the antiquities of the jews-1-第85章

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much；　that　he　thought　him　worthy　of　preservation。　Yet　was　not
this　done　however　according　to　the　will　of　God；　but　by　giving　way
to　human　passions；　and　suffering　himself　to　be　moved　with　an
unseasonable　commiseration；　in　a　point　where　it　was　not　safe　for
him　to　indulge　it；　for　God　hated　the　nation　of　the　Amalekites　to
such　a　degree；　that　he　commanded　Saul　to　have　no　pity　on　even
those　infants　which　we　by　nature　chiefly　compassionate；　but　Saul
preserved　their　king　and　governor　from　the　miseries　which　the
Hebrews　brought　on　the　people；　as　if　he　preferred　the　fine
appearance　of　the　enemy　to　the　memory　of　what　God　had　sent　him
about。　The　multitude　were　also　guilty；　together　with　Saul；　for
they　spared　the　herds　and　the　flocks；　and　took　them　for　a　prey；
when　God　had　commanded　they　should　not　spare　them。　They　also
carried　off　with　them　the　rest　of　their　wealth　and　riches；　but　if
there　were　any　thing　that　was　not　worthy　of　regard；　that　they
destroyed。

3。　But　when　Saul　had　conquered　all　these　Amalekites　that　reached
from　Pelusium　of　Egypt　to　the　Red　Sea；　he　laid　waste　all　the　rest
of　the　enemy's　country：　but　for　the　nation　of　the　Shechemites；　he
did　not　touch　them；　although　they　dwelt　in　the　very　middle　of　the
country　of　Midian；　for　before　the　battle；　Saul　had　sent　to　them；
and　charged　them　to　depart　thence；　lest　they　should　be　partakers
of　the　miseries　of　the　Amalekites；　for　he　had　a　just　occasion　for
saving　them；　since　they　were　of　the　kindred　of　Raguel；　Moses's
father…in…law。

4。　Hereupon　Saul　returned　home　with　joy；　for　the　glorious　things
he　had　done；　and　for　the　conquest　of　his　enemies；　as　though　he
had　not　neglected　any　thing　which　the　prophet　had　enjoined　him　to
do　when　he　was　going　to　make　war　with　the　Amalekites；　and　as
though　he　had　exactly　observed　all　that　he　ought　to　have　done。
But　God　was　grieved　that　the　king　of　the　Amalekites　was　preserved
alive；　and　that　the　multitude　had　seized　on　the　cattle　for　a
prey；　because　these　things　were　done　without　his　permission；　for
he　thought　it　an　intolerable　thing　that　they　should　conquer　and
overcome　their　enemies　by　that　power　which　he　gave　them；　and　then
that　he　himself　should　be　so　grossly　despised　and　disobeyed　by
them；　that　a　mere　man　that　was　a　king　would　not　bear　it。　He
therefore　told　Samuel　the　prophet；　that　he　repented　that　he　had
made　Saul　king；　while　he　did　nothing　that　he　had　commanded　him；
but　indulged　his　own　inclinations。　When　Samuel　heard　that；　he　was
in　confusion；　and　began　to　beseech　God　all　that　night　to　be
reconciled　to　Saul；　and　not　to　be　angry　with　him；　but　he　did　not
grant　that　forgiveness　to　Saul　which　the　prophet　asked　for；　as
not　deeming　it　a　fit　thing　to　grant　forgiveness　of　＇such＇　sins　at
his　entreaties；　since　injuries　do　not　otherwise　grow　so　great　as
by　the　easy　tempers　of　those　that　are　injured；　or　while　they　hunt
after　the　glory　of　being　thought　gentle　and　good…natured；　before
they　are　aware　they　produce　other　sins。　As　soon　therefore　as　God
had　rejected　the　intercession　of　the　prophet；　and　it　plainly
appeared　he　would　not　change　his　mind；　at　break　of　day　Samuel
came　to　Saul　at　Gilgal。　When　the　king　saw　him；　he　ran　to　him；　and
embraced　him；　and　said；　〃I　return　thanks　to　God；　who　hath　given
me　the　victory；　for　I　have　performed　every　thing　that　he　hath
commanded　me。〃　To　which　Samuel　replied；　〃How　is　it　then　that　I
hear　the　bleating　of　the　sheep　and　the　lowing　of　the　greater
cattle　in　the　camp？〃　Saul　made　answer；　That　the　people　had
reserved　them　for　sacrifices；　but　that；　as　to　the　nation　of　the
Amalekites；　it　was　entirely　destroyed；　as　he　had　received　it　in
command　to　see　done；　and　that　no　one　man　was　left；　but　that　he
had　saved　alive　the　king　alone；　and　brought　him　to　him；
concerning　whom；　he　said；　they　would　advise　together　what　should
be　done　with　him。〃　But　the　prophet　said；　〃God　is　not　delighted
with　sacrifices；　but　with　good　and　with　righteous　men；　who　are
such　as　follow　his　will　and　his　laws；　and　never　think　that　any
thing　is　well　done　by　them　but　when　they　do　it　as　God　had
commanded　them；　that　he　then　looks　upon　himself　as　affronted；　not
when　any　one　does　not　sacrifice；　but　when　any　one　appears　to　be
disobedient　to　him。　But　that　from　those　who　do　not　obey　him；　nor
pay　him　that　duty　which　is　the　alone　true　and　acceptable　worship；
he　will　not　kindly　accept　their　oblations；　be　those　they　offer
ever　so　many　and　so　fat；　and　be　the　presents　they　make　him　ever
so　ornamental；　nay；　though　they　were　made　of　gold　and　silver
themselves；　but　he　will　reject　them；　and　esteem　them　instances　of
wickedness；　and　not　of　piety。　And　that　he　is　delighted　with　those
that　still　bear　in　mind　this　one　thing；　and　this　only；　how　to　do
that；　whatsoever　it　be；　which　God　pronounces　or　commands　for　them
to　do；　and　to　choose　rather　to　die　than　to　transgress　any　of
those　commands；　nor　does　he　require　so　much　as　a　sacrifice　from
them。　And　when　these　do　sacrifice；　though　it　be　a　mean　oblation；
he　better　accepts　of　it　as　the　honor　of　poverty；　than　such
oblations　as　come　from　the　richest　men　that　offer　them　to　him。
Wherefore　take　notice；　that　thou　art　under　the　wrath　of　God；　for
thou　hast　despised　and　neglected　what　he　commanded　thee。　How　dost
thou　then　suppose　that　he　will　respect　a　sacrifice　out　of　such
things　as　he　hath　doomed　to　destruction？　unless　perhaps　thou　dost
imagine　that　it　is　almost　all　one　to　offer　it　in　sacrifice　to　God
as　to　destroy　it。　Do　thou　therefore　expect　that　thy　kingdom　will
be　taken　from　thee；　and　that　authority　which　thou　hast　abused　by
such　insolent　behavior；　as　to　neglect　that　God　who　bestowed　it
upon　thee。〃　Then　did　Saul　confess　that　he　had　acted　unjustly；　and
did　not　deny　that　he　had　sinned；　because　he　had　transgressed　the
injunctions　of　the　prophet；　but　he　said　that　it　was　out　of　a
dread　and　fear　of　the　soldiers；　that　he　did　not　prohibit　and
restrain　them　when　they　seized　on　the　prey。　〃But　forgive　me；〃
said　he；　〃and　be　merciful　to　me；　for　I　will　be　cautious　how　I
offend　for　the　time　to　come。〃　He　also　entreated　the　prophet　to　go
back　with　him；　that　he　might　offer　his　thank…offerings　to　God；
but　Samuel　went　home；　because　he　saw　that　God　would　not　be
reconciled　to　him。

5。　But　then　Saul　was　so　desirous　to　retain　Samuel；　that　he　took
hold　of　his　cloak；　and　because　the　vehemence　of　Samuel's
departure　made　the　motion　to　be　violent；　the　cloak　was　rent。　Upon
which　the　prophet　said；　that　after　the　same　manner　should　the
kingdom　be　rent　from　him；　and　that　a　good　and　a　just　man　should
take　it；　that　God　persevered　in　what　he　had　decreed　about　him；
that　to　be　mutable　and　changeable　in　what　is　determined；　is
agreeable　to　human　passions　only；　but　is　not　agreeable　to　the
Divine　Power。　Hereupon　Saul　said　that　he　had　been　wicked；　but
that　what　was　done　could　not　be　undone：　he　therefore　desired　him
to　honor　him　so　far；　that　the　multitude　might　see　that　he　would
accompany　him　in　worshipping　God。　So　Samuel　granted　him　that
favor；　and　went　with　him　and　worshipped　God。　Agag　also；　the　king
of　the　Amalekites；　was　brought　to　him；　and　when　the　king　asked；
How　bitter　death　was？　Samuel　said；　〃As　thou　hast　made　many　of　the
Hebrew　mothers　to　lament　and　bewail　the　loss　of　their　children；
so　shalt　thou；　by　thy　death；　cause　thy　mother　to　lament　thee
also。〃　Accordingly；　he　gave　order　to　slay　him　immediately　at
Gilgal；　and　then　went　away　to　the　city　Ramah。

CHAPTER　8。

How；　Upon　Saul's　Transgression　Of　The　Prophet's　Commands；　Samuel
Ordained　Another　Person　To　Be　King　Privately；　Whose　Name　Was
David；　As　God　Commanded　Him。

1。　Now　Saul　being　sensible　of　the　miserable　condition　he　had
brought　himself　into；　and　that　he　had　made　God　to　be　his　enemy；
he　went　up　to　his　royal　palace　at　Gibeah；　which　name　denotes　a
hill；　and　after　that　day　he　came　no　more　into　the　presence　of　the
prophet。　And　when　Samuel　mourned　for　him；　God　bid　him　leave　off
his　concern　for　him；　and　to　take　the　holy　oil；　and　go　to
Bethlehem；　to　Jesse　the　son　of　Obed；　and　to　anoint　such　of　his
sons　as　he　should　show　him　for　their　future　king。　But　Samuel
said；　he　was　afraid　lest　Saul；　when　he　came　to　know　of　it；　should
kill　him；　either　by　some　private　method　or　even　openly。　But　upon
God's　suggesting　to　him　a