the antiquities of the jews-1-第112章

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Those　that　were　most　illustrious　and　famous　of　them　for　their
actions　were　thirty…eight；　of　five　of　whom　I　will　only　relate　the
performances；　for　these　will　suffice　to　make　manifest　the　virtues
of　the　others　also；　for　these　were　powerful　enough　to　subdue
countries；　and　conquer　great　nations。　First；　therefore；　was
Jessai；　the　son　of　Achimaas；　who　frequently　leaped　upon　the
troops　of　the　enemy；　and　did　not　leave　off　fighting　till　he
overthrew　nine　hundred　of　them。　After　him　was　Eleazar；　the　son　of
Dodo；　who　was　with　the　king　at　Arasam。　This　man；　when　once　the
Israelites　were　under　a　consternation　at　the　multitude　of　the
Philistines；　and　were　running　away；　stood　alone；　and　fell　upon
the　enemy；　and　slew　many　of　them；　till　his　sword　clung　to　his
band　by　the　blood　he　had　shed；　and　till　the　Israelites；　seeing
the　Philistines　retire　by　his　means；　came　down　from　the　mountains
and　pursued　them；　and　at　that　time　won　a　surprising　and　a　famous
victory；　while　Eleazar　slew　the　men；　and　the　multitude　followed
and　spoiled　their　dead　bodies。　The　third　was　Sheba；　the　son　of
Ilus。　Now　this　man；　when；　in　the　wars　against　the　Philistines；
they　pitched　their　camp　at　a　place　called　Lehi；　and　when　the
Hebrews　were　again　afraid　of　their　army；　and　did　not　stay；　he
stood　still　alone；　as　an　army　and　a　body　of　men；　and　some　of　them
he　overthrew；　and　some　who　were　not　able　to　abide　his　strength
and　force　he　pursued。　These　are　the　works　of　the　hands；　and　of
fighting；　which　these　three　performed。　Now　at　the　time　when　the
king　was　once　at　Jerusalem；　and　the　army　of　the　Philistines　came
upon　him　to　fight　him；　David　went　up　to　the　top　of　the　citadel；
as　we　have　already　said；　to　inquire　of　God　concerning　the　battle；
while　the　enemy's　camp　lay　in　the　valley　that　extends　to　the　city
Bethlehem；　which　is　twenty　furlongs　distant　from　Jerusalem。　Now
David　said　to　his　companions；　〃We　have　excellent　water　in　my　own
city；　especially　that　which　is　in　the　pit　near　the　gate；〃
wondering　if　any　one　would　bring　him　some　of　it　to　drink；　but　he
said　that　he　would　rather　have　it　than　a　great　deal　of　money。
When　these　three　men　heard　what　he　said；　they　ran　away
immediately；　and　burst　through　the　midst　of　their　enemy's　camp；
and　came　to　Bethlehem；　and　when　they　had　drawn　the　water；　they
returned　again　through　the　enemy's　camp　to　the　king；　insomuch
that　the　Philistines　were　so　surprised　at　their　boldness　and
alacrity；　that　they　were　quiet；　and　did　nothing　against　them；　as
if　they　despised　their　small　number。　But　when　the　water　was
brought　to　the　king；　he　would　not　drink　it；　saying；　that　it　was
brought　by　the　danger　and　the　blood　of　men；　and　that　it　was　not
proper　on　that　account　to　drink　it。　But　he　poured　it　out　to　God；
and　gave　him　thanks　for　the　salvation　of　the　men。　Next　to　these
was　Abishai；　Joab's　brother；　for　he　in　one　day　slew　six　hundred。
The　fifth　of　these　was　Benaiah；　by　lineage　a　priest；　for　being
challenged　by　＇two＇　eminent　men　in　the　country　of　Moab；　he
overcame　them　by　his　valor；　Moreover；　there　was　a　man；　by　nation
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；