at David; and he appeared to Nathan the prophet in his sleep, and
complained of the king. Now Nathan was a fair and prudent man; and
considering that kings, when they fall into a passion, are guided more
by that passion than they are by justice, he resolved to conceal the
threatenings that proceeded from God, and made a good-natured discourse
to him, and this after the manner following:—He desired that the king
would give him his opinion in the following case:—"There were," said he,
"two men inhabiting the same city, the one of them was rich, and [the
other poor]. The rich man had a great many flocks of cattle, of sheep,
and of kine; but the poor man had but one ewe lamb. This he brought up
with his children, and let her eat her food with them; and he had the
same natural affection for her which any one might have for a daughter.
Now upon the coming of a stranger to the rich man, he would not
vouchsafe to kill any of his own flocks, and thence feast his friend;
but he sent for the poor man's lamb, and took her away from him, and
made her ready for food, and thence feasted the stranger." This
discourse troubled the king exceedingly; and he denounced to Nathan,
that "this man was a wicked man who could dare to do such a thing; and
that it was but just that he should restore the lamb fourfold, and be
punished with death for it also." Upon this Nathan immediately said that
he was himself the man who ought to suffer those punishments, and that
by his own sentence; and that it was he who had perpetrated this 'great
and horrid crime.' He also revealed to him, and laid before him, the
anger of God against him, who had made him king over the army of the
Hebrews, and lord of all the nations, and those many and great nations
round about him; who had formerly delivered him out of the hands of
Saul, and had given him such wives as he had justly and legally married;
and now this God was despised by him, and affronted by his impiety, when
he had married, and now had, another man's wife; and by exposing her
husband to the enemy, had really slain him; that God would inflict
punishments upon him on account of those instances of wickedness; that
his own wives should be forced by one of his sons; and that he should be
treacherously supplanted by the same son; and that although he had
perpetrated his wickedness secretly, yet should that punishment which he
was to undergo be inflicted publicly upon him; "that, moreover," said
he, "the child which was born to thee of her shall soon die." When the
king was troubled at these messages, and sufficiently confounded, and
said with tears and sorrow that he had sinned, [for he was without
controversy a pious man, and guilty of no sin at all in his whole life,
excepting those in the matter of Uriah,] God had compassion on him, and
was reconciled to him, and promised that he would preserve to him both
his life and his kingdom; for he said that, seeing he repented of the
things he had done, he was no longer displeased with him. So Nathan,
when he had delivered this prophecy to the king, returned home.
4. However, God sent a dangerous distemper upon the child that was born
to David of the wife of Uriah, at which the king was troubled, and did
not take any food for seven days, although his servants almost forced
him to take it; but he clothed himself in a black garment, and fell
down, and lay upon the ground in sackcloth, entrusting God for the
recovery of the child, for he vehemently loved the child's mother; but
when, on the seventh day, the child was dead, the king's servants durst
not tell him of it, as supposing that when he knew it, he would still
less admit of food, and other care of himself, by reason of his grief at
the death of his son, since when the child was only sick, he so greatly
afflicted himself, and grieved for him: but when the king perceived that
his servants were in disorder, and seemed to be affected, as those who
are very desirous to conceal something, he understood that the child was
dead; and when he had called one of his servants to him, and discovered
that so it was, he arose up and washed himself, and took a white
garment, and came into the tabernacle of God. He also commanded them to
set supper before him, and thereby greatly surprised his kindred and
servants, while he did nothing of this when the child was sick, but did
it all when he was dead. Whereupon having first begged leave to ask him
a question, they besought him to tell them the reason of this his
conduct; he then called them unskillful people, and instructed them how
he had hopes of the recovery of the child while it was alive, and
accordingly did all that was proper for him to do, as thinking by such
means to render God propitious to him; but that when the child was dead,
there was no longer any occasion for grief, which was then to no
purpose. When he had said this, they commended the king's wisdom and
understanding. He then went in unto Bathsheba his wife, and she
conceived and bare a son; and by the command of Nathan the prophet
called his name Solomon.
5. But Joab sorely distressed the Ammonites in the siege, by cutting off
their waters, and depriving them of other means of subsistence, till
they were in the greatest want of meat and drink, for they depended only
on one small well of water, and this they durst not drink of too freely,
lest the fountain should entirely fail them. So he wrote to the king,
and informed him thereof; and persuaded him to come himself to take the
city, that he might have the honor of the victory. Upon this letter of
Joab's, the king accepted of his good-will and fidelity, and took with
him his army, and came to the destruction of Rabbah; and when he had
taken it by force, he gave it to his soldiers to plunder it; but he
himself took the king of the Ammonites' crown, whose weight was a talent
of gold; 13 and it had in its middle a precious stone called a sardonyx;
which crown David ever after wore on his own head. He also found many
other vessels in the city, and those both splendid and of great price;
but as for the men, he tormented them, 14 and then destroyed them; and
when he had taken the other cities of the Ammonites by force, he treated
them after the same manner.
CHAPTER 8. How Absalom Murdered Amnon, Who Had Forced His Own Sister;
And How He Was Banished And Afterwards Recalled By David.
1. When the king was returned to Jerusalem, a sad misfortune befell his
house, on the occasion following: He had a daughter, who was yet a
virgin, and very handsome, insomuch that she surpassed all the most
beautiful women; her name was Tamar; she had the same mother with
Absalom. Now Amnon, David's eldest son, fell in love with her, and being
not able to obtain his desires, on account of her virginity, and the
custody she was under, was so much out of order, nay, his grief so eat
up his body, that he grew lean, and his color was changed. Now there was
one Jenadab, a kinsman and friend of his, who discovered this his
passion, for he was an extraordinary wise man, and of great sagacity of
mind. When, therefore, he saw that every morning Amnon was not in body
as he ought to be, he came to him, and desired him to tell him what was
the cause of it: however, he said that he guessed that it arose from the
passion of love. Amnon confessed his passion, that he was in love with a
sister of his, who had the same father with himself. So Jenadab
suggested to him by what method and contrivance he might obtain his
desires; for he persuaded him to pretend sickness, and bade him, when
his father should come to him, to beg of him that his sister might come
and minister to him; for if that were done, he should be better, and
should quickly recover from his distemper. So Amnon lay down on his bed,
and pretended to be sick, as Jonadab had suggested. When his father
came, and inquired how he did, he begged of him to send his sister to
him. Accordingly, he presently ordered her to be brought to him; and
when she was come, Amnon bade her make cakes for him, and fry them in a
pan, and do it all with her own hands, because he should take them
better from her hand [than from any one's else]. So she kneaded the
flour in the sight of her brother, and made him cakes, and baked them in
a pan, and brought them to him; but at that time he would not taste
them, but gave order to his servants to send all that were there out of
his chamber, because he had a mind to repose himself, free from tumult
and disturbance. As soon as what he had commanded was done, he desired
his sister to bring his supper to him into the inner parlor; which, when
the damsel had done, he took hold of her, and endeavored to persuade her
to lie with him. Whereupon the damsel cried out, and said, "Nay,
brother, do not force me, nor be so wicked as to transgress the laws,
and bring upon thyself the utmost confusion. Curb this thy unrighteous
and impure lust, from which our house will get nothing but reproach and
disgrace." She also advised him to speak to his father about this
affair; for he would permit him [to marry her]. This she said, as
desirous to avoid her brother's violent passion at present. But he would
not yield to her; but, inflamed with love and blinded with the vehemency
of his passion, he forced his sister: but as soon as Amnon had satisfied
his lust, he hated her immediately, and giving her reproachful words,
bade her rise up and be gone. And when she said that this was a more
injurious treatment than the former, if, now he had forced her, he would
not let her stay with him till the evening, but bid her go away in the
day- time, and while it was light, that she might meet with people that
would be witnesses of her shame,—he commanded his servant to turn her
out of his house. Whereupon she was sorely grieved at the injury and
violence that had been offered to her, and rent her loose coat, [for the
virgins of old time wore such loose coats tied at the hands, and let
down to the ankles, that the inner coats might not be seen,] and
sprinkled ashes on her head; and went up the middle of the city, crying
out and lamenting for the violence that had been offered her. Now
Absalom, her brother, happened to meet her, and asked her what sad thing
had befallen her, that she was in that plight; and when she had told him
what injury had been offered her, he comforted her, and desired her to
be quiet, and take all patiently, and not to esteem her being corrupted
by her brother as an injury. So she yielded to his advice, and left off
her crying out, and discovering the force offered her to the multitude;
and she continued as a widow with her brother Absalom a long time.
2. When David his father knew this, he was grieved at the actions of
Amnon; but because he had an extraordinary affection for him, for he was
his eldest son, he was compelled not to afflict him; but Absalom watched
for a fit opportunity of revenging this crime upon him, for he
thoroughly hated him. Now the second year after this wicked affair about
his sister was over, and Absalom was about to go to shear his own sheep
at Baalhazor, which is a city in the portion of Ephraim, he besought his
father, as well as his brethren, to come and feast with him: but when
David excused himself, as not being willing to be burdensome to him,
Absalom desired he would however send his brethren; whom he did send
accordingly. Then Absalom charged his own servants, that when they
should see Amnon disordered and drowsy with wine, and he should give
them a signal, they should fear nobody, but kill him.
3. When they had done as they were commanded, the rest of his brethren
were astonished and disturbed, and were afraid for themselves, so they
immediately got on horseback, and rode away to their father; but
somebody there was who prevented them, and told their father they were
all slain by Absalom; whereupon he was overcome with sorrow, as for so
many of his sons that were destroyed at once, and that by their brother
also; and by this consideration, that it was their brother that appeared
to have slain them, he aggravated his sorrow for them. So he neither
inquired what was the cause of this slaughter, nor staid to hear any
thing else, which yet it was but reasonable to have done, when so very
great, and by that greatness so incredible, a misfortune was related to
him: he rent his clothes and threw himself upon the ground, and there
lay lamenting the loss of all his sons, both those who, as he was
informed, were slain, and of him who slew them. But Jonadab, the son of
his brother Shemeah, entreated him not to indulge his sorrow so far, for
as to the rest of his sons he did not believe that they were slain, for
he found no cause for such a suspicion; but he said it might deserve
inquiry as to Amnon, for it was not unlikely that Absalom might venture
to kill him on account of the injury he had offered to Tamar. In the
mean time, a great noise of horses, and a tumult of some people that
were coming, turned their attention to them; they were the king's sons,
who were fled away from the feast. So their father met them as they were
in their grief, and he himself grieved with them; but it was more than
he expected to see those his sons again, whom he had a little before
heard to have perished. However, their were tears on both sides; they
lamenting their brother who was killed, and the king lamenting his son,
who was killed also; but Absalom fled to Geshur, to his grandfather by
his mother's side, who was king of that country, and he remained with
him three whole years.
4. Now David had a design to send to Absalom, not that he should come to
be punished, but that he might be with him, for the effects of his anger
were abated by length of time. It was Joab, the captain of his host,
that chiefly persuaded him so to do; for he suborned an ordinary woman,
that was stricken in age, to go to the king in mourning apparel, who
said thus to him:—That two of her sons, in a coarse way, had some
difference between them, and that in the progress of that difference
they came to an open quarrel, and that one was smitten by the other, and
was dead; and she desired him to interpose in this case, and to do her
the favor to save this her son from her kindred, who were very zealous
to have him that had slain his brother put to death, that so she might
not be further deprived of the hopes she had of being taken care of in
her old age by him; and that if he would hinder this slaughter of her
son by those that wished for it, he would do her a great favor, because
the kindred would not be restrained from their purpose by any thing else
than by the fear of him. And when the king had given his consent to what
the woman had begged of him, she made this reply to him:—"I owe thee
thanks for thy benignity to me in pitying my old age, and preventing the
loss of my only remaining child; but in order to assure me of this thy
kindness, be first reconciled to thine own son, and cease to be angry
with him; for how shall I persuade myself that thou hast really bestowed
this favor upon me, while thou thyself continuest after the like manner
in thy wrath to thine own son? for it is a foolish thing to add
willfully another to thy dead son, while the death of the other was
brought about without thy consent." And now the king perceived that this
pretended story was a subornation derived from Joab, and was of his
contrivance; and when, upon inquiry of the old woman, he understood it
to be so in reality, he called for Joab, and told him he had obtained
what he requested according to his own mind; and he bid him bring
Absalom back, for he was not now displeased, but had already ceased to
be angry with him. So Joab bowed himself down to the king, and took his
words kindly, and went immediately to Geshur, and took Absalom with him,
and came to Jerusalem.
5. However, the king sent a message to his son beforehand, as he was
coming, and commanded him to retire to his own house, for he was not yet
in such a disposition as to think fit at present to see him.
Accordingly, upon the father's command, he avoided coming into his
presence, and contented himself with the respects paid him by his own
family only. Now his beauty was not impaired, either by the grief he had
been under, or by the want of such care as was proper to be taken of a
king's son, for he still surpassed and excelled all men in the tallness
of his body, and was more eminent [in a fine appearance] than those that
dieted the most luxuriously; and indeed such was the thickness of the
hair of his head, that it was with difficulty that he was polled every
eighth day; and his hair weighed two hundred shekels 15 which are five
pounds. However, he dwelt in Jerusalem two years, and became the father
of three sons, and one daughter; which daughter was of very great
beauty, and which Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, took to wife afterward,
and had by her a son named Abijah. But Absalom sent to Joab, and desired
him to pacify his father entirely towards him; and to beseech him to
give him leave to come to him to see him, and speak with him. But when
Joab neglected so to do, he sent some of his own servants, and set fire
to the field adjoining to him; which, when Joab understood, he came to
Absalom, and accused him of what he had done; and asked him the reason
why he did so. To which Absalom replied, that "I have found out this
stratagem that might bring thee to us, while thou hast taken no care to
perform the injunction I laid upon thee, which was this, to reconcile my
father to me; and I really beg it of thee, now thou art here, to pacify
my father as to me, since I esteem my coming hither to be more grievous
than my banishment, while my father's wrath against me continues."
Hereby Joab was persuaded, and pitied the distress that Absalom was in,
and became an intercessor with the king for him. And when he had
discoursed with his father, he soon brought him to that amicable
disposition towards Absalom, that he presently sent for him to come to
him; and when he had cast himself down upon the ground, and had begged
for the forgiveness of his offenses, the king raised him up, and
promised him to forget what he had formerly done.
CHAPTER 9. Concerning The Insurrection Of Absalom Against David And
Concerning Ahithophel And Hushai; And Concerning Ziba And Shimei; And
How Ahithophel Hanged Himself.
1. Now Absalom, upon this his success with the king, procured to himself
a great many horses, and many chariots, and that in a little time also.
He had moreover fifty armor-bearers that were about him; and he came
early every day to the king's palace, and spake what was agreeable to
such as came for justice and lost their causes, as if that happened for
want of good counselors about the king, or perhaps because the judges
mistook in that unjust sentence they gave; whereby he gained the good-
will of them all. He told them, that had he but such authority committed
to him, he would distribute justice to them in a most equitable manner.
When he had made himself so popular among the multitude, he thought he
had already the good-will of the people secured to him; but when four
years 16 had passed since his father's reconciliation to him, he came to
him, and besought him to give him leave to go to Hebron, and pay a
sacrifice to God, because he vowed it to him when he fled out of the
country. So when David had granted his request, he went thither, and
great multitudes came running together to him, for he had sent to a
great number so to do.
2. Among them came Ahithophel the Gilonite, a counsellor of David's, and
two hundred men out of Jerusalem itself, who knew not his intentions,
but were sent for as to a sacrifice. So he was appointed king by all of
them, which he obtained by this stratagem. As soon as this news was
brought to David, and he was informed of what he did not expect from his
son, he was affrighted at this his impious and bold undertaking, and
wondered that he was so far from remembering how his offense had been so
lately forgiven him, that he undertook much worse and more wicked
enterprises; first, to deprive him of that kingdom which was given him
of God; and secondly, to take away his own father's life. He therefore
resolved to fly to the parts beyond Jordan: so he called his most
intimate friends together, and communicated to them all that he had
heard of his son's madness. He committed himself to God, to judge
between them about all their actions; and left the care of his royal
palace to his ten concubines, and went away from Jerusalem, being
willingly accompanied by the rest of the multitude, who went hastily
away with him, and particularly by those six hundred armed men, who had
been with him from his first flight in the days of Saul. But he
persuaded Abiathar and Zadok, the high priests, who had determined to go
away with him, as also all the Levites, who were with the ark, to stay
behind, as hoping that God would deliver him without its removal; but he
charged them to let him know privately how all things went on; and he
had their sons, Ahimmaz the son of Zadok, and Jonathan the son of
Abiathar, for faithful ministers in all things; but Ittai the Gitrite
went out with him whether David would let him or not, for he would have
persuaded him to stay, and on that account he appeared the more friendly
to him. But as he was ascending the Mount of Olives barefooted, and all
his company were in tears, it was told him that Ahithophel was with
Absalom, and was of his side. This hearing augmented his grief; and he
besought God earnestly to alienate the mind of Absalom from Ahithophel,
for he was afraid that he should persuade him to follow his pernicious
counsel, for he was a prudent man, and very sharp in seeing what was
advantageous. When David was gotten upon the top of the mountain, he
took a view of the city; and prayed to God with abundance of tears, as
having already lost his kingdom; and here it was that a faithful friend
of his, whose name was Hushai, met him. When David saw him with his
clothes rent, and having ashes all over his head, and in lamentation for
the great change of affairs, he comforted him, and exhorted him to leave
off grieving; nay, at length he besought him to go back to Absalom, and
appear as one of his party, and to fish out the secretest counsels of
his mind, and to contradict the counsels of Ahithophel, for that he
could not do him so much good by being with him as he might by being
with Absalom. So he was prevailed on by David, and left him, and came to
Jerusalem, whither Absalom himself came also a little while afterward.
3. When David was gone a little farther, there met him Ziba, the servant
of Mephibosheth, [whom he had sent to take care of the possessions which
had been given him, as the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul,] with a
couple of asses, loaden with provisions, and desired him to take as much
of them as he and his followers stood in need of. And when the king
asked him where he had left Mephibosheth, he said he had left him in
Jerusalem, expecting to be chosen king in the present confusions, in
remembrance of the benefits Saul had conferred upon them. At this the
king had great indignation, and gave to Ziba all that he had formerly
bestowed on Mephibosheth; for he determined that it was much fitter that
he should have them than the other; at which Ziba greatly rejoiced.
4. When David was at Bahurim, a place so called, there came out a
kinsman of Saul's, whose name was Shimei, and threw stones at him, and
gave him reproachful words; and as his friends stood about the king and
protected him, he persevered still more in his reproaches, and called
him a bloody man, and the author of all sorts of mischief. He bade him
also go out of the land as an impure and accursed wretch; and he thanked
God for depriving him of his kingdom, and causing him to be punished for
what injuries he had done to his master [Saul], and this by the means of
his own son. Now when they were all provoked against him, and angry at
him, and particularly Abishai, who had a mind to kill Shimei, David
restrained his anger. "Let us not," said he, "bring upon ourselves
another fresh misfortune to those we have already, for truly I have not
the least regard nor concern for this dog that raves at me: I submit
myself to God, by whose permission this man treats me in such a wild
manner; nor is it any wonder that I am obliged to undergo these abuses
from him, while I experience the like from an impious son of my own; but
perhaps God will have some commiseration upon us; if it be his will we
shall overcome them." So he went on his way without troubling himself
with Shimei, who ran along the other side of the mountain, and threw out
his abusive language plentifully. But when David was come to Jordan, he
allowed those that were with him to refresh themselves; for they were
weary.
5. But when Absalom, and Ahithophel his counselor, were come to
Jerusalem, with all the people, David's friend, Hushai, came to them;
and when he had worshipped Absalom, he withal wished that his kingdom
might last a long time, and continue for all ages. But when Absalom said
to him, "How comes this, that he who was so intimate a friend of my
father's, and appeared faithful to him in all things, is not with him
now, but hath left him, and is come over to me?" Hushai's answer was
very pertinent and prudent; for he said, "We ought to follow God and the
multitude of the people; while these, therefore, my lord and master, are
with thee, it is fit that I should follow them, for thou hast received
the kingdom from God. I will therefore, if thou believest me to be thy
friend, show the same fidelity and kindness to thee, which thou knowest
I have shown to thy father; nor is there any reason to be in the least
dissatisfied with the present state of affairs, for the kingdom is not
transferred into another, but remains still in the same family, by the
son's receiving it after his father." This speech persuaded Absalom, who
before suspected Hushai. And now he called Ahithophel, and consulted
with him what he ought to do: he persuaded him to go in unto his
father's concubines; for he said that "by this action the people would
believe that thy difference with thy father is irreconcilable, and will
thence fight with great alacrity against thy father, for hitherto they
are afraid of taking up open enmity against him, out of an expectation
that you will be reconciled again." Accordingly, Absalom was prevailed
on by this advice, and commanded his servants to pitch him a tent upon
the top of the royal palace, in the sight of the multitude; and he went
in and lay with his father's concubines. Now this came to pass according
to the prediction of Nathan, when he prophesied and signified to him
that his son would rise up in rebellion against him.
6. And when Absalom had done what he was advised to by Ahithophel, he
desired his advice, in the second place, about the war against his
father. Now Ahithophel only asked him to let him have ten thousand
chosen men, and he promised he would slay his father, and bring the
soldiers back again in safety; and he said that then the kingdom would
be firm to him when David was dead [but not otherwise]. Absalom was
pleased with this advice, and called for Hushai, David's friend [for so
did he style him]; and informing him of the opinion of Ahithophel, he
asked, further, what was his opinion concerning that matter. Now he was
sensible that if Ahithophel's counsel were followed, David would be in
danger of being seized on, and slain; so he attempted to introduce a
contrary opinion, and said, "Thou art not unacquainted, O king, with the
valor of thy father, and of those that are now with him; that he hath
made many wars, and hath always come off with victory, though probably
he now abides in the camp, for he is very skillful in stratagems, and in
foreseeing the deceitful tricks of his enemies; yet will he leave his
own soldiers in the evening, and will either hide himself in some
valley, or will place an ambush at some rock; so that when our army
joins battle with him, his soldiers will retire for a little while, but
will come upon us again, as encouraged by the king's being near them;
and in the mean time your father will show himself suddenly in the time
of the battle, and will infuse courage into his own people when they are
in danger, but bring consternation to thine. Consider, therefore, my
advice, and reason upon it, and if thou canst not but acknowledge it to
be the best, reject the opinion of Ahithophel. Send to the entire
country of the Hebrews, and order them to come and fight with thy
father; and do thou thyself take the army, and be thine own general in
this war, and do not trust its management to another; then expect to
conquer him with ease, when thou overtakest him openly with his few
partisans, but hast thyself many ten thousands, who will be desirous to
demonstrate to thee their diligence and alacrity. And if thy father
shall shut himself up in some city, and bear a siege, we will overthrow
that city with machines of war, and by undermining it." When Hushai had
said this, he obtained his point against Ahithophel, for his opinion was
preferred by Absalom before the other's: however, it was no other than
God 17 who made the counsel of Hushai appear best to the mind of
Absalom.
7. So Hushai made haste to the high priests, Zadok and Abiathar, and
told them the opinion of Ahithophel, and his own, and that the
resolution was taken to follow this latter advice. He therefore bade
them send to David, and tell him of it, and to inform him of the
counsels that had been taken; and to desire him further to pass quickly
over Jordan, lest his son should change his mind, and make haste to
pursue him, and so prevent him, and seize upon him before he be in
safety. Now the high priests had their sons concealed in a proper place
out of the city, that they might carry news to David of what was
transacted. Accordingly, they sent a maid-servant, whom they could
trust, to them, to carry the news of Absalom's counsels, and ordered
them to signify the same to David with all speed. So they made no excuse
nor delay, but taking along with them their fathers' injunctions,
because pious and faithful ministers, and judging that quickness and
suddenness was the best mark of faithful service, they made haste to
meet with David. But certain horsemen saw them when they were two
furlongs from the city, and informed Absalom of them, who immediately
sent some to take them; but when the sons of the high priest perceived
this, they went out of the road, and betook themselves to a certain
village; that village was called Bahurim; there they desired a certain
woman to hide them, and afford them security. Accordingly she let the
young men down by a rope into a well, and laid fleeces of wool over
them; and when those that pursued them came to her, and asked her
whether she saw them, she did not deny that she had seen them, for that
they staid with her some time, but she said they then went their ways;
and she foretold that, however, if they would follow them directly, they
would catch them; but when after a long pursuit they could not catch
them, they came back again; and when the woman saw those men were
returned, and that there was no longer any fear of the young men's being
caught by them, she drew them up by the rope, and bade them go on their
journey accordingly, they used great diligence in the prosecution of
that journey, and came to David, and informed him accurately of all the
counsels of Absalom. So he commanded those that were with him to pass
over Jordan while it was night, and not to delay at all on that account.
8. But Ahithophel, on rejection of his advice, got upon his ass, and
rode away to his own country, Gilon; and, calling his family together,
he told them distinctly what advice he had given Absalom; and since he
had not been persuaded by it, he said he would evidently perish, and
this in no long time, and that David would overcome him, and return to
his kingdom again; so he said it was better that he should take his own
life away with freedom and magnanimity, than expose himself to be
punished by David, in opposition to whom he had acted entirely for
Absalom. When he had discoursed thus to them, he went into the inmost
room of his house, and hanged himself; and thus was the death of
Ahithophel, who was self-condemned; and when his relations had taken him
down from the halter, they took care of his funeral. Now, as for David,
he passed over Jordan, as we have said already, and came to Mahanaim,
every fine and very strong city; and all the chief men of the country
received him with great pleasure, both out of the shame they had that he
should be forced to flee away [from Jerusalem], and out of the respect
they bare him while he was in his former prosperity. These were
Barzillai the Gileadite, and Siphar the ruler among the Ammonites, and
Machir the principal man of Gilead; and these furnished him with
plentiful provisions for himself and his followers, insomuch that they
wanted no beds nor blankets for them, nor loaves of bread, nor wine;
nay, they brought them a great many cattle for slaughter, and afforded
them what furniture they wanted for their refreshment when they were
weary, and for food, with plenty of other necessaries.
CHAPTER 10. How, When Absalom Was Beaten, He Was Caught In A Tree By His
Hair And Was Slain
1. And this was the state of David and his followers: but Absalom got
together a vast army of the Hebrews to oppose his father, and passed
therewith over the river Jordan, and sat down not far off Mahanaim, in
the country of Gilead. He appointed Amasa to be captain of all his host,
instead of Joab his kinsman: his father was Ithra and his mother
Abigail: now she and Zeruiah, the mother of Joab, were David's sisters.
But when David had numbered his followers, and found them to be about
four thousand, he resolved not to tarry till Absalom attacked him, but
set over his men captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, and
divided his army into three parts; the one part he committed to Joab,
the next to Abishai, Joab's brother, and the third to Ittai, David's
companion and friend, but one that came from the city Gath; and when he
was desirous of fighting himself among them, his friends would not let
him: and this refusal of theirs was founded upon very wise reasons:
"For," said they, "if we be conquered when he is with us, we have lost
all good hopes of recovering ourselves; but if we should be beaten in
one part of our army, the other parts may retire to him, and may thereby
prepare a greater force, while the enemy will naturally suppose that he
hath another army with him." So David was pleased with this their
advice, and resolved himself to tarry at Mahanaim; and as he sent his
friends and commanders to the battle, he desired them to show all
possible alacrity and fidelity, and to bear in mind what advantages they
had received from him, which, though they had not been very great, yet
had they not been quite inconsiderable; and he begged of them to spare
the young man Absalom, lest some mischief should befall himself, if he
should be killed; and thus did he send out his army to the battle, and
wished them victory therein.
2. Then did Joab put his army in battle-array over against the enemy in
the Great Plain, where he had a wood behind him. Absalom also brought
his army into the field to oppose him. Upon the joining of the battle,
both sides showed great actions with their hands and their boldness; the
one side exposing themselves to the greatest hazards, and using their
utmost alacrity, that David might recover his kingdom; and the other
being no way deficient, either in doing or suffering, that Absalom might
not be deprived of that kingdom, and be brought to punishment by his
father for his impudent attempt against him. Those also that were the
most numerous were solicitous that they might not be conquered by those
few that were with Joab, and with the other commanders, because that
would be the greater disgrace to them; while David's soldiers strove
greatly to overcome so many ten thousands as the enemy had with them.
Now David's men were conquerors, as superior in strength and skill in
war; so they followed the others as they fled away through the forests
and valleys; some they took prisoners, and many they slew, and more in
the flight than in the battle for there fell about twenty thousand that
day. But all David's men ran violently upon Absalom, for he was easily
known by his beauty and tallness. He was himself also afraid lest his
enemies should seize on him, so he got upon the king's mule, and fled;
but as he was carried with violence, and noise, and a great motion, as
being himself light, he entangled his hair greatly in the large boughs
of a knotty tree that spread a great way, and there he hung, after a
surprising manner; and as for the beast, it went on farther, and that
swiftly, as if his master had been still upon his back; but he, hanging
in the air upon the boughs, was taken by his enemies. Now when one of
David's soldiers saw this, he informed Joab of it; and when the general
said, that if he had shot at and killed Absalom, he would have given him
fifty shekels,—he replied, "I would not have killed my master's son if
thou wouldst have given me a thousand shekels, especially when he
desired that the young man might be spared in the hearing of us all."
But Joab bade him show him where it was that he saw Absalom hang;
whereupon he shot him to the heart, and slew him, and Joab's armor-
bearers stood round the tree, and pulled down his dead body, and cast it
into a great chasm that was out of sight, and laid a heap of stones upon
him, till the cavity was filled up, and had both the appearance and the
bigness of a grave. Then Joab sounded a retreat, and recalled his own
soldiers from pursuing the enemy's army, in order to spare their
countrymen.
3. Now Absalom had erected for himself a marble pillar in the king's
dale, two furlongs distant from Jerusalem, which he named Absalom's
Hand, saying, that if his children were killed, his name would remain by
that pillar; for he had three sons and one daughter, named Tamar, as we
said before, who when she was married to David's grandson, Rehoboam,
bare a son, Abijah by name, who succeeded his father in the kingdom; but
of these we shall speak in a part of our history which will be more
proper. After the death of Absalom, they returned every one to their own
homes respectively.
4. But now Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok the high priest, went to Joab, and
desired he would permit him to go and tell David of this victory, and to
bring him the good news that God had afforded his assistance and his
providence to him. However, he did not grant his request, but said to
him, "Wilt thou, who hast always been the messenger of good news, now go
and acquaint the king that his son is dead?" So he desired him to
desist. He then called Cushi, and committed the business to him, that he
should tell the king what he had seen. But when Ahimaaz again desired
him to let him go as a messenger, and assured him that he would only
relate what concerned the victory, but not concerning the death of
Absalom, he gave him leave to go to David. Now he took a nearer road
than the former did, for nobody knew it but himself, and he came before
Cushi. Now as David was sitting between the gates, 18 and waiting to see
when somebody would come to him from the battle, and tell him how it
went, one of the watchmen saw Ahimaaz running, and before he could
discern who he was, he told David that he saw somebody coming to him,
who said he was a good messenger. A little while after, he informed him
that another messenger followed him; whereupon the king said that he
also was a good messenger: but when the watchman saw Ahimaaz, and that
he was already very near, he gave the king notice that it was the son of
Zadok the high priest who came running. So David was very glad, and said
he was a messenger of good tidings, and brought him some such news from
the battle as he desired to hear.
5. While the king was saying thus, Ahimaaz appeared, and worshipped the
king. And when the king inquired of him about the battle, he said he
brought him the good news of victory and dominion. And when he inquired
what he had to say concerning his son, he said that he came away on the
sudden as soon as the enemy was defeated, but that he heard a great
noise of those that pursued Absalom, and that he could learn no more,
because of the haste he made when Joab sent him to inform him of the
victory. But when Cushi was come, and had worshipped him, and informed
him of the victory, he asked him about his son, who replied, "May the
like misfortune befall thine enemies as hath befallen Absalom." That
word did not permit either himself or his soldiers to rejoice for the
victory, though it was a very great one; but David went up to the
highest part of the city, 19 and wept for his son, and beat his breast,
tearing [the hair of] his head, tormenting himself all manner of ways,
and crying out, "O my son! I wish that I had died myself, and ended my
days with thee!" for he was of a tender natural affection, and had
extraordinary compassion for this son in particular. But when the army
and Joab heard that the king mourned for his son, they were ashamed to
enter the city in the habit of conquerors, but they all came in as cast
down, and in tears, as if they had been beaten. Now while the king
covered himself, and grievously lamented his son, Joab went in to him,
and comforted him, and said, "O my lord the king, thou art not aware
that thou layest a blot on thyself by what thou now doest; for thou
seemest to hate those that love thee, and undergo dangers for thee nay,
to hate thyself and thy family, and to love those that are thy bitter
enemies, and to desire the company of those that are no more, and who
have been justly slain; for had Absalom gotten the victory, and firmly
settled himself in the kingdom, there had been none of us left alive,
but all of us, beginning with thyself and thy children, had miserably
perished, while our enemies had not wept for his, but rejoiced over us,
and punished even those that pitied us in our misfortunes; and thou art
not ashamed to do this in the case of one that has been thy bitter
enemy, who, while he was thine own son hath proved so wicked to thee.
Leave off, therefore, thy unreasonable grief, and come abroad and be
seen of thy soldiers, and return them thanks for the alacrity they
showed in the fight; for I myself will this day persuade the people to
leave thee, and to give the kingdom to another, if thou continuest to do
thus; and then I shall make thee to grieve bitterly and in earnest."
Upon Joab's speaking thus to him, he made the king leave off his sorrow,
and brought him to the consideration of his affairs. So David changed
his habit, and exposed himself in a manner fit to be seen by the
multitude, and sat at the gates; whereupon all the people heard of it,
and ran together to him, and saluted him. And this was the present state
of David's affairs.
CHAPTER 11. How David, When He Had Recovered His Kingdom, Was Reconciled
To Shimei, And To Ziba; And Showed A Great Affection To Barzillai; And
How, Upon The Rise Of A Sedition, He Made Amasa Captain Of His Host, In
Order To Pursue Seba; Which Amasa Was Slain By Joab.
1. Now those Hebrews that had been With Absalom, and had retired out of
the battle, when they were all returned home, sent messengers to every
city to put them in mind of what benefits David had bestowed upon them,
and of that liberty which he had procured them, by delivering them from
many and great wars. But they complained, that whereas they had ejected
him out of his kingdom, and committed it to another governor, which
other governor, whom they had set up, was already dead, they did not now
beseech David to leave off his anger at them, and to become friends with
them, and, as he used to do, to resume the care of their affairs, and
take the kingdom again. This was often told to David. And, this
notwithstanding, David sent to Zadok and Abiathar the high priests, that
they should speak to the rulers of the tribe of Judah after the manner
following: That it would be a reproach upon them to permit the other
tribes to choose David for their king before their tribe, "and this,"
said he, "while you are akin to him, and of the same common blood." He
commanded them also to say the same to Amasa the captain of their
forces, That whereas he was his sister's son, he had not persuaded the
multitude to restore the kingdom to David; that he might expect from him
not only a reconciliation, for that was already granted, but that
supreme command of the army also which Absalom had bestowed upon him.
Accordingly the high priests, when they had discoursed with the rulers
of the tribe, and said what the king had ordered them, persuaded Amasa
to undertake the care of his affairs. So he persuaded that tribe to send
immediately ambassadors to him, to beseech him to return to his own
kingdom. The same did all the Israelites, at the like persuasion of
Amasa.
2. When the ambassadors came to him, he came to Jerusalem; and the tribe
of Judah was the first that came to meet the king at the river Jordan.
And Shimei, the son of Gera, came with a thousand men, which he brought
with him out of the tribe of Benjamin; and Ziba, the freed-man of Saul,
with his sons, fifteen in number, and with his twenty servants. All
these, as well as the tribe of Judah, laid a bridge [of boats] over the
river, that the king, and those that were with him, might with ease pass
over it. Now as soon as he was come to Jordan, the tribe of Judah
saluted him. Shimei also came upon the bridge, and took hold of his
feet, and prayed him to forgive him what he had offended, and not to be
too bitter against him, nor to think fit to make him the first example
of severity under his new authority; but to consider that he had
repented of his failure of duty, and had taken care to come first of all
to him. While he was thus entreating the king, and moving him to
compassion, Abishai, Joab's brother, said, "And shall not this man die
for this, that he hath cursed that king whom God hath appointed to reign
over us?" But David turned himself to him, and said, "Will you never
leave off, ye sons of Zeruiah? Do not you, I pray, raise new troubles
and seditions among us, now the former are over; for I would not have
you ignorant that I this day begin my reign, and therefore swear to
remit to all offenders their punishments, and not to animadvert on any
one that has sinned. Be thou, therefore," said he, "O Shimei, of good
courage, and do not at all fear being put to death." So he worshipped
him, and went on before him.
3. Mephibosheth also, Saul's grandson, met David, clothed in a sordid
garment, and having his hair thick and neglected; for after David was
fled away, he was in such grief that he had not polled his head, nor had
he washed his clothes, as dooming himself to undergo such hardships upon
occasion of the change-of the king's affairs. Now he had been unjustly
calumniated to the king by Ziba, his steward. When he had saluted the
king, and worshipped him, the king began to ask him why he did not go
out of Jerusalem with him, and accompany him during his flight. He
replied, that this piece of injustice was owing to Ziba; because, when
he was ordered to get things ready for his going out with him, he took
no care of it, but regarded him no more than if he had been a slave;
"and, indeed, had I had my feet sound and strong, I had not deserted
thee, for I could then have made use of them in my flight: but this is
not all the injury that Ziba has done me, as to my duty to thee, my lord
and master, but he hath calumniated me besides, and told lies about me
of his own invention; but I know thy mind will not admit of such
calumnies, but is righteously disposed, and a lover of truth, which it
is also the will of God should prevail. For when thou wast in the
greatest danger of suffering by my grandfather, and when, on that
account, our whole family might justly have been destroyed, thou wast
moderate and merciful, and didst then especially forget all those
injuries, when, if thou hadst remembered them, thou hadst the power of
punishing us for them; but thou hast judged me to be thy friend, and
hast set me every day at thine own table; nor have I wanted any thing
which one of thine own kinsmen, of greatest esteem with thee, could have
expected." When he had said this, David resolved neither to punish
Mephibosheth, nor to condemn Ziba, as having belied his master; but said
to him, that as he had [before] granted all his estate to Ziba, because
he did not come along with him, so he [now] promised to forgive him, and
ordered that the one half of his estate should be restored to him. 20
Whereupon Mephibosheth said, "Nay, let Ziba take all; it suffices me
that thou hast recovered thy kingdom."
4. But David desired Barzillai the Gileadite, that great and good man,
and one that had made a plentiful provision for him at Mahanaim, and had
conducted him as far as Jordan, to accompany him to Jerusalem, for he
promised to treat him in his old age with all manner of respect—to take
care of him, and provide for him. But Barzillai was so desirous to live
at home, that he entreated him to excuse him from attendance on him; and
said that his age was too great to enjoy the pleasures [of a court,]
since he was fourscore years old, and was therefore making provision for
his death and burial: so he desired him to gratify him in this request,
and dismiss him; for he had no relish of his meat, or his drink, by
reason of his age; and that his ears were too much shut up to hear the
sound of pipes, or the melody of other musical instruments, such as all
those that live with kings delight in. When he entreated for this so
earnestly, the king said, "I dismiss thee, but thou shalt grant me thy
son Chimham, and upon him I will bestow all sorts of good things." So
Barzillai left his son with him, and worshipped the king, and wished him
a prosperous conclusion of all his affairs according to his own mind,
and then returned home; but David came to Gilgal, having about him half
the people [of Israel], and the [whole] tribe of Judah.
5. Now the principal men of the country came to Gilgal to him with a
great multitude, and complained of the tribe of Judah, that they had
come to him in a private manner; whereas they ought all conjointly, and
with one and the same intention, to have given him the meeting. But the
rulers of the tribe of Judah desired them not to be displeased, if they
had been prevented by them; for, said they, "We are David's kinsmen, and
on that account we the rather took care of him, and loved him, and so
came first to him;" yet had they not, by their early coming, received
any gifts from him, which might give them who came last any uneasiness.
When the rulers of the tribe of Judah had said this, the rulers of the
other tribes were not quiet, but said further, "O brethren, we cannot
but wonder at you when you call the king your kinsman alone, whereas he
that hath received from God the power over all of us in common ought to
be esteemed a kinsman to us all; for which reason the whole people have
eleven parts in him, and you but one part 21 we are also elder than you;
wherefore you have not done justly in coming to the king in this private
and concealed manner."
6. While these rulers were thus disputing one with another, a certain
wicked man, who took a pleasure in seditious practices, [his name was
Sheba, the son of Bichri, of the tribe of Benjamin,] stood up in the
midst of the multitude, and cried aloud, and spake thus to them: "We
have no part in David, nor inheritance in the son of Jesse." And when he
had used those words, he blew with a trumpet, and declared war against
the king; and they all left David, and followed him; the tribe of Judah
alone staid with him, and settled him in his royal palace at Jerusalem.
But as for his concubines, with whom Absalom his son had accompanied,
truly he removed them to another house, and ordered those that had the
care of them to make a plentiful provision for them, but he came not
near them any more. He also appointed Amasa for the captain of his
forces, and gave him the same high office which Joab before had; and he
commanded him to gather together, out of the tribe of Judah, as great an
army as he could, and come to him within three days, that he might
deliver to him his entire army, and might send him to fight against
[Sheba] the son of Bichri. Now while Amasa was gone out, and made some
delay in gathering the army together, and so was not yet returned, on
the third day the king said to Joab, "It is not fit we should make any
delay in this affair of Sheba, lest he get a numerous army about him,
and be the occasion of greater mischief, and hurt our affairs more than
did Absalom himself; do not thou therefore wait any longer, but take
such forces as thou hast at hand, and that [old] body of six hundred
men, and thy brother Abishai, with thee, and pursue after our enemy, and
endeavor to fight him wheresoever thou canst overtake him. Make haste to
prevent him, lest he seize upon some fenced cities, and cause us great
labor and pains before we take him."
7. So Joab resolved to make no delay, but taking with him his brother,
and those six hundred men, and giving orders that the rest of the army
which was at Jerusalem should follow him, he marched with great speed
against Sheba; and when he was come to Gibeon, which is a village forty
furlongs distant from Jerusalem, Amasa brought a great army with him,
and met Joab. Now Joab was girded with a sword, and his breastplate on;
and when Amasa came near him to salute him, he took particular care that
his sword should fall out, as it were, of its own accord: so he took it
up from the ground, and while he approached Amasa, who was then near
him, as though he would kiss him, he took hold of Amasa's beard with his
other hand, and he smote him in his belly when he did not foresee it,
and slew him. This impious and altogether profane action Joab did to a
good young man, and his kinsman, and one that had done him no injury,
and this out of jealousy that he would obtain the chief command of the
army, and be in equal dignity with himself about the king; and for the
same cause it was that he killed Abner. But as to that former wicked
action, the death of his brother Asahel, which he seemed to revenge,
afforded him a decent pretense, and made that crime a pardonable one;
but in this murder of Amasa there was no such covering for it. Now when
Joab had killed this general, he pursued after Sheba, having left a man
with the dead body, who was ordered to proclaim aloud to the army, that
Amasa was justly slain, and deservedly punished. "But," said he, "if you
be for the king, follow Joab his general, and Abishai, Joab's brother:"
but because the body lay on the road, and all the multitude came running
to it, and, as is usual with the multitude, stood wondering a great
while at it, he that guarded it removed it thence, and carried it to a
certain place that was very remote from the road, and there laid it, and
covered it with his garment. When this was done, all the people followed
Joab. Now as he pursued Sheba through all the country of Israel, one
told him that he was in a strong city, called Abelbeth-maachah. Hereupon
Joab went thither, and set about it with his army, and cast up a bank
round it, and ordered his soldiers to undermine the walls, and to
overthrow them; and since the people in the city did not admit him, he
was greatly displeased at them.
8. Now there was a woman of small account, and yet both wise and
intelligent, who seeing her native city lying at the last extremity,
ascended upon the wall, and, by means of the armed men, called for Joab;
and when he came to her, she began to say, That "God ordained kings and
generals of armies, that they might cut off the enemies of the Hebrews,
and introduce a universal peace among them; but thou art endeavoring to
overthrow and depopulate a metropolis of the Israelites, which hath been
guilty of no offense." But he replied, "God continue to be merciful unto
me: I am disposed to avoid killing any one of the people, much less
would I destroy such a city as this; and if they will deliver me up
Sheba, the son of Bichri, who hath rebelled against the king, I will
leave off the siege, and withdraw the army from the place." Now as soon
as the woman heard what Joab said, she desired him to intermit the siege
for a little while, for that he should have the head of his enemy thrown
out to him presently. So she went down to the citizens, and said to
them, "Will you be so wicked as to perish miserably, with your children
and wives, for the sake of a vile fellow, and one whom nobody knows who
he is? And will you have him for your king instead of David, who hath
been so great a benefactor to you, and oppose your city alone to such a
mighty and strong army?" So she prevailed with them, and they cut off
the head of Sheba, and threw it into Joab's army. When this was done,
the king's general sounded a retreat, and raised the siege. And when he
was come to Jerusalem, he was again appointed to be general of all the
people. The king also constituted Benaiah captain of the guards, and of
the six hundred men. He also set Adoram over the tribute, and Sabathes
and Achilaus over the records. He made Sheva the scribe, and appointed
Zadok and Abiathar the high priests.
CHAPTER 12. How The Hebrews Were Delivered From A Famine When The
Gibeonites Had Caused Punishment To Be Inflicted For Those Of Them That
Had Been Slain: As Also, What Great Actions Were Performed Against The
Philistines By David, And The Men Of Valor About Him.
1. After this, when the country was greatly afflicted with a famine,
David besought God to have mercy on the people, and to discover to him
what was the cause of it, and how a remedy might be found for that
distemper. And when the prophets answered, that God would have the
Gibeonites avenged whom Saul the king was so wicked as to betray to
slaughter, and had not observed the oath which Joshua the general and
the senate had sworn to them: If, therefore, said God, the king would
permit such vengeance to be taken for those that were slain as the
Gibeonites should desire, he promised that he would be reconciled to
them, and free the multitude from their miseries. As soon therefore as
the king understood that this it was which God sought, he sent for the
Gibeonites, and asked them what it was they should have; and when they
desired to have seven sons of Saul delivered to them to be punished, he
delivered them up, but spared Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan. So when
the Gibeonites had received the men, they punished them as they pleased;
upon which God began to send rain, and to recover the earth to bring
forth its fruits as usual, and to free it from the foregoing drought, so
that the country of the Hebrews flourished again. A little afterward the
king made war against the Philistines; and when he had joined battle
with them, and put them to flight, he was left alone, as he was in
pursuit of them; and when he was quite tired down, he was seen by one of
the enemy, his name was Achmon, the son of Araph, he was one of the sons
of the giants. He had a spear, the handle of which weighed three hundred
shekels, and a breastplate of chain-work, and a sword. He turned back,
and ran violently to slay [David] their enemy's king, for he was quite
tired out with labor; but Abishai, Joab's brother, appeared on the
sudden, and protected the king with his shield, as he lay down, and slew
the enemy. Now the multitude were very uneasy at these dangers of the
king, and that he was very near to be slain; and the rulers made him
swear that he would no more go out with them to battle, lest he should
come to some great misfortune by his courage and boldness, and thereby
deprive the people of the benefits they now enjoyed by his means, and of
those that they might hereafter enjoy by his living a long time among
them.
2. When the king heard that the Philistines were gathered together at
the city Gazara, he sent an army against them, when Sibbechai the
Hittite, one of David's most courageous men, behaved himself so as to
deserve great commendation, for he slew many of those that bragged they
were the posterity of the giants, and vaunted themselves highly on that
account, and thereby was the occasion of victory to the Hebrews. After
which defeat, the Philistines made war again; and when David had sent an
army against them, Nephan his kinsman fought in a single combat with the
stoutest of all the Philistines, and slew him, and put the rest to
flight. Many of them also were slain in the fight. Now a little while
after this, the Philistines pitched their camp at a city which lay not
far off the bounds of the country of the Hebrews. They had a man who was
six cubits tall, and had on each of his feet and hands one more toe and
finger than men naturally have. Now the person who was sent against them
by David out of his army was Jonathan, the son of Shimea, who fought
this man in a single combat, and slew him; and as he was the person who
gave the turn to the battle, he gained the greatest reputation for
courage therein. This man also vaunted himself to be of the sons of the
giants. But after this fight the Philistines made war no more against
the Israelites.
3. And now David being freed from wars and dangers, and enjoying for the
future a profound peace, 22 composed songs and hymns to God of several
sorts of metre; some of those which he made were trimeters, and some
were pentameters. He also made instruments of music, and taught the
Levites to sing hymns to God, both on that called the sabbath day, and
on other festivals. Now the construction of the instruments was thus:
The viol was an instrument of ten strings, it was played upon with a
bow; the psaltery had twelve musical notes, and was played upon by the
fingers; the cymbals were broad and large instruments, and were made of
brass. And so much shall suffice to be spoken by us about these
instruments, that the readers may not be wholly unacquainted with their
nature.
4. Now all the men that were about David were men of courage. Those that
were most illustrious and famous of them for their actions were thirty-
eight; of five of whom I will only relate the performances, for these
will suffice to make manifest the virtues of the others also; for these
were powerful enough to subdue countries, and conquer great nations.
First, therefore, was Jessai, the son of Achimaas, who frequently leaped
upon the troops of the enemy, and did not leave off fighting till he
overthrew nine hundred of them. After him was Eleazar, the son of Dodo,
who was with the king at Arasam. This man, when once the Israelites were
under a consternation at the multitude of the Philistines, and were
running away, stood alone, and fell upon the enemy, and slew many of
them, till his sword clung to his hand by the blood he had shed, and
till the Israelites, seeing the Philistines retire by his means, came
down from the mountains and pursued them, and at that time won a
surprising and a famous victory, while Eleazar slew the men, and the
multitude followed and spoiled their dead bodies. The third was Sheba,
the son of Ilus. Now this man, when, in the wars against the
Philistines, they pitched their camp at a place called Lehi, and when
the Hebrews were again afraid of their army, and did not stay, he stood
still alone, as an army and a body of men; and some of them he
overthrew, and some who were not able to abide his strength and force he
pursued. These are the works of the hands, and of fighting, which these
three performed. Now at the time when the king was once at Jerusalem,
and the army of the Philistines came upon him to fight him, David went
up to the top of the citadel, as we have already said, to inquire of God
concerning the battle, while the enemy's camp lay in the valley that
extends to the city Bethlehem, which is twenty furlongs distant from
Jerusalem. Now David said to his companions, "We have excellent water in
my own city, especially that which is in the pit near the gate,"
wondering if any one would bring him some of it to drink; but he said
that he would rather have it than a great deal of money. When these
three men heard what he said, they ran away immediately, and burst
through the midst of their enemy's camp, and came to Bethlehem; and when
they had drawn the water, they returned again through the enemy's camp
to the king, insomuch that the Philistines were so surprised at their
boldness and alacrity, that they were quiet, and did nothing against
them, as if they despised their small number. But when the water was
brought to the king, he would not drink it, saying, that it was brought
by the danger and the blood of men, and that it was not proper on that
account to drink it. But he poured it out to God, and gave him thanks
for the salvation of the men. Next to these was Abishai, Joab's brother;
for he in one day slew six hundred. The fifth of these was Benaiah, by
lineage a priest; for being challenged by [two] eminent men in the
country of Moab, he overcame them by his valor, Moreover, there was a
man, by nation an Egyptian, who was of a vast bulk, and challenged him,
yet did he, when he was unarmed, kill him with his own spear, which he
threw at him; for he caught him by force, and took away his weapons
while he was alive and fighting, and slew him with his own weapons. One
may also add this to the forementioned actions of the same man, either
as the principal of them in alacrity, or as resembling the rest. When
God sent a snow, there was a lion who slipped and fell into a certain
pit, and because the pit's mouth was narrow it was evident he would
perish, being enclosed with the snow; so when he saw no way to get out
and save himself, he roared. When Benaiah heard the wild beast, he went
towards him, and coming at the noise he made, he went down into the
mouth of the pit and smote him, as he struggled, with a stake that lay
there, and immediately slew him. The other thirty-three were like these
in valor also.
CHAPTER 13. That When David Had Numbered the People, They Were Punished;
and How the Divine Compassion Restrained That Punishment.
1. Now king David was desirous to know how many ten thousands there were
of the people, but forgot the commands of Moses, 23 who told them
beforehand, that if the multitude were numbered, they should pay half a
shekel to God for every head. Accordingly the king commanded Joab, the
captain of his host, to go and number the whole multitude; but when he
said there was no necessity for such a numeration, he was not persuaded
[to countermand it], but he enjoined him to make no delay, but to go
about the numbering of the Hebrews immediately. So Joab took with him
the heads of the tribes, and the scribes, and went over the country of
the Israelites, and took notice how numerous the multitude were, and
returned to Jerusalem to the king, after nine months and twenty days;
and he gave in to the king the number of the people, without the tribe
of Benjamin, for he had not yet numbered that tribe, no more than the
tribe of Levi, for the king repented of his having sinned against God.
Now the number of the rest of the Israelites was nine hundred thousand
men, who were able to bear arms and go to war; but the tribe of Judah,
by itself, was four hundred thousand men.
2. Now when the prophets had signified to David that God was angry at
him, he began to entreat him, and to desire he would be merciful to him,
and forgive his sin. But God sent Nathan the prophet to him, to propose
to him the election of three things, that he might choose which he liked
best: Whether he would have famine come upon the country for seven
years, or would have a war, and be subdued three months by his enemies?
or, whether God should send a pestilence and a distemper upon the
Hebrews for three days? But as he was fallen to a fatal choice of great
miseries, he was in trouble, and sorely confounded; and when the prophet
had said that he must of necessity make his choice, and had ordered him
to answer quickly, that he might declare what he had chosen to God, the
king reasoned with himself, that in case he should ask for famine, he
would appear to do it for others, and without danger to himself, since
he had a great deal of corn hoarded up, but to the harm of others; that
in case he should choose to be overcome [by his enemies] for three
months, he would appear to have chosen war, because he had valiant men
about him, and strong holds, and that therefore he feared nothing
therefrom: so he chose that affliction which is common to kings and to
their subjects, and in which the fear was equal on all sides; and said
this beforehand, that it was much better to fall into the hands of God,
than into those of his enemies.
3. When the prophet had heard this, he declared it to God; who thereupon
sent a pestilence and a mortality upon the Hebrews; nor did they die
after one and the same manner, nor so that it was easy to know what the
distemper was. Now the miserable disease was one indeed, but it carried
them off by ten thousand causes and occasions, which those that were
afflicted could not understand; for one died upon the neck of another,
and the terrible malady seized them before they were aware, and brought
them to their end suddenly, some giving up the ghost immediately with
very great pains and bitter grief, and some were worn away by their
distempers, and had nothing remaining to be buried, but as soon as ever
they fell were entirely macerated; some were choked, and greatly
lamented their case, as being also stricken with a sudden darkness; some
there were who, as they were burying a relation, fell down dead, without
finishing the rites of the funeral. Now there perished of this disease,
which began with the morning, and lasted till the hour of dinner,
seventy thousand. Nay, the angel stretched out his hand over Jerusalem,
as sending this terrible judgment upon it. But David had put on
sackcloth, and lay upon the ground, entreating God, and begging that the
distemper might now cease, and that he would be satisfied with those
that had already perished. And when the king looked up into the air, and
saw the angel carried along thereby into Jerusalem, with his sword
drawn, he said to God, that he might justly be punished, who was their
shepherd, but that the sheep ought to be preserved, as not having sinned
at all; and he implored God that he would send his wrath upon him, and
upon all his family, but spare the people.
4. When God heard his supplication, he caused the pestilence to cease,
and sent Gad the prophet to him, and commanded him to go up immediately
to the thrashing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite, and build an altar there
to God, and offer sacrifices. When David heard that, he did not neglect
his duty, but made haste to the place appointed him. Now Araunah was
thrashing wheat; and when he saw the king and all his servants coming to
him, he ran before, and came to him and worshipped him: he was by his
lineage a Jebusite, but a particular friend of David's; and for that
cause it was that, when he overthrew the city, he did him no harm, as we
informed the reader a little before. Now Araunah inquired, "Wherefore is
my lord come to his servant?" He answered, to buy of him the thrashing-
floor, that he might therein build an altar to God, and offer a
sacrifice. He replied, that he freely gave him both the thrashing-floor
and the ploughs and the oxen for a burnt-offering; and he besought God
graciously to accept his sacrifice. But the king made answer, that he
took his generosity and magnanimity loudly, and accepted his good-will,
but he desired him to take the price of them all, for that it was not
just to offer a sacrifice that cost nothing. And when Araunah said he
would do as he pleased, he bought the thrashing-floor of him for fifty
shekels. And when he had built an altar, he performed Divine service,
and brought a burnt-offering, and offered peace-offerings also. With
these God was pacified, and became gracious to them again. Now it
happened that Abraham 24came and offered his son Isaac for a burnt-
offering at that very place; and when the youth was ready to have his
throat cut, a ram appeared on a sudden, standing by the altar, which
Abraham sacrificed in the stead of his son, as we have before related.
Now when king David saw that God had heard his prayer, and had
graciously accepted of his sacrifice, he resolved to call that entire
place The Altar of all the People, and to build a temple to God there;
which words he uttered very appositely to what was to be done afterward;
for God sent the prophet to him, and told him that there should his son
build him an altar, that son who was to take the kingdom after him.
CHAPTER 14. That David Made Great Preparations For The House Of God; And
That, Upon Adonijah's Attempt To Gain The Kingdom, He Appointed Solomon
To Reign.
1. After the delivery of this prophecy, the king commanded the strangers
to be numbered; and they were found to be one hundred and eighty
thousand; of these he appointed fourscore thousand to be hewers of
stone, and the rest of the multitude to carry the stones, and of them he
set over the workmen three thousand and five hundred. He also prepared a
great quantity of iron and brass for the work, with many [and those
exceeding large] cedar trees; the Tyrians and Sidonians sending them to
him, for he had sent to them for a supply of those trees. And he told
his friends that these things were now prepared, that he might leave
materials ready for the building of the temple to his son, who was to
reign after him, and that he might not have them to seek then, when he
was very young, and by reason of his age unskillful in such matters, but
might have them lying by him, and so might the more readily complete the
work.
2. So David called his son Solomon, and charged him, when he had
received the kingdom, to build a temple to God, and said, "I was willing
to build God a temple myself, but he prohibited me, because I was
polluted with blood and wars; but he hath foretold that Solomon, my
youngest son, should build him a temple, and should be called by that
name; over whom he hath promised to take the like care as a father takes
over his son; and that he would make the country of the Hebrews happy
under him, and that, not only in other respects, but by giving it peace
and freedom from wars, and from internal seditions, which are the
greatest of all blessings. Since, therefore," says he, "thou wast
ordained king by God himself before thou wast born, endeavor to render
thyself worthy of this his providence, as in other instances, so
particularly in being religious, and righteous, and courageous. Keep
thou also his commands and his laws, which he hath given us by Moses,
and do not permit others to break them. Be zealous also to dedicate to
God a temple, which he hath chosen to be built under thy reign; nor be
thou affrighted by the vastness of the work, nor set about it
timorously, for I will make all things ready before I die: and take
notice, that there are already ten thousand talents of gold, and a
hundred thousand talents of silver 25 collected together. I have also
laid together brass and iron without number, and an immense quantity of
timber and of stones. Moreover, thou hast many ten thousand stone-
cutters and carpenters; and if thou shalt want any thing further, do
thou add somewhat of thine own. Wherefore, if thou performest this work,
thou wilt be acceptable to God, and have him for thy patron." David also
further exhorted the rulers of the people to assist his son in this
building, and to attend to the Divine service, when they should be free
from all their misfortunes, for that they by this means should enjoy,
instead of them, peace and a happy settlement, with which blessings God
rewards such men as are religious and righteous. He also gave orders,
that when the temple should be once built, they should put the ark
therein, with the holy vessels; and he assured them that they ought to
have had a temple long ago, if their fathers had not been negligent of
God's commands, who had given it in charge, that when they had got the
possession of this land, they should build him a temple. Thus did David
discourse to the governors, and to his son.
3. David was now in years, and his body, by length of time, was become
cold, and benumbed, insomuch that he could get no heat by covering
himself with many clothes; and when the physicians came together, they
agreed to this advice, that a beautiful virgin, chosen out of the whole
country, should sleep by the king's side, and that this damsel would
communicate heat to him, and be a remedy against his numbness. Now there
was found in the city one woman, of a superior beauty to all other
women, [her name was Abishag,] who, sleeping with the king, did no more
than communicate warmth to him, for he was so old that he could not know
her as a husband knows his wife. But of this woman we shall speak more
presently.
4. Now the fourth son of David was a beautiful young man, and tall, born
to him of Haggith his wife. He was named Adonijah, and was in his
disposition like to Absalom; and exalted himself as hoping to be king,
and told his friends that he ought to take the government upon him. He
also prepared many chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
When his father saw this, he did not reprove him, nor restrain him from
his purpose, nor did he go so far as to ask wherefore he did so. Now
Adonijah had for his assistants Joab the captain of the army, and
Abiathar the high priest; and the only persons that opposed him were
Zadok the high priest, and the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah, who was
captain of the guards, and Shimei, David's friend, with all the other
most mighty men. Now Adonijah had prepared a supper out of the city,
near the fountain that was in the king's paradise, and had invited all
his brethren except Solomon, and had taken with him Joab the captain of
the army, and: Abiathar, and the rulers of the tribe of Judah, but had
not invited to this feast either Zadok the high priest, or Nathan the
prophet, or Benaiah the captain of the guards, nor any of those of the
contrary party. This matter was told by Nathan the prophet to Bathsheba,
Solomon's mother, that Adonijah was king, and that David knew nothing of
it; and he advised her to save herself and her son Solomon, and to go by
herself to David, and say to him, that he had indeed sworn that Solomon
should reign after him, but that in the mean time Adonijah had already
taken the kingdom. He said that he, the prophet himself, would come
after her, and when she had spoken thus to the king, would confirm what
she had said. Accordingly Bathsheba agreed with Nathan, and went in to
the king and worshipped him, and when she had desired leave to speak
with him, she told him all things in the manner that Nathan had
suggested to her; and related what a supper Adonijah had made, and who
they were whom he had invited; Abiathar the and Joab the general, and
David's sons, excepting Solomon and his intimate friends. She also said
that all the people had their eyes upon him, to know whom he would
choose for their king. She desired him also to consider how, after his
departure, Adonijah, if he were king, would slay her and her son
Solomon.
5. Now, as Bathsheba was speaking, the keeper of the king's chambers
told him that Nathan desired to see him. And when the king had commanded
that he should be admitted, he came in, and asked him whether he had
ordained Adonijah to be king, and delivered the government to him, or
not; for that he had made a splendid supper, and invited all his sons,
except Solomon; as also that he had invited Joab, the captain of his
host, [and Abiathar the high priest,] who are feasting with applauses,
and many joyful sounds of instruments, and wish that his kingdom may
last for ever; but he hath not invited me, nor Zadok the high priest,
nor Benaiah the captain of the guards; and it is but fit that all should
know whether this be done by thy approbation or not. When Nathan had
said thus, the king commanded that they should call Bathsheba to him,
for she had gone out of the room when the prophet came. And when
Bathsheba was come, David said, "I swear by Almighty God, that thy son
Solomon shall certainly he king, as I formerly swore; and that he shall
sit upon my throne, and that this very day also." So Bathsheba
worshipped him, and wished him a long life; and the king sent for Zadok
the high priest, and Benaiah the captain of the guards; and when they
were come, he ordered them to take with them Nathan the prophet, and all
the armed men about the palace, and to set his son Solomon upon the
king's mule, and to carry him out of the city to the fountain called
Gihon, and to anoint him there with the holy oil, and to make him king.
This he charged Zadok the high priest, and Nathan the prophet, to do,
and commanded them to follow Solomon through the midst of the city, and
to sound the trumpets, and wish aloud that Solomon the king may sit upon
the royal throne for ever, that so all the people may know that he is
ordained king by his father. He also gave Solomon a charge concerning
his government, to rule the whole nation of the Hebrews, and
particularly the tribe of Judah, religiously and righteously. And when
Benaiah had prayed to God to be favorable to Solomon, without any delay
they set Solomon upon the mule, and brought him out of the city to the
fountain, and anointed him with oil, and brought him into the city
again, with acclamations and wishes that his kingdom might continue a
long time: and when they had introduced him into the king's house, they
set him upon the throne; whereupon all the people betook themselves to
make merry, and to celebrate a festival, dancing and delighting
themselves with musical pipes, till both the earth and the air echoed
with the multitude of the instruments of music.
6. Now when Adonijah and his guests perceived this noise, they were in
disorder; and Joab the captain of the host said he was not pleased with
these echoes, and the sound of these trumpets. And when supper was set
before them, nobody tasted of it, but they were all very thoughtful what
would be the matter. Then Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the high priest,
came running to them; and when Adonijah saw the young man gladly, and
said to him that he was a good messenger, he declared to them the whole
matter about Solomon, and the determination of king David: hereupon both
Adonijah and all the guests rose hastily from the feast, and every one
fled to their own homes. Adonijah also, as afraid of the king for what
he had done, became a supplicant to God, and took hold of the horns of
the altar, which were prominent. It was also told Solomon that he had so
done; and that he desired to receive assurances from him that he would
not remember the injury he had done, and not inflict any severe
punishment for it. Solomon answered very mildly and prudently, that he
forgave him this his offense; but said withal, that if he were found out
in any attempt for new innovations, that he would be the author of his
own punishment. So he sent to him, and raised him up from the place of
his supplication. And when he was come to the king, and had worshipped
him, the king bid him go away to his own house, and have no suspicion of
any harm; and desired him to show himself a worthy man, as what would
tend to his own advantage.
7. But David, being desirous of ordaining his son king of all the
people, called together their rulers to Jerusalem, with the priests and
the Levites; and having first numbered the Levites, he found them to be
thirty-eight thousand, from thirty years old to fifty; out of which he
appointed twenty-three thousand to take care of the building of the
temple, and out of the same, six thousand to be judges of the people and
scribes, four thousand for porters to the house of God, and as many for
singers, to sing to the instruments which David had prepared, as we have
said already. He divided them also into courses: and when he had
separated the priests from them, he found of these priests twenty-four
courses, sixteen of the house of Eleazar, and eight of that of Ithamar;
and he ordained that one course should minister to God eight days, from
sabbath to sabbath. And thus were the courses distributed by lot, in the
presence of David, and Zadok and Abiathar the high priests, and of all
the rulers; and that course which came up first was written down as the
first, and accordingly the second, and so on to the twenty-fourth; and
this partition hath remained to this day. He also made twenty-four parts
of the tribe of Levi; and when they cast lots, they came up in the same
manner for their courses of eight days. He also honored the posterity of
Moses, and made them the keepers of the treasures of God, and of the
donations which the kings dedicated. He also ordained that all the tribe
of Levi, as well as the priests, should serve God night and day, as
Moses had enjoined them.
8. After this he parted the entire army into twelve parts, with their
leaders [and captains of hundreds] and commanders. Now every part had
twenty-four thousand, which were ordered to wait on Solomon, by thirty
days at a time, from the first day till the last, with the captains of
thousands and captains of hundreds. He also set rulers over every part,
such as he knew to be good and righteous men. He set others also to take
charge of the treasures, and of the villages, and of the fields, and of
the beasts, whose names I do not think it necessary to mention. When
David had ordered all these officers after the manner before mentioned,
he called the rulers of the Hebrews, and their heads of tribes, and the
officers over the several divisions, and those that were appointed over
every work, and every possession; and standing upon a high pulpit, he
said to the multitude as follows: "My brethren and my people, I would
have you know that I intended to build a house for God, and prepared a
large quantity of gold, and a hundred thousand talents of silver; but
God prohibited me by the prophet Nathan, because of the wars I had on
your account, and because my right hand was polluted with the slaughter
of our enemies; but he commanded that my son, who was to succeed me in
the kingdom, should build a temple for him. Now therefore, since you
know that of the twelve sons whom Jacob our forefather had Judah was
appointed to be king, and that I was preferred before my six brethren,
and received the government from God, and that none of them were uneasy
at it, so do I also desire that my sons be not seditious one against
another, now Solomon has received the kingdom, but to bear him
cheerfully for their lord, as knowing that God hath chosen him; for it
is not a grievous thing to obey even a foreigner as a ruler, if it be
God's will, but it is fit to rejoice when a brother hath obtained that
dignity, since the rest partake of it with him. And I pray that the
promises of God may be fulfilled; and that this happiness which he hath
promised to bestow upon king Solomon, over all the country, may continue
therein for all time to come. And these promises O son, will be firm,
and come to a happy end, if thou showest thyself to be a religious and a
righteous man, and an observer of the laws of thy country; but if not,
expect adversity upon thy disobedience to them."
9. Now when the king had said this, he left off; but gave the
description and pattern of the building of the temple in the sight of
them all to Solomon: of the foundations and of the chambers, inferior
and superior; how many they were to be, and how large in height and in
breadth; as also he determined the weight of the golden and silver
vessels: moreover, he earnestly excited them with his words to use the
utmost alacrity about the work; he exhorted the rulers also, and
particularly the tribe of Levi, to assist him, both because of his
youth, and because God had chosen him to take care of the building of
the temple, and of the government of the kingdom. He also declared to
them that the work would be easy, and not very laborious to them,
because he had prepared for it many talents of gold, and more of silver,
with timber, and a great many carpenters and stone-cutters, and a large
quantity of emeralds, and all sorts of precious stones; and he said,
that even now he would give of the proper goods of his own dominion two
hundred talents, and three hundred other talents of pure gold, for the
most holy place, and for the chariot of God, the cherubim, which are to
stand over and cover the ark. Now when David had done speaking, there
appeared great alacrity among the rulers, and the priests, and the
Levites, who now contributed and made great and splendid promises for a
future Contribution; for they undertook to bring of gold five thousand
talents, and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and
many ten thousand talents of iron; and if any one had a precious stone
he brought it, and bequeathed it to be put among the treasures; of which
Jachiel, one of the posterity of Moses, had the care.
10. Upon this occasion all the people rejoiced, as in particular did
David, when he saw the zeal and forward ambition of the rulers, and the
priests, and of all the rest; and he began to bless God with a loud
voice, calling him the Father and Parent of the universe, and the Author
of human and divine things, with which he had adorned Solomon, the
patron and guardian of the Hebrew nation, and of its happiness, and of
that kingdom which he hath given his son. Besides this, he prayed for
happiness to all the people; and to Solomon his son, a sound and a
righteous mind, and confirmed in all sorts of virtue; and then he
commanded the multitude to bless God; upon which they all fell down upon
the ground and worshipped him. They also gave thanks to David, on
account of all the blessings which they had received ever since he had
taken the kingdom. On the next day he presented sacrifices to God, a
thousand bullocks, and as many lambs, which they offered for burnt-
offerings. They also offered peace-offerings, and slew many ten thousand
sacrifices; and the king feasted all day, together with all the people;
and they anointed Solomon a second time with the oil, and appointed him
to be king, and Zadok to be the high priest of the whole multitude. And
when they had brought Solomon to the royal palace, and had set him upon
his father's throne, they were obedient to him from that day.
CHAPTER 15. What Charge David Gave To his Son Solomon At The Approach Of
His Death, And How Many Things He Left Him For The Building Of The
Temple.
1. A Little afterward David also fell into a distemper, by reason of his
age; and perceiving that he was near to death, he called his son
Solomon, and discoursed to him thus: "I am now, O my son, going to my
grave, and to my fathers, which is the common way which all men that now
are, or shall be hereafter, must go; from which way it is no longer
possible to return, and to know any thing that is done in this world. On
which account I exhort thee, while I am still alive, though already very
near to death, in the same manner as I have formerly said in my advice
to thee, to be righteous towards thy subjects, and religious towards
God, that hath given thee thy kingdom; to observe his commands and his
laws, which he hath sent us by Moses; and neither do thou out of favor
nor flattery allow any lust or other passion to weigh with thee to
disregard them; for if thou transgressest his laws, thou wilt lose the
favor of God, and thou wilt turn away his providence from thee in all
things; but if thou behave thyself so as it behooves thee, and as I
exhort thee, thou wilt preserve our kingdom to our family, and no other
house will bear rule over the Hebrews but we ourselves for all ages. Be
thou also mindful of the transgressions of Joab, 26 the captain of the
host, who hath slain two generals out of envy, and those righteous and
good men, Abner the son of Ner, and Amasa the son of Jether; whose death
do thou avenge as shall seem good to thee, since Joab hath been too hard
for me, and more potent than myself, and so hath escaped punishment
hitherto. I also commit to thee the son of Barzillai the Gileadite,
whom, in order to gratify me, thou shalt have in great honor, and take
great care of; for we have not done good to him first, but we only repay
that debt which we owe to his father for what he did to me in my flight.
There is also Shimei the son of Gera, of the tribe of Benjamin, who,
after he had cast many reproaches upon me, when, in my flight, I was
going to Mahanaim, met me at Jordan, and received assurances that he
should then suffer nothing. Do thou now seek out for some just occasion,
and punish him."
2. When David had given these admonitions to his son about public
affairs, and about his friends, and about those whom he knew to deserve
punishment, he died, having lived seventy years, and reigned seven years
and six months in Hebron over the tribe of Judah, and thirty-three years
in Jerusalem over all the country. This man was of an excellent
character, and was endowed with all virtues that were desirable in a
king, and in one that had the preservation of so many tribes committed
to him; for he was a man of valor in a very extraordinary degree, and
went readily and first of all into dangers, when he was to fight for his
subjects, as exciting the soldiers to action by his own labors, and
fighting for them, and not by commanding them in a despotic way. He was
also of very great abilities in understanding, and apprehension of
present and future circumstances, when he was to manage any affairs. He
was prudent and moderate, and kind to such as were under any calamities;
he was righteous and humane, which are good qualities, peculiarly fit
for kings; nor was he guilty of any offense in the exercise of so great
an authority, but in the business of the wife of Uriah. He also left
behind him greater wealth than any other king, either of the Hebrews or,
of other nations, ever did.
3. He was buried by his son Solomon, in Jerusalem, with great
magnificence, and with all the other funeral pomp which kings used to be
buried with; moreover, he had great and immense wealth buried with him,
the vastness of which may be easily conjectured at by what I shall now
say; for a thousand and three hundred years afterward Hyrcanus the high
priest, when he was besieged by Antiochus, that was called the Pious,
the son of Demetrius, and was desirous of giving him money to get him to
raise the siege and draw off his army, and having no other method of
compassing the money, opened one room of David's sepulcher, and took out
three thousand talents, and gave part of that sum to Antiochus; and by
this means caused the siege to be raised, as we have informed the reader
elsewhere. Nay, after him, and that many years, Herod the king opened
another room, and took away a great deal of money, and yet neither of
them came at the coffins of the kings themselves, for their bodies were
buried under the earth so artfully, that they did not appear to even
those that entered into their monuments. But so much shall suffice us to
have said concerning these matters.
FOOTNOTES
1 (return) [ It ought to be here noted, that Joab, Abishai, and Asahel
were all three David's nephews, the sons of his sister Zeraiah, as 1
Chronicles 2:16; and that Amasa was also his nephew by his other sister
Abigail, ver. 17.]
2 (return) [ This may be a true observation of Josephus's, that Samuel
by command from God entailed the crown on David and his posterity; for
no further did that entail ever reach, Solomon himself having never had
any promise made him that his posterity should always have the right to
it.]
3 (return) [ These words of Josephus concerning the tribe of Issachar,
who foreknew what was to come hereafter," are best paraphrased by the
parallel text. 1 Chronicles 12:32, "Who had understanding of the times
to know what Israel ought to do;" that is, who had so much knowledge in
astronomy as to make calendars for the Israelites, that they might keep
their festivals, and plough and sow, and gather in their harvests and
vintage, in due season.]
4 (return) [ What our other copies say of Mount Sion, as alone properly
called the city of David, 2 Samuel 5:6-9, and of this its siege and
conquest now by David, Josephus applies to the whole city Jerusalem,
though including the citadel also; by what authority we do not now know
perhaps, after David had united them together, or joined the citadel to
the lower city, as sect. 2, Josephus esteemed them as one city. However,
this notion seems to be confirmed by what the same Josephus says
concerning David's and many other kings of Judah's sepulchers, which as
the authors of the books of Kings and Chronicles say were in the city of
David, so does Josephus still say they were in Jerusalem. The sepulcher
of David seems to have been also a known place in the several days of
Hyrcanus, of Herod, and of St. Peter, Antiq. B. XIII. ch. 8. sect. 4 B.
XVI. ch. 8. sect. 1; Acts 2:29. Now no such royal sepulchers have been
found about Mount Sion, but are found close by the north wall of
Jerusalem, which I suspect, therefore, to be these very sepulchers. See
the note on ch. 15. sect. 3. In the meantime, Josephus's explication of
the lame, and the blind, and the maimed, as set to keep this city or
citadel, seems to be the truth, and gives the best light to that history
in our Bible. Mr. Ottius truly observes, [up. Hayercamp, p. 305,] that
Josephus never mentions Mount Sion by that name, as taking it for an
appellative, as I suppose, and not for a proper name; he still either
styles it The Citadel, or The Upper City; nor do I see any reason for
Mr. Ottius's evil suspicions about this procedure of Josephus.]
5 (return) [ Some copies of Josephus have here Solyma, or Salem; and
others Hierosolyma, or Jerusalem. The latter best agree to what Josephus
says elsewhere, [Of the War, B. VI. ch. 10.,] that this city was called
Solyma, or Salem, before the days of Melchisedec, but was by him called
Hierosolyma, or Jerusalem. I rather suppose it to have been so called
after Abraham had received that oracle Jehovah Jireh, "The Lord will
see, or provide," Genesis 22;14. The latter word, Jireh, with a little
alteration, prefixed to the old name Salem, Peace, will be Jerusalem;
and since that expression, "God will see," or rather, "God will provide
himself a lamb for a burnt-offering," ver. 8, 14, is there said to have
been proverbial till the days of Moses, this seems to me the most
probable derivation of that name, which will then denote that God would
provide peace by that "Lamb of God which was to take away the sins of
the world." However, that which is put into brackets can hardly be
supposed the genuine words of Josephus, as Dr. Hudson well judges.]
6 (return) [ It deserves here to be remarked, that Saul very rarely, and
David very frequently, consulted God by Urim; and that David aimed
always to depend, not on his own prudence or abilities but on the Divine
direction, contrary to Saul's practice. See sect. 2, and the note on
Antiq. B. III. ch. 8. sect. 9; and when Saul's daughter, [but David's
wife,] Michal, laughed at David's dancing before the ark, 2 Samuel 6:16,
&c., and here, sect. l, 2, 3, it is probable she did so, because her
father Saul did not use to pay such a regard to the ark, to the Urim
there inquired by, or to God's worship before it, and because she
thought it beneath the dignity of a king to be so religious.]
7 (return) [ Josephus seems to be partly in the right, when he observes
here that Uzzah was no priest, [though perhaps he might be a Levite,]
and was therefore struck dead for touching the ark, contrary to the law,
and for which profane rashness death was the penalty by that law,
Numbers 4:15, 20. See the like before, Antiq. B. VI. ch. 1. sect. 4. It
is not improbable that the putting this ark in a cart, when it ought to
have been carried by the priests or Levites, as it was presently here in
Josephus so carried from Obededom's house to David's, might be also an
occasion of the anger of God on that breach of his law. See Numbers
4:15; 1 Chronicles 15:13.]
8 (return) [ Josephus here informs us, that, according to his
understanding of the sense of his copy of the Pentateuch, Moses had
himself foretold the building of the temple, which yet is no where, that
I know of, in our present copies. And that this is not a mistake set
down by him unwarily, appears by what he observed before, on Antiq. B.
IV. ch. 8. sect. 46, how Moses foretold that, upon the Jews' future
disobedience, their temple should be burnt and rebuilt, and that not
once only, but several times afterward. See also Josephus's mention of
God's former commands to build such a temple presently, ch. 14. sect. 2,
contrary to our other copies, or at least to our translation of the
Hebrew, 2 Samuel 7:6, 7; 1 Chronicles 17:5, 6.]
9 (return) [ Josephus seems, in this place, with our modern interpreters
to confound the two distinct predictions which God made to David and to
Nathan, concerning the building him a temple by one of David's
posterity; the one belongeth to Solomon, the other to the Messiah; the
distinction between which is of the greatest consequence to the
Christian religion.]
10 (return) [ Whether Syria Zobah, 2 Samuel 3:8; 1 Chronicles 18:3-8, be
Sophene, as Josephus here supposes; which yet Ptolemy places beyond
Euphrates, as Dr. Hudson observes here, whereas Zobah was on this side;
or whether Josephus was not here guilty of a mistake in his geography; I
cannot certainly determine.]
11 (return) [ David's reserving only one hundred chariots for himself
out of one thousand he had taken from Hadadezer, was most probably in
compliance with the law of Moses, which forbade a king of Israel "to
multiply horses to himself," Deuteronomy 17:16; one of the principal
uses of horses in Judea at that time being for drawing their chariots.
See Joshua 12:6; and Antiq. B. V. ch. 1. sect. 18. It deserves here to
be remarked, that this Hadad, being a very great king, was conquered by
David, whose posterity yet for several generations were called Benhadad,
or the son of Hadad, till the days of Hazael, whose son Adar or Ader is
also in our Hebrew copy [2 Kings 13:24: written Benhadad, but in
Josephus Adad or Adar. And strange it is, that the son of Hazael, said
to be such in the same text, and in Josephus, Antiq. B. IX. ch. 8. sect.
7, should still be called the son of Hadad. I would, therefore, here
correct our Hebrew copy from Josephus's, which seems to have the true
reading, nor does the testimony of Nicolaus of Damascus, produced in
this place by Josephus, seem to be faultless, when it says that he was
the third of the Hadads, or second of the Benhadads, who besieged
Samaria in the days of Ahab. He must rather have been the seventh or
eighth, if there were ten in all of that name, as we are assured there
were. For this testimony makes all the Hadads or Benhadads of the same
line, and to have immediately succeeded one another; whereas Hazael was
not of that line, nor is he called Hadad or Benhadad in any copy. And
note, that from this Hadad, in the days of David, to the beginning of
Hazael, were near two hundred years, according to the exactest
chronology of Josephus.]
12 (return) [ By this great victory over the Idameans or Edomites, the
posterity of Esau, and by the consequent tribute paid by that nation to
the Jews, were the prophecies delivered to Rebecca before Jacob and Esau
were born, and by old Isaac before his death, that the elder, Esau, [or
the Edomites,] should serve and the younger, Jacob, [or the Israelites,]
and Jacob [or the Israelites] should be Esau's [or the Edomites'] lord,
remarkably fulfilled. See Antiq. B. VIII. ch 7. sect. 6; Genesis 25;9,3;
and the notes on Antiq. B. I. ch. 18. sect. 5, 6.]
13 (return) [ That a talent of gold was about seven pounds weight, see
the description of the temple ch. 13. Nor could Josephus well estimate
it higher, since he here says that David wore it on his head
perpetually.]
14 (return) [ Whether Josephus saw the words of our copies, 2 Samuel
12:31, and 1 Chronicles 20:3, that David put the inhabitants, or at
least the garrison of Rabbah, and of the other Ammonite cities, which he
besieged and took, under, or cut them with saws, and under, or with
harrows of iron, and under, or with axes of iron, and made them pass
through the brick-kiln, is not here directly expressed. If he saw them,
as is most probable he did, he certainly expounded them of tormenting
these Ammonites to death, who were none of those seven nations of Canaan
whose wickedness had rendered them incapable of mercy; otherwise I
should be inclinable to think that the meaning, at least as the words
are in Samuel, might only be this: That they were made the lowest
slaves, to work in sawing of timber or stone, in harrowing the fields,
in hewing timber, in making and burning bricks, and the like hard
services, but without taking away their lives. We never elsewhere, that
I remember, meet with such methods of cruelty in putting men to death in
all the Bible, or in any other ancient history whatsoever; nor do the
words in Samuel seem naturally to refer to any such thing.]
15 (return) [ Of this weight of Absalom's hair, how in twenty or thirty
years it might well amount to two hundred shekels, or to somewhat above
six pounds avoirdupois, see the Literal Accomplishment of Prophecies, p.
77, 78. But a late very judicious author thinks that the LXXX. meant not
its weight, but its value, Was twenty shekels.—Dr. Wall's Critical Notes
on the Old Testament, upon 2 Samuel 14:26. It does not appear what was
Josephus's opinion: he sets the text down honestly as he found it in his
copies, only he thought that "at the end of days," when Absalom polled
or weighed his hair, was once a week.]
16 (return) [ This is one of the best corrections that Josephus's copy
affords us of a text that in our ordinary copies is grossly corrupted.
They say that this rebellion of Absalom was forty years after what went
before, [Footnote of his reconciliation to his father,] whereas the
series of the history shows it could not be more than four years after
it, as here in Josephus; whose number is directly confirmed by that copy
of the Septuagint version whence the Armenian translation was made,
which gives us the small number of four years.]
17 (return) [ This reflection of Josephus's, that God brought to nought
the dangerous counsel of Ahithophel, and directly infatuated wicked
Absalom to reject it, [which infatuation is what the Scripture styles
the judicial hardening the hearts and blinding the eyes of men, who, by
their former voluntary wickedness, have justly deserved to be destroyed,
and are thereby brought to destruction,] is a very just one, and in him
not unfrequent. Nor does Josephus ever puzzle himself, or perplex his
readers, with subtle hypotheses as to the manner of such judicial
infatuations by God, while the justice of them is generally so obvious.
That peculiar manner of the Divine operations, or permissions, or the
means God makes use of in such cases, is often impenetrable by us.
"Secret things belong to the Lord our God; but those things that are
revealed belong to us, and to our children for ever, that we may do all
the words of this law," Deuteronomy 29:29. Nor have all the subtleties
of the moderns, as far as I see, given any considerable light in this,
and many other the like points of difficulty relating either to Divine
or human operations.—See the notes on Antiq. B. V ch. 1. sect. 2; and
Antiq. B. IX. ch. 4. sect. 3.]
18 (return) [ Those that take a view of my description of the gates of
the temple, will not be surprised at this account of David's throne,
both here and 2 Samuel 18:21, that it was between two gates or portals.
Gates being in cities, as well as at the temple, large open places, with
a portal at the entrance, and another at the exit, between which
judicial causes were heard, and public consultations taken, as is well
known from several places of Scripture, 2 Chronicles 31:2; Psalm 9:14;
137:5; Proverbs 1:21; 8:3, 31; 31:23, and often elsewhere.]
19 (return) [ Since David was now in Mahanairn, and in the open place of
that city gate, which seems still to have been built the highest of any
part of the wall, and since our other copies say he went up to the
chamber over the gate, 2 Samuel 18:33, I think we ought to correct our
present reading in Josephus, and for city, should read gate, i.e.
instead of the highest part of the city, should say the highest part of
the gate. Accordingly we find David presently, in Josephus, as well as
in our other copies, 2 Samuel 19:8, sitting as before, in the gate of
the city.]
20 (return) [ By David's disposal of half Mephibosheth's estate to Ziba,
one would imagine that he was a good deal dissatisfied, and doubtful
whether Mephibosheth's story were entirely true or not; nor does David
now invite him to diet with him, as he did before, but only forgives
him, if he had been at all guilty. Nor is this odd way of mourning that
Mephibosheth made use of here, and 2 Samuel 19:24, wholly free from
suspicion by hypocrisy. If Ziba neglected or refused to bring
Mephibosheh an ass of his own, on which he might ride to David, it is
half to suppose that so great a man as he was should not be able to
procure some other beast for the same purpose.]
21 (return) [ I clearly prefer Josephus's reading here, when it supposes
eleven tribes, including Benjamin, to be on the one side, and the tribe
of Judah alone on the other, since Benjamin, in general, had been still
father of the house of Saul, and less firm to David hitherto, than any
of the rest, and so cannot be supposed to be joined with Judah at this
time, to make it double, especially when the following rebellion was
headed by a Benjamite. See sect. 6, and 2 Samuel 20:2, 4.]
22 (return) [ This section is a very remarkable one, and shows that, in
the opinion of Josephus, David composed the Book of Psalms, not at
several times before, as their present inscriptions frequently imply,
but generally at the latter end of his life, or after his wars were
over. Nor does Josephus, nor the authors of the known books of the Old
and New Testament, nor the Apostolical Constitutions, seem to have
ascribed any of them to any other author than to David himself. See
Essay on the Old Testament, pages 174, 175. Of these metres of the
Psalms, see the note on Antiq. B. II. ch. 16. sect. 4.]
23 (return) [ The words of God by Moses, Exodus 30:12, sufficiently
satisfy the reason here given by Josephus for the great plague mentioned
in this chapter:—"When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel
after their number, then shall they give a ransom for his soul unto the
Lord, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague amongst them,
when numberest them." Nor indeed could David's or the neglect of
executing this law at this numeration of half a shekel apiece with them,
when they came numbered. The great reason why nations are so committed
by and with their wicked kings and governors that they almost constantly
comply with them in their of or disobedience to the Divine laws, and
suffer Divine laws to go into disuse or contempt, in order to kings and
governors; and that they sub-political laws and commands of those
governors, instead of the righteous laws of God, which all mankind ought
ever to obey, let their kings and governors say what they please to the
contrary; this preference of human before Divine laws seeming to me the
principal character of idolatrous or antichristian nations. Accordingly,
Josephus well observes, Antiq. B. IV. ch. 8. sect. 17, that it was the
duty of the people of Israel to take care that their kings, when they
should have them, did not exceed their proper limits of power, and prove
ungovernable by the laws of God, which would certainly be a most
pernicious thing to their Divine settlement. Nor do I think that
negligence peculiar to the Jews: those nations which are called
Christians, are sometimes indeed very solicitous to restrain their kings
and governors from breaking the human laws of their several kingdoms,
but without the like care for restraining them from breaking the laws of
God. "Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto men more
than to God, judge ye," Acts 4:19. "We ought to obey God rather than
men," ver. 29.]
24 (return) [ What Josephus adds here is very remarkable, that this
Mount Moriah was not only the very place where Abraham offered up Isaac
long ago, but that God had foretold to David by a prophet, that here his
son should build him a temple, which is not directly in any of our other
copies, though very agreeable to what is in them, particularly in 1
Chronicles 21:25, 28; 22:1, to which places I refer the reader.]
25 (return) [ Of the quantity of gold and silver expended in the
building of Solomon's temple, and whence it arose, see the description
of ch. 13.]
26 (return) [ David is here greatly blamed by some for recommending Joab
and Shimei to be punished by Solomon, if he could find a proper
occasion, after he had borne with the first a long while, and seemed to
have pardoned the other entirely, which Solomon executed accordingly;
yet I cannot discern any fault either in David or Solomon in these
cases. Joab's murder of Abner and Amasa were very barbarous, and could
not properly be forgiven either by David or Solomon; for a dispensing
power in kings for the crime of willful murder is warranted by no law of
God, nay, is directly against it every where; nor is it, for certain, in
the power of men to grant such a prerogative to any of their kings;
though Joab was so nearly related to David, and so potent in the army
under a warlike administration, that David durst not himself put him to
death, 2 Samuel 3:39; 19:7. Shimei's cursing the Lord's anointed, and
this without any just cause, was the highest act of treason against God
and his anointed king, and justly deserved death; and though David could
forgive treason against himself, yet had he done no more in the case of
Shimei than promised him that he would not then, on the day of his
return and reinauguration, or upon that occasion, himself put him to
death, 2 Samuel 19:22; and he swore to him no further, ver. 23, as the
words are in Josephus, than that he would not then put him to death,
which he performed; nor was Solomon under any obligation to spare such a
traitor.]
BOOK VIII. Containing The Interval Of One Hundred And Sixty-Three
Years.—From The Death Of David To The Death Of Ahab.
CHAPTER 1. How Solomon, When He Had Received The Kingdom Took Off His
Enemies.
CHAPTER 2. Concerning The Wife Of Solomon; Concerning His Wisdom And
Riches; And Concerning What He Obtained Of Hiram For The Building Of The
Temple.
CHAPTER 3. Of The Building Of This Temple
CHAPTER 4. How Solomon Removed The Ark Into The Temple How He Made
Supplication To God, And Offered Public Sacrifices To Him.
CHAPTER 5. How Solomon Built Himself A Royal Palace, Very Costly And
Splendid; And How He Solved The Riddles Which Were Sent Him By Hiram.
CHAPTER 6. How Solomon Fortified The City Of Jerusalem, And Built Great
Cities; And How He Brought Some Of The Canaanites Into Subjection, And
Entertained The Queen Of Egypt And Of Ethiopia.
CHAPTER 7. How Solomon Grew Rich, And Fell Desperately In Love With
Women And How God, Being Incensed At It, Raised Up Ader And Jeroboam
Against Him. Concerning The Death Of Solomon.
CHAPTER 8. How, Upon The Death Of Solomon The People Forsook His Son
Rehoboam, And Ordained Jeroboam King Over The Ten Tribes.
CHAPTER 9. How Jadon The Prophet Was Persuaded By Another Lying Prophet
And Returned [To Bethel,] And Was Afterwards Slain By A Lion. As Also
What Words The Wicked Prophet Made Use Of To Persuade The King, And
Thereby Alienated His Mind From God.
CHAPTER 10. Concerning Rehoboam, And How God Inflicted Punishment Upon
Him For His Impiety By Shishak [King Of Egypt].
CHAPTER 11. Concerning The Death Of A Son Of Jeroboam. How Jeroboam Was
Beaten By Abijah Who Died A Little Afterward And Was Succeeded In His
Kingdom By Asa. And Also How, After The Death Of Jeroboam Baasha
Destroyed His Son Nadab And All The House Of Jeroboam.
CHAPTER 12. How Zerah, King Of The Ethiopians, Was Beaten By Asa; And
How Asa, Upon Baasha's Making War Against Him, Invited The King Of The
Damascens To Assist Him; And How, On The Destruction Of The House Of
Baasha Zimri Got The Kingdom As Did His Son Ahab After Him.
CHAPTER 13. How Ahab When He Had Taken Jezebel To Wife Became More
Wicked Than All The Kings That Had Been Before Him; Of The Actions Of
The Prophet Elijah, And What Befell Naboth.
CHAPTER 14. How Hadad King Of Damascus And Of Syria, Made Two
Expeditions Against Ahab And Was Beaten.
CHAPTER 15. Concerning Jehoshaphat The King Of Jerusalem And How Ahab
Made An Expedition Against The Syrians And Was Assisted Therein By
Jehoshaphat, But Was Himself Overcome In Battle And Perished Therein.
FOOTNOTES:
BOOK VIII. Containing The Interval Of One Hundred And Sixty-Three
Years.—From The Death Of David To The Death Of Ahab.