PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Chronicles
Philip Chapman Barker [d.1904] · 415,586 words · 458 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Chronicles — Section 181
Ver. 9.-Sitccess is guaranteed if God be with us. It is stated that David " waxed greater and greater," but we are not left in any uncertainty as to the real source of his prosperities. We are not permitted to limit our vision to merely favourable circumstances or unusual talents. The secret will go into a sentence:…
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EXPOSITION. the occasion when he was being mnde king CHAPTER XII. of the whole people. Thus tbo chl\ptcr This chapter is relrospcotive, and the would divide really into four po.rts, to which contents of it are not found elsewhere. It the following sections will be fonnd suffi- is occupied, first (vers. 1-22), with t…
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1·ized Version; xxiv. 1, Authorized Version). xxiv. 2; Judg. ix. 29), we are led on to his This gro.phic description of the milita.ry highest spiritual functions. Rnd indeed native qualities of these Gadites, Ver. 19.-And there fell . .. of :Manasseh is in ha.rmony with many other glimpses to David. Of this use of -',…
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at all difficult to suggest some very passable Ver. 32.-Kad understanding of the times explanations of these phenomena,. •rhisdoubt (2 Chron. ii. 12; Esth. i. 13; Job xxiv. is not lessened by the total, which,according I). Compare Tacitus, "gnarus temporum" to this list, must make a, figure between three (' Agricola…
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fellows, silently beseech kindness and fidelity and propitiate favour, we have a touching example in the history of the text. Notice the explaining, justifyin", 0 and redeemincr0 features of this suspicion. I. THE BCJBPICION TO WHIOH DAVID GIVES EXPRESSION AROSE IN THE MIDST OF CIR~UMSTAN0EB WHI0H INV?LVED THE QUE…
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Ill. THE SUSPICION TO WHICH DAVID GIVES EXPREBSION WAS ONE DORN OF A HEART THAT 1'"EVERTHELESS YEARNED TO TRUST, TO REPOSE CONFIDENCE, TO LOVE WITH THOROUGH UNION. David any way incurs the risk of going forth to meet these volun- te~rs. It would ha.ve been madness to do so had Saul himself been in the company. When…
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lip of David we.s the boldness that was required !or the outspeakin"' of suspicion. 2. Its unqualified frankness. No limping sentence, no lama engage~ent, no offer nor attempt at contract or bargain, but uncompromising self-surrender: "Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse." Such is the style of these…
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force. This would rather be due to the suggestions thickly, richly clustering round about it. Wheuce it grew, what it had intrinsically in it, and to what it was JJromising to grow, would assuredly be some of the first of the thought which we shonld thereupon think. And these deeper, less visible feeders of our own …
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feeling for something the reverse of cle.ssifice.tion-the oneness of national life. And at present they found the spiritual effort by itself severe. They craved some embodi- ment of the ideas and feelings which were now strongly working within them. And their sin in desiring in aid hereof a visible judge, warrior, king…
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Homage imd obedience should be freely rendered where they are justly claimed and truly deserved. Observe the qualities and exploits of these sons of Gad who gathered to David and offered him their swords. They were men of might, bold as lions, swift :is eagles; men skilful in the use of their weapons, apt for war, brav…
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Ver. 22.-.A great work needs great help. The way in which David was prepared for the sovereignty over Israel is very remarkable. He himself was disciplined by adversity for days of power and prosperity. And the people were gradually, during the later years of Saul's life and reign, made ready for the transfer of their …
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adhesion of devoted, fearless, and self-denying spirits. In every congregation may many come, day by day, to Christ, to help him in his kingdom and his warfare !-T. Ver. 32.~Men of understanding. The position of Issacho.r among the tribes was one central and desirable. Some of the richest land in Palestine fell to th…
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every claim we are his, and his only, and to withhold from him aught that is ours is an infringement upon his rights, His demand is a jnst and unvarying one: "My son, give me thine heart." 2. It is evidence of ingratitude towards Ghrist. When the Lord Jesus undertook our redemption, he did not leave his work half finis…
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Vers. 1-15, 19-22.-The service of the supreme King. In the attitude of David and in the services rendered to him at this juncture in his history we have hints as to our true bearing toward the King of kings at all times. I. THAT WE MAY SOMETIMES SERVE Gon BEST BY PATIENT WAITING. For some years after David knew that h…
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III. THAT WE MUST BE READY TO TAKE THE PLACE FOR WHICH Goo HAS FITTED us. "Of the sons of Gad, one of the least was over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand" (ver. 14). It is in our human nature to covet the highest place; but we are to learn of Christ-of his example and of his Word-to take with cheerfulness t…
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and thirty years of his subsequent life did David sit down to his table in the royal palace at Jerusalem with so much gladness of heart as he did this day at Hebron. Never, probably, did the thousands of Israel gather at such a jubilant assembly as when they met "to make David king," and were with him "three days ea.ti…
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the house of Saul or that of David. When so much hung on the will of the rei~ning monarch, that was a vital question. 2. What steps to take to establish the national unity. In presence of the unconquered Philistines and of other neighbouring powers, this unity of Israel was of immense, indeed of essential, importance. …
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V ers. 23-40. - David's rnighty men : description and character. What is the character of these followers of David? Are they mere followers? Nay, in very deed they are soldiers, warriors to the very death. They fight David's battles. They stand in the breach, in the forefront. They "loved not their lives to the death" …
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Vera. 22, 23.-0ne increasing, another decreasing. So constant and so extensive were the accessions to David's party, that any observer would have said," It is evident that Saul is going down and David is going up. This David is the man of the future." When it is seen in which direction the tide is flowing, every one hu…
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Vers. 23-40.-The hen.rts of all men are in God's hands. When the proper time came for the promise made to David to be fulfilled, no efforts were needed to secure the throne. One difficulty after another faded away. One section after another of the people came to offer their allegiance. And the signs of God's graciou…
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hearts, who is our God, permits it only as long as he pleases, and will change it when he thinks best. With this assurance, no wrong-doing of our fellow-men need unduly distress us. III. A MAN 18 BEBPONBIBLE FOB HIS DEA.LINO WITH GoD'S INWARD LEA.DINGS. This, indeed, is his deepest responsibility. He has an inward voi…
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suspicion of their integrity to arise. The word "perfect" is often used in Scripture as the equivalent of ",vhole," "entire," "complete." "Ma-rk the perfect man;" " Be ye therefore perfect; " "As many as be perfect." I. SINGLE-MINDEDNESS. IS A GREAT SECRET OF SUCCESS IN LIFE. More so now than ever it was, seeing that …
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the ',~l from im of Egypt (Gen. xv. 18), uncertain, yet it would appear certain that bo.t ather tends to identify them. The ~be. int_erve.l exceeded twenty years, to the entering of-lleu;iath; _i.e. t~e way to Hamath time that Do.vicl now takes in hand to bring (He_brew, M(:J_n.;.Numb.xxnv. 7, 8). He.me.th home, as it …
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indicates with some decisiveness the different (Exod. xxv.14, 15) that the poles with which cbararter and the number of the sources to bear it should not be taken out of the from which the writers of the Books of rings, but be always sto.tioua.ry there. If Samuel and those of Chronicles took. we au ppose that it was no…
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only to give it (1) the place that belonged to it of right; (2) the place that for honour it merited; (3) tbe place where it would be likely to be most influential. Even the ark out of sight was only too liable to be proportionately out of mind. There is, therefore, nothing of the nature of a mere empty demonstrativene…
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indeed, then, was there tc prepare for such a falling through of the very cherished hopes and the earnest deeds of that day. 3. The failure was of a sort to have many and wide ~tfects and also cross-effects. How much thinking of friend and foe would be stirred! How many tongues of friend and foe would allow themselv…
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this for which he makes his first bid, and that a sincere and hearty bid. The mere acknowledgment of so great a principle was a happy inauguration of bis own kingship and a favourable omen for bis reign. He ood learnt not a little of the intrinsic value of this harmony in previous affliction of bis own, in observati…
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Ver. 3.-Religious resolution based on regretful memories. D11vid certainly wishes to make a contra.st, and a decided one, between the days and the administration of Sa.ul and those of himself; for it was ripe time, both that such contra.st should be made, and made patent to all the nation. Yet, as we have read wh&t …
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own days a man highly placed and of authority says of himself, and involves a large number of others in the assertion, while he looks them steadfastly in the face, " We were never on our knees;"" We forgot to pray;"" "\Ve lived long, perilous, anxious years without prayer." 'l'o tell myself honestly my own greatest …
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place mor_e like permanence and honour. And in the bringing of it, through no apparent fault of his own, the enterprise fails, disastrously and fatally. '!'his issue he must feel equivalent to a personal and very severe rebuff. Yet there is scarcely room to doubt tha( honest motive, religious feeling and principle, and…
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II. ConnECTER AND FULLEn KNOWLEDGE OF GoD, WHILE IT INTERPOSES DELAY, DOES NOT INVOLVE DESPAIB, DUT DOES ENSURE A MORE EXALTED ESTIMATE OF WHAT TI' IS TO ENTERTAIN HIM. The ark, with thfl mercy-seat upon it and the overshadowing cherubim, symbolized the Divine presence, and was, when located in the sanctuary in its pro…
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los\. by one it is gained by another, it is worthily fulfilled, it la bountifully rewarded, Notice- I. THE ARDUOUS TRUST OF THE FIRST MAN IN THE KINGDOM HAS COME BY CIRCUM• STANCES, WHATEVER THEY MAY BE, TO BE FORFEITED, EITHER TEMPORARILY OR ALTO• GETHER, TO O"NE OF THE HUMBLEST. Very much of human life and circumst…
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Verily the ark of God, the presence of God, the secret of God, the Spirit of God the Church of God, are all of and with the hum hie and ung:t asping and unexpectant h'eart. That kind of heart God surprises and makes it his home. Ill. HIGH RELIOIOUS TRUST FAITHFULLY MET AND FULFILLED BRINOS FULLEST RICHEST BLESSING.…
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Ver. 4.-Politics and morals. David no sooner set before the people their duty with regard to the ark than they immediately resolved to act in accordance wit.h his counsel. The chronicler explains why they did so; he tells us, in language remark- ably dignified and simple: "For the thing was right in the eyes of all …
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Ver.14.-Household blessing. "Prosperity," says Lord Bacon, "is the blessing of the old covenant, adversity of the new." Certainly Old 'l'estarnent Scripture abounds in instances of temporal abundance, fertility, and happiness, represented as proofs of the favour of the Most High. In the text Obed-edom is recorded to ha…
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Vere. 7-13.-T/ie imperfection, of human service. We cannot read this story of CH, xm.1-14.J THE FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. 209 ------------------------------- the first att~mpt to bring the ark to the c~pital wi~hout being impressed, if not depressed, with a sense of the weakness and 1mperfect1on characterizinu 0 …
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the camp of the Israelites proved to be fruitless of help (1 Sam. iv.). 3. That the ark was nothing more in itself than a box of wood, and, apart from God's determination to bless, could not possibly effect anything at all. 4. That to trust in a thing manu- factured of man and not in the living God himself would par…
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he was instantly smitten of God, and "there he died by the ark" (2 Sam. vii. 7), "before God" (ver. 10), David was grieved at this, and, instead of proceeding further and carrying the ark as he had intended to Jerusalem, be left it in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite, where it remained three months (ver. 14). The set…
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Ver. S.-The joy of religion. The natural and fitting expression of the kingly and national gladness in the restoration of the sacred ark was, "Playing before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets." The three kinds of music…
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Vers. 9, 10.- Warnings againsl irreverence. The incident here recalled to mind is one full of difficulties. Uzza seems to have been struck dead for what was, in intention, an act of consideration and care for the safety of the ark. To human view his sin does not readily appear, and some explanations are necessary in ma…
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EXPOSITION. but our compiler is consistent with himself; CHAPTER XIV. for see eh. iii. 6, 7. Further, our ver. 12 The contents of this chapter belong to a states that tbo idols of the Philistines were period of time subsequent to the ta.king of by David's command "burned with fire," tLe fort of Zion, and find their …
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little to be relied upon is known of him said th11t the Philistines went up to seek outside Scripture, but his reign is ea.id to D!l'vid, the sequel makes it evident that they have extended from B.o. 1023-990. dul not seek him as friends. And it is to Ver. 2.-Was lifted up. Tho passage in be remembered that the Phil…
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is probably neither " mulberry" nor, as the occurrenoe of our supposed alliteration, in Septuagint and Vulgate translate,·• pear" the clause, •• Thou shalt go out." There is trees. But judging from the probable something stirring to the imagination, and derivation (:i?~, to weep), they were trees probably it was fel…
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direct, that David would be likely to be in want of these things. Yet, whatever intimation Hiram had received, his response is large and graciowi and full of free will. Something in this David saw, which perhaps no one else saw, but well worth notice. I. DAVID SAW THAT ONE CONTINUOUS PURPOSE OJ' GoD WAS HOVING ON. …
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All the rather was David secretly in deepest heart convinced of the reality of J)ivine interposition, of providential forces at work. When we allow that Hirarn had received some "hints" and some intimation of the likely desire of David to build a. house worthy of his people and royal state, we have gone as far as we…
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for fresh effort. On the ofoer hand, life is spent here in the presence of the foe, and one of watchful observation-the children of light not so wise in their generation nor so awake as he. Keen is the eye of enmity. It searches all round its own armoury for the weapon fittest for its purpose, and all round its opponen…
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for want of "ear to hear." And some things the most essential to bear are crowded out unheard because of the rush of sounds to the ear, hollow as ever sound could be. B_ut the wakefulness of an open ear is here, and the irreparable does not happen, and the disastrous stroke does not fall upon a whole kingdom and people…
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unhesitatingly obey God. One of the most remarkable of the characteristics of Scripture is its freedom from repetition and monotony, even when engaged on subjects that may very closely resemble one another in their matter. In tbe present instance, the con- nection, the subject, the time, all closely correspond with wha…
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HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 2.-" The Lord ... confirmed him king." To many readers this phraseology seems simply the language of superstition, to be classed with similar language in which primitive and heathen nations are wont to attribute the triumphs of their warriors and the greatness of their kings to their …
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Ver. 12.-Hatred of idolatry. The conduct of David, in directing that tho idols of the Philistines shoulr:l be "burned with fire," arose from the fervour of his religious feelings a11d his contempt for idolatrous usages. It must always be borno in mind, in reading of the wars between I~rael and l'hilistia, that these, l…
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religion. Providence exalted him to a lofty position and enabled him to adorn the station to which be was raised. Hence so large a part of the historical books of the Old Testament are occupied with the events of his reign ; and hence he is so fre- 'luently alluded to in the national annals, and so often quoted both by…
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true domestic morality, so shall we inevitably and irrecoverably lose weight, influence, usefulness, as well as peace and gladness of heart, if we make any one serious mistake in the ordering of our life. This is true of the choice of our vocation, of the selection of our friends, and (more especially) of the decision …
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David" (ver. 8). When a man becomes the servant of the great Kin" he knows that his spiritual adversaries will seek to slay him ; or, if he does not, h:• soon discovers that no one is more certain to be assailed by temptations than he who has just entered the army of the living God. 1. " The WU'l'ld n will come up agai…
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Vers. 13-17.-Second battle in the valley of Rephaim. The utter discomfiture of the Philistines and the victory of Israel had filled the former with alarm, and a second attempt was made against Israel. David again cast himself upon the Lord. This time the mode of attack by David was, at the command of God, to be varie…
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DO circle drawn round within which alone prayel can be accepta'ole.Nothin" interests us that does not interest our God. "In everyti\ing, by prayer and supplic;tion, . . . we may make known our requests unto him." This may be further enforced. I. WHAT IS THE GoD-SPHERE? The difficulties into which men get, :rnd the sub…
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them idols, but they are such if they attract and draw awo.y from God, 01· push him out of bis rightful place-first in heart and lip and life. I. MAN ll!AY NOT INTERFERE WITH HIS NEIGHBOUR'S RELIGION. That is, not in any physical way. He may by moral forces-by argument, by persuasion, but not by force, in either priva…
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CHAPTER XV. it in this tent in J eruso.lem. It ie no more sheltered in the tabernacle. But the ta- Ver. 1.-The contents of this verse and bernacle, as well o.s the ark, was ultimo.tely the following ..-erses up to the twenty-fifth brought to the new-built temple of Solomon have no po.rallel in the Book of Samuel, (1 …
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and of the Levites, is constantly observed (eh. be the singers. Thie was the first step xii. 26, 27; xxvii. 17). The mention of the towards what we huve already rend in oh. six representative Levitical families follows. vi. 31-39, 44; ix. 33, 34 (where see notes). That of Xohath (ver. 5) takes the lead, Yer. 18.-:Be…
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for sentinel and other 1pecial signals, and a priest's garmont (I Sam. xviii. 4: xxiv. 5, for war, was shaped like a ram's horn, and 12; 2 Sam. xiii. 8; Job i. 20; ii. 12), though probably me.de of the same. The particular priests did wear it. 'l'he robe of byssus -ia appropriateness of the nee of the former on spoken …
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same ti~11e to fling a just, manly defiance at the mer~iless spirit of remorse and to pay the mentrd homage to goodness and to God. The life of many a good man owns to many a sin, many a folly, and, when he goes not so far as these, to many a great and to- be-regrelted mistake. Ilut tbe most marked differences betwe…
901 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical Pulpit Commentary. Source page identifies the volume as Public Domain; text extracted from its historical PDF.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.