to rise in behalf of the son, using the utmost stretch of language to express the ease and greatness of the victory. Ahithophel, with some remnant of shame, had not advised the son to go forth to battle with the father; Hushai pretends to think that much would turn on Absalom's going forth in person; and the young man, puffed up by flattery, decided to follow the counsel of the flatterer. So it was that while David was laying himself down in peace to take his rest, trusting himself entirely unto his God, the Lord was so overruling the hearts and schemes of the wicked men, his enemies, that they chose the plan which left him in safety on that perilous night at Bahurim, and which led to their own ruin. Ahithophel, indeed, when he saw that his advice was not taken, perceived that Absalom's cause could not thrive, and could not brook to await the return of the kingly friend he had betrayed and wronged, but went to his own house, arranged his affairs, and put an end to his own life. He is the only suicide except Saul mentioned in the Old Testament, and his fate, as well as his treachery, resembled that of Judas Iscariot. Indeed, as has already been said, the Psalms in which David bewails Ahithophel's treason were guided to become prophecies of that of Judas, as, indeed, our Lord Himself showed when he quoted "He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me" (John xiii. 18). St. Peter likewise quoted the 109th Psalm, which also denounces the rebels, as his authority for the appointment of a successor to the traitor: "Let his days be few, and another take his office."

These Psalms, the 55th and 109th, as well as some others, denounce most awful curses upon the wicked, the rebels and traitors; but we must view them not as expressions of personal hatred and ill-will on the part of the holy David against any particular persons, but as the prophecies and denunciations against those who commit sin, put into his mouth by God Himself, the Judge of all.

LESSON CXIII.

DAVID AT MAHANAIM.

B.C. 1023.-2 SAM. xvii. 15-xviii. 5.

Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled.

Now therefore send quickly, and tell 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.

Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by En-rogel,* for they might not be seen to come into the city: and a wencht went and told them; and they went and told king David.

Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom: but they went both of them away quickly, and came to a man's house in Bahurim, which had a well in his court; whither they went down.

And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known.

And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They be gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David; and said unto David, Arise, and pass quickly over the water: for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you.

Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan.

Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.

And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab which Amasa was a man's son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, and his mother was Abigail, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mother.

So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.

And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,

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 fuller's well.

+ Maid-servant.

Kettles.

the people that were with him, to eat for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.

And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.

And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king

said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.

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.

And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.

And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning

Absalom.

COMMENT.-Hushai could communicate with the priests without suspicion, and, as before arranged, their two sons were to be sent to carry information of the advice Ahithophel had given, and to advise David to place the Jordan between himself and his enemies. They had not returned into Jerusalem with their fathers, but were hidden by a well outside the walls, which is still shown. Thither a maid-servant of the high priest's was sent to tell them the message they were to carry to David, and they burried off by night—it must have been the second night of the flight—and carried the warning to Bahurim. All rose up in the night, and so perfect was the order kept by David and Abishai, that by morning light all his followers were safe across the Jordan, and not a straggler had been left behind. However, a boy in Bahurim had seen the two young priests; Absalom was told, and sent out to seize them, and they were only saved by hiding in a well sunk in the court-yard, while the woman of the house said "they were gone over the water," by which the pursuers understood they were gone over the river Jordan with David. It was one of those subterfuges—the truth in words, though not in intention—which are doubtful weapons, and should never be used except, as in this case, to save life. Another adherent of Absalom, who is here mentioned, was his cousin Amasa, who had joined David at Ziklag, but was apparently jealous of the favour of

the sons of Zeruiah, and was set by Absalom in the place he coveted, the post of Joab.

David's refuge was Mahanaim, the same where Ishbosheth had fled from him nearly thirty years before, and where Jacob had seen his vision of the hosts of angels. It would seem as though the angels still hovered over David there. Not only was he succoured by a more friendly-tempered son of Nahash of Ammon, by the same Machir who had aided Ishbosheth, and by the princely old chieftain Barzillai, who brought him ample supplies of all he could need, while all the faithful flocked to the lion of the tribe of Judah, but a whole flood of inspired prophecy was poured on him. It was as if his perfect submission to his punishment were rewarded by special graces from the Holy Spirit-special revelations of the future; so that he felt that his own sorrows were shadows and forebodings of those sorrows that should save himself and all of us from our sins. More of his Psalms bear the date of this period than any other of his life, and those especially which minutely describe in detail the suffering of our Lord. Above all, we may mention the 22nd Psalm, which seems to have been suggested to him by the sight of a deer, driven to bay by the hunters and dogs on one side, and by the fierce bulls of the Bashan pastures on the other, panting, exhausted, unpitied, torn in all its limbs. He saw first his hunted, persecuted self, and broke out into lamentation and prayer, describing himself in the likeness of the deer, but gradually rising in hope and perception, so that each word became prophetic, and the opening cry, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" became the very sigh of the Saviour upon the cross.

How long he was at Mahanaim does not appear, but it was long enough to bring together men enough to be numbered by thousands, according to David's discipline, before Absalom came over the river in search of him. The king reviewed the army and appointed the officers, but yielded to their entreaties that he would not himself venture into the battle; only, as he stood in the gate of Mahanaim, watching the ranks pass by, he entreated one captain after another to save the life of his undutiful son. "For my sake deal gently with the young man, even with Absalom."

LESSON CXIV.

THE DEATH OF ABSALOM.

P.C. 1023.-2 SAM. xviii. 6—23.

So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;

Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.

For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

And Absalom met 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 caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.

And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.

And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle.

*

And the man said unto Joab, 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.

Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he 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.

And ten young men that bare Joab's armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.

And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.

And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.

Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king's dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name : and it is called unto this day, Absalom's place.

Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies.

* Made thee a captain.