had nothing, save one little Ewe Lamb which he had bought and nourished up; and it grew, 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 Flock and of his own Herd, but took the poor man's Lamb and dressed it for the way-faring man.

And David said, The Man that hath done this thing shall surely die. And Nathan said to David, Thou art the Man.

Thus saith the Lord, I anointed thee King over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul,I gave thee the House of Israel and of Judah, and if that had been too little I would have given thee more. -Wherefore hast thou despised the command of the Lord, that thou hast killed Uriah and taken to thyself his wife? I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house. And the Child that is born of thee by Bathsheba shall surely die. A mild and merciful punishment for David's great wickedness.

And the Child was very sick, and David fasted and lay all night upon the Earth. And on the seventh day the Child died. Then David arose and worshipped, and said, While the Child was yet alive I fasted and wept, for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me that the Child may live? But now he is dead wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him but he shall not return

to me.

And Bathsheba bare to David another Son, and he called his name SOLOMON, and the Lord loved him.

CHAPTER 64.

ABSALOM.

AND Ammon, David's Son, was a wicked man, and Absalom his Brother, caused Ammon to be put to death, and Absalom fled. But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty. And Absalom was two years without seeing the King's face, and then was restored to the King's presence.— But Absalom was not firm to God and to his duty, he gave way to an evil passion for pomp and power, and rebelled against his King and Father.

And Absalom stood in the Kings Gate, and when any Man came to the King for judgment, Absalom said, Thy cause is just, but there is no Man deputed of the King to hear thee. Oh that I were made Judge in the Land, that any Man might come unto me and I would do him justice!

So Absalom stole the hearts of the Men of Israel, and Absalom asked leave of the King to go to Hebron to pay a vow to the Lord; and the king said, Go in peace. But Absalom sent spies throughout Israel, saying, As soon as ye shall hear the sound of the Trumpet, then say Absalom reigneth in Hebron, and Ahithophel, one of David's Counsellors, was with Absalom, and the conspiracy was strong.

And there came a Messenger to David saying, The hearts of the Men of Israel are after Absalom. And David said to his servants, Arise let us flee lest he smite the city; and the King went forth and all his household, and ell the country wept, and they passed over the brook Kidron toward the Wilderness. And Zadok bare the Ark of God, and the King said, Carry back the Ark into the city; if I shall find favour in the

K

eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and shew me both it and his habitation. And David and all the people went up Mount Olivet, weeping as they went. And when David came to the top where he worshipped God, behold Hushai came to meet him; unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me thou wilt be a burden, but if thou return to the city and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant O King, then mayest thou defeat the counsel of Ahithophel; and whatsoever thou shalt hear tell it to Zadok, and he shall send to me by his Sons. So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

And behold Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, met David with a couple of Asses, and upon them Bread, and Raisins, and Summer Fruits, and a bottle of Wine. And the King said, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The Asses be for the King's Household, and the Bread and Fruit for the young men, and the Wine for such as be faint in the Wilderness. And the King said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said, He abideth at Jerusalem, for he said, To-day shall the House of Israel restore me the Kingdom of my Father. But Ziba told what was false to answer his own purpose.-Then said the King, Behold thine are all that pertained. unto Mephibosheth.

And when Hushai, David's friend, came unto Absalom, he said, God save the King. And Absalom said, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? And Hushai said, But whom the Lord and the people choose, his will I be. And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night; and I will come upon him when he is weary and weak, and the people will flee, and I will smite the King only. And Ab

salom sent for Hushai, and he said, The counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good; thy Father is a man of war, and they which are with him are valiant; therefore I counsel that all Israel be gathered, from Dan to Beersheba, and that thou go to battle in thine own person. And they said, The counsel of Hushai is better than the counsel of Ahithophel; for the Lord had appointed to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, to bring evil upon Absalom. And Hushai told it to Zadok, and he sent and told David, and David arose and all the people and passed over Jordan by the morning light. And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he went to his own home and put his household in order, and hanged himself. Ahithophel, with all his wisdom, had none of that firm trust in the mercy and assistance of God, which was so conspicuous in the character of David.

And Absalom made Amasa Captain of the Host. And David put Joab and Abishai over his army, and would have gone forth himself, but the people answered, Thou shalt not go.

And the King commanded Joab and Abishai, and Ittai saying, Deal gently with the young man Absalom, for my sake. And the battle was in the Wood of Ephraim where the People of Israel were slain before the Servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a Mule, and the Mule went under the thick boughs of a great Oak, and his head was caught in the Oak,—and Joab slew him.

And Cushi and Ahimaaz ran to bring the tidings to King David, and David sat between the two gates, and the watchman went up unto the wall, and said, Behold a man running alone. And behold Cushi came and said, Tidings my Lord the King; and the King said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi

answered, The enemies of my Lord be as that young man is. And the King was moved and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept, and said, O my Son Absalom, my Son,-my Son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom my Son, my Son! And Joab said to the King, I perceive if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.

And David was restored to be King in Jerusalem, and pardoned Shimei, who had cursed him when he was driven out of the City, and all who had joined in Absalom's rebellion, saying, Shall there any be put to death this day in Israel, for do not I know that I am this day King over Israel? And he put Amasa over the Host, and he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man.

CHAPTER 65.

THE FURTHER HISTORY OF DAVID.

AND there was a man of Belial whose name was Sheba, and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, every man to his tent O Israel. So every man of Israel followed Sheba, but the men of Judah clave unto their King. And Joab and Amasa led out David's army against Sheba. And when they were at the great Stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before. And Joab came to Amasa as a friend to salute him, and smote him with a sword that he died. And Joab pursued Sheba into the City of Abel, and the People of the City cut off Sheba's head and cast it out to Joab, and he departed.

And there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year, and David enquired of the Lord,