A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 01: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present TimeKerr, Robert
History
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 01: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present Time
Kerr, Robert
Voyages and travels
Hearing of this insurrection, the king of Persia sent for David, who went
to him without fear, and even avowed himself to be king of the Jews, on
which he was thrown into prison in the city of Dabrestan, near the great
river Gozan. After this the king held a great council of his princes and
ministers, to consult how to put an end to this insurrection of the Jews,
and David made his appearance there, unseen of any but the king. The king
asked, "Who hath delivered thee from prison and brought thee here?" To whom
David answered, "Mine own wisdom, for I fear not thee or any of thy
servants." Then the king commanded his servants to seize him; but they said
the voice was heard by all, but they saw not David. Then David cried out
with a loud voice, "Lo! I go my way." And he walked out, and the king
followed him, and all his servants followed the king, but they saw no one.
Coming to the bank of the river, David spread his handkerchief on the
waters, and he passed over dry, and then he was seen of all who were
present; and they endeavoured to pursue him in boats, but all in vain; and
every one marvelled, and said that no enchanter could be compared to this
man.
David during that day travelled a ten days journey, and, coming to Omaria,
related all that had befallen him; and when the people were amazed, he
attributed all that had befallen him to his knowledge of the ineffable name
of Jehovah[13]. The king sent messengers to inform the caliph of Bagdat of
what had happened, requesting that he would get David restrained from his
seditious practices, by order from the head of the captivity, and the chief
rulers of the assembly of the Jews; otherwise threatening total destruction
to all the Jews in his dominions. All the synagogues in Persia, being in
great fear, wrote to the head of the captivity, and the assembly of elders
at Bagdat, to the same purpose; and they wrote to David, commanding him to
desist from his enterprize, under pain of being excommunicated and cut off
from among the people of Israel. But all was in vain, for David persisted
in his wicked course; till at length Zinaldin, a king of the Togarmim, or
Turks, in subjection to the king of Persia, persuaded the father-in-law of
David, by a bribe of ten thousand pieces of gold, to kill him privately,
and he thrust David through with a sword in his bed, while asleep. Yet was
not the anger of the king of Persia pacified towards the Jews of the
mountains, until the head of the captivity went and appeased him with mild
and wise speeches, and by the gift of an hundred talents of gold; since
which time there has been peace and quiet in the land.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account