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The Works of Flavius Josephus
Antiquities of the Jews
book VIi
FROM THE DEATH OF SAUL TO THE DEATH OF DAVID
Translated by William Whiston
CHAPTER 1.
HOW DAVID REIGNED OVER ONE TRIBE AT HEBRON WHILE THE SON
OF SAUL REIGNED OVER THE REST OF THE MULTITUDE; AND HOW, IN THE CIVIL WAR
WHICH THEN AROSE ASAHEL AND ABNER WERE SLAIN.
1. THIS fight proved to be on the same day whereon David was come back
to Ziklag, after he had overcome the Amalekites. Now when he had been already
two days at Ziklag, there came to him the man who slew Saul, which was
the third day after the fight. He had escaped out of the battle which the
Israelites had with the Philistines, and had his clothes rent, and ashes
upon his head. And when he made his obeisance to David, he inquired of
him whence he came. He replied, from the battle of the Israelites; and
he informed him that the end of it was unfortunate, many ten thousands
of the Israelites having been cut off, and Saul, together with his sons,
slain. He also said that he could well give him this information, because
he was present at the victory gained over the Hebrews, and was with the
king when he fled. Nor did he deny that he had himself slain the king,
when he was ready to be taken by the enemy, and he himself exhorted him
to do it, because, when he was fallen on his sword, his great wounds had
made him so weak that he was not able to kill himself. He also produced
demonstrations that the king was slain, which were the golden bracelets
that had been on the king's arms, and his crown, which he had taken away
from Saul's dead body, and had brought them to him. So David having no
longer any room to call in question the truth of what he said, but seeing
most evident marks that Saul was dead, he rent his garments, and continued
all that day with his companions in weeping and lamentation. This grief
was augmented by the consideration of Jonathan; the son of Saul, who had
been his most faithful friend, and the occasion of his own deliverance.
He also demonstrated himself to have such great virtue, and such great
kindness for Saul, as not only to take his death to heart, though he had
been frequently in danger of losing his life by his means, but to punish
him that slew him; for when David had said to him that he was become his
own accuser, as the very man who had slain the king, and when he had understood
that he was the son of an Amalekite, he commanded him to be slain. He also
committed to writing some lamentations and funeral commendations of Saul
and Jonathan, which have continued to my own age.
2. Now when David had paid these honors to the king, he left off his
mourning, and inquired of God by the prophet which of the cities of the
tribe of Judah he would bestow upon him to dwell in; who answered that
he bestowed upon him Hebron. So he left Ziklag, and came to Hebron, and
took with him his wives, who were in number two, and his armed men; whereupon
all the people of the forementioned tribe came to him, and ordained him
their king. But when he heard that the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead had
buried Saul and his sons [honorably], he sent to them and commended them,
and took what they had done kindly, and promised to make them amends for
their care of those that were dead; and at the same time he informed them
that the tribe of Judah had chosen him for their king.
3. But as soon as Abner, the son of Ner, who was general of Saul's army,
and a very active man, and good-natured, knew that the king, and Jonathan,
and his two other sons, were fallen in the battle, he made haste into the
camp; and taking away with him the remaining son of Saul, whose name was
Ishbosheth, he passed over to the land beyond Jordan, and ordained him
the king of the whole multitude, excepting the tribe of Judah; and made
his royal seat in a place called in our own language Mahanaim, but
in the language of the Grecians, The Camps; from whence Abner
made haste with a select body of soldiers, to fight with such of the tribe
of Judah as were disposed to it, for he was angry that this tribe had set
up David for their king. But Joab, whose father was Suri, and his mother
Zeruiah, David's sister, who was general of David's army, met him, according
to David's appointment. He had with him his brethren, Abistiai and Asahel,
as also all David's armed men. Now when he met Abner at a certain fountain,
in the city of Gibeon, he prepared to fight. And when Abner said to him,
that he had a mind to know which of them had the more valiant soldiers,
it was agreed between them that twelve soldiers of each side should fight
together. So those that were chosen out by both the generals for this fight
came between the two armies, and throwing their lances one against the
other, they drew their swords, and catching one another by the head, they
held one another fast, and ran each other's swords into their sides and
groins, until they all, as it were by mutual agreement, perished together.
When these were fallen down dead, the rest of the army came to a sore battle,
and Abner's men were beaten; and when they were beaten, Joab did not leave
off pursuing them, but he pressed upon them, and excited the soldiers to
follow them close, and not to grow weary of killing them. His brethren
also pursued them with great alacrity, especially the younger, Asahel,
who was the most eminent of them. He was very famous for his swiftness
of foot, for he could not only be too hard for men, but is reported to
have overrun a horse, when they had a race together. This Asahel ran violently
after Abner, and would not turn in the least out of the straight way, either
to the one side or to the other. Hereupon Abner turned back, and attempted
artfully to avoid his violence. Sometimes he bade him leave off the pursuit,
and take the armor of one of his soldiers; and sometimes, when he could
not persuade him so to do, he exhorted him to restrain himself, and not
to pursue him any longer, lest he should force him to kill him, and he
should then not be able to look his brother in the face: but when Asahel
would not admit of any persuasions, but still continued to pursue him,
Abner smote him with his spear, as he held it in his flight, and that by
a back-stroke, and gave him a deadly wound, so that he died immediately;
but those that were with him pursuing Abner, when they came to the place
where Asahel lay, they stood round about the dead body, and left off the
pursuit of the enemy. However, both Joab
(1)
himself, and his brother Abishai, ran past the dead corpse, and making
their anger at the death of Asahel an occasion of greater zeal against
Abner, they went on with incredible haste and alacrity, and pursued Abner
to a certain place called Ammah: it was about sun-set. Then did Joab ascend
a certain hill, as he stood at that place, having the tribe of Benjamin
with him, whence he took a view of them, and of Abner also. Hereupon Abner
cried aloud, and said that it was not fit that they should irritate men
of the same nation to fight so bitterly one against another; that as for
Asahel his brother, he was himself in the wrong, when he would not be advised
by him not to pursue him any farther, which was the occasion of his wounding
and death. So Joab consented to what he said, and accepted these his words
as an excuse [about Asahel], and called the soldiers back with the sound
of the trumpet, as a signal for their retreat, and thereby put a stop to
any further pursuit. After which Joab pitched his camp there that night;
but Abner marched all that night, and passed over the river Jordan, and
came to Ishbosheth, Saul's son, to Mahanaim. On the next day Joab counted
the dead men, and took care of all their funerals. Now there were slain
of Abner's soldiers about three hundred and sixty; but of those of David
nineteen, and Asahel, whose body Joab and Abishai carried to Bethlehem;
and when they had buried him in the sepulcher of their fathers, they came
to David to Hebron. From this time therefore there began an intestine war,
which lasted a great while, in which the followers of David grew stronger
in the dangers they underwent, and the servants and subjects of Saul's
sons did almost every day become weaker.
4. About this time David was become the father of six sons, born
of as many mothers. The eldest was by Ahinoam, and he was called Arenon;
the second was Daniel, by his wife Abigail; the name of the third was Absalom,
by Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; the fourth he named
Adonijah, by his wife Haggith; the fifth was Shephatiah, by Abital; the
sixth he called Ithream, by Eglah. Now while this intestine war went on,
and the subjects of the two kings came frequently to action and to fighting,
it was Abner, the general of the host of Saul's son, who, by his
prudence, and the great interest he had among the multitude, made them
all continue with Ishbosheth; and indeed it was a considerable time that
they continued of his party; but afterwards Abner was blamed, and an accusation
was laid against him, that he went in unto Saul's concubine: her name was
Rispah, the daughter of Aiah. So when he was complained of by Ishbosheth,
he was very uneasy and angry at it, because he had not justice done him
by Ishbosheth, to whom he had shown the greatest kindness; whereupon he
threatened to transfer the kingdom to David, and demonstrate that he did
not rule over the people beyond Jordan by his own abilities and wisdom,
but by his warlike conduct and fidelity in leading his army. So he sent
ambassadors to Hebron to David, and desired that he would give him security
upon oath that he would esteem him his companion and his friend, upon condition
that he should persuade the people to leave Saul's son, and choose him
king of the whole country; and when David had made that league with Abner,
for he was pleased with his message to him, he desired that he would give
this as the first mark of performance of the present league, that he might
have his wife Michal restored to him, as her whom he had purchased with
great hazards, and with those six hundred heads of the Philistines which
he had brought to Saul her father. So Abner took Michal from Phaltiel,
who was then her husband, and sent her to David, Ishbosheth himself affording
him his assistance, for David had written to him that of right he ought
to have this his wife restored to him. Abner also called together the elders
of the multitude, the commanders and captains of thousands, and spake thus
to them: That he had formerly dissuaded them from their own resolution,
when they were ready to forsake Ishbosheth, and to join themselves to David;
that, however, he now gave them leave so to do, if they had a mind to it,
for they knew that God had appointed David to be king of all the Hebrews
by Samuel the prophet; and had foretold that he should punish the Philistines,
and overcome them, and bring them under. Now when the elders and rulers
heard this, and understood that Abner was come over to those sentiments
about the public affairs which they were of before, they changed their
measures, and came in to David. When these men had agreed to Abner's proposal,
he called together the tribe of Benjamin, for all of that tribe were the
guards of Ishbosheth's body, and he spake to them to the same purpose.
And when he saw that they did not in the least oppose what he said, but
resigned themselves up to his opinion, he took about twenty of his friends
and came to David, in order to receive himself security upon oath from
him; for we may justly esteem those things to be firmer which every one
of us do by ourselves, than those which we do by another. He also gave
him an account of what he had said to the rulers, and to the whole tribe
of Benjamin; and when David had received him in a courteous manner, and
had treated him with great hospitality for many days, Abner, when he was
dismissed, desired him to bring the multitude with him, that he might deliver
up the government to him, when David himself was present, and a spectator
of what was done.
5. When David had sent Abner away, Joab, the of his army, came immediately
to Hebron; he had understood that Abner had been with David, and had parted
with him a little before under leagues and agreements that the government
should be delivered up to David, he feared lest David should place Abner,
who had assisted him to gain the kingdom, in the first rank of dignity,
especially since he was a shrewd man in other respects, in understanding
affairs, and in managing them artfully, as proper seasons should require,
and that he should himself be put lower, and be deprived of the command
of the army; so he took a knavish and a wicked course. In the first place,
he endeavored to calumniate Abner to the king, exhorting him to have a
care of him, and not to give attention to what he had engaged to do for
him, because all he did tended to confirm the government to Saul's son;
that he came to him deceitfully and with guile, and was gone away in hopes
of gaining his purpose by this management: but when he could not thus persuade
David, nor saw him at all exasperated, he betook himself to a project bolder
than the former: - he determined to kill Abner; and in order thereto, he
sent some messengers after him, to whom he gave in charge, that when they
should overtake him they should recall him in David's name, and tell him
that he had somewhat to say to him about his affairs, which he had not
remembered to speak of when he was with him. Now when Abner heard what
the messengers said, (for they overtook him in a certain place called Besira,
which was distant from Hebron twenty furlongs,) he suspected none of
the mischief which was befalling him, and came back. Hereupon Joab met
him in the gate, and received him in the kindest manner, as if he were
Abner's most benevolent acquaintance and friend; for such as undertake
the vilest actions, in order to prevent the suspicion of any private mischief
intended, do frequently make the greatest pretenses to what really good
men sincerely do. So he took him aside from his own followers, as if he
would speak with him in private, and brought him into a void place of the
gate, having himself nobody with him but his brother Abishai; then he drew
his sword, and smote him in the groin; upon which Abner died by this treachery
of Joab, which, as he said himself, was in the way of punishment for his
brother Asahel, whom Abner smote and slew as he was pursuing after him
in the battle of Hebron, but as the truth was, out of his fear of losing
his command of the army, and his dignity with the king, and lest he should
be deprived of those advantages, and Abner should obtain the first rank
in David's court. By these examples any one may learn how many and how
great instances of wickedness men will venture upon for the sake of getting
money and authority, and that they may not fail of either of them; for
as when they are desirous of obtaining the same, they acquire them by ten
thousand evil practices; so when they are afraid of losing them, they get
them confirmed to them by practices much worse than the former, as if no
other calamity so terrible could befall them as the failure of acquiring
so exalted an authority; and when they have acquired it, and by long custom
found the sweetness of it, the losing it again: and since this last would
be the heaviest of all afflictions they all of them contrive and venture
upon the most difficult actions, out of the fear of losing the same. But
let it suffice that I have made these short reflections upon that subject.
6. When David heard that Abner was slain, it grieved his soul; and he
called all men to witness, with stretching out his hands to God, and crying
out that he was not a partaker in the murder of Abner, and that his death
was not procured by his command or approbation. He also wished the heaviest
curses might light upon him that slew him and upon his whole house; and
he devoted those that had assisted him in this murder to the same penalties
on its account; for he took care not to appear to have had any hand in
this murder, contrary to the assurances he had given and the oaths he had
taken to Abner. However, he commanded all the people to weep and lament
this man, and to honor his dead body with the usual solemnities; that is,
by rending their garments, and putting on sackcloth, and that things should
be the habit in which they should go before the bier; after which he followed
it himself, with the elders and those that were rulers, lamenting Abner,
and by his tears demonstrating his good-will to him while he was alive,
and his sorrow for him now he was dead, and that he was not taken off with
his consent. So he buried him at Hebron in a magnificent manner, and indited
funeral elegies for him; he also stood first over the monument weeping,
and caused others to do the same; nay, so deeply did the death of Abner
disorder him, that his companions could by no means force him to take any
food, but he affirmed with an oath that he would taste nothing till the
sun was set. This procedure gained him the good-will of the multitude;
for such as had an affection for Abner were mightily satisfied with the
respect he paid him when he was dead, and the observation of that faith
he had plighted to him, which was shown in his vouchsafing him all the
usual ceremonies, as if he had been his kinsman and his friend, and not
suffering him to be neglected and injured with a dishonorable burial, as
if he had been his enemy; insomuch that the entire nation rejoiced at the
king's gentleness and mildness of disposition, every one being ready to
suppose that the king would have taken the same care of them in the like
circumstances, which they saw be showed in the burial of the dead body
of Abner. And indeed David principally intended to gain a good reputation,
and therefore he took care to do what was proper in this case, whence none
had any suspicion that he was the author of Abner's death. He also said
this to the multitude, that he was greatly troubled at the death of so
good a man; and that the affairs of the Hebrews had suffered great detriment
by being deprived of him, who was of so great abilities to preserve them
by his excellent advice, and by the strength of his hands in war. But he
added, that "God, who hath a regard to all men's actions, will not
suffer this man [Joab] to go off unrevenged; but know ye, that I am not
able to do any thing to these sons of Zeruiah, Joab and Abishai, who have
more power than I have; but God will requite their insolent attempts upon
their own heads." And this was the fatal conclusion of the life of
Abner.
CHAPTER 2.
THAT UPON THE SLAUGHTER OF ISHBOSHETH BY THE TREACHERY OF
HIS FRIENDS, DAVID RECEIVED THE WHOLE KINGDOM.
1. WHEN Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, had heard of the death of Abner,
he took it to heart to be deprived of a man that was of his kindred, and
had indeed given him the kingdom, but was greatly afflicted, and
Abner's death very much troubled him; nor did he himself outlive any long
time, but was treacherously set upon by the sons of Rimmon, (Baanah and
Rechab were their names,) and was slain by them; for these being of a family
of the Benjamites, and of the first rank among them, thought that if they
should slay Ishbosheth, they should obtain large presents from David, and
be made commanders by him, or, however, should have some other trust committed
to them. So when they once found him alone, and asleep at noon, in an upper
room, when none of his guards were there, and when the woman that kept
the door was not watching, but was fallen asleep also, partly on account
of the labor she had undergone, and partly on account of the heat of the
day, these men went into the room in which Ishbosheth, Saul's son, lay
asleep, and slew him; they also cut off his head, and took their journey
all that night, and the next day, as supposing themselves flying away from
those they had injured, to one that would accept of this action as a favor,
and would afford them security. So they came to Hebron, and showed David
the head of Ishbosheth, and presented themselves to him as his well-wishers,
and such as had killed one that was his enemy and antagonist. Yet David
did not relish what they had done as they expected, but said to them, "You
vile wretches, you shall immediately receive the punishment you deserve.
Did not you know what vengeance I executed on him that murdered Saul, and
brought me his crown of gold, and this while he who made this slaughter
did it as a favor to him, that he might not be caught by his enemies? Or
do you imagine that I am altered in my disposition, and suppose that I
am not the same man I then was, but am pleased with men that are wicked
doers, and esteem your vile actions, when you are become murderers of your
master, as grateful to me, when you have slain a righteous man upon his
bed, who never did evil to any body, and treated you with great good-will
and respect? Wherefore you shall suffer the punishment due on his account,
and the vengeance I ought to inflict upon you for killing Ishbosheth, and
for supposing that I should take his death kindly at your hands; for you
could not lay a greater blot on my honor, than by making such a supposal."
When David had said this, he tormented them with all sorts of torments,
and then put them to death; and he bestowed all accustomed rites on the
burial of the head of Ishbosheth, and laid it in the grave of Abner.
2. When these things were brought to this conclusion, all the principal
men of the Hebrew people came to David to Hebron, with the heads of thousands,
and other rulers, and delivered themselves up to him, putting him in mind
of the good-will they had borne to him in Saul's lifetime, and the respect
they then had not ceased to pay him when he was captain of a thousand,
as also that he was chosen of God by Samuel the prophet, he and his sons;
(2) and declaring
besides, how God had given him power to save the land of the Hebrews, and
to overcome the Philistines. Whereupon he received kindly this their alacrity
on his account; and exhorted them to continue in it, for that they should
have no reason to repent of being thus disposed to him. So when he had
feasted them, and treated them kindly, he sent them out to bring all the
people to him; upon which came to him about six thousand and eight hundred
armed men of the tribe of Judah, who bare shields and spears for their
weapons, for these had [till now] continued with Saul's son, when
the rest of the tribe of Judah had ordained David for their king. There
came also seven thousand and one hundred out of the tribe of Simeon. Out
of the tribe of Levi came four thousand and seven hundred, having Jehoiada
for their leader. After these came Zadok the high priest, with twenty-two
captains of his kindred. Out of the tribe of Benjamin the armed men were
four thousand; but the rest of the tribe continued, still expecting that
some one of the house of Saul should reign over them. Those of the tribe
of Ephraim were twenty thousand and eight hundred, and these mighty men
of valor, and eminent for their strength. Out of the half tribe of Manasseh
came eighteen thousand, of the most potent men. Out of the tribe of Issachar
came two hundred, who foreknew what was to come hereafter,
(3)
but of armed men twenty thousand. Of the tribe of Zebulon fifty thousand
chosen men. This was the only tribe that came universally in to David,
and all these had the same weapons with the tribe of Gad. Out of the tribe
of Naphtali the eminent men and rulers were one thousand, whose weapons
were shields and spears, and the tribe itself followed after, being (in
a manner) innumerable [thirty-seven thousand]. Out of the tribe of Dan
there were of chosen men twenty-seven thousand and six hundred. Out of
the tribe of Asher were forty thousand. Out of the two tribes that were
beyond Jordan, and the rest of the tribe of Manasseh, such as used shields,
and spears, and head-pieces, and swords, were a hundred and twenty thousand.
The rest of the tribes also made use of swords. This multitude came together
to Hebron to David, with a great quantity of corn, and wine, and all other
sorts of food, and established David in his kingdom with one consent. And
when the people had rejoiced for three days in Hebron, David and all the
people removed and came to Jerusalem.
CHAPTER 3.
HOW DAVID LAID SIEGE TO JERUSALEM; AND WHEN HE HAD TAKEN
THE CITY, HE CAST THE CANAANITES OUT OF IT, AND BROUGHT IN THE JEWS TO
INHABIT THEREIN.
1. NOW the Jebusites, who were the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and were
by extraction Canaanites, shut their gates, and placed the blind, and the
lame, and all their maimed persons, upon the wall, in way of derision of
the king, and said that the very lame themselves would hinder his entrance
into it. This they did out of contempt of his power, and as depending on
the strength of their walls. David was hereby enraged, and began the siege
of Jerusalem, and employed his utmost diligence and alacrity therein, as
intending by the taking of this place to demonstrate his power, and to
intimidate all others that might be of the like [evil] disposition towards
him. So he took the lower city by force, but the citadel held out still;
(4) whence
it was that the king, knowing that the proposal of dignities and rewards
would encourage the soldiers to greater actions, promised that he who should
first go over the ditches that were beneath the citadel, and should ascend
to the citadel itself and take it, should have the command of the entire
people conferred upon him. So they all were ambitious to ascend, and thought
no pains too great in order to ascend thither, out of their desire of the
chief command. However, Joab, the son of Zeruiah, prevented the rest; and
as soon as he was got up to the citadel, cried out to the king, and claimed
the chief command.
2. When David had cast the Jebusites out of the citadel, he also rebuilt
Jerusalem, and named it The City of David, and abode there all the
time of his reign; but for the time that he reigned over the tribe of Judah
only in Hebron, it was seven years and six months. Now when he had chosen
Jerusalem to be his royal city, his affairs did more and more prosper,
by the providence of God, who took care that they should improve and be
augmented. Hiram also, the king of the Tyrians, sent ambassadors to him,
and made a league of mutual friendship and assistance with him. He also
sent him presents, cedar-trees, and mechanics, and men skillful in building
and architecture, that they might build him a royal palace at Jerusalem.
Now David made buildings round about the lower city: he also joined the
citadel to it, and made it one body; and when he had encompassed all with
walls, he appointed Joab to take care of them. It was David, therefore,
who first cast the Jebusites out of Jerusalem, and called it by his own
name, The City of David: for under our forefather Abraham it was
called (Salem, or) Solyma;
(5)
but after that time, some say that Homer mentions it by that name of Solyma,
[for he named the temple Solyma, according to the Hebrew language, which
denotes security.] Now the whole time from the warfare under Joshua
our general against the Canaanites, and from that war in which he overcame
them, and distributed the land among the Hebrews, (nor could the Israelites
ever cast the Canaanites out of Jerusalem until this time, when David took
it by siege,) this whole time was five hundred and fifteen years.
3. I shall now make mention of Araunah, who was a wealthy man among
the Jebusites, but was not slain by David in the siege of Jerusalem, because
of the good-will he bore to the Hebrews, and a particular benignity and
affection which he had to the king himself; which I shall take a more seasonable
opportunity to speak of a little afterwards. Now David married other wives
over and above those which he had before: he had also concubines. The sons
whom he had were in number eleven, whose names were Amnon, Emnos, Eban,
Nathan, Solomon, Jeban, Elien, Phalna, Ennaphen, Jenae, Eliphale; and a
daughter, Tamar. Nine of these were born of legitimate wives, but the two
last-named of concubines; and Tamar had the same mother with Absalom.
CHAPTER 4.
THAT WHEN DAVID HAD CONQUERED THE PHILISTINES WHO MADE WAR
AGAINST HIM AT JERUSALEM, HE REMOVED THE ARK TO JERUSALEM AND HAD A MIND
TO BUILD A TEMPLE.
1. WHEN the Philistines understood that David was made king of the Hebrews,
they made war against him at Jerusalem; and when they had seized upon that
valley which is called The Valley of the Giants, and is a place
not far from the city, they pitched their camp therein; but the king of
the Jews, who never permitted himself to do any thing without prophecy,
(6) and the
command of God and without depending on him as a security for the time
to come, bade the high priest to foretell to him what was the will of God,
and what would be the event of this battle. And when he foretold that he
should gain the victory and the dominion, he led out his army against the
Philistines; and when the battle was joined, he came himself behind, and
fell upon the enemy on the sudden, and slew some of them, and put the rest
to flight. And let no one suppose that it was a small army of the Philistines
that came against the Hebrews, as guessing so from the suddenness of their
defeat, and from their having performed no great action, or that was worth
recording, from the slowness of their march, and want of courage; but let
him know that all Syria and Phoenicia, with many other nations besides
them, and those warlike nations also, came to their assistance, and had
a share in this war, which thing was the only cause why, when they had
been so often conquered, and had lost so many ten thousands of their men,
they still came upon the Hebrews with greater armies; nay, indeed, when
they had so often failed of their purpose in these battles, they came upon
David with an army three times as numerous as before, and pitched their
camp on the same spot of ground as before. The king of Israel therefore
inquired of God again concerning the event of the battle; and the high
priest prophesied to him, that he should keep his army in the groves, called
the Groves of Weeping, which were not far from the enemy's camp,
and that he should not move, nor begin to fight, till the trees of the
grove should be in motion without the wind's blowing; but as soon as these
trees moved, and the time foretold to him by God was come, he should, without
delay, go out to gain what was an already prepared and evident victory;
for the several ranks of the enemy's army did not sustain him, but retreated
at the first onset, whom he closely followed, and slew them as he went
along, and pursued them to the city Gaza (which is the limit of their country):
after this he spoiled their camp, in which he found great riches; and he
destroyed their gods.
2. When this had proved the event of the battle, David thought it proper,
upon a consultation with the elders, and rulers, and captains of thousands,
to send for those that were in the flower of their age out of all his countrymen,
and out of the whole land, and withal for the priests and the Levites,
in order to their going to Kirjathjearim, to bring up the ark of God out
of that city, and to carry it to Jerusalem, and there to keep it, and offer
before it those sacrifices and those other honors with which God used to
be well-pleased; for had they done thus in the reign of Saul, they had
not undergone any great misfortunes at all. So when the whole body of the
people were come together, as they had resolved to do, the king came to
the ark, which the priest brought out of the house of Aminadab, and laid
it upon a new cart, and permitted their brethren and their children to
draw it, together with the oxen. Before it went the king, and the whole
multitude of the people with him, singing hymns to God, and making use
of all sorts of songs usual among them, with variety of the sounds of musical
instruments, and with dancing and singing of psalms, as also with the sounds
of trumpets and of cymbals, and so brought the ark to Jerusalem. But as
they were come to the threshing-floor of Chidon, a place so called, Uzzah
was slain by the anger of God; for as the oxen shook the ark, he stretched
out his hand, and would needs take hold of it. Now, because he was not
a priest
(7)
and yet touched the ark, God struck him dead. Hereupon both the king and
the people were displeased at the death of Uzzah; and the place where he
died is still called the Breach of Uzzah unto this day. So David
was afraid; and supposing that if he received the ark to himself into the
city, he might suffer in the like manner as Uzzah had suffered, who, upon
his bare putting out his hand to the ark, died in the manner already mentioned,
he did not receive it to himself into the city, but he took it aside unto
a certain place belonging to a righteous man, whose name was Obededom,
who was by his family a Levite, and deposited the ark with him; and it
remained there three entire months. This augmented the house of Obededom,
and conferred many blessings upon it. And when the king heard what had
befallen Obededom, how he was become, of a poor man in a low estate, exceeding
happy, and the object of envy to all those that saw or inquired after his
house, he took courage, and, hoping that he should meet with no misfortune
thereby, he transferred the ark to his own house; the priests carrying
it, while seven companies of singers, who were set in that order by the
king, went before it, and while he himself played upon the harp, and joined
in the music, insomuch, that when his wife Michel, the daughter of Saul,
who was our first king, saw him so doing, she laughed at him. But when
they had brought in the ark, they placed it under the tabernacle which
David had pitched for it, and he offered costly sacrifices and peace-offerings,
and treated the whole multitude, and dealt both to the women, and the men,
and the infants a loaf of bread and a cake, and another cake baked in a
pan, with the portion of the sacrifice. So when he had thus feasted the
people, he sent them away, and he himself returned to his own house.
3. But when Michal his wife, the daughter of Saul, came and stood by
him, she wished him all other happiness, and entreated that whatsoever
he should further desire, to the utmost possibility, might be given him
by God, and that he might be favorable to him; yet did she blame him, that
so great a king as he was should dance after an unseemly manner, and in
his dancing, uncover himself among the servants and the handmaidens. But
he replied, that he was not ashamed to do what was acceptable to God, who
had preferred him before her father, and before all others; that he would
play frequently, and dance, without any regard to what the handmaidens
and she herself thought of it. So this Michal, who was David's wife, had
no children; however, when she was afterward married to him to whom Saul
her father had given her, (for at this time David had taken her away from
him, and had her himself,) she bare five children. But concerning those
matters I shall discourse in a proper place.
4. Now when the king saw that his affairs grew better almost every day,
by the will of God, he thought he should offend him, if, while he himself
continued in houses made of cedar, such as were of a great height, and
had the most curious works of architecture in them, he should overlook
the ark while it was laid in a tabernacle, and was desirous to build a
temple to God, as Moses had predicted such a temple should be built.
(8)
And when he had discoursed with Nathan the prophet about these things,
and had been encouraged by him to do whatsoever he had a mind to do, as
having God with him, and his helper in all things, he was thereupon the
more ready to set about that building. But God appeared to Nathan that
very night, and commanded him to say to David,
(9)
that he took his purpose and his desires kindly, since nobody had before
now taken it into their head to build him a temple, although upon his having
such a notion he would not permit him to build him that temple, because
he had made many wars, and was defiled with the slaughter of his enemies;
that, however, after his death, in his old age, and when he had lived a
long life, there should be a temple built by a son of his, who should take
the kingdom after him, and should be called Solomon, whom he promised to
provide for, as a father provides for his son, by preserving the kingdom
for his son's posterity, and delivering it to them; but that he would still
punish him, if he sinned, with diseases and barrenness of land. When David
understood this from the prophet, and was overjoyful at this knowledge
of the sure continuance of the dominion to his posterity, and that his
house should be splendid, and very famous, he came to the ark, and fell
down on his face, and began to adore God, and to return thanks to him for
all his benefits, as well for those that he had already bestowed upon him
in raising him from a low state, and from the employment of a shepherd,
to so great dignity of dominion and glory; as for those also which he had
promised to his posterity; and besides, for that providence which he had
exercised over the Hebrews in procuring them the liberty they enjoyed.
And when he had said thus, and had sung a hymn of praise to God, he went
his way.
CHAPTER 5.
HOW DAVID BROUGHT UNDER THE PHILISTINES, AND THE MOABITES,
AND THE KINGS OF SOPHENE AND OF DAMASCUS, AND OF THE SYRIANS AS ALSO THE
IDUMEANS, IN WAR; AND HOW HE MADE A LEAGUE WITH THE KING OF HAMATH; AND
WAS MINDFUL OF THE FRIENDSHIP THAT JONATHAN, THE SON OF SAUL, HAD BORNE
HIM.
1. A LITLLE while after this, he considered that he ought to make war
against the Philistines, and not to see any idleness or laziness permitted
in his management, that so it might prove, as God had foretold to him,
that when he had overthrown his enemies, he should leave his posterity
to reign in peace afterward: so he called together his army again, and
when he had charged them to be ready and prepared for war, and when he
thought that all things in his army were in a good state, he removed from
Jerusalem, and came against the Philistines; and when he had overcome them
in battle, and had cut off a great part of their country, and adjoined
it to the country of the Hebrews, he transferred the war to the Moabites;
and when he had overcome two parts of their army in battle, he took the
remaining part captive, and imposed tribute upon them, to be paid annually.
He then made war against Iadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Sophene;
(10) and
when he had joined battle with him at 'the river Euphrates, he destroyed
twenty thousand of his footmen, and about seven thousand of his horsemen.
He also took a thousand of his chariots, and destroyed the greatest part
of them, and ordered that no more than one hundred should be kept.
(11)
2. Now when Hadad, king of Damascus and of Syria, heard that David fought
against Hadadezer, who was his friend, he came to his assistance with a
powerful army, in hopes to rescue him; and when he had joined battle with
David at the river Euphrates, he failed of his purpose, and lost in the
battle a great number of his soldiers; for there were slain of the army
of Hadad twenty thousand, and all the rest fled. Nicelens also [of Damascus]
makes mention of this king in the fourth book of his histories; where he
speaks thus: "A great while after these things had happened, there
was one of that country whose name was Hadad, who was become very potent;
he reigned over Damascus, and, the other parts of Syria, excepting Phoenicia.
He made war against David, the king of Judea, and tried his fortune in
many battles, and particularly in the last battle at Euphrates, wherein
he was beaten. He seemed to have been the most excellent of all their kings
in strength and manhood," Nay, besides this, he says of his posterity,
that "they succeeded one another in his kingdom, and in his name;"
where he thus speaks: "When Hadad was dead, his posterity reigned
for ten generations, each of his successors receiving from his father that
his dominion, and this his name; as did the Ptolemies in Egypt.
But the third was the most powerful of them all, and was willing to avenge
the defeat his forefather had received; so he made an expedition against
the Jews, and laid waste the city which is now called Samaria." Nor
did he err from the truth; for this is that Hadad who made the expedition
against Samaria, in the reign of Ahab, king of Israel, concerning whom
we shall speak in due place hereafter.
3. Now when David had made an expedition against Damascus, and the other
parts of Syria, and had brought it all into subjection, and had placed
garrisons in the country, and appointed that they should pay tribute, he
returned home. He also dedicated to God at Jerusalem the golden quivers,
the entire armor which the guards of Hadad used to wear; which Shishak,
the king of Egypt, took away when he fought with David's grandson, Rehoboam,
with a great deal of other wealth which he carried out of Jerusalem. However,
these things will come to be explained in their proper places hereafter.
Now as for the king of the Hebrews, he was assisted by God, who gave him
great success in his wars, and he made all expedition against the best
cities of Hadadezer, Betah and Machen; so he took them by force, and laid
them waste. Therein was found a very great quantity of gold and silver,
besides that sort of brass which is said to be more valuable than gold;
of which brass Solomon made that large vessel which was called The [Brazen]
Sea, and those most curious lavers, when he built the temple for God.
4. But when the king of Hamath was informed of the ill success of Hadadezer,
and had heard of the ruin of his army, he was afraid on his own account,
and resolved to make a league of friendship and fidelity with David before
he should come against him; so he sent to him his son Joram, and professed
that he owed him thanks for fighting against Hadadezer, who was his enemy,
and made a league with him of mutual assistance and friendship. He also
sent him presents, vessels of ancient workmanship, both of gold, of silver,
and of brass. So when David had made this league of mutual assistance with
Toi, (for that was the name of the king of Hamath,) and had received the
presents he sent him, he dismissed his son with that respect which was
due on both sides; but then David brought those presents that were sent
by him, as also the rest of the gold and silver which he had taken of the
cities whom he had conquered, and dedicated them to God. Nor did God give
victory and success to him only when he went to the battle himself, and
led his own army, but he gave victory to Abishai, the brother of Joab,
general of his forces, over the Idumeans,
(12)
and by him to David, when he sent him with an army into Idumea: for Abishai
destroyed eighteen thousand of them in the battle; whereupon the king [of
Israel] placed garrisons through all Idumea, and received the tribute of
the country, and of every head among them. Now David was in his nature
just, and made his determination with regard to truth. He had for the general
of his whole army Joab; and he made Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, recorder.
He also appointed Zadok, of the family of Phinehas, to be high priest,
together with Abiathar, for he was his friend. He also made Seisan the
scribe, and committed the command over the guards of his body to Benaiah;
the son of Jehoiada. His elder sons were near his body, and had the care
of it also.
5. He also called to mind the covenants and the oaths he had made with
Jonathan, the son of Saul, and the friendship and affection Jonathan had
for him; for besides all the rest of his excellent qualities with which
he was endowed, he was also exceeding mindful of such as had at other times
bestowed benefits upon him. He therefore gave order that inquiry should
be made, whether any of Jonathan's lineage were living, to whom he might
make return of that familiar acquaintance which Jonathan had had with him,
and for which he was still debtor. And when one of Saul's freed men was
brought to him, who was acquainted with those of his family that were still
living, he asked him whether he could tell him of any one belonging to
Jonathan that was now alive, and capable of a requital of the benefits
which he had received from Jonathan. And he said, that a son of his was
remaining, whose name was Mephibosheth, but that he was lame of his feet;
for that when his nurse heard that the father and grandfather of the child
were fallen in the battle, she snatched him up, and fled away, and let
him fall from her shoulders, and his feet were lamed. So when he had learned
where and by whom he was brought up, he sent messengers to Machir, to the
city of Lodebar, for with him was the son of Jonathan brought up, and sent
for him to come to him. So when Mephibosheth came to the king, he fell
on his face and worshipped him; but David encouraged him, bade him be of
good cheer, and expect better times. So he gave him his father's house,
and all the estate which his grandfather Saul was in possession of, and
bade him come and diet with him at his own table, and never to be absent
one day from that table. And when the youth had worshipped him on account
of his words and gifts given to him, he called for Ziba, and told him that
he had given the youth his father's house, and all Saul's estate. He also
ordered that Ziba should cultivate his land, and take care of it, and bring
him the profits of all to Jerusalem. Accordingly, David brought him to
his table every day, and bestowed upon the youth, Ziba and his sons, who
were in number fifteen, and his servants, who were in number twenty. When
the king had made these appointments, and Ziba had worshipped him, and
promised to do all that he had bidden him, he went his way; so that this
son of Jonathan dwelt at Jerusalem, and dieted at the king's table, and
had the same care that a son could claim taken of him. He also had himself
a son, whom he named Micha.
CHAPTER 6.
HOW THE WAR WAS WAGED AGAINST THE AMMONITES AND HAPPILY CONCLUDED.
1. THIS were the honors that such as were left of Saul's and Jonathan's
lineage received from David. About this time died Nahash, the king of the
Ammonites, who was a friend of David's; and when his son had succeeded
his father in the kingdom, David sent ambassadors to him to comfort him;
and exhorted him to take his father's death patiently, and to expect that
he would continue the same kindness to himself which he had shown to his
father. But the princes of the Ammonites took this message in evil part,
and not as David's kind dispositions gave reason to take it; and they excited
the king to resent it; and said that David had sent men to spy out the
country, and what strength it had, under the pretense of humanity and kindness.
They further advised him to have a care, and not to give heed to David's
words, lest he should be deluded by him, and so fall into an inconsolable
calamity. Accordingly Nahash's [son], the king of the Ammonites, thought
these princes spake what was more probable than the truth would admit,
and so abused the ambassadors after a very harsh manner; for he shaved
the one half of their beards, and cut off one half of their garments, and
sent his answer, not in words, but in deeds. When the king of Israel saw
this, he had indignation at it, and showed openly that he would not overlook
this injurious and contumelious treatment, but would make war with the
Ammonites, and would avenge this wicked treatment of his ambassadors on
their king. So that king's intimate friends and commanders, understanding
that they had violated their league, and were liable to be punished for
the same, made preparations for war; they also sent a thousand talents
to the Syrian king of Mesopotamia, and endeavored to prevail with him to
assist them for that pay, and Shobach. Now these kings had twenty thousand
footmen. They also hired the king of the country called Maacah, and a fourth
king, by name Ishtob; which last had twelve thousand armed men.
2. But David was under no consternation at this confederacy, nor at
the forces of the Ammonites; and putting his trust in God, because he was
going to war in a just cause, on account of the injurious treatment he
had met with, he immediately sent Joab, the captain of his host, against
them, and gave him the flower of his army, who pitched his camp by Rabbah,
the metropolis of the Ammonites; whereupon the enemy came out, and set
themselves in array, not all of them together, but in two bodies; for the
auxiliaries were set in array in the plain by themselves, but the army
of the Ammonites at the gates over against the Hebrews. When Joab saw this,
he opposed one stratagem against another, and chose out the most hardy
part of his men, and set them in opposition to the king of Syria, and the
kings that were with him, and gave the other part to his brother Abishai,
and bid him set them in opposition to the Ammonites; and said to him, that
in case he should see that the Syrians distressed him, and were too hard
for him, he should order his troops to turn about and assist him; and he
said that he himself would do the same to him, if he saw him in the like
distress from the Ammonites. So he sent his brother before, and encouraged
him to do every thing courageously and with alacrity, which would teach
them to be afraid of disgrace, and to fight manfully; and so he dismissed
him to fight with the Ammonites, while he fell upon the Syrians. And though
they made a strong opposition for a while, Joab slew many of them, but
compelled the rest to betake themselves to flight; which, when the Ammonites
saw, and were withal afraid of Abishai and his army, they staid
no longer, but imitated their auxiliaries, and fled to the city. So Joab,
when he had thus overcome the enemy, returned with great joy to Jerusalem
to the king.
3. This defeat did not still induce the Ammonites to be quiet, nor to
own those that were superior to them to be so, and be still, but they sent
to Chalaman, the king of the Syrians, beyond Euphrates, and hired him for
an auxiliary. He had Shobach for the captain of his host, with eighty thousand
footmen, and ten thousand horsemen. Now when the king of the Hebrews understood
that the Ammonites had again gathered so great an army together, he determined
to make war with them no longer by his generals, but he passed over the
river Jordan himself with all his army; and when he met them he joined
battle with them, and overcame them, and slew forty thousand of their footmen,
and seven thousand of their horsemen. He also wounded Shobach, the general
of Chalaman's forces, who died of that stroke; but the people of Mesopotamia,
upon such a conclusion of the battle, delivered themselves up to David,
and sent him presents, who at winter time returned to Jerusalem. But at
the beginning of the spring he sent Joab, the captain of his host, to fight
against the Ammonites, who overran all their country, and laid it waste,
and shut them up in their metropolis Rabbah, and besieged them therein.
CHAPTER 7.
HOW DAVID FELL IN LOVE WITH BATHSHEBA, AND SLEW HER HUSBAND
URIAH, FOR WHICH HE IS REPROVED BY NATHAN.
1. BUT David fell now into a very grievous sin, though he were otherwise
naturally a righteous and a religious man, and one that firmly observed
the laws of our fathers; for when late in an evening he took a view round
him from the roof of his royal palace, where he used to walk at that hour,
he saw a woman washing herself in her own house: she was one of extraordinary
beauty, and therein surpassed all other women; her name was Bathsheba.
So he was overcome by that woman's beauty, and was not able to restrain
his desires, but sent for her, and lay with her. Hereupon she conceived
with child, and sent to the king, that he should contrive some way for
concealing her sin (for, according to the laws of their fathers, she who
had been guilty of adultery ought to be put to death). So the king sent
for Joab's armor-bearer from the siege, who was the woman's husband, and
his name was Uriah. And when he was come, the king inquired of him about
the army, and about the siege; and when he had made answer that all their
affairs went according to their wishes, the king took some portions of
meat from his supper, and gave them to him, and bade him go home to his
wife, and take his rest with her. Uriah did not do so, but slept near the
king with the rest of his armor-bearers. When the king was informed of
this, he asked him why he did not go home to his house, and to his wife,
after so long an absence; which is the natural custom of all men, when
they come from a long journey. He replied, that it was not right, while
his fellow soldiers, and the general of the army, slept upon the ground,
in the camp, and in an enemy's country, that he should go and take his
rest, and solace himself with his wife. So when he had thus replied, the
king ordered him to stay there that night, that he might dismiss him the
next day to the general. So the king invited Uriah to supper, and after
a cunning and dexterous manlier plied him with drink at supper, till he
was thereby disordered; yet did he nevertheless sleep at the king's gates
without any inclination to go to his wife. Upon this the king was very
angry at him; and wrote to Joab, and commanded him to punish Uriah, for
he told him that he had offended him; and he suggested to him the manner
in which he would have him punished, that it might not be discovered that
he was himself the author of this his punishment; for he charged him to
set him over against that part of the enemy's army where the attack would
be most hazardous, and where he might be deserted, and be in the greatest
jeopardy, for he bade him order his fellow soldiers to retire out of the
fight. When he had written thus to him, and sealed the letter with his
own seal, he gave it to Uriah to carry to Joab. When Joab had received
it, and upon reading it understood the king's purpose, he set Uriah in
that place where he knew the enemy would be most troublesome to them; and
gave him for his partners some of the best soldiers in the army; and said
that he would also come to their assistance with the whole army, that if
possible they might break down some part of the wall, and enter the city.
And he desired him to be glad of the opportunity of exposing himself to
such great pains, and not to be displeased at it, since he was a valiant
soldier, and had a great reputation for his valor, both with the king and
with his countrymen. And when Uriah undertook the work he was set upon
with alacrity, he gave private orders to those who were to be his companions,
that when they saw the enemy make a sally, they should leave him. When,
therefore, the Hebrews made an attack upon the city, the Ammonites were
afraid that the enemy might prevent them, and get up into the city, and
this at the very place whither Uriah was ordered; so they exposed their
best soldiers to be in the forefront, and opened their gates suddenly,
and fell upon the enemy with great vehemence, and ran violently upon them.
When those that were with Uriah saw this, they all retreated backward,
as Joab had directed them beforehand; but Uriah, as ashamed to run away
and leave his post, sustained the enemy, and receiving the violence of
their onset, he slew many of them; but being encompassed round, and caught
in the midst of them, he was slain, and some other of his companions were
slain with him.
2. When this was done, Joab sent messengers to the king, and ordered
them to tell him that he did what he could to take the city soon; but that,
as they made an assault on the wall, they had been forced to retire with
great loss; and bade them, if they saw the king was angry at it, to add
this, that Uriah was slain also. When the king had heard this of the messengers,
he took it heinously, and said that they did wrong when they assaulted
the wall, whereas they ought, by undermining and other stratagems of war,
to endeavor the taking of rite city, especially when they had before their
eyes the example of Abimelech, the son of Gideon, who would needs take
the tower in Thebes by force, and was killed by a large stone thrown at
him by an old woman; and although he was a man of great prowess, he died
ignominiously by the dangerous manner of his assault: that they should
remember this accident, and not come near the enemy's wall, for that the
best method of making war with success was to call to mind the accidents
of former wars, and what good or bad success had attended them in the like
dangerous cases, that so they might imitate the one, and avoid the other.
But when the king was in this disposition, the messenger told him that
Uriah was slain also; whereupon he was pacified. So he bade the messenger
go back to Joab and tell him that this misfortune is no other than what
is common among mankind, and that such is the nature, and such the accidents
of war, insomuch that sometimes the enemy will have success therein, and
sometimes others; but that he ordered him to go on still in his care about
the siege, that no ill accident might befall him in it hereafter; that
they should raise bulwarks and use machines in besieging the city; and
when they have gotten it, to overturn its very foundations, and to destroy
all those that are in it. Accordingly the messenger carried the king's
message with which he was charged, and made haste to Joab. But Bathsheba,
the wife of Uriah, when she was informed of the death of her husband, mourned
for his death many days; and when her mourning was over, and the tears
which she shed for Uriah were dried up, the king took her to wife presently;
and a son was born to him by her.
3. With this marriage God was not well pleased, but was thereupon angry
at David; and he appeared to Nathan the prophet in his sleep, and complained
of the king. Now Nathan was a fair and prudent man; and considering that
kings, when they fall into a passion, are guided more by that passion than
they are by justice, he resolved to conceal the threatenings that proceeded
from God, and made a good-natured discourse to him, and this after the.
manner following: - He desired that the king would give him his opinion
in the following case: - There were," said he, "two men inhabiting
the same city, the one of them was rich, and [the other poor]. The rich
man had a great many flocks of cattle, of sheep, and of kine; but the poor
man had but one ewe lamb. This he brought up with his children, and let
her eat her food with them; and he had the same natural affection for her
which any one might have for a daughter. Now upon the coming of a stranger
to the rich man, he would not vouchsafe to kill any of his own flocks,
and thence feast his friend; but he sent for the poor man's lamb, and took
her away from him, and made her ready for food, and thence feasted the
stranger." This discourse troubled the king exceedingly; and he denounced
to Nathan, that "this man was a wicked man who could dare to do such
a thing; and that it was but just that he should restore the lamb fourfold,
and be punished with death for it also." Upon this Nathan immediately
said that he was himself the man who ought to suffer those punishments,
and that by his own sentence; and that it was he who had perpetrated this
'great and horrid crime. He also revealed to him, and laid before him,
the anger of God against him, who had made him king over the army of the
Hebrews, and lord of all the nations, and those many and great nations
round about him; who had formerly delivered him out of the hands of Saul,
and had given him such wives as he had justly and legally married; and
now this God was despised by him, and affronted by his impiety, when he
had married, and now had, another man's wife; and by exposing her husband
to the enemy, had really slain him; 'that God would inflict punishments
upon him on account of those instances of wickedness; that his own wives
should be forced by one of his sons; and that he should be treacherously
supplanted by the same son; and that although he had perpetrated his wickedness
secretly, yet should that punishment which he was to undergo be inflicted
publicly upon him; "that, moreover," said he, "the child
which was born to thee of her shall soon die." When the king was troubled
at these messages, and sufficiently confounded, and said with tears and
sorrow that he had sinned, (for he was without controversy a pious man,
and guilty of no sin at all in his whole life, excepting those in the matter
of Uriah,) God had compassion on him, and was reconciled to him, and promised
that he would preserve to him both his life and his kingdom; for he said
that, seeing he repented of the things he had done, he was no longer displeased
with him. So Nathan, when he had delivered this prophecy to the king, returned
home.
4. However, God sent a dangerous distemper upon the child that was born
to David of the wife of Uriah, at which the king was troubled, and did
not take any food for seven days, although his servants almost forced him
to take it; but he clothed himself in a black garment, and fell down, and
lay upon the ground in sackcloth, entrusting God for the recovery of the
child, for he vehemently loved the child's mother; but when, on the seventh
day, the child was dead, the king's servants durst not tell him of it,
as supposing that when he knew it, he would still less admit of food, and
other care of himself, by reason of his grief at the death of his son,
since when the child was only sick, he so greatly afflicted himself, and
grieved for him: but when the king perceived that his servants were in
disorder, and seemed to be affected, as those who are very desirous to
conceal something, he understood that the child was dead; and when he had
called one of his servants to him, and discovered that so it was, he arose
up and washed himself, and took a white garment, and came into the tabernacle
of God. He also commanded them to set supper before him, and thereby greatly
surprised his kindred and servants, while he did nothing of this when the
child was sick, but did it all when he was dead. Whereupon having first
begged leave to ask him a question, they besought him to tell them the
reason of this his conduct; he then called them unskillful people, and
instructed them how he had hopes of the recovery of the child while it
was alive, and accordingly did all that was proper for him to do, as thinking
by such means to render God propitious to him; but that when the child
was dead, there was no longer any occasion for grief, which was then to
no purpose. When he had said this, they commended the king's wisdom and
understanding. He then went in unto Bathsheba his wife, and she conceived
and bare a son; and by the command of Nathan the prophet called his name
Solomon.
5. But Joab sorely distressed the Ammonites in the siege, by cutting
off their waters, and depriving them of other means of subsistence, till
they were in the greatest want of meat and drink, for they depended only
on one small well of water, and this they durst not drink of too freely,
lest the fountain should entirely fail them. So he wrote to the king, and
informed him thereof; and persuaded him to come himself to take the city,
that he might have the honor of the victory. Upon this letter of Joab's,
the king accepted of his good-will and fidelity, and took with him his
army, and came to the destruction of Rabbah; and when he had taken it by
force, he gave it to his soldiers to plunder it; but he himself took the
king of the Ammonites' crown, whose weight was a talent of gold;
(13)
and it had in its middle a precious stone called a sardonyx; which crown
David ever after wore on his own head. He also found many other vessels
in the city, and those both splendid and of great price; but as for the
men, he tormented them,
(14)
and then destroyed them; and when he had taken the other cities of the
Ammonites by force, he treated them after the same manner.
CHAPTER 8.
HOW ABSALOM MURDERED AMNON, WHO HAD FORCED HIS OWN SISTER;
AND HOW HE WAS BANISHED AND AFTERWARDS RECALLED BY DAVID.
1. WHEN the king was returned to Jerusalem, a sad misfortune befell
his house, on the occasion following: He had a daughter, who was yet a
virgin, and very handsome, insomuch that she surpassed all the most beautiful
women; her name was Tamar; she had the same mother with Absalom. Now Amnon,
David's eldest son, fell in love with her, and being not able to obtain
his desires, on account of her virginity, and the custody she was under,
was so much out of order, nay, his grief so eat up his body, that he grew
lean, and his color was changed. Now there was one Jenadab, a kinsman and
friend of his, who discovered this his passion, for he was an extraordinary
wise man, and of great sagacity of mind. When, therefore, he saw that every
morning Amnon was not in body as he ought to be, he came to him, and desired
him to tell him what was the cause of it: however, he said that he guessed
that it arose from the passion of love. Amnon confessed his passion, that
he was in love with a sister of his, who had the same father with himself.
So Jenadab suggested to him by what method and contrivance he might obtain
his desires; for he persuaded him to pretend sickness, and bade him, when
his father should come to him, to beg of him that his sister might come
and minister to him; for if that were done, he should be better, and should
quickly recover from his distemper. So Amnon lay down on his bed, and pretended
to be sick, as Jonadab had suggested. When his father came, and inquired
how he did, he begged of him to send his sister to him. Accordingly, he
presently ordered her to be brought to him; and when she was come, Amnon
bade her make cakes for him, and fry them in a pan, and do it all with
her own hands, because he should take them better from her hand [than from
any one's else]. So she kneaded the flour in the sight of her brother,
and made him cakes, and baked them in a pan, and brought them to him; but
at that time he would not taste them, but gave order to his servants to
send all that were there out of his chamber, because he had a mind to repose
himself, free from tumult and disturbance. As soon as what he had commanded
was done, he desired his sister to bring his supper to him into the inner
parlor; which, when the damsel had done, he took hold of her, and endeavored
to persuade her to lie with him. Whereupon the damsel cried out, and said,
"Nay, brother, do not force me, nor be so wicked as to transgress
the laws, and bring upon thyself the utmost confusion. Curb this thy unrighteous
and impure lust, from which our house will get nothing but reproach and
disgrace." She also advised him to speak to his father about this
affair; for he would permit him [to marry her]. This she said, as desirous
to avoid her brother's violent passion at present. But he would not yield
to her; but, inflamed with love and blinded with the vehemency of his passion,
he forced his sister: but as soon as Amnon had satisfied his lust, he hated
her immediately, and giving her reproachful words, bade her rise up and
be gone. And when she said that this was a more injurious treatment than
the former, if, now he had forced her, he would not let her stay with him
till the evening, but bid her go away in the day-time, and while it was
light, that she might meet with people that would be witnesses of her shame,
- he commanded his servant to turn her out of his house. Whereupon she
was sorely grieved at the injury and violence that had been offered to
her, and rent her loose coat, (for the virgins of old time wore such loose
coats tied at the hands, and let down to the ankles, that the inner coats
might not be seen,) and sprinkled ashes on her head; and went up the middle
of the city, crying out and lamenting for the violence that had been offered
her. Now Absalom, her brother, happened to meet her, and asked her what
sad thing had befallen her, that she was in that plight; and when she had
told him what injury had been offered her, he comforted her, and desired
her to be quiet, and take all patiently, and not to esteem her being corrupted
by her brother as an injury. So she yielded to his advice, and left off
her crying out, and discovering the force offered her to the multitude;
and she continued as a widow with her brother Absalom a long time.
2. When David his father knew this, he was grieved at the actions of
Amnon; but because he had an extraordinary affection for him, for he was
his eldest son, he was compelled not to afflict him; but Absalom watched
for a fit opportunity of revenging this crime upon him, for he thoroughly
hated him. Now the second year after this wicked affair about his sister
was over, and Absalom was about to go to shear his own sheep at Baalhazor,
which is a city in the portion of Ephraim, he besought his father, as well
as his brethren, to come and feast with him: but when David excused himself,
as not being willing to be burdensome to him, Absalom desired he would
however send his brethren; whom he did send accordingly. Then Absalom charged
his own servants, that when they should see Amnon disordered and drowsy
with wine, and he should give them a signal, they should fear nobody, but
kill him.
3. When they had done as they were commanded, the rest of his brethren
were astonished and disturbed, and were afraid for themselves, so they
immediately got on horseback, and rode away to their father; but somebody
there was who prevented them, and told their father they were all slain
by Absalom; whereupon he was overcome with sorrow, as for so many of his
sons that were destroyed at once, and that by their brother also; and by
this consideration, that it was their brother that appeared to have slain
them, he aggravated his sorrow for them. So he neither inquired what was
the cause of this slaughter, nor staid to hear any thing else, which yet
it was but reasonable to have done, when so very great, and by that greatness
so incredible, a misfortune was related to him: he rent his clothes and
threw himself upon the ground, and there lay lamenting the loss of all
his sons, both those who, as he was informed, were slain, and of him who
slew them. But Jonadab, the son of his brother Shemeah, entreated him not
to indulge his sorrow so far, for as to the rest of his sons he did not
believe that they were slain, for he found no cause for such a suspicion;
but he said it might deserve inquiry as to Amnon, for it was not unlikely
that Absalom might venture to kill him on account of the injury he had
offered to Tamar. In the mean time, a great noise of horses, and a tumult
of some people that were coming, turned their attention to them; they were
the king's sons, who were fled away from the feast. So their father met
them as they were in their grief, and he himself grieved with them; but
it was more than he expected to see those his sons again, whom he had a
little before heard to have perished. However, their were tears on both
sides; they lamenting their brother who was killed, and the king lamenting
his son, who was killed also; but Absalom fled to Geshur, to his grandfather
by his mother's side, who was king of that country, and he remained with
him three whole years.
4. Now David had a design to send to Absalom, not that he should come
to be punished, but that he might be with him, for the effects of his anger
were abated by length of time. It was Joab, the captain of his host, that
chiefly persuaded him so to do; for he suborned an ordinary woman, that
was stricken in age, to go to the king in mourning apparel, who said thus
to him: - That two of her sons, in a coarse way, had some difference between
them, and that in the progress of that difference they came to an open
quarrel, and that one was smitten by the other, and was dead; and she desired
him to interpose in this case, and to do her the favor to save this her
son from her kindred, who were very zealous to have him that had slain
his brother put to death, that so she might not be further deprived of
the hopes she had of being taken care of in her old age by him; and that
if he would hinder this slaughter of her son by those that wished for it,
he would do her a great favor, because the kindred would not be restrained
from their purpose by any thing else than by the fear of him. And when
the king had given his consent to what the woman had begged of him, she
made this reply to him: - "I owe thee thanks for thy benignity to
me in pitying my old age, and preventing the loss of my only remaining
child; but in order to assure me of this thy kindness, be first reconciled
to thine own son, and cease to be angry with him; for how shall I persuade
myself that thou hast really bestowed this favor upon me, while thou thyself
continuest after the like manner in thy wrath to thine own son? for it
is a foolish thing to add willfully another to thy dead son, while the
death of the other was brought about without thy consent." And now
the king perceived that this pretended story was a subornation derived
from Joab, and was of his contrivance; and when, upon inquiry of the old
woman, he understood it to be so in reality, he called for Joab, and told
him he had obtained what he requested according to his own mind; and he
bid him bring Absalom back, for he was not now displeased, but had already
ceased to be angry with him. So Joab bowed himself down to the king, and
took his words kindly, and went immediately to Geshur, and took Absalom
with him, and came to Jerusalem.
5. However, the king sent a message to his son beforehand, as he was
coming, and commanded him to retire to his own house, for he was not yet
in such a disposition as to think fit at present to see him. Accordingly,
upon the father's command, he avoided coming into his presence, and contented
himself with the respects paid him by his own family only. Now his beauty
was not impaired, either by the grief he had been under, or by the want
of such care as was proper to be taken of a king's son, for he still surpassed
and excelled all men in the tallness of his body, and was more eminent
[in a fine appearance] than those that dieted the most luxuriously; and
indeed such was the thickness of the hair of his head, that it was with
difficulty that he was polled every eighth day; and his hair weighed two
hundred shekels
(15)
which are five pounds. However, he dwelt in Jerusalem two years, and became
the father of three sons, and one daughter; which daughter was of very
great beauty, and which Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, took to wife afterward,
and had by her a son named Abijah. But Absalom sent to Joab, and desired
him to pacify his father entirely towards him; and to beseech him to give
him leave to come to him to see him, and speak with him. But when Joab
neglected so to do, he sent some of his own servants, and set fire to the
field adjoining to him; which, when Joab understood, he came to Absalom,
and accused him of what he had done; and asked him the reason why he did
so. To which Absalom replied, that "I have found out this stratagem
that might bring thee to us, while thou hast taken no care to perform
the injunction I laid upon thee, which was this, to reconcile my father
to me; and I really beg it of thee, now thou art here, to pacify my father
as to me, since I esteem my coming hither to be more grievous than my banishment,
while my father's wrath against me continues." Hereby Joab was persuaded,
and pitied the distress that Absalom was in, and became an intercessor
with the king for him. And when he had discoursed with his father, he soon
brought him to that amicable disposition towards Absalom, that he presently
sent for him to come to him; and when he had cast himself down upon the
ground, and had begged for the forgiveness of his offenses, the king raised
him up, and promised him to forget what he had formerly done.
CHAPTER 9.
CONCERNING THE INSURRECTION OF ABSALOM AGAINST DAVID AND
CONCERNING AHITHOPHEL AND HUSHAI; AND CONCERNING ZIBA AND SHIMEI; AND HOW
AHITHOPHEL HANGED HIMSELF.
1. NOW Absalom, upon this his success with the king, procured to himself
a great many horses, and many chariots, and that in a little time also.
He had moreover fifty armor-bearers that were about him; and he came early
every day to the king's palace, and spake what was agreeable to such as
came for justice and lost their causes, as if that happened for want of
good counselors about the king, or perhaps because the judges mistook in
that unjust sentence they gave; whereby he gained the good-will of them
all. He told them, that had he but such authority committed to him, he
would distribute justice to them in a most equitable manner. When he had
made himself so popular among the multitude, he thought he had already
the good-will of the people secured to him; but when four years
(16)
had passed since his father's reconciliation to him, he came to him, and
besought him to give him leave to go to Hebron, and pay a sacrifice to
God, because he vowed it to him when he fled out of the country. So when
David had granted his request, he went thither, and great multitudes came
running together to him, for he had sent to a great number so to do.
2. Among them came Ahithophel the Gilonite, a counsellor of David's,
and two hundred men out of Jerusalem itself, who knew not his intentions,
but were sent for as to a sacrifice. So he was appointed king by all of
them, which he obtained by this stratagem. As soon as this news was brought
to David, and he was informed of what he did not expect from his son,
he was aftrighted at this his impious and bold undertaking, and wondered
that he was so far from remembering how his offense had been so lately
forgiven him, that he undertook much worse and more wicked enterprises;
first, to deprive him of that kingdom which was given him of God; and secondly,
to take away his own father's life. He therefore resolved to fly to the
parts beyond Jordan: so he called his most intimate friends together, and
communicated to them all that he had heard of his son's madness. He committed
himself to God, to judge between them about all their actions; and left
the care of his royal palace to his ten concubines, and went away from
Jerusalem, being willingly accompanied by the rest of the multitude, who
went hastily away with him, and particularly by those six hundred armed
men, who had been with him from his first flight in the days of Saul. But
he persuaded Abiathar and Zadok, the high priests, who had determined to
go away with him, as also all the Levites, who were with the ark, to stay
behind, as hoping that God would deliver him without its removal; but he
charged them to let him know privately how all things went on; and he had
their sons, Ahimmaz the son of Zadok, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar,
for faithful ministers in all things; but Ittai the Gitrite went out with
him whether David would let him or not, for he would .have persuaded him
to stay, and on that account he appeared the more friendly to him. But
as he was ascending the Mount of Olives barefooted, and all his company
were in tears, it was told him that Ahithophel was with Absalom, and was
of his side. This hearing augmented his grief; and he besought God earnestly
to alienate the mind of Absalom from Ahithophel, for he was afraid that
he should persuade him to follow his pernicious counsel, for he was a prudent
man, and very sharp in seeing what was advantageous. When David was gotten
upon the top of the mountain, he took a view of the city; and prayed to
God with abundance of tears, as having already lost his kingdom; and here
it was that a faithful friend of his, whose name was Hushai, met him. When
David saw him with his clothes rent, and having ashes all over his head,
and in lamentation for the great change of affairs, he comforted him, and
exhorted him to leave off grieving; nay, at length he besought him to go
back to Absalom, and appear as one of his party, and to fish out the secretest
counsels of his mind, and to contradict the counsels of Ahithophel, for
that he could not do him so much good by being with him as he might
by being with Absalom. So he was prevailed on by David, and left him, and
came to Jerusalem, whither Absalom himself came also a little while afterward.
3. When David was gone a little farther, there met him Ziba, the servant
of Mephibosheth, (whom he had sent to take care of the possessions which
had been given him, as the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul,) with a couple
of asses, loaden with provisions, and desired him to take as much of them
as he and his followers stood in need of. And when the king asked him where
he had left Mephibosheth, he said he had left him in Jerusalem, expecting
to be chosen king in the present confusions, in remembrance of the benefits
Saul had conferred upon them. At this the king had great indignation, and
gave to Ziba all that he had formerly bestowed on Mephibosheth; for he
determined that it was much fitter that he should have them than the other;
at which Ziba greatly rejoiced.
4. When David was at Bahurim, a place so called, there came out a kinsman
of Saul's, whose name was Shimei, and threw stones at him, and gave him
reproachful words; and as his friends stood about the king and protected
him, he persevered still more in his reproaches, and called him a bloody
man, and the author of all sorts of mischief. He bade him also go out of
the land as ,an impure and accursed wretch; and he thanked God for depriving
him of his kingdom, and causing him to be punished for what injuries he
had done to his master [Saul], and this by the means of his own son. Now
when they were all provoked against him, and angry at bin;, and particularly
Abishai, who had a mind to kill Shimei, David restrained his anger. "Let
us not," said he, "bring upon ourselves another fresh misfortune
to those we have already, for truly I have not the least regard nor concern
for this dog that raves at me: I submit myself to God, by whose permission
this man treats me in such a wild manner; nor is it any wonder that I am
obliged to undergo these abuses from him, while I experience the like from
an impious son of my own; but perhaps God will have some commiseration
upon us; if it be his will we shall overcome them." So he went on
his way without troubling himself with Shimei, who ran along the other
side of the mountain, and threw out his abusive language plentifully. But
when David was come to Jordan, he allowed those that were with him to refresh
themselves; for they were weary.
5. But when Absalom, and Ahithophel his counselor, were come to Jerusalem,
with all the people, David's friend, Hushai, came to them; and when he
had worshipped Absalom, he withal wished that his kingdom might last a
long time, and continue for all ages. But when Absalom said to him, "How
come |
