Exposition of the Whole Bible

pofitions, as what is called their’ anfwer fhews; and it feems by that, as ‘if the 200 men had moved, that they might have their fhare in the fpoil, or that David had given fome intimation that they fhould: and faid, becaufe they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the fpoil that we have recovered; which was very unreafonable not to let them have what was before their own, which was recovered; and indeed it was but right they fhould have their fhare in the fpoil that was taken, which was of others, as will appear hereafter: but they were of opinion, and were come to a refolution they fhould have no more, fave ¢o every man bis wife and bis children; which was very unkind and ungenerous: that they may lead them away, and depart, but whither? Ziklag was burnt, the land of J/rael they would not return unto, where they muft fall a facrifice to Saul; thefe men cared not where they went, fo that they were rid of them, that they might not have any fhare with them in the fpoil. ¥.23. Then faid David, ye foall not do fo, my brethren, &c.] Tho’ he faw through their wickednefs, and difapproved of the bad fentiments they had embraced, yet he deals gently with them, ealling them drethren, being of the fame nation and religion, and his fellow-foldiers; yet at the fame - time keeps up and maintains his dignity and authority as a general, and declares it fhould not be as they willed, and gives his reafons for it, that it was not fit they fhould do as they pleafed: with that which the Lord hath given us; what they had was given them, and therefore as they had freely received, they fhould freely give; and what was given them, was not given to them only, but to the whole body, by the Lord: who bath preferved us, and delivered the company that came againft us into our band, it was not by their own power and might that they got the victory over the enemy, and the fpoil into their hands, but it was through the

Lord only; and therefore as they fhould not af—— fume the honour of the victory to themfelves, fo neither fhould they claim the fpoil as wholly belonging to them. Mae ¥. 24. For who will hearken unto you in this ma ter? &c.| No wife and juft man will take on tas

- well as of policy in him, to make his way to the your fide of the queftion, and join with you in| excluding your brethren from a fhare «in the fpoil: but as bis part is that goeth down to the battle, fo Joall bis part be that tarrieth by the fluff, as 200 men did; they were placed to abide by and watch the carriages, the bag and baggage the reft had left there, that they might be the lighter, and make their purfuit more {wiftly: befides, they guarded the pafs here, and were alfo expofed to daneer; for if the 400 had been cut off, and theenemy had returned, they muft all have perifhed; and therefore as they had their poft affigned them, and were liable to danger, it was but juft. and reafonable they fhould have the fhare in the fpoil; efpecially fince ‘it was not want of will in them did «not go with them, but weaknefs of body: they Joall part alike, this was David’s determination and decifion, and it was an equitable one: fomething fimilar to this was directed by the Lord in the war of Midian, Numb. xxxi. 25, &c. and was practifed in the times of Abraham, Gen. xiv. 24. and is agreeable to the light of nature, and what has been practifed by the heathens, particularly the Romans, as Polybius“ relates; who tells us, that every. man brought booty into the camp, when the ttibunes divided it equally to them all; not only to thofe which remained in battle, but to thofe that guarded the tents and the baggage, to the fick, and to thofe that were appointed to any fervice, fee Pf. Ixviii. 12. and fo the Turkifh hiftorian fays”, that the Pifidians, who lived on {poil, gave a part not contemptible to thofe that abode at home with their wives.

y¥.26. And when David came to Ziklag, &c.\ Perhaps with an intention to rebuild it, and make it ftill the place of his refidence; and it is poffible there might be fome houfes that efcaped the flames, and if not, tents might be pitched until the city was rebuilt, and it appears that he continued there fome time: he fent of the fpoil to the elders of Fudab; of that part of it which belonged to himfelf as a general: even to his friends; fuch as had been kind to him when he fojourned among them; fo that this was a piece of gratitude, as fpoils from thence, ¥. 14—16. it was to his friends in thofe parts he fent, not to the inhabitants of Ziph and Keilab, which were places in the tribeof thefe)Fudah; but thefe having attempted to betray himy were not intitled to his favours, though they were not the objects of his vengeance: /aying, bebold, @ prejent for you, of the /poil of the Lord’s ene- ~ mzes; or a dlefing *,which he fent them with a goodwill, withing health and happinefs to them; which they might. without hefitation receive, feeing, it was not the fpoil of private enemiesjor of what was taken from them in a way of private revenge, but the fpoil of the enemies of the Lord, his and their common enemies; nor need they fcruple eatthey jing and enjoying it, though the fpoil of thofe that curfed the Lord, as 4barbinel oblerves, fince this they had with the blefling of the Lord. ~ y. 27. To.them which were‘in Bethel, &c¢.|] One part of the fpoil was fent to them; not to thofe in Bethel, in the tribe of Benjamin, but in Kirjathjearim, called Bethel, or the houfe of God, becaufe the ark was there, fee ch. vii. x. and x. 3. moreover, this place was alfo called Baalab, which fome think is referred to here, fee Fob. xv. 9. and to them which were in fouth Ramoth; a city of the tribe of Simeon, which lay within the lot of ‘/udah; of which fee Fofb. xix. 8. and to them which were in Fattir; a city in the tribe of Judah, mentioned in Jo. xv. 48. fee the note there.

y. 28. dud to them which were in Aroer, &c.] Not Aroer in the tribe of, Gad beyond Fordan, where David is never faid to be, but fome city of this name in the tribe of Fudab; the Greek verfion of fod. xv. 22. inftead of Adadab has Arouel? and to them which were in Siphmoth; which very probably was in the tribe of Fudab, though no where elfe mentioned: and to them which were in E/btemoa, a Levitical city given to the Levites by the children of Fudab, Fob. xxi. 14.;

¥. 25. And it was fo from that day forward, &c.] Or upwards *, of old, formerly; and fo may refer either to what was done at the war with Midian, Numb. xxx. 27. or in the times of Abraham, Gen. xiv. 23,24. and fo Farchi obferves, it is not faid, hence forward, but upwards, it being a ftatute and cuftom in the days of 4braham, the fame he notes on Gen. xiv. 24. wheré he, David, learnt this from thence; though Yo/épbus ’ is exprefs for it, that this law obtained from the time of David; and fuch was his authority, though as yet not king, but a wife’ and juft commander: that he made it a fatute and an ordinance for Ifrael unto this day; it appeared fo reafonable and equitable, that it was always regarded and attended to.

y.29. And to them which were in Rachal, &c.] Another city of the tribe of Fadab, but no where elfe fpoken of: and to them which were in the cities of the Ferabmeelites which lay to the fouth of fadab, ch. xxvii. 10. and to them whith were in the cities of the Kenites; who dwelt in the wildernefs of Judab, in the fouth of Arad, Fudg. i. 16.

y. 30. dud to them which were in Hormah, &c.) This was a city alfointhe tribe of Fudah; of which fee Foo. xv. 30. and to them whick were in Choraban; or the lake of Aan, which was in the’ fame tribe, fee Fo/b. xv. 42. and to them which were in Athach; no where elfe mentioned; the Greck verfion has Nombe inftead of it, which fome take to be the fame with Nod; but that was in the tribe of Benjamin.

y. 91. And to them which were in Hebron, &c.] A noted city in the tribe of Fudab, in the mountainous part of it, and a city of refuge, and where David was afterwards anointed, firft king over Fz- dab, and then over I/rael, 2 Sam. ii. 4, and v. 3. and to all the places where David himfelf and his men were wont to haunt, where they had their walks, and went to and fro when perfecuted by Sau#/y all fuch throne the edfier, he perceiving the time drawing on for the expiration of the kingdom in the family of Saul; and befides, fome in thofe parts he fent of the fpoil to, might have been fufferers by the 4malekites, fo that it was but.a point of juftice to reftore to them what had been taken from them; places, and the inhabitants of them, David had a orateful remembrance of, who fhelteted and relieved him in the times of his diftrefs.

for they had invaded the fouth of Fudea, and took. cs me

J'HIS chapter gives an account of the battle 4. between the Péiliftines and the J/raelites, which had been preparing for, and the iffue of it; in which Sau/, his three fons, and his fervants, were flain, upon which his army fled, and feveral of his cities were taken, ¥. 1—7.

a battle; but perhaps he was preparing for flight; and fo had put it up in its fcabbard: lef thefe uncircumcifed come and thruft me through, and abufe me; left they fhould not difpatch him at once, but put him to a lingering and torturing death, ‘and what the PBI a infult him, and mock at him, as they did Sam/on: dut bis armour-bearer would not, for he was fore afraid; to lay his hand on the king, the Lord’s }anointed, to take away his life, being more ‘ferupulous of doing that, if this was. Deeg, than of flaying the priefts of the Lord; or he might be with his body and his armour, y. 8—10. theformer of which, together with the bodies of his fons, the men of Fabefb-gilead refcued, and burnt them, and buried their bones under a tree at 7abe/h, exprefling great forrow and concern, ¥. 11-13.

afraid of doing this, fince, fhould he furvive this y¥.1. Now the Philiftines fought againft Ifrael, &c.] Being come to Fezreel, where Lrael pitched, ch. xxix. 1, 11. they fell upon them, began the battle: and the men of Ifrael filed from before the Philiftines; at the firft onfet, as it fhould feem: and fell down flain in mount. Gilboa; which was near, and whither fleeing they were purfted and flain, at leaft great numbers of them.

¥. 3. And the battle went fore againft Saul, &c.\ Prefied heavy upon him; he was the butt of the| Philiftines, they aimed at his perfon and life: aud the archers hit him, or found bim*; the place where he was, and directed their arrows at him and he was fore wounded of the archers, or rather, he was afraid of them, as the Targum, for as yet he was not wounded; and fo the Syriac and Arabic verfions render it; and is the fenfe Kimchi and Bea Melech give of the word: he was not afraid of death, as Abarbinel obferves, he chofe to die; but he was afraid he fhould be hit by the archers in fuch away, that he fhould not die immediately, and fhould be taken alive and ill ufed; the Pdiliftines, efpecially the Cherethites, were famous for archery; fee the note on Zeph, ii. 5.. ¥..4. Then faid Saul unto his armour-bearer, &c.] Who, the Fews ° fay, was Doeg the Edomite, promoted to this office for flaying the priefts: draw ihy fword, and thruft me through therewith, for if he was wounded, yet not mortally, and it is certain he did not fo apprehend it. It is much the fword of the armour-bearer fhould be fheathed in action, he would be called to an account by the //raelites, and be put to death for killing the king: therefore Saul took a fword, and fell upon it; or rather the fword, the {word of his armour-bearer, and fo was a felf-murderer: the ews endeavour to excufe this fact of Sau/, becaufe he knew he fhould die in battle from the words of Samuel; and being preffed fore by the archers, he faw it was impoffible to efcape out of their hands, and therefore judged it better to kill himfelf, than hav-(to fall by the hands of the uncireumeifed; but thefe exeufes will not do. ‘Fo/ephus * denies he kil- \\led himfelf; that though he attempted it, his fword would not pierce through him, and that he was killed by the Amalekite, and that that was a true account he gave to David in the following chapter; though it feems rather to be a lie, to curry favour with David, and that Saul did deftroy himfelf. Tore

¥.2. And the Philiftines followed hard upon Saul, Stuck to him, pufhed him clofe, bore hard upon him in that part of the army where he was, ing a defign upon his perfon: and upon his fons; who were with him: and the Philifiines flew Fonathan; who is mentioned firft, being the eldeft fon, and perhaps firft flain; and this was fo ordered by the providence of God, that David’s way to the throne might be more clear and eafy; for though Fonathan would not have oppofed him himfelf, yet the people, fond of him, would, at leaft many of them, been for fetting him on the throne; and though he would have refufed it, knowing David was the Lord’s anointed, and have made intereft for him, this would have looked as if he had made him king, and not the Lord: and Abinadab, and| Malchifbua, Saul’s fons, thefe alfo were flain; the former of thefe is called Jhui, ch. xiv. 49. J/hbofoeth either was not in the battle, being left at home, as unfit for war, or to take care of the kingdom; or elfe he fled with Abner, and others, and efcaped, and who was to be a trial to David.

y. 5. And when his armour-bearer faw that Saul was dead, &c.] By his own hands, and not by the hands of the Amalekite, which the armourbearer would fcarcely have fuffered: be fell like~ wife upon his fword, and died with him, fome think that Sau/, and his armour-bearer, died by the fame {word, which was the armour-bearer’s,;. and if he - was Doeg, they fell probably by the fame fword with which the priefts of the Lord were murdered at Nod, ch. xxii. 18. and it is obferved by an hiflorian *, that the murderers of Fulus -Cafar flew themfelves with the fame dagger they detroyed him.

y¥.6. So Saul died, and his three fons, and bis armour-bearer, &c.| Only with this difference, his three:jfons died honourably in the field of battle, but heand his armour-bearer deftroyed themfelves. Fofe-. phus fays*, he reigned 18 years in the life. of Sa- | \muel, and after his death 22 years, which make the forty years the apoftle afcribes to him, Aas xiii. 21. Lupolemus‘', an “heathen writer, makes him to reign 21 years; but of the years of his reign, both before and after the death of Samuel, chrondlogers are not agreed, fee ch. xxv. 1. and the note on As xiii. 21. and all his men that fame day together, not all the foldiers in his army; for many of them fled and efcaped, and even Abner the general of the army, but his houfhold-fer-— vants, or thofe that were near his perfon, his body- ‘a guards. ‘ oe y.7. And when the men of I/rael that were on the — other fide of the valley, &c.) The valley of Fez~ ree; of which fee the note on Ho/. i. 5. and t ey shat were on the other fide Fordan; or rather on that

‘ / aes Ch. xxxi.¥.8—13. ISA MWU E I. 527 fide; for the phrafe will bear to be rendered either city they faftened the body of Sau/ with nails, as way, and fo may mean that fide of Yordan on/it is commonly underftood; but it is more likely which the battle was fought; for as for the otherjthey hung it on a gibbet without, and near the fide, or that beyond it, the J/raelites there could not be in fuch fear of the Philiftines, nor do we - ever read of their inhabiting any cities there; tho’ as the phrafe is ufed of the valley, as well as of the river, it may be rendered about the valley, and about Fordan *, and fo defcribes fuch that dwelt near to each of them: /aw that the men of Ifrael fled, and that Saul and bis fons were dead; that is, walls of the city; fo the Targum, they hung his bodys or, as Fo/epbus °, they crucified it there; and fo they did alfo the bodies of his fons, as appears from ¥. (2. vill

¥. 11. And the inhabitants of Jabefh -gilead, &c.] Who lived.on the other fide ‘Yordam, about eight miles from SBeth/han, according to Fuller ®: » heard of that which the Philiftines bad done to Saul;

had information and intelligence of thofe facts, for it is not to be fuppofed they faw them with their eyes: they forfook the cities, and fled, fearing they fhould be put to the fword, or carried captive: and the Philiftines came and dwelt in them, having nothing more to do than to come and take pot-| not only that they had got the victory over him, and routed his army, but had abufed his body, and hung it up by way of reproach and ignominy; which they could not bear to hear of, remembering with gratitude the kindnefs he had fhown to them, in deliveting them out of the hands of Naba/h the

¥.8. And- it came to pafs on the morrow, &c.] The day after the battle, which perhaps was fought till night came on: when the Philiftines came to Strip the flain; of their clothes, and take from them whatever was valuable, as their booty: that ¢hey found Saul and bis fons fallen in mount Gilboa; to which they had betaken themfelves, when the battle went againft them in the valley;

y.12. All the valiant men arofe, &c.] Of the city of Fabefb-gilead, fired with indignation at the Phiiftines illufage of Saul and the bodies of his fons: and went all night; not only for fecrecy, but for hafte: and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his fons from the wall of Beth/ban, and came to Fabeh, brought them with them thither, the Pdiliftines of which, fee!either having no knowledge of it, or not daring ch. xxviii. 4. to oppofe them: and burnt them there; that is, the

¥. 9. And they cut off bis head, &c.|] And faftened it in the témple of Dagon, 1 Chron. x. 10. perhaps that which was at 4/bdod, one of the prinflefh of them, for the bones they buried, as in the next verfe; and this they did, contrary to the common ufage of the country, which was not to cipalities of the Philiffines, ch. v. 1, 2. and ftripped off bis armour, or veffels*, his clothes as well as his armour, and'what he had about him; as for his crown on his head, and the bracelet on his arm, the Amalekite took them before the PAili/tines came, 2 Sam.i. 10. and fent into the land of the Pbiliftines round about; not his head and his armour, for they were placed in the temple of their idols, unlefs we can fuppofe thefe were firft carried about for fhow, and as proofs of the victory: but rather meffengers, who were fent exprefs with the news, to publifh it in the houfe of their idols, and among the people; that fo they might be glad and rejoice, and give praife to their idols, to whom they afcribed_the fuccefs they had.

y¥. 10. And they put bis armour in the houfé of

Afbtaroth, &c.| A temple dedicated to their deities, called by this name; of which fee the note on Fudg. ii. 13. Nothing was more common with the Gentiles than to place in their temples the arms they took from their enemies, as is ftrongly exprefled by Homer‘ and Virgil*; and indeed the burn; but this they did, that if the Philiftines fhould come to recover them, they would not be able to do it: tho’ the Targum is, ** they burnt over them, as they burn over their kings there;” they made a burning for them of {pices over them 5 or of their beds, and other houfhold-goods, as Kimchi and Ben Melech obferve, though they prefer the other fenfe; fee 2 Chrox. xvi. 14.. and xxi. 19. perhaps the true reafon might be, becaufe they were putrid and infectious.

¥.13. And they took their bones, and buried them under a trée at Fabefo, &c.|) For though they burned the bodies, yet fo as to preferve the bones 3 and thefe, together with the afhes of the parts burnt, they gathered up, and buried under a tree near this city; this tree is faid to be an oak, 1 Chron. x. 12. fo Deborah, the nurfe of Rebekah, was buried under an oak, Gew. xxxv. 8. The Fews generally interred their dead under fome oak, as a fore-mentioned writer obferves *; pleafed perchance with the parallel, as he expreffes it, that as thefe plants, feemingly dead in winter, have every

Fews did the fame, as appears by the fword of fpring an annual refurrection, fo mens dry bones

Goliath being laid up in the tabernacle, ch. xx. g. Here alfo the heathens’ hung up their own arms when the war was ended: aud they faftened his body to the wall of Beth/fhan, which Fofepbus™ ays is the fame which in his time was called Scythopolis, from the Scythians that poffeffed it, before called Ny/a, according to Pliny”: it was given to the tribe of Manajfeh, but they could not drive out the inhabitants of it, fo that it was always in the pofleffion of others, Fo/b. xvii. 11. Fudg. i. 2 where it is called Beth/bean; to the wall of the fhall have new fap put into them at the day of judgment: and fajied feven days, not that they ate and drank nothing all that time, but they fafted every day till evening, as the Fews ufed to do; fo long it feems a man may live without eating, but not longer; fee the notes on Eyod. xxiv. 18. 1 Kings xix. 8. this they did, as: Kimchi thinks, in memory of the feven days Nahafh the Ammonite gave them for their relief, in which time Sau came fT WAYI— Poy ABV circa convallem illam — circa Jordanem, Junius & Tremellius, Pifcator; fo Noldius, called, ‘he Second Book of the KINGS.

HIS book, ih many copies of the Hebrew Bible, is carried on ey without any new.title put unto it; *: the reafon of it is, becaufe, by “7 fome, this, with the preceding, » has been reckoned but one book:

RS ~ hence the Fews fay *, Samuel wrote his book, not his books; in others it is called Samuel fecond; and by the’ Vulgate Latin, the fecond book of Samuel, which we Call the fecond of Kings; tho’ why his name thould be put to it at all, I fee not, fince it neither concerns him, nor could it be written by him, being an hiftory of events after his death. The Greek verfion calls it the fecond of Kiags; and the Syriac verfion, the fecond book of the kings of J/rae/; whereas there is but one king of J/rae/ it makes mention of, and of whofe actions only it is an hiftory; and therefore with greater propriety it is called, as the rabic verfion, the book of David the prophet, of whofe reign, from the beginning to the end of it, it gives an account: wherefore [/dore » thinks it was written by David; and if fo, it has this mark

Ch HIS chapter contains an account of the death of Saul and Jonathan, as related to David by an Amalekite, ¥. 1~~10. of the forrow he and his men were filled with at the news of it, ¥. 11, 12. of his order to put to death the meffenger that brought the tidings, for his concern in the death of Saul, according to his own teftimony, ¥. 13—16. and of a lamentation compofed by David on this occafion, ¥. 17—27.

y¥.1. Now it came to pafs after the death of Saul, &c.] The third day after, as appears from the next verfe: when David was returned from the Slaughter of the Amalekites; as related in 1 Sam. xxx. 17. and David had abode two days in Ziklag; which, though fired by the Amalekites, was not utterly confumed, but there was ftill fome convenience for the lodging of David and his men; within this time he Bar his prefents to feveral of fimplicity and integiity, that the writer does not fpare himfelf, nor conceal his own faults, and particularly that very capital one, the affair of Bathfbeba, and alfo his numbering of the people; but it is moft probable, that it was written by Nathan and Gad‘, fee 1 Chron. xxix. 29. but whoever was the penman of it, there is no doubt to be made of its being written by infpiration, or that it is canonical; which has never been quftioned, fince there ftands in it a famous prophecy concerning the building of the temple by a fon of David, which had an exaé accomplifhment, ch. vii. 12, 13. as well as of the family of David, for a great while to come, which alfo was fulfilled, y¥. 19. and an eminent paflage concerning the Met— fiah, the fon of David, and of his divine fonfhip, y. 14. quoted by the apoftle Paw? in proof of it, Heb. i. 5. It contains an hiftory of above forty years, for fo long David reigned, feven years and fix months in Hebron, over ‘Fudah, and 33 years in Ferufalem, over all I/rael and Judah; and this book relates his -laft words. - Dt ar places in the tribe of Judah, of which mention is made in the chapter “before quoted, and at the fame time it was, that fo many mighty men came to him from feveral tribes fpoken of in 1 Chron, xii.. fire y.2. And it came to pafs on the third day, 8cc.] After the battle was fought, in which Saal was flain: that behold, a man came out of the camp Saul, that is, from them who were in the camp with Saul, for he was dead. Some fay * this was Doeg the Edomite, which is not likely that he fhould comerwith fuch tidings to David; befides, if h was Saul’s armour-bearer, as others fay, fee 1 Sai xxxi. 4. he died with Sau/; nor his fon, as others*, which is not at all probable, though his being an Ldomite is no objection, fince the Amaleki were of the race of Edom: with bis clothe and earth upon bis bead; in token of mournin and was the bringer of bad tidings, fee 1 Sam

12. and fo it was when be came to David, that be fell to the earth, and did obeifance; as being the rifing fun, Saul’s fucceffor, and now king.

y. 3. And David faid unto him, from whence comeft thou? 8&c.| It is very likely by his appearance and circumftances he fufpected from whence

: 529 not tell: and I anfwered him, Iam an Amalekite; Which he might be; but it is not likely he fhould tell Sa? Khe'was, which would not recommend him to him’; though indeed he was now in fuch circumftances, that the Amalekites had ‘nothing to feat from him; and if he was flain by him, as he came: and he faid unto bim, out of the camp of Fofepbus* affirms he was, it feems to be'a juft re-

Ifrael am I efcaped; which plainly fuggefted that that was in danger, confufion and diftrels:

¥. 4. And David faid unto him how went the matter?I pray thee tell me, &c,| That is, how went the battle? on which fide the victory? and he anfwered, that the people are fled ‘from the battle; meaning the people of J/rae/, they had given way, and turned their backs upon their enemies, and were fled: and many of the people alfo are fallen and dead; fell by the fword in the purfuit of them, and were not only wounded, but were flain, and thefe great numbers of them: and Saul and ‘fonathan bis fon are dead alfo; which are mentioned laft, becaufe they fell fome of the laft; and this part of the account is referved by the meffenger to the laft, becaufe it was the article of the greateft importance; the death of thefe two perfons, the one the enemy, and the other the friend of David, and the death of both made way for his acceffion to the throne.

y. 5. And David faid unto the young man that told him, &c.| Thefe tidings: ow knoweft thou that Saul and Jonathan bis fon be dead? this he particularly enquired after, as what moft affected him, and was moft material for him to know; and his meaning is, whether he had this of his’ own fight arid knowledge, or by report.

¥. 6. And the young man that told bim, &c.]: So it feems he was, and therefore could not be Doeg, more likely his fon of the two; but there is no reafon to believe he was either of them, who can't be thought to be well difpofed to David: faid, as I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa; who was either a paffénger that came that way juft ‘as the army was routed, and part had fled to Gi/boa; or if a foldiér, was not one of thofe that attended Saul, and was of his body-guard, but happened on the flight to come to the fame fpot on Gilboa where Saul was: bebold, Saul leaned upon his [pear, ‘that that might pierce him through and die; but this feems not true, for he fell upon his fword for that purpofe, 1 Sam. xxxi. 4. and lo, the chariots and horfemen followed hard after him, the charioteers and cavalry, of which part of the Philifine army confifted; though this alfo does not agree with the account in the above place; for according to that they were the archers that preffed him hard, and hit him.

y¥. 7. And when he looked behind him, &c.| "To fee how near the enemy was, and who were purfuing him: be faw me, and called unto me by which it fhould rather feem that he belonged to the Philiftines than to the J/raelites, and as his being an Amalekite fhews; for fuch an one would hardly be admitted among the latter, though it is moft likely he was with neither, but happened to come that way juft at that time: and I anfwered, bere am I; ready to hear what thou haft to fay, and do thy pleafure. -. 8. And be faid taliation on him for {paring any of that race, contrary to the will of God. ‘

¥.9. And be faid unto me again, ftand, I pray thee,‘upon me; and flay me, &c.] Which it can hardly be thought Sau/ would fay; fince he might as well have died by ‘the hands of the uncircumcifed Philiftines, which «he endeavoured to avoid, as by the hands of an <Avialekite; for anenifh is come upon me, or trembling; as the Targum, not through ‘fear of death, but through fear of falling into the hands of the Péilifines, and of béing ill ufed by them. Some Tender the words, sy embroidered coat, or breaft-plate, or coat of mail, holds me *®,-or hinders me ‘from being pierced thro” with the {word or {pear; fo Ben. Gerfom*:~becaufe my life is yet whole in me; for though he had been wounded by the archers; yet he did not apprehend he “had received any mortal wound, but. he was ftill heart-whole; and therefore feared he fhould fall into their hands alive, and be jill treated by yy. 10. So I ftood upon him, and flew him, 8tc.] Preffed with all ‘his weight upon his body, that fo the fpear might pierce through him, and flay him; thus he reprefents his death to be brought about: decaufe I was Jure that he could not live after that he was fallen, this is not confiftent with what he had faid before, both that he was leaning on his fpear, and not fallen to the ground, and: that his life was whole in him: and I took the crown that was upon his head; which made him confpicuous, and therefore the Phikjlines aimed at him, and prefied hard after him, y¥. 6. tho’ fome think that this was not on his head, but carried into the field of battle, ready to be put on if vitory was on his fide; and others fay it was in the poffeffion and care of Doeg, who at his death gave it to his fon to carry to David, and thereby gain his fa+ vour': and the bracelet that was on his arm; of gold’ no doubt, fo Fo/fepbus*; fuch as great’ petfonages ufed to wear, men as well’ as women, fee Gen. xxxvili. 18. Ezek. xxiii. 42. efpecially military men™. ‘archi takes them to be the totaphot or phylacteries on the arm, which is not probable: and have brought them hither unto my lord; as enfigns of royalty, fit only for a king, Saul’s

| fucceffor, as this perfon, by calling him lord, owned him to be, and thought by bringing thofe to him to be highly honoured and rewarded. "

y¥. 11. Then David took hold on bis clothes, &c.] Not onthe young man’s but his own: and rent them; on hearing of the death of Saul and Fonathan, fee Gen. xxxvii. 34. from whence the Jews ' gather, that aman is bound to rend his clothes for a prince, and for the father of the Sanbedrim, fince Saul, they fay, was the prince, and Fouathan the father of that court: and likewife all the men that were with him; rent their clothes alfo, in imitation’ of unto me, who art thou 2. &c.]\him;

Being willing to know whether a friend or an enethe fame cuftom obtained among the Gentiles on mournful occafions ®.

my, which by his coming behind ‘him he could y. 12.And they mourned and wept, &cc.}_ Inwardly mourned, and outwardly wept, no doubt fincerely: and fafted until even; eat no food all that day until it was evening, the manner in which fafts ufed to be kept: for Saul and for Fonatkan bis fons it is no wonder that David and his men armies had great power in thofe times and countries to execute a inan immediately, without anyother — judge or ay what may ferve, or David, might think would ferve, to juttify him in doing this, is what follows. Puri! Be dae |

¥. 16, And David faid unto him, thy l 4 fe fhould mourn for Yonathan, a good man, and a valiant one, and a dear and faithful friend of Davia’s; but it may féem not fo clear a thing, that they fhould mourn for Sau/ a wicked man, and a perfecutor of David without caufe: be obferved, that he had been reconciled to and had not fince attempted any thing againft him; befides, he was his prince, his father-in-law, and the rather he might be grieved for his death, and his men with him, becaufe it was matter of joy to the Philiftines, and they would endeavour to avail themfelves of it; and efpecially the manner of. death, that he fhould be the caufe of it himfelf, and die without repentance, as it might be and quickly after confultation with a -witch, and when left of God, if thefe particulars were known to David: and for the people of the Lord, and for the houfe of Ifrael, that is, the people of the Lord, even the houfe of J/rael, or who were of the haufe of I/rael, or if they are to be diftinguifhed, former may refpect the people of the Lord; who died in battle, for whom mourning was made; and the latter the people that furvived,: the, whole kingdom of J/rae/, which had -fuftained a great lofs by the laughter made in this battle, as it follows: becaufe they were fallen by the fword; fo upon thy head, &c.) The blood that he h let him fuffer for it; for.as he had fhed., | his blood ought to be fhed, according. to the of God; and for proof of this, that: he | but it fhould done, he appeals to his own confeffion; or thy David, mouth hath teftified againft thee, faying; J have flain the Lord’s anointed, and.what might ferve to confrm the. truth, of what.he. had faid, tere the crown and. bracelet which he, brought, along with him,;,and_befides, he was.an dmalekite, of ana. tion that was devoted to deftruction; and, as.4arhis binel thinks, David might fuppofe, that he killed Saa/ to take vengeance on, him for what he had feared, done to.theit nation; but afterall, both he and Maimonides” allow the punifhment of him. was not {trictly according to law,,.but was a temporary decree, an extraordinary, cafe, andyan)act of royal authority; for in Common. cafes a man. was not to be condemned, and) put to. death upon his own the confeffion,,,fince it is poflible he may,.not.be in his right.mind°®; but David chofe to. exercife feverity in this. cafe, partly to fhew his refpect.to Sau/, and ~ to ingratiate himielf into the favour of hisfriends, and partly to deter men, from attempting to afiaffinate princes, who -himfelf was now about.to afcend the,throne...... ‘kadai te ” * many of. them. ¥.17. And David lamented with this lamenta-

¥. 13. And David faid unto the young man that told him, whence art thou? &c.} From what place, or of what people. and nation art thou?. though Abarbinel thinks it neither refpets. place nor people, but that David thought he was another man’s fervant; fo that the fenfe of the queftion is, to what man did he belong? aud be anfwered, J am the fon of a firanger, an Amalekite; he was not any man’s fervant, but the fon of a profelyte, of one that was by birth and, nation an Amalekite, but profelyted to the Fewifh religion; he might know of what nation he originally was, by the account he had given of what paffed between him and Saul, y. 8. tho’ the mind of David might be fo difturbed as not to advert to it; or if he did,. he might be willing to have it repeated for confirmation-over Saul, and over Fonathan his fon.) _Compofed the following elegy on account of their death, and fung it in a tune.agreeable to it, he and the men that were with him. aegis To Teka _ ¥.18.. (d/o he bad them teach the children of Zudab the ufe of the bow, &c.]. Thele words, with. what follow in this verfe, are rightly put into a parenthefis, fince. they don’t begin nor make any part of the e/egia- dong, or lamentation.of David; and are here inierted to fhew, that amidit his forrow and lamentation, he was not unmindful of the welfare of the people, and to provide for.their defence and fecurity; and therefore gave. orders that care fhould be taken, efpecially in the tribe of %udab, which was his own tribe,. and where he had the greateft authority, and for whom he might tion fake.. |have the chiefeft concern, that they fhould..be y¥.14. And David faid untohim, how, waft thou not afraid to firetch forth thine hand, &c. it fhotld feem that he did more than ftand upon, him, and prefs his body, that the fpear mighti pierce through him, but that he drew his fword, and flew him; fo David underftood him, and is the fenfe of the phrafe in 1 Sam. xvii. 51. to defroy the Lord’s anointed; a reafon why David did not deftroy him, when it was in, the power of.his hands, and which he made ufe of to diffuade others from ‘it; and here charges it not only asa criminal, ‘but a daring action in this young man, at which he exprefles his admiration how he could do it; hereby reprefenting it as avery fhocking and deteftable action; fee 1 Sam. xxiv. 6. and xxvi. 9, 11.

trained up in military exercifes, learn the. art of By which war,.and_ the ufe of every weapon of, war, particularly of the bow, which being a principal one, may be put for all; and which may, be the rather mentioned, becaufe the Philiftines were expert in the ufe of it, and feemed to have. done «much execution with it in the late battle, fee 1 Sam. XXxi. 3. They are faid? to be the inventers-of it; tho’ Piay% afcribes it to others 5; and it wnay ‘be the people of J/rael and of, ¥udah had of late negleéted. to learn the. ufe. of it, and tomakeufe of it, and inftead of that had taken, to other fort. of -arms in fighting;. for that, that was not unknown to them, or wholly difufed, is clear from this fong, y¥.22. fee alfo 1 Chron. xii. 2. Moreover, the Philiftines, efpecially the.Cherethites, were “expert in archery, David found, ways and means to get fome of them afterwards into his fervice, and t whom he might improve his people in the art, fee ‘Kings and generals of ese viii, 18. though fome ‘are of opinion, that the y.15. And David called one of the young men, &c.}] His fervants that attended on him: and faid, go near, and fall upon him by fmiting him with his fword: and he fmote him that he died; his orders were inftantly obeyed.

word Kefbet or bow, was the title of the following lamentation or fong, taken from»the mention \of Fonathan’s bow in it; which fong the children: of Judah were to be taught. to fing but then, as has been obferved by fome, for:this there would have been no need of the following reference, fince the whole of this fong is here recorded: debold,it is written in the book of Fafeer); which the:Zargum calls the book of the law.; and archi and Ben Gerfomreftrain it to the book of Genefs, the book of the upright, Abraham, » aac and ‘facob, and fuppole refpect is had to the prophecy concerning Judah, Gen. xlix. 8, 9. but Kimchi extending it to all the five books of Mo/es, sadds his blefling, in. Devt. xxxiiik 72° In the Aradic verfion, it is explained of the book of Samuel, interpreted the book of fongs, as if it was a collection of fongs; which favours the above fenfe. Ferom * interprets it of the fame book, the book of the righteous prophets, Samuel, Gad and Natham: but this book feems to have been’a public regifter or annals, in which were recorded memorable actions in any age, and had its name from the uprightnefs and faithfulnefs in which it was kept; and in this were. fet down the order of David for the teaching the children of Fudab the ule of the bow, and perhaps the method which he directed to for inftruction in it; fee the note on Fo/b..x. there was fuch a violent fhowet fell, that he wag wet through his clothes; and in’ the year 1273 lying all night upon this hill, there was a great dew fell upon him: zor fields of, offerings; of heave-offerings;: the meaning is, that he éould with almoft that thofe his were not fruitful, ‘and that they brought no fruit to perfection; fo much as that heave-offerings for the fervice of the fanctuary might be’ taken; which is expreffive of ‘great fterility and fcarcity, fee Foe! i. 13, 16: for there the foield of the mighty is vilely caft away; mighty men were obliged to caft away their fhields and flee; which were greatly to their reproach and fcandal, and to.that:of ‘the whole nation: it was ‘always reckoned very fcandalous, and a great crime, even punifhable with death,. to caft away a thield; both with the Greeks and others”: yea alfo she fhield of Sau/, as though he had not been anointed with oil; as if he’ was not the anointed king of J/rael, but a common foldier; or elfe this refpects his fhield, as if that’ was not anointed, as fhields ufed to be, that they might be fmooth and glib, and miffile weapons, as arrows and others might not pafs through them, but flide off; fee Jf xxi. 5. though Gerfom gives a different turn, that Saal’s fhield being in continual ufe, needed not to be anointed; as'thofe did which for a time had been laid afide. Abarbinel interprets thefe words thus, that he, who was the fhield of the mighty, even Saal himfelf, was vilely caft away, or becomé loathfome; and that his fhield was anointed; not with oil, but with the blood of the flain, and the fat of the mighty, connecting them with the words following.

y. 22.) Prom the blood of the flain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Fonathan turned not back; &c,] That is, it always did execution, the arrows fhot from it pierced into men, fhed their blood, and flew them; even they entered into the fat of the mighty, or mighty ones, that were fat, and brought them down; fo the arrows of the Medes and Perfians, the expert men among them; are faid not to return in vain, Fer: 1. 9. and the fword of Saul returned not empty; but was the ftood of a command of David, who could not hinder the victory the Philifines had got over J vael being known at Gath, and talked of with pleafure there, but a wifh ithad not: publifh it not in the fireets of Afkelon; another of the principalities of the Pdiliftines, and the fenfe the fame as before: /eff the daughters of the Philiftines rejoice, left the daughters of the uncircumcifed triumph; it ‘being ufual in thofe times and countries for women, young women more efpecially, to exprefs their joy on occafion of victories obtained, by finging and dancing, Fudg. xi 34. 1 Sam. xviii. 6, 7.

poetical figure, expreffing his concern for, and abhorrence of what happened on thofe mountains; much lefs did this in reality take place, as have feigned, as if never dew nor rain defcended on them ' afterwards; which has been confuted by travellers, particularly Borchard", who {peaking _of this mountain, fays, that as he was upon it, means of flaying many-; though Adarbinel obferves -|alfo, that this may be interpreted of the blood of the flain, and of the fat of the mighty men of J/- rael, and that though Saul and Fonathan faw many of thefe fall before their eyes, yet for or becaufe of their blood, they were not intimidated and reftrained from fighting; the bow of the. one, and the fhield of the other, turned not back on that account.

y.23. Saul and Fonathan were lovely and plea- /ant in their lives, &c.] To one another, had no quarrel or difference with each other, only on the account of David; otherwife they agreed together in the court, and in the camp, in their councils, and initheir conduct: and in their death they were not divided, neither from the people, nor from Davidjone another; Jonathan ttuck clofe by his father to the laft; which is obferved to clear him from but.only.as ajany imputation of confpiracy againft him: shey were fwifter than eagles; in the quick difpatch of bufinefs, in hafting to the relief of the diftreffed, fomejas Saul to the men of Jade/b-gilead, and in the purfuit of their enemies, as of the Philiftines, more than once: they were ftronger than lions; in fighting with their enemies, who became an eafy prey to them; and what is ftronger than y. 21. Ye mountains of Gilboa, 8c.) On which fell Saul and his fons, and many of the people of Uiael, ¥.6. 1 Sam. xxxiet. let there be wo. dew, neither let there be rain upon you; which is not to be underftood as a real imprecation for would never curfe any part of the land of J/rae/, for which he had fo great a regard;

$9: ts 19. The beauty of Ifrael is flain upon the high places, &c.}, The high mountains of Gi/boa, where Saul their king, and Fonathan his fon, a prince of the blood, and natural heir to the crown, and multitudes of young men, the flower of the nation, were wounded and flain. Here begins the Jamentation, or the elegiac fong: how are the mighty fallen! mighty men of war, {trong and valiant, as Saul and his fons were, and the foldiers in his army. ¥. 20. Tell it not in Gath, &c.| One of the five principalities of the Puilijtines, and the chief of _ them, being raifed to a kingdom, and whofe king was at the head of the armies of the Phili/tines that engaged with Saul... This is not to be under-

{wifter.than an eagle, among birds, whichis faid to éut the air with its wings *? 6 1 ida ai! ~ y. 24. Ye daughters of Irael, weep: over Saul, &c.} In their mournful. elegies 5, tbo clothed you with fcarlet, with other delights; not only with fcarlet, but with other fine and delightful apparel, fuch as were very pleafing to the female fex, efpecially young people, who are delighted with gay apparel 5 this Saul.was the means of, through, the fpoil he took from his enemies, and by other methods taken by him to the enriching of the nation, «whereby hufbands and parents were enabled to provide rich clothes for their -wives and -children:-ho put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel, broidered work, jewels of gold, Ge. See [anil 18—23. Exek, xvi. 10-13. we y. 25. How are the mighty fallen inthe: midft of the battle! &c.|. The mighty and valiant men of war, the common foldiers as well-as their general officers, whofe lofs David mourns, andthe: repetition of it fhews how much it affected him: O 7onathan, thou walt flain in thine high places; in the high places of the land of J/rae/, the mountains of Gilboa; which though high, and in his own country, could not protect him from his enemies, and from falling by their hands; he who had been fo valiant and victorious a prince, and yet he fell, not in an enemy’s country but his owa.) - y. 26. Lam difirelfed for thee,. my brother fonathan, &e.| So he was not only by nation and religion, but by affinity, having married the fitter of Fonathan, and {till more fo by affection and friendthip, he beinga friend of Davia’s, that ftuck clofer to him than a brother, and who loved him as his own foul; he was diftreffed for him, notonaccountof his fpiritual and_eternal {tate, which he doubted not,was happy, but for the manner of his death, his-lofs of him fel and advice, ‘and affiftance in his prefent circum-

|ftances': very pleasant baft’ thou been unto més in their friendly vifits of, and converfation with, anothers many a'pleafant hour ‘had’ they {pe it toe gether, but now: muft fee each othets; “no more in this world: thy love to me was wonderful 3 as indeed he might well fay, being towards one of a mean extract in’comparifon of his} to one who was not his own brother, but a brother-in-law; and to.one that'was.a rivalsto the crown’ he’was heir to, and would take it before him; and ‘who ran th rifque of lofing his father’s affection, and even ‘his life, for efpoufing: his*caufe: fee '¥ Sam. xviii. 1, 33 °4.and xix. 2, 4. and xx. 30, 33. paffing the love of women; eitherthatowhich they are loved with b ‘men, or that with which they love theit hufban and children; which is generally the ftrongeft and moft affectionate.’ “The Targum’ is;°* more than the love of two women,” than ‘his two wives, 47+ noam and Abigail; fo Kimchi, meaning that he was more ftrongly and affectionately loved by Fonathan than by.them, who-yet might love him very well too. 3 iw saline. ¥027. How are theimiehty fallen, 8c] This is the burden of this elegiac fong, being the third time ivis mentioned; aud the weapons of war perifbed; not only the valiant foldiers were killed, but their arms were loft; and particularly he may mean San? and ‘Fonathan, who as they were the ‘fhields of the people, fo they were ‘the true weapons and inftr ments of war, and ‘with them all ri euege Moby perifhed; which muft be underftood as a poetical figure, exaggerating their military characters; otherwife David, and many mighty men with him, remained, and who revived and increaféd the military glory of J/rae/, as the following hiftory fhews, quiring of the Lord,. was directed to go up

HIS. chapter relates; that David, upon en- Lord, as the Targum, by Abiathar the prieft, and through the Urim and Thummim, in the ephod’ he to Hebron, and did, where he was anointed’ king of had put on on this occafion: /aying, foall T go up

Judah, y..1—4. And, that being told of the kindnefs of the men of.Fabe/b-gilead in. burying Saul, he, tent.them thanks, and promifed to remember it,;and took the opportunity to let them know he was anointed king over Judabs-¥. 5, 6, 7. It alfo relates that Abner fet-up Lh-bofheth, the fon of Saul, to be king over J/rae/, ¥. 8—1%.,and that there: was a.rencounter. betweert 12 of bner’s men and 12 of David’s, which brought ona fore battle between them, in which. ddner was beaten, y. 12—r7. and Afabel, who was: of David's party, was flain in. the purfuit by, bser, ¥.

into any of the cities of Fudab? though the Lord had promifed him the kingdom, and’ he had been anointed by Samuel by his appointment, yet he was not hafty to take it into his hands, but was defirous of acting according to the will of God, and by his direction, and wait his time when and where he fhould go and take poffeffion of it; he mentions’

Judab becaufe it was his own tribe, and where he had the moft friends: And the Lord faid unto bim, and want of his pleafant converfation,’ of his coun’

Go up; from Zik/ag into the tribe of Fudah, but did - not mention any particular place whither he fhould - go; hence another: queftion was put: 4d David

18—25. when a retreat. was founded. by Joab, at | aid, Whither foall I goup? To what town or city in the ‘tribe of Fudab? ‘Whether Ferufalem or any - other? Aud he faid, Unto Hebron; a city of the

And the chapter. clofes with) priefts, a city of an account of the flain on both fides, the burial of Afahel, and the return of. Foab with David’s men refuge, 20 miles from Feru/alem, orsmore, which is not direéted to, becaufe it was then chiefly in the hands of the Febufites, and be- ~

¥. 1, And it came to pafs after this, &c.] After the metropolis of Fadab.;

David had heard of the death of Sgu/ and Fonathan, and made¢a lamentation over them, perhaps the next day; fince David and his men are only faid to Ziklag to Hebron, which was 16 miles poet ss Bunting %; and bis two wives alfo, am the

12.|Fezreelite/s, and Abigail Nabal’s wife the Carmelite, that David enquired of the Lord; of the Word of the who were beloved by him, and who had thared with _

¥: 2. So David went up thither, &c.] From Abinoam caufe, as Procopius Gazeus fays, Hebron was now ~ him in his troubles, and which he took with him partake of his honour and grandeur, wealth and| to) kinduefs becaufe of it; that is, have aiué you this’ honour by fending meffengers to you, to thank

¥. 3. And bis men that were with him, did David bring up, every man with bis houfbold, &c.] They and their families, and no doubt provided well for them when he was fettled on the throne, who had fhewn thernfelves to be his faithful friends, clofely attached to his intereft, and had run the rifque of their all on his account. See Maft. xix. 28. And they dwelt in the cities of Hebron; in the towns and villages about it; for that itfelf being a city of refuge, and inhabited by priefts, there was not room enough for all David’s men, who were now increafing, perfons from various tribes flocking to him. See 1 Chron. xii.. ¥. 4. And the men of Fudab came, &ce.] The you for it, and, by wifhing a bleffing upon you on account of it, and by praifing and commending you for it; but the former fenfe feems beft..

¥. 7. Now therefore let your bands be ftrengthened, and be ye valiant, &c.] And not be afraid of the Philiftines, who might tefent their condic in taking away from them the bodies of Sau/ and his fons, whom they had hung up in triumph; and thefe men might fear they woiild bring their armies again{t them, and deftroy them; but David bids them be of good heart and courage, ahd not be afraid of them; for your majfter Saul is dead; or rather though * he is dead; for that hé was dead they knew full well; having buried him, and rieeded no information of it; but Being dead, they might be difcouraged, as having none to protect and defend inhabitants of the tribe of Fwdab came from the fe- (them, or come to their relief as he did, fhould they veral parts of it to Hebron, that is, the principal of (be attacked: and aljo the houfe of Fudab have anointed them, the elders of each city; and there *bey| anointed David king over the boufe of ‘fudab: they did not take upon them to make him king over all dfrael, but left the reft of the tribes to aét for themfelves; and nodoubt in this they had the mind of David, who was not willing to force himfelf upon the people at once, but by degrees get the whole government into his hands, as providence fhould make his-way; thefe men knew the kingdom was promifed to their tribe, from Gen. xlix. ro. and were quite.clear in what they did, and, without queftion, knew that David had been anointed by Samuel: butas that anointing was only a declaration of the Lord’s choice of him, and of his will that he fhould be king after Sau/’s death; he is again anointed by the people, as an inauguration into his office: and they told David, faying, That the men of Fabefb-gilead were they that buried Saul. It is highly probable, that as foon as David was anointed king, the firft thing he thought of was to enquire after the body of the late king, and give it an honourable interment, and upon enquiry was told, that the men of Yabe/b-gilead had buried him already., See 1 Sam, xxxi. 11, 12, 13.

me king over them; or for even, or notwith/tanding °: and this therefore being the cafe, he would take their parts, and help and affift them; and which he fggefts to them, to invite them to own him as their King alfo, and put themfelves under his protection. ©

¥. 8. But Abner, the fon of Ner, captain of Saul’ s hoft, 8c.} This rhan’s father, Ner, was Sauls uncle, and he was his own coufin, and being general of his army, a poft he was willing to keep, might be the reafons for doing what he did, as follows; took I/h-bofbeth the fon of Saul; and who feems to be his only fon left, except what he had by his concubine. This man’s name is E/h-baal in 1 Chron. viii, 33. andix. 39. Baalis the name of a fhameful Idol, and which was therefore fomeé- times called Bofheth, fhame. See Hofe# ix. ro. wherefore fiich names of men, whith had Baa/ in them, were changed for Befbeth or. Bofbeth, as the names of Yerab-baal and Merib-baal, who were called Ferub-bofheth and Mephi-bofbeth. See Fude. viii, 35. compared with 2 Sam. xi. 21. and 2 Sam. iv. 4. with 1 Chron. viii. 34. and ix. 40. The lattet of thefe, a fon of Fonathan, bid faireft- for the

¥. 5. And David fent meffengers unto the. men of crown by lineal fucceffion, but he being but five

Fabefo-gilead, &c.| To return them thanks for their courage and boldnefs, in refcuing the bodies of Sau/ and his fons out of the hands of the Pdiliftines, and for their civility in the burial of them: and faid unto them, Bleffedbe ye of the Lord, which may be confidered either as a wifh, the Lord blefs you for it; or as. a prediction, the Lord will blefs you, that ye have foewed this kindnefs unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him: 'To bury the dead, with the Zews, was always reckoned an inftance of humanity and kindnefs, and: indeed of piety; an act done in imitation of God *, who buried Mofes, and fo it might be expected the divine blefling would attend it.; ¥. 6. And now the Lord fhew kinduefs and truth unto you, &c. | ‘Or true kindnefs; confer real fa- -vours, beftow upon you good and fubftantial blefdings, bleffings indeed! and I alfo will requite you _ this kindnefs, becaufe ye have done this thing. He not only prayed to God to blefs them and reward them for it, but would remember them himfelf, and at a proper opportunity would fhew favour to, ‘them for this act of kindnefs to Sau/., De Dieu propofes to confideration, whether it may not be as well interpreted to this fenfe, and I alfo do you this Gefourites, as the Vulgate Latin verfion; but years of age, and lame, this man Abner judged fitteft for his purpofe; arid though he knew it was the will of God, and he had fworn that David fhonld be king, yet fo blind and obftinate was his ambition, that he fet up another againft him: and brought him over to Mabanaim; a city on the other fide Yordan, in the tribe of Gad, on the border of the half tribe of Manaffeh; fee Fob. xiii, 26—30: Gen. xxxii. 2. and hither Abner had Jb-bofhetb; partly to keep the men of Fabefh-gilead in awe, to whom David had fent meffengers, acquainting them with his being king of. Fudah, and pfevent their joining with him; and partly that’ he miglit be af a proper diftance both from the Philiftines and from David, tilt he could form his meafures; and gradually carry his point, as he did.

y. 9. And he made him king over Gilead, &c.] Which lay beyond ‘fordan, and included the tribes of Gad and Reuben, and the half tribe of Manaffeb; thefe he prevailed upon to acknowledge J/b-bofheth their king, and proclaimed him king ovet them: and over the Ajburites; that is, thofe of the loufe or tribe of Afber, as the Targum, and indeed noné elfe can well be’thought of; fome indeed read thé thefe were never expelled by the /raclites, and had, this time a king over them, chap. iii, 3. fee 7o xiii. 13. and over Fezreels the great plain which went along the borders of Zebulun, Ifjachar; and Naphtali, and included thefe tribes; and over Epbraim, and over Benjamin, the tribes of Ephraim and Benjamin; and over all Ifrael, excepting the at) dofbeth had all the reft, yet Fudeb was anumerous; — b.| powerful, and warlike tribe; and befides many out — of the other tribes had joined them, and above all, God was on their fide; and they had his promife to rely upon with refpect to the eftablifhment of the — kingdom in the houfe of David; and his power and» * providence to truft in, and therefore went out boldly — tribe of Fudabh; that is, he prevailed firft on one of thefe; then on another, until he got all the tribes of J/rael to own him for their king; David all this time being ftill and quiet, and not oppofing him, waiting God’s own time to open the way for his poffefion of the kingdom over all J/rae/, and having a ftriét regard to his oath to Sant, 1 Sam. NXIV. 215 22., y. 10. Jh-bofheth Saul’s fon was forty years old when be began to reign over I/rael, &c.| Being born the fame year his father began to reign. See the note on 1 Sam. xxxi.6. And reigned two years;

and chearfully to meet the armies of J/rael under Abner: and met together by the pool of Gibeon; the fame perhaps with the great waters in Gideon, Fer. xli..12. and they fat down, the one on the one fide of the pool, and the other on the other fide of the pools facing one another, and watching each other’s mo= tions,? a ¥. 14, And Abner faid to Foab, &c.) Perceiving he made no motion towards an engagement with him, — his orders from David being only to aé on the de- © fenfive, and avoid as much as poffible the effufion of blood: Let the young men now arife, and play be~ which fome underftand of thefe, and no more; and) fore us; with their fwords,; after the manner of gla- whereas David reigned feven years and a half over Fudab, before he reigned over all Srael, it is thought by the Few chronologer ‘, that there was a vacancy in the throne of J/rael for the {pace of five years, and fo fays Kivichi; which vacancy was either before the reign of J/b-bofbeth, it being a matter in difpute whether he or Mephibofreih thould be fet up, or after his death; the tribes of J/rae being fo long ere they acknowledged David their king; or Ih-bofieth’s reign of two years muft be in the middle of David's reign over Judah; but there is no need]

to fuppofe either of thefe, for the text fays not that Jih-bofpeth reigned only two years; but the meaning is, as Ben Gerfom oblerves, that he had reigned two years when the following things happened, and a war began, and not by him but by éner, and carried on by him; and he being an ina¢tive prince, the reft of his reign was reckoned as no reign, whereas he lived and reigned the fame length of time David did over Fudah; fee chap. iii. 1. but the houfe of Fudab followed David; kept clofe to him as their king, yielding a chearful obedience to y¥. 14. And the time that David was king in Hebron over the houfe of Fudab, &c.| And over them only, was feven years and fix months; to which being added thirty-three years he reigned over all Hrael in Ferufalem, made 40 years and 6 months s. and which, for the roundnefs of the number, is ufually called 40 years. See chap. v. 4. 1 Kings ijn BI. _ W. 12, And Abner the fon of Ner, &c.] Who was before captain of Saul’s hoft, and now of Jbbofbeth’s: and the fervants of Ifh-bofneth the fon of Saul, who feem to be not only his domeftic fervants, that waited upon him, or his courtiers, but his whole army by what follows: went out from Maba-} naim to Gibeou; came from the city on the other ‘fide Fordan, where perhaps they had been two years paft, cancerting fchemes to bring all J/rael under the government of [/b-Lofheth; in which they had fucceeded, only Fudabh ftood out with David, and in order to reduce that tribe, they pafled over Jordan and came to Gideon, a city in Benjamin, See Foo. xviii. 25.:

¥.13. And Foab the fon of Zeruiah, &c.) A fifter of David, and this her fon was general of David's army: and the fervants of David went out; that is, his army went out from Hebron to Gibeon, which was 24 miles “, to meet that under Abner; for though he had but one tribe with him, and Jé- diators or duellers; that it might appear who were beft fkilled in the ufe of the fword, and who were the braveft, ftouteft, and moft courageous; and this he propofed in a way of bravado, and in order

‘to bring on a battle, or to decide the quatreb bes ‘tween them; and this bloody barbarous -exercife

Abner calls play, as if it was a diverfion and paftime to fee men wounding and killing: one another: and Joab faid, Let them arife; he accepted the challenge, not caring to be heétored and bullied by Abner.

¥. 15. Then there arofe and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, &c.) Whom Abner had picked out of that tribe, being his own, and whom he knew to be {tour and courageous men,» and clofely attached to him... It feems by this, as if Abdner’s

‘men, which pertained to [/b-bofbeth the fom of Saul, paffed over the pool of Gideon unto Foab’s men 3 fo’ forward were they to: engage in this duel, and it makes it ftill more appear that they were the aggreflors: and twelve of the fervants of David; of his army under Yoas, whom Foad either felected,- or they offered themfelves as willing to engage with the twelve that were come over.. ¥. 16. And they caught every one bis fellow by the bead, &c. By the hair of his head with his hand: and thrutt bis fword in bis fellows fide, which he’ had in the other; fo they fell down together: the 12 on each fide, all the 24; fome think only the rz on Abner’s fide fell; but to me it feems that they all fell dead as one man, fince they thruft their {words in each others fides: wherefore that place’ was called Helkath-hazzurim; the field of rocks, or of mighty men as ftrong assrocks, who ftood as immoveable, and would not give way, but fell and died in the field of battle; the Targum interprets it,: the inheritance of the flain. ope y. 17. And there was a very fore battle that day, &c.]. When the twenty-four men fell together, and no decifion could be made thereby, or any triumphoneither fide, both armies drew up*in battle-array, and fought very furioufly: and Abner was beaten, and the men of Ifrael before the fervants of David, the army under him had the worft of it, and were routed, and obliged to flee before the army of David under the command of Foad. ho ae ¥. 18. And there were three fons of Zeruiab there, hel. ‘Joab was the general of the army, Abifhat was he who went into Sau/’s hoft at night, and took away his fpear and crufe of water at his h

1 Sam. xxvi. 6,.7. and it is for the fake of gabe, in

Afahel, that the account is given, the ftory of his death being about to be told. And Afabel was as light of foot as a wild roe fwiftnefS of foot, as well as courage, for which this man was famous, right David's, and would be his, and he muft be obliged to make peace with him; when he fhould ftand in need of ‘¥oab as his friend, which he could not expect,.if he flew his brother, nor to live in favour and friendfhip with him hereafter. > “

So Achilles, in Homer ', is often faid| wy. 23. to be fwift of foot, and others of his Heroes arc commended for their fwiftnefs. Harold, fon of King Canutus, was from his {wiftnefs * called Haréfoot; as wild here this man for the fame reafon, is compared to aroe, which is a very fwift creature, or to one of the roes that are in the field, as in the original text. Howwbeit he refused to turn afide, &c.J Determined on making him his captive if poffible. Wherefore Abner with the binder end of the {pear; he had in his hand, which feems to have had a pike at both ends; fo that with the hinder end of it, next to A/ahbel, he thruft it at him, without turning to him: and fmote him under the fifth rib, the place

See Cant. ii. 7,17, and viii. 14. one fort of which, called Kemas, is faid to run as {wift as a tempeft *.

y. 19. And Afakel puirfued after Abner, 8cc.] Ambitious of the glory of taking or flaying the general of the army of J/rae?; trufting to his wiftnefs, not confidering that the race is not always to the fwift, and that he had to do with a veteran foldier, and he a raw young man though valiant. And in going, be turned not to the right band nor to the left in following Abner, he kept his eye upon him, and purfued him clofely, difregarding perfons on the right or left he could have made priioners; but thofe he neglected, being bent.on taking dxer if poffible.

where hang the gall and liver, as the Fezi/h commentators from their Talmud‘ obferve. There are twelve ribs, feven of which are called true ones, and five fpurious; if this was the fifth of the feven, the {pear muft pierce the. breaft *, and ftrike the feat of life, the heart and lungs; if the fifth from the eighth and firft of the {purious ones, then wounding the hypochondria, it muft pafs to the vital bowels of the abdomen, which feems to be the cale here’: according to fome™ this is meant of the inferior ribs, which we call the fhort ribs, and any of thefe five are called the fifth rib; and 4duer muft {trike him in the right fide, becaufe he was behind him, and which ftroke muft be deadly, becaule he

¥. 20. Then Abner looked bebind him, &c.]\ftruck Perceiving one at his heels; and making hafte up him through the liver: that the {pear came out behind him, the thruft was. fo violent that the tohim. Art thon Afobel? for it feems he knew him perfonally, being well acquainted with his family: and be anfwered, | am; fo that they were very near to each other, as to difcourfe together, and be heard and underftood by each other.

{pear went through him, and came out at his back: and be fell down and died in the fame place; he fell at once, and died on the {pot immediately: and it came to pa/s, that as many as came to the place wheré Afahel fell down and died, fiood fiill, that is,fuch of

W¥.21. And Abner faid unto him, &c.] Wavinga fefpect for him, and confulting his good, and|\ however fearing his brother oad fhould he flay him: Turn thee afide to thy right or to thy left; he does not advife him to go back, which would have been to his difgrace, having engaged in the purfuit, but to turn to the right or left, as if purfuing fome other perfon and not Abner: and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee bis armour one of the common foldiers, or am attendant on Abner, a young man like himfelf, whom he might be able to cope with; and take hima prifoner, and difarm him, when he was not a match for fuch an old experienced officer as-he was; and this 4dyer feems to fpeak as a friend, confulting the young man’s fafety and his honour too. But Afahel would not turn xfde from following him; fired with the ambition of taking him, and not content with any prey fhort of him; and perhaps was the more animated by what he faid, as fuppofing it arofe from fear of him. y¥. 22. And Abner faid again to Afabel, 8c.] Being loth to difpatch him: urn thee afide from - following me, wherefore fhould I fmite thee to the David's men who were in the purfuit after the J/raetes, when they came to the fpot, and faw 4/ahel dead; they had no power to proceed in the purfuir, being fo troubled and grieved at the death of him.. y. 24. Foab alfo and Abifhai purfued after Abner, &c.] Or rather but Joab, &c". They ftood not ftill as the reft, but, filled with indignation and refentment, purfued after Abner, to be avenged on him: and the fun went down when they came to the bill of Ammab, a hill by the fide of which was a pool of water, as Kimchi thinks, and from thence fo called: that lieth before Giah; a place near Gideon, but no where after mentioned: dy the way of \the wilderne/s of Gibeon; very likely not far from the city from which it had its name.

y. 25. And the children of Benjamin gathered them- /e/ves together after Abner, &c.] Either thofe that were with him before, who upon the battle were difperfed, but now got together again; or. others of that tribe, who hearing of the defeat of Abner, went out of the feveral cities after him, to ftrengthen his hands, and renew the fight with Foab: and became one troop, were united together ground? which was giving him fair warning, and in a body, and became a regular troop: and ftood letting him know what he mutt expect, if he did not defift from his purfuit: How then fhould I bold up my face to Foab thy brother? the general of David’s. army, a, t valiant commander, a man of fpirit and refentment, whom Aduer knew full well, and that fhould he flay his brother, he would never be friendly with him, or look pleafantly on him; he would neyer forgive him, but feek ways and means to avenge his blood on him: and by this it feems as if Abner was con{cious to himfelf, that he was in a wrong caufe, that the kingdom was of on the top of an bill; which was fome advantage to them, and from whence they could take a view of - foab’s army; and obferve its motions.

y. 26. Then Abner called to Foab; &c.] For having now atroop of men with him, he could ftop with the greater fafety; and being on an hill, and - perhaps Jab on one oppofite to him, could call to him, fo as to be heard: and faid, Shall the fword devour for ever? flay men, and devour their blood, See Fer. xlvi. 10. That he was not thoughtful of, nor concerned about, when he fer the young men the battle going againft him, he complains of the devouring {word; and though it had been employed but a few hours, it feemed long to him, a fort of an eternity: knowe/t thou not that it will be bitterne s in the latter end? fince it might iffue in the death of himfelf, or of Foab, or of both, as it had in Afabel, ox however, in the death of a multitude of others; and which at laft would caufe bitter reflection in the profecutors of the war: bow long fhall it be then ere thou bid the people return from following

Il. S4# WwW She Dep AF Ch. 11. ¥. 27-5) to fighting before the battle, and called it play to wound and fhed the blood of each other;, but now Fordan: and they came to Mabanaim, they came, and where they had left from whence Ih-bofbeth, yrs 8, 12. the fame writer’, was 16 miles. ». ie y. 30. And Joab returned from following Abner, &c.]. It being in his commiffion from David to, fhed as little blood as he could: and when be had.

gathered all the people together; who had béen pur-.

fuing the J/raelites, fome one way and fome ano- - ther:. there lacked of David’s fervants 19 men, and Afabel, who is particularly mentioned, becaufe a very honourable man, valiant and courageous, a their brethren? he pleads relation, that the men of relation of David, and brother of ‘foab the gene-

Tfrael and the men of udab were brethren; fo they were by nation and religion, and therefore fhould not, purfue one another to deftruction; but who was the agereffor? It was Abner, that brought his forces againft Fudab, the men of David acted only on the defenfive.

y. 27. And Foab faid, As God liveth, &c.] Which was the form of an oath, {wearing by the living God: wnlefs thou hadft fpoken, that is, thefe words in ¥. 14. Let the young men arife and play; that he had not given the challenge to fight: urely

then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother; they would have gone

away and never fought at-all; they were not deas 4u/tin affirms".

ral, and the lofs of him was greater than all the. reft. This has made fome think that the 12 men of the fervants of David were not killed in the duel, or otherwife theré muft be but feven flain in the battle; though that is not more ftrange than. that in the battle with Midian not one fhould be flain, and yet a terrible flaughter was made of the Midianites,, Numb. xxxi. So in a fharp battle between the Spartans and Arcadians, 10,000 of the latter were flain and not one of the former %. Sflicho killed more than 100,000 of the army of Rbadagaifus, king of the Goths, without lofing one of his own men, no not fo much as one wounded,

At the battle of Jjus the Per- firous of fhedding their blood, and following after them to flay them: thus he lays the blame upon /aus loft 110,000 men, and Alexander not 200 *: fulius Cz/ar killed in the three camps of fuba, Sci-

Abner, and makes him to be the caufe and beginner of the war. Some render the particle by zf, and give the fenfe, that if he had fpoken what he laft did, fooner, the people would long before this time have defifted from purfuing them; for it was not from a thirft after their blood, and a defire to take vengeance on them, that they purfued them, but to bring them to fubmiffion, and lay down their arms; for they could not in honour retreat until they defired it; but the former fenfe feems beft, and is the general fenfe of the Fewi/h commentators, y¥. 28. So Foab blew a trumpet, &c,| Or caufed pio, and Labienus 10,000 men with the lofs of 50 men only '. After thefe inftances, not only the

From Bithron to this place, according to cafe here, but that between the J/raelites and AG- ~ dianites cannot be thought incredible, for the fake of which the above are produced. This account, according to Yofephus“, was taken the day following. 2. s3Revice y. 31. But the fervants of David had finitten.of Benjamin, and Abner’s men, &c.] ©f thofe of the tribe of Benjamin that joined him, and of thofe that he brought with him from Mahanaim; fo many of them were {mitten, as appeared by their bodies lying on, the field of battle, that 360 men died;

one to be blown as a fignal of a retreat; the people ftood ftill, and purfued after I and ili the number of the flain on each fide was very unrael no more;

as foon as they heard the trumpet found, the meaning of which they underftood, they ftopped at once, and left off their purfuit: meither fought they any more that day, and perhaps no pitched battle

¥. 32. And they took up Afabel, &c.} From the place where he fell; that is, Foab and Abifhat, his brethren, as Yo/epbus ™ relates; after they had buried the dead in the field of battle, they took up afterwards; for none we read of, though the war him: aad buried him in the fepulchre of bis father, - continued after this a long time, and there might be often fkirmifhes, which greatly weakened.4dner’s party. See chap. iii. 1.

¥. 29. And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, &c.] The plain of Fordan. He marched with his men all night, left oad fhould return, and purfue him, and take vengeance on him for the death of his brother: and paffed over Fordan, at one of the fords of it: and went through all Bithron;, the name of a province or country, as Farchi, called fo perhaps from its being feparated from the reft of the tribes of J rael by the river Fordan; fome think the mountains of Bether were in this country, Caat. ii. 17. From Gibeon, where the battle was fought, to Bithrom, according to Bunting °, was 28.miles, the which he fays was in the tribe of Gad, 28 miles from Jerufalem north-eaftward, lying between Dibon and which was in Beth-lebem; not in the city of Bethy, lehem, but withoutit, on the fouth fide of it; fo fays Fuller *, ‘* fouthward, i. e. of Bethlehem, we find Afabel’s fepulchre, who was buried in the grave of his father.” What was his father’s name is not known, only his mother’s name, Zeruiaby is mentioned in fcripture,’a fifter of David, and daughter of Feffe the Bethlebemite.. Beth-lebem was 16 miles from Gideon, ‘according to Bunting’. And Foab and bis men went all night; not the night following the battle, but the night following the next day, after he had been t6 Beth-lehem, and buried his brother there; wherefore, left David fhould think it long ere he came, he travelled all night: and they came to Hebron at break of day; where Da- x wise chapter begins with the continuation of the war between the houfe of Sau/ and the houfe of David, ¥. 1. and gives an account of the wives of David, and his fons by them, y¥. 2—5. of a quarrel between J/bbofbeth and Abner, ¥: 6—11. and of Abner’s propofal to make a league with David; but David would not fee his face unlefs Michal his wife was returned to him, who was accordingly, ¥. 12—16. and of the intereft Abner made with the elders of J/rae/ in favour of David, which he reported to him, and promifed to make more, ¥. 17—21. but Joab returning from a purfuit, and with great. fpoil, juft as dbzer departed, and hearing of it; chid David for letting him go, and privately fent for him back, and treacheroufly - murdered him, ¥. 22—27. from which murder David cleared himfelf and his kingdom, and for it made dreadful imprecations on 7oad and his family, ¥. 28,29, 30. and buried éxer with great lamentation, expreffling much concern for his death, andthe high opinion he had of him, y.

¥. 1. Now there was along war between the houfe of Saul and ihe houfe of David, &c.| Thelate battle, though fo much in favour of David, did not put an ‘end to the war-between him and [/bbo/heth, which lafted five years longer; for it was when Ybbofheth had reigned two years that that battle was fought, and he reigned five years longer; for not till his death, and when David had reigned above feven years in Hebron, was he made king over all Wfrael; and during this time. peace was not made, but the,war carried on; though perhaps not in pitched battles, of which we no more read, but in fkirmifhes.: Jut David waxed fironger and fironger; he having the advantage in all fuch fkirmifhes, and perfons continually coming over ‘to. his fide from the feveral tribes: and the houfe of Saul waxed weaker and weaker, being always. worfted whenever they fkirmifhed with David’s men, and by continual revolts from them: ‘This is reckoned an emblem of the kingdoms of. Chrift and Antichrift, the one. increafing more. and.more, as it has and will do, and the. other decreafing, and ere long will be confumed;, and of the two parties in a regenerate man, grace and indwelling fin, the one as to its exercife growing ftronger and ftronger, and the other.as to its’ iofuence on the outward converfation weaker and weaker.

¥.2. And unto David were fons born in Hebron, &c.] He was married before hecamethere, had wives in his ftate of exile, but had no children by them there; at leaft no fons; if any, only daugh-

‘ters; and his firft-born was Ammon of Abinoam the

FJezreclite/s; who being, mentioned firft, and her fon his firft-born, feems to have been his wife before he took Abigail; be had not muchcomfort of this firft-born fon of his; feech. xiii, ad y¥. 3. And the fecond Chileab, of Abigail the wife of.Nabal, the Carmelite/s, &c.) ‘That is, who had been the wife of Nadal. This fon’s name is called

"Daniel, 1 Chron. iii. 1. and was the firft name he had, and which. his.father gave him, becaufe as if he fhould fay, God hath judged me, and pleaded

' ® Tanchuma apad Abarbinel in toc.

the caufe of his reproach from Nadal, 1 Sam. xxv. 39. but why he fhould be called Chileab is not eafy to fay; the name is commonly thought to fignify ke, unto his father, or all father, had all the features of his father; and was exceedingly like him; the Yews have a fabulous ftory concerning this”, not worth relating: and the third Abfelom the fon of Maacab, the daughter of Talmai king of Gefbur 5, in 1 Sam. xxvii. 8. we read of David's invading the land of the Ge/burites 5 and the Fews fay * that he then took the daughter of this king captive, and fhe being a beautiful woinan married her, after made a profelyte according to the law in Deut. xxi. but it fhould be obferved that David flew all the women of that country, and left not any alive; and befides that lay to the fouth of Fzdah, whereas this -Gefhur of which Talmai was king, was a part of Syria, ch. xv. 8. and lay to the north of the land of J/rael; and with this king David hereby entered into an alliance, to ftrengthen his intereft againft J/bbo/beth in thofe parts; of the trouble he met with from Ad/alom fee ch, xiii. 8c. contraty to the expeétations he had raifed when he gave him the name of 4b/alom,; or Leabfalom, as in 1 Chron. iii. 2. that is, one given for bis father’s peace.

¥. 4. And the fourth Adonijab the fon of Haggith, &c.| The fame that ufurped the throne before his fathei’s death, to anticipate Solomon, and died by his order, 1 Kings i. 5. and ii. 25. and the Sifth Shephatiah the fon of Abital,; of whom we read no where elfe.

¥. 5. And the fixth Ithream by Eglab David's wife, &c.} Who alfo is not fpoken of in any | other place; only in a like chronological account as the former, it is remarked that the mother of this only is called David’s wife; the reafon of which is fuppofed to be, either becaufe fhe was a perfon of no note, and had nothing elfe to diftinguifh her; but the fame may bé faid of the two foregoing; or becaufe fhe was his beloved wife, his heifer, as her name fignifies; hence the Yews ’ take her to be Michal his firft wife, whom he greatly loved; and who though fhe had no children after her contempt of David for playing before the ark, unto the day of her death, yet might have before: but it fhould be obferved, that as yet fhe was not returned to David in Hebron, and when fhe was returned, did notfeem to Continue thete long enough to have a fon.there.; and. befides being his firft wife, would not be reckoned laft; but ftill more foreign is another notion of the ‘Yews”, that fhe was Saul’s widow, who though fhe might not be married to another, might be married to a king, as David was; and this théy fuppofe receives fome confirmation from ch. xii. 8. but after all, it may be this phrafe David’s wife, as fome have obferved, by a figure the Rhetoricians call Zeugma, or Hypozeugma, is to be joined to every one of the women before mentioned, who were his wives, and fo called to diftinguifh them from his concubines, by whom he had fons alfo. Polygamy, or plurality of wives, which David gave into, is no favourable part of his charaéter.. *

yt. 6, And it came to pafs while there was war be-

tween the boufe of Saul, and the houfe of David, &c.] As long as that continued, as it did until the following quarrel happened between Tfobofheth and Abner: that Abner made himfelf ftrong for the houfe of Saul; or was {trongly in the intereft of that houte, and ufed his utmoft endeavours to fupport and confirm it.

y.7. And Saul bad a concubine, whofe name was

Rizpah, the daughter of Aja, &c.) By whom he had two fons, ch. xxi. 8. Yo/epbus* calls her father’s name Sibathus: and \thbofheth faid to Abner; though the word Jbbofheth is not in the text, itis rightly fupplied; for no other can be fuppofed to fpeak: wherefore bajt thou gone in unto my father’s concubine 2? and defiled her; though perhaps it was not fo much the act of uncleannefs that fo much that Abner knew of the promife and eath of God refpecting this matter; and therefore acted aga his confcience, in fetting up J/bbofbeth on throne; which he knew would not profper, and that he was fighting againft God; which fhews what a hardened wicked creature he was, and hoy far ambition, and being thought to be of confequence, will carry aman. "ty Sie ¥.10. To tranflate the kingdom from the boufe of Saul, &c.| Which was what the Lord had fworn > todo, 1 Sam. xv. 28, 29. and which Abner now threatens to do, infolently taking that to himfelf which belonged to the Lord, and as if he could not. do it without him: and to fet up the throne of David over Ifrael and over Fudah, over the one as well as over the other; for it was fet over Fudab already:

offended him, or the difhonour reflected on him and his family thereby, as it difcavered an ambitious view in Abner to get the kingdom into his own bands, to which this was the leading ftep; fee 1 Kings ii, 22. Whetlier Abner was really guilty of this fin or no, isnot eafy to determine; though by his not abfolutely denying it, it looks as if was not merely ajealouly of J/hbofbeth, or a report made unto him; tho’, efpecially if he was not fully fatisfied of it, it would have been his to have faid nothing of it to him, fince his nuance on the throne fo much depended on him.

y. 8. Then was Abner very wroth for the of Webofoeth, 8cc.] If falfe he had a good deal reafon for it; and if true, he thought he better at his hands, than to be reproved for and upbraided with what he might-think was a very |deha {mall fault, and might eafily be connived at, efpecially in one that had been fo ferviceable him: am J a@ dog’s head 2? fuch amean, vile, contemptible perfon with thee, as if no better than dog, and as ufelefs and as unferviceable as a dead dog, the head of a dog cut off; fee 1 Sam. xxiv. 14. 2 Sam. ix. 8. or am I efteemed and to be treated as a head of dogs, a keeper of a pack of| hounds, and not as a general of the armies of J fo Farchi and others; but it feems rather to refpect the filthy nature of a dog, that will couple with any; and fo the fenfe is, am [ fuch a filthy luftful ture that care not with whom I lie, no more than a dog: which againft Judah do foew kindnefs to the houfe of Saul thy father, to bis brethren, and to bis friends; who in oppofition to the tribe of Fudab, which alone abode by David, had fhewn refpeé the family of Sau/, and all his friends, by his clofe attachment to Whbofbeth: and have not délivered. thee into the hand of David; when it was in his power to have done it many atime: that thou charget me to-day with a fault concerning this woman; he neither denies nor owns the charge, and yet by his not- denying ir, tacitly owns it; though by his way of fpeaking, he fuggefts as if it wasno fault at all, at leaft a very trifling one, and fuch as not to have been mentioned to him, confidering the fervices he had done to Ihbofbeth, and his fafrom Dan even unto Beerfheba, which were the utmoft borders of the land of J/rael, from north to jfouth, and foincludes the whole. ait y.11. And be could not anfwer Abner a word, &c.] That is, he would not, he durft not; otherwife if it was fact he charged him with, he could itjhave infifted on the truth of it, and aggravated the. falfejcrime and fcandal of it; and obferved it to him, that the kindnefs he had {hewn him was no exeufe wifdomjforit; butfuch things though he would, he durft conti-Inot fay: ecaufe he feared him, he had the army. fat his command, and could dethrone him when he wordsjpleafed; and it has been the fate of greater mien ofjthan’ Jbbo/heth to be awed by their generals, and defervedjeven David himfelf; fee ¥. 39. Ste 2 y. 12. And Abner fent meffengers to David on bis f, &c.] On his own account, and not on the andjaccount of J/bbofbetb, or the people of J/rael; but. tojto obtain terms for himfelf, or in his own name, as. reprefenting him and ftanding in his ftead 5 aior fecretly, as Kimchi explains it, unknown to Jb So/betb, or the people of Jraci. The Targum is, ** out of his place;” he fent them from the place where he was, from Mahanaim: faying, whofe is the — and? the land of Jrael, is it not thine David? rae/?jverily it is; to whom does it belong, but unto thee, to whom the Lord has given it? not to any of Sau/’s pofterity: this he ordered the meflengers crea-jto fay in the firft place, in order to ingratiate him (elf to David, and gain his meffengers an audience, The Targum is, ‘* I fwear by him that made the earth;” fo Farchi fays, it is an oath by him whole the earth is, even by the living God, whofe is the’ tojearth, and the fulnefs thereof: /aying alfo, make ¢4y /eague with me; he defired to enter into a covenant of friendfhip with him, that every thing that had paffed might be forgiven and forgotten =- and behold, my hand fhall be with thee; to bring — about all I/rael unto thee; he promifes on his partto do his utmoft to bring all J/rae/ under his government, and to obedience to him. Pat 7 y.13. And be faid, well, I will make a league ought with thee, &c.] He accepted of the offer, he was’ ready and willing to enter into a covenant of friendfhip with him, and forgive all paft. offences: dat mily. one thing I require of thee; as the condition of ‘this

¥.9. So do God to Abner, and more alfo, &c.\ He wifhes the worft of evils to himfelf, fuch he cared not toname; but left them to be fuppofed what he meant, as utter ruin and deftruétion of himfelf, foul and body:

did not do that for David, which God had fworn covenant: that is, thou foalt not fee my face, be asfadmitted into my prefence, or have any mark « my favour and refpect: except thou firft bring WV chal, Saul’s daughter, when thou comeft to fee n except as the Lord bath ace; he infifted on it, that Micbal, Saul’s daughmeaning if hefter, and his wife, fhould be brought along v ith him, and prefented to him; this was the prelimi- fworn to David, even fo I do tohim;

fhould be done, namely what follows, the tranfla-

, nary to the league and covenant; if this wa: net tion of the kingdom to him; by which it appears, complied with, the propofal would not be att Adad to, This fhews the great affection David retained for his firft wife, though he had had fix fince, and though fhe had lived with another man; as alfo his great regard to the honour of Saui’s family, that one of them might fhare with him in the grandeur of the kingdom; though this alfo might be a piece of policy in him, to gain the friends of Sauil’s family to him.;

¥. 14. And David fent meffengers to [bbofoeth, Saul’s for, 8ec.] When Abner’s meffengers returned tohim, and acquainted ‘him with the condition of David’s entering into a league with him, it is highly probable that dyer fent them or others to David, t let him know that he could not do this of himfelf; that it was advifeable for-him to write to Yhbofheth, whofe fitter fhe was, and demand her of him; and that then he would ufe his intereft with Jdofaeth to grant it, and this method David took: /aying, deliver me my wife Michal, which I efpoufed to me for an hundred forefkins of the Pbiliftines; two arguments he made ufe of to enforce his demand; one is, that it was his wife he tequired, to whom he had a right, and no other man; and the other is, that he had purchafed her at a great expence, at the rifque of his life, in flaying 100 Pbiliftines, whofe forefkins.he paid-in for her at the inftance of Sau’; he mentions but one hundred, though he gave two as her dowry, no more being required than one; fee 1 Sam. xviii. 25,27. Fofephus very wrongly fays. 600°; the Syriac and Arabic have here 200.

¥. 15. And Tfpbofheth fent and took her from ber bufband, &c.| Her fecond hufband, to whom Saul had given her, 1 Sam. xxv. 44. even from Phaltiel the fon of Laifh; he is called Phalti in the place referred to. Sfde /

¥.16. dud her bufoand went with her along weeping bebind ber, 8c.) Becaufe of his great affection to her, unwilling to part with her, but forced to it at the command of the king her brother: to Baburim, a city in the tribe of Benjamin, ch. xix. 16. perhaps: the fame with Almon, Fob. xxi. 18. thefe two words being of the fame fignification, and the Targum has it here Almuth; fo Alemeth in 1 Chron. vi. 60. It feems to be the fame Fo/ephus* calls Bachures, and fays it was not far from Ferufalem. Bunting * {ays it was fomething more than a mile towards the north-eaft, and at this time is a fair caftle ftrongly fortified, ftanding ina high place, and in the valley near it, at the ftone Boban, Foo. xv. 6. fee ch. xvii. 18. then faid Abner to hitn, go, return, and be returned; by which it appears, that 4dner came with her to introduce herto David, without whom he was not to fee his go, 8¢c.} rael: aad face; and he did not chufe her hufband fhould golking; the devolve upon him, as it doubtless would, if - ner had not fet up one of Saul’s houfe, and perfuaded the I/raelites to own him as their king. ¥. 18. Now then do it, &c.] Make him your king, and I hall no longer oppofe it as I have done: for the Lord hath Spoken of David; concerning his being king, and the faviour of his people Yrael: faying, by the band of my Jervant David f will fave my people Ifrael out of the band of the Philiftines, and out of the band of all their enemies 3 and which though ‘no where recorded in fo many words, yet was the fenfe of the promife of making him king, and the defign of his un@ion; and befides they might have been Tpoken to Samuel, though not written; and which he might.report, and fo might pafs from one to another to be generally known. ¥.19. And Abner alfo fpake in the ears of Benjamin, &c.] Of the inhabitants of the tribe of Benjamin, of which tribe he was, and among whom he had the greateft’ influence; and with whom it was neceflary to take fome pains, becaufe of their attachment to the family of Saul, which was of that tribe; and being near to that of Fudab, might give David a good deal of trouble, if they were not got over to him: and Abner went al- [0 to {peak in the ears of David in Hebron; having founded the elders of I/rae/, and got their thoughts about the change of government, and found them well difpofed to David, and: had prevailed upon them to confent to make him king, and had gained the tribe of Besjamin on his fide, went and reported to David the fuccefs he had: all that Seemed good to Ifracl, and that feemed good to the whole boufe of Benjamin; how agreeable it was to the elders of L/rael, and particularly to the tribe of Benjamin, to have David king over them. ¥. 20. So. Abner came to David to Hebron, and 20 men with him, &c.] Before he went privately to him, and conferred with him, but now having gained fo many of the J/raelites in favour of Da. vid, he appeared more publickly, and brought perhaps fome of the principal of the nation with him, to join.in the league and covenant. to. be made: aud David made Abner and the men that were with him a feaft; not only in honour to them, as great’ perfonages, efpecially 4dmer, and as expreffive: of reconciliation; but.as a token of the covenant they were entering into, and for the confirmation of it.; it being ufual-to have feafts, when covenants were made; fee Gen. xxvi. 28,.30. ¥..2%. nd. Abner faid to David, I will arife and Into the feveral parts of the land of Jfwill gather all Ifrael unto my Lord the princes of the feveral tribes, and the el- with her any farther, and was at his orders obliged ders of the people, their heads and principal. men:

to go back, who otherwife would have gladly accompanied her farther ftill, through his great affection for her,

¥. 17. And Abner bad communication with the elders of Ifracl, 8c.) Had a conference with the chiefs of the feveral tribes about the affairs of the kingdom: Jaying, ye fought for David in time paft to be king over you; that is, at the death of Saul, and not before; for it was pretty generally known throughout the kingdom, that they may make a league with thee; come into the league and covenant now. made with Abner, and thofe with him: and that thou mayeft reign over all that thine heart defireth 5 which he fuppoied reached to-all the people of the houfe of Ifrael and of Fudab, though David had not exprefied any eager and. impatient-defire of government, but waited the Lord’s time to be put into the pofleffion of the whole kingdom of I/rael: and David Sent that David was anointed| dbmer away, and he went by Samuel 5 and Seul himfelf had declared that he in peace 3 with inward fatisfaction of mind, pleafed that things were fo knew the kingdom would come to him; fo that upon his death, it was the general expectation and well fettled and adjufted to the content of all parties,