
storm； as far as the Euxine Sea； it is no way impossible； and
since the storm might have driven the ship； while Jonah was in it
never to bring； or at least not long to continue； notorious
judge； near to that Euxine Sea； and since in three more days；
while but for notorious sins； which the most ancient Book of he
was in the fish's belly； that current might bring him to the Job
shows to have been the state of mankind for about the Assyrian
coast； and since withal that coast could bring him former three
thousand years of the world； till the days of Job nearer to
Nineveh than could any coast of the Mediterranian and Moses。
（21） This account of an earthquake at Jerusalem at the very same
time when Uzziah usurped the priest's office； and went into the
sanctuary to burn incense； and of the consequences of the
earthquake； is entirely wanting in our other copies； though it be
exceeding like to a prophecy of Jeremiah； now in Zechariah 14：4；
5； in which prophecy mention is made of 〃fleeing from that
earthquake； as they fled from this earthquake in the days of
Uzziah king of Judah；〃 so that there seems to have been some
considerable resemblance between these historical and prophetical
earthquakes。
（22） Dr。 Wall； in his critical notes on 2 Kings 15：20； observes；
〃that when this Menahem is said to have exacted the money of
Israel of all the mighty men of wealth； of each man fifty shekels
of silver； to give Pul； the king of Assyria； a thousand talents；
this is the first public money raised by any ＇Israelite＇ king by
tax on the people； that they used before to raise it out of the
treasures of the house of the Lord； or of their own house； that
it was a poll…money on the rich men； ＇and them only；＇ to raise
？353；000； or； as others count a talent； ？400；000； at the rate of
？6 or ？7 per head； and that God commanded； by Ezekiel； ch。 45：8；
46：18； that no such thing should be done ＇at the Jews'
restoration＇； but the king should have land of his own。〃
（23） This passage is taken out of the prophet Nahum； ch。 2：8…13；
and is the principal； or rather the only； one that is given us
almost verbatim； but a little abridged； in all Josephus's known
writings： by which quotation we learn what he himself always
asserts； viz。 that he made use of the Hebrew original and not of
the Greek version＇；