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Ċ HA P. XII.

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DAVID goes to Mahanaim, and thers an Army. Abfalom paffes the Jordan, and pitches in the Land of Gilead. DAVID fends out his Forces against him, under the command of Joab, Abifhai, and Ittai.

W

HEN David had paffed the for

dan, he went directly to Mahanaim, lately the refidence of Ifbbofbeth, and antiently the refting-place of Jacob; where God had placed him, under the protection of two hofts of Angels. The king's distress there, at this time, naturally led him to reflect upon the distress of his great ancestor, in the same place: where being encompaffed with a weak and helpless family of wives and children, as David now was, news was brought him, that his brother Efau was coming against him with a strong band of men, and, as he had too much reafon to apprehend, with an hoftile difpofition to destroy him. Could any thing be more natural, than for David to

cry

cry out, upon that occafion, as he doth in the thirty-fourth Pfalm, ver. 6, 7. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and faved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. That GOD, who delivered Jacob from his brother, could, with equal eafe, deliver David from his cruel fon. The meek and humble Jacob trusted in GoD, and was delivered; and why might not David hope for a like deliverance, under the fame spirit of humiliation, and truft in the divine protection? It is fcarcely to be imagined, how David could avoid falling into this train of thinking, in this place, at this time; and if he did fall into it, it is less to be imagined, how he could refrain from expreffing it; at least, fo far, as to leave fome traces and memorials of it behind him! And fuch memorials, (befide that now cited) I apprehend, are plainly to be found in the twenty-fecond and twentyfifth Pfalms; both of which may very naturally be presumed to have been written on this occafion. Thus Pfalm xxii. ver. 1, 2, 3, 4, &c. My God, look upon me: Why haft thou forfaken me? And thou continueft

boly,

holy, O thou worship of Ifrael. Our fathers trufted in thee, and thou didst deliver them, &c. GOD had made good his promises to Jacob his promises made to him in this very place: The worship of Ifrael ftill continued holy: Why then fhould not David hope to have his promifes made good to him alfo, although he was now, in all appearance, upon the very brink of ruin? So alfo, Pfal. xxv. ver. 1, &c. My God, I have put my trust in thee; let me not be confounded, neither let mine enemies triumph over me : for all they that hope in thee shall not be afhamed; but fuch as tranfgrefs without a

caufe, fhall be put to forth in thy truth

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Call to remembrance, O Lord, thy tender mercies, which have been ever of old He then proceeds to implore pardon for his fins, the true caufe of all his calamities. And rightly recollecting, that he himself was Jacob's representative, and heir of the promises made to him, he concludes, with fupplicating, as in his perfon, Deliver Ifrael, O God, out of all his troubles. Such fincere penitence, such steady faith, such persevering piety, could not fail to prevail in the end. His prayers were heard; VOL. III.

M

and

and to fhew they were, it pleafed GOD to infpire (in this critical and decifive juncture) the hearts of many faithful subjects, and brave foldiers, with fignal zeal for his fervice; and they reforted to him from all quarters, with fuch expedition, and in fuch numbers, that in a few days he had a complete army at his command, which he divided into four bodies: one he reserved within the city, and over the other three he placed three brave captains, Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, one at the head of each. Provifions alfo of all kinds were poured in upon him, from perfons of the greatest diftinction throughout all the regions round about. Among whom Shobi, the son of Nahash, of Rabbah, of the children of Ammon, is placed first. And as the provifions fent were in great plenty, (with utenfils of various kinds) fufficient for David, and all his forces, this fhews the power and wealth of those that supplied them, as well as their affection to David. And therefore the inference from hence is natural, that when David chastifed the

gents and inftruments of Hanun's tyranny, he left Shobi in the regency of the country, with fuch marks of kindness and friendship

to

to him, as now engaged Shobi, in his turn, to give the king all poffible demonstrations of affection and gratitude, in his distress. A season in which any other principles, than gratitude and affection, would have operated in a very different manner. And fome of the utenfils fent, the beds particularly, fhew a peculiar and perfonal concern, for the ease and conveniency both of David and his family; and were indeed (in those circumstances) the proper prefents of one prince to another, perfonally esteemed and honoured,

THE next man of confequence, who diftinguished himself in his affection and zeal for David, on this occafion, was Machir, the fon of Ammiel, of Lodebar, the friend and protector of Mephibofheth; who, from that very character, must be prefumed to have been, at first, in some degree, difaffected to David; but now, not only reconciled, but zealously attached to him; and probably; in a great measure, from the king's most noble: manner of treating Mephibofheth. The laft of those who had now diftinguished their zeal for David, is Barzillai, the Gileadite; a man of a very uncommon character, very aged,

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