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mother. Befides this, Amnon, his elder brother, was dead; and so, in all probability, was Chileab, inafmuch as we hear no more of him; and Solomon, his only competitor for the crown, was yet very young. His father was too indulgent to him; he faw him affume all the ftate of heir apparent to the crown, yet took no measures, that we know of, to correct his folly, or reprefs his pride. And therefore it was not unnatural, that they who favoured Absalom, should prefume, that his father fecretly encouraged what he did not openly controul.

THUS did David's infirmities concur, in executing the divine decree, of raifing up evil to him out of his own house,

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CHAP. IX.

Abfalom breaks out into open Rebellion, and Achitophel joins him. David flies from Jerufalem, puts up his Prayers to Go D, and is fupported in his Diftrefs.

WE

E have seen, in the preceding chapters, Abfalom's intentions of rebelling against his father: whose unexpected recovery, (under the influence of the divine favour and protection) in all probability, broke his measures for that time; and made him poftpone his wicked purpose. Nor can it be imagined, but that David, from that time, kept a stricter eye over him so that he could make no further progress in his evil intentions. In the mean time, his popularity had all the field he could wish as all the people of Ifrael reforted to Jerufalem, thrice in every year, on the three folemn festivals; he had so often an opportunity of paying his court, and infinuating his poison, till the infection spread through the whole body

body of the realm; and wanted nothing but a fair occafion to display itself in all its malignity nor was this wanting long.

THE facred historian informs us, that Abfalom, under the pretence of a vow, which he had made at Gefbur, applied to his father, for leave to go and offer fome facrifices at Hebron, that antient patriarchal city, and place of his nativity. Jofephus tells us, that this was done four years after his father's reconciliation to him: which plainly shews this to have been the reading in the text, at that time as it alfo was in the time of Theodoret, and ftill is in the Syrian and Arabic verfions, and many antient manuscripts; altho' the Hebrew text now faith, that this came to pass after forty years; without computing from whence they began *.

THE nature of his vow is thus explained by the facred hiftorian, (2 Sam. xv. 8.) who tells us, that Abfalom addreffed his father in the following manner: For thy fervant vowed a vow, while I abode at Gefbur, in Syria,

* Some compute these forty years from David's first anointment to the crown by Samuel, which they think might then have been made ufe of, as the year of our Lord often is with us, without being mentioned.

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faying, If the Lord fhall bring me again indeed to Jerufalem, then I will ferve the Lord. This vow, we fee, is exactly conceived in the piety of the patriarchal style; and plainly implies, that however he was tempted by his grandfather to serve the gods of Gefhur, yet he continued fteady to the true religion, and determined against idolatry which David, we may affure ourfelves, was highly delighted to hear, and accordingly gave a ready consent to the performance of his vow. But from this very circumstance of Absalom's asking and obtaining leave, we may clearly infer, that David held him, at this time, under fome restraint; which plainly implies, at least, fome fufpicion of him. The fame thing is also, as I apprehend, fufficiently evident, from the companions which Abfalom took with him to Hebron, which were two hundred men out of Jerufalem: whom the facred hiftorian acquits of being any way conscious to his confpiracy; confequently they were fuch as David could no way fufpect. They went in their fimplicity, faith the facred writer, and they knew not any thing. Now, there can be no doubt, but that Abfalom would much rather

rather have taken fome of thofe along with him, who were more intimately embarked in his interest; but that he knew that could not be done, without awakening his father's jealoufy; and, perhaps, defeating his whole defign.

THERE is no doubt but David alfo took proper measures to have him watched at Hebron: but Abfalom forefaw this, and prevented all the effects of his father's precautions; for before he left Jerufalem, he took care to fend his emiffaries thoughout all the tribes; doubtlefs, under colour of inviting perfons of diftinction to the facrifice; but, in reality, to carry the watch-word and fignal, before agreed on between them: That as foon as they should hear the trumpet found, they should immediately give out the word, at once, That Abfalom was crowned king at Hebron. By which means the people rushed in as a flood, and the conspiracy, like a contagious ulcer, broke out, and came to a head, almoft at once.

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THE only perfon mentioned by the facred hiftorian, as invited to the facrifice from Hebron, is Achitophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor: whofe arrival, from his own

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