the antiquities of the jews-1-第93章

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had　done　them　no　injury；　but　had　been　their　guardians　a　long　time
together；　while　we　continued　in　the　wilderness；　and　he　assured
him　he　should　never　repent　of　giving　any　thing　to　David。　When　the
messengers　had　carried　this　message　to　Nabal；　he　accosted　them
after　an　inhuman　and　rough　manner；　for　he　asked　them　who　David
was？　and　when　he　heard　that　he　was　the　son　of　Jesse；　he　said；
〃Now　is　the　time　that　fugitives　grow　insolent；　and　make　a　figure；
and　leave　their　masters。〃　When　they　told　David　this；　he　was
wroth；　and　commanded　four　hundred　armed　men　to　follow　him；　and
left　two　hundred　to　take　care　of　the　stuff；　（for　he　had　already
six　hundred；　（24））　and　went　against　Nabal：　he　also　swore　that　he
would　that　night　utterly　destroy　the　whole　house　and　possessions
of　Nabal；　for　that　he　was　grieved；　not　only　that　he　had　proved
ungrateful　to　them；　without　making　any　return　for　the　humanity
they　had　shown　him；　but　that　he　had　also　reproached　them；　and
used　ill　language　to　them；　when　he　had　received　no　cause　of
disgust　from　them。

7。　Hereupon　one　of　those　that　kept　the　flocks　of　Nabal；　said　to
his　mistress；　Nabal's　wife；　that　when　David　sent　to　her　husband
he　had　received　no　civil　answer　at　all　from　him；　but　that　her
husband　had　moreover　added　very　reproachful　language；　while　yet
David　had　taken　extraordinary　care　to　keep　his　flocks　from　harm；
and　that　what　had　passed　would　prove　very　pernicious　to　his
master。　When　the　servant　had　said　this；　Abigail；　for　that　was　his
wife's　name；　saddled　her　asses；　and　loaded　them　with　all　sorts　of
presents；　and；　without　telling　her　husband　any　thing　of　what　she
was　about；　（for　he　was　not　sensible　on　account　of　his
drunkenness；）　she　went　to　David。　She　was　then　met　by　David　as　she
was　descending　a　hill；　who　was　coming　against　Nabal　with　four
hundred　men。　When　the　woman　saw　David；　she　leaped　down　from　her
ass；　and　fell　on　her　face；　and　bowed　down　to　the　ground；　and
entreated　him　not　to　bear　in　mind　the　words　of　Nabal；　since　he
knew　that　he　resembled　his　name。　Now　Nabal；　in　the　Hebrew　tongue；
signifies　folly。　So　she　made　her　apology；　that　she　did　not　see
the　messengers　whom　he　sent。　〃Forgive　me；　therefore；〃　said　she；
〃and　thank　God；　who　hath　hindered　thee　from　shedding　human　blood；
for　so　long　as　thou　keepest　thyself　innocent；　he　will　avenge　thee
of　wicked　men；　（25）　for　what　miseries　await　Nabal；　they　will　fall
upon　the　heads　of　thine　enemies。　Be　thou　gracious　to　me；　and
think　me　so　far　worthy　as　to　accept　of　these　presents　from　me；
and；　out　of　regard　to　me；　remit　that　wrath　and　that　anger　which
thou　hast　against　my　husband　and　his　house；　for　mildness　and
humanity　become　thee；　especially　as　thou　art　to　be　our　king。〃
Accordingly；　David　accepted　her　presents；　and　said；　〃Nay；　but；　O
woman；　it　was　no　other　than　God's　mercy　which　brought　thee　to　us
today；　for；　otherwise；　thou　hadst　never　seen　another　day；　I
having　sworn　to　destroy　Nabal's　house　this　very　night；　and　to
leave　alive　not　one　of　you　who　belonged　to　a　man　that　was　wicked
and　ungrateful　to　me　and　my　companions；　but　now　hast　thou
prevented　me；　and　seasonably　mollified　my　anger；　as　being　thyself
under　the　care　of　God's　providence：　but　as　for　Nabal；　although
for　thy　sake　he　now　escape　punishment；　he　will　not　always　avoid
justice；　for　his　evil　conduct；　on　some　other　occasion；　will　be
his　ruin。〃

8。　When　David　had　said　this；　he　dismissed　the　woman。　But　when　she
came　home　and　found　her　husband　feasting　with　a　great　company；
and　oppressed　with　wine；　she　said　nothing　to　him　then　about　what
had　happened；　but　on　the　next　day；　when　he　was　sober；　she　told
him　all　the　particulars；　and　made　his　whole　body　to　appear　like
that　of　a　dead　man　by　her　words；　and　by　that　grief　which　arose
from　them；　so　Nabal　survived　ten　days；　and　no　more；　and　then
died。　And　when　David　heard　of　his　death；　he　said　that　God　had
justly　avenged　him　of　this　man；　for　that　Nabal　had　died　by　his
own　wickedness；　and　had　suffered　punishment　on　his　account；　while
he　had　kept　his　own　hands　clean。　At　which　time　he　understood　that
the　wicked　are　prosecuted　by　God；　that　he　does　not　overlook　any
man；　but　bestows　on　the　good　what　is　suitable　to　them；　and
inflicts　a　deserved　punishment　on　the　wicked。　So　he　sent　to
Nabal's　wife；　and　invited　her　to　come　to　him；　to　live　with　him；
and　to　be　his　wife。　Whereupon　she　replied　to　those　that　came；
that　she　was　not　worthy　to　touch　his　feet；　however；　she　came；
with　all　her　servants；　and　became　his　wife；　having　received　that
honor　on　account　of　her　wise　and　righteous　course　of　life。　She
also　obtained　the　same　honor　partly　on　account　of　her　beauty。　Now
David　had　a　wife　before；　whom　he　married　from　the　city　Abesar；
for　as　to　Michal；　the　daughter　of　king　Saul；　who　had　been　David's
wife；　her　father　had　given　her　in　marriage　to　Phalti；　the　son　of
Laish；　who　was　of　the　city　of　Gallim。

9。　After　this　came　certain　of　the　Ziphites；　and　told　Saul　that
David　was　come　again　into　their　country；　and　if　he　would　afford
them　his　assistance；　they　could　catch　him。　So　he　came　to　them
with　three　thousand　armed　men；　and　upon　the　approach　of　night；　he
pitched　his　camp　at　a　certain　place　called　Hachilah。　But　when
David　heard　that　Saul　was　coming　against　him；　he　sent　spies；　and
bid　them　let　him　know　to　what　place　of　the　country　Saul　was
already　come；　and　when　they　told　him　that　he　was　at　Hachilah；　he
concealed　his　going　away　from　his　companions；　and　came　to　Saul's
camp；　having　taken　with　him　Abishai；　his　sister　Zeruiah's　son；
and　Ahimelech　the　Hittite。　Now　Saul　was　asleep；　and　the　armed
men；　with　Abner　their　commander；　lay　round　about　him　in　a　circle。
Hereupon　David　entered　into　the　king's　tent；　but　he　did　neither
kill　Saul；　though　he　knew　where　he　lay；　by　the　spear　that　was
stuck　down　by　him；　nor　did　he　give　leave　to　Abishai；　who　would
have　killed　him；　and　was　earnestly　bent　upon　it　so　to　do；　for　he
said　it　was　a　horrid　crime　to　kill　one　that　was　ordained　king　by
God；　although　he　was　a　wicked　man；　for　that　he　who　gave　him　the
dominion　would　in　time　inflict　punishment　upon　him。　So　he
restrained　his　eagerness；　but　that　it　might　appear　to　have　been
in　his　power　to　have　killed　him　when　he　refrained　from　it；　he
took　his　spear；　and　the　cruse　of　water　which　stood　by　Saul　as　he
lay　asleep；　without　being　perceived　by　any　in　the　camp；　who　were
all　asleep；　and　went　securely　away；　having　performed　every　thing
among　the　king's　attendants　that　the　opportunity　afforded；　and
his　boldness　encouraged　him　to　do。　So　when　he　had　passed　over　a
brook；　and　was　gotten　up　to　the　top　of　a　hill；　whence　he　might　be
sufficiently　heard；　he　cried　aloud　to　Saul's　soldiers；　and　to
Abner　their　commander；　and　awaked　them　out　of　their　sleep；　and
called　both　to　him　and　to　the　people。　Hereupon　the　commander
heard　him；　and　asked　who　it　was　that　called　him。　To　whom　David
replied；　〃It　is　I；　the　son　of　Jesse；　whom　you　make　a　vagabond。
But　what　is　the　matter？　Dost　thou；　that　art　a　man　of　so　great
dignity；　and　of　the　first　rank　in　the　king's　court；　take　so
little　care　of　thy　master's　body？　and　is　sleep　of　more
consequence　to　thee　than　his　preservation；　and　thy　care　of　him？
This　negligence　of　yours　deserves　death；　and　punishment　to　be
inflicted　on　you；　who　never　perceived　when；　a　little　while　ago；
some　of　us　entered　into　your　camp；　nay；　as　far　as　to　the　king
himself；　and　to　all　the　rest　of　you。　If　thou　look　for　the　king's
spear　and　his　cruse　of　water；　thou　wilt　learn　what　a　mighty
misfortune　was　ready　to　overtake　you　in　your　very　camp　without
your　knowing　it。〃　Now　when　Saul　knew　David's　voice；　and
understood　that　when　he　had　him　in　his　power　while　he　was　asleep；
and　his　guards　took　no　care　of　him；　yet　did　not　he　kill　him；　but
spared　him；　when　he　might　justly　have　cut　him　off；　he　said　that
he　owed　him　thanks　for　his　preservation；　and　exhorted　him　to　be
of　good　courage；　and　not　be　afraid　of　suffering　any　mischief　from
him　any　more；　and　to　return　to　his　own　home；　for　he　was　now
persuaded　that　he　did　not　love　himself　so　well　as　he　was　loved　by
him：　that　he　had　driven　away　him　that　could　guard　him；　and　had
given　many　demonstrations　of　his　good…will　to　him：　that　he　had
forced　him　to　live　so　long　in　a　state　of　banishment；　a