the antiquities of the jews-1-第72节

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servant；　and　slept　with　him。

2。　Now　as　soon　as　it　was　day；　Samuel　raised　up　Saul　out　of　his
bed；　and　conducted　him　homeward；　and　when　he　was　out　of　the　city；
he　desired　him　to　cause　his　servant　to　go　before；　but　to　stay
behind　himself；　for　that　he　had　somewhat　to　say　to　him　when
nobody　else　was　present。　Accordingly；　Saul　sent　away　his　servant
that　followed　him；　then　did　the　prophet　take　a　vessel　of　oil；　and
poured　it　upon　the　head　of　the　young　man；　and　kissed　him；　and
said；　〃Be　thou　a　king；　by　the　ordination　of　God；　against　the
Philistines；　and　for　avenging　the　Hebrews　for　what　they　have
suffered　by　them；　of　this　thou　shalt　have　a　sign；　which　I　would
have　thee　take　notice　of：　…　As　soon　as　thou　art　departed　hence；
thou　will　find　three　men　upon　the　road；　going　to　worship　God　at
Bethel；　the　first　of　whom　thou　wilt　see　carrying　three　loaves　of
bread；　the　second　carrying　a　kid　of　the　goats；　and　the　third　will
follow　them　carrying　a　bottle　of　wine。　These　three　men　will
salute　thee；　and　speak　kindly　to　thee；　and　will　give　thee　two　of
their　loaves；　which　thou　shalt　accept　of。　And　thence　thou　shalt
come　to　a　place　called　Rachel's　Monument；　where　thou　shalt　meet
with　those　that　will　tell　thee　thy　asses　are　found；　after　this；
when　thou　comest　to　Gabatha；　thou　shalt　overtake　a　company　of
prophets；　and　thou　shalt　be　seized　with　the　Divine　Spirit；　（8）
and　prophesy　along　with　them；　till　every　one　that　sees　thee　shall
be　astonished；　and　wonder；　and　say；　Whence　is　it　that　the　son　of
Kish　has　arrived　at　this　degree　of　happiness？　And　when　these
signs　have　happened　to　thee；　know　that　God　is　with　thee；　then　do
thou　salute　thy　father　and　thy　kindred。　Thou　shalt　also　come　when
I　send　for　thee　to　Gilgal；　that　we　may　offer　thank…offerings　to
God　for　these　blessings。〃　When　Samuel　had　said　this；　and　foretold
these　things；　he　sent　the　young　man　away。　Now　all　things　fell　out
to　Saul　according　to　the　prophecy　of　Samuel。

3。　But　as　soon　as　Saul　came　into　the　house　of　his　kinsman　Abner；
whom　indeed　he　loved　better　than　the　rest　of　his　relations；　he
was　asked　by　him　concerning　his　journey；　and　what　accidents
happened　to　him　therein；　and　he　concealed　none　of　the　other
things　from　him；　no；　not　his　coming　to　Samuel　the　prophet；　nor
how　he　told　him　the　asses　were　found；　but　he　said　nothing　to　him
about　the　kingdom；　and　what　belonged　thereto；　which　he　thought
would　procure　him　envy；　and　when　such　things　are　heard；　they　are
not　easily　believed；　nor　did　he　think　it　prudent　to　tell　those
things　to　him；　although　he　appeared　very　friendly　to　him；　and　one
whom　he　loved　above　the　rest　of　his　relations；　considering；　I
suppose；　what　human　nature　really　is；　that　no　one　is　a　firm
friend；　neither　among　our　intimates；　nor　of　our　kindred；　nor　do
they　preserve　that　kind　disposition　when　God　advances　men　to
great　prosperity；　but　they　are　still　ill…natured　and　envious　at
those　that　are　in　eminent　stations。

4。　Then　Samuel　called　the　people　together　to　the　city　Mizpeh；　and
spake　to　them　in　the　words　following；　which　he　said　he　was　to
speak　by　the　command　of　God：　…　That　when　he　had　granted　them　a
state　of　liberty；　and　brought　their　enemies　into　subjection；　they
were　become　unmindful　of　his　benefits；　and　rejected　God　that　he
should　not　be　their　King；　as　not　considering　that　it　would　be
most　for　their　advantage　to　be　presided　over　by　the　best　of
beings；　for　God　is　the　best　of　beings；　and　they　chose　to　have　a
man　for　their　king；　while　kings　will　use　their　subjects　as
beasts；　according　to　the　violence　of　their　own　wills　and
inclinations；　and　other　passions；　as　wholly　carried　away　with　the
lust　of　power；　but　will　not　endeavor　so　to　preserve　the　race　of
mankind　as　his　own　workmanship　and　creation；　which；　for　that　very
reason；　God　would　take　cake　of。　〃But　since　you　have　come　to　a
fixed　resolution；　and　this　injurious　treatment　of　God　has　quite
prevailed　over　you；　dispose　yourselves　by　your　tribes　and
scepters；　and　cast　lots。〃

5。　When　the　Hebrews　had　so　done；　the　lot　fell　upon　the　tribe　of
Benjamin；　and　when　the　lot　was　cast　for　the　families　of　this
tribe；　that　which　was　called　Matri　was　taken；　and　when　the　lot
was　cast　for　the　single　persons　of　that　family；　Saul；　the　son　of
Kish；　was　taken　for　their　king。　When　the　young　man　knew　this；　he
prevented　＇their　sending　for　him＇；　and　immediately　went　away　and
hid　himself。　I　suppose　that　it　was　because　he　would　not　have　it
thought　that　he　willingly　took　the　government　upon　him；　nay；　he
showed　such　a　degree　of　command　over　himself；　and　of　modesty；
that　while　the　greatest　part　are　not　able　to　contain　their　joy；
even　in　the　gaining　of　small　advantages；　but　presently　show
themselves　publicly　to　all　men；　this　man　did　not　only　show
nothing　of　that　nature；　when　he　was　appointed　to　be　the　lord　of
so　many　and　so　great　tribes；　but　crept　away　and　concealed　himself
out　of　the　sight　of　those　he　was　to　reign　over；　and　made　them
seek　him；　and　that　with　a　good　deal　of　trouble。　So　when　the
people　were　at　a　loss；　and　solicitous；　because　Saul　disappeared；
the　prophet　besought　God　to　show　where　the　young　man　was；　and　to
produce　him　before　them。　So　when　they　had　learned　of　God　the
place　where　Saul　was　hidden；　they　sent　men　to　bring　him；　and　when
he　was　come；　they　set　him　in　the　midst　of　the　multitude。　Now　he
was　taller　than　any　of　them；　and　his　stature　was　very　majestic。

6。　Then　said　the　prophet；　God　gives　you　this　man　to　be　your　king：
see　how　he　is　higher　than　any　of　the　people；　and　worthy　of　this
dominion。〃　So　as　soon　as　the　people　had　made　acclamation；　God
save　the　king；　the　prophet　wrote　down　what　would　come　to　pass　in
a　book；　and　read　it　in　the　hearing　of　the　king；　and　laid　up　the
book　in　the　tabernacle　of　God；　to　be　a　witness　to　future
generations　of　what　he　had　foretold。　So　when　Samuel　had　finished
this　matter；　he　dismissed　the　multitude；　and　came　himself　to　the
city　Rainah；　for　it　was　his　own　country。　Saul　also　went　away　to
Gibeah；　where　he　was　born；　and　many　good　men　there　were　who　paid
him　the　respect　that　was　due　to　him；　but　the　greater　part　were
ill　men；　who　despised　him　and　derided　the　others；　who　neither　did
bring　him　presents；　nor　did　they　in　affection；　or　even　in　words；
regard　to　please　him。

CHAPTER　5。

Saul's　Expedition　Against　The　Nation　Of　The　Ammonites　And　Victory
Over　Them　And　The　Spoils　He　Took　From　Them。

1。　After　one　month；　the　war　which　Saul　had　with　Nahash；　the　king
of　the　Ammonites；　obtained　him　respect　from　all　the　people；　for
this　Nahash　had　done　a　great　deal　of　mischief　to　the　Jews　that
lived　beyond　Jordan　by　the　expedition　he　had　made　against　them
with　a　great　and　warlike　army。　He　also　reduced　their　cities　into
slavery；　and　that　not　only　by　subduing　them　for　the　present；
which　he　did　by　force　and　violence；　but　by　weakening　them　by
subtlety　and　cunning；　that　they　might　not　be　able　afterward　to
get　clear　of　the　slavery　they　were　under　to　him；　for　he　put　out
the　right　eyes　（9）　of　those　that　either　delivered　themselves　to
him　upon　terms；　or　were　taken　by　him　in　war；　and　this　he　did；
that　when　their　left　eyes　were　covered　by　their　shields；　they
might　be　wholly　useless　in　war。　Now　when　the　king　of　the
Ammonites　had　served　those　beyond　Jordan　in　this　manner；　he　led
his　army　against　those　that　were　called　Gileadites；　and　having
pitched　his　camp　at　the　metropolis　of　his　enemies；　which　was　the
city　of　Jabesh；　he　sent　ambassadors　to　them；　commanding　them
either　to　deliver　themselves　up；　on　condition　to　have　their　right
eyes　plucked　out；　or　to　undergo　a　siege；　and　to　have　their　cities
overthrown。　He　gave　them　their　choice；　whether　they　would　cut　off
a　small　member　of　their　body；　or　universally　perish。　However；　the
Gileadites　were　so　affrighted　at　these　offers；　that　they　had　not
courage　to　say　any　thing　to　either　of　them；　neither　that　they
would　deliver　themselves　up；　nor　that　they　would　fight　him。　But
they　desired　that　he　would　give　them　seven　days'　respite；　that
they　might　send　ambassadors　to　their　countrymen；　and　entreat
their　assistance；　and　if　they　came　to　assist　them；　they　would
fight；　but　if　that　assistance　were　impossible　to　be　obtained　from
them；　they　said　they　would　deliver　themselves　up　to　suffer
whatever　he　pleased　to　inflict　upon　them。

2。　So　Nabash；　contemning　the　multitude　of　the　Gileadites　and　the
answer　they　gave；　allowed　them　a　respite；　and　gave　them　leave　to
send　to　whomsoever　they　pleased　for　assistance。　So　they
immediately　sent　to　the　Israelites；　city　by　city；　and　informed
them　what　Nabash　had　threatened　to　do　to　them；　and　what　great
distress　they　were　in。　Now　the　people　fell　into　tears　and　grief
at　the　hearing　of　what　the　ambassadors　from　Jabesh　said；　and　the
terror　they　were　in　permitted　them　to　do　nothing　more。　But　when
the　messengers　were　come　to　the　city　of　king　Saul；　and　declared
the　dangers　in　which　the　inhabitants　of　Jabesh　were；　the　people
were　in　the　same　affliction　as　those　in　the　other　cities；　for
they　lamented　the　calamity　of　those　related　to　them。　And　when
Saul　was　returned　from　his　husbandry　into　the　city；　he　found　his
fellow　citizens　weeping；　and　when；　upon　inquiry；　he　had　learned
the　cause　of　the　confusion　and　sadness　they　were　in；　he　was
seized　with　a　divine　fury；　and