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in jest; put him in mind that he was but a private man; but
Manahem smiled to himself; and clapped him on his backside with
his hand; and said;〃 However that be; thou wilt be king; and wilt
begin thy reign happily; for God finds thee worthy of it。 And do
thou remember the blows that Manahem hath given thee; as being a
signal of the change of thy fortune。 And truly this will be the
best reasoning for thee; that thou love justice 'towards men';
and piety towards God; and clemency towards thy citizens; yet do
I know how thy whole conduct will be; that thou wilt not be such
a one; for thou wilt excel all men in happiness; and obtain an
everlasting reputation; but wilt forget piety and righteousness;
and these crimes will not be concealed from God; at the
conclusion of thy life; when thou wilt find that he will be
mindful of them; and punish time for them。〃 Now at that time
Herod did not at all attend to what Manahem said; as having no
hopes of such advancement; but a little afterward; when he was so
fortunate as to be advanced to the dignity of king; and was in
the height of his dominion; he sent for Manahem; and asked him
how long he should reign。 Manahem did not tell him the full
length of his reign; wherefore; upon that silence of his; he
asked him further; whether he should reign ten years or not? He
replied; 〃Yes; twenty; nay; thirty years;〃 but did not assign the
just determinate limit of his reign。 Herod was satisfied with
these replies; and gave Manahem his hand; and dismissed him; and
from that time he continued to honor all the Essens。 We have
thought it proper to relate these facts to our readers; how
strange soever they be; and to declare what hath happened among
us; because many of these Essens have; by their excellent virtue;
been thought worthy of this knowledge of Divine revelations。

CHAPTER 11。

How Herod Rebuilt The Temple And Raised It Higher And Made It
More Magnificent Than It Was Before; As Also Concerning That
Tower Which He Called Antonia。

1。 And now Herod; in the eighteenth year of his reign; and after
the acts already mentioned; undertook a very great work; that is;
to build of himself the temple of God; (22) and make it larger in
compass; and to raise it to a most magnificent altitude; as
esteeming it to be the most glorious of all his actions; as it
really was; to bring it to perfection; and that this would be
sufficient for an everlasting memorial of him; but as he knew the
multitude were not ready nor willing to assist him in so vast a
design; he thought to prepare them first by making a speech to
them; and then set about the work itself; so he called them
together; and spake thus to them: 〃I think I need not speak to
you; my countrymen; about such other works as I have done since I
came to the kingdom; although I may say they have been performed
in such a manner as to bring more security to you than glory to
myself; for I have neither been negligent in the most difficult
times about what tended to ease your necessities; nor have the
buildings。 I have made been so proper to preserve me as
yourselves from injuries; and I imagine that; with God's
assistance; I have advanced the nation of the Jews to a degree of
happiness which they never had before; and for the particular
edifices belonging to your own country; and your own cities; as
also to those cities that we have lately acquired; which we have
erected and greatly adorned; and thereby augmented the dignity of
your nation; it seems to me a needless task to enumerate them to
you; since you well know them yourselves; but as to that
undertaking which I have a mind to set about at present; and
which will be a work of the greatest piety and excellence that
can possibly be undertaken by us; I will now declare it to you。
Our fathers; indeed; when they were returned from Babylon; built
this temple to God Almighty; yet does it want sixty cubits of its
largeness in altitude; for so much did that first temple which
Solomon built exceed this temple; nor let any one condemn our
fathers for their negligence or want of piety herein; for it was
not their fault that the temple was no higher; for they were
Cyrus; and Darius the son of Hystaspes; who determined the
measures for its rebuilding; and it hath been by reason of the
subjection of those fathers of ours to them and to their
posterity; and after them to the Macedonians; that they had not
the opportunity to follow the original model of this pious
edifice; nor could raise it to its ancient altitude; but since I
am now; by God's will; your governor; and I have had peace a long
time; and have gained great riches and large revenues; and; what
is the principal filing of all; I am at amity with and well
regarded by the Romans; who; if I may so say; are the rulers of
the whole world; I will do my endeavor to correct that
imperfection; which hath arisen from the necessity of our
affairs; and the slavery we have been under formerly; and to make
a thankful return; after the most pious manner; to God; for what
blessings I have received from him; by giving me this kingdom;
and that by rendering his temple as complete as I am able。〃

2。 And this was the speech which Herod made to them; but still
this speech aftrighted many of the people; as being unexpected by
them; and because it seemed incredible; it did not encourage
them; but put a damp upon them; for they were afraid that he
would pull down the whole edifice; and not be able to bring his
intentions to perfection for its rebuilding; and this danger
appeared to them to be very great; and the vastness of the
undertaking to be such as could hardly be accomplished。 But while
they were in this disposition; the king encouraged them; and told
them he would not pull down their temple till all things were
gotten ready for building it up entirely again。 And as he
promised them this beforehand; so he did not break his word with
them; but got ready a thousand waggons; that were to bring stones
for the building; and chose out ten thousand of the most skillful
workmen; and bought a thousand sacerdotal garments for as many of
the priests; and had some of them taught the arts of
stone…cutters; and others of carpenters; and then began to build;
but this not till every thing was well prepared for the work。

3。 So Herod took away the old foundations; and laid others; and
erected the temple upon them; being in length a hundred cubits;
and in height twenty additional cubits; which 'twenty'; upon the
sinking of their foundations (23) fell down; and this part it was
that we resolved to raise again in the days of Nero。 Now the
temple was built of stones that were white and strong; and each
of their length was twenty…five cubits; their height was eight;
and their breadth about twelve; and the whole structure; as also
the structure of the royal cloister; was on each side much lower;
but the middle was much higher; till they were visible to those
that dwelt in the country for a great many furlongs; but chiefly
to such as lived over against them; and those that approached to
them。 The temple had doors also at the entrance; and lintels over
them; of the same height with the temple itself。 They were
adorned with embroidered veils; with their flowers of purple; and
pillars interwoven; and over these; but under the crown…work; was
spread out a golden vine; with its branches hanging down from a
great height; the largeness and fine workmanship of which was a
surprising sight to the spectators; to see what vast materials
there were; and with what great skill the workmanship was done。
He also encompassed the entire temple with very large cloisters;
contriving them to be in a due proportion thereto; and he laid
out larger sums of money upon them than had been done before him;
till it seemed that no one else had so greatly adorned the temple
as he had done。 There was a large wall to both the cloisters;
which wall was itself the most prodigious work that was ever
heard of by man。 The hill was a rocky ascent; that declined by
degrees towards the east parts of the city; till it came to an
elevated level。 This hill it was which Solomon; who was the first
of our kings; by Divine revelation; encompassed with a wall; it
was of excellent workmanship upwards; and round the top of it。 He
also built a wall below; beginning at the bottom; which was
encompassed by a deep valley; and at the south side he laid rocks
together; and bound them one to another with lead; and included
some of the inner parts; till it proceeded to a great height; and
till both the largeness of the square edifice and its altitude
were immense; and till the vastness of the stones in the front
were plainly visible on the outside; yet so that the inward parts
were fastened together with iron; and preserved the joints
immovable for all future times。 When this work 'for the
foundation' was done in this manner; and joined together as part
of the hill itself to the very top of it; he wrought it all into
one outward surface; and filled up the hollow places which were
about the wall; and made it a level on the external upper
surface; and a smooth level also。 This hill was walled all round;
and in compass four furlongs

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