the antiquities of the jews-1-第81节

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that　it　was　rather　in　contradiction　to　thee　than　to　him；
wherefore　do　not　thou　entertain　any　ill　opinion　of　me；　nor　do
thou　have　a　suspicion　of　what　I　then　thought　an　act　of　humanity；
from　what　is　now　told　thee　of　David's　attempts　against　thee；　for
I　did　then　to　him　as　to　thy　friend　and　son…in…law；　and　captain　of
a　thousand；　and　not　as　to　thine　adversary。〃

6。　When　the　high　priest　had　spoken　thus；　he　did　not　persuade
Saul；　his　fear　was　so　prevalent；　that　he　could　not　give　credit　to
an　apology　that　was　very　just。　So　he　commanded　his　armed　men　that
stood　about　him　to　kill　him；　and　all　his　kindred；　but　as　they
durst　not　touch　the　high　priest；　but　were　more　afraid　of
disobeying　God　than　the　king；　he　ordered　Doeg　the　Syrian　to　kill
them。　Accordingly；　he　took　to　his　assistance　such　wicked　men　as
were　like　himself；　and　slew　Ahimelech　and　all　his　family；　who
were　in　all　three　hundred　and　eighty…five。　Saul　also　sent　to　Nob；
（21）　the　city　of　the　priests；　and　slew　all　that　were　there；
without　sparing　either　women　or　children；　or　any　other　age；　and
burnt　it；　only　there　was　one　son　of　Ahimelech；　whose　name　was
Abiathar；　who　escaped。　However；　these　things　came　to　pass　as　God
had　foretold　to　Eli　the　high　priest；　when　he　said　that　his
posterity　should　be　destroyed；　on　account　of　the　transgression　of
his　two　sons。

7。　（22）　Now　this　king　Saul；　by　perpetrating　so　barbarous　a　crime；
and　murdering　the　whole　family　of　the　high…priestly　dignity；　by
having　no　pity　of　the　infants；　nor　reverence　for　the　aged；　and　by
overthrowing　the　city　which　God　had　chosen　for　the　property；　and
for　the　support　of　the　priests　and　prophets　which　were　there；　and
had　ordained　as　the　only　city　allotted　for　the　education　of　such
men；　gives　all　to　understand　and　consider　the　disposition　of　men；
that　while　they　are　private　persons；　and　in　a　low　condition；
because　it　is　not　in　their　power　to　indulge　nature；　nor　to
venture　upon　what　they　wish　for；　they　are　equitable　and　moderate；
and　pursue　nothing　but　what　is　just；　and　bend　their　whole　minds
and　labors　that　way；　then　it　is　that　they　have　this　belief　about
God；　that　he　is　present　to　all　the　actions　of　their　lives；　and
that　he　does　not　only　see　the　actions　that　are　done；　but　clearly
knows　those　their　thoughts　also；　whence　those　actions　do　arise。
But　when　once　they　are　advanced　into　power　and　authority；　then
they　put　off　all　such　notions；　and；　as　if　they　were　no　other　than
actors　upon　a　theater；　they　lay　aside　their　disguised　parts　and
manners；　and　take　up　boldness；　insolence；　and　a　contempt　of　both
human　and　Divine　laws；　and　this　at　a　time　when　they　especially
stand　in　need　of　piety　and　righteousness；　because　they　are　then
most　of　all　exposed　to　envy；　and　all　they　think；　and　all　they
say；　are　in　the　view　of　all　men；　then　it　is　that　they　become　so
insolent　in　their　actions；　as　though　God　saw　them　no　longer；　or
were　afraid　of　them　because　of　their　power：　and　whatsoever　it　is
that　they　either　are　afraid　of　by　the　rumors　they　hear；　or　they
hate　by　inclination；　or　they　love　without　reason；　these　seem　to
them　to　be　authentic；　and　firm；　and　true；　and　pleasing　both　to
men　and　to　God；　but　as　to　what　will　come　hereafter；　they　have　not
the　least　regard　to　it。　They　raise　those　to　honor　indeed　who　have
been　at　a　great　deal　of　pains　for　them；　and　after　that　honor　they
envy　them；　and　when　they　have　brought　them　into　high　dignity；
they　do　not　only　deprive　them　of　what　they　had　obtained；　but
also；　on　that　very　account；　of　their　lives　also；　and　that　on
wicked　accusations；　and　such　as　on　account　of　their　extravagant
nature；　are　incredible。　They　also　punish　men　for　their　actions；
not　such　as　deserve　condemnation；　but　from　calumnies　and
accusations　without　examination；　and　this　extends　not　only　to
such　as　deserve　to　be　punished；　but　to　as　many　as　they　are　able
to　kill。　This　reflection　is　openly　confirmed　to　us　from　the
example　of　Saul；　the　son　of　Kish；　who　was　the　first　king　who
reigned　after　our　aristocracy　and　government　under　the　judges
were　over；　and　that　by　his　slaughter　of　three　hundred　priests　and
prophets；　on　occasion　of　his　suspicion　about　Ahimelech；　and　by
the　additional　wickedness　of　the　overthrow　of　their　city；　and
this　is　as　he　were　endeavoring　in　some　sort　to　render　the　temple
＇tabernacle＇　destitute　both　of　priests　and　prophets；　which
endeavor　he　showed　by　slaying　so　many　of　them；　and　not　suffering
the　very　city　belonging　to　。them　to　remain；　that　so　others　might
succeed　them。

8。　But　Abiathar；　the　son　of　Ahimelech；　who　alone　could　be　saved
out　of　the　family　of　priests　slain　by　Saul；　fled　to　David；　and
informed　him　of　the　calamity　that　had　befallen　their　family；　and
of　the　slaughter　of　his　father；　who　hereupon　said；　He　was　not
unapprised　of　what　would　follow　with　relation　to　them　when　he　saw
Doeg　there；　for　he　had　then　a　suspicion　that　the　high　priest
would　be　falsely　accused　by　him　to　the　king；　and　he　blamed
himself　as　having　been　the　cause　of　this　misfortune。　But　he
desired　him　to　stay　there；　and　abide　with　him；　as　in　a　place
where　he　might　be　better　concealed　than　any　where　else。

CHAPTER　13。

How　David；　When　He　Had　Twice　The　Opportunity　Of　Killing　Saul　Did
Not　Kill　Him。　Also　Concerning　The　Death　Of　Samuel　And　Nabal。

1。　About　this　time　it　was　that　David　heard　how　the　Philistines
had　made　an　inroad　into　the　country　of　Keilah；　and　robbed　it；　so
he　offered　himself　to　fight　against　them；　if　God；　when　he　should
be　consulted　by　the　prophet；　would　grant　him　the　victory。　And
when　the　prophet　said　that　God　gave　a　signal　of　victory；　he　made
a　sudden　onset　upon　the　Philistines　with　his　companions；　and　he
shed　a　great　deal　of　their　blood；　and　carried　off　their　prey；　and
staid　with　the　inhabitants　of　Keilah　till　they　had　securely
gathered　in　their　corn　and　their　fruits。　However；　it　was　told
Saul　the　king　that　David　was　with　the　men　of　Keilah；　for　what　had
been　done　and　the　great　success　that　had　attended　him；　were　not
confined　among　the　people　where　the　things　were　done；　but　the
fame　of　it　went　all　abroad；　and　came　to　the　hearing　of　others；
and　both　the　fact　as　it　stood；　and　the　author　of　the　fact；　were
carried　to　the　king's　ears。　Then　was　Saul　glad　when　he　heard
David　was　in　Keilah；　and　he　said；　〃God　hath　now　put　him　into　my
hands；　since　he　hath　obliged　him　to　come　into　a　city　that　hath
walls；　and　gates；　and　bars。〃　So　he　commanded　all　the　people
suddenly；　and　when　they　had　besieged　and　taken　it　to　kill　David。
But　when　David　perceived　this；　and　learned　of　God　that　if　he
staid　there　the　men　of　Keilah　would　deliver　him　up　to　Saul；　he
took　his　four　hundred　men　and　retired　into　a　desert　that　was　over
against　a　city　called　Engedi。　So　that　when　the　king　heard　he　was
fled　away　from　the　men　of　Keilah；　he　left　off　his　expedition
against　him。

2。　Then　David　removed　thence；　and　came　to　a　certain　place　called
the　New　Place；　belonging　to　Ziph；　where　Jonathan；　the　son　of
Saul；　came　to　him；　and　saluted　him；　and　exhorted　him　to　be　of
good　courage；　and　to　hope　well　as　to　his　condition　hereafter；　and
not　to　despond　at　his　present　circumstances；　for　that　he　should
be　king；　and　have　all　the　forces　of　the　Hebrews　under　him：　he
told　him　that　such　happiness　uses　to　come　with　great　labor　and
pains：　they　also　took　oaths；　that　they　would；　all　their　lives
long；　continue　in　good…will　and　fidelity　one　to　another；　and　he
called　God　to　witness；　as　to　what　execrations　he　had　made　upon
himself　if　he　should　transgress　his　covenant；　and　should　change
to　a　contrary　behavior。　So　Jonathan　left　him　there；　having
rendered　his　cares　and　fears　somewhat　lighter；　and　returned　home。
Now　the　men　of　Ziph；　to　gratify　Saul；　informed　him　that　David
abode　with　them；　and　＇assured　him＇　that　if　he　would　come　to　them；
they　would　deliver　him　up；　for　that　if　the　king　would　seize　on
the　Straits　of　Ziph；　David　would　not　escape　to　any　other　people。
So　the　king　commended　them；　and　confessed　that　he　had　reason　to
thank　them；　because　they　had　given　him　information　of　his　enemy；
and　he　promised　them；　that　it　should　not　be　long　ere　he　would
requite　their　kindness。　He　also　sent　men　to　seek　for　David；　and
to　search　the　wilderness　wherein　he　was；　and　he　promised　that　he
himself　would　follow　them。　Accordingly　they　went　before　the　king；
to　hunt　for　and　to　catch　David；　and　used　endeavors；　not　only　to
show　their　good…will　to　Saul；　by　informing　him　where　his　enemy
was；　but　to　evidence　the　same　more　plainly　by　delivering　him　up
into　his　power。　But　these　men　failed　of　those　their　unjust　and
wicked　desires；　who；　while　they　underwent　no　hazard　by　not
discovering　such　an　ambition　of　revealing　this　to　Saul；　yet　did
they　falsely　accuse　and　promise　to　deliver　up　a　man　beloved　of
God；　and　one　that　was　unjustly　sought　after　to　be　put　to　death；
and　one　that　might　otherwise　have　lain　concealed；　and　this　out　of
flattery；　and　expectation　of　gain　from　the　king；　for　when　David
was　apprized　of　the　malignant　intentions　of　the　men　of　Ziph；　and
the　approach　of　Saul；　he　left　the　Straits　of　that　country；　and
fled　to　the　great　rock　that　was　in　the　wilderness　of　Maon。

3。　Hereupon　Saul　made　haste　to　pursue　him　thither；　for；　as　he　was
marching；　he　learned　that　David　was　gone　away　from　the　Straits　of