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to the chamber over the gate, and wept and as he wept thus he faid, O my fon Abfalom, my fon, my fon Abfalom: would to God I had died for thee, O Abfalom, my fon, my fon.

REMARKS.

This lamentation is exquifitely pathetical. It is the natural effufion of a heart that bleeds with anguifh; and never was grief expreffed in a more moving manner. None but a parent knows the intenfity of parental love: Nor is there any forrow more deep and diftrefling than the forrow of an affectionate parent over a loft child.

Let foolish fons and daughters, who by rebellious conduct, have become a heavinefs to their parents, confider, that they are wounding and breaking the hearts of those who beft love them, and bringing them down with forrow to the grave.

CHAPTER XXIII.

SOLOMON'S POLITENESS TO HIS MOTHER,

Now

A. M. 2989.

1.... OW Adonijah came to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon: and the faid, Comest thou peaceably? And he faid, Peaceably. He faid, moreover, I have somewhat to fay unto thee. And the faid, Say on. And he faid, Thou knoweft that the kingdom was mine, and all Ifrael fet their faces on me, that I fhould reign; howbeit, the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother's; for it was his from the Lord.

2....And now I afk one petition of the, deny me not. And the faid unto him, Say on. And he faid, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king (for he will not fay thee nay) that he give me Abifhag, the Shunamite to wife. And Bathfheba faid, Well, I will fpeak for thee unto the king.

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3...Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to fpeak unto him for Adonijah: and the king rofe up to meet her, and bowed himself, and fat down on his throne, and caufed a feat to be fet for the king's mother, and the fat on his right hand.

REMARKS.

This amiable example of Solomon, one of the greateft and most accomplished men that ever lived, will teach young gentlemen to be polite and refpe&tul to their mothers. A young man, however high be his birth, who is habitually difrefpectful to his mother, deferves to be ranked among ill-bred clowns: while, on the other hand, there is fcarcely any furer mark of good-nature, good-breeding and good fenfe, in a young man, thạn is habitually behaving towards his mother with refpe&tful attention.

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE WISE CHOICE OF A ROYAL YOUTH

1..

IN

A. M. 2990.

N Gibeon the Lord appeared unto Solomon, in a dream by night and God faid, Afk what I fhall give. And Solomon faid, Thou haft fhewed unto thy fervant David, my father, great mercy, and thou

haft kept fee him this great kindness, and thou haft given him a fon to fit on his throne, as it is this day. And now, O Lord my God, thou haft made thy fervant king instead of my father; and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

2....And thy fervant is in the midft of thy people whom thou hast chofen, a great people that cannot be numbered or counted for multitude. Give therefore thy fervant an understanding heart, to judge thy people, that I may difcern between good and bad; for who is able to judge this fo great a people?

3....And the fpeech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God faid unto him, Because thou haft afked this thing, and haft not asked riches for thy felf, but haft afked for thy felf underflanding to difcern judgment; behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wife and understanding heart, fo that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee fhall any arife like unto thee.

4....And I have allo given thee that which thou haft not asked, both riches and honor: fo that there fhall not be any among the kings, like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my fatutes and my commandments, then I will lengthen thy days.

5....And God gave Solomon wifdom and underftanding, exceeding much, and largene fs of heart, even as to the fand that is on the fea-fhore. And Solomon's wildom exceeded all the wisdom of the east country, and all the wifdom of Egypt. For he was wifer than all men than Ethan, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the fons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.

6....And he fpake three thoufand proverbs: and his fongs were a thoufand and five. And he fpake of trees

from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon, even unto the hy flop that fpringeth out of the wall; he spake also of beats, and of fowls, and of creeping things, and of fishes. And there came of all people to hear the wif dom of Solomon.

REMARKS.

The wife choice of Solomon is a most valuable leffon to young people. Let youth, who read this pleafing piece of hiflory, "go and do likewife." Let it be their first wifh and prayer that they may have a wife and understanding heart.. Let them fear the Lord, which is the beginning of wifdom and yield their hearts to the impreffions of his good fpirit. Let them hearken diligently to the voice of their parents and inftructors; and improve all opportunities in ftoring and enriching their minds with valuable knowledge.

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This would be infinitely better to them than treafures of gold and filver.

CHAPTER

XXV.

IN THE

REMARKABLE OCCURRENCES

LIVES OF THE PROPHETS, ELIJAH AND

ELISHA.

1....

IN

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N the thirty and eighth year of Afa, king of Judah, began Ahab, the fon of Omri, to reign over Ifrael. And Ahab did evil in the fight of the Lord, above all that were before him. Now Elijah, the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, faid unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Ifrael liveth, before whom I

fand, there shall not be dew nor rain thefe years, but according to my word.

2....And the word of the Lord came unto Elijah, say. ing, Get thee hence, and hide thyfelf by the brook Cherith that is before Jordan: and it fhall be, that thou fhalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. So he went, and did according unto the word of the Lord. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

3....And it came to pafs, after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. And the word of the Lord came unto Elijah, faying, Arife, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to fuftain thee. So he arofe and went to Zarephath.

4....And when he came to the gate of the city,behold, the widow woman was then gathering of flicks; and he called to her, and faid, Fetch me, I pray thee, a lit tle water, that I may drink. And as the was going to fetch it, he called to her, and faid, Bring me, I pray thee, a morfel of bread in thine hand.

5....And the faid, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but a handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruife: and, behold, I am gathering two flicks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my fon, that we may eat it, and die.

6....And Elijah faid unto her, Fear not; go, and do as thou haft faid; but make me thereof a little cake firft, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and thy fon: for thus faith the Lord God of Ifrael, the barrel of meal fhall not wafte, neither fhall the cruise of oil fail, until the day that the Lord fendeth rain upon the

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