the antiquities of the jews-1-第70节

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still；　and　to　whom　they　would　go。　Now　there　was　a　certain　village
of　the　tribe　of　Judah；　the　name　of　which　was　Bethshemesh；　and　to
that　village　did　the　kine　go；　and　though　there　was　a　great　and
good　plain　before　them　to　proceed　in；　they　went　no　farther；　but
stopped　the　cart　there。　This　was　a　sight　to　those　of　that
village；　and　they　were　very　glad；　for　it　being　then　summer…time；
and　all　the　inhabitants　being　then　in　the　fields　gathering　in
their　fruits；　they　left　off　the　labors　of　their　hands　for　joy；　as
soon　as　they　saw　the　ark；　and　ran　to　the　cart；　and　taking　the　ark
down；　and　the　vessel　that　had　the　images　in　it；　and　the　mice；
they　set　them　upon　a　certain　rock　which　was　in　the　plain；　and
when　they　had　offered　a　splendid　sacrifice　to　God；　and　feasted；
they　offered　the　cart　and　the　kine　as　a　burnt…offering：　and　when
the　lords　of　the　Philistines　saw　this；　they　returned　back。

4。　But　now　it　was　that　the　wrath　of　God　overtook　them；　and　struck
seventy　persons　of　the　village　of　Bethshemesh　dead；　who；　not
being　priests；　and　so　not　worthy　to　touch　the　ark；　had　approached
to　it。　Those　of　that　village　wept　for　these　that　had　thus
suffered；　and　made　such　a　lamentation　as　was　naturally　to　be
expected　on　so　great　a　misfortune　that　was　sent　from　God；　and
every　one　mourned　for　his　own　relation。　And　since　they
acknowledged　themselves　unworthy　of　the　ark's　abode　with　them；
they　sent　to　the　public　senate　of　the　Israelites；　and　informed
them　that　the　ark　was　restored　by　the　Philistines；　which　when
they　knew；　they　brought　it　away　to　Kirjathjearim；　a　city　in　the
neighborhood　of　Bethshemesh。　In　this　city　lived　one　Abinadab；　by
birth　a　Levite；　and　who　was　greatly　commended　for　his　righteous
and　religious　course　of　life；　so　they　brought　the　ark　to　his
house；　as　to　a　place　fit　for　God　himself　to　abide　in；　since
therein　did　inhabit　a　righteous　man。　His　sons　also　ministered　to
the　Divine　service　at　the　ark；　and　were　the　principal　curators　of
it　for　twenty　years；　for　so　many　years　it　continued　in
Kirjathjearim；　having　been　but　four　months　with　the　Philistines。

CHAPTER　2。

The　Expedition　Of　The　Philistines　Against　The　Hebrews　And　The
Hebrews'　Victory　Under　The　Conduct　Of　Samuel　The　Prophet；　Who　Was
Their　General。

1。　Now　while　the　city　of　Kirjathjearim　had　the　ark　with　them；　the
whole　body　of　the　people　betook　themselves　all　that　time　to　offer
prayers　and　sacrifices　to　God；　and　appeared　greatly　concerned　and
zealous　about　his　worship。　So　Samuel　the　prophet；　seeing　how
ready　they　were　to　do　their　duty；　thought　this　a　proper　time　to
speak　to　them；　while　they　were　in　this　good　disposition；　about
the　recovery　of　their　liberty；　and　of　the　blessings　that
accompanied　the　same。　Accordingly　he　used　such　words　to　them　as
he　thought　were　most　likely　to　excite　that　inclination；　and　to
persuade　them　to　attempt　it：　〃O　you　Israelites；〃　said　he；　〃to
whom　the　Philistines　are　still　grievous　enemies；　but　to　whom　God
begins　to　be　gracious；　it　behooves　you　not　only　to　be　desirous　of
liberty；　but　to　take　the　proper　methods　to　obtain　it。　Nor　are　you
to　be　contented　with　an　inclination　to　get　clear　of　your　lords
and　masters；　while　you　still　do　what　will　procure　your
continuance　under　them。　Be　righteous　then；　and　cast　wickedness
out　of　your　souls；　and　by　your　worship　supplicate　the　Divine
Majesty　with　all　your　hearts；　and　persevere　in　the　honor　you　pay
to　him；　for　if　you　act　thus；　you　will　enjoy　prosperity；　you　will
be　freed　from　your　slavery；　and　will　get　the　victory　over　your
enemies：　which　blessings　it　is　not　possible　you　should　attain；
either　by　weapons　of　war；　or　by　the　strength　of　your　bodies；　or
by　the　multitude　of　your　assistants；　for　God　has　not　promised　to
grant　these　blessings　by　those　means；　but　by　being　good　and
righteous　men；　and　if　you　will　be　such；　I　will　be　security　to　you
for　the　performance　of　God's　promises。〃　When　Samuel　had　said
thus；　the　multitude　applauded　his　discourse；　and　were　pleased
with　his　exhortation　to　them；　and　gave　their　consent　to　resign
themselves　up　to　do　what　was　pleasing　to　God。　So　Samuel　gathered
them　together　to　a　certain　city　called　Mizpeh；　which；　in　the
Hebrew　tongue；　signifies　a　watch…tower；　there　they　drew　water；
and　poured　it　out　to　God；　and　fasted　all　day；　and　betook
themselves　to　their　prayers。

2。　This　their　assembly　did　not　escape　the　notice　of　the
Philistines：　so　when　they　had　learned　that　so　large　a　company　had
met　together；　they　fell　upon　the　Hebrews　with　a　great　army　and
mighty　forces；　as　hoping　to　assault　them　when　they　did　not　expect
it；　nor　were　prepared　for　it。　This　thing　affrighted　the　Hebrews；
and　put　them　into　disorder　and　terror；　so　they　came　running　to
Samuel；　and　said　that　their　souls　were　sunk　by　their　fears；　and
by　the　former　defeat　they　had　received；　and　〃that　thence　it　was
that　we　lay　still；　lest　we　should　excite　the　power　of　our　enemies
against　us。　Now　while　thou　hast　brought　us　hither　to　offer　up　our
prayers　and　sacrifices；　and　take　oaths　＇to　be　obedient＇；　our
enemies　are　making　an　expedition　against　us；　while　we　are　naked
and　unarmed；　wherefore　we　have　no　other　hope　of　deliverance　but
that　by　thy　means；　and　by　the　assistance　God　shall　afford　us　upon
thy　prayers　to　him；　we　shall　obtain　deliverance　from　the
Philistines。〃　Hereupon　Samuel　bade　them　be　of　good　cheer；　and
promised　them　that　God　would　assist　them；　and　taking　a　sucking
lamb；　he　sacrificed　it　for　the　multitude；　and　besought　God　to
hold　his　protecting　hand　over　them　when　they　should　fight　with
the　Philistines；　and　not　to　overlook　them；　nor　suffer　them　to
come　under　a　second　misfortune。　Accordingly　God　hearkened　to　his
prayers；　and　accepting　their　sacrifice　with　a　gracious　intention；
and　such　as　was　disposed　to　assist　them；　he　granted　them　victory
and　power　over　their　enemies。　Now　while　the　altar　had　the
sacrifice　of　God　upon　it；　and　had　not　yet　consumed　it　wholly　by
its　sacred　fire；　the　enemy's　army　marched　out　of　their　camp；　and
was　put　in　order　of　battle；　and　this　in　hope　that　they　should　be
conquerors；　since　the　Jews　（5）　were　caught　in　distressed
circumstances；　as　neither　having　their　weapons　with　them；　nor
being　assembled　there　in　order　to　fight。　But　things　so　fell　out；
that　they　would　hardly　have　been　credited　though　they　had　been
foretold　by　anybody：　for；　in　the　first　place；　God　disturbed　their
enemies　with　an　earthquake；　and　moved　the　ground　under　them　to
such　a　degree；　that　he　caused　it　to　tremble；　and　made　them　to
shake；　insomuch　that　by　its　trembling；　he　made　some　unable　to
keep　their　feet；　and　made　them　fall　down；　and　by　opening　its
chasms；　he　caused　that　others　should　be　hurried　down　into　them；
after　which　he　caused　such　a　noise　of　thunder　to　come　among　them；
and　made　fiery　lightning　shine　so　terribly　round　about　them；　that
it　was　ready　to　burn　their　faces；　and　he　so　suddenly　shook　their
weapons　out　of　their　hands；　that　he　made　them　fly　and　return　home
naked。　So　Samuel　with　the　multitude　pursued　them　to　Bethcar；　a
place　so　called；　and　there　he　set　up　a　stone　as　a　boundary　of
their　victory　and　their　enemies'　flight；　and　called　it　the　Stone
of　Power；　as　a　signal　of　that　power　God　had　given　them　against
their　enemies。

3。　So　the　Philistines；　after　this　stroke；　made　no　more
expeditions　against　the　Israelites；　but　lay　still　out　of　fear；
and　out　of　remembrance　of　what　had　befallen　them；　and　what
courage　the　Philistines　had　formerly　against　the　Hebrews；　that；
after　this　victory；　was　transferred　to　the　Hebrews。　Samuel　also
made　an　expedition　against　the　Philistines；　and　slew　many　of
them；　and　entirely　humbled　their　proud　hearts；　and　took　from　them
that　country；　which；　when　they　were　formerly　conquerors　in
battle；　they　had　cut　off　from　the　Jews；　which　was　the　country
that　extended　from　the　borders　of　Gath　to　the　city　of　Ekron：　but
the　remains　of　the　Canaanites　were　at　this　time　in　friendship
with　the　Israelites。

CHAPTER　3。

How　Samuel　When　He　Was　So　Infirm　With　Old　Age　That　He　Could　Not
Take　Care　Of　The　Public　Affairs　Intrusted　Them　To　His　Sons；　And
How　Upon　The　Evil　Administration　Of　The　Government　By　Them　The
Multitude　Were　So　Angry；　That　They　Required　To　Have　A　King　To
Govern　Them；　Although　Samuel　Was　Much　Displeased　Thereat。

1。　But　Samuel　the　prophet；　when　he　had　ordered　the　affairs　of　the
people　after　a　convenient　manner；　and　had　appointed　a　city　for
every　district　of　them；　he　commanded　them　to　come　to　such　cities；
to　have　the　controversies　that　they　had　one　with　another
determined　in　them；　he　himself　going　over　those　cities　twice　in　a
year；　and　doing　them　justice；　and　by　that　means　he　kept　them　in
very　good　order　for　a　long　time。

2。　But　afterwards　he　found　himself　oppressed　with　old　age；　and
not　able　to　do　what　he　used　to　do；　so　he　committed　the　government
and　the　care　of　the　multitude　to　his　sons；　…　the　elder　of　whom
was　called　Joel；　and　the　name　of　the　younger　was　Abiah。　He　also
enjoined　them　to　reside　and　judge　the　people；　the　one　at　the　city
of　Bethel；　and　the　other　at　Beersheba；　and　divided　the　people
into　districts　that　should　be　under　the　jurisdiction　of　each　of
them。　Now　these　men　afford　us　an　evident　example　and
demonstration　how　some　children　are　not　of　the　like　dispositions
with　thei