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I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day; behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. 22 And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! and let one of the young men come over and fètch it.

SAUL CONSULTS THE WITCH.

1 SAM. XXVIII.-3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the lànd.

6 And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dréams, nor by Urím, nor by pròphets.

7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spìrit, that I may go to her, and inquire of hèr. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at 'En-dor. 8 And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee. 9 And the woman said unto him, Behold thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that hath familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die? 10 And Saul sware to her by the Lord, saying, As the Lord liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing. 11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Sàmuel. 12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceìved me? for thou art Saul. 13 And the king said unto her, be not afraid for what sàwest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. 14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a màntle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bòwed himself.

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15 And Samuel said to Saul, (8) Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thèe, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? 17 And the Lord hath done to him as he spake by me for the Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David: 18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amàlek, therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day. 19 Moreover, the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines and tomorrow shalt thōu and thỷ sōn bè with me: the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines. 20 Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him: for he had eaten no bread all the day nor all the nìght.

SAUL'S DE AT H.

1 Sam. xxxi.—1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel and the men of Israel flèd from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilbòa. 2 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul, and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, Saul's sons. 3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. 4 Then said Saul unto his armour-bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith, lest the uncìrcumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armour-bearer would not; for he was sore afraid therefore Saul took a sword and fell upon it. 5 And when his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him. 6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armour-bearer, and all his men, that same day together.

ABSALOM'S DEATH.

2 SAM. XVIII.-6 So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of 'Ephraim, 7 Where the people of Israel were slàin before the servants of David: and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand mèn. 8 For the battle was then scattered over the face of all the country and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

9 And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away. 10 And a

certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak. 11 And Joab said unto the man that told him, And behold, thou sáwest him :* and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground, and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a gìrdle? 12 And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absàlom. 13 Other

wise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life, for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me. 14 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 oàk. 15 And ten young men that bare Joab's armour compassed about, and smote Absalom, and slèw him.

19 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. 20 And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear 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. 21 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi

* "Indeed! did you see him!"-spoken in anger.

bowed himself unto Joab, and ran. 22 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run àfter Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou rùn, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready? 23 But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Rùn. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi. 24 And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alòne. 25 And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is tìdings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near. 26 And the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called unto the pòrter, and said, Behold, another man runneth alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings. 27 And the watchman said, Methinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahìmaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings. 28 And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be the Lord thy Gòd, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king. 29 And the king said, (-) Is the young man 'Absalom sáfe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was. 30 And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand hére. And he turned aside, and stood still. 31 And behold, Cùshi came; and Cushi said, Tìdings, my lord the king: for the Lord hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee. 32 And the king said unto Cushi, (—) Is the young man Absálom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and allthat rise against thee to do thee hurt, bē ās that young män ìs.

33 And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept and as he went, thus he said, () my son Absalom! my són, my son `Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O 'Absalom, my són, my sòn.

SOLOMON'S PRAYER, AT THE TEMPLE.

1 KINGS VIII.-22 And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven: 23 And he said, Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart: 24 Who hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him: thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day. 25 Therefore now, Lord God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before me as thou hast walked before me. 26 And now, Ŏ God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father. 27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, the heaven, and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have buìlded? 28 Yet have thou rèspect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my Gòd, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee to-day 29 That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there; that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place. 30 And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray towards this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place; and when thou héarest, forgive. 31 If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house: 32 Then hear thou in heaven, and dò, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness. 33 When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thée, and shall turn again to thée, and confess thy náme, and pray, and make supplication un

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