the man that was come to him."

David was very angry at the man who could do such a cruel thing, and he
said to Nathan,

"The man that hath done this thing shall surely die; and he shall
restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he
had no pity."

Then Nathan said to David, "Thou art the man," and he told him how
greatly the Lord had blessed him in making him King over Israel, and in
delivering him from the hand of Saul, and how he had slain a faithful
servant and taken his wife for himself; therefore evil would befall him.

David said, "I have sinned against the Lord," and the Lord saw that his
repentance was real, and forgave the sin, but that David might never
forget and sin again, the Lord took the little child that was born to
him and to Bathsheba. While it was sick David fasted and lay all night
upon the earth, and would not rise to taste food. This he did for
seven days while the little child was sick, but when they told him that
his child was dead he arose and bathed and dressed himself and went to
the house of the Lord to worship, and returned to take his food. Then
his servants wondered at it, and replied,

"While the child was yet alive I fasted and wept, for I said, who can
tell whether God will be gracious unto me that the child may live. But
now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back again?
I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."

After this another child was born to Bathsheba, and they named him
Solomon, which means "Peaceable."

And David wrote a prayer of repentance for his sin. It is the
fifty-first Psalm, and has been the prayer of penitent souls for nearly
three thousand years.

CHAPTER XXV.

DAVID'S SORROW.

David had a very beautiful son named Absalom. From the crown of his
head to the soles of his feet there was no fault to be seen in him.
His hair was thick and long, and his beauty was much talked of through
all Israel. But the Lord who looks upon the heart saw that the heart
of Absalom was wicked and false. He killed his brother Amnon, and then
fled to another country and stayed three years. When he returned he
tried to see his father, but David would not see him for two years.
Then Absalom forced Joab to bring him to the king's house by setting
Joab's barley field on fire. He was false as well as handsome, and won
his father's heart by pretending to be humble.

After this Absalom began to live more like a king