patriarchs and prophets-第191章

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the　conspirators；　and　his　support　made　the　cause　of　Absalom　appear　certain
of　success；　attracting　to　his　standard　many　influential　men　from　all　parts
of　the　land。　As　the　trumpet　of　revolt　was　sounded；　the　prince's　spies
throughout　the　country　spread　the　tidings　that　Absalom　was　king；　and　many　of
the　people　gathered　to　him。

Meanwhile　the　alarm　was　carried　to　Jerusalem；　to　the　king。　David　was
suddenly　aroused；　to　see　rebellion　breaking　out　close　beside　his　throne。　His
own　sonthe　son　whom　he　had　loved　and　trustedhad　been　planning　to　seize
his　crown　and　doubtless　to　take　his　life。　In　his　great　peril　David　shook　off
the　depression　that　had　so　long　rested　upon　him；　and　with　the　spirit　of　his
earlier　years　he　prepared　to　meet　this　terrible　emergency。　Absalom　was
mustering　his　forces　at　Hebron；　only　twenty　miles　away。　The　rebels　would
soon　be　at　the　gates　of　Jerusalem。

From　his　palace　David　looked　out　upon　his　capital〃beautiful　for　situation；
the　joy　of　the　whole　earth；　。　。　。　the　city　of　the　great　King。〃　Psalm　48：2。
He　shuddered　at　the　thought　of　exposing　it　to　carnage　and　devastation。
Should　he　call　to　his　help　the　subjects　still　loyal　to　his　throne；　and　make
a　stand　to　hold　his　capital？　Should　he　permit　Jerusalem　to　be　deluged　with
blood？　His　decision　was　taken。　The　horrors　of　war　should　not　fall　upon　the
chosen　city。　He　would　leave　Jerusalem；　and　then　test　the　fidelity　of　his
people；　giving　them　an　opportunity　to　rally　to　his　support。　In　this　great
crisis　it　was　his　duty　to　God　and　to　his　people　to　maintain　the　authority
with　which　Heaven　had　invested　him。　The　issue　of　the　conflict　he　would　trust
with　God。

In　humility　and　sorrow　David　passed　out　of　the　gate　of　Jerusalemdriven
from　his　throne；　from　his　palace；　from　the　ark　of　God；　by　the　insurrection
of　his　cherished　son。　The　people　followed　in　long；　sad　procession；　like　a
funeral　train。　David's　bodyguard　of　Cherethites；　Pelethites；　and　six　hundred
Gittites　from　Gath；　under　the　command　of　Ittai；　accompanied　the　king。　But
David；　with　characteristic　unselfishness；　could　not　consent　that　these
strangers　who　had　sought　his　protection　should　be　involved　in　his　calamity。
He　expressed　surprise　that　they　should　be　ready　to　make　this　sacrifice　for
him。　Then　said　the　king　to　Ittai　the　Gittite；　〃Wherefore　goest　thou　also
with　us？　return　to　thy

732

place；　and　abide　with　the　king：　for　thou　art　a　stranger；　and　also　an　exile。
Whereas　thou　camest　but　yesterday；　should　I　this　day　make　thee　go　up　and
down　with　us？　seeing　I　go　whither　I　may；　return　thou；　and　take　back　thy
brethren：　mercy　and　truth　be　with　thee。〃

Ittai　answered；　〃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。〃　These　men　had　been　converted　from　paganism
to　the　worship　of　Jehovah；　and　nobly　they　now　proved　their　fidelity　to　their
God　and　their　king。　David；　with　grateful　heart；　accepted　their　devotion　to
his　apparently　sinking　cause；　and　all　passed　over　the　brook　Kidron　on　the
way　toward　the　wilderness。

Again　the　procession　halted。　A　company　clad　in　holy　vestments　was
approaching。　〃And　lo　Zadok　also；　and　all　the　Levites　were　with　him；　bearing
the　ark　of　the　covenant　of　God。〃　The　followers　of　David　looked　upon　this　as
a　happy　omen。　The　presence　of　that　sacred　symbol　was　to　them　a　pledge　of
their　deliverance　and　ultimate　victory。　It　would　inspire　the　people　with
courage　to　rally　to　the　king。　Its　absence　from　Jerusalem　would　bring　terror
to　the　adherents　of　Absalom。

At　sight　of　the　ark　joy　and　hope　for　a　brief　moment　thrilled　the　heart　of
David。　But　soon　other　thoughts　came　to　him。　As　the　appointed　ruler　of　God's
heritage　he　was　under　solemn　responsibility。　Not　personal　interests；　but　the
glory　of　God　and　the　good　of　his　people；　were　to　be　uppermost　in　the　mind　of
Israel's　king。　God；　who　dwelt　between　the　cherubim；　had　said　of　Jerusalem；
〃This　is　My　rest〃　（Psalm　132：14）；　and　without　divine　authority　neither
priest　nor　king　had　a　right　to　remove　therefrom　the　symbol　of　His　presence。
And　David　knew　that　his　heart　and　life　must　be　in　harmony　with　the　divine
precepts；　else　the　ark　would　be　the　means　of　disaster　rather　than　of
success。　His　great　sin　was　ever　before　him。　He　recognized　in　this　conspiracy
the　just　judgment　of　God。　The　sword　that　was　not　to　depart　from　his　house
had　been　unsheathed。　He　knew　not　what　the　result　of　the　struggle　might　be。
It　was　not　for　him　to　remove　from　the　capital　of　the　nation　the　sacred
statutes　which　embodied　the　will　of　their　divine　Sovereign；　which　were　the
constitution　of　the　realm　and　the　foundation　of　its　prosperity。

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He　commanded　Zadok；　〃Carry　back　the　ark　of　God　into　the　city：　if　I　shall
find　favor　in　the　eyes　of　the　Lord；　He　will　bring　me　again；　and　show　me　both
it　and　His　habitation：　but　if　He　thus　say；　I　have　no　delight　in　thee；
behold；　here　am　I；　let　Him　do　to　me　as　seemeth　good　unto　Him。〃

David　added；　〃Art　not　thou　a　seer？〃a　man　appointed　of　God　to　instruct　the
people。　〃Return　into　the　city　in　peace；　and　your　two　sons　with　you；　Ahimaaz
thy　son；　and　Jonathan　the　son　of　Abiathar。　See；　I　will　tarry　in　the　plain　of
the　wilderness；　until　there　come　word　from　you　to　certify　me。〃　In　the　city
the　priests　might　do　him　good　service　by　learning　the　movements　and　purposes
of　the　rebels；　and　secretly　communicating　them　to　the　king　by　their　sons；
Ahimaaz　and　Jonathan。

As　the　priests　turned　back　toward　Jerusalem　a　deeper　shadow　fell　upon　the
departing　throng。　Their　king　a　fugitive；　themselves　outcasts；　forsaken　even
by　the　ark　of　Godthe　future　was　dark　with　terror　and　foreboding。　〃And
David　went　up　by　the　ascent　of　Mount　Olivet；　and　wept　as　he　went　up；　and　had
his　head　covered；　and　he　went　barefoot：　and　all　the　people　that　was　with　him
covered　every　man　his　head；　and　they　went　up；　weeping　as　they　went　up。　And
one　told　David；　saying；　Ahithophel　is　among　the　conspirators　with　Absalom。〃
Again　David　was　forced　to　recognize　in　his　calamities　the　results　of　his　own
sin。　The　defection　of　Ahithophel；　the　ablest　and　most　wily　of　political
leaders；　was　prompted　by　revenge　for　the　family　disgrace　involved　in　the
wrong　to　Bathsheba；　who　was　his　granddaughter。

〃And　David　said；　O　Lord；　I　pray　Thee；　turn　the　counsel　of　Ahithophel　into
foolishness。〃　Upon　reaching　the　top　of　the　mount；　the　king　bowed　in　prayer；
casting　upon　God　the　burden　of　his　soul　and　humbly　supplicating　divine
mercy。　His　prayer　seemed　to　be　at　once　answered。　Hushai　the　Archite；　a　wise
and　able　counselor；　who　had　proved　himself　a　faithful　friend　to　David；　now
came　to　him　with　his　robes　rent　and　with　earth　upon　his　head；　to　cast　in　his
fortunes　with　the　dethroned　and　fugitive　king。　David　saw；　as　by　a　divine
enlightenment；　that　this　man；　faithful　and　truehearted；　was　the　one　needed
to　serve　the　interests　of　the　king　in　the　councils　at　the　capital。　At
David's　request　Hushai　returned　to　Jerusalem　to　offer　his　services　to
Absalom　and　defeat　the　crafty　counsel　of　Ahithophel。

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With　this　gleam　of　light　in　the　darkness；　the　king　and　his　followers　pursued
their　way　down　the　eastern　slope　of　Olivet；　through　a　rocky　and　desolate
waste；　through　wild　ravines；　and　along　stony　and　precipitous　paths；　toward
the　Jordan。　〃And　when　King　David　came　to　Bahurim；　behold；　thence　came　out　a
man　of　the　family　of　the　house　of　Saul；　whose　name　was　Shimei；　the　son　of
Gera：　he　came　forth；　and　cursed　still　as　he　came。　And　he　cast　stones　at
David；　and　at　all　the　servants　of　King　David：　and　all　the　people　and　all　the
mighty　men　were　on　his　right　hand　and　on　his　left。　And　thus　said　Shimei　when
he　cursed；　Come　out；　come　out；　thou　bloody　man；　and　thou　man　of　Belial。　The
Lord　hath　returned　upon　thee　all　the　blood　of　the　house　of　Saul；　in　whose
stead　thou　hast　reigned；　and　the　Lord　hath　delivered　the　kingdom　into　the
hand　of　Absalom　thy　son：　and；　behold；　thou　art　taken　in　thy　mischief；
because　thou　art　a　bloody　man。〃

In　David's　prosperity　Shimei　had　not　shown　by　word　or　act　that　he　was　not　a
loyal　subject。　But　in　the　affliction　of　the　king　this　Benjamite　revealed　his
tru