Exposition of the Whole Bible

fuch an intrigue): and a wenmh went and told them: what Hufhai had communicated to the priefts, and what was his advice to David; this girl is fuppofed by Kimchi and Abarbinel to be of the family of Zadok, by whom fhe was fufficiently inftructed to tell her meffage, and of whom there would be no fufpicion: and they went and told king David; the fons of the priefts went and related to him all that had been tranfmitted to them.

wv. 18. Neverthele/s, a lad faw them, and told Abfalom, &c.] Saw them converfing with the girl, and departing for David’s army; according to ¥o-

&c.] That is, the elders, who before approved | ephus°, they were fome horfemen that faw them of the. counfel of Abithophel, ¥. 4. The counfel of Hujfhai the Archite is better than the counfel of Abithopbel, it appeared to them moft plaufible, and moft likely to be attended with fuccefs: for the about two furlongs from Feru/alem, and acquainted Abfalom with it: but they went both of them away quickly; made all the hafte they could with their meffage to David: and came to a man’s houfe in

Lord bad appointed to defeat the good counfel of Abithophel for fo it was to Abfalom and his party the beit and wifeft that could be given them; but it was the Lord’s will it fhould be defeated, and therefore the minds of Ab/alom and of the elders of J were blinded: to the intent that the Lord might bring Baburim, where very probably they had been informed David had been, whither he came weary, and had refrefhment, ch. xvi. 14. or rather, perceiving they were difcovered and purfued, | they rael turned in hither, the firft place they came to, for fatety: which bad a well in.bis court; which they evil upon Abjalom; his perfon and caule; that his caufe might be ruined, and he himfelf flain in battle; fee Prov. xix. 21.

¥. 15. Then faid Hujfbai unio Zadok and to Abiaibar the priefts, &c.] After he was returned from the council-board, he immediately. went to thele priefts, who he’ knew were in the intereft of David, and to whom he was to communicate, and by them tranfmit, what pafied at Feru/alem, ch. xv. 35, 36. Thus and thus did Abithophel counfel Abfalom and the elders of Ifrael, relating to them in exprefs words ‘what he advifed to: and thus and thus have 1 counfelled, telling them in what manner he had given his counfel.

y¥. 16, Now therefore fend quickly, and tell David, &c,.] What has been advifed to on both fides: faying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderne/s; which reached to Jericho; this advice he gave, becaufe he knew not whether his counfel would be abode by, though preferred; Abfelom and the elders of J/rael might change their minds, and Abithophel might, by the ftrength of his oratory, prevail upon them after ail to follow his adyice; and therefore, to guard again{t the worft, he judged it moft prudential in David to make all the hafte he could from that place where he was, and not continue a night longer in it; for if Abisbophel’s counfel fhould take place, he would be in purfuit of him that very night: dut /peedily pafs over; the river Ferdau: left the king be fwallowed up, and all the people that are with him: be deftroyed by the forces Abithophel fhould bring with him, which he would not be able to withftand. ¥.17. Now Jonathan and Abimaaz flayed by Enrogel, &c.] Who were the fons of ‘the ‘priefts; thefe did not go into the city of Ferufalem with their parents, when they were fent bgck by Devid, ch. xv. 27. but ftayed by their direction at this place, which was near Ferufalem,. and is called in the fargum the fuller’s fountain, where they wafhed their cloths; and as Kimchi and archi fay, by. treading them with their feet, whence it had the name. of Rogel, of which fee the note-on Fob xv, 7. (for they might not be feen to come into the city:) having been charged by their parents to continue there for obferved, and was the reafon of -their turning in: whither they went down; to hide themfelves from their purfuers, it being dry, as jometimes wells were in the fummer-tuime: Yo/epbus fays ®, a woman let them down by a rope.

¥. 19. And the woman took and fpread a covering over the well’s mouth, &c.|. This woman, very probably, was the man’s wife of the houfe, as Abarbinel notes; who took.a cloth, and fpread it over the well’s mouth, that it could not be feen, or known that there was a well there: and /pread ground corn thereon; jutt taken out of the mill, before it was fifted, whilftin the bran; or corn unhufked, or juft thrathed out, in order to be dried in the fun, and then parched; or wheat bruifed for that purpofe: Fe/ephus fays 4, they were locks of wool fhe fpread: and the thing was not known; that the young men were in the well.

¥. 20. And when Abfalom’s servants came to the woman to the boufe, &c.| Who. were fent- after them, had intelligence which, way they took, and into what houfe they turned: ¢hey faid, Where are Abimaaz and Fonathan? calling them by their names, being perfons well known, and as to them, fo to the woman of the houfe, as they fuppofed: and the woman faid unto them, They be gone over the brook of water, the river Jordan; fo the Targum, * they have already paffed over Fordaz;” this was a lie fhe. told them, which is not to be juttified; the Vulgate Latin verfion, ‘‘ they paffed over haftily, having drank a little water;” and fo Fo e- phus* in fome copies: and when they had fought and could not find them; not only fearched that houfe, but very probably others in Baburim: they returned to Ferufalem, to give an account what fuccefs they had.

¥..21. And it came to pafs after they were departed, &c.) The fervants of Abfalom-: that they came up out of the well, the fons of the priefts, being informed by the woman that they were gone; Fofephus * fays they were drawn up by the woman with arope: and went and told king David; who was now in the plain of the wildernefs, perhaps near Fericho, and not a great way from Jordan, to whom they related the whole of their meflage: and the fake of carrying intelligence to David, or becaufe fufpected by Abjalom’s party of carrying on /aid unto David, as they were directed: arife, and pa/s quickly over the water; the river Fordan: for thus hath Abithephel counfelled againft you; to come - with 12,000 men, and fall upon him that very night; and it was not certain his counfel would be rejected, and therefore it was advifeable for David where the. angels of God met Yacod, Gen. xxxii, 1, 2. and was for fome time the feat of //bofheth the fon of Saul, ch. ii. 8. and Abfalom paffed over Fordan, be, and all the men of Ifrael with bim; nov to prepare againft the worft.

y. 22. Then David arofe, and all the people that were with him, and pafed over Fordan, &c.} Taking the advice of Hufhai: by the morning-light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Fordan, they travelled all night, and before it was morning they had all paffed the river in boats, or through the fords, and not one was loft in the paffase, nor any deferted, fee Fohm xvii. 12. and now perhaps David penned the 42d and 43d pfalms,

¥. 23. And when Abithophel faw that bis counfel qwas not followed, &c.] But that of Hujhai: he faddled his afs; or ordered it to be faddled: and arofe, and gat him home to bis houfe, to bis city; which was Gilob in the tribe of Fudabh, ch. xv. 12. and put his houfbold in order; made his will, and difpofed of his eftates, fee 7/. xxxviii. 1. or commanded his houfe or houfhold*; gave orders and inftructions, both relating to himfelf when dead, where and how he fhould be buried, and to his family, how they fhould behave to one another and among their neighbours, and towards their fuperiors; and particularly, the ews fay “, he gave them this charge, not to rebel againit the government of the houfe of David: and hanged himfelf; fo to his other fins added that of fuicide, which was done deliberately, as the preceding claufe fhews; this he did, partly becaufe his proud fpirit could not bear it, that his counfel fhould be flighted, and that of another be preferred to it; and partly, becaufe he plainly forefaw that the caufe of Abfalom would be ruined by neglecting his counfel, and following that of Hujhai’s, whereby he himfelf would fall into the hands of David, and be put to death by him as a traitor; and he chofe to die by his own hand, and not his; and the rather, to prevent the confifcation of his goods and eftates as a traitor, and his heirs being deprived of them; tho’ fome think he died of a difeafe, by ftrangling or fuffoeation in the throat, was choaked through grief and trouble; fo R. Elias obferves “, that fome fay that this difeafe came upon him through the greatnefs of his grief of mind and trouble of foul, becaufe his counfel was not taken, and he died of ftrangling; and they fay this, becaufe they reckon it an abfurdity for fo wife and underftanding a man as he was to hang himfelf; but the cafe feems very clear that he did deftroy himfelf,; the Yews fay * he was but 33 years of age when he died; for being a bloody and deceitful man, he did not live out half his days, P/ lv. 23. which pfalm was penned on his account; but one fo young could hardly be a counfellor of David, and fo famous for his wife counfel; -and befides, if fo young, could not be the grandfather of Bath-/beba, as the Fews fay:| beth, from whom David received him, and took.

directly after David, but fome time after, when, according to the counfel of Hufbai, he had gathered all the warlike men of J/rae/ to hiny that he could, and with this army purfued his father; not content to drive him to the other fide Jordan, fought to feize his perfon, and take away his life, and fo fecure the crown and kingdom to him, of which he made no doubt, having fuch a numerous army, on which he relied. WS

¥. 25. And Abfalom made Amafa captain of the hoft inftead of Foab, &c.] Who was along with David: which Amafa was a man’s fon, whofe name was Ithra, an Ifraelite; he is called Fether the I p- maelite, 1 Chron. ii. 17. either becaufe he was an Hhmaelite by birth, and being profelyted to the Fewifh religion, was called an J/raehte; or rather he was an J/raelite by birth, and having fojourned in the land of //omae/ fome time, was called an Jbmaelite, as Uriah the Hittite, and others; and when Amafa is called a man’s fon, it means a great man, as Kimchi obferves: that went in to Abigail, the daughter of Nabafh, fifter to Zeruiah, Foab’s mother’; fo that Foab and dmafa, the generals of David and Abfalonr, were own coufins, fifters children, and David uncle to them both; for Abigail and Zeruich were David's fitters, 1 Chron. it. 16. children of Feffe, whofe name is here called Naba/h, having twonames, or this was his furname; though others think Nahbajb is the name of a woman, the wife of

Feffe, and that thefe two fifters had two mothers,, but one father; it feems by this exprefiion, went in to, as if Amafa was not begotten in the conjugal ftate, but was illegitimate. y¥. 26. So Iirael and Abfalom pitched in the land of Gilead, &c.] Which belonged to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manaffeb; here the //raelites that were with Ab/alom encariped, in order to give battle to David and his men. ¥. 27. And it came to pafs when David was come to Mabanaim, &c.] When he firft came thither, ¥. 24. that Shobi the fon of Nahafb of Rabbab of the children of Ammon; who was either the fon, or rather the brother of Hanun king of the Ammonites, that ufed David’s ambafladors in fo fhameful a manner, whom David overcame and depofed, and fet up this brother in his room; who had fhewed.

his diflike of his brother’s conduét, and now makes a grateful return to David for his favours; though”

fome fay this was Hanun himfelf, as Farchi, now become a profelyte, which is not fo likely; others take this man to be an J/raeiite that continued in Rabbah, the metropolis of the Ammonites, after it was taken by David: and Machir the fon of Ammiel of Lo-debar, the fame that brought up Mepbibo- and died, and was buried in the fepulchre of his father,\ him off of his hands, for which now he requited though he died an ignominious death, he had an honourable burial; it perhaps not being ufual in thofe times to put any mark of infamy on thofe that deftroyed themfelves, by refufing them interment in the common burying-places of their friends and neighbours.

¥. 24. Then David came to Mahanaim, &c.] A city on the other fide Yordan in the tribe of Gad, him, fee ch. ix. 5. and Barzillai the Gileadite o Rogelim; aplace that lay under the hills of Gilead”;

ithad its name from the fwllers who dwelt here fore the convenience of fountains of water to wath their clothes in. Sat

¥.28. Brought beds, &c.] For David and his men, who, fleeing from Yerufalem in hafte, could bring none with them, and therefore were ill pro-

Job. xiii. 26, 30. famous for its being the place vided whilft in the plains of the wildernefs; the

Septuagint verfion fays there were ten of them, and that they were of tapeftry, wrought on both fides, and fuch the antients ufed *,' fee Prov. vii. 16. and fo ten bafons in the next claufe: and bafons, and earthen veffels; to put their food and liquors in, and eat and drink out of, and for other fervices: and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn; or Kali, which was made of the above corn ground into meal, and mixed with water or milk, and eat with honey or oil, as there was another fort made of pulfe after-mentioned: and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulfe; or Kali, made of thefe in the above manner. Some think * coffee is meant, but without Teafon.

the people in Fudea; fee Ifa. vii. 15—22. and fheep, with which and goats the land of Gilead abounded; fee Cant. iv. 1, 2. and cheefe of kine; made of the milk of cows, as it commonly is: for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat and tio

:|doubt they brought wine with them for them to drink; the men that brought thefe, fome brought one fort, and fome another, or however different parcels of the fame, and did not join in one prefent; for they came from different parts: for they /uid, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirfty in the wilderne/s,; where they had been fome time, and out of which they had juft come, and fo weary with travelling, and therefore brought beds to lie y. 29. And honey, and butter, &c.] Honey was much in ufe with the antients;

as a part of the provifions at a feaft, and as food with which perfons were nourifhed and brought up; down and reft upon; and being hungry and thirfty, Homer” fpeaks of it; through want of bread and water in the wildernets, they brought them both eatables and drinkables; for though the latter is not expreffed, it is.to be and the antient Scy¢hzans lived on milk and honey ‘; and this and butter were pretty much the food of

N this chapter is an account of David’s review of his army, preparing it for battke with 4d/clom, and thofe with him, y¥. 1—5. and of the defeat and flight of the rebels, y. 6, 7, 8. and of the death of 4/clom, and the manner of it, and of his burial, ¥.. g—18. and of the news of it brought to’ David by different perfons, ¥. 19 —32. and of his great grief and forrow on that atcount, ¥. 33.

y.1. And David numbred the people that were with him, &c.| Which Yofephus fays “ were 4000; but one would think there fhould be more by what follows: and fet captains of theufands, and captains of hundreds over them, he divided his army into companies, which confifted fome of a thoufand and others of a hundred; over each of which he fet captains, to lead them on, direct and command them in battle. -

¥.2. And David fent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, &c.] Very likely that which made the centre of the army, fince Foab was the general of the army; though this diftribution was made when David thought to have headed the army himfelf, and fo made with refpect to that: anda third part under the hand of Abifbai the fon of Zeruiah, Foab’s brother; who was next to Joab in the army, and fought with him againft the Syrians and Ammoyites, ch. x. 10, 11. and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite, of whom fee ch. xv. 19. of thefe two parts confifted the right and left wings of the army: and the king faid unto the people, the foldiers, and particularly the officers: J will furely go forth with you myfelf alfo, in which he feemed very refolute and peremptory; and this he propofed to do, not merely to animate the foldiers with his prefence, and to fhew that he was willing to hazard his life with them, ~vbut chiefly for the fake of Abfalom, to preferve his life, if poffible.. inn 33;

y. 3. But the people anfwered, Thou fhalt not go forth, &c.) They were as refolute as David: for if we flee away, they will not care for us, to purfue after us; they will make no account of the victory;

underftood, as the word shirfly fuppotes, but if they cbuld flay David, or get hith into their hands, it would be more to them than if the whole army was routed: but now thou art worth ten thoufand of us; not onlyin our own efteem, but in the account of the enemy, who had rather thou fhouldft fall into their hands than 10,000 of us; and as the advantage to them, fo the lofs to us would be more than 10,000 men: therefore now it is better that thou fuccour us out of the city; either by fending them provifions or recruits, that might be there in referve, if neceffary; or by being ready toreceivethem into it fhould they be repulfed; or rather, by his prayers to God for them; fo the Targum, ‘* now it is better that thou pray for us out of the city 3” that is, that the Lord would help us; and-fo moft of the Zewi/o commentators underftand it of helping them by his prayers and counfels, ¥. 4. And the king faid unto them, What feemeth you beft, I will do, &c.| Which was an inftance of great condefcenfion in him; and it was his wifdom and prudence to yield to them at fuch a time as this, and efpecially as their fentiments were founded on affection and loyalty to him: aad the king flood by the gate-fide; of the city of Mabanaim: and all the people came cut by hundreds, and by thouands; and pafled by him, to whom no doubt he gave his bleffing and beft wifhes; and, as /barbinel thinks, now it was he compofed and faid the 20th pfalm, The Lord hear thee in the day of troable, &c. ¥.5. And the king commanded Foab, and Abifhai, and Ittai, &c.\ His three generals, to whom he had committed his army divided into three parts: faying, Deal gently for my fake with the young man, even with Abjalom; he does not call him his jon, being in rebellion againft him, but the young man, who was young, and rafh, and foolifh, and fo to be pitied; his requeft is, that they would fpare him, and not take away his life, when in their power; that they would not aim at him, and puth him hard, and fall upon him with wrath and fury; but if he fell into their hands, to take him alive, and bring him away, and not put him to death. This flowed x:: x.y. +:, in, & are 6a; 598 il SAMUOE L. -Chixvii.¥-6—14. 4 +. a ln t; +e: +. | sp) 4 flowed from a natural affeétion to him, and a concern for the welfare of his foul, that he might not die inthis fin; and alfo from 2 confcioufnefs that it was for his own fins that he was raifed up to rebel againft him; and he feems to fpeak as if he was certain that the battle would go for him, and againit 4bfalom; and which he might conclude from the an- {wer of prayer he had in defeating the counfel of Abithopbel: and all the people beard when be gave all the captains charge concerning Abfalom;, notonly the three generals, but all the captains of hundreds and thoufands, and this was heard by the common foldiers as well as by the people of the city that were fpectators on this occafion, fee ¥, 12. y¥. 6. So the people went out into the field againft Tiracl, &c.] _Fofepbus ° calls it a great field, with a wood behind it: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim; or near it ‘rather; not in a wood in the tribe of Ephraim, which lay on this fide fordan; whereas, this battle was fought on the other fide ordan, inthe land of Gilead, not far from Mabanaim, where was this wood; and which was fo called, either from the flaughter of the Ephraimites here in the times of Fephthah, Fudg. xii. 4, 5, 6. or from the Ephraimites, feeding their cattle here and near it; for the Fews fay §, that Fo/oua gave them a grant to feed their cattle in any wood in any of the tribes of J/rae/; and lying near Yordan, they ufed to drive their cattle over to this place, from whence it had its name.

y.7. Where the people of Ifrael were flain before the fervauts of David, &c.] That is, the people of Jfrael that were under Abfalom, thefe were beaten by David's army:, and there was a great flaughter that day of 20,000 men; including both thofe that fell in the field of battle, and that were flain in the purfuit; and this is to be underftood only of 4)- guide him, nor ftop, nor divert him from going under it: end his head caught hold of the oak; either the hair of his head was entwifted and entangled in __ the thick boughs of the oak; ‘or rather his he jammed into a forked branch of the oak: amd was taken up between the heaven and the earth, hut in the air between both, as unworthy to live in F either: avd the mule that was under him went away, and left him hanging in the oak..., 7 yy,

¥.10. And a certain man faw it, Ge.) Saw him in the above pofture, one of Davéd’s foldiers;., and told Foeb, ond faid, Behold, I faw Abjalom banged in an oak; caught by the neck in one, out. of which he could not difengage himfelf, bur there he hung, though alive. “+ oft ie;

yY.11. And Joab faid unto the man that told bint, \&c.). That gave the above account of him; and Zebeld thou faweft him, in reality; or, didfe thou fee him? is it a fact? and why didft thou not fmite 4m there to the ground; kill him on the fpot, that - he might have dropped from the tree to the ground: and I would bave given thee ten fhekels of fiver; on the news of it, for doing it, which was near 24 fhillings of our money; Yo/epbus fays ‘ 50 thekels;. the Arabic verfion has it 10,000 talents.of filver, too great a fum by far: azd a girdle, which wasa@ mark of great honour, and a token of acommiffien - under him, and of invefting him with a military office; fee 1 Sam. xviii. 4. it ufed to be given as an honorary reward to foldiers that behaved ‘well, as on the contrary it was reckoned a reproach to be uns girt, or the girdle to be taken away = 4 y.12. And the man faid unto Foab, &c.] Ditdaining his propofal: Though I fooild receive 100 fhekels of /lver in mine band; or fuch.a fam thould be offered to me; the Arabic verfionis 1,000,000:. yet would I not put forth my hand againft the king’s

‘falom’s party. fon; to {mite him, and flay him ++ for im our bear-

¥. 8. For the battle was there fcattered over the face of all the country, &c.] Or the warriors were fcattered, as the Targum; Abfalom’s foldiers, their ranks were broken, and they were thrown into the utmoft confufion, and ran about here and there all over the field or plain in which the battle was fought, and into the neighbouring wood: and the wood devoured more people that day, than the fword devoured; there were more flain in it than in the field of battle, what by, one thing or another; as by falling into pits and on ftumps of trees, andj being entangled in the bufhes, andcould make but little hafte, and fo were overtaken by David’s men and flain; infomuch that, as Jo/epbus * obferves, there were more flain fleeing than fighting, and perhaps fome might perifh by wild beafts; fo the Largum, ‘ and the beafts of the wood flew more of the people than were flain by the fword;” and fo the Syriac and Arabic verfions render. the words to the fame purpofe. we | would have fet thyself. ¥. 9. And Abfalom met the servants of David, _&c.] When his army was routed, ‘he was in fuch _a fright thathe knew not which way to flee, and inftead of flying from David’s men, he fled in the way of them; but none of them attempted to flay; him, nor even to ftop him, but let him pafs by them, knowing David’s charge concerning him:, and Abfalom rode upon a mule; as was common for _ great pérfonages to. do in thofe days, ch. xiii, 29.. and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak; and running full fpeed,.44/a/om could not ing the king charged thee, and Abifhai, and Ittais his three generals: faying, Beware that none touch ¢he young man Abjalom; io as to flay him»; they were charged to abftain from it themfelves, and to watch and obferve others, and keep them from doing it.

¥.13. Otherwife I fhould bave wrought falboad againft mine own life, &c.| Or fouls hefthould. not only have expofed his life to danger, but aéted falfely to the king, by going contrary to his orders; yea, would have done that which was contrary to his own confcience; and if heshad buoy’c himfelf up with the hope of impunity, of ofa reward, |he fhould have.found himéelf miftaken; the textual reading is, againft bis life', or foul, theulifenter 4b/alom, by taking it away: for there is no matter 4id from the king; this, though done ever fo ‘fecretly, would have come to his knowledge by fome means or another, and then I fhould have incurred’ his difpleafure, and fuffered for'it: aad thou -againfi me} to aceufeand bring him to juftice; he would shave been fe from protecting him, that he would have been firft man that would have infifted om it t fhould be punifhed for it; or why doft not thyfelf fet thyfelf againft him, and ‘fmite him? thou mayeit if thou pleafelt, yonder he hangs, and fmite him.) 95,» *.

¥. 14., Then faid Foab, I may not tarry thu thee, 8c.) It is not worth whiletot any longer, nor mutt I lofe time, arid opportunity; I do not defire you to | him, I'll go and do it myfelf: and be took three darts in Bi: bond 5 or three rods, which were either all iron, or however the tops of them. were iron Spikes: and thrujt them through the beart of Abfalem, or through the midit of his body; for if he had thruft through his heart, properly fpeaking, he mutt have died pas whereas he feems to have lived after this: while be was yet alive; ‘foab found him alive when he came to him, and fo he was when he thruft his darts through him; and fo he was afterward; for the words may be rendered, being yet alive, even after the darts were’ fixed if him, and even fo deeply as to pierce through his body: in the midff, or beart, of the oak; into which the darts Seay et

¥.15. And ten young men that bare Foab’s armour, &c.]| That waited upon him in the battle, to carry his'armour, and fupply him with it as he fhould have occafion; thefe by his orders,: compaffed about, and [mote Abfalom, and flew bimy, they enclofed him that none might refcue him, are {mote him with their fpears or ‘words, or whatfoever armour they had, until it was a clear cafe that he was really dead. ‘oad in this difobeyed the king’s order, but provided for the, good of the nation, and the fafety of the king.

¥. 17. And they took Abjalom, and capt him into a great pit in the wood, &c.] In the wood ‘of Ephraim, neat to which the battle was fought, and into which Abfalom fled, and where he was flain: and laid a Dery, great heap of tones upon him, his punifhment. was very exemplary; he was. firft hanged on an oak, and then. thruft throug gh. with darts and fwords, and then covered chia ftones, pointing to the death that a rebellious fon. accord: ing to the law, ought to die, Deut. XXi. 21. -tho? this night be done in honour of him asa ‘King’s and corners, of the Doric form; and then changing The Jews obferve ™,jinto'a round, a good height higher doth grow to a point in fathion of a bell, all framed of the orowhangedjing ftone, againft this there lies a great heap of tones, which increafeth daily, by Yews and Mabometans throwing {tones as they pafs by; fo that the frontifpiece of it, which faces: the road; as Lé andj Brayx * fays, looks ‘like a mountain of ftones; but as to the fabrick itfelf, he fays, there is nota finer piece ‘of workmanfhip to be met with in all thofe parts; it takes up|a compals of ground of 82 feet and an half {quare; ‘the botdy, which is fquare, with its moulding, is one entire piece; and the coping, which is an ornament to it, and runs up a point, taken with the reft of the work, is above, 30 feet high; 20 columns, cut out of the fame rock, add to the beauty of this pile; one fees through a broken window a great many pieces of antiquity that hang ‘up ina chamber. Adri- _ chomius alfo felates *, front travellers, that in the king’ s valley is now a tower, and a Jarge heap of ftones, which is increafed every day more and more; for heathens and ftrangers paffing by there, have a cuftom to caft every one a {tone at it,’ as it were revenging, according to the law, Ab/alom’s rebellion againtt David his father: and Gitte him after this. manner; Let 4b/alom the parricide be curfed, and whoever unrighteoufly perfecutes’ their‘parents are cuffed for ever: for he faid, I bave no fon to keep my name in remembrance for though he had three fons, it feems they were all dead, “fee ch. xiv.

that meafure for meafure. was given to db/alom he was proud of his hair, and therefore was by it; he Jay with ten concubines of his father,| and therefore was fmitten with ten lances. or fj pears by ten young men; and he ftole three hearts, the heart of his father, the heart of the Sanhedrim, the heart of the men of Tfracl, and therefore three darts were fixed in him.

¥. 16. And Foab blew the. trumpet, 8c.). As the fign of a retreat: and the people returned from purfuing after Irae! upon the found of the trumpet, the meaning of which they underftood: for ‘foad held back the people; from fhedding any morejinto blood; the head of the confpiracy being removed, the thing would be crufhed at once; and Joab neither chofe to flay any more, nor take any prifoners, to be tried as traitcrs, being unawares, without thought, drawn into this rebellion.

about two fu rlongs from Ferufalem. The author of: Cippi Hebr aici” places i it at the bottom of the mount of Olives: this is obferved to thew how vain are the devices and contrivances of men’s hearts; Abfalom intended to have been buried under or by'this monumental pillar near Ferufalem, and lo, lie was buried in a pit, under an heap of ftones, in a wood on thé other fide ‘fordan;' whether his ‘bones were ever removed hither it is not certain, though a notion has obtained, that his grave was near this pillar. Rauwolff 2 fays, that as you go from the’. valley of ‘Febofhapbat* to the mount ef Olives, you fee below, towards your left hand, ‘near tnto the bridge of the river Cedroz, an old fquare building like unto a fteeple; this, although it is believed to this day, not only by Chriftians, “put alfo by Turks and Moors, to be the grave of bfalom, as you fhall-fee them fling ftones into it as they ‘go by, to revenge his undutifulnefs to his father, yet was he not buried there. Sandys * fays, at the eaft end of the bridge, (over Cedron) and a little on the north, ftands the pillar of 4bfalom, being yet entire, and of a good fabrick, rifing in a lofty fquare, below adorned with half columns, w rought out of the fides

‘don; for fuch samuli, or Heaps of ftones ¢ Or were uted by the antients as fepulghral. monuments, and the larger the more honourable *; fee the note on fof. vii. 26. and viii. 29. and.

¥. 13. Now Afalom Gn bis life-time bad taken, &¢.] Had taken it into his head, had of -himfelf deviled it, as Kimchi explains it; "he contrived the, following {cheme to perpetuate ‘his memory: reared Hp. for bimfelf a pillar, which is in the dale vet or valley, the valley of Febfoaphat, this pillar was of marble, as Fafephus ° = and ftood' earth, 27. and he called the pillar after bis dwn name, and i is called unto this day, Abfalom’s place or his band "5 the work of his hand; tome wrongiy think it was in al Traél fied the form of an-hand; it was an obelifk or monument, erected to preferve “his name’; ‘but fince it their, became fo infamous, it would have beeh better to have had it buried in oblivion. Such fepulchral monuments were wfed j in other nation’ 3 fo Minerva advifed Telemachus*'to go in queft of his father Uliffes, and if he could not: find him, but was afand fured of his death, then to raifé a fignal or montking’s ment in memory ‘of him, which he refolved to do.

every one to bis tent; or to his city, as the Targum; every one returned to their own houfe, and to own bufinefs, and fo the tebellion ceafed.

¥. 19. Then foid Abimaa the fon of Zadok, &c.] To bkiees fer it feems he” ftayed with the army when he with Yoaathan brought the meflage from Hufbai to David: let me now run, and bear the tains; which thought he fhorter way, that throug the plain. was eafielt, and fooneft run, though the: ‘ king tidings how that the Lord hath avenged him on longett. a bis enemies; which he thought would be very ac-: 3, ee ceptable to hear of as foon as poffible; ameffenger with tidings of a victory, as it was honourable, fo likewife profitable then as now; tho’ perhaps Abimaaz might have no refpect to the reward, as indeed none could be expected, fince death of Abfalom would be fo difagreeable to the the king; but was defirous of it, that the king might be acquainted with the event of the as {oon as might be. ming;

and to beOF the city of Mabanaim which being a fortified place had two walls, one within another, and in each wall a gate; and between thele David fat, - waiting for news of the battle: and the watchman thejwent up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, gate to the outward wall, over which wasa - tower, and on that a flat roof; to which the watehbattle)man went to obferve if he could fee an exprefs cono doubt by David’sorders: and lift.up bis y. 20. And Joab faid unto him, thou fhalt not bear tidings this day, &c.] Becaufe Foab knew the tidings of bfalom’s death would not be acceptable totheking; and Abimaaz being a good man, the fon of a prieft, for whom Foab had a refpect, he would not fend the tidings by him, which he &c. was fenfible would not recommend him to‘thejthe king: but thou fhalt bear tidings another day; when any falvation is wrought, or victory obtained, the tidings of which willbe welcome: dgt ¢his day thou halt bear no tidings, becaufe the king’s fon is dead 5 and thou muft carry the news concerning his death, which it is not proper thou fhouldft eyes and looked; that is, very diligently and wifh-. fully: and behold, a man running alone; which made him the more obfervable, and was the more andijlikely to bea mefienger. -

¥. 25. And the watchman cried and told the king, Called with a loud voice from the roof of watch-tower to the king, fitting between the gates, and informed him what he faw: aad the Aing faid, if he be alone there is tidings im bis mouth; for if the army was routed and fied, and were purfued, there would be more in company, or feveral running one after another: but being but one, it was highly probable that he was fent exprefs: and being a prieft, nor will it be to thine advantage.

‘Y. a1. Then faid Joab to Cufbi, &c.] The Etbiopian, or blackmoor; who either was an E¢hipian by birth and profelyted, or he was an J/reelite of a black complexion, and therefore fo called; and was judged a proper perfon by the general to carry fuch difmal news to the king, as he knew it would be. Some Yewi/b writers* take him to be the fame he come apace, and drew near; which was another fin of his being a meflenger, the haite he made towards the city.

¥. 26. And the watchman faw another man run- man called unto the porter; that kept the gate, under which the watch-tower was: andfaid, bebald another man runneth abone; as the other, and has the fame appearance of a meflenger: amd the king with Cub the Benjaminite, in the title of the 7th pfalm; and that he is the fame that told oad he faw ALfalom hanging in an oak, and declared that

/2id, he alfo bringeth tidings, it being ufual then, asnow, to difpatch one mefienger after another, as frefh accounts coming in made it necefiary.

if 1000 fhekels of filver were offered him, he would

¥. 27. And the watchman faid, me thinketh, 8c.] not have put forth his hand againft him, ¥. 10, 11, Or, J fee *; I perceive; fo it appears to me:

12. though fome think this was one of the ten he running of the foremoft is like the running of Abi- young men that waited on Foab, and by his orders flew Abfalom, but it would have been dangerous for one of thefe to have carried the tidings, had he been known by David to have done it: go tell the king what thou haft fen; by which it fhould feem that he was prefent when 4d/alom was killed: and Cufhi bowed himfelf unto Foab, in reverence to him as his general, and in thankfulnefs for fending him on this errand: and ran; as faft as he could.

maaz the fon of Zadok; who it feems was well known, and famous for his manner of running and f{wiftnefs in it, having been employed in carrying expreffes before from ‘Yerufalem to David, and his army, wherefoever they were; and fome of thefe perfons thus employed were very fwift; we read * of one that was a king’s mefieniger, that went from Ferufalem to Tyre, on the 1ft of Elué, or 4uguft, in a night and a day; which, according to Bunting *, was 100 miles: this watchman

¥. 22. Then faid Abimaaz, the fon of Zadok, yet again to Foab, &c.) He could not be eafy, though a meflenger was difpatched, but preffed| Joab till: but bowfoever let me, I pray thee, run after Cufoi; only permit me to go after him, though not as a meflenger: and Joab faid, wherefore wilt thou run, my fon? having a great affection for him, and concerned that he fhould take trouble on him to no purpofe: /eeing thou haft no tidings ready; no news to carry, but what Cy is gone with, and fo can have no audience of muft be one of David's centinels, who was well aceven;quainted with the people about him: and the king aid,. be is a good man, and cometh with good tidings 3 alfoshe knew he was a man of courage, and therefore was not one that fled, but muft be a meflenger » and that he was well affeéted to him, and would never be the mefienger of evil tidings to him.

¥. 28. And Ahiinaaz called and faid unto the king, &c.

bilby him, before he came up to him, he faid with a thelloud voice: al/ is well, the king’s army has had king, nor any reward from him.

¥. 23. But bowfoever (faid he) let me run, &c.] Be it as it may, I beg I may have leave; ing fo very importunate, it was granted: Jaid ugto him, ran fince he would take no denial: then Abimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and over-ran Cufbi, wha ran by the way of the moun- 2 Pirke Eliezer, ¢. 53. > FIN ISN eye 020, Sept. ¢ Tl’. Hierof. Taanioth, tol. 68. 3.

victory: or peace*; for it is but one word in th and be-Joriginal, which fignifies all happinefs and profp gad bejrity, and this he wifhed the king; and fo iti fame as if he had faid, God fave the king, may - happinefs attend him: and be fell down to the ea: upgn bis face befare the king; when he came. nearet ego videng, Montanus; video, Ti 4 Travels, Pp. 200. st wemas lar L773 eigain Sept.

As foon as he came fo near as to be heard | fuccefs, beat the rebels, and obtained a compleat to him, not only in reverence of him, butinthankfulnefs’ to God: and faid, bleffed’ be.the Lord thy God, whith hath delivered up the men that lift up their hand againft my lord the king, in which alcribes the victory, not to Yoab and his army, but to the Lord}; to whom he ‘gives thanks; agreeable to his character as a good man,’ and a prieft of the Lord. hap. ¥. 32.

¥.29. And the king foid, is the young man Abfalom fafe? &c.] Or is there peace‘ tochim 5 you fay there is peace, and that profperity and fuccefs have attended my army; but what peace has Ab/alom? is he well, and in fafety? David feemed more concerned for him, than for his army, and the fuccels of it; and even fuggefts as if it was nothing if Abfalom was not fafe, fo great were his affections towards him: and Abimaaz anfwered, when Foab fent the king’s fervant, which was Cu/bi, the mefienger, whofe office perhaps it was to be one of the king’s meffengers, and therefore called his fervant: and me thy fervant Abimaaz, himfelf who was {ent after the other: J faw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was; he perceived that the tidings of the death of 4d/alom would be difagreeable to the king, and therefore concealed it trom him; and though a good man, he cannot be ex-jover cufed from lying, tor certainly he knew that 44- falom was dead, as appears from y. 19, 20: though indeed what he faid might be true, that after Foab had fent him and Cui, as the Targum paraphrafes| it, he faw a company of people gathered together in a tumultuous manner, the meaning of which he knew not; but then this was no otherthan anevay¥. 31. And debold Cufoi came, &c.] A little after: and Cufhi faid, tidings my lord the king; news is fent and brought by me, and good news it helis: for the Lord hath avenged thee this day of all them that rofe up againft thee, they are either killed and this!or difperfed; chere is an entire victory over them, and deliverance from them.

And the king faid unto Cufbi, is the young man Abfalom fafe? &c.\ The fame quettion chat was put to Abimaaz, y.\29. which fhews what lay neareft his heart, and was uppermott in his mind: aud Cufhi anfwered, the enemies of my lord the king, and all that rife againft thee to do thee Aurt, be as that young maz is,, which was tacitly {aying he was dead, and fo David underttood it; and he exprefled it in fuch a manner, that David could not be difpleafed with the mefienger, though firft the meflage was grievous to him. ‘4 y¥. 33. And the king was much moved, &c.] Fis affections were moved, his paffions were ftirred up; he was greatly troubled, diftreffed, and erieved: and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; got out of fight and company as foon as hé could; as his own dwelling was at fome diftance; he made hafte to the chamber in the watch-tower, the gate of the city, where the watchman was, to vent his grief; and could not fupprefs it till he got thither: and as be went, up the ftairs to the chamber: thus he faid, O my fon Abfalom, my ox, my fon Abjalom, which repetition: exprefles the vehemence of his affections, and how inconfolable he was on account of his fon’s death: would God I had died for thee, O Abjalom, my fon, my fon s fion. fome think he faid this on account of his eternal

¥. 30. Aad the king faid unto him, turn afide, and fiand bere, &c.] On the fide of him, not far from him, until the other meffenger°came, that he might learn from them both the true ftate of the cafe: avd he turned. afide, and ftood fill, faying nothing more {tate, being fatisfied of his own; but it may be, it was only the effect of natural affection, indulged to too great a degree, and unbecoming fo good a man in fuch acafe;, the Targum is, “* 1 with I had died for thee, and thou hadft remained - this to the king, nor he to him. day.”

D AV 1D indulging to too much grief for theyhe death of his fon, is rebuked by oad, and\eth for threatened with a revolt of the people from him, it he did not change his conduét, which he accordingly did, ¥. r—8. upon which the men of [jrael were the firft that moved for the bringing him back to Ferufalem, and the men of Fudab were to join with them in it, which was effected, y. o—1s. and at Fordan Shimei that had curfed him met him, and afked his pardon, and was forgiven, y. 16—23. and when come to Ferufalem Mephibo-| ( foeth excufed fo well his not going out with him, chat he had half his land reftored tohim, which had -been given to his fervant, ¥. 24—30. Barzillai, who had very liberally fupplied the was allowed to return to his own city, and Chimbam his fon was taken to court, ¥. 31—40. contention arofe between the men of J/rael and of ‘yudah about the. reftoration of the king, which fued in an infurrection, as the next chapter faw the king: Lebold the king weepeth and mourit- Abfalom; for the death of him, inftead of rejoicing at the victory obtained, and the deliverance from his enemies. "

y.2. And the vitiory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people, &c.] They alfo mournfolicitedjed too, inftead of expreffing joy upon the occafion: for the people heard fay that day how the king was grieved for bis fon; this report was fpread among them, which damped their joy, and hindered chews from giving any tokens of it, as were ufual at fuch times.) yr. 3. Aud the people got them by ftealth that day andlinto she city, &c.} Did not march into it in comking, panies, in a public and triumphant manner, as conquerors ufed to do; but entered in a private manand a ner, one by one, or a very few together, not caring to be feen or known, at leaft by the king, as if- fearing they had incurred his difpleafure: bik as fhews, people being afhamed fieal away when they flee in bat-

¥. 41, 425 43-:; tle, as if they had been conquered, and not conquerors; may, had acted a cowardly part, and y¥. 1. And it was told Foab, &c.] When returned’ ran away; and fo cared not to be feen, k ft they to Mabanaim, or on his way to it; perhaps by the fhould be reproached, or fuffer for their cowarmeflengers he fent; and this report he had meee ' i € 995 roybyy eltne pax puero? ¥. As their fervices; but. wrapped himflf in his mantle, after the manner of mourners: and the king cried\ by the | aid to aroufe him, and with a loud voice, O my fon Abfalom, O Absalom, my fon, my fon 5 and this was fome time,, perhaps fome days after he had received the news of his death, fince Yeab andthe army were returned from the battle; had it been a fudden ftart.of paffion, upon firft hearing the news, and had continued a few hours, it would have been more excufable; but to continue fome days, as it is very probable it did, was very unbecoming. y¥.5. And Foab came into the houfe to the king, &c.] For by this time he was removed from the chamber over the gate to his own dwelling houfe or palace, where he continued the fame doleful

I SAMUE Di (Gh.x nd} their fervices, and reward. them fuitably; at would.not fee his generals, and thank, them for give a RE it: for I / yt!

‘ord of the Lord, as the 7, make. im be and think what was proper for him to go not forth, there will not tarry one w night; fignifying that, he would ule the army to go off with it, and fet up an and. did not doubt of fuccefs} as well - what temper and humour the people were in thro? the king’s conduct: aud, that will be wo { thee than all the evil that befel thee from fei Zs til now 5+ for when he was perfecuted by Saw/,_ he had anumber of friends that adhered clofe to him; and when J/bofheth was fet up againit him by 4b-_ ner asking of J/rael, the tribe of “Judah cleavec him, anointed him their king, and abode by hin wherefore, fhould he now be abandoned by. ix of all iby fervants, they can’t lift up their heads, and look any inthe face, nor one another; but behave as if they had cgmmitted fome very great fault, in fighting with the rebels, and beating them; which this day have faved thy life, and the lives of thy fons, and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines, which in ail probability would have been taken away, if the victory had been on the fide of Ab/alom.

¥. 6. In that thow-loveft thine enemies, and hatef army, his cafe would be worfe than. ever. it had been. oi / ee ae

¥. 8. Then the king aoe, and fat in the; &c.] Of the city, a public place, where the inhabitants met on divers accounts at times, and, where there were always people palling and.repa Ting end they told unto all the people, or it was reported to the foldiers particularly: faying, dehold the king doth fit in the gate; has laid afide his mourning, appears;in public, and. receives his friends, an ditty as at firlt: thou haft Jhamed this day the faces ihy friends, &c.] Which though not ftriétly true, there was fome appearance of it, which is here greatly exaggerated; in that he exprefled fo grief and forrow for 4d/alom his enemy, who had! rebelled againft him, and fhewed fo little regard to his friends, that had expofed their lives for him: for thou heft declared this day;

tends to bufinefs: avd all the people came befe Aéag; to congratulate him on the victory ob muchjtoreceive his thanks and, his favours,: for Iraek had fled every man to bis tent; or to his city,.as the Targum; that is, thofe that followed Ad/alom; which is obferved not on account of what goes beby his conduct andjfore, but of what follows after; fee. ch. xviii.

behaviour, mourning for his rebellious fon, andj17- Ju Lad ¥. 9. And all the people were at firifeti tears, and go forth from his houfe, where he had fhut himfelf up retired from all company, to the gate of the city, where the people pafféd and repafled, and there was a concourfe of them: faid not by way of command, but by way of advice; though all along he feems to take too much upon him, and to fpeak unbecoming a fubject, and not with that decency as was neceflary in fpeaking to aking; but ic may be obferved, that a general of an army had great power over princes in] thofe times, and prefumed very much on their intere{t in the army, which led them fometimes not to behave with that decorum as became them: aad [peak comfortably unto thy fervants;

tor their courage and faithfulnefs, thank them for the land of ¥udea on this fide ‘Yfordan, and to” that- river; not from a fpirit of cowardice from tehdernefs to his fon, he did not cht this hejfight againft; and from a concern for is m polis Yeru/alem, left that fhould be hurt, as for the fafety of hisperfon. © =» 99 =

¥. 10. And Abfalom whom we: anointed &c.] To be king; which either was really 4b/a/lom’s party, or in ¢ffect by proclaimi pointing him king: is dead iv battle, w (he thing was not of God, and by wh they were releafed from their oath of | him: now therefore why Jpeak ye noha commend them [ringing the. king back? why fo qui nd filent about it?. nobody {peaks of it, eleaft hint of it, or fhews any concern about it 5 _but the greateft coldnels and: indifference, as if it _ was amatter of /noimportance. turn; | @. 11. dad king David fent to Zadok and to sthar the priefis, &e.) Who were at Jerufalem, and in his intereft; perhaps by Abintaaz and their fons > faying, /peak unto the elders of “fudab s particularly thofe that were at Yerufalem, with wwhoni they had an intereft: ‘why are ye the laft to bring back the king ta bishoufe?-tohis palace at ‘feru- Jalem, ince David was of their tribe, and was firlt anointed their king: what:

that they were unanitnoufly and affectionately agreed to reftore him =: in this ‘way David chofe to réehe'could have come without their leave, or Abia- any invitation from them, as he was their lawful king, and a ‘viétorious one, the rebellion being Fonathan cruthed and had it in his power to chattife thofe concerned in it, and ufe them with feverity;- but he chofe rather to gain the hearts of his people, and to come in a way peaceable to them, and honourable to himéelf: Jo that they fent this word unto tbe king, return thou and all thy fervants, perhaps might make them the by the fame meflengers that David fent; or it may injbe, rather for honour’s fake they deputed fome of their principal men to wait oa David, and invite himto return to them with all’his retinue and army; promifing allegiance and fidelity to him.

more backward to it, was their being fo deep the rebellion, which was formed and cherifhed among them, and brought to the height it was, through their connivance and encouragement, both at Hebron and Ferujalem, and therefore they might fear the refentment of David, and that he would-not ibe eafily reconciled unto them:'feeing the ali Lfrael is come to the king, even to bis houfe has received invitations from all the tribes of d to return to his houfe or palace at Yerufalem; fothis was a part of the meflage of David to the| priefts, to be'told to the elders as an aggravation ef their backwardnels, and as an argument:to excite them totheir duty; though fome think thefe arethe words. of the hiftorian;

y. 15. So the king ‘returned, and came to Fordan, 8cc.] From Mabanaim thither, which according to peech of| Bunting* was 28 miles: vid Fudah came to Gil-; or he}gal; that is, the elders, or principal men of the rael,| tribe of Fudab came thither 3 which place, accordandjine to the fame writer*, was 12 miles from Fert: alem, and.4:from Forden’s and was the firtt place the J/rae/itesicame to when they paffed that river in Fo/bia’s time's but it feems to be rather more; fee the note on Fofbvii. x. and iv. 19. to goto meet the to be inferted ina king, to conduét the king over Fordan; but then they farther on, for Gileal feems to be fivé or fix mileson this fide Fordén.

parenthefis,- as in our verfion, muftiproceed

¥. 12. Ye are, my bre‘bren, ye are my bones and my flee, 8c.) Being of the fame tribe, and theres fore he fhould deal gently with them, ‘as if they were parts of his» body; and not be fevere upon 5. them, for the hand they had in the. confpiracy, ‘as they might fear: and wherefore then are ye the laft to bring the king back 2? fince they were. fo'nearly related to him, and-he fo ready to forgive them. »

. ¥.16.. Ava Shimei the fon of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Baburim, &c.] @f whom fee ch. xvi. bafted and came down with the men of Fudab to eet king David; he took the firtt opportunity to meet the king, and afk his pardon for his ill treatment of him‘when he fled from Ferufalem; for | hearing that4d/a/om was flain, and the victory was Whowas thejon the fide of David, who was returning: in tri- general of Ab/alom’s army, and who might fear ‘he fhould never be pardoned, whoever:was, and looked upon his cafe defperate;: who had led on. the umph; he thought it advifeable as foon as poffible to make his fubmiffion, and entreat forgiyenefs, left he fhould fall a juft facrifice to his vengeance; and army with Adjalom againft the king’s forces, and fought them: art thou not. of my bone, and of my fiefo? neariy related to him, being his fifter’s fon: God do fo 10 me, and more alfa, than he had done to Abfalom, or he imprecates the greateft evil-upon himfelf that could be thought of or named: if thou be not captain of the hoft before me continuallyin the room of Foabs; fignitying that he would*not only pardon the treafon he had been guilty of, raife him to the higheft poft in the army; and to affare him of it, of which he might be doubtful, confidering what he had done to merit his difpleafurey he makes this oath or imiprecation.. Yoab had got his ill-will by many inftances, as by the murder of Abner, and now by flaying Ab/alom| againft his orders; and by his rude and infolent behaviour to hiny when lamenting the death of his fon; he wanted to be rid of him, and now having an opportunity of putting a valiant man into his place, and thereby attaching him to his intereft, he was determined to make ufe of it:

-y. 14. And he bowed the heart of allithe menof a better opportunity he could not well have, than togo along with the men of ¥udah, who met the king firft of all.

. y. 17. And there were 1000 men of Benjamin with bim, &ci] Of which tribe he was, and thefe were either +a band of foldiers, of which he was’ the chiliarch’; or tenants ‘of his; which fhewed him tobe a great-man or his neighbours, and per-> but fons of fome figure, whom he prevailed upon to come as interceflors for him): and Ziba the fervant lof the boufe of Saul who had impofed upon David, and got his mafter’s inheritance from him, knowing that David would be undeceived by Mephibo- /beth his mafter, when he came to Feru/alem; and therefore that he’ might be more tenderly dealt: with, and come off the better, he was thus for— ward to meet the king, and pay his refpeéts to him’: and bis fifteen fons and his twenty fervants with bim; which made a confiderable appearance 3; fee ch..ix. 10, and they went over: Fordan before the king 5 to meet him on the other fide, both Shimei and his 1000 men, and Ziba with his fons and fer-

Sudab, even as the heart of one man, 8c. | This vants. the Fewifo commentators generally underftand of Amaja, that he wfed his intereft with the men Judah, and fo wrought upon them, that they agreed as one man to fend for the king, and bring him back; but it feems beft to underitand it of who by thefe gentle methods, ‘kind meflages, afiectionate fpeeches, powerfully inclined and engaged the hearts of the people towards him;

y. 18. And there went over a ferry-boat to carry ofjaver. the king’s boufhold, &c.] His wives and children, who could not fo well ford the river on foot; fome willhave'this to be a bridge of boats, a pon-_ David,jtoon, and ‘Abarbinel thinks it might be a company andjof men, whovcarried the women and children on their fhoulders, one after another: and to do what folve thought good; to carry over whatever ae the king pleafed, befides his family: aud Shimei the fon of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over ‘Fordan, or juft as he was about. to come over, when he came to Jordan to take the boat in order to come over; for he went over Jordan to meet him, and therefore would take the firft op- - portunity of coming into his prefence, and fal] down before him, and make his fubmiffion to him,:

y. 19. And faid unto the king, let not my lord the king impute iniquity unto me, &cc.] ‘That is, deal with him according to the defert of it, punifh him for it, but forgive it; for non-imputation of fin is in effect the pardon of it; neither do thou remember that which thy fervant did perverfly, the day my lord the king went out of Ferufalem; he delires that he would not only forgive, but forget it; he owns it was a perverfe action, and aggravated by being done at the time when the king was in great trouble and diftrefs: that the king fhould take it,to bis heart; and determine to avenge himfelf on him for it, y¥.20. For thy fervant doth know that I have finned, &c.] He was fenfible of it, and forry for it, and publickly acknowledged it before all the men he brought with him, and before all the fer-