, though
none of their periods were that of a just week as of old this appears to
have been.
[8] Vespasian and his two sons, Titus and Domitian.
[9] See the representations of these Jewish vessels as they still stand
on Titus's triumphal arch at Rome, in Reland's very curious book de
Spoliis Ternpli, throughout. But what, things are chiefly to be noted
are these: [1.] That Josephus says the candlestick here carried in this
triumph was not thoroughly like that which was used in the temple, which
appears in the number of the little knobs and flowers in that on the
triumphal arch not well agreeing with Moses's description, Exodus
25:31-36. [2.] The smallness of the branches in Josephus compared with
the thickness of those on that arch. [3.] That the Law or Pentateuch
does not appear on that arch at all, though Josephus, an eye-witness,
assures us that it was carried in this procession. All which things
deserve the consideration of the inquisitive reader.
[10] Spanheim observes here, that in Graceia Major and Sicily they had
rue prodigiously great and durable, like this rue at Macherus.
[11] This strange account of the place and root Baaras seems to have
been taken from the magicians, and the root to have been made use of in
the days of Josephus, in that superstitious way of casting out demons,
supposed by him to have been derived from king Solomon; of which we have
already seen he had a great opinion, Antiq. B. VIII. ch. 2. sect. 5.
We also may hence learn the true notion Josephus had of demons and
demoniacs, exactly like that of the Jews and Christians in the New
Testament, and the first four centuries. See Antiq. B. I. ch. 8. sect.
2; B. XI, ch. 2. sect. 3.
[12] It is very remarkable that Titus did not people this now desolate
country of Judea, but ordered it to be all sold; nor indeed is it
properly peopled at this day, but lies ready for its old inhabitants
the Jews, at their future restoration. See Literal Accomplishment of
Prophecies, p. 77.
[13] That the city Emmaus, or Areindus, in Josephus and others which
was the place of the government of Julius Africanus were slain, to the
number of one thousand seven hundred, as were the women and the children
made slaves. But as Bassus thought he must perform the covenant he had
made with those that had surrendered the citadel, he let them go, and
restored Eleazar to them, in the beginning of the third century, and
which he then procured to be rebuilt, and after
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