the antiquities of the jews-1-第83章

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when　they　had　got　the　possession　of　this　land；　they　should　build
him　a　temple。　Thus　did　David　discourse　to　the　governors；　and　to
his　son。

3。　David　was　now　in　years；　and　his　body；　by　length　of　time；　was
become　cold；　and　benumbed；　insomuch　that　he　could　get　no　heat　by
covering　himself　with　many　clothes；　and　when　the　physicians　came
together；　they　agreed　to　this　advice；　that　a　beautiful　virgin；
chosen　out　of　the　whole　country；　should　sleep　by　the　king's　side；
and　that　this　damsel　would　communicate　heat　to　him；　and　be　a
remedy　against　his　numbness。　Now　there　was　found　in　the　city　one
woman；　of　a　superior　beauty　to　all　other　women；　（her　name　was
Abishag；）　who；　sleeping　with　the　king；　did　no　more　than
communicate　warmth　to　him；　for　he　was　so　old　that　he　could　not
know　her　as　a　husband　knows　his　wife。　But　of　this　woman　we　shall
speak　more　presently。

4。　Now　the　fourth　son　of　David　was　a　beautiful　young　man；　and
tall；　born　to　him　of　Haggith　his　wife。　He　was　named　Adonijah；　and
was　in　his　disposition　like　to　Absalom；　and　exalted　himself　as
hoping　to　be　king；　and　told　his　friends　that　he　ought　to　take　the
government　upon　him。　He　also　prepared　many　chariots　and　horses；
and　fifty　men　to　run　before　him。　When　his　father　saw　this；　he　did
not　reprove　him；　nor　restrain　him　from　his　purpose；　nor　did　he　go
so　far　as　to　ask　wherefore　he　did　so。　Now　Adonijah　had　for　his
assistants　Joab　the　captain　of　the　army；　and　Abiathar　the　high
priest；　and　the　only　persons　that　opposed　him　were　Zadok　the　high
priest；　and　the　prophet　Nathan；　and　Benaiah；　who　was　captain　of
the　guards；　and　Shimei；　David's　friend；　with　all　the　other　most
mighty　men。　Now　Adonijah　had　prepared　a　supper　out　of　the　city；
near　the　fountain　that　was　in　the　king's　paradise；　and　had
invited　all　his　brethren　except　Solomon；　and　had　taken　with　him
Joab　the　captain　of　the　army；　and：　Abiathar；　and　the　rulers　of
the　tribe　of　Judah；　but　had　not　invited　to　this　feast　either
Zadok　the　high　priest；　or　Nathan　the　prophet；　or　Benaiah　the
captain　of　the　guards；　nor　any　of　those　of　the　contrary　party。
This　matter　was　told　by　Nathan　the　prophet　to　Bathsheba；
Solomon's　mother；　that　Adonijah　was　king；　and　that　David　knew
nothing　of　it；　and　he　advised　her　to　save　herself　and　her　son
Solomon；　and　to　go　by　herself　to　David；　and　say　to　him；　that　he
had　indeed　sworn　that　Solomon　should　reign　after　him；　but　that　in
the　mean　time　Adonijah　had　already　taken　the　kingdom。　He　said
that　he；　the　prophet　himself；　would　come　after　her；　and　when　she
had　spoken　thus　to　the　king；　would　confirm　what　she　had　said。
Accordingly　Bathsheba　agreed　with　Nathan；　and　went　in　to　the　king
and　worshipped　him；　and　when　she　had　desired　leave　to　speak　with
him；　she　told　him　all　things　in　the　manner　that　Nathan　had
suggested　to　her；　and　related　what　a　supper　Adonijah　had　made；
and　who　they　were　whom　he　had　invited；　Abiathar　the　and　Joab　the
general；　and　David's　sons；　excepting　Solomon　and　his　intimate
friends。　She　also　said　that　all　the　people　had　their　eyes　upon
him；　to　know　whom　he　would　choose　for　their　king。　She　desired　him
also　to　consider　how；　after　his　departure；　Adonijah；　if　he　were
king；　would　slay　her　and　her　son　Solomon。

5。　Now；　as　Bathsheba　was　speaking；　the　keeper　of　the　king's
chambers　told　him　that　Nathan　desired　to　see　him。　And　when　the
king　had　commanded　that　he　should　be　admitted；　he　came　in；　and
asked　him　whether　he　had　ordained　Adonijah　to　be　king；　and
delivered　the　government　to　him；　or　not；　for　that　he　had　made　a
splendid　supper；　and　invited　all　his　sons；　except　Solomon；　as
also　that　he　had　invited　Joab；　the　captain　of　his　host；　＇and
Abiathar　the　high　priest；＇　who　are　feasting　with　applauses；　and
many　joyful　sounds　of　instruments；　and　wish　that　his　kingdom　may
last　for　ever；　but　he　hath　not　invited　me；　nor　Zadok　the　high
priest；　nor　Benaiah　the　captain　of　the　guards；　and　it　is　but　fit
that　all　should　know　whether　this　be　done　by　thy　approbation　or
not。　When　Nathan　had　said　thus；　the　king　commanded　that　they
should　call　Bathsheba　to　him；　for　she　had　gone　out　of　the　room
when　the　prophet　came。　And　when　Bathsheba　was　come；　David　said；
〃I　swear　by　Almighty　God；　that　thy　son　Solomon　shall　certainly　he
king；　as　I　formerly　swore；　and　that　he　shall　sit　upon　my　throne；
and　that　this　very　day　also。〃　So　Bathsheba　worshipped　him；　and
wished　him　a　long　life；　and　the　king　sent　for　Zadok　the　high
priest；　and　Benaiah　the　captain　of　the　guards；　and　when　they　were
come；　he　ordered　them　to　take　with　them　Nathan　the　prophet；　and
all　the　armed　men　about　the　palace；　and　to　set　his　son　Solomon
upon　the　king's　mule；　and　to　carry　him　out　of　the　city　to　the
fountain　called　Gihon；　and　to　anoint　him　there　with　the　holy　oil；
and　to　make　him　king。　This　he　charged　Zadok　the　high　priest；　and
Nathan　the　prophet；　to　do；　and　commanded　them　to　follow　Solomon
through　the　midst　of　the　city；　and　to　sound　the　trumpets；　and
wish　aloud　that　Solomon　the　king　may　sit　upon　the　royal　throne
for　ever；　that　so　all　the　people　may　know　that　he　is　ordained
king　by　his　father。　He　also　gave　Solomon　a　charge　concerning　his
government；　to　rule　the　whole　nation　of　the　Hebrews；　and
particularly　the　tribe　of　Judah；　religiously　and　righteously。　And
when　Benaiah　had　prayed　to　God　to　be　favorable　to　Solomon；
without　any　delay　they　set　Solomon　upon　the　mule；　and　brought　him
out　of　the　city　to　the　fountain；　and　anointed　him　with　oil；　and
brought　him　into　the　city　again；　with　acclamations　and　wishes
that　his　kingdom　might　continue　a　long　time：　and　when　they　had
introduced　him　into　the　king's　house；　they　set　him　upon　the
throne；　whereupon　all　the　people　betook　themselves　to　make　merry；
and　to　celebrate　a　festival；　dancing　and　delighting　themselves
with　musical　pipes；　till　both　the　earth　and　the　air　echoed　with
the　multitude　of　the　instruments　of　music。

6。　Now　when　Adonijah　and　his　guests　perceived　this　noise；　they
were　in　disorder；　and　Joab　the　captain　of　the　host　said　he　was
not　pleased　with　these　echoes；　and　the　sound　of　these　trumpets。
And　when　supper　was　set　before　them；　nobody　tasted　of　it；　but
they　were　all　very　thoughtful　what　would　be　the　matter。　Then
Jonathan；　the　son　of　Abiathar　the　high　priest；　came　running　to
them；　and　when　Adonijah　saw　the　young　man　gladly；　and　said　to　him
that　he　was　a　good　messenger；　he　declared　to　them　the　whole
matter　about　Solomon；　and　the　determination　of　king　David：
hereupon　both　Adonijah　and　all　the　guests　rose　hastily　from　the
feast；　and　every　one　fled　to　their　own　homes。　Adonijah　also；　as
afraid　of　the　king　for　what　he　had　done；　became　a　supplicant　to
God；　and　took　hold　of　the　horns　of　the　altar；　which　were
prominent。　It　was　also　told　Solomon　that　he　had　so　done；　and　that
he　desired　to　receive　assurances　from　him　that　he　would　not
remember　the　injury　he　had　done；　and　not　inflict　any　severe
punishment　for　it。　Solomon　answered　very　mildly　and　prudently；
that　he　forgave　him　this　his　offense；　but　said　withal；　that　if　he
were　found　out　in　any　attempt　for　new　innovations；　that　he　would
be　the　author　of　his　own　punishment。　So　he　sent　to　him；　and
raised　him　up　from　the　place　of　his　supplication。　And　when　he　was
come　to　the　king；　and　had　worshipped　him；　the　king　bid　him　go
away　to　his　own　house；　and　have　no　suspicion　of　any　harm；　and
desired　him　to　show　himself　a　worthy　man；　as　what　would　tend　to
his　own　advantage。

7。　But　David；　being　desirous　of　ordaining　his　son　king　of　all　the
people；　called　together　their　rulers　to　Jerusalem；　with　the
priests　and　the　Levites；　and　having　first　numbered　the　Levites；
he　found　them　to　be　thirty…eight　thousand；　from　thirty　years　old
to　fifty；　out　of　which　he　appointed　twenty…three　thousand　to　take
care　of　the　building　of　the　temple；　and　out　of　the　same；　six
thousand　to　be　judges　of　the　people　and　scribes；　four　thousand
for　porters　to　the　house　of　God；　and　as　many　for　singers；　to　sing
to　the　instruments　which　David　had　prepared；　as　we　have　said
already。　He　divided　them　also　into　courses：　and　when　he　had
separated　the　priests　from　them；　he　found　of　these　priests
twenty…four　courses；　sixteen　of　the　house　of　Eleazar；　and　eight
of　that　of　Ithamar；　and　he　ordained　that　one　course　should
minister　to　God　eight　days；　from　sabbath　to　sabbath。　And　thus
were　the　courses　distributed　by　lot；　in　the　presence　of　David；
and　Zadok　and　Abiathar　the　high　priests；　and　of　all　the　rulers；
and　that　course　which　came　up　first　was　written　down　as　the
first；　and　accordingly　the　second；　and　so　on　to　the
twenty…fourth；　and　this　partition　hath　remained　to　this　day。　He
also　made　twenty…four　parts　of　the　tribe　of　Levi；　and　when　they
cast　lots；　they　came　up　in　the　same　manner　for　their　courses　of
eight　days。　He　also　honored　the　posterity　of　Moses；　and　made　them
the　keepers　of　the　treasures　of　God；　and　of　the　donations　which
the　kings　dedicated。　He　also　ordained　that　all　the　tribe　of　Levi；
as　well　as　the　priests；　should　serve　God　night　and　day；　as　Moses
had　enjoined　them。

8。　After　this　he　parted　the　entire　army　into　twelve　parts；　with
their　leaders　＇and　captains　of　hundreds＇　and　commanders。　Now
every　part　had　twenty…four　thousand；　which　were　ordered　to　wait
on　Solomon；　by　thirty　days　at　a　time；　from　the　first　day　till　the
last；　with　the　captains　of　thousands　and　captains　of　hundreds。　He
also　set　rulers　over　every　part；　such　as　he　knew　to　be　good　and
righteous　men。　He　set　others　also　to　take　charge　of　the
treasures；　and　of　the　villages；　and　of　the　fields；　and　of　the
beasts；　whose　names　I　do　not　think　it　necessary　to　mention。　When
David　had　ordered　all　these　officers　after　the　manner　before
mentioned；　he　called　the　rulers　of　the　Hebrews；　and　their　heads
of　tribes；　and　the　officers　over　the　several　divisions；　and　those
that　were　appointed　over　every　work；　and　every　possession；　and
standing　upon　a　high　pulpit；　he　said　to　the　multitude　as　follows：
〃My　brethren　and　my　people；　I　would　have　you　know　that　I　intended
to　build　a　house　for　God；　and　prepared　a　large　quantity　of　gold；
and　a　hundred　thousand　talents　of　silver；　but　God　prohibited　me
by　the　prophet　Nathan；　because　of　the　wars　I　had　on　your　account；
and　because　my　right　hand　was　polluted　with　the　slaughter　of　our
enemies；　but　he　commanded　that　my　son；　who　was　to　succeed　me　in
the　kingdom；　should　build　a　temple　for　him。　Now　therefore；　since
you　know　that　of　the　twelve　sons　whom　Jacob　our　forefather　had
Judah　was　appointed　to　be　king；　and　that　I　was　preferred　before
my　six　brethren；　and　received　the　government　from　God；　and　that
none　of　them　were　uneasy　at　it；　so　do　I　also　desire　that　my　sons
be　not　seditious　one　against　another；　now　Solomon　has　received
the　kingdom；　but　to　bear　him　cheerfully　for　their　lord；　as
knowing　that　God　hath　chosen　him；　for　it　is　not　a　grievous　thing
to　obey　even　a　foreigner　as　a　ruler；　if　it　be　God's　will；　but　it
is　fit　to　rejoice　when　a　brother　hath　obtained　that　dignity；
since　the　rest　partake　of　it　with　him。　And　I　pray　that　the
promises　of　God　may　be　fulfilled；　and　that　this　happiness　which
he　hath　promised　to　bestow　upon　king　Solomon；　over　all　the
country；　may　continue　therein　for　all　time　to　come。　And　these
promises　O　son；　will　be　firm；　and　come　to　a　happy　end；　if　thou
showest　thyself　to　be　a　religious　a