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The Antiquities of the Jews

F >> Flavius Josephus >> The Antiquities of the Jews




2. Now God loved this man for his righteousness: yet he not only
condemned those other men for their wickedness, but determined to
destroy the whole race of mankind, and to make another race that
should be pure from wickedness; and cutting short their lives,
and making their years not so many as they formerly lived, but
one hundred and twenty only,(12) he turned the dry land into sea;
and thus were all these men destroyed: but Noah alone was saved;
for God suggested to him the following contrivance and way of
escape : - That he should make an ark of four stories high, three
hundred cubits(13) long, fifty cubits broad, and thirty cubits
high. Accordingly he entered into that ark, and his wife, and
sons, and their wives, and put into it not only other provisions,
to support their wants there, but also sent in with the rest all
sorts of living creatures, the male and his female, for the
preservation of their kinds; and others of them by sevens. Now
this ark had firm walls, and a roof, and was braced with cross
beams, so that it could not be any way drowned or overborne by
the violence of the water. And thus was Noah, with his family,
preserved. Now he was the tenth from Adam, as being the son of
Lamech, whose father was Mathusela; he was the son of Enoch, the
son of Jared; and Jared was the son of Malaleel, who, with many
of his sisters, were the children of Cainan, the son of Enos. Now
Enos was the son of Seth, the son of Adam.

3. This calamity happened in the six hundredth year of Noah's
government, [age,] in the second month, (14) called by the
Macedonians Dius, but by the Hebrews Marchesuan: for so did they
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 Antiquities, both among the Greeks and
barbarians; for even Manetho, who wrote the Egyptian History, and
Berosus, who collected the Chaldean Monuments, and Mochus, and
Hestieus, and, besides these, Hieronymus the Egyptian, and those
who composed the Phoenician History, agree to what I here say:
Hesiod also, and Hecatseus, Hellanicus, and Acusilaus; and,
besides these, Ephorus and Nicolaus relate that the ancients
lived a thousand years. But as to these matters, let every one
look upon them as he thinks fit.

CHAPTER 4.

Concerning The Tower Of Babylon, And The Confusion Of Tongues.

1. Now the sons of Noah were three, - Shem, Japhet, and Ham, born
one hundred years before the Deluge. These first of all descended
from the mountains into the plains, and fixed their habitation
there; and persuaded others who were greatly afraid of the lower
grounds on account of the flood, and so were very loath to come
down from the higher places, to venture to follow their examples.
Now the plain in which they first dwelt was called Shinar. God
also commanded them to send colonies abroad, for the thorough
peopling of the earth, that they might not raise seditions among
themselves, but might cultivate a great part of the earth, and
enjoy its fruits after a plentiful manner. But they were so ill
instructed that they did not obey God; for which reason they fell
into calamities, and were made sensible, by experience, of what
sin they had been guilty: for when they flourished with a
numerous youth, God admonished them again to send out colonies;
but they, imagining the prosperity they enjoyed was not derived
from the favor of God, but supposing that their own power was the
proper cause of the plentiful condition they were in, did not
obey him. Nay, they added to this their disobedience to the
Divine will, the suspicion that they were therefore ordered to
send out separate colonies, that, being divided asunder, they
might the more easily be Oppressed.

2. Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and
contempt of God. He was the grandson of Ham, the son of Noah, a
bold man, and of great strength of hand. He persuaded them not to
ascribe it to God, as if it was through his means they were
happy, but to believe that it was their own courage which
procured that happiness. He also gradually changed the government
into tyranny, seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of
God, but to bring them into a constant dependence on his power.
He also said he would be revenged on God, if he should have a
mind to drown the world again; for that he would build a tower
too high for the waters to be able to reach! and that he would
avenge himself on God for destroying their forefathers !

3. Now the multitude were very ready to follow the determination
of Nimrod, and to esteem it a piece of cowardice to submit to
God; and they built a tower, neither sparing any pains, nor being
in any degree negligent about the work: and, by reason of the
multitude of hands employed in it, it grew very high, sooner than
any one could expect; but the thickness of it was so great, and
it was so strongly built, that thereby its great height seemed,
upon the view, to be less than it really was. It was built of
burnt brick, cemented together with mortar, made of bitumen, that
it might not be liable to admit water. When God saw that they
acted so madly, he did not resolve to destroy them utterly, since
they were not grown wiser by the destruction of the former
sinners; but he caused a tumult among them, by producing in them
divers languages, and causing that, through the multitude of
those languages, they should not be able to understand one
another. The place wherein they built the tower is now called
Babylon, because of the confusion of that language which they
readily understood before; for the Hebrews mean by the word
Babel, confusion. The Sibyl also makes mention of this tower, and
of the confusion of the language, when she says thus: "When all
men were of one language, some of them built a high tower, as if
they would thereby ascend up to heaven, but the gods sent storms
of wind and overthrew the tower, and gave every one his peculiar
language; and for this reason it was that the city was called
Babylon." But as to the plan of Shinar, in the country of
Babylonia, Hestiaeus mentions it, when he says thus: "Such of the
priests as were saved, took the sacred vessels of Jupiter
Enyalius, and came to Shinar of Babylonia."

CHAPTER 5.

After What Manner The Posterity Of Noah Sent Out Colonies, And
Inhabited The Whole Earth.

1. After this they were dispersed abroad, on account of their
languages, and went out by colonies every where; and each colony
took possession of that land which they light upon, and unto
which God led them; so that the whole continent was filled with
them, both the inland and the maritime countries. There were some
also who passed over the sea in ships, and inhabited the islands:
and some of those nations do still retain the denominations which
were given them by their first founders; but some have lost them
also, and some have only admitted certain changes in them, that
they might be the more intelligible to the inhabitants. And they
were the Greeks who became the authors of such mutations. For
when in after-ages they grew potent, they claimed to themselves
the glory of antiquity; giving names to the nations that sounded
well (in Greek) that they might be better understood among
themselves; and setting agreeable forms of government over them,
as if they were a people derived from themselves.

CHAPTER 6.

How Every Nation Was Denominated From Their
First Inhabitants.

1. Now they were the grandchildren of Noah, in honor of whom
names were imposed on the nations by those that first seized upon
them. Japhet, the son of Noah, had seven sons: they inhabited so,
that, beginning at the mountains Taurus and Amanus, they
proceeded along Asia, as far as the river Tansis, and along
Europe to Cadiz; and settling themselves on the lands which they
light upon, which none had inhabited before, they called the
nations by their own names. For Gomer founded those whom the
Greeks now call Galatians, [Galls,] but were then called
Gomerites. Magog founded those that from him were named
Magogites, but who are by the Greeks called Scythians. Now as to
Javan and Madai, the sons of Japhet; from Madai came the Madeans,
who are called Medes, by the Greeks; but from Javan, Ionia, and
all the Grecians, are derived. Thobel founded the Thobelites, who
are now called Iberes; and the Mosocheni were founded by Mosoch;
now they are Cappadocians. There is also a mark of their ancient
denomination still to be shown; for there is even now among them
a city called Mazaca, which may inform those that are able to
understand, that so was the entire nation once called. Thiras
also called those whom he ruled over Thirasians; but the Greeks
changed the name into Thracians. And so many were the countries
that had the children of Japhet for their inhabitants. Of the
three sons of Gomer, Aschanax founded the Aschanaxians, who are
now called by the Greeks Rheginians. So did Riphath found the
Ripheans, now called Paphlagonians; and Thrugramma the
Thrugrammeans, who, as the Greeks resolved, were named Phrygians.
Of the three sons of Javan also, the son of Japhet, Elisa gave
name to the Eliseans, who were his subjects; they are now the
Aeolians. Tharsus to the Tharsians, for so was Cilicia of old
called; the sign of which is this, that the noblest city they
have, and a metropolis also, is Tarsus, the tau being by change
put for the theta. Cethimus possessed the island Cethima: it is
now called Cyprus; and from that it is that all islands, and the
greatest part of the sea-coasts, are named Cethim by the Hebrews:
and one city there is in Cyprus that has been able to preserve
its denomination; it has been called Citius by those who use the
language of the Greeks, and has not, by the use of that dialect,
escaped the name of Cethim. And so many nations have the children
and grandchildren of Japhet possessed. Now when I have premised
somewhat, which perhaps the Greeks do not know, I will return and
explain what I have omitted; for such names are pronounced here
after the manner of the Greeks, to please my readers; for our own
country language does not so pronounce them: but the names in all
cases are of one and the same ending; for the name we here
pronounce Noeas, is there Noah, and in every case retains the
same termination.

2. The children of Ham possessed the land from Syria and Amanus,
and the mountains of Libanus; seizing upon all that was on its
sea-coasts, and as far as the ocean, and keeping it as their own.
Some indeed of its names are utterly vanished away; others of
them being changed, and another sound given them, are hardly to
be discovered; yet a few there are which have kept their
denominations entire. For of the four sons of Ham, time has not
at all hurt the name of Chus; for the Ethiopians, over whom he
reigned, are even at this day, both by themselves and by all men
in Asia, called Chusites. The memory also of the Mesraites is
preserved in their name; for all we who inhabit this country [of
Judea] called Egypt Mestre, and the Egyptians Mestreans. Phut
also was the founder of Libya, and called the inhabitants
Phutites, from himself: there is also a river in the country of
Moors which bears that name; whence it is that we may see the
greatest part of the Grecian historiographers mention that river
and the adjoining country by the apellation of Phut: but the
name it has now has been by change given it from one of the sons
of Mesraim, who was called Lybyos. We will inform you presently
what has been the occasion why it has been called Africa also.
Canaan, the fourth son of Ham, inhabited the country now called
Judea, and called it from his own name Canaan. The children of
these [four] were these: Sabas, who founded the Sabeans; Evilas,
who founded the Evileans, who are called Getuli; Sabathes founded
the Sabathens, they are now called by the Greeks Astaborans;
Sabactas settled the Sabactens; and Ragmus the Ragmeans; and he
had two sons, the one of whom, Judadas, settled the Judadeans, a
nation of the western Ethiopians, and left them his name; as did
Sabas to the Sabeans: but Nimrod, the son of Chus, staid and
tyrannized at Babylon, as we have already informed you. Now all
the children of Mesraim, being eight in number, possessed the
country from Gaza to Egypt, though it retained the name of one
only, the Philistim; for the Greeks call part of that country
Palestine. As for the rest, Ludieim, and Enemim, and Labim, who
alone inhabited in Libya, and called the country from himself,
Nedim, and Phethrosim, and Chesloim, and Cephthorim, we know
nothing of them besides their names; for the Ethiopic war(17)
which we shall describe hereafter, was the cause that those
cities were overthrown. The sons of Canaan were these: Sidonius,
who also built a city of the same name; it is called by the
Greeks Sidon
Amathus inhabited in Amathine, which is even now called Amathe by
the inhabitants, although the Macedonians named it Epiphania,
from one of his posterity: Arudeus possessed the island Aradus:
Arucas possessed Arce, which is in Libanus. But for the seven
others, [Eueus,] Chetteus, Jebuseus, Amorreus, Gergesus, Eudeus,
Sineus, Samareus, we have nothing in the sacred books but their
names, for the Hebrews overthrew their cities; and their
calamities came upon them on the occasion following.

3. Noah, when, after the deluge, the earth was resettled in its
former condition, set about its cultivation; and when he had
planted it with vines, and when the fruit was ripe, and he had
gathered the grapes in their season, and the wine was ready for
use, he offered sacrifice, and feasted, and, being drunk, he fell
asleep, and lay naked in an unseemly manner. When his youngest
son saw this, he came laughing, and showed him to his brethren;
but they covered their father's nakedness. And when Noah was made
sensible of what had been done, he prayed for prosperity to his
other sons; but for Ham, he did not curse him, by reason of his
nearness in blood, but cursed his prosperity: and when the rest
of them escaped that curse, God inflicted it on the children of
Canaan. But as to these matters, we shall speak more hereafter.

4. Shem, the third son of Noah, had five sons, who inhabited the
land that began at Euphrates, and reached to the Indian Ocean.
For Elam left behind him the Elamites, the ancestors of the
Persians. Ashur lived at the city Nineve; and named his subjects
Assyrians, who became the most fortunate nation, beyond others.
Arphaxad named the Arphaxadites, who are now called Chaldeans.
Aram had the Aramites, which the Greeks called Syrians; as Laud
founded the Laudites, which are now called Lydians. Of the four
sons of Aram, Uz founded Trachonitis and Damascus: this country
lies between Palestine and Celesyria. Ul founded Armenia; and
Gather the Bactrians; and Mesa the Mesaneans; it is now called
Charax Spasini. Sala was the son of Arphaxad; and his son was
Heber, from whom they originally called the Jews Hebrews. (18)
Heber begat Joetan and Phaleg: he was called Phaleg, because he
was born at the dispersion of the nations to their several
countries; for Phaleg among the Hebrews signifies division. Now
Joctan, one of the sons of Heber, had these sons, Elmodad,
Saleph, Asermoth, Jera, Adoram, Aizel, Decla, Ebal, Abimael,
Sabeus, Ophir, Euilat, and Jobab. These inhabited from Cophen, an
Indian river, and in part of Asia adjoining to it. And this shall
suffice concerning the sons of Shem.

5. I will now treat of the Hebrews. The son of Phaleg, whose
father Was Heber, was Ragau; whose son was Serug, to whom was
born Nahor; his son was Terah, who was the father of Abraham, who
accordingly was the tenth from Noah, and was born in the two
hundred and ninety-second year after the deluge; for Terah begat
Abram in his seventieth year. Nahor begat Haran when he was one
hundred and twenty years old; Nahor was born to Serug in his
hundred and thirty-second year; Ragau had Serug at one hundred
and thirty; at the same age also Phaleg had Ragau; Heber begat
Phaleg in his hundred and thirty-fourth year; he himself being
begotten by Sala when he was a hundred and thirty years old, whom
Arphaxad had for his son at the hundred and thirty-fifth year of
his age. Arphaxad was the son of Shem, and born twelve years
after the deluge. Now Abram had two brethren, Nahor and Haran: of
these Haran left a son, Lot; as also Sarai and Milcha his
daughters; and died among the Chaldeans, in a city of the
Chaldeans, called Ur; and his monument is shown to this day.
These married their nieces. Nabor married Milcha, and Abram
married Sarai. Now Terah hating Chaldea, on account of his
mourning for Ilaran, they all removed to Haran of Mesopotamia,
where Terah died, and was buried, when he had lived to be two
hundred and five years old; for the life of man was already, by
degrees, diminished, and became shorter than before, till the
birth of Moses; after whom the term of human life was one hundred
and twenty years, God determining it to the length that Moses
happened to live. Now Nahor had eight sons by Milcha; Uz and Buz,
Kemuel, Chesed, Azau, Pheldas, Jadelph, and Bethuel. These were
all the genuine sons of Nahor; for Teba, and Gaam, and Tachas,
and Maaca, were born of Reuma his concubine: but Bethuel had a
daughter, Rebecca, and a son, Laban.

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