Exposition of the Whole Bible

obferves, sree. ar iseBbaale ies aa a h: J: anoint with, and were married to ie bevaiiaty.

of Afoer, and fon of Beriab: begat Fa;

Shomer, and Hotham, and Shuab their fyp on the borders of Ephraim is called tl paenents from this Fag

¥. 33. And the fons of Yaphlet, Pafa hal, and Afovath, thefe are the children of Of whom we read*not eliewhere. e ¥. 34. And: the fons of Shamer, &c.] Or& mer, the brother of Fapblety¥. 32. Abi, and Robgab, Febubbab, and Aram, of whom nothing is known but their names. © ~ stash Lage ¥.-35. And the fons of bis brother Helem, &c.} Or Helem his brother, that is, the brother of Shomer. who, according to Hillerus*, is Hotham, Ye gay Zepbab, and Inna, and Shelefb, and Amal 5 ni where elfe. mentioned.) enema ¥.36, 37. And the fons of Zophab, bce.) — ' eldeft of the fons of Helem: Suab, and Haruepber, and Shual, and Beri, and Imrab, Bexer,-and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilfoab, and Ithran, and Beera; in all eleven, | SRD aaah At

¥. 38. And the fous of Fether, 8c.) ~The fame with Ithran, the laft of Zopbak’s fons but one,

37. Jephunneb, and Pifpab, and Ara~; not Fephunneh the father of Caleb; he was not of the tribe of Afber, but of Fudab. Ji eam danas ¢ ¥. 39. And the fons of Ulla, &c.] «Who eithe was the fon of 4va, laft mentioned, or another fon’ of Fether: Arab, and Aniel, and Rezia; here ends the genealogy of Afer, the laft-of the tribes;.Dan and Zebulun, not being reckoned at alk ~ ¥..40.. All thefe were the children of Afber, beads of their father’s boufe, &cc.] Principal men in their tribe, and refpective families: choice and. mighty men of valour; thefe were fome feleéted from others, being eminent for their courage and valour: cbjef of the princes; or chief princes; the Vulgate Latin. verfion is, dukes of dukes, they were heads of their fatkers families:-and the number throug the. genealogy that were apt to WRI 2 vd was 26,coo; thatis, in the days of David, yy. this was the number, not.of their chief men, nor of all the people in the tribe, but of their militia.

this chapter the genealogy of the tribe of, review: is made, chiefly: for the fake jainastaer i Benjamin is re-confidered, and. feveral of the principal men and families in it are taken notice of, which were not before; or a farther account| 4 is given of them, as of the fons and grandfons of Benjamin, y.1—5. of Ehud, ¥.5, 6,7. of Shebaraim, ¥.8—11. of Elpaal and Beriah, ¥. 12—18. _ of Shimbi, ¥. 19—21. of Shafbak, ¥.22—25. off x. Ferobam, ¥.26, 27. of Febiel the father of Gibeon, ¥w28—32. of Ner, and particularly Saul, y¥. 33. his pofterity, the firft king it, and. in whole pofterity bbel the fecond, fuppofed to be the diael, ch. vii. 6. fee Gen. xlvi, 21, and Abara third; the fame with Aber, ch. vii. 12, anc Abiram, Numb. xxvi. 38..

2. Nobab the fourth, and R Nobab is fappofed. by fome to.Becher, ch. vii. 6. and by o

_ * * » y. 1. Now Benjamin begat Bela bis firft-born, &c.] See ch. vii. 6. The genealogy of the tribe and Abibud.| The firft ¢ be the far Gen. xlvi. 21, as Raphay the fe é of Benjamin is reveiwed, becaufe it joined and kept clofe with Judab in the worthip of God, went into captivity, and retutned out of it with it; and this the fame with 4rd, ment; ned Benjamin, Gen. xlvi. 21.

were a Naaman is reckoned among the fons of Benjamin, Gen. xlvi. 21. and from this grandfon, the family of the Naamanites are named, Numb xxvi. 40. and Ahoab is by fome thought to be the fame with Ecki, mentioned in Gen. xlvi. 21.,as one of Benjemin’s fons. Some take the three laft to be the fons of Ebud, {poken of in the next verfe; but Shepbhupban and Huram feem to be the fame with Shapham and Hupham, Numb. xxvi. 39.

¥. 6. And thefe are the fons of Ehud, &c | Not he that, was a judge in Hrael, Fudg. iii. 15. but perhaps a ion of Auram the laft mentioned, for not the three laft are his fons, as fome think, but the three following in the next verfe; what follows being to be read in a parenthefis: (the/e are the beads of the fathers of the inbabitants of Geba); a city in the tribe of Benjamin, Fofh. xviii. 24. mamely thofe fons of Ehud, after mentioned,,were principal men in that tribe, and chief of the inhabitants of the city of Geba: and they removed them to Manabath, the name of a country referred to in ch. ii. 52, 54. according to Farchi, which was in the tribe of Judah; Geba being too ftrait, either the inhabitants of Geba removed them, or they removed themfelves, or. their fathers removed them, ¥. 7. or it may be read imperfonally, they were removed thither for the fake of a better habitation; the Targum adds, ‘‘ to the Jand of the houfe of E/au,” to Edom; which is not likely.

¥. 7. And Naaman, and Abiah, and Gera, &c.) Or, to wit, Naaman, &c. fo the words are to be connected with, thefe are the fons of Ehud, inthe preceding verfe: be removed them, to the above place, that is, either Gera, or rather Ehud, he advifed them, dire¢ted and enjoined them to go thither, as being moft convenient for them: and he begat Uzza and Abibud, after he had removed his other fons.

¥. 8. dud Shabaraim, &c.]° Who was either a: fon of Zbibud, or rather a brother of his; another fon of Ebud: begat children in the country of Moab; whither he might go on account of the famine, as Elimelech did, Ruth i, 1. after be bad fent them away; which fome underftand of thofe that were removed from Geba to Manabath, ¥. 6. but a

¥. 11. And of Hufdim be begat Abitub, and E& and Shephuphan, and Huram.} Thee bag] Before’ he’ fent her away, or divorced her, the fons of Bela; one of the name of|y.8..

¥. 12. The fous of Elpaal, Eber, and Mifbas and Shamed, &c.| Befides thofe in x. 14. 19, - who built Ono, and Lod, with the towns thereof;, hot Shamed but E/paai his father, fo the Targum;

and the Talmudifts fay °, thefe were walled cities from the days of Fofhua the fon of Nun, and were deftroyed in the days of the concubine in Givea, and Elpaal came and rebuilt them; they were inhabited by the Benjaminites, upon their return from the Babylonifo captivity, Neb. xi. 35. they were near to each other; according to a ewi/h chronologer-?, it was three miles from the one tothe other; Lod is the fame with Lydda, in Ads ix. 32. 25. 38.

¥. 13. Beriab alfo, and Shema, &c.).Thefe were fons of Elpaal: who were heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Aijalon; which, though in the tribe of Dan, Fofb. xix. 42. might afterwards come into the poffeffion of Benjamin; or this may be another place of the fame name in Benjamin; or however, might be inhabited by Benjaminites, upon the return from captivity, who defcended from thofe men: who drove away the inhabitants of Gath; difpoffefied them of their city, in, revenge for what they had done to the Ephraimites, ch. vii. 2.

¥. 14, And Abio, Shafbak,. and Ferimoth.| Thefe were alfo fons of Elpaal.

¥. 15, 16. dnd Zebadiab, &c.} And all that follow in this and the next verfe were the fons of Beriab the fon of Elpaal; namely, Arad, Ader, Michael, Ifpab, and Foba.

¥. 19,20, 21. And Fakim, &c.] With all the reft in thefe verfes, namely, Zichri, Zabdi, Elienat, Zilthai, Eliel,’ Adaiab, Beraiah, and Shimratbh, were the fons of Shimbi, the fame with Shema brother of Beriab, and fon of E/paal, ¥. 13.

different word is here ufed; and befides Shabaraim fiab, Eliah, and Zichri, were the fons of Ferobam, feems to be one of thofe that were removed. Kimchi takes Shilbo-otham, we render, had fent them away, to be the name of ‘his firft wife of whom he begat

- children in Moab; but it feems beft to render and fathers, of the hovles or families of their father. That is, Yebéel’s, the father or prince of Gibeon;

interpret the words in’ connexion with what follows: he begat children in Moab, after be bad fent them away, even Hufhim and Baara: bis wives, after he had divorced them for fome reafons he had, he begat children of another wife, after mentioned.

_ 9, 10. And be begat of Hodefh bis wife, &c.] That is, he, I fay, begat, namely, Shabaraim; the Targum makes this Hodefh to be the fame with Baara, called fo, becaufe fhe was newly efpoufed; but wrongly: the fons begotten of her were the feven following; Fobab, Zibia, Mefha, Malcham, eux, Shachia, and Mirma: Thefe were his fons; the fons of Shabaraim by his wife Hodefh: beads of the who perhaps is the fame with Ferimoth, another fon of Elpaal, ¥. 14. who makes a confiderable figure in this genealogy. Kimchi obferves that it is a tradition %, that this L/iab is Elijah the prophet, who was of the feed of Rachel. ¥. 28. Thefe were heads of the fathers, by their generations, chief men, Se.| All from y. 14. the fons of Zipaal and their fons: sthefe dwelt in Ferus~ falem; part of which always ‘belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, fee Fofb. xv. 63. and xviii. 28.

y¥. 29. And at Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon, &c.} The builder of the city, and prince of the inhabitants of it, which was in the tribe of Benjamin, Fofb. xviii. 25. whofe name was Febiel, ch. ix. 35. (whofe wife's name was Maachab) of which name were many, fee ch. ii. 48. and iii. 2. and. Vii. 16.»

37, Mikloth next mentioned. ¥. 37. dnd Moxa begat Binea, Rapba v y¥. 32. And Mikloth begat Shimeab, &c.] Cal-|fen, &c. led Shimeam, ch. ix. 38. and thefe alfo dwelt with their brethren in Ferufalem,, over againfi them; another part of the city, right againft them. ¥.

Ve 34. And the fon of Jonathan was Merib-baal, &c.] The fame with Mephibofbeth, 2 Sam. iv. 4.; and ix. 6. fo Ferub-baal is called Ferub-befbeth, FJudg. vi. 32. 2 Sam. xi. 21. and Merib-baal begat Micah; called his young fon in David's time, Called’ Rephaiab, ch. ix. 43. Elafa hi fon; whofe name is Eleafab, ch. ix. 43. Azel bi 7 in eA. *,; BRULEE tec 38. And Azel had fix'fons, whofe names are befe, Azrikam, Bachem, Ibmaely Sheariah, Obafor Ner had diah, and Hanan, &c.| Which make the. faba; mumber: a// thefe were the fons of Azel; his family was large. gs Pi Te y¥. 39« 4nd the fons of Efbek his brother, &c.]; The brother of zel; who he was is not known, unlefs he is the fame with Ela/a, as is conjectured: were Ulam bis firft-born, Fehufo the fecond, and Eliphelet the third. st fa)» tae aoe Di. 40. And the fons of Ulam were mighty men of valour, &c.] Men of great forticadand! aalliae though their names are not exprefled: archers; fkilful in the ufe of the bow and arrows, as the Benjaminites formerly were famous for flinging ftones: and had many fons, and fons fous, 1503 fo that the ° pofterity of Fonathan, whofe genealogy is drawn down from ¥. 34. -hither, were very great; and

¥. 33. And Ner begat Kifh, &c.] Whovalfo is | called biel, as the Zargum here adds; two names, as other Yewi/h writers likewife fay ', fee 1 Sam. ix. 1. and Kifh begat Saul, the firft king of [rael, for whofe fake chiefly the genealogy of Benjamin is revifed and enlarged in this,chapter: and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchi-foua, andj Abinadab, and Efp-baal, fee 1 Sam. xxxi. 2. Abinadab is called Ihui, 1 Sam. xiv. 49. and Ejbbaal is the fame with Jhbofbeth, 2 Sam. ii. 8.10. fo Baal and Bofheth are ufed of the fame idol of which they are names, Ho/. ix. 10.

2 Sam. 1X. 12. greater ftill, according to the Vulgate Latin ver- ¥. 35. And the fons of Micah were, Pithon, and fion, in which the number is 150,009 in the edi- Melech, and Tarea, and Abaz.| The laft but one | tion of Sixtus the 5th, and fo in moft MSS. of that is called Tehrea, ch..ix. 41, where Abax is left) verfion*®: all thefe are of the fons of Benjamin, his out, though fupplied in our verfion. | pofterity, whofe names are given in this chapter, |

from Babylon upon the proclamation of Cyr#s, and enjoyed their former poffeflions, and dwelt in the cities they had before, or in fuch as were allotted them, or they chofe: were,. the [raelites, the priefts, Levites, and the Netbinims; the whole bedy that returned were divided into four clafies, as they had been before the captivity; the J/raelites were the common people in general, the body politic; the priefts, the ecclefiafticks, who officiated in facred things; the Levives, who miniftred to them; and the Nethinim-were fuch perfons as were given, as the word fignifies, to do fervile work for the fanctuary, as to be hewers of wood and drawers of wa- &c.}_ Not now by the writer of this book in the preceding chapters; for two of the tribes are not ter; fuch, were the Gibeonites, Fo/b. ix. 27. and fuch as were appointed by David for fach work, fee

HE genealogies of the feveral tribes being reckoned at all, and the reft but in part; but = Vili. 20.

given, according as they were written in the book of the kings of J/rae/, ¥. t. anaccount follows of thofe who firft fettled in eru/alem after their return from the Badbylonifh captivity; of the I raelites,

¥. 2—g. of the priefts, ¥. 10—13. of the Levites, and of the charge and offices of {everal of the priefts and Levites, y. 14——-34. and the chapter is concluded with a repetition of the genealogy of the anceftors and pofterity of Saul king of Irael, y.

y. 1. So all Ifrael were reckoned by genealogies, had been kept an exact account of them: and bebold, they were written in the book of the kings of frael; not in the canonical book, or books of y. 3. And in Ferufalem dwelt of the children of Fudab, and of the children of Benjamin, &c.| Of which tribes were the largeft number that went into, and returned out of, captivity’: and of the children ~ of Ephraim and Manafeb, fach of thofe tribes who ~ had joined the others when Fereboam introduced out of which this writer, under a divine direction, had taken what was proper to be continued, and had carried the genealogy down to the captivity of the ten tribes; but the genealogy being loft with them, he could proceed no farther, nor fay any thing sore concerning them: dut Fudah; for fo the word fhould be ftopped, and read according to the Hebrew accents: who were carried away to Babylon for their tranfgrefion; their idolatry, and were now returned again; of them the writer propofes to his idolatry, or had fled to them when Samaria! was befieged and taken by Salmanefer, and fo went into captivity with Fudab, and now returned; < as many of them as. took the advantage of the pro clamation of Cyrus, who were carried captive the ten tribes. Aas 5% aia 4. Uthai the fon of Ammibud, 8 Athaiah, Nib. xi. 4. though his anc differently reckoned here; his gen traced from his father Amuanbua give a farther account.. Imri, Bani, Pharez, to Fudeb. ye. 2. Now the firft inbabitants that dwelt in their poffefions in their cities, &c.) Who firft recurned y. 5. And of the. Shilonites, &e.] 4 from the city of Shilo, which was

» kings, but in the annals, journals, and diaries which each king took care to be kept with fome exactnefs, often referred to in the preceding books;

pew Deer eg eg. P daa 3 Pes | 3 whereas. thefe here intended were of the tribe of Judah, and were either the defcendants of a man, ’ whofe name was Shiloni, Neb. xi. 5. or rather thefe are the fame with the Shelabites, Numb. xxvi. 20. fo called from Shelab the fon of Fudab; and fo the Targum here is, ** and of the tribe of Shelah:” ' Afaiah the firft-born, and bis fons; the fame with Maafeiah, Neb. xi. 5. ¥. 6. And of the fams of Zerab, &c.] Another fon of Yudab: Feuel, and their brethren, 690; or their kinfmen; for this number includes all of the polterity of Pharez, Shelah and Zerab mentioned. ¥. 7. And of the fons of Benjamin, &c.| Who were of the tribe of Senjamin, and went with Fudeb into captivity, and returned with them, and juch of them as dwelt in Yeru/alem before that: Sallu the fon of Mefbullam; whofe pedigree is differently given, Neb. xi. 7. the fon of Hodoviah, the Jon of Haffenuek perhaps thefe men had two names, there called Yoel and Pedaiah, _; ¥.8. And lbneiah the fon of Ferobam, &c.] Who with two more, L/ab and Mefbullam, whofe anceftors are given, of whom we have no mention eliewhere, were all of the tribe of Benjamin, faid to fettle at Ferufalem. \. ¥. 9: And their brethren, according to their generations, 95°, &c.} Which was the number of the Benjamuinites,’there refident put together, and which greatly exceeded that of Judah, y¥. 6. ali thefe men were chief of the fathers in the boufe of their fathers; principal men in the families of the tribes of Fudabh and Benjamin, even all the feven before mentioned. if a ¥. 10. And of the priefis, &c.] Who returned and dwelt at Ferufalem: Fedaiah, and Febsiarib, and Fachin; Fedaiah was the fon of Feboiarib, and Fachin is called Fachin, Neb. xi. 10. ¥. 11. And Azariab the fon of Hilkiab, &c. | That is, the fon of zariab, whofe name was Seraiah, fee ch. vi. 13, 14. Neb. xi. 1. whofe pedigree is traced up from Hilkiah through Mefbullam, called Shallum, ch. vi. 12, 13. Zadok, -Mevaioth, to Abitub, the ruler of the houfe of God high-prieft in it; which is to be underftood of 4ditub, and not of Azariab or Seraiah in the time of Ezra; tor Fofoua was then high-prieft. ¥.12. And Adaiah the fon of Ferobam, the fon of Pafeur, &c.] In this genealogy between 7erobam and Pafbur, were three more here omitted, Pelaliah, Amzi, Zechavieh, Neb. xi. 12. and then Pafbur the fon of Malchijah, as here: and Mabafai the fon of Adiel; whofe pedigree is traced up from hence, through Fabzerab, Mefbullam, Mefbillemith, to Immer; one of the five heads of the courfes fettled by David, ch. xxiv. 14, The name of this man, and of his anceftors, are given, with fome variation, in Neb. xi. 14. i ¥.13. And their brethren, beads of the houfe of their fathers, 1760. ] Thefe, with other priefts, made up this number, which was greater than thofe of Fudeb and Benjamin that dwelt in Ferufalem, put together: very able men for the work of the fervice of the houfe of God; men that had not only. ftrength of body, which fome part of the work of the priefts required; but had courage and fortitude of mind to fet about the fervice of God with chearfulnefs, and to preférve it from ~ corruption. y. 14. And of the Levites, &c.] Having given ‘an account of the two firft claffes of the’ people. the J/raelites and priefts; the author of the book now proceeds to the Levites, the third clafs: and. the firft mentioned is Shemaiah, whofe anceftorg Hafbub, Azrikam, and Hafbabiah, were of the fons of Merari; the third fon of Levi. a

¥.15. And Bakbakkar, Herefh, and Galal, and Mattaniah, &c.| Fourmore of the chief of the Levites, the pedigree of the laft of which is traced up by Micab and Zichri to Afaph, the finger in the times of David, a defcendant of Gerfbon, the firft fon of Levi; the firlt of thefe is thought by Hillerus * to be the fame with Bakbukiah; Neb. xi, ‘7. Vk.

¥. 16. Aud Obadiah the fon of Shemaiab, &c. | Called 4bdah the fon of Shammua, Neb. xi. 17. the fon of Galal, the fon of ‘eduthun; who was Ethan, another of the fingers in the time of David: and Berechiah the fon of Aja, the fon of Elkanah, that dwelt in the villages of the Netophathites; the villages about Netophab, which was in the tribe of Judab, ch. ii. 54. Neb. vii. 26. which may be underftood either of E/kanab, the anceftor of Berechiab, whofe dwelling was there; or of Berechiab, and muft be rendered, who had dwelt there; for now he dwelt at Ferufalem.

W. 17. And the porters, &c.] Or keepers of the gates of the tabernacle: were Shallum, and Akkub, and Talmon, and Abiman, and their brethren, Shallum was the chief; of thefe four porters, and their brethren.:

¥. 18. Who hitherto waited in the king’s gate eaftward, &c.] _ At the gate through which the king went into the temple, and was at the eaft of it; and here thefe porters were placed in the fame order after the captivity, and their return from it, as betore: they were porters in the companies of the children of Levi; or in the camp of Levi, which was placed around the tabernacle, as in the wildernefs: the Septuagint verfion is, thefe are the gates of the camp of the children of Levi; at which thefe porters were placed.

¥.19. And Shallum the fon of Kore, &c.] The fame as in y. 17. whofe pedigree is traced up to Ediafaph the fon of Korab, fee Exod. vi. 24. and his brethren, of the houfe of his father, the Korabites; fo called, becaufe they defcended from Korab: were over the work of the fervice, keepers of the’ Sates of the tabernacle; until the temple was built: and their fathers being over the hoft of the Lord; the Levites, who were the Lord’s army, and whofe fervice is reprefented as a warfare, Numb. iv. 5. were keepers of the entry; into the tabernacle, that none might enter that were impure; or into the court of the priefts, excepting priefts; or into the holieft of all, as Kimchi fugeetts.

¥. 20. And Phinebas the fon of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time pafl, &c.| Over the hoft, over the Levites, and the chief of them; which is to be underftood of Phinebas the fon of Eleazar, in the time of Mofes, who fucceeded his father in that ' pott, fee Numbd. iii. 32. though fome think, as Kimchi obferves, that this was not Phinebas the prieft, but a certain Levite of this name in this poft; but fince he is faid to be in time patt, it may very well be underftood of him: and it alfo is obferved, and the Lord was with him; infpiring him with zeal for his honour and glory, affifting and {trengthening him to do his will and work, as particularly in the affair of Zimri, Numb. xxv. 7, 8. the Targum is, ‘ the Word of the Lord was for his help;” this may be faid for the encouragement. ys at.

of him that was in the fame office now.

“the times of David; but it feems rather td refpect’

‘yt. 21. And Zechariah the fon of Mefbelemiab,! al be: nftruments of acer fhe. mf to

&c.] Some think this refers to one that was in one that was after the Babylonifh captivity, fee ch. xxvi. 1,2. though he and his brethren were in an office eftablifhed in the times of David, and the order of which was now, as then obferved: was porter of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; whg was the chief porter, and kept the door; either that led into the outer court, and kept out all unclean perfons from entring there; or that which led into the court of the priefts, that none but priefts might enter there. —

¥. 22. All thofe that were chofen to be porters in the gates, were 212, &c.] As fixed in the. days of David, and might not be fewer: thefe were reckoned by their genealogies in their villages; where they dwelt: whom David and Samuel the feer did ordain in their fet office; the fcheme was firft drawn by Samuel the. prophet, and communicated to David, who put it into execution,’ to be conftantly and perpetually obferved.

yy. 23. So they and their children had the overfizht of the gates of the houfe of the Lord, &c.] They that were appointed in David’s time to watch the gates of the temple, their pofterity fucceeded them in that office; for it was hereditary: namely, the houfe of the tabernacle by wards; that which was at Gideon in David’s time, and now one was erected until the temple was built.

y. 24. In four quarters were the porters, &c.| For, according to the Targum on ¥. 22. there were 24 wards: towards the eaft, weft, north and fouth, and as the fame paraphrafe has it, fix wards to the eaft, fix to the weft, fix to the-north, and fix to the fouth.

y. 25. And their brethren which were in their villages, &c.| Affigned them to dwell in: were to come after feven days from time to time with them; there was a new courfe of them every week; the old ones went off of duty, and another courfe fucceeded, which came out of the villages where they dwelt, and the old courfe retired to theirs.

y.26. For thefe Levites, the four chief porters were in their fet office, &c.} The four chief porters who were over all the 212, and had one over them, ¥. 17. thefe were never changed, nor went into the country-villages; but were always upon the fpot, and in their office fuper-intending the reft: and were over the chambers and treafuries of the bou'e of Gods fee ch. xxvi. 20.

y.27. And they lodged round about the boufe of

God, &c.] In chambers on the outward wall about it, that they might be near to do their office: becauje the charge was upon them; to guard the houfe: and the opening thereof every morning pertained to them, that is, the opening of the doors of the mountain of the houfe, and the court of women; for as for others, that appertained to the priefts, as Dr. Lightfoot * obferves; under the fecond temple, it is faid “, Ben Geber was over the fhutting of the gates in the evening, and fo of y. 28. And certain of them had the charge of the miniftring-veffels, that they foould bring them in and out by tale. Which the priefts ufed in facrificing, and which the Levites brought to them, and returned again to their proper places.. ’

¥. 29. Some of them alfo were appointed to over- that were made in the pans; the mea offe ‘ing ‘ delivered them out on o was to fee that they were retur done their uf and ferviees the wine, and the oil, and the’ pices; which were ufed in meat-offerir offerings, &c. fee ch. xxvi. 20. under temple, Abiab was over the libations offerings *. €

¥. 30. And fome of the fons of the prie the ointment of the fpices.| For though the Lev had the care of ‘the fpices, they might not mak the ointment with them, only the priefts, fee Exea XXX. 23. 1 toy

‘y¥: 31. And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, was the firft-born of Shallum the Korabite, 8c.) whom fee ¥. 19. had the Jet office over

-cafion, ar ath ifineis iis ned when they had the Sine were made in pans; and fo had the eare of flour, oil, and frankincenfe ufed in them, he delivered to the priefts when neceflary, fee Lev. li. 5. the Septuagint verfion is, ** over the works of the facrifice of the pan of the high-prieft;” as” » if it refpeéted peculiarly his meat-offering, Ley.’ vi. 20, 21. we read in the Mi/uab” of the offerings of the high-prieft, as expreffed-by this word, which it fignifies, and not pans, but what was fried in them*; and Ben Melech on the place YS, this man was an high-prieft who. offered every day the 10th part of an ephab in a pan, half of it in the morning, and half of it in the evening, according to Lev. vi. 20. but that cannot be, ‘for certain’ it is he was a Levite, as the text exprefits it. -

¥. 32. And other of their brethren of the fons of the Kobathites, were over the fhew-bread to prepare’ it every fabbath.| Twelve loaves of which were fet every: week before the ark upon the fhew bread- table, and the old ones taken away: now the work, of thefe Levites was to make this (iets Bea gat get it ready every week to be fet upon the table, and which was done not by them, but by priefts; under ~ the fegond temple, the family of Garmu was fet

¥. 33. and thefe are the fingers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, &c.] chet +X <n employed ih finging, and were miafters of the fong, and prefided in that fervice, fee ch. vi. 31. who remaining in the chambers were free; from all other work-and fervice; and there they abode, even in the chambers of the temple, that they might be near to perform their work, and not be defiled, and made unfit for it: for they were employed in that work day and night; fome or other of them, _ either in compofing or finging pfalms and hymns, or teaching others how to fing them, —

¥. 34. Thefe chief fathers of the Levites v throughout their generatiuns, &c.] Even ¢ made mention of in this chapter: the/e dwe. rufalem; always refided there, and did no go into the-country-villages, as the inf did; their office requiring them to b there, being chief of the porters, fingers, had the fuperintendency and direction

¥. 35. And in Gibeon dwelt. the fat &e} ie name is here ment not in ch. viii. 29, Febiel Maachab; pity. or wife fometimes is, G::

of the anceftors and pofterity of Saul king of I rael, which is made to lead on to and connec¢t the follow- which gives an account of the laft battle of Saul with the Philiftines, and of his death and burial, is the fame with 1 Sam. xxxi. 1—13. fee the notes there; the caufe of his death follows here. ¥. 13. So Saul died for bis tranferefion, &c.] A violent and difhonourable death, which was fuffered on account of the fins he was guilty of: one was, which he committed againft the Lord, even againft the word of the Lord, which he kept not; both in not ftaying for Samuel the time appointed, and by fparing the Amalekites, whom he was bid to deftroy, 1 Sam. xiii. 13, 14. and xv. 3, 9. and alfo Sor afking countel of one that had a familiar pirit, to enquire of it; what he fhould do with refpect ‘to engaging in battle with the Phili/tines, 1 Sam. xxviii.

HIS chapter treats of David’s being anoint- his taking Ferufalem from the Febufites, ¥. 4—9. the account of which we have 2 Sam. v. 6—10 fee the notes there; only here we are told, that it was Joab that {mote the Febufites firft, and fo was made chief captain according to David’s promife; and that he alfo repaired the -reft of the city David built round about; perhaps the fortifications demolifhed in taking it, y. 6, 8. or rather, as i & HIS chapter gives an account of thofe that came to David at different times, and joined and afiifted him both before the death of Saul, and when perfecuted by him, and after he was made king of Fudab in Hebron, and before he was king of all Jrae/, in order to it; of the Benjaminites that came to him when at Ziklag, ¥. 1—7. of the Gadites that came to him when in the hold, y. &§—15. of fome of Judah and Benjamin, who came to him in the fame place, y. 16—18. and of the M/gnaffites at the time he came with the Péiliftines againft Saul, ¥. 19—22. and the number of the fevera] tribes are given, that came to him at Hebron to make him king over all Srael, y. 23—40.

y.1. Now thefe are they that came to David to Liklog, &c.} Given him by Achifh to live in, when he fled from Saul, 1 Sam. xxvii. 6. while be yet kept himfelf clofe, becaufe of Saul the fon of Kipp; when he was an exile from his own country, and obliged to live retire in a foreign one, becaufe of bane DN Myr Vivas confervavit urbis reliquias, Junius & Tyemellius; Strigelius in Poli Synopf. in loc.

nee to the end chapter is a repetition | ing hiftory of the kings of Yudeb, begun in this book, and carried on in the next unto the Babylonifh captivity, fee ch, viii, 29—40. and the notes theres

5. which to do was contrary to an exprefs command of God, Lev. xix. 31.

¥. 14. And enquired not of the Lord, &c.] For though -he did enquire in fome fenfe in an external, carelefs, and hypocritical manner, yet not done ferioufly, fincerely, and heartily, nor with conitancy 5 it was accounted as if he enquired not at all, fee 1 Sam. xxviii. 6. the Targum adds another reafon of his death, becaufe he killed the priefts of Nob but that is not in the text: therefore he flew him; or fuffered him to be flain: and turned the kingdom unto David the fon of Feffe; tranflated the kingdom of [rael, out of Saul’s family upon his death, into Fefe’s, even unto David; for the fake of which obfervation, this fhort account is given of the laft end of Sau/.

others give the fenfe, he /aved alive * thefe that reed king by all J/rael, ¥. 1—3. which agrees with 2 Sem. v. 1, 2, 3. fee the notes there, and of mained in the city, after he had flain the lame and the blind;

though a learned ‘writer conjectures it fhould be read, and Joab 7) was made sy the governor of the city; and the Targum is, “* Foad governed the reft of the city.” And then follows an account of David’s mighty men and worthies, ¥. 10—41. of whom fee the notes on 2 Sam. xxiii, ¥. 8—39. and others are added here, y. 42—47. of whom we know no more than their names.

Saul’s perfecution of him; and feeking to take away his life: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war not againft Saul, with whom David had none, but with the Amalekites, and others, 1 Sam. xxvii. 8. and xxx. 16, 17.

¥. 2. They were armed with bows, &c.] Much ufed in war in thofe. times: and could ufe both the right-hand and the left, in hurling ftones, and fhooting arrows out of a bow, they. were ambi-dexters; who could fling ftones, or fhoot arrows, with either, which was no {mall advantage to them: even of Saul’s brethren of Benjamin, they were of the tribe of Benjamin, of which Sau/ was, and fo his brethren; and they might be, at leaft fome of them, his relations and kinfmen; who obferving; the unreafonablenefs of Sau/’s enmity to David, and detefting his cruelty, and fenfible of the innocence of David, and of the fervice he had done his country; and perhaps not being ignorant of his ‘divine right and-title to the kingdom, went over to him to comfort, ftrengthen and affift him,

¥. 3. The chief was Ahiezer, then Foafh, the fons of Shemaah the Gibeathite, &c.] Who was of Gibeah, in the tribe of Benjamin, fometimes called Gibeah of Benjamin, and of Sanl, it being his place, fee 1 Sam. xi. 4. and xiii. and fo thefe might be fome of his kindred: and Feziel, and Pelet, the fons of Azmaveth, there is one of this name the pofterity of Yonathan, ch. viii. 36. who might be fo called after fome of his relations: and Berachab, and Febu the Antothite,; or Anathothite, as the Vulgate Latin verfion, who was of Anathoth, a city in the tribe of Benjamin, the native place of Feremiah the prophet. as they muft come over y¥. 4. And Ihmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the 30, and over the 30, &c.] That came with him, and he had the command of; this man was of Gideon, another city in the tribe of Benjamin, Fofb. xviii. 25. and Feremiah, and Fabaziel, and Fohanan, and fofabad the Gederathite; they.were fuch afterwards in David's army 3) one of the leaf? was over 100, and the greateft over 1000 5 not that they were fo when they came, or brought birth-jover fuch a number of men with them under their command; but they were promoted by David when he came to the throne, to be centurions and chiinjliarchs; according to Yarchi, the fenfe is, that the leaft of them would put to flight, and purfue 100, and the greateft of them 1000, and fo fulfilled the paffage in Lev. xxvi. 8. Te.

¥. 15. Lhefe are they that went over Fordan in the firft month, &c.| The month Nifan or 4d; Fordan to come to David, fince they dwelt on the other fide of it: whem it 4ad overfiown all its banks, as it did at this time of the year, fee Zo. iii. 15. which is obferved to fhew both the time of the year when they came over, and their zeal and ardour to affift David, and one of (their baldnefs and intrepidity; fearlefs of danger,

Gedera, a city in the tribe of Fudab, perhaps on the borders of that and Benjamin; Ferom fpeaks of it as belonging to the country of the city #lia or Ferufalem.

¥*7, And Foelab, and LZebadiab, the fons of Ferobam of Gedor.| A city in the tribe of Fudabh, Fob. xv. 58. and might now belong to Benjamin; or this was another city of the fame name in that tribe.

¥.8. And of the Gadites there feparated themfelves unto David, into the bold to the wildernefs, &c.| Men of the tribe of Gad, who lived on the other fide Fordan; thefe feparated themfelves from the they threw themfelves into Yardan, and fwam over it, in all probability when the waters of it were fo deep they could not ford it, and fo rapid that they were in danger of being carried away with them: and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both towards the eaft, and tawards the weft; who dwelt in the vallies, or plains of Fordan eaft and weft; who feeing a number of men come over, took them for enemies, and fled, fo Kimchi; or, as others think, thefe were the Philiftines, who on the defeat of Saul, took poffeffion of the cities of T/rael,in the vallies forfaken by them, 1 Sam. xxxi. 7. or rather thefe were the Moabites or Arabs, who made incurfions into the land of J/rael for prey, the Gadites met with, when they came overfardan.

¥.16. And there came of the men of Benjamin, and of fudab, &c.| Befides thofe before mentioned, y¥. 2. to the hold unto David; the fame'as in y. 8.,

¥. 17. And David went out to meet them, 8c.} rett of their tribe, from their families and dwellings, and from the government of Sau/, and came over to David, and joined him;, either when he was in fome ftrong-hold in the wildernefs of Ziph, or Maon, 1 Sam. xxiii.14,24,25. or, as fome think, when he was at Zik/ag, in the hold there, faid.to be in the wildernefs of Fudab: men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle fhield and buckler; warlike, valiant and courageous men, well fkilled in military difcipline: whofe faces were like the face of lions; bold, ftern and fierce. The Out of the hold where he was; either out of re- {pect and deference to them, fome of them being perfons of eminence; or it may be. out of fufpicion, fearing they were not his friends, being, it may be, chiefly of the tribe of Bexjamin, and therefore was defirous of founding them before he admitted them:, and faid unto them, if ye be come peaceably unte me to help me, if they were come, with a good- Will to him, and intention to help him againft his enemy, and protect him: mine heart fhall be knit unte you; they fhould have fuch a fhare in his affe€tions,

Philofopher obferves “, that of all creatures the lion moft refembles a man, having a great mouth, a fquare face and forehead, large eye-brows, &¢. and were as fwift as the roes upon the mountains; which are remarkable for their fwiftnefs on the mountains, fee Cant, ii. 17. and viii. 14. lianus® {peaks of one fort of them that run as fwift as a tempeft, Thefe Gadites, as with their undaunted looks and courage, intimidated their enemies, and put them to flight, fo they were fwift to purfue them, and overtake them.

¥.9—13. Exzer the firf, &c.] This, and thofe that follow, are the names of the Gadites given, according to their age, or merit, or order in coming to David: Obadiah, Eliab, Mifomannah, Feremiah, Attai, Eliel, Fohanan, Elzabad, Jeremiah, Machbanai; in all eleven.

¥. 14. Thefe were of the fons of Gad, captains of the bof, &c.| Of the militia in their own country, and of the men they brought with them; or that their hearts would be as one, as his and Fona- — than’s were, 1 Sam. xviii. 1. but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies; into the hands of Saul, and his courtiers, that fought his life: /eeing there. is uo wrong in mine hands; no injury done by him to Saul, or to them, or to any other: the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it; he that fees all things, let him revenge it; and it is not only a with that he would, but a prayer of faith that fo it would be, gum, of ftrength, courage, and prefence of mind, with which he was endowed, covered and clothed as with a garment; this was a fifter’s fon of David’s, fee 2 Sam. xvii. 25., who was chief of the captains; of them that came at this time with him — to Dayid; he was afterwards 4b/alom’s general, and © defigned to be David’s, but was murdered by

Joab: and he faid, thine are we, David, and on

.. beads; meaning, that he would go off with his thy fide, thou fon of Fee, which being fpoken in this fhort and concife manner, as the fupplement fhews, denotes the vehemency with which he fpake, and is expreffive of their cordial fidelity to him, and ‘their refolution to abide by him at all events: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; wifhing all profperity, temporal and fpiritual, to him and all his confederates and auxiliaries, among whom they reckoned themfelves: for thy God helpeth thee, which they perceived by the remarkable deliverances of him out of the hand of Saa/, when in imminent danger; the Targum is, ‘* for the Word of the Lord is for thy help:” then David re- ‘ceived them; into the hold, and admitted them as his friends: and made them the captains of the band; they brought with them; or in after-times, when he came to the throne.

. ¥. 19. And there fell Lome of Manaffeh to David, &c.] Of the tribe of Manajfeb; they took his part, and on his fide, and joined him: when he came with the Philiftines againft Saul to battle; which was a ftrong proof of their cordial attachment to him: but they helped them not; the Philiftines, neither David nor his men, nor the Manaffites that joined them: for the Lords of the Philiftines, upon advifement; counfel taken among themielves: /ent bim away; that is, David and his men: /aying, He will fall to bismafter Saul, to the jeopardy of our or priefts, with Feboiada the fori of Benaiah, according to Farchi and Kimchi, at the head of them, 3700, ¥. 27. befides Zadok, a young man of the line of Eleazar, who was made high-prieft in the time of Solomon, who brought with him 22 captains, ¥.28. the heads of the courfes of the priefts, which were afterwards 24, 1 Chron. xxiv. 4. of the tribe of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, the ereateft part of whom had been fticklers for the coritinuance of the kingdom in the family of Sau/, 3000, ¥. 29. of the tribe of Ephraim, valiant men, 20,800, ¥. 30. of the half-tribe of Manaffeéb on this fide Jordan, whofe names were pricked down, being given, to make David king, 18,coo, ¥. 31, and of the tribe of [achar, 200 of the heads of them; men of ‘knowledge and underftanding, either in chronology or aftrology, or in the proper feafons for hufbandry, or for the fixing the beginning of years and months, and the intercalation of them, for keeping the feveral feftivals; or rather, were men of prudence and wifdom, and knew that this was the proper time for making David king, Tfobofeth and Abner his general being dead; and as they were men in high efteem for their parts and abilities, their brethren were at their beck and command, ¥. 32. andof the tribe of Zebulun, warlike men, fkilful in war, and well armed, 50,000 men; and their numerous appearance fhewed that they were hearty and fincere, being the greateft number of all the tribes, ¥. 33. and of the tribe of Napbtali, 1000 captains, and with them armed men, 37,000, ¥. 34. and of the tribe of Dan, men fkilled in war, 28,600, ¥. 35. and of the tribe of Afber, warlike men, 40,000, ¥. 36. and of the Reubenites, Gadites, and half tribe of Manajeb, on the other fide Fordan, military men, well armed, 120,000, ¥. 37. which in all made 348,800 men, and upwards.

¥. 38. All thefe men of war that could keep rank, &c.] Well difciplined men: came with a perfetf heart to Hebron to make David king over Ijrael; they were all of one mind, and quite hearty and fincere in fixing David on the throne of all J/rae:

and all the reft alfo of Ijrael were of one heart alfo ta make David king; thofe who came not were of the fame mind; it was the unanimous voice of the people that he fhould be their king.

¥. 39. And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking, &c.] Keeping a fettival, to teftity their joy on this occafion: for their brethren had prepared for them, not the inhabitants of Hebron only, but all the country round about brought in provifions on this joyful occafion; otherwife the men of Hebron would not have been able to have ~ provided what was fufficient for fuch a vaft number, as appears by what follows.

¥. 40. Moreover, they that were nigh, &c.) To Hebron, or bordered on the tribe of ¥udeh: even unto Iffachar, and Zebulun, and Naphtali; as far as to thofe tribes, and including them: drought bread on affis,» and on camels, and on mules; all which were creatures ufed to carry burdens: and on oxen, who, though commonly employed in ploughing, yet, on this occafion, might be made ule of either in drawing waggons laden with provifions, fuch as follow, or in carrying loads on their backs; tho’, as Tully ® obferves, their backs fhow they were not troops to Saul, and betray them into his hands, and with their heads make his peace with him, fee 1 Sam. Xxix. 4.

¥. 20. As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manaffeh, &c.] Others befides the former, who joined him when he went with the Philijtines; thefe joined him when he was difmiffed from them, and was returning to Zik/ag: namely, Aduah, and Fozabad, and fediael, and Michael, and Fozabad, and Elibu, and Zilthai, captains of the thoufands that were of Manafeh, that tribe being, as the reft were, divided into hundreds and thoufands; thefe were captains over the thoufands of the militia of the tribe.

y. 20. And they helped David againft the band of the rovers, &c.] The 4malekites, who, whilft he was gone with the Philiftines, had feized on Ziklag, and burnt it, and carried the women captive, with what fpoil they could make; thefe coming to David thus opportunely, affifted him in his purfuit and defeat of them: for they were all mighty men of valour, and were captains in the hoff, or army of David.

_y. 22, For at that time day by day, there came to ‘David to help him, &c.] Particularly after the defeat of Saul by the Philiftines, unto the time that David came to Hebron: until it was a great hoft, like the hoft of God; the*heavenly hoft, the angels; fo the Targum, /

¥. 23—37. And thefe are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war, &c.| That were trained up to it, and accoutred for it: and came to David to Hebron; after the death of [/bbo/beth and Abner, and when David had reigned feven years in Hebron: to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, to transfer it to him and his family: according to the word of the Lord, by Samuel, which they were acuainted with; and the number of thofe of the children of Fudab, who made him their king already, and fo there was the lefs need of a numerous appearance of them, were 6800 armed men, y. 24. of the tribe of Simeon, valiant men, 7100, ¥. 25. of she children of Levi 4600, ¥. 26. of the Aaronites formed to receive and carry burdens: and meat, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raifins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and fheep abundantly, that is, food made of flour, baked meats, befides bread before-mentioned, with dried figs, prefied and man, who ftudied. the

Tig oat atten, and |ftate,. and above al

HE contents of this chapter are the fame with 2 Sams. vi. 1—11. only Devid’s confultation with the principal men of J/rael concerning the affair herein tranfaSted is premifed in the firlt four them allo to the prieis and Levites which ate im ther cities and fuburbs; given to them im the deveral tribes to dwell in, fee ch. vi. 54—81. that they may gather themfelves unto us; at a certaim, Sige. and veries of this. place appointed. ¥. 3. And let us bring again the ark ark of our God to

¥.1. And David confulted with the captains of thonjexs, and bandreds, and with every leader.\ With the chiliarchs and centurions, and every officer -in that large body of armed men in every tribe, who met to make and crown him king; for at that time was this confultation had, and is conneéted with it; though the affair advifed about was not yet done, as Dr. Lightfoot * obferves, and was not done until fome confiderable time afterwards. Advice being taken, the feveral officers went with their men to their refpective countries, to meet again at a certain time and to put the thing projeéted into execution; and between this and that time were Hiram’s mefiage to David on his acceffion to the throne, the taking Joule, and the two battles with the Philiftines, as the fame writer notes; moft of which are recorded before this in the book of Samuel, and folus, &c.] The fymbol of the divine prefence, than which nothing was more defirable to David, and chofe to begin his reign over all J/rae/ with it: for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul, he being indif-. ferent to religion, and carclefs about it, and the therefore enjoyment of the prefence of God, and having direction from him; and the people alfo content with worthip at. the Tabernacle at Gibeab, though the token of the divine prefence was abfent.:

¥. 4. 4nd all the congregation faid, that they coal do fo, &c.] They unanimoufly agreed place! tion: for the thing was right in pa eyes i ¥ fall people; they faw the-propriety, neceffity, and fulnefs of it.

off ¥. 5- So David gathered all Ifrael together, ke] The principal of them, even 30,000 men, 2 Sam. vi. 1. from Shibor of Egypt; or the Nile of | Egypt, as the Targum. and other Jewifh mitts ae here. called Shiber from the blacknefs of its water, fee And David faid unto all the congregation of rf fd, “&e] To the above perfons, as reprefentatives of it: if it feem good unto you, and that it be of tke Lord cur God; if it could be thought by them a“good and uféful thing, and agreeable to the will of God, and would make for his glory: /et us fend abroad unto cur brethren every where that left in all the land of Ifrael, that were not then prefent with them, even all the common people; whom David, though king, owns as his brethren; nor is his antitype.afhamed to own this relation between him and his people, Hed. ii. 11. Fer. ii. 18. though fome think the river pape yd rura is meant, which both lay to the land of U/rael: even unto ihe entring 7 i Hamath 5 which the 7argum interprets of Antiochiay which lay to she north of the land; fo that this of the people was made from fouth to north, the arejextreme borders of the land: to bring the ark of Gad from Kirjatb-jearim, where it then was, and had been a long time, fee 1 Sam. vii. 1. from hence _ to the end of the chapter the account is the fame with 2 Sam. vi. 1—11. fee the notes there; what ond with' little variations there are, are there obferyed. —_

T HIS chapter gives an account of the meffage of Hiram king of Tyre to David, and of David's taking him more wives, with the names of his children by them; and of two battles he fought with the Philifines, in which he had the victory over fee the notes there; and the chapter is concladed: with obferving, that the fame of David, on account of his victories, was {pread i in all countries, and they were ftruck with a rm from the Lord, and were in dread of him.

them; the fame are recorded in 2 Sam, v. 11—25.

AV ID, having prepated a place for the ee ble and D- God, gathered the IJraelites, Levites, and joyful manner, ‘¥.2g—2 for his Saget was defpifec priefts to affift in the bringing of it up thereunto, pscezege ye-2 ¥. 1—13. and which was done in a very honoura-

¥. 13. For becaufe ye did it not at the firft, &c.

Did not fanétify themfelves, as the fupplement in our veifion directs; but rather the fenfe is, ye were not there at firft, when the ark was brought from Kirjathjearim as far as the houfe of Obededom, as they fhould have been; they were not then employed, as was their bufinef$,; and therefore she Lord our God made a breach upon us, by {miting Uzzab with death, who was no Levyite, and touched the ark, which is called his error, and for which God {mote him, 2 Sam. vi.'7. on which place Lud. Capellus obferves, the word Shal, we there render error, fignifies a difeafe in the Arabic language, and might formerly defign a fudden one with the Hebrew;. as an apoplexy; and fo the fenfe be, that God {mote Uzzah with an apoplexy, of which he fuddenly died: for that we fought him not after the due order, but inftead of employing the Levites to carry the ark on their fhoulders, it was put upon a cart.

¥. 14. So the priefts and the Levites fanttified themfelves, &c.] As they were ordered, and in the manner they fhould: ¢o bring up the ark of the Lord Ged of Ifrael, for though it was chiefly the - work of the Levites, yet the priefts might do it, and fometimes did, fee Fo. iii. 13, 14. and vi. 6.

¥. 15. And the children of the Levites bare the ark: of God upon their fhoulders, with the fiaves thereon, as Mojes commanded, according to the word of the Lord.| Not only bare it on their fhoulders, bute with the ftaves in it, which refted on their fhoulders, fee Numb. vii. 9. Exod. xxv. 14. the reafon of this command, that the ark fhould be carried on mens fhoulders, and not in any carriage, according to Maimonides *, was both for the honour of it, and left its form and ftructure fhould be any ways damaged.

¥. 16. And David fpake to the chief of the Levites, &c.| The fix before-mentioned, ¥. 11. to

_ x. 1. And David made him houfes in the city of David, &c.] With the help of the mafons and carpenters Hiram fent him, ch. xiv. 1. the royal palace is meant, with all the apartments in it, which were many and large, as fo great a family he had required, and with all the out-houfes to it neceffary for his fervants, and their offices: and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a@ tent; fee 2 Sam. vi. 17.

y. 2. Then David faid, &c.| Either within himfelf, or to his minifters and courtiers about him: None ought to carry the ark of God, but the Levites; he faw his former miftake in employing thofe that _ were not Levites in bringing up the ark from Kir. jathjearim, and in bringing it in a cart, and not on the fhoulders of the Levites, and fo mifcarried in his attempt, 2 Sam. vi. and perhaps had fince more diligently confulted the law of God about this matter: for them bath the Lord chofen to carry the erk of God, and to minifter unto bim for ever: as long as the Levitical difpenfation lafted, as ap-

¥. 3. And David gathered all Ifrael together to Ferufalem, &c.} The chief and heads of the people: to bring up the ark of the Lord; from the houfe of Oded-edom, where it had been three months, and for the fake of which his houfe was bleffed, and: which-Dav7d heard of; and this encouraged him to take this ftep to fetch it from thence: unto his place, which he bad prepared for it, ¥. 1. fee 2 Sam. vi, 12. 17.

y. 4—10, And David affembled the children of Aaron, and the Levites.| Whofe bufinefs it was to bear the ark when there was any occafion for it: and from hence to the end of y¥. 10. an account is given of the Levites, and their number employed in this affair: of the fons of Kohath; a fon otf Levi, that is, of his pofterity; for his immediate fons, and fo thofe of the reft after-mentioned, had been dead ages ago; the principal of thole, at this prefent time, was Urie/, and his kindred, or thofe of the fame family with him, were 120: of thofe| of Merari, another fon of Levi, the chief was Afaieh, with 220 of his relations: of thofe of Gerfhon, another fon of Levi, was Foel, and his brethren were 130: of the pofterity of “/izapbhan, a grandfon of Kobath, Exod. vi. 18.22. the molt noted was Shemaiah, who had 200 of his family with him: and of thofe of Hebron, the fon of Kobath, Exod. vi. 18. Eliel was the moft famous, and he had 80 of his kindred with him: and of thofe of Uzziel, another fon of Kobath in a different line from Elizapban, who alfo was a fon of Uzziel, was Amminadab the chief, who had 112 of his kindred with him: the number of Levites, in all, gaappoint their brethren to be the fingers before the ark, as they brought it up: with inftruments of muck, pfalteries, and barps, and cymbals; which were ufed in thofe times, fee 2 Sam. vi. 5. and ch. xiii. 8. founding, by lifting up the voice with joy; the inftrumental mufic was to be attended with vocal mufic, and that very fonorous and loud, and performed with all tokens of inward joy and gladnefs, asthe occafion required.

y..17. So the Levites appointed Heman the fon of Foe/, &c.] The grandfon of Samuel the prophet, ch. vi. 33. and of bis brethren, Afaph the fon of Berechiab; a famous finger, often mentioned in the pfalms, ch. vi. 39. and of the fons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the fon of Kufbaiah; the fame with the fon of Ki/bi, ch. vi. 44. thefe were the chief of thered together, were 862, befides their chiefs. the fingers. ' yt. 18. And with them their brethren of the fecond degree, €c.] Who were next unto them, both im office and {killin finging: the fourteen following, Zechariah, Ben, and Faaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Febiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maafeiah, and Mattithiab, and Elipheleb, and Mikneiabh, and Obed-edom, and Feiel, the porters; who, when they were not employed in finging, were *doorkeepers of the fanctuary; either they had been porters at the tabernacle in Gideon, or were fo after the ark was placed in the tabernacle David prepared for it.

¥. 12. And he faid unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites, &c.] Of the families of the Levites, heads of their fathers houfes: fanéify yourfelves, both ye and your brethren; refpectively under each, whofe numbers are before given, by wafhing their bodies and cloaths, and abftaining from their wives: that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of I/rael, unto the place that £ bave prepared for it; 2 Sam. vi, 17.:

y.19. So the fingers,Heman, Afaph, and Ethan, &c.) The three principal of them: thefe were rs el edito found with cymbals of brafs, for as there were three forts of mufical inftruments, ¥. 16. thefe three chief fingers had one of thofe inftruments appropriated to them, one of which were the cymbals of brafs, to which the apoftle alludes, 1 Cor. xiii.

' yt. 20. And Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Fehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maafaiah, and Benaiah, &c.|.Who were cight of the fecond degree; Aziel is the fame with Faaziel, yr. 18. and Bea is left out, in whofe room Azaziah,| inthe next verfe, feems to be put; Bew is thought to be fick or dead before they came to execute their office, and whom the father of Kimchi takes to be the fame with him who is expreffed in the title of Pf ix. which title is, on Muth Labben, or the death of Ben: thele were appointed to found with pfalteries on Alamoth, pfalteries were another kind of inftruments of mufic; and A/emoth, was either the beginning of a fong, to the tune of which thofe inftruments played, or the tune it- | felf, and the note of it; either the treble or coun-

‘trumpets; one ufe of which was to ‘blow with — when the camps and ark of the Lord moved, Numb. x. 5, 6. and Obed-edom, and Febiab were door-keepers for the ark, they went behind it, as ~ the others before it, for the fame purpofe, as it’ was bringing up.. ae ¥. 25. So David and the elders of Ifrael, and the’ captains over thoufands, 8c.) He and the principal ~ men of the nation, and the officers of the army or” militia: went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord, out of the houfe of Obed-edom with joy 5” with all demonftrations of it; for which purpofe. fuch a band of mufic was prepared, as before de= {cribed ‘ o798 ‘yt. 26. And it came to pafs when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, &c.] Not merely granted them: bodily ftrenath. to carry it, which did not require a great deal; but helped them to carry it with chearfulnefs, and’ without fear, and fo as to commit no error, nor inany refpect provoke his difpleafure, as when it-was brought before from Kirjath-jearim: that they offered:

ter-tenor, a fhrill found, like that of organs, which feven dullocks and feven rams; by way of thanksgiving, befides what David offered; and this was done by the way, fee 2 Sam. vi. 13. ‘ y¥. 27. And David was clothed with a robe of fine

&c:] Thefe fix were appointed to found: with linen, &c.]. For though a king, he being among harps on the. Sheminith to excel; which Sheminith fome take to be an harp with eight ftrings, or the beginning of a fong, or a mufical tone, the bafe; fee the citle of Pf. vi.

¥. 22. And Chenaniab chief of the Levites was for fong, &c.) But the.chief for the fong were Heman, Afapb, and Ethan; rather for the burden, as the Targum; for the lifting up and bearing the ark: be infiruéied about the fong; or about the taking up and bearing the burden, the ark; direéting when to take it up, and how far to go with it, and then reft: becaufe be was frilful; a wife and prudent man in all things, and fo proper to direét in this bufinefs..

x. 23. And Berechiah, and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark, 8c.) Either whilft it was at Kirjath-jearim, and at Obed-edom’s houfe; or rather after it was put in the tabernacle David had prepared for it; though it may be beft of all to underiftand it, that thole, as it was carrying, went before it, to keep the people from preffing to it, and gazing on it.

¥. 24. And Shebaniab, and Fehofhaphat, and Nethancel, and Amafai, and Zechariah, and Benaiab, and Lliezer the priefts, did blow with the trumpets before the ark of Ged, &c.| ~ With the filver

HIS chapter relates, that David offered facrifices when the ark was brought into his ple: city; ¥. 1, 2, 3, who were the fingers he appointand to thank, and praife the Lord God of Trach; for all his benefits, and the bleffings of his good- ed to fing before it continually, y¥. 4, 5, 6. and the fong he that day compofed and delivered to them to fing, ¥. 7—36. and that he appointed not only proper perfons to minifter before the ark, but alfo before the tabernacle at Gibeou, ¥. 37—43.

Yt, 2, 3. So they brought the ark of God, 8c.) What is contained in thefe three verfes is the fame with 2 Sam. vi. 17, 18, 19. fee the notes there.

¥. 4. And he appointed certain of the Levites to minifier before the ark of the Lord, &c.] By fing: ing the praifes of God: and to record; or bring to remembrance; to commemorate ina fong the great the fingers, was clothed as they; for fo it follows: and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the fingers, and Chenaniah the mafter of the fong, or of thofe that bore the burden, the ark, as the Targums with the fingers; all were clothed in robes of fine linen: David al/o-had upon him an ephod of linen: which he had befides his linen robe, and was over it; and being a fhorter “and ftraiter garment, it bound the other clofer to him; though fome think: this is explanative of the former, and/defigns the fame, and is what others befides priefts, were, on occafion, allowed to wear, fee 1 Sam. ii, 18.

y. 28. Thus all Ifrael brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with fbouting,8cc.| See 2 Sam, vi. 15..

y¥. 29. And it came to pals as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came-to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul locking out at a window, &c.] Of the palace, to fee the proceffion, fee 2 Sam, vi. 16. 20, 21, 22, 23. where not only this circumftance is related, and the inward contempt fhe had David in, becaufe of his behaviour, but’ alfo what fhe faid, and what Devid returned in anfwer to it.

and good things God had done for I/rae/ as ape. “a