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THIS fight proved to be on the same day whereon David was come back
to Ziklag, after he had overcome the Amalekites. Now when he had been already
two days at Ziklag, there came to him the man who slew Saul, which was
the third day after the fight. He had escaped out of the battle which the
Israelites had with the Philistines, and had his clothes rent, and ashes
upon his head. And when he made his obeisance to David, he inquired of
him whence he came. He replied, from the battle of the Israelites; and
he informed him that the end of it was unfortunate, many ten thousands
of the Israelites having been cut off, and Saul, together with his sons,
slain. He also said that he could well give him this information, because
he was present at the victory gained over the Hebrews, and was with the
king when he fled. Nor did he deny that he had himself slain the king,
when he was ready to be taken by the enemy, and he himself exhorted him
to do it, because, when he was fallen on his sword, his great wounds had
made him so weak that he was not able to kill himself. He also produced
demonstrations that the king was slain, which were the golden bracelets
that had been on the king's arms, and his crown, which he had taken away
from Saul's dead body, and had brought them to him. So David having no
longer any room to call in question the truth of what he said, but seeing
most evident marks that Saul was dead, he rent his garments, and continued
all that day with his companions in weeping and lamentation. This grief
was augmented by the consideration of Jonathan; the son of Saul, who had
been his most faithful friend, and the occasion of his own deliverance.
He also demonstrated himself to have such great virtue, and such great
kindness for Saul, as not only to take his death to heart, though he had
been frequently in danger of losing his life by his means, but to punish
him that slew him; for when David had said to him that he was become his
own accuser, as the very man who had slain the king, and when he had understood
that he was the son of an Amalekite, he commanded him to be slain. He also
committed to writing some lamentations and funeral commendations of Saul
and Jonathan, which have continued to my own age.
Flavius Josephus. The Works of Flavius Josephus. Translated by. William Whiston, A.M. Auburn and Buffalo. John E. Beardsley. 1895.
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