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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 3
How Samuel When He Was So Infirm With Old Age
That He Could Not Take Care Of The Public Affairs Intrusted Them
To His Sons; And How Upon The Evil Administration Of The
Government By Them The Multitude Were So Angry, That They
Required To Have A King To Go
1. But Samuel the prophet, when he had ordered the affairs of
the people after a convenient manner, and had appointed a city
for every district of them, he commanded them to come to such
cities, to have the controversies that they had one with another
determined in them, he himself going over those cities twice in
a year, and doing them justice; and by that means he kept them
in very good order for a long time.
2. But afterwards he found himself oppressed with old age, and
not able to do what he used to do, so he committed the
government and the care of the multitude to his sons, - the
elder of whom was called Joel, and the name of the younger was
Abiah. He also enjoined them to reside and judge the people, the
one at the city of Bethel, and the other at Beersheba, and
divided the people into districts that should be under the
jurisdiction of each of them. Now these men afford us an evident
example and demonstration how some children are not of the like
dispositions with their parents; but sometimes perhaps good and
moderate, though born of wicked parents; and sometimes showing
themselves to be wicked, though born of good parents: for these
men turning aside from their father's good courses, and taking a
course that was contrary to them, perverted justice for the
'filthy lucre of gifts and bribes, and made their determinations
not according to truth, but according to bribery, and turned
aside to luxury, and a costly way of living; so that as, in the
first place, they practiced what was contrary to the will of
God, so did they, in the second place, what was contrary to the
will of the prophet their father, who had taken a great deal of
care, and made a very careful provision that the multitude
should be righteous.
3. But the people, upon these injuries offered to their former
constitution and government by the prophet's sons, were very
uneasy at their actions, and came running to the prophet, who
then lived at the city Ramah, and informed him of the
transgressions of his sons; and said, That as he was himself old
already, and too infirm by that age of his to oversee their
affairs in the manner he used to do, so they begged of him, and
entreated him, to appoint some person to be king over them, who
might rule over the nation, and avenge them of the Philistines,
who ought to be punished for their former oppressions. These
words greatly afflicted Samuel, on account of his innate love of
justice, and his hatred to kingly government, for he was very
fond of an aristocracy, as what made the men that used it of a
divine and happy disposition; nor could he either think of
eating or sleeping, out of his concern and torment of mind at
what they had said, but all the night long did he continue awake
and revolved these notions in his mind.
4. While he was thus disposed, God appeared to him, and
comforted him, saying, That he ought not to be uneasy at what
the multitude desired, because it was not he, but Himself whom
they so insolently despised, and would not have to be alone
their king; that they had been contriving these things from the
very day that they came out of Egypt; that however. in no long
time they would sorely repent of what they did, which repentance
yet could not undo what was thus done for futurity; that they
would be sufficiently rebuked for their contempt, and the
ungrateful conduct they have used towards me, and towards thy
prophetic office. "So I command thee to ordain them such a one
as I shall name beforehand to be their king, when thou hast
first described what mischiefs kingly government will bring upon
them, and openly testified before them into what a great change
of affairs they are hasting."
5. When Samuel had heard this, he called the Jews early in the
morning, and confessed to them that he was to ordain them a
king; but he said that he was first to describe to them what
would follow, what treatment they would receive from their
kings, and with how many mischiefs they must struggle. "For know
ye," said he, "that, in the first place, they will take your
sons away from you, and they will command some of them to be
drivers of their chariots, and some to be their horsemen, and
the guards of their body, and others of them to be runners
before them, and captains of thousands, and captains of
hundreds; they will also make them their artificers, makers of
armor, and of chariots, and of instruments; they will make them
their husbandmen also, and the curators of their own fields, and
the diggers of their own vineyards; nor will there be any thing
which they will not do at their commands, as if they were slaves
bought with money. They will also appoint your daughters to be
confectioners, and cooks, and bakers; and these will be obliged
to do all sorts of work which women slaves, that are in fear of
stripes and torments, submit to. They will, besides this, take
away your possessions, and bestow them upon their eunuchs, and
the guards of their bodies, and will give the herds of your
cattle to their own servants: and to say briefly all at once,
you, and all that is yours, will be servants to your king, and
will become no way superior to his slaves; and when you suffer
thus, you will thereby be put in mind of what I now say. And
when you repent of what you have done, you will beseech God to
have mercy upon you, and to grant you a quick deliverance from
your kings; but he will not accept your prayers, but will
neglect you, and permit you to suffer the punishment your evil
conduct has deserved."
6. But the multitude was still so foolish as to be deaf to these
predictions of what would befall them; and too peevish to suffer
a determination which they had injudiciously once made, to be
taken out of their mind; for they could not be turned from their
purpose, nor did they regard the words of Samuel, but
peremptorily insisted on their resolution, and desired him to
ordain them a king immediately, and not trouble himself with
fears of what would happen hereafter, for that it was necessary
they should have with them one to fight their battles, and to
avenge them of their enemies, and that it was no way absurd,
when their neighbors were under kingly government, that they
should have the same form of government also. So when Samuel saw
that what he had said had not diverted them from their purpose,
but that they continued resolute, he said, "Go you every one
home for the present; when it is fit I will send for you, as
soon as I shall have learned from God who it is that he will
give you for your king."
Continue on to
Book
Six,
Chapter 4,
The Antiquities of the Jews
by
Flavius Josephus
Return to
The Antiquities of the Jews - Table of Contents
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