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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 Six
Chapter 10
Saul Envies David For His Glorious Success,
And Takes An Occasion Of Entrapping Him, From The Promise He
Made Him Of Giving Him His Daughter In Marriage; But This Upon
Condition Of His Bringing Him Six Hundred Heads Of The
Philistines
1. Now the women were an occasion of Saul's envy and hatred to
David; for they came to meet their victorious army with cymbals,
and drums, and all demonstrations of joy, and sang thus: The
wives said, that "Saul had slain his many thousands of the
Philistines." The virgins replied, that "David had slain his ten
thousands." Now, when the king heard them singing thus, and that
he had himself the smallest share in their commendations, and
the greater number, the ten thousands, were ascribed to the
young man; and when he considered with himself that there was
nothing more wanting to David, after such a mighty applause, but
the kingdom; he began to be afraid and suspicious of David.
Accordingly he removed him from the station he was in before,
for he was his armor-bearer, which, out of fear, seemed to him
much too near a station for him; and so he made him captain over
a thousand, and bestowed on him a post better indeed in itself,
but, as he thought, more for his own security; for he had a mind
to send him against the enemy, and into battles, as hoping he
would be slain in such dangerous conflicts.
2. But David had God going along with him whithersoever he went,
and accordingly he greatly prospered in his undertakings, and it
was visible that he had mighty success, insomuch that Saul's
daughter, who was still a virgin, fell in love with him; and her
affection so far prevailed over her, that it could not be
concealed, and her father became acquainted with it. Now Saul
heard this gladly, as intending to make use of it for a snare
against David, and he hoped that it would prove the cause of
destruction and of hazard to him; so he told those that informed
him of his daughter's affection, that he would willingly give
David the virgin in marriage, and said, "I engage myself to
marry my daughter to him if he will bring me six hundred heads
of my enemies (17) supposing that when a reward so ample was
proposed to him, and when he should aim to get him great glory,
by undertaking a thing so dangerous and incredible, he would
immediately set about it, and so perish by the Philistines; and
my designs about him will succeed finely to my mind, for I shall
be freed from him, and get him slain, not by myself, but by
another man." So he gave order to his servants to try how David
would relish this proposal of marrying the damsel. Accordingly,
they began to speak thus to him: That king Saul loved him, as
well as did all the people, and that he was desirous of his
affinity by the marriage of this damsel. To which he gave this
answer: - "Seemeth it to you a light thing to be made the king's
son-in-law? It does not seem so to me, especially when I am one
of a family that is low, and without any glory or honor." Now
when Saul was informed by his servants what answer David had
made, he said, - "Tell him that I do not want any money nor
dowry from him, which would be rather to set my daughter to sale
than to give her in marriage; but I desire only such a
son-in-law as hath in him fortitude, and all other kinds of
virtue," of which he saw David was possessed, and that his
desire was to receive of him, on account of his marrying his
daughter, neither gold nor silver, nor that he should bring such
wealth out of his father's house, but only some revenge on the
Philistines, and indeed six hundred of their heads, than which a
more desirable or a more glorious present could not be brought
him, and that he had much rather obtain this, than any of the
accustomed dowries for his daughter, viz. that she should be
married to a man of that character, and to one who had a
testimony as having conquered his enemies.
3. When these words of Saul were brought to David, he was
pleased with them, and supposed that Saul was really desirous of
this affinity with him; so that without bearing to deliberate
any longer, or casting about in his mind whether what was
proposed was possible, or was difficult or not, he and his
companions immediately set upon the enemy, and went about doing
what was proposed as the condition of the marriage. Accordingly,
because it was God who made all things easy and possible to
David, he slew many [of the Philistines], and cut off the heads
of six hundred of them, and came to the king, and by showing him
these heads of the Philistines, required that he might have his
daughter in marriage. Accordingly, Saul having no way of getting
off his engagements, as thinking it a base thing either to seem
a liar when he promised him this marriage, or to appear to have
acted treacherously by him, in putting him upon what was in a
manner impossible, in order to have him slain, he gave him his
daughter in marriage: her name was Michal.
Continue on to
Book
Six,
Chapter 11,
The Antiquities of the Jews
by
Flavius Josephus
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The Antiquities of the Jews - Table of Contents
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