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I. SAMUEL.

miserable end; and the threatenings denounced against | blessings, are at last abandoned by Him, and made examhim by God on several occasions were fully put in execution. Thus it always has been, and always will be, with the Divine denunciations, whether against particular persons, or against sinners in general. This event ought to inspire us with a wholesome fear, and to impress us with the conviction, that those, who are enriched by God with blessings, and who abuse those

ples of his indignation. When we see the sons of Saul, and Jonathan in particular, a man of so much piety and virtue, perish with him, we are made to call to mind how often the innocent are involved with the guilty in temporal judgments: a dispensation, which God ordains for wise and just reasons, and with the view of promoting the real welfare of his faithful servants. Ostervald.

The following Chapters from the first Book of Samuel are appointed for Proper Lessons on Sundays

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and Holydays:

........3rd Sunday after Trinity
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.4th Sunday after Trinity
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5th Sunday after Trinity
......ditto.........

XIX. ver. 18 ......... Whit-Tuesday

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THE SECOND BOOK OF

SAMU E L,

OTHERWISE CALLED,

THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS.

INTRODUCTION.

THE Second Book of Samuel bears an exact relation to the preceding history, and is likewise connected with that which succeeds. The history contains a period of near forty years, from about A.M. 2948 to 2988. It describes the establishment and prosperity of David's reign; which he deserved, as well by his generous respect for the memory of Saul, as by the excellency of those many qualities which his maturer piety displayed. It relates the extinction of Saul's family, and David's grateful and unsuspicious kindness to the surviving son of Jonathan. The inspired author then records the fall of David; and exhibits a sad proof of the unhappy depravity to which the noblest minds may be seduced by passion. He represents to us God's anger softened, but not appeased, by David's repentance; who was soon after punished by the death of the child, and many domestick calamities. The transgression of Amnon was the first consequence of his bad example; and "evil rose up against him out of his own house" (Nathan's prophetick threat, chap. xii. 11) in the ambitious intrigues and rebellion of Absalom. We soon behold him a degraded and fugitive sovereign, reviled by his meanest subjects, and severely punished for his conduct towards Uriah, by the incestuous outrage of his son, chap. xvi. 21, 22. The submissive repentance, however, and restored virtues of David, procured his pardon and re-establishment on his throne; which he dignified by the display of the greatest moderation, justice, and piety. If in the exultation of his recovered prosperity, God suffered him (chap. xxiv. 1; and 1 Chron. xxi. 1) to be betrayed into an ostentatious numbering of the people, "his heart smote him" to immediate repentance, and he piously threw himself on God's mercy, and entreated that he only might suffer from the indignation which he had provoked. The vicissitude of events which the book describes, the fall and restoration of David, the effects of his errours, and his return to righteousness, are represented in the most interesting manner, and furnish valuable lessons to mankind. The author, in the concise style of sacred history, selects only the most striking features of character, and the most important incidents of those revolutions of which he treats; and among the conspicuous beauties of the book, we can never sufficiently admire the feeling lamentation over Saul and Jonathan, the expressive parable of Nathan, and the triumphant hymn of David.

The prophecies contained in the book are, first, that which blended temporal and spiritual blessings in the promises relative to Solomon and the Messiah; the permanency of David's throne, and the perpetuity of that kingdom which is prefigured chap. vii. 12. 16; Heb. i. 5. Secondly, the predictive denunciations of Nathan, chap. xii. 11-14: and, lastly, the figurative descriptions of David's psalm, chap. xxii; by whom the "Spirit of the Lord spake," assuring him of an everlasting covenant, chap. xxiii. 2. 5. Dr. Gray.

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Chap. I. ver. 2.- and earth upon his head:] As a token of mourning, Josh. vii. 6; 1 Sam. iv. 12; Job ii. 12. VOL. I.

2 T

The Amalekite, who accused himself II. SAMUEL.

Before CHRIST 1056.

+ Heb. What was, &c.

+ Heb. Behold me.

Or, my coat

embroidered

3 And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.

4 And David said unto him, + How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.

5 And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?

6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.

7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, † Here am I.

8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.

9 He said unto me again, Stand, I of mail, or my pray thee, upon me, and slay me: coat hinder for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.

eth me, that my, &c.

6.

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Saul leaned upon his spear:] Rather, perhaps, "Saul had fallen on his spear;' "for it is mentioned at ver. 10, that he was now fallen. It appears from 1 Sam. xxxi. 4, that when Saul fell upon his spear, his armourbearer thought him immediately dead; but it seems he was not quite dead when this Amalekite came up; and desired to be killed outright. Thus Josephus relates the event. Dr. Wall. Or else, from the want of consistency between this account, and that of 1 Sam. xxxi, we must suppose that the Amalekite contrived a false account, perhaps to ingratiate himself with David, if he approved the fact. Dr. Wells, Bp. Patrick. It is by no means probable that the main circumstance told by this Amalekite could be true. According to the account of Saul's death, given in the course of the history, 1 Sam. xxxi, Saul desires his armourbearer to kill him, but he refuses he then falls on his own sword; and his servant, seeing him dead, does the same. Now, where is the interval or opening for the scene between Saul and the Amalekite to take place? or, would the armourbearer, who refused to kill Saul, stand by, and suffer an Amalekite to kill him? Bp. Horne.

:

9. — anguish is come upon me,] There is no certainty about the Hebrew word translated anguish: many persons understand the word to mean some article of dress, and therefore prefer the translation of our margin, "my embroidered coat (or coat of mail) is upon me;" meaning, that it prevented the spear from penetrating his body. Bp. Patrick, Pyle.

12. And they mourned, and wept,] We may observe here the piety and honest heart of David, who behaved on this occasion with the same temper towards Saul, which he had borne in his lifetime, and was thus deeply

of Saul's death, is slain.

10 So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.

Before CHRIST 1056.

11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and like- b Chap. 3. wise all the men that were with him: 31. & 13. 31. 12 And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.

13 ¶ And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.

14 And David said unto him, How c Ps. 105. 15. wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed?

15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. him. And he smote him that he died.

16 And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee,

concerned at his death, although it caused him to ascend the throne, and secured him from any further persecutions. Thus does every man of sincere piety and solid virtue behave. Whatever injuries his enemies have done to him, how wicked soever their lives have been, he never exults over their misfortunes, but rather grieves at them. Ostervald.

15. - he smote him that he died.] This he did, to punish his rashness and presumption, in laying hands upon a prince specially appointed by God, and under the immediate direction of his providence. Pyle. This self-convicted wretched Amalekite died for a crime which he had not committed; yet he well deserved to die, for taking the guilt of it upon him. David rightly judged that Saul had no power over his own life, and consequently should not have been obeyed in such a command: God and the state had as much right to his life when he was weary of it, as when he most loved it. Besides, it behoved David to vindicate his own innocence to the world by this publick execution, since otherwise he might have been branded with the guilt of employing that wretch to murder his persecutor. Dr. Delaney. No doubt this wretch intended to make a merit of this affair, and to ingratiate himself with David, by telling him that he had destroyed Saul, and by presenting him with the spoils of royalty, of which he had stripped him. But, alas! he knew not David. He knew not that a crown would be unwelcome to him at the price of treason, and that a throne would not be tempting to him, if purchased with parricide. Dr. Chandler. David evidently saw through the character of the man, and perhaps concluded, from his forward officiousness in the affair, that he had taken

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d Josh. 10. 13.

Or, of the upright.

e Micah 1. 10.

17 ¶ And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:

18 (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of || Jasher.)

19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!

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20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.

some undue advantage of Saul in his wounded state; and slain him on purpose that he might find favour with his successor, by bringing him all this welcome intelligence. This may be inferred from David's words at 2 Sam. iv. 10. Bp. Horne.

17. And David lamented-over Saul and over Jonathan] This is the first specimen afforded us of David's poetical talents: it is elegant, tender, and pathetick. Dr. Hales.

18. (Also he bade them teach &c.] This comes in, as a parenthesis, between the former verse and that which follows, to shew the early endeavours of David to promote the good of his people; and his care of the living, amidst his lamentations for the dead. He ordered that the children of Judah should be immediately better instructed in the use of the bow and arrow, in order more effectually to contend with the Philistines. Bp. Patrick.

behold, it is written] That is, the fact of his having given this order for teaching the children of Judah the use of the bow, "is written in the book of Jasher;" respecting which see note at Josh. x. 13. Bp.

Patrick. 19.

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how are the mighty fallen!] What a slaughter is made among the valiant men of the army; the flower of the nation, the choicest of its young men, lost, together with Saul and his sons! Bp. Patrick. This exclamation, with which three stanzas are marked, verse 25, 27, seems to be the simple dictate of sorrow on the several topicks of lamentation which presented themselves. It is therefore to be considered as a kind of burden to the song. David knew that the death of these mighty men, with the flower of the army, as it was matter of reproach to the nation, so would be the subject of exultation to their enemies; and not being able to endure the thought of this, breaks out into that beautiful apostrophe, "Tell it not in Gath," the chief city of the Philistines, &c. Dr. Delaney.

21. nor fields of offerings:] Meaning fruitful fields, from which offerings might be brought to the house of God. Bp. Patrick. There seem to have been fruitful

Jonathan with a song.

22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.

Before CHRIST 1056.

23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and || pleasant in their lives, and in | Or, sweet. their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.

24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.

26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

27 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

fields about Gilboa, which, by the large increase they produced, afforded very liberally firstfruits for offerings to the Lord. Dr. Chandler.

the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away,] Even "the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil;" that is, as if he had not been a king, but a common soldier. Bp. Patrick. The throwing away the shield was matter of the highest reproach among all nations of antiquity; and, this in the practice of so brave a prince as Saul, was an example of terrible consequence, and therefore must not go unreproved, especially in a song which soldiers were to learn. Dr. Delaney. Or it may be meant, that, after the death of Saul, his shield was vilely cast away " without any regard to the sacred character of the owner.

23.

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in their death they were not divided:] This is said in the true spirit of friendship, and in one of its finest distresses; he congratulates Saul and Jonathan on that happy circumstance of their friendship, that they were undivided in death. Dr. Delaney.

27.

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the weapons of war perished!] All military glory is gone from Israel. Bp. Patrick. Or, the weapons and armour of the slain are taken away by the Philistines in triumph. Dr. Wells.

Let any man but read over this admirable ode of David, than which there is nothing more elegant and passionate in all antiquity, and he will find in it all the marks of a generous grief, and the utmost decency and propriety in the expression of it. In the encomiums passed respectively on Saul and Jonathan, there is nothing but what became the character of both, and suited the situation of him that gave them. He celebrates Saul for his former victories, and sheds a tear over him for his defeat, and the indignities offered to him after his death; but without a single reflection on his past injustice and cruelty towards himself. And as to Jonathan his friend, the sorrow he expresses for him is most tender and pathetick. The lamentation over the slain heroes of Israel in the beginning, and several times repeated; the manner in which he expresses his grief at the thought of the defeat's being published among the

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II. SAMUEL.

1 David, by God's direction, with his company goeth up to Hebron, where he is made king of Judah. 5 He commendeth them of Jabesh-gilead for their kindness to Saul. 8 Abner maketh Ish-bosheth king of Israel. 12 A mortal skirmish between twelve of Abner's and twelve of Joab's men. Asahel is slain. 25 At Abner's motion Joab soundeth a retreat. 32 Asahel's bu

rial.

18

A ND it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? and the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.

2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.

3 And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his houshold and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

Philistines his passionately wishing that neither dews nor rains might ever fall on the mountains of Gilboa and the fields surrounding them; his recounting the past victories of Saul and Jonathan, who never drew a bow or brandished a sword without its proving fatal to their enemies, to set forth in a more lively manner the reverse of their condition; his honourable mention of their mutual affection while they lived, and their dying bravely together in the field of battle; his exclamation to the daughters of Israel to mourn over Saul: his celebration of the mutual tender friendship between himself and Jonathan; in a word his whole elegy, both in sentiment and expression, hath all the charms with which the spirit of poetry can adorn it, shews the richness of David's genius, and will be a monument to his praise through all generations. Dr. Chandler. This ode is a lamentation equally pathetick and heroick, the lamentation of a brave man over brave men. The bursts of sorrow in it are so strong and sudden; so short, various, and unconnected, that never perhaps was grief painted in more living and lasting colours. It affords a beautiful proof that David's heart was so softened and melted by grief, as to lose every trace of Saul's cruelty to him. He remembered nothing in him now but the brave man, the valiant leader, the magnificent prince, the king of God's appointment, his own once indulgent master; the father of his Michal and his Jonathan; of his beloved wife and his lamented friend. Dr. Delaney.

Noble ideas aggrandize the soul of him, who writes with a true taste of virtue. David's lamentation over Saul and Jonathan is peculiarly pleasing, in that there is such an exquisite sorrow expressed in it, without the least allusion to the difficulties from which David was extricated by the fall of those great men in his way to empire. When he receives the tidings of Saul's death, his generous mind has in it no reflection upon the merit of the unhappy man who was taken out of his way, but what raises in him sorrow, instead of giving him consolation. How beautiful is the more amiable and noble part of Saul's character, represented by a man whom very Saul pursued to death! But when he comes

that

Abner maketh Ish-bosheth

Before

4 a And the men of Judah came, CHRIST and there they anointed David king about 1056. And they over the house of Judah. told David, saying, That the men 57. of Jabesh-gilead were they that buried 13. Saul.

5 And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him.

6 And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.

a 1 Mac. 2.

b 1 Sam. 31.

the sons of valour.

7 Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and † be ye valiant: Heb. be ge + for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

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8 But Abner the son of Ner, captain of † Saul's host, took Ish- Heb. the bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;

host which was Saul's.

to mention Jonathan, the sublimity ceases; and, not able to mention his generous friendship and the most noble instances ever given by man, he sinks into a fondness that will not admit of high language or allusions to the greater circumstances of their life, and turns only upon their familiar converse: "I am distressed for thee, &c." See ver. 26. Steele.

Chap. II. ver. 1. Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah ?] Though David well knew that his head was long before anointed, and though he had heard Saul himself confidently affirming his succession, yet he will not stir till he has consulted the Lord. It did not content him that he had God's warrant for the kingdom, but he must have his instructions for taking possession of it. How safe and happy is the man that is resolved to do nothing without God! Bp. Hall.

Unto Hebron.] As Hebron was situate in the midst of the tribe of Judah, and a very ancient city, the metropolis of the whole tribe, and the possession of those priestly families, who espoused David's interest, it was a very commodious city for him to make the place of his residence at this juncture; as he was not insensible that the determination of the metropolis in his favour would be of great weight to influence the whole tribe and accordingly we find, that he was soon invested with the sovereignty of it. Dr. Delaney. Hebron seems now to have been the capital city of Judah; Jerusalem, or at least the fortress of mount Sion, that commanded it, being at this time in the hands of the Jebusites. Dr. Chandler.

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4. there they anointed David] As he had before been privately anointed by Samuel, when he was first marked out for the kingdom; so he was now publickly anointed by way of inauguration on assuming the royal office. The men of Judah, here acting independently for themselves, did not presume to know the sense of the other tribes of Israel, but trusted they would afterwards follow this example, as in fact they did, chap. v. 3. Bp. Patrick.

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Abner-took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul,] If

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