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[228]
Now there followed after this another calamity, which arose from
a tumult made by robbers; for at the public road at Beth-boron, one Stephen,
a servant of Caesar, carried some furniture, which the robbers fell upon
and seized. Upon this Cureanus sent men to go round about to the neighboring
villages, and to bring their inhabitants to him bound, as laying it to
their charge that they had not pursued after the thieves, and caught them.
Now here it was that a certain soldier, finding the sacred book of the
law, tore it to pieces, and threw it into the fire. 1
Hereupon the Jews were in great disorder, as if their whole country were
in a flame, and assembled themselves so many of them by their zeal for
their religion, as by an engine, and ran together with united clamor to
Cesarea, to Cumanus, and made supplication to him that he would not overlook
this man, who had offered such an affront to God, and to his law; but punish
him for what he had done. Accordingly, he, perceiving that the multitude
would not be quiet unless they had a comfortable answer from him, gave
order that the soldier should be brought, and drawn through those that
required to have him punished, to execution, which being done, the Jews
went their ways.
1 Reland notes here, that the Talmud in recounting ten sad accidents for which the Jews ought to rend their garments, reckons this for one, "When they hear that the law of God is burnt."
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