the antiquities of the jews-1-第77节

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take　David　away　from　the　flocks；　and　send　him　to　him；　for　he　had
a　mind　to　see　him；　as　having　heard　an　advantageous　character　of
his　comeliness　and　his　valor。　So　Jesse　sent　his　son；　and　gave　him
presents　to　carry　to　Saul。　And　when　he　was　come；　Saul　was　pleased
with　him；　and　made　him　his　armor…bearer；　and　had　him　in　very
great　esteem；　for　he　charmed　his　passion；　and　was　the　only
physician　against　the　trouble　he　had　from　the　demons；　whensoever
it　was　that　it　came　upon　him；　and　this　by　reciting　of　hymns；　and
playing　upon　the　harp；　and　bringing　Saul　to　his　right　mind　again。
However；　he　sent　to　Jesse；　the　father　of　the　child；　and　desired
him　to　permit　David　to　stay　with　him；　for　that　he　was　delighted
with　his　sight　and　company；　which　stay；　that　he　might　not
contradict　Saul；　he　granted。

CHAPTER　9。

How　The　Philistines　Made　Another　Expedition　Against　The　Hebrews
Under　The　Reign　Of　Saul；　And　How　They　Were　Overcome　By　David's
Slaying　Goliath　In　Single　Combat。

1。　Now　the　Philistines　gathered　themselves　together　again　no　very
long　time　afterward；　and　having　gotten　together　a　great　army；
they　made　war　against　the　Israelites；　and　having　seized　a　place
between　Shochoh　and　Azekah；　they　there　pitched　their　camp。　Saul
also　drew　out　his　army　to　oppose　them；　and　by　pitching　his　own
camp　on　a　certain　hill；　he　forced　the　Philistines　to　leave　their
former　camp；　and　to　encamp　themselves　upon　such　another　hill；
over…against　that　on　which　Saul's　army　lay；　so　that　a　valley；
which　was　between　the　two　hills　on　which　they　lay；　divided　their
camps　asunder。　Now　there　came　down　a　man　out　of　the　camp　of　the
Philistines；　whose　name　was　Goliath；　of　the　city　of　Gath；　a　man
of　vast　bulk；　for　he　was　of　four　cubits　and　a　span　in　tallness；
and　had　about　him　weapons　suitable　to　the　largeness　of　his　body；
for　he　had　a　breastplate　on　that　weighed　five　thousand　shekels：
he　had　also　a　helmet　and　greaves　of　brass；　as　large　as　you　would
naturally　suppose　might　cover　the　limbs　of　so　vast　a　body。　His
spear　was　also　such　as　was　not　carried　like　a　light　thing　in　his
right　hand；　but　he　carried　it　as　lying　on　his　shoulders。　He　had
also　a　lance　of　six　hundred　shekels；　and　many　followed　him　to
carry　his　armor。　Wherefore　this　Goliath　stood　between　the　two
armies；　as　they　were　in　battle　array；　and　sent　out　aloud　voice；
and　said　to　Saul　and　the　Hebrews；　〃I　will　free　you　from　fighting
and　from　dangers；　for　what　necessity　is　there　that　your　army
should　fall　and　be　afflicted？　Give　me　a　man　of　you　that　will
fight　with　me；　and　he　that　conquers　shall　have　the　reward　of　the
conqueror　and　determine　the　war；　for　these　shall　serve　those
others　to　whom　the　conqueror　shall　belong；　and　certainly　it　is
much　better；　and　more　prudent；　to　gain　what　you　desire　by　the
hazard　of　one　man　than　of　all。〃　When　he　had　said　this；　he　retired
to　his　own　camp；　but　the　next　day　he　came　again；　and　used　the
same　words；　and　did　not　leave　off　for　forty　days　together；　to
challenge　the　enemy　in　the　same　words；　till　Saul　and　his　army
were　therewith　terrified；　while　they　put　themselves　in　array　as
if　they　would　fight；　but　did　not　come　to　a　close　battle。

2。　Now　while　this　war　between　the　Hebrews　and　the　Philistines　was
going　on；　Saul　sent　away　David　to　his　father　Jesse；　and　contented
himself　with　those　three　sons　of　his　whom　he　had　sent　to　his
assistance；　and　to　be　partners　in　the　dangers　of　the　war：　and　at
first　David　returned　to　feed　his　sheep　and　his　flocks；　but　after
no　long　time　he　came　to　the　camp　of　the　Hebrews；　as　sent　by　his
father；　to　carry　provisions　to　his　brethren；　and　to　know　what
they　were　doing。　While　Goliath　came　again；　and　challenged　them；
and　reproached　them；　that　they　had　no　man　of　valor　among　them
that　durst　come　down　to　fight　him；　and　as　David　was　talking　with
his　brethren　about　the　business　for　which　his　father　had　sent
him；　he　heard　the　Philistine　reproaching　and　abusing　the　army；
and　had　indignation　at　it；　and　said　to　his　brethren；　〃I　am　ready
to　fight　a　single　combat　with　this　adversary。〃　Whereupon　Eliab；
his　eldest　brother；　reproved　him；　and　said　that　he　spoke　too
rashly　and　improperly　for　one　of　his　age；　and　bid　him　go　to　his
flocks；　and　to　his　father。　So　he　was　abashed　at　his　brother's
words；　and　went　away；　but　still　he　spake　to　some　of　the　soldiers
that　he　was　willing　to　fight　with　him　that　challenged　them。　And
when　they　had　informed　Saul　what　was　the　resolution　of　the　young
man；　the　king　sent　for　him　to　come　to　him：　and　when　the　king
asked　what　he　had　to　say；　he　replied；　〃O　king；　be　not　cast　down；
nor　afraid；　for　I　will　depress　the　insolence　of　this　adversary；
and　will　go　down　and　fight　with　him；　and　will　bring　him　under　me；
as　tall　and　as　great　as　he　is；　till　he　shall　be　sufficiently
laughed　at；　and　thy　army　shall　get　great　glory；　when　he　shall　be
slain　by　one　that　is　not　yet　of　man's　estate；　neither　fit　for
fighting；　nor　capable　of　being　intrusted　with　the　marshalling　an
army；　or　ordering　a　battle；　but　by　one　that　looks　like　a　child；
and　is　really　no　elder　in　age　than　a　child。〃

3。　Now　Saul　wondered　at　the　boldness　and　alacrity　of　David；　but
durst　not　presume　on　his　ability；　by　reason　of　his　age；　but　said
he　must　on　that　account　be　too　weak　to　fight　with　one　that　was
skilled　in　the　art　of　war。　〃I　undertake　this　enterprise；〃　said
David；　〃in　dependence　on　God's　being　with　me；　for　I　have　had
experience　already　of　his　assistance；　for　I　once　pursued　after
and　caught　a　lion　that　assaulted　my　flocks；　and　took　away　a　lamb
from　them；　and　I　snatched　the　lamb　out　of　the　wild　beast's　mouth；
and　when　he　leaped　upon　me　with　violence；　I　took　him　by　the　tail；
and　dashed　him　against　the　ground。　In　the　same　manner　did　I
avenge　myself　on　a　bear　also；　and　let　this　adversary　of　ours　be
esteemed　like　one　of　these　wild　beasts；　since　he　has　a　long　while
reproached　our　army；　and　blasphemed　our　God；　who　yet　will　reduce
him　under　my　power。〃

4。　However；　Saul　prayed　that　the　end　might　be；　by　God's
assistance；　not　disagreeable　to　the　alacrity　and　boldness　of　the
child；　and　said；　〃Go　thy　way　to　the　fight。〃　So　he　put　about　him
his　breastplate；　and　girded　on　his　sword；　and　fitted　the　helmet
to　his　head；　and　sent　him　away。　But　David　was　burdened　with　his
armor；　for　he　had　not　been　exercised　to　it；　nor　had　he　learned　to
walk　with　it；　so　he　said；　〃Let　this　armor　be　thine；　O　king；　who
art　able　to　bear　it；　but　give　me　leave　to　fight　as　thy　servant；
and　as　I　myself　desire。〃　Accordingly　he　laid　by　the　armor；　and
taking　his　staff　with　him；　and　putting　five　stones　out　of　the
brook　into　a　shepherd's　bag；　and　having　a　sling　in　his　right
hand；　he　went　towards　Goliath。　But　the　adversary　seeing　him　come
in　such　a　manner；　disdained　him；　and　jested　upon　him；　as　if　he
had　not　such　weapons　with　him　as　are　usual　when　one　man　fights
against　another；　but　such　as　are　used　in　driving　away　and
avoiding　of　dogs；　and　said；　〃Dost　thou　take　me　not　for　a　man；　but
a　dog？〃　To　which　he　replied；　〃No；　not　for　a　dog；　but　for　a
creature　worse　than　a　dog。〃　This　provoked　Goliath　to　anger；　who
thereupon　cursed　him　by　the　name　of　God；　and　threatened　to　give
his　flesh　to　the　beasts　of　the　earth；　and　to　the　fowls　of　the
air；　to　be　torn　in　pieces　by　them。　To　whom　David　answered；　Thou
comest　to　me　with　a　sword；　and　with　a　spear；　and　with　a
breastplate；　but　I　have　God　for　my　armor　in　coming　against　thee；
who　will　destroy　thee　and　all　thy　army　by　my　hands　for　I　will
this　day　cut　off　thy　head；　and　cast　the　other　parts　of　thy　body
to　the　dogs；　and　all　men　shall　learn　that　God　is　the　protector　of
the　Hebrews；　and　that　our　armor　and　our　strength　is　in　his
providence；　and　that　without　God's　assistance；　all　other　warlike
preparations　and　power　are　useless。〃　So　the　Philistine　being
retarded　by　the　weight　of　his　armor；　when　he　attempted　to　meet
David　in　haste；　came　on　but　slowly；　as　despising　him；　and
depending　upon　it　that　he　should　slay　him；　who　was　both　unarmed
and　a　child　also；　without　any　trouble　at　all。

5。　But　the　youth　met　his　antagonist；　being　accompanied　with　an
invisible　assistant；　who　was　no　other　than　God　himself。　And
taking　one　of　the　stones　that　he　had　out　of　the　brook；　and　had
put　into　his　shepherd's　bag；　and　fitting　it　to　his　sling；　he
slang　it　against　the　Philistine。　This　stone　fell　upon　his
forehead；　and　sank　into　his　brain；　insomuch　that　Goliath　was
stunned；　and　fell　upon　his　face。　So　David　ran；　and　stood　upon　his
adversary　as　he　lay　down；　and　cut　off　his　head　with　his　own
sword；　for　he　had　no　sword　himself。　And　upon　the　fall　of　Goliath
the　Philistines　were　beaten；　and　fled；　for　when　they　saw　their
champion　prostrate　on　the　ground；　they　were　afraid　of　the　entire
issue　of　their　affairs；　and　resolved　not　to　stay　any　longer；　but
committed　themselves　to　an　ignominious　and　indecent　flight；　and
thereby　endeavored　to　save　themselves　from　the　dangers　they　were
in。　But　Saul　and　the　entire　army　of　the　Hebrews　made　a　shout；　and
rushed　upon　them；　and　slew　a　great　number　of　them；　and　pursued
the　rest　to　the　borders　of　Garb；　and　to　the　gates　of　Ekron；　so
that　there　were　slain　of　the　Philistines　thirty　thousand；　and
twice　as　many　wounded。　But　Saul　returned　to　their　camp；　and
pulled　their　fortification　to　pieces；　and　burnt　it；　b