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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 14
Now Saul Upon God's Not Answering Him
Concerning The Fight With The Philistines Desired A Necromantic
Woman To Raise Up The Soul Of Samuel To Him; And How He Died,
With His Sons Upon The Overthrow Of The Hebrews In Battle
1. About the same time the Philistines resolved to make war
against the Israelites, and sent to all their confederates that
they would go along with them to the war to Reggan, [near the
city Shunem,] whence they might gather themselves together, and
suddenly attack the Hebrews. Then did Achish, the king of Gath,
desire David to assist them with his armed men against the
Hebrews. This he readily promised; and said that the time was
now come wherein he might requite him for his kindness and
hospitality. So the king promised to make him the keeper of his
body, after the victory, supposing that the battle with the
enemy succeeded to their mind; which promise of honor and
confidence he made on purpose to increase his zeal for his
service.
2. Now Saul, the king of the Hebrews, had cast out of the
country the fortune-tellers, and the necromancers, and all such
as exercised the like arts, excepting the prophets. But when he
heard that the Philistines were already come, and had pitched
their camp near the city Shunem, situate in the plain, he made
haste to oppose them with his forces; and when he was come to a
certain mountain called Gilboa, he pitched his camp over-against
the enemy; but when he saw the enemy's army he was greatly
troubled, because it appeared to him to be numerous, and
superior to his own; and he inquired of God by the prophets
concerning the battle, that he might know beforehand what would
be the event of it. And when God did not answer him, Saul was
under a still greater dread, and his courage fell, foreseeing,
as was but reasonable to suppose, that mischief would befall
him, now God was not there to assist him; yet did he bid his
servants to inquire out for him some woman that was a
necromancer and called up the souls of the dead, that So he
might know whether his affairs would succeed to his mind; for
this sort of necromantic women that bring up the souls of the
dead, do by them foretell future events to such as desire them.
And one of his servants told him that there was such a woman in
the city Endor, but was known to nobody in the camp; hereupon
Saul put off his royal apparel, and took two of those his
servants with him, whom he knew to be most faithful to him, and
came to Endor to the woman, and entreated her to act the part of
a fortune-teller, and to bring up such a soul to him as he
should name to her. But when the woman opposed his motion, and
said she did not despise the king, who had banished this sort of
fortune-tellers, and that he did not do well himself, when she
had done him no harm, to endeavor to lay a snare for her, and to
discover that she exercised a forbidden art, in order to procure
her to be punished, he sware that nobody should know what she
did; and that he would not tell any one else what she foretold,
but that she should incur no danger. As soon as he had induced
her by this oath to fear no harm, he bid her bring up to him the
soul of Samuel. She, not knowing who Samuel was, called him out
of Hades. When he appeared, and the woman saw one that was
venerable, and of a divine form, she was in disorder; and being
astonished at the sight, she said, "Art not thou king Saul?" for
Samuel had informed her who he was. When he had owned that to be
true, and had asked her whence her disorder arose, she said that
she saw a certain person ascend, who in his form was like to a
god. And when he bid her tell him what he resembled, in what
habit he appeared, and of what age he was, she told him he was
an old man already, and of a glorious personage, and had on a
sacerdotal mantle. So the king discovered by these signs that he
was Samuel; and he fell down upon the ground, and saluted and
worshipped him. And when the soul of Samuel asked him why he had
disturbed him, and caused him to be brought up, he lamented the
necessity he was under; for he said, that his enemies pressed
heavily upon him; that he was in distress what to do in his
present circumstances; that he was forsaken of God, and could
obtain no prediction of what was coming, neither by prophets nor
by dreams; and that "these were the reasons why I have recourse
to time, who always took great care of me." But (27) Samuel,
seeing that the end of Saul's life was come, said, "It is in
vain for thee to desire to learn of me any thing future, when
God hath forsaken thee: however, hear what I say, that David is
to be king, and to finish this war with good success; and thou
art to lose thy dominion and thy life, because thou didst not
obey God in the war with the Amalekites, and hast not kept his
commandments, as I foretold thee while I was alive. Know,
therefore, that the people shall be made subject to their
enemies, and that thou, with thy sons, shall fall in the battle
tomorrow, and thou shalt then be with me [in Hades]."
3. When Saul heard this, he could not speak for grief, and fell
down on the floor, whether it were from the sorrow that arose
upon what Samuel had said, or from his emptiness, for he had
taken no food the foregoing day nor night, he easily fell quite
down: and when with difficulty he had recovered himself, the
woman would force him to eat, begging this of him as a favor on
account of her concern in that dangerous instance of
fortune-telling, which it was not lawful for her to have done,
because of the fear she was under of the king, while she knew
not who he was, yet did she undertake it, and go through with
it; on which account she entreated him to admit that a table and
food might be set before him, that he might recover his
strength, and so get safe to his own camp. And when he opposed
her motion, and entirely rejected it, by reason of his anxiety,
she forced him, and at last persuaded him to it. Now she had one
calf that she was very fond of, and one that she took a great
deal of care of, and fed it herself; for she was a woman that
got her living by the labor of her own hands, and had no other
possession but that one calf; this she killed, and made ready
its flesh, and set it before his servants and himself. So Saul
came to the camp while it was yet night.
4. Now it is but just to recommend the generosity of this woman,
(28) because when the king had forbidden her to use that art
whence her circumstances were bettered and improved, and when
she had never seen the king before, she still did not remember
to his disadvantage that he had condemned her sort of learning,
and did not refuse him as a stranger, and one that she had had
no acquaintance with; but she had compassion upon him, and
comforted him, and exhorted him to do what he was greatly averse
to, and offered him the only creature she had, as a poor woman,
and that earnestly, and with great humanity, while she had no
requital made her for her kindness, nor hunted after any future
favor from him, for she knew he was to die; whereas men are
naturally either ambitious to please those that bestow benefits
upon them, or are very ready to serve those from whom
they may receive some advantage. It would be well therefore to
imitate the example and to do kindnesses to all such as are in
want and to think that nothing is better, nor more becoming
mankind, than such a general beneficence, nor what will sooner
render God favorable, and ready to bestow good things upon us.
And so far may suffice to have spoken concerning this woman. But
I shall speak further upon another subject, which will afford me
all opportunity of discoursing on what is for the advantage of
cities, and people, and nations, and suited to the taste of good
men, and will encourage them all in the prosecution of virtue;
and is capable of showing them the of acquiring glory, and an
everlasting fame; and of imprinting in the kings of nations, and
the rulers of cities, great inclination and diligence of doing
well; as also of encouraging them to undergo dangers, and to die
for their countries, and of instructing them how to despise all
the most terrible adversities: and I have a fair occasion
offered me to enter on such a discourse by Saul the king of the
Hebrews; for although he knew what was coming upon him, and that
he was to die immediately, by the prediction of the prophet, he
did not resolve to fly from death, nor so far to indulge the
love of life as to betray his own people to the enemy, or to
bring a disgrace on his royal dignity; but exposing himself, as
well as all his family and children, to dangers, he thought it a
brave thing to fall together with them, as he was fighting for
his subjects, and that it was better his sons should die thus,
showing their courage, than to leave them to their uncertain
conduct afterward, while, instead of succession and posterity,
they gained commendation and a lasting name. Such a one alone
seems to me to be a just, a courageous, and a prudent man; and
when any one has arrived at these dispositions, or shall
hereafter arrive at them, he is the man that ought to be by all
honored with the testimony of a virtuous or courageous man: for
as to those that go out to war with hopes of success, and that
they shall return safe, supposing they should have performed
some glorious action, I think those do not do well who call
these valiant men, as so many historians and other writers who
treat of them are wont to do, although I confess those do justly
deserve some commendation also; but those only may be styled
courageous and bold in great undertakings, and despisers of
adversities, who imitate Saul: for as for those that do not know
what the event of war will be as to themselves, and though they
do not faint in it, but deliver themselves up to uncertain
futurity, and are tossed this way and that way, this is not so
very eminent an instance of a generous mind, although they
happen to perform many great exploits; but when men's minds
expect no good event, but they know beforehand they must die,
and that they must undergo that death in the battle also, after
this neither to be aftrighted, nor to be astonished at the
terrible fate that is coming, but to go directly upon it, when
they know it beforehand, this it is that I esteem the character
of a man truly courageous. Accordingly this Saul did, and
thereby demonstrated that all men who desire fame after they are
dead are so to act as they may obtain the same: this especially
concerns kings, who ought not to think it enough in their high
stations that they are not wicked in the government of their
subjects, but to be no more than moderately good to them. I
could say more than this about Saul and his courage, the subject
affording matter sufficient; but that I may not appear to run
out improperly in his commendation, I return again to that
history from which I made this digression.
5. Now when the Philistines, as I said before, had pitched their
camp, and had taken an account of their forces, according to
their nations, and kingdoms, and governments, king Achish came
last of all with his own army; after whom came David with his
six hundred armed men. And when the commanders of the
Philistines saw him, they asked the king whence these Hebrews
came, and at whose invitation. He answered that it was David,
who was fled away from his master Saul, and that he had
entertained him when he came to him, and that now he was willing
to make him this requital for his favors, and to avenge himself
upon Saul, and so was become his confederate. The commanders
complained of this, that he had taken him for a confederate who
was an enemy; and gave him counsel to send him away, lest he
should unawares do his friends a great deal of mischief by
entertaining him, for that he afforded him an opportunity of
being reconciled to his master by doing a mischief to our army.
They thereupon desired him, out of a prudent foresight of this,
to send him away, with his six hundred armed men, to the place
he had given him for his habitation; for that this was that
David whom the virgins celebrated in their hymns, as having
destroyed many ten thousands of the Philistines. When the king
of Gath heard this, he thought they spake well; so he called
David, and said to him, "As for myself, I can bear witness that
thou hast shown great diligence and kindness about me, and on
that account it was that I took thee for my confederate;
however, what I have done does not please the commanders of the
Philistines; go therefore within a day's time to the place I
have given thee, without suspecting any harm, and there keep my
country, lest any of our enemies should make an incursion upon
it, which will be one part of that assistance which I expect
from thee." So David came to Ziklag, as the king of Gath bade
him; but it happened, that while he was gone to the assistance
of the Philistines, the Amalekites had made an incursion, and
taken Ziklag before, and had burnt it; and when they had taken a
great deal of other prey out of that place, and out of the other
parts of the Philistines' country, they departed.
6. Now when David found that Ziklag was laid waste, and that it
was all spoiled, and that as well his own wives, who were two,
as the wives of his companions, with their children, were made
captives, he presently rent his clothes, weeping and lamenting,
together with his friends; and indeed he was so cast down with
these misfortunes, that at length tears themselves failed him.
He was also in danger of being stoned to death by his
companions, who were greatly afflicted at the captivity of their
wives and children, for they laid the blame upon him of what had
happened. But when he had recovered himself out of his grief,
and had raised up his mind to God, he desired the high priest
Abiathar to put on his sacerdotal garments, and to inquire of
God, and to prophesy to him, whether God would grant; that if he
pursued after the Amalekites, he should overtake them, and save
their wives and their children, and avenge himself on the
enemies. And when the high priest bade him to pursue after them,
he marched apace, with his four hundred men, after the enemy;
and when he was come to a certain brook called Besor, and had
lighted upon one that was wandering about, an Egyptian by birth,
who was almost dead with want and famine, (for he had continued
wandering about without food in the wilderness three days,) he
first of all gave him sustenance, both meat and drink, and
thereby refreshed him. He then asked him to whom he belonged,
and whence he came. Whereupon the man told him he was an
Egyptian by birth, and was left behind by his master, because he
was so sick and weak that he could not follow him. He also
informed him that he was one of those who had burnt and
plundered, not only other parts of Judea, but Ziklag itself
also. So David made use of him as a guide to find oat the
Amalekites; and when he had overtaken them, as they lay
scattered about on the ground, some at dinner, some disordered,
and entirely drunk with wine, and in the fruition of their
spoils and their prey, he fell upon them on the sudden, and made
a great slaughter among them; for they were naked, and expected
no such thing, but had betaken themselves to drinking and
feasting; and so they were all easily destroyed. Now some of
them that were overtaken as they lay at the table were slain in
that posture, and their blood brought up with it their meat and
their drink. They slew others of them as they were drinking to
one another in their cups, and some of them when their full
bellies had made them fall asleep; and for so many as had time
to put on their armor, they slew them with the sword, with no
less case than they did those that were naked; and for the
partisans of David, they continued also the slaughter from the
first hour of the day to the evening, so that there were, not
above four hundred of the Amalekites left; and they only escaped
by getting upon their dromedaries and camels. Accordingly David
recovered not only all the other spoils which the enemy had
carried away, but his wives also, and the wives of his
companions. But when they were come to the place where they had
left the two hundred men, which were not able to follow them,
but were left to take care of the stuff, the four hundred men
did not think fit to divide among them any other parts of what
they had gotten, or of the prey, since they did not accompany
them, but pretended to be feeble, and did not follow them in
pursuit of the enemy, but said they should be contented to have
safely recovered their wives; yet did David pronounce that this
opinion of theirs was evil and unjust, and that when God had
granted them such a favor, that they had avenged themselves on
their enemies, and had recovered all that belonged to
themselves, they should make an equal distribution of what they
had gotten to all, because the rest had tarried behind to guard
their stuff; and from that time this law obtained among them,
that those who guarded the stuff, should receive an equal share
with those that fought in the battle. Now when David was come to
Ziklag, he sent portions of the spoils to all that had been
familiar with him, and to his friends in the tribe of Judah. And
thus ended the affairs of the plundering of Ziklag, and of the
slaughter of the Amalekites.
7. Now upon the Philistines joining battle, there followed a
sharp engagement, and the Philistine, became the conquerors, and
slew a great number of their enemies; but Saul the king of
Israel, and his sons, fought courageously, and with the utmost
alacrity, as knowing that their entire glory lay in nothing else
but dying honorably, and exposing themselves to the utmost
danger from the enemy (for they had nothing else to hope for);
so they brought upon themselves the whole power of the enemy,
till they were encompassed round and slain, but not before they
had killed many of the Philistines Now the sons of Saul were
Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchisua; and when these were slain
the multitude of the Hebrews were put to flight, and all was
disorder, and confusion, and slaughter, upon the Philistines
pressing in upon them. But Saul himself fled, having a strong
body of soldiers about him; and upon the Philistines sending
after them those that threw javelins and shot arrows, he lost
all his company except a few. As for himself, he fought with
great bravery; and when he had received so many wounds, that he
was not able to bear up nor to oppose any longer, and yet was
not able to kill himself, he bade his armor-bearer draw his
sword, and run him through, before the enemy should take him
alive. But his armor-bearer not daring to kill his master, he
drew his own sword, and placing himself over against its point,
he threw himself upon it; and when he could neither run it
through him, nor, by leaning against it, make the sword pass
through him, he turned him round, and asked a certain young man
that stood by who he was; and when he understood that he was an
Amalekite, he desired him to force the sword through him,
because he was not able to do it with his own hands, and thereby
to procure him such a death as he desired. This the young man
did accordingly; and he took the golden bracelet that was on
Saul's arm, and his royal crown that was on his head, and ran
away. And when Saul's armor-bearer saw that he was slain, he
killed himself; nor did any of the king's guards escape, but
they all fell upon the mountain called Gilboa. But when those
Hebrews that dwelt in the valley beyond Jordan, and those who
had their cities in the plain, heard that Saul and his sons were
fallen, and that the multitude about them were destroyed, they
left their own cities, and fled to such as were the best
fortified and fenced; and the Philistines, finding those cities
deserted, came and dwelt in them.
8. On the next day, when the Philistines came to strip their
enemies that were slain, they got the bodies of Saul and of his
sons, and stripped them, and cut off their heads; and they sent
messengers all about their country, to acquaint them that their
enemies were fallen; and they dedicated their armor in the
temple of Astarte, but hung their bodies on crosses at the walls
of the city Bethshun, which is now called Scythepolls. But when
the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead heard that they had dismembered
the dead bodies of Saul and of his sons, they deemed it so
horrid a thing to overlook this barbarity, and to suffer them to
be without funeral rites, that the most courageous and hardy
among them (and indeed that city had in it men that were very
stout both in body and mind) journeyed all night, and came to
Bethshun, and approached to the enemy's wall, and taking down
the bodies of Saul and of his sons, they carried them to Jabesh,
while the enemy were not able enough nor bold enough to hinder
them, because of their great courage. So the people of Jabesh
wept all in general, and buried their bodies in the best place
of their country, which was named Areurn; and they observed a
public mourning for them seven days, with their wives and
children, beating their breasts, and lamenting the king and his
sons, without either tasting meat or drink (29) [till the
evening.]
9. To this his end did Saul come, according to the prophecy of
Samuel, because he disobeyed the commands of God about the
Amalekites, and on the account of his destroying the family of
Ahimelech the high priest, with Ahimelech himself, and the city
of the high priests. Now Saul, when he had reigned eighteen
years while Samuel was alive, and after his death two [and
twenty], ended his life in this manner.
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