the antiquities of the jews-1-第38章

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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　that　land　to　which　he　hath　sent　you；　and　it　shall　ever　be
under　the　command　of　your　children；　and　both　all　the　earth；　as
well　as　the　seas；　shall　be　filled　with　your　glory：　and　you　shall
be　sufficiently　numerous　to　supply　the　world　in　general；　and
every　region　of　it　in　particular；　with　inhabitants　out　of　your
stock。　However；　O　blessed　army！　wonder　that　you　are　become　so
many　from　one　father：　and　truly；　the　land　of　Canaan　can　now　hold
you；　as　being　yet　comparatively　few；　but　know　ye　that　the　whole
world　is　proposed　to　be　your　place　of　habitation　for　ever。　The
multitude　of　your　posterity　also　shall　live　as　well　in　the
islands　as　on　the　continent；　and　that　more　in　number　than　are　the
stars　of　heaven。　And　when　you　are　become　so　many；　God　will　not
relinquish　the　care　of　you；　but　will　afford　you　an　abundance　of
all　good　things　in　times　of　peace；　with　victory　and　dominion　in
times　of　war。　May　the　children　of　your　enemies　have　an
inclination　to　fight　against　you；　and　may　they　be　so　hardy　as　to
come　to　arms；　and　to　assault　you　in　battle；　for　they　will　not
return　with　victory；　nor　will　their　return　be　agreeable　to　their
children　and　wives。　To　so　great　a　degree　of　valor　will　you　be
raised　by　the　providence　of　God；　who　is　able　to　diminish　the
affluence　of　some；　and　to　supply　the　wants　of　others。〃

5。　Thus　did　Balaam　speak　by　inspiration；　as　not　being　in　his　own
power；　but　moved　to　say　what　he　did　by　the　Divine　Spirit。　But
then　Balak　was　displeased；　and　said　he　had　broken　the　contract　he
had　made；　whereby　he　was　to　come；　as　he　and　his　confederates　had
invited　him；　by　the　promise　of　great　presents：　for　whereas　he
came　to　curse　their　enemies；　he　had　made　an　encomium　upon　them；
and　had　declared　that　they　were　the　happiest　of　men。　To　which
Balaam　replied；　〃O　Balak；　if　thou　rightly　considerest　this　whole
matter；　canst　thou　suppose　that　it　is　in　our　power　to　be　silent；
or　to　say　any　thing；　when　the　Spirit　of　God　seizes　upon　us？　…　for
he　puts　such　words　as　he　pleases　in　our　mouths；　and　such
discourses　as　we　are　not　ourselves　conscious　of。　I　well　remember
by　what　entreaties　both　you　and　the　Midianites　so　joyfully
brought　me　hither；　and　on　that　account　I　took　this　journey。　It
was　my　prayer；　that　I　might　not　put　any　affront　upon　you；　as　to
what　you　desired　of　me；　but　God　is　more　powerful　than　the
purposes　I　had　made　to　serve　you；　for　those　that　take　upon　them
to　foretell　the　affairs　of　mankind；　as　from　their　own　abilities；
are　entirely　unable　to　do　it；　or　to　forbear　to　utter　what　God
suggests　to　them；　or　to　offer　violence　to　his　will；　for　when　he
prevents　us　and　enters　into　us；　nothing　that　we　say　is　our　own。　I
then　did　not　intend　to　praise　this　army；　nor　to　go　over　the
several　good　things　which　God　intended　to　do　to　their　race；　but
since　he　was　so　favorable　to　them；　and　so　ready　to　bestow　upon
them　a　happy　life　and　eternal　glory；　he　suggested　the　declaration
of　those　things　to　me：　but　now；　because　it　is　my　desire　to　oblige
thee　thyself；　as　well　as　the　Midianites；　whose　entreaties　it　is
not　decent　for　me　to　reject；　go　to；　let　us　again　rear　other
altars；　and　offer　the　like　sacrifices　that　we　did　before；　that　I
may　see　whether　I　can　persuade　God　to　permit　me　to　bind　these　men
with　curses。〃　Which；　when　Balak　had　agreed　to；　God　would　not；
even　upon　second　sacrifices；　consent　to　his　cursing　the
Israelites。　（9）　Then　fell　Balaam　upon　his　face；　and　foretold　what
calamities　would　befall　the　several　kings　of　the　nations；　and　the
most　eminent　cities；　some　of　which　of　old　were　not　so　much　as
inhabited；　which　events　have　come　to　pass　among　the　several
people　concerned；　both　in　the　foregoing　ages；　and　in　this；　till
my　own　memory；　both　by　sea　and　by　land。　From　which　completion　of
all　these　predictions　that　he　made；　one　may　easily　guess　that　the
rest　will　have　their　completion　in　time　to　come。

6。　But　Balak　being　very　angry　that　the　Israelites　were　not
cursed；　sent　away　Balaam　without　thinking　him　worthy　of　any
honor。　Whereupon；　when　he　was　just　upon　his　journey；　in　order　to
pass　the　Euphrates；　he　sent　for　Balak；　and　for　the　princes　of　the
Midianites；　and　spake　thus　to　them：　…　〃O　Balak；　and　you
Midianites　that　are　here　present；　（for　I　am　obliged　even　without
the　will　of　God　to　gratify　you；）　it　is　true　no　entire　destruction
can　seize　upon　the　nation　of　the　Hebrews；　neither　by　war；　nor　by
plague；　nor　by　scarcity　of　the　fruits　of　the　earth；　nor　can　any
other　unexpected　accident　be　their　entire　ruin；　for　the
providence　of　God　is　concerned　to　preserve　them　from　such　a
misfortune；　nor　will　it　permit　any　such　calamity　to　come　upon
them　whereby　they　may　all　perish；　but　some　small　misfortunes；　and
those　for　a　short　time；　whereby　they　may　appear　to　be　brought
low；　may　still　befall　them；　but　after　that　they　will　flourish
again；　to　the　terror　of　those　that　brought　those　mischiefs　upon
them。　So　that　if　you　have　a　mind　to　gain　a　victory　over　them　for
a　short　space　of　time；　you　will　obtain　it　by　following　my
directions：　…　Do　you　therefore　set　out　the　handsomest　of　such　of
your　daughters　as　are　most　eminent　for　beauty；　（10）　and　proper　to
force　and　conquer　the　modesty　of　those　that　behold　them；　and
these　decked　and　trimmed　to　the　highest　degree　able。　Then　do　you
send　them　to　be　near　camp；　and　give　them　in　charge；　that　the
young　men　of　the　Hebrews　desire　their　allow　it　them；　and　when
they　see　they　are　enamored　of　them；　let　them　take　leaves；　and　if
they　entreat　them　to　stay；　let　give　their　consent　till　they　have
persuaded　leave　off　their　obedience　to　their　own　laws；　the
worship　of　that　God　who　established　them　to　worship　the　gods　of
the　Midianites　and　for　by　this　means　God　will　be　angry　at　them
（11）。　Accordingly；　when　Balaam　had　suggested　counsel　to　them；　he
went　his　way。

7。　So　when　the　Midianites　had　sent　their　daughters；as　Balaam　had
exhorted　them；　the　Hebrew　men　were　allured　by　their　beauty；　and
came　with　them；　and　besought　them　not　to　grudge　them　the
enjoyment　of　their　beauty；　nor　to　deny　them　their　conversation。
These　daughters　of　Midianites　received　their　words　gladly；　and
consented　to　it；　and　staid　with　them；　but　when　they　brought　them
to　be　enamored　of　them；　and　their　inclinations　to　them　were　grown
to　ripeness；　they　began　to　think　of　departing　from　them：　then　it
was　that　these　men　became　greatly　disconsolate　at　the　women's
departure；　and　they　were　urgent　with　them　not　to　leave　them；　but
begged　they　would　continue　there；　and　become　their　wives；　and
they　promised　them　they　should　be　owned　as　mistresses　all　they
had。　This　they　said　with　an　oath；　and　called　God　for　the
arbitrator　of　what　they　promised；　and　this　with　tears　in　their
eyes；　and　all　such　marks　of　concern；　as　might　shew　how　miserable
they　thought　themselves　without　them；　and　so　might　move　their
compassion　for　them。　So　the　women；　as　soon　as　they　perceived　they
had　made　their　slaves；　and　had　caught　them　with　their
conservation　began　to　speak　thus　to　them：　…　

8。　〃O　you　illustrious　young　men！　we　have　of　our　own　at　home；　and
great　plenty　of　good　things　there；　together　with　the　natural；
affectionate　parents　and　friends；　nor　is　it　out　of　our　want　of
any　such　things　that　we　came　to　discourse　with　you；　nor　did　we
admit　of　your　invitation　with　design　to　prostitute　the　beauty　of
our　bodies　for　gain；　but　taking　you　for　brave　and　worthy　men；　we
agreed　to　your　request；　that　we　might　treat　you　with　such　honors
as　hospitality　required：　and　now　seeing　you　say　that　you　have　a
great　affection　for　us；　and　are　troubled　when　you　think　we　are
departing；　we　are　not　averse　to　your　entreaties；　and　if　we　may
receive　such　assurance　of　your　good…will　as　we　think　can　be　alone
sufficient；　we　will　be　glad　to　lead　our　lives　with　you　as　your
wives；　but　we　are　afraid　that　you　will　in　time　be　weary　of　our
company；　and　will　then　abuse　us；　and　send　us　back　to　our　parents；
after　an　ignominious　manner。〃　And　they　desired　that　they　would
excuse　them　in　their　guarding　against　that　danger。　But　the　young
men　professed　they　would　give　them　any　assurance　they　should
desire；　nor　did　they　at　all　contradict　what　they　requested；　so
great　was　the　passion　they　had　for　them。　〃If　then；〃　said　they；
〃this　be　your　resolution；　since　you　make　use　of　such　customs　and
conduct　of　life　as　are　entirely　different　from　all　other　men；
（12）　insomuch　that　your　kinds　of　food　are　peculiar　to　yourselves；
and　your　kinds　of　drink　not　common　to　others；　it　will　be
absolutely　necessary；　if　you　would　have　us　for　your　wives；　that
you　do　withal　worship　our　gods。　Nor　can　there　be　any　other
demonstration　of　the　kindness　which　you　say　you　already　have；　and
promise　to　have　hereafter　to　us；　than　this；　that　you　worship　the
same　gods　that　we　do。　For　has　any　one　reason　to　complain；　that
now　you　are　come　into　this　country；　you　should　worship　the　proper
gods　of　the　same　country？　especially　while　our　gods　are　common　to
all　men；　and　yours　such　as　belong　to　nobody　else　but　yourselves。〃
So　they　said　they　must　either　come　into　such　methods　of　divine
worship　as　all　others　came　into；　or　else　they　must　look　out　for
another　world；　wherein　they　may　live　by　themselves；　according　to
their　own　laws。

9。　Now　the　young　men　were　induced　by　the　fondness　they　had　for
these　women　to　think　they　spake　very　well；　so　they　gave
themselves　up　to　what　they　persuaded　them；　and　transgressed　their
own　laws；　and　supposing　there　were　many　gods；　and　resolving　that
they　would　sacrifice　to　them　according　to　the　laws　of　that
country　which　ordained　them；　they　both　were　delighted　with　their
strange　food；　and　went　on　to　do　every　thing　that　the　women　would
have　them　do；　though　in　contradiction　to　their　own　laws；　so　far
indeed　that　this　transgression　was　already　gone　through　the　whole
army　of　the　young　men；　and　they　fell　into　a　sedition　that　was
much　worse　than　the　former；　and　into　danger　of　the　entire
abolition　of　their　own　institutions；　for　when　once　the　youth　had
tasted　of　these　strange　customs；　they　went　with　insatiable
inclinations　into　them；　and　even　where　some　of　the　principal　men
were　illustrious　on　account　of　the　virtues　of　their　fathers；　they
also　were　corrupted　together　with　the　rest。

10。　Even　Zimri；　the　head　of　the　tribe　of　Simeon　accompanied　with
Cozbi；　a　Midianitish　women；　who　was　the　daughter　of　Sur；　a　man　of
authority　in　that　country；　and　being　desired　by　his　wife　to
disregard　the　laws　of　Moses；　and　to　follow　those　she　was　used　to；
he　complied　with　her；　and　this　both　by　sacrificing　after　a　manner
different　from　his　own；　and　by　taking　a　stranger　to　wife。　When
things　were　thus；　Moses　was　afraid　that　matters　should　grow
worse；　and　called　the　people　to　a　congregation；　but　then　accused
nobody　by　name；　as　unwilling　to　drive　those　into　despair　who；　by
lying　concealed；　might　come　to　repentance；　but　he　said　that　they
did　not　do　what　was　either　worthy　of　themselves；　or　of　their
fathers；　by　preferring　pleasure　to　God；　and　to　the　living
according　to　his　will；　that　it　was　fit　they　should　change　their
courses　while　their　affairs　were　still　in　a　good　state；　and　think
that　to　be　true　fortitude　which　offers　not　violence　to　their
laws；　but　that　whi