Page:Legends of Old Testament Characters.djvu/347

XXXVII.] and he sent a message to Joab, the captain of his host, to set Uriah before the ark in every battle. Now those who went before the ark must conquer or fall. Three times Uriah came out of battle victorious, but the fourth time he was killed.

Then David took Uriah's wife to his own house and made her his own wife. And she consented upon the condition that should she bear him a son, that son was to succeed him in the kingdom. Now David had, before he married her, ninety-nine wives. The day after his marriage, Michael and Gabriel appeared before him in human form, as he was in his court, and Gabriel said to him: "This fellow here possesses ninety and nine sheep, but I have only one, and that I love, and cherish in my bosom. This man claims my little ewe lamb, and will take it from me, and, if I will not give it him, he says that he will slay me; and take my lamb from me by force."

Then David's anger was kindled against Michael, and he said, "Thou who hast so many sheep, wherefore lustest thou after the poor man's ewe lamb? Thou hast an evil heart and an insatiable spirit."

Then Michael exclaimed, "Thou hast given judgment against thyself; what thou rebukest in this man, thou hast allowed thyself to do!"

And David knew that God had sent His angels to rebuke him, and he fell upon his face to the ground. But, some say, he drew his sword and rushed upon Michael: then Gabriel held him back, and said, "Thou didst ask to be tried; now thou hast fallen under the temptation."

Then the angels vanished, and David fell to the ground, tore off his purple robe, cast aside his golden crown, and wept for forty days and forty nights. And his tears flowed in such abundance, that every now and then he plunged a cup into them and drank it off.

At the expiration of forty days Gabriel came to him, and said, "The Lord salutes thee!" But David felt this was an