the antiquities of the jews-1-第4节

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order　their　year　in　Egypt。　But　Moses　appointed　that　ú　Nisan；
which　is　the　same　with　Xanthicus；　should　be　the　first　month　for
their　festivals；　because　he　brought　them　out　of　Egypt　in　that
month：　so　that　this　month　began　the　year　as　to　all　the
solemnities　they　observed　to　the　honor　of　God；　although　he
preserved　the　original　order　of　the　months　as　to　selling　and
buying；　and　other　ordinary　affairs。　Now　he　says　that　this　flood
began　on　the　twenty…seventh　＇seventeenth＇　day　of　the
forementioned　month；　and　this　was　two　thousand　six　hundred　and
fifty…six　＇one　thousand　six　hundred　and　fifty…six＇　years　from
Adam；　the　first　man；　and　the　time　is　written　down　in　our　sacred
books；　those　who　then　lived　having　noted　down；（15）　with　great
accuracy；　both　the　births　and　deaths　of　illustrious　men。

4。　For　indeed　Seth　was　born　when　Adam　was　in　his　two　hundred　and
thirtieth　year；　who　lived　：nine　hundred　and　thirty　years。　Seth
begat　Enos　in　his　two　hundred　and　fifth　year；　who；　when　he　had
lived　nine　hundred　and　twelve　years；　delivered　the　government　to
Cainan　his　son；　whom　he　had　in　his　hundred　and　ninetieth　year。　He
lived　nine　hundred　and　five　years。　Cainan；　when　he　had　lived　nine
hundred　and　ten　years；　had　his　son　Malaleel；　who　was　born　in　his
hundred　and　seventieth　year。　This　Malaleel；　having　lived　eight
hundred　and　ninety…five　years；　died；　leaving　his　son　Jared；　whom
he　begat　when　he　was　in　his　hundred　and　sixty…fifth　year。　He
lived　nine　hundred　and　sixty…two　years；　and　then　his　son　Enoch
succeeded　him；　who　was　born　when　his　father　was　one　hundred　and
sixty…two　years　old。　Now　he；　when　he　had　lived　three　hundred　and
sixty…five　years；　departed　and　went　to　God；　whence　it　is　that
they　have　not　written　down　his　death。　Now　Mathusela；　the　son　of
Enoch；　who　was　born　to　him　when　he　was　one　hundred　and　sixty…five
years　old；　had　Lamech　for　his　son　when　he　was　one　hundred　and
eighty…seven　years　of　age；　to　whom　he　delivered　the　government；
when　he　had　retained　it　nine　hundred　and　sixty…nine　years。　Now
Lamech；　when　he　had　governed　seven　hundred　and　seventy…seven
years；　appointed　Noah；　his　son；　to　be　ruler　of　the　people；　who
was　born　to　Lamech　when　he　was　one　hundred　and　eighty…two　years
old；　and　retained　the　government　nine　hundred　and　fifty　years。
These　years　collected　together　make　up　the　sum　before　set　down。
But　let　no　one　inquire　into　the　deaths　of　these　men；　for　they
extended　their　lives　along　together　with　their　children　and
grandchildren；　but　let　him　have　regard　to　their　births　only。

5。　When　God　gave　the　signal；　and　it　began　to　rain；　the　water
poured　down　forty　entire　days；　till　it　became　fifteen　cubits
higher　than　the　earth；　which　was　the　reason　why　there　was　no
greater　number　preserved；　since　they　had　no　place　to　fly　to。　When
the　rain　ceased；　the　water　did　but　just　begin　to　abate　after　one
hundred　and　fifty　days；　（that　is；　on　the　seventeenth　day　of　the
seventh　month；）　it　then　ceasing　to　subside　for　a　little　while。
After　this；　the　ark　rested　on　the　top　of　a　certain　mountain　in
Armenia；　which；　when　Noah　understood；　he　opened　it；　and　seeing　a
small　piece　of　land　about　it；　he　continued　quiet；　and　conceived
some　cheerful　hopes　of　deliverance。　But　a　few　days　afterward；
when　the　water　was　decreased　to　a　greater　degree；　he　sent　out　a
raven；　as　desirous　to　learn　whether　any　other　part　of　the　earth
were　left　dry　by　the　water；　and　whether　he　might　go　out　of　the
ark　with　safety；　but　the　raven；　finding　all　the　land　still
overflowed；　returned　to　Noah　again。　And　after　seven　days　he　sent
out　a　dove；　to　know　the　state　of　the　ground；　which　came　back　to
him　covered　with　mud；　and　bringing　an　olive　branch：　hereby　Noah
learned　that　the　earth　was　become　clear　of　the　flood。　So　after　he
had　staid　seven　more　days；　he　sent　the　living　creatures　out　of
the　ark；　and　both　he　and　his　family　went　out；　when　he　also
sacrificed　to　God；　and　feasted　with　his　companions。　However；　the
Armenians　call　this　place；　（GREEK）　（16）　The　Place　of　Descent；　for
the　ark　being　saved　in　that　place；　its　remains　are　shown　there　by
the　inhabitants　to　this　day。

6。　Now　all　the　writers　of　barbarian　histories　make　mention　of
this　flood；　and　of　this　ark；　among　whom　is　Berosus　the　Chaldean。
For　when　he　is　describing　the　circumstances　of　the　flood；　he　goes
on　thus：　〃It　is　said　there　is　still　some　part　of　this　ship　in
Armenia；　at　the　mountain　of　the　Cordyaeans；　and　that　some　people
carry　off　pieces　of　the　bitumen；　which　they　take　away；　and　use
chiefly　as　amulets　for　the　averting　of　mischiefs。〃　Hieronymus　the
Egyptian　also；　who　wrote　the　Phoenician　Antiquities；　and　Mnaseas；
and　a　great　many　more；　make　mention　of　the　same。　Nay；　Nicolaus　of
Damascus；　in　his　ninety…sixth　book；　hath　a　particular　relation
about　them；　where　he　speaks　thus：　〃There　is　a　great　mountain　in
Armenia；　over　Minyas；　called　Baris；　upon　which　it　is　reported
that　many　who　fled　at　the　time　of　the　Deluge　were　saved；　and　that
one　who　was　carried　in　an　ark　came　on　shore　upon　the　top　of　it；
and　that　the　remains　of　the　timber　were　a　great　while　preserved。
This　might　be　the　man　about　whom　Moses　the　legislator　of　the　Jews
wrote。〃

7。　But　as　for　Noah；　he　was　afraid；　since　God　had　determined　to
destroy　mankind；　lest　he　should　drown　the　earth　every　year；　so　he
offered　burnt…offerings；　and　besought　God　that　nature　might
hereafter　go　on　in　its　former　orderly　course；　and　that　he　would
not　bring　on　so　great　a　judgment　any　more；　by　which　the　whole
race　of　creatures　might　be　in　danger　of　destruction：　but　that；
having　now　punished　the　wicked；　he　would　of　his　goodness　spare
the　remainder；　and　such　as　he　had　hitherto　judged　fit　to　be
delivered　from　so　severe　a　calamity；　for　that　otherwise　these
last　must　be　more　miserable　than　the　first；　and　that　they　must　be
condemned　to　a　worse　condition　than　the　others；　unless　they　be
suffered　to　escape　entirely；　that　is；　if　they　be　reserved　for
another　deluge；　while　they　must　be　afflicted　with　the　terror　and
sight　of　the　first　deluge；　and　must　also　be　destroyed　by　a
second。　He　also　entreated　God　to　accept　of　his　sacrifice；　and　to
grant　that　the　earth　might　never　again　undergo　the　like　effects
of　'his　wrath；　that　men　might　be　permitted　to　go　on　cheerfully　in
cultivating　the　same；　to　build　cities；　and　live　happily　in　them；
and　that　they　might　not　be　deprived　of　any　of　those　good　things
which　they　enjoyed　before　the　Flood；　but　might　attain　to　the　like
length　of　days；　and　old　age；　which　the　ancient　people　had　arrived
at　before。

8。　When　Noah　had　made　these　supplications；　God；　who　loved　the　man
for　his　righteousness；　granted　entire　success　to　his　prayers；　and
said；　that　it　was　not　he　who　brought　the　destruction　on　a
polluted　world；　but　that　they　underwent　that　vengeance　on　account
of　their　own　wickedness；　and　that　he　had　not　brought　men　into　the
world　if　he　had　himself　determined　to　destroy　them；　it　being　an
instance　of　greater　wisdom　not　to　have　granted　them　life　at　all；
than；　after　it　was　granted；　to　procure　their　destruction；　〃But
the　injuries；〃　said　he；　〃they　offered　to　my　holiness　and　virtue；
forced　me　to　bring　this　punishment　upon　them。　But　I　will　leave
off　for　the　time　to　come　to　require　such　punishments；　the　effects
of　so　great　wrath；　for　their　future　wicked　actions；　and
especially　on　account　of　thy　prayers。　But　if　I　shall　at　any　time
send　tempests　of　rain；　in　an　extraordinary　manner；　be　not
affrighted　at　the　largeness　of　the　showers；　for　the　water　shall
no　more　overspread　the　earth。　However；　I　require　you　to　abstain
from　shedding　the　blood　of　men；　and　to　keep　yourselves　pure　from
murder；　and　to　punish　those　that　commit　any　such　thing。　I　permit
you　to　make　use　of　all　the　other　living　creatures　at　your
pleasure；　and　as　your　appetites　lead　you；　for　I　have　made　you
lords　of　them　all；　both　of　those　that　walk　on　the　land；　and　those
that　swim　in　the　waters；　and　of　those　that　fly　in　the　regions　of
the　air　on　high；　excepting　their　blood；　for　therein　is　the　life。
But　I　will　give　you　a　sign　that　I　have　left　off　my　anger　by　my
bow　＇whereby　is　meant　the　rainbow；　for　they　determined　that　the
rainbow　was　the　bow　of　God＇。　And　when　God　had　said　and　promised
thus；　he　went　away。

9。　Now　when　Noah　had　lived　three　hundred　and　fifty　years　after
the　Flood；　and　that　all　that　time　happily；　he　died；　having　lived
the　number　of　nine　hundred　and　fifty　years。　But　let　no　one；　upon
comparing　the　lives　of　the　ancients　with　our　lives；　and　with　the
few　years　which　we　now　live；　think　that　what　we　have　said　of　them
is　false；　or　make　the　shortness　of　our　lives　at　present　an
argument；　that　neither　did　they　attain　to　so　long　a　duration　of
life；　for　those　ancients　were　beloved　of　God；　and　＇lately＇　made
by　God　himself；　and　because　their　food　was　then　fitter　for　the
prolongation　of　life；　might　well　live　so　great　a　number　of　years：
and　besides；　God　afforded　them　a　longer　time　of　life　on　account
of　their　virtue；　and　the　good　use　they　made　of　it　in　astronomical
and　geometrical　discoveries；　which　would　not　have　afforded　the
time　of　foretelling　＇the　periods　of　the　stars＇　unless　they　had
lived　six　hundred　years；　for　the　great　year　is　completed　in　that
interval。　Now　I　have　for　witnesses　to　what　I　have　said；　all　those
that　have　written　Ant