der's
successors, reproaches us with superstition, as if we, by it, had lost
our liberty; where he says thus: "There is a nation called the nation
of the Jews, who inhabit a city strong and great, named Jerusalem. These
men took no care, but let it come into the hands of Ptolemy, as not
willing to take arms, and thereby they submitted to be under a hard
master, by reason of their unseasonable superstition." This is what
Agatharchides relates of our nation. But when Ptolemy had taken a great
many captives, both from the mountainous parts of Judea, and from the
places about Jerusalem and Samaria, and the places near Mount Gerizzim,
he led them all into Egypt, [2] and settled them there. And as he knew
that the people of Jerusalem were most faithful in the observation of
oaths and covenants; and this from the answer they made to Alexander,
when he sent an embassage to them, after he had beaten Darius in battle;
so he distributed many of them into garrisons, and at Alexandria gave
them equal privileges of citizens with the Macedonians themselves;
and required of them to take their oaths, that they would keep their
fidelity to the posterity of those who committed these places to their
care. Nay, there were not a few other Jews who, of their own accord,
went into Egypt, as invited by the goodness of the soil, and by
the liberality of Ptolemy. However, there were disorders among their
posterity, with relation to the Samaritans, on account of their
resolution to preserve that conduct of life which was delivered to them
by their forefathers, and they thereupon contended one with another,
while those of Jerusalem said that their temple was holy, and resolved
to send their sacrifices thither; but the Samaritans were resolved that
they should be sent to Mount Gerizzim.

CHAPTER 2. How Ptolemy Philadelphus Procured The Laws Of The Jews To
Be Translated Into The Greek Tongue And Set Many Captives Free, And
Dedicated Many Gifts To God.

1. When Alexander had reigned twelve years, and after him Ptolemy Soter
forty years, Philadelphus then took the kingdom of Egypt, and held it
forty years within one. He procured the law to be interpreted, and set
free those that were come from Jerusalem into Egypt, and were in slavery
there, who were a hundred and twenty thousand. The occasion was this:
Demetrius Phalerius, who was library keeper to the king, was now
endeavoring, if it were possible, to gather together all the books
that were