people together, and encamp against the city, and take it: lest I take 115 the city, and it be called after my name. And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it. And he took their king's crown from off his head, the weight whereof was a talent of gold with the precious stones and it was set on David's head. And he brought forth 120 the spoil of the city in great abundance. And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and 4 made them pass through the brickkiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned 125 unto Jerusalem.

LESSON LV

BATH-SHEBA

2 SAMUEL 11.2. to 12.25

5

11.2. And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And it came to pass that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and 10 die. And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were. And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab and there fell some of the people of the servants of David ; and Uriah the Hittite died also. Then Joab sent and told 15 David all the things concerning the war; and charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king, and if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so 4 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. Some read "made them labour at the brick-mould."

JUNIOR

P

20 nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall? Who smote Abimelech the son of 1 Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite 25 is dead also. So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for. And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate. And the shooters shot from off the wall 30 upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and 35 overthrow it and encourage thou him. And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased 40 Jehovah.

And he came

12.1. And Jehovah sent Nathan unto David. unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: but the poor man had nothing, save one 45 little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own 50 flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As Jehovah liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely 55 die: and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the 1 Jerubbesheth is another form for Jerubbaal.

hand of Saul; and I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel 60 and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of Jehovah, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast 65 slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I 70 will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing And David said unto And Nathan said unto 75

before all Israel, and before the sun.

Nathan, I have sinned against Jehovah.

David, Jehovah also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of Jehovah to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. And Nathan departed unto his house.

80

12.15. And Jehovah struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would 85 not, neither did he eat bread with them. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex 90 himself, if we tell him that the child is dead? But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his 95 apparel, and came into the house of Jehovah, and worshipped : then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. Then said his servants

unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst 100 fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the

Ichild was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether Jehovah will not be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I 105 fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife and she bare a son, and he called his name 2 Solomon: and Jehovah loved him. And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of 110 Jehovah.

3

LESSON LVI

ABSALOM

2 SAMUEL 13.23 to 15.6

13.23. And it came to pass that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons. And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his 5 servants go with thy servant. And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all now go, lest we be chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him howbeit he would not go, but blessed him. Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with 10 thee? But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. And 1Absalom made a feast like the king's feast. Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill 15 him, fear not have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant. And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled. And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to 2 i.e. "Peaceful." 3 i.e. "Beloved of Jah." 1 This sentence is found in the LXX only.

David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there 20 is not one of them left. Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent. And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king's sons; for 25 Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he dishonoured his sister Tamar. Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead for Amnon only is dead. But Absalom fled. And 30 the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side 2 from the west. And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king's sons come: as thy servant said, so it is. And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end 35 of speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very sore.

13.37. But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son 40 every day. So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years. And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.

14.1. Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's 45 heart was toward Absalom. And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead: and come to the king, 50 and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth. And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king. And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and 55 mine husband is dead. And thy handmaid had two sons, and

2 Literally "behind him." The Hebrews named the points of the compass as they appear when one faces east. So in Genesis 16.2, "before the face" of his brethren means "to the east" of them.