---
title: "Jewish Antiquities · Ἰουδαϊκὴ ἀρχαιολογία"
author: "Josephus"
translator: "William Whiston"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Second Temple"
section: 30 of 96
url: https://scriptura.si/works/josephus-jewish-antiquities-greek/30/
cite: "Josephus, tr. William Whiston, Jewish Antiquities · Ἰουδαϊκὴ ἀρχαιολογία, section 30. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/josephus-jewish-antiquities-greek/30/"
---

# 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.

## 30. Book VII · sections 71–130

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/josephus-jewish-antiquities-greek/30/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/josephus-jewish-antiquities-greek/30/#p-N

[¶0] 71. WHEN the Philistines understood that David was made king of the Hebrews, they made war against him at Jerusalem; and when they had seized upon that valley which is called The Valley of the Giants, and is a place not far from the city, they pitched their camp therein; but the king of the Jews, who never permitted himself to do any thing without prophecy, and the command of God and without depending on him as a security for the time to come, bade the high priest to foretell to him what was the will of God, and what would be the event of this battle. And when he foretold that he should gain the victory and the dominion, he led out his army against the Philistines; and when the battle was joined, he came himself behind, and fell upon the enemy on the sudden, and slew some of them, and put the rest to flight. And let no one suppose that it was a small army of the Philistines that came against the Hebrews, as guessing so from the suddenness of their defeat, and from their having performed no great action, or that was worth recording, from the slowness of their march, and want of courage; but let him know that all Syria and Phoenicia, with many other nations besides them, and those warlike nations also, came to their assistance, and had a share in this war, which thing was the only cause why, when they had been so often conquered, and had lost so many ten thousands of their men, they still came upon the Hebrews with greater armies; nay, indeed, when they had so often failed of their purpose in these battles, they came upon David with an army three times as numerous as before, and pitched their camp on the same spot of ground as before. The king of Israel therefore inquired of God again concerning the event of the battle; and the high priest prophesied to him, that he should keep his army in the groves, called the Groves of Weeping, which were not far from the enemy’s camp, and that he should not move, nor begin to fight, till the trees of the grove should be in motion without the wind’s blowing; but as soon as these trees moved, and the time foretold to him by God was come, he should, without delay, go out to gain what was an already prepared and evident victory; for the several ranks of the enemy’s army did not sustain him, but retreated at the first onset, whom he closely followed, and slew them as he went along, and pursued them to the city Gaza (which is the limit of their country): after this he spoiled their camp, in which he found great riches; and he destroyed their gods.

> Greek: 71. Γνόντες δʼ οἱ Παλαιστῖνοι τὸν Δαυίδην βασιλέα ὑπὸ τῶν Ἑβραίων ἀποδεδειγμένον στρατεύουσιν ἐπʼ αὐτὸν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα· καὶ καταλαβόμενοι τὴν κοιλάδα τῶν Γιγάντων καλουμένην, τόπος δέ ἐστιν οὐ πόρρω τῆς πόλεως, ἐν αὐτῇ στρατοπεδεύονται. ὁ δὲ τῶν Ἰουδαίων βασιλεύς, οὐδὲν γὰρ ἄνευ προφητείας καὶ τοῦ κελεῦσαι τὸν θεὸν καὶ περὶ τῶν ἐσομένων λαβεῖν ἐγγυητὴν ἐκεῖνον ἑαυτῷ ποιεῖν ἐπέτρεπεν, ἐκέλευσε τὸν ἀρχιερέα τί δοκεῖ τῷ θεῷ καὶ ποδαπὸν ἔσται τὸ τέλος τῆς μάχης προλέγειν αὐτῷ. προφητεύσαντος δὲ νίκην καὶ κράτος ἐξάγει τὴν δύναμιν ἐπὶ τοὺς Παλαιστίνους· καὶ γενομένης συμβολῆς αὐτὸς κατόπιν αἰφνιδίως ἐπιπεσὼν τοῖς πολεμίοις τοὺς μὲν αὐτῶν ἀπέκτεινε, τοὺς δὲ εἰς φυγὴν ἐτρέψατο. ὑπολάβῃ δὲ μηδεὶς ὀλίγην τὴν τῶν Παλαιστίνων στρατιὰν ἐλθεῖν ἐπὶ τοὺς Ἑβραίους τῷ τάχει τῆς ἥττης καὶ τῷ μηδὲν ἔργον ἐπιδείξασθαι γενναῖον μηδὲ μαρτυρίας ἄξιον στοχαζόμενος αὐτῶν τὴν βραδυτῆτα καὶ τὴν ἀγέννειαν, ἀλλὰ γινωσκέτω Συρίαν τε ἅπασαν καὶ Φοινίκην καὶ πρὸς τούτοις ἄλλα ἔθνη πολλὰ καὶ μάχιμα συστρατεῦσαι αὐτοῖς καὶ τοῦ πολέμου κοινωνῆσαι, ὃ καὶ μόνον ἦν αἴτιον τοσαυτάκις αὐτοῖς νικωμένοις καὶ πολλὰς ἀποβαλοῦσι μυριάδας μετὰ μείζονος ἐπιέναι τοῖς Ἑβραίοις δυνάμεως. ἀμέλει καὶ ταύταις πταίσαντες ταῖς μάχαις τριπλάσιος στρατὸς ἐπῆλθε τῷ Δαυίδῃ καὶ εἰς ταὐτὸ χωρίον ἐστρατοπεδεύσατο. πάλιν δὲ τοῦ βασιλέως τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν ἐρομένου τὸν θεὸν περὶ τῆς περὶ τὴν μάχην ἐξόδου, προφητεύει ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς ἐν τοῖς ἄλσεσι τοῖς καλουμένοις Κλαυθμῶσι κατέχειν τὴν στρατιὰν οὐκ ἄπωθεν τοῦ τῶν πολεμίων στρατοπέδου, κινεῖν δʼ αὐτὸν μὴ πρότερον μηδʼ ἄρχεσθαι τῆς μάχης. πρὶν ἢ τὰ ἄλση σαλεύεσθαι μὴ πνέοντος ἀνέμου. ὡς δʼ ἐσαλεύθη τὰ ἄλση καὶ ὃν αὐτῷ καιρὸν προεῖπεν ὁ θεὸς παρῆν, οὐδὲν ἐπισχὼν ἐφʼ ἑτοίμην ἤδη καὶ φανερὰν ἐξῆλθε τὴν νίκην· οὐ γὰρ ὑπέμειναν αὐτὸν αἱ τῶν πολεμίων φάλαγγες, ἀλλʼ εὐθὺς ἀπὸ τῆς πρώτης συμβολῆς τραπέντας ἐνέκειτο κτείνων· καὶ διώκει μὲν αὐτοὺς ἄχρι πόλεως Γαζάρων, ἡ δʼ ἐστὶν ὅρος αὐτῶν τῆς χώρας, διαρπάζει δʼ αὐτῶν τὴν παρεμβολὴν καὶ πολὺν εὑρὼν ἐν αὐτῇ πλοῦτον καὶ τοὺς θεοὺς αὐτῶν διέφθειρε.

[¶1] 78. When this had proved the event of the battle, David thought it proper, upon a consultation with the elders, and rulers, and captains of thousands, to send for those that were in the flower of their age out of all his countrymen, and out of the whole land, and withal for the priests and the Levites, in order to their going to Kirjathjearim, to bring up the ark of God out of that city, and to carry it to Jerusalem, and there to keep it, and offer before it those sacrifices and those other honors with which God used to be well-pleased; for had they done thus in the reign of Saul, they had not undergone any great misfortunes at all. So when the whole body of the people were come together, as they had resolved to do, the king came to the ark, which the priest brought out of the house of Aminadab, and laid it upon a new cart, and permitted their brethren and their children to draw it, together with the oxen. Before it went the king, and the whole multitude of the people with him, singing hymns to God, and making use of all sorts of songs usual among them, with variety of the sounds of musical instruments, and with dancing and singing of psalms, as also with the sounds of trumpets and of cymbals, and so brought the ark to Jerusalem. But as they were come to the threshing-floor of Chidon, a place so called, Uzzah was slain by the anger of God; for as the oxen shook the ark, he stretched out his hand, and would needs take hold of it. Now, because he was not a priest and yet touched the ark, God struck him dead. Hereupon both the king and the people were displeased at the death of Uzzah; and the place where he died is still called the Breach of Uzzah unto this day. So David was afraid; and supposing that if he received the ark to himself into the city, he might suffer in the like manner as Uzzah had suffered, who, upon his bare putting out his hand to the ark, died in the manner already mentioned, he did not receive it to himself into the city, but he took it aside unto a certain place belonging to a righteous man, whose name was Obededom, who was by his family a Levite, and deposited the ark with him; and it remained there three entire months. This augmented the house of Obededom, and conferred many blessings upon it. And when the king heard what had befallen Obededom, how he was become, of a poor man in a low estate, exceeding happy, and the object of envy to all those that saw or inquired after his house, he took courage, and, hoping that he should meet with no misfortune thereby, he transferred the ark to his own house; the priests carrying it, while seven companies of singers, who were set in that order by the king, went before it, and while he himself played upon the harp, and joined in the music, insomuch, that when his wife Michel, the daughter of Saul, who was our first king, saw him so doing, she laughed at him. But when they had brought in the ark, they placed it under the tabernacle which David had pitched for it, and he offered costly sacrifices and peace-offerings, and treated the whole multitude, and dealt both to the women, and the men, and the infants a loaf of bread and a cake, and another cake baked in a pan, with the portion of the sacrifice. So when he had thus feasted the people, he sent them away, and he himself returned to his own house.

> Greek: 78. Τοιαύτης δʼ ἀποβάσης καὶ ταύτης τῆς μάχης ἔδοξε Δαυίδῃ συμβουλευσαμένῳ μετὰ τῶν γερόντων καὶ ἡγεμόνων καὶ χιλιάρχων μεταπέμψασθαι τῶν ὁμοφύλων ἐξ ἁπάσης τῆς χώρας πρὸς αὑτὸν τοὺς ἐν ἀκμῇ τῆς ἡλικίας, ἔπειτα τοὺς ἱερεῖς καὶ Ληουίτας [καὶ] πορευθέντας εἰς Καριαθιάριμα μετακομίσαι τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ κιβωτὸν ἐξ αὐτῆς εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα καὶ θρησκεύειν ἐν αὐτῇ λοιπὸν ἔχοντας αὐτὴν θυσίαις καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις τιμαῖς, αἷς χαίρει τὸ θεῖον· εἰ γὰρ ἔτι Σαούλου βασιλεύοντος τοῦτʼ ἔπραξαν, οὐκ ἂν δεινὸν οὐδὲν ἔπαθον. συνελθόντος οὖν τοῦ λαοῦ παντός, καθὼς ἐβουλεύσαντο, παραγίνεται ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ τὴν κιβωτόν, ἣν βαστάξαντες ἐκ τῆς Ἀμιναδάβου οἰκίας οἱ ἱερεῖς καὶ ἐπιθέντες ἐφʼ ἅμαξαν καινὴν ἕλκειν ἀδελφοῖς τε καὶ παισὶν ἐπέτρεψαν μετὰ τῶν βοῶν. προῆγε δʼ ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ πᾶν σὺν αὐτῷ τὸ πλῆθος ὑμνοῦντες τὸν θεὸν καὶ ᾄδοντες πᾶν εἶδος μέλους ἐπιχώριον σύν τε ἤχῳ ποικίλῳ κρουσμάτων τε καὶ ὀρχήσεων καὶ ψαλμῶν ἔτι δὲ σάλπιγγος καὶ κυμβάλων κατάγοντες τὴν κιβωτὸν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα. ὡς δʼ ἄχρι τῆς Χειδῶνος ἅλωνος τόπου τινὸς οὕτω καλουμένου προῆλθον, τελευτᾷ Ὀζᾶς κατʼ ὀργὴν τοῦ θεοῦ· τῶν βοῶν γὰρ ἐπινευσάντων τὴν κιβωτὸν ἐκτείναντα τὴν χεῖρα καὶ κατασχεῖν ἐθελήσαντα, ὅτι μὴ ὢν ἱερεὺς ἥψατο ταύτης, ἀποθανεῖν ἐποίησε. καὶ ὁ μὲν βασιλεὺς καὶ ὁ λαὸς ἐδυσφόρησαν ἐπὶ τῷ θανάτῳ τοῦ Ὀζᾶ, ὁ δὲ τόπος ἐν ᾧ ἐτελεύτησεν Ὀζᾶ διακοπὴ καλεῖται. δείσας δʼ ὁ Δαυίδης καὶ λογισάμενος, μὴ ταὐτὸ πάθῃ τῷ Ὀζᾶ δεξάμενος τὴν κιβωτὸν παρʼ αὑτὸν ἐν τῇ πόλει, ἐκείνου διότι μόνον ἐξέτεινε τὴν χεῖρα πρὸς αὐτὴν οὕτως ἀποθανόντος, οὐκ εἰσδέχεται μὲν αὐτὴν πρὸς αὑτὸν εἰς τὴν πόλιν, ἀλλʼ ἐκνεύσας εἴς τι χωρίον ἀνδρὸς δικαίου, Ὠβαδάρου ἄνομα Ληουίτου τὸ γένος, παρʼ αὐτῷ τὴν κιβωτὸν τίθησιν· ἔμεινε δʼ ἐπὶ τρεῖς ὅλους μῆνας αὐτόθι καὶ τὸν οἶκον τὸν Ὠβαδάρου ηὔξησέ τε καὶ πολλῶν αὐτῷ μετέδωκεν ἀγαθῶν. ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς ὅτι ταῦτα συμβέβηκεν Ὠβαδάρῳ καὶ ἐκ πενίας καὶ ταπεινότητος ἀθρόως εὐδαίμων καὶ ζηλωτὸς γέγονε παρὰ πᾶσι τοῖς ὁρῶσι καὶ πυνθανομένοις τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ, θαρσήσας ὡς οὐδενὸς κακοῦ πειρασόμενος τὴν κιβωτὸν πρὸς αὑτὸν μετακομίζει, τῶν μὲν ἱερέων βασταζόντων αὐτήν, ἑπτὰ δὲ χορῶν οὓς διεκόσμησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς προαγόντων, αὐτοῦ δʼ ἐν κινύρᾳ παίζοντος καὶ κροτοῦντος, ὥστε καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα Μιχάλην Σαούλου δὲ θυγατέρα τοῦ πρώτου βασιλέως ἰδοῦσαν αὐτὸν τοῦτο ποιοῦντα χλευάσαι. εἰσκομίσαντες δὲ τὴν κιβωτὸν τιθέασιν ὑπὸ τὴν σκηνήν, ἣν Δαυίδης ἔπηξεν αὐτῇ, καὶ θυσίας τελείας καὶ εἰρηνικὰς ἀνήνεγκε, καὶ τὸν ὄχλον εἱστίασε πάντα καὶ γυναιξὶ καὶ ἀνδράσι καὶ νηπίοις διαδοὺς κολλυρίδα ἄρτου καὶ ἐσχαρίτην καὶ λάγανον τηγανιστὸν καὶ μερίδα θύματος. καὶ τὸν μὲν λαὸν οὕτως κατευωχήσας ἀπέπεμψεν, αὐτὸς δʼ εἰς τὸν οἶκον [τὸν] αὑτοῦ παραγίνεται.

[¶2] 87. But when Michal his wife, the daughter of Saul, came and stood by him, she wished him all other happiness, and entreated that whatsoever he should further desire, to the utmost possibility, might be given him by God, and that he might be favorable to him; yet did she blame him, that so great a king as he was should dance after an unseemly manner, and in his dancing, uncover himself among the servants and the handmaidens. But he replied, that he was not ashamed to do what was acceptable to God, who had preferred him before her father, and before all others; that he would play frequently, and dance, without any regard to what the handmaidens and she herself thought of it. So this Michal, who was David’s wife, had no children; however, when she was afterward married to him to whom Saul her father had given her, (for at this time David had taken her away from him, and had her himself,) she bare five children. But concerning those matters I shall discourse in a proper place.

> Greek: 87. Παραστᾶσα δὲ αὐτῷ Μιχάλη ἡ γυνὴ Σαούλου δὲ θυγάτηρ τά τε ἄλλα αὐτῷ κατηύχετο καὶ παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ γενέσθαι ᾔτει πάνθʼ ὅσα παρασχεῖν αὐτῷ δυνατὸν εὐμενεῖ τυγχάνοντι, καὶ δὴ κατεμέμψατο, ὡς ἀκοσμήσειεν ὀρχούμενος ὁ τηλικοῦτος βασιλεὺς καὶ γυμνούμενος ὑπὸ τῆς ὀρχήσεως καὶ [ἐν δούλοις καὶ ἐν] θεραπαινίσιν. ὁ δʼ οὐκ αἰδεῖσθαι ταῦτα ποιήσας εἰς τὸ τῷ θεῷ κεχαρισμένον ἔφασκεν, ὃς αὐτὸν καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῆς καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων προετίμησε, παίζειν τε καὶ πολλάκις χορεῦσαι μηδένα τοῦ δόξαι ταῖς θεραπαινίσιν αἰσχρὸν καὶ αὐτῇ τὸ γινόμενον ποιησάμενος λόγον. ἡ Μιχάλη αὕτη Δαυίδῃ μὲν συνοικοῦσα παῖδας οὐκ ἐποιήσατο, γαμηθεῖσα δὲ ὕστερον ᾧ παρέδωκεν αὐτὴν ὁ πατὴρ Σαοῦλος, τότε δὲ ἀποσπάσας αὐτὸς εἶχε, πέντε παῖδας ἔτεκε. καὶ περὶ μὲν τούτων κατὰ χώραν δηλώσομεν.

[¶3] 90. Now when the king saw that his affairs grew better almost every day, by the will of God, he thought he should offend him, if, while he himself continued in houses made of cedar, such as were of a great height, and had the most curious works of architecture in them, he should overlook the ark while it was laid in a tabernacle, and was desirous to build a temple to God, as Moses had predicted such a temple should be built. And when he had discoursed with Nathan the prophet about these things, and had been encouraged by him to do whatsoever he had a mind to do, as having God with him, and his helper in all things, he was thereupon the more ready to set about that building. But God appeared to Nathan that very night, and commanded him to say to David, that he took his purpose and his desires kindly, since nobody had before now taken it into their head to build him a temple, although upon his having such a notion he would not permit him to build him that temple, because he had made many wars, and was defiled with the slaughter of his enemies; that, however, after his death, in his old age, and when he had lived a long life, there should be a temple built by a son of his, who should take the kingdom after him, and should be called Solomon, whom he promised to provide for, as a father provides for his son, by preserving the kingdom for his son’s posterity, and delivering it to them; but that he would still punish him, if he sinned, with diseases and barrenness of land. When David understood this from the prophet, and was overjoyful at this knowledge of the sure continuance of the dominion to his posterity, and that his house should be splendid, and very famous, he came to the ark, and fell down on his face, and began to adore God, and to return thanks to him for all his benefits, as well for those that he had already bestowed upon him in raising him from a low state, and from the employment of a shepherd, to so great dignity of dominion and glory; as for those also which he had promised to his posterity; and besides, for that providence which he had exercised over the Hebrews in procuring them the liberty they enjoyed. And when he had said thus, and had sung a hymn of praise to God, he went his way.

> Greek: 90. Ὁρῶν δʼ ὁ βασιλεὺς κατὰ πᾶσαν αὐτῷ τὰ πράγματα σχεδὸν ἡμέραν ἀμείνω γινόμενα ἐκ τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ βουλήσεως ἐνόμιζεν ἐξαμαρτάνειν αὑτὸν, εἰ μένων αὐτὸς ἐν οἴκοις ἐκ κέδρου πεποιημένοις ὑψηλοῖς τε καὶ καλλίστην τὴν ἄλλην κατασκευὴν ἔχουσι περιορᾷ τὴν κιβωτὸν ἐν σκηνῇ κειμένην· ἐβούλετο δὲ τῷ θεῷ κατασκευάσαι ναόν, ὡς Μωυσῆς εἶπε, καὶ περὶ τούτων Νάθᾳ τῷ προφήτῃ διαλεχθείς, ἐπεὶ ποιεῖν ὅτιπερ ὥρμηται προσέταξεν αὐτὸν ὡς τοῦ θεοῦ πρὸς ἅπαντʼ αὐτῷ συνεργοῦ παρόντος, εἶχεν ἤδη περὶ τὴν τοῦ ναοῦ κατασκευὴν προθυμότερον. τοῦ θεοῦ δὲ κατʼ ἐκείνην τὴν νύκτα τῷ Νάθᾳ φανέντος καὶ φράσαι κελεύσαντος τῷ Δαυίδῃ, ὡς τὴν μὲν προαίρεσιν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ἀποδέχεται, μηδενὸς μὲν πρότερον εἰς νοῦν βαλομένου ναὸν αὐτῷ κατασκευάσαι. τούτου δὲ ταύτην τὴν διάνοιαν λαβόντος· οὐκ ἐπιτρέπειν δὲ πολλοὺς πολέμους ἠγωνισμένῳ καὶ φόνῳ τῶν ἐχθρῶν μεμιασμένῳ ποιῆσαι ναὸν αὐτῷ. μετὰ μέντοι γε τὸν θάνατον αὐτοῦ γηράσαντος καὶ μακρὸν ἀνύσαντος βίον γενήσεσθαι τὸν ναὸν ὑπὸ τοῦ παιδὸς τοῦ μετʼ αὐτὸν τὴν βασιλείαν παραληψομένου κληθησομένου δὲ Σολομῶνος, οὗ προστήσεσθαι καὶ προνοήσειν ὡς πατὴρ υἱοῦ κατεπηγγέλλετο, τὴν μὲν βασιλείαν τέκνων ἐγγόνοις φυλάξων καὶ παραδώσων, αὐτὸν δὲ τιμωρήσων, ἂν ἁμαρτὼν τύχῃ, νόσῳ καὶ γῆς ἀφορίᾳ. μαθὼν ταῦτα παρὰ τοῦ προφήτου Δαυίδης καὶ περιχαρὴς γενόμενος ἐπὶ τῷ τοῖς ἐγγόνοις αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀρχὴν διαμένουσαν ἐγνωκέναι βεβαίως καὶ τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ λαμπρὸν ἐσόμενον καὶ περιβόητον πρὸς τὴν κιβωτὸν παραγίνεται, καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον ἤρξατο προσκυνεῖν καὶ περὶ πάντων εὐχαριστεῖν τῷ θεῷ, ὧν τε αὐτῷ παρέσχηκεν ἤδη ἐκ ταπεινοῦ καὶ ποιμένος εἰς τηλικοῦτο μέγεθος ἡγεμονίας τε καὶ δόξης ἀναγαγών, ὧν τε τοῖς ἐγγόνοις αὐτοῦ καθυπέσχετο, τῆς προνοίας, ἣν Ἑβραίων καὶ τῆς τούτων ἐλευθερίας ἐποιήσατο. ταῦτʼ εἰπὼν καὶ τὸν θεὸν ὑμνήσας ἀπαλλάσσεται.

[¶4] 96. A LITLLE while after this, he considered that he ought to make war against the Philistines, and not to see any idleness or laziness permitted in his management, that so it might prove, as God had foretold to him, that when he had overthrown his enemies, he should leave his posterity to reign in peace afterward: so he called together his army again, and when he had charged them to be ready and prepared for war, and when he thought that all things in his army were in a good state, he removed from Jerusalem, and came against the Philistines; and when he had overcome them in battle, and had cut off a great part of their country, and adjoined it to the country of the Hebrews, he transferred the war to the Moabites; and when he had overcome two parts of their army in battle, he took the remaining part captive, and imposed tribute upon them, to be paid annually. He then made war against Iadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Sophene; and when he had joined battle with him at ‘the river Euphrates, he destroyed twenty thousand of his footmen, and about seven thousand of his horsemen. He also took a thousand of his chariots, and destroyed the greatest part of them, and ordered that no more than one hundred should be kept.

> Greek: 96. Διαλιπὼν δὲ ὀλίγον χρόνον ἔγνω δεῖν ἐπὶ τοὺς Παλαιστίνους ἐκστρατεύειν, καὶ μηδὲν ἀργὸν μηδὲ ῥᾴθυμον ἐν τοῖς πράγμασιν ὁρᾶν γινόμενον, ἵνʼ ὡς τὸ θεῖον αὐτῷ προεῖπε καταστρεψάμενος τοὺς πολεμίους ἐν εἰρήνῃ τὸ λοιπὸν τοὺς ἐκγόνους αὐτοῦ βασιλεύοντας καταλείποι. καὶ συγκαλέσας πάλιν τὴν στρατιὰν καὶ παραγγείλας αὐτῇ πρὸς πόλεμον ἑτοίμῃ καὶ παρεσκευασμένῃ τυγχάνειν, ὅτʼ ἔδοξεν αὐτῷ καλῶς ἔχειν τὰ παρʼ αὐτῆς ἄρας ἐκ τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων ἐπὶ τοὺς Παλαιστίνους ἧκε. κρατήσας δʼ αὐτῶν τῇ μάχῃ καὶ πολλὴν τῆς χώρας ἀποτεμόμενος καὶ προσορίσας τῇ τῶν Ἑβραίων ἐπὶ τοὺς Μωαβίτας τὸν πόλεμον μετήγαγε, καὶ τὰ μὲν δύο μέρη τῆς στρατιᾶς αὐτῶν τῇ μάχῃ νικήσας διέφθειρε, τὸ δὲ λειπόμενον αἰχμάλωτον ἔλαβε. φόρους δὲ αὐτοῖς ἐπιτάξας κατʼ ἔτος τελεῖν ἐπὶ Ἀρτάζαρον τὸν Ἀραοῦ μὲν υἱὸν βασιλέα δὲ τῆς Σωφηνῆς ἐστράτευσε, καὶ συμβαλὼν αὐτῷ παρὰ τὸν Εὐφράτην ποταμὸν τῶν μὲν πεζῶν αὐτοῦ διέφθειρεν ὡσεὶ δισμυρίους, τῶν δʼ ἱπποτῶν ὡς πεντακισχιλίους. ἔλαβε δὲ καὶ αὐτοῦ ἅρματα χίλια, καὶ τὰ πλείω μὲν αὐτῶν ἠφάνισεν, ἑκατὸν δὲ μόνα προσέταξεν αὑτῷ φυλαχθῆναι.

[¶5] 100. Now when Hadad, king of Damascus and of Syria, heard that David fought against Hadadezer, who was his friend, he came to his assistance with a powerful army, in hopes to rescue him; and when he had joined battle with David at the river Euphrates, he failed of his purpose, and lost in the battle a great number of his soldiers; for there were slain of the army of Hadad twenty thousand, and all the rest fled. Nicelens also [of Damascus] makes mention of this king in the fourth book of his histories; where he speaks thus: “A great while after these things had happened, there was one of that country whose name was Hadad, who was become very potent; he reigned over Damascus, and, the other parts of Syria, excepting Phoenicia. He made war against David, the king of Judea, and tried his fortune in many battles, and particularly in the last battle at Euphrates, wherein he was beaten. He seemed to have been the most excellent of all their kings in strength and manhood,” Nay, besides this, he says of his posterity, that “they succeeded one another in his kingdom, and in his name;” where he thus speaks: “When Hadad was dead, his posterity reigned for ten generations, each of his successors receiving from his father that his dominion, and this his name; as did the Ptolemies in Egypt. But the third was the most powerful of them all, and was willing to avenge the defeat his forefather had received; so he made an expedition against the Jews, and laid waste the city which is now called Samaria.” Nor did he err from the truth; for this is that Hadad who made the expedition against Samaria, in the reign of Ahab, king of Israel, concerning whom we shall speak in due place hereafter.

> Greek: 100. Ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Δαμασκοῦ καὶ Σύρων βασιλεὺς Ἄδαδος, ὅτι πολεμεῖ Δαυίδης τὸν Ἀρτάζαρον, φίλος ὢν αὐτῷ μετὰ δυνάμεως ἧκεν ἰσχυρᾶς συμμαχήσων· ἀπήλλαξε δʼ ὡς προσεδόκα συμβαλὼν πρὸς τῷ Εὐφράτῃ ποταμῷ, πταίσας δὲ τῇ μάχῃ πολλοὺς ἀπέβαλε τῶν στρατιωτῶν· ἔπεσον γὰρ ὑπὸ τῶν Ἑβραίων ἀναιρούμενοι τῆς Ἀδάδου δυνάμεως δισμύριοι, οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ πάντες ἔφυγον. μέμνηται δὲ τούτου τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ Νικόλαος ἐν τῇ τετάρτῃ τῶν ἱστοριῶν αὐτοῦ λέγων οὕτως· μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα πολλῷ χρόνῳ ὕστερον τῶν ἐγχωρίων τις Ἄδαδος ὄνομα πλεῖον ἰσχύσας Δαμασκοῦ τε καὶ τῆς ἄλλης Συρίας ἔξω Φοινίκης ἐβασίλευσε. πόλεμον δʼ ἐξενέγκας πρὸς Δαυίδην τὸν βασιλέα τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ πολλαῖς μάχαις κριθείς, ὑστάτῃ δὲ παρὰ τὸν Εὐφράτην, ἐν ᾗ ἡττᾶτο, ἄριστος ἔδοξεν εἶναι βασιλέων ῥώμῃ καὶ ἀνδρείᾳ. πρὸς τούτοις δὲ καὶ περὶ τῶν ἀπογόνων αὐτοῦ φησιν, ὡς μετὰ τὴν ἐκείνου τελευτὴν ἐξεδέχοντο παρʼ ἀλλήλων καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν καὶ τὸ ὄνομα, λέγων οὕτως· τελευτήσαντος δὲ ἐκείνου ἀπόγονοι ἐπὶ δέκα γενεὰς ἐβασίλευον ἑκάστου παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ἅμα καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν καὶ τοὔνομα [τούτου] ἐκδεχομένου, ὥσπερ οἱ Πτολεμαῖοι ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ. μέγιστον δὲ ἁπάντων δυνηθεὶς ὁ τρίτος ἀναμαχέσασθαι βουλόμενος τὴν τοῦ προπάτορος ἧτταν στρατεύσας ἐπὶ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους ἐπόρθησε τὴν νῦν Σαμαρεῖτιν καλουμένην γῆν. οὐ διήμαρτε δὲ τῆς ἀληθείας· οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν Ἄδαδος ὁ στρατευσάμενος ἐπὶ Σαμάρειαν Ἀχάβου βασιλεύοντος τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν, περὶ οὗ κατὰ χώραν ἐροῦμεν.

[¶6] 104. Now when David had made an expedition against Damascus, and the other parts of Syria, and had brought it all into subjection, and had placed garrisons in the country, and appointed that they should pay tribute, he returned home. He also dedicated to God at Jerusalem the golden quivers, the entire armor which the guards of Hadad used to wear; which Shishak, the king of Egypt, took away when he fought with David’s grandson, Rehoboam, with a great deal of other wealth which he carried out of Jerusalem. However, these things will come to be explained in their proper places hereafter. Now as for the king of the Hebrews, he was assisted by God, who gave him great success in his wars, and he made all expedition against the best cities of Hadadezer, Betah and Machen; so he took them by force, and laid them waste. Therein was found a very great quantity of gold and silver, besides that sort of brass which is said to be more valuable than gold; of which brass Solomon made that large vessel which was called The [Brazen] Sea, and those most curious lavers, when he built the temple for God.

> Greek: 104. Δαυίδης δὲ στρατευσάμενος ἐπὶ Δαμασκὸν καὶ τὴν ἄλλην Συρίαν πᾶσαν αὐτὴν ὑπήκοον ἐποιήσατο, καὶ φρουρὰς ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ καταστήσας καὶ φόρους αὐτοῖς τελεῖν ὁρίσας ὑπέστρεψε· καὶ τάς τε χρυσᾶς φαρέτρας καὶ τὰς πανοπλίας, ἃς οἱ τοῦ Ἀδάδου σωματοφύλακες ἐφόρουν, ἀνέθηκε τῷ θεῷ εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα, ἃς ὕστερον ὁ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων βασιλεὺς Σούσακος στρατεύσας ἐπὶ τὸν υἱωνὸν αὐτοῦ Ῥοβόαμον ἔλαβε καὶ πολὺν ἄλλον ἐκ τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων ἐξεφόρησε πλοῦτον· ταῦτα μὲν ὅταν ἔλθωμεν ἐπὶ τὸν οἰκεῖον αὐτῶν τόπον δηλώσομεν. ὁ δὲ τῶν Ἑβραίων βασιλεὺς τοῦ θεοῦ συμπνέοντος αὐτῷ καὶ τοὺς πολέμους συγκατορθοῦντος καὶ ταῖς καλλίσταις τῶν Ἀνδραζάρου πόλεων ἐπεστράτευσε Βατταίᾳ καὶ Μάχωνι, καὶ λαβὼν αὐτὰς κατὰ κράτος διήρπασε. χρυσὸς δʼ ἐν αὐταῖς εὑρέθη πάμπολυς καὶ ἄργυρος ἔτι δὲ καὶ χαλκός, ὃν τοῦ χρυσοῦ κρείττονʼ ἔλεγον, ἐξ οὗ καὶ Σολόμων τὸ μέγα σκεῦος θάλασσαν δὲ καλούμενον ἐποίησε καὶ τοὺς καλλίστους ἐκείνους λουτῆρας, ὅτε τῷ θεῷ τὸν ναὸν κατεσκεύασεν.

[¶7] 107. But when the king of Hamath was informed of the ill success of Hadadezer, and had heard of the ruin of his army, he was afraid on his own account, and resolved to make a league of friendship and fidelity with David before he should come against him; so he sent to him his son Joram, and professed that he owed him thanks for fighting against Hadadezer, who was his enemy, and made a league with him of mutual assistance and friendship. He also sent him presents, vessels of ancient workmanship, both of gold, of silver, and of brass. So when David had made this league of mutual assistance with Toi, (for that was the name of the king of Hamath,) and had received the presents he sent him, he dismissed his son with that respect which was due on both sides; but then David brought those presents that were sent by him, as also the rest of the gold and silver which he had taken of the cities whom he had conquered, and dedicated them to God. Nor did God give victory and success to him only when he went to the battle himself, and led his own army, but he gave victory to Abishai, the brother of Joab, general of his forces, over the Idumeans, and by him to David, when he sent him with an army into Idumea: for Abishai destroyed eighteen thousand of them in the battle; whereupon the king [of Israel] placed garrisons through all Idumea, and received the tribute of the country, and of every head among them. Now David was in his nature just, and made his determination with regard to truth. He had for the general of his whole army Joab; and he made Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, recorder. He also appointed Zadok, of the family of Phinehas, to be high priest, together with Abiathar, for he was his friend. He also made Seisan the scribe, and committed the command over the guards of his body to Benaiah; the son of Jehoiada. His elder sons were near his body, and had the care of it also.

> Greek: 107. Ὡς δὲ ὁ τῆς Ἀμάθης βασιλεὺς τὰ περὶ τὸν Ἀνδράζαρον ἐπύθετο καὶ τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ διεφθαρμένην ἤκουσε, δείσας περὶ αὑτῷ καὶ τὸν Δαυίδην πρὶν ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ἔλθοι φιλίᾳ καὶ πίστει γνοὺς ἐνδήσασθαι, πέμπει πρὸς αὐτὸν Ἀδώραμον υἱὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ περὶ τοῦ τὸν Ἀνδράζαρον ἐχθρὸν ὄντʼ αὐτῷ πολεμῆσαι χάριν ἔχειν ὁμολογῶν, καὶ συμμαχίαν πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ φιλίαν ποιούμενος. ἔπεμψε δʼ αὐτῷ καὶ δῶρα σκεύη τῆς ἀρχαίας κατασκευῆς χρύσεα καὶ ἀργύρεα καὶ χάλκεα. Δαυίδης δὲ ποιησάμενος τὴν συμμαχίαν πρὸς τὸν Θαῖνον, τοῦτο γὰρ ἦν ὄνομα τῷ βασιλεῖ τῆς Ἀμάθης, καὶ τὰ δῶρα δεξάμενος ἀπέλυσεν αὐτοῦ τὸν υἱὸν μετὰ τιμῆς τῆς πρεπούσης ἑκατέροις. τὰ δὲ πεμφθέντα ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν ἄλλον χρυσὸν καὶ ἄργυρον, ὃν ἐκ τῶν πόλεων εἰλήφει καὶ τῶν κεχειρωμένων ἐθνῶν, φέρων ἀνατίθησι τῷ θεῷ. οὐκ αὐτῷ δὲ πολεμοῦντι μόνον καὶ τῆς στρατιᾶς ἡγουμένῳ τὸ νικᾶν καὶ κατορθοῦν παρεῖχεν ὁ θεός, ἀλλὰ καὶ πέμψαντος αὐτοῦ μετὰ δυνάμεως εἰς τὴν Ἰδουμαίαν Ἀβεσσαῖον τὸν Ἰωάβου τοῦ ἀρχιστρατήγου ἀδελφὸν διʼ ἐκείνου τὴν τῶν Ἰδουμαίων νίκην ἔδωκε· μυρίους γὰρ αὐτῶν καὶ ὀκτακισχιλίους Ἀβεσσαῖος διέφθειρε τῇ μάχῃ. καὶ τὴν Ἰδουμαίαν ἅπασαν φρουραῖς διαλαβὼν ὁ βασιλεὺς φόρους ὑπέρ τε τῆς χώρας καὶ τῆς ἑκάστου κεφαλῆς παρʼ αὐτῶν ἐδέχετο. ἦν δὲ καὶ δίκαιος τὴν φύσιν καὶ τὰς κρίσεις πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἀφορῶν ἐποιεῖτο. στρατηγὸν δὲ ἁπάσης εἶχε τῆς στρατιᾶς τὸν Ἰώαβον· ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν ὑπομνημάτων Ἰωσάφατον υἱὸν Ἀχίλου κατέστησεν· ἀπέδειξε δʼ ἐκ τῆς Φινεέσου οἰκίας τὸν Σάδωκον ἀρχιερέα μετʼ Ἀβιαθάρου, φίλος γὰρ ἦν αὐτῷ· γραμματέα δὲ Σισὰν ἐποίησε· Βαναίᾳ δὲ τῷ Ἰωάδου τὴν τῶν σωματοφυλάκων ἀρχὴν παραδίδωσιν· οἱ δὲ πρεσβύτεροι παῖδες αὐτοῦ περὶ τὸ σῶμα καὶ τὴν τούτου φυλακὴν ἦσαν.

[¶8] 111. He also called to mind the covenants and the oaths he had made with Jonathan, the son of Saul, and the friendship and affection Jonathan had for him; for besides all the rest of his excellent qualities with which he was endowed, he was also exceeding mindful of such as had at other times bestowed benefits upon him. He therefore gave order that inquiry should be made, whether any of Jonathan’s lineage were living, to whom he might make return of that familiar acquaintance which Jonathan had had with him, and for which he was still debtor. And when one of Saul’s freed men was brought to him, who was acquainted with those of his family that were still living, he asked him whether he could tell him of any one belonging to Jonathan that was now alive, and capable of a requital of the benefits which he had received from Jonathan. And he said, that a son of his was remaining, whose name was Mephibosheth, but that he was lame of his feet; for that when his nurse heard that the father and grandfather of the child were fallen in the battle, she snatched him up, and fled away, and let him fall from her shoulders, and his feet were lamed. So when he had learned where and by whom he was brought up, he sent messengers to Machir, to the city of Lodebar, for with him was the son of Jonathan brought up, and sent for him to come to him. So when Mephibosheth came to the king, he fell on his face and worshipped him; but David encouraged him, bade him be of good cheer, and expect better times. So he gave him his father’s house, and all the estate which his grandfather Saul was in possession of, and bade him come and diet with him at his own table, and never to be absent one day from that table. And when the youth had worshipped him on account of his words and gifts given to him, he called for Ziba, and told him that he had given the youth his father’s house, and all Saul’s estate. He also ordered that Ziba should cultivate his land, and take care of it, and bring him the profits of all to Jerusalem. Accordingly, David brought him to his table every day, and bestowed upon the youth, Ziba and his sons, who were in number fifteen, and his servants, who were in number twenty. When the king had made these appointments, and Ziba had worshipped him, and promised to do all that he had bidden him, he went his way; so that this son of Jonathan dwelt at Jerusalem, and dieted at the king’s table, and had the same care that a son could claim taken of him. He also had himself a son, whom he named Micha.

> Greek: 111. Ἐμνήσθη δὲ καὶ τῶν πρὸς Ἰωνάθην τὸν Σαούλου παῖδα συνθηκῶν καὶ ὅρκων καὶ τῆς ἐκείνου πρὸς αὐτὸν φιλίας τε καὶ σπουδῆς· πρὸς γὰρ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἅπασιν ἀγαθοῖς οἷς εἶχεν ἔτι καὶ μνημονικώτατος τῶν εὖ ποιησάντων παρὰ τὸν ἄλλον χρόνον ὑπῆρχε. προσέταξεν οὖν ἀναζητεῖν εἴ τις ἐκ τοῦ γένους αὐτοῦ σώζεται, ᾧ τὰς ἀμοιβὰς ἃς ὤφειλεν Ἰωνάθῃ τῆς ἑταιρίας ἀποδώσει· ἀχθέντος οὖν τινος ἠλευθερωμένου μὲν ὑπὸ Σαούλου δυναμένου δὲ γινώσκειν τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ γένους αὐτοῦ περιόντας, ἀνέκρινεν εἴ τινα ἔχοι λέγειν τῶν Ἰωνάθῃ προσηκόντων ζῶντα καὶ κομίσασθαι τὰς τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν χάριτας δυνάμενον, ὧν καὶ αὐτὸς ἔτυχε παρὰ Ἰωνάθου. φήσαντος δʼ υἱὸν αὐτοῦ περιλείπεσθαι Μεμφίβοσθον ὄνομα πεπηρωμένον τὰς βάσεις, τῆς γὰρ τροφοῦ μετὰ τὸ προσαγγελθῆναι τὸν πατέρα τοῦ παιδίου καὶ τὸν πάππον ἐν τῇ μάχῃ πεσόντας ἁρπασαμένης καὶ φευγούσης, ἀπὸ τῶν ὤμων αὐτὸ κατενεχθῆναι καὶ βλαβῆναι τὰς βάσεις, μαθὼν ὅπου καὶ παρὰ τίνι τρέφεται πέμψας πρὸς τὸν Μάχειρον εἰς Λάβαθα πόλιν, παρὰ τούτῳ γὰρ ὁ Ἰωνάθου παῖς ἐτρέφετο, μεταπέμπεται πρὸς αὑτόν. ἐλθὼν δʼ ὁ Μεμφίβοσθος πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα πεσὼν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον προσεκύνησεν αὐτόν. ὁ δὲ Δαυίδης θαρρεῖν τε προυτρέπετο καὶ τὰ βελτίω προσδοκᾶν· δίδωσι δʼ αὐτῷ καὶ τὸν πατρῷον οἶκον καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν οὐσίαν, ἣν ὁ πάππος αὐτοῦ Σαοῦλος ἐκτήσατο, σύσσιτόν τε καὶ ὁμοτράπεζον ἐκέλευσεν εἶναι καὶ μηδεμίαν ἡμέραν ἀπολείπεσθαι τῆς σὺν αὐτῷ διαίτης. τοῦ δὲ παιδὸς προσκυνήσαντος ἐπί τε τοῖς λόγοις καὶ ταῖς δωρεαῖς, καλέσας τὸν Σιβὰν τὸν πατρῷον οἶκον ἔλεγε δεδωρῆσθαι τῷ παιδὶ καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν Σαούλου κτῆσιν, αὐτόν τε ἐκέλευσεν ἐργαζόμενον αὐτοῦ τὴν γῆν καὶ προνοούμενον ἁπάντων τὴν πρόσοδον εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα κομίζειν, ἄγειν τε αὐτὸν καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ἐπὶ τὴν αὐτοῦ τράπεζαν αὐτὸν Σιβὰν καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ, ἦσαν δʼ οὗτοι πεντεκαίδεκα, καὶ τοὺς οἰκέτας αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀριθμὸν ὄντας εἴκοσι τῷ παιδὶ χαρίζεται Μεμφιβόσθῳ. ταῦτα διαταξαμένου τοῦ βασιλέως ὁ μὲν Σιβὰς προσκυνήσας καὶ πάντα ποιήσειν εἰπὼν ἀνεχώρησεν, ὁ δὲ Ἰωνάθου παῖς ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις κατῴκει συνεστιώμενος τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ πάσης ὡς υἱὸς αὐτοῦ θεραπείας τυγχάνων· ἐγένετο δʼ αὐτῷ καὶ παῖς, ὃν Μίχανον προσηγόρευσε.

[¶9] 117. THIS were the honors that such as were left of Saul’s and Jonathan’s lineage received from David. About this time died Nahash, the king of the Ammonites, who was a friend of David’s; and when his son had succeeded his father in the kingdom, David sent ambassadors to him to comfort him; and exhorted him to take his father’s death patiently, and to expect that he would continue the same kindness to himself which he had shown to his father. But the princes of the Ammonites took this message in evil part, and not as David’s kind dispositions gave reason to take it; and they excited the king to resent it; and said that David had sent men to spy out the country, and what strength it had, under the pretense of humanity and kindness. They further advised him to have a care, and not to give heed to David’s words, lest he should be deluded by him, and so fall into an inconsolable calamity. Accordingly Nahash’s [son], the king of the Ammonites, thought these princes spake what was more probable than the truth would admit, and so abused the ambassadors after a very harsh manner; for he shaved the one half of their beards, and cut off one half of their garments, and sent his answer, not in words, but in deeds. When the king of Israel saw this, he had indignation at it, and showed openly that he would not overlook this injurious and contumelious treatment, but would make war with the Ammonites, and would avenge this wicked treatment of his ambassadors on their king. So that king’s intimate friends and commanders, understanding that they had violated their league, and were liable to be punished for the same, made preparations for war; they also sent a thousand talents to the Syrian king of Mesopotamia, and endeavored to prevail with him to assist them for that pay, and Shobach. Now these kings had twenty thousand footmen. They also hired the king of the country called Maacah, and a fourth king, by name Ishtob; which last had twelve thousand armed men.

> Greek: 117. Καὶ οἱ μὲν περιλειφθέντες ἐκ τοῦ Σαούλου γένους καὶ Ἰωνάθου τούτων ἔτυχον παρὰ Δαυίδου τῶν τιμῶν. τελευτήσαντος δὲ κατʼ ἐκεῖνον τὸν χρόνον τοῦ τῶν Ἀμμανιτῶν βασιλέως Ναάσου, φίλος δʼ ἦν οὗτος αὐτῷ, καὶ διαδεξαμένου τὴν βασιλείαν Ἀννὼν τοῦ παιδός, πέμψας Δαυίδης πρὸς αὐτὸν παρεμυθήσατο πρᾴως τε φέρειν ἐπὶ τῷ θανάτῳ τοῦ πατρὸς παραινῶν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν φιλίαν διαμενεῖν, ἣ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἦν, τούτῳ προσδοκᾶν. οἱ δὲ τῶν Ἀμμανιτῶν ἄρχοντες κακοήθως ἀλλʼ οὐ κατὰ τὸν Δαυίδου τρόπον ταῦτʼ ἐδέξαντο, καὶ παρώτρυναν τὸν βασιλέα λέγοντες κατασκόπους πεπομφέναι τῆς χώρας Δαυίδην καὶ τῆς αὑτῶν δυνάμεως ἐπὶ προφάσει φιλανθρωπίας, φυλάττεσθαί τε συνεβούλευον καὶ μὴ προσέχειν τοῖς λόγοις αὐτοῦ, μὴ καὶ σφαλεὶς ἀπαρηγορήτῳ συμφορᾷ περιπέσῃ. ταῦτʼ οὖν δόξας πιθανώτερα λέγειν τοὺς ἄρχοντας ἢ τἀληθὲς εἶχεν ὁ τῶν Ἀμμανιτῶν βασιλεὺς Ἀννὼν τοὺς παρὰ τοῦ Δαυίδου πεμφθέντας πρέσβεις χαλεπῶς περιύβρισε· ξυρήσας γὰρ αὐτῶν τὰ ἡμίση τῶν γενείων καὶ τὰ ἡμίση τῶν ἱματίων περιτεμὼν ἔργοις ἀπέλυσε κομίζοντας οὐ λόγοις τὰς ἀποκρίσεις. ἰδὼν δὲ ταῦθʼ ὁ τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν βασιλεὺς ἠγανάκτησε καὶ δῆλος ἦν οὐ περιοψόμενος τὴν ὕβριν καὶ τὸν προπηλακισμόν, ἀλλὰ πολεμήσων τοῖς Ἀμμανίταις καὶ τιμωρίαν αὐτῶν τῆς παρανομίας τῆς πρὸς τοὺς πρεσβευτὰς εἰσπραξόμενος τὸν βασιλέα. συνέντες δὲ οἵ τε ἀναγκαῖοι καὶ οἱ ἡγεμόνες, ὅτι παρεσπονδήκασι καὶ δίκην ὑπὲρ τούτων ὀφείλουσι, προπαρασκευάζονται εἰς τὸν πόλεμον· καὶ πέμψαντες πρὸς Σύρον τὸν τῶν Μεσοποταμιτῶν βασιλέα χίλια τάλαντα σύμμαχον αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τούτῳ γενέσθαι τῷ μισθῷ παρεκάλεσαν καὶ Σουβάν· ἦσαν δὲ τοῖς βασιλεῦσι τούτοις πεζοῦ δύο μυριάδες. προσεμισθώσαντο δὲ καὶ τὸν ἐκ τῆς Μιχᾶς καλουμένης χώρας βασιλέα καὶ τέταρτον Ἴστοβον ὄνομα, καὶ τούτους ἔχοντας μυρίους καὶ δισχιλίους ὁπλίτας.

[¶10] 122. But David was under no consternation at this confederacy, nor at the forces of the Ammonites; and putting his trust in God, because he was going to war in a just cause, on account of the injurious treatment he had met with, he immediately sent Joab, the captain of his host, against them, and gave him the flower of his army, who pitched his camp by Rabbah, the metropolis of the Ammonites; whereupon the enemy came out, and set themselves in array, not all of them together, but in two bodies; for the auxiliaries were set in array in the plain by themselves, but the army of the Ammonites at the gates over against the Hebrews. When Joab saw this, he opposed one stratagem against another, and chose out the most hardy part of his men, and set them in opposition to the king of Syria, and the kings that were with him, and gave the other part to his brother Abishai, and bid him set them in opposition to the Ammonites; and said to him, that in case he should see that the Syrians distressed him, and were too hard for him, he should order his troops to turn about and assist him; and he said that he himself would do the same to him, if he saw him in the like distress from the Ammonites. So he sent his brother before, and encouraged him to do every thing courageously and with alacrity, which would teach them to be afraid of disgrace, and to fight manfully; and so he dismissed him to fight with the Ammonites, while he fell upon the Syrians. And though they made a strong opposition for a while, Joab slew many of them, but compelled the rest to betake themselves to flight; which, when the Ammonites saw, and were withal afraid of Abishai and his army, they staid no longer, but imitated their auxiliaries, and fled to the city. So Joab, when he had thus overcome the enemy, returned with great joy to Jerusalem to the king.

> Greek: 122. Οὐ κατεπλάγη δὲ τὴν συμμαχίαν καὶ τὴν τῶν Ἀμμανιτῶν δύναμιν ὁ Δαυίδης, τῷ δὲ θεῷ πεποιθὼς καὶ τῷ δικαίως αὐτοῖς ἀνθʼ ὧν ὑβρίσθη πολεμεῖν μέλλειν, Ἰώαβον τὸν ἀρχιστράτηγον δοὺς αὐτῷ τῆς στρατιᾶς τὸ ἀκμαιότατον ἐξ αὐτῆς ἔπεμψεν ἐπʼ αὐτούς. ὁ δὲ πρὸς τῇ μητροπόλει τῶν Ἀμμανιτῶν Ἀραβαθᾶ κατεστρατοπεδεύσατο. τῶν δὲ πολεμίων ἐξελθόντων καὶ παραταξαμένων οὐχ ὁμοῦ διχῇ δέ, τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐπικουρικὸν ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ καθʼ αὑτὸ ἐτάχθη, τὸ δὲ τῶν Ἀμμανιτῶν στράτευμα πρὸς ταῖς πύλαις ἀντικρὺ τῶν Ἑβραίων, ἰδὼν τοῦτο Ἰώαβος ἀντιμηχανᾶται· καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἀνδρειοτάτους ἐπιλεξάμενος ἀντιπαρατάσσεται τῷ Σύρῳ καὶ τοῖς μετʼ αὐτοῦ βασιλεῦσι, τὸ δʼ ἄλλο παραδοὺς Ἀβεσσαίῳ τῷ ἀδελφῷ τοῖς Ἀμμανίταις ἐκέλευσεν ἀντιπαρατάξασθαι, εἰπὼν ἂν τοὺς Σύρους ἴδῃ βιαζομένους αὐτὸν καὶ πλέον δυναμένους μεταγαγόντα τὴν φάλαγγα βοηθεῖν αὐτῷ, τὸ δʼ αὐτὸ τοῦτο ποιήσειν καὶ αὐτός, ἂν ὑπὸ τῶν Ἀμμανιτῶν αὐτὸν καταπονούμενον θεάσηται. προτρεψάμενος οὖν τὸν ἀδελφὸν καὶ παρακαλέσας εὐψύχως καὶ μετὰ προθυμίας ἀνδράσιν αἰσχύνην φοβουμένοις πρεπούσης ἀγωνίσασθαι τὸν μὲν ἀπέλυσε τοῖς Ἀμμανίταις μαχησόμενον, αὐτὸς δὲ τοῖς Σύροις συνέβαλε. καὶ πρὸς ὀλίγον ἀντισχόντων αὐτῶν καρτερῶς πολλοὺς μὲν αὐτῶν ἀπέκτεινεν Ἰώαβος, ἅπαντας δʼ ἠνάγκασεν εἰς φυγὴν τραπῆναι. τοῦτο ἰδόντες οἱ Ἀμμανῖται καὶ δείσαντες τὸν Ἀβεσσαῖον καὶ τὴν μετʼ αὐτοῦ στρατιὰν οὐκ ἔμειναν, ἀλλὰ μιμησάμενοι τοὺς συμμάχους εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἔφυγον. κρατήσας οὖν τῶν πολεμίων Ἰώαβος εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα λαμπρῶς ὑπέστρεψε.

[¶11] 127. This defeat did not still induce the Ammonites to be quiet, nor to own those that were superior to them to be so, and be still, but they sent to Chalaman, the king of the Syrians, beyond Euphrates, and hired him for an auxiliary. He had Shobach for the captain of his host, with eighty thousand footmen, and ten thousand horsemen. Now when the king of the Hebrews understood that the Ammonites had again gathered so great an army together, he determined to make war with them no longer by his generals, but he passed over the river Jordan himself with all his army; and when he met them he joined battle with them, and overcame them, and slew forty thousand of their footmen, and seven thousand of their horsemen. He also wounded Shobach, the general of Chalaman’s forces, who died of that stroke; but the people of Mesopotamia, upon such a conclusion of the battle, delivered themselves up to David, and sent him presents, who at winter time returned to Jerusalem. But at the beginning of the spring he sent Joab, the captain of his host, to fight against the Ammonites, who overran all their country, and laid it waste, and shut them up in their metropolis Rabbah, and besieged them therein.

> Greek: 127. Τοῦτο τὸ πταῖσμα τοὺς Ἀμμανίτας οὐκ ἔπεισεν ἠρεμεῖν οὐδὲ μαθόντας τοὺς κρείττονας ἡσυχίαν ἄγειν, ἀλλὰ πέμψαντες πρὸς Χαλαμὰν τὸν τῶν πέραν Εὐφράτου Σύρων βασιλέα μισθοῦνται τοῦτον ἐπὶ συμμαχίᾳ, ἔχοντα μὲν ἀρχιστράτηγον Σέβεκον, πεζῶν δὲ μυριάδας ὀκτὼ καὶ ἱππέων μυρίους. γνοὺς δʼ ὁ τῶν Ἑβραίων βασιλεὺς πάλιν ἐπʼ αὐτὸν τοὺς Ἀμμανίτας τοσαύτην δύναμιν συνηθροικότας οὐκέτι διὰ στρατηγῶν αὐτοῖς πολεμεῖν ἔκρινεν, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς σὺν ἁπάσῃ τῇ δυνάμει διαβὰς τὸν Ἰόρδανον ποταμὸν καὶ ὑπαντήσας αὐτοῖς συνάψας εἰς μάχην ἐνίκησε· καὶ ἀναιρεῖ μὲν αὐτῶν πεζῶν μὲν εἰς τέσσαρας μυριάδας ἱππέων δὲ εἰς ἑπτακισχιλίους, ἔτρωσε δὲ καὶ τὸν στρατηγὸν τοῦ Χαλαμᾶ Σέβεκον, ὃς ἐκ τῆς πληγῆς ἀπέθανεν. οἱ δὲ Μεσοποταμῖται τοιούτου γενομένου τοῦ τέλους τῆς μάχης αὑτοὺς Δαυίδῃ παρέδοσαν καὶ δῶρα ἔπεμψαν αὐτῷ. καὶ ὁ μὲν ὥρᾳ χειμῶνος ἀνέστρεψεν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα, ἀρχομένου δὲ τοῦ ἔαρος ἔπεμψε τὸν ἀρχιστράτηγον Ἰώαβον πολεμήσοντα τοῖς Ἀμμανίταις. ὁ δὲ τήν τε γῆν αὐτῶν ἅπασαν ἐπερχόμενος διέφθειρε καὶ αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν μητρόπολιν συγκλείσας Ἀραβαθὰ ἐπολιόρκει.

[¶12] 130. BUT David fell now into a very grievous sin, though he were otherwise naturally a righteous and a religious man, and one that firmly observed the laws of our fathers; for when late in an evening he took a view round him from the roof of his royal palace, where he used to walk at that hour, he saw a woman washing herself in her own house: she was one of extraordinary beauty, and therein surpassed all other women; her name was Bathsheba. So he was overcome by that woman’s beauty, and was not able to restrain his desires, but sent for her, and lay with her. Hereupon she conceived with child, and sent to the king, that he should contrive some way for concealing her sin (for, according to the laws of their fathers, she who had been guilty of adultery ought to be put to death). So the king sent for Joab’s armor-bearer from the siege, who was the woman’s husband, and his name was Uriah. And when he was come, the king inquired of him about the army, and about the siege; and when he had made answer that all their affairs went according to their wishes, the king took some portions of meat from his supper, and gave them to him, and bade him go home to his wife, and take his rest with her. Uriah did not do so, but slept near the king with the rest of his armor-bearers. When the king was informed of this, he asked him why he did not go home to his house, and to his wife, after so long an absence; which is the natural custom of all men, when they come from a long journey. He replied, that it was not right, while his fellow soldiers, and the general of the army, slept upon the ground, in the camp, and in an enemy’s country, that he should go and take his rest, and solace himself with his wife. So when he had thus replied, the king ordered him to stay there that night, that he might dismiss him the next day to the general. So the king invited Uriah to supper, and after a cunning and dexterous manlier plied him with drink at supper, till he was thereby disordered; yet did he nevertheless sleep at the king’s gates without any inclination to go to his wife. Upon this the king was very angry at him; and wrote to Joab, and commanded him to punish Uriah, for he told him that he had offended him; and he suggested to him the manner in which he would have him punished, that it might not be discovered that he was himself the author of this his punishment; for he charged him to set him over against that part of the enemy’s army where the attack would be most hazardous, and where he might be deserted, and be in the greatest jeopardy, for he bade him order his fellow soldiers to retire out of the fight. When he had written thus to him, and sealed the letter with his own seal, he gave it to Uriah to carry to Joab. When Joab had received it, and upon reading it understood the king’s purpose, he set Uriah in that place where he knew the enemy would be most troublesome to them; and gave him for his partners some of the best soldiers in the army; and said that he would also come to their assistance with the whole army, that if possible they might break down some part of the wall, and enter the city. And he desired him to be glad of the opportunity of exposing himself to such great pains, and not to be displeased at it, since he was a valiant soldier, and had a great reputation for his valor, both with the king and with his countrymen. And when Uriah undertook the work he was set upon with alacrity, he gave private orders to those who were to be his companions, that when they saw the enemy make a sally, they should leave him. When, therefore, the Hebrews made an attack upon the city, the Ammonites were afraid that the enemy might prevent them, and get up into the city, and this at the very place whither Uriah was ordered; so they exposed their best soldiers to be in the forefront, and opened their gates suddenly, and fell upon the enemy with great vehemence, and ran violently upon them. When those that were with Uriah saw this, they all retreated backward, as Joab had directed them beforehand; but Uriah, as ashamed to run away and leave his post, sustained the enemy, and receiving the violence of their onset, he slew many of them; but being encompassed round, and caught in the midst of them, he was slain, and some other of his companions were slain with him.

> Greek: 130. Συνέπεσε δὲ καὶ Δαυίδῃ πταῖσμα δεινὸν ὄντι φύσει δικαίῳ καὶ θεοσεβεῖ καὶ τοὺς πατρίους νόμους ἰσχυρῶς φυλάσσοντι· θεασάμενος γὰρ δείλης ὀψίας ἀπὸ τοῦ στέγους τῶν βασιλείων, ἐν ᾧ περιπατεῖν κατʼ ἐκεῖνο τῆς ὥρας ἦν ἔθος, γυναῖκα λουομένην ἐν τῇ αὑτῆς οἰκίᾳ ψυχρῷ ὕδατι καλλίστην τὸ εἶδος καὶ πασῶν διαφέρουσαν, ὄνομα αὐτῇ ἦν Βεεθσαβή, ἡττᾶται τοῦ κάλλους τῆς γυναικός· καὶ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας κατασχεῖν οὐ δυνάμενος αὐτῇ συνέρχεται. γενομένης δʼ ἐγκύου τῆς γυναικὸς καὶ πεμψάσης πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, ὅπως τῷ ἁμαρτήματι σκέψηταί τινα τοῦ λαθεῖν ὁδόν, ἀποθανεῖν γὰρ αὐτὴν κατὰ τοὺς πατρίους καθήκει νόμους μεμοιχευμένην, μετακαλεῖται τὸν Ἰωάβου μὲν ὁπλοφόρον ἐκ τῆς πολιορκίας ἄνδρα δὲ τῆς γυναικὸς Οὐρίαν ὄνομα, καὶ παραγενόμενον περί τε τῆς στρατιᾶς καὶ τῆς πολιορκίας ἀνέκρινε. λέγοντος δὲ πάντα κατὰ νοῦν αὐτοῖς κεχωρηκέναι τὰ πράγματα βαστάσας ἐκ τοῦ δείπνου μέρη προσδίδωσιν αὐτῷ, καὶ κελεύει πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα ἀπελθόντα ἀναπαύσασθαι σὺν αὐτῇ. ὁ δὲ Οὐρίας τοῦτο μὲν οὐκ ἐποίησε, παρεκοιμήθη δὲ τῷ βασιλεῖ σὺν τοῖς ἄλλοις ὁπλοφόροις. ὡς δὲ γνοὺς τοῦθʼ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀνέκρινεν αὐτόν, ὅτι μὴ πρὸς [αὑτὸν εἰς] τὴν οἰκίαν ἔλθοι μηδὲ πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα διὰ τοσούτου χρόνου πάντων ἀνθρώπων ταύτην ἐχόντων τὴν φύσιν ὅταν ἔλθωσιν ἐξ ἀποδημίας, οὐκ εἶναι δίκαιον ἔφη τῶν συστρατιωτῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῦ στρατηγοῦ χαμαὶ κοιμωμένων ἐν παρεμβολῇ καὶ τῇ τῶν πολεμίων χώρᾳ μετὰ γυναικὸς αὐτὸν ἀναπαύεσθαι καὶ τρυφᾶν. ταῦτʼ εἰπόντα μεῖναι τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην ἐκέλευσεν αὐτόθι ὡς εἰς τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν ἀπολύσων αὐτὸν πρὸς τὸν ἀρχιστράτηγον. κληθεὶς δʼ ἐπὶ δεῖπνον ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως Οὐρίας καὶ μέχρι μέθης προελθὼν ἐν τῷ πότῳ δεξιουμένου τοῦ βασιλέως αὐτὸν ἐπίτηδες ταῖς προπόσεσιν, οὐδὲν ἧττον πάλιν πρὸ τῶν τοῦ βασιλέως θυρῶν ἐκοιμήθη μηδεμίαν λαβὼν τῆς γυναικὸς ἐπιθυμίαν. ἐπὶ τούτοις δὲ δυσανασχετήσας ὁ βασιλεὺς ἔγραψε τῷ Ἰωάβῳ κολάσαι προστάττων τὸν Οὐρίαν, ἁμαρτεῖν γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐδήλου, καὶ τὸν τρόπον τῆς τιμωρίας ἵνα μὴ γένηται φανερὸς αὐτὸς τοῦτο βουληθεὶς ὑπέθετο· κατὰ γὰρ τὸ δυσμαχώτατον αὐτὸν ἐκέλευσε μέρος τῶν πολεμίων τάξαι καὶ καθʼ ὃ κινδυνεύσει μαχόμενος ἀπολειφθεὶς μόνος· [τοὺς γὰρ] συμπαραστάτας ἀναχωρῆσαι ἐκ τῆς μάχης γινομένης ἐκέλευσε. ταῦτα γράψας καὶ σημηνάμενος τῇ αὑτοῦ σφραγῖδι τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἔδωκεν Οὐρίᾳ κομίσαι πρὸς Ἰώαβον. δεξάμενος δὲ Ἰώαβος τὰ γράμματα καὶ τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως προαίρεσιν ἀναγνούς, καθʼ ὃν ᾔδει τόπον τοὺς πολεμίους χαλεποὺς αὐτῷ γενομένους, κατὰ τοῦτον ἔστησε τὸν Οὐρίαν δοὺς αὐτῷ τινας τῶν ἀρίστων τῆς στρατιᾶς· αὐτὸς δʼ ἁπάσῃ τῇ δυνάμει προσεπιβοηθήσειν ἔφησεν, εἰ δυνηθεῖεν ἀνατρέψαντές τι τοῦ τείχους εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν πόλιν. ὄντα δʼ αὐτὸν γενναῖον στρατιώτην καὶ δόξαν ἔχοντα παρά τε τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ὁμοφύλοις ἐπʼ ἀνδρείᾳ χαίρειν τοῖς μεγάλοις πόνοις ἀλλὰ μὴ προσαγανακτεῖν ἠξίου. τοῦ δʼ Οὐρία προθύμως ὑποστάντος τὸ ἔργον, τοῖς μετʼ αὐτοῦ παρατασσομένοις ἰδίᾳ καταλιπεῖν ὅταν ἐξορμήσαντας ἴδωσι τοὺς πολεμίους ἐδήλωσε. προσβαλόντων οὖν τῇ πόλει τῶν Ἑβραίων δείσαντες οἱ Ἀμμανῖται, μὴ κατʼ ἐκεῖνον τὸν τόπον, καθʼ ὃν Οὐρίαν συνέβαινε τετάχθαι, φθάσαντες ἀναβῶσιν οἱ πολέμιοι, προστησάμενοι τοὺς ἀνδρειοτάτους αὐτῶν καὶ τὴν πύλην ἀνοίξαντες αἰφνιδίως καὶ μετὰ ῥύμης καὶ δρόμου πολλοῦ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἐπεξῆλθον. ἰδόντες δὲ αὐτοὺς οἱ σὺν τῷ Οὐρίᾳ πάντες ἀνεχώρησαν ὀπίσω, καθὼς Ἰώαβος αὐτοῖς προεῖπεν· αἰσχυνθεὶς δʼ Οὐρίας φυγεῖν καὶ τὴν τάξιν καταλιπεῖν ὑπέμεινε τοὺς πολεμίους· καὶ τὴν ὁρμὴν αὐτῶν ἐκδεξάμενος ἀναιρεῖ μὲν οὐκ ὀλίγους, κυκλωθεὶς δὲ καὶ ληφθεὶς ἐν μέσῳ ἅμα δʼ αὐτῷ τινες καὶ ἄλλοι τελευτᾷ συγκαταπεσόντων ἑτέρων.