the antiquities of the jews-1-第103章

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Moreover；　they　slew　his　sons　and　his　wives：　one　only　of　his　sons
was　left　him；　who　escaped　the　enemy；　his　name　was　Ahaziah；　after
which　calamity；　he　himself　fell　into　that　disease　which　was
foretold　by　the　prophet；　and　lasted　a　great　while；　（for　God
inflicted　this　punishment　upon　him　in　his　belly；　out　of　his　wrath
against　him；）　and　so　he　died　miserably；　and　saw　his　own　bowels
fall　out。　The　people　also　abused　his　dead　body；　I　suppose　it　was
because　they　thought　that　such　his　death　came　upon　him　by　the
wrath　of　God；　and　that　therefore　he　was　not　worthy　to　partake　of
such　a　funeral　as　became　kings。　Accordingly；　they　neither　buried
him　in　the　sepulchers　of　his　fathers；　nor　vouchsafed　him　any
honors；　but　buried　him　like　a　private　man；　and　this　when　he　had
lived　forty　years；　and　reigned　eight。　And　the　people　of　Jerusalem
delivered　the　government　to　his　son　Ahaziah。

CHAPTER　6。

How　Jehu　Was　Anointed　King；　And　Slew　Both　Joram　And　Ahaziah；　As
Also　What　He　Did　For　The　Punishment　Of　The　Wicked。

1。　Now　Joram；　the　king　of　Israel；　after　the　death　of　Benhadad；
hoped　that　he　might　now　take　Ramoth；　a　city　of　Gilead；　from　the
Syrians。　Accordingly　he　made　an　expedition　against　it；　with　a
great　army；　but　as　he　was　besieging　it；　an　arrow　was　shot　at　him
by　one　of　the　Syrians；　but　the　wound　was　not　mortal。　So　he
returned　to　have　his　wound　healed　in　Jezreel；　but　left　his　whole
army　in　Ramorb；　and　Jehu；　the　son　of　Nimshi；　for　their　general；
for　he　had　already　taken　the　city　by　force；　and　he　proposed；
after　he　was　healed；：　to　make　war　with　the　Syrians；　but　Elisha
the　prophet　sent　one　of　his　disciples　to　Ramoth；　and　gave　him
holy　oil　to　anoint　Jehu；　and　to　tell　him　that　God　had　chosen　him
to　be　their　king。　He　also　sent　him　to　say　other　things　to　him；
and　bid　him　to　take　his　journey　as　if　he　fled；　that　when　he　came
away　he　might　escape　the　knowledge　of　all　men。　So　when　he　was
come　to　the　city；　he　found　Jehu　sitting　in　the　midst　of　the
captains　of　the　army；　as　Elisha　had　foretold　he　should　find　him。
So　he　came　up　to　him；　and　said　that　he　desired　to　speak　with　him
about　certain　matters；　and　when　he　was　arisen；　and　had　followed
him　into　an　inward　chamber；　the　young　man　took　the　oil；　and
poured　it　on　his　head；　and　said　that　God　ordained　him　to　be　king；
in　order　to　his　destroying　the　house　of　Ahab；　and　that　he　might
revenge　the　blood　of　the　prophets　that　were　unjustly　slain　by
Jezebel；　that　so　their　house　might　utterly　perish；　as　those　of
Jeroboam　the　son　of　Nebat；　and　of　Baasha；　had　perished　for　their
wickedness；　and　no　seed　might　remain　of　Ahab's　family。　So　when　he
had　said　this；　he　went　away　hastily　out　of　the　chamber；　and
endeavored　not　to　be　seen　by　any　of　the　army。

2。　But　Jehu　came　out；　and　went　to　the　place　where　he　before　sat
with　the　captains；　and　when　they　asked　him；　and　desired　him　to
tell　them；　wherefore　it　was　that　this　young　man　came　to　him；　and
added　withal　that　he　was　mad；　he　replied；　…　〃You　guess　right；　for
the　words　he　spake　were　the　words　of　a　madman；〃　and　when　they
were　eager　about　the　matter；　and　desired　he　would　tell　them；　he
answered；　that　God　had　said　he　had　chosen　him　to　be　king　over　the
multitude。　When　he　had　said　this；　every　one　of　them　put　off　his
garment；　（15）　and　strewed　it　under　him；　and　blew　with　trumpets；
and　gave　notice　that　Jehu　was　king。　So　when　he　had　gotten　the
army　together；　he　was　preparing　to　set　out　immediately　against
Joram；　at　the　city　Jezreel；　in　which　city；　as　we　said　before；　he
was　healing　of　the　wound　which　he　had　received　in　the　siege　of
Ramoth。　It　happened　also　that　Ahaziah；　king　of　Jerusalem；　was　now
come　to　Joram；　for　he　was　his　sister's　son；　as　we　have　said
already；　to　see　how　he　did　after　his　wound；　and　this　upon　account
of　their　kindred；　but　as　Jehu　was　desirous　to　fall　upon　Joram；
and　those　with　him；　on　the　sudden；　he　desired　that　none　of　the
soldiers　might　run　away　and　tell　to　Joram　what　had　happened；　for
that　this　would　be　an　evident　demonstration　of　their　kindness　to
him；　and　would　show　that　their　real　inclinations　were　to　make　him
king。

3。　So　they　were　pleased　with　what　he　did；　and　guarded　the　roads；
lest　somebody　should　privately　tell　the　thing　to　those　that　were
at　Jezreel。　Now　Jehu　took　his　choice　horsemen；　and　sat　upon　his
chariot；　and　went　on　for　Jezreel；　and　when　he　was　come　near；　the
watchman　whom　Joram　had　set　there　to　spy　out　such　as　came　to　the
city；　saw　Jehu　marching　on；　and　told　Joram　that　he　saw　a　troop　of
horsemen　marching　on。　Upon　which　he　immediately　gave　orders；　that
one　of　his　horsemen　should　be　sent　out　to　meet　them；　and　to　know
who　it　was　that　was　coming。　So　when　the　horseman　came　up　to　Jehu；
he　asked　him　in　what　condition　the　army　was；　for　that　the　king
wanted　to　know　it；　but　Jehu　bid　him　not　at　all　to　meddle　with
such　matters；　but　to　follow　him。　When　the　watchman　saw　this；　he
told　Joram　that　the　horseman　had　mingled　himself　among　the
company；　and　came　along　with　them。　And　when　the　king　had　sent　a
second　messenger；　Jehu　commanded　him　to　do　as　the　former　did；　and
as　soon　as　the　watchman　told　this　also　to　Joram；　he　at　last　got
upon　his　chariot　himself；　together　with　Ahaziah；　the　king　of
Jerusalem；　for；　as　we　said　before；　he　was　there　to　see　how　Joram
did；　after　he　had　been　wounded；　as　being　his　relation。　So　he　went
out　to　meet　Jehu；　who　marched　slowly；　（16）　and　in　good　order；　and
when　Joram　met　him　in　the　field　of　Naboth；　he　asked　him　if　all
things　were　well　in　the　camp；　but　Jehu　reproached　him　bitterly；
and　ventured　to　call　his　mother　a　witch　and　a　harlot。　Upon　this
the　king；　fearing　what　he　intended；　and　suspecting　he　had　no　good
meaning；　turned　his　chariot　about　as　soon　as　he　could；　and　said
to　Ahaziah；　〃We　are　fought　against　by　deceit　and　treachery。〃　But
Jehu　drew　his　bow；　and　smote　him；　the　arrow　going　through　his
heart：　so　Joram　fell　down　immediately　on　his　knee；　and　gave　up
the　ghost。　Jehu　also　gave　orders　to　Bidkar；　the　captain　of　the
third　part　of　his　army；　to　cast　the　dead　body　of　Joram　into　the
field　of　Naboth；　putting　him　in　mind　of　the　prophecy　which　Elijah
prophesied　to　Ahab　his　father；　when　he　had　slain　Naboth；　that
both　he　and　his　family　should　perish　in　that　place；　for　that　as
they　sat　behind　Ahab's　chariot；　they　heard　the　prophet　say　so；
and　that　it　was　now　come　to　pass　according　to　his　prophecy。　Upon
the　fall　of　Joram；　Ahaziah　was　afraid　of　his　own　life；　and　turned
his　chariot　into　another　road；　supposing　he　should　not　be　seen　by
Jehu；　but　he　followed　after　him；　and　overtook　him　at　a　certain
acclivity；　and　drew　his　bow；　and　wounded　him；　so　he　left　his
chariot；　and　got　upon　his　horse；　and　fled　from　Jehu　to　Megiddo；
and　though　he　was　under　cure；　in　a　little　time　he　died　of　that
wound；　and　was　carried　to　Jerusalem；　and　buried　there；　after　he
had　reigned　one　year；　and　had　proved　a　wicked　man；　and　worse　than
his　father。

4。　Now　when　Jehu　was　come　to　Jezreel；　Jezebel　adorned　herself　and
stood　upon　a　tower；　and　said；　he　was　a　fine　servant　that　had
killed　his　master！　And　when　he　looked　up　to　her；　he　asked　who　she
was；　and　commanded　her　to　come　down　to　him。　At　last　he　ordered
the　eunuchs　to　throw　her　down　from　the　tower；　and　being　thrown
down；　she　be…sprinkled　the　wall　with　her　blood；　and　was　trodden
upon　by　the　horses；　and　so　died。　When　this　was　done；　Jehu　came　to
the　palace　with　his　friends；　and　took　some　refreshment　after　his
journey；　both　with　other　things；　and　by　eating　a　meal。　He　also
bid　his　servants　to　take　up　Jezebel　and　bury　her；　because　of　the
nobility　of　her　blood；　for　she　was　descended　from　kings；　but
those　that　were　appointed　to　bury　her　found　nothing　else
remaining　but　the　extreme　parts　of　her　body；　for　all　the　rest
were　eaten　by　dogs。　When　Jehu　heard　this；　he　admired　the　prophecy
of　Elijah；　for　he　foretold　that　she　should　perish　in　this　manner
at　Jezreel。

5。　Now　Ahab　had　seventy　sons　brought　up　in　Samaria。　So　Jehu　sent
two　epistles；　the　one　to　them　that　brought　up　the　children；　the
other　to　the　rulers　of　Samaria；　which　said；　that　they　should　set
up　the　most　valiant　of　Ahab's　sons　for　king；　for　that　they　had
abundance　of　chariots；　and　horses；　and　armor；　and　a　great　army；
and　fenced　cities；　and　that　by　so　doing　they　might　avenge　the
murder　of　Ahab。　This　he　wrote　to　try　the　intentions　of　those　of
Samaria。　Now　when　the　rulers；　and　those　that　had　brought　up　the
children；　had　read　the　letter；　they　were　afraid；　and　considering
that　they　were　not　at　all　able　to　oppose　him；　who　had　already
subdued　two　very　great　kings；　they　returned　him　this　answer：　That
they　owned　him　for　their　lord；　and　would　do　whatsoever　he　bade
them。　So　he　wrote　back　to　them　such　a　reply　as　enjoined　them　to
obey　what　he　gave　order　for；　and　to　cut　off　the　heads　of　Ahab's
sons；　and　send　them　to　him。　Accordingly　the　rulers　sent　for　those
that　brought　up　the　sons　of　Ahab；　and　commanded　them　to　slay
them；　to　cut　off　their　heads；　and　send　them　to　Jehu。　So　they　did
whatsoever　they　were　commanded；　without　omitting　any　thing　at
all；　and　put　them　up　in　wicker　baskets；　and　sent　them　to　Jezreel。
And　when　Jehu；　as　he　was　at　supper　with　his　friends；　was　informed
that　the　heads　of　Ahab's'　sons　were　brought；　he　ordered　them　to
make　two　heaps　of　them；　one　before　each　of　the　gates；　and　in　the
morning　he　went　out　to　take　a　view　of　them；　and　when　he　saw　them；
he　began　to　say　to　the　people　that　were　present；　that　he　did
himself　make　an　expedition　against　his　master　＇Joram＇；　and　slew
him；　but　that　it　was　not　he　that　slew　all　these；　and　he　desired
them　to　take　notice；　that　as　to　Ahab's　family；　all　things　had
come　to　pass　according　to　God's　prophecy；　and　his　house　was
perished；　according　as　Elijah　had　foretold。　And　when　he　had
further　destroyed　all　the　kindred　of　Ahab　that　were　found　in
Jezreel；　he　went　to　Samaria；　and　as　he　was　upon　the　road；　he　met
the　relations　of　Ahaziah　king　of　Jerusalem；　and　asked　them
whither　they　were　going？　they　replied；　that　they　came　to　salute
Joram；　and　their　own　king　Ahaziah；　for　they　knew　not　that　he　had
slain　them　both。　So　Jehu　gave　orders　that　they　should　catch
these；　and　kill　them；　being　in　number　forty…two　persons。

6。　After　these；　there　met　him　a　good　and　a　righteous　man；　whose
name　was　Jehonadab；　and　who　had　been　his　friend　of　old。　He
saluted　Jehu；　and　began　to　commend　him；　because　he　had　done　every
thing　according　to　the　will　of　God；　in　extirpating　the　house　of
Ahab。　So　Jehu　desired　him　to　come　up　into　his　chariot；　and　make
his　entry　with　him　into　Samaria；　and　told　him　that　he　would　not
spare　one　wicked　man；　but　would　punish　the　false　prophets；　and
false　priests；　and　those　that　deceived　the　multitude；　and
persuaded　them　to　leave　the　worship　of　God　Almighty；　and　to
worship　foreign　gods；　and　that　it　was　a　most　excellent　and　most
pleasing　sight　to　a　good　and　a　righteous　man　to　see　the　wicked
punished。　So　Jehonadab　was　persuaded　by　these　arguments；　and　came
up　into　Jehu's　chariot；　and　came　to　Samaria。　And　Jehu　sought　out
for　all　Ahab's　kindred；　and　slew　them。　And　being　desirous　that
none　of　the　false　prophets；　nor　the　priests　of　Ahab's　god；　might
escape　punishment；　he　caught　them　deceitfully　by　this　wile；　for
he　gathered　all　the　people　together；　and　said　that　he　would
worship　twice　as　many　gods　as　Ahab　worshipped；