the antiquities of the jews-1-第30节

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looked　upon　him；　for　they　saw　already　that　he　was　coming　apace
from　his　eminence。　As　soon　as　he　was　come；　he　told　them　that　God
would　deliver　them　from　their　present　distress；　and　had　granted
them　an　unexpected　favor；　and　informed　them；　that　a　river　should
run　for　their　sakes　out　of　the　rock。　But　they　were　amazed　at　that
hearing；　supposing　they　were　of　necessity　to　cut　the　rock　in
pieces；　now　they　were　distressed　by　their　thirst　and　by　their
journey；　while　Moses　only　smiting　the　rock　with　his　rod；　opened　a
passage；　and　out　of　it　burst　water；　and　that　in　great　abundance；
and　very　clear。　But　they　were　astonished　at　this　wonderful
effect；　and；　as　it　were；　quenched　their　thirst　by　the　very　sight
of　it。　So　they　drank　this　pleasant；　this　sweet　water；　and　such　it
seemed　to　be；　as　might　well　be　expected　where　God　was　the　donor。
They　were　also　in　admiration　how　Moses　was　honored　by　God；　and
they　made　grateful　returns　of　sacrifices　to　God　for　his
providence　towards　them。　Now　that　Scripture；　which　is　laid　up　in
the　temple；　（6）　informs　us；　how　God　foretold　to　Moses；　that　water
timid　in　this　manner　be　derived　out　of　the　rock。'

CHAPTER　2。

How　The　Amalekites　And　The　Neighbouring　Nations；　Made　War　With
The　Hebrews　And　Were　Beaten　And　Lost　A　Great　Part　Of　Their　Army。

1。　The　name　of　the　Hebrews　began　already　to　be　every　where
renowned；　and　rumors　about　them　ran　abroad。　This　made　the
inhabitants　of　those　countries　to　be　in　no　small　fear。
Accordingly　they　sent　ambassadors　to　one　another；　and　exhorted
one　another　to　defend　themselves；　and　to　endeavor　to　destroy
these　men。　Those　that　induced　the　rest　to　do　so；　were　such　as
inhabited　Gobolitis　and　Petra。　They　were　called　Amalekites；　and
were　the　most　warlike　of　the　nations　that　lived　thereabout；　and
whose　kings　exhorted　one　another；　and　their　neighbors；　to　go　to
this　war　against　the　Hebrews；　telling　them　that　an　army　of
strangers；　and　such　a　one　as　had　run　away　from　slavery　under　the
Egyptians；　lay　in　wait　to　ruin　them；　which　army　they　were　not；　in
common　prudence　and　regard　to　their　own　safety；　to　overlook；　but
to　crush　them　before　they　gather　strength；　and　come　to　be　in
prosperity：　and　perhaps　attack　them　first　in　a　hostile　manner；　as
presuming　upon　our　indolence　in　not　attacking　them　before；　and
that　we　ought　to　avenge　ourselves　of　them　for　what　they　have　done
in　the　wilderness；　but　that　this　cannot　be　so　well　done　when　they
have　once　laid　their　hands　on　our　cities　and　our　goods：　that
those　who　endeavor　to　crush　a　power　in　its　first　rise；　are　wiser
than　those　that　endeavor　to　put　a　stop　to　its　progress　when　it　is
become　formidable；　for　these　last　seem　to　be　angry　only　at　the
flourishing　of　others；　but　the　former　do　not　leave　any　room　for
their　enemies　to　become　troublesome　to　them。　After　they　had　sent
such　embassages　to　the　neighboring　nations；　and　among　one
another；　they　resolved　to　attack　the　Hebrews　in　battle。

2。　These　proceedings　of　the　people　of　those　countries　occasioned
perplexity　and　trouble　to　Moses；　who　expected　no　such　warlike
preparations。　And　when　these　nations　were　ready　to　fight；　and　the
multitude　of　the　Hebrews　were　obliged　to　try　the　fortune　of　war；
they　were　in　a　mighty　disorder；　and　in　want　of　all　necessaries；
and　yet　were　to　make　war　with　men　who　were　thoroughly　well
prepared　for　it。　Then　therefore　it　was　that　Moses　began　to
encourage　them；　and　to　exhort　them　to　have　a　good　heart；　and　rely
on　God's　assistance　by　which　they　had　been　state　of　freedom　and
to　hope　for　victory　over　those　who　were　ready　to　fight　with　them；
in　order　to　deprive　them　of　that　blessing：　that　they　were　to
suppose　their　own　army　to　be　numerous；　wanting　nothing；　neither
weapons；　nor　money；　nor　provisions；　nor　such　other　conveniences
as；　when　men　are　in　possession　of；　they　fight　undauntedly；　and
that　they　are　to　judge　themselves　to　have　all　these　advantages　in
the　Divine　assistance。　They　are　also　to　suppose　the　enemy's　army
to　be　small；　unarmed；　weak；　and　such　as　want　those　conveniences
which　they　know　must　be　wanted；　when　it　is　God's　will　that　they
shall　be　beaten；　and　how　valuable　God's　assistance　is；　they　had
experienced　in　abundance　of　trials；　and　those　such　as　were　more
terrible　than　war；　for　that　is　only　against　men；　but　these　were
against　famine　and　thirst；　things　indeed　that　are　in　their　own
nature　insuperable；　as　also　against　mountains；　and　that　sea　which
afforded　them　no　way　for　escaping；　yet　had　all　these　difficulties
been　conquered　by　God's　gracious　kindness　to　them。　So　he　exhorted
them　to　be　courageous　at　this　time；　and　to　look　upon　their　entire
prosperity　to　depend　on　the　present　conquest　of　their　enemies。

3。　And　with　these　words　did　Moses　encourage　the　multitude；　who
then　called　together　the　princes　of　their　tribes；　and　their　chief
men；　both　separately　and　conjointly。　The　young　men　he　charged　to
obey　their　elders；　and　the　elders　to　hearken　to　their　leader。　So
the　people　were　elevated　in　their　minds；　and　ready　to　try　their
fortune　in　battle；　and　hoped　to　be　thereby　at　length　delivered
from　all　their　miseries：　nay；　they　desired　that　Moses　would
immediately　lead　them　against　their　enemies　without　the　least
delay；　that　no　backwardness　might　be　a　hindrance　to　their　present
resolution。　So　Moses　sorted　all　that　were　fit　for　war　into
different　troops；　and　set　Joshua；　the　son　of　Nun；　of　the　tribe　of
Ephraim；　over　them；　one　that　was　of　great　courage；　and　patient　to
undergo　labors；　of　great　abilities　to　understand；　and　to　speak
what　was　proper；　and　very　serious　in　the　worship　of　God；　and
indeed　made　like　another　Moses；　a　teacher　of　piety　towards　God。
He　also　appointed　a　small　party　of　the　armed　men　to　be　near　the
water；　and　to　take　care　of　the　children；　and　the　women；　and　of
the　entire　camp。　So　that　whole　night　they　prepared　themselves　for
the　battle；　they　took　their　weapons；　if　any　of　them　had　such　as
were　well　made；　and　attended　to　their　commanders　as　ready　to　rush
forth　to　the　battle　as　soon　as　Moses　should　give　the　word　of
command。　Moses　also　kept　awake；　teaching　Joshua　after　what　manner
he　should　order　his　camp。　But　when　the　day　began；　Moses　called
for　Joshua　again；　and　exhorted　him　to　approve　himself　in　deeds
such　a　one　as　a　his　reputation　made　men　expect　from　him；　and　to
gain　glory　by　the　present　expedition；　in　the　opinion　of　those
under　him；　for　his　exploits　in　this　battle。　He　also　gave　a
particular　exhortation　to　the　principal　men　of　the　Hebrews；　and
encouraged　the　whole　army　as　it　stood　armed　before　him。　And　when
he　had　thus　animated　the　army；　both　by　his　words　and　works；　and
prepared　every　thing；　he　retired　to　a　mountain；　and　committed　the
army　to　God　and　to　Joshua。

4。　So　the　armies　joined　battle；　and　it　came　to　a　close　fight；
hand　to　hand；　both　sides　showing　great　alacrity；　and　encouraging
one　another。　And　indeed　while　Moses　stretched　out　his　hand
towards　heaven　（7）　the　Hebrews　were　too　hard　for　the　Amalekites：
but　Moses　not　being　able　to　sustain　his　hands　thus　stretched　out；
（for　as　often　as　he　let　down　his　hands；　so　often　were　his　own
people　worsted；）　he　bade　his　brother　Aaron；　and　Hur　their　sister
Miriam's　husband；　to　stand　on　each　side　of　him；　and　take　hold　of
his　hands；　and　not　permit　his　weariness　to　prevent　it；　but　to
assist　him　in　the　extension　of　his　hands。　When　this　was　done；　the
Hebrews　conquered　the　Amalekites　by　main　force；　and　indeed　they
had　all　perished；　unless　the　approach　of　the　night　had　obliged
the　Hebrews　to　desist　from　killing　any　more。　So　our　forefathers
obtained　a　most　signal　and　most　seasonable　victory；　for　they　not
only　overcame　those　that　fought　against　them；　but　terrified　also
the　neighboring　nations；　and　got　great　and　splendid　advantages；
which　they　obtained　of　their　enemies　by　their　hard　pains　in　this
battle：　for　when　they　had　taken　the　enemy's　camp；　they　got　ready
booty　for　the　public；　and　for　their　own　private　families；　whereas
till　then　they　had　not　any　sort　of　plenty；　of　even　necessary
food。　The　forementioned　battle；　when　they　had　once　got　it；　was
also　the　occasion　of　their　prosperity；　not　only　for　the　present；
but　for　the　future　ages　also；　for　they　not　only　made　slaves　of
the　bodies　of　their　enemies；　but　subdued　their　minds　also；　and
after　this　battle；　became　terrible　to　all　that　dwelt　round　about
them。　Moreover；　they　acquired　a　vast　quantity　of　riches；　for　a
great　deal　of　silver　and　gold　was　left　in　the　enemy's　camp；　as
also　brazen　vessels；　which　they　made　common　use　of　in　their
families；　many　utensils　also　that　were　embroidered　there　were　of
both　sorts；　that　is；　of　what　were　weaved；　and　what　were　the
ornaments　of　their　armor；　and　other　things　that　served　for　use　in
the　family；　and　for　the　furniture　of　their　rooms；　they　got　also
the　prey　of　their　cattle；　and　of　whatsoever　uses　to　follow　camps；
when　they　remove　from　one　place　to　another。　So　the　Hebrews　now
valued　themselves　upon　their　courage；　and　claimed　great　merit　for
their　valor；　and　they　perpetually　inured　themselves　to　take
pains；　by　which　they　deemed　every　difficulty　might　be　surmounted。
Such　were　the　consequences　of　this　battle。

5。　On　the　next　day；　Moses　stripped　the　dead　bodies　of　their
enemies；　and　gathered　together　the　armor　of　those　that　were　fled；
an