the antiquities of the jews-1-第80章

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His　Host；　In　Order　To　Pursue　Seba；　Which　Amasa　Was　Slain　By　Joab。

1。　Now　those　Hebrews　that　had　been　With　Absalom；　and　had　retired
out　of　the　battle；　when　they　were　all　returned　home；　sent
messengers　to　every　city　to　put　them　in　mind　of　what　benefits
David　had　bestowed　upon　them；　and　of　that　liberty　which　he　had
procured　them；　by　delivering　them　from　many　and　great　wars。　But
they　complained；　that　whereas　they　had　ejected　him　out　of　his
kingdom；　and　committed　it　to　another　governor；　which　other
governor；　whom　they　had　set　up；　was　already　dead；　they　did　not
now　beseech　David　to　leave　off　his　anger　at　them；　and　to　become
friends　with　them；　and；　as　he　used　to　do；　to　resume　the　care　of
their　affairs；　and　take　the　kingdom　again。　This　was　often　told　to
David。　And；　this　notwithstanding；　David　sent　to　Zadok　and
Abiathar　the　high　priests；　that　they　should　speak　to　the　rulers
of　the　tribe　of　Judah　after　the　manner　following：　That　it　would
be　a　reproach　upon　them　to　permit　the　other　tribes　to　choose
David　for　their　king　before　their　tribe；　〃and　this；〃　said　he；
〃while　you　are　akin　to　him；　and　of　the　same　common　blood。〃　He
commanded　them　also　to　say　the　same　to　Amasa　the　captain　of　their
forces；　That　whereas　he　was　his　sister's　son；　he　had　not
persuaded　the　multitude　to　restore　the　kingdom　to　David；　that　he
might　expect　from　him　not　only　a　reconciliation；　for　that　was
already　granted；　but　that　supreme　command　of　the　army　also　which
Absalom　had　bestowed　upon　him。　Accordingly　the　high　priests；　when
they　had　discoursed　with　the　rulers　of　the　tribe；　and　said　what
the　king　had　ordered　them；　persuaded　Amasa　to　undertake　the　care
of　his　affairs。　So　he　persuaded　that　tribe　to　send　immediately
ambassadors　to　him；　to　beseech　him　to　return　to　his　own　kingdom。
The　same　did　all　the　Israelites；　at　the　like　persuasion　of　Amasa。

2。　When　the　ambassadors　came　to　him；　he　came　to　Jerusalem；　and
the　tribe　of　Judah　was　the　first　that　came　to　meet　the　king　at
the　river　Jordan。　And　Shimei；　the　son　of　Gera；　came　with　a
thousand　men；　which　he　brought　with　him　out　of　the　tribe　of
Benjamin；　and　Ziba；　the　freed…man　of　Saul；　with　his　sons；　fifteen
in　number；　and　with　his　twenty　servants。　All　these；　as　well　as
the　tribe　of　Judah；　laid　a　bridge　＇of　boats＇　over　the　river；　that
the　king；　and　those　that　were　with　him；　might　with　ease　pass　over
it。　Now　as　soon　as　he　was　come　to　Jordan；　the　tribe　of　Judah
saluted　him。　Shimei　also　came　upon　the　bridge；　and　took　hold　of
his　feet；　and　prayed　him　to　forgive　him　what　he　had　offended；　and
not　to　be　too　bitter　against　him；　nor　to　think　fit　to　make　him
the　first　example　of　severity　under　his　new　authority；　but　to
consider　that　he　had　repented　of　his　failure　of　duty；　and　had
taken　care　to　come　first　of　all　to　him。　While　he　was　thus
entreating　the　king；　and　moving　him　to　compassion；　Abishai；
Joab's　brother；　said；　〃And　shall　not　this　man　die　for　this；　that
he　hath　cursed　that　king　whom　God　hath　appointed　to　reign　over
us？〃　But　David　turned　himself　to　him；　and　said；　〃Will　you　never
leave　off；　ye　sons　of　Zeruiah？　Do　not　you；　I　pray；　raise　new
troubles　and　seditions　among　us；　now　the　former　are　over；　for　I
would　not　have　you　ignorant　that　I　this　day　begin　my　reign；　and
therefore　swear　to　remit　to　all　offenders　their　punishments；　and
not　to　animadvert　on　any　one　that　has　sinned。　Be　thou；
therefore；〃　said　he；　〃O　Shimei；　of　good　courage；　and　do　not　at
all　fear　being　put　to　death。〃　So　he　worshipped　him；　and　went　on
before　him。

3。　Mephibosheth　also；　Saul's　grandson；　met　David；　clothed　in　a
sordid　garment；　and　having　his　hair　thick　and　neglected；　for
after　David　was　fled　away；　he　was　in　such　grief　that　he　had　not
polled　his　head；　nor　had　he　washed　his　clothes；　as　dooming
himself　to　undergo　such　hardships　upon　occasion　of　the　change…of
the　king's　affairs。　Now　he　had　been　unjustly　calumniated　to　the
king　by　Ziba；　his　steward。　When　he　had　saluted　the　king；　and
worshipped　him；　the　king　began　to　ask　him　why　he　did　not　go　out
of　Jerusalem　with　him；　and　accompany　him　during　his　flight。　He
replied；　that　this　piece　of　injustice　was　owing　to　Ziba；　because；
when　he　was　ordered　to　get　things　ready　for　his　going　out　with
him；　he　took　no　care　of　it；　but　regarded　him　no　more　than　if　he
had　been　a　slave；　〃and；　indeed；　had　I　had　my　feet　sound　and
strong；　I　had　not　deserted　thee；　for　I　could　then　have　made　use
of　them　in　my　flight：　but　this　is　not　all　the　injury　that　Ziba
has　done　me；　as　to　my　duty　to　thee；　my　lord　and　master；　but　he
hath　calumniated　me　besides；　and　told　lies　about　me　of　his　own
invention；　but　I　know　thy　mind　will　not　admit　of　such　calumnies；
but　is　righteously　disposed；　and　a　lover　of　truth；　which　it　is
also　the　will　of　God　should　prevail。　For　when　thou　wast　in　the
greatest　danger　of　suffering　by　my　grandfather；　and　when；　on　that
account；　our　whole　family　might　justly　have　been　destroyed；　thou
wast　moderate　and　merciful；　and　didst　then　especially　forget　all
those　injuries；　when；　if　thou　hadst　remembered　them；　thou　hadst
the　power　of　punishing　us　for　them；　but　thou　hast　judged　me　to　be
thy　friend；　and　hast　set　me　every　day　at　thine　own　table；　nor
have　I　wanted　any　thing　which　one　of　thine　own　kinsmen；　of
greatest　esteem　with　thee；　could　have　expected。〃　When　he　had　said
this；　David　resolved　neither　to　punish　Mephibosheth；　nor　to
condemn　Ziba；　as　having　belied　his　master；　but　said　to　him；　that
as　he　had　＇before＇　granted　all　his　estate　to　Ziba；　because　he　did
not　come　along　with　him；　so　he　＇now＇　promised　to　forgive　him；　and
ordered　that　the　one　half　of　his　estate　should　be　restored　to
him。　（20）　Whereupon　Mephibosheth　said；　〃Nay；　let　Ziba　take　all；
it　suffices　me　that　thou　hast　recovered　thy　kingdom。〃

4。　But　David　desired　Barzillai　the　Gileadite；　that　great　and　good
man；　and　one　that　had　made　a　plentiful　provision　for　him　at
Mahanaim；　and　had　conducted　him　as　far　as　Jordan；　to　accompany
him　to　Jerusalem；　for　he　promised　to　treat　him　in　his　old　age
with　all　manner　of　respect　…　to　take　care　of　him；　and　provide　for
him。　But　Barzillai　was　so　desirous　to　live　at　home；　that　he
entreated　him　to　excuse　him　from　attendance　on　him；　and　said　that
his　age　was　too　great　to　enjoy　the　pleasures　＇of　a　court；＇　since
he　was　fourscore　years　old；　and　was　therefore　making　provision
for　his　death　and　burial：　so　he　desired　him　to　gratify　him　in
this　request；　and　dismiss　him；　for　he　had　no　relish　of　his　meat；
or　his　drink；　by　reason　of　his　age；　and　that　his　ears　were　too
much　shut　up　to　hear　the　sound　of　pipes；　or　the　melody　of　other
musical　instruments；　such　as　all　those　that　live　with　kings
delight　in。　When　he　entreated　for　this　so　earnestly；　the　king
said；　〃I　dismiss　thee；　but　thou　shalt　grant　me　thy　son　Chimham；
and　upon　him　I　will　bestow　all　sorts　of　good　things。〃　So
Barzillai　left　his　son　with　him；　and　worshipped　the　king；　and
wished　him　a　prosperous　conclusion　of　all　his　affairs　according
to　his　own　mind；　and　then　returned　home；　but　David　came　to
Gilgal；　having　about　him　half　the　people　＇of　Israel＇；　and　the
＇whole＇　tribe　of　Judah。

5。　Now　the　principal　men　of　the　country　came　to　Gilgal　to　him
with　a　great　multitude；　and　complained　of　the　tribe　of　Judah；
that　they　had　come　to　him　in　a　private　manner；　whereas　they　ought
all　conjointly；　and　with　one　and　the　same　intention；　to　have
given　him　the　meeting。　But　the　rulers　of　the　tribe　of　Judah
desired　them　not　to　be　displeased；　if　they　had　been　prevented　by
them；　for；　said　they；　〃We　are　David's　kinsmen；　and　on　that
account　we　the　rather　took　care　of　him；　and　loved　him；　and。　so
came　first　to　him；〃　yet　had　they　not；　by　their　early　coming；
received　any　gifts　from　him；　which　might　give　them　who　came　last
any　uneasiness。　When　the　rulers　of　the　tribe　of　Judah　had　said
this；　the　rulers　of　the　other　tribes　were　not　quiet；　but　said
further；　〃O　brethren；　we　cannot　but　wonder　at　you　when　you　call
the　king　your　kinsman　alone；　whereas　he　that　hath　received　from
God　the　power　over　all　of　us　in　common　ought　to　be　esteemed　a
kinsman　to　us　all；　for　which　reason　the　whole　people　have　eleven
parts　in　him；　and　you　but　one　part　（21）　we　are　also　elder　than
you；　wherefore　you　have　not　done　justly　in　coming　to　the　king　in
this　private　and　concealed　manner。〃

6。　While　these　rulers　were　thus　disputing　one　with　another；。　a
certain　wicked　man；　who　took　a　pleasure　in　seditious　practices；
（his　name　was　Sheba；　the　son　of　Bichri；　of　the　tribe　of
Benjamin；）　stood　up　in　the　midst　of　the　multitude；　and　cried
aloud；　and　spake　thus　to　them：　〃We　have　no　part　in　David；　nor
inheritance　in　the　son　of　Jesse。〃　And　when　he　had　used　those
words；　he　blew　with　a　trumpet；　and　declared　war　against　the　king；
and　they　all　left　David；　and　followed　him；　the　tribe　of　Judah
alone　staid　with　him；　and　settled　him　in　his　royal　palace　at
Jerusalem。　But　as　for　his　concubines；　with　whom　Absalom　his　son
had　accompanied；　truly　he　removed　them　to　another　house；　and
ordered　those　that　had　the　care　of　them　to　make　a　plentiful
provision　for　them；　but　he　came　not　near　them　any　more。　He　also
appointed　Amass　for　the　captain　of　his　forces；　and　gave　him　the
same　high　office　which　Joab　before　had；　and　he　commanded　him　to
gather　together；　out　of　the　tribe　of　Judah；　as　great　an　army　as
he　could；　and　come　to　him　within　three　days；　that　he　might
deliver　to　him　his　entire　army；　and　might　send　him　to　fight
against　＇Sheba＇　the　son　of　Bichri。　Now　while　Amass　was　gone　out；
and　made　some　delay　in　gathering　the　army　together；　and　so　was
not　yet　returned；　on　the　third　day　the　king　said　to　Joab；　〃It　is
not　fit　we　should　make　any　delay　in　this　affair　of　Sheba；　lest　he
get　a　numerous　army　about　him；　and　be　the　occasion　of　greater
mischief；　and　hurt　our　affairs　more　than　did　Absalom　himself；　do
not　thou　therefore　wait　any　longer；　but　take　such　forces　as　thou
hast　at　hand；　and　that　＇old＇　body　of　six　hundred　men；　and　thy
brother　Abishai；　with　thee；　and　pursue　after　our　enemy；　and
endeavor　to　fight　him　wheresoever　thou　canst　overtake　him。　Make
haste　to　prevent　him；　lest　he　seize　upon　some　fenced　cities；　and
cause　us　great　labor　and　pains　before　we　take　him。〃

7。　So　Joab　resolved　to　make　no　delay；　but　taking　with　him　his
brother；　and　those　six　hundred　men；　and　giving　orders　that　the
rest　of　the　army　which　was　at　Jerusalem　should　follow　him；　he
marched　with　great　speed　against　Sheba；　and　when　he　was　come　to
Gibeon；　which　is　a　village　forty　furlongs　distant　from　Jerusalem；
Amasa　brought　a　great　army　with　him；　and　met　Joab。　Now　Joab　was
girded　with　a　sword；　and　his　breastplate　on；　and　when　Amasa　came
near　him　to　salute　him；　he　took　particular　care　that　his　sword
should　fall　out；　as　it　were；　of　its　own　accord：　so　he　took　it　up
from　the　ground；　and　while　he　approached　Amasa；　who　was　then　near
him；　as　though　he　would　kiss　him；　he　took　hold　of　Amasa's　beard
with　his　other　hand；　and　he　smote　him　in　his　belly　when　he　did
not　foresee　it；　and　slew　him。　This　impious　and　altogether　profane
action　Joab　did　to　a　good　young　man；　and　his　kinsman；　and　one
that　had　done　him　no　injury；　and　this　out　of　jealousy　that　he
would　obtain　the　chief　command　of　the　army；　and　be　in　equal
dignity　with　himself　about　the　king；　and　for　the　same　cause　it
was　that　he　killed　Abner。　But