spoken and he likewise had magnificently requited her she returned backe againe into her owne countrey About the same time there was brought vnto the King from the countrey called the Region of gold a quantitie of precious stones and of pine trees This wood was imployed to make supporters in the temple and in the kings house and to make instruments of musicke likewise as Harpes and Cimbals on which the Leuites might praise God Amongst all the gifts that were euer presented vnto Salomon that which was giuen him at that time was most excellent in greatnesse and beautie But let no man thinke that the Pine wood which we speake of had any resemblance with that which we call by that name at this day or which the merchants to delude their chapmen sell for the same For they are like vnto figge trees but that they are more white cleerer which I thought good to manifest in this place least any man should be deceiued thorow ignorance in discerning the one from the other because the affaires of Salomon haue drawn vs to make mention of this matter The waight of gold which this nauy brought vnto the king was six hundreth sixtie and six talents besides that which the merchants bought themselues or that which the Kings and princes of Arabia had sent vnto him in way of present This gold caused he to be moulten downe and made therof two hundreth targets each one waying six hundreth sicles and three hundreth bucklers each of them waying three mines of gold and placed and hung them in the lodging of the wood of Libanus He caused also diuers vessels of gold precious stones to be made for the vse of his table laboured with as curious conceit as might be the rest of his necessaries also were of gold for nothing was either bought or sold for siluer For the King had many ships vpon the sea called Tharsis which vpon his cōmaund carried diuers merchandise into the remote countries by vent wherof they brought him home much gold and siluer and much Iuorie and Aethiopian Moores and Apes and this nauigation in sayling to and ◅ro was finished in three yeeres The renowne and fame also of Salomons vertues and wisedome spred farre and neere thorow out all nations so that the kings of what countrey soeuer they were had a desire to see his presence because they beleeued not the report and desired to manifest their affection to him by magnificent presents They therefore sent him vessels of gold and of siluer scarlet robes and all sorts of aromatique drugs horses and chariots moyles and sumpterhorses wherein as it was reported vnto them the King tooke pleasure by reason of their force and beauty so that to the number of horses and chariots which he had before there were annexed foure hundreth more which had been sent him in way of present For before that he had a thousand chariots and twenty thousand goodly horse excellent for shape and swiftnesse so that the like were not to be found that were comparable with them for beauty and pace And that which gaue them the greater grace was that they had squires to backe them who were in their pride of youth of goodly personage to behold and surpassing all other in height hauing long locks which they daily intermixed with wires of gold that when as the sunne did reuerberate his beames vpon their heads they should be more glorious and bright The king mounted on his charior and apparelled in a white raiment was accustomed to ride abroad about the sunne rise inuironed with these yoong armed men hauing bowes and quiuers There was a certaine place called Ittan some eight leagues distant off of Ierusalem delightfull and enriched with gardens and pleasant fountaines of water whither he vsually and willingly retired himselfe for his pleasure vsing in all things a most admirable prouidence promptitude and taking pleasure in those things that were well contriued He forgot not likewise to make causeyes but caused the hie waies that led to Ierusalem where he made his aboad to be paued with blacke stone both to the intent to make them more accessible for those that trauailed to and fro as to shew the magnificence and riches of his gouernment He then diuided his chariots and placed them in such sort that in euery Citie there was a prefixed number and some few he kept about himselfe and those Cities he called the cities of Chariots he stored Ierusalem also with abundance of siluer so that it was as plentifull as stones and with Cedar wood whereof before that time there was no quantitie he so stored the countrey that it was as plentifully to be had as wilde figgetrees He commanded the merchants of Aegypt also to buy him certaine chariots drawne by two horses for the price of six hundreth dragmes of siluer which he sent vnto the kings of Syiria and to those on the other side of Euphrates Now although he were the most magnificent and intirely beloued of God surpassing both in prudence and riches all those that before him had the gouernment ouer the Hebrewes yet continued he not in this estate vntill the end For forsaking the obseruation of the ordinances of his fathers his latter yeers were not correspondent to his former conuersation which heretofore we haue declared for he grew altogither dissolute immoderately giuen ouer to women and was not content only with those of his own countrey but tooke also strange women for his wiues as Sidonians Tyrians Ammonites and Idumeans whereby he transgressed the lawes of mariage instituted by Moses who inhibited to marrie with those of forraine nations Afterwards he began to honour their gods also to gratifie and expresse the loue which he bare vnto them which thing the law-maker foreseeing hee had forbidden the Israelites to marrie with those that were not of their owne nation for feare least conforming themselues vnto forraine fashions they should fall and transgresse the ordinances of their forefathers and vndertake to honour those gods and forsake and forget the honour due vnto the true God But Salomon transported with these brutish pleasures made no account of these things but tooke him wiues of the daughters of princes and nobles to the number of 700. and three hundreth concubines besides the daughter of Pharao king of Aegypt By which meanes he was excessiuely ouercome by them in so much as he followed their examples and was forced to giue a testimony of the good will and extreame affection that he bare them in ordring his life according to the fashion of their countries As therefore he increased in yeeres and his iudgement grew weake he was in such sort misled that he could not retaine in memorie the customes of his countrey but grew more and more in neglect of God and continued the worship of those gods which were introduced by his wiues Before all this he chanced to sinne and default in the obseruation of the
according as we haue gathered them out of holy scriptures Obedias wife who was sometime steward of Achabs house came vnto him and told him that he was not ignorant that in that persecution wherin Iezabel sought to murther the Prophets how her husband saued one hundreth of them for whose priuat maintenance he had borrowed much money of other men and that now he being dead his creditors stroue to draw both her and her children into seruitude For which cause she besought him in consideration of this act to haue compassion on her husband and to yeeld her some succour Hereon Elizeus asked her if she had any thing in her house who answered him that she had nothing but a verie little oyle left her in a earthen pot Whereupon the Prophet commaunded her to depart and to borrow diuers empty vessels of her neighbour that done he willed her to locke vp her doores and to poure oyle into the vessels in that it was Gods pleasure to fill them all The woman did according as he had commaunded her and all the vessels were found full so as none of them were emptie whereof when she had certified the Prophet he aduised her to goe and deliuer her oyle and pay her debts and when all was paide he assured her that there would be some remainder that might serue to sustaine both her and her children By this meanes Elizeus discharged the widow of her debts and that trouble which her creditors intended against her He admonished Ioram likewise by certaine messengers that he should take heed of a certaine place wherein the Syrians lay in ambush intending to slay him by means of which admonition the king went not out on hunting But Adad being sore displeased because his ambushment was discouered began to suspect his owne followers whereupon calling vnto him his houshold seruants he maliciously termed them traitors and furthermore threatned them with death for that they had discouered a matter which was only committed to their trust vnto his enemy Whereupon one of the assistants told him that he ought not to conceiue that false opinion of them neither suspect that they had discouered his intended ambush to cut off his enemie but rather that he ought to conceiue that the Prophet Elizeus had discouered and discoursed all that which was intended against him Whereupon he sent out his souldiers with an expresse charge to know in what Citie Elizeus made his ordinarie aboad who returning backe brought him newes that he remained in Dothaim For which cause Adad sent a great number of horsemen and chariots to Dothaim to lay hold on Elizeus who begirt the Citie by night and laide watch round about the walles that no man might escape them Early in the morning when the Prophets seruant had notice hereof and was aduertised that the enemies sought to surprise Elizeus he fearfully hasted and discouered their intent vnto his master who encouraged him and commanded him to shake off his feare for that he held himselfe both secured assured of Gods help whereupon he praied God that at that present he would shew his power and assistance both toward the reliefe of his necessitie and the confirmation and incouragement of his seruant At that time God hearing his prayer presented to the Prophets seruants sight a number of chariots and horsemen that inuironed Elizeus so that he laid his feare aside and was assured when he perceiued these succours That done Elizeus besought God againe that hee would blinde his enemies eies and to cause a thicke cloud to fall vpon them to the end they might not discouer him Which done he presently thrust himselfe amongst the thickest of his enemies demanding of thē whom they came to seeke for They answering him that they sought for the Prophet Elizeus he promised them to deliuer him into their hands if so be they would come with him into the Citie where he was They blinded in eies and depraued in vnderstanding by God followed the Prophet willingly who marched before them When as therefore Elizeus had brought them into Samaria he willed king Ioram to locke the gates and to inuiron the Syrians with his souldiers This performed he prayed God that he would cleere the Syrians sight and take away the cloud that obscured their eies who being deliuered from their blindnesse perceiued that they were in the midst of their enemies Whereat being sore astonied and vncertaine whence this diuine and vnexpected act had befallen them King Ioram asked the Prophet whether he should kill them with darts But Elizeus forbad him to doe so for said he it is a iust and conuenient matter that they who are taken by order of warre should lose their life but that they had done no euill vnto his country but by Gods prouidence came thither without their owne knowledge for which cause he counsailed him to giue them presents and present them meat and afterwards to suffer them to depart without any iniurie Ioram giuing credit to the Prophets words entertained the Syrians magnificently and with great humanitie and sent them backe vnto Adad their king to whom vpon their arriuall they declared all that which had hapned vnto them Adad astonished at this vnexpected euent and wondring at the apparition and power of the God of the Israelites lastly admiring the Prophet whom God so wondrously assisted he concluded from that time forward neuer more to attempt the king of Israel in secret because he feared Elizeus but concluded to make open warre against him hoping to haue the vpper hand of his enemies by meanes of the great number and force of his army So that he issued out with a mighty power against Ioram who supposing himselfe to be ouermatched by the Syrian army locked himselfe vp within Samaria putting his trust and confidence in the fortification and strength of the wals thereof Adad hoping to surprise the citie if not by engins at leastwise by famine default of things necessarie drew neere vnto Samaria to besiege it But Ioram was so destitute of conuenient supplies that by reason of the incredible want of victuals an Asses head was sold in Samaria for eighty pieces of siluer and a measure of pigeons doung at fiue pieces of siluer which they vsed in steed of salt neither was there any thing that more troubled the king then that he feared least some one constrained by famine should deliuer or betray the Citie vnto the enemy For which cause he euery day walked the round about the walles and visited the sentinels of the Citie for feare least any one should lie hidden within and with all care and diligence he gaue order that if any one had such a sinister intent the meanes to execute the same should be taken from him And whereas a certaine woman cried out vnto him Haue mercie vpon me O King he incensed with wrath and supposing that she asked him some meate began to raile on her
of righteousnes The yeare of the world 2941. before Christs Natiuitie 1023. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 5. Salomons pallace finished in thirteene yeares The haule The tribunall The Queenes house and other pallaces of pleasure The ornameÌ„ts of Salomons pallace Chambers of pleasure with household stuffe of gold 3. Reg. 10. Salomons throne made of Iuory 3. Reg. 5. The yeare of the world 2941. before Christs birth 1023. Salomons gratuitie to Hiram for the benefits he receiued 3. Reg. 9. 3. Reg 5. Salomon interpreteth certaine hidden questions sent vnto him by Hiram Menander the Historiographer maketh meÌ„â—… of HiraÌ„ and Salomon Dius maketh mention of Hiram Dius of Salomon Salomon repaireth the wals of Ierusalem and erecteth towers Hedio Ruffinus chap. 6. Salomon buildeth certaine cities Azor Magedon Gaza Betachor Baleth Thadamor or Palmyra Why the Egyptian kings were called Pharaohs The yeare of the world 2953. before Christs birth 1011. The Egyptian kings called Pharaohs Ptolemei Caesares Herodotus writeth not the names of the EgyptiaÌ„ kings Nicaule queen of Egypt and Ethiop commeth to Salomon 3. Reg 10. Salomon compelleth the remainder of the Chananites to pay tribute The thraldom of the Chananites 3. Reg. 10. The queene of Egypt and Ethiope reforteth to Salomon The queene of Ethiope wondreth at Salomons wisdome The yeare of the world 2953. before Christs Natiuitie 1011. The queene of Ethiope praileth Salomons wisedome The Queene giueth Salomon many sumptuous presents Salomon remunerateth the Queens bountie Hedio Ruffinus chap. 7. The precious timber that was brought to Salomon SalomoÌ„s ships spent three yeares in their iourney Many kings present Salomon with sundry presents The horses and other gifts presented to Salomon The yeare of the world 2953. before Christs Natiuitie 1011. Ittan The waies about Ierusalem paued with flint The cities of Chariots The aboundance of siluer in Solomons time Egyptian horses 3. Reg. 11. Solomon marrying straunge women is seduced by theÌ„ The reare of the world 2964. before Christs birth 1000. The punishment inflicted on Salomon far honouring strange gods The yeare of the world 2964. before Christs birth Aooo Ider enemie to Salomon Ader fled into Egypt Ader beseecheth Pharao to dismisle him that he might returne into his countrey Ader returneth into Idumaea and from thence departeth into Syria Raas and Adet enemies to Salomon IeroboaÌ„ rebelleth against Salomon Achias the Prophet sore-telleth that he should be king ouer the ten tribes Ieroboam flieth into Egypt and remaineth there vntil Salomons death The yeare of the world 2964. before Christs Natiuity 1000. The death of Salomon Hedio Ruffinus chap. 8. al. 4. 3. Reg. 12. The people require RoboaÌ„ to mitigate their burthen The holsome aduise of the elders The yeare of the world 2971. before Christs birth 993. Roboam reiecteth the aduise of the elders and followeth the counsaile of the yonger The Israelites moued with their â—…pulse reuolt from Roboam The yeare of the world 2971. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 993. Roboam intéding to make waâ—…e on those tribes that â—…uolted is inhibited The court and pallace of Ieroboam Why IeroboaÌ„s calues were made Ieroboam perswadeth the people to Idolatrie The neglect of Gods seruice is the cause of all euill 3. Reg. 13. The prophecie against the Altar in Bethel The prophecie is confirmed by a miracle Ieroboams withered hand restored The yeare of the world 2971. before Christs Natiuitie 993. Hedio Ruffinus ch 9. The Prophet is brought backe by the subtilty and fraud of the false Prophet The disobedience of the Prophet his punishment and buriall Iadons prophecy is detracted to Ieroboam by the false Prophet Hedio Ruffinus chap. 10. Roboams defenced cities 〈◊〉 Paral. 11. The yeare of the world 29â—…1 before Christs birth 993. The godly Israelites returne to Roboam Roboams wiâ—…es and children Regiâ—… ad exempium totus compâ—…itur orbis Alias chap. 5. Susac inuadeth Iudea with great forces Ierusalem besieged Samaeas the Prophet reprehendeth the Iewes of their impietie 2. Paral. 2. Samaeas comforteth the people Ierusalem and the temple are spoyled 3. Reg 1â—… What Herodotus wrote of this expeditioÌ„ The yeare of the world 2975. before Christs Natiuity 989. Roboam for the golden shields and bucklers maketh new of beasse Roboam dieth and Abias raigneth after him The yeare of the world 29â—…8 before Christs birth 976. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 11. 3. Reg. 14. Ieroboams impietie Ieroboams son falleth sicke his mother is sent to Achias the Prophet The punishmeÌ„t of Ieroboam and the misery of the people foreprophecied The yeare of the world 2988. before Christs Natiuitie 976. Alias chap. 6. The expedition of Ieroboam against Abias king of Iuda Abias leuied an army against Ieroboam Abias oration to the Hebrewes wherein he vpbraideth them of their superstition and forsaking of their religion The yeare of the world 2988. before Christs birth 976. The death of Abias 3. Reg. 15. Asa king of Iuda The yeare of the world 2991. before Christs natiuitie 973. The yeare of the world 2992. before Christ birth 972. The yeare of the world 2993. before Christs birth 971 Hedio Ruffinus chap. 12. al. 8. Asas pietie 3. Reg 15. The EthiopiaÌ„s warre against Asa. 2. Paral. 14. The yeare of the world 3000. before Christs birth 964. Asas victorie The exhortation of Azarias the Prophet 2. Paral 15. The yeare of the world 3000. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 964. Religion renewed in Israle Basaes impietie 3. Reg. 16. A prophecy against Basa Basa surprised Ramath and fortifieth it The yeare of the world 3006. before Christs birth 958. Asa inciteth those of Damasco to inuade Bala The yeare of the world 3016. before the birth of Christ. 948. Alias chap 9. The death of Basa The yeare of the world 3017. before Christs birth 947. Basaes stocke destroyed The yeare of the world 3017. before Christs Natiuitie 947. Diuers factioÌ„s of the people Amri king of Israel The yeare of the world 3021. before Christs birth 943. Amri dieth and Achab his sonne succeedeth him The yeare of the world 3028. before Christs birth 9â—…6 Alias chap. 10. Asa dieth Iosophat succeedeth him The yeare of the world 3031. before the birth of Christ. 933. Iezabel 3. Reg. 17. The dearth of victuals prophecied to the Israelites The yeare of the world 3037. before Christs birth 927 Crowes feed Elias The widow of Sareptha entertaining Elias neither flowre not oyle faile Menander of the famine during the time of Elias The yeare of the world 3037. before Christs Natiuitie 927. Elias restoreth the wâ—…wes sonne to lâ—…e 3. Reg. 18. Elias is sent by God to prophecy fault to Achab. The yeare of the world 3040. before Christs birth 924. Achab seeketh for Elias Obediah coÌ„cea leth and sustaineth a hundreth prophets Achab accuseth Elias of impietie Elias reproueth the superstition of the people The yeare of the world 3040 before Christs birth 924. Elias doctrine and office confirmed by miracle Fire from heauen deuoureth the sacrifice Bels priests slains
encountred with a vision in which he wrastled with an apparition and hee became victor Now this vision spake vnto him exhorting him to reioice at that which had hapned vnto him assuring him that he had not atchieued an easie matter but that he had surmuonted an Angell of God which was a signe of great good which should befortune him and that his posteritie should be inuincible and that neuer man whatsoeuer he were should ouercome him commanding him to call his name Israel that is to say according to the Hebrewes a resister of an Angell These things were foretold vnto Iacob vpon his request who perceiuing also that hee was an Angel of God prayed him to informe him of that which should happen vnto him which the vision did and afterwards vanished Iacob tooke great pleasure thereat and called the place Phanuel that is to say the face of God and for that in w◅astling he had hurt his broad nerue he afterwards abstained from eating of the same and by reason thereof our nation doe neuer feede thereon Now when he had intelligence that his brother neerely approched him he commanded his wiues that they should march forward euery one with their handmaidens to the end that they might from a farre behold the fight of the men if so be that his brother should assaile them But himselfe he hūbled in reuerencing his brother who drew neere vnto him without intent of circumuention and Esau saluted him and enquired of him as touching the companies of women and children and after he vnderstood how all went he was desirous to lead them to his father But Iacob excused himselfe by reason of the wearines of his cattell and Esau retired to Sa◅r where he made his aboade and had imposed that name on that countrey by reason of his thicke haire Iacob also retired himselfe to a place which at this day also is called the Tents and from thence into Sichem a citie of the Chanaanites Now at such time as the Sichemites celebrated their feast Dina which was Iacobs only daughter went into the Citie to see the brauerie of the women of that countrey But Sichem the sonne of king Emmor rauished her and deflowred her and being surprised with her loue he besought his father that he might take her to wife who listning there unto went vnto Iacob praying him to ioine Dina his daughter in lawfull marriage with his sonne Sichem Iacob nor daring to contradict him by reason of his authoritie and qualitie and on the other side not thinking it to be either a thing lawfull or conuenient to match his daughter with a stranger required at his hands a time of deliberation to consult thereupon Hereon the king departed hoping that Iacob would listen to the mariage But Iacob hauing discouered vnto his sonnes the rauishment of their sister and the request of Emmor desired them to deliberate amongst themselues what thing was to be done ◅n the matter whereupon some held their peace not knowing what to say but Simeon and Leui the brothers of the same wombe with their sister complotted togither this practise In as much as it was a festiuall and that the Sichemites intended nought but pleasure and banquetting they issued by night vpon their first guards and killed them that were a bed and from thence entring into the Citie they killed all the males and with them the king and his son but to the women they offered no violence Which being executed without the knowledge of their father they brought their sister backe againe Iacob was verie much astonished at this accident so strangely executed and was wroth with his children but God appeared vnto him and comforted him and commanded him that he should purifie his tents and accomplish those sacrifices which he had vowed to performe at such time when first he went into Mesopotamia and the vision appeared vnto him Whilest then he cleansed those which followed him he found the Gods of Laban which beside his knowledge Rachel had stolne and hid them in Sichem in the earth vnder an Oake Afterwards departing from thence he sacrificed in Bethel where he had seene the vision at such time as he first of all tooke his iourney into Mesopotamia and as he trauailed in the land of Ephrata Rachel died in child-bed and was buried there and she onely hath not enioyed the honour which is done in Hebron to those of her parentage After he had made great lamentation he named the child which she bare at that time Beniamin by reason of the dolours which hapned vnto his mother These are all the children of Iacob twelue males and one daughter of whom eight were begotten on his lawfull wiues sixe of Lea and two of Rachel and on their chamber-maides foure two of each of them whose names I haue heretofore recorded From thence went Iacob to Hebron a Citie of Chanaan where Isaac made his aboade and they liued but a small time together because Rachel was dead and departed from him CHAP. XX. Isaac dieth and is buried in Hebron ISaac died a little time after the arriuall of his sonne and was buried with his wife by his sonne in Hebron among their fathers This Isaac was a man beloued of God and guided by his especiall prouidence After the decease of Abraham he liued a long time and after he had passed his life in all vertue for the space of 185. yeares he deceased THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 2. booke 1 How Esau and Iacob Isaacs sonnes deuided their habitations and how Idumaea fell to Esaus lot and Chanaan to Iacobs 2 How Ioseph the yongest of Iacobs sonnes by reason of his dreames which foretold his future felicitie incurred his brothers enuie 3 How Ioseph was sould by his brethren into Egypt and grew in great authoritie in that countrey and how at length he had his brothers vnder his power 4 How Iacob with all his progenie came vnto his sonne 5 Of the affliction of the Hebrewes in Egypt for the space of 400. yeares 6 How vnder the conduct of Moses they forsooke Egypt 7 How the redde sea diuided it selfe and gaue the Hebrewes a passage at such time as they fled out of Egypt CHAP. I. How Esau and Iacob Isaacs sonnes deuided their inheritance and how Idumaea fell to Esaues lot and Chanaan to Iacobs BVT when Isaac was dead the sonnes deuided their habitations among themselues and were neither of them content with that which they inherited by their father but Esau leauing the Citie of Hebron to his brother went and dwelt in Seir and was Lord of the countrey of Idumaea which he named by his name for it was surnamed Edom for the occasion which followeth He being verie yong returned one day sore wearied trauailed and hungrie from hunting and finding his brother dressing for himselfe a messe of lentill pottage which were verie red in colour and
should be enterprised against them the people likewise approued their oathes But Iosuah encamping with his Armie vpon their confines and vnderstanding that the Gabeonites dwelt not far off from Ierusalem and that they likewise were of the race of the Canaanites he sent for the principall and princes amongst them and complained and vp braided them of their deceit whereunto they answered that they had no other means to procure their safetie and securitie and for that cause and their necessitie sake that they had sought their refuge thereby Whereupon he called vnto him Eleazar the high Priest and the councell of the Elders who told him that he might not infringe the oath which they had made vnto them but that he might depute them to serue the publique ministeries Whereupon they were adiudged to attend on these seruices and by this meanes deliuered they themselues from their imminent perill But for that the king of Ierusalem was sore incensed against the Gabeonites for that they had reuolted and submitted to Iesus he assembled together the Kings of his neighbour nations to make warre against them The Gabeonites perceiuing the danger they were in and how the enemie was prepared to assault them and how to that intent they had pitched their tents neere vnto a certaine fountaine not farre off from the Citie they required Iesus to assist and defend them For their affaires were in that estate that they expected death from the hands of their friends contrariwise hoped for helpe to be warranted by those Hebrewes with whō they had contracted amitie notwithstāding that they arriued in that countrie to destroy the whole nation of the Cananites Iosuah therefore hastning onward with his whole armie to giue them assistance and marching both day and night early in the morning charged the enemie at such time as he entended his assault and hauing put them to flight he pursued them by a steepy tract which place is called Bethora where hee knew that God had fought for him as it appeared manifestly by the thunder lightening and haile that fell at that time far bigger then was accustomed The day likewise the like whereof was neuer heard of before was lengthened least by the speedy approch of the night the enemie should escape from the victor whereupon it came to passe that Iesus tooke all those fiue Kings in a certaine caue neere Makkedah where they were hidden and condemned them all to the death And that the day at that time increased aboue common custome it is extant registred in the sacred volumes which are reserued in the Temple When after this manner the Kings that inuaded the Gabeonites were slaine and conquered Iesus led his Armie into the mountaines of Canaan where hauing made a great slaughter of men and taken a rich bootie he brought backe his armie into Galgal Now when the renowne of the Hebrewes valiant acts and the admirable number of those that were slaughtered were bruited and scattered farre and neere amongst the neighbour nations they were surprised with a sodaine feare so that the Kings of the Chanaanites that bordered vpon Libanus and they also of the plaine of Cha◅an ioyned themselues confederates with the Palestines and all of them were incensed against them and incamped neere vnto Berotha a Citie of the higher Galilee not farre from Cedesa which is also scituate in the land of Chanaan The whole armie of them consisted of three hundreth thousand footmen ten thousand horsemen and twenty thousand chariots This great multitude of the enemie astonished Iosuah and the Israelites and by reason of the assured feare wherewith they were seased they conceiued but little hope of obtaining the vpper hand but God reproched him and vp braided him of that his timiditie and for that they suspected themselues to be scarcely secured vnder his protection he promised them likewise that he would ouercome their enemies and make their horses vnprofitable and would consume their chariots by fire Iosuah therefore was emboldened by these promises from God and marched out against his enemies whom he surprised on the fift day The incounter was strong the slaughter so great that they who should but heare the same would scarcely beleeue it many also were slaine in the pursuite so that a few onely excepted the whole armie was put to the sword The Kings also were all of them slaine and of their men there remained not any one aliue Iosuah also commaunded that their horses should be slaine and hee burned their chariots securely marched thorow the whole countrey so that no man durst sallie out or make head against him He besieged likewise their strong places and killed all those whom he might apprehend Now when the fift yeare was fully finished and not any one of the Chanaanites were left al◅e except such as were fled into their Cities and forts of defences Iosuah once more retired his campe toward the mountaines and placed the sacred Tabernacle in the Citie of Siloe which seemed to be a verie conuenient place by reason of the beautie of the same where the arke might remaine til such time as their affaires of estate permitted them to build a Temple From thence he departed with all the people to repaire vnto Sichem and there builded he an Altar in that place according as before time Moses had commaunded and enioyned and hauing deuided his army he planted the halfe of them on the mountaine of Garizim and the other halfe on the mountain of Gebal on which also there is an Altar with the Leuites and the Priests and after they had sacrificed and done their execrations and ingrauen them on the Altars they returned into Siloe Now insomuch as Iosuah was wel strooken in yeares and verie well perceiued that the cities of the Chanaanits were hardly to be assaulted both in respect of the places wherin they were scituate as also for the munitions wherwith besides other aduantages of nature their walles were strengthned and fortified for the Chanaanites hauing intelligence of the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt and how they hastned thitherward to the intent vtterly to extinguish and ouerthrow that nation spent all that time in defencing and fortifying their Cities he assembled all the people in Siloe where when with mutuall and frequent concourse they were assembled he declared vnto them the happy successe which till that time had befallen them and the braue executions worthy in their euents to challenge God for their author furthermore the excellency of the ordinances vnder which they liued alledging that the thirty one kings which had beene so hardy as to encounter them hand to hand had by them beene ouercome that all the army that had vndertaken to ouerthrow them in battell was wholy discomfited so that there remained not any memory of them But for that certaine of the Cities were taken and the rest better defenced for this cause more obstinate had need of a longer
of the assembly gaue this answere in defence of the common cause Men and brethren neither will we neglect our kinred neither innouate any thing in that religion of which we make a reuerend account we know that there is one God cōmon vnto all the nation of the Hebrewes and acknowledge also his brasen Altar which is before the Tabernacle and no other but that shal receiue our sacrifices As for that which we haue now erected and that breedeth in you at this present a cause of suspition we built it not to the intent to pacific God by sacrifices but that it might remaine as a perpetuall argument of our friendship and might admonish vs of our countrey religion not to the end you should suspect it were an induction toward the violating of religion And that this was the onely cause which allured and induced vs to build the same we onely challenge God for our faithfull witnesse for which cause hereafter conceiue a better opinion of vs and God forbid you should suppose vs to be so besotted in that sinne of which whosoeuer of Abrahams posteritie is guiltie and whosoeuer shall degenerate from the maners and customes of his forefathers may not expiate that crime without a capitall punishment As soone as Phinees had heard these things and praised their constancie he returned vnto Iesus and declared all those things vnto the people who reioycing in that they had no occasion to leuie men nor cause of ciuill warre or bloudshed offered vnto God their sacrifices of thankgiuing and presently dissoluing the assembly each man returned vnto his owne home but Iesus chose his habitation in Sichama Twentie yeares after Iosuah being extremely old calling vnto him the most honourable of euery Citie and both the Elders and Magistrates and as many of the people as might commodiously be assistant spake vnto them after this maner First he called vnto their remembrance the diuers benefites which God had bestowed vpon them by meanes whereof from their poore and afflicted estates they had attained to so great riches and glorie then exhorted he them that they should endeuour themselues hereafter in such sort as God might hold and continue his mercifull hand ouer them since they knew that his beneuolence could be allied vnto them by no other meanes but by their good indeuours he further alledged that it was his dutie before he departed out of this life to admonish them of their duty last of all he required them that they should accept of that his good admonition and should be perpetually mindfull of the same After this his oration he paid the due of nature and died in the hundreth and tenth yeere of his life whereof he spent fortie as minister vnder Moses their magistrate and after his death gouerned the common-weale twentie fiue yeares a man of incomparable both prudence and eloquence Moreouer strong and expedite in matter of gouernement and both good and profitable in affaires of peace finally most exact in all sorts of vertue he was buried in a Citie called Thamna belonging to the Tribe of the Ephraimites About the same time likewise died Eleazar the high Priest leauing the inheritance of the Priesthood to Phinees the monument laid on his sepulcher is extant in the Citie Gabatha After their deaths Phinees being demaunded by the people what Gods pleasure was and to whose charge the affaires and warres against the Chanaanites should be committed answered them that God commaunded them to giue the gouernment to the tribe of Iuda which by election chosing Simeon and his they for their associates vndertook the warre vnder this condition that when they had vtterly rooted out the remnant of the Chanaanites out of their owne dition they should likewise employ themselues to extinguish all the reliques of that race amongst the other tribes CHAP. II. How the Israelites after the death of their Emperour forgetting the religion of their forefathers fell into extreme calamities and how thorow a ciuill warre raised amongst them therewere onely 600. of the tribe of Beniamin left aliue BVt the Chanaanites whose estate at that time was in sufficient securitie expected them with a great host about the Citie of Bezeca hauing their army conducted by the king of that place called Adoni-Bezec which name signifieth Lord of the Bezecenites for Adoni in the Hebrewe tongue is as much to say as Lord now these men promised vnto themselues the vpper hand by reason that Iosuah was deceased Against these of whom I haue forespoken the two tribes sought verie valiantly and slaying ten thousand of them whilest they pursued the rest they tooke Adoni-Bezec captiue who hauing his hands and feete cut off acknowledged the diuine iustice for he confessed that he had vsed seuentie and two kings before times after the same maner In this plight they conducted him neere vnto Ierusalem where departing out of this life they buried him Then ouerranne they the countrey sacking and taking the Cities and after they had diuers of them in their possession they besieged Ierusalem and entring the lower Citie thereof they put all the inhabitants to the sword But the higher towne was verie hard to be assaulted by reason of the fortresses and strength of the walles and the naturall and strong scituation of the place which was the cause that they leuied their campe to goe and besiege Hebron which they tooke slew all those that were therin In that time there were some remainder of the race of Giants who in that they were greater in stature vnlike vnto other mē were horrible to behold and terrible to be heard Their bones are to be seene as yet at this day which for their highnes surpasse all credulitie or conceit This Citie was giuen in way of honour to the Leuites with two thousand cubits of land or there abouts and as touching the rest of the countrey it was freely giuen to Caleb according as Moses had commaunded it this was one of those spies which Moses sent to ouerlooke the land of Chanaan They gaue lands and possessions likewise to Iethro the Madianites posteritie who was father in law to Moses for that they had forsaken their owne territories and annexed themselues to the Israelites and had beene with them in the desart The tribe of Iuda and Simeon tooke those Cities of the mountainous countrey of Chanaan and those that were in the plaine neere vnto the sea coast namely Ascalon and Azoth But as touching Gaza and Accaron they escaped for these Cities being in the plaine and defenced with a great number of chariots repulsed those that assaulted the same to their disaduantage So these two tribes hauing had good successe in warres retired themselues into their Cities and laid aside their weapons As touching the Beniamites to whom Ierusalem appertained they receiued the inhabitants thereof as their tributaries so that all of them being in peace and the one ceasing from slaughter and the other
tribe And although they thought them iustly oppressed in battell by reason they had offended against the lawes of God yet celebrated they a fast in the behalfe of the dead They sent Embassadours also and reuoked those sixe hundreth that were fled and held a certaine rocke in the desart which was call Rhoa The Embassadours complained not onely for that the warre had extinguished them but also for that the Israelites had lost their parents and by these perswasions they preuailed so much that they bare their crosse and losse with lesse grief and they came vnto them besought them that they would not giue sentence of the total extinctiō of the tribe of Beniamin We grant you said they the reuenues of your whole tribe and as much bootie as you may driue away But they acknowledging their iniustice and that they were condemned by the iustiudgement of God returned into the possessions of their tribe and the Israelites gaue them in marriage those foure hundreth virgins of Iabes and for the rest which were two hundreth they deliberated with themselues how they might prouide them of wiues to the intent they might haue issue And when as before time in the beginning of their warre it was decreed by an oath that none of them might match his daughter with any of the tribe of Beniamin there were some of them that thought good that the oth might be despensed withal by reason it was grounded vpon wrath not on iudgement alledging further that they should do nothing contrarie to the will of God if they might saue a tribe which was in daunger vtterly to be extinct That periuries were daungerous and noysome not at such time as they are inforced by constraint but when they are practised with an intent to do euill But when as the Elders reclaimed hereagainst abhorring the mention of periurie there arose vp a certaine man amongst them that said he had a pollicie whereby without breach of oth the Beniamites might light vpon wiues And being commaunded by the Senate to expresse the same we haue a custome euery yeare said he to assemble and keepe a feast at Siloe and for companions in those our congregations we haue both our wiues and daughters as many of these as they can rauish let the Beniamites lay hold of without reproofe neither being inhibited nor encouraged by vs and if their fathers shall be displeased therewith and shall require reuenge we will say that they are in the fault who haue negligently kept their daughters that we ought not too much to whet our wrath against the Beniamites for that we had too much alreadie vsed and abused the same towards them This sentence was allowed by all of them and it was decreed that it was lawfull for the Beniamites to rauish and violently take to themselues wiues amongst them Now when the feast was at hand the two hundreth Beniamites of whom we haue spoken came two by two and three by three and lay in ambush neere vnto the Citie amongst the vines and other thickets and close places in which they might hide themselues to surprise the Damsels Now they suspecting nothing securely and pleasantly wantoned on their way but the yong men breaking from their ambush laid hold of them being scattered and diuided here and there and after they had married them they departed home to labour their land and began to studie anew how to recouer their former good hap Thus the tribe of Beniamin which was welny vtterly exterminated was restored to his former dignitie after this manner by the wisedome of the Israelites and it incontinently flourished and increased in a little time as well in number of men as in all other things Thus finished this fatall warre The like accident hapned to the Tribe of Dan which fell into the like incombrance for this cause which ensueth The Israelites about this time hauing forgotten the exercise of armes and being onely occupied in tilling and trimming their land the Chanaanites in contempt of that nation raised forces not for that they were affraid of their owne estates but to the intent that ouerlopping the Hebrewes with some memorable ouerthrow they might more securely inhabite their Cities thereafter and conspiring togither and arming a great number of footmen and ioyning to them certaine chariots they drew Ascalon and Accharon two cities within the Lot of Iuda into their confederacie and diuers other cities of the Champion countrey so as they of Dan were driuen into the mountaines hauing no place in the champion where they might peaceably inhabite who for that neither in warre they were able to confront them neither had sufficient habitation for the number of men which they had sent fiue men of their tribe into the Champion countrey and Midland to spie if they could finde any place that were fit and conuenient for them to establish and fixe their Colonies in These trauelled a daies iourney not farre from the mountaine of Libanus and more lower then are the sources of Iordan bordering vpon the great plaine of the Citie of Sidon In which place hauing obserued that the land was good and fertile in all sorts of fruites they made it knowne vnto their people who trauailing thither with their army builded a citie in that place called Dan by the name of the sonne of Iacob so called and in honour of the tribe of Dan. Many aduersities befell the Israelites from that time forwards both for that they were vnexercised in trauaile and for that they contemned pietie For hauing once forsaken the obseruation of their ordinances they suffered themselues to be deuoured in pleasures liuing according to their own appetites so that they gorged and glutted themselues with those vices which were most of all accustomed and vsuall amongst the Chanaanites CHAP. III. How the people of Israell by reason of their wickednesse were by God deliuered to the seruitude of the Assyrians FOr this cause the wrath of God was kindled against them in such sort as thorow their negligence they lost the good which they had gotten by infinite trauaile For Schisart king of the Assyrians leuied an army against them who killed a great number of their men in the fight and either by force or composition tooke diuers of them prisoners and brought their citie vnder his subiection Diuers also willingly submitted themselues vnto him thorow the feare they had conceiued and they paied tributes exceeding their powers induring all kind of outrage for the space of eight yeares after which they were deliuered by these meanes following CHAP. IIII. Their libertie restored by Cenizus A Certaine man of the Tribe of Iuda called Cenizus a man of execution and of braue courage was aduertised by a voice from heauen that he should not permit the Israelites in that sort to be reduced into so extreame necessitie without taking care for them but that he ought to aduenture himselfe to set them at libertie For which
cause calling vnto him some fewe companions of his perils who were discontented with their present estate and desired a change he first of all discomfited the garrison which Schisart had placed ouer them and so much was he furthered with his first successe that the number of his followers increased more and more so that they seemed sufficient to equall the enemy in open field whereupon encountring him in one battaile they ouercame him and recouered their libertie and the rest of the scattered and confused army retyred themselues toward Euphrates Now after that Cenizus had by this effect giuen proofe of his valour he receiued the gouernment at the peoples hands and exercised the office of iudge fortie yeares at the end whereof he died CHAP. V. How the people were againe made subiect to the Moabites and how by Iodes they were exempt from seruitude AFter whose death the gouernment and seate being voide the affaires of the Israelites began againe to fall to ruine and the rather for that they neither yeelded due honour vnto God neither obedience to the lawes whence it came to passe that Eglon king of the Moabites seeing the disorder of their pollicie set them at nought so that he waged warre against them and ouercame them many times And for that he was a prince of greater forecast then any of his predecessors he fought against them and weakened their forces and constrained them to pay tribute This man translating his court to Iericho and proud in his victories omitted no meanes whereby he might vexe and molest the people so that they liued for the space of 18. yeares in great miserie But God being moued with their calamities and supplications deliuered them from their intolerable thraldome after this manner Iodes the sonne of Gera of the tribe of Beniamin a yong man both addressed by valour of minde and strength of hand to attempt any worthy action dwelt at Iericho This man insinuated himselfe into Eglons familiaritie and by presents and gifts entertained and courted him in such sort as he was well beloued and esteemed amongst all those courtiers that were neerest about the king It chanced one day that bearing certaine presents vnto the king attended by two of his houshold seruants he secretly girt a dagger to his right thigh at such time as he entred into the king now it was about midsommer and mid-day likewise whereby the watch was growne the more carelesse and slothfull partly by reason of the heate and partly for that the guard were occupied about their dinner The yong man therefore offering his presents vnto Eglon who at that time disported himselfe in a certaine sommer chamber began to discourse with him Now they were both alone by reason that the king resoluing to talke familiarlie with Iodes had sent away his guard and sate him downe in a seate but Iodes fearing least failing to stab home enough he should not giue him a fatall and deadly wound required him to rise telling him that he had a dreame to report vnto him by the commandement of God Whereat he reioicing very much leapt from his seate whereupon Iodes stabd him to the heart and leauing the poiniard sticking in his wound he escaped and locked the doore after him the guard making no noise at all supposing that the king had laide him downe to rest But Iodes giuing priuate notice hereof to them of Iericho offered himselfe to be their leader in the recouerie of their former libertie who willingly accepting thereof presently tooke armes and sent trumpets to publish the same thorow the whole countrey for after that manner were they woont to assemble the people They that were about Eglon were wholy ignorant of that which had hapned but about the eeuen-tide fearing least some mishap had befallen him they entred into the place where he was found him dead wherat they were greatly astonished so as they knew not what to doe For before they had assembled their forces togither the Israelites fiercely charged them and some they killed instantly the rest that were ten thousand in number betooke then selues to flie vnder hope to recouer their countrey of Moab but the Israelites hauing before that laide and fortified the passages of Iordan pursued them and slew them so that diuers of them perished in the Ferrie and not one of them remained that escaped their hands By this meanes the Israelites were deliuered from the seruitude of the Moabites and for this cause Iodes was aduanced to the gouernment of the people Finally after he had liued for the space of fourescore yeares he died A man besides the act of late rehearsed worthy of praise in all other things After him Sanagar the sonne of Anath was elected gouernour and in the first yeare of his raigne he left this life to partake the fruition of another CHAP. VI. How the Israelites were brought vnder the subiection of the Chanaanites and raunsomed from seruitude by Barac BVt the Israelites in no sort reclaimed or reconciled by their forepassed calamities fell againe into their former impietie and disobedlence and before they had sufficiently shaken off the seruitude of the Moabites were subiected vnto Iabin king of the Chanaanites This man kept his residence imperiall at Asor a Citie scituate on the lake of Sachonites he had in pay thirtie thousand foore and ten thousand horse and besides these hee had three thousand warlike Chariots Ouer all this huge army commanded Sisares an especiall man amongst the kings fauourites who encountring with the Israelites brought their affaires into so desperate an estate that they willingly for their owne securitie sake accepted seruitude and paied tribute whereunto they were inforced through the austeritie of their subiection almost for the space of twentie yeares not daring to lift vp their heads all which fell vpon them by the will of God to the end he might punish the too great contumacie and ingratitude of that nation Who at length repenting themselues and acknowledging the cause of their calamities namely that it proceeded from the contempt of their lawes they repaired to a certaine Prophetesse called Debora which name in the Hebrew toong signifieth a Bee beseeching her that by her prayers she would endeuour to prouoke God vnto mercie to the intent he should not suffer them so to be oppressed by the Chanaanites Hereupon God being inclined to take compassion on them granted them helpe and appointed Barac to be their gouernour a man of the tribe of Nephthali whose name signifieth lightning Debora therefore sending for Barac commandeth him to picke out and muster ten thousand chosen men and lead them foorth against the enemy alleadging that they were sufficient to obtaine the victorie which God had promised by his Oracle But Barac denying to vndertake the gouernment except she also would administer the same with him she moued therewith spake thes Wilt thou said she surrender the dignitie which God hath giuen thee
that he had depriued him of his kingdome by the meanes of his owne sonne and in punishment of those crimes which he had committed against his owne master This his so cruel and vnbridled libertie moued all Dauids followers to displeasure so that all of them were prepared to reuenge them on Simei and amongst the rest Abisai would haue slaine him but Dauid pacified his displeasure willing him to forbeare for feare said hee least to our present miseries we annexe a further and new occasion For in as much as concerneth my selfe I set light by this mad dogge referre the matter vnto God who is the cause that he is thus desperatly bent against vs Neither is it to be wondred at that I suffer these outrages by him since mine owne sonne is so wicked as he taketh a felicitie to disdaine me but it may be that God wil haue compassion on vs if he please we shal haue the vpper hand ouer our enimies He therfore walked onward on his way not caring what Simei said who ranne on the other side of the mountaine rayling reuiling at him When Dauid was arriued on the banke of Iordan he mustred and refreshed his army who were fore wearied meane while Absalon entring Ierusalem with Achitophel his counsellor was saluted and applauded by the whole concourse of the people amongst the rest Dauids friend came vnto them who prostrating himself before Absalons feete wished him both prosperitie and perpetuitie in his kingdome Him did Absalon aske how it came to passe that he who was reputed to be one of Dauids most indeered friends and esteemed alwaies to be most loyall and faithfull vnto him should at that time when most occasion was profered him to expresse his loyaltie abandon him and submit himselfe to his enemie To him Chusai answered both readily and wisely that it became him to follow God and the good will of the people Since therefore said he my soueraigne that both these are for you it concerneth me to follow you because you haue receiued the kingdome from God If therefore you esteeme me to be your faithfull friend I will approue vnto you my loyaltie and true affection in like manner as in your knowledge I haue testified in effect vnto your father who ought not to be displeased at that which had hapned since the kingdome is not transported into an other house but remaineth in his owne family because he who was his sonne receiued the same By such like words he reconciled himselfe to Absalon whereas before that time he was inwardly suspected Hereupon Achitophel was sent for to consult with him about their affaires in hand who gaue him counsell to abuse all his fathers concubines and make them his owne For said he from that time forward the people will beleeue that you and he will neuer be reconciled and will be more readie to beare armes and inuade your father for your sake For hitherto said he they haue vnwillingly professed themselues to be his enemies suspecting least a peace should ◅e concluded betwixt the father and the sonne Absalon beleeuing this aduise of his caused a Tent or royall Pauilion to be pitched in the sight of all the people whereinto he entred and had the company of his fathers concubines All which fell out according as the Prophet Nathan had foretold at such time as he certified Dauid that his owne sonne should make warre against him CHAP. IX Absalons warre against his father his death and the discomfiture of his armie WHen Absalon had done that which Achitophel had instructed him in he requested him once more to counsaile him concerning that warre which he had enterprised against his father who required ten thousand chosen men at his hand promising him to kill Dauid and to bring all the rest that were in his conduct vnder his subiection assuring him that Absalons kingdome would be then established when Dauids head were cut off from his shoulders When this aduise of his had highly contēted him he sent for Chusai who was the chiefest amongst Dauids friends for so Dauid himselfe had termed him to whom he discouered the aduice which Achitophel had giuen him required him to giue his opinion what he thought therof who knowing verie well that if Achitophels counsaile were followed Dauid should be in daunger to be apprehended and slaine enforced all his arguments and counsails to the contrarie For said he my Liege you are sufficiently informed both what your fathers valour is and their vertue that accompanie him who hath fought many battels and hath had the vpper hand ouer all his enemies It is to be feared also least he at this present be encamped in the field For he is well exercised in leading armies and to preuent any stratagemes whereby the enemy may inuade him and about the euening he hath perhappes left his men hidden in some streight or in ambush behinde some rock and if our men shall assaile him his soldiers will by little and little retire and afterward recouering courage by reason that the King shall be neere vnto them they will charge vs afresh and during their medly your father will sodainly breake out of his ambush and encourage his owne men and discomfort yours wisely therfore examine mine aduice and if you find that it be good neglect that which Achitophel hath giuen you Send me thorow al the countrey of the Hebrewes commanding euery one to take armes march out against your father and when you haue gathered togither these forces be you your selfe in person the generall of the army and commit it not to an other mans charge and assuredly expect to haue an easie victory ouer him if you assaile him in the open field for that he is accompanied with a verie few men and your selfe are attended by many thousands who at least wise if they loue you and will shew a good affection towards you may easily rid you of that enemy And if so be your father shut himselfe vp in any Citie we will and may subuert the same by mines and engines This aduise of his seemed to be better then that of Achitophels so that Absalon preferred the same For it was God that put this thought into his heart to neglect Achitophels and respect Chusais counsell Now when Chusai had thus preuailed he presently repaired to the high Priests Sadoc and Abiathar certifying them what Achitophel had complotted and how he had contradicted him finally how his opinion had taken place giuing them in charge to send priuate intelligence vnto Dauid thereof and to enforme him of his sonnes resolution wishing him with all speede to passe ouer the riuer of Iordan for feare least Absalon being informed of his aboad in that place should make haste and pursue him and ouertake him before he might recouer a place of securitie Now had the high Priests before hand prouided that their sonnes should lie hid without the Citie of set purpose to the end
kingdom vpō him by the peoples consent To him therfore the Princes of the people resorted with Ierobod beseeching him that he would remit somewhat of their feruitude and shew himselfe more merciful then his father had beene for that vnder his gouernment they had beene sorely oppressed assuring him that by that meanes his kingdome should be the more assured if so be he had rather be beloued then feared He some three daies after promised them to returne an answere to their demaunds and by that meanes drew them into suspition that vpon the motion he misliked of the offers they had proposed for they thought that it became his yeares to be affable and readie to deserue well yet remained there some hope in them that they had not presently suffered the repulse Meane while he calling about him his fathers friends consulted vpon the matter what answere he should giue the people who for that they wished his welfare and knew the nature of the people very wel perswaded him to speake familiarly vnto the people and remitting a little of his kingly austeritie to apply himselfe to the fauour good liking of the multitude for that by this his affabilitie he might the more easily draw their hearts vnto him because that by a naturall inclination subiects take delight in those kings that are courteous who with a certaine decent familiaritie entertaine themselues amongst them But Roboam reiected this counsell of theirs which was both good and profitable in all occasions but especially at such time when it is vpon the point to be inseated in a kingdome and that not without Gods prouidence since contrarie to all reason he neglected the right course and followed the peruerse so that calling vnto him certaine youngmen of his owne humour and disposition he certified them what the Elders had counselled him and willed them to discouer their opinion in that matter but neither their age nor Gods permission suffered them to know that which was expedient For which cause they counseled him to answere the people that his little finger was more great then the loynes of his father and that if they had experimented endured grieuances vnder him that he would be far more rigorous and that if his father had chastised them with the stroke of the whip that they should expect to be punished by him with rude torments The king delighted herewith supposed the answere to be answerable to the dignitie of his Empire Whenas therefore the people were assembled on the third day to heare his resolution and all of them were in suspence expecting and desirous to heare him speake from whom they hoped nought else but sweetnes Roboam contemning the counsell of his friends proposed vnto himselfe that of the young men All which hapned by the will of God to the end that that which Achias had prophecied might be fulfilled They touched by these his answers no lesse then if they had beene wounded with the sword conceiued a most heartie griefe and were displeased with him and no lesse moued then if they had alreadie felt the mischiefe that was threatned so that they began all of them to crie with a loud voice That from that time forward they had nothing to doe with Dauids alliance neither with his succession telling him that they would onely leaue the temple his father had builded vnto his charge and threatning him to abandon him Furthermore they were so hainously and grieuously incensed that Roboam hauing sent vnto them Aduram the superintendent of the tribes to pacifie their wrath and to perswade them to pardon his youth if he had spoken any thing lightly and vnrespectiuelie vnto them they could not endtire to heare him speake but slewe and welny ouerwhelmed him with stones Which when Roboam perceiued supposing that it was himselfe who in the person of his officer was put to death and stoned by the people he feared least in effect his life and the fortune of his kingdome should fall into the like desaster For which cause he sodainly ascended his c◅iot and fled to Ierusalem where the tribe of Iuda and that of Beniamin by their common suffrages made him King But as touching the rest of the people from that day forward they reuolted from the successors of Dauid proclaimed Ieroboam King of their estates Roboam the sonne of Salomon being sore displeased herewith assembled the two tribes of his obeisance with an intent to muster one hundreth and fourscore thousand chosen men to make warre on Ieroboam and his people and to enforce them by warre to acknowledge him for their Soueraigne But God restrained him by the meanes of a prophet who forbad him to make warre saying that it was ill besitting that war should be waged betwixt two parties of one nation and the rather for that this their reuolt had hapned by the will of God by which means and perswasion he dismissed his army But first of all I will rehearse that which Ieroboam king of Israel did and afterwards subsequently I will declare the acts of Roboam King of the two Tribes thus shal the course of the historie continue in due order euery waies After that Ieroboam had planted his royall court in the Citie of Sichem he made his ordinarie aboad in that place except that sometimes he soiourned in the Citie of Phanuel Not long after this the feast of Tabernacles being at hand Ieroboam supposing that if he permitted the people to go vp and worship God in Ierusalem and solemnize the feast in that place they might either repent themselues of their reuolt or being retained and withdrawne by the temple seruice that was celebrated therein they might be perswaded to forsake him and submit themselues to their first King and by that meanes he might be drawne into danger of his life he practised and plotted this inuention He caused two golden calues to be cast and builded two seuerall temples the one in Bethel and the other in Dan which is scituate neere vnto the source of little Iordan In each of the chappels of these two townes he placed one of these calues and afterwards assembling the ten tribes that were vnder his subiection he spake vnto them in manner following My friends and countrey-men I know that you are not ignorant how God is in all places and that there cannot be any place wherein he assisteth not nor time wherein hee heareth and beholdeth them not that serue him with true affection For which cause I thinke it not conuenient that you go vp vnto Ierusalem at this time which is a Citie enemy vnto vs neither that you make so long a iourney in way of deuotion for it was a man that builded that temple euen as I haue consecrated two golden calues the one in Bethel and the other in Dan to the end that euery one of you that inhabite neere vnto these Cities transporting your selues to the same may adore God Neither shall you want
In this estate were the affaires of Asa king of the two Tribes Now will I returne to Basa King of the multitude of Israel who hauing slaine Nadab the son of Ieroboam vsurped the kingdome He made his aboad in the citie of Thersa and raigned foure and twenty yeeres shewing himselfe more wicked impious then either Ieroboam or his son had bin He plagued the people many waies dishonoured God very greatly who sent the Prophet Gimon vnto him to foretell him that his whole race should perish and that his house should be persecuted with as many miseries as himselfe had inflicted on Ieroboams posterity because that hauing receiued the gouernment from God he shewed himselfe vngratefull vnto him for his goodnesse and gouerned his people impiously and vniustly whereas iustice and pietie are both profitable vnto those that practise them and wel-pleasing vnto God Further in that he had conformed himselfe in life to the dissolute course that Ieroboam vsed and was wholy contaminated with all his vices he might assure himselfe that resembling him in wickednesse he should vndoubtedly equall him in punishment When Basa heard all those euils that should shortly fall on him and his posteritie by reason of his wickednesse he redeemed not the time neither indeuoured himselfe to gaine the reputation of a reconciled life or to obtaine pardon at Gods hands by repenting himselfe of his forepassed sinnes but euen as they that haue a recompence proposed vnto them to make them more affectionate in exploiting any thing doe diligently indeuour themselues to performe the same so Basa notwithstanding the prophet had foretold him of that which should happen persisted in his wickednesse as if it had been in vertue and became worse and worse to the vtter ruine and confusion both of him and his houshold and daily addicted himselfe vnto all wickednesse with no lesse greedinesse then if he had enterprised to beare away the honour in such a combate In the end he assembled an army and assailed Ramath once more which was a great Citie some foure leagues distant off of Ierusalem which he tooke and determined to leaue a garrison therein and fortifie the same with a resolution from thence to make his roades into Asaes kingdome But Asa fearing the inuasion of his enemy and considering that the souldiers who were left in Ramath did most grieuously spoile all the dominions that were vnder him sent embassadours to the King of Damasco with gold and siluer to induce him to a societie in warre and to renew that amitie betweene them which was confirmed betwixt both their fathers Who willingly receiued those treasures that were sent him and made a league with him and brake the truce which he had with Basa so that he sent the gouernours of his dominions against those Cities that were vnder Basaes subiection with commandement to destroy them Of these they burned some and ransackt other some amongst which were Elon Dan and Abellane Which when the King of Israell vnderstood he gaue ouer the fortifying of Ramath and with all expedition returned to yeeld those of his subiects his assistance who were vtterly distracted But Asa in the meane while builded two strong townes Gabath and Maspha of that stuffe which Basa had prepared to build withall Basa afterwards preuented by the common debt of death had no more opportunitie to make warre against Asa. He was buried in the Citie of Arsane and his sonne Ela succeeded him in the kingdome who after he had raigned some two yeeres was traiterously slaine by Zamri a captaine of a halfe regiment of horsemen For whilest Ela banquetted with Osa who was the steward of his house Zamri wrought so effectually that he perswaded some of his horsemen to assault Ela who at that time was alone and destitute of men of warre and captaines for that all of them were at the siege of Gabathon a Citie of the Philistines CHAP. VII Basaes ofspring being extinct among the Israelites Zamri raigned in Israel and after him Amri and his sonne Achab. AFter that Ela was slaine Zamri tooke the Kingdome vpon him and wholy rooted out Basaes posteritie according as the prophet Gimon had foretold For after the same maner was his family vtterly ouerthrowne for their impietie as Ieroboams progeny was ex tinguished for their iniquitie as we haue toforetime declated For the army which bâ—…â—…ged Gabathon hearing newes of the Kings death that Zamri had murthered him and seased the kingdome they made Amri generall of the army and annointed him for their king who leuying the siege before Gabathon came before the royall Citie of Thersa which he besieged and tooke perforce Zamri seeing the Citie destitute of defence had retired himselfe into the most secret and retired place of the pallace where setting it on fire he burned both himselfe and it after he had raigned seuen daies Sodainly after this the Israelites fell at controuersie amongst themselues because that some of them sought to preferre Thaman to the kingdome and others were wholy addicted to Amri but they of Amries side had the better and being of the better sort slew Thaman and made Amri soueraigne ouer the people The thirteenth yeare of Asa Amri began his raigne and was King for twelue yeeres space six yeeres gouerned he in Thersa and six in Mareon which the Greekes call Samaria himselfe imposed this name of Samaria calling it by the name of Samar who had giuen him the land on which he builded this Citie He differed in nothing from the other kings his predecessors but in that he was worser then any of them for all of them busied their heads on this thing onely that by daily impieties they might alien the people from God For which cause God being displeased cansed the one of them to cut off the other and finally extinguished both the posteritie and name of one another This Amri died in Samaria and Achab his sonne was his successor Hereby a man may truely and easily perceiue what care the diuine maiestie hath of humane affaires and how he loueth the vertuous and vtterly rooteth out the vicious For the kings of Israel through their impietie in a short and successiue course the one after the other were cut off and confounded with all their families But Asa king of Ierusalem and the two Tribes liuing happily in the fauour of God for his pietie and iustice attained to a reuerend and old age and after he had raigned one and fortie yeeres he died a good death And after his decease Iosaphat his sonne whom he begat on his mother Abida succeeded him who in all things that concerned either pietie or fortitude seemed to emulate and equall his grandfather Dauid according as it shall be declared hereafter But Achab King of Israel made his aboad in Samaria and gouerned the kingdome for the space of twenty two yeeres without any alteration of those ordinances which his progenitors kings of Israel had established but that he exceeded
my danger whereas thou maist know how carefull I am of such holy men as thou art who haue deliuered a hundreth Prophets from Iezabels furie and now at this time conceale and sustaine them in secret places Notwithstanding all these words Elias commaunded him to repaire vnto the king and to cast off all feare swearing vnto him by an oth how that day he would make himselfe seene and knowne vnto Achab. When Obediah had certified the king that Elias was at hand Achab went out to meete him and being fraught with indignation said vnto him Is it thou that heapest so much mischiefe on the Hebrewes heads Art thou the man that art the cause of this sterilitie To whom Elias replied without flattering him any waies that it was he and his race that were the occasions of these mischiefes because they had brought strange Gods into their countrey whom they adored and had forsaken the true God who was and is onely to be worshipped He therefore willed him presently to assemble all the people on the mount Carmel bring with him his wife and her prophets whose number he reckoned vp the Prophets likewise of the woods who were in number foure hundreth Whenas therefore all of them being summoned by the king were gathered togither in that place Elias stood vp in the midst of them and said How long will you liue thus hauing both your soules and opinions dismembred and deuided For if you thinke that the Hebrewes God is the true and onely God why follow you him not and why keepe you not his commaundements But if you thinke that the honour belongeth not to him but to forraine gods follow you them When Elias perceiued that the people replied nothing hereunto he praied them in confirmation of that infinite and distinct power of God from that of straunge Gods that whereas he was but one only Prophet of the true God at that time present and the other were foure hundreth that worshipped the false that he might take an Oxe and kill the same and lay it vpon wood without putting any fire thereto to consume the sacrifice and that they also might doe the like and call vpon their gods and beseech them to send downe fire to consume their sacrifice which if they should doe and confirme the same by miracle that then the true nature of their gods should be knowne This counsell of his was generally allowed Whereupon Elias commaunded the false Prophets first of all to choose themselues an Oxe and to kil the same and afterwards to call vpon the assistance of their gods and when it manifestly appeared that their prayer and inuocation was of no force Elias began to mocke them saying why call you not out vpon your gods with a loud voice for it may be they are on some voyage or else happily they sleep Whilest thus they had inuocated from the morning vntil mid-day cutting themselues with kniues and launces according to the custome of their countrey Elias that was to make his sacrifice commaunded the false Prophets to stand aside willing the people to draw neere vnto him and obserue for feare least secretly he should conuey fire vnder the wood When the people were approched he tooke 12. stones according to the number of the twelue tribes of Israel and made an Altar and digged a deepe trench round about the same and afterwards heaping wood vpon the Altar and laying his sacrifice thereupon he commaunded them to fill foure tuns with fountaine water and to power it vpon the Altar in such sort as the trench might receiue drinke vp the water Which done he began to pray and call vpon God beseeching him that it might please him to manifest his power vnto his people who had so long time runne astray no sooner had he finished his prayer but fire fell from heauen vpon the Altar in the sight of all the people and consumed al the sacrifice so that the water was consumed the place dried vp Which when the Israelites beheld they fel down on their faces vpon the earth adoring one only God cōfessing him to be the most mighty only true God and auowing that al other were but forged names and fruits of an euill and truthles opinion and laying hands themselues vpon their false Prophets they slew them by the commaundement of Elias He willed the king also to depart and take his refection and to take care for nothing because he should very shortly see that God would send him raine and thus departed Achab from him But Elias ascended the top of the mount Carmel and sate him downe on the earth leaning his head vpon his knees whilest thus he sate he commaunded his seruant also to get vp vpon a certaine rocke and to looke towards the sea and to tell him if he saw any clouds arise in any part for till that time the ayre had beene alwaies cleere His seruant hauing often ascended the rocke and returned him answere that he sawnothing at length mounting vp the seuenth time in descending he returned him this newes that he saw some black appareance in the ayre not much vnlike vnto a mans footstep When Elias vnderstood this he sent vnto Achab wishing him to retire himselfe within the Citie before the raine fel who had no sooner recouered the Citie of Iezrael but that the ayre was presently clouded and couered with a shower and a vehement wind intermixed with raine fell vpon the earth and the Prophet seased by the spirit of God ranne with the kings chariot as farre as Iezrael a Citie of Asser. When Iezabel Achabs wife had notice what wonders Elias had performed and how he had slaine her Prophets she was sore displeased and sent messengers vnto him threatning him in like sort to reuenge her selfe on him as he had slaine her Prophets Which for that Elias feared he fled into the Citie of Bersabe which is vpon the borders of the tribe of Iuda bounding vpon Idumaea in which place he left his seruant and retired himselfe into the desart where whilest he praied God that he would take him out of the world by reason he was not better then others for which cause he should desire to liue after them he fell asleepe vnder a certaine tree and after that some one had awakened him he arose and found bread and water readie prepared by him Whenas therefore he had eaten and was recomforted he went vnto the mount Sinai where it is said that Moses receiued the lawes from God where finding out a hollow caue he entered into it and remained therein And being demaunded by a certaine voice which spake vnto him he knewe not from whence wherefore he remained in that place and forsooke the Citie he answered for that he had slaine the Prophets of the false gods and for that he had perswaded the people that there was but one onely God who ought to be honoured by all men and that for
driuen telling Ochozias that they were both of thē craftily surprised by treason but Iehu flung a dart at him pierced him thorow and cleft his heart For which cause Ioram instantly fell vpon his knees and died Hereupon Iehu commanded Badac who gouerned the third part of his army to cast Iorams body into Naboths field remēbring him of the prophecie of Elias foretold by him to Achab who murthered Naboth namely that he and his race should die in that field For sitting behind Achabs chariot he heard these words pronounced by the prophet In effect it so fell out as he had prophecied When Ioram was fallen downe Ochozias was affraid to be slaine for which cause he turned his chariot to take another way hoping that Iehu would not discouer him But he was pursued and ouertaken in a certaine steepy way and was hurt with an arrow whereupon he forsooke his chariot and being mounted vpon a swift horse he posted to Maggedo where after his wounds had been searched and dressed some few daies he deceased and was carried to Ierusalem and buried there after he had raigned one yeere and surpassed his father in wickednesse CHAP. VI. Iehu raigneth ouer Israel and keepeth his court in Samaria and after him his progeny to the fourth generation AT such time as Iehu arriued at Iezrael Iezabel being on the top of a tower in her princely robes cried out O trustie seruant said she that hath slaine his master He looking vpward asked her what she was commanding her to come downe vnto him at length he charged her Eunuches to cast her downe from the toppe of the tower who in her falling bebloudied the walles and no sooner fell she vpon the ground but that her body was trampled vnder the horses feet vntill she died That done Iehu repaired to the pallace with his friends and reposed himselfe therein commanding his seruants that they should burie Iezabel in respect of the royall race from whence she was descended but they to whom the charge of the obsequies were committed found no part of her body but her hands and head for all the rest was deuoured by dogs Iehu certified hereof wondred at the prophecie of Elias who had foretold that Iezabel should die in that sort in Iezrael Now in that Achabs seuentie sonnes were brought vp in Samaria Iehu sent two letters the one vnto the masters of the infants the other to the gouernours of the Citie giuing them to vnderstand that they should choose one of the most vertuous amongst Achabs children to raign as king ouer them because they had a multitude of strong chariots horses armor men strong Cities to the end that in so doing they might take reuenge on those that slew their lorde and master This did he vnder a colour to sound how the Samaritans were affected towards him When the gouernours and tutors had receiued these letters they were affraid and made account that they could preuaile nothing against him who had preuailed alreadie against two mightie kings For which cause they wrote backe vnto him acknowledging him for their soueraigne and offering themselues in all dutie to be vnder his subiection Wherupon Iehu sent back vnto them againe commanding them that to expresse their obedience they should send him the heads of Achabs children deuided from their shoulders Which command of his they failed not to execute but presently packed vp the heads in panniers and sent them vnto him to Iezrael As soon as they were brought thither tydings therof was carried to Iehu as he sate at supper with his friends who commanded that they should be laid in two heapes at the Citie gates on either side thereof Which done he issued out as soone as it was day to see them and beholding them he began to tell those that accompanied him that he had voluntarily armed himselfe against his master and slew him but as touching those whom they saw there he had no waies laid hands on them His onely intent was that all men should know that all that which hapned vnto Achabs race was done by the ordinance of God and that his house was destroied according as Elias had foretold And after he had slaine and dispatched both these and all those that were found to be of Achabs race amongst the Israelites he went vnto Samaria and meeting by the way with Ochozias houshold seruants who was king of Ierusalem he asked them whither they went who answered him that they went to salute Ioram and their king Ochozias for they knew not as yet that they were both of them slaine Hereupon Iehu commanded his seruants to lay hands on them and put them to the sword notwithstanding they were fortie two in number After them he met with a vertuous man called Ionadab who in times past had been his ancient friend who embracing him praised his forwardnesse in that he had performed all things according to the will of God in abolishing Achabs house Iehu caused him to mount vp with him in his chariot and accompany him to Samaria telling him that he should well perceiue that he would spare no one wicked man but would punish all the false Prophets and tellers of lies and abusers of the people who had made them forsake the true seruice of God and adore strange gods because the most laudable and allowed spectacle that might encounter a good mans eie was to see the punishment of the wicked Ionadab perswaded by these words mounted vp into his chariot and went with him to Samaria and after Iehu had sought out Achabs kinred he put them to death and intending that no one of his false prophets and priests should escape his hands he assembled thē togither by a subtil policy For gathering the people togither he protested that he would haue twise as many gods as Achab had had willing that all the priests ministers that belonged vnto them should present themselues for that he intended to celebrate rich and magnificent sacrifices to Achabs gods protesting that whatsoeuer Priest should be absent he should lose his head Now this god whom Achab honoured was called Baal Hauing in this sort assigned a day wherin he would offer sacrifice he sent thorow all the countrey of Israel charging all Baals priests to repaire vnto him and commanding that each of them might haue their vestments giuen them As soone as they were apparelled he resorted to his lodging accompanied with his friend Ionadab and commanded that a search should be made amongst them to espie whether any one of contrary quality or condition were medled with thē for that he intended that no stranger should be amongst the priests When as therefore he vnderstood that none but the priests were in that assembly euen at such time as they began to offer sacrifice he caused them to bee inclosed by fourescore souldiers whom he esteemed to be most trustie whom he commanded to kil the false prophets and to punish them
that their auncestors had transgressed the lawes of Moses they should be in danger to be dispossessed of their countrey and abandoned by all men should at length perish miserably When the prophetesse had heard the kings commandement she willed those that were sent vnto her to returne vnto the king and to certifie him from her that God had giuen a sentence against them which might not be reuoked by any praiers whatsoeuer namely that since they had transgressed the law of Moses the people should perish and should be cast out of their countrey and depriued of al their goods that they had and for that they haue not grown to amendment in so long time notwithstanding the prophets had exhorted them to repentance and had foretold the punishment of their impieties which should happen vnto them to the end that they might beleeue that God is God and that he faileth not in any thing that he hath foretold by his prophets Furthermore she said that he forbore as yet to send these afflictions vpon them for Iosias sake who was a vertuous man but that after his decease God would poure his intended punishments vpon the people This prophecie of the woman they signified vnto the king who sent into all parts and assembled the people in Ierusalem commanding the Priests and Leuites and generally all men without distinction of age or person to be present in that conuention Now when they were assembled he first of all caused the sacred bookes to be read and afterwards standing aloft vpon his throne he caused all the people to sweare and promise that they would serue God and keepe Moses lawes Whereupon all of them did willingly approoue whatsoeuer he said promising to doe that whereunto they were exhorted And therewithall offering vp present sacrifices vnto God they besought him to shew himselfe fauourable and mercifull towards them The king likewise commanded the hie priest that if there were any necessarie in the temple which were made by his predecessors in honour of Idols and strange Gods he should cast it out And after that a great quantitie was found therein all of it was gathered togither and burnt and the ashes afterwards were scattered here and there And as touching the Priests that appertained to Idols that were not of the race of Aaron he put them to death When these things were thus executed in Ierusalem he came afterwards to the plaine countrey and all that which Ieroboam had erected there in honour of Idols he vtterly defaced it and the bones of the false Prophets were burnt vpon the altar that Ieroboam had builded This had the prophet foretold that came to Ieroboam at such time as he offered sacrifice and told him in the presence of all the people all that which should happen namely that one of Dauids posteritie called Iosias should doe these abouenamed things which prophecie tooke effect three hundreth sixtie and one yeere after After this King Iosias transported himselfe to the Israelites who had auoided the captiuitie and seruitude of the Assyrians and perswaded them to forsake their impieties and the seruices they had performed to strange Gods and to honour the soueraigne and true God of their fathers and to cleaue vnto him He made a search also thorow euerie house borough and citie fearing least as yet there should be any Idol hidden Hee likewise sought out the chariots that were made by his auncestors in honour of the sunne and all that which was adored whatsoeuer it were and vtterly abolished the same After hee had in this sort purged the countrey he assembled all the people in Ierusalem where he celebrated the feast of vnleauened bread and the solemnitie of Easter Towards the performance whereof he gaue the people young kiddes and lambes to the number of thirtie thousand and three thousand bullocks for burnt offrings and the chiefe amongst the Leuites distributed amongst the other Leuites fiue hundreth lambs and fiue hundreth bullocks Hauing therefore such an abundance of beasts they sacrificed according to the law of Moses the priests taking charge thereof and confirming the rest of the people by their example Neither was there euer such a solemnitie kept by the Hebrewes since the time of Samuel the Prophet because all things were done according to the lawes and auncient customes which were obserued in the time of their fathers After this Iosias liued in peace riches honour and estimation amongst all men and thus finished his life CHAP. V. Diuers exploits of Nechao NEchao King of Aegypt hauing gathered great forces conducted his army towards the floud Euphrates to warre against the Medes and Babylonians who had destroied the empire of Assyria for Nechao affected the gouernment of all Asia Now when he drew neere vnto the Citie of Mende which was vnder Iosias subiection King Iosias denied him passage and would not suffer his army to march thorow his countrey For which cause Nechao sent a Herauld vnto him to let him vnderstand that it was not against him that he made warre but that he bent his course towards Euphrates for which cause he wished him in no sort to hinder his intended iourney least thereby he should be constrained to make warre vpon him But Iosias respected not this demaund of his but resolued himselfe to hinder his passage thorow his countrey And truely I suppose that the destinies pricked him forward to this arrogance to the end he might haue some occasion to doe something against Nechao For whilest he disposed his army and rode from one band to an other being mounted vpon his chariot he was strooken with an arrow that was shot by a certaine Aegyptian which cooled and tempered the spleene he had in warre For feeling himselfe sorely ouerpressed with paine by reason of his wound he commanded his army to retire and returned himselfe to Ierusalem where he died of his wound and was buried with his fathers with great magnificence after he had liued nine and thirtie yeeres and raigned thirtie and one For him the people mourned with great heauinesse lamenting and sorrowing for many daies The Prophet Ieremy also made a deploration ouer him in lamentable verse which is as yet extant euen in these daies This Prophet left in writing those euils that should afterwards happen vnto the citie and the captiuitie wherewith we are entangled at this present and the surprisall of Babylon Neither hath he alone foretold the same but the Prophet Ezechiel hath likewise done the like who first left two bookes written of the same argument These two Prophets were of the race of the Priests But Ieremy kept in Ierusalem from the fourteenth yeere of the raigne of Iosias vntill the destruction of the Citie and temple as in time and place conuenient we will declare setting downe those occurrences that hapned to this Prophet After the death of Iosias heretofore mentioned his sonne Ioaz succeeded him in the kindome at such time as he was
his wofull predictions had weakned the hearts of the people which were otherwaies readie to fight for him and their countrey by reason that he flying vnto the enemie menaced them with the surprisal and vtter ruine of their Citie But the king in regard of the naturall humanitie and iustice that was in him was not any waies whetted in respect of his owne interest yet to the intent he might not seeme to be vtterly opposed to the gouernours by contradicting them he deliuered the Prophet into their hands to deale with him howsoeuer they pleased Who hauing obtained this libertie from the king entred the prison on the sodaine and laying hold on Ieremy they let him downe into a pit full of mud to the intent he might die in that place and be strangled by the ordure in effect he was set therein vp to the necke But one of the kings seruants an Aethiopian by nation certified the king of the Prophets affliction assuring him that his friends and gouernours did not iustly so to thrust and burie the Prophet in the mud and cursedly to conspire against him tyring him with bonds and tortours worse then death For which cause the king hearing this newes was sorie that he had deliuered the Prophet to the gouernours and commaunded the Aethiopian to take thirtie men of his court with him with cords and such other things necessary as might concerne the safetie of the Prophet charging him with all expedition to deliuer him from that captiuitie Hereupon the Aethiopian furnished with men and necessarie meanes drew the Prophet out of the mud and dismissed him without any gard That done the king sent for him in secret demaunding of him if he had any message to deliuer him from God praying him to let him vnderstand what soeuer he knew as touching the successe of the siege The Prophets answere was that although he should tel him yet it would not be beleeued that if he should exhort him he would not giue eare or listen vnto him But said he O king thy friends haue condemned me to death as if I had beene a most wretched malefactor But where are they now at this present that haue deceiued thee and bore thee in hand saying that the Babylonian would not come and besiege thee Now will I take heed how I tell thee the truth for feare least thou condemne me to death Hereupon the king swore vnto him that he should not die neither that he would deliuer him into the hands of the gouernours for which cause Ieremie grounding himselfe vpon the faith which he had plighted vnto him counselled the king to yeeld vp the Citie to the Babylonian because that God had willed him to signifie vnto the king that if he would saue his life and auoid the imminent daunger and saue his Citie from vtter ruine and preserue the temple from burning he should submit or otherwise that none but he should be the cause of all these euils that should happen vnto the Citie and Citizens and of that calamitie that should confound both him and all his familie When the king heard this he told him that he would doe according as he had counselled him and performe whatsoeuer he thought necessarie to be done but that he feared his friends who were alreadie of the Babylonian faction least being accused by them he should be deliuered by their meanes and the kings displeasure vnto death But the prophet encouraged him telling him that his feare was in vaine assuring him that he should suffer no euill if so be he yeelded vp the Citie and that neither his wife nor children nor the sacred temple should either endure desaster death or ouerthrow Vpon these words the king dismissed Ieremy charging him to communicate the counsell that was held betweene them to no one of the Citizens no not to the princes if so be they should light on any inckling of their conference or aske of him whether the king had sent for him aduising him to answere if so be they were inquisitiue that he resorted to the king to request him that he might be no more imprisoned all which the Prophet performed for they instanced him verie much to know for what cause the king had sent for him CHAP. X. Ierusalem is taken and the people carried into Babylon by Nabuchodonosor MEane while the Babylonian continued his violent siege against the Citie of Ierusalem and hauing raised towers vpon certaine bulwarks he droue away by this meanes all those that approched neere vnto the walles he raised also round about the circuit of the Citie diuers platformes that equalled the walles in height Meane while the Citie was as valiantly and couragiously defended by the inhabitants for neither pestilence nor famine plucked down their spirits And although that within the Citie they were tormented with these scourges yet were not their resolutions distracted by the warre neither did the enemies inuentions astonish them nor their engines affright them but that they inuented new countermines so that all the battel betwixt the Babylonians and Iewes seemed to be a trial both of valour art whilest these by the one doe assuredly hope to surprise the Citie and the other thought their safetie consisted herein if they ceased not by new inuentions to frustrate their enemies endeuours And in this estate continued they both for the space of eighteene moneths vntill they were consumed by famine and by the darts that were shot against them by those that shot from the towers At length the Citie was taken by the princes of Babylon in the eleuenth yeare of the raigne of Zedecias the ninth day of the fourth moneth who were put in trust by Nabuchodonosor to performe the siege For touching his owne person he made his aboad in the Citie of Reblata Now if any man be desirous to know the names of them that had commaundement at such time as Ierusalem was surprised these they be Nergelear Aremantus Emegar Nabosar and Echarampsar The Citie being taken about midnight the princes of the enemies armie entered into the temple which when Zedecias vnderstood he tooke his wiues and his children with the princes and his friends and fled thorow a great valley by the desart which when the Babylonians vnderstood by certaine Iewes that were reuolted and had submitted themselues vnto them they arose earely in the morning to pursue them and ouertooke and surpised them neere vnto Iericho Whereupon those princes and friends of Zedecias that had taken their flight with him seeing the enemies neere vnto them forsooke him scattering themselues heere and there concluded each of thē to saue himselfe When as therefore the enemies had apprehended him who was attended by a few followers only and accompanied by his children wiues they brought him vnto the kings presence who no sooner beheld him but he called him wicked and perfidious and vpbraided him with breach of his promise and contempt of his maiestie to whom he had
being come hee expected his sonnes comming and departing from thence with three legions he pitched his Tent in a place called Enabris where the seditious people of Tiberias might behold his armie this place was thirtie furlongs frō Tyberias from thence he sent Valerianus the Decadarch to entreate a peace with them and sent fiftie horsemen to accompanie him for hee vnderstood that the people desired peace and against their will were forced to warre by some of the seditious amongst them Valerianus comming neere vnto the citie wals lighted from his horse commaunding all his companie to doe the like that they of Tyberias might not thinke that they came to fight but in peaceable maner but before he spake any one word the boldest and strongest of the seditious persons came out armed against him hauing one Iesus the sonne of Tobias who had beene a Captaine of theeues for their gouernour and leader Valerianus not presuming to fight without authoritie from his Generall although he had beene certaine of the victorie againe hee considered that it was great danger for so few to fight against a whole multitude and withall terrified with the boldnesse of the Iewes contrarie to his expectation he fled on foote accompanied onely with fiue other leauing his horse and the rest behind him whom Iesus and his followers tooke and brought into the Citie reioycing as though they had taken them in fight and not by treason But the Senators and chiefe of the Citie fearing what might ensue of this fact went vnto the Romans and together with king Agrippa came vnto Vespasian and prostrated themselues at his feete beseeching him not to despise them and not to thinke that the whole Citie were partakers with those few wicked persons that so had merited his displeasure requesting him to spare the people who alwayes had honoured the Romans but rather that hee should punish the authors of that reuolt and misdemeanour who also had withheld the whole Citie euen vntill now to yeeld it selfe vnto the Romanes Vespasian moued by their intreaties pardoned the Citie though he was incited against them all for taking of Valerianus his horse and that hee perceiued Agrippa was sorrowfull for feare that the Citie should bee destroyed and so by them Vespasian promised the townes men pardon Then Iesus and his associates thinking it not safe for them to abide there fled vnto Tarichea The next day Vespasian sent before him Traianus with certaine horsemen into the Castle to see if all the multitude desired peace and finding the people to beare peaceable mindes hee with his whole armie came vnto the Citie And the Inhabitants opening the gates of their citie went out to meete him with great ioye all crying out that he was the author of their welfare and benefactor and wishing him all prosperitie and felicitie The gates of the citie were narrowe so that the armie could not quickly enter in wherefore Vespasian commanded a part of the wall on the south side to be pulled down and so entred in yet did he not sacke the citie nor ruine the wals for Agrippaes sake who promised that from thencefoorth the Citizens would bee quiet And so hee pacified that Citie greatly troubled with sedition CHAP. XVII How Tarichea was besieged VEspasian departed from Tiberias and pitched his Tents betwixt it and Tarichea and encamped himselfe foreseeing that there he should haue some trouble and long abode for all rebels that desired wars came thither trusting both to the strength of the Citie and the lake adioyning vnto it called Genesar For this citie was scituate like Tiberias vnder the mountaines and Ioseph had enclosed it with a wall on euery side where it was not compassed by the lake But the wall though it were strong yet was it not so strong as that of Tiberias for Ioseph builded that in y e beginning of the rebellion hauing men and mony at will but that of Tarichea was built only by the remainder of his liberalitie The Taricheans had great store of ships in the lake adioyning to the end that if they were ouercome by land they might flie by water and therefore they had prepared their shippes for a battell by water if neede should be Whilest the Romans entrenched themselues Iesus and his followers not dismayde either with the multitude or militarie discipline of his enemies issued out of the citie slewe the workmen and destroied a part of the worke and perceiuing the Romans armed assembled togither against him he fled againe vnto his companie without any losse or harme receiued But the Romans pursued them so fast that they forced them to take their ships and so being gone as farre from the shoare as that yet they might easily reach them with the shot of an arrowe they cast anchor and disposed their ships in warlike manner and fought against the Romans who were on shoare Vespasian vnderstoode that a great multitude of them were gathered togither in a place neere vnto the citie wherefore he sent his sonne Titus against them with sixe hundreth horsemen who finding the number of the enemies to be infinite certified his Father that he needed more forces and perceiuing many of his horsemen of good courage before any more ayde came and yet that some of them were a frayde of the Iewes he stoode in a high place where all might heare him and sayde O ye Romans I will first put you in minde who you are and of what nation that so you considering what your selues are may also consider who they are with whome wee are to fight neuer yet was there any enemie in any part of the world that could escape our hands The Iewes themselues though already ouercome yet doe they indure and manfully beare out their miserie if therefore they constantly indure warres and fight valiantly being in aduersitie what should we doe who are in prosperitie I reioice to see you shew good countenance yet I feare least so huge a multitude of our enemies discourage some of you let euery one therefore once againe consider who himselfe is with whom he is to fight and that although the Iewes be bold and valiant enough yet they obserue no warlike order and are vnarmed and so are more fitly tearmed a multitude then an armie I need not speake of your knowledge and skill in wars nay for this only cause are we trained vp in warlike discipline in the time of peace to the end that our number should answere to the number of our enemies when wee are to ioine battell for what fruite shall we shew of this our perpetuall warlike order discipline if we dare only fight with a rude multitude that are no more in number then our selues Thinke that you being armed are to fight with vnarmed and being horsmen are to fight with footmen being guided by the aduise of a captaine with them who haue no head nor ruler and that these things considered do supplie in
receiued a peece of money to saue the Citie did not regarding his oth seeke to destroy the same The Romanes doe onely request the tribute that our auncestors were wont to pay vnto them which if they haue they will neuer destroy the Citie nor touch our holy things They will also permit you to enioy freely your families and possessions and suffer our lawes to remaine inuiolate It is altogether madnesse for you to hope that God will so punish iust men as he did sinners and impious persons who knoweth to punish at his pleasure To be short hee destroyed the Assyrians the first night that they encamped before the Citie And if he purposed also to deliuer you and punish the Romans he would then haue done it when Pompey and Sosius came against the citie or when Vespasian wasted Galilee or lastly now when Titus came to assault it But neither Pompey nor Sosius suffered any harme yet both of them tooke the Citie Vespasian so gained by warring against vs that he hath hereby got the whole empire And the fountaines which before gaue you no water yeeld it to Titus in great aboundance You know that before his comming the fountaines without the Citie and Siloa were so dried vp that water was sold by measure yet now they flow so plentifully that they doe not onely serue all the armie their cattell also but besides that do water all the gardens about What this wonder foretelleth you haue already experience When the king of Babylon came with his armie and destroyed the citie who tooke it and fired it and the Temple notwithstanding that as I am perswaded the Iewes of that time were nothing so wicked as you are Wherfore I thinke that God hath forsaken this holy place and is now gone to them that doe besiege you Wil not a good man flie a wicked house and hate the impious that dwell therein And doe you then thinke that God will abide your impietie who beholdeth all secrets and knoweth al things that are hid But what is secret amongst you Or what doe you seeke to hide Nay what doe you that your enemies doe not know All your iniquities are disclosed to all men and you euerie day striue one with another who shall bee most impious And you doe as greatly labour to shew your selues vicious as others doe to shew themselues vertuous Yet for all this there is time to amend and Gods wrath will be appeased if yee acknowledge your sins be penitent for your offences Cease from armes be ashamed of your Countrie now ruined through your owne meanes Turne your eyes and behold the beautie of the place whose ruine you seeke How braue a Citie how gorgious a Temple how rich with the giftes of all nations Who would fire these who would desire the ruine of these Or what is there in the world that better deserueth to bee serued then these O hard hearted people and more blockish then stones If you doe not pittie these yet let your families moue you euerie one of you looke vpon your children wiues and parents who shall all presently be consumed either with sword or famine I know that together with you shall perish my family and wife and house which sometime were of no small account And perhaps some of you doe thinke me therfore to speake this vnto you but kill them and take my bloud for recompence of your welfare and liues I my selfe am also prepared to die if after my death you would remember your selues Ioseph crying thus vnto them with teares trickling downe his cheekes the seditious were nothing mooued but told him that it was not safetie for them to yeeld But the people were perswaded to flie and some selling their possessions and that they had for smal prices they did swallow downe the gold for feare the theeues should take it from them And so when they had escaped vnto the Romans they emptying their bellies found it againe and so had money to buy them necessaries Titus also permitted many to go away whither soeuer they pleased which thing caused diuers to flie seeing that thereby they were deliuered out of their calamitie which in the citie they aboad and were not forced to serue the Romans But Iohn and Simon were as diligent to stop the waies least the Citizens should escape as they did hinder the Romans from entring into the Citie so that whosoeuer did but giue any suspition of flight he was presently by them put to death The richer sort whether they staid or fled were slain for their wealth and possessions The famine of the citie and the desperation of the theeues both increased alike euerie day more and more so that now there was no more corne found Wherfore the seditious persons brake into the houses and searched euerie corner for to find corne and if after their search they found any then they did beat the owners for denying it at the first and if they found none they tortured the housholders as hauing more cunningly hidden it And whosoeuer was yet strong of body and well liking him they presently kild for hereby they deemed him to haue store of food or els he should not haue bin in so good plight of body as he was And they that were pined with famine were by these barbarous seditious people slain who esteemed it no offence to kil them who would shortly after die though they were left aliue Many both rich and poore secretly exchanged all that they had for one bushell of corne and presently shutting themselues in the secretst roome of their house some of them did eate the corne as it was vnground others made bread therof as necessitie and feare required No man in the whole Citie sate downe to eat his meate on a table but greedily taking it not boiled from the fire they euen rawe as it was did eat it Most miserable was this manner of liuing and a spectacle which none without tears was able to behold for the strongest still got the most and the weakest bewailed their miserie for now famine was the greatest calamitie they endured And nothing doth arme men more then shame for during this famine no reuerence was had towards any man for wiues tooke the meate euen out of their husbands mouths and children from their parents and mothers euen from their infants which was the most lamentable thing of all No body had now any cōpassion neither did they spare their dearest infants but suffered them to perish euen in their armes taking from them the verie drops of life Yet could they not eate thus in such secrecie but presently some came to take away from them that whereon they fed For if in any place they saw any doore shut presently hereupon they coniectured that they in the house were eating meat and forthwith breaking downe the doores they came in and taking them by the throat they tooke the meat out of their mouths already chewed