2 Samuel 8

him a great king, but promised his posterity, and at last tho Lord Christ, should sit upon his throne. So Abarbinel himself expounds these words, a great while to come: intimating, saith ho, tho Messiah, the son of David. And is this the manner of men, O Lord God?] Ho acknowledges there was no examplo of such kindness to bo found in this world: where kingdoms aTe not perpetuated, as Abarbinel observes; but this is the mauner of angels, who always continue in their dignity. And with two lives measured he to put to death.’] He divided the country into three equal parts; condemning two of them to be destroyed. And with one line he saved alive.] A third part he preserved, that he might not be quite dispeopled. This severity, the Jews say, he exercised because they had slain his parents, and his brethren, whom he committed to the custody of the king of Moab during his exile, (1 Sam. xxii. 3, 4.) But, in truth, because the Moabites had always been implacable encfities to the Israelites: theirkindness to David, beforcmeritioned, proceeding from their hatred to Saul. Andso the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought gifts.] And paid David a constant tribute, which continued all his days, and in the reign of Solomon: and after the kingdom -was divided, it was paid to the kings of Israel; till after the death of Ahab they refused to pay it, as we read 2 Kings iii. 4, 5. kingdom of Sobali lyirig about Palmyra, he takes the city called Berothai to be the same with that which Ptolemy calls BapaSiyia in Arabia Deserta; which is very remote from Libanus, (par. ii. Hierozoicon, lib. Vi. cap. ult.) Vcr. J). Jflien Toi king of Haniath htard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer.] This city was also in Syria, and was called afterward Epiphania, as St. Jerome says, and lay north of Judea. (Sec Bochart, in his Phaleg. lib. iv. cap. 37.) Vcr. 10. Tfieu Toi sent Joram his son.] Called Hadoram, 1 Chron. xviii. 10. Unto king David.] At Jerusalem, I suppose.. t To salute him, and bless him’.’] To congratulate his good success in the war with Hadadezer; and to wish him continued prosperity. Because he had fought against Hadadezer, and smitten him (for Hadadezer had wars with Toi).] And was too hard for him. And Joram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass.] As a present to king David: whose friendship he sought by this~embassy. urim and thummim, God was pleased to give him no answer; but Zadok inquiring, had an answer. Whereupon David concluded the Spirit of God was gone from Abiathar/and lhat it was time to fulfil the prophecy against the house of Eli: and so thrust him out of his office. For which they have no other ground but this, that David spake first to Zadok, chap. xv. of this book, ver. 24.. (See J.Wagenseil upon Sota, p. 1G08, 1G09.) And Seraiah was the scribe J] Secretary of state, as. we now speak; tfc, as others imagine, clerk of the council, who set down all acts and decrees; others^ the keeper^of the’public accounts.. But the Hebrew word sopher (which we translate scribe) importing something of learning (as the word scribe in the New Testament doth), I take him to have, been his prime counsellor in the law, who always attended him. Constantine I/Empcreur thinks there were two sorts of scribes, an ecclesiastical and a civil; and here understands the latter: and would have him signify no more than the muster-master of the army. (See his Annot. on Bertram de Repub. Jud. p. 383, &c.)

2 Samuel 8:1

JjlND after that it came to pass, that Davidsmote the Philistines, and subdued them. In the beginning of his reign they invaded him twice, (v. 17. 22.) But now David invaded their country, and made a conquest of it: and brought it in subjection to the Israelites. And David took Metheg-Ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.] That is, the famous city of Gath, and the territories thereof (as it is expounded, 1 Chron. xviii. 1.) which is called Metheg-Ammah, because it stood upon Mount Ammah: and was as a bridle to the whole country, whereby it was kept in obedience. So our translators understand the word Metheg in the margin of our Bibles. But R. Solomon takes it for a goad, or a staff; this city domineering over tlie Philistines. For we read of no king in any of their other cities: either in Gaza, or Ashdod, or Ekron, or Askelon; but only in this: where Achish formerly reigned, but, it is likely, was dead. There are several other interpretations in Bochart’s Hierozoicon, lib.ii. cap. 18. par. i.

2 Samuel 8:2

And he smote Moab. Now was fulfilled the prophecy of Balaam, Numb. xxiv. 17. And measured them with a line.] Having conquered the whole country, he took an exact survey of every part of it. Casting them to the ground.] Laying level their strong holds and fortified places.

2 Samuel 8:3

And David smote also Iladadezer, the son of Rehob. Who is called also Hadarczer: for the change of these two letters, daleth and resch, is very frequent, as Bochartus hath shewn in many instances, par, ii. Hierozoicon, lib. ii. cap. 7. Nicolaus Damascenus, in a fragment of his, recorded by Josephus, (lib. vii. Antiq. cap. 6.) simply calls him Adad: which was a common name of the kings of Syria: who, according to the manner of the eastern princes, took their titles from the celestial bodies, as Sir John Marsham observes; and Adad was the name of the most glorious of them, viz. the sun, as Macrobius tells us: who truly saith, it signifies units, one. King of Zobah.] Zobah was a part of Syria, whose eastern border was Euphrates, as the western was the land of Canaan, and the kingdom of Damascus. It is frequently called Aram-Zobah in Scripture; of which Bochartus, in his Phaleg. lib. ii. cap. 7. where he observes the nearness of Zobah to Judea, from the frequent wars the Israelites had with that people, in the days of Saul, 1 Sam. xiv. 47, and David, chap. x. of this book; and Solomon, 2 Chron. viii. 3. and they of Damascus came to help them, which is a sign they were near them (ver. 5. of this chapter), and Rezin fled from thence to Damascus, (1 Kings xi. 24.) And especially be observes, that the cities Solomon built in the wilderness, viz. Palmyrene, and others, (1 Kings ix. 17, 18.) are said to be in Hamath, 2 Chron. viii. 4. which shews the situation of Zobah. As he went to recover his border at Hie river Euphrates.] That is, as David went to extend the limits of his kingdom (according to the ancient prophecy, Gen. xv. 18.) towards the river Euphrates, he smote this king, who came “out, perhaps, to oppose him. See 1 Chron. xviii. 3. where it is said, he went to establish his dominions by the river Euphrates: which seems to relate to David, not to Iladadezer.

2 Samuel 8:4

And David took from him a thousand chariots. The word chariot is not in the Hebrew: but it is well. supplied by our translators, out of 1 Chron. xvi. 4. in which book many things are explained, which are briefly related here. And seven hundred horsemen.] Here again is -an ellipsis, as in the foregoing words: for in 1 Chron. xviii. 4. it is said seven thousand. But as after a thousand something is to be understood, viz. chariots: so after seven hundred something is to be understood, viz. captains (as Abarbinel explains it), under whom a great many others served; so that commanders and soldiers made, in all, seven thousand* Such an ellipsis is observed in this very book, v.. 8. tvhosoever smites the Jebusites, and the blind, and the lame, he. It is not said what shall be their reward; which is plainly mentioned 1 Chron. xi. G. where it is said, he shall be chief. (See I/Empereur on Bava-kama, cap. 7. sect. 7.) • And twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the chariot horses.] Hero again is the same ellipsis, for, there is no word in the Hebrew for horses. Yet the meaning can be nothing else, but that he cut the hamstrings of the horses that drew their chariots, and made them unserviceable hereafter. (See Josh. xi. 9.) Thus, in x. 18. David is said to have slain seven hundred chariots; that is, the horses of so many chariots: and in Psal. lxviii. 18. by the chariots of the Lord, some understood horsemen: and lxxvi. 6. the chariot and horse, he; thatis, as well the horses that drew the chariot, as they that rode in it. (See Bochartus, in his Hieroz. par. i. lib. ii. cap. 6.) - But’reserved of them for a hundred chariots.] For his guard, I suppose, not for. war: God having commanded them not to multiply horses, Deut. xvii. 16. (See thpre.)

2 Samuel 8:5

And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah. For they were neighbours to him, as I observed on ver. 3. David slew of the Syrians of Damascus twenty thousand men.] Which facilitated the conquest -of their country: which follows in the next verse.

2 Samuel 8:6

Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus. Aram-Damasek, which we translate Syria of Damascus, was-that part of Syria which lay between Libanus and Antilibanus; whose chief city was Damascus, situated in a valley called by several names in Scripture, as Bochartus notes; viz. Hoba, Gen. xiv. 15. the valley of Aven, and •Beth-eden, i. e* the place of pleasure, Amos i. 5. and Hadrach, Zech. ix. 1. It was watered by five rivers; the two principal of which descended from Mount Hermor, viz. Abana and Pharphar, (2 Kings v. 12.) The last of which ran by the walls of Damascus; the other ran through it, and divided the city into two parts. * » And the Syrians became servants to David, and brought gifts.] In token of their subjection to him. And. the Lord preserved David tvhitjiersoever he went.] Kept him from all the dangers to which he was exposed in these wars. * >

2 Samuel 8:7

And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, -and brought them to Jerusalem. The Hebrew particle el y which we translate on, may better *be translated with; that is, in the custody of Hadadezer’s servants, who were officers in his treasury: for it is not likely they brought them into the field of battle. *

2 Samuel 8:8

And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, David took exceeding much brass. These two cities are called by very different names in 1 Chron. xviii. 6. though perhaps of the same signification in the language of that country, with these in the Hebrew language. Or there were four cities, perhaps, from whence he took much brass; two here mentioned, and two in the book of Chronicles. It is the opinion of some learned men, that these citieswere situated at the foot of the JVIpunt Libanus, between Emath and Damascus: which mount, they say, abounded with brass. But Bochartus could find no mention of the brass of Libanus in any ancient or modern writer. And the 2U2

2 Samuel 8:11

Which also king David did dedicate unto the Lord. As he did what he took from Hadadezer. " With the silver and gold that he had dedicated of all 2>eople that he had subdued] These words seem’ to import, that he was so far from multiplying silver and gold to himself, (which Moses forbade, Deut! xvii.TG.) that he put all this spoil, or the greatest part “of it, into God’s treasury: for the building of the temple, which he’designed, and his son was to accomplish, (vii. 13.)

2 Samuel 8:12

Of Syria, and ofMoab, and of the children of Amnion, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah:. Here he reckons up all the countries, besides Hadadezer’s, from whence he brought spoil to the treasury of God. • Vcr. 13. And David gat him a name tohen he returned from’ smiting the Syrians’.] His victory” over that’ people, (mentioned ver. 5.) when they came to succour Hadadezer, gained him a great reputation, “as a potent prince, and a mighty warrior.’. * In the valley of Salt, being eighteen thousand men.] There is nothing in the Hebrew answering to the word being: which therefore should be translated, m the valley of Salt eighteen thousand men. That is, he slew of the Edomites so many, besides the two-and-twenty thousand of the Syrians. So we read expressly, 1 Chron. xviii. 12; and in the title of the sixtieth Psalm it is said, they were Edomites,; not Syrians, who were slain in this valley.’ Only in that place of the Psalms, there is mention of no’more than twelve thousand slain: which makes’ some think it speaks of a distinct battle from this. But Abishai, who began the’fight, perhaps, slew six thousand, and then Joab, coming in with his reserve, slew twelve thousand more; which, in all, make eighteen thousand. By the valley of Salt, Epiphanius understands’the Dead Sea, which Avas formerly a famous valley, or rather it was a valley near that sea. But neither of these opinions has any good foundation, as Sal- -masius shews: who takes this valley of Salt to have been’in the country of Edom, where this battle was fought; and to be called by this name,’ either from the salt springs which were therein, or from the salt that was digged up there. (Sec his Exercit. Pliniana;, cap. 35. p. G13, G14.) Vcr. 14. And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons.] Having conquered the whole country, he garrisoned the strongest places in it, with his own men; to keep them in subjection to him. Some of the Jews translate these words, he put captains or commanders in Edom; that is, great men to govern’ them, and, as his deputies, to keep them under and raise tributes, &c. And the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went.] God’s providence continued still over him to protect him, as formerly, (ver. 6*) in all these expeditions.

2 Samuel 8:15

And David reigned over Israel. He had no disturbance at home, whilst he made wars abroad: but all Israel obeyed him.” And David executed judgment and justice to all his people.] And having finished his foreign wars, he applied himself to the civil government of his people, according to the law of God: which he executed duly by himself, or by his judges. Or rather, while he was engaged in so many wars abroad, he did not neglect his people at home; but took care that justice should be administered to them. And so he performed both parts of such a king as the Israelites desired, (1 Sam. viii. 20.)’* ■ ■ Ver. 1G. And Joab, the so?i of Zeruiah, ivas over the host.] According to the promise made to that person, who should first enter tlie strong fort of Zion, when he assaulted it; (1 Chron. xi.G.) And Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, was recorder.] The Hebrew word mazkir, importing something of keeping ill memory, or bringing to remembrance, moved our trans: latortf to render it tecbrder, or remembrancer, as if he wrote the acts of every day, which afterward w r ere di 1 - gested into annals. But this sure was not so considerable * an employment as to make him that had it the prime civil officer in the kingdom, as Joab was themilitary. Therefore Victorinus Strigelius takes him to have been the chancellor of the kingdom: which is more likely than their opinion, who take him for the master of requests, who presented” petitions, and put the king in mind of them. Ver; 17. And Zadok, the son of Ahitnb, and Ahimelech, the so7t of Abiathar, were the priests.] These two were the chief of the family of priests; next to the high-priest, which was Abiathar: called second priests in 2 Kings xv. 18.’ The former was of the family of Eleazar, (1 Chron. vi. 5.) the other of Ithainar. And Zadokis put first, as more acceptable toDavid than the other: and therefore, it is likely, constantly attended at court; the family of Eli now beginning to decline, as in the next reign the other was advanced to the high-priesthood, and Abiathar and his posterity quitethrown out. • (See Selden, lib. i. de Success, ad Pontific. cap. 4.) Cornelius Bertram hath a peculiar conceit, that as Abiathar was always acknowledged by David as God’s high-priest, and accordingly took care of the ark at Jerusalem, so’ Zadok, as principal priest among the rest, was set over the tabernacle at Gibcon. But Abarbiners opinion is farthest from truth, that Zadok, was now high-priest, and Abiathar but his vicar: which is directly against the Scripture, which shews Abiathar to. have been high-priest until the days of Solomon. Yet to justify this, he thinks fit to tell a fabulous story out of Joma, and other books, which say that David removed Abiathar from his office when he fled from Absalom. For commanding him to inquire of God for liira, by

2 Samuel 8:18

And Benaiah, the son ofJehoiada, was over the CkeretMtes and the Pelethites. Or, the Crethites and the Plethites, as some pronounce these words. What they were is variously conjectured. The most idle conceit is that of some of the Jewish doctors, who take them for the members of the great Sanhedrin, nay, for. itrim and thummim. (See Seldcn, lib. ii. de Synedr. cap. 15. p. C01. and cap. 16. p. 668.) Certain it is that they were soldiers, as appears from xv. 18. xx. 7. 1 Kings i. 34. where they arc mentioned as present at the proclaiming king Solomon against Adonijah: which could not have been done safoly without some armedforce; and if they were not the persons, there were none. Yet they were not common soldiers, but the constant guards of David’s person; like the praetorian bands among the Romans. So Joscphus calls them uu)fiaTO(j>vXaKtc, keepers of the body, who never departed 4rom the place where the king was: as we may be satisfied by this, that they had a peculiar commander, and were not under Joab, the captain of the host; but are distinguished from his soldiers, xx. 6, 7. Some make them men of a gigantic stature, but I know no ground for that; though, no doubt, they were proper men, as we speak, robust, and of tried fidelity: who, in the rebellion against David, did not desert David, but stuck close to him, (xv. 18.). It is further probable, that they were selected out of a certain nation or family. For the Cherethites inhabited part of Palestine, and were indeed the same with the Philistines, as I observed upon 1 Sam. xxx. 14. and see Zcph. ii. 5. The Pclcthitcs, it is likely, were a family in Israel: for we find two of the name of Peleth mentioned in Scripture: one of the tribe of Reuben, Numb. xvi. 1.. another of Judah, 1 Chron. ii. 33. Their arms were bows and arrows, and slings, if we may believe the Chaldec interpreter, who calls them archers and slingers: asProcopius Gazoeus calls them jaculatores et sagittarios. Which may be confirmed by this conjecture, that the Philistines having sorely galled the Israelites, in the fatal battle with Saul, by their archers, David took care not only to have his people instructed in the use of the bow, but also procured some archers from the Cherethites, who were a part of the Philistines, to be his guard: as some princes now get the Switzcrs. (See my notes upon 1 Sam. xxxi. 3. and upon the first chapter of this book, ver. 18.) The number of them may be probably gathered from the targets and shields of gold that Solomon made, which were five hundred, (1 Kings x. 16, 17.) and were for the use of his guard, (2 Chron/ xii. 9 — 11.) and kept in the guard-chamber.; They that would see more of them, may look into a little treatise of Opitius, which is wholly upon this subject: and Fortunatus Scacchus treats largely of them in his JVIyrothecium, iii. cap. 16-^-18. where he hath this singular opinion, p. 181. that the Cherethites were inferior to the Pelcthites: but, I think, with reason concludes, that they were the king’s domestics, and lay in his palace, or about it, in the night: which. he gathers from 1 Kings i. 33. where JDavid bids Nathan, and Zadok, and Benaiah, take with them the servants of their lord, and make Solomon king; arid’ accordingly they took the Cherethites and the Pelethites with them; (verJ 38.) and from the story of that brave man Uriah, who would not go to his own house to his wife, when Joab and thehost lay in the field; but went and slept at the door of the king’s house With the servants of his lord; that is, with these Cherethites and Pe^ lethites, (chap. xi. of this book, ver. 9.) And David’s sons were chief rulers.) So the Hebrew w T ord cohen often signifies, not only a priest, but a prince; as many learned men have observed: particularly Hackspan, in his Miscellanea, lib. i.“cap;5. sect. 15. but especially Selden, lib. ii. de Synedr. cap. 16. p. 671, &c. where he shews, that the Hebrew word signifies any minister, either of God or of man: as, in the twentieth chapter of this book, (ver. 26.) Ira, the Jairite, is said to be a cohen, which wc translate chief ruler, about David; and so the Cbaldee, and the Spanish Jews, a principal officer. But by the law, neither he’nbr David’s sons could be priests. There can be, therefore, no doubt of this, that they were the principal officers in “the court of David, the prime ministers of his^ household: such as, among us, are the lord high-chamberlain, steward, treasurer, &c. as appears from.l Chron. xviii. 17. where this matter is thus explained, they were at the hand of the king: waiting on him, as chief officers in his court, or, a$ Cornelius Bertram explains it, " publicos et primarios ministros,” the public and principal ministers of state. (See Bochartus, lib. ii. Canaan, cap. 17.) And this was the reason, they say, of Absalom’s discontent, that he was not one of these Av\apx al >’ or > had not a place, according to his mind.

And can David say more unto thee?. There was nothing he could desire beyond this. (See 1 Chron. xvii. 18.) For thou, Lord God, knoivest thy servant.’] But he thought he might leave all to God, who loved him and took caro of him (for that is to know him) as his faithful servant. And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying. The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee.] Yet he did not desire it merely for his own sake; but that God might be glorified in what he did for him: and men might always acknowledge, that the God of Israel was the Lord of heaven and earth; and faithful in his promise to tho house of David. TJierefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue before thee for ever:for thou, O Lord God, hast spoken it; and with thy blessing let tlie house of thy servant be blessed for ever.] Since God had been so gracious as to make such promises, and his word could not fail; he grows more confident to repeat his petition, which he had made before. Which is not the vain repetition, condemned by our Saviour: but proceeded from the abundant affection of a heart devoutly affected; which could not sufficiently acknowledge the goodness of God, and express his full assurance that he would fulfil his word. To this purpose Abarbinel; David did not multiply prayer for w r aut of faith, because he distrusted, the power’ of God; or thought his wili was mutable; or that he doubted of his prophecy concerning him: but rather, this shews that he steadfastly rested assured of all this.

For thy words sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things. For God, he knew, would fulfil his own promise made by Samuel and by Nathan: to the making of which he had no other motivo but his own good will; from whence alono all the great things proceeded which he had done for him. To makethy servant know them.] That David might know how much God loved him by what he did for him.

Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God. He could not therefore but acknowledge his omnipotent power iand the greatness of his goodness, which bestows such benefits upon unworthy creatures. For there is none like the Lord, neither is there any god besides thee.’] According to what Hannah had said in her song, wherein she prophesied of him, (1 Sam. ii. 2.) According to all that we have heard -with our ears.] Which their forefathers had reported of the wonders he had done, by Moses and Joshua, and in the time of the Judges.

And what onenaiion in tlie earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people unto himself. He seems to imitate the words of Moses in Deut. iv. 7. 34. And to make him a name] That all the world might know how powerful he was. And to do for you great things, and terrible, for thy land.] To introduce them into the land of Canaan. Before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, fromthe nations and their gods?] Some understand by gods their rulers: but their gods were no more able to save the nations whom he drove out, than their kings and rulers were.

For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, Lord, art become their God. This is the sum of the covenant (as P. Martyr observes) between God and them: that they should be his obedient people, and he would bless them, and bestow all mannerof good things upon them.

And now, O Lord God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said. After his thankful acknowledgments, he makes his humble prayer to God, that he would perform his promise to him. For though he did not doubt of it, yet it became him to make it his request.

For thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saijing, I will build thee a house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.] That he might not be thought too bold in his request, he professes he should not have taken this confidence, if God himself had not encouraged it, by his own most gracious promise to him.

And now, O Lord God, thou art that God, and thywordsbe true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant. He professes his belief of the unchangeableness of God’s nature, and of the truth of all that he said: upon which he relied with an unshaken faith.