Free press., 1907-09-21

and that is that thy opportunity hath
come to spread thy rule and thy king
dom over all Israel. Bid me-" Joab
went on rapidly and with increasing
thee ere a fortnight hath passed to
have all Israel under thy banner"
David's eye flashed and he took =
step toward Joab.
Think you for a moment" he thun-
dered, that David would take a mean
advantage Of the misfortunes Of his
brothers in Israel? Does David's king
dom increase through unholy In
trfgues? Has God left the heavens
that David cannot still trust him?"
But it is now or never" protested
Joab. Israel needs a leader. If it
find not such in thee they will choose
one from among themselves to lead
them. There are many ambitious
souls among the men of Israel"
But this thing is not of God. II
Israel seek me not as king, then vS-n
not reach out for the kingdom"
Further protest on the part of
Joab was prevented by the hurried
entrance Of a servant who announced
the arrival of two messengers from
Israel who demanded to see King
David at once, and at sign from the
king they were admitted.
Bowing low before the king, they
waited until he bade them rise, when
they addressed him as follows:
I'VE be thy servants, o king. We
are Rochab and Baanah, the sons OF
Rimmon the Reerothite, and are come
with tidings of good things for our
Lord. Behold the head Of Ishbosheth,
the son OF Saul thine enemy, which
sought thy life
And as they spoke they unrolled be-
fore the startled eyes of David and
Joab the CHASTITY head Of the dead
king of Israel.
David turned away his head in hor-
ror, while Rechab and Baanah con-
tinued:
"The Lord hath avenged my lord
the king this day of Saul, and of his
seed''
But they got no further, for David
turned upon them and in voice
which cut like steel he said:
"As the Lord liveth, who hath re-
deemed my soul out Of all adversely,
when one told me saying. Behold.
| Saul is dead, thinking to have brought
good tidings, 1 took hold of him, and
slew him in Ziklag, who thought that
1 would have given him reward for
his tidings. How much more, when
wicked men have slain a righteous
person in his own house upon his bed?
Shall I not therefore now require his
blood Of your hand, and take you
away from the earth?"
And turning to his young armor
bearers standing near he commanded
them to seize Rechab and Baanab and
to take them out and slay them, which
when they had done they cut OF their
hands and their feet and hanged them
up over the pool in Hebron.
But David had the head of Ish-
bosheth taken and buried in the sep
ulcher Of Abner in Hebron.
Now, when tidings of these things
reached the ears of the people OF Is
rael, they knew that David had not
been concerned in the wicked plot,
and that he was not trying in any
| way to force an extension OF his
kingship over Israel. For this rea-
son when the people from all the
tribes had come together it was quick
ly agreed that they should seek David
out at Hebron and there request that
he become king over Israel as well
as Judah.
And so it came to pass that a few
days after, even while Joab was
speaking to his intimate friends Of the
folly of King David by which he had
lost his chance of winning control
over all of Israel, that the elders from
all the tribes sought audience with
David at Hebron, saying to him:
Behold, we are thy bone and thy
flesh. Also in time past when Saul
was king over us, thou vast he that
leddest out and broughtest in Israel:
and the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt
feed my people Israel, and thou shalt
be a captain over Israel"
And David made league with them
in Hebron before the Lord, and there
they anointed David king over Israel
and the rejoicing of the people ex
oeeded the morning which had filed
the land because of the wars which
had been waged between the king
doms of Judah and Israel.