monogene, an only begotten son, for no
other than one best beloved, as does both the Old and New Testament,
I mean where there were one or more sons besides, Genesis 22:2; Hebrew
11:17. See the note on B. I. ch. 13. sect. 1.

[3] It is here very remarkable, that the remains of Noah's ark were
believed to be still in being in the days of Josephus. See the note on
B. I. ch. 3. sect. 5.

[4] Josephus is very full and express in these three chapters, 3., 4.,
and 5., in observing how carefully Divine Providence preserved this
Izates, king of Adiabene, and his sons, while he did what he thought was
his bounden duty, notwithstanding the strongest political motives to the
contrary.

[5] This further account of the benefactions of Izates and Helena to
the Jerusalem Jews which Josephus here promises is, I think, no where
performed by him in his present works. But of this terrible famine
itself in Judea, take Dr. Hudson's note here:--"This [ says he ] is that
famine foretold by Agabus, Acts 11:28, which happened when Claudius was
consul the fourth time; and not that other which happened when Claudius
was consul the second time, and Cesina was his colleague, as Scaliger
says upon Eusebius, p. 174." Now when Josephus had said a little
afterward, ch. 5. sect. 2, that "Tiberius Alexander succeeded Cuspius
Fadus as procurator," he immediately subjoins, that" under these
procurators there happened a great famine in Judea." Whence it is plain
that this famine continued for many years, on account of its duration
under these two procurators. Now Fadus was not sent into Judea till
after the death of king Agrippa, i.e. towards the latter end of the 4th
year of Claudius; so that this famine foretold by Agabus happened upon
the 5th, 6th, and 7th years of Claudius, as says Valesius on Euseb. II.
12. Of this famine also, and queen Helena's supplies, and her monument,
see Moses Churenensis, p. 144, 145, where it is observed in the notes
that Pausanias mentions that her monument also.

[6] This privilege of wearing the tiara upright, or with the tip of the
cone erect, is known to have been of old peculiar to great kings, from
Xenophon and others, as Dr. Hudson observes here.

[7] This conduct of Izates is a sign that he was become either a Jew,
or an Ebionite Christian, who indeed differed not much from proper Jews.
See ch. 6. sect. 1. However, his supplications were heard, and he was
providentially delivered from that imminent danger he was