DAVID AND HIS THREE BRAVE SOLDIERS

Once when David was fighting against the Philistines the little town of Beth-lehem was in the hands of the enemy. David had a great longing for a drink of the cool water of the well which was near the gate of the town. It seemed to him that he would be perfectly happy if he could taste that water which he used to enjoy so much when he was a boy. He wanted it so much that he spoke out loud and said, "Oh, that one would give me a drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem which is near the gate!"

Some of his men overheard him as he said this to himself, and three of his brave soldiers left the cave where they were hiding, and broke through the enemy's lines and brought back a drink of the water to David. But when David saw them all bleeding from the wounds which they had received, he would not drink the water which they brought, because it had cost so much in the blood of his men.

{164}

So he poured it out upon the ground as an offering to G.o.d of something very sacred and precious, and as a way of showing his friends that he prized their love more than the water for which he longed.

{165}{166}

[Ill.u.s.tration]

HEBRON

From an old photograph in the possession of the Springfield Public Library, and used by kind permission.

It was here that perhaps the oldest city in Palestine was built. The picture shows the character of the country, the hills and valleys with the towns showing white on the hillsides or nestling in the valleys.

[End ill.u.s.tration]

{167}

DAVID AND HIS SON ABSALOM

After Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle David became king.

He did many brave and wise things and some foolish and evil things.

For the wrong deeds he was punished by great sorrows.

He had a favorite son named Absalom. Absalom grew up to be a very bad boy. No doubt David was foolish in his affection and did not train the boy as he should.

He grew so bad at last that he gathered an army and rebelled against the king. At first he was successful and actually drove his father out of Jerusalem.

But David's army rallied and defeated Absalom and his bad friends in a great battle.

When Absalom knew that his army was defeated he tried to escape by riding away on the back of a swift mule. But as he pa.s.sed under a great oak in the dark forest where the battle was fought, his long hair was caught in the low hanging branches: Here he hung helplessly until the soldiers of David came up and killed him.

{169}

David was very sorrowful while the battle was being fought, because he loved the boy so much. He sat at the gate of the city and watched and waited. Suddenly the watchman on the tower called out that he saw a man running, and in a few moments he said that he saw another.

In the lands of the Bible, messengers, swift of foot and trained in running, always brought the news to the city as quickly as they could run.

When the first messenger came the king said quickly, "Is the young man Absalom safe?"

"I saw a great tumult when I left the battle field," said the runner, "but I knew not what it meant."

"Stand aside here," said the king.

Then came the second man and he called out, "Tidings, my lord the king!"

"Is my boy Absalom safe?" again cried the king.

Then the messenger replied, "The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise up against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is."

{169}

The king knew that this meant that the boy he loved so much was dead.

And the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept, and as he went there he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would G.o.d I had died for thee. O Absalom, my son, my son!"

{170}

THE STORY OF A GOOD KING

When King David died, Solomon his son became king. He was the wisest and best king the people ever had. He is often called "the wise king."

One night soon after he became king he had a dream. In his dream he seemed to see the Lord, who said, "Ask what I shall give thee."

Instead of asking for great riches or honor or power, Solomon asked for wisdom.

He said, "I am but a little child; I know not how to go out or come in. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart."

And the Lord replied, "Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life, neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked for the life of thine enemies, but hast asked for thyself understanding, behold, I have done according to thy word; I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart, and I have given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honor, so that there shall not be any among the kings like thee all thy days."

{171}{172}

[Ill.u.s.tration]

CHILDREN AT CANA

From a photograph taken by Mrs. Fontaine Meriwether and used by her kind permission.

[End ill.u.s.tration]

{173}

Then Solomon awoke and knew it was a dream, but in after years the dream came true, and Solomon became the wisest and richest king in the world.

Every year his ships sailed away and brought many rare and costly things from the East. They brought gold, and silver, and precious stones, and ivory, and apes, and peac.o.c.ks.

At one time Solomon had a visit from the Queen of Sheba, who had heard of his great wisdom and wished very much to see him. She came with a great many servants riding upon camels, and she brought him as presents, gold, and precious stones, and spices.

Many kings came also to see him and they brought as presents, gold, and silver, and costly cloths, and spices, and horses, and mules with their harnesses.

Solomon's greatest wish was to build a beautiful house in which to worship G.o.d. So he sent to King Hiram, who lived in the north country where the great cedars of Lebanon grew, and Hiram sent his woodcutters into the forest and they cut down the great cedars {174} and squared the logs into beams. Then the lumber was taken to the coast and floated on rafts in the sea along the sh.o.r.e and then brought over the land to Jerusalem.

There were also men working in the stone quarries hewing out the great stones for the foundation, and skillful workmen making the golden ornaments and the beautiful carving.

So carefully were the stones and timbers cut and marked that they were all put together without the sound of hammer or axe. This beautiful building was the first temple which the Israelites built and it has always been called "Solomon's Temple."

{175}{176} [Ill.u.s.tration]

CAMEL MERCHANTS