the antiquities of the jews-1-第65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！


contrivance；　they　told　it　to　the　king；　and　when　her　father
complained　of　her　that　she　had　saved　his　enemy；　and　had　put　a
trick　upon　himself；　she　invented　this　plausible　defense　for
herself；　and　said；　That　when　he　had　threatened　to　kill　her；　she
lent　him　her　assistance　for　his　preservation；　out　of　fear；　for
which　her　assistance　she　ought　to　be　forgiven；　because　it　was　not
done　of　her　own　free　choice；　but　out　of　necessity：　〃For；〃　said
she；　〃I　do　not　suppose　that　thou　wast　so　zealous　to　kill　thy
enemy；　as　thou　wast　that　I　should　be　saved。〃　Accordingly　Saul
forgave　the　damsel；　but　David；　when　he　had　escaped　this　danger；
came　to　the　prophet　Samuel　to　Ramah；　and　told　him　what　snares　the
king　had　laid　for　him；　and　how　he　was　very　near　to　death　by
Saul's　throwing　a　spear　at　him；　although　he　had　been　no　way
guilty　with　relation　to　him；　nor　had　he　been　cowardly　in　his
battles　with　his　enemies；　but　had　succeeded　well　in　them　all；　by
God's　assistance；　which　thing　was　indeed　the　cause　of　Saul's
hatred　to　David。

5。　When　the　prophet　was　made　acquainted　with　the　unjust
proceedings　of　the　king；　he　left　the　city　Ramah；　and　took　David
with　him；　to　a　certain　place　called　Naioth；　and　there　he　abode
with　him。　But　when　it　was　told　Saul　that　David　was　with　the
prophet；　he　sent　soldiers　to　him；　and　ordered　them　to　take　him；
and　bring　him　to　him：　and　when　they　came　to　Samuel；　and　found
there　a　congregation　of　prophets；　they　became　partakers　of　the
Divine　Spirit；　and　began　to　prophesy；　which　when　Saul　heard　of；
he　sent　others　to　David；　who　prophesying　in　like　manner　as　did
the　first；　he　again　sent　others；　which　third　sort　prophesying
also；　at　last　he　was　angry；　and　went　thither　in　great　haste
himself；　and　when　he　was　just　by　the　place；　Samuel；　before　he　saw
him；　made　him　prophesy　also。　And　when　Saul　came　to　him；　he　was
disordered　in　mind　（19）　and　under　the　vehement　agitation　of　a
spirit；　and；　putting　off　his　garments；　（20）　he　fell　down；　and　lay
on　the　ground　all　that　day　and　night；　in　the　presence　of　Samuel
and　David。

6。　And　David　went　thence；　and　came　to　Jonathan；　the　son　of　Saul；
and　lamented　to　him　what　snares　were　laid　for　him　by　his　father；
and　said；　that　though　he　had　been　guilty　of　no　evil；　nor　had
offended　against　him；　yet　he　was　very　zealous　to　get　him　killed。
Hereupon　Jonathan　exhorted　him　not　to　give　credit　to　such　his　own
suspicions；　nor　to　the　calumnies　of　those　that　raised　those
reports；　if　there　were　any　that　did　so；　but　to　depend　on　him；　and
take　courage；　for　that　his　father　had　no　such　intention；　since　he
would　have　acquainted　him　with　that　matter；　and　have　taken　his
advice；　had　it　been　so；　as　he　used　to　consult　with　him　in　common
when　he　acted　in　other　affairs。　But　David　sware　to　him　that　so　it
was；　and　he　desired　him　rather　to　believe　him；　and　to　provide　for
his　safety；　than　to　despise　what　he；　with　great　sincerity；　told
him：　that　he　would　believe　what　he　said；　when　he　should　either
see　him　killed　himself；　or　learn　it　upon　inquiry　from　others：　and
that　the　reason　why　his　father　did　not　tell　him　of　these　things；
was　this；　that　he　knew　of　the　friendship　and　affection　that　he
bore　towards　him。

7。　Hereupon；　when　Jonathan　found　that　this　intention　of　Saul　was
so　well　attested；　he　asked　him　what　he　would　have　him　do　for　him。
To　which　David　replied；　〃I　am　sensible　that　thou　art　willing　to
gratify　me　in　every　thing；　and　procure　me　what　I　desire。　Now
tomorrow　is　the　new　moon；　and　I　was　accustomed　to　sit　down　then
with　the　king　at　supper：　now；　if　it　seem　good　to　thee；　I　will　go
out　of　the　city；　and　conceal　myself　privately　there；　and　if　Saul
inquire　why　I　am　absent；　tell　him　that　I　am　gone　to　my　own　city
Bethlehem；　to　keep　a　festival　with　my　own　tribe；　and　add　this
also；　that　thou　gavest　me　leave　so　to　do。　And　if　he　say；　as　is
usually　said　in　the　case　of　friends　that　are　gone　abroad；　It　is
well　that　he　went；　then　assure　thyself　that　no　latent　mischief　or
enmity　may　be　feared　at　his　hand；　but　if　he　answer　otherwise；
that　will　be　a　sure　sign　that　he　hath　some　designs　against　me；
Accordingly　thou　shalt　inform　me　of　thy　father's　inclinations；
and　that　out　of　pity　to　my　case　and　out　of　thy　friendship　for　me；
as　instances　of　which　friendship　thou　hast　vouchsafed　to　accept
of　the　assurances　of　my　love　to　thee；　and　to　give　the　like
assurances　to　me；　that　is；　those　of　a　master　to　his　servant；　but
if　thou　discoverest　any　wickedness　in　me；　do　thou　prevent　thy
father；　and　kill　me　thyself。〃

8。　But　Jonathan　heard　these　last　words　with　indignation；　and
promised　to　do　what　he　desired　of　him；　and　to　inform　him　if　his
father's　answers　implied　any　thing　of　a　melancholy　nature；　and
any　enmity　against　him。　And　that　he　might　the　more　firmly　depend
upon　him；　he　took　him　out　into　the　open　field；　into　the　pure　air；
and　sware　that　he　would　neglect　nothing　that　might　tend　to　the
preservation　of　David；　and　he　said；　〃I　appeal　to　that　God；　who；
as　thou　seest；　is　diffused　every　where；　and　knoweth　this
intention　of　mine；　before　I　explain　it　in　words；　as　the　witness
of　this　my　covenant　with　thee；　that　I　will　not　leave　off　to　make
frequent　trims　of　the　purpose　of　my　father　till　I　learn　whether
there　be　any　lurking　distemper　in　the　most　secret　parts　of　his
soul；　and　when　I　have　learnt　it；　I　will　not　conceal　it　from　thee；
but　will　discover　it　to　thee；　whether　he　be　gently　or　peevishly
disposed；　for　this　God　himself　knows；　that　I　pray　he　may　always
be　with　thee；　for　he　is　with　thee　now；　and　will　not　forsake　thee；
and　will　make　thee　superior　to　thine　enemies；　whether　my　father
be　one　of　them；　or　whether　I　myself　be　such。　Do　thou　only
remember　what　we　now　do；　and　if　it　fall　out　that　I　die；　preserve
my　children　alive；　and　requite　what　kindness　thou　hast　now
received　to　them。〃　When　he　had　thus　sworn；　he　dismissed　David；
bidding　him　go　to　a　certain　place　of　that　plain　wherein　he　used
to　perform　his　exercises；　for　that；　as　soon　as　he　knew　the　mind
of　his　father；　he　would　come　thither　to　him；　with　one　servant
only；　〃and　if；〃　says　he；　〃I　shoot　three　darts　at　the　mark；　and
then　bid　my　servant　to　carry　these　three　darts　away；　for　they　are
before　him；　know　thou　that　there　is　no　mischief　to　be　feared　from
my　father；　but　if　thou　hearest　me　say　the　contrary；　expect　the
contrary　from　the　king。　However；　thou　shalt　gain　security　by　my
means；　and　shalt　by　no　means　suffer　any　harm；　but　see　thou　dost
not　forget　what　I　have　desired　of　thee　in　the　time　of　thy
prosperity；　and　be　serviceable　to　my　children。〃　Now　David；　when
he　had　received　these　assurances　from　Jonathan；　went　his　way　to
the　place　appointed。

9。　But　on　the　next　day；　which　was　the　new　moon；　the　king；　when　he
had　purified　himself；　as　the　custom　was；　came　to　supper；　and　when
there　sat　by　him　his　son　Jonathan　on　his　right　hand；　and　Abner；
the　captain　of　his　host；　on　the　other　hand；　he　saw　David's　seat
was　empty；　but　said　nothing；　supposing　that　he　had　not　purified
himself　since　he　had　accompanied　with　his　wife；　and　so　could　not
be　present；　but　when　he　saw　that　he　was　not　there　the　second　day
of　the　month　neither；　he　inquired　of　his　son　Jonathan　why　the　son
of　Jesse　did　not　come　to　the　supper　and　the　feast；　neither　the
day　before　nor　that　day。　So　Jonathan　said；　That　he　was　gone；
according　to　the　agreement　between　them；　to　his　own　city；　where
his　tribe　kept　a　festival；　and　that　by　his　permission：　that　he
also　invited　him　to　come　to　their　sacrifice；　〃and；〃　says
Jonathan；　〃if　thou　wilt　give　me　leave；　I　Will　go　thither；　for
thou　knowest　the　good…will　that　I　bear　him。〃　And　then　it　was　that
Jonathan　understood　his　father's　hatred　to　David；　and　plainly　saw
his　entire　disposition；　for　Saul　could　not　restrain　his　anger；
but　reproached　Jonathan；　and　called　him　the　son　of　a　runagate；
and　an　enemy；　and　said　he　was　a　partner　with　David；　and　his
assistant；　and　that　by　his　behavior　he　showed　he　had　no　regard　to
himself；　or　to　his　mother；　and　would　not　be　persuaded　of　this；　…
that　while　David　is　alive；　their　kingdom　was　not　secure　to　them；
yet　did　he　bid　him　send　for　him；　that　he　might　be　punished。　And
when　Jonathan　said；　in　answer；　〃What　hath　he　done　that　thou　wilt
punish　him？〃　Saul　no　longer　contented　himself　to　express　his
anger　in　bare　words；　but　snatched　up　his　spear；　and　leaped　upon
him；　and　was　desirous　to　kill　him。　He　did　not　indeed　do　what　he
intended；　because　he　was　hindered　by　his　friends；　but　it　appeared
plainly　to　his　son　that　he　hated　David；　and　greatly　desired　to
despatch　him；　insomuch　that　he　had　almost　slain　his　son　with　his
own　hands　on　his　account。

10。　And　then　it　was　that　the　king's　son　rose　hastily　from　supper；
and　being　unable　to　admit　any　thing　into　his　mouth　for　grief；　he
wept　all　night；　both　because　he　had　himself　been　near
destruction；　and　because　the　death　of　David　was　determined：　but
as　soon　as　it　was　day；　he　went　out　into　the　plain　that　was　before
the　city；　as　going　to　perform　his　exercises；　but　in　reality　to
inform　his　friend　what　disposition　his　father　was　in　towards　him；
as　he　had　agreed　with　him　to　do；　and　when　Jonathan　had　done　what
had　been　thus　agreed；　he　dismissed　his　servant　that　followed　him；
to　return　to　the　city；　but　he　himself　went　into　the　desert；　and
came　into　his　presence；　and　communed　with　him。　So　David　appeared
and　fell　at　Jonathan's　feet；　and　bowed　down　to　him；　and　called
him　the　preserver　of　his　soul；　but　he　lifted　him　up　from　the
earth；　and　they　mutually　embraced　one　another；　and　made　a　long
greeting；　and　that　not　without　tears。　They　also　lamented　their
age；　and　that　familiarity　which　envy　would　deprive　them　of；　and
that　separation　which　must　now　be　expected；　which　seemed　to　them
no　better　than　death　itself。　So　recollecting　themselves　at　length
from　their　lamentation；　and　exhorting　one　another　to　be　mindful
of　the　oaths　they　had　sworn　to　each　other；　they　parted　asunder。

CHAPTER　12。

How　David　Fled　To　Ahimelech　And　Afterwards　To　The　Kings　Of　The
Philistines　And　Of　The　Moabites；　And　How　Saul　Slew　Ahimelech　And
His　Family；

1。　But　David　fled　from　the　king；　and　that　death　he　was　in　danger
of　by　him；　and　came　to　the　city　Nob；　to　Ahimelech　the　priest；
who；　when　he　saw　him　coming　all　alone；　and　neither　a　friend　nor　a
servant　with　him；　he　wondered　at　it；　and　desired　to　learn　of　him
the　cause　why　there　was　nobody　with　him。　To　which　David　answered；
That　the　king　had　commanded　him　to　do　a　certain　thing　that　was　to
be　kept　secret；　to　which；　if　he　had　a　mind　to　know　so　much；　he
had　no　occasion　for　any　one　to　accompany　him；　〃however；　I　have
ordered　my　servants　to　meet　me　at　such　and　such　a　place。〃　So　he
desired　him　to　let　him　have　somewhat　to　eat；　and　that　in　case　he
would　supply　him；　be　would　act　the　part　of　a　friend；　and　be
assisting　to　the　business　he　was　now　about：　and　when　he　had
obtained　what　he　desired；　he　also　asked　him　whether　he　had　any
weapons　with　him；　either　sword　or　spear。　Now　there　was　at　Nob　a
servant　of　Saul；　by　birth　a　Syrian；　whose　name　was　Doeg；　one　that
kept　the　king's　mules。　The　high　priest　said　that　he　had　no　such
weapons；　but；　he　added；　〃Here　is　the　sword　of　Goliath；　which；
when　thou　hadst　slain　the　Philistine；　thou　didst　dedicate　to
God。〃

2。　When　David　had　received　the　sword；　he　fled　out　of　the　country
of　the　Hebrews　into　t