to him Saul's lands in the tribe of Benjamin, and entrusted the management of them to one of Saul's slaves, named Ziba. Notwithstanding this, the Benjamites accused David of destroying the house of Saul, and of having preserved Mephibosheth, because he was lame and unfit to rule. When David's fortune was on the wane, the embittered Benjamites cast stones at him. CHAPTER VIII. DAVID. War with the Moabites--Insult offered by the king of the Ammonites--War with the Ammonites--Their Defeat--Battle of Helam--Attack of Hadadezer--Defeat of the Aramæans--Acquisition of Damascus--War with the Idumæans--Conquest of the town of Rabbah--Defeat of the Idumæans--Conquered races obliged to pay tribute--Bathsheba--Death of Uriah the Hittite--Parable of Nathan--Birth of Solomon (1033)--Misfortunes of David--Absalom--Wise Woman of Tekoah--Reconciliation of David and Absalom--Numbering of the Troops--Pestilence breaks out in Israel--Absalom's Rebellion--Murder of Amasa--Sheba's Insurrection--David and Nathan--Adonijah. 1035-1015 B. C. E. When David had completed two decades of his reign, he became involved in several wars, which withdrew him from the peaceful pursuits of regulating the internal affairs of the country, and of attending to the administration of justice. These wars with distant nations, forced on him against his will, gave him an immense accession of power, and raised the prestige of the people in a surprising degree. David first began a fierce warfare with the Moabites, who dwelt on the opposite side of the Dead Sea. With them he had been on friendly terms during his wanderings, and amongst them he had met with a hospitable reception. It is probable that the Moabites had ousted from their possession the neighbouring Reubenites, and that David hurried to their rescue. It must in any case have been a war of retribution, for, after his victory, David treated the prisoners with a severity which he did not display towards any of the other nations whom he conquered. The Moabite captives were fettered, and cast side by side on the ground, then measured with a rope, and two divisions were killed, whilst one division was spared. The whole land of Moab was subdued, and a yearly tribute was to be sent to Jerusalem.