the antiquities of the jews-1-第87部分

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would　not　let　him：　and　this　refusal　of　theirs　was　founded　upon
very　wise　reasons：　〃For；〃　said　they；　〃if　we　be　conquered　when　he
is　with　us；　we　have　lost　all　good　hopes　of　recovering　ourselves；
but　if　we　should　be　beaten　in　one　part　of　our　army；　the　other
parts　may　retire　to　him；　and　may　thereby　prepare　a　greater　force；
while　the　enemy　will　naturally　suppose　that　he　hath　another　army
with　him。〃　So　David　was　pleased　with　this　their　advice；　and
resolved　himself　to　tarry　at　Mahanaim；　and　as　he　sent　his　friends
and　commanders　to　the　battle；　he　desired　them　to　show　all
possible　alacrity　and　fidelity；　and　to　bear　in　mind　what
advantages　they　had　received　from　him；　which；　though　they　had　not
been　very　great；　yet　had　they　not　been　quite　inconsiderable；　and
he　begged　of　them　to　spare　the　young　man　Absalom；　lest　some
mischief　should　befall　himself；　if　he　should　be　killed；　and　thus
did　he　send　out　his　army　to　the　battle；　and　wished　them　victory
therein。

2。　Then　did　Joab　put　his　army　in　battle…array　over　against　the
enemy　in　the　Great　Plain；　where　he　had　a　wood　behind　him。　Absalom
also　brought　his　army　into　the　field　to　oppose　him。　Upon　the
joining　of　the　battle；　both　sides　showed　great　actions　with　their
hands　and　their　boldness；　the　one　side　exposing　themselves　to　the
greatest　hazards；　and　using　their　utmost　alacrity；　that　David
might　recover　his　kingdom；　and　the　other　being　no　way　deficient；
either　in　doing　or　suffering；　that　Absalom　might　not　be　deprived
of　that　kingdom；　and　be　brought　to　punishment　by　his　father　for
his　impudent　attempt　against　him。　Those　also　that　were　the　most
numerous　were　solicitous　that　they　might　not　be　conquered　by
those　few　that　were　with　Joab；　and　with　the　other　commanders；
because　that　would　be　the　greater　disgrace　to　them；　while　David's
soldiers　strove　greatly　to　overcome　so　many　ten　thousands　as　the
enemy　had　with　them。　Now　David's　men　were　conquerors；　as　superior
in　strength　and　skill　in　war；　so　they　followed　the　others　as　they
fled　away　through　the　forests　and　valleys；　some　they　took
prisoners；　and　many　they　slew；　and　more　in　the　flight　than　in　the
battle　for　there　fell　about　twenty　thousand　that　day。　But　all
David's　men　ran　violently　upon　Absalom；　for　he　was　easily　known
by　his　beauty　and　tallness。　He　was　himself　also　afraid　lest　his
enemies　should　seize　on　him；　so　he　got　upon　the　king's　mule；　and
fled；　but　as　he　was　carried　with　violence；　and　noise；　and　a　great
motion；　as　being　himself　light；　he　entangled　his　hair　greatly　in
the　large　boughs　of　a　knotty　tree　that　spread　a　great　way；　and
there　he　hung；　after　a　surprising　manner；　and　as　for　the　beast；
it　went　on　farther；　and　that　swiftly；　as　if　his　master　had　been
still　upon　his　back；　but　he；　hanging　in　the　air　upon　the　boughs；
was　taken　by　his　enemies。　Now　when　one　of　David's　soldiers　saw
this；　he　informed　Joab　of　it；　and　when　the　general　said；　that　if
he　had　shot　at　and　killed　Absalom；　he　would　have　given　him　fifty
shekels；　…　he　replied；　〃I　would　not　have　killed　my　master's　son
if　thou　wouldst　have　given　me　a　thousand　shekels；　especially　when
he　desired　that　the　young　man　might　be　spared　in　the　hearing　of
us　all。〃　But　Joab　bade　him　show　him　where　it　was　that　he　saw
Absalom　hang；　whereupon　he　shot　him　to　the　heart；　and　slew　him；
and　Joab's　armor…bearers　stood　round　the　tree；　and　pulled　down
his　dead　body；　and　cast　it　into　a　great　chasm　that　was　out　of
sight；　and　laid　a　heap　of　stones　upon　him；　till　the　cavity　was
filled　up；　and　had　both　the　appearance　and　the　bigness　of　a
grave。　Then　Joab　sounded　a　retreat；　and　recalled　his　own　soldiers
from　pursuing　the　enemy's　army；　in　order　to　spare　their
countrymen。

3。　Now　Absalom　had　erected　for　himself　a　marble　pillar　in　the
king's　dale；　two　furlongs　distant　from　Jerusalem；　which　he　named
Absalom's　Hand；　saying；　that　if　his　children　were　killed；　his
name　would　remain　by　that　pillar；　for　he　had　three　sons　and　one
daughter；　named　Tamar；　as　we　said　before；　who　when　she　was
married　to　David's　grandson；　Rehoboam；　bare　a　son；　Abijah　by
name；　who　succeeded　his　father　in　the　kingdom；　but　of　these　we
shall　speak　in　a　part　of　our　history　which　will　be　more　proper。
After　the　death　of　Absalom；　they　returned　every　one　to　their　own
homes　respectively。

4。　But　now　Ahimaaz；　the　son　of　Zadok　the　high　priest；　went　to
Joab；　and　desired　he　would　permit　him　to　go　and　tell　David　of
this　victory；　and　to　bring　him　the　good　news　that　God　had
afforded　his　assistance　and　his　providence　to　him。　However；　he
did　not　grant　his　request；　but　said　to　him；　〃Wilt　thou；　who　hast
always　been　the　messenger　of　good　news；　now　go　and　acquaint　the
king　that　his　son　is　dead？〃　So　he　desired　him　to　desist。　He　then
called　Cushi；　and　committed　the　business　to　him；　that　he　should
tell　the　king　what　he　had　seen。　But　when　Ahimaaz　again　desired
him　to　let　him　go　as　a　messenger；　and　assured　him　that　he　would
only　relate　what　concerned　the　victory；　but　not　concerning　the
death　of　Absalom；　he　gave　him　leave　to　go　to　David。　Now　he　took　a
nearer　road　than　the　former　did；　for　nobody　knew　it　but　himself；
and　he　came　before　Cushi。　Now　as　David　was　sitting　between　the
gates；　（18）　and　waiting　to　see　when　somebody　would　come　to　him
from　the　battle；　and　tell　him　how　it　went；　one　of　the　watchmen
saw　Ahimaaz　running；　and　before　be　could　discern　who　he　was；　be
told　David　that　he　saw　somebody　coming　to　him；　who　said　he　was　a
good　messenger。　A　little　while　after；　he　informed　him　that
another　messenger　followed　him；　whereupon　the　king　said　that　he
also　was　a　good　messenger：　but　when　the　watchman　saw　Ahimaaz；　and
that　he　was　already　very　near；　he　gave　the　king　notice　that　it
was　the　son　of　Zadok　the　high　priest　who　came　running。　So　David
was　very　glad；　and　said　he　was　a　messenger　of　good　tidings；　and
brought　him　some　such　news　from　the　battle　as　be　desired　to　hear。

5。　While　the　king　was　saying　thus；　Ahimaaz　appeared；　and
worshipped　the　king。　And　when　the　king　inquired　of　him　about　the
battle；　he　said　he　brought　him　the　good　news　of　victory　and
dominion。　And　when　he　inquired　what　he　had　to　say　concerning　his
son；　he　said　that　he　came　away　on　the　sudden　as　soon　as　the　enemy
was　defeated；　but　that　he　heard　a　great　noise　of　those　that
pursued　Absalom；　and　that　he　could　learn　no　more；　because　of　the
haste　be　made　when　Joab　sent　him　to　inform　him　of　the　victory。
But　when　Cushi　was　come；　and　had　worshipped　him；　and　informed　him
of　the　victory；　he　asked　him　about　his　son；　who　replied；　〃May　the
like　misfortune　befall　thine　enemies　as　hath　befallen　Absalom。〃
That　word　did　not　permit　either　himself　or　his　soldiers　to
rejoice　for　the　victory；　though　it　was　a　very　great　one；　but
David　went　up　to　the　highest　part　of　the　city；　（19）　and　wept　for
his　son；　and　beat　his　breast；　tearing　＇the　hair　of＇　his　head；
tormenting　himself　all　manner　of　ways；　and　crying　out；　〃O　my　son！
I　wish　that　I　had　died　myself；　and　ended　my　days　with　thee！〃　for
he　was　of　a　tender　natural　affection；　and　had　extraordinary
compassion　for　this　son　in　particular。　But　when　the　army　and　Joab
heard　that　the　king　mourned　for　his　son；　they　were　ashamed　to
enter　the　city　in　the　habit　of　conquerors；　but　they　all　came　in
as　cast　down；　and　in　tears；　as　if　they　had　been　beaten。　Now　while
the　king　covered　himself；　and　grievously　lamented　his　son；　Joab
went　in　to　him；　and　comforted　him；　and　said；　〃O　my　lord　the　king；
thou　art　not　aware　that　thou　layest　a　blot　on　thyself　by　what
thou　now　doest；　for　thou　seemest　to　hate　those　that　love　thee；
and　undergo　dangers　for　thee　nay；　to　hate　thyself　and　thy　family；
and　to　love　those　that　are　thy　bitter　enemies；　and　to　desire　the
company　of　those　that　are　no　more；　and　who　have　been　justly
slain；　for　had　Absalom　gotten　the　victory；　and　firmly　settled
himself　in　the　kingdom；　there　had　been　none　of　us　left　alive；　but
all　of　us；　beginning　with　thyself　and　thy　children；　had　miserably
perished；　while　our　enemies　had　not　wept　for　his；　but　rejoiced
over　us；　and　punished　even　those　that　pitied　us　in　our
misfortunes；　and　thou　art　not　ashamed　to　do　this　in　the　case　of
one　that　has　been　thy　bitter　enemy；　who；　while　he　was　thine　own
son　hath　proved　so　wicked　to　thee。　Leave　off；　therefore；　thy
unreasonable　grief；　and　come　abroad　and　be　seen　of　thy　soldiers；
and　return　them　thanks　for　the　alacrity　they　showed　in　the　fight；
for　I　myself　will　this　day　persuade　the　people　to　leave　thee；　and
to　give　the　kingdom　to　another；　if　thou　continuest　to　do　thus；
and　then　I　shall　make　thee　to　grieve　bitterly　and　in　earnest。〃
Upon　Joab's　speaking　thus　to　him；　he　made　the　king　leave　off　his
sorrow；　and　brought　him　to　the　consideration　of　his　affairs。　So
David　changed　his　habit；　and　exposed　himself　in　a　manner　fit　to
be　seen　by　the　multitude；　and　sat　at　the　gates；　whereupon　all　the
people　heard　of　it；
and　ran　together　to　him；　and　saluted　him。　And　this　was　the
present　state　of　David's　affairs。

CHAPTER　11。

How　David；　When　He　Had　Recovered　His　Kingdom；　Was　Reconciled　To
Shimei；　And　To　Ziba；　And　Showed　A　Great　Affection　To　Barzillai；
And　How；　Upon　The　Rise　Of　A　Sedition；　He　Made　Amasa　Captain　Of
His　Host；　In　Order　To　Pursue　Seba；　Which　Amasa　Was　Slain　By　Joab。

1。　Now　those　Hebrews　that　had　been　With　Absalom；　and　had　retired
out　of　the　battle；　when　they　were　all　returned　home；　sent
messengers　to　every　city　to　put　them　in　mind　of　what　benefits
David　had　bestowed　upon　them；　and　of　that　liberty　which　he　had
procured　them；　by　delivering　them　from　many　and　great　wars。　But
they　complained；　that　whereas　they　had　ejected　him　out　of　his
kingdom；　and　committed　it　to　another　governor；　which　other
governor；　whom　they　had　set　up；　was　already　dead；　they　did　not
now　beseech　David　to　leave　off　his　anger　at　them；　and　to　become
friends　with　them；　and；　as　he　used　to　do；　to　resume　the　care　of
their　affairs；　and　take　the　kingdom　again。　This　was　often　told　to
David。　And；　this　notwithstanding；　David　sent　to　Zadok　and
Abiathar　the　high　priests；　that　they　should　speak　to　the　rulers
of　the　tribe　of　Judah　after　the　manner　following：　That　it　would
be　a　reproach　upon　them　to　permit　the　other　tribes　to　choose
David　for　their　king　before　their　tribe；　〃and　this；〃　said　he；
〃while　you　are　akin　to　him；　and　of　the　sam