The Wars of the Jews, 6.435–7.0

Flavius Josephus  translated by William Whiston

« J. BJ 6.409–6.434 | J. BJ 6.435–7.0 | J. BJ 1.31–1.47 | About This Work »

4351. And thus was Jerusalem taken, in the second year of the reign of Vespasian, on the eighth day of the month Gorpieus [Elul]. It had been taken five times before, though this was the second time of its desolation; 436for Shishak, the king of Egypt, and after him Antiochus, and after him Pompey, and after them Sosius and Herod, took the city, but still preserved it; 437but before all these, the king of Babylon conquered it, and made it desolate, one thousand four hundred and sixty-eight years and six months after it was built. 438But he who first built it. Was a potent man among the Canaanites, and is in our own tongue called [Melchisedek], the Righteous King, for such he really was; on which account he was [there] the first priest of God, and first built a temple [there], and called the city Jerusalem, which was formerly called Salem. 439However, David, the king of the Jews, ejected the Canaanites, and settled his own people therein. It was demolished entirely by the Babylonians, four hundred and seventy-seven years and six months after him. 440And from king David, who was the first of the Jews who reigned therein, to this destruction under Titus, were one thousand one hundred and seventy-nine years; 441but from its first building, till this last destruction, were two thousand one hundred and seventy-seven years; 442yet hath not its great antiquity, nor its vast riches, nor the diffusion of its nation over all the habitable earth, nor the greatness of the veneration paid to it on a religious account, been sufficient to preserve it from being destroyed. And thus ended the siege of Jerusalem.

« J. BJ 6.409–6.434 | J. BJ 6.435–7.0 | J. BJ 1.31–1.47 | About This Work »

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