---
title: "Jewish Antiquities · Ἰουδαϊκὴ ἀρχαιολογία"
author: "Josephus"
translator: "William Whiston"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Second Temple"
section: 29 of 96
url: https://scriptura.si/works/josephus-jewish-antiquities-greek/29/
cite: "Josephus, tr. William Whiston, Jewish Antiquities · Ἰουδαϊκὴ ἀρχαιολογία, section 29. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/josephus-jewish-antiquities-greek/29/"
---

# Jewish Antiquities · Ἰουδαϊκὴ ἀρχαιολογία

*Josephus, tr. William Whiston*

The history of the Jews from the Creation to the eve of the revolt, in twenty books, with the passages on John the Baptist and Jesus: Niese’s Greek beside Whiston’s English.

> Greek: ed. Benedikt Niese, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0526.tlg001, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: William Whiston, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0526.tlg001.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (books, chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## 29. Book VII · sections 7–69

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/josephus-jewish-antiquities-greek/29/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/josephus-jewish-antiquities-greek/29/#p-N

[¶0] 7. Now when David had paid these honors to the king, he left off his mourning, and inquired of God by the prophet which of the cities of the tribe of Judah he would bestow upon him to dwell in; who answered that he bestowed upon him Hebron. So he left Ziklag, and came to Hebron, and took with him his wives, who were in number two, and his armed men; whereupon all the people of the forementioned tribe came to him, and ordained him their king. But when he heard that the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul and his sons [honorably], he sent to them and commended them, and took what they had done kindly, and promised to make them amends for their care of those that were dead; and at the same time he informed them that the tribe of Judah had chosen him for their king.

> Greek: 7. Ἐπεὶ δὲ τούτοις ἐξετίμησε τὸν βασιλέα παυσάμενος τοῦ πένθους ἤρετο τὸν θεὸν διὰ τοῦ προφήτου, τίνα δίδωσιν αὐτῷ κατοικῆσαι πόλιν τῆς Ἰούδα καλουμένης φυλῆς. φήσαντος δʼ αὐτοῦ διδόναι Γιβρῶνα καταλιπὼν τὴν Σίκελλαν εἰς ἐκείνην παραγίνεται τάς τε γυναῖκας ἐπαγόμενος τὰς αὑτοῦ, δύο δὲ ἦσαν, καὶ τοὺς ὁπλίτας τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ. συνελθὼν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν πᾶς ὁ τῆς φυλῆς τῆς προειρημένης λαὸς ἀποδείκνυσιν αὐτὸν βασιλέα. ἀκούσας δʼ ὅτι τὸν Σαοῦλον καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ θάψειαν οἱ ἐν Ἰαβησῷ τῆς Γαλααδίτιδος κατοικοῦντες, ἔπεμψε πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐπαινῶν καὶ ἀποδεχόμενος αὐτῶν τὸ ἔργον, καὶ χάριτας ἀποδώσειν ἀντὶ τῆς πρὸς τοὺς τεθνηκότας σπουδῆς ὑπισχνούμενος, ἅμα δὲ καὶ δηλῶν ὡς ἡ Ἰούδα φυλὴ κεχειροτόνηκεν αὐτὸν βασιλέα.

[¶1] 9. But as soon as Abner, the son of Ner, who was general of Saul’s army, and a very active man, and good-natured, knew that the king, and Jonathan, and his two other sons, were fallen in the battle, he made haste into the camp; and taking away with him the remaining son of Saul, whose name was Ishbosheth, he passed over to the land beyond Jordan, and ordained him the king of the whole multitude, excepting the tribe of Judah; and made his royal seat in a place called in our own language Mahanaim, but in the language of the Grecians, The Camps; from whence Abner made haste with a select body of soldiers, to fight with such of the tribe of Judah as were disposed to it, for he was angry that this tribe had set up David for their king. But Joab, whose father was Suri, and his mother Zeruiah, David’s sister, who was general of David’s army, met him, according to David’s appointment. He had with him his brethren, Abistiai and Asahel, as also all David’s armed men. Now when he met Abner at a certain fountain, in the city of Gibeon, he prepared to fight. And when Abner said to him, that he had a mind to know which of them had the more valiant soldiers, it was agreed between them that twelve soldiers of each side should fight together. So those that were chosen out by both the generals for this fight came between the two armies, and throwing their lances one against the other, they drew their swords, and catching one another by the head, they held one another fast, and ran each other’s swords into their sides and groins, until they all, as it were by mutual agreement, perished together. When these were fallen down dead, the rest of the army came to a sore battle, and Abner’s men were beaten; and when they were beaten, Joab did not leave off pursuing them, but he pressed upon them, and excited the soldiers to follow them close, and not to grow weary of killing them. His brethren also pursued them with great alacrity, especially the younger, Asahel, who was the most eminent of them. He was very famous for his swiftness of foot, for he could not only be too hard for men, but is reported to have overrun a horse, when they had a race together. This Asahel ran violently after Abner, and would not turn in the least out of the straight way, either to the one side or to the other. Hereupon Abner turned back, and attempted artfully to avoid his violence. Sometimes he bade him leave off the pursuit, and take the armor of one of his soldiers; and sometimes, when he could not persuade him so to do, he exhorted him to restrain himself, and not to pursue him any longer, lest he should force him to kill him, and he should then not be able to look his brother in the face: but when Asahel would not admit of any persuasions, but still continued to pursue him, Abner smote him with his spear, as he held it in his flight, and that by a back-stroke, and gave him a deadly wound, so that he died immediately; but those that were with him pursuing Abner, when they came to the place where Asahel lay, they stood round about the dead body, and left off the pursuit of the enemy. However, both Joab himself, and his brother Abishai, ran past the dead corpse, and making their anger at the death of Asahel an occasion of greater zeal against Abner, they went on with incredible haste and alacrity, and pursued Abner to a certain place called Ammah: it was about sun-set. Then did Joab ascend a certain hill, as he stood at that place, having the tribe of Benjamin with him, whence he took a view of them, and of Abner also. Hereupon Abner cried aloud, and said that it was not fit that they should irritate men of the same nation to fight so bitterly one against another; that as for Asahel his brother, he was himself in the wrong, when he would not be advised by him not to pursue him any farther, which was the occasion of his wounding and death. So Joab consented to what he said, and accepted these his words as an excuse [about Asahel], and called the soldiers back with the sound of the trumpet, as a signal for their retreat, and thereby put a stop to any further pursuit. After which Joab pitched his camp there that night; but Abner marched all that night, and passed over the river Jordan, and came to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, to Mahanaim. On the next day Joab counted the dead men, and took care of all their funerals. Now there were slain of Abner’s soldiers about three hundred and sixty; but of those of David nineteen, and Asahel, whose body Joab and Abishai carried to Bethlehem; and when they had buried him in the sepulcher of their fathers, they came to David to Hebron. From this time therefore there began an intestine war, which lasted a great while, in which the followers of David grew stronger in the dangers they underwent, and the servants and subjects of Saul’s sons did almost every day become weaker.

> Greek: 9. Ὁ δὲ τοῦ Σαούλου μὲν ἀρχιστράτηγος Ἀβεννῆρος Νήρου δὲ παῖς ἀνὴρ δραστήριος καὶ ἀγαθὸς τὴν φύσιν, ὡς ἔγνω πεσόντα τὸν βασιλέα καὶ τὸν Ἰωνάθην καὶ τοὺς δύο τοὺς ἄλλους αὐτοῦ παῖδας, ἐπειχθεὶς εἰς τὴν παρεμβολὴν καὶ τὸν περιλειπόμενον ἐξαρπάσας υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, Ἰέβοσθος δʼ ἐκαλεῖτο, διαβιβάζει πρὸς τοὺς πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου καὶ παντὸς ἀποδείκνυσι τοῦ πλήθους βασιλέα πάρεξ τῆς Ἰούδα φυλῆς. βασίλειον δʼ ἐποίησεν αὐτῷ τὴν κατὰ μὲν τὴν ἐπιχώριον γλῶτταν Μάναλιν, κατὰ δὲ τὴν Ἑλλήνων Παρεμβολὰς λεγομένην· ὥρμησε δʼ ἐκεῖθεν Ἀβεννῆρος μετὰ στρατιᾶς ἐπιλέκτου συμβαλεῖν τοῖς ἐκ τῆς Ἰούδα φυλῆς προαιρούμενος· ὤργιστο γὰρ αὐτοῖς βασιλέα τὸν Δαυίδην κεχειροτονηκόσιν. ἀπήντησε δʼ αὐτῷ πεμφθεὶς ὑπὸ Δαυίδου Σαρουίας μὲν παῖς, πατρὸς δὲ Σουρί, ἐκ δὲ τῆς ἀδελφῆς τῆς ἐκείνου γεγονὼς αὐτῷ Ἰώαβος ἀρχιστράτηγος ὢν αὐτοῦ, μετὰ καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν Ἀβεσσαίου καὶ Ἀσαήλου καὶ πάντων τῶν Δαυίδου ὁπλιτῶν. καὶ περιτυχὼν ἐπί τινος κρηνίδος ἐν Γαβαῶ πόλει παρατάσσεται πρὸς μάχην. τοῦ δʼ Ἀβεννήρου φήσαντος πρὸς αὐτὸν βούλεσθαι μαθεῖν, πότερος αὐτῶν ἀνδρειοτέρους στρατιώτας ἔχει, συντίθεται παρʼ ἀμφοτέρων δυοκαίδεκα μαχησομένους συμβαλεῖν. προελθόντες τοίνυν εἰς τὸ μεταξὺ τῶν παρατάξεων οἱ πρὸς τὴν μάχην ὑφʼ ἑκατέρων τῶν στρατηγῶν ἐξειλεγμένοι καὶ τὰς αἰχμὰς ἐπʼ ἀλλήλους ἀφέντες σπῶνται τὰς μαχαίρας καὶ τῶν κεφαλῶν ἐλλαμβανόμενοι κατέχοντες αὑτοὺς ἔπαιον εἰς τὰς πλευρὰς καὶ τὰς λαγόνας ἀλλήλους ταῖς ῥομφαίαις, ἕως οὗ πάντες ὥσπερ ἐκ συνθήματος ἀπώλοντο. πεσόντων δὲ τούτων συνέρρηξε καὶ ἡ λοιπὴ στρατιά, καὶ καρτερᾶς τῆς μάχης γενομένης ἡττήθησαν οἱ τοῦ Ἀβεννήρου· καὶ τραπέντας οὐκ ἀνίει διώκων Ἰώαβος, ἀλλʼ αὐτός τε ἐπέκειτο παρακελευόμενος τοὺς ὁπλίτας ἐκ ποδὸς ἕπεσθαι καὶ μὴ κάμνειν ἀναιροῦντας, οἵ τε ἀδελφοὶ προθύμως ἠγωνίσαντο, καὶ διαφανέστερος τῶν ἄλλων μάλιστα ὁ νεώτερος Ἀσάηλος, ὃς ἐπὶ ποδῶν ὠκύτητι κλέος εἶχεν· οὐ γὰρ ἀνθρώπους ἐνίκα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἵππῳ καταστάντα εἰς ἅμιλλαν λέγουσι παραδραμεῖν, καὶ τὸν Ἀβεννῆρον ἐδίωκεν ὑπὸ ῥύμης καὶ τῆς ἐπʼ ὀρθὸν φορᾶς εἰς οὐδέτερον ἐγκλιθεὶς τῶν μερῶν. ἐπιστραφέντος δὲ τοῦ Ἀβεννήρου καὶ κατασοφίζεσθαι τὴν ὁρμὴν αὐτοῦ πειρωμένου καὶ ποτὲ μὲν εἰπόντος ἑνὸς τῶν αὐτοῦ στρατιωτῶν ἀφέμενος τῆς διώξεως ἀφελέσθαι τὴν πανοπλίαν, πάλιν δʼ ὡς οὐκ ἔπειθε τοῦτο ποιεῖν κατασχεῖν αὑτὸν καὶ μὴ διώκειν παραινοῦντος, μὴ κτείνας αὐτὸν ἀπολέσῃ τὴν πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ παρρησίαν, οὐ προσιέμενον [δὲ] τοὺς λόγους, ἀλλʼ ἐπιμείναντα τὴν δίωξιν φεύγων ὡς εἶχε τὸ δόρυ πλήξας εἰς τοὐπίσω καιρίως παραχρῆμʼ ἀπέκτεινεν. οἱ δὲ μετʼ αὐτοῦ διώκοντες τὸν Ἀβεννῆρον ὡς ἦλθον ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον, οὗ κεῖσθαι συνέβαινε τὸν Ἀσάηλον, περιστάντες τὸν νεκρὸν οὐκέτι τοὺς πολεμίους ἐδίωκον· ὁ δὲ Ἰώαβος αὐτὸς καὶ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ Ἀβεσσαῖος παραδραμόντες τὸ πτῶμα καὶ τῆς πλείονος ἐπὶ τὸν Ἀβεννῆρον σπουδῆς αἰτίαν τὴν ὑπὲρ τοῦ τετελευτηκότος ὀργὴν λαβόντες, ἀπίστῳ τάχει καὶ προθυμίᾳ χρώμενοι μέχρι τόπου τινός, Ὄμματον καλοῦσιν, ἐδίωξαν τὸν Ἀβεννῆρον ἤδη περὶ δυσμὰς ὄντος ἡλίου. ἀναβὰς δʼ ἐπί τινα βουνόν, ὅς ἐστιν ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ τόπῳ μετὰ τῆς Βενιαμίτιδος φυλῆς, αὐτούς τε κατεσκέπτετο καὶ τὸν Ἀβεννῆρον. τούτου δὲ ἀνακεκραγότος καὶ φήσαντος, μὴ δεῖν ἄνδρας ὁμοφύλους εἰς ἔριδα καὶ μάχην παροξύνειν, ἁμαρτεῖν δὲ καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ Ἀσάηλον, ὃς παραινοῦντος μὴ διώκειν οὐκ ἐπείσθη καὶ διὰ τοῦτο βληθεὶς ἀπέθανε, συμφρονήσας καὶ παράκλησιν ἡγησάμενος τούτους τοὺς λόγους ὁ Ἰώαβος ἀνακαλεῖ τῇ σάλπιγγι σημάνας τοὺς στρατιώτας καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ πολὺ διώξεως ἐπισχών. καὶ οὗτος μὲν ἐπʼ ἐκείνου καταστρατοπεδεύεται τοῦ τόπου τὴν νύκτα ταύτην, Ἀβεννῆρος δὲ διʼ ὅλης αὐτῆς ὁδεύσας καὶ περαιωσάμενος τὸν Ἰόρδανον ποταμὸν ἀφικνεῖται πρὸς τὸν τοῦ Σαούλου παῖδα εἰς τὰς Παρεμβολὰς Ἰέβωσθον. τῇ δʼ ἐχομένῃ τοὺς νεκροὺς ὁ Ἰώαβος ἐξαριθμήσας ἅπαντας ἐκήδευσεν. ἔπεσον δὲ τῶν μὲν Ἀβεννήρου στρατιωτῶν ὡς τριακόσιοι καὶ ἑξήκοντα, τῶν δὲ Δαυίδου δέκα πρὸς τοῖς ἐννέα καὶ Ἀσάηλος, οὗ τὸ σῶμα κομίσαντες ἐκεῖθεν Ἰώαβος καὶ Ἀβεσσαῖος εἰς Βηθλεέμην καὶ θάψαντες ἐν τῷ πατρῴῳ μνήματι πρὸς Δαυίδην εἰς Γιβρῶνα παρεγένοντο. ἤρξατο μὲν οὖν ἐξ ἐκείνου τοῦ χρόνου τοῖς Ἑβραίοις ἐμφύλιος πόλεμος καὶ διέμεινεν ἄχρι πολλοῦ, τῶν μὲν μετὰ Δαυίδου κρειττόνων ἀεὶ γινομένων καὶ πλεῖον ἐν τοῖς κινδύνοις φερομένων, τοῦ δὲ Σαούλου παιδὸς καὶ τῶν ὑπηκόων αὐτοῦ κατὰ πᾶσαν σχεδὸν ἡμέραν ἐλαττουμένων.

[¶2] 21. About this time David was become the father of six sons, born of as many mothers. The eldest was by Ahinoam, and he was called Arenon; the second was Daniel, by his wife Abigail; the name of the third was Absalom, by Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; the fourth he named Adonijah, by his wife Haggith; the fifth was Shephatiah, by Abital; the sixth he called Ithream, by Eglah. Now while this intestine war went on, and the subjects of the two kings came frequently to action and to fighting, it was Abner, the general of the host of Saul’s son, who, by his prudence, and the great interest he had among the multitude, made them all continue with Ishbosheth; and indeed it was a considerable time that they continued of his party; but afterwards Abner was blamed, and an accusation was laid against him, that he went in unto Saul’s concubine: her name was Rispah, the daughter of Aiah. So when he was complained of by Ishbosheth, he was very uneasy and angry at it, because he had not justice done him by Ishbosheth, to whom he had shown the greatest kindness; whereupon he threatened to transfer the kingdom to David, and demonstrate that he did not rule over the people beyond Jordan by his own abilities and wisdom, but by his warlike conduct and fidelity in leading his army. So he sent ambassadors to Hebron to David, and desired that he would give him security upon oath that he would esteem him his companion and his friend, upon condition that he should persuade the people to leave Saul’s son, and choose him king of the whole country; and when David had made that league with Abner, for he was pleased with his message to him, he desired that he would give this as the first mark of performance of the present league, that he might have his wife Michal restored to him, as her whom he had purchased with great hazards, and with those six hundred heads of the Philistines which he had brought to Saul her father. So Abner took Michal from Phaltiel, who was then her husband, and sent her to David, Ishbosheth himself affording him his assistance, for David had written to him that of right he ought to have this his wife restored to him. Abner also called together the elders of the multitude, the commanders and captains of thousands, and spake thus to them: That he had formerly dissuaded them from their own resolution, when they were ready to forsake Ishbosheth, and to join themselves to David; that, however, he now gave them leave so to do, if they had a mind to it, for they knew that God had appointed David to be king of all the Hebrews by Samuel the prophet; and had foretold that he should punish the Philistines, and overcome them, and bring them under. Now when the elders and rulers heard this, and understood that Abner was come over to those sentiments about the public affairs which they were of before, they changed their measures, and came in to David. When these men had agreed to Abner’s proposal, he called together the tribe of Benjamin, for all of that tribe were the guards of Ishbosheth’s body, and he spake to them to the same purpose. And when he saw that they did not in the least oppose what he said, but resigned themselves up to his opinion, he took about twenty of his friends and came to David, in order to receive himself security upon oath from him; for we may justly esteem those things to be firmer which every one of us do by ourselves, than those which we do by another. He also gave him an account of what he had said to the rulers, and to the whole tribe of Benjamin; and when David had received him in a courteous manner, and had treated him with great hospitality for many days, Abner, when he was dismissed, desired him to bring the multitude with him, that he might deliver up the government to him, when David himself was present, and a spectator of what was done.

> Greek: 21. Ἐγένοντο δὲ κατὰ τοῦτον τὸν καιρὸν καὶ παῖδες Δαυίδῃ τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἓξ [ἐκ γυναικῶν τοσούτων], ὧν ὁ μὲν πρεσβύτατος ἐκ μητρὸς Ἀχίνας γενόμενος Ἀμνὼν ἐκλήθη, ὁ δὲ δεύτερος ἐκ γυναικὸς Ἀβιγαίας Δανίηλος, τῷ τρίτῳ δʼ ἐκ τῆς Θολομαίου θυγατρὸς Μαχάμης φύντι τοῦ Γεσσιρῶν βασιλέως Ἀψάλωμος ὄνομα, τὸν δὲ τέταρτον Ἀδωνίαν ἐκ γυναικὸς Ἀήθης προσηγόρευσε, τὸν πέμπτον δὲ Σαφατίαν τῆς Ἀβιτάλης καὶ τὸν ἕκτον Γεθερσὰν τῆς Γαλαὰδ ἐπωνόμασε. τοῦ δʼ ἐμφυλίου πολέμου συνεστῶτος καὶ συμπιπτόντων εἰς ἔργα καὶ μάχην πυκνῶς μεθʼ ἑκατέρου τῶν βασιλέων, Ἀβεννῆρος ὁ τοῦ Σαούλου παιδὸς ἀρχιστράτηγος συνετὸς ὢν καὶ σφόδρα εὔνουν ἔχων τὸ πλῆθος πάντας συμμεῖναι [τῷ Ἰεβόσθῳ] παρεσκεύασε· καὶ διέμειναν ἱκανὸν χρόνον τὰ ἐκείνου φρονοῦντες. ὕστερον δʼ ἐν ἐγκλήματι γενόμενος Ἀβεννῆρος καὶ λαβὼν αἰτίαν ὡς συνέλθοι τῇ Σαούλου παλλακῇ Ῥαισφᾶ μὲν τοὔνομα Σιβάτου δὲ θυγατρί, καὶ καταμεμφθεὶς ὑπὸ Ἰεβώσθου περιαλγήσας καὶ θυμωθείς, ὡς οὐ δικαίων τῶν παρʼ αὐτοῦ τυγχάνοι πάσῃ προνοίᾳ περὶ αὐτὸν χρώμενος, ἠπείλησε μὲν τὴν βασιλείαν εἰς Δαυίδην περιστήσειν, ἐπιδείξειν δὲ ὡς οὐχὶ διὰ τὴν ἰδίαν ῥώμην καὶ σύνεσιν ἄρχοι τῶν πέραν Ἰορδάνου, διὰ δὲ τὴν αὐτοῦ στρατηγίαν τε καὶ πίστιν. καὶ πέμψας εἰς Γιβρῶνα παρὰ Δαυίδην λαβεῖν ὅρκους τε καὶ πίστεις ἠξίου, ἦ μὴν ἕξειν αὐτὸν ἑταῖρον καὶ φίλον ἀναπείσαντα τὸν λαὸν τοῦ Σαούλου μὲν ἀποστῆναι παιδός, αὐτὸν δὲ ἀποδείξαντα πάσης τῆς χώρας βασιλέα. τοῦ δὲ Δαυίδου ποιησαμένου τὰς ὁμολογίας, ἥσθη γὰρ ἐφʼ οἷς Ἀβεννῆρος διεπρεσβεύσατο πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ πρῶτον τεκμήριον παρασχεῖν τῶν συνθηκῶν ἀξιώσαντος ἀνασώσαντα πρὸς αὐτὸν [Μελχάλην] τὴν γυναῖκα μεγάλοις ὠνηθεῖσαν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ κινδύνοις καὶ Παλαιστίνων κεφαλαῖς ἑξακοσίαις, ἃς ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς ἐκόμισε τῷ πατρὶ Σαούλῳ, πέμπει μὲν αὐτῷ τὴν Μελχάλην ἀποσπάσας Ὀφελτίου τοῦ τότε συνοικοῦντος αὐτῇ, πρὸς τοῦτο καὶ Ἰεβώσθου συμπράξαντος· ἐγεγράφει γὰρ αὐτῷ Δαυίδης τὴν γυναῖκα δικαίως ἀπολαβεῖν· συγκαλέσας δὲ τοὺς γεγηρακότας τοῦ πλήθους καὶ ταξιάρχους καὶ χιλιάρχους λόγους ἐποιήσατο πρὸς αὐτούς, ὡς ἔχοντας ἑτοίμως ἀποστῆναι μὲν Ἰεβώσθου Δαυίδῃ δὲ προσθέσθαι ταύτης ἀποστρέψειε τῆς ὁρμῆς, νῦν μέντοι γε ἐπιτρέποι χωρεῖν ᾗ βούλονται· καὶ γὰρ εἰδέναι τὸν θεὸν διὰ Σαμουήλου τοῦ προφήτου Δαυίδην χειροτονήσαντα πάντων Ἑβραίων βασιλέα, προειπεῖν δʼ ὅτι Παλαιστίνους ἐκεῖνος αὐτὸς τιμωρήσεται καὶ ποιήσει κρατήσας ὑποχειρίους. ταῦτʼ ἀκούσαντες οἱ πρεσβύτεροι καὶ ἡγεμόνες, ὡς τὴν Ἀβεννήρου γνώμην ᾗ πρότερον εἶχον αὐτοὶ περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων σύμφωνον προσέλαβον, τὰ Δαυίδου φρονεῖν μετεβάλοντο. πεισθέντων δὲ τούτων Ἀβεννῆρος συγκαλεῖ τὴν Βενιαμιτῶν φυλήν, οἱ γὰρ ἐκ ταύτης ἅπαντες Ἰεβώσθου σωματοφύλακες ἦσαν, καὶ ταὐτὰ πρὸς αὐτοὺς διαλεχθείς, ἐπειδὴ μὴ ἀντικρούοντας ἑώρα, προστιθεμένους δʼ οἷς ἐβούλετο, παραλαβὼν ὡς εἴκοσι τῶν ἑταίρων ἧκε πρὸς Δαυίδην τοὺς ὅρκους παρʼ αὐτοῦ ληψόμενος αὐτός, πιστότερα γὰρ τῶν διʼ ἄλλου πραττομένων ὅσα διʼ αὑτῶν ἕκαστοι ποιοῦμεν εἶναι δοκεῖ, καὶ προσέτι τοὺς γενομένους αὐτῷ λόγους πρός τε τοὺς ἡγεμόνας καὶ πρὸς τὴν φυλὴν ἅπασαν σημανῶν. ὑποδεξαμένου δʼ αὐτὸν φιλοφρόνως καὶ λαμπρᾷ καὶ πολυτελεῖ τραπέζῃ ξενίσαντος ἐπὶ πολλὰς ἡμέρας, ἠξίωσεν ἀφεθεὶς ἀγαγεῖν τὸ πλῆθος, ἵνα παρόντι καὶ βλεπομένῳ παραδῶσι τὴν ἀρχήν.

[¶3] 31. When David had sent Abner away, Joab, the of his army, came immediately to Hebron; he had understood that Abner had been with David, and had parted with him a little before under leagues and agreements that the government should be delivered up to David, he feared lest David should place Abner, who had assisted him to gain the kingdom, in the first rank of dignity, especially since he was a shrewd man in other respects, in understanding affairs, and in managing them artfully, as proper seasons should require, and that he should himself be put lower, and be deprived of the command of the army; so he took a knavish and a wicked course. In the first place, he endeavored to calumniate Abner to the king, exhorting him to have a care of him, and not to give attention to what he had engaged to do for him, because all he did tended to confirm the government to Saul’s son; that he came to him deceitfully and with guile, and was gone away in hopes of gaining his purpose by this management: but when he could not thus persuade David, nor saw him at all exasperated, he betook himself to a project bolder than the former: - he determined to kill Abner; and in order thereto, he sent some messengers after him, to whom he gave in charge, that when they should overtake him they should recall him in David’s name, and tell him that he had somewhat to say to him about his affairs, which he had not remembered to speak of when he was with him. Now when Abner heard what the messengers said, (for they overtook him in a certain place called Besira, which was distant from Hebron twenty furlongs,) he suspected none of the mischief which was befalling him, and came back. Hereupon Joab met him in the gate, and received him in the kindest manner, as if he were Abner’s most benevolent acquaintance and friend; for such as undertake the vilest actions, in order to prevent the suspicion of any private mischief intended, do frequently make the greatest pretenses to what really good men sincerely do. So he took him aside from his own followers, as if he would speak with him in private, and brought him into a void place of the gate, having himself nobody with him but his brother Abishai; then he drew his sword, and smote him in the groin; upon which Abner died by this treachery of Joab, which, as he said himself, was in the way of punishment for his brother Asahel, whom Abner smote and slew as he was pursuing after him in the battle of Hebron, but as the truth was, out of his fear of losing his command of the army, and his dignity with the king, and lest he should be deprived of those advantages, and Abner should obtain the first rank in David’s court. By these examples any one may learn how many and how great instances of wickedness men will venture upon for the sake of getting money and authority, and that they may not fail of either of them; for as when they are desirous of obtaining the same, they acquire them by ten thousand evil practices; so when they are afraid of losing them, they get them confirmed to them by practices much worse than the former, as if no other calamity so terrible could befall them as the failure of acquiring so exalted an authority; and when they have acquired it, and by long custom found the sweetness of it, the losing it again: and since this last would be the heaviest of all afflictions they all of them contrive and venture upon the most difficult actions, out of the fear of losing the same. But let it suffice that I have made these short reflections upon that subject.

> Greek: 31. Ἐκπέμψαντος δὲ τοῦ Δαυίδου τὸν Ἀβεννῆρον οὐδὲ ὀλίγον διαλιπὼν εἰς Γιβρῶνα ἧκεν Ἰώαβος ὁ ἀρχιστράτηγος αὐτοῦ, καὶ μαθών, ὡς εἴη παρὼν πρὸς αὐτὸν Ἀβεννῆρος καὶ μικρὸν ἔμπροσθεν ἀπηλλαγμένος ἐπὶ συνθήκαις καὶ ὁμολογίαις τῆς ἡγεμονίας, δείσας μὴ τὸν μὲν ἐν τιμῇ καὶ τῇ πρώτῃ ποιήσεται τάξει συνεργόν τε τῆς βασιλείας ἐσόμενον καὶ τἆλλα δεινὸν ὄντα συνιδεῖν πράγματα καὶ τοὺς καιροὺς ὑποδραμεῖν, αὐτὸς δʼ ἐλαττωθείη καὶ τῆς στρατηγίας ἀφεθείη, κακοῦργον καὶ πονηρὰν ὁδὸν ἄπεισι. [καὶ] πρῶτον μὲν ἐπιχειρεῖ διαβαλεῖν αὐτὸν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα φυλάττεσθαι παραινῶν καὶ μὴ προσέχειν οἷς Ἀβεννῆρος συντίθεται· πάντα γὰρ ποιεῖν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῷ βεβαιώσασθαι τῷ Σαούλου παιδὶ τὴν ἡγεμονίαν· ἐπὶ δὲ ἀπάτῃ καὶ δόλῳ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐλθόντα μεθʼ ἧς ἐβούλετο νῦν ἐλπίδος καὶ οἰκονομίας τῶν κατασκευαζομένων ἀπελθεῖν. ὡς δʼ οὐκ ἔπειθε τὸν Δαυίδην τούτοις οὐδὲ παροξυνόμενον ἑώρα, τρέπεται ταύτης τολμηροτέραν ὁδὸν καὶ κρίνας Ἀβεννῆρον ἀποκτεῖναι πέμπει τοὺς ἐπιδιώξοντας, οἷς καταλαβοῦσι προσέταξεν αὐτὸν καλεῖν ἐκ τοῦ Δαυίδου ὀνόματος, ὡς ἔχοντος αὐτοῦ τινα περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων πρὸς αὐτὸν ἃ μὴ διεμνημόνευσε παρόντος εἰπεῖν. Ἀβεννῆρος δʼ ὡς ἤκουσε τὰ παρὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων, κατέλαβον αὐτὸν ἐν τόπῳ τινὶ Βησηρᾶ καλουμένῳ ἀπέχοντι τῆς Γιβρῶνος σταδίους εἴκοσι, μηδὲν ὑπιδόμενος τῶν συμβησομένων ὑπέστρεψεν. ἀπαντήσας δʼ αὐτῷ πρὸς τῇ πύλῃ Ἰώαβος καὶ δεξιωσάμενος ὡς μάλιστʼ εὔνους καὶ φίλος, ὑποκρίνονται γὰρ ἱκανῶς πολλάκις εἰς τὸ ἀνύποπτον τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς τὰ τῶν ἀληθῶς ἀγαθῶν οἱ πράγμασιν ἐγχειροῦντες ἀτόποις, ἀποσπᾷ μὲν τῶν οἰκείων αὐτὸν ὡς ἐν ἀπορρήτῳ διαλεξόμενος, παραγαγὼν δὲ εἰς τὸ ἐρημότερον τῆς πύλης μόνος αὐτὸς ὢν σὺν Ἀβεσσαίῳ τῷ ἀδελφῷ σπασάμενος τὴν μάχαιραν ὑπὸ τὴν λαγόνα παίει. καὶ τελευτᾷ μὲν Ἀβεννῆρος τοῦτον ἐνεδρευθεὶς τὸν τρόπον ὑπὸ Ἰωάβου, ὡς μὲν αὐτὸς ἔλεγε τιμωρήσαντος Ἀσαήλῳ τῷ ἀδελφῷ, ὃν διώκοντα λαβὼν Ἀβεννῆρος ἀπέκτεινεν ἐν τῇ πρὸς Γιβρῶνι μάχῃ, ὡς δὲ τἀληθὲς εἶχε δείσαντος περὶ τῆς στρατηγίας καὶ τῆς παρὰ τῷ βασιλεῖ τιμῆς, μὴ τούτων μὲν αὐτὸς ἀφαιρεθείη, λάβοι δὲ παρὰ Δαυίδου τὴν πρώτην τάξιν Ἀβεννῆρος. ἐκ τούτων ἄν τις κατανοήσειεν, ὅσα καὶ πηλίκα τολμῶσιν ἄνθρωποι πλεονεξίας ἕνεκα καὶ ἀρχῆς καὶ τοῦ μηδενὶ τούτων παραχωρῆσαι· κτήσασθαι γὰρ αὐτὰ ποθοῦντες διὰ μυρίων κακῶν λαμβάνουσι, καὶ δείσαντες ἀποβαλεῖν πολλῷ χείροσι τὸ βέβαιον αὑτοῖς τῆς παραμονῆς περιποιοῦσιν, ὡς οὐχ ὁμοίου δεινοῦ τυγχάνοντος πορίσασθαι τηλικοῦτον μέγεθος ἐξουσίας, καὶ συνήθη τοῖς ἀπʼ αὐτῆς ἀγαθοῖς γενόμενον ἔπειτʼ αὐτὴν ἀπολέσαι, τούτου δὲ ὑπερβολὴν ἔχοντος συμφορᾶς. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο χαλεπώτερα μηχανῶνται καὶ τολμῶσιν ἐν φόβῳ ἔργα πάντες τοῦτʼ ἀποβαλεῖν γενόμενοι. ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν τούτων ἐν βραχέσιν ἀρκεῖ δεδηλῶσθαι.

[¶4] 39. When David heard that Abner was slain, it grieved his soul; and he called all men to witness, with stretching out his hands to God, and crying out that he was not a partaker in the murder of Abner, and that his death was not procured by his command or approbation. He also wished the heaviest curses might light upon him that slew him and upon his whole house; and he devoted those that had assisted him in this murder to the same penalties on its account; for he took care not to appear to have had any hand in this murder, contrary to the assurances he had given and the oaths he had taken to Abner. However, he commanded all the people to weep and lament this man, and to honor his dead body with the usual solemnities; that is, by rending their garments, and putting on sackcloth, and that things should be the habit in which they should go before the bier; after which he followed it himself, with the elders and those that were rulers, lamenting Abner, and by his tears demonstrating his good-will to him while he was alive, and his sorrow for him now he was dead, and that he was not taken off with his consent. So he buried him at Hebron in a magnificent manner, and indited funeral elegies for him; he also stood first over the monument weeping, and caused others to do the same; nay, so deeply did the death of Abner disorder him, that his companions could by no means force him to take any food, but he affirmed with an oath that he would taste nothing till the sun was set. This procedure gained him the good-will of the multitude; for such as had an affection for Abner were mightily satisfied with the respect he paid him when he was dead, and the observation of that faith he had plighted to him, which was shown in his vouchsafing him all the usual ceremonies, as if he had been his kinsman and his friend, and not suffering him to be neglected and injured with a dishonorable burial, as if he had been his enemy; insomuch that the entire nation rejoiced at the king’s gentleness and mildness of disposition, every one being ready to suppose that the king would have taken the same care of them in the like circumstances, which they saw be showed in the burial of the dead body of Abner. And indeed David principally intended to gain a good reputation, and therefore he took care to do what was proper in this case, whence none had any suspicion that he was the author of Abner’s death. He also said this to the multitude, that he was greatly troubled at the death of so good a man; and that the affairs of the Hebrews had suffered great detriment by being deprived of him, who was of so great abilities to preserve them by his excellent advice, and by the strength of his hands in war. But he added, that “God, who hath a regard to all men’s actions, will not suffer this man [Joab] to go off unrevenged; but know ye, that I am not able to do any thing to these sons of Zeruiah, Joab and Abishai, who have more power than I have; but God will requite their insolent attempts upon their own heads.” And this was the fatal conclusion of the life of Abner.

> Greek: 39. Δαυίδης δʼ ἀκούσας ἀνῃρημένον τὸν Ἀβεννῆρον ἤλγησε μὲν τὴν ψυχήν, ἐμαρτύρατο δὲ πάντας ἀνατείνων εἰς τὸν θεὸν τὴν δεξιὰν καὶ βοῶν, ὡς οὔτε κοινωνὸς εἴη τῆς Ἀβεννήρου σφαγῆς, οὔτε κατʼ ἐντολὴν καὶ βούλησιν ἰδίαν ἀποθάνοι. ἀρὰς δὲ κατὰ τοῦ πεφονευκότος αὐτὸν δεινὰς ἐτίθετο καὶ τὸν οἶκον ὅλον αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς συμπράξαντας ὑπευθύνους ἐποιεῖτο ταῖς ὑπὲρ τοῦ τετελευτηκότος ποιναῖς· ἔμελε γὰρ αὐτῷ μὴ δόξαι παρὰ τὰς πίστεις καὶ τοὺς ὅρκους οὓς ἔδωκεν Ἀβεννήρῳ τοῦτο εἰργάσθαι. προσέταξε μέντοι γε παντὶ τῷ λαῷ κλαίειν καὶ πενθεῖν τὸν ἄνδρα καὶ τοῖς νομιζομένοις τιμᾶν αὐτοῦ τὸ σῶμα περιρρηξαμένῳ μὲν τὰς ἐσθῆτας ἐνδύντι δὲ σάκκους, ταῦτα δὲ ποιεῖν προάγοντας τὴν κλίνην. αὐτὸς δʼ ἐφείπετο μετὰ τῶν γεγηρακότων καὶ τῶν ἐν ἡγεμονίαις ὄντων κοπτόμενός τε καὶ τοῖς δακρύοις ἐνδεικνύμενος τό τε εὔνουν τὸ πρὸς [τὸν] ζῶντα καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τεθνηκότι λύπην, καὶ ὅτι μὴ κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ γνώμην ἀνῄρηται. θάψας δʼ αὐτὸν ἐν Γιβρῶνι μεγαλοπρεπῶς καὶ ἐπιταφίους τε συγγραψάμενος θρήνους αὐτὸς ἐπὶ τοῦ τάφου στὰς πρῶτος ἀνεκλαύσατο καὶ παρέδωκε τοῖς ἄλλοις. οὕτως δʼ αὐτὸν ὁ Ἀβεννήρου συνέσχε θάνατος, ὡς μηδὲ τροφὴν ἀναγκαζόντων αὐτὸν τῶν ἑταίρων λαβεῖν, ἀλλʼ ὤμοσε γεύσεσθαι μηδενὸς ἄχρι ἡλίου δυσμῶν. ταῦτʼ εὔνοιαν αὐτῷ παρὰ τοῦ πλήθους ἐγέννησεν· οἵ τε γὰρ πρὸς τὸν Ἀβεννῆρον φιλοστόργως διακείμενοι σφόδρʼ αὐτοῦ τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν τιμὴν ἀποθανόντα καὶ φυλακὴν τῆς πίστεως ἠγάπησαν, ὅτι πάντων αὐτὸν ἀξιώσειεν τῶν νομιζομένων ὡς συγγενῆ καὶ φίλον, ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὡς ἐχθρὸν γενόμενον ὑβρίσειεν ἀκόσμῳ ταφῇ καὶ ἠμελημένῃ· τό τε ἄλλο πᾶν ὡς ἐπὶ χρηστῷ καὶ ἡμέρῳ τὴν φύσιν ἔχαιρε, τὴν αὐτὴν ἑκάστου λογιζομένου πρόνοιαν εἰς αὑτὸν τοῦ βασιλέως ἐν τοῖς ὁμοίοις τυγχάνοντα τὸν Ἀβεννήρου νεκρὸν ἑώρα. πρὸς τούτοις οὖν μάλιστα Δαυίδην γλίχεσθαι δόξης ἀγαθῆς ποιούμενον πρόνοιαν ὡς εἰκὸς ἣν οὐθεὶς ὑπενόησεν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ φονευθῆναι τὸν Ἀβεννῆρον· ἔλεξε δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὸ πλῆθος, ὡς αὐτῷ μὲν οὐχ ἡ τυχοῦσα λύπη γένοιτʼ ἀνδρὸς ἀγαθοῦ τετελευτηκότος, οὐ μικρὰ δὲ τοῖς Ἑβραίων πράγμασι βλάβη στερηθέντων αὐτοῦ καὶ συνέχειν αὐτὰ καὶ σώζειν βουλαῖς τε ἀρίσταις καὶ ῥώμῃ χειρῶν ἐν τοῖς πολεμικοῖς ἔργοις δυναμένου. ἀλλὰ θεὸς μέν, εἶπεν, ᾧ μέλει πάντων, οὐκ ἐάσει τοῦτον ἡμῖν ἀνεκδίκητον· ἐγὼ δʼ ἐπίστασθε, ὡς οὐδὲν Ἰώαβον καὶ Ἀβεσσαῖον τοὺς Σαρουίας παῖδας ποιεῖν ἱκανός εἰμι πλέον ἐμοῦ δυναμένους, ἀλλʼ ἀποδώσει τὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν τετολμημένων αὐτοῖς ἀμοιβὴν τὸ θεῖον. καὶ Ἀβεννῆρος μὲν εἰς τοιοῦτο κατέστρεψε τέλος τὸν βίον.

[¶5] 46. WHEN Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, had heard of the death of Abner, he took it to heart to be deprived of a man that was of his kindred, and had indeed given him the kingdom, but was greatly afflicted, and Abner’s death very much troubled him; nor did he himself outlive any long time, but was treacherously set upon by the sons of Rimmon, (Baanah and Rechab were their names,) and was slain by them; for these being of a family of the Benjamites, and of the first rank among them, thought that if they should slay Ishbosheth, they should obtain large presents from David, and be made commanders by him, or, however, should have some other trust committed to them. So when they once found him alone, and asleep at noon, in an upper room, when none of his guards were there, and when the woman that kept the door was not watching, but was fallen asleep also, partly on account of the labor she had undergone, and partly on account of the heat of the day, these men went into the room in which Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, lay asleep, and slew him; they also cut off his head, and took their journey all that night, and the next day, as supposing themselves flying away from those they had injured, to one that would accept of this action as a favor, and would afford them security. So they came to Hebron, and showed David the head of Ishbosheth, and presented themselves to him as his well-wishers, and such as had killed one that was his enemy and antagonist. Yet David did not relish what they had done as they expected, but said to them, “You vile wretches, you shall immediately receive the punishment you deserve. Did not you know what vengeance I executed on him that murdered Saul, and brought me his crown of gold, and this while he who made this slaughter did it as a favor to him, that he might not be caught by his enemies? Or do you imagine that I am altered in my disposition, and suppose that I am not the same man I then was, but am pleased with men that are wicked doers, and esteem your vile actions, when you are become murderers of your master, as grateful to me, when you have slain a righteous man upon his bed, who never did evil to any body, and treated you with great good-will and respect? Wherefore you shall suffer the punishment due on his account, and the vengeance I ought to inflict upon you for killing Ishbosheth, and for supposing that I should take his death kindly at your hands; for you could not lay a greater blot on my honor, than by making such a supposal.” When David had said this, he tormented them with all sorts of torments, and then put them to death; and he bestowed all accustomed rites on the burial of the head of Ishbosheth, and laid it in the grave of Abner.

> Greek: 46. Ἀκούσας δὲ τὴν τελευτὴν αὐτοῦ ὁ Σαούλου παῖς Ἰέβωσθος οὐ πρᾴως ἤνεγκεν ἀνδρὸς ἐστερημένος συγγενοῦς καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτῷ παρασχόντος, ἀλλʼ ὑπερεπάθησε καὶ λίαν αὐτὸν ὠδύνησεν ὁ Ἀβεννήρου θάνατος. ἐπεβίω δʼ οὐδʼ αὐτὸς πολὺν χρόνον, ἀλλʼ ὑπὸ τῶν Ἐρέμμωνος υἱῶν Βανά, ἑτέρῳ δὲ Θαηνὸς ὄνομα ἦν, ἐπιβουλευθεὶς ἀπέθανεν. οὗτοι γὰρ ὄντες τὸ μὲν γένος Βενιαμῖται τοῦ δὲ πρώτου τάγματος, λογισάμενοι δʼ ὡς ἂν ἀποκτείνωσι τὸν Ἰέβωσθον μεγάλων παρὰ Δαυίδου τεύξονται δωρεῶν καὶ στρατηγίας ἤ τινος ἄλλης πίστεως τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῖς ἔσται παρʼ αὐτῷ αἴτιον, μόνον εὑρόντες μεσημβρίζοντα καὶ κοιμώμενον τὸν Ἰέβωσθον καὶ μήτε τοὺς φύλακας παρόντας μήτε τὴν θυρωρὸν ἐγρηγορυῖαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴν ὑπό τε τοῦ κόπου καὶ τῆς ἐργασίας ἣν μετεχειρίζετο καὶ τοῦ καύματος εἰς ὕπνον καταπεσοῦσαν, παρελθόντες εἰς τὸ δωμάτιον, ἐν ᾧ συνέβαινε κατακεκοιμῆσθαι τὸν Σαούλου παῖδα, κτείνουσιν αὐτόν. καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀποτεμόντες καὶ διʼ ὅλης νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας ποιησάμενοι τὴν πορείαν, ὡς ἂν φεύγοντες ἐκ τῶν ἠδικημένων πρὸς τὸν ληψόμενόν τε τὴν χάριν καὶ παρέξοντα τὴν ἀσφάλειαν, εἰς Γιβρῶνα παρεγένοντο· καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἐπιδείξαντες τῷ Δαυίδῃ τὴν Ἰεβώσθου συνίστων αὑτοὺς ὡς εὔνους καὶ τὸν ἐχθρὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς βασιλείας ἀνταγωνιστὴν ἀνῃρηκότας. ὁ δʼ οὐχ ὡς ἤλπιζον οὕτως αὐτῶν προσεδέξατο τὸ ἔργον, ἀλλʼ εἰπών, ὦ κάκιστοι καὶ παραχρῆμα δίκην ὑφέξοντες, οὐκ ἔγνωτε πῶς ἐγὼ τὸν Σαούλου φονέα καὶ τὸν κομίσαντά μοι τὸν χρυσοῦν αὐτοῦ στέφανον ἠμυνάμην, καὶ ταῦτα ἐκείνῳ χαριζόμενον τὴν ἀναίρεσιν, ἵνα μὴ συλλάβωσιν αὐτὸν οἱ πολέμιοι; ἦ μεταβεβλῆσθαί με καὶ μηκέτʼ εἶναι τὸν αὐτὸν ὑπωπτεύσατε, ὡς χαίρειν κακούργοις ἀνδράσι καὶ χάριτας ἡγήσασθαι τὰς κυριοκτόνους ὑμῶν πράξεις, ἀνῃρηκότων ἐπὶ τῆς αὑτοῦ κοίτης ἄνδρα δίκαιον καὶ μηδένα μηδὲν κακὸν εἰργασμένον, ὑμᾶς δὲ καὶ διὰ πολλῆς εὐνοίας καὶ τιμῆς ἐσχηκότα; διὸ δώσετε ποινὴν μὲν αὐτῷ κολασθέντες, δίκην δʼ ἐμοὶ τοῦ νομίσαντας ἡδέως ἕξειν με τὴν Ἰεβώσθου τελευτὴν τοῦτον ἀνελεῖν· οὐ γὰρ ἐδύνασθε μᾶλλον ἀδικῆσαι τὴν ἐμὴν δόξαν ἢ τοῦθʼ ὑπολαβόντες. ταῦτʼ εἰπὼν πᾶσαν αἰκίαν αὐτοὺς αἰκισάμενος διεχρήσατο καὶ τὴν Ἰεβώσθου κεφαλὴν ἐν τῷ Ἀβεννήρου τάφῳ πάντων ἀξιώσας ἐκήδευσε.

[¶6] 53. When these things were brought to this conclusion, all the principal men of the Hebrew people came to David to Hebron, with the heads of thousands, and other rulers, and delivered themselves up to him, putting him in mind of the good-will they had borne to him in Saul’s lifetime, and the respect they then had not ceased to pay him when he was captain of a thousand, as also that he was chosen of God by Samuel the prophet, he and his sons; and declaring besides, how God had given him power to save the land of the Hebrews, and to overcome the Philistines. Whereupon he received kindly this their alacrity on his account; and exhorted them to continue in it, for that they should have no reason to repent of being thus disposed to him. So when he had feasted them, and treated them kindly, he sent them out to bring all the people to him; upon which came to him about six thousand and eight hundred armed men of the tribe of Judah, who bare shields and spears for their weapons, for these had [till now] continued with Saul’s son, when the rest of the tribe of Judah had ordained David for their king. There came also seven thousand and one hundred out of the tribe of Simeon. Out of the tribe of Levi came four thousand and seven hundred, having Jehoiada for their leader. After these came Zadok the high priest, with twenty-two captains of his kindred. Out of the tribe of Benjamin the armed men were four thousand; but the rest of the tribe continued, still expecting that some one of the house of Saul should reign over them. Those of the tribe of Ephraim were twenty thousand and eight hundred, and these mighty men of valor, and eminent for their strength. Out of the half tribe of Manasseh came eighteen thousand, of the most potent men. Out of the tribe of Issachar came two hundred, who foreknew what was to come hereafter, but of armed men twenty thousand. Of the tribe of Zebulon fifty thousand chosen men. This was the only tribe that came universally in to David, and all these had the same weapons with the tribe of Gad. Out of the tribe of Naphtali the eminent men and rulers were one thousand, whose weapons were shields and spears, and the tribe itself followed after, being (in a manner) innumerable [thirty-seven thousand]. Out of the tribe of Dan there were of chosen men twenty-seven thousand and six hundred. Out of the tribe of Asher were forty thousand. Out of the two tribes that were beyond Jordan, and the rest of the tribe of Manasseh, such as used shields, and spears, and head-pieces, and swords, were a hundred and twenty thousand. The rest of the tribes also made use of swords. This multitude came together to Hebron to David, with a great quantity of corn, and wine, and all other sorts of food, and established David in his kingdom with one consent. And when the people had rejoiced for three days in Hebron, David and all the people removed and came to Jerusalem.

> Greek: 53. Τούτων δὲ τοιοῦτον λαβόντων τέλος ἧκον ἅπαντες οἱ τοῦ λαοῦ τῶν Ἑβραίων πρῶτοι πρὸς Δαυίδην εἰς Γιβρῶνα οἵ τε χιλίαρχοι καὶ ἡγεμόνες αὐτῶν, καὶ παρεδίδοσαν αὑτοὺς τήν τε εὔνοιαν, ἣν ἔτι καὶ Σαούλου ζῶντος εἶχον πρὸς αὐτόν, ὑπομιμνήσκοντες καὶ τὴν τιμήν, ἣν γενόμενον τότε χιλίαρχον τιμῶντες οὐ διέλιπον, ὅτι τε βασιλεὺς ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ διὰ Σαμουήλου τοῦ προφήτου χειροτονηθείη καὶ παῖδες αὐτοῦ καὶ ὡς τὴν Ἑβραίων χώραν αὐτῷ σῶσαι καταγωνισαμένῳ Παλαιστίνους δέδωκεν ὁ θεὸς ἐμφανίζοντες. ὁ δὲ ταύτης τε ἀποδέχεται τῆς προθυμίας αὐτοὺς καὶ παρακαλέσας διαμένειν, οὐ γὰρ ἔσεσθαι μετάνοιαν αὐτοῖς ἐκ τοῦ τοιούτου, καὶ κατευωχήσας καὶ φιλοφρονησάμενος ἔπεμψε τὸν λαὸν παρʼ αὐτὸν ἄξοντας ἅπαντα. καὶ συνῆλθον ἐκ μὲν τῆς Ἰούδα φυλῆς ὁπλιτῶν ὡς ὀκτακόσιοι καὶ ἑξακισχίλιοι φοροῦντες ὅπλα θυρεὸν καὶ σιρομάστην· οὗτοι δὲ τῷ Σαούλου παιδὶ παρέμενον· τούτων γὰρ χωρὶς ἡ Ἰούδα φυλὴ τὸν Δαυίδην ἀπέδειξε βασιλέα. ἐκ δὲ τῆς Συμεωνίδος φυλῆς ἑπτακισχίλιοι καὶ ἑκατόν. ἐκ δὲ τῆς Ληουίτιδος τετρακισχίλιοι καὶ ἑπτακόσιοι ἔχοντες ἄρχοντα Ἰώδαμον· μετὰ τούτοις ἦν ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς Σάδωκος σὺν εἴκοσι δύο συγγενέσιν ἡγεμόσιν. ἐκ δὲ τῆς Βενιαμίτιδος φυλῆς ὁπλῖται τετρακισχίλιοι· ἡ γὰρ φυλὴ περιέμενεν ἔτι τῶν τοῦ γένους Σαούλου τινὰ βασιλεύσειν προσδοκῶσα. ἐκ δὲ τῆς Ἐφραίμου φυλῆς δισμύριοι καὶ ὀκτακόσιοι τῶν δυνατωτάτων καὶ κατʼ ἰσχὺν διαφερόντων. ἐκ δὲ τῆς Μανασσήτιδος φυλῆς τοῦ ἡμίσους μύριοι ὀκτακισχίλιοι [τῶν δυνατωτάτων]. ἐκ δὲ τῆς Ἰσαχάρου φυλῆς διακόσιοι μὲν οἱ προγινώσκοντες τὰ μέλλοντα, ὁπλῖται δὲ δισμύριοι. ἐκ δὲ τῆς Ζαβουλωνίτιδος φυλῆς ὁπλιτῶν ἐπιλέκτων πέντε μυριάδες· αὕτη γὰρ ἡ φυλὴ μόνη πᾶσα πρὸς Δαυίδην συνῆλθεν· οὗτοι πάντες τὸν αὐτὸν ὁπλισμὸν εἶχον τοῖς τῆς Γάδου φυλῆς. ἐκ δὲ τῆς Νεφθαλίδος φυλῆς ἐπίσημοι καὶ ἡγεμόνες χίλιοι ὅπλοις χρώμενοι θυρεῷ καὶ δόρατι, ἠκολούθει δὲ φυλὴ ἀναρίθμητος οὖσα. ἐκ δὲ τῆς Δανίτιδος φυλῆς ἐκλεκτοὶ δισμύριοι ἑπτακισχίλιοι ἑξακόσιοι. ἐκ δὲ τῆς Ἀσήρου φυλῆς μυριάδες τέσσαρες. ἐκ δὲ τῶν δύο φυλῶν τῶν πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου καὶ τοῦ λοιποῦ τῆς Μανασσήτιδος φυλῆς ὡπλισμένων θυρεὸν καὶ δόρυ καὶ περικεφαλαίαν καὶ ῥομφαίαν μυριάδες δώδεκα· καὶ αἱ λοιπαὶ φυλαὶ ῥομφαίαις ἐχρῶντο. τοῦτο δὴ πᾶν τὸ πλῆθος εἰς Γιβρῶνα πρὸς Δαυίδην συνῆλθε μετὰ πολλῆς παρασκευῆς σιτίων καὶ οἴνου καὶ τῶν πρὸς τροφὴν πάντων καὶ μιᾷ γνώμῃ βασιλεύειν τὸν Δαυίδην ἐκύρωσαν. ἐπὶ δὲ τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἑορτάσαντος τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ κατευωχηθέντος ἐν Γιβρῶνι, ὁ Δαυίδης μετὰ πάντων ἐκεῖθεν ἄρας ἧκεν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα.

[¶7] 61. NOW the Jebusites, who were the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and were by extraction Canaanites, shut their gates, and placed the blind, and the lame, and all their maimed persons, upon the wall, in way of derision of the king, and said that the very lame themselves would hinder his entrance into it. This they did out of contempt of his power, and as depending on the strength of their walls. David was hereby enraged, and began the siege of Jerusalem, and employed his utmost diligence and alacrity therein, as intending by the taking of this place to demonstrate his power, and to intimidate all others that might be of the like [evil] disposition towards him. So he took the lower city by force, but the citadel held out still; whence it was that the king, knowing that the proposal of dignities and rewards would encourage the soldiers to greater actions, promised that he who should first go over the ditches that were beneath the citadel, and should ascend to the citadel itself and take it, should have the command of the entire people conferred upon him. So they all were ambitious to ascend, and thought no pains too great in order to ascend thither, out of their desire of the chief command. However, Joab, the son of Zeruiah, prevented the rest; and as soon as he was got up to the citadel, cried out to the king, and claimed the chief command.

> Greek: 61. Τῶν δὲ κατοικούντων τὴν πόλιν Ἰεβουσαίων, γένος δʼ εἰσὶν οὗτοι Χαναναίων, ἀποκλεισάντων αὐτῷ τὰς πύλας καὶ τοὺς πεπηρωμένους τὰς ὄψεις καὶ τὰς βάσεις καὶ πᾶν τὸ λελωβημένον στησάντων ἐπὶ χλεύῃ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπὶ τοῦ τείχους καὶ λεγόντων κωλύσειν αὐτὸν εἰσελθεῖν τοὺς ἀναπήρους, ταῦτα δʼ ἔπραττον καταφρονοῦντες τῇ τῶν τειχῶν ὀχυρότητι, ὀργισθεὶς πολιορκεῖν ἤρξατο τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα. καὶ πολλῇ σπουδῇ καὶ προθυμίᾳ χρησάμενος ὡς διὰ τοῦ ταύτην ἑλεῖν εὐθὺς ἐμφανίζων τὴν ἰσχὺν καὶ καταπληξόμενος εἴ τινες ἄρα καὶ ἄλλοι τὸν αὐτὸν ἐκείνοις τρόπον διέκειντο πρὸς αὐτόν, λαμβάνει κατὰ κράτος τὴν κάτω πόλιν. ἔτι δὲ τῆς ἄκρας λειπομένης ἔγνω τιμῆς ὑποσχέσει καὶ γερῶν ὁ βασιλεὺς προθυμοτέρους ἐπὶ τὰ ἔργα τοὺς στρατιώτας παρασκευάσαι, καὶ τῷ διὰ τῶν ὑποκειμένων φαράγγων ἐπὶ τὴν ἄκραν ἀναβάντι καὶ ταύτην ἑλόντι στρατηγίαν ἅπαντος τοῦ λαοῦ δώσειν ἐπηγγείλατο. πάντων δὲ φιλοτιμουμένων ἀναβῆναι καὶ μηδένα πόνον ὀκνούντων ὑφίστασθαι διʼ ἐπιθυμίαν τῆς στρατηγίας, ὁ Σαρουίας παῖς Ἰώαβος ἔφθη τοὺς ἄλλους, καὶ ἀναβὰς ἐβόησε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα τὴν στρατηγίαν ἀπαιτῶν.

[¶8] 65. When David had cast the Jebusites out of the citadel, he also rebuilt Jerusalem, and named it The City of David, and abode there all the time of his reign; but for the time that he reigned over the tribe of Judah only in Hebron, it was seven years and six months. Now when he had chosen Jerusalem to be his royal city, his affairs did more and more prosper, by the providence of God, who took care that they should improve and be augmented. Hiram also, the king of the Tyrians, sent ambassadors to him, and made a league of mutual friendship and assistance with him. He also sent him presents, cedar-trees, and mechanics, and men skillful in building and architecture, that they might build him a royal palace at Jerusalem. Now David made buildings round about the lower city: he also joined the citadel to it, and made it one body; and when he had encompassed all with walls, he appointed Joab to take care of them. It was David, therefore, who first cast the Jebusites out of Jerusalem, and called it by his own name, The City of David: for under our forefather Abraham it was called (Salem, or) Solyma; but after that time, some say that Homer mentions it by that name of Solyma, [for he named the temple Solyma, according to the Hebrew language, which denotes security.] Now the whole time from the warfare under Joshua our general against the Canaanites, and from that war in which he overcame them, and distributed the land among the Hebrews, (nor could the Israelites ever cast the Canaanites out of Jerusalem until this time, when David took it by siege,) this whole time was five hundred and fifteen years.

> Greek: 65. Ἐκβαλὼν δὲ τοὺς Ἰεβουσαίους ἐκ τῆς ἄκρας καὶ αὐτὸς ἀνοικοδομήσας τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα πόλιν αὐτὴν Δαυίδου προσηγόρευσε, καὶ τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον ἐν αὐτῇ διέτριβε βασιλεύων. ὁ δὲ χρόνος ὃν τῆς Ἰούδα φυλῆς ἦρξε μόνης ἐν Γιβρῶνι ἐγένετο ἔτη ἑπτὰ καὶ μῆνες ἕξ. ἀποδείξας δὲ βασίλειον τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα λαμπροτέροις αἰεὶ καὶ μᾶλλον ἐχρῆτο τοῖς πράγμασι τοῦ θεοῦ προνοουμένου κρείττω ποιεῖν αὐτὰ καὶ λαμβάνειν ἐπίδοσιν. πέμψας δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ Ἱέρωμος ὁ Τυρίων βασιλεὺς φιλίαν καὶ συμμαχίαν συνέθετο· ἔπεμψε δʼ αὐτῷ καὶ δωρεὰς ξύλα κέδρινα καὶ τεχνίτας ἄνδρας τέκτονας καὶ οἰκοδόμους, οἳ κατεσκεύασαν βασίλειον ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις. Δαυίδης δὲ τήν τε ἄνω πόλιν παραλαβὼν καὶ τὴν ἄκραν συνάψας αὐτῇ ἐποίησεν ἓν σῶμα, καὶ περιτειχίσας ἐπιμελητὴν τῶν τειχῶν κατέστησεν Ἰώαβον. πρῶτος οὖν Δαυίδης τοὺς Ἰεβουσαίους ἐξ Ἱεροσολύμων ἐκβαλὼν ἀφʼ ἑαυτοῦ προσηγόρευσε τὴν πόλιν· ἐπὶ γὰρ Ἁβράμου τοῦ προγόνου ἡμῶν Σόλυμα ἐκαλεῖτο, μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ αὐτήν φασί τινες, ὅτι καὶ Ὅμηρος ταῦτʼ ὠνόμασεν Ἱεροσόλυμα· τὸ γὰρ ἱεροῦ κατὰ τὴν Ἑβραίων γλῶτταν ὠνόμασε τὰ Σόλυμα ὅ ἐστιν ἀσφάλεια. ἦν δὲ πᾶς ὁ χρόνος ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰησοῦ τοῦ στρατηγοῦ ἐπὶ Χαναναίους στρατείας καὶ τοῦ πολέμου, καθʼ ὃν κρατήσας αὐτῶν κατένειμε ταύτην τοῖς Ἑβραίοις καὶ οὐκέτι τοὺς Χαναναίους ἐκβαλεῖν ἐξ Ἱεροσολύμων ἐδυνήθησαν οἱ Ἰσραηλῖται, μέχρις ὁ Δαυίδης αὐτοὺς ἐξεπολιόρκησεν, ἔτη πεντακόσια καὶ δέκα καὶ πέντε.

[¶9] 69. I shall now make mention of Araunah, who was a wealthy man among the Jebusites, but was not slain by David in the siege of Jerusalem, because of the good-will he bore to the Hebrews, and a particular benignity and affection which he had to the king himself; which I shall take a more seasonable opportunity to speak of a little afterwards. Now David married other wives over and above those which he had before: he had also concubines. The sons whom he had were in number eleven, whose names were Amnon, Emnos, Eban, Nathan, Solomon, Jeban, Elien, Phalna, Ennaphen, Jenae, Eliphale; and a daughter, Tamar. Nine of these were born of legitimate wives, but the two last-named of concubines; and Tamar had the same mother with Absalom.

> Greek: 69. Ποιήσομαι δὲ καὶ μνήμην Ὀρόνα πλουσίου μὲν ἀνδρὸς τῶν Ἰεβουσαίων, οὐκ ἀναιρεθέντος δὲ ἐν τῇ Ἱεροσολύμων πολιορκίᾳ ὑπὸ Δαυίδου διὰ τὴν πρὸς τοὺς Ἑβραίους εὔνοιαν αὐτοῦ καί τινα καὶ χάριν καὶ σπουδὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν γενομένην τὸν βασιλέα, ἣν μικρὸν ὕστερον εὐκαιρότερον σημανῶ. ἔγημε δὲ καὶ ἄλλας γυναῖκας πρὸς ταῖς οὔσαις αὐτῷ Δαυίδης καὶ παλλακὰς ἔσχεν. ἐποιήσατο δὲ καὶ παῖδας ἐννέα τὸν ἀριθμόν, οὓς προσηγόρευσεν Ἀμασέ, Ἀμνου, Σεβάν, Νάθαν, Σολομῶνα, Ἰεβαρῆ, Ἐλιήν, Φαλναγέην, Ναφήν, Ἰεναέ, Ἐλιφαλέ, ἔτι δὲ καὶ θυγατέρα Θαμάραν. τούτων οἱ μὲν ἐννέα ἐξ εὐγενίδων ἦσαν γεγονότες, οὓς δὲ τελευταίους εἰρήκαμεν δύο ἐκ τῶν παλλακίδων. Θαμάρα δὲ ὁμομήτριος Ἀψαλώμῳ ἦν.