the antiquities of the jews-1-第108章

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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　par