dead dog," he exclaimed, "curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head."

But David rebuked this impetuosity; adding that as it was the will of God, in the course of his providence, to let these curses be uttered, it was his duty to submit to the indignity. "Behold," said he, "my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? Let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him. It may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction, and that the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day."

This forbearance of David had no effect upon the brutal violence of Shimei, unless indeed it served to aggravate it. For as the king and his men advanced in their course, Shimei kept up with them on the side of a neighboring hill, cursing as he went, and throwing stones and dust at David. The conduct of the latter on this occasion shows not only what command he had over his own temper, and what perfect control over his exasperated attendants, but how much penitence he must have felt in view of his past transgressions, and how much submission to God, in thus receiving what he regarded as a chastisement for them, with a most meek and forgiving spirit towards the offending individual. Let not his example be lost upon us. Or rather, let us pray for grace that we may follow the example of one who was both David's son and Lord, "who, when he

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was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to Him that judgeth righteously."

David and his followers, who were beginning to be exhausted with the alarm and fatigue which they had undergone, now stopped and partook of such refreshments as they had taken with them, or could procure from the neighboring country. David is supposed at this time to have composed Psalm 7.

In the meanwhile Absalom and his party, which had now become very numerous, together with his chief counsellor Ahithophel, felt themselves secure in Jerusalem. Hushai, David's friend, was there also, ready to avail himself of the earliest opportunity to profess his allegiance to the usurper, while in reality, as will be recollected, his purpose was to do all in his power to serve the cause of David. It was not long before he was introduced into the presence of Absalom, whom he accosted with the loyal salutation, twice repeated to give it the more seeming earnestness, "God save the king, God save the king."

Absalom expressed great surprise, as if he could hardly believe such an extraordinary protestation. "Is this thy kindness to thy friend?" he exclaimed; "why wentest thou not with thy friend?"

Hushai was prepared with a reply: "Nay; but whom the Lord, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will

I abide. And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence." It was an ambiguous answer, intended to deceive him to whom it was addressed, and not to be justified on the inflexible principles of truth and integrity. But it had its desired effect. It satisfied Absalom, who now reckoned Hushai among his adherents, and admitted him into his .counsels.

At this time, or very soon after, Absalom called upon Ahithophel and his other counsellors who were assembled for the purpose, to advise him what course to take. Ahithophel proposed bold, and what appeared to him to be decisive measures. In doing this, he showed how utterly destitute he was, not only of all moral principle, but even of common decency. He wished Absalom to do that which would cause him to be abhorred of his father, and so completely cut off every hope of reconciliation between them, that all now in the rebellion might remain true to the cause, as their own safety must then, as they would see, depend on their success.

He advised Absalom therefore to treat all the inferior wives of David, who were left to take care of the palace, as if they were his own, without any restraints of fear or shame. The atrocious crime was perpetrated in the most public manner. For the counsel of Ahithophel, we are told, was in those days "as if a man had inquired

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at the oracle of God;" and this counsel, wicked and abominable as it was, had not only the influence of him who gave it, but the base and detestable passions of him who received it, to give it weight.

Thus was there a literal fulfilment of the prophecy of Nathan when he came to reprove David for his sin in the case of Uriah and his wife, and when he declared that the Lord would raise up evil against David out of his own house. "Thou didst it secretly but I will do this thing," said the Lord, "before all Israel, and before the sun." How heavily still did the chastisements of the divine hand fall upon this unhappy monarch, and how truly did he find that the way of transgressors is hard!

CHAPTER XXXII.

HUSHAI'S COUNSEL PREVAILS OVER THAT OF AHITHOPHEL. DAVID GOES ΤΟ MAHANAIM. ABSALOM'S FORCES ARE DEFEATED BY THOSE OF DAVID. ABSALOM IS CAUGHT IN THE BOUGHS OF AN OAK.

ANOTHER part of the counsel of Ahithophel was, that Absalom would permit him, at the head of twelve thousand brave men, selected for the purpose, to pursue after David that very night. "I will come upon him," said he, "while he is weary and weak-handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only;" adding, that in this way-for he thought it would strike them with so much dismay-the people would all be brought into submission to Absalom, and the civil contest

cease.

cess.

This prompt and decisive step, had it been taken, would probably have been attended with sucWhen proposed it was received with great favor, both by Absalom and all the elders of Israel who were with him. What a sad proof of the desperate progress in wickedness which the ambition of this depraved son had led him to make, and of the cold-blooded, fiend-like deliberation with which he was ready to enter into a plot for the murder of his own father!