the antiquities of the jews-1-第134章

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embassage　of　the　king　of　Syria；　Ahab　was　surprised；　and　gathered
together　the　multitude　to　a　congregation；　and　told　them　that；　for
himself；　he　was　ready；　for　their　safety　and　peace；　to　give　up　his
own　wives　and　children　to　the　enemy；　and　to　yield　to　him　all　his
own　possessions；　for　that　was　what　the　Syrian　king　required　at
his　first　embassage；　but　that　now　he　desires　to　send　his　servants
to　search　all　their　houses；　and　in　them　to　leave　nothing　that　is
excellent　in　its　kind；　seeking　an　occasion　of　fighting　against
him；　〃as　knowing　that　I　would　not　spare　what　is　mine　own　for　your
sakes；　but　taking　a　handle　from　the　disagreeable　terms　he　offers
concerning　you　to　bring　a　war　upon　us；　however；　I　will　do　what
you　shall　resolve　is　fit　to　be　done。〃　But　the　multitude　advised
him　to　hearken　to　none　of　his　proposals；　but　to　despise　him；　and
be　in　readiness　to　fight　him。　Accordingly；　when　he　had　given　the
ambassadors　this　answer　to　be　reported；　that　he　still　continued
in　the　mind　to　comply　with　what　terms　he　at　first　desired；　for
the　safety　of　the　citizens；　but　as　for　his　second　desires；　he
cannot　submit　to　them；　…　he　dismissed　them。

2。　Now　when　Benhadad　heard　this；　he　had　indignation；　and　sent
ambassadors　to　Ahab　the　third　time；　and　threatened　that　his　army
would　raise　a　bank　higher　than　those　walls；　in　confidence　of
whose　strength　he　despised　him；　and　that　by　only　each　man　of　his
army　taking　a　handful　of　earth；　hereby　making　a　show　of　the　great
number　of　his　army；　and　aiming　to　affright　him。　Ahab　answered；
that　he　ought　not　to　vaunt　himself　when　he　had　only　put　on　his
armor；　but　when　he　should　have　conquered　his　enemies　in　the
battle。　So　the　ambassadors　came　back；　and　found　the　king　at
supper　with　his　thirty…two　kings；　and　informed　him　of　Ahab's
answer；　who　then　immediately　gave　order　for　proceeding　thus：　To
make　lines　round　the　city；　and　raise　a　bulwark；　and　to　prosecute
the　siege　all　manner　of　ways。　Now；　as　this　was　doing；　Ahab　was　in
a　great　agony；　and　all　his　people　with　him；　but　he　took　courage；
and　was　freed　from　his　fears；　upon　a　certain　prophet　coming　to
him；　and　saying　to　him；　that　God　had　promised　to　subdue　so　many
ten　thousands　of　his　enemies　under　him。　And　when　he　inquired　by
whose　means　the　victory　was　to　be　obtained；　be　said；〃　By　the　sons
of　the　princes；　but　under　thy　conduct　as　their　leader；　by　reason
of　their　unskilfulness　＇in　war＇。〃　Upon　which　he　called　for　the
sons　of　the　princes；　and　found　them　to　be　two　hundred　and
thirty…two　persons。　So　when　he　was　informed　that　the　king　of
Syria　had　betaken　himself　to　feasting　and　repose；　he　opened　the
gates；　and　sent　out　the　princes'　sons。　Now　when　the　sentinels
told　Benhadad　of　it；　he　sent　some　to　meet　them；　and　commanded
them；　that　if　these　men　were　come　out　for　fighting；　they　should
bind　them；　and　bring　them　to　him；　and　that　if　they　came　out
peaceably；　they　should　do　the　same。　Now　Ahab　had　another　army
ready　within　the　walls；　but　the　sons　of　the　princes　fell　upon　the
out…guard；　and　slew　many　of　them；　and　pursued　the　rest　of　them　to
the　camp；　and　when　the　king　of　Israel　saw　that　these　had　the
upper　hand；　he　sent　out　all　the　rest　of　his　army；　which；　falling
suddenly　upon　the　Syrians；　beat　them；　for　they　did　not　think　they
would　have　come　out；　on　which　account　it　was　that　they　assaulted
them　when　they　were　naked　（37）　and　drunk；　insomuch　that　they　left
all　their　armor　behind　them　when　they　fled　out　of　the　camp；　and
the　king　himself　escaped　with　difficulty；　by　fleeing　away　on
horseback。　But　Ahab　went　a　great　way　in　pursuit　of　the　Syrians；
and　when　he　had　spoiled　their　camp；　which　contained　a　great　deal
of　wealth；　and　moreover　a　large　quantity　of　gold　and　silver；　he
took　Benhadad's　chariots　and　horses；　and　returned　to　the　city；
but　as　the　prophet　told　him　he　ought　to　have　his　army　ready；
because　the　Syrian　king　would　make　another　expedition　against　him
the　next　year；　Ahab　was　busy　in　making　provision　for　it
accordingly。

3。　Now　Benhadad；　when　he　had　saved　himself；　and　as　much　of　his
army　as　he　could；　out　of　the　battle；　he　consulted　with　his
friends　how　he　might　make　another　expedition　against　the
Israelites。　Now　those　friends　advised　him　not　to　fight　with　them
on　the　hills；　because　their　God　was　potent　in　such　places；　and
thence　it　had　come　to　pass　that　they　had　very　lately　been　beaten；
but　they　said；　that　if　they　joined　battle　with　them　in　the　plain；
they　should　beat　them。　They　also　gave　him　this　further　advice；　to
send　home　those　kings　whom　he　had　brought　as　his　auxiliaries；　but
to　retain　their　army；　and　to　set　captains　over　it　instead　of　the
kings；　and　to　raise　an　army　out　of　their　country；　and　let　them　be
in　the　place　of　the　former　who　perished　in　the　battle；　together
with　horses　and　chariots。　So　he　judged　their　counsel　to　be　good；
and　acted　according　to　it　in　the　management　of　the　army。

4。　At　the　beginning　of　the　spring；　Benhadad　took　his　army　with
him；　and　led　it　against　the　Hebrews；　and　when　he　was　come　to　a
certain　city　which　was　called　Aphek；　he　pitched　his　camp　in　the
great　plain。　Ahab　also　went　to　meet　him　with　his　army；　and
pitched　his　camp　over　against　him；　although　his　army　was　a　very
small　one；　if　it　were　compared　with　the　enemy's；　but　the　prophet
came　again　to　him；　and　told　him；　that　God　would　give　him　the
victory；　that　he　might　demonstrate　his　own　power　to　be；　not　only
on　the　mountains；　but　on　the　plains　also；　which　it　seems　was
contrary　to　the　opinion　of　the　Syrians。　So　they　lay　quiet　in
their　camp　seven　days；　but　on　the　last　of　those　days；　when　the
enemies　came　out　of　their　camp；　and　put　themselves　in　array　in
order　to　fight；　Ahab　also　brought　out　his　own　army；　and　when　the
battle　was　joined；　and　they　fought　valiantly；　he　put　the　enemy　to
flight；　and　pursued　them；　and　pressed　upon　them；　and　slew　them；
nay；　they　were　destroyed　by　their　own　chariots；　and　by　one
another；　nor　could　any　more　than　a　few　of　them　escape　to　their
own　city　Aphek；　who　were　also　killed　by　the　walls　falling　upon
them；　being　in　number　twenty…seven　thousand。　（38）　Now　there　were
slain　in　this　battle　a　hundred　thousand　more；　but　Benhadad；　the
king　of　the　Syrians；　fled　away；　with　certain　others　of　his　most
faithful　servants；　and　hid　himself　in　a　cellar　under　ground；　and
when　these　told　him　that　the　kings　of　Israel　were　humane　and
merciful　men；　and　that　they　might　make　use　of　the　usual　manner　of
supplication；　and　obtain　deliverance　from　Ahab；　in　case　he　would
give　them　leave　to　go　to　him；　he　gave　them　leave　accordingly。　So
they　came　to　Ahab；　clothed　in　sackcloth；　with　ropes　about　their
heads；　（for　this　was　the　ancient　manner　of　supplication　among　the
Syrians；）　（39）　and　said；　that　Benhadad　desired　he　would　save　him；
and　that　he　would　ever　be　a　servant　to　him　for　that　favor。　Ahab
replied　he　was　glad　that　he　was　alive；　and　not　hurt　in　the
battle；　and　he　further　promised　him　the　same　honor　and　kindness
that　a　man　would　show　to　his　brother。　So　they　received　assurances
upon　oath　from　him；　that　when　he　came　to　him　he　should　receive　no
harm　from　him；　and　then　went　and　brought　him　out　of　the　cellar
wherein　he　was　hid；　and　brought　him　to　Ahab　as　he　sat　in　his
chariot。　So　Benhadad　worshipped　him；　and　Ahab　gave　him　his　hand；
and　made　him　come　up　to　him　into　his　chariot；　and　kissed　him；　and
bid　him　be　of　good　cheer；　and　not　to　expect　that　any　mischief
should　be　done　to　him。　So　Berthadad　returned　him　thanks；　and
professed　that　he　would　remember　his　kindness　to　him　all　the　days
of　his　life；　and　promised　he　would　restore　those　cities　of　the
Israelites　which　the　former　kings　had　taken　from　them；　and　grant
that　he　should　have　leave　to　come　to　Damascus；　as　his　forefathers
had　to　come　to　Samaria。　So　they　confirmed　their　covenant　by
oaths；　and　Ahab　made　him　many　presents；　and　sent　him　back　to　his
own　kingdom。　And　this　was　the　conclusion　of　the　war　that　Benhadad
made　against　Ahab　and　the　Israelites。

5。　But　a　certain　prophet；　whose　name　was　Micaiah；　（40）　came　to
one　of　the　Israelites；　and　bid　him　smite　him　on　the　head；　for　by
so　doing　he　would　please　God；　but　when　he　would　not　do　so；　he
foretold　to　him；　that　since　he　disobeyed　the　commands　of　God；　he
should　meet　with　a　lion；　and　be　destroyed　by　hi