hilistines pitched their camp at a city which lay not
far off the bounds of the country of the Hebrews. They had a man who was
six cubits tall, and had on each of his feet and hands one more toe and
finger than men naturally have. Now the person who was sent against them
by David out of his army was Jonathan, the son of Shimea, who fought
this man in a single combat, and slew him; and as he was the person
who gave the turn to the battle, he gained the greatest reputation for
courage therein. This man also vaunted himself to be of the sons of the
giants. But after this fight the Philistines made war no more against
the Israelites.

3. And now David being freed from wars and dangers, and enjoying for the
future a profound peace, [22] composed songs and hymns to God of several
sorts of metre; some of those which he made were trimeters, and some
were pentameters. He also made instruments of music, and taught the
Levites to sing hymns to God, both on that called the sabbath day, and
on other festivals. Now the construction of the instruments was thus:
The viol was an instrument of ten strings, it was played upon with a
bow; the psaltery had twelve musical notes, and was played upon by the
fingers; the cymbals were broad and large instruments, and were made
of brass. And so much shall suffice to be spoken by us about these
instruments, that the readers may not be wholly unacquainted with their
nature.

4. Now all the men that were about David were men of courage. Those
that were most illustrious and famous of them for their actions were
thirty-eight; of five of whom I will only relate the performances, for
these will suffice to make manifest the virtues of the others also;
for these were powerful enough to subdue countries, and conquer
great nations. First, therefore, was Jessai, the son of Achimaas, who
frequently leaped upon the troops of the enemy, and did not leave off
fighting till he overthrew nine hundred of them. After him was Eleazar,
the son of Dodo, who was with the king at Arasam. This man, when once
the Israelites were under a consternation at the multitude of the
Philistines, and were running away, stood alone, and fell upon the
enemy, and slew many of them, till his sword clung to his hand by the
blood he had shed, and till the Israelites, seeing the Philistines
retire by his means, came down from the mountains and pursued them, and
at that time won a surprising and a famous victory, while Eleazar slew
the me