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[307]
Now all the men that were about David were men of courage. Those
that were most illustrious and famous of them for their actions were thirty-eight;
of five of whom I will only relate the performances, for these will suffice
to make manifest the virtues of the others also; for these were powerful
enough to subdue countries, and conquer great nations. First, therefore,
was Jessai, the son of Achimaas, who frequently leaped upon the troops
of the enemy, and did not leave off fighting till he overthrew nine hundred
of them. After him was Eleazar, the son of Dodo, who was with the king
at Arasam. This man, when once the Israelites were under a consternation
at the multitude of the Philistines, and were running away, stood alone,
and fell upon the enemy, and slew many of them, till his sword clung to
his band by the blood he had shed, and till the Israelites, seeing the
Philistines retire by his means, came down from the mountains and pursued
them, and at that time won a surprising and a famous victory, while Eleazar
slew the men, and the multitude followed and spoiled their dead bodies.
The third was Sheba, the son of Ilus. Now this man, when, in the wars against
the Philistines, they pitched their camp at a place called Lehi, and when
the Hebrews were again afraid of their army, and did not stay, he stood
still alone, as an army and a body of men; and some of them he overthrew,
and some who were not able to abide his strength and force he pursued.
These are the works of the hands, and of fighting, which these three performed.
Now at the time when the king was once at Jerusalem, and the army of the
Philistines came upon him to fight him, David went up to the top of the
citadel, as we have already said, to inquire of God concerning the battle,
while the enemy's camp lay in the valley that extends to the city Bethlehem,
which is twenty furlongs distant from Jerusalem. Now David said to his
companions, "We have excellent water in my own city, especially that
which is in the pit near the gate," wondering if any one would bring
him some of it to drink; but he said that he would rather have it than
a great deal of money. When these three men heard what he said, they ran
away immediately, and burst through the midst of their enemy's camp, and
came to Bethlehem; and when they had drawn the water, they returned again
through the enemy's camp to the king, insomuch that the Philistines were
so surprised at their boldness and alacrity, that they were quiet, and
did nothing against them, as if they despised their small number. But when
the water was brought to the king, he would not drink it, saying, that
it was brought by the danger and the blood of men, and that it was not
proper on that account to drink it. But he poured it out to God, and gave
him thanks for the salvation of the men. Next to these was Abishai, Joab's
brother; for he in one day slew six hundred. The fifth of these was Benaiah,
by lineage a priest; for being challenged by [two] eminent men in the country
of Moab, he overcame them by his valor, Moreover, there was a man, by nation
an Egyptian, who was of a vast bulk, and challenged him, yet did he, when
he was unarmed, kill him with his own spear, which he threw at him; for
he caught him by force, and took away his weapons while he was alive and
fighting, and slew him with his own weapons. One may also add this to the
forementioned actions of the same man, either as the principal of them
in alacrity, or as resembling the rest. When God sent a snow, there was
a lion who slipped and fell into a certain pit, and because the pit's mouth
was narrow it was evident he would perish, being enclosed with the snow;
so when he saw no way to get out and save himself, he roared. When Benaiah
heard the wild beast, he went towards him, and coming at the noise he made,
he went down into the mouth of the pit and smote him, as he struggled,
with a stake that lay there, and immediately slew him. The other thirty-three
were like these in valor also.
1
1 THAT WHEN DAVID HAD NUMBERED THE PEOPLE, THEY WERE PUNISHED; AND HOW THE DIVINE COMPASSION RESTRAINED THAT PUNISHMENT.
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