the top of the house, and the abominable act committed in the sight of all Israel; and thus was fulfilled, in a remarkable manner, the judgment of God in the matter of Uriah, as pronounced by Nathan, the prophet.* Ahithophel having demanded of Absalom 12,000 men, in order to pursue David whilst he and his men were weary and weak handed, the prince consulted Hushai, who gave opposite advice; recommending him first to strengthen himself in the throne, and collect an army sufficient to overpower all resistance, alleging that David and his companions were men of valour, and, if made desperate, were not likely to yield to an inferior force. Absalom yielded to the advice of Hushai, whose only object was delay, that he might have time to apprize David of the prince's proceedings. He immediately, therefore, despatched Jonathan and Ahimaaz, who were concealed at Enrogel, to David, saying, lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him.† When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, and probably forming a right conclusion as to the probable result, he saddled his ass, and returned to his house and city, and, putting his household in order, deliberately hanged himself. The departure of Jonathan and Ahimaaz having been reported to Absalom, he sent messengers to apprehend them; but being concealed in a well by a woman of Baburim, they evaded their pursuers, and arrived safely where David sojourned, who immediately arose, and all the people that were with him, and passed over Jordan, and came to Mahanaim.‡ 2 Sam. xii. 11, 12. On David's return he committed these women to close confinement, to the day of their deaths, and had no further communication with them. 2 Sam. xx. 3. +2 Sam. xvii. 16. 2 Sam. xvii. 24 Whilst waiting in this place, Shobi, an Ammonite, Machir, the son of Ammiel, of Lodebar, and Barzillai, the Gileadite, brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse, and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat for they said, the people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.* Absalom having made Amasa, the son of Ithra, an Israelite, captain of his host, pitched with all Israel in the land of Gilead. And David having numbered the people that were with him, and set officers over hundreds and thousands, placed a third of his force under the command of Joab, another third under that of Abishai, and the remaining third under that of Ittai, the Gittite, proposing to command the whole in person; but the people answered, thou shalt not go forth for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore, now, it is better that thou succour us out of the city.† The king having yielded to their affectionate remonstrance, performed his last duty of reviewing the troops as they passed through the gate; and confident in the fidelity and bravery of his army, and in the skill of his officers, he was, probably, much less anxious about the success of the battle, than the safety of his guilty, but still dearly beloved child; for the last orders of this tender-hearted parent, to his commanders, were "Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom."‡ The battle took place in the wood of Ephraim, and, as David most likely foresaw, terminated in the defeat of Absa 2 Sam. xvii. 27-29. + 2 Sam. xviii. 3. 1 lom, with the loss of 20,000 men. In his flight Absalom was caught by the hair of his head, by the boughs of an oak, and his mule galloping from under him, he was left suspended in the air. Information being brought to Joab, he reproved the messenger for not killing him; but he replied, though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, beware that none touch the young man Absalom. Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me.* Joab then took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. Absalom, in his life, had erected a pillar in the king's dale, having no son to keep his name in remembrance; and it is called unto this day Absalom's place.† When the news came to David that Absalom was slain, he was much moved, and went up to his chamber to weep, exclaiming, O my son Absalom, my son, my son, Absalom; would to God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son! Upon Joab's return, he remonstrated with the monarch for exhibiting such excessive grief, and pointed out to him, in no very respectful terms, how probable it was that the troops would take offence at his thus slighting them after so important a service; declaring, "I swear by the Lord, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befel thee from thy youth until now. Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the : people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent."* Whilst the men of Israel were hesitating whether they should send to David, and invite him to return and resume the throne, the monarch sent privately to the elders of Judah, his own tribe, saying, why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house. Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king? And say ye to Amasa, art not thou of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually, in the room of Joab. And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man: so that they sent this word unto the king, return thou, and all thy servants. So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.† Shimei, the Benjamite, who had so grievously insulted the king during his flight, was amongst the first to hail his return, and appease his wrath by submission, and by the artifice of being the first of the house of Joseph who came to meet him. When Abishai would have put him to death for having cursed the anointed of Jehovah, David sharply rebuked him, declaring that no man should be put to death that day in Israel.‡ If treason and rebellion were not productive of so much misery and bloodshed, it might be well that they should. occur now and then, in order that kings might be able to discover who were their real friends. Shimei had shewed himself a traitor; but Barzillai and many others had had the opportunity of exhibiting their unshaken attachment. So also the true character of Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, was brought to light by the late rebellion; although his unprincipled treachery appears to have met with a very different result than it merited. For during David's flight, Ziba had joined himself to the king, with a couple of asses saddled, 200 loaves, 100 bunches of raisins, 100 of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine, alleging that his master, Mephibosheth, had staid behind in Jerusalem, with the expectation that the house of Israel would that day restore him the kingdom of his father. David gave credence to this calumny too readily, and gave to Ziba all that had pertained unto Mephibosheth. Now, however, this grateful and affectionate prince, who, through real grief of heart, had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day of David's departure, until he came again in peace; was amongst the first to hail his return, and when David reproachfully asked him, wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth? replied, my lord, O king, my servant deceived me for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king: because thy servant is lame. And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes. For all of my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king : yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right, therefore, have I yet to cry any more unto the king? And the king said unto him, why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, thou and Ziba divide the land. And Mephibosheth said unto the king, yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house.† Barzillai having accompanied David over Jordan, on his triumphant return, the monarch was anxious to shew his * 2 2am. xvi. 1—4. † 2 Sam. xix. 24-30. |