the antiquities of the jews-1-第76章

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afflicted　with　a　famine；　Elimelech　of　Bethlehem；　which　is　a　city
of　the　tribe　of　Judah；　being　not　able　to　support　his　family　under
so　sore　a　distress；　took　with　him　Naomi　his　wife；　and　the
children　that　were　born　to　him　by　her；　Chillon　and　Mahlon；　and
removed　his　habitation　into　the　land　of　Moab；　and　upon　the　happy
prosperity　of　his　affairs　there；　he　took　for　his　sons　wives　of
the　Moabites；　Orpah　for　Chillon；　and　Ruth　for　Mahlon。　But　in　the
compass　of　ten　years；　both　Elimelech；　and　a　little　while　after
him；　the　sons；　died；　and　Naomi　being　very　uneasy　at　these
accidents；　and　not　being　able　to　bear　her　lonesome　condition；　now
those　that　were　dearest　to　her　were　dead；　on　whose　account　it　was
that　she　had　gone　away　from　her　own　country；　she　returned　to　it
again；　for　she　had　been　informed　it　was　now　in　a　flourishing
condition。　However；　her　daughters…in…law　were　not　able　to　think
of　parting　with　her；　and　when　they　had　a　mind　to　go　out　of　the
country　with　her；　she　could　not　dissuade　them　from　it；　but　when
they　insisted　upon　it；　she　wished　them　a　more　happy　wedlock　than
they　had　with　her　sons；　and　that　they　might　have　prosperity　in
other　respects　also；　and　seeing　her　own　affairs　were　so　low；　she
exhorted　them　to　stay　where　they　were；　and　not　to　think　of
leaving　their　own　country；　and　partaking　with　her　of　that
uncertainty　under　which　she　must　return。　Accordingly　Orpah　staid
behind；　but　she　took　Ruth　along　with　her；　as　not　to　be　persuaded
to　stay　behind　her；　but　would　take　her　fortune　with　her；
whatsoever　it　should　prove。

2。　When　Ruth　was　come　with　her　mother…in…law　to　Bethlehem；　Booz；
who　was　near　of　kin　to　Elimelech；　entertained　her；　and　when　Naomi
was　so　called　by　her　fellow　citizens；　according　to　her　true　name；
she　said；　〃You　might　more　truly　call　me　Mara。〃　Now　Naomi
signifies　in　the　Hebrew　tongue　happiness；　and　Mara；　sorrow。　It
was　now　reaping　thee；　and　Ruth；　by　the　leave　of　her
mother…in…law；　went　out　to　glean；　that　they　might　get　a　stock　of
corn　for　their　food。　Now　it　happened　that　she　came　into　Booz's
field；　and　after　some　thee　Booz　came　thither；　and　when　he　saw　the
damsel；　he　inquired　of　his　servant　that　was　set　over　the　reapers
concerning　the　girl。　The　servant　had　a　little　before　inquired
about　all　her　circumstances；　and　told　them　to　his　master；　who
kindly　embraced　her；　both　on　account　of　her　affection　to　her
mother…in…law；　and　her　remembrance　of　that　son　of　hers　to　whom
she　had　been　married；　and　wished　that　she　might　experience　a
prosperous　condition；　so　he　desired　her　not　to　glean；　but　to　reap
what　she　was　able；　and　gave　her　leave　to　carry　it　home。　He　also
gave　it　in　charge　to　that　servant　who　was　over　the　reapers；　not
to　hinder　her　when　she　took　it　away；　and　bade　him　give　her　her
dinner；　and　make　her　drink　when　he　did　the　like　to　the　reapers。
Now　what　corn　Ruth　received　of　him　she　kept　for　her
mother…in…law；　and　came　to　her　in　the　evening；　and　brought　the
ears　of　corn　with　her；　and　Naomi　had　kept　for　her　a　part　of　such
food　as　her　neighbors　had　plentifully　bestowed　upon　her。　Ruth
also　told　her　mother…in…law　what　Booz　had　said　to　her；　and　when
the　other　had　informed　her　that　he　was　near　of　kin　to　them；　and
perhaps　was　so　pious　a　man　as　to　make　some　provision　for　them；
she　went　out　again　on　the　days　following；　to　gather　the　gleanings
with　Booz's　maidservants。

3。　It　was　not　many　days　before　Booz；　after　the　barley　was
winnowed；　slept　in　his　thrashing…floor。　When　Naomi　was　informed
of　this　circumstance　she　contrived　it　so　that　Ruth　should　lie
down　by　him；　for　she　thought　it　might　be　for　their　advantage　that
he　should　discourse　with　the　girl。　Accordingly　she　sent　the
damsel　to　sleep　at　his　feet；　who　went　as　she　bade　her；　for　she
did　not　think　it　consistent　with　her　duty　to　contradict　any
command　of　her　mother…in…law。　And　at　first　she　lay　concealed　from
Booz；　as　he　was　fast　asleep；　but　when　he　awaked　about　midnight；
and　perceived　a　woman　lying　by　him；　he　asked　who　she　was；　…　and
when　she　told　him　her　name；　and　desired　that　he　whom　she　owned
for　her　lord　would　excuse　her；　he　then　said　no　more；　but　in　the
morning；　before　the　servants　began　to　set　about　their　work；　he
awaked　her；　and　bid　her　take　as　much　barley　as　she　was　able　to
carry；　and　go　to　her　mother…in…law　before　any　body　there　should
see　that　she　had　lain　down　by　him；　because　it　was　but　prudent　to
avoid　any　reproach　that　might　arise　on　that　account；　especially
when　there　had　been　nothing　done　that　was　ill。　But　as　to　the　main
point　she　aimed　at；　the　matter　should　rest　here；　…　〃He　that　is
nearer　of　kin　than　I　am；　shall　be　asked　whether　he　wants　to　take
thee　to　wife：　if　he　says　he　does；　thou　shalt　follow　him；　but　if
he　refuse　it；　I　will　marry　thee；　according　to　the　law。〃

4。　When　she　had　informed　her　mother…in…law　of　this；　they　were
very　glad　of　it；　out　of　the　hope　they　had　that　Booz　would　make
provision　for　them。　Now　about　noon　Booz　went　down　into　the　city；
and　gathered　the　senate　together；　and　when　he　had　sent　for　Ruth；
he　called　for　her　kinsman　also；　and　when　he　was　come；　he　said；
〃Dost　not　thou　retain　the　inheritance　of　Elimelech　and　his　sons？〃
He　confessed　that　he　did　retain　it；　and　that　he　did　as　he　was
permitted　to　do　by　the　laws；　because　he　was　their　nearest
kinsman。　Then　said　Booz；　〃Thou　must　not　remember　the　laws　by
halves；　but　do　every　thing　according　to　them；　for　the　wife　of
Mahlon　is　come　hither；　whom　thou　must　marry；　according　to　the
law；　in　case　thou　wilt　retain　their　fields。〃　So　the　man　yielded
up　both　the　field　and　the　wife　to　Booz；　who　was　himself　of　kin　to
those　that　were　dead；　as　alleging　that　he　had　a　wife　already；　and
children　also；　so　Booz　called　the　senate　to　witness；　and　bid　the
woman　to　loose　his　shoe；　and　spit　in　his　face；　according　to　the
law；　and　when　this　was　done；　Booz　married　Ruth；　and　they　had　a
son　within　a　year's　time。　Naomi　was　herself　a　nurse　to　this
child；　and　by　the　advice　of　the　women；　called　him　Obed；　as　being
to　be　brought　up　in　order　to　be　subservient　to　her　in　her　old
age；　for　Obed　in　the　Hebrew　dialect　signifies　a　servant。　The　son
of　Obed　was　Jesse；　and　David　was　his　son；　who　was　king；　and　left
his　dominions　to　his　sons　for　one　and　twenty　generations。　I　was
therefore　obliged　to　relate　this　history　of　Ruth；　because　I　had　a
mind　to　demonstrate　the　power　of　God；　who；　without　difficulty；
can　raise　those　that　are　of　ordinary　parentage　to　dignity　and
splendor；　to　which　he　advanced　David；　though　he　were　born　of　such
mean　parents。

CHAPTER　10。

Concerning　The　Birth　Of　Samuel；　And　How　He　Foretold　The　Calamity
That　Befell　The　Sons　Of　Eli。

1。　And　now　upon　the　ill　state　of　the　affairs　of　the　Hebrews；　they
made　war　again　upon　the　Philistines。　The　occasion　was　this：　Eli；
the　high　priest；　had　two　sons；　Hophni　and　Phineas。　These　sons　of
Eli　were　guilty　of　injustice　towards　men；　and　of　impiety　towards
God；　and　abstained　from　no　sort　of　wickedness。　Some　of　their
gifts　they　carried　off；　as　belonging　to　the　honorable　employment
they　had；　others　of　them　they　took　away　by　violence。　They　also
were　guilty　of　impurity　with　the　women　that　came　to　worship　God
at　the　tabernacle；　obliging　some　to　submit　to　their　lust　by
force；　and　enticing　others　by　bribes；　nay；　the　whole　course　of
their　lives　was　no　better　than　tyranny。　Their　father　therefore
was　angry　at　them　for　such　their　wickedness；　and　expected　that
God　would　suddenly　inflict　his　punishments　upon　them　for　what
they　had　done。　The　multitude　took　it　heinously　also。　And　as　soon
as　God　had　foretold　what　calamity　would　befall　Eli's　sons；　which
he　did　both　to　Eli　himself　and　to　Samuel　the　prophet；　who　was　yet
but　a　child；　he　openly　showed　his　sorrow　for　his　sons'
destruction。

2。　I　will　first　despatch　what　I　have　to　say　about　the　prophet
Samuel；　and　after　that　will　proceed　to　speak　of　the　sons　of　Eli；
and　the　miseries　they　brought　on　the　whole　people　of　the　Hebrews。
Elcanah；　a　Levite；　one　of　a　middle　condition　among　his　fellow
citizens；　and　one　that　dwelt　at　Ramathaim；　a　city　of　the　tribe　of
Ephraim；　married　two　wives；　Hannah　and　Peninnah。　He　had　children
by　the　latter；　but　he　loved　the　other　best；　although　she　was
barren。　Now　Elcanah　came　with　his　wives　to　the　city　Shiloh　to
sac