the antiquities of the jews-1-第118节

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that；　for　a　trial　of　the　power　of　the　strange　gods；　and　of　their
own　God；　he；　who　was　his　only　prophet；　while　they　had　four
hundred；　might　take　a　heifer　and　kill　it　as　a　sacrifice；　and　lay
it　upon　pieces　of　wood；　and　not　kindle　any　fire；　and　that　they
should　do　the　same　things；　and　call　upon　their　own　gods　to　set
the　wood　on　fire；　for　if　that　were　done；　they　would　thence　learn
the　nature　of　the　true　God。　This　proposal　pleased　the　people。　So
Elijah　bade　the　prophets　to　choose　out　a　heifer　first；　and　kill
it；　and　to　call　on　their　gods。　But　when　there　appeared　no　effect
of　the　prayer　or　invocation　of　the　prophets　upon　their　sacrifice；
Elijah　derided　them；　and　bade　them　call　upon　their　gods　with　a
loud　voice；　for　they　might　either　be　on　a　journey；　or　asleep；　and
when　these　prophets　had　done　so　from　morning　till　noon；　and　cut
themselves　with　swords　and　lances；　（34）　according　to　the　customs
of　their　country；　and　he　was　about　to　offer　his　sacrifice；　he
bade　＇the　prophets＇　go　away；　but　bade　＇the　people＇　come　near　and
observe　what　he　did；　lest　he　should　privately　hide　fire　among　the
pieces　of　wood。　So；　upon　the　approach　of　the　multitude；　he　took
twelve　stones；　one　for　each　tribe　of　the　people　of　the　Hebrews；
and　built　an　altar　with　them；　and　dug　a　very　deep　trench；　and
when　he　had　laid　the　pieces　of　wood　upon　the　altar；　and　upon　them
had　laid　the　pieces　of　the　sacrifices；　he　ordered　them　to　fill
four　barrels　with　the　water　of　the　fountain；　and　to　pour　it　upon
the　altar；　till　it　ran　over　it；　and　till　the　trench　was　filled
with　the　water　poured　into　it。　When　he　had　done　this；　he　began　to
pray　to　God；　and　to　invocate　him　to　make　manifest　his　power　to　a
people　that　had　already　been　in　an　error　a　long　time；　upon　which
words　a　fire　came　on　a　sudden　from　heaven　in　the　sight　of　the
multitude；　and　fell　upon　the　altar；　and　consumed　the　sacrifice；
till　the　very　water　was　set　on　fire；　and　the　place　was　become
dry。

6。　Now　when　the　Israelites　saw　this；　they　fell　down　upon　the
ground；　and　worshipped　one　God；　and　called　him　The　great　and　the
only　true　God；　but　they　called　the　others　mere　names；　framed　by
the　evil　and　vile　opinions　of　men。　So　they　caught　their　prophets；
and；　at　the　command　of　Elijah；　slew　them。　Elijah　also　said　to　the
king；　that　he　should　go　to　dinner　without　any　further　concern；
for　that　in　a　little　time　he　would　see　God　send　them　rain。
Accordingly　Ahab　went　his　way。　But　Elijah　went　up　to　the　highest
top　of　Mount　Carmel；　and　sat　down　upon　the　ground；　and　leaned　his
head　upon　his　knees；　and　bade　his　servant　go　up　to　a　certain
elevated　place；　and　look　towards　the　sea；　and　when　he　should　see
a　cloud　rising　any　where；　he　should　give　him　notice　of　it；　for
till　that　time　the　air　had　been　clear。　When　the　Servant　had　gone
up；　and　had　said　many　times　that　he　saw　nothing；　at　the　seventh
time　of　his　going　up；　he　said　that　he　saw　a　small　black　thing　in
the　sky；　not　larger　than　a　man's　foot。　When　Elijah　heard　that；　he
sent　to　Ahab；　and　desired　him　to　go　away　to　the　city　before　the
rain　came　down。　So　he　came　to　the　city　Jezreel；　and　in　a　little
time　the　air　was　all　obscured；　and　covered　with　clouds；　and　a
vehement　storm　of　wind　came　upon　the　earth；　and　with　it　a　great
deal　of　rain；　and　the　prophet　was　under　a　Divine　fury；　and　ran
along　with　the　king's　chariot　unto　Jezreel　a　city　of　Izar　（35）
＇Issaachar＇。

7。　When　Jezebel；　the　wife　of　Ahab；　understood　what　signs　Elijah
had　wrought；　and　how　he　had　slain　her　prophets；　she　was　angry；
and　sent　messengers　to　him；　and　by　them　threatened　to　kill　him；
as　he　had　destroyed　her　prophets。　At　this　Elijah　was　affrighted；
and　fled　to　the　city　called　Beersheba；　which　is　situate　at　the
utmost　limits　of　the　country　belonging　to　the　tribe　of　Judah；
towards　the　land　of　Edom；　and　there　he　left　his　servant；　and　went
away　into　the　desert。　He　prayed　also　that　he　might　die；　for　that
he　was　not　better　than　his　fathers；　nor　need　he　be　very　desirous
to　live；　when　they　were　dead；　and　he　lay　and　slept　under　a
certain　tree；　and　when　somebody　awakened　him；　and　he　was　risen
up；　he　found　food　set　by　him　and　water：　so　when　he　had　eaten；　and
recovered　his　strength　by　that　his　food；　he　came　to　that　mountain
which　is　called　Sinai；　where　it　is　related　that　Moses　received
his　laws　from　God；　and　finding　there　a　certain　hollow　cave；　he
entered　into　it；　and　continued　to　make　his　abode　in　it。　But　when
a　certain　voice　came　to　him；　but　from　whence　he　knew　not；　and
asked　him；　why　he　was　come　thither；　and　had　left　the　city？　he
said；　that　because　he　had　slain　the　prophets　of　the　foreign　gods；
and　had　persuaded　the　people　that　he　alone　whom　they　had
worshipped　from　the　beginning　was　God；　he　was　sought　for　by　the
king's　wife　to　be　punished　for　so　doing。　And　when　he　had　heard
another　voice；　telling　him　that　he　should　come　out　the　next　day
into　the　open　air；　and　should　thereby　know　what　he　was　to　do；　he
came　out　of　the　cave　the　next　day　accordingly；　When　he　both　heard
an　earthquake；　and　saw　the　bright　splendor　of　a　fire；　and　after　a
silence　made；　a　Divine　voice　exhorted　him　not　to　be　disturbed
with　the　circumstances　he　was　in；　for　that　none　of　his　enemies
should　have　power　over　him。　The　voice　also　commanded　him　to
return　home；　and　to　ordain　Jehu；　the　son　of　Nimshi；　to　be　king
over　their　own　multitude；　and　Hazael；　of　Damascus；　to　be　over　the
Syrians；　and　Elisha；　of　the　city　Abel；　to　be　a　prophet　in　his
stead；　and　that　of　the　impious　multitude；　some　should　be　slain　by
Hazael；　and　others　by　Jehu。　So　Elijah；　upon　hearing　this　charge；
returned　into　the　land　of　the　Hebrews。　And　when　he　found　Elisha；
the　son　of　Shaphat；　ploughing；　and　certain　others　with　him；
driving　twelve　yoke　of　oxen；　he　came　to　him；　and　cast　his　own
garment　upon　him；　upon　which　Elisha　began　to　prophesy　presently；
and　leaving　his　oxen；　he　followed　Elijah。　And　when　he　desired
leave　to　salute　his　parents；　Elijah　gave　him　leave　so　to　do；　and
when　he　had　taken　his　leave　of　them；　he　followed　him；　and　became
the　disciple　and　the　servant　of　Elijah　all　the　days　of　his　life。
And　thus　have　I　despatched　the　affairs　in　which　this　prophet　was
concerned。

8。　Now　there　was　one　Naboth；　of　the　city　Izar；　＇Jezreel；＇　who　had
a　field　adjoining　to　that　of　the　king：　the　king　would　have
persuaded　him　to　sell　him　that　his　field；　which　lay　so　near　to
his　own　lands；　at　what　price　he　pleased；　that　he　might　join　them
together；　and　make　them　one　farm；　and　if　he　would　not　accept　of
money　for　it；　he　gave　him　leave　to　choose　any　of　his　other　fields
in　its　stead。　But　Naboth　said　he　would　not　do　so；　but　would　keep
the　possession　of　that　land　of　his　own；　which　he　had　by
inheritance　from　his　father。　Upon　this　the　king　was　grieved；　as
if　he　had　received　an　injury；　when　he　could　not　get　another　man's
possession；　and　he　would　neither　wash　himself；　nor　take　any　food：
and　when　Jezebel　asked　him　what　it　was　that　troubled　him；　and　why
he　would　neither　wash　himself；　nor　eat　either　dinner　or　supper；
he　related　to　her　the　perverseness　of　Naboth；　and　how；　when　he
had　made　use　of　gentle　words　to　him；　and　such　as　were　beneath　the
royal　authority；　he　had　been　affronted；　and　had　not　obtained　what
he　desired。　However；　she　persuaded　him　not　to　be　cast　down　at
this　accident；　but　to　leave　off　his　grief；　and　return　to　the
usual　care　of　his　body；　for　that　she　would　take　care　to　have
Naboth　punished；　and　she　immediately　sent　letters　to　the　rulers
of　the　Israelites　＇Jezreelites＇　in　Ahab's　name；　and　commanded
them　to　fast　and　to　assemble　a　congregation；　and　to　set　Naboth　at
the　head　of　them；　because　he　was　of　an　illustrious　family；　and　to
have　three　bold　men　ready　to　bear　witness　that　he　had　blasphemed
God　and　the　king；　and　then　to　stone　him；　and　slay　him　in　that
manner。　Accordingly；　when　Naboth　had　been　thus　testified　against；
as　the　queen　had　written　to　them；　that　he　had　blasphemed　against
God　and　Ahab　the　king；　she　desired　him　to　take　possession　of
Naboth's　vineyard　on　free　cost。　So　Ahab　was　glad　at　what　had　been
done；　and　rose　up　immediately　from　the　bed　whereon　he　lay　to　go
to　see　Naboth's　vineyard；　but　God　had　great　indignation　at　it；
and　sent　Elijah　the　prophet　to　the　field　of　Naboth；　to　speak　to
Ahab；　and　to　say　to　him；　that　he　had　slain　the　true　owner　of　that
field　unjustly。　And　as　soon　as　he　came　to　him；　and　the　king　had
said　that　he　might　do　with　him　what　he　pleased；　（for　he　thought
it　a　reproach　to　him　to　be　thus　caught　in　his　sin；）　Elijah　said；
that　in　that　very　place　in　which　the　dead　body　of　Naboth　was
eaten　by　dogs　both　his　own　blood　and　that　of　his　wife's　should　be
shed；　and　that　all　his　family　should　perish；　because　he　had　been
so　insolently　wicked；　and　had　slain　a　citizen　unjustly；　and
contrary　to　the　laws　of　his　country。　Hereupon　Ahab　began　to　be
sorry　for　the　things　he　had　done；　and　to　repent　of　them；　and　he
put　on　sackcloth；　and　went　barefoot　（36）　and　would　not　touch　any
food；　he　also　confessed　his　sins；　and　endeavored　thus　to　appease
God。　But　God　said　to　the　prophet；　that　while　Ahab　was　living　he
would　put　off　the　punishment　of　his　family；　because　he　repented
of　those　insolent　crimes　he　had　been　guilty　of；　but　that　still　he
would　fulfill　his　threatening　under　Ahab's　son；　which　message　the