the antiquities of the jews-1-第113节

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king　of　the　two　tribes；　by　this　means　we　shall　preserve　the　good
order　of　the　history　entire。

4。　When　therefore　Jeroboam　had　built　him　a　palace　in　the　city
Shechem；　he　dwelt　there。　He　also　built　him　another　at　Penuel；　a
city　so　called。　And　now　the　feast　of　tabernacles　was　approaching
in　a　little　time；　Jeroboam　considered；　that　if　he　should　permit
the　multitude　to　go　to　worship　God　at　Jerusalem；　and　there　to
celebrate　the　festival；　they　would　probably　repent　of　what　they
had　done；　and　be　enticed　by　the　temple；　and　by　the　worship　of　God
there　performed；　and　would　leave　him；　and　return　to　their　first
kings；　and　if　so；　he　should　run　the　risk　of　losing　his　own　life；
so　he　invented　this　contrivance；　He　made　two　golden　heifers；　and
built　two　little　temples　for　them；　the　one　in　the　city　Bethel；
and　the　other　in　Dan；　which　last　was　at　the　fountains　of　the
Lesser　Jordan　（24）　and　he　put　the　heifers　into　both　the　little
temples；　in　the　forementioned　cities。　And　when　he　had　called
those　ten　tribes　together　over　whom　he　ruled；　he　made　a　speech　to
the　people　in　these　words：　〃I　suppose；　my　countrymen；　that　you
know　this；　that　every　place　hath　God　in　it；　nor　is　there　any　one
determinate　place　in　which　he　is；　but　he　every　where　hears　and
sees　those　that　worship　him；　on　which　account　I　do　not　think　it
right　for　you　to　go　so　long　a　journey　to　Jerusalem；　which　is　an
enemy's　city；　to　worship　him。　It　was　a　man　that　built　the　temple：
I　have　also　made　two　golden　heifers；　dedicated　to　the　same　God；
and　the　one　of　them　I　have　consecrated　in　the　city　Bethel；　and
the　other　in　Dan；　to　the　end　that　those　of　you　that　dwell　nearest
those　cities　may　go　to　them；　and　worship　God　there；　and　I　will
ordain　for　you　certain　priests　and　Levites　from　among　yourselves；
that　you　may　have　no　want　of　the　tribe　of　Levi；　or　of　the　sons　of
Aaron；　but　let　him　that　is　desirous　among　you　of　being　a　priest；
bring　to　God　a　bullock　and　a　ram；　which　they　say　Aaron　the　first
priest　brought　also。〃　When　Jeroboam　had　said　this；　he　deluded　the
people；　and　made　them　to　revolt　from　the　worship　of　their
forefathers；　and　to　transgress　their　laws。　This　was　the　beginning
of　miseries　to　the　Hebrews；　and　the　cause　why　they　were　overcome
in　war　by　foreigners；　and　so　fell　into　captivity。　But　we　shall
relate　those　things　in　their　proper　places　hereafter。

5。　When　the　feast　＇of　tabernacles＇　was　just　approaching；　Jeroboam
was　desirous　to　celebrate　it　himself　in　Bethel；　as　did　the　two
tribes　celebrate　it　in　Jerusalem。　Accordingly　he　built　an　altar
before　the　heifer；　and　undertook　to　be　high　priest　himself。　So　he
went　up　to　the　altar；　with　his　own　priests　about　him；　but　when　he
was　going　to　offer　the　sacrifices　and　the　burnt…offerings；　in　the
sight　of　all　the　people；　a　prophet；　whose　name　was　Jadon；　was
sent　by　God；　and　came　to　him　from　Jerusalem；　who　stood　in　the
midst　of　the　multitude；　and　in　the　'hearing　of'　the　king；　and
directing　his　discourse　to　the　altar；　said　thus：　God　foretells
that　there　shall　be　a　certain　man　of　the　family　of　David；　Josiah
by　name；　who　shall　slay　upon　thee　those　false　priests　that　shall
live　at　that　time；　and　upon　thee　shall　burn　the　bones　of　those
deceivers　of　the　people；　those　impostors'　and　wicked　wretches。
However；　that　this　people　may　believe　that　these　things　shall　so
come　to　pass；　I　foretell　a　sign　to　them　that　shall　also　come　to
pass。　This　altar　shall　be　broken　to　pieces　immediately；　and　all
the　fat　of　the　sacrifices　that　is　upon　it　shall　be　poured　upon
the　ground。〃　When　the　prophet　had　said　this；　Jeroboam　fell　into　a
passion；　and　stretched　out　his　hand；　and　bid　them　lay　hold　of
him；　but　that　hand　which　he　stretched　out　was　enfeebled；　and　he
was　not　able　to　pull　it　in　again　to　him；　for　it　was　become
withered；　and　hung　down；　as　if　it　were　a　dead　hand。　The　altar
also　was　broken　to　pieces；　and　all　that　was　upon　it　was　poured
out；　as　the　prophet　had　foretold　should　come　to　pass。　So　the　king
understood　that　he　was　a　man　of　veracity；　and　had　a　Divine
foreknowledge；　and　entreated　him　to　pray　to　God　that　he　would
restore　his　right　hand。　Accordingly　the　prophet　did　pray　to　God
to　grant　him　that　request。　So　the　king；　having　his　hand　recovered
to　its　natural　state；　rejoiced　at　it；　and　invited　the　prophet　to
sup　with　him；　but　Jadon　said　that　he　could　not　endure　to　come
into　his　house；　nor　to　taste　of　bread　or　water　in　this　city；　for
that　was　a　thing　God　had　forbidden　him　to　do；　as　also　to　go　back
by　the　same　way　which　he　came；　but　he　said　he　was　to　return　by
another　way。　So　the　king　wondered　at　the　abstinence　of　the　man；
but　was　himself　in　fear；　as　suspecting　a　change　of　his　affairs
for　the　worse；　from　what　had　been　said　to　him。

CHAPTER　9。

How　Jadon　The　Prophet　Was　Persuaded　By　Another　Lying　Prophet　And
Returned　＇To　Bethel；＇　And　Was　Afterwards　Slain　By　A　Lion。　As　Also
What　Words　The　Wicked　Prophet　Made　Use　Of　To　Persuade　The　King；
And　Thereby　Alienated　His　Mind　From　God。

1。　Now　there　was　a　certain　wicked　man　in　that　city；　who　was　a
false　prophet；　whom　Jeroboam　had　in　great　esteem；　but　was
deceived　by　him　and　his　flattering　words。　This　man　was　bedrid；　by
reason　or　the　infirmities　of　old　age：　however；　he　was　informed　by
his　sons　concerning　the　prophet　that　was　come　from　Jerusalem；　and
concerning　the　signs　done　by　him；　and　how；　when　Jeroboam's　right
hand　had　been　enfeebled；　at　the　prophet's　prayer　he　had　it
revived　again。　Whereupon　he　was　afraid　that　this　stranger　and
prophet　should　be　in　better　esteem　with　the　king　than　himself；
and　obtain　greater　honor　from　him：　and　he　gave　orders　to　his　sons
to　saddle　his　ass　presently；　and　make　all　ready　that　he　might　go
out。　Accordingly　they　made　haste　to　do　what　they　were　commanded；
and　he　got　upon　the　ass　and　followed　after　the　prophet。；　and　when
he　had　overtaken　him；　as　he　was　resting　himself　under　a　very
large　oak　tree　that　was　thick　and　shady；　he　at　first　saluted　him；
but　presently　he　complained　of　him；　because　he　had　not　come　into
his　house；　and　partaken　of　his　hospitality。　And　when　the　other
said　that　God　had　forbidden　him　to　taste　of　any　one's　provision
in　that　city；　he　replied；　that　〃for　certain　God　had　not　forbidden
that　I　should　set　food　before　thee；　for　I　am　a　prophet　as　thou
art；　and　worship　God　in　the　same　manner　that　thou　dost；　and　I　am
now　come　as　sent　by　him；　in　order　to　bring　thee　into　my　house；
and　make　thee　my　guest。〃　Now　Jadon　gave　credit　to　this　lying
prophet；　and　returned　back　with　him。　But　when　they　were　at
dinner；　and　merry　together；　God　appeared　to　Jadon；　and　said　that
he　should　suffer　punishment　for　transgressing　his　commands；　…　and
he　told　him　what　that　punishment　should　be　for　he　said　that　he
should　meet　with　a　lion　as　he　was　going　on　his　way；　by　which　lion
he　should　be　torn　in　pieces；　and　be　deprived　of　burial　in　the
sepulchers　of　his　fathers；　which　things　came　to　pass；　as　I
suppose；　according　to　the　will　of　God；　that　so　Jeroboam　might　not
give　heed　to　the　words　of　Jadon　as　of　one　that　had　been　convicted
of　lying。　However；　as　Jadon　was　again　going　to　Jerusalem；　a　lion
assaulted　him；　and　pulled　him　off　the　beast　he　rode　on；　and　slew
him；　yet　did　he　not　at　all　hurt　the　ass；　but　sat　by　him；　and　kept
him；　as　also　the　prophet's　body。　This　continued　till　some
travelers　that　saw　it　came　and　told　it　in　the　city　to　the　false
prophet；　who　sent　his　sons；　and　brought　the　body　unto　the　city；
and　made　a　funeral　for　him　at　great　expense。　He　also　charged　his
sons　to　bury　himself　with　him　and　said　that　all　which　he　had
foretold　against　that　city；　and　the　altar；　and　priests；　and　false
prophets；　would　prove　true；　and　that　if　he　were　buried　with　him；
he　should　receive　no　injurious　treatment　after　his　death；　the
bones　not　being　then　to　be　distinguished　asunder。　But　now；　when
he　had　performed　those　funeral　rites　to　the　prophet；　and　had
given　that　charge　to　his　sons；　as　he　was　a　wicked　and　an　impious
man；　he　goes　to　Jeroboam；　and　says　to　him；　〃And　wherefore　is　it
now　that　thou　art　disturbed　at　the　words　of　this　silly　fellow？〃
And　when　the　king　had　related　to　him　what　had　happened　about　the
altar；　and　about　his　own　hand；　and　gave　him　the　names　of　divine
man；　and　an　excellent　prophet；　he　endeavored　by　a　wicked　trick　to
weaken　that　his　opinion；　and　by　using　plausible　words　concerning
what　had　happened；　he　aimed　to　injure　the　truth　that　was　in　them；
for　he　attempted　to　persuade　him　that　his　hand　was　enfeebled　by
the　labor　it　had　undergone　in　supporting　the　sacrifices；　and　that
upon　its　resting　awhile　it　returned　to　its　former　nature　again；
and　that　as　to　the　altar；　it　was　but　new；　and　had　borne　abundance
of　sacrifices；　and　those　large　ones　too；　and　was　accordingly
broken　to　pieces；　and　fallen　down　by　the　weight　of　what　had　been
laid　upon　it。　He　also　informed　him　of　the　death　of　him　that　had
foretold　those　things；　and　how　he　perished；　＇whence　he　concluded
that＇　he　had　not　any　thing　in　him　of　a　prophet；　nor　spake　any
thing　like　one。　When　he　had　thus　spoken；　he　persuaded　the　king；
and　entirely　alienated　his　mind　from　God；　and　from　doing　works
that　were　righteous　and　holy；　and　encouraged　him　to　go　on　in　his
impious　practices　（25）　and　accordingly　he　was　to　that　degree
injurious　to　God；　and　so　great　a　trans