CHAPTER II.

son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto P Abner the son of Ner, and unto 9 Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.

David leaves his dying charge with Solomon, relative to his own personal conduct,
1. To Joab, 5, 6. To Barzillai, 7. To Shimei, 8, 9. He dies, and Solomon is
established in the kingdom, 10-12 Adonijah requests to have Abishag to wife, and
is put to death by Solomon, 13-21 Abiathar the priest is banished to his estate at
Anathoth, 26, 27. Joab, fearing for his life, flees to the horns of the altar, and is slain
there by Benaiah, 28-31. Benajah is made captain of the host in his steal, 35
Shimei is ordered to confine himself to Jerusalein, and never leave it on pain of
death, 36-38. After three years, he follows some of his runaway servants to Gath,
and thereby forfeits his life, 39, 40. Solomon senda for, upbraids him, and commands
him to be slain by Benaiah, 41-46
An Exod. Iar.
476.
OW the days of David drew

Anno ante

Now that he should die; and he 1. Olymp. 239. charged Solomon his son, saying, 2 I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and show thyself a man:

e

3 And keep the charge of the LORD thy God to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: 4. That the LORD may continue his word, which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.

5 Moreover, thou knowest also what Joab the

d Gen. 47. 29. Deut. 31. 14.-e Josh. 23. 14.-f Deut. 17. 19, 20.-g Deut. 29. 9. Josh. 1.7. 1 Chron. 22. 12, 13.-h Or, do wisely. 1 Sam. 18. 5, 14, 40-1 2 Sam. 7. 25-k Psa. 132 12-12 Kings 20. 3.- 2 Sam. 7. 12, 13. Ch. 8. 25.-n Heb. be cut off from thee from the throne-o 2 Sam. 3. 39. & 18. 5, 12, 14. & 19. 5, 6, 7.

NOTES ON CHAPTER II.

Verse 2. I go the way of all the earth] I am dying. All the inhabitants of the earth must come to the dust. In life, some follow one occupation, some another; but all must, sooner or later, come to the grave. Death is no respecter of persons; he visits the palace of the king as well as the cottage of the peasant.

Pallida mora æquo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas,
Regumque turres.
Hor. Odar. 1. 1. od iv. ver. 13.
Francis.

With equal pace, impartial fate
Knocks at the palace, as the cottage gate.

Sed omnes una manet noz

Et calcanda semel via lethi.

1b. Od. xxviii. ver. 15.

One dreary night for all mankind remains,
And once we all must tread the shadowy plains.

Ibid.

There is no respect to age or youth, more than to station or external circumstance:

Mista senum ac juvenum deneantur funera nullum Sava caput Proserpina fugit. Pb. Od. xxviii. ver. 19. Thus age and youth promiscuous crowd the tomb; No mortal head can shun th' impending doom. Ibid. And it is not merely man that is subjected to this necessity; all that have in them the breath of life must lose it; it is the way of all the earth, both men and inferior animals.

Terrestria quando

Mortales animas vivunt sortita, neque ulla est,
Aut magno, aut parvo lethi foga..
Vive memor quam sis avi brevis.

Hor. Sat. 1. ii. &. 6. 93.

"All that tread the earth are subject to mortality; neither great nor small can avoid death. Live, therefore, conscious that your time is short."

It is painful to the pride of the great and mighty, that, however decorated their tombs may be, they must undergo the same dissolution and corruption with the vulgar dead for the grave is the house appointed for the living man is born to die.

Omnium idem exitus est, sed et idem domicilium. "For all have the same end, and are huddled together in the same narrow house."

Here emperors, kings, statesmen, warriors, heroes, and butchers, of all kinds, with peasants and beggars, meet; however various their routes, they terminate in the same point. This, and all other kindred sentiments on the subject, are well expressed in that excellent little poem of Mr. Blair, entitled THE GRAVE, which opens with the following lines:

While some affect the sun, and some the shade;
Sone flee the city, some the hermitage;
The aims as various as the roads they take
In journeying through life:--the task be mine

To paint the gloomy horrors of the tomb;
Th' appointed place of rendezvous, where all
These travellers meet.

Show thyself a man] Act like a rational being, and not like a brute; and remember, that he acts most like a man, who is most devoted to his God.

Verse 2. Keep the charge of the Lord] Keep what God has given thee to keep.

1. Walk in his ways: not in thine own, nor in the ways of a wicked, perishing world.

2. Keep his statutes. Consider all his appointments to be holy, just, and good; receive them as such; and conscientiously observe them. 780

6 Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.

7 But show kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that "eat at thy table: for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother.

8 And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei cursed me with a grievous curse in the day the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the LORD, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.

thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou 9 Now therefore a hold him not guiltless: for oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.

p 2 Sam. 3. 27.-q 2 Sam. 20. 10.-r Heb. put.-s Ver. 9. 19 31, 38-u 2 Sam. 9. 7, 10, & 19, 23. —v 2 Sam. 17. 27.strong-y 2 Sam. 19 18-z 2 Sam. 19. 23.-a Exod. 20. 7. 38. & 41. 31.

Prov. 20. 26-12 Sam. 2 Sam. 16 5-3 Heta Job 9. 28-b Gen.

thee to do, perform: what he has forbidden thee to do, 3. Keep his commandments. Whatever he has bidden

omit.

4. Keep his judgments] What he has determined to be right, is essentially and inherently right: what he has determined to be wrong or evil, is inherently and essentially so. A thing is not good, because God has commanded it: a thing is not evil because he has forbidden it. He has commanded the good, because it is in its own nature good and useful; he has forbidden the evil, because it is in its own nature bad and hurtful. Keep, therefore, RIS judgments.

5. Keep his testimonies] Bear witness to all, to which he has borne witness. His testimonies are true; there is no deceit or falsity in them. His testimonies refer also to future good things, and good times: they are the significators of coming blessedness. As such, respect them. That thou mayest prosper] If thou hast God's approbation, thou wilt have God's blessing. If thy ways please him, he will not withhold from thee any manner of thing that is good.

Verse 4. That the Lord may continue his word] The prosperity which God has promised to grant to my family will depend on their faithfulness to the good they receive: off the entail made by his mercy. if they live to God, they shall sit for ever on the throne of Israel. But, alas! they did not: and God's justice cut

Verse 5. Thou knowest-what Joab-did to me] He murder of Abner and Amasa: and, indeed, in the death of did every thing bad and dishonourable in itself, in the the profligate Absalom.

shoes] He stabbed them while he pretended to embrace
Shed the blood of war-upon his girdle-and in his
them so that their blood gushed out on his girdle, and
tion of his crimes.
fell into his shoes! This was a most abominable aggrava-

peace] It would have been an insult to justice, not to
Verse 6. Let not his hoar head go down to the grave in
have taken the life of Joab. David was culpable in de-
laying it so long: but probably the circumstances of his
government would not admit of his doing it sooner. Ac-
cording to the law of God, Joab, having murdered Abner
and Amasa, should die. And had not David commanded
Solomon to perform this act of justice, he could not have
died in the approbation of his Maker.

Verse 7. But show kindness unto thee sons of Barzillai] See the notes on 2 Sam. xix. 31, &c.

Verse 8. Thou hast with thee Shimei] See on 2 Sam. xvi. 5, &c. and the notes on ibid. xix. 18-23.

Verse 9. Hold him not guiltless] Do not consider him as an innocent man, though I have sworn to him that I a wise man, and knowest how to treat such persons, treat would not put him to death by the sword; yet as thou art him as he deserves; only as I have sworn to him, and he is an aged man, let him not die a violent death; bring not down his hoary head to the grave with blood. So Solounderstood; for the negative particle > lo, in the former mon understood David, and so I think David should be clause, hold him NOT guiltless, should be repeated in this

14 He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said, Say on.

20 Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.

21 And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife. 22 And King Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.

23 Then King Solomon sware by the LORD, saying, P God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.

24 Now therefore, as the LORD liveth, which 15 And he said, Thou knowest that the king- hath established me, and set me on the throne dom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces of David my father, and who hath made me a on me, that I should reign: howbeit the king-house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put dom is turned about, and is become my brother's: to death this day. for it was his from the LORD.

deny

16 And now I ask one petition of thee, me not. And she said unto him, Say on. 17 And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife. 18 And Bath-sheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king.

19 Bath-sheba therefore went unto King Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and m bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand.

e Ch. 1. 21. Acts 2. 29. & 13. 36.-d 2 Sam. 5. 7.-e 2 Sam. 5. 4. 1 Chron. 29. 26, 27.-1 Chron. 29. 23. 2 Chron. 1. 1.-g 1 Sam. 16. 4, 5-h Ch. 1.- 1 Chron. 22. 9, 10. & 29. 5, 6, 7. Prov. 21. 30. Dan. 2. 21.-k Heb. turn not away my face. Ps. 132. 10. latter clause, though not expressed; his hoary head bring thou NOT down; instances of which frequently occur in the Hebrew Bible. See Dr. Kennicott's note at the end of this chapter.

Verse 10. David slept with his fathers] His life was a life of remarkable providences, of much piety, and of great public usefulness. In general he lived well, and it is most evident that he died well; and, as a king, a general, a poet, a father, and a friend, he has had few equals, and no superior, from his own time to the present day. But I shall reserve a more particular consideration of his character till I come to the Book of Psalms, in which that character, with all its lights and shades, is exhibited by his own masterly hand. And it is from this composition alone that we can know David, and the maxims by which he was governed in public and private life.

25 And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died.

26 And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the LORD God before David my father, and because " thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.

27 So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD; that he might fulfil the word of the LORD, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

1 Chap. 1. 3, 4-m Exod. 20. 12-n See Psa. 45. 9.-0 Chap. 1. 7-p Ruth 1. 17 92 Sam. 7. 11, 13. 1 Chron. 22. 10-r Josh. 21. 18.- Heb. a man of death-t1 Sam. 23. 6. 2 Sam. 15. 24, 29.—u 1 Sam. 22. 20, 23. 2 Sam. 15. 24.- 1 Sam. 2. 31-35.

been his father's wife or concubine, was still in a state of virginity. Some think that Joab and Abiathar had advised Adonijah to make this application; not doubting, if he got Abishag, that the popular tide would again turn in his favour, and that Solomon, whom they did not like, might soon be deposed: and that it was on this account that Solomon was so severe. But there is little evidence to support these conjectures. It does not appear that Adonijah, by desiring to have Abishag, had any thought of the kingdom, or of maintaining any right to it; though Solomon appears to have understood him in this sense. But, without farther evidence, this was a flimsy pretence to imbrue his hands in a brother's blood. He who attempts to varnish over this conduct of Solomon, by either state necessity, or a divine command, is an enemy, in my mind, to the cause of God and truth. See on ver. 25.

Verse 25. Solomon sent-Benaiah-and he fell upon him that he died.] Benaiah seems to have been the public state executioner; and yet he was generalissimo of all the forces! See him employed in a similar work, ver. 34, 46. I suppose him to have been such another general as Suwarrow, butcher-general of the Turks and Poles to the late Empress Catherine of Russia: like mistress, like man. But they have long since been called to an impartial tribunal.

Was buried in the city of David] And Josephus says, that Solomon deposited immense treasures with him in the grave, where they continued unmolested for thirteen hundred years; till Hyrcanus, the high priest, being besieged by Antiochus, he opened the sepulchre, and took thence three thousand talents, part of which he gave to Antiochus, to raise the siege. It is added that, many years afterward, Herod the Great ransacked this tomb, and got considerable riches. Little credit is due to this account; That this was an act of cruelty toward Adonijah needs though we know that it was customary in ancient times, no proof. He is suspected, condemned, and slain, without to deposite with the more illustrious dead, gold, silver, a hearing! Calmet vindicates all this by various assumpand precious stones. That the tomb of David existed in tions; and lays down a doctrine that is calculated for the the days of the apostles, we learn from Acts ii. 29. where meridian of Fez or Morocco: hear him-Un prince, dans St. Peter, addressing the Jews, says, Men and brethren, ses jugemens, ne peut pas toujours suivre les regles de la let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David; that plus parfaite morale: la politique, et le bien de l'état, he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us obligent souvent à des choses opposées aux conseils de unto this day. St. Jerom speaks of it as existing in his l'évangile. "A prince, in his judgments, cannot always time: and modern travellers pretend that it is still in exist-follow the rules of the most perfect morality: policy, and ence. But both monks and Mohammedans have long the good of the state, often require things to be done which united to impose on Christian pilgrims; and there is are contrary to the counsels of the Gospel." What a diascarcely any dependence to be placed on any of their rela-bolic maxim is this! And is this indeed the way that tions; absurdity and self-contradiction are their principal characteristics.

Verse 15. Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine] It certainly was his by the right of primogeniture; and it was his by the voice of the people, and the consent of the high priest. But there was a right paramount to all these, the right of God: it was his kingdom; the kings were his lieutenants, and he had a right to give the crown to whomsoever he pleased; and he was pleased to give it to Solomon.

Verse 17. That he give me Abishag-to wife.] He cheerfully gives up all right to the kingdom, and only desires to have this young woman; who, though she had

French kings ruled, and ministers decreed judgment? Then we need not wonder at a revolution in that state; nor of the scourge that desolated the land. O England! magnify God for your constitution, your constitutional king, and the laws according to which he reigns.

Verse 27. So Solomon thrust out Abiathar] This was for having taken part before with Adonijah: but by it a remarkable prophecy was fulfilled: see 1 Sam. ii. 32-35. and the notes there. God had told Eli that the priesthood should depart from his house: Abiathar was the last of the descendants of Ithamar, of which family was Eli the high priest. Zadok, who was made priest in the stead of Abiathar, was of the family of Eliezer; and by this change the

28 Then tidings came to Joab; for Joab whad turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

29 And it was told King Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.

30 And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus saith Joab, and thus he answered

me.

31 And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father. 32 And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.

b

e

33 Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: f but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the LORD.

34 So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

35 ¶ And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host: and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of h Abiathar.

36 And the king sent and called for i Shimei, and said unto him, Build thee a house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither.

w Ch. 1. 7.-x Ch. 1. 50-y Exod. 21. 14.-z Numb. 35. 33. Deut. 19. 13. & 21. 8, 9-a Judg. 9. 21, 57. Psa. 7. 16.-b 2 Chron. 21. 13.-e 2 Sam. 3. 27.-d 2 Sam. 20. 10.- 2 Sam. 3. 29.-f Prov. 25. 5.

priesthood reverted to its ancient channel. Abiathar deserved this degradation: he supported Adonijah in his unnatural assumption of the royal dignity, even during the life of his father.

37 For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.

38 And Shimei said unto the king, The saying is good: as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.

B. C. 1GIL

480.

39 And it came to pass at the end of AM three years, that two of the servants An Exod. lg. of Shimei ran away unto Achish son Auno ante of Maachah king of Gath. And they 10mp 25 told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath.

40 And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants: and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath.

41 And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come again.

42 And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not make thee to swear by the LORD, and protested unto thee, saying, Know for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word that I have heard is good.

43 Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the LORD, and the commandment that I have charged thee with?

44 The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest "all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father: therefore the LORD shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head;

45 And king Solomon shall be blessed, and P the throne of David shall be established before the LORD for ever.

46 So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

g Numb. 25. 11, 12, 13. 1 Sam. 2. 35. See 1 Chr. 6. 53. & 24. 3—b Ver. 27-i 2 Sam. 16. 5. Ver. 8.--k 2 Sam. 15. 3-1 Lev. 20. 9. Josh. 2 29. 2 Sam. 1. 16- 1 Sam. 27. 2-n 2 Sam. 16. 5.-0 Ps. 7. 16. Ezek. 17. 19-p Prov. 25. 5.-9 Ver. 12 2Chr. 1.1

whole city for a prison; and this certainly could have reduced him to no hardships.

Verse 37. Thy blood shall be upon thine own head.] Thou knowest what to expect; if thou disobey my orders, Verse 28. Tidings came to Joab] He heard that Ado- thou shalt certainly be slain: and then thou shalt be connijah had been slain, and Abiathar banished; and, probably,sidered as a self-murderer: thou alone shalt be answerable he had heard of David's dying charge to Solomon. Fear- for thy own death. Solomon knew that Shimei was a ing, therefore, for his personal safety, he takes refuge at seditious man: and he chose to keep him under his own the tabernacle, as claiming divine protection, and desiring eye; for such a man at large, in favourable circumstances, to have his case decided by God alone: or perhaps a spark might do much evil. His bitter revilings of David were of remorse is now kindled; and, knowing that he must die, a sufficient proof. he wishes to die in the house of God; as it were, under the shadow, that he might receive the mercy of the Almighty. Verse 30. Nay; but I will die here] The altars were so sacred among all people, that, in general, even the vilest wretch found safety, if he once reached the altar. This led to many abuses, and the perversion of public justice; and, at last, it became a maxim that the guilty should be punished should they even have taken refuge at the altars. God decreed that the presumptuous murderer, who had taken refuge at the altar, should be dragged thence, and put to death: see Exod. xxi. 14. The heathens had the same kind of ordinance: hence Euripedes:

Εγω γαρ όςις μη δικαιος ων ανηρ
Βωμον προσίζει, τον νόμον χαιρειν των,
Προς την δικήν αγοιμ' αν, ου τρέσας θεους"
Κακον γαρ ανδρα χρη κακως πασχειν αει.

EURIPID. Frag. 42. Edit. Musg.

"If an unrighteous man, availing himself of the law, should claim the protection of the altar, I would drag him to justice, nor fear the wrath of the gods: for it is necessary that every wicked man should suffer for his crimes." Verse 34. So Benaiah—went up—and slew him] It appears he slew him at the very altar. Joab must have been both old and infirm at this time; and now he bleeds for Abner, he bleeds for Amasa, and he bleeds for Uriah. The former he murdered; of the blood of the latter he was not innocent.

Verse 36. Build thee a house] Thus he gave him the

Verse 40. And Shimei-went to Gath] It is astonishing that, with his eyes wide open, he would thus run into the jaws of death.

Verse 45. King Solomon shall be blessed] He seems to think that, while such bad men remained unpunished, the nation could not prosper: that it was an act of justice which God required him to perform, in order to the establishment and perpetuity of his throne.

Verse 46. And the kingdom was established] He had neither foes within or without. He was either dreaded or loved universally. His own subjects were affectionately bound to him; and the surrounding nations did not think proper to make him their enemy.

As there are serious doubts relative to the dying charge of David, as it relates to Shimei, most believing that, in opposition to his own oath, David desired that Solomon cott's criticism on this part of the text: should put him to death; I shall here insert Dr. Kenni

"David is here represented in our English version, as finishing his life with giving a command to Solomon to kill Shimei; and to kill him on account of that very crime for which, as David here says, he had sworn to him by the Lord he would not put him to death. The bebaviour thus imputed to the king and prophet, and which would be justly censurable, (if true,) should be examined very carefully as to the ground it stands upon: and, when the passage is duly considered, I presume it will appear highly probable that an injury has been here done to this