aim.

And David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the
Philistines was then in Beth-lehem. And David longed, and said, "Oh
that one would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem, which
is by the gate!"

And the three mighty men broke through the host of the Philistines,
and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and
took it, and brought it to David: but he would not drink thereof, but
poured it out to the Lord.

And he said, "Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this: shall
I drink the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives?"
therefore he would not drink it.

These things did the three mighty men.

HOW DAVID BOUGHT A THRESHING-FLOOR FOR AN ALTAR.

"_Neither Will I Offer Burnt Offerings Unto the Lord My God of
That Which Cost Me Nothing_."

And David said unto the Lord, "I have sinned greatly in that I have
done: but now, O Lord, put away, I beseech thee, the iniquity of thy
servant; for I have done very foolishly."

{439}{440}

[Illustration]
A PALESTINE THRESHING FLOOR, WITH CATTLE TREADING OUT THE GRAIN

From a photograph belonging to Dr. W. J. Moulton
and used by his kind permission.

This was the method, still in use, whereby during all the times of
the Bible the farmer in Palestine threshed out his grain. It was
then thrown up by forks and the wind blew away the chaff. A level
place for a threshing floor was much prized. It was such a floor
that David bought of Araunah as a suitable place to build an altar.
[End illustration]

{441}

And when David rose up in the morning, the word of the Lord came to
the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, "Go and speak to David, 'Thus
saith the Lord: I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them,
that I may do it unto thee.'"

So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, "Shall seven
years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three
months before thy foes while they pursue thee? or shall there be three
days' pestilence in thy land? now advise thee, and consider what
answer I shall return to him that sent me."

And David said unto Gad, "I am in a great strait: let us fall now into
the hand of the Lord; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall
into the hand of man."

So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the
time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to
Beer-sheba seventy thousand men.

And