which he was now anxious to avert by cowardly submission. Abishai, zealous and implacable, implored the king to permit him to slay his shameless slanderer. But David was determined to regain his city without acts of violence. So he proclaimed general forgiveness, and swore that Shimei should not die. As he moved onward, he was met by the poor and faithful Mephibosheth, who had been mourning most sincerely the exile of his master. He came with all the outward signs of grief; he had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes since David had fled from Jerusalem. He told the story of Ziba's treachery who had so grossly calumniated him, and had taken from him the ass upon which he would have followed his monarch. Then David, who was perhaps slow to believe so much deceit, said to him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I say, thou and Ziba divide the land.' And Mephibosheth answered, 'Yea, let him take it all, since my lord the king is come again in peace to his own house.'

6

The aged and generous Barzillai, a man of wealth and influence in Gilead, who had welcomed and assisted David at Mahanaim, now accompanied him over the Jordan. David, in grateful appreciation of his services, begged the old chief to go with him to Jerusalem, and to share his royal table. But Barzillai answered wisely, 'How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? I am this day eighty years old, and can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men or singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden to my lord the king?' So when they passed the Jordan, David blessed Barzillai, who returned on his way, while Chimham, one of his kinsmen, went with the king to Jerusalem. On the road, a quarrel arose between the men of Israel and the men of Judah.

The former, who had been the first to pronounce for David's return, were angry that the men of Judah had presumed to claim the privilege of bringing back the exiled monarch. But the men of Judah warmly contended that the king was their nearer kinsman; besides, they added, 'have we eaten at all of the king's cost, or has he given us any gift?' This dispute, insignificant as it might appear, grew step by step into a violent feud, and led, not long afterwards, to the most important consequences.

Sheba, a Benjamite, a man of a turbulent and ambitious nature, was the first to take advantage of the estrangement, and stirred up a revolt. He sounded the trumpetcall and exclaimed, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse; every man to his tents, O Israel!' So the fickle Israelites followed Sheba, while the men of Judah clung to David. To Amasa, Joab's successor in the chief command, the king gave his instructions for the coming campaign. But Amasa did not assemble the army within the appointed time; and David, suspecting treachery and impatient of delay, sent for Abishai, and bade him at once commence the pursuit, to prevent Sheba from escaping into one of the walled cities. Abishai and Joab set forth immediately at the head of their host. When they arrived at a certain large stone near Gibeon, they came in sight of Amasa. had girded his cloak tightly round him so as to leave him free for the hasty march, and a sheathed sword hung at his side. As he ran to meet Amasa, he allowed the sword to drop from its sheath. He advanced treacherously to welcome his rival, and taking him by his beard as if to kiss him, he asked, Art thou in health, my brother?' At the same moment he buried his sword in Amasa's side, so that it passed through his body, and he fell upon the ground and died. After this foul deed, Joab and Abishai proceeded swiftly on their pursuit, leaving the

Joab

corpse of Amasa lying across the highway. As the warriors passed by at intervals, and saw their murdered chieftain, they halted in dismay, until at last one of Joab's followers carried the body into a field, and covered it with a cloth. Then all the soldiers pursued their way without hindrance. At last Joab discovered that Sheba had taken refuge in a northern town in the east of the Jordan, at Abel of Beth-Maachah, situated at the foot of Mount Hermon. He surrounded the town, threw up a bank, commenced making the trenches, and prepared to batter down the walls. But a wise woman saved the town. She appeared at the gates, and called to Joab. She entreated him to spare the innocent city and its inhabitants, and not to swallow up the inheritance of the Lord,' but to be satisfied with the death of the traitor Sheba, whom she promised to deliver into his hand. Then she went to the people, and persuaded them to follow her counsel. The head of Sheba was cast over the walls to Joab. Thus the war was ended, and the soldiers dispersed to their homes.

97. FAMINE AND EXPIATION.

[2 SAM. XXI.]

But the days of trial and darkness were not over for David. A fearful famine, recurring for three successive years, prostrated the kingdom. But it brought with it a much more terrible misfortune than destitution and starvation. David's troubled mind attributed the scourge to some iniquitous deed that had remained unatoned. His oracles told him that it was sent as a punishment for the slaughter of the Gibeonites by Saul, which had been a violation of the assurances of peace given to them by Joshua. He asked of the Gibeonites what atonement they desired. They replied, 'Let seven men of Saul's

sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to the Lord.' Alas! David had not the strength of mind or the courage to refuse this barbarous request. He laid himself open to the suspicion of eagerly seizing an opportunity for ridding himself of the dangerous members of a rival dynasty. For, sparing the feeble and crippled Mephibosheth, he chose seven of Saul's most prominent kinsmen, the two sons of Rizpah, Saul's daughter, and the five sons whom Michal had born to Adriel, the son of Barzillai. All these he delivered into the hands of the Gibeonites; and they hanged them in the hill before the Lord.' An act of tender love relieves the account of these deeds of horror and superstition. Rizpah, the bereaved mother, came to the spot where her children and relatives had been murdered, and where they were left to hang from their gibbets: spreading sackcloth upon the ground, she remained there from the beginning of the harvest until the rains commenced; and all this time she anxiously warded off the birds by day and the beasts by night from preying on the bodies of the slain. At last the story of this devoted woman came to the ears of the king: he was touched with pity, may be with remorse; for he ordered the bones to be gathered up, and to be buried in the sepulchre of Kish, the ancestor of the victims. To them were added the bones of Saul and Jonathan, which had been in Jabesh in Gilead from the time of the Philistine victory on Mount Gilboa. Then David prayed again to the Lord for mercy, and the famine ceased.

98. DAVID'S LAST DEEDS AND DEATH. [2 SAM. XXI.-XXIV.; 1 KINGS I. II.; 1 CHRON. XXI. sqq.] But war recommenced with the Philistines, the old enemies of the Hebrews. David himself went out to battle, but the arm of the great hero had become feeble.

Engaged in single combat with a mighty giant, Ishbi of Nob, he nearly succumbed, when he was saved by Abishai, who hastened to his rescue, and smote the Philistine. Then all his followers thronged to him, and implored him not to go forth again to battle; for if he fell, the light of Israel would be extinguished. Several other encounters against the Philistines were brought to a successful termination by his heroes and generals.

Then the voice of the aged David was heard in a noble Psalm of thanksgiving, in which the varied fortunes of his life and his experience, his thoughts and emotions, and his eminent poetical power were faithfully mirrored. In spite of constant trouble and bitter sorrow, in spite of household feuds, of famine, and of war, the king exclaimed with fervour: The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer. The God of my rock, in Him will I trust; He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation. . . . He sent from above; He took me; He drew me out of many waters; He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me; for they were too strong for me. They surrounded me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. He brought me forth into safety; He delivered me, because He delighted in me. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands has He recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. . . . For Thou art my lamp, O Lord, and the Lord will lighten my darkness. For by Thee I have run through troops; by my God have I leaped over walls. As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried; He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him. For who is God save the Lord? and who is a rock save our God? God is my strength and power; and He makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like hinds' feet, and sets me upon my high places.