being eighteen thouſar.d men ps # i.e. Much increaſed his Reputations x Or, Edomites, as they 4 uhh are ſaid to be, 1 Chron. 18. 12 It js likely thele two People were © © Confederates, and that divers of the Syrians whom David had de- feared in Syria, fled to Edom, and there joyned with them againſt their common Enemy, and made up together a very great Army ( as the number of the Men lain in it ſheweth ) conſfiiting of the veterane Soldiers of both Countries. Although the ſlaughter here following may ſeem not to have been of the Syrians, as the words at firſt reading ſeem to intimate, bur of the Edomites; ( it not be- ing probable thar the Syrians would come ſo far from their own Countrey, as to the Valley of Salt, to fight ) and this Verſe may be read thus, and that very agreeably to the Hebrew ; And David gat him a name when he returned from ſmiting of the Syrians, in ſiniting ( which is eaſily repeated out of the laſt Clauſe, according to the common uſage of Scripture ) in the Valley of Salt eighteen thouſand Men, who were Ed»mites, as is ſufficiently implied here in the next Verſe, and exprefled 1 Chron. 18, 12. y A place in Edom ſo calledy either from its Neighbourhood to the Salt Sea, or for ſome other cauſe now unknown. 2 As it is alſo 1 Chron. 18. 12, where alſo they are ſaid to be ſmitten by Abiſhai ; becauſe he was then achief Commander of the Army under Dav:d, and, it may be, began the fight; as, -for the like reaſon, they are ſaid to be ſmitten by Joab, Pal. 60. title, where alſo there are only 120co mentioned ; which place, if it ſpeak of this Bartel, the ſtate of it was this : Abiſhai begins the Combar, and kills 6000. after him comes in Joab and kills 12000 More, which makes up this 18000. But why may not that be another Hiſtory in Batrel ? So the Edomites and Syrians together did firft tight with Abiſhai, and loſt 18002 Men, and afterwards recruited their Forces and fought with Joab, and loſt other 12000 Men. Nor 1s it ſtrange if two Battels were fought in one place 7 of which there are divers inſtances in Hiſtorians.
14 T And he put gariſons in Edom ; throughout all Edom-put he gariſons, and all * they of Edom *Numb: became Davids ſervants : and the LOR D David whitherſoever he went, ,
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IL. 15 And David reigned over all Ifrae], and David executed judgment and juſtice 4 upon all his people.
2 i.e. Juſt Judgment, as Deut: 16; 46; A Figure called Hendiad's ; as in Gen: 3.16: Matth: 4: 16.
16 And Joab: the ſon of Zeruiah as over the hoſt 5; and Jchoſhaphat the fon of Ahilud was [| recorder e. | | b Who having covbrleſs declared his Repentance for his former Crimes, and having done eminent ſervice for his Countrey and having received the chief Cemmand by vertue of David's Promiſe 1nd Contra, 2 Sam: £:8: was ſtill eontinued in his place, c Either, Firſt, The writer cf Chronicles. Bur it is not likely he would have been put among the great Officers of State and Church. Or, Sccindiy, The Treaturer, whocxamine? all the Accounts, and kept Records cf them. Or, Thirdly, The Kings Couniſcllor, as 4h:tophe! is called, 2 Sam. 15, 12. 1 Chron. 27.33. who was to bring things of moment to the King's Mind and Remembrance, and to admonith himfiom time to time of t..ings fit ro be done. See 1 Kings 4. 3. 2nd 2 Kings i8. 18
17 And * Zadok the ſon of Ahitub 4, and Ahi- melech the ſon of Abiarchar e, were the prieſts f ; and Seraitah was the || Scribe ;
4 Not of that Abitub, 1 Sam. 4. for that was of Ithamar's Race. but this of Eleazar. e So Abiathar called his Son by the name of his Father, 1 Sam. 22e 20. f7z.e. The Chief Prieſt next under Abiathar, who fled to David, 1 Sam. 22. 20. and now was High Pricſt, as may be gathered from 2 Sam. 15» 35. and 1 Kings 2. 27, 35. under him theſe two were the next Chief Prieſts, or the Se- cond Prielts, each one being Chief of the Houſe of his Father, Zadok of Eleazar, and Abimelech of Trhamar. See Numb. 3. 32. 1 Chroy. 24. 3, 4+ - Or, theſe two are here mentioned, becauſe they conſtant!y attended upon the King, that he might conſult with them in the matters of the Lord, as need required.
18 * And Benaiah the fon of Jehoiada 4s over pg both the Cherethites and the Pelethites 4 : and Davids {ons were || chiet rulers 5.
g Theſe words are ſupplied out of the parallel place, x Chron. 18. 17 and out of 2 Sam 20. 23- where they are expreſſed. þ The Chereth:ces and Pelethites were undoubtedly Soldiers, and ſuch as were eminent for their Valour and Fidelity to the King, as is evident trom 2 Sam: 15: 18: and 20: 7: and 1 Kings 1:38, 44. and moſt pro- bably they were the Kings Guards, which conſiſted of theſe two Bands, who might be diſtinguiſhed either by their ſeveral Weapons, or by the differing time or manner of their ſervice. They are ſuppoſed to be thus called, either, firſt, from their Office, which was upon the King's Command to cut off or puniſh offenders,
and to preſerve the King's Perilon, as their names in the Hebrew
Tongue may ſeem tq imply. Or, Secondly, From ſome Country, or place to which they had relation. As for the Cherethites, it is certain they were either a Branch of the Philiftines, or a People neighbouring to them, and confederate with them, as is manifeſt from 1 Sam: 30: 14: Ezek: 25: 16: Zeph: 2: 4, 5. And ſo might the Pele: hites be too, though that be nor related in Scripture. And theſe 1/raelites and Soldiers of David might be fo called. either, becauſe they went and lived with David when he dwelt in thoſe parts : or, from {ome notable Exploit againſt, or Vi&ory over theſe People ; as among the Romans the names of Aſtaticus, Afri- canus, &c. were given for the ſame reaſon. One of their Exploits againlt the Cherethites 1s 1n part related, 1 Sam: 30; 14. And it is likely they did many other againſt them, and againſt other People, amongſt which the Pelerhites might be one. # Had the places of greateit Authority and Dignity conterred upon them.
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