salem to purify themselves," John
11:55, with 12:1; in agreement with Josephus also, B. V. ch. 3. sect.
1. And it might well be, that in the sight of these this extraordinary
light might appear.

[22] This here seems to be the court of the priests.

[23] Both Reland and Havercamp in this place alter the natural
punctuation and sense of Josephus, and this contrary to the opinion of
Valesilus and Dr. Hudson, lest Josephus should say that the Jews built
booths or tents within the temple at the feast of tabernacles; which
the later Rabbins will not allow to have been the ancient practice: but
then, since it is expressly told us in Nehemiah, ch. 8:16, that in still
elder times "the Jews made booths in the courts of the house of God"
at that festival, Josephus may well be permitted to say the same.
And indeed the modern Rabbins are of very small authority in all such
matters of remote antiquity.

[24] Take Havercamp's note here: "This [says he] is a remarkable place;
and Tertullian truly says in his Apologetic, ch. 16. p. 162, that the
entire religion of the Roman camp almost consisted in worshipping the
ensigns, in swearing by the ensigns, and in preferring the ensigns
before all the [other] gods." See what Havercamp says upon that place of
Tertullian.

[25] This declaring Titus imperator by the soldiers, upon such signal
success, and the slaughter of such a vast number of enemies, was
according to the usual practice of the Romans in like cases, as Reland
assures us on this place.

[26] The Jews of later times agree with Josephus, that there were
hiding-places or secret chambers about the holy house, as Reland here
informs us, where he thinks he has found these very walls described by
them.

[27] Spanheim notes here, that the Romans used to permit the Jews to
collect their sacred tribute, and send it to Jerusalem; of which we have
had abundant evidence in Josephus already on other occasions.

[28] This innumerable multitude of Jews that were "sold" by the Romans
was an eminent completion of God's ancient threatening by Moses, that
if they apostatized from the obedience to his laws, they should be "sold
unto their enemies for bond-men and bond-women," Deuteronomy 28;68.
See more especially the note on ch. 9. sect. 2. But one thing is here
peculiarly remarkable, that Moses adds, Though they should be "sold" for
slaves, yet "no man should buy them;" i.e. either they should have none
to redeem them from this sale into s