LESSON XXXI.

REMARX. The last words of every sentence should be read in such manner as the sense requires, especially avoiding a sudden fall of the voice.

ARTICULATE distinctly.-Ab-sa-lom, not Ab-s' l'm: cap-tains, not cap'ns: hund-reds, not hun-durds: saw-est, not saw'ss: thrust, not thruss.

2. Suc'-cor, v. help, assist.

7. Com'-pass-ed, v. surrounded.

6. Shek'-el, n. a Jewish coin, worth 8. Dale, n. a low place between hills. from 50 to 60 cents.

DEATH OF ABSALOM.

1. AND DAVID numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite.

2. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also. But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us; but now thou art worth ten thousand of us; therefore now it is better that thou succor us out of the city. And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best, I will do.

3. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands. And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom

4. So the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was in the wood of +Ephraim; where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men. For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

+

5. And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken

up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him, went away.

6. And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak. And Joab said unto the man that told him, And behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver and a girdle. And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, yet would I not put forth my hand against the king's son: for, in our hearing, the king charged thee, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom. Otherwise, I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldst have set thyself against me.

7. Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.

And

ten young men that bare Joab's armor, compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him. And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held back the people.

8. And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him; and all Israel fled, every one to his tent. Now Absalom, in his lifetime, bad taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king's dale; for he said, I have no son to keep my name in +remembrance; and he called the pillar after his own name; and it is called unto this day, Absalom's Place.

+

9. Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the Lord hath avenged him of his enemies. And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead. Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.

10. Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no + tidings ready? But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overrun Cushi.

11. And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, a man running alone. And the

+watchman cried, and told the king. alone, there is tidings in his mouth. drew near.

And the king said, If he be
And he came apace, and

12. And the watchman saw another man running, and the porter, and said, Behold, another man king said, He also bringeth tidings. Methinketh the running of the fore

watchman called unto the
running alone. And the
And the watchman said,
most is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.
king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.

And the

And the

13. And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be the Lord thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king. king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.

+

And the king said unto him, Turn aside and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.

14. And behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings my lord the king; for the Lord hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee. And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, he as that young man is.

15. And the king was much moved', and went up to the cham ber over the gate, and wept'; and as he went', thus he said', 0 my son Absalom'! my son,' my son Absalom! would to God I had died for thee', O Absalom', my son, my son'

BIBLE.

What charge did
What was the re-

QUESTIONS.-What three officers did David appoint over the host? Why did not David himself go forth to the battle? David give to the three officers respecting Absalom? sult of the battle? What was the fate of Absalom? What motives probably influenced Joab to such a course of cruelty? effect of the news of Absalom's death upon king David? Explain the inflections in the last two lines. emphatic repetition. Rules IV and II, 4§.)

What was the

(Persons addressed and

LESSON XXXII.

REMARK. In reading, be careful not to join the final consonant of one word to the vowel of the next word, something in the following way, viz: They gathered roun dim on the fresh green bank,

And spoke their kindly words; an das the sun

Rose upineaven, &c.

Be careful to avoid this fault, by articulating distinctly such words in the above, as "round him,” “and as," and "up in heaven," and the following and similar words in the lesson, viz: bared his, not bare dis: bow'd his, not bow dis: words of, not wor dsof: and his voice went up, not an dis voi swen tup: garb of, not gar bof.

15. Court'-e-sy, n. (pro. kurt'-e-sy) civ- | 35. Sway'-ed, v. leaned, moved back and ilty, politeness.

forth.

40. Trail'-ing,n. dragging on the ground. 41. Re-vers'-ed, p. turned side for side, or end for end.

55. Sack'-cloth, n, a coarse cloth wors by mourners.

3. Mant'-ling, a. covering with crimson,

1.

ABSALOM.

KING DAVID'S limbs were weary. He had fled
From far Jerusalem; and now he stood,

With his faint people, for a little rest
Upon the shore of Jordan. The light wind
5. Of morn was stirring, and he bared his brow
To its refreshing breath; for he had worn
The mourner's covering, and he had not felt
That he could see his people until now.

They gathered round him on the fresh green bank
10. And spoke their kindly words; and, as the sun
Rose up in heaven, he knelt among them there,
And bowed his head upon his hands to pray.
Oh! when the heart is full, when bitter thoughts
Come crowding thickly up for utterance,
15. And the poor common words of courtesy
Are such a very mockery', how much
The bursting heart may pour itself in prayer!
He prayed for Israel'; and his voice went up'
Strongly and fervently'. He prayed for those

20. Whose love had been his shield; and his deep tones
Grew tremulous'. But, oh! for Absalom,
For his estranged, misguided Absalom,
The proud, bright being, who had burst away,
In all his princely beauty, to defy

25. The heart that cherished him, for him he poured,
In agony that would not be controlled,
Strong supplication, and forgave him there,
Before his God, for his deep sinfulness.

30. The pall was settled. He who slept beneath.
Was straightened for the grave; and, as the folds
Sunk to the still proportions, they betrayed
The matchless symmetry of Absalom.
His hair was yet unshorn, and silken curls

35. Were floating round the tassals as they swayed
To the admitted air, as glossy now,

As when, in hours of gentle dalliance, bathing
The snowy fingers of Judea's girls.

His helm was at his feet: his banner', soiled
40. With trailing through Jerusalem', was laid,
Reversed', beside' him: and the jeweled hilt',
Whose diamonds lit the passage of his blade',
Rested, like mockery', on his covered brow'.
The soldiers of the king trod to and fro,
45. Clad in the garb of battle; and their chief,
The mighty Joab, stood beside the bier,

+

And gazed upon the dark pall steadfastly,

As if he feared the slumberer might stir.

A slow step startled him. He grasped his blade

50. As if a trumpet rang; but the bent form Of David entered, and he gave command,

In a low tone, to his few followers,

Who left him with his dead. The king stood still
Till the last echo died: then, throwing off
55. The sackcloth from his brow, and laying back
The pall from the still features of his child,
He bowed his head upon him, and broke forth
In the resistless eloquence of woe:

1. "Alas! my noble boy, that thou shouldst die!
Thou, who wert made so beautifully fair!
That death should settle in thy glorious eye,
And leave his stillness in this clustering hair!
How could he mark thee for the silent tomb,
My proud boy, Absalom!