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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 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,
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 [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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