ciliated the esteem of his subjects, and received such demonstrations of public affection, that he was soon in a capacity to return to Jerusalem. He, accordingly, requested the elders of Judah to escort him to his metropolis, and sent to assure Amasa that if he would come over to his party, he should be appointed general of the army instead of Joab, who was dismissed. But these arrangements were productive of much mischief; for the partiality expressed towards Judah excited such jealousy in the other tribes, that they again threw off their allegiance, and Joab was inflamed with a spirit of revenge which was only pacified by the blood of his new rival. Sheba, the rebellious Benjamite who had assembled the discontented Hebrews by sound of trumpet, and bade open defiance to the king and his adherents, was pursued by Abishai with such speed, that he was compelled to take refuge behind the walls of Beth-Maachah. Joab, having assassinated his competitor at the stone of Gibeon, hastened to this place, and, without the sovereign's orders, began the siege in form: but a woman having appeared on the battlements, with an assurance that Sheba's head should be thrown over the wall, on condition of his forbearing to commit hostilities, he marched back to Jerusalem, and gained such popularity, that David deemed it expedient to reinstate him in his former employment. B. C. About two years after this event, Judea was 1021. smitten with a dreadful famine, which raged with unabated fury for three years. At length, however, it was discovered that God had inflicted this heavy calamity for the murder of the Gibeonites, whom Saul and his cruel relatives had unjustly caused to be slain. Hereupon the king sent to know what satisfaction the Gibeonites demanded for that injury,, and,, in compli ance with their request, caused seven males of Saul's family to be put to death; by which means the famine was stayed. After this transaction,, the Philistines were defeated with great loss in four successive battles: but David had not long enjoyed the fruits of victory, before he incurred the Divine displeasure, and brought a dreadful. calamity upon the kingdom by numbering his people,. in opposition to the remonstrances of his faithful servants. The unfortunate account was no sooner taken,. than the prophet Gad was sent to the offender,, in order to propound as a punishment, either seven years famine,. three day's flight before the enemy, or three day's pestilence. The king was now forcibly struck with the impropriety of his late conduct, and bitterly regretted. the folly which had subjected him to the necessity of making so hard a choice; but as he knew that it would. be fruitless to expect a free pardon, and as he rightly considered that the calamities of war and famine would be chiefly felt by the lower orders of the community, who had had no share in the transgression, he chose the pestilence, as the most equal punishment of the three,. and as that which appeared to be more immediately under the Divine direction. No sooner had he fixed his choice, than that dreadful distemper made its appearance, and diffused its baneful effects through the country with such terrific rapidity, that seventy thou sand persons were cut off before the expiration of the third day. At length, however, while the destroying angel stood by the threshing-floor of Araunah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem began to feel the sad effects of his commission, David prostrasted himself before the Lord, and earnestly requested that he might be per mitted to expiate his crime with his own life, and that an innocent people might no longer groan under so dreadful a calamity. This humble petition was crowned with success; and the king, having erected an altar on the threshing-floor, had the satisfaction of beholding his victims consumed by miraculous fire, as a token of his Maker's acceptance and reconciliation. B. C. : David had scarcely attained the age of se1015. venty years, when he began to feel the most certain indications of approaching dissolution, and his declining health induced Adonijah, the brother of Absalom, to make splendid preparations for ascending the throne but the king, being reminded of his promise in favor of Solomon, and hearing that Adonijah had prepared a feast at Zoheleth for his partisans, who designed to invest him with the regal title, issued out orders that the son of Bathsheba should be immediately mounted on his own mule, and conducted to Gihon, in order to receive the royal unction; and to be, afterward, proclaimed his successor by sound of the trumpet. These commands were executed so suddenly, that the conspi-, rators were totally ignorant of the transaction, till they were alarmed with repeated shouts of " Long live king Solomon!" The cause of these acclamations being fully explained to them, by the son of Abiathar, they dispersed in the utmost consternation, and their ambitious. leader fled for refuge to the horns of the altar; but, on making proper submissions, he was permitted to retire, unmolested to his own house. Shortly after this transaction, David sent for his be loved son to receive his last admonitions. He reminded him, that all the promises of the Deity relative to himself and his posterity were conditional, and would be fulfilled in proportion to his and their obedience. He recommended some faithful adherents to his particular favor and protection; exhorted him to punish Joab for the murder of Absalom, Abner, and Amasa; and reminded him that though Shimei's insolence had been hitherto pardoned in consequence of an oath, yet that obligation would be now cancelled. Having made these observations, and conjured his successor to adhere strictly to the statutes of his God, the royal Israelite expired in the seventy-fifth year of his age, and in the fortieth of his reign. He left an immense treasure in his palace, besides that which was set apart for the temple; and his remains were interred, with due solemnity, in the city of Jerusalem. Notwithstanding the disgrace which he had incurred by his late attempt upon the crown, Adonijah made use of Bathsheba's intercession to obtain the hand of a Shunamitish virgin, who had been the cherisher of David's old age, but Solomon was highly incensed at the request, and caused his brother to be immediately put to death. Joab was also dragged from the altar to execution, and succeeded in his post of general by Benaiah; Abiathar, who had been engaged in the late conspiracy, was degraded from the sacerdotal office, and confined to his own territories at Anathoth; and Shimei was told that he must either confine himself within the walls of Jerusalem, or incur the penalty of death. The old man thanked the king for his unexpected clemency; but venturing, some years after, to pursue two run-away servants, his disobedience received the threatened punishment. Solomon, having acquitted himself of his father's injunctions, deemed it advisable to form an alliance with the Egyptians, and accordingly married the princess of that people, who received, by way of dowry, the city of Gezer, which had been taken from the Canaanites, He then removed to Gibeon, where the ark was stationed, and gave such proofs of his devotion to the God of his fathers, that he was indulged in a dream, with a vision of the Deity, and with an assurance that he should receive the accomplishment of any single wish. Ac cordingly he prayed for such a degree of wisdom as might enable him to sway the sceptre with prudence and sagacity. A petition so acceptable to the Almighty, that he was immediately endowed with greater wisdom than had ever enlightened a human mind, and was gratified with the promise of every sublunary blessing, which he had judiciously overlooked. It was not long before Solomon gave a public and convincing proof of his extraordinary discernment; for two women, having approached his tribunal with a dead and a living child, and each having asserted with equal ardor that the living infant was her own, he ordered the object of their dispute to be cut asunder, and equally divided between the claimants. The real mother was so deeply affected with this sentence, that she immediately renounced her pretensions, on condition the child's life might be spared; and by that means demonstrated the justness of her own cause, and the baseness of her antagonist. Nor was it only in the administration of justice that the new monarch acquired universal esteem; but his wisdom and magnificence shone conspicuous in the choice of his counsellors, the institution of his laws, the |