the antiquities of the jews-1-第55章

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desired；　but　Samson　broke　his　bonds　asunder；　and　catching　up　the
jaw…bone　of　an　ass　that　lay　down　at　his　feet；　fell　upon　his
enemies；　and　smiting　them　with　his　jaw…bone；　slew　a　thousand　of
them；　and　put　the　rest　to　flight　and　into　great　disorder。

9。　Upon　this　slaughter　Samson　was　too　proud　of　what　he　had
performed；　and　said　that　this　did　not　come　to　pass　by　the
assistance　of　God；　but　that　his　success　was　to　be　ascribed　to　his
own　courage；　and　vaunted　himself；　that　it　was　out　of　a　dread　of
him　that　some　of　his　enemies　fell　and　the　rest　ran　away　upon　his
use　of　the　jaw…bone；　but　when　a　great　thirst　came　upon　him；　he
considered　that　human　courage　is　nothing；　and　bare　his　testimony
that　all　is　to　be　ascribed　to　God；　and　besought　him　that　he　would
not　be　angry　at　any　thing　he　had　said；　nor　give　him　up　into　the
hands　of　his　enemies；　but　afford　him　help　under　his　affliction；
and　deliver　him　from　the　misfortune　he　was　under。　Accordingly　God
was　moved　with　his　entreaties；　and　raised　him　up　a　plentiful
fountain　of　sweet　water　at　a　certain　rock　whence　it　was　that
Samson　called　the　place　the　Jaw…bone；　（20）　and　so　it　is　called　to
this　day。

10。　After　this　fight　Samson　held　the　Philistines　in　contempt；　and
came　to　Gaza；　and　took　up　his　lodgings　in　a　certain　inn。　When　the
rulers　of　Gaza　were　informed　of　his　coming　thither；　they　seized
upon　the　gates；　and　placed　men　in　ambush　about　them；　that　he
might　not　escape　without　being　perceived；　but　Samson；　who　was
acquainted　with　their　contrivances　against　him；　arose　about
midnight；　and　ran　by　force　upon　the　gates；　with　their　posts　and
beams；　and　the　rest　of　their　wooden　furniture；　and　carried　them
away　on　his　shoulders；　and　bare　them　to　the　mountain　that　is　over
Hebron；　and　there　laid　them　down。

11。　However；　he　at　length　（21）　transgressed　the　laws　of　his
country；　and　altered　his　own　regular　way　of　living；　and　imitated
the　strange　customs　of　foreigners；　which　thing　was　the　beginning
of　his　miseries；　for　he　fell　in　love　with　a　woman　that　was　a
harlot　among　the　Philistines：　her　name　was　Delilah；　and　he　lived
with　her。　So　those　that　administered　the　public　affairs　of　the
Philistines　came　to　her；　and；　with　promises；　induced　her　to　get
out　of　Samson　what　was　the　cause　of　that　his　strength；　by　which
he　became　unconquerable　to　his　enemies。　Accordingly；　when　they
were　drinking；　and　had　the　like　conversation　together；　she
pretended　to　admire　the　actions　he　had　done；　and　contrived　to　get
out　of　him　by　subtlety；　by　what　means　he　so　much　excelled　others
in　strength。　Samson；　in　order　to　delude　Delilah；　for　he　had　not
yet　lost　his　senses；　replied；　that　if　he　were　bound　with　seven
such　green　withs　of　a　vine　as　might　still　be　wreathed；　he　should
be　weaker　than　any　other　man。　The　woman　said　no　more　then；　but
told　this　to　the　rulers　of　the　Philistines；　and　hid　certain　of
the　soldiers　in　ambush　within　the　house；　and　when　he　was
disordered　in　drink　and　asleep；　she　bound　him　as　fast　as　possible
with　the　withs；　and　then　upon　her　awakening　him；　she　told　him
some　of　the　people　were　upon　him；　but　he　broke　the　withs；　and
endeavored　to　defend　himself；　as　though　some　of　the　people　were
upon　him。　Now　this　woman；　in　the　constant　conversation　Samson　had
with　her；　pretended　that　she　took　it　very　ill　that　he　had　such
little　confidence　in　her　affections　to　him；　that　he　would　not
tell　her　what　she　desired；　as　if　she　would　not　conceal　what　she
knew　it　was　for　his　interest　to　have　concealed。　However；　he
deluded　her　again；　and　told　her；　that　if　they　bound　him　with
seven　cords；　he　should　lose　his　strength。　And　when；　upon　doing
this；　she　gained　nothing；　he　told　her　the　third　thee；　that　his
hair　should　be　woven　into　a　web；　but　when；　upon　doing　this；　the
truth　was　not　yet　discovered；　at　length　Samson；　upon　Delilah's
prayer；　（for　he　was　doomed　to　fall　into　some　affliction；）　was
desirous　to　please　her；　and　told　her　that　God　took　care　of　him；
and　that　he　was　born　by　his　providence；　and　that　〃thence　it　is
that　I　suffer　my　hair　to　grow；　God　having　charged　me　never　to
poll　my　head；　and　thence　my　strength　is　according　to　the　increase
and　continuance　of　my　hair。〃　When　she　had　learned　thus　much；　and
had　deprived　him　of　his　hair；　she　delivered　him　up　to　his
enemies；　when　he　was　not　strong　enough　to　defend　himself　from
their　attempts　upon　him；　so　they　put　out　his　eyes；　and　bound　him；
and　had　him　led　about　among　them。

12。　But　in　process　of　time　Samson's　hair　grew　again。　And　there
was　a　public　festival　among　the　Philistines；　when　the　rulers；　and
those　of　the　most　eminent　character；　were　feasting　together；　（now
the　room　wherein　they　were　had　its　roof　supported　by　two　pillars
；）　so　they　sent　for　Samson；　and　he　was　brought　to　their　feast；
that　they　might　insult　him　in　their　cups。　Hereupon　he；　thinking
it　one　of　the　greatest　misfortunes；　if　he　should　not　be　able　to
revenge　himself　when　he　was　thus　insulted；　persuaded　the　boy　that
led　him　by　the　hand；　that　he　was　weary　and　wanted　to　rest
himself；　and　desired　he　would　bring　him　near　the　pillars；　and　as
soon　as　he　came　to　them；　he　rushed　with　force　against　them；　and
overthrew　the　house；　by　overthrowing　its　pillars；　with　three
thousand　men　in　it；　who　were　all　slain；　and　Samson　with　them。　And
such　was　the　end　of　this　man；　when　he　had　ruled　over　the
Israelites　twenty　years。　And　indeed　this　man　deserves　to　be
admired　for　his　courage　and　strength；　and　magnanimity　at　his
death；　and　that　his　wrath　against　his　enemies　went　so　far　as　to
die　himself　with　them。　But　as　for　his　being　ensnared　by　a　woman；
that　is　to　be　ascribed　to　human　nature；　which　is　too　weak　to
resist　the　temptations　to　that　sin；　but　we　ought　to　bear　him
witness；　that　in　all　other　respects　he　was　one　of　extraordinary
virtue。　But　his　kindred　took　away　his　body；　and　buried　it　in
Sarasat　his　own　country；　with　the　rest　of　his　family。

CHAPTER　9。

How　Under　Eli's　Government　Of　The　Israelites　Booz　Married　Ruth；
From　Whom　Came　Obed　The　Grandfather　Of　David。

1。　Now　after　the　death　of　Samson；　Eli　the　high　priest　was
governor　of　the　Israelites。　Under　him；　when　the　country　was
afflicted　with　a　famine；　Elimelech　of　Bethlehem；　which　is　a　city
of　the　tribe　of　Judah；　being　not　able　to　support　his　family　under
so　sore　a　distress；　took　with　him　Naomi　his　wife；　and　the
children　that　were　born　to　him　by　her；　Chillon　and　Mahlon；　and
removed　his　habitation　into　the　land　of　Moab；　and　upon　the　happy
prosperity　of　his　affairs　there；　he　took　for　his　sons　wives　of
the　Moabites；　Orpah　for　Chillon；　and　Ruth　for　Mahlon。　But　in　the
compass　of　ten　years；　both　Elimelech；　and　a　little　while　after
him；　the　sons；　died；　and　Naomi　being　very　uneasy　at　these
accidents；　and　not　being　able　to　bear　her　lonesome　condition；　now
those　that　were　dearest　to　her　were　dead；　on　whose　account　it　was
that　she　had　gone　away　from　her　own　country；　she　returned　to　it
again；　for　she　had　been　informed　it　was　now　in　a　flourishing
condition。　However；　her　daughters…in…law　were　not　able　to　think
of　parting　with　her；　and　when　they　had　a　mind　to　go　out　of　the
country　with　her；　she　could　not　dissuade　them　from　it；　but　when
they　insisted　upon　it；　she　wished　them　a　more　happy　wedlock　than
they　had　with　her　sons；　and　that　they　might　have　prosperity　in
other　respects　also；　and　seeing　her　own　affairs　were　so　low；　she
exhorted　them　to　stay　where　they　were；　and　not　to　think　of
leaving　their　own　country；　and　partaking　with　her　of　that
uncertainty　under　which　she　must　return。　Accordingly　Orpah　staid
behind；　but　she　took　Ruth　along　with　her；　as　not　to　be　persuaded
to　stay　behind　her；　but　would　take　her　fortune　with　her；
whatsoever　it　should　prove。

2。　When　Ruth　was　come　with　her　mother…in…law　to　Bethlehem；　Booz；
who　was　near　of　kin　to　Elimelech；　entertained　her；　and　when　Naomi
was　so　called　by　her　fellow　citizens；　according　to　her　true　name；
she　said；　〃You　might　more　truly　call　me　Mara。〃　Now　Naomi
signifies　in　the　Hebrew　tongue　happiness；　and　Mara；　sorrow。　It
was　now　reaping　thee；　and　Ruth；　by　the　leave　of　her
mother…in…law；　went　out　to　glean；　that　they　might　get　a　stock　of
corn　for　their　food。　Now　it　happened　that　she　came　into　Booz's
field；　and　after　some　thee　Booz　came　thither；　and　when　he　saw　the
damsel；　he　inquired　of　his　servant　that　was　set　over　the　reapers
concerning　the　girl。　The　servant　had　a　little　before　inquired
about　all　her　circumstances；　and　told　them　to　his　master；　who
kindly　embraced　her；　both　on　account　of　her　affection　to　her
mother…in…law；　and　her　remembrance　of　that　son　of　hers　to　whom
she　had　been　married；　and　wished　that　she　might　experience　a
prosperous　condition；　so　he　desired　her　not　to　glean；　but　to　reap
what　she　was　able；　and　gave　her　leave　to　carry　it　home。　He　also
gave　it　in　charge　to　that　servant　who　was　over　the　reapers；　not
to　hinder　her　when　she　took　it　away；　and　bade　him　give　her　her
dinner；　and　make　her　drink　when　he　did　the　like　to　the　reapers。
Now　what　corn　Ruth　received　of　him　she　kept　for　her
mother…in…law；　and　came　to　her　in　the　evening；　and　brought　the
ears　of　corn　with　her；　and　Naomi　had　kept　for　her　a　part　of　such
food　as　her　neighbors　had　plentifully　bestowed　upon　her。　Ruth
also　told　her　mother…in…law　what　Booz　had　said　to　her；　and　when
the　other　had　informed　her　that　he　was　near　of　kin　to　them；　and
perhaps　was　so　pious　a　man　as　to　make　some　provision　for　them；
she　went　out　again　on　the　days　following；　to　gather　the　gleanings
with　Booz's　maidservants。

3。　It　was　not　many　days　before　Booz；　after　the　barley　was
winnowed；　slept　in　his　thrashing…floor。　When　Naomi　was　informed
of　this　circumstance　she　contrived　it　so　that　Ruth　should　lie
down　by　him；　for　she　thought　it　might　be　for　their　advantage　that
he　should　discourse　with　the　girl。　Accordingly　she　sent　the
damsel　to　sleep　at　his　feet；　who　went　as　she　bade　her；　for　she
did　not　think　it　consistent　with　her　duty　to　contradict　any
command　of　her　mother…in…law。　And　at　first　she　lay　concealed　from
Booz；　as　he　was　fast　asleep；　but　when　he　awaked　about　midnight；
and　perceived　a　woman　lying　by　him；　he　asked　who　she　was；　…　and
when　she　told　him　her　name；　and　desired　that　he　whom　she　owned
for　her　lord　would　excuse　her；　he　then　said　no　more；　but　in　the
morning；　before　the　servants　began　to　set　about　their　work；　he
awaked　her；　and　bid　her　take　as　much　barley　as　she　was　able　to
carry；　and　go　to　her　mother…in…law　before　any　body　there　should
see　that　she　had　lain　down　by　him；　because　it　was　but　prudent　to
avoid　any　reproach　that　might　arise　on　that　account；　especially
when　there　had　been　nothing　done　that　was　ill。　But　as　to　the　main
point　she　aimed　at；　the　matter　should　rest　here；　…　〃He　that　is
nearer　of　kin　than　I　am；　shall　be　asked　whether　he　wants　to　take
thee　to　wife：　if　he　says　he　does；　thou　shalt　follow　him；　but　if
he　refuse　it；　I　will　marry　thee；　according　to　the　law。〃

4。　When　she　had　informed　her　mother…in…law　of　this；　they　were
very　glad　of　it；　out　of　the　hope　they　had　that　Booz　would　make
provision　for　them。　Now　about　noon　Booz　went　down　into　the　city；
and　gathered　the　senate　together；　and　when　he　had　sent　for　Ruth；
he　called　for　her　kinsman　also；　and　when　he　was　come；　he　said；
〃Dost　not　thou　retain　the　inheritance　of　Elimelech　and　his　sons？〃
He　confessed　that　he