captains had risked their lives to procure it,-What are we taught by this? What do we learn from Joab's speech to Abishai before the battle? What are we taught by the defeats the Syrians sustained? REBELLION AND SORROW. "Oh, who would bear life's stormy doom, Come brightly wafting through the gloom, "The sorrow, touch'd by Thee, grows bright As darkness shews us worlds of light MOORE. Marianne. We have found out, grandfather, who fought against David in the most distressing of all his wars; it was his son Absalom. We read something about it, but we did not understand very well how the war began, and what made the people all take Absalom's part. Grandfather. The people did not all take Absalom's part. Marianne. But a great many of them did-surely almost all-when David was obliged to go away out of Jerusalem and wander in the wilderness. George. Let grandfather begin at the beginning, and tell us all about it, that is best. Grandfather. Absalom was the third son of David, but his two elder brothers being dead, he had the right of the first born, and naturally looked upon himself as heir to the throne. Presuming upon this, he exhibited a magnificence before unknown among the Israelites. He got horses and chariots, and fifty footmen to run before him, to warn the people that so great a man was approaching. He may have acquired this foolish love of display while he was living with his mother's father, the king of Geshur, where he had been for three years. Absurd as the display he made might be, it seemed to please the people; and he gained them still more by his extremely winning manner. He kissed and embraced all and sundry, and when any people came to present petitions to the king, he persuaded them that if he only were made judge they would get everything they wished. The people were deceived into fancying him one of the best of men; but his kindness was all outward show-it concealed a proud ambitious heart. George. It was strange for a proud man to behave as he did. Grandfather. It is no uncommon thing for a man who aims at power for himself to put on an appearance of condescension and humility. When Absalom thought himself secure of the people's affections, he proceeded to throw off the mask; and he went about that too in a very artful manner. He persuaded the king his father that he required to go to Hebron to perform a vow which he had made some years before. P David, of course, gave him permission to go. He next persuaded two hundred respectable citizens to accompany him,-men who certainly would not have gone had they had any idea what his real design in this journey was. They believed, as he told them, that it was undertaken for a religious purpose; but the religion of Absalom was only a cloak to cover his rebellious project. Marianne. Did nobody except himself know what he meant to do? Grandfather. Yes, he had spies stationed through all the tribes of Israel, to whom he gave orders that as soon as they heard the sound of the trumpet, they were to say, "Absalom reigneth in Hebron." Wherever that proclamation was made it increased the number of his adherents, and the party of the rebellious son became so strong that a messenger who brought the tidings to David, expressed it in these words," The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom." Immediately the king resolved to abandon his capital, and his servants declared that they were ready to do whatever pleased him. George. It looked very cowardly to run away; why did David do it? Grandfather. We are not told what his reasons were, but he may have had many, and weighty ones too. Before this he had sinned greatly ;-the Lord was displeased, and sent a prophet to warn him that evil would rise up against him out of his own house. In the conspiracy of Absalom the unhappy king would see the fulfilment of the prophecy; and he would think he must submit to the punishment which his sin had deserved. Then Absalom's party was such a numerous one, that the greater number of the inhabitants of Jerusalem might have been among them ; and had David been sure of their fidelity, his love for that city might make him unwilling to have it exposed to a siege. Whatever his reasons were for leaving, there can be no doubt that he left with a sorrowful heart. Among those who accompanied him were six hundred men from Gath, a city of the Philistines. They had left their own country, had entered David's service, and had embraced the Jewish religion. The king of Israel was unwilling that these people should suffer with him. They were foreigners, bound to him by no tie but their own choice. So he told their leader, Ittai, that he ought to remain in the city and serve the new king. The reply of Ittai the Gittite was a very noble one,-" As the Lord liveth, and as my Lord the king liveth, surely in what place my Lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be." The example of this Philistine teaches us to consider only if the course we pursue be right, and being satisfied of that, to regard not the dangers and difficulties which may surround its followers. priests next came with the ark, but at David's request they carried it back into the city. The priests he knew were faithful to him, but he did not think Absalom The |