the antiquities of the jews-1-第104章

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he　gathered　all　the　people　together；　and　said　that　he　would
worship　twice　as　many　gods　as　Ahab　worshipped；　and　desired　that
his　priests；　and　prophets；　and　servants　might　be　present；　because
he　would　offer　costly　and　great　sacrifices　to　Ahab's　god；　and
that　if　any　of　his　priests　were　wanting；　they　should　be　punished
with　death。　Now　Ahab's　god　was　called　Baal；　and　when　he　had
appointed　a　day　on　which　he　would　offer　those　sacrifices；　he　sent
messengers　through　all　the　country　of　the　Israelites；　that　they
might　bring　the　priests　of　Baal　to　him。　So　Jehu　commanded　to　give
all　the　priests　vestments；　and　when　they　had　received　them；　he
went　into　the　house　＇of　Baal＇；　with　his　friend　Jehonadab；　and
gave　orders　to　make　search　whether　there　were　not　any　foreigner
or　stranger　among　them；　for　he　would　have　no　one　of　a　different
religion　to　mix　among　their　sacred　offices。　And　when　they　said
that　there　was　no　stranger　there；　and　they　were　beginning　their
sacrifices；　he　set　fourscore　men　without；　they　being　such　of　his
soldiers　as　he　knew　to　be　most　faithful　to　him；　and　bid　them　slay
the　prophets；　and　now　vindicate　the　laws　of　their　country；　which
had　been　a　long　time　in　disesteem。　He　also　threatened；　that　if
any　one　of　them　escaped；　their　own　lives　should　go　for　them。　So
they　slew　them　all　with　the　sword；　and　burnt　the　house　of　Baal；
and　by　that　means　purged　Samaria　of　foreign　customs　＇idolatrous
worship＇。　Now　this　Baal　was　the　god　of　the　Tyrians；　and　Ahab；　in
order　to　gratify　his　father…in…law；　Ethbaal；　who　was　the　king　of
Tyre　and　Sidon；　built　a　temple　for　him　in　Samaria；　and　appointed
him　prophets；　and　worshipped　him　with　all　sorts　of　worship；
although；　when　this　god　was　demolished；　Jehu　permitted　the
Israelites　to　worship　the　golden　heifers。　However；　because　he　had
done　thus；　and　taken　care　to　punish　the　wicked；　God　foretold　by
his　prophet　that　his　。sons　should　reign　over　Israel　for　four
generations。　And　in　this　condition　was　Jehu　at　this　time。

CHAPTER　7。

How　Athaliah　Reigned　Over　Jerusalem　For　Five　＇Six＇　Years　When
Jehoiada　The　High　Priest　Slew　Her　And　Made　Jehoash；　The　Son　Of
Ahaziah；　King。

1。　Now　when　Athaliah；　the　daughter　of　Ahab；　heard　of　the　death　of
her　brother　Joram；　and　of　her　son　Ahaziah；　and　of　the　royal
family；　she　endeavored　that　none　of　the　house　of　David　might　be
left　alive；　but　that　the　whole　family　might　be　exterminated；　that
no　king　might　arise　out　of　it　afterward；　and；　as　she　thought；　she
had　actually　done　it；　but　one　of　Ahaziah's　sons　was　preserved；
who　escaped　death　after　the　manner　following：　Ahaziah　had　a
sister　by　the　same　father；　whose　name　was　Jehosheba；　and　she　was
married　to　the　high　priest　Jehoiada。　She　went　into　the　king's
palace；　and　found　Jehoash；　for　that　was　the　little　child's　name；
who　was　not　above　a　year　old；　among　those　that　were　slain；　but
concealed　with　his　nurse；　so　she　took　him　with　her　into　a　secret
bed…chamber；　and　shut　him　up　there；　and　she　and　her　husband
Jehoiada　brought　him　up　privately　in　the　temple　six　years；　during
which　time　Athaliah　reigned　over　Jerusalem　and　the　two　tribes。

2。　Now；　on　the　Seventh　year；　Jehoiada　communicated　the　matter　to
certain　of　the　captains　of　hundreds；　five　in　number；　and
persuaded　them　to　be　assisting　to　what　attempts　he　was　making
against　Athaliah；　and　to　join　with　him　in　asserting　the　kingdom
to　the　child。　He　also　received　such　oaths　from　them　as　are　proper
to　secure　those　that　assist　one　another　from　the　fear　of
discovery；　and　he　was　then　of　good　hope　that　they　should　depose
Athaliah。　Now　those　men　whom　Jehoiada　the　priest　had　taken　to　be
his　partners　went　into　all　the　country；　and　gathered　together　the
priests　and　the　Levites；　and　the　heads　of　the　tribes　out　of　it；
and　came　and　brought　them　to　Jerusalem　to　the　high　priest。　So　he
demanded　the　security　of　an　oath　of　them；　to　keep　private
whatsoever　he　should　discover　to　them；　which　required　both　their
silence　and　their　assistance。　So　when　they　had　taken　the　oath；
and　had　thereby　made　it　safe　for　him　to　speak；　he　produced　the
child　that　he　had　brought　up　of　the　family　of　David；　and　said　to
them；　〃This　is　your　king；　of　that　house　which　you　know　God　hath
foretold　should　reign　over　you　for　all　time　to　come。　I　exhort　you
therefore　that　one…third　part　of　you　guard　him　in　the　temple；　and
that　a　fourth　part　keep　watch　at　all　the　gates　of　the　temple；　and
that　the　next　part　of　you　keep　guard　at　the　gate　which　opens　and
leads　to　the　king's　palace；　and　let　the　rest　of　the　multitude　be
unarmed　in　the　temple；　and　let　no　armed　person　go　into　the
temple；　but　the　priest　only。〃　He　also　gave　them　this　order
besides；　〃That　a　part　of　the　priests　and　the　Levites　should　be
about　the　king　himself；　and　be　a　guard　to　him；　with　their　drawn
swords；　and　to　kill　that　man　immediately；　whoever　he　be；　that
should　be　so　bold　as　to　enter　armed　into　the　temple；　and　bid　them
be　afraid　of　nobody；　but　persevere　in　guarding　the　king。〃　So
these　men　obeyed　what　the　high　priest　advised　them　to；　and
declared　the　reality　of　their　resolution　by　their　actions。
Jehoiada　also　opened　that　armory　which　David　had　made　in　the
temple；　and　distributed　to　the　captains　of　hundreds；　as　also　to
the　priests　and　Levites；　all　the　spears　and　quivers；　and　what
kind　of　weapons　soever　it　contained；　and　set　them　armed　in　a
circle　round　about　the　temple；　so　as　to　touch　one　another's
hands；　and　by　that　means　excluding　those　from　entering　that　ought
not　to　enter。　So　they　brought　the　child　into　the　midst　of　them；
and　put　on　him　the　royal　crown；　and　Jehoiada　anointed　him　with
the　oil；　and　made　him　king；　and　the　multitude　rejoiced；　and　made
a　noise；　and　cried；　〃God　save　the　king！〃

3。　When　Athaliah　unexpectedly　heard　the　tumult　and　the
acclamations；　she　was　greatly　disturbed　in　her　mind；　and　suddenly
issued　out　of　the　royal　palace　with　her　own　army；　and　when　she
was　come　to　the　temple；　the。　priests　received　her；　but　as　for
those　that　stood　round　about　the　temple；　as　they　were　ordered　by
the　high　priest　to　do；　they　hindered　the　armed　inert　that
followed　her　from　going　in。　But　when　Athaliah　saw　the　child
standing　upon　a　pillar；　with　the　royal　crown　upon　his　head；　she
rent　her　clothes；　and　cried　out　vehemently；　and　commanded　＇her
guards＇　to　kill　him　that　had　laid　snares　for　her；　and　endeavored
to　deprive　her　of　the　government。　But　Jehoiada　called　for　the
captains　of　hundreds；　and　commanded　them　to　bring　Athaliah　to　the
valley　of　Cedron；　and　slay　her　there；　for　he　would　not　have　the
temple　defiled　with　the　punishments　of　this　pernicious　woman；　and
he　gave　order；　that　if　any　one　came　near　to　help　her；　he　should
be　slain　also；　wherefore　those　that　had　the　charge　of　her
slaughter　took　hold　of　her；　and　led　her　to　the　gate　of　the　king's
mules；　arid　slew　her　there。


4。　Now　as　soon　as　what　concerned　Athaliah　was　by　this　stratagem；
after　this　manner；　despatched；　Jehoiada　called　together　the
people　and　the　armed　men　into　the　temple；　and　made　them　take　an
oath　that　they　would　be　obedient　to　the　king；　and　take　care　of
his　safety；　and　of　the　safety　of　his　government；　after　which　he
obliged　the　king　to　give　security　＇upon　oath＇　that　he　would
worship　God；　and　not　transgress　the　laws　of　Moses。　They　then　ran
to　the　house　of　Baal；　which　Athaliah　and　her　husband　Jehoram　had
built；　to　the　dishonor　of　the　God　of　their　fathers；　and　to　the
honor　of　Ahab；　and　demolished　it；　and　slew　Mattan；　that　had　his
priesthood。　But　Jehoiada　intrusted　the　care　and　custody　of　the
temple　to　the　priests　and　Levites；　according　to　the　appointment
of　king　David；　and　enjoined　them　to　bring　their　regular
burnt…offerings　twice　a　day；　and　to　offer　incense　according　to
the　law。　He　also　ordained　some　of　the　Levites；　with　the　porters；
to　be　a　guard　to　the　temple；　that　no　one　that　was　defiled　might
come　there。

5。　And　when　Jehoiada　had　set　these　things　in　order；　he；　with　the
captains　of　hundreds；　and　the　rulers；　and　all　the　people；　took
Jehoash　out　of　the　temple　into　the　king's　palace；　and　when　he　had
set　him　upon　the　king's　throne；　the　people　shouted　for　joy；　and
betook　themselves　to　feasting；　and　kept　a　festival　for　many　days；
but　the　city　was　quiet　upon　the　death　of　Athaliah。　Now　Jehoash
was　seven　years　old　when　he　took　the　kingdom。　His　mother's　name
was　Zibiah；　of　the　city　Beersheba。　And　all　the　time　that　Jehoiada
lived　Jehoash　was　careful　that　the　laws　should　be　kept；　and　very
zealous　in　the　worship　of　God；　and　when　he　was　of　age；　he　married
two　wives；　who　were　given　to　him　by　the　high　priest；　by　whom　were
born　to　him　both　sons　and　daughters。　And　thus　much　shall　suffice
to　have　related　concerning　king　Jehoash；　how　he　escaped　the
treachery　of　Athaliah；　and　how　he　received　the　kingdom。

CHAPTER　8。

Hazael　Makes　An　Expedition　Against　The　People　Of　Israel　And　The
Inhabitants　Of　Jerusalem。　Jehu　Dies；　And　Jehoahaz　Succeeds　In　The
Government。　Jehoash　The　King　Of　Jerusalem　At　First　Is　Careful
About　The　Worship　Of　God　But　Afterwards　Becomes　Impious　And
Commands　Zechariah　To　Be　Stoned。　When　Jehoash　＇King　Of　Judah＇　Was
Dead；　Amaziah　Succeeds　Him　In　The　Kingdom。

1。　Now　Hazael；　king　of　Syria；　fought　against　the　Israelites　and
their　king　Jehu；　and　spoiled　the　eastern　parts　of　the　country
beyond　Jordan；　which　belonged　to　the　Reubenites　and　Gadites；　and
to　＇the　half　tribe　of＇　Manassites；　as　also　Gilead　and　Bashan；
burning；　and　spoiling；　and　offering　violence　to　all　that　he　laid
his　hands　on；　and　this　without　impeachment　from　Jehu；　who　made　no
haste　to　defend　the　country　when　it　was　under　this　distress；　nay；
he　was　become　a　contemner　of　religion；　and　a　despiser　of
holiness；　and　of　the　laws；　and　died　when　he　had　reigned　over　the
Israelites　twenty…seven　years。　He　was　buried　in　Samaria；　and　left
Jehoahaz　his　son　his　successor　in　the　government。

2。　Now　Jehoash；　king　of　Jerusalem；　had　an　inclination　to　repair
the　temple　of　God；　so　he　called　Jehoiada；　and　bid　him　send　the
Levites　and　priests　through　all　the　country；　to　require　half　a
shekel　of　silver　for　every　head；　towards　the　rebuilding　and
repairing　of　the　temple；　which　was　brought　to　decay　by　Jehoram；
and　Athaliah　and　her　sons。　But　the　high　priest　did　not　do　this；
as　concluding　that　no　one　would　willingly　pay　that　money；　but　in
the　twenty…third　year　of　Jehoash's　reign；　when　the　king　sent　for
him　and　the　Levites；　and　complained　that　they　had　not　obeyed　what
he　enjoined　them；　and　still　commanded　them　to　take　care　of　the
rebuilding　the　temple；　he　used　this　stratagem　for　collecting　the
money；　with　which　the　multitude　was　pleased。　He　made　a　wooden
chest；　and　closed　it　up　fast　on　all　sides；　but　opened　one　hole　in
it；　he　then　set　it　in　the　temple　beside　the　altar；　and　desired
every　one　to　cast　into　it；　through　the　hole；　what　he　pleased；　for
the　repair　of　the　temple。　This　contrivance　was　acceptable　to　the
people；　and　they　strove　one　with　another；　and　brought　in　jointly
large　quantities　of　silver　and　gold；　and　when　the　scribe　and　the
priest　that　were　over　the　treasuries　had　emptied　the　chest；　and
counted　the　money　in　the　king's　presence；　they　then　set　it　in　its
former　place；　and　thus　did　they　every　day。　But　when　the　multitude
appeared　to　have　cast　in　as　much　as　was　wanted；　the　high　priest
Jehoiada；　and　king　Joash；　sent　to　hire　mason