the antiquities of the jews-1-第51章

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The　Assyrians；　And　How　God　Delivered　Them　By　Othniel；　Who　Ruled
Over　The　Forty　Years。

1。　Now　it　happened　that　the　tribe　of　Dan　suffered　in　like　manner
with　the　tribe　of　Benjamin；　and　it　came　to　do　so　on　the　occasion
following：　…　When　the　Israelites　had　already　left　off　the
exercise　of　their　arms　for　war；　and　were　intent　upon　their
husbandry；　the　Canaanites　despised　them；　and　brought　together　an
army；　not　because　they　expected　to　suffer　by　them；　but　because
they　had　a　mind　to　have　a　sure　prospect　of　treating　the　Hebrews
ill　when　they　pleased；　and　might　thereby　for　the　time　to　come
dwell　in　their　own　cities　the　more　securely；　they　prepared
therefore　their　chariots；　and　gathered　their　soldiery　together；
their　cities　also　combined　together；　and　drew　over　to　them
Askelon　and　Ekron；　which　were　within　the　tribe　of　Judah；　and　many
more　of　those　that　lay　in　the　plain。　They　also　forced　the　Danites
to　fly　into　the　mountainous　country；　and　left　them　not　the　least
portion　of　the　plain　country　to　set　their　foot　on。　Since　then
these　Danites　were　not　able　to　fight　them；　and　had　not　land
enough　to　sustain　them；　they　sent　five　of　their　men　into　the
midland　country；　to　seek　for　a　land　to　which　they　might　remove
their　habitation。　So　these　men　went　as　far　as　the　neighborhood　of
Mount　Libanus；　and　the　fountains　of　the　Lesser　Jordan；　at　the
great　plain　of　Sidon；　a　day's　journey　from　the　city；　and　when
they　had　taken　a　view　of　the　land；　and　found　it　to　be　good　and
exceeding　fruitful；　they　acquainted　their　tribe　with　it；
whereupon　they　made　an　expedition　with　the　army；　and　built　there
the　city　Dan；　of　the　same　name　with　the　son　of　Jacob；　and　of　the
same　name　with　their　own　tribe。

2。　The　Israelites　grew　so　indolent；　and　unready　of　taking　pains；
that　misfortunes　came　heavier　upon　them；　which　also　proceeded　in
part　from　their　contempt　of　the　Divine　worship；　for　when　they　had
once　fallen　off　from　the　regularity　of　their　political
government；　they　indulged　themselves　further　in　living　according
to　their　own　pleasure；　and　according　to　their　own　will；　till　they
were　full　of　the　evil　doings　that　were　common　among　the
Canaanites。　God　therefore　was　angry　with　them；　and　they　lost　that
their　happy　state　which　they　had　obtained　by　innumerable　labors；
by　their　luxury；　for　when　Chushan；　king　of　the　Assyrians；　had
made　war　against　them；　they　lost　many　of　their　soldiers　in　the
battle；　and　when　they　were　besieged；　they　were　taken　by　force；
nay；　there　were　some　who；　out　of　fear；　voluntarily　submitted　to
him；　and　though　the　tribute　laid　upon　them　was　more　than　they
could　bear；　yet　did　they　pay　it；　and　underwent　all　sort　of
oppression　for　eight　years；　after　which　thee　they　were　freed　from
them　in　the　following　manner：　…　

3。　There　was　one　whose　name　was　Othniel；　the　son　of　Kenaz；　of　the
tribe　of　Judah；　an　active　man　and　of　great　courage。　He　had　an
admonition　from　God　not　to　overlook　the　Israelites　in　such　a
distress　as　they　were　now　in；　but　to　endeavor　boldly　to　gain　them
their　liberty；　so　when　he　had　procured　some　to　assist　him　in　this
dangerous　undertaking；　（and　few　they　were；　who；　either　out　of
shame　at　their　present　circumstances；　or　out　of　a　desire　of
changing　them；　could　be　prevailed　on　to　assist　him；）　he　first　of
all　destroyed　that　garrison　which　Chushan　had　set　over　them；　but
when　it　was　perceived　that　he　had　not　failed　in　his　first
attempt；　more　of　the　people　came　to　his　assistance；　so　they
joined　battle　with　the　Assyrians；　and　drove　them　entirely　before
them；　and　compelled　them　to　pass　over　Euphrates。　Hereupon
Othniel；　who　had　given　such　proofs　of　his　valor；　received　from
the　multitude　authority　tojudge　the　people；　and　when　he　had　ruled
over　them　forty　years；　he　died。

CHAPTER　4。

How　Our　People　Served　The　Moabites　Eighteen　Years；　And　Were　Then
Delivered　From　Slavery　By　One　Ehud　Who　Retained　The　Dominion
Eighty　Years。

1。　When　Othniel　was　dead；　the　affairs　of　the　Israelites　fell
again　into　disorder：　and　while　they　neither　paid　to　God　the　honor
due　to　him；　nor　were　obedient　to　the　laws；　their　afflictions
increased；　till　Eglon；　king　of　the　Moabites；　did　so　greatly
despise　them　on　account　of　the　disorders　of　their　political
government；　that　he　made　war　upon　them；　and　overcame　them　in
several　battles；　and　made　the　most　courageous　to　submit；　and
entirely　subdued　their　army；　and　ordered　them　to　pay　him　tribute。
And　when　he　had　built　him　a　royal　palace　at　Jericho；　（14）　he
omitted　no　method　whereby　he　might　distress　them；　and　indeed　he
reduced　them　to　poverty　for　eighteen　years。　But　when　God　had　once
taken　pity　of　the　Israelites；　on　account　of　their　afflictions；
and　was　moved　to　compassion　by　their　supplications　put　up　to　him；
he　freed　them　from　the　hard　usage　they　had　met　with　under　the
Moabites。　This　liberty　he　procured　for　them　in　the　following
manner；　…　

2。　There　was　a　young　man　of　the　tribe　of　Benjamin；　whose　name　was
Ehud；　the　son　of　Gera；　a　man　of　very　great　courage　in　bold
undertakings；　and　of　a　very　strong　body；　fit　for　hard　labor；　but
best　skilled　in　using　his　left　hand；　in　which　was　his　whole
strength；　and　he　also　dwelt　at　Jericho。　Now　this　man　became
familiar　with　Eglon；　and　that　by　means　of　presents；　with　which　he
obtained　his　favor；　and　insinuated　himself　into　his　good　opinion；
whereby　he　was　also　beloved　of　those　that　were　about　the　king。
Now；　when　on　a　time　he　was　bringing　presents　to　the　king；　and　had
two　servants　with　him；　he　put　a　dagger　on　his　right　thigh
secretly；　and　went　in　to　him：　it　was　then　summer　thee；　and　the
middle　of　the　day；　when　the　guards　were　not　strictly　on　their
watch；　both　because　of　the　heat；　and　because　they　were　gone　to
dinner。　So　the　young　man；　when　he　had　offered　his　presents　to　the
king；　who　then　resided　in　a　small　parlor　that　stood　conveniently
to　avoid　the　heat；　fell　into　discourse　with　him；　for　they　were
now　alone；　the　king　having　bid　his　servants　that　attended　him　to
go　their　ways；　because　he　had　a　mind　to　talk　with　Ehud。　He　was
now　sitting　on　his　throne；　and　fear　seized　upon　Ehud　lest　he
should　miss　his　stroke；　and　not　give　him　a　deadly　wound；　so　he
raised　himself　up；　and　said　he　had　a　dream　to　impart　to　him　by
the　command　of　God；　upon　which　the　king　leaped　out　of　his　throne
for　joy　of　the　dream；　so　Ehud　smote　him　to　the　heart；　and　leaving
his　dagger　in　his　body；　he　went　out　and　shut　the　door　after　him。
Now　the　king's　servants　were　very　still；　as　supposing　that　the
king　had　composed　himself　to　sleep。

3。　Hereupon　Ehud　informed　the　people　of　Jericho　privately　of　what
he　had　done；　and　exhorted　them　to　recover　their　liberty；　who
heard　him　gladly；　and　went　to　their　arms；　and　sent　messengers
over　the　country；　that　should　sound　trumpets　of　rams'　horns；　for
it　was　our　custom　to　call　the　people　together　by　them。　Now　the
attendants　of　Eglon　were　ignorant　of　what　misfortune　had　befallen
him　for　a　great　while；　but；　towards　the　evening；　fearing　some
uncommon　accident　had　happened；　they　entered　into　his　parlor；　and
when　they　found　him　dead；　they　were　in　great　disorder；　and　knew
not　what　to　do；　and　before　the　guards　could　be　got　together；　the
multitude　of　the　Israelites　came　upon　them；　so　that　some　of　them
were　slain　immediately；　and　some　were　put　to　flight；　and　ran　away
toward　the　country　of　Moab；　in　order　to　save　themselves。　Their
number　was　above　ten　thousand。　The　Israelites　seized　upon　the
ford　of　Jordan；　and　pursued　them；　and　slew　them；　and　many　of　them
they　killed　at　the　ford；　nor　did　one　of　them　escape　out　of　their
hands；　and　by　this　means　it　was　that　the　Hebrews　freed　themselves
from　slavery　under　the　Moabites。　Ehud　also　was　on　this　account
dignified　with　the　government　over　all　the　multitude；　and　died
after　he　had　held　the　government　eighty　years　（15）　He　was　a　man
worthy　of　commendation；　even　besides　what　he　deserved　for　the
forementioned　act　of　his。　After　him　Shamgat；　the　son　of　Anath；
was　elected　for　their　governor；　but　died　in　the　first　year　of　his
government。

CHAPTER　5。

How　The　Canaanites　Brought　The　Israelites　Under　Slavery　For
Twenty　Years；　After　Which　They　Were　Delivered　By　Barak　And
Deborah；　Who　Ruled　Over　Them　For　Forty　Years。

1。　And　now　it　was　that　the　Israelites；　taking　no　warning　by　their
former　misfortunes　to　amend　their　manners；　and　neither
worshipping　God　nor　submitting　to　the　laws；　were　brought　under
slavery　by　Jabin；　the　king　of　the　Canaanites；　and　that　before
they　had　a　short　breathing　time　after　the　slavery　under　the
Moabites；　for　this　Jabin　out　of　Hazor；　a　city　that　was　situate
over　the　Semechonitis；　and　had　in　pay　three　hundred　footmen；　and
ten　thousand　horsemen；　with　fewer　than　three　thousand　chariots。
Sisera　was　commander　of　all　his　army；　and　was　the　principal
person　in　the　king's　favor。　He　so　sorely　beat　the　Israelites　when
they　fought　with　him；　that　he　ordered　them　to　pay　tribute。

2。　So　they　continued　to　that　hardship　for　twenty　years；　as　not
good　enough　of　themselves　to　grow　wise　by　their　misfortunes。　God
was　willing　also　hereby　the　more　to　subdue　their　obstinacy　and
ingratitude　towards　himself：　so　when　at　length　they　were　become
penitent；　and　were　so　wise　as　to　learn　that　their　calamities
arose　from　their　contempt　of　the　laws；　they　besought　Deborah；　a
certain　prophetess　among　them；　（which　name　in　the　Hebrew　tongue
signifies　a　Bee；）　to　pray　to　God　to　take　pity　on　them；　and　not　to
overlook　them；　now　they　were　ruined　by　the　Canaanites。　So　God
granted　them　deliverance；　and　chose　them　a　general；　Barak；　one
that　was　of　the　tribe　of　Naphtali。　Now　Barak；　in　the　Hebrew
tongue；　signifies　Lightning。

3。　So　Deborah　sent　for　Barak；　and　bade　him　choose　out　ten
thousand　young　men　to　go　against　the　enemy；　because　God　had　said
that　that　number　was　sufficient；　and　promised　them　victory。　But
when　Barak　said　that　he　would　not　be　the　general　unless　she　would
also　go　as　a　general　with　him；　she　had　indignation　at　what　he
said　'Thou；　O　Barak；　deliverest　up　meanly　that　authority　which
God　hath　given　thee　into　the　hand　of　a　woman；　and　I　do　not　reject
it！〃　So　they　collected　ten　thousand　men；　and　pitched　their　camp
at　Mount　Tabor；　where；　at　the　king's　command；　Sisera　met　them；
and　pitched　his　camp　not　far　from　the　enemy；　whereupon　the
Israelites；　and　Barak　himself；　were　so　aftrighted　at　the
multitude　of　those　enemies；　that　they　were　resolved　to　march　off；
had　not　Deborah　retained　them；　and　commanded　them　to　fight　the
enemy　that　very　day；　for　that　they　should　conquer　them；　and　God
would　be　their　assistance。

4。　So　the　battle　began；　and　when　they　were　come　to　a　close　fight；
there　came　down　from　heaven　a　great　storm；　with　a　vast　quantity
of　rain　and　hail；　and　the　wind　blew　the　rain　in　the　face　of　the
Canaanites；　and　so　darkened　their　eyes；　that　their　arrows　and
slings　were　of　no　advantage　to　them；　nor　would　the　coldness　of
the　air　permit　the　soldiers　to　make　use　of　their　swords；　while
this　storm　did　not　so　much　incommode　the　Israelites；　because　it
came　in　their　backs。　They　also　took　such　courage；　upon　the
apprehension　that　God　was　assisting　them；　that　they　fell　upon　the
very　midst　of　their　enemies；　and　slew　a　great　number　of　them；　so
that　some　of　them　fell　by　the　Israelites；　some　fell　by　their　own
horses；　which　were　put　into　disorder；　and　not　a　few　w