the antiquities of the jews-1-第96章

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daughter　of　Ethbaal；　king　of　the　Tyrians　and　Sidonians；　whose
name　was　Jezebel；　of　whom　he　learned　to　worship　her　own　gods。
This　woman　was　active　and　bold；　and　fell　into　so　great　a　degree
of　impurity　and　madness；　that　she　built　a　temple　to　the　god　of
the　Tyrians；　Which　they　call　Belus；　and　planted　a　grove　of　all
sorts　of　trees；　she　also　appointed　priests　and　false　prophets　to
this　god。　The　king　also　himself　had　many　such　about　him；　and　so
exceeded　in　madness　and　wickedness　all　＇the　kings＇　that　went
before　him。

2。　There　was　now　a　prophet　of　God　Almighty；　of　Thesbon；　a　country
in　Gilead；　that　came　to　Ahab；　and　said　to　him；　that　God　foretold
he　would　not　send　rain　nor　dew　in　those　years　upon　the　country
but　when　he　should　appear。　And　when　he　had　confirmed　this　by　an
oath；　he　departed　into　the　southern　parts；　and　made　his　abode　by
a　brook；　out　of　which　he　had　water　to　drink；　for　as　for　his　food；
ravens　brought　it　to　him　every　day：　but　when　that　river　was　dried
up　for　want　of　rain；　he　came　to　Zarephath；　a　city　not　far　from
Sidon　and　Tyre；　for　it　lay　between　them；　and　this　at　the　command
of　God；　for　＇God　told　him＇　that　he　should　there　find　a　woman　who
was　a　widow　that　should　give　him　sustenance。　So　when　he　was　not
far　off　the　city；　he　saw　a　woman　that　labored　with　her　own　hands；
gathering　of　sticks：　so　God　informed　him　that　this　was　the　woman
who　was　to　give　him　sustenance。　So　he　came　and　saluted　her；　and
desired　her　to　bring　him　some　water　to　drink；　but　as　she　was
going　so　to　do；　he　called　to　her；　and　would　have　her　to　bring　him
a　loaf　of　bread　also；　whereupon　she　affirmed　upon　oath　that　she
had　at　home　nothing　more　than　one　handful　of　meal；　and　a　little
oil；　and　that　she　was　going　to　gather　some　sticks；　that　she　might
knead　it；　and　make　bread　for　herself　and　her　son；　after　which；
she　said；　they　must　perish；　and　be　consumed　by　the　famine；　for
they　had　nothing　for　themselves　any　longer。　Hereupon　he　said；　〃Go
on　with　good　courage；　and　hope　for　better　things；　and　first　of
all　make　me　a　little　cake；　and　bring　it　to　me；　for　I　foretell　to
thee　that　this　vessel　of　meal　and　this　cruse　of　oil　shall　not
fail　until　God　send　rain。〃　When　the　prophet　had　said　this；　she
came　to　him；　and　made　him　the　before…named　cake；　of　which　she　had
part　for　herself；　and　gave　the　rest　to　her　son；　and　to　the
prophet　also；　nor　did　any　thing　of　this　fall　until　the　drought
ceased。　Now　Menander　mentions　this　drought　in　his　account　of　the
acts　of　Ethbaal；　king　of　the　Tyrians；　where　he　says　thus：　〃Under
him　there　was　a　want　of　rain　from　the　month　Hyperberetmus　till
the　month　Hyperberetmus　of　the　year　following；　but　when　he　made
supplications；　there　came　great　thunders。　This　Ethbaal　built　the
city　Botrys　in　Phoenicia；　and　the　city　Auza　in　Libya。〃　By　these
words　he　designed　the　want　of　rain　that　was　in　the　days　of　Ahab；
for　at　that　time　it　was　that　Ethbaal　also　reigned　over　the
Tyrians；　as　Menander　informs　us。　

3。　Now　this　woman；　of　whom　we　spake　before；　that　sustained　the
prophet；　when　her　son　was　fallen　into　a　distemper　till　he　gave　up
the　ghost；　and　appeared　to　be　dead；　came　to　the　prophet　weeping；
and　beating　her　breasts　with　her　hands；　and　sending　out　such
expressions　as　her　passions　dictated　to　her；　and　complained　to
him　that　he　had　come　to　her　to　reproach　her　for　her　sins；　and
that　on　this　account　it　was　that　her　son　was　dead。　But　he　bid　her
be　of　good　cheer；　and　deliver　her　son　to　him；　for　that　he　would
deliver　him　again　to　her　alive。　So　when　she　had　delivered　her　son
up　to　him；　he　carried　him　into　an　upper　room；　where　he　himself
lodged；　and　laid　him　down　upon　the　bed；　and　cried　unto　God；　and
said；　that　God　had　not　done　well；　in　rewarding　the　woman　who　had
entertained　him　and　sustained　him；　by　taking　away　her　son；　and　he
prayed　that　he　would　send　again　the　soul　of　the　child　into　him；
and　bring　him　to　life　again。　Accordingly　God　took　pity　on　the
mother；　and　was　willing　to　gratify　the　prophet；　that　he　might　not
seem　to　have　come　to　her　to　do　her　a　mischief；　and　the　child；
beyond　all　expectation；　came　to　life　again。　So　the　mother
returned　the　prophet　thanks；　and　said　she　was　then　clearly
satisfied　that　God　did　converse　with　him。

4。　After　a　little　while　Elijah　came　to　king　Ahab；　according　to
God's　will；　to　inform　him　that　rain　was　coming。　Now　the　famine
had　seized　upon　the　whole　country；　and　there　was　a　great　want　of
what　was　necessary　for　sustenance；　insomuch　that　it　was　after　the
recovery　of　the　widow's　son　of　Sarepta；　God　sent　not　only　men
that　wanted　it；　but　the　earth　itself　also；　which　did　not　produce
enough　for　the　horse　and　the　other　beasts　of　what　was　useful　for
them　to　feed　on；　by　reason　of　the　drought。　So　the　king　called　for
Obadiah；　who　was　steward　over　his　cattle；　and　said　to　him；　that
he　would　have　him　go　to　the　fountains　of　water；　and　to　the
brooks；　that　if　any　herbs　could　be　found　for　them；　they　might　mow
it　down；　and　reserve　it　for　the　beasts。　And　when　he　had　sent
persons　all　over　the　habitable　earth　（33）　to　discover　the　prophet
Elijah；　and　they　could　not　find　him；　he　bade　Obadiah　accompany
him。　So　it　was　resolved　they　should　make　a　progress；　and　divide
the　ways　between　them；　and　Obadiah　took　one　road；　and　the　king
another。　Now　it　happened　that　the　same　time　when　queen　Jezebel
slew　the　prophets；　that　this　Obadiah　had　hidden　a　hundred
prophets；　and　had　fed　them　with　nothing　but　bread　and　water。　But
when　Obadiah　was　alone；　and　absent　from　the　king；　the　prophet
Elijah　met　him；　and　Obadiah　asked　him　who　he　was；　and　when　he　had
learned　it　from　him；　he　worshipped　him。　Elijah　then　bid　him　go　to
the　king；　and　tell　him　that　I　am　here　ready　to　wait　on　him。　But
Obadiah　replied；　〃What　evil　have　I　done　to　thee；　that　thou
sendest　me　to　one　who　seeketh　to　kill　thee；　and　hath　sought　over
all　the　earth　for　thee？　Or　was　he　so　ignorant　as　not　to　know　that
the　king　had　left　no　place　untouched　unto　which　he　had　not　sent
persons　to　bring　him　back；　in　order；　if　they　could　take　him；　to
have　him　put　to　death？〃　For　he　told　him　he　was　afraid　lest　God
should　appear　to　him　again；　and　he　should　go　away　into　another
place；　and　that　when　the　king　should　send　him　for　Elijah；　and　he
should　miss　of　him；　and　not　be　able　to　find　him　any　where　upon
earth；　he　should　be　put　to　death。　He　desired　him　therefore　to
take　care　of　his　preservation；　and　told　him　how　diligently　he　had
provided　for　those　of　his　own　profession；　and　had　saved　a　hundred
prophets；　when　Jezebel　slew　the　rest　of　them；　and　had　kept　them
concealed；　and　that　they　had　been　sustained　by　him。　But　Elijah
bade　him　fear　nothing；　but　go　to　the　king；　and　he　assured　him
upon　oath　that　he　would　certainly　show　himself　to　Ahab　that　very
day。

5。　So　when　Obadiah　had　informed　the　king　that　Elijah　was　there；
Ahab　met　him；　and　asked　him；　in　anger；　if　he　were　the　man　that
afflicted　the　people　of　the　Hebrews；　and　was　the　occasion　of　the
drought　they　lay　under？　But　Elijah；　without　any　flattery；　said
that　he　was　himself　the　man；　he　and　his　house；　which　brought　such
sad　afflictions　upon　them；　and　that　by　introducing　strange　gods
into　their　country；　and　worshipping　them；　and　by　leaving　their
own；　who　was　the　only　true　God；　and　having　no　manner　of　regard　to
him。　However；　he　bade　him　go　his　way；　and　gather　together　all　the
people　to　him　to　Mount　Carmel；　with　his　own　prophets；　and　those
of　his　wife；　telling　him　how　many　there　were　of　them；　as　also　the
prophets　of　the　groves；　about　four　hundred　in　number。　And　as　all
the　men　whom　Ahab　sent　for　ran　away　to　the　forenamed　mountain；
the　prophet　Elijah　stood　in　the　midst　of　them；　and　said；　〃How
long　will　you　live　thus　in　uncertainty　of　mind　and　opinion？〃　He
also　exhorted　them；　that　in　case　they　esteemed　their　own　country
God　to　be　the　true　and　the　only　God；　they　would　follow　him　and
his　commandments；　but　in　case　they　esteemed　him　to　be　nothing；
but　had　an　opinion　of　the　strange　gods；　and　that　they　ought　to
worship　them；　his　counsel　was；　that　they　should　follow　them。　And
when　the　multitude　made　no　answer　to　what　he　said；　Elijah　desired
that；　for　a　trial　of　the　power　of　the　strange　gods；　and　of　their
own　God；　he；　who　was　his　only　prophet；　while　they　had　four
hundred；　might　take　a　heifer　and　kill　it　as　a　sacrifice；　and　lay
it　upon　pieces　of　wood；　and　not　kindle　any　fire；　and　that　they
should　do　the　same　things；　and　call　upon　their　own　gods　to　set
the　wood　on　fire；　for　if　that　were　done；　they　would　thence　learn
the　nature　of　the　true　God。　This　proposal　pleased　the　people。　So
Elijah　bade　the　prophets　to　choose　out　a　heifer　first；　and　kill
it；　and　to　call　on　their　gods。　But　when　there　appeared　no　effect
of　the　prayer　or　invocation　of　the　prophets　upon　their　sacrifice；
Elijah　derided　them；　and　bade　them　call　upon　their　gods　with　a
loud　voice；　for　they　might　either　be　on　a　journey；　or　asleep；　and
when　these　prophets　had　done　so　from　morning　till　noon；　and　cut
themselves　with　swords　and　lances；　（34）　according　to　the　customs
of　their　country；　and　he　was　about　to　offer　his　sacrifice；　he
bade　＇the　prophets＇　go　away；　but　bade　＇the　people＇　come　near　and
observe　what　he　did；　lest　he　should　privately　hide　fire　among　the
pieces　of　wood。　So；　upon　the　approach　of　the　multitude；　he　took
twelve　stones；　one　for　each　tribe　of　the　people　of　the　Hebrews；
and　built　an　altar　with　them；　and　dug　a　very　deep　trench；　and
when　he　had　laid　the　pieces　of　wood　upon　the　altar；　and　upon　them
had　laid　the　pieces　of　the　sacrifices；　he　ordered　them　to　fill
four　barrels　with　the　water　of　the　fountain；　and　to　pour　it　upon
the　altar；　till　it　ran　over　it；　and　till　the　trench　was　filled
with　the　water　poured　into　it。　When　he　had　done　this；　he　began　to
pray　to　God；　and　to　invocate　him　to　make　manifest　his　power　to　a
people　that　had　already　been　in　an　error　a　long　time；　upon　which
words　a　fire　came　on　a　sudden　from　heaven　in　the　sight　of　the
multitude；　and　fell　upon　the　altar；　and　consumed　the　sacrifice；
till　the　very　water　was　set　on　fire；　and　the　place　was　become
dry。

6。　Now　when　the　Israelites　saw　this；　they　fell　down　upon　the
ground；　and　worshipped　one　God；　and　called　him　The　great　and　the
only　true　God；　but　they　called　the　others　mere　names；　framed　by
the　evil　and　vile　opinions　of　men。　So　they　caught　their　prophets；
and；　at　the　command　of　Elijah；　slew　them。　Elijah　also　said　to　the
king；　that　he　should　go　to　dinner　without　any　further　concern；
for　that　in　a　little　time　he　would　see　God　send　them　rain。
Accordingly　Ahab　went　his　way。　But　Elijah　went　up　to　the　highest
top　of　Mount　Carmel；　and　sat　down　upon　the　ground；　and　leaned　his
head　upon　his　knees；　and　bade　his　servant　go　up　to　a　certain
elevated　place；　and　look　towards　the　sea；　and　when　he　should　see
a　cloud　rising　any　where；　he　should　give　him　notice　of　it；　for
till　that　time　the　air　had　been　clear。　When　the　Servant　had　gone
up；　and　had　said　many　times　that　he　saw　nothing；　at　the　seventh
time　of　his　going　up；　he　said　that　he　saw　a　small　black　thing　in
the　sky；　not　larger　than　a　man's　foot。　When　Elijah　heard　that；　he
sent　to　Ahab；　and　desired　him　to　go　away　to　the　city　before　the
rain　came　down。　So　he　came　to　the　city　Jezreel；　and　in　a　little
time　the　air　was　all　obscured；　and　covered　with　clouds；　and　a
vehement　storm　of　wind　came