31

forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house he answers with prodigious zeal, that he was content with any thing, since the king was returned safe.*

And Barzillai, the Gileadite, who had hospitably entertained the king, came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan; he came to pay his 32 respects, and to bring him part of the way. 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; a rich man, and had a very 33 generous heart. And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem, 34 as a particular friend and favourite. And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem? A very wise, pious, and grateful reply. He was unfit to travel so far, and had but a short time to live; 35 another reason was, 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 36 servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king ?t Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward? He was desirous of expressing his dutiful affection as far as he was able, but had no expectation of a reward, for he had done nothing but his duty. 37 Let they servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, [and be buried] by the grave of my father, and of my mother. His fourth reason was, that he was willing to spend his remaining days at home, and be buried with his ancestors; but that he might not seem rude, he desires the king to transfer the kindness intended him, to his son. But behold thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to 38 him what shall seem good unto thee. And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee and whatsoever thou shalt require of me, [that] will I do for thee; leaving it to the old gentleman's choice; and intimating, that if he had any petition to 39 make afterward, he might be sure it should be granted. And all the people went over Jordan. And when the king was come over, the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him, and he return

:

• There is no reason to believe that Ziba had slandered him, but that the charge against him was true. The neglect of his dress, and his expressions of zeal and concern, might only be to cover his intentions if the thing had miscarried. David was now disposed to pardon every one, especially a descendant of Saul, on account of Shimei's aspersion, and his oath to Jonathan. If Mephibosheth was indeed innocent, I think David's affection for him would have engaged him to punish Ziba, according to the law of God against a false witness, Deut. xix. 10 For Mephibosheth's innocence, we have only his own testimony: for Zib's, we have David's. His coming to him seems to have been quite disinterested; and David's not punishing him con firms it. Therefore the outcry made against David is unjust, and has no foundation: but he appears in this affair as an eminent example of clemency and forgiveness.

+ The king's kindness would be ill bestowed upon him, as his relish for the pleasures of a court and of the senses were almost gone; beside, he would rather be a burden, than of any service, and would only stand in the way of those who might be useful. See Orton's Discours es to the Aged, Disc. II. on Barzillai's Refusal of David's Invitation.

ed unto his own place; he took his leave of him with great affection; thanked him and prayed for him, and took Chimham with him. In Jeremiah xli. 7. we read of an inheritance of his at Bethlehem ; 40 probably David gave him part of his paternal inheritance. Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him : and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel; the people of Judah came entirely and unanimously, and the half of Israel: perhaps those on the other side Jordan; and the other tribes at length came in.

41

And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away secretly, and not desired our assistance and consent? and have brought the king and his household, and all David's men with him, over Jordan? Being a public act, there should 42 have been a convention of the states. 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? Pleading their relation to their king, that they had no private 43 gain; it was only to testify their duty and affection. And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, (Simeon being intermixed with Judah probably came with them,) 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? we ought to have been consulted in an affair of such consequence, and esteem our selves slighted and ill used. And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel; the quarrel increased, and the men of Judah were more hot and passionate: and this foolish difference occasioned a new rebellion, as we shall find in the next chapter.

I.

E hence learn, that there is danger of our passion and

it, whoever may reprove us for it. Though Joab was rude in his reproof, David was so far influenced by him as to appear in public. It was an absurd passion, especially when the people were so resoJute, and God had been so gracious. Let us learn to guard our minds against excessive transports of grief, or any thing which may lead us to neglect our duty, though we should be reproved for it in an unbecoming manner, by our inferiors, or with heat. Let us not consider who the reprover is, but the reproof; and endeavour to amend what is amiss.

2. Good services for the public will be remembered and acknowledged, though they seem for a time to be forgotten. David's people rebelled against him; but at length they began to recollect his services to them, in delivering them from their enemies, particularly the Philistines, and saw their own ingratitude. We ought gen

erously to serve mankind, and labour to promote their happiness, whether they are grateful or not. But this is our encouragement, that all are not insensible, all are not ungrateful; and they who are so at present, will probably come to a better mind. Above all, God is never unmindful; he is not unrighteous to forget our labours of love.

3. Men often blame others for backwardness to a good work, when they are really to blame themselves. The people of Israel were at strife who it was that began the rebellion; the people blamed the elders, and the elders the people: they took as much time in censuring one another for not bringing the king back, as would have done the business; and they should heartily have joined in it. It is easier to find fault than to mend. If each in his respective station would set about reforming his own manners, and those who are about him, instead of condemning the tardiness and lukewarmness of others, things would soon grow better, and the world be greatly mended.

4. We have a lively example of clemency and gratitude in David's forgiving Shimei, and overlooking Mephibosheth's ill design and great ingratitude: thus his throne was established by mercy. It is true greatness, and the best prerogative of kings, to forgive. His gratitude to Barzillai for his hospitality, deserves praise and imitation. Let us be always ready to return kindness, and be grateful to our friends and benefactors, especially those who have helped us in times of distress: no future wealth, honour, or ease, should make us forget them and our obligations to them.

5. We have in Barzillai an example for aged persons to restrain their desires after any temporal good. I go to court! It is time for me to think of going to my grave. My relish for diversions, and the delights of a court, are gone; and my capacity for business almost gone too. Let me return home, to set my house and heart in order, and prepare for my long home.' Let the aged learn from this venerable old man, what their disposition should be; to have as little to do with the world as possible; to contract their busisines; to lay aside their earthly schemes and projects; and be dead to all the delights of sense; to think much of dying; and be daily preparing for their last awful change.

6. Aged persons should not grudge young ones those employments which themselves are unfit for, or which are unsuitable to their declining circumstances in life. Let Chimham go; he is young, and fit for business; he can relish the hurry and pleasures of a court. It is very unreasonable for aged persons to tie up those that are young to their own necessary confinement, or debar them of innocent and lawful amusements; this is doing them harm, and will prejudice youth against all their wisest instructions and most friendly counsels.

7. We learn here the origin and consequences of strife. The originis pride; the bad consequences are violent passions, angry words, and injuries. The people of Israel and Judah, through pride and impatience of contempt, quarrelled about a punctilio; they could not

bear what seemed to be a slight. Only by pride cometh contention. The men of Judah were fiercer than the men of Israel, though in fact they were to blame for taking such steps without their brethren. Men too often supply in passion what is wanting in reason and argument. And it may be observed, that those whose words are fiercest, have generally least truth and reason on their side. But let all such angry, passionate persons know, that God takes notice of every fierce word they speak, as he did of the people of Judah, and is highly displeased with it. Therefore, to prevent all the ill consequences of strife, to ourselves, our brethren, and our religion, let us rule our spirits, and bridle our tongues.

CHAP. XX.

Gives an account of Sheba's rebellion, and his destruction; and of David's great officers.

1

ND there happened to be there, at the time the difference whose name [was] Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite ; a turbulent, furious man, probably one of Saul's family, and Absalom's captain; 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; let us go from him, and choose 2 another king. 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, not a man of them forsook him.

4

And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women [his] concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward,‡ and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.

Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Ju5 dah within three days, and be thou here present. So Amasa went to assemble [the men of] Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him; they were backward to fight his battles, though forward to attend his retinue, being at6 tached to Joab. And David said to Abishai, Joab's brother, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than [did] Absa

He here speaks contemptuously of David, and said, If they have ten parts in David, let them have him altogether.

+ This must be taken with limitation; not all the people, not Shimei and his men, but the "greatest part of the people.

He ordered them to some place of retirement, as they were not fit to appear abroad, for that would have renewed the remembrance of Absalom's wickedness; a crime not to be named, and which was a reproach to David and his house. In this place David shut them up for life.

David took this opportunity to rid himself of Joab's insolence. He thought the people would come to their old general, who appeared to have great influence among them; and con mands them to come within three days to receive orders from him,

lom take thou thy lord's servants, his guard and standing forces, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and 7 escape us. And there went out after him Joab's men, his own regiment, and he himself went with them as a volunteer, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; David thought himself safe enough without them at Jerusalem, having the love of the people there: and they went out of Jerusalem, to 8 pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri. When they [were] at the great stone which [is] in Gibeon, a place of rendezvous for the people of Judah, Amasa went before them, as commander in chief. And Joab's garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle [with] a sword fastened upon his loins 9 in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out. And Joab said to Amasa, [Art] thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.† 10 But Amasa took no heed to the sword that [was] in Joab's hand so he smote him therewith in the fifth [rib,] and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba 11 the son of Bichri. And one of Joab's men stood by him, and said, by command of his master, who feared some confusion might take place, He that favoureth Joab, and he that [is] for David, [let him go] after Joab; he that would have David king, and 12 Joab general, let him follow Joab. And Amasa was not quite dead, but wallowed in his blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still at this shocking sight, and were concerned to see him so basely mur➡ 13 dered. When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri, not knowing that Amasa was killed.

14

And he, that is, Sheba, went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, a city in the north of Canaan, to excite the people to arms, and to Bethmaachah, and all the Berites, of the tribe of Benjamin, his relations and friends who were influenced by him: and they were gathered together, and went also after him, after 15 Joab, and the soldiers of David followed him. And they came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench and all the people that [were] with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down. 16 Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee; her sex and character recommended what she said; and 17 she came to make a proposal to the general; And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, [Art] thou Joab? And he

Joab had no armour on, but girded his garment about him in haste, and put his sword in a large scabbard, that it might easily fall out when he bowed, which it seemed to do acci. dentally, so that there was no suspicion.