o Who in his name and ſtead might treat with Pavid concerning his Reconciliation with hin. "Thus God over-rules the Lu:tts and Paſſions of wicked Men, ro accomplith his own wite and ho!y Purs. poſes. And who then dare courens with rhar God who mixes even. his Enemics to do his work, aad deltroy themtelves ? p.To whom doth this whole Land belong, bur to thee ? Is it not thine by Divine Right *? 5a#!'s Son is bur an Uſurper, thou only art the rightful owner. q Thatthou wiitſt pardon a1} pait Offences ro me, and to all Iſrael, and thou wiltſt receive me into thy Grace and Favour,
13 4 And he faid, Well, I will make a league with thee 7: bur one thing I require of thee, F that 1s, Thou z xy. ſhalc not fee my face, except thou fiſt bring Michal ſg. Sau!s daughter, when thou comeit to fee my face.
r To wit, upon thy terms : which all Circumftances conhdered,
* Chap:
21; 19;
* Ruth
I: 175
ſeem to be Jawkul, ts preveat the grear effulion of ir 2:1;2;Þ Blood, "ny 0" waich
a; 7's
Chap. WI. ?
IT.
| x hich otherwiſe would certainly have been ſpilt. And althoug] le principle of this ation of Abuer's was baſe and wicked, yet thc aGion it ſeif was Lawful and Commendable, and no more than his Duty to God and David obliged himto ; and therefore David might well perſsade and induce him to it.
14 And David ſent meſſengers to Iſhboſheth Sauls ſon /, ſaying, Deliver me my wite Michal 7, which I
*:Sam. eſpouſed to me * for an hundred fore-skins of the Phi- x8.25, 27. 1iſtines. F Whoſe Conſent was neceffary, both to take her away from her preſent Husband, and ro perſwade her to return ro Pavid, Hereby David cpencd to him alſo a door of hope for his Reconciliation, leſt being deſperate he ſhould hinder 46zer in his preſent Defign- t Who, thouch the was taken from me by forces and con'trained ro marry another. x $22 25. 44+ yet is indeed my rightful Wite. Her David demands, partly, for the affeftion he formerly had, and {till retained to her ; partly, to deliver her from the Sin and Reproach of Adultery with another Man, who was not in truth and juftice her Husband, though he was ſo called and accounted : and partly, upon a politick Contideration,that ſhe might ſRrengrhen his Right and Title to the Kingdom. | 15 And I{hboſheth ſent and took her from her hul- * mas * Dias : 1Sam. band «, even from * Phaitiel the fon of Laiſh. 25. 444 u For, bcing forſaken by A4bzzr, he durſt not deny David, into Phaliis, whoſe Power he ſaw ho muſt unavoidably come; and befites, he ſuppoſed that ſhe might be an effettual Initrument ro make his Peace with David. : + Heb: 16 And her husband went with her F along weeping going and behind her to Bahurim x : then ſaid Abner unto him, weeping. Go, return. And he returned. | x A City of Benjamin, upon the Borders of Judzh. Sec 2 Sam. 19. 16. 1 Kings 2. 8. ; 17 4 And Abner had communication with the el- Heb: ders of Iſrael, ſaying, Ye fought for David Þ in times tit: yeſter paſt to be king over you y. day andthe *\ y Even in Sau!'s time you highly honoured him, and prized his third day. QonduRt, and wiſhed that the Power were in his hands ; and great "JEMEY mbers of you went to him, when he was in the Hold, 1 Chroz.12,
nd after Saul's death you would gladly have advanced him to the rown, if your reſpe& to Saul's Famuly, together with my Authority and Influence, had nor diverted you.
138 Now then do# z ; for the LORD hath ſpoken of David #, ſaying, By the hand of my fervant David, I
- will ſave my people Iſrael out of the hand of the Phili-
ſtines, and out of the hand of all their enemies 5.
z You ſhall have my free Conſent and utmoſt Affiſtance in procu- ring it. & He wickedly pretends Religion, when he intended no- thing bur the ſatisfaQtion cf his own Pride, and Malice, and Fury againſt Iſbboſhech. 6 It is very probable God ſpake rheſe words but undoubtedly he ſpake the ſame fenſe by Samuel, though it be not expreſſed before. ; ;
19 And Abner alfo ſpake in the ears of Benjamin c : and Abner went alſo to ſpeak in the cars of David in Hebron, all that ſeemed good to Ifrael, and that fcem- ed good to the whole houſe of Benjamin.
c Torheſec he particularly applies himſelf, becauſe they might be thought moſt kind to Saul and his Houſe,and moſt loath to ler the Kingdom go out of their own Tribe ; and therefore it was necctla- ry that he thould uſe all his Art and Power with them, to perſuade them to a compliance with his Deſign ; and beſides, they were a valiant Tribe,and bordering upon 5«dah. and ficuate becween them and the other Tribes ; and the:etore the winning of them, would be of mighty concernment to bring in all the reſt.
20 S0 Abner cameto David to Hebron, and twenty men with him : and David made Abner, and the men that ere with him, a fealt «.
d Which in thoſe times was cuſtomary when Perſons entred into Covenant. See Gen. 26. 30. and 31.,44, 46:
21 And Abner faid unto David, I will arife, and go, and will gather all Iſrael e unco my lord the king, that they may make a league with thee, and thatthou mayeſt rCcign over all that thy heart defireth. And David ſent Abner away, and he went in peace. '
e 3, e. The Elders and Chieftains of all 1jrael, Repreſenting and Ruling all the reft.
22 © And behold, the ſervants of David, and Joab, came from purſuivg a troop f, and brought in a great {poil with them : ( but Abner 42s nct with David in Hebron, forhe had ſeat him away, and he was gone in peace. )
f Of Robbers, either Ph1if:nes, or Edomites, or ſome others. who taking advantage of the Diſcord between the Houſes of Saul and David, made inroads into Judah, as they had occalion.
23 When Joab and all the hoſt that as with him, were come, they told Joab, ſaying, Abner the ſon of Ner came to the king, and he hath ſent him away, and he is gone in peace. |
24 Then Joab came to the king, and ſaid, Whar haſt thou done g* behold, Abner came unto thee : why is it that thou haſt ſenthim away, and heis quite gone ?
£ Thou haſt commurred a great over-ſight, to diſmiſs ſo dangerous and miſchievous.a Perſon, when he was in thy hands.
25 Thou knowelt Abner the ſon of Ner, that he came to deccive thee, and to know thy going our, and thy coming in b, and to know all that chou doit.
h To fearch our thy Counſels and ſecret Defigns, and to make ule of them againſt thee,
Ti MH UE 4.
26 And when Joab was come out from David, he ſent meſſengers after Abner i, which brought him again from the well of Sirah : but David knew zt nor.