laws, and appoint to us a form of government,—come thou, I say, O Lord
of the whole world, and that as such a Judge and a Witness to me as
cannot be bribed, and show how I never admitted of any gift against
justice from any of the Hebrews; and have never condemned a man that
ought to have been acquitted, on account of one that was rich; and have
never attempted to hurt this commonwealth. I am now and am suspected of
a thing the remotest from my intentions, as if I had given the
preisthood to Aaron, not at thy command, but out own favor to him; do
thou at this time demonstrate that all things are administered by thy
providence and that nothing happens by chance, but is governed by thy
will, and thereby attains its end: as also demonstrate that thou takest
care that have done good to the Hebrews; demonstrate this, I say, by the
punishment of Abiram and Dathan, who condemn thee as an insensible
Being, and one overcome by my contrivances. This thou do by inflicting
such an open punishment on these men who so madly fly in the face of thy
glory, as will take them out of the world, not in an manner, but so that
it may appear they do die after the manner of other men: let that ground
which they tread upon open about them and consume them, with their
families and goods. This will be a demonstration of thy power to all and
this method of their sufferings will be an instruction of wisdom for
those that entertain profane sentiments of thee. By this means I shall
be a good servant, in the precepts thou hast given by me. But if the
calumnies they have raised against me be true, mayst thou preserve these
men from every evil accident, and bring all that destruction on me which
I have imprecated upon them. And when thou hast inflicted punishment on
those that have endeavored to deal unjustly with this people, bestow
upon them concord and peace. Save this multitude that follow thy
commandments, and preserve them free from harm, and let them not partake
of the punishment of those that have sinned; for thou knowest thyself it
is not just, that for the wickedness of those men the whole body of the
Israelites should suffer punishment."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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