the antiquities of the jews-1-第99章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


him　that　slew　him　and　upon　his　whole　house；　and　he　devoted　those
that　had　assisted　him　in　this　murder　to　the　same　penalties　on　its
account；　for　he　took　care　not　to　appear　to　have　had　any　hand　in
this　murder；　contrary　to　the　assurances　he　had　given　and　the
oaths　he　had　taken　to　Abner。　However；　he　commanded　all　the　people
to　weep　and　lament　this　man；　and　to　honor　his　dead　body　with　the
usual　solemnities；　that　is；　by　rending　their　garments；　and
putting　on　sackcloth；　and　that　things　should　be　the　habit　in
which　they　should　go　before　the　bier；　after　which　he　followed　it
himself；　with　the　elders　and　those　that　were　rulers；　lamenting
Abner；　and　by　his　tears　demonstrating　his　good…will　to　him　while
he　was　alive；　and　his　sorrow　for　him　now　he　was　dead；　and　that　he
was　not　taken　off　with　his　consent。　So　he　buried　him　at　Hebron　in
a　magnificent　manner；　and　indited　funeral　elegies　for　him；　he
also　stood　first　over　the　monument　weeping；　and　caused　others　to
do　the　same；　nay；　so　deeply　did　the　death　of　Abner　disorder　him；
that　his　companions　could　by　no　means　force　him　to　take　any　food；
but　he　affirmed　with　an　oath　that　he　would　taste　nothing　till　the
sun　was　set。　This　procedure　gained　him　the　good…will　of　the
multitude；　for　such　as　had　an　affection　for　Abner　were　mightily
satisfied　with　the　respect　he　paid　him　when　he　was　dead；　and　the
observation　of　that　faith　he　had　plighted　to　him；　which　was　shown
in　his　vouchsafing　him　all　the　usual　ceremonies；　as　if　he　had
been　his　kinsman　and　his　friend；　and　not　suffering　him　to　be
neglected　and　injured　with　a　dishonorable　burial；　as　if　he　had
been　his　enemy；　insomuch　that　the　entire　nation　rejoiced　at　the
king's　gentleness　and　mildness　of　disposition；　every　one　being
ready　to　suppose　that　the　king　would　have　taken　the　same　care　of
them　in　the　like　circumstances；　which　they　saw　be　showed　in　the
burial　of　the　dead　body　of　Abner。　And　indeed　David　principally
intended　to　gain　a　good　reputation；　and　therefore　he　took　care　to
do　what　was　proper　in　this　case；　whence　none　had　any　suspicion
that　he　was　the　author　of　Abner's　death。　He　also　said　this　to　the
multitude；　that　he　was　greatly　troubled　at　the　death　of　so　good　a
man；　and　that　the　affairs　of　the　Hebrews　had　suffered　great
detriment　by　being　deprived　of　him；　who　was　of　so　great　abilities
to　preserve　them　by　his　excellent　advice；　and　by　the　strength　of
his　hands　in　war。　But　he　added；　that　〃God；　who　hath　a　regard　to
all　men's　actions；　will　not　suffer　this　man　＇Joab＇　to　go　off
unrevenged；　but　know　ye；　that　I　am　not　able　to　do　any　thing　to
these　sons　of　Zeruiah；　Joab　and　Abishai；　who　have　more　power　than
I　have；　but　God　will　requite　their　insolent　attempts　upon　their
own　heads。〃　And　this　was　the　fatal　conclusion　of　the　life　of
Abner。

CHAPTER　2。

That　Upon　The　Slaughter　Of　Ishbosheth　By　The　Treachery　Of　His
Friends；　David　Received　The　Whole　Kingdom。

1。　When　Ishbosheth；　the　son　of　Saul；　had　heard　of　the　death　of
Abner；　he　took　it　to　heart　to　be　deprived　of　a　man　that　was　of
his　kindred；　and　had　indeed　given　him　the　kingdom；　but　was
greatly　afflicted；　and　Abner's　death　very　much　troubled　him；　nor
did　he　himself　outlive　any　long　time；　but　was　treacherously　set
upon　by　the　sons　of　Rimmon；　（Baanah　and　Rechab　were　their　names；）
and　was　slain　by　them；　for　these　being　of　a　family　of　the
Benjamites；　and　of　the　first　rank　among　them；　thought　that　if
they　should　slay　Ishbosheth；　they　should　obtain　large　presents
from　David；　and　be　made　commanders　by　him；　or；　however；　should
have　some　other　trust　committed　to　them。　So　when　they　once　found
him　alone；　and　asleep　at　noon；　in　an　upper　room；　when　none　of　his
guards　were　there；　and　when　the　woman　that　kept　the　door　was　not
watching；　but　was　fallen　asleep　also；　partly　on　account　of　the
labor　she　had　undergone；　and　partly　on　account　of　the　heat　of　the
day；　these　men　went　into　the　room　in　which　Ishbosheth；　Saul's
son；　lay　asleep；　and　slew　him；　they　also　cut　off　his　head；　and
took　their　journey　all　that　night；　and　the　next　day；　as　supposing
themselves　flying　away　from　those　they　had　injured；　to　one　that
would　accept　of　this　action　as　a　favor；　and　would　afford　them
security。　So　they　came　to　Hebron；　and　showed　David　the　head　of
Ishbosheth；　and　presented　themselves　to　him　as　his　well…wishers；
and　such　as　had　killed　one　that　was　his　enemy　and　antagonist。　Yet
David　did　not　relish　what　they　had　done　as　they　expected；　but
said　to　them；　〃You　vile　wretches；　you　shall　immediately　receive
the　punishment　you　deserve。　Did　not　you　know　what　vengeance　I
executed　on　him　that　murdered　Saul；　and　brought　me　his　crown　of
gold；　and　this　while　he　who　made　this　slaughter　did　it　as　a　favor
to　him；　that　he　might　not　be　caught　by　his　enemies？　Or　do　you
imagine　that　I　am　altered　in　my　disposition；　and　suppose　that　I
am　not　the　same　man　I　then　was；　but　am　pleased　with　men　that　are
wicked　doers；　and　esteem　your　vile　actions；　when　you　are　become
murderers　of　your　master；　as　grateful　to　me；　when　you　have　slain
a　righteous　man　upon　his　bed；　who　never　did　evil　to　any　body；　and
treated　you　with　great　good…will　and　respect？　Wherefore　you　shall
suffer　the　punishment　due　on　his　account；　and　the　vengeance　I
ought　to　inflict　upon　you　for　killing　Ishbosheth；　and　for
supposing　that　I　should　take　his　death　kindly　at　your　hands；　for
you　could　not　lay　a　greater　blot　on　my　honor；　than　by　making　such
a　supposal。〃　When　David　had　said　this；　he　tormented　them　with　all
sorts　of　torments；　and　then　put　them　to　death；　and　he　bestowed
all　accustomed　rites　on　the　burial　of　the　head　of　Ishbosheth；　and
laid　it　in　the　grave　of　Abner。

2。　When　these　things　were　brought　to　this　conclusion；　all　the
principal　men　of　the　Hebrew　people　came　to　David　to　Hebron；　with
the　heads　of　thousands；　and　other　rulers；　and　delivered
themselves　up　to　him；　putting　him　in　mind　of　the　good…will　they
had　borne　to　him　in　Saul's　lifetime；　and　the　respect　they　then
had　not　ceased　to　pay　him　when　he　was　captain　of　a　thousand；　as
also　that　he　was　chosen　of　God　by　Samuel　the　prophet；　he　and　his
sons；　（2）　and　declaring　besides；　how　God　had　given　him　power　to
save　the　land　of　the　Hebrews；　and　to　overcome　the　Philistines。
Whereupon　he　received　kindly　this　their　alacrity　on　his　account；
and　exhorted　them　to　continue　in　it；　for　that　they　should　have　no
reason　to　repent　of　being　thus　disposed　to　him。　So　when　he　had
feasted　them；　and　treated　them　kindly；　he　sent　them　out　to　bring
all　the　people　to　him；　upon　which　came　to　him　about　six　thousand
and　eight　hundred　armed　men　of　the　tribe　of　Judah；　who　bare
shields　and　spears　for　their　weapons；　for　these　had　＇till　now＇
continued　with　Saul's　son；　when　the　rest　of　the　tribe　of　Judah
had　ordained　David　for　their　king。　There　came　also　seven　thousand
and　one　hundred　out　of　the　tribe　of　Simeon。　Out　of　the　tribe　of
Levi　came　four　thousand　and　seven　hundred；　having　Jehoiada　for
their　leader。　After　these　came　Zadok　the　high　priest；　with
twenty…two　captains　of　his　kindred。　Out　of　the　tribe　of　Benjamin
the　armed　men　were　four　thousand；　but　the　rest　of　the　tribe
continued；　still　expecting　that　some　one　of　the　house　of　Saul
should　reign　over　them。　Those　of　the　tribe　of　Ephraim　were　twenty
thousand　and　eight　hundred；　and　these　mighty　men　of　valor；　and
eminent　for　their　strength。　Out　of　the　half　tribe　of　Manasseh
came　eighteen　thousand；　of　the　most　potent　men。　Out　of　the　tribe
of　Issachar　came　two　hundred；　who　foreknew　what　was　to　come
hereafter；　（3）　but　of　armed　men　twenty　thousand。　Of　the　tribe　of
Zebulon　fifty　thousand　chosen　men。　This　was　the　only　tribe　that
came　universally　in　to　David；　and　all　these　had　the　same　weapons
with　the　tribe　of　Gad。　Out　of　the　tribe　of　Naphtali　the　eminent
men　and　rulers　were　one　thousand；　whose　weapons　were　shields　and
spears；　and　the　tribe　itself　followed　after；　being　（in　a　manner）
innumerable　＇thirty…seven　thousand＇。　Out　of　the　tribe　of　Dan
there　were　of　chosen　men　twenty…seven　thousand　and　six　hundred。
Out　of　the　tribe　of　Asher　were　forty　thousand。　Out　of　the　two
tribes　that　were　beyond　Jordan；　and　the　rest　of　the　tribe　of
Manasseh；　such　as　used　shields；　and　spears；　and　head…pieces；　and
swords；　were　a　hundred　and　twenty　thousand。