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After this deed of treachery, Joab pursued Sheba, who taking refuge in a walled town, a woman of the city persuaded the people to save themselves by giving him up. His head was cut off, and thrown over the wall to Joab, who immediately withdrew his troops, and returned to Jerusalem.

A famine of three years afflicted the land, after the rebellion of Absalom. It was sent as a punishment for the cruel massacre of the Gibeonites, and is memorable as showing the strength and touching self-sacrifice of a mother's love. The Gibeonites having demanded and put to death seven of Saul's descendants, amongst whom were two sons of Rizpah, the bodies were left exposed to the birds and beasts of prey, according to the savage custom of that age. The wretched mother hastened to the spot; "And Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of the harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven,"-that is, until the drought ceased. And she "suffered neither the birds of the air to rest upon them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night." Her devoted love was rewarded: it was told David what Rizpah had done; and he sent for the bodies of Saul and Jonathan, and these seven sons, and buried them with honor in the sephulchre of Kish. This touching story of domestic sorrow and parental love, affords a grateful relief amidst

the fierce passions and darker shades of character, which the page of history records.*

We now come to the last important transaction in David's life. When the land was again in peace, and prosperity at home and victory abroad seemed to invite the king and his people to the tranquil enjoyment of the blessings God had bestowed upon them, David ordered a general numbering of the people; with the view, apparently, of making those fit to bear arms serve in his armies; thus fostering a warlike spirit in the nation, which was opposed to the law of Moses, and contrary to the Divine command. The country of Canaan, apportioned to them by promises made to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, was to be the inheritance of the chosen people of Jehovah: but they were to dwell in it in peace, under the vine and under the fig tree; and wars of aggression and ambition were forbidden in the strongest terms. The utmost limits of this kingdom were attained; and whether David ordered this census with the design of making farther conquests, or from a spirit of vain glory, is not stated by the sacred historian but either the act, or the motive of the act, must have been clearly unlawful, and eminently dangerous, when even Joab endeavoured to dissuade David from it. He strongly remon

* For an explanation of the circumstances of this famine, and the death of Saul's sons, see note in Jahn's History of the Hebrew Commonwealth, at the close of the life of David,

strated against making the census, but undertook it, though with evident reluctance.

After the numbering of the people, the heart of David smote him for the sin he had committed.

"For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee."

"So Gad came to David and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me."

"And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great, and let me not fall into the hand of man."

Thus David chose the pestilence, which desolated the country during three days: but when he confessed his sin, and with a feeling natural to real repentance, prayed that the chastisement might fall upon him alone, and his people be spared, the prophet was again sent to him, and commanded him to rear an altar in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, which was situated near Jerusalem, and then the dreadful pestilence should be stayed.

"And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up, as the LORD commanded."

"And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on towards him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.”

"And Araunah said, wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, to buy the threshing floor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people."

"And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood."

"All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee."

"And the king said unto Araunah, Nay, but I will surely buy it of thee for a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver."

"And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.”

This account closes the 2nd Book of Samuel.

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THE closing scene of David's long and eventful life, presents a mournful picture of outward worldly splendour, and domestic troubles and dissension. The sword had not departed from his family; and the private happiness he had wantonly invaded, had fled from his own house. The afflictions of age had now fallen heavily upon him, and the days were come when "he had no pleasure in them :" the warmth of life scarcely animated his exhausted frame, and, apart in his chamber, he heeded not either the pleasures or the cares of royalty. While thus slowly sinking into the grave, his throne, which was so soon to be vacant, was openly contended for. Adonijah, his son, the next in seniority to Absalom, and who, like him, had been a favorite with his father, conferred with Joab and with Abiathar the priest, to assert his claim to the crown of Israel, in opposition to Solomon, whom David had appointed to succeed him. The king's death being daily expected, Adonijah made a feast, to which he invited all his party, and the great men of the court; excepting Nathan the prophet, and David's mighty men, who remained

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