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Verse 1. "At the time when kings go forth to battle."-See the notes on 1 Chron. xx., where the narrative of the war, as given at the beginning of this and the end of the next chapter, is repeated, without any notice being taken of the unhappy transactions in which David was meanwhile involved at Jerusalem. There is much point in the observation, which we find there as here, that although it was the time when kings went forth to battle, David the king of Israel did not go forth, but "remained still at Jerusalem." Whether it was indisposition or self-indulgence that prevented him, does not appear; but the latter is commonly supposed.

2. “In an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed."-He had been taking his afternoon rest. Commentators consider this as a proof of his idleness: but it is not so. In the East, no one abstains from repose during the heat of the day, except those whom imperative necessity constrains to forego the indulgence. During this time the streets are Bearly forsaken, the bustle of business is suspended, and an Oriental town has much of that sort of stillness which we observe in our towns on the Lord's-day during the hours of divine worship. Judging from our own sensations in very warm climates, we should conclude that there is more necessity for such repose than the inhabitants of cool climates can readily perceive. It is also to be recollected that the Orientals rise at day-break, which concurs with the heat of the climate to make repose a want in the afternoon.

"Walked upon the roof of the king's house."-It is usual, towards evening, to resort to the house-top to enjoy the col air. But the Orientals do not properly walk there; they have no idea of walking for enjoyment or exercise; and they regard it as one of the peculiar and inscrutable madnesses of the Europeans to walk to and fro without any present and apparent motive. They may saunter or lounge about a little, which was perhaps what David did; but more generally they sit or recline on mats or carpets. The roofs being flat, a house, in an elevated spot, overlooks many other roofs and interior courts: but prudent persons are cautious of inspecting the proceedings of their neighbs, as, in many places, a man would be thought perfectly justified in shooting a too inquisitive person through the head-a thing which does sometimes happen. Feeling, in our country also, would be very strong against it, as we see from the following anecdote, which we transcribed long ago from Brook, without a reference to the particular work probably the Mute Christian'): "I have read of one Sir William Champney, once living in Tower Street, London, in the reign of King Henry III., who was the first man in England who ever built a turret on the top of his house. that he might the better overlook all his neighbours; but so it fell out, that not long after he was struck blind."

&Go down to thy house."-Detection would have been death to Bathsheba; and David's object was to screen the effects of his own and her criminality, by getting Uriah to go home. It is possible that the latter may have suspected or heard something of the truth. The repeated urgency of the king on this particular point, was alone well calculated to use his suspicions; but the text seems to assign an adequate reason for his refusal, in that high and honourable sense of military duty and propriety which he so forcibly expresses in verse 11.

11. "The ark."—It would seem probable from this, that the ark was with the army; and if so, this will make the second recorded instance of the kind, the first being when the ark was taken by the Philistines. As, however, the pace of the ark was a tent even in Jerusalem, this point remains uncertain.

CHAPTER XII.

1 Nathan's parable of the ewe lamb causeth David
to be his own judge. 7 David, reproved by Na-
than, confesseth his sin, and is pardoned. 15
Livid mourneth and prayeth for the child, while
it lived. 24 Solomon is born, and named Jedi-
dik. 26 David taketh Rabbah, and tortureth
the people thereof.

AND the LORD sent Nathan unto David.
And he came unto him, and said unto him,
There were two men in one city; the one
rich,
h, and the other poor.

2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:

3 But the poor man had nothing, save one ittle ewe lamb, which he had bought and ourished up 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.

4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.

5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing 'shall surely die:

6 And he shall restore the lamb "fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

7¶ And Nathan said to David, Thou art Thus saith the LORD God of Is

the man.

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rael, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own. house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.

12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, "The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

15 And Nathan departed unto his house." And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.

16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David 'fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.

17 And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread

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whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.

20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.

21 Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou dids fast and weep for the child while it wa alive; but when the child was dead, tho didst rise and eat bread.

22 And he said, While the child was ye alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Wh can tell whether God will be gracious to me that the child may live?

23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I sha go to him, but he shall not return to me.

24 And David comforted Bath-sheb his wife, and went in unto her, and lay wit her: and 'she bare a son, and he called hi name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.

25 And he sent by the hand of Natha the prophet; and he called his name "Jedi diah, because of the LORD.

26 And Joab fought against Rabba of the children of Ammon, and took th royal city.

27 And Joab sent messengers to Davi and said, I have fought against Rabbah, an have taken the city of waters.

28 Now therefore gather the rest of t people together, and encamp against t city, and take it: lest I take the city, a 12it be called after my name.

29 And David gathered all the peop together, and went to Rabbah, and foug against it, and took it.

30 13And he took their king's crown fr off his head, the weight whereof was a tal of gold with the precious stones: and was set on David's head. And he broug forth the spoil of the city in great abul

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6 Ecclus. 47. 11. 7 Heb. fasted a fast. 12 Heb. my name be called upon it.

8 Heb. do hurt 131 Chron. 20. 2.

9 Matth. 1.6. 14 Heb. very gTM

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se 1. "There were two men in one city," &c.-See the observations on parables under Judges ix. The leading idea present exquisite parable, which belongs to a higher order of fable than that of Jotham, is strikingly applicable; such things, a detailed and sustained analogy seldom occurs, and is not to be expected. David's crime was 1. even with reference to the comparison only, than as here stated; for not only had he taken the pet-lamb from ner's bosom, but had procured the death of the faithful and devoted owner. But probably a more exact resembetween the parable and the transaction against which it was levelled, would have defeated the purpose of the t, by enabling the king to discover too soon the drift of his parable.

He spared to take of his own flock," &c.-In the notes to Gen. xviii.; Judges iv.; xix., and elsewhere, we have d on the Oriental feeling concerning the duty and honour of entertaining strangers. This obligation is the most atively felt in camps, and in small towns. In large towns, the frequent concourse of strangers and the more ate organization of society, together with the facilities which visiters possess of providing for their own wants, arily operate, with other circumstances, in diminishing their claim upon the hospitality of the inhabitants; h even there such claims are not entirely neglected. We have little doubt that the same difference prevailed tly in the same countries. Now, it is clear, from the mention of flocks quite at hand, that the scene o resent fable is laid in a country town or village, where, as at this day, the principal persons were bound in of honour and duty to provide for the wants of travellers. The ancient usage and feeling on this subject, and still survive in many small towns and villages, we conceive to be strikingly illustrated by what Burckhardt concerning Kerek, a town of 550 families, about twenty-five miles east from the southern extremity of the Dead ad the site of which formed part of David's dominion. The place has eight menzels or medhafes (lodging places) angers." Their expenses are not defrayed from a common purse; but whenever a stranger takes up his lodging of the medhafes, one of the people present declares that he intends to furnish that day's entertainment; and it 1 his duty to provide a dinner or supper, which he sends to the medhafe, and which is always in sufficient quanra large number. A goat or lamb is generally killed on the occasion, and barley for the guest's horse is also ed. There are Turks who every other day kill a goat for this hospitable purpose....Their love of entertaining ers is carried to such a length, that not long ago, when a Christian silversmith, who came from Jerusalem to for the ladies, and who, being an industrious man, seldom stirred from his shop, was on the point of departure two months' residence, each of the principal families of the town sent him a lamb, saying that it was not just e should lose his due, though he did not choose to come and dine with them. The more a man expends upon ests, the greater is his reputation and influence; and the few families who pursue an opposite conduct are deby all the others." (Travels in Syria,' p. 384.)

'I gave...thy master's wives into thy bosom."-In the East, a new monarch acquires as a part of his succession the disposal of the female establishment of his predecessor. If the former king was his father, he of course acts is the women with proper respect; but if only distantly, or not at all, related to him, custom opposes no restriction right over them. In the early Hebrew practice there seems however to be a peculiarity which requires to be , as the explanation of two or three rather difficult texts depends upon it. The custom, as defined by Michaelis, t the king not only succeeded in the above general sense to his predecessor's haram; but that the establishment . 113 VOL. 11

Q

of wives and concubines (secondary wives) was considered a sort of regalia belonging to the kingly state, the taking full possession of which formed an essential part of the ceremony of assuming the throne. There is no trace of this custom after the time of Solomon. As the Israelites were as yet but novices in royalty, and their royal usages were probably copied from those of the petty kingdoms in their neighbourhood, Michaelis imagines that this strange custom was imitated from some one of the small elective monarchies, where it arose from its being found too expensive to provide every new king with a new seraglio. The principle of succession implied in such an assumption of the predecessor's haram, does certainly afford the best explanation which has been given of the ulterior motive of Absalom's conduct, as recorded in chap. xvi. 21, 22; and also of the application of Adonijah to Bathsheba, to procure for him permission to marry Abishag-a request which Solomon considered of so sinister a character, that he exclaimed, “Ask for him the kingdom also, for he is mine elder brother;" and ordered him to be put to death. David was the son-in-law of Saul, and Absalom and Adonijah were the sons of David; and as the spirit of the law was most entirely opposed to such proceedings, it seems necessary to find some such explanation as this, under which the seraglio of the king is considered not as the property of the individual but of the state-not the property of Saul in the one instance, or of David in the others, but of the kings of Israel. The custom however seems to have been soon dropped; and certainly

not too soon.

28. "Take it: lest I take the city, and it be called after my name."―This was most magnanimous conduct in Joab, who, with all his crimes, appears to have been a faithful servant of David and jealous for his prosperity and honour. Among the later Romans, the victories of the military commanders were ascribed to the absent emperor, who appropriated the glory and the triumph. This was a refinement to which the kings of Israel never attained. They could not obtain the immediate honour, without gaining, or, at least completing, the victory in person. History affords many analogous instances of military commanders conceding to their kings or superiors in command, the privilege of reaping the glory they had sown. Q. Curtius mentions such a case in the history of Alexander's expedition. Craterus besieged Artacoana, and after having prepared every thing for the king's arrival, waited for his coming, to resign to him the honour of taking the town (1. vi. c. 6).—This incident is not related in 1 Chron. xx. ; to which we must refer for a notice of Rabbah, and observations on some of the remarkable particulars mentioned at the end of the present chapter.

CHAPTER XIII.

1 Amnon loving Tamar, by Jonadab's counsel feigning himself sick, ravisheth her. 15 He hateth her,

23

and shamefully turneth her away. 19 Absalom
entertaineth her, and concealeth his purpose.
At a sheepshearing, among all the king's sons, he
killeth Amnon. 30 David grieving at the news
is comforted by Jonadab. 37 Absalom flieth to
Talmai at Geshur.

AND it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

2 And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and 'Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.

3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil

man.

4 And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king's son, 'lean 'from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.

5 And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.

6¶ So Amnon lay down, and made him

Levit. 18. 9.

Heb it was marvellous, or, hidden in the eyes of Amnon.

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7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and dress him meat.

8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was laid down. And she took 'flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes.

9 And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from him.

10 And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.

11 And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister.

12 And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not 'force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly.

13 And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.

14 Howbeit he would not hearken unto Heb. thin. Heb. morning by morning. 4 Or, paste. 5 Heb, humble me. 7 Heb. it ought not so to be done.

her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.

15¶ Then Amnon hated her 'exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.

16 And she said unto him, There is no cause this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her.

17 Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.

18 And she had a garment of divers colours upon her for with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

19¶ And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.

20 And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; 'regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.

21 ¶ But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth.

22 And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

23¶And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons.

24 And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go with thy servant.

25 And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all go, lest we be chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but blessed him.

26 Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should with thee?

he

go

9 Heb. set not thine heart.

27 But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and the king's sons go with him.

28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: "have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be "valiant.

29 And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man "gat him up upon his mule, and fled.

30 And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.

31 Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.

32 And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the "appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.

33 Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead.

34 But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behind him.

35 And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king's sons come: "as thy servant said, so it is.

36 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept "very sore.

18

37 But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

to

39 And the soul of king David "longed forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was

go

dead.

10 Heb. and desolate.
15 Or, settled.

Heb, with great hatred greatly.
18 Heb, sons of valour. 13 Heb. rode. 14 Heb. mouth.
17 Heb. with a great weeping greatly. 18 Or, Ammihur.

11 Or, will you not, since I have commanded you? 16 Heb. according to the word of thy servant. 19 Or, was consumed.

Verse 8. "Made cakes in his sight.”—This she might very well do, according to several of the various processes of described in former notes. It might, for instance, be done at the circular fire-pit in the floor, or upon the hearth,

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