into Greek, signifies a prospect, for you have thence a
prospect both of Jerusalem and of the temple. And when the Phoenicians
and the Chaldeans that followed him thought they should have liberty to
plunder the city, and torment the high priest to death, which the king's
displeasure fairly promised them, the very reverse of it happened; for
Alexander, when he saw the multitude at a distance, in white garments,
while the priests stood clothed with fine linen, and the high priest
in purple and scarlet clothing, with his mitre on his head, having the
golden plate whereon the name of God was engraved, he approached by
himself, and adored that name, and first saluted the high priest.
The Jews also did all together, with one voice, salute Alexander, and
encompass him about; whereupon the kings of Syria and the rest were
surprised at what Alexander had done, and supposed him disordered in his
mind. However, Parmenio alone went up to him, and asked him how it
came to pass that, when all others adored him, he should adore the high
priest of the Jews? To whom he replied, "I did not adore him, but that
God who hath honored him with his high priesthood; for I saw this very
person in a dream, in this very habit, when I was at Dios in Macedonia,
who, when I was considering with myself how I might obtain the dominion
of Asia, exhorted me to make no delay, but boldly to pass over the
sea thither, for that he would conduct my army, and would give me the
dominion over the Persians; whence it is that, having seen no other
in that habit, and now seeing this person in it, and remembering that
vision, and the exhortation which I had in my dream, I believe that I
bring this army under the Divine conduct, and shall therewith conquer
Darius, and destroy the power of the Persians, and that all things will
succeed according to what is in my own mind." And when he had said this
to Parmenio, and had given the high priest his right hand, the priests
ran along by him, and he came into the city. And when he went up into
the temple, he offered sacrifice to God, according to the high priest's
direction, and magnificently treated both the high priest and the
priests. And when the Book of Daniel was showed him [23] wherein
Daniel declared that one of the Greeks should destroy the empire of the
Persians, he supposed that himself was the person intended. And as he
was then glad, he dismissed the multitude for the present; but the next
day he called them to hi