Chapter 2.
THE EXPEDITION OF THE PHILISTINES AGAINST THE HEBREWS AND
THE HEBREWS' VICTORY UNDER THE CONDUCT OF SAMUEL THE PROPHET, WHO WAS THEIR
GENERAL.FJAJ 6.8
1. Now while the city of Kirjathjearim had the ark with them, the whole
body of the people betook themselves all that time to offer prayers and
sacrifices to God, and appeared greatly concerned and zealous about his
worship
So Samuel the prophet, seeing how ready they were to do their
duty, thought this a proper time to speak to them, while they were in this
good disposition, about the recovery of their liberty, and of the blessings
that accompanied the same
Accordingly he used such words to them as he
thought were most likely to excite that inclination, and to persuade them
to attempt it: "O you Israelites," said he, "to whom the
Philistines are still grievous enemies, but to whom God begins to be gracious,
it behooves you not only to be desirous of liberty, but to take the proper
methods to obtain it
Nor are you to be contented with an inclination to
get clear of your lords and masters, while you still do what will procure
your continuance under them
Be righteous then, and cast wickedness out
of your souls, and by your worship supplicate the Divine Majesty with all
your hearts, and persevere in the honor you pay to him; for if you act
thus, you will enjoy prosperity; you will be freed from your slavery, and
will get the victory over your enemies: which blessings it is not possible
you should attain, either by weapons of war, or by the strength of your
bodies, or by the multitude of your assistants; for God has not promised
to grant these blessings by those means, but by being good and righteous
men; and if you will be such, I will be security to you for the performance
of God's promises." When Samuel had said thus, the multitude applauded
his discourse, and were pleased with his exhortation to them, and gave
their consent to resign themselves up to do what was pleasing to God
So
Samuel gathered them together to a certain city called Mizpeh, which, in
the Hebrew tongue, signifies a watch-tower; there they drew water,
and poured it out to God, and fasted all day, and betook themselves to
their prayers.FJAJ 6.9
2. This their assembly did not escape the notice of the Philistines:
so when they had learned that so large a company had met together, they
fell upon the Hebrews with a great army and mighty forces, as hoping to
assault them when they did not expect it, nor were prepared for it
This
thing affrighted the Hebrews, and put them into disorder and terror; so
they came running to Samuel, and said that their souls were sunk by their
fears, and by the former defeat they had received, and "that thence
it was that we lay still, lest we should excite the power of our enemies
against us
Now while thou hast brought us hither to offer up our prayers
and sacrifices, and take oaths [to be obedient], our enemies are making
an expedition against us, while we are naked and unarmed; wherefore we
have no other hope of deliverance but that by thy means, and by the assistance
God shall afford us upon thy prayers to him, we shall obtain deliverance
from the Philistines." Hereupon Samuel bade them be of good cheer,
and promised them that God would assist them; and taking a sucking lamb,
he sacrificed it for the multitude, and besought God to hold his protecting
hand over them when they should fight with the Philistines, and not to
overlook them, nor suffer them to come under a second misfortune
Accordingly
God hearkened to his prayers, and accepting their sacrifice with a gracious
intention, and such as was disposed to assist them, he granted them victory
and power over their enemies
Now while the altar had the sacrifice of
God upon it, and had not yet consumed it wholly by its sacred fire, the
enemy's army marched out of their camp, and was put in order of battle,
and this in hope that they should be conquerors, since the Jews (5) This
is the first place, so far as I remember, in these Antiquities, where Josephus
begins to call his nation Jews, he having hitherto usually, if not constantly,
called them either Hebrews or Israelites. The second place soon follows;
see also ch. 3. sect. 5.
were caught in distressed circumstances, as neither having their weapons
with them, nor being assembled there in order to fight
But things so fell
out, that they would hardly have been credited though they had been foretold
by anybody: for, in the first place, God disturbed their enemies with an
earthquake, and moved the ground under them to such a degree, that he caused
it to tremble, and made them to shake, insomuch that by its trembling,
he made some unable to keep their feet, and made them fall down, and by
opening its chasms, he caused that others should be hurried down into them;
after which he caused such a noise of thunder to come among them, and made
fiery lightning shine so terribly round about them, that it was ready to
burn their faces; and he so suddenly shook their weapons out of their hands,
that he made them fly and return home naked
So Samuel with the multitude
pursued them to Bethcar, a place so called; and there he set up a stone
as a boundary of their victory and their enemies' flight, and called it
the Stone of Power, as a signal of that power God had given them
against their enemies.FJAJ 6.10
3. So the Philistines, after this stroke, made no more expeditions against
the Israelites, but lay still out of fear, and out of remembrance of what
had befallen them; and what courage the Philistines had formerly against
the Hebrews, that, after this victory, was transferred to the Hebrews.
Samuel also made an expedition against the Philistines, and slew many of
them, and entirely humbled their proud hearts, and took from them that
country, which, when they were formerly conquerors in battle, they had
cut off from the Jews, which was the country that extended from the borders
of Gath to the city of Ekron: but the remains of the Canaanites were at
this time in friendship with the Israelites.FJAJ 6.11