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reconcilement to his people be blemished with blood? He knew himself a king, not of one party, but of his whole people; and therefore wifely refolved, that his fatherly affection should extend to them all. He knew himself a fovereign, and he knew, that mercy and forgiveness were the nobleft privileges of fovereignty. And when he had fignified this, he turned to Shimei, pronounced his pardon, and confirined it with an oath, that he should not die.

WITH Shimei, went Ziba alfo, the flanderer of Mephibofbeth, with his fifteen fons, and twenty fervants, to meet, and to do obeifance to the king, and conduct him over the river: to which purpose the people of Judah prepared a boat, which first carried over the king's houfhold, and then returned to carry over the king: and with him, his aged and faithful friend Barzillai, the Gileadite; who had fo generously, and fo amply, provided for his fuftenance, while he lay at Mahanaim. The king, unwilling to be outdone in generofity, would fain have prevailed upon him to go with him to Jerufalem, and allow him to take care of him ahere, for the reft of his life; that he might

have continual opportunities of expreffing his gratitude, and repaying what he owed him but Barzillai, in a spirit of true wifdom, and becoming moderation, declined this generous offer. The pleasures of a court had no charms for him, in that advanced age he was then fourfcore years old; his fenfes and appetites were long fince palled, and both mufic and banquets had lost all their relish. He therefore begged the king to give him leave to wait upon him over the river, and then return to his own city; there to die in peace, and be laid in the grave of his father and his mother. But if his majefty pleafed, he might take his fon Chimham with him, and deal with him as he thought proper. The king readily confented. to take the young man with him, promised to provide for him, and affured Barzillai, he would do every thing else he defired. And when the old man had conducted David as far as he propofed, the king took his laft leave of him; kiffed and bleffed him, and fuffered him to return to his own home; but took Chimham with him to Jerusalem; whither he was conducted by his own forces, and, the chiefs of the tribe of Judah; and

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was now restored to his capital, with as much pomp, magnificence, and general joy, as he had lately been driven from it, with grief, dejection, and distress.

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CHAP. XIV.

A Contest arifes between the Tribes about reftoring the King: A Rebellion enfues: Amafa is commanded by DAVID to quell it, but murdered by Joab: Sheba the Leader of the Rebellion takes Refuge in Abel Maacah, where he is befieged by Joab. A wife Matron intercedes for the City.

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HE joy of David's restoration was not however without its alloy it feems, the people of Judah had taken their refolution of reftoring the king, without taking advice, or concerting any measures, with the other tribes, upon that head; and accordingly having fixed upon Gilgal, on

this fide Jordan, for the place of their meeting, they affembled themselves there, on the day appointed; paffed the river, and waited in a body upon the king; and conducted him back over the river, as far as Gilgal, in conjunction with half the people of Ifrael; probably made up of those If raelites who first joined him at Mahanaim, and those who were afterwards deputed by the tribes to invite him home.

Ar Gilgal they were met by the other half of the Ifraelites, who also intended to have croffed the river, and paid their duty to the king; but finding that the tribe of Judah were beforehand with them, they refented the flight put upon them; and being joined and fupported in their refentments, by the rest of their brethren, who had re-conducted the king, in conjunction with Judah, they all, with one voice, warmly expoftulated with the king upon it; demanded why their brethren, the men of Judah, had ftolen him away, and brought the king and his houfhold over Jordan, without advice firft had with them? To which the men of Judah answered, That as the king was of their tribe, their brethren of

Ifrael had no reason to refent their warmer zeal in his favour; that, for the rest, they had acted from no felfish or mercenary views, that they had received no gratuity from him, nor fo much as eaten of his meat. The Ifraelites replied, that they had ten parts in the king, and confequently more right to be confulted, upon a point of fo much confequence.

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THIS was a natural conteft, between greater power, and nearer relation; both claim a preference, which both cannot have; and which thofe of nearer relation fhould have yielded, both in point of prudence, and affection for their friend, which the men of Judah did not. In all difputes it is natural for the party injured, to be more angry; and therefore they who are in the wrong often affume that character, by fupplying from paffion, whatever is wanting to them, in point of reafon and argument, as the tribe of Judah did now; for the text informs us, that the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Ifrael. This naturally inflamed the contention, and it foon grew fo hot, that Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite, took the advantage of

it,

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