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The Antiquities of the Jews - Table of Contents
The Antiquities of the Jews
Written by Flavius Josephus
Translated by William Whiston
Book Five
Chapter 3
How The Israelites After This Misfortune Grew
Wicked And Served The Assyrians; And How God Delivered Them By
Othniel, Who Ruled Over The Forty Years
1. Now it happened that the tribe of Dan suffered in like manner
with the tribe of Benjamin; and it came to do so on the occasion
following: When the Israelites had already left off the exercise
of their arms for war, and were intent upon their husbandry, the
Canaanites despised them, and brought together an army, not
because they expected to suffer by them, but because they had a
mind to have a sure prospect of treating the Hebrews ill when
they pleased, and might thereby for the time to come dwell in
their own cities the more securely; they prepared therefore
their chariots, and gathered their soldiery together, their
cities also combined together, and drew over to them Askelon and
Ekron, which were within the tribe of Judah, and many more of
those that lay in the plain. They also forced the Danites to fly
into the mountainous country, and left them not the least
portion of the plain country to set their foot on. Since then
these Danites were not able to fight them, and had not land
enough to sustain them, they sent five of their men into the
midland country, to seek for a land to which they might remove
their habitation. So these men went as far as the neighborhood
of Mount Libanus, and the fountains of the Lesser Jordan, at the
great plain of Sidon, a day's journey from the city; and when
they had taken a view of the land, and found it to be good and
exceeding fruitful, they acquainted their tribe with it,
whereupon they made an expedition with the army, and built there
the city Dan, of the same name with the son of Jacob, and of the
same name with their own tribe.
2. The Israelites grew so indolent, and unready of taking pains,
that misfortunes came heavier upon them, which also proceeded in
part from their contempt of the Divine worship; for when they
had once fallen off from the regularity of their political
government, they indulged themselves further in living according
to their own pleasure, and according to their own will, till
they were full of the evil doings that were common among the
Canaanites. God therefore was angry with them, and they lost
that their happy state which they had obtained by innumerable
labors, by their luxury; for when Chushan, king of the
Assyrians, had made war against them, they lost many of their
soldiers in the battle, and when they were besieged, they were
taken by force; nay, there were some who, out of fear,
voluntarily submitted to him, and though the tribute laid upon
them was more than they could bear, yet did they pay it, and
underwent all sort of oppression for eight years; after which
thee they were freed from them in the following manner:
3. There was one whose name was Othniel, the son of Kenaz, of
the tribe of Judah, an active man and of great courage. He had
an admonition from God not to overlook the Israelites in such a
distress as they were now in, but to endeavor boldly to gain
them their liberty; so when he had procured some to assist him
in this dangerous undertaking, (and few they were, who, either
out of shame at their present circumstances, or out of a desire
of changing them, could be prevailed on to assist him,) he first
of all destroyed that garrison which Chushan had set over them;
but when it was perceived that he had not failed in his first
attempt, more of the people came to his assistance; so they
joined battle with the Assyrians, and drove them entirely before
them, and compelled them to pass over Euphrates. Hereupon
Othniel, who had given such proofs of his valor, received from
the multitude authority tojudge the people; and when he had
ruled over them forty years, he died.
Continue on to
Book
Five,
Chapter 4,
The Antiquities of the Jews
by
Flavius Josephus
Return to
The Antiquities of the Jews - Table of Contents
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