2. As for the priests, he prescribed to them a double degree of purity
25 for he restrained them in the instances above, and moreover forbade
them to marry harlots. He also forbade them to marry a slave, or a
captive, and such as got their living by cheating trades, and by keeping
inns; as also a woman parted from her husband, on any account
whatsoever. Nay, he did not think it proper for the high priest to marry
even the widow of one that was dead, though he allowed that to the
priests; but he permitted him only to marry a virgin, and to retain her.
Whence it is that the high priest is not to come near to one that is
dead, although the rest are not prohibited from coming near to their
brethren, or parents, or children, when they are dead; but they are to
be unblemished in all respects. He ordered that the priest who had any
blemish, should have his portion indeed among the priests, but he
forbade him to ascend the altar, or to enter into the holy house. He
also enjoined them, not only to observe purity in their sacred
ministrations, but in their daily conversation, that it might be
unblamable also. And on this account it is that those who wear the
sacerdotal garments are without spot, and eminent for their purity and
sobriety: nor are they permitted to drink wine so long as they wear
those garments. 26 Moreover, they offer sacrifices that are entire, and
have no defect whatsoever.
3. And truly Moses gave them all these precepts, being such as were
observed during his own lifetime; but though he lived now in the
wilderness, yet did he make provision how they might observe the same
laws when they should have taken the land of Canaan. He gave them rest
to the land from ploughing and planting every seventh year, as he had
prescribed to them to rest from working every seventh day; and ordered,
that then what grew of its own accord out of the earth should in common
belong to all that pleased to use it, making no distinction in that
respect between their own countrymen and foreigners: and he ordained,
that they should do the same after seven times seven years, which in all
are fifty years; and that fiftieth year is called by the Hebrews The
Jubilee, wherein debtors are freed from their debts, and slaves are set
at liberty; which slaves became such, though they were of the same
stock, by transgressing some of those laws the punishment of which was
not capital, but they were punished by this method of slavery. This year
also restores the land to its former possessors in the manner
following:—When the Jubilee is come, which name denotes liberty, he that
sold the land, and he that bought it, meet together, and make an
estimate, on one hand, of the fruits gathered; and, on the other hand,
of the expenses laid out upon it. If the fruits gathered come to more
than the expenses laid out, he that sold it takes the land again; but if
the expenses prove more than the fruits, the present possessor receives
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