the antiquities of the jews-1-第95章

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the　city　were　torn　to　pieces　and　devoured　by　dogs；　and　that
others　of　them　that　died　in　the　fields　were　torn　and　devoured　by
the　fowls。　So　the　house　of　Jeroboam　suffered　the　just　punishment
of　his　impiety；　and　of　his　wicked　actions。

CHAPTER　12。

How　Zerah；　King　Of　The　Ethiopians；　Was　Beaten　By　Asa；　And　How
Asa；　Upon　Baasha's　Making　War　Against　Him；　Invited　The　King　Of
The　Damascens　To　Assist　Him；　And　How；　On　The　Destruction　Of　The
House　Of　Baasha　Zimri　Got　The　Kingdom　As　Did　His　Son　Ahab　After
Him。

1。　Now　Asa；　the　king　of　Jerusalem；　was　of　an　excellent　character；
and　had　a　regard　to　God；　and　neither　did　nor　designed　any　thing
but　what　had　relation　to　the　observation　of　the　laws。　He　made　a
reformation　of　his　kingdom；　and　cut　off　whatsoever　was　wicked
therein；　and　purified　it　from　every　impurity。　Now　he　had　an　army
of　chosen　men　that　were　armed　with　targets　and　spears；　out　of　the
tribe　of　Judah　three　hundred　thousand；　and　out　of　the　tribe　of
Benjamin；　that　bore　shields　and　drew　bows；　two　hundred　and　fifty
thousand。　But　when　he　had　already　reigned　ten　years；　Zerah；　king
of　Ethiopia；　（30）　made　an　expedition　against　him；　with　a　great
army；　of　nine　hundred　thousand　footmen；　and　one　hundred　thousand
horsemen；　and　three　hundred　chariots；　and　came　as　far　as
Mareshah；　a　city　that　belonged　to　the　tribe　of　Judah。　Now　when
Zerah　had　passed　so　far　with　his　own　army；　Asa　met　him；　and　put
his　army　in　array　over　against　him；　in　a　valley　called　Zephathah；
not　far　from　the　city；　and　when　he　saw　the　multitude　of　the
Ethiopians；　he　cried　out；　and　besought　God　to　give　him　the
victory；　and　that　he　might　kill　many　ten　thousands　of　the　enemy：
〃For；〃　said　he；　（31）　〃I　depend　on　nothing　else　but　that
assistance　which　I　expect　from　thee；　which　is　able　to　make　the
fewer　superior　to　the　more　numerous；　and　the　weaker　to　the
stronger；　and　thence　it　is　alone　that　I　venture　to　meet　Zerah；
and　fight　him。〃

2。　While　Asa　was　saying　this；　God　gave　him　a　signal　of　victory；
and　joining　battle　cheerfully　on　account　of　what　God　had　foretold
about　it；　he　slew　a　great　many　of　the　Ethiopians；　and　when　he　had
put　them　to　flight；　he　pursued　them　to　the　country　of　Gerar；　and
when　they　left　off　killing　their　enemies；　they　betook　themselves
to　spoiling　them；　（for　the　city　Gerar　was　already　taken；）　and　to
spoiling　their　camp；　so　that　they　carried　off　much　gold；　and　much
silver；　and　a　great　deal　of　＇other＇　prey；　and　camels；　and　great
cattle；　and　flocks　of　sheep。　Accordingly；　when　Asa　and　his　army
had　obtained　such　a　victory；　and　such　wealth　from　God；　they
returned　to　Jerusalem。　Now　as　they　were　coming；　a　prophet；　whose
name　was　Azariah；　met　them　on　the　road；　and　bade　them　stop　their
journey　a　little；　and　began　to　say　to　them　thus：　That　the　reason
why　they　had　obtained　this　victory　from　God　was　this；　that　they
had　showed　themselves　righteous　and　religious　men；　and　had　done
every　thing　according　to　the　will　of　God；　that　therefore；　he
said；　if　they　persevered　therein；　God　would　grant　that　they
should　always　overcome　their　enemies；　and　live　happily；　but　that
if　they　left　off　his　worship；　all　things　shall　fall　out　on　the
contrary；　and　a　time　should　come；　wherein　no　true　prophet　shall
be　left　in　your　whole　multitude；　nor　a　priest　who　shall　deliver
you　a　true　；answer　from　the　oracle；　but　your　cities　shall　be
overthrown；　and　your　nation　scattered　over　the　whole　earth；　and
live　the　life　of　strangers　and　wanderers。　So　he　advised　them；
while　they　had　time；　to　be　good；　and　not　to　deprive　themselves　of
the　favor　of　God。　When　the　king　and　the　people　heard　this；　they
rejoiced；　and　all　in　common；　and　every　one　in　particular；　took
great　care　to　behave　themselves　righteously。　The　king　also　sent
some　to　take　care　that　those　in　the　country　should　observe　the
laws　also。

3。　And　this　was　the　state　of　Asa；　king　of　the　two　tribes。　I　now
return　to　Baasha；　the　king　of　the　multitude　of　the　Israelites；
who　slew　Nadab；　the　son　of　Jeroboam；　and　retained　the　government。
He　dwelt　in　the　city　Tirzah；　having　made　that　his　habitation；　and
reigned　twenty…four　years。　He　became　more　wicked　and　impious　than
Jeroboam　or　his　son。　He　did　a　great　deal　of　mischief　to　the
multitude；　and　was　injurious　to　God；　who　sent　the　prophet　Jehu；
and　told　him　beforehand　that　his　whole　family　should　be
destroyed；　and　that　he　would　bring　the　same　miseries　on　his　house
which　had　brought　that　of　Jeroboam　to　ruin；　because　when　he　had
been　made　king　by　him；　he　had　not　requited　his　kindness；　by
governing　the　multitude　righteously　and　religiously；　which
things；　in　the　first　place；　tended　to　their　own　happiness；　and；
in　the　next　place；　were　pleasing　to　God：　that　he　had　imitated
this　very　wicked　king　Jeroboam；　and　although　that　man's　soul　had
perished；　yet　did　he　express　to　the　life　his　wickedness；　and　he
said　that　he　should　therefore　justly　experience　the　like　calamity
with　him；　since　he　had　been　guilty　of　the　like　wickedness。　But
Baasha；　though　he　heard　beforehand　what　miseries　would　befall　him
and　his　whole　family　for　their　insolent　behavior；　yet　did　not　he
leave　off　his　wicked　practices　for　the　time　to　come；　nor　did　he
care　to　appear　other　than　worse　and　worse　till　he　died；　nor　did
he　then　repent　of　his　past　actions；　nor　endeavor　to　obtain　pardon
of　God　for　them；　but　did　as　those　do　who　have　rewards　proposed　to
them；　when　they　have　once　in　earnest　set　about　their　work；　they
do　not　leave　off　their　labors；　for　thus　did　Baasha；　when　the
prophet　foretold　to　him　what　would　come　to　pass；　grow　worse；　as
if　what　were　threatened；　the　perdition　of　his　family；　and　the
destruction　of　his　house；　（which　are　really　among　the　greatest　of
evils；）　were　good　things；　and；　as　if　he　were　a　combatant　for
wickedness；　he　every　day　took　more　and　more　pains　for　it：　and　at
last　he　took　his　army　and　assaulted　a　certain　considerable　city
called　Ramah；　which　was　forty　furlongs　distant　from　Jerusalem；
and　when　he　had　taken　it；　he　fortified　it；　having　determined
beforehand　to　leave　a　garrison　in　it；　that　they　might　thence　make
excursions；　and　do　mischief　to　the　kingdom　of　Asa。

4。　Whereupon　Asa　was　afraid　of　the　attempts　the　enemy　might　make
upon　him；　and　considering　with　himself　how　many　mischiefs　this
army　that　was　left　in　Ramah　might　do　to　the　country　over　which　he
reigned；　he　sent　ambassadors　to　the　king　of　the　Damascenes；　with
gold　and　silver；　desiring　his　assistance；　and　putting　him　in　mind
that　we　have　had　a　friendship　together　from　the　times　of　our
forefathers。　So　he　gladly　received　that　sum　of　money；　and　made　a
league　with　him；　and　broke　the　friendship　he　had　with　Baasha；　and
sent　the　commanders　of　his　own　forces　unto　the　cities　that　were
under　Baasha's　dominion；　and　ordered　them　to　do　them　mischief。　So
they　went　and　burnt　some　of　them；　and　spoiled　others；　Ijon；　and
Dan；　and　Abelmain　（32）　and　many　others。　Now　when　the　king　of
Israel　heard　this；　he　left　off　building　and　fortifying　Ramah；　and
returned　presently　to　assist　his　own　people　under　the　distresses
they　were　in；　but　Asa　made　use　of　the　materials　that　were
prepared　for　building　that　city；　for　building　in　the　same　place
two　strong　cities；　the　one　of　which　was　called　Geba；　and　the
other　Mizpah；　so　that　after　this　Baasha　had　no　leisure　to　make
expeditions　against　Asa；　for　he　was　prevented　by　death；　and　was
buried　in　the　city　Tirzah；　and　Elah　his　son　took　the　kingdom；
who；　when　he　had　reigned　two　years；　died；　being　treacherously
slain　by　Zimri；　the　captain　of　half　his　army；　for　when　he　was　at
Arza；　his　steward's　house；　he　persuaded　some　of　the　horsemen　that
were　under　him　to　assault　Elah；　and　by　that　means　he　slew　him
when　he　was　without　his　armed　men　and　his　captains；　for　they　were
all　busied　in　the　siege　of　Gibbethon；　a　city　of　the　Philistines。

5。　When　Zimri；　the　captain　of　the　army；　had　killed　Elah；　he　took
the　kingdom　himself；　and；　according　to　Jehu's　prophecy；　slew　all
the　house　of　Baasha；　for　it　came　to　pass　that　Baasha's　house
utterly　perished；　on　account　of　his　impiety；　in　the　same　manner
as　we　have　already　described　the　destruction　of　the　house　of
Jeroboam。　But　the　army　that　was　besieging。　Gibbethon；　when　they
heard　what　had　befallen　the　king；　and　that　when　Zimri　had　killed
him；　he　had　gained　the　kingdom；　they　made　Omri　their　general
king；　who　drew　off　his　army　from　Gibbethon；　and　came　to　Tirzah；
where　the　royal　palace　was；　and　assaulted　the　city；　and　took　it
by　force。　But　when　Zimri　saw　that　the　city　had　none　to　defend　it；
he　fled　into　the　inmost　part　of　the　palace；　and　set　it　on　fire；
and　burnt　himself　with　it；　when　he　had　reigned　only　seven　days。
Upon　which　the　people　of　Israel　were　presently　divided；　and　part
of　them　would　have　Tibni　to　be　king；　and　part　Omri；　but　when
those　that　were　for　Omri's　ruling　had　beaten　Tibni；　Omri　reigned
over　all　the　multitude。　Now　it　was　in　the　thirtieth　year　of　the
reign　of　Asa　that　Omri　reigned　for　twelve　years；　six　of　these
years　he　reigned　in　the　city　Tirzah；　and　the　rest　in　the　city
called　Semareon；　but　named　by　the　Greeks　Samaria；　but　he　himself
called　it　Semareon；　from　Semer；　who　sold　him　the　mountain　whereon
he　built　it。　Now　Omri　was　no　way　different　from　those　kings　that
reigned　before　him；　but　that　he　grew　worse　than　they；　for　they
all　sought　how　they　might　turn　the　people　away　from　God　by　their
daily　wicked　practices；　and　oil　that　account　it　was　that　God　made
one　of　them　to　be　slain　by　another；　and　that　no　one　person　of
their　families　should　remain。　This　Omri　also　died　in　Samaria　and
Ahab　his　son　succeeded　him。

6。　Now　by　these　events　we　may　learn　what　concern　God　hath　for　the
affairs　of　mankind；　and　how　he　loves　good　men；　and　hates　the
wicked；　and　destroys　them　root　and　branch；　for　many　of　these
kings　of　Israel；　they　and　their　families；　were　miserably
destroyed；　and　taken　away　one　by　another；　in　a　short　time；　for
their　transgression　and　wickedness；　but　Asa；　who　was　king　of
Jerusalem；　and　of　the　two　tribes；　attained；　by　God's　blessing；　a
long　and　a　blessed　old　age；　for　his　piety　and　righteousness；　and
died　happily；　when　he　had　reigned　forty　and　one　years；　and　when
he　was　dead；　his　son　Jehoshaphat　succeeded　him　in　the　government。
He　was　born　of　Asa's　wife　Azubah。　And　all　men　allowed　that　he
followed　the　works　of　David　his　forefather；　and　this　both　in
courage　and　piety；　but　we　are　not　obliged　now　to　speak　any　more
of　the　affairs　of　this　king。

CHAPTER　13。

How　Ahab　WHen　He　Had　Taken　Jezebel　To　Wife　Became　More　Wicked
Than　All　The　Kings　That　Had　Been　Before　Him；　Of　The　Actions　Of
The　Prophet　Elijah；　And　What　Befell　Naboth。

1。　Now　Ahab　the　king　of　Israel　dwelt　in　Samaria；　and　held　the
government　for　twenty…two　years；　and　made　no　alteration　in　the
conduct　of　the　kings　that　were　his　predecessors；　but　only　in　such
things　as　were　of　his　own　invention　for　the　worse；　and　in　his
most　gross　wickedness。　He　imitated　them　in　their　wicked　courses；
and　in　their　injurious　behavior　towards　God；　and　more　especially
he　imitated　the　transgression　of　Jeroboam；　for　he　worshipped　the
heifers　that　he　had　made；　and　he　contrived　other　absurd　objects
of　worship　besides　those　heifers：　he　also　took　to　wife　the
daughter　of　Ethbaal；　king　of　the　Tyrians　and　Sidonians；　whose
name　was　Jezebel；　of　whom　he　learned　to　worship