Verse 8. The wood devoured more people] It is generally supposed, that when the army was broken, they betook themselves to the wood, fell into pits, swamps, &c. and being entangled, were hewn down by David's men; but the Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic, state, that they were devoured by wild beasts in the wood.

Verse 9. And his head caught hold of the oak] It has been supposed that Absalom was caught by the hair; but no such thing is intimated in the text. Probably his neck was caught in the fork of a strong bough, and that he was nearly dead when Joab found him: for it is said, ver. 14. he was yet alive; an expression which intimates he was nearly dead.

Verse 10. I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.] He must have hung there a considerable time. This man saw him hanging: how long he had been hanging before he saw him, we cannot tell. He came and informed Joab; this must have taken up a considerable time; Joab went and pierced him through with three darts; this must have taken up still more time. It is therefore natural to conclude, that his life must have been nearly gone, after having been so long suspended; and probably was past recovery, even if Joab had taken him down.

Verse 11. And a girdle.] The military helt was the chief ornament of a soldier; and was highly prized in all ancient nations: it was also a rich present from one chieftain to another. Jonathan gave his to David, as the highest pledge of his esteem and perpetual friendship, 1 Sam. xviii. 4. And Ajax gave his to Hector, as a token of the highest respect. Hom. Il. vii. ver. 395.

Verse 13. Thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me. This is a strong appeal to Joab's loyalty, and respect for the orders of David; but he was proof against every fine feeling, and against every generous sentiment.

Verse 14. I may not tarry thus with thee] He had nothing to say in vindication of the purpose he had formed. Thrust them through the heart of Absalom] He was determined to make sure work; and, therefore, he pierced his heart.

Joab should have obeyed the king's commandment; and yet, the safety of the state required the sacrifice of Absalom. But, independently of this, his life was quadruply forfeited to the law: 1. In having murdered his brother Amnon. 2. In having excited an insurrection in the state. 3. In having taken up arms against his own father, Deut. xxi. 18, 21. 4. In having lain with his father's concu

17 And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.

18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king's dale; for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day Absalom's Place.

19 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath "avenged him of his enemies. 20 And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead.

21 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.

W

22 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready.

23 But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.

24 And David sat between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone.

25 And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near.

26 And the watchman saw another man running and the watchman called unto the porter,

s Gen. 14. 17. See Ch. 14. 27a Heb. judged him from the hand, ev Heb. be a man of tidings.-w Heb. be what may-x Or, convenient-y 2 Kings 9. 17. bines, Lev. xviii. 29. Long ago he should have died by the hand of justice; and now all his crimes are visited on him, in his last act of rebellion. Yet, in the present circumstances, Joab's act was base and disloyal; and a cowardly murder.

Verse 15. Ten young men-smote Absalom, and slew him.] That is, they all pierced the body; but there could be no life in it after three darts had been thrust through the heart: but they added as much as would have killed him had he been alive.

Verse 16. Joab blew the trumpet] He knew that the rebellion was now extinguished by the death of Absalom; and was not willing that any farther slaughter should be made of the deluded people.

Verse 17. And laid a very great heap of stones] This was the method of burying heroes, and even traitors; the heap of stones being designed to perpetuate the memory of the event, whether good or bad. The ancient cairns, or heaps of stones, in different parts of the world, are of this kind. The various tumuli or barrows, in England, are the same as the cairns in different parts of Ireland and Scotland. In the former, stones were not plenty; hence they heaped up great mounds of earth.

Verse 18. Reared up for himself a pillar] There was a marble pillar in the time of Josephus, called Absalom's pillar: and there is one shown to the present day, under this name; but it is comparatively a modern struc

ture.

Absalom's place.] Literally Absalom's HAND. See the note on 1 Sam. xv. 12.

Verse 21. Tell the king what thou hast seen] At this time the death of Absalom was not publicly known: but Joab had given Cushi private information of it. This Ahimaaz had not, for he could not tell the king whether Absalom were dead. To this Joab seems to refer, ver. 22. Thou hast no tidings ready.

Verse 24. Darid sat between the two gates] He was probably in the seat of justice. Before the gate of the city, it is supposed, there was an enclosure, which had its gate also: David sat in the space between these two doors. Över the larger gate there appears to have been a turret, on which a sentinel, or watchman, stood continually; and gave information of what he saw in the country.

Verse 25. If he be alone there is tidings] That is, good tidings. For, if the battle had been lost, men would have been running in different directions through the country.

27 And the watchman said, Methinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings. 28 And Ahimaaz called and said unto the aking, All is well. b And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be the LORD thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.

d

C

29 And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was, 30 And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still. 31 And, behold, Cushi, came; and Cushi said, • Tidings, my lord the king: for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee.

e

32 And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.

33 And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

CHAPTER XIX.

David continues his lamentation for his son, and the people are grently discouraged, 14. Joab reproves and threatens him with the general defection of the people, 5-7. David lays aside his mourning, and shows himself to the people, who are thereby encouraged, 8. The tribes take counsel to bring the king back to Jerusa lem, 9-12. He inakes Amasa captain of the host in place of Joab, 13. The king, returning, is met by Judah at Gilgal, 14, 15. Shimei comes to meet David, and

entreats for his life, which David grants, 16-23. Mephibosheth also meets him,

and shows how he had been slandered by Ziba, 21-30. David is met by Barzillai, and between them there is an affecting interview, 31-40. Contention between the men of Judah and the men of Israel, about bringing back the king, 41-43. An. Exod. Isr.

468.

Anno ante 1. Olymp. 217.

ND it was told Joab, Behold, the
AN
king weepeth and mourneth for
Absalom.

2 And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people

z Heb. I see the running.—a Or, Peace be to thee.-b Heb. Peace.-c Heb. shut up.-d Heb. Is there peace?-e Heb. Tidings is brought-f Ch. 19. 4.-g Heb. sab vation, or, deliverance.

Verse 29. I saw a great tumult] It is very probable that Ahimaaz did not know of the death of Absalom: he had seen the rout of his army, but did not know of his death. Others think he knew all, and told this untruth that he might not be the messenger of bad news to David. Verse 30. Stand here] He intended to confront the two messengers, and compare their accounts.

Verse 32. Is the young man Absalom safe?] This was the utmost of his solicitude; and it well merited the reproof which Joab gave him, ch. xix. 5.

Verse 33. O my son Absalom] It is allowed by the most able critics that this lamentation is exceedingly pathetic. In what order the words were pronounced, for much depends on this, we cannot say. Perhaps it was the following:

Is there no hope for the soul of this profligate young man? He died in his iniquity: but is it not possible that he implored the mercy of his Maker while he hung in the tree?' And is it not possible that the mercy of God was extended to him? And was not that suspension a respite, to the end that he might have time to deprecate the wrath of divine justice? This is at least a charitable conjecture, and humanity will delight, in such a case, to lay hold even on possibilities. If there be any room for hope in such a death, who that knows the worth of an immortal soul, would not wish to indulge in it?

his son.

3 And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

4 But the king i covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, Ŏ Absalom, my son, my son!

5 And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;

6 In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, m that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.

7 Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak "comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.

8 Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.

9 And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.

10 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why b speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?

11 T And King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house.

12 Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones

h Ver. 32-i Ch. 15. 30.-k Ch. 18. 33-1 Heh. By loving, &c.-m Heb. that princes or servants are not to thee-n Heb. to the heart of thy servants. Gen 31. 3 o Ch. 15. 14.-p Heb. are ye silent?—q Ch. 5. 1.

lion had been quashed; the people mourned over their own success, because they saw their king so immoderately afflicted for the loss of his worthless son.

Verse 4. The king covered his face] This was the custom of mourners.

O my son Absalom] Calmet has properly remarked, that the frequent repetition of the name of the defunct, is common in the language of lamentation. Thus VIRGIL, Ecl. v. ver. 51.

Daphnim que tuum tollemus ad astra;

Daphnim ad astra feremus: amavit nos quoque Daphnis.
With yours, my song I cheerfully shall join,
To raise your Daphnis to the powers divine.
Daphnis I'll raise unto the powers above,
For dear to me was Daphnis well-tried love.

See the notes on the preceding chapter.
Verse 5. Thou hast shamed this day] Joab's speech to
David on his immoderate grief for the death of his rebellious
son, is not only remarkable for the insolence of office, but
also for good sense and firmness. Every man, who can-
didly considers the state of the case, must allow that David
acted imprudently, at least; and that Joab's firm reproof
was necessary, to arouse him to a sense of his duty to his
people. But still, in his manner, Joab had far exceeded the
bounds of that reverence which a servant owes to his mas-
ter, or a subject to his prince. Joab was a good soldier;
but, in every respect, a bad man, and a dangerous subject.
Verse 8. The king-sat in the gate] The place where
justice was administered to the people.

NOTES ON CHAPTER XIX.

and my flesh; wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?

13 And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.

14 And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants.

15 So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to "Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.

16 And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted, and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David.

17 And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and * Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king.

18 And there went over a ferry-boat to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan;

19 And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.

20 For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.

d

21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's anointed? 22 And David said, a What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?

23 Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.

Verse 14. And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah] The measures that he pursued were the best calculated that could be, to accomplish this salutary end. Appear to distrust those whom you have some reason to suspect, and you increase their caution and distrust. Put as much confidence in them as you safely can; and this will not fail to excite their confidence toward you.

Verse 16. Shimei the son of Gera] It appears that Shimei was a powerful chieftain in the land; for he had here, in his retinue, no less than a thousand men. Verse 18. There went over a ferry-boat] This is the first mention of any thing of the kind. bridge or raft is what is here intended.

Some think a

Verse 20. For thy servant doth know that I have sinned] This was all he could do: his subsequent conduct alone could prove his sincerity. On such an avowal as this, David could not but grant him his life.

Verse 24. Neither dressed his feet] He had given the fullest proof of his sincere attachment to David and his cause; and, by what he had done, amply refuted the calumnies of his servant Ziba.

Verse 27. The king is as an angel of God] As if he had said, I state my case plainly, and without guile; thou art too wise not to penetrate the motives from which both myself and servant have acted. I shall make no appeal; with whatsoever thou determinest, I shall rest contented. Verse 29. I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.] At first, David gave the land of Saul to Mephibosheth; and Ziba, his sons, and his servants, were to work that land; and to Mephibosheth, as the lord, he was to give the half of the produce. Ziba met David in his distress with provisions, and calumniated Mephibosheth; David, too slightly trusting to his misrepresentation, and supposing that Mephibosheth was actually such a traitor as

24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.

25 And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, h Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?

26 And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant is lame.

27 And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes.

28 For all of my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king; m yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king?

29 And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.

30 And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house.

31 And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan.

32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.

33 And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem.

34 And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem?

35 I am this day fourscore years old: and can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? Wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king? 36 Thy servant will go a little way over Jor

e 1 Sam. 11. 13-f 1 Kings 2. 8, 9, 37, 46-g Ch. 9. 6.-h Ch. 16. 17.-i Ch. 16. 3. k Chap. 14. 17. 20.-1 Heb. men of death. 2 Sam. 26. 16.-m Chap. 9. 7, 10, 13, n 1 Kings 2. 7.-0 Ch. 17. 27.-p Heb. How many days are the years of my life? q Psa. 90. 10.

Ziba represented him, made him, on the spot, a grant of his master's land. Now he finds that he has acted too rashly; and therefore confirms the former grant: i. e. that Ziba should cultivate the ground, and still continue to give to Mephibosheth, as the lord, the half of the produce. This was merely placing things in statu quo, and utterly annulling the gift that he had made to Ziba. But why did he leave this treacherous man any thing? Answer-1. He was one of the domestics of Saul, and David wished to show kindness to that house. 2. He had supplied him with the necessaries of life, when he was in the greatest distress; and he thinks proper to continue him in his old office, by way of remuneration. But it was certainly too great a compensation for his services, however then important, when all the circumstances are considered.

Verse 32. Barzillai was a very aged man] This venerable person had given full proof of his attachment to David, by the supplies he had given him when he lay at Mahanaim, where his case was all but desperate: the sincerity of his congratulations now, none can suspect. David's offer to him was at once noble and liberal: he wished to compensate such a man; and he wished to have at hand such a friend.

Verse 35. Can thy servant taste what I eat] Here is at once an affecting description of the infirmities of old age; and a correct account of the mode of living at an Eastern court, in ancient times.

Barzillai was fourscore years old; his ear was become dull of hearing, and his relish for his food was gone: he, therefore, appears to have been not only an old man, but an infirm old man. Besides delicate meats and drinks, we find that vocal music constituted a principal part of court entertainments: male and female singers made a necessary appendage to these banquets, as they do in most

CHAPTER XX.

Sheba raises an insurrection, and gains a party in Israel, 1, 2 David shuts up the tem concubines who were defiled by Absalom, 3. Amasa is sent to assemble the men of Judah, 4, 5. And in the mean time Abishai is sent to purene Shebe, 6, 7. Joab treacherously murders Amasa, 8-12. Joab and the army continue the parait of Sheba, 13, 14. He is kieged in Abel; and, by the counsels of a wise woman, the people of Abel cut off his head, and throw it over the wall to Joab; who blows the trumpet of peace, and he and his men return to Jerusalem, 15-22 Account of David's civil and military officers, 23-2.

460 Anno ante

ND there happened to be there a An Exod. Isr. man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: Olymp. 286, and he blew a trumpet, and said, "We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.

2 So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.

d

42 And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king's cost? or hath he given us any gift?

43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

r1 Kings 2. 7. Jer. 41. 17.-8 Heb. choose.-1 Gen. 31 55.-u Heb. Chimhan. v Ver 15-w Ver. 12-x Heb set us at light-y See Judges 8. 1. & 12 1.-a Ch. 19. 43. b 1 Kings 12 16. 2 Chron. 10. 16.-e Ch. 15. 16. & 16. 21, 22.

Eastern courts to the present day. As David was a most sublime poet, and emphatically styled the sweet singer of Israel, he, no doubt, had his court well supplied with vocal as well as instrumental performers; and, probably, with poets and poetesses; for it is not likely that he was the only poet of his time, though he undoubtedly was the most excellent.

Verse 37. Thy servant Chimham] It is generally understood that this was Barzillai's son; and this is probable from 1 Kings ii. 8. where, when David was dying, he said, Show kindness to the sons of Barzillai: and it is very probable that this Chimham was one of them. In Jer. xli. 17. mention is made of the habitation of Chimham, which was near to Beth-lehem; and it is reasonably conjectured that David had left that portion, which was probably a part of his paternal estate, to this son of Barzillai.

Verse 39. The king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him] The kiss was the token of friendship and farewell; the blessing was a prayer to God for his prosperity: probably a prophetical benediction.

Verse 42. Wherefore then be ye angry for this matter] We have not done this for our own advantage; we have gained nothing by it; we did it through loyal attachment to our king.

Verse 43. We have ten parts in the king, and more right] We are ten tribes to one; or we are ten times so many as you; and, consequently, should have been consulted in this business.

The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.] They had more weight, for they had more reason on their side.

It is pleasant when every province, canton, district, and country, vie with each other in personal attachment to the prince, and loyal attachment to his government. From such contentions as these, civil wars are never likely to arise. And how blessed it must be for the country where the king merits all this! where the prince is the pastor and father of his people, and in all things the minister of God to them for good.

It is criminal in the prince not to endeavour to deserve the confidence and love of his people; and it is highly criminal in the people not to repay such endeavours with the most loyal and affectionate attachment.

Where the government is not despotic, the king acts by

5 So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

6 And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou i thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.

7 And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

d Heb. a house of ward.-e Heb. bound.-f Heb. in widowhood of life-g Ch 19, 13.-h Heb. Call-i Ch. 11. 11. 1 Kings 1. 33-k Heb. deliver himself from our eyes.-1 Ch. 8. 18. 1 Kings 1. 33.

the counsels of his ministers: and while he does so, he is not chargeable with miscarriages and misfortunes: they either came through bad counsels, or directly thwarting providences. On this ground is that political maxim in our laws formed, the king can do no wrong. Sometimes God will have things otherwise than the best counsels have determined because he sees that the results will, on the whole, be better for the peace and prosperity of that state. "God is the only Ruler of princes.' And as the peace of the world depends much on civil government, hence kings and civil governors are peculiar objects of the Almighty's care. Wo to him who labours to bring about a general disaffection; as such things almost invariably end in general disappointment and calamity. It is much easier to unsettle than to settle; to pull down than to build up. NOTES ON CHAPTER XX.

Verse 1. Sheba, the son of Bichri] As this man was a Benjamite, he probably belonged to the family of Saul; and he seems to have had considerable influence in Israel to raise such an insurrection: but we know nothing farther of him than what is related in this place.

We have no part in David] We of Israel, we of the ten tribes, are under no obligation to the house of David. Leave him, and let every man fall into the ranks under his own leader.

Verse 3. The ten women] He could not well divorce them he could not punish them, as they were not in transgression; and he could no more be familiar with them, because they had been defiled by his son. To have married them to other men might have been dangerous to the state, therefore he shut them up and fed them; made them quite comfortable; and they continued as widows to their death.

Verse 4. Then said the king to Amasa] Thus he invests him with the command of the army, and sends him to collect the men of Judah, and to come back to receive his orders in relation to Sheba, in three days. It appears that Amasa found more difficulty in collecting his countrymen than was at first supposed; and this, detaining him beyond the three days, David, fearing that Sheba's rebellion would get head, sent Abishai, who it appears was ac companied by Joab, to pursue after Sheba.

Amasa, it seems, got up with them at Gibeon, ver. S where he was treacherously murdered by the excerable Joab.