335. AFTER the delivery of this prophecy, the king commanded the strangers to be numbered; and they were found to be one hundred and eighty thousand; of these he appointed fourscore thousand to be hewers of stone, and the rest of the multitude to carry the stones, and of them he set over the workmen three thousand and five hundred. He also prepared a great quantity of iron and brass for the work, with many (and those exceeding large) cedar trees; the Tyrians and Sidonians sending them to him, for he had sent to them for a supply of those trees. And he told his friends that these things were now prepared, that he might leave materials ready for the building of the temple to his son, who was to reign after him, and that he might not have them to seek then, when he was very young, and by reason of his age unskillful in such matters, but might have them lying by him, and so might the more readily complete the work.
335. Μετὰ δὴ ταύτην τὴν προφητείαν ἐκέλευσεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τοὺς παροίκους ἐξαριθμηθῆναι καὶ εὑρέθησαν εἰς ὀκτὼ μυριάδας καὶ δέκα. ἐκ τούτων ἀπέδειξε λατόμους μὲν τοὺς ὀκτακισμυρίους, τὸ δʼ ἄλλο πλῆθος παραφέρειν τοὺς λίθους, τρισχιλίους δὲ καὶ πεντακοσίους τοῖς ἐργαζομένοις ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐπέστησεν. ἡτοίμασε δὲ καὶ πολὺν σίδηρον καὶ χαλκὸν εἰς τὰ ἔργα καὶ ξύλα κέδρινα πολλὰ καὶ παμμεγεθέστατα, Τυρίων αὐτῷ ταῦτα πεμπόντων καὶ Σιδωνίων· ἐπεστάλκει γὰρ αὐτοῖς τὴν τῶν ξύλων χορηγίαν. πρός τε τοὺς φίλους ἔλεγε ταῦτα παρασκευάζεσθαι νῦν, ἵνα τῷ μέλλοντι παιδὶ βασιλεύειν μετʼ αὐτὸν ἑτοίμην τὴν ὕλην τῆς οἰκοδομίας καταλείπῃ καὶ μὴ τότε συμπορίζῃ νέος ὢν καὶ τῶν τοιούτων ἄπειρος διὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν, ἀλλʼ ἔχων παρακειμένην ἐπιτελῇ τὸ ἔργον.
337. So David called his son Solomon, and charged him, when he had received the kingdom, to build a temple to God, and said, “! I was willing to build God a temple myself, but he prohibited me, because I was polluted with blood and wars; but he hath foretold that Solomon, my youngest son, should build him a temple, and should be called by that name; over whom he hath promised to take the like care as a father takes over his son; and that he would make the country of the Hebrews happy under him, and that, not only in other respects, but by giving it peace and freedom from wars, and from internal seditions, which are the greatest of all blessings. Since, therefore,” says he, “thou wast ordained king by God himself before thou wast born, endeavor to render thyself worthy of this his providence, as in other instances, so particularly in being religious, and righteous, and courageous. Keep thou also his commands and his laws, which he hath given us by Moses, and do not permit others to break them. Be zealous also to dedicate to God a temple, which he hath chosen to be built under thy reign; nor be thou aftrighted by the vastness of the work, nor set about it timorously, for I will make all things ready before I die: and take notice, that there are already ten thousand talents of gold, and a hundred thousand talents of silver collected together. I have also laid together brass and iron without number, and an immense quantity of timber and of stones. Moreover, thou hast many ten thousand stone-cutters and carpenters; and if thou shalt want any thing further, do thou add somewhat of thine own. Wherefore, if thou performest this work, thou wilt be acceptable to God, and have him for thy patron.” David also further exhorted the rulers of the people to assist his son in this building, and to attend to the Divine service, when they should be free from all their misfortunes, for that they by this means should enjoy, instead of them, peace and a happy settlement, with which blessings God rewards such men as are religious and righteous. He also gave orders, that when the temple should be once built, they should put the ark therein, with the holy vessels; and he assured them that they ought to have had a temple long ago, if their fathers had not been negligent of God’s commands, who had given it in charge, that when they had got the possession of this land, they should build him a temple. Thus did David discourse to the governors, and to his son.
337. Καλέσας δὲ τὸν παῖδα Σολόμωνα κατασκευάσαι τῷ θεῷ ναὸν αὐτὸν ἐκέλευε διαδεξάμενον τὴν βασιλείαν λέγων, ὡς αὐτὸν βουλόμενον κωλύσειεν ὁ θεὸς αἵματι καὶ πολέμοις πεφυραμένον, προείποι δʼ ὅτι Σολόμων οἰκοδομήσει αὐτῷ παῖς νεώτατος καὶ τοῦτο κληθησόμενος τοὔνομα, οὗ προνοήσειν μὲν αὐτὸς ὡς πατὴρ ἐπηγγέλλετο, τὴν δʼ Ἑβραίων χώραν εὐδαίμονα καταστήσειν ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ τοῖς τε ἄλλοις ἀγαθοῖς καὶ δὴ καὶ τῷ μεγίστῳ πάντων εἰρήνῃ καὶ πολέμων ἀπαλλαγῇ καὶ στάσεων ἐμφυλίων. σὺ τοίνυν ἐπεὶ καὶ πρὸ τῆς γενέσεως ἀπεδείχθης βασιλεὺς ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ πειρῶ τά τε ἄλλα γίνεσθαι τῆς τούτου προνοίας ἄξιος εὐσεβὴς ὢν καὶ δίκαιος καὶ ἀνδρεῖος, καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς νόμους οὓς διὰ Μωυσέος ἔδωκεν ἡμῖν φύλαττε καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις μὴ παραβαίνειν ἐπίτρεπε. τὸν δὲ ναόν, ὃν ὑπὸ σοῦ βασιλεύοντος εἵλετο αὑτῷ γενέσθαι, σπούδασον ἀποδοῦναι τῷ θεῷ μὴ καταπλαγεὶς τὸ μέγεθος τοῦ ἔργου μηδʼ ἀποδειλιάσας πρὸς αὐτό· πάντα γάρ σοι πρὸ τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ τελευτῆς ἕτοιμα ποιήσω. γίνωσκε χρυσοῦ μὲν ἤδη τάλαντα συνειλεγμένα μύρια, δέκα δʼ ἀργύρου μυριάδας ταλάντων, χαλκόν τε καὶ σίδηρον ἀριθμοῦ πλείονα συντέθεικα καὶ ξύλων δὲ καὶ λίθων ὕλην ἄφθονον, ἔχεις δὲ καὶ λατόμων πολλὰς μυριάδας καὶ τεκτόνων· ἂν δέ τι τούτοις προσδέῃ, σὺ προσθήσεις. γίνου τοίνυν ἄριστος τὸν θεὸν ἔχων προστάτην. προσπαρεκελεύσατο δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας τοῦ λαοῦ τῆς οἰκοδομίας συλλαβέσθαι τῷ παιδὶ καὶ πάντων ἀδεεῖς ὄντας τῶν κακῶν περὶ τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ θρησκείαν ἀσχολεῖν· καρπώσεσθαι γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἀντὶ τούτων εἰρήνην καὶ εὐνομίαν, οἷς ἀμείβεται τοὺς εὐσεβεῖς καὶ δικαίους ὁ θεὸς ἀνθρώπους. οἰκοδομηθέντος δὲ τοῦ ναοῦ τὴν κιβωτὸν αὐτὸν ἀποθέσθαι προσέταξε καὶ τὰ ἅγια σκεύη πρὸ πολλοῦ ναὸν ὀφείλοντα ἔχειν, εἰ τῶν ἐντολῶν τοῦ θεοῦ μὴ παρήκουσαν ἡμῶν οἱ πατέρες ἐντειλαμένου μετὰ τὸ τὴν γῆν ταύτην κατασχεῖν οἰκοδομῆσαι ναὸν αὐτῷ. ταῦτα μὲν πρὸς τοὺς ἡγεμόνας ὁ Δαυίδης καὶ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ διελέχθη.
343. David was now in years, and his body, by length of time, was become cold, and benumbed, insomuch that he could get no heat by covering himself with many clothes; and when the physicians came together, they agreed to this advice, that a beautiful virgin, chosen out of the whole country, should sleep by the king’s side, and that this damsel would communicate heat to him, and be a remedy against his numbness. Now there was found in the city one woman, of a superior beauty to all other women, (her name was Abishag,) who, sleeping with the king, did no more than communicate warmth to him, for he was so old that he could not know her as a husband knows his wife. But of this woman we shall speak more presently.
343. Πρεσβύτερος δὲ ὢν ἤδη καὶ τοῦ σώματος αὐτῷ ψυχομένου διὰ τὸν χρόνον δύσριγος ὑπῆρχεν, ὡς μηδʼ ὑπὸ τῆς ἐπιβολῆς ἐκ πολλῶν ἱματίων γινομένης ἀναθερμαίνεσθαι. συνελθόντων δὲ τῶν ἰατρῶν καὶ συμβουλευσάντων, ὅπως ἐξ ἁπάσης τῆς χώρας εὐειδὴς ἐπιλεχθεῖσα παρθένος συγκαθεύδῃ τῷ βασιλεῖ, τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτῷ πρὸς τὸ ῥῖγος ἔσεσθαι βοήθημα θαλπούσης αὐτὸν τῆς κόρης, εὑρίσκετʼ ἐν πόλει γυνὴ μία πασῶν τὸ εἶδος ἀρίστη γυναικῶν Ἀβισάκη τοὔνομα, ἣ συγκοιμωμένη μόνον τῷ βασιλεῖ συνεθέρμαινεν αὐτόν· ὑπὸ γὰρ γήρως ἦν πρὸς τἀφροδίσια καὶ γυναικὸς ὁμιλίαν ἀσθενής. καὶ περὶ μὲν ταύτης τῆς παρθένου μετʼ ὀλίγον δηλώσομεν.
345. Now the fourth son of David was a beautiful young man, and tall, born to him of Haggith his wife. He was named Adonijah, and was in his disposition like to Absalom; and exalted himself as hoping to be king, and told his friends that he ought to take the government upon him. He also prepared many chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. When his father saw this, he did not reprove him, nor restrain him from his purpose, nor did he go so far as to ask wherefore he did so. Now Adonijah had for his assistants Joab the captain of the army, and Abiathar the high priest; and the only persons that opposed him were Zadok the high priest, and the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah, who was captain of the guards, and Shimei, David’s friend, with all the other most mighty men. Now Adonijah had prepared a supper out of the city, near the fountain that was in the king’s paradise, and had invited all his brethren except Solomon, and had taken with him Joab the captain of the army, and: Abiathar, and the rulers of the tribe of Judah, but had not invited to this feast either Zadok the high priest, or Nathan the prophet, or Benaiah the captain of the guards, nor any of those of the contrary party. This matter was told by Nathan the prophet to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, that Adonijah was king, and that David knew nothing of it; and he advised her to save herself and her son Solomon, and to go by herself to David, and say to him, that he had indeed sworn that Solomon should reign after him, but that in the mean time Adonijah had already taken the kingdom. He said that he, the prophet himself, would come after her, and when she had spoken thus to the king, would confirm what she had said. Accordingly Bathsheba agreed with Nathan, and went in to the king and worshipped him, and when she had desired leave to speak with him, she told him all things in the manner that Nathan had suggested to her; and related what a supper Adonijah had made, and who they were whom he had invited; Abiathar the and Joab the general, and David’s sons, excepting Solomon and his intimate friends. She also said that all the people had their eyes upon him, to know whom he would choose for their king. She desired him also to consider how, after his departure, Adonijah, if he were king, would slay her and her son Solomon.
345. Ὁ δὲ τέταρτος υἱὸς Δαυίδου νεανίας εὐειδὴς καὶ μέγας, ἐκ γυναικὸς αὐτῷ Αἰγίσθης γεγονὼς Ἀδωνίας δὲ προσαγορευόμενος, ἐμφερὴς ὢν Ἀψαλώμῳ τήν τε διάνοιαν αὐτὸς ὡς βασιλεύσων ἐπῆρτο καὶ πρὸς τοὺς φίλους ἔλεγεν, ὡς τὴν ἀρχὴν αὐτὸν δεῖ παραλαβεῖν· κατεσκεύασε δὲ ἅρματα πολλὰ καὶ ἵππους καὶ πεντήκοντα ἄνδρας τοὺς προδρόμους. ταῦθʼ ὁρῶν ὁ πατὴρ οὐκ ἐπέπληττεν οὐδʼ ἐπεῖχεν αὐτὸν τῆς προαιρέσεως οὐδὲ μέχρι τοῦ πυθέσθαι διὰ τί ταῦτα πράττει προήχθη. συνεργοὺς δʼ εἶχεν Ἀδωνίας τὸν στρατηγὸν Ἰώαβον καὶ τὸν ἀρχιερέα Ἀβιάθαρον, μόνοι δʼ ἀντέπραττον ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς Σάδωκος καὶ ὁ προφήτης Νάθας καὶ Βαναίας ὁ ἐπὶ τῶν σωματοφυλάκων καὶ Σιμούεις ὁ Δαυίδου φίλος καὶ πάντες οἱ ἀνδρειότατοι. τοῦ δὲ Ἀδωνία παρασκευασαμένου δεῖπνον ἔξω τῆς πόλεως παρὰ τὴν πηγὴν τὴν ἐν τῷ βασιλικῷ παραδείσῳ καὶ πάντας καλέσαντος τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς χωρὶς Σολόμωνος, παραλαβόντος δὲ καὶ τὸν στρατηγὸν Ἰώαβον καὶ Ἀβιάθαρον καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας τῆς Ἰούδα φυλῆς, οὔτε δὲ Σάδωκον τὸν ἀρχιερέα καὶ Νάθαν τὸν προφήτην καὶ τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν σωματοφυλάκων Βαναίαν καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἐκ τῆς ἐναντίας αἱρέσεως καλέσαντος ἐπὶ τὴν ἑστίασιν, τοῦτο πρὸς τὴν Σολόμωνος κατεμήνυσε μητέρα Βερσάβην Νάθας ὁ προφήτης, ὡς Ἀδωνίας βασιλεῦσαι βούλεται, συνεβούλευέ τε σώζειν αὑτὴν καὶ τὸν παῖδα Σολόμωνα, εἴπερ Ἀδωνίας τὴν ἀρχὴν ἤδη παραλάβοι, καὶ περὶ τούτου πυθέσθαι τοῦ βασιλέως. ταῦτα δὲ τῷ βασιλεῖ διαλεγομένης ὁ προφήτης εἰσελεύσεσθαι καὶ αὐτὸς ἔφησε καὶ τοῖς λόγοις αὐτῆς ἐπιμαρτυρήσειν. ἡ δὲ Βερσάβη πεισθεῖσα τῷ Νάθᾳ πάρεισι πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ προσκυνήσασα καὶ λόγον αἰτησαμένη πάντʼ αὐτῷ [καθὼς] ὁ προφήτης ὑπέθετο διεξέρχεται τό τε δεῖπνον τὸ Ἀδωνία καὶ τοὺς ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ κεκλημένους Ἀβιάθαρον τὸν ἀρχιερέα καὶ Ἰώαβον τὸν ἄρχοντα καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ χωρὶς Σολόμωνος καὶ τῶν ἀναγκαίων αὐτοῦ φίλων μηνύσασα· ἔλεγέ τε πάντα τὸν λαὸν ἀφορᾶν, τίνα χειροτονήσει βασιλέα, παρεκάλει τε κατὰ νοῦν ἔχειν, ὡς μετὰ τὴν ἀπαλλαγὴν αὐτοῦ βασιλεύσας αὐτήν τε καὶ Σολόμωνα τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς ἀναιρήσει.
351. Now, as Bathsheba was speaking, the keeper of the king’s chambers told him that Nathan desired to see him. And when the king had commanded that he should be admitted, he came in, and asked him whether he had ordained Adonijah to be king, and delivered the government to him, or not; for that he had made a splendid supper, and invited all his sons, except Solomon; as also that he had invited Joab, the captain of his host, [and Abiathar the high priest,] who are feasting with applauses, and many joyful sounds of instruments, and wish that his kingdom may last for ever; but he hath not invited me, nor Zadok the high priest, nor Benaiah the captain of the guards; and it is but fit that all should know whether this be done by thy approbation or not. When Nathan had said thus, the king commanded that they should call Bathsheba to him, for she had gone out of the room when the prophet came. And when Bathsheba was come, David said, “I swear by Almighty God, that thy son Solomon shall certainly he king, as I formerly swore; and that he shall sit upon my throne, and that this very day also.” So Bathsheba worshipped him, and wished him a long life; and the king sent for Zadok the high priest, and Benaiah the captain of the guards; and when they were come, he ordered them to take with them Nathan the prophet, and all the armed men about the palace, and to set his son Solomon upon the king’s mule, and to carry him out of the city to the fountain called Gihon, and to anoint him there with the holy oil, and to make him king. This he charged Zadok the high priest, and Nathan the prophet, to do, and commanded them to follow Solomon through the midst of the city, and to sound the trumpets, and wish aloud that Solomon the king may sit upon the royal throne for ever, that so all the people may know that he is ordained king by his father. He also gave Solomon a charge concerning his government, to rule the whole nation of the Hebrews, and particularly the tribe of Judah, religiously and righteously. And when Benaiah had prayed to God to be favorable to Solomon, without any delay they set Solomon upon the mule, and brought him out of the city to the fountain, and anointed him with oil, and brought him into the city again, with acclamations and wishes that his kingdom might continue a long time: and when they had introduced him into the king’s house, they set him upon the throne; whereupon all the people betook themselves to make merry, and to celebrate a festival, dancing and delighting themselves with musical pipes, till both the earth and the air echoed with the multitude of the instruments of music.
351. Διαλεγομένης δὲ ἔτι τῆς γυναικὸς ἤγγειλαν οἱ τοῦ δωματίου προεστῶτες, ὅτι βούλεται Νάθας ἰδεῖν αὐτόν. τοῦ δὲ βασιλέως ἐκδέξασθαι κελεύσαντος εἰσελθών, εἰ τήμερον ἀποδείξειε τὸν Ἀδωνίαν βασιλέα καὶ παραδοίη τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐπυνθάνετο· λαμπρὸν γὰρ αὐτὸν ποιήσαντα δεῖπνον κεκληκέναι τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ πάντας χωρὶς Σολόμωνος καὶ τὸν στρατηγὸν Ἰώαβον, οἳ μετὰ κρότου καὶ παιδιᾶς εὐωχούμενοι πολλῆς αἰώνιον αὐτῷ συνεύχονται τὴν ἡγεμονίαν· ἐκάλεσε δὲ οὔτε ἐμὲ οὔτε τὸν ἀρχιερέα Σάδωκον οὔτε Βαναίαν τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν σωματοφυλάκων· δίκαιον δʼ εἶναι ταῦτα γινώσκειν ἅπαντας, εἰ κατὰ τὴν σὴν γνώμην ἐγένετο. ταῦτα τοῦ Νάθα φήσαντος ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκέλευσε καλέσαι τὴν Βερσάβην πρὸς αὑτόν· ἐκπεπηδήκει γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ δωματίου τοῦ προφήτου παραγενομένου. τῆς δὲ γυναικὸς ἐλθούσης, ὄμνυμί σοι, φησί, τὸν μέγιστον θεόν, ἦ μὴν τὸν υἱόν σου Σολόμωνα βασιλεύσειν, ὡς καὶ πρότερον ὤμοσα, καὶ τοῦτον ἐπὶ τοὐμοῦ καθιεῖσθαι θρόνου· καὶ τοῦτο ἔσται τήμερον. προσκυνησάσης δʼ αὐτὸν τῆς γυναικὸς καὶ μακρὸν εὐξαμένης αὐτῷ βίον Σάδωκον μεταπέμπεται τὸν ἀρχιερέα καὶ Βαναίαν τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν σωματοφυλάκων, καὶ παραγενομένοις κελεύει παραλαβεῖν Νάθαν τὸν προφήτην καὶ τοὺς περὶ τὴν αὐλὴν ὁπλίτας καὶ ἀναβιβάσαντας τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ Σολόμωνα ἐπὶ τὴν βασιλικὴν ἡμίονον ἔξω τῆς πόλεως ἀγαγεῖν ἐπὶ πηγὴν τὴν λεγομένην Γειὼν καὶ περιχρίσαντας τὸ ἅγιον ἔλαιον ἀποδεῖξαι βασιλέα· τοῦτο δὲ ποιῆσαι προσέταξε Σάδωκον τὸν ἀρχιερέα καὶ Νάθαν τὸν προφήτην. ἀκολουθοῦντάς τε προσέταξε διὰ μέσης τῆς πόλεως τοῖς κέρασιν ἐπισαλπίζοντας βοᾶν εἰς αἰῶνα Σολόμωνα τὸν βασιλέα καθίσαι ἐπὶ τοῦ βασιλικοῦ θρόνου, ἵνα γνῷ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἀποδεδειγμένον αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς βασιλέα, Σολόμωνι δʼ ἐντετάλθαι περὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς, ἵνα εὐσεβῶς καὶ δικαίως προστῇ τοῦ τε Ἑβραίων ἔθνους παντὸς καὶ τῆς Ἰούδα φυλῆς. Βαναία δὲ εὐξαμένου τὸν θεὸν Σολόμωνι εὐμενῆ γενέσθαι μηδὲ μικρὸν διαλιπόντες ἀναβιβάζουσιν ἐπὶ τὴν ἡμίονον τὸν Σολόμωνα, καὶ προαγαγόντες ἔξω τῆς πόλεως ἐπὶ τὴν πηγὴν καὶ τῷ ἐλαίῳ χρίσαντες εἰσήγαγον εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἐπευφημοῦντες καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτῷ γενέσθαι πολυχρόνιον εὐχόμενοι, καὶ παραγαγόντες εἰς τὸν οἶκον τὸν βασιλικὸν καθίζουσιν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου, καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἐπʼ εὐωχίαν εὐθὺς ἐτράπη καὶ ἑορτὴν χορεύων καὶ αὐλοῖς τερπόμενος, ὡς ὑπὸ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν ὀργάνων ἅπασαν περιηχεῖσθαι τὴν γῆν καὶ τὸν ἀέρα.
359. Now when Adonijah and his guests perceived this noise, they were in disorder; and Joab the captain of the host said he was not pleased with these echoes, and the sound of these trumpets. And when supper was set before them, nobody tasted of it, but they were all very thoughtful what would be the matter. Then Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the high priest, came running to them; and when Adonijah saw the young man gladly, and said to him that he was a good messenger, he declared to them the whole matter about Solomon, and the determination of king David: hereupon both Adonijah and all the guests rose hastily from the feast, and every one fled to their own homes. Adonijah also, as afraid of the king for what he had done, became a supplicant to God, and took hold of the horns of the altar, which were prominent. It was also told Solomon that he had so done; and that he desired to receive assurances from him that he would not remember the injury he had done, and not inflict any severe punishment for it. Solomon answered very mildly and prudently, that he forgave him this his offense; but said withal, that if he were found out in any attempt for new innovations, that he would be the author of his own punishment. So he sent to him, and raised him up from the place of his supplication. And when he was come to the king, and had worshipped him, the king bid him go away to his own house, and have no suspicion of any harm; and desired him to show himself a worthy man, as what would tend to his own advantage.
359. Ὡς δʼ ᾔσθοντο τῆς βοῆς Ἀδωνίας τε καὶ οἱ παρόντες ἐπὶ τὸ δεῖπνον ἐταράχθησαν, ὅ τε στρατηγὸς Ἰώαβος ἔλεγεν οὐκ ἀρέσκεσθαι τοῖς ἤχοις οὐδὲ τῇ σάλπιγγι. παρακειμένου δὲ τοῦ δείπνου καὶ μηδενὸς γευομένου πάντων δʼ ἐπʼ ἐννοίας ὑπαρχόντων, εἰστρέχει πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὁ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως Ἀβιαθάρου παῖς Ἰωνάθης. τοῦ δʼ Ἀδωνία θεασαμένου τὸν νεανίαν ἡδέως καὶ προσειπόντος ἀγαθῶν ἄγγελον, ἐδήλου πάντʼ αὐτοῖς τὰ περὶ τὸν Σολόμωνα καὶ τὴν Δαυίδου τοῦ βασιλέως γνώμην· ἀναπηδήσαντες δʼ ἐκ τοῦ συμποσίου ὅ τε Ἀδωνίας καὶ οἱ κεκλημένοι πάντες ἔφυγον πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ἕκαστοι. φοβηθεὶς δʼ Ἀδωνίας τὸν βασιλέα περὶ τῶν γεγονότων ἱκέτης γίνεται τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τῶν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου κεράτων ἃ δὴ προεῖχεν ἐλλαβόμενος δηλοῦται τοῦτο Σολόμωνι πεποιηκὼς καὶ πίστεις ἀξιῶν παρʼ αὐτοῦ λαβεῖν, ὥστε μὴ μνησικακῆσαι μηδʼ ἐργάσασθαι δεινὸν αὐτὸν μηδέν. ὁ δὲ ἡμέρως πάνυ καὶ σωφρόνως τῆς μὲν τότε ἁμαρτίας αὐτὸν ἀφῆκεν ἀθῷον, εἰπὼν δέ, εἰ ληφθείη τι πάλιν καινοποιῶν, ἑαυτῷ αἴτιον τῆς τιμωρίας ἔσεσθαι, πέμψας ἀνίστησιν αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς ἱκεσίας· ἐλθόντα δὲ καὶ προσκυνήσαντα εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν οἰκίαν ἀπελθεῖν ἐκέλευσε μηδὲν ὑφορώμενον καὶ τοῦ λοιποῦ παρέχειν αὑτὸν ἀγαθὸν ὡς αὐτῷ τοῦτο συμφέρον ἠξίου.
363. But David, being desirous of ordaining his son king of all the people, called together their rulers to Jerusalem, with the priests and the Levites; and having first numbered the Levites, he found them to be thirty-eight thousand, from thirty years old to fifty; out of which he appointed twenty-three thousand to take care of the building of the temple, and out of the same, six thousand to be judges of the people and scribes, four thousand for porters to the house of God, and as many for singers, to sing to the instruments which David had prepared, as we have said already. He divided them also into courses: and when he had separated the priests from them, he found of these priests twenty-four courses, sixteen of the house of Eleazar, and eight of that of Ithamar; and he ordained that one course should minister to God eight days, from sabbath to sabbath. And thus were the courses distributed by lot, in the presence of David, and Zadok and Abiathar the high priests, and of all the rulers; and that course which came up first was written down as the first, and accordingly the second, and so on to the twenty-fourth; and this partition hath remained to this day. He also made twenty-four parts of the tribe of Levi; and when they cast lots, they came up in the same manner for their courses of eight days. He also honored the posterity of Moses, and made them the keepers of the treasures of God, and of the donations which the kings dedicated. He also ordained that all the tribe of Levi, as well as the priests, should serve God night and day, as Moses had enjoined them.
363. Βουλόμενος δὲ Δαυίδης ἐπὶ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ ἀποδεῖξαι τὸν υἱὸν βασιλέα συγκαλεῖ τοὺς ἄρχοντας εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα καὶ τοὺς ἱερεῖς καὶ τοὺς Ληουίτας. ἐξαριθμήσας δὲ τούτους πρῶτον εὑρίσκει τῶν ἀπὸ τριάκοντα ἐτῶν ἕως πεντήκοντα τρισμυρίους ὀκτακισχιλίους. ἐξ ὧν ἀπέδειξεν ἐπιμελητὰς μὲν τῆς οἰκοδομίας τοῦ ναοῦ δισμυρίους τετρακισχιλίους, κριτὰς δὲ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ γραμματεῖς τούτων ἑξακισχιλίους, πυλωροὺς δὲ τετρακισχιλίους καὶ τοσούτους ὑμνῳδοὺς τοῦ θεοῦ ᾄδοντας τοῖς ὀργάνοις οἷς Δαυίδης κατεσκεύασε, καθὼς προειρήκαμεν. διεμέρισε δʼ αὐτοὺς καὶ κατὰ πατριὰς καὶ χωρίσας ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς τοὺς ἱερεῖς εὗρε τούτων εἴκοσι τέσσαρας πατριάς, ἐκ μὲν τῆς Ἐλεαζάρου οἰκίας ἑκκαίδεκα, ἐκ δὲ τῆς Ἰθαμάρου ὀκτώ, διέταξέ τε μίαν πατριὰν διακονεῖσθαι τῷ θεῷ ἐπὶ ἡμέρας ὀκτὼ ἀπὸ σαββάτου ἐπὶ σάββατον. καὶ οὕτως αἱ πατριαὶ πᾶσαι διεκληρώσαντο Δαυίδου παρόντος καὶ Σαδώκου καὶ Ἀβιαθάρου τῶν ἀρχιερέων καὶ πάντων τῶν ἀρχόντων· καὶ ἡ πρώτη μὲν ἀναβᾶσα πατριὰ ἐγράφη πρώτη, ἡ δὲ δευτέρα ἀκολούθως ἄχρι τῶν εἴκοσι τεσσάρων· καὶ διέμεινεν οὗτος ὁ μερισμὸς ἄχρι τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας. ἐποίησε δὲ καὶ τῆς Ληουίτιδος φυλῆς εἴκοσι μέρη καὶ τέσσαρα καὶ κληρωσαμένων κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν ἀνέβησαν τρόπον ταῖς τῶν ἱερέων ἐφημερίσιν ἐπὶ ἡμέρας ὀκτώ. τοὺς δʼ ἀπογόνους τοὺς Μωυσέος ἐτίμησεν· ἐποίησε γὰρ αὐτοὺς φύλακας τῶν θησαυρῶν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τῶν ἀναθημάτων, ἃ συνέβη τοὺς βασιλεῖς ἀναθεῖναι· διέταξε δὲ πᾶσι τοῖς ἐκ τῆς Ληουίτιδος φυλῆς καὶ τοῖς ἱερεῦσι δουλεύειν κατὰ νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν τῷ θεῷ, καθὼς αὐτοῖς ἐπέστειλε Μωυσῆς.
368. After this he parted the entire army into twelve parts, with their leaders [and captains of hundreds] and commanders. Now every part had twenty-four thousand, which were ordered to wait on Solomon, by thirty days at a time, from the first day till the last, with the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds. He also set rulers over every part, such as he knew to be good and righteous men. He set others also to take charge of the treasures, and of the villages, and of the fields, and of the beasts, whose names I do not think it necessary to mention.
368. Μετὰ ταῦτα διεμέρισε τὴν στρατιὰν εἰς δώδεκα μοίρας σὺν ἡγεμόσι καὶ ἑκατοντάρχοις καὶ ταξιάρχαις. εἶχεν δʼ ἑκάστη τῶν μοιρῶν δισμυρίους καὶ τετρακισχιλίους, ὧν ἐκέλευσε προσεδρεύειν κατὰ τριάκονθʼ ἡμέρας ἀπὸ τῆς πρώτης ἕως τῆς ὑστάτης Σολόμωνι τῷ βασιλεῖ σὺν τοῖς χιλιάρχοις καὶ ἑκατοντάρχοις. κατέστησε δὲ καὶ ἄρχοντα ἑκάστης μοίρας ὃν ἀγαθὸν ᾔδει καὶ δίκαιον, ἐπιτρόπους τε τῶν θησαυρῶν καὶ κωμῶν καὶ ἀγρῶν ἄλλους καὶ κτηνῶν, ὧν οὐκ ἀναγκαῖον ἡγησάμην μνησθῆναι τῶν ὀνομάτων.
370. When David had ordered all these officers after the manner before mentioned, he called the rulers of the Hebrews, and their heads of tribes, and the officers over the several divisions, and those that were appointed over every work, and every possession; and standing upon a high pulpit, he said to the multitude as follows: “My brethren and my people, I would have you know that I intended to build a house for God, and prepared a large quantity of gold, and a hundred thousand talents of silver; but God prohibited me by the prophet Nathan, because of the wars I had on your account, and because my right hand was polluted with the slaughter of our enemies; but he commanded that my son, who was to succeed me in the kingdom, should build a temple for him. Now therefore, since you know that of the twelve sons whom Jacob our forefather had Judah was appointed to be king, and that I was preferred before my six brethren, and received the government from God, and that none of them were uneasy at it, so do I also desire that my sons be not seditious one against another, now Solomon has received the kingdom, but to bear him cheerfully for their lord, as knowing that God hath chosen him; for it is not a grievous thing to obey even a foreigner as a ruler, if it be God’s will, but it is fit to rejoice when a brother hath obtained that dignity, since the rest partake of it with him. And I pray that the promises of God may be fulfilled; and that this happiness which he hath promised to bestow upon king Solomon, over all the country, may continue therein for all time to come. And these promises O son, will be firm, and come to a happy end, if thou showest thyself to be a religious and a righteous man, and an observer of the laws of thy country; but if not, expect adversity upon thy disobedience to them.”
370. Ὡς δʼ ἕκαστα τούτων κατὰ τὸν προειρημένον διέταξε τρόπον, εἰς ἐκκλησίαν συγκαλέσας τοὺς ἄρχοντας τῶν Ἑβραίων καὶ τοὺς φυλάρχους καὶ τοὺς ἡγεμόνας τῶν διαιρέσεων καὶ τοὺς ἐπὶ πάσης πράξεως ἢ κτήσεως τοῦ βασιλέως τεταγμένους, στὰς ἐφʼ ὑψηλοτάτου βήματος ὁ βασιλεὺς ἔλεξε πρὸς τὸ πλῆθος· ἀδελφοὶ καὶ ὁμοεθνεῖς, γινώσκειν ὑμᾶς βούλομαι, ὅτι ναὸν οἰκοδομῆσαι τῷ θεῷ διανοηθεὶς χρυσόν τε πολὺν παρεσκευασάμην καὶ ἀργύρου ταλάντων μυριάδας δέκα, ὁ δὲ θεὸς ἐκώλυσέ με διὰ τοῦ προφήτου Νάθα διά τε τοὺς ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν πολέμους καὶ τῷ φόνῳ τῶν ἐχθρῶν μεμιάνθαι τὴν δεξιάν, τὸν δὲ υἱὸν ἐκέλευσε τὸν διαδεξόμενον τὴν βασιλείαν κατασκευάσαι τὸν ναὸν αὐτῷ. νῦν οὖν ἐπεὶ καὶ τῷ προγόνῳ ἡμῶν Ἰακώβῳ δυοκαίδεκα παίδων γενομένων ἴστε τὸν Ἰούδαν ἀποδειχθέντα βασιλέα, καὶ ἐμὲ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἓξ ὄντων προκριθέντα καὶ τὴν ἡγεμονίαν λαβόντα παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ μηδένα τούτων δυσχεράναντα, οὕτως ἀξιῶ κἀγὼ τοὺς ἐμαυτοῦ παῖδας μὴ στασιάζειν πρὸς ἀλλήλους Σολόμωνος τὴν βασιλείαν παρειληφότος, ἀλλʼ ἐπισταμένους ὡς ὁ θεὸς αὐτὸν ἐξελέξατο φέρειν ἡδέως αὐτὸν δεσπότην. οὐ δεινὸν γὰρ θεοῦ θέλοντος οὐδʼ ἀλλοτρίῳ κρατοῦντι δουλεύειν, χαίρειν δʼ ἐπʼ ἀδελφῷ ταύτης τυχόντι τῆς τιμῆς προσῆκεν ὡς κοινωνοῦντας αὐτῆς. εὔχομαι δὴ τὰς ὑποσχέσεις τοῦ θεοῦ παρελθεῖν εἰς τέλος καὶ τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν ταύτην ἀνὰ πᾶσαν τὴν χώραν σπαρῆναι καὶ τὸν ἅπαντα ταύτῃ παραμεῖναι χρόνον, ἣν αὐτὸς ἐπηγγείλατο παρέξειν ἐπὶ Σολόμωνος βασιλέως. ἔσται δὲ ταῦτα βέβαια καὶ καλὸν ἕξει πέρας, ἂν εὐσεβῆ καὶ δίκαιον αὑτὸν καὶ φύλακα τῶν πατρίων παρέχῃς νόμων, ὦ τέκνον· εἰ δὲ μή, τὰ χείρω προσδοκάτω ταῦτα παραβαίνων.
375. Now when the king had said this, he left off; but gave the description and pattern of the building of the temple in the sight of them all to Solomon: of the foundations and of the chambers, inferior and superior; how many they were to be, and how large in height and in breadth; as also he determined the weight of the golden and silver vessels: moreover, he earnestly excited them with his words to use the utmost alacrity about the work; he exhorted the rulers also, and particularly the tribe of Levi, to assist him, both because of his youth, and because God had chosen him to take care of the building of the temple, and of the government of the kingdom. He also declared to them that the work would be easy, and not very laborious to them, because he had prepared for it many talents of gold, and more of silver, with timber, and a great many carpenters and stone-cutters, and a large quantity of emeralds, and all sorts of precious stones; and he said, that even now he would give of the proper goods of his own dominion two hundred talents, and three hundred other talents of pure gold, for the most holy place, and for the chariot of God, the cherubim, which are to stand over and cover the ark. Now when David had done speaking, there appeared great alacrity among the rulers, and the priests, and the Levites, who now contributed and made great and splendid promises for a future Contribution; for they undertook to bring of gold five thousand talents, and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and many ten thousand talents of iron; and if any one had a precious stone he brought it, and bequeathed it to be put among the treasures; of which Jachiel, one of the posterity of Moses, had the care.
375. Ὁ μὲν οὖν βασιλεὺς τούτους ποιησάμενος τοὺς λόγους ἐπαύσατο, τήν τε διαγραφὴν καὶ διάταξιν τῆς οἰκοδομίας τοῦ ναοῦ πάντων ὁρώντων ἔδωκε Σολόμωνι θεμελίων καὶ οἴκων [καὶ] ὑπερῴων, ὅσοι τε τὸ πλῆθος καὶ πηλίκοι τὸ ὕψος καὶ εὖρος γένοιντο, ὅσα τε σκεύη χρυσᾶ καὶ ἀργυρᾶ τούτων τὸν σταθμὸν ὥρισε. προσπαρώρμησε δὲ καὶ λόγοις αὐτόν τε πάσῃ χρήσασθαι προθυμίᾳ περὶ τὸ ἔργον καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας καὶ τὴν Ληουιτῶν φυλὴν συναγωνίσασθαι διά τε τὴν ἡλικίαν καὶ διὰ τὸ τὸν θεὸν ἐκεῖνον ἑλέσθαι καὶ τῆς οἰκοδομίας τοῦ ναοῦ καὶ τῆς βασιλείας προστάτην. εὐμαρῆ δʼ αὐτοῖς καὶ οὐ σφόδρα ἐπίπονον τὴν οἰκοδομίαν ἀπέφαινεν αὐτοῦ μὲν πολλὰ τάλαντα χρυσοῦ πλείω δʼ ἀργύρου καὶ ξύλα καὶ τεκτόνων πλῆθος καὶ λατόμων ἤδη παρεσκευασμένου σμαράγδου τε καὶ πάσης ἰδέας λίθου πολυτελοῦς· καὶ νῦν δʼ ἔτι τῆς ἰδίας ἀπαρχὴν διακονίας ἄλλα τρισχίλια τάλαντα χρυσοῦ καθαροῦ παρέξειν ἔλεγεν εἰς τὸ ἄδυτον καὶ εἰς τὸ ἅρμα τοῦ θεοῦ τοὺς Χερουβεῖς, οὓς ἐφεστάναι δεήσει τὴν κιβωτὸν καλύπτοντας. σιωπήσαντος δὲ τοῦ Δαυίδου πολλὴ καὶ τῶν ἀρχόντων καὶ τῶν ἱερέων καὶ τῆς Ληουίτιδος φυλῆς προθυμία συμβαλλομένων καὶ ποιουμένων ἐπαγγελίας λαμπρὰς καὶ μεγαλοπρεπεῖς ἐγένετο· χρυσοῦ μὲν γὰρ ὑπέστησαν εἰσοίσειν τάλαντα πεντακισχίλια καὶ στατῆρας μυρίους, ἀργυρίου δὲ μύρια τάλαντα, καὶ σιδήρου μυριάδας ταλάντων πολλάς· καὶ εἴ τινι λίθος ἦν πολυτελὴς ἐκόμισε καὶ παρέδωκεν εἰς τοὺς θησαυρούς, ὧν ἐπετρόπευεν ὁ Μωυσέος ἔκγονος Ἴαλος.
380. Upon this occasion all the people rejoiced, as in particular did David, when he saw the zeal and forward ambition of the rulers, and the priests, and of all the rest; and he began to bless God with a loud voice, calling him the Father and Parent of the universe, and the Author of human and divine things, with which he had adorned Solomon, the patron and guardian of the Hebrew nation, and of its happiness, and of that kingdom which he hath given his son. Besides this, he prayed for happiness to all the people; and to Solomon his son, a sound and a righteous mind, and confirmed in all sorts of virtue; and then he commanded the multitude to bless God; upon which they all fell down upon the ground and worshipped him. They also gave thanks to David, on account of all the blessings which they had received ever since he had taken the kingdom. On the next day he presented sacrifices to God, a thousand bullocks, and as many lambs, which they offered for burnt-offerings. They also offered peace-offerings, and slew many ten thousand sacrifices; and the king feasted all day, together with all the people; and they anointed Solomon a second time with the oil, and appointed him to be king, and Zadok to be the high priest of the whole multitude. And when they had brought Solomon to the royal palace, and had set him upon his father’s throne, they were obedient to him from that day.
380. Ἐπὶ τούτοις ἥσθη τε ὁ λαὸς ἅπας καὶ Δαυίδης τὴν σπουδὴν καὶ τὴν φιλοτιμίαν τῶν ἀρχόντων καὶ ἱερέων καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων ὁρῶν τὸν θεὸν εὐλογεῖν ἤρξατο μεγάλῃ βοῇ πατέρα τε καὶ γένεσιν τῶν ὅλων ἀποκαλῶν καὶ δημιουργὸν ἀνθρωπίνων καὶ θείων, οἷς αὑτὸν ἐκόσμησε, προστάτην τε καὶ κηδεμόνα γένους τῶν Ἑβραίων καὶ τῆς τούτων εὐδαιμονίας ἧς τε αὐτῷ βασιλείας ἔδωκεν. ἐπὶ τούτοις εὐξάμενος τῷ τε παντὶ λαῷ τὰ ἀγαθὰ καὶ τῷ παιδὶ Σολόμωνι διάνοιαν ὑγιῆ καὶ δικαίαν καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς τῆς ἀρετῆς μέρεσιν ἐρρωμένην ἐκέλευσε καὶ τὸ πλῆθος εὐλογεῖν τὸν θεόν. καὶ οἱ μὲν πεσόντες ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν προσεκύνησαν, εὐχαρίστησαν δὲ καὶ Δαυίδῃ περὶ πάντων ὧν αὐτοῦ τὴν βασιλείαν παραλαβόντος ἀπέλαυσαν. τῇ δʼ ἐπιούσῃ θυσίας τῷ θεῷ παρέστησαν μόσχους χιλίους καὶ κριοὺς τοσούτους καὶ χιλίους ἀμνούς, οὓς ὡλοκαύτωσαν· ἔθυσαν δὲ καὶ τὰς εἰρηνικὰς θυσίας πολλὰς μυριάδας ἱερείων κατασφάξαντες. καὶ διʼ ὅλης τῆς ἡμέρας ἑώρτασεν ὁ βασιλεὺς σὺν παντὶ τῷ λαῷ, καὶ Σολόμωνα δεύτερον ἔχρισαν τῷ ἐλαίῳ καὶ ἀπέδειξαν αὐτὸν βασιλέα καὶ Σάδωκον ἀρχιερέα τῆς πληθύος ἁπάσης. εἴς τε τὸ βασίλειον ἀγαγόντες Σολόμωνα καὶ καθίσαντες αὐτὸν ἐπὶ θρόνου τοῦ πατρῴου ἀπʼ ἐκείνης τῆς ἡμέρας ὑπήκουον αὐτῷ.
383. A LITTLE afterward David also fell into a distemper, by reason of his age; and perceiving that he was near to death, he called his son Solomon, and discoursed to him thus: “I am now, O my son, going to my grave, and to my fathers, which is the common way which all men that now are, or shall be hereafter, must go; from which way it is no longer possible to return, and to know any thing that is done in this world. On which account I exhort thee, while I am still alive, though already very near to death, in the same manner as I have formerly said in my advice to thee, to be righteous towards thy subjects, and religious towards God, that hath given thee thy kingdom; to observe his commands and his laws, which he hath sent us by Moses; and neither do thou out of favor nor flattery allow any lust or other passion to weigh with thee to disregard them; for if thou transgressest his laws, thou wilt lose the favor of God, and thou wilt turn away his providence from thee in all things; but if thou behave thyself so as it behooves thee, and as I exhort thee, thou wilt preserve our kingdom to our family, and no other house will bear rule over the Hebrews but we ourselves for all ages. Be thou also mindful of the transgressions of Joab, the captain of the host, who hath slain two generals out of envy, and those righteous and good men, Abner the son of Ner, and Amasa the son of Jether; whose death do thou avenge as shall seem good to thee, since Joab hath been too hard for me, and more potent than myself, and so hath escaped punishment hitherto. I also commit to thee the son of Barzillai the Gileadite, whom, in order to gratify me, thou shalt have in great honor, and take great care of; for we have not done good to him first, but we only repay that debt which we owe to his father for what he did to me in my flight. There is also Shimei the son of Gera, of the tribe of Benjamin, who, after he had cast many reproaches upon me, when, in my flight, I was going to Mahanaim, met me at Jordan, and received assurances that he should then suffer nothing. Do thou now seek out for some just occasion, and punish him.”
383. Μετʼ ὀλίγον δὲ χρόνον ὁ Δαυίδης καταπεσὼν εἰς νόσον ὑπὸ γήρως καὶ συνειδὼς ὅτι μέλλει τελευτᾶν καλέσας τὸν υἱὸν Σολόμωνα διελέχθη πρὸς αὐτὸν τοιάδε· ἐγὼ μέν, ὦ τέκνον, εἰς τὸ χρεὼν ἤδη καὶ πατέρας τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἀπαλλάσσομαι κοινὴν ὁδὸν ἁπάντων τῶν τε νῦν ὄντων καὶ τῶν ἐσομένων πορευόμενος, ἐξ ἧς οὐκέτι οἷόν τε ἐπανελθόντα γνῶναι, τί κατὰ τὸν βίον πράττεται. διὸ ζῶν ἔτι καὶ πρὸς αὐτῷ γεγονὼς τῷ τελευτᾶν παραινῶ σοι ταῦθʼ ἃ καὶ πρότερον ἔφθην συμβουλεύσας, δικαίῳ μὲν εἶναι πρὸς τοὺς ἀρχομένους, εὐσεβεῖ δὲ πρὸς τὸν τὴν βασιλείαν δεδωκότα θεόν, φυλάττειν δʼ αὐτοῦ τὰς ἐντολὰς καὶ τοὺς νόμους, οὓς αὐτὸς διὰ Μωυσέος κατέπεμψεν ἡμῖν, καὶ μήτε χάριτι μήτε θωπείᾳ μήτʼ ἐπιθυμίᾳ μήτε ἄλλῳ πάθει προστιθέμενον τούτων ἀμελῆσαι· τὴν γὰρ τοῦ θείου πρὸς σαυτὸν εὔνοιαν ἀπολεῖς παραβάς τι τῶν νομίμων καὶ πρὸς ἅπαντʼ αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀγαθὴν ἀποστρέψεις πρόνοιαν· τοιοῦτον δὲ σεαυτὸν παρέχων, ὁποῖον εἶναί τε δεῖ κἀγὼ δὲ παρακαλῶ, καθέξεις ἡμῶν τὴν βασιλείαν τῷ γένει καὶ οἶκος ἄλλος Ἑβραίων οὐκ ἂν δεσπόσειεν, ἀλλʼ ἡμεῖς αὐτοὶ διὰ τοῦ παντὸς αἰῶνος. μέμνησο δὲ καὶ τῆς Ἰωάβου τοῦ στρατηγοῦ παρανομίας ἀποκτείναντος διὰ ζηλοτυπίαν δύο στρατηγοὺς δικαίους καὶ ἀγαθούς, Ἀβεννῆρόν τε τὸν Νήρου παῖδα καὶ τὸν Ἀμασὰν υἱὸν Ἰέθρα· ὧν ὅπως ἄν σοι δόξῃ τὸν θάνατον ἐκδίκησον, ἐπεὶ καὶ κρείττων ἐμοῦ καὶ δυνατώτερος ὁ Ἰώαβος ὢν μέχρι νῦν τὴν δίκην διέφυγε. παρατίθεμαι δέ σοι καὶ τοὺς Βερζέλου τοῦ Γαλαδίτου παῖδας, οὓς ἐν τιμῇ πάσῃ καὶ προνοίᾳ τοῦτʼ ἐμοὶ χαριζόμενος ἕξεις· οὐ προκατάρχομεν γὰρ εὐποιίας, ἀλλʼ ἀμοιβὴν ὧν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτῶν παρὰ τὴν φυγὴν ὑπῆρξέ μοι χρεολυτοῦμεν. καὶ τὸν Γήρα δὲ υἱὸν Σουμούιν τὸν ἐκ τῆς Βενιαμίτιδος φυλῆς, ὃς πολλὰ βλασφημήσας με παρὰ τὴν φυγήν, ὅτʼ εἰς Παρεμβολὰς ἐπορευόμην, ἀπήντησεν ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰόρδανον καὶ πίστεις ἔλαβεν ὡς μηδὲν αὐτὸν παθεῖν τότε, νῦν ἐπιζητήσας αἰτίαν εὔλογον ἄμυνε.
389. When David had given these admonitions to his son about public affairs, and about his friends, and about those whom he knew to deserve punishment, he died, having lived seventy years, and reigned seven years and six months in Hebron over the tribe of Judah, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem over all the country. This man was of an excellent character, and was endowed with all virtues that were desirable in a king, and in one that had the preservation of so many tribes committed to him; for he was a man of valor in a very extraordinary degree, and went readily and first of all into dangers, when he was to fight for his subjects, as exciting the soldiers to action by his own labors, and fighting for them, and not by commanding them in a despotic way. He was also of very great abilities in understanding, and apprehension of present and future circumstances, when he was to manage any affairs. He was prudent and moderate, and kind to such as were under any calamities; he was righteous and humane, which are good qualities, peculiarly fit for kings; nor was he guilty of any offense in the exercise of so great an authority, but in the business of the wife of Uriah. He also left behind him greater wealth than any other king, either of the Hebrews or, of other nations, ever did.
389. Ταῦτα παραινέσας τῷ παιδὶ περί τε τῶν ὅλων πραγμάτων καὶ [περὶ] τῶν φίλων καὶ οὓς ᾔδει τιμωρίας ἀξίους γεγενημένους ἀπέθανεν, ἔτη μὲν βιώσας ἑβδομήκοντα, βασιλεύσας δὲ ἑπτὰ μὲν ἐν Χεβρῶνι τῆς Ἰούδα φυλῆς καὶ μῆνας ἕξ, ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις δὲ ἁπάσης τῆς χώρας τρία καὶ τριάκοντα. οὕτως ἀρίστῳ ἀνδρὶ γεγενημένῳ καὶ πᾶσαν ἀρετὴν ἔχοντι καὶ τοσούτων ἐθνῶν σωτηρίαν ἐγκεχειρισμένῳ βασιλεῖ ἔδει προσεπαινέσαι καὶ τό τε τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ εὐσθενὲς καὶ τὸ τῆς σωφροσύνης συνετόν· ἀνδρεῖος γὰρ ἦν, ὡς οὐκ ἄλλος τις, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ὑπὲρ τῶν ὑπηκόων ἀγῶσι πρῶτος ἐπὶ τοὺς κινδύνους ὥρμα, τῷ πονεῖν καὶ μάχεσθαι παρακελευόμενος τοὺς στρατιώτας ἐπὶ τὰς παρατάξεις ἀλλʼ οὐχὶ τῷ προστάττειν ὡς δεσπότης, νοῆσαί τε καὶ συνιδεῖν καὶ περὶ τῶν μελλόντων καὶ τῆς τῶν ἐνεστηκότων οἰκονομίας ἱκανώτατος, σώφρων ἐπιεικὴς χρηστὸς πρὸς τοὺς ἐν συμφοραῖς ὑπάρχοντας δίκαιος φιλάνθρωπος, ἃ μόνοις δικαιότατα βασιλεῦσιν εἶναι προσῆκε, μηδὲν ὅλως παρὰ τοσοῦτο μέγεθος ἐξουσίας ἁμαρτὼν ἢ τὸ περὶ τὴν Οὐρία γυναῖκα. κατέλιπε δὲ καὶ πλοῦτον ὅσον οὐκ ἄλλος βασιλεὺς οὔθʼ Ἑβραίων οὔτʼ ἄλλων ἐθνῶν.
392. He was buried by his son Solomon, in Jerusalem, with great magnificence, and with all the other funeral pomp which kings used to be buried with; moreover, he had great and immense wealth buried with him, the vastness of which may be easily conjectured at by what I shall now say; for a thousand and three hundred years afterward Hyrcanus the high priest, when he was besieged by Antiochus, that was called the Pious, the son of Demetrius, and was desirous of giving him money to get him to raise the siege and draw off his army, and having no other method of compassing the money, opened one room of David’s sepulcher, and took out three thousand talents, and gave part of that sum to Antiochus; and by this means caused the siege to be raised, as we have informed the reader elsewhere. Nay, after him, and that many years, Herod the king opened another room, and took away a great deal of money, and yet neither of them came at the coffins of the kings themselves, for their bodies were buried under the earth so artfully, that they did not appear to even those that entered into their monuments. But so much shall suffice us to have said concerning these matters. WE have already treated of David, and his virtue, and of the benefits he was the author of to his countrymen; of his wars also and battles, which he managed with success, and then died an old man, in the foregoing book. And when Solomon his son, who was but a youth in age, had taken the kingdom, and whom David had declared, while he was alive, the lord of that people, according to God’s will; when he sat upon the throne, the whole body of the people made joyful acclamations to him, as is usual at the beginning of a reign; and wished that all his affairs might come to a blessed conclusion; and that he might arrive at a great age, and at the most happy state of affairs possible.
392. Ἔθαψε δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ παῖς Σολόμων ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις διαπρεπῶς τοῖς τε ἄλλοις οἷς περὶ κηδείαν νομίζεται βασιλικὴν ἅπασι καὶ δὴ καὶ πλοῦτον αὐτῷ πολὺν καὶ ἄφθονον συνεκήδευσεν, ὧν τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τεκμήραιτʼ ἄν τις ῥᾳδίως ἐκ τοῦ λεχθησομένου· μετὰ γὰρ χρόνον ἐτῶν χιλίων καὶ τριακοσίων Ὑρκανὸς ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς πολιορκούμενος ὑπʼ Ἀντιόχου τοῦ Εὐσεβοῦς ἐπικληθέντος υἱοῦ δὲ Δημητρίου, βουλόμενος χρήματʼ αὐτῷ δοῦναι ὑπὲρ τοῦ λῦσαι τὴν πολιορκίαν καὶ τὴν στρατιὰν ἀπαγαγεῖν καὶ ἀλλαχόθεν οὐκ εὐπορῶν, ἀνοίξας ἕνα οἶκον τῶν ἐν τῷ Δαυίδου μνήματι καὶ βαστάσας τρισχίλια τάλαντα μέρος ἔδωκεν Ἀντιόχῳ καὶ διέλυσεν οὕτως τὴν πολιορκίαν, καθὼς καὶ ἐν ἄλλοις δεδηλώκαμεν. μετὰ δὲ τοῦτο ἐτῶν πολλῶν διαγενομένων πάλιν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἡρώδης ἕτερον ἀνοίξας οἶκον ἀνείλετο χρήματα πολλά. ταῖς μέντοι γε θήκαις τῶν βασιλέων οὐδεὶς αὐτῶν ἐπέτυχεν· ἦσαν γὰρ ὑπὸ τὴν γῆν μηχανικῶς κεκηδευμέναι πρὸς τὸ μὴ φανεραὶ εἶναι τοῖς εἰς τὸ μνῆμα εἰσιοῦσιν. ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν τούτων ἡμῖν τοσοῦτον ἀπόχρη δεδηλῶσθαι. α. Ὡς Σολόμων τὴν βασιλείαν παραλαβὼν τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἀνεῖλε. β. περὶ τῆς σοφίας αὐτοῦ καὶ συνέσεως καὶ τοῦ πλούτου. γ. ὅτι πρῶτος τὸν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ναὸν ᾠκοδόμησεν. δ. ὡς τελευτήσαντος Σολόμωνος ὁ λαὸς ἀποστὰς τοῦ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ Ῥοβοάμου τῶν δέκα φυλῶν τῶν ὑπηκόων τινὰ Ἱεροβόαμον ἀπέδειξε βασιλέα, τῶν δὲ δύο φυλῶν ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἐβασίλευσεν. ε. ὡς Ἴσακος Αἰγυπτίων βασιλεὺς στρατευσάμενος ἐπὶ τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα καὶ κατασχὼν τὴν πόλιν τὸν πλοῦτον αὐτῆς εἰς Αἴγυπτον μετήνεγκε. ϛ. στρατεία Ἱεροβοάμου τοῦ τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν βασιλέως ἐπὶ τὸν υἱὸν τὸν Ῥοβοάμου καὶ ἧττα. ζ. ὅτι τὴν Ἱεροβοάμου γενεὰν Βασίνης τις ὄνομα διαφθείρας αὐτὸς τὴν βασιλείαν ἔσχεν. η. Αἰθιόπων ἐπιστρατεία τοῖς Ἱεροσολύμοις βασιλεύοντος αὐτῶν Ἀσάνου τοῦ Ἀβία παιδός, καὶ διαφθορὰ τοῦ στρατοῦ. θ. ὡς τῆς Ἀβεσσάρου γενεᾶς διαφθαρείσης ἐβασίλευσε τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν Ἄμαρις καὶ ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ Ἄχαβος. ι. ὡς Ἄδαδος Δαμασκοῦ καὶ Συρίας βασιλεὺς δὶς ἐπ' Ἄχαβον στρατευσάμενος ἡττήθη. ια. Ἀμμανιτῶν καὶ Μωαβιτῶν στρατευσαμένων ἐπ' Ἰωσαφάτην τὸν Ἱεροσολύμων βασιλέα ἧττα. ιβ. ὡς Ἄχαβος ἐπὶ Σύρους στρατευσάμενος ἡττήθη τῇ μάχῃ καὶ αὐτὸς ἀπώλετο. περιέχει ἡ βίβλος αὕτη ἔτη ἑκατὸν ἑξήκοντα καὶ τρία. Περὶ μὲν οὖν Δαυίδου καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ ὅσων ἀγαθῶν αἴτιος γενόμενος τοῖς ὁμοφύλοις πολέμους τε καὶ μάχας ὅσας κατορθώσας γηραιὸς ἐτελεύτησεν, ἐν τῇ πρὸ ταύτης βίβλῳ δεδηλώκαμεν. Σολόμωνος δὲ τοῦ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ νέου τὴν ἡλικίαν ἔτι ὄντος τὴν βασιλείαν παραλαβόντος, ὃν ἔτι ζῶν ἀπέφηνε τοῦ λαοῦ δεσπότην κατὰ τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ βούλησιν, καθίσαντος ἐπὶ τὸν θρόνον ὁ μὲν πᾶς ὄχλος ἐπευφήμησεν, οἷον εἰκὸς ἐπʼ ἀρχομένῳ βασιλεῖ, τελευτῆσαι καλῶς αὐτῷ τὰ πράγματα καὶ πρὸς γῆρας ἀφικέσθαι λιπαρὸν καὶ πανεύδαιμον τὴν ἡγεμονίαν.