intended only to pur it into its Scabbard, and therefore took no care to defend himſelf againſt the ſtroke. »y See on chap. 2: 23.
'2z He diſpatched him at one ftroke ; or,gave him his Deaths Wound
at the firſt blow, and needed not ro ſmite him again. # Who now
| boldly reſumed his former Place, and marched in the head of the
Army. Ir is not ſtrange, that Amaſa's Soldiers did not fight to re venge his Death; partly, becauſe not many of them were yer come up, but came by degrees,as the following Verſes ſhews;and partly, becauſe Joadb's Tavond and Authority with the Military-men was very great ; eſpecially, with David's Guards, who were here pre- ſent,and who had no kindneſs for 4maſa, as having been the Gene. ral of the Rebellious Army ; and,as they mighr think, was nor fit to be pur into a Place of fo great Power and Truſt.
11 And one of Joabs men 6 ſtood by him, and ſaid,
He that favoureth Joab c, and he that 5s for David d, let him go after Joab.
b Left there on purpoſe to deliver the following Meſſage. c He thar would have Joab to be General, rather than ſuch a perfidious Rebel and Traytor as Amaſa. d He that wiſherth David good ſucceſs againſt Shebs, and againſt all Rebels. Whereby he implies, that though this fatt of his was done againſt the King's Command, yet it was for his Intereſt and Defence,
12 AndAmaſa wallowed e in blood f in the midſt of the high way : and when the man ſaw that all the peo- ple g ſtood itill 4, he removed Amaſa out of the high way into the field z, and caſt a cloth upon him, when he ſaw thar every one that came by him ſtood ftill.
e Heb. rolled himſelf, being in the Pangs of Death ; yer having ſo much life left, as to move himſelf a little, though not to raiſe himſelf up from his place. f In his own Blood, which was ſhed there. g To wit, the Soldiers which were upon their march. þ Wondering at the SpeQacle,and enquiring into the Author and Occaſion of it. : Perceiving,thar it both incenſed them again{Joab, and hindred, the King's Preſent Service.
13 When he was removed out of che high way, all
the peopie went on afcer Joab, to purſue after Sheba the ſon of Bichri, |
14 4 And he & went through all the tribes of Ifrael unto Abel, and to Beth-maachah 1, and all the Be-
rites 3 : and they n were gathered together, and went allo after him o. |
& Either, 1. Joab, who purſued Sh:ba throngh all the Tribes as far as Ab:l, Or rather, 2. Sheba, who+was lait mentioned, who marched from Tribe to Tribe to ſtir them up to Sedition;and to him the following words tcem beſt ro agree. 1 Or rather, to Abel, even to Beth-maachah ; i.e, unto Abe!-beth-maachah, as this place is called here in the Horew Text, wers 15: and 1 King: 15: 20, 2 King, x5: 29. to diſtinguiſh it from other Abels ; and to fignifie, that this was that Abel which was in the Tribe of Napthali in the Northern border of Canaan towards that part of Syria called Maachah, 2 Sam: 10. 8. m Such as lived in the City, or Territory of Beeroth of Ben- jamin, Joſb. 18. 25. who being of the ſame Tribe, if not City with Shebs and his greateit' Acquaintance and Friends : or, being moſt implacable againſt Dawid, adhered to Sheba, and followed him through all rhe Tribes of Jrael. n= To wit, the Tribes of Iſrael ; 7. e. a conſiderable Number of them ; as might well be expe&ed, when the Dilconrents were ſo high and general, 0 7. e. After $h2ba. is And they p came and beiieged him in Abel of Berh-maachah, and they caſt up a bank againſt the
city q, and || it ſtood in the crench r : and all the peo- | Or, i
ple that were with Joab, f battered the wall to throw 3: tp
down : outmoſ? p 7. e. Joab and his Army, which is eaſily underſtood, both from wa.
the foregoing and following Verſes q From whence they might f Heb.
either batrer the Wall, or ihoot ar rhote who defended it againſt marred to
them, who ſhould affaulr ir. See 2 King. 19. 32. Jer. 32. 24» and throw
33+ 4. Otherwiſe, they chrew down the bank of the City, which they down,
had raiſed up to defend the City on the weakeit fide. » 7. e The
Bank irood in, or near to the Trench, or the Wall of the Ciry ;
ſo that the Ciry was in great danger of being rakza. Orherwite,
the City ſrood within the Trench,or Wall, being defended only by
a ſingle Trench, or a weak Wal} ; the Bank which was raifed up
there to defend ir, being chrown down.
16 CE Then cryed a wiſe woman out of the city, Hear, hear, ſay, 1 pray you, unto Joab, Come near hi- ther, thac [ may ſpeak with rnee. 17 And when he was come near unto her, the wo- man faid, Art thou Jozb 2 And he anſwered, T am be: Then the ſaid unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he an{wered, I do hear. ES 18 Then ſhe ſpake, ſaying, || They were wont to on "Y ſpeak in old time,faving, || Lhey ſhall ſurely ask counſel ſpeak inthe ac Abel : and fo they ended rhe matter beginning
s According to this Tranſlation the fence is, This Ciry which thou Jaying, art about ro deſtroy, is no mean and contemprible one, but ſo ho- Surely they nourable and conſiderable for its Wildom, and the wiſe People in vill ak of it, that when any Differences did ariſe among any of the Nergh- Abel, and bours, they uſed Proverbialiy ro fay, We wil ack the Opinton: and J0 make
9 And Joab faid to Amaſa, 4rt thou in health, my brother ? And joab took Amaſa by the beard « with
Advice of the Men of Abel about 15,aud we will fand to their Arbitrati. #8, 014. on ; and ſo all Parties were ſatisfied, and Diſputes ended. But there is 3 E another”
+ Heb. were [cate tered.
|| Or, remems= brancer.
!! Or,
a prinee.
hap. XX, = 3 |
another Tranſlation in the Margent,embraced afo by ſome others, which ſeems to be the beſt ; They (7.'e the Citizens of this City ) plammly ( or, commonly ) ſpake ( among themſelves ) in the beginn/ng (to wit, when Sh:ba and his Men firſt came into the City, and they were informed, That Joab was purſuing him ) Jaying, Surely they will ask of Abel, and ſo make an end : They will peaccably Ex- poſtulate the buſineſs with us, and enquire,why we received Sheba
into our City ? And whether we would deliver him up into thear | hands, and would inform us of the reaſon of their Holtile At- |,
remprt upon us,and offer to us Conditions of Peace,which by Goa's Law, Deat. 20. 10. they were to do even to ſtrange, and much more to Jſraelit:ſþ Cities. So ſhe doth both modeſtly reprove Joas for the negle& of his Duty, and oblige him to the Performance of it.
I9 I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in