If Nebuchadnezzar thought, that once he had the Jews in the regions of
the Euphrates they were in his power forever, he was greatly mistaken.
It was on the very banks of the great river that he suffered the loss
of a number of his captives. When the first stop was made by the
Euphrates, the Jews could no longer contain their grief, and they broke
out into tears and bitter lamentations. Nebuchadnezzar bade them be
silent, and as though to render obedience to his orders the harder, he
called upon the Levites, the minstrels of the Temple to sing the songs
of Zion for the entertainment of his guests at the banquet he had
arranged. The Levites consulted with one another. "Not enough that the
Temple lies in ashes because of our sins, should we add to our
transgressions by coaxing music from the strings of our holy harps in
honor of these 'dwarfs'?" (54) they said, and they determined to offer
resistance. The murderous Babylonians mowed them down in heaps, yet
they met death with high courage, for it saved their sacred instruments
from the desecration of being used before idols and for the sake of
idolaters.
The Levites who survived the carnage the Sons of Moses they were
bit their own fingers off, and when they were asked to play, they
showed their tyrants mutilated hands, with which it was impossible to
manipulate their harps. (55) At the fall of night a cloud descended and
enveloped the Sons of Moses and all who belonged to them. They were
hidden from their enemies, while their own way was illuminated by a
pillar of fire. The cloud and the pillar vanished at break of day, and
before the Sons of Moses lay a tract of land bordered by the sea on
three sides. For their complete protection God made the river Sambation
to flow on the fourth side. This river is full of sand and stones, and
on the six working days of the week, they tumble over each other with
such vehemence that the crash and the roar are heard far and wide. But
on the Sabbath (56) the tumultuous river subsides into quiet. As a
guard against trespassers on that day, a column of cloud stretches
along the whole length of the river, and none can approach the
Sambation within three miles. Hedged in as they are, the Sons of Moses
yet communicate with their brethren of the tribes of Naphtali, Gad, and
Asher, who dwell near the banks of the Sambation. Carrier pigeons bear
letters hither and thither.
In the land of the Sons of Moses there are none but clean animals, and
in every respect the inhabitants lead a holy and pure life, worthy of
their ancestor Moses. They never use an oath, and, if perchance an oath
escapes the lips of one of them, he is at once reminded of the Divine
punishment connected with his act his children will die at a tender
age.
The Sons of Moses live peaceably and enjoy prosperity as equals through
their common Jewish faith. They have need of neither prince nor judge,
for they know not strife and litigation. Each works for the welfare of
the community, and each takes from the common store only what will
satisfy his needs. Their houses are built of equal height, that no one
may deem himself above his neighbor, and that that the fresh air may
not be hindered from playing freely about all alike. Even at night
their doors stand wide open, for they have naught to fear from thieves,
nor are wild animals known in their land. They all attain a good old
age. The son never dies before the father. When a death occurs, there
is rejoicing, because the departed is known to have entered into life
everlasting in loyalty to his faith. The birth of a child, on the other
hand, calls forth mourning, for who can tell whether the being ushered
into the world will be pious and faithful? The dead are buried near the
doors of their own houses, in order that their survivors, in all their
comings and goings, may be reminded of their own end. Disease is
unknown among them, for they never sin, and sickness is sent only to
purify from sins. (57)