And

returned, and his heart longed for him. when Joab perceived that the king's heart was towards Absalom, he asked him to let him bring him back; and David commanded him to go and bring him back. Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. would not see him; he said, "Let him own house; let him not see my face." So Absalom returned to his own house, and dwelt two years at Jerusalem, but saw not the face of David his father.

But David

go to his

But at the end of the two years, Absalom sent for Joab and said, "Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it had been good for me to have been there still. Now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me." So Joab came to the king and told him. Then David sent for Absalom his son; and Absalom came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground, and the king kissed him.

2 Samuel xiii. xiv.

To be deprived of a thing, is to have it taken from us.

Chapter CXXVI.

THE REBELLION OF ABSALOM.

about

1020.

ABSALOM, king David's son, was very beautiful; B.C. from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. And in all Israel there was no one so much praised as Absalom for beauty.

But Absalom had a bad heart: he had shown himself to be treacherous and cruel as a brother, and vanity and pride led him on to greater sins. The men of Israel loved him for his beauty and pleasant words; and after his father had forgiven him, his heart was lifted up, and he began to wish to secure the kingdom for himself. So he prepared chariots and horses for himself and his household, and a company of fifty men who went before him when he journeyed, and he lived in royal state like David his father. And every day he rose up early, and went forth and stood by the gate of the city. And when the people came to the king his father for justice and judgment, he

spoke kindly to them, and asked them of their business. And then he would say, "Thy matters are good and right; but there is no man appointed by the king to hear thee. O that I were made judge in the land, that every man that hath any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice." And when any man came to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand and took him, and kissed him. Thus Absalom won the hearts of the men of Israel.

And after a time, when Absalom thought that the men of Israel would be willing to follow him, he determined to rebel against his father David, and make himself king. So he went to king David to get his leave to go to Hebron; and he said, that he had vowed a vow while he was at Geshur in Syria, that if the Lord would bring him again to Jerusalem, he would serve the Lord in Hebron. And the king gave him leave to go.

Then Absalom sent men throughout all the tribes of Israel to persuade the people to follow him; and he charged them that when they should hear the sound of the trumpet they should say,

"Absalom reigneth in Hebron." And he himself went forth to Hebron; and there followed him from Jerusalem two hundred men, who went with him, not knowing that he purposed to rebel against his father. And people came from all the tribes of Israel to Absalom, and their number increased continually.

And there came a messenger to David and told him, that Absalom his son had risen up against him, and that he had won the hearts of the men of Israel, and that a great multitude followed him.

Then David said to all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise, and let us flee, for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword." And the king's servants said, "Behold thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint." Then the king went forth from Jerusalem, and all his servants with him.

David had never before this time fled from

danger. In his early years he had gone forth fearlessly without companion or follower, or armour or sword, to meet the giant Goliath; and since that time, again and again, he had led the armies of Israel against the bravest of their enemies. And now he had with him many brave and valiant men, men known throughout all Israel for strength and courage; and his city, Jerusalem, was strongly built, and might have been defended against a host of men. Yet he fled forth from it, from Absalom his rebellious son, who was but a youth and unskilled in war.

It was not the fear of men, but the remembrance of his sins, that made David flee from Absalom. The Lord had declared to him by Nathan his prophet that the sword should never depart from his house, because he had slain Uriah with the sword, and had taken Uriah's wife to be his wife. And David saw in the rebellion of his son, God's just judgment on his sin. Therefore he bowed himself before the Lord, and submitted himself meekly to His will. He wished that there might be no bloodshed among his people for his sake,