BIBLIOTHECA EPHEMERIDUM THEOLOGICARUM LOVA NIENSIUM CXLV JOSEPHUS' STORY OF THE LATER MONARCHY (Al9,1-10,185) BY CHRISTOPHER BEGG LEUVEN UITGEVERIJ PEETERS UNIVERSITY PRESS LEUVEN 2000 JOSEPHUS' STORY OF THE LATER MONARCHY BIBLIOTHECA EPHEMERIDUM THEOLOGICARUM LOVANIENSIUM CXLV JOSEPHUS' STORY OF THE LATER MONARCHY (AJ 9,1-10,185) BY CHRISTOPHER BEGG LEUVEN UITGEVERIJ PEETERS UNIVERSITY PRESS LEUVEN 2000 ISBN 90 6186 966 8 (Leuven University Press) D/1999/1869/31 ISBN 90-429-0785-1 (Uitgeverij Peeters) D/1999/0602/74 All rights reserved. Except in those cases expressly determined by law, no part of this publication may be multiplied, saved in an automated data file or made public in any way whatsoever without the express prior written consent of the publishers. Leuven University Press / Presses Universitaires de Louvain Universitaire Pers Leuven Blijde-Inkomststraat 5, B-3000 Leuven-Louvain (Belgium) © Peeters, Bondgenotenlaan 153, B-3000 Leuven (Belgium) FOREWORD As I bring to completion this, my second monograph on Josephus, I am especially conscious of all I owe to so many people who have sup­ ported me through the years of my writing it. Those persons represent a wide variety of groups and settings. My gratitude goes in first place to all members of my family, George and Catherine Begg, Joseph and Teresa Begg, and Joseph and Susan Fantom, in particular. As a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington, I am thankful to my Ordinary, James Cardinal Hickey, as well as to my long-time priest friends Rev. Michael Murray and Rev. Msgr. Paul Langsfeld for their interest in my scholarly endeavors. I appreciate too the hospitality of the people of St. Joseph's Church, Washington, D.C. and their pastor, Rev. Paul Lavin, who have afforded me a place to exercise my priestly ministry for many years. Each summer for over a decade and a half Edna and Ida Fecker of Sig- maringen, Germany have generously opened their home and their hearts to me during my European wanderings; notwithstanding the physical distance between us, they are often in my thoughts. All of the above per­ sons are ones whom I have known for a long time now, and most of them appeared by name in the foreword of my earlier volume. To that list I would like to add here a newer friend and source of great inspira­ tion to me, i.e. Rev. Daniel B. Gallagher of Gaylord, Michigan ("Amico fideli nulla est comparatio et non est digna ponderatio auri et argenti contra bonitatem fldei illius", Sir 6,15). Among my colleagues at Catholic University, Washington, D.C. where I have taught since 1982,1 would like to single out Profs. Frank Matera and John Galvin for their daily companionship and counsel. Prof. Louis H. Feldman of Yeshiva University has been of great assistance in my project, both through his prolific writings and his numerous acts of personal kindness. I am also grateful to Prof. em. Frans Neirynck, general editor of Bibliotheca Ephemeridum Theologicarum Lovaniensium, for accepting my new volume in the series and to the publishers of BETL, Leuven University Press and Uitgeverij Peeters, for making this publication possible. Finally, I wish to thank Mr. James Hornecker for his help in preparing the indexes. Washington, D.C, March, 1999 Christopher BEGG TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD vn INTRODUCTION 1 I. Jehoshaphat at Mid-Career (AJ 9,1-17) 5 II. Ahaziah and Jehoram; Elijah and Elisha (AJ 9,18-28). . 29 III. The Campaign of the Three Kings {AJ 9,29-45) . .. 47 IV. Elisha's Great Deeds (AJ 9,46-94) 67 V. Joram of Judah (A/9,95-104) 113 VI. Jehu of Israel (AJ 9,105-139) 129 VII. Athaliah of Judah (AJ 9,140-156) 167 VIII. Joash of Judah (AJ 9,157-172) 189 IX. Jehoahaz and Joash of Israel (AJ 9,173-185) 207 X. Amaziahof Judah (AJ 9,186-204) 225 XI. Jeroboam II and Jonah (AJ 9,205-215) 251 XII. Uzziah of Judah and Northern Counterparts (AJ 9,216-235) 273 XIII. Jotham of Judah and the Prophet Nahum (AJ 9,236-243a) 297 XIV. Ahaz and Hoshea (AJ 9,243b-259) 315 XV. Hezekiah's Beginnings (AJ 9,260-276) 339 XVI. The End of Israel (AJ 9,277-291) 367 XVII. Jerusalem Delivered (AJ 10,1-23) 387 XVIII. The Finale of Hezekiah's Reign (AJ 10,24-36) . . .. 419 XIX. Manasseh and Amon (AJ 10,37-48) 441 XX. Josiah (AJ 10,49-80) 457 XXI. Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and Jehoiachin (AJ 10,81-102 + 229- 230) 499 XXII. Zedekiah and Jeremiah (AJ 10,103-130) 535 XXIII. Jerusalem's Fall (AJ 10,131-154) 575 XXIV. The Governorship of Gedaliah and its Aftermath (AJ 10,155- 185) 599 Conclusions 623 INDEXES Abbreviations 639 Bibliography 645 X TABLE OF CONTENTS Modern Authors 661 Josephan Passages 666 Biblical Passages 684 Other Ancient Writings 698 Subjects 701 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The text and translation of Jewish Antiquities 9,1-10,185 cited in this volume are reprinted by permission of the publishers and Loeb Classical Library from Josephus, vol. VI, translated by R. Marcus, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press, 1937. Other, shorter portions of the text and/or translation of Josephus' writings cited in this volume are reprinted by permission of the publishers and Loeb Classical Library from Josephus, vols. I-X, translated by H. St.J. THACKE­ RAY, et al.j Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press, 1926-1965. Scripture quotations are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1946, 1952, 1971 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission.