of them perished being loaden with sleep gorged with wine They likewise that were compleatly armed intending to make resistance were as easily slaine as they that lay naked vpon the earth Thus Dauids men abode with him from the first hower of the morning till the euening doing nought else but kill murther that that only foure hundreth of the Amalechites escaped who likewise fled being mounted on their Dromodaries So recouered he all that which the enemie had ransackt and amongst other things he released both his own wiues those of his companions Wherupon they returned to the place where they had left the other two hundreth which might not follow them because they were appointed to guard the baggage To these the abouesaid foure hundreth would not grant a part of the booty and profit because they had not as they said followed the enimie with them but shewed themselues slacke in the pursuit alledging that they ought to content themselues with the recouerie of their wiues But Dauid said that the sentence which was pronounced by them was both euill and vniust for since God had granted them the grace to defeat their enemies all of them merited to haue part in the profit which ought equally to be deuided amongst them both amongst those that had fought and amongst those likewise that staied behiâ—…d to guard the baggage And from that day forward this ordinance hath beene held firmely amongst them that they that keepe the baggage should haue equall part and portion of the pray with those that should goe out to the battell But when Dauid was returned to Siceleg he sent vnto all his familiars and friends of the tribe of Iuda a seuerall part of the spoyle In this manner was Siceleg sacked and burned and thus were the Amalechites discomfited But the Philistines assailed and fought a bloudie battell with Saul and his followers wherein the Philistines had the vpper hand and slew a great number of their enemies Saul king of Israell with his sonnes fought therin verie valiantly and with stout hearts seeing that all their honour consisted in that onely point to die nobly and to hazard themselues against all camisadoes of their enemies For since the Philistines bent all their forces against them they saw no meanes of recouerie so that encompassed by them they died in the middest of them and yet before their death slewe a great number of the Philistines There were there present Sauls three sonnes Ionathan Aminadab and Melchi who being defeated all the Hebrewe armie turned their backes so that being instantly pursued by the enemie there fell a great disorder confusion and slaughter amongst them Saul fled also although he had about him a strong squadron of men And although the Philistines marshalled foorth against him a multitude of archers that shot many dartes and arrowes at him yet were they all but a verie fewe repulsed and although he had fought verie brauely hauing receiued on him diuers wounds yet being vnable to support the paine and griefe of his woundes and trauailed with shortnesse of breath he commanded his esquier to drawe his sword and to thrust it thorow his body before he should be surprised aliue by his enemies which his esquire refused to doe not daring to lay hands vpon his master For which cause Saul drew his owne sword and setled the point to his breast and cast himselfe thereon but vnable to force it home enough nor make it by goaring himselfe thereon to pierce quite thorow him he looked backe and perceiued a yoong man hard beside him of whom he demaunded what he was and hearing that hee was an Amalechite he requested him that since himselfe was vnable to pierce himselfe with his owne hands that he would leaue vpon him and make the sword passe thorow him and bring him to that death which he so earnestly desired which he did and hauing taken from him the gold which he had about his armes and the royall crowne likewise he fled away The Esquire seeing Saul dead sodainly slew himselfe Not one of all the kings guard escaped but all of them were slaine neere vnto the mountaine Gelboa When they that inhabited the valley on the other side of Iordan and in the plaine had intelligence that Saul and his sonnes were dead and with them a great number of their nation was slaine they abandoned their Cities and fled to others that were more defenced The Philistines finding these Cities destitute of inhabitants encamped therein The next day whilest the Philistines spoyled the dead they found the bodies of Saul and his sons which they spoyled beheaded sending their heads round about the countrey to make it knowne that their enemies were defeated They offered vp their armes also in the temple of Astaroth and as for their bodies they hung them on the wals of the Citie of Bethsan at this day called Scythopolis When they of Iabes a Citie of Galaad vnderstood how the Philistines had thus cut off the heads of Saul and his sonnes they were sore moued and thought it became them not to be so carelesse of them but that they should be rescued For which cause the most valiant and hardie amongst them for that Citie bringeth vp men both valiant in heart and strong in body departed and marched all night long so as they attained Bethsan and approching neere the wals tooke downe the body of Saul and his sonnes and carried them vnto Iabes without any resistance of the enemy in that they durst not attempt the rescue These Iabesians lamented ouer their dead bodies and made publike lamentations and buried them in the fairest place of their countrey which place is called Arar They mourned after this manner weeping both men and women and children and beating their breasts and lamenting the king and his sonnes and tasting neither meat nor drinke This was the end of Saul according as Samuel had foretold him because he had disobeyed God in his war against the Amalechites and for that he had slaine the race of Achimelech and Achimelech himselfe also and destroyed the Citie of the Priests He raigned during the life of Samuel for the space of eighteene yeares and twentie two yeares after his death Thus finished Saul his life THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 7. booke 1 Dauid is created king of one tribe in Hebron ouer the rest Sauls sonne obtaineth the soueraignty 2 Isboseth is slaine by the treacherie of his domesticall seruants and the whole kingdome commeth vnto Dauid 3 Dauid hauing surprised the Citie and cittadell of Ierusalem driueth the Chananites from thence and causeth the Iewes to inhabit the same 4 Dauid assayled by the Philistines obtaineth a famous victorie against them neere vnto Ierusalem 5 Dauid ouercomming the neighbouring nations imposeth tributes on them 6 They of Damasco are ouercome by Dauid 7 How Dauid ouercame the Mesopotamians 8 How
bethinking them on their imminent perill supposing that they had trauailed this long iourney all in vaine for that they saw their accusation must be answered Ruben the eldest of them began after this maner to plead their cōmon cause Neither are we come hither said he as spies neither vnder pretence to indomage the king but dire famine whose furie we seeke to preuent hath cōpelled vs to come into this countrey grounding our selues on your humanitie who as we haue heard haue not onely made offer of sale of come and meanes of sustenance to your citizens but also vnto all straungers And that we are brothers and borne of the same father our verie countenances testify no lesse in that they varie not very much the one from the other Our father by name is Iacob by nation an Hebrew who begat vs his twelue sonnes on foure women who while they all were in safety our affaires were fortunate and prosperous but one of them being dead whose name was Ioseph our domesticall fortunes began to grow to ruine Our father languisheth in continuall lamentations whose teares do no lesse afflict vs then in times past the vntimely death of our dearest brother did affect vs. Now are we come to buy corne hauing left in our fathers custody the youngest of our brothers called Beniamin That thus it is if so thou please to send any one vnto our house thou maist be assured Thus spake Ruben both on his owne and his brothers behalfe whereby he might exempt from Ioseph his sinister opinion of them who knowing that both his father and brother were in health commaunded them to be shut in prison vnder pretence to call them to further examination vpon his better leasure Some three daies after calling them before him he began thus Since saith he you protest that you came not hither into this kingdome on purpose either to preiudice the King or worke treasons towards the state and that you pretend your selues to be the sonnes of one father you shall induce me to beleeue that your allegations be true if leauing some one with me as pledge of your loyalties who shall be well entertained you beare hence your desired corne vnto your father and returne againe vnto me bringing with you your brother whom as you say you left behind you for this shall be an argument that you faine not Amased at these words and supposing that their extreame calamitie was at hand they lamented their fortunes oftentimes expostulating amongst themselues that the dire reuenge of their brother oppressed with vndecent tyranny was fallen vpon them Moreouer Ruben reprehended their too late and vnprofitable penitencie saying that those afflictions which God the iust reuenger of innocencie had inflicted on his impious brothers were constantly to be borne After this manner spake they one vnto another supposing that no man was present who vnderstood the Hebrew tongue and they all lamented being inwardly touched with the words of Ruben and condemned their perpetrated wickednes as if they had not beene the authors of the fact for which at that time they thought that God did most iustly punish them Ioseph beholding them in this perplexitie vnable to dissemble any longer his brotherly loue in that the teares alreadie began to burst out of his eyes which at that time he desired to conceale he departed from among them Not long after returning againe vnto them he retained Simeon with him who in the meane time should remaine as pledge with him vntil their backe returne and giuing them licence to buy their corne he commaunded them to depart giuing withall a speciall commaundement to one of his seruants that the money which they had brought to buy corne should secretly be shut vp into their sackes and they permitted to depart all which his seruant performed But Iacobs sons returning into Chanaan told their father all that which had happened vnto them in Aegypt and how they were attached for spies and traitors to that countrey and that when they protested that they were brethren and that the eleuenth was left at home with their father they would not beleeue them moreouer that Simeon was left pledge with the gouernour vntill Beniamin came thither to giue testimony of their truth whereupon they desired their father that without contradiction or sinister conceit to send their yonger brother with them But Iacob was displeased with that which his sonnes had done and whe◅as he was not a little grieued that Simeon was left behind he thought it worse then death also to be depriued of Beniamin and neither could Ruben with his praiers offering his sonnes for pledges that if any sinister fortune should fall vpon Beniamin by the way the Grandfather might reuenge him on his children perswade Iacob to yeeld consent but they vncertaine what to do were more and more terrified in that they found their money inclosed in their sackes of corne Now when corne began alreadie to faile them Iacob being compelled by force of famine determined to send Beniamin with his other brothers for it was vnlawfull for them to returne into Aegypt except they kept their couenant And whereas necessitie pressed them daily more and more and his sonnes ceased not instantly to call vpon him yet as yet was he doubtfull and vnresolued at last Iuda a man vehement by nature began more liberally to reproue his father in that he was too carefull of his brother to whom nothing might happen without the will of God whether it were abroad or at home and that without reason he had care of his sonne Beniamin in such sort as it was not possible for them to get ought out of Pharaos countrey which was necessarie for their nourishment that he ought also to haue care of the life of Simeon least whilest he dallied and delayed to send Beniamin on the iourney Simeon in the meane time should be slaine by the Aegyptians Moreouer he exhorted him to commit the care of his sonne vnto God promising to bring him backe againe in safetie or else to die together with him Moreouer he said that certaine giftes gathered from the profits of Chanaan as the iuice of Mirabolans Stacte Terebinth and Hony should be sent as presents vnto Ioseph together with the double price of their come Thu◅ shedding teares on both sides they depart from their father leauing him miserably tormented for the health of his sonnes contrariwise suspecting with themselues least thorow his absence their father should be slaine with sorrow In this perplexitie spent they a whole day At last the old man remained in his house wholy afflicted and they trauailing into Aegypt did mitigate their present griefe with the hope of better fortune where no sooner were they atriued but they repaired vnto Ioseph being sore afraid least it should be laid to their charge that vnder colour of fraud and deceit they had caried away with them the price of their former come which presently before Iosephs
from the siege as we haue declared in an other place And againe a long time after this Herod also opened an other Cabinet from whence he tooke out a great summe And as touching the tombes of Princes no man defaced them because they were most magnificently builded for feare least they should be esteemed destroyers of monuments But for the present it sufficeth that I haue certified thus much THE EIGHTH BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 8. booke 1 How Salomon obtaining the kingdome expelled his enemies 2 Of the riches prudence and wisedome of Salomon and how first of all he builded the Temple in Ierusalem 3 How Salomon being dead the people reuolted from Roboam his sonne and made Hieroboam king of the ten tribes 4 How Susac king of the Aegyptians sacking Ierusalem caried away the riches of that Citie into Aegypt 5 The warre of Hieroboam against Abiam Roboams sonne and the slaughter of his armie and how Basanes the rooter out of Hieroboams posteritie occupied the kingdome 6 The irruption of the Aethipians into the land of the Hebrewes vnder Asa and the ouerthrow of their armie 7 Basans stocke being wholy rooted out amongst the Israelites Zamri ruled in Israel with his sonne Achab. 8 Adad king of Damasco and Syria encamping and fighting two seuerall times against Achab is ouerthrowne 9 Of Iosaphat king of Ierusalem 10 Achab being prouoked to warre by the Sryans is ouercome and slaine in the battell CHAP. I. How Salomon obtaining the kingdome expulsed his enemies WE haue declared in the former Booke what Dauid was how great his vertue hath beene what profits and benefits those of his nation receiued by him what warres and battels he worthily exployted and how happily at last through extremitie of age he departed out of this life But after that Salomon his sonne being at that time verie young had obtained the kingdome and was placed in his fathers throne according as Dauid had determined and the diuine power had decreed the whole people according to the common course in the election of newe Princes with happie acclamations wished him perpetuall felicitie in all his affaires and after his well gouerned estate and royaltie long many prosperous yeares But Adonias who during his fathers life time thought to possesse and seaze himselfe of the royall estate came vnto the kings mother and with all humilitie reuerence saluted her To whom Bethsabe said that if there were anything wherin she might sted him he should manifest it vnto her and that she would grant it him willingly Whereupon he began to say that it was a thing verie well knowen that the kingdome appertained vnto him both in regard of his age as also in respect of the fauour and good liking of the people but since that it had beene transferred vnto Salomon hir sonne by the will of God he was content therewith and would be his seruant being verie glad of the fortunate successe of his affaires He therefore besought her that she would solicite Salomon in his behalfe and perswade him to giue him Abisace to wife who had slept with Dauid for that he had not had any carnall company with her by reason of his age and that as yet she was fully possessed of her virginitie Bethsabe promised him to further his suit to the vtmost of hir power and willingly to employ her selfe toward the accomplishing of the marriage both for that the king was willing to gratifie her in whatsoeuer she should desire as also for that she would instantly intreat him so that he departed from her with assured hope of good successe in respect of his marriage Hereupon presently did Bethsabe addresse her selfe to the king intending to certifie him both what Adonias had requested and what she had granted When tidings came to Salomon that his mother came to visit him he went out to meete her and embraced her afterwards conducting her into the place where the royall treasure was he sate him downe and commaunded his seruants to place a seat on his right hand for his mother who setled by him spake vnto him after this manner My sonne vouchsafe me one fauour that I shall request at thy hands and send me not hence discontended and confused thorow thy refusall Salomon answered her that she should commaund him by reason that dutie tied him to the satisfaction and fauour of his mothers suites reprouing her for that insinuation she had vsed by reason that thereby she euidently expressed that she was not thorowly assured to obtaine her demaund but that she feared the refusall and repulse in the same she therefore required him to giue the Damsell Abisace for wife to Adonias his brother The King displeased at this her suit dismissed his mother alledging that Adonias hammered hie thoughts in his head that he wōdred that in requiring Abisace to wife he had not requested Salomō likewise to giue him place in the kingdome for Adonias was elder than he and had more mightie friends then he had namely the generall Ioab and the high Priest Abiathar For which cause he incontinently sent Banaia captaine of his guard to kill Adonias his brother Then calling vnto him the high Priest Abiathar The paines said he that thou hast endured by accompanying my father Dauid and attending and bearing the Arke with him make thee escape from death yet notwithstanding for that thou hast beene an assistant to Adonias and followed his faction I condemne thee to depart from my presence charging thee not to see my face any more but to retire thy selfe to thine owne house and there to liue in thy countrey vntill thou hast ended thy daies for hauing in this sort neglected me it is not conuenient that thou shouldest be in honour with me For this cause was the house of Ithamar depriued of the priestly dignitie according as God had foreprophecied to Eli one of the auncestors of Abiathar and translated to the race of Phinees and established in Sadoc Those of the race of Phinees who led a priuate life all that time that the Priesthood remained in the familie of Ithamar wherof Eli was the first were these Boccias the sonne of Ioseph Ioatham the sonne of Boccias Maraeoth the sonne of Ioatham Aropha the sonne of Maraeoth Achitob the sonne of Aropha Sadoc the sonne Achitob who was the first high Priest vnder king Dauid Ioab hauing tidings of the death of Adonias was seazed with sodaine and extreme feare for he loued him more than king Salomon and by reason of that friendship which he bare vnto him he iustly and vpon good grounds apprehended his owne danger and in this respect he fled vnto the altar hoping in that place to be secured in regard of that reuerēce which the king bare vnto God But when Ioabs resolution was made knowne vnto the king he sent Banaia vnto him with commission to bring him from the
to ascribe alwaies more credit vnto them then to the vaine plausible speech of such as currie fauour and no lesse to respect them then things of infinit profit since by them we are diuinely admonished what we ought to take heed of It behooueth vs also to consider what force the ordinance of God is of by examining those things which befell Achab. For it is impossible to auoid the preordinance of God notwithstanding that men flatter and nourish themselues with vaine hopes which inueigle them so far that finally they are ouertaken in the snares thereof For this carelesse inconsideration was fatall to King Achab in that he beleeued not his death which was foretold him but being deceiued by the flattering perswasions of false Prophets ranne headlong vpon his owne danger and death After him succeeded his sonne Ochozias THE NINTH BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 9. booke 1 Ioram Achabs sonne ouercommeth the Moabites in battell 2 Ioram King of Ierusalem obtaining the crowne killeth his brothers and his fathers friends 3 Iorams army is ouerthrowne by his enemies and his sonnes are slaine only one excepted at length he himselfe dieth a miserable death 4 The king of Damasco warreth against the king of Israel 5 Ioram with all his posteritie is slaine by Iehu Ochosias king of Ierusalem is slaine also 6 Iehu raigneth amongst the Israelites in Samaria and his posteritie after him till the fourth generation 7 Athalia raigneth fiue yeeres in Ierusalem and after she is slaine by the hie priest Ioas Ochosias sonne is proclaimed king 8 Azael King of Damasco gathereth an army first against the Israelites and afterwards against Ierusalem 9 Amasias King of Ierusalem maketh warre against the Idumeans and Amalechites and obtaineth the victorie 10 Amasias making warre against Ioas king of the Israelites is ouercome 11 Ozias ouercommeth the nations round about him 12 Rasin or Rabe king of Damasco vexeth the inhabitants of Ierusalem with warre Achaz their king is compelled to call the king of Assyria to assist him 13 The King of Assyria taketh Damasco by force and slaieth the king and translateth the people into Media and planteth other Colonies in the same 14 Salmanazar taking the king of Israel captiue translateth ten of the 12. Tribes into Media and causeth the Cuthaeans to inhabite their region CHAP. I. Ioram Achabs sonne ouercommeth the Moabites in battell AS soone as King Iosaphat was returned backe againe to Ierusalem from the warre wherein he had giuen succour to Achab against Adad the King of Syria as we haue heretofore declared the Prophet Iehu in his returne came forth and met him and reproued him because he had giuen Achab who had been a man both impious and wicked his assistance assuring him that God was displeased with that his confederacie yet notwithstanding that he of his goodnesse had deliuered him from his enemies although contrarie vnto his duetie he had demeaned himselfe vniustly After this admonition Iosaphat began to celebrate sacrifices and to offer vp thankesgiuings and peace offrings vnto God Which done he rode in progresse and circuit round about those countries that were vnder his dominion giuing order that the people should be instructed in those ordinances which were deliuered from God by the hands of Moses and exhorted his subiects to the practise of pietie contained in the same Hee planted iudges likewise in euery city commanding them to execute iustice vnto the people without respect of any thing but only iustice He charged them likewise that they should not be corrupted with rewards or seduced by dignitie riches or nobilitie but that they should doe iustice indifferently vnto all men knowing that God seeth all things how secretly soeuer they be carried or contriued Hauing in this sort ordered euery thing in each Citie of the two Tribes he returned againe into Ierusalem where he likewise chose iudges from amongst the Priests and Leuites and the Elders among the people exhorting them in all things to giue vpright and exact iudgement And if they of other cities had any causes of greater consequence which should bee referred to their finall determination he charged them with earnest industrie to decide them with as vpright and iust measure as might be for that it was very conuenient that the most exact and accomplished sentences should be deliuered in that Citie where as God had his temple and the King made his ordinarie aboad Ouer all these he placed his two friends Amasias the Priest and Zabadias of the Tribe of Iuda After this manner did the King dispose of his estate About this very time the Moabites and Ammonites and with them their confederates a great number of Arabians assaulted and assembled themselues against him and encamped themselues neere vnto Engaddi a Citie scituate neere vnto the lake Asphaltites and distant from Ierusalem some three hundreth stounds in which place flourish those goodly and holesome Palme-trees whence distilleth the pure and perfect liquor of balme When Iosaphat had intelligence that the enemies had past the lake and were already farre entred into his countrey he was affraid and assembled the people of Ierusalem in the temple and standing vpright and turning his face toward the propitiatorie he besought and requested God that he would giue him power and force to ouercome his enemies For such had been the forme of their supplication who in times past builded the temple namely that it might please him to fight for that Citie and oppose himselfe against those that durst attempt or assault that place to the intent to dispossesse them of that country which he himselfe had giuen them in possession and in pronouncing this prayer he wept and all the people likewise both men women and children made their requests vnto God Presently vpon this a certaine Prophet called Iaziel arose vp in the midst of the congregation and cried out and certified both the people and the King that God had heard their praiers and promised them to fight for them against their enemies enioyning them the next day to sally out in armes and go make head against their aduersaries whom they should incounter in the mountaine scituate betwixt Ierusalem and Engaddi in a place called the hillock of Sis which place in Hebrew signifieth Eminency willing them not to fight against them but onely to arrest in that place and see how God would fight and make warre for them When the Prophet had spoken these words the king and all the people prostrated themselues vpon their faces giuing thankes vnto God and adoring meane while the Leuites sung continuall hymnes with instruments and voices About the beginning of the day the king departed into the desart that is vnder the Citie of Thecoa aduising the people to beleeue all that which the prophet had said vnto them and not to arrange themselues in battell ray he commanded the Priests to march before
the seruice of God By which meanes it came to passe that the people brought all kinde of fruit to the priests and Leuites which the king put vp in certaine storehouses which he had built to be distributed to euerie one of them their wiues and children and by this means they returned againe to their former puritie in religion After the King had disposed all things in this sort he made warre vpon the Philistines and ouercame them and seased all their Cities betweene Gaza and Geth About this time the king of Assyria sent vnto him and threatned him that if he would not pay him those tributes which his father before him had paid vnto him he would destroy all his countrey Neuerthelesse Ezechias set light by his threats assuring himselfe in that pietie and zeale he bore towards God and in the Prophet Esay by whom he was exactly instructed as touching all those things that were to succeed And for this present it shall suffice that we haue spoken thus much of this king CHAP. XIIII Salmanasar slayeth the king of Israel and leadeth the Israelites captiue into the countrey of Media WHen tydings was brought to Salmanasar King of Assyria that the king of Israel had priuily sent vnto Soan king of Aegypt to request his assistance in warre against the Assyrian he was sore displeased and drew forth his army against Samaria in the seuenth yeere of the raigne of Oseas But the King of Israel withstood his entrance into the Citie by which meanes he was besieged therein for three yeeres space and finally Samaria was taken by force in the ninth yeere of Oseas and the seuenth of Ezechias raigne At which time all the kingdome of Israel was destroied and all the people transported into the countries of Media and Persia and amongst the rest king Oseas was taken prisoner The King of Assyria caused certaine nations of a countrey which by reason it abutted vpon a certaine riuer in Persia called by that name was called Chut to remoue their habitation and to dwell in Samaria and inhabite the countrey of Israel As for the ten Tribes of Israel they were transported out of their countrey nine hundreth fortie seuen yeeres since their predecessors departing out of Aegypt possessed the countrey of Chanaan eight hundreth yeeres after the gouernment of Iosuah and two hundreth and forty yeares seuen moneths and seuen daies since they reuolted from Roboam Dauids nephew to giue the kingdome to Ieroboam This was the end of the Israelites who transgressed the lawes and disobeyed the Prophets who foretold them of that calamitie which should happen vnto them except they repented them of their impieties The sedition that they moued against Roboam establishing his seruant for their king was the originall of their mischiefes For Ieroboam committing impietie against God and they imitating his wickednesse preuailed so much as the maiestie of God grew displeased with them so that he punished them according as they deserued But the King of Assyria rauaged and spoiled all Syria and Phaenicia with his army his name is found written in the Chronicles of the Tyrians for he made warre against the Tyrians at such time as Elulat raigned in Tyre whereof Menander maketh mention who wrote the historie of Tyre and hath translated their Pantarches into the Greeke toong The King Elulat said he raigned six and thirtie yeeres and pursued the Chuteans that were reuolted from him by sea and made them subiect Against whom the King of Assyria sent forth his army and inuaded all Phaenicia and afterwards hauing couenanted a peace with them he returned backe againe The Cities of Sidon Arce and Paletyr and diuers other cities reuolted from the Tyrians and submitted themselues to the king of Assyria For this cause and for that they of Tyre did not obey him he drew his army forth once more against them and he was furnished by the Phaenicians with sixtie ships and eight hundreth rowers The Tyrians charging these ships with twelue of their vessels ouerthrew the nauy of the Assyrians and tooke about fiue hundreth men prisoners which act of theirs wonderfully increased their honour But the king of Assyria returning backe againe planted a garrison vpon the riuer and fortified the fountaine heads to the intent the Tyrians might draw no water which act of his continuing for the space of fiue yeeres they were inforced to find dig new fountaines to sustaine themselues These things are written in the registers of the Tyrians themselues as also the exploits of the king of Assyria against them But these Chuteans new inhabitants of Samaria for to this day their name remaineth there as hauing bin brought from the Region of Chut which is in Persia where there is a riuer of that name for that they were of fiue nations they brought with them each of them the god whom they honoured in their nation to the number of fiue gods whom they serued after the manner of their countrey Whereupon the true and supreme God was grieuously displeased and prouoked against them for a plague fell amongst them that consumed them in such sort that they could finde no remedie vntill such time as they had notice that it behooued them to adore the great God and that therein consisted their safetie They therefore sent vnto the king of Assyria requiring him to send them Priests from amongst the Israelites whom he had led away prisoners in war Which done they learning the law and the manner of Gods seruice by them began verie diligently to obserue both by which meanes the plague ceased sodainly And now euen vnto this day continue they in the same Religion and are called by the Hebrewes Chuteans and Samaritanes by the Greekes These as often as they finde the Iewes in prosperitie call them their cousins according to the varietie and changes of time but if they perceiue their fortunes to be on the declining hand then abiure they consanguinitie and renounce any lawfull parentage or amitie and say that they were planted in the countrey and drawne thither from a forraine nation But in time and place conuenient we shall speake of them more amply THE TENTH BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 10. booke 1 Senacharib King of Assyria besiegeth Ezechias in Ierusalem 2 Ezechias hauing liued for a certaine time in peace dieth and leaueth his sonne Manasses to succeed him 3 The Kings of the Chaldees and he of Babylon warre against Manasses and ledde him away prisoner 4 The historie of King Iosias 5 Iosias death in battell who hindered the King of Aegypt from leading his army against the Babylonians and the euent thereof 6 The army of Nabuchodonosor commeth into Syria 7 Nabuchodonosor putteth Ioacim to death and maketh Ioachin King 8 Nabuchodonosor changeth his purpose besiegeth Ioachim and is reconciled vnder composition 9 Sedechias is appointed king ouer Ierusalem 10 Ierusalem is
sworne he would keepe it to his vse Furthermore he reproched him for his ingratitude in that hauing receiued the royaltie from his hands which he had taken from Ioachin to bestow it on him he had notwithstanding employed all his forces against his benefactor But said he that great God that hateth thy trecherie hath deliuered thee into my hands and when he had spoken these words he caused Zedechias friends and children to be slaine before his eies with all his other prisoners afterwards commaunding his eies to be plucked out he led him to Babylon All which hapned vnto him according as the prophets Ieremie and Ezechiel had foretolde him namely that he should be surprised and brought before the king of Babylon and should speake with him face to face and should see him with his eies for so had Ieremy prophecied but being made blind and conducted to Babylon he should not see the Citie of Babylon according as Ezechiel had foretold All which may sufficiently expresse to those that knowe not the nature of God how diuers and admirable his iudgements be in disposing all things in good order and presignifying those things that are to come euen as in this place there appeareth a most signall example of humaine errour and incredulitie by which it was not lawfull for them to auoid their future calamitie neither shunne their vnremoueable destinie Thus was the race of the kings extinguished that descended from Dauid who were in number one and twentie that raigned after him All of them together gouerned fiue hundreth and fourteene yeares sixe moneths and ten daies adding thereunto the twentie yeares of the first king Saul who was of an other tribe After this the Babylonian sent Nabuzardan general of his army vnto Ierusalem to spoile the temple giuing him in charge to burne both it and the kings pallace and to race and leuell the Citie with the ground and afterwards to transport the people into Babylon Who arriued there the eleuenth yeare of the raigne of Sedechias spoyled the temple caried away the vessels that were cōsecrated to Gods seruice both those of gold as also them of siluer he tooke likewise the great lauer that was giuen by Salomon The columnes and pillars of brasse with their chapters likewise and the tables and candlestickes of gold and after he had borne away all things he burned the temple the first day of the fist moneth of the eleuenth yeare of Sedechias raigne which was the eighteenth of Nabuchodonosors gouernment He burned also the kings royall pallace and raced the Citie This temple was burned 470. yeares sixe moneths and 10 daies after the foundation therof in the yeare 1062. six monethes ten daies after the departure of the people out of Aegypt 1950. yeres six moneths ten daies after the Deluge from the creation of Adam vntil the ruine of the temple there were three thousand fiue hundreth and thirteen yeares six moneths and ten daies Thus haue we set downe the number of the yeares and orderly expressed what and in what time euerie thing hath beene performed The generall for the king of Babylon hauing destroyed the Citie and transported the people tooke prisoners the high Priest Sareas and his fellow in office the Priest Sephan with the gouernours and keepers of the Temple which were three the Eunuch also which had the charge ouer the rest and seuen of Sedechias friends and his secretarie besides sixty other gouernours al which together with the vessels which he had pillaged he sent to Reblatha a Citie of Syria vnto the king of Babylon who commaunded in that place that the high Priest and gouernours should be beheaded as for the rest of the prisoners and Sedechias the king he carried them with him to Babylon he sent also in bonds with the rest Iosadoch the son of Sareas the high Priest whom he had put to death in Reblatha as we haue heretofore declared And for that we haue reckned vp the race of the kings set down likewise what they were and how long they continued me seemeth that it shall not be vnnecessarie to recite the names of the high Priests and to report who they haue beene that haue administred the priesthood vnder the kings Sadoc was the first high Priest of the temple builded by Salomon After him his sonne Achimas succeeded in that honour and after Achimas Azarias after whom succeeded Ioram and after Ioram Ioschua after Ioschua Axioram who had for his successor Phideas to Phideas succeeded Sudeas to Sudeas Iulus to Iulus Iotham to Iotham Vrias to Vrias Nerias to Nerias Odeas to Odeas Saldum to Saldum Elcias to Elcias Sareas to Sareas Iosadoch who was carried away prisoner into Babylon all which haue succeeded in the priesthood by lineall descent When Nabuchodonosor was come to Babylon he shut vp Sedechias in prison where he kept him vntill he died and after his death he honoured him with a royall tombe He likewise offered the vessels that he had taken out of the temple of Ierusalem vnto his gods and caused the people to inhabite the countrey of Babylon deliuering the high priest from his bonds The generall Nabuzardan that led the people away captiue left the poorer sort in the country of Iudaea those also that voluntarily yeelded themselues vnto him ouer whom hee appointed Godolias the sonne of Aicam gouernour a man that was both vpright and noble commanding them to till the land and to pay their assigned tribute to the king He drew the Prophet Ieremy also out of prison perswading him to repaire with him to the king of Babylon telling him that he had receiued expresse commaundement from the king to furnish him with all thinges necessarie for that iourney but if he were not contented to repaire to Babylon he should declare to him in what place he would make his aboad to the intent he might certifie the king thereof But the Prophet would not follow him neither depart or soiourne in any other place desiring rather to liue amidst the ruines of his countrey and among the pitious reliques of his poore nation When the generall Nabuzardan vnderstood his resolution he gaue charge to the gouernor Godolias whom he left in Iudaea to haue care of him and to furnish him with all that which he wanted and after he had gratified him with presents he departed Meane while Ieremy dwelt in the Citie of Masphath praying Nabuzardan that he would send him his disciple Baruch the son of Neria a man of a noble family and excellently learned in that countrey language Nowe when as these that during the siege of Ierusalem were retired out of the Citie vnderstood of the retreat of the Babylonians they assembled togither from all parts and came to Masphath to Godolias vnder the conduct of Iohn the sonne of Careas and Iezanais and Sareas and others And besides these a certaine man called Ismael of the bloud royall a wicked
to be drowned by the winds and chariots that haue no driuers to conduct them to be at one against another euen so should it perish and should ruinate it selfe by such an irregular motion By these things therefore that Daniel hath foretold I iudge that they are farre estraunged from the truth that affirme that God hath no care of humaine affaires for if wee see that all things happen casually then happen they not according to his prophecie But I haue written hereof according as I haue found and red and if any one will thinke otherwise let him continue his opinion as long as him list THE XI BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 11. booke 1 Syrus King of Persia dismisseth the Iewes from Babylon and permitteth them to returne into their countrey and contributeth towards the raparation of the Temple 2 The Kings gouernours hinder the building of the Temple 3 Cambyses commaundeth the Iewes that they should not build the Temple 4 Darius Hystaspis sonne buildeth a Temple for the Iewes 5 The bountie of Xerxes Darius sonne towards the Hebrew nation 6 How during Ataxerxes raigne the whole nation of the Iewes were almost extinguished thorow Amans trecherie 7 Bagoses Generall of Ataxerxes the youngers armie doth much iniurie to the Iewes 8 How bountifull Alexander of Macedon was vnto the Iewes CHAP. I. Cyrus King of Persia dismisseth the Iewes from Babylon and permitteth them to returne into their countrey and contributeth towards the building of the Temple THe first yeare of the raigne of Cyrus which was the seuentith after that our nation was translated from Iudaea to Babylon God had compassion of the captiuitie calamitie of his poore afilicted people euen as he had foretold them before the destruction of the Citie that after they had serued Nabuchodonosor and his posteritie for seuentie yeares he would againe restore them to their countrey wherein they were borne where they should build a Temple and enioy their former felicitie so brought he it to passe For he awakened the spirit of Cyrus and made him write his letters thorowout all Asia to this effect Thus saith the King Cyrus Since the Almightie God hath made me king of the whole world I am perswaded that it is he whom the Iewish nation doe adore for he hath declared my name by his Prophets before I was borne and hath said that I shall build his Temple in Ierusalem which is in the countrey of Iudaea Now Cyrus knew these things by reading of a booke of prophecie written by Isay two hundreth ten yeares before his time For he saith that God did secretly reueale these things vnto him speaking to this effect I will that Cyrus whō I haue declared King ouer many nations shall send my people backe into their countrey of Iudaea and shall build my Temple These things did Isay foretell one hundreth and fortie yeares before the ruine of the Temple Cyrus in reading these things being rauished in admiration of the Maiestie of God was surprised with an affection and zeale to finish that which was written He therefore called for all the men of greatest reckoning among the Iewes that were in Babylon and told them that he gaue them licence to returne into their countrey and to repaire the Citie of Ierusalem and erect the Temple of God promising them that he himselfe would assist them And to that effect he wrote vnto his gouernours and princes of those countries that confined vpon Iudaea charging them to contribute both gold and siluer toward the building of the temple and to furnish them with cattell for the sacrifice After that Cyrus had certified the Israelites of this his intent the Princes of the two tribes of Iuda and Beniamin with all the Leuites and Priests departed thence and repaired to Ierusalem Nathelesse diuers of the Iewes remained in Babylon in that they were loath to abandon those possessions they had gotten As soone as they came vnto the Kings friends they affoorded them both fauour and aide and furnished them with necessarie matter to build the temple some of them with gold other some with siluer and the rest with a certaine number of oxen and horses Thus paied they their vowes vnto God and offered the sacrifices according to the ancient custome as if the Citie had bin new builded againe and the ancient seruice of God but newly awakened Cyrus sent them backe also those vessels consecrated to God 〈◊〉 king Nabuchodonosor had sent into Babylon after he had spoiled the temple and deliuered them to Mithridates his treasurer commaunding him to carry and commit them to Abassars hands who should haue the custodie thereof vntill the temple were builded to the end that at such time as it were compleat he might deliuer them to the priests princes of the people to be restored again to the seruice of the Temple He sent letters also to the gouernours of Syria to this effect Cyrus King of Sisine and Sarabasane health I haue permitted those Iewes that inhabit my countrey to returne into their natiue countrey and to reedifie their Citie and erect the temple of God in Ierusalem in the same place where it stood before I haue also sent my treasurer Mithridates and Zorobabel the Prince of the Iewes with expresse charge and authoritie to lay the foundations of the same and to build it sixtie cubits in height and as many in bredth making three Isles of hewen stone and an other of such timber as the countrey affoordeth the Altar likewise whereupon they may offer sacrifice vnto God and my pleasure is that the charge of all these things come out of my cofers I haue also sent backe those vessels which Nabuchodonosor took out of the temple and haue deliuered them to the treasurer Mithridates and to Zorobabel the Prince of the Iewes to be conueyed to Ierusalem and restored to the temple of God the number whereof I haue heereunder subscribed Fiftie lauers of gold and foure hundreth of siluer fiftie pots of gold and foure hundreth of siluer fiftie golden sieues and fiue hundreth of siluer thirtie Ewers of gold and three hundreth of siluer thirtie great viols of gold and two thousand foure hundreth of siluer and besides all these one thousand other great vessels I release them also of the tribute which their predecessors were accustomed to pay namely the leuy of cattell wine and oyle and of two hundreth fiue thousand fiue hundreth drachmes and two thousand fiue hundreth measures of wheate yeelding fine flower Commanding these necessarie furnitures to be deliuered them out of the Tributes of Samaria and the Priests shall offer vp these sacrifices in Ierusalem according to the ordinance of Moses and during their sacrifice they shall make praiers vnto God for the preseruation of the king and his house to the end that the Empire of the Persians may be still permanent And my will is
betweene the Romanes and the Iewes CHAP. XVIII Bacchides is sent once againe into Iudaea and obtaineth a victory WHen as Nicanors death and the discomfiture of his army was reported to Demetrius he sent a new army into Iudaea vnder the conduct of Bacchides who departing from Antioch and repairing to Iudaea encamped in Arbela a city of Galilee where hauing inforced conquered and taken a great number of those that were retired into caues he departed from thence and repaired in all haste to Ierusalem And vnderstanding that Iudas was encamped in the village of Berzeth he marched out against him with twentie thousand footmen and two thousand horsemen Now Iudas had not on his side in all aboue two thousand men who perceiuing the multitude of Bacchides soldiers were afraid so that some of them forsaking their camp fled away by which meanes there remained no more with Iudas but eight hundreth men Seeing himselfe therefore abandoned by so many of his men and pressed by his enemies who gaue him neither truce nor time to reassemble his forces he resolued to fight with those eight hundreth which he had whom he exhorted to be of good courage and to fight valiantly but they answered that they were insufficient to make head against so huge an army and counsailed him to retire and to stand on his guard for that time vntill he had gathered forces that might be able to confront the enemy But Iudas replied to this effect God forbid said he that the sunne should see me turne my backe vpon mine enemies And if by this meanes I meete with my death and that I must needes spend ◅y last bloud in this battell I will neuer soile so many notable actions so worthily atchieued nor staine so much glorie obtained with so great vertue by one ignominious flight And hauing in this sort exhorted the small remnant of those souldiers that were with him he commanded them that without any apprehension of danger they should bend themselues altogither against the enemy CHAP. XIX Iudas ouercome in the battell dieth BVt Bacchides drew out his army and arranged them in battell placing the horsemen on both the wings his light armed souldiers and archers in the front of the army and after these a strong band called the Macedonian Phalanx and he himselfe led the right wing of the battell And in this array he approched Iudas campe and caused the trumpets to be sounded commanding all his souldiers to giue a great shoute to charge their enemies Iudas did the like and encountred Bacchides so that on both sides there was a most cruell conflict which continued vntill the sunne-set And when as Iudas perceiued that Bacchides and the flower of his army fought in the right wing he chose out a certaine number of his most resolute followers and drew towards that quarter and setting vpon them he brake their squadron and afterwards thrusting into the midst of them he forced them to flie and pursued them as farre as the mount Aza They of the left wing perceiuing the flight of those in the right went after Iudas and enclosed him on the backpart He being vnable to flie and seeing himselfe enclosed by his enemies resolued with his souldiers to fight it out When as therefore he had slaine a great number of his enemies and being enfeebled more through wearinesse then by the woundes receiued of them he fell to the ground and was himselfe at last slaine likewise adding this honourable manner of death to his former notable and valiant exploites His souldiers seeing him dead and hauing no gouernour of respect left amongst them after the losse of so valiant a captaine betooke them all to flight Simon and Ionathan his brothers vpon intreatie recouered his body and carried it to Modim a place where his father was buried there was he interred by all the people who wept for him diuers daies and honoured him publikely according to the custome of their countrey Such was Iudas end who was a valiant man a great warriour and verie respectiue of the commandements of his father Matthias hauing done and suffered all that he might for the libertie of his countrey Being therefore after this manner adorned with vertue he hath left behinde him a perpetuall renowne of his worthy actes and an honourable memorie of himselfe obtained by the libertie in which hee reestablished his nation retyring them from the seruitude of the Macedonians who died also after he had discharged the office of the high priest for the space of three yeeres THE XIII BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 13. booke 1 Ionathan after his brother Iudas death succeedeth him in the gouernment 2 Ionathan hauing wearied Bacchides by warre compelleth him to draw to a league and to depart away with his army 3 Alexander the sonne of Antiochus Epiphanes maketh warre vpon King Demetrius 4 Demetrius sendeth an embassador to Ionathan with presents perswading him to be of his faction 5 Alexander by greater proffers then Demetrius did offer and by offering the high Priests place to Ionathan draweth him to fauour his faction 6 Of the temple of God builded by Onias 7 How Alexander after the death of Demetrius highly honoured Ionathan 8 Demetrius the sonne of Demetrius ouercomming Alexander possesseth the kingdome and plighteth friendship with Ionathan 9 Tryphon Apamenus after he had ouercome Demetrius reserueth the kingdome for Antiochus Alexanders sonne who receiueth Ionathan into fauour 10 Demetrius being ouercome by the Parthians Tryphon breaketh his couenant of peace and laying hold on Ionathan traiterously killeth him and afterwards assaulteth Simon his brother 11 How the nation of the Iews cōmitted both the priesthood the gouernment of the army to Simon 12 Simon driuing Tryphon into Dora besiegeth him and entreth friendship with Antiochus surnamed Pius 13 A debate arising betweene Antiochus and Simon Cendebaeus the kings captaine is driuen out of the countrey 14 How Simon was traiterously slaine at a banquet by Ptolomey his father in law 15 How Prolomies endeuours being made frustrate Hircanus obtained the gouernment 16 How Antiochus surnamed the Iust leading an army against Hircanus for three hundreth talents is both reconciled and tied in league of friendshippe 17 Hircanus expedition into Syria 18 How Antiochus Cyzicenus assisting the Samaritanes is both conquered and enforced to flie 19 Aristobulus was the first that set the Diademe on his head 20 The actes of Alexander King of the Iewes 21 The victorie of Ptolomey Lathurus against Alexander 22 Demetrius Eucaerus ouercommeth Alexander in battell 23 The expedition of Antiochus Dionysius into Iewry 24 Alexander being dead his wife Alexandra succeeded him in the kingdome CHAP. I. Ionathan after the decease of his brother Iudas succeedeth him in the gouernment WE haue declared in our former booke how the nation of the Iewes after they had been vnder the subiection of the Macedonians recouered their liberty we
kingdome and railed against such as he had no power ouer Antipater increased this mischiefe more and more and gathering togither a great company of his friends he omitted no kind of calumniation The king likewise was terrified by the rumours tales of pickthanks that he thought alwaies that he saw Alexander before him with a drawen sword For which cause he sodainly tooke him and cast him in prison and tortured his friends many of which died in torments because they would not confesse more then in conscience was true others not able to endure the torments were forced to confesse that Alexander and his brother Aristobulus thought to haue wrought treason against their father that they expected their time till he went a hunting resolued in themselues that hauing killed him they would presently flie to Rome Although these and such like calumniations were nowaies probable yet extremitie of paine forced men extempore to inuent them and the king willingly beleeued them as it were comforting himselfe thereby in that he might not be thought to haue imprisoned his sonne vn◅stly Alexander perceluing that it was vnpossible for him to abolish his fathers suspition thought it better to yeeld hi◅selfe guiltio and so wrote foure bookes against his aduersaries and confessed the treason affirming that he had many partakers therein namely Pheroras Salome who were the chiefe auouching that before that time he had had the vse of her body in the night time and how though he himselfe was vnwilling yet she forced him thereunto Now the bookes came vnto Herods hands which charged the greatest amongst the nobilitie with most hainous matters Archelaus fearing his son in law and daughter to be in great danger speedily came into Iudaea and ingeniously appeased the kings wrath for so soone as he came vnto Herod he cried where is that wicked son in law of mine or where may I see the face of that wre◅h that goeth about to murther his father that I may teare him in peeces with mine own hands marrie my daughter anew to a better husband for although she be not priuie to his cou◅sell yet is she defiled for that she was wife to such a man Nay I admire thy patience who art in such daunger and sufferest Alexander yet to liue for I came thus hastily out of Cappadocia thinking he had beene put to death to talke with thee concerning my daughter whom I maried to him for thy sake and honour Wherefore now let vs take counsell what to do with them both and seeing thouart too father like and not able to punish thy sonne thy ◅echerous sonne let vs chaunge roumes and let me be in t◅y place to reuenge thee with such like inuections he deceiued Herode though otherwise firme in his purpose Then Herode shewed him the bookes that Alexander had writ and reading euery chapter with deliberation Archelaus tooke occasion fit for his purpose and by little and little laid al the fault on Pheroras and those that were accused in the booke And perceiuing the king to giue eare vnto him let vs quoth he consider whether the young man was not circumuented by the trechery of so many lewde persens and not thou by the yong man for there appeares no cause why he should fall into such wickednes who now enioyed the kingdome and hoped to succeed thee therein had he not beene perswaded thereto by other men who seeing him a young man entised him vnto such naughtines For we see that through such men not onely young men but also olde men and most noble families yea and whole kingdomes are ruinated Herode vpon these speeches began somewhat to relent so that he appeased his wrath toward Alexāder encreased it towards Pheroras for he was as it were the subiect of the whole booke Who perceiuing the king so to trust vnto Archelaus friendship that he was lead by him to do what he pleased leauing Alexander he in humble manner came to Archelaus seeking impudently for succour at his hands of whom he had not deserued any fauour Archelaus answered him that he knew no waies to obtaine his pardon who was guiltie of so hainous crimes and conuicted manifestly to haue practised high treason against the kings owne person and to be the cause of all these miseries that had now befallen the young man except that he would lay aside all subtle dealing and denying of his fact and confesse the crimes wherof he was accused and so in humble wise go vnto his brother who loued him dearely and craue pardon promising him that if he would so do he would do him what good he could Hereupon Pheroras obeyed Archelaus his counsell and putting on a blacke attire he in pitifull maner and with teares prostrated himselfe at Herodes feete and crauing pardon obtained it confessing himselfe to be a most wicked and vile person and to be guiltie of al that which was obiected against him and that the cause which moued him to do al those things was the franticke and madde fits he fell into for the loue of that woman Now when Pheroras became his owne accuser a witnesse against himselfe then Archelaus endeuored to mitigate Herodes wrath towards him and excuse his faultes with fit examples for he alleaged that his brother attempted greater matters against him whom notwithstanding for natures cause he pardoned adding that in euery kingdome as in mightie bodies alwaies some part began to swell which notwithstanding was not presently to be cut off but to be cured by easie means Archelaus vsing many speeches vnto Herod to this purpose at last quite appeased his wrath toward Pheroras still counterfaiting himselfe to be angrie with Alexander affirming that he would take his daughter away with him till at last he forced Herode of his owne accord to entreat for the yong man requesting him again to despouse his daughter vnto him Archelaus after much entreatie answered that he was willing the king should bestow his daughter vpō any saue Alexander for he greatly esteemed the law of affinity Herod replied that if he did not diuorce his daughter from Alexander he should thinke that he bestowed his sonne vpon him for they had no children and his daughter was dearely loued of the young man so that if he would permit her to stay still there for her sake he would pardon all Alexanders offences Heereto Archelaus with much ado agreed and so was reconciled vnto his sonne in law and he vnto his father Yet Herode affirmed that he must needs be sent to Rome to speake with Caesar for he had written the whole matter vnto Caesar. Thus Archelaus craftily deliuered his sonne in law from daunger and after this reconciliation was made they spent the time in feasting and mirth Vpon Archelaus departure Herode gaue him seuentie talents and a throne of pure gold adorned with precious stones and Eunuches and a concubine named Pannychis and rewarded euery one of his