own bodies, they attempted to beat off the Romans who were once more attempting to break through.
For three days they maintained a stubborn defence and held their ground; but on the fourth, unable to withstand a gallant assault of Titus, they were compelled to fall back as before. Titus, once more master of the wall, immediately razed the whole of the northern portion; and, placing garrisons in the towers on the south side, made preparations to attack the third wall.—B.J. V. 8. 2 (342-347). (48) Cessation of the Daily Sacrifice. Josephus appeals to the Jews
July A.D. 70 Titus now ordered the troops at his disposal to raze the foundations of Antonia[1] and to prepare an easy ascent (to the Temple) for his whole army. On the seventeenth of Panemus, having heard that on that day the so-called continual sacrifice[2] had ceased to be offered to God from lack of men and that the people were in consequence terribly despondent, he put Josephus forward with instructions to repeat to John[3] the same message as before; namely "that if he was the slave of a depraved love of fighting, it was open to him to come out with as many men as he chose and carry on the war, without involving the city and the sanctuary in his own ruin; but that he should no longer pollute the Holy Place nor sin against God; and that he would be permitted to perform the interrupted sacrifices through the ministry of any Jews he might select."
Josephus, in order that his words might be listened to[4]: Heb. Tamid); cf. Numb. xxviii. 6.]
- ↑ The tower or "castle" adjoining the Temple from the stairs of which St. Paul delivered the speech recorded in Acts xxii.
- ↑ The daily, morning and evening, sacrifice ([Greek: endelechismos
- ↑ John of Gischala—not in scan at TIA.—F1
- ↑ Many MSS insert "standing" ("standing where he might be heard," etc.).
