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4. Upon the fifteenth
day of the same month, when the season of the year is changing for winter, the
law enjoins us to pitch tabernacles in every one of our houses, so that we
preserve ourselves from the cold of that time of the year; as also that when we
should arrive at our own country, and come to that city which we should have
then for our metropolis, because of the temple therein to be built, and keep a
festival for eight days, and offer burnt-offerings, and sacrifice
thank-offerings, that we should then carry in our hands a branch of myrtle, and
willow, and a bough of the palm-tree, with the addition of the pome citron:
That the burnt-offering on the first of those days was to be a sacrifice of
thirteen bulls, and fourteen lambs, and fifteen rams, with the addition of a
kid of the goats, as an expiation for sins; and on the following days the same
number of lambs, and of rams, with the kids of the goats; but abating one of
the bulls every day till they amounted to seven only. On the eighth day all
work was laid aside, and then, as we said before, they sacrificed to God a
bullock, a ram, and seven lambs, with a kid of the goats, for an expiation of
sins. And this is the accustomed solemnity of the Hebrews, when they pitch
their tabernacles.
5. In the month of
Xanthicus, which is by us called Nisan, and is the beginning of our
year, on the fourteenth day of the lunar month, when the sun is in Aries, (for
in this month it was that we were delivered from bondage under the Egyptians,)
the law ordained that we should every year slay that sacrifice which I before
told you we slew when we came out of Egypt, and which was called the
Passover; and so we do celebrate this passover in companies, leaving
nothing of what we sacrifice till the day following. The feast of unleavened
bread succeeds that of the passover, and falls on the fifteenth day of the
month, and continues seven days, wherein they feed on unleavened bread; on
every one of which days two bulls are killed, and one ram, and seven lambs. Now
these lambs are entirely burnt, besides the kid of the goats which is added to
all the rest, for sins; for it is intended as a feast for the priest on every
one of those days.
But on the second day of
unleavened bread, which is the sixteenth day of the month, they first partake
of the fruits of the earth, for before that day they do not touch them. And
while they suppose it proper to honor God, from whom they obtain this plentiful
provision, in the first place, they offer the first-fruits of their barley, and
that in the manner following: They take a handful of the ears, and dry them,
then beat them small, and purge the barley from the bran; they then bring one
tenth deal to the altar, to God; and, casting one handful of it upon the fire,
they leave the rest for the use of the priest. And after this it is that they
may publicly or privately reap their harvest. They also at this participation
of the first-fruits of the earth, sacrifice a lamb, as a burnt-offering to God.
6. When a week of weeks
has passed over after this sacrifice, (which weeks contain forty and nine
days,) on the fiftieth day, which is Pentecost, but is called by the Hebrews
Asartha, which signifies Pentecost, they bring to God a loaf,
made of wheat flour, of two tenth deals, with leaven; and for sacrifices they
bring two lambs; and when they have only presented them to God, they are made
ready for supper for the priests; nor is it permitted to leave any thing of
them till the day following. They also slay three bullocks for a
burnt-offering, and two rams; and fourteen lambs, with two kids of the goats,
for sins; nor is there anyone of the festivals but in it they offer
burnt-offerings; they also allow themselves to rest on every one of them.
Accordingly, the law prescribes in them all what kinds they are to sacrifice,
and how they are to rest entirely, and must slay sacrifices, in order to feast
upon them.
7. However, out of the
common charges, baked bread [was set on the table of shew-bread], without
leaven, of twenty-four tenth deals of flour, for so much is spent upon this
bread; two heaps of these were baked, they were baked the day before the
Sabbath, but were brought into the holy place on the morning of the Sabbath,
and set upon the holy table, six on a heap, one loaf still standing over
against another; where two golden cups full of frankincense were also set upon
them, and there they remained till another Sabbath, and then other loaves were
brought in their stead, while the loaves were given to the priests for their
food, and the frankincense was burnt in that sacred fire wherein all their
offerings were burnt also; and so other frankincense was set upon the loaves
instead of what was there before. The [high priest also, of his own charges,
offered a sacrifice, and that twice every day. It was made of flour mingled
with oil, and gently baked by the fire; the quantity was one tenth deal of
flour; he brought the half of it to the fire in the morning, and the other half
at night. The account of these sacrifices I shall give more accurately
hereafter; but I think I have premised what for the present may be sufficient
concerning them.
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