the antiquities of the jews-1-第53章

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government：　and　when　the　olive…tree　had　done　the　same；　the　brier；
whom　the　trees　had　desired　to　take　the　kingdom；　（it　is　a　sort　of
wood　good　for　firing；）　it　promised　to　take　the　government；　and　to
be　zealous　in　the　exercise　of　it；　but　that　then　they　must　sit
down　under　its　shadow；　and　if　they　should　plot　against　it　to
destroy　it；　the　principle　of　fire　that　was　in　it　should　destroy
them。　He　told　them；　that　what　he　had　said　was　no　laughing　matter；
for　that　when　they　had　experienced　many　blessings　from　Gideon；
they　overlooked　Abimelech；　when　he　overruled　all；　and　had　joined
with　him　in　slaying　his　brethren；　and　that　he　was　no　better　than
a　fire　himself。　So　when　he　had　said　this；　he　went　away；　and　lived
privately　in　the　mountains　for　three　years；　out　of　fear　of
Abimelech。

3。　A　little　while　after　this　festival；　the　Shechemites；　who　had
now　repented　themselves　of　having　slain　the　sons　of　Gideon；　drove
Abimelech　away；　both　from　their　city　and　their　tribe；　whereupon
he　contrived　how　he　might　distress　their　city。　Now　at　the　season
of　vintage；　the　people　were　afraid　to　go　out　and　gather　their
fruits；　for　fear　Abimelech　should　do　them　some　mischief。　Now　it
happened　that　there　had　come　to　them　a　man　of　authority；　one
Gaal；　that　sojourned　with　them；　having　his　armed　men　and　his
kinsmen　with　him；　so　the　Shechemites　desired　that　he　would　allow
them　a　guard　during　their　vintage；　whereupon　he　accepted　of　their
desires；　and　so　the　people　went　out；　and　Gaal　with　them　at　the
head　of　his　soldiery。　So　they　gathered　their　fruit　with　safety；
and　when　they　were　at　supper　in　several　companies；　they　then
ventured　to　curse　Abimelech　openly；　and　the　magistrates　laid
ambushes　in　places　about　the　city；　and　caught　many　of　Abimelech's
followers；　and　destroyed　them。

4。　Now　there　was　one　Zebul；　a　magistrate　of　the　Shechemites；　that
had　entertained　Abimelech。　He　sent　messengers；　and　informed　him
how　much　Gaal　had　irritated　the　people　against　him；　and　excited
him　to　lay　ambushes　before　the　city；　for　that　he　would　persuade
Gaal　to　go　out　against　him；　which　would　leave　it　in　his　power　to
be　revenged　on　him；　and　when　that　was　once　done；　he　would　bring
him　to　be　reconciled　to　the　city。　So　Abimelech　laid　ambushes；　and
himself　lay　with　them。　Now　Gaal　abode　in　the　suburbs；　taking
little　care　of　himself；　and　Zebul　was　with　him。　Now　as　Gaal　saw
the　armed　men　coming　on；　he　said　to　Zebul；　That　some　armed　men
were　coming；　but　the　other　replied；　They　were　only　shadows　of
huge　stones：　and　when　they　were　come　nearer；　Gaal　perceived　what
was　the　reality；　and　said；　They　were　not　shadows；　but　men　lying
in　ambush。　Then　said　Zebul；　〃Didst　not　thou　reproach　Abimelech
for　cowardice？　why　dost　thou　not　then　show　how　very　courageous
thou　art　thyself；　and　go　and　fight　him？〃　So　Gaal；　being　in
disorder；　joined　battle　with　Abimelech；　and　some　of　his　men　fell；
whereupon　he　fled　into　the　city；　and　took　his　men　with　him。　But
Zebul　managed　his　matters　so　in　the　city；　that　he　procured　them
to　expel　Gaal　out　of　the　city；　and　this　by　accusing　him　of
cowardice　in　this　action　with　the　soldiers　of　Ahimelech。　But
Abimelech；　when　he　had　learned　that　the　Shechemites　were　again
coming　out　to　gather　their　grapes；　placed　ambushes　before　the
city；　and　when　they　were　coming　out；　the　third　part　of　his　army
took　possession　of　the　gates；　to　hinder　the　citizens　from
returning　in　again；　while　the　rest　pursued　those　that　were
scattered　abroad；　and　so　there　was　slaughter　every　where；　and
when　he　had　overthrown　the　city　to　the　very　foundations；　for　it
was　not　able　to　bear　a　siege；　and　had　sown　its　ruins　with　salt；
he　proceeded　on　with　his　army　till　all　the　Shechemites　were
slain。　As　for　those　that　were　scattered　about　the　country；　and　so
escaped　the　danger；　they　were　gathered　together　unto　a　certain
strong　rock；　and　settled　themselves　upon　it；　and　prepared　to
build　a　wall　about　it：　and　when　Abimelech　knew　their　intentions；
he　prevented　them；　and　came　upon　them　with　his　forces；　and　laid
faggots　of　dry　wood　round　the　place；　he　himself　bringing　some　of
them；　and　by　his　example　encouraging　the　soldiers　to　do　the　same。
And　when　the　rock　was　encompassed　round　about　with　these　faggots；
they　set　them　on　fire；　and　threw　in　whatsoever　by　nature　caught
fire　the　most　easily：　so　a　mighty　flame　was　raised；　and　nobody
could　fly　away　from　the　rock；　but　every　man　perished；　with　their
wives　and　children；　in　all　about　fifteen　hundred　men；　and　the
rest　were　a　great　number　also。　And　such　was　the　calamity　which
fell　upon　the　Shechemites；　and　men's　grief　on　their　account　had
been　greater　than　it　was；　had　they　not　brought　so　much　mischief
on　a　person　who　had　so　well　deserved　of　them；　and　had　they　not
themselves　esteemed　this　as　a　punishment　for　the　same。

5。　Now　Abimelech；　when　he　had　aftrighted　the　Israelites　with　the
miseries　he　had　brought　upon　the　Shechemites；　seemed　openly　to
affect　greater　authority　than　he　now　had；　and　appeared　to　set　no
bounds　to　his　violence；　unless　it　were　with　the　destruction　of
all。　Accordingly　he　marched　to　Thebes；　and　took　the　city　on　the
sudden；　and　there　being　a　great　tower　therein；　whereunto　the
whole　multitude　fled；　he　made　preparation　to　besiege　it。　Now　as
he　was　rushing　with　violence　near　the　gates；　a　woman　threw　a
piece　of　a　millstone　upon　his　head；　upon　which　Abimelech　fell
down；　and　desired　his　armor…bearer　to　kill　him　lest　his　death
should　be　thought　to　be　the　work　of　a　woman：　…　who　did　what　he
was　bid　to　do。　So　he　underwent　this　death　as　a　punishment　for　the
wickedness　he　had　perpetrated　against　his　brethren；　and　his
insolent　barbarity　to　the　Shechemites。　Now　the　calamity　that
happened　to　those　Shechemites　was　according　to　the　prediction　of
Jotham；　However；　the　army　that　was　with　Abimelech；　upon　his　fall；
was　scattered　abroad；　and　went　to　their　own　homes。

6。　Now　it　was　that　Jair　the　Gileadite；　（16）　of　the　tribe　of
Manasseh；　took　the　government。　He　was　a　man　happy　in　other
respects　also；　but　particularly　in　his　children；　who　were　of　a
good　character。　They　were　thirty　in　number；　and　very　skillful　in
riding　on　horses；　and　were　intrusted　with　the　government　of　the
cities　of　Gilead。　He　kept　the　government　twenty…two　years；　and
died　an　old　man；　and　he　was　buried　in　Camon；　a　city　of　Gilead。

7。　And　now　all　the　affairs　of　the　Hebrews　were　managed
uncertainly；　and　tended　to　disorder；　and　to　the　contempt　of　God
and　of　the　laws。　So　the　Ammonites　and　Philistines　had　them　in
contempt；　and　laid　waste　the　country　with　a　great　army；　and　when
they　had　taken　all　Perea；　they　were　so　insolent　as　to　attempt　to
gain　the　possession　of　all　the　rest。　But　the　Hebrews；　being　now
amended　by　the　calamities　they　had　undergone；　betook　themselves
to　supplications　to　God；　and　brought　sacrifices　to　him；
beseeching　him　not　to　be　too　severe　upon　them；　but　to　be　moved　by
their　prayers　to　leave　off　his　anger　against　them。　So　God　became
more　merciful　to　them；　and　was　ready　to　assist　them。

8。　When　the　Ammonites　had　made　an　expedition　into　the　land　of
Gilead；　the　inhabitants　of　the　country　met　them　at　a　certain
mountain；　but　wanted　a　commander。　Now　there　was　one　whose　name
was　Jephtha；　who；　both　on　account　of　his　father's　virtue；　and　on
account　of　that　army　which　he　maintained　at　his　own　expenses；　was
a　potent　man：　the　Israelites　therefore　sent　to　him；　and　entreated
him　to　come　to　their　assistance；　and　promised　him　the　dominion
over　them　all　his　lifetime。　But　he　did　not　admit　of　their
entreaty；　and　accused　them；　that　they　did　not　come　to　his
assistance　when　he　was　unjustly　treated；　and　this　in　an　open
manner　by　his　brethren；　for　they　cast　him　off；　as　not　having　the
same　mother　with　the　rest；　but　born　of　a　strange　mother；　that　was
introduced　among　them　by　his　father's　fondness；　and　this　they　did
out　of　a　contempt　of　his　inability　＇to　vindicate　himself＇。　So　he
dwelt　in　the　country　of　Gilead；　as　it　is　called；　and　received　all
that　came　to　him；　let　them　come　from　what　place　soever；　and　paid
them　wages。　However；　when　they　pressed　him　to　accept　the
dominion；　and　sware　they　would　grant　him　the　government　over　them
all　his　life；　he　led　them　to　the　war。

9。　And　when　Jephtha　had　taken　immediate　care　of　their　affairs；　he
placed　his　army　at　the　city　Mizpeh；　and　sent　a　message　to　the
Ammonite　＇king＇；　complaining　of　his　unjust　possession　of　their
land。　But　that　king　sent　a　contrary　message；　and　complained　of
the　exodus　of　the　Israelites　out　of　Egypt；　and　desired　him　to　go
out　of　the　land　of　the　Amorites；　and　yield　it　up　to　him；　as　at
first　his　paternal　inheritance。　But　Jephtha　returned　this　answer：
That　he　did　not　justly　complain　of　his　ancestors　about　the　land
of　the　Amorites；　and　ought　rather　to　thank　them　that　they　left
the　land　of　the　Ammonites　to　them；　since　Moses　could　have　taken
it　also；　and　that　neither　would　he　recede　from　that　land　of　their
own；　which　God　had　obtained　for　them；　and　they　had　now　inhabited
＇above＇　three　hundred　years；　but　would　fight　with　them　about　it。

10。　And　when　he　had　given　them　this　answer；　he　sent　the
ambassadors　away。　And　when　he　had　prayed　for　victory；　and　had
vowed　to　perform　sacred　offices；　and　if　he　came　home　in　safety；
to　offer　in　sacrifice　what　living　creature　soever　should　first
meet　him；　（17）　he　joined　battle　with　the　enemy；　and　gained　a
great　victory；　and　in　his　pursuit　slew　the　enemies　all　along　as
far　as　the　city　of　Minnith。　He　then　passed　over　to　the　land　of
the　Ammonites；　and　overthrew　many　of　their　cities；　and　took　their
prey；　and　freed　his　own　people　from　that　slavery　which　they　had
undergone　for　eighteen　years。　But　as　he　came　back；　he　fell　into　a
calamity　no　way　correspondent　to　the　great　actions　he　had　done；
for　it　was　his　daughter　that　came　to　meet　him；　she　was　also　an
only　child　and　a　virgin：　upon　this　Jephtha　heavily　lamented　the
greatness　of　his　affliction；　and　blamed　his　daughter　for　being　so
forward　in　meeting　him；　for　he　had　vowed　to　sacrifice　her　to　God。
However；　this　action　that　was　to　befall　her　was　not　ungrateful　to
her；　since　she　should　die　upon　occasion　of　her　father's　victory；
and　the　liberty　of　her　fellow　citizens：　she　only　desired　her
father　to　give　her　leave；　for　two　months；　to　bewail　her　youth
with　her　fellow　citizens；　and　then　she　agreed；　that　at　the
forementioned　thee　he　might　do　with　her　according　to　his　vow。
Accordingly；　when　that　time　was　over；　he　sacrificed　his　daughter
as　a　burnt…offering；　offering　such　an　oblation　as　was　neither
conformable　to　the　law　nor　acceptable　to　God；　not　weighing　with
himself　what　opinion　the　hearers　would　have　of　such　a　practice。

11。　Now　the　tribe　of　Ephraim　fought　against　him；　because　he　did
not　take　them　along　with　him　in　his　expedition　against　the
Ammonites；　but　because　he　alone　had　the　prey；　and　the　glory　of
what　was　done　to　himself。　As　to　which　he　said；　first；　that　they
were　not　ignorant　how　his　kindred　had　fought　against　him；　and
that　when　they　were　invited；　they　did　not　come　to　his　assistance；
whereas　they　ought　to　have　come　quickly；　even　before　they　were
invited。　And　in　the　next　place；　that　they　were　going　to　act
unjustly；　for　while　they　had　not　courage　enough　to　fight　their
enemies；　they　came　hastily　against　their　own　kindred：　and　he
threatened　them　that；　with　God's　assistanc