"Leaving Jerusalem by St. Stephen"s Gate and walking down the valley of Jehoshaphat, by the dry bed of the Kidron, you meet at length the deep rugged valley of Hinnom, skirting the city in a semi-circular form on the southern and western sides. At the junction of these two valleys stands a low, vaulted stone building--this is the well of En-Rogel."
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{447}
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 bore Joab"s armor came up 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 the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones: and all Israel fled everyone to his tent.
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."
And Joab said to him, "Thou shalt not be the bearer of tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king"s son is dead."
Then said Joab to the Cus.h.i.te, "Go tell the king what thou hast seen."
And the Cus.h.i.te bowed himself unto Joab, and ran. Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, "But come what may, let me, I pray thee, also run after the Cus.h.i.te."
And Joab said, "Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou wilt have no reward for the tidings?"
"But come what may," said he, "I will run."
And he said unto him, "Run."
Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cus.h.i.te.
Now David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate unto the wall, and {448} lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone. And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, "If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth."
And he came apace, and drew near. And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, "Behold, another man running alone."
And the king said, "He also bringeth tidings."
And the watchman said, "I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok."
And the king said, "He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings."
And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, "All is well."
And he bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, "Blessed be the Lord thy G.o.d, who hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king."
And the king said, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?"
And Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab sent the king"s servant, even me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was."
And the king said, "Turn aside, and stand here."
And he turned aside, and stood still. And, behold, the Cus.h.i.te came; and the Cus.h.i.te said, "Tidings for my lord the king: for the Lord hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee."
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ANCIENT TOMBS NEAR JERUSALEM.
From a photograph belonging to Dr. W. J. Moulton and used by his kind permission.
Many of the kings of Judah were buried in these rock tombs. "Every family who could afford it had their tomb hewn out of the rock, with niches for the reception of many bodies."
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{451}
And the king said unto the Cus.h.i.te, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?"
And the Cus.h.i.te answered, "The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise up against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is."
And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would G.o.d I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!"
THE Pa.s.sING OF DAVID.
"_I Go the Way of All the Earth_."
Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, "I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and show thyself a man; and keep the charge of the Lord thy G.o.d, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, according to that which is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: that the Lord may establish his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, "If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee a man on the throne of Israel.""
And David died, and his son Solomon reigned in his stead.
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SOLOMON
_The Story of the Wisest and Greatest King Israel Ever Had_.
(After some opposition on the part of the other sons of David, Solomon was established on the throne.)
THE DREAM OF SOLOMON.
_He Makes a Wise Choice_.
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar. In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and G.o.d said, "Ask what I shall give thee."
And Solomon said, "Thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great kindness, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. And now, O Lord my G.o.d, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child; I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for mult.i.tude. Give thy servant therefore an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this thy great people?"
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A CEDAR OF LEBANON
From a photograph belonging to the Public Library of Springfield, Ma.s.s., and used by special permission.
This is the largest of the "Cedars of Lebanon" now standing. It measures forty feet in circ.u.mference near the roots. These great trees grow in abundance upon the Lebanon range, and cedar wood was very much used in Bible times. Solomon"s temple had beams of cedar, David"s palace was built of it, and one of Solomon"s palaces was called the house of the forest of Lebanon.
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