tween me and thee, and the LORD let there be no dew, neither let there avenge me of thee: but mine hand be rain, upon you, nor fields of offershall not be upon thee. As saith the ings: for there the shield of the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness mighty is vilely cast away, the shield proceedeth from the wicked: but of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil. mine hand shall not be upon thee. After whom is the king of Israel 2 From the blood of the slain, come out? after whom dost thou from the fat of the mighty, the bow pursue? after a dead dog, after a of Jonathan turned not back, and flea. The LORD therefore be judge, the sword of Saul returned not and judge between me and thee, empty. Saul and Jonathan were and see, and plead my cause, and lovely and pleasant in their lives, deliver me out of thine hand. and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. 3 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scar 5 And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and let, with other delights, who put on wept. ornaments of gold upon your ap 6 And he said to David, Thou art | parel. more righteous than I: for thou hast 4 How are the mighty fallen in rewarded me good, whereas I have the midst of the battle! O Jona rewarded thee evil. And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine 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. His song of lamentation over the death of Saul and Jonathan. than, thou wast slain in thine high places. I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan : very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. 5 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished! SELECTION III. The boldness of Nathan in reproving the sin of David. AND David lamented with this AND the LORD sent Nathan unto lamentation over Saul and over David. And he came unto Jonathan his son. The beauty of him, and said unto him, There were Israel is slain upon thy high places: two men in one city; the one rich, how are the mighty fallen! Tell it and the other poor. The rich man not in Gath, publish it not in the had exceeding many flocks and streets of Askelon; lest the daugh- herds: But the poor man had nothters of the Philistines rejoice, lest ing, save one little ewe lamb, which the daughters of the uncircumcised he had bought and nourished up: triumph. Ye mountains of Gilboa, and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. 2 And there came a traveller unto 5 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. David's hope and consolation in the death of his child. the rich man, and he spared to take AND Nathan departed unto his of his own flock and of his own house. And the LORD struck herd, to dress for the wayfaring man the child that Uriah's wife bare unto that was come unto him; but took David, and it was very sick. David the poor man's lamb, and dressed it therefore besought God for the for the man that was come to him. child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. 2 And the elders of his house 3 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, arose, and went to him, to raise him the man that hath done this thing up from the earth: but he would shall surely die: and he shall restore not, neither did he eat bread with the lamb fourfold, because he did them. this thing, and because he had no pity. But when David saw that his servants whispered, he perceived that the child was dead: therefore he said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. 3 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. 4 And Nathan said to David, And the servants of David feared to Thou art the man. Thus saith the tell him that the child was dead: for LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee they said, Behold, while the child king over Israel, and I delivered thee was yet alive, we spake unto him, out of the hand of Saul; and I gave and he would not hearken unto our thee thy master's house, and thy voice: how will he then vex himself, master's wives into thy bosom, and if we tell him that the child is dead? gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thou didst it secretly; but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. 4 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. 5 Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. IN And he said, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. HEBREW SCRIPTURES.-KINGS. SELECTION I. Solomon's choice. N Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and said, Ask what I shall give thee. mies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have 2 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he also given thee that which thou hast walked before thee in truth, and in not asked, both riches, and honor: righteousness, and in uprightness of so that there shall not be any among heart with thee; and thou hast kept the kings like unto thee all thy for him this great kindness, that thou days. And if thou wilt walk in my hast given him a son to sit on his ways, to keep my statutes and my throne, as it is this day. And now, commandments, as thy father David O LORD my God, thou hast made did walk, then I will lengthen thy thy servant king instead of David days. 4 And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants. His prayer at the dedication of the temple. AND Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven, and said :— 3 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing: and he said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and 2 LORD God of Israel, there is hast not asked for thyself long life; no God like thee, in heaven above, neither hast asked riches for thyself, or on earth beneath, who keepest nor hast asked the life of thine ene- covenant and mercy with thy ser vants that walk before thee with all thou in heaven thy dwelling place, their heart and now, O God of and forgive, and do, and give to Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be every man according to his ways, verified, which thou spakest unto whose heart thou knowest; (for thy servant David my father. thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men ;) that they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers. 3 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded? Yet have thou re- 7 Moreover concerning a stranger, spect unto the prayer of thy ser- that is not of thy people Israel, but vant, and to his supplication, O cometh out of a far country for thy LORD my God, to hearken unto the name's sake; (for they shall hear of cry and to the prayer, which thy thy great name, and of thy strong servant prayeth before thee to day : hand, and of thy stretched out arm;) that thine eyes may be open toward when he shall come and pray this house night and day, even tow- toward this house ;-hear thou in ard the place of which thou hast heaven thy dwelling place, and do said, My name shall be there: that according to all that the stranger thou mayest hearken unto the calleth to thee for: that all people prayer which thy servant shall of the earth may know thy name, to make toward this place. fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name. 4 And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place and when thou hearest, forgive 5 If any man trespass against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house: then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness. 8 And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying:-Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant. 9 The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us that he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers. 6 What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people, Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his 10 And let these my words, hands toward this house then hear wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the thee to Zarephath, which belongeth LORD our God day and night, that to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I he maintain the cause of his ser- have commanded a widow woman vant, and the cause of his people there to sustain thee. at all times, as the matter shall require: that all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else. II Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day. SELECTION II. 5 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine Legend of Elijah, fed by the ravens and hand. And she said, As the LORD by the unfailing meal and oil of the poor widow. thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, AND Elijah the Tishbite, who was and a little oil in a cruse: and, be of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there will not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. 2 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. hold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. 3 So he went and did according 6 And she went and did accordunto the word of the LORD: for he ing to the saying of Elijah: and she, went and dwelt by the brook and he, and her house, did eat many Cherith, that is before Jordan. And days. And the barrel of meal wastthe ravens brought him bread and ed not, neither did the cruse of oil flesh in the morning, and bread and fail, according to the word of the flesh in the evening; and he drank LORD, which he spake by Elijah. of the brook. 4 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land; and the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Arise, get SELECTION III. Visions of Elijah, in which his cowardice and faithlessness are reproved. AND Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal |