the antiquities of the jews-1-第37章

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sufficient　to　maintain　a　great　number　of　men；　with　the　good
things　it　produces。　Moses　therefore　sent　messengers　to　Sihon；　the
king　of　this　country；　desiring　that　he　would　grant　his　army　a
passage；　upon　what　security　he　should　please　to　require；　he
promised　that　he　should　be　no　way　injured；　neither　as　to　that
country　which　Sihon　governed；　nor　as　to　its　inhabitants；　and　that
he　would　buy　his　provisions　at　such　a　price　as　should　be　to　their
advantage；　even　though　he　should　desire　to　sell　them　their　very
water。　But　Sihon　refused　his　offer；　and　put　his　army　into　battle
array；　and　was　preparing　every　thing　in　order　to　hinder　their
passing　over　Arnon。

2。　When　Moses　saw　that　the　Amorite　king　was　disposed　to　enter
upon　hostilities　with　them；　he　thought　he　ought　not　to　bear　that
insult；　and；　determining　to　wean　the　Hebrews　from　their　indolent
temper；　and　prevent　the　disorders　which　arose　thence；　which　had
been　the　occasion　of　their　former　sedition；　（nor　indeed　were　they
now　thoroughly　easy　in　their　minds；）　he　inquired　of　God；　whether
he　would　give　him　leave　to　fight？　which　when　he　had　done；　and　God
also　promised　him　the　victory；　he　was　himself　very　courageous；
and　ready　to　proceed　to　fighting。　Accordingly　he　encouraged　the
soldiers；　and　he　desired　of　them　that　they　would　take　the
pleasure　of　fighting；　now　God　gave　them　leave　so　to　do。　They
then；　upon　the　receipt　of　this　permission；　which　they　so　much
longed　for；　put　on　their　whole　armor；　and　set　about　the　work
without　delay。　But　the　Amorite　king　was　not　now　like　to　himself
when　the　Hebrews　were　ready　to　attack　him；　but　both　he　himself
was　affrighted　at　the　Hebrews；　and　his　army；　which　before　had
showed　themselves　to　be　of　good　courage；　were　then　found　to　be
timorous：　so　they　could　not　sustain　the　first　onset；　nor　bear　up
against　the　Hebrews；　but　fled　away；　as　thinking　this　would　afford
them　a　more　likely　way　for　their　escape　than　fighting；　for　they
depended　upon　their　cities；　which　were　strong；　from　which　yet
they　reaped　no　advantage　when　they　were　forced　to　fly　to　them；
for　as　soon　as　the　Hebrews　saw　them　giving　ground；　they
immediately　pursued　them　close；　and　when　they　had　broken　their
ranks；　they　greatly　terrified　them；　and　some　of　them　broke　off
from　the　rest；　and　ran　away　to　the　cities。　Now　the　Hebrews
pursued　them　briskly；　and　obstinately　persevered　in　the　labors
they　had　already　undergone；　and　being　very　skillful　in　slinging；
and　very　dexterous　in　throwing　of　darts；　or　any　thing　else　of
that　kind；　and　also　having　nothing　but　light　armor；　which　made
them　quick　in　the　pursuit；　they　overtook　their　enemies；　and　for
those　that　were　most　remote；　and　could　not　be　overtaken；　they
reached　them　by　their　slings　and　their　bows；　so　that　many　were
slain；　and　those　that　escaped　the　slaughter　were　sorely　wounded；
and　these　were　more　distressed　with　thirst　than　with　any　of　those
that　fought　against　them；　for　it　was　the　summer　season；　。and　when
the　greatest　number　of　them　were　brought　down　to　the　river　out　of
a　desire　to　drink；　as　also　when　others　fled　away　by　troops；　the
Hebrews　came　round　them；　and　shot　at　them；　so　that；　what　with
darts　and　what　with　arrows；　they　made　a　slaughter　of　them　all。
Sihon　their　king　was　also　slain。　So　the　Hebrews　spoiled　the　dead
bodies；　and　took　their　prey。　The　land　also　which　they　took　was
full　of　abundance　of　fruits；　and　the　army　went　all　over　it
without　fear；　and　fed　their　cattle　upon　it；　and　they　took　the
enemies　prisoners；　for　they　could　no　way　put　a　stop　to　them；
since　all　the　fighting　men　were　destroyed。　Such　was　the
destruction　which　overtook　the　Amorites；　who　were　neither
sagacious　in　counsel；　nor　courageous　in　action。　Hereupon　the
Hebrews　took　possession　of　their　land；　which　is　a　country　situate
between　three　rivers；　and　naturally　resembled　an　island：　the
river　Arnon　being　its　southern　；　the　river　Jabbok　determining　its
northern　side；　which　running　into　Jordan　loses　its　own　name；　and
takes　the　other；　while　Jordan　itself　runs　along　by　it；　on　its
western　coast。

3。　When　matters　were　come　to　this　state；　Og；　the　king　of　Gilead
and　Gaulanitis；　fell　upon　the　Israelites。　He　brought　an　army　with
him；　and　in　haste　to　the　assistance　of　his　friend　Sihon：　but
though　he　found　him　already　slain；　yet　did　he　resolve　still　to
come　and　fight　the　Hebrews；　supposing　he　should　be　too　hard　for
them；　and　being　desirous　to　try　their　valor；　but　failing　of　his
hope；　he　was　both　himself　slain　in　the　battle；　and　all　his　army
was　destroyed。　So　Moses　passed　over　the　river　Jabbok；　and　overran
the　kingdom　of　Og。　He　overthrew　their　cities；　and　slew　all　their
inhabitants；　who　yet　exceeded　in　riches　all　the　men　in　that　part
of　the　continent；　on　account　of　the　goodness　of　the　soil；　and　the
great　quantity　of　their　wealth。　Now　Og　had　very　few　equals；
either　in　the　largeness　of　his　body；　or　handsomeness　of　his
appearance。　He　was　also　a　man　of　great　activity　in　the　use　of　his
hands；　so　that　his　actions　were　not　unequal　to　the　vast　largeness
and　handsome　appearance　of　his　body。　And　men　could　easily　guess
at　his　strength　and　magnitude　when　they　took　his　bed　at　Rabbath；
the　royal　city　of　the　Ammonites；　its　structure　was　of　iron；　its
breadth　four　cubits；　and　its　length　a　cubit　more　than　double
thereto。　However；　his　fall　did　not　only　improve　the　circumstances
of　the　Hebrews　for　the　present；　but　by　his　death　he　was　the
occasion　of　further　good　success　to　them；　for　they　presently　took
those　sixty　cities；　which　were　encompassed　with　excellent　walls；
and　had　been　subject　to　him；　and　all　got　both　in　general　and　in
particular　a　great　prey。

CHAPTER　6。

Concerning　Balaam　The　Prophet　And　What　Kind　Of　Man　He　Was；

1。　Now　Moses；　when　he　had　brought　his　army　to　Jordan；　pitched　his
camp　in　the　great　plain　over　against　Jericho。　This　city　is　a　very
happy　situation；　and　very　fit　for　producing　palm…trees　and
balsam。　And　now　the　Israelites　began　to　be　very　proud　of
themselves；　and　were　very　eager　for　fighting。　Moses　then；　after
he　had　offered　for　a　few　days　sacrifices　of　thanksgiving　to　God；
and　feasted　the　people；　sent　a　party　of　armed　men　to　lay　waste
the　country　of　the　Midianites；　and　to　take　their　cities。　Now　the
occasion　which　he　took　for　making　war　upon　them　was　this　that
follows　：

2。　When　Balak；　the　king　of　the　Moabites；　who　had　from　his
ancestors　a　friendship　and　league　with　the　Midianites；　saw　how
great　the　Israelites　were　grown；　he　was　much　affrighted　on
account　of　his　own　and　his　kingdom's　danger；　for　he　was　not
acquainted　with　this；　that　the　Hebrews　would　not　meddle　with　any
other　country；　but　were　to　be　contented　with　the　possession　of
the　land　of　Canaan；　God　having　forbidden　them　to　go　any　farther
（7）　So　he；　with　more　haste　than　wisdom；　resolved　to　make　an
attempt　upon　them　by　words；　but　he　did　not　judge　it　prudent　to
fight　against　them；　after　they　had　such　prosperous　successes；　and
even　became　out　of　ill　successes　more　happy　than　before；　but　he
thought　to　hinder　them；　if　he　could；　from　growing　greater；　and　so
he　resolved　to　send　ambassadors　to　the　Midianites　about　them。　Now
these　Midianites　knowing　there　was　one　Balaam；　who　lived　by
Euphrates；　and　was　the　greatest　of　the　prophets　at　that　time；　and
one　that　was　in　friendship　with　them；　sent　some　of　their
honorable　princes　along　with　the　ambassadors　of　Balak；　to　entreat
the　prophet　to　come　to　them；　that　he　might　imprecate　curses　to
the　destruction　of　the　Israelites。　So　Balsam　received　the
ambassadors；　and　treated　them　very　kindly；　and　when　he　had
supped；　he　inquired　what　was　God's　will；　and　what　this　matter　was
for　which　the　Midianites　entreated　him　to　come　to　them。　But　when
God　opposed　his　going；　he　came　to　the　ambassadors；　and　told　them
that　he　was　himself　very　willing　and　desirous　to　comply　with
their　request；　but　informed　them　that　God　was　opposite　to　his
intentions；　even　that　God　who　had　raised　him　to　great　reputation
on　account　of　the　truth　of　his　predictions；　for　that　this　army；
which　they　entreated　him　to　come　and　curse；　was　in　the　favor　of
God；　on　which　account　he　advised　them　to　go　home　again；　and　not
to　persist　in　their　enmity　against　the　Israelites；　and　when　he
had　given　them　that　answer；　he　dismissed　the　ambassadors。

3。　Now　the　Midianites；　at　the　earnest　request　and　fervent
entreaties　of　Balak；　sent　other　ambassadors　to　Balaam；　who；
desiring　to　gratify　the　men；　inquired　again　of　God；　but　he　was
displeased　at　＇second＇　trial　（8）　and　bid　him　by　no　means　to
contradict　the　ambassadors。　Now　Balsam　did　not　imagine　that　God
gave　this　injunction　in　order　to　deceive　him；　so　he　went　along
with　the　ambassadors；　but　when　the　divine　angel　met　him　in　the
way；　when　he　was　in　a　narrow　passage；　and　hedged　in　with　a　wall
on　both　sides；　the　ass　on　which　Balaam　rode　understood　that　it
was　a　divine　spirit　that　met　him；　and　thrust　Balaam　to　one　of　the
walls；　without　regard　to　the　stripes　which　Balaam；　when　he　was
hurt　by　the　wall；　gave　her；　but　when　the　ass；　upon　the　angel's
continuing　to　distress　her；　and　upon　the　stripes　which　were　given
her；　fell　down；　by　the　will　of　God；　she　made　use　of　the　voice　of
a　man；　and　complained　of　Balaam　as　acting　unjustly　to　her；　that
whereas　he　had　no　fault　find　with　her　in　her　former　service　to
him；　he　now　inflicted　stripes　upon　her；　as　not　understanding　that
she　was　hindered　from　serving　him　in　what　he　was　now　going　about；
by　the　providence　of　God。　And　when　he　was　disturbed　by　reason　of
the　voice　of　the　ass；　which　was　that　of　a　man；　the　angel　plainly
appeared　to　him；　and　blamed　him　for　the　stripes　he　had　given　his
ass；　and　informed　him　that　the　brute　creature　was　not　in　fault；
but　that　he　was　himself　come　to　obstruct　his　journey；　as　being
contrary　to　the　will　of　God。　Upon　which　Balaam　was　afraid；　and
was　preparing　to　return　back　again：　yet　did　God　excite　him　to　go
on　his　intended　journey；　but　added　this　injunction；　that　he
should　declare　nothing　but　what　he　himself　should　suggest　to　his
mind。

4。　When　God　had　given　him　this　charge；　he　came　to　Balak；　and　when
the　king　had　entertained　him　in　a　magnificent　manner；　he　desired
him　to　go　to　one　of　the　mountains　to　take　a　view　of　the　state　of
the　camp　of　the　Hebrews。　Balak　himself　also　came　to　the　mountain；
and　brought　the　prophet　along　with　him；　with　a　royal　attendance。
This　mountain　lay　over　their　heads；　and　was　distant　sixty
furlongs　from　the　camp。　Now　when　he　saw　them；　he　desired　the　king
to　build　him　seven　altars；　and　to　bring　him　as　many　bulls　and
rams；　to　which　desire　the　king　did　presently　conform。　He　then
slew　the　sacrifices；　and　offered　them　as　burnt…offerings；　that　he
might　observe　some　signal　of　the　flight　of　the　Hebrews。　Then　said
he；　〃Happy　is　this　people；　on　whom　God　bestows　the　possession　of
innumerable　good　things；　and　grants　them　his　own　providence　to　be
their　assistant　and　their　guide；　so　that　there　is　not　any　nation
among　mankind　but　you　will　be　esteemed　superior　to　them　in
virtue；　and　in　the　earnest　prosecution　of　the　best　rules　of　life；
and　of　such　as　are　pure　from　wickedness；　and　will　leave　those
rules　to　your　excellent　children；　and　this　out　of　the　regard　that
God　bears　to　you；　and　the　provision　of　such　things　for　you　as　may
render　you　happier　than　any　other　people　under　the　sun。　You　shall
retain