ページの画像
PDF
ePub

NOTES ON THE SECOND BOOK OF

SAMU E L.

CHAP.

HAP. I. 2. This was customary in cafes of deep affliction. Sometimes they carried earth. Bruce fays that he faw fome vanquished rebels in Abyffinia carrying stones upon their heads by way of acknowledging their guilt.

8. Whether this man was really an Amalekite or not, we may infer from the story that it was no extraordina ry thing for fome of that nation, as well of the feven devoted nations, to live with the Ifraelites, conforming, no doubt, to their religion. For had he known that he was at all obnoxious on that account, he would not have voluntarily confessed it.

16. This man, no doubt, thought to give David pleasure by having contributed to the death of his adverfary; and had the fact been as he reprefentéd it, he had done nothing that was justly reprehensible. David makes his guilt to confift in his killing the Lord's anointed.

18. The word bow is not in the LXX.

The book of fasher feems to have been a collection of poetical compofitions, begun perhaps by fome person of that name.

27. This fong abounds with natural and beautiful images, the most proper imaginable to the occafion.

; Ch. II. 1. This was, no doubt, by means of Abia. thar, who was then the high-priest. We cannot but again observe the diftinctnefs of the answers to all the questions that David propofed, when compared with the obfcuirity of the heathen oracles.

4. It does not appear that the rest of the tribes were confulted. Indeed, in all the time of the judges, they had generally acted independently of one another.

There

8. In Ch. viii, 31, he is called Ethbaal. are feveral other names which end indifferently in baal or bosheth. The latter fignifying shame or confusion, and the former being the name of an idol, they might perhaps be confidered by the pious Hebrews as equivalent. Mahanaim was in the tribe of Gad. It was the place in which Jacob had the vifion of angels.

10. He must have been born in the year in which Saul was made king. Paul fays, Acts xiii, 21, that Saul reigned forty years. The two years here mentioned were probably the time that elapsed before there was any war between David and him. Some fuppofe that he did not reign more than two years in all, and that five years paffed before the reft of the tribes acknowledged David, at least in a formal manner.

12. This looks as if the hoftilities began with the partisans of Ifhbofheth. The eleven tribes might think to overpower that of Judah only.

16. The most probable meaning is, that each of the champions on the part of David killed his antago nift.

18. Zeruiah was David's fifter, fo that they were his nephews. The animal here alluded to is a fpecies

of antelope, which is remarkably fwift and nimble ; commonly called gazel.

21. If he wanted to return with fome token of his prowess, he might strip fome other person.

27. Had Abner requested a ceffation of arms before, it would have been granted.

30. From this it is probable that none of David's champions had been killed before the battle. For had they all been killed before, only feven men would have fallen in the battle, which is not probable.

Ch. II. 1. Notwithstanding this contest between the partisans of David and thofe of Ifhbofheth, it does not appear that the war was very deftructive, or that many battles were fought between the. It is alfo evident that they were not molefted by the Philiftines in these seven years, tho' they had defeated and flain Saul. The reafon of this does not appear.

3. This daughter of Talmai was probably a captive taken in the war with the Gefhurites, mentioned 1 Sam. xxvii. 8.

5. The Jews fuppofe that Eglah is only another name for Michal.

7. It was confidered as a great offence even to marry the widow of a king, and aspiring to the kingdom; sa we see in the case of Adonijah; 'who wished to marry Abishag, 2 Kings, ii, 2. Probably, however, Abner had not intended to marry her, and this would give still more offence to the family of Saul.

13. Befides the affection that David had for Michal, his marriage with her would ingratiate him with the Ifraelites in general, who had a respect for Saul and his family.

14 From

14. From this it may feem that David and Ihbofheth were not in a state of hotility at this time. As all that Abner could engage for was to use his influence with fhbotheth to reftore Michal to David, he ap plies to him for that purpose.

18. As it appears to have been generally known that David was appointed by God to fucceed Saul, and he had been very acceptable to the people in general, while Ifhbofheth had nothing to recommend himself befides his being the fon of Saul, it is rather extraordi nary that David fhould not have been univerfa'ly ac knowledged immediately after the death of Saul.

19. The Benjamites would naturally be more attached to the family of Saul on account of his being of their tribe.

22. I his plunder muft have been from fome of the neighbouring nations, with whom the Ifraelites were feldom in a state of peace.

26. Jofephus fays that this was twenty furlongs from Hebron.

27. Besides this revenge of his brother's death for which there was nothing to blame in the condu&t of Abner, Joab might apprehend that he would fupplant him in the esteem of David.

33. He did not die either as a criminal, or a prifoner taken in war, but by the treachery of a wicked

man.

39. David must have been in the power of Joab as much as Ifhbofheth was in that of Abner, to condemn his conduct as he did, and yet not be able to punish him for it.

VOL. I.

Kk

Ch. IV.

Ch. IV. 2. It was then in the hands of the Philistines.

3. Where this Gittaim was is not known.

12. This behaviour of David was equally juft and politic, as it would tend to conciliate the friends of the houfe of Saul. This cruel punishment is common in the Eaft. Lady Wortley Montague fays that if a Turkish minifter difpleafe the people, they cut off his head, feet, and hands, and throw them before the palace gate.

Ch. V. 2. As they were acquainted with the defignation of David to be king, it is extraordinary that they fhould not have come to him before.

5. He must have made this conqueft of Jerufalem in the first year of his reign over all Ifrael.

5-6 Dr. Kennicot has taken much pains with this paffage, and after a very accurate difcuffion, and a comparison of it with the parallel paffage in 1 Chron. xi, 7, &c. fuppofes the following to have been the original fenfe.

[ocr errors]

And they spake unto David saying. Thou shalt not come hither, for the blind and the lame shall keep thee of, faying David fhall not come hither. But David took the strong hold of Zion which is the city af David, and David said on that day, whosoever first smiteth the Je. busites, and through the subteraneous passage reacheth the blind and the lame which are hated of David's soul (because the blind and the lame continued to say he shall not come into this house) shall be head and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was head i, e. captain general. .

16. Here

« 前へ次へ »