The National tribune., 1896-08-20

Attend the blissiul sound.
Oh may these heavenly pages be
Our ever dear delight;
And still new beauties may We see.
And still increasing light
Divine Instructor, gracious Lord,
Be thou forever near;
Teach us to love thy sacred Word,
And view the Savior there.
Bishop Thompson was author of the words
below as to the Bible:
ut has self-perpetuatng and multiplying
power. Infdels have written books; where
are they? Where is Porphyry, JulianP Frag-
ments of them there are; but We are indebted
even for this to Christian criticism. Where is
Hume, Voltare, Bolinebroke? 1t requires tho
worlds repreve to bring copy out Of the
prison of their darkness. Where is the BihleP
Wherever there is light"
The Bible is cur Book for study. The Sun
day-school exists mainly to teach the truths OF
tho Holy Scriptures.
DEATH OF ABsALoM.
Data.
We have only this one account, 2 Sam, 10:
9-16 inclusive.
References
Verse g. Head (hair) caught. 1925.
Taken up between heaven and earth
hanged. 2 SAM, IL: 3D.
Hanging is a cursed thing. Deu, 81 go,
%; Gal 81 49,
Absalom was punished for the sin against his
father DAVID. Deu., 27: 16; Prov, 20: 20 !;
30 II; 81. Nix, Z: 10.
Absalom suffered instead of his intended
victim David). Job, 1s -. 10.
The evil are punished. Job, 81 30; Jer, 46:
A.
Verse 12. In our hearing the King DAVID
charged thee (Joab1,, beware nobody touch
tharm) Absalom. VS..
Verse l3 / would have wrought falsehood
(been falsel. 2 Sam. /: ID. l6; a: 1912.
No matter hid irom the King Sam, IA:
10, 20.
Thrust him through while yet alive. Jud.,
4:2l; 5:26.
Verse l6. Joab blew trumpet Nu 10: l.
10; Sam, :2s; 20: %; Cor, Ia: 8.
y Time.
We date L. H. 1881, or B. c. 1923. David
was about 63 years old, and Absalom about 30
PLACE.
The death Of Absaom took place in the
Wood of Ephraim. 2 SAM. IS g. Josephus
says (Ant., z. 10, q. :" Joab put his army in
battle array over against5hc enemy in the great
plain, where he had wood behind him." 1t
was called the Wood of ,Ephrain. We know
that this was east OF tbelJ orfan, and that the
tribe of Ephraim had no territory on that side
of the river. Over 100 years before our lesson,
Absaom died. slew large number of Eph-
raimites, and. from then Oh, the Gileadites. it
is said, named the location the Woods of Eph-
rain. Jud., l2:l-6. The Jewish rabbins
claim that the Epbraimites, whose land
reached to the Jordan, used to send across the
river their herds aud focks for pasturage, and
that thus section on the east side Of the river,
opposite Ephram, became to be called the
Woods of Ephraim. 1t is quite evident that,
during the battle, David was at Mahanam e
SAM, II: 27), and that the conflict ragged in
the vicinity Of that city. This precludes the
idea the Woods wero In tho territory of the
Ephraimites. David wanted to 20 on to the
scene OF the battle CS:2), ut was persuad ed
to remain at Mahanaim. VA. He took posi-
ton at the gate of the city, and awaited news
from the BATTLE
AJsalom.
Amnon was David's first son and the real
heir TO the throne. Chieab Tor Daniel) was the
second son. Sam, 3d. 3; l Chr, 3: /. 9.
Absalom the third son. His name means
father OF peace, or the peace of the father-a
sngulariy inappropriate name for son who
treated bis father SO shamefully. He was born
b. c. 1853, at Hebron. His mothers name was
Maachah, daughter Of Talmai, King of Geshur.
Sam, 33. Hence AbsaIom was royal on both
sides. paternal aud maternal. He had an own
sister. lamar. 2 Sam, 13: He was Jew,
OF the tribe of Judah lie had three sons and
one daughter. The name of the daughter was
lamar. Ia: q. He was of exquisite personal
physical appearance. Sam. IA 20. He slew
Amnon. Is 49, That occurred about seven
years before our lesson. Daniel was probably
dead. Absalom was the real heir. But great
differences had sprung up between his father
DAVID and himself. He feared ne might be
dsinherited, and hence his attempt to make
himself King. even If it were necessary to slay
his father. He was very polished in manner,
adroit as professional politician, condescend-
ing to the masses to gain their favor, unpriuci-
Piled as to means to accomplish his purposes.
Definitions.
]. Met. Va. Absalom was retreating. We
may understand, was overtaken.
9. Servants. VS.. Soldiers.
3. Mule. 10. The use of mules and horses
| by the Israelites is not mentioned till David's
time. David introduced horses 9 Sam., s 3, 4
Soon after we hear of mules. The mule is a
! mongrcl of horse and ass. Arabs never use
mules. but employ horses to good degree.
Both horses and mules are found to-day in Pal.
estine. Mules are not mentioned in the New
Testament. They are very useful as beasts Of
burden-hardy. strong. long-lived. Both David
and Solomon rode makes. XII, l: 33.
4. Head caught ai6hi OF the oak. g. Com.
mentators not at one as the explanation
| The generally received opinion is that his haiy
became tangled intoS the .branches, so that the
mule, dashing Oh, LETT him hanging. We are
told he had ABUNDANCE of hair. and it was
| counted among his attractions. l4:25 26. But
some think We to uteierstand that he was
caught by the neck in the fork of strong pro-
jecting branch.
| Views:
a. By hair. Kitto. Josephus, Hartley Jamie'
son & Co., Stackhouse, Bochartus.
D. By neck DR.. Adam Clarke, Patrick, Henry
| If wa take the hair view. NAV tina