sudden, ne desired that none of the soldiers | Jehu to Megiddo, and though he was under might run away and tell to Joram what had happened, for that this would be an evident demonstration of their kindness to him, and would show that their real inclinations were to make him king. cure, in a little time he died of that wound, and was carried to Jerusalem, and buried there, after he had reigned one year, and had proved a wicked man, and worse than his father. 4. Now when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Je zebel adorned herself, and stood upon a tower and said, "he was a fine servant that had killed his master." And when he looked up to her he asked who she was, and commanded her to come down to him. At last he ordered the eunuchs to throw her down from the tower, and being thrown down she besprinkled the wall with her blood, and was trodden upon by the horses, and so died. When this was done, Jehu came to the palace with his friends, and took some refreshment after his journey, both with other things, and by eating a meal. He also bade his servants to take up Jezebel and bury her, because of the nobility of her blood, for she was descended from kings; but those that were appointed to bury her found nothing else remaining but the extreme parts of her body, for all the rest were eaten by dogs. When Jehu heard this, he admired the prophecy of Elijah, for he foretold that she should perish in this manner at Jezreel. 3. So they were pleased with what he did, and guarded the roads, lest somebody should privately tell the thing to those that were at Jezreel. Now Jehu took his choice horsemen, and sat upon his chariot, and went on for Jezreel; and when he was come near, the watchman whom Joram had set there to spy out such as come to the city, saw Jehu marching on, and told Joram that he saw a troop of horsemen marching on. Upon which he immediately gave orders, that one of his horsemen should be sent out to meet them, and to know who it was that was coming. So when the horseman came up to Jehu, he asked him, in what condition the army was? for that the king wanted to know it; but Jehu bade him not at all to meddle with such matters, but to follow him. When the watchman saw this, he told Jorain that the horseman had mingled himself among the company, and came along with them. And when the king had sent a second messenger, Jehu commanded him to do as the former 5. Now Ahab had seventy sons brought up did; as soon as the watchman told this also to in Samaria. So Jehu sent two epistles, the Joram, he at last got upon his chariot himself, one to them that brought up the children, the together with Ahaziah, the king of Jerusalem; other to the rulers of Samaria, which said, that for, as we said before, he was there to see how "they should set up the most valiant of Ahab's Joram did, after he had been wounded, as be- sons for king, for that they had abundance of ing his relation. So he went out to meet Jehu, chariots, and horses, and armor, and a great who marched slowly,* and in good order; and army, and fenced cities, and that by so doing when Joram met him in the field of Naboth, they might avenge the murder of Ahab." This he asked him if all things were well in the he wrote to try the intentions of those of Sacamp? but Jehu reproached him bitterly, and maria. Now when the rulers, and those that ventured to call his mother a witch and a har- had brought up the children, had read the letlot. Upon this the king, fearing what he in- ter, they were afraid, and considering that they tended, and suspecting he had no good mean- were not at all able to oppose him, and that he ing, turned his chariot about as soon as he had already subdued two very great kings, they could, and said to Ahaziah, "We are fought returned him this answer, that "they owned against by deceit and treachery:" but Jehu drew him for their lord, and would do whatsoever his bow, and sinote him, the arrow going he bade them." So he wrote back to them through his heart; so Joram fell down immedi- such a reply as enjoined them to obey what he ately on his knee, and gave up the ghost. Jehu gave order for, and to cut off the heads of also gave orders to Bidkar, the captain of the Ahab's sons, and send them to him. Accordthird part of his army, to cast the dead body ingly, the rulers sent for those that brought up of Joram into the field of Naboth, putting him the sons of Ahab, and commanded them to in mind of the prophecy which Elijah prophe-slay them, to cut off their heads, and send them sied to Ahab his father, when he had slain Naboth, that both he and his family should perish in that place, for that as they sat behind Ahab's chariot, they heard the prophet say so, aud that it was now come to pass according to his prophecy. Upon the fall of Joram, Ahaziah was afraid of his own life, and turned his chariot into another road, supposing he should not be seen by Jehu; but he followed after him, and overtook him at a certain acclivity, and drew his bow and wounded him, so he left his chariot, and got upon his horse, and fled from Our copies say, that this "driving of the chariots was like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously 2 Kings ix. 20; whereas Josephus's copy, as he anderstood it, was this, that, on the contrary, Jehu marched slowly, and in good order. Nor can it be denied, that since there was interval enough for king Joram to send out two to Jehu. So they did whatsoever they were commanded, without omitting any thing at all, and put them up in wicker baskets, and sent them to Jezreel. And when Jehu, as he was at supper with his friends, was informed that the heads of Ahab's sons were brought, he ordered them to make two heaps of them, one before each of the gates, and in the morning he went out to take a view of them, and when he saw them, he began to say to the people that were present, that "he did himself make an expedition against his master [Joram,] and horsemen, one after another, to Jehu, and at length to go ou with king Ahaziah to meet him, and all this after he was come within sight of the watchman, and before he was come to Jezreel, the probability is greatly on the side of Josephus's copy or interpretation. dew him, but that it was not he that slew all them all with the sword, and burnt the house these: and he desired them to take notice, that of Baal; and by that means purged Samaria of as to Ahab's family, all things had come to foreign customs, [idolatrous worship.] Now pass according to God's prophecy, and his this Baal was the god of the Tyrians; and house was perished, according as Elijah had Ahab, in order to gratify his father-in-law, foretold." And when he had further destroyed Ethbaal, who was the king of Tyre and Sidon, all the kindred of Ahab that were found in built a temple for him in Samaria, and appointJezreel, he went to Samaria; and as he was ed him prophets, and worshipped him with all upon the road, he met the relations of Ahaziah sorts of worship, although, when this god was King of Jerusalem, and asked them, whither demolished, Jehu permitted the Israelites to they were going? toey replied, that they came worship the golden heifers. However, because to salute Joram, and their own king Ahaziah; he had done thus, and taken care to punish for they knew not that he had slain them both: the wicked, God foretold by his prophet, that so Jehu gave orders that they should catch his sons should reign over Israel for four these, and kill them, being in number forty-generations: and in this condition was Jehu at two persons. this time. 6. After these, there met him a good and a righteous man, whose name was Jehonadab, and who had been his friend of old. He saluted Jehu, and began to commend him, because he had done every thing according to the will of God, in extirpating the house of Ahab. So Jehu desired him to come up into his chariot, and make his entry with him into Samaria; and told him, that "he would not spare one wicked man, but would punish the false prophets, and false priests, and those that deceived the multitude, and persuaded them to leave the worship of God Almighty, and to worship foreign gods; and that it was a most excellent and a most pleasing sight to a good and righteous man to see the wicked punished." So Jehonadab was persuaded by these arguments, and came up into Jehu's chariot, and came to Samaria. And Jehu sought out for all Ahab's kindred, and slew them. And being desirous that none of the false prophets, nor the priests of Ahab's god, might escape punishment, he caught them deceitfully by this wile: for he gathered all the people together and said, that "he would worship twice as many gods as Ahab worshipped, and desired that his priests, and prophets, and servants might be present, because he would offer costly and great sacrifices to Ahab's god, and that if any of his priests were wanting, they should be punished with death." Now Ahab's god was called Baal. And when he had appointed a day on which he would offer those sacrifices, he sent messengers through all the country of the Israelites, that they might bring the priests of Baal to him. So Jehu commanded to give all the priests vestments; and when they had received them, he went into the house [of Baal,] with his friend Jehonadab, and gave orders to nake search whether there were not any foeigner or stranger among them, for he would nave no one of a different religion to mix among their sacred offices. And when they said that there was no stranger there, and they were beginning their sacrifices, he set fourscore men without, they being such of his soldiers as he knew to be most faithful to him, and bade them slay the prophets, and now indicate the laws of their country, which had been a long time in disesteem. He also threatened, that if any one of them escaped, their ⚫wn lives should go for them. So they slew CHAPTER VII. How Athaliah reigned over Jerusalem for five [six] years, when Jehoiada, the high priest slew her, and made Jehoash, the son of Ahazıah king. § 1. Now when Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab, heard of the death of her brother Joram, and of her son Ahaziah, and of the royal family, she endeavored that none of the house of David might be left alive, but that the whole family might be exterminated, that no king might arise out of it afterward; and, as she thought she had actually done it; but one of Ahaziah's sons was preserved who escaped death after the manner following: Ahaziah had a sister by the same father, whose name was Jehosheba, and she was married to the high priest, Jehoiada. She went into the king's palace, and found Jehoash for that was the little child's name, who was not above a year old, among those that were slain, but concealed with his nurse; so she took him with her into a secret bedchamber, and shut him up there, and she and her husband, Jehoiada, brought him up privately, in the temple six years, during which time Athaliah reigned over Jerusa lem, and the two tribes. 2. Now, on the seventh year, Jehoiada conmunicated the matter to certain of the captains of hundreds, five in number, and persuaded them to be assisting to what attempts he wis making against Athaliah, and to join with him in asserting the kingdom to the child. He also received such oaths from them as are proper to secure those that assist one another from the fear of discovery; and he was then of good hope that they should depose Athaliah. Now those men whom Jehoiada, the priest, had taken to be his partners, went into all the country, and gathered together the priests and the Levites, and the heads of the tribes out of it and came and brought them to Jerusalem, to the high priest. So he demanded the security of an oath of them, to keep private whatsoever he should discover to them, which required both their silence and their assistance. S when they had taken the oath, and had thereby made it safe for him to speak, he produced the child that he had brought up of the family of David, and said to them, "this is your king, of that house which you know God hath foretole should reign over you for all time to come: I Baal, which Athaliah and her husband! Jehoram exhort you, therefore, that one-third part of 3. When Atnaliah unexpectedly heard the tumult and the acclamations, she was greatly disturbed in her mind, and suddenly issued out of the royal palace with her own army; and when she was come to the temple, the priests ceived her, but as for those that stood round alout the temple, as they were ordered by the high priest to do, they hindered the armed men dat followed her from going in. But when Athaliah saw the child standing upon a pillar, with the royal crown upon his head, she rent her clothes, and cried out vehemently, and comn anded [her guards] to kill him that had laid sares for her, and endeavored to deprive her of the government: but Jehoiada called for the captains of hundreds, and commanded them to bring Athaliah to the valley of Cedron, and slay her there, for he would not have the temple defiled with the punishment of this pernicious woman; and he gave order, that if any one came near to help her, he should be slain also; wherefore those that had the charge of her slaughter, took hold of her, and led her to the gate of the king's mules, and slew her there. 4. Now as soon as what concerned Athaliah was by this stratagem, after this manner despatched, Jehoiada called together the people and the armed men into the temple, and made them take an oath that they would be obedient to the king, and take care of his safety, and of the safety of his government; after which he obliged the king to give security [upon oath] that he would worship God, and not transgress the laws o Moses. They then ran to the house of had built, to the dishonor of the God of their fathers, and to the honor of Ahab, and demolished it, and slew Matan, that had his priest hood. But Jehoiada intrusted the care and custody of the temple to the priests and Levites, according to the appointment of king David, and enjoined them to bring their regular burnt-offerings twice a day, and to offer incense according to the law. He also ordained some of the Le vites, with the porters, to be a guard to the tem ple, that no one that was defiled might come 5. And when Jehoiada had set these things in order, he, with the captains of hundreds, and the rulers, and all the people, took Jehoash out of the temple into the king's palace, and when he had set him upon the king's throne, the people shouted for joy, and betook themselves to feasting, and kept a festival for many days; but the city was quiet upon the death of Athaliah. Now Jehoash was seven years old when he took the kingdom: his mother's name was Zibiah, of the city Beersheba. And all the time that Jehoiada lived, Jehoash was careful that the laws should be kept, and very zealous in the worship of God; and when he was of age, he married two wives, who were given to to him by the high priest, by whom were born to him both sons and daughters. And thus much shall suffice to have related concerning king Jehoash, how he escaped the treachery of Athaliah, and how he received the kingdom. CHAPTER VIII. Hazael makes an expedition against the people of Israel, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem Jehu dies, and Jehoahaz succeeds in the government. Jehoash, the king of Jerusalem, at first is careful about the worship of God, but afterward becomes impious, and commands Za chariah to be stoned. When Jehoash [king of Judah] was dead, Amaziah succeeds him in the kingdom. § 1. Now Hazael, king of Syria, fought against the Israelites and their king Jehu, and spoiled the eastern parts of the country beyond Jordan, which belonged to the Reubenites and Gadites, and to [the half tribe of] Manassites: as also Gilead and Bashan, burning and spoiling, and offering violence to all that he laid his hands on; and this without impeachment from Jehu, who made no haste to defend the country when it was under this distress: nay, he was become a contemner of religion, and a despiser of holiness, and of the laws; and died when he had reigned over the Israelites twentyseven years. He was buried in Samaria; and left Jehoahaz, his son, his successor in the government. 2. Now Jehoash, king of Jerusalem, had an inclination to repair the temple of God; so he called Jehoiada, and bade him send the Levites and priests through all the country, to require half a shekel of silver for every head, towards the rebuilding and repairing of the temple, which was brought to decay by Jehoram, and Athaliah, and her sons. But the high priest of what he suffered, for the good counsel he had given them, and how he perished after a most severe and violent manner for the good deeds his father had done to Jehoash. 4. However, it was not long before the king suffered punishment for his transgression: for when Hazael, king of Syria, made an irrup tion into his country, and when he had overthrown Gath, and spoiled it, he made an expewas afraid, and emptied all the treasures of God, and of the kings [before him,] and took down the gifts that had been dedicated, [in the temple,] and sent them to the king of Syria, and procured so much by them, that he was not besieged, nor his kingdom quite endangered, but Hazael was induced by the greatness of the sum of money not to bring his army against Jerusalem: yet Jehoash fell into a severe dis temper, and was set upon by his friends, in order to revenge the death of Zachariah the son of Jehoiada. These laid snares for the king, and slew him. He was indeed buried in Jerusalem, but not in the royal sepulchres of his forefathers, because of his impiety. He lived forty seven years, and Amaziah his son succeeded him in the kingdom. did not do this, as conciuding that no one would willingly pay that money; but on the twentythird year of Jehoash's reign, when the king sent for him and the Levites, and complained that they had not obeyed what he enjoined them, and still commanded them to take care of the rebuilding the temple, he used this stratagem for collecting the money, with which the multitude was pleased. He made a wooden chest, and closed it up fast on all sides, but open-dition against Jerusalem: upon which Jehoash ed one hole in it; he then set it in the temple beside the altar, and desired every one to cast into it, through the hole, what he pleased, for the repair of the temple. This contrivance was acceptable to the people, and they strove one with another, and brought in jointly large quantities of silver and gold: and when the scribe and the priest that were over the treasuries had emptied the chest, and counted the money in the king's presence, they then set it in its former place, and thus did they every day. But when the multitude appeared to have cast in as much as was wanted, the high priest Jehoiada, and kirg Jehoash, sent to hire masons and carpenters, and to buy large pieces of timber, and of the most curious sort; and when they had repaired the temple, they made use of the remaining gold and silver, which was not a little, for bowls, and basins, and cups, and other vessels, and they went on to make the altar every day fat with sacrifices of great value. And these things were taken suitable care of, as long as Jehoiada lived. 5. In the one-and-twentieth year of the reign of Jehoash, Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, took the government of the Israelites in Samaria, and held it seventeen years. He did not [properly] imitate his father, but was guilty of s wicked practices as those that first had God in 3. But as soon as he was dead, which was contempt: but the king of Syria brought him when he had lived one hundred and thirty years, low, and by an expedition against him, did so having been a righteous, and in every respect a greatly reduce his forces, that there remained very good man, he was buried in the king's seno more of so great an army than ten thousand pulchre at Jerusalem, (because he had recover-armed men, and fifty horsemen. He also took ed the kingdom to the family of David,) king Jehoash betrayed his [want of] care about God. The principal men of the people were corrupted also together with him, and offended against their duty, and what their constitution determined to be most for their good. Hereupon God was displeased with the change that was made on the king, and on the rest of the people; and sent prophets to testify to them what their 'actions were, and to bring them to leave off their wickedness: but they had gotten such a strong affection and so violent an inclination to it; that neither could the examples of those that had offered affronts to the laws, and had been so severely punished, they and their entire families, nor could the fear of what the prophets now foretold, bring them to repentance, and turn them back from their course of transgression to their former duty. But the king commanded that Zachariah, the son of the high priest Jehoiada, should be stoned to death in the temple, and forgot the kindnesses he had received from his father; for when God had appointed him to prophesy, he stood in the midst of the multitude, and gave this counsel to them and to the king, that they should act righteously, and foretold to them, that if they would not hearken to his admonitions, they should suffer * This character of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, that "he a heavy punishment: but as Zachariah was was a good man, and in his disposition not at all like his ready to die, he appealed to God, as a witness father, seems a direct contradiction to our ordinary copies away from him his great cities, and many of them also, and destroyed his army. And these were the things that the people of Israel suffered, according to the prophecy of Elisha, when he foretold that Hazael should kill his master, and reign over the Syrians and Damascenes. But when Jehoahaz was under such unavoidable miseries, he had recourse to prayer and supplication to God, and besought him to deliver him out of the hands of Hazael, and not overlook him, and give him up into his hands. Accordingly, God accepted of his repentance instead of virtue, and being desirous rather to admonish those that might repent, and not to determine that they should be utterly destroy ed, he granted him deliverance from war and dangers. So the country, having obtained peace, returned again to its former condition, and flourished as before. 6. Now, after the death of Jehoahaz, his son Joash took the kingdom, in the thirty-seventh year of Jehoash, the king of the tribe of Judah. This Joash then took the kingdom of Israel in Samaria, for he had the same name with the king of Jerusalem, and he retained the kingdom sixteen years. He was a good man, and in his disposition not at all like his father.* Now at this time it was, that when Elisha the prophet, who was already very old, and was now fallen into a disease, the king of Israel came to visit him; and when he found him very near death, he began to weep in his sight, and lament, to call him his father, and his weapons, because it was by his means that he never made use of his weapons against his enemies, but that he overcame his own adversaries by his prophecies, without fighting; and that he was now departing this life, and leaving him to the Syrians, that were already armed, and to other enemies of his that were under their power: so he said it was not safe for him to live any longer, but that it would be well for him to hasten to his end, and depart out of this life with him. As the king was thus bemoaning himself, Elisha comforted him, and pade the king bend a bow that was brought him, and when the king had fitted the bow for shooting, Elisha took hold of his hands and bade him shoot; and when he had shot three arrows, and then left off, Elisha said, "If thou hadst shot more arrows, thou hadst cut the kingdom of Syria up by the roots, but since thou hast been satisfied with shooting three times only, thou shalt fight and beat the Syrians no more times than three, that thou mayest recover that country which they cut off from thy kingdom in the reign of thy father." So when the king had heard that, he departed, and a little while after, the prophet died. He was a man celebrated for righteousness; and in eminent favor with God. He also performed wonderful and surprising works by pro-dition, and ready to go out to the war, a prophet phecy, and such as were gloriously preserved gave him counsel to dismiss the army of the in memory among the Hebrews. He also ob- Israelites, because they were bad men, and betained a magnificent funeral, such a one in- cause God foretold that he should be beaten, it deed as it was fit a person so beloved of God he made use of them as auxiliaries; but that he should have. It also happened, that at that should overcome his enemies, though he had time certain robbers cast a man whom they but a few soldiers, when it so pleased God. had slain into Elisha's grave, and, upon his And when the king grudged at his having aldead body coming close to Elisha's body, it ready paid the hire of the Israelites, the prorevived again. And thus far have we en- phet exhorted him to do what God would have larged about the actions of Elisha the pro- him, because he should thereby obtain much phet, both such as he did while he was alive, wealth from God. So he dismissed them, and and how he had a divine power after his death said, that he still freely gave them their pay also. and went himself with his own army, and made war with the nations before mentioned, and when he had beaten them in battle, he slew of them ten thousand, and took as many prisoners alive, whom he brought to the great rock which is in Arabia, and threw them down from it headlong. He also brought away a great deal of prey, and vast riches, from those nations. But while Amaziah was engaged in this expedition, those Israelites whom he had hired, and then dismissed, were very uneasy at it, and taking their dismission for an affront, as § 1. Now in the second year of the reign of Joash over Israel, Amaziah reigned over the tribe of Judah at Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jehohaddan, who was born at Jerusalem. He was exceedingly careful in doing what was right, and this when he was very young; but when he came to the management of affairs, and to the government, he resolved tha he ought first of all to avenge his father Jehoash, and to punish those his friends that had laid violent hands upon him; so he seized upon them all, and put them to death, yet did he execute no severity upon their children, but acted therein according to the laws of Moses, who did not think it just to punish children for the sins of their fathers. After this he chose him an army out of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin, of such as were in the flower of their age, and about twenty years old; and when he had collected about three hundred thousand of them together, he set captains of hundreds over them. He also sent to the king of Israel, and hired a hundred thousand of his soldiers for a hundred talents of silver, for he had resolved to make an expedition against the nations of the Amalekites and Edomites, and Gebalites: but as he was preparing for his expe 7. Now upon the death of Hazael, the king of Syria, that kingdom came to Adad his son, with whom Joash king of Israel made war, and when he had beaten him in three battles, he took from him all that country, and all those cities and villages which his father Hazael had taken from the kingdom of Israel, which came to pass, however, according to the prophecy of Elisha. But when Joash happened to die, he was buried in Samaria, and the government devolved on his son Jeroboam. which say, 2 Kings xiii. 11, that "he did evil in the sight of the Lord; and that he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, he walked therein." Which copies are here the truest it is hard postively to determine. If Josephus's be true, this Joash is the single instance of a good king over the ten tribes: if the other be true, we have not one such example. The account that follows, in all copies, of Elisha the prophet's concern for him and his concern for Elisha, greatly favor Josephus's copies, and suppose this king to have been then a good man, and no idolater, with whom God's prophet used not to be so fa CHAPTER IX. How Amaziah made an expedition against the Edomites and Amalekites, and conquered them, but when he afterward made war against Joash, he was beaten, and not long after was slain, and Uzziah succeeded in the government. miliar. Upon the whole, since it appears, even by Josephus's own account, that Amaziah, the good king of Judah, while he was a good king, was forbidden to make use of the 100,000 auxiliaries he had hired of this Joash, the king of Israel as if he and they were then idolaters, 2 Chron. xxv. 6-9, it is most likely that these different characters of Joash suited the different parts of his reign, and that, according to our common copies, he was at first a wicked king; and afterward was reclaimed, and became a good one, according to Jose phus. |