the antiquities of the jews-1-第51章

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western　coast。

3。　When　matters　were　come　to　this　state；　Og；　the　king　of　Gilead
and　Gaulanitis；　fell　upon　the　Israelites。　He　brought　an　army　with
him；　and　in　haste　to　the　assistance　of　his　friend　Sihon：　but
though　he　found　him　already　slain；　yet　did　he　resolve　still　to
come　and　fight　the　Hebrews；　supposing　he　should　be　too　hard　for
them；　and　being　desirous　to　try　their　valor；　but　failing　of　his
hope；　he　was　both　himself　slain　in　the　battle；　and　all　his　army
was　destroyed。　So　Moses　passed　over　the　river　Jabbok；　and　overran
the　kingdom　of　Og。　He　overthrew　their　cities；　and　slew　all　their
inhabitants；　who　yet　exceeded　in　riches　all　the　men　in　that　part
of　the　continent；　on　account　of　the　goodness　of　the　soil；　and　the
great　quantity　of　their　wealth。　Now　Og　had　very　few　equals；
either　in　the　largeness　of　his　body；　or　handsomeness　of　his
appearance。　He　was　also　a　man　of　great　activity　in　the　use　of　his
hands；　so　that　his　actions　were　not　unequal　to　the　vast　largeness
and　handsome　appearance　of　his　body。　And　men　could　easily　guess
at　his　strength　and　magnitude　when　they　took　his　bed　at　Rabbath；
the　royal　city　of　the　Ammonites；　its　structure　was　of　iron；　its
breadth　four　cubits；　and　its　length　a　cubit　more　than　double
thereto。　However；　his　fall　did　not　only　improve　the　circumstances
of　the　Hebrews　for　the　present；　but　by　his　death　he　was　the
occasion　of　further　good　success　to　them；　for　they　presently　took
those　sixty　cities；　which　were　encompassed　with　excellent　walls；
and　had　been　subject　to　him；　and　all　got　both　in　general　and　in
particular　a　great　prey。

CHAPTER　6。

Concerning　Balaam　The　Prophet　And　What　Kind　Of　Man　He　Was；

1。　Now　Moses；　when　he　had　brought　his　army　to　Jordan；　pitched　his
camp　in　the　great　plain　over　against　Jericho。　This　city　is　a　very
happy　situation；　and　very　fit　for　producing　palm…trees　and
balsam。　And　now　the　Israelites　began　to　be　very　proud　of
themselves；　and　were　very　eager　for　fighting。　Moses　then；　after
he　had　offered　for　a　few　days　sacrifices　of　thanksgiving　to　God；
and　feasted　the　people；　sent　a　party　of　armed　men　to　lay　waste
the　country　of　the　Midianites；　and　to　take　their　cities。　Now　the
occasion　which　he　took　for　making　war　upon　them　was　this　that
follows　：

2。　When　Balak；　the　king　of　the　Moabites；　who　had　from　his
ancestors　a　friendship　and　league　with　the　Midianites；　saw　how
great　the　Israelites　were　grown；　he　was　much　affrighted　on
account　of　his　own　and　his　kingdom's　danger；　for　he　was　not
acquainted　with　this；　that　the　Hebrews　would　not　meddle　with　any
other　country；　but　were　to　be　contented　with　the　possession　of
the　land　of　Canaan；　God　having　forbidden　them　to　go　any　farther
（7）　So　he；　with　more　haste　than　wisdom；　resolved　to　make　an
attempt　upon　them　by　words；　but　he　did　not　judge　it　prudent　to
fight　against　them；　after　they　had　such　prosperous　successes；　and
even　became　out　of　ill　successes　more　happy　than　before；　but　he
thought　to　hinder　them；　if　he　could；　from　growing　greater；　and　so
he　resolved　to　send　ambassadors　to　the　Midianites　about　them。　Now
these　Midianites　knowing　there　was　one　Balaam；　who　lived　by
Euphrates；　and　was　the　greatest　of　the　prophets　at　that　time；　and
one　that　was　in　friendship　with　them；　sent　some　of　their
honorable　princes　along　with　the　ambassadors　of　Balak；　to　entreat
the　prophet　to　come　to　them；　that　he　might　imprecate　curses　to
the　destruction　of　the　Israelites。　So　Balsam　received　the
ambassadors；　and　treated　them　very　kindly；　and　when　he　had
supped；　he　inquired　what　was　God's　will；　and　what　this　matter　was
for　which　the　Midianites　entreated　him　to　come　to　them。　But　when
God　opposed　his　going；　he　came　to　the　ambassadors；　and　told　them
that　he　was　himself　very　willing　and　desirous　to　comply　with
their　request；　but　informed　them　that　God　was　opposite　to　his
intentions；　even　that　God　who　had　raised　him　to　great　reputation
on　account　of　the　truth　of　his　predictions；　for　that　this　army；
which　they　entreated　him　to　come　and　curse；　was　in　the　favor　of
God；　on　which　account　he　advised　them　to　go　home　again；　and　not
to　persist　in　their　enmity　against　the　Israelites；　and　when　he
had　given　them　that　answer；　he　dismissed　the　ambassadors。

3。　Now　the　Midianites；　at　the　earnest　request　and　fervent
entreaties　of　Balak；　sent　other　ambassadors　to　Balaam；　who；
desiring　to　gratify　the　men；　inquired　again　of　God；　but　he　was
displeased　at　＇second＇　trial　（8）　and　bid　him　by　no　means　to
contradict　the　ambassadors。　Now　Balsam　did　not　imagine　that　God
gave　this　injunction　in　order　to　deceive　him；　so　he　went　along
with　the　ambassadors；　but　when　the　divine　angel　met　him　in　the
way；　when　he　was　in　a　narrow　passage；　and　hedged　in　with　a　wall
on　both　sides；　the　ass　on　which　Balaam　rode　understood　that　it
was　a　divine　spirit　that　met　him；　and　thrust　Balaam　to　one　of　the
walls；　without　regard　to　the　stripes　which　Balaam；　when　he　was
hurt　by　the　wall；　gave　her；　but　when　the　ass；　upon　the　angel's
continuing　to　distress　her；　and　upon　the　stripes　which　were　given
her；　fell　down；　by　the　will　of　God；　she　made　use　of　the　voice　of
a　man；　and　complained　of　Balaam　as　acting　unjustly　to　her；　that
whereas　he　had　no　fault　find　with　her　in　her　former　service　to
him；　he　now　inflicted　stripes　upon　her；　as　not　understanding　that
she　was　hindered　from　serving　him　in　what　he　was　now　going　about；
by　the　providence　of　God。　And　when　he　was　disturbed　by　reason　of
the　voice　of　the　ass；　which　was　that　of　a　man；　the　angel　plainly
appeared　to　him；　and　blamed　him　for　the　stripes　he　had　given　his
ass；　and　informed　him　that　the　brute　creature　was　not　in　fault；
but　that　he　was　himself　come　to　obstruct　his　journey；　as　being
contrary　to　the　will　of　God。　Upon　which　Balaam　was　afraid；　and
was　preparing　to　return　back　again：　yet　did　God　excite　him　to　go
on　his　intended　journey；　but　added　this　injunction；　that　he
should　declare　nothing　but　what　he　himself　should　suggest　to　his
mind。

4。　When　God　had　given　him　this　charge；　he　came　to　Balak；　and　when
the　king　had　entertained　him　in　a　magnificent　manner；　he　desired
him　to　go　to　one　of　the　mountains　to　take　a　view　of　the　state　of
the　camp　of　the　Hebrews。　Balak　himself　also　came　to　the　mountain；
and　brought　the　prophet　along　with　him；　with　a　royal　attendance。
This　mountain　lay　over　their　heads；　and　was　distant　sixty
furlongs　from　the　camp。　Now　when　he　saw　them；　he　desired　the　king
to　build　him　seven　altars；　and　to　bring　him　as　many　bulls　and
rams；　to　which　desire　the　king　did　presently　conform。　He　then
slew　the　sacrifices；　and　offered　them　as　burnt…offerings；　that　he
might　observe　some　signal　of　the　flight　of　the　Hebrews。　Then　said
he；　〃Happy　is　this　people；　on　whom　God　bestows　the　possession　of
innumerable　good　things；　and　grants　them　his　own　providence　to　be
their　assistant　and　their　guide；　so　that　there　is　not　any　nation
among　mankind　but　you　will　be　esteemed　superior　to　them　in
virtue；　and　in　the　earnest　prosecution　of　the　best　rules　of　life；
and　of　such　as　are　pure　from　wickedness；　and　will　leave　those
rules　to　your　excellent　children；　and　this　out　of　the　regard　that
God　bears　to　you；　and　the　provision　of　such　things　for　you　as　may
render　you　happier　than　any　other　people　under　the　sun。　You　shall
retain　that　land　to　which　he　hath　sent　you；　and　it　shall　ever　be
under　the　command　of　your　children；　and　both　all　the　earth；　as
well　as　the　seas；　shall　be　filled　with　your　glory：　and　you　shall
be　sufficiently　numerous　to　supply　the　world　in　general；　and
every　region　of　it　in　particular；　with　inhabitants　out　of　your
stock。　However；　O　blessed　army！　wonder　that　you　are　become　so
many　from　one　father：　and　truly；　the　land　of　Canaan　can　now　hold
you；　as　being　yet　comparatively　few；　but　know　ye　that　the　whole
world　is　proposed　to　be　your　place　of　habitation　for　ever。　The
multitude　of　your　posterity　also　shall　live　as　well　in　the
islands　as　on　the　continent；　and　that　more　in　number　than　are　the
stars　of　heaven。　And　when　you　are　become　so　many；　God　will　not
relinquish　the　care　of　you；　but　will　afford　you　an　abundance　of
all　good　things　in　times　of　peace；　with　victory　and　dominion　in
times　of　war。　May　the　children　of　your　enemies　have　an
inclination　to　fight　against　y