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for we find no such assertion in our present copies。
（11） Those that suppose Josephus to contradict himself in his
three several accounts of the notions of the Pharisees； this
here； and that earlier one； which is the largest； Of the War B。
II。 ch。 8。 sect。 14； and that later； Antiq。 B。 XVIII。 ch。 1。
sect。 3； as if he sometimes said they introduced an absolute
fatality； and denied all freedom of human actions； is almost
wholly groundless if he ever； as the very learned Casaubon here
truly observes； asserting； that the Pharisees were between the
Essens and Sadducees； and did so far ascribe all to fate or
Divine Providence as was consistent with the freedom of human
actions。 However； their perplexed way of talking about fate； or
Providence； as overruling all things； made it commonly thought
they were willing to excuse their sins by ascribing them to fate；
as in the Apostolical Constitutions； B。 VI。 ch。 6。 Perhaps under
the same general name some difference of opinions in this point
might be propagated； as is very common in all parties； especially
in points of metaphysical subtilty。 However； our Josephus； who in
his heart was a great admirer of the piety of the Essens； was yet
in practice a Pharisee； as he himself informs us； in his own
Life； sect。 2。 And his account of this doctrine of the Pharisees
is for certain agreeable to his own opinion； who ever both fully
allowed the freedom of human actions； and yet strongly believed
the powerful interposition of Divine Providence。 See concerning
this matter a remarkable clause； Antiq。 B。 XVI。 ch。 11。 sect。 7。
（12） This king； who was of the famous race of Arsaces； is
bethused to call them； but by the elder author of the First
Maccahere； and 1 Macc。 14：2； called by the family name Arsaces；
was； the king of the Persians and Medes； according to the land
but Appion says his proper name was Phraates。 He is language of
the Eastern nations。 See Authent。 Rec。 Part II。 also called by
Josephus the king of the Parthians； as the Greeks p。 1108。
（13） There is some error in the copies here； when no more than
four years are ascribed to the high priesthood of Jonathan。 We
know by Josephus's last Jewish chronology； Antiq。 B。 XX。 ch。 10。；
that there was an interval of seven years between the death of
Alcimus； or Jacimus； the last high priest； and the real high
priesthood of Jonathan； to whom yet those seven years seem here
to be ascribed； as a part of them were to Judas before； Antiq。 B。
XII。 ch。 10。 sect。 6。 Now since； besides these seven years
interregnum in the pontificate； we are told； Antiq。 B。 XX。 ch。
10。； that Jonathan's real high priesthood lasted seven years
more； these two seven years will make up fourteen years； which I
suppose was Josephus's own number in this place； instead of the
four in our present copies。
（14） These one hundred and seventy years of the Assyrians mean no
more； as Josephus explains himself here； than from the sara of
Seleucus； which as it is known to have began on the 312th year
before the Christian sara； from its spring in the First Book of
Maccabees； and from its autumn in the Second Book of Maccabees；
so did it not begin at Babylon till the next spring； on the 311th
year。 See Prid。 at the year 312。 And it is truly observed by Dr。
Hudson on this place； that the Syrians and Assyrians are
sometimes confounded in ancient authors； according to the words
of Justin； the epitomiser of Trogus …pompeius； who says that 〃the
Assyrians were afterward called Syrian。〃 B。 I。 ch。 11。 See Of the
War； B。 V。 ch。 9。 sect。 4； where the Philistines themselves； at
the very south limit of Syria； in its utmost extent； are called
Assyrians by Josephus as Spanheim observes。
（15） It must here be diligently noted； that Josephus's copy of
the First Book of Maccabees； which he had so carefully followed；
and faithfully abridged； as far as the fiftieth verse of the
thirteenth chapter； seems there to have ended。 What few things
there are afterward common to both； might probably be learned by
him from some other more imperfect records。 However； we must
exactly observe here； what the remaining part of that book of the
Maccabees informs us of； and what Josephus would never have
omitted； had his copy contained so much； that this Simon the
Great； the Maccabee； made a league with Antiochus Soter； the son
of Demetrius Soter； and brother of the other Demetrius； who was
now a captive in Parthis： that upon his coming to the crown；
about the 140th year before the Christian sets； he granted great
privileges to the Jewish nation； and to Simon their high priest
and ethnarch； which privileges Simon seems to have taken of his
own accord about three years before。 In particular； he gave him
leave to coin money for his country with his own stamp； and as
concerning Jerusalem and the sanctuary； that they should be free；
or； as the vulgar Latin hath it； 〃holy and free；〃 1 Macc。 15：6；
7； which I take to be the truer reading； as being the very words
of his father's concession offered to Jonathan several years
before； ch。 10：31； and Antiq。 B； XIII。 ch。 2。 sect。 3。 Now what
makes this date and these grants greatly remarkable； is the state
of the remaining genuine shekels of the Jews with Samaritan
characters； which seem to have been （most of them at least）
coined in the first four years of this Simon the Asamonean； and
having upon them these words on one side； 〃Jerusalem the Holy ；〃
and on the reverse； 〃In the Year of Freedom；〃 1； or 2； or 3； or
4； which shekels therefore are original monuments of these times；
and undeniable marks of the truth of the history in these
chapters； though it be in great measure omitted by Josephus。 See
Essay on the Old Test。 p。 157； 158。 The reason why I rather
suppose that his copy of the Maccabees wanted these chapters；
than that his own copies are here imperfect； is this； that all
their contents are not here omitted； though much the greatest
part be。
（16） How Trypho killed this Antiochus the epitome of Livy informs
us； ch。 53； viz。 that he corrupted his physicians or surgeons；
who falsely pretending to the people that he was perishing with
the stone； as they cut him for it； killed him； which exactly
agrees with Josephus。
（17） That this Antiochus； the son of Alexader Balas； was called
〃The God；〃 is evident from his coins； which Spanheim assures us
bear this inscription； 〃King Antiochus the God； Epiphanes the
Victorious。〃
（18） Here Josephus begins to follow and to abridge the next
sacred Hebrew book； styled in the end of the First Book of
Maccabees； 〃The Chronicle of John ＇Hyrcanus's＇ high priesthood；〃
but in some of the Greek copies；〃 The Fourth Book of Maccabees。〃
A Greek version of this chronicle was extant not very long ago in
the days of Sautes Pagninus； and Sixtus Senensis； at Lyons；
though it seems to have been there burnt； and to be utterly lost。
See Sixtus Senensis's account of it； of its many Hebraisms； and
its great agreement with Josephus's abridgement； in the Authent。
Rec。 Part I。 p。 206； 207； 208。
（19） Hence we learn； that in the days of this excellent high
priest； John Hyrcanus； the observation of the Sabbatic year； as
Josephus supposed； required a rest from war； as did that of the
weekly sabbath from work； I mean this； unless in the case of
necessity； when the Jews were attacked by their enemies； in which
case indeed； and in which alone； they then allowed defensive
fighting to be lawful； even on the sabbath day； as we see in
several places of Josephus； Antlq。 B。 XII。 ch。 6。 sect。 2； B。
XIII。 ch。 1。 sect。 2； Of。 the War； B。 I。 ch。 7。 sect。 3。 But then
it must be noted； that this rest from war no way appears in the
First Book of Maccabees； ch。 16。； but the direct contrary； though
indeed the Jews； in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes； did not
venture upon fighting on the Sabbath day； even in the defense of
their own lives； till the Asamoneans or Maccabees decreed so to
do； 1 Macc。 2：32…41； Antiq。 B。 XII。 ch。 6。 sect。 2。
（20） Josephus's copies； both Greek and Latin； have here a gross
mistake； when they say that this first year of John Hyrcanus；
which we have just now seen to have been a Sabbatic year； was in
the 162nd olympiad； whereas it was for certain the second year of
the 161st。 See the like before； B。 XII。 ch。 7。 sect。 6。
（21） This heliacal setting of the Pleiades； or seven stars； was；
in the days of Hyrcanus and Josephus； early in the spring； about
February； the time of the latter rain in Judea； and this； so far
as I remember； is the only astronomical character of time；
besides one eclipse of the moon in the reign of Herod； that we
meet with in all Josephus； the Jews being little accustomed to
astronomical observations； any further than for the uses of their
calendar； and utterly forbidden those astrological uses which the
heathens commonly made of them。
（22） Dr。 Hudson tells us here； that this custom of gilding the
horns of those oxen that were to be sacrificed is a known thing
both in the poets and orators。
（23） This account in Josephus； that the present Antiochus was
persuaded； though in vain； not to make peace with the Jews； but
to cut them off utterly； is fully confirmed by Diodorus Siculus；
in Photiua's extracts out o