the antiquities of the jews-1-第124章

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rather　than　those　nations；　while　all　the　Israelites　were
concerned　in　warlike　affairs；　and　were　in　armor；　and　were　set
over　the　chariots　and　the　horses；　rather　than　leading　the　life　of
slaves。　He　appointed　also　five　hundred　and　fifty　rulers　over
those　Canaanites　who　were　reduced　to　such　domestic　slavery；　who
received　the　entire　care　of　them　from　the　king；　and　instructed
them　in　those　labors　and　operations　wherein　he　wanted　their
assistance。

4。　Moreover；　the　king　built　many　ships　in　the　Egyptian　Bay　of　the
Red　Sea；　in　a　certain　place　called　Ezion…geber：　it　is　now　called
Berenice；　and　is　not　far　from　the　city　Eloth。　This　country
belonged　formerly　to　the　Jews；　and　became　useful　for　shipping
from　the　donations　of　Hiram　king　of　Tyre；　for　he　sent　a
sufficient　number　of　men　thither　for　pilots；　and　such　as　were
skillful　in　navigation；　to　whom　Solomon　gave　this　command：　That
they　should　go　along　with　his　own　stewards　to　the　land　that　was
of　old　called　Ophir；　but　now　the　Aurea　Chersonesus；　which　belongs
to　India；　to　fetch　him　gold。　And　when　they　had　gathered　four
hundred　talents　together；　they　returned　to　the　king　again。

5。　There　was　then　a　woman　queen　of　Egypt　and　Ethiopia；　（16）　she
was　inquisitive　into　philosophy；　and　one　that　on　other　accounts
also　was　to　be　admired。　When　this　queen　heard　of　the　virtue　and
prudence　of　Solomon；　she　had　a　great　mind　to　see　him；　and　the
reports　that　went　every　day　abroad　induced　her　to　come　to　him；
she　being　desirous　to　be　satisfied　by　her　own　experience；　and　not
by　a　bare　hearing；　（for　reports　thus　heard　are　likely　enough　to
comply　with　a　false　opinion；　while　they　wholly　depend　on　the
credit　of　the　relators；）　so　she　resolved　to　come　to　him；　and　that
especially　in　order　to　have　a　trial　of　his　wisdom；　while　she
proposed　questions　of　very　great　difficulty；　and　entreated　that
he　would　solve　their　hidden　meaning。　Accordingly　she　came　to
Jerusalem　with　great　splendor　and　rich　furniture；　for　she　brought
with　her　camels　laden　with　gold；　with　several　sorts　of　sweet
spices；　and　with　precious　stones。　Now；　upon　the　king's　kind
reception　of　her；　he　both　showed　a　great　desire　to　please　her；
and　easily　comprehending　in　his　mind　the　meaning　of　the　curious
questions　she　propounded　to　him；　he　resolved　them　sooner　than　any
body　could　have　expected。　So　she　was　amazed　at　the　wisdom　of
Solomon；　and　discovered　that　it　was　more　excellent　upon　trial
than　what　she　had　heard　by　report　beforehand；　and　especially　she
was　surprised　at　the　fineness　and　largeness　of　his　royal　palace；
and　not　less　so　at　the　good　order　of　the　apartments；　for　she
observed　that　the　king　had　therein　shown　great　wisdom；　but　she
was　beyond　measure　astonished　at　the　house　which　was　called　the
Forest　of　Lebanon；　as　also　at　the　magnificence　of　his　daily
table；　and　the　circumstances　of　its　preparation　and　ministration；
with　the　apparel　of　his　servants　that　waited；　and　the　skillful
and　decent　management　of　their　attendance：　nor　was　she　less
affected　with　those　daily　sacrifices　which　were　offered　to　God；
and　the　careful　management　which　the　priests　and　Levites　used
about　them。　When　she　saw　this　done　every　day；　she　was　in　the
greatest　admiration　imaginable；　insomuch　that　she　was　not　able　to
contain　the　surprise　she　was　in；　but　openly　confessed　how
wonderfully　she　was　affected；　for　she　proceeded　to　discourse　with
the　king；　and　thereby　owned　that　she　was　overcome　with　admiration
at　the　things　before　related；　and　said；　〃All　things　indeed；　O
king；　that　came　to　our　knowledge　by　report；　came　with　uncertainty
as　to　our　belief　of　them；　but　as　to　those　good　things　that　to
thee　appertain；　both　such　as　thou　thyself　possessest；　I　mean
wisdom　and　prudence；　and　the　happiness　thou　hast　from　thy
kingdom；　certainly　the　same　that　came　to　us　was　no　falsity；　it
was　not　only　a　true　report；　but　it　related　thy　happiness　after　a
much　lower　manner　than　I　now　see　it　to　be　before　my　eyes。　For　as
for　the　report；　it　only　attempted　to　persuade　our　hearing；　but
did　not　so　make　known　the　dignity　of　the　things　themselves　as
does　the　sight　of　them；　and　being　present　among　them。　I　indeed；
who　did　not　believe　what　was　reported；　by　reason　of　the　multitude
and　grandeur　of　the　things　I　inquired　about；　do　see　them　to　be
much　more　numerous　than　they　were　reported　to　be。　Accordingly　I
esteem　the　Hebrew　people；　as　well　as　thy　servants　and　friends；　to
be　happy；　who　enjoy　thy　presence　and　hear　thy　wisdom　every　day
continually。　One　would　therefore　bless　God；　who　hath　so　loved
this　country；　and　those　that　inhabit　therein；　as　to　make　thee
king　over　them。〃

6。　Now　when　the　queen　had　thus　demonstrated　in　words　how　deeply
the　king　had　affected　her；　her　disposition　was　known　by　certain
presents；　for　she　gave　him　twenty　talents　of　gold；　and　an　immense
quantity　of　spices　and　precious　stones。　（They　say　also　that　we
possess　the　root　of　that　balsam　which　our　country　still　bears　by
this　woman's　gift。）　（17）　Solomon　also　repaid　her　with　many　good
things；　and　principally　by　bestowing　upon　her　what　she　chose　of
her　own　inclination；　for　there　was　nothing　that　she　desired　which
he　denied　her；　and　as　he　was　very　generous　and　liberal　in　his　own
temper；　so　did　he　show　the　greatness　of　his　soul　in　bestowing　on
her　what　she　herself　desired　of　him。　So　when　this　queen　of
Ethiopia　had　obtained　what　we　have　already　given　an　account　of；
and　had　again　communicated　to　the　king　what　she　brought　with　her；
she　returned　to　her　own　kingdom。

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。

1。　About　the　same　time　there　were　brought　to　the　king　from　the
Aurea　Chersonesus；　a　country　so　called；　precious　stones；　and　pine
trees；　and　these　trees　he　made　use　of　for　supporting　the　temple
and　the　palace；　as　also　for　the　materials　of　musical　instruments；
the　harps　and　the　psalteries；　that　the　Levites　might　make　use　of
them　in　their　hymns　to　God。　The　wood　which　was　brought　to　him　at
this　time　was　larger　and　finer　than　any　that　had　ever　been
brought　before；　but　let　no　one　imagine　that　these　pine　trees　were
like　those　which　are　now　so　named；　and　which　take　that　their
denomination　from　the　merchants；　who　so　call　them；　that　they　may
procure　them　to　be　admired　by　those　that　purchase　them；　for　those
we　speak　of　were　to　the　sight　like　the　wood　of　the　fig　tree；　but
were　whiter；　and　more　shining。　Now　we　have　said　thus　much；　that
nobody　may　be　ignorant　of　the　difference　between　these　sorts　of
wood；　nor　unacquainted　with　the　nature　of　the　genuine　pine　tree；
and　we　thought　it　both　a　seasonable　and　humane　thing；　when　we
mentioned　it；　and　the　uses　the　king　made　of　it；　to　explain　this
difference　so　far　as　we　have　done。

2。　Now　the　weight　of　gold　that　was　brought　him　was　six　hundred
and　sixty…six　talents；　not　including　in　that　sum　what　was　brought
by　the　merchants；　nor　what　the　toparchs　and　kings　of　Arabia　gave
him　in　presents。　He　also　cast　two　hundred　targets　of　gold；　each
of　them　weighing　six　hundred　shekels。　He　also　made　three　hundred
shields；　every　one　weighing　three　pounds　of　gold；　and　he　had　them
carried　and　put　into　that　house　which　was　called　The　Forest　of
Lebanon。　He　also　made　cups　of　gold；　and　of　＇precious＇　stones；　for
the　entertainment　of　his　guests；　and　had　them　adorned　in　the　most
artificial　manner；　and　he　contrived　that　all　his　other　furniture
of　vessels　should　be　of　gold；　for　there　was　nothing　then　to　be
sold　or　bought　for　silver；　for　the　king　had　many　ships　which　lay
upon　the　sea　of　Tarsus；　these　he　commanded　to　carry　out　all　sorts
of　merchandise　unto　the　remotest　nations；　by　the　sale　of　which
silver　and　gold　were　brought　to　the　king；　and　a　great　quantity　of
ivory；　and　Ethiopians；　and　apes；　and　they　finished　their　voyage；
going　and　returning；　in　three　years'　time。

3。　Accordingly　there　went　a　great　fame　all　around　the　neighboring
countries；　which　proclaimed　the　virtue　and　wisdom　of　Solomon；
insomuch　that　all　the　kings　every　where　were　desirous　to　see　him；
as　not　giving　credit　to　what　was　reported；　on　account　of　its
being　almost　incredible：　they　also　demonstrated　the　regard　they
had　for　him