Chapter XXXVIII.—Sins of the Israelites.

“Moses,⁵⁶³⁵⁶³    Deut. xxxi.–xxxiv. then, having arranged these things, and having set over the people one Auses to bring them to the land of their fathers, himself by the command of the living God went up to a certain mountain, and there died.  Yet such was the manner of his death, that till this day no one has found his burial-place.  When, therefore, the people reached their fathers’ land, by the providence of God, at their first onset the 88inhabitants of wicked races are routed, and they enter upon their paternal inheritance, which was distributed among them by lot.  For some time thereafter they were ruled not by kings, but judges, and remained in a somewhat peaceful condition.  But when they sought for themselves tyrants rather than kings, then also with regal ambition they erected a temple in the place which had been appointed to them for prayer; and thus, through a succession of wicked kings, the people fell away to greater and still greater impiety.”