and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night. 11 And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. 12¶And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh-gilead, which had stolen them from the street of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa: 13 And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged. 14 And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his father and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was intreated for the land. 15 ¶ Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint. 16 And Ishbi-benob, which was of the sons of the "giant, the weight of whose spear 101 Sam. 31. 10. | weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David. 17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel. 14 18 And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of "the giant. 19 And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where El-hanan the son of Jaare-oregim, a Beth-lehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam. 20 And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to "the giant. 21 And when he 18defied 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. 11 Or, Rapha. 12 Heb. the staff, or the head. 15 Or, Rapha. 16 See 1 Chron. 20. 5. 17 Or, Rapha. Verse 2. “Saul sought to slay them in his zeal.”—There is no account of such an attempt in the preceding history, and various explanations have been given. Some think that, being hewers of wood and drawers of water to the priests considerable numbers of them were slain at Nob. at the same time with the priests. This is the Jewish explanation but we doubt it, as not only improbable in itself, but in the impression that the fact would have been noticed in the account of that transaction, if it had really occurred. Is it not rather probable that Saul, seeing the offence he had given by sparing the Amalekites, sought to atone for it by destroying the Gibeonites? forgetting the oath between them and Israel, or thinking that the manner in which it was obtained warranted its infraction. 6. "Hang them up unto the Lord."-They probably slew them first, and gibbeted them after. It was against the law for a body to be left hanging after the sunset of the day in which the person was put to death. The continued gibbeting of Saul's descendants must have been very revolting to the Jews, who were less accustomed to such things than we have been. Drought is the usual cause of famine stated in the Scriptures; and as we see, from verse 10, that they remained hanging "until water dropped upon them out of heaven," it seems more than probable fhat some vow or usage, in such cases, decreed them to remain suspended until that sign of peace and returning fertility was bestowed. 10. "Suffered neither the birds of the air," &c.-See the note on Judges xiv. 8. 20. “On every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes."-This is one of the aberrations of nature, of which instances have been known in all ages and countries, although they are sufficiently rare to remain a subject of wonder. The old stories told by Pliny, Ctesias, and others, of nations distinguished by a supernumerary allowance of fingers and toes, are now universally exploded, together with most of the other wonders which they and other ancient writers relate concerning the Indian and other remote nations, of which nothing was in their time distinctly known. The most wonderful circumstance of this kind, that rests on any thing like fair authority, is that adduced by Dr. Dodd from M. Maupertuis, who says, in his Letters, that he saw at Berlin two families, in which six-digitism, as he calls it, was equally transmitted, both on the side of father and mother. CHAPTER XXII. A psalm of thanksgiving for God's powerful deliverance, and manifold blessings. AND David spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul: 2 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 high tower, 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. 5 When the waves of death compassed me, 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. 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: he delivered me, because he delighted in me. 21 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the clean ness of my hands hath he recompensed me. 1 Psalm 18. 2, &c. Heb. before his eyes. 22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. 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 26 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright. 27 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury. 28 And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down. 29 For thou art my "lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness. 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? 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. 35 He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. 36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath "made me great. 37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my 18feet 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 3 Heb. Beliai. + Or, cords. 5 Heb. by. 6 Heb. binding of waters. 7 Or, great. 10 Or, wrestle, Psalm 18 25. 11 Or, candle. 12 Or, broken a troop. 13 Or, refined. 16 Heb. for the war. 17 Heb. multiplied me. 2 Or, pangs. 15 Heb. equalleth. 8 Heb. to him. 14 Heb. riddeth, or looseth. 18 Heb, ankles. 19 Heb. caused to bow. 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 2122submit 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. 47 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my Heb. Sons of the stranger. 21 Or, yield feigned obedience. rock; 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, 49 And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man. 50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name. 51 He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and 25to his seed for evermore. 22 Heb. lie. 13 Heb. giveth avengement for me. 24 Rom, 15. 9. 25 Chap. 7. 12. FROM SCULPTURES AT PERSEPOLIS. "Thou hast given me the necks of mine enemies."-Verse 41. Chap. xxii.-This is the same as the eighteenth Psalm, under which such observations as are required will be given. The Rabbins reckon up seventy-four differences between the two copies; most of them very minute. They probably arose from the fact that the poem was, as they conjecture, composed by David in his youth, and revised in his later days, when he sent it to the chief musician. The present is, of course, supposed to be the earlier copy. CHAPTER XXIII. 1 David, in his last words, professeth his faith in God's promises to be beyond sense or experience. The different state of the wicked. 8 A catalogue of David's mighty men. 3 vid 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, 2 The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, Now these be the last words of David. Da- 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. 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. 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. 8 These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, "whom he slew at one time. 9 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 to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away: 10 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 Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines. 12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines and the LORD wrought a great vic tory. 13 And 'three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim. 14 And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem. 15 And David longed, and said, Oh that 1 Or, Be thou ruler, &c. one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate! 16 And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, 1 that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD. 17 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 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, "and slew them, and had the name among three. 10 19 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three. 20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two 13lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow: 21 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 with his own spear. 22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men. 23 He was 15more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his 16 guard. 24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem, 25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the "Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29 Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 1 30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, 2 Heb. filled. 3 Or. Josheb-bassebet the Tachmonite head of the three. 61 Chron. 11. 12. 71 Chron. 11. 27. 8 Or, for foraging. 9 Or, the three captains over the thirty. 12 Heb great of acts. 13 Heb, lions of God. 14 Heb. a man of countenance, or sight: called, 1 15 Or, honourable among the thirty. 16 Or, council. 17 Heb. at his command, 18 Chap. 2. 18. Chron. 11. 23, a man of great stature. 19 i Chron. 11. 27. 31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Nahari the Bee 33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the rothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeson of Sharar the Hararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, ruiah, all. 38 Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite, 39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in Verse 1. "These be the last words of David.”—The last of his poetical compositions, probably; or the original may be understood to mean merely, that it was a later composition than the preceding. The Hebrew Scriptures not being divided into chapters, a few words to this effect might be necessary, to prevent this from being read as a continuation of the preceding Psalm.-The first verse is the title given by the compiler of the book. The title of "sweet psalmist of Israel" is applied with great propriety to David-the great lyric poet of the Hebrew nation. "Sweet," however, has somewhat changed its use since our version was made, and now " pleasant," or "agreeable," would better convey the sense of the Hebrew (y). The literal expression is, "Pleasant in the songs of Israel." 8. "These be_the_names of the mighty men."-This account is repeated, with some variation, in 1 Chron. xi., in the notes to which some remarks will be found on the exploits of these distinguished men. CHAPTER XXIV. David, tempted by Satan, forceth Joab to number the people. 5 The captains, in nine months and twenty days, bring the muster of thirteen hundred thousand fighting men. 10 David, having three plagues propounded by Gad, repenteth, and chooseth the three days' pestilence. 15 After the death of threescore and ten thousand, David by repentance preventeth the destruction of Jerusalem. 18 Darid, by Gad's direction, purchaseth Araunah's threshing floor; where having sacrificed, the plague stayeth. AND again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and 'he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. 2 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, that I may know the number of the people. 3 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 the king delight in this thing? 4 Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed 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, to number the people of Israel. 5 And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Jazer: 6 Then they came to Gilead, and to the 1 Satan. See 1 Chron. 21. 1. VOL. II. U 'land of Tahtim-hodshi; and they came to Dan-jaan, and about to Zidon, 7 And came to the strong hold 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 Beer-sheba. 8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. 9 And Joab the sum of the numgave up ber of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men. 10 And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And 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 done very foolishly. 11 For when David was up in the morn ing, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, 12 Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee. 13 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 him that sent me. % Or, compass. |