Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/284

 And word  was  brought  to  Joab,  the  general  of  the  king’s  army. Joab taking  three  javelins  went  to  the  place  where  Absalom  was hanging from  the  tree,  and  with  his  javelins  pierced  the  ungrateful, unnatural  heart  of  the  king’s  son. Absalom still  breathed  and struggled for  life,  when  some  of  Joab’s  soldiers  running  up  slew him with  their  swords. They then  took  Absalom’s  body,  and casting it  into  a deep  pit  in  the  forest  piled  over  it  a large  heap of stones.

A herald was  sent  to  David  with  news  of  Absalom’s  defeat. David with  the  anxiety  of  a loving  father  asked:  “Is  Absalom safe?” When  told  that  Absalom  was  dead,  the  king  refused  all comfort, and  going  up  into  a high  chamber  mourned  his  ungrateful son  for  many  days. “Absalom, my  son”,  he  cried,  “my  son Absalom, who  would  grant  me  that  I might  die  for  thee,  Absalom, my son,  my  son  Absalom!”

The people  of  Jerusalem,  hearing  of  David’s  victory,  went out to  meet  him  and  carried  him  in  triumph  into  the  city.

The Omniscience  of  God.  God  knew  of  David’s  secret  adultery, and He  knew  that  he  was  guilty  of  the  death  of  Urias. For He  sent Nathan to  David,  saying:  “Thus  saith  the  Lord:  Why  hast  thou  done evil in  my  sight?”

God is  Good.  Therefore  the  prophet  said  to  the  king:  “The  Lord has done  good  to  thee.”

God is  Merciful.  For  He  forgave  David  his  grievous  sin:  “The Lord has  taken  away  thy  sin.”

God is  Holy.  Therefore  David’s  sin  was  “displeasing  to  the  Lord”.

God is  Just.  The  sentence  which  God  pronounced  on  David  through Nathan was  this:  “I  will  raise  up  evil  against  thee  out  of  thy  own house”, and  “The  child  that  is  born  to  thee  shall  surely  die.”  Both sentences were  executed,  and  David  suffered  anguish  of  soul.

The Sixth  and  Ninth  Commandments.  When  David  looked  on  the wife of  Urias,  instead  of  at  once  turning  his  eyes  from  her  and  thinking of God’s  Commandment:  “Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour’s  wife”, he allowed  an  evil  desire  to  grow  in  his  heart. Then, instead  of resisting  this  sinful  desire  and  calling  on  God  for  help  against  the temptation, he  consented  to  it,  and  sending  for  the  woman  induced