the antiquities of the jews-1-第90章

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when　Jonathan　said；　in　answer；　〃What　hath　he　done　that　thou　wilt
punish　him？〃　Saul　no　longer　contented　himself　to　express　his
anger　in　bare　words；　but　snatched　up　his　spear；　and　leaped　upon
him；　and　was　desirous　to　kill　him。　He　did　not　indeed　do　what　he
intended；　because　he　was　hindered　by　his　friends；　but　it　appeared
plainly　to　his　son　that　he　hated　David；　and　greatly　desired　to
despatch　him；　insomuch　that　he　had　almost　slain　his　son　with　his
own　hands　on　his　account。

10。　And　then　it　was　that　the　king's　son　rose　hastily　from　supper；
and　being　unable　to　admit　any　thing　into　his　mouth　for　grief；　he
wept　all　night；　both　because　he　had　himself　been　near
destruction；　and　because　the　death　of　David　was　determined：　but
as　soon　as　it　was　day；　he　went　out　into　the　plain　that　was　before
the　city；　as　going　to　perform　his　exercises；　but　in　reality　to
inform　his　friend　what　disposition　his　father　was　in　towards　him；
as　he　had　agreed　with　him　to　do；　and　when　Jonathan　had　done　what
had　been　thus　agreed；　he　dismissed　his　servant　that　followed　him；
to　return　to　the　city；　but　he　himself　went　into　the　desert；　and
came　into　his　presence；　and　communed　with　him。　So　David　appeared
and　fell　at　Jonathan's　feet；　and　bowed　down　to　him；　and　called
him　the　preserver　of　his　soul；　but　he　lifted　him　up　from　the
earth；　and　they　mutually　embraced　one　another；　and　made　a　long
greeting；　and　that　not　without　tears。　They　also　lamented　their
age；　and　that　familiarity　which　envy　would　deprive　them　of；　and
that　separation　which　must　now　be　expected；　which　seemed　to　them
no　better　than　death　itself。　So　recollecting　themselves　at　length
from　their　lamentation；　and　exhorting　one　another　to　be　mindful
of　the　oaths　they　had　sworn　to　each　other；　they　parted　asunder。

CHAPTER　12。

How　David　Fled　To　Ahimelech　And　Afterwards　To　The　Kings　Of　The
Philistines　And　Of　The　Moabites；　And　How　Saul　Slew　Ahimelech　And
His　Family；

1。　But　David　fled　from　the　king；　and　that　death　he　was　in　danger
of　by　him；　and　came　to　the　city　Nob；　to　Ahimelech　the　priest；
who；　when　he　saw　him　coming　all　alone；　and　neither　a　friend　nor　a
servant　with　him；　he　wondered　at　it；　and　desired　to　learn　of　him
the　cause　why　there　was　nobody　with　him。　To　which　David　answered；
That　the　king　had　commanded　him　to　do　a　certain　thing　that　was　to
be　kept　secret；　to　which；　if　he　had　a　mind　to　know　so　much；　he
had　no　occasion　for　any　one　to　accompany　him；　〃however；　I　have
ordered　my　servants　to　meet　me　at　such　and　such　a　place。〃　So　he
desired　him　to　let　him　have　somewhat　to　eat；　and　that　in　case　he
would　supply　him；　be　would　act　the　part　of　a　friend；　and　be
assisting　to　the　business　he　was　now　about：　and　when　he　had
obtained　what　he　desired；　he　also　asked　him　whether　he　had　any
weapons　with　him；　either　sword　or　spear。　Now　there　was　at　Nob　a
servant　of　Saul；　by　birth　a　Syrian；　whose　name　was　Doeg；　one　that
kept　the　king's　mules。　The　high　priest　said　that　he　had　no　such
weapons；　but；　he　added；　〃Here　is　the　sword　of　Goliath；　which；
when　thou　hadst　slain　the　Philistine；　thou　didst　dedicate　to
God。〃

2。　When　David　had　received　the　sword；　he　fled　out　of　the　country
of　the　Hebrews　into　that　of　the　Philistines；　over　which　Achish
reigned；　and　when　the　king's　servants　knew　him；　and　he　was　made
known　to　the　king　himself；　the　servants　informing　him　that　he　was
that　David　who　had　killed　many　ten　thousands　of　the　Philistines；
David　was　afraid　lest　the　king　should　put　him　to　death；　and　that
he　should　experience　that　danger　from　him　which　he　had　escaped
from　Saul；　so　he　pretended　to　be　distracted　and　mad；　so　that　his
spittle　ran　out　of　his　mouth；　and　he　did　other　the　like　actions
before　the　king　of　Gath；　which　might　make　him　believe　that　they
proceeded　from　such　a　distemper。　Accordingly　the　king　was　very
angry　at　his　servants　that　they　had　brought　him　a　madman；　and　he
gave　orders　that　they　should　eject　David　immediately　＇out　of　the
city＇。

3。　So　when　David　had　escaped　in　this　manner　out　of　Gath；　he　came
to　the　tribe　of　Judah；　and　abode　in　a　cave　by　the　city　of
Adullam。　Then　it　was　that　he　sent　to　his　brethren；　and　informed
them　where　he　was；　who　then　came　to　him　with　all　their　kindred；
and　as　many　others　as　were　either　in　want　or　in　fear　of　king
Saul；　came　and　made　a　body　together；　and　told　him　they　were　ready
to　obey　his　orders；　they　were　in　all　about　four　hundred。
Whereupon　he　took　courage；　now　such　a　force　and　assistance　was
come　to　him；　so　he　removed　thence　and　came　to　the　king　of　the
Moabites；　and　desired　him　to　entertain　his　parents　in　his
country；　while　the　issue　of　his　affairs　were　in　such　an　uncertain
condition。　The　king　granted　him　this　favor；　and　paid　great
respect　to　David's　parents　all　the　time　they　were　with　him。

4。　As　for　himself；　upon　the　prophet's　commanding　him　to　leave　the
desert；　and　to　go　into　the　portion　of　the　tribe　of　Judah；　and
abide　there；　he　complied　therewith；　and　coming　to　the　city
Hareth；　which　was　in　that　tribe；　he　remained　there。　Now　when　Saul
heard　that　David　had　been　seen　with　a　multitude　about　him；　he
fell　into　no　small　disturbance　and　trouble；　but　as　he　knew　that
David　was　a　bold　and　courageous　man；　he　suspected　that　somewhat
extraordinary　would　appear　from　him；　and　that　openly　also；　which
would　make　him　weep　and　put　him　into　distress；　so　he　called
together　to　him　his　friends；　and　his　commanders；　and　the　tribe
from　which　he　was　himself　derived；　to　the　hill　where　his　palace
was；　and　sitting　upon　a　place　called　Aroura；　his　courtiers　that
were　in　dignities；　and　the　guards　of　his　body；　being　with　him；　he
spake　thus　to　them：　…　〃You　that　are　men　of　my　own　tribe；　I
conclude　that　you　remember　the　benefits　that　I　have　bestowed　upon
you；　and　that　I　have　made　some　of　you　owners　of　land；　and　made
you　commanders；　and　bestowed　posts　of　honor　upon　you；　and　set
some　of　you　over　the　common　people；　and　others　over　the　soldiers；
I　ask　you；　therefore；　whether　you　expect　greater　and　more
donations　from　the　son　of　Jesse？　for　I　know　that　you　are　all
inclinable　to　him；　（even　my　own　son　Jonathan　himself　is　of　that
opinion；　and　persuades　you　to　be　of　the　same）；　for　I　am　not
unacquainted　with　the　oaths　and　the　covenants　that　are　between
him　and　David；　and　that　Jonathan　is　a　counselor　and　an　assistant
to　those　that　conspire　against　me；　and　none　of　you　are　concerned
about　these　things；　but　you　keep　silence　and　watch；　to　see　what
will　be　the　upshot　of　these　things。〃　When　the　king　had　made　this
speech；　not　one　of　the　rest　of　those　that　were　present　made　any
answer；　but　Doeg　the　Syrian；　who　fed　his　mules；　said；　that　he　saw
David　when　he　came　to　the　city　Nob　to　Ahimelech　the　high　priest；
and　that　he　learned　future　events　by　his　prophesying；　that　he
received　food　from　him；　and　the　sword　of　Goliath；　and　was
conducted　by　him　with　security　to　such　as　he　desired　to　go　to。

5。　Saul　therefore　sent　for　the　high　priest；　and　for　all　his
kindred；　and　said　to　them；　〃What　terrible　or　ungrateful　tiring
hast　thou　suffered　from　me；　that　thou　hast　received　the　son　of
Jesse；　and　hast　bestowed　on　him　both　food　and　weapons；　when　he
was　contriving　to　get　the　kingdom？　And　further；　why　didst　thou
deliver　oracles　to　him　concerning　futurities？　For　thou　couldst
not　be　unacquainted　that　he　was　fled　away　from　me；　and　that　he
hated　my　family。〃　But　the　high　priest　did　not　betake　himself　to
deny　what　he　had　done；　but　confessed　boldly　that　he　had　supplied
him　with　these　things；　not　to　gratify　David；　but　Saul　himself：
and　he　said；　〃I　did　not　know　that　he　was　thy　adversary；　but　a
servant　of　thine；　who　was　very　faithful　to　thee；　and　a　captain
over　a　thousand　of　thy　soldiers；　and；　what　is　more　than　these；
thy　son…in…law；　and　kinsman。　Men　do　not　choose　to　confer　such
favors　on　their　adversaries；　but　on　those　who　are　esteemed　to
bear　the　highest　good…will　and　respect　to　them。　Nor　is　this　the
first　time　that　I　prophesied　for　him；　but　I　have　done　it　often；
and　at　other　times　as　well　as　now。　And　when　he　told　me　that　he
was　sent　by　thee　in　great　haste　to　do　somewhat；　if　I　had
furnished　him　with　nothing　that　he　desired　I　should　have　thought
that　it　was　rather　in　contradiction　to　thee　than　to　him；
wherefore　do　not　thou　entertain　any　ill　opinion