the antiquities of the jews-1-第66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！


God。〃

2。　When　David　had　received　the　sword；　he　fled　out　of　the　country
of　the　Hebrews　into　that　of　the　Philistines；　over　which　Achish
reigned；　and　when　the　king's　servants　knew　him；　and　he　was　made
known　to　the　king　himself；　the　servants　informing　him　that　he　was
that　David　who　had　killed　many　ten　thousands　of　the　Philistines；
David　was　afraid　lest　the　king　should　put　him　to　death；　and　that
he　should　experience　that　danger　from　him　which　he　had　escaped
from　Saul；　so　he　pretended　to　be　distracted　and　mad；　so　that　his
spittle　ran　out　of　his　mouth；　and　he　did　other　the　like　actions
before　the　king　of　Gath；　which　might　make　him　believe　that　they
proceeded　from　such　a　distemper。　Accordingly　the　king　was　very
angry　at　his　servants　that　they　had　brought　him　a　madman；　and　he
gave　orders　that　they　should　eject　David　immediately　＇out　of　the
city＇。

3。　So　when　David　had　escaped　in　this　manner　out　of　Gath；　he　came
to　the　tribe　of　Judah；　and　abode　in　a　cave　by　the　city　of
Adullam。　Then　it　was　that　he　sent　to　his　brethren；　and　informed
them　where　he　was；　who　then　came　to　him　with　all　their　kindred；
and　as　many　others　as　were　either　in　want　or　in　fear　of　king
Saul；　came　and　made　a　body　together；　and　told　him　they　were　ready
to　obey　his　orders；　they　were　in　all　about　four　hundred。
Whereupon　he　took　courage；　now　such　a　force　and　assistance　was
come　to　him；　so　he　removed　thence　and　came　to　the　king　of　the
Moabites；　and　desired　him　to　entertain　his　parents　in　his
country；　while　the　issue　of　his　affairs　were　in　such　an　uncertain
condition。　The　king　granted　him　this　favor；　and　paid　great
respect　to　David's　parents　all　the　time　they　were　with　him。

4。　As　for　himself；　upon　the　prophet's　commanding　him　to　leave　the
desert；　and　to　go　into　the　portion　of　the　tribe　of　Judah；　and
abide　there；　he　complied　therewith；　and　coming　to　the　city
Hareth；　which　was　in　that　tribe；　he　remained　there。　Now　when　Saul
heard　that　David　had　been　seen　with　a　multitude　about　him；　he
fell　into　no　small　disturbance　and　trouble；　but　as　he　knew　that
David　was　a　bold　and　courageous　man；　he　suspected　that　somewhat
extraordinary　would　appear　from　him；　and　that　openly　also；　which
would　make　him　weep　and　put　him　into　distress；　so　he　called
together　to　him　his　friends；　and　his　commanders；　and　the　tribe
from　which　he　was　himself　derived；　to　the　hill　where　his　palace
was；　and　sitting　upon　a　place　called　Aroura；　his　courtiers　that
were　in　dignities；　and　the　guards　of　his　body；　being　with　him；　he
spake　thus　to　them：　…　〃You　that　are　men　of　my　own　tribe；　I
conclude　that　you　remember　the　benefits　that　I　have　bestowed　upon
you；　and　that　I　have　made　some　of　you　owners　of　land；　and　made
you　commanders；　and　bestowed　posts　of　honor　upon　you；　and　set
some　of　you　over　the　common　people；　and　others　over　the　soldiers；
I　ask　you；　therefore；　whether　you　expect　greater　and　more
donations　from　the　son　of　Jesse？　for　I　know　that　you　are　all
inclinable　to　him；　（even　my　own　son　Jonathan　himself　is　of　that
opinion；　and　persuades　you　to　be　of　the　same）；　for　I　am　not
unacquainted　with　the　oaths　and　the　covenants　that　are　between
him　and　David；　and　that　Jonathan　is　a　counselor　and　an　assistant
to　those　that　conspire　against　me；　and　none　of　you　are　concerned
about　these　things；　but　you　keep　silence　and　watch；　to　see　what
will　be　the　upshot　of　these　things。〃　When　the　king　had　made　this
speech；　not　one　of　the　rest　of　those　that　were　present　made　any
answer；　but　Doeg　the　Syrian；　who　fed　his　mules；　said；　that　he　saw
David　when　he　came　to　the　city　Nob　to　Ahimelech　the　high　priest；
and　that　he　learned　future　events　by　his　prophesying；　that　he
received　food　from　him；　and　the　sword　of　Goliath；　and　was
conducted　by　him　with　security　to　such　as　he　desired　to　go　to。

5。　Saul　therefore　sent　for　the　high　priest；　and　for　all　his
kindred；　and　said　to　them；　〃What　terrible　or　ungrateful　tiring
hast　thou　suffered　from　me；　that　thou　hast　received　the　son　of
Jesse；　and　hast　bestowed　on　him　both　food　and　weapons；　when　he
was　contriving　to　get　the　kingdom？　And　further；　why　didst　thou
deliver　oracles　to　him　concerning　futurities？　For　thou　couldst
not　be　unacquainted　that　he　was　fled　away　from　me；　and　that　he
hated　my　family。〃　But　the　high　priest　did　not　betake　himself　to
deny　what　he　had　done；　but　confessed　boldly　that　he　had　supplied
him　with　these　things；　not　to　gratify　David；　but　Saul　himself：
and　he　said；　〃I　did　not　know　that　he　was　thy　adversary；　but　a
servant　of　thine；　who　was　very　faithful　to　thee；　and　a　captain
over　a　thousand　of　thy　soldiers；　and；　what　is　more　than　these；
thy　son…in…law；　and　kinsman。　Men　do　not　choose　to　confer　such
favors　on　their　adversaries；　but　on　those　who　are　esteemed　to
bear　the　highest　good…will　and　respect　to　them。　Nor　is　this　the
first　time　that　I　prophesied　for　him；　but　I　have　done　it　often；
and　at　other　times　as　well　as　now。　And　when　he　told　me　that　he
was　sent　by　thee　in　great　haste　to　do　somewhat；　if　I　had
furnished　him　with　nothing　that　he　desired　I　should　have　thought
that　it　was　rather　in　contradiction　to　thee　than　to　him；
wherefore　do　not　thou　entertain　any　ill　opinion　of　me；　nor　do
thou　have　a　suspicion　of　what　I　then　thought　an　act　of　humanity；
from　what　is　now　told　thee　of　David's　attempts　against　thee；　for
I　did　then　to　him　as　to　thy　friend　and　son…in…law；　and　captain　of
a　thousand；　and　not　as　to　thine　adversary。〃

6。　When　the　high　priest　had　spoken　thus；　he　did　not　persuade
Saul；　his　fear　was　so　prevalent；　that　he　could　not　give　credit　to
an　apology　that　was　very　just。　So　he　commanded　his　armed　men　that
stood　about　him　to　kill　him；　and　all　his　kindred；　but　as　they
durst　not　touch　the　high　priest；　but　were　more　afraid　of
disobeying　God　than　the　king；　he　ordered　Doeg　the　Syrian　to　kill
them。　Accordingly；　he　took　to　his　assistance　such　wicked　men　as
were　like　himself；　and　slew　Ahimelech　and　all　his　family；　who
were　in　all　three　hundred　and　eighty…five。　Saul　also　sent　to　Nob；
（21）　the　city　of　the　priests；　and　slew　all　that　were　there；
without　sparing　either　women　or　children；　or　any　other　age；　and
burnt　it；　only　there　was　one　son　of　Ahimelech；　whose　name　was
Abiathar；　who　escaped。　However；　these　things　came　to　pass　as　God
had　foretold　to　Eli　the　high　priest；　when　he　said　that　his
posterity　should　be　destroyed；　on　account　of　the　transgression　of
his　two　sons。

7。　（22）　Now　this　king　Saul；　by　perpetrating　so　barbarous　a　crime；
and　murdering　the　whole　family　of　the　high…priestly　dignity；　by
having　no　pity　of　the　infants；　nor　reverence　for　the　aged；　and　by
overthrowing　the　city　which　God　had　chosen　for　the　property；　and
for　the　support　of　the　priests　and　prophets　which　were　there；　and
had　ordained　as　the　only　city　allotted　for　the　education　of　such
men；　gives　all　to　understand　and　consider　the　disposition　of　men；
that　while　they　are　private　persons；　and　in　a　low　condition；
because　it　is　not　in　their　power　to　indulge　nature；　nor　to
venture　upon　what　they　wish　for；　they　are　equitable　and　moderate；
and　pursue　nothing　but　what　is　just；　and　bend　their　whole　minds
and　labors　that　way；　then　it　is　that　they　have　this　belief　about
God；　that　he　is　present　to　all　the　actions　of　their　lives；　and
that　he　does　not　only　see　the　actions　that　are　done；　but　clearly
knows　those　their　thoughts　also；　whence　those　actions　do　arise。
But　when　once　they　are　advanced　into　power　and　authority；　then
they　put　off　all　such　notions；　and；　as　if　they　were　no　other　than
actors　upon　a　theater；　they　lay　aside　their　disguised　parts　and
manners；　and　take　up　boldness；　insolence；　and　a　contempt　of　both
human　and　Divine　laws；　and　this　at　a　time　when　they　especially
stand　in　need　of　piety　and　righteousness；　because　they　are　then
most　of　all　exposed　to　envy；　and　all　they　think；　and　all　they
say；　are　in　the　view　of　all　men；　then　it　is　that　they　become　so
insolent　in　their　actions；　as　though　God　saw　them　no　longer；　or
were　afraid　of　them　because　of　their　power：　and　whatsoever　it　is
that　they　either　are　afraid　of　by　the　rumors　they　hear；　or　they
hate　by　inclination；　or　they　love　without　reason；　these　seem　to
them　to　be　authentic；　and　firm；　and　true；　and　pleasing　both　to
men　and　to　God；　but　as　to　what　will　come　hereafter；　they　have　not
the　least　regard　to　it。　They　raise　those　to　honor　indeed　who　have
been　at　a　great　deal　of　pains　for　them；　and　after　that　honor　they
envy　them；　and　when　they　have　brought　them　into　high　dignity；
they　do　not　only　deprive　them　of　what　they　had　obtained；　but
also；　on　that　very　account；　of　their　lives　also；　and　that　on
wicked　accusations；　and　such　as　on　account　of　their　extravagant
nature；　are　incredible。　They　also　punish　men　for　their　actions；
not　such　as　deserve　condemnation；　but　from　calumnies　and
accusations　without　examination；　and　this　extends　not　only　to
such　as　deserve　to　be　punished；　but　to　as　many　as　they　are　able
to　kill。　This　reflection　is　openly　confirmed　to　us　from　the
example　of　Saul；　the　son　of　Kish；　who　was　the　first　king　who
reigned　after　our　aristocracy　and　government　under　the　judges
were　over；　and　that　by　his　slaughter　of　three　hundred　priests　and
prophets；　on　occasion　of　his　suspicion　about　Ahimelech；　and　by
the　additional　wickedness　of　the　overthrow　of　their　city；　and
this　is　as　he　were　endeavoring　in　some　sort　to　render　the　temple
＇tabernacle＇　destitute　both　of　priests　and　prophets；　which
endeavor　he　showed　by　slaying　so　many　of　them；　and　not　suffering
the　very　city　belonging　to　。them　to　remain；　that　so　others　might
succeed　them。

8。　But　Abiathar；　the　son　of　Ahimelech；　who　alone　could　be　saved
out　of　the　family　of　priests　slain　by　Saul；　fled　to　David；　and
informed　him　of　the　calamity　that　had　befallen　their　family；　and
of　the　slaughter　of　his　father；　who　hereupon　said；　He　was　not
unapprised　of　what　would　follow　with　relation　to　them　when　he　saw
Doeg　there；　for　he　had　then　a　suspicion　that　the　high　priest
would　be　falsely　accused　by　him　to　the　king；　and　he　blamed
himself　as　having　been　the　cause　of　this　misfortune。　But　he
desired　him　to　stay　there；　and　abide　with　him；　as　in　a　place
where　he　might　be　better　concealed　than　any　where　else。

CHAPTER　13。

How　David；　When　He　Had　Twice　The　Opportunity　Of　Killing　Saul　Did
Not　Kill　Him。　Also　Concerning　The　Death　Of　Samuel　And　Nabal。

1。　About　this　time　it　was　that　David　heard　how　the　Philistines
had　made　an　inroad　into　the　country　of　Keilah；　and　robbed　it；　so
he　offered　himself　to　fight　against　them；　if　God；　when　he　should
be　consulted　by　the　prophet；　would　grant　him　the　victory。　And
when　the　prophet　said　that　God　gave　a　signal　of　victory；　he　made
a　sudden　onset　upon　the　Philistines　with　his　companions；　and　he
shed　a　great　deal　of　their　blood；　and　carried　off　their　prey；　and
staid　with　the　inhabitants　of　Keilah　till　they　had　securely
gathered　in　their　corn　and　their　fruits。　However；　it　was　told
Saul　the　king　that　David　was　with　the　men　of　Keilah；　for　what　had
been　done　and　the　great　success　that　had　attended　him；　were　not
confined　among　the　people　where　the　things　were　done；　but　the
fame　of　it　went　all　abroad；　and　came　to　the　hearing　of　others；
and　both　the　fact　as　it　stood；　and　the　author　of　the　fact；　were
carried　to　the　king's　ears。　Then　was　Saul　glad　when　he　heard
David　was　in　Ke