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TWENTY BOOKS OF THE JEWISH ANTIQUITIES,
SEVEN BOOKS OF THE JEWISH WAR,

AND

THE LIFE OF JOSEPHUS,

WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.

TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL GREEK, ACCORDING TO
HAVERCAMP'S ACCURATE EDITION.

TOGETHER WITH

EXPLANATORY NOTES & OBSERVATIONS,

PARALLEL TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE; THE TRUE CHRONOLOGY OF THE SEVERAL
HISTORIES; AN ACCOUNT OF THE JEWISH COINS, WEIGHTS, AND
MEASURES; AND A COMPLETE INDEX.

EMBELLISHED WITH SUPERB ENGRAVINGS.

BY THE LATE

WILLIAM WHISTON, M. A.

Professor of Mathematics in the University of Cambridge, &c. &c.

REVISED, AND ILLUSTRATED WITH NOTES,

BY THE REV. SAMUEL BURDER, A. M.

Of Clare Hall, Cambridge; Lecturer of the United Parishes of Christ Church,
Newgate Street, and St. Leonard, Foster Lane, London; Chaplain to his Royal
Highness the Duke of Kent; and Author of Oriental Customs, &c. &c.

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HARVARD UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

THE

ANTIQUITIES

OF

The Jews.

BOOK VIII.

Containing an Interval of One Hundred and Sixty-Three

Years.

FROM THE DEATH OF DAVID TO THE DEATH OF AHAB.

CHAP. I.

OF SOLOMON'S CONDUCT AFTER HE HAD RECEIVED THE KINGDOM.

WE have already treated of David, and his virtue, and of the benefits that he was the author of to his countrymen; of his wars also, and battles which he managed with success; and then died an old man. And when Solomon his son, who was but a youth in age,* had taken the kingdom, and whom David had declared, while he was alive, the lord of that people, according to God's will; when he sat upon the throne, the whole body of the people made joyful acclamations to him, as is usual at the beginning of a reign; and wished that all his affairs might come to a blessed conclusion; and that he might arrive at a great age, and at the most happy state of affairs possible.

But Adonijah, who, while his father was living, attempted to gain possession of the government, came to the king's mother, Bathsheba, and saluted her with great civility; and when she

*About 12 or 14 years old.

asked him, whether he came to her, as desiring her assistance in any thing or not? and bade him teller if that were the case, for that she would cheerfully afford it him; he began to say, that she knew herself that the kingdom was his, both on account of his elder age, and of the disposition of the multitude; and that yet it was transferred to Solomon her son, according to the will of God. He also said, that he was contented to be a servant under him, and was pleased with the present settlement. Bet he desired her to be a means of obtaining a favour from his brother to him, and to persuade him to bestow ou him in marriage Abishag; who had slept by his father, but was still a virgin. So Bathsheba promised to afford him her assistance, and to bring this marriage about; because the king would be willing to gratify him in such a thing; and because she would press him to it very earnestly. Accordingly he went away in great hopes of succeeding in this affair. So Solomon's mother went presently to her son, to speak about what she had promised, upon Adonijah's supplication to her. And when her son came forward to meet her, and embraced her; and when he had brought her into the house where his royal throne was, he sat thereon, and bade them set another throne on the right hand for his mother. When Bathsheba was set down, she said, "O son! grant me one request that I desire of thee, and do not do any thing to me that is disagreeable or ungrateful; which thou wilt do if thou deniest me." And when Solomon desired her to lay her commands upon him, because it was agreeable to his duty, to grant her every thing she should ask; and complained that she did not at first begin her discourse, with a firm expectation of obtaining what she desired, but had some suspicion of a denial; she intreated him to grant, that his brother Adonijah inight marry Abishag.

But the king was greatly offended at these words, and sent away his mother, saying, that Adonijah aimed at great things; and that he wondered she did not desire him to yield up the kingdom to him, as to his elder brother; since she desired that he might marry Abishag; and that he had potent friends, Joab the captain of the host, and Abiathar the priest. So he called for Benaiah, the captain of the guards, and ordered him to slay

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