the antiquities of the jews-1-第25章

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！


preparations。　And　when　these　nations　were　ready　to　fight；　and　the
multitude　of　the　Hebrews　were　obliged　to　try　the　fortune　of　war；
they　were　in　a　mighty　disorder；　and　in　want　of　all　necessaries；
and　yet　were　to　make　war　with　men　who　were　thoroughly　well
prepared　for　it。　Then　therefore　it　was　that　Moses　began　to
encourage　them；　and　to　exhort　them　to　have　a　good　heart；　and　rely
on　God's　assistance　by　which　they　had　been　state　of　freedom　and
to　hope　for　victory　over　those　who　were　ready　to　fight　with　them；
in　order　to　deprive　them　of　that　blessing：　that　they　were　to
suppose　their　own　army　to　be　numerous；　wanting　nothing；　neither
weapons；　nor　money；　nor　provisions；　nor　such　other　conveniences
as；　when　men　are　in　possession　of；　they　fight　undauntedly；　and
that　they　are　to　judge　themselves　to　have　all　these　advantages　in
the　Divine　assistance。　They　are　also　to　suppose　the　enemy's　army
to　be　small；　unarmed；　weak；　and　such　as　want　those　conveniences
which　they　know　must　be　wanted；　when　it　is　God's　will　that　they
shall　be　beaten；　and　how　valuable　God's　assistance　is；　they　had
experienced　in　abundance　of　trials；　and　those　such　as　were　more
terrible　than　war；　for　that　is　only　against　men；　but　these　were
against　famine　and　thirst；　things　indeed　that　are　in　their　own
nature　insuperable；　as　also　against　mountains；　and　that　sea　which
afforded　them　no　way　for　escaping；　yet　had　all　these　difficulties
been　conquered　by　God's　gracious　kindness　to　them。　So　he　exhorted
them　to　be　courageous　at　this　time；　and　to　look　upon　their　entire
prosperity　to　depend　on　the　present　conquest　of　their　enemies。

3。　And　with　these　words　did　Moses　encourage　the　multitude；　who
then　called　together　the　princes　of　their　tribes；　and　their　chief
men；　both　separately　and　conjointly。　The　young　men　he　charged　to
obey　their　elders；　and　the　elders　to　hearken　to　their　leader。　So
the　people　were　elevated　in　their　minds；　and　ready　to　try　their
fortune　in　battle；　and　hoped　to　be　thereby　at　length　delivered
from　all　their　miseries：　nay；　they　desired　that　Moses　would
immediately　lead　them　against　their　enemies　without　the　least
delay；　that　no　backwardness　might　be　a　hindrance　to　their　present
resolution。　So　Moses　sorted　all　that　were　fit　for　war　into
different　troops；　and　set　Joshua；　the　son　of　Nun；　of　the　tribe　of
Ephraim；　over　them；　one　that　was　of　great　courage；　and　patient　to
undergo　labors；　of　great　abilities　to　understand；　and　to　speak
what　was　proper；　and　very　serious　in　the　worship　of　God；　and
indeed　made　like　another　Moses；　a　teacher　of　piety　towards　God。
He　also　appointed　a　small　party　of　the　armed　men　to　be　near　the
water；　and　to　take　care　of　the　children；　and　the　women；　and　of
the　entire　camp。　So　that　whole　night　they　prepared　themselves　for
the　battle；　they　took　their　weapons；　if　any　of　them　had　such　as
were　well　made；　and　attended　to　their　commanders　as　ready　to　rush
forth　to　the　battle　as　soon　as　Moses　should　give　the　word　of
command。　Moses　also　kept　awake；　teaching　Joshua　after　what　manner
he　should　order　his　camp。　But　when　the　day　began；　Moses　called
for　Joshua　again；　and　exhorted　him　to　approve　himself　in　deeds
such　a　one　as　a　his　reputation　made　men　expect　from　him；　and　to
gain　glory　by　the　present　expedition；　in　the　opinion　of　those
under　him；　for　his　exploits　in　this　battle。　He　also　gave　a
particular　exhortation　to　the　principal　men　of　the　Hebrews；　and
encouraged　the　whole　army　as　it　stood　armed　before　him。　And　when
he　had　thus　animated　the　army；　both　by　his　words　and　works；　and
prepared　every　thing；　he　retired　to　a　mountain；　and　committed　the
army　to　God　and　to　Joshua。

4。　So　the　armies　joined　battle；　and　it　came　to　a　close　fight；
hand　to　hand；　both　sides　showing　great　alacrity；　and　encouraging
one　another。　And　indeed　while　Moses　stretched　out　his　hand
towards　heaven　（7）　the　Hebrews　were　too　hard　for　the　Amalekites：
but　Moses　not　being　able　to　sustain　his　hands　thus　stretched　out；
（for　as　often　as　he　let　down　his　hands；　so　often　were　his　own
people　worsted；）　he　bade　his　brother　Aaron；　and　Hur　their　sister
Miriam's　husband；　to　stand　on　each　side　of　him；　and　take　hold　of
his　hands；　and　not　permit　his　weariness　to　prevent　it；　but　to
assist　him　in　the　extension　of　his　hands。　When　this　was　done；　the
Hebrews　conquered　the　Amalekites　by　main　force；　and　indeed　they
had　all　perished；　unless　the　approach　of　the　night　had　obliged
the　Hebrews　to　desist　from　killing　any　more。　So　our　forefathers
obtained　a　most　signal　and　most　seasonable　victory；　for　they　not
only　overcame　those　that　fought　against　them；　but　terrified　also
the　neighboring　nations；　and　got　great　and　splendid　advantages；
which　they　obtained　of　their　enemies　by　their　hard　pains　in　this
battle：　for　when　they　had　taken　the　enemy's　camp；　they　got　ready
booty　for　the　public；　and　for　their　own　private　families；　whereas
till　then　they　had　not　any　sort　of　plenty；　of　even　necessary
food。　The　forementioned　battle；　when　they　had　once　got　it；　was
also　the　occasion　of　their　prosperity；　not　only　for　the　present；
but　for　the　future　ages　also；　for　they　not　only　made　slaves　of
the　bodies　of　their　enemies；　but　subdued　their　minds　also；　and
after　this　battle；　became　terrible　to　all　that　dwelt　round　about
them。　Moreover；　they　acquired　a　vast　quantity　of　riches；　for　a
great　deal　of　silver　and　gold　was　left　in　the　enemy's　camp；　as
also　brazen　vessels；　which　they　made　common　use　of　in　their
families；　many　utensils　also　that　were　embroidered　there　were　of
both　sorts；　that　is；　of　what　were　weaved；　and　what　were　the
ornaments　of　their　armor；　and　other　things　that　served　for　use　in
the　family；　and　for　the　furniture　of　their　rooms；　they　got　also
the　prey　of　their　cattle；　and　of　whatsoever　uses　to　follow　camps；
when　they　remove　from　one　place　to　another。　So　the　Hebrews　now
valued　themselves　upon　their　courage；　and　claimed　great　merit　for
their　valor；　and　they　perpetually　inured　themselves　to　take
pains；　by　which　they　deemed　every　difficulty　might　be　surmounted。
Such　were　the　consequences　of　this　battle。

5。　On　the　next　day；　Moses　stripped　the　dead　bodies　of　their
enemies；　and　gathered　together　the　armor　of　those　that　were　fled；
and　gave　rewards　to　such　as　had　signalized　themselves　in　the
action；　and　highly　commended　Joshua；　their　general；　who　was
attested　to　by　all　the　army；　on　account　of　the　great　actions　he
had　done。　Nor　was　any　one　of　the　Hebrews　slain；　but　the　slain　of
the　enemy's　army　were　too　many　to　be　enumerated。　So　Moses　offered
sacrifices　of　thanksgiving　to　God；　and　built　an　altar；　which　he
named　The　Lord　the　Conqueror。　He　also　foretold　that　the
Amalekites　should　utterly　be　destroyed；　and　that　hereafter　none
of　them　should　remain；　because　they　fought　against　the　Hebrews；
and　this　when　they　were　in　the　wilderness；　and　in　their　distress
also。　Moreover；　he　refreshed　the　army　with　feasting。　And　thus　did
they　fight　this　first　battle　with　those　that　ventured　to　oppose
them；　after　they　were　gone　out　of　Egypt。　But　when　Moses　had
celebrated　this　festival　for　the　victory；　he　permitted　the
Hebrews　to　rest　for　a　few　days；　and　then　he　brought　them　out
after　the　fight；　in　order　of　battle；　for　they　had　now　many
soldiers　in　light　armor。　And　going　gradually　on；　he　came　to　Mount
Sinai；　in　three　months'　time　after　they　were　removed　out　of
Egypt；　at　which　mountain；　as　we　have　before　related；　the　vision
of　the　bush；　and　the　other　wonderful　appearances；　had　happened。

CHAPTER　3。

That　Moses　Kindly　Received…His　Father…In…Law；　Jethro；　When　He
Came　To　Him　To　Mount　Sinai。

Now　when　Raguel；　Moses's　father…in…law；　understood　in　what　a
prosperous　condition　his　affairs　were；　he　willingly　came　to　meet
him。　And　Moses　and　his　children；　and　pleased　himself　with　his
coming。　And　when　he　had　offered　sacrifice；　he　made　a　feast　for
the　multitude；　near　the　Bush　he　had　formerly　seen；　which
multitude；　every　one　according　to　their　families；　partook　of　the
feast。　But　Aaron　and　his　family　took　Raguel；　and　sung　hymns　to
God；　as　to　Him　who　had　been　the　author　procurer　of　their
deliverance　and　their　freedom。　They　also　praised　their　conductor；
as　him　by　whose　virtue　it　was　that　all　things　had　succeeded　with
them。　Raguel　also；　in　his　eucharistical　oration　to　Moses；　made
great　encomiums　upon　the　whole　multitude；　and　he　could　not　but
admire　Moses　for　his　fortitude；　and　that　humanity　he　had　shewn　in
the　delivery　of　his　friends。

CHAPTER　4。

How　Raguel　Suggested　To　Moses　To　Set　His　People　In　Order；　Under
Their　Rulers　Of　Thousands；　And　Rulers　Of　Hundreds；　Who　Lived
Without　Order　Before；　And　How　Moses　Complied　In　All　Things　With
His　Father…In…Law's　Admonition。

1。　The　next　day；　as　Raguel　saw　Moses　in　the　of　a　crowd　of
business　for　he　determined　the　differences　of　those　that　referred
them　to　him；　every　one　still　going　to　him；　and　supposing　that
they　should　then　only　obtain　justice；　if　he　were　the　arbitrator；
and　those　that　lost　their　causes　thought　it　no　harm；　while　they
thought　they　lost　them　justly；　and　not　by　partiality。　Raguel
however　said　nothing　to　him　at　that　time；　as　not　desirous　to　be
any　hinderance　to　such　as　had　a　mind　to　make　use　of　the　virtue　of
their　conductor。　But　afterward　he　took　him　to　himself；　and　when
he　had　him　alone；　he　instructed　him　in　what　he　ought　to　do；　and
advised　him　to　leave　the　trouble　of　lesser　causes　to　others；　but
himself　to　take　care　of　the　greater；　and　of　the　people's　safety；
for　that　certain　others　of　the　Hebrews　might　be　found　that　were
fit　to　determine　causes；　but　that　nobody　but　a　Moses　could　take
of　the　safety　of　so　many　ten　thousands。　〃Be　therefore；〃　says　he；
〃insensible　of　thine　own　virtue；　and　what　thou　hast　done　by
ministering　under　God　to　the　people's　preservation。　Permit；
therefore；　the　determination　of　common　causes　to　be　done　by
others；　but　do　thou　reserve　thyself　to　the　attendance　on　God
only；　and　look　out　for　methods　of　preserving　the　multitude　from
their　present　distress。　Make　use　of　the　method　I　suggest　to　you；
as　to　human　affairs；　and　take　a　review　of　the　army；　and　appoint
chosen　rulers　over　tens　of　thousands；　and　then　over　thousands；
then　divide　them　into　five　hundreds；　and　again　into　hundreds；　and
into　fifties；　and　set　rulers　over　each　of　them；　who　may
distinguish　them　into　thirties；　and　keep　them　in　order；　and　at
last　number　them　by　twenties　and　by　tens：　and　let　there　be　one
commander　over　each　number；　to　be　denominated　from　the　number　of
those　over　whom　they　are　rulers；　but　such　as　the　whole　multitude
have　tried；　and　do　approve　of；　as　being　good　and　righteous　men；
（8）　and　let　those　rulers　decide　the　controversies　they　have　one
with　another。　But　if　any　great　cause　arise；　let　them　bring　the
cognizance　of　it　before　the　rulers　of　a　higher　dignity；　but　if
any　great　difficulty　arise　that　is　too　hard　for　even　their
determination；　let　them　send　it　to　thee。　By　these　means　two
advantages　will　be　gained；　the　Hebrews　will　have　justice　done
them；　and　thou　wilt　be　able　to　attend　constantly　on　God；　and
procure　him　to　be　more　favorable　to　the　people。〃

2。　This　was　the　admonition　of　Raguel；　and　Moses　received　his
advice　very　kindly；　and　acted　according　to　his　suggestion。　Nor
did　he　conceal　the　invention　of　this　method；　nor　pretend　to　it
himself；　but　informed　the　multitude　who