judge between me and thee; and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand."

The more generous feelings of Saul seem to have been touched by this appeal of David. "Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. And thou hast showed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me into thy hand, thou killedst me not. For if a man find his enemy will he let him go well away? wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day. And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house.'

David was ready to comply with this request, and called God to witness that he would faithfully abide by his promise made to the king. Saul then returned home with his forces, while David, still apprehensive of danger, sought a place of security with his men in some one of the strong holds in the neighborhood.*

*David is supposed, while in the cave of En-gedi, to have composed Psalms 57, 58, and 63.

About this time the prophet Samuel died, having reached the advanced age of nearly a hundred and all the Israelites," we are told, years; "were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah;" that is, as we have reason to believe this expression intends, in the sepulchre he had prepared for his burial, near his dwelling, and probably in the garden attached to it.

The death of this illustrious and beloved man produced a deep sensation throughout the whole country. An immense number of people were assembled at Ramah, from all parts of the land, to attend his funeral; and the mourning for his loss, which probably continued during thirty days, so engrossed the public attention that quite a respite was afforded David from the persecution of Saul, and he had the opportunity of moving from place to place with little or no fear of molestation. He left the strong holds where he and his men had secreted themselves, and went down to the wilderness of Paran. This was a desert in Arabia Petroa, south of Judea, and northwest of the Elanitic, or eastern gulf of the Red Sea. Here an occurrence took place of a deeply eventful character in the life of David

In Maon, a city not far distant, there dwelt a man of great wealth, whose name was Nabal. Among other possessions, he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats, which he fed in the

neighborhood of Carmel, a city of Judah, on a mountain of the same name, about ten miles east of Hebron. His wife, whose name was Abigail, was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings." His name seemed to be an appropriate one; for it signifies to be foolish, base, or villanous; and some think, that his being said to be " of the house of Caleb," or a Calebite, rather refers to his surly, snappish temper, -as the word caleb in Hebrew, means a dog. At any rate, he was of a very selfish, cynical disposition, as we shall soon see.

CHAPTER XIV.

David determines to punish Nabal, but is appeased by his wife, Abigail. Nabal dies suddenly.

Nabal, at this time, had a large sheep-shearing at Carmel. The shepherds who had the charge of his flocks were there, with others employed for the purpose, and many of his friends and acquaintance. It was an occasion among the Israelites of great festivity, and a very generous entertainment was usually provided for those who were present.

David heard of this, and felt that he and his

followers might ask, without presumption, for a small share of the good things of which the guests were to participate. For he had lately rendered Nabal a service of no small account. The flocks of the latter were led by the shepherds, in quest of pasture, into the very region where David and his men had their temporary abode; and had not only received from them. no molestation, but found a cordial welcome, together with that protection which was so much needed against the hordes of Arabs who were often prowling in the neighborhood for plunder.

If David had actually demanded something in the way of compensation for this protection, it would have been only what was justly due to himself and his men; but he chose rather to rely on the generosity of Nabal. He was much in need of provisions, and at such a season of prosperity on the part of the owner of the flocks, he thought he might safely ask to partake of the very abundance for which Nabal was not a little indebted to him and his followers. His request was made in the most modest and delicate manner. He chose ten of his young men to bear the message, and said to them; Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name: And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast. And now I have heard that thou

hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there aught missing unto them all the while they were in Carmel. Ask thy young men, and they will show thee,"-leaving it for the shepherds of Nabal to inform him more particularly of the important protection which the flocks had received. "Wherefore let the young men find favor in thine eyes; for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.”

The reply of Nabal was what might have been expected from one of so mean and selfish a character. "Who is David ?" said he to the young men, "and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now-a-days that break away every man from his master. Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?"

When the messengers of David, on their return, told him what Nabal had said, his indignation was roused, and he threatened to take the most exemplary vengeance upon one who had treated him so shamefully after the signal services which he had rendered him; declaring that not a male in the employment of Nabal should be spared to behold the light of the ensuing morning. He immediately ordered four hundred of his men to gird on their swords, and accompany