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And when he perceived that his mother was highly pleased with the
Jewish customs, he made haste to change, and to embrace them entirely;
and as he supposed that he could not he thoroughly a Jew unless he were
circumcised, he was ready to have it done. But when his mother understood
what he was about, she endeavored to hinder him from doing it, and said
to him that this thing would bring him into danger; and that, as he was
a king, he would thereby bring himself into great odium among his subjects,
when they should understand that he was so fond of rites that were to them
strange and foreign; and that they would never bear to be ruled over by
a Jew. This it was that she said to him, and for the present persuaded
him to forbear. And when he had related what she had said to Ananias, he
confirmed what his mother had said; and when he had also threatened to
leave him, unless he complied with him, he went away from him, and said
that he was afraid lest such an action being once become public to all,
he should himself be in danger of punishment for having been the occasion
of it, and having been the king's instructor in actions that were of ill
reputation; and he said that he might worship God without being circumcised,
even though he did resolve to follow the Jewish law entirely, which worship
of God was of a superior nature to circumcision. He added, that God would
forgive him, though he did not perform the operation, while it was omitted
out of necessity, and for fear of his subjects. So the king at that time
complied with these persuasions of Ananias. But afterwards, as he had not
quite left off his desire of doing this thing, a certain other Jew that
came out of Galilee, whose name was Eleazar, and who was esteemed very
skillful in the learning of his country, persuaded him to do the thing;
for as he entered into his palace to salute him, and found him reading
the law of Moses, he said to him, "Thou dost not consider, O king!
that thou unjustly breakest the principal of those laws, and art injurious
to God himself, [by omitting to be circumcised]; for thou oughtest not
only to read them, but chiefly to practice what they enjoin thee. How long
wilt thou continue uncircumcised? But if thou hast not yet read the law
about circumcision, and dost not know how great impiety thou art guilty
of by neglecting it, read it now." When the king had heard what he
said, he delayed the thing no longer, but retired to another room, and
sent for a surgeon, and did what he was commanded to do. He then sent for
his mother, and Ananias his tutor, and informed them that he had done the
thing; upon which they were presently struck with astonishment and fear,
and that to a great degree, lest the thing should be openly discovered
and censured, and the king should hazard the loss of his kingdom, while
his subjects would not bear to be governed by a man who was so zealous
in another religion; and lest they should themselves run some hazard, because
they would be supposed the occasion of his so doing. But it was God himself
who hindered what they feared from taking effect; for he preserved both
Izates himself and his sons when they fell into many dangers, and procured
their deliverance when it seemed to be impossible, and demonstrated thereby
that the fruit of piety does not perish as to those that have regard to
him, and fix their faith upon him only.
1
But these events we shall relate hereafter.