the antiquities of the jews-1-第139章

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prophet's　servant　in　the　morning　perceived　this；　and　that　his
enemies　sought　to　take　Elisha；　he　came　running；　and　crying　out
after　a　disordered　manner　to　him；　and　told　him　of　it；　but　he
encouraged　him；　and　bid　him　not　be　afraid；　and　to　despise　the
enemy；　and　trust　in　the　assistance　of　God；　and　was　himself
without　fear；　and　he　besought　God　to　make　manifest　to　his　servant
his　power　and　presence；　so　far　as　was　possible；　in　order　to　the
inspiring　him　with　hope　and　courage。　Accordingly　God　heard　the
prayer　of　the　prophet；　and　made　the　servant　see　a　multitude　of
chariots　and　horses　encompassing　Elisha；　till　he　laid　aside　his
fear；　and　his　courage　revived　at　the　sight　of　what　he　supposed
was　come　to　their　assistance。　After　this　Elisha　did　further
entreat　God；　that　he　would　dim　the　eyes　of　their　enemies；　and
cast　a　mist　before　them；　whereby　they　might　not　discern　him。　When
this　was　done；　he　went　into　the　midst　of　his　enemies；　and　asked
them　who　it　was　that　they　came　to　seek；　and　when　they　replied；
〃The　prophet　Elisha；〃　he　promised　he　would　deliver　him　to　them；
if　they　would　follow　him　to　the　city　where　he　was。　So　these　men
were　so　darkened　by　God　in　their　sight　and　in　their　mind；　that
they　followed　him　very　diligently；　and　when　Elisha　had　brought
them　to　Samaria；　he　ordered　Joram　the　king　to　shut　the　gates；　and
to　place　his　own　army　round　about　them；　and　prayed　to　God　to
clear　the　eyes　of　these　their　enemies；　and　take　the　mist　from
before　them。　Accordingly；　when　they　were　freed　from　the　obscurity
they　had　been　in；　they　saw　themselves　in　the　midst　of　their
enemies；　and　as　the　Syrians　were　strangely　amazed　and　distressed；
as　was　but　reasonable；　at　an　action　so　Divine　and　surprising；　and
as　king　Joram　asked　the　prophet　if　he　would　give　him　leave　to
shoot　at　them；　Elisha　forbade　him　so　to　do；　and　said；　that　〃it　is
just　to　kill　those　that　are　taken　in　battle；　but　that　these　men
had　done　the　country　no　harm；　but；　without　knowing　it；　were　come
thither　by　the　Divine　Power：〃　…　so　that　his　counsel　was　to　treat
them　in　a　hospitable　manner　at　his　table；　and　then　send　them　away
without　hurting　them。　（9）　Wherefore　Joram　obeyed　the　prophet；　and
when　he　had　feasted　the　Syrians　in　a　splendid　and　magnificent
manner；　he　let　them　go　to　Benhadad　their　king。

4。　Now　when　these　men　were　come　back；　and　had　showed　Benhadad　how
strange　an　accident　had　befallen　them；　and　what　an　appearance　and
power　they　had　experienced　of　the　God　of　Israel；　he　wondered　at
it；　as　also　at　that　prophet　with　whom　God　was　so　evidently
present；　so　he　determined　to　make　no　more　secret　attempts　upon
the　king　of　Israel；　out　of　fear　of　Elisha；　but　resolved　to　make
open　war　with　them；　as　supposing　he　could　be　too　hard　for　his
enemies　by　the　multitude　of　his　army　and　power。　So　he　made　an
expedition　with　a　great　army　against　Joram；　who；　not　thinking
himself　a　match　for　him；　shut　himself　up　in　Samaria；　and　depended
on　the　strength　of　its　walls；　but　Benhadad　supposed　he　should
take　the　city；　if　not　by　his　engines　of　war；　yet　that　he　should
overcome　the　Samaritans　by　famine；　and　the　want　of　necessaries；
and　brought　his　army　upon　them；　and　besieged　the　city；　and　the
plenty　of　necessaries　was　brought　so　low　with　Joram；　that　from
the　extremity　of　want　an　ass's　head　was　sold　in　Samaria　for
fourscore　pieces　of　silver；　and　the　Hebrews　bought　a　sextary　of
dore's　dung；　instead　of　salt；　for　five　pieces　of　silver。　Now
Joram　was　in　fear　lest　somebody　should　betray　the　city　to　the
enemy；　by　reason　of　the　famine；　and　went　every　day　round　the
walls　and　the　guards　to　see　whether　any　such　were　concealed　among
them；　and　by　being　thus　seen；　and　taking　such　care；　he　deprived
them　of　the　opportunity　of　contriving　any　such　thing；　and　if　they
had　a　mind　to　do　it；　he；　by　this　means；　prevented　them：　but　upon
a　certain　woman's　crying　out；　〃Have　pity　on　me；　my　lord；〃　while
he　thought　that　she　was　about　to　ask　for　somewhat　to　eat；　he
imprecated　God's　curse　upon　her；　and　said　he　had　neither
thrashing…floor　nor　wine…press；　whence　he　might　give　her　any
thing　at　her　petition。　Upon　which　she　said　she　did　not　desire　his
aid　in　any　such　thing；　nor　trouble　him　about　food；　but　desired
that　he　would　do　her　justice　as　to　another　woman。　And　when　be
bade　her　say　on；　and　let　him　know　what　she　desired；　she　said　she
had　made　an　agreement　with　the　other　woman　who　was　her　neighbor
and　her　friend；　that　because　the　famine　and　want　was　intolerable；
they　should　kill　their　children；　each　of　them　having　a　son　of
their　own；　and　we　will　live　upon　them　ourselves　for　two　days；　the
one　day　upon　one　son；　and　the　other　day　upon　the　other；　and；〃
said　she；　I　have　killed　my　son　the　first　day；　and　we　lived　upon
my　son　yesterday；　but　this　other　woman　will　not　do　the　same
thing；　but　hath　broken　her　agreement；　and　hath　hid　her　son。〃　This
story　mightily　grieved　Joram　when　he　heard　it；　so　he　rent　his
garment；　and　cried　out　with　a　loud　voice；　and　conceived　great
wrath　against　Elisha　the　prophet；　and　set　himself　eagerly　to　have
him　slain；　because　he　did　not　pray　to　God　to　provide　them　some
exit　and　way　of　escape　out　of　the　miseries　with　which　they　were
surrounded；　and　sent　one　away　immediately　to　cut　off　his　head；
who　made　haste　to　kill　the　prophet。　But　Elisha　was　not
unacquainted　with　the　wrath　of　the　king　against　him；　for　as　he
sat　in　his　house　by　himself；　with　none　but　his　disciples　about
him；　he　told　them　that　Joram；　（10）　who　was　the　son　of　a　murderer；
had　sent　one　to　take　away　his　head；　〃but；〃　said　he；　〃when　he　that
is　commanded　to　do　this　comes；　take　care　that　you　do　not　let　him
come　in；　but　press　the　door　against　him；　and　hold　him　fast　there；
for　the　king　himself　will　follow　him；　and　come　to　me；　having
altered　his　mind。〃　Accordingly；　they　did　as　they　were　bidden；
when　he　that　was　sent　by　the　king　to　kill　Elisha　came。　But　Joram
repented　of　his　wrath　against　the　prophet；　and　for　fear　he　that
was　commanded　to　kill　him　should　have　done　it　before　he　came；　he
made　haste　to　hinder　his　slaughter；　and　to　save　the　prophet：　and
when　he　came　to　him；　he　accused　him　that　he　did　not　pray　to　God
for　their　deliverance　from　the　miseries　they　now　lay　under；　but
saw　them　so　sadly　destroyed　by　them。　Hereupon　Elisha　promised；
that　the　very　next　day；　at　the　very　same　hour　in　which　the　king
came　to　him；　they　should　have　great　plenty　of　food；　and　that　two
seahs　of　barley　should　be　sold　in　the　market　for　a　shekel；　and　a
seah　of　fine　flour　should　be　sold　for　a　shekel。　This　prediction
made　Joram；　and　those　that　were　present；　very　joyful；　for　they
did　not　scruple　believing　what　the　prophet　said；　on　account　of
the　experience　they　had　of　the　truth　of　his　former　predictions；
and　the　expectation　of　plenty　made　the　want　they　were　in　that
day；　with　the　uneasiness　that　accompanied　it；　appear　a　light
thing　to　them：　but　the　captain　of　the　third　band；　who　was　a
friend　of　the　king；　and　on　whose　hand　the　king　leaned；　said；
〃Thou　talkest　of　incredible　things；　O　prophet！　for　as　it　is
impossible　for　God　to　pour　down　torrents　of　barley；　or　fine
flour；　out　of　heaven；　so　is　it　impossible　that　what　thou　sayest
should　come　to　pass。〃　To　which　the　prophet　made　this　reply；〃　Thou
shalt　see　these　things　come　to　pass；　but　thou　shalt　not　be　in　the
least　a　partaker　of　them。〃

5。　Now　what　Elisha　had　thus　foretold　came　to　pass　in　the　manner
following：　There　was　a　law　at　Samaria　（11）　that　those　that　had
the　leprosy；　and　whose　bodies　were　not　cleansed　from　it；　should
abide　without　the　city：　and　there　were　four　men　that　on　this
account　abode　before　the　gates；　while　nobody　gave　them　any　food；
by　reason　of　the　extremity　of　the　famine；　and　as　they　were
prohibited　from　entering　into　the　city　by　the　law；　and　they
considered　that　if　they　were　permitted　to　enter；　they　should
miserably　perish　by　the　famine；　as　also；　that　if　they　staid　where
they　were；　they　should　suffer　in　the　same　manner；　…　they　resolved
to　deliver　themselves　up　to　the　enemy；　that　in　case　they　should
spare　them；　they　should　live；　but　if　they　should　be　killed；　that
would　be　an　easy　death。　So　when　they　had　confirmed　this　their
resolution；　they　came　by　night　to　the　enemy's　camp。　Now　God　had
begun　to　affright　and　disturb　the　Syrians；　and