he might juſtly think unhr to carry it from place to place he knew
not whither, and toexpole it to all the hazards and inconveniences to which he himſelfwas likely to be expoſed : partly,out of reſpe& to the Prieſts, whom, by this means, he thought !:e ſhould expoſe to the Rage of 4bſalom, as he had before expoſed tem to Saris F ury on another occaſion, 1 Sam 22, And putly, that by this means he might have the better opportunity to ſearch out, znd to Coun« ter-work Abſalom's. Plots; which. was ſo neceſſary, not only for himſelf, but for the defence and maintenance of tlie Ark, ind all God's Ordinances, and of the true Religion. be, The Tabernacle which David had lately built for 1',Chap. 6. 17- in which the Ark and God, by means thereof, o:dinzrly dvelt. And he:eby keinſie nuates another reaſon of his returning the Aik to Fersſal:m, becauſe there was the Tabernacle mace for the receipt of it
26 But if he thus ſay, I have no delight in thee c: be- hold, here am I, 4let him do to me as ſeemeth good unts him,
c TI will not receive thee into my Favour, nor reſtore thee to thy Throne and City, and to the enjoyment of my Ark and Ordi-
nances, d Ready to obey him, and to ſubmit to his Will and Pleaſure concerning me«
. 27 Theking faid alſo unto Zadok the Prieſt e, * Ars not thou a ſeer f? return into the City in peace. g, and *your ewo ſons with you, Ahimaaz thy voy and Jona. than the ſon of. Abjathar.
e Either becauſe Abiathar was gone from him, wv. 24. and not yet returned: or becauſe David put more confidence in Zadek fie Either, 1+ A Prophet, for ſuch were called Secrs,1 Sam. g. 9. 2 Sas 24. 11. Amos 7, 12+ And ſuch he may be galled, either becauſe he really had the gift of Prophecy : or,becauſe as the name of Prophets is ſometimes given to thoſe who had not Prophetical Gifts but were only Officers and Miniſters devoted to,and employed in God's Worſhip and Service,as 1 Sem. 10. 5. Os, Kings 18. 4, 13. Com- pare I Chron. 25. 1,2, 3, Soitis reaſonable, That the name of Seers be extended to the ſame Latirude; and therefore he ma properly and fitly be called a Ser, as he was with, and under 48; athar the Chief Governour of the Houſe and Worlhip of God ; who, by his Office, wes to inftrutt an dire& the Pecple in th: ſs matters, whereby he had many opportunities both of ſiftins out AvoJalom's Counſels, and of minding the Peop'e of th-ir Duty to
' David, as he ſaw opportunity. Which ſence ſuits well with Davia's
' Scope aud Deſign. Or, 2, 4 ſeeing, or diſcerning, or o5ſerving Man:
| David's Mind : Thou art a wiſe Man, and therefore fit to
zites, wv. 18. q Since Iam now unable to recompenſe thy kindneſs |
and fidelicy to me, My hearty Prayer to God is, That he would ſhew to thee his Mercy, in Bleſſing thee with all ſorts of Bleſſings,
and his Faithfulneſs in miking goodall thoſe Promiſes which he hath :
made, not to 1ſraelites only, but in, and with them to all true-hear- ted Profelytes, ſuch as thou art.
21 And Ittai anſwered the king, and faid, 4s the
:
|
for 1o the Hebrew Verb raah is oft uſed. And this ſuits well with
this great buſineſs, which requires Prudence and Sorralie” & 3s
Men of Peace, giving over all thoughts of War,and devoti ſclves entirely to God's Service. an, ae
28 See. I will tarry in the plaitr of the wilderneſs, until there come word from you to certifie me. 29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of
LORD liveth, and a: my lord the king liveth.ſurely in , God again to Jeruſalem ; and they tarried there.
what place my lord the king ſhall be, whether in death or life. even there alſo will thy ſervant be.
22 And David ſaid to Itrai, Go and paſs over. And Ittai the Gittite paſſed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him ».
r For being ſo deeply engaged for David, he durſt not Jeave his little ones to Abſalom's Mercy.
23 And all the countrey / wept with a loud voice,
and all the people paiſed overs the king alſo himſelf '
paſſed over the brook || Kidron s, and all the people
John 18.1. paſfed over toward the way of the wilderneſs #. { i.e. The generality of the People by whom they paſſed : for it ; m
muſt be conſidered,that A4b/alom's Friends and Partizans were gone | - to im to Hebron, and the reſt of the Peop e thereabours were either | jn1ro fooliſhneſs + -
well-willers ro David, or at leaſt moved with compaſſion at the ſad
30 And David went up by the aſcent of meunt Olivet, + and weptas he went up, and hadhis head covered,and
he went bare foot 5: and all the people that was with f HeÞ-
him, covered every man bis head, and they went up _ K+
img.
weeping, as they went up.
h Jn Teſtimony of t.is deep Sorrow,and Humiliation anq Shame for his Sins, whereby he had procured this Evil to himſelf: for theſe were the Habits of Mu:ners, 2 Sam. 19. 4. Ejth. PREY Iſa.
20. 3, 4 Jer. 14. 3,4 and rotake an Holy Revenge upon himſelf for his former De'icacy and Luxury.
31 And|| one told David z, ſaying, Ahitophel is a- | Or, D, ong the conſpirators with Abſalom. And David ſaid, wid mld.
O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counſel of Ahitophel
; Or, David told ; 1. e. David being hereof informed, acquaiints
an.| ſudden change of ſo great and good a King, which was able to | hj; Friends and Followers with ir,to {tir them up to jcyn with him,
affe& an heart of Stone. t: Which was near Jeruſalem, See Matrh. 26. 36. John 18, 1. u Which was between Jerulalem and Jericho.
with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God x,
{ In the tollowing Prayer againſt him, & Either infatuate him, that : ) ; he may give fooliſh Counſel ; or Jet his Counſel b 24 Y And lo, Zadok alfo, and all the Levites ere | fouliſh, or ſpoiled by the fooliſh execution of it.
e rejected as
22Andit came to paſs that bes David was come to
and they ſat down the ark of Ged y: and Abiathar | the top of the mount where he worſhipped God /,behold,
Went up Z, until all the people had done paſling out of the City. |
x As apledge of God's preſence and aſſiſtance, and that David might enquire at it upon occaſion. y Either 1n expettation of drawing forth more People to David's Party, if not fromtheir Loy- alry to their Lawfu! King, yet fiom their Pity and Reverence ro the Ark; or, that all the People might paſs along, and the Ark
. might come in the rear of them for their ſafe ;uard and encourage-