the antiquities of the jews-1-第71节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


demonstration　how　some　children　are　not　of　the　like　dispositions
with　their　parents；　but　sometimes　perhaps　good　and　moderate；
though　born　of　wicked　parents；　and　sometimes　showing　themselves
to　be　wicked；　though　born　of　good　parents：　for　these　men　turning
aside　from　their　father's　good　courses；　and　taking　a　course　that
was　contrary　to　them；　perverted　justice　for　the　'filthy　lucre　of
gifts　and　bribes；　and　made　their　determinations　not　according　to
truth；　but　according　to　bribery；　and　turned　aside　to　luxury；　and
a　costly　way　of　living；　so　that　as；　in　the　first　place；　they
practiced　what　was　contrary　to　the　will　of　God；　so　did　they；　in
the　second　place；　what　was　contrary　to　the　will　of　the　prophet
their　father；　who　had　taken　a　great　deal　of　care；　and　made　a　very
careful　provision　that　the　multitude　should　be　righteous。

3。　But　the　people；　upon　these　injuries　offered　to　their　former
constitution　and　government　by　the　prophet's　sons；　were　very
uneasy　at　their　actions；　and　came　running　to　the　prophet；　who
then　lived　at　the　city　Ramah；　and　informed　him　of　the
transgressions　of　his　sons；　and　said；　That　as　he　was　himself　old
already；　and　too　infirm　by　that　age　of　his　to　oversee　their
affairs　in　the　manner　he　used　to　do；　so　they　begged　of　him；　and
entreated　him；　to　appoint　some　person　to　be　king　over　them；　who
might　rule　over　the　nation；　and　avenge　them　of　the　Philistines；
who　ought　to　be　punished　for　their　former　oppressions。　These
words　greatly　afflicted　Samuel；　on　account　of　his　innate　love　of
justice；　and　his　hatred　to　kingly　government；　for　he　was　very
fond　of　an　aristocracy；　as　what　made　the　men　that　used　it　of　a
divine　and　happy　disposition；　nor　could　he　either　think　of　eating
or　sleeping；　out　of　his　concern　and　torment　of　mind　at　what　they
had　said；　but　all　the　night　long　did　he　continue　awake　and
revolved　these　notions　in　his　mind。

4。　While　he　was　thus　disposed；　God　appeared　to　him；　and　comforted
him；　saying；　That　he　ought　not　to　be　uneasy　at　what　the　multitude
desired；　because　it　was　not　he；　but　Himself　whom　they　so
insolently　despised；　and　would　not　have　to　be　alone　their　king；
that　they　had　been　contriving　these　things　from　the　very　day　that
they　came　out　of　Egypt；　that　however。　in　no　long　time　they　would
sorely　repent　of　what　they　did；　which　repentance　yet　could　not
undo　what　was　thus　done　for　futurity；　that　they　would　be
sufficiently　rebuked　for　their　contempt；　and　the　ungrateful
conduct　they　have　used　towards　me；　and　towards　thy　prophetic
office。　〃So　I　command　thee　to　ordain　them　such　a　one　as　I　shall
name　beforehand　to　be　their　king；　when　thou　hast　first　described
what　mischiefs　kingly　government　will　bring　upon　them；　and　openly
testified　before　them　into　what　a　great　change　of　affairs　they
are　hasting。〃

5。　When　Samuel　had　heard　this；　he　called　the　Jews　early　in　the
morning；　and　confessed　to　them　that　he　was　to　ordain　them　a　king；
but　he　said　that　he　was　first　to　describe　to　them　what　would
follow；　what　treatment　they　would　receive　from　their　kings；　and
with　how　many　mischiefs　they　must　struggle。　〃For　know　ye；〃　said
he；　〃that；　in　the　first　place；　they　will　take　your　sons　away　from
you；　and　they　will　command　some　of　them　to　be　drivers　of　their
chariots；　and　some　to　be　their　horsemen；　and　the　guards　of　their
body；　and　others　of　them　to　be　runners　before　them；　and　captains
of　thousands；　and　captains　of　hundreds；　they　will　also　make　them
their　artificers；　makers　of　armor；　and　of　chariots；　and　of
instruments；　they　will　make　them　their　husbandmen　also；　and　the
curators　of　their　own　fields；　and　the　diggers　of　their　own
vineyards；　nor　will　there　be　any　thing　which　they　will　not　do　at
their　commands；　as　if　they　were　slaves　bought　with　money。　They
will　also　appoint　your　daughters　to　be　confectioners；　and　cooks；
and　bakers；　and　these　will　be　obliged　to　do　all　sorts　of　work
which　women　slaves；　that　are　in　fear　of　stripes　and　torments；
submit　to。　They　will；　besides　this；　take　away　your　possessions；
and　bestow　them　upon　their　eunuchs；　and　the　guards　of　their
bodies；　and　will　give　the　herds　of　your　cattle　to　their　own
servants：　and　to　say　briefly　all　at　once；　you；　and　all　that　is
yours；　will　be　servants　to　your　king；　and　will　become　no　way
superior　to　his　slaves；　and　when　you　suffer　thus；　you　will
thereby　be　put　in　mind　of　what　I　now　say。　And　when　you　repent　of
what　you　have　done；　you　will　beseech　God　to　have　mercy　upon　you；
and　to　grant　you　a　quick　deliverance　from　your　kings；　but　he　will
not　accept　your　prayers；　but　will　neglect　you；　and　permit　you　to
suffer　the　punishment　your　evil　conduct　has　deserved。〃

6。　But　the　multitude　was　still　so　foolish　as　to　be　deaf　to　these
predictions　of　what　would　befall　them；　and　too　peevish　to　suffer
a　determination　which　they　had　injudiciously　once　made；　to　be
taken　out　of　their　mind；　for　they　could　not　be　turned　from　their
purpose；　nor　did　they　regard　the　words　of　Samuel；　but
peremptorily　insisted　on　their　resolution；　and　desired　him　to
ordain　them　a　king　immediately；　and　not　trouble　himself　with
fears　of　what　would　happen　hereafter；　for　that　it　was　necessary
they　should　have　with　them　one　to　fight　their　battles；　and　to
avenge　them　of　their　enemies；　and　that　it　was　no　way　absurd；　when
their　neighbors　were　under　kingly　government；　that　they　should
have　the　same　form　of　government　also。　So　when　Samuel　saw　that
what　he　had　said　had　not　diverted　them　from　their　purpose；　but
that　they　continued　resolute；　he　said；　〃Go　you　every　one　home　for
the　present；　when　it　is　fit　I　will　send　for　you；　as　soon　as　I
shall　have　learned　from　God　who　it　is　that　he　will　give　you　for
your　king。〃

CHAPTER　4。

The　Appointment　Of　A　King　Over　The　Israelites；　Whose　Name　Was
Saul；　And　This　By　The　Command　Of　God。

1。　Ther　was　one　of　the　tribe　of　Benjamin；　a　man　of　a　good　family；
and　of　a　virtuous　disposition；　his　name　was　Kish。　He　had　a　son；　a
young　man　of　a　comely　countenance；　and　of　a　tall　body；　but　his
understanding　and　his　mind　were　preferable　to　what　was　visible　in
him：　they　called　him　Saul。　Now　this　Kish　had　some　fine　she…asses
that　were　wandered　out　of　the　pasture　wherein　they　fed；　for　he
was　more　delighted　with　these　than　with　any　other　cattle　he　had；
so　he　sent　out　his　son；　and　one　servant　with　him；　to　search　for
the　beasts；　but　when　he　had　gone　over　his　own　tribe　in　search
after　the　asses；　he　went　to　other　tribes；　and　when　he　found　them
not　there　neither；　he　determined　to　go　his　way　home；　lest　he
should　occasion　any　concern　to　his　father　about　himself。　But　when
his　servant　that　followed　him　told　him　as　they　were　near　the　city
of　Ramah；　that　there　was　a　true　prophet　in　that　city；　and　advised
him　to　go　to　him；　for　that　by　him　they　should　know　the　upshot　of
the　affair　of　their　asses；　he　replied；　That　if　they　should　go　to
him；　they　had　nothing　to　give　him　as　a　reward　for　his　prophecy；
for　their　subsistence　money　was　spent。　The　servant　answered；　that
he　had　still　the　fourth　part　of　a　shekel；　and　he　would　present
him　with　that；　for　they　were　mistaken　out　of　ignorance；　as　not
knowing　that　the　prophet　received　no　such　reward　（6）　So　they　went
to　him；　and　when　they　were　before　the　gates；　they　lit　upon
certain　maidens　that　were　going　to　fetch　water；　and　they　asked
them　which　was　the　prophet's　house。　They　showed　them　which　it
was；　and　bid　them　make　haste　before　he　sat　down　to　supper；　for　he
had　invited　many　guests　to　a　feast；　and　that　he　used　to　sit　down
before　those　that　were　invited。　Now　Samuel　had　then　gathered　many
together　to　feast　with　him　on　this　very　account；　for　while　he
every　day　prayed　to　God　to　tell　him　beforehand　whom　he　would　make
king；　he　had　informed　him　of　this　man　the　day　before；　for　that　he
would　send　him　a　certain　young　man　out　of　the　tribe　of　Benjamin
about　this　hour　of　the　day；　and　he　sat　on　the　top　of　the　house　in
expectation　of　that　time's　being　come。　And　when　the　time　was
completed；　he　came　down　and　went　to　supper；　so　he　met　with　Saul；
and　God　discovered　to　him　that　this　was　he　who　should　rule　over
them。　Then　Saul　went　up　to　Samuel　and　saluted　him；　and　desired
him　to　inform　him　which　was　the　prophet's　house；　for　he　said　he
was　a　stranger　and　did　not　know　it。　When　Samuel　had　told　him　that
he　himself　was　the　person；　he　led　him　in　to　supper；　and　assured
him　that　the　asses　were　found　which　he　had　been　to　seek；　and　that
the　greatest　of　good　things　were　assured　to　him：　he　replied；　〃I
am　too　inconsiderable　to　hope　for　any　such　thing；　and　of　a　tribe
to　small　to　have　kings　made　out　of　it；　and　of　a　family　smaller
than　several　other　families；　but　thou　tellest　me　this　in　jest；
and　makest　me　an　object　of　laughter；　when　thou　discoursest　with
me　of　greater　matters　than　what　I　stand　in　need　of。〃　However；　the
prophet　led　him　in　to　the　feast；　and　made　him　sit　down；　him　and
his　servant　that　followed　him；　above　the　other　guests　that　were
invited；　which　were　seventy　in　number　（7）　and　he　gave　orders　to
the　servants　to　set　the　royal　portion　before　Saul。　And　when　the
time　of　going　to　bed　was　come；　the　rest　rose　up；　and　every　one　of
them　went　home；　but　Saul　staid　with　the　prophet；　he　and　his
servant；　and　slept　with　him。

2。　Now　as　soon　as　it　was　day；　Samuel　raised　up　Saul　out　of　his
bed；　an