按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Since I made thee a great man when thou wast little； or rather
wast nothing； and rent the kingdom from the house of David； and
gave it to thee； and thou hast been unmindful of these benefits；
hast left off my worship； hast made thee molten gods and honored
them； I will in like manner cast thee down again； and will
destroy all thy house； and make them food for the dogs and the
fowls； for a certain king is rising up； by appointment； over all
this people； who shall leave none of the family of Jeroboam
remaining。 The multitude also shall themselves partake of the
same punishment； and shall be cast out of this good land； and
shall be scattered into the places beyond Euphrates； because they
have followed the wicked practices of their king； and have
worshipped the gods that he made； and forsaken my sacrifices。 But
do thou； O woman； make haste back to thy husband； and tell him
this message； but thou shalt then find thy son dead； for as thou
enterest the city he shall depart this life； yet shall he be
buried with the lamentation of all the multitude； and honored
with a general mourning； for he was the only person of goodness
of Jeroboam's family。〃 When the prophet had foretold these
events； the woman went hastily away with a disordered mind； and
greatly grieved at the death of the forenamed child。 So she was
in lamentation as she went along the road； and mourned for the
death of her son； that was just at hand。 She was indeed in a
miserable condition at the unavoidable misery of his death； and
went apace； but in circumstances very unfortunate； because of her
son： for the greater haste she made； she would the sooner see her
son dead； yet was she forced to make such haste on account of her
husband。 Accordingly； when she was come back； she found that the
child had given up the ghost； as the prophet had said； and she
related all the circumstances to the king。
2。 Yet did not Jeroboam lay any of these things to heart； but he
brought together a very numerous army； and made a warlike
expedition against Abijah； the son of Rehoboam； who had succeeded
his father in the kingdom of the two tribes； for he despised him
because of his age。 But when he heard of the expedition of
Jeroboam； he was not affrighted at it； but proved of a courageous
temper of mind； superior both to his youth and to the hopes of
his enemy； so he chose him an army out of the two tribes； and met
Jeroboam at a place called Mount Zemaraim； and pitched his camp
near the other； and prepared everything necessary for the fight。
His army consisted of four hundred thousand； but the army of
Jeroboam was double to it。 Now as the armies stood in array；
ready for action and dangers； and were just going to fight；
Abijah stood upon an elevated place； and beckoning with his hand；
he desired the multitude and Jeroboam himself to hear first with
silence what he had to say。 And when silence was made； he began
to speak； and told them； … 〃God had consented that David and his
posterity should be their rulers for all time to come； and this
you yourselves are not unacquainted with； but I cannot but wonder
how you should forsake my father； and join yourselves to his
servant Jeroboam； and are now here with him to fight against
those who； by God's own determination； are to reign； and to
deprive them of that dominion which they have still retained； for
as to the greater part of it； Jeroboam is unjustly in possession
of it。 However； I do not suppose he will enjoy it any longer； but
when he hath suffered that punishment which God thinks due to him
for what is past； he will leave off the transgressions he hath
been guilty of； and the injuries he hath offered to him； and
which he hath still continued to offer and hath persuaded you to
do the same： yet when you were not any further unjustly treated
by my father； than that he did not speak to you so as to please
you； and this only in compliance with the advice of wicked men；
you in anger forsook him； as you pretended； but； in reality； you
withdrew yourselves from God； and from his laws； although it had
been right for you to have forgiven a man that was young in age；
and not used to govern people； not only some disagreeable words；
but if his youth and unskilfulness in affairs had led him into
some unfortunate actions； and that for the sake of his father
Solomon； and the benefits you received from him； for men ought to
excuse the sins of posterity on account of the benefactions of
parent； but you considered nothing of all this then； neither do
you consider it now； but come with so great an army against us。
And what is it you depend upon for victory？ Is it upon these
golden heifers； and the altars that you have on high places；
which are demonstrations of your impiety； and not of religious
worship？ Or is it the exceeding multitude of your army which
gives you such good hopes？ Yet certainly there is no strength at
all in an army of many ten thousands； when the war is unjust； for
we ought to place our surest hopes of success against our enemies
in righteousness alone； and in piety towards God； which hope we
justly have； since we have kept the laws from the beginning； and
have worshipped our own God； who was not made by hands out of
corruptible matter； nor was he formed by a wicked king； in order
to deceive the multitude； but who is his own workmanship； （28）
and the beginning and end of all things。 I therefore give you
counsel even now to repent； and to take better advice； and to
leave off the prosecution of the war； to call to mind the laws of
your country； and to reflect what it hath been that hath advanced
you to so happy a state as you are now in。〃
3。 This was the speech which Abijah made to the multitude。 But
while he was still speaking Jeroboam sent some of his soldiers
privately to encompass Abijab round about； on certain parts of
the camp that were not taken notice of； and when he was thus
within the compass of the enemy； his army was affrighted； and
their courage failed them； but Abijah encouraged them； and
exhorted them to place their hopes on God； for that he was not
encompassed by the enemy。 So they all at once implored the Divine
assistance； while the priests sounded with the trumpet； and they
made a shout； and fell upon their enemies； and God brake the
courage and cast down the force of their enemies； and made
Ahijah's army superior to them； for God vouchsafed to grant them
a wonderful and very famous victory； and such a slaughter was now
made of Jeroboam's army （29） as is never recorded to have
happened in any other war； whether it were of the Greeks or of
the Barbarians； for they overthrew ＇and slew＇ five hundred
thousand of their enemies； and they took their strongest cities
by force； and spoiled them； and besides those； they did the same
to Bethel and her towns； and Jeshanah and her towns。 And after
this defeat Jeroboam never recovered himself during the life of
Abijah； who yet did not long survive； for he reigned but three
years； and was buried in Jerusalem in the sepulchers of his
forefathers。 He left behind him twenty…two sons； and sixteen
daughters； and he had also those children by fourteen wives； and
Asa his son succeeded in the kingdom； and the young man's mother
was Michaiah。 Under his reign the country of the Israelites
enjoyed peace for ten years。
4。 And so far concerning Abijah； the son of Rehoboam； the son of
Solomon； as his history hath come down to us。 But Jeroboam； the
king of the ten tribes； died when he had governed them two and
twenty years； whose son Nadab succeeded him； in the second year
of the reign of Asa。 Now Jeroboam's son governed two years； and
resembled his father in impiety and wickedness。 In these two
years he made an expedition against Gibbethon； a city of the
Philistines； and continued the siege in order to take it； but he
was conspired against while he was there by a friend of his；
whose name was Baasha； the son of Ahijah； and was slain； which
Baasha took the kingdom after the other's death； and destroyed
the whole house of Jeroboam。 It also came to pass； according as
God had foretold； that some of Jeroboam's kindred that died in
the city were torn to pieces and devoured by dogs； and that
others of them that died in the fields were torn and devoured by
the fowls。 So the house of Jeroboam suffered the just punishment
of his impiety； and of his wicked actions。
CHAPTER 12。
How Zerah； King Of The Ethiopians； Was Beaten By Asa； And How
Asa； Upon Baasha's Making War Against Him； Invited The King Of
The Damascens To Assist Him； And How； On The Destruction Of The
House Of Baasha Zimri Got The Kingdom As Did His Son Ahab After
Him。
1。 Now Asa； the king of Jerusalem； was of an excellent character；
and had a regard to God； and neither did nor designed any thing
but what had relation to the observation of the laws。 He made a
reformation of his kingdom； and cut off whatsoever was wicked
therein； and purified it from every impurity。 Now he had an army
of chosen men that were armed with targets and spears； out of the
tribe of Judah three hundred thousand； and out of the tribe of
Benjamin； that bore shields and drew bows； two hundred and fifty
thousand。 But when he had already reigned ten