Davideis :: :: University of Virginia Library

Among the rest, whom love or int'rest drew,
To meet the king, false Ziba came, who knew,
When once his master came in David's sight,
His base deceit would then be brought to light;
That therefore he might still retain the place
He had by falsehood gain'd in David's grace,
He with his fifteen sons, and twenty men,
Came with pretence to bring him home again.

But now Mephibosheth, (who being lame,
Was not so nimble) in due season came,
To clear himself from Ziba's false report,
And on the wretch his treachery retort.

When David ask'd, ‘Why went thou not with me,
‘Mephibosheth?’ ‘My lord, O king,’ said he,

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‘My faulty servant, Ziba, me deceiv'd,
‘And helpless me, he of his help bereav'd;
‘I order'd him to saddle me an ass,
‘That I thereon unto the king might pass,
‘Not able else to go; away he slipt,
‘And me of means to follow wholly stript.
‘Nor is that all; but he hath slander'd too
‘Thy servant to my lord, with words untrue,
‘But well I know, my lord, the king, is wise,
‘Do therefore what shall seem good in thine eyes;
‘I plead no merit, all I have I place
‘To the account of thine abundant grace.’

‘Enough,’ reply'd the king, ‘my word shall stand,
‘Thou and thy servant shall divide the land.’

Thus having wrong'd Mephibosheth before,
In stripping him, unheard, of all his store,
That wrong he by a somewhat less wrong salves,
And doth the wrong'd man justice but by halves.

Mephibosheth not only was most clear
From Ziba's charge, as plainly did appear,
But also had so true a mourner been
For David's trouble, that he ne'er was seen
To dress his feet, tho' lame, nor trim his beard,
Nor in clean linen ever had appear'd
To cheer his body, from the very day
In which the king distressed went away,

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Until the day he came again; which made
His case the harder, being duly weigh'd;
Yet he, good man, for joy the king was come
In peace and safety to his royal home,
Regardless what might to himself befall,
Cry'd, ‘Ay, let Ziba, if he will, take all.’

We heard before of certain men that came
To bring the king supplies at Mahanaim,
Of these Barzillai was, the Gileadite,
Who did the king support with great delight;
The sense whereof did so affect the king,
That to Jerusalem he fain would bring
The good old man, that there he might have shew'd
The highest marks of royal gratitude.

But good Barzillai did to go refuse,
And by his hoary age himself excuse;
‘I am,’ said he, ‘full fourscore years of age,
‘And therefore, with good reason, may presage,
‘My days cannot be many; I am past
‘The pleasures of a court; I cannot taste
‘My food with relish; 'twere an oversight,
‘For me in vocal musick to delight,
‘My ears too heavy to distinguish sounds,
‘And me the harbinger of death surrounds;
‘Why then should I a further burthen be
‘Unto my lord the king? O no! let me
‘Wait on thee over Jordan, and return
‘Unto my city, and my parent's urn,

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‘That there, amongst my people, I may die,
‘And in my parents' sepulchre may lie;
‘But, lo, my son, thy servant Chimham, he
‘Shall wait upon my lord, and always be
‘At thy command; him to thee I commit,
‘And thou may'st do to him what thou thinks fit.’

‘That I'll perform,’ said David, ‘and to thee
‘Will give besides what thou shalt ask of me.’
This said, the good old man he kindly kist,
And, with his royal blessing, him dismist.

Then march'd he on, attended very well
By Judah, and one half of Israel,
That half or part, be it supposed to be,
Which was not from the late rebellion free,
And therefore now would more officious seem
That they their shaken credit might redeem.

But now again a fresh contention rose
Between them, which of friends soon made them foes.

These men of Israel could not now contain
Their anger, but did to the king complain
Of Judah, that they stole from them the king,
That they alone might him o'er Jordan bring;
The ground of which they did not understand,
And therefore did their reasons now demand.

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The men of Judah briskly answer'd thus:
‘Because the king is near a-kin to us.’—
More brisk than true.—‘David indeed was so,
‘But not as king; kings are a-kin, we know,
‘To all their subjects, and alike to all
‘That faithful are to them, both great and small.’
‘Why,’ added Judah, ‘do ye then contend?
‘We did our duty without selfish end,
‘We neither eat at the king's charge, nor yet
‘Receiv'd from him a gift or benefit.’

‘But we,’ the men of Israel reply'd,
‘Have that to say which will the cause decide,
‘For we have ten parts in the king, while you
‘Cannot pretend, at most, to more than two;
‘Why then, since we the greater number are,
‘Did ye despise us, and proceed so far
‘As to bring back our sov'reign lord the king
‘Without consulting us, and thereby bring
‘Contempt upon us?’ Thus they brawl and chide,
And toss the fiery ball from side to side;
But Judah's words, in this contention, fell
More hot and fierce than those of Israel.

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CHAP. II.

HOW needful 'tis hot anger to suppress,
Wrath to repel, for wrath is all excess!
Not to give way to passion; nor too high
Resent an apprehended injury;
Much less to let the tongue, upon debate,
Break loose in words which may exasperate;
For often words, like flint and steel, strike fire,
And thereby the contention raise the higher:
So have I seen, what from a sparkle came,
Blown by hot breath into a furious flame.

Thus, in the present contest, it befell
The men of Judah, and of Israel;
The men of Israel did resent too high
A slight offence; Judah at them let fly
A thund'ring volley, in such cutting words,
As wounded deeper than the sharpest swords,
And made the Israelites almost repent
That e'er to wait upon the king they went.

This being observ'd by Sheba, Bichri's son,
A Benjamite, who thither that day run
Among the rest, not willing to let go
So fit a time his factious mind to show;

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He blew a trumpet, and each Israelite
To fresh rebellion did thus invite:

‘No part have we in David, nor possess
‘We any share now in the son of Jess’;
‘Wherefore, O Israel, to your tents betake
‘Yourselves forthwith, and Jesse's son forsake.’

So spake this man of Belial, and so did
The men of Israel, straight away they slid
From David, and with nimble paces run
After rebellious Sheba, Bichri's son;
But Judah clave entirely to their king,
And him in honour safely home did bring.

When thus return'd, the first thing by him done
Was to shut up those concubines his son
Defiled had; to whom he did allot
Fit maintenance, but thenceforth us'd them not.

That done, he did Amasa to him call,
Whom he design'd to make his general,
And bid him all the men of Judah raise,
And draw them up before him in three days,
Away Amasa went, but longer staid,
Although what haste he could, he doubtless made;
The king, uneasy at Amasa's stay,
As knowing danger rises from delay,
Abishai to him call'd, and bid him take
The forces ready; after Sheba make

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With all the speed he could, lest he should get
The fenced towns his treason to abet.

Out march'd Abishai, leading Joab's men,
The Cherethites and Pelethites; but when,
Upon the way Amasa in did fall,
He took the chief command as general.

Joab, not by the king expressly sent,
Yet loving action, with his soldiers went,
And envying Amasa, as indeed
He envy'd all who might himself succeed,
He manag'd so, that from its sheath, his sword
Dropp'd unawares, as of its own accord,
And quick as tho' he would not seem to stand,
He snatch'd it up, and bore it in his hand.

Amasa saw it, but suspected not
That Jo'b therein against him had a plot;
For taking it to be an accident,
He was, for his own safety, less intent.
Joab advanc'd, and, under feigned show
Of kindness, ask'd him, ‘Brother, how dost do?’
And kissing him, most treach'rously the while,
A deadly wound he gave him with a smile;
Out dropp'd his bowels, there Amasa lay,
Welt'ring in gore amidst the publick way.
So dy'd a great and valiant man; so fell,
By treachery, a prince in Israel.

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On Joab with Abishai went in quest
Of Sheba, leaving one to tell the rest,
That he who favour'd Joab, and who was
For David, after Joab on should pass;
Which, notwithstanding, as the men drew nigh
The place where murder'd Amasa did lie,
They made an halt, nor would a step advance,
But gazing stood, like people in a trance;
Which one observing, quickly, as behov'd,
Amasa's corps out of the way remov'd,
Into a field, and cover'd it; which done,
The warlike people after Joab run.

Sheba, meanwhile, thro' all the tribes had past,
And to the city Abel came at last,
His kindred Beerites join'd him on the way,
To share with him the fortune of the day.

Here Sheba fix'd, the place was fortify'd;
Here Jo'b besieg'd him, and his force apply'd.
Sheba within resolves, but all in vain,
The town against th'assailants to maintain;
The siege grows hot, the engines shake the wall,
The next assault is like to make it fall;
Which done, the fur'ous soldiers straight rush in
With sword in hand, and so the city win;
Unthinking, in their heat the people slay,
And, afterwards, they seize upon the prey.

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Foreseeing this, a prudent city-dame,
Straight to prevent it, on the bulwark came,
And cry'd to the besiegers, ‘Hear, O hear,
‘And speak, I pray, to Joab, to come near,
‘That we may treat a little.’—Straight he came,
Not thinking much to parley with a dame;
Rough, tho' he was, she his attention won,
An ancient custom urging, thus begun:—

‘In old time they,’ said she, ‘were wont to say,
‘At Abel surely, they will counsel pray;’
And so the matter ended.—Thus she tripp'd
This bold commander, who, thro' haste, had slipp'd
The law of heraldry , which did provide
That peace should first be offer'd, fair means try'd,
Before a siege was laid; which had he done,
He needed not this hostile course have run.

Thus having gently pinched him, because
He had not well observ'd the fecial laws,
She told him, though her citizens and she,
Both faithful were and peaceable, yet he
Sought to destroy a city, known full well
To be a mother too in Israel.
Then ask'd him, how he could the siege advance
To swallow up the Lord's inheritance.

This startled Joab. ‘Far be it from me,
‘That I unjustly should destroy!’ said he,

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‘The matter is not so; but ye protect
‘A rebel who king David doth reject,
‘The son of Bichri, Sheba is his name,
‘To you, and all true Israelites a shame;
‘Deliver him alone, and I in pity
‘To you will raise my siege, and free your city.’

‘Nay,’ said the woman, ‘sure if that be all,
‘His guilty head we'll throw thee o'er the wall.’
Then to her citizens the woman went,
And did to them so wisely represent
The case, their danger; which so close she put,
That from his shoulders Sheba's head they cut,
And it immediately to Joab threw;
Who seeing that, a peaceful trumpet blew;
They rais'd the siege, and to their tents retir'd,
And much the matron's wisdom all admir'd.

Deut. xx. 10.

CHAP. III.

THESE two rebellions quell'd, which of late
Gave such disturbance to the civil state,
The court new-modell'd was, removes were made
Of ministers, some old aside were laid,
Only fierce Joab, who was now more bold,
Than welcome to the king, his place will hold.

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A standing army David muster'd then,
Consisting of three hundred thousand men,
Which into twelve brigades divided were,
Answering to the twelve months of the year;
In each brigade were twice twelve thousand, and
A thousand officers did them command;
These took their turns, in times of peace, to be
A month on duty, and eleven free;
And as their month return'd, in ev'ry year,
Did each brigade at court, in arms, appear;
But all, in time of war, did ready stand,
On sound of trumpet, to obey command;
These to the field king David often drew,
His enemies, on all sides, to subdue.

Four fields he with the Philistines did fight,
To each of which they brought a man of might,
An Anakim, one of Goliath's race,
Whom David's warriors did not only chase,
But single-handed did them singly slay,
And, each time bore the victory away.

We read of British Arthur, and his table
Of warlike knights (which some account a fable)
But grant it true: they never might compare
With David's worthies, as their deeds declare;
Which whoso lists, may, if he please to look,
Read at his leisure in the sacred book.

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Not less concern'd was this pious king
God's honour to promote, his praise to sing,
Advance his worship, celebrate his name,
And others, with like godly zeal inflame.

The ark of God, which long before had been
The scorn and scourge of the proud Philistine,
And with Abinadab had since remain'd,
Who, for his entertaining it, had gain'd
Great blessings from the Lord; the zealous king,
With Israel and Judah, went to bring
Unto Jerusalem, but, through mistake,
Erring, the sacred law they plainly brake.

The Levites, sons of Kohath, ought to bear
The ark upon their shoulders; they to spare
Their shoulders, learning the Philistian art,
Stick not to clap the ark into a cart;
God's ark they trust to stumbling oxen, which
Might have the ark o'erthrown into a ditch;
The oxen stumbling, caus'd the ark to shake,
Well-meaning Uzzah care thereof doth take,
Puts forth his hand, and holds it lest it fall,
And instant dies, which terrifies them all.

The Lord's a sovereign prince, and won't permit
That man shall vary from his law a whit;
The law was plain and easy, all must say,
The fault upon the Levites only lay.

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Displeas'd was David, that through their defau't,
This sudden death was on poor Uzzah brought;
And since the stroke by God himself was giv'n,
Much David fear'd the Majesty of heav'n,
Lest of the matter he should disapprove,
As well as manner, e'en the ark's remove;
Not daring therefore at that time to bring
The ark unto Jerusalem, the king
Left it at Obed-Edom's, who was blest,
During the time the ark with him did rest.

But three months after, on maturer thought,
The ark into Jerusalem was brought,
In its due order, and was placed there,
In a fair tent which David did prepare;
For he, before he would attempt again,
What he before had enterpriz'd in vain,
Convening priests and Levites, did declare,
‘None but the Levites ought the ark to bear;
B'ing therefore charg'd themselves to sanctify,
That to the ark they safely might draw nigh,
And take it up; which had they done before,
They had not suffer'd what they now deplore;
Then on they go, and as they go, rejoice,
Accomp'nying instruments with sound of voice.

But none, of all the company more glad,
Appear'd to be than David, who was clad
In linen-ephod, and did leap and dance
Before the ark with joyful countenance.

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Queen Michal, in his dancing, David 'spies,
And, looking on him with disdainful eyes,
Brake forth in taunting terms; for which she was
Condemn'd her life in barrenness to pass:
Sore punishment indeed! which her did bind
From bearing him who was to save mankind.
The ark thus brought, and, with triumphant grace
And due devotion, settled in its place,
The pious king, who did before it dance,
Now studied how God's honour to advance.

The priests and Levites he dispos'd in courses,
As he before had done his martial forces,
To each his proper service he assign'd,
Which they should execute with willing mind;
Some to burnt-offerings and sacrifices,
With rites belonging to those exercises;
On instruments of musick some to play,
And praise the Lord upon each solemn day;
To prayer some; some to give thanks, some bless
The Lord, and seek his wonders to express.

Nor staid he here; his right religious mind,
To build an house for Israel's God inclin'd;
A sacred temple he design'd to build,
Which with majestick glory should be fill'd.

This godly purpose of his royal heart,
The pious king to Nathan did impart;

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The godly prophet, of the motion glad,
That he might strength to his intentions add,
Too hastily, without command, said, ‘Go,
‘And what is in thine heart to do, that do,
‘For God is with thee.’ The good man in this,
Through strong desire to have it done, did miss.

For that same night the Lord his prophet bid
Go tell his servant David (which he did)
‘That in thine heart it was, an house to raise
‘To me, wherein to celebrate my praise,
‘I take it well; but therefrom thou art freed,
‘Thy will, by me, is taken for the deed;
‘Thou shalt not build the house, for thou hast led
‘Great armies to the field, much blood hast shed;
‘But when thy head is laid, a peaceful king,
‘Who of thy seed, and from thy loins shall spring,
‘Shall build my house, which must be built in peace:
‘Who builds for God, from war and blood must cease.’

Submissive David, with an humble mind,
Intirely to the will of God resign'd,
In solemn manner did to God express
His hearty thanks, and his great Name did bless;
And still, with diligence himself apply'd,
Materials for the building to provide;
Gold, silver, precious stones, brass, iron, wood
Of divers sorts; whatever seemed good
For choicest use, he in abundance stor'd;
Won from his enemies by dint of sword;

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To which he added so much of his own,
As drew his princes, when it once was known,
Chief fathers, captains, rulers, to express,
By their free offerings, their thankfulness:
All which the king to Solomon demis'd,
With such instruction as the Lord advis'd,
Assigning to each part its proper use,
To build and ornament the sacred house.

CHAP. IV.

DURING the reign of David, there had been,
Three years successively, no ease between,
A raging famine, which did sore oppress
The Israelites, and brought them to distress.

The long duration of this pinching dearth,
Which pin'd the people, and defac'd the earth,
Made David of the Lord the cause inquire,
Which against Israel had provok'd his ire.
The answer was, ‘It was for faithless Saul,
‘And for his bloody house, this plague did fall
‘Upon the people;’ which perhaps was due,
Since by their help, the Gibeonites he slew.

How, when, or why, he did this fact commit,
Is not deliver'd in the sacred writ;

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We only read, he did it in his zeal
For Israel's and Judah's common-weal.

Some think it was when he the witches slew,
And sought t'exterminate th'infernal crew;
Though when e'en that was done, is not so clear
From holy writ, to be ascertain'd here.

The Gibeonites were not of Israel,
Altho' they with the Israelites did dwell;
They of the Amorite, a remnant were,
A people Israel's sword was not to spare;
Which they fore-knowing, by a crafty wile,
Good Joshua and the princes did beguile.

These, feigning that ambassadors they came
From a far country, did a story frame,
That they so long had on their journey been,
That their provisions, which was plainly seen,
Were grown corrupt; their bread which hot from home
They said they brought, was mouldy now become;
Old leathern bottles rent and bound they shew,
Which they affirm'd, when they set out, were new;
Their tatter'd clothes, and clouted shoes, did make
The Israelites give heed to what they spake;
And, being by this stratagem betray'd,
An unadvised league they with them made,

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To let them live; and all the princes sware.
By Israel's God, whose justice will not spare
The man or people, that in vain shall take
His sacred name, but them examples make.

Well near four hundred years this league was kept
Inviolate, till all the judges slept,
And the good prophet Samuel was gone
To rest, and wicked Saul yet fill'd the throne;
And probably it was not very long
Before his end he did this cursed wrong,
For had it early been, it may be thought,
The punishment had in his time been brought.

When now king David, on inquiry, knew
What 'twas that on the land this judgment drew,
He call'd the Gibeonites, and bid them say
What they would have him do to take away
The guilt of blood; and how he might atone
For the injustice Saul to them had done;
That satisfaction given, they might bless
The Lord's inheritance with such success,
That he appeased, might his heavy hand
Remove, and smile again upon the land;
For justice God regards; and therefore he,
How low so'er the wronged party be,
Will righted have, before he will remove
The rod wherewith he doth chastise in love.
The Gibeonites reply'd, ‘Its not our will,
‘That for our sakes, thon any man should kill

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‘In Israel; nor Saul's possessions crave;
‘The only thing which we desire to have,
‘The man who us so cruelly annoy'd,
‘And who would us entirely have destroy'd;
‘Let seven of his sons, without delay
‘Deliver'd be to us, that them we may
‘Hang up in Gibeah, unto the Lord.’
To their demand king David did accord.

Small choice he had, out of Saul's house to take
Sev'n men, atonement for Saul's sin to make;
Mephibosheth, he had a special care,
For Jonathan his father's sake, to spare;
Having regard to friendship, and the oath,
Which long before had pass'd between them both.

Of all Saul's son, but two were now alive;
Unhappy they, that they did him survive,
To undergo an ignominious death
For his offence; of these Mephibosheth
The younger was; Armoni was the other,
Both sons of Rizpah, their afflicted mother;
Five sons of Merab, to make up the tale,
He pitch'd upon. Merab might well bewail
Her double loss; of David first, and then
Of her five sons, a set of proper men;
For had she married David, which of right
She should have done, she, without question, might

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Have still enjoy'd her sons, herself have been
A joyful mother and an happy queen.
The number thus complete, the king commands
They should be given up into the hands
Of the wrong'd Gibeonites; they, in a word,
Hang'd them up man by man, before the Lord.

This needful execution being done,
When barley-harvest was but new begun,
And the dead bodies being to remain
Unburied, 'till the Lord, by sending rain,
(The want of which was the next cause of dearth)
Should his acceptance shew, and bless the earth:
Religious Rizpah, that she might defend
These uninterred bodies, did attend
During the time, as well by night as day,
That neither bird nor beast might on them prey;
For which end, on the rock where they lay dead,
She a pavilion did of sackcloth spread.

Which pious act of hers, when David heard,
After the Lord propitious had appear'd,
He took the bones of Saul, which did remain
At Jabesh. Gilead, where they long had lain,
Together with the bones of Jonathan,
His noble friend, a brave and worthy man,
And gathering up the bones of these, who now
Had hanged been, he on them did bestow
A funeral, and did them all inter
In Kish, their father's proper sepulchre.

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Which done, according to the king's command,
The Lord was pleas'd again to bless the land.

1 Sam. xxviii.

1 Sam. xx. 42.

CHAP. V.

WHEN now the Lord had his anointed blest,
As well with inward peace as outward rest,
Having subdu'd his enemies, and made
His neighbours round about him all afraid
Him to offend, so that he now could say
Unto his friends, ‘This is the happy day
‘The Lord hath made; let us with tuneful voice,
‘And thankful heart, in this his day rejoice.’

When to this peaceful state the happy king
Had thus attain'd, that he could sweetly sing
Psalms of thanksgiving, while his fingers play'd,
And on his harp melodious musick made;
The restless adversary of mankind,
Who mischief always had to man design'd,
Envying th'happiness which now befel,
Under so good a king, poor Israel,
Did with a thought his royal breast inspire,
Which quickly set both heart and head on fire;

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It kindled in him an ambitious mind
To know his strength, and strongly him inclin'd,
Unmindful of the Almighty's will, to dare,
To number all the people fit for war.

To Joab, therefore, as his general,
He gave command to go and number all
The people fit for war, in every tribe,
And in a muster-roll their names describe,
That he might thereby know (vain mind, alas!)
How strong in military force he was.

The snare which David saw not, Joab saw,
And labour'd David from it to withdraw,
But all in vain; the king was fully bent
To have his will; Joab about it went
Unwillingly; and, in some ten months' time,
Returning, shew'd the king his strength and crime.

For he no sooner the account gave in,
But David, smitten in himself, his sin
Confessing, said, ‘I sinned greatly have
‘In that which I have done; and now I crave
‘Thy pardon, Lord; and do most humbly pray,
‘That thou'lt be pleas'd to take my sin away;
‘Ah! sensible I am, that herein I
‘Have err'd, and done exceeding foolishly.’

Next morning God, in high displeasure, sent
His prophet to denounce a punishment

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To David for his sin. The prophet goes,
And thus his message doth to him disclose:

‘Thus saith the Lord, three sorts of punishment
‘I set before thee, and am fully bent
‘One of them to inflict; but leave to thee
‘The choice, which of them shall inflicted be;
‘Choose therefore one, which I to thee may do,
‘For thy offence shall not unpunish'd go.
‘Shall three years more of famine in thy land,
‘Which three years hath already suffer'd, stand?
‘Or wilt thou, for three months together, flee
‘Before thine enemies, and chased be?
‘Or shall, throughout thy land, the pestilence
‘For three days rage, to punish thine offence?’
‘Be now advis'd,’ said Gad, ‘think well what word,
‘I shall from thee return unto the Lord.’

Here the gradations sink, as it appears,
From months to days, and unto months from years;
Three months of bloody war, 'tis likely may
As many as three years of famine slay;
And three days pestilence, accounted are
To equal three months of devouring war.

Great was the strait poor David now was in;
Ah! what but straits attend presumptuous sins?
Which of the three to choose he's unprepar'd:
To choose was favour; but the choice was hard.

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Famine the land had felt too late before;
That too would first and most affect the poor,
Himself it would not reach; to whom he knew
The rod was chiefly, tho' not only, due.

Like reason was of war. In person he
Might be for three months time from danger free;
Besides, if Israel should be beat, and fly
So long and oft, it might the enemy
Embolden of their strength, or cause to boast,
And to blaspheme the Lord, the God of Hosts.

These therefore wav'd, the king resolv'd at last,
Himself into the hand of God to cast.
‘Into the hand of God,’ said he, ‘let's fall,
‘And humbly unto him for mercy call;
‘His mercy's great, I by experience know,
‘He will, upon repentance, mercy show:
‘In him I trust, to him, distress'd, I fly,
‘And on his tender mercies I rely;
‘But let me not into the hands of man
‘Be cast, for he will do the worst he can.’

The choice thus made, the pestilence is sent
Throughout the land, the angel swiftly went,
Waving his flaming sword, whereby there fell
Seventy thousand men in Israel,
In three days time; but when the angel came
To shake his blade against Jerusalem,

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The royal city, the imperial seat,
The cabinet of what was choice and great,
The mournful king, with Israel's elders, clad
In sackcloth, with their countenances sad,
Fell on their faces at the dreadful sight
Of that devouring blade, stretch'd out to smite
The people; and the trembling king thus pour'd,
His supplication forth before the Lord:

‘Ah! am not I the man that gave command
‘The people should be number'd thro' the land?
‘'Tis even I, that did this sin commit,
‘O that I only suffer might for it!
‘On me and on my house, O Lord, I pray,
‘Be pleas'd for what remains, thy hand to lay!
‘But not upon the people in this city,
‘Oh! on these harmless sheep, I pray have pity,
‘And let not them be plagu'd for my offence,
‘Accept my pray'r, regard their innocence.’

This earnest supplication heaven pierc'd,
And the remainder of the doom revers'd;
The Lord repenting, to the angel said,
‘It is enough; now let thine hand be staid.’

The angel stood, when this blest word was given,
By Ornan's threshing floor, 'twixt earth and heaven,
And Ornan (or Araunah), when he spy'd
The angel, ran with his four sons to hide.

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But David, be'ng by Gad instructed, went
To buy the threshing-floor, with full intent
To rear an altar in that very place
Unto the Lord, and there to seek his face.

Araunah looking forth, and see'ng the king
Approaching, on the ground himself did fling,
The cause inquiring, which had brought him there,
Which, in so great a prince, must great appear.

‘My business,’ answer'd David, ‘is to buy
‘Of thee thy threshing-floor, that thereon I
‘May raise an altar to the Lord, and see
‘If by peace-offerings he appeas'd will be;
‘That so, his just displeasure be'ng allay'd,
‘The plague inflicted on us, may be stay'd.’

‘O,’ said Araunah, ‘let my lord the king
‘Accept the ground, thou needest nothing bring;
‘The oxen for burnt-offerings, and the wheat
‘Accept for the meat-off'ring, I entreat.
‘The threshing instruments may serve the turn,
‘Instead of wood, the off'rings to burn;
‘And mayst thou by the Lord accepted be,
‘As sure as these are freely giv'n by me.’

‘Nay, hold,’ said David, ‘do not think that I
‘A begging came; I came indeed to buy,
‘And buy I will, and that too at full price;
‘What's not my own I will not sacrifice,

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‘Nor will I that, for which I give no costs,
‘Pretend to offer to the Lord of Hosts.’

The price then set, and paid, an altar there
King David to the Lord his God did rear,
And thereon offer'd, to appease the Lord,
Burnt-off'rings, and peace-off'rings, and implor'd
His gracious pardon; and the Lord, who knew
That David's heart was right, his sorrow true,
Vouchsaf'd to answer him by fire, which came
From heav'n upon the altar, in a flame;
By which he shew'd his anger was appeas'd,
And he with David's sacrifice was pleas'd.

Thus ceas'd the plague, with seventy thousand slain,
By which so many fewer did remain
To serve the king; and tho' the Lord thought sit
To spare the man that did the sin commit,
Yet in his kingly state, in part he dy'd,
At least was wounded through his people's side;
For kings and subjects are cor-relatives,
The one must die, unless the other lives.
Herein, however, Divine Providence,
Suited the punishment to the offence;
That since of numbers David fain would boast,
He of his number seventy thousand lost.

Psalm cxviii. 24.

1 Chron. xxi. 12.

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CHAP. VI.

AGE now, and the expence of blood in war,
To weakness had reduc'd the king so far,
That though against the cold they did him arm
With store of clothes, they scarce could keep him warm;
Wherefore they for a fair young virgin sought,
Whom, having found, unto the king they brought;
Her name Abishag, she a Shunamite,
Who on the king should wait both day and night.
She stood at hand, to serve him all the day,
And when night came, she in his bosom lay;
Whereby her natural heat she did impart
Unto the king, which did refresh his heart.
Thus led she a concubinary life,
Yet did the king not know her as a wife.

His eldest son, then living, was a prince
Of an aspiring mind, who, ever since
The death of Absalom, himself did hold
Heir to the crown, and thereupon grew bold;
His name was Adonijah, which doth sound
A ruling lord, and such he would be found;
A goodly man, for personage, was he,
And from correction had been always free;

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For the king's lenity to him was such,
He never had displeased him so much,
As but to say unto him,—O my son,
What is the cause thou so or so hast done?

He long had cast his eye upon the throne,
As counting, if not calling, it his own;
And reckon'd he sustain'd no little wrong,
In that his father sat upon't so long;
But now his father's age and feeble state,
Made him resolve he would no longer wait,
But take possession of the royal crown,
Ascend the throne, and thrust his father down.

In order thereunto, he did provide
Chariots and horsemen, for both guard and pride,
And fifty men, who should before him run,
Like as his brother Absalom had done.

Then into the conspiracy he drew
Joab, his father's gen'ral, who he knew,
Among the soldi'ry, great interest had,
And to his cause, could strength and credit add;
Abiathar, the priest, he also got
To join with him, and consecrate his plot.

Both he and Joab had stood right before,
When Absalom rebell'd; and to restore
The king they labour'd hard, unto his crown;
What pity 'twas they now the pail kick'd down,

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Joab, indeed, some colour might pretend
For his defection; he might apprehend,
Not without reason, since he lost his place,
He stood but loosely in the royal grace.

But for the priest, no cause as yet we see,
Which might, in his excuse, alleged be;
Unless it were, what among such doth run,
An aptness to adore the rising sun;
David declin'd apace, ready to set,
Young Adonijah ready up to get.

The plot now being ripe, the time at hand,
Wherein he meant all Israel to command,
He made a royal feast, fat cattle slew,
Both sheep and oxen, and to it he drew
His brethren, the king's sons, ev'n ev'ry one
Of them, excepting only Solomon;
And with them Joab and Abiathar,
And all the men of Judah, though they were
The king's own servants, and with them too most
Of the brave captains of his father's host,
Who, when the wine their spirits did inflame,
Should Adonijah, for their king, proclaim.

Just in the nick, the prophet Nathan got
The knowledge of this execrable plot,
And wisely weighing how he might prevent
The dire effects thereof, away he went

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Unto Queen Bathsheba, and her surpriz'd
With the relation of it; then advis'd
Her to the king immediately to go,
And open to the king, the matter so,
That he danger deeply in may take,
And to prevent it, due provision make.
And, added he, whilst thou yet speaking art
Unto the king, I'll come and take thy part.
Then her instructing, how she should begin
The matter, he withdrew, and she went in.

Come to the presence of the king, she bow'd,
After such manner as they then allowed;
And, being by the king ask'd what she would,
She in such terms as these, her business told:
‘Thou once, my lord, unto thine handmaid sware,
‘By the Almighty, who doth witness bear,
‘That after thee, thy servant Solomon
‘Should reign and sit upon his father's throne;
‘Yet now behold, Adonijah doth reign,
‘And he hath oxen, and fat cattle slain
‘In great abundance, and a feast hath made,
‘To which thine other sons are all betray'd,
‘That they may own his title; th'only one
‘Excluded, is thy servant Solomon;
‘But upon thee, my lord, O king, the eyes
‘Of Israel are, that thou, before thou dies,
‘Should'st plainly tell them who, when thou art gone,
‘Shall thee succeed upon thy royal throne;

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‘Which if to do, my lord the king should fail,
‘And Adonijah's treason should prevail,
‘When thou, my lord, shalt with thy fathers sleep,
‘The thought whereof, occasions me to weep,
‘It then shall come to pass, offenders we,
‘My son and I, shall then reputed be.’

While yet she spake, the prophet Nathan came
Into the anti-chamber; and his name
Sent in, he did for quick admittance sue,
And, being introduc'd, the queen withdrew.

The prophet quickly his obeisance made,
And to the king in haste, abruptly said,
‘Dost thou, my lord, O king, indeed ordain,
‘That Adonijah after thee shall reign?
‘Or hast thou said, When I to rest am gone,
‘I will that he shall sit upon my throne?
‘For he this day hath made a royal feast,
‘And to it hath invited many a guest,
‘All the king's sons, except prince Solomon,
‘Unto his feast, at his request, are gone;
‘And Joab, with the captains of the host,
‘He doth caress, not sparing any cost;
‘Nor is Abiathar the priest the least
‘Among his guests, to bless the trait'rous feast;
‘All whom, that he may richly entertain,
‘Fed cattle in abundance he hath slain,
‘They eat, drink, sing, loud acclamations give,
‘And cry, “Long may king Adonijah live.”

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‘But me thy servant, and thy brightest son
‘(Best of thy sons) the brave prince Solomon,
‘He hath not called, nor Zadock the good priest,
‘Nor yet Benajah, to his treach'rous feast.
‘Is this thing, by my Lord's appointment done,
‘And to thy servant it thou hast not shown?
‘Or hath aspiring Adonijah chose
‘This time to seize the crown, and thee depose?’

He stopt. But what had been already said,
On David's mind a deep impression made;
He had not yet the sad effects forgot,
Of his son Absalom's disloyal plot,
How hard it with him went, what dangers he
Was in, how he was fain for life to flee;
Which now, so weak he was, he could not do,
But must, whate'er befel him, undergo;
He therefore to this sore resolv'd t'apply
A speedy and effectual remedy.

He therefore said, ‘Call Bathsheba to me:’
She soon appear'd with awful modesty,
And stood before him; Nathan out was gone,
Leaving the king and Bathsheba alone,
To whom the king thus spake, and with an oath,
Did what he said confirm, between them both.

‘As lives the Lord, who hath redeemed me
‘From all distress, I now declare to thee,

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‘As I engaged solemnly before,
‘When by the God of Israel I swore,
‘Assuring thee, that Solomon thy son,
‘Should me succeed, and sit upon my throne;
‘That will I certainly perform this day;
‘Thine eye shall see it done without delay.’

The queen, most humble rev'rence having made,
Only, ‘Long live my lord king David,’ said.
By which, we may suppose, she wish'd that he
Might still reign on, and be from troubles free.

But he, upon the matter more intent,
For Zadock, Nathan, and Benajah sent,
To whom he gave in charge, that they should straight
Take of his servants, both for strength and state,
Sufficient numbers, and should cause his son
(The Lord's belov'd, Jediah) Solomon,
On the king's mule, in royal pomp to ride,
The priest and prophet walking by his side,
With royal guards before him, and behind,
And all the people, that were well inclin'd,
Until they came to Gihon's little stream,
Which from the court parted Jerusalem.
‘Let Zadock there, and Nathan him anoint,
‘For him I, king o'er Israel appoint,’
Said David, ‘in my stead, upon my throne
‘To sit, and henceforth take it for his own.

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‘And when he is anointed, forthwith sound
‘The trumpet, and let all the people round,
‘With joyful acclamations, call upon
‘The Lord, and say, “God save king Solomon;”
‘Then bring him up, that he, as I ordain,
‘May over Israel and Judah reign.’

‘Amen,’ reply'd Benajah; ‘and, O may
‘Thy gracious God Amen unto it say;
‘As with my lord the king, the Lord hath been,
‘So may he too with Solomon be seen;
‘And may his throne transcend thy throne as far
‘As other thrones to thine inferior are.’

This said, away they all together go,
Zadock the priest, Nathan the prophet too,
Captain Benajah with the king's life guard,
The Cherethites and Pelethites, prepar'd
The king's command to execute, and those
To slay who should them in the work oppose.

The priest, out of the tabernacle took
An horn of oil, and down to Gihon-brook
They lead prince Solomon in royal state;
Priest, prophet, people, gladly on him wait;
And there the priest, upon his princely head,
From out his horn, the sacred oil did shed;
The trumpet then was blown, and thereupon
The people cry'd, ‘God save king Solomon’

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Their throats were then distended, and the sound
Of trumpets was by that of voices drown'd;
Triumphant noises through the air did break,
And their transporting joys did loudly speak;
Such acclamations made, such shouts were giv'n,
As seem'd to rend the earth, and pierce th'heav'n.

CHAP. VII.

BY this time Adonijah, and the rest
Who had been entertained at his feast,
Their banquet past, were ready now to bring
Him forth in publick, to proclaim him king;
Buoy'd up with confidence of their success,
A priest attending them the work to bless,
And the old gen'ral Joab at their head,
The military forces up to lead;
When, on a sudden, the rebounding cries
Of Solomon's attendance, them surprize;
They heard and started; and the more they hear,
The more they're with amazement struck, and fear.
‘What,’ said old Joab, when he heard the sound
Of trumpets, and the shouts which trumpets drown'd,
‘May we suppose the cause of this to be?—
‘The city in an uproar seems to me.’

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While he yet spake, came one unto the door,
Who had been proling out some time before,
Jonathan, who was son unto the priest
Abiathar, of traitors not the least,
Who having been abroad upon the scout,
Had seen the work the city was about.

Him, Adonijah seeing, said, ‘Come in,
‘And tell us what the matter is.—Begin,
‘For thou a man of noted valour art,
‘And usually good tidings dost impart;
‘Say, what's the bus'ness?’—‘Ah, alas!’ said he,
‘My tidings now will not be good to thee;
‘For, verily, our lord king David now
‘Hath Solomon made king.’ Then told him how,
Were, and by whom it managed had been,
And what relating to't, he'd heard or seen;
Adding, ‘the people's joy for their new king,
‘They so express'd, as made the city ring;
‘And that the noise is, which ye now have heard,
‘The cause of which is justly to be fear'd,
‘For Solomon now on the throne doth sit,
‘And doth to every one what he thinks fit.’

At this report, the guests were all afraid,
And slipt away; not one amongst them staid
With Adonijah. He, as well he might,
Deserted thus, fled in a grievous fright
Unto the altar, of its horns laid hold,
Hoping that sacred place now, as of old

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It had to others done, might him protect;
At least till he might other means project,
His pardon to obtain. This being laid
Before king Solomon, he thereon said,
‘If he himself a worthy man will shew,
‘There shall for this no punishment ensue;
‘But if hereafter he again shall try
‘Ill practices against me, he shall die.’

Then Solomon sent messengers to bring
Him from the altar down unto the king;
He came, and to the king himself did bow,
Which shew'd he did his sov'reignty allow;
The king dismissing him, this only said,
‘Go to thy house, do well, and ben't afraid.’

This gentle dealing th'ancient king approv'd,
No doubt, because Adonijah he lov'd;
And, therefore, probably was glad to see
In his successor so much lenity;
Which made him, when his courtiers came to wait
Upon him, and with joy congratulate
This great deliv'rance, bow himself, and say,
‘Blest be the Lord, ev'n Israel's God this day,
‘Who, whilst I'm living, hath vouchsafed one
‘Of mine own sons to sit upon my throne.’
The sense whereof did make this godly king,
Unto the Lord, his Nunc dimittis sing.

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And now the days of David drawing nigh,
Wherein, by course of nature, he should die,
He of king Solomon his leave did take,
And unto him he thus at parting spake:

‘I go the way of all the earth,’ said he,
‘Be strong, and let the man appear in thee.
‘God's sacred charge observe throughout thy days,
‘And walk uprightly in his holy ways;
‘His statutes keep, his high commands obey,
‘His judgments dread, his doctrines all display,
‘That in whate'er thine hand doth undertake,
‘Thou may'st the Lord to thee propitious make;
‘Then will the Lord confirm his word, which he
‘Most graciously did speak concerning me,
‘When he, some years ago, was pleas'd to say,
‘If thine shall take good heed unto their way,
‘With all their heart, and all their soul to walk,
‘In truth before me, justice never baulk,
‘Then shalt thou never want a favour'd son
‘To sit upon the Israelitish throne.’

This said, he Solomon instruction gave,
How he hereafter should himself behave,
To some who had from their allegiance swerv'd;
And others, who of him had well deserv'd:
Then having seen full threescore years and ten,
And forty passed in a glorious reign,

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He with his fathers slept, and was interr'd
In his own city, which he most preferr'd;
And which, to honour him, thenceforth became
The royal sepulchre for men of fame.
And now my muse, might she so high presume,
Would write this epitaph upon his tomb.

EPITAPH.

Here lies king David, whose sharp sword did quell
The fiercest enemies of Israel.
Here the sweet singer lies, whose various state,
The psalms by him composed, do relate.
Here lies the man, who (for the greatest part)
Did walk according to the Lord's own heart.
His body in the grave below doth rest:
His spirit lives above, among the blest.

2 Sam. vii. 12.