太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > the antiquities of the jews-1 >

第89节

the antiquities of the jews-1-第89节

小说: the antiquities of the jews-1 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



Manasseh; such as used shields; and spears; and head…pieces; and
swords; were a hundred and twenty thousand。 The rest of the
tribes also made use of swords。 This multitude came together to
Hebron to David; with a great quantity of corn; and wine; and all
other sorts of food; and established David in his kingdom with
one consent。 And when the people had rejoiced for three days in
Hebron; David and all the people removed and came to Jerusalem。

CHAPTER 3。

How David Laid Siege To Jerusalem; And When He Had Taken The
City; He Cast The Canaanites Out Of It; And Brought In The Jews
To Inhabit Therein。

1。 Now the Jebusites; who were the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and
were by extraction Canaanites; shut their gates; and placed the
blind; and the lame; and all their maimed persons; upon the wall;
in way of derision of the king; and said that the very lame
themselves would hinder his entrance into it。 This they did out
of contempt of his power; and as depending on the strength of
their walls。 David was hereby enraged; and began the siege of
Jerusalem; and employed his utmost diligence and alacrity
therein; as intending by the taking of this place to demonstrate
his power; and to intimidate all others that might be of the like
'evil' disposition towards him。 So he took the lower city by
force; but the citadel held out still; (4) whence it was that the
king; knowing that the proposal of dignities and rewards would
encourage the soldiers to greater actions; promised that he who
should first go over the ditches that were beneath the citadel;
and should ascend to the citadel itself and take it; should have
the command of the entire people conferred upon him。 So they all
were ambitious to ascend; and thought no pains too great in order
to ascend thither; out of their desire of the chief command。
However; Joab; the son of Zeruiah; prevented the rest; and as
soon as he was got up to the citadel; cried out to the king; and
claimed the chief command。

2。 When David had cast the Jebusites out of the citadel; he also
rebuilt Jerusalem; and named it The City of David; and abode
there all the time of his reign; but for the time that he reigned
over the tribe of Judah only in Hebron; it was seven years and
six months。 Now when he had chosen Jerusalem to be his royal
city; his affairs did more and more prosper; by the providence of
God; who took care that they should improve and be augmented。
Hiram also; the king of the Tyrians; sent ambassadors to him; and
made a league of mutual friendship and assistance with him。 He
also sent him presents; cedar…trees; and mechanics; and men
skillful in building and architecture; that they might build him
a royal palace at Jerusalem。 Now David made buildings round about
the lower city: he also joined the citadel to it; and made it one
body; and when he had encompassed all with walls; he appointed
Joab to take care of them。 It was David; therefore; who first
cast the Jebusites out of Jerusalem; and called it by his own
name; The City of David: for under our forefather Abraham it was
called (Salem; or) Solyma; (5) but after that time; some say that
Homer mentions it by that name of Solyma; 'for he named the
temple Solyma; according to the Hebrew language; which denotes
security。' Now the whole time from the warfare under Joshua our
general against the Canaanites; and from that war in which he
overcame them; and distributed the land among the Hebrews; (nor
could the Israelites ever cast the Canaanites out of Jerusalem
until this time; when David took it by siege;) this whole time
was five hundred and fifteen years。

3。 I shall now make mention of Araunah; who was a wealthy man
among the Jebusites; but was not slain by David in the siege of
Jerusalem; because of the good…will he bore to the Hebrews; and a
particular benignity and affection which he had to the king
himself; which I shall take a more seasonable opportunity to
speak of a little afterwards。 Now David married other wives over
and above those which he had before: he had also concubines。 The
sons whom he had were in number eleven; whose names were Amnon;
Emnos; Eban; Nathan; Solomon; Jeban; Elien; Phalna; Ennaphen;
Jenae; Eliphale; and a daughter; Tamar。 Nine of these were born
of legitimate wives; but the two last…named of concubines; and
Tamar had the same mother with Absalom。

CHAPTER 4。

That When David Had Conquered The Philistines Who Made War
Against Him At Jerusalem; He Removed The Ark To Jerusalem And Had
A Mind To Build A Temple。

1。 When the Philistines understood that David was made king of
the Hebrews; they made war against him at Jerusalem; and when
they had seized upon that valley which is called The Valley of
the Giants; and is a place not far from the city; they pitched
their camp therein; but the king of the Jews; who never permitted
himself to do any thing without prophecy; (6) and the command of
God and without depending on him as a security for the time to
come; bade the high priest to foretell to him what was the will
of God; and what would be the event of this battle。 And when he
foretold that he should gain the victory and the dominion; he led
out his army against the Philistines; and when the battle was
joined; he came himself behind; and fell upon the enemy on the
sudden; and slew some of them; and put the rest to flight。 And
let no one suppose that it was a small army of the Philistines
that came against the Hebrews; as guessing so from the suddenness
of their defeat; and from their having performed no great action;
or that was worth recording; from the slowness of their march;
and want of courage; but let him know that all Syria and
Phoenicia; with many other nations besides them; and those
warlike nations also; came to their assistance; and had a share
in this war; which thing was the only cause why; when they had
been so often conquered; and had lost so many ten thousands of
their men; they still came upon the Hebrews with greater armies;
nay; indeed; when they had so often failed of their purpose in
these battles; they came upon David with an army three times as
numerous as before; and pitched their camp on the same spot of
ground as before。 The king of Israel therefore inquired of God
again concerning the event of the battle; and the high priest
prophesied to him; that he should keep his army in the groves;
called the Groves of Weeping; which were not far from the enemy's
camp; and that he should not move; nor begin to fight; till the
trees of the grove should be in motion without the wind's
blowing; but as soon as these trees moved; and the time foretold
to him by God was come; he should; without delay; go out to gain
what was an already prepared and evident victory; for the several
ranks of the enemy's army did not sustain him; but retreated at
the first onset; whom he closely followed; and slew them as he
went along; and pursued them to the city Gaza (which is the limit
of their country): after this he spoiled their camp; in which he
found great riches; and he destroyed their gods。

2。 When this had proved the event of the battle; David thought it
proper; upon a consultation with the elders; and rulers; and
captains of thousands; to send for those that were in the flower
of their age out of all his countrymen; and out of the whole
land; and withal for the priests and the Levites; in order to
their going to Kirjathjearim; to bring up the ark of God out of
that city; and to carry it to Jerusalem; and there to keep it;
and offer before it those sacrifices and those other honors with
which God used to be well…pleased; for had they done thus in the
reign of Saul; they had not undergone any great misfortunes at
all。 So when the whole body of the people were come together; as
they had resolved to do; the king came to the ark; which the
priest brought out of the house of Aminadab; and laid it upon a
new cart; and permitted their brethren and their children to draw
it; together with the oxen。 Before it went the king; and the
whole multitude of the people with him; singing hymns to God; and
making use of all sorts of songs usual among them; with variety
of the sounds of musical instruments; and with dancing and
singing of psalms; as also with the sounds of trumpets and of
cymbals; and so brought the ark to Jerusalem。 But as they were
come to the threshing…floor of Chidon; a place so called; Uzzah
was slain by the anger of God; for as the oxen shook the ark; he
stretched out his hand; and would needs take hold of it。 Now;
because he was not a priest (7) and yet touched the ark; God
struck him dead。 Hereupon both the king and the people were
displeased at the death of Uzzah; and the place where he died is
still called the Breach of Uzzah unto this day。 So David was
afraid; and supposing that if he received the ark to himself into
the city; he might suffer in the like manner as Uzzah had
suffered; who; upon his bare putting out his hand to the ark;
died in the manner already mentioned; he did not receive it to
himself into the city; but he took it aside unto a certain place
belonging to a righteous man; whose name was Obededom; who was by
his family a Levite; and deposited the ark with him; and 

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的