have a thousand shekels of silver, I would not kill the king's son, because the king commanded us all not to harm Absalom. Then Joab said, I cannot stay here to talk with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and went to the place where Absalom was, and thrust the darts into his body, while he was yet alive, hanging in the branches of the oak: afterward ten young men who were servants to Joab came and slew him.

Then Joab blew a trumpet for the people to come back from following after Absalom's army; because now that Absalom himself was dead, there was no need that any more of his men should be slain. And they took Absalom and threw his dead body into a pit that was in the wood, and piled a great heap of stones over him. And all the men who had been with him fled, every one to his own home.

After the battle was over, one of the priest's sons, whose name was Ahimaaz, came to Joab, and said, Let me run now into the city, and tell the king how the Lord has punished his enemies. But Joab forbade him, and told another man, named Cushi, to go. Then Ahimaaz said, I pray thee let me also run. Joab asked him, Why dost thou want to go? But he answered again, Let me run. And Joab said to him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by another way, and came near to the city before Cushi. wanted to break the news gently to David.

He

And David sat at the gate of the city waiting till he should hear news from the battle. His watchman had gone up to the top of the wall to see if any one were coming, and he saw a man running toward the city alone. And he cried out and told the king: the king answered, If he is alone he brings word from the army. While this man was coming near, the watchman saw another running, and he called, and said, Another man is running toward the city alone. The king said, He also bringeth news. And the watchman said, I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz, the priest's son. The king answered, He is a good man, and is bringing good

news to us.

Then Ahimaaz came to the king and spoke to him, saying, All is well. And he bowed down with his face to the earth

before the king, and said, Blessed be the Lord who has given us the victory over the men who rose up to fight against the king. And the king asked him, Is the young man Absalom safe? Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent me, I saw a great tumult in the army, as if something had happened, but I knew not what it was. The king said, Step to one side, and stand there.

Then Cushi, the other messenger, came and spoke to the king, saying, I have news, my lord the king; for the Lord has this day punished all those who rebelled against thee. And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? Cushi answered, May all the king's enemies, and all those who wish to do him evil, be as that young man is. Then David knew that Absalom was dead. And he was in great distress, and went up into the chamber that was over the gate of the city, and wept; and as he went he cried, O my son Absalom! my son, my son Absalom! Would that God had let me die instead of thee, O Absalom, my son, my son !

And it was told Joab how the king mourned for Absalom. The people also heard of it, and they were afraid to come before David while he grieved so much for his son whom they had slain. Therefore they stole into the city by another way, that he might not see them, like persons who were ashamed and fleeing from the battle, instead of those who had just gained the victory. But the king kept on mourning; he covered his face, and cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!

And Joab was angry, and he came into the house to the king and said, Thou hast made ashamed, this day, all thy servants who have fought for thee, and saved thy life, and the lives of thy wives and of thy children, because thou lovest thine enemies more than thou lovest them. For I see plainly that if Absalom had been saved alive, and all of us had been slain in the battle, it would have pleased thee well. Now, therefore, rise up and come and speak kindly to thy servants, for I tell thee, if thou dost not come out to them, they will all go away and leave thee alone, so there will not be a man left with thee this night; and

that will be worse for thee, than all the evil that has happened to thee from thy youth until now. Then the king arose and went out and sat in the gate of the city. And when the people knew of it they all came to him there.

After this the people who were in Jerusalem sent word to the king, saying, Come back to us, thou and all who are with thee. So David left the city of Mahanaim, and started to go back to Jerusalem.

And Shimei, who had cursed David, and thrown stones at him when he was fleeing from Absalom, heard how he had gained the victory, and was going back to Jerusalem. Therefore Shimei was afraid for what he had done, and now he came out to meet the king. When he saw him he fell down before him, and said, Let not the king blame me, nor remember what I did wickedly, for I know that I have sinned. Then Abishai, David's nephew, who before had wanted to cut off his head, asked David, saying, Shall not Shimei be put to death because he cursed the king? But David answered, that none of his enemies should be put to death that day, since on that day he was once more made king over all the people of Israel. And the king said to Shimei, Thou shalt not die.

And as David went toward Jerusalem, Barzillai, who had brought him wheat and barley and flour, also came out to meet him. And David remembered Barzillai's kindness, and he said to him, Come thou with me to Jerusalem, and thou shalt live in my house, and I will take care of thee. But Barzillai answered, that he was a very old man, and had not long to live, and that he would not enjoy being in the king's house, or seeing the beautiful things that were there; he would rather go back to his own city, that he might die where his home was, and be buried by the grave of his father and his mother. Yet, Barzillai said, that his son might go with David, if David would have him. David answered, He shall go with me, and I will do for him whatever will please thee. And the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and let him return to his own home. So David came back to Jerusalem, and was king as he had been before, and all the people obeyed him.

But after these things, the children of Israel sinned against the Lord, and David also displeased him. For he commanded Joab to go out among the people, and number all the men who could be soldiers and fight in war. We are not told why God was displeased with David for doing this, but we suppose it was because David felt proud of his great army, and trusted in it to keep his kingdom safe,, instead of trusting only in the Lord. When he commanded Joab to number the men of Israel, Joab knew it would offend God, therefore he did not wish to do it, but David again commanded him. So he went out to obey the king. It took him, and those who were with him, nine months and twenty days to number the people. Then they came back to Jerusalem, and told David that in the tribe of Judah there were five hundred thousand brave men, who could fight with the sword, and in the other tribes there were eight hundred thousand.

But after they had told him, David felt that he had sinned, and he said to the Lord, I have sinned greatly in what I have done; and now, I pray thee, O Lord, forgive my sin. But God chose to punish David and the people, that they might remember how they had disobeyed Him, and fear to do so again. Therefore, when David rose up in the morning, the Lord sent the prophet Gad to ask him which of these punishments he would choose: Would he have seven years of famine in the land? Or would he have his enemies come, and, for three months, fight against him and gain the victory over him? Or would he have three days of pestilence among the people? When the prophet asked him this, David answered, I am in great trouble to know what I shall say. Let us now fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are great; and let me not fall into the hand of man. David meant that he would rather the Lord should punish him Himself, than that He should send his enemies to do it. David therefore chose the three days of pestilence.

So the Lord sent an angel that brought a great pestilence among the children of Israel, and there died of them, in three days, seventy thousand men. Now Jerusalem was built upon three small mountains, or hills; one of them was called mount