the antiquities of the jews-1-第83章

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to　Jonathan　his　son；　to　be　the　guards　of　his　body；　and　sent　him
to　Gibeah；　where　he　besieged　and　took　a　certain　garrison　of　the
Philistines；　not　far　from　Gilgal；　for　the　Philistines　of　Gibeah
had　beaten　the　Jews；　and　taken　their　weapons　away；　and　had　put
garrisons　into　the　strongest　places　of　the　country；　and　had
forbidden　them　to　carry　any　instrument　of　iron；　or　at　all　to　make
use　of　any　iron　in　any　case　whatsoever。　And　on　account　of　this
prohibition　it　was　that　the　husbandmen；　if　they　had　occasion　to
sharpen　any　of　their　tools；　whether　it　were　the　coulter　or　the
spade；　or　any　instrument　of　husbandry；　they　came　to　the
Philistines　to　do　it。　Now　as　soon　as　the　Philistines　heard　of
this　slaughter　of　their　garrison；　they　were　in　a　rage　about　it；
and；　looking　on　this　contempt　as　a　terrible　affront　offered　them；
they　made　war　against　the　Jews；　with　three　hundred　thousand
footmen；　and　thirty　thousand　chariots；　and　six　thousand　horses；
and　they　pitched　their　camp　at　the　city　Michmash。　When　Saul；　the
king　of　the　Hebrews；　was　informed　of　this；　he　went　down　to　the
city　Gilgal；　and　made　proclamation　over　all　the　country；　that
they　should　try　to　regain　their　liberty；　and　called　them　to　the
war　against　the　Philistines；　diminishing　their　forces；　and
despising　them　as　not　very　considerable；　and　as　not　so　great　but
they　might　hazard　a　battle　with　them。　But　when　the　people　about
Saul　observed　how　numerous　the　Philistines　were；　they　were　under
a　great　consternation；　and　some　of　them　hid　themselves　in　caves
and　in　dens　under　ground；　but　the　greater　part　fled　into　the　land
beyond　Jordan；　which　belonged　to　Gad　and　Reuben。

2。　But　Saul　sent　to　the　prophet；　and　called　him　to　consult　with
him　about　the　war　and　the　public　affairs；　so　he　commanded　him　to
stay　there　for　him；　and　to　prepare　sacrifices；　for　he　would　come
to　him　within　seven　days；　that　they　might　offer　sacrifices　on　the
seventh　day；　and　might　then　join　battle　with　their　enemies。　So　he
waited　（11）　as　the　prophet　sent　to　him　to　do；　yet　did　not　he；
however；　observe　the　command　that　was　given　him；　but　when　he　saw
that　the　prophet　tarried　longer　than　he　expected；　and　that　he　was
deserted　by　the　soldiers；　he　took　the　sacrifices　and　offered
them；　and　when　he　heard　that　Samuel　was　come；　he　went　out　to　meet
him。　But　the　prophet　said　he　had　not　done　well　in　disobeying　the
injunctions　he　had　sent　to　him；　and　had　not　staid　till　his
coming；　which　being　appointed　according　to　the　will　of　God；　he
had　prevented　him　in　offering　up　those　prayers　and　those
sacrifices　that　he　should　have　made　for　the　multitude；　and　that
he　therefore　had　performed　Divine　offices　in　an　ill　manner；　and
had　been　rash　in　performing　them。　Hereupon　Saul　made　an　apology
for　himself；　and　said　that　he　had　waited　as　many　days　as　Samuel
had　appointed　him；　that　he　had　been　so　quick　in　offering　his
sacrifices；　upon　account　of　the　necessity　he　was　in；　and　because
his　soldiers　were　departing　from　him；　out　of　their　fear　of　the
enemy's　camp　at　Michmash；　the　report　being　gone　abroad　that　they
were　coming　down　upon　him　of　Gilgal。　To　which　Samuel　replied；
〃Nay；　certainly；　if　thou　hadst　been　a　righteous　man；　（12）　and
hadst　not　disobeyed　me；　nor　slighted　the　commands　which　God
suggested　to　me　concerning　the　present　state　of　affairs；　and
hadst　not　acted　more　hastily　than　the　present　circumstances
required；　thou　wouldst　have　been　permitted　to　reign　a　long　time；
and　thy　posterity　after　thee。〃　So　Samuel；　being　grieved　at　what
happened；　returned　home；　but　Saul　came　to　the　city　Gibeah；　with
his　son　Jonathan；　having　only　six　hundred　men　with　him；　and　of
these　the　greater　part　had　no　weapons；　because　of　the　scarcity　of
iron　in　that　country；　as　well　as　of　those　that　could　make　such
weapons；　for；　as　we　showed　a　little　before；　the　Philistines　had
not　suffered　them　to　have　such　iron　or　such　workmen。　Now　the
Philistines　divided　their　army　into　three　companies；　and　took　as
many　roads；　and　laid　waste　the　country　of　the　Hebrews；　while　king
Saul　and　his　son　Jonathan　saw　what　was　done；　but　were　not　able　to
defend　the　land；　having　no　more　than　six　hundred　men　with　them。
But　as　he；　and　his　son；　and　Abiah　the　high　priest；　who　was　of　the
posterity　of　Eli　the　high　priest；　were　sitting　upon　a　pretty　high
hill；　and　seeing　the　land　laid　waste；　they　were　mightily
disturbed　at　it。　Now　Saul's　son　agreed　with　his　armor…bearer；
that　they　would　go　privately　to　the　enemy's　camp；　and　make　a
tumult　and　a　disturbance　among　them。　And　when　the　armor…bearer
had　readily　promised　to　follow　him　whithersoever　he　should　lead
him；　though　he　should　be　obliged　to　die　in　the　attempt；　Jonathan
made　use　of　the　young　man's　assistance；　and　descended　from　the
hill；　and　went　to　their　enemies。　Now　the　enemy's　camp　was　upon　a
precipice　which　had　three　tops；　that　ended　in　a　small　but　sharp
and　long　extremity；　while　there　was　a　rock　that　surrounded　them；
like　lines　made　to　prevent　the　attacks　of　an　enemy。　There　it　so
happened；　that　the　out…guards　of　the　camp　were　neglected；　because
of　the　security　that　here　arose　from　the　situation　of　the　place；
and　because　they　thought　it　altogether　impossible；　not　only　to
ascend　up　to　the　camp　on　that　quarter；　but　so　much　as　to　come
near　it。　As　soon；　therefore；　as　they　came　to　the　camp；　Jonathan
encouraged　his　armor…bearer；　and　said　to　him；　〃Let　us　attack　our
enemies；　and　if；　when　they　see　us；　they　bid　us　come　up　to　them；
take　that　for　a　signal　of　victory；　but　if　they　say　nothing；　as
not　intending　to　invite　us　to　come　up；　let　us　return　back　again。〃
So　when　they　were　approaching　to　the　enemy's　camp；　just　after
break　of　day；　and　the　Philistines　saw　them；　they　said　one　to
another；　〃The　Hebrews　come　out　of　their　dens　and　caves：〃　and　they
said　to　Jonathan　and　to　his　armor…bearer；　〃Come　on；　ascend　up　to
us；　that　we　may　inflict　a　just　punishment　upon　you；　for　your　rash
attempt　upon　us。〃　So　Saul's　son　accepted　of　that　invitation；　as
what　signified　to　him　victory；　and　he　immediately　came　out　of　the
place　whence　they　were　seen　by　their　enemies：　so　he　changed　his
place；　and　came　to　the　rock；　which　had　none　to　guard　it；　because
of　its　own　strength；　from　thence　they　crept　up　with　great　labor
and　difficulty；　and　so　far　overcame　by　force　the　nature　of　the
place；　till　they　were　able　to　fight　with　their　enemies。　So　they
fell　upon　them　as　they　were　asleep；　and　slew　about　twenty　of
them；　and　thereby　filled　them　with　disorder　and　surprise；
insomuch　that　some　of　them　threw　away　their　entire　armor　and
fled；　but　the　greatest　part；　not　knowing　one　another；　because
they　were　of　different　nations；　suspected　one　another　to　be
enemies；　（for　they　did　not　imagine　there　were　only　two　of　the
Hebrews　that　came　up；）　and　so　they　fought　one　against　another；
and　some　of　them　died　in　the　battle；　and　some；　as　they　were
flying　away；　were　thrown　down　from　the　rock　headlong。

3。　Now　Saul's　watchmen　told　the　king　that　the　camp　of　the
Philistines　was　in　confusion；　then　he　inquired　whether　any　body
was　gone　away　from　the　army；　and　when　he　heard　that　his　son；　and
with　him　his　armor…bearer；　were　absent；　he　bade　the　high　priest
take　the　garments　of　his　high　priesthood；　and　prophesy　to　him
what　success　they　should　have；　who　said　that　they　should　get　the
victory；　and　prevail　against　their　enemies。　So　he　went　out　after
the　Philistines；　and　set　upon　them　as　they　were　slaying　one
another。　Those　also　who　had　fled　to　dens　and　caves；　upon　hearing
that　Saul　was　gaining　a　victory；　came　running　to　him。　When；
therefore；　the　number　of　the　Hebrews　that　came　to　Saul　amounted
to　about　ten　thousand；　he　pursued　the　enemy；　who　were　scattered
all　over　the　country；　but　then　he　fell　into　an　action；　which　was
a　very　unhappy　one；　and　liable　to　be　very　much　blamed；　for；
whether　out　of　ignorance　or　whether　out　of　joy　for　a　victory
gained　so　strangely；　（for　it　frequently　happens　that　persons　so
fortunate　are　not　then　able　to　use　their　reason　consistently；）　as
he　was　desirous　to　avenge　himself；　and　to　exact　a　due　punishment
of　the　Philistines；　he　denounced　a　curse　（13）　upon　the　Hebrews：
That　if　any　one　put　a　stop　to　his　slaughter　of　the　enemy；　and
fell　on　eating；　and　left　off　the　slaughter　or　the　pursuit　before
the　night　ca