the antiquities of the jews-1-第87章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


his　eldest　brother；　reproved　him；　and　said　that　he　spoke　too
rashly　and　improperly　for　one　of　his　age；　and　bid　him　go　to　his
flocks；　and　to　his　father。　So　he　was　abashed　at　his　brother's
words；　and　went　away；　but　still　he　spake　to　some　of　the　soldiers
that　he　was　willing　to　fight　with　him　that　challenged　them。　And
when　they　had　informed　Saul　what　was　the　resolution　of　the　young
man；　the　king　sent　for　him　to　come　to　him：　and　when　the　king
asked　what　he　had　to　say；　he　replied；　〃O　king；　be　not　cast　down；
nor　afraid；　for　I　will　depress　the　insolence　of　this　adversary；
and　will　go　down　and　fight　with　him；　and　will　bring　him　under　me；
as　tall　and　as　great　as　he　is；　till　he　shall　be　sufficiently
laughed　at；　and　thy　army　shall　get　great　glory；　when　he　shall　be
slain　by　one　that　is　not　yet　of　man's　estate；　neither　fit　for
fighting；　nor　capable　of　being　intrusted　with　the　marshalling　an
army；　or　ordering　a　battle；　but　by　one　that　looks　like　a　child；
and　is　really　no　elder　in　age　than　a　child。〃

3。　Now　Saul　wondered　at　the　boldness　and　alacrity　of　David；　but
durst　not　presume　on　his　ability；　by　reason　of　his　age；　but　said
he　must　on　that　account　be　too　weak　to　fight　with　one　that　was
skilled　in　the　art　of　war。　〃I　undertake　this　enterprise；〃　said
David；　〃in　dependence　on　God's　being　with　me；　for　I　have　had
experience　already　of　his　assistance；　for　I　once　pursued　after
and　caught　a　lion　that　assaulted　my　flocks；　and　took　away　a　lamb
from　them；　and　I　snatched　the　lamb　out　of　the　wild　beast's　mouth；
and　when　he　leaped　upon　me　with　violence；　I　took　him　by　the　tail；
and　dashed　him　against　the　ground。　In　the　same　manner　did　I
avenge　myself　on　a　bear　also；　and　let　this　adversary　of　ours　be
esteemed　like　one　of　these　wild　beasts；　since　he　has　a　long　while
reproached　our　army；　and　blasphemed　our　God；　who　yet　will　reduce
him　under　my　power。〃

4。　However；　Saul　prayed　that　the　end　might　be；　by　God's
assistance；　not　disagreeable　to　the　alacrity　and　boldness　of　the
child；　and　said；　〃Go　thy　way　to　the　fight。〃　So　he　put　about　him
his　breastplate；　and　girded　on　his　sword；　and　fitted　the　helmet
to　his　head；　and　sent　him　away。　But　David　was　burdened　with　his
armor；　for　he　had　not　been　exercised　to　it；　nor　had　he　learned　to
walk　with　it；　so　he　said；　〃Let　this　armor　be　thine；　O　king；　who
art　able　to　bear　it；　but　give　me　leave　to　fight　as　thy　servant；
and　as　I　myself　desire。〃　Accordingly　he　laid　by　the　armor；　and
taking　his　staff　with　him；　and　putting　five　stones　out　of　the
brook　into　a　shepherd's　bag；　and　having　a　sling　in　his　right
hand；　he　went　towards　Goliath。　But　the　adversary　seeing　him　come
in　such　a　manner；　disdained　him；　and　jested　upon　him；　as　if　he
had　not　such　weapons　with　him　as　are　usual　when　one　man　fights
against　another；　but　such　as　are　used　in　driving　away　and
avoiding　of　dogs；　and　said；　〃Dost　thou　take　me　not　for　a　man；　but
a　dog？〃　To　which　he　replied；　〃No；　not　for　a　dog；　but　for　a
creature　worse　than　a　dog。〃　This　provoked　Goliath　to　anger；　who
thereupon　cursed　him　by　the　name　of　God；　and　threatened　to　give
his　flesh　to　the　beasts　of　the　earth；　and　to　the　fowls　of　the
air；　to　be　torn　in　pieces　by　them。　To　whom　David　answered；　Thou
comest　to　me　with　a　sword；　and　with　a　spear；　and　with　a
breastplate；　but　I　have　God　for　my　armor　in　coming　against　thee；
who　will　destroy　thee　and　all　thy　army　by　my　hands　for　I　will
this　day　cut　off　thy　head；　and　cast　the　other　parts　of　thy　body
to　the　dogs；　and　all　men　shall　learn　that　God　is　the　protector　of
the　Hebrews；　and　that　our　armor　and　our　strength　is　in　his
providence；　and　that　without　God's　assistance；　all　other　warlike
preparations　and　power　are　useless。〃　So　the　Philistine　being
retarded　by　the　weight　of　his　armor；　when　he　attempted　to　meet
David　in　haste；　came　on　but　slowly；　as　despising　him；　and
depending　upon　it　that　he　should　slay　him；　who　was　both　unarmed
and　a　child　also；　without　any　trouble　at　all。

5。　But　the　youth　met　his　antagonist；　being　accompanied　with　an
invisible　assistant；　who　was　no　other　than　God　himself。　And
taking　one　of　the　stones　that　he　had　out　of　the　brook；　and　had
put　into　his　shepherd's　bag；　and　fitting　it　to　his　sling；　he
slang　it　against　the　Philistine。　This　stone　fell　upon　his
forehead；　and　sank　into　his　brain；　insomuch　that　Goliath　was
stunned；　and　fell　upon　his　face。　So　David　ran；　and　stood　upon　his
adversary　as　he　lay　down；　and　cut　off　his　head　with　his　own
sword；　for　he　had　no　sword　himself。　And　upon　the　fall　of　Goliath
the　Philistines　were　beaten；　and　fled；　for　when　they　saw　their
champion　prostrate　on　the　ground；　they　were　afraid　of　the　entire
issue　of　their　affairs；　and　resolved　not　to　stay　any　longer；　but
committed　themselves　to　an　ignominious　and　indecent　flight；　and
thereby　endeavored　to　save　themselves　from　the　dangers　they　were
in。　But　Saul　and　the　entire　army　of　the　Hebrews　made　a　shout；　and
rushed　upon　them；　and　slew　a　great　number　of　them；　and　pursued
the　rest　to　the　borders　of　Garb；　and　to　the　gates　of　Ekron；　so
that　there　were　slain　of　the　Philistines　thirty　thousand；　and
twice　as　many　wounded。　But　Saul　returned　to　their　camp；　and
pulled　their　fortification　to　pieces；　and　burnt　it；　but　David
carried　the　head　of　Goliath　into　his　own　tent；　but　dedicated　his
sword　to　God　＇at　the　tabernacle＇。

CHAPTER　10。

Saul　Envies　David　For　His　Glorious　Success；　And　Takes　An　Occasion
Of　Entrapping　Him；　From　The　Promise　He　Made　Him　Of　Giving　Him　His
Daughter　In　Marriage；　But　This　Upon　Condition　Of　His　Bringing　Him
Six　Hundred　Heads　Of　The　Philistines。

1。　Now　the　women　were　an　occasion　of　Saul's　envy　and　hatred　to
David；　for　they　came　to　meet　their　victorious　army　with　cymbals；
and　drums；　and　all　demonstrations　of　joy；　and　sang　thus：　The
wives　said；　that　〃Saul　had　slain　his　many　thousands　of　the
Philistines。〃　The　virgins　replied；　that　〃David　had　slain　his　ten
thousands。〃　Now；　when　the　king　heard　them　singing　thus；　and　that
he　had　himself　the　smallest　share　in　their　commendations；　and　the
greater　number；　the　ten　thousands；　were　ascribed　to　the　young
man；　and　when　he　considered　with　himself　that　there　was　nothing
more　wanting　to　David；　after　such　a　mighty　applause；　but　the
kingdom；　he　began　to　be　afraid　and　suspicious　of　David。
Accordingly　he　removed　him　from　the　station　he　was　in　before；　for
he　was　his　armor…bearer；　which；　out　of　fear；　seemed　to　him　much
too　near　a　station　for　him；　and　so　he　made　him　captain　over　a
thousand；　and　bestowed　on　him　a　post　better　indeed　in　itself；
but；　as　he　thought；　more　for　his　own　security；　for　he　had　a　mind
to　send　him　against　the　enemy；　and　into　battles；　as　hoping　he
would　be　slain　in　such　dangerous　conflicts。

2。　But　David　had　God　going　along　with　him　whithersoever　he　went；
and　accordingly　he　greatly　prospered　in　his　undertakings；　and　it
was　visible　that　he　had　mighty　success；　insomuch　that　Saul's
daughter；　who　was　still　a　virgin；　fell　in　love　with　him；　and　her
affection　so　far　prevailed　over　her；　that　it　could　not　be
concealed；　and　her　father　became　acquainted　with　it。　Now　Saul
heard　this　gladly；　as　intending　to　make　use　of　it　for　a　snare
against　David；　and　he　hoped　that　it　would　prove　the　cause　of
destruction　and　of　hazard　to　him；　so　he　told　those　that　informed
him　of　his　daughter's　affection；　that　he　would　willingly　give
David　the　virgin　in　marriage；　and　said；　〃I　engage　myself　to　marry
my　daughter　to　him　if　he　will　bring　me　six　hundred　heads　of　my
enemies　（17）　supposing　that　when　a　reward　so　ample　was　proposed
to　him；　and　when　he　should　aim　to　get　him　great　glory；　by
undertaking　a　thing　so　dangerous　and　incredible；　he　would
immediately　set　about　it；　and　so　perish　by　the　Philistines；　and
my　designs　about　him　will　succeed　finely　to　my　mind；　for　I　shall
be　freed　from　him；　and　get　him　slain；　not　by　myself；　but　by
another　man。〃　So　he　gave　order　to　his　servants　to　try　how　David
would　relish　this　proposal　of　marrying　the　damsel。　Accordingly；
they　began　to　speak　thus　to　him：　That　king　Saul　loved　him；　as
well　as　did　all　the　people；　and　that　he　was　desirous　of　his
affinity　by　the　marriage　of　this　damsel。　To　which　he　gave　this
answer：　…　〃Seemeth　it　to　you　a　light　thing　to　be　made　the　king's
son…in…law？　It　does　not　seem