32 And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.

33 And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth?

34 Thy hands were not bound, nor thy

5 Heb going and weeping. Heb. both yesterday and the third day. 71 Kings 2. 5. Heb. be cut of. 12 Chap. 2. 23. 13 Heb. bed.

feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before "wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him.

35 And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down.

36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.

37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.

38 And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?

39 And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

14 Heb. children of iniquity. 15 Heb. was good in their eyes. 16 Heb. tender.

30. "Because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle."-This was what Abner himself feared, when he killed Asahel (chap. ii. 2). We are very much disposed to think that, in accounting for this treacherous act of Joab, too much stress had been laid upon his jealousy of the influence with David and authority in the state, which a man of Abner's established character was likely to acquire. Probably this consideration was not without its effect; nor perhaps was he without that fear which he expressed, that Abner's intentions were not friendly to David: but, on the whole, we think that the reason which the text assigns is so strong in itself as to need little support from other considerations. This will appear if the reader turns to the note on blood-revenge, under Num. xxxv. It would therefore seem, that, with the Hebrews, as among the Arabians, the claim of revenge for blood extended to persons killed in war, when the slayer was known. Burckhardt observes that the Arabs always desire to know by whom a man has been killed in a battle between different tribes, that it may be determined against whom the avenger has his claim for blood; and he thinks, with great probability, that their anxiety on this subject has influenced their mode of warfare, since this fact is better ascertained in single combats and skirmishes than in the confusion of a general action. In Antar we continually observe that the next relative of a man killed in a fair fight, acts and talks as one bound to avenge his death on the slayer. To obviate the bad effects of this practice, it is sometimes customary for the sheikhs of both parties, with the consent of the majority of their people, in concluding a peace, to agree that the claims for the blood shed in the war shall on both sides be remitted. But to such terms of peace the Arabs whose friends have been slain are generally very unwilling to assent; and it often happens that, rather than do so, they leave their own tribe for a time, and settle with another, in order to reserve their right of seeking revenge. We are convinced that this principle affords a very satisfactory explanation of Joab's conduct on the present occasion; but it seems difficult to justify it, even on Arabian principles, since Abner had killed Asahel most reluctantly, and only to save his own life.

31. "Gird you with sackcloth."-Sacks are usually made of hair in the East; whence we may understand, that where sackcloth is mentioned, hair-cloth is intended. Hence the idea is different from that which we, whose sacks are not of the same material, would affix to the term. That this is correct seems to be confirmed by the fact, that the use of haircloth, as a penitential dress, was retained by the early Oriental monks, hermits, and pilgrims, and was adopted by the Roman church, which still retains it for the same purposes. Hair-cloth was, moreover, called “sackcloth" by the early Greek and Latin fathers, and this seems conclusive. Perhaps, in a general sense, the word means any kind of very coarse cloth; but, undoubtedly, more particularly cloth of hair than any other. Our wood-cut, on verse 31, represents one of the hair-cloth penitential dresses worn by the early devotees, designed after the old church prints of Italy. There are some remarks on this practice of assuming a mortifying dress as an expression of grief or repentance in the note to Exod. xxxiii. 4. The principle is so obvious, that there are few nations among which, in mournings for the dead, some kind of mortifying habit has not been adopted. We do not know that sackcloth is now much used for this purpose in the East; but ornaments are relinquished, the usual dress is neglected, or it is laid aside, and one coarse or old assumed in its place.

"Bier."-The original word is (mittah), which generally denotes a bed or couch of any kind, on which a man lies in sleep. Whether therefore the sense is, that the term includes, from the analogy of use, a bier as something distinct from a bed, or that Abner was carried to his sepulchre on a proper bed, is not easy to determine. Our woodcut, in the ensuing page, represents an Egyptian bier, which, it will be seen, looks very much like a bed. The forms of the biers which appear in the funeral processions of this people are very diversified, many of them exhibiting most elabo rate and expensive decorations. Our cut is a fair average specimen. It seems, then, that the Egyptians conveyed the remains of persons of distinction on bed-like biers, and such may have been the usage among the Jews. We cannot determine whether they were the same beds that were used for sleeping on, or were specially prepared for the occasion. If the former, it would prove that the Hebrews had moveable beds; and we have allowed that they might have some such, although, in general, we have supposed that they did, as the modern Orientals usually do, sleep on the ground, or on the immoveable divans or sofas of their rooms. (See the note to Deut. iii. 11.) Upon the whole, we may conclude that persons of high distinction were carried to their sepulchres in rich beds, but the common people on biers, such as are still used in the East, and which are little other than hand-barrows. Thus, Herod was, according to Josephus, carried to his sepulchre on a bed (or rather bedstead, or bedstead-like bier) of gold, enriched with precious stones, upon which the body lay on a purple bed, and was covered with a purple counterpane or pall. The corpse had a crown on the head, and sceptre in the right hand. This bier was surrounded by Herod's sons and kinsmen, after whom came his guards and foreign troops accoutred as if for war, who were followed by five hundred domestic servants and freedmen, with sweet spices in their hands. The bier was preceded by the bulk of Herod's army, in proper order, under their officers. This perhaps suggests a good idea of Abner's funeral procession.

But these customs were not peculiar to the East, though probably derived from thence. The great men of Rome were, after the same manner, carried to the funeral pile on beds of state. Some of these beds were of gold, or gilded, with ivory feet, or were wholly of ivory, the body being covered with a rich pall. These bed-biers were carried by the nearest relatives or the freedmen of the deceased; but, according to Tacitus, the principal magistrates of Rome carried the funeral bed of emperors and dictators. And not only was there the bed on which the deceased lay, but many others were carried in the procession, adorned with garlands and crowns of flowers, and containing the images of the ancestors of the deceased. As many as six thousand of these beds are said to have been carried at the funeral of the dictator

Sylla, and six hundred at that of M. Marcellus, the nephew of Augustus. As we are only illustrating that part of the subject which relates to biers, we need not here state other particulars concerning the Roman funerals. Yet we may add, that the procession stopped at the place of the Rostra, where a funeral oration was delivered in honour of the deceased, which may be taken, in some degree, as analogous to the king's lamentation over Abner.

BIER. FROM AN EGYPTIAN BAS-RELIEF AT THEBES.

33. "Died Abner as a fool dieth ?”—“ As a criminal dieth," would better bear out the sense of what follows, which as the verse now stands, is not very intelligible. From the words "Thy hands were not bound nor thy feet put into fetters," we learn that it was customary to bind and fetter criminals. The idea intended to be expressed is, that Abner died as a criminal, without having been convicted of legal crime. And we imagine that the point of the allusion may be in this, that Joab killed Abner just in the same style as that in which persons capitally convicted were "slain by the sword" and that persons so convicted and so slain usually had their arms bound and their feet fettered, to preclude any attempt at resistance.

35. "Till the sun be down."-The Oriental fasts do not consist of abstinence from particular articles; but of absolute abstinence during the day, while at night any usual food is eaten. The Mohammedan fast of Ramazan, for instance, is observed by such fasting by day and eating at night; while the Christians keep the fast of Lent by daily abstinence from some particular sorts of food, as flesh-meat, &c., to which they are accustomed. The former was doubtless the Jewish mode of fasting.

CHAPTER IV.

The Israelites being troubled at the death of Abner, 2 Baanah and Rechab slay Ish-bosheth, and bring his head to Hebron. 9 David causeth them to be slain, and Ish-bosheth's head to be buried. AND when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

2 And Saul's son had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the 'other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin:

:

nathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took
him
up, and fled and it came to pass, as she
made haste to flee, that he fell, and became
lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

5 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, who lay on a bed at noon.

6 And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

7 For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night.

3 And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.) 4 And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years 8 And they brought the head of Ishold when the tidings came of Saul and Jo-bosheth unto David to Hebron, and said tu

Heb. second.

Verse 5. "Bed."-See the note on Deut. iii. 11, where we have mentioned the duan or divan, as the usual, but not exclusive seat as well as bed of the Orientals. We now give a portrait of Seyd Mustapha Pasha, seated on such a divan; a part of it only is exhibited, but enough to show what is intended. A divan, then, consists of a cushion placed under the wall of a room, upon a bench or platform, often very slightly raised above the floor, and frequently upon the floor itself-with other cushions against the wall to support the back. These duans often extend along the upper end and two sides of the apartment, particularly in rooms where the master of the house receives friends and visiters. The Persians, despising the luxury of cushions, have only a breadth of thick felt spread upon the carpeted floor, and have generally no cushions between the back and the wall, unless when lounging in their private apartments. We have said already that the Orientals generally take their afternoon nap, and have their beds at night on these duans, or on the floor itself, and have also noticed exceptions. It will be observed that the Pasha is seated in the corner. This is the place of honour in the East; and it seems to have been so among the ancient Hebrews; for we read in 1 Sam. xx. 25, that Saul's usual seat was "by the wall," which may probably be understood as near the corner.

12. Cut off their hands and their feet."-The mutilation of the hand or foot for particular crimes seems to be implied in the lex talionis—“Hand for hand, foot for foot," &c. And, in Deut. xxv. 12, excision of the hand is expressly assigned to a particular offence. In all such directions there seems an idea of retaliating on the offending member. Thus, the crimes which the hand or foot are instrumental in committing, are punished with the loss of the hand or foot. In the present instance, the hands and feet of the assassins are cut off after death, perhaps with a reference to the crime of the foot in entering the king's bedchamber, and the crime of the hand in shedding innocent blood. It is remarkable that mutilation only remains in the letter of our own law as a punishment for offences against the majesty of the king-the loss of the hand being ordained for striking within the limits of the king's court, or in the presence of his judicial representative. At present, in the East, mutilation is, in common with other punishments, indicted, according to no specific rule, on those whose situation renders them obnoxious to the operations of arbitrary power. But in other cases, where the law is left to its own operation, the excision of the hand is usually for offences of the hand, as theft, forgery, &c. In Persia, robbery and theft have of late years been punished with death. But the law only prescribes mutilation; and this law was so much observed by the early Mohammedans, that, as we perceive in Arabian tales, the loss of the hand was a permanent stain on a man's character, as an evidence that he had been punished for theft. The law of this subject, as stated in the Mishat-ul-Masibih,' from a tradition given by Abuhurairah, is, that a thief is to have his right hand cut off; if he offends a second time, he is to be deprived of the left foot; if he steals again, he is to lose his left hand; and if a fourth time, his remaining foot is to be taken from him.

CHAPTER V.

1 The tribes come to Hebron to anoint David over Israel. 4 David's age. 6 He taking Zion from the Jebusites dwelleth in it. 11 Hiram sendeth

to David. 13 Eleven sons are born to him in Jerusalem. 17 David, directed by God, smiteth the Philistines at Baal-perazim, 22 and again at the mulberry trees.

THEN 'came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.

2 Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.

3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel.

4 David was thirty years old when he [ began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah 'seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.

6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the

blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither thinking, David cannot come in hither.

7 Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David.

8 And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's soul, he shall be chief and captain. "Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.

9 So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward.

10 And David 'went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.

11 ¶ And 'Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and 'masons: and they built David an house.

12 And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake.

13 And "David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.

14 And "these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem; Sham

11 Caron. 11. 1. Psalm 78. 71. 3 Chap. 2. 11. Or, saying, David shall not, &c. •Or, because they had said, even the blind and the lame, He shall not come into the house. 7 81 Chron. 14. 1. • Heb. hewers of the stone of the wall. 101 Chron, 3. 9,

51 Chron. 11. 6.
Heb. went going and growing.
111 Chron. 3. 5.