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[387]
However, in this extreme distress, he was not destitute of his usual
sagacity; but trusting himself to the providence of God, he put his life
into hazard [in the manner following]: "And now," said he, "since
it is resolved among you that you will die, come on, let us commit our
mutual deaths to determination by lot. He whom the lot falls to first,
let him be killed by him that hath the second lot, and thus fortune shall
make its progress through us all; nor shall any of us perish by his own
right hand, for it would be unfair if, when the rest are gone, somebody
should repent and save himself." This proposal appeared to them to
be very just; and when he had prevailed with them to determine this matter
by lots, he drew one of the lots for himself also. He who had the first
lot laid his neck bare to him that had the next, as supposing that the
general would die among them immediately; for they thought death, if Josephus
might but die with them, was sweeter than life; yet was he with another
left to the last, whether we must say it happened so by chance, or whether
by the providence of God. And as he was very desirous neither to be condemned
by the lot, nor, if he had been left to the last, to imbrue his right hand
in the blood of his countrymen, he persuaded him to trust his fidelity
to him, and to live as well as himself.
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