in which it is admitted the real strength and power of a monarch consists. Joab and the captains of the host were sensible of the impropriety of this measure, although the king himself could not perceive it, and they remonstrated with him in terms which ought to have induced him to hesitate. David, however, remained inflexible, and Joab and his captains reluctantly set about their task, which occupied them nine months and twenty days, and at last left off without counting the tribes of Levi and Benjamin: for the king's word was abominable to Joab.*

It does not appear very distinctly whether David's own conscience had smitten him, before he received the message of Jehovah from the prophet Gad;† but, as soon as the holy seer proposed to him the triple alternative of three years famine, three months flight before a pursuing enemy, or three days pestilence, he became fully sensible of his iniquity, and, in the bitterness of his heart, cried out, "I am in a great strait ;" but, as it were, immediately remembering the mercies he had so often experienced at the hand of Jehovah, he hesitated not a moment in making his election, but said with becoming resignation, "Let me fall now into the hand of Jehovah, for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.”‡

God, however, had determined to punish both David for his presumption, and the people for their sins, probably their late repeated rebellions; and, therefore, sent forth his destroying angel, who stayed not till, in differents parts of the devoted land, 70,000 men were slain. When, however, this minister of the wrath of God approached Jerusalem, and stretched out his hand to destroy the city, Jehovah repented him of the evil, and said, It is enough, stay now thine hand.

Thus was exemplified the declaration of the psalmist, perhaps upon this very occasion, Jehovah loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.* And thus too was prefigured that tender feeling and compassion which our blessed Saviour himself exhibited towards this long spared but devoted city, when he exclaimed, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!"+

It was at the threshing floor of Araunah,‡ the Jebusite, that this awful spectacle took place; and if David was already smitten to the heart for the great offence he had given to God, how deeply must he have been affected, when he saw the angel of Jehovah stand between the earth and the heavens, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem? Then it was that David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed with sackcloth, fell on their faces; and David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even 1 it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? Let thine hand, I pray thee, O Jehovah, my God, be on me and on my father's house, but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.§ By the command of God, David purchased the threshing floor of Araunah, at the full price, who, however, would willingly have given it as a

Ps. lxxxvii. 2. + Matth. xxiii. 37. Luke, xiii. 34. Called Arnan in Chronicles, but it is evidently the same name: the author of the Book of Chronicles omitting the emphatic article, and pointing the other letters differently. But the English translation massacres both names in the original, according to which that in the Book of Samuel should be Arnayah, and that in the Book of Chronicles, Arnan.

present. And when David saw that Jehovah had answered him at the threshing floor of Araunah, then he sacrificed there, and built there an altar unto Jehovah,* and offered burnt offerings, and peace offerings, and called upon Jehovah; who answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering; and Jehovah commanded the angel, and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof; so Jehovah was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.+

This visible manifestation of the power and presence of God, no doubt determined David to fix upon this very spot, for the erection of the temple he was so desirous should be built for the worship of God; for he said, this is the house of Jehovah, God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.+ In furtherance of this design, the monarch collected a vast quantity of costly materials for the erection of the future structure, and prepared abundantly for it before his death;§ and then called for Solomon, his son, and charged him to build an house for Jehovah, God of Israel. And David said to Solomon, "My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of Jehovah, my God: but the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight. Behold, a son shall be born to thee who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about; for his name shall be

*The tabernacle of Jehovah, which Moses made in the Wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were, at that season, in the high place at Gibeon; but David could not go before it to enquire of God, for he was afraid, because of the sword of the angel of Jehovah. 1 Chron. xxi. 29, 30.

+ 2 Sam. xxiv. 1 Chron. xxi. 1 Chron xxii. 1. 2 Chron. iii. 1.

§ 1 Chron. xxii. 2-5.

Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever. Now, my son, Jehovah be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of Jehovah, thy God, as he hath said of thee. Only Jehovah give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of Jehovah, thy God. Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and the judgments which Jehovah charged Moses with, concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not nor be dismayed. Now, behold in my trouble I have prepared for the house of Jehovah, an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents. of silver; and of brass and iron without weight, for it is in abundance; timber also, and stone have I prepared, and thou mayest add thereto. Moreover, there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workmen of stone and timber, and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work. Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron there is no number. Arise, therefore, and be doing, and Jehovah be with thee. David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon, his son, saying, Is not Jehovah, your God, with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand; and the land is subdued before Jehovah, and before his people. Now set your heart and your soul to seek Jehovah, your God; arise, therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of Jehovah, God, to bring the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of Jehovah."

David, however, was still destined to experience another

trial of his faith and patience; for his son Adonijah, the brother of Absalom, made an attempt to secure the throne for himself, and disappoint the intention of David, as to Solomon. Having associated to himself Joab, and Abiathar the priest, he made a great feast at Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel, and endeavoured to draw a strong party to him there. But Nathan and Bathsheba having warned David of Adonijah's project, the aged monarch immediately assembled his officers, and caused Solomon to ride on his own mule, and to be proclaimed king. Zadok, the priest, also took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed the young prince : and all the people blew a trumpet, and said, God save King Solomon!*

When Adonijah heard what David had done, he and his guests became alarmed, and separated, and went every man his way as for Adonijah, he fled for refuge to the horns of the altar, lest his brother, Solomon, should slay him; but Solomon sent for him, and, upon his submitting himself to his authority, dismissed him, and sent him to his own house.†

One of the last acts of David's life, and evidently in the prospect of death, was the regulation and appointment of the priests in their courses, and the various other officers of the intended temple.+

Preparing for his immediate dissolution, the aged monarch assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem. Then David, the king, stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: as for me,

* 1 Kings, i. 39. +1 Kings, i. 53. 1 Chron. xxiii-xxviii.