i In the King's Name, and upon pretence of ſome further Com-
munication with him. 27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab
* rook him afide in the gate &, to ſpeak with him [| * 1 King quietly 7 : and ſmote him there under the fifth 746 w;, 10 chat he died, for the blood of * Aſahel his brother ».
þ In the entrance into the Ciry before he came to the King ; and in the place where Confcrences uſed to be. / With appearance of great Civiliry and Kindneſs. Or, ſecretly, as having ſome matter of great importance to utter, which none but himſelf muſt hear. m As he did A4ſabel, Chap. 2. 23. # To revenge the death of ſave]; and withal ( though that be not here mentioned ) to ſecure his own ſtanding, and rid his hands ufo great and powerful a Compe. titor. And this was Joab's Deſign ; bur God had other Deſigns in it, both to puniſh Abucr's manifold Wickednefs, and particularly his Rebcllion againſt David, and againſt God and his own Conſcience therein : and that David might not owe his Kingdom to Abner, and to his Revenge and Treachery, but wholly to God's wiſe and pow. erfu] Providence.
28 4 Andafterward when David heard it, he ſaid «, I and my kingdom are guiltleſs before the LORD p for ever, from the + blood of Abner the fon of Ner : F Heb: o Publickly before his Courtiers and People ; and ſeriouſly as in tlud:
God's preſence. p I call the Lord to Witnets,that this was not done by my Inſtigation or Authority, or by any publick Counſel, but only by Joab's Malice ; and therefore I truſt that Cod will not puniſh me nor my Kingdom, but Joab only.
29 Let it q reſt on the head of Joab, and on all his fathers houſe r, and let there not Þ fail from the houſe of Joab one that hath an iſſue /, or that is aleper, or that leancth on a ſtaff's, or that fallecth on the ſword,
or that lacketh bread. 9 7. e. This Blood, the guilt and puniſhment of it. » But Chil. dren were not to ſuffer for their Parents ſin, Deut. 24. 16. And therefore either this was only a PrediQion ; or, if it were an Im- precation, David may ſeem to havetranſgreſſed his Bounds,and min- gled his Paſſion with his Zeal, that fo he might expreſs his utter de- teſtation of this horrid Murder.and how far he was from having any hand in it, ſ Which was not only a troubleſome and ſhameful Diſ- caſe, bur alſo infe&ious, both to him that had it, and to all that touched him ; ſo that, whilſt it was upon a Man, he was cut off in a great part from Converſe either with God or Men, # Through crazinels, or feebleneſs, or lameneſs, whereby he is rendred unar for Aftion and publick Service.
30 So Joab and Abiſhai « his brother ſlew Abner, becauſe he had ſlain their brother * Afahel at Gibeon in
the battel x.
u For though Joab only committed the Murder, yet Abifhai was guilty of it, becauſe ir was done with his Conſent, and Counſel,and Help,and Approbation : for by theſe and ſuch like ations Men are involved in the guilt of other mens Sins, at leaſt in God's Judg- ment. « Which he did in the fury of Battel, and for his own ne- ceflary defence ; and therefore it was no juſtification of this unne= cellary and treacherous Murder in a time of Peace.
21 4 And David faid to Joab y, and to all the peo- ple that were with him, * Rent your clothes, and giid * Jok. you with ſackcloth, and mourn before Abner z. And 7: of ; king David himſelf followed the Þ bier a. TH
7, Him he eſpecially obliged to ir ; partly, to bring him to Re- pentance for his Sin: partly, ro expoſe him to publick ſhame, and to the contempt and hatred of all the People, with whom he had roo great an Intereit, which hereby Dav:d deſigned to diminiſh. z 2.0. Attending upon his Corps, and paying kim thatReſpe&t and Honour which was due to his Quality. a Which was againſt the uſage of Kings, and might ſeem below David's Dignity ; bur it was now expedient to vindicate himſelf from all ſuſpicion and contri- Vance or concurrence in this ACtion.
22 And they buried Abner in Hebron, and the king life up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner, and all che people wepr.
23 And the king lamented over Abner, and faid, Died Abner as Þ a fool dieth b ? |
b i.e. Asa wicked Man, for ſuch are oft called Fools in Scripture. Was he cut off by the hands of Juſtice for his Crimes ? Nothing leſs; bur by Jeab's Malice and Treachery. Or, did he die by his own Folly, becauſe he had nor Wiſdom or Courage to defend himſelf?
h no. The words may be thus rendred : ſba# or ſhould Abner ie like a Fool, or a vile contemptible Perſon ? 1.e. unregarded, unpiried, unrevenged ; as Fools or vile Perſons die,for whoſe death none are concerned. Or, How is Abner dead like a Fool | pitying his miſe chance. Ir being honourable for a great Man and Soldier to fight, if met with by an Enemy, and not ( having his Arms at liberty) ttand ſtill like a Fool to be killed, without making any reſiſtance or de= fence ; which, by this treachery of Joab, happened to be his caſc.
34 Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put 1nt0 fetrers c: as a man falleth before + wicked men 4, fo News fe}leſt thou. And all the people wept again over him. pap
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his Soveraign, would never have taken the ſhame and blame of it wholly to himſelf as he did. : 25 And when all the people came to cauſe David to eat meat e, while it was yet day, David ſware, fay- ing, So do God to me, and more alſo, if I taſte bread,
or ought elſe, till the ſun be down e.