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diff --git a/old/2882.txt b/old/2882.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b54102b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/2882.txt @@ -0,0 +1,12399 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of THE LEGENDS OF THE JEWS VOLUME IV +BIBLE TIMES AND CHARACTERS FROM THE EXODUS TO THE DEATH OF MOSES +BY LOUIS GINZBERG + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the laws for your country before redistributing these files!!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. + +Please do not remove this. + +This should be the first thing seen when anyone opens the book. +Do not change or edit it without written permission. 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JOSHUA +The Servant of Moses Entering the Promised Land--Conquest of +the Land--The Sun Obeys Joshua--War with the +Armenians--Allotment of the Land. + +II. THE JUDGES +The First Judge--Campaigns of KenaS--Othniel--Boaz and +Ruth--Deborah--Gideon--Jephthah--Samson--The of the Benjamites. + +III. SAMUEL AND SAUL +Elkanah and Hannah--The Youth of Samuel--Eli and His +Sons--The Activities of Samuel--The Reign of Saul--The Court of +Saul. + +IV. DAVID +David's Birth and Descent--Anointed King--Encounter with +Goliath--Pursued by Saul--Wars--Ahithophel--Joab--David's Piety +and His Sin--Absalom's Rebellion--David's +Atonement--Visitations--The Death of David--David in +Paradise--The Family of David--His Tomb. + +V. SOLOMON +Solomon Punishes Joab--The Marriage of Solomon--His Wisdom-- +The Queen of Sheba--Solomon Master of the Demons--The +Building of the Temple--The Throne of Solomon--The +Hippodrome--Lessons in Humility--Asmodeus--Solomon as +Beggar--The Court of Solomon. + +VI. JUDAH AND ISRAEL +The Division of the Kingdom--Jeroboam--The Two Ahijabs--Asa-- +Jehoshaphat and Ahab--Jezebel--Joram of Israel. + +VII. ELIJAH +Elijah before His Translation--After His Translation--Censor and +Avenger--Intercourse with the Sages--God's Justice Vindicated-- +Elijah and the Angel of Death--Teacher of the +Kabbalah--Forerunner of the Messiah. + +VIII. ELISHA AND JONAH +Elisha the Disciple of Elijah--The Shunammite--Gehazi--The +Flight of Jonah Jonah in the Whale--The Repentance of Nineveh. + +IX. THE LATER KINGS OF JUDAH +Joash--Three Great Prophets--The Two Kingdoms +Chastised--Hezekjah--Miracles Wrought for +Hezekiah--Manasseh--Josiah and His Successors. + +X. THE EXILE +Zedekiah--Jeremiah--Nebuchadnezzar--The Capture of Jerusalem-- +The Great Lament--Jeremiah's Journey to Babylon--Transportation +of the Captives--The Sons of Moses--Ebedmelech--The Temple +Vessels--Baruch--The Tombs of Baruch and Ezekie1--Daniel--The +Three Men in the Furnace--Ezekiel Revives the +Dead--Nebuchadnezzar a Beast--Hiram--The False +Prophets--Daniel's Piety. + +XI. THE RETURN OF THE CAPTIVITY +Belshazzar's Feast--Daniel under the Persian Kings--The Grave of +Daniel--Zerubbabel--Ezra--The Men of the Great Assembly. + +XII. ESTHER +The Feast for the Grandees--The Festivities in Shushan--Vashti's +Banquet--The Fate of Vashti--The Follies of Ahasuerus--Mordecai +Esther's Beauty and Piety--The Conspiracy Haman the Jew-baiter-- +Mordecai's Pride--Casting the Lots--The Denunciation of the +Jews--The Decree of Annihilation--Satan Indicts the Jews--The +Dream of Mordecai Fulfilled--The Prayer of Esther--Esther +Intercedes--The Disturbed Night--The Fall of Haman--The Edict of +the King. + +THE SERVANT OF MOSES + +The early history of the first Jewish conqueror (1) in some respects +is like the early history of the first Jewish legislator. Moses was +rescued from a watery grave, and raised at the court of Egypt. +Joshua, in infancy, was swallowed by a whale, and , wonderful to +relate, did not perish. At a distant point of the sea-coast the +monster spewed him forth unharmed. He was found by +compassionate passers-by, and grew up ignorant of his descent. +The government appointed him to the office of hangman. As luck +would have it, he had to execute his own father. By the law of the +land the wife of the dead man fell to the share of his executioner, +and Joshua was on the point of adding to parricide another crime +equally heinous. He was saved by a miraculous sign. When he +approached his mother, milk flowed from her breasts. His +suspicions were aroused, and through the inquiries he set a foot +regarding his origin, the truth was made manifest. (2) + +Later Joshua, who was so ignorant that he was called a fool, +became the minister of Moses, and God rewarded his faithful +service by making him the successor to Moses. (3) He was +designated as such to Moses when, at the bidding of his master, he +was carrying on war with the Amalekites. (4) In this campaign +God's care of Joshua was plainly seen. Joshua had condemned a +portion of the Amalekites to death by lot, and the heavenly sword +picked them out for extermination. (5) Yet there was as great a +difference between Moses and Joshua as between the sun and the +moon. (6) God did not withdraw His help from Joshua, but He was +by no means so close to him as to Moses. This appeared +immediately after Moses had passed away. At the moment when +the Israelitish leader was setting out on his journey to the great +beyond, he summoned his successor and bade him put questions +upon all points about which he felt uncertain. Conscious of his +own industry and devotion, Joshua replied that he had no questions +to ask, seeing that he had carefully studied the teachings of Moses. +Straightway he forgot three hundred Halakot, and doubts assailed +him concerning seven hundred others. The people threatened +Joshua's life, because he was not able to resolve their difficulties in +the law. It was vain to turn to God, for the Torah once revealed +was subject to human, not to heavenly, authority. (7) Directly after +Moses' death, God commanded Joshua to go to war, so that the +people might forget its grievance against him. (8) But it is false to +think that the great conqueror was nothing more than a military +hero. When God appeared to him, to give him instructions +concerning the war, He found him with the Book of Deuteronomy +in his hand, whereupon God called to him: "Be strong and of good +courage; the book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth." (9) + + ENTERING THE PROMISED LAND + +The first step in preparation for war was the selection of spies. To +guard against a repetition of what had happened to Moses, Joshua +chose as his messengers Caleb and Phinehas, on whom he could +place dependence in all circumstances. (10) They were +accompanied on their mission by two demons, the husbands of the +she-devils Lilith and Mahlah. When Joshua was planning his +campaign, these devils offered their services to him; they proposed +that they be sent out to reconnoitre the land. Joshua refused the +offer, but formed their appearance so frightfully that the residents +of Jericho were struck with fear of them. (11) In Jericho the spies +put up with Rahab. She had been leading an immoral life for forty +years, but at the approach of Israel, she paid homage to the true +God, lived the life of a pious convert, and, as the wife of Joshua, +became the ancestress of eight prophets and of the prophetess +Huldah. (12) She had opportunity in her own house of beholding +the wonders of God. When the king's bailiffs came to make their +investigations, and Rahab wanted to conceal the Israelitish spies, +Phinehas calmed her with the words: "I am a priest, and priests are +like angels, visible when they wish to be seen, invisible when they +do not wish to be seen." (13) + +After the return of the spies, Joshua decided to pass over the +Jordan. The crossing of the river was the occasion for wonders, the +purpose of which was to clothe him with authority in the eyes of +the people. Scarcely had the priests, who at this solemn moment +took the place of the Levites as bearers of the Ark, set foot in the +Jordan, when the waters of the river were piled up to a height of +three hundred miles. All the peoples of the earth were witnesses of +the wonder. (14) In the bed of the Jordan Joshua assembled the +people around the Ark. A Divine miracle caused the narrow space +between its staves to contain the whole concourse. Joshua then +proclaimed the conditions under which God would give Palestine +to the Israelites, and he added, if these conditions were not +accepted, the waters of the Jordan would descend straight upon +them. Then they marched through the river. When the people +arrived on the further shore, the holy Ark, which had all the while +been standing in the bed of the river, set forward of itself, and, +dragging the priests after it, overtook the people. + +The day continued eventful. Unassailed, the Israelites marched +seventy miles to Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, and there +performed the ceremony bidden by Moses in Deuteronomy: six of +the tribes ascended Mount Gerizim, and six Mount Ebal. The +priests and the Levites grouped themselves about the holy Ark in +the vale between the two peaks. With their faces turned toward +Gerizim, the Levites uttered the words: "Happy the man that +maketh no idol, an abomination unto the Lord," and all the people +answered Amen. After reciting twelve blessings similar to this in +form, the Levites turned to Mount Ebal, and recited twelve curses, +counterparts of the blessings, to each of which the people +responded again with Amen. Thereupon an altar was erected on +Mount Ebal with the stones, each weighing forty seim, which the +Israelites had taken from the bed of the river while passing through +the Jordan. The altar was plastered with lime, and the Torah +written upon it in seventy languages, so that the heathen nations +might have the opportunity of learning the law. At the end it was +said explicitly that the heathen outside of Palestine, if they would +but abandon the worship of idols, would be received kindly by the +Jews. + +All this happened on one day, on the same day on which the +Jordan was crossed, and the assembly was held on Gerizim and +Ebal, the day on which the people arrived at Gilgal, where they +left the stones of which the altar had been built. (15) At Gilgal +Joshua performed the rite of circumcision on those born in the +desert, who had remained uncircumcised on account of the rough +climate and for other reasons. (16) And here it was that the manna +gave out. It had ceased to fall at the death of Moses, but the supply +that had been stored up had lasted some time longer. (17) As soon +as the people were under the necessity of providing for their daily +wants, they grew negligent in the study of the Torah. Therefore the +angel admonished Joshua to loose his shoes from off his feet, for +he was to mourn over the decline of the study of the Torah, (18) +and bare feet are a sign of mourning. The angel reproached Joshua +in particular with having allowed the preparations for war to +interfere with the study of the Torah and with the ritual service. +Neglect of the latter might be a venial sin, but neglect of the +former is worthy of condign punishment. (19) At the same time the +angel assured Joshua that he had come to aid him, and he entreated +Joshua not to draw back from him, like Moses, who had refused +the good offices of the angel. (20) He who spoke to Joshua was +none other than the archangel Michael. (21) + + CONQUEST OF THE LAND + +Joshua's first victory was the wonderful capture of Jericho. The +whole of the city was declared anathema, because it had been +conquered on the Sabbath day. Joshua reasoned that as the Sabbath +is holy, so also that which conquered on the Sabbath should be +holy. (22) The brilliant victory was followed by the luckless defeat +at Ai. In this engagement perished Jair, the son of Manasseh, +whose loss was as great as if the majority of the Sanhedrin had +been destroyed. (23) Presently Joshua discovered that the cause of +the defeat was the sinfulness of Israel, brought upon it by Achan, +who had laid hands on some of the spoils of Jericho. Achan was a +hardened transgressor and criminal from of old. During the life of +Moses he had several times appropriated to his own use things that +had been declared anathema, (24) and he had committed other +crimes worthy of the death penalty. (25) Before the Israelites +crossed the Jordan, God had not visited Achan's sins upon the +people as a whole, because at that time it did not form a national +unit yet. But when Achan abstracted an idol and all its +appurtenances from Jericho, (26) the misfortune of Ai followed at +once. + +Joshua inquired of God, why trouble had befallen Israel, but God +refused to reply. He was no tale-bearer; the evil-doer who had +caused the disaster would have to be singled out by lot. (27) +Joshua first of all summoned the high priest from the assembly of +the people. It appeared that, while the other jewels in his +breastplate gleamed bright, the stone representing the tribe of +Judah was dim. (28) By lot Achan was set apart from the members +of his tribe. Achan, however, refused to submit to the decision by +lot. He said to Joshua: "Among all living men thou and Phinehas +are the most pious. Yet, if lots were cast concerning you two, one +or other of you would be declared guilty. Thy teacher Moses has +been dead scarcely one month, and thou has already begun to go +astray, for thou hast forgotten that a man's guilt can be proved only +through two witnesses." + +Endued with the holy spirit, Joshua divined that the land was to be +assigned to the tribes and families of Israel by lot, and he realized +that nothing ought to be done to bring this method of deciding into +disrepute. He, therefore, tried to persuade Achan to make a clean +breast of his transgression. (29) Meantime, the Judeans, the +tribesmen of Achan, rallied about him, and throwing themselves +upon the other tribes, they wrought fearful havoc and bloodshed. +This determined Achan to confess his sins. (30) The confession +cost him his life, but it saved him from losing his share in the +world to come. (31) + +In spite of the reverses at Ai, (32) the terror inspired by the +Israelites grew among the Canaanitish peoples. The Gibeonites +planned to circumvent the invaders, and form an alliance with +them. Now, before Joshua set out on his campaign, he had issued +three proclamations: the nation that would leave Canaan might +depart unhindered; the nation that would conclude peace with the +Israelites, should do it at once; and the nation that would choose +war, should make its preparations. If the Gibeonites had sued for +the friendship of the Jews when the proclamation came to their +ears, there would have been no need for subterfuges later. But the +Canaanites had to see with their own eyes what manner of enemy +awaited them, and all the nations prepared for war. The result was +that the thirty-one kings of Palestine perished, as well as the +satraps of many foreign kings, who were proud to own possessions +in the Holy Land. (33) Only the Girgashites departed out of +Palestine, and as a reward for their docility God gave them Africa +as an inheritance. (34) + +The Gibeonites deserved no better fate than all the rest, for the +covenant made with them rested upon a misapprehension, yet +Joshua kept his promise to them, in order to sanctify the name of +God, by showing the world how sacred an oath is to the Israelites. +(35) In the course of events it became obvious that the Gibeonites +were by no means worthy of being received into the Jewish +communion, and David, following Joshua's example, excluded +them forever, a sentence that will remain in force even in the +Messianic time. (36) + + THE SUN OBEYS JOSHUA + +The task of protecting the Gibeonites involved in the offensive and +defensive alliance made with them, Joshua fulfilled scrupulously. +He had hesitated for a moment whether to aid the Gibeonites in +their distress, but the words of God sufficed to recall him to his +duty. God said to him: "If thou dost not bring near them that are far +off, thou wilt remove them that are near by." (37) God granted +Joshua peculiar favor in his conflict with the assailants of the +Gibeonites. The hot hailstones which, at Moses' intercession, had +remained suspended in the air when they were about to fall upon +the Egyptians, were now cast down upon the Canaanites. (38) +Then happened the great wonder of the sun's standing still, the +sixth (39) of the great wonders since the creation of the world. + +The battle took place on a Friday. Joshua knew it would pain the +people deeply to be compelled to desecrate the holy Sabbath day. +Besides, he noticed that the heathen were using sorcery to make +the heavenly hosts intercede for them in the fight against the +Israelites. He, therefore, pronounced the Name of the Lord, and the +sun, moon and stars stood still. (40) The sun at first refused to +obey Joshua's behest, seeing that he was older than man by two +days. Joshua replied that there was no reason why a free-born +youth should refrain from enjoining silence upon an old slave +whom he owns, and had not God given heaven and earth to our +father Abraham? (41) Nay, more than this, had not the sun himself +bowed down like a slave before Joseph? "But," said the sun, "who +will praise God if I am silent?" (42) Whereupon Joshua: "Be thou +silent, and I will intone a song of praise." (43) And he sang thus: + +1. Thou hast done mighty things, O Lord, Thou has performed +great deeds. Who is like unto Thee? My lips shall sing unto Thy +name. + +2. My goodness and my fortress, my refuge, I will sing a new song +unto Thee, with thanksgiving I will sing unto Thee, Thou art the +strength of my salvation. + +3. All the kings of the earth shall praise Thee, the princes of the +world shall sing unto Thee, the children of Israel shall rejoice in +Thy salvation, they shall sing and praise Thy power. + +4. In Thee, O God, did we trust; we said, Thou art our God, for +Thou wast our shelter and our strong tower against our enemies. + +5. To Thee we cried, and we were not ashamed; in Thee we +trusted, and we were delivered; when we cried unto Thee, Thou +didst hear our voice, Thou didst deliver our souls from the sword. + +6. Thou hast shown unto us Thy mercy, Thou didst give unto us +Thy salvation, Thou didst rejoice our hearts with Thy strength. + +7. Thou wentest forth for our salvation; with the strength of Thy +arm Thou didst redeem Thy people; Thou did console us from the +heavens of Thy holiness, Thou didst save us from tens of +thousands. + +8. Sun and moon stood still in heaven, and Thou didst stand in Thy +wrath against our oppressors, and Thou didst execute Thy +judgements upon them. + +9. All the princes of the earth stood up, the kings of the nations had +gathered themselves together, they were not moved at Thy +presence, they desired Thy battles. + +10. Thou didst rise against them in Thine anger, and Thou didst +bring down Thy wrath upon them, Thou didst destroy them in Thy +fury, and Thou didst ruin them in Thy rage. + +11. Nations raged from fear of Thee, kingdoms tottered because of +Thy wrath, Thou didst wound kings in the day of Thine anger. + +12. Thou didst pour out Thy fury upon them, Thy wrathful anger +took hold of them, Thou didst turn their iniquity upon them, and +Thou didst cut them off in their wickedness. + +13. They spread a trap, they fell therein, in the net they hid their +foot was caught. + +14. Thine hand found all Thine enemies, who said, through their +sword they possessed the land, through their arm thy dwelt in the +city. + +15. Thou didst fill their faces with shame, Thou didst bring their +horns down to the ground. + +16. Thou didst terrify them in Thy wrath, and thou didst destroy +them from before Thee. + +17. The earth quaked and trembled from the noise of Thy thunder +against them; Thou didst not withhold their souls from earth, and +Thou didst bring down their lives to the grave. + +18. Thou didst pursue them in Thy storm, Thou didst consume +them in the whirlwind, Thou didst turn their rain into hail, they fell +in floods, so that they could not rise. + +19. Their carcasses were like rubbish cast out in the middle of the +streets. + +20. They were consumed, and they perished before Thee, Thou +hast delivered Thy people in Thy might. + +21. Therefore our hearts rejoice in Thee, our souls exult in Thy +salvation. + +22. Our tongues shall relate Thy might, we will sing and praise +Thy wondrous works. + +23. For Thou didst save us from our enemies, Thou didst deliver us +from those who rose up against us, Thou didst destroy them from +before us, and depress them beneath our feet. + +24. Thus shall all Thine enemies perish, O Lord, and the wicked +shall be like chaff driven by the wind, and Thy beloved shall be +like trees planted by the waters. (44) + + WAR WITH THE ARMENIANS + +Joshua's victorious course did not end with the conquest of the +land. His war with the Armenians, after Palestine was subdued, +marked the climax of his heroic deeds. Among the thirty-one kings +whom Joshua had slain, there was one whose son, Shobach by +name, was king of Armenia. With the purpose of waging war with +Joshua, he united the forty-five kings of Persia and Media, and +they were joined by the renowned hero Japheth. The allied kings in +a letter informed Joshua of their design against him as follow: +"The noble, distinguished council of the kings of Persia and Media +to Joshua, peace! Thou wolf of the desert, we well know what thou +didst to our kinsmen. Thou didst destroy our palaces; without pity +thou didst slay young and old; our fathers thou didst mow down +with the sword; and their cities thou didst turn into desert. Know, +then, that in the space of thirty days, we shall come to thee, we, the +forty-five kings, each having sixty thousand warriors under him, +all them armed with bows and arrows, girt about with swords, all +of us skilled in the ways of war, and with us the hero Japheth. +Prepare now for the combat, and say not afterward that we took +thee at unawares." + +The messenger bearing the letter arrived on the day before the +Feast of Weeks. Although Joshua was greatly wrought up by the +contents of the letter, he kept his counsel until after the feast, in +order not to disturb the rejoicing of the people. Then, at the +conclusion of the feast, he told the people of the message that had +reached him, so terrifying that even he, the veteran warrior, +trembled at the heralded approach of the enemy. Nevertheless +Joshua determined to accept the challenge. From the first words +his reply was framed to show the heathen how little their fear +possessed him whose trust was set in God. The introduction to his +epistle reads as follows: "In the Name of the Lord, the God of +Israel, who saps the strength of the iniquitous warrior, and slays +the rebellious sinner. He breaks up the assemblies of marauding +transgressors, and He gathers together in council the pious and the +just scattered abroad, He the God of all gods, the Lord of all lords, +the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God is the Lord of war! +From me, Joshua, the servant of God, and from the holy and +chosen congregation to the impious nations, who pay worship to +images, and prostrate themselves before idols: No peace unto you, +saith my God! Know that ye acted foolishly to awaken the +slumbering lion, to rouse up the lion's whelp, to excite his wrath. I +am ready to pay you your recompense. Be ye prepared to meet me, +for within a week I shall be with you to slay your warriors to a +man." + +Joshua goes on to recite all the wonders God had done for Israel, +who need fear no power on earth; and he ends his missive with the +words: "If the hero Japheth is with you, we have in the midst of us +the Hero of heroes, the Highest above all the high." + +The heathen were not a little alarmed at the tone of Joshua's letter. +Their terror grew when the messenger told of the exemplary +discipline maintained in the Isrealitish army, of the gigantic stature +of Joshua, who stood five ells high, of his royal apparel, of his +crown graven with the Name of God. At the end of seven days +Joshua appeared with twelve thousand troops. When the mother of +King Shobach, who was a powerful witch, espied the host, she +exercised her magic art, and enclosed the Isrealitish army in seven +walls. Joshua thereupon sent forth a carrier pigeon to communicate +his plight to Nabiah, the king of the trans-Jordanic tribes. He urged +him to hasten to his help and bring the priest Phinehas and the +sacred trumpets with him. Nabiah did not tarry. Before the relief +detachment arrived, his mother reported to Shobach that she +beheld a star arise out of the East against which her machinations +were vain. Shobach threw his mother from the wall, and he +himself was soon afterward killed by Nabiah. Meantime Phinehas +arrived, and, at the sound of his trumpets, the wall toppled down. +A pitched battle ensued, and the heathen were annihilated. (45) + + ALLOTMENT OF THE LAND + +At the end of seven years of warfare, (46) Joshua could at last +venture to parcel out the conquered land among the tribes. This +was the way he did it. The high priest Eleazar, attended by Joshua +and all the people, and arrayed in the Urim and Thummim, stood +before two urns. One of the urns contained the names of the tribes, +the other the names of the districts into which the land was +divided. The holy spirit caused him to exclaims "Zebulon." When +he put his hand into the first urn, lo, he drew forth the word +Zebulon, and from the other came the word Accho, meaning the +district of Accho. Thus it happened with each tribe in succession. +(47) In order that the boundaries might remain fixed, Joshua had +had the Hazubah (48) planted between the districts. The rootstock +of this plant once established in a spot, it can be extirpated only +with the greatest difficulty. The plough may draw deep furrows +over it, yet it puts forth new shoots, and grows up again amid the +grain, still marking the old division lines. (49) + +In connection with the allotment of the land Joshua issued ten +ordinances intended, in a measure, to restrict the rights in private +property: Pasturage in the woods was to be free to the public at +large. Any one was permitted to gather up bits of wood in the field. +The same permission to gather up all grasses, wherever they might +grow, unless they were in a field that had been sown with +fenugreek, which needs grass for protection. For grafting purposes +twigs could be cut from any plant except the olive-trees. Water +springs belonged to the whole town. It was lawful for any one to +catch fish in the Sea of Tiberias, provided navigation was not +impeded. The area adjacent to the outer side of a fence about a +field might be used by any passer-by to ease nature. From the close +of the harvest until the seventeenth day of Marheshwan fields +could be crossed. A traveler who lost his way among vineyards +could not be held responsible for the damage done in the effort to +recover the right path. A dead body found in a field was to be +buried on the spot where it was found. (50) + +The allotment of the land to the tribes and subdividing each +district among the tribesmen took as much time as the conquest of +the land. (51) + +When the two tribes and a half from the land beyond Jordan +returned home after an absence of fourteen years, they were not a +little astonished to hear that the boys who had been too young to +go to the wars with them had in the meantime shown themselves +worthy of the fathers. They had been successful in repulsing the +Ishmaelitish tribes who had taken advantage of the absence of the +men capable of bearing arms to assault their wives and children. +(52) + +After a leadership of twenty-eight years (53), marked with success +(54) in war and in peace, Joshua departed this life. His followers +laid the knives he had used in circumcising the Israelites (55) into +his grave, and over it they erected a pillar as a memorial of the +great wonder of the sun's standing still over Ajalon. (56) However, +the mourning for Joshua was not so great as might justly have been +expected. The cultivation of the recently conquered land so +occupied the attention of the tribes that they came nigh forgetting +the man to whom chiefly they owed their possession of it. As a +punishment for their ingratitude, God, soon after Joshua's death, +brought also the life of the high priest Eleazar and of the other +elders to a close, and the mount on which Joshua's body was +interred began to tremble, and threatened to engulf the Jews. (57) + +THE FIRST JUDGE + +After the death of Joshua the Israelites inquired to God whether +they were to go up against the Canaanites in war. They were given +the answer: "If ye are pure of heart, go forth unto the combat; but +if your hearts are sullied with sin, then refrain." They inquired +furthermore how to test the heart of the people. God ordered them +to cast lots and set apart those designated by lot, for they would be +the sinful among them. Again, when the people besought God to +give it a guide and leader, an angel answered: "Cast lots in the +tribe of Caleb." The lot designated Kenaz, and he was made prince +over Israel. (1) + +His first act was to determine by lot who were the sinners in Israel, +and what their inward thought. He declared before the people: "If I +and my house be set apart by lot, deal with us as we deserve, burn +us with fire." The people assenting, lots were cast, and 345 of the +tribe of Judah were singled out, 560 of Reuben, 775 of Simon, 150 +of Levi, 665 of Issachar, 545 of Zebulon, 380 of Gad, and 665 of +Asher, 480 of Manasseh, 448 of Ephraim, and 267 of Benhamin. +(2) So 6110 (3) persons were confined in prison, until God should +let it be know what was to be done with them. The united prayers +of Kenaz, Eleazar the high priest, and the elders of the +congregation, were answered thus: "Ask these men now to confess +their iniquity, and they shall be burnt with fire." Kenaz thereupon +exhorted them: "Ye know that Achan, the son of Zabdi, committed +the trespass of taking the anathema, but the lot fell upon him, and +he confessed his sin. Do ye likewise confess your sins, that ye may +come to life with those whom God will revive on the day of the +resurrection." (4) + +One of the sinful, a man by the name of Elah, (5) said in reply +thereto: "If thou desirest to bring forth the truth, address thyself to +each of the tribes separately." (6) Kenaz began with his own, the +tribe of Judah. The wicked of Judah confessed to the sin of +worshipping the golden calf, like unto their forefathers in the +desert. The Reubenites had burnt sacrifices to idols. The Levites +said: "We desired to prove whether the Tabernacle is holy." Those +of the tribe of Issachar replied: "We consulted idols to know what +will become of us." (7) The sinners of Zebulon: "We desired to eat +the flesh of our sons and daughters, to know whether the Lord +loves them." The Danites admitted, they had taught their children +out of the books of the Amorites, which they had hidden then +under Mount Abarim, (8) where Kenaz actually found them. The +Naphtalites confessed to the same transgression, only they had +concealed the books in the tent of Elah, and there they were found +by Kenaz. The Gadites acknowledged having led an immoral life, +and the sinners of Asher, that they had found, and had hidden +under Mount Shechem, the seven golden idols called by the +Amorites the holy nymphs the same seven idols which had been +made in a miraculous way after the deluge by the seven sinners, +Canaan, Put, Shelah, Nimrod, Elath, Diul, and Shuah. (9) They +were of precious stones from Havilah, which radiated light, +making night bright as day. Besides, they possessed a rare virtue: if +a blind Amorite kissed one of the idols, and at the same time +touched its eyes, his sight was restored. (10) After the sinners of +Asher, those of Manasseh made their confession they had +desecrated the Sabbath. The Ephraimites owned to having +sacrificed their children to Moloch. Finally, the Benjamites said: +"We desired to prove whether the law emanated from God or from +Moses." + +At the command of God these sinners and all their possessions +were burnt with fire at the brook of Pishon. Only the Amorite +books and the idols of precious stones remained unscathed. +Neither fire nor water could do them harm. Kenaz decided to +consecrate the idols to God, but a revelation came to him, saying: +"If God were to accept what has been declared anathema, why +should not man?" He was assured that God would destroy the +things over which human hands had no power. Kenaz, acting under +Divine instruction, bore them to the summit of a mountain, where +an altar was erected. The books and the idols were placed upon it, +and the people offered many sacrifices and celebrated the whole +day as a festival. During the night following, Kenaz saw dew rise +from the ice in Paradise and descend upon the books. The letters of +their writing were obliterated by it, and then an angel came and +annihilated what was left. (11) During the same night an angel +carried off the seven gems, and threw them to the bottom of the +sea. Meanwhile a second angel brought twelve other gems, +engraving the names of the twelve sons of Jacob upon them, one +name upon each. No two of these gems were alike: (12) the first, to +bear the name of Reuben, was like sardius; the second, for Simon, +like topaz; the third, Levi, like emerald; the fourth, Judah, like +carbuncle; the fifth, Issachar, like sapphire; the sixth, Zebulon, like +jasper; the seventh, Dan, like ligure; the eighth, Naphtali, like +amethyst; the ninth, Gad, like agate; the tenth, Asher, like +chrysolite; the eleventh, Joseph, like beryl; and the twelfth, +Benjamin, like onyx. + +Now God commanded Kenaz to deposit twelve stones in the holy +Ark, and there they were to remain until such time as Solomon +should build the Temple, and attach them to the Cherubim. (13) +Furthermore, this Divine communication was made to Kenaz: +"And it shall come to pass, when the sin of the children of men +shall have been completed by defiling My Temple, the Temple +they themselves shall build, that I will take these stones, together +with the tables of the law, and put them in the place whence they +were removed of old, and there they shall remain until the end of +all time, when I will visit the inhabitants of the earth. Then I will +take them up, and they shall be an everlasting light to those who +love me and keep my commandments." (14) + +When Kenaz bore the stones to the sanctuary, they illumined the +earth like unto the sun at midday. + + CAMPAIGNS OF KENAZ + +After these preparations Kenaz took the field against the enemy, +with three hundred thousand men. (15) The first day he slew eight +thousand of the foe, and the second day five thousand. But not all +the people were devoted to Kenaz. Some murmured against him, +and calumniating him, said: "Kenaz stays at home, while we +expose ourselves on the field." The servants of Kenaz reported +these words to him. He ordered the thirty-seven (16) men who had +railed against him to be incarcerated, and he swore to kill them, if +God would but grant him assistance for the sake of His people. + +Thereupon he assembled three hundred men of his attendants, +supplied them with horses, and bade them be prepared to make a +sudden attack during the night, but to tell none of the plans he +harbored in his mind. The scouts sent ahead to reconnoitre +reported that the Amorites were too powerful for him to risk an +engagement. Kenaz, however, refused to be turned away from his +intention. At midnight he and his three hundred trusty attendants +advanced upon the Amorite camp. Close upon it, he commanded +his men to halt, but to resume their march and follow him when +they should hear the notes of the trumpet. If the trumpet was not +sounded, they were to return home. + +Alone Kenaz ventured into the very camp of the enemy. Praying to +God fervently, he asked that a sign be given him: "Let this be the +sign of the salvation Thou wilt accomplish for me this day: I shall +draw my sword from its sheath, and brandish it so that it glitters in +the camp of the Amorites. If the enemy recognize it as the sword +of Kenaz, then I shall know Thou wilt deliver them into my hand; +if not, I shall understand Thou hast not granted my prayer, but dost +purpose to deliver me into the hand of the enemy for my sins." + +He heard the Amorites say: "Let us proceed to give battle to the +Israelites, for our sacred gods, the nymphs, are in their hands, and +will cause their defeat." When he heard these words, the spirit of +God came over Kenaz. He arose and swung his sword above his +head. Scarce had the Amorites seen it gleam in the air when they +exclaimed: "Verily, this is the sword of Kenaz, who has come to +inflict wounds and pain. But we know that our gods, who are held +by the Israelites, will deliver them into our hands. Up, then, to +battle!" Knowing that God had heard his petition, Kenaz threw +himself upon the Amorites, and mowed down forty-five thousand +of them, and as many perished at the hands of their own brethren, +for God had sent the angel Gabriel (17) to his aid, and he had +struck the Amorites blind, so that they fell upon one another. On +account of the vigorous blows dealt by Kenaz on all sides, his +sword stuck to his hand. A fleeing Amorite, whom he stopped, to +ask him how to loose it, advised him to slay a Hebrew, and let his +warm blood flow over his hand. Kenaz accepted his advice, but +only in part: instead of a Hebrew, he slew the Amorite himself, and +his blood freed his hand from the sword. (18) + +When Kenaz came back to his men, he found them sunk in +profound sleep, which had overtaken them that they might not see +the wonders done for their leader. They were not a little +astonished, on awakening, to behold the whole plain strewn with +the dead bodies of the Amorites. Then Kenaz said to them: "Are +the ways of God like unto the ways of man? Through me the Lord +hath sent deliverance to this people. Arise now and go back to your +tents." The people recognized that a great miracle had happened, +and they said: "Now we know that God hath wrought salvation for +His people; He hath no need of numbers, but only of holiness." + +On his return from the campaign, Kenaz was received with great +rejoicing. The whole people now gave thanks to God for having +put him over them as their leader. They desired to know how he +had won the great victory. Kenaz only answered: "Ask those who +were with me about my deeds." His men were thus forced to +confess that they knew nothing, only, on awakening, they had seen +the plain full of dead bodies, without being able to account for +their being there. Then Kenaz turned to the thirty-seven men +imprisoned, before he left for the war, for having cast aspersions +upon him. "Well," he said, "what charge have you to make against +me?" Seeing that death was inevitable, they confessed they were of +the sort of sinners whom Kenaz and the people had executed, and +God had now surrendered them to him on account of their +misdeeds. They, too, were burnt with fire. + +Kenaz reigned for a period of fifty-seven years. When he felt his +end draw nigh, he summoned the two prophets, Phinehas and +Jabez, (19) together with the priest Phinehas, the son of Eleazar. +To these he spake: "I know the heart of this people, it will turn +from following after the Lord. Therefore do I testify against it." +Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, replied: "As Moses and Joshua +testified, so do I testify against it; for Moses and Joshua +prophesied concerning the vineyard, the beautiful planting of the +Lord, which knew not who had planted it, and did not recognize +Him who cultivated it, so that the vineyard was destroyed, and +brought forth no fruit. These are the words my father commanded +me to say unto this people." + +Kenaz broke out into loud wailing, and with him the elders and the +people, and they wept until eventide, saying: "Is it for the iniquity +of the sheep that the shepherd must perish? May the Lord have +compassion upon His inheritance that it may not work in vain." + +The spirit of God descended upon Kenaz, and he beheld a vision. +He prophesied that this world would continue to exist only seven +thousand years, to be followed then by the Kingdom of Heaven. +These words spoken, the prophetical spirit departed from him, and +he straightway forgot what he had uttered during his vision. Before +he passed away, he spoke once more, saying: "If such be the rest +which the righteous obtain after their death, it were better for them +to die than live in this corrupt world and see its iniquities." (20) + +As Kenaz left no male heirs, Zebul was appointed his successor. +Mindful of the great service Kenaz had performed for the nation, +Zebul acted a father's part toward the three unmarried daughters of +his predecessor. At his instance, the people assigned a rich +marriage portion to each of them; they were given great domains +as their property. The oldest of the three, Ethema by name, he +married to Elizaphan; the second, Pheila, to Odihel; and the +youngest, Zilpah, to Doel. + +Zebul, the judge, instituted a treasury at Shiloh. He bade the +people bring contributions, whether of gold or of silver. They were +only to take heed not to carry anything thither that had originally +belonged to an idol. His efforts were crowned with success. The +free-will offerings to the temple treasure amounted to twenty +talents of gold and two hundred and fifty talents of silver. + +Zebul's reign lasted twenty-five years. Before his death he +admonished the people solemnly to be God-fearing and observant +of the law. (21) + + OTHNIEL + +Othniel was a judge of a very different type. His contemporaries +said, that before the sun of Joshua went down, the sun of Othniel, +his successor in the leadership of the people , appeared on the +horizon. The new leader's real name was Judah; Othniel was one +of his epithets, as Jabez was another. (22) + +Among the judges, Othniel represents the class of scholars. His +acumen was so great that he was able, by dint of dialect reasoning, +to restore the seventeen hundred traditions (23) which Moses had +taught the people, and which had been forgotten in the time of +mourning for Moses. Nor was his zeal for the promotion of the +study of the Torah inferior to his learning. The descendants of +Jethro left Jericho, the district assigned to them, and journeyed to +Arad, only that thy might sit at the feed to Othniel. (24) His wife, +the daughter of his half-brother Caleb, was not so well pleased +with him. She complained to her father that her husband's house +was bare of all earthly goods, and his only possession was +knowledge of the Torah. (25) + +The first event to be noted in Othniel's forty years' reign (26) is his +victory over Adoni-bezek. This chief did not occupy a prominent +position among the Canaanitish rulers. He was not even accounted +a king, nevertheless he had conquered seventy foreign kings. (27) +The next event was the capture of Luz by the Israelites. The only +way to gain entrance into Luz was by a cave, and the road to the +cave lay through a hollow almond tree. If the secret approach to +the city had not been betrayed by one of its residents, it would +have been impossible for the Israelites to reach it. God rewarded +the informer who put the Israelites in the way of capturing Luz. +The city he founded was left unmolested both by Sennacherib and +Nebuchadnezzar, and not event the Angel of Death has power over +its inhabitants. They never die, unless, weary of life, they leave the +city. (28) + +The same good fortune did not mark Othniel's reign throughout. +For eight years Israel suffered oppression at the hands of Cushan, +the evil-doer who in former days had threatened to destroy the +patriarch Jacob, as he was now endeavoring to destroy the +descendants of Jacob, for Cushan is only another name for Laban. +(29) + +Othniel, however, was held so little answerable for the causes that +had brought on the punishment of the people, that God granted +him eternal life; he is one of the few who reached Paradise alive. +(30) + + BOAZ AND RUTH + +The story of Ruth came to pass a hundred (31) years after Othniel's +reign. Conditions in Palestine were of such a nature that if a judge +said to a man, "Remove the mote from thine eye," his reply was, +"Do thou remove the beam from thine own." (32) To chastise the +Israelites God sent down them one of the ten seasons of famine +which He had ordained, as disciplinary measures for mankind, +from the creation of the world until the advent of Messiah. (33) +Elimelech (34) and his sons, (35) who belonged to the aristocracy +of the land, attempted neither to improve (36) the sinful generation +whose transgressions had called forth the famine, nor alleviated +the distress that prevailed about them. They left Palestine, and thus +withdrew themselves from the needy who had counted upon their +help. They turned their faced to Moab. (37) There, on account of +their wealth and high descent, they were made officers in the army. +(38) Mahlon and Chilion, the sons of Elimelech, rose to still higher +distinction, they married the daughters of the Moabite king Eglon +(39) But this did not happen until after the death of Elimelech, +who was opposed to intermarriage with the heathen. (40) Neither +the wealth nor the family connections of the two men helped them +before God. First they sank into poverty, and, as they continued in +their sinful ways, God took their life. (41) + +Naomi, their mother, resolved to return to her home. Her two +daughters-in-law were very dear to her on account of the love they +had borne her sons, a love strong even in death, for they refused to +marry again. (42) Yet she would not take them with her to +Palestine, because she foresaw contemptuous treatment in store for +them as Moabitish women. (43) Orpah was easily persuaded to +remain behind. She accompanied her mother-in-law a distance of +four miles, and then she took leave of her, shedding only four tears +as she bade her farewell. Subsequent events showed that she had +not been worthy of entering into the Jewish communion, for +scarcely had she separated from Naomi when she abandoned +herself to an immoral life. But with God nothing goes unrewarded. +For the four miles which Orpah travelled with Naomi, she was +recompensed by bringing forth four giants, Goliath and his three +brothers. (44) + +Ruth's bearing and history were far different. She was determined +to become a Jewess, and her decision could not be shaken by what +Naomi, in compliance with the Jewish injunction, told her of the +difficulties of the Jewish law. Naomi warned her that the Israelites +had been enjoined to keep Sabbaths and feast days, (45) and that +the daughters of Israel were not in the habit of frequenting the +threatres and circuses of the heathen. Ruth only affirmed her +readiness to follow Jewish customs. (46) And when Naomi said: +"We have one Torah, one law, one command; the Eternal our God +is one, there is none beside Him," Ruth answered: "Thy people +shall be my people, thy God my God." (47) So the two women +journeyed together to Bethlehem. They arrived there on the very +day on which the wife of Boaz was buried, and the concourse +assembled for the funeral saw Naomi as she returned to her home. +(48) + +Ruth supported herself and her mother-in-law sparsely with the +ears of grain which she gathered in the fields. Association with so +pious a woman as Naomi (49) had already exercised great +influence upon her life and ways. Boaz was astonished to notice +that if the reapers let more than two ears fall, in spite of her need +she did not pick them up, for the gleaning assigned to the poor by +law does not refer to quantities of more than two ears inadvertently +dropped at one time. (50) Boaz also admired her grace, her +decorous conduct, her modest demeanor. (51) When he learned +who she was, he commended her for her attachment to Judaism. +To his praise she returned: "Thy ancestors found no delight even in +Timna, (52) the daughter of a royal house. As for me, I am a +member of a low people, abominated by thy God, and excluded +from the assembly of Israel." For the moment Boaz failed to +recollect the Halakah bearing on the Moabites and Ammonites. A +voice from heaven reminded him that only their males were +affected by the command of exclusion. (53) This he told to Ruth, +and he also told her of a vision he had had concerning her +descendants. For the sake of the good she had done to her +mother-in-law, kings and prophets would spring from her womb. +(54) + +Boaz showed kindness not only to Ruth and Naomi, but also to +their dead. He took upon himself the decent burial of the remains +of Elimelech and his two sons. (55) All this begot in Naomi the +thought that Boaz harbored the intention of marrying Ruth. She +sought to coax the secret, if such there was, from Ruth. (56) When +she found that nothing could be elicited from her daughter-in-law, +she made Ruth her partner in a plan to force Boaz into a decisive +step. Ruth adhered to Naomi's directions in every particular, +except that she did not wash and anoint herself and put on fine +raiment, until after she had reached her destination. She feared to +attract the attention of the lustful, if she walked along the road +decked out in unusual finery. (57) + +The moral conditions in those days were very reprehensible. +Though Boaz was high-born and a man of substance, yet he slept +on the threshing-floor, so that his presence might act as a check +upon profligacy. In the midst of his sleep, Boaz was startled to find +some one next to him. At first he thought it was a demon. Ruth +calmed his disquietude (58) with these words: "Thou art the head +of the court, thy ancestors were princes, thou art thyself an +honorable man, and a kinsman of my dead husband. As for me, +who am in the flower of my years, since I left the home of my +parents where homage is rendered unto idols, I have been +constantly menaced by the dissolute young men around. (59) So I +have come hither that thou, who art the redeemer, mayest spread +out thy skirt over me." (60) Boaz gave her the assurance that if his +older brother Tob (61) failed her, he would assume the duties of a +redeemer. The next day he came before the tribunal of the +Sanhedrin (62) to have the matter adjusted. Tob soon made his +appearance, for an angel led him to the place where he was +wanted, (63) that Boaz and Ruth might not have long to wait. Tob, +who was not learned in the Torah, did not know that the +prohibition against the Moabites had reference only to males. +Therefore, he declined to marry Ruth. (64) So she was taken to +wife (65) by the octogenarian (66) Boaz. Ruth herself was forty +years old (67) at the time of her second marriage, and it was +against all expectations that her union with Boaz should be blessed +with offspring, a son Obed the pious. (68) Ruth lived to see the +glory of Solomon, but Boaz died on the day after the wedding. (69) + + DEBORAH + +Not long after Ruth, another ideal woman arose in Israel, the +prophetess Deborah. + +When Ehud died, there was none to take his place as judge, and +the people fell off from God and His law. God, therefore, sent an +angel to them with the following message: "Out of all the nations +on earth, I chose a people for Myself, and I thought, so long as the +world stands, My glory will rest upon them. I sent Moses unto +them, My servant, to teach them goodness and righteousness. But +they strayed from My ways. And now I will arouse their enemies +against them, to rule over them, and they will cry out: 'Because we +forsook the ways of our fathers, hath this come over us.' Then I +will send a woman unto them, and she will shine for them as a +light for forty years." (70) + +The enemy whom God raised up against Israel was Jabin, (71) the +king of Hazor, who oppressed him sorely. But worse than the king +himself was his general Sisera, one of the greatest heroes know to +history. When he was thirty years old, he had conquered the whole +world. At the sound of his voice the strongest of walls fell in a +heap, and the wild animals in the woods were chained to the spot +by fear. The proportions of his body were vast beyond description. +If he took a bath in the river, and dived beneath the surface, +enough fish were caught in his beard to feed a multitude, and it +required no less than nine hundred horses to draw the chariot in +which he rode. (72) + +To rid Israel of this tyrant, God appointed Deborah and her +husband Barak. Barak was an ignoramus, like most of his +contemporaries. It was a time singularly deficient to scholars. (73) +In order to do something meritorious in connection with the Divine +service, he carried candles, at his wife's instance, to the sanctuary, +wherefrom he was called Lipidoth, "Flames." Deborah was in the +habit of making the wicks on the candles very thick, so that they +might burn a long time. Therefore God distinguished her. He said: +"Thou takest pains to shed light in My house, and I will let thy +light, thy flame, shine abroad in the whole land." Thus it happened +that Deborah became a prophetess and a judge. She dispensed +judgement in the open air, for it was not becoming that men should +visit a woman in her house. (74) + +Prophetess though she was, she was yet subject to the frailties of +her sex. Her self-consciousness was inordinate. She sent for Barak +(75) to come to her instead of going to him, (76) and in her song +she spoke more of herself than was seemly. The result was that the +prophetical spirit departed from her for a time while she was +composing her song. (77) + +The salvation of Israel was effected only after the people, +assembled on the Mount of Judah, had confessed their sins +publicly before God and besought His help. A seven days' fast was +proclaimed for men and women, for young and old. Then God +resolved to help the Israelites, not for their sakes, but for the sake +of keeping the oath he had sworn to their forefathers, never to +abandon their seed. Therefore He sent Deborah unto them. (78) + +The task allotted to Deborah and Barak, to lead the attack upon +Sisera, was by no means slight. It is comparable with nothing less +than Joshua's undertaking to conquer Canaan. Joshua had +triumphed over only thirty-one of the sixty-two kings of Palestine, +leaving at large as many as he had subdued. Under the leadership +of Sisera these thirty-one unconquered kings opposed Israel. (79) +No less than forty thousand armies, each counting a hundred +thousand warriors, were arrayed against Deborah and Barak. (80) +God aided Israel with water and fire. The river Kishon and all the +fiery hosts of heaven (81) except the star Meros (82) fought +against Sisera. The Kishon had long before been pledged to play +its part in Sisera's overthrow. When the Egyptians were drowned in +the Red Sea, God commanded the Angel of the Sea to cast their +corpses on the land, that the Israelites might convince themselves +of the destruction of their foes, and those of little faith might not +say afterward that the Egyptians like the Israelites had reached dry +land. The Angel of the Sea complained of the impropriety of +withdrawing a gift. God mollified him with the promise of future +compensation. The Kishon was offered as security that he would +received half as many bodies again as he was now giving up. +When Sisera's troops sought relief from the scorching fire of the +heavenly bodies in the coolness of the waters of the Kishon, God +commanded the river to redeem its pledge. And so the heathen +were swept down into the Sea by the waves of the river Kishon, +whereat the fishes in the Sea exclaimed: "And the truth of the Lord +endureth forever." (83) + +Sisera's lot was no better than the lot of the men. He fled from the +battle on horseback (84) after witnessing the annihilation of his +vast army. When Jael saw him approach, she went to meet him +arrayed in rich garments and jewels. She was unusually beautiful, +and her voice was the most seductive ever a woman possessed. +(85) These are the words she addressed to him: "Enter and refresh +thyself with food, and sleep until evening, and then I will send my +attendants with thee to accompany thee, for I know thou wilt not +forget me, and thy recompense will not fail." When Sisera, on +stepping into her tent, saw the bed strewn with roses which Jael +had prepared for him, he resolved to take her home to his mother +as his wife, as soon as his safety should be assured. + +He asked her for milk to drink, saying: "My soul burns with the +flame which I saw in the stars contending for Israel." Jael went +forth to milk her goat, meantime supplicating God to grant her His +help: "I pray to Thee, O Lord, to strengthen Thy maid-servant +against the enemy. By this token shall I know that Thou wilt aid +me if, when I enter the house, Sisera will awaken and ask for +water to drink." Scarcely had Jael crossed the threshold when +Sisera awakened and begged for water to quench his burning thirst. +Jael gave him wine mixed with water, which caused him to drop +into a sound sleep again. The woman then took a wooden spike in +her left hand, approached the sleeping warrior, and said: "This +shall be the sign that Thou wilt deliver him into my hand if I +draw him from the bed down on the ground without awaking him." +She tugged at Sisera, and in very truth he did not awaken even +when he dropped from the bed to the floor. Then Jael prayed: "O +God, strengthen the arm of Thy maid-servant this day, for Thy +sake, for the sake of Thy people, and for the sake of those that +hope in Thee." With a hammer she drove the spike into the temple +of Sisera, who cried out as he was expiring: "O that I should lose +my life by the hand of a woman!" Jael's mocking retort was: +"Descend to hell and join thy fathers, and tell them that thou didst +fall by the hand of a woman." (86) + +Barak took charge of the body of the dead warrior, and he sent it to +Sisera's mother, Themac, (87) with the message: "Here is thy son, +whom thou didst expect to see returning laden with booty." He had +in mind the vision of Themac and her women-in-waiting. When +Sisera went forth to battle, their conjuring tricks had shown him to +them as he lay on the bed of a Jewish woman. This they had +interpreted to mean that he would return with Jewish captives. +"One damsel, two damsels for ever man." (88) they had said. +Great, therefore, was the disappointment of Sisera's mother. No +less than a hundred cries did she utter over him. (89) + +Deborah and Barak thereupon intoned a song of praise, thanking +God for the deliverance of Israel out of the power of Sisera, and +reviewing the history of the people since the time of Abraham. +(90) + +After laboring for the weal of her nation for forty years, Deborah +departed this life. Her last words to the weeping people were an +exhortation not to depend upon the dead. They can do nothing for +the living. So long as a man is alive, his prayers are efficacious for +himself and for others. They avail naught once he is dead. + +The whole nation kept a seventy days' period of mourning in honor +of Deborah, and the land was at peace for seven years. (91) + + GIDEON + +Elated by the victory over Sisera, Israel sang a hymn of praise, the +song of Deborah, and God, to reward them for their pious +sentiments, pardoned the transgression of the people. (92) But they +soon slipped back into the old ways, and the old troubles harassed +them. Their backsliding was due to the witchcraft of a Midianite +priest named Aud. He made the sun shine at midnight, and so +convinced the Israelites that the idols of Midian were mightier +than God, and God chastised them by delivering them into the +hands of the Midianties. (93) They worshipped their own images +reflected in the water, (94) and they were stricken with dire +poverty. They could not bring so much as a meal offering, the +offering of the poor. (95) On the eve of one Passover, Gideon +uttered the complaint: "Where are all the wondrous works which +God did for our fathers in this night, when he slew the first-born of +the Egyptians, and Israel went forth from slavery with joyous +hearts?" God appeared unto him, and said: "Thou who art +courageous enough to champion Israel, thou art worthy that Israel +should be saved for thy sake." (96) + +An angel appeared, and Gideon begged him for a sign, that he +would achieve the deliverance of Israel. He excused his petition +with the precedent of Moses, the first prophet, who likewise has +asked for a sign. The angel bade him pour water on the rock, and +then gave him the choice of how he would have the water +transformed. Gideon desired to see one-half changed into blood, +and one-half into fire. Thus it happened. The blood and the fire +mingled with each other, yet the blood did not quench the fire, nor +did the fire dry out the blood. Encouraged by this and other signs, +(97) Gideon undertook to carry on the war against the Midianites +with a band of three hundred God-fearing men, and he was +successful. Of the enemy one hundred and twenty thousand +corpses covered the field, and all the rest fled precipitately. (98) + +Gideon enjoyed the privilege of bringing salvation to Israel +because he was a good son. His old father feared to thresh his grain +on account of the Midianites, and Gideon once went out to him in +the field and said: "Father, thou art too old to do this work; go thou +home, and I shall finish thy task for thee. If the Midianites should +surprise me out here, I can run away, which thou canst not do, on +account of thy age." (99) + +The day on which Gideon gained his great victory was during the +Passover, and the cake of barley bread that turned the camp of the +enemy upside down, of which the Midianite dreamed, was a sign +that God would espouse the cause of His people to reward them +for bringing a cake of barley bread as an 'Omer offering. (100) + +After God had favored Israel with great help through him, Gideon +had an ephod made. In the high priest's breastplate, Joseph was +represented among the twelve tribes by Ephraim alone, not by +Manasseh, too. To wipe out this slight upon his own tribe, Gideon +made an ephod bearing the name of Manasseh. He consecrated it +to God, but after his death homage was paid to it as an idol. (101) +In those days the Israelites were so addicted to the worship of +Beelzebub that they constantly carried small images of this god +with them in their pockets, and every now and then they were in +the habit of bringing the image forth and kissing it fervently. (102) +Of such idolaters were the vain and light fellows who helped +Abimelech, the son of Gideon by his concubine from Shechem, to +assassinate the other sons of his father. But God is just. As +Abimelech murdered his brothers upon a stone, so Abimelech +himself met his death through a millstone. It was proper, then, that +Jotham, in his parable, should compare Abimelech to a thorn-bush, +while he characterized his predecessors, Othniel, Deborah, and +Gideon, as an olive-tree, or a fig-tree, or a vine. This Jotham, the +youngest of the sons of Gideon, was more than a teller of parables. +He knew then that long afterward the Samaritans would claim +sanctity for Mount Gerizim, on account of the blessing pronounced +from it upon the tribe. For this reason he chose Gerizim from +which to hurl his curse upon Shechem and it inhabitants. (103) + +The successor to Abimelech equalled, if he did not surpass, him in +wickedness. Jair erected an altar unto Baal, and on penalty of +death he forced the people to prostrate themselves before it. Only +seven men remained firm in the true faith, and refused to the last +to commit idolatry. Their names were Deuel, Abit Yisreel, +Jekuthiel, Shalom, Ashur, Jehonadab, and Shemiel. (104) They +said to Jair: "We are mindful of the lessons given us by our +teachers and our mother Deborah. 'Take ye heed,' they said, 'that +your heart lead you not astray to the right or to the left. Day and +night ye shall devote yourselves to the study of the Torah.' Why, +then, dost thou seek to corrupt the people of the Lord, saying, 'Baal +is God, let us worship him'? If he really is what thou sayest, then +let him speak like a god, and we will pay him worship." For the +blasphemy they had uttered against Baal, Jair commanded that the +seven men be burnt. When his servants were about to carry out his +order, God sent the angel Nathaniel, the lord over the fire, and he +extinguished the fire though not before the servants of Jair were +consumed by it. Not only did the seven men escape the danger of +suffering death by fire, but the angel enabled them to flee +unnoticed, by striking all the people present with blindness. Then +the angel approached Jair, and said to him: "Hear the words of the +Lord ere thou diest. I appointed thee as prince over my people, and +thou didst break My covenant, seduce My people, and seek to burn +My servants with fire, but they were animated and freed by the +living, the heavenly fire. As for thee, thou wilt die, and die by fire, +a fire in which thou wilt abide forever." + +Thereupon the angel burnt him with a thousand men, whom he had +taken in the act of paying homage to Baal. (105) + + JEPHTHAH + +The first judge of any importance after Gideon was Jephthah. He, +too, fell short of being the ideal Jewish ruler. His father had +married a woman of another tribe, an unusual occurrence in a time +when a woman who left her tribe was held in contempt.(106) +Jephthah, the offspring of this union, had to bear the consequences +of his mother's irregular conduct. So many annoyances were put +upon him that he was forced to leave his home and settle in a +heathen district. (107) + +At first Jephthah refused to accept the rulership which the people +offered him in an assembly at Mizpah, for he had not forgotten the +wrongs to which he had been subjected. In the end, however, he +yielded, and placed himself at the head of the people in the war +against Getal, the king of the Ammonites. At his departure, he +vowed before God to sacrifice to Him whatsoever came forth out +of the doors of his house to meet him when he returned a victor +from the war. + +God was angry and said: "So Jephthah has vowed to offer unto me +the first thing that shall meet him! If a dog were the first to meet +him, would a dog be sacrificed to me? Now shall the vow of +Jephthah be visited on his first-born, on his own offspring, yea, his +prayer shall be visited on his only daughter. But I assuredly shall +deliver my people, not for Jephthah's sake, but for the sake of the +prayers of Israel." + +The first to meet him after his successful campaign was his +daughter Sheilah. Overwhelmed by anguish, the father cried out: +"Rightly was the name Sheilah, the one who is demanded, given to +thee, that thou shouldst be offered up as a sacrifice. Who shall set +my heart in the balance and my soul as the weight, that I may stand +and see whether that which happened to me is joy or sorrow? But +because I opened my mouth to the Lord, and uttered a vow, I +cannot take it back." Then Sheilah spoke, saying: "Why dost thou +grieve for my death, since the people was delivered? Dost thou not +remember what happened in the day of our forefathers, when the +father offered his son as a burnt offering, and the son did not +refuse, but consented gladly, and the offerer and the offered were +both full of joy? Therefore, do as thou hast spoken. But before I +die I will ask a favor of thee. Grant me that I may go with my +companions upon the mountains, sojourn among the hills, and +tread upon the rocks to shed my tears and deposit there the grief +for my lost youth. The trees of the field shall weep for me, and the +beasts of the field mourn for me. I do not grieve for my death, nor +because I have to yield up my life, but because when my father +vowed his heedless vow, he did not have me in mind. I fear, +therefore, that I may not be an acceptable sacrifice, and that my +death shall be for nothing." Sheilah and her companions went forth +and told her case to the sages of the people, but none of them +could give her any help. Then she went up to Mount Telag, where +the Lord appeared to her at night, saying unto her: "I have closed +the mouth of the sages of my people in this generation, that they +cannot answer the daughter of Jephthah a word; that my vow be +fulfilled and nothing of what I have thought remain undone. I +know her to be wiser than her father, and all the wise men, and +now her soul shall be accepted at her request, and her death shall +be very precious before My face all the time." Sheilah began to +bewail her fate in these words: "Hearken, ye mountains, to my +lamentations, and ye hills, to the tears of my eyes, and ye rocks, +testify to the weeping of my soul. My words will go up to heaven, +and my tears will be written in the firmament. I have not been +granted the joy of wedding, nor was the wreath of my betrothal +completed. I have not been decked with ornaments, nor have I +been scented with myrrh and with aromatic perfumes. I have not +been anointed with the oil that was prepared for me. Alas, O +mother, it was in vain thou didst give birth to me, the grave was +destined to be my bridal chamber. The oil thou didst prepare for +me will be spilled, and the white garments my mother sewed for +me, the moth will eat them; the bridal wreath my nurse wound for +me will wither, and my garments in blue and purple, the worms +will destroy them, and my companions will all their days lament +over me. And now, ye trees, incline your branches and weep over +my youth; ye beasts of the forest, come and trample upon my +virginity, for my years are cut off, and the days of my life grow old +in darkness." (108) + +Her lamentations were of as little avail as her arguments with her +father. In vain she sought to prove to him from the Torah that the +law speaks only of animal sacrifices, never of human sacrifices. In +vain she cited the example of Jacob, who had vowed to give God a +tenth of all the possessions he owned, and yet did not attempt later +to sacrifice one of his sons. Jephthah was inexorable. All he would +yield was a respite during which his daughter might visit various +scholars, who were to decide whether he was bound by his vow. +According to the Torah his vow was entirely invalid. He was not +even obliged to pay his daughter's value in money. But the scholars +of his time had forgotten this Halakah, and they decided that he +must keep his vow. The forgetfulness of the scholars was of God, +ordained as a punishment upon Jephthah for having slaughtered +thousands of Ephraim. + +One man there was living at the time who, if he had been +questioned about the case, would have been able to give a +decision. This was the high priest Phinehas. But he said proudly: +"What! I, a high priest, the son of a high priest, should humiliate +myself and go to an ignoramus!" Jephthah on the other hand said: +"What! I, the chief of the tribes of Israel, the first prince of the +land, should humiliate myself and go to one of the rank and file!" +So only the rivalry between Jephthah and Phinehas caused the loss +of a young life. Their punishment did not miss them. Jephthah dies +a horrible death. Limb by limb his body was dismembered. As for +the high priest, the holy spirit departed from him, and he had to +give up his priestly dignity. (109) + +As it had been Jephthah's task to ward off the Ammonites, so his +successor Abdon was occupied with protecting Israel against the +Moabites. The king of Moab sent messengers to Abdon, and they +spoke thus: "Thou well knowest that Israel took possession of +cities that belonged to me. Return them." Abdon's reply was: +"Know ye not how the Ammonites fared? The measure of Moab's +sins, it seems, out against the enemy, slew forty-five thousand of +their number, and routed the rest. (110) + + SAMSON + +The last judge but one, Samson, was not the most important of the +judges, but he was the greatest hero of the period and, except +Goliath, the greatest hero of all times. He was the son of Manoah +of the tribe of Dan, and his wife Zelalponit (111) of the tribe of +Judah, (112) and he was born to them at a time when they had +given up all hope of having children. Samson's birth is a striking +illustration of the shortsightedness of human beings. The judge +Ibzan had not invited Manoah and Zelalponit to any of the one +hundred and twenty feasts in honor of the marriage of his sixty +children, which were celebrated at his house and at the house of +their parents-in-law, because he thought that "the sterile she-mule" +would never be in a position to repay his courtesy. It turned out +that Samson's parents were blessed with an extraordinary son, +while Ibzan saw his sixty children die during his lifetime. (113) + +Samson's strength was superhuman, (114) and the dimensions of +his body were gigantic he measured sixty ells between the +shoulders. Yet he had one imperfection, he was maimed in both +feet. (115) The first evidence of his gigantic strength he gave when +he uprooted two great mountains, and rubbed them against each +other. Such feats he was able to perform as often as the spirit of +God was poured out over him. Whenever this happened, it was +indicated by his hair. In began to move and emit a bell-like sound, +which could be heard far off. Besides, while the spirit rested upon +him, he was able with one stride to cover a distance equal to that +between Zorah and Eshtaol. (116) It was Samson's supernatural +strength that made Jacob think that he would be the Messiah. +When God showed him Samson's latter end, then he realized that +the new era would not be ushered in by the hero-judge. (117) + +Samson won his first victory over the Philistines by means of the +jawbone of the ass on which Abraham had made his way to Mount +Moriah. It had been preserved miraculously. (118) After this +victory a great wonder befell. Samson was at the point of perishing +from thirst, when water began to flow from his own mouth as from +a spring. (119) + +Besides physical prowess, Samson possessed also spiritual +distinctions. He was unselfish to the last degree. He had been of +exceeding great help to the Israelites, but he never asked the +smallest service for himself. (120) When Samson told Delilah that +he was a "Nazarite unto God," she was certain that he had divulged +the true secret of his strength. She knew his character too well to +entertain the idea that he would couple the name of God with an +untruth. There was a weak side to his character, too. He allowed +sensual pleasures to dominate him. The consequences was that "he +who went astray after his eyes, lost his eyes." Even this severe +punishment produced no change of heart. He continued to lead his +old life of profligacy in prison, and he was encouraged thereto by +the Philistines, who set aside all considerations of family purity in +the hope of descendants who should be the equals of Samson in +giant strength and stature. (121) + +As throughout life Samson had given proofs of superhuman power, +so in the moment of death. He entreated God to realize in him the +blessing of Jacob, (122) and endow him with Divine strength. +(123) He expired with these words upon his lips: "O Master of the +world! Vouchsafe unto me in this life a recompense for the loss of +one of my eyes. For the loss of the other I will wait to be rewarded +in the world to come." Even after his death Samson was a shield +unto the Israelites. Fear of him had so cowed the Philistines that +for twenty years they did not dare attack the Israelites. (124) + + THE CRIME OF THE BENJAMITES + +A part of the money which Delilah received from the Philistine +lords as the price of Samson's secret, she gave to her son Micah, +and he used it to make an idol for himself. (125) This sin was the +more unpardonable as Micah owed his life to a miracle performed +by Moses. During the times of the Egyptian oppression, if the +prescribed number of bricks was not furnished by the Israelites, +their children were used as building material. Such would have +been Micah's fate, if he had not been saved in a miraculous way. +Moses wrote down the Name of God, and put the words on +Micah's body. The dead boy came to life, and Moses drew him out +of the wall of which he made a part. (126) Micah did not show +himself worthy of the wonder done for him. Even before the +Israelites left Egypt, he made his idol, (127) and it was he who +fashioned the golden calf. At the time of Othniel the judge, (128) +he took up his abode at a distance of not more than three miles +from the sanctuary at Shiloh, (129) and won over the grandson of +Moses (130) to officiate as priest before his idol. + +The sanctuary which Micah erected harbored various idols. He had +three images of boys, and three of calves, one lion, an eagle, a +dragon, and a dove. When a man came who wanted a wife, he was +directed to appeal to the dove. If riches were his desire, he +worshipped the eagle. For daughters both, to the calves; to the lion +for strength, and to the dragon for long life. Sacrifices and incense +alike were offered to these idols, and both had to be purchased +with cash money from Micah, even didrachms for a sacrifice, and +one for incense. (131) + +The rapid degeneration in the family of Moses may be accounted +for by the fact that Moses had married the daughter of a priest who +ministered to idols. Yet, the grandson of Moses was not an idolater +of ordinary calibre. His sinful conduct was not without a +semblance of morality. From his grandfather he had heard the rule +that a man should do "Abodah Zarah" for hire rather than be +dependent upon his fellow-creatures. The meaning of "Abodah +Zarah" here naturally is "strange," in the sense of "unusual" work, +but he took the term in its ordinary acceptation of "service of +strange gods." (132) So far from being a whole-souled idolater, he +adopted methods calculated to harm the cause of idol worship. +Whenever any one came leading an animal with the intention of +sacrificing it, he would say: "What good can the idol do thee? It +can neither see nor hear nor speak." But as he was concerned about +his won livelihood, and did not want to offend the idolaters too +grossly, he would continue: "If thou bringest a dish of flour and a +few eggs, it will suffice." This offering he would himself eat. + +Under David he filled the position of treasurer. David appointed +him because he thought that a man who was willing to become +priest to an idol only in order to earn his bread, must be worthy of +confidence. However sincere his repentance may have been, he +relapsed into his former life when he was removed from his office +by Solomon, who filled all position with new incumbents at his +accession to the throne. Finally he abandoned his idolatrous ways +wholly, and became so pure a man that the was favored by God +with the gift of prophecy. This happened on the day on which the +man of God out of Judah came to Jeroboam, for the grandson of +Moses is none other than the old prophet at Beth-el who invited +the man of God out of Judah to come to his house. (133) + +The mischief done by Micah spread further and further. Especially +the Benjamites distinguished themselves for their zeal in paying +homage to his idols. God therefore resolved to visit the sins of +Israel and Benjamin upon them. The opportunity did not delay to +come. It was not long before the Benjamites committed the +outrage of Gibeah. Before the house of Bethac, a venerable old +man, they imitated the disgraceful conduct of the Sodomites +before the house of Lot. When the other tribes exacted amends +from the Benjamites, and were denied satisfaction, bloody combats +ensued. At first the Benjamites prevailed, in spit of the fact that the +Urim and Thummim questioned by Phinehas had encouraged the +Israelites to take up the conflict, with the words: "Up to war, I shall +deliver them into your hands." After the tribes had again and again +suffered defeat, they recognized the intention of God, to betray +them as a punishment for their sins. They therefore ordained a day +of fasting and convocation before the holy Ark, and Phinehas the +son of Eleazar entreated God in their behalf: "What means this, +that Thou leadest us astray? Is the deed of the Benjamites right in +Thine eyes? Then why didst Thou not command us to desist from +the combat? But if what our brethren have done is evil in Thy +sight, then why dost Thou cause us to fall before them in battle? O +God of our fathers, hearken unto my voice. Make it known this day +unto Thy servant whether the war waged with Benjamin is +pleasing in Thine eyes, or whether thou desirest to punish Thy +people for its sins. Then the sinners among us will amend their +ways. I am mindful of what happened in the days of my youth, at +the time of Moses. In the zeal of my soul I slew two for the sin of +Zimri, and when his well-wishers sought to kill me, Thou didst +send an angel, who cut off twenty-four thousand of them and +delivered me. But now eleven of Thy tribes have gone forth to do +Thy bidding, to avenge and slay, and, lo, they have themselves +been slain, so that they are made to believe that Thy revelations +are lying and deceitful. O Lord, God of our forefathers, naught is +hidden before Thee. Make it manifest why this misfortune has +overtaken us." + +God replied to Phinehas at great length, setting forth why eleven +tribes had suffered so heavily. The Lord had wanted to punished +them for having permitted Micah and his mother Delilah to pursue +their evil ways undisturbed, though they were zealous beyond +measure in avenging the wrong done to the woman at Gibeah. As +soon as all those had perished who were guilty of having aided and +abetted Micah in his idolatrous practices, whether directly or +indirectly, God was willing to help them in their conflicts with the +Benjamites. + +So it came. In the battle fought soon after, seventy-five thousand +Benjamites fell slain. Only six hundred of the tribe survived. (134) +Fearing to remain in Palestine, the small band emigrated to Italy +and Germany. (135) + +At the same time the punishment promised them by God overtook +the two chief sinners. Micah lost his life by fire, and his mother +rotted alive; worms crawled from her body. (136) + +In spite of the great mischief caused by Micah, he had one good +quality, and God permitted it to plead for him when the angel +stood up against him as his accusers. He was extremely hospitable. +His house always stood wide open to the wanderer, and to his +hospitality he owed it that he was granted a share in the future +world. (137) In hell Micah is the first in the sixth division, which +is under the guidance of the angel Hadriel, and he is the only one +in the division who is spared hell tortures. (138) Micah's sons was +Jeroboam, whose golden calves were sinful far beyond anything +his father had done. (139) + +In those days God spake to Phinehas: "Thou art one hundred and +twenty years old, thou hast reached the natural term of man's life. +Go now, betake thyself to the mountain Danaben, and remain there +many years. I will command the eagles to sustain thee with food, +so that thou returnest not to men until the time when thou lockest +fast the clouds and openest them again. Then I will carry thee to +the place where those are who were before thee, and there thou +wilt tarry until I visit the world, and bring thee thither to taste of +death." (140) + +ELKANAH AND HANNAH + +The period of the Judges is linked to the period of the Kingdom by +the prophet Samuel, who anointed both Saul and David as kings. +Not only was Samuel himself a prophet, but his forebears also has +been prophets, (1) and both his parents, Elkanah and Hannah, were +endowed with the gift of prophecy. (2) Aside from this gift, +Elkanah possessed extraordinary virtue. He was a second +Abraham, the only pious man of his generation, who saved the +world from destruction when God, made wroth by the idolatry of +Micah, was on the point of annihilating it utterly. (3) His chief +merit was that he stimulated the people by his example to go on +pilgrimages to Shiloh, the spiritual centre of the nation. +Accompanied by his whole household, including kinsmen, he was +in the habit of making the three prescribed pilgrimages annually, +and though he was a man of only moderate means, (4) his retinue +was equipped with great magnificence. In all the towns through +which it passed, the procession caused commotion. The lookers-on +invariably inquired into the reason of the rare spectacle, and +Elkanah told them: "We are going to the house of the Lord at +Shiloh, for thence come forth the law. Why should you not join +us?" Such gentle, persuasive words did not fail of taking effect. In +the first year five households undertook the pilgrimage, the next +year ten, and so on until the whole town followed his example. +Elkanah chose a new route every year. Thus he touched at many +towns, and their inhabitants were led to do a pious deed. (5) + +In spite of his God-fearing ways, Elkanah's domestic life was not +perfectly happy. He had been married ten years, and his union with +Hannah had not been blessed with offspring. (6) The love he bore +his wife compensated him for his childlessness, but Hannah herself +insisted upon his taking a second wife. Peninnah embraced every +opportunity of vexing Hannah. In the morning her derisive greeting +to Hannah would be: "Dost thou not mean to rise and wash thy +children, and send them to school?" (7) Such jeers were to keep +Hannah mindful of her childlessness. Perhaps Peninnah's +intentions were laudable: she may have wanted to bring Hannah to +the point of praying to God for children. (8) However it may have +been forced from her, Hannah's petition for a son was fervent and +devout. She entreats God: "Lord of the world! Hast Thou created +aught in vain? Our eyes Thou hast destined for sight, our ears for +hearing, our mouth for speech, our nose to smell therewith, our +hands for work. Didst Thou not create these breasts above my +heart to give suck to a babe? (9) O grant me a son, that he may +draw nourishment therefrom. Lord, Thou reignest over all beings, +the mortal and the heavenly beings. The heavenly beings neither +eat nor drink, they do not propagate themselves, nor do they die, +but they live forever. Mortal man eats, drinks, propagates his kind +and dies. If, now, I am of the heavenly beings, let me live forever. +But if I belong to mortal mankind, let me do my part in +establishing the race." (10) + +Eli the high priest, who at first misinterpreted Hannah's long +prayer, dismissed her with the blessing: "May the son to be born +unto thee acquire great knowledge in the law." (11) Hannah left +the sanctuary, and at once her grief-furrowed countenance +changes. She felt beyond a doubt that the blessing of Eli would be +fulfilled. (12) + + THE YOUTH OF SAMUEL + +Hannah's prayer was heard. At the end of six months and a few +days (13) Samuel was born to her, in the nineteenth year of her +married life, (14) and the one hundred and thirtieth of her age. (15) +Samuel was of a frail constitution, (16) and required tender care +and nurture. For this reason he and his mother could not +accompany Elkanah on his pilgrimages. Hannah withheld her boy +from the sanctuary for some years. Before Samuel's birth a voice +from heaven had proclaimed that in a short time a great man +would be born, whose name would be Samuel. All men children of +that time were accordingly named Samuel. As they grew up, the +mothers were in the habit of getting together and telling of their +children's doings, in order to determine which of them satisfied the +expectations the prophecy had aroused. When the true Samuel was +born, and by his wonderful deed excelled all his companions, it +became plain to whom the word of God applied. (17) His +preeminence now being undisputed, Hannah was willing to part +with him. + +The following incident is an illustration of Samuel's unusual +qualities manifested even in infancy. He was two years old when +his mother brought him to Shiloh to leave him there permanently. +An occasion at once presented itself for the display of his learning +and acumen, which were so great as to arouse the astonishment of +the high priest Eli himself. On entering the sanctuary Samuel +noticed that they were seeking a priest to kill the sacrificial +animal. Samuel instructed the attendants that a non-priest was +permitted to kill the sacrifice. The high priest Eli appeared at the +moment when, by Samuel's directions, the sacrifice was being +killed by a non-priest. Angered by the child's boldness, he was +about to have him executed, regardless of Hannah's prayer for his +life. "Let him die," (18) he said, "I shall pray for another in his +place." Hannah replied: "I lent him to the Lord. Whatever betide, +he belongs neither to thee nor to me, but to God." (19) Only then, +after Samuel's life was secure, Hannah offered up her prayer of +thanksgiving. Beside the expression of her gratitude, it contains +also many prophecies regarding Samuel's future achievements, and +it recited the history of Israel from the beginning until the advent +of Messiah. (20) Her prayer incidentally brought relief to the Sons +of Korah. Since the earth had swallowed them, they had been +constantly sinking lower and lower. When Hannah uttered the +words, "God bringeth down to Sheol, and bringeth up," (21) they +came to a standstill in their downward course. + +Hannah was spared to witness, not only the greatness of her son, +but also the undoing of her rival. Every time Hannah bore a child, +Peninnah lost two of hers, until eight of her ten children had died, +and she would have had to surrender all, had not Hannah +interceded for her with prayer. (22) + + ELI AND HIS SONS + +Shortly (23) before Samuel entered upon his novitiate in the +sanctuary, Eli succeeded to the three highest offices in the land: he +was made high priest, president of the Sanhedrin, and ruler over +the political affairs of Israel. Eli was a pious man, and devoted to +the study of the Torah, wherefore he attained to a good old age and +to high honors. (24) In his office as high priest he was successor to +no less a personage than Phinehas, who had lost his high-priestly +dignity on account of his haughty bearing toward Jephthah. With +Eli the line of Ithamar rose to power instead of the line of Eleazar. +(25) However, the iniquitous deed of his two sons brought dire +misfortune upon Eli and upon his family, though the Scriptural +account of their conduct may not be taken literally. The sons of Eli +transgressed only in that they sometimes kept the women waiting +who came to the sanctuary to bring the purification offerings, and +so they retarded their return to their families. (26) This was bad +enough for priest of God. Their misdeeds recoiled upon their +father, who was not strict enough in rebuking them. Eli's +punishment was that he aged prematurely, and, besides, he had to +give up his various offices. + +During his lifetime, his youngest son Phinehas, the worthier of the +two, (27) officiated as high priest. The only reproach to which +Phinehas laid himself open was that he made no attempt to mend +his brother's ways. + +The worst of God's decree against Eli he learned from Elkanah, +(28) the man of God who came unto Eli, and who announced that +the high-priestly dignity would be wrested from his house, and +once more conferred upon the family of Eleazar, and, furthermore, +his descendant would all die in their prime. The latter doom can be +averted by good deeds, devotion in prayer, and zealous study of the +Torah. These means were often employed successfully. (29) But +against the loss of the high priest's office there is no specific. The +house of Eli forfeited it irrevocably. Abiathar, the great-grandson +of Eli's son Phinehas, (30) the last of the high priest of the line of +Ithamar, had to submit to the fate of seeing David transfer his +dignity to Zadok, in whose family it remained forever. + +The sons of Eli brought misfortune also upon the whole of Israel. +To their sins and the ease with which the people condoned them +was attributed the unhappy issue of the war with the Philistines. +The holy Ark, the receptacle for the broken table of the law, which +accompanied the people to the camp, (31) did not have the +expected effect of compelling victory for the Israelites. What Eli +feared happened. He enjoined upon his sons not to appear before +him if they should survive the capture of the Ark. (32) But they did +not survive it; they died upon the battlefield on which their nation +had suffered bitter defeat. The Philistines, to be sure, had to pay +dearly for their victory, especially those who had spoken +contemptuous words when the holy Ark had appeared in the +Israelitish camp: "The God of the Israelites had ten plagues, and +those he expended upon the Egyptians. He no longer has it in His +power to do harm." But God said: "Do ye but wait to see. I shall +bring plague down upon you like of which hath never been." (33) +This new plague consisted in mice crawling forth out of the earth, +and jerking the entrails out of the bodies of the Philistines while +they eased nature. If the Philistines sought to protect themselves by +using brass vessels, the vessels burst at the touch of the mice, and, +as before, the Philistines were at their mercy. (34) After some +months of suffering, when they realized that their god Dagon was +the victim instead of the victor, they resolved to send the Ark back +to the Israelites. Many of the Philistines, (35) however, were not +yet convinced of God's power. The experiment with the milch kine +on which there had come no yoke was to establish the matter for +them. The result was conclusive. Scarcely had the cows begun to +draw the cart containing the Ark when they raised their voices in +song: + +Arise thou, O Acacia! Soar aloft in the fulness of thy splendor, + +Thou who art adorned with gold embroidery, + +Thou who art reverenced within the Holiest of the palace, + +Thou who art covered by the two Cherubim! (36) + +When the holy Ark was thus brought into the Israelitish domain, +there was exceeding great rejoicing. Yet the people were lacking +in due reverence. They unloaded the holy vessel while doing their +usual work. God punished them severely. (37) The seventy +members of the Sanhedrin perished, and with them fifty thousand +of the people. (38) The punishment was meet for another reason. +At first sight of the Ark some of the people had exclaimed: "Who +vexed these that thou didst feel offended, and what had mollified +thee now?" (39) + + THE ACTIVITIES OF SAMUEL + +In the midst of the defeats and other calamities that overwhelmed +the Israelites, Samuel's authority grew, and the respect for him +increased, until he was acknowledged the helper of his people. His +first efforts were directed toward counteracting the spiritual decay +in Israel. When he assembled the people at Mizpah for prayer, he +sought to distinguish between the faithful and the idolatrous, in +order to mete out punishment to the disloyal. He had all the people +drink water, whose effect was to prevent idolaters from opening +their lips. (40) The majority of the people repented of their sins, +and Samuel turned to God in their behalf: "Lord of the world! +Thou requirest naught of man but that he should repent of his sins. +Israel is penitent, do Thou pardon him." (41) The prayer was +granted, and when, after his sacrifice, Samuel led an attack upon +the Philistines, victory was not withheld from the Israelites. God +terrified the enemy first by an earthquake, and then by thunder and +lightning. Many were scattered and wandered about aimlessly; +many were precipitated into the rents torn in the earth, the rest had +their faces scorched, and in their terror and pain their weapons +dropped from their hands. (42) + +In peace as in war Samuel was the type of a disinterested, +incorruptible judge, who even refused compensation for the time, +trouble, and pecuniary sacrifices entailed upon him by his office. +(43) His sons fell far short of resembling their father in these +respects. Instead of continuing Samuel's plan of journeying from +place to place to dispense judgment, they had the people come to +them, and they surrounded themselves with a crew of officials who +preyed upon the people for their maintenance. (44) In a sense, +therefore, the curse with which Eli threatened Samuel in his youth +was accomplished: both he and Samuel had sons unworthy of their +fathers. (45) Samuel at least had the satisfaction of seeing his sons +mend their ways. One of them is the prophet Joel, whose prophecy +forms a book of the Bible. (46) + +Though, according to this account, the sons of Samuel were by no +means so iniquitous as might be inferred from the severe +expressions of the Scripture, still the demand for a king made by +the leaders of the people was not unwarranted. All they desired +was a king in the place of a judge. What enkindled the wrath of +God and caused Samuel vexation, was the way in which the +common people formulated the demand. "We want a king," they +said, "that we may be like the other nations." (47) + + THE REIGN OF SAUL + +There were several reasons for the choice of Saul as king. He had +distinguished himself as a military hero in the unfortunate +engagement of the Philistines with Israel under the leadership of +the sons of Eli. Goliath captured the tables of the law. When Saul +heard of this in Shiloh, he marched sixty miles to the camp, +wrested the tables from the giant, and returned to Shiloh on the +same day, bringing Eli the report of the Israelitish misfortune. (48) +Besides, Saul possessed unusual beauty, (49) which explains why +the maidens whom he asked about the seer in their city sought to +engage him in a lengthy conversation. (50) At the same time he +was exceedingly modest. When he and his servant failed to find +the asses they were looking for, he said, "My father will take +thought of us," putting his servants on a level with himself, (51) +and when he was anointed king, he refused to accept the royal +dignity until the Urim and Thummin were consulted. (52) His +chief virtue, however, was his innocence. He was as free from sin +as "a one year old child." (53) No wonder, then, he was held +worthy of the prophetic gift. The prophecies he uttered concerned +themselves with the war of Gog and Magog, the meting out of +reward and punishment at the last judgment. (54) Finally, his +choice as king was due also to the merits of his ancestors, +especially his grandfather Abiel, a man interested in the public +welfare, who would have the streets lighted so that people might +go to the houses of study after dark. (55) + +Saul's first act as king was his successful attack upon Nahash, king +of the Ammonites, who had ordered the Gileadites to remove the +injunction from the Torah barring the Ammonites from the +congregation of Israel. (56) In his next undertaking, the campaign +against the Philistines, he displayed his piety. His son Jonathan had +fallen under the severe ban pronounced by Saul against all who +tasted food on a certain day, and Saul did not hesitate to deliver +him up to death. Jonathan's trespass was made know by the stones +in the breastplate of the high priest. All the stones were bright, +only the one bearing the name Benjamin had lost its brilliancy. By +lot it was determined that its dimmed lustre was due to the +Benjamite Jonathan. Saul desisted from his purpose of executing +Jonathan only when it appeared that he had transgressed his +father's command by mistake. A burnt offering and his weight in +gold paid to the sanctuary were considered an atonement for him. +(57) In the same war Saul had occasion to show his zeal for the +scrupulous observance of the sacrificial ordinances. He reproached +his warriors with eating the meat of the sacrifices before the blood +was sprinkled on the altar, (58) and he made it his task to see to it +that the slaughtering knife was kept in the prescribed condition. As +recompense, an angel brought him a sword, there being none +beside Saul in the whole army to bear one. (59) + +Saul manifested a different spirit in the next campaign, the war +with the Amalekites, whom, at the bidding of God, he was to +exterminate. When the message of God's displeasure was conveyed +to Saul by the prophet Samuel, he said: "If the Torah ordains that a +heifer of the herd shall be beheaded in the valley as an atonement +for the death of a single man, how great must be the atonement +required for the slaughter of so many men? And granted they are +sinners, what wrong have their cattle done to deserve annihilation? +And granted that the adults are worthy of their fate, what have the +children done?" Then a voice proclaimed from heaven, "Be not +overjust." Later on, when Saul commissioned Doeg to cut down +the priests at Nob, the same voice was heard to say, "Be not +overwicked." (60) It was this very Doeg, destined to play so baleful +a part in his life, who induced Saul to spare Agag, the king of +Amalekites. His argument was the law prohibits the slaying of an +animal and its young on the same day. How much less permissible +is it to destroy at one time old and young, men and children. (61) +As Saul had undertaken the war of extermination against Amalek +only because forced into it, he was easily persuaded to let the +people keep a part of the cattle alive. As far as he himself was +concerned, he could have had no personal interest in the booty, for +he was so affluent that he took a census of the army by giving a +sheep to every one of his soldiers, distributing not less than two +hundred thousand sheep. (62) + +Compared with David's sins, Saul's were not sufficiently grievous +to account for the withdrawal of the royal dignity from him and his +family. The real reason was Saul's too great mildness, a drawback +in a ruler. Moreover, his family was of such immaculate nobility +that his descendants might have become too haughty. (63) When +Saul disregarded the Divine command about the Amalekites, +Samuel announced to him that his office would be bestowed upon +another. The name of his successor was not mentioned on that +occasion, but Samuel gave him a sign by which to recognize the +future king: he who would cut off the corner of Saul's mantle, +would reign in his stead. Later on, when David met Saul in the +cave and cut off a piece of the king's skirt, Saul knew him for a +certainty to be his destined successor. (64) + +So Saul lost his crown on account of Agag, and yet did not +accomplish his purpose of saving the life of the Amalekite king, +for Samuel inflicted a most cruel death upon Agag, and that not in +accordance with Jewish, but with heathen, forms of justice. No +witnesses of Agag's crime could be summoned before the court, +nor could it be proved that Agag, as the law requires, had been +warned when about to commit the crime. (65) Though due +punishment was meted out to Agag, in a sense it came too late. +Had he been killed by Saul in the course of the battle, the Jews +would have been spared the persecution devised by Haman, for, in +the short span of time that elapsed between war and his execution, +Agag became the ancestor of Haman. (66) + +The Amalekite war was the last of Saul's notable achievements. +Shortly afterward he was seized by the evil spirit, and the rest of +his days were passed mainly in persecuting David and his +followers. Saul would have died immediately after the Amalekite +war, if Samuel had not interceded for him. The prophet prayed to +God that the life of the disobedient king be spared, at least so long +as his own years had not come to their destined close: "Thou +regardest me equal to Moses and Aaron. (67) As Moses and Aaron +did not have their handiwork destroyed before their eyes during +their life, so may my handiwork not cease during my life." God +said: "What shall I do? Samuel will not let me put an end to Saul's +days, and if I let Samuel die in his prime, people will speak ill of +him (68) Meanwhile David's time is approaching, and one reign +may not overlap the time assigned to another by his hairbreadth." +God determined to let Samuel age suddenly, and when he died at +fifty-two, (69) the people were under the impression the days of an +old man had come to an end. So long as he lived, Saul was secure. +(70) Scarcely was he dead, when the Philistines began to menace +the Israelites and their king. Soon it appeared how well justified +had been the mourning services for the departed prophet in all the +Israelitish towns. (71) It was not remarkable that the mourning for +Samuel should have been universal. During his active +administration as judge, he had been in the habit of journeying +through every part of the country, and so he was known personally +to all the people. This practice of his testifies not only to the zeal +with which he devoted himself to his office, but also to his wealth, +for the expenses entailed by these journeys were defrayed from his +own purse. Only one person in all the land took no part in the +demonstrations of grief. During the very week of mourning Nabal +held feasts. "What!" God exclaimed, "all weep and lament over the +death of the pious, and this reprobate engages in revelry!" +Punishment was not withheld. Three days after the week of +mourning for Samuel Nabal dies. (72) + +There was none that felt the death of Samuel more keenly than +Saul. Left alone and isolated, he did not shrink from extreme +measures to enter into communication with the departed prophet. +With his two adjutants, (73) Abner and Amasa, he betook himself +to Abner's mother, the witch of En-dor. (74) The king did not +reveal his identity, but the witch had no difficulty in recognizing +her visitor. In necromancy the peculiar rule holds good that, unless +it is summoned by a king, a spirit raised from the dead appears +head downward and feet in the air. (75) Accordingly, when the +figure of Samuel stood upright before them, the witch knew that +the king was with her. Though the witch saw Samuel, she could +not hear what he said, while Saul heard his words, but could not +see his person another peculiar phenomenon in necromancy: the +conjuror sees the spirit, and he for whom the spirit had been raised +only hears it. Any other person present neither sees nor hears it. + +The witch's excitement grew when she perceived a number of +spirits arise by the side of Samuel. The dead prophet, when he was +summoned back to earth, thought that the judgement day had +arrived. He requested Moses to accompany him and testify to his +always having executed the ordinances of the Torah as Moses had +established them. With these two great leaders a number of the +pious arose, all believing that the day of judgment was at hand. +Samuel was apparelled in the "upper garment" his mother had +made for him when she surrendered him to the sanctuary. This he +had worn throughout his life, and in it he was buried. At the +resurrection all the dead wear their grave clothes, and so it came +about that Samuel stood before Saul in his well-known "upper +garment." + +Only fragments of the conversation between Samuel and Saul have +been preserved in the Scriptures. Samuel reproached Saul with +having disturbed him. "Was it not enough," he said, "for thee to +enkindle the wrath of thy Creator by calling up the spirits of the +dead, must thou need change me into an idol? For is it not said that +like unto the worshippers so shall the worshipped be punished?" +Samuel then consented to tell the king God's decree, that he had +resolved to rend the kingdom out of his hand, and invest David +with the royal dignity. Whereupon Saul: "These are not the words +thou spakest to me before." (76) "When we dwelt together," +rejoined Samuel, "I was in the world of lies. Now I abide in the +world of truth, and thou heardest lying words from me, for I feared +thy wrath and thy revenge. Now I abide in the world of truth, and +thou hearest words of truth from me. As to the thing the Lord hath +done unto thee, thou hast deserved it, for thou didst not obey the +voice of the Lord, nor execute his fierce wrath upon Amalek." Saul +asked: "Can I still save myself by flight?" "Yes," replied Samuel, +"if thou fleest, thou art safe. But if thou acceptest God's judgment, +by to-morrow thou wilt be united with me in Paradise." + +When Abner and Amasa questioned Saul about his interview with +Samuel, he replied: "Samuel told me I should go into battle +to-morrow, and come forth victorious. More than that, my sons +will be given exalted positions in return for their military +prowess." The next day his three sons went with him to the war, +and all were stricken down. God summoned the angels and said to +them: "Behold the being I have created in my world. A father as a +rule refrains from taking his sons even to a banquet, lest he expose +them to the evil eye. Saul goes to war knowing that he will lose his +life, yet he takes his sons with him, and cheerfully accepts the +punishment I ordain." (77) + +So perished the first Jewish king, as a hero and a saint. His latter +days were occupied with regrets on account of the execution of the +priest of Nob, (78) and his remorse secured pardon for him. (79) +Indeed, in all respects his piety was so great that not even David +was his equal: David had many wives and concubines; Saul had +but on wife. David remained behind, fearing to lose his life in +battle with his son Absalom; Saul went into the combat knowing +he should not return alive. Mild and generous, Saul led the life of a +saint in his own house, observing even the priestly laws of purity. +Therefore God reproached David with having pronounced a curse +upon Saul in his prayer. (80) Also, David in his old age was +punished for having cut off the corner of Saul's mantle, for no +amount of clothing would keep him warm. (81) Finally, when a +great famine fell upon the land during the reign of David, God told +him it had been inflicted upon him because Saul's remains had not +been buried with the honor due to him, and at that moment a +heavenly voice resounded calling Saul "the elect of God." (82) + + THE COURT OF SAUL + +The most important figure at the court of Saul was his cousin +Abner, the son of the witch of En-dor. (83) He was a giant of +extraordinary size. A wall measuring six ells in thickness could be +moved more easily than one of Abner's feet. (84) David once +chanced to get between the feet of Abner as he lay asleep, and he +was almost crushed to death, when fortunately Abner moved them, +and David made his escape. (85) Conscious of his vast strength he +once cried out: "If only I could seize the earth at some point, I +should be able to shake it." Even in the hour of death, wounded +mortally by Joab, he grasped his murderer like a worsted ball. He +was about to kill him, but the people crowded round them, and +said to Abner: "If thou killest Joab, we shall be orphaned, and our +wives and children will be prey to the Philistines." Abner replied: +"What can I do? He was about to extinguish my light." The people +consoled him: "Commit thy cause to the true Judge." Abner +thereupon loosed his hold upon Joab, who remained unharmed, +while Abner fell dead instantly. God had decided against him. (86) +The reason was that Joab was in a measure justified in seeking to +avenge the death of his brother Asahel. Asahel, the supernaturally +swift runner, (87) so swift that he ran through a field without +snapping the ears of wheat (88) had been the attacking party. He +had sough to take Abner's life, and Abner contended, that in killing +Asahel he had but acted in self-defense. Before inflicting the fatal +wound, Joab held a formal court of justice over Abner. He asked: +"Why didst thou no render Asahel harmless by wounding him +rather than kill him?" Abner replied that he could not have done it. +"What," said Joab, incredulous, "if thou wast able to strike him +under the fifth rib, dost thou mean to say thou couldst not have +made him innocuous by a wound, and saved him alive?" (89) + +Although Abner was a saint, (90) even a "lion in the law," (91) he +perpetrated many a deed that made his violent death appear just. It +was in his favor that he had refused to obey Saul's command to do +away with the priests of Nob. (92) Yet a man of his stamp should +not have rested content with passive resistance. He should have +interposed actively, and kept Saul from executing his blood design. +And granted that Abner could not have influenced the king's mind +in this matter, (93) at all events he is censurable for having +frustrated a reconciliation between Saul and David. When David, +holding in his hand the corner of the king's mantle which he had +cut off, sought to convince Saul of his innocence, it was Abner +who turned the king against the suppliant fugitive. "Concern not +thyself about it," he said to Saul. "David found the rag on a +thornbush in which thou didst catch the skirt of thy mantle as thou +didst pass it." (94) On the other hand, no blame attaches to Abner +for having espoused the cause of Saul's son against David for two +years and a half. He knew that God had designated David for the +royal office, but, according to an old tradition, God had promised +two kings to the tribe of Benjamin, and Abner considered it his +duty to transmit his father's honor to the son of Saul the Benjamite. +(95) + +Another figure of importance during Saul's reign, but a man of +radically different character, was Doeg. Doeg, the friend of Saul +from the days of his youth, (96) died when he was thirty-four years +old, (97) yet at that early age he had been president of the +Sanhedrin and the greatest scholar of his time. He was called +Edomi, which means, not Edomite, but "he who causes the blush +of shame," because by his keen mind and his learning he put to +shame all who entered into argument with him. (98) But his +scholarship lay only on his lips, his heart was not concerned in it, +and his one aim was to elicit admiration. (99) Small wonder, then, +that his end was disastrous. At the time of his death he had sunk so +low that he forfeited all share in the life to come. (100) Wounded +vanity caused his hostility to David, who had got the better of him +in a learned discussion. (101) From that moment he bent all his +energies to the task of ruining David. He tried to poison Saul's +mind against David, by praising the latter inordinately, and so +arousing Saul's jealousy. (102) Again, he would harp on David's +Moabite descent, and maintain that on account of it he could not +be admitted into the congregation of Israel. Samuel and other +prominent men had to bring to bear all the weight of their +authority to shield David against the consequences of Doeg's +sophistry. (103) + +Doeg's most grievous transgression, however, was his informing +against the priests of Nob, whom he accused of high treason and +executed as traitors. For all his iniquitous deeds he pressed the law +into his service, and derived justification of his conduct from it. +Abimelech, the high priest at Nob, admitted that he had consulted +the Urim and Thummim for David. This served Doeg as the basis +for the charge of treason, and he stated it as an unalterable Halakah +that the Urim and Thummim may be consulted only for a king. In +vain Abner and Amasa and all the other members of the Sanhedrin +demonstrated that the Urim and Thummim may be consulted for +any on whose undertaking concerns the general welfare. Doeg +would not yield, and as no one could be found to execute the +judgement, he himself officiated as hangman. (104) When the +motive of revenge actuated him, he held cheap alike the life and +honor of his fellow-man. He succeeded in convincing Saul that +David's marriage with the king's daughter Michal had lost its +validity from the moment David was declared a rebel. As such, he +said, David was as good as dead, since a rebel was outlawed. +Hence his wife was no longer bound to him. (105) Doeg's +punishment accorded with his misdeeds. He who had made +impious use of his knowledge of the law, completely forgot the +law, and even his disciples rose up against him, and drove him +from the house of study. In the end he died a leper. + +Dreadful as this death was, it was not accounted an atonement for +his sins. One angel burned his soul, and another scattered his ashes +in all the house of study and prayer. (106) The son of Doeg was +Saul's armor-bearer, who was killed by David for daring to slay the +king even though he longed for death. (107) + +Along with Abner and Doeg, Jonathan distinguished himself in the +reign of his father. His military capacity was joined to deep +scholarship. To the latter he owed his position as Ab Bet Din. +(108) Nevertheless he was one of the most modest men known in +history. (109) Abinadab was another one of Saul's sons who was +worthy of his father, wherefore he was sometimes called Ishvi. +(110) As for Saul's grandson Mephibosheth. He, too, was reputed a +great man. David himself did not scorn to sit at his feet, and he +revered Mephibosheth as his teacher. (111) The wrong done him +by David in granting one-half his possessions to Ziba, the slave of +Mephibosheth, did not go unavenged. When David ordered the +division of the estate of Mephibosheth, a voice from heaven +prophesied: "Jeroboam and Rehoboam shall divide the kingdom +between themselves." (112) + + DAVID'S BIRTH AND DESCENT + +David, the "elect of God," (1) was descended from a family which +itself belonged to the elect of Israel. Those ancestors of his who +are enumerated in the Bible by name are all of them men of +distinguished excellence. Besides, David was a descendant of +Miriam, (2) the sister of Moses, and so the strain of royal +aristocracy was reinforced by the priestly aristocracy. Nor was +David the first of his family to occupy the throne of a ruler. His +great-grandfather Boaz was one and the same person with Ibzan, +the judge of Bethlehem. (3) Othniel, too, the first judge in Israel +after the death of Joshua, and Caleb, (4) the brother of Othniel, +were connected with David's family. As examples of piety and +virtue, David had his grandfather and more particularly his father +before him. His grandfather's whole life was a continuous service +of God, (5) whence his name Obed, "the servant," and his father +Jesse was one of the greatest scholars of his time, (6) and one of +the four who died wholly untainted by sin. (7) If God had not +ordained death for all the descendants of our first parents after +their fall, Jesse would have continued to live forever. As it was, he +died at the age of four hundred, (8) and then a violent death, by the +hand of the Moabite king, (9) in whose care David, trusting in the +ties of kinship between the Moabites and the seed of Ruth, left his +family when he was fleeing before Saul. Jesse's piety will not go +unrewarded. In the Messianic time he will be one of the eight +princes to rule over the world. (10) + +In spite of his piety, Jesse was not always proof against temptation. +One of his slaves caught his fancy, and he would have entered into +illicit relations with her, had his wife, Nazbat, the daughter of +Adiel, not frustrated the plan. She disguised herself as the slave, +and Jesse, deceived by the ruse, met his own wife. The child borne +by Nazbat was given out as the son of the freed slave, so that the +father might not discover the deception practiced upon him. This +child was David. (11) + +In a measure David was indebted for his life to Adam. At first only +three hours of existence had been allotted to him. When God +caused all future generations to pass in review before Adam, he +besought God to give David seventy of the thousand years destined +for him. A deed of gift, signed by God and the angel Metatron, was +drawn up. Seventy years were legally conveyed from Adam to +David, and in accordance with Adam's wishes, beauty, dominion, +and poetical gift (12) went with them. + + ANOINTED KING + +Beauty and talent, Adam's gifts to David, did not shield their +possessor against hardship. As the supposed son of a slave, he was +banished from association with his brothers, and his days were +passed in the desert tending his father's sheep. (13) It was his +shepherd life that prepared him for his later exalted position. With +gentle consideration he led the flocks entrusted to him. The young +lambs he guided to pastures of tender grass; the patches of less +juicy herbs he reserved for the sheep; and the full-grown sturdy +rams were given the tough weeds for food. Then God said: "David +knows how to tend sheep, therefore he shall be the shepherd of my +flock Israel." (14) + +In the solitude of the desert David had opportunities of displaying +his extraordinary physical strength. One day he slew four lions and +three bears, (15) though he had no weapons. His most serious +adventure was with the reem. David encountered the mammoth +beast asleep, and taking it for a mountain, he began to ascend it. +Suddenly the reem awoke, and David found himself high up in the +air on its horns. He vowed, if he were rescued, to build a temple to +God one hundred ells in height, as high as the horns of the reem. +Thereupon God sent a lion. The king of beasts (16) inspired even +the reem with awe. The reem prostrated himself, and David could +easily descend from his perch. At that moment a deer appeared. +The lion pursued after him, and David was saved from the lion as +well as the reem. (17) + +He continued to lead the life of a shepherd until, at the age of +twenty-eight, (18) he was anointed king by Samuel, who was +taught by a special revelation that the despised youngest son of +Jesse was to be king. Samuel's first charge had been to anoint one +of the sons of Jesse, but he was not told which one. When he saw +the oldest, Eliab, he thought him the king of God's choice. God had +allowed him to be deceived, in order to punish Samuel for his +excessive self-consciousness in calling himself the seer. It was +thus proved to him that he could not foresee all things. (19) +However, Samuel's error was pardonable. God's first choice had +rested upon Eliab. Only on account of his violent nature, his +swiftness to anger against David, the position destined for him was +transferred to his youngest brother. (20) Eliab was in a sense +compensated by seeing his daughter become the wife of +Rehoboam. Thus he, too, enjoys the distinction of being among the +ancestors of the Judaic kings, and Samuel's vision of Eliab as king +was not wholly false. (21) + +The election of David was obvious from what happened with the +holy oil with which he was anointed. (22) When Samuel had tried +to pour the oil on David's brothers, it had remained in the horn, but +at David's approach it flowed of its own accord, and poured itself +out over him. The drops on his garments changed into diamonds +and pearls, and after the act of anointing him, the horn was as full +as before. + +The amazement was great that the son of a slave should be made +king. Then the wife of Jesse revealed her secret, and declared +herself the mother of David. (23) + +The anointing of David was for a time kept a secret, but its effect +appeared in the gift of prophecy which manifested itself in David, +(24) and in his extraordinary spiritual development. His new +accomplishments naturally earned envy for him. None was more +bitterly jealous than Doeg, the greatest scholar of his time. When +he heard that Saul was about to have David come to court as his +attendant, Doeg began to praise David excessively, with the +purpose of arousing the king's jealousy and making David hateful +in his eyes. He succeeded, (25) yet Saul did not relinquish his plan +of having David at court. David had become known to Saul in his +youth, and at that time the king had conceived great admiration for +him. The occasion was one on which David had shown cleverness +as well as love of justice. A rich woman had had to leave her home +temporarily. She could not carry her fortune with her, nor did she +wish to entrust it to any one. She adopted the device of hiding her +gold in honey jars, and these she deposited with a neighbor. +Accidentally he discovered what was in the jars, and he abstracted +the gold. On her return the woman received her vessels, but the +gold concealed in them was gone. She had no evidence to bring up +against her faithless neighbor, and the court dismissed her +complaint. She appealed to the king, but he was equally powerless +to help. When the woman came out of the palace of the king, +David was playing with his companions. Seeing her dejection, he +demanded an audience of the king, that truth might prevail. The +king authorized him to do as he saw fit. David ordered the honey +jars to be broken, and two coins were found to adhere to the inner +side of the vessels. The thief had overlooked them, and they +proved his dishonesty. (26) + + ENCOUNTER WITH GOLIATH + +David was not long permitted to enjoy the ease of life at court. The +aggressive manner assumed by Goliath drove him to the front. It +was a curious chance that designated David to be the slayer of +Goliath, who was allied with him by the ties of blood. Goliath, it +will be remembered, was the son of the Moabitess Orpah, (27) the +sister-in-law of David's ancestress Ruth, and her sister as well, +both having been the daughters of the Moabite king Eglon. (28) +David and Goliath differed as widely as their grandams, for in +contrast to Ruth, the pious, religious Jewess, Orpah had led a life +of unspeakable infamy. Her son Goliath was jeered at as "the son +of a hundred fathers and one mother." (29) But God lets naught go +unrewarded, even in the wicked. In return for the forty steps Orpah +had accompanied her mother-in-law Naomi, (30) Goliath the +Philistine, her son, was permitted to display his strength and skill +for forty days, and in return for the four tears Orpah had shed on +parting from her mother-in-law, she was privileged to give birth to +four giant sons. (31) + +Of the four, Goliath was the strongest and greatest. What the +Scriptures tell about him is but a small fraction of what might have +been told. The Scriptures refrain intentionally from expatiating +upon the prowess of the miscreant. Nor do they tell how Goliath, +impious as he was, dared challenge the God of Israel to combat +with him, and how he tried by every means in his power to hinder +the Israelites in their Divine worship. Morning and evening he +would appear in the camp at the very time when the Israelites were +preparing to say the Shema. (32) + +All the more cause, then, for David to hate Goliath and determine +to annihilate him. His father encouraged him to oppose Goliath, +for he considered it David's duty to protect Saul the Benjamite +against the giant, as Judah, his ancestor, had in ancient days +pledged himself for the safety of Benjamin, the ancestor of Saul. +(33) For Goliath was intent upon doing away with Saul. His +grievance against him was that once, when, in a skirmish between +the Philistines and the Israelites, Goliath had succeeded in +capturing the holy tables of the law, Saul had wrested them from +the giant. (34) In consequence of his malady, Saul could not +venture to cross swords with Goliath, and he accepted David's +offer to enter into combat in his place. David put on Saul's armor, +and when it appeared that the armor of the powerfully-built king +fitted the erstwhile slender youth, Saul recognized that David had +been predestined for the serious task he was about to undertake, +but at the same time David's miraculous transformation did not fail +to arouse his jealousy. (35) David, for this reason, declined to array +himself as a warrior for his contest with Goliath. He wanted to +meet him as a simple shepherd. Five pebbles came to David of +their own accord, (36) and when he touched them, they all turned +into one pebble. (37) The five pebbles stood for God, the three +Patriarchs, and Aaron. Hophni and Phinehas, the descendants of +the last, had only a short time before been killed by Goliath. (38) + +Scarcely did David begin to move toward Goliath, when the giant +became conscious of the magic power of the youth. The evil eye +David cast on his opponent sufficed to afflict him with leprosy, +(39) and in the very same instant he was rooted to the ground, +unable to move. (40) Goliath was so confused by his impotence +that he scarcely knew what he was saying, and he uttered the +foolish threat that he would give David's flesh to the cattle of the +field, as though cattle ate flesh. One can see, David said to +himself, that he is crazy, and there can be no doubt he is doomed. +(41) Sure of victory, David retorted that he would cast the carcass +of the Philistine to the fowls of the air. At the mention of fowls, +Goliath raised his eyes skyward, to see whether there were any +birds about. The upward motion of his head pushed his visor +slightly away from his forehead, and in that instant the pebble +aimed by David struck him on the exposed spot. (42) An angel +descended and cast him to the ground face downward, so that the +mouth that had blasphemed God might be choked with earth. He +fell in such wise that the image of Dagon which he wore on his +breast touched the ground, and his head came to lie between the +feet of David, who now had no difficulty in dispatching him. (43) + +Goliath was encased, from top to toe, in several suits of armor, and +David did not know how to remove them and cut off the head of +the giant. At this juncture Uriah the Hittite offered him his +services, but under the condition that David secure him an +Israelitish wife. David accepted the condition, and Uriah in turn +showed him how the various suits of armor were fastened together +at the heels of the giant's feet. + +David's victory naturally added fuel to the fire of Saul's jealousy. +Saul sent Abner, his general, to make inquiry whether David, who, +he knew, was of the tribe of Judah, belonged to the clan of the +Perez or to the clan of the Zerah. In the former case his suspicion +that David was destined for kingship would be confirmed. Doeg, +David's enemy from of old, observed that David, being the +descendant of the Moabitess Ruth, did not even belong to the +Jewish communion, and Saul need entertain no fears from that +quarter. A lively discussion arose between Abner and Doeg, as to +whether the law in Deuteronomy regarding Moabites affected +women as well as men. Doeg, an expert dialectician, brilliantly +refuted all of Abner's arguments in favor of the admission of +Moabitish women. Samuel's authority had to be appealed to in +order to establish for all times the correctness of Abner's view. +(44) Indeed, the dispute could be settled only by recourse to threats +of violence. Ithra, the father of Amasa, in Arab fashion, for which +reason he was sometimes called the Ishmaelite, threatened to hew +down any one with his sword who refused to accept Samuel's +interpretation of the law, that male Moabites and male Ammonites +are forever excluded from the congregation of Israel, but not +Moabite and Ammonite women. (45) + + PURSUED BY SAUL + +As God stood by David in his duel with Goliath, so he stood by +him in many other of his difficulties. Often when he thought all +hope lost, the arm of God suddenly succored him, and in +unexpected ways, not only bringing relief, but also conveying +instruction on God's wise and just guidance of the world. + +David once said to God: "The world is entirely beautiful and good, +with the one exception of insanity. What use does the world derive +from a lunatic, who runs hither and thither, tears his clothes, and is +pursued by a mob of hooting children?" "Verily, a time will come," +said God in reply, "when thou wilt supplicate me to afflict thee +with madness." Now, it happened when David, on his flight before +Saul, came to Achish, the king of the Philistines, who lived in +Gath, that the brothers of Goliath formed the heathen king's +body-guard, and they demanded that their brother's murderer be +executed. Achish, though a heathen, was pious, for which reason +he is called Abimelech in the Psalms, after the king of Gerar, who +also was noted for piety. He therefore sought to pacify David's +enemies. He called their attention to the fact that Goliath had been +the one to challenge the Jews to combat, and it was meet, +therefore, that he should be left to bear the consequences. The +brothers rejoined, if that view prevailed, then Achish would have +to give up his throne to David, for, according to the conditions of +the combat, the victor was to have dominion over the vanquished +as his servants. In his distress, David besought God to let him +appear a madman in the eyes of Achish and his court. God granted +his prayer. As the wife and daughter of the Philistine king were +both bereft of reason, we can understand his exclamation: "Do I +lack madmen, that ye have brought this fellow to play the madman +in my presence?" Thus it was that David was rescued. Thereupon +he composed the Psalm beginning with the words, "I will bless the +Lord at all times," which includes even the time of lunacy. (46) + +On another occasion David expressed his doubt of God's wisdom +in having formed such apparently useless creatures as spiders are. +They do nothing but spin a web that has no value. He was to have +striking proof that even a spider's web may serve an important +purpose. On one occasion he had taken refuge in a cave, and Saul +and his attendants, in pursuit of him, were about to enter and seek +him there. But God sent a spider to weave its web across the +opening, and Saul told his men to desist from fruitless search in +the cave, for the spider's web was undeniable proof that no one had +passed through its entrance. (47) + +Similarly, when David became indebted to one of them for his life, +he was cured of his scorn for wasps. He had thought them good for +nothing but to breed maggots. David once surprised Saul and his +attendants while they were fast asleep in their camp, and he +resolved to carry off, as proof of his magnanimity, the cruse that +stood between the feet of the giant Abner, who like the rest was +sleeping. Fortunately his knees were drawn up, so that David could +carry out his intention unhindered. But as David was retiring with +the cruse, Abner stretched out his feet, and pinned David down as +with two solid pillars. His life would have been forfeit, if a wasp +had not stung Abner, who mechanically, in his sleep, moved his +feet, and released David. (48) + +There were still other miracles that happened to David in his +flight. Once, when Saul and his men compassed David round +about, an angel appeared and summoned him home, to repulse the +raid of the Philistines upon the land. Saul gave up the pursuit of +David, but only after a majority had so decided, for some had been +of the opinion that the seizure of David was quite as important as +the repulse of the Philistines. (49) Again, in his battle with the +Amalekites, David enjoyed direct intervention from above. +Lightning in flashes and sheets illumined the dark night, so +enabling him to carry on the struggle. (50) + + WARS + +David's first thought after ascending the throne was to wrest +Jerusalem, sacred since the days of Adam, Noah, and Abraham, +from the grasp of the heathen. The plan was not easy of execution +for various reasons. The Jebusites, the possessors of Jerusalem, +were the posterity of those sons of Heth who had ceded the Cave +of Machpelah to Abraham only on condition that their descendants +should never be forcibly dispossessed of their capital city +Jerusalem. In perpetuation of this agreement between Abraham +and the sons of Heth, monuments of brass were erected, and when +David approached Jerusalem with hostile intent, the Jebusites +pointed to Abraham's promise engraven upon them and still plainly +to be read. (51) They maintained that before David could take the +city, which they had surrounded with a high wall, he would have to +destroy the monuments. Joab devised a plan of getting into +Jerusalem. He set up a tall cypress tree near the wall, bent it +downward, and standing on David's head, he grasped the very tip +of the tree. When the tree rebounded, Joab sat high above the wall, +and could jump down upon it. Once in the city, he destroyed the +monuments, and possessed himself of Jerusalem. (52) For David a +miracle had happened; the wall had lowered itself before him so +that he could walk into the city without difficulty. David, however, +was not desirous of using forcible means. He therefore offered the +Jebusites six hundred shekels, fifty shekels for each Israelitish +tribe. The Jebusites accepted the money, and gave David a bill of +sale. (53) + +Jerusalem having been acquired, David had to prepare for war +with the Philistines, in which the king gave proof at once of his +heroic courage and his unshakable trust in God. The latter quality +he displayed signally in the battle that took place in the Valley of +the Giants. God had commanded David not to attack the host of +the Philistines until he heard "the sound of marching in the tops of +the mulberry trees." God desired to pass judgment upon the +tutelary angels of the heathen, before surrendering the heathen +themselves to the pious, (54) and the motion of the tops of the +trees was to indicate that the battle could proceed. The enemy +advanced until there were but four ells between them and the +Israelites. The latter were about to throw themselves against the +Philistines, but David restrained them, saying: "God forbade me to +attack the Philistines before the tops of the trees begin to move. If +we transgress God's command, we shall certainly die. If we delay, +it is probable that we shall be killed by the Philistines, but, at least, +we shall die as pious men that keep God's command. Above all, let +us have confidence in God." Scarcely had he ended his speech +when the tops of the trees rustled, and David made a successful +assault upon the Philistines. Whereupon God said to the angels, +who were constantly questioning him as to why he had taken the +royal dignity from Saul and given it to David: "See the difference +between Saul and David." (55) + +Of David's other campaigns, the most notable is his war with +Shobach the Aramean, whom he conquered in spite of his gigantic +size and strength. Shobach was very tall, as tall as a dove-cote, and +one look at him sufficed to strike terror to the heart of the +beholder. (56) The Aramean general indulged in the belief that +David would treat the Syrians gently on account of the monument, +still in existence at that time, which Jacob and Laban had erected +on the frontier between Palestine and Aram as a sign of their +covenant that neither they nor their descendants should wage war +with each other. But David destroyed the monument. (57) +Similarly, the Philistines had placed trust in a relic from Isaac, the +bridle of a mule which the Patriarch had given to Abimelech, the +king of the Philistines, as a pledge of the covenant between Israel +and his people. David took it from them by force. (58) + +However, David was as just as he was bold. Disregard of the +covenants made by the Patriarchs was far removed from his +thoughts. Indeed, before departing for the wars with the Arameans +and the Philistines, he had charged the Sanhedrin to investigate +carefully the claims of the two nations. The claims of the +Philistines were shown to be utterly unfounded. In no sense were +they the descendants of those Philistines who had concluded a +treaty with Isaac; they had immigrated from Cyprus at a much later +date. The Arameans, on the other hand, had forfeited their claims +upon considerate treatment, because under the "Aramean" Balaam, +and later again, in the time of Othniel, under their king +Cushan-rishathaim, they had attacked and made war upon the +Israelites. (59) + + AHITHOPHEL + +Among David's courtiers and attendants, a prominent place is +occupied by his counsellor Ahithophel, (60) with whom the king +was connected by family ties, Bath-sheba being his granddaughter. +(61) Ahithophel's wisdom was supernatural, for his counsels +always coincided with the oracles rendered by the Urim and +Thummim, and great as was his wisdom, it was equalled by his +scholarship. Therefore David did not hesitate to submit himself to +his instruction, (62) even though Ahithophel was a very young +man, at the time of his death not more than thirty-three years old. +(63) The one thing lacking in him was sincere piety, (64) and this +it was that proved his undoing in the end, for it induced him to +take part in Absalom's rebellion against David. Thus he forfeited +even his share in the world to come. (65) + +To this dire course of action he was misled by astrologic and other +signs, which he interpreted as prophecies of his own kingship, +when in reality they pointed to the royal destiny of his +granddaughter Bath-sheba. (66) Possessed by his erroneous belief, +he cunningly urged Absalom to commit an unheard-of crime. Thus +Absalom would profit nothing by his rebellion, for, though he +accomplished his father's ruin, he would yet be held to account and +condemned to death for his violation of family purity, and the way +to the throne would be clear for Ahithophel, the great sage in +Israel. (67) + +The relation between David and Ahithophel had been somewhat +strained even before Absalom's rebellion. Ahithophel's feelings +had been hurt by his being passed over at the time when David, +shortly after ascending the throne, invested, on a single day, no +less than ninety thousand functionaries with positions. + +On that day a remarkable incident occurred. When the Ark was to +be brought up from Geba to Jerusalem, the priests who attempted +to take hold of it were raised up in the air and thrown violently to +the ground. In his despair the king turned for advice to Ahithophel, +who retorted mockingly: "Ask thy wise men whom thou hast but +now installed in office." It was only when David uttered a curse on +him who knows a remedy and withholds it from the sufferer, that +Ahithophel advised that a sacrifice should be offered at every step +taken by the priests. Although the measure proved efficacious, and +no further disaster occurred in connection with the Ark, yet +Ahithophel's words had been insincere. He knew the real reason of +the misadventure, and concealed it from the king. Instead of +following the law of having the Ark carried on the shoulders of +priests, David had had it put on a wagon, and so incurred the wrath +of God. (68) + +Ahithophel's hostility toward David showed itself also on the +following occasion. When David was digging the foundations of +the Temple, a shard was found at a depth of fifteen hundred cubits. +David was about to lift it, when the shard exclaimed: "Thou canst +not do it." "Why not?" asked David. "Because I rest upon the +abyss." "Since when?" "Since the hour in which the voice of God +was heard to utter the words from Sinai, 'I am the Lord thy God,' +causing the earth to quake and sink into the abyss. I lie here to +cover up the abyss." Nevertheless David lifted the shard, and the +waters of the abyss rose and threatened to flood the earth. +Ahithophel was standing by, and he thought to himself: "Now +David will meet with his death, and I shall be king." Just then +David said: "Whoever knows how to stem the tide of waters, and +fails to do it, will one day throttle himself." (69) Thereupon +Ahithophel had the Name of God inscribed upon the shard, and the +shard thrown into the abyss. The waters at once commenced to +subside, but they sank to so great a depth that David feared the +earth might lose her moisture, and he began to sing the fifteen +"Songs of Ascents," to bring the waters up again. (70) + +Nevertheless David's curse was realized. Ahithophel ended his +days by hanging himself. His last will contained the following +three rules of conduct: (71) 1. Refrain from doing aught against a +favorite of fortune. 2. Take heed not to rise up against the royal +house of David. 3. If the Feast of Pentecost falls on a sunny day, +then sow wheat. (72) + +Posterity has been favored with the knowledge of but a small part +of Ahithophel's wisdom, and that little through two widely +different sources, through Socrates, (73) who was his disciple, and +through a fortune-book written by him. (74) + + JOAB + +Joab, the warrior, was a contrast to Ahithophel in every essential. +He was David's right hand. It was said, if Joab had not been there +to conduct his wars, David would not have had leisure to devote +himself to the study of the Torah. He was the model of a true +Jewish hero, distinguished at the same time for his learning, piety, +and goodness. His house stood wide open for all comers, and the +campaigns which he undertook redounded invariably to the benefit +of the people. They were indebted to him for luxuries even, (75) +and more than that, he took thought for the welfare of scholars, he +himself being the president of the Sanhedrin. (76) + +It interested Joab to analyze the character of men and their +opinions. When he heard King David's words: "Like as a father +pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him," he +expressed his astonishment that the comparison should be made +with the love of a father for a child, and not with the love of a +mother; mother love as a rule is considered the stronger and the +more self-sacrificing. He made up his mind to keep his eyes open, +and observe whether David's idea was borne out by facts. On one +of his journeys he happened into the house of a poor old man who +had twelve children, all of whom the father supported, however +meagrely, with the toil of his own hands. Joab proposed that he +sell him one of the twelve children; he would thus be relieved of +the care of one, and the selling-price could be applied to the better +support of the rest. The good father rejected the proposition +brusquely. Then Joab approached the mother, offering her a +hundred gold denarii for one of the children. At first she resisted +the temptation, but finally she yielded. When the father returned in +the evening, he cut the bread, as was his wont, into fourteen +pieces, for himself, his wife, and his twelve children. In allotting +the portions he missed a child, and insisted upon being told its +fate. The mother confessed what had happened during his absence. +He neither ate nor drank, and next morning he set out, firmly +resolved to return the money to Joab and to slay him if he should +refuse to surrender the child. After much parleying, and after the +father had threatened him with death, Joab yielded the child to the +old man, with the exclamation: "Yes, David was right when he +compared God's love for men to a father's love for his child. This +poor fellow who has twelve children to support was prepared to +fight me to the death for one of them, which the mother, who +calmly stayed at home, had sold to me for a price." + +Among all the heroic achievements of Joab, the most remarkable +is the taking of the Amalekite capital. For six months the flower of +the Israelitish army, twelve thousand in number, under the +leadership of Joab, had been besieging the capital city of the +Amalekites without result. The soldiers made representations to +their general, that it would be well for them to return home to their +wives and children. Joab urged that this not only would earn for +them contempt and derision, but also would invite new danger. +The heathen would be encouraged to unite against the Israelites. +He proposed that they hurl him into the city by means of a sling, +and then wait forty days. If at the end of this period they saw blood +flow from the gates of the fortress, it should be a sign to them that +he was still alive. + +His plan was executed. Joab took with him one thousand pieces of +money and his sword. When he was cast from the sling, he fell into +the courtyard of a widow, whose daughter caught him up. In a little +while he regained consciousness. He pretended to be an Amalekite +taken prisoner by the Israelites, and thrown into the city by his +captors, who thus wished to inflict death. As he was provided with +money, which he dispensed lavishly among his entertainers, he +was received kindly, and was given the Amalekite garb. So +apparelled, he ventured, after ten days, on a tour of inspection +through the city, which he found to be of enormous size. + +His first errand was to an armorer, to have him mend his sword, +which had been broken by his fall. When the artisan scanned +Joab's weapon, he started back--he had never seen a sword like it. +He forged a new one, which snapped in two almost at once when +Joab grasped it firmly. So it happened with a second sword, and +with a third. Finally he succeeded in fashioning one that was +acceptable. Joab asked the smith whom he would like him to slay +with the sword, and the reply was, "Joab, the general of the +Israelitish king." "I am he," said Joab, and when the smith in +astonishment turned to look at him, Joab ran him through so +skillfully that the victim had no realization of what was happening. +Thereupon he hewed down five hundred Amalekite warriors whom +he met on his way, and not one escaped to betray him. The rumor +arose that Asmodeus, the king of demons, was raging among the +inhabitants of the city, and slaying them in large numbers. + +After another period of ten days, which he spent in retirement with +his hosts, Joab sallied forth a second time, and caused such +bloodshed among the Amalekites that his gory weapon clave to his +hand, and his right hand lost all power of independent motion, it +could be made to move only in a piece with his arm. He hastened +to his lodging place to apply hot water to his hand and free it from +the sword. On his way thither the woman who had caught him up +when he fell into the city called to him: "Thou eatest and drinkest +with us, yet thou slayest our warriors." Seeing himself betrayed, he +could not but kill the woman. Scarcely had his sword touched her, +when it was separated from his hand, and his hand could move +freely, for the dead woman had been with child, and the blood of +the unborn babe loosed the sword. + +After Joab had slain thousands, the Israelites without, at the very +moment when they were beginning to mourn their general as dead, +saw blood issue from the city, and joyfully they cried out with one +accord: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One." Joab +mounted a high tower, and in stentorian tones shouted: "The Lord +will not forsake his people." Inspired with high and daring +courage, the Israelites demanded permission to assault the city and +capture it. As Joab turned to descend from the tower, he noticed +that six verses of a Psalm were inscribed on his foot, the first verse +running thus: "The Lord answers thee in the day of trouble, the +name of the God of Jacob is thy defense." Later David added three +verses and completed the Psalm. Thereupon the Israelites took the +Amalekite capital, destroyed the heathen temples in the city, and +slew all its inhabitants, except the king, whom, with his crown of +pure gold on his head, they brought before David. (77) + + DAVID'S PIETY AND HIS SIN + +Neither his great achievements in war nor his remarkable good +fortune moved David from his pious ways, or in aught changed his +mode of life. Even after he became king he sat at the feet of his +teachers, Ira the Jairite (78) and Mephibosheth. To the latter he +always submitted his decisions on religious questions, to make +sure that they were in accordance with law. (79) Whatever leisure +time his royal duties afforded him, he spent in study and prayer. +He contented himself with "sixty breaths" of sleep. (80) At +midnight the strings of his harp, (81) which were made of the gut +of the ram sacrificed by Abraham on Mount Moriah, (82) began to +vibrate. The sound they emitted awakened David, and he would +arise at once to devote himself to the study of the Torah. (83) + +Besides study, the composition of psalms naturally claimed a +goodly portion of his time. Pride filled his heart when he had +completed the Psalter, and he exclaimed: "O Lord of the world, is +there another creature in the universe who like me proclaims thy +praise?" A frog came up to the king, and said: "Be not so proud; I +have composed more psalms than thou, and, besides, every psalm +my mouth has uttered I have accompanied with three thousand +parables." (84) And, truly, if David indulged in conceit, it was only +for a moment. As a rule he was the exemplar of modesty. The +coins which were stamped by him bore a shepherd's crook and +pouch on the obverse, and on the reverse the Tower of David. (85) +In other respects, too, his bearing was humble, as though he were +still the shepherd and not the king. (86) + +His great piety invested his prayer with such efficacy that he could +bring things in heaven down to earth. (87) It is natural that so +godly a king should have used the first respite granted by his wars +to carry out his design of erecting a house of worship to God. But +in the very night in which David conceived the plan of building the +Temple, God said to Nathan the prophet: "Hasten to David. I know +him to be a man with whom execution follows fast upon the heels +of thought, and I should not like him to hire laborers for the +Temple work, and then, disappointed, complain of me. I +furthermore know him to be a man who obligates himself by vows +to do good deeds, and I desire to spare him the embarrassment of +having to apply to the Sanhedrin for absolution from his vow." +(88) + +When David heard Nathan's message for him, he began to tremble, +and he said: "Ah, verily, God hath found me unworthy to erect His +sanctuary." But God replied with these words: "Nay, the blood +shed by thee I consider as sacrificial blood, but I do not care to +have thee build the Temple, because then it would be eternal and +indestructible." "But that would be excellent," said David. +Whereupon the reply was vouchsafed him: "I foresee that Israel +will commit sins. I shall wreak My wrath upon the Temple, and +Israel will be saved from annihilation. However, thy good +intentions shall receive their due reward. The Temple, though it be +built by Solomon, shall be called thine." (89) + +David's thinking and planning were wholly given to what is good +and noble. He is one of the few pious men over whom the evil +inclination had no power. (90) By nature he was not disposed to +commit such evil-doing as his relation to Bath-sheba involved. +God Himself brought him to his crime, that He might say to other +sinners: "Go to David and learn how to repent." (91) Nor, indeed, +may David be charged with gross murder and adultery. There were +extenuating circumstances. In those days it was customary for +warriors to give their wives bills of divorce, which were to have +validity only if the soldier husbands did not return at the end of the +campaign. Uriah having fallen in battle, Bath-sheba was a +regularly divorced woman. As for the death of her husband, it +cannot be laid entirely at David's door, for Uriah had incurred the +death penalty by his refusal to take his ease in his own house, +according to the king's bidding. (92) Moreover, from the first, +Bath-sheba had been destined by God for David, but by way of +punishment for having lightly promised Uriah the Hittite an +Israelitish woman to wife, in return for his aid in unfastening the +armor of the prostrate Goliath, the king had to undergo bitter trials +before he won her. (93) + +Furthermore, the Bath-sheba episode was a punishment for David's +excessive self-consciousness. He had fairly besought God to lead +him into temptation, that he might give proof of his constancy. It +came about thus: He once complained to God: "O Lord of the +world, why do people say God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of +Jacob, and why not God of David?" The answer came: "Abraham, +Isaac, and Jacob were tried by me, but thou hast not yet been +proved." David entreated: "Then examine me, O Lord, and try me." +And God said: "I shall prove thee, and I shall even grant thee what +I did not grant the Patriarchs. I shall tell thee beforehand that thou +wilt fall into temptation through a woman." + +Once Satan appeared to him in the shape of a bird. David threw a +dart at him. Instead of striking Satan, it glanced off and broke a +wicker screen which hid Bath-sheba combing her hair. The sight of +her aroused passion in the king. (94) David realized his +transgression, and for twenty-two years he was a penitent. Daily he +wept a whole hour and ate his "bread with ashes." (95) But he had +to undergo still heavier penance. For a half-year he suffered with +leprosy, and even the Sanhedrin, which usually was in close +personal attendance upon him, had to leave him. He lived not only +in physical, but also in spiritual isolation, for the Shekinah +departed from him during that time. (96) + + ABSALOM'S REBELLION + +Of all the punishments, however, inflicted upon David, none was +so severe as the rebellion of his own son. + +Absalom was of such gigantic proportions that a man who was +himself of extraordinary size, standing in the eye-socket of his +skull, sank in down to his nose. (97) As for his marvellous hair, the +account of it in the Bible does not convey a notion of its +abundance. Absalom had taken the vow of a Nazarite. As his vow +was for life, and because the growth of his hair was particularly +heavy, the law permitted him to clip it slightly every week. (98) It +was of this small quantity that the weight amounted to two +hundred shekels. + +Absalom arranged for his audacious rebellion with great cunning. +He secured a letter from his royal father empowering him to select +two elders for his suite in every town he visited. With this +document he travelled through the whole of Palestine. In each +town he went to the two most distinguished men, and invited them +to accompany him, at the same time showing them what his father +had written, and assuring them that they had been chosen by him +because he had a particular affection for them. So he succeeded in +gathering the presidents of two hundred courts about him. This +having been accomplished, he arranged a large banquet, at which +he seated one of his emissaries between every two of his guests, +for the purpose of winning them over to his cause. The plan did +not succeed wholly, for, though the elders of the towns stood by +Absalom, in their hearts they hoped for David's victory. (99) + +The knowledge that a part of Absalom's following sided with him +in secret,--that, though he was pursued by his son, his friends +remained true to him,--somewhat consoled David in his distress. +He thought that in these circumstances, if the worst came to the +worst, Absalom would at least feel pity for him. (100) At first, +however, the despair of David knew no bounds. He was on the +point of worshipping an idol, when his friend Hushai the Archite +approached him, saying: "The people will wonder that such a king +should serve idols." David replied: "Should a king such as I am be +killed by his own son? It is better for me to serve idols than that +God should be held responsible for my misfortune, and His Name +thus be desecrated." Hushai reproached him: "Why didst thou +marry a captive?" "There is no wrong in that," replied David, "it is +permitted according to the law." Thereupon Hushai: "But thou +didst disregard the connection between the passage permitting it +and the one that follows almost immediately after it in the +Scriptures, dealing with the disobedient and rebellious son, the +natural issue of such a marriage." (101) + +Hushai was not the only faithful friend and adherent David had. +Some came to his rescue unexpectedly, as, for instance, Shobi, the +son of Nahash, who is identical with the Ammonite king Hanun, +the enemy of David at first, and later his ally. (102) Barzillai, +another one of his friends in need, also surprised him by his +loyalty, for on the whole his moral attitude was not the highest +conceivable. (103) + +Absalom's end was beset with terrors. When he was caught in the +branches of the oak-tree, he was about to sever his hair with a +sword stroke, but suddenly he saw hell yawning beneath him, and +he preferred to hang in the tree to throwing himself into the abyss +alive. (104) Absalom's crime was, indeed, of a nature to deserve +the supreme torture, for which reason he is one of the few Jews +who have no portion in the world to come. (105) His abode is in +hell, where he is charged with the control of ten heathen nations in +the second division. Whenever the avenging angels sit in judgment +on the nations, they desire to visit punishment on Absalom, too, +but each time a heavenly voice is heard to call out: "Do not +chastise him, do not burn him. He is an Israelite, the son of My +servant David." Whereupon Absalom is set upon his throne, and is +accorded the treatment due to a king. (106) That the extreme +penalties of hell were thus averted from him, was on account of +David's eightfold repetition of his son's name in his lament over +him. Besides, David's intercession had the effect of re-attaching +Absalom's severed head to his body. (107) + +At his death Absalom was childless, for all his children, his three +sons and his daughter, died before him, as a punishment for his +having set fire to a field of grain belonging to Joab. (108) + + DAVID'S ATONEMENT + +All these sufferings did not suffice to atone for David's sin. God +once said to him: "How much longer shall this sin be hidden in thy +hand and remain unatoned? On thy account the priestly city of Nob +was destroyed, (109) on thy account Doeg the Edomite was cast +out of the communion of the pious, and on thy account Saul and +his three sons were slain. What dost thou desire now--that thy +house should perish, or that thou thyself shouldst be delivered into +the hands of thine enemies?" David chose the latter doom. + +It happened one day when he was hunting, Satan, in the guise of a +deer, enticed him further and further, into the very territory of the +Philistines, where he was recognized by Ishbi the giant, the brother +of Goliath, his adversary. Desirous of avenging his brother, he +seized David, and cast him into a winepress, where the king would +have suffered a torturous end, if by a miracle the earth beneath him +had not begun to sink, and so saved him from instantaneous death. +His plight, however, remained desperate, and it required a second +miracle to rescue him. + +In that hour Abishai, the cousin of David, was preparing for the +advent of the Sabbath, for the king's misfortune happened on +Friday as the Sabbath was about to come in. When Abishai poured +out water to wash himself, he suddenly caught sight of drops of +blood in it. Then he was startled by a dove that came to him +plucking out her plumes, and moaning and wailing. Abishai +exclaimed: "The dove is the symbol of the people of Israel. It +cannot be but that David, the king of Israel, is in distress." Not +finding the king at home, he was confirmed in his fears, and he +determined to go on a search for David on the swiftest animal at +his command, the king's own saddle-beast. But first he had to +obtain the permission of the sages to mount the animal ridden by +the king, for the law forbids a subject to avail himself of things set +aside for the personal use of a king. Only the impending danger +could justify the exception made in this case. + +Scarcely had Abishai mounted the king's animal, when he found +himself in the land of the Philistines, for the earth had contracted +miraculously. He met Orpah, the mother of the four giant sons. She +was about to kill him, but he anticipated the blow and slew her. +Ishbi, seeing that he now had two opponents, stuck his lance into +the ground, and hurled David up in the air, in the expectation that +when he fell he would be transfixed by the lance. At that moment +Abishai appeared, and by pronouncing the Name of God he kept +David suspended 'twixt heaven and earth. + +Abishai questioned David how such evil plight had overtaken him, +and David told him of his conversation with God, and how he +himself had chosen to fall into the hands of the enemy, rather than +permit the ruin of his house. Abishai replied: "Reverse thy prayer, +plead for thyself, and not for thy descendants. Let thy children sell +wax, and do thou not afflict thyself about their destiny." The two +men joined their prayers, and pleaded with God to avert David's +threatening doom. Abishai again uttered the Name of God, and +David dropped to earth uninjured. Now both of them ran away +swiftly, pursued by Ishbi. When the giant heard of his mother's +death, his strength forsook him, and he was slain by David and +Abishai. (110) + + VISITATIONS + +Among the sorrows of David are the visitations that came upon +Palestine during his reign, and he felt them all the more as he had +incurred them through his own fault. There was first the famine, +which was so desolating that it is counted among the ten severest +that are to happen from the time of Adam to the time of the +Messiah. (111) During the first year that it prevailed, David had an +investigation set on foot to discover whether idolatry was practiced +in the land, and was keeping back the rain. His suspicion proved +groundless. The second year he looked into the moral conditions of +his realm, for lewdness can bring about the same punishment as +idolatry. Again he was proved wrong. The third year, he turned his +attention to the administration of charity. Perhaps the people had +incurred guilt in this respect, for abuses in this department also +were visited with the punishment of famine. (112) Again his +search was fruitless, and he turned to God to inquire of Him the +cause of the public distress. God's reply was: "Was not Saul a king +anointed with holy oil, did he not abolish idolatry, is he not the +companion of Samuel in Paradise? Yet, while you all dwell in the +land of Israel, he is 'outside of the land.'" David, accompanied by +the scholars and the nobles of his kingdom, at once repaired to +Jabesh-gilead, disinterred the remains of Saul and Jonathan, and in +solemn procession bore them through the whole land of Israel to +the inheritance of the tribe of Benjamin. There they were buried. +The tributes of affection paid by the people of Israel to its dead +king aroused the compassion of God, and the famine came to an +end. (113) + +The sin against Saul was now absolved, but there still remained +Saul's own guilt in his dealings with the Gibeonites, who charged +him with having killed seven of their number. David asked God +why He had punished His people on account of proselytes. God's +answer to him was: "If thou dost not bring near them that are far +off, thou wilt remove them that are near by." To satisfy their +vengeful feelings, the Gibeonites demanded the life of seven +members of Saul's family. David sought to mollify them, +representing to them that they would derive no benefit from the +death of their victims, and offering them silver and gold instead. +But though David treated with each one of them individually, the +Gibeonites were relentless. When he realized their hardness of +heart, he cried out: "Three qualities God gave unto Israel; they are +compassionate, chaste, and gracious in the service of their +fellow-men. The first of these qualities the Gibeonites do not +possess, and therefore they must be excluded from communion +with Israel." (114) + +The seven descendants of Saul to be surrendered to the Gibeonites +were determined by letting all his posterity pass by the Ark of the +law. Those who were arrested before it were the designated +victims. Mephibosheth would have been one of the unfortunates, +had he not been permitted to pass by unchecked in answer to the +prayer of David, (115) to whom he was dear, not only as the son of +his friend Jonathan, but also as the teacher who instructed him in +the Torah. (116) + +The cruel fate that befell the descendants of Saul had a wholesome +effect. All the heathen who saw and heard exclaimed: "There is no +God like unto the God of Israel, there is no nation like unto the +nation of Israel; the wrong inflicted upon wretched proselytes has +been expiated by the sons of kings." So great was the enthusiasm +among the heathen over this manifestation of the Jewish sense of +justice that one hundred and fifty thousand of them were converted +to Judaism. (117) + +As for David, his wrong in connection with the famine lay in his +not having applied his private wealth to the amelioration of the +people's suffering. When David returned victorious from the +combat with Goliath, the women of Israel gave him their gold and +silver ornaments. He put them aside for use in building the +Temple, and even during the three years' famine this fund was not +touched. God said: "Thou didst refrain from rescuing human +beings from death, in order to save thy money for the Temple. +Verily, the Temple shall not be built by thee, but by Solomon." +(118) + +David is still more blameworthy on account of the census which he +took of the Israelites in defiance of the law in the Pentateuch. +When he was charged by the king with the task of numbering the +people, Joab used every effort to turn him away from his intention. +But in vain. Incensed, David said: "Either thou art king and I am +the general, or I am king and thou art the general." Joab had no +choice but to obey. He selected the tribe of Gad as the first to be +counted, because he thought that the Gadites, independent and +self-willed, would hinder the execution of the royal order, and +David would be forced to give up his plan of taking a census. The +Gadites disappointed the expectations of Joab, and he betook +himself to the tribe of Dan, hoping that if God's punishment +descended, it would strike the idolatrous Danites. Disliking his +mission as he did, Joab spent nine months in executing it, though +he might have dispatched it in a much shorter time. Nor did he +carry out the king's orders to the letter. He himself warned the +people of the census. If he saw the father of a family of five sons, +he would bid him conceal a few of them. Following the example +set by Moses, he omitted the Levites from the enumeration, +likewise the tribe of Benjamin, because he entertained particularly +grave apprehensions in behalf of this greatly decimated tribe. (119) +In the end, David was not informed of the actual number obtained. +Joab made two lists, intending to give the king a partial list if he +found that he had no suspicion of the ruse. (120) + +The prophet Gad came to David and gave him the choice of +famine, oppression by enemies, or the plague, as the penalty for +the heavy crime of popular census-taking. David was in the +position of a sick man who is asked whether he prefers to be +buried next to his father or next to his mother. The king +considered: "If I choose the calamities of war, the people will say, +'He cares little, he has his warriors to look to.' If I choose famine, +they will say, 'He cares little, he has his riches to look to.' I shall +choose the plague, whose scourge strikes all alike." (121) +Although the plague raged but a very short time, (122) it claimed a +large number of victims. The most serious loss was the death of +Abishai, whose piety and learning made him the counterpoise of a +host of seventy-five thousand. (123) + +David raised his eyes on high, and he saw the sins of Israel heaped +up from earth to heaven. In the same moment an angel descended, +and slew his four sons, the prophet Gad, and the elders who +accompanied him. David's terror at this sight, which was but +increased when the angel wiped his dripping sword on the king's +garments, settled in his limbs, and from that day on they never +ceased to tremble. (124) + + THE DEATH OF DAVID + +David once besought God to tell him when he would die. His +petition was not granted, for God has ordained that no man shall +foreknow his end. One thing, however, was revealed to David, that +his death would occur at the age of seventy on the Sabbath day. +David desired that he might be permitted to die on Friday. This +wish, too, was denied him, because God said that He delighted +more in one day passed by David in the study of the Torah, than in +a thousand holocausts offered by Solomon in the Temple. Then +David petitioned that life might be vouchsafed him until Sunday; +this, too, was refused, because God said it would be an +infringement of the rights of Solomon, for one reign may not +overlap by a hairbreadth the time assigned to another. Thereafter +David spent every Sabbath exclusively in the study of the Torah, in +order to secure himself against the Angel of Death, who has no +power to slay a man while he is occupied with the fulfillment of +God's commandments. The Angel of Death had to resort to +cunning to gain possession of David. (125) One Sabbath day, +which happened to be also the Pentecost holiday, (126) the king +was absorbed in study, when he heard a sound in the garden. He +rose and descended the stairway leading from his palace to the +garden, to discover the cause of the noise. No sooner had he set +foot on the steps than they tumbled in, and David was killed. The +Angel of Death had caused the noise in order to utilize the moment +when David should interrupt his study. The king's corpse could +not be moved on the Sabbath, which was painful to those with +him, as it was lying exposed to the rays of the sun. So Solomon +summoned several eagles, and they stood guard over the body, +shading it with their outstretched pinions. (127) + + DAVID IN PARADISE + +The death of David did not mean the end of his glory and +grandeur. It merely caused a change of scene. In the heavenly +realm as on earth David ranks among the first. The crown upon his +head outshines all others, and whenever he moves out of Paradise +to present himself before God, suns, stars, angels, seraphim, and +other holy beings run to meet him. In the heavenly court-room a +throne of fire of gigantic dimensions is erected for him directly +opposite to the throne of God. Seated on this throne and +surrounded by the kings of the house of David and other Israelitish +kings, he intones wondrously beautiful psalms. At the end he +always cites the verse: "The Lord reigns forever and ever," to +which the archangel Metatron and those with him reply: "Holy, +holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts!" This is the signal for the holy +Hayyot and heaven and earth to join in with praise. Finally the +kings of the house of David sing the verse: "And the Lord shall be +king over all; in that day shall the Lord be one, and His name one." +(128) + +The greatest distinction to be accorded David is reserved for the +judgment day, when God will prepare a great banquet in Paradise +for all the righteous. At David's petition, God Himself will be +present at the banquet, and will sit on His throne, opposite to +which David's throne will be placed. At the end of the banquet, +God will pass the wine cup over which grace is said, to Abraham, +with the words: "Pronounce the blessing over the wine, thou who +art the father of the pious of the world." Abraham will reply: "I am +not worthy to pronounce the blessing, for I am the father also of +the Ishmaelites, who kindle God's wrath." God will then turn to +Isaac: "Say the blessing, for thou wert bound upon the altar as a +sacrifice." "I am not worthy," he will reply, "for the children of my +son Esau destroyed the Temple." Then to Jacob: "Do thou speak +the blessing, thou whose children were blameless." Jacob also will +decline the honor on the ground that he was married to two sisters +at the same time, which later was strictly prohibited by the Torah. +God will then turn to Moses: "Say the blessing, for thou didst +receive the law and didst fulfil its precepts." Moses will answer: "I +am not worthy to do it, seeing that I was not found worthy to enter +the Holy Land." God will next offer the honor to Joshua, who both +led Israel into the Holy Land, and fulfilled the commandments of +the law. He, too, will refuse to pronounce the blessing, because he +was not found worthy to bring forth a son. Finally God will turn to +David with the words: "Take the cup and say the blessing, thou the +sweetest singer in Israel and Israel's king. And David will reply: +'Yes, I will pronounce the blessing, for I am worthy of the honor.'" +(129) Then God will take the Torah and read various passages +from it, and David will recite a psalm in which both the pious in +Paradise and the wicked in hell will join with a loud Amen. +Thereupon God will send his angels to lead the wicked from hell +to Paradise. (130) + + THE FAMILY OF DAVID + +David had six wives, including Michal, the daughter of Saul, who +is called by the pet name Eglah, "Calfkin," in the list given in the +Bible narrative. (131) Michal was of entrancing beauty, (132) and +at the same time the model of a loving wife. Not only did she save +David out of the hands of her father, but also, when Saul, as her +father and her king, commanded her to marry another man, she +acquiesced only apparently. She entered into a mock marriage in +order not to arouse the anger of Saul, who had annulled her union +with David on grounds which he thought legal. Michal was good +as well as beautiful; she showed such extraordinary kindness to the +orphan children of her sister Merab that the Bible speaks of the +five sons of Michal "whom she bore to Adriel." Adriel, however, +was her brother-in-law and not her husband, but she had raised his +children, treating them as though they were her own. (133) Michal +was no less a model of piety. Although the law exempted her, as a +woman, from the duty, still she executed the commandment of +using phylacteries. (134) In spite of all these virtues, she was +severely punished by God for her scorn of David, whom she +reproached with lack of dignity, when he had in mind only to do +honor to God. Long she remained childless, and at last, when she +was blessed with a child, she lost her own life in giving birth to it. +(135) + +But the most important among the wives of David was Abigail, in +whom beauty, wisdom, and prophetical gifts were joined. With +Sarah, Rahab, and Esther, she forms the quartet of the most +beautiful women in history. She was so bewitching that passion +was aroused in men by the mere thought of her. (136) Her +cleverness showed itself during her first meeting with David, +when, though anxious about the life of her husband Nabal, she +still, with the utmost tranquility, put a ritual question to him in his +rage. He refused to answer it, because, he said, it was a question to +be investigated by day, not by night. Thereupon Abigail +interposed, that sentence of death likewise may be passed upon a +man only during the day. Even if David's judgment were right, the +law required him to wait until daybreak to execute it upon Nabal. +David's objection, that a rebel like Nabal had no claim upon due +process of law, she overruled with the words: "Saul is still alive, +and thou art not yet acknowledged king by the world." + +Her charm would have made David her captive on this occasion, if +her moral strength had not kept him in check. By means of the +expression, "And this shall not be unto thee," she made him +understand that the day had not yet arrived, but that it would come, +when a woman, Bath-sheba, would play a disastrous part in his +life. Thus she manifested her gift of prophecy. + +Not even Abigail was free from the feminine weakness of +coquetry. The words "remember thine handmaid" should never +have been uttered by her. As a married woman, she should not +have sought to direct the attention of a man to herself. (137) In the +women's Paradise she supervises the fifth of the seven divisions +into which it is divided, and her domain adjoins that of the wives +of the Patriarchs, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Leah. (138) + +Among the sons of David, Adonijah, the son of Haggith, must be +mentioned particularly, the pretender to the throne. The fifty men +whom he prepared to run before him had fitted themselves for the +place of heralds by cutting out their spleen and the flesh of the +soles of their feet. That Adonijah was not designated for the royal +dignity, was made manifest by the fact that the crown of David did +not fit him. This crown had the remarkable peculiarity of always +fitting the legitimate king of the house of David. (139) + +Chileab was a son worthy of his mother Abigail. The meaning of +his name is "like the father," which had been given him because of +his striking resemblance to David in appearance, a circumstance +that silenced the talk against David's all too hasty marriage with +the widow of Nabal. (140) Intellectually, too, Chileab testified to +David's paternity. In fact, he excelled his father in learning, as he +did even the teacher of David, Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan. +(141) On account of his piety he is one of the few who have +entered Paradise alive. (142) + +Tamar cannot be called one of the children of David, because she +was born before her mother's conversion to Judaism. +Consequently, her relation to Amnon is not quite of the grave +nature it would have been, had they been sister and brother in the +strict sense of the terms. + +To the immediate household of David belonged four hundred +young squires, the sons of women taken captive in battle. They +wore their hair in heathen fashion, and, sitting in golden chariots, +they formed the vanguard of the army, and terrified the enemy by +their appearance. (143) + + HIS TOMB + +When David was buried, Solomon put abundant treasures into his +tomb. Thirteen hundred years later the high priest Hyrcanus took a +thousand talents of the money secreted there to use it in preventing +the siege of Jerusalem by the Greek king Antiochus. King Herod +also abstracted great sums. But none of the marauders could +penetrate to the resting-place of the kings,--next to David his +successors were interred,--for it was sunk into the earth so +skillfully that it could not be found. (144) + +Once on a time, a Moslem pasha visited the mausoleum, and as he +was looking through the window in it, a weapon of his ornamented +with diamonds and pearls dropped into the tomb. A Mohammedan +was lowered through the window to fetch the weapon. When he +was drawn up again, he was dead, and three other Mohammedans +who tried to enter in the same way met the fate of their comrade. +At the instigation of the kadi, the pasha informed the Rabbi of +Jerusalem that the Jews would be held responsible for the +restoration of the weapon. The Rabbi ordered a three days' fast, to +be spent in prayer. Then lots were cast to designate the messenger +who was to be charged with the perilous errand. The lot fell upon +the beadle of the synagogue, a pious and upright man. He secured +the weapon, and returned it to the pasha, who manifested his +gratitude by kindly treatment of the Jews thereafter. The beadle +later told his adventures in the tomb to the Hakam Bashi. When he +had descended, there suddenly appeared before him an old man of +dignified appearance, and handed him what he was seeking. (145) + +Another miraculous tale concerning the tomb of David runs as +follows: A poor but very pious Jewish washerwoman was once +persuaded by the keeper of the tomb to enter it. Hardly was she +within, when the man nailed up the entrance, and ran to the kadi to +inform him that a Jewess had gone in. Incensed, the kadi hastened +to the spot, with the intention of having the woman burnt for her +presumptuousness. In her terror the poor creature had begun to +weep and implore God for help. Suddenly a flood of light +illumined the dark tomb, and a venerable old man took her by the +hand, and led her downward under the earth until she reached the +open. There he parted from her with the words: "Hasten +homeward, and let none know that thou wert away from thy +house." The kadi had the tomb and its surroundings thoroughly +searched by his bailiffs, but not a trace of the woman could be +discovered, although the keeper again and again swore by the +Prophet that the woman had entered. Now the messengers whom +the kadi had sent to the house of the woman returned, and reported +they had found her washing busily, and greatly astonished at their +question, whether she had been at the tomb of David. The kadi +accordingly decided that for his false statements and his perjury, +the keeper must die the very death intended for the innocent +woman, and so he was burnt. The people of Jerusalem suspected a +miracle, but the woman did not divulge her secret until a few hours +before her death. She told her story, and then bequeathed her +possessions to the congregation, under the condition that a scholar +recite Kaddish for her on each anniversary of her death. (146) + +SOLOMON PUNISHES JOAB + +At the youthful age of twelve (1) Solomon succeeded his father +David as king. His real name was Jedidiah, the "friend of God," +but it was superseded by the name Solomon on account of the +peace that prevailed throughout the realm during his reign. He +bore three other names besides: Ben, Jakeh, and Ithiel. He was +called Ben because he was the builder of the Temple; Jakeh, +because he was the ruler of the whole world; and Ithiel, because +God was with him. (2) + +The rebellion Adonijah intended to lead against the future king +was suppressed during David's lifetime, by having Solomon +anointed in public. On that occasion Solomon rode upon a +remarkable she-mule, remarkable because she was not the product +of cross-breeding, but of a special act of creation. (3) + +As soon as he ascended the throne, Solomon set about executing +the instructions his father had given him on his death-bed. The first +of them was the punishment of Joab. (4) + +Notwithstanding all his excellent qualities, which fitted him to be +not only David's first general, but also the president of the +Academy, (5) Joab had committed great crimes, which had to be +atoned for. Beside the murder of Abner (6) and Amasa of which he +was guilty, he had incurred wrong against David himself. The +generals of the army suspected him of having had Uriah the Hittite +put out of the way for purposes of his own, whereupon he showed +them David's letter dooming Uriah. David might have forgiven +Joab, but he wanted him to expiate his sins in this world, so that he +might be exempt from punishment in the world to come. (7) + +When Joab perceived that Solomon intended to have him +executed, he sought the protection of the Temple. He knew full +well that he could not save his life in this way, for the arm of +justice reaches beyond the doors of the sanctuary, to the altar of +God. What he wished was to be accorded a regular trial, and not +suffer death by the king's order. In the latter case he would lose +fortune as well as life, and he was desirous of leaving his children +well provided for. Thereupon Solomon sent word to him that he +had no intention of confiscating his estates. (8) + +Though he was convinced of Joab's guilt, Solomon nevertheless +granted him the privilege of defense. The king questioned him: +"Why didst thou kill Abner?" + +Joab: "I was the avenger of my brother Asahel, whom Abner had +slain." + +Solomon: "Why, it was Asahel who sought to kill Abner, and +Abner acted in self-defense." + +Joab: "Abner might have disabled Asahel without going to +extremes." + +Solomon: "That Abner could not do." + +Joab: "What! Abner aimed directly at Asahel's fifth rib, and thou +wouldst say he could not have managed to wound him lightly?" + +Solomon: "Very well, then, we shall drop Abner's case. But why +didst thou slay Amasa?" + +Joab: "He acted rebelliously toward King David. He omitted to +execute his order to gather an army within three days; for that +offense he deserved to suffer the death penalty." + +Solomon: "Amasa failed to obey the king's order, because he had +been taught by our sages that even a king's injunctions may be set +at defiance if they involve neglect of the study of the Torah, which +was the case with the order given to Amasa. And, indeed," +continued Solomon, "it was not Amasa but thou thyself who didst +rebel against the king, for thou wert about to join Absalom, and if +thou didst refrain, it was from fear of David's strong-fisted troops." +(9) + +When Joab saw that death was inevitable, he said to Benaiah, who +was charged with the execution of the king's order: "Tell Solomon +he cannot inflict two punishments upon me. If he expects to take +my life, he must remove the curse pronounced by David against +me and my descendants on account of the slaying of Abner. If not, +he cannot put me to death." Solomon realized the justness of the +plea. By executing Joab, he transferred David's curse to his own +posterity: Rehoboam, his son, was afflicted with an issue; Uzziah +suffered with leprosy; Asa had to lean on a staff when he walked; +the pious Josiah fell by the sword of Pharaoh, and Jeconiah lived +off charity. So the imprecations of David were accomplished on +his own family instead of Joab's. (10) + + THE MARRIAGE OF SOLOMON + +The next to suffer Joab's fate was Shimei ben Gera, whose +treatment of David had outraged every feeling of decency. His +death was of evil portent for Solomon himself. So long as Shimei, +who was Solomon's teacher, was alive, he did not venture to marry +the daughter of Pharaoh. When, after Shimei's death, Solomon +took her to wife, the archangel Gabriel descended from heaven, +and inserted a reed in the sea. About this reed more and more earth +was gradually deposited, and, on the day on which Jeroboam +erected the golden calves, a little hut was built upon the island. +This was the first of the dwelling-places of Rome. (11) + +Solomon's wedding-feast in celebration of his marriage with the +Egyptian princess came on the same day as the consecration of the +Temple. (12) The rejoicing over the king's marriage was greater +than over the completion of the Temple. As the proverb has it: "All +pay flattery to a king." Then it was that God conceived the plan of +destroying Jerusalem. It was as the prophet spoke: "This city hath +been to me a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the +day that they built it even unto this day." + +In the nuptial night Pharaoh's daughter had her attendants play +upon a thousand different musical instruments, which she had +brought with her from her home, and as each was used, the name +of the idol to which it was dedicated was mentioned aloud. The +better to hold the king under the spell of her charms, she spread +above his bed a tapestry cover studded with diamonds and pearls, +which gleamed and glittered like constellations in the sky. +Whenever Solomon wanted to rise, he saw these stars, and +thinking it was night still, he slept on until the fourth hour of the +morning. The people were plunged in grief, for the daily sacrifice +could not be brought on this very morning of the Temple +dedication, because the Temple keys lay under Solomon's pillow, +and none dared awaken him. Word was sent to Bath-sheba, who +forthwith aroused her son, and rebuked him for his sloth. "Thy +father," she said, "was known to all as a God-fearing man, and now +people will say, 'Solomon is the son of Bath-sheba, it is his +mother's fault if he goes wrong.' Whenever thy father's wives were +pregnant, they offered vows and prayed that a son worthy to reign +might be born unto them. But my prayer was for a learned son +worthy of the gift of prophecy. Take care, 'give not thy strength +unto women nor thy ways to them that destroy kings,' for +licentiousness confounds the reason of man. Keep well in mind the +things that are necessary in the life of a king. (13) 'Not kings, +Lemuel.' Have naught in common with kings who say: 'What need +have we of a God?' It is not meet that thou shouldst do like the +kings who drink wine and live in lewdness. Be not like unto them. +He to whom the secrets of the world are revealed, (14) should not +intoxicate himself with wine." (15) + +Apart from having married a Gentile, whose conversion to +Judaism was not dictated by pure motives, Solomon transgressed +two other Biblical laws. He kept many horses, which a Jewish king +ought not to do, and, what the law holds in equal abhorrence, he +amassed much silver and gold. Under Solomon's rule silver and +gold were so abundant among the people that their utensils were +made of them instead of the baser metals. (16) For all this he had +to atone painfully later on. + + HIS WISDOM + +But Solomon's wealth and pomp were as naught in comparison +with his wisdom. When God appeared to him in Gibeon, in a +dream by night, and gave him leave to ask what he would, a grace +accorded to none beside except King Ahaz of Judah, and promised +only to the Messiah in time to come, (17) Solomon chose +wisdom, knowing that wisdom once in his possession, all else +would come of itself. (18) His wisdom, the Scriptures testify, was +greater than the wisdom of Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and +Calcol, and Darda, the three sons of Mahol. This means that he +was wiser than Abraham, (19) Moses, (20) Joseph, (21) and the +generation of the desert. (22) He excelled even Adam. (23) His +proverbs which have come down to us are barely eight hundred in +number. Nevertheless the Scripture counts them equal to three +thousand, for the reason that each verse in his book admits of a +double and a triple interpretation. In his wisdom he analyzed the +laws revealed to Moses, and he assigned reasons for the ritual and +ceremonial ordinances of the Torah, which without his explanation +had seemed strange. (24) The "forty-nine gates of wisdom" were +open to Solomon as they had been to Moses, but the wise king +sought to outdo even the wise legislator. He had such confidence +in himself that he would have dispensed judgment without resort +to witnesses, had he not been prevented by a heavenly voice. (25) + +The first proof of his wisdom was given in his verdict in the case +of the child claimed by two mothers as their own. When the +women presented their difficulty, the king said that God in His +wisdom had foreseen that such a quarrel would arise, and therefore +had created the organs of man in pairs, so that neither of the two +parties to the dispute might be wronged. on hearing these words +from the king, Solomon's counsellors lamented: "Woe to thee, O +land, when thy king is a youth." In a little while they realized the +wisdom of the king, and then they exclaimed: "Happy art thou, O +land, when thy king is a free man." The quarrel had of set purpose +been brought on by God to the end that Solomon's wisdom might +be made known. In reality the two litigants were not women at all, +but spirits. That all doubt about the fairness of the verdict might be +dispelled, a heavenly voice proclaimed: "This is the mother of the +child." (26) + +During the lifetime of David, when Solomon was still a lad, he had +settled another difficult case in an equally brilliant way. A wealthy +man had sent his son on a protracted business trip to Africa. On his +return he found that his father had died in the meantime, and his +treasures had passed into the possession of a crafty slave, who had +succeeded in ridding himself of all the other slaves, or intimidating +them. In vain the rightful heir urged his claim before King David. +As he could not bring witnesses to testify for him, there was no +way of dispossessing the slave, who likewise called himself the +son of the deceased. The child Solomon heard the case, and he +devised a method of arriving at the truth. He had the father's corpse +exhumed, and he dyed one of the bones with the blood first of one +of the claimants, and then of the other. The blood of the slave +showed no affinity with the bone, while the blood of the true heir +permeated it. So the real son secured his inheritance. (27) + +After his accession to the throne, a peculiar quarrel among heirs +was brought before Solomon for adjudication. Asmodeus, the king +of demons, once said to Solomon: "Thou art the wisest of men, yet +I shall show thee something thou hast never seen." Thereupon +Asmodeus stuck his finger in the ground, and up came a +double-headed man. He was one of the Cainites, who live +underground, and are altogether different in nature and habit from +the denizens of the upper world. (28) When the Cainite wanted to +descend to his dwelling-place again, it appeared that he could not +return thither. Not even Asmodeus could bring the thing about. So +he remained on earth, took unto himself a wife, and begot seven +sons, one of whom resembled his father in having two heads. +When the Cainite died, a dispute broke out among his descendants +as to how the property was to be divided. The double-headed son +claimed two portions. Both Solomon and the Sanhedrin were at a +loss; they could not discover a precedent to guide them. Then +Solomon prayed to God: "O Lord of all, when Thou didst appear to +me in Gibeon, and didst give me leave to ask a gift of Thee, I +desired neither silver nor gold, but only wisdom, that I might be +able to judge men in justice." + +God heard his prayer. When the sons of the Cainite again came +before Solomon, he poured hot water on one of the heads of the +double-headed monster, whereupon both heads flinched, and both +mouths cried out: "We are dying, we are dying! We are but one, +not two." Solomon decided that the double-headed son was after +all only a single being. (29) + +On another occasion Solomon invented a lawsuit in order to elicit +the truth in an involved case. Three men appeared before him, +each of whom accused the others of theft. They had been travelling +together, and, when the Sabbath approached, they halted and +prepared to rest and sought a safe hiding-place for their money, for +it is not allowed to carry money on one's person on the Sabbath. +They all three together secreted what they had in the same spot, +and, when the Sabbath was over, they hastened thither, only to find +that it had been stolen. It was clear one of the three must have been +the thief, but which one? + +Solomon said to them: "I know you to be experienced and +thorough business men. I should like you to help me decide a suit +which the king of Rome has submitted to me. In the Roman +kingdom there lived a maiden and a youth, who promised each +other under oath never to enter into a marriage without obtaining +each other's permission. The parents of the girl betrothed their +daughter to a man whom she loved, but she refused to become his +wife until the companion of her youth gave his consent. She took +much gold and silver, and sought him out to bribe him. Setting +aside his own love for the girl, he offered her and her lover his +congratulations, and refused to accept the slightest return for the +permission granted. On their homeward way the happy couple +were surprised by an old highwayman, who was about to rob the +young man of his bride and his money. The girl told the brigand +the story of her life, closing with these words: 'If a youth controlled +his passion for me, how much more shouldst thou, an old man, be +filled with fear of God, and let me go my way.' Her words took +effect. The aged highwaymen laid hands neither on the girl nor on +the money. + +"Now," Solomon continued to the three litigants, "I was asked to +decide which of the three persons concerned acted most nobly, the +girl, the youth, or the highwayman, and I should like to have your +views upon the question." + +The first of the three said: "My praise is for the girl, who kept her +oath so faithfully." The second: "I should award the palm to the +youth, who kept himself in check, and did not permit his passion to +prevail." The third said: "Commend me to the brigand, who kept +his hands off the money, more especially as he would have been +doing all that could be expected of him if he had surrendered the +woman he might have taken the money." + +The last answer sufficed to put Solomon on the right track. The +man who was inspired with admiration of the virtues of the robber, +probably was himself filled with greed of money. He had him +cross-examined, and finally extorted a confession. He had +committed the theft, and he designated the spot where he had +hidden the money. (30) + +Even animals submitted their controversies to Solomon's wise +judgment. A man with a jug of milk came upon a serpent wailing +pitifully in a field. To the man's question, the serpent replied that it +was tortured with thirst. "And what art thou carrying in the jug?" +asked the serpent. When it heard what it was, it begged for the +milk, and promised to reward the man by showing him a hidden +treasure. The man gave the milk to the serpent, and was then led to +a great rock. "Under this rock," said the serpent, "lies the treasure." +The man rolled the rock aside, and was about to take the treasure, +when suddenly the serpent made a lunge at him, and coiled itself +about his neck. "What meanest thou by such conduct?" exclaimed +the man. "I am going to kill thee," replied the serpent, "because +thou art robbing me of all my money." The man proposed that they +put their case to King Solomon, and obtain his decision as to who +was in the wrong. So they did. Solomon asked the serpent to state +what it demanded of the man. "I want to kill him," answered the +serpent, "because the Scriptures command it, saying: 'Thou shalt +bruise the heel of man.'" Solomon said: "First release thy hold upon +the man's neck and descend; in court neither party to a lawsuit may +enjoy an advantage over the other." The serpent glided to the floor, +and Solomon repeated his question, and received the same answer +as before from the serpent. Then Solomon turned to the man and +said: "To thee God's command was to bruise the head of the +serpent do it!" And the man crushed the serpent's head. (31) + +Sometimes Solomon's assertions and views, though they sprang +from profound wisdom, seemed strange to the common run of +men. In such cases, the wise king did not disdain to illustrate the +correctness of his opinions. For instance, both the learned and the +ignorant were stung into opposition by Solomon's saying: "One +man among a thousand have I found; but a virtuous woman among +all those have I not found." Solomon unhesitatingly pledged +himself to prove that he was right. He had his attendants seek out a +married couple enjoying a reputation for uprightness and virtue. +The husband was cited before him, and Solomon told him that he +had decided to appoint him to an exalted office. The king +demanded only, as an earnest of his loyalty, that he murder his +wife, so that he might be free to marry the king's daughter, a +spouse comporting with the dignity of his new station. With a +heavy heart the man went home. His despair grew at sight of his +fair wife and his little children. Though determined to do the king's +bidding, he still lacked courage to kill his wife while she was +awake. He waited until she was tight asleep, but then the child +enfolded in the mother's arms rekindled his parental and conjugal +affection, and he replaced his sword in its sheath, saying to +himself: "And if the king were to offer me his whole realm, I +would not murder my wife." Thereupon he went to Solomon, and +told him his final decision. A month later Solomon sent for the +wife, and declared his love for her. He told her that their happiness +could be consummated if she would but do away with her husband. +Then she should be made the first wife in his harem. Solomon +gave her a leaden sword which glittered as though fashioned of +steel. The woman returned home resolved to put the sword to its +appointed use. Not a quiver of her eyelids betrayed her sinister +purpose. On the contrary, by caresses and tender words she sought +to disarm any suspicion that might attack to her. In the night she +arose, drew forth the sword, and proceeded to kill her husband. +The leaden instrument naturally did no harm, except to awaken her +husband, to whom she had to confess her evil intent. The next day +both man and wife were summoned before the king, who thus +convinced his counsellors of the truth of his conviction, that no +dependence can be placed on woman. (32) + +The fame of Solomon's wisdom spread far and wide. Many entered +the service of the king, in the hope of profiting by his wisdom. +Three brothers had served under him for thirteen years, and, +disappointed at not having learnt anything, they made up their +minds to quit his service. Solomon gave them the alternative of +receiving one hundred coins each, or being taught three wise saws. +They decided to take the money. They had scarcely left the town +when the youngest of the three, regardless of the protests of his +two brothers, hastened back to Solomon and said to him: "My lord, +I did not take service under thee to make money; I wanted to +acquire wisdom. Pray, take back thy money, and teach me wisdom +instead." Solomon thereupon imparted the following three rules of +conduct to him: "When thou travellest abroad, set out on thy +journey with the dawn and turn in for the night before darkness +falls; do not cross a river that is swollen; and never betray a secret +to a woman." The man quickly overtook his brothers, but he +confided nothing to them of what he had learned from Solomon. +They journeyed on together. At the approach of the ninth hour +three hours after noon they reached a suitable spot in which to +spend the night. The youngest brother, mindful of Solomon's +advice, proposed that they stop there. The others taunted him with +his stupidity, which, they said, he had begun to display when he +carried his money back to Solomon. The two proceeded on their +way, but the youngest arranged his quarters for the night. When +darkness came on, and with it nipping cold, he was snug and +comfortable, while his brothers were surprised by a snow storm, in +which they perished. The following day he continued his journey, +and on the road he found the dead bodies of his brothers. Having +appropriated their money, he buried them, and went on. When he +reached a river that was very much swollen, he bore Solomon's +advice in mind, and delayed to cross until the flood subsided. +While standing on the bank, he observed how some of the king's +servants were attempting to ford the stream with beasts laden with +gold, and how they were borne down by the flood. After the waters +had abated, he crossed and appropriated the gold strapped to the +drowned animals. When he returned home, wealthy and wise, he +told nothing of what he had experienced even to his wife, who was +very curious to find out where her husband had obtained his +wealth. Finally, she plied him so closely with questions that +Solomon's advice about confiding a secret to a woman was quite +forgotten. Once, when his wife was quarrelling with him, she cried +out: "Not enough that thou didst murder thy brothers, thou desirest +to kill me, too." Thereupon he was charged with the murder of +their husbands by his two sisters-in-law. He was tried, condemned +to death, and escaped the hangman only when he told the king the +story of his life, and was recognized as his former retainer. It was +with reference to this man's adventures that Solomon said: +"Acquire wisdom; she is better than gold and much fine gold." (33) + +Another of his disciples had a similar experience. Annually a man +came from a great distance to pay a visit to the wise king, and +when he departed Solomon was in the habit of bestowing a gift +upon him. Once the guest refused the gift, and asked the king to +teach him the language of the birds and the animals instead. The +king was ready to grant his request, but he did not fail to warn him +first of the great danger connected with such knowledge. "If thou +tellest others a word of what thou hearest from an animal," he said, +"thou wilt surely suffer death; thy destruction is inevitable." +Nothing daunted, the visitor persisted in his wish, and the king +instructed him in the secret art. + +Returned home, he overheard a conversation between his ox and +his ass. The ass said: "Brother, how farest thou with these people?" + +The ox: "As thou livest, brother, I pass day and night in hard and +painful toil." + +The ass: "I can give thee relief, brother. If thou wilt follow my +advice, thou shalt live in comfort, and shalt rid thyself of all hard +work." + +The ox: "O brother, may thy heart be inclined toward me, to take +pity on me and help me. I promise not to depart from thy advice to +the right or the left." + +The ass: "God knows, I am speaking to thee in the uprightness of +my heart and the purity of my thoughts. My advice to thee is not to +eat either straw or fodder this night. When our master notices it, he +will suppose that thou art sick. He will put no burdensome work +upon thee, and thou canst take a good rest. That is the way I did +to-day." + +The ox followed the advice of his companion. He touched none of +the food thrown to him. The master, suspecting a ruse on the part +of the ass, arose during the night, went to the stable, and watched +the ass eat his fill from the manger belonging to the ox. He could +not help laughing out loud, which greatly amazed his wife, who, of +course, had noticed nothing out of the way. The master evaded her +questions. Something ludicrous had just occurred to him, he said +by way of explanation. + +For the sly trick played upon the ox, he determined to punish the +ass. He ordered the servant to let the ox rest for the day, and make +the ass do the work of both animals. At evening the ass trudged +into the stable tired and exhausted. The ox greeted him with the +words: "Brother, hast thou heard aught of what our heartless +masters purpose?" "Yes," replied the ass, "I heard them speak of +having thee slaughtered, if thou shouldst refuse to eat this night, +too. They want to make sure of thy flesh at least." Scarcely had the +ox heard the words of the ass when he threw himself upon his food +like a ravenous lion upon his prey. Not a speck did he leave +behind, and the master was suddenly moved to uproarious +laughter. This time his wife insisted upon knowing the cause. In +vain she entreated and supplicated. She swore not to live with him +any more if he did not tell her why he laughed. The man loved her +so devotedly that he was ready to sacrifice his life to satisfy her +whim, but before taking leave of this world he desired to see his +friends and relations once more, and he invited them all to his +house. + +Meantime his dog was made aware of the master's approaching +end, and such sadness took possession of the faithful beast that he +touched neither food nor drink. The cock, on the other hand, gaily +appropriated the food intended for the dog, and he and his wives +enjoyed a banquet. Outraged by such unfeeling behavior, the dog +said to the cock: "How great is thy impudence, and how +insignificant thy modesty! Thy master is but a step from the grave, +and thou eatest and makest merry." The cock's reply was: "Is it my +fault if our master is a fool and an idiot? I have ten wives, and I +rule them as I will. Not one dares oppose me and my commands. +Our master has a single wife, and this one he cannot control and +manage." "What ought our master to do?" asked the dog. "Let him +take a heavy stick and belabor his wife's back thoroughly," advised +the cock, "and I warrant thee, she won't plague him any more to +reveal his secrets." + +The husband had overheard this conversation, too, and the cock's +advice seemed good. He followed it, and death was averted. (34) + +On many occasions, Solomon brought his acumen and wisdom to +bear upon foreign rulers who attempted to concoct mischief +against him. Solomon needed help in building the Temple, and he +wrote to Pharaoh, asking him to send artists to Jerusalem. Pharaoh +complied with his request, but not honestly. He had his astrologers +determine which of his men were destined to die within the year. +These candidates for the grave he passed over to Solomon. The +Jewish king was not slow to discover the trick played upon him. +He immediately returned the men to Egypt, each provided with his +grave clothes, and wrote: "To Pharaoh! I suppose thou hadst no +shrouds for these people. Herewith I send thee the men, and what +they were in need of." (35) + +Hiram, king of Tyre, the steadfast friend of the dynasty of David, +who had done Solomon such valuable services in connection with +the building of the Temple, was desirous of testing his wisdom. He +was in the habit of sending catch-questions and riddles to Solomon +with the request that he solve them and help him out of his +embarrassment about them. Solomon, of course, succeeded in +answering them all. Later on he made an agreement with Hiram, +that they were to exchange conundrums and riddles, and a money +fine was to be exacted from the one of them who failed to find the +proper answer to a question propounded by the other. Naturally it +was Hiram who was always the loser. The Tyrians maintain that +finally Solomon found more than his match in one of Hiram's +subjects, one Abdamon, who put many a riddle to Solomon that +baffled his wit. (36) + +Of Solomon's subtlety in riddle guessing only a few instances have +come down to us, all of them connected with riddles put to him by +the Queen of Sheba. (37) The story of this queen, of her relation to +Solomon, and what induced her to leave her distant home and +journey to the court at Jerusalem forms an interesting chapter in +the eventful life of the wise king. + + THE QUEEN OF SHEBA + +Solomon, it must be remembered, bore rule not only over men, but +also over the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, demons, +spirits, and the spectres of the night. He knew the language of all +of them and they understood his language. (38) + +When Solomon was of good cheer by reason of wine, he +summoned the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, the creeping +reptiles, the shades, the spectres, and the ghosts, to perform their +dances before the kings, his neighbors, whom he invited to witness +his power and greatness. The king's scribes called the animals and +the spirits by name, one by one, and they all assembled of their +own accord, without fetters or bonds, with no human hand to guide +them. + +On one occasion the hoopoe (39) was missed from among the +birds. He could not be found anywhere. The king, full of wrath, +ordered him to be produced and chastised for his tardiness. The +hoopoe appeared and said: "O lord, king of the world, incline thine +ear and hearken to my words. Three months have gone by since I +began to take counsel with myself and resolve upon a course of +action. I have eaten no food and drunk no water, in order to fly +about in the whole world and see whether there is a domain +anywhere which is not subject to my lord the king. (40) and I +found a city, the city of Kitor, in the East. Dust is more valuable +than gold there, and silver is like the mud of the streets. Its trees +are from the beginning of all time, and they suck up water that +flows from the Garden of Eden. The city is crowded with men. On +their heads they wear garlands wreathed in Paradise. They know +not how to fight, nor how to shoot with bow and arrow. Their ruler +is a woman, she is called the Queen of Sheba. If, now, it please +thee, O lord and king, I shall gird my loins like a hero, and journey +to the city of Kitor in the land of Sheba. Its kings I shall fetter with +chains and its rulers with iron bands, and bring them all before my +lord the king." + +The hoopoe's speech pleased the king. The clerks of his land were +summoned, and they wrote a letter and bound it to the hoopoe's +wing. The bird rose skyward, uttered his cry, and flew away, +followed by all the other birds. + +And they came to Kitor in the land of Sheba. It was morning, and +the queen had gone forth to pay worship to the sun. Suddenly the +birds darkened his light. The queen raised her hand, and rent her +garment, and was sore astonished. Then the hoopoe alighted near +her. Seeing that a letter was tied to his wing, she loosed it and read +it. And what was written in the letter? "From me, King Solomon! +Peace be with thee, peace with the nobles of thy realm! Know that +God has appointed me king over the beasts of the field, the birds of +the air, the demons, the spirits, and the spectres. All the kings of +the East and the West come to bring me greetings. If thou wilt +come and salute me, I shall show thee great honor, more than to +any of the kings that attend me. But if thou wilt not pay homage to +me, I shall send out kings, legions, and riders against thee. Thou +askest, who are these kings, legions, and riders of King Solomon? +The beasts of the field are my kings, the birds my riders, the +demons, spirit, and shades of the night my legions. The demons +will throttle you in your beds at night, while the beasts will slay +you in the field, and the birds will consume your flesh." + +When the Queen of Sheba had read the contents of the letter, she +again rent her garment, and sent word to her elders and her +princes: "Know you not what Solomon has written to me?" They +answered: "We know nothing of King Solomon, and his dominion +we regard as naught." But their words did not reassure the queen. +She assembled all the ships of the sea, and loaded them with the +finest kinds of wood, and with pearls and precious stones. +Together with these she sent Solomon six thousand youths and +maidens, born in the same year, in the same month, on the same +day, in the same hour all of equal stature and size, all clothed in +purple garments. They bore a letter to King Solomon as follows: +"From the city of Kitor to the land of Israel is a journey of seven +years. As it is thy wish and behest that I visit thee, I shall hasten +and be in Jerusalem at the end of three years." + +When the time of her arrival drew nigh, Solomon sent Benaiah the +son of Jehoiada to meet her. Benaiah was like unto the flush in the +eastern sky at break of day, like unto the evening star that +outshines all other stars, like unto the lily growing by brooks of +water. When the queen caught sight of him, she descended from +her chariot to do him honor. Benaiah asked her why she left her +chariot. "Art thou not King Solomon?" she questioned in turn. +Benaiah replied: "Not King Solomon am I, only one of his servants +that stand in his presence." Thereupon the queen turned to her +nobles and said: "If you have not beheld the lion, at least you have +seen his lair, and if you have not beheld King Solomon, at least +you have seen the beauty of him that stands in his presence." + +Benaiah conducted the queen to Solomon, who had gone to sit in a +house of glass to receive her. The queen was deceived by an +illusion. She thought the king was sitting in water, and as she +stepped across to him she raised her garment to keep it dry. On her +bared feet the king noticed hair, and he said to her: "Thy beauty is +the beauty of a woman, but thy hair is masculine; hair is an +ornament to a man, but it disfigures a woman." (41) + +Then the queen began and said: (42) "I have heard of thee and thy +wisdom; if now I inquire of thee concerning a matter, wilt thou +answer me?" He replied: "The Lord giveth wisdom, out of His +mouth cometh knowledge and understanding." She then said to +him: + +1. "Seven there are that issue and nine that enter; two yield the +draught and one drinks." Said he to her: "Seven are the days of a +woman's defilement, and nine the months of pregnancy; two are +the breasts that yield the draught, and one the child that drinks it." +Whereupon she said to him: "Thou art wise." + +2. Then she questioned him further: "A woman said to her son, thy +father is my father, and thy grandfather my husband; thou art my +son, and I am thy sister." "Assuredly," said he, "it was the daughter +of Lot who spake thus to her son." + +3. She placed a number of males and females of the same stature +and garb before him and said: "Distinguish between them." +Forthwith he made a sign to the eunuchs, who brought him a +quantity of nuts and roasted ears of corn. The males, who were not +bashful, seized them with bare hands; the females took them, +putting forth their gloved hands from beneath their garments. +Whereupon he exclaimed: "Those are the males, these the +females." + +4. She brought a number of men to him, some circumcised and +others uncircumcised, and asked him to distinguish between them. +He immediately made a sign to the high priest, who opened the +Ark of the covenant, whereupon those that were circumcised +bowed their bodies to half their height, while their countenances +were filled with the radiance of the Shekinah; the uncircumcised +fell prone upon their faces. "Those," said he, "are circumcised, +these uncircumcised." (43) "Thou art wise, indeed," she exclaimed. + +5. She put other questions to him, to all of which he gave replies. +"Who is he who neither was born nor has died?" "It is the Lord of +the world, blessed be He." + +6. "What land is that which has but once seen the sun?" "The land +upon which, after the creation, the waters were gathered, and the +bed of the Red Sea on the day when it was divided." + +7. "There is an enclosure with ten doors, when one is open, nine +are shut; when nine are open, one is shut?" "That enclosure is the +womb; the ten doors are the ten orifices of man his eyes, ears, +nostrils, mouth, the apertures for the discharge of the excreta and +the urine, and the navel; when the child is in the embryonic state, +the navel is open and the other orifices are closed, but when it +issues from the womb, the navel is closed and the others are +opened." + +8. "There is something which when living moves not, yet when its +head is cut off it moves?" "It is the ship in the sea." (44) + +9. "Which are the three that neither ate, nor did they drink, nor did +they have bread put into them, yet they saved lives from death?" +"The signet, the cord, and the staff are those three." + +10. "Three entered a cave and five came forth therefrom?" "Lot +and his two daughters and their two children." + +11. "The dead lived, the grave moved, and the dead prayed: what is +that?" "The dead that lived and prayed, Jonah; and the fish, the +moving grave." + +12. "Who were the three that ate and drank on the earth, and yet +were not born of male and female?" "The three angels who visited +Abraham." (45) + +13. "Four entered a place of death and came forth alive, and two +entered a place of life and came forth dead?" "The four were +Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and the two were Nadab +and Abihu." + +14. "Who was he that was born and died not?" "Elijah and the +Messiah." + +15. "What was that which was not born, yet life was given to it?" +"The golden calf." + +16. "What is that which is produced from the ground, yet man +produces it, while its food is the fruit of the ground?" "A wick." + +17. "A woman was wedded to two, and bore two sons, yet these +four had one father?" "Tamar." + +18. "A house full of dead; no dead one came among them, nor did +a living come forth from them?" "It is the story of Samson and the +Philistines." + +19. The queen next ordered the sawn trunk of a cedar tree to be +brought, and she asked Solomon to point out at which end the root +had been and at which the branches. He bade her cast it into the +water, when one end sank and the other floated upon the surface of +the water. That part which sank was the root, and that which +remained uppermost was the branch end. Then she said to him: +"Thou exceedest in wisdom and goodness the fame which I heard, +blessed be thy God!" (46) + +The last three riddles which the Queen of Sheba put to Solomon +were the following: + +20. "What is this? A wooden well with iron buckets, which draw +stones and pour out water." The king replied: "A rouge-tube." + +21. "What is this? It comes as dust from the earth, its food is dust, +it is poured out like water, and lights the house." "Naphtha." + +22. "What is this? It walks ahead of all; it cries out loud and +bitterly; its head is like the reed; it is the glory of the noble, the +disgrace of the poor; the glory of the dead, the disgrace of the +living; the delight of birds, the distress of fishes." He answered: +"Flax." (47) + + SOLOMON MASTER OF THE DEMONS + +Never has there lived a man privileged, like Solomon, to make the +demons amenable to his will. God endowed him with the ability to +turn the vicious power of demons into a power working to the +advantage of men. He invented formulas of incantation by which +diseases were alleviated, and others by which demons were +exorcised so that they were banished forever. (48) As his personal +attendants he had spirits and demons whom he could send hither +and thither on the instant. He could grow tropical plants in +Palestine, because his ministering spirits secured water for him +from India. (49) + +As the spirits were subservient to him, so also the animals. He had +an eagle upon whose back he was transported to the desert and +back again in one day, to build there the city called Tadmor in the +Bible (50) This city must not be confounded with the later Syrian +city of Palmyra, also called Tadmor. It was situated near the +"mountains of darkness," (51) the trysting-place of the spirits and +demons. Thither the eagle would carry Solomon in the twinkling +of an eye, and Solomon would drop a paper inscribed with a verse +among the spirits, to ward off evil from himself. Then the eagle +would reconnoitre the mountains of darkness, until he had spied +out the spot in which the fallen angels 'Azza and 'Azzael (52) lie +chained with iron fetters a spot which no one, not even a bird, +may visit. When the eagle found the place, he would take Solomon +under his left wing, and fly to the two angels. Through the power +of the ring having the Holy Name graven upon it, which Solomon +put into the eagle's mouth, 'Azza and 'Azzael were forced to reveal +the heavenly mysteries to the king. (53) + +The demons were of greatest service to Solomon during the +erection of the Temple. It came about in this wise: When Solomon +began the building of the Temple, it once happened that a +malicious spirit snatched away the money and the food of one of +the king's favorite pages. This occurred several times, and +Solomon was not able to lay hold on the malefactor. The king +besought God fervently to deliver the wicked spirit into his hands. +His prayer was granted. The archangel Michael appeared to him, +and gave him a small ring having a seal consisting of an engraved +stone, and he said to him: "Take, O Solomon, king, son of David, +the gift which the Lord God, the highest Zebaot, hath sent unto +thee. With it thou shalt lock up all the demons of the earth, male +and female; and with their help thou shalt build up Jerusalem. But +thou must wear this seal of God; and this engraving of the seal of +the ring sent thee is a Pentalpha." (54) Armed with it, Solomon +called up all the demons before him, and he asked of each in turn +his or her name, as well as the name of the star or constellation or +zodiacal sign and of the particular angel to the influence of which +each is subject. One after another the spirits were vanquished, and +compelled by Solomon to aid in the construction of the Temple. + +Ornias, the vampire spirit who had maltreated Solomon's servant, +was the first demon to appear, and he was set to the task of cutting +stones near the Temple. And Solomon bade Ornias come, and he +gave him the seal, saying: "Away with thee, and bring me hither +the prince of all the demons." Ornias took the finger-ring, and went +to Beelzeboul, who has kingship over the demons. He said to him: +"Hither! Solomon calls thee." But Beelzeboul, having heard, said +to him: "Tell me, who is this Solomon of whom thou speakest to +me?" Then Ornias threw the ring at the chest of Beelzeboul, +saying: "Solomon the king calls thee." But Beelzeboul cried aloud +with a mighty voice, and shot out a great, burning flame of fire; +and he arose and followed Ornias, and came to Solomon. Brought +before the king, he promised him to gather all the unclean spirits +unto him. Beelzeboul proceeded to do so, beginning with +Onoskelis, that had a very pretty shape and the skin of a fair-hued +woman, and he was followed by Asmodeus; both giving an +account of themselves. + +Beelzeboul reappeared on the scene, and in his conversation with +Solomon declared that he alone survived of the angels who had +come down from heaven. He reigned over all who are in Tartarus, +and had a child in the Red Sea, which on occasion comes up to +Beelzeboul and reveals to him what he has done. Next the demon +of the Ashes, Tephros, appeared, and after him a group of seven +female spirits, who declared themselves to be of the thirty-six +elements of the darkness. Solomon bade them dig the foundation +of the temple, for the length of it was two hundred and fifty cubits. +And he ordered them to be industrious, and with one united +murmur of protest they began to perform the tasks enjoined. + +Solomon bade another demon come before him. And there was +brought to him a demon having all the limbs of a man, but without +a head. The demon said to Solomon: "I am called Envy, for I +delight to devour heads, being desirous to secure for myself a +head; but I do not eat enough, and I am anxious to have such a +head as thou hast." A hound-like spirit, whose name was Rabdos, +followed, and he revealed to Solomon a green stone, useful for the +adornment of the Temple. A number of other male and female +demons appeared, among them the thirty-six world-rulers of the +darkness, whom Solomon commanded to fetch water to the +Temple. Some of these demons he condemned to do the heavy +work on the construction of the Temple, others he shut up in +prison, and others, again, he ordered to wrestle with fire in the +making of gold and silver, sitting down by lead and spoon, and to +make ready places for the other demons, in which they should be +confined. + +After Solomon with the help of the demons had completed the +Temple, the rulers, among them the Queen of Sheba, who was a +sorceress, came from far and near to admire the magnificence and +art of the building, and no less the wisdom of its builder. (55) + +One day an old man appeared before Solomon to complain of his +son, whom he accused of having been so impious as to raise his +hand against his father and give him a blow. The young man +denied the charge, but his father insisted that his life be held +forfeit. Suddenly Solomon heard loud laughter. It was the demon +Ornias, who was guilty of the disrespectful behavior. Rebuked by +Solomon, the demon said: "I pray thee, O king, it was not because +of thee I laughed, but because of this ill-starred old man and the +wretched youth, his son. For after three days his son will die +untimely, and, lo, the old man desires to make away with him +foully." Solomon delayed his verdict for several days, and when +after five days he summoned the old father to his presence, it +appeared that Ornias had spoken the truth. + +After some time, Solomon received a letter from Adares, the king +of Arabia. He begged the Jewish king to deliver his land from an +evil spirit, who was doing great mischief, and who could not be +caught and made harmless, because he appeared in the form of +wind. Solomon gave his magic ring and a leather bottle to one of +his slaves, and sent him into Arabia. The messenger succeeded in +confining the spirit in the bottle. A few days later, when Solomon +entered the Temple, he was not a little astonished to see a bottle +walk toward him, and bow down reverently before him; it was the +bottle in which the spirit was shut up. This same spirit once did +Solomon a great service. Assisted by demons, he raised a gigantic +stone out of the Red Sea. Neither human beings nor demons could +move it, but he carried it to the Temple, where it was used as a +cornerstone. + +Through his own fault Solomon forfeited the power to perform +miraculous deed, which the Divine spirit had conferred upon him. +He fell in love with the Jebusite woman Sonmanites. The priests of +Moloch and Raphan, the false gods she worshiped, advised her to +reject his suit, unless he paid homage to these gods. At first +Solomon was firm, but, when the woman bade him take five +locusts and crush them in his hands in the name of Moloch, he +obeyed her. At once he was bereft of the Divine spirit, of his +strength and his wisdom, and he sank so low that to please his +beloved he built temples to Baal and Raphan. (56) + + THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE + +Among the great achievements of Solomon first place must be +assigned to the superb Temple built by him. He was long in doubt +as to where he was to build it. A heavenly voice directed him to go +to Mount Zion at night, to a field owned by two brothers jointly. +One of the brothers was a bachelor and poor, the other was blessed +both with wealth and a large family of children. It was harvesting +time. Under cover of night, the poor brother kept adding to the +other's heap of grain, for, although he was poor, he thought his +brother needed more on account of his large family. The rich +brother, in the same clandestine way, added to the poor brother's +store, thinking that though he had a family to support, the other +was without means. This field, Solomon concluded, which had +called forth so remarkable a manifestation of brotherly love, was +the best site for the Temple, and he bought it. (57) + +Every detail of the equipment and ornamentation of the Temple +testifies to Solomon's rare wisdom. Next to the required furniture, +he planted golden trees, which bore fruit all the time the building +stood. When the enemy entered the Temple, the fruit dropped from +the trees, but they will put forth blossoms again when it is rebuilt +in the days of the Messiah. (58) + +Solomon was so assiduous that the erection of the Temple took but +seven years, about half the time for the erection of the king's +palace, in spite of the greater magnificence of the sanctuary. In this +respect, he was the superior of his father David, who first built a +house for himself, and then gave thought to a house for God to +dwell in. Indeed, it was Solomon's meritorious work in connection +with the Temple that saved him from being reckoned by the sages +as one of the impious kings, among whom his later actions might +properly have put him. (59) + +According to the measure of the zeal displayed by Solomon were +the help and favor shown him by God. During the seven years it +took to build the Temple, not a single workman died who was +employed about it, nor even did a single one fall sick. And as the +workmen were sound and robust from first to last, so the +perfection of their tools remained unimpaired until the building +stood complete. Thus the work suffered no sort of interruption. +After the dedication of the Temple, however, the workmen died +off, lest they build similar structures for the heathen and their +gods. Their wages they were to receive from God in the world to +come, (60) and the master workman, Hiram, (61) was rewarded by +being permitted to reach Paradise alive. (62) + +The Temple was finished in the month of Bul, now called +Marheshwan, but the edifice stood closed for nearly a whole year, +because it was the will of God that the dedication take place in the +month of Abraham's birth. Meantime the enemies of Solomon +rejoiced maliciously. "Was it not the son of Bath-sheba," they said, +"who built the Temple? How, then, could God permit His +Shekinah to rest upon it?" When the consecration of the house +took place, and "the fire came down from heaven," they +recognized their mistake. (63) + +The importance of the Temple appeared at once, for the torrential +rains which annually since the deluge had fallen for forty days +beginning with the month of Marheshwan, for the first time failed +to come, and thenceforward appeared no more. (64) + +The joy of the people over the sanctuary was so great that they +held the consecration ceremonies on the Day of Atonement. It +contributed not a little to their ease of mind that a heavenly voice +was heard to proclaim: "You all shall have a share in the world to +come." + +The great house of prayer reflected honor not only on Solomon +and the people, but also on King David. The following incident +proves it: When the Ark was about to be brought into the Holy of +Holies, the door of the sacred chamber locked itself, and it was +impossible to open it. Solomon prayed fervently to God, but his +entreaties had no effect until he pronounced the words: +"Remember the good deeds of David thy servant." The Holy of +Holies then opened of itself, and the enemies of David had to +admit that God had wholly forgiven his sin. (65) + +In the execution of the Temple work a wish cherished by David +was fulfilled. He was averse to having the gold which he had taken +as booty from the heathen places of worship during his campaigns +used for the sanctuary at Jerusalem, because he feared that the +heathen would boast, at the destruction of the Temple, that their +gods were courageous, and were taking revenge by wrecking the +house of the Israelitish God. Fortunately Solomon was so rich that +there was no need to resort to the gold inherited from his father, +and so David's wish was fulfilled. (66) + + THE THRONE OF SOLOMON + +Next to the Temple in its magnificence, it is the throne of Solomon +that perpetuates the name and fame of the wise king. None before +him and none after him could produce a like work of art, and when +the kings, his vassals, saw the magnificence of the throne they fell +down and praised God. The throne was covered with fine gold +from Ophir, studded with beryls, inlaid with marble, and jewelled +with emeralds, and rubies, and pearls, and all manner of gems. On +each of its six steps there were two golden lions and two golden +eagles, a lion and an eagle to the left, and a lion and an eagle to the +right, the pairs standing face to face, so that the right paw of the +lion was opposite to the left wing of the eagle, and his left paw +opposite to the right wing of the eagle. The royal seat was at the +top, which was round. + +On the first step leading to the seat crouched an ox, and opposite +to him a lion; on the second, a wolf and a lamb; on the third, a +leopard and a goat; (67) on the fourth perched an eagle and a +peacock; on the fifth a falcon (68) and a cock; and on the sixth a +hawk and a sparrow; all made of gold. At the very top rested a +dove, her claws set upon a hawk, to betoken that the time would +come when all peoples and nations shall be delivered into the +hands of Israel. Over the seat hung a golden candlestick, with +golden lamps, pomegranates, snuff dishes, censers, chains, and +lilies. Seven branches extended from each side. On the arms to the +right were the images of the seven patriarchs of the world, Adam, +Noah, Shem, Job, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and on the arms to +the left, the images of the seven pious men of the world, Kohath, +Amram, Moses, Aaron, Eldad, Medad, and the prophet Hur. +Attached to the top of the candlestick was a golden bowl filled +with the purest olive oil, to be used for the candlestick in the +Temple, and below, a golden basin, also filled with the purest +olive oil, for the candlestick over the throne. The basin bore the +image of the high priest Eli; those of his sons Hophni and Phinehas +were on the two faucets protruding from the basin, and those of +Nadab and Abihu on the tubes connection the faucets with the +basin. + +On the upper part of the throne stood seventy golden chairs for the +members of the Sanhedrin, and two more for the high priest and +his vicar. When the high priest came to do homage to the king, the +members of the Sanhedrin also appeared, to judge the people, and +they took their seats to the right and to the left of the king. At the +approach of the witnesses, the machinery of the throne rumbled +the wheels turned, the ox lowed, the lion roared, the wolf howled, +the lamb bleated, the leopard growled, the goat cried, the falcon +screamed, the peacock gobbled, the cock crowed, the hawk +screeched, the sparrow chirped all to terrify the witnesses and +keep them from giving false testimony. + +When Solomon set foot upon the first step to ascend to his seat, its +machinery was put into motion. The golden ox arose and led him +to the second step, and there passed him over to the care of the +beasts guarding it, and so he was conducted from step to step up to +the sixth, where the eagles received him and placed him upon his +seat. As soon as he was seated, a great eagle set the royal crown +upon his head. Thereupon a huge snake rolled itself up against the +machinery, forcing the lions and eagles upward until they +encircled the head of the king. A golden dove flew down from a +pillar, took the sacred scroll out of a casket, and gave it to the king, +so that he might obey the injunction of the Scriptures, to have the +law with him and read therein all the days of his life. Above the +throne twenty-four vines interlaced, forming a shady arbor over the +head of the king, and sweet aromatic perfumes exhaled from two +golden lions, while Solomon made the ascent to his seat upon the +throne. (69) + +It was the task of seven heralds to keep Solomon reminded of his +duties as king and judge. The first one of the heralds approached +him when he set foot on the first step of the throne, and began to +recite the law for kings, "He shall not multiply wives to himself." +At the second step, the second herald reminded him, "He shall not +multiply horses to himself"; at the third, the next one of the heralds +said, "Neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold." +At the fourth step, he was told by the fourth herald, "Thou shalt not +wrest judgment"; at the fifth step, by the fifth herald, "Thou shalt +not respect persons," and at the sixth, by the sixth herald, "Neither +shalt thou take a gift." Finally, when he was about to seat himself +upon the throne, the seventh herald cried out: "Know before whom +thou standest." (70) + +The throne did not remain long in the possession of the Israelites. +During the life of Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, it was carried to +Egypt. Shishak, the father-in-law of Solomon, appropriated it as +indemnity for claims which he urged against the Jewish state in +behalf of his widowed daughter. When Sennacherib conquered +Egypt, he carried the throne away with him, but, on his homeward +march, during the overthrow of his army before the gates of +Jerusalem, he had to part with it to Hezekiah. Now it remained in +Palestine until the time of Jehoash, when it was once more carried +to Egypt by Pharaoh Necho. His possession of the throne brought +him little joy. Unacquainted with its wonderful mechanism, he was +injured in the side by one of the lions the first time he attempted to +mount it, and forever after he limped, wherefore he was given the +surname Necho, the hobbler. (71) Nebuchadnezzar was the next +possessor of the throne. It fell to his lot at the conquest of Egypt, +but when he attempted to use it in Babylonia, he fared no better +than his predecessor in Egypt. The lion standing near the throne +gave him so severe a blow that he never again dared ascend it. +Through Darius the throne reached Elam, but, knowing what its +other owners had suffered, he did not venture to seat himself on it, +and his example was imitated by Ahasuerus. The latter tried to +have his artificers fashion him a like artistic work, but, of course, +they failed. (72) The Median rulers parted with the throne to the +Greek monarchs, and finally it was carried to Rome. (73) + + THE HIPPODROME + +The throne was not the only remarkable sight at the court of the +magnificent king. Solomon attracted visitors to his capital by +means of games and shows. In every month of the year the official +who was in charge for the month, was expected to arrange for a +horse race, and once a year (74) a race took place in which the +competitors were ten thousand youths, mainly of the tribes of Gad +and Naphtali, who lived at the court of the king year in, year out, +and were maintained by him. For the scholars, their disciples, the +priests, and the Levites, the races were held on the last of the +month; on the first day of the month the residents of Jerusalem +were the spectators, and, on the second day, strangers. The +hippodrome occupied an area of three parasangs square, with an +inner square measuring one parasang on each side, around which +the races were run. Within were two grilles ornamented with all +sorts of animals. Out of the jaws of four gilded lions, attached to +pillars by twos, perfumes and spices flowed for the people. The +spectators were divided into four parties distinguished by the color +of their garb: the king and his attendants, the scholars and their +disciples, and the priests and Levites were attired in light blue +garments; all the rest from Jerusalem wore white; the sight-seers +from the surrounding towns and villages wore red, and green +marked the heathen hailing from afar, who came laden with tribute +and presents. The four colors corresponded to the four seasons. In +the autumn the sky is brilliantly blue; in winter the white snow +falls; the color of spring is green like the ocean, because it is the +season favorable to voyages, and red is the color of summer, when +the fruits grow red and ripe. (75) + +As the public spectacles were executed with pomp and splendor, +so the king's table was royally sumptuous. Regardless of season +and climate, it was always laden with the delicacies of all parts of +the globe. Game and poultry, even of such varieties as were +unknown in Palestine, were not lacking, and daily there came a +gorgeous bird from Barbary and settled down before the king's seat +at the table. The Scriptures tell us of great quantities of food +required by Solomon's household, and yet it was not all that was +needed. What the Bible mentions, covers only the accessories, +such as spices and the minor ingredients. The real needs were far +greater, as may be judged from the custom that all of Solomon's +thousand wives arranged a banquet daily, each in the hope of +having the king dine with her. (76) + + LESSONS IN HUMILITY + +Great and powerful as Solomon was, and wise and just, still +occasions were not lacking to bring home to him the truth that the +wisest and mightiest of mortals may not indulge in pride and +arrogance. + +Solomon had a precious piece of tapestry, sixty miles square, on +which he flew through the air so swiftly that he could eat breakfast +in Damascus and supper in Media. To carry out his orders he had +at his beck and call Asaph ben Berechiah (77) among men, +Ramirat among demons, the lion among beasts, and the eagle +among birds. Once it happened that pride possessed Solomon +while he was sailing through the air on his carpet, and he said: +"There is none like unto me in the world, upon whom God has +bestowed sagacity, wisdom, intelligence, and knowledge, besides +making me the ruler of the world." The same instant the air stirred, +and forty thousand men dropped from the magic carpet. The king +ordered the wind to cease from blowing, with the word: "Return!" +Whereupon the wind: "If thou wilt return to God, and subdue thy +pride, I, too, will return." The king realized his transgression. + +On one occasion he strayed into the valley of the ants in the course +of his wanderings. He heard one ant order all the others to +withdraw, to avoid being crushed by the armies of Solomon. The +king halted and summoned the ant that had spoken. She told him +that she was the queen of the ants, and she gave her reasons for the +order of withdrawal. Solomon wanted to put a question to the ant +queen, but she refused to answer unless the king took her up and +placed her on his hand. He acquiesced, and then he put his +question: "Is there any one greater than I am in all the world?" +"Yes," said the ant. + +Solomon: "Who?" + +Ant: "I am." + +Solomon: "How is that possible?" + +Ant: "Were I not greater than thou, God would not have led thee +hither to put me on thy hand." + +Exasperated, Solomon threw her to the ground, and said: "Thou +knowest who I am? I am Solomon, the son of David." + +Not at all intimidated, the ant reminded the king of his earthly +origin, and admonished him to humility, and the king went off +abashed. + +Next he came to a magnificent building, into which he sought to +enter in vain; he could find no door leading into it. After long +search the demons came upon an eagle seven hundred years old, +and he, unable to give them any information, sent him to his nine +hundred years old brother, whose eyrie was higher than his own, +and who would probably be in a position to advise them. But he in +turn directed them to go to his still older brother. His age counted +thirteen hundred years, and he had more knowledge than himself. +This oldest one of the eagles reported that he remembered having +heard his father say there was a door on the west side, but it was +covered up by the dust of the ages that had passed since it was last +used. So it turned out to be. They found an old iron door with the +inscription: "We, the dwellers in this palace, for many years lived +in comfort and luxury; then, forced by hunger, we ground pearls +into flour instead of wheat but to no avail, and so, when we were +about to die, we bequeathed this palace to the eagles." A second +statement contained a detailed description of the wonderful palace, +and mentioned where the keys for the different chambers were to +be found. Following the directions on the door, Solomon inspected +the remarkable building, whose apartments were made of pearls +and precious stones. Inscribed on the doors he found the following +three wise proverbs, dealing with the vanity of all earthly things, +and admonishing men to be humble: + +1. O son of man, let not time deceive thee; thou must wither away, +and leave thy place, to rest in the bosom of the earth. + +2. Haste thee not, move slowly, for the world is taken from one +and bestowed upon another. + +3. Furnish thyself with food for the journey, prepare thy meal +while daylight lasts, for thou wilt not remain on earth forever, and +thou knowest not the day of thy death. (78) + +In one of the chambers, Solomon saw a number of statues, among +them one that looked as though alive. When he approached it, it +called out in a loud voice: "Hither, ye satans, Solomon has come to +undo you." Suddenly there arose great noise and tumult among the +statues. Solomon pronounced the Name, and quiet was restored. +The statues were overthrown, and the sons of the satans ran into +the sea and were drowned. From the throat of the lifelike statue he +drew a silver plate inscribed with characters which he could not +decipher, but a youth from the desert told the king: "These letters +are Greek, and the words mean: 'I, Shadad ben Ad, ruled over a +thousand thousand provinces, rode on a thousand thousand horses, +had a thousand thousand kings under me, and slew a thousand +thousand heroes, and when the Angel of Death approached me, I +was powerless.'" (79) + + ASMODEUS + +When Solomon in his wealth and prosperity grew unmindful of his +God, and, contrary to the injunctions laid down for kings in the +Torah, multiplied wives unto himself, and craved the possession of +many horses and much gold, the Book of Deuteronomy stepped +before God and said: "Lo, O Lord of the world, Solomon is seeking +to remove a Yod from out of me, (80) for Thou didst write: 'The +king shall not multiply horses unto himself, nor shall he multiply +wives to himself, neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver +and gold'; but Solomon has acquired many horses, many wives, +and much silver and gold." Hereupon God said: "As thou livest, +Solomon and a hundred of his kind shall be annihilated ere a +single one of thy letters shall be obliterated." (81) + +The charge made against Solomon was soon followed by +consequences. He had to pay heavily for his sins. It came about in +this way: While Solomon was occupied with the Temple, he had +great difficulty in devising ways of fitting the stone from the +quarry into the building, for the Torah explicitly prohibits the use +of iron tools in erecting an altar. The scholars told him that Moses +had used the shamir, (82) the stone that splits rocks, to engrave the +names of the tribes on the precious stones of the ephod worn by +the high priest. Solomon's demons could give him no information +as to where the shamir could be found. They surmised, however, +that Asmodeus, (83) king of demons, was in possession of the +secret, and they told Solomon the name of the mountain on which +Asmodeus dwelt, and described also his manner of life. On this +mountain there was a well from which Asmodeus obtained his +drinking water. He closed it up daily with a large rock, and sealed +it before going to heaven, whither he went every day, to take part +in the discussions in the heavenly academy. Thence he would +descend again to earth in order to be present, though invisible, (84) +at the debates in the earthly houses of learning. Then, after +investigating the seal on the well to ascertain if it had been +tampered with, he drank of the water. + +Solomon sent his chief man, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, to +capture Asmodeus. For this purpose he provided him with a chain, +the ring on which the Name of God was engraved, a bundle of +wool, and a skin of wine. Benaiah drew the water from the well +through a hole bored from below, and, after having stopped up the +hole with the wool, he filled the well with wine from above. When +Asmodeus descended from heaven, to his astonishment he found +wine instead of water in the well, although everything seemed +untouched. At first he would not drink of it, and cited the Bible +verses that inveigh against wine, to inspire himself with moral +courage. At length Asmodeus succumbed to his consuming thirst, +and drank till his senses were overpowered, and he fell into a deep +sleep. Benaiah, watching him from a tree, then came, and drew the +chain about Asmodeus' neck. The demon, on awakening, tried to +free himself, but Benaiah called to him: "The Name of thy Lord is +upon thee." Though Asmodeus now permitted himself to be led off +unresistingly, he acted most peculiarly on the way to Solomon. He +brushed against a palm-tree and uprooted it; he knocked against a +house and overturned it; and when, at the request of a poor +woman, he was turned aside from her hut, he broke a bone. He +asked with grim humor: "Is it not written, 'A soft tongue breaketh +the bone?'" A blind man going astray he set in the right path, and to +a drunkard he did a similar kindness. He wept when a wedding +party passed them, and laughed at a man who asked his shoemaker +to make him shoes to last for seven years, and at a magician who +was publicly showing his skill. + +Having finally arrived at the end of the journey, Asmodeus, after +several days of waiting, was led before Solomon, who questioned +him about his strange conduct on the journey. Asmodeus answered +that he judged persons and things according to their real character, +and not according to their appearance in the eyes of human beings. +He cried when he saw the wedding company, because he knew the +bridegroom had not a month to live, and he laughed at him who +wanted shoes to last seven years, because the man would not own +them for seven days, also at the magician who pretended to +disclose secrets, because he did not know that a buried treasure lay +under his very feet; the blind man whom he set in the right path +was one of the "perfect pious," and he wanted to be kind to him; +on the other hand, the drunkard to whom he did a similar kindness +was known in heaven as a very wicked man, but he happened to +have done a good deed once, and he was rewarded accordingly. + +Asmodeus told Solomon that the shamir was given by God to the +Angel of the Sea, and that Angel entrusted none with the shamir +except the moor-hen, (85) which had taken an oath to watch the +shamir carefully. The moor-hen takes the shamir with her to +mountains which are not inhabited by men, splits them by means +of the shamir, and injects seeds, which grow and cover the naked +rocks, and then they can be inhabited. Solomon sent one of his +servants to seek the nest of the bird and lay a piece of glass over it. +When the moor-hen came and could not reach her young, she flew +away and fetched the shamir and placed it on the glass. Then the +man shouted, and so terrified the bird that she dropped the shamir +and flew away. By this means the man obtained possession of the +coveted shamir, and bore it to Solomon. But the moor-hen was so +distressed at having broken her oath to the Angel of the Sea that +she committed suicide. + +Although Asmodeus was captured only for the purpose of getting +the shamir, Solomon nevertheless kept him after the completion of +the Temple. One day the king told Asmodeus that he did not +understand wherein the greatness of the demons lay, if their king +could be kept in bonds by a mortal. Asmodeus replied, that if +Solomon would remove his chains and lend him the magic ring, he +would prove his own greatness. Solomon agreed. The demon stood +before him with one wing touching heaven and the other reaching +to the earth. Snatching up Solomon, who had parted with his +protecting ring, he flung him four hundred parasangs away from +Jerusalem, and then palmed himself off as the king. + + SOLOMON AS BEGGAR + +Banished from his home, deprived of his realm, Solomon +wandered about in far-off lands, among strangers, begging his +daily bread. Nor did his humiliation end there; people thought him +a lunatic, because he never tired of assuring them that he was +Solomon, Judah's great and mighty king. Naturally that seemed a +preposterous claim to the people. (86) The lowest depth of despair +he reached, however, when he met some one who recognized him. +The recollections and associations that stirred within him then +made his present misery almost unendurable. + +It happened (87) that once on his peregrinations he met an old +acquaintance, a rich and well-considered man, who gave a +sumptuous banquet in honor of Solomon. At the meal his host +spoke to Solomon constantly of the magnificence and splendor he +had once seen with his own eyes at the court of the king. These +reminiscences moved the king to tears, and he wept so bitterly +that, when he rose from the banquet, he was satiated, not with the +rich food, but with salt tears. The following day it again happened +that Solomon met an acquaintance of former days, this time a poor +man, who nevertheless entreated Solomon to do him the honor and +break bread under his roof. All that the poor man could offer his +distinguished guest was a meagre dish of greens. But he tried in +every way to assuage the grief that oppressed Solomon. He said: +"O my lord and king, God hath sworn unto David He would never +let the royal dignity depart from his house, but it is the way of God +to reprove those He loves if they sin. Rest assured, He will restore +thee in good time to thy kingdom." These words of his poor host +were more grateful to Solomon's bruised heart than the banquet the +rich man had prepared for him. It was to the contrast between the +consolations of the two men that he applied the verse in Proverbs: +"Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and +hatred therewith." + +For three long years Solomon journeyed about, begging his way +from city to city, and from country to country, atoning for the three +(88) sins of his life by which he had set aside the commandment +laid upon kings in Deuteronomy not to multiply horses, and +wives, and silver and gold. At the end of that time, God took +mercy upon him for the sake of his father David, and for the sake +of the pious princess Naamah, the daughter of the Ammonite king, +destined by God to be the ancestress of the Messiah. The time was +approaching when she was to become the wife of Solomon (89) +and reign as queen in Jerusalem. God therefore led the royal +wanderer to the capital city of Ammon. (90) Solomon took service +as an underling with the cook in the royal household, and he +proved himself so proficient in the culinary art that the king of +Ammon raised him to the post of chief cook. Thus he came under +the notice of the king's daughter Naamah, who fell in love with her +father's cook. In vain her parents endeavored to persuade her to +choose a husband befitting her rank. Not even the king's threat to +have her and her beloved executed availed to turn her thoughts +away from Solomon. The Ammonite king had the lovers taken to a +barren desert, in the hope that they would die of starvation there. +Solomon and his wife wandered through the desert until they came +to a city situated by the sea-shore. They purchased a fish to stave +off death. When Naamah prepared the fish, she found in its belly +the magic ring belonging to her husband, which he had given to +Asmodeus, and which, thrown into the sea by the demon, had been +swallowed by a fish. Solomon recognized his ring, put it on his +finger, and in the twinkling of an eye he transported himself to +Jerusalem. Asmodeus, who had been posing as King Solomon +during the three years, he drove out, and himself ascended the +throne again. + +Later on he cited the king of Ammon before his tribunal, and +called him to account for the disappearance of the cook and the +cook's wife, accusing him of having killed them. The king of +Ammon protested that he had not killed, but only banished them. +Then Solomon had the queen appear, and to his great astonishment +and still greater joy the king of Ammon recognized his daughter. +(91) + +Solomon succeeded in regaining his throne only after undergoing +many hardships. The people of Jerusalem considered him a +lunatic, because he said that he was Solomon. After some time, the +members of the Sanhedrin noticed his peculiar behavior, and they +investigated the matter. They found that a long time had passed +since Benaiah, the confidant of the king, had been permitted to +enter the presence of the usurper. Furthermore the wives of +Solomon and his mother Bath-sheba informed them that the +behavior of the king had completely changed it was not befitting +royalty and in no respect like Solomon's former manner. It was +also very strange that the king never by any chance allowed his +foot to be seen, for fear, of course, of betraying his demon origin. +(92) The Sanhedrin, therefore, gave the king's magic ring to the +wandering beggar who called himself King Solomon, and had him +appear before the pretender on the throne. As soon as Asmodeus +caught sight of the true king protected by his magic ring, he flew +away precipitately. + +Solomon did not escape unscathed. The sight of Asmodeus in all +his forbidding ugliness had so terrified him that henceforth he +surrounded his couch at night with all the valiant heroes among the +people. (93) + + THE COURT OF SOLOMON + +As David had been surrounded by great scholars and heroes of +repute, so the court of Solomon was the gathering-place of the +great of his people. The most important of them all doubtless was +Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, who had no peer for learning and +piety either in the time of the first or the second Temple. (94) In +his capacity as the chancellor of Solomon, he was the object of the +king's special favor. He was frequently invited to be the companion +of the king in his games of chess. The wise king naturally was +always the winner. One day Solomon left the chess-board for a +moment, Benaiah used his absence to remove one of the king's +chess-men, and the king lost the game. Solomon gave much +thought to the occurrence. He came to the conclusion that his +chancellor had dealt dishonestly with him, and he was determined +to give him a lesson. + +Some days later Solomon noticed two suspicious characters +hanging about the palace. Acting at once upon an idea that +occurred to him, he put on the clothes of one of his servants and +joined the two suspects. The three of them, he proposed, should +make the attempt to rob the royal palace, and he drew forth a key +which would facilitate their entrance. While the thieves were +occupied in gathering booty, the king roused his servants, and the +malefactors were taken into custody. Next morning Solomon +appeared before the Sanhedrin, which was presided over by +Benaiah (95) at the time, and he desired to know from the court +what punishment was meted out to a thief. Benaiah, seeing no +delinquents before him, and unwilling to believe that the king +would concern himself about the apprehension of thieves, was +convinced that Solomon was bent on punishing him for his +dishonest play. He fell at the feet of the king, confessed his guilt, +and begged his pardon. Solomon was pleased to have his +supposition confirmed, and also to have Benaiah acknowledge his +wrong-doing. he assured him he harbored no evil designs against +him, and that when he asked this question of the Sanhedrin, he had +had real thieves in mind, who had broken into the palace during +the night. (96) + +Another interesting incident happened, in which Benaiah played a +part. The king of Persia was very ill, and his physician told him he +could be cured by nothing but the milk of a lioness. The king +accordingly sent a deputation bearing rich presents to Solomon, +the only being in the world who might in his wisdom discover +means to obtain lion's milk. Solomon charged Benaiah to fulfil the +Persian king's wish. Benaiah took a number of kids, and repaired +to a lion's den. Daily he threw a kid to the lioness, and after some +time the beasts became familiar with him, and finally he could +approach the lioness close enough to draw milk from her udders. + +On the way back to the Persian king the physician who had +recommended the milk cure dreamed a dream. All the organs of +his body, his hands, feet, eyes, mouth, and tongue, were +quarrelling with one another, each claiming the greatest share of +credit in procuring the remedy for the Persian monarch. When the +tongue set forth its own contribution to the cause of the king's +service, the other organs rejected its claim as totally unfounded. +The physician did not forget the dream, and when he appeared +before the king, he spoke: "Here is the dog's milk which we went +to fetch for you." The king, enraged, ordered the physician to be +hanged, because he had brought the milk of a bitch instead of the +milk of a lion's dam. During the preliminaries to the execution, all +the limbs and organs of the physician began to tremble, whereupon +the tongue said: "Did I not tell you that you all are of no good? If +you will acknowledge my superiority, I shall even now save you +from death." They all made the admission it demanded, and the +physician requested the executioner to take him to the king. Once +in the presence of his master, he begged him as a special favor to +drink of the milk he had brought. The king granted his wish, +recovered from his sickness, and dismissed the physician in peace. +So it came about that all the organs of the body acknowledge the +supremacy of the tongue. (97) + +Besides Benaiah, Solomon's two scribes, Elihoreph and Ahijah, the +sons of Shisha, deserve mention. They both met their death in a +most peculiar way. Solomon once upon a time noticed a care-worn +expression on the countenance of the Angel of Death. When he +asked the reason, he received the answer, that he had been charged +with the task of bringing the two scribes to the next world. +Solomon was desirous of stealing a march upon the Angel of +Death, as well as keeping his secretaries alive. He ordered the +demons to carry Elihoreph and Ahijah to Luz, the only spot on +earth in which the Angel of Death has no power. (98) In a jiffy, the +demons had done his bidding, but the two secretaries expired at +the very moment of reaching the gates of Luz. Next day, the Angel +of Death appeared before Solomon in very good humor, and said +to him: "Thou didst transport those two men to the very spot in +which I wanted them." The fate destined for them was to die at the +gates of Luz, and the Angel of Death had been at a loss how to get +them there. (99) + +A most interesting incident in Solomon's own family circle is +connected with one of his daughters. She was of extraordinary +beauty, and in the stars he read that she was to marry an extremely +poor youth. To prevent the undesirable union, Solomon had a high +tower erected in the sea, and to this he sent his daughter. Seventy +eunuchs were to guard her, and a huge quantity of food was stored +in the tower for her use. + +The poor youth whom fate had appointed to be her husband was +travelling one cold night. He did not know where to rest his head, +when he espied the rent carcass of an ox lying in the field. In this +he lay down to keep warm. When he was ensconced in it, there +came a large bird, which took the carcass, bore it, together with the +youth stretched out in it, to the roof of the tower in which the +princess lived, and, settling down there, began to devour the flesh +of the ox. In the morning, the princess, according to her wont, +ascended to the roof to look out upon the sea, and she caught sight +of the youth. She asked him who he was, and who had brought him +thither? He told her that he was a Jew from Accho, and had been +carried to the tower by a bird. She showed him to a chamber, +where he could wash and anoint himself, and array himself in a +fresh garb. Then it appeared that he possessed unusual beauty. +Besides, he was a scholar of great attainments and of acute mind. +So it came about that the princess fell in love with him. She asked +him whether he would have her to wife, and he assented gladly. He +opened one of his veins, and wrote the marriage contract with his +own blood. Then he pronounced the formula of betrothal, taking +God and the two archangels Michael and Gabriel as witnesses, and +she became his wife, legally married to him. + +After some time the eunuchs noticed that she was pregnant. Their +questions elicited the suspected truth from the princess, and they +sent for Solomon. His daughter admitted her marriage, and the +king, though he recognized in her husband the poor man predicted +in the constellations, yet he thanked God for his son-in-law, +distinguished no less for learning than for his handsome person. +(100) + +THE DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM + +The division of the kingdom into Judah and Israel, which took +place soon after the death of Solomon, had cast its shadow before. +When Solomon, on the day after his marriage with the Egyptian +princess, disturbed the regular course of the Temple service by +sleeping late with his head on the pillow under which lay the key +of the Temple, Jeroboam with eighty thousand Ephraimites +approached the king and publicly called him to account for is +negligence. God administered a reproof to Jeroboam; "Why dost +thou reproach a prince of Israel? As thou livest, thou shalt have a +taste of his rulership, and thou wilt see thou are not equal to its +responsibilities." (1) + +On another occasion a clash occurred between Jeroboam and +Solomon. The latter ordered his men to close the openings David +had made in the city wall to facilitate the approach of the pilgrims +to Jerusalem. This forced them all the walk through the gates and +pay toll. The tax thus collected Solomon gave to his wife, the +daughter of Pharaoh, as pin-money. Indignant at this, Jeroboam +questioned the king about it in public. In other ways, too, he failed +to pay Solomon the respect due to royal position, as his father +before him, Sheba the son of Bichri, had rebelled against David, +misled by signs and tokens which he had falsely interpreted as +pointing to his own elevation to royal dignity, when in reality they +concerned themselves with his son. (2) + +It was when Jeroboam was preparing to depart from Jerusalem +forever, in order to escape the dangers to which Solomon's +displeasure exposed him, (3) that Ahijah of Shilo met him with the +Divine tidings of his elevation to the kingship. The prophet Ahijah, +of the tribe of Levi, was venerable, not only by reason of his hoary +age, his birth occurred at least sixty years before the exodus from +Egypt, (4) but because his piety was so profound that a saint of +the exalted standing of Simon ben Yohai associated Ahijah with +himself. Simon once exclaimed: "My merits and Ahijah together +suffice to atone for the iniquity of all sinners from the time of +Abraham until the advent of the Messiah." (5) + + JEROBOAM + +Jeroboam was the true disciple (6) of this great prophet, His +doctrine was as pure as the new garment Ahijah wore when he met +Jeroboam near Jerusalem, and his learning exceeded that of all the +scholars of his time except his own teacher Ahijah alone. The +prophet was in the habit of discussing secret love with Jeroboam +and subjects in the Torah whose existence was wholly unknown to +others. (7) + +Had Jeroboam proved himself worthy of his high position, the +length of his reign would have equalled David's. (8) It was his +pride that led him into destruction. He set up the golden calves as +objects to be worshipped by the people, in order to wean them +from their habit of going on pilgrimages to Jerusalem. He knew +that in the Temple only members of the royal house of David were +privileged to sit down. No exception would be made in favor of +Jeroboam, and so he would have to stand while Rehoboam would +be seated. Rather than appear in public as the subordinate of the +Judean king, he introduced the worship of idols, which secured +him full royal prerogatives. + +In the execution of his plan he proceeded with great cunning, and +his reputation as a profound scholar and pious saint stood him in +good stead. This was his method: He seated an impious man next +to a pious man, and then said to each couple: "Will you put your +signature to anything I intend to do?" The two would give an +affirmative answer. "Do you want me as king?" he would then ask, +only to receive and affirmative answer again. "And you will do +whatever I order?" he continued. "Yes," was the reply. "I am to +infer, then, that you will even pay worship to idols if I command +it?" said Jeroboam. "God forbid !" the pious member of the couple +would exclaim, whereupon his impious companion, who was in +league with the king, would turn upon him: "Canst thou really +suppose for an instant that a man like Jeroboam would serve idols? +He only wishes to put our loyalty to the test." Through such +machinations he succeeded in obtaining the signatures of the most +pious, even the signature of the prophet Ahijah. Now Jeroboam +had the people is his power. He could exact the vilest deeds from +them. (9) + +So entrenched, Jeroboam brought about the division between +Judah and Israel, a consummation which his father, Sheba the son +of Bichri, had not been able to compass under David, because God +desired to have the Temple erected before the split occurred. (10) +Not yet satisfied, Jeroboam sought to involve the Ten Tribes in a +war against Judah and Jerusalem. But the people of the northern +kingdom refused to enter into hostilities with their brethren, and +with the ruler of their brethren, a descendant of David. Jeroboam +appealed to the elders of the Israelites, and they referred him to the +Danites, the most efficient of their warriors; but they swore by the +head of Dan, the ancestor of their tribe, that they would never +consent to shed blood of their brethren. They were even on the +point of rising against Jeroboam, and the clash between them and +the followers of Jeroboam was prevented only because God +prompted the Danites to leave Palestine. + +Their first plan was to journey to Egypt and take possession of the +land. They gave it up when their princes reminded them of the +Biblical prohibition (11) against dwelling in Egypt. Likewise they +were restrained from attacking the Edomites, Ammonites, and +Moabites, for the Torah commands considerate treatment of them. +Finally they decided to go to Egypt, but not to stay there, only to +pass through to Ethiopia. The Egyptians were in great terror of the +Danites, and their hardiest warriors occupied the roads travelled by +them. Arrived in Ethiopia, the Danites slew a part of the +population, and exacted tribute from the rest. (12) + +The departure of the Danites relieved Judah from the apprehended +invasion by Jeroboam, but danger arose from another quarter. +Shishak, (13) the ruler of Egypt, who was the father-in-law of +Solomon, came to Jerusalem and demanded his daughter's +jointure. He carried off the throne of Solomon, (14) and also the +treasure which the Israelites had taken from the Egyptians at the +time of the exodus. So the Egyptian money returned to its source. +(15) + + THE TWO ABIJAHS + +Jeroboam did not entirely forego his plan of a campaign against +Judah, but it was not executed until Abijah had succeeded his +father Rehoboam on the throne of Jerusalem. The Judean king was +victorious. However, he could not long enjoy the fruits of his +victory. Shortly after occurred his death, brought on by his own +crimes. In his war against Jeroboam he had indulged in excessive +cruelty; he ordered the corpses of the enemy to be mutilated, and +permitted them to be buried only after putrefaction had set in. +Such savagery was all the more execrable as it prevented many +widows from entering into a second marriage. Mutilating the +corpses had made identification impossible, and so it was left +doubtful whether their husbands were among the dead. + +Moreover, Abijah used most disrespectful language about the +prophet Abijah the Shilonite; he called him a "son of Belial" in his +address to the people on Mount Zemaraim. That in itself merited +severe punishment. Finally, his zeal for true worship of God, +which Abijah had urged as the reason of the war between himself +and Jeroboam, cooled quickly. When he obtained possession of +Beth-el, he failed to do away with the golden calves. (16) + +In this respect his namesake, the Israelitish king Abijah, the son of +Jeroboam, was by far his superior. By removing the guards +stationed at the frontier, he bade defiance to the command of his +father, who had decreed the death penalty for pilgrimages to +Jerusalem. More than this, he himself ventured to go up to +Jerusalem in fulfilment of his religious duty. (17) + + ASA + +Asa, the son of Abijah of Judah, was a worthier and a more pious +ruler than his father had been. He did away with the gross worship +of Priapus, (18) to which his mother was devoted. To reward him +for his piety, God gave him the victory over Zerah, the king of the +Ethiopians. As a result of this victory he came again into +possession of the throne of Solomon and of the treasures Shishak +had taken from his grandfather, which Zerah in turn had wrested +form Shishak. (19) Asa himself did not long keep them. Baasha, +the king of Israel, together with Ben-hadad, the Aramean king, +attacked Asa, who tried to propitiate Ben-hadad by giving him his +lately re-acquired treasures. (20) The prophet justly rebuked him +for trusting in princes rather than in God, and that in spite of the +fact that Divine help had been visible in his conflicts with the +Ethiopians and the Lubim; for there had been no need for him to +engage in battle with them; in response to his mere prayer God had +slain the enemy. (21) In general, Asa showed little confidence in +God; he rather trusted his own skill. Accordingly, he made even +the scholars of his realm enlist in the army sent out against Baasha. +He was punished by being afflicted with gout, he of all men, who +was distinguished on account of the strength residing in his feet. +(22) Furthermore, the division between Judah and Israel was made +permanent, though God had at first intended to limit the exclusion +of David's house from Israel to only thirty-six years. Had Asa +shown himself deserving, he would have been accorded dominion +over the whole of Israel. (23) In point of fact, Asa, through his +connection by marriage with the house of Omri, contributed to the +stability of the Israelitish dynasty, for as a result of the support +given by the southern ruler Omri succeeded in putting his rival +Tibni out of the way. Then it was that God resolved that the +descendants of Asa should perish simultaneously with the +descendants of Omri. This doom was accomplished when Jehu +killed the king of Judah on account of his friendship and kinship +with Joram the king of Samaria. (24) + + JEHOSHAPHAT AND AHAB + +The successors of Omri and Asa, each in his way, were worthy of +their fathers. Jehoshaphat, the son of Asa, was very wealthy. The +treasures which his father had sent to the Aramean ruler reverted +to him in consequence of his victory over the Ammonites, +themselves the conquerors of the Arameans, whom they had +despoiled of their possessions. (25) His power was exceedingly +great; each division of his army counted no less than one hundred +and sixty thousand warriors. (26) Yet rich and powerful as he was, +he was so modest that he refused to don his royal apparel when he +went to the house of the prophet Elisha to consult him; he +appeared before him in the attire of one of the people. (27) Unlike +his father, who had little consideration for scholars, Jehoshaphat +was particularly gracious toward them. When a scholar appeared +before him, he arose, hastened to meet him, and kissing and +embracing him, greeted him with "Rabbi, Rabbi!" (28) + +Jehoshaphat concerned himself greatly about the purity and +sanctification of the Temple. He was the author of the ordinance +forbidding any one to ascend the Temple mount whose term of +uncleanness had not expired, even though he had taken the ritual +bath. (29) His implicit trust in God made him a complete contrast +to his skeptical father. He turned to God and implored His help +when to human reason help seemed an utter impossibility. In the +war with the Arameans, an enemy held his sword at Jehoshaphat's +very throat, ready to deal the fatal blow, but the king entreated +help of God, and it was granted. (30) + +In power and wealth, Ahab, king of Samaria, outstripped his friend +Jehoshaphat, for Ahab is one of that small number of kings who +have ruled over the whole world. (31) No less than two hundred +and fifty-two kingdoms acknowledged his dominion. (32) As for +his wealth, it was so abundant that each of his hundred and forty +children possessed several ivory palaces, summer and winter +residences. (33) But what gives Ahab his prominence among the +Jewish kings is neither his power nor his wealth, but his sinful +conduct. For him the gravest transgressions committed by +Jeroboam were slight peccadilloes. At his order the gates of +Samaria bore the inscription: "Ahab denies the God of Israel." He +was so devoted to idolatry, to which he was led astray by his wife +Jezebel, that the fields of Palestine were full of idols. But he was +not wholly wicked, he possessed some good qualities. He was +liberal toward scholars, and he showed great reverence for the +Torah, which he studied zealously. When Ben-hadad exacted all he +possessed his wealth, his wives, his children he acceded to his +demands regarding everything except the Torah; that he refused +peremptorily to surrender. (34) In the war that followed between +himself and the Syrians, he was so indignant at the +presumptuousness of the Aramean upstart that he himself saddled +his warhorse for the battle. His zeal was rewarded by God; he +gained a brilliant victory in a battle in which no less than a +hundred thousand of the Syrians were slain, as the prophet Micaiah +had foretold to him. (35) The same seer (36) admonished him not +to deal gently with Ben-hadad. God's word to him had been: +"Know that I had to set many a pitfall and trap to deliver him into +thy hand. If thou lettest him escape, thy life will be forfeit for his." +(37) + +Nevertheless the disastrous end of Ahab is not to be ascribed to his +disregard of the prophet's warning for he finally liberated +Ben-hahad, but chiefly to the murder of his kinsman Naboth, +whose execution on the charge of treason he had ordered, so that +he might put himself in possession of Naboth's wealth. (38) His +victim was a pious man, and in the habit of going on pilgrimages +to Jerusalem on the festivals. As he was a great singer, his +presence in the Holy City attracted many other pilgrims thither. +Once Naboth failed to go on his customary pilgrimage. Then it was +that his false conviction took place a very severe punishment for +the transgression, but not wholly unjustifiable. (39) Under +Jehoshaphat's influence and counsel, Ahab did penance for his +crime, and the punishment God meted out to him was thereby +mitigated to the extent that his dynasty was not cut off from the +throne at this death. (40) In the heavenly court of justice, (41) at +Ahab's trial, the accusing witnesses and his defenders exactly +balanced each other in number and statements, until the spirit of +Naboth appeared and turned the scale against Ahab. The spirit of +Naboth it had been, too, that had let astray the prophets of Ahab, +making them all use the very same words in prophesying a victory +at Ramothgilead. This literal unanimity aroused Jehoshaphat's +suspicion, and caused him to ask for "a prophet of the Lord," for +the rule is: "The same thought is revealed to many prophets, but no +two prophets express it in the same words." (42) Jehoshaphat's +mistrust was justified by the issue of war. Ahab was slain in a +miraculous way by Naaman, at the time only a common soldier of +the rank and file. God permitted Naaman's missile to penetrate +Ahab's armor, though the latter was harder than the former. (43) + +The mourning for Ahab was so great that the memory of it reached +posterity. (44) The funeral procession was unusually impressive; +no less than thirty-six thousand warriors, their shoulders bared, +marched before his bier. (45) Ahab is one of the few in Israel who +have no portion in the world to come. (46) He dwells in the fifth +division of the nether world, which is under the supervision of the +angel Oniel. However, he is exempt from the tortures inflicted +upon his heathen associates. (47) + + JEZEBEL + +Wicked as Ahab was, his wife Jezebel was incomparably worse. +Indeed, she is in great part the cause of his suffering, and Ahab +realized it. Once Rabbi Levi expounded the Scriptural verse in +which the iniquity of Ahab and the influence of his wife over him +are discussed, dwelling upon the first half for two months. Ahab +visited him in a dream, and reproached him with expatiating on the +first half of the verse to the exclusion of the latter half. Thereupon +the Rabbi took the second half of the verse as the text of his +lectures for the next two months, demonstrating all the time that +Jezebel was the instigator of Ahab's sins. (48) Her misdeed are told +in the Scriptures. To those there recounted must be added her +practice of attaching unchaste images to Ahab's chariot for the +purpose of stimulating his carnal desires. Therefore those parts of +his chariot were spattered with his blood when he fell at the hand +of the enemy. (49) She had her husband weighed every day, and +the increase of his weight in gold she sacrificed to the idol. (50) +Jezebel was not only the daughter and the wife of a king, she was +also co-regent with her husband, the only reigning queen in Jewish +history except Athaliah. (51) + +Hardened sinner though Jezebel was, even she had good qualities. +One of them was her capacity for sympathy with others in joy and +sorrow. Whenever a funeral cortege passed the royal palace, +Jezebel would descend and join the ranks of the mourners, and, +also, when a marriage procession went by, she took part in the +merry-making in honor of the bridal couple. By way of reward the +limbs and organs with which she had executed these good deeds +were left intact by the horses that trampled her to death in the +portion of Jezreel. (52) + + JORAM OF ISRAEL + +Of Joram, the son of Ahab, it can only be said that he had his +father's faults without his father's virtues. Ahab was liberal, Joram +miserly, nay, he even indulged in usurious practices. From +Obadiah, the pious protector of the prophets in hiding, he exacted +a high rate of interest on the money needed for their support. As a +consequence, at his death he fell pierced between his arms, the +arrow going out at his heart, for he had stretched out his arms to +receive usury, and had hardened his heart against compassion. (53) +In his reign only one event deserves mention, his campaign against +Moab, undertaken in alliance with the kings of Judah and Edom, +and ending with a splendid victory won by the allied kings. Joram +and his people, it need hardly be said, failed to derive the proper +lesson from the war. Their disobedience to God's commands went +on as before. The king of Moab, on the other hand, in his way +sought to come nearer to God. He assembled his astrologers and +inquired of them, why it was that the Moabites, successful in their +warlike enterprises against other nations, could not measure up to +the standard of the Israelites. They explained that God was +gracious to Israel, because his ancestor Abraham had been ready to +sacrifice Isaac at His bidding. Then the Moabite king reasoned, +that if God set so high a value upon mere good intention, how +much greater would be the reward for its actual execution, and he, +who ordinarily was a sun worshipper, proceeded to sacrifice his +son, the successor to the throne, to the God of Israel. God said: +"The heathen do not know Me, and their wrong-doing arises from +ignorance; but you, Israelites, know Me, and yet you act +rebelliously toward Me." (54) + +As a result of the seven years' famine, conditions in Samaria were +frightful during the great part of Joram's reign. In the first year +everything stored in the houses was eaten up. In the second, the +people supported themselves with what they could scrape together +in the fields. The flesh of the clean animals sufficed for the third +year; in the fourth the sufferers resorted to the unclean animals; in +the fifth, the reptiles and insects; and in the sixth the monstrous +thing happened that women crazed by hunger consumed their own +children as food. But the acme of distress was reached in the +seventh year, when men sought to gnaw the flesh from their own +bones. (55) To these occurrences the prophecies of Joel apply, for +he lived in the awful days of the famine in Joram's reign. + +Luckily, God revealed to Joel at the same time how Israel would +be rescued from the famine. The winter following the seven years +of dearth brought no relief, for the rain held back until the first day +of the month of Nisan. When it began to fall, the prophet said to +the people, "Go forth and sow seed!" But they remonstrated with +him, "Shall one who hath saved a measure of wheat or two +measures of barely not use his store for food and live, rather than +for seed and die?" But the prophet urged them, "Nay, go forth and +sow seed." And a miracle happened. In the ant hills and mouse +holes, they found enough grain for seed, and they cast it upon the +ground on the second, the third, and the fourth day of Nisan. On +the fifth day of the month rain fell again. Eleven days later the +grain was ripe, and the offering of the 'Omer could be brought at +the appointed time, on the sixteenth of the month. Of this the +Psalmist was thinking when he said, "They that sow in tears shall +reap in joy." (56) + +ELIJAH BEFORE HIS TRANSLATION + +The Biblical account of the prophet Elijah, (1) of his life and work +during the reigns of Ahab and his son Joram, gives but a faint idea +of a personage whose history begins with Israel's sojourn in Egypt, +and will end only when Israel, under the leadership of the Messiah, +shall have taken up his abode again in Palestine. + +The Scripture tells us only the name of Elijah's home, (2) but it +must be added that he was a priest, identical with Phinehas, (3) the +priest zealous for the honor of God, who distinguished himself on +the journey through the desert, and played a prominent role again +in the time of the Judges. (4) + +Elijah's first appearance in the period of the Kings was his meeting +with Ahab in the house of Hiel, the Beth-elite, the +commander-in-chief of the Israelitish army, whom he was visiting +to condole with him for the loss of his sons. God Himself had +charged the prophet to offer sympathy to Hiel, whose position +demanded that honor be paid him. Elijah at first refused to seek +out the sinner who had violated the Divine injunction against +rebuilding Jericho, for he said that the blasphemous talk of such +evil-doers always called forth his rage. Thereupon God promised +Elijah that fulfilment should attend whatever imprecation might in +his wrath escape him against the godless for their unholy speech. +As the prophet entered the general's house, he heard Hiel utter +these words: "Blessed be the Lord God of the pious, who grants +fulfilment to the words of the pious." Hiel thus acknowledged that +he had been justly afflicted with Joshua's curse against him who +should rebuild Jericho. + +Ahab mockingly asked him: "Was not Moses greater than Joshua, +and did he not say that God would let no rain descend upon the +earth, if Israel served and worshipped idols? There is not an idol +known to which I do not pay homage, yet we enjoy all that is +goodly and desirable. Dost thou believe that if the words of Moses +remain unfulfilled, the words of Joshua will come true?" Elijah +rejoined: "Be it as thou sayest: 'As the Lord, the God of Israel +liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these +years, but according to my word.'" In pursuance of His promise, +God could not but execute the words of Elijah, and neither dew +nor rain watered the land. (5) + +A famine ensued, and Ahab sought to wreak his vengeance upon +the prophet. To escape the king's persecutions, Elijah hid himself. +He was sustained with food brought from the larder of the pious +king Jehoshaphat by ravens, (6) which at the same time would not +approach near to the house of the iniquitous Ahab. (7) + +God, who has compassion even upon the impious, tried to induce +the prophet to release Him from His promise. To influence him He +made the brook run dry (8) whence Elijah drew water for his thirst. +As this failed to soften the inflexible prophet, God resorted to the +expedient of causing him pain through the death of the son of the +widow with whom Elijah was abiding, and by whom he had been +received with great honor. When her son, who was later to be +known as the prophet Jonah, (9) died, she thought God had +formerly been gracious to her on account of her great worthiness +as compared with the merits of her neighbors and of the +inhabitants of the city, and now He had abandoned her, because +her virtues had become as naught in the presence of the great +prophet. (10) In his distress Elijah supplicated God to revive the +child. (11) Now God had the prophet in His power. He could give +heed unto Elijah's prayer only provided the prophet released Him +from the promise about a drought, for resuscitation from death is +brought about by means of dew, and this remedy was precluded so +long as Elijah kept God to His word withholding dew and rain +from the earth. (12) Elijah saw there was nothing for it but to +yield. However, he first betook himself to Ahab with the purpose +of overcoming the obduracy of the people, upon whom the famine +had made no impression. Manifest wonders displayed before their +eyes were to teach them wisdom. The combat between God and +Baal took place on Carmel. The mount that had esteemed itself the +proper place for the greatest event in Israelitish history, the +revelation of the law, was compensated, by the many miracles now +performed upon it, for its disappointment at Sinai's having been +preferred to it. (13) + +The first wonder occurred in connection with the choice of the +bullocks. According to Elijah's arrangement with Ahab, one was to +be sacrificed to God, and then one to Baal. A pair to twins, raised +together, were brought before the contestants, and it was decided +by lot which belonged to God and which to Baal. Elijah had no +difficulty with his offering; quickly he led it to his altar. But all the +priests of Baal, eight hundred and fifty in number, could not make +their victim stir a foot. When Elijah began to speak persuasively to +the bullock of Baal, urging it to follow the idolatrous priests, it +opened its mouth and said: "We two, yonder bullock and myself, +came forth from the same womb, we took our food from the same +manger, and now he has been destined for God, as an instrument +for the glorification of the Divine Name, while I am to be used for +Baal, as an instrument to enrage my Creator." Elijah urged: "Do +thou but follow the priests of Baal that they may have no excuse, +and then thou wilt have a share in that glorification of God for +which my bullock will be used." The bullock: "So dost thou advise, +but I swear I will not move from the spot, unless thou with thine +own hands wilt deliver me up." Elijah thereupon led the bullock to +the priests of Baal. (14) + +In spite of this miracle, the priests sought to deceive the people. +They undermined the altar, and Hiel hid himself under it with the +purpose of igniting a fire at the mention of the word Baal. But God +sent a serpent to kill him. (15) In vain the false priests cried and +called, Baal! Baal! the expected flame did not shoot up. To add to +the confusion of the idolaters, God had imposed silence upon the +whole world. The powers of the upper and of the nether regions +were dumb, the universe seemed deserted and desolate, as if +without a living creature. If a single sound had made itself heard, +the priests would have said, "It is the voice of Baal." (16) + +That all preparations might be completed in one day, the erection +of the altar, the digging of the trench, and whatever else was +necessary, Elijah commanded the sun to stand still. "For Joshua," +he said, "thou didst stand still that Israel might conquer his +enemies; now stand thou still, neither for my sake, nor for the sake +of Israel, but that the Name of God may be exalted." And the sun +obeyed his words. (17) + +Toward evening Elijah summoned his disciple Elisha, and bade +him pour water over his hands. A miracle happened. Water flowed +out from Elijah's fingers until the whole trench was filled. (18) +Then the prophet prayed to God to let fire descend, but in such +wise that the people would know it to be a wonder from heaven, +and not think it a magician's trick. (19) He spoke: "Lord of the +world, Thou wilt send me as a messenger 'at the end of time,' but if +my words do not meet with fulfilment now, the Jews cannot be +expected to believe me in the latter days." (20) His pleading was +heard on high, and fire fell from heaven upon the altar, a fire that +not only consumed what it touched, but also licked up the water. +(21) Nor was that all; his prayer for rain was also granted. Scarcely +had these words dropped from his lips, "Though we have no other +merits, yet remember the sign of the covenant which the Israelites +bear upon their bodies," when the rain fell to earth. (22) + +In spite of all these miracles, the people persisted in their +idolatrous ways and thoughts. Even the seven thousand who had +not bowed down unto Baal were unworthy sons of Israel, for they +paid homage to the golden calves of Jeroboam. (23) + +The misdeeds of the people had swelled to such number that they +could no longer reckon upon "the merits of the fathers" to +intercede for them; they had overdrawn their account. (24) When +they sank to the point of degradation at which they gave up the +sign of the covenant, Elijah could control his wrath no longer, and +he accused Israel before God. (25) In the cleft of the rock in which +God had once aforetimes appeared to Moses, and revealed Himself +as compassionate and long-suffering, He now met with Elijah, (26) +and conveyed to him, by various signs, that it had been better to +defend Israel than accuse him. But Elijah in his zeal for God was +inexorable. Then God commanded him to appoint Elisha as his +successor, for He said: "I cannot do as thou wouldst have me." (27) +Furthermore God charged him: "Instead of accusing My children, +journey to Damascus, where the Gentiles have an idol for each day +of the year. Though Israel hath thrown down My altars and slain +My prophets, what concern is it of thine?" (28) + +The four phenomena that God sent before His appearance wind, +(29) earthquake, fire, and a still small voice were to instruct +Elijah about the destiny of man. God told Elijah that these four +represent the worlds through which man must pass: the first stands +for this world, fleeting as the wind; the earthquake is the day of +death, which makes the human body to tremble and quake; fire is +the tribunal in Gehenna, and the still small voice is the Last +Judgment, when there will be none but God alone. (30) + +About three years (31) later, Elijah was taken up into heaven, (32) +but not without first undergoing a struggle with the Angel of +Death. He refused to let Elijah enter heaven at his translation, on +the ground that he exercised jurisdiction over all mankind, Elijah +not excepted. God maintained that at the creation of heaven and +earth He had explicitly ordered the Angel of Death to grant +entrance to the living prophet, but the Angel of Death insisted that +by Elijah's translation God had given just cause for complaint to all +other men, who could not escape the doom of death. Thereupon +God: "Elijah is not like other men. He is able to banish thee from +the world, only thou dost not recognize his strength." With the +consent of God, a combat took place between Elijah and the Angel +of Death. The prophet was victorious, and, if God had not +restrained him, he would have annihilated his opponent. Holding +his defeated enemy under his feet, Elijah ascended heavenward. +(33) + +In heaven he goes on living for all time. (34) There he sits +recording the deeds of men (35) and the chronicles of the world. +(36) He has another office besides. He is the Psychopomp, whose +duty is to stand at the cross-ways in Paradise and guide the pious to +their appointed places; (37) who brings the souls of sinners up +from Gehenna at the approach of the Sabbath, and leads them back +again to their merited punishment when the day of rest is about to +depart; and who conducts these same souls, after they have atoned +for their sins, to the place of everlasting bliss. (38) + +Elijah's miraculous deeds will be better understood if we +remember that he had been an angel from the very first, even +before the end of his earthly career. When God was about to create +man, Elijah said to Him: "Master of the world! If it be pleasing in +Thine eyes, I will descend to earth, and make myself serviceable to +the sons of men." Then God changed his angel name, and later, +under Ahab, He permitted him to abide among men on earth, that +he might convert the world to the belief that "the Lord is God." His +mission fulfilled, God took him again into heaven, and said to him: +"Be thou the guardian spirit of My children forever, and spread the +belief in Me abroad in the whole world." (39) + +His angel name is Sandalphon, (40) one of the greatest and +mightiest of the fiery angel host. As such it is his duty to wreathe +garlands for God out of the prayers sent aloft by Israel. (41) +Besides, he must offer up sacrifices in the invisible sanctuary, for +the Temple was destroyed only apparently; in reality, it went on +existing, hidden from the sight of ordinary mortals. (42) + + AFTER HIS TRANSLATION + +Elijah's removal from earth, so far being an interruption to his +relations with men, rather marks the beginning of his real activity +as a helper in time of need, as a teacher and as a guide. At first his +intervention in sublunar affairs was not frequent. Seven years after +his translation, (43) he wrote a letter to the wicked king Jehoram, +who reigned over Judah. The next occasion on which he took part +in an earthly occurrence was at the time of Ahasuerus, when he did +the Jews a good turn by assuming the guise of the courtier +Harbonah, (44) in a favorable moment inciting the king against +Haman. (45) + +It was reserved for later days, however, for Talmudic times, the +golden age of the great scholars, the Tannaim and the Amoraim, to +enjoy Elijah's special vigilance as protector of the innocent, as a +friend in need, who hovers over the just and the pious, ever present +to guard them against evil or snatch them out of danger. With four +strokes of his wings Elijah can traverse the world. (46) Hence no +spot on earth is too far removed for his help. As an angel (47) he +enjoys the power of assuming the most various appearances to +accomplish his purposes. Sometimes he looks like an ordinary +man, sometimes he takes the appearance of an Arab, sometimes of +a horseman, now he is a Roman court-official, now he is a harlot. + +Once upon a time it happened that when Nahum, the great and +pious teacher, was journeying to Rome on a political mission, he +was without knowledge robbed of the gift he bore to the Emperor +as an offering from the Jews. When he handed the casket to the +ruler, it was found to contain common earth, which the thieves had +substituted for the jewels they had abstracted. The Emperor +thought the Jews were mocking at him, and their representative, +Nahum, was condemned to suffer death. In his piety the Rabbi did +not lose confidence in God; he only said: "This too is for good." +(48) And so it turned out to be. Suddenly Elijah appeared, and, +assuming the guise of a court-official, he said: "Perhaps the earth +in this casket is like that used by Abraham for purposes of war. A +handful will do the work of swords and bows." At his instance the +virtues of the earth were tested in the attack upon a city that had +long resisted Roman courage and strength. His supposition was +verified. The contents of the casket proved more efficacious than +all the weapons of the army, and the Romans were victorious. +Nahum was dismissed, laden with honors and treasures, and the +thieves, who had betrayed themselves by claiming the precious +earth, were executed, for, naturally enough, Elijah works no +wonder for evil-doers. (49) + +Another time, for the purpose of rescuing Rabbi Shila, Elijah +pretended to be a Persian. An informer had announced the Rabbi +with the Persian Government, accusing him of administering the +law according to the Jewish code. Elijah appeared as witness for +the Rabbi and against the informer, and Shila was honorably +dismissed. (50) + +When the Roman bailiffs were pursuing Rabbi Meir, Elijah joined +him in the guise of a harlot. The Roman emissaries desisted from +their pursuit, for they could not believe that Rabbi Meir would +choose such a companion. (51) + +A contemporary of Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Simon ben Yohai, who +spent thirteen years in a cave to escape the vengeance of the +Romans, was informed by Elijah of the death of the Jew-baiting +emperor, so that he could leave his hiding-place. (52) + +Equally characteristic is the help Elijah afforded the worthy poor. +Frequently he brought them great wealth. Rabbi Kahana was so +needy that he had to support himself by peddling with household +utensils. Once a lady of high standing endeavored to force him to +commit an immoral act, and Kahana, preferring death to iniquity, +threw himself from a loft. Though Elijah was at a distance of four +hundred parasangs, he hastened to the post in time to catch the +Rabbi before he touched the ground. Besides, he gave him means +enough to enable him to abandon an occupation beset with perils. +(53) + +Rabba bar Abbahu likewise was a victim of poverty. He admitted +to Elijah that on account of his small means he had no time to +devote to his studies. Thereupon Elijah led him into Paradise, bade +him remove his mantle, and fill it with leaves grown in the regions +of the blessed. When the Rabbi was about to quit Paradise, his +garment full of leaves, a voice was heard to say: "Who desires to +anticipate his share in the world to come during his earthly days, as +Rabba bar Abbahu is doing?" The Rabbi quickly cast the leaves +away; nevertheless he received twelve thousand denarii for his +upper garment, because it retained the wondrous fragrance of the +leaves of Paradise. (54) + +Elijah's help was not confined to poor teachers of the law; all who +were in need, and were worthy of his assistance, had a claim upon +him. A poor man, the father of a family, in his distress once prayed +to God: "O Lord of the world, Thou knowest, there is none to +whom I can tell my tale of woe, none who will have pity upon me. +I have neither brother nor kinsman nor friend, and my starving +little ones are crying with hunger. Then do Thou have mercy and +be compassionate, or let death come and put an end to our +suffering." His words found a hearing with God, for, as he +finished, Elijah stood before the poor man, and sympathetically +inquired why he was weeping. When the prophet had heard the tale +of his troubles, he said: "Take me and sell me as a slave; the +proceeds will suffice for thy needs." At first the poor man refused +to accept the sacrifice, but finally yielded, and Elijah was sold to a +prince for eighty denarii. This sum formed the nucleus of the +fortune which the poor man amassed and enjoyed until the end of +his days. The prince who had purchased Elijah intended to build a +palace, and he rejoiced to hear that his new slave was an architect. +He promised Elijah liberty if within six months he completed the +edifice. After nightfall of the same day, Elijah offered a prayer, +and instantaneously the palace stood in its place in complete +perfection. Elijah disappeared. The next morning the prince was +not a little astonished to see the palace finished. But when he +sought his slave to reward him, and sought him in vain, he realized +that he had had dealings with an angel. Elijah meantime repaired +to the man who had sold him, and related his story to him, that he +might know he had not cheated the purchaser out of his price; on +the contrary, he had enriched him, since the palace was worth a +hundred times more than the money paid for the pretended slave. +(55) + +A similar thing happened to a well-to-do man who lost his fortune, +and became so poor that he had to do manual labor in the field of +another. Once, when he was at work, he was accosted by Elijah, +who had assumed the appearance of an Arab: "Thou art destined to +enjoy seven good years. When dost thou want them now, or as the +closing years of thy life?" The man replied: "Thou art a wizard; go +in peace, I have nothing for thee." Three times the same question +was put, three times the same reply was given. Finally the man +said: "I shall ask the advice of my wife." When Elijah came again, +and repeated his question, the man, following the counsel of his +wife, said: "See to it that seven good years come to us at once." +Elijah replied: "Go home. Before thou crossest thy threshold, thy +good fortune will have filled thy house." And so it was. His +children had found a treasure in the ground, and, as he was about +to enter his house, his wife met him and reported the lucky find. +His wife was an estimable, pious woman, and she said to her +husband: "We shall enjoy seven good years. Let us use this time to +practice as much charity as possible; perhaps God will lengthen +out our period of prosperity." After the lapse of seven years, during +which man and wife used every opportunity of doing good, Elijah +appeared again, and announced to the man that the time had come +to take away what he had given him. The man responded: "When I +accepted thy gift, it was after consultation with my wife. I should +not like to return it without first acquainting her with what is about +to happen." His wife charged him to say to the old man who had +come to resume possession of his property: "If thou canst find any +who will be more conscientious stewards of the pledges entrusted +to us than we have been, I shall willingly yield them up to thee." +God recognized that these people had made a proper use of their +wealth, and He granted it to them as a perpetual possession. (56) + +If Elijah was not able to lighten the poverty of the pious, he at least +sought to inspire them with hope and confidence. Rabbi Akiba, the +great scholar, lived in dire poverty before he became the famous +Rabbi. His rich father-in-law would have nothing to do with him or +his wife, because the daughter had married Akiba against her +father's will. On a bitter cold winter night, Akiba could offer his +wife, who had been accustomed to the luxuries wealth can buy, +nothing but straw as a bed to sleep upon, and he tried to comfort +her with assurances of his love for the privations she was suffering. +At that moment Elijah appeared before their hut, and cried out in +supplicating tones: "O good people, give me, I pray you, a little +bundle of straw. My wife has been delivered of a child, and I am +so poor I haven't even enough straw to make a bed for her." Now +Abika could console his wife with the fact that their own misery +was not so great as it might have been, and thus Elijah had attained +his end, to sustain the courage of the pious. (57) + +In the form of an Arab, he once appeared before a very poor man, +whose piety equalled his poverty. He gave him two shekels. These +two coins brought him such good fortune that he attained great +wealth. But in his zeal to gather worldly treasures, he had no time +for deeds of piety and charity. Elijah again appeared before him +and took away the two shekels. In a short time the man was as +poor as before. A third time Elijah came to him. He was crying +bitterly and complaining of his misfortune, and the prophet said: "I +shall make thee rich once more, if thou wilt promise me under +oath thou wilt not let wealth ruin they character." He promised, the +two shekels were restored to him, he regained his wealth, and he +remained in possession of it for all time, because his piety was not +curtailed by his riches. (58) + +Poverty was not the only form of distress Elijah relieved. He +exercised the functions of a physician upon Rabbi Shimi bar Ashi, +who had swallowed a noxious reptile. Elijah appeared to him as an +awe-inspiring horseman, and forced him to apply the preventives +against the disease to be expected in these circumstances. + +He also cured Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi of long-continued toothache by +laying his hand on the sufferer, and at the same time he brought +about the reconciliation of Rabbi Judan with Rabbi Hayyah, whose +form he had assumed. Rabbi Judah paid the highest respect to +Rabbi Hayyah after he found out that Elijah had considered him +worthy of taking his appearance. (59) + +On another occasion, Elijah re-established harmony between a +husband and his wife. The woman had come home very late on +Friday evening, having allowed herself to be detained by the +sermon preached by Rabbi Meir. Her autocratic husband swore she +should not enter the house until she had spat in the very face of the +highly-esteemed Rabbi. Meantime Elijah went to Rabbi Meir, and +told him a pious woman had fallen into a sore predicament on his +account. To help the poor woman, the Rabbi restored to a ruse. He +announced that he was looking for one who knew how to cast +spells, which was done by spitting into the eye of the afflicted one. +When he caught sight of the woman designated by Elijah, he asked +her to try her power upon him. Thus she was able to comply with +her husband's requirement without disrespect to the Rabbi; and +through the instrumentality of Elijah conjugal happiness was +restored to an innocent wife. (60) + +Elijah's versatility is shown in the following occurrence. A pious +man bequeathed a spice-garden to his three sons. They took turns +in guarding it against thieves. The first night the oldest son +watched the garden. Elijah appeared to him and asked him: "My +son, what wilt thou have knowledge of the Torah, or great wealth, +or a beautiful wife?" He chose wealth, great wealth. Accordingly +Elijah gave him a coin, and he became rich. The second son, to +whom Elijah appeared the second night, chose knowledge of the +Torah. Elijah gave him a book, and "he knew the whole Torah." +The third son, on the third night, when Elijah put the same choice +before him as before his brothers, wished for a beautiful wife. +Elijah invited this third brother to go on a journey with him. Their +first night was passed at the house of a notorious villain, who had a +daughter. During the night Elijah overheard the chickens and the +geese say to one another: "What a terrible sin that young may must +have committed, that he should be destined to marry the daughter +of so great a villain!" The two travellers journeyed on. The second +night the experiences of the first were repeated. The third night +they lodged with a man who had a very pretty daughter. During the +night Elijah heard the chickens and the geese say to one another: +"How great must be the virtues of this young man, if he is +privileged to marry so beautiful and pious a wife." In the morning, +when Elijah arose, he at once became a matchmaker, the young +man married the pretty maiden, and husband and wife journeyed +homeward in joy. (61) + +If it became necessary, Elijah was ready to do even the services of +a sexton. When Rabbi Akiba died in prison, Elijah betook himself +to the dead man's faithful disciple, Rabbi Joshua, and the two +together went to the prison. There was none to forbid their +entrance; a deep sleep had fallen upon the turnkeys and the +prisoners alike. Elijah and Rabbi Joshua took the corpse with +them, Elijah bearing it upon his shoulder. Rabbi Joshua in +astonishment demanded how he, a priest, dared defile himself +upon a corpse. The answer was: "God forbid! the pious can never +cause defilement." All night the two walked on with their burden. +At break of day they found themselves near Caesarea. A cave +opened before their eyes, and within they saw a bed, a chair, a +table, and a lamp. They deposited the corpse upon the bed, and left +the cave, which closed up behind them. Only the light of the lamp, +which had lit itself after they left, shone through the chinks. +Whereupon Elijah said: "Hail, ye just, hail to you who devote +yourselves to the study of the law. Hail to you, ye God-fearing +men, for your places are set aside, and kept, and guarded, in +Paradise, for the time to come. Hail to thee, Rabbi Akiba, that thy +lifeless body found lodgment for a night in a lovely spot." (62) + + CENSOR AND AVENGER + +Helpfulness and compassion do not paint the whole of the +character of Elijah. He remained the stern and inexorable censor +whom Ahab feared. The old zeal for the true and the good he never +lost, as witness, he once struck a man dead because he failed to +perform his devotions with due reverence. (63) + +There were two brothers, one of them rich and miserly, the other +poor and kind-hearted. Elijah, in the garb of an old beggar, +approached the rich man, and asked him for alms. Repulsed by +him, he turned to the poor brother, who received him kindly, and +shared his meagre supper with him. On bidding farewell to him +and his equally hospitable wife, Elijah said: "May God reward you! +The first thing you undertake shall be blessed, and shall take no +end until you yourselves cry out Enough!" Presently the poor man +began to count the few pennies he had, to convince himself that +they sufficed to purchase bread for his next meal. But the few +became many, and he counted and counted, and still their number +increased. He counted a whole day, and the following night, until +he was exhausted, and had to cry out Enough! And, indeed, it was +enough, for he had become a very wealthy man. His brother was +not a little astonished to see the fortunate change in his kinsman's +circumstances, and when he heard how it had come about, he +determined, if the opportunity should present itself again, to show +his most amiable side to the old beggar with the miraculous power +of blessing. He had not long to wait. A few days later he saw the +old man pass by. He hastened to accost him, and, excusing himself +for his unfriendliness at their former meeting, begged him to come +into his house. All that the larder afforded was put before Elijah, +who pretended to eat of the dainties. At his departure, he +pronounced a blessing upon his hosts: "May the first thing you do +have no end, until it is enough." The mistress of the house +thereupon said to her husband: "That we may count gold upon gold +undisturbed, let us first attend to our most urgent physical needs." +So they did and they had to continue to do it until life was +extinct. (64) + +The extreme of his rigor Elijah displayed toward teachers of the +law. From them he demanded more than obedience to the mere +letter of a commandment. For instance, he pronounced severe +censure upon Rabbi Ishmael ben Jose because he was willing to +act as bailiff in prosecuting Jewish thieves and criminals. He +advised Rabbi Ishmael to follow the example of his father and +leave the country. (65) + +His estrangement from his friend Rabbi Joshua ben Levi is +characteristic. One who was sought by the officers of the law took +refuge with Rabbi Joshua. His pursuers were informed of his place +of concealment. Threatening to put all the inhabitants of the city to +the sword if he was not delivered up, they demanded his surrender. +The Rabbi urged the fugitive from justice to resign himself to his +fate. Better for one individual to die, he said, than for a whole +community to be exposed to peril. The fugitive yielded to the +Rabbi's argument, and gave himself up to the bailiffs. Thereafter +Elijah, who had been in the habit of visiting Rabbi Joshua +frequently, stayed away from his house, and he was induced to +come back only by the Rabbi's long fasts and earnest prayers. In +reply to the Rabbi's question, why he had shunned him, he said: +"Dost thou suppose I care to have intercourse with informers?" The +Rabbi quoted a passage from the Mishnah to justify his conduct, +but Elijah remained unconvinced. "Dost thou consider this a law +for a pious man?" he said. "Other people might have been right in +doing as thou didst; thou shouldst have done otherwise." (66) + +A number of instances are known which show how exalted a +standard Elijah set up for those who would be considered worthy +of intercourse with him. Of two pious brothers, one provided for +his servants as for his own table, while the other permitted his +servants to eat abundantly only of the first course; of the other +courses they could have nothing but the remnants. Accordingly, +with the second brother Elijah would have nothing to do, while he +often honored the former with his visits. + +A similar attitude Elijah maintained toward another pair of pious +brothers. One of them was in the habit of providing for his servants +after his own needs were satisfied, while the other of them +attended to the needs of his servants first. To the latter it was that +Elijah gave the preference. (67) + +He dissolved an intimacy of many years' standing, because his +friend built a vestibule which was so constructed that the +supplications of the poor could be heard but faintly by those within +the house. (68) + +Rabbi Joshua ben Levi incurred the displeasure of Elijah a second +time, because a man was torn in pieces by a lion in the vicinity of +his house. In a measure Elijah held Rabbi responsible, because he +did not pray for the prevention of such misfortunes. (69) + +The story told of Elijah and Rabbi Anan forms the most striking +illustration of the severity of the prophet. Someone brought Rabbi +Anan a mess of little fish as a present, and at the same time asked +the Rabbi to act as judge in a lawsuit he was interested in. Anan +refused in these circumstances to accept a gift from the litigant. To +demonstrate his single-mindedness, the applicant urged the Rabbit +to take the fish and assign the case to another judge. Anan +acquiesced, and he requested one of his colleagues to act for him, +because he was incapacitated from serving as a judge. His legal +friend drew the inference, that the litigant introduced to him was a +kinsman of Rabbi Anan's, and accordingly he showed himself +particularly complaisant toward him. As a result, the other party to +the suit was intimidated. He failed to present his side as +convincingly as he might otherwise have done, and so lost the +case. Elijah, who had been the friend of Anan and his teacher as +well, thenceforth shunned his presence, because he considered that +the injury done the second party to the suit was due to Anan's +carelessness. Anan in his distress kept many fasts, and offered up +many prayers, before Elijah would return to him. Even then the +Rabbi could not endure the sight of him; he had to content himself +with listening to Elijah's words without looking upon his face. (70) + +Sometimes Elijah considered it his duty to force people into +abandoning a bad habit. A rich man was once going to a cattle +sale, and he carried a snug sum of money to buy oxen. He was +accosted by a stranger none other than Elijah who inquired the +purpose of his journey. "I go to buy cattle," replied the would-be +purchaser. "Say, it if please God," urged Elijah. "Fiddlesticks! I +shall buy cattle whether it please God or not! I carry the money +with me, and the business will be dispatched." "But not with good +fortune," said the stranger, and went off. Arrived at the market, the +cattle-buyer discovered the loss of his purse, and he had to return +home to provide himself with other money. He again set forth on +his journey, but this time he took another road to avoid the +stranger of ill omen. To his amazement he met an old man with +whom he had precisely the same adventure as with the first +stranger. Again he had to return home to fetch money. By this time +had learned his lesson. When a third stranger questioned him about +the object of his journey, he answered: "If it please God, I intend to +buy oxen." The stranger wished him success, and the wish was +fulfilled. To the merchant's surprise, when a pair of fine cattle +were offered him, and their price exceeded the sum of money he +had about his person, he found the two purses he had lost on his +first and second trips. Later he sold the same pair of oxen to the +king for a considerable price, and he became very wealthy. (71) + +As Elijah coerced this merchant into humility toward God, so he +carried home a lesson to the great Tanna Eliezer, the son of Rabbi +Simon ben Yohai. This Rabbi stood in need of correction on +account of his overweening conceit. Once, on returning from the +academy, he took a walk on the sea-beach, his bosom swelling +with pride at the thought of his attainments in the Torah. He met a +hideously ugly man, who greeted him with the words: "Peace be +with thee, Rabbi." Eliezer, instead of courteously acknowledging +the greeting, said: "O thou wight, (72) how ugly thou art! Is it +possible that all the residents of thy town are as ugly as thou?" "I +know not," was the reply, "but it is the Master Artificer who +created me that thou shouldst have said: 'How ugly is this vessel +which Thou hast fashioned.'" The Rabbi realized the wrong he had +committed, and humbly begged pardon of the ugly man another +of the protean forms adopted by Elijah. The latter continued to +refer him to the Master Artificer of the ugly vessel. The inhabitants +of the city, who had hastened to do honor to the great Rabbi, +earnestly urged the offended man to grant pardon, and finally he +declared himself appeased, provided the Rabbi promised never +again to commit the same wrong. (73) + +The rigor practiced by Elijah toward his friends caused one of +them, the Tanna Rabbi Jose, to accuse him of being passionate and +irascible. As a consequence, Elijah would have nothing to do with +him for a long time. When he reappeared, and confessed the cause +of his withdrawal, Rabbi Jose said he felt justified, for his charge +could not have received a more striking verification. (74) + + INTERCOURSE WITH THE SAGES + +Elijah's purely human relations to the world revealed themselves in +their fulness, neither in his deeds of charity, nor in his censorious +rigor, but rather in his gentle and scholarly intercourse with the +great in Israel, especially the learned Rabbis of the Talmudic time. +He is at once their disciple and their teacher. To one he resorts for +instruction on difficult points, to another he himself dispenses +instruction. As a matter of course, his intimate knowledge of the +supernatural world makes him appear more frequently in the role +of giver than receiver. Many a bit of secret lore the Jewish teachers +learnt from Elijah, and he it was who, with the swiftness of +lightning, carried the teachings of one Rabbi to another sojourning +hundreds of miles away. (75) + +Thus it was Elijah who taught Rabbi Jose the deep meaning hidden +in the Scriptural passage in which woman is designated as the +helpmeet of man. By means of examples he demonstrated to the +Rabbi how indispensable woman is to man. (76) + +Rabbi Nehorai profited by his exposition of why God created +useless, even noxious insects. The reason for their existence is that +the sight of superfluous and harmful creatures prevents God from +destroying His world at times when, on account of the wickedness +and iniquity prevailing in it, it repents Him of having created it. If +He preserves creatures that at their best are useless, and at their +worst injurious, how much more should He preserve human beings +with all their potentialities for good. + +The same Rabbi Nehorai was told by Elijah, that God sends +earthquakes and other destructive phenomena when He sees places +of amusement prosperous and flourishing, while the Temple lies a +heap of dust and ashes. (77) + +To Rabbi Judah he communicated the following three maxims: Let +not anger master thee, and thou wilt not fall into sin; let not drink +master thee, and thou wilt be spared pain; before thou settest out +on a journey, take counsel with thy Creator. (78) + +In case of a difference of opinion among scholars, Elijah was +usually questioned as to how the moot point was interpreted in the +heavenly academy. (79) Once, when the scholars were not +unanimous in their views as to Esther's intentions when she invited +Haman to her banquets with the king, Elijah, asked by Rabba bar +Abbahu to tell him her real purpose, said that each and every one +of the motives attributed to her by various scholars were true, for +her invitations to Haman had many a purpose. (80) + +A similar answer he gave the Amora Abiathar, who disputed with +his colleagues as to why the Ephraimite who cause the war against +the tribe of Benjamin first cast off his concubine, and then became +reconciled to her. Elijah informed Rabbi Abiathar that in heaven +the cruel conduct of the Ephraimite was explained in two ways, +according to Abiathar's conception and according to his opponent +Jonathan's as well. (81) + +Regarding the great contest between Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus +and the whole body of scholars, in which the majority maintained +the validity of its opinion, though a heavenly voice pronounced +Rabbi Eliezer's correct, Elijah told Rabbi Nathan, that God in His +heaven had cried out: "My children have prevailed over Me!" (82) + +On one occasion Elijah fared badly for having betrayed celestial +events to his scholars. He was a daily attendant at the academy of +Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi. One day, it was the New Moon Day, he was +late. The reason for his tardiness, he said, was that it was his daily +duty to awaken the three Patriarchs, (83) wash their hands for +them, so that they might offer up their prayers, and after their +devotions lead them back to their resting-places. On this day their +prayers took very long, because they were increased by the Musaf +service on account of the New Moon celebration, and hence he did +not make his appearance at the academy in good time. Elijah did +not end his narrative at this point, but went on to tell the Rabbi, +that this occupation of his was rather tedious, for the three +Patriarchs were not permitted to offer up their payers at the same +time. Abraham prayed first, then came Isaac, and finally Jacob. If +they all were to pray together, the united petitions of three such +paragons of piety would be so efficacious as to force God to fulfil +them, and He would be induced to bring the Messiah before his +time. Then Rabbi Judah wanted to know whether there were any +among the pious on earth whose prayer possessed equal efficacy. +Elijah admitted that the same power resided in the prayers of +Rabbi Hayyah and his two sons. Rabbi Judah lost no time in +proclaiming a day of prayer and fasting and summoning Rabbi +Hayyah and his sons to officiate as the leaders in prayer. They +began to chant the Eighteen Benedictions. Then they uttered the +word for wind, a storm arose; when they continued and made +petition for rain, the rain descended at once. But as the readers +approached the passage relating to the revival of the dead, great +excitement arose in heaven, and when it became known that Elijah +had revealed the secret of the marvellous power attaching to the +prayers of the three men, he was punished with fiery blows. To +thwart Rabbi Judah's purpose, Elijah assumed the form of a bear, +and put the praying congregation to flight. (84) + +Contrariwise, Elijah was also in the habit of reporting earthly +events in the celestial regions. He told Rabba bar Shila that the +reason Rabbi Meir was never quoted in the academy on high was +because he had had so wicked a teacher as Elisha ben Abuyah. +Rabba explained Rabbi Meir's conduct by an apologue. "Rabbi +Meir," he said, "found a pomegranate; he enjoyed the heart of the +fruit, and cast the skin aside." Elijah was persuaded of the justness +of this defense, and so were all the celestial powers. Thereupon +one of Rabbi Meir's interpretations was quoted in the heavenly +academy. (85) + +Elijah was no less interested in the persons of the learned than in +their teachings, especially when scholars were to be provided with +the means of devoting themselves to their studies. It was he who, +when Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, later a great celebrity, resolved +to devote himself to the law, advised him to repair to Jerusalem +and sit at the feet of Rabban Johanan ben Zakkai. (86) + +He once met a man who mocked at his exhortations to study, and +he said that on the great day of reckoning he would excuse himself +for his neglect of intellectual pursuits by the fact that he had been +granted neither intelligence nor wisdom. Elijah asked him what his +calling was. "I am a fisherman," was the reply. "Well, my son," +questioned Elijah, "who taught thee to take flax and make nets and +throw them into the sea to catch fish?" He replied: "For this heaven +gave me intelligence and insight." Hereupon Elijah: "If thou +possessest intelligence and insight to cast nets and catch fish, why +should these qualities desert thee when thou dealest with the +Torah, which, thou knowest, is very nigh unto man that he may do +it?" The fisherman was touched, and he began to weep. Elijah +pacified him by telling him that what he had said applied to many +another beside him. (87) + +In another way Elijah conveyed the lesson of the great value +residing in devotion to the study of the Torah. Disguised as a +Rabbi, he was approached by a man who promised to relieve him +of all material cares if he would but abide with him. Refusing to +leave Jabneh, the centre of Jewish scholarship, he said to the +tempter: "Wert thou to offer me a thousand million gold denarii, I +would not quit the abode of the law, and dwell in a place in which +there is no Torah." (88) + +By Torah, of course, is meant the law as conceived and interpreted +by the sages and the scholars, for Elijah was particularly solicitous +to establish the authority of the oral law, (89) as he was solicitous +to demonstrate the truth of Scriptural promises that appeared +incredible at first sight. For instance, he once fulfilled Rabbi +Joshua ben Levi's wish to see the precious stones which would take +the place of the sun in illuminating Jerusalem in the Messianic +time. A vessel in mid-ocean was nigh unto shipwreck. Among a +large number of heathen passengers there was a single Jewish +youth. To him Elijah appeared and said, he would rescue the +vessel, provided the boy went to Rabbi Joshua ben Levi, and took +him to a certain place far removed from the town and from human +habitation, and showed him the gems. The boy doubted that so +great a man would consent to follow a mere slip of a youth to a +remote spot, but, reassured by Elijah, who told him of Rabbi +Joshua's extraordinary modesty, he undertook the commission, and +the vessel with its human freight was saved. The boy came to the +Rabbi, besought him to go whither he would lead, and Joshua, who +was really possessed of great modesty, followed the boy three +miles without even inquiring the purpose of the expedition. When +they finally reached the cave, the boy said: "See, here are the +precious stones!" The Rabbi grasped them, and a flood of light +spread as far as Lydda, the residence of Rabbi Joshua. Startled, he +cast the precious stones away from him, and they disappeared. (90) + +This Rabbi was a particular favorite of Elijah, who even secured +him an interview with the Messiah. The Rabbi found the Messiah +among the crowd of afflicted poor gathered near the city gates of +Rome, and he greeted him with the words: "Peace be with thee, my +teacher and guide!" Whereunto the Messiah replied: "Peace be +with thee, thou son of Levi!" The Rabbi then asked him when he +would appear, and the Messiah said, "To-day." Elijah explained to +the Rabbi later that what the Messiah meant by "to-day" was, that +he for his part was ready to bring Israel redemption at any time. If +Israel but showed himself worthy, he would instantly fufil his +mission. (91) + +Elijah wanted to put Rabbi Joshua into communication with the +departed Rabbi Simon ben Yohai also, but the later did not +consider him of sufficient importance to honor him with his +conversation. Rabbi Simon had addressed a question to him, and +Rabbi Joshua in his modesty had made a reply not calculated to +give one a high opinion of him. (92) In reality Rabbi Joshua was +the possessor of such sterling qualities, that when he entered +Paradise Elijah walked before him calling out: "Make room for the +son of Levi." (93) + + GOD'S JUSTICE VINDICATED + +Among the many and various teachings dispensed by Elijah to his +friends, there are none so important as his theodicy, the teachings +vindicating God's justice in the administration of earthly affairs. +He used many an opportunity to demonstrate it by precept and +example. Once he granted his friend Rabbi Joshua ben Levi the +fulfilment of any wish he might express, and all the Rabbi asked +for was, that he might be permitted to accompany Elijah on his +wanderings through the world. Elijah was prepared to gratify this +wish. He only imposed the condition, that, however odd the Rabbi +might think Elijah's actions, he was not to ask any explanation of +them. If ever he demanded why, they would have to part company. +So Elijah and the Rabbi fared forth together, and they journeyed +on until they reached the house of a poor man, whose only earthly +possession was a cow. The man and his wife were thoroughly +good-hearted people, and they received the two wanderers with a +cordial welcome. They invited the strangers into their house, set +before them food and drink of the best they had, and made up a +comfortable couch for them for the night. When Elijah and the +Rabbi were ready to continue their journey on the following day, +Elijah prayed that the cow belonging to his host might die. Before +they left the house, the animal had expired. Rabbi Joshua was so +shocked by the misfortune that had befallen the good people, he +almost lost consciousness. He thought: "Is that to be the poor man's +reward for all his kind services to us?" And he could not refrain +from putting the question to Elijah. But Elijah reminded him of the +condition imposed and accepted at the beginning of their journey, +and they travelled on, the Rabbi's curiosity unappeased. That night +they reached the house of a wealthy man, who did not pay his +guest the courtesy of looking them in the face. Though they passed +the night under his roof, he did not offer them food or drink. This +rich man was desirous of having a wall repaired that had tumbled +down. There was no need for him to take any steps to have it +rebuilt, for, when Elijah left the house, he prayed that the wall +might erect itself, and, lo! it stood upright. Rabbi Joshua was +greatly amazed, but true to his promise he suppressed the question +that rose to his lips. So the two travelled on again, until they +reached an ornate synagogue, the seats in which were made of +silver and gold. But the worshippers did not correspond in +character to the magnificence of the building, for when it came to +the point of satisfying the needs of the way-worn pilgrims, one of +those present said: "There is not dearth of water and bread, and the +strange travellers can stay in the synagogue, whither these +refreshments can be brought to them." Early the next morning, +when they were departing, Elijah wished those present in the +synagogue in which they had lodged, that God might raise them all +to be "heads." Rabbi Joshua again had to exercise great +self-restraint, and not put into words the question that troubled him +profoundly. In the next town, they were received with great +affability, and served abundantly with all their tired bodies craved. +On these kind hosts Elijah, on leaving, bestowed the wish that God +might give them but a single head. Now the Rabbi could not hold +himself in check any longer, and he demanded an explanation of +Elijah's freakish actions. Elijah consented to clear up his conduct +for Joshua before they separated from each other. He spoke as +follows: "The poor man's cow was killed, because I knew that on +the same day the death of his wife had been ordained in heaven, +and I prayed to God to accept the loss of the poor man's property as +a substitute for the poor man's wife. As for the rich man, there was +a treasure hidden under the dilapidated wall, and, if he had rebuilt +it, he would have found the gold; hence I set up the wall +miraculously in order to deprive the curmudgeon of the valuable +find. I wished that the inhospitable people assembled in the +synagogue might have many heads, for a place of numerous +leaders is bound to be ruined by reason of multiplicity of counsel +and disputes. To the inhabitants of our last sojourning place, on the +other hand, I wished a 'single head,' for the one to guide a town, +success will attend all its undertakings. Know, then, that if thou +seest an evil-doer prosper, it is not always unto his advantage, and +if a righteous man suffers need and distress, think not God is +unjust." After these words Elijah and Rabbi Joshua separated from +each other, and each went his own way. (94) + +How difficult it is to form a true judgment with nothing but +external appearances as a guide, Elijah proved to Rabbi Baroka. +They were once waling in a crowded street, and the Rabbi +requested Elijah to point out any in the throng destined to occupy +places in Paradise. Elijah answered that there was none, only to +contradict himself and point to a passer-by the very next minute. +His appearance was such that in him least of all the Rabbi would +have suspected a pious man. His garb did not even indicate that he +was a Jew. Later Rabbi Baroka discovered by questioning him that +he was a prison guard. In the fulfilment of his duties as such he +was particularly careful that the virtue of chastity should not be +violated in the prison, in which both men women were kept in +detention. Also, his position often brought him into relations with +the heathen authorities, and so he was enabled to keep the Jews +informed of the disposition entertained toward them by the powers +that be. The Rabbi was thus taught that no station in life precluded +its occupant from doing good and acting nobly. + +Another time Elijah designated two men to whom a great future +was assigned in Paradise. Yet these men were nothing more than +clowns! They made it their purpose in life to dispel discontent and +sorrow by their jokes and their cheery humor, and they used the +opportunities granted by their profession to adjust the difficulties +and quarrels that disturb the harmony of people living in close +contact with each other. (95) + + ELIJAH AND THE ANGEL OF DEATH + +Among the many benevolent deeds of Elijah, special mention +ought to be made of his rescue of those doomed by a heavenly +decree to fall into the clutches of the Angel of Death. He brought +these rescues about by warning the designated victims of their +impending fate, and urging them to do good deeds, which would +prove protection against death. + +There was once a pious and rich man with a beautiful and saintly +daughter. She had had the misfortune of losing three husbands in +succession, each on the day after the wedding. These sorrows +determined her never again to enter into the marriage state. A +cousin of hers, the nephew of her father, induced by the poverty of +his parents, journeyed from his distant home to apply for help to +his rich uncle. Scarcely had he laid eyes upon his lovely cousin +when he fell victim to her charms. In vain her father sought to +dissuade his nephew from marrying his daughter. But the fate of +his predecessors did not affright him, and the wedding took place. +While he was standing under the wedding canopy, Elijah came to +him in the guise of an old man, and said: "My son, I want to give +thee a piece of advice. While thou are seated at the wedding +dinner, thou wilt be approached by a ragged, dirty beggar, with +hair like nails. As soon as thou catchest sight of him, hasten to seat +him beside thee, set food and drink before him, and be ready to +grant whatever he may ask of thee. Do as I say, and thou wilt be +protected against harm. Now I shall leave thee and go my way." At +the wedding feast, a stranger as described by Elijah appeared, and +the bridegroom did according to Elijah's counsel. After the +wedding the stranger revealed his identity, introducing himself as +the messenger of the Lord sent to take the young husband's life. +The supplications of the bridegroom failed to move him; he +refused to grant a single day's respite. All he yielded was +permission to the young husband to bid farewell to his newly-wed +wife. When the bride saw that what she had feared was coming to +pass, she repaired to the Angel of Death and argued with him: +"The Torah distinctly exempts the newly-wed from all duties for a +whole year. If thou deprivest my husband of life, thou wilt give the +lie to the Torah." Thereupon God commanded the Angel of Death +to desist, and, when the relatives of the bride came to prepare the +grave of the groom, they found him well and unharmed. (96) + +A similar thing befell the son of the great and extremely pious +scholar Rabbi Reuben. To him came the Angel of Death and +announced that his only son would have to die. The pious man was +resigned: "We mortals can do nothing to oppose a Divine decree," +he said, "but I pray there, give him thirty days' respite, that I may +see him married." The Angel of Death acquiesced. The Rabbi told +no one of this encounter, waited until the appointed time was +drawing to a close, and, on the very last day, the thirtieth, he +arranged his son's wedding feast. On that day, the +bridegroom-to-be met Elijah, who told him of his approaching +death. A worthy son of his father, he said: "Who may oppose God? +And am I better than Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? They, too, had to +die." Elijah told him furthermore, that the Angel of Death would +appear to him in the guise of a ragged, dirty beggar, and he advised +him to receive him in the kindliest possible manner, and in +particular he was to insist upon his taking food and drink from +him. All happened as Elijah had predicted, and his advice, too, +proved efficacious, for the heart of the Angel of Death, who finally +revealed his identity with the beggar, was softened by the +entreaties of the father, combined with the tears of the young wife, +who resorted to the argument cited above, of the year of exemption +from duty granted to the newly-married. The Angel of Death, +disarmed by the amiable treatment accorded to him, himself went +before the throne of God and presented the young wife's petition. +The end was God added seventy years to the life of Rabbi Reuben's +son. (97) + + TEACHER OF THE KABBALAH + +The frequent meetings between Elijah and the teachers of the law +of the Talmudic time were invested with personal interest only. +Upon the development of the Torah they had no influence +whatsoever. His relation to the mystic science was of quite other +character. It is safe to say that what Moses was to the Torah, Elijah +was to the Kabbalah. + +His earliest relation to it was established through Rabbi Simon ben +Yohai and his son Rabbi Eliezer. For thirteen years he visited them +twice daily in their subterranean hiding-place, and imparted the +secrets of the Torah to them. (98) A thousand years later, Elijah +again gave the impetus to the development of the Kabbalah, for it +was he that revealed mysteries, first to the Nazarite Rabbi Jacob, +then to his disciple of the latter, Abraham ben David. The +mysteries in the books "Peliah" and "Kanah," the author Elkanah +owed wholly to Elijah. He had appeared to him in the form of a +venerable old man, and had imparted to him the secret lore taught +in the heavenly academy. Besides, he led him to a fiery rock +whereon mysterious characters were engraved, which were +deciphered by Elkanah. + +After his disciple had thus become thoroughly impregnated with +mystical teachings, Elijah took him to the tomb of the Patriarchs, +and thence to the heavenly academy. But the angels, little pleased +by the intrusion of one "born of woman," inspired him with such +terror that he besought Elijah to carry him back to earth. His +mentor allayed his fears, and long continued to instruct him in the +mystical science, according to the system his disciple has recorded +in his two works. (99) + +The Kabbalists in general were possessed of the power to cite +Elijah, to conjure him up by means of certain formulas. (100) One +of them, Rabbi Joseph della Reyna, once called upon Elijah in this +way, but it proved his own undoing. He was a saintly scholar, and +he had conceived no less a purpose than to bring about the +redemption of man by the conquest of the angel Samael, the Prince +of Evil. After many prayers and vigils and long indulgence in +fasting, and other ascetic practices, Rabbi Joseph united himself +with his five disciples for the purpose of conjuring up Elijah. +When the prophet, obeying the summons, suddenly stood before +him, Rabbi Joseph spoke as follows: "Peace be with thee, our +master! True prophet, bearer of salvation, be not displeased with +me that I have troubled thee to come hither. God knows, I have not +done it for myself, and not for mine own honor. I am zealous for +the name and the honor of God, and I know thy desire is the same +as mine, for it is thy vocation to make the glory of God to prevail +on earth. I pray thee, therefore, to grant my petition, tell me with +what means I can conquer Satan." Elijah at first endeavored to +dissuade the Rabbi from his enterprise. He described the great +power of Satan, ever growing as it feeds upon the sins of mankind. +But Rabbi Joseph could not be made to desist. Elijah then +enumerated what measures and tactics he would have to observe in +his combat with the fallen angel. He enumerated the pious, saintly +deeds that would win the interest of the archangel Sandalphon in +his undertaking, and from this angel he would learn the method of +warfare to be pursued. The Rabbi followed out Elijah's directions +carefully, and succeeded in summoning Sandalphon to his +assistance. If he had continued to obey instructions implicitly, and +had carried out all Sandalphon advised, the Rabbi would have +triumphed over Satan and hastened the redemption of the world. +Unfortunately, at one point the Rabbi committed an indiscretion, +and he lost the great advantages he had gained over Satan, who +used his restored power to bring ruin upon him and his disciples. +(101) + +The radical transformation in the character of Kabbalistic teaching +which is connected with the name of Rabbi Isaac Loria likewise is +an evidence of Elijah's activity. Elijah sought out this "father of the +Kabbalistic Renaissance," and revealed the mysteries of the +universe to him. Indeed, he had shown his interest in him long +before any one suspected the future greatness of Rabbi Isaac. +Immediately after his birth, Elijah appeared to the father of the +babe, and enjoined him not to have the rite of circumcision +performed until he should be told by Elijah to proceed. The eighth +day of the child's life arrived, the whole congregation was +assembled at the synagogue (102) to witness the solemn +ceremonial, but to the great astonishment of his fellow-townsmen +the father delayed it. The people naturally did not know he was +waiting for Elijah to appear, and he was called upon once and +again to have the ceremony take place. But he did not permit the +impatience of the company to turn him from his purpose. +Suddenly, Elijah, unseen, of course, by the others, appeared to +him, and bade him have the ceremony performed. Those present +were under the impression that the father was holding the child on +his knees during the circumcision; in reality, however it was +Elijah. After the rite was completed, Elijah handed the infant back +to the father with the words: "Here is thy child. Take good care of +it, for it will spread a brilliant light over the world." (103) + +It was also Elijah who in a similar way informed Rabbit Eliezer, +the father of Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tob, the father of him +whose name is unrivalled in the annals of the Hasidic Kabbalah +that a son would be born to him who should enlighten the eyes of +Israel. This Rabbi Eliezer was justly reputed to be very hospitable. +He was in the habit of stationing guards at the entrances to the +village in which he lived, and they were charged to bring all +strangers to his house. In heaven it was ordained that Rabbi +Eliezer's hospitable instincts should be put to a test. Elijah was +chosen for the experiment. On a Sabbath afternoon, arrayed in the +garb of a beggar, he entered the village with knapsack and staff. +Rabbi Eliezer, taking no notice of the fact that the beggar was +desecrating the Sabbath, received him kindly, attended to his +bodily wants, and the next morning, on parting with him, gave him +some money besides. Touched by his kind-heartedness, Elijah +revealed his identity and the purpose of his disguise, and told him +that, as he had borne the trial so well, he would be rewarded by the +birth of a son who should "enlighten the eyes of Israel." (104) + + FORERUNNER OF THE MESSIAH + +Many-sided though Elijah's participation in the course of historical +events is, it cannot be compared with what he is expected to do in +the days of the Messiah. He is charged with the mission of +ordering the coming time aright and restoring the tribes of Jacob. +(105) His Messianic activity thus is to be twofold: he is to be the +forerunner of the Messiah, yet in part he will himself realize the +promised scheme of salvation. His first task will be to induce +Israel to repent when the Messiah is about to come, (106) and to +establish peace and harmony in the world. (107) Hence he will +have to settle all legal difficulties, and solve all legal problems, +that have accumulated since days immemorial, (108) and decide +vexed questions of ritual concerning which authors entertain +contradictory views. In short, all difference of opinion must be +removed from the path of the Messiah. (109) This office of +expounder of the law Elijah will continue to occupy even after the +reign of peace has been established on earth, and his relation to +Moses will be the same Aaron once held. (110) + +Elijah's preparatory work will be begun three days before the +advent of the Messiah. Then he will appear in Palestine, and will +utter a lament over the devastation of the Holy Land, and his wail +will be heard throughout the world. The last words of his elegy +will be: "Now peace will come upon earth!" When the evil-doers +hear this message, they will rejoice. On the second day, he will +appear again and proclaim: "Good will come upon earth!" And on +the third his promise will be heard: "Salvation will come upon +earth." (111) Then Michael will blow the trumpet, and once more +Elijah will make his appearance, this time to introduce the +Messiah. (112) To make sure of the identity of the Messiah, the +Jews will demand that he perform the miracle of resurrection +before their eyes, reviving such of the dead as they had known +personally. (113) But the Messiah will do the following seven +wonders: He will bring Moses and the generation of the desert to +life; Korah and his band he will raise from out of the earth; he will +revive the Ephraimitic Messiah, who was slain; he will show the +three holy vessels of the Temple, the Ark, the flask of manna, and +the cruse of sacred oil, all three of which disappeared +mysteriously; he will wave the sceptre given him by God; he will +grind the mountains of the Holy Land into powder like straw, and +he will reveal the secret of redemption. Then the Jews will believe +that Elijah is the Elijah promised to them, and the Messiah +introduced by him is the true Messiah. (114) + +The Messiah (115) will have Elijah blow the trumpet, and, at the +first sound, the primal light, which shone before the week of +Creation, will reappear; at the second sound the dead will arise, +and with the swiftness of wind assemble around the Messiah from +all corners of the earth; at the third sound, the Shekinah will +become visible to all; the mountains will be razed at the fourth +sound, and the Temple will stand in complete perfection as +Ezekiel described it. (116) + +During the reign of peace, Elijah will be one of the eight princes +forming the cabinet of the Messiah. (117) Even the coming of the +great judgment day will not end his activity. On that day the +children of the wicked who had to die in infancy on account of the +sins of their fathers will be found among the just, while their +fathers will be ranged on the other side. The babes will implore +their fathers to come to them, but God will not permit it. Then +Elijah will go to the little ones, and teach them how to plead in +behalf of their fathers. They will stand before God and say: "Is not +the measure of good, the mercy of God, larger than the measure of +chastisements? If, then, we died for the sins of our fathers, should +they not now for our sakes be granted the good, and be permitted +to join us in Paradise?" God will give assent to their pleadings, and +Elijah will have fulfilled the word of the prophet Malachi; he will +have brought back the fathers to the children. (118) + +The last act of Elijah's brilliant career will be the execution of +God's command to slay Samael, and so banish evil forever. (119) + +ELISHA THE DISCIPLE OF ELIJAH + +The voices of the thousands of prophets of his time were stilled +when Elijah was translated from earth to heaven. With him +vanished the prophetical spirit of those who in former times had in +no wise been his inferiors. (1) Elisha was the only one among them +whose prophetical powers were not diminished. On the contrary, +they were strengthened, as a reward for the unhesitating readiness +with which he obeyed Elijah's summons, and parted with the field +he was ploughing, and with all else he possessed, in favor of the +community. Thenceforward he remained Elijah's unwearying +companion. When the angel descended from heaven to take Elijah +from earth, he found the two so immersed in a learned discussion +that he could not attract their attention, and he had to return, his +errand unfulfilled. (2) + +Elijah's promise to bestow a double portion of his wondrous spirit +upon his disciple was realized instantaneously. During his life +Elisha performed sixteen miracles, and eight was all his master +had performed. The first of them, the crossing of the Jordan, was +more remarkable than the corresponding wonder done by Elijah, +for Elisha traversed the river alone, and Elijah had been +accompanied by Elisha. Two saints always have more power than +one by himself. (3) + +His second miracle, the "healing" of the waters of Jericho, so that +they became fit to drink, resulted in harm to himself, for the +people who had earned their livelihood by the sale of wholesome +water were very much incensed against the prophet for having +spoiled their trade. Elisha, whose prophetic powers enabled him to +read both the past and the future of these tradesmen, knew that +they , their ancestors, and their posterity had "not even the aroma +of good about them." Therefore he cursed them. Suddenly a forest +sprang up and the bears that infested it devoured the murmuring +traders. The wicked fellows were not undeserving of the +punishment they received, yet Elisha was made to undergo a very +serious sickness, by way of correction for having yielded to +passion. (4) In this he resembled his master Elijah; he allowed +wrath and zeal to gain the mastery over him. God desired that the +two great prophets might be purged of this fault. Accordingly, +when Elisha rebuked King Jehoram of Israel, the spirit of prophecy +forsook him, and he had to resort to artificial means to re-awaken +it within himself. (5) + +Like his teacher, Elisha was always ready to help the poor and +needy, as witness his sympathy with the widow of one of the sons +of the prophets, and the effective aid he extended to her. Her +husband had been none other than Obadiah, who, though a +prophet, had at the same time been one of the highest officials at +the court of the sinful king Ahab. By birth an Edomite, Obadiah +had been inspired by God to utter the prophecy against Edom. In +his own person he embodied the accusation against Esau, who had +lived with his pious parents without following their example, +while Obadiah, on the contrary, lived in constant intercourse with +the iniquitous King Ahab and his still more iniquitous spouse +Jezebel without yielding to the baneful influence they exercised. +(6) This same Obadiah not only used his own fortune, but went to +the length of borrowing money on interest from the future king, in +order to have the wherewithal to support the prophets who were in +hiding. On his death, the king sought to hold the children +responsible for the debt of the father. In her despair the pious wife +of Obadiah (7) went to the graveyard, and there she cried out: "O +thou God-fearing man!" At once a heavenly voice was heard +questioning her: "There are four God-fearing men, Abraham, +Joseph, Job, and Obadiah. To which of them does thou desire to +speak?" "To him of whom it is said, "He feared the Lord greatly.'" + +She was led to the grave of the prophet Obadiah, where she poured +out the tale of her sorrow. Obadiah told her to take the small +remnant of oil she still had to the prophet Elisha and request him +to intercede for him with God, "for God," he said, "is my debtor, +seeing that I provided a hundred prophets, not only with bread and +water, but also with oil to illuminate their hiding-place, for do not +the Scriptures say: 'He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto +the Lord'?" Forthwith the woman carried out his behest. She went +to Elisha, and he helped her by making her little cruse of oil fill +vessels upon vessels without number, and when the vessels gave +out, she fetched potsherds, saying, "May the will that made empty +vessels full, make broken vessels perfect." So it was. The oil +ceased to flow only when the supply of potsherds as well as vessels +gave out. In her piety the woman wanted to pay her tithe-offering, +but Elisha was of the opinion that, as the oil had been bestowed +upon her miraculously, she could keep it wholly and entirely for +her own use. Furthermore, Elisha reassured her as to the power of +the royal princes to do her harm: "The God who will close the jaws +of the lions set upon Daniel, and who did close the jaws of the +dogs in Egypt, the same God will blind the eyes of the sons of +Ahab, and deafen their ears, so that they can do thee no harm." (8) +Not only was the poor widow helped out of her difficulties, her +descendants unto all times were provided for. The oil rose in price, +and it yielded so much profit that they never suffered want. (9) + + THE SHUNAMMITE + +The great woman of Shunem, the sister of Abishag and wife of the +prophet Iddo, (10) also had cause to be deeply grateful to Elisha. +When Elisha came to Shunem on his journey through the land of +Israel, his holiness made a profound impression upon the +Shunammite. Indeed, the prophet's eye was so awe-inspiring that +now woman could look him in the face and live. (11) Contrary to +the habit of most women, who are intent upon diminishing their +expenses and their toil, the Shunammite took delight in the +privilege of welcoming the prophet to her house as a guest. She +observed that not even a fly dared approach close to the holy man, +and a grateful fragrance exhaled from his person. "If he were not +so great a saint," she said, "and the holiness of the Lord did not +invest him, there were no such pleasant fragrance about him." That +he might be undisturbed, she assigned the best chambers in the +house to the prophet. He on his part, desiring to show his +appreciation of her hospitality, knew no better return for her +kindness than to promise that she should be blessed with a child +within a year. (12) The woman protested: "O, my husband is an old +man, nor am I of an age to bear children; the promise cannot be +fulfilled." Yet it happened as the prophet had foretold. Before a +twelvemonth had passed, she was a mother. + +A few years later her child died a sudden death. The mother +repaired to the prophet, and lamented before him: "O that the +vessel had remained empty, rather than it should be filled first, and +then be left void." The prophet admitted that, though as a rule he +was acquainted with all things that were to happen, God had left +him in the dark about the misfortune that had befallen her. With +trust in God, he gave his staff to his disciple Gehazi, and sent him +to bring the boy back to life. But Gehazi was unworthy of his +master. His conduct toward the Shunammite was not becoming a +disciple of the prophet, and, above all, he had no faith in the +possibility of accomplishing the mission entrusted to him. Instead +of obeying the behest of Elisha, not to speak a word on his way to +the child of the Shunammite, Gehazi made sport of the task laid +upon him. To whatever man he met he addressed the questions: +"Dost thou suppose this staff can bring the dead back to life?" The +result was that he forfeited the power of executing the errand with +which he had been charged. Elisha himself had to perform the +miracle. The prophet uttered the prayer: "O Lord of the world! As +Thou didst wonders through my master Elijah, and didst permit +him to bring the dead to life, so, I pray Thee, do Thou perform a +wonder through me, and let me restore life to this lad." (13) The +prayer was granted, and the child was revived. The act of the +prophet proves the duty of gratitude in return for hospitality. Elisha +did not attempt to resuscitate his own kith and kin who had been +claimed by death; he invoked a miracle for the sake of the woman +who had welcomed him kindly to her house. (14) + + GEHAZI + +Gehazi, proved untrustworthy by his conduct on this occasion, +again aroused the ire of the prophet when he disregarded the order +not to accept money from Naaman, the Syrian captain. He did not +succeed in deceiving the prophet. On his return from Naaman he +found Elisha occupied with the study of the chapter in the Mishnah +Shabbat which deals with the eight reptiles. The prophet Elisha +greeted him with the rebuke: "Thou villain! the time has come for +me to be rewarded for the study of the Mishnah about the eight +reptiles. May my reward be that the disease of Naaman afflict thee +and thy descendants for evermore." Scarcely had these words +escaped his lips, when he saw the leprosy come out on Gehazi's +face. (15) Gehazi deserved the punishment on account of his base +character. He was sensual and envious, and did not believe in the +resurrection of the dead. His unworthy qualities were displayed in +his conduct toward the Shunammite and toward the disciples of +Elisha. When the pretty Shunammite came to the prophet in her +grief over the death of her child, Gehazi took her passionately in +his arms, under the pretext of forcing her away from the prophet, +on whom she had laid hold in her supplications. + +As for the other disciples of Elisha, he endeavored to keep them +away from the house of the prophet. He was in the habit of +standing without the door. This induced many to turn away and go +home, for they reasoned that, if the house were not full to +overflowing, Gehazi would not be standing outside. Only after +Gehazi's dismissal did the disciples of Elisha increase +marvellously. That Gehazi had no faith in the resurrection of the +dead, is shown by his incredulity with regard to the child of the +Shunammite. (16) + +In spite of all these faults, Elisha regretted that he had cast off his +disciple, who was a great scholar in the law, especially as Gehazi +abandoned himself to a sinful life after leaving the prophet. By +means of magnetism he made the golden calves at Beth-el float in +the air, and many were brought to believe in the divinity of these +idols. Moreover, he engraved the great and awful Name of God in +their mouth. Thus they were enabled to speak, and they gave forth +the same words God had proclaimed from Sinai: "I am the Lord +thy God Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." Elisha +accordingly repaired to Damascus to lead Gehazi back to the paths +of righteousness. But he remained impenitent, for he said: "From +thyself I have learned that there is no return for him who not only +sins himself, but also induces others to sin." (17) So Gehazi died +without having done aught to atone for his transgressions, which +were so great that he is one of the few Jews who have no share in +Paradise. (18) His children inherited his leprosy. He and his three +sons are the four leprous men who informed the king of Israel of +the precipitate flight of the Syrian host. (19) + +Elisha's excessive severity toward his servant Gehazi and toward +the mocking boys of Jericho did not go unpunished. He had to +endure two periods of disease, and the third sickness that befell +him cause his death. He is the first known to history who survived +a sickness. Before him death had been the inevitable companion of +disease. (20) + +A great miracle marked the end of a life rich in miraculous deeds: +a dead man revived at the touch of Elisha's bier, and stood on his +feet. It was a worthy character for whom the wonder was +accomplished Shallum the son of Tikvah, the husband of Huldah +the prophetess, a man of noble descent, who had led a life of +lovingkindness. He was in the habit of going daily beyond the city +bearing the pitcher of water, from which he gave every traveller to +drink, a good deed that received a double reward. His wife became +a prophetess, and when he died and his funeral, attended by a large +concourse of people, was disturbed by the invasion of the +Arameans, he was given new life by contact with the bones of +Elisha. He lived to have a son, Hanamel by name. (21) + +The death of Elisha was a great misfortune for the Israelites. So +long as he was alive, no Aramean troops entered Palestine. The +first invasion by them happened on the day of his burial. (22) + + THE FLIGHT OF JONAH + +Among the many thousands (23) of disciples whom Elisha +gathered about him during the sixty years (24) and more of his +activity, the most prominent was the prophet Jonah. While the +master was still alive, Jonah was charged with the important +mission of anointing Jehu king. (25) The next task laid upon him +was to proclaim their destruction to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. +(26) The doom did not come to pass, because they repented of +their wrong-doing, and God had mercy upon them. Among the +Israelites Jonah was, therefore, known as "the false prophet." +When he was sent to Nineveh to prophesy the downfall of the city, +he reflected: "I know to a certainly that the heathen will do +penance, the threatened punishment will not be executed, and +among the heathen, too, I shall gain the reputation of being a false +prophet." (27) To escape this disgrace, he determined to take up +his abode on the sea, where there were none to whom prophecies +never to be fulfilled would have to be delivered. + +On his arrival at Joppa, there was no vessel in port. To try him, +God cause a storm to arise, and it carried a vessel back to Joppa, +which had made a two days' journey away from the harbor. The +prophet interpreted this chance to mean that God approved his +plan. He was so rejoiced at the favorable opportunity for leaving +land that he paid the whole amount for the entire cargo in advance, +no less a sum than four thousand gold denarii. After a day's sailing +out from shore, a terrific storm (28) broke loose. Wonderful to +relate, it injured no vessel but Jonah's. Thus he was taught the +lesson that God is Lord over heaven and earth and sea, and man +can hide himself nowhere from His face. + +On the same vessel were representatives of the seventy nations of +the earth, each with his peculiar idols. They all resolved to entreat +their gods for succor, and the god from whom help would come +should be recognized and worshipped at the only one true God. +But help came from none. Then it was that the captain of the +vessel approached Jonah where he lay asleep, and said to him: "We +are suspended 'twixt life and death, and thou liest here asleep. +Pray, tell me, to what nation dost thou belong?" "I am a Hebrew," +replied Jonah. "We have heard," said the captain, "that the God of +the Hebrews is the most powerful. Cry to Him for help. Perhaps He +will perform such miracles for us as He did in days of old for the +Jews at the Red Sea." + +Jonah confessed to the captain that he was to blame for the whole +misfortune, and he besought him to cast him adrift, and appease +the storm. The other passengers refused to consent to so cruel an +act. Though the lot decided against Jonah, they first tried to save +the vessel by throwing the cargo overboard. Their efforts were in +vain. Then they placed Jonah at the side of the vessel and spoke: +"O Lord of the world, reckon this not up against us as innocent +blood, for we know not the case of this man, and he himself bids +us throw him into the sea." Even then they could not make up their +minds to let him drown. First they immersed him up to his knees in +the water of the sea, and the storm ceased; they drew him back +into the vessel, and forthwith the storm raged in its old fury. Two +more trials they made. They lowered him into the water up to his +navel, and raised him out of the depths when the storm was +assuaged. Again, when the storm broke out anew, they lowered +him to his neck, and a second time they took him back into the +vessel when the wind subsided. (29) But finally the renewed rage +of the storm convinced them that their danger was due to Jonah's +transgressions, and they abandoned him to his fate. He was thrown +into the water, and on the instant the sea grew calm. (30) + + JONAH IN THE WHALE + +At the creation of the world, God made a fish intended to harbor +Jonah. He as so large that the prophet was as comfortable inside of +him as in a spacious synagogue. The eyes of the fish served Jonah +as windows, and, besides, there was a diamond, which shone as +brilliantly as the sun at midday, so that Jonah could see all things +in the sea down to its very bottom. + +It is a law that when their time has come, all the fish of the sea +must betake themselves to leviathan, and let the monster devour +them. The life term of Jonah's fish was about to expire, and the +fish warned Jonah of what was to happen. When he, with Jonah in +his belly, came to leviathan, the prophet said to the monster: "For +thy sake I came hither. It was meet that I should know thine abode, +for it is my appointed task to capture thee in the life to come and +slaughter thee for the table of the just and pious." When leviathan +observed the sign of the covenant on Jonah's body, he fled +affrighted, and Jonah and the fish were saved. To show his +gratitude, the fish carried Jonah whithersoever there was a sight to +be seen. He showed him the river from which the ocean flows, +showed him the spot at which the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, +showed him Gehenna and Sheol, and many other mysterious and +wonderful place. + +Three days Jonah had spent in the belly of the fish, and he still felt +so comfortable that he did not think of imploring God to change +his condition. But God sent a female fish big with three hundred +and sixty-five thousand little fish to Jonah's host, to demand the +surrender of the prophet, else she would swallow both him and the +guest he harbored. The message was received with incredulity, and +leviathan had to come and corroborate it; he himself had heard +God dispatch the female fish on her errand. So it came about that +Jonah was transferred to another abode. His new quarters, which +he had to share with all the little fish, were far from comfortable, +and from the bottom of his heart a prayer for deliverance arose to +God on high. (31) The last words of his long petition were, "I shall +redeem my vow," (32) whereupon God commanded the fish to +spew Jonah out. At a distance of nine hundred and sixty-five +parasangs from the fish he alighted on dry land. These miracles +induced the ship's crew to abandon idolatry, and they all became +pious proselytes in Jerusalem. (33) + + THE REPENTANCE OF NINEVEH + +Jonah went straightway to Nineveh, the monster city covering forty +square parasangs and containing a million and half of human +beings. He lost no time in proclaiming their destruction to the +inhabitants. The voice of the prophet was so sonorous that it +reached to every corner of the great city, and all who heard his +words resolved to turn aside from their ungodly ways. At the head +of the penitents was King Osnappar of Assyria. (34) He descended +from his throne, removed his crown, strewed ashes on his head +instead, took off his purple garments, and rolled about in the dust +of the highways. In all the streets royal heralds proclaimed the +king's decree bidding the inhabitants fast three days, wear +sackcloth, and supplicate God with tears and prayers to avert the +threatened doom. The people of Nineveh fairly compelled to God's +mercy to descend upon them. They held their infants heavenward, +and amid streaming tears they cried: "For the sake of these +innocent babes, hear our prayers." The young of their stalled cattle +they separated from the mother beasts, the young were left within +the stable, the old were put without. So parted from one another, +the young and the old began to bellow aloud. Then the Ninevites +cried: "If Thou wilt not have mercy upon us, we will not have +mercy upon these beasts." + +The penance of the Ninevites did not stop at fasting and praying. +Their deeds showed that they had determined to lead a better life. +If a man had usurped another's property, he sought to make +amends for his iniquity; some went so far as to destroy their +palaces in order to be able to give back a single brick to the +rightful owner. Of their own accord others appeared before the +courts of justice, and confessed their secret crimes and sins, known +to none beside themselves, and declared themselves ready to +submit to well-merited punishment, though it be death that was +decreed against them. + +One incident that happened at the time will illustrate the contrition +of the Ninevites. A man found a treasure in the building lot he had +acquired from his neighbor. Both buyer and seller refused to +assume possession of the treasure. The seller insisted that the sale +of the lot carried with it the sale of all it contained. The buyer held +that he had bought the ground, not the treasure hidden therein. +Neither rested satisfied until the judge succeeded in finding out +who had hidden the treasure and where were his heirs, and the joy +of the two was great when they could deliver the treasure up to its +legitimate owners. (35) + +Seeing that the Ninevites had undergone a real change of heart, +God took mercy upon them, and pardoned them. Thereupon Jonah +likewise felt encouraged to plead for himself with God, that He +forgive him for his flight. God spoke to him: "Thou wast mindful +of Mine honor," the prophet had not wanted to appear a liar, so +that men's trust in God might not be shaken "and for this reason +thou didst take to sea. Therefore did I deal mercifully with thee, +and rescue thee from the bowels of Sheol." + +His sojourn in the inside of the fish the prophet could not easily +dismiss from his mind, nor did it remain without visible +consequences. The intense heat in the belly of the fish had +consumed his garments, and made his hair fall out, (36) and he +was sore plagued by swarms of insects. To afford Jonah protection, +God caused the kikayon to grow up. When he opened his eyes one +morning, he saw a plant with two hundred and seventy-five leaves, +each leaf measuring more than a span, so that it afforded relief +from the heat of the sun. But the sun smote the gourd that it +withered, and Jonah was again annoyed by the insects. He began to +weep and wish for death to release him from his troubles. But +when God led him to the plant, and showed him what lesson he +might derive from it, how, though he had not labored for the +plant, he had pity on it, he realized his wrong in desiring God to +be relentless toward Nineveh, the great city, with its many +inhabitants, rather than have his reputation as a prophet suffer +taint. He prostrated himself and said: "O God, guide the world +according to Thy goodness." + +God was gracious to the people of Nineveh so long as they +continued worthy of His lovingkindness. But at the end of forty +days they departed from the path of piety, and they became more +sinful than ever. Then the punishment threatened by Jonah +overtook them, and they were swallowed up by the earth. (37) + +Jonah's suffering in the watery abyss had been so severe that by +way of compensation of God exempted him from death: living he +was permitted to enter Paradise. (38) Like Jonah, his wife was +known far and wide for her piety. She had gained fame particularly +through her pilgrimage to Jerusalem, a duty which, by reason of +her sex, she was not obliged to fulfil. (39) On one of these +pilgrimages it was that the prophetical spirit first descended upon +Jonah. (40) + +JOASH + +When the prophet Jonah, doing the behest of his master Elisha, +anointed Jehu king over Israel, (1) he poured the oil out of a +pitcher, not out of a horn, to indicate that the dynasty of Jehu +would not occupy the throne long. (2) At first Jehu, though a +somewhat foolish (3) king, was at least pious, but he abandoned +his God-fearing ways from the moment he saw the document +bearing the signature of the prophet Ahijah of Shilo, which bound +the signers to pay implicit obedience to Jeroboam. The king took +this as evidence that the prophet had approved the worship of the +golden calves. So it came to pass that Jehu, the destroyer of Baal +worship, did nothing to oppose the idolatrous service established +by Jeroboam at Beth-el. (4) The successors of Jehu were not +better; on the contrary, they were worse, and therefore in the fifth +generation (5) an end was put to the dynasty of Jehu by the hand of +the assassin. + +The kings of Judah differed in no essential particular from their +colleagues in the north. Ahaziah, whom Jehu killed, was a +shameless sinner; he had the Name of God expurged from every +passage in which it occurred in the Holy Scriptures, and the names +of idols inserted in its place. (6) + +Upon the death of Ahaziah followed the reign of terror under the +queen Athaliah, when God exacted payment from the house of +David for his trespass in connection with the extermination of the +priest at Nob. As Abiathar had been the only male descendant of +Abimelech to survive the persecution of Saul, so the sole +representative of the house of David to remain after the sword of +Athaliah had raged (7) was Joash, the child kept in hiding, in the +Holy of Holies in the Temple, by the high priest Jehoiada and his +wife Jehosheba. (8) Later Jehoiada vindicated the right of Joash +upon the throne, and installed him as king of Judah. The very +crown worn by the rulers of the house of David testified to the +legitimacy of the young prince, for it possessed the peculiarity of +fitting none but the rightful successors to David. (9) + +At the instigation of Jehoiada, King Joash undertook the +restoration of the Temple. The work was completed so +expeditiously that one living at the time the Temple was erected by +Solomon was permitted to see the new structure shortly before his +death. (10) This good fortune befell Jehoiada (11) himself, the son +of Benaiah, commander-in-chief of the army under Solomon. So +long as Joash continued under the tutelage of Jehoiada, he was a +pious king. When Jehoiada departed this life, the courtiers came to +Joash and flattered him: "If thou wert not a god, thou hadst not +been able to abide for six years in the Holy of Holies, a spot which +even the high priest is permitted to enter but once a year." The +king lent ear to their blandishments, and permitted the people to +pay him Divine homage. (12) But when the folly of the king went +to the extreme of prompting him to set up an idol in the Temple, +Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, placed himself at the entrance, and +barring the way said: "Thou shalt not do it so long as I live." (13) +High priest, prophet, and judge though Zechariah was, and +son-in-law of Joash to boot, the king still did not shrink from +having him killed for his presumptuous words, not was he deterred +by the fact that it happened on a Day of Atonement which fell on +the Sabbath. (14) The innocent blood crimsoning the hall of the +priests did not remain unavenged. For two hundred and fifty-two +years it did not leave off seething and pulsating, until, finally, +Nebuzaradan, captain of Nebuchadnezzar's guard, ordered a great +carnage among the Judeans, to avenge the death of Zechariah. (15) + +Joash himself, the murderer of Zechariah, met with an evil end. He +fell into the hands of the Syrians, and they abused him in their +barbarous, immoral way. Before he could recover from the +suffering inflicted upon him, his servants slew him. (16) + +Amaziah, the son and successor of Joash, in many respects +resembled his father. At the beginning of his reign he was +God-fearing, but when, through the aid of God, he had gained a +brilliant victory over the Edomites, he knew no better way of +manifesting his gratitude than to establish in Jerusalem the cult of +the idol worshipped by his conquered enemies. To compass his +chastisement, God inspired Amaziah with the idea of provoking a +war with Joash, the ruler of the northern kingdom. Amaziah +demanded that Joash should either recognize the suzerainty of the +southern realm voluntarily, or let the fate of battle decide the +question. (17) At first Joash sought to turn Amaziah aside from his +purpose by a parable reminding him of the fate of Shechem, which +the sons of Jacob had visited upon him for having done violence to +their sister Dinah. (18) Amaziah refused to be warned. He +persisted in his challenge, and a war ensued. The fortune of battle +decided against Amaziah. He suffered defeat, and later he was +tortured to death by his own subjects. (19) + + THREE GREAT PROPHETS + +The reign of Uzziah, who for a little while occupied the throne +during his father Amaziah's lifetime, is notable particularly +because it marks the beginning of the activity of three of the +prophets, Hosea, Amos, and Isaiah. The oldest of the three was +Hosea, (20) the son of the prophet and prince Beeri, the Beeri who +later was carried away captive by Tiglath-pileser, the king of +Assyria. (21) Of Beeri's prophecies we have but two verses, +preserved for us by Isaiah. (22) + +The peculiar marriage contracted by Hosea at the command of +God Himself was not without a good reason. When God spoke to +the prophet about the sins of Israel, expecting him to defend or +excuse his people, Hosea said severely: "O Lord of the world! +Thine is the universe. In place of Israel choose another as Thy +peculiar people from among the nations of the earth." To make the +true relation between God and Israel known to the prophet, he was +commanded to take to wife a woman with a dubious past. After +she had borne him several children, God suddenly put the question +to him: "Why followest thou not the example of thy teacher Moses, +who denied himself the joys of family life after his call to +prophecy?" Hosea replied: "I can neither send my wife away nor +divorce her, for she has borne me children." "If, now," said God to +him, "thou who hast a wife of whose honesty thou art so uncertain +that thou canst not even be sure that her children are thine, and yet +thou canst not separate from her, how, then can I separate Myself +from Israel, from My children, the children of My elect, Abraham, +Isaac, and Jacob!" Hosea entreated God to pardon him. But God +said: "Better were it that thou shouldst pray for the welfare of +Israel, for thou art the cause that I issued three fateful decrees +against them." Hosea prayed as he was bidden, and his prayer +averted the impending threefold doom. (23) + +Hosea died at Babylon at a time in which a journey thence to +Palestine was beset with many perils. Desirous of having his +earthly remains rest in sacred ground, he requested before his +death that his bier be loaded upon a camel, and the animal +permitted to make its way as it would. Wherever it stopped, there +his body was to be buried. As he commanded, so it was done. +Without a single mishap the camel arrived at Safed. In the Jewish +cemetery of the town it stood still, and there Hosea was buried in +the presence of a large concourse. (24) + +The prophetical activity of Amos commenced after Hosea's had +closed, and before Isaiah's began. Though he had an impediment in +his speech, (25) he obeyed the call of God, and betook himself to +Beth-el to proclaim to the sinful inhabitants thereof the Divine +message with which he had been charged. The denunciation of the +priest Amaziah, of Beth-el, who informed against the prophet +before King Jeroboam of Israel, did him no harm, for the king, +idolater though he was, entertained profound respect for Amos. He +said to himself: "God forbid I should think the prophet guilty of +cherishing traitorous plans, and if he were, it would surely be at +the bidding of God." (26) For this pious disposition Jeroboam was +rewarded; never had the northern kingdom attained to such power +as under him. (27) + +However, the fearlessness of Amos finally caused his death. King +Uzziah inflicted a mortal blow upon his forehead with a red-hot +iron. (28) + +Two years after Amos ceased to prophesy, Isaiah was favored with +his first Divine communication. It was the day on which King +Uzziah, blinded by success and prosperity, arrogated to himself the +privileges of the priesthood. He tried to offer sacrifices upon the +altar, and when the high priest Azariah (29) ventured to restrain +him, he threatened to slay him and any priest sympathizing with +him unless they kept silent. Suddenly the earth quaked so violently +that a great breach was torn in the Temple, through which a +brilliant ray of sunlight pierced, falling upon the forehead of the +king and causing leprosy to break forth upon him. Nor was that all +the damage done by the earthquake. On the west side of Jerusalem, +half of the mountain was split off and hurled to the east, into a +road, at a distance of four stadia. (30) And not heaven and earth +alone were outraged by Uzziah's atrocity and sought to annihilate +him; even the angels of fire, the seraphim, were on the point of +descending and consuming him, when a voice from on high +proclaimed, that the punishment appointed for Uzziah was unlike +that meted out to Korah and his company despite the similarity of +their crimes. (31) + +When Isaiah beheld the august throne of God on this memorable +day, (32) he was sorely affrighted, for he reproached himself with +not having tried to turn the king away from his impious desire. +(33) Enthralled he hearkened to the hymns of praise sung by the +angels, and lost in admiration he failed to join his voice with +theirs. "Woe is me," he cried out, "that I was silent! Woe is me that +I did not join the chorus of the angels praising God! Had I done it, +I, too, like the angels, would have become immortal, seeing I was +permitted to look upon sights to behold which had brought death +to other men." (34) Then he began to excuse himself: "I am a man +of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of people of unclean lips." +At once resounded the voice of God in rebuke: "Of thyself thou art +the master, and of thyself thou mayest say what thou choosest, but +who gave thee the right to calumniate My children of Israel and +call them 'a people of unclean lips'?" And Isaiah heard God bid one +of the seraphim touch his lips with a live coal as a punishment for +having slandered Israel. Though the coal was so hot that the seraph +needed tongs to hold the tongs with which he had taken the coal +from the altar, the prophet yet escaped unscathed, but he learned +the lesson, that it was his duty to defend Israel, not traduce him. +Thenceforth the championship of his people was the mainspring of +the prophet's activity, and he was rewarded by having more +revelations concerning Israel and the other nations vouchsafed him +than any other prophet before or after him. Moreover God +designated Isaiah to be "the prophet of consolation." Thus it +happened that the very Isaiah whose early prophecies foretold the +exile and the destruction of the Temple, (35) later described and +proclaimed, in plainer terms than any other prophet, (36) the +brilliant destiny in store for Israel. + + THE TWO KINGDOMS CHASTISED + +Afflicted with leprosy, Uzziah was unfit to reign as king, and +Jotham administered the affairs of Judah for twenty-five years +before the death of his father. (37) Jotham possessed so much piety +that his virtues added to those of two other very pious men suffice +to atone for all the sins of the whole of mankind committed from +the hour of creation until the end of all time. (38) + +Ahaz, the son of Jotham; was very unlike him. "From first to last +he was a sinner." (39) He abolished the true worship of God, +forbade the study of the Torah, set up an idol in the upper room of +the Temple, and disregarded the Jewish laws of marriage. (40) His +transgressions are the less pardonable, because he sinned against +God knowing His grandeur and power, as appears from his reply to +the prophet. Isaiah said to him: "Ask a sign of God, as, for +instance, that the dead should arise, Korah come up from Sheol, or +Elijah descend from heaven." The king's answer was: "I know thou +hast the power to do any of these, but I do not wish the Name of +God to be glorified through me." (41) + +The only good quality possessed by Ahaz was respect for Isaiah. +(42) To avoid his reproaches, Ahaz would disguise himself when +he went abroad, so that the prophet might not recognize him. (43) +Only to this circumstance, joined to the fact he was the father of a +pious son and the son of an equally pious father, is it to be ascribed +that, in spite of his wickedness, Ahaz is not one of those who have +forfeited their portion in the world to come. But he did not escape +punishment; on the contrary, his chastisement was severe, not only +as king but also as man. In the ill-starred war against Pekah, the +king of the northern kingdom, he lost his first-born son, a great +hero. (44) + +Pekah, however, was not permitted to enjoy the fruits of his +victory, for the king of Assyria invaded his empire, captured the +golden calf at Dan, and led the tribes on the east side of Jordan +away into exile. The dismemberment of the Israelitish kingdom +went on apace for some years. Then the Assyrians, in the reign of +Hoshea, carried off the second golden calf together with the tribes +of Asher, Issachar, Zebulon, and Naphtali, leaving but one-eighth +of the Israelites in their own land. The larger portion of the exiles +was taken to Damascus. After that Israel's doom overtook it with +giant strides, and the last ruler of Israel actually hastened the end +of his kingdom by a pious deed. After the golden calves were +removed by the Assyrians, Hoshea, the king of the north, abolished +the institution of stationing the guards on the frontier between +Judah and Israel to prevent pilgrimages to Jerusalem. But the +people made no use of the liberty granted them. They persisted in +their idolatrous cult, and this quickened their punishment. So long +as their kings had put obstacles in their path, they could excuse +themselves before God for not worshipping Him in the true way. +The action taken by their king Hoshea left them no defense. When +the Assyrians made their third incursion into Israel, the kingdom of +the north was destroyed forever, and the people, one and all, were +carried away into exile. (45) + +The heathen nations settled in Samaria by the Assyrians instead of +the deported Ten Tribes were forced by God to accept the true +religion of the Jews. Nevertheless they continued to worship their +olden idols: the Babylonians paid devotion to a hen, the people of +Cuthah to a cock, those of Hamath to a ram, the dog and the ass +were the gods of the Avvites, and the mule and the horse the gods +of the Sepharvites. (46) + + HEZEKIAH + +While the northern kingdom was rapidly descending into the pit of +destruction, a mighty upward impulse was given to Judah, both +spiritually and materially, by its king Hezekiah. In his infancy the +king had been destined as a sacrifice to Moloch. His mother had +saved him from death only by rubbing him with the blood of a +salamander, which made him fire-proof. (47) In every respect he +was the opposite of his father. As the latter is counted among the +worst of sinners, so Hezekiah is counted among the most pious of +Israel. His first act as king is evidence that he held the honor of +God to be his chief concern, important beyond all else. He refused +to accord his father regal obsequies; his remains were buried as +though he had been poor and of plebeian rank. Impious as he was, +Ahaz deserved nothing more dignified. (48) God had Himself +made it known to Hezekiah, by a sign, that his father was to have +no consideration paid him. On the day of the dead king's funeral +daylight lasted but two hours, and his body had to be interred when +the earth was enveloped in darkness. (49) + +Throughout his reign, Hezekiah devoted himself mainly to the task +of dispelling the ignorance of the Torah which his father had +caused. While Ahaz had forbidden the study of the law, Hezekiah's +orders read: "Who does not occupy himself with the Torah, renders +himself subject to the death penalty." The academies closed under +Ahaz were kept open day and night under Hezekiah. The king +himself supplied the oil needed for illuminating purposes. +Gradually, under this system, a generation grew up so well trained +that one could search the land from Dan even to Beer-sheba and +not find a single ignoramus. The very women and the children, +both boys and girls, knew the laws of "clean and unclean." (50) By +way of rewarding his piety, God granted Hezekiah a brilliant +victory over Sennacherib. + +This Assyrian king, who had conquered the whole world, (51) +equipped an army against Hezekiah like unto which there is none, +unless it be the army of the four kings whom Abraham routed, or +the army to be raised by God and Magog in the Messianic time. +Sennacherib's army consisted of more than two millions and a half +of horsemen, among them forty-five thousand princes sitting in +chariots and surrounded by their paramours, by eighty thousand +armor-clad soldiers, and sixty thousand swordsmen. The camp +extended over a space of four hundred parasangs, and the +saddle-beasts standing neck to neck formed a line forty parasangs +long. The host was divided into four divisions. After the first of +them had passed the Jordan, it was well nigh dry, for the soldiers +had all slaked their thirst with water of the river. The second +division found nothing to quench their thirst except the water +gathered under the hoofs of the horses. The third division was +forced to dig wells, and when the fourth division crossed the +Jordan, they kicked up great clouds of dust. (52) + +With this vast army Sennacherib hastened onward, in accordance +with the disclosures of the astrologers, who warned him that he +would fail in his object of capturing Jerusalem, if he arrived there +later than the day set by them. His journey having lasted but one +day instead of ten, as he had expected, he rested at Nob. A raised +platform was there erected for Sennacherib, whence he could view +Jerusalem. On first beholding the Judean capital, the Assyrian king +exclaimed: "What! Is this Jerusalem, the city for whose sake I +gathered together my whole army, for whose sake I first conquered +all other lands? Is it not smaller and weaker than all the cities of +the nations I subdued with my strong hand?" He stretched himself +and shook his head, and waved his hand contemptuously toward +the Temple mount and the sanctuary crowning it. When his +warriors urged him to make his attack upon Jerusalem, he bade +them take their ease for one night, and be prepared to storm the +city the next day. It seemed no great undertaking. Each warrior +would but have to pick up as much mortar from the wall as is +needed to seal a letter and the whole city would disappear. But +Sennacherib made the mistake of not proceeding directly to the +attack upon the city. If he had made the assault at once, it would +have been successful, for the sin of Saul against the priest at Nob +had not yet been wholly expiated; on that very day it was fully +atoned for. (53) In the following night, which was the Passover +night, when Hezekiah and the people began to sing the Hallel +Psalms, (54) the giant host was annihilated. The archangel Gabriel +(55) sent by God to ripen the fruits of the field, was charged to +address himself to the task of making away with the Assyrians, and +he fulfilled his mission so well that of all the millions of the army, +Sennacherib alone was saved with his two sons, his son-in-law +(56) Nebuchadnezzar, and Nebuzaradan. (57) The death of the +Assyrians happened when the angel permitted them to hear the +"song of the celestials." (58) Their souls were burnt, though their +garments remained intact. (59) Such an end was too good for +Sennacherib. To him a disgraceful death was apportioned. On his +flight away from Jerusalem, he met a Divine apparition in the +guise of an old man. He questioned Sennacherib as to what he +would say to the kings allied with him, in reply to their inquiry +about the fate of their sons at Jerusalem. Sennacherib confessed +his dread of a meeting with those kings. The old man advised him +to have his hair cut off, which would change his appearance +beyond recognition. Sennacherib assented, and his advisor sent +him to a house in the vicinity to fetch a pair of shears. Here he +found some people angels in disguise busying themselves with a +hand-mill. They promised to give him the shears, provided he +ground a measure of grain for them. So it grew late and dark by the +time Sennacherib returned to the old man, and he had to procure a +light before his hair could be cut. As he fanned the fire into a +flame, a spark flew into his beard and singed it, and he had to +sacrifice his beard as well as his hair. On his return to Assyria, +Sennacherib found a plank, which he worshipped as an idol, +because it was part of the ark which had saved Noah from the +deluge. He vowed that he would sacrifice his sons to this idol if he +prospered in his next ventures. But his sons heard his vows, and +they killed their father, (60) and fled to Kardu where they released +the Jewish captives confined there in great numbers. With these +they marched to Jerusalem, and became proselytes there. The +famous scholars Shemaiah and Abtalion were the descendants of +these two sons of Sennacherib. (61) + + MIRACLES WROUGHT FOR HEZEKIAH + +The destruction of the Assyrian host delivered Hezekiah from an +inner as well as an outer enemy, for he had opponents in +Jerusalem, among them the high priest Shebnah. (62) Shebnah had +a more numerous following in the city than the king himself, (63) +and they and their leader had favored peace with Sennacherib. +Supported by Joah, another influential personage, Shebnah had +fastened a letter to a dart, and shot the dart into the Assyrian camp. +The contents of the letter were: "We and the whole people of Israel +wish to conclude peace with thee, but Hezekiah and Isaiah will not +permit it." (64) Shebnah's influence was so powerful that Hezekiah +began to show signs of yielding. Had it not been for the prophet +Isaiah, the king would have submitted to Sennacherib's demands. + +Shebnah's treachery and his other sins did not go unpunished. +When he and his band of adherents left Jerusalem to join the +Assyrians, the angel Gabriel closed the gate as soon as Shebnah +had passed beyond it, and so he was separated from his followers. +To the inquiry of Sennacherib about the many sympathizers he had +written of, he could give no reply but that they had changed their +mind. The Assyrian king thought Shebnah had made sport of him. +He, therefore, ordered his attendants to bore a hole through his +heels, tie him to the tail of a horse by them, and spur the horse on +to run until Shebnah was dragged to death. (65) + +The unexpected victory won by Hezekiah over the Assyrians, to +whom the kingdom of Samaria had fallen a prey but a short time +before, showed how wrong they had been who had mocked at +Hezekiah for his frugal ways. A king whose meal consisted of a +handful of vegetables could hardly be called a dignified ruler, they +had said. These critics would gladly have seen his kingdom pass +into the hands of Pekah, the king of Samaria, whose dessert, to +speak of nothing else, consisted of forty seim of young pigeons. +(66) + +In view of all the wonders God had done for him, it was +unpardonable that Hezekiah did not feel himself prompted at least +to sing a song of praise to God. Indeed, when the prophet Isaiah +urged him to it, he refused, saying that the study of the Torah, to +which he devoted himself with assiduous zeal, was a substitute for +direct expressions of gratitude. Besides, he thought God's miracles +would become known to the world without action on his part, (67) +in such ways as these: After the destruction of the Assyrian army, +when the Jews searched the abandoned camps, they found Pharaoh +the king of Egypt and the Ethiopian king Tirhakah. These kings +had hastened to the aid of Hezekiah, and the Assyrians had taken +them captive and clapped them in irons, in which they were +languishing when the Jews came upon them. Liberated by +Hezekiah, the two rulers returned to their respective realms, +spreading the report of the greatness of God everywhere. And +again, all the vassal troops in Sennacherib's army, set free by +Hezekiah, accepted the Jewish faith, and on their way home they +proclaimed the kingdom of God in Egypt and in many other lands. +(68) + +By failing in gratitude Hezekiah lost a great opportunity. The +Divine plan had been to make Hezekiah the Messiah, and +Sennacherib was to be God and Magog. Justice opposed this plan, +addressing God thus: "O Lord of the world! David, king of Israel, +who sang so many songs and hymns of praise to Thee, him Thou +didst not make the Messiah, and now Thou wouldst confer the +distinction upon Hezekiah, who has no word of praise for Thee in +spite of the manifold wonders Thou hast wrought for him?" Then +the earth appeared before God, and said: "Lord of the world! I will +song Thee a song in place of this righteous man; make him to be +the Messiah," and the earth forthwith intoned a song of praise. +Likewise spake the Prince of the World: (69) "Lord of the world! +Do the will of this righteous man." But a voice from heaven +announced: "This is my secret, this is my secret." And again, when +the prophet exclaimed sorrowfully, "Woe is me! How long, O +Lord, how long!" the voice replied: "The time of the Messiah will +arrive when the 'treacherous dealers and the treacherous dealers' +shall have come." (70) + +The sin committed by Hezekiah asleep, he had to atone for awake. +If he refused to devote a song of praise to God for his escape from +the Assyrian peril, he could not refrain from doing it after his +recovery from the dangerous sickness that befell him. (71) This +sickness was a punishment for another sin beside ingratitude. He +had "peeled off" the gold from the Temple, and sent it to the king +of the Assyrians; therefore the disease that afflicted him caused his +skin to "peel off." (72) Moreover, this malady of Hezekiah's was +brought upon him by God, to afford an opportunity for the king +and the prophet Isaiah to come close to each other. The two had +had a dispute on a point of etiquette. (73) The king adduced as a +precedent the action of Elijah, who "went to show himself unto +Ahab," and demanded that Isaiah, too, should appear before him. +The prophet, on the other hand, modelled his conduct after +Elisha's, who permitted the kings of Israel, and Judah, and Edom, +to come to him. But God settled the dispute by afflicting Hezekiah +with sickness, and then He bade Isaiah go to the king and pay the +visit due to the sick. The prophet did the bidding of God. When he +appeared in the presence of the ailing king, he said: "Set thine +house in order, for thou wilt die in this world and not live in the +next" a fate which Hezekiah incurred because he had failed to +take unto himself a wife and bring forth posterity. The king's +defense, that he had preferred a celibate's life because he had seen +in the holy spirit that he was destined to have impious children, the +prophet did not consider valid. He rebutted it with the words: +"Why does thou concern thyself with the secrets of the +All-Merciful? Thou hast but to do thy duty. God will do +whatsoever it pleases Him." Thereupon Hezekiah asked the +daughter of the prophet in marriage, saying: "Perchance my merits +joined to thine will cause my children to be virtuous." But Isaiah +rejected the proposal of marriage, because he knew that the decree +of God ordaining the king's death was unalterable. Whereupon the +king: "Thou son of thus has it been transmitted to me from the +house of my ancestor: (74) Even if a sharp sword rests at the very +throat of a man, he may yet not refrain from uttering a prayer for +mercy." (75) + +And the king was right. Though death had been decreed against +him, his prayer averted it. In his prayer he supplicated God to keep +him alive for the sake of the merits of his ancestors, who had built +the Temple and brought many proselytes into the Jewish fold, and +for the sake of his own merits, for, he said, "I searched out all the +two hundred and forty-eight members of my body which Thou +didst give me, and I found none which I had used in a manner +contrary to Thy will." (76) + +His prayer was heard. God added fifteen years to his life, but He +made him understand very clearly, that he owed the mercy solely +to the merits of David, not at all to his own, as Hezekiah fondly +believed. (77) Before Isaiah left the court of the palace, God +instructed him to return to the king, and announce his recovery to +him. Isaiah feared lest Hezekiah should place little trust in his +words, as he had but a short while before predicted his swiftly +approaching end. But God reassured the prophet. In his modesty +and piety, the king would harbor no doubt derogatory to the +prophet's trustworthiness. (78) The remedy employed by Isaiah, a +cake of figs applied to the boil, increased the wonder of Hezekiah's +recovery, for it was apt to aggravate the malady rather than +alleviate it. (79) + +A number of miracles besides were connected with the recovery of +Hezekiah. In itself it was remarkable, as being the first case of a +recovery on record. Previously illness had been inevitably +followed by death. Before he had fallen sick, Hezekiah himself +had implored God to change this order of nature. He held that +sickness followed by restoration to health would induce men to do +penance. God had replied: "Thou art right, and the new order shall +be begun with thee." (80) Furthermore, the day of Hezekiah's +recovery was marked by the great miracle that the sun shone ten +hours longer than its wonted time. The remotest lands were +amazed thereat, and Baladan, the ruler of Babylon, was prompted +by it to send an embassy to Hezekiah, which was to carry his +felicitations to the Jewish king upon his recovery. Baladan, it +should be said by the way, was not the real king of Babylon. The +throne was occupied by his father, whose face had changed into +that of a dog. Therefore the son had to administer the affairs of +state, and he was known by his father's name as well as his own. +(81) This Baladan was in the habit of dining at noon, and then he +took a nap until three o'clock of the afternoon. On the day of +Hezekiah's recovery, when he awoke from his sleep, and saw the +sun overhead, he was on the point of having his guards executed, +because he thought they had permitted him to sleep a whole +afternoon and the night following it. He desisted only when he was +informed of Hezekiah's miraculous recovery, and realised that the +God of Hezekiah was greater than his own god, the sun. (82) He at +once set about sending greetings to the Jewish king. His letter read +as follows: "Peace be with Hezekiah, peace with his great God, and +peace with Jerusalem." After the letter was dispatched, it occurred +to Baladan that it had not been composed properly. Mention of +Hezekiah had been made before mention of God. He had the +messengers called back, and ordered another letter to be written, in +which the oversight was made good. As a reward for his +punctiliousness, three of his descendants, Nebuchadnezzar, +Evil-merodach, and Belshazzar, were appointed by God to be +world monarchs. God said: "Thou didst arise from thy throne, and +didst take three steps to do Me honor, by having thy letter +re-written, therefore will I grant thee three descendants who shall +be known from one end of the world to the other." (83) + +The embassy sent by the Babylonian monarch was an act of +homage to God for his miracle-working power. Hezekiah, +however, took it to be an act of homage toward himself, and it had +the effect of making him arrogant. Not only did he eat and drink +with the heathen who made up the embassy, but also, in his +haughtiness of mind, he displayed before them all the treasures +which he had captured from Sennacherib, and many other +curiosities besides, among them magnetic iron, a peculiar sort of +ivory, and honey as solid as stone. + +What was worse, he had his wife partake of the meal in honor of +the embassy, and, most heinous crime of all, (84) he opened the +holy Ark, and pointing to the tables of law within it, said to the +heathen: "With the help of these we undertake wars and win +victories." (85) God sent Isaiah to reproach Hezekiah for these +acts. The king, instead of confessing his wrong at once, answered +the prophet haughtily. (86) Then Isaiah announced to him that the +treasures taken from Sennacherib (87) would revert to Babylon +some time in the future, and his descendants, Daniel and the three +companions of Daniel, would serve the Babylonia ruler as +eunuchs. (88) + +Despite his pride in this case, Hezekiah was one of the most pious +kings of Judah. Especially he is deserving of praise for his efforts +to have Hebrew literature put into writing, for it was Hezekiah who +had copies made of the books of Isaiah, Ecclesiastes, Song of +Songs, and Proverbs. (89) On the other hand, he had concealed the +books containing medical remedies. (90) + +Great was the mourning over him at his death. No less than +thirty-six thousand men with bared shoulders marched before his +bier, and, rarer distinction still, a scroll of the law was laid upon +his bier, for it was said: "He who rests in this bier, has fulfilled all +ordained in this book." (91) He was buried next to David and +Solomon. (92) + + MANASSEH + +Hezekiah had finally yielded to the admonitions of Isaiah, and had +taken a wife unto himself, (93) the daughter of the prophet. But he +entered upon marriage with a heavy heart. His prophetic spirit +foretold to him that the impiousness of the sons he would beget +would make their death to be preferable to their life. These fears +were confirmed all too soon. His two sons, Rabshakeh and +Manasseh, showed their complete unlikeness to their parents in +early childhood. Once, when Hezekiah was carrying his two little +ones on his shoulders to the Bet ha-Midrash, he overheard their +conversation. The one said: "Our father's bald head might do for +frying fish." The other rejoined: "It would do well for offering +sacrifices to idols." Enraged by these words, Hezekiah let his sons +slip from his shoulders. Rabshakeh was killed by the fall, but +Manasseh escaped unhurt. (94) Better had it been if Manasseh had +shared his brother's untimely fate. He was spared for naught but +murder, idolatry, and other abominable atrocities. (95) + +After Hezekiah had departed this life, Manasseh ceased to serve +the God of his father. He did whatever his evil imagination +prompted. The altar was destroyed, and in the inner space of the +Temple he set up an idol (96) with four faces, copied from the four +figures on the throne of God. It was so placed that from whatever +direction one entered the Temple, a face of the idol confronted +him. (97) + +As Manasseh was sacrilegious toward God, he was malevolent +toward his fellows. He had fashioned an image so large that it +required a thousand men to carry it. Daily a new force was +employed on this task, because Manasseh had each set of porters +killed off at the end of the day's work. All his acts were calculated +to cast contempt upon Judaism and its tenets. It did not satisfy his +evil desire to obliterate the name of God from the Holy Scriptures; +(98) he went so far as to deliver public lectures whose burden was +to ridicule the Torah. (99) Isaiah and the other prophets, Micah, +Joel, and Habakkuk, (100) left Jerusalem and repaired to a +mountain in the desert, that they might be spared the sight of the +abominations practiced by the king. Their abiding-place was +disclosed to the king. A Samaritan, a descendant of the false +prophet Zedekiah, had taken refuge in Jerusalem after the +destruction of the Temple. But he did not remain there long; +charges were made against him before the pious king Hezekiah, +and he withdrew to Bethlehem, where he gathered hangers-on +about him. This Samaritan it was who traced the prophets to their +retreat, and lodged accusations against them before Manasseh. +(101) The impious king sat in judgment on Isaiah, and condemned +him to death. The indictment against him was that his prophecies +contained teachings in contradiction with the law of Moses. God +said unto Moses: "Thou canst not see My face; for man shall not +see Me and live"; while Isaiah said: "I saw the Lord sitting upon a +throne, high and lifted up." Again, Isaiah compared the princes of +Israel and the people with the impious inhabitants of Sodom and +Gomorrah, and he prophesied the downfall of Jerusalem and the +destruction of the Temple. (102) The prophet offered no +explanation. He was convinced of the uselessness of defending +himself, and he preferred Manasseh should act from ignorance +rather than from wickedness. However, he fled for safety. When he +heard the royal bailiffs in pursuit of him, he pronounced the Name +of God, and a cedar-tree swallowed him up. The king ordered the +tree to be sawn in pieces. When the saw was applied to the portion +of the bark under which the mouth of Isaiah lay concealed, he +died. His mouth was the only vulnerable part of his body, because +at the time when he was called to his prophetical mission, (103) it +had made use of the contemptuous words "a people of unclean +lips," regarding Israel. Isaiah died at the age of one hundred and +twenty years, (104) by the hands of his own grandchild. (105) + +God is long-suffering, but in the end Manasseh received the +deserved punishment for his sins and crimes. In the twenty-second +year of his rulership, the Assyrians came and carried him off to +Babylon in fetters, him together with the old Danite idol, Micah's +image. (106) In Babylonia, the king was put into an oven which +was heated from below. Finding himself in this extremity, +Manasseh began to call upon god after god to help him out of his +straits. As this proved inefficacious, he resorted to other means. "I +remember," he said, "my father taught me the verse: 'When thou +art in tribulation, if in the latter days thou shalt return to the Lord +thy God, and hearken unto His voice, He will not fail thee.' Now I +cry to God. If He inclines His ear unto me, well and good; if not, +then all kinds of god are alike." The angels stopped up the +windows of heaven, that the prayer of Manasseh might not ascend +to God, and they said: "Lord of the world! Art Thou willing to give +gracious hearing to one who has paid worship to idols, and set up +an idol in the Temple?" "If I did not accept the penance of this +man," replied God, "I should be closing the door in the face of all +repentant sinners." God made a small opening under the Throne of +His Glory, and received the prayer of Manasseh through it. +Suddenly a wind arose, and carried Manasseh back to Jerusalem. +(107) His return to God not only helped him in his distress, but +also brought him pardon for all his sins, so that not even his share +in the future world was withdrawn from him. (108) + +The people of this time were attracted to idolatry with so +irresistible a force that the vast learning of Manasseh, who knew +fifty-two different interpretations of the Book of Leviticus, (109) +did not give him enough moral strength to withstand its influence. +Rab Ashi, the famous compiler of the Talmud, once announced a +lecture on Manasseh with the words: "To-morrow I shall speak +about our colleague Manasseh." At night the king appeared to Ashi +in a dreams, and put a ritual question to him, which the Rabbi +could not answer. Manasseh told him the solution, and Ashi, in +amazement at the king's scholarship, asked why one so erudite had +served idols. Manasseh's reply was: "Hadst thou lived at my time, +thou wouldst have caught hold of the hem of my garment and run +after me." (110) + +Amon, the son of Manasseh, surpassed his father in wickedness. +He was in the habit of saying: "My father was a sinner from early +childhood, and in his old age he did penance. I shall do the same. +First I shall satisfy the desires of my heart, and afterward I shall +return to God." (111) Indeed, he was guilty of more grievous sins +than his predecessor; he burned the Torah; under him the place of +the altar was covered with spiderwebs; and, as though of purpose +to set at naught the Jewish religion, he committed the worst sort of +incest, a degree more heinous than his father's crime of a similar +nature. (112) Thus he executed the first half of his maxim literally. +For repentance, however, he was given no time; death cut him off +in the fulness of his sinful ways. + + JOSIAH AND HIS SUCCESSORS + +That the full measure of punishment was not meted out to Amon +his evil deeds were such that he should have forfeited his share in +the world to come was due to the circumstance that he had a +pious and righteous son. (113) Josiah offers a shining model of +true, sincere repentance. (114) Though at first he followed in the +footsteps of his father Amon, he soon gave up the ways of +wickedness, and became one of the most pious kings of Israel, +whose chief undertaking was the effort to bring the whole people +back to the true faith. It dates from the time when a copy of the +Torah was found in the Temple, a copy that had escaped the +holocaust kindled by his father and predecessor Amon for the +purpose of exterminating the Holy Scriptures. (115) When he +opened the Scriptures, the first verse to strike his eye was the one +in Deuteronomy: "The Lord shall bring thee and thy king into +exile, unto a nation which thou hast not known." Josiah feared this +doom of exile was impending, and he sought to conciliate God +through the reform of his people. (116) + +His first step was to enlist the intercession of the prophets in his +behalf. He addressed his request, not to Jeremiah, but to the +prophetess Huldah, knowing that women are more easily moved to +compassion. As Jeremiah was a kinsman of the prophetess their +common ancestors were Joshua and Rahab the king felt no +apprehension that the prophet take his preference for Huldah +amiss. The proud, dignified answer of the prophetess was, that the +misfortune could not be averted from Israel, but the destruction of +the Temple, she continued consolingly, would not happen until +after the death of Josiah. (117) In view of the imminent destruction +of the Temple, Josiah hid the holy Ark and all its appurtenances, in +order to guard them against desecration at the hands of the enemy. +(118) + +The efforts of the king in behalf of God and His law found no echo +with the great majority of the people. Though the king was +successful in preventing the worship of idols in public, his subjects +knew how to deceive him. Josiah sent out his pious sympathizers +to inspect the houses of the people, and he was satisfied with their +report, that they had found no idols, not suspecting that the +recreant people has fastened half an image on each wing of the +doors, so that the inmates faced their household idols as they +closed the door upon Josiah's inspectors. + +This godless generation contemporaneous with Josiah was to +blame for his death. When King Pharaoh, in his campaign against +the Assyrians, wanted to travel through Palestine, Jeremiah +advised the king not to deny the Egyptians the passage through his +land. He cited a prophecy by his teacher Isaiah, who had foreseen +the war between Assyria and Egypt. But Josiah retorted: "Moses, +thy teacher's teacher, spake: 'I will give peace in the land, and no +sword shall go through your land,' not even the sword that is not +raised against Israel with hostile intent." The king, innocent of the +deception practiced by the people, knew not that they were idol +worshippers, to whom the promises of the Torah have no +application. In the engagement that ensued between the Jews and +the Egyptians, no less than three hundred darts struck the king. In +his death agony he uttered no word of complaint; he only said: +"The Lord is righteous, for I have rebelled against His +commandment," thus admitting his guilt in not having heeded the +advice of the prophet. (119) + +So ended the days of this just king after a brilliant career, the only +king since Solomon to rule over both Judah and Israel, for +Jeremiah had brought back to Palestine the ten exiled tribes of the +north, and made them subject to Josiah. (120) The mourning for +him was profound. (121) Even Jeremiah perpetuated his memory +in his Lamentations. (122) + +Pharaoh of Egypt was not permitted to enjoy the results of his +victory to the full, for it was soon after this that, in attempting to +ascend the wondrous throne of Solomon, he was stuck down by the +lions and rendered lame by the blow. (123) + +The people put Jehoahaz on the throne of Judah to succeed Josiah, +though his brother Jehoiakim was the older by two years. To +silence the legitimate claims of Jehoiakim, the new king +underwent the ceremony of anointing. (124) But his reign was very +brief. At the end of three months Pharaoh carried him off into +exile in Egypt, and Jehoiakim ruled in his stead. + +Jehoiakim was another of the sinful monarchs of the Jews, +uncharitable toward men and disobedient to God and the laws of +God. His garments were of two kinds of stuff mingled together, his +body was tattooed with the names of idols, and in order that he +might appear as a non-Jew, he performed the operation of an +epipost upon himself. Various forms of incest were committed by +him, and, besides, he was in the habit of putting men to death that +he might violate their wives, and confiscate their possessions. +(125) Blasphemous as he was, he spoke: "My predecessors did not +know how to provoke the wrath of God. As for me, I say frankly, +we have no need whatsoever of Him; the very light He gives us we +can dispense with, for the gold of Parvaim can well replace it." +(126) + +Seeing such abominations, God desired to resolve the world into +its original chaos. If He desisted from His purpose, it was only +because the people led a God-fearing life during the time of +Jehoiakim. (127) After he had reigned eleven years, +Nebuchadnezzar put an end to his dominion. Advancing with his +army, the Babylonian king halted at Daphne, a suburb of Antioch. +Here he was met by the Sanhedrin of Jerusalem, who desired to +know whether he was coming with the purpose of destroying the +Temple. Nebuchadnezzar assured them, that all he wanted was the +surrender of Jehoiakim, who had rebelled against his authority. +Returned to Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin informed Jehoiakim of +Nebuchadnezzar's intention. The king asked the elders, whether it +was ethical to purchase their lives by sacrificing his. For answer +they referred him to the story of the way Joab dealt with the city of +Abel of Beth-maacah, which had saved itself by surrendering the +rebel Sheba, the son of Bichri. The king's objections did not deter +the Sanhedrin from following the example of Joab acting under the +direction of David. They made Jehoiakim glide down from the city +walls of Jerusalem by a chain. Below, the Babylonians stood ready +to receive him. Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiakim in fetters to all the +cities of Judah, then he slew him, and, his rage still unabated, +threw his corpse to the dogs after having stuck it into the carcass +of an ass. (128) The dogs left nothing of Jehoiakim's body over +except his skull, on which were written the words: "This and +something besides." Many centuries later it was found by a Rabbi +near the gates of Jerusalem. He tried in vain to give it burial; the +earth refused to retain it, and the Rabbi concluded therefrom that it +belonged to the corpse of Jehoiakim. He wrapped the skull in a +cloth, and laid it in a closet. One day the wife of the Rabbi +discovered it there, and she burnt it, thinking the skull belonged to +a former wife of her husband, so dear to him even after her death +that he could not separate himself from this relic. (129) + +When Nebuchadnezzar returned to Babylonia from his Palestinian +expedition, the people received him with great pomp and +solemnity. He announced to them that in place of Jehoiakim, +whom he had slain, he had installed Mattaniah, the rebel's son, +called Jehoiachin, as king over Judah, and the people uttered the +warning: "One cannot educate a well-behaved puppy whose dam +was ill-conditioned; let alone an ill-conditioned puppy whose dam +was ill-conditioned." + +Nebuchadnezzar returned to Daphne, and informed the Sanhedrin, +who hastened from Jerusalem to meet him, that he desired the +surrender of Jehoiachin. If they refused to satisfy his demand, he +would destroy the Temple. When the Jewish king was told the +threat of his Babylonian adversary, he mounted upon the roof of +the Temple, and, holding all the keys of its chambers in his hand, +he spoke thus to God: "Until now Thou didst consider us worthy of +confidence, and Thou didst entrust Thy keys to us. Since Thou no +longer dost esteem us trustworthy, here, take back Thy keys." He +was held to his word: a hand was stretched forth from heaven, and +it received the keys. (130) + +Jehoiachin, good and pious, did not desire the city of Jerusalem to +be exposed to peril for his sake. So he delivered himself to the +Babylonian leaders, after they swore that neither city nor people +should suffer harm. But the Babylonians did not keep their oath. A +short while thereafter they carried into exile, not only the king, but +also his mother, and ten thousand (131) of the Jewish nobility and +of the great scholars. (132) This was the second attempt made by +Nebuchadnezzar to deport the Jews. On taking the former king +Jehoiakim captive, he had exiled three hundred of the noblest of +the people, among them the prophet Ezekiel. (133) + +The king Jehoiachin was incarcerated for life, a solitary prisoner, +separated from his wife and his family. The Sanhedrin, who were +among those deported with the king, feared that the house of +David die out. They therefore besought Nebuchadnezzar not to +separate Jehoiachin from his wife. They succeeded in enlisting the +sympathy of the queen's hairdresser, and through her of the queen +herself, Semiramis, the wife of Nebuchadnezzar, who in turn +prevailed upon the king to accord mild treatment to the +unfortunate prince exiled from Judea. Suffering had completely +changed the once sinful king, so that, in spite of his great joy over +his reunion with his wife, he still paid regard to the prescriptions +of the Jewish law regulating conjugal life. He was prepared to +deny himself every indulgence, when the purchase price was an +infringement of the word of God. Such steadfastness pleaded with +God to pardon the king for his sins, and the heavenly Sanhedrin +absolved God from His oath, to crush Jehoiachin and deprive his +house of sovereignty. (134) By way of reward for his continence he +was blessed with distinguished posterity. Not only was Zerubbabel, +the first governor of Palestine after the destruction of the Temple, +a grandson of Jehoiachin's, (135) but also the Messiah himself will +be a descendant of his. (136) + +ZEDEKIAH + +The execution of one king and the deportation of another were but +preludes to the great national catastrophe in the time of Zedekiah, +the destruction of the Temple and the exile of the whole people. +After Nebuchadnezzar had led Jehoiachin and a portion of the +people into banishment, his commiseration was aroused for the +Jews, and he inquired, whether any other sons of Josiah were still +living. Only Mattaniah was left. (1) He was re-named Zedekiah, in +the hope that he would be the father of pious sons. In reality the +name became the omen of the disasters to happen in the time of +this king. + +Nebuchadnezzar, who invested Zedekiah with the royal office, +demanded that he swear fealty to him. Zedekiah was about to +swear by his own soul, but the Babylonian king, not satisfied, +brought a scroll of the law, and made his Jewish vassal take the +oath upon that. (2) Nevertheless he did not keep faith with +Nebuchadnezzar for long. Nor was this his only treachery toward +his suzerain. He had once surprised Nebuchadnezzar in the act of +cutting a piece from a living hare and eating it, as is the habit of +barbarians. Nebuchadnezzar was painfully embarrassed, and he +begged the Jewish king to promise under oath not to mention what +he had seen. Though Nebuchadnezzar treated him with great +friendliness, even making him sovereign lord over five vassal +kings, he did not justify the trust reposed in him. To flatter +Zedekiah, the five kings once said: "If all were as it should be, +thou wouldst occupy the throne of Nebuchadnezzar." Zedekiah +could not refrain from exclaiming: "O yes, Nebuchadnezzar, whom +I once saw eating a live hare!" + +The five kings at once repaired to Nebuchadnezzar, and reported +what Zedekiah had said. Thereupon the king of Babylonia marched +to Daphne, near Antioch, with the purpose of chastising Zedekiah. +At Daphne he found the Sanhedrin of Jerusalem, who had hastened +thither to receive him. Nebuchadnezzar met the Sanhedrin +courteously, ordered his attendants to bring state chairs for all the +members, and requested them to read the Torah to him and explain +it. When they reached the passage in the Book of Numbers dealing +with the remission of vows, the king put the question: "If a man +desires to be released from a vow, what steps must he take?" The +Sanhedrin replied: "He must repair to a scholar, and he will +absolve him from his vow." Whereupon Nebuchadnezzar +exclaimed: "I verily believe it was you who released Zedekiah +from the vow he took concerning me." And he ordered the +members of the Sanhedrin to leave their state chairs and sit on the +ground. (3) They were forced to admit, that they had not acted in +accordance with the law, for Zedekiah's vow affected another +beside himself, and without the acquiescence of the other party, +namely, Nebuchadnezzar, the Sanhedrin had no authority to annul +the vow. (4) + +Zedekiah was duly punished for the grievous crime of perjury. +When Jerusalem was captured, he tried to escape through a cave +extending from his house to Jericho. God sent a deer into the camp +of the Chaldeans, and in their pursuit of this game, the Babylonian +soldiers reached the farther opening of the cave at the very +moment when Zedekiah was leaving it. (5) The Jewish king +together with his ten sons was brought before Nebuchadnezzar, +who addressed Zedekiah thus: "Were I to judge thee according to +the law of thy God, thou wouldst deserve the death penalty, for +thou didst swear a false oath by the Name of God; no less wouldst +thou deserve death, if I were to judge thee according to the law of +the state, for thou didst fail in thy sworn duty to thy overlord." + +Zedekiah requested the grace that his execution take place before +his children's, and he be spared the sight of their blood. His +children, on the other hand, besought Nebuchadnezzar to slay them +before he slew their father, that they might be spared the disgrace +of seeing their father executed. In his heartlessness +Nebuchadnezzar had resolved worse things than Zedekiah +anticipated. In the sight of their father, the children of Zedekiah +were killed, and then Zedekiah himself was deprived of sight; his +eyes were blinded. (6) He had been endowed with eyes of +superhuman strength, they were the eyes of Adam, and the iron +lances forced into them were powerless to destroy his sight. Vision +left him only because of the tears he shed over the fate of his +children. (7) Now he realized how true Jeremiah had spoken when +he had prophesied his exile to Babylonia. Though he should live +there until his death, he would never behold the land with his eyes. +On account of its seeming contradictoriness, Zedekiah had thought +the prophecy untrue. For this reason he had not heeded Jeremiah's +advice to make peace with Nebuchadnezzar. Now it had all been +verified; he was carried to Babylonia a captive, yet, blind as he +was, he did not see the land of his exile. (8) + + JEREMIAH + +Though Zedekiah besmirched his career by perjury, he was +nevertheless so good and just a king that for his sake God +relinquished his purpose of returning the world to its original +chaos, as a punishment for the evil-doing of a wicked generation. +(9) In this depraved time, it was first and foremost Jeremiah to +whom was delegated the task of proclaiming the word of God. He +was a descendant of Joshua and Rahab, and his father was the +prophet (10) Hilkiah. He was born while his father was fleeing +(11) from the persecution of Jezebel, the murderess of prophets. At +his very birth he showed signs that he was destined to play a great +part. He was born circumcised, (12) and scarcely had he left his +mother's womb when he broke into wailing, and his voice was the +voice, not of a babe, but of a youth. He cried: "My bowels, my +bowels tremble, the walls of my heart they are disquieted, my +limbs quake, destruction upon destruction I bring upon earth." In +this strain he continued to moan and groan, complaining of the +faithlessness of his mother, and when she expressed her +amazement at the unseemly speech of her new-born son, Jeremiah +said: "Not thee do I mean, my mother, not to thee doth my +prophecy refer; I speak of Zion, and against Jerusalem are my +words directed. She adorns her daughters, arrays them in purple, +and puts golden crowns upon their heads. Robbers will come and +strip them of their ornaments." + +As a lad he received the call to be a prophet. But he refused to +obey, saying: "O Lord, I cannot go as a prophet to Israel, for when +lived there a prophet whom Israel did not desire to kill? Moses and +Aaron they sought to stone with stones; Elijah the Tishbite they +mocked at because his hair was grown long; and they called after +Elisha, 'Go up, thou bald head' no, I cannot go to Israel, for I am +still naught but a lad." God replied: "I love youth, for it is innocent. +When I carried Israel out of Egypt, I called him a lad, and when I +think of Israel lovingly, I speak of him as a lad. Say not, therefore, +thou art only a lad, but thou shalt go on whatsoever errand I shall +send thee. Now, then," God, continued, "take the 'cup of wrath,' +and let the nations drink of it." Jeremiah put the question which +land was to drink first from the "cup of wrath," and the answer of +God was: "First Jerusalem is to drink, the head of all earthly +nations, and then the cities of Judah." When the prophet heard this, +he began to curse the day of his birth. "I am like the high priest," +he said, "who has to administer the 'water of bitterness' to a woman +who is held under the suspicion of adultery, and when he +approaches the woman with the cup, lo, he beholds his own +mother. And I, O Mother Zion, thought, when I was called to +prophesy, that I was appointed to proclaim prosperity and salvation +to thee, but now I see that my message forebodes thee evil." + +Jeremiah's first appearance in public was during the reign of +Josiah, when he announced to the people in the streets: "If ye will +give up your wicked doings, God will raise you above all nations; +if not, He will deliver His house into the hands of the enemies, and +they will deal with it as seemeth best to them." + +The prophets contemporary with Jeremiah in his early years were +Zechariah and Huldah. The province of the latter was among +women, while Zechariah was active in the synagogue. (13) Later, +under Jehoiakim, Jeremiah was supported by the prophets of his +relative Uriah of Kiriathjearim, a friend of the prophet Isaiah. (14) +But Uriah was put to death by the ungodly king, the same who had +the first chapter of Lamentations burnt after obliterating the Name +of God wherever it occurs in the whole book. But Jeremiah added +four chapters. (15) + +The prophet fell upon evil times under Zedekiah. He had both the +people and the court against him. Nor was that surprising in a day +when not even the high priests in the Temple bore the sign of the +covenant upon their bodies. (16) Jeremiah had called forth general +hostility by condemning the alliance with Egypt against Babylonia, +and favoring peace with Nebuchadnezzar; and this though to all +appearances the help of the Egyptians would prove of good effect +for the Jews. The hosts of Pharaoh Necho had actually set forth +from Egypt to join the Jews against Babylon. But when they were +on the high seas, God commanded the waters to cover themselves +with corpses. Astonished, the Egyptians asked each other, whence +the dead bodies. Presently the answer occurred to them: they were +the bodies of their ancestors drowned in the Red Sea on account of +the Jews, who had shaken off Egyptian rule. "What," said the +Egyptians thereupon, "shall we bring help to those who drowned +our fathers?" So they returned to their own country, justifying the +warning of Jeremiah, that no dependence could be put upon +Egyptian promises. (17) + +A little while after this occurrence, when Jeremiah wanted to leave +Jerusalem to go to Anathoth and partake of his priestly portion +there, the watchman at the gate accused him of desiring to desert +to the enemy. He was delivered to his adversaries at court, and +they confined him in prison. The watchman knew full well that it +was a trumped up charge he was bringing against Jeremiah, and +the intention attributed to him was as far as possible from the mind +of the prophet, but he took this opportunity to vent an old family +grudge. For this gateman was a grandson of the false prophet +Hananiah, the enemy of Jeremiah, the one who had prophesied +complete victory over Nebuchadnezzar within two years. It were +proper to say, he calculated the victory rather than prophesied it. +He reasoned: "If unto Elam, which is a mere ally of the +Babylonians against the Jews, destruction has been appointed by +God through Jeremiah, so much the more will the extreme penalty +fall upon the Babylonians themselves, who have inflicted vast evil +upon the Jews." (18) Jeremiah's prophecy had been the reverse: so +far from holding forth any hope that a victory would be won over +Nebuchadnezzar, the Jewish state, he said, would suffer +annihilation. Hananiah demanded a sign betokening the truth of +Jeremiah's prophecy. But Jeremiah contended there could be no +sign for such a prophecy as his, since the Divine determination to +do evil can be annulled. On the other hand, it was the duty of +Hananiah to give a sign, for he was prophesying pleasant things, +and the Divine resolution for good is executed without. (19) +Finally, Jeremiah advanced the clinching argument: "I, a priest, +may be well content with the prophecy; it is to my interest that the +Temple should continue to stand. As for thee, thou art a Gibeonite, +thou wilt have to do a slave's service in it so long as there is a +Temple. But instead of troubling thy mind with the future in store +for others, thou shouldst rather have thought of thine own future, +for this very year thou wilt die." Hananiah, in very truth, died on +the last day of the year set as his term of life, but before his death +he ordered that it should be kept secret for two days, so to give the +lie to Jeremiah's prophecy. With his last words, addressed to his +son Shelemiah, he charged him to seek every possible way of +taking revenge upon Jeremiah, to whose curse his death was to be +ascribed. Shelemiah had no opportunity of fulfilling his father's +last behest, but it did not pass from his mind, and when he, in turn, +lay upon his death-bed, he impressed the duty of revenge upon his +son Jeriah. It was the grandson of Hananiah who, when he saw +Jeremiah leaving the city, hastened to take the opportunity of +accusing the prophet of treason. His purpose prospered. The +aristocratic enemies of Jeremiah, enraged against him, welcomed +the chance to put him behind prison bars, and gave him in charge +of a jailer, Jonathan, who had been a friend of the false prophet +Hananiah. Jonathan pleased himself by mocking at his prisoner: +"See," he would say, "see what honor thy friend does thee, to put +thee in so fine a prison as this; verily, it is a royal palace." + +Despite his suffering, Jeremiah did not hold back the truth. When +the king inquired of him, whether he had a revelation from God, he +replied: "Yes, the king of Babylonia will carry thee off into exile." +To avoid irritating the king, he went into no further detail. He only +prayed the king to liberate him from prison, saying: "Even wicked +men like Hananiah and his descendants at least cast about for a +pretext when they desire to take revenge, and their example ought +not to be lost upon thee who art called Zedekiah, 'just man.'" The +king granted his petition, but Jeremiah did not enjoy liberty for +long. Hardly out of prison, he again advised the people to +surrender, and the nobility seized him and cast him into a lime pit +filled with water, where they hoped he would drown. But a miracle +happened. The water sank to the bottom, and the mud rose to the +surface, and supported the prophet above the water. Help came to +him from Ebed-melech, a "white raven," the only pious man at +court. Ebed-melech hastened to the king and spoke: "Know, if +Jeremiah perishes in the lime pit, Jerusalem will surely be +captured." With the permission of the king, Ebed-melech went to +the pit, and cried out aloud several times, "O my lord Jeremiah," +but no answer came. Jeremiah feared the words were spoken by +his former jailer Jonathan, who had not given up his practice of +mocking at the prophet. He would come to the edge of the pit and +call down jeeringly: "Do not rest thy head on the mud, and take a +little sleep, Jeremiah." To such sneers Jeremiah made no reply, +and hence it was that Ebed-melech was left unanswered. Thinking +the prophet dead, he began to lament and tear his clothes. Then +Jeremiah, realizing that it was a friend, and not Jonathan, asked: +"Who is it that is calling my name and weeps therewith?" and he +received the assurance that Ebed-melech had come to rescue him +from his perilous position. (20) + + NEBUCHADNEZZAR + +The suffering to which Jeremiah was exposed was finally ended by +the capture of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. This Babylonian +king was a son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. (21) His +first contact with the Jews happened in the time of his +father-in-law Sennacherib, whom he accompanied on his +campaign against Hezekiah. The destruction of the Assyrian army +before the walls of Jerusalem, the great catastrophe from which +only Nebuchadnezzar and four others escaped with their life, +inspired him with fear of God. (22) Later, in his capacity as +secretary to the Babylonian king Merodach-baladan, it was he who +called his master's notice to the mention of the Jewish king's name +before the Name of God. "Thou callest Him 'the great God,' yet +thou dost name Him after the king," he said. Nebuchadnezzar +himself hastened after the messenger to bring back the letter and +have it changed. He had advanced scarce three steps when he was +restrained by the angel Gabriel, for even the few paces he had +walked for the glory of God earned him his great power over +Israel. A further step would have extended his ability to inflict +harm immeasurably. (23) + +For eighteen years daily a heavenly voice resounded in the palace +of Nebuchadnezzar, saying: "O thou wicked slave, go and destroy +the house of thy Lord, for His children hearken not unto Him." But +Nebuchadnezzar was beset with fears lest God prepare a fate for +him similar to that of his ancestor Sennacherib. He practiced +belomancy and consulted other auguries, to assure himself that he +was against Jerusalem would result favorably. When he shook up +the arrows, and questioned whether he was to go to Rome or +Alexandria, not one arrow sprang up, but when he questioned +about Jerusalem, one sprang up. He sowed seeds and set out +planets; for Rome or Alexandria nothing came up; for Jerusalem +everything sprouted and grew. He lighted candles and lanterns; for +Rome or Alexandria they refused to burn, for Jerusalem they shed +their light. He floated vessels on the Euphrates; for Rome or +Alexandria they did not move, for Jerusalem they swam. (24) + +Still the fears of Nebuchadnezzar were not allayed. His +determination to attack the Holy City ripened only after God +Himself had shown him how He had bound the hands of the +archangel Michael, the patron of the Jews, behind his back, in +order to render him powerless to bring to his wards. So the +campaign against Jerusalem was undertaken. (25) + + THE CAPTURE OF JERUSALEM + +If the Babylonians thought that the conquest of Jerusalem was an +easy task, they were greatly mistaken. For three years God endured +the inhabitants with strength to withstand the onslaughts of the +enemy, in the hope that the Jews would amend their evil ways and +abandon their godless conduct, so that the threatened punishment +might be annulled. + +Among the many heroes in the beleaguered city that was bidding +defiance to the Babylonians, one by the name of Akiba was +particularly distinguished. The stones were hurled at the walls of +the city from the catapults wielded by the enemy without, he was +wont to catch on his feet, and throw them back upon the besiegers. +Once it happened that a stone was so cast as to drop, not upon the +wall, but in front of it. In his swift race toward it, Akiba was +precipitated into the space between the inner and the outer wall. +He quickly reassured his friends in the city, that his fall had in no +wise harmed him. He was only a little shaken up and weak; as +soon as he had his accustomed daily meal, a roasted ox, he would +be able to scale the wall and resume the struggle with the +Babylonians. But human strength and artifice avail naught against +God. A gust of wind arose, and Akiba was thrown from the wall, +and he died. Thereupon the Chaldeans made a breach in the wall, +and penetrated into the city. (26) + +Equally fruitless were the endeavors of Hanamel, the uncle of +Jeremiah, to save the city. He conjured the angels up, armed them, +and had them occupy the walls. The Chaldeans retreated in terror +at the sight of the heavenly host. But God changed the names of +the angels, and brought them back to heaven. Hanamel's exorcisms +availed naught. When he called the Angel of the Water, for +instance, the response would come from the Angel of Fire, who +bore the former name of his companion. Then Hanamel resorted to +the extreme measure of summoning the Prince of the World, who +raised Jerusalem high up in the air. But God thrust the city down +again, and the enemy entered unhindered. (27) + +Nevertheless, the capture of the city could not have been +accomplished if Jeremiah had been present. His deeds were as a +firm pillar for the city, and his prayers as a stony wall. Therefore +God sent the prophet (28) on an errand out of the city. He was +made to go to his native place, Anathoth, to take possession of a +field, his by right of inheritance. Jeremiah rejoiced; he took this as +a sign that God would be gracious to Judah, else He would not +have commanded him to take possession of a piece of land. +Scarcely had the prophet left Jerusalem when an angel descended +upon the wall of the city and caused a breach to appear, at the +same time crying out: "Let the enemy come and enter the house, +for the Master of the house is no longer therein. The enemy has +leave to despoil it and destroy it. Go ye into the vineyard and snap +the vines asunder, for the Watchman hath gone away and +abandoned it. But let no man boast and say, he and his have +vanquished the city. Nay, a conquered city have ye conquered, a +dead people have ye killed." + +The enemy rushed in and ascended the Temple mount, and on the +spot whereon King Solomon had been in the habit of sitting when +he took counsel with the elders, the Chaldeans plotted how to +reduce the Temple to ashes. During their sinister deliberations, +they beheld four angels, each with a flaming torch in his hand, +descending and setting fire to the four corners of the Temple. The +high priest, seeing the flames shoot up, cast the keys of the Temple +heavenward, saying: "Here are the keys of Thy house; it seems I +am an untrustworthy custodian," and, as he turned, he was seized +by the enemy and slaughtered in the very place on which he had +been wont to offer the daily sacrifice. With him perished his +daughter, her blood mingling with her father's. The priests and the +Levites threw themselves into the flames with their harps and +trumpets, and, to escape the violence feared from the licentious +Chaldeans, (29) the virgins who wove the curtains for the +sanctuary followed their example. Still more horrible was the +carnage caused among the people by Nebuzaradan, spurred on as +he was by the sight of the blood of the murdered prophet +Zechariah seething on the floor of the Temple. At first the Jews +sought to conceal the true story connected with the blood. At +length they had to confess, that it was the blood of a prophet who +had prophesied the destruction of the Temple, and for his candor +had been slain by the people. Nebuzaradan, to appease the prophet, +ordered the scholars of the kingdom to be executed first on the +bloody spot, then the school children, and at last the young priests, +more than a million souls in all. But the blood of the prophet went +on seething and reeking, until Nebuzaradan exclaimed: "Zechariah, +Zechariah, the good in Israel I have slaughtered. Dost thou desire +the destruction of the whole people?" Then the blood ceased to +seethe. + +Nebuzaradan was startled by the thought, if the Jews, who had a +single life upon their conscience, were made to atone so cruelly, +what would be his own fate! He left Nebuchadnezzar and became +a proselyte. (30) + + THE GREAT LAMENT + +On his return from Anathoth, Jeremiah saw, at a distance, smoke +curling upward from the Temple mount, and his spirit was joyful. +He thought the Jews had repented of their sins, and were bringing +incense offerings. Once within the city walls, he knew the truth, +that the Temple had fallen a prey to the incendiary. Overwhelmed +by grief, he cried out: "O Lord, Thou didst entice me, and I +permitted myself to be enticed; Thou didst send me forth out of +Thy house that Thou mightest destroy it." (31) + +God Himself was deeply moved by the destruction of the Temple, +which He had abandoned that the enemy might enter and destroy +it. Accompanied by the angels, He visited the ruins, and gave vent +to His sorrow: "Woe is Me on account of My house. Where are My +children, where My priests, where My beloved? But what could I +do for you? Did I not warn you? Yet you would not mend your +ways." "To-day," God said to Jeremiah, "I am like a man who has +an only son. He prepares the marriage canopy for him, and his only +beloved dies under it. Thou doest seem to feel but little sympathy +with Me and with My children. Go, summon Abraham, Isaac, +Jacob, and Moses from their graces. They know how to mourn." +"Lord of the world," replied Jeremiah, "I know not where Moses is +buried." "Stand on the banks of the Jordan," said God, "and cry: +'Thou son of Amram, son of Amram, arise, see how wolves have +devoured thy sheep.'" + +Jeremiah repaired to the Double Cave, and spake to the Patriarchs: +"Arise, ye are summoned to appear before God." When they asked +him the reason of the summons, he feigned ignorance, for he +feared to tell them the true reason; they might have cast reproaches +upon him that so great a disaster had overtaken Israel in his time. +Then Jeremiah journeyed on to the banks of the Jordan, and there +he called as he had been bidden: "Thou son of Amram, son of +Amram, arise, thou are cited to appear before God." "What has +happened this day, that God calls me unto Him?" asked Moses. "I +know not," replied Jeremiah again. Moses thereupon went to the +angels, and from them he learned that the Temple had been +destroyed, and Israel banished from his land. Weeping and +mourning, Moses joined the Patriarchs, and together, rending their +garments and wringing their hands, they betook themselves to the +ruins of the Temple. Here their wailing was augmented by the loud +lamentations of the angels: (32) "How desolate are the highways to +Jerusalem, the highways destined for travel without end! How +deserted are the streets that once were thronged at the seasons of +the pilgrimages! O Lord of the world, with Abraham the father of +Thy people, who taught the world to know Thee as the ruler of the +universe, Thou didst make a covenant, that through him and his +descendants the earth should be filled with people, and now Thou +hast dissolved Thy covenant with him. O Lord of the world! Thou +hast scorned Zion and Jerusalem, once Thy chosen habitation. +Thou hast dealt more harshly with Israel than with the generation +of Enosh, the first idolaters." + +God thereupon said to the angels: "Why do ye array yourselves +against Me with your complaints?" "Lord do the world," they +replied, "on account of Abraham, Thy beloved, who has come into +Thy house wailing and weeping, yet Thou payest no heed unto +him." Thereupon God: "Since My beloved ended his earthly career, +he has not been in My house. 'What hath My beloved to do in My +house'?" (33) + +Now Abraham entered into the conversation: "Why, O Lord of the +world, hast Thou exiled my children, delivered them into the hands +of the nations, who torture them with all tortures, and who have +rendered desolate the sanctuary, where I was ready to bring Thee +my son Isaac as a sacrifice?" "Thy children have sinned," said God, +"they have transgressed the whole Torah, they have offended +against every letter of it." Abraham: "Who is there that will testify +against Israel, that he has transgressed the Torah?" God: "Let the +Torah herself appear and testify." The Torah came, and Abraham +addressed her: "O my daughter, dost thou indeed come to testify +against Israel, to say that he violated thy commandments? Dost +thou feel no shame? Remember the day on which God offered thee +to all the peoples, all the nations of the earth, and they all rejected +thee with disdain. (34) Then my children came to Sinai, they +accepted thee, and they honored thee. And now, on the day of their +distress, thou standest up against them?" Hearing this, the Torah +stepped aside, and did not testify. "Let the twenty-two letters of the +Hebrew alphabet in which Torah is written come and testify +against Israel," said God. They appeared without delay, and Alef, +the first letter, was about to testify against Israel, when Abraham +interrupted it with the words: "Thou chief of all letters, thou +comest to testify against Israel in the time of his distress? Be +mindful of the day on which God revealed Himself on Mount +Sinai, beginning His words with thee: 'Anoki the Lord thy God.' No +people, no nation accepted thee, only my children, and now thou +comest to testify against them!" Alef stepped aside and was silent. +The same happened with the second letter Bet, (35) and with the +third, Gimel, and with all the rest all of them retired abashed, and +opened not their mouth. Now Abraham turned to God and said: "O +Lord of the world! When I was a hundred years old, Thou didst +give me a son, and when he was in the flower of his age, +thirty-seven years old, Thou didst command me to sacrifice him to +Thee, and I, like a monster, without compassion, I bound him upon +the altar with mine own hands. Let that plead with Thee, and have +Thou pity on my children." + +Then Isaac raised his voice and spake: "O Lord of the world, when +my father told me, 'God will provide Himself the lamb for a burnt +offering, my son,' I did not resist Thy word. Willingly I let myself +be tied to the altar, my throat was raised to meet the knife. Let that +plead with Thee, and have Thou pity on my children." + +Then Jacob raised his voice and spake: "O Lord of the world, for +twenty years I dwelt in the house of Laban, and when I left it, I met +with Esau, who sought to murder my children, and I risked my life +for theirs. And now they are delivered into the hands of their +enemies, like sheep led to the shambles, after I coddled them like +fledglings breaking forth from their shells, after I suffered anguish +for their sake all the days of my life. Let that plead with Thee, and +have Thou pity on my children." + +And at last Moses raised his voice and spake: "O Lord of the +world, was I not a faithful shepherd unto Israel for forty long +years? Like a steed I ran ahead of him in the desert, and when the +time came for him to enter the Promised Land, Thou didst +command: 'Here in the desert shall thy bones drop!' And now that +the children of Israel are exiled, Thou hast sent for me to mourn +and lament over them. That is what the people mean when they +say: The good fortune of the master is none for the slave, but the +master's woe is his woe." And turning to Jeremiah, he continued: +"Walk before me, I will lead them back; let us see who will +venture to raise a hand against them." Jeremiah replied: "The roads +cannot be passed, they are blocked with corpses." But Moses was +not to be deterred, and the two, Moses following Jeremiah, +reached the rivers of Babylon. When the Jews saw Moses, they +said: "The son of Amram has ascended from his grave to redeem +us from our enemies." (36) At that moment a heavenly voice was +heard to cry out: "It is decreed!" And Moses said: "O my children, I +cannot redeem you, the decree is unalterable may God redeem +you speedily," and he departed from them. + +The children of Israel raised their voices in sore lamentations, and +the sound of their grief pierced to the very heavens. Meantime +Moses returned to the Fathers, and reported to them to what dire +suffering the exiled Jews were exposed, and they all broke out into +woe-begone plaints. (37) In his bitter grief, Moses exclaimed: "Be +cursed, O sun, why was not thy light extinguished in the hour in +which the enemy invaded the sanctuary?" The sun replied: "O +faithful shepherd, I sware by the life, I could not grow dark. The +heavenly powers would not permit it. Sixty fiery scourges they +dealt me, and they said, 'Go and let thy light shine forth,'" (38) +Another last complaint Moses uttered: "O Lord of the world, Thou +hast written it in Thy Torah: 'And whether it be cow or ewe, ye +shall not kill it and her young both in one day.' How many mothers +have they slaughtered with their children and Thou art silent!" + +Then, with the suddenness of a flash, Rachel, our mother, stood +before the Holy One, blessed be He: "Lord of the world," she said, +"Thou knowest how overwhelming was Jacob's love for me, and +when I observed that my father thought to put Leah in my place, I +gave Jacob secret signs, that the plan of my father might be set at +naught. But then I repented me of what I had done, and to spare +my sister mortification, I disclosed the signs to her. More than this, +I myself was in the bridal chamber, and when Jacob spake with +Leah, I made reply, lest her voice betray her. I, a woman, a +creature of flesh and blood, of dust and ashes, was not jealous of +my rival. Thou, O God, everlasting King, Thou eternal and +merciful Father, why wast Thou jealous of the idols, empty +vanities? Why hast Thou driven out my children, slain them with +swords, left them at the mercy of their enemies?" Then the +compassion of the Supreme God was awakened, and He said: "For +thy sake, O Rachel, I will lead the children of Israel back to their +land." (39) + + JEREMIAH'S JOURNEY TO BABYLON + +When Nebuchadnezzar dispatched his general Nebuzaradan to the +capture of Jerusalem, he gave him three instructions regarding the +mild treatment of Jeremiah: "Take him, and look well to him, and +do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee." +At the same time he enjoined him to use pitiless cruelty toward the +rest of the people. But the prophet desired to share the fate of his +suffering brethren, and when he saw a company of youths in the +pillory, he put his own head into it. Nebuzaradan would always +withdraw him again. Thereafter if Jeremiah saw a company of old +men clapped in chains, he would join them and share their +ignominy, until Nebuzaradan released him. Finally, Nebuzaradan +said to Jeremiah: "Lo, thou art one of three things; either thou are a +prophesier of false things, or thou art a despiser of suffering, or +thou art a shedder of blood. A prophesier of false things for since +many a year hast thou been prophesying the downfall of this city, +and now, when thy prophecy has come true, thou sorrowest and +mournest. Or a despiser of suffering for I seek to do thee naught +harmful, and thou thyself pursuest what is harmful to thee, as thou +to say, 'I am indifferent to pain.' Or a shedder of blood for the +king has charged me to have a care of thee, and let no harm come +upon thee, but as thou insistest upon seeking evil for thyself, it +must be that the king may hear of thy misfortune, and put me to +death." (40) + +At first Jeremiah refused Nebuzaradan's offer to let him remain in +Palestine. He joined the march of the captives going to Babylon, +along the highways streaming with blood and strewn with corpses. +When they arrived at the borders of the Holy Land, they all, +prophet and people, broke out into loud wails, and Jeremiah said: +"Yes, brethren and countrymen, all this hath befallen you, because +ye did not hearken unto the words of my prophecy." (41) Jeremiah +journeyed with them until they came to the banks of the Euphrates. +Then God spoke to the prophet: "Jeremiah, if thou remainest here, +I shall go with them, and if thou goest with them, I shall remain +here." Jeremiah replied: "Lord of the world, if I go with them, what +doth it avail them? Only if their King, their Creator accompanies +them, will it bestead them." (42) + +When the captives saw Jeremiah make preparations to return to +Palestine, they began to weep and cry: "O Father Jeremiah, wilt +thou, too, abandon us?" "I call heaven and earth to witness," said +the prophet, "had you wept but once in Zion, ye had not been +driven out." (43) + +Beset with terrors was the return journey for the prophet. Corpses +lay everywhere, and Jeremiah gathered up all the fingers that lay +about; he strained them to his heart, fondled them, kissed them, +and wrapped them in his mantle, saying sadly: "Did I not tell you, +my children, did I not say to you, 'Give glory to the Lord your God, +before He cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the +dark mountains'?" (44) + +Dejected, oppressed by his grief, Jeremiah saw the fulfilment of +his prophecy against the coquettish maidens of Jerusalem, who had +pursued but the pleasures and enjoyments of the world. How often +had the prophet admonished them to do penance and lead a +God-fearing life! In vain; whenever he threatened them with the +destruction of Jerusalem, they said: "Why should we concern +ourselves about it?" "A prince will take me unto wife," said one, +the other, "A prefect will marry me." And at first it seemed the +expectations of Jerusalem's fair daughters would be realized, for +the most aristocratic of the victorious Chaldeans were charmed by +the beauty of the women of Jerusalem, and offered them their hand +and their rank. But God sent disfiguring and repulsive diseases +upon the women, and the Babylonians cast them off, threw them +violently out of their chariots, and ruthlessly drove them over the +prostrate bodies. (45) + + TRANSPORTATION OF THE CAPTIVES + +Nebuchadnezzar's orders were to hurry the captives along the road +to Babylon without stop or stay. He feared the Jews might else find +opportunity to supplicate the mercy of God, and He, +compassionate as He is, would release them instantly they did +penance. (46) Accordingly, there was no pause in the forward +march, until the Euphrates was reached. There they were within +the borders of the empire of Nebuchadnezzar, and he thought he +had nothing more to fear. + +Many of the Jews died as soon as they drank of the Euphrates. In +their native land they had been accustomed to the water drawn +from springs and wells. Mourning over their dead and over the +others that had fallen by the way, they sat on the banks of the river, +while Nebuchadnezzar and his princes on their vessels celebrated +their victory amid song and music. The king noticed that the +princes of Judah, though they were in chains, bore no load upon +their shoulders, and he called to his servants: "Have you no load +for these?" They took the parchment scrolls of the law, tore them +in pieces, made sacks of them, and filled them with sand; these +they loaded upon the backs of the Jewish princes. At sight of this +disgrace, all Israel broke out into loud weeping. The voice of their +sorrow pierced the very heavens, and God determined to turn the +world once more into chaos, for He told Himself, that after all the +world was created but for the sake of Israel. The angels hastened +thither, and they spake before God: "O Lord of the world, the +universe is Thine. Is it not enough that Thou hast dismembered +Thy earthly house, the Temple? Wilt Thou destroy Thy heavenly +house, too?" God restraining them said: "Do ye think I am a +creature of flesh and blood, and stand in need of consolation? Do I +not know beginning and end of all things? Go rather and remove +their burdens from the princes of Judah." Aided by God the angels +descended, and they carried the loads put upon the Jewish captives +until they reached Babylon. + +On their way, they passed the city of Bari. (47) The inhabitants +thereof were not a little astonished at the cruelty of +Nebuchadnezzar, who made the captives march naked. The people +of Bari stripped their slaves of their clothes, and presented the +slaves to Nebuchadnezzar. When the king expressed his +astonishment thereat, they said: "We thought thou wert particularly +pleased with naked men." The king at once ordered the Jews to be +arrayed in their garments. The reward accorded the Bariites was +that God endowed them forever with beauty and irresistible grace. +(48) + +The compassionate Bariites did not find many imitators. The very +opposite quality was displayed by the Ammonites, Moabites, +Edomites, and Arabs. Despite their close kinship with Israel, their +conduct toward the Jews was dictated by cruelty. The two +first-mentioned, the Ammonites and the Moabites, when they +heard the prophet foretell the destruction of Jerusalem, hastened +without a moment's delay to report it to Nebuchadnezzar, and urge +him to attack Jerusalem. The scruples of the Babylonian king, who +feared God, and all the reasons he advanced against a combat with +Israel, they refuted, and finally they induced him to act as they +wished. (49) At the capture of the city, while all the strange +nations were seeking booty, the Ammonites and the Moabites +threw themselves into the Temple to seize the scroll of the law, +because it contained the clause against their entering into the +"assembly of the Lord even to the tenth generation." (50) To +disgrace the faith of Israel, they plucked the Cherubim from the +Holy of Holies and dragged them through the streets of Jerusalem, +crying aloud at the same time: "Behold these sacred things that +belong to the Israelites, who say ever they have no idols." + +The Edomites were still more hostile (51) in the hour of Israel's +need. They went to Jerusalem with Nebuchadnezzar, but they kept +themselves at a distance from the city, there to await the outcome +of the battle between the Jews and the Babylonians. If the Jews +had been victorious, they would have pretended they had come to +bring them aid. When Nebuchadnezzar's victory became known, +they showed their true feelings. Those who escaped the sword of +the Babylonians, were hewn down by the hand of the Edomites. +(52) + +But in fiendish cunning these nations were surpassed by the +Ishmaelites. Eighty thousand young priests, each with a golden +shield upon his breast, succeeded in making their way through the +ranks of Nebuchadnezzar and in reaching the Ishmaelites. They +asked for water to drink. The reply of the Ishmaelites was: "First +eat, and then you may drink," at the same time handing them salt +food. Their thirst was increased, and the Ishmaelites gave them +leather bags filled with nothing but air instead of water. When they +raised them to their mouths, the air entered their bodies, and they +fell dead. + +Other Arabic tribes showed their hostility openly; as the +Palmyrenes, who put eighty thousand archers at the disposal of +Nebuchadnezzar in his war against Israel. (53) + + THE SONS OF MOSES + +If Nebuchadnezzar thought, that once he had the Jews in the +regions of the Euphrates they were in his power forever, he was +greatly mistaken. It was on the very banks of the great river that he +suffered the loss of a number of his captives. When the first stop +was made by the Euphrates, the Jews could no longer contain their +grief, and they broke out into tears and bitter lamentations. +Nebuchadnezzar bade them be silent, and as though to render +obedience to his orders the harder, he called upon the Levites, the +minstrels of the Temple to sing the songs of Zion for the +entertainment of his guests at the banquet he had arranged. The +Levites consulted with one another. "Not enough that the Temple +lies in ashes because of our sins, should we add to our +transgressions by coaxing music from the strings of our holy harps +in honor of these 'dwarfs'?" (54) they said, and they determined to +offer resistance. The murderous Babylonians mowed them down in +heaps, yet they met death with high courage, for it saved their +sacred instruments from the desecration of being used before idols +and for the sake of idolaters. + +The Levites who survived the carnage the Sons of Moses they +were bit their own fingers off, and when they were asked to play, +they showed their tyrants mutilated hands, with which it was +impossible to manipulate their harps. (55) At the fall of night a +cloud descended and enveloped the Sons of Moses and all who +belonged to them. They were hidden from their enemies, while +their own way was illuminated by a pillar of fire. The cloud and +the pillar vanished at break of day, and before the Sons of Moses +lay a tract of land bordered by the sea on three sides. For their +complete protection God made the river Sambation to flow on the +fourth side. This river is full of sand and stones, and on the six +working days of the week, they tumble over each other with such +vehemence that the crash and the roar are heard far and wide. But +on the Sabbath (56) the tumultuous river subsides into quiet. As a +guard against trespassers on that day, a column of cloud stretches +along the whole length of the river, and none can approach the +Sambation within three miles. Hedged in as they are, the Sons of +Moses yet communicate with their brethren of the tribes of +Naphtali, Gad, and Asher, who dwell near the banks of the +Sambation. Carrier pigeons bear letters hither and thither. + +In the land of the Sons of Moses there are none but clean animals, +and in every respect the inhabitants lead a holy and pure life, +worthy of their ancestor Moses. They never use an oath, and, if +perchance an oath escapes the lips of one of them, he is at once +reminded of the Divine punishment connected with his act his +children will die at a tender age. + +The Sons of Moses live peaceably and enjoy prosperity as equals +through their common Jewish faith. They have need of neither +prince nor judge, for they know not strife and litigation. Each +works for the welfare of the community, and each takes from the +common store only what will satisfy his needs. Their houses are +built of equal height, that no one may deem himself above his +neighbor, and that that the fresh air may not be hindered from +playing freely about all alike. Even at night their doors stand wide +open, for they have naught to fear from thieves, nor are wild +animals known in their land. They all attain a good old age. The +son never dies before the father. When a death occurs, there is +rejoicing, because the departed is known to have entered into life +everlasting in loyalty to his faith. The birth of a child, on the other +hand, calls forth mourning, for who can tell whether the being +ushered into the world will be pious and faithful? The dead are +buried near the doors of their own houses, in order that their +survivors, in all their comings and goings, may be reminded of +their own end. Disease is unknown among them, for they never +sin, and sickness is sent only to purify from sins. (57) + + EBED-MELECH + +The Sons of Moses were not the only ones to escape from under +the heavy hand of Nebuchadnezzar. Still more miraculous was the +deliverance of the pious Ethiopian Ebed-melech from the hands of +the Babylonians. He was saved as a reward for rescuing Jeremiah +when the prophet's life was jeopardized. On the day before the +destruction of the Temple, shortly before the enemy forced his way +into the city, the Ethiopian was sent, by the prophet Jeremiah +acting under Divine instruction, to a certain place in front of the +gates of the city, to dole out refreshments to the poor from a little +basket of figs he was to carry with him. Ebed-melech reached the +spot, but the heat was so intense that he fell asleep under a tree, +and there he slept for sixty-six years. When he woke up, the figs +were still fresh and juicy, but all the surroundings had so changed, +he could not make out where he was. His confusion increased +when he entered the city to seek Jeremiah, and found nothing as it +had been. He accosted an old man, and asked him the name of the +place. When he was told it was Jerusalem, Ebed-melech cried out +in amazement: "Where is Jeremiah, where is Baruch, and where +are all the people?" The old man was not a little astonished at +these questions. How was it possible that one who had known +Jeremiah and Jerusalem should be ignorant of the events that had +passed sixty years before? In brief words he told Ebed-melech of +the destruction of the Temple and of the captivity of the people, +but what he said found no credence with his auditor. Finally +Ebed-melech realized that God had performed a great miracle for +him, so that he had been spared the sight of Israel's misfortune. + +While he was pouring out his heart in gratitude to God, an eagle +descended and led him to Baruch, who lived not far from the city. +Thereupon Baruch received the command from God to write to +Jeremiah that the people should remove the strangers from the +midst of them, and then God would lead them back to Jerusalem. +The letter written by Baruch and some of the figs that had retained +their freshness for sixty-six years were carried to Babylonia by an +eagle, who had told Baruch that he had been sent to serve him as a +messenger. The eagle set out on his journey. His first halting-place +was a dreary waste spot to which he knew Jeremiah and the people +would come it was the burial-place of the Jews which +Nebuchadnezzar had given the prophet at his solicitation. When +the eagle saw Jeremiah and the people approach with a funeral +train, he cried out: "I have a message for thee, Jeremiah. Let all the +people draw nigh to receive the good tidings." As a sign that his +mission was true, the eagle touched the corpse, and it came to life. +Amidst tears all the people cried unto Jeremiah: "Save us! What +must we do to return to our land?" + +The eagle brought Jeremiah's answer to Baruch, and after the +prophet had sent the Babylonian women away, he returned to +Jerusalem with the people. Those who would not submit to the +orders of Jeremiah relative to the heathen women, were not +permitted by the prophet to enter the holy city, and as they +likewise were not permitted to return to Babylonia, they founded +the city of Samaria near Jerusalem. (58) + + THE TEMPLE VESSELS + +The task laid upon Jeremiah had been twofold. Besides giving him +charge over the people in the land of their exile, God had entrusted +to him the care of the sanctuary and all it contained. (59) The holy +Ark, the altar of incense, and the holy tent were carried by an angel +to the mount whence Moses before his death had viewed the land +divinely assigned to Israel. There Jeremiah found a spacious place, +in which he concealed these sacred utensils. Some of his +companions had gone with him to note the way to the cave, but yet +they could not find it. (60) When Jeremiah heard of their purpose, +he censured them, for it was the wish of God that the place of +hiding should remain a secret until the redemption, and then God +Himself will make the hidden things visible. (61) + +Even the Temple vessels not concealed by Jeremiah were +prevented from falling into the hands of the enemy; the gates of +the Temple sank into the earth, (62) and other parts and utensils +were hidden in a tower at Bagdad by the Levite Shimur (63) and +his friends. Among these utensils was the seven-branched +candlestick of pure gold, every branch set with twenty-six pearls, +and beside the pearls two hundred stones of inestimable worth. +Furthermore, the tower at Bagdad was the hiding-place for +seventy-seven golden tables, and for the gold with which the walls +of the Temple had been clothed within and without. The tables had +been taken from Paradise by Solomon, and in brilliance they +outshone the sun and the moon, while the gold from the walls +excelled in amount and worth all the gold that had existed from the +creation of the world until the destruction of the Temple. The +jewels, pearls, gold, and silver, and precious gems, which David +and Solomon had intended for the Temple were discovered by the +scribe Hilkiah, and he delivered them to the angel Shamshiel, who +in turn deposited the treasure in Borsippa. The sacred musical +instruments were taken charge of and hidden by Baruch and +Zedekiah until the advent of the Messiah, who will reveal all +treasures. In his time a stream will break forth from under the +place of the Holy of Holies, and flow through the lands to the +Euphrates, and, as it flows, it will uncover all the treasures buried +in the earth. (64) + + BARUCH + +At the time of the destruction of the Temple, one of the prominent +figures was Baruch, the faithful attendant (65) of Jeremiah. God +commanded him to leave the city one day before the enemy was to +enter it, in order that his presence might not render it impregnable. +On the following day, he and all other pious men having +abandoned Jerusalem, he saw from a distance how the angels +descended, set fire to the city walls, and concealed the sacred +vessels of the Temple. At first his mourning over the misfortunes +of Jerusalem and the people knew no bounds. But he was in a +measure consoled at the end of a seven days' fast, when God made +known to him that the day of reckoning would come for the +heathen, too. Other Divine visions were vouchsafed him. The +whole future of mankind was unrolled before his eyes, especially +the history of Israel, and he learned that the coming of the Messiah +would put an end to all sorrow and misery, and usher in the reign +of peace and joy among men. As for him, he would be removed +from the earth, he was told, but not through death, and only in +order to be kept safe against the coming of the end of all time. (66) + +Thus consoled, Baruch addressed an admonition to the people left +in Palestine, and wrote two letters of the same tenor to the exiles, +one to the nine tribes and a half, the other to the two tribes and a +half. The letter to the nine tribes and a half of the captivity was +carried to them by an eagle. (67) + +Five years after the great catastrophe, he composed a book in +Babylon, (68) which contained penitential prayers and hymns of +consolation, exhorting Israel and urging the people to return to +God and His law. This book Baruch read to King Jeconiah and the +whole people on a day of prayer and penitence. On the same +occasion a collection was taken up among the people, and the +funds thus secured, together with the silver Temple vessels made +by order of Zedekiah after Jeconiah had been carried away captive, +were sent to Jerusalem, with the request that the high priest +Joakim and the people should apply the money to the sacrificial +service and to prayers for the life of King Nebuchadnezzar and his +son Belshazzar. Thus they might ensure peace and happiness under +Babylonian rule. Above all, they were to supplicate God to turn +away His wrath from His people. + +Baruch sent his book also to the residents of Jerusalem, and they +read it in the Temple on distinguished days, and recited the prayers +it contains. (69) + +Baruch is one of the few mortals who have been privileged to visit +Paradise and know its secrets. An angel of the Lord appeared to +him while he was lamenting over the destruction of Jerusalem and +took him to the seven heavens, to the place of judgment where the +doom of the godless is pronounced, and to the abodes of the +blessed. (70) + +He was still among the living at the time in which Cyrus permitted +the Jews to return to Palestine, but on account of his advanced age +he could not avail himself of the permission. So long as he was +alive, his disciple Ezra remained with him in Babylonia, for "the +study of the law is more important than the building of the +Temple." It was only after the death of Baruch that he decided to +gather together the exiles who desired to return to the Holy Land +and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. (71) + + THE TOMBS OF BARUCH AND EZEKIEL + +The piety of Baruch and the great favor he enjoyed with God were +made known to later generations many years after his death, +through the marvellous occurrences connected with his tomb. +Once a Babylonian prince commanded a Jew, Rabbi Solomon by +name, to show him the grave of Ezekiel, concerning which he had +heard many remarkable tales. The Jew advised the prince first to +enter the tomb of Baruch, which adjoined that of Ezekiel. Having +succeeded in this, he might attempt the same with the tomb of +Ezekiel, the teacher of Baruch. (72) In the presence of his grandees +and his people the prince tried to open the grave of Baruch, but his +efforts were fruitless. Whosoever touched it, was at once stricken +dead. An old Arab advised the prince to call upon the Jews to gain +entrance for him, seeing that Baruch had been a Jew, and his books +were still being studied by Jews. The Jews prepared themselves by +fasts, prayers, penitence, and almsgiving, and they succeeded in +opening the grave without a mishap. Baruch was found lying on +marble bier, and the appearance of the corpse was as though he +had only then passed away. (73) The prince ordered the bier to be +brought to the city, and the body to be entombed there. He thought +it was not seemly that Ezekiel and Baruch should rest in the same +grave. But the bearers found it impossible to remove the bier more +than two thousands ells from the original grave; not even with the +help of numerous draught-animals could it be urged a single step +further. Following the advice of Rabbi Solomon, the prince +resolved to enter the bier on the spot they had reached and also to +erect an academy there. These miraculous happenings induced the +prince to go to Mecca. There he became convinced of the falseness +of Mohammedanism, of which he had hitherto been an adherent, +and he converted to Judaism, he and his whole court. + +Near the grave of Baruch there grows a species of grass whose +leaves are covered with gold dust. As the sheen of the gold is not +readily noticeable by day, the people seek out the place at night, +mark the very spot on which the grass grows, and return by day +and gather it. (74) + +Not less famous is the tomb of Ezekiel, at a distance of two +thousand ells from Baruch's. It is overarched by a beautiful +mausoleum erected by King Jeconiah after Evil-merodach had +released him from captivity. The mausoleum existed down to the +middle ages, and it bore on its walls the names of the thirty-five +thousand Jews who assisted Jeconiah in erecting the monument. It +was the scene of many miracles. When great crowds of people +journeyed thither to pay reverence to the memory of the prophet, +the little low gate in the wall surrounding the grave enlarged in +width and height to admit all who desired to enter. Once a prince +vowed to give a colt to the grave of the prophet, if but his mare +which had been sterile would bear one. When his wish was +fulfilled, however, he did not keep his promise. But the filly ran a +distance equal to a four days' journey to the tomb, and his owner +could not recover it until he deposited his value in silver upon the +grace. When people went on long journeys, they were in the habit +of carrying their treasures to the grave of the prophet, and +beseeching him to let none but the rightful heirs remove them +thence. The prophet always granted their petition. Once when an +attempt was made to take some books from the grave of Ezekiel, +the ravager suddenly became sick and blind. For a time a pillar of +fire, visible at a great distance, rose above the grave of the prophet, +but it disappeared in consequence of the unseemly conduct of the +pilgrims who resorted thither. + +Not far from the grave of Ezekiel was the grave of Barozak, who +once appeared to a rich Jew in a dream. He spoke: "I am Barozak, +one of the princes who were led into captivity with Jeremiah. I am +one of the just. If thou wilt erect a handsome mausoleum for me, +thou wilt be blessed with progeny." The Jew did as he had been +bidden, and he who had been childless, shortly after became a +father. (75) + + DANIEL + +The most distinguished member of the Babylonian Diaspora was +Daniel. Though not a prophet, (76) he was surpassed by none in +wisdom, piety, and good deeds. His firm adherence to Judaism he +displayed from his early youth, when, a page at the royal court, he +refused to partake of the bread, wine, and oil of the heathen, even +though the enjoyment of them was not prohibited by the law. (77) +In general, his prominent position at the court was maintained at +the cost of many a hardship, for he and his companions, Hananiah, +Mishael, and Azariah, were envied their distinctions by numerous +enemies, who sought to compass their ruin. + +Once they were accused before King Nebuchadnezzar of leading +an unchaste life. The king resolved to order their execution. But +Daniel and his friends mutilated certain parts of their bodies, and +so demonstrated how unfounded were the charges against them. +(78) + +As a youth Daniel gave evidence of his wisdom, when he +convicted two old sinners of having testified falsely against +Susanna, as beautiful as she was good. Misled by the perjured +witnesses, the court had condemned Susanna to death. Then +Daniel, impelled by a higher power, appeared among the people, +proclaimed that wrong had been done, and demanded that the case +be re-opened. And so it was. Daniel himself cross-questioned the +witnesses one after the other. The same questions were addressed +to both, and as the replies did not agree with each other, the false +witnesses stood condemned, and they were made to suffer the +penalty they would have had the court inflict upon their victim. +(79) + +Daniel's high position in the state dates from the time when he +interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream. The king said to the +astrologers and magicians: "I know my dream, but I do not want to +tell you what it was, else you will invent anything at all, and +pretend it is the interpretation of the dream. But if you tell me the +dream, then I shall have confidence in your interpretation of it." + +After much talk between Nebuchadnezzar and his wise men, they +confessed that the king's wish might have been fulfilled, if but the +Temple had still existed. The high priest at Jerusalem might have +revealed the secret by consulting the Urim and Thummim. At this +point the king became wrathful against his wise men, who had +advised him to destroy the Temple, though they must have known +how useful it might become to the king and the state. He ordered +them all to execution. Their life was saved by Daniel, who recited +the king's dream, and gave its interpretation. (80) The king was so +filled with admiration of Daniel's wisdom that he paid him Divine +honors. Daniel, however, refused such extravagant treatment he +did not desire to be the object of idolatrous veneration. (81) He left +Nebuchadnezzar in order to escape the marks of honor thrust upon +him, and repaired to Tiberias, where he build a canal. Besides, he +was charged by the king with commissions, to bring fodder for +cattle to Babylonia and also swine from Alexandria. (82) + + THE THREE MEN IN THE FURNACE + +During Daniel's absence Nebuchadnezzar set up an idol, and its +worship was exacted from all his subject under penalty of death by +fire. The image could not stand on account of the disproportion +between its height and its thickness. The whole of the gold and +silver captured by the Babylonians in Jerusalem was needed to +give it steadiness. (83) + +All the nations owning the rule of Nebuchadnezzar, including even +Israel, obeyed the royal command to worship the image. Only the +three pious companions of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and +Azariah, resisted the order. In vain Nebuchadnezzar urged upon +them, as an argument in favor if idolatry, that the Jews had been so +devoted to heathen practices before the destruction of Jerusalem +that they had gone to Babylonia for the purpose of imitating the +idols there and bringing the copies they made to Jerusalem. The +three saints would not hearken to these seductions of the king, nor +when he referred them to such authorities as Moses and Jeremiah, +in order to prove to them that they were under obligation to do the +royal bidding. They said to him: "Thou art our king in all that +concerns service, taxes, poll-money, and tribute, but with respect +to thy present command thou art only Nebuchadnezzar. Therein +thou and the dog are alike unto us. Bark like a dog, inflate thyself +like a water-bottle, and chirp like a cricket." (84) + +Now Nebuchadnezzar's wrath transcended all bound, and he +ordered the three to be cast into a red hot furnace, so hot that the +flames of its fire darted to the height of forty-nine ells beyond the +oven, and consumed the heathen standing about it. No less than +four nations were thus exterminated. (85) While the three saints +were being thrust into the furnace, they addressed a fervent prayer +to God, supplicating His grace toward them, and entreating Him to +put their adversaries to shame. The angels desired to descend and +rescue the three men in the furnace. But God forbade it: "Did the +three men act thus for your sakes? Nay, they did it for Me; and I +will save them with Mine own hands." (86) God also rejected the +good offices of Yurkami, the angel of hail who offered to +extinguish the fire in the furnace. The angel Gabriel justly pointed +out that such a miracle would not be sufficiently striking to arrest +attention. His own proposition was accepted. He, the angel of fire, +was deputed to snatch the three men from the red hot furnace. He +executed his mission by cooling off the fire inside of the oven, +while on the outside the heat continued to increase to such a +degree that the heathen standing around the furnace were +consumed. (87) The three youths thereupon raised their voices +together in a hymn of praise to God, thanking Him for His +miraculous help. (88) The Chaldeans observed the three men +pacing up and down quietly in the furnace, followed by a fourth +the angel Gabriel as by an attendant. Nebuchadnezzar, who +hastened thither to see the wonder, was stunned with fright, for he +recognized Gabriel to be the angel who in the guise of a column of +fire had blasted the army of Sennacherib. (89) Six other miracles +happened, all of them driving terror to the heart of the king: the +fiery furnace which had been sunk in the ground raised itself into +the air; it was broken; the bottom dropped out; the image erected +by Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate; four nations were wasted by +fire; and Ezekiel revived the dead in the valley of Dura. + +Of the last, Nebuchadnezzar was apprised in a peculiar way. He +had a drinking vessel made of the bones of a slain Jew. When he +was about to use it, life began to stir in the bones, and a blow was +planted in the king's face, while a voice announced: "A friend of +this man is at this moment reviving the dead!" Nebuchadnezzar +now offered praise to God for the miracles performed, and if an +angel had not quickly struck him a blow on his mouth, and forced +him into silence, his psalms of praise would have excelled the +Psalter of David. + +The deliverance of the three pious young men was a brilliant +vindication of their ways, but at the same time it caused great +mortification to the masses of the Jewish people, who had +complied with the order of Nebuchadnezzar to worship his idol. +(90) Accordingly, when the three men left the furnace which they +did not do until Nebuchadnezzar invited them to leave (91) the +heathen struck all the Jews they met in the face, deriding them at +the same time: "You who have so marvellous a God pay homage to +an idol!" The three men thereupon left Babylonia and went to +Palestine, where they joined their friend, the high priest Joshua. +(92) + +Their readiness to sacrifice their lives for the honor of God had +been all the more admirable as they had been advised by the +prophet Ezekiel that no miracle would be done for their sakes. +When the king's command to bow down before the idol was +published, and the three men were appointed to act as the +representatives of the people, Hananiah and his companions +resorted to Daniel for his advice. He referred them to the prophet +Ezekiel, who counselled flight, citing his teacher Isaiah as his +authority. The three men rejected his advice, and declared +themselves ready to suffer the death of martyrs. Ezekiel bade them +tarry until he inquired of God, whether a miracle would be done +for them. The words of God were: "I shall not manifest Myself as +their savior. They caused My house to be destroyed, My palace to +be burnt, My children to be dispersed among the heathen, and now +they appeal for My help. As I live, I will not be found of them." + +Instead of discouraging the three men, this answer but infused new +spirit and resolution in them, and they declared with more decided +emphasis than before, that they were ready to meet death. God +consoled the weeping prophet by revealing to him, that He would +save the three saintly heroes. He had sought to restrain them from +martyrdom only to let their piety and steadfastness appear the +brighter. + +On account of their piety it became customary to swear by the +Name of Him who supports the world on three pillars, the pillars +being the saints Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Their deliverance +from death by fire worked a great effect upon the disposition of the +heathen. They were convinced of the uselessness of their idols, and +with their own hands they destroyed them. (93) + + EZEKIEL REVIVES THE DEAD + +Among the dead whom Ezekiel restored to life (94) at the same +time when the three men were redeemed from the fiery furnace +were different classes of persons. Some were the Ephraimites that +had perished in the attempt to escape from Egypt before Moses led +the whole nation out of the land of bondage. Some were the +godless among the Jews that had polluted the Temple at Jerusalem +with heathen rites, and those still more godless who in life had not +believed in the resurrection of the dead. Others of those revived by +Ezekiel were the youths among the Jews carried away captive to +Babylonia by Nebuchadnezzar whose beauty was so radiant that it +darkened the very splendor of the sun. The Babylonian women +were seized with a great passion for them, and at the solicitation of +their husbands, Nebuchadnezzar ordered a bloody massacre of the +handsome youths. But the Babylonian women were not yet cured +of their unlawful passion; the beauty of the young Hebrews +haunted them until their corpses lay crushed before them, their +graceful bodies mutilated. These were the youths recalled to life +by the prophet Ezekiel. Lastly, he revived some that had perished +only a short time before. When Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah +were saved from death, Nebuchadnezzar thus addressed the other +Jews, those who had yielded obedience to his command +concerning the worship of the idol: "You know that your God can +help and save, nevertheless you paid worship to an idol which is +incapable of doing anything. This proves that, as you have +destroyed your own land by your wicked deeds, so you are now +trying to destroy my land with your iniquity." Forthwith he +commanded that they all be executed, sixty thousand in number. +Twenty years passed, and Ezekiel was vouchsafed the vision in +which God bade him repair to the Valley of Dura, where +Nebuchadnezzar had set up his idol, and had massacred the host of +the Jews. Here God showed him the dry bones of the slain with the +question: "Can I revive these bones?" Ezekiel's answer was +evasive, and as a punishment for his little faith, he had to end his +days in Babylon, and was not granted even burial in the soil of +Palestine. God then dropped the dew of heaven upon the dry +bones, and "sinews were upon them, and flesh came up, and skin +covered them above." At the same time God sent forth winds to the +four corners of the earth, which unlocked the treasure houses of +souls, and brought its own soul to each body. All came to life +except one man, who, as God explained to the prophet, was +excluded from the resurrection because he was a usurer. + +In spite of the marvellous miracle performed from them, the men +thus restored to life wept, because they feared they would have no +share at the end of time in the resurrection of the whole of Israel. +But the prophet assured them, in the name of God, that their +portion in all that had been promised Israel should in no wise be +diminished. (95) + + NEBUCHADNEZZAR A BEAST + +Nebuchadnezzar, the ruler of the whole world, (96) to whom even +the wild animals paid obedience, his pet was a lion with a snake +coiled about its neck, (97) did not escape punishment for his sins. +He was chastised as none before him. He whom fear of God had at +first held back from a war against Jerusalem, and who had to be +dragged forcibly, as he sat on his horse, to the Holy of Holies (98) +by the archangel Michael, he later became so arrogant that he +thought himself a god, (99) and cherished the plan of enveloping +himself in a cloud, so that he might live apart from men. (100) A +heavenly voice resounded: "O thou wicked man, son of a wicked +man, and descendant of Nimrod the wicked, who incited the world +to rebel against God! Behold, the days of the years of a man are +threescore years and ten, or perhaps by reason of strength +fourscore years. It takes five hundred years to traverse the distance +of the earth from the first heaven, and as long a time to penetrate +from the bottom to the top of the first heaven, and not less are the +distances from one of the seven heavens to the next. How, then, +canst thou speak of ascending like unto the Most High 'above the +heights of the clouds'?" (101) For this transgression of deeming +himself more than a man, he was punished by being made to live +for some time as a beast among beasts, treated by them as though +he were one of them. (102) For forty days (103) he led this life. As +far down as his navel he had the appearance of an ox, and the +lower part of his body resembled that of a lion. Like an ox he ate +grass, and like a lion he attacked a curious crowd, but Daniel spent +his time in prayer, entreating that the seven years of this brutish +life allotted to Nebuchadnezzar might be reduced to seven months. +His prayer was granted. At the end of forty days reason returned to +the king, the next forty days he passed in weeping bitterly over his +sins, and in the interval that remained to complete the seven +months he again lived the life of a beast. (104) + + HIRAM + +Hiram, the king of Tyre, was a contemporary of Nebuchadnezzar, +and in many respects resembled him. He, too, esteemed himself a +god, and sought to make men believe in his divinity by the +artificial heavens he fashioned for himself. In the sea he erected +four iron pillars, on which he build up seven heavens, each five +hundred ells larger than the one below. The first was a plate of +glass of five hundred square ells, and the second a plate of iron of +a thousand square ells. The third, of lead, and separated from the +second by canals, contained huge round boulders, which produced +the sound of thunder on the iron. The fourth heaven was of brass, +the fifth of copper, the sixth of silver, and the seventh of gold, all +separated from each other by canals. In the seventh, thirty-five +hundred ells in extent, he had diamonds and pearls, which he +manipulated so as to produce the effect of flashes and sheets of +lightening, while the stones below imitated the growling of the +thunder. + +As Hiram was thus floating above the earth, in his vain +imagination deeming himself superior to the rest of men, he +suddenly perceived the prophet Ezekiel next to himself. He had +been waved thither by a wind. Frightened and amazed, Hiram +asked the prophet how he had risen to his heights. The answer was: +"God brought me here, and He bade me ask thee why thou art so +proud, thou born of woman?" The king of Tyre replied defiantly: "I +am not one born of woman; I live forever, and as God resides on +the sea, so my abode is on the sea, and as He inhabits seven +heavens, so do I. See how many kings I have survived! Twenty-one +of the House of David, and as many of the Kingdom of the Ten +Tribes, and no less than fifty prophets and ten high priests have I +buried." Thereupon God said: "I will destroy My house, that +henceforth Hiram may have no reason for self-glorification, +because all his pride comes only from the circumstance that he +furnished the cedar-trees for the building of the Temple." The end +of this proud king was that he was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar, +deprived of this throne, and made to suffer a cruel death. Though +the Babylonian king was the step-son of Hiram, he had no mercy +with him. Daily he cut off a bit of the flesh of his body, and forced +the Tyrian king to eat it, until the finally perished. Hiram's palace +was swallowed by the earth, and in the bowels of the earth it will +remain until it shall emerge in the future world as the habitation of +the pious. (105) + + THE FALSE PROPHETS + +Not only among the heathen, but also among the Jews there were +very sinful people in those days. The most notorious Jewish +sinners were the two false prophets Ahab and Zedekiah. Ahab +came to the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar and said: "Yield thyself +to Zedekiah," telling her this in the form of a Divine message. The +same was done by Zedekiah, who only varied the message by +substituting the name of Ahab. The princess could not accept such +messages as Divine, and she told her father what had occurred. +(106) Though Nebuchadnezzar was so addicted to immoral +practices that he was in the habit of making his captive kings +drunk, and then satisfying his unnatural lusts upon them, and a +miracle had to interpose to shield the pious of Judah against this +disgrace, (107) yet he well knew that the God of the Jews hates +immorality. He therefore questioned Hananiah, Mishael, and +Azariah about it, and they emphatically denied the possibility that +such a message could have come from God. The prophets of lies +refused to recall their statements, and Nebuchadnezzar decided to +subject them to the same fiery test as he had decreed for the three +pious companions of Daniel. To be fair toward them, the king +permitted them to choose a third fellow-sufferer, some pious man +to share their lot. Seeing no escape, Ahab and Zedekiah asked for +Joshua, later the high priest, as their companion in the furnace, in +the hope that his distinguished merits would suffice to save all +three of them. They were mistaken. Joshua emerged unhurt, only +his garments were seared, but the false prophets were consumed. +Joshua explained the singeing of his garments by the fact that he +was directly exposed to the full fury of the flames. But the truth +was that he had to expiate the sins of his sons, who had contracted +marriages unworthy of their dignity and descent. Therefore their +father escaped death only after the fire had burnt his garments. +(108) + + DANIEL'S PIETY + +No greater contrast to Hiram and the false prophets Ahab and +Zedekiah can be imagined than is presented by the character of the +pious Daniel. When Nebuchadnezzar offered him Divine honors, +(109) he refused what Hiram sought to obtain by every means in +his power. The Babylonian king felt so ardent an admiration for +Daniel that he sent him from the country when the time arrived to +worship the idol he had erected in Dura, for he knew very well that +Daniel would prefer death in the flames to disregard of the +commands of God, and he could not well have cast the man into +the fire to whom he had paid Divine homage. Moreover, it was the +wish of God that Daniel should not pass through the fiery ordeal at +the same time as his three friends, in order that their deliverance +might not be ascribed to him. (110) + +In spite of all this, Nebuchadnezzar endeavored to persuade Daniel +by gentle means to worship an idol. He had the golden diadem of +the high priest inserted in the mouth of an idol, and by reason of +the wondrous power that resides in the Holy Name inscribed on +the diadem, the idol gained the ability to speak, and it said the +words: "I am thy God." Thus were many seduced to worship the +image. But Daniel could not be misled so easily. He secured +permission from the king to kiss the idol. Laying his mouth upon +the idol's, he adjured the diadem in the following words: "I am but +flesh and blood, yet at the same time a messenger of God. I +therefore admonish thee, take heed that the Name of the Holy One, +blessed be He, may not be desecrated, and I order thee to follow +me." So it happened. When the heathen came with music and song +to give honor to the idol, it emitted no sound, but a storm broke +loose and overturned it. (111) + +On still another occasion Nebuchadnezzar tried to persuade Daniel +to worship an idol, this time a dragon that devoured all who +approached it, and therefore was adored as a god by the +Babylonians. Daniel had straw mixed with nails fed to him, and +the dragon ate and perished almost immediately. (112) + +All this did not prevent Daniel from keeping the welfare of the +king in mind continually. Hence it was that when Nebuchadnezzar +was engaged in setting his house in order, he desired to mention +'Daniel in his will as one of his heirs. But the Jew refused with the +words: "Far be it from me to leave the inheritance of my fathers for +that of the uncircumcised." (113) + +Nebuchadnezzar died after having reigned forty years, as long as +King David. (114) The death of the tyrant brought hope and joy to +many a heart, for his severity had been such that during his +lifetime none dared laugh, and when he descended to Sheol, its +inhabitants trembled, fearing he had come to reign over them, too. +However, a heavenly voice called to him: "Go down, and be thou +laid down with the uncircumcised." (115) + +The interment of this great king was anything but what one might +have expected, and for this reason: During the seven years spent by +Nebuchadnezzar among the beast, his son Evil-merodach ruled in +his stead. Nebuchadnezzar reappeared after his period of penance, +and incarcerated his son for life. When the death of +Nebuchadnezzar actually did occur, Evil-merodach refused to +accept the homage the nobles brought him as the new king, +because he feared that his father was not dead, but had only +disappeared as once before, and would return again. To convince +him of the groundlessness of his apprehension, the corpse of +Nebuchadnezzar, badly mutilated by his enemies, was dragged +through the streets. (116) + +Shortly afterward occurred the death of Zedekiah, the dethroned +king of Judah. His burial took place amid great demonstrations of +sympathy and mourning. The elegy over him ran thus: "Alas that +King Zedekiah had to die, he who quaffed the lees which all the +generations before him accumulated." (117) + +Zedekiah reached a good old age, (118) for though it was in his +reign that the destruction of Jerusalem took place, yet it was the +guilt of the nation, not of the king, that had brought about the +catastrophe. (119) + +BELSHAZZAR'S FEAST + +When God resolved to take revenge upon Babylon for all the +sufferings it had inflicted on Israel, He chose Darius and Cyrus as +the agents of vengeance. Cyrus, the king of Persia, and his +father-in-law Darius, the king of Media, together went up against +Belshazzar, the ruler of the Chaldeans. The war lasted a +considerable time, and fortune favored first one side, then the +other, until finally the Chaldeans won a decisive victory. To +celebrate the event, Belshazzar arranged a great banquet, which +was served from the vessels taken out of the Temple at Jerusalem +by his father. While the king and his guests were feasting, the +angel sent by God put the "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin" on the +wall, Aramaic words in Hebrew characters, (1) written with red +ink. The angel was seen by none but the king. His grandees and the +princes of the realm who were present at the orgy perceived +nothing. The king himself did not see the form of the angel, only +his awesome fingers as they traced the words were visible to him. + +The interpretation given to the enigmatical words by Daniel put an +end to the merry-making of the feasters. They scattered in dread +and fear, leaving none behind except the king and his attendants. +In the same night the king was murdered by an old servant, who +knew Daniel from the time of Nebuchadnezzar, and doubted not +that his sinister prophecy would be fulfilled. With the head of King +Belshazzar he betook himself to Darius and Cyrus, and told them +how his master had desecrated the sacred vessels, told them of the +wonderful writing on the wall, and of the way it had been +interpreted by Daniel. The two kings were moved by his recital to +vow solemnly that they would permit the Jews to return to +Palestine, and would grant them the use of the Temple vessels. + +They resumed the war against Babylonia with more energy, and +God vouchsafed them victory. They conquered the whole of +Belshazzar's realm, and took possession of the city of Babylon, +whose inhabitants, young and old, were made to suffer death. The +subjugated lands were divided between Cyrus and Darius, the +latter receiving Babylon and Media, the former Chaldea, Persia, +and Assyria. (2) + +But this is not the whole story of the fall of Babylon. The wicked +king Belshazzar arranged the banquet at which the holy vessels +were desecrated in the fifth year of his reign, because he thought it +wholly certain then that all danger was past of the realization of +Jeremiah's prophecy, foretelling the return of the Jews to Palestine +at the end of seventy years of Babylonian rule over them. +Nebuchadnezzar had governed twenty-five years, and +Evil-merodach twenty-three, leaving five years in the reign of +Belshazzar for the fulfilment of the appointed time. (3) Not +enough that the king scoffed at God by using the Temple vessels, +he needs must have the pastry for the banquet, which was given on +the second day of the Passover festival, made of wheaten flour +finer than that used on this day for the `Omer in the Temple. + +Punishment followed hard upon the heels of the atrocity. Cyrus +and Darius served as door-keepers of the royal palace on the +evening of the banquet. They had received orders from Belshazzar +to admit none, though he should say he was the king himself. +Belshazzar was forced to leave his apartments for a short time, and +he went out unnoticed by the two door-keepers. On his return, +when he asked to be admitted, they felled him dead, even while he +was asseverating that he was the king. (4) + + DANIEL UNDER THE PERSIAN KINGS + +Daniel left Belshazzar and fled to Shushtar, where he was kindly +received by Cyrus, who promised him to have the Temple vessels +taken back to Jerusalem, provided Daniel would pray to God to +grant him success in his war with the king of Mosul. God gave +Daniel's prayer a favorable hearing, and Cyrus was true to his +promise. + +Daniel now received the Divine charge to urge Cyrus to rebuild the +Temple. To this end he was to introduce Ezra and Zerubbabel to +the king. Ezra then went from place to place and called upon the +people to return to Palestine. Sad to say, only a tribe and a half +obeyed his summons. Indeed, the majority of the people were so +wroth against Ezra that they sought to slay him. He escaped the +peril to his life only by a Divine miracle. (5) + +Daniel, too, was exposed to much suffering at this time. King +Cyrus cast him into a den of lions, because he refused to bow +down before the idol of the king. For seven days Daniel lay among +the wild beasts, and not a hair of his head was touched. When the +king at the end of the week found Daniel alive, he could not but +acknowledge the sovereign grandeur of God. Cyrus released +Daniel, and instead had his calumniators thrown to the lions. In an +instant they were rent in pieces. (6) + +In general Cyrus fell far short of coming up to the expectations set +in him for piety and justice. Though he granted permission to the +Jews to rebuild the Temple, they were to use no material but +wood, so that it might easily be destroyed if the Jews should take it +into their head to rebel against him. Even in point of morals, the +Persian king was not above reproach. (7) + +Another time Cyrus pressingly urged Daniel to pay homage to the +idol Bel. As proof of the divinity of the idol the king advanced the +fact that it ate the dishes set before it, a report spread by the priests +of Bel, who entered the Temple of the idol at night, through +subterranean passages, themselves ate up the dishes, and then +attributed their disappearance to the appetite of the god. But +Daniel was too shrewd to be misled by a fabricated story. He had +the ashes strewn upon the floor of the Temple, and the foot-prints +visible the next morning convinced the king of the deceit practiced +by the priests. (8) + +Pleasant relations did not continue to subsist forever between +Cyrus and Darius. A war broke out between them, in which Cyrus +lost life and lands. Fearing Darius, Daniel fled to Persia. But an +angel of God appeared to him with the message: "Fear not the +king, not unto him will I surrender thee." Shortly afterward he +received a letter from Darius reading as follows: "Come to me, +Daniel! Fear naught, I shall be even kinder to thee than Cyrus +was." Accordingly Daniel returned to Shushtar, and was received +with great consideration by Darius. + +One day the king chanced to remember the sacred garments +brought by Nebuchadnezzar out of the Temple at Jerusalem to +Babylon. They had vanished, and no trace of them could be +discovered. The king suspected Daniel of having had something to +do with their disappearance. It booted little that he protested his +innocence, he was cast into prison. God sent an angel who was to +blind Darius, telling him at the same time that he was deprived of +the light of his eyes because he was keeping the pious Daniel in +durance, and sight would be restored to him only if Daniel +interceded for him. The king at once released Daniel, and the two +together journeyed to Jerusalem to pray on the holy place for the +restoration of the king. An angel appeared to Daniel, and +announced to him that his prayer had been heard. The king had but +to wash his eyes, and vision would return to them. So it happened. +Darius gave thanks to God, and in his gratitude assigned the tithe +of his grain to the priests and the Levites. Besides, he testified his +appreciation to Daniel by loading him down with gifts, and both +returned to Shushtar. The recovery of the king convinced many of +his subjects of the omnipotence of God, and they converted to +Judaism. (9) + +Following the advice of Daniel, Darius (10) appointed a +triumvirate to take charge of the administration of his realm, and +Daniel was made the chief of the council of three. His high dignity + he was second to none but the king himself exposed him to envy +and hostility on all sides. His enemies plotted his ruin. With +cunning they induced the king to sign an order attaching the +penalty of death to prayers addressed to any god or any man other +than Darius. (11) Though the order did not require Daniel to +commit a sin, he preferred to give his life for the honor of the one +God rather than omit his devotions to Him. When his jealous +enemies surprised him during his prayers, he did not interrupt +himself. He was dragged before the king, who refused to give +credence to the charge against Daniel. Meanwhile the hour for the +afternoon prayer arrived, and in the presence of the king and his +princes Daniel began to perform his devotions. This naturally +rendered unavailing all efforts made by the king to save his friend +from death. Daniel was cast into a pit full of lions. The entrance to +the pit was closed up with a rock, which had all of its own accord +rolled from Palestine to protect him against any harm +contemplated by his enemies. (12) The ferocious beasts welcomed +the pious Daniel like dogs fawning upon their master on his return +home, licking his hands and wagging their tails. + +While this was passing in Babylon, an angel appeared to the +prophet Habakkuk in Judea. He ordered the prophet to bring +Daniel the food he was about to carry to his laborers in the field. +Astonished, Habakkuk asked the angel how he could carry it to so +great a distance, whereupon he was seized by his hair, and in a +moment set down before Daniel. They dined together, and then the +angel transported Habakkuk back to his place in Palestine. Early in +the morning Darius (13) went to the pit of the lions to discover the +fate of Daniel. The king called his name, but he received no +answer, because Daniel was reciting the Shema at that moment, +(14) after having spent the night in giving praise and adoration to +God. (15) Seeing that he was still alive, the king summoned the +enemies of Daniel to the pit. It was their opinion that the lions had +not been hungry, and therefore Daniel was still unhurt. The king +commanded them to put the beasts to the test with their own +persons. The result was that the hundred and twenty-two enemies +of Daniel, together with their wives and children numbering two +hundred and forty-four persons, were torn in shreds by fourteen +hundred and sixty-four lions. (16) + +The miraculous escape of Daniel brought him more distinguished +consideration and greater honors than before. The king published +the wonders done by God in all parts of his land, and called upon +the people to betake themselves to Jerusalem and help in the +erection of the Temple. + +Daniel entreated the king to relieve him of the duties of his +position, for the performance of which he no longer felt himself +fit, on account of his advanced age. The king consented on +condition that Daniel designate a successor worthy of him. His +choice fell upon Zerubbabel. Loaded with rich presents and amid +public demonstrations designed to honor him, Daniel retired from +public life. He settled in the city of Shushan, where he abode until +his end. (17) Though he was no prophet, God vouchsafed to him a +knowledge of the "end of time" not granted his friends, the +prophets Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, (18) but even he, in the +fulness of his years, lost all memory of the revelation with which +he had been favored. (19) + + THE GRAVE OF DANIEL + +Daniel was buried in Shushan, on account of which a sore quarrel +was enkindled among the inhabitants of the city. Shushan is +divided in two parts by a river. The side containing the grave of +Daniel was occupied by the wealthy inhabitants, and the poor +citizens lived on the other side of the river. The latter maintained +that they, too, would be rich if the grave of Daniel were in their +quarter. The frequent disputes and conflicts were finally adjusted +by a compromise; one year the bier of Daniel reposed on one side +of the river, the next year on the other. When the Persian king +Sanjar came to Shushan, he put a stop to the practice of dragging +the bier hither and thither. He resorted to another device for +guarding the peace of the city. He had the bier suspended from +chains precisely in the middle of the bridge spanning the river. In +the same spot he erected a house of prayer for all confessions, and +out of respect to Daniel he prohibited fishing in the river for a +distance of a mile on either side of the memorial building. (20) +The sacredness of the spot appeared when the godless tried to pass +by. They were drowned, while the pious remained unscathed. +Furthermore, the fish that swam near it had heads glittering like +gold. (21) + +Beside the house of Daniel lay a stone, under which he had +concealed the holy Temple vessels. Once an attempt was made to +roll the stone from its place, but whoever ventured to touch it, fell +dead. The same fate overtook all who later tried to make +excavations near the spot; a storm broke out and mowed them +down. (22) + + ZERUBBABEL + +The successor to Daniel in the service of the king, Zerubbabel, +enjoyed equally as much royal consideration and affection. He +occupied a higher position than all the other servants and officials, +and he and two others constituted the body-guard of the king. (23) +Once when the king lay wrapped in deep slumber, his guards +resolved to write down what each of them considered the mightiest +thing in the world, and he who wrote the sagest saying should be +given rich presents and rewards by the king. What they wrote they +laid under the pillow on which the head of the king rested, that he +might not delay to make a decision after he awoke. The first one +wrote: "Wine is the mightiest thing there is"; the second wrote: +"The king is the mightiest on earth," and the third, Zerubbabel, +wrote: "Women are the mightiest in the world, but truth prevails +over all else." When the king awoke, and he perused the document, +he summoned the grandees of his realm and the three youths as +well. Each of the three was called upon to justify his saying. In +eloquent words the first described the potency of wine. When it +takes possession of the senses of a man, he forgets grief and +sorrow. Still more beautiful and convincing were the words of the +second speaker, when his turn came to establish the truth of his +saying, that the king was the mightiest on earth. Finally Zerubbabel +depicted in glowing words the power of woman, who rules even +over kings. "But," he continued, "truth is supreme over all; the +whole earth asks for truth, the heavens sing the praises of truth, all +creation quakes and trembles before truth, naught of wrong can be +found in truth. Unto truth belongeth the might, the dominion, the +power, and the glory of all times. Blessed be the God of truth." +When Zerubbabel ceased from speaking, the assembly broke out +into the words: "Great is truth, it is mightier than all else!" The +king was so charmed with the wisdom of Zerubbabel that he said +to him: "Ask for aught thou wishest, it shall be granted thee." +Zerubbabel required nothing for himself, he only sought +permission of the king to restore Jerusalem, rebuild the sanctuary, +and return the holy Temple vessels to the place whence they had +been carried off. Not only did Darius grant what Zerubbabel +wished for, not only did he give him letters of safe-conduct, but he +also conferred numerous privileges upon the Jews who +accompanied Zerubbabel to Palestine, and he sent abundant +presents to the Temple and its officers. (24) + +As unto his predecessor Daniel, so unto Zerubbabel, God +vouchsafed a knowledge of the secrets of the future. Especially the +archangel Metatron dealt kindly with him. Besides revealing to +him the time at which the Messiah would appear, he brought about +an interview between the Messiah and Zerubbabel. (25) + +In reality, Zerubbabel was none other than Nehemiah, who was +given this second name because he was born in Babylon. (26) +Richly endowed as Zerubbabel-Nehemiah was with admirable +qualities, he yet did not lack faults. He was excessively +self-complacent, and he did not hesitate to fasten a stigma publicly +upon his predecessors in the office of governor in the land of +Judah, among whom was so excellent a man as Daniel. To punish +him for these transgressions, the Book of Ezra does not bear the +name of its real author Nehemiah. (27) + +When Darius felt his end approach, (28) he appointed his +son-in-law Cyrus, (29) who had hitherto reigned only over Persia, +to be the ruler over his kingdom as well. His wish was honored by +the princes of Media and Persia. After Darius had departed this +life, Cyrus was proclaimed king. + +In the very first year of his reign, Cyrus summoned the most +distinguished of the Jews to appear before him, and he gave them +permission to return to Palestine and rebuild the Temple at +Jerusalem. More than this, he pledged himself to contribute to the +Temple service in proportion to his means, and pay honor to the +God who had invested him with strength to subdue the Chaldeans. +These actions of Cyrus partly flowed from his own pious +inclinations, and partly were due to his desire to accomplish the +dying behests of Darius, who had admonished him to give the Jews +the opportunity of rebuilding the Temple. + +When the first sacrifice was to be brought by the company of Jews +who returned to Jerusalem under the leadership of Ezra, and set +about restoring the Temple, they missed the celestial fire which +had dropped from heaven on the altar in the time of Moses, and +had not been extinguished so long as the Temple stood. They +turned in supplication to God to be instructed by Him. The +celestial fire had been hidden by Jeremiah at the time of the +destruction of the Holy City, and the law did not permit them to +bring "strange fire" upon the altar of God. An old man suddenly +remembered the spot in which Jeremiah had buried the holy fire, +and he led the elders thither. They rolled away the stone covering +the spot, and from under it appeared a spring flowing not with +water, but with a sort of oil. Ezra ordered this fluid to be sprinkled +upon the altar, and forthwith an all-consuming flame shot up. The +priests themselves scattered in fright. But after the Temple and its +vessels were purified by the flame, it confined itself to the altar +never more to leave it, for the priest guarded it so that it might not +be extinguished. (30) + +Among the band of returned exiles were the prophets Haggai, +Zechariah, and Malachi. Each one of them had a place of the +greatest importance to fill in the rebuilding of the Temple. By the +first the people were shown the plan of the altar, which was larger +than the one that had stood in Solomon's Temple. The second +informed them of the exact location of the altar, and the third +taught them that the sacrifices might be brought on the holy place +even before the completion of the Temple. On the authority of one +of the prophets, the Jews, on their return from Babylonia, gave up +their original Hebrew characters, and re-wrote the Torah in the +"Assyrian" characters still in use at this day. (31) + +While the Temple work was in progress, the builders found the +skull of Araunah, the owner of the Temple site in the time of +David. The priests, unlearned as they were, could not decide to +what extent the corpse lying there had defiled the holy place. It +was for this that Haggai poured out his reproaches upon them. (32) + + EZRA + +The complete resettlement of Palestine took place under the +direction of Ezra, or, as the Scriptures sometimes call him, +Malachi. (33) He had not been present at the earlier attempts (34) +to restore the sanctuary, because he could not leave his old teacher +Baruch, who was too advanced in years to venture upon the +difficult journey to the Holy Land. (35) + +In spite of Ezra's persuasive efforts, it was but a comparatively +small portion of the people that joined the procession winding its +way westward to Palestine. For this reason the prophetical spirit +did not show itself during the existence of the Second Temple. +Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi were the last representatives of +prophecy. (36) Nothing was more surprising than the apathy of the +Levites. They manifested no desire to return to Palestine. Their +punishment was the loss of the tithes, which were later given to the +priest, though the Levites had the first claim upon them. (37) + +In restoring the Jewish state in Palestine, Ezra cherished two +hopes, to preserve the purity of the Jewish race, and to spread the +study of the Torah until it should become the common property of +the people at large. To help on his first purpose, he inveighed +against marriages between the Jews and the nations round about. +(38) He himself had carefully worked out his own pedigree before +he consented to leave Babylonia, (39) and in order to perpetuate +the purity of the families and groups remaining in the East, he took +all the "unfit" (40) with him to Palestine. + +In the realization of his second hope, the spread of the Torah, Ezra +was so zealous and efficient that it was justly said of him: "If +Moses had not anticipated him, Ezra would have received the +Torah." (41) In a sense he was, indeed, a second Moses. The Torah +had fallen into neglect and oblivion in his day, and he restored and +re-established it in the minds of his people. (42) It is due to him +chiefly that it was divided up into portions, to be read annually, +Sabbath after Sabbath, in the synagogues, (43) and he it was, +likewise, who originated the idea of re-writing the Pentateuch in +"Assyrian" characters. (44) To further his purpose still more, he +ordered additional schools for children to be established +everywhere, though the old ones sufficed to satisfy the demand. He +thought the rivalry between the old and the new institutions would +redound to the benefit of the pupils. (45) + +Ezra is the originator of institutions known as "the ten regulations +of Ezra." They are the following: 1. Readings from the Torah on +Sabbath afternoons. 2. Readings from the Torah on Mondays and +Thursdays. 3. Sessions of the court on Mondays and Thursdays. 4. +To do laundry work on Thursdays, not Fridays. 5. To eat garlic on +Friday on account of its salutary action. (46) 6. To bake bread +early in the morning that it may be ready for the poor whenever +they ask for some. 7. Women are to cover the lower parts of their +bodies with a garment called Sinar. (47) 8. Before taking a ritual +bath, the hair is to be combed. 9. The ritual bath prescribed for the +unclean is to cover the case of one who desires to offer prayer or +study the law. (48) 10. Permission to peddlers to sell cosmetics to +women in the towns. (49) + +Ezra was not only a great teacher of his people and their wise +leader, he was also their advocate with the celestials, to whom his +relation was of a peculiarly intimate character. Once he addressed +a prayer to God, in which he complained of the misfortune of +Israel and the prosperity of the heathen nations. Thereupon the +angel Uriel appeared to him, and instructed him how that evil has +its appointed time in which to run its course, as the dead have their +appointed time to sojourn in the nether world. Ezra could not rest +satisfied with this explanation, and in response to his further +question, seven prophetic visions were vouchsafed him, and +interpreted by the angel for him. They typified the whole course of +history up to his day, and disclosed the future to his eyes. In the +seventh vision he heard a voice from a thorn-bush, like Moses +aforetimes, and it admonished him to guard in his heart the secrets +revealed to him. The same voice had given Moses a similar +injunction: "These words shalt thou publish, those shalt thou keep +secret." Then his early translation from earth was announced to +him. He besought God to let the holy spirit descend upon him +before he died, so that he might record all that had happened since +the creation of the world as it was set down in the Torah, and +guide men upon the path that leads to God. + +Hereupon God bade him take the five experienced scribes, Sarga, +Dabria, Seleucia, Ethan, and Aziel, with him into retirement, and +dictate to them for forty days. After one day spent with these +writers in isolation, remote from the city and from men, a voice +admonished him: "Ezra, open thy mouth, and drink whereof I give +thee to drink." He opened his mouth, and a chalice was handed to +him, filled to the brim with a liquid that flowed like water, but in +color resembled fire. His mouth opened to drink, and for forty days +it was not closed. During all that time, the five scribes put down, +"in signs they did not understand," they were the newly adopted +Hebrew characters, all that Ezra dictated to them, and it made +ninety-four books. At the end of the forty days' period, God spoke +to Ezra thus: "The twenty-four books of the Holy Scriptures thou +shalt publish, for the worthy and the unworthy alike to read; but +the last seventy books thou shalt withhold from the populace, for +the perusal of the wise of thy people." On account of his literary +activity, he is called "the Scribe of the science of the Supreme +Being unto all eternity." (50) + +Having finished his task, Ezra was removed from this mundane +world, and he entered the life everlasting. But his death did not +occur in the Holy Land. It overtook him at Khuzistan, in Persia, on +his journey to King Artachshashta. (51) + +At Raccia, in Mesopotamia, there stood, as late as the twelfth +century, the synagogue founded by Ezra when he was journeying +from Babylonia to Palestine. (52) + +At his grave, over which columns of fire are often seen to hover at +night, (53) a miracle once happened. A shepherd fell asleep by the +side of it. Ezra appeared to him and bade him tell the Jews that +they were to transport his bier to another spot. If the master of the +new place refused assent, he was to be warned to yield permission, +else all the inhabitants of his place would perish. At first the +master refused to allow the necessary excavations to be made. +Only after a large number of the non-Jewish inhabitants of the +place had been stricken down suddenly, he consented to have the +corpse transported thither. As soon as the grave was opened, the +plague ceased. + +Shortly before the death of Ezra, the city of Babylon was totally +destroyed by the Persians. There remained but a portion of the wall +which was impregnable by human strength. (54) All the prophecies +hurled against the city by the prophets were accomplished. To this +day there is a spot on its site which no animal can pass unless +some of the earth of the place is strewn upon it. (55) + + THE MEN OF THE GREAT ASSEMBLY + +At the same time with Ezra, or, to speak more accurately, under +his direction, the Great Assembly carried on its beneficent +activities, which laid the foundations of Rabbinical Judaism, and +constituted the binding link between the Jewish Prophet and the +Jewish Sage. (56) The great men who belonged to this august +assembly once succeeded, through the efficacy of their prayers, in +laying hands upon the seducers unto sin, and confining them, to +prevent them from doing more mischief. Thus they banished from +the world "the desire unto idolatry." They tried to do the same to +"the desire unto lustfulness." This evil adversary warned them +against making away with him, for the world would cease to exist +without him. For three days they kept him a prisoner, but then they +had to dismiss him and let him go free. They found that not even +an egg was to be had, for sexual appetite had vanished from the +world. However, he did not escape altogether unscathed. They +plastered up his eyes, and from that time on he gave up inflaming +the passions of men against their blood relations. (57) + +Among the decrees and ordinances of the Great Assembly, the +most prominent is the fixation of the prayer of the Eighteen +Benedictions. The several benedictions composing this prayer date +back to remote ancient times. The Patriarchs were their authors, +and the work of the Great Assembly was to put them together in +the order in which we now have them. We know how each of the +benedictions originated: 1. When Abraham was saved from the +furnace angels spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the Shield of +Abraham," which is the essence of the first of the Eighteen. 2. +When Isaac lay stunned by fright on Mount Moriah, God sent His +dew to revive him, whereupon the angels spoke: "Blessed art +Thou, O Lord, who quickenest the dead." 3. When Jacob arrived at +the gates of heaven and proclaimed the holiness of God, the angels +spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, Thou holy God." 4. When +Pharaoh was about to make Joseph the ruler over Egypt, and it +appeared that he was unacquainted with the seventy tongues which +an Egyptian sovereign must know, the angel Gabriel came and +taught him those languages, whereupon the angels spoke: "Blessed +art Thou, O Lord, who graciously bestowest knowledge." 5. When +Reuben committed the trespass against his father, sentence of +death was pronounced upon him in the heavens. But when he +repented, he was permitted to continue to live, and the angels +spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who hast delight in repentance." +6. When Judah had committed a trespass against Tamar, and +confessing his guilt obtained forgiveness, the angels spoke: +"Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who pardonest greatly." 7. When Israel +was sore oppressed by Mizraim, and God proclaimed his +redemption, the angels spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who +redeemest Israel." 8. When the angel Raphael came to Abraham to +soothe the pain of his circumcision, the angels spoke: "Blessed art +Thou, O Lord, who healest the sick." 9. When Israel's sowing in +the land of the Philistines bore an abundant harvest, the angels +spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who blessest the years." 10. +When Jacob was reunited with Joseph and Simon in Egypt, the +angels spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who gatherest the +dispersed of Thy people Israel." 11. When the Torah was revealed +and God communicated the code of laws to Moses, the angels +spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who lovest righteousness and +justice." 12. When the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea, the +angels spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who shatterest the enemy +and humiliatest the presumptuous." 13. When Joseph laid his +hands on the eyes of his father Jacob, the angels spoke: "Blessed +art Thou, O Lord, who are the stay and the support of the pious." +14. When Solomon built the Temple, the angels spoke: "Blessed +art Thou, O Lord, who buildest Jerusalem." 15. When the children +of Israel singing hymns of praise unto God passed through the Red +Sea, the angels spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who causest the +hour of salvation to sprout forth." 16. When God lent a gracious +ear to the prayer of the suffering Israelites in Egypt, the angels +spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who hearest our prayer." 17. +When the Shekinah descended between the Cherubim in the +Tabernacle, the angels spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who wilt +restore Thy Divine Presence to Jerusalem." 18. When Solomon +dedicated his Temple, the angels spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O +Lord, whose Name is worthy of praise." 19. When Israel entered +the Holy Land, the angels spoke: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who +establishest peace." (58) + +THE FEAST FOR THE GRANDEES + +The Book of Esther is the last of the Scriptural writings. The +subsequent history of Israel and all his suffering we know only +through oral tradition. For this reason the heroine of the last +canonical book was named Esther, that is, Venus, the +morning-star, which sheds its light after all the other stars have +ceased to shine, and while the sun still delays to rise. Thus the +deeds of Queen Esther cast a ray of light forward into Israel's +history at its darkest. (1) + +The Jews at the time of Ahaseurus were like the dove about to +enter her nest wherein a snake lies coiled. Yet she cannot +withdraw, because a falcon bides without to swoop down upon +her. In Shushan the Jews were in the clutches of Haman, and in +other lands they were at the mercy of many murderous enemies to +their race, ready to do the bidding of Haman to destroy and to +slay them, and cause them to perish. (2) + +But the rescue of the Jews from the hand of their adversaries is +only a part of this wonderful chapter in the history of Israel. No +less important is the exalted station to which they rose in the realm +of Ahasuerus after the fall of Haman, especially the power and +dignity to which Esther herself attained. On this account the +magnificent feast prepared by Ahasuerus for his subjects belongs +to the history of Esther. + +The splendor of his feast is the gauge whereby to measure the +wealth and power she later enjoyed. (3) + +Ahasuerus was not the king of Persia by right of birth. He owed his +position to his vast wealth, with which he purchased dominion +over the whole world. (4) + +He had various reasons for giving a gorgeous feast. The third year +of his reign was the seventieth since the beginning of +Nebuchadnezzar's rule, and Ahasuerus thought it quite certain that +the time had passed for the fulfilment of the prophecy of Jeremiah +foretelling the return of Israel to the Holy Land. The Temple was +still in ruins, and Ahasuerus was convinced that the Jewish +kingdom would never again be restored. Needless to say, it was not +Jeremiah who erred. Not with the accession of King +Nebuchadnezzar had the prophet's term of years begun, but with +the destruction of Jerusalem. Reckoned in this way, the seventy +years of desolation were at an end exactly at the time when Darius, +the son of Ahasuerus, permitted the rebuilding of the Temple. (5) + +Beside this mistaken cause for a celebration, there were reasons +personal to Ahasuerus why he desired to give expression to joy. A +short time before, he had crushed a rebellion against himself, and +this victory he wanted to celebrate with pomp and ceremony. (6) +The first part of the celebration was given over to the hundred and +twenty-seven rulers of the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of +his empire. His purpose was to win the devotion of those of them +with whom otherwise he did not come in direct contact. But can it +be said with certainty that this was a good policy? If he had not +first made sure of the loyalty of his capital, was it not dangerous to +have these rulers near him in case of an insurrection? + +For six whole months he celebrated the feast for the grandees the +nobles and the high officials, the latter of whom, according to the +constitution, were all required to be Medians under the Persian +king Ahasuerus, as they would have had to be Persians under a +Median king. (7) + +This was the program of the feast: In the first month Ahasuerus +showed his treasures to his guests; in the second, the delegates of +the king's royal vassals saw them; in the third the presents were +exposed to view; in the fourth the guests were invited to admire his +literary possessions, among them the sacred scroll; in the fifth his +pearl and diamond-studded ornaments of gold were put on +exhibition; and in the sixth he displayed the treasures which had +been given him as tribute. (8) All this vast wealth, however, +appertained to the crown, it was not his personal property. When +Nebuchadnezzar felt his end draw nigh, he resolved to sink his +immense treasures in the Euphrates rather than let them ascend to +his son Evil-merodach, so great was his miserliness. But, again, +when Cyrus gave the Jews permission to build the Temple, his +divinely appointed reward was that he discovered the spot in the +river at which the treasures were sunk, and he was permitted to +take possession of them. These were the treasures of which +Ahasuerus availed himself to glorify his feast. So prodigious were +they that during the six months of the feast he unlocked six +treasure-chambers daily to display their contents to his guests. (9) + +When Ahasuerus boasted of his wealth, which he had no right to +do, as his treasures had come from the Temple, God said: "Verily, +has the creature of flesh and blood any possessions of his own? I +alone possess treasures, for 'the silver is mind, and the gold is +mine.'" (10) + +Among the treasures displayed were the Temple vessels, which +Ahasuerus had desecrated in his drinking bouts. When the noble +Jews who had been invited to the capital saw these, they began to +weep, and they refused to take further part in the festivities. +Thereupon the king commanded that a separate place be assigned +to the Jews, so that their eyes might be spared the painful sight. +(11) + +This was not the only incident that aroused poignant memories in +them, for Ahasuerus arrayed himself in the robes of state once +belonging to the high priests at Jerusalem, and this, too, made the +Jews smart uncomfortably. (12) The Persian king had wanted to +mount the throne of Solomon besides, but herein he was thwarted, +because its ingenious construction was an enigma to him. Egyptian +artificers tried to fashion a throne after the model of Solomon's, +but in vain. After two years' work they managed to produce a weak +imitation of it, and upon this Ahasuerus sat during his splendid +feast. (13) + + THE FESTIVITIES IN SHUSHAN + +At the expiration of the hundred and eighty days allotted to the +feast for the nobles, Ahasuerus arranged a great celebration for the +residents of Shushan, the capital city of Elam. From the creation of +the world until after the deluge the unwritten law had been in +force, that the first-born son of the patriarchs was to be the ruler of +the world. Thus, Seth was the successor to Adam, and he was +followed in turn by Enosh, and so the succession went on, from +first-born son to first-born son, down to Noah and his oldest son +Shem. Now, the first-born son of Shem was Elam, and, according +to custom, he should have been given the universal dominion +which was his heritage. Shem, being a prophet, knew that +Abraham and his posterity, the Israelites, would not spring from +the family of Elam, but from that of Arpachshad. Therefore he +named Arpachshad as his successor, and through him rulership +descended to Abraham, and so to Isaac, Jacob, and Judah, and to +David and his posterity, down to the last Judean king Zedekiah, +who was deprived of his sovereignty by Nebuchadnezzar. + +Then it was that God spake thus: "So long as the government +rested in the hands of My children, I was prepared to exercise +patience. The misdeeds of the one were made good by the other. If +one of them was wicked, the other was pious. But now that the +dominions has been wrested from My children, it shall at least +revert to its original possessors. Elam was the first-born son of +Shem, and his seed shall be given the rule." So it happened that +Shushan, the capital city of Elam, became the seat of government. +(14) + +That there were any celebrations in Shushan was due to Haman, +who even in those early days was devising intrigues against the +Jews. He appeared before Ahasuerus, and said: "O king, this +people is a peculiar people. May it please thee to destroy it." +Ahasuerus replied: "I fear the God of this people; He is very +mighty, and I bear in mind what befell Pharaoh for his wicked +treatment of the Israelites." "Their God," said Haman, "hates an +unchaste life. Do thou, therefore, prepare feasts for them, and +order them to take part in the merry-makings. Have them eat and +drink and act as their heart desireth, so that their God may become +wrathful against them." + +When Mordecai heard of the feasts that were planned, he advised +the Jews not to join in them. (15) All the prominent men of his +people and many of the lower classes took his advice to heart. +They fled from Shushan, to avoid being compelled to take part in +the festivities. (16) The rest remained in the city and yielded to +force; they participated in the celebrations, and even permitted +themselves to eat of food prepared by the heathen, though the king +had taken care not to offend the religious conscience of the Jews in +such details. (17) He had been so punctilious that there was no +need for them to drink wine touched by the hand of an idolater, let +alone eat forbidden food. The arrangements for the feast were +entirely in the charge of Haman and Mordecai, so that neither Jew +nor Gentile might absent himself for religious reasons. (18) + +It was the aim of the king to let every guest follow the inclination +of his heart. When Ahasuerus issued the order, that the officers of +his house were to "do according to every man's pleasure," God +became wroth with him. "Thou villain," He said, "canst thou do +every man's pleasure? Suppose two men love the same woman, can +both marry her? Two vessels sail forth together from a port, the +one desires a south wind, the other a north wind. Canst thou +produce a wind to satisfy the two? On the morrow Haman and +Mordecai will appear before thee. Wilt thou be able to side with +both?" (19) + +The scene of the festivities was in the royal gardens. The upper +branches of the high trees were made to interlace with each other, +so as to form vaulted arches, and the smaller trees with aromatic +foliage were taken up out of the ground, and placed in artfully +constructed tents. From tree to tree stretched curtains of byssus, +white and sapphire blue, and vivid green and royal purple, fastened +to their supports by ropes depending from round silver beams, +these in turn resting on pillars of red, green, yellow, white, and +glittering blue marble. The couches were made of delicate +draperies, their frames stood on silver feet, and the rods attached +to them were of gold. The floor was tiled with crystal and marble, +outlined with precious stones, whose brilliance illuminated the +scene far and wide. (20) + +The wine and the other beverages were drunk only from golden +vessels, yet Ahasuerus was so rich that no drinking cup was used +more than a single time. (21) But magnificent as these utensils of +his were, when the holy vessels of the Temple were brought in, the +golden splendor of the others was dimmed; it turned dull as lead. +The wine was in each case older than its drinker. To prevent +intoxication from unaccustomed drinks, every guest was served +with the wine indigenous to his native place. In general, Ahasuerus +followed the Jewish rather than the Persian manner. It was a +banquet rather than a drinking bout. (22) In Persia a custom +prevailed that every participant in a banquet of wine had to drain a +huge beaker far exceeding the drinking capacity of any human +being, and do it he must, though he lost reason and life. The office +butler accordingly was very lucrative, because the guests at such +wassails were in the habit of bribing him to purchase the liberty of +drinking as little as they pleased or dared. This Persian habit of +compelling excess in drinking was ignored at Ahasuerus's banquet; +every guest did as he chose. (23) + +The royal bounty did not show itself in food and drink alone. The +king's guests could also indulge in the pleasures of the dance if +they were so minded. Dancers were provided, who charmed the +company with their artistic figures displayed upon the +purple-covered floor. (24) That the enjoyment of the participants +might in no wise be marred, as by separation from their families, +all were permitted to bring their households with them, (25) and +merchants were released from the taxes imposed upon them. (26) + +So sure was Ahasuerus of his success as a host that he dared say to +his Jewish guests: "Will your God be able to match this banquet in +the future world?" Whereunto the Jews replied: "The banquet God +will prepare for the righteous in the world to come is that of which +it is written, 'No eye hath seen it but God's; He will accomplish it +for them that wait upon Him.' If God were to offer us a banquet +like unto thine, O king, we should say, Such as this we ate at the +table of Ahasuerus." (27) + + VASTHI'S BANQUET + +The banquet given by Queen Vashti to the women differed but +slightly from Ahasuerus's. She sought to emulate her husband's +example even in the point of exhibiting treasures. Six +store-chambers she displayed daily to the women she had bidden +as guests; aye, she did not even shrink from arraying herself in the +high-priestly garments. The meats and dishes, as at Ahasuerus's +table, were Palestinian, only instead of wine, liqueurs were served, +and sweets. + +As the weak sex is subject to sudden attacks of indisposition, the +banquet was given in the halls of the palace, so that the guests +might at need withdraw to the adjoining chambers. The gorgeously +ornamented apartments of the palace, besides, were more +attractive to the feminine taste than the natural beauties of the +royal gardens, "for a woman would rather reside in beautiful +chambers and possess beautiful clothes than eat fatted calves." +(28) Nothing interested the women more than to become +acquainted with the arrangement of the interior of the palace, "for +women are curious to know all things." Vashti gratified their +desire. She showed them all there was to be seen, describing every +place as she came to it: This is the dining-hall, this the wine-room, +this the bed-chamber. (29) + +Vashti, too, was actuated by a political motive when she +determined to give her banquet. By inviting the wives of hostages +in case the men rose in insurrection against the king. (30) For +Vashti knew the ways of statecraft. She not only was the wife of a +king, but also the daughter of a king, of Belshazzar. The night of +Belshazzar's murder in his own palace, Vashti, alarmed by the +confusion that ensued, and not knowing of the death of her father, +fled to the apartments in which he was in the habit of sitting. The +Median Darius had already ascended the throne of Belshazzar, and +so it happened that Vashti, instead of finding the hoped-for refuge +with her father, ran straight into the hands of his successor. But he +had compassion with her, and gave her to his son Ahasuerus for +wife. + + THE FATE OF VASHTI + +Though Ahasuerus had taken every precaution to prevent +intemperate indulgence in wine, his banquet revealed the essential +difference between Jewish and pagan festivities. When Jews are +gathered about a festal board, they discuss a Halakah, or a +Haggadah, or, at the least, a simple verse from the Scriptures. +Ahasuerus and his boon companions rounded out the banquet with +prurient talk. The Persians lauded the charms of the women of +their people, while the Medians admitted none superior to the +Median women. Then "the fool" Ahasuerus up and spake: "My +wife is neither a Persian nor a Median, but a Chaldean, yet she +excels all in beauty. Would you convince yourselves of the truth of +my words?" "Yes," shouted the company, who were deep in their +cups, "but that we may properly judge of her natural charms, let +her appear before us unadorned, yes, without any apparel +whatsoever," and Ahasuerus agreed to the shameless condition. +(31) + +The thing was from God, that so insensate a demand should be +made of Vashti by the king. A whole week Mordecai had spent in +fasting and praying, supplicating God to mete out punishment to +Ahasuerus for his desecration of the Temple utensils. On the +seventh day of the week, on the Sabbath, when Mordecai after his +long fast took food, because fasting is forbidden on the Sabbath +day, God heard his prayer and the prayer of the Sanhedrin. (32) He +sent down seven Angels of Confusion to put an end to Ahasuerus's +pleasure. They were named: Mehuman, Confusion; Biztha, +Destruction of the House; Harbonah, Annihilation; Bigtha and +Abagtha, the Pressers of the Winepress, for God had resolved to +crush the court of Ahasuerus as one presses the juice from grapes +in a press; Zetha, Observer of Immorality; and Carcas, Knocker. +(33) + +There was a particular reason why this interruption of the feast +took place on the Sabbath. Vashti was in the habit of forcing +Jewish maidens to spin and weave on the Sabbath day, and to add +to her cruelty, she would deprive them of all their clothes. It was +on the Sabbath, therefore, that her punishment overtook her, and +for the same reason it was put into the king's heart to have her +appear in public stripped of all clothing. (34) + +Vashti recoiled from the king's revolting order. But it must not be +supposed that she shrank from carrying it out because it offended +her moral sense. She was not a whit better than her husband. She +fairly revelled in the opportunity his command gave her to indulge +in carnal pleasures once again, for it was exactly a week since she +had been delivered of a child. But God sent the angel Gabriel to +her to disfigure her countenance. Suddenly signs of leprosy +appeared on her forehead, and the marks of other diseases on her +person. (35) In this state it was impossible for her to show herself +to the king. She made a virtue of necessity, and worded her refusal +to appear before him arrogantly: "Say to Ahasuerus: 'O thou fool +and madman! Hast thou lost thy reason by too much drinking? I +am Vashti, the daughter of Belshazzar, who was a son of +Nebuchadnezzar, the Nebuchadnezzar who scoffed at kings and +unto whom princes were a derision, and even thou wouldst not +have been deemed worthy to run before my father's chariot as a +courier. Had he lived, I should never have been given unto thee for +wife. Not even those who suffered the death penalty during the +reign of my forefather Nebuchadnezzar were stripped bare of their +clothing, and thou demandest that I appear naked in public! Why, +it is for thine own sake that I refuse to heed they order. Either the +people will decide that I do not come up to thy description of me, +and will proclaim thee a liar, or, bewitched by my beauty, they will +kill thee in order to gain possession of me, saying, Shall this fool +be the master of so much beauty?'" (36) + +The first lady of the Persian aristocracy encouraged Vashti to +adhere to her resolution. "Better," her adviser said, when +Ahasuerus's second summons was delivered to Vashti, together +with his threat to kill her unless she obeyed, "better the king +should kill thee and annihilate thy beauty, than that thy person +should be admired by other eyes than thy husband's, and thus thy +name be disgraced, and the name of thy ancestors." (37) + +When Vashti refused to obey the repeated command to appear +before the king and the hundred and twenty-seven crowned princes +of the realm, Ahasuerus turned to the Jewish sages, and requested +them to pass sentence upon his queen. Their thoughts ran in this +wise: If we condemn the queen to death, we shall suffer for it as +soon as Ahasuerus becomes sober, and hears it was at our advice +that she was executed. But if we admonish him unto clemency +now, while he is intoxicated, he will accuse us of not paying due +deference to the majesty of the king. They therefore resolved upon +neutrality. "Since the destruction of the Temple," they said to the +king, "since we have not dwelt in our land, we have lost the power +to give sage advice, particularly in matters of life and death. Better +seek counsel with the wise men of Ammon and Moab, who have +ever dwelt at ease in their land, like wine that hath settled on its +lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel. (38) + +Thereupon Ahasuerus put his charge against Vashti before the +seven princes of Persia, Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, +Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, who came from Africa, India, +Edom, Tarsus, Mursa, Resen, and Jerusalem, respectively. (39) +The names of these seven officials, each representing his country, +were indicative of their office. Carshena had the care of the +animals, Shethar of the wine, Admatha of the land, Tarshish of the +palace, Meres of the poultry, Marsena of the bakery, and Memucan +provided for the needs of all in the palace, his wife acting as +housekeeper. (40) + +This Memucan, a native of Jerusalem, was none other than Daniel, +called Memucan, "the appointed one," because he was designated +by God to perform miracles and bring about the death of Vashti. +(41) + +When the king applied for advice to these seven nobles, Memucan +was the first to speak up, though in rank he was inferior to the +other six, as appears from the place his name occupies in the list. +However, it is customary, as well among Persians as among Jews, +in passing death sentence, to begin taking the vote with the +youngest of the judges on the bench, to prevent the juniors and the +less prominent from being overawed by the opinion of the more +influential. (42) + +It was Memucan's advice to the king to make an example of +Vashti, so that in future no woman should dare refuse obedience to +her husband. Daniel-Memucan had had unpleasant experiences in +his conjugal life. He had married a wealthy Persian lady, who +insisted upon speaking to him in her own language exclusively. +(43) Besides, personal antipathy existed between Daniel and +Vashti. He had in a measure been the cause of her refusal to +appear before the king and his princes. Vashti hated Daniel, +because it was he who had prophesied his death to her father, and +the extinction of his dynasty. She could not endure his sight, +wherefore she would not show herself to the court in his presence. +(44) Also, it was Daniel who, by pronouncing the Name of God, +had caused the beauty of Vashti to vanish, and her face to be +marred. (45) In consequence of all this, Daniel advised, not only +that Vashti should be cast off, but that she should be made +harmless forever by the hangman's hand. His advice was endorsed +by his colleagues, and approved by the king. That the king might +not delay execution of the death sentence, and Daniel himself thus +incur danger to his own life, he made Ahasuerus swear the most +solemn oath known to the Persians, that it would be carried out +forthwith. At the same time a royal edict was promulgated, making +it the duty of wives to obey their husbands. With special reference +to Daniel's domestic difficulties, it was specified that the wife +must speak the language of her lord and master. (46) + +The execution of Vashti brought most disastrous consequences in +its train. His whole empire, which is tantamount to saying the +whole world, rose against Ahasuerus. The widespread rebellion +was put down only after his marriage with Esther, but not before it +had inflicted upon him the loss of one hundred and twenty-seven +provinces, the half of his kingdom. Such was his punishment for +refusing permission to rebuild the Temple. It was only after the fall +of Haman, when Mordecai had been made the chancellor of the +empire, that Ahasuerus succeeded in reducing the revolted +provinces to submission. (47) + +The death of Vashti was not undeserved punishment, for it had +been she who had prevented the king from giving his consent to +the rebuilding of the Temple. "Wilt thou rebuild the Temple," said +she, reproachfully, "which my ancestors destroyed?" (48) + + THE FOLLIES OF AHASUERUS + +Ahasuerus is the prototype of the unstable, foolish ruler. He +sacrificed his wife Vashti to his friend Haman-Memucan, and later +on again his friend Haman to his wife Esther. (49) Folly possessed +him, too, when he arranged extravagant festivities for guests from +afar, before he had won, by means of kindly treatment, the +friendship of his surroundings, of the inhabitants of his capital. +(50) Ridiculous is the word that describes his edict bidding wives +obey their husbands. Every one who read it exclaimed: "To be +sure, a man is master in his own house!" However, the silly decree +served its purpose. It revealed his true character to the subjects of +Ahasuerus, and thenceforward they attached little importance to +his edicts. This was the reason why the decree of annihilation +directed against the Jews failed of the effect expected by Haman +and Ahasuerus. The people regarded it as but another of the king's +foolish pranks, and therefore were ready to acquiesce in the +revocation of the edict when it came. (51) + +The king's true character appeared when he grew sober after the +episode with Vashti. Learning that he had had her executed, he +burst out furiously against his seven counsellors, and in turn +ordered them to death. (52) + +Foolish, too, is the only word to describe the manner in which he +set about discovering the most beautiful woman in his dominion. +King David on a similar occasion wisely sent out messengers who +were to bring to him the most beautiful maiden in the land, and +there was none who was not eager to enjoy the honor of giving a +daughter of his to the king. Ahasuerus's method was to have his +servants gather together a multitude of beautiful maidens and +women from all parts, and among them he proposed to make +choice. The result of this system was that the women concealed +themselves to avoid being taken into the harem of the king, when +it was not certain that they would be found worthy of becoming his +queen. (53) + +With his stupidity Ahasuerus combined wantonness. He ordered +force to be used in taking the maidens from their parents and the +wives from their husbands, and then he confined them in his +harem. (54) On the other hand, the moral sense of the heathen was +so degraded that many maidens displayed their charms to public +view, so that they might be sure to attract the admiring attention of +the royal emissaries. + +As for Esther, for four years Mordecai kept her concealed in a +chamber, so that the king's scouts could not discover her. But her +beauty had long been known to fame, and when they returned to +Shushan, they had to confess to the king, that the most superbly +beautiful woman in the land eluded their search. Thereupon +Ahasuerus issued a decree ordaining the death penalty for the +woman who should secrete herself before his emissaries. There +was nothing left for Mordecai to do but fetch Esther from her +hiding-place, and immediately she was espied and carried to the +palace of the king. (55) + + MORDECAI + +The descent of Mordecai and of his niece Esther is disposed of in a +few words in the Scripture. But he could trace it all the way back +to the Patriarch Jacob, from whom he was forty-five degrees +removed. (56) Beside the father of Mordecai, the only ancestor of +his who is mentioned by name is Shimei, and he is mentioned for a +specific reason. This Shimei is none other then the notorious son +of Gera, the rebel who had so scoffed and mocked at David fleeing +before Absalom that he would have been killed by Abishai, if +David had not generously interfered in his favor. David's prophetic +eye discerned in Shimei the ancestor of Israel's savior in the time +of Ahasuerus. For this reason he dealt leniently with him, and on +his death-bed he bade his son Solomon reserve vengeance until +Shimei should have reached old age and could beget no more +children. Thus Mordecai deserves both appellations, the Benjamite +and the Judean, for he owed his existence not only to his actual +Benjamite forebears on his father's side, but also to the Judean +David, who kept his ancestor Shimei alive. (57) + +Shimei's distinction as the ancestor of Israel's redeemer was due to +the merits of his wife. When Jonathan and Ahimaaz, David's spies +in his war against his son, fled before the myrmidons of Absalom, +they found the gate of Shimei's house open. Entering, they +concealed themselves in the well. That they escaped detection was +due to the ruse of Shimei's pious wife. She quickly transformed the +well into a lady's chamber. When Absalom's men came and looked +about, they desisted from searching the place, because they +reasoned, that men as saintly as Jonathan and Ahimaaz would not +have taken refuge in the private apartment of a woman. God +determined, that for having rescued two pious men He would +reward her with two pious descendants, who should in turn avert +the ruin of Israel. (58) + +On his mother's side, Mordecai was, in very deed, a member of the +tribe of Judah. (59) In any event, he was a son of Judah in the true +sense of the word; he publicly acknowledged himself a Jew, and +he refused to touch of the forbidden food which Ahasuerus set +before his guest at his banquet. (60) + +His other appellatives likewise point to his piety and his +excellencies. His name Mordecai, for instance, consists of Mor, +meaning "myrrh," and Decai, "pure," for he was as refined and +noble as pure myrrh. Again, he is called Ben Jair, because he +"illumined the eyes of Israel"; and Ben Kish, because when he +knocked at the gates of the Divine mercy, they were opened unto +him, which is likewise the origin of his name Ben Shimei, for he +was heard by God when he offered up prayer. (61) Still another of +Mordecai's epithets was Bilshan, "master of languages." Being a +member of the great Sanhedrin he understood all the seventy +languages spoken in the world. (62) More than that, he knew the +language of the deaf mutes. It once happened that no new grain +could be obtained at Passover time. A deaf mute came and pointed +with one hand to the roof and with the other to the cottage. +Mordecai understood that these signs meant a locality by the name +of Gagot-Zerifim, Cottage-Roofs, and, lo, new grain was found +there for the 'Omer offering. On another occasion a deaf mute +pointed with one hand to his eye and with the other to the staple of +the bolt on the door. Mordecai understood that he meant a place +called En-Soker, "dry well," for eye and spring are the same word, +En, in Aramaic, and Sikra also has a double meaning, staple and +exhaustion. (63) + +Mordecai belonged to the highest aristocracy of Jerusalem, he +was of royal blood, and he was deported to Babylonian together +with King Jeconiah, by Nebuchadnezzar, who at that time exiled +only the great of the land. (64) Later he returned to Palestine, but +remained only for a time. He preferred to live in the Diaspora, and +watch over the education of Esther. When Cyrus and Darius +captured Babylon, Mordecai, Daniel, and the Jewish community of +the conquered city accompanied King Cyrus to Shushan, where +Mordecai established his academy. (65) + + ESTHER'S BEAUTY AND PIETY + +The birth of Esther caused the death of her mother. Her father had +died a little while before, so she was entirely orphaned. Mordecai +and his wife interested themselves in the poor babe. His wife +became her nurse, and he himself did not hesitate, when there was +need for it, to do services for the child that are usually performed +only by women. (66) + +Both her names, Esther as well as Hadassah, are descriptive of her +virtues. Hadassah, or Myrtle, she is called, because her good deeds +spread her fame abroad, as the sweet fragrance of the myrtle +pervades the air in which it grows. In general, the myrtle is +symbolic of the pious, because, as the myrtle is ever green, +summer and winter alike, so the saints never suffer dishonor, +either in this world or in the world to come. In another way Esther +resembled the myrtle, which, in spite of its pleasant scent, has a +bitter taste. Esther was pleasant to the Jews, but bitterness itself to +Haman and all who belonged to him. + +The name Esther is equally significant. In Hebrew it means "she +who conceals," a fitting name for the niece of Mordecai, the +woman who well knew how to guard a secret, and long hid her +descent and faith from the king and the court. She herself had been +kept concealed for years in the house of her uncle, withdrawn from +the searching eyes of the king's spies. Above all she was the hidden +light that suddenly shone upon Israel in his rayless darkness. + +In build, Esther was neither tall nor short, she was exactly of +average height, another reason for calling her Myrtle, a plant +which likewise is neither large nor small. In point of fact, Esther +was not a beauty in the real sense of the word. The beholder was +bewitched by her grace and her charm, and that in spite of her +somewhat sallow, myrtle-like complexion. (67) More than this, her +enchanting grace was not the grace of youth, for she was +seventy-five years old when she came to court, and captivated the +hearts of all who saw her, from king to eunuch. This was in +fulfilment of the prophecy which God made to Abraham when he +was leaving the home of his father: "Thou art leaving the house of +thy father at the age of seventy-five. As thou livest, the deliverer of +thy children in Media also shall be seventy-five years old." + +Another historical event pointed forward to Esther's achievement. +When the Jews, after the destruction of Jerusalem, broke out into +the wail, "We are orphans and fatherless," God said: "in very sooth, +the redeemer whom I shall send unto you in Media shall also be an +orphan fatherless and motherless." (68) + +Ahasuerus put Esther between two groups of beauties, Median +beauties to right of her, and Persian beauties to left of her. Yet +Esther's comeliness outshone them all. (69) Not even Joseph could +vie with the Jewish queen in grace. Grace was suspended above +him, but Esther was fairly laden down with it. (70) Whoever saw +her, pronounced her the ideal of beauty of his nation. The general +exclamation was: "This one is worthy of being queen." (71) In vain +Ahasuerus had sought a wife for four years, in vain fathers had +spent time and money bringing their daughters to him, in the hope +that one or the other would appeal to his fancy. None among the +maidens, none among the women, pleased Ahasuerus. But scarcely +had he set eyes upon Esther when he thrilled with the feeling, that +he had at last found what he had long yearned for. (72) + +All these years the portrait of Vashti had hung in his chamber. He +had not forgotten his rejected queen. But once he beheld Esther, +Vashti's picture was replaced by hers. (73) Maiden grace and +womanly charm were in her united. (74) + +The change in her worldly position wrought no change in Esther's +ways and manners. As she retained her beauty until old age, so the +queen remained as pure in mind and soul as ever the simple +maiden had been. All the other women who entered the gates of +the royal palace made exaggerated demands, Esther's demeanor +continued modest and unassuming. The others insisted that the +seven girl pages assigned to them should have certain peculiar +qualities, as, that they should not differ, each from her mistress, in +complexion and height. Esther uttered no wish whatsoever. + +But her unpretending ways were far from pleasing to Hegai, chief +of the eunuchs of the harem. He feared lest the king discover that +Esther did nothing to preserve her beauty, and would put the blame +for it upon him, an accusation that might bring him to the gallows. +To avoid such a fate, he loaded Esther down with resplendent +jewels, distinguishing her beyond all the other women gathered in +the palace, as Joseph, by means of costly gifts lavished upon him, +had singled out her ancestor Benjamin from among his brethren. + +Hegai paid particular attention to what Esther ate. For her he +brought dishes from the royal table, which, however, she refused +obstinately to ouch. Only such things passed her lips as were +permitted to Jews. She lived entirely on vegetable food, as +Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah had aforetimes done at the court +of Nebuchadnezzar. (75) The forbidden tidbits she passed over to +the non-Jewish servants. (76) Her personal attendants were seven +Jewish maidens as consistently pious as herself, whose devotion to +the ritual law Esther could depend upon. + +Otherwise Esther was cut off from all intercourse with Jews, and +she was in danger of forgetting when the Sabbath bath came +around. She therefore adopted the device of giving her seven +attendants peculiar names, to keep her in mind of the passage of +time. The first one was called Hulta, "Workaday," and she was in +attendance upon Esther on Sundays. On Mondays, she was served +by Rok`ita, to remind her of Rek`ia, "the Firmament," which was +created on the second day of the world. Tuesday's maid was called +Genunita, "Garden," the third day of creation having produced the +world of plants. On Wednesday, she was reminded by Nehorita's +name, "the Luminous," that it was the day on which God had made +the great luminaries, to shed their light in the sky; on Thursday by +Ruhshita, "Movement," for on the fifth day the first animated +beings were created; on Friday, the day on which the beasts came +into being, by Hurfita, "little Ewelamb"; and on the Sabbath her +bidding was done by Rego`ita, "Rest." Thus she was sure to +remember the Sabbath day week after week. (77) + +Mordecai's daily visits to the gate of the palace had a similar +purpose. Thus Esther was afforded the opportunity of obtaining +instruction from him on all ritual doubts that might assail her. (78) +This lively interest displayed by Mordecai in Esther's physical and +spiritual welfare is not wholly attributable to an uncle's and +guardian's solicitude in behalf of an orphaned niece. A much +closer bond, the bond between husband and wife, united them, for +when Esther had grown to maidenhood, Mordecai had espoused +her. (79) Naturally, Esther would have been ready to defend her +conjugal honor with her life. She would gladly have suffered death +at the hands of the king's bailiffs rather than yield herself to a man +not her husband. Luckily, there was no need for this sacrifice, for +her marriage with Ahasuerus was but a feigned union. God has +sent down a female spirit in the guise of Esther to take her place +with the king. Esther herself never lived with Ahasuerus as his +wife. (80) + +At the advice of her uncle, Esther kept her descent and her faith a +secret. Mordecai's injunction was dictated by several motives. First +of all it was his modesty that suggested secrecy. He thought the +king, if he heard from Esther that she had been raised by him, +might offer to install him in some high office. In point of fact, +Mordecai was right in his conjecture; Ahasuerus had pledged +himself to make lords, princes, and kings of Esther's friends and +kinspeople, if she would but name them. + +Another reason for keeping Esther's Jewish affiliations a secret +was Mordecai's apprehension, that the fate of Vashti overtake +Esther, too. If such were in store for her, he desired at least to +guard against the Jews' becoming her fellowsuffers. Besides, +Mordecai knew only too well the inimical feelings entertained by +the heathen toward the Jews, ever since their exile from the Holy +Land, and he feared that the Jew-haters, to gratify their hostility +against the Jews, might bring about the ruin of Esther and her +house. (81) + +Mindful of the perils to which Esther was exposed, Mordecai +allowed no day to pass without assuring himself of her well-being. +His compensation therefore came from God: "Thou makest the +well-being of a single soul they intimate concern. As thou livest, +the well-being and good of thy whole nation Israel shall be +entrusted to thee as thy task." (82) And to reward him for his +modesty, God said: "Thou withdrawest thyself from greatness; as +thou livest, I will honor thee more than all men on earth." (83) + +Vain were the efforts made by Ahasuerus to draw her secret from +Esther. He arranged great festivities for the purpose, but she +guarded it well. She had an answer ready for his most insistent +questions: "I know neither my people nor my family, for I lost my +parents in my earliest infancy." But as the king desired greatly to +show himself gracious to the nation to which the queen belonged, +he released all the peoples under his dominion from the payment +of taxes and imposts. In this way, he thought, her nation was bound +to be benefited. (84) + +When the king saw that kindness and generosity left her +untouched, he sought to wrest the secret from her by threats. Once +when she parried his inquiries in the customary way, saying, "I am +an orphan, and God, the Father of the fatherless, in His mercy, has +brought me up," he retorted: I shall gather virgins together the +second time." His purpose was to provoke the jealousy of Esther, +"for a woman is jealous of nothing so much as a rival." + +When Mordecai noticed that women were being brought to court +anew, he was overcome with anxiety for his niece. Thinking that +the fate of Vashti might have befallen her, he was impelled to +make inquires about her. (85) + +As for Esther herself, she was but following the example of her +race. She could keep silent in all modesty, as Rachel, the mother of +Benjamin, had kept a modest silence when her father gave her +sister Leah to Jacob for wife instead of herself, and as Saul the +Benjamite was modestly reserved when, questioned by his uncle, +he told about the finding of his she-asses, but nothing about his +elevation to the kingship. Rachel and Saul were recompensed for +their self-abnegation by being given a descendant like Esther. (86) + + THE CONSPIRACY + +Once the following conversation took place between Ahasuerus +and Esther. The king asked Esther: "Whose daughter art thou?" + +Esther: "And whose son art thou?" + +Ahasuerus: "I am a king, and the son of a king." + +Esther: "And I am a queen, the daughter of kings, a descendant of +the royal family of Saul. If thou art, indeed, a real prince, how +couldst thou put Vashti to death?" + +Ahasuerus: "It was not to gratify my own wish, but at the advice of +the great princes of Persia and Media." + +Esther: "Thy predecessors took no advice from ordinary +intelligences; they were guided by prophetical counsel. Arioch +brought Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and +Belshazzar, too, summoned Daniel before him." + +Ahasuerus: "Is there aught left of those toothsome morsels? Are +there still prophets abroad? + +Esther: "Seek and thou wilt find." (87) + +The result was that Mordecai was given the position at court once +occupied by the chamberlains Bigthan and Teresh. Indignant that a +place once filled by senators should be given to a barbarian, the +ousted officials resolved to be revenged upon the king and take his +life. Their purpose was to administer poison, which seemed easy +of accomplishment, as they were the royal butlers, and could find +many occasions to drop poison into a cup of water before handing +it to the king. The plan successfully carried out would have +satisfied their vengeful feelings, not only as to the king, but as to +Mordecai as well. It would have made it appear that the death of +Ahasuerus was attributable to the circumstance, that he had +entrusted his person to the care of the Jew, as his life had been +secure under Bigthan and Teresh. They discussed their plans in the +presence of Mordecai, acting upon the unwarranted assumption, +that he would not understand the language they spoke, the Tarsian, +their native tongue. They were ignorant of the fact, that Mordecai +was a member of the Sanhedrin, and as such knew all the seventy +languages of the world. Thus their own tongue betrayed them to +ruin. + +However, Mordecai had no need to make use of his great +knowledge of languages; he obtained his information about the +plot of the two chamberlains through prophetical channels. +Accordingly, he appeared one night in the palace. By a miracle the +guards at the gates had not seen him, and he could enter +unrestrained. Thus he overheard the conversation between the two +conspirators. + +Mordecai had more than a single reason for preventing the death +of Ahasuerus. In the first place, he desired to secure the king's +friendship for the Jews, and more especially his permission for the +rebuilding of the Temple. Then he feared, if the king were +murdered immediately after his rise to a high place in the state, the +heathen would assign as the cause of the disaster his connection +with the Jews his marriage with Esther and the appointment of +Mordecai to office. + +Esther's confidence in Mordecai's piety was so great that she +unhesitatingly gave credence to the message she received from +him concerning the mischievous plot hatched against the king. She +believed that God would execute the wishes of Mordecai. Albeit +Bigthan and Teresh had no plans of the sort attributed to them by +her uncle, they would conceive then now in order to make +Mordecai's words true. That Esther's confidence was justified +appeared at once. The conspirators got wind of their betrayal to the +king, and in good time they removed the poison they had already +placed in Ahasuerus's cup. But that the lie might not be given to +Mordecai, God caused poison to appear where none had been, and +the conspirators were convicted of their crime. (88) The king had +the water analyzed which he was given to drink, and it was made +manifest that it contained poison. (89) Other evidence besides +existed against the two plotters. It was established that both had at +the same time busied themselves about the person of the king, +though the regulations of the palace assigned definite hours of +service to the one different from those assigned to the other. This +made it clear that they intended to perpetrate a dark deed in +common. (90) + +The two conspirators sought to escape the legitimate punishment +for their dastardly deed by ending their own life. But their +intention was frustrated, and they were nailed to the cross. (91) + + HAMAN THE JEW-BAITER + +The conspiracy of Bigthan and Teresh determined the king never +again to have two chamberlains guard his person. Henceforward he +would entrust his safety to a single individual, and he appointed +Haman to the place. This was an act of ingratitude toward +Mordecai, who, as the king's savior, had the most cogent claims +upon the post. (92) But Haman possessed one important +advantage, he was the owner of great wealth. With the exception +of Korah he was the richest man that had ever lived, for he had +appropriated to himself the treasures of the Judean kings and of +the Temple. (93) + +Ahasuerus had an additional reason for distinguishing Haman. He +was well aware of Mordecai's ardent desire to see the Temple +restored, and he instinctively felt he could not deny the wish of the +man who had snatched him from untimely death. Yet he was not +prepared to grant it. To escape from the dilemma he endeavored to +make Haman act as a counterpoise against Mordecai, that "what +the one built up, the other might pull down." (94) + +Ahasuerus had long been acquainted with Haman's feeling against +the Jews. When the quarrel about the rebuilding of the Temple +broke out between the Jews and their heathen adversaries, and the +sons of Haman denounced the Jews before Ahasuerus, the two +parties at odds agreed to send each a representative to the king, to +advocate his case. Mordecai was appointed the Jewish delegate, +and no more rabid Jew-hater could be found than Haman, to plead +the cause of the antagonists of the Temple builders. (95) + +As for his character, that, too, King Ahasuerus had had occasion to +see in its true light, because Haman is but another name for +Memucan, the prince who is chargeable in the last resort with the +death of Vashti. At the time of the king's wrath against the queen, +Memucan was still lowest in the rank among the seven princes of +Persia, yet, arrogant as he was, he was the first to speak up when +the king put his question about the punishment due to Vashti an +illustration of the popular adage: "The common man rushes to the +front." (96) Haman's hostility toward Vashti dated from her +banquet, to which the queen had failed to bid his wife as guest. +Moreover, she had once insulted him by striking him a blow in the +face. Besides, Haman calculated, if only Vashti's repudiation could +be brought about, he might succeed in marrying his own daughter +to the king. (97) He was not the only disappointed man at court. In +part the conspiracy of Bigthan and Teresh was a measure of +revenge against Ahasuerus for having made choice of Esther +instead of a kinswoman of theirs. (98) + +Esther once married to the king, however, Haman made the best of +a bad bargain. He tried by every means in his power to win the +friendship of the queen. Whether she was Jewess or heathen, he +desired to claim kinship with her as a Jewess through the +fraternal bond between Esau and Jacob, as a heathen easily +enough, "for all the heathen area akin to one another." (99) + + MORDECAI'S PRIDE + +When Ahasuerus raised Haman to his high office, he at the same +time issued the order, that all who saw him were to prostrate +themselves before him and pay him Divine honors. To make it +manifest that the homage due to him had an idolatrous character, +Haman had the image of an idol fastened to his clothes, so that +whoever bowed down before him, worshipped an idol at the same +time. (100) Mordecai alone of all at court refused to obey the royal +order. The highest officials, even the most exalted judges, showed +Haman the reverence bidden by the king. The Jews themselves +entreated Mordecai not to call forth the fury of Haman, and cause +the ruin of Israel thereby. Mordecai, however, remained steadfast; +no persuasions could move him to pay to a mortal the tribute due +to Divinity. (101) + +Also the servants of the king who sat at the gate of the royal palace +said to Mordecai: "Wherein art thou better than we, that we should +pay reverence to Haman and prostrate ourselves, and thou doest +naught of all commanded us in the matter?" Mordecai answered, +saying "O ye fools without understanding! Hear ye my words and +make meet reply thereunto. Who is man that he should act proudly +and arrogantly man born of woman and few in days? At his birth +there is weeping and travailing, in his youth pain and groans, all +his days are 'full of trouble,' and in the end he returns unto dust. +Before such an one I should prostrate myself? I bend the knee +before God alone, the only living One in heaven, He who is the fire +consuming all other fires; who holds the earth in His arms; who +stretches out the heavens in His might; who darkens the sun when +it pleases Him, and illumines the darkness; who commanded the +sand to set bounds unto the seas; who made the waters of the sea +salt, and caused its waves to spread an aroma as of wine; who +chained the sea as with manacles, and held it fast in the depths of +the abyss that it might not overflow the land; it rages, yet it cannot +pass its limits. With His word He created the firmament, which He +stretched out like a cloud in the air; He cast it over the world like a +dark vault, like a tent it is spread over the earth. In His strength He +upholds all there is above and below. The sun, the moon, and the +Pleiades run before Him, the stars and the planets are not idle for a +single moment; they rest not, they speed before Him as His +messengers, going to the right and to the left, to do the will of Him +who created them. To Him praise is due, before Him we must +prostrate ourselves." + +The court officials spake and said: "Yet we know well that thy +ancestor Jacob prostrated himself before Haman's ancestor Esau!" + +Whereunto Mordecai made reply: "I am a descendant of Benjamin, +who was not yet born when his father Jacob and his brothers cast +themselves upon the earth before Esau. My ancestor never showed +such honor to a mortal. Therefore was Benjamin's allotment of +land in Palestine privileged to contain the Temple. The spot +whereon Israel and all the peoples of the earth prostrated +themselves before God belonged to him who had never prostrated +himself before mortal man. Therefore I will not bend my knee +before this sinner Haman, nor cast myself to earth before him." +(102) + +Haman at first tried to propitiate Mordecai by a show of modesty. +As though he had not noticed the behavior of Mordecai, he +approached him, and saluted him with the words: "Peace be with +thee, my lord!" But Mordecai bluntly replied: "There is no peace, +saith my God, to the wicked." (103) + +The hatred of Mordecai cherished by Haman was due to more than +the hereditary enmity between the descendants of Saul and Agag. +(104) Not even Mordecai's public refusal to pay the homage due to +Haman suffices to explain its virulence. Mordecai was aware of a +certain incident in the past of Haman. If he had divulged it, the +betrayal would have been most painful to the latter. This accounts +for the intensity of his feeling. + +It once happened that a city in India rebelled against Ahasuerus. In +great haste troops were dispatched thither under the command of +Mordecai and Haman. It was estimated that the campaign would +require three years, and all preparations were made accordingly. +By the end of the first year Haman had squandered the provisions +laid in to supply the part of the army commanded by him, for the +whole term of the campaign. Greatly embarrassed, he requested +Mordecai to give him aid. Mordecai, however, refused him succor; +they both had been granted the same amount of provisions for an +equal number of men. Haman then offered to borrow from +Mordecai and pay him interest. This, too, Mordecai refused to do, +and for two reasons. If Mordecai had supplied Haman's men with +provisions, his own would have to suffer, and as for interest, the +law prohibits it, saying "Unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon +usury," and Jacob and Esau, the respective ancestors of Mordecai +and Haman, had been brothers. + +When starvation stared them in the face, the troops commanded by +Haman threatened him with death unless he gave them their +rations. Haman again resorted to Mordecai, and promised to pay +him as much as ten per cent interest. The Jewish general continued +to refuse the offer. But he professed himself willing to help him +out of his embarrassment on one condition, that Haman sell +himself to Mordecai as his slave. Driven into a corner, he +acquiesced, and the contract was written upon Mordecai's +knee-cap, because there was no paper to be found in the camp. + +The bill of sale ran thus: "I, Haman, the son of Hammedatha of the +family of Agag, was sent out by King Ahasuerus to make war upon +an Indian city, with an army of sixty thousand soldiers, furnished +with the necessary provisions. Precisely the same commission was +given by the king to Mordecai, the son of Shimei of the tribe of +Benjamin. But I squandered the provisions entrusted to me by the +king, so that I had no rations to give to my troops. I desired to +borrow from Mordecai on interest, but, having regard to the fact +that Jacob and Esau were brothers, he refused to lend me upon +usury, and I was forced to sell myself as slave to him. If, now, I +should at any time decline to serve him as a slave, or deny that I +am his slave, or if my children and children's children unto the end +of all time should refuse to do him service, if only a single day of +the week; or if I should act inimically toward him on account of +this contract, as Esau did toward Jacob after selling him his +birthright; in all these cases, a beam of wood is to be plucked out +of the house of the recalcitrant, and he is to be hanged upon it. I, +Haman, the son of Hammedatha of the family of Agag, being +under no restraint, do hereby consent with my own will, and bind +myself to be slave in perpetuity to Mordecai, in accordance with +the contents of this document." + +Later, when Haman attained to high rank in the state, Mordecai, +whenever he met him, was in the habit of stretching out his knee +toward him, so that he might see the bill of sale. This so enraged +him against Mordecai and against the Jews that he resolved to +extirpate the Jewish people. (105) + + CASTING THE LOTS + +Haman's hatred, first directed against Mordecai alone, grew apace +until it included Mordecai's colleagues, all the scholars, whom he +sought to destroy, and not satisfied with even this, he plotted the +annihilation of the whole of Mordecai's people, the Jews. (106) + +Before beginning to lay out his plans, he desired to determine the +most favorable moment for his undertaking, which he did by +casting lots. + +First of all he wanted to decide on the day of the week. The scribe +Shimshai began to cast lots. Sunday appeared inappropriate, being +the day on which God created heaven and earth, whose +continuance depends on Israel's existence. Were it not for God's +covenant with Israel, there would be neither day nor night, neither +heaven nor earth. Monday showed itself equally unpropitious for +Haman's devices, for it was the day on which God effected the +separation between the celestial and the terrestrial waters, +symbolic of the separation between Israel and the heathen. +Tuesday, the day on which the vegetable world was created, +refused to give its aid in bringing about the ruin of Israel, who +worships God with branches of palm trees. Wednesday, too, +protested against the annihilation of Israel, saying: "On me the +celestial luminaries were created, and like unto them Israel is +appointed to illumine the whole world. First destroy me, and then +Thou mayest destroy Israel." Thursday said: "O Lord, on me the +birds were created, which are used for sin offerings. When Israel +shall be no more, who will bring offerings? First destroy me, and +then Thou mayest destroy Israel." Friday was unfavorable to +Haman's lots, because it was the day of the creation of man, and +the Lord God said to Israel, "Ye are men." Least of all was the +Sabbath day inclined to make itself subservient to Haman's wicked +plans. It said: "The Sabbath is a sign between Israel and God. First +destroy me, and then Thou mayest destroy Israel!" (107) + +Baffled, Haman gave up all idea of settling upon a favorable day of +the week. He applied himself to the task of searching out the +suitable month for his sinister undertaking. As it appeared to him, +Adar was the only one of the twelve owning naught that might be +interpreted in favor of the Jews. The rest of them seemed to be +enlisted on their side. In Nisan Israel was redeemed from Egypt; in +Iyar Amlek was overcome; In Siwan the Ethiopian Zerah was +smitten in the war with Asa; in Tammuz the Amorite kings were +subjugated; in Ab the Jews won a victory over Arad, the +Canaanite; in Tishri the Jewish kingdom was firmly established by +the dedication of Solomon's Temple, while in Heshwan the +building of the Temple at Jerusalem was completed; Kislew and +Tebet were the months during which Sihon and Og were +conquered by the Israelites, and in Shebat occurred the sanguinary +campaign of the eleven tribes against the godless children of +Benjamin. Not alone was Adar a month without favorable +significance in Jewish history, but actually a month of misfortune, +the month in which Moses died. What Haman did not know was, +that Adar was the month in which occurred also the birth of +Moses. (108) + +Then Haman investigated the twelve signs of the zodiac in relation +to Israel, and again it appeared that Adar was the most unfavorable +month for the Jews. The first constellation, the Ram, said to +Haman, "'Israel is a scattered sheep,' and how canst thou expect a +father to offer his son for slaughter?" + +The Bull said: "Israel's ancestor was 'the firstling bullock.'" + +The Twins: "As we are twins, so Tamar bore twins to Judah." + +The Crab: "As I am called Saratan, the scratcher, so it is said of +Israel, 'All that oppress him, he shall scratch sorely.'" + +The Lion: "God is called the lion, and is it likely the lion will +permit the fox to bite his children?" + +The Virgin: "As I am a virgin, so Israel is compared unto a virgin." + +The Balance: "Israel obeys the law against unjust balances in the +Torah, and must therefore be protected by the Balance." + +The Scorpion: "Israel is like unto me, for he, too, is called +scorpion." + +The Archer: "The sons of Judah are masters of the bow, and the +bows of mighty men directed against them will be broken." + +The Goat: "It was a goat that brought blessing unto Jacob, the +ancestor of Israel, and it stands to reason that the blessing of the +ancestor cannot cause misfortune to the descendant." + +The Water-bearer: "His dominion is likened unto a bucket, and +therefore the Water-bearer cannot but bring him good." (109) + +The Fishes were the only constellation which, at least according to +Haman's interpretation, made unfavorable prognostications as to +the fate of the Jews. It said that the Jews would be swallowed like +fishes. God however spake: "O thou villain! Fishes are sometimes +swallowed, but sometimes they swallow, and thou shalt be +swallowed by the swallowers." (110) And when Haman began to +cast lots, God said: "O thou villain, son of a villain! What thy lots +have shown thee is thine own lot, that thou wilt be hanged." (111) + + THE DENUNCIATION OF THE JEWS + +His resolve to ruin the Jews taken, Haman appeared before +Ahasuerus with his accusation against them. "There is a certain +people," he said, "the Jews, scattered abroad and dispersed among +the peoples in all the provinces of the kingdom. They are proud +and presumptuous. In Tebet, in the depth of winter, they bathe in +warm water, and they sit in cold water in summer. Their religion is +diverse from the religion of every other people, and their laws +from the laws of every other land. To our laws they pay no heed, +our religion finds no favor with them, and the decrees of the king +they do not execute. When their eye falls upon us, they spit out +before us, and they consider us as unclean vessels. When we levy +them for the king's service, they either jump upon the wall, and +hide within the chambers, or they break through the walls and +escape. If we hasten to arrest them, they turn upon us, glare at us +with their eyes, grind their teeth, stamp their feet, and so +intimidate us that we cannot hold them fast. They do not give us +their daughters unto wives, nor do they take our daughters unto +wives. If one of them has to do the king's service, he idles all the +day long. If they want to buy aught of us, they say, 'This is a day +for doing business.' But if we want to buy aught of them, they say, +'We may do no business to-day,' and thus we can buy nothing from +them on their market-days. + +"Their time they pass in this wise: The first hour of the day, they +say, they need for reciting the Shema; the second for praying; the +third for eating; the fourth for saying grace, to give thanks to God +for the food and drink He has granted them; the fifth hour they +devote to their business affairs; in the sixth they already feel the +need of rest; in the seventh their wives call for them, saying, 'come +home, ye weary ones, who are so exhausted by the king's service!' + +"The seventh day they celebrate as their Sabbath; they go to the +synagogues on that day, read out of their books, translate pieces +from their Prophets, curse our king, and execrate our government, +saying: 'This is the day whereon the great God rested; so may He +grant us rest from the heathen.' + +"The women pollute the waters with their ritual baths, which they +take after the seven days of their defilement. On the eighth day +after the birth of sons, they circumcise them mercilessly, saying, +'This shall distinguish us from all other nations.' At the end of +thirty days, and sometimes twenty-nine, they celebrate the +beginning of the month. In the month of Nisan they observe eight +days of Passover, beginning the celebration by kindling a fire of +brushwood to burn up the leaven. They put all the leaven in their +homes out of sight before they use the unleavened bread, saying, +'This is the day whereon our fathers were redeemed from Egypt.' +Such is the festival they call Pesah. They go to their synagogues, +read out of their books, and translate from the writings of the +Prophets, saying: 'As the leaven has been removed out of our +houses, so may this wicked dominion be removed from over us.' + +"Again, in Siwan, they celebrate two days, on which they go to +their synagogues, recite the Shema, and offer up prayers, read out +of the Torah, and translate from the books of their Prophets, curse +our king, and execrate our government. This is the holiday which +they call Azarta, the closing festival. They ascend to the roofs of +their synagogues, and throw down apples, which are picked up by +those below, with the words, 'As these apples are gathered up, so +may we be gathered together from our dispersion among the +heathen.' They say they observe this festival, because on these days +the Torah was revealed to their ancestors on Mount Sinai. + +"On the first of Tishri they celebrate the New Year again they go +to their synagogues, read out of their books, translate pieces from +the writings of their Prophets, curse our king, execrate our +government, and blow the trumpets, saying: 'On this Day of +Memorial may we be remembered unto good, and our enemies +unto evil.' + +"On the ninth day of the same month they slaughter cattle, geese, +and poultry, they eat and drink and indulge in dainties, they and +their wives, their sons and their daughters. But the tenth day of the +same month they call the Great Fast, and all of them fast, they +together with their wives, their sons, and their daughters, yea, they +even torture their little children without mercy, forcing them to +abstain from food. They say: 'On this day our sins are pardoned, +and are added to the sum of the sins committed by our enemies.' +They go to their synagogues, read from their books, translate from +the writings of their Prophets, curse our king, and execrate our +government, saying: 'May this empire be wiped off from the face +of the earth like unto our sins.' They supplicate and pray that the +king may die, and his rule be made to cease. + +"On the fifteenth of the same month they celebrate the Feast of +Tabernacles. They cover the roofs of their houses with foliage, +they resort to our parks, where they cut down palm branches for +their festal wreaths, pluck the fruit of the Etrog, and cause havoc +among the willows of the brook, by breaking down the hedges in +their quest after Hosha'not, saying: 'As does the king in the +triumphal procession, so do we.' Then they repair to their +synagogues to pray, and read out of their books, and make circuits +with their Hosha'not, all the while jumping and skipping like goats, +so that there is no telling whether they curse us or bless us. This is +Sukkot, as they call it, and while it lasts, they do none of the king's +service, for, they maintain, all work is forbidden them on these +days. + +"In this way they waste the whole year with tomfoolery and +fiddle-faddle, only in order to avoid doing the king's service. At the +expiration of every period of fifty years they have a jubilee year, +and every seventh year is a year of release, during which the land +lies fallow, for they neither sow nor reap therein, and sell us +neither fruits nor other products of the field, so that those of us +who live among them die of hunger. At the end of every period of +twelve months, they observe the New Year, at the end of every +thirty days the New Moon, and every seventh day is the Sabbath, +the day on which, as they say, the Lord of the world rested." (112) + +After Haman had finished his arraignment of the Jews, God said: +"Thou didst well enumerate the holidays of the Jews, yet thou didst +omit the two Purim and Shushan-Purim which the Jews will +celebrate to commemorate thy fall." + +Clever though Haman's charge was, the vindication of the Jews +was no whit less clever. For they found a defender in the archangel +Michael. While Haman was delivering his indictment, he spoke +thus to God: "O Lord of the world! Thou knowest well that the +Jews are not accused of idolatry, nor of immoral conduct, nor of +shedding blood; they are accused only of observing Thy Torah." +God pacified him: "As thou livest, I have not abandoned them, I +will not abandon them." + +Haman's denunciations of the Jewish people found a ready echo in +the heart of the king. He replied: "I, too, desire the annihilation of +the Jews, but I fear their God, for He is mighty beyond compare, +and He loves His people with a great love. Whoever rises up +against them, He crushes under their feet. Just think of Pharaoh! +Should his example not be a warning to us? He ruled the whole +world, yet, because he oppressed the Jews, he was visited with +frightful plagues. God delivered them from the Egyptians, and +cleft the sea for them, a miracle never done for any other nation, +and when Pharaoh pursued them with an army of six hundred +thousand warriors, he and his host together were drowned in the +sea. Thy ancestor Amalek, O Haman, attacked them with four +hundred thousand heroes, and all of them God delivered into the +hands of Joshua, who slew them. Sisera had forty thousand +generals under him, each one commander of a hundred thousand +men, yet they all were annihilated. The God of the Jews ordered +the stars to consume the warriors of Sisera, and then He caused the +great general to fall into the power of a woman, to become a +by-word and a reproach forever. Many and valorous rulers have +risen up against them, they all were cast down by their God and +crushed unto their everlasting disgrace. Now, then, can we venture +aught against them?" + +Haman, however, persisted. Day after day he urged the king to +consent to his plan. Ahasuerus thereupon called together a council +of the wise men of all nations and tongues. To them he submitted +the question, whether the Jews ought not to be destroyed, seeing +they differed from all other peoples. The sage councillors inquired: +"Who is it that desires to induce thee to take so fatal a step? If the +Jewish nation is destroyed, the world itself will cease to be, for the +world exists only for the sake of the Torah studied by Israel. Yea, +the very sun and moon shed their light only for the sake of Israel, +and were it not for him, there were neither day nor night, and +neither dew nor rain would moisten the earth. More than this, all +other nations beside Israel are designated as 'strangers' by God, but +Israel He called in His love 'a people near to Him,' and His +'children.' If men do not suffer their children and kinsmen to be +attacked with impunity, how much less will God sit by quiet when +Israel is assailed God the Ruler over all things, over the powers in +heaven above and on earth beneath, over the spirits and the souls +God with whom it lies to exalt and to degrade, to slay and to +revive." + +Haman was ready with a reply to these words of the wise: "The +God who drowned Pharaoh in the sea, and who did all the wonders +and signs ye have recounted, that God is now in His dotage, He can +neither see nor protect. For did not Nebuchadnezzar destroy His +house, burn His palace, and scatter His people to all corners of the +earth, and He was not able to do one thing against it? If He had had +power and strength, would he not have displayed them? This is the +best proof that He was waxed old and feeble." + +When the heathen sages heard these arguments advance by +Haman, they agreed to his plan, and put their signature to an edict +decreeing the persecution of the Jews. (113) + + THE DECREE OF ANNIHILATION + +This is the text of the decree which Haman issued to the heads of +all the nations regarding the annihilation of the Jews: "This herein +is written by me, the great officer of the king, his second in rank, +the first among the grandees, and one of the seven princes, and the +most distinguished among the nobles of the realm. I, in agreement +with the rulers of the provinces, the princes of the king, the chiefs +and the lords, the Eastern kings and the satraps, all being of the +same language, write you at the order of King Ahasuerus this +writing sealed with his signet, so that it may not be sent back, +concerning the great eagle Israel. The great eagle had stretched out +his pinions over the whole world; neither bird nor beast could +withstand him. But there came the great lion Nebuchadnezzar, and +dealt the great eagle a stinging blow. His pinions snapped, his +feathers were plucked out, and his feet were hacked off. The whole +world has enjoyed rest, cheer, and tranquillity since the moment +the eagle was chased from his eyrie until this day. Now we notice +that he is using all efforts to secure wings. He is permitting his +feathers to grow, with the intention of covering us and the whole +world, as he did unto our forefathers. At the instance of King +Ahasuerus, all the magnates of the king of Media and Persia are +assembled, and we are writing you our joint advice, as follows: 'Set +snares for the eagle, and capture him before he renews his +strength, and soars back to his eyrie.' We advise you to tear out his +plumage, break his wings, give his flesh to the fowl of heaven, +split the eggs lying in his nest, and crush his young, so that his +memorial may vanish from the world. Our counsel is not like unto +Pharaoh's; he sought to destroy only the men of Israel; to the +women he did no harm. It is not like unto the plan of Esau, who +wanted to slay his brother Jacob and keep his children as slaves. It +is not like unto the tactics of Amalek, who pursued Israel and +smote the hindmost and feeble, but left the strong unscathed. It is +not like unto the policy of Nebuchadnezzar, who carried them +away into exile, and settled them near his own throne. And it is not +like unto the way of Sennacherib, who assigned a land unto the +Jews as fair as their own had been. We, recognizing clearly what +the situation is, have resolved to slay the Jews, annihilate them, +young and old, so that their name and their memorial may be no +more, and their posterity may be cut off forever." (114) + +The edict issued by Ahasuerus against the Jews ran thus: "To all +the peoples, nations, and races: Peace be with you! This is to +acquaint you that one came to us who is not of our nation and of +our land, an Amalekite, the son of great ancestors, and his name is +Haman. He made a trifling request of me, saying: 'Among us there +dwells a people, the most despicable of all, who are a +stumbling-block in every time. They are exceeding presumptuous, +and they know our weakness and our shortcomings. They curse the +king in these words, which are constantly in their mouths: "God is +the King of the world forever and ever: He will make the heathen +to perish out of His land: He will execute vengeance and +punishments upon the peoples." From the beginning of all time +they have been ungrateful, as witness their behavior toward +Pharaoh. With kindness he received them, their wives, and their +children, at the time of a famine. He gave up to them the best of +his land. He provided them with food and all they needed. Then +Pharaoh desired to build a palace, and he requested the Jews to do +it for him. They began the work grudgingly, amid murmurings, and +it is not completed unto this day. In the midst of it, they +approached Pharaoh with these words: "We wish to offer sacrifices +to our God in a place that is a three days' journey from here, and +we petition thee to lend us silver and gold vessels, and clothes, and +apparel." So much did they borrow, that each one bore ninety +ass-loads off with him, and Egypt was emptied out. When, the +three days having elapsed, they did not return, Pharaoh pursued +them in order to recover the stolen treasures. What did the Jews? +They had among them a man by the name of Moses, the son of +Amram, an arch-wizard, who had been bred in the house of +Pharaoh. When they reached the sea, this man raised his staff, and +cleft the waters, and led the Jews through them dryshod, while +Pharaoh and his host were drowned. + +"'Their God helps them as long as they observe His law, so that +none can prevail against them. Balaam, the only prophet we +heathens ever had, they slew with the sword, as they did unto +Sihon and Og, the powerful kings of Canaan, whose land they took +after killing them. Likewise they brought ruin upon Amalek, the +great and glorious ruler they, and Saul their king, and Samuel +their prophet. Later they had an unmerciful king, David by name, +who smote the Philistines, the Ammonites, and the Moabites, and +not one of them could discomfit him. Solomon, the son of this +king, being wise and sagacious, built them a house of worship in +Jerusalem, that they might not scatter to all parts of the world. But +after they had been guilty of many crimes against their God, He +delivered them into the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar, who +deported them to Babylonia. + +"'To this day they are among us, and though they are under our +hand, we are of none account in their eyes. Their religion and their +laws are different from the religion and he laws of all the other +nations. Their sons do not marry with our daughters, our gods they +do not worship, they have no regard for our honor, and they refuse +to bend the knee before us. Calling themselves freemen, they will +not do our service, and our commands they heed not.' + +"Therefore the grandees, the princes, and the satraps have been +assembled before us, we have taken counsel together, and we have +resolved an irrevocable resolution, according to the laws of the +Medes and Persians, to extirpate the Jews from among the +inhabitants of the earth. We have sent the edict to the hundred and +twenty-seven provinces of my empire, to slay them, their sons, +their wives, and their little children, on the thirteenth day of the +month of Adar none is to escape. As they did to our forefathers, +and desired to do unto us, so shall be done unto them, and their +possessions are to be given over to the spoilers. Thus shall ye do, +that ye may find grace before me. This is the writing of the letter +which I send to you, Ahasuerus king of Media and Persia." (115) + +The price Haman offered the king for the Jews was ten thousand +hundredweights of silver. He took the number of the Jews at their +exodus from Egypt, six hundred thousand, as the basis of his +calculation, and offered a half-shekel for every soul of them, the +sum each Israelite had to pay yearly for the maintenance of the +sanctuary. Though the sum was so vast that Haman could not find +coin enough to pay it, but promised to deliver it in the form of +silver bars, Ahasuerus refused the ransom. When Haman made the +offer, he said: "Let us cast lots. If thou drawest Israel and I draw +money, then the sale stands as a valid transaction. If the reverse, it +is not valid." Because of the sins of the Jews, the sale was +confirmed by the lots. But Haman was not too greatly pleased with +his own success. He disliked to give up so large a sum of money. +Observing his ill humor, Ahasuerus said: "Keep the money; I do +not care either to make or to lose money on account of the Jews." +(116) + +For the Jews it was fortunate that the king did not accept money +for them, else his subjects would not have obeyed his second edict, +the one favorable to the Jews. They would have been able to +advance the argument, that the king, by accepting a sum of money +for them, had resigned his rights over the Jews in favor of Haman, +who, therefore, could deal with them as he pleased. (117) + +The agreement between Ahasuerus and Haman was concluded at a +carouse, by way of punishment for the crime of the sons of Jacob, +who had unmercifully sold their brother Joseph into slavery to the +Ishmaelites while eating and drinking. (118) + +The joy of this Jew-hating couple for Ahasuerus hated the Jews +with no less fierce a hatred than Haman did (119) was shared by +none. The capital city of Shushan was in mourning and sorely +perplexed. Scarcely had the edict of annihilation been promulgated +against the Jews, when all sorts of misfortunes began to happen in +the city. Women who were hanging up their wash to dry on the +roofs of the houses dropped dead; men who went to draw water +fell into the wells, and lost their lives. While Ahasuerus and +Haman were making merry in the palace, the city was thrown into +consternation and mourning. (120) + + SATAN INDICTS THE JEWS + +The position of the Jews after the royal edict became known +beggars description. If a Jew ventured abroad on the street to make +a purchase, he was almost throttled by the Persians, who taunted +him with these words: "Never mind, to-morrow will soon be here, +and then I shall kill thee, and take thy money away from thee." If a +Jew offered to sell himself as a slave, he was rejected; not even the +sacrifice of his liberty could protect him against the loss of his life. +(121) + +Mordecai, however, did not despair; he trusted in the Divine help. +On his way from the court, after Haman and his ilk had informed +him with malicious joy of the king's pleasure concerning the Jews, +he met Jewish children coming from school. He asked the first +child what verse from the Scriptures he had studied in school that +day, and the reply was: "Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the +desolation of the wicked when it cometh." The verse committed to +memory by the second was: "Let them take counsel together, but it +shall be brought to naught; let them speak the word, but it shall not +stand; for God is with us." And the verse which the third had learnt +was: "And even to old age I am He, and even to hoar hairs I will +carry you: I have made and will bear; yea, I will carry and will +deliver." + +When Mordecai heard these verses, he broke out into jubilation, +astonishing Haman not a little. Mordecai told him, "I rejoice at the +good tidings announced to me by the school children." Haman +thereupon fell into such a rage that he exclaimed: "In sooth, they +shall be the first to feel the weight of my hand." + +What gave Mordecai the greatest concern, was the certainty that +the danger had been invited by the Jews themselves, through their +sinful conduct in connection with the banquets given by +Ahasuerus. Eighteen thousand five hundred Jews had taken part in +them; they had eaten and drunk, intoxicated themselves and +committed immoralities, as Haman had foreseen, the very reason, +indeed, he had advised the king to hold the banquets. + +Thereupon Satan had indicted the Jews. The accusations which he +produced against them were of such a nature that God at once +ordered writing materials to be brought to Him for the decree of +annihilation, and it was written and sealed. + +When the Torah heard that Satan's designs against the Jews had +succeeded, she broke out into bitter weeping before God, and her +lamentations awakened the angels, who likewise began to wail, +saying: "If Israel is to be destroyed, of what avail is the whole +world?" + +The sun and the moon heard the lamentations of the angels, and +they donned their mourning garb and also wept bitterly and wailed, +saying: "Is Israel to be destroyed, Israel who wanders from town to +town, and from land to land, only for the sake of the study of the +Torah; who suffers grievously under the hand of the heathen, only +because he observes the Torah and the sign of the covenant?" + +In great haste the prophet Elijah ran to the Patriarchs and to the +other prophets, and to the saints in Israel, and addressed these +words to them: "O ye fathers of the world! Angels, and the sun and +the moon, and heaven and earth, and all the celestial hosts are +weeping bitterly. The whole world is seized with throes as of a +woman in travail, by reason of your children, who have forfeited +their life on account of their sins, and ye sit quiet and tranquil." +Thereupon Moses said to Elijah: "Knowest thou any saints in the +present generation of Israel?" Elijah named Mordecai, and Moses +sent the prophet to him, with the charge that he, the "saint of the +living generation," should unite his prayers with the prayers of the +saints among the dead, and perhaps the doom might be averted +from Israel. But Elijah hesitated. "O faithful shepherd," he said, +"the edict of annihilation issued by God is written and sealed." +Moses, however, did not desist; he urged the Patriarchs: "If the +edict is sealed with wax, your prayers will be heard; if with blood, +then all is vain." + +Elijah hastened to Mordecai, who, when first he heard what God +had resolved upon, tore his garments and was possessed by a great +fear, though before he had confidently hoped that help would +come form God. He gathered together all the school children, and +had them fast, so that their hunger should drive them to moan and +groan. Then it was that Israel spoke to God: "O Lord of the world! +When the heathen rage against me, they do not desire my silver +and gold, they desire only that I should be exterminated from off +the face of the earth. Such was the design of Nebuchadnezzar +when he wanted to compel Israel to worship the idol. Had it not +been for Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, I had disappeared from +the world. Now it is Haman who desires to uproot the whole vine." +(122) + +Then Mordecai addressed all the people thus: "O people of Israel, +that art so dear and precious in the sight of thy Heavenly Father! +Knowest thou not what has happened? Hast thou not heard that the +king and Haman have resolved to remove us off the face of the +earth, to destroy us from beneath the sun? We have no king on +whom we can depend, and no prophet to intercede for us with +prayers. There is no place whither we can flee, no land wherein we +can find safety. We are like sheep without a shepherd, like a ship +upon the sea without a pilot. We are like an orphan born after the +death of his father, and death robs him of his mother, too, when he +has scarce begun to draw nourishment from her breast." + +After this address a great prayer-meeting was called outside of +Shushan. The Ark containing the scroll of the law, covered with +sackcloth and strewn with ashes, was brought thither. The scroll +was unrolled, and the following verses read from it: "When thou +art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, in the +latter days thou shalt return to the Lord thy God, and hearken unto +His voice, for the Lord thy God is a merciful God: He will not fail +thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of they fathers +which He swore unto them." + +Thereunto Mordecai added words of admonition: "O people of +Israel, thou art dear and precious to thy Father in heaven, let us +follow the example of the inhabitants of Nineveh, doing as they +did when the prophet Jonah came to them to announce the +destruction of the city. The king arose from his throne, laid his +crown from him, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes, +and he made proclamation, and published through Nineveh by the +decree of the king and his nobles, saying, 'Let neither man nor +beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not feed, nor drink +water, but let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and beast, +and let them cry mightily unto God; yea, let them turn every one +from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.' +Then God repented Him of the evil He had designed to bring upon +them, and He did it not. Now, then, let us follow their example, let +us hold a fast, mayhap God will have mercy upon us." (123) + +Furthermore spake Mordecai: "O Lord of the world! Didst Thou +not swear unto our fathers to make us as many as the stars in the +heavens? And now we are as sheep in the shambles. What has +become of Thine oath?" (124) He cried aloud, though he knew +God hears the softest whisper, for he said: "O Father of Israel, what +hast Thou done unto me? One single cry of anguish uttered by +Esau Thou didst repay with the blessing of his father Isaac, 'By thy +sword shall thou live,' and now we ourselves are abandoned to the +mercy of the sword." (125) What Mordecai was not aware of, was +that he, the descendant of Jacob, was brought unto weeping and +wailing by Haman, the descendant of Esau, as a punishment, +because Jacob himself had brought Esau unto weeping and +wailing. (126) + + THE DREAM OF MORDECAI FULFILLED + +Esther, who knew naught of what was happening at court, was +greatly alarmed when her attendants told her that Mordecai had +appeared in the precincts of the palace clothed in sackcloth and +ashes. She was so overcome by fright that she was deprived of the +joys of motherhood to which she had been looking forward with +happy expectancy. (127) She sent clothes to Mordecai, who, +however, refused to lay aside his garb of mourning until God +permitted miracles to come to pass for Israel, wherein he followed +the example of such great men in Israel as Jacob, David, and Ahab, +and of the Gentile inhabitants of Nineveh at the time of Jonah. By +no means would he array himself in court attire so long as his +people was exposed to sure suffering. (128) The queen sent for +Daniel, called also Hathach in the Scriptures, and charged him to +learn from Mordecai wherefore he was mourning. (129) + +To escape all danger from spying ears, Hathach and Mordecai had +their conversation in the open, like Jacob when he consulted with +his wives Leah and Rachel about leaving their father Laban. (130) +By Hathach Mordecai sent word to the queen, that Haman was an +Amalekite, who like his ancestor sought to destroy Israel. (131) He +requested her to appear before the king and plead for the Jews, +reminding her at the same time of a dream he had once had and +told her about. + +Once, when Mordecai had spent a long time weeping and +lamenting over the misery of the Jews in the Dispersion, and +prayed fervently to God to redeem Israel and rebuild the Temple, +he fell asleep, and in his sleep a dream visited him. He dreamed he +was transported to a desert place he had never seen before. Many +nations lived there jumbled together, only one small and despised +nation kept apart at a short distance. Suddenly a snake shot up +from the midst of the nations, rising higher and higher, and +growing stronger and larger in proportion as it rose. It darted in the +direction of the spot in which they tiny nation stood, and tried to +project itself upon it. Impenetrable clouds and darkness enveloped +the little nation, and when the snake was on the point of seizing it, +a hurricane arose from the four corners of the world, covering the +snake as clothes cover a man, and blew it to bits. The fragments +scattered hither and thither like chaff before the wind, until not a +speck of the monster was to be found anywhere. Then the cloud +and the darkness vanished from above the little nation, the +splendor of the sun again enveloped it. (132) + +This dream Mordecai recorded in a book, and when the storm +began to rage against the Jews, he thought of it, and demanded that +Esther go to the king as the advocate of her people. At first she did +not feel inclined to accede to the wishes of Mordecai. By her +messenger she recalled to his mind, that he himself had insisted +upon her keeping her Jewish descent a secret. (133) Besides, she +had always tried to refrain from appearing before the king at her +own initiative, in order that she might not be instrumental in +bringing down sin upon her soul, for she well remembered +Mordecai's teaching, that "a Jewish woman, captive among the +heathen, who of her own accord goes to them, loses her portion in +the Jewish nation." She had been rejoicing that her petitions had +been granted, and the king had not come nigh unto her this last +month. Was she now voluntarily to present herself before him? +(134) Furthermore, she had her messenger inform Mordecai, that +Haman had introduced a new palace regulation. Any one who +appeared before the king without having been summoned by +Haman, would suffer the death penalty. Therefore, she could not, +if she would, go to the king to advocate the cause of the Jews. +(135) + +Esther urged her uncle to refrain from incensing Haman and +furnishing him with a pretext for wreaking the hatred of Esau to +Jacob upon Mordecai and his nation. Mordecai, however, was +firmly convinced that Esther was destined by God to save Israel. +How could her miraculous history be explained otherwise? At the +very moment Esther was taken to court, he had thought: "Is it +conceivable that God would force so pious a woman to wed with a +heathen, were it not that she is appointed to save Israel from +menacing dangers?" (136) + +Firm as Mordecai was in his determination to make Esther take a +hand in affairs, he yet did not find it a simple matter to +communicate with her. For Hathach was killed by Haman as soon +as it was discovered that he was acting as mediator between +Mordecai and Esther. (137) There was none to replace him, unto +God dispatched the archangels Michael and Gabriel to carry +messages from one to the other and back again. (138) + +Mordecai sent word to her, if she let the opportunity to help Israel +slip by, she would have to give account for the omission before the +heavenly court. (139) To Israel in distress, however, help would +come from other quarters. Never had God forsaken His people in +time of need. Moreover, he admonished her, that, as the +descendant of Saul, it was her duty to make reparation for her +ancestor's sin in not having put Agag to death. Had he done as he +was bidden, the Jews would not now have to fear the machinations +of Haman, the offspring of Agag. He bade her supplicate her +Heavenly Father to deal with the present enemies of Israel as He +had dealt with his enemies in former ages. To give her +encouragement, Mordecai continued: "Is Haman so surpassing +great that his plan against the Jews must succeed? Dost though +mean to say that he is superior to his own ancestor Amalek, whom +God crushed when he precipitated himself upon Israel? Is he +mightier than the thirty-one kings who fought against Israel and +whom Joshua slew 'with the word of God'? Is he stronger than +Sisera, who went out against Israel with nine hundred iron +chariots, and yet met his death at the hands of a mere woman, the +punishment for having withdrawn the use of the water-springs +from the Israelites and prevented their wives from taking the +prescribed ritual baths and thus from fulfilling their conjugal duty? +Is he more powerful than Goliath, who reviled the warriors of +Israel, and was slain by David? Or is he more invincible than the +sons of Orpah, who waged wars with Israel, and were killed by +David and his men? Therefore, do not refrain thy mouth from +prayer, and thy lips from supplication, for on account of the merits +of our fathers, Israel has ever and ever been snatched out of the +jaws of death. He who has at all times done wonders for Israel, +will deliver the enemy into our hands now, for us to do with him as +seemeth best to us." + +What he endeavored to impress upon Esther particularly, was that +God would bring help to Israel without her intermediation, but it +was to her interest to use the opportunity, for which alone she had +reached her exalted place, to make up for the transgressions +committed by her house, Saul and his descendants. (140) + +Yielding at last to the arguments of Mordecai, Esther was prepared +to risk life in this world, in order to secure life in the world to +come. She made only one request of her uncle. He was to have the +Jews spend three days in prayer and fasting in her behalf, that she +might find favor in the eyes of the king. At first Mordecai was +opposed to the proclamation of a fast, because it was Passover +time, and the law prohibits fasting on the holidays. But he finally +assented to Esther's reasoning: "Of what avail are the holidays, if +there is no Israel to celebrate them, and without Israel, there would +not be even a Torah. Therefore it is advisable to transgress on law, +that God may have mercy upon us." (141) + + THE PRAYER OF ESTHER + +Accordingly Mordecai made arrangements for a fast and a +prayer-meeting. On the very day of the festival, he had himself +ferried across the water to the other side of Shushan, where all the +Jews of the city could observe the fast together. (142) It was +important that the Jewish residents of Shushan beyond all other +Jews should do penance and seek pardon from God, because they +had committed the sin of partaking of Ahasuerus's banquet. +Twelve thousand priests marched in the procession, trumpets in +their right hands, and the holy scrolls of the law in their left, +weeping and mourning, and exclaiming against God: "Here is the +Torah Thou gavest us. Thy beloved people is about to be +destroyed. When that comes to pass, who will be left to read the +Torah and make mention of Thy name? The sun and the moon will +refuse to shed their light abroad, for they were created only for the +sake of Israel." Then they fell upon their faces, and said: "Answer +us, our Father, answer us, our King." The whole people joined in +their cry, and the celestials wept with them, and the Fathers came +forth from their graves. + +After a three days' fast, Esther arose from the earth and dust, and +made preparations to betake herself to the king. She arrayed +herself in a silken garment, embroidered with gold from Ophir and +spangled with diamonds and pearls sent her from Africa; a golden +crown was on her head, and on her feet shoes of gold. + +After she had completed her attire, she pronounced the following +prayer: "Thou art the great God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and +Jacob, and the God of my father Benjamin. Not because I consider +myself without blemish, do I dare appear before the foolish king, +but that the people of Israel may not be cut off from the world. Is it +not for the sake of Israel alone that the whole world was created, +and if Israel should cease to exist, who will come and exclaim +'Holy, holy, holy' thrice daily before Thee? As Thou didst save +Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah out of the burning furnace, and +Daniel out of the den of lions, so save me out of the hand of this +foolish king, and make me to appear charming and graceful in his +eyes. I entreat Thee to give ear to my prayer in this time of exile +and banishment from our land. By reason of our sins the +threatening words of the Holy Scriptures are accomplished upon +us: 'Ye shall sell yourselves unto your enemies for bondmen and +for bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.' The decree to kill us +has been issued. We are delivered up unto the sword for +destruction, root and branch. The children of Abraham covered +themselves with sackcloth and ashes, but though the elders sinned, +what wrongs have the children committed, and though the children +committed wrongs, what have the sucklings done? The nobles of +Jerusalem came forth from their graves, for their children were +given up to the sword. + +"How quickly have the days of our joy flown by! The wicked +Haman has surrendered us to our enemies for slaughter. + +"I will recount before Thee the deeds of Thy friends, and with +Abraham will I begin. Thou didst try him with all temptations, yet +didst Thou find him faithful. O that Thou wouldst support his +beloved children for his sake, and aid them, so that Thou wouldst +bear them as an unbreakable seal upon Thy right hand. Call +Haman to account for the wrong he would do us, and be revenged +upon the son of Hammedatha. Demand requital of Haman and not +of Thy people, for he sought to annihilate us all at one stroke, he, +the enemy and afflicter of Thy people, whom he endeavors to hem +in on all sides. + +"With an eternal bond Thou didst bind us unto Thee. O that Thou +wouldst uphold us for the sake of Isaac, who was bound. Haman +offered the king ten thousand talents of silver for us. Raise Thou +our voice, and answer us, and bring us forth out of the narrow +place into enlargement. Thou who breakest the mightiest, crush +Haman, so that he may never again rise from his fall. I am ready to +appear before the king, to entreat grace for my inheritance. Send +Thou an angel of compassion with me on mine errand, and let +grace and favor be my companions. May the righteousness of +Abraham go before me, the binding of Isaac raise me, the charm of +Jacob be put into my mouth, and the grace of Joseph upon my +tongue. Happy the man who putteth his trust in God; he is not +confounded. He will lend me His right hand and His left hand, +with which He created the whole world. Ye, all ye of Israel, pray +for me as I pray in your behalf. For whatsoever a man may ask of +God in the time of his distress, is granted unto him. Let us look +upon the deeds of our fathers and do like unto them, and He will +answer our supplications. The left hand of Abraham held Isaac by +the throat, and his right hand grasped the knife. He willingly did +Thy bidding, nor did he delay to execute Thy command. Heaven +opened its windows to give space to the angels, who cried bitterly, +and said: 'Woe to the world, if this thing should come to pass!' I +also call upon Thee! O answer me, for Thou givest ear unto all +who are afflicted and oppressed. Thou art called the Merciful and +the Gracious; Thou art slow to anger and great in lovingkindness +and truth. Hear our voice and answer us, and lead us out of distress +into enlargement. For three days have I fasted in accordance with +the number of days Abraham journey to bind his son upon the altar +before Thee. Thou didst make a covenant with him, and didst +promise him: 'Whenever thy children shall be in distress, I will +remember the binding of Isaac favorably unto them, and deliver +them out of their troubles.' Again, I fasted three days +corresponding to the three classes Israel, priests, Levites, and +Israelites, who stood at the foot of Sinai, and said: 'All the Lord +hath spoken will we do, and be obedient.'" + +Esther concluded her prayer and said: "O God, Lord of hosts! Thou +that searchest the heart and the reins, in this hour do Thou +remember the merits of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that my +petition to Thee may not be turned aside, nor my request be left +unfulfilled.' (143) + + ESTHER INTERCEDES + +After finishing her prayer, Esther betook herself to the king, +accompanied by three attendants, one walking to the right of her, +the second on the other side, and the third bearing her train, heavy +with the precious stones with which it was studded. (144) Her +chief adornment was the holy spirit that was poured out over her. +But scarcely did she enter the chamber containing the idols, when +the holy spirit departed from her, and she cried out in great +distress: "Eli, Eli, lamah azabtani! Shall I be chastised for acts that +I do against my will, and only in obedience to the promptings of +sore need? (145) Why should my fate be different from that of the +Mother? When Pharaoh only attempted to approach Sarah, plagues +came upon him and his house, but I have been compelled for years +to live with this heathen, and Thou dost not deliver me out of his +hand. O Lord of the world! Have I not paid scrupulous heed to the +three commands Thou didst specially ordain for women?" + +To reach the king, Esther had to pass through seven apartments, +each measuring ten ells in length. The first three she traversed +unhindered; they were too far off for the king to observe her +progress through them. But barely had she crossed the threshold of +the fourth chamber, when Ahasuerus caught sight of her, and, +overcome by rage, he exclaimed: "O for the departed, their like is +not found again on earth! How I urged and entreated Vashti to +appear before me, but she refused, and I had her killed therefor. +This Esther come hither without invitation, like unto a public +prostitute." + +In consternation and despair Esther stood rooted to the centre of +the fourth chamber. Having once allowed her to pass through the +doors under their charge, the guards of the first four rooms had +forfeited their authority over her; and to the guards in the other +three rooms, she had not yet given cause for interfering with her. +Yet the courtiers were so confident that Esther was about to suffer +the death penalty, that the sons of Haman were already busy +dividing her jewels among themselves, and casting lots for her +royal purple. Esther herself was keenly aware of her dangerous +position. In her need, she besought God: "Eli, Eli, lamah azabtani," +and prayed to Him the words which have found their place in the +Psalter composed by King David. (146) Because she put her +confidence in God, He answered her petition, and sent her three +angels to help her: the one enveloped her countenance with "the +threads of grace," the second raised her head, and the third drew +out the sceptre of Ahasuerus until it touched her. (147) The king +turned his head round, to avoid seeing Esther, but the angels forced +him to look her way, and be conquered by her seductive charm. +(148) + +By reason of her long fast, Esther was so weak that she was unable +to extend her hand toward the sceptre of the king. The archangel +Michael had to draw her near it. Ahasuerus then said: "I see, thou +must have a most important request to prefer, else thou hadst not +risked thy life deliberately. (149) I am ready to give it thee, even to +the half of the kingdom. There is but one petition I cannot grant, +and that is the restoration of the Temple. I gave my oath to +Geshem the Arabian, Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the +Ammonite, not to allow it to be rebuilt, from fear of the Jews, lest +they rise up against me." (150) + +For the moment, Esther refrained from uttering her petition. All +she asked was, that the king and Haman would come to a banquet +she proposed to give. She had good reasons for this peculiar course +of conduct. She desired to disarm Haman's suspicions regarding +her Jewish descent, and to lead her fellow-Jews to fix their hope +upon God and not upon her. At the same time, it was her plan to +arouse jealousy of Haman in both the king and the princes. She +was quite ready to sacrifice her own life, if her stratagems would +but involve the life of Haman, too. (151) At the banquet she +therefore favored Haman in such manner that Ahasuerus could not +but be jealous. She moved her chair close to Haman's, and when +Ahasuerus handed her his wine-cup, to let her drink of it first, she +passed it on to his minister. + +After the banquet, the king repeated his question, and again made +the asseveration, that he would fulfill all her wishes at whatever +cost, barring only the restoration of the Temple. Esther, however, +was not yet ready; she preferred to wait another day before taking +up the conflict with Haman. She had before her eyes the example +of Moses, who also craved a day's preparation before going out +against Amalek, the ancestor of Haman. (152) + +Deceived by the attention and distinction accorded him by Esther, +Haman felt secure in his position, priding himself not only on the +love of the king, but also on the respect of the queen. He felt +himself to be the most privileged being in all the wide realm +governed by Ahasuerus. (153) + +Filled with arrogant self-sufficiency, he passed by Mordecai, who +not only refused to give him the honors decreed in his behalf, but, +besides, pointed to his knee, inscribed with the bill of sale whereby +Haman had become the slave of Mordecai. (154) Doubly and triply +enraged, he resolved to make an example of the Jew. But he was +not satisfied with inflicting death by a simple kick. + +On reaching his home he was disappointed not to find his wife +Zeresh, the daughter of the Persian satrap Tattenai. As always +when Haman was at court, she had gone to her paramours. He sent +for her and his three hundred and sixty-five advisers, and with +them he took counsel as to what was to be done to Mordecai. (155) +Pointing to a representation of his treasure chamber, which he +wore on his bosom, (156) he said: "And all this is worthless in my +sight when I look upon Mordecai, the Jew. What I eat and drink +loses its savor, if I but think of him." (157) + +Among his advisers and sons, of whom there were two hundred +and eight, none was so clever as Zeresh his wife. She spoke thus: +"If the man thou tellest of is a Jew, thou wilt not be able to do +aught to him except by sagacity. If thou castest him into the fire, it +will have no effect upon him, for Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah +escaped from the burning furnace unhurt; Joseph went free from +prison; Manasseh prayed to God, and He heard him, and saved him +from the iron furnace; to drive him out in the wilderness is useless, +thou knowest the desert did no evil to the Israelites that passed +through it; putting out his eyes avails naught, for Samson blind did +more mischief than ever Samson seeing. Therefore hang him, for +no Jew has ever escaped death by hanging." (158) + +Haman was well pleased with the words of his wife. She fetched +artificers in wood and iron, the former to erect the cross, the latter +to make the nails. Their children danced around in high glee while +Zeresh played upon the cithern, and Haman in his pleasurable +excitement said: "To the wood workers I shall give abundant pay, +and the iron workers I shall invite to a banquet." + +When the cross was finished, Haman himself tested it, to see that +all was in working order. A heavenly voice was heard: "It is good +for Haman the villain, and for the son of Hammedatha it is fitting." +(159) + + THE DISTURBED NIGHT + +The night during which Haman erected the cross for Mordecai was +the first night of Passover, the very night in which miracles +without number had ever been done for the Fathers and for Israel. +But this time the night of joy was changed into a night of +mourning and a night of fears. Wherever there were Jews, they +passed the night in weeping and lamenting. The greatest terrors it +held for Mordecai, because his own people accused him of having +provoked their misfortunes by his haughty behavior toward +Haman. (160) + +Excitement and consternation reigned in heaven as well as on +earth. (161) When Haman had satisfied himself that the cross +intended for his enemy was properly constructed, he repaired to +the Bet ha-Midrash, where he found Mordecai and all the Jewish +school children, twenty-two thousand in number, in tears and +sorrow. He ordered them to be put in chains, saying: "First I shall +kill off these, and then I shall hang Mordecai." The mothers +hastened thither with bread and water, and coaxed their children to +take something before they had to encounter death. The children, +however, laid their hands upon their books, and said: "As our +teacher Mordecai liveth, we will neither eat nor drink, but we will +perish exhausted with fasting." They rolled up their sacred scrolls, +and handed them to their teachers with the words: "For our +devotion to the study of the Torah, we had hoped to be rewarded +with long life, according to the promised held out in the Holy +Scriptures. As we are not worthy thereof, remove the books!" The +out-cries of the children and of the teachers in the Bet ha-Midrash, +and the weeping of the mothers without, united with the +supplications of the Fathers, reached unto heaven in the third hour +of the night, and God said: "I hear the voice of tender lambs and +sheep!" Moses arose and addressed God thus: "Thou knowest well +that the voices are not of lambs and sheep, but of the young of +Israel, who for three days have been fasting and languishing in +fetters, only to be slaughtered on the morrow to the delight of the +arch-enemy." + +Then God felt compassion with Israel, for the sake of his innocent +little ones. He broke the seal with which the heavenly decree of +annihilation had been fastened, and the decree itself he tore in +pieces. (162) From this moment on Ahasuerus became restless, +and sleep was made to flee his eyes, for the purpose that the +redemption of Israel might be brought to pass. God sent down +Michael, the leader of the hosts of Israel, who was to keep sleep +from the king, (163) and the archangel Gabriel descended, and +threw the king out of his bed on the floor, no less than three +hundred and sixty-five times, continually whispering in his ear: "O +thou ingrate, reward him who deserves to be rewarded." + +To account for his sleeplessness, Ahasuerus thought he might have +been poisoned, and he was about to order the execution of those +charged with the preparation of his food. But they succeeded in +convincing him of their innocence, by calling to his attention that +Esther and Haman had shared his evening meal with him, yet they +felt no unpleasant effects. (164) Then suspicions against his wife +and his friend began to arise in his mind. He accused them +inwardly of having conspired together to put him out of the way. +He sought to banish this thought with the reflection, that if a +conspiracy had existed against him, his friends would have warned +him of it. But the reflection brought others in its train: Did he have +any friends? Was it not possible that by leaving valuable services +unrewarded, he had forfeited the friendly feelings toward him? +(165) He therefore commanded that the chronicles of the kings of +Persia be read to him. He would compare his own acts with what +his predecessors had done, and try to find out whether he might +count upon friends. (166) + +What was read to him, did not restore his tranquility of mind, for +he saw a poor man before him none other than the angel Michael +who called to him continually: "Haman wants to kill thee, and +become king in thy stead. Let this serve thee as proof that I am +telling thee the truth: Early in the morning he will appear before +thee and request permission of thee to kill him who saved thy life. +And when thou inquirest of him what honor should be done to him +whom the king delighteth to honor, he will ask to be given the +apparel, the crown, and the horse of the king as signs of +distinction." (167) + +Ahasuerus's excitement was soothed only when the passage in the +chronicles was reached describing the loyalty of Mordecai. Had +the wishes of the reader been consulted, Ahasuerus had never +heard this entry, for it was a son of Haman who was filling the +office of reader, and he was desirous of passing the incident over +in silence. But a miracle occurred the words were heard though +they were not uttered! + +The names of Mordecai and Israel had a quieting influence upon +the king, and he dropped asleep. He dreamed that Haman, sword in +hand, was approaching him with evil intent, and when, early in the +morning, Haman suddenly, without being announced, entered the +antechamber and awakened the king, Ahasuerus was persuaded of +the truth of his dream. The king was still further set against Haman +by the reply he gave to the question, how honor was to be shown to +the man whom the king delighteth to honor. Believing himself to +be the object of the king's good-will, he advised Ahasuerus to have +his favorite arrayed in the king's coronation garments, and the +crown royal put upon his head. Before him one of the grandees of +the kingdom was to run, doing herald's service, proclaiming that +whosoever did not prostrate himself and bow down before him +whom the king delighteth to honor, would have his head cut off, +and his house given over to pillage. + +Haman was quick to notice that he had made a mistake, for he saw +the king's countenance change color at the mention of the word +crown. He therefore took good care not to refer to it again. In spite +of this precaution, Ahasuerus saw in the words of Haman a striking +verification of his vision, and he was confident that Haman +cherished designs against his life and his throne. (168) + + THE FALL OF HAMAN + +Haman was soon to find out that he had gone far afield in +supposing himself to be the man whom the king delighted to +honor. The king's command ran: "Hasten to the royal treasure +chambers; fetch thence a cover of find purple, a raiment of +delicate silk, furnished forth with golden bells and pomegranates +and bestrewn with diamonds and pearls, and the large golden +crown which was brought me from Macedonia upon the day I +ascended the throne. Furthermore, fetch thence the sword and the +coat of mail sent me from Ethiopia, and the two veils embroidered +with pearls which were Africa's gift. Then repair to the royal +stables, and lead forth the black horse whereon I sat at my +coronation. With all these insignia of honor, seek out Mordecai!" + +Haman: "Which Mordecai?" + +Ahasuerus: "Mordecai the Jew." + +Haman: "There be many Jews named Mordecai." + +Ahasuerus: "The Jew Mordecai who sits at the king's gate." + +Haman: "There be many royal gates; I know not which thou +meanest." + +Ahasuerus: "The gate that leads from the harem to the palace." + +Haman: "This man is my enemy and the enemy of my house. +Rather would I give him ten thousand talents of silver than do him +this honor." + +Ahasuerus: "Ten thousand talents of silver shall be given him, and +he shall be made lord over thy house, but these honors must thou +show unto him." + +Haman: "I have ten sons. I would rather have them run before his +horse than do him this honor." + +Ahasuerus: "Thou, thy sons, and thy wife shall be slaves to +Mordecai, but these honors must thou show unto him." + +Haman: "O my lord and king, Mordecai is a common man. +Appoint him to be ruler over a city, or, if thou wilt, even over a +district, rather than I should do him this honor." + +Ahasuerus: "I will appoint him ruler over cities and districts. All +the kings on land and on water shall pay him obedience, but these +honors must thou show unto him." + +Haman: "Rather have coins struck bearing thy name together with +his, instead of mine as hitherto, than I should do him this honor." + +Ahasuerus: "The man who saved the life of the king deserves to +have his name put on the coin of the realm. Nevertheless, these +honors must thou show unto him." + +Haman: "Edicts and writings have been issued to all parts of the +kingdom, commanding that the nation to which Mordecai belongs +shall be destroyed. Recall them rather than I should do him this +honor." + +Ahasuerus: "The edicts and writings shall be recalled, yet these +honors must thou show unto Mordecai." + +Seeing that all petitions and entreaties were ineffectual, and +Ahasuerus insisted upon the execution of his order, Haman went to +the royal treasure chambers, walking with his head bowed like a +mourner's, his ears hanging down, his eyes dim, his mouth screwed +up, his heart hardened, his bowels cut in pieces, his loins +weakened, and his knees knocking against each other. (169) He +gathered together the royal insignia, and took them to Mordecai, +accompanied on his way by Harbonah and Abzur, who, at the order +of the king, were to take heed whether Haman carried out his +wishes to the letter. + +When Mordecai saw his enemy approach, he thought his last +moment had come. He urged his pupils to flee, that they might not +"burn themselves with his coals." But they refused, saying: "In life +as in death we desire to be with thee." The few moments left him, +as he thought, Mordecai spent in devotion. With words of prayer +on his lips he desired to pass away. Haman, therefore, had to +address himself to the pupils of Mordecai: "What was the last +subject taught you by your teacher Mordecai?" They told him they +had been discussing the law of the `Omer, the sacrifice brought on +that very day so long as the Temple had stood. At his request, they +described some of the details of the ceremony in the Temple +connected with the offering. He exclaimed: "Happy are you that +your ten farthings, with which you bought the wheat for the `Omer, +produced a better effect than my ten thousand talents of silver, +which I offered unto the king for the destruction of the Jews." + +Meantime Mordecai had finished his prayer. Haman stepped up to +him, and said: "Arise, thou pious son of Abraham, Isaac, and +Jacob. Thy sackcloth and ashes availed more than my ten thousand +talents of silver, which I promised unto the king. They were not +accepted, but thy prayers were accepted by thy Father in heaven." + +Mordecai, not yet disabused of the notion that Haman had come to +take him to the cross, requested the grace of a few minutes for his +last meal. Only Haman's repeated protests assured him. When +Haman set about arraying him with the royal apparel, Mordecai +refused to put it on until he had bathed, and had dressed his hair. +Royal apparel agreed but ill with his condition after three days of +sackcloth and ashes. As luck would have it, Esther had issued the +command that the bathkeepers and barbers were not to ply their +trades on that day, and there was nothing for Haman to do but +perform the menial services Mordecai required. Haman tried to +play upon the feelings of Mordecai. Fetching a deep sigh, he said: +"The greatest in the king's realm is now acting as bathkeeper and +barber!" Mordecai, however, did not permit himself to be imposed +upon. He knew Haman's origin too well to be deceived; he +remembered his father, who had been bathkeeper and barber in a +village. + +Haman's humiliation was not yet complete. Mordecai, exhausted +by his three days' fast, was too weak to mount his horse unaided. +Haman had to serve him as footstool, and Mordecai took the +opportunity to give him a kick. Haman reminded him of the +Scriptural verse: "Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let +not thine heart be glad when he is overthrown." Mordecai, +however, refused to apply it to himself, for he was chastising, not a +personal enemy, but the enemy of his people, and of such it is said +in the Scriptures: "And thou shalt tread upon the high places of +thine enemies." (170) + +Finally, Haman caused Mordecai to ride through the streets of the +city, and proclaimed before him: "Thus shall it be done unto the +man whom the king delighteth to honor." In front of them marched +twenty-seven thousand youths detailed for this service from the +court. In their right hands they bore golden cups, and golden +beakers in their left hands, and they, too, proclaimed: "Thus shall +be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honor." The +procession furthermore was swelled by the presence of Jews. +They, however, made a proclamation of different tenor. "Thus +shall be done," they cried out, "unto the man whose honor is +desired by the King that hath created heaven and earth." (171) + +As he rode along, Mordecai gave praise to God: "I will extol Thee, +O Lord; for Thou hast raised me up, and hast not made my foes to +rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried unto Thee, and Thou hast +healed me. O Lord, Thou hast brought up my soul from Sheol; +Thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit." +Whereupon his pupils joined in with: "Sing praise unto the Lord, O +ye saints of His, and give thanks to His holy name. For His anger is +but for a moment; in His favor is life; weeping may tarry for the +night, but joy cometh in the morning." Haman added the verse +thereto: "As for me, I said in my prosperity, I shall never be +moved. Thou, Lord, of Thy favor hadst made my mountain to +stand strong. Thou didst hide Thy face; I was troubled." Queen +Esther continued: "I cried to Thee, O Lord; and unto the Lord I +made supplication. What profit is there in my blood, when I go +down to the pit? Shall the dust praise Thee? Shall it declare Thy +truth?" and the whole concourse of Jews present cried out: "Thou +hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou hast loosed +my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness, to the end that my +glory may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I +will give thanks unto Thee forever." (172) + +When this procession passed the house of Haman, his daughter +was looking out of the window. She took the man on the horse to +be her father, and the leader of it, Mordecai. Raising a vessel filled +with offal, she emptied it out over the leader her own father. +Scarce had the vessel left her hand, when she realized the truth, +and she threw herself from the window, and lay crushed to death +on the street below. (173) + +In spite of the sudden change in his fortunes, Mordecai ended the +eventful day as he had begun it, in prayer and fasting. No sooner +was the procession over than he put off the royal robes, and, again +covering himself with sackcloth, he prayed until night fell. + +Haman was plunged in mourning, partly on account of the deep +disgrace to which he had been subjected, partly on account of the +death of his daughter. (174) Neither his wife nor his friends could +advise him how to mend his sad fortunes. They could hold out only +sorry consolation to him: "If this Mordecai is of the seed of the +saints, thou wilt not be able to prevail against him. Thou wilt +surely encounter the same fate as the kings in their battle with +Abraham, and Abimelech in his quarrel with Isaac. As Jacob was +victorious over the angel with whom he wrestled, and Moses and +Aaron caused the drowning of Pharaoh and his host, so Mordecai +will overcome thee in the end." (175) + +While they were yet talking, the king's chamberlains came, and +hastily carried Haman off to the banquet Esther had prepared, to +prevent him and his influential sons from plotting against the king. +(176) Ahasuerus repeated his promise, to give Esther whatever she +desired, always expecting the restoration of the Temple. This time, +casting her eyes heavenward, Esther replied: "If I have found favor +in thy sight, O Supreme King, and if it please Thee, O King of the +world, let my life be given me, and let my people be rescued out of +the hands of its enemy." (177) Ahasuerus, thinking these words +were addressed to him, asked in irritation: "Who is he, and where +is he, this presumptuous conspirator, who thought to do thus?" +These were the first words the king had ever spoken to Esther +herself. Hitherto he had always communicated with her through an +interpreter. He had not been quite satisfied she was worthy enough +to be addressed by the king. Now made cognizant of the fact that +she was a Jewess, and of royal descent besides, he spoke to her +directly, without the intervention of others. (178) + +Esther stretched forth her hand to indicate the man who had sought +to take her life, as he had actually taken Vashti's, but in the +excitement of the moment, she pointed to the king. Fortunately the +king did not observe her error, because an angel guided her hand +instantaneously in the direction of Haman, (179) whom her words +described: "This is the adversary and the enemy, he who desired to +murder thee in thy sleeping-chamber during the night just passed; +he who this very day desired to array himself in the royal apparel, +ride upon thy horse, and wear they golden crown upon his head, to +rise up against thee and deprive thee of thy sovereignty. But God +set his undertaking at naught, and the honors he sought for himself, +fell to the share of my uncle Mordecai, who this oppressor and +enemy thought to hang." (180) + +The anger of the king already burnt so fiercely that he hinted to +Esther, that whether Haman was the adversary she had in mind or +not, she was to designate him as such. To infuriate him still more, +God sent ten angels in the guise of Haman's ten sons, to fell down +the trees in the royal park. When Ahasuerus turned his eyes toward +the interior of the park, he saw the ruthless destruction of which +they were guilty. In his rage he went out into the garden. This was +the instant utilized by Haman to implore grace for himself from +Esther. Gabriel intervened, and threw Haman upon the couch in a +posture as though he were about to do violence to the queen. At +that moment Ahasuerus reappeared. Enraged beyond description +by what he saw, he cried out: "Haman attempts the honor of the +queen in my very presence! Come, then, ye peoples, nations, and +races, and pronounce judgment over him!" (181) + +When Harbonah, originally a friend of Haman and an adversary of +Mordecai, heard the king's angry exclamation, he said to him: "Nor +is this the only crime committed by Haman against thee, for he +was an accomplice of the conspirators Bigthan and Teresh, and his +enmity to Mordecai dates back to the time when Mordecai +uncovered their foul plots. Out of revenge therefor, he has erected +a cross for him." Harbonah's words illustrate the saying: "Once the +ox has been cast to the ground, slaughtering knives can readily be +found." Knowing that Haman had fallen from his high estate, +Harbonah was intent upon winning the friendship of Mordecai. +(182) Harbonah was altogether right, for Ahasuerus at once +ordered Haman to be hanged. Mordecai was charged with the +execution of the king's order, and Haman's tears and entreaties did +not in the least move him. He insisted upon hanging him like the +commonest of criminals, instead of executing him with the sword, +the mode of punishment applied to men of rank guilty of serious +misdemeanors. (183) + +The cross which Haman, at the advice of his wife Zeresh and of +his friends, had erected for Mordecai, was now used for himself. It +was made of wood from a thorn-bush. God called all the trees +together and inquired which one would permit the cross for Haman +to be made of it. The fig-tree said: "I am ready to serve, for I am +symbolic of Israel, and, also, my fruits were brought to the Temple +as firstfruits." The vine said: "I am ready to serve, for I am +symbolic of Israel and, also, my wine is brought to the altar." The +apple-tree said: "I am ready to serve, for I am symbolic of Israel." +The nut-tree said: "I am ready to serve, for I am symbolic of +Israel." The Etrog tree said: "I should have the privilege, for with +my fruit Israel praises God on Sukkot." The willow of the brook +said: "I desire to serve, for I am symbolic of Israel." The cedar-tree +said: "I desire to serve, for I am symbolic of Israel." The palm-tree +said: "I desire to serve, for I am symbolic of Israel." Finally the +thorn-bush came and said: "I am fitted to do this service, for the +ungodly are like pricking thorns." The offer of the thorn-bush was +accepted, after God gave a blessing to each of the other trees for its +willingness to serve. + +A sufficiently long beam cut from a thorn-bush could be found +only in the house of Haman, which had to be demolished in order +to obtain it. (184) The cross was tall enough for Haman and his ten +sons to be hanged upon it. It was planted three cubits deep in the +ground, each of the victims required three cubits space in length, +one cubit space was left vacant between the feet of the one above +and the head of the one below, and the youngest son, Vaizatha, had +his feet four cubits from the ground as he hung. (185) + +Haman and his ten sons remained suspended a long time, to the +vexation of those who considered it a violation of the Biblical +prohibition in Deuteronomy, not to leave a human body hanging +upon a tree overnight. Esther pointed to a precedent, the +descendants of Saul, whom the Gibeonites left hanging half a year, +whereby the name of God was sanctified, for whenever the +pilgrims beheld them, they told the heathen, that the men had been +hanged because their father Saul had laid hand on the Gibeonites. +"How much more, then," continued Esther, "are we justified in +permitting Haman and his family to hang, they who desired to +destroy the house of Israel?" (186) + +Beside these ten sons, who had been governors in various +provinces, Haman had twenty others, ten of whom died, and the +other ten of whom were reduced to beggary. (187) The vast fortune +of which Haman died possessed was divided in three parts. The +first part was given to Mordecai and Esther, the second to the +students of the Torah, and the third was applied to the restoration +of the Temple. (188) Mordecai thus became a wealthy man. He +was also set up as king of the Jews. As such he had coins struck, +which bore the figure of Esther on the obverse, and his own figure +on the reverse. (189) However, in the measure in which Mordecai +gained in worldly power and consideration, he lost spiritually, +because the business connected with his high political station left +him no time for the study of the Torah. Previously he had ranked +sixth among the eminent scholars of Israel, he now dropped to the +seventh place among them. (190) Ahasuerus, on the other hand, +was the gainer by the change. As soon as Mordecai entered upon +the office of grand chancellor, he succeeded in subjecting to his +sway the provinces that had revolted on account of Vashti's +execution. (191) + + THE EDICT OF THE KING + +The edict issued against the Jews was revoked by Ahasuerus in the +following terms: + +"King Ahasuerus sends this letter to all the inhabitants of water +and earth, to all the rulers of districts, and to generals of the army, +who dwell in every country; may your peace be great! I write this +to you to inform you, that although I rule over many nations, over +the inhabitants of land and sea, yet I am not proud of my power, +but will rather walk in lowliness and meekness of spirit all my +days, in order to provide for you great peace. Unto all who dwell +under my dominion, unto all who seek to carry on business on land +or on sea, unto all who desire to export goods from one nation to +the other, from one people to the other unto them all, I am the +same, from one end of the earth to the other, and none may seek to +cause excitement on land or on sea, or enmities between one +nation and another, between one people and another. I write this, +because in spite of our sincerity and honesty with which we love +all the nations, revere all the rulers, and do good to all the +potentates, there are nevertheless people who were near to the +king, and into whose hand the government was entrusted, who by +their intrigues and falsehoods misled the king, and wrote letters +which are not right before heaven, which are evil before men, and +harmful for the empire. This was the petition they requested from +the king: that righteous men should be killed, and most innocent +blood be shed, of those who have not done any evil, nor were +guilty of death such righteous people as Esther, celebrated for all +virtues, and Mordecai, wise in every branch of wisdom, there is no +blemish to be found in them nor in their nation. I thought that I +was requested concerning another nation, and did not know it was +concerning the Jews, who were called the Children of the Lord of +All, who created heaven and earth, and who led them and their +fathers through great and mighty empires. And now as he, Haman, +the son of Hammedatha, from Judea, a descendant of Amalek, who +came to us and enjoyed much kindness, praise, and dignity from +us, whom we made great, and called 'father of the king,' and seated +him at the right of the king, did not know how to appreciate the +dignity, and how to conduct the affairs of state, but harbored +thoughts to kill the king and take away his kingdom, therefore we +ordered the son of Hammedatha to be hanged, and all that he +desired we have brought upon his head; and the Creator of heaven +and earth brought his machinations upon his head." (192) + +As a memorial of the wonderful deliverance from the hands of +Haman, the Jews of Shushan celebrated the day their arch-enemy +had appointed for their extermination, and their example was +followed by the Jews of the other cities of the Persian empire, and +by those of other countries. Yet the sages, when besought by +Esther, refused at first to make it a festival for all times, lest the +hatred of the heathen be excited against the Jews. They yielded +only after Esther had pointed out to them that the events on which +the holiday was based, were perpetuated in the annals of the kings +of Persia and Media, and thus the outside world would not be able +to misinterpret the joy of the Jews. + +Esther addressed another petition to the sages. She begged that the +book containing her history should be incorporated in the Holy +Scriptures. Because they shrank from adding anything to the triple +Canon, consisting of the Torah, the Prophets, and the Hagiographa, +they again refused, and again they had to yield to Esther's +argument. She quoted the words from Exodus, "Write this for a +memorial in a book," spoken by Moses to Joshua, after the battle +of Rephidim with the Amalekites. They saw that it was the will of +God to immortalize the warfare waged with the Amalekite Haman. +Nor is the Book of Esther an ordinary history. Without aid of the +holy spirit, it could not have been composed, and therefore its +canonization resolved upon "below" was endorsed "above." (193) +And as the Book of Esther became an integral and indestructible +part of the Holy Scriptures, so the Feast of Purim will be +celebrated forever, now and in the future world, and Esther herself +by her pious deeds acquired a good name both in this world and in +the world to come. (194) + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of THE LEGENDS OF THE JEWS VOLUME IV +BIBLE TIMES AND CHARACTERS FROM THE EXODUS TO THE DEATH OF MOSES + diff --git a/old/2882.zip b/old/2882.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..63d6057 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/2882.zip |