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any thing new which is not in the other to his kingdom of Egypt；
and ejected Archelaus； whom they had set up for king；〃 &c。 See
Prid。 at the years 61 and 65。
（12） Dr。 Hudson observes； that the name of this wife of Antipater
in Josephus was Cypros； as a Hebrew termination； but not Cypris；
the Greek name for Venus； as some critics were ready to correct
it。
（13） Take Dr。 Hudson's note upon this place； which I suppose to
be the truth： 〃Here is some mistake in Josephus； for when he had
promised us a decree for the restoration of Jerusalem he brings
in a decree of far greater antiquity； and that a league of
friendship and union only。 One may easily believe that Josephus
gave order for one thing； and his amanuensis performed another；
by transposing decrees that concerned the Hyrcani； and as deluded
by the sameness of their names； for that belongs to the first
high priest of this name； ＇John Hyrcanus；＇ which Josephus here
ascribes to one that lived later ＇Hyrcanus； the son of Alexander
Janneus＇。 However； the decree which he proposes to set down
follows a little lower； in the collection of Raman decrees that
concerned the Jews and is that dated when Caesar was consul the
fifth time。〃 See ch。 10。 sect。 5。
（14） Those who will carefully observe the several occasional
numbers and chronological characters in the life and death of
this Herod； and of his children； hereafter noted； will see that
twenty…five years； and not fifteen； must for certain have been
here Josephus's own number for the age of Herod； when he was made
governor of Galilee。 See ch。 23。 sect。 5； and ch。 24。 sect。 7；
and particularly Antiq。 B。 XVII。 ch。 8。 sect。 1； where about
forty…four years afterwards Herod dies an old man at about
seventy。
（15） It is here worth our while to remark； that none could be put
to death in Judea but by the approbation of the Jewish Sanhedrim；
there being an excellent provision in the law of Moses； that even
in criminal causes； and particularly where life was concerned； an
appeal should lie from the lesser councils of seven in the other
cities to the supreme council of seventy…one at Jerusalem； and
that is exactly according to our Savior's words； when he says；
〃It could not be that a prophet should perish out of Jerusalem；〃
Luke 13：33。
（16） This account； as Reland observes； is confirmed by the
Talmudists； who call this Sameas； 〃Simeon； the son of Shetach。〃
（17） That Hyreanus was himself in Egypt； along with Antipater； at
this time； to whom accordingly the bold and prudent actions of
his deputy Antipater are here ascribed； as this decree of Julius
Caesar supposes； we are further assured by the testimony of
Strabo； already produced by Josephus； ch。 8。 sect。 3。
（18） Dr。 Hudson justly supposes that the Roman imperators； or
generals of armies； meant both here and sect。 2； who gave
testimony to Hyrcanus's and the Jews' faithfulness and goodwill
to the Romans before the senate and people of Rome； were
principally Pompey； Scaurus； and Gabinius ；of all whom Josephus
had already given us the history； so far as the Jews were
concerned with them。
（19） We have here a most remarkable and authentic attestation of
the citizens of Pergamus； that Abraham was the father of all the
Hebrews； that their own ancestors were； in the oldest times； the
friends of those Hebrews； and that the public arts of their city；
then extant； confirmed the same； which evidence is too strong to
be evaded by our present ignorance of the particular occasion of
such ancient friendship and alliance between those people。 See
the like full evidence of the kindred of the Lacedemonians and
the Jews； and that became they were both of the posterity of
Abraham； by a public epistle of those people to the Jews；
preserved in the First Book of the Maccabees； 12：19…23； and
thence by Josephus； Antiq。 B。 XII。 ch。 4 sect。 10； both which
authentic records are highly valuable。 It is also well worthy of
observation； what Moses Chorenensis； the principal Armenian
historian； informs us of； p。 83； that Arsaces； who raised the
Parthian empire； was of the ：seed of Abraham by Chetura； and that
thereby was accomplished that prediction which said； 〃Kings of
nations shall proceed from thee；〃 Genesis 17：6。
（20） If we compare Josephus's promise in sect。 1； to produce all
the public decrees of the Romans in favor of the Jews； with his
excuse here for omitting many of them； we may observe； that when
he came to transcribe all those decrees he had collected； he
found them so numerous； that he thought he should too much tire
his readers if he had attempted it； which he thought a sufficient
apology for his omitting the rest of them； yet do those by him
produced afford such a strong confirmation to his history； and
give such great light to even the Roman antiquities themselves；
that I believe the curious are not a little sorry for such his
omissions。
（21） For Marcus； this president of Syria； sent as successor to
Sextus Caesar； the Roman historians require us to read 〃Marcus〃
in Josephus； and this perpetually； both in these Antiquities； and
in his History of the Wars； as the learned generally agree。
（22） In this and the following chapters the reader will easily
remark； how truly Gronovius observes； in his notes on the Roman
decrees in favor of the Jews； that their rights and privileges
were commonly purchased of the Romans with money。 Many examples
of this sort； both as to the Romans and others in authority； will
occur in our Josephus； both now and hereafter； and need not be
taken particular notice of on the several occasions in these
notes。 Accordingly； the chief captain confesses to St。 Paul that
〃with a great sum he had obtained his freedom；〃 Acts 22：28； as
had St。 Paul's ancestors； very probably； purchased the like
freedom for their family by money； as the same author justly
concludes also。
（23） This clause plainly alludes to that well…known but unusual
and very long darkness of the sun which happened upon the ：murder
of Julius Cesar by Brutus and Cassius； which is greatly taken
notice of by Virgil； Pliny； and other Roman authors。 See Virgil's
Georgics； B。 I。； just before the end； and Pliny's Nat。 Hist。 B。
IL ch。 33。
（24） We may here take notice that espousals alone were of old
esteemed a sufficient foundation for affinity； Hyrcanus being
here called father…in…law to Herod because his granddaughter
Mariarune was betrothed to him； although the marriage was not
completed till four years afterwards。 See Matthew 1：16。
（25） This law of Moses； that the priests were to be 〃without
blemish；〃 as to all the parts of their bodies； is in Leviticus
21：17…24
（26） Concerning the chronology of Herod； and the time when he was
first made king at Rome； and concerning the time when he began
his second reign； without a rival； upon the conquest and
slaughter of Antigonus； both principally derived from this and
the two next chapters in Josephus； see the note on sect。 6； and
ch。 15。 sect。 10。
（27） This grievous want of water at Masada； till the place had
like to have been taken by the Parthians； （mentioned both here；
and Of the War； B。 I。 ch。 15。 sect。 1；） is an indication that it
was now summer time。
（28） This affirmation of Antigonus； spoken in the days of Herod；
and in a manner to his face； that he was an Idumean； i。e。 a half
Jew； seems to me of much greater authority than that pretense of
his favorite and flatterer Nicolaus of Damascus； that he derived
his pedigree from Jews as far backward as the Babylonish
captivity； ch。 1。 sect。 3。 Accordingly Josephus always esteems
him an Idumean； though he says his father Antipater was of the
same people with the Jews； ch。 viii。 sect。 1。 and by birth a Jew；
Antiq。 B。 XX。 ch。 8。 sect。 7； as indeed all such proselytes of
justice； as the Idumeans； were in time esteemed the very same
people with the Jews。
（29） It may be worth our observation here； that these soldiers of
Herod could not have gotten upon the tops of these houses which
were full of enemies； in order to pull up the upper floors； and
destroy them beneath； but by ladders from the out side； which
illustrates some texts in the New Testament； by which it appears
that men used to ascend thither by ladders on the outsides。 See
Matthew 24：17； Mark 13：15； Luke 5：19； 17：31。
（30） Note here； that Josephus fully and frequently assures us
that there passed above three years between Herod's first
obtaining the kingdom at Rome； and his second obtaining it upon
the taking of Jerusalem and death of Antigonus。 The present
history of this interval twice mentions the army going into
winter quarters； which perhaps belonged to two several winters；
ch。 15。 sect。 3； 4； and though Josephus says nothing how long
they lay in those quarters； yet does he give such an account of
the long and studied delays of Ventidius； Silo； and Macheras； who
were to see Herod settled in his new kingdom； but seem not to
have had sufficient forces for that purpose； and were for certain
all corrupted by Antigonus to make the longest delays possible；
and gives us such particular accounts of the many great actions
of Herod during the same interval； as fairly imply that interval；
before Herod went to Samosata； to have