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sires kindly, since nobody had before now thought of building him a temple; although upon his having such a notion, he would not permit him to build him that temple, because he had made many wars, and was defiled with the slaughter of his enemies; that however, after his death in his old age, and when he had lived a long there

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a son of his,

temple built by ang life, it, who should take the kingdom after him, and should be called Solomon, whom he promised to provide for as a father provides for his son, by preserving the kingdom for his son's posterity, and delivering it to them; but that, if he sinned, he would still punish him with diseases and barrenness of land. When David understood this from the prophet, and was overjoyed at this knowledge of the sure continuance of the dominion to his posterity, and that his house should be splendid and very famous, he came to the ark, and fell down on his face, and began to adore God, and to return thanks to him for all his benefits; as well for those that he had already bestowed upon him, in raising him from a low state, and from the employment of a shepherd, to so great dignity of dominion and glory; as for those also which he had promised to his posterity, and besides for that providence which he had exercised over the Hebrews, in procuring them the liberty they enjoyed. And when he had said thus, and had sung a hymn of praise to God, he went his way.

* About An. 1081.

There is no small obscurity in the words of the text, which are these:-He smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even in two lines measured he to put to death, and with one line to keep alive. Which words seem to allude to a custom among the kings of the east, when they were thoroughly incensed against any nation, viz. to make the captives all come together in one place, and prostrate themselves upon the ground; that, being divided into two parts, as it were with a line, their conqueror might appoint which part he pleased either for death or life, which was sometimes determined by casting of lots. Some are of opinion, that David made three lots or parts of these Moabites, two of which he ordered to be slain, and one part only to be kept alive. The reason of this severity against this miserable people, the Rabbins assure us, was, because they had slain his parents and brethren, whom he had committed to the custody of the king of

CHAP. V.

OF DAVID'S SUCCESSES AGAINST THE PHILISTINES, AND THE MOABITES, AND THE KINGS OF SOPHENE AND OF DAMASCUS, THE SYRIANS, AND THE IDUMEANS; OF HIS LEAGUE WITH THE KING OF HAMATH; AND HIS GRATITUDE FOR THE FRIENDSHIP OF JONATHAN.

LITTLE while after

A sidered that he flught his Dad conto make war against the Philistines, and not see any indolence permitted in his management; that so it might prove as God had foretold to him, that when he had overthrown his enemies, he should leave his posterity to reign in peace. So he called together his army, and charged them to be ready and prepared for war; and when he thought that all things were in a good state, he removed from Jerusalem, and came against the Philistines; and when he had overcome them in battle, and had cut off a great part of their country, and united it to the country of the Hebrews; he transferred the war to the Moabites. And when he had overcome two parts of their army in battle, he took the remaining part captive; † and imposed tribute upon them, to be paid annually. He then made war against Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, § king of Sophene; and when he had joined battle with him, at the river Euphrates, he destroyed twenty thousand of his footmen, and about seven thousand of his horsemen. He also took a thousand of his chariots, and destroyed the greatest part of them; and ordered that no more than one hundred should be kept.

Moab during his exile. But of the reality of this motive there is no manner of appearance; and since this execution which David inflicted may relate either to the whole nation, or the army only, to clear David from the imputation of too much cruelty, we should rather conceive it of the third, or half part at most, of the army. Le Clerc's and Calmet's Commentaries. B.

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2 Sam. viii. 2.

§ Whether Syria Zobah, 2 Sam. iii. S, I Chr. xviii. 3-8, be Sophene, as Josephus here supposes, (which yet Ptolemy places beyond Euphrates, as Dr. Hudson observes here, whereas Zobah was on this side,) or whether Josephus was not here guilty of a mistake in his geography, I cannot certainly determine.

David's reserving only 100 chariots for himself, out of 1000 he had taken from Hadadezer, was most probably done in compliance with the law of Moses, which forbade the king of Israel to multiply horses to himself, Deut. xvii. 16. One of the principal uses of horses in

Now

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1

Now when David had made an expedition against Damascus, and the other parts of Syria, and had brought it all into subjection, and had placed garrisons in the country, and appointed that they should pay tribute, he returned home. He also dedicated to God at Jerusalem the golden quivers, and the entire armor which the guards of Hadad used to wear; which Shishak the king of Egypt took away when he fought with David's grandson Rehoboam; with a great deal of other wealth, which he carried out of Jerusalem. However, these things will come to be explained in their proper places hereafter. Now as for the king of the Hebrews, he was gave him great success in his wars; and he made an expedition against the best cities of Hadadezer, Betah and Machon. So he took them by force, and laid them waste. Therein was found a very great quantity of gold and silver, besides that sort of brass which is said to be more valuable than gold. Of which brass Solomon made that large vessel which was called the brazen sea; and those most curious lavers, when he built the temple of God.

Now when Hadad, king of Damascus and of Syria, heard that David fought against Hadadezer, who was his friend, he came to his assistance with a powerful army, in hopes to rescue him but when he had joined battle with David, at the river Euphrates, he failed of his purpose, and lost a great number of his soldiers; for there were slain of the army of Hadad twenty thousand, and all the rest fled. Nicolaus also, of Damascus, makes mention of the king, in the fourth book of his histories, where he speaks thus: "A great while after these things had happened, there was one of that country whose name was Hadad, who was become very potent. He reigned over Damascus, and the other parts of Syria, ex- assisted by God, who cepting Phoenicia. He made war against David, king of Judea and tried his fortune in many battles, and particularly in the last battle at Euphrates, wherein he was beaten. He seems to have been the most excellent of all their kings, in strength and manhood." Besides this, he says of his posterity, that after his death they succeeded one another in his kingdom, and in his name; where he thus speaks: "When Hadad was dead, his posterity reigned for ten generations, each of his successors receiving from his father his domi-ed of the ill success of Hadadezer, and had nion and his name: as did the Ptolemies in heard of the ruin of his army, he was afraid Egypt. But the third was the most powerful on his own account, and resolved to make a of them all and was willing to avenge the league of friendship with David, before he defeat his forefather had received; so he should come against him. So he sent to him made an expedition against the Jews, and his son Joram, and professed that he owed laid waste the city which is now called Sa-him thanks for fighting against Hadadezer, maria." Nor did he err from the truth. For this is that Hadad who made the expedition against Samaria, in the reign of Ahab, king of Israel: concerning whom we shall speak in due place hereafter.

Judea at that time being for drawing their chariots: see Joseph Antiq. V. 1, and Bp. Sherlock's discourse on that subject.

It deserves here to be remarked, that this Hadad, being a very great king, was conquered by David; whose posterity yet for several generations were called Benbadad or the son of Hadad, till the days of Hazael; whose son Adar or Ader is also in our Hebrew copy, 2 Kings xiii. 24, written Benhadad; but in Josephus Adad or Adar. And strange it is, that the son of Hazael, said to be such in the same text, and in Josephus, IX. 8, should still be called the son of Hadad. I would therefore here correct our Hebrew copy from Josephus's: which seems to have the true reading. Nor does the

But when the king of Hamath was inform

who was his enemy; and made a league with him of mutual assistance and friendship. He also sent him presents, vessels of ancient workmanship, both of gold, silver, and brass.† So when David had made this league of mu

For

testimony of Nicolaus of Damascus, produced in this place by Josephus, seem to be faultless; when it says, that he was the third of the Hadads, or second of the Benhadads, who besieged Samaria, in the days of Ahab. He must rather have been the seventh or eighth, if there were ten in all of that name, as we are assured there were. testimony makes all the Hadads or Benhadads of the same line; and to have immediately succeeded one another. Whereas Hazael was not of that line, nor is he called Hadad, or Benhadad, in any copy. And note that from this Hadad, in the days of David, to the beginning of Hazael, were near 200 years, according to the most exact chronology of Josephus.

+1 Chron. xviii, 9, 10.

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tual assistance with Toi, (for that was the name of the king of Hamath,) and had received the presents he sent him, he dismissed his son with that respect which was due on both sides. But then David brought those presents that were sent by him, as also the rest of the gold and silver which he had taken of the cities of the nations whom he had conquered, and dedicated them to God. Nor did God give victory and success to him only, when he went to the battle himself, and led his own army; but he gave victory to Abishai, the brother of Joab, general of his forces,* over the Idumeans; and by him to David, when he sent him with an army into Idumea. For Abishai destroyed eighteen thousand of them in the battle. Whereupon the king of Israel placed garrisons through all Idumea, and received the tribute of the country, and of every head among them. Now David was in his nature just, and made his determinations with regard to truth. He had for the general of his whole army Joab; and he made Jelioshaphat, the son of Ahilud, recorder. He also appointed Zadok, of the family of Phineas, to be high-priest, together with Abiathar; for he was his friend. He also made Seisan the scribe, and committed the command over the guards of his body to Benaiah,† the son of Jehoiada. His elder sons were near his body, and had the care of it also..

He also called to mind the covenants and the oaths he had made with Jonathan, the son of Saul; and the friendship and affection Jonathan had for him. For besides all the rest of his excellent qualities, with which he was endowed; he was also exceeding mindful of such as had at other times bestowed benefits upon him. He therefore gave order that inquiry should be made, whether any of Jonathan's lineage were living; to whom he might

By this great victory over the Idumeans or Edomites, the posterity of Esau, and by the consequent tribute paid by that nation to the Jews, were the prophecies delivered to Rebecca before Jacob and Esau were born, and by old Isaac before his death, that the elder, Esau, or the Edomites, should serve the younger, Jacob, or the Israelites; and Jacob, or the Israelites, should be Esau's, or the Edomites', lord; remarkably fulfilled. See VIII, 7. Gen. xxv. 23, and xxvii. 29, 37, and the Notes on I. 18.

So

make return of that familiar acquaintance which Jonathan had with him; and for which he was still debtor. And when one of Saul's freed men was brought to him, who was acquainted with those of his family that were still living, he asked him, whether he could tell him of any one belonging to Jonathan that was now alive, and capable of a requital of the benefits he had received from Jonathan? The man replied that a son of his was remaining, whose name was Mephibosheth; but that he was lame of his feet, for that when his nurse heard that the father and grandfather of the child were fallen in the battle, she snatched him up, and fled away, and let him fall from her shoulders, and his feet were lamed. So when he had learned where and by whom he was brought up, he sent messengers to Machir, to the city Lodebar: for with him was the son of Jonathan brought up, and sent for him to come to him. when Mephibosheth came to the king, he fell on his face, and worshipped him. But David encouraged him, and bid him be of good cheer, and expect better times. So he gave him his father's house, and all the estate which his grandfather Saul was in possession of, and bade him come and diet with him, at his own table, and never to be absent one day. when the youth had worshipped him, on account of his words, and gifts given to him; he called for Ziba, and told him, that he had given the youth his father's house, and all Saul's estate. He also ordered that Ziba should cultivate his land, and take care of it, and bring him the profits of all to Jerusalem. Accordingly David brought him to his table every day; and bestowed upon the youth, Ziba, and his sons, who were in number fifteen, and his servants, who were in number twenty. When the king had made these appointments,

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the marginal note, is remembrancer, or writer of chroni cles; an employment of no mean estimation in the eastern world, where it was customary with the kings to keep daily registers of all the transactions of their reigns; and a trust, which whoever discharged to purpose, must be let into the true springs and secrets of action, and consequently must be received into the inmost confidence. For whether the office of a Lord Chancellor was consistent with the constitution of the Jewish state, a modern author seems to doubt. History of the Life of King DaThe word in our translation is recorder, which, in vid, vol. 2. B.

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and

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