the antiquities of the jews-1-第56章

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〃Dost　not　thou　retain　the　inheritance　of　Elimelech　and　his　sons？〃
He　confessed　that　he　did　retain　it；　and　that　he　did　as　he　was
permitted　to　do　by　the　laws；　because　he　was　their　nearest
kinsman。　Then　said　Booz；　〃Thou　must　not　remember　the　laws　by
halves；　but　do　every　thing　according　to　them；　for　the　wife　of
Mahlon　is　come　hither；　whom　thou　must　marry；　according　to　the
law；　in　case　thou　wilt　retain　their　fields。〃　So　the　man　yielded
up　both　the　field　and　the　wife　to　Booz；　who　was　himself　of　kin　to
those　that　were　dead；　as　alleging　that　he　had　a　wife　already；　and
children　also；　so　Booz　called　the　senate　to　witness；　and　bid　the
woman　to　loose　his　shoe；　and　spit　in　his　face；　according　to　the
law；　and　when　this　was　done；　Booz　married　Ruth；　and　they　had　a
son　within　a　year's　time。　Naomi　was　herself　a　nurse　to　this
child；　and　by　the　advice　of　the　women；　called　him　Obed；　as　being
to　be　brought　up　in　order　to　be　subservient　to　her　in　her　old
age；　for　Obed　in　the　Hebrew　dialect　signifies　a　servant。　The　son
of　Obed　was　Jesse；　and　David　was　his　son；　who　was　king；　and　left
his　dominions　to　his　sons　for　one　and　twenty　generations。　I　was
therefore　obliged　to　relate　this　history　of　Ruth；　because　I　had　a
mind　to　demonstrate　the　power　of　God；　who；　without　difficulty；
can　raise　those　that　are　of　ordinary　parentage　to　dignity　and
splendor；　to　which　he　advanced　David；　though　he　were　born　of　such
mean　parents。

CHAPTER　10。

Concerning　The　Birth　Of　Samuel；　And　How　He　Foretold　The　Calamity
That　Befell　The　Sons　Of　Eli。

1。　And　now　upon　the　ill　state　of　the　affairs　of　the　Hebrews；　they
made　war　again　upon　the　Philistines。　The　occasion　was　this：　Eli；
the　high　priest；　had　two　sons；　Hophni　and　Phineas。　These　sons　of
Eli　were　guilty　of　injustice　towards　men；　and　of　impiety　towards
God；　and　abstained　from　no　sort　of　wickedness。　Some　of　their
gifts　they　carried　off；　as　belonging　to　the　honorable　employment
they　had；　others　of　them　they　took　away　by　violence。　They　also
were　guilty　of　impurity　with　the　women　that　came　to　worship　God
at　the　tabernacle；　obliging　some　to　submit　to　their　lust　by
force；　and　enticing　others　by　bribes；　nay；　the　whole　course　of
their　lives　was　no　better　than　tyranny。　Their　father　therefore
was　angry　at　them　for　such　their　wickedness；　and　expected　that
God　would　suddenly　inflict　his　punishments　upon　them　for　what
they　had　done。　The　multitude　took　it　heinously　also。　And　as　soon
as　God　had　foretold　what　calamity　would　befall　Eli's　sons；　which
he　did　both　to　Eli　himself　and　to　Samuel　the　prophet；　who　was　yet
but　a　child；　he　openly　showed　his　sorrow　for　his　sons'
destruction。

2。　I　will　first　despatch　what　I　have　to　say　about　the　prophet
Samuel；　and　after　that　will　proceed　to　speak　of　the　sons　of　Eli；
and　the　miseries　they　brought　on　the　whole　people　of　the　Hebrews。
Elcanah；　a　Levite；　one　of　a　middle　condition　among　his　fellow
citizens；　and　one　that　dwelt　at　Ramathaim；　a　city　of　the　tribe　of
Ephraim；　married　two　wives；　Hannah　and　Peninnah。　He　had　children
by　the　latter；　but　he　loved　the　other　best；　although　she　was
barren。　Now　Elcanah　came　with　his　wives　to　the　city　Shiloh　to
sacrifice；　for　there　it　was　that　the　tabernacle　of　God　was　fixed；
as　we　have　formerly　said。　Now　when；　after　he　had　sacrificed；　he
distributed　at　that　festival　portions　of　the　flesh　to　his　wives
and　children；　and　when　Hannah　saw　the　other　wife's　children
sitting　round　about　their　mother；　she　fell　into　tears；　and
lamented　herself　on　account　of　her　barrenness　and　lonesomeness；
and　suffering　her　grief　to　prevail　over　her　husband's
consolations　to　her；　she　went　to　the　tabernacle　to　beseech　God　to
give　her　seed；　and　to　make　her　a　mother；　and　to　vow　to　consecrate
the　first　son　she　should　bear　to　the　service　of　God；　and　this　in
such　a　way；　that　his　manner　of　living　should　not　be　like　that　of
ordinary　men。　And　as　she　continued　at　her　prayers　a　long　time；
Eli；　the　high　priest；　for　he　sat　there　before　the　tabernacle；　bid
her　go　away；　thinking　she　had　been　disordered　with　wine；　but　when
she　said　she　had　drank　water；　but　was　in　sorrow　for　want　of
children；　and　was　beseeching　God　for　them；　he　bid　her　be　of　good
cheer；　and　told　her　that　God　would　send　her　children。

3。　So　she　came　to　her　husband　full　of　hope；　and　ate　her　meal　with
gladness。　And　when　they　had　returned　to　their　own　country　she
found　herself　with　child；　and　they　had　a　son　born　to　them；　to
whom　they　gave　the　name　of　Samuel；　which　may　be　styled　one　that
was　asked　of　God。　They　therefore　came　to　the　tabernacle　to　offer
sacrifice　for　the　birth　of　the　child；　and　brought　their　tithes
with　them；　but　the　woman　remembered　the　vows　she　had　made
concerning　her　son；　and　delivered　him　to　Eli；　dedicating　him　to
God；　that　he　might　become　a　prophet。　Accordingly　his　hair　was
suffered　to　grow　long；　and　his　drink　was　water。　So　Samuel　dwelt
and　was　brought　up　in　the　temple。　But　Elcanah　had　other　sons　by
Hannah；　and　three　daughters。

4。　Now　when　Samuel　was　twelve　years　old；　he　began　to　prophesy：
and　once　when　he　was　asleep；　God　called　to　him　by　his　name；　and
he；　supposing　he　had　been　called　by　the　high　priest；　came　to　him：
but　when　the　high　priest　said　he　did　not　call　him；　God　did　so
thrice。　Eli　was　then　so　far　illuminated；　that　he　said　to　him；
〃Indeed；　Samuel；　I　was　silent　now　as　well　as　before：　it　is　God
that　calls　thee；　do　thou　therefore　signify　it　to　him；　and　say；　I
am　here　ready。〃　So　when　he　heard　God　speak　again；　he　desired　him
to　speak；　and　to　deliver　what　oracles　he　pleased　to　him；　for　he
would　not　fail　to　perform　any　ministration　whatsoever　he　should
make　use　of　him　in；　…　to　which　God　replied；　〃Since　thou　art　here
ready；　learn　what　miseries　are　coming　upon　the　Israelites；　…　such
indeed　as　words　cannot　declare；　nor　faith　believe；　for　the　sons
of　Eli　shall　die　on　one　day；　and　the　priesthood　shall　be
transferred　into　the　family　of　Eleazar；　for　Eli　hath　loved　his
sons　more　than　he　hath　loved　my　worship；　and　to　such　a　degree　as
is　not　for　their　advantage。〃　Which　message　Eli　obliged　the
prophet　by　oath　to　tell　him；　for　otherwise　he　had　no　inclination
to　afflict　him　by　telling　it。　And　now　Eli　had　a　far　more　sure
expectation　of　the　perdition　of　his　sons；　but　the　glory　of　Samuel
increased　more　and　more；　it　being　found　by　experience　that
whatsoever　he　prophesied　came　to　pass　accordingly。　（22）
CHAPTER　11。

Herein　Is　Declared　What　Befell　The　Sons　Of　Eli；　The　Ark；　And　The
People　And　How　Eli　Himself　Died　Miserably。

1。　About　this　time　it　was　that　the　Philistines　made　war　against
the　Israelites；　and　pitched　their　camp　at　the　city　Aphek。　Now
when　the　Israelites　had　expected　them　a　little　while；　the　very
next　day　they　joined　battle；　and　the　Philistines　were　conquerors；
and　slew　above　four　thousand　of　the　Hebrews；　and　pursued　the　rest
of　their　multitude　to　their　camp。

2。　So　the　Hebrews　being　afraid　of　the　worst；　sent　to　the　senate；
and　to　the　high　priest；　and　desired　that　they　would　bring　the　ark
of　God；　that　by　putting　themselves　in　array；　when　it　was　present
with　them；　they　might　be　too　hard　for　their　enemies；　as　not
reflecting　that　he　who　had　condemned　them　to　endure　these
calamities　was　greater　than　the　ark；　and　for　whose　sake　it　was
that　this　ark　came　to　be　honored。　So　the　ark　came；　and　the　sons
of　the　high　priest　with　it；　having　received　a　charge　from　their
father；　that　if　they　pretended　to　survive　the　taking　of　the　ark；
they　should　come　no　more　into　his　presence；　for　Phineas
officiated　already　as　high　priest；　his　father　having　resigned　his
office　to　him；　by　reason　of　his　great　age。　So　the　Hebrews　were
full　of　courage；　as　supposing　that；　by　the　coming　of　the　ark；
they　should　be　too　hard　for　their　enemies：　their　enemies　also
were　greatly　concerned；　and　were　afraid　of　the　ark's　coming　to
the　Israelites：　however；　the　upshot　did　not　prove　agreeable　to
the　expectation　of　both　sides；　but　when　the　battle　was　joined；
that　victory　which　the　Hebrews　expected　was　gained　by　the
Philistines；　and　that　defeat　the　Philistines　were　afraid　of　fell
to　the　lot　of　the　Israelites；　and　thereby　they　found　that　they
had　put　their　trust　in　the　ark　in　vain；　for　they　were　presently
beaten　as　soon　as　they　came　to　a　close　fight　with　their　enemies；
and　lost　about　thirty　thousand　men；　among　whom　were　the　sons　of
the　high　priest；　but　the　ark　was　carried　away　by　the　enemies。

3。　When　the　news　of　this　defeat　came　to　Shiloh；　with　that　of　the
captivity　of　the　ark；　（for　a　certain　young　man；　a　Benjamite；　who
was　in　the　action；　came　as　a　messenger　thither；）　the　whole　city
was　full　of　lamentations。　And　Eli；　the　high　priest；　who　sat　upon
a　high　throne　at　one　of　the　gates；　heard　their　mournful　cries；
and　supposed　that　some　strange　thing　had　befallen　his　family。　So
he　sent　for　the　young　man；　and　when　he　understood　what　had
happened　in　the　battle；　he　was　not　much　uneasy　as　to　his　sons；　or
what　was　told　him　withal　about　the　army；　as　having　beforehand
known　by　Divine　revelation　that　those　things　would　happen；　and
having　himself　declared　them　beforehand；　…　for　what　sad　things
come　unexpectedly　they　distress　men　the　most；　but　as　soon　as　＇he
heard＇　the　ark　was　carried　captive　by　their　enemies；　he　was　very
much　grieved　at　it；　because　it　fell　out　quite　differently　from
what　he　expected；　so　he　fell　down　from　his　throne　and　died；
having　in　all　lived　ninety…eight　years；　and　of　them　retained　the
government　forty。

4。　On　the　same　day　his　son　Phineas's　wife　died　also；　as　not　able
to　survive　the　misfortune　of　her　husband；　for　they　told　her　of
her　husband's　death　as　she　was　in　labor。　However；　she　bare　a　son
at　seven　months；　who　lived；　and　to　whom　they　gave　the　name　of
Icabod；　which　name　signifies　disgrace；　…　and　this　because　the
army　received　a　disgrace　at　this　thee。

5。　Now　Eli　was　the　first　of　the　family　of　Ithamar；　the　other　son
of　Aaron；　that　had　the　government；　for　the　family　of　Eleazar
officiated　as　high　priest　at　first；　the　son　still　receiving　that
honor　from　the　father　which　Eleazar　bequeathed　to　his　son
Phineas；　after　whom　Abiezer　his　son　took　the　honor；　and　delivered
it　to　his　son；　whose　name　was　Bukki；　from　whom　his　son　Ozi
received　it；　after　whom　Eli；　of　whom　we　have　been　speaking；　had
the　priesthood；　and　so　he　and　his　posterity　until　the　thee　of
Solomon's　reign；　but　then　the　posterity　of　Eleazar　reassumed　it。

BOOK　VI。

Containing　The　Interval　Of　Thirty…Two　Years。

From　The　Death　Of　Eli　To　The　Death　Of　Saul。

CHAPTER　1。

The　Destruction　That　Came　Upon　The　Philistines；　And　Upon　Their
Land；　By　The　Wrath　Of　Go　On　Account　Of　Their　Having　Carried　The
Ark　Away　Captive；　And　After　What　Manner　They　Sent　It　Back　To　The
Hebrews。

1。　When　the　Philistines　had　taken　the　ark　of　the　Hebrews　captive；
as　I　said　a　little　before；　they　carried　it　to　the　city　of　Ashdod；
and　put　it　by　their　own　god；　who　was　called　Dagon；　（1）　as　one　of
their　spoils；　but　when　they　went　into　his　temple　the　next　morning
to　worship　their　god；　they　found　him　paying　the　same　worship　to
the　ark；　for　he　lay　along；　as　having　fallen　down　from　the　basis
whereon　he　had　stood：　so　they　took　him　up；　and　set　him　on　his
basis　again；　and　were　much　troubled　at　what　had　happened；　and　as
they　frequently　came　to　Dagon　and　found　him　still　lying　along；　in
a　posture　of　adora