 Book 6, chapters 1 and 2 of the Antiquities of the Jews, Volume 2. This is a LibriBox recording. All LibriBox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriBox.org. Recording by Nicole Kaye. The Antiquities of the Jews, Volume 2 by Flavius Josephus. Recording by William Whiston, Book 6, chapters 1 and 2. Book 6, containing the interval of thirty-two years from the death of Eli to the death of Saul. Chapter 1. The destruction that came upon the Philistines and upon their land by the wrath of God on account of their having carried the ark away captive, and after what manner they sent it back to the Hebrews. When the Philistines had taken the ark of the Hebrews captive, as I said a little before, they carried it to the city of Ashtad and put it by their own God who was called Dagon, as one of their spoils. But when they went into his temple the next morning to worship their God, they found him paying the same worship to the ark. For he lay along as having fallen down from the basis whereon he had stood. So they took him up and set him on his basis again, and were much troubled at what had happened. And as they frequently came to Dagon and found him still lying along in a posture of adoration to the ark, they were in very great distress and confusion. At length God sent a very destructive disease upon the city and country of Ashtad. For they died of the dysentery or flux, a sore distemper that brought death upon them very suddenly. For before the soul could, as usual in easy deaths, be well loosed from the body, they brought up their entrails and vomited up what they had eaten and what was entirely corrupted by the disease. And as to the fruits of their country, a great multitude of mice arose out of the earth and hurt them and spared neither the plants nor the fruits. Now while the people of Ashtad were under these misfortunes and were not able to support themselves under their calamities, they perceived that they suffered thus because of the ark, and that the victory they had gotten and their having taken the ark captive had not happened for their good. They therefore sent to the people of Ascalon and desired that they would receive the ark among them. This desire of the people of Ashtad was not disagreeable to those of Ascalon, so they granted them that favor. But when they had gotten the ark, they were in the same miserable condition, for the ark carried along with it the disasters that the people of Ashtad had suffered, to those who had received it from them. Those of Ascalon also sent it away from themselves to others, nor did it stay among those others neither, for since they were pursued by the same disasters they still sent it to the neighboring cities, so that the ark went round after this manner to the five cities of the Philistines, as though it exacted these disasters as a tribute to be paid it for its coming among them. When those that had experienced these miseries were tired out with them, and when those that heard of them were taught thereby not to admit the ark among them, since they paid so dear a tribute for it, at length they sought for some contrivance and method how they might get free from it. So the governors of the five cities, Gath and Iqran and Ascalon, as also of Gaza and Ashklad, met together and considered what was fit to be done. And at first they thought proper to send the ark back to its own people, as allowing that God had avenged its cause, that the miseries they had undergone came along with it, and that these were sent on their cities upon its account, and together with it. However, there were those that said they should not do so, nor suffer themselves to be deluded, as ascribing the cause of their miseries to it, because it could not have such power and force upon them. For had God had such regard to it, it would not have been delivered into the hands of men. So they exhorted them to be quiet, and to take patiently what had befallen them, and to suppose there was no other cause of it but nature, which at certain revolutions of time, produces such mutations in the bodies of men, in the earth, in plants, and in all things that grow out of the earth. But the counsel that prevailed over those already described was that of certain men who were believed to have distinguished themselves in former times for their understanding and prudence, and who in their present circumstances seemed above all the rest to speak properly. These men said it was not right either to send the ark away or to retain it, but to dedicate five golden images, one for every city, as a thank offering to God, on account of his having taken care of their preservation, and having kept them alive when their lives were likely to be taken away by such distemperesses they were not able to bear up against. They also would have them make five golden mice like to those that devoured and destroyed their country, to put them in a bag and lay them upon the ark, to make them a new cart also for it, and to yoke milk kind to it, but to shut up their calves and keep them from them, lest by following after them they should prove a hindrance to their dams, and that the dams might return the faster out of a desire of those calves. Then to drive these milk kind that carried the ark and leave it at a place where three ways met, and so leave it to the kind to go along which of those ways they pleased, that in case they went the way to the Hebrews and ascended to their country, they should suppose that the ark was the cause of their misfortunes, but if they turned into another road, they said, we will pursue after it and conclude that it has no such force in it. So they determined that these men spake well, and they immediately confirmed their opinion by doing accordingly, and when they had done as has been already described, they brought the cart to a place where three ways met, and left it there and went their ways, but the kind went the right way, and as if some persons had driven them, while the rulers of the Philistines followed after them as desirous to know where they would stand still and to whom they would go. Now there was a certain village of the tribe of Judah, the name of which was Beth Shemesh, and to that village did the kind go, and though there was a great and good plain before them to proceed in, they went no farther, but stopped the cart there. This was a sight to those of that village, and they were very glad. For it being then summertime, and all the inhabitants being then in the fields gathering in their fruits, they left off the labors of their hands for joy. As soon as they saw the ark, and ran to the cart and taking the ark down, and the vessel that had the images in it, and the mice, they set them upon a certain rock which was in the plain, and when they had offered his splendid sacrifice to God and feasted, they offered the cart and the kind as a bird offering, and when the lords of the Philistines saw this, they returned back. But now it was that the wrath of God overtook them and struck seventy persons of the village of Beth Shemesh dead, who not being priests, and so not worthy to touch the ark had approached to it. Those of that village wept for these that had thus suffered, and made such a lamentation as was naturally to be expected on so great a misfortune that was sent from God, and everyone mourned for his own relation, and since they acknowledged themselves unworthy of the ark's abode with them, they sent to the public senate of the Israelites, and informed them that the ark was restored by the Philistines, which when they knew they brought it away to Kirjath Jiram, a city in the neighborhood of Beth Shemesh. In this city lived one Abinadab by birth of Levite, and who was greatly commended for his righteous and religious course of life, so they brought the ark to his house as to a place fit for God himself to abide in, since therein did inhabit a righteous man. His sons also ministered to the divine service at the ark, and were the principal curators of it for twenty years. For so many years it continued in Kirjath Jiram, having been but four months with the Philistines. Chapter 2 The expedition of the Philistines against the Hebrews and the Hebrews' victory under the conduct of Samuel the prophet, who was their general. Now, while the city of Kirjath Jiram had the ark with them, the whole body of the people betook themselves all that time to offer prayers and sacrifices to God, and appeared greatly concerned in zealous about his worship. So Samuel the prophet, seeing how ready they were to do their duty, thought this a proper time to speak to them, while they were in this good disposition, about the recovery of their liberty, and of the blessings that accompanied the same. Accordingly, he used such words to them as he thought were most likely to excite that inclination, and to persuade them to attempt it. O you Israelites, said he, to whom the Philistines are still grievous enemies, but to whom God begins to be gracious, it behooves you not only to be desirous of liberty, but to take the proper methods to obtain it, nor are you to be contented with an inclination to get clear of your lords and masters, while you still do what will procure your continuance under them. Be righteous then, and cast wickedness out of your souls, and by your worship supplicate the Divine Majesty with all your hearts, and persevere in the honor you pay to him. For if you act thus, you will enjoy prosperity, you will be freed from your slavery, and will get the victory over your enemies. Which blessings it is not possible you should attain, either by weapons of war, or by the strength of your bodies, or by the multitude of your assistants. For God has not promised to grant these blessings by those means, but by being good and righteous men, and if you will be such, I will be security to you for the performance of God's promises. When Samuel had said thus, the multitude have plotted his discourse, and were pleased with his exhortation to them, and gave their consent to resign themselves up to do what was pleasing to God. So Samuel gathered them together to a certain city called Mizpah, which in the Hebrew tongue signifies a watchtower. There they drew water and poured it out to God, and fasted all day and betook themselves to their prayers. This their assembly did not escape the notice of the Philistines. So when they had learned that so large a company had met together, they fell upon the Hebrews with a great army and mighty forces, as hoping to assault them when they did not expect it, nor were prepared for it. This thing affrighted the Hebrews and put them into disorder and terror, so they came running to Samuel and said that their souls were sunk by their fears, and by the former defeat they had received. And that thence it was that we lay still lest we should excite the power of our enemies against us. Now while thou hast brought us hither to offer up our prayers and sacrifices, and take oaths to be obedient, our enemies are making an expedition against us while we are naked and unarmed. Wherefore we have no other hope of deliverance but that by thy means, and by the assistance God shall afford us upon thy prayers to him. We shall obtain deliverance from the Philistines. Hereupon Samuel obeyed them be of good cheer and promised them that God would assist them, at taking a sucking lamb he sacrificed it for the multitude, and be sought God to hold his protecting hand over them when they should fight with the Philistines, and not to overlook them, nor suffer them to come under a second misfortune. Accordingly God hearkened to his prayers and accepting their sacrifice with a gracious intention, and such as was disposed to assist them, he granted them victory and power over their enemies. Now while the altar had the sacrifice of God upon it, and had not yet consumed it wholly by its sacred fire, the enemy's army marched out of their camp, and was put in order of battle, and this and hope that they should be conquerors. Since the Jews were caught in distressed circumstances as neither having their weapons with them nor being assembled there in order to fight, but things so fell out that they would hardly have been credited though they had been foretold by anybody, for in the first place God disturbed their enemies with an earthquake, and moved the ground under them to such a degree that he caused it to tremble, and made them to shake in so much that by its trembling he made some unable to keep their feet, and made them fall down, and by opening its chasms he caused that others should be hurried down into them, after which he caused such a noise of thunder to come among them, and made fiery lightning shine so terribly round about them that it was ready to burn their faces, and he so suddenly shook their weapons out of their hands that he made them fly and return home naked. So Samuel with a multitude pursued them to Bethkara, a place so called, and there he set up a stone as the boundary of their victory and their enemy's flight, and called it the Stone of Power, as a signal of that power God had given them against their enemies. So the Philistines, after this stroke, made no more expeditions against the Israelites, but lay still out of fear and out of remembrance of what had befallen them, and what courage the Philistines had formerly against the Hebrews that, after this victory was transferred to the Hebrews. Samuel also made an expedition against the Philistines, and slew many of them, and entirely humbled their proud hearts, and took from them that country which, when they were formerly conquerors in battle, they had cut off from the Jews, which was the country that extended from the borders of Gath to the city of Ikron, but the remains of the Canaanites were at this time in friendship with the Israelites. End of book six, chapters one and two, recording by Nikola K. Book six, chapters three and four of the Antiquities of the Jews, volume two. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Nikola K. The Antiquities of the Jews, volume two by Flavius Josephus, translated by William Hwiston, book six, chapters three and four, chapter three. How Samuel, when he was so infirm with old age, that he could not take care of the public affairs and trusted them to his sons, and how upon the evil administration of the government by them the multitude were so angry, that they required to have a king to govern them, although Samuel was much displeased there at. But Samuel the Prophet, when he had ordered the affairs of the people after a convenient manner, and had appointed a city for every district of them, he commanded them to come to such cities, to have the controversies that they had one with another determined in them, he himself going over those cities twice in a year, and doing them justice, and by that means he kept them in very good order for a long time. But afterwards he found himself oppressed with old age, and not able to do what he used to do, so he committed the government and the care of the multitude to his sons, the elder of whom was called Joel, and the name of the younger was Abia. He also enjoyed them to reside and judge the people, the one at the city of Bethel, and the other at Beersheva, and divided the people into districts that should be under the jurisdiction of each of them. Now these men afford us an evident example and demonstration of 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 it in the first place they practice 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. 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 Rama, 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 treated 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. 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 mischief's kingly government will bring upon them, and openly testified before them into what a great change of affairs they are hasting. 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 no 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 anything 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. But the multitude was still so foolish as to be deft 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 parentorily 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. There 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 and searched 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 with their asses, he replied that if they should go to him they had nothing to give him as a reward for his prophecy, for the 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. 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 bade 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 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 into 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 too 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 discourses with me of greater matters than what I stand in need of. However the prophet led him into 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 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 stayed with the prophet he and his servant and slept with him now as soon as it was day Samuel raised up Saul out of his bed and conducted him homework and when he was out of the city he desired him to cause his servant to go before but to stay behind himself for that he had somewhat to say to him when nobody else was present accordingly Saul sent away his servant that followed him then did the prophet take a vessel of oil and poured it upon the head of the young man and kissed him and said be thou a king by the ordination of God against the Philistines and for avenging the Hebrews for what they have suffered by them of this thou shalt have a sign which I would have the take notice of as soon as thou art departed hence thou wilt find three men upon the road going to worship God at Bethel the first of whom thou wilt see carrying three loaves of bread the second carrying a kid of the goats and the third will follow them carrying a bottle of wine these three men will salute thee and speak kindly to thee and will give thee two of their loaves which thou shalt accept of and thence thou shalt come to a place called Rachel's monument where thou shalt meet with those that will tell thee thy asses are found after this when thou come as to Gabbath thou shalt overtake a company of prophets and thou shalt be seized with the divine spirit and prophesy along with them till everyone that sees these shall be astonished and wonder and say when is it that the son of kish has arrived at this degree of happiness and when these signs have happened to thee know that God is with thee then do thou salute thy father and thy kindred thou shalt also come when I send for thee to Gilgal that we may offer thank offerings to God for these blessings when Samuel had said this and foretold these things he sent the young man away now all things fell out to Saul according to the prophecy of Samuel but as soon as Saul came into the house of his kinsmen Abner whom indeed he loved better than the rest of his relations he was asked by him concerning his journey and what accidents happened to him therein and he concealed none of the other things from him no not his coming to Samuel the prophet nor how he told him the asses were found but he said nothing to him about the kingdom and what belonged there too which he thought would procure him envy and when such things are heard they are not easily believed nor did he think it prudent to tell those things to him although he appeared very friendly to him and one whom he loved above the rest of his relations considering I suppose what human nature really is that no one is a firm friend neither among our intimates nor of our kindred nor do they preserve that kind disposition when God advances men to great prosperity but they are still ill-natured and envious at those that are in eminent stations then Samuel called the people together to the city of Mizpa and spoke and spake to them in the words following which he said he was to speak by the command of God that when he had granted them a state of liberty and brought their enemies into subjection they were become unmindful of his benefits and rejected God that he should not be their king as not considering that it would be most for their advantage to be presided over by the best of beings for God is the best of beings and they chose to have a man for their king while kings will use their subjects as beasts according to the violence of their own wills and inclinations and other passions as wholly carried away with the lust of power but will not endeavor so to preserve the race of mankind as his own workmanship and creation which for that very reason God would take care of but since you have come to a fixed resolution and this injurious treatment of God has quite prevailed over you dispose yourselves by your tribes and sectors and cast lots when the Hebrews had done so the lot fell upon the tribe of benjamin and when the lot was cast for the families of this tribe that which was called matri was taken and when the lot was cast for the single persons of that family sol the son of kish was taken for their king when the young man knew this he prevented their sending for him and immediately went away and hid himself i suppose that it was because he would not have a thought that he willingly took the government upon him nay he showed such a degree of command over himself and of modesty that while the greatest part are not able to contain their joy even in the gaining of small advantages but presently show themselves publicly to all men this man did not only show nothing of that nature when he was appointed to be the lord of so many and so great tribes but crept away and concealed himself out of the sight of those he was to reign over and made them seek him and that with a good deal of trouble so when the people were at a loss and solicitous because all disappeared the prophet besought god to show where the young man was and to produce him before them so when they had learned of god the place where sol was hidden they sent men to bring him and when he was come they set him in the midst of the multitude now he was taller than any of them and his stature was very majestic then said the prophet god gives you this man to be your king see how he has higher than any of the people and worthy of this dominion so as soon as the people had made acclamation god saved the king the prophet wrote down what would come to pass in a book and read it in the hearing of the king and laid up the book in the tabernacle of god to be a witness to future generations of what he had foretold so when samuel had finished this matter he dismissed the multitude and came himself to the city reina for it was his own country sol also went away to gibbia where he was born and many good men there were who paid him the respect that was due to him but the greater part were ill men who despised him and derided the others who neither did bring him presents nor did they in affection or even in words regard to please him end of book six chapters three and four recording by nicola k book six chapters five and six of the antiquities of the jews volume two this is a libravox recording all libravox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libravox.org recording by preston scrape the antiquities of the jews volume two by flavius josephus translated by william wiston book six chapters five and six chapter five sol's expedition against the nation of the emanites and victory over them and the spoils he took from them after one month the war which sol had with nahash the king of the emanites obtained him respect from all the people for this nahash had done a great deal of mischief to the jews that lived beyond jordan by the expedition he had made against them with a great and warlike army he also reduced their cities into slavery and that not only by subduing them for the present which he did by force and violence but by weakening them by subtlety and cunning that they might not be able afterward to get clear of the slavery they were under to him for he put out the right eyes of those that either delivered themselves to him upon terms or were taken by him in war and this he did that when their left eyes were covered by their shields they might be wholly useless in war now when the king of the emanites had served those beyond jordan in this manner he led his army against those that were called gileadites and having pitched his camp at the metropolis of his enemies which was the city of jvesh he sent ambassadors to them commanding them either to deliver themselves up on condition to have their right eyes plucked out or to undergo a siege and to have their cities overthrown he gave them their choice whether they would cut off a small member of their body or universally perish however the gileadites were so affrighted at these offers that they had not courage to say anything to either of them neither that they would deliver themselves up nor that they would fight him but they desired that he would give them seven days respite that they might send ambassadors to their countrymen and entreat their assistance and if they came to assist them it would fight but if that assistance were impossible to be obtained from them they said they would deliver themselves up to suffer whatever he pleased to inflict upon them so ney hash contending the multitude of the gileadites and the answer they gave allowed them a respite and gave them leave to send to whom so ever they pleased for assistance so they immediately sent to the israelites city by city and informed them what ney hash had threatened to do to them and what great distress they were in now the people fell into tears and grief at the hearing of what the ambassadors from jay bash said and the terror they were in permitted them to do nothing more but when the messengers were come to the city of king sol and declared the dangers in which the inhabitants of jay bash were the people were in the same affliction as those in the other cities for they lamented the calamity of those related to them and when sol was returned from his husbandry into the city he found his fellow citizens weeping and when upon inquiry he had learned the cause of the confusion and sadness they were in he was seized with a divine fury and sent away the ambassadors from the inhabitants of jay bash and promised them to come to their assistance on the third day and to beat their enemies before sunrising that the sun upon its rising might see that they had already conquered and were freed from the fears they were under but he bid some of them stay to conduct them the right way to jay bash so being desirous to turn the people to this war against the ammonites by fear of the losses they should otherwise undergo and that they might the more suddenly be gathered together he cut the sinews of his oxen and threatened to do the same to all such as did not come with their armor to Jordan the next day and follow him and Samuel the prophet wither so ever they should lead them so they came together out of fear of the losses they were threatened with at the appointed time and the multitude were numbered at the city Bezek and he found the number of those that were gathered together besides that of the tribe of Judah to be seven hundred thousand while those of that tribe were seventy thousand so he passed over Jordan and proceeded in marching all that night thirty furlongs and came to jay bash before sun rising so he divided the army into three companies and fell upon their enemies on every side on the sudden and when they expected no such thing and joining battle with them they slew a great many of the ammonites as also their king may hash this glorious action was done by Saul and was related with great commendation of him to all the Hebrews and he thence gained a wonderful reputation for his valor for although there were some of them that condemned him before they now changed their minds and honored him and esteemed him as the best of men for he did not content himself with having saved the inhabitants of jay bash only but he made an expedition into the country of the ammonites and laid it all waste and took a large prey and so returned to his own country most gloriously so the people were greatly pleased at these excellent performances of Saul and rejoiced that they had constituted him their king they also made a clamour against those that pretended he would be of no advantage to their affairs and they said where now are these men let them be brought to punishment with all the like things that multitudes usually say when they are elevated with prosperity against those that lately had despised the authors of it but Saul although he took the goodwill and the affection of these men very kindly yet did he swear that he would not see any of his countrymen slain that day since it was absurd to mix this victory which God had given them with the blood and slaughter of those that were of the same lineage with themselves and that it was more agreeable to be men of a friendly disposition and so to be take themselves to feasting and when Samuel had told them that he ought to confirm the kingdom to Saul by a second ordination of him they all came together to the city of Gilgau for tither did he command them to come so the prophet anointed Saul with the holy oil in the site of the multitude and declared him to be king the second time and so the government of the Hebrews was changed into a regal government for in the days of Moses and his disciple Joshua who was their general they continued under an aristocracy but after the death of Joshua for 18 years in all the multitude had no settled form of government but were in anarchy after which they returned to their former government they then permitting themselves to be judged by him who appeared to be the best warrior and most courageous once it was that they called this interval of their government the judges then did Samuel the prophet call another assembly also and said to them I solemnly adjure you by God Almighty who brought those excellent brethren I mean Moses and Aaron into the world and delivered our fathers from the Egyptians and from the slavery they endured under them that you will not speak what you say to gratify me nor suppress anything out of fear of me nor be overborn by any other passion but say what have I ever done that was cruel or unjust or what have I done out of lucre or covetousness or to gratify others bear witness against me if I have taken an ox or a sheep or any such thing which yet when they are taken to support men it is esteemed blameless or have I taken an ass for my own use of anyone to his grief they some one such crime to my charge now we are in your king's presence but they cried out that no such thing had been done by him but that he had presided over the nation after a holy and righteous manner hereupon Samuel when such a testimony had been given him by them all said since you grant that you are not able to lay any ill thing to my charge hitherto come on now and do you harken while I speak with great freedom to you you have been guilty of great impiety against God in asking you a king it behooves you to remember that our grandfather Jacob came down into Egypt by reason of a famine with 70 souls only of our family and that their posterity multiplied there to many ten thousands whom the Egyptians brought into slavery and hard oppression that God himself upon the prayers of our fathers sent Moses and Aaron who were brethren and gave them power to deliver the multitude out of their distress and this without a king these brought us into this very land which you now possess and when you enjoyed these advantages from God you betrayed his worship and religion nay moreover when you were brought under the hands of your enemies he delivered you first by rendering you superior to the Assyrians and their forces he then made you to overcome the Ammonites and the Moabites and last of all the Philistines and these things have been achieved under the conduct of Jetta and Gideon what madness therefore possessed you to fly from God and desire to be under a king yet have I ordained him for king whom he chose for you however that I may make it plain to you that God is angry and displeased at your choice of kingly government I will so dispose him that he shall declare this very plainly to you by strange signals for what none of you ever saw here before I mean a winter storm in the midst of harvest I will entreat of God and will make it visible to you now as soon as he had said this God gave such great signals by thunder and lightning and the descent of hail as attested the truth of all that the prophet had said in so much that they were amazed and terrified and confessed they had sinned and had fallen into that sin through ignorance and besought the prophet as one that was a tender and gentle father to them to render God so merciful as to forgive this their sin which they had added to those other offenses whereby they had affronted him and transgressed against him so he promised them that he would beseech God and persuade him to forgive them these their sins however he advised them to be righteous and to be good and ever to remember the miseries that had befallen them on account of their departure from virtue as also to remember the strange signs God had shown them and the body of laws that Moses had given them if they had any desire of being preserved and made happy with their king but he said that if they should grow careless of these things great judgments would come from God upon them and upon their king and when Samuel had thus prophesied to the Hebrews he dismissed them to their own homes having confirmed the kingdom to Saul the second time End of chapter five Chapter six how the Philistines made another expedition against the Hebrews and were beaten now Saul chose out of the multitude about three thousand men and he took two thousand of them to be the guards of his own body and abode in the city Bethel but he gave the rest of them to Jonathan his son to be the guards of his body and sent him to Gibeah where he beseeched and took a certain garrison of the Philistines not far from Gilgal for the Philistines of Gibeah had beaten the Jews and taken their weapons away and had put garrisons into the strongest places of the country and had forbidden them to carry any instrument of iron or at all to make use of any iron in any case whatsoever and on account of this prohibition it was that the husband men if they had occasion to sharpen any of their tools whether it were the colter or the spade or any instrument of husbandry they came to the Philistines to do it now as soon as the Philistines heard of this slaughter of their garrison they were in a rage about it and looking on this contempt as a terrible affront offered them they made war against the Jews with three hundred thousand footmen and thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horses and they pitched their camp at the city Micmus when Saul the king of the Hebrews was informed of this he went down to the city Gilgal and made proclamation over all the country that they should try to regain their liberty and called them to the war against the Philistines diminishing their forces and despising them as not very considerable and as not so great but they might hazard a battle with them but when the people about Saul observed how numerous the Philistines were they were under a great consternation and some of them hid themselves in caves and in dens underground but the greater part fled into the land beyond Jordan which belonged to Gad and Reuben but Saul sent to the prophet and called him to consult with him about the war and the public affairs so he commanded him to stay there for him and to prepare sacrifices for he would come to him within seven days that they might offer sacrifices on the seventh day and might then join battle with their enemies so he waited as the prophet sent to him to do yet did not he however observe the command that was given him but when he saw that the prophet tarried longer than he expected and that he was deserted by the soldiers he took the sacrifices and offered them and when he heard that Samuel was come he went out to meet him but the prophet said he had not done well in disobeying the injunctions he had sent to him and had not stayed till his coming which being appointed according to the will of God he had prevented him in offering up those prayers and those sacrifices that he should have made for the multitude and that he therefore had performed divine offices in an ill manner and had been rash in performing them hereupon Saul made an apology for himself and said that he had waited as many days as Samuel had appointed him that he had been so quick in offering his sacrifices upon account of the necessity he was in and because his soldiers were departing from him out of their fear of the enemy's camp at Micmus the report being on abroad that they were coming down upon him of Gilgau to which Samuel replied nay certainly a thou had spent a righteous man and had not disobeyed me nor slighted the commandments which God suggested to me concerning the present state of affairs and had not acted more hastily than the present circumstances required thou wouldst have been permitted to reign a long time and thy posterity after thee so Samuel being grieved at what happened returned home but Saul came to the city Gibeah with his son Jonathan having only six hundred men with him and of these the greater part had no weapons because of the scarcity of iron in that country as well as of those that could make such weapons for as we have showed a little before the Philistines had not suffered them to have such iron or such workmen now the Philistines divided their army into three companies and took as many roads and laid waste the country of the Hebrews while King Saul and his son Jonathan saw what was done but were not able to defend the land having no more than six hundred men with them but as he and his son and Abaya the High Priest who was of the posterity of Eli the High Priest were sitting upon a pretty high hill and seeing the land laid waste they were mightily disturbed at it now Saul's son agreed with his armor bearer that they would go privately to the enemy's camp and make a tumult and a disturbance among them and when the armor bearer had readily promised to follow him wither so ever he should lead him though he should be obliged to die in the attempt Jonathan made use of the young man's assistance and descended from the hill and went to their enemies now the enemy's camp was upon a precipice which had three tops that ended in a small but sharp and long extremity while there was a rock that surrounded them like lines made to prevent the attacks of an enemy there it so happened that the outguards of the camp were neglected because of the security that here arose from the situation of the place and because they thought it altogether impossible not only to ascend up to the camp on that quarter but so much as to come near it as soon therefore as they came to the camp Jonathan encouraged his armor bearer and said to him let us attack our enemies and if when they see us they bid us come up to them take that for a signal of victory but if they say nothing as not intending to invite us to come up let us return back again so when they were approaching to the enemy's camp just after break of day and the Philistines saw them they said to one another the Hebrews come out of their dens and caves and they said to Jonathan and to his armor bearer come on ascend up to us that we may inflict a just punishment upon you for your rash attempt upon us so Saul's son accepted of that invitation as what signified to him victory and he immediately came out of the place once they were seen by their enemies so he changed his place and came to the rock which had none to guard it because of its own strength from thence they crept up with great labor and difficulty and so far overcame by force the nature of the place till they were able to fight with their enemies so they fell upon them as they were asleep and slew about twenty of them and thereby filled them with disorder and surprise in so much that some of them threw away their entire armor and fled but the greatest part not knowing one another because they were of different nations suspected one another to be enemies for they did not imagine that there were only two of the Hebrews that came up and so they fought one against another and some of them died in the battle and some as they were flying away were thrown down from the rock headlong now Saul's watchman told the king that the camp of the Philistines was in confusion then he inquired whether anybody was gone away from the army and when he heard that his son and with him his armor-bearer were absent he bade the high priest take the garments of his high priesthood and prophesy to him what success they should have who said that they should get the victory and prevail against their enemies so he went out after the Philistines and set upon them as they were slaying one another those also who had fled to dens and caves upon hearing that Saul was gaining a victory came running to him when therefore the number of the Hebrews that came to Saul amounted to about 10,000 he pursued the enemy who were scattered all over the country but then he fell into an action which was a very unhappy one and liable to be very much blamed for whether out of ignorance or whether out of joy for a victory gained so strangely before it frequently happens that persons so fortunate are not then able to use their reason consistently as he was desirous to avenge himself and to exact a due punishment of the Philistines he denounced a curse upon the Hebrews that if anyone put a stop to his slaughter at the enemy and fell on eating and left off the slaughter or the pursuit before the night came on and obliged them so to do he should be a cursed now after Saul had denounced this curse since they were now in a wood belonging to the tribe of Ephraim which was thick and full of bees Saul's son who did not hear his father denounce that curse nor hear of the approbation the multitude gave to it broke off a piece of a honeycomb and ate part of it but in the meantime he was informed with what a curse his father had forbidden them to taste anything before sunsetting so he left off eating and said his father had not done well in this prohibition because had they taken some food they had pursued the enemy with greater rigor and alacrity and had both taken and slain many more of their enemies when therefore they had slain many ten thousands of the Philistines they fell upon spoiling the camp of the Philistines but not till late in the evening they also took a great deal of prey and cattle and killed them and ate them with their blood this was told to the king by the scribes that the multitude were sinning against God as they sacrificed and were eating before the blood was well washed away and the flesh was made clean then did Saul give order that a great stone should be rolled into the midst of them and he made proclamation that they should kill their sacrifices upon it and not feed upon the flesh with the blood for that was not acceptable to God and when all the people did as the king commanded them Saul erected an altar there and offered burnt offerings upon it to God this was the first altar that Saul built so when Saul was desirous of leading his men to the enemy's camp before it was day in order to plunder it and when the soldiers were not unwilling to follow him but indeed showed great readiness to do as he commanded them the king called a hyto the high priest and enjoined him to know of God whether he would grant them the favor and permission to go against the enemy's camp in order to destroy those that were in it and when the priest said that God did not give any answer Saul replied and not without some cause does God refuse to answer what we inquire of him while yet a little while ago he declared to us all that we desired beforehand and even prevented us in his answer to be sure there is some sin against him that is concealed from us which is the occasion of his silence now I swear by him himself that though he that hath committed this sin should prove to be my own son Jonathan I will slay him and by that means will appease the anchor of God against us and that in the very same manner as if I were to punish a stranger and one not at all related to me for the same offense so when the multitude cried out to him so to do he presently set all the rest on one side and he and his son stood on the other side and he sought to discover the offender by lot now the lot appeared to fall upon Jonathan himself so when he was asked by his father what sin he had been guilty of and what he was conscious of in the course of his life that might be esteemed instances of guilt or profaneness his answer was this oh father I have done nothing more than that yesterday without knowing of the curse and oath thou hadst denounced while I was in pursuit of the enemy I tasted of a honeycomb but Saul swore that he would slay him and prefer the observation of his oath before all the ties of birth and of nature and Jonathan was not dismayed at this threatening of death but offering himself to it generously and undauntedly he said nor do I desire you father to spare me death will be to me very acceptable when it proceeds from thy piety and after a glorious victory for it is the greatest consolation to me that I leave the Hebrews victorious over the Philistines here upon all the people were very sorry and greatly afflicted for Jonathan and they swore that they would not overlook Jonathan and see him die who was the author of their victory by which means they snatched him out of the danger he was in from his father's curse while they made their prayers to God also for the young man that he would remit his sin so Saul having slain about 60 000 of the enemy returned home to his own city and reigned happily and he also fought against the neighboring nations and subdued the Ammonites and Moabites and Philistines and Edomites and Amalekites as also the king of Zoba he had three male children Jonathan and Ishua and Melchishua with Mirab and Michal his daughters he had also Abner his uncle's son for the captain of his host that uncle's name was Nur now Nur and Kish the father of Saul were brothers Saul had also a great many chariots and horsemen and against whom so ever he made war he returned conqueror and advanced the affairs of the Hebrews to a great degree of success and prosperity and made them superior to other nations and he made such of the young men as were remarkable for tallness and comeliness the guards of his body end of book six chapters five and six book six chapters seven and eight of the antiquities of the Jews volume two this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Paul Huckabee the antiquities of the Jews volume two by Flavius Giusephus translated by William Winston book six chapters seven and eight chapter seven Saul's war with the Amalekites and conquest of them now Samuel came unto Saul and said to him that he was sent by God to put him in mind that God had preferred him before all others and ordained him king that he therefore ought to be obedient to him and to submit to his authority as considering that though he had dominion over the other tribes yet that God had dominion over him and over all things that accordingly God said to him that because the Amalekites did the Hebrews a great deal of mischief while they were in the wilderness and when upon their coming out of Egypt they were making their way to that country which is now their own I enjoined thee to punish the Amalekites by making war upon them and when thou hast subdued them to leave none of them alive but to pursue them through every age and to slay them beginning with the women and the infants and to require this as a punishment to be inflicted upon them for the mischief they did to our forefathers to spare nothing either asses not other beasts nor to reserve any of them for your own advantage or possession but to devote them universally to God and in obedience to the commands of Moses to blot out the name of Amalek entirely so Saul promised to do what he was commanded and supposing that his obedience to God would be shown not only in making war against the Amalekites but more fully in the readiness and quickness of his proceedings he made no delay but immediately gathered together all his forces and when he had numbered them in Gilgal he found them to be about 400,000 of the Israelites besides the tribe of Judah for that tribe contained by itself 30,000 accordingly Saul made an eruption into the country of the Amalekites and set many men in several parties in ambush at the river so that he might not only do them a mischief by open fighting but might fall upon them unexpectedly in the ways and might therefore compass them round about and kill them and when he had joined battle with the enemy he beat them and pursuing them as they fled he destroyed them all and when that undertaking had succeeded according as God had foretold he set upon the cities of the Amalekites and besieged them and took them by force partly by warlike machines partly by mines dug underground and partly by building walls on the outsides some they starved out with famine and some they gained by other methods and after all he betook himself to slay the women and the children and thought he did not act therein either barbarously or inhumanely first because they were enemies whom he thus treated and in the next place because it was done by the command of God whom it was dangerous not to obey he also took a gag the enemy's king captive the beauty and torness of whose body he admired so much that he thought him worthy of preservation yet was not this done however according to the will of God but by giving way to human passions and suffering himself to be moved with an unseasonable commiseration in a point where it was not safe for him to indulge it for God hated the nation of the Amalekites to such a degree that he commanded Saul to have no pity on even those infants which we by nature chiefly compassionate but Saul preserved their king and governor from the misuse which the Hebrews brought on the people as if he preferred the fine appearance of the enemy to the memory of what God had sent him about the multitude were also guilty together with Saul for they spared the herds and the flocks and took them for a pray when God had commanded they should not spare them they also carried off with them the rest of their wealth and riches but if there was anything that was not worthy of regard that they destroyed but when Saul had conquered all these Amalekites that reached from Pelusium of Egypt to the Red Sea he laid waste all the rest of the enemy's country but for the nation of the Shechemites he did not touch them although they dwelt in the very middle of the country of Midian for before the battle Saul had sent to them and charged them to depart thence lest they should be partakers of the miseries of the Amalekites for he had a just occasion for saving them since they were the kindred of Ra'gal Moses as father-in-law hereupon Saul returned home with joy for the glorious things he had done and for the conquest of his enemies as though he had not neglected anything which the prophet had enjoined him to do when he was going to make war with the Amalekites and as though he had exactly observed all that he ought to have done but God was grieved that the king of the Amalekites was preserved alive and that the multitude had seized on the cattle for a prey because these things were done without his permission for he thought it an intolerable thing that they should conquer and overcome their enemies by that power which he gave them and then that he himself should be so grossly despised and disobeyed by them that a mere man that was a king would not bear it he therefore told Samuel the prophet that he repented that he had made Saul king while he did nothing that he had commanded him but indulged his own inclinations when Samuel heard that he was in confusion and began to beseech God all that night to be reconciled to Saul and not to be angry with him but he did not grant that forgiveness to Saul which the prophet asked for as not deeming it a fit thing to grant forgiveness of such sins at his entreaties since injuries do not otherwise grow so great as by the easy tempers of those that are injured or while they hunt after the glory of being thought gentle and good-natured before they are aware they produce other sins as soon therefore as God had rejected the intercession of the prophet and it plainly appeared he would not change his mind at break of day Samuel came to Saul at Gilgal when the king saw him he ran to him and embraced him and said I return thanks to God who has given me the victory for I have performed everything that he has commanded me to which Samuel replied how is it then that I hear the bleeding of the sheep and the lowing of the greater cattle in the camp Saul made the answer that the people had reserved them for sacrifices but that as to the nation of the Amalekites it was entirely destroyed as he had received it in command to see done and that not one man was left but that he had saved alive the king alone and brought him to him concerning whom he said they would advise together what should be done with him but the prophet said God is not delighted with the sacrifices but with good and with righteous men who are such as follow his will and his laws and never think that anything is well done by them but when they do it as God has commanded them that he then looks upon himself as affronted not when anyone does not sacrifice but when anyone appears to be disobedient to him but that from those who do not obey him nor pay him that duty which is the alone true and acceptable worship he will not kindly accept their oblations be those they offer ever so many and so fat and be the presence they make him ever so ornamental nay though they were made of gold and silver themselves but he will reject them and esteem them instances of wickedness and not of piety and that he is delighted with those that still bear in mind this one thing and this only how to do that whatsoever it be which God pronounces or commands for them to do and to choose rather to die than to transgress any of those commands nor does he require so much as a sacrifice from them and when these do sacrifice though it be a mean oblation he better accepts of it as the honor of poverty than such oblations as come from the richest men that offer them to him wherefore take notice that thou art under the wrath of God for thou hast despised and neglected what he commanded thee how does thou then suppose that he will respect a sacrifice out of such things as he have doomed to destruction unless perhaps thou dost imagine that it is almost all one to offer it in sacrifice to God as to destroy it do thou therefore expect that thy kingdom will be taken from thee and that authority which thou hast abused by such insolent behavior as to neglect that God who bestowed it upon thee then did Saul confess that he had acted unjustly and did not deny that he had sinned because he had transgressed the injunctions of the prophet but he said that it was out of a dread and fear of the soldiers that he did not prohibit or restrain them when they seized on the pray but forgive me said he and be merciful to me for I will be cautious how I offend for the time to come he also entreated the prophet to go back with him that he might offer his thank offerings to God but Samuel went home because he saw that God would not be reconciled to him but then Saul was so desirous to retain Samuel that he took hold of his cloak and because the vehemence of Samuel's departure made the motion to be violent and the cloak was rent upon which the prophet said that after the same manner should the kingdom be rent from him and that a good and just man should take it that God persevered in what he had decreed about him that to be mutable and changeable in what is determined is agreeable to human passions only but is not agreeable to the divine power hereupon Saul said that he had been wicked but that what was done could not be undone he therefore desired him to honor him so far that the multitude might see that he would accompany him in worshiping God so Samuel granted him that favor and went with him and worshiped God a gag also the king of the Amalekites was brought to him and when the king asked how bitter death was Samuel said as thou hast made many of the Hebrew mothers to lament and bewail the loss of their children so shall thou by thy death cause thy mother to lament thee also accordingly he gave the order to slay him immediately at Gilgal and then went away to the city Rama Chapter 8 how upon Saul's transgression of the prophet's commands Samuel ordained another person to be king privately whose name was David as God commanded him now Saul being sensible of the miserable condition he had brought himself into and that he had made God to be his enemy he went up to his royal palace at Gibeir which named denotes a hill and after that day he came no more into the presence of the prophet and when Samuel mourned for him God bid him leave off his concern for him and to take the holy oil and to go to Bethlehem to Jesse the son of Obed and to anoint such of his sons as he should show him for their future king but Samuel said he was afraid lest Saul when he came to know of it should kill him either by some private method or even openly but upon God's suggesting to him a safe way of going there the he came to the four mentioned city and when they all saluted him and asked what was the occasion of his coming he told them he came to sacrifice to God when therefore he had gotten the sacrifice ready he called Jesse and his sons to partake of those sacrifices and when he saw his eldest son to be a tall and handsome man he guessed by his comeliness that he was the person who was to be their future king but he was mistaken in judging about God's providence for when Samuel inquired of God whether he should anoint this youth whom he so admired and esteemed worthy of the kingdom God said men do not see as God seeth thou indeed hast respect to the fine appearance of this youth and then systemist him worthy of the kingdom while I propose the kingdom as a reward not of the beauty of bodies but of the virtue of souls and I inquire after one that is perfectly comely in that respect I mean one who is beautiful in piety and righteousness and fortitude and obedience for in them consists the comeliness of the soul when God had said this Samuel bade Jesse to show him all his sons so he made five others of his sons to come to him of all of whom Eliab was the eldest a Minadab the second Shamol the third Nathaniel the fourth Real the fifth and a Sam the sixth and when the Prophet saw that these were no way inferior to the eldest in their countenances he inquired of God which of them it was whom he chose for their king and when God said it was none of them he asked Jesse whether he had not some other sons besides these and when he said that he had one more named David but that he was a shepherd and took care of the flocks Samuel bade them call him immediately for that till he was come they could not possibly sit down to the feast now as soon as his father had sent for David and he was come he appeared to be of a yellow complexion of a sharp sight and a comely person in other respects also this is he said Samuel privately to himself whom it pleases God to make our king so he sat down to the feast and placed the youth under him and Jesse also with his other sons after which he took oil in the presence of David and anointed him and whispered him in the ear and acquainted him that God chose him to be their king and exhorted him to be righteous and obedient to his commands for that by this means his kingdom would continue for a long time and that his house should be of great splendor and celebrated in the world that he should overthrow the Philistines and that against what nations so ever he should make war he should be the conqueror and survive the fight and that while he lived he should enjoy a glorious name and leave such a name to his posterity also so Samuel when he had given these admonitions went away but the divine power departed from Saul and removed to David who upon this removal of the divine spirit to him began to prophesy but as for Saul some strange and demonical disorders came upon him and brought upon him such suffocations as were ready to choke him for which the physicians could find no other remedy but this that if any person could charm those passions by singing and playing upon the harp they advised them to inquire for such a one and to observe when these demons came upon him and disturbed him and to take care that such a person might stand over him and play upon the harp and recite hymns to him accordingly Saul did not delay but commanded them to seek out such a man and when a certain stand by said that he had seen in the city of Bethlehem a son of Jesse who was yet no more than a child in an age but calmly and beautiful and in other respects one that was deserving of great regard who was skillful in playing on the harp and in singing of hymns and an excellent soldier in war he sent to Jesse and desired him to take David away from the flocks and send him to him for he had a mind to see him as having heard an advantageous character of his comeliness and his valor so Jesse sent his son and gave him presents to carry to Saul and when he was come Saul was pleased with him and made him his armor bearer and had him in very great esteem for he charmed his passion and was the only physician against the trouble he had had from the demons whensoever it was that it came upon him and this by reciting of hymns and playing upon the harp and bringing Saul to his right mind again however he sent to Jesse the father of the child and desired him to permit David to stay with him for that he was delighted with his sight and company which stay that he might not contradict Saul he granted end of book six chapters seven and eight recording by Paul Huckabee book six chapters nine and ten of the antiquities of the Jews volume two this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Paul Huckabee the antiquities of the Jews volume two by Flavius Jesephus translated by William Wiston book six chapters nine and ten chapter nine how the Philistines made another expedition against the Hebrews under the reign of Saul and how they were overcome by David slaying Goliath in single combat now the Philistines gathered themselves together again no very long time afterward and having gotten together a great army they made war against the Israelites and having seized a place between Shokko and Ezeka they there pitched their camp Saul also drew out his army to oppose them and by pitching his own camp on a certain hill he forced the Philistines to leave their former camp and to encamp themselves upon such another hill over against that on which Saul's army lay so that a valley which was between the two hills on which they lay divided their camps asunder now they came down a man out of the camp of the Philistines whose name was Goliath of the city of Gath a man of vast bulk for he was of four cubits and a span in tallness and had about him weapons suitable to the largeness of his body for he had a breastplate on that weighed five thousand shekels he had also a helmet and greaves of brass as large as you would naturally suppose might cover the limbs of so vast a body his spear was also such as was not carried like a light thing in his right hand but he carried it as lying on his shoulders he had also a lance of 600 shekels and many followed him to carry his armor wherefore this Goliath stood between the two armies as they were in battle array and sent out a loud voice and said to Saul and the Hebrews I will free you from fighting and from dangers for what necessity is there that your army should fall and be afflicted give me a man of you that will fight with me and he that conquers shall have the reward of the conqueror and determine the war for these shall serve those others to whom the conqueror shall belong and certainly it is much better and more prudent to gain what you desire by the hazard of one man than of all when he had said this he retired to his own camp but the next day he came again and used the same words and did not leave off for 40 days together to challenge the enemy in the same words till Saul and his army were there with terrified while they put themselves in array as if they would fight but did not come to a close battle now while this war between the Hebrews and the Philistines was going on Saul sent away David to his father Jesse and contented himself with those three sons of whom he had sent to his assistants and to be partners in the dangers of the war and at first David returned to feed his sheep and his flocks but after no long time he came to the camp of the Hebrews as sent by his father to carry provisions to his brethren and to know what they were doing while Goliath came again and challenged them and reproached them that they had no man of valor among them that durst come down to fight him and as David was talking with his brethren about the business for which his father had sent him he heard the Philistine reproaching and abusing the army and had indignation at it and said to his brethren I am ready to fight a single combat with this adversary whereupon Eliab his eldest brother reproved him and said that he spoke too rashly and improperly for one of his age and bid him go to his flocks and to his father so he was abashed at his brother's words and went away but still he spoke to some of the soldiers that he was willing to fight with him that challenged them and when they had informed Saul what was the resolution of the young man the king sent for him to come to him and when the king asked what he had to say he replied oh king be not cast down or afraid for I will depress the insolence of this adversary and will go down and fight with him and will bring him under me as tall and as great as he is till he shall be sufficiently laughed at and thy army shall get great glory when he shall be slain by one that is not yet of a man's estate neither fit for fighting nor capable of being entrusted with the marshalling of an army or ordering a battle but by one that looks like a child and is really no elder in age than a child now Saul wondered at the boldness and alacrity of David but durst not presume on his ability by reason of his age but said he must on that account be too weak to fight with one that was skilled in the art of war I undertake this enterprise said David independence on God's being with me for I have had experience already of his assistance for I once pursued after and caught a lion that assaulted my flocks and took away a lamb from them and I snatched the lamb out of the wild beast's mouth and when he leaped upon me with violence I took him by the tail and dashed him against the ground in the same manner did I avenge myself on a bear also and let this adversary of ours be esteemed like one of these wild beasts since he has a long while reproached our army and blasphemed our God who will yet reduce him under my power however Saul prayed that the end might be by God's assistance not disagreeable to the alacrity and boldness of the child and said go thy way to the fight so he put about him his breastplate and girded on his sword and fitted the helmet to his head and sent him away but David was burdened with this armor for he had not been exercised to it nor had he learned to walk with it so he said let this armor be thine oh king who aren't able to bear it but give me leave to fight as thy servant and as I myself desire accordingly he laid by the armor and taking his staff with him and putting five stones out of the brook into a shepherd's bag and having a sling in his right hand he went toward Goliath but the adversary seeing him come in such a manner disdained him and gestured upon him as if he had not such weapons with him as are usual when one man fights against another but such as are used in driving away and avoiding of dogs and said does thou take me not through a man but a dog to which he replied no not through a dog but through a creature worse than a dog this provoked Goliath to anger who thereupon cursed him by the name of God and threatened to give his flesh to the beasts of the earth and to the fowls of the air to be torn in pieces by them to whom David answered thou comest to me with a sword and with a spear and with a breastplate but I have God for my armor in coming against thee who will destroy thee and all thy army by my hands for I will this day cut off thy head and cast the other parts of thy body to the dogs and all men shall learn that God is the protector of the Hebrews and that our armor and our strength is in his providence and that without God's assistance all other warlike preparations and power are useless so the Philistine being retarded by the weight of his armor when he attempted to meet David in haste came on but slowly as despising him and depending upon it that he should slay him who was both unarmed and a child also without any trouble at all but when the youth met his antagonist being accompanied with an invisible assistant who was no other than God himself and taking one of the stones that he had out of the brook and had put into his shepherd's bag and fitting it to his sling he slang it at the Philistine this stone fell upon his forehead and sank into his brain in so much that Goliath was stunned and fell upon his face so David ran and stood upon his adversary as he lay down and cut off his head with his own sword for he had no sword himself and upon the fall of Goliath the Philistines were beaten and fled for when they saw the champion prostrate on the ground they were afraid of the entire issue of their affairs and resolved not to stay any longer but committed themselves to an ignominious and indecent flight and thereby endeavored to save themselves from the dangers they were in but Saul and the entire army of the Hebrews made a shout and rushed upon them and slew a great number of them and pursued the rest to the borders of Garb and to the gates of Ekron so that they were slain of the Philistines thirty thousand and twice as many wounded but Saul returned to their camp and pulled their fortification to pieces and burnt it and David carried the head of Goliath into his own tent but dedicated his sword to God at the tabernacle Chapter 10 Saul envies David for his glorious success and takes an occasion of entrapping him from the promise he made him of giving him his daughter in marriage but this upon condition of his bringing him six hundred heads of the Philistines now the women were an occasion of Saul's envy and hatred to David for they came to meet their victorious army with symbols and drums and all demonstrations of joy and sang thus the wives said that Saul had slain his many thousands of the Philistines the virgins replied that David had slain his ten thousands now when the king heard them singing thus and that he had himself the smallest share in their commendations and the greater number the ten thousands were ascribed to the young man and when he considered with himself that there was nothing more wanting to David after such a mighty applause but the kingdom he began to be afraid and suspicious of David accordingly he removed him from the station he was in before for he was his armor bearer which out of fear seemed to him much to nearer station for him and so he made him captain over a thousand and bestowed on him a post better indeed in itself but as he thought more for his own security for he had a mind to send him against the enemy and into battles as hoping he would be slain in such dangerous conflicts but David had God going along with him with us so ever he went and accordingly he greatly prospered in his undertakings and it was visible that he had mighty success in so much that Saul's daughter who was still a virgin fell in love with him and her affection so far prevailed over her that it could not be concealed and her father became acquainted with it now Saul heard this gladly as intending to make use of it for a snare against David and he hoped that it would prove the cause of destruction and of hazard to him so he told those that informed him of his daughter's affection that he would willingly give David the virgin in marriage and said I engage myself to marry my daughter to him if he will bring me six hundred heads of my enemies supposing that when a reward so ample was proposed to him and when he should aim to get him great glory by undertaking a thing so dangerous and incredible he would immediately set about it and so perished by the Philistines and my designs about him will succeed finally to my mind for I shall be free from him and get him slain not by myself but by another man so he gave order to his servants to try how David would relish this proposal of marrying the damsel accordingly they began to speak thus to him that king Saul loved him as well as did all the people and that he was desirous of his affinity by the marriage of this damsel to which he gave this answer seemeth it to you a light thing to be made the king's son-in-law it does not seem so to me especially when I am one of a family that is low and without any glory or honor now when Saul was informed by his servants what answer David had made he said tell him that I do not want any money nor dowry from him which would be rather to set my daughter to sail and to give her in marriage but I desire only such a son-in-law as hath in him fortitude and all other kinds of virtue of which he saw David was possessed and that his desire was to receive of him on account of his marrying his daughter neither gold nor silver nor that he should bring such wealth out of his father's house but only some revenge on the Philistines and indeed six hundred of their heads than which are more desirable or a more glorious present could not be brought him and that he had much rather obtained this than any of the accustomed dowries for his daughter these that she should be married to a man of that character and to one who had a testimony of having conquered his enemies when these words of Saul were brought to David he was pleased with them and suppose that Saul was really desirous of this affinity with him so that without bearing to deliberate any longer or casting about in his mind whether what was proposed was possible or was difficult or not he and his companions immediately set upon the enemy and went about doing what was proposed as the condition of the marriage accordingly because it was God who made all things easy and possible to David he slew many of the Philistines and cut off the heads of six hundred of them and came to the king and by showing him these heads of the Philistines required that he might have his daughter in marriage accordingly Saul having no way of getting off his engagements as thinking it a base thing either to seem a liar when he promised him this marriage or to appear to have acted treacherously by him in putting him upon what was in a manner impossible in order to have him slain he gave him his daughter in marriage her name was Michael end of book six chapters nine and ten book six chapter 11 of the antiquities of the Jews volume two this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the antiquities of the Jews volume two by Flavius Josephus translated by William Winston book six chapter 11 chapter 11 how David upon Saul's laying snares for him did yet escape the dangers he was in by the affection and care of Jonathan and the contrivances of his wife McCall and how he came to Samuel the prophet however Saul was not disposed to persevere long in the state wherein he was for when he saw that David was in great esteem both with God and with the multitude he was afraid and being not able to conceal his fear as concerning great things his kingdom and his life to be deprived of either of which was a very great calamity he resolved to have David slain and commanded his son Jonathan and his most faithful servants to kill him but Jonathan wondered at his father's change with relation to David that it should be made to so great a degree from showing him no small good will to contrive how to have him killed now because he loved the young man and reverenced him for his virtue he informed him of the secret charge his father had given and what his intentions were concerning him however he advised him to take care and be absent the next day for that he would salute his father and if he met with a favorable opportunity he would discourse with him about him and learn the cause of his disgust and show how little ground there was for it and that for it he ought not to kill a man that had done so many good things to the multitude and had been a benefactor to himself on account of which he ought and reason to obtain pardon had he been guilty of the greatest crimes and I will then inform thee of my father's resolution accordingly David complied with such an advantageous advice and kept himself then out of the king's sight on the next day Jonathan came to Saul as soon as he saw him in a cheerful and joyful disposition and began to introduce a discourse about David what unjust action oh father either little or great hest thou found so exceptional in David as to induce thee to order us to slay a man who hath been of great advantage to thy own preservation and of still greater to the punishment of the philistines a man who hath delivered the people of the Hebrews from reproach and derision which they underwent for forty days together when he alone had courage enough to sustain the challenge of the adversary and after that brought as many heads of our enemies as he was appointed to bring and had as a reward for the same my sister in marriage in so much that his death would be very sorrowful to us not only on account of his virtue but on account of the nearness of our relation for thy daughter must be injured at the same time that he is slain and must be obliged to experience widowhood before she can come to enjoy any advantage from their mutual conversation consider these things and change your mind to a more merciful temper and do no mischief to a man who in the first place hath done us the greatest kindness of preserving thee for when an evil spirit and demons had seized upon thee he cast them out and procured rest to thy soul from their incursions and in the second place hath avenged us of our enemies for it is a base thing to forget such benefits so Saul was pacified with these words and swear to his son that he would do David no harm for a righteous discourse proved too hard for the king's anger and fear so Jonathan sent for David and brought him good news from his father that he was to be preserved he also brought him to his father and David continued with the king as formerly about this time it was that upon the Philistines making a new expedition against the Hebrews Saul sent David with an army to fight with them and joining battle with them he slew many of them and after his victory he returned to the king but his reception by Saul was not as he expected upon such success for he was grieved at his prosperity because he thought he would be more dangerous to him by having acted so gloriously but when the demoniacal spirit came upon him and put him into disorder and disturbed him he called for David into his bedchamber wherein he lay and having a spear in his hand he ordered him to charm him with playing on his harp and with singing hymns which when David did at his command he with great force through the spirit him but David was aware of it before it came and avoided it and fled to his own house and abode there all that day but at night the king sent officers and commanded that he should be watched till the morning lest he should get quite away that he might come into the judgment hall and so might be delivered up and condemned in slain but when McCall David's wife the king's daughter understood what her father designed she came to her husband as having small hopes of his deliverance and as greatly concerned about her own life also for she could not bear to live in case she were deprived of him and she said let not the sun find the here when it rises for if it do that will be the last time it will see thee fly away then while the night may afford the opportunity and may god lengthen it for thy sake for know this that if my father find thee thou art a dead man so she let him down by a cord out of the window and saved him and after she had done so she fitted up a bed for him as if he were sick and put under the bedclothes a goat's liver and when her father as soon as it was day sent to seize David she said to those that were there that he had not been well that night and showed them the bed covered and made them believe by the leaping of the liver which caused the bedclothes to move also that David breathed like one that was asthmatic so when those that were sent told Saul that David had not been well in the night he ordered him to be brought in that condition for he intended to kill him now when they came and uncovered the bed and found out the woman's contrivance they told it to the king and when her father complained of her that she had saved his enemy and had put a trick upon himself she invented this plausible defense for herself and said that when he had threatened to kill her she lent him her assistance for his preservation out of fear for which her assistance she ought to be forgiven because it was not done of her own free choice but out of necessity for said she I do not suppose that thou wasst so zealous to kill by enemy as thou wasst that I should be saved accordingly Saul forgave the damsel but David when he had escaped this danger came to the prophet Samuel to Ramah and told him what snares the king had laid for him and how he was very near to death by Saul's throwing a spear at him although he had been no way guilty with relation to him nor had he been cowardly in his battles with his enemies but had succeeded well in the mall by God's assistance which thing was indeed the cause of Saul's hatred to David when the prophet was made acquainted with the unjust proceedings of the king he left the city Ramah and took David with him to a certain place called Nio and there he abode with him but when it was told Saul that David was with the prophet he sent soldiers to him and ordered them to take him and bring him to him and when they came to Samuel and found there a congregation of prophets they became partakers of the divine spirit and began to prophesy which when Saul heard of he sent others to David who prophesying in like manner as did the first he again sent others which third sort prophesying also at last he was angry and went thither in great haste himself and when he was just by the place Samuel before he saw him made him prophesy also and when Saul came to him he was disordered in mind and under the vehement agitation of a spirit and putting off his garments he fell down and lay on the ground all that day and night in the presence of Samuel and David and David went thence and came to Jonathan the son of Saul and lamented to him what snares were laid for him by his father and said that though he had been guilty of no evil nor had defended against him yet he was very zealous to get him killed here upon Jonathan exhorted him not to give credit to such his own suspicions nor to the calamities of those that raised those reports if there were any that did so but to depend on him and take courage for that his father had no such intention since he would have acquainted him with that matter and have taken his advice had it been so as he used to consult with him in common when he acted in other affairs but David swear to him that so it was and he desired him rather to believe him and to provide for his safety than to despise what he with great sincerity told him that he would believe what he said when he should either see him killed himself or learn it upon inquiry from others and that the reason why his father did not tell him of these things was this that he knew of the friendship and affection that he bore towards him here upon when Jonathan found that this intention of Saul was so well attested he asked him what he would have him do for him to which David replied I am sensible that thou art willing to gratify me in everything and procure me what I desire now tomorrow is the new moon and I was accustomed to sit down then with the king at supper now if it seemed good to thee I will go out of the city and conceal myself privately there and if Saul inquire why I'm absent tell him that I am gone to my own city Bethlehem to keep a festival with my own tribe and add this also that thou gavest me leave so to do and if he say as is usually said in the case of friends that are gone abroad it is well that he went then assure thyself that no latent mischief or enmity may be feared at his hand but if he answer otherwise that will be a sure sign that he had some designs against me accordingly thou shall inform me of thy father's inclinations and that out of pity to my case and out of thy friendship for me as instances of which friendship thou hast vouchsaved to accept of the assurances of my love to thee and to give the like assurances to me that is those of a master to his servant but if thou discoverest any wickedness in me do thou prevent thy father and kill me thyself but Jonathan heard these last words with indignation and promised to do what he desired of him and to inform him if his father's answers implied anything of a melancholy nature and any enmity against him and that he might the more firmly depend upon him he took him out into the open field into the pure air and swear that he would neglect nothing that might tend to the preservation of David and he said I appeal to that God who as thou seeest is diffused everywhere and knoweth this intention of mine before I explain it in words as the witness of this my covenant with thee that I will not leave off to make frequent trims of the purpose of my father till I learn whether there be any lurking distemper in the most secret parts of his soul and when I have learned it I will not conceal it from thee but will discover it to thee whether he be gently or peevishly disposed for this God himself knows that I pray he may always be with thee for he is with thee now and will not forsake thee and will make thee superior to thine enemies whether my father be one of them or whether I myself be such do thou only remember what we now do and if it fall out that I die preserve my children live and requite what kindness thou hast now received to them when he had thus sworn he dismissed David bidding him go to a certain place of that plane wherein he used to perform his exercises for that as soon as he knew the mind of his father he would come thither to him with one servant only and if says he I shoot three darts at the mark and then bid my servant to carry these three darts away for they are before him know thou that there is no mischief to be feared from my father but if thou hearest me say the contrary expect the contrary from the king however thou shalt gain security by my means and shalt by no means suffer any harm but see thou dost not forget what I have desired of thee in the time of thy prosperity and be serviceable to my children now David when he had received these assurances from Jonathan went his way to the place appointed but on the next day which was the new moon the king when he had purified himself as the custom was came to supper and when there sat by him his son Jonathan on his right hand and Abner the captain of his host on the other hand he saw David's seat was empty but said nothing supposing that he had not purified himself since he had accompanied with his wife and so could not be present but when he saw that he was not there the second day of the month neither he inquired of his son Jonathan why the son of Jesse did not come to the supper and the feast neither the day before nor that day so Jonathan said that he was gone according to the agreement between them to his own city where his tribe kept a festival and that by his permission that he also invited him to come to their sacrifice and says Jonathan if thou wilt give me leave I will go with thither for thou knowest the good will that I bear him and then it was that Jonathan understood his father's hatred to David and plainly saw his entire disposition for Saul could not restrain his anger but reproached Jonathan and called him the son of Aronogate and an enemy and said he was a partner with David and his assistant and that by his behavior he showed he had no regard to himself or to his mother and would not be persuaded of this that while David is alive their kingdom was not secure to them yet did he bid him send for him that he might be punished and when Jonathan said in answer what hath he done that thou wilt punish him Saul no longer intended himself to express his anger in bare words but snatched up his spear and leaped upon him and was desirous to kill him he did not indeed do what he intended because he was hindered by his friends but it appeared plainly to his son that he hated David and greatly desired to dispatch him in so much that he had almost slain his son with his own hands on his account and then it was that the king's son rose hastily from supper and being unable to admit anything into his mouth for grief he wept all night both because he had himself been near destruction and because the death of David was determined but as soon as it was day he went out into the plane that was before the city has going to perform his exercises but in reality to inform his friend what disposition his father was in towards him as he had agreed with him to do and when Jonathan had done what had been thus agreed he dismissed his servant that followed him to return to the city but he himself went into the desert and came into his presence and communed with him so David appeared and fell at Jonathan's feet and bowed down to him and called him the preserver of his soul but he lifted him up from the earth and they mutually embraced one another and made a long greeting and that not without tears they also lamented their age and that familiarity which envy would deprive them of and that separation which must now be expected which seemed to them no better than death itself so recollecting themselves at length from their lamentation and exhorting one another to be mindful of the oaths they had sworn to each other they parted asunder end of book 6 chapter 11 book 6 chapter 12 of the antiquities of the jews volume 2 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the antiquities of the jews volume 2 by Flavius Josephus translated by William Whiston book 6 chapter 12 chapter 12 how David fled to Ahimelech and afterwards to the kings of the Philistines and of the Moabites and how Saul slew Ahimelech and his family but David fled from the king and that death he was in danger of by him and came to the city nob to Ahimelech the priest who when he saw him coming all alone and neither a friend nor a servant with him he wondered at it and desired to learn of him the cause why there was nobody with him to which David answered that the king had commanded him to do a certain thing that was to be kept secret to which if he had a mind to know so much he had no occasion for anyone to accompany him however I have ordered my servants to meet me at such and such a place so he desired him to let him have somewhat to eat and that in case he would supply him he would act the part of a friend and be assisting to the business he was now about and when he had obtained what he desired he also asked him whether he had any weapons with him either sword or spear now there was at nob a servant of Saul by birth a Syrian whose name was Doeg one that kept the king's mules the high priest said that he had no such weapons but he added here is the sword of Goliath which when thou had slain the Philistine thou didst dedicate to God when David had received the sword he fled out of the country of the Hebrews into that of the Philistines over which Akish reigned and when the king's servants knew him and he was made known to the king himself the servants informing him that he was that David who had killed many ten thousands of the Philistines David was afraid lest the king should put him to death and that he should experience that danger from him which he had escaped from Saul so he pretended to be distracted and mad so that his spittle ran out of his mouth and he did other the like actions before the king of Gath which might make him believe that they proceeded from such a distemper accordingly the king was very angry at his servants that they had brought him a madman and he gave orders that they should eject David immediately out of the city so when David had escaped in this manner out of Gath he came to the tribe of Judah and abode in a cave by the city of Adulam then it was that he sent to his brethren and informed them where he was who then came to him with all their kindred and as many others as were either in want or in fear of King Saul came and made a body together and told him they were ready to obey his orders they were in all about four hundred whereupon he took courage now such a force and assistance was come to him so he removed thence and came to the king of the Moabites and desired him to entertain his parents in his country while the issue of his affairs were in such an uncertain condition the king granted him this favor and paid great respect to David's parents all the time they were with him as for himself upon the prophets commanding him to leave the desert and go into the portion of the tribe of Judah and abide there he complied therewith and coming to the city Hereth which was in that tribe he remained there now when Saul heard that David had been seen with a multitude about him he fell into no small disturbance and trouble but as he knew that David was a bold and courageous man he suspected that somewhat extraordinary would appear from him and that openly also which would make him weep and put him into distress so he called together to him his friends and his commanders and the tribe from which he was himself derived to the hill where his palace was and sitting upon a place called Arura his courtiers that were indignities and the guards of his body being with him he spake thus to them you that are men of my own tribe I conclude that you remember the benefits that I have bestowed upon you and that I have made some of you owners of land and made you commanders and bestowed posts of honor upon you and set some of you over the common people and others over the soldiers I ask you therefore whether you expect greater and more donations from the son of Jesse for I know that you are all inclinable to him even my own son Jonathan himself is of that opinion and persuades you to be of the same for I am not unacquainted with the oaths in the covenants that are between him and David and that Jonathan is a counselor and an assistant to those that conspire against me and none of you are concerned about these things but you keep silence and watch to see what will be the upshot of these things when the king had made this speech not one of the rest of those that were present made any answer but doeg the Syrian who fed his mules said that he saw David when he came to the city nob to a himelec the high priest and that he learned future events by his prophesying that he received food from him and the sword of Goliath and was conducted by him with security to such as he desired to go to solve therefore sent for the high priest and for all his kindred and said to them what terrible or ungrateful tiring hast thou suffered from me that thou hast received the son of Jesse and has to bestowed on him both food and weapons when he was contriving to get the kingdom and further why didst thou deliver oracles to him concerning futureities for thou couldst not be unacquainted that he was fled away from me and that he hated my family but the high priest did not be take himself to deny what he had done but confessed boldly that he had supplied him with these things not to gratify David but saw himself and he said I did not know that he was thy adversary but a servant of thine who was very faithful to thee and a captain over a thousand of thy soldiers and what is more than these thy son-in-law and kinsmen men do not choose to confer such favors on their adversaries but on those who are esteemed to bear the highest goodwill and respect to them nor is this the first time that I prophesied for him but I have done it often and at other times as well as now and when he told me that he was sent by thee in great haste to do somewhat if I had furnished him with nothing that he desired I should have thought that it was rather in contradiction to thee than to him wherefore do not thou entertain any ill opinion of me nor do thou have a suspicion of what I then thought an act of humanity from what is now told thee of David's attempts against thee for I did then to him as to thy friend and son-in-law and captain of a thousand and not as to thine adversary when the high priest had spoken thus he did not persuade Saul his fear was so prevalent that he could not give credit to an apology that was very just so he commanded his armed men that stood about him to kill him and all his kindred but as they durst not touch the high priest but were more afraid of disobeying God than the king he ordered Doeg the Syrian to kill them accordingly he took to his assistance such wicked men as were like himself and slew a Himalek and all his family who were in all 385 Saul also sent to Nob the city of the priests and slew all that were there without sparing either women or children or any other age and burnt it only there was one son of a Himalek whose name was a biathar who escaped however these things came to pass as God had foretold to Eli the high priest when he said that his posterity should be destroyed on account of the transgression of his two sons now this king Saul by perpetrating so barbarous a crime and murdering the whole family of the high priestly dignity by having no pity of the infants nor reverence for the aged and by overthrowing the city which God had chosen for the property and for the support of the priests and prophets which were there and had ordained as the only city allotted for the education of such men gives all to understand and consider the disposition of men that while they are private persons and in a low condition because it is not in their power to indulge nature nor to venture upon what they wish for they are equitable and moderate and pursue nothing but what is just and bend their whole minds and labours that way then it is that they have this belief about God that he is present to all the actions of their lives and that he does not only see the actions that are done but clearly knows those their thoughts also whence those actions do arise but when once they are advanced into power and authority then they put off all such notions and as if they were no other than actors upon a theater they lay aside their disguised parts and manners and take up boldness insolence and a contempt of both human and divine laws and this at a time when they especially stand in need of piety and righteousness because they are then most of all exposed to envy and all they think and all they say are in the view of all men then it is that they become so insolent in their actions as though God saw them no longer or were afraid of them because of their power and whatsoever it is that they either are afraid of by the rumors they hear or they hate by inclination or they love without reason these seem to them to be authentic and firm and true and pleasing both to men and to God but as to what will come hereafter they have not the least regard to it they raise those to honor indeed who have been at a great deal of pains for them and after that honor they envy them and when they have brought them into high dignity they do not only deprive them of what they had obtained but also on that very account of their lives also and that on wicked accusations and such as on account of their extravagant nature are incredible they also punish men for their actions not such as deserve condemnation but from calamities and accusations without examination and this extends not only to such as deserve to be punished but to as many as they are able to kill this reflection is openly confirmed to us from the example of Saul the son of kish who was the first king who reigned after our aristocracy and government under the judges were over and that by his slaughter of 300 priests and prophets on occasion of his suspicion about a himelek and by the additional wickedness of the overthrow of their city and this is as he were endeavoring in some sort to render the temple tevernacle destitute both of priests and prophets which endeavor he showed by slaying so many of them and not suffering the very city belonging to them to remain that so others might succeed them but a biathar the son of a himelek who alone could be saved out of the family of priests slain by Saul fled to david and informed him of the calamity that had befallen their family and of the slaughter of his father who hereupon said he was not unapprised of what would follow with relation to them when he saw doeg there for he had then a suspicion that the high priest would be falsely accused by him to the king and he blamed himself as having been the cause of this misfortune but he desired him to stay there and abide with him as in a place where he might be better concealed than anywhere else end of book 6 chapter 12