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

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upon <strong>the</strong> prophet; and when <strong>the</strong>y asked him whence he came, and what he<br />

had done? he replied, that he was a Hebrew by nation, and a prophet <strong>of</strong><br />

Almighty God; and he persuaded <strong>the</strong>m <strong>to</strong> cast him in<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> sea, if <strong>the</strong>y would<br />

escape <strong>the</strong> danger <strong>the</strong>y were in, for that he was <strong>the</strong> occasion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> s<strong>to</strong>rm<br />

which was upon <strong>the</strong>m. Now at <strong>the</strong> first <strong>the</strong>y durst not do so, as esteeming it a<br />

wicked thing <strong>to</strong> cast a man who was a stranger, and who had committed his<br />

life <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong>m, in<strong>to</strong> such manifest perdition; but at last, when <strong>the</strong>ir misfortune<br />

overbore <strong>the</strong>m, and <strong>the</strong> ship was just going <strong>to</strong> be drowned, and when <strong>the</strong>y<br />

were animated <strong>to</strong> do it by <strong>the</strong> prophet himself, and by <strong>the</strong> fear concerning<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir own safety, <strong>the</strong>y cast him in<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> sea; upon which <strong>the</strong> sea became<br />

calm. It is also reported that Jonah was swallowed down by a whale, and that<br />

when he had been <strong>the</strong>re three days, and as many nights, he was vomited out<br />

upon <strong>the</strong> Euxine Sea, and this alive, and without any hurt upon his body; and<br />

<strong>the</strong>re, on his prayer <strong>to</strong> God, he obtained pardon for his sins, and went <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

city Nineveh, where he s<strong>to</strong>od so as <strong>to</strong> be heard, and preached, that in a very<br />

little time <strong>the</strong>y should lose <strong>the</strong> dominion <strong>of</strong> Asia. And when he had published<br />

this, he returned. Now I have given this account about him as I found it<br />

written [in our books.]<br />

3. When Jeroboam <strong>the</strong> king had passed his life in great happiness, and<br />

had ruled forty years, he died, and was buried in Samaria, and his son<br />

Zachariah <strong>to</strong>ok <strong>the</strong> kingdom. After <strong>the</strong> same manner did Uzziah, <strong>the</strong> son <strong>of</strong><br />

Amaziah, begin <strong>to</strong> reign over <strong>the</strong> two tribes in Jerusalem, in <strong>the</strong> fourteenth<br />

year <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> reign <strong>of</strong> Jeroboam. He was born <strong>of</strong> Jecoliah, his mo<strong>the</strong>r, who was<br />

a citizen <strong>of</strong> Jerusalem. He was a good man, and by nature righteous and<br />

magnanimous, and very laborious in taking care <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> affairs <strong>of</strong> his<br />

kingdom. He made an expedition also against <strong>the</strong> Philistines, and overcame<br />

<strong>the</strong>m in battle, and <strong>to</strong>ok <strong>the</strong> cities <strong>of</strong> Gath and Jabneh, and brake down <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

walls; after which expedition he assaulted those Arabs that adjoined <strong>to</strong><br />

Egypt. He also built a city upon <strong>the</strong> Red Sea, and put a garrison in<strong>to</strong> it. He,<br />

after this, overthrew <strong>the</strong> Ammonites, and appointed that <strong>the</strong>y should pay<br />

tribute. He also overcame all <strong>the</strong> countries as far as <strong>the</strong> bounds <strong>of</strong> Egypt, and<br />

46

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