The Jewish Wars - A Paraphrase: Or the History of the Destruction of Jerusalem - Softcover

Josephus, Flavius

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0989092224 ISBN 13: 9780989092227

Publisher: Living Stone Books, 2015

Synopsis

THE 300-YEAR-OLD UNABRIDGED WHISTON TRANSLATION PARAPHRASED FOR EASY READING.

Jerusalem is a city of ages-old conflict, and few conflicts have been more historically disastrous than when the Roman armies destroyed the holy city and its Jewish Temple in 70 AD. Flavius Josephus, the captured Jewish general, witnessed the massacre. After languishing in antiquated language for many years, Josephus’s 1,900-year-old classic, The Jewish Wars, comes alive in today’s English.In sweeping panoramic style, Josephus tells the gripping story of the Roman subjugation of Judea in the days before Christ. Puppet kings such as Herod the Great conspired with the likes of Caligula, Cleopatra, and Marc Antony. Governors like Pontius Pilate plagued the Jews with religious abominations. The revolt began. Marauding bands of robbers ravaged their Jewish brothers and brought the all-powerful Roman armies upon the nation. Jewish towns and villages fell like dominoes before the ultimate Roman assault on Jerusalem. Jerusalem’s final collapse occurred during the annual celebration of the Passover as the ancient city swarmed with over a million worshippers. Rival bands of Jewish Zealots and skulking bandits holed up in the city and refused to allow the celebrants to escape. Food ran short. Massive numbers of innocent people died by famine or execution. Gigantic Roman siege engines devoured Jerusalem’s massive walls until, at last, abrupt and cataclysmic fires wreaked total devastation.The Jewish Wars is a story of court intrigue, regicide, and ultimate brutality. But far beyond our interest in these things, it is a story of the dramatic collapse of a society—an ancient culture of immense historical dimensions. The centuries-old Jewish sacrificial system suddenly stopped dead and has never been restored. Judea’s people were enslaved and dispersed to the ends of the earth, only to return 1,900 years later when the state of Israel was created in 1948.

During the crucial days of the Roman war, Christianity was in its infancy. Paul and the other apostles began preaching in Judea and the Near East, nurturing what was to become a vibrant phenomenon that would ultimately spread to the ends of the earth. Many believe that Jesus predicted the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple less than forty years before it actually took place:“When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled . . . Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened” (Luke 21:20-24, 32 - NIV). In the early 1900s, most Christian families had the works of Josephus next to their family Bibles. But because of the difficult, antiquated language of William Whiston’s 1737 translation from ancient Greek, interest in his works eroded in the 20th century. No longer. Now paraphrased into modern English in its entirety, The Jewish Wars is once again prepared to take its place among the most fascinating stories of world history.

About this title

About the Author

Titus Flavius Josephus (37 c. 100 AD), was born Joseph ben Matityahu. He was a first century Romano-Jewish scholar, historian and military leader. He was born in Jerusalem then part of Roman Judea to a father of a priestly family and a mother who claimed royal blood. He initially fought against the Romans during the First Jewish Roman War as head of Jewish forces in Galilee, until surrendering in 67 AD to Roman forces led by Vespasian following the bitter six-week siege of Jotapata. Josephus claimed certain Jewish Messianic prophecies made reference to Vespasian becoming Emperor of Rome. So Vespasian decided to keep Josephus as a slave and interpreter. After Vespasian became Emperor in 69, he granted Josephus his freedom, at which time Josephus assumed the emperor s family name of Flavius. Flavius Josephus fully defected to the Roman side and was granted Roman citizenship. He became an advisor and friend of Vespasian s son Titus, serving as his translator when Titus led the siege of Jerusalem, which resulted in the city s destruction and the looting and destruction of Herod s temple. Josephus s most important work beside The Jewish Wars is his Antiquities of the Jews which recounts the history of the world paralleling the Old Testament. These works provide valuable insight into first century Judaism and the background of early Christianity s spread throughout Judea, Samaria, and the rest of the world.

From the Inside Flap

William Whiston (9 December 1667 22 August 1752) was an English theologian, historian, and mathematician, a leading figure in the popularisation of the ideas of Isaac Newton. He is now probably best known for his translation of the Antiquities of the Jews and other works by Josephus, such as The Jewish Wars.Whiston was born to Josiah Whiston and Katherine Rosse at Norton-juxta-Twycross, in Leicestershire, England where his father was rector. He was educated privately, for his health, and so that he could act as amanuensis to his blind father. After his father s death, he entered Clare College, Cambridge and applied himself to mathematical study, was awarded the degree of Bachelor of Arts (BA) (1690), and AM (1693), and was elected Fellow in 1691 and probationary senior Fellow in 1693.William Lloyd ordained Whiston at Lichfield in 1693. In 1694, claiming ill health, he resigned his tutorship at Clare to Richard Laughton, chaplain to John Moore, the bishop of Norwich, and swapped positions with him. He now divided his time between Norwich, Cambridge and London. In 1698 Moore gave him the living of Lowestoft where he became rector. In 1699 he resigned his Fellowship of Clare College and left to marry.In 1701 Whiston resigned his living to become Isaac Newton s substitute, giving the Lucasian lectures at Cambridge. He succeeded Newton as Lucasian professor in 1702. There followed a period of joint research with Roger Cotes, appointed with Whiston s patronage to the Plumian professorship in 1706. Students at the Cotes Whiston experimental philosophy course included Stephen Hales, William Stukeley, and Joseph Wasse. (Thanks to Wikipedia for this short bio.)

Edition details

• Publisher: Living Stone Books
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0989092224
• ISBN 13: 9780989092227
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 452
• Editor: Beasley Bob