years ipace, comes not to half ſomuch. But ſome Mens hair grows much faſter, and is much heavier than others. Bur others under- ſtrand this not of the weight, but of the price of his hair, which was {old by him that Polled it at that rate.
27 And unto Abſalom there were born three ſons c
and one daughter whoſe name was Tamar 4: ſhe was
a woman of a fair countenance- c All which died not long after they were born, as may be ga-
and ſwayed by favour or bribes ; or,at leaſt not careful and diligent as they ſhould be: and my Father being grown inyears,is negligent
of publick Afffairs, leaving them wholly to their Condu&.
4 Abſalom {aid moreover, O that I were made judge
in the land ;, that every man & which hath any luit-
thered from chap. 18. 18. where itis ſaid, that 4b/alow had ne | on. d So called from her Aunt, chap-13. 1. : 28 © & Abſalom dwelt two full years in Jeruſalem,
and ſaw not the kings face.
29 Therefore Abſalom ſent for Joab, to have ſent him to the king e, but he would nor come to him: and when he ſent again the ſecond time, he would not
come f.
e Thar by his mediation he might be addmirred into the King's favour and preſence. f Partly,becauſe perceiving David's afteQtions to becold ro Abſalom, he would not venture his own intereſt for him, eſpecially in deſiring that which he feared he ſhould be de- nicd; partly, leſt by interceeding further. tor Ab/alom,he thould re- vive the remembrance of his former Murther, and meet with the reproach of one Murtherers interceeding for another ; and partly, becauſe by converſe with Abſalom, he oblerved his temper to be ſuch, thar if once he were fully reſtored to the King's favour, he would not only eclipſe and oppoſe Joe s Intereſt and power with |
or _—— might come unto me, and I would do him u 1CC» : : For the King had only reſtored 4bſalom to favour, but thought not fit ro put him into any place of Power and Truſt. & I fhould refuſe no Man, and decline no Pains to do any Man good. So he pretends to a very publick Spirit. 5 And it was ſo, that when any man came nigh 7o him, to do him obeiſance, he put forth his hand, and
took him and kiſſed him /.
{ Putting on the Garb of ſingular humanity and good will to all Men, For that ſeems to have been a Ceremony, in frequent uſe 1n thoſe times. of ſhewing reſpe&, as pulling off the Hat, and bow» ing, or imbracing, 1s at this day with us. |
6 And on this manner did Abſalom to all Iſrael, that
'came to the king for judgment : ſo abſalom ſtole the
hearts of the men of Iſrael »»,
» i.e. He ſecretly and ſubtilly undermined his Father, and rob- . bed his Father of the good Opinions and AffeCtions of + 3 C 4 that
that he might oblige all. þ To wit, none ſuch as will do thee Ju- the king {tice- The other Sons and Relations of rhe King, and the reſt of down- the Judges and Rulers under him and them,are wholly? corrupted, ward.
va.
'he did ſo humble and aflidt himſelf, as it is apparent he did, v 30.
' pleaſe his Father, and eaſily procure his conſ:nt. p Which is men-
' that his Father could not ſuddenly reach him.
L-
| Chap. XV. Sa MMDEL
that he might gain them to himſelf, by ſuch inſinuations into their AffeSicns, by his plautible and over-civil Carriage.
- CE And it came to pals after fourty years », that Abſalom ſaid unco the king, I pray thee, let me go, and pay my Yow 0 which I have vowed unto the Lord
in Hebron p. |
n 2zeft. Whence are theſe to be computed? Af. Not from 4bſa- lm's Birth ; for he was born in Hebron tome conſicerable time after David had begun his reign, 2 Sam.3.3. muci leſs from the time of his vow male, or of his return fcom Baniſhment : bur, either, firſt, fiom the rime of David's eleftion or deſignation to the Kinguom, 1 Sam. 16. 13. Or, ſecondly, From the beginning of Saul's keign which being a ſolemn time, and obſerveable for the change of rhe Sovernmentr in 1jreel, might very fitly be made an Epocha, from whicht-e compuration or account of Times begin ; as the Greeks and Romans began their accounts in the ſame manner, and upon the ſame-ground. Or rather, Thirdly, From the beginning of David's Reign, who reigned qo Years; and io the words may be rendred, abou or towards the end of forty years ; i.e. in the beginning of the fortieth Yezr, And ſo this very Phraſe is uſed, Deut. 15: 1: At the end of every [even years ; i.e. in the ſeventh Year, even from the begianiog of it,as is manifeſted and confeſlcd. So in a like expretli- on, 4fter three days will I riſe again, Mark 8; 31: 4. e. onthe begin- ning of the third Day, when Chriſt did riſe ; the number of three Days being then compleated when the third Day is begun. And the 4o Years are here expreſſe.. as one motive or inducement to Abſalom to rebel, becauſe now his Father's end grew near; and one of the Hebrew Doors affirms, That there was a Tradition, or Ru- mour or Prediction,that David ſhould Reign but 40 Years And 4b- ſalom might eaſily underſtand that David inrended to decline him, and to make Solomon his Succeſſor, as well by the conſcience of his own wickedneſs and vnfitneſs for fo great a truſt, as by that eminent Wiſdom and Piety which appeared in So/:mon in his tender Years, and that great Reſpe& and Ate&ion which his Father mutt needs have and manifeſt ro him upon this account,and by thar Promiſe & Oath given to Bashſbeba concerning his Succeſſion mentioned, 1 King. 1. 30. but made before that time, which alſo might come to 4b- ſalow's ear. Againſt this Opinion two things are objected: Firſt, That David was in the time of this Rebellion a ſtrong Man,for he march- ed on Feot, v. 39. whereas in his laſt Year he was very infirm and bed-rid. Secondly, Thar after this Rebellion was ended, divers o- ther things happened, as the three years Famine, 2 Sam. 21. 1,and other things following in the Hiſtory. Burt it may be anſwered to the firſt, T hat David might in the beginning of his lalſt Year, have ſo much ſtrength & vigour left as tomarch on Foot,efpecially when