CHAP. VI. OF THE WAR WAGED AGAINST THE AMMONITES, AND ITS ABOUT + and Ziba had worshipped him, and promised ||ther advised him not to give heed to David's 1 Chron. viii. 34. + About An. 1078 B. C. What the particular benefits which David had received from Nahash were, we are no where told in Scripture; but some of the Jews say, that he fled to him when he durst stay no longer with Achish, king of the Philistines, and that he received him very kindiy; others, that he entertained his relations, when the king of Moab, to whom he had committed them, slew some of them: but the most likely opinion is, that as he was a bitter enemy to Saul, who had given him a great overthrow, he, for that very reason, became a friend to David, when he perceived how Saul persecuted him, and thereupon might send him relief and assistance, and perhaps offer him protection in his kingdom. Patrick's Commentary. B. § This was one of the greatest indignities that the malice of men could invent, in those countries where all people thought their hair so great an ornament, that some would rather have submitted to die than part with it. What a foul disgrace and heavy punishment this was accounted in ancient times, we may learn from Nicholaus Damascenus, as mentioned by Stobæus, (tit. 42.) who says, that among the Indians, the king commanded the greatest offenders to be shaven, as the heaviest punishment that he could inflict upon them; and to the like purpose Plutarch, (in Agesil.) tells us, that whenVOL. I.-(21.) endeavored to prevail with him and Sho- ever a soldier, among the Lacedemonians, was convicted tion; and where long habits down to the heels were Josephus took this Shobach, and Ishtob, mentioned Ishtob, which last had twelve thousand armed men. This defeat did not still induce the Ammonites to be quiet, nor to own those that were David was under no consternation at this superior to them to be so. But they sent to confederacy; nor at the forces of the Ammon-† Chalaman, the king of the Syrians, beyond ites. But putting his trust in God, because Euphrates, and hired him for an auxiliary. he was going to war in a just cause, on ac- He had Shobach for the captain of his host, count of the injurious treatment he had met with eighty thousand footmen, and ten thouwith, he immediately sent Joab, the cap-sand horsemen. Now when the king of the tain of his host, against them, with the flower Hebrews understood that the Ammonites had of his army. Joab pitched his camp by again gathered so great an army together, Rabbath, the metropolis of the Ammonites; he determined to make war with them no whereupon the enemy came out, and set longer by his generals, but passed over the themselves in array; not all of them together, river Jordan himself, with all his army; and but in two bodies. For the auxiliaries were when he met them he joined battle with set in array in the plain by themselves; but them, and slew forty thousand of their footthe army of the Ammonites at the gates, over men, and seven thousand of their horsemen. against the Hebrews. When Joab saw this, He also wounded Shobach, the general of he opposed one stratagem against another, Chalaman's forces, who died of that stroke. and chose out the most hardy part of his men, But the people of Mesopotamia, upon such and set them in opposition to the king of Sy- a conclusion of the battle, delivered themria, and the kings that were with him; and selves up to David, and sent him presents; gave the other part to his brother Abishai, who at winter-time returned to Jerusalem: and bade him set them in opposition to the but at the beginning of the spring he sent Ammonites; and said to him, in case he Joab, the captain of the host, to fight against should see that the Syrians distressed him, the Ammonites; who overran all their counand were too hard for him, he should order try, and laid it waste, and shut them up in his troops to turn about, and assist him and their metropolis, Rabbah, and besieged them he said, that he himself would do the same to therein. him, if he saw him in the like distress from the Ammonites. So he sent his brother before, and encouraged him to do every thing courageously and with alacrity, which would teach them to be afraid of disgrace, and to fight manfully. And so he dismissed him to fight with the Ammonites, while he fell upon the Syrians. And though they made a strong opposition for a while, Joab slew many of them, and compelled the rest to betake themselves to flight which when the Ammonites saw, and were withal afraid of Abishai, and his army, they staid no longer; but imitated their auxiliaries, and fled to the city. So Joab, when he had thus overcome the enemy, returned with great glory to Jerusalem, to the king. * 2 Sam. x. 7. : § The manner of building, in all eastern countries, was to have their houses flat-roofed with a terrass, and parapet wall for the convenience of walking in the cool CHAP. VII. OF DAVID'S ADULTERY WITH BATHSHEBA, AND HIS MURDER BUT David fell now into a very grievous air; and as David's palace was built on one of the highest places of Mount Sion, he might easily look down upon the lower parts of the town, and take a view of all the gardens that were within due distance. Le Clerc's Commentary. B. Thus Jupiter is said to have seen Proserpina washing man's that it was not right, while his fellow-soldiers and the general of the army slept upon the ground, in the camp, and in an enemy's country, that he should go and take his rest with his wife. When he had thus replied, the king ordered him to stay there that night; that he might dismiss him the next day to the general. So the king invited Uriah to supper, and after a cunning and dexterous manner supplied him with drink at supper, till he was thereby disordered. Yet did he nevertheless sleep at the king's gates, without any inclination to go to his wife. § Upon this the king was very angry at him, and wrote to Joab, and commanded him to punish Uriah; for he told him that he had offended him, and he suggested to him the manner in which he would have him pu man's beauty, and was not able to restrain his desires, but sent for her, and lay with her. Hereupon she conceived, and sent to the king, that he should contrive some way of conceal ing her sin for according to the laws of their fathers, she who had been guilty of adultery ought to be put † to death. So the king sent for Joab's armor-bearer, from the siege; who was the woman's husband, and his name was Uriah. And when he was come, the king inquired of him about the army, and about the siege; and when he made answer that all their affairs went according to their wishes, the king took some portions of meat from his supper, and gave them to him, and bade him go home to his wife, and take his rest with her. Uriah did not do so, but slept near the king, with the rest of his armor-bearers.nished, that it might not be discovered that he When the king was informed of this, he asked him why he did not go home to his house, and to his wife, after so long an absence? which is the natural custom of all men, when they come from a long journey. He replied, was himself the author of this punishment. For he charged him to set him over against that part of the enemy's army where the attack would be most hazardous, and where he might be deserted, and be in the greatest herself, and exposing her whole body to his view, which something of his wife s adultery, and therefore, resolving inflamed his lust after her: that it should be discovered, would not be persuaded to Δεομένης δλον ἕιδος δέρκετο Περσεφονείης. But whether it was in her garden, or court-yard, overlooked by the palace, or in some apartment in her house, whose windows opened that way, that this woman bathed herself, it is not so certain. Tradition points out the place of a fountain still called after her name, which would make it probable that she bathed in a garden, did not Josephus expressly declare that it was in her own house, as indeed the natural modesty and decency of her sex, as well as the circumstance of the time, (for then it was evening,) make his account more probable; nor can Aha! Bellerophontem jam tuus me fecit filius, it be doubted, but that the declining rays of the sun, shoot- Egomet tabellas detuli ut vincirer. Bacchid. ing into the inmost recesses of her chamber, and throwing For the fables of Uriah and Bellerophon are so very much a great lustre around her, might discover her very clearly alike, that the fable of the latter seems to be founded to very distant eyes, without the least suspicion, on her upon the story of the former. Bellerophon who, as some part, of any possibility of being seen, and consequently scholiasts think, should be read Boulepher on (a counselwith all the reserve of modesty proper to her sex, carrier), was a stranger at the court of Protus, as Uriah Hist. of the Life of K. David, vol. iii. B. (being a Hittite) was at the court of David. He declined * 2 Sam. IX. 2—5. + Levit. xx. 10. the embraces of Sthenbæa, as Uriah did the bed of BathUriah, though a Hittite by nation, was proselyted to sheba; and was, for that reason, sent to Jobates, general the Jewish religion, and so marrying with a Jewish wo- of Prætus's army, with letters, which contained a direcman, lived in Jerusalem; or as he was one of the king'stion to put him to death, as Uriah was sent to Joab, Dalife-guard, which, for reasons above mentioned, seem to have been all natives, and of the tribe of Judah, this additional name might perhaps be given him, for some gallant action achieved against the Hittites, in the same manner as a Roman, in after-ages, came to be called Africanus, Germanicus, Parthicus, &c. upon account of the victories obtained over the Africans, Germans, or Parthians. Calmet's Commentary. B. The § It may be thought, perhaps, that Uriah suspected vid's general. By Jobates he was sent, with a small guard, upon an attack, in which it was intended he should be slain, as Uriah was by Joab to that in which he fell, The main of the history is the same in both; the similitude of Jobates and Joab's name is very remarkable; and the variation in the whole only lies in some such ornamental embellishments as might well be expected in a poetical composition. Calmet's Commentary, and the History of the Life of King David. B. jeopardy; for he bade him order his fellow- | And bade them if they saw the king was soldiers to retire out of the fight. When he angry at it, to add, that Uriah was slain also. had written thus, and sealed the letter with When the king had heard this of the messenhis own seal, he gave it to Uriah, to carry itgers, he said, "That they did wrong when to Joab. When Joab had received it, and they assaulted the wall; whereas they ought, upon reading it understood the king's pur- by undermining, and other stratagems of war, pose, he set Uriah in that place where he to endeavor the taking of the city, especially knew the enemy would be most troublesome when they had before their eyes the example to them; and gave him for his partners some of † Abimelech, the son of Gideon, who would of the best soldiers in the army, and said that needs take the tower in Thebez by force, and he would come also to their assistance with was killed by a large stone thrown at him by the whole army; that, if possible, they might an old woman: and although he was a man break down some part of the wall, and enter of great prowess, he died ignominiously by the the city. And he desired him to be glad of dangerous manner of his assault: that they the opportunity of exposing himself to such should remember this accident, and not come great pains, and not to be displeased at it, near the enemy's wall; for that the best method since he was a valiant soldier, and had a of making war with success was to call to great reputation for his valor, both with the mind the accidents of former wars; and what king, and with his countrymen. And when good or bad success had attended them in the Uriah undertook the work he was set upon like dangerous cases; that so they might imiwith alacrity, he gave private orders to those tate the one and avoid the other.' But when who were to be his companions, that when the king was in this disposition, the messenger they saw the enemy make a sally, they should told him that Uriah was slain also; whereleave him. When, therefore, the Hebrews upon he was pacified. So he bade the mesmade an attack upon the city, the Ammonites senger go back to Joab, and tell him that this were afraid that the enemy might prevent misfortune was no other than what was comthem, and get up into the city; and this at mon among mankind; and that such was the the very place whither Uriah was ordered; nature, and such the accidents of war, that so they exposed their best soldiers to be in sometimes the enemy would have success the fore-front, and opened their gates sud- therein, and sometimes others: but he ordered denly, and fell upon the enemy with great him to go on still in his care about the siege, vehemence, and ran violently upon them. that no ill accident might befall him in it hereWhen those that were with Uriah saw this, after; that they should raise bulwarks, and they all retreated backward, as Joab had pre-use machines in besieging the city: and when viously directed; but Uriah, as ashamed to run away and leave his post, sustained the violence of the onset, and slew many of the enemy; but being encompassed round, and caught in the midst of them, he was slain;* and some other of his companions were slain with him. they had got it, to overturn its very foundation, and to destroy all the inhabitants. Accordingly, the messenger carried the king's message with which he was charged, and made haste to Joab. Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, when she was informed of the death of her husband, mourned for him many days. But when her mourning was over, and the tears which she shed for Uriah were dried up, the king took her to wife, and a son was born to him by her. With this marriage God was not well we cannot suppose that Bathsheba was much longer, considering the reason we have to apply to her the words of Lucan: Lachrymas non sponte cadentes Effudit, gemitusque expressit pectore læto. pleased; pleased; but was angry at David. And he and the other poor: the rich man had a great appeared to Nathan the prophet in his sleep, many flocks of cattle, of sheep, and of kine; and complained of the king. Now Nathan † but the poor man had but one ewe lamb. This was a prudent man; and considering that he brought up with his children, and let her kings, when they fall into a passion, are guided eat her food with them, and he had the same more by that passion than by justice, he re- natural affection for her which any one might solved to conceal the threatenings that pro- have for a daughter. Now upon the coming ceeded from God, and made a good-natured of a stranger to the rich man, he would not discourse to him; and this after the following vouchsafe to kill any of his own flocks, and manner, desiring that the king would give thence regale his friend; but he sent for the him his opinion in the following case :- poor man's lamb, and took her away from "There were," said he, "two men, inhabit-him, and made her ready for food, and thence ing the same city; the one of them was rich, feasted the stranger." This discourse troubled * According to the Jewish doctors, it was utterly unlawful for any to marry another man's wife in case he had defiled her before. The canonical law declares such marriages null and void as are contracted between an adulterous man, and a woman that was partner with him in the crime; and though the law of Moses does not expressly forbid them, yet we may not thence infer that they were permitted among the Jews. For these reasons some have thought that this marriage of David and Bathsheba was null and invalid; but others, upon better grounds, have supposed, that though there were many criminal circumstances attending it, yet these did not vacate its effect, and, in short, though it ought not to have been done, yet, being done, the marriage was good, and the children which were afterwards born were legitimate. Calmet's and Patrick's Commentaries. B. parables, like histories, wherein we have no concern, are heard with more attention, and are so contrived as to give no offence, even though they provoke the man to whom they are addressed to condemn himself. "There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor: And the rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds;" as David had many wives and concubines, with whom he might have been well satisfied, without violating another man's bed; "but the poor had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up.' Bathsheba, very likely, was the only wife that Uriah had, with whom he was highly pleased and delighted, and she very probably with him, till David's temptations had perverted her mind. "And it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter." Nathan, in his resemblance, cannot be said to have surpassed the truth, considering how fond many persons were anciently, not only of lambs, but of several other creatures, which they suffered to eat with them at their tables, and lie with them in their beds; and that even at this day it is a custom in Arabia (which is contiguous to Jadea) to have one of the finest lambs in the flock brought up in the house, and fed with the children. "And there came a traveller to the rich man:" this denotes David's straggling appetite, which he suffered to wife; and of this appetite the Jewish doctors have this obwander from his own home, and to covet another man's + We learn little more of this great man, in the sacred writings, but that he was David's prophet, intimate counsellor, and historiographer. Josephus says of him, that he was a polite and a prudent man, one who knew how to temper the severity of wisdom with sweetness of manners. And Grotius compares him to Manius Lepidus, of whom Tacitus says, that he had a talent of turning away Tiberius's mind from those cruel purposes, to which the vile flattery of others inclined him, and was, at the same time, in equal favor and authority with him. Nathan certainly knew the art of reproving kings with authority, and yet without giving offence. So far from that, he grew in his prince's favor and estimation, as long as he lived;servation, that in the beginning it is but a traveller, but insomuch, that David (as tradition tells us) called one son in time it becomes a guest, and in conclusion is the master of the house,' after his name, and committed another (even his beloved "And he spared to take of his own flock Solomon) to his care and tuition. The History of the Life and his own herds," wherewith he might have satisfied of King David, vol. iii. B. his appetite," but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the wayfaring man that was come to him." Most commentators here take notice, that Nathan did not go so far in the parable as to say any thing of the rich man's killing the poor man. This certainly would have made the resemblance more complete, but it is therefore omitted, that David might not so readily apprehend Nathan's meaning, and so be induced unawares to pronounce a sentence of condemnation upon himself; whereupon the prophet had a fair opportunity to shew him, that if the rich man, who took away the poor man's lamb, deserved death according to his own judgment, how much more did he deserve it, who had not only taken another man's wife, but caused him to be slain likewise by the enemies of Israel. Patrick's Commentary. B. 2 Sam. xii. 1–15. § There is a passage of Seneca, (Epist. 59,) where he treats of the style fit for philosophic writing, which suits so well with this parable of Nathan's that I choose to give it in his own words, as a fit preamble to the short comment which follows of it. Invenio, inquit, imagines, quibus si quis nobis uti vetat, et poetis illas, solis judicat esse concessas neminem mihi videtur ex antiquis legisse apud quos nondum captabatur plausibilis oratio. Illi, qui simpliciter, et demonstrandæ rei causa loquebantur, parabolis referti sunt, quas existimo necessarias non ex eadem causa qua poetis, sed ut imbecillitatis nostræ adminicula sint, et ut discentem et audientem in rem præsentem adducant :" For |