the antiquities of the jews-1-第98章

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out…guard；　and　slew　many　of　them；　and　pursued　the　rest　of　them　to
the　camp；　and　when　the　king　of　Israel　saw　that　these　had　the
upper　hand；　he　sent　out　all　the　rest　of　his　army；　which；　falling
suddenly　upon　the　Syrians；　beat　them；　for　they　did　not　think　they
would　have　come　out；　on　which　account　it　was　that　they　assaulted
them　when　they　were　naked　（37）　and　drunk；　insomuch　that　they　left
all　their　armor　behind　them　when　they　fled　out　of　the　camp；　and
the　king　himself　escaped　with　difficulty；　by　fleeing　away　on
horseback。　But　Ahab　went　a　great　way　in　pursuit　of　the　Syrians；
and　when　he　had　spoiled　their　camp；　which　contained　a　great　deal
of　wealth；　and　moreover　a　large　quantity　of　gold　and　silver；　he
took　Benhadad's　chariots　and　horses；　and　returned　to　the　city；
but　as　the　prophet　told　him　he　ought　to　have　his　army　ready；
because　the　Syrian　king　would　make　another　expedition　against　him
the　next　year；　Ahab　was　busy　in　making　provision　for　it
accordingly。

3。　Now　Benhadad；　when　he　had　saved　himself；　and　as　much　of　his
army　as　he　could；　out　of　the　battle；　he　consulted　with　his
friends　how　he　might　make　another　expedition　against　the
Israelites。　Now　those　friends　advised　him　not　to　fight　with　them
on　the　hills；　because　their　God　was　potent　in　such　places；　and
thence　it　had　come　to　pass　that　they　had　very　lately　been　beaten；
but　they　said；　that　if　they　joined　battle　with　them　in　the　plain；
they　should　beat　them。　They　also　gave　him　this　further　advice；　to
send　home　those　kings　whom　he　had　brought　as　his　auxiliaries；　but
to　retain　their　army；　and　to　set　captains　over　it　instead　of　the
kings；　and　to　raise　an　army　out　of　their　country；　and　let　them　be
in　the　place　of　the　former　who　perished　in　the　battle；　together
with　horses　and　chariots。　So　he　judged　their　counsel　to　be　good；
and　acted　according　to　it　in　the　management　of　the　army。

4。　At　the　beginning　of　the　spring；　Benhadad　took　his　army　with
him；　and　led　it　against　the　Hebrews；　and　when　he　was　come　to　a
certain　city　which　was　called　Aphek；　he　pitched　his　camp　in　the
great　plain。　Ahab　also　went　to　meet　him　with　his　army；　and
pitched　his　camp　over　against　him；　although　his　army　was　a　very
small　one；　if　it　were　compared　with　the　enemy's；　but　the　prophet
came　again　to　him；　and　told　him；　that　God　would　give　him　the
victory；　that　he　might　demonstrate　his　own　power　to　be；　not　only
on　the　mountains；　but　on　the　plains　also；　which　it　seems　was
contrary　to　the　opinion　of　the　Syrians。　So　they　lay　quiet　in
their　camp　seven　days；　but　on　the　last　of　those　days；　when　the
enemies　came　out　of　their　camp；　and　put　themselves　in　array　in
order　to　fight；　Ahab　also　brought　out　his　own　army；　and　when　the
battle　was　joined；　and　they　fought　valiantly；　he　put　the　enemy　to
flight；　and　pursued　them；　and　pressed　upon　them；　and　slew　them；
nay；　they　were　destroyed　by　their　own　chariots；　and　by　one
another；　nor　could　any　more　than　a　few　of　them　escape　to　their
own　city　Aphek；　who　were　also　killed　by　the　walls　falling　upon
them；　being　in　number　twenty…seven　thousand。　（38）　Now　there　were
slain　in　this　battle　a　hundred　thousand　more；　but　Benhadad；　the
king　of　the　Syrians；　fled　away；　with　certain　others　of　his　most
faithful　servants；　and　hid　himself　in　a　cellar　under　ground；　and
when　these　told　him　that　the　kings　of　Israel　were　humane　and
merciful　men；　and　that　they　might　make　use　of　the　usual　manner　of
supplication；　and　obtain　deliverance　from　Ahab；　in　case　he　would
give　them　leave　to　go　to　him；　he　gave　them　leave　accordingly。　So
they　came　to　Ahab；　clothed　in　sackcloth；　with　ropes　about　their
heads；　（for　this　was　the　ancient　manner　of　supplication　among　the
Syrians；）　（39）　and　said；　that　Benhadad　desired　he　would　save　him；
and　that　he　would　ever　be　a　servant　to　him　for　that　favor。　Ahab
replied　he　was　glad　that　he　was　alive；　and　not　hurt　in　the
battle；　and　he　further　promised　him　the　same　honor　and　kindness
that　a　man　would　show　to　his　brother。　So　they　received　assurances
upon　oath　from　him；　that　when　he　came　to　him　he　should　receive　no
harm　from　him；　and　then　went　and　brought　him　out　of　the　cellar
wherein　he　was　hid；　and　brought　him　to　Ahab　as　he　sat　in　his
chariot。　So　Benhadad　worshipped　him；　and　Ahab　gave　him　his　hand；
and　made　him　come　up　to　him　into　his　chariot；　and　kissed　him；　and
bid　him　be　of　good　cheer；　and　not　to　expect　that　any　mischief
should　be　done　to　him。　So　Berthadad　returned　him　thanks；　and
professed　that　he　would　remember　his　kindness　to　him　all　the　days
of　his　life；　and　promised　he　would　restore　those　cities　of　the
Israelites　which　the　former　kings　had　taken　from　them；　and　grant
that　he　should　have　leave　to　come　to　Damascus；　as　his　forefathers
had　to　come　to　Samaria。　So　they　confirmed　their　covenant　by
oaths；　and　Ahab　made　him　many　presents；　and　sent　him　back　to　his
own　kingdom。　And　this　was　the　conclusion　of　the　war　that　Benhadad
made　against　Ahab　and　the　Israelites。

5。　But　a　certain　prophet；　whose　name　was　Micaiah；　（40）　came　to
one　of　the　Israelites；　and　bid　him　smite　him　on　the　head；　for　by
so　doing　he　would　please　God；　but　when　he　would　not　do　so；　he
foretold　to　him；　that　since　he　disobeyed　the　commands　of　God；　he
should　meet　with　a　lion；　and　be　destroyed　by　him。　When　that　sad
accident　had　befallen　the　man；　the　prophet　came　again　to　another；
and　gave　him　the　same　injunction；　so　he　smote　him；　and　wounded
his　skull；　upon　which　he　bound　up　his　head；　and　came　to　the　king；
and　told　him　that　he　had　been　a　soldier　of　his；　and　had　the
custody　of　one　of　the　prisoners　committed　to　him　by　an　officer；
and　that　the　prisoner　being　run　away；　he　was　in　danger　of　losing
his　own　life　by　the　means　of　that　officer；　who　had　threatened
him；　that　if　the　prisoner　escaped　he　would　kill　him。　And　when
Ahab　had　said　that　he　would　justly　die；　he　took　off　the　binding
about　his　head；　and　was　known　by　the　king　to　be　Micaiah　the
prophet；　who　made　use　of　this　artifice　as　a　prelude　to　his
following　words；　for　he　said　that　God　would　punish　him　who　had
suffered　Benhadad；　a　blasphemer　against　him；　to　escape
punishment；　and　that　he　would　so　bring　it　about；　that　he　should
die　by　the　other's　means　（41）　and　his　people　by　the　other's　army。
Upon　which　Ahab　was　very　angry　at　the　prophet；　and　gave
commandment　that　he　should　be　put　in　prison；　and　there　kept；　but
for　himself；　he　was　in　confusion　at　the　words　of　Micaiah；　and
returned　to　his　own　house。

CHAPTER　15。

Concerning　Jehoshaphat　The　King　Of　Jerusalem　And　How　Ahab　Made　An
Expedition　Against　The　Syrians　And　Was　Assisted　Therein　By
Jehoshaphat；　But　Was　Himself　Overcome　In　Battle　And　Perished
Therein。

1。　And　these　were　the　circumstances　in　which　Ahab　was。　But　I　now
return　to　Jehoshaphat；　the　king　of　Jerusalem；　who；　when　he　had
augmented　his　kingdom；　had　set　garrisons　in　the　cities　of　the
countries　belonging　to　his　subjects；　and　had　put　such　garrisons
no　less　into　those　cities　which　were　taken　out　of　the　tribe　of
Ephraim　by　his　grandfather　Abijah；　when　Jeroboam　reigned　over　the
ten　tribes　＇than　he　did　into　the　other＇。　But　then　he　had　God
favorable　and　assisting　to　him；　as　being　both　righteous　and
religious；　and　seeking　to　do　somewhat　every　day　that　should　be
agreeable　and　acceptable　to　God。　The　kings　also　that　were　round
about　him　honored　him　with　the　presents　they　made　him；　till　the
riches　that　he　had　acquired　were　immensely　great；　and　the　glory
he　had　gained　was　of　a　most　exalted　nature。

2。　Now；　in　the　third　year　of　this　reign；　he　called　together　the
rulers　of　the　country；　and　the　priests；　and　commanded　them　to　go
round　the　land；　and　teach　all　the　people　that　were　under　him；
city　by　city；　the　laws　of　Moses；　and　to　keep　them；　and　to　be
diligent　in　the　worship　of　God。　With　this　the　whole　multitude　was
so　pleased；　that　they　were　not　so　eagerly　set　upon　or　affected
with　any　thing　so　much　as　the　observation　of　the　laws。　The
neighboring　nations　also　continued　to　love　Jehoshaphat；　and　to　be
at　peace　with　him。　The　Philistines　paid　their　appointed　tribute；
and　the　Arabians　supplied　him　every　year　with　three　hundred　and
sixty　lambs；　and　as　many　kids　of　the　goats。　He　also　fortified　the
great　cities；　which　were　many　in　number；　and　of　great
consequence。　He　prepared　also　a　mighty　army　of　soldiers　and
weapons　against　their　enemies。　Now　the　army　of　men　that　wore
their　armor；　was　three　hundred　thousand　of　the　tribe　of　Judah；　of
whom　Adnah　was　the　chief；　but　John　was　chief　of　two　hundred
thousand。　The　same　man　was　chief　of　the　tribe　of　Benjamin；　and
had　two　hundred　thousand　archers　under　him。　There　was　another
chief；　whose　name　was　Jehozabad；　who　had　a　hundred　and　fourscore
thousand　armed　men。　This　multitude　was　distributed　to　he　ready
for　the　king's　service；　besides　those　whom　he　sent　to　the　best
fortified　cities。

3。　Jehoshaphat　took　for　his　son　Jehoram　to　wife　the　daughter　of
Ahab；　the　king　of　the　ten　tribes；　whose　name　was　Athaliah。　And
when；　after　some　time；　he　went　to　Samaria；　Ahab　received　him
courteously；　and　treated　the　army　that　followed　him　in　a　splendid
manner；　with　great　plenty　of　corn　and　wine；　and　of　slain　beasts；
and　desired　that　he　would　join　with　him　in　his　war　against　the
king　of　Syria；　that　he　might　recover　from　him　the　city　Ramoth；　in
Gilead；　for　though　it　had　belonged　to　his　father；　yet　had　the
king　of　Syria's　father　taken　it　away　from　him；　and　upon
Jehoshaphat's　promise　to　afford　him　his　assistance；　（for　indeed
his　army　was　not　inferior　to　the　other；）　and　his　sending　for　his
army　from　Jerusalem　to　Samaria；　the　two　kings　went　out　of　the
city；　and　each　of　them　sat　on　his　own　throne；　and　each　gave　their
orders　to　their　several　armies。　Now　Jehoshaphat　bid　them　call
some　of　the　prophets；　if　there　were　any　there；　and　inquire　of
them　concerning　this　expedition　against　the　king　of　Syria；
whether　they　would　give　them　counsel　to　make　that　expedition　at
this　time；　for　there　was　peace　at　that　time　between　Ahab　and　the
king　of　Syria；　which　had　lasted　three　years；　from　the　time　he　had
taken　him　captive　till　that　day。

4。　So　Ahab　called　his　own　prophets；　being　in　number　about　four
hundred；　and　bid　them　inquire　of　God　whether　he　would　grant　him
the　victory；　if　he　made　an　expedition　against　Benhadad；　and
enable　him　to　overthrow　that　city；　for　whose　sake　it　was　that　he
was　going　to　war。　Now　these　prophets　gave　their　counsel　for
making　this　expedition；　and　said　that　he　would　beat　the　king　of
Syria；　and；　as　formerly；　would　reduce　him　under　his　power。　But
Jehoshaphat；　understanding　by　their　words　that　they　were　false
prophets；　asked　Ahab　whether　there　were　not　some　other　prophet；
and　he　belonging　to　the　true　God；　that　we　may　have　surer
information　concerning　futurities。　Hereupon　Ahab　said　there　was
indeed　such　a　one；　but　that　he　hated　him；　as　having　prophesied
evil　to　him；　and　having　foretold　that　he　should　be　overcome　and
slain　by　the　king　of　Syria；　and　that　for　this　cause　he　had　him
now　in　prison；　and　that　his　name　was　Micaiah；　the　son　of　Imlah。
But　upon　Jehoshaphat's　desire　that　he　might　be　produced；　Ahab
sent　a　eunuch；　who　brought　Micaiah　to　him。　Now　the　eunuch　had
informed　him　by　the　way；　that　all　the　other　prophets　had　foretold
that　the　king　should　gain　the　victory；　but　he　said；　that　it　was
not　lawful　for　him　to　lie　against　God；