n Josephus, but, as I think, none so remarkable as
this. See Wall's Critical Observations on the Old Testament, p. 49, 50.

[29] We have also, in this and the next section, two eminent facts to be
observed, viz. the first example, that I remember, in Josephus, of the
onset of the Jews' enemies upon their country when their males were gone
up to Jerusalem to one of their three sacred festivals; which, during
the theocracy, God had promised to preserve them from, Exodus 34:24. The
second fact is this, the breach of the sabbath by the seditions Jews in
an offensive fight, contrary to the universal doctrine and practice of
their nation in these ages, and even contrary to what they themselves
afterward practiced in the rest of this war. See the note on Antiq. B.
XVI. ch. 2. sect. 4.

[30] There may another very important, and very providential, reason be
here assigned for this strange and foolish retreat of Cestius; which, if
Josephus had been now a Christian, he might probably have taken notice
of also; and that is, the affording the Jewish Christians in the city an
opportunity of calling to mind the prediction and caution given them
by Christ about thirty-three years and a half before, that "when they
should see the abomination of desolation" [the idolatrous Roman armies,
with the images of their idols in their ensigns, ready to lay Jerusalem
desolate] "stand where it ought not;" or, "in the holy place;" or, "when
they should see Jerusalem any one instance of a more unpolitic, but
more providential, compassed with armies;" they should then "flee to
the mound conduct than this retreat of Cestius visible during this whole
rains." By complying with which those Jewish Christians fled I siege of
Jerusalem; which yet was providentially such a "great to the mountains
of Perea, and escaped this destruction. See tribulation, as had not
been from the beginning of the world to that time; no, Lit. Accompl. of
Proph. p. 69, 70. Nor was there, perhaps, nor ever should be."--Ibid. p.
70, 71.

[31] From this name of Joseph the son of Gorion, or Gorion the son of
Joseph, as B. IV. ch. 3. sect. 9, one of the governors of Jerusalem, who
was slain at the beginning of the tumults by the zealots, B. IV. ch. 6.
sect. 1, the much later Jewish author of a history of that nation takes
his title, and yet personates our true Josephus, the son of Matthias;
but the cheat is too gross to be put upon the learned world.

[32] We may observe here, that