the antiquities of the jews-1-第79章

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to　be　contented　with　an　inclination　to　get　clear　of　your　lords
and　masters；　while　you　still　do　what　will　procure　your
continuance　under　them。　Be　righteous　then；　and　cast　wickedness
out　of　your　souls；　and　by　your　worship　supplicate　the　Divine
Majesty　with　all　your　hearts；　and　persevere　in　the　honor　you　pay
to　him；　for　if　you　act　thus；　you　will　enjoy　prosperity；　you　will
be　freed　from　your　slavery；　and　will　get　the　victory　over　your
enemies：　which　blessings　it　is　not　possible　you　should　attain；
either　by　weapons　of　war；　or　by　the　strength　of　your　bodies；　or
by　the　multitude　of　your　assistants；　for　God　has　not　promised　to
grant　these　blessings　by　those　means；　but　by　being　good　and
righteous　men；　and　if　you　will　be　such；　I　will　be　security　to　you
for　the　performance　of　God's　promises。〃　When　Samuel　had　said
thus；　the　multitude　applauded　his　discourse；　and　were　pleased
with　his　exhortation　to　them；　and　gave　their　consent　to　resign
themselves　up　to　do　what　was　pleasing　to　God。　So　Samuel　gathered
them　together　to　a　certain　city　called　Mizpeh；　which；　in　the
Hebrew　tongue；　signifies　a　watch…tower；　there　they　drew　water；
and　poured　it　out　to　God；　and　fasted　all　day；　and　betook
themselves　to　their　prayers。

2。　This　their　assembly　did　not　escape　the　notice　of　the
Philistines：　so　when　they　had　learned　that　so　large　a　company　had
met　together；　they　fell　upon　the　Hebrews　with　a　great　army　and
mighty　forces；　as　hoping　to　assault　them　when　they　did　not　expect
it；　nor　were　prepared　for　it。　This　thing　affrighted　the　Hebrews；
and　put　them　into　disorder　and　terror；　so　they　came　running　to
Samuel；　and　said　that　their　souls　were　sunk　by　their　fears；　and
by　the　former　defeat　they　had　received；　and　〃that　thence　it　was
that　we　lay　still；　lest　we　should　excite　the　power　of　our　enemies
against　us。　Now　while　thou　hast　brought　us　hither　to　offer　up　our
prayers　and　sacrifices；　and　take　oaths　＇to　be　obedient＇；　our
enemies　are　making　an　expedition　against　us；　while　we　are　naked
and　unarmed；　wherefore　we　have　no　other　hope　of　deliverance　but
that　by　thy　means；　and　by　the　assistance　God　shall　afford　us　upon
thy　prayers　to　him；　we　shall　obtain　deliverance　from　the
Philistines。〃　Hereupon　Samuel　bade　them　be　of　good　cheer；　and
promised　them　that　God　would　assist　them；　and　taking　a　sucking
lamb；　he　sacrificed　it　for　the　multitude；　and　besought　God　to
hold　his　protecting　hand　over　them　when　they　should　fight　with
the　Philistines；　and　not　to　overlook　them；　nor　suffer　them　to
come　under　a　second　misfortune。　Accordingly　God　hearkened　to　his
prayers；　and　accepting　their　sacrifice　with　a　gracious　intention；
and　such　as　was　disposed　to　assist　them；　he　granted　them　victory
and　power　over　their　enemies。　Now　while　the　altar　had　the
sacrifice　of　God　upon　it；　and　had　not　yet　consumed　it　wholly　by
its　sacred　fire；　the　enemy's　army　marched　out　of　their　camp；　and
was　put　in　order　of　battle；　and　this　in　hope　that　they　should　be
conquerors；　since　the　Jews　（5）　were　caught　in　distressed
circumstances；　as　neither　having　their　weapons　with　them；　nor
being　assembled　there　in　order　to　fight。　But　things　so　fell　out；
that　they　would　hardly　have　been　credited　though　they　had　been
foretold　by　anybody：　for；　in　the　first　place；　God　disturbed　their
enemies　with　an　earthquake；　and　moved　the　ground　under　them　to
such　a　degree；　that　he　caused　it　to　tremble；　and　made　them　to
shake；　insomuch　that　by　its　trembling；　he　made　some　unable　to
keep　their　feet；　and　made　them　fall　down；　and　by　opening　its
chasms；　he　caused　that　others　should　be　hurried　down　into　them；
after　which　he　caused　such　a　noise　of　thunder　to　come　among　them；
and　made　fiery　lightning　shine　so　terribly　round　about　them；　that
it　was　ready　to　burn　their　faces；　and　he　so　suddenly　shook　their
weapons　out　of　their　hands；　that　he　made　them　fly　and　return　home
naked。　So　Samuel　with　the　multitude　pursued　them　to　Bethcar；　a
place　so　called；　and　there　he　set　up　a　stone　as　a　boundary　of
their　victory　and　their　enemies'　flight；　and　called　it　the　Stone
of　Power；　as　a　signal　of　that　power　God　had　given　them　against
their　enemies。

3。　So　the　Philistines；　after　this　stroke；　made　no　more
expeditions　against　the　Israelites；　but　lay　still　out　of　fear；
and　out　of　remembrance　of　what　had　befallen　them；　and　what
courage　the　Philistines　had　formerly　against　the　Hebrews；　that；
after　this　victory；　was　transferred　to　the　Hebrews。　Samuel　also
made　an　expedition　against　the　Philistines；　and　slew　many　of
them；　and　entirely　humbled　their　proud　hearts；　and　took　from　them
that　country；　which；　when　they　were　formerly　conquerors　in
battle；　they　had　cut　off　from　the　Jews；　which　was　the　country
that　extended　from　the　borders　of　Gath　to　the　city　of　Ekron：　but
the　remains　of　the　Canaanites　were　at　this　time　in　friendship
with　the　Israelites。

CHAPTER　3。

How　Samuel　When　He　Was　So　Infirm　With　Old　Age　That　He　Could　Not
Take　Care　Of　The　Public　Affairs　Intrusted　Them　To　His　Sons；　And
How　Upon　The　Evil　Administration　Of　The　Government　By　Them　The
Multitude　Were　So　Angry；　That　They　Required　To　Have　A　King　To
Govern　Them；　Although　Samuel　Was　Much　Displeased　Thereat。

1。　But　Samuel　the　prophet；　when　he　had　ordered　the　affairs　of　the
people　after　a　convenient　manner；　and　had　appointed　a　city　for
every　district　of　them；　he　commanded　them　to　come　to　such　cities；
to　have　the　controversies　that　they　had　one　with　another
determined　in　them；　he　himself　going　over　those　cities　twice　in　a
year；　and　doing　them　justice；　and　by　that　means　he　kept　them　in
very　good　order　for　a　long　time。

2。　But　afterwards　he　found　himself　oppressed　with　old　age；　and
not　able　to　do　what　he　used　to　do；　so　he　committed　the　government
and　the　care　of　the　multitude　to　his　sons；　…　the　elder　of　whom
was　called　Joel；　and　the　name　of　the　younger　was　Abiah。　He　also
enjoined　them　to　reside　and　judge　the　people；　the　one　at　the　city
of　Bethel；　and　the　other　at　Beersheba；　and　divided　the　people
into　districts　that　should　be　under　the　jurisdiction　of　each　of
them。　Now　these　men　afford　us　an　evident　example　and
demonstration　how　some　children　are　not　of　the　like　dispositions
with　their　parents；　but　sometimes　perhaps　good　and　moderate；
though　born　of　wicked　parents；　and　sometimes　showing　themselves
to　be　wicked；　though　born　of　good　parents：　for　these　men　turning
aside　from　their　father's　good　courses；　and　taking　a　course　that
was　contrary　to　them；　perverted　justice　for　the　'filthy　lucre　of
gifts　and　bribes；　and　made　their　determinations　not　according　to
truth；　but　according　to　bribery；　and　turned　aside　to　luxury；　and
a　costly　way　of　living；　so　that　as；　in　the　first　place；　they
practiced　what　was　contrary　to　the　will　of　God；　so　did　they；　in
the　second　place；　what　was　contrary　to　the　will　of　the　prophet
their　father；　who　had　taken　a　great　deal　of　care；　and　made　a　very
careful　provision　that　the　multitude　should　be　righteous。

3。　But　the　people；　upon　these　injuries　offered　to　their　former
constitution　and　government　by　the　prophet's　sons；　were　very
uneasy　at　their　actions；　and　came　running　to　the　prophet；　who
then　lived　at　the　city　Ramah；　and　informed　him　of　the
transgressions　of　his　sons；　and　said；　That　as　he　was　himself　old
already；　and　too　infirm　by　that　age　of　his　to　oversee　their
affairs　in　the　manner　he　used　to　do；　so　they　begged　of　him；　and
entreated　him；　to　appoint　some　person　to　be　king　over　them；　who
might　rule　over　the　nation；　and　avenge　them　of　the　Philistines；
who　ought　to　be　punished　for　their　former　oppressions。　These
words　greatly　afflicted　Samuel；　on　account　of　his　innate　love　of
justice；　and　his　hatred　to　kingly　government；　for　he　was　very
fond　of　an　aristocracy；　as　what　made　the　men　that　used　it　of　a
divine　and　happy　disposition；　nor　could　he　either　think　of　eating
or　sleeping；　out　of　his　concern　and　torment　of　mind　at　what　they
had　said；　but　all　the　night　long　did　he　continue　awake　and
revolved　these　notions　in　his　mind。

4。　While　he　was　thus　disposed；　God　appeared　to　him；　and　comforted
him；　saying；　That　he　ought　not　to　be　uneasy　at　what　the　multitude
desired；　because　it　was　not　he；　but　Himself　whom　they　so
insolently　despised；　and　would　not　have　to　be　alone　their　king；
that　they