80
Spiritual Gifts, Volume 4a
mischievous man. The followers of David begged permission to go
and take his life, but David rebukes them, and tells them to “let him
curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall
then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?” If my son “seeketh my life,
how much more now may this Benjamite do it? Let him alone, and let
him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him.”
He thus acknowledges before his people and chief men, that this is
the punishment God has brought upon him because of his sin, which
has given the enemies of the Lord occasion to blaspheme. The enraged
Benjamite might be accomplishing his part of the punishment pre-
dicted, and if he bore these things with humility, that the Lord would
lessen his affliction, and turn the curse of Shimei into a blessing. David
does not manifest the spirit of an unconverted man. He shows that he
has had an experience in the things of God. He manifests a disposition
to receive correction from God, and in confidence turns to him as his
[91]
only trust. God rewards David’s humble trust in him, by defeating the
counsel of Ahithophel, and preserving his life.
David was not the character Shimei represented him to be. When
Saul was repeatedly placed in his power, and his followers would have
killed him, David would not permit them to do so, although he was in
continual fear of his own life, and was pursued like a wild beast by
Saul. At one time when Saul was in his power, he cut off a piece of
the skirt of his robe, that he might evidence to Saul that he would not
harm him, although he might have taken his life if he was so disposed.
David repented even of this, because he was the Lord’s anointed.
When David was thirsty, and greatly desired water of the well of
Bethlehem, three men, without his knowledge, broke through the host
of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, and
brought it to David. He considered it too sacred to drink and quench
his thirst, because three men, through their love for him, had periled
their lives to obtain it. He did not lightly regard life. It seemed to
him that if he drank the water these brave men had put their lives in
jeopardy to obtain, it would be like drinking their blood. He solemnly
poured out the water as a sacred offering to God.
After the death of Absalom, God turned the hearts of Israel, as
the heart of one man, to David. Shimei, who had cursed David in his
humility, through fear of his life, was among the first of the rebellious
to meet David on his return to Jerusalem. He made confession of