259 (§74B). David was still in the Philistine town of Ziklag. He had been fighting the Amalekites who had attacked him. How was the news of the battle of Gilboa brought to him? How would you expect him to feel about Saul's death? how about Jonathan's? As a matter of fact he forgot all his wrongs, and remembered only how he had loved Saul and honored him in the early days, and of course he remembered his great friendship with Jonathan. Was this "magnanimous"? 260 (§74B). A dirge means a song for the dead. David was a fine poet and he sang this beautiful song of lamentation over the king and the prince. Notice the six stanzas. The first and the last are a refrain. The second is a hope that the Philistines will not know the sad news. The third is a praise of Saul and Jonathan. The fourth is a special praise of Saul, whose victories had brought spoil to Israel. The fifth is the tender lament of the singer for his friend. This would be a noble poem to learn by heart. 261 (§74C). After Saul's death, it was a question whether David should return home. Tell what happened. Find Hebron on the map in the south. But Saul's general had another policy. What did he do? So there was war between the north and south. At last Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, was murdered by two men who thought they would get reward from David. He punished them of course, but the way was open for David to be king of the whole land. Tell how David was elected king. 262 (§75A). When the thirteen American colonies adopted the Constitution and became the United States, it was necessary to have a capital that should not be in any one state. So two of the states gave a piece of land, which was called a District: what is its full name? What is the name of the city that was built to be the capital of our country? Does it belong to any one of the states in particular? Saul had not had a definite capital, except his own town. David had his headquarters at the old town of Hebron. But it would not do to have a town of Judah as capital of all Israel. There was a strong town that had never been conquered and occupied by the Israelites, but was still inhabited by the old Jebusites. David decided to capture this city and make it his capital. What is the name of the city that is still after 3,000 years the chief city in Palestine? Find it on the map. The fortress was so strong that there was a proverb that it could be defended even by the blind and the lame. Tell the story of the capture.