the antiquities of the jews-1-第91节

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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；　a