When the king heard that the Philistines were assembled at the city Gazara, he sent an army against them; when Sibbechai, the Hittite, one of David's most courageous men, behaved himself so as to deserve great commendation; for he slew many of those that boasted they were the posterity of the giants, and vaunted themselves highly on that account; and he thereby was the occasion of victory to the Hebrews. After this, the Philistines made war again; and when David had sent an army against them, Nephan, his kinsman, fought in a single combat with the stoutest of all the Philistines, and slew him, and put the rest to flight: many of them also were slain in the battle. Now a little while afterward, the Philistines pitched their camp at a city, which lay not far off the bounds of the country of the Hebrews. They had a man who was six cubits high; and had on each of his feet and hands one more toe and finger than men naturally have. Now the person who was sent against them by David, out of his army, was Jonathan, the son of Shimea, who fought this man in single combat, and slew him and as he was the person who gave the turn to the battle, he gained the greatest reputation for courage therein. This man also vaunted himself to be of the giants. But after this fight the Philistines made war no more against the Israelites.

And now, David, being freed from wars and dangers, and enjoying a profound peace,† composed songs and hymns to God, of several sorts of metre: some of those which he made were trimeters, and some were pentameters: he also made instruments of music, and taught the Levites to sing hymns to

* About An. 1059.

†This shows, that in the opinion of Josephus, David composed the Book of Psalms, not at several times before, as their present inscriptions frequently imply; but generally at the latter end of his life, or after his wars were over. Nor does Josephus, nor the authors of the known books of the Old and New Testaments, nor the Apostolical Constitutions, seem to have ascribed any of them to any other author than to David himself. However, he must observe here, that as Josephus says, Antiq. II. 16, that the song at the Red Sea, Exod. xv. 1-21, was composed by Moses, in the hexameter tune, or metre ; as also Antiq. IV. 8, that the song of Moses, Deut. xxxii. 1-43, was an hexameter poem; so does he say, that the Psalms of David were of various kinds of metre; and particularly that they contained trimeters and pentameters, Antiq. VII. 12; all which implies, that he thought these Hebrew poems might be best described to the Greeks and Romans under those names and characters of Hexameters, Trimeters, and Pentameters. Now it appears, that the instruments of music that were originally used, by the command of king David and Solomon, and were carried to Babylon at the captivity of the two tribes, were brought back after that captivity; as also that the singers and musicians, who survived

God, both on the sabbath-day, and on the other festivals. Now the construction of the instruments was thus the viol was an instrument of ten strings, played upon with a bow. The psaltery had twelve musical notes; and was played upon by the fingers. The cymbals were broad and large instruments, and were made of brass. And so much shall suffice, respecting these instruments, that the readers may not be wholly unacquainted with their nature. *

Now all the men that were about David were men of courage. Those that were most illustrious and famous of them for their actions were thirty-eight.‡ Of five of whom I will only relate the performances. For these will suffice to manifest the virtues of the others also: for these were powerful enough to subdue countries, and conquer great nations. First, therefore, was Jessai, the son of Achimaas; who frequently leaped upon the troops of the enemy, and did not leave off fighting till he overthrew Snine hundred of them. After him was Eleazar, the son of Dodo; who was with the king at Arasam: this man, when once the Israelites were under a consternation at the multitude of the Philistines, and were running away, stood alone and fell upon the enemy, and slew many of them, till his sword clung to his hand by the blood he had shed; and till the Israelites, seeing the Philistines retire by his means, came down from the mountains, and pursued them; and · at that time won a surprising victory: while Eleazar slew the men, and the multitude followed and spoiled the dead bodies. The third was Sheba, the son of Ilus. Now this man, when in the wars against the Philistines, they pitched their camp at a place called Lehi; and when the Hebrews were again afraid of their army, and did not stay; he stood alone as an army, and a body of men. And some of them he overthrew, and some who were not able to abide his

that captivity, came back with those instruments: Ezra ii. 41. vii. 24. Nehem. vii. 44. Joseph. Antiq. XI. 3, 4, 5, and that this music, and these instruments at the temple, could not but be well known to Josephus, a priest belonging to that temple; who accordingly gives us a short description of three of the instru ments: Antiq. VII. 12, and gives us a distinct account, that such psalms and hymns were sung in his days at that temple: Antiq. XX. 9. So that Josephus's authority is beyond exception in these matters. Nor can any hypotheses of the moderns, that do not agree with Josephus's characters, be justly supposed the true metre of the ancient Hebrews. Nor is there, I think, any other original authority now extant, to be opposed to these testimonies before us. That the ancient music of the Hebrews was very complete also, and had in it great variety of tunes, is evident by the number of their musical instruments, and by the testimony of another most authentic witness, Jesus the son of Sirach: Eccles. i. 18, who says, that at the temple, in his days, the singers sang praises with their voice, with great variety of sounds was there made sweet melody. Thirty-seven, Heb. and Septuagint. Eight hundred, 2 Sam. xxiii. 8. See the note on V. 8.

strength and force he pursued. These are the works of the hands and of fighting, which these three performed.

Now at the time when the king was once at Jerusalem, and the army of the Philistines came upon him to fight him, David went up to the top of the citadel, as we have already said, to inquire of God, concerning the battle; while the enemy's camp lay in the valley that extends to the city Bethlehem, which is *twenty furlongs distant from Jerusalem. Now David said to his companions, "We have excellent water in my own city; especially that which is in the pit near the gate;" wondering if any one would bring him some of it to drink: but he said, that he had rather have it than a great deal of money. When these three men heard what he said, they ran away immediately, and burst through the midst of their enemies' camp, and came to Bethlehem; and when they had drawn the water, they returned again through the enemies' camp to the king: insomuch that the Philistines were so surprised at their boldness and alacrity, that they were quiet, and did nothing against them; as if they despised their small number. But when the water was brought to the king, he would not drink it; saying, that it was brought by the danger and blood of men; and that it was not proper on that account to drink it; but he poured it out to God, and gave -him thanks for the salvation of the men. Next to these was Abishai, Joab's brother; who in one day slew †six hundred. The fifth was Benaiah, by line age a priest: for being challenged by two eminent men in the country of Moab, he overcame them by his valour. Moreover, there was an Egyptian, who was of a vast bulk, and challenged him: yet did he, when he was unarmed, kill him with his own spear, which he threw at him; for he caught him by force,

* Bethlehem is here said to be but twenty furlongs from Jerusalem, whereas it is well known to be about forty-eight. This must be an error of the copies, not of Josephus himself; who must have known that distance too well, to err above one half in its measure.

†Three hundred, Heb. and Septuagint.

2 Sam. xxiii. 20. About An. 1058.

The words of God by Moses, Exod. xxx. 12, sufficiently justify the reason here given by Josephus for the great plague mentioned in this chapter. "When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague amongst them when thou numberest them." Nor indeed could David's, or the Sanhedrim's neglect of executing this law at this enumeration excuse the people; who ought still to have brought their bounden oblation of half a shekel apiece with them, when they came to be numbered. And I am inclinable to suppose that the great reason why nations are so constantly punished by and with wicked kings and governors, is this: that they almost constantly comply with

and took away his weapons, while he was alive and fighting, and slew him with his own weapons.

One may also add this to the aforementioned actions of the same man, either as the principal of them in alacrity, or as resembling the rest. When God sent a snow, a lion slipped, and fell into a certain pit; and because the pit's mouth was narrow, it was evident he would perish, being inclosed with the snow. So when he saw no way to get out and save himself, he roared. When Benaiah heard the wild beast, he went towards him, and coming at the noise he made, he went down into the mouth of the pit, and smote him,‡ as he struggled, with a stake that lay there, and immediately slew him. The other thirty-three were also like these in valour.

CHAP. XIII.

OF THE ENUMERATION OF THE PEOPLE BY DAVID'S COMMAND; AND

THE SUBSEQUENT EFFECTS OF THE DIVINE DISPLEASURE.

Now king David was desirous to know how many ten thousands there were of the people; but|| forgot the command of Moses, who told them beforehand, that if the multitude were numbered they should pay half a shekel to God for every head. Accordingly the king commanded Joab, the captain of his host, to go and number the whole multitude. But when he said there was no necessity for such a numeration, he was not persuaded to countermand it, but enjoined him to make no delay, but to go about the numbering of the Hebrews immediately. So Joab took with him the heads of the tribes, and the scribes; and went over the country of the Israelites; and took notice how numerous the multitude were, and returned to Jerusalem to the king, after nine months and

them in their neglect of, or disobedience to, the divine laws; and suffer those divine laws to go into disuse, or contempt, in order to please those wicked kings and governors, and that they submit to several wicked political laws and commands of those kings and governors, instead of the righteous laws of God, which all mankind ought ever to obey, let their kings and governors say what they please to the contrary; this preference of human, before divine laws, seeming to me the principal character of idolatrous or antichristian nations. Accordingly Josephus well observes, IV. 8, that it was the duty of the people of Israel to take care that their kings, when they should have them, did not exceed their proper limits of power, and prove ungovernable by the laws of God; which would certainly be a most pernicious thing to their divine settlement. Nor do I think that negligence peculiar to the Jews: those nations which are called Christian are sometimes indeed very solicitous to restrain their kings and governors from breaking the human laws of their seve ral kingdoms; but without the like care for restraining them from breaking the laws of God. "Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto men more than to God, judge ye." Acts iv. 19. "We ought to obey God rather than man." v. 29.

he had built an altar, he performed divine service, and brought a burnt-offering, and offered peaceofferings. With these God was pacified, and became gracious to them again. Now it happened that Abraham* came and offered his son Isaac for a burnt-offering at that very place; and, when the youth was ready to have his throat cut, a ram appeared on a sudden, standing by the altar, which Abraham sacrificed in the stead of his son, as we have before related. Now when king David saw that God had heard his prayer, and had graciously accepted of his sacrifice, he resolved to call that place the altar of all the people; and to build a temple to God there. Which words he uttered very appositely to what was to be done afterward; for God sent the prophet to him, and told him that there should his son build him an altar.

CHAP. XIV.

OF THE GREAT PREPARATIONS MADE BY DAVID FOR THE HOUSE OF

GOD, AND HIS APPOINTMENT OF SOLOMON TO REIGN, UPON ADONI

JAH'S ATTEMPT TO GAIN THE KINGDOM.

AFTER the delivery of this prophecy† the king commanded the strangers to be numbered; and they were found to be one hundred and eighty thousand. Of these he appointed eighty thousand to be hewers of stone, and the rest of the multitude to carry stones; and of them he set over the workmen three thousand and five hundred. He also prepared a great quantity of iron and brass for the work, with many large cedar trees; the Tyrians and Sidonians sending them to him; for he had sent to them for a supply of those trees. And told his friends, that these things were now prepared, that he might leave materials ready for the building of the temple to his son, who was to reign after him; and that he might not have them to seck then, when he was very young, and by reason of his age unskilful in those matters; but might have them lying by him, and so might the more readily complete the work.

So David called his son Solomon, and charged him, when he had received the kingdom,§ to build

nah, might well be worth those six hundred shekels of gold, or 1257. which we have 1 Chron. xxi. 25, and a small part of it with the oxen and instruments, would be much more worth than those fifty shekels of silver=51. 18s. which we have 2 Sam. xxiv. 24, and here. So that the larger number in the Chronicles is, in all probability, the true number.

* What Josephus adds here, whether from his copy of 2 Sam. xxiv. 25, or of 1 Chron. xxvi. 26-30, or from other places belonging to David's history, of which already VII. 4, is very remarkable; that this mount Moriah was not only the very place where Abraham offered up his son Isaac long ago, but that God had foretold to David by a prophet that here his son should build him a temple, which is not directly in any of our other copies; though very agreeable to what was in them; particularly in 1 Chron. xxi. 26, 28, and xxii. 1, to which place I refer the reader.

a temple to God: and said, "I was willing to build God a temple myself; but he prohibited me, because I was polluted with blood and wars; but he hath foretold that Solomon, my youngest son, should build him a temple, and should be called by that name. Over whom he hath promised to take the like care, as a father takes over his son; and that he would make the country of the Hebrews happy under him, and that not only in other respects, but by giving it peace, and freedom from wars, and from internal seditions, which are the greatest of all blessings. Since therefore thou wast ordained king by God himself before thou wast born; endeavour to render thyself worthy of this his providence; as is in other instances so particularly in being religious and courageous. Keep thou also his commands, and his laws, which he hath given us by Moses; and do not permit others to break them. Be zealous also to dedicate to God a temple, which he hath chosen to be built under thy reign. Nor be thou affrighted by the vastness of the work; nor set about it timorously. For I will make all things ready before I die. And take notice, that there are already ten thousand talents of gold, and a hundred talents of silver collected together. I have also laid together brass and iron without number; and an immense quantity of timber, and of stones. Moreover thou hast many thousand stone-cutters and carpenters. And if thou shalt want any thing farther, do thou add somewhat of thine own. Wherefore if thou performest this work, thou wilt be acceptable to God, and have him for thy patron." David also farther exhorted the rulers of the people to assist his son in this building, and to attend to the divine service, when they should be free from all their misfortunes; for that by this means they should enjoy, instead of them, peace and a happy settlement; with which blessings God rewards such men as are religious and righteous. He also gave orders, that when the temple should be built, they should put the ark therein, with the holy vessels; and he assured them, that they ought to have had a tem

† About An. 1057.

Three hundred, 1 Kings v. 16.

This power of naming a successor was here assumed by David, and, for some time afterwards, (as it appears by the story of his grandson Rehoboam,) was continued in the Jew. ish state. It was a privilege that, in after-ages, was granted to several good princes; but among the Israelites it did not prevail long, because the constitution of other nations, (to which the Israelites affected to conform themselves,) was different. Pool's Annotations, and Patrick's Commentary. B.

Of the quantity of gold and silver expended in the building of Solomon's temple, and whence it arose, see the description of the temple, chap. 13. And of the distinct parts of that temple, see the other chapters of that description thereto belonging.