2 Samuel 8
DOYLY2 Samuel 8:2
- — measured them with a line, &c.] Having conquered the whole country, he took an exact survey of it, laying level their strong holds and fortified places. Bp. Patrick.
— with two lines &c.] It means, that he divided the country into three parts, condemning two of them to be destroyed; and preserving one, that the country might not be quite dispeopled. This severity he exercised for the implacable enmity shewn by the Moabites against the Israelites. Thus was fulfilled the prophecy of Balsam, Numb. xxiv. 17. Bp. Patrick. These words seem to allude to a custom amongst the kings of the East, when they were thoroughly incensed against any people: namely, to make the captives 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 (determined sometimes by lot) for life or for death. Stackhouse.
2 Samuel 8:3
- — Hadadezer, — king of Zobah.] It appears from 2 Sam. x. 19, that Hadadezer had several kings tributary to him; and it is probable, that he was the most powerful prince of those parts. From comparing together the several texts of Scripture where the kingdom of Zobah is mentioned, it seems clear that it lay on the borders of Naphtali and the half tribe of Manasseh beyond Jordan, and so between the land of Israel and the river Euphrates, stretching from the neighbourhood of the Ammonites to the land of Hamath. Dr. Wells.
— to recover his border at the river Euphrates.] In the parallel place at 1 Chron. xviii. 3, the words are, “to establish his dominion by the river Euphrates.” He wished to extend his dominions to the Euphrates; and Vol. I.
- — the kindness of God] That is, great kindness, or the kindness that he solemnly before God promised to Saul, and especially to Jonathan. Dr. Wells. “That I may shew the kindness of God unto him;” that is, “that I may treat him kindly with God’s assistance.” Houbigant.
and maketh Ziba his farmer. CHAP. IX, X. David’s messengers abused by Hanun. Before CHRIST about 1640.
kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.
2 Samuel 8:4
- — a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen.] The word “chariots” is supplied from 1 Chron. xviii. 4, in which book many things are explained, which are here briefly related: the number of horsemen too, there, is stated at 7000, instead of 700. Bp. Patrick.
— and David houghed all the chariot horses.] Agreeably to a general precept of the law in Deut. xvii. 16, and to a special command to Joshua, chap. xi. 6. See the notes on those two places. When David had taken a thousand chariots with their horses, by destroying nine out of ten, he shewed plainly that he had no thoughts of raising a military force of this kind. Probably he retained the others for his state, and might do it lawfully, without incurring the guilt of “multiplying horses;” which are the terms in which the law is conceived. Certain it is, he made no use of them in war, and so far he complied with the true sense and spirit of the law. Bp. Sherlock.
- — shaved off the one half of their beards.] This was one of the highest indignities that the malice of man could invent in those countries, where all people thought their hair the greatest ornament: insomuch that they never shaved their heads or their beards, except in case of mourning; and even in that case it was forbidden to the Israelites, Levit. xix. 27; Deut. xiv. 1. Thus when the Ammonites had caused one half of their beards to be shaven, they abhorred to cut the other; which made them look ridiculously. It was one of the most infamous punishments of cowardice in Sparta, that those who turned their backs in the day of battle were obliged to appear abroad with one half of their beards shaved, and the other half unshaved. It is still a great mark of infamy among the Arabs to cut off the beard. Many people would prefer death to this kind of treatment. As they would think it a grievous punishment to lose the beard, they carry things so far as to beg for the sake of it; as, “By your beard,” “God preserve your blessed beard:” and when they would express the value of any thing, they say, It is worth more than his beard. Bp. Patrick, Harmer.
— cut off their garments] The Hebrews, like other Eastern nations, wore long flowing garments; so that scarcely any thing could be conceived more disgraceful, than the cutting off their clothes, and thus exposing their persons. Dr. Chandler.
2 Samuel 8:5
- — The Syrians of Damascus] The Syrians who dwelt in and near Damascus. We do not read in Scripture of a king of Damascus till the reign of Solomon. It is probable that Damascus was at this time tributary to Hadadezer; and that the kingdom of Damascus may have been one and the same with the kingdom of Zobah, which formerly had Zobah, and afterwards Damascus, for its seat of empire. Dr. Wells.
2 Samuel 8:6
6.—saw that they stank before David.] Saw that they had highly provoked David, (Dr. Wells,) and were become very odious to him. Bp. Patrick.
— the Syrians of Beth-rehob.] Beth-rehob, or Rehob, seems to have been situated in the north part of the tribe of Asher, on the west of Laish, or Dan, which is said at Judg. xviii. 28. to be “in the valley that lieth by Beth-rehob.” Thus it was within the land of Canaan; and the inhabitants are here called Syrians, either because the Syrians had really dispossessed the Canaanites, or because the inhabitants, although Canaanites, were in confederacy with the Syrians, and were therefore considered as Syrians by the Israelites. Dr. Wells.
2 Samuel 8:9
- — Toi king of Hamath] The city Hamath was probably the same as that called Epiphania by the Greeks. The kingdom of Hamath appears to have extended itself from the land of Canaan southward, to the city of Hamath northward, and how much higher is uncertain; and from the coast of the Mediterranean sea westward, to the kingdom of Damascus (or Syria more properly called) eastward. Dr. Wells.
9.—that the front of the battle was &c.] That the enemy was drawn up, so as to have a double front against him, the Syrians being before him, and the Ammonites behind him. Dr. Wells.
2 Samuel 8:12
12.—play the men] Fight like valiant men. Dr. Wells.
2 Samuel 8:13
- — valley of salt.] Either the Salt sea, otherwise called the Dead sea; (Dr. Wells;) or a valley with salt springs in the country of Edom. Bp. Patrick.
— being eighteen thousand men.] The word “being” should not be inserted in our translation: he slew 18,000 men, who were Edomites, not Syrians, as we read expressly at 1 Chron. xviii. 12. Bp. Patrick.
- — and was lame on both his feet.] See the cause of his lameness related at 2 Sam. iv. 4. The conduct here detailed of David, in taking care of Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, his dear friend, and giving him all that belonged to Saul, shews that he was a man of great equity and uprightness, as well as kind and affectionate. He would not suffer Mephibosheth to be deprived of that which justly belonged to him; he preserved in the midst of his prosperity a tender remembrance of Jonathan, his intimate friend, and religiously performed his promise of taking care of his family. From hence we learn, that promises ought to be religiously observed; that the duties of friendship are sacred and inviolable; that true and sincere friends remember those for whom they have affection even after death; and that they express their affection to them by their care of their posterity. Further, the example of David, in doing good to Mephibosheth, who was left destitute, and at the same time weak and infirm, teaches us, that those who are in prosperity should always look on those who are injured and afflicted; and that we should ever be ready to comfort the miserable, and to do good to all. Ostervald.
Chap. X. ver. 2. — as his father shewed kindness] In what this kindness consisted, is not related: probably in offering him protection and assistance while persecuted by Saul. Bp. Patrick,
CHAP. X.
2 Samuel 8:16
- — recorder;] This word in our translation is given, in the marginal note, remembrancer, or writer of chronicles; an employment of no mean estimation in the Eastern world, where it was customary with kings to keep daily registers of all the transactions of their reigns: whoever discharged this trust with effect, it was necessary, should be let into the true springs and secrets of action, and consequently be received into the greatest confidence. Dr. Delaney.
16.—Hadarezer] He had before been called Hadad-ezer, chap. viii. 3. The two Hebrew letters which correspond to d and r are so similar, that they are very easily mistaken by transcribers. Dr. Delaney.
— beyond the river:] Euphrates, which was the bound of their territories eastward. Bp. Patrick.
— Helam:] This Helam is probably thought to be the same with a place called Alamatha, mentioned by Ptolemy. Dr. Wells.
2 Samuel 8:17
- — the scribe;] The publick secretary, one who registered all publick acts and decrees. Bp. Patrick, Dr. Wells.
2 Samuel 8:18
- — Cherethites and the Pelethites;] Probably the constant guards about David’s person, his household troops. Who they were, and why so called, is variously conjectured: they were probably named either from the place of their birth, or of their residence, or perhaps from their captain or commander. Stackhouse.
The Cherethites and Pelethites were the body guard who constantly attended the person of the Jewish king. They had a peculiar commander over them, and were selected as men of robust bodies and of approved fidelity. It is probable they were selected out of a particular people or family: for the Cherethites were a
people inhabiting a part of Palestine; and the Pelethites, it is supposed, were a family in Israel, for we find two of the name of Peleth mentioned in Scripture, one of the tribe of Reuben, another of Judah. Their arms, it is supposed, were bows, arrows, and slings. The number of them may be conjectured from the targets and shields of gold which Solomon made, which were 500, and for the use of his guard. They were properly the king’s domesticks, and lay in a guard chamber, at the entrance of the palace, to be ready at the least notice, and on the most sudden occasions. Lewis.
Chap. IX. ver. 1. — Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul.] David was not only a wise and good prince in publick administration, but a faithful and generous friend in private life. As he had great obligations to Jonathan, neither the splendour of his victories, nor the pleasures of prosperity, could make him unmindful of his covenant and oath with his former friend. Therefore, he had no sooner established peace with his enemies, than he inquired, if he could shew kindness to any of Saul’s house. This was great generosity, to be thus solicitous for the welfare of an enemy’s family, and to form the resolution of advancing to riches and honour any surviving branch of it, without considering whether such a step might prove dangerous to his own security. Dr. Chandler.
2 Samuel 8:19
19.—when all the kings &c.] Thus the arms of David were blessed, and God accomplished the promises which he had made to Abraham, and renewed to Joshua, Gen. xv. 18; Josh. i. 2, 4. Thus, in the space of nineteen or twenty years, David had the good fortune to finish gloriously eight wars, all righteously undertaken, and all honourably terminated. What glory for the monarch of Israel, had not the splendour of this illustrious era been obscured by a complication of crimes, (see the next chapter,) of which no one could have supposed him capable! Dr. Delaney.
The period which had now elapsed of David’s reign comprehends a space of about twenty years; during which he had waged several wars, all righteously begun and successfully ended. He had fought no battle during that period which he did not win, and assaulted no city which he did not take. In a civil war of five years’ continuance he never once lifted up his sword against a subject; and at the end of it, he punished no rebel, he remem-