the antiquities of the jews-1-第82章

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an　Egyptian；　who　was　of　a　vast　bulk；　and　challenged　him；　yet　did
he；　when　he　was　unarmed；　kill　him　with　his　own　spear；　which　he
threw　at　him；　for　he　caught　him　by　force；　and　took　away　his
weapons　while　he　was　alive　and　fighting；　and　slew　him　with　his
own　weapons。　One　may　also　add　this　to　the　forementioned　actions
of　the　same　man；　either　as　the　principal　of　them　in　alacrity；　or
as　resembling　the　rest。　When　God　sent　a　snow；　there　was　a　lion
who　slipped　and　fell　into　a　certain　pit；　and　because　the　pit's
mouth　was　narrow　it　was　evident　he　would　perish；　being　enclosed
with　the　snow；　so　when　he　saw　no　way　to　get　out　and　save　himself；
he　roared。　When　Benaiah　heard　the　wild　beast；　he　went　towards
him；　and　coming　at　the　noise　he　made；　he　went　down　into　the　mouth
of　the　pit　and　smote　him；　as　he　struggled；　with　a　stake　that　lay
there；　and　immediately　slew　him。　The　other　thirty…three　were　like
these　in　valor　also。

CHAPTER　13。

That　When　David　Had　Numbered　the　People；　They　Were　Punished；　and
How　the　Divine　Compassion　Restrained　That　Punishment。

1。　Now　king　David　was　desirous　to　know　how　many　ten　thousands
there　were　of　the　people；　but　forgot　the　commands　of　Moses；　（23）
who　told　them　beforehand；　that　if　the　multitude　were　numbered；
they　should　pay　half　a　shekel　to　God　for　every　head。　Accordingly
the　king　commanded　Joab；　the　captain　of　his　host；　to　go　and
number　the　whole　multitude；　but　when　he　said　there　was　no
necessity　for　such　a　numeration；　he　was　not　persuaded　＇to
countermand　it＇；　but　he　enjoined　him　to　make　no　delay；　but　to　go
about　the　numbering　of　the　Hebrews　immediately。　So　Joab　took　with
him　the　heads　of　the　tribes；　and　the　scribes；　and　went　over　the
country　of　the　Israelites；　and　took　notice　how　numerous　the
multitude　were；　and　returned　to　Jerusalem　to　the　king；　after　nine
months　and　twenty　days；　and　he　gave　in　to　the　king　the　number　of
the　people；　without　the　tribe　of　Benjamin；　for　he　had　not　yet
numbered　that　tribe；　no　more　than　the　tribe　of　Levi；　for　the　king
repented　of　his　having　sinned　against　God。　Now　the　number　of　the
rest　of　the　Israelites　was　nine　hundred　thousand　men；　who　were
able　to　bear　arms　and　go　to　war；　but　the　tribe　of　Judah；　by
itself；　was　four　hundred　thousand　men。

2。　Now　when　the　prophets　had　signified　to　David　that　God　was
angry　at　him；　he　began　to　entreat　him；　and　to　desire　he　would　be
merciful　to　him；　and　forgive　his　sin。　But　God　sent　Nathan　the
prophet　to　him；　to　propose　to　him　the　election　of　three　things；
that　he　might　choose　which　he　liked　best：　Whether　he　would　have
famine　come　upon　the　country　for　seven　years；　or　would　have　a
war；　and　be　subdued　three　months　by　his　enemies？　or；　whether　God
should　send　a　pestilence　and　a　distemper　upon　the　Hebrews　for
three　days？　But　as　he　was　fallen　to　a　fatal　choice　of　great
miseries；　he　was　in　trouble；　and　sorely　confounded；　and　when　the
prophet　had　said　that　he　must　of　necessity　make　his　choice；　and
had　ordered　him　to　answer　quickly；　that　he　might　declare　what　he
had　chosen　to　God；　the　king　reasoned　with　himself；　that　in　case
he　should　ask　for　famine；　he　would　appear　to　do　it　for　others；
and　without　danger　to　himself；　since　he　had　a　great　deal　of　corn
hoarded　up；　but　to　the　harm　of　others；　that　in　case　he　should
choose　to　be　overcome　＇by　his　enemies＇　for　three　months；　he　would
appear　to　have　chosen　war；　because　he　had　valiant　men　about　him；
and　strong　holds；　and　that　therefore　he　feared　nothing　therefrom：
so　he　chose　that　affliction　which　is　common　to　kings　and　to　their
subjects；　and　in　which　the　fear　was　equal　on　all　sides；　and　said
this　beforehand；　that　it　was　much　better　to　fall　into　the　hands
of　God；　than　into　those　of　his　enemies。

3。　When　the　prophet　had　heard　this；　he　declared　it　to　God；　who
thereupon　sent　a　pestilence　and　a　mortality　upon　the　Hebrews；　nor
did　they　die　after　one　and　the　same　manner；　nor　so　that　it　was
easy　to　know　what　the　distemper　was。　Now　the　miserable　disease
was　one　indeed；　but　it　carried　them　off　by　ten　thousand　causes
and　occasions；　which　those　that　were　afflicted　could　not
understand；　for　one　died　upon　the　neck　of　another；　and　the
terrible　malady　seized　them　before　they　were　aware；　and　brought
them　to　their　end　suddenly；　some　giving　up　the　ghost　immediately
with　very　great　pains　and　bitter　grief；　and　some　were　worn　away
by　their　distempers；　and　had　nothing　remaining　to　be　buried；　but
as　soon　as　ever　they　fell　were　entirely　macerated；　some　were
choked；　and　greatly　lamented　their　case；　as　being　also　stricken
with　a　sudden　darkness；　some　there　were　who；　as　they　were　burying
a　relation；　fell　down　dead；　without　finishing　the　rites　of　the
funeral。　Now　there　perished　of　this　disease；　which　began　with　the
morning；　and　lasted　till　the　hour　of　dinner；　seventy　thousand。
Nay；　the　angel　stretched　out　his　hand　over　Jerusalem；　as　sending
this　terrible　judgment　upon　it。　But　David　had　put　on　sackcloth；
and　lay　upon　the　ground；　entreating　God；　and　begging　that　the
distemper　might　now　cease；　and　that　he　would　be　satisfied　with
those　that　had　already　perished。　And　when　the　king　looked　up　into
the　air；　and　saw　the　angel　carried　along　thereby　into　Jerusalem；
with　his　sword　drawn；　he　said　to　God；　that　he　might　justly　be
punished；　who　was　their　shepherd；　but　that　the　sheep　ought　to　be
preserved；　as　not　having　sinned　at　all；　and　he　implored　God　that
he　would　send　his　wrath　upon　him；　and　upon　all　his　family；　but
spare　the　people。

4。　When　God　heard　his　supplication；　he　caused　the　pestilence　to
cease；　and　sent　Gad　the　prophet　to　him；　and　commanded　him　to　go
up　immediately　to　the　thrashing…floor　of　Araunah　the　Jebusite；
and　build　an　altar　there　to　God；　and　offer　sacrifices。　When　David
heard　that；　he　did　not　neglect　his　duty；　but　made　haste　to　the
place　appointed　him。　Now　Araunah　was　thrashing　wheat；　and　when　he
saw　the　king　and　all　his　servants　coming　to　him；　he　ran　before；
and　came　to　him　and　worshipped　him：　he　was　by　his　lineage　a
Jebusite；　but　a　particular　friend　of　David's；　and　for　that　cause
it　was　that；　when　he　overthrew　the　city；　he　did　him　no　harm；　as
we　informed　the　reader　a　little　before。　Now　Araunah　inquired；
〃Wherefore　is　my　lord　come　to　his　servant？〃　He　answered；　to　buy
of　him　the　thrashing…floor；　that　he　might　therein　build　an　altar
to　God；　and　offer　a　sacrifice。　He　replied；　that　he　freely　gave
him　both　the　thrashing…floor　and　the　ploughs　and　the　oxen　for　a
burnt…offering；　and　he　besought　God　graciously　to　accept　his
sacrifice。　But　the　king　made　answer；　that　he　took　his　generosity
and　magnanimity　loudly；　and　accepted　his　good…will；　but　he
desired　him　to　take　the　price　of　them　all；　for　that　it　was　not
just　to　offer　a　sacrifice　that　cost　nothing。　And　when　Araunah
said　he　would　do　as　he　pleased；　he　bought　the　thrashing…floor　of
him　for　fifty　shekels。　And　when　he　had　built　an　altar；　he
performed　Divine　service；　and　brought　a　burnt…offering；　and
offered　peace…offerings　also。　With　these　God　was　pacified；　and
became　gracious　to　them　again。　Now　it　happened　that　Abraham
（24）came　and　offered　his　son　Isaac　for　a　burnt…offering　at　that
very　place；　and　when　the　youth　was　ready　to　have　his　throat　cut；
a　ram　appeared　on　a　sudden；　standing　by　the　altar；　which　Abraham
sacrificed　in　the　stead　of　his　son；　as　we　have　before　related。
Now　when　king　David　saw　that　God　had　heard　his　prayer；　and　had
graciously　accepted　of　his　sacrifice；　he　resolved　to　call　that
entire　place　The　Altar　of　all　the　People；　and　to　build　a　temple
to　God　there；　which　words　he　uttered　very　appositely　to　what　was
to　be　done　afterward；　for　God　sent　the　prophet　to　him；　and　told
him　that　there　should　his　son　build　him　an　altar；　that　son　who
was　to　take　the　kingdom　after　him。

CHAPTER　14。

That　David　Made　Great　Preparations　For　The　House　Of　God；　And
That；　Upon　Adonijah's　Attempt　To　Gain　The　Kingdom；　He　Appointed
Solomon　To　Reign。

1。　After　the　delivery　of　this　prophecy；　the　king　commanded　the
strangers　to　be　numbered；　and　they　were　found　to　be　one　hundred
and　eighty　thousand；　of　these　he　appointed　fourscore　thousand　to
be　hewers　of　stone；　and　the　rest　of　the　multitude　to　carry　the
stones；　and　of　them　he　set　over　the　workmen　three　thousand　and
five　hundred。　He　also　prepared　a　great　quantity　of　iron　and　brass
for　the　work；　with　many　（and　those　exceeding　large）　cedar　trees；
the　Tyrians　and　Sidonians　sending　them　to　him；　for　he　had　sent　to
them　for　a　supply　of　those　trees。　And　he　told　his　friends　that
these　things　were　now　prepared；　that　he　might　leave　materials
ready　for　the　building　of　the　temple　to　his　son；　who　was　to　reign
after　him；　and　that　he　might　not　have　them　to　seek　then；　when　he
was　very　young；　and　by　reason　of　his　age　unskillful　in　such
matters；　but　might　have　them　lying　by　him；　and　so　might　the　more
readily　complete　the　work。

2。　So　David　called　his　son　Solomon；　and　charged　him；　when　he　had
received　the　kingdom；　to　build　a　temple　to　God；　and　said；　〃！I　was
willing　to　build　God　a　temple　myself；　but　he　prohibited　me；
because　I　was　polluted　with　blood　and　wars；　but　he　hath　foretold
that　Solomon；　my　youngest　son；　should　build　him　a　temple；　and
should　be　called　by　that　name；　over　whom　he　hath　promised　to　take
the　like　care　as　a　father　takes　over　his　son；　and　that　he　would
make　the　country　of　the　Hebrews　happy　under　him；　and　that；　not
only　in　other　respects；　but　by　giving　it　peace　and　freedom　from
wars；　and　from　internal　seditions；　which　are　the　greatest　of　all
blessings。　Since；　therefore；〃　says　he；　〃thou　wast　ordained　king
by　God　himself　before　thou　wast　born；　endeavor　to　render　thyself
worthy　of　this　his　providence；　as　in　other　instances；　so
particularly　in　being　religious；　and　righteous；　and　courageous。
Keep　thou　also　his　commands　and　his　laws；　which　he　hath　given　us
by　Moses；　and　do　not　permit　others　to　break　them。　Be　zealous　also
to　dedicate　to　God　a　temple；　which　he　hath　chosen　to　be　built
under　thy　reign；　nor　be　thou　aftrighted　by　the　vastness　of　the
work；　nor　set　about　it　timorously；　for　I　will　make　all　things
ready　before　I　die：　and　take　notice；　that　there　are　already　ten
thousand　talents　of　gold；　and　a　hundred　thousand　talents　of
silver　（25）　collected　together。　I　have　also　laid　together　brass
and　iron　without　number；　and　an　immense　quantity　of　timber　and　of
stones。　Moreover；　thou　hast　many　ten　thousand　stone…cutters　and
carpenters；　and　if　thou　shalt　want　any　thing　further；　do　thou　add
somewhat　of　thine　own。　Wherefore；　if　thou　performest　this　work；
thou　wilt　be　acceptable　to　God；　and　have　him　for　thy　patron。〃
David　also　further　exhorted　the　rulers　of　the　people　to　assist
his　son　in　this　building；　and　to　attend　to　the　Divine　service；
when　they　should　be　free　from　all　their　misfortunes；　for　that
they　by　this　means　should　enjoy；　instead　of　them；　peace　and　a
happy　settlement；　with　which　blessings　God　rewards　such　men　as
are　religious　and　righteous。　He　also　gave　orders；　that　when　the
temple　should　be　once　built；　they　should　put　the　ark　therein；
with　the　holy　vessels；　and　he　assured　them　that　they　ought　to
have　had　a　temple　long　ago；　if　their　fathers　had　not　been
negligent　of　God's　commands；　who　had　given　it　in　charge；　that
when　they　had　got　the　possession　of　this　land；　they　should　build
him　a　temple。　Thus　did　David　discours