Luke 21:11

earthquakes Tac. Hist.I. 2. For such physical portents at great crises see Thuc. i. 23; Tac. Ann.xii. 43, 64, Hist.i. 56; Liv. xliii. 13, &c.

famines Acts 11:28. The original gives the common paronomasia (play on words) limoi kai loimoi.

pestilences Josephus (B. J .vi. 9, § 3) mentions both pestilence and famine as the immediate preludes of the storming of Jerusalem. They were due, like the plague at Athens, to the vast masses of people Passover pilgrims who were at the time crowded in the city.

fearful sights See Wis 17:1-21. The word phobetra, -terrors," occurs here alone. Among these would be the "Abomination of Desolation," or "desolating wing of Abomination," which seems best to correspond with the foul and murderous orgies of the Zealots which drove all worshippers in horror from the Temple (Jos. B. J.iv. 3, § 7, V. 6, § 1, &c.). Such too would be the rumour of monstrous births (id. vi. 5, § 3); the cry -woe, woe" for seven and a half years of the peasant Jesus, son of Hanan; the voice and sound of departing guardian-angels (Tac. Hist.13), and the sudden opening of the vast brazen Temple-gate which required twenty men to move it (Jos. ib.).

signs., from heaven Josephus mentions a sword-shaped comet. Both Tacitus and Josephus mention the portent that

"Fierce fiery warriors fought upon the clouds,

In rank, and squadron, and right form of war;"

and Tacitus tells us how the blind multitude of Jews interpreted these signs in their own favour (Hist.v. 13).