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with him and that if he refuged himself, for more fecurity, in any one of the cities of Ifrael, they would have numbers enough to pull it down, ftone by ftone, about his ears. The expreffion in the original is very remarkable: Then fhall all Ifrael bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river. The meaning of which threat I apprehend to be this: That they would come before that city with those cranes, or hooks, which the antients were wont to throw upon the battlements of walls; and with which, by the help of ropes fastened to them, they were wont to pull them down piece-meal into the rivers or trenches (filled with water) which encompaffed them. As Achitophel proposed all imaginable advantage to the evil

where he fhall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him, and of all the men that are with him, there fhall not be left fo much as one. The dew in Palestine (as in feveral other climates) falls fast and sudden; and is therefore no unapt emblem of an active expeditious foldiery: and it was perhaps for this reason, that the Romans called their light-armed forces rorarii. The dew falls upon every spot of the earth; not a blade of grafs efcapes it. A numerous army resembles it in this respect; it is able to search every-where.

+ See Rollin's History, Vol. xii. Plate the 25th explained.

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cause he was engaged in, from expedition, upon that principle mentioned by Tacitus, That nothing determines civil discords so happily as dispatch; Hufbai, on the contrary, wholly laid himself out to protract, and to delay. For delay would not only ward off David's prefent danger; but would also, as the fame Tacitus obferves, give ill' men time to repent, and the good to unite. And it is certain, that in all contests of this kind, that remark of Livy will always hold good, That when men have time to think, there will never be wanting who will be glad to gain the favour of the right fide, by adhereing to the public good. These were the principles of Hufhai's advice; and his advice, as much better fuited to Abfalom's cruelty, as well as his vanity, and seemingly to the intereft of his ambition, as well as the fafety of his followers, (who cared to put nothing to the hazard of a small party) easily prevailed: for so it seemed good to Almighty God, to infatuate the counfels of David's enemies, and defeat their devices.

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Hufhai fends David Intelligence of all that paffed in Abfalom's Council, earnestly intreating him to pass over Jordan that very Night; which was done accordingly. Achitophel's fudden and fad End. Mr. Bayle's important Decifion upon Hufhai's Deception of Abfalom confidered, with all the Deference due to it.

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BSALOM's council had no fooner

broken up, than Hubai hafted to Zadok and Abiathar, to inform them of what paffed; and to advise them to fend David immediate intelligence of it; adding this particular caution and advice from himfelf, to the king, That he fhould by no means think of refting all night in the wilderness; but make all poffible dispatch to pass the Jordan with his houfhold, and all his forces: Left the king, fays he, be fwallowed up, and all the people that are with bim.

Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz, who were to carry the intelligence, had not yet returned into the city; but found fome pretence for tarrying without the walls, at a place called En-rogel, or The Fuller's Foun tain; and, probably, upon fome pretence of washing and cleanfing themselves from fome legal pollution. And their fathers had no way of communicating Hufhai's advice to them, but by the means of a girl, whom, doubtlefs, they knew to be intelligent and faithful; and fuch a person, being a safe mesfenger, muft, in all probability, have been a very proper one, because least liable to be fufpected; for what could be lefs fo, than a girl going to a well, where fuch persons have calls at all times? However, notwithstanding all their caution, they were observed by a lad, (who informed Abfalom) and immediately purfued. Jonathan and Ahimaaz made the best of their way, with all poffible dispatch, towards David: but, finding themselves hotly purfued, they fled to a friend's house in Bahurim; who having a well in his court-yard, which probably was then dry, or, at least, not very deep, they went down into it; where a woman, cover

ing the well, and fpreading fome ground corn over it, as it were to be funned and dried, effectually concealed them. Abfalom's meffengers were clofe at their heels; and inquiring of the woman where Jonathan and Ahimaaz were, (which fufficiently implies, that they had seen them turn into the house), she told them, as Jofephus and the Vulgate understand the text, That they just drank a little water, and hafted forward. Upon which they continued their purfuit; but not being able to find them, after all the fearch and inquiry they could make, they returned to Jerufalem. And as foon as they were returned, Jonathan and Ahimaaz came up their concealment, and made the best of their way to David; whom they informed of all that had passed in Abfalom's council, and added Husbai's earnest advice and intreaty, that he would immediately pass over the river, and place himself and his people in fafety, from furprize, in cafe things should take another turn, and Achitophel's counsel prevail over Hubai's. David inftantly obeyed the friendly monition given him, with fuch diligence and dispatch, that before the next morning, he and all his people

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