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give this as the first mark of performance of the general of his army, came immediately to the present league, that he might have his Hebron: and when he had understood that wife Michal restored to him, as her whom he Abner had been with David, and had parted had purchased with great hazards, and with with him a little before under an agreement, those six hundred heads of the Philistines that the government should be delivered up to which he had brought to Saul, her father. David; he feared lest David should place AbSo Abner took Michal from Phaltiel, who ner, who had assisted him to gain the kingwas then her husband, and sent her to David; dom, in the first rank of dignity; especially Ishbosheth himself afforded him his assistance; since he was a shrewd man in other respects; for David had written to him that of right he in understanding affairs, and in managing ought to have his wife restored to him. Ab- them artfully, as proper seasons should require; ner also called together the elders of the mul- and that he should himself be put lower, and titude, the commanders, and captains of thou-be deprived of the command of the army so sands and spake thus to them, that he had he took a knavish and a wicked course. formerly dissuaded them from their own reso- the first place he endeavored to calumniate lution, when they were ready to forsake Ish- Abner to the king, exhorting him to have a bosheth, and to join themselves to David: care of him, and not to give attention to what that, however, he now gave them leave so to he had engaged to do for him; because all he do, if they had a mind to it, for they knew did tended to confirm the government to Saul's that God had appointed David to be king of son; that he came to him deceitfully, and with all the Hebrews, by Samuel the prophet; and guile, and was gone away in hopes of gaining had foretold that he should punish the Philis- his purpose by this management. But when times, and finally overcome them. Now when he could not thus persuade David, nor saw the elders and rulers heard this, and under-him at all exasperated, he betook himself to stood that Abner was come over to those sentiments about the public affairs which they were of before, they changed their measures, 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 Now when Abner heard what the mesup to his opinion, he took about twenty of his sengers said, (for they overtook him in a cerfriends, and came to David, in order to re-tain place called Bisera, which was distant reive 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

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done.

When David had sent Abner away, Joab,

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.

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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; || rulers; lamenting Abner, and by his tears which, as he said himself, was in way of pu- demonstrating his good will to him while he nishment for his brother Asahel, whom Abner was alive, and his sorrow for him now he was smote and slew as he was pursuing after him dead; and that he was not taken off with his in the battle of Hebron; but as the truth was, consent. So he buried him at Hebron, in a out of fear of his losing his command of the magnificent manner, and indited funeral elearmy, and his dignity with the king; and lest gies for him he also stood first over the he should be deprived of those advantages, monument weeping, and caused others to do and Abner should obtain the first rank in Da- the same. Nay, so deeply did the death of vid's court. By these examples any one may Abner disorder him, that his companions could learn, how many and how great instances of by no means persuade him to take any food : wickedness men will venture upon, for the but he affirmed with an oath that he would sake of getting money and authority; and that taste nothing till the sun was set. This prothey may not fail of either of them. For as cedure gained him the good will of the malwhen they are desirous of obtaining the same, titude: for such as had an affection for Abner they acquire them by ten thousand evil prac- were highly gratified with the respect he paid tices; so when they are afraid of losing them, him, when he was dead; and the observance they get them confirmed by practices much of that faith he had plighted to him; which worse than the former. As if no other cala- was shewn in his vouchsafing him all the usual mity so terrible could befall them, as the failure ceremonies, as if he had been his kinsman and of acquiring so exalted an authority, or as the loss friend, and not suffering him to be neglected of it, after its acquisition and long enjoyment. and injured with a dishonorable burial, as if And since this last would be the heaviest of he had been his enemy. Insomuch that the all afflictions, they all of them contrive and entire nation rejoiced at the king's gentleness venture upon the most difficult actions, out of and mildness of disposition; every one being fear of losing the same. But let it suffice ready to suppose that the king would have that I have made these short reflections upon taken the same care of them, in the like cirthat subject. cumstances, which they saw he shewed 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 mens' 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.

When David heard that Abner was slain, it grieved his soul, and he called all men to witness, with stretching out his hands 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, be commanded all the people to weep and lament this man, and to honor 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

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CHAP. II.

OF THE MURDER OF ISH BOSHETH, BY THE TREACHERY OF
HIS FRIENDS, AND OF DAVID'S ACCESSION TO THE WHOLE
KINGDOM.

WHE

done, as they expected; but said to them, "Vile wretches! you shall immediately receive the punishment you deserve. Did not you know what vengeance I executed on him that murdered Saul,t and brought me his crown of gold: and this while he who perpetrated that action did it as a favor 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 esteem your vile actions, when you are become murderers 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 honor 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 accustomed rites on the burial of the head of Ishbosheth, and laid it in the grave of Abner.

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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 labor she had undergone, and partly on account of the heat of the day these men went into the room in which Ishbosheth, Saul's son, lay asleep, and slew him; they also cut off his head, and When these things were brought to this took their journey all that night, and the next conclusion, all the principal men of the Heday, as supposing themselves fleeing from brews came to David to Hebron, with the those that they had injured, to one that would heads of thousands, and other rulers, and deaccept of this action as a favor, and would livered themselves up to him: putting him in afford them security. So they came to He-mind of the good will they had borne to him bron, and shewed David the head of Ishbo-in Saul's life-time; and the respect they then sheth, 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 approve of what they had

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+ 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 shewn 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, that David's conduct, in relation to Abner's death, proceeded from art and policy, rather than any serious dislike of the thing itself;

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

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 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.

which came universally in to David and all these had the same weapons with the tribe of Gad. Out of the tribe of Naphtali the eminent men and rulers were one thousand, whose

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 Manasseh, 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.

given him 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 rea-weapons were shields and spears, and the son 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 for 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 valor, 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

These words of Josephus concerning the tribe of Issachar, who foreknew what was to come hereafter, are best paraphrased by the parallel text, 1 Chr. xii. 32. Who had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do, i. e. Who had so much knowledge in 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 Israelities 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

CHAP. III.

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

Now

TOW 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

interpretation seems to be a little too metaphorical and forced, for which reason we have rather chosen the construction which Josephus (lib. 7, c. 2) puts upon this passage, viz. that they 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 Com. B.

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they did out of contempt of his power and | Now when he had chosen Jerusalem to be his as depending on the strength of their walls. royal city, his affairs did more and more prosDavid was hereby enraged, and began theper, by the providence of God; who took care siege of Jerusalem, and employed his utmost that they should improve and be augmented. + diligence and alacrity therein; as intending Hiram also, the king of the Tyrians, sent amby the taking of this place to demonstrate his bassadors, and made a league of mutual power, and to intimidate all others that might friendship and assistance with him. He also be of the like evil dispositions towards him. sent him presents, cedar-trees, and mechanics, So he took the lower city by force, but the* and men skilful in building and architecture; citadel held out still. Whence it was that that they might build him a royal palace at the king, knowing that the proposals of dig-Jerusalem. Now David made buildings round nities and rewards would encourage the sol-about the lower city: he also joined the citadiers to greater actions, promised that he who del to it, and made it one body and when be should first go over the ditches that were be- had encompassed all with walls, he appointed neath the citadel, and should ascend to the Joab to take care of them. It was David citadel itself, and take it, should have the therefore who first cast the Jebusites out of command of the entire people conferred upon Jerusalem, and called it by his own name, the him. So they all were ambitious to ascend; city of David. For under our forefather and thought no pains too great, in order to Abraham it was called Salem or § Solyma. ascend thither, out of their desire of the chief But after that time some say that Homer command. However Joab, the son of Ze-mentions it by that name of Solyma. ruiah, prevented the rest; and as soon as he was got up to the citadel, cried out to the king, and claimed the chief command.

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.

* 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 Da vid's and many other kings of Judah's sepulchres, which, as the authors of the Books of Kings and Chronicles say, were in the 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. Outius truly observes, ap. Havercamp. pag. 305, that Josephus never mentions mount Sion by that name; as taking it for an appellative,

For

he named the temple Solyma, according to the Hebrew language; which denotes security. Now the whole time from the warfare under Joshua our general, against the Canaanites; and from that war in which he overcame them, and distributed the land among the Hebrews; (nor could the Israelites ever cast the Canaanites out of Jerusalem until this time, when David took it by siege ;)

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as I suppose, and not for a proper name. He still either
styles it the citadel, or the upper city. Nor do I see any
reason for Mr. Ottius's evil suspicions about this procedure
of Josephus.

+ From An. 1995 to 1088 B. C.
2 Sam. v. 10.

Some copies of Josephus have here Solyma or Salem; and others Hierosolyma or Jerusalem. The latter best agree to 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 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.

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