the antiquities of the jews-1-第138章

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the　cattle；　and　for　the　army；　from　the　mistake　of　their　roads　by
the　guides　that　conducted　them；　insomuch　that　they　were　all　in　an
agony；　especially　Joram；　and　cried　to　God；　by　reason　of　their
sorrow；　and　＇desired　to　know＇　what　wickedness　had　been　committed
by　them　that　induced　him　to　deliver　three　kings　together；　without
fighting；　unto　the　king　of　Moab。　But　Jehoshaphat；　who　was　a
righteous　man；　encouraged　him；　and　bade　him　send　to　the　camp；　and
know　whether　any　prophet　of　God　was　come　along　with　them；　that　we
might　by　him　learn　from　God　what　we　should　do。　And　when　one　of
the　servants　of　Joram　said　that　he　had　seen　there　Elisha；　the　son
of　Shaphat；　the　disciple　of　Elijah；　the　three　kings　went　to　him；
at　the　entreaty　of　Jehoshaphat；　and　when　they　were　come　at　the
prophet's　tent；　which　tent　was　pitched　out　of　the　camp；　they
asked　him　what　would　become　of　the　army？　and　Joram　was
particularly　very　pressing　with　him　about　it。　And　when　he　replied
to　him；　that　he　should　not　trouble　him；　but　go　to　his　father's
and　mother's　prophets；　for　they　＇to　be　sure＇　were　true　prophets；
he　still　desired　him　to　prophesy；　and　to　save　them。　So　he　swore
by　God　that　he　would　not　answer　him；　unless　it　were　on　account　of
Jehoshaphat；　who　was　a　holy　and　righteous　man；　and　when；　at　his
desire；　they　brought　him　a　man　that　could　play　on　the　psaltery；
the　Divine　Spirit　came　upon　him　as　the　music　played；　and　he
commanded　them　to　dig　many　trenches　in　the　valley；　for；　said　he；
〃though　there　appear　neither　cloud；　nor　wind；　nor　storm　of　rain；
ye　shall　see　this　river　full　of　water；　till　the　army　and　the
cattle　be　saved　for　you　by　drinking　of　it。　Nor　will　this　be　all
the　favor　that　you　shall　receive　from　God；　but　you　shall　also
overcome　your　enemies；　and　take　the　best　and　strongest　cities　of
the　Moabites；　and　you　shall　cut　down　their　fruit　trees；　（6）　and
lay　waste　their　country；　and　stop　up　their　fountains　and　rivers。〃

2。　When　the　prophet　had　said　this；　the　next　day；　before　the
sun…rising；　a　great　torrent　ran　strongly；　for　God　had　caused　it
to　rain　very　plentifully　at　the　distance　of　three　days'　journey
into　Edom；　so　that　the　army　and　the　cattle　found　water　to　drink
in　abundance。　But　when　the　Moabites　heard　that　the　three　kings
were　coming　upon　them；　and　made　their　approach　through　the
wilderness；　the　king　of　Moab　gathered　his　army　together
presently；　and　commanded　them　to　pitch　their　camp　upon　the
mountains；　that　when　the　enemies　should　attempt　to　enter　their
country；　they　might　not　be　concealed　from　them。　But　when　at　the
rising　of　the　sun　they　saw　the　water　in　the　torrent；　for　it　was
not　far　from　the　land　of　Moab；　and　that　it　was　of　the　color　of
blood；　for　at　such　a　time　the　water　especially　looks　red；　by　the
shining　of　the　sun　upon　it；　they　formed　a　false　notion　of　the
state　of　their　enemies；　as　if　they　had　slain　one　another　for
thirst；　and　that　the　river　ran　with　their　blood。　However；
supposing　that　this　was　the　case；　they　desired　their　king　would
send　them　out　to　spoil　their　enemies；　whereupon　they　all　went　in
haste；　as　to　an　advantage　already　gained；　and　came　to　the　enemy's
camp；　as　supposing　them　destroyed　already。　But　their　hope
deceived　them；　for　as　their　enemies　stood　round　about　them；　some
of　them　were　cut　to　pieces；　and　others　of　them　were　dispersed；
and　fled　to　their　own　country。　And　when　the　kings　fell　into　the
land　of　Moab；　they　overthrew　the　cities　that　were　in　it；　and
spoiled　their　fields；　and　marred　them；　filling　them　with　stones
out　of　the　brooks；　and　cut　down　the　best　of　their　trees；　and
stopped　up　their　fountains　of　water；　and　overthrew　their　walls　to
their　foundations。　But　the　king　of　Moab；　when　he　was　pursued；
endured　a　siege；　and　seeing　his　city　in　danger　of　being
overthrown　by　force；　made　a　sally；　and　went　out　with　seven
hundred　men；　in　order　to　break　through　the　enemy's　camp　with　his
horsemen；　on　that　side　where　the　watch　seemed　to　be　kept　most
negligently；　and　when；　upon　trial；　he　could　not　get　away；　for　he
lighted　upon　a　place　that　was　carefully　watched；　he　returned　into
the　city；　and　did　a　thing　that　showed　despair　and　the　utmost
distress；　for　he　took　his　eldest　son；　who　was　to　reign　after　him；
and　lifting　him　up　upon　the　wall；　that　he　might　be　visible　to　all
the　enemies；　he　offered　him　as　a　whole　burnt…offering　to　God；
whom；　when　the　kings　saw；　they　commiserated　the　distress　that　was
the　occasion　of　it；　and　were　so　affected；　in　way　of　humanity　and
pity；　that　they　raised　the　siege；　and　every　one　returned　to　his
own　house。　So　Jehoshaphat　came　to　Jerusalem；　and　continued　in
peace　there；　and　outlived　this　expedition　but　a　little　time；　and
then　died；　having　lived　in　all　sixty　years；　and　of　them　reigned
twenty…five。　He　was　buried　in　a　magnificent　manner　in　Jerusalem；
for　he　had　imitated　the　actions　of　David。

CHAPTER　4。

Jehoram　Succeeds　Jehoshaphat；　How　Joram；　His　Namesake；　King　Of
Israel；　Fought　With　The　Syrians；And　What　Wonders　Were　Done　By　The
Prophet　Elisha。

1。　Jehoshapat　had　a　good　number　of　children；　but　he　appointed　his
eldest　son　Jehoram　to　be　his　successor；　who　had　the　same　name
with　his　mother's　brother；　that　was　king　of　Israel；　and　the　son
of　Ahab。　Now　when　the　king　of　Israel　was　come　out　of　the　land　of
Moab　to　Samaria；　he　had　with　him　Elisha　the　prophet；　whose　acts　I
have　a　mind　to　go　over　particularly；　for　they　were　illustrious；
and　worthy　to　be　related；　as　we　have　them　set　down　in　the　sacred
books。

2。　For　they　say　that　the　widow　of　Obadiah　（7）　Ahab's　steward；
came　to　him；　and　said；　that　he　was　not　ignorant　how　her　husband
had　preserved　the　prophets　that　were　to　be　slain　by　Jezebel；　the
wife　of　Ahab；　for　she　said　that　he　hid　a　hundred　of　them；　and　had
borrowed　money　for　their　maintenance；　and　that；　after　her
husband's　death；　she　and　her　children　were　carried　away　to　be
made　slaves　by　the　creditors；　and　she　desired　of　him　to　have
mercy　upon　her　on　account　of　what　her　husband　did；　and　afford　her
some　assistance。　And　when　he　asked　her　what　she　had　in　the　house；
she　said；　〃Nothing　but　a　very　small　quantity　of　oil　in　a　cruse。〃
So　the　prophet　bid　her　go　away；　and　borrow　a　great　many　empty
vessels　of　her　neighbors；　and　when　she　had　shut　her　chamber　door；
to　pour　the　oil　into　them　all；　for　that　God　would　fill　them　full。
And　when　the　woman　had　done　what　she　was　commanded　to　do；　and
bade　her　children　bring　every　one　of　the　vessels；　and　all　were
filled；　and　not　one　left　empty；　she　came　to　the　prophet；　and　told
him　that　they　were　all　full；　upon　which　he　advised　her　to　go
away；　and　sell　the　oil；　and　pay　the　creditors　what　was　owing
them；　for　that　there　would　be　some　surplus　of　the　price　of　the
oil；　which　she　might　make　use　of　for　the　maintenance　of　her
children。　And　thus　did　Elisha　discharge　the　woman's　debts；　and
free　her　from　the　vexation　of　her　creditors。

3。　Elisha　also　sent　a　hasty　message　to　Joram；　（8）　and　exhorted
him　to　take　care　of　that　place；　for　that　therein　were　some
Syrians　lying　in　ambush　to　kill　him。　So　the　king　did　as　the
prophet　exhorted　him；　and　avoided　his　going　a　hunting。　And　when
Benhadad　missed　of　the　success　of　his　lying　in　ambush；　he　was
wroth　with　his　own　servants；　as　if　they　had　betrayed　his
ambushment　to　Joram；　and　he　sent　for　them；　and　said　they　were　the
betrayers　of　his　secret　counsels；　and　he　threatened　that　he　would
put　them　to　death；　since　such　their　practice　was　evident；　because
he　had　intrusted　this　secret　to　none　but　them；　and　yet　it　was
made　known　to　his　enemy。　And　one　that　was　present　said　that　he
should　not　mistake　himself；　nor　suspect　that　they　had　discovered
to　his　enemy　his　sending　men　to　kill　him；　but　that　he　ought　to
know　that　it　was　Elisha　the　prophet　who　discovered　all　to　him；
and　laid　open　all　his　counsels。　So　he　gave　order　that　they　should
send　some　to　learn　in　what　city　Elisha　dwelt。　Accordingly　those
that　were　sent　brought　word　that　he　was　in　Dothan；　wherefore
Benhadad　sent　to　that　city　a　great　army；　with　horses　and
chariots；　to　take　Elisha：　so　they　encompassed　the　city　round
about　by　night；　and　kept　him　therein　confined；　but　when　the
prophet's　servant　in　the　morning　perceived　this；　and　that　his
enemies　sought　to　take　Elisha；　he　came　running；　and　crying　out
after