the antiquities of the jews-1-第102章

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posterity；　that　〃they　succeeded　one　another　in　his　kingdom；　and
in　his　name；〃　where　he　thus　speaks：　〃When　Hadad　was　dead；　his
posterity　reigned　for　ten　generations；　each　of　his　successors
receiving　from　his　father　that　his　dominion；　and　this　his　name；
as　did　the　Ptolemies　in　Egypt。　But　the　third　was　the　most
powerful　of　them　all；　and　was　willing　to　avenge　the　defeat　his
forefather　had　received；　so　he　made　an　expedition　against　the
Jews；　and　laid　waste　the　city　which　is　now　called　Samaria。〃　Nor
did　he　err　from　the　truth；　for　this　is　that　Hadad　who　made　the
expedition　against　Samaria；　in　the　reign　of　Ahab；　king　of　Israel；
concerning　whom　we　shall　speak　in　due　place　hereafter。

3。　Now　when　David　had　made　an　expedition　against　Damascus；　and
the　other　parts　of　Syria；　and　had　brought　it　all　into　subjection；
and　had　placed　garrisons　in　the　country；　and　appointed　that　they
should　pay　tribute；　he　returned　home。　He　also　dedicated　to　God　at
Jerusalem　the　golden　quivers；　the　entire　armor　which　the　guards
of　Hadad　used　to　wear；　which　Shishak；　the　king　of　Egypt；　took
away　when　he　fought　with　David's　grandson；　Rehoboam；　with　a　great
deal　of　other　wealth　which　he　carried　out　of　Jerusalem。　However；
these　things　will　come　to　be　explained　in　their　proper　places
hereafter。　Now　as　for　the　king　of　the　Hebrews；　he　was　assisted　by
God；　who　gave　him　great　success　in　his　wars；　and　he　made　all
expedition　against　the　best　cities　of　Hadadezer；　Betah　and
Machen；　so　he　took　them　by　force；　and　laid　them　waste。　Therein
was　found　a　very　great　quantity　of　gold　and　silver；　besides　that
sort　of　brass　which　is　said　to　be　more　valuable　than　gold；　of
which　brass　Solomon　made　that　large　vessel　which　was　called　The
＇Brazen＇　Sea；　and　those　most　curious　lavers；　when　he　built　the
temple　for　God。

4。　But　when　the　king　of　Hamath　was　informed　of　the　ill　success　of
Hadadezer；　and　had　heard　of　the　ruin　of　his　army；　he　was　afraid
on　his　own　account；　and　resolved　to　make　a　league　of　friendship
and　fidelity　with　David　before　he　should　come　against　him；　so　he
sent　to　him　his　son　Joram；　and　professed　that　he　owed　him　thanks
for　fighting　against　Hadadezer；　who　was　his　enemy；　and　made　a
league　with　him　of　mutual　assistance　and　friendship。　He　also　sent
him　presents；　vessels　of　ancient　workmanship；　both　of　gold；　of
silver；　and　of　brass。　So　when　David　had　made　this　league　of
mutual　assistance　with　Toi；　（for　that　was　the　name　of　the　king　of
Hamath；）　and　had　received　the　presents　he　sent　him；　he　dismissed
his　son　with　that　respect　which　was　due　on　both　sides；　but　then
David　brought　those　presents　that　were　sent　by　him；　as　also　the
rest　of　the　gold　and　silver　which　he　had　taken　of　the　cities　whom
he　had　conquered；　and　dedicated　them　to　God。　Nor　did　God　give
victory　and　success　to　him　only　when　he　went　to　the　battle
himself；　and　led　his　own　army；　but　he　gave　victory　to　Abishai；
the　brother　of　Joab；　general　of　his　forces；　over　the　Idumeans；
（12）　and　by　him　to　David；　when　he　sent　him　with　an　army　into
Idumea：　for　Abishai　destroyed　eighteen　thousand　of　them　in　the
battle；　whereupon　the　king　＇of　Israel＇　placed　garrisons　through
all　Idumea；　and　received　the　tribute　of　the　country；　and　of　every
head　among　them。　Now　David　was　in　his　nature　just；　and　made　his
determination　with　regard　to　truth。　He　had　for　the　general　of　his
whole　army　Joab；　and　he　made　Jehoshaphat；　the　son　of　Ahilud；
recorder。　He　also　appointed　Zadok；　of　the　family　of　Phinehas；　to
be　high　priest；　together　with　Abiathar；　for　he　was　his　friend。　He
also　made　Seisan　the　scribe；　and　committed　the　command　over　the
guards　of　his　body　to　Benaiah；　the　son　of　Jehoiada。　His　elder
sons　were　near　his　body；　and　had　the　care　of　it　also。

5。　He　also　called　to　mind　the　covenants　and　the　oaths　he　had　made
with　Jonathan；　the　son　of　Saul；　and　the　friendship　and　affection
Jonathan　had　for　him；　for　besides　all　the　rest　of　his　excellent
qualities　with　which　he　was　endowed；　he　was　also　exceeding
mindful　of　such　as　had　at　other　times　bestowed　benefits　upon　him。
He　therefore　gave　order　that　inquiry　should　be　made；　whether　any
of　Jonathan's　lineage　were　living；　to　whom　he　might　make　return
of　that　familiar　acquaintance　which　Jonathan　had　had　with　him；
and　for　which　he　was　still　debtor。　And　when　one　of　Saul's　freed
men　was　brought　to　him；　who　was　acquainted　with　those　of　his
family　that　were　still　living；　he　asked　him　whether　he　could　tell
him　of　any　one　belonging　to　Jonathan　that　was　now　alive；　and
capable　of　a　requital　of　the　benefits　which　he　had　received　from
Jonathan。　And　he　said；　that　a　son　of　his　was　remaining；　whose
name　was　Mephibosheth；　but　that　he　was　lame　of　his　feet；　for　that
when　his　nurse　heard　that　the　father　and　grandfather　of　the　child
were　fallen　in　the　battle；　she　snatched　him　up；　and　fled　away；
and　let　him　fall　from　her　shoulders；　and　his　feet　were　lamed。　So
when　he　had　learned　where　and　by　whom　he　was　brought　up；　he　sent
messengers　to　Machir；　to　the　city　of　Lodebar；　for　with　him　was
the　son　of　Jonathan　brought　up；　and　sent　for　him　to　come　to　him。
So　when　Mephibosheth　came　to　the　king；　he　fell　on　his　face　and
worshipped　him；　but　David　encouraged　him；　bade　him　be　of　good
cheer；　and　expect　better　times。　So　he　gave　him　his　father's
house；　and　all　the　estate　which　his　grandfather　Saul　was　in
possession　of；　and　bade　him　come　and　diet　with　him　at　his　own
table；　and　never　to　be　absent　one　day　from　that　table。　And　when
the　youth　had　worshipped　him　on　account　of　his　words　and　gifts
given　to　him；　he　called　for　Ziba；　and　told　him　that　he　had　given
the　youth　his　father's　house；　and　all　Saul's　estate。　He　also
ordered　that　Ziba　should　cultivate　his　land；　and　take　care　of　it；
and　bring　him　the　profits　of　all　to　Jerusalem。　Accordingly；　David
brought　him　to　his　table　every　day；　and　bestowed　upon　the　youth；
Ziba　and　his　sons；　who　were　in　number　fifteen；　and　his　servants；
who　were　in　number　twenty。　When　the　king　had　made　these
appointments；　and　Ziba　had　worshipped　him；　and　promised　to　do　all
that　he　had　bidden　him；　he　went　his　way；　so　that　this　son　of
Jonathan　dwelt　at　Jerusalem；　and　dieted　at　the　king's　table；　and
had　the　same　care　that　a　son　could　claim　taken　of　him。　He　also
had　himself　a　son；　whom　he　named　Micha。

CHAPTER　6。

How　The　War　Was　Waged　Against　The　Ammonites　And　Happily
Concluded。

1。　This　were　the　honors　that　such　as　were　left　of　Saul's　and
Jonathan's　lineage　received　from　David。　About　this　time　died
Nahash；　the　king　of　the　Ammonites；　who　was　a　friend　of　David's；
and　when　his　son　had　succeeded　his　father　in　the　kingdom；　David
sent　ambassadors　to　him　to　comfort　him；　and　exhorted　him　to　take
his　father's　death　patiently；　and　to　expect　that　he　would
continue　the　same　kindness　to　himself　which　he　had　shown　to　his
father。　But　the　princes　of　the　Ammonites　took　this　message　in
evil　part；　and　not　as　David's　kind　dispositions　gave　reason　to
take　it；　and　they　excited　the　king　to　resent　it；　and　said　that
David　had　sent　men　to　spy　out　the　country；　and　what　strength　it
had；　under　the　pretense　of　humanity　and　kindness。　They　further
advised　him　to　have　a　care；　and　not　to　give　heed　to　David's
words；　lest　he　should　be　deluded　by　him；　and　so　fall　into　an
inconsolable　calamity。　Accordingly　Nahash's　＇son＇；　the　king　of
the　Ammonites；　thought　these　princes　spake　what　was　more　probable
than　the　truth　would　admit；　and　so　abused　the　ambassadors　after　a
very　harsh　manner；　for　he　shaved　the　one　half　of　their　beards；
and　cut　off　one　half　of　their　garments；　and　sent　his　answer；　not
in　words；　but　in　deeds。　When　the　king　of　Israel　saw　this；　he　had
indignation　at　it；　and　showed　openly　that　he　would　not　overlook
this　injurious　and　contumelious　treatment；　but　would　make　war
with　the　Ammonites；　and　would　avenge　this　wicked　treatment　of　his
ambassadors　on　their　king。　So　that　king's　intimate　friends　and
commanders；　understanding　that　they　had　violated　their　league；
and　were　liable　to　be　punished　for　the　same；　made　preparations
for　war；　they　also　sent　a　thousand　talents　to　the　Syrian　king　of
Mesopotamia；　and　endeavored　to　prevail　with　him　to　assist　them
for　that　pay；　and　Shobach。　Now　these　kings　had　twenty　thousand
footmen。　They　also　hired　the　king　of