the antiquities of the jews-1-第86节

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few。　As　for　himself；　he　fought　with　great　bravery；　and　when　he
had　received　so　many　wounds；　that　he　was　not　able　to　bear　up　nor
to　oppose　any　longer；　and　yet　was　not　able　to　kill　himself；　he
bade　his　armor…bearer　draw　his　sword；　and　run　him　through；　before
the　enemy　should　take　him　alive。　But　his　armor…bearer　not　daring
to　kill　his　master；　he　drew　his　own　sword；　and　placing　himself
over　against　its　point；　he　threw　himself　upon　it；　and　when　he
could　neither　run　it　through　him；　nor；　by　leaning　against　it；
make　the　sword　pass　through　him；　he　turned　him　round；　and　asked　a
certain　young　man　that　stood　by　who　he　was；　and　when　he
understood　that　he　was　an　Amalekite；　he　desired　him　to　force　the
sword　through　him；　because　he　was　not　able　to　do　it　with　his　own
hands；　and　thereby　to　procure　him　such　a　death　as　he　desired。
This　the　young　man　did　accordingly；　and　he　took　the　golden
bracelet　that　was　on　Saul's　arm；　and　his　royal　crown　that　was　on
his　head；　and　ran　away。　And　when　Saul's　armor…bearer　saw　that　he
was　slain；　he　killed　himself；　nor　did　any　of　the　king's　guards
escape；　but　they　all　fell　upon　the　mountain　called　Gilboa。　But
when　those　Hebrews　that　dwelt　in　the　valley　beyond　Jordan；　and
those　who　had　their　cities　in　the　plain；　heard　that　Saul　and　his
sons　were　fallen；　and　that　the　multitude　about　them　were
destroyed；　they　left　their　own　cities；　and　fled　to　such　as　were
the　best　fortified　and　fenced；　and　the　Philistines；　finding　those
cities　deserted；　came　and　dwelt　in　them。

8。　On　the　next　day；　when　the　Philistines　came　to　strip　their
enemies　that　were　slain；　they　got　the　bodies　of　Saul　and　of　his
sons；　and　stripped　them；　and　cut　off　their　heads；　and　they　sent
messengers　all　about　their　country；　to　acquaint　them　that　their
enemies　were　fallen；　and　they　dedicated　their　armor　in　the　temple
of　Astarte；　but　hung　their　bodies　on　crosses　at　the　walls　of　the
city　Bethshun；　which　is　now　called　Scythepolls。　But　when　the
inhabitants　of　Jabesh…Gilead　heard　that　they　had　dismembered　the
dead　bodies　of　Saul　and　of　his　sons；　they　deemed　it　so　horrid　a
thing　to　overlook　this　barbarity；　and　to　suffer　them　to　be
without　funeral　rites；　that　the　most　courageous　and　hardy　among
them　（and　indeed　that　city　had　in　it　men　that　were　very　stout
both　in　body　and　mind）　journeyed　all　night；　and　came　to　Bethshun；
and　approached　to　the　enemy's　wall；　and　taking　down　the　bodies　of
Saul　and　of　his　sons；　they　carried　them　to　Jabesh；　while　the
enemy　were　not　able　enough　nor　bold　enough　to　hinder　them；
because　of　their　great　courage。　So　the　people　of　Jabesh　wept　all
in　general；　and　buried　their　bodies　in　the　best　place　of　their
country；　which　was　named　Areurn；　and　they　observed　a　public
mourning　for　them　seven　days；　with　their　wives　and　children；
beating　their　breasts；　and　lamenting　the　king　and　his　sons；
without　either　tasting　meat　or　drink　（29）　＇till　the　evening。＇

9。　To　this　his　end　did　Saul　come；　according　to　the　prophecy　of
Samuel；　because　he　disobeyed　the　commands　of　God　about　the
Amalekites；　and　on　the　account　of　his　destroying　the　family　of
Ahimelech　the　high　priest；　with　Ahimelech　himself；　and　the　city
of　the　high　priests。　Now　Saul；　when　he　had　reigned　eighteen　years
while　Samuel　was　alive；　and　after　his　death　two　＇and　twenty＇；
ended　his　life　in　this　manner。

BOOK　VII。

Containing　The　Interval　Of　Forty　Years。

From　The　Death　Of　Saul　To　The　Death　Of　David。

CHAPTER　1。

How　David　Reigned　Over　One　Tribe　At　Hebron　While　The　Son　Of　Saul
Reigned　Over　The　Rest　Of　The　Multitude；　And　How；　In　The　Civil　War
Which　Then　Arose　Asahel　And　Abner　Were　Slain。

1。　This　fight　proved　to　be　on　the　same　day　whereon　David　was　come
back　to　Ziklag；　after　he　had　overcome　the　Amalekites。　Now　when　he
had　been　already　two　days　at　Ziklag；　there　came　to　him　the　man
who　slew　Saul；　which　was　the　third　day　after　the　fight。　He　had
escaped　out　of　the　battle　which　the　Israelites　had　with　the
Philistines；　and　had　his　clothes　rent；　and　ashes　upon　his　head。
And　when　he　made　his　obeisance　to　David；　he　inquired　of　him
whence　he　came。　He　replied；　from　the　battle　of　the　Israelites；
and　he　informed　him　that　the　end　of　it　was　unfortunate；　many　ten
thousands　of　the　Israelites　having　been　cut　off；　and　Saul；
together　with　his　sons；　slain。　He　also　said　that　he　could　well
give　him　this　information；　because　he　was　present　at　the　victory
gained　over　the　Hebrews；　and　was　with　the　king　when　he　fled。　Nor
did　he　deny　that　he　had　himself　slain　the　king；　when　he　was　ready
to　be　taken　by　the　enemy；　and　he　himself　exhorted　him　to　do　it；
because；　when　he　was　fallen　on　his　sword；　his　great　wounds　had
made　him　so　weak　that　he　was　not　able　to　kill　himself。　He　also
produced　demonstrations　that　the　king　was　slain；　which　were　the
golden　bracelets　that　had　been　on　the　king's　arms；　and　his　crown；
which　he　had　taken　away　from　Saul's　dead　body；　and　had　brought
them　to　him。　So　David　having　no　longer　any　room　to　call　in
question　the　truth　of　what　he　said；　but　seeing　most　evident　marks
that　Saul　was　dead；　he　rent　his　garments；　and　continued　all　that
day　with　his　companions　in　weeping　and　lamentation。　This　grief
was　augmented　by　the　consideration　of　Jonathan；　the　son　of　Saul；
who　had　been　his　most　faithful　friend；　and　the　occasion　of　his
own　deliverance。　He　also　demonstrated　himself　to　have　such　great
virtue；　and　such　great　kindness　for　Saul；　as　not　only　to　take　his
death　to　heart；　though　he　had　been　frequently　in　danger　of　losing
his　life　by　his　means；　but　to　punish　him　that　slew　him；　for　when
David　had　said　to　him　that　he　was　become　his　own　accuser；　as　the
very　man　who　had　slain　the　king；　and　when　he　had　understood　that
he　was　the　son　of　an　Amalekite；　he　commanded　him　to　be　slain。　He
also　committed　to　writing　some　lamentations　and　funeral
commendations　of　Saul　and　Jonathan；　which　have　continued　to　my
own　age。

2。　Now　when　David　had　paid　these　honors　to　the　king；　he　left　off
his　mourning；　and　inquired　of　God　by　the　prophet　which　of　the
cities　of　the　tribe　of　Judah　he　would　bestow　upon　him　to　dwell
in；　who　answered　that　he　bestowed　upon　him　Hebron。　So　he　left
Ziklag；　and　came　to　Hebron；　and　took　with　him　his　wives；　who　were
in　number　two；　and　his　armed　men；　whereupon　all　the　people　of　the
forementioned　tribe　came　to　him；　and　ordained　him　their　king。　But
when　he　heard　that　the　inhabitants　of　Jabesh…gilead　had　buried
Saul　and　his　sons　＇honorably＇；　he　sent　to　them　and　commended
them；　and　took　what　they　had　done　kindly；　and　promised　to　make
them　amends　for　their　care　of　those　that　were　dead；　and　at　the
same　time　he　informed　them　that　the　tribe　of　Judah　had　chosen　him
for　their　king。

3。　But　as　soon　as　Abner；　the　son　of　Ner；　who　was　general　of
Saul's　army；　and　a　very　active　man；　and　good…natured；　knew　that
the　king；　and　Jonathan；　and　his　two　other　sons；　were　fallen　in
the　battle；　he　made　haste　into　the　camp；　and　taking　away　with　him
the　remaining　son　of　Saul；　whose　name　was　Ishbosheth；　he　passed
over　to　the　land　beyond　Jordan；　and　ordained　him　the　king　of　the
whole　multitude；　excepting　the　tribe　of　Judah；　and　made　his　royal
seat　in　a　place　called　in　our　own　language　Mahanaim；　but　in　the
language　of　the　Grecians；　The　Camps；　from　whence　Abner　made　haste
with　a　select　body　of　soldiers；　to　fight　with　such　of　the　tribe
of　Judah　as　were　disposed　to　it；　for　he　was　angry　that　this　tribe
had　set　up　David　for　their　king。　But　Joab；　whose　father　was　Suri；
and　his　mother　Zeruiah；　David's　sister；　who　was　general　of
David's　army；　met　him；　according　to　David's　appointment。　He　had
with　him　his　brethren；　Abistiai　and　Asahel；　as　also　all　David's
armed　men。　Now　when　he　met　Abner　at　a　certain　fountain；　in　the
city　of　Gibeon；　he　prepared　to　fight。　And　when　Abner　said　to　him；
that　he　had　a　mind　to　know　which　of　them　had　the　more　valiant
soldiers；　it　was　agreed　between　them　that　twelve　soldiers　of　each
side　should　fight　together。　So　those　that　were　chosen　out　by　both
the　generals　for　this　fight　came　between　the　two　armies；　and
throwing　their　lances　one　against　the　other；　they　drew　their
swords；　and　catching　one　another　by　the　head；　they　held　one
another　fast；　and　ran　each　other's　swords　into　their　sides　and
groins；　until　they　all；　as　it　were　by　mutual　agreement；　perished
together。　When　these　were　fallen　down　dead；　the　rest　of　the　army
came　to　a　sore　battle；　and　Abner's　men　were　beaten；　and　when　they
were　beaten；　Joab　did　not　leave　off　pursuing　them；　but　he　pressed
upon　them；　and　excited　the　soldiers　to　follow　them　close；　and　not
to　grow　weary　of　killing　them。　His　brethren　also　pursued　them
with　great　alacrity；　especially　the　younger；　Asahel；　who　was　the
most　eminent　of　them。　He　was　very　famous　for　his　swiftness　of
foot；　for　he　could　not　only　be　too　hard　for　men；　but　is　reported
to　have　overrun　a　horse；　when　they　had　a　race　together。　This
Asahel　ran　violently　after　Abner；　and　would　not　turn　in　the　least
out　of　the　straight　way；　either　to　the　one　side　or　to　the　other。
Hereupon　Abner　turned　back；　and　attempted　artfully　to　avoid　his
violence。　Sometimes　he　bade　him　leave　off　the　pursuit；　and　take
the　armor　of　one　of　his　soldiers；　and　sometimes；　when　he　could
not　persuade　him　so　to　do；　he　exhorted　him　to　restrain　himself；
an