From the Rejection of That Generation to the Death of Moses - Flavius Josephus

means be despised, and esteemed inferior to those, the dread of whose power
has occasioned the unjust sentence; for justice is the power of God. He
therefore that gratifies those in great dignity, supposes them more potent than
God himself. But if these judges be unable to give a just sentence about the
causes that come before them, (which case is not unfrequent in human
affairs,) let them send the cause undetermined to the holy city, and there let
the high priest, the prophet, and the sanhedrim, determine as it shall seem
good to them.
15. But let not a single witness be credited, but three, or two at the least,
and those such whose testimony is confirmed by their good lives. But let not
the testimony of women be admitted, on account of the levity and boldness
of their sex (7) Nor let servants be admitted to give testimony, on account of
the ignobility of their soul; since it is probable that they may not speak truth,
either out of hope of gain, or fear of punishment. But if any one be believed
to have borne false witness, let him, when he is convicted, suffer all the very
same punishments which he against whom he bore witness was to have
suffered.
16. If a murder be committed in any place, and he that did it be not
found, nor is there any suspicion upon one as if he had hated the man, and so
had killed him, let there be a very diligent inquiry made after the man, and
rewards proposed to any one who will discover him; but if still no
information can be procured, let the magistrates and senate of those cities
that lie near the place in which the murder was committed, assemble
together, and measure the distance from the place where the dead body lies;
then let the magistrates of the nearest city thereto purchase a heifer, and
bring it to a valley, and to a place therein where there is no land ploughed or
trees planted, and let them cut the sinews of the heifer; then the priests and
Levites, and the senate of that city, shall take water and wash their hands
over the head of the heifer; and they shall openly declare that their hands are
innocent of this murder, and that they have neither done it themselves, nor
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