178

Ziba promised to obey the king. He
was a rich man, and had many ser-
vyants who helped him to take care
of Mephibosheth’s land. Mephibo-
sheth had a house in Jerusalem
where he lived; but every day he
dined with the king, and David
honored and loved him very much.

God always pities those who have
no power to help themselves; and
promises to be their friend if they
trust in Him. Jesus Christ used
to love the blind, and lame, and
deaf and dumb people who came to
Him. He did good to them all.
And Christ’s people try to do as He
did; they pity and help those who

oN

 

DAVID’S SIN.

are in trouble. David was kind,
and generous, and pitiful; we must
pray God to make us so too. Me-
phibosheth was an _ affectionate,
grateful friend to David. David
did much for him, and he was
thankful for it. Ingratitude is a
sad sin. When people are kind to
us, and help us, and pity us, we
ought to love and thank them very
much. How can we show our grati-
tude ? Perhaps we cannot give any-
thing to our kind friends to repay
them, but we can show our thank-
fulness by loving them; and trying
to please them in all things; and
by asking God to bless them.

 

CAXVIT.

Pavip's PIN.

ai are now going to read a
Ky} very sad story about
David.

There was a man nam-
ed Uriah, who had a wife
named Bathsheba. Bathsheba was
very beautiful; and David loved her
very much, and wanted to marry her ;
but he knew he must not, because she
was Uriah’s wife. God says, “Thou
shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife ;”
and it was very wicked of David to
do what God had commanded him
not todo. But David did- not then
ask God to help him resist sin, and,
therefore, he soon became more
wicked still. He wished Uriah were
dead. He could not put him to
death; but he sent him to fight,
and hoped he would be killed in the
battle.

 

 

|

captain of David’s soldiers; so Da-
vid wrote a letter to Joab, and said,
“Set Uriah in the battle; let him
stand in the front, and do not help
him; but leave him alone, that he
may be smitten and die.” Then
David sent for Uriah, and pretended
to be very kind to him; and gave ~
him the letter, and sent him to
Joab. When Joab had finished
reading the letter, he called Uriah,
and told him to stand in the front
of the battle, in a very dangerous
place. Uriah did not know why he
was to stand there; but he did as
Joab commanded; and very soon
he was slain by his enemies, and fell
down dead. Then Joab sent and
told David.

Was David sorry? No, he was
glad; because he could now do as

‘The Israelites were then fighting | he wished, and marry Bathsheba.
with the Ammonites, and Joab was | Satan was tempting David, and