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[81]
But although the grandees of Adiabene had failed in their first attempt,
as being delivered up by God into their king's hands, yet would they not
even then be quiet, but wrote again to Vologases, who was then king of
Parthia, and desired that he would kill Izates, and set over them some
other potentate, who should be of a Parthian family; for they said that
they hated their own king for abrogating the laws of their forefathers,
and embracing foreign customs. When the king of Parthia heard this, he
boldly made war upon Izates; and as he had no just pretense for this war,
he sent to him, and demanded back those honorable privileges which had
been bestowed on him by his father, and threatened, on his refusal, to
make war upon him. Upon hearing of this, Izates was under no small trouble
of mind, as thinking it would be a reproach upon him to appear to resign
those privileges that had been bestowed upon him out of cowardice; yet
because he knew, that though the king of Parthia should receive back those
honors, yet would he not be quiet, he resolved to commit himself to God,
his Protector, in the present danger he was in of his life; and as he esteemed
him to be his principal assistant, he intrusted his children and his wives
to a very strong fortress, and laid up his corn in his citadels, and set
the hay and the grass on fire. And when he had thus put things in order,
as well as he could, he awaited the coming of the enemy. And when the king
of Parthia was come, with a great army of footmen and horsemen, which he
did sooner than was expected, (for he marched in great haste,) and had
cast up a bank at the river that parted Adiabene from Media, - Izates also
pitched his camp not far off, having with him six thousand horsemen. But
there came a messenger to Izates, sent by the king of Parthia, who told
him how large his dominions were, as reaching from the river Euphrates
to Bactria, and enumerated that king's subjects; he also threatened him
that he should be punished, as a person ungrateful to his lords; and said
that the God whom he worshipped could not deliver him out of the king's
hands. When the messenger had delivered this his message, Izates replied
that he knew the king of Parthia's power was much greater than his own;
but that he knew also that God was much more powerful than all men. And
when he had returned him this answer, he betook himself to make supplication
to God, and threw himself upon the ground, and put ashes upon his head,
in testimony of his confusion, and fasted, together with his wives and
children. 1
Then he called upon God, and said, "O Lord and Governor, if I have
not in vain committed myself to thy goodness, but have justly determined
that thou only art the Lord and principal of all beings, come now to my
assistance, and defend me from my enemies, not only on my own account,
but on account of their insolent behavior with regard to thy power, while
they have not feared to lift up their proud and arrogant tongue against
thee." Thus did he lament and bemoan himself, with tears in his eyes;
whereupon God heard his prayer. And immediately that very night Vologases
received letters, the contents of which were these, that a great band of
Dahe and Sacse, despising him, now he was gone so long a journey from home,
had made an expedition, and laid Parthis waste; so that he [was forced
to] retire back, without doing any thing. And thus it was that Izates escaped
the threatenings of the Parthians, by the providence of God.
1 This conduct of Izates is a sign that he was become either a Jew, or an Ebionite Christian, who indeed differed not much from proper Jews. See ch. 6. sect. 1. However, his supplications were heard, and he was providentially delivered from that imminent danger he was in.
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