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From the Death of Ahab to the Captivity of the Ten Tribes - Flavius Josephus

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2. About <strong>the</strong> same time <strong>the</strong> Moabites and Ammonites made an<br />

expedition against Jehoshaphat, ,and <strong>to</strong>ok with <strong>the</strong>m a great body <strong>of</strong><br />

Arabians, and pitched <strong>the</strong>ir camp at Engedi, a city that is situate at <strong>the</strong> lake<br />

Asphaltiris, and distant three hundred furlongs from Jerusalem. In that place<br />

grows <strong>the</strong> best kind <strong>of</strong> palm trees, and <strong>the</strong> opobalsamum. (2) Now<br />

Jehoshaphat heard that <strong>the</strong> enemies had passed over <strong>the</strong> lake, and had made<br />

an irruption in<strong>to</strong> that country which belonged <strong>to</strong> his kingdom; at which news<br />

he was aftrighted, and called <strong>the</strong> people <strong>of</strong> Jerusalem <strong>to</strong> a congregation in <strong>the</strong><br />

temple, and standing over against <strong>the</strong> temple itself, he called upon God <strong>to</strong><br />

afford him power and strength, so as <strong>to</strong> inflict punishment on those that made<br />

this expedition against <strong>the</strong>m (for that those who built this his temple had<br />

prayed, that he would protect that city, and take vengeance on those that<br />

were so bold as <strong>to</strong> come against it); for <strong>the</strong>y are come <strong>to</strong> take from us that<br />

land which thou hast given us for a possession. When he had prayed thus, he<br />

fell in<strong>to</strong> tears; and <strong>the</strong> whole multitude, <strong>to</strong>ge<strong>the</strong>r with <strong>the</strong>ir wives and<br />

children, made <strong>the</strong>ir supplications also: upon which a certain prophet,<br />

Jahaziel by name, came in<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> midst <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> assembly, and cried out, and<br />

spake both <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> multitude and <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> king, that God heard <strong>the</strong>ir prayers, and<br />

promised <strong>to</strong> fight against <strong>the</strong>ir enemies. He also gave order that <strong>the</strong> king<br />

should draw his forces out <strong>the</strong> next day, for that he should find <strong>the</strong>m between<br />

Jerusalem and <strong>the</strong> ascent <strong>of</strong> Engedi, at a place called The Eminence, and that<br />

he should not fight against <strong>the</strong>m, but only stand still, and see how God would<br />

fight against <strong>the</strong>m. When <strong>the</strong> prophet had said this, both <strong>the</strong> king and <strong>the</strong><br />

multitude fell upon <strong>the</strong>ir faces, and gave thanks <strong>to</strong> God, and worshipped him;<br />

and <strong>the</strong> Levites continued singing hymns <strong>to</strong> God with <strong>the</strong>ir instruments <strong>of</strong><br />

music.<br />

3. As soon as it was day, and <strong>the</strong> king was come in<strong>to</strong> that wilderness<br />

which is under <strong>the</strong> city <strong>of</strong> Tekoa, he said <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> multitude, "that <strong>the</strong>y ought <strong>to</strong><br />

give credit <strong>to</strong> what <strong>the</strong> prophet had said, and not <strong>to</strong> set <strong>the</strong>mselves in array<br />

for fighting; but <strong>to</strong> set <strong>the</strong> priests with <strong>the</strong>ir trumpets, and <strong>the</strong> Levites with<br />

2

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