21 and he also was born to the giant [or, Rapha]. And when he defied [or, reproached'] Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimeah the brother of David slew him. 22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants. David's song of thanksgiving. 1 Sam. 17. 10, 25, 26. 1 Sam. 16. 9, Sham mah. 1 Chr. 20. 8. • Ps. 60. 12 parallel, P. 18 22 AND David P spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the Ex. 15. 1: Juåg. 5. 1; LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand, title; 34. 19. 2 of Saul: and he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; 3 The God of my rock;-in him will I trust: He is my 'shield, and the "horn of my salvation,—my hightower, and my 'refuge, My saviour; thou savest me from violence. 4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: So shall I be saved from mine enemies. When the waves [or, pangs] of death compassed me, 5 The floods of ungodly men made me afraid; 6 The sorrows of hell compassed me about;-the snares of death prevented me; 7 In my distress I called upon the LORD,-and cried to my God: And he did hear my voice out of his temple,-and my cry did enter into his ears. с 8 Then the earth shook and trembled ; The foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth. 9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, And fire out of his mouth devoured :-coals were kindled by it. 10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down ;-and darkness was under his feet. 11 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: And he was seen "upon the wings of the wind. 12 And he made 'darkness pavilions round about him, Dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies. 13 Through the brightness before him-were coals of fire kindled. 14 The LORD 'thundered from heaven,-and the Most High uttered his voice. 15 And he sent out "arrows, and scattered them;-lightning, and discomfited them. 16 And the channels of the sea appeared, The foundations of the world were discovered, At the "rebuking of the LORD,-at the blast of the breath of his nostrils. 17 He sent from above, he took me ;-he drew me out of many waters; 18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, And from them that hated me:-for they were too strong for me. 19 They prevented me in the day of my calamity :—but the LORD was my stay. 20 He brought me forth also into a large place: 21 He delivered me, because he delighted in me. The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: According to the 'cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. 22 For I have "kept the ways of the LORD, And have not wickedly departed from my God. I 23 For all his judgments were before me: And as for his statutes, I did not depart from them. 24 I was also upright before him,-and have kept myself from mine iniquity. 25 Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to my righteousness; According to my cleanness in his eye sight. a 26 With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful, And with the upright man thou wilt show thyself upright. 27 With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; And with the froward thou wilt show thyself unsavoury. 28 And the afflicted people thou wilt save: 29 But thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down. 1 This thanksgiving ode was probably written towards the close of David's reign. It is repeated as Psalm xviii., with a few variations. It is one of the most regular of the inspired poems, and consists of five parts: i. (vers. 2-4), a short introduction of praise to Jehovah; ii. (5 -20), a sublime description of God's power in delivering his servant, the imagery of which is chiefly derived from a terrific storm; iii. (21-28), a brief central portion, announcing the great principle of the Divine government, illustrated in the history of David as well as of others, namely, the administration of mercy with a due regard to the claims of righteousness; iv. (29-46), a more particular exhibition of this in his personal experience; v. (46-51), a short summary, in which he prophetically anticipates the promised 'Seed'—the everlasting King of Israel. For Notes, see Psa. xviii. 30 For by thee I have run through a troop :-by my God have I leaped over a wall. 31 As for God, his way is perfect;- the word of the LORD is tried: He is a buckler to all them that trust in him. 32 For who is God, save the LORD?-and who is a rock, save our God? A 33 God is my strength and power:-and he maketh my way perfect. 34 He maketh my feet 'like hinds' feet:-and "setteth me upon my high places. And thy gentleness hath made me great. 37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me;-so that my feet did not slip. 38 I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; And turned not again until I had consumed them. 39 And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: Yea, they are fallen under my feet. 40 For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: 'Them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me. 41 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, That I might destroy them that hate me. 42 They looked, but there was none to save; Even 'unto the LORD, but he answered them not. 43 Then did I beat them as small "as the dust of the earth: I did stamp them as the mire of the street,-and did spread them abroad. 44 Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, Thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen: • A people which I knew not shall serve me. 45 Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: As soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me. 46 Strangers shall fade away,—and they shall be afraid out of their close places. The LORD liveth;-and blessed be my rock; 47 And exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation. 48 It is God that avengeth me, and that "bringeth down the people under me, Thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: 50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, And I will sing praises unto thy name. A 51 He is the tower of salvation for his king:-and showeth mercy to his anointed, Unto David, and 'to his seed for evermore. Last predictions of David. 23 NOW these be the last words of David. 2 David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, 'The anointed of the God of Jacob,-and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, The Spirit of the LORD spake by me,-and his word was in my tongue. 3 The God of Israel said," the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just,-ruling in the fear of God. 9 4 And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, Even a morning without clouds; As the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. 5 Although my house be not so with God; Yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, Ordered in all things, and sure: For this is all my salvation, and all my desire,—although he make it not to grow.3 6 But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as "thorns thrust away, Because they cannot be taken with hands: 7 But the man that shall touch them--must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; And they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place. 1 The following psalm is probably called 'the last,' as indicating David's last hopes and desires. 2 This is a glowing picture of the rising Sun of truth, the Light of the world; under whose sunshine the beautiful fruits of truth and goodness are formed and ripened. The passage would be better rendered— "There shall be a Righteous One ruling over men, As the light of morning when the sun riseth, Den. 32. 4: Dan. 4. 37; Rev. 15. 3. /P 12. 6; 119. 140; Pro. 30. 5. 51 Sam. 2. 2; Is. 45. 5. 6. A Ex. 15. 2; Ps. 27. 1; 28. 7, 8; 31. 4; Is. 12. 2. i Heb. 13. 21. * Den, 18. 13; Job 22. P Mal. 4. 3. Ps. 18. 32, 39. Ps. 44. 5. Ge. 49. 8: Ex. 23. 27; Jos. 10. 24. Job 27.9: Pro. 1. 28; 2 KL. 13 7; Ps. 35. Is. 10. 6; Mic. 7. 10; y ch. 3. 1; 51: 19. 9, eh. 8. 1-14; Deu. 28. 13: Ps. 2. 8. • Is. 55. 5. b Mic. 7. 17. € Ps. 89. 26. d P. 144. 2. Ps. 140. L Ro. 15. 9. Ps. 144. 10. A Ps. 89. 20. eh. 7. 12, 13; Ps. 89. 29. keh. 7. 8, 9: Ps. 78. 70, 71; 89. 27. 1 Sam. 16. 12, 13; P. 89. 20, Mt. 22. 43: Ac. 2. 25-31; Heb. 3. 7,8; 2 Pet. 1. 21. " eh. 22. 2, 32; Deu. 32. 4, 31. Deu. 16. 18-20. P Ex. 18. 21; 2 Chr. 19. 7-9. Judg. 5. 31; Ps. 89. 36: 110. 3; Pro. 4. 18: T. 60. 19: Mal. 4. 2; R. 21. 23 Deu. 32. 2; Ps 72. 6. eh. 7. 15, 16; Pa. 89. 29; s. 55. 3. f Den. 13. 13. Is. 33. 12. As after rain the herbage from the earth. For is not my house thus with God? For an everlasting covenant he hath made with me.' This should be compared with Psa. ii., lxxii., cx.; and is evidently a prophecy of the Messiah, in his righteous reign, the blessings which he showers on the world, and the punishment of his enemies. 3 Either, 'For shall he not surely make to grow all my salvation and all my desire?" or, But the sons of Belial shall not grow; but shall be all of them as thorns,' etc. 8 David's principal warriors. zor, Joshebbassebet the Tachmomile, head of the three. y see parallel, 1 Chr. 11. 10-41. 1 Chr. 11. 12; 27. 4. see refs. Jos. 10. 10. THESE be the names of the mighty men1 whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: 9 he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time. And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together 10 to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away: he arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil. 11 And after him was 'Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philis-1 Chr. 11. 27. tines were gathered together into a troop [or, for foraging], where was a piece of 12 ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines. But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory. see i Chr. 11. 13, 14. d ver. 10. 1 Chr. 11. 15. 5 ch. 5. 18. 13 And three of the thirty chief [or, the three captains over the thirty] went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and 1 Sam. 22. 1, 14 the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim. And David was then in A an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem. 1 Sam. 22. 4, & 15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of 16 the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate! And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he 17 would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD. And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men. 18 i Le. 17. 10. And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three.1 Chr. 11. 20. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the 19 name among three. Was he not most honourable of the three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three. 20 r And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of 'Kabzeel, who had done many acts," he slew two lionlike men of Moab : he went down also and 21 slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow: and he slew an Egyptian, ” a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him 22 with his own spear. These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the 23 name among three mighty men. He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard. 24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of 25 Beth-lehem, Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, Helez the Paltite, Ira 27 the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushath28 ite, Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, Heleb the son of Baanah, a 29 Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks [or, valleys'] of 'Gaash, Abi-albon 32 the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, Eliahiba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of 33 Jashen, Jonathan, Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of 35 Ahithophel the Gilonite, Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, Igal the son 37 of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, Zelek the Ammonite, Nahari the Beerothite, 1 The following lists differ considerably from those in 1 Chron. xi.; but it is evident that the body of officers would undergo frequent changes by death and otherwise. Of those here mentioned, Asahel and Uriah were already dead, and their places were doubtless filled up by others. In some cases the same person appears under different names, one probably personal, the other titular. However wonderful some of these exploits may be, they must not be judged of by the rules of modern European warfare, in which so much less depends on personal strength and valour. The actions recorded of these men evince not only martial prowess, but also truly generous feeling, elevated sentiment, and nobleness of mind. 2 In 1 Chron. xi. 11, the number is three hundred. 3 This and the next exploit mentioned (vers. 11, 12) occurred probably while David was acting as general under Saul against the Philistines. I Joa. 15 21. Ex. 15 15; I Chr. ture. • ch. 8. 18: 20. 23. P Heh, at command, 1 Sam. 22 14. 9 ch. 2 18 see 1 Cur. 11. 27. ' Dea. 1. 24 4 Either forgetting that the Philistine garrison was there, or not thinking that his followers would attempt to gratify his wish. As Bethlehem was his native town, this water would be well known to him. 5 Thus he would show his concern for the lives of his soldiers, and honour God by pouring out as a drink-offering what he regarded, on account of the risk at which it was procured, as too precious for his own use. 6 Having probably taken shelter in a cave, which was the haunt of a lion. The lion is not now found west of the Euphrates; but it is evident that the Hebrews were well acquainted with this animal, because their language contains no less than seven distinct terms, denoting its varieties according to age or appearance. 7 The Hebrew word which is here translated thirty' is elsewhere rendered captains,' and probably means 'officers' in general. 38 armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah, "Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite, 39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all. b 1 uch. 20. 26. ch. 11. 3, 6 y ch. 21. 1; see parallel, 1 Cur. 21. 1 -27. 4 see I Chr. 21.1; Jam. 1. 13, 14. a 1 Chr. 27. 23. 24. b Judg. 20 1. Numbering of the people; the visitation of pestilence, and its removal. 24 AND again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he 2 moved David against them to say, "Go, number Israel and Judah. For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, 3 that I may know the number of the people. And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord 4 the king delight in this thing? Notwithstanding, the king's word prevailed Ecc. 8. 4. against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, 5 to number the people of Israel. And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river [or, valley] h Pro. 29. 23; Jer. 17.5. Deu. 2. 36; Jos. 13. 9, 16. 18. 29. Jo 19. 47; Judg. 18. 28. 6 of Gad, and toward Jazer: then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim-Num. 32. 1, 3. hodshi [or, nether land newly inhabited]; and they came to Dan-jaan, and about 7 to Zidon, and came to the stronghold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beer8 sheba. So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at 9 the end of nine months and twenty days. And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred see 1 Chr. 21. 5, 6. thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men. 10 And1 Sam. 24. 5. 29. ch. 12. 13. Hos. 14. 2; John 1. "1 Sam. 13. 13, 1 22. 5. 29. 29. And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. David said unto the LORD, 'I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, "take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have 11 done very foolishly. For when David was up in the morning, the word of the 12 LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, Go and say unto David, Sam: 3,1 Chr. Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I 13 may do it unto thee. So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to 14 him that sent me. And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great [or, many]: and "let me not fall into the hand of man.4 15 a 9 see 1 Chr. 21. 12. Le. 26. 17, 36, 37. Le. 26. 16, 25. (Ex. 34. 6, 7: Ps. 103. 8, 13, 14; 119. 156; Mic. 7. 18. see 2 Ki. 13. 3-7; Is. 47. 6; Zech. 1. 15. Num. 16. 46; 1 Chr. 21. 14; 27. 24. y Ex. 12. 23; 2 Ki. 19. 25; 1 Chr. 21. 15. Ge. 6 6; 1 Sam. 15. 11; Jer. 18. 7-10; Joel 2. 13. 14. a1 Chr. 21. 15, Ornan; see ver. 18; 2 Chr. 3. 1. So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy 16 thousand men. And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the 17 LORD was by the threshing-place of Araunah the Jebusite. And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, 'I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? 1 KL. 22. 17. let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house. And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar 19 unto the LORD in the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite. And David, accord20 ing to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded. And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah 18 1 We have here a glimpse of that arrangement in the Divine administration by which one sin brings on another, involving the punishment of both, and subordinating even the interference of the great adversary of the human race to the purposes of God's justice. 2 Whatever might be the exact point of David's criminality, it is plain that this census had a military object, for which reason Joab and the captains of the host' (ver. 4), not the priests, were commissioned to take it. SA frontier town on the river Jabbok, which divided the portion of the tribe of Gad from the Ammonites. 4 David preferred any of those evils which, coming directly from the hand of God, without human interference, would best remind and assure him that the chastisement he was to suffer was gracious in its design, and regulated by mercy in its infliction; and among these he chose that to which he and his family would be as b ver. 10; 1 Chr. 21.17. d John 10. 11, 12 1 Chr. 21. 18, ete. much exposed as the poorest of his subjects. 5 When repentance is attributed to God, it is in a very different sense from that in which the word is used with reference to men. Being himself unchangeable, he always acts towards his creatures on the same principles, treating them according to their disposition and conduct. This necessarily causes an alteration in his procedure, according to the altered relation towards himself in which the sinner is placed by penitence and faith. See also note on Gen. vi. 6. 6 Showing at once his sense of his own guilt, and his interest in his people's welfare. 7 The threshing-floors in the East are round level plots of ground in the open air, where the corn is trodden by the oxen. This is supposed to have been on the summit north-east of Zion, which was afterwards occupied by the temple. And 21 went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground. Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David ❘ said, To buy the threshing-floor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that 22the plague may be stayed from the people. And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments 23 of the oxen for wood. All these things did Araunah, * as a king, give unto the 24 king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God 'accept thee. And see Ge. 23. 8-16 Num. 16. 47–50. 1 KL. 19. 21. & Is. 32. 8. Ge. 23, 13 the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So "David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty1 Chr. 21. 24, 25. 25 shekels of silver. And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel. 1 Had Araunah's offer been accepted, the sacrifice would have been his, not David's. NOTE ON THE CHARACTER OF DAVID. ver. 14: eh. 21. 14; Lam. 3, 32 P ver. 21. David his father had done' (1 Kings xv. 11; 2 Kings But more than this, David's whole character and conduct, with the sad exceptions which he himself bemoaned with the most penitential sorrow, is one on which the mind dwells with the highest admiration. His youthful piety-his lofty and varied genius-his heroic couragehis largeness of heart and tenderness of feeling-his confidence and delight in God, and stedfast adherence to his service and worship, and zeal for his honour,-all these, as displayed in his history and in his writings, form a combination of excellencies both rare and wonderful. In many parts of Scripture, David is presented to us as The par With reference to his lamentable fall, several points are worthy of observation :-his deep sorrow on account of his sin; his unreserved confession of his guilt; his profound humiliation before God and man, even after he had received assurance of pardon from God himself; his respect for his reprover, whom he continued to honour and confide in as long as he lived; and the resignation of his after-life under all the painful chastisements of the Almighty. And that holy Judge who had pronounced his approval of the general tenor of David's life has instructed the sacred historian impartially to record this great sin, with the prophet's severe rebuke, and the many sufferings which clouded his later years. Surely no one, without wilfully perverting this history, can derive from it excuse or encouragement to sin. OF THE KINGS, THE FIRST BOOK OF OTHERWISE CALLED THE THIRD BOOK OF THE KINGS. THE two Books of the Kings originally formed one in the Hebrew but they were divided by the Greek translators, and called the Third and Fourth Books of the Kings; the Books of Samuel being the First and Second. They further develop the leading subjects of the former Books (sec Preface to 1 Samuel), taking up the history of the Hebrew nation at the period of its greatest glory; recording its division into two independent states; and tracing their gradual declension to the time of their subversion. In the history of the monarchy, the various characters of the successive kings, and the general spirit of their government, are faithfully portrayed; together with such of their actions, and such national events, as had an im mediate bearing upon their relation to their Divine Sovereign, and consequently upon the religious state of the people. All this is exhibited in particular connection with the promise given to David (2 Sam. vii. 12-16), which, indeed, furnishes the key to the subsequent history. It is shown that the Lord fulfilled his gracious promise; chastising the seed of David for their sins, and even casting them off, but not for ever. So that the kingdom was not wholly taken from his family for the sin of Solomon (1 Kings xi. 32-37; xii. 20); nor was the nation nor the family extinguished when Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed (2 Kings xxv. 27-30). This view of the special purposes of the history will explain why, in some parts, more prominence is given to the affairs of the ten tribes than to those of the kingdom |