Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
SJieba Muhes a Party in Israel. 2 SAMUEL XX, XXI. Amasa is Slain.
he went forth, it fell oiit—£. e., cut of the scabbard. According to Josephus, he let it drop on purpose as he was accosting Amasa, that stooping, as it were accidentally, to pick it up, he might salute tlie new general with the naked sword in his hand, witliout exciting any suspicion of his design. "He went forth" in a ceremonious manner to meet Amasa, now commander-in-chief, in order to seem to render to that officer, whom he considered as usurping his post, a conspicuous honour and homage. 9. took him by the beard vvitli the right hand to kiss him—This act, common with two friends on meeting, when one of them was come from a journey, indicates respect as well as kindliness, and the performance of it evinced the deep hypocrisy of Joab, wlio thereby put Amasa off his guard. No wonder, then, that wliile this act of friendly gratulation after long absence, occupied Amasa's attention, he did not perceive the sword tlia* was in Joab's left hand. The action of Joab was indeed c. high compliment, but neither suspicious nor unusual and to this compliment, Amasa paying attention, and no doubt returning it with suitable politeness, he could little expect the fatal event that Joab's perfidy produced.
slonal musicians form a prominent appendage to tlie courts of Oriental princes. 37. bu Hert by tlie grave of my fatlier and my motlier—Tills is an instance of the strong affection of people in the East towards tlie places of sepulture appropriated to their families. 40-4:3. tUe king went on to Gilgal, and all tJie people of JudaU conducted tlie king, and lialf tSie peoisle of Israel Whether from impatieice to move on, or from some other cause, David did not wait till all the tribes had arrived to conduct him on his I'eturn to tlie capital. Tlie procession began as soon as Amasa, had brought the Judahite escort, and the preference given to this tribe produced a bitter jealousy, wliicli was nearly kindling a civil war fiercer than that which had just ended. A war of words ensued between the tribes—Israel resting their argument on their superior numbers; "they had ten parts in the king;" whereas, Judah had no more than one. . Judah grounded their right to take the lead, on the ground of their nearer relationship to the king. TliiS was a claim dangerous to the house of David ; and it shows the seeds were already sown of that tribal dissension which, ere long, led to the disinemberment of the kingdom.
10-13. Amasa is Slain. 10. smote him in the attix rib—The seat of the liver and bowels, where wounds are mortal, struck him not again i. e., despatched him at the first blow. 11. He that favowreth Joab, ajid he that is for David, let him go after Joab—It is a striking proof of Joab's unrivalled influence over the army, that with this villainous murder perpetrated before their eyes they unanimouslj' followed him as their leader in pursuit of Sheba. A soldier conjoined his name with David's, and such a magic spell was in the word "Joab," that all the people " went on"—Amasa's men as well as the rest. The conjunction of these two names is very signiiicanr.
CHAPTEE XX.
Yer. 1-9. Sheba Makes a Party in Israel. 1. Slieba. . . a Benjamite—Though nothing is known of this man, he must have been a person of considerable power and influence, ere he could have raised so sudden and extensive a sedition. He belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, where the adherents of Saul's dynasty were still numerous, and perceiving the strong disgust of the other tribes with the part assumed by Judah in the restoration, his ill-designing heart resolved to turn it to the overthrow of David's autliority in Israel, every man to his tent—This proverbial expression may have had its foundation in the
It shows that the one could not afford to do without the other—neitlier Joab to rebel against David, nor David to get rid of Joab, though hating him.
fact, that many of the Israelite peasantry adhered to the custom of the patriarchs who tilled land, and j-et lived in tents, as Syrian peasants often do still. This was the usual watchword of national insurrection, and from the actual temper of the people, it was followed by effects be.yond wliat he probably anticipated. 3. from .Tordan even to Jernsalem—The quarrel had broken out short ly after the crossing of the Jordan, between Judah and the other tribes, who withdrew ; so that Judah w.as left nearly alone to conduct the king to the metrojiolis. 3. tlie king took tlie ten vvoincii ills concubines—Jewish writers say that the widowed queens of Hebrew monarclis were not allowed to marry again, but were obliged to pass the rest of their lives in strict seclusion. David treated his concubines in the same manner after the outrage committed on them by Absalom. They were not divorced,
If, 15. Joab Pursues Sheba unto Abel. 1-1. he went tlirongli all the tribes of Israel unto Abel—Beating up for recruits. But there the prompt marches of Joab overtook and hemmed him in by a close siege of tlie place. 15. Abel of Betli-maachah—A verdant place—the addition of " Maachah" betokening that it belonged to the district Maachah, which lay far up the Jordan at the foot of Lebanon.
16-22. A Wise Woman Saves the City by Siieba's Head. 10. Then cried a wise woman—The appeal of this woman, who, like Deborah, was probably a juiige or governess of the place, was a strong one. 18. They were wont to speak in old time—The translation on the margin gives a better meaning, which is to this eflect: When the people saw thee lay siege to Abel, they said. Surely he will ask if we will have peace, for the law (Deuteronomy for they were guiltless; but they were no longer publicly recognized as his wives; nor was their confinement to a sequestered life a very heavy doom, in a region where women have never been accustomed to go much abroad. 4. Th<;ii said tlie king to Amasa, Assemble me tlie men of Jiulali Avitliin tlirce days—Amasa is now installed in the command which David had promised him. The revolt of the ten tribes, probably, hastened the public declaration of this appointment, which he hoped would be popular with them, and Amasa was ordered williin three days to levy a force from Judah sufliciont to put down the insurrection. The appointment was a l)Iunder, and the Icing soon perceived his error. The specified time passed, hut Amasfi could not muster the men. Dreading the loss of time, the king gave the commission to Abishai,
20. 10) prescribes that he should offer peace to strangers, • much more then to Israelltish cities; and if he do this, \ we shall soon bring things to an amicable agreement, for we are a peaceable people. The answer of Joab brings out the character of that ruthless veteran as a patriot at heart, who, on securing the author of this insurrection, was ready to put a stop to further bloodshed, and release the peaceable inhabitants from all molestation.
23-20. David's Great Offickks. ^3. Now .Toab was over all the host of Israel—David, whatever his private wishes, found that he possessed not t he power of removing Joab; so winking at the murder of Amasa, ho re-established that ol Hcer in his former post of commanderin-chief. The enumeration of David's cabinet Is hero given to show that the government was re-established lu find iioi to .loab—a newal Tront, which, no doubt, wounded its wonted course.
tlie pride of the stern and haughty old general. lUit ho hastened with his attached soldiers to go as .second to his lirotlier, ileterinined to take the Jlrst opiiortunlty of wreaking his vengeance on his successful rival. S. Amasa went before tli<:>n—Having collecled some forces, he by a rapid marcli overtook the expedition at (JIbeon, and as Bunic<l the i)lac(! of commander; In which capaclt.y, he was saluted, a-iiiong others, by .loab. .loab's gnriueiit, that he had put on, was girded unto him— In the Cakhion of travelers and soldiers, a swurd . . . and, as
CHAPTER XXI.
Vcr. 1-9. The Three Years' Famine for the Gibf.onITES Cease by Hanoino seven of Saul's Sons. l. The liord answered, It U for .Saul, and for his l>loody house, l>ecause he slew the Oibconites—The sacred history has not recorded eitlier the time or the reason of this massacre. Some think tliat they were sull'erers iu the
Saen of SauTs Sons Hanged. 2 SAMUEL
XXII, XXIII. Davids Faith in God!a Promises.
Jonathan his son, Ac.—^Ere long, the descent of copious showers, or perhaps an order of the king, gave Rizpah the satisfaction of releasing the corpses from their ignominious exposure; and, incited by her pious example, David ordered the remains of Saul and his sons to be transferred from their obscure grave in Jabesh-gilead to an honourable interment in the family vault at Zclah or Zelzah (1 Samuel 10. 2), now Beit-jala. 15-33. Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel—Although the Philistines had completely succumbed to the army of David, yet the appearance of any gigantic champions among them revived their courage, and atnicity perpetrated by Saul at Nob (1 Samuel 22. 19), wberp many ol them may have resided as attendants of the priests; while others suppose it more probable that the attempt was made afterwards, with a view to regain the popularity he had lost throughout the nation by that execrable outrage. 3. tn his zeal to tUe children of
Israel and Judnh—Under pretence of a rigorous and faithful execution of the Divine law regarding the extermination of tlie (,'anaanites, he set himself to expel or destroy those wliom Joshua had been deceived into
Bpariug. His real object seems to have been, that the possessions of the Gibeonites, being forfeited to tlie crown, might be divided amongst his own people (cf. 1 Samuel stirred them up to renewed inroads on the Hebrew territory. Four successive contests they provoked during the
22. 7). \t all events, his proceeding against this people was in violation of a solemn oath, and involving national latter period of David's reign, in the first of which the king ran so imminent a risk of his life that he was no longer allowed to encounter the perils of tlie battle-fleld.
gailt; the famine was, in the wise and just retribution of Providence, made a national punisliment, since tlie Hebrews either assisted in the massacre, or did not interpose
CHAPTER XXII.
to prevent it; since they neither endeavoured to repair the wrong, nor expressed any horror of it; and since a general protracted cliastisement miglit have been indispensable to inspire a proper respect and protection to the Gibeonite remnant that survived. 6. let seven of Ills song be delivered unto us, and ive will liang tUem up unto tl»e Liord—The practice of the Hebrews, as of most Oriental nations, was to slay first, and afterwards to suspend on a gibbet, the body being not left hanging after
Ver. 1-51. David's Psalm of Thanksgiving for God's Powerful Deliverance and Manifold Blessings. The song contained in this chapter is the same as the eigliteentli Psalm, where the full commentary will be given. It may be sufficient simply to remark tliat Jewish writers have noticed a great number of very minute variations in the language of the song as recorded here, from tliat embodied in the book of Psalms—which may be accounted for by the fact that this, the first copy of the poem, was carefully revised and altered by David afterwards, when it was set to the music of the tabernacle. This inspired ode was manifestly the effusion of a mind glowing with the highest fervour of piety and gratitude, and it is full Df the noblest imagery that is to be found within the range even of sacred poetry. It is David's grand tribute of thanksgiving for deliverance from his numerous and powerful enemies, and establishing him in tlie power and glory of the kingdom.
sunset. The king could not refuse this demand of the Oibeouites, who, in making it, were only exercising their right as blood-avengers ; and, although through fear and a sense of weakness they had not hitlierto claimed satisfaction, yet now that David had been apprised by the oracle of the cause of the long-prevailing calamity, he felt it his duty to give the Gibeonites full satisfaction hence their specifying the number seven — which was reckoned full and complete. And if it should seem unjust to make the descendants sulfer for a crime which, in all probability, originated with Saul himself, yet his sons and grandsons might be tlie Instruments of his cruelty, the willing and zealous executors of tills bloody mid. 6. the king; snid, I will give tliem—David cannot be charged with doing this as an indirect way of ridding himself of rival competitors for the throne, for those delivered up were only collateral brandies of Saul's fam-
CHAPTER XXIII.
Ver. 1-7. David Professes uis Faith in God's Promises. 1. Now these be the last words of DavidVarious opinions are entertained as to the precise meaning of this statement, which, it is obvious, jnoceeded from the compiler or collector of the sacred canon. Some think that, as there is no division of chapters in the Hebrew Scriptures, this introduction was intended to show that what follows is no part of the preceding song. Others regard this as tlie last of the king's poetical compositions; while a third jjarty consider it the last of his utterances as an inspired writer, raised up on Iilgh —From an obscure family and condition to a throne, the anointed of the God of Jacob—Chosen to be king by the special appointment of that God, to whom, by virtue of an ancient covenant, tlie people of Israel owed all their peculiar destiny and distinguished privileges, the sweet' psalmist of Israel—t. e., delightful, highly esteemed. 3.. The Spirit of the Lord spake by me—Nothing can more clearly show that all that is excellent in spirit, beautiful in language, or grand in prophetic imagery, which the Psalms of David contain, were owing, not to his superiority in natural talents or acquired knowledge, but to ily, and never set up any claim to the sovereignty. Moreover, David was only granting the request of the Gibeonites as God had bidden him do. 8. the Ave sons of Michal the daughter of Saul whom she brought up for Adrlel—Merab, Mlchal's sister, was the wife of Adriel; but Michal adopted and brought up the boys under her care. O. they hanged them In the hill before the Lord—Deeming themselves not bound by tlie criminal law of Israel (Deuteronomy 21. 22, 23), their intention was to let the bodies hang until God, propitiated by this offering, should send rain upon the land, for the want of
It had occasioned the famine. It was a heathen practice to gibbet men with a view of appeasing the anger of the gods in sea.sons of famine, and the Gibeonites, wlio were a remnant of the Amorites (v. 2), though brought to the knowledge of the true God, were not, it seems, free from this superstition. God, in His providence, suffered the Gibeonites to ask and Inflict so barbarous a retaliation, in order that the oppressed Gibeonites niiglit obtain justice and some reparation of their wrongs, especially that the scandal brouglit on the name of tlie true religion by the violation of a solemn national compact might be wiped away from Israel, and that a memorable lesson should be given to respect treaties and oaths.
tlie suggestion and dictates of God's Spirit. 3. tl»e Rock, of Israel—This metaphor, which Is commonly applied by the sacred writers to the Almighty, was very expi-essive to the minds of the Hebrew people. Their national fortresses, in which they souglit .securitytn war, were built on high and Inaccessible rocks, spake to me Eitlier preceptlvely, giving the following (;ounsels respecting the character of an upright ruler in Israel, or prophetically, concerning David and his royal dynasty, and the great Messiah, of whom many thl->k this is a prophecy, rendering the words, "lie that ruleth"—"thei-e shall be a ruler over men." 4. as the tender gross springing out of the earth hy clear shining after rnin —Little patclies of grass are seen rapidly springing np in Palestine after rain ; and even where the ground has been
10, 11. RizpAn's Kindness unto the Dead. 10. Rlzpah . . . took sackcloth, and spread It for her upon the rock—She erected a tent near the spot, in which herself and her servants kept watch, as the relatives of executed persons were wont to do, day and night, to scare tlie birds and beasts of prey away from the remains exposed on the low-standing gibbets.
12-22. David Bijkiks the Bones ok Saui< and Jonathan IN THBIK Father's Seimtlchke. Vi. Daviil went and took the bones of Soul, and the bones of
20»
A Lilt of David's Mighty Men. 2 SAMUEL XXIT. lie Numbers the PeopU, long parched and bare, within a few days or honrs after the enr)rhin<j sliowers begin to fall, the face of the earth plons In David's military staff were divided into three (glasses-the highest, Jashobeam, Eleazar, and .Shammah ; the second class, Abishai, Bonaiah, and Asahel ; and the third class, the thirty, of which Asahel was the chief. There are tliirty-oue mentioned in the list, inc Juiling Asahel ; and these added to tlie two superior orders iiiak* thirty-seven. Two of them, we know, were already dead, viz., Asahel and Uriah; and if the dead, at the drawing up of the list, amounted to seven, then we miglil suppos* a legion of honour, consisting of the definite number thirty, and where the vacancies, when they occnrreil, were replaced by fresh appointments.
Is so n neweil as tliat it is covered over with a pnre fresli mantle of green. 5. Altlvan;;}i my house be not so with God, yet lie liatli made witli ine an everlasting covenant, ordered In all tilings and sure—"The liglit of tlie morniiiK," i.e., the beginning of David's kingdom, was nnlilie tlie clear brilliant dawn of an Eastern day, overcast by many black and threatening clouds; neither himself nor his family had been like the tender grass springing up from the ground, and flourishing by the united influences of the sun and rain ; but rather like the grass that witliereth, and Is prematurely cut down. The meaning is, that although David's house had not flourished in an uninterrupted course of worldly prosperity and greatness, according to his hopes; although great crimes and calamities had beclouded his family history; some of the most promising branches of the royal tree had been cut down in his lifetime; and many of his successors should suffer in like manner for their personal sins; although many reverses and revolutions may overtake his race and his kingdom, yet it was to him a sul)ject of the highest Joy and thankfulness that God will inviolably maintain his covenant with his family, until the advent of his greatest Son, the Messiah, who was the special object of his desire, and the author of his salvation. 6. But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns i. e., the wicked enemies and persecutors of this kingdom of righteousness. They resemble those prickly, thorny plants whicli are twisted together, whose spires point in every direction, and are so sharp and strong that they cannot be touched or approached without danger; but hard inutruments and violent means must be take to destroy or uproot them. So God will remove or destroy all who are opposed to this kingdom.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Ver. 1-P. David Numbers the Peoi-le. 1. again th» anger of the Lord was kindled agninst Israel, and lie moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel ami Judali—" Again" carries us back to the (ormer tokens of his wrath in the three years' famine. God, though He cannot tempt any man (James 1. 13), is frequently described in Scripture as doing what He merely permits to be done; and so, in this case, He perjnitted Satan to tempt David. Satan was the active mover, while God only withdrew His supporting grace, and the great tenipter prevailed against the king. (See Exoius 7. 13; 1 Samuel
2ti. 19; ch. 10. II); Psjilm 105. 'Z5: Isjiiah 7. 17, &c.) The order was given to Joab, who, tliough not generally restrained by religious scruples, did not fail to represent, in strong terms (see on 1 Chronicles 21. 3), the sin and danger of this measure, and used every argument to dissuade the king from his purpose. Tlie sacred history has not mentioned tlie objections which he and other distinguished otticers urged against it in the council of David. But it expressly states that they were all overruled by tlie intlexible r'esolution of the king. 5. they passed over .Toi-dan—This census was taken first in the eastern parts of the Hebrew kingdom; and it would seem that Joab was accompanied by a military force, either to
8-39. A Catalogue of his Mighty Men. 8. Tliese be the names of the mighty men whom David had—This verse should be translated thus: He who sits in the seat of the Tachmonite (t. e., of Jashobeam the Hachmonite), who was chief among the captains, the same is Adino the Eznite ; he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time. The text is corrupt in this passage; the numlier eight hundred should be three hundred. [Daviixson's Herm.] Under Joab he was chief or president of the council of war. The first or highest order was composed of him and his two colleagues, Eleazar and Shammah. Eleazar seems to have been left to fight the Philistines alone; and on his acliieving the victory, they returned to the spoil. In like manner Shammah was aiil in tills troublesome work, or to overawe the people who might display reluctance or opposition, the rive» of Gad— " Wady" would be a better term. It extends over a course estimated at about sixty miles, which, thongh In summer almost con.stantly dry, exhibits very evident traces of l>eing swept over by an impetuous torrent in winter (see on Deuteronomy '2. 36). 6. the land of Tahtim-hodshi— i. c, tlie land lately acquired; viz., that of the Hagarcnes conquered by Saul (1 Chronicles 5. 10). The progress was northward. Thence they crossed the counleft to stand alone In his glory, when the Lord, by him, wrouglit a great victory. It is not very easy to determine whether the exploits that are afterwards descrH)ed were performed by the first or the second three. 15. the well of Bethlehem—An ancient cistern, with four or five holes in the solid rock, at about ten minutes' distance to the north of the eastern corner of the hill of Bethlehem, is pointed out by the natives as Bir-Daoud ; that Is, David's well. Dr. Robinson doubts the Identity of the well ; but others think that there are no good grounds for doing so. Certainly, considering this to be the ancient well, Bethlehem must have once extended ten minutes further to the north, and must have lain in times of old, not as now, on the summit, but on the northern rise of the tilJl; for the well is bj/ or (1 Chronicles 11.7) at the gate. I find In the description of travellers, that the common opinion is, that David's captains had come from the SQUtli-east, inrder to obtain, at the risk of their lives, the so much longed-for water; while It Is supposed try, and, proceeding along the western coast to the southern extremities of the country, they at length arrived In Jerusalem, having completed the enumeration of the wliole kingdom ill tlie space of nine months and twenty days. O. Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto tlie king—The amount hero stated, compared witli 1 (Uironlcles 21.5, gives a difl'erence of 300,000. Tlie discrei)aiicy is only apparent, and admits of an easy reconciliation ; thus (see 1 Clironicles 27), there were twelve divisions of generals, who commanded monthly, anil whose duty was to keep guard on the royal person, each having a body of troops consisting of 2t,000 men, which, together, formed an army of 288,000; and as a separate detachment of 12,000 was attendant on tlie twelve princes of the twelve tribes mentioned In the same chapter, so both are equal to 300,000. These were not reckoned in this hook, because they were In the actual service of the king as ii regular militia. But 1 Chronicles 21. 5 joins them to the rest, saying, "all those of Israel were one million, one hundred thousand;" whereas the author of Samuel, who reckons only the eight hundred thousand, does not say, "all those of Israel," but barely "and Israel were," Ac.
tliat Da vid himself was then in the groat cave that is not far to the south-ea,st of Bethlehem; which cave is generftUy held to have been that of AduUam. But (Joshua If).
It must also bcobservtHl that, exclusive of the troops before mentioned, there was an army of observation on the fron-
35) Adullam lay "In the valley;" that Is, In the undulating plain at Hie western base of the mountains of .Indea, and oonse(|ueiitly to the south-west of Belhlehein. Be this tiers of the Philistines' country, composed of a),(KK) men, as aj)pears by ch. (!. 1; which. It seeins, were includetl In the number of WKj.lKX) of the people ol Judah by the author of .Samuel; but the author of Chronicles, who mentlnnt only 470,000, gives the number of that tribe exclusive of a-s it niiiy, J)avid's men had In any case to brcalc through the host of tlie Pliilistlnes, in order to reach the well ; and Ihe position of Bir-Daoud agrees well with this. [Van de
Vl£l,l)K..j Hi. the llrst tlircc—The niiglity men or cliam210