This treatment even to this day is of the greatest efficacy among the Jews. I have myself witnessed one of my countrymen, a certain Eleazar, in the presence of Vespasian and his sons and some tribunes and a crowd of soldiers of other ranks, releasing[1] (from their bondage) persons who were possessed by these[2] devils. The mode of treatment was as follows. To the demoniac's nose he applied his ring which held beneath the seal a root obtained in accordance with Solomon's prescription, and then as the man smelt it he drew the devil out through his nostrils. The patient at once fell down and Eleazar adjured the devil never to return into him again, using Solomon's name and reciting the incantations which that monarch composed. Moreover, in his desire to convince the bystanders and to prove that he really possessed this power, Eleazar used to place a little in front of the demoniac a cup or basin[3] full of water, with a command to the devil on his exit from the man to overturn these vessels and so to let the spectators know that he had left him. On this taking place, the skill and wisdom of Solomon were clearly established.—Ant. VIII. 2. 5 (45-49). (7) Micaiah and Zedekiah prophesy before Ahab
Cf. 1 Kings xxii. With the alleged discrepancy between prophecies
of Elijah and Micaiah, cf. Jos. Ant. X. 7. 2 (106 f.) for
seeming inconsistency between Jeremiah and Ezekiel which led
King Zedekiah to disbelieve both.
So Ahab summoned his own prophets, in number
about four hundred, and bade them enquire of God
whether, if he led his forces against Ader,[4] He would
grant him victory and enable him to overthrow the city[5]
