the antiquities of the jews-1-第105章

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appeared　to　have　cast　in　as　much　as　was　wanted；　the　high　priest
Jehoiada；　and　king　Joash；　sent　to　hire　masons　and　carpenters；　and
to　buy　large　pieces　of　timber；　and　of　the　most　curious　sort；　and
when　they　had　repaired　the　temple；　they　made　use　of　the　remaining
gold　and　silver；　which　was　not　a　little；　for　bowls；　and　basons；
and　cups；　and　other　vessels；　and　they　went　on　to　make　the　altar
every　day　fat　with　sacrifices　of　great　value。　And　these　things
were　taken　suitable　care　of　as　long　as　Jehoiada　lived。

3。　But　as　soon　as　he　was　dead　（which　was　when　he　had　lived　one
hundred　and　thirty　years；　having　been　a　righteous；　and　in　every
respect　a　very　good　man；　and　was　buried　in　the　king's　sepulchers
at　Jerusalem；　because　he　had　recovered　the　kingdom　to　the　family
of　David）　king　Jehoash　betrayed　his　＇want　of＇　care　about　God。　The
principal　men　of　the　people　were　corrupted　also　together　with
him；　and　offended　against　their　duty；　and　what　their　constitution
determined　to　be　most　for　their　good。　Hereupon　God　was　displeased
with　the　change　that　was　made　on　the　king；　and　on　the　rest　of　the
people；　and　sent　prophets　to　testify　to　them　what　their　actions
were；　and　to　bring　them　to　leave　off　their　wickedness；　but　they
had　gotten　such　a　strong　affection　and　so　violent　an　inclination
to　it；　that　neither　could　the　examples　of　those　that　had　offered
affronts　to　the　laws；　and　had　been　so　severely　punished；　they　and
their　entire　families；　nor　could　the　fear　of　what　the　prophets
now　foretold；　bring　them　to　repentance；　and　turn　them　back　from
their　course　of　transgression　to　their　former　duty。　But　the　king
commanded　that　Zechariah；　the　son　of　the　high　priest　Jehoiada；
should　be　stoned　to　death　in　the　temple；　and　forgot　the
kindnesses　he　had　received　from　his　father；　for　when　God　had
appointed　him　to　prophesy；　he　stood　in　the　midst　of　the
multitude；　and　gave　this　counsel　to　them　and　to　the　king：　That
they　should　act　righteously；　and　foretold　to　them；　that　if　they
would　not　hearken　to　his　admonitions；　they　should　suffer　a　heavy
punishment。　But　as　Zechariah　was　ready　to　die；　he　appealed　to　God
as　a　witness　of　what　he　suffered　for　the　good　counsel　he　had
given　them；　and　how　he　perished　after　a　most　severe　and　violent
manner　for　the　good　deeds　his　father　had　done　to　Jehoash。

4。　However；　it　was　not　long　before　the　king　suffered　punishment
for　his　transgression；　for　when　Hazael；　king　of　Syria；　made　an
irruption　into　his　country；　and　when　he　had　overthrown　Gath；　and
spoiled　it；　he　made　an　expedition　against　Jerusalem；　upon　which
Jehoash　was　afraid；　and　emptied　all　the　treasures　of　God　and　of
the　kings　＇before　him＇；　and　took　down　the　gifts　that　had　been
dedicated　＇in　the　temple＇；　and　sent　them　to　the　king　of　Syria；
and　procured　so　much　by　them；　that　he　was　not　besieged；　nor　his
kingdom　quite　endangered；　but　Hazael　was　induced　by　the　greatness
of　the　sum　of　money　not　to　bring　his　army　against　Jerusalem；　yet
Jehoash　fell　into　a　severe　distemper；　and　was　set　upon　by　his
friends；　in　order　to　revenge　the　death　of　Zechariah；　the　son　of
Jehoiada。　These　laid　snares　for　the　king；　and　slew　him。　He　was
indeed　buried　in　Jerusalem；　but　not　in　the　royal　sepulchers　of
his　forefathers；　because　of　his　impiety。　He　lived　forty…seven
years；　and　Amaziah　his　son　succeeded　him　in　the　kingdom。

5。　In　the　one　and　twentieth　year　of　the　reign　of　Jehoash；
Jehoahaz；　the　son　of　Jehu；　took　the　government　of　the　Israelites
in　Samaria；　and　held　it　seventeen　years。　He　did　not　＇properly＇
imitate　his　father；　but　was　guilty　of　as　wicked　practices　as　hose
that　first　had　God　in　contempt：　but　the　king　of　Syria　brought　him
low；　and　by　an　expedition　against　him　did　so　greatly　reduce　his
forces；　that　there　remained　no　more　of　so　great　an　army　than　ten
thousand　armed　men；　and　fifty　horsemen。　He　also　took　away　from
him　his　great　cities；　and　many　of　them　also；　and　destroyed　his
army。　And　these　were　the　things　that　the　people　of　Israel
suffered；　according　to　the　prophecy　of　Elisha；　when　he　foretold
that　Hazael　should　kill　his　master；　and　reign　over　the　Syrians
and　Damcenes。　But　when　Jehoahaz　was　under　such　unavoidable
miseries；　he　had　recourse　to　prayer　and　supplication　to　God；　and
besought　him　to　deliver　him　out　of　the　hands　of　Hazael；　and　not
overlook　him；　and　give　him　up　into　his　hands。　Accordingly　God
accepted　of　his　repentance　instead　of　virtue；　and　being　desirous
rather　to　admonish　those　that　might　repent；　and　not　to　determine
that　they　should　be　utterly　destroyed；　he　granted　him　deliverance
from　war　and　dangers。　So　the　country　having　obtained　peace；
returned　again　to　its　former　condition；　and　flourished　as　before。

6。　Now　after　the　death　of　Jehoahaz；　his　son　Joash　took　the
kingdom；　in　the　thirty…seventh　year　of　Jehoash；　the　king　of　the
tribe　of　Judah。　This　Joash　then　took　the　kingdom　of　Israel　in
Samaria；　for　he　had　the　same　name　with　the　king　of　Jerusalem；　and
he　retained　the　kingdom　sixteen　years。　He　was　a　good　man；　（17）
and　in　his　disposition　was　not　at　all　like　his　father。　Now　at
this　time　it　was　that　when　Elisha　the　prophet；　who　was　already
very　old；　and　was　now　fallen　into　a　disease；　the　king　of　Israel
came　to　visit　him；　and　when　he　found　him　very　near　death；　he
began　to　weep　in　his　sight；　and　lament；　to　call　him　his　father；
and　his　weapons；　because　it　was　by　his　means　that　he　never　made
use　of　his　weapons　against　his　enemies；　but　that　he　overcame　his
own　adversaries　by　his　prophecies；　without　fighting；　and　that　he
was　now　departing　this　life；　and　leaving　him　to　the　Syrians；　that
were　already　armed；　and　to　other　enemies　of　his　that　were　under
their　power；　so　he　said　it　was　not　safe　for　him　to　live　any
longer；　but　that　it　would　be　well　for　him　to　hasten　to　his　end；
and　depart　out　of　this　life　with　him。　As　the　king　was　thus
bemoaning　himself；　Elisha　comforted　him；　and　bid　the　king　bend　a
bow　that　was　brought　him；　and　when　the　king　had　fitted　the　bow
for　shooting；　Elisha　took　hold　of　his　hands　and　bid　him　shoot；
and　when　he　had　shot　three　arrows；　and　then　left　off；　Elisha
said；　〃If　thou　hadst　shot　more　arrows；　thou　hadst　cut　the　kingdom
of　Syria　up　by　the　roots；　but　since　thou　hast　been　satisfied　with
shooting　three　times　only；　thou　shalt　fight　and　beat　the　Syrians
no　more　times　than　three；　that　thou　mayst　recover　that　country
which　they　cut　off　from　thy　kingdom　in　the　reign　of　thy　father。〃
So　when　the　king　had　heard　that；　he　departed；　and　a　little　while
after　the　prophet　died。　He　was　a　man　celebrated　for
righteousness；　and　in　eminent　favor　with　God。　He　also　performed
wonderful　and　surprising　works　by　prophecy；　and　such　as　were
gloriously　preserved　in　memory　by　the　Hebrews。　He　also　obtained　a
magnificent　funeral；　such　a　one　indeed　as　it　was　fit　a　person　so
beloved　of　God　should　have。　It　also　happened；　that　at　that　time
certain　robbers　cast　a　man　whom　they　had　slain　into　Elisha's
grave；　and　upon　his　dead　body　coming　close　to　Elisha's　body；　it
revived　again。　And　thus　far　have　we　enlarged　about　the　actions　of
Elisha　the　prophet；　both　such　as　he　did　while　he　was　alive；　and
how　he　had　a　Divine　power　after　his　death　also。

7。　Now；　upon　the　death　of　Hazael；　the　king　of　Syria；　that　kingdom
came　to　Adad　his　son；　with　whom　Joash；　king　of　Israel；　made　war；
and　when　he　had　beaten　him　in　three　battles；　he　took　from　him　all
that　country；　and　all　those　cities　and　villages；　which　his　father
Hazael　had　taken　from　the　kingdom　of　Israel；　which　came　to　pass；
however；　according　to　the　prophecy　of　Elisha。　But　when　Joash
happened　to　die；　he　was　buried　in　Samaria；　and　the　government
devolved　on　his　son　Jeroboam。

CHAPTER　9。

How　Amaziah　Made　An　Expedition　Against　The　Edomites　And
Amalekites　And　Conquered　Them；　But　When　He　Afterwards　Made　War
Against　Joash；　He　Was　Beaten　And　Not　Long　After　Was　Slain；　And
Uzziah　Succeeded　In　The　Government。

1。　Now；　in　the　second　year　of　the　reign　of　Joash　over　Israel；
Amaziah　reigned　over　the　tribe　of　Judah　in　Jerusalem。　His
mother's　name　was　Jehoaddan；　who　was　born　at　Jerusalem。　He　was
exceeding　careful　of　doing　what　was　right；　and　this　when　he　was
very　young；　but　when　he　came　to　the　management　of　affairs；　and　to
the　government；　he　resolved　that　he　ought　first　of　all　to　avenge
his　father　Je…hoash；　and　to　punish　those　his　friends　that　had
laid　violent　hands　upon　him：　so　he　seized　upon　them　all；　and　put
them　to　death；　yet　did　he　execute　no　severity　on　their　children；
but　acted　therein　according　to　the　laws　of　Moses；　who　did　not
think　it　just　to　punish　children　for　the　sins　of　their　fathers。
After　this　he　chose　him　an　army　out　of　the　tribe　of　Judah　and
Benjamin；　of　such　as　were　in　the　flower　of　their　age；　and　about
twenty　years　old；　and　when　he　had　collected　about　three　hundred
thousand　of　them　together；　he　set　captains　of　hundreds　over　them。
He　also　sent　to　the　king　of　Israel；　and　hired　a　hundred　thousand
of　his　soldiers　for　a　hundred　talents　of　silver；　for　he　had
resolved　to　make　an　expedition　against　the　nations　of　the
Amatekites；　and　Edomites；　and　Gebalites：　but　as　he　was　preparing
for　his　expedition；　and　ready　to　go　out　to　the　war；　a　prophet
gave　him　counsel　to　dismiss　the　army　of　the　Israelites；　because
they　were　bad　men；　and　because　God　foretold　that　he　should　be
beaten；　if　he　made　use　of　them　as　auxiliaries；　but　that　he　should
overcome　his　enemies；　though　he　had　but　a　few　soldiers；　when　it
so　pleased　God。　And　when　the　king　grudged　at　his　having　already
paid　the　hire　of　the　Israelites；　the　prophet　exhorted　him　to　do
what　God　would　have　him；　because　he　should　thereby　obtain　much
wealth　from　God。　So　he　dismissed　them；　and　said　that　he　still
freely　gave　them　their　pay；　and　went　himself　with　his　own　army；
and　made　war　with　the　nations　before　mentioned；　and　when　he　had
beaten　them　in　battle；　he　slew　of　them　ten　thousand；　and　took　as
many　prisoners　alive；　whom　he　brought　to　the　great　rock　which　is
in　Arabia；　and　threw　them　down　from　it　headlong。　He　also　brought
away　a　great　deal　of　prey　and　vast　riches　from　those　nations。　But
while　Amaziah　was　engaged　in　this　expedition；　those　Israelites
whom　he　had　hired；　and　then　dismissed；　were　very　uneasy　at　it；
and　taking　their　dismission　for　an　affront；　（as　supposing　that
this　would　not　have　been　done　to　them　but　out　of　contempt；）　they
fell　upon　his　kingdom；　and　proceeded　to　spoil　the　country　as　far
as　Beth…horon；　and　took　much　cattle；　and　slew　three　thousand　men。

2。　Now　upon　the　victory　which　Amaziah　had　gotten；　and　the　great
acts　he　had　done；　he　was　puffed　up；　and　began　to　overlook　God；
who　had　given　him　the　victory；　and　proceeded　to　worship　the　gods
he　had　brought　out　of　the　country　of　the　Amalekites。　So　a　prophet
came　to　him；　and　said；　that　he　wondered　how　he　could　esteem　these
to　be　gods；　who　had　been　of　no　advantage　to　their　own　people　who
paid　them　honors；　nor　had　delivered　them　from　his　hands；　but　had
overlooked　the　destruction　of　many　of　them；　and　had　suffered
themselves　to　be　carried　captive；　for　that　they　had　been　carried
to　Jerusalem　in　the　same　manner　as　any　one　might　have　taken　some
of　the　enemy　alive；　and　led　them　thither。　This　reproof　provoked
the　king　to　anger；　and　he　commanded　the　prophet　to　hold　his
peace；　and　threatened　to　punish　him　if　he　meddled　with　his
conduct。