rred their
contumelious behavior to God himself, and came into the sanctuary with
polluted feet.

7. And now the multitude were going to rise against them already; for
Ananus, the ancientest of the high priests, persuaded them to it. He was
a very prudent man, and had perhaps saved the city if he could but have
escaped the hands of those that plotted against him. These men made the
temple of God a strong hold for them, and a place whither they might
resort, in order to avoid the troubles they feared from the people;
the sanctuary was now become a refuge, and a shop of tyranny. They
also mixed jesting among the miseries they introduced, which was more
intolerable than what they did; for in order to try what surprise
the people would be under, and how far their own power extended, they
undertook to dispose of the high priesthood by casting lots for it,
whereas, as we have said already, it was to descend by succession in a
family. The pretense they made for this strange attempt was an ancient
practice, while they said that of old it was determined by lot; but in
truth, it was no better than a dissolution of an undeniable law, and
a cunning contrivance to seize upon the government, derived from those
that presumed to appoint governors as they themselves pleased.

8. Hereupon they sent for one of the pontifical tribes, which is called
Eniachim, [5] and cast lots which of it should be the high priest.
By fortune the lot so fell as to demonstrate their iniquity after the
plainest manner, for it fell upon one whose name was Phannias, the son
of Samuel, of the village Aphtha. He was a man not only unworthy of the
high priesthood, but that did not well know what the high priesthood
was, such a mere rustic was he! yet did they hail this man, without his
own consent, out of the country, as if they were acting a play upon the
stage, and adorned him with a counterfeit thee; they also put upon him
the sacred garments, and upon every occasion instructed him what he was
to do. This horrid piece of wickedness was sport and pastime with them,
but occasioned the other priests, who at a distance saw their law made
a jest of, to shed tears, and sorely lament the dissolution of such a
sacred dignity.

9. And now the people could no longer bear the insolence of this
procedure, but did all together run zealously, in order to overthrow
that tyranny; and indeed they were Gorion the son of Josephus, and
Symeon the son of Gamaliel, [6] who encou