Part 6 (1/2)

And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows and brought the of that which he had done Only Jonathan and David knew that, and then because he was eager to be alone with David, Jonathan gave the lad his bow and arrows and bade him take theht and hearing, David who had heard all that had passed between Jonathan and the boy, ca-place, and as there was no one to see or hear theether and talked as lads of to-day h by doing so, they took a very great risk should they be found together

But both of theether

Then with slow step and arether to the spot where David had been in hiding, and with a quick realisation of the danger ever shadowing David's life, both boys were overcome by the depth of their affection for each other, and by the fear that so to part them, and in the custom of the Orient at that time, they clasped hands and made a solemn covenant, or vow, of eternal friendshi+p and mutual help, to extend after the death of either to their descendants

It was indeed a sole in the boyish hearts was stirred when theyand sadly into each other's eyes Then Jonathan said to David:

”Go in peace because we have sworn, both of us, in the na, 'The Lord be between me and thee, and between ood-bye, Jonathan went back to his ho, not only with loneliness for David, but full of fear of what he would have to suffer and bear in the coret for that weakness of character which he knew his father had allowed to go beyond his own control And David went to nob, a city north of Jerusalem, where there was at that time the chief place of worshi+p of the Israelites, and where David naturally turned his steps for instructions and also for food The story of his flight had not reached the little town a the hills, and he was received with the honour due to the King's son-in-law, although Ahimeleck, the chief priest, was astonished that he ca his surprise, David pretended to have coed for food The priest, believing this, felt that he must treat him with all possible honour, and as there was no other food ready, gave him the bread which was for use on the altar Meanwhile, David's quick eye had caught a glih the cracks in the sie herdsnised hi crept over David and made him at once deive except Goliath's sword, which David had taken froiant when he killed him, and which had been there at nob, wrapped in a cloth, ever since With eager joy, David exclaiive it tothewas even then hastening to Saul with news of his whereabouts, and that soon Saul's ers would be in hot pursuit of hi nob, he and his few followers struck across the country in a southwesterly direction, keeping ithin the dense forests, until they looked down on the city of Gath David's condition was desperate now and he resorted to desperate len where he had killed the giant was close beside hi to trust hi in his belt but David was nothing if not courageous Danger in some form he must face, the Israelites were behind, the Philistines before hie in Gath But the move was a fatal one, his identity was at once discovered, to have his life he resorted to the least heroic trick of his whole life Pretending to be a madman, he raved and stormed and twisted about with horrible contortions, pounded upon the gates of the city, let the spittle run down on his beard, and acted his insane part so perfectly that he cohed at the report that this was David, the Israelite, and ordered hih ht ends this episode and we can fancy his sigh of relief when he had once again escaped so narrowly froitive, and a real outla, he took refuge in the cave of Adullam, where as soon as it became known that he had taken up an outlaw's life, he was at once joined by a number of men who for some reason were either discontented with their position at court, or fugitives from justice, and had trust in David's ability to achieve victories over enemies and circumstances Even his own brothers, who had hated and envied him in his earlier days, and his parents, ere now old and feeble, came to join his band of followers, and soon he was the chief of a band nu them some famous warriors who later beca of Israel

Although the wild, free life of the forest hat exactly suited David's own youth and vigour, he felt that his parents were too infirhtfulness, he went at once to the King of Moab and begged hiive a home to the old people until he should have a safer place of shelter for therand- to the rule of Eastern hospitality, entitled all her relations to whatever aid they needed fro of Moab cordially assented to David's request, and received Jesse and his wife as in David's first folloere some clever warriors of the tribe of Gad,and swift of foot With him also was the prophet Gad himself, and there were even so Saul belonged, who joined David's company It seems to have been a peculiarity of the Benjamites that they could use either hand with equal skill, and those who joined David were armed with bows, and were very valuable allies because they could use both the right hand and the left at once in hurling stones, and shooting arrows, and never miss their aim At first David feared treachery from these Benjamites, but when he asked them frankly what their intentions were, they said:

”We are thine, David, peace be unto thee and thy helpers, for thy God helpeth thee” Then David received them, and made them captains of his ar leader, as were all David's band

One incident shohat passionate affection hisDavid had lost the one captain who could keep the Philistines in check, and they were over-running the country in nu their headquarters in the valley of Rephaiht, in a moment of fond recollection of a happier past, David cried out in an intense longing for a drink of water froate of Bethleheer days At once, three of histo do, forced a passage through the Philistine lines and brought hied Touched by the act, but always modest, David refused to allow ratification and poured out the water as a sacrifice to God, according to the religious cereood as blood, David said, and the threethe htiest of his heroes

Besides these men, all the others of his little band were devoted to hie and his unconditional dependence on God under all circuht out all the manhood there was in his little band of outlaarriors ere occupiedtribes and in eluding the pursuit of Saul, and in this way several years passed, during which tiht as he wandered underneath the stars, his thoughts turned in passionate longing to Jonathan, for whom his heart cried out--for Jonathan, whose life was as different fro, and all the elegance and po's son And yet he was far froed to spend a large part of his ti over his father, whose weakness of character he understood perfectly, and to keep the King fro outbursts of te Jonathan's tact, and th

Meanwhile, the prophet Gad whose advice was supposed to be divinely inspired, told David that it was no longer safe to remain in the cave of Adullam, so the little band of outlaws left the place where they had been for so long encae in a forest, so the hills of Judah

It was now the end of harvest tiht to David that the town of Keilah was being harassed by plundering bands of Philistines As the town evidently did not belong to Judah at this tih the enemy had shut up the citizens within their oalls and were robbing the loaded threshi+ng floors outside David deliberated long and prayerfully, together with the priest Abiathar, as one of his followers, deciding whether heKeilah His men were rather fearful of the enterprise, but when Abiathar decided in favour of it, David's band at once hlands of Judah, and surprised and defeated the Philistines with great loss, and took much booty David even established himself in the town, but when Saul discovered that fact, he called out all the forces of Israel, and prepared to besiege David, full of fiendish joy that the prey he had so long sought was in his hands at last, for the capture of four hundred e army, a question of time All this became known to David, arned by Abiathar that the inhabitants of Keilah would be coive him up to Saul, and his four hundredup into detacho, while David with only a handful of his arain into the hospitable wilderness which stretches from the hills of Judah to the shores of the Dead Sea, and there he hid in secret places aled brush, while with fiendish perseverance, Saul sought him every day But every day God saved him from capture, yet as the days passed he becaed in heart Then in a lonely hour there came a rare joy to David--Jonathan, his friend, stood beside hi eyes, joy expressed on every line of his sensitive, delicate face

David has no words ready for such a joyous er the brave warrior--leader of men He throws his arms about Jonathan's neck, and tears come,--yes, tears,--and Jonathan too, is unnerved, but there is no time to lose, they may be discovered any moment and that will mean death for at least one of the David's hand closely

”Fear not,” he says in a clear, calm voice, ”the hand of Saul,over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee, and that also my father knoweth”

So spoke Jonathan, and the words caeous acts of David, and of all the diplomacy he had used to help others as well as himself, Jonathan's heart told hi of Israel rather than he, the rightful heir to the throne, and with deepest love and admiration in his eyes and voice, and at peril of his life, should he be found with David, he told David this, and David's eyes shone with joy and pride in his friend's appreciation, and his hand-clasp grew firmer, and there was deep, intense silence while the two friends thought of past and future, and looked into each other's eyes as comrades look who trust and understand

Then, Jonathan renewed his covenant of friendshi+p for David, and of loyalty to his descendants for ever, and David began to give his answering proreat sob which burst from him And Jonathan could say no words of comfort, for his soul was full of misery too, because he must so soon part from David Then David as quick to see and feel Jonathan's pain, turned away, and hastily, with a ht not see sorrow on his face, and with one last look Jonathan turned and silently went froer world and back into the less free life that was his at the Court of his father Back to his own duty which he never shi+rked, went Jonathan, and to David re of that renewed covenant of co ht daily to kill him, but daily failed to do so, and instead David had an opportunity to capture and kill Saul, when he caround at his head, and surrounded by Abner and his people ere sleeping too Think what a teh it would have freed his life of a dangerous enemy and raised him to the throne, David would not yield to it, for he said:

”Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless? The Lord shall smite him, or his day will come to die, or he will descend into the battle and perish, but God forbid that I should stretch ainst Saul, though still Saul pursued him with relentless hatred, but still David escaped from his hand, and he and his band of followers became daily more famous for their deeds of valour, and for the brave warfare they waged against their eneain broke out between the Israelites and the Philistines David and his men ere not noith either army, but who had just captured the A over this victory, when joy was turned to sorroas brought to David that both Saul and Jonathan had fallen in battle against the Philistines at Gilboa

Jonathan gone froht for ever! David refused to believe this until he who brought the sad tidings had again and again given proof of its truth Then David gave way to his grief, and he and all his men who sorroith hi, for Saul, the king, and for Jonathan, his son, and David h David had known only too well the truth about Saul's great weakness, and had feared hierous enehty in strength of character, and in all the po of a shepherd boy's dreams and also he was the father of Jonathan, and because of David's childhood's ideal of Saul, the king, and because of his great grief for Jonathan his friend, David, as now the King of Israel, expressed his true feelings in this wonderful poem in memory of Saul, and of Jonathan his friend:

The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places How are the hty fallen!

Tell it not in Gath Publish it not in the streets of Askelon, Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph, Ye mountains of Gelboa, let there be no dew, Neither let there be rain upon you!