CHAPTER IX, 437 his subtile carriage he ,raised a rebellion against the king his father, and made himself king ; 2 Sam. xiv. and xv. 53. Q. What followed upon this wicked practice of Absa- lom ? A. David being forced to flee from Jerusalem, Absalom entered the city; and defiled his father's concubines publicly; 2 Sam. xv, 14. and xvi. 21. 54. Q. Who was Absalom's chief counsellor in this re- bellion ? .A. Ahithophel, who when he saw that his last counsel was not followed, went home and hanged himself; 2 Sam. xvii. 23. 55. Q. What became- of Absalom at last ? A. As he was riding under an oak in the day of battle, he was caught by the hair of the head, and hung between heaven and earth, where Joab, David's general, found him, and stabbed him to the heart ; 2 Sam:. xviii. 9, 14. and thus put an end to his rebellion and his life. 56. Q. What was the other remarkable crime of David be- sides his abuse and murder of Uriah ? A. The pride of his heart in numbering all the people of the tribes of Israel, that he might know how great a king he was ; 2 Sam. xxiv. 2. 57. Q. How was he punished for this sin ? A. God gave him leave to chuse one'of these three punishments, either seven years famine, or three months of war, or three days pestilence ; 2 Sam. xxiv. 13. 58. Q. Which did David chose? A. The famine or the pestilence rather than war, for he chose rather to fall into the hands of God than of man ; 2 Sam. xxiv. 14. 59. Q. Which of these two judgments did God send upon the land ? A: A pestilence that destroyed seventy thousand men in three days time ; verse 15. 60. Q. Howwas this pestilence stopped ? A. When David saw the angel of the Lord stand between heaven and earth, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem, he and the elders of Israel fell upon their faces clothed in sack- cloth; and David confessed his crime, and prayed that the an- ger of God might fall on himself rather than on the people; I Chron. xxi. 15, 16. 61. Q. How did God manifest his acceptance of him ? A. He bid Gad the prophet order David to build an altar, and offer sacrifices on that very spot of ground on the threshing-floor of Ornan, and when David prayed, fire came from heaven and con- sumed the sacrifices; 1 Chron. xxi. 21-26. 62. Q. What was the trouble that Davidmet with from his son Adonijah ? A. When David was old, Adonijah set himself up for king ; i Kings I. I, 5. 63. Q. How came Adonijah to be so insolent ? A. His fa- ther humouredhim too much all his life, and never.displeased him; verse 6.
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