the antiquities of the jews-1-第113章

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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　discourse　to　the　governors；　and　to
his　son。

3。　David　was　now　in　years；　and　his　body；　by　length　of　time；　was
become　cold；　and　benumbed；　insomuch　that　he　could　get　no　heat　by
covering　himself　with　many　clothes；　and　when　the　physicians　came
together；　they　agreed　to　this　advice；　that　a　beautiful　virgin；
chosen　out　of　the　whole　country；　should　sleep　by　the　king's　side；
and　that　this　damsel　would　communicate　heat　to　him；　and　be　a
remedy　against　his　numbness。　Now　there　was　found　in　the　city　one
woman；　of　a　superior　beauty　to　all　other　women；　（her　name　was
Abishag；）　who；　sleeping　with　the　king；　did　no　more　than
communicate　warmth　to　him；　for　he　was　so　old　that　he　could　not
know　her　as　a　husband　knows　his　wife。　But　of　this　woman　we　shall
speak　more　presently。

4。　Now　the　fourth　son　of　David　was　a　beautiful　young　man；　and
tall；　born　to　him　of　Haggith　his　wife。　He　was　named　Adonijah；　and
was　in　his　disposition　like　to　Absalom；　and　exalted　himself　as
hoping　to　be　king；　and　told　his　friends　that　he　ought　to　take　the
government　upon　him。　He　also　prepared　many　chariots　and　horses；
and　fifty　men　to　run　before　him。　When　his　father　saw　this；　he　did
not　reprove　him；　nor　restrain　him　from　his　purpose；　nor　did　he　go
so　far　as　to　ask　wherefore　he　did　so。　Now　Adonijah　had　for　his
assistants　Joab　the　captain　of　the　army；　and　Abiathar　the　high
priest；　and　the　only　persons　that　opposed　him　were　Zadok　the　high
priest；　and　the　prophet　Nathan；　and　Benaiah；　who　was　captain　of
the　guards；　and　Shimei；　David's　friend；　with　all　the　other　most
mighty　men。　Now　Adonijah　had　prepared　a　supper　out　of　the　city；
near　the　fountain　that　was　in　the　king's　paradise；　and　had
invited　all　his　brethren　except　Solomon；　and　had　taken　with　him
Joab　the　captain　of　the　army；　and：　Abiathar；　and　the　rulers　of
the　tribe　of　Judah；　but　had　not　invited　to　this　feast　either
Zadok　the　high　priest；　or　Nathan　the　prophet；　or　Benaiah　the
captain　of　the　guards；　nor　any　of　those　of　the　contrary　party。
This　matter　wa