Drought during the reign of Caligula approx the
late 30s
Antiquities of the Jews
Book XVII
CHAPTER 8
6. When Petronius had said this, and had
dismissed rite assembly of the Jews, he desired the principal of them to
take care of their husbandry, and to speak kindly to the people, and
encourage them to have good hope of their affairs. Thus did he readily
bring the multitude to be cheerful again. And now did God show his
presence to Petronius, and signify to him that he would afford him his
assistance in his whole design; for he had no sooner finished the speech
that he made to the Jews, but God sent down great showers of rain,
contrary to human expectation; for that day was a clear day, and gave no
sign, by the appearance of the sky, of any rain; nay, the whole year had
been subject to a great drought, and made men despair of any water from
above, even when at any time they saw the heavens overcast with clouds;
insomuch that when such a great quantity of rain came, and that in an
unusual manner, and without any other expectation of it, the Jews hoped
that Petronius would by no means fail in his petition for them. But as
to Petronius, he was mightily surprised when he perceived that God
evidently took care of the Jews, and gave very plain signs of his
appearance, and this to such a degree, that those that were in earnest
much inclined to the contrary had no power left to contradict it. This
was also among those other particulars which he wrote to Caius, which
all tended to dissuade him, and by all means to entreat him not to make
so many ten thousands of these men go distracted; whom, if he should
slay, (for without war they would by no means suffer the laws of their
worship to be set aside,) he would lose the revenue they paid him, and
would be publicly cursed by them for all future ages. Moreover, that
God, who was their Governor, had shown his power most evidently on their
account, and that such a power of his as left no room for doubt about
it. And this was the business that Petronius was now engaged in.
This was the same famine in Acts:11:27.
27:And
in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. 28. And there
stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit that
there should be great famine throughout all the world: which came to
pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.
Antiquities of the Jews
Book XX
Chapter 2
5. But as to Helena, the king's mother, when
she saw that the affairs of Izates's kingdom were in peace, and that her
son was a happy man, and admired among all men, and even among
foreigners, by the means of God's providence over him, she had a mind to
go to the city of Jerusalem, in order to worship at that temple of God
which was so very famous among all men, and to offer her thank-offerings
there. So she desired her son to give her leave to go thither; upon
which he gave his consent to what she desired very willingly, and made
great preparations for her dismission, and gave her a great deal of
money, and she went down to the city Jerusalem, her son conducting her
on her journey a great way. Now her coming was of very great advantage
to the people of Jerusalem; for whereas a famine did oppress them at
that time, and many people died for want of what was necessary to
procure food withal, queen Helena sent some of her servants to
Alexandria with money to buy a great quantity of corn, and others of
them to Cyprus, to bring a cargo of dried figs. And as soon as they were
come back, and had brought those provisions, which was done very
quickly, she distributed food to those that were in want of it, and left
a most excellent memorial behind her of this benefaction, which she
bestowed on our whole nation. And when her son Izates was informed of
this famine, he sent great sums of money to the principal men in
Jerusalem. However, what favors this queen and king conferred upon our
city Jerusalem shall be further related hereafter.
Other writers of that day also recorded
these famines and others including lists of cities and numbers of dead.
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