patriarchs and prophets-第152节

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was　among　the　prophets。

Again　the　persecutor　was　defeated　in　his　purpose。　He　assured　David　that　he
was　at　peace　with　him；　but　David　had　little　confidence　in　the　king's
repentance。　He　took　this　opportunity　to　escape；　lest　the　mood　of　the　king
should　change；　as　formerly。　His　heart　was　wounded　within　him；　and　he　longed
to　see　his　friend　Jonathan　once　more。　Conscious　of　his　innocence；　he　sought
the　king's　son　and　made　a　most　touching　appeal。　〃What　have　I　done？〃　he
asked；　〃what　is　mine　iniquity？　and　what　is　my　sin　before　thy　father；　that　he
seeketh　my　life？〃　Jonathan　believed　that　his　father　had　changed　his　purpose
and　no　longer　intended　to　take　the　life　of　David。　And　Jonathan　said　unto
him；　〃God　forbid；　thou　shalt　not　die：　behold；　my　father　will　do　nothing
either　great　or　small；　but　that　he　will　show　it　me：　and　why　should　my　father
hide　this　thing　from　me？　It　is　not　so。〃　After　the　remarkable　exhibition　of
the　power　of　God；　Jonathan　could　not　believe　that　his　father　would　still
harm　David；　since　this　would　be　manifest　rebellion　against　God。　But　David
was　not　convinced。　With　intense　earnestness　he　declared　to　Jonathan；　〃As　the
Lord　liveth；　and　as　thy　soul　liveth；　there　is　but　a　step　between　me　and
death。〃

At　the　time　of　the　new　moon　a　sacred　festival　was　celebrated　in　Israel。　This
festival　recurred　upon　the　day　following　the　interview　between　David　and
Jonathan。　At　this　feast　it　was　expected　that　both　the　young　men　would　appear
at　the　king's　table；　but　David　feared　to　be　present；　and　it　was　arranged
that

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he　should　visit　his　brothers　in　Bethlehem。　On　his　return　he　was　to　hide
himself　in　a　field　not　far　from　the　banqueting　hall；　for　three　days
absenting　himself　from　the　presence　of　the　king；　and　Jonathan　would　note　the
effect　upon　Saul。　If　inquiry　should　be　made　as　to　the　whereabouts　of　the　son
of　Jesse；　Jonathan　was　to　say　that　he　had　gone　home　to　attend　the　sacrifice
offered　by　his　father's　household。　If　no　angry　demonstrations　were　made　by
the　king；　but　he　should　answer；　〃It　is　well；〃　then　it　would　be　safe　for
David　to　return　to　the　court。　But　if　he　should　become　enraged　at　his
absence；　it　would　decide　the　matter　of　David's　flight。

On　the　first　day　of　the　feast　the　king　made　no　inquiry　concerning　the
absence　of　David；　but　when　his　place　was　vacant　the　second　day；　he
questioned；　〃Wherefore　cometh　not　the　son　of　Jesse　to　meat；　neither
yesterday　nor　today？　And　Jonathan　answered　Saul；　David　earnestly　asked　leave
of　me　to　go　to　Bethlehem：　and　he　said；　Let　me　go；　I　pray　thee；　for　our
family　hath　a　sacrifice　in　the　city；　and　my　brother；　he　hath　commanded　me　to
be　there：　and　now；　if　I　have　found　favor　in　thine　eyes；　let　me　get　away；　I
pray　thee；　and　see　my　brethren。　Therefore　he　cometh　not　unto　the　king's
table。〃　When　Saul　heard　these　words；　his　anger　was　ungovernable。　He　declared
that　as　long　as　David　lived；　Jonathan　could　not　come　to　the　throne　of
Israel；　and　he　demanded　that　David　should　be　sent　for　immediately；　that　he
might　be　put　to　death。　Jonathan　again　made　intercession　for　his　friend；
pleading；　〃Wherefore　shall　he　be　slain？　what　hath　he　done？〃　This　appeal　to
the　king　only　made　him　more　satanic　in　his　fury；　and　the　spear　which　he　had
intended　for　David　he　now　hurled　at　his　own　son。

The　prince　was　grieved　and　indignant；　and　leaving　the　royal　presence；　he　was
no　more　a　guest　at　the　feast。　His　soul　was　bowed　down　with　sorrow　as　he
repaired　at　the　appointed　time　to　the　spot　where　David　was　to　learn　the
king's　intentions　toward　him。　Each　fell　upon　the　other's　neck；　and　they　wept
bitterly。　The　dark　passion　of　the　king　cast　its　shadow　upon　the　life　of　the
young　men；　and　their　grief　was　too　intense　for　expression。　Jonathan's　last
words　fell　upon　the　ear　of　David　as　they　separated　to　pursue　their　different
paths；　〃Go　in　peace；　forasmuch　as　we　have　sworn　both　of　us　in　the　name　of
the　Lord；　saying；　The　Lord　be　between　me　and　thee；　and　between　my　seed　and
thy　seed　forever。〃

The　king's　son　returned　to　Gibeah；　and　David　hastened　to

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reach　Nob；　a　city　but　a　few　miles　distant；　and　also　belonging　to　the　tribe
of　Benjamin。　The　tabernacle　had　been　taken　to　this　place　from　Shiloh；　and
here　Ahimelech　the　high　priest　ministered。　David　knew　not　whither　to　flee
for　refuge；　except　to　the　servant　of　God。　The　priest　looked　upon　him　with
astonishment；　as　he　came　in　haste　and　apparently　alone；　with　a　countenance
marked　by　anxiety　and　sorrow。　He　inquired　what　had　brought　him　there。　The
young　man　was　in　constant　fear　of　discovery；　and　in　his　extremity　he
resorted　to　deception。　David　told　the　priest　that　he　had　been　sent　by　the
king　on　a　secret　errand；　one　which　required　the　utmost　expedition。　Here　he
manifested　a　want　of　faith　in　God；　and　his　sin　resulted　in　causing　the　death
of　the　high　priest。　Had　the　facts　been　plainly　stated；　Ahimelech　would　have
known　what　course　to　pursue　to　preserve　his　life。　God　requires　that
truthfulness　shall　mark　His　people；　even　in　the　greatest　peril。　David　asked
the　priest　for　five　loaves　of　bread。　There　was　nothing　but　hallowed　bread　in
the　possession　of　the　man　of　God；　but　David　succeeded　in　removing　his
scruples；　and　obtained　the　bread　to　satisfy　his　hunger。

A　new　danger　now　presented　itself。　Doeg；　the　chief　of　Saul's　herdsmen；　who
had　professed　the　faith　of　the　Hebrews；　was　now　paying　his　vows　in　the　place
of　worship。　At　sight　of　this　man　David　determined　to　make　haste　to　secure
another　place　of　refuge；　and　to　obtain　some　weapon　with　which　to　defend
himself　if　defense　should　become　necessary。　He　asked　Ahimelech　for　a　sword；
and　was　told　that　he　had　none　except　the　sword　of　Goliath；　which　had　been
kept　as　a　relic　in　the　tabernacle。　David　replied；　〃There　is　none　like　that；
give　it　me。〃　His　courage　revived　as　he　grasped　the　sword　that　he　had　once
used　in　destroying　the　champion　of　the　Philistines。

David　fled　to　Achish；　the　king　of　Gath；　for　he　felt　that　there　was　more
safety　in　the　midst　of　the　enemies　of　his　people　than　in　the　dominions　of
Saul。　But　it　was　reported　to　Achish　that　David　was　the　man　who　had　slain　the
Philistine　champion　years　before；　and　now　he　who　had　sought　refuge　with　the
foes　of　Israel　found　himself　in　great　peril。　But；　feigning　madness；　he
deceived　his　enemies　and　thus　made　his　escape。

The　first　error　of　David　was　his　distrust　of　God　at　Nob；　and　his　second
mistake　was　his　deception　before　Achish。　David　had　displayed　noble　traits　of
character；　and　his　moral　worth　had　won

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him　favor　with　the　people；　but　as　trial　came　upon　him；　his　faith　was　shaken；
and　human　weakness　appeared。　He　saw　in　every　man　a　spy　and　a　betrayer。　In　a
great　emergency　David　had　looked　up　to　God　with　a　steady　eye　of　faith；　and
had　vanquished　the　Philistine　giant。　He　believed　in　God；　he　went　in　His
name。　But　as　he　had　been　hunted　and　persecuted；　perplexity　and　distress　had
nearly　hidden　his　heavenly　Father　from　his　sight。

Yet　this　experience　was　serving　to　teach　David　wisdom；　for　it　led　him　to
realize　his　weakness　and　the　necessity　of　constant　dependence　upon　God。　Oh；
how　precious　is　the　sweet　influence　of　the　Spirit　of　God　as　it　comes　to
depressed　or　despairing　souls；　encouraging　the　fainthearted；　strengthening
the　feeble；　and　imparting　courage　and　help　to　the　tried　servants　of　the
Lord！　Oh；　what　a　God　is　ours；　who　deals　gently　with　the　erring　and　manifests
His　patience　and　tenderness　in　adversity；　and　when　we　are　overwhelmed　with
some　great　sorrow！

Every　failure　on　the　part　of　the　children　of　God　is　due　to　their　lack　of
faith。　When　shadows　encompass　the　soul；　when　we　want　light　and　guidance；　we
must　look　up；　there　is　light　beyond　the　darkness。　David　ought　not　to　have
distrusted　God　for　one　moment。　He　had　cause　for　trusting　in　Him：　he　was　the
Lord's　anointed；　and　in　the　midst　of　danger　he　had　been　protected　by　the
angels　of　God；　he　had　been　armed　with　courage　to　do　wonderful　things；　and　if
he　had　but　removed　his　mind　from　the　distressing　situation　in　which　he　was
placed；　and　had　thought　of　God's　power　and　majesty；　he　would　have　been　at
peace　even　in　the　midst　of　the　shadows　of　death；　he　could　with　confidence
have　repeated　the　promise　of　the　Lord；　〃The　mountains　shall　depart；　and　the
hills　be　removed；　but　My　kindness　shall　not　depart　from　thee；　neither　shall
the　covenant　of　My　peace　be　removed。〃　Isaiah　54：10。

Among　the　mountains　of　Judah；　David　sought　refuge　from　the　pursuit　of　Saul。
He　made　good　his　escape　to　the　cave　of　Adullam；　a　place　that；　with　a　small
force；　could　be　held　against　a　large　army。　〃And　when　his　brethren　and　all
his　father's　house　heard　it；　they　went　down　thither　to　him。〃　The　family　of
David　could　not　feel　secure；　knowing　that　at　any　time　the　unreasonable
suspicions　of　Saul　might　be　directed　against　them　on　account　of　their
relation　to　David。　They　had　now　learnedwhat　was　coming　to　be　generally
known　in　Israelthat　God　had

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chosen　David　as　the　future　ruler　of　His　people；　and　they　believed　that　they
would　be　safer　with　him；　even　though　he　was　a　fugitive　in　a　lonely　cave；
than　they　could　be　while　exposed　to　the　insane　madness