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AN. 1089.]

ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.

sound of the trumpet, as a signal for their retreat, and thereby put a stop to any farther pursuit. After which Joab pitched his camp there that night. But Abner marched all night, and passed over the river Jordan, and came to Ishbosheth, Saul's son, to Mahanaim. On the next day Joab counted the dead men, and took care of all their funerals. Now there were slain of Abner's soldiers about three hundred and sixty; but of those of David nineteen besides Asahel, whose body Joab and Abishai carried to Bethlehem. And when they had buried him in the sepulchre of their fathers,* they came to David to Hebron. From this time, therefore, there began an intestine war, which lasted a great while; in which the followers of David grew stronger, in the dangers they underwent, and the servants and subjects of Saul's sons did almost every day become weaker. About this time,† David was become the father of six sons, born of as many mothers. The eldest was by Abinoam, and he was called Amnon; the second was Daniel, by his wife Abigail; the name of the third was Absalom, by Maachah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; the fourth he named Adonijah, by his wife Haggith; the fifth was Shephatiah, by Abitail; and the sixth he called Ithream, by Eglah. Now while this intestine war went on, and while the subjects of the two kings came frequently to action, it was Abner, general of the host of Saul's son, who by his prudence and the great interest he had among the multitude, made them all continue with Ishbosheth. And indeed it was a considerable time that they continued of his party.

But afterwards Abner was blamed, and an accusation was laid against him, that he had taken indecent liberties with Rispah, the daughter of Aiah, and Saul's concubine;§ so when he was complained of by Ishbosheth he was very uneasy, and angry at it; because he had not justice done him by Ishbosheth, to whom he had shown the greatest kindness. He therefore threatened that he would transfer the kingdom to David, and demonstrate that he did not rule over the people beyond Jordan by his own abilities and wisdom, but by his warlike conduct and fidelity, in leading his army. So he sent ambassadors to Hebron, and desired that David would give him security upon oath, that he would esteem him his companion and friend; upon condition that he should persuade the people to leave Saul's son, and to choose him king of the whole country. And

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when David had made that league with Abner; (for
he was pleased with this message to him,) he de-
sired that he would give this as the first mark of
performance of the present league, that he might
have his wife Michal restored to him, as her whom
he had purchased with great hazards, and with those
six hundred heads of the Philistines which he had
brought to Saul, her father. So Abner took Michal
from Phaltiel, who was then her husband, and sent
her to David; Ishbosheth himself affording him
assistance: for David had written to him that of
right he ought to have his wife restored to him.
Abner also called together the elders of the multitude,
the commanders, and captains of thousands; and
spake thus to them, that He had formerly dissuaded
them from their own resolution, when they were
ready to forsake Ishbosheth, and to join themselves
to David: that, however, he now gave them leave
so to do, if they had a mind to it; for they knew
that God had appointed David to be king of all the
Hebrews, by Samuel the prophet; and had foretold
that he should punish the Philistines, and finally
overcome them. Now when the elders and rulers
heard this, and understood that Abner was come
over to those sentiments about the public affairs
which they were of before, they changed their mea-
sures, and came in to David. When these men had
agreed to Abner's proposal, he called together the
tribe of Benjamin; (for all of that tribe were the
guards of Ishbosheth's body;) and spake to them
to the same purpose. And when he saw that they
did not in the least oppose what he said, but resigned
themselves up to his opinion, he took about twenty
of his friends, and came to David, in order to re-
ceive himself security upon oath from him. For we
may justly esteem those things to be firmer which
every one of us do by ourselves, than those which
we do by another. He also gave him an account
of what he had said to the rulers, and to the whole
tribe of Benjamin. And when David had received
him in a courteous manner, and had treated him
with great hospitality for many days, Abner, when
he was dismissed, desired permission to bring the
multitude with him, that he might deliver up the
government to him, when David himself was present,
and a spectator of what was done.

When David had sent Abner away, Joab, the general of his army, came immediately to Hebron; and when he had understood that Abner had been

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was at this time aspiring to the throne, which Solomon perceiving, took occasion, from this request, to fall out with him, and prevent it. But however this be, a general rule it was, not among the Jews only, but among other nations, that no private person should presume to marry the king's widow; for this made him appear as a rival and competitor for the crown. Calmet's Comment. B..

with David, and had parted with him a little before under an agreement, that the government should be delivered up to David; he feared lest David should place Abner, who had assisted him to gain the kingdom, in the first rank of dignity; especially since he was a shrewd man in other respects; in understanding affairs, and in managing them artfully, as proper seasons should require; and that he should himself be put lower, and be deprived of the command of the army; so he took a knavish and a wicked course. In the first place he endeavoured to calumniate Abner to the king, exhorting him to have a care of him, and not to give attention to what he had engaged to do for him; because all he did tended to confirm the government to Saul's son; that he came to him deceitfully, and with guile, and was gone away in hopes of gaining his purposes by this management. But when he could not thus persuade David, nor saw him at all exasperated, he betook himself to a project bolder than the former. He determined to kill Abner; and in order thereto he sent some messengers after him; to whom he gave in charge, that when they should overtake him, they should recall him in David's name; and tell him, that he had somewhat to say to him about his affairs which he had not remembered to speak of when he was with him.

Now when Abner heard what the messengers said, (for they overtook him in a certain place called Bisera, which was distant from Hebron twenty furlongs ;) he suspected none of the mischief which was befalling him, and came back. Hereupon Joab met him in the gate; and received him in the kindest manner, as if he were Abner's most benevolent acquaintance and friend; for such as undertake the vilest actions, in order to prevent the suspicion of any private mischief, do frequently make the greatest pretence to what good men do sincerely. So he took him aside from his own followers, as if he would speak to him in private, and brought him into a void place of the gate; having himself nobody with him, but his brother Abishai; then he drew his sword, and smote him in the groin; upon which Abner died* by this treachery of Joab's; which, as he said himself, was in way of punishment for his brother Asahel, whom Abner smote and slew as he was pursuing after him in the battle of Hebron; but as the truth was, out of fear of his losing his command of the army, and his dignity with the king; and lest he should be deprived of those advantages, and Abner should obtain the first rank in David's court. By these examples any one may learn, how many and how

* 2 Sam. iii. 27.

great instances of wickedness men will venture upon, for the sake of getting money and authority; and that they may not fail of either of them. For as when they are desirous of obtaining the same, they acquire them by ten thousand evil practices; so when they are afraid of losing them, they get them confirmed by practices much worse than the former. As if no other calamity so terrible could befall them, as the failure of acquiring so exalted an authority, or as the loss of it, after its acquisition and long enjoyment. And since this last would be the heaviest of all afflictions, they all of them contrive and venture upon the most difficult actions, out of fear of losing the same. But let it suffice that I have made these short reflections upon that subject.

When David heard that Abner was slain, it grieved his soul, and he called all men to witness, with stretching out his hand to God, and crying out, that he was not a partaker in the murder of Abner, and that his death was not procured by his command or approbation. He also wished the heaviest curses might fall upon him that slew him, and upon his whole house, and he devoted those that had assisted him in this murder to the same penalties on its account. For he took care not to appear to have had any hand in this murder, contrary to the assurances he had given, and the oaths he had taken to Abner. However, he commanded all the people to weep and lament this man, and to honour his dead body with the usual solemnities; that is, by rending their garments, and putting on sackcloth; and that this should be the habit in which they should go before the bier. He also followed it himself, with the elders, and those that were rulers; lamenting Abner, and by his tears demonstrating his good-will to him while he was alive, and his sorrow for him now he was dead; and that he was not taken off with his consent. So he buried him at Hebron, in a magnificent manner, and indited funeral elegies for him: he also stood first over the monument weeping, and caused others to do the same. Nay, so deeply did the death of Abner disorder him, that his companions could by no means persuade him to take any food: but he affirmed with an oath that he would taste nothing till the sun was set. This procedure gained him the good-will of the multitude; for such as had an affection for Abner, were highly gratified with the respect he paid him, when he was dead; and the observance of that faith he had plighted to him; which was shown in his vouchsafing him all the usual ceremonies, as if he had been his kinsman and friend, and not suffering him to be neglected and injured with a dishonourable burial, as if he had been his enemy.

AN. 1089.]

ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.

Insomuch that the entire nation rejoiced at the king's gentleness and mildness of disposition; every one being ready to suppose that the king would have taken the same care of them, in the like circumstances, which they saw he showed in the burial of Abner. And indeed David principally intended to gain a good reputation; and therefore he took care to do what was proper in this case; whence none had any suspicion that he was the author of Abner's death. He also said to the multitude, that he was greatly troubled at the death of so good a man, and that the affairs of the Hebrews had suffered great detriment by being deprived of him, who was of so great abilities to preserve them by his excellent advice, and by the strength of his hands in war. "But," added he, "that God, who hath a regard to all men's actions, will not suffer this man (Joab) to go off unrevenged. But know ye, that I am not able to do any thing to these sons of Zeruiah, Joab and Abishai, who have more power than I have. But God will requite their insolent attempts upon their own heads."* And this was the fatal conclusion of the life of Abner.

OF THE MURDER OF ISHBOSHETH, BY THE TREACHERY OF HIS FRIENDS,

AND OF DAVID'S ACCESSION TO THE WHOLE KINGDOM.

WHEN Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, had heard of the death of Abner, he took it to heart, to be deprived of a man that was of his kindred, and had indeed given him the kingdom, and Abner's death very much troubled him. Nor did he himself survive any long time; but was treacherously set upon by the sons of Rimmon, Baanah and Rechab; and was slain by them. For these being of a family of the Benjamites, and of the first rank among them, thought that if they should slay Ishbosheth, they should obtain large presents from David, and be made commanders by him, or at least should have some other trust committed to them. So when they once found him asleep, at noon, in an upper apartment, when none of his guards were there; and when the woman that kept the door was not watching, but was fallen asleep, also; partly on account of the labour she had undergone, and partly on account of the heat of the day;

It may seem a little strange, that these two ruffians were not discouraged by David's punishing the Amalekite for killing of Saul, and by the detestation he had publicly shown of Joab's baseness in murdering Abner: but the former of these cases, they might think, was not parallel to theirs; because Saul was anointed king by God's immediate direction, whereas Ishbosheth, having never had such sacred unction, was no more than an usurper; and as for the latter, they might think,

these men went into the room in which Ishbosheth,
Saul's son, lay asleep, and slew him;† they also
cut off his head, and took their journey all that
night, and the next day, as supposing themselves
fleeing from those that they had injured, to one that
would accept of this action as a favour, and would
afford them security. So they came to Hebron,
and showed David the head of Ishbosheth, and
and presented themselves to him, as his well-
wishers, and such as had killed one that was his
enemy, and antagonist. Yet David did not ap-
prove of what they had done, as they expected;
but said to them, "Vile wretches! you shall im-
mediately receive the punishment you deserve.
Did not you know what vengeance I executed on
him that murdered Saul, and brought me his
crown of gold; and this while he who perpetrated
that action did it as a favour to him, that he might
not be caught by his enemies? or do you imagine
that I am altered in my disposition, and suppose
that I am not the same man I then was? but am
pleased with men that are wicked doers? and es-
teem your vile actions, when you are become mur-
derers of your master, as grateful to me, when
you have slain a righteous man upon his bed, who
never did evil to any body; and treated you with
great good-will and respect; wherefore you shall
suffer the punishment due on his account, and the
vengeance I ought to inflict upon you for killing
Ishbosheth, and for supposing that I should take
his death kindly at your hands; for you could not
lay a greater blot on my honour than the making
such a supposal." When David had said this, he
tormented them with all sorts of torments, and
then put them to death; and he bestowed all ac-
customed rites on the burial of the head of Ishbo-
sheth, and laid it in the grave of Abner.§

When these things were brought to this conclusion, all the principal men of the Hebrews came to David, to Hebron, with the heads of thousands, and other rulers, and delivered themselves up to him; putting him in mind of the good-will they had borne to him in Saul's life-time; and the respect they then had not ceased to pay him, when he was captain of a thousand; as also that he was chosen of God by Samuel the prophet, he and his sons; declaring besides how God had given him

that David's conduct, in relation to Abner's death, proceeded from art and policy, rather than any serious dislike to the thing itself; and in this opinion, they might the rather be confirmed, when they saw Joab, instead of being punished, continuing in the very same post and power that he had before. Pool's Annotations. B.

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This may be a true observation of Josephus's; that Samuel, by command from God, entailed the crown on David and his

power to save the land of the Hebrews, and to overcome the Philistines. Whereupon he received kindly their alacrity on his account; and exhorted them to continue in it, for that they should have no reason to repent of being thus disposed to him. So when he had feasted them, and treated them kindly, he sent them out to bring all the people to him. Upon which there came to him about six thousand and eight hundred armed men of the tribe of Judah; who bare shields and spears of their weapons; for these had, till now, continued with Saul's son, when the rest of the tribe of Judah had ordained David for their king. There came also seven thousand and one hundred out of the tribe of Simeon; out of the tribe of Levi came four thousand and seven hundred, having Jehoiada for their leader. After these came Zadok, the high-priest, with twenty-two captains of his kindred. Out of the tribe of Benjamin the armed men were four thousand; but the rest of the tribe continued still expecting that some one of the house of Saul should reign over them. Those of the tribe of Ephraim were twenty thousand and eight hundred; and these mighty men of valour, and eminent for their strength. Out of the half tribe of Manasseh came eighteen thousand of the most potent men. Out of the tribe of Issachar came two hundred,* who foreknew what was to come hereafter: but of armed men twenty thousand. Of the tribe of Zebulun fifty thousand chosen men. This was the only tribe which came universally in to David: and all these had the same weapons with the tribe of Gad. Out of the tribe of Naphthali the eminent men and rulers were one thousand, whose weapons were shields and

posterity; for no farther did that entail ever reach: Solomon himself having never had any promise made him that his posterity should always have the right to it.

* These words of Josephus concerning the tribe of Issachar, who foreknew what was to come hereafter, are best paraphrased by the parallel text, 1 Chron. xii. 32. Who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, i. e. Who had so much knowledge of astronomy as to make calendars for the Israelites; that they might keep their festivals, and plough, and sow, and gather in their harvests and vintage in due season. Thirty-seven thousand, 1 Chron. xii. 34.

The blind and the lame, says Luther, upon this place, were the idols of the Jebusites, which, to irritate David, they set upon their walls, as their patrons and protectors; and these they call blind and lame sarcastically, and with respect to David's opinion; as if they had said, "These gods of ours, whom ye Israelites reproach, as blind and lame, and so unable to direct or defend us, will secure us against you, and to your cost, make you find that they are neither blind nor lame, but have eyes to watch for us, and hands to fight against you, so that you must conquer and subdue them, before you take this place." But this interpretation seems to be a little too metaphorical and forced, for which reason we have rather chosen the construction which Josephus (lib. vii. cap. 2.) puts upon this passage, viz. that they

spears, and the tribe itself followed after; being, in a manner,† innumerable. Out of the tribe of Dan there were of chosen men, twenty-seven thousand and six hundred. Out of the tribe of Asher were forty thousand. Out of the two tribes that were beyond Jordan, and the rest of the tribe of Manassch, such as used shields, and spears, and head-pieces, and swords, were a hundred and twenty thousand. The rest of the tribe also made use of swords. This multitude came together to Hebron, to David; with a great quantity of corn, wine, and all other sorts of food: and established David in his kingdom with one consent. And when the people had feasted and rejoiced three days in Hebron, David and all the people removed, and came to Jerusalem.

CHAP. III.

OF THE SIEGE AND REDUCTION OF JERUSALEM, BY KING DAVID; WHO EXPELLED THE CANAANITES AND BROUGHT IN THE JEWS.

Now the Jebusites, who were the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and were by extraction Canaanites, shut their gates; and placed their blind, lame, and maimed persons upon the wall, in way of derision of the king; and said, that the very lame themselves would hinder his entrance into it. This they did out of contempt of his power, and as depending on the strength of their walls. David was hereby enraged, and began the siege of Jerusalem, and employed his utmost diligence and alacrity therein; as intending by the taking of this place to demonstrate his power, and to intimidate all others that might be of the like evil disposition towards him. So he took the lower city by force, but the§ citadel held out still. Whence

imagined their fortress to be so impregnable, that by way of contempt, they told David, that their very blind and lame would be able to defend it against him and all his forces; and this is a sense so extremely plain and obvious, that the renowned Bochart wonders, why any man of learning should seek for any other. The only exception to it is, that these blind and lame, (which were rather objects of compassion,) are said to have been extremely hated by David. But we may observe, that David here retorts the sarcasm upon them; the lame and blind, i. e. those who are said to defend the place, and who, as they pretended, were to be only the lame and the blind. And these were hateful to David, because they had wickedly and insolently defied the armies of the living God. Pool's Annotations, Patrick's and Le Clerc's Comment. B.

§ What our other copies say of Mount Sion as alone properly called the city of David, 2 Sam. v. 6-9, and of this its siege and conquest now by David, Josephus applies to the whole city Jerusalem: though including the citadel also. By what authority we do not now know; perhaps after David had united them together, or joined the citadel to the lower city, Josephus esteemed them as one city. However this notion seems to be confirmed by what the same Josephus says concerning David's and many other kings of Judah's sepulchres, which, as the authors of the Books of Kings and Chronicles say, were in the

AN. 1088.]

ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS.

it was that the king knowing that the proposals | the temple Solyma, according to the Hebrew lanof dignities and rewards would encourage the guage; which denotes security. Now the whole soldiers to greater actions, promised that he who time from the warfare under Joshua our general, should first go over the ditches that were beneath against the Canaanites; and from that war in which the citadel, and should ascend to the citadel itself he overcame them, and distributed the land among and take it, should have the command of the en- the Hebrews: (nor could the Israelites ever cast the tire people conferred upon him. So they all were Canaanites out of Jerusalem until this time, when ambitious to ascend; and thought no pains too David took it by siege;) this whole time was five great, in order to ascend thither, out of their de- hundred and fifteen years. sire of the chief command. However Joab, the son of Zeruiah, prevented the rest; and as soon as he was got up to the citadel, cried out to the king, and claimed the chief command.

I shall now make mention of Araunah, who was a wealthy man among the Jebusites, but was not slain by David in the siege of Jerusalem; because of the good-will he bore to the Hebrews; and a particular benignity and affection which he had to the king himself; which I shall take a more seasonable opportunity to speak of §a little afterwards. Now David married other wives over and above those which he had before: he had also concubines. The sons which he had were in number eleven, whose names were|| Amnon, Emnos, Eban, Nathan, Solomon, Jeban, Elien, Phalna, Ennaphen, Jenae, Eliphale, and a daughter, Tamar. Nine of these were born of legitimate wives: but the two last of concubines. And Tamar had the same mother with Absalom.

When David had cast the Jebusites out of the citadel, he rebuilt Jerusalem, and named it the city of David; and abode there all the time of his reign. But for the time that he reigned over the tribe of Judah only, in Hebron, it was *seven years and six months. Now when he had chosen Jerusalem to be his royal city, his affairs did more and more prosper, by the providence of God; who took care that they should improve and be augmented.† Hiram, also, the king of the Tyrians, sent ambassadors, and made a league of mutual friendship and assistance with him. He also sent him presents, cedar-trees, and mechanics, and men skilful in building and architecture; that they might build him a royal palace at Jerusalem. Now David made buildings OF DAVID'S FURTHER SUCCESS AGAINST THE PHILISTINES; HIS REround about the lower city; he also joined the citadel to it, and made it one body; and when he had encompassed all with walls, he appointed Joab to take care of them. It was David, therefore, who first cast the Jebusites out of Jerusalem, and called it by his own name, the city of David. For under our forefather Abraham it was called Salem or Solyma. But after that time some say that Homer mentions it, by that name of Solyma. For he named

city of David, so does Josephus still say they were in Jerusalem.
The sepulchre of David seems to have been a known place in
the several days of Hyrcanus, of Herod, and of St. Peter. Antiq.
XIII. 8. XIV. 7. Acts ii. 29. Now no such royal sepulchres
have been found about Mount Sion: but are found close by the
north wall of Jerusalem. Which I suspect to be therefore these
very sepulchres. See the note on chap. 15. In the mean time
Josephus's explication of the lame and the blind, and the
maimed, as set to keep this city or citadel, seems to be the
truth; and gives the best light to that history in our Bible. Mr.
Ottius truly observes, ap. Havercamp, p. 305, that Josephus
never mentions Mount Sion by that name; as taking it for an ap-
pellative, as I suppose, and not for a proper name. He still either
Nor do I see any reason
styles it the citadel, or the upper city.
for Mr. Ottius's evil suspicions about this procedure of Jo-
sephus's.

† 2 Sam. v. 10.

*From An. 1095 to 1088 B. C. Some copies of Josephus have here Solyma or Salem; and others Hierosolyma or Jerusalem. The latter best agrees with what Josephus says elsewhere, Of the War, VI. 10, that this city was called Solyma or Salem before the days of Melchisedec, but was by him called Hierosolyma or Jerusalem. I rather suppose

CHAP. IV.

MOVAL OF THE ARK TO JERUSALEM, AND HIS DESIRE TO BUILD A
TEMPLE.

WHEN the Philistines understood that David was made king of the Hebrews, they made war against him at Jerusalem. And when they had seized upon that valley which is called The valley of the Giants; and is a place not far from the city; they pitched their camp there. But the king of the Jews, who never permitted himself to do any thing without

it to have been so called after Abraham had received that oracle Jehovah Jireh, the Lord will see or provide, Gen. xxii. 14. The latter word, Jireh, with a little alteration prefixed to the old name, Salem, Peace, will be Jerusalem. And since the expression, God will see, or rather, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt-offering, verse 8, is there said to have been proverbial till the days of Moses; this seems to me the most probable derivation of that name: which will then denote that God would provide peace by that Lamb of God which was to take away the sins of the world. However, that which is put into double brackets can hardly be supposed the genuine words of Josephus; as Dr. Hudson well judges.

§ Chap. xiii.

This number (eleven) and most of these names differ greatly from those in 1 Chron. iii. 1—9.

¶ It deserves here to be remarked, that Saul very rarely, and David very frequently, consulted God by Urim: and that David aimed always to depend, not on his own prudence or abilities, but on the divine direction; contrary to Saul's practice. See at David's dancing before the ark, 2 Sam. vi. 16, &c., it is probthe note on III. 8. And when Saul's daughter, Michal, laughed able she did so, because her father Saul did not use to pay such

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