and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and A.C. 1034. under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.

1 CHRONICLES XX. VER. 2 & 3.

2 And David took the crown of their king from off his head, and found it * to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it; and it was set upon David's head: and he brought also exceeding much spoil out of the city. 3 And he brought out the people that were in it, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. Even so dealt David with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

SECTION IX.

Domestic History of David.

Amnon and Tamar.

2 SAMUEL XIII. VER. 1-21.

1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of 1032. David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

2 And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and † Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.

3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.

4 And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king's son, lean § from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.

5 And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.

6¶So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.

7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and dress him meat.

+ Heb. it was

marvellous, or, hidden in the eyes of

Amnon.

Heb. thin. ing by morn

ing.

Heb. morn

8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was laid down. And she took || flour, and kneaded it, and || Or, paste. made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes.

9 And she took a pan, and poured them out before him ; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from him.

A.C. 1032.

10 And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.

11 And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister.

d

12 And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not Heb. hum-force me; for + no such thing ought to be done Israel: do not thou this folly.

ble me.

d Lev. xviii.

+ Heb. it

ought not so to be done.

+ Heb. with great hatred greatly.

Heb. Ami

поп.

13 And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.

14 Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.

15¶Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.

16 And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her.

17 Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.

18. And she had a garment of divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

19 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.

20 And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, Heb. set not my sister: he is thy brother; || regard not this thing. So Tamar remained * desolate in her brother Absalom's house.

thine heart.

*Heb. and desolate.

Birth of Solomon.

2 SAMUEL XII. VER. 24, 25.

24 And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, f1 Chr. xxii. and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.

e Mat. i. 6.

9.

+ That is, Beloved of the LORD.

25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name +Jedidiah, because of the LORD.

Death of Amnon.

2 SAMUEL XIII. VER. 21, TO THE END.

21 ¶ But when king David heard of all these things, he A.C. 1030. was very wroth.

22 And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

23 ¶ And it came to pass after two full that Abyears, salom had sheepshearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim and Absalom invited all the king's sons.

24 And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go with thy servant.

25 And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all now go, lest we be chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him howbeit he would not go, but blessed him.

26 Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?

27 But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.

28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be † valiant.

and

29 And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled.

30 And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.

31 Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes

rent.

Or, will you

not, since have commanded you?

+ Heb. sons

of valour.

+ Heb. rode.

32 And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this hath beenHeb. mouth. || determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar. Or, settled. 33 Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead.

34 But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behind him.

VOL. I.

3 c

A. C. 1030.

*Heb. according to the word of thy

servant.

35 And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king's sons come: as thy servant said, so it is.

36 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept: and the king also and all his ser + Heb. with a vants wept + very sore.

great weeping

greatly.

37 But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Or, Ammi Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

hur.

Or, was consumed.

1027.

38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

39 And the soul of king David § longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.

Revolt of Absalom.

2 SAMUEL XIV. VER. 1-8.

1 Joab, suborning a widow of Tekoah, by a parable to incline the king's heart to fetch home Absalom, bringeth him to Jerusalem. 25 Absalom's beauty, hair, and children. 28 After two years, Absalom by Joab is brought into the king's presence.

1 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.

2 And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:

3 And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.

4 And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and || Heb. Save. said, || Help, O king.

* Heb. no deliverer be tween them.

5 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.

6 And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other, and slew him.

7 And, behold, the whole family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also: and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to my hus+Heb. upon band neither name nor remainder † upon the earth.

the face of

the earth.

2 SAMUEL XIV. VER. 15, 16, 1758.

15 Now therefore that I am come to speak of this thing unto my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid and thy handmaid said, I will now speak unto the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his handmaid.

16 For the king will hear, to deliver his handmaid out of the hand of the man that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.

17 Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so

*

A.C. 1027.

rest.

is my lord the king † to discern good and bad: therefore the +Heb. to hear. LORD thy God will be with thee.

2 SAMUEL XIV. VER. 8-15.

8 And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give charge concerning thee.

9 And the woman of Tekoah said unto the king, My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father's house: and the king and his throne be guiltless.

10 And the king said, Whosoever saith ought unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more. 11 Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember the LORD thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.

12 Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

13 And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God? for the king doth speak this thing as one which is faulty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished.

14 For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; § neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.

2 SAMUEL XIV. VER. 18, TO THE END. 18 Then the king answered and said unto the woman,

58 This arrangement of the contents of part of 2 Samuel xiv. is made on the authority of Bishop Horsley; who observes, verses 15, 16, 17, should intervene between the 7th and 8th verses; being evidently part of the woman's speech about her own pretended affair; and the 18th verse should immediately follow the 14th.-Bib. Crit. vol. i. p. 357.