lel, "from A.ram," unless, as some think, both :uii. 20; 2 Sam. xx. 25; 1 Kin_gs i. 7, 8, places were nFLmed in the original authority. suggests tbat the rig-ht reading would be l!'rom the ohildren of Ammon. Perhaps the "Abiathar the sou of Ahimelcch." With events narrated in our succeeding chapter this Mark ii. 26 agrees, and tells of 11 e.re here referred to by the oompiler. From correct manuscript, from which, indirectly, Ame.lek (see 1 Sam. xxx. 1-20, 26-31). the quotation came. Bhe.vsha. 'fhe pa- Ver. 12.-Abiahe.i ... slew of the Edom- rallel place reads Seraiaha; 2 Sam. xx. 25 itea. The parallel place omits to say that reads She1Ja; and 1 Kin_ge iv. 3 reads Shisha. it was by aid of A.bishai that David slew The differences are probably due simply to these eighteen thousand Edomites. They errors of transcription. Scribe. The his- are there caIIed Syrians, which reading is torical development of this title is obscure, at a.II events in keeping with the A.ram of and not easy to trace. The use of some the previous verse. Abishai, here named form or other of the root is abundantly fre- son of Zerniah, possibly served under quent from the times of the earliest parts "Joe.b son of Zeruiah" (ver. 15), who is of Scripture, in the sense of" numbering,'' spoken of (1 Kings xi. 15, 16) as very tren- or "declaring," or "recording." Perhaps chant in this Edomite war, without any our title of" secretary" would answer suffi- mention being me.de of Abishai. Pa. Ix. ciently to it, and all the better, because the (title) probably speaks of an instalment of Old Testament eoribes were also of different the eighteen thousand spoken of here, e.s lee.ding kinds, like in some degree to our the nation now suffered aII but extermina- various secretaries of state. There was the tion. The ve.lley of salt. Situate in Edom kind of scribe of Judg. v. 14-where our (1 Kinge xi. 14--17; 2 Kinas xiv. 7; 2 Authorized Version is far from the mark, Chron. :uv. 11). The word here used for and should rather read "the staff of "vaIIey" is N'A (Pa. :uili. 4), not the more the scribe," in place of " the pen of the generio word pJ;?P., and signifies rather "re.- writer"-e. military offi~r, whose duty it wns vine." The phrase occurs twice 'with the to keep ~he muster-roll. There was the scribe of 2 Kings xxv. 19-a passage which article expressed, n~r:i N'?.• The place is throws light ou the former (see o.lso Isa. celebrated also for the achievements of :uxiii. 18; J er. Iii. 25). There were the Amaziah (in references just given), who pro- scribes of a moro liternry, lawyer-like, or ceeded hence with ten thousand prisoners, clerk-like kind, as here, and in the parallel to precipitate them down the cliff, i.e. Petra place, and in 2 Sam. xx. 25; 1 King~ iv. 3; (11?90, 2 Chron. :uv. 12). The real situa- eh. ii. 55. In the time of Hezekiah, if not tion of this place is still doubtful. Sinoe before, the scribes beco.me distinctly a clnss the time of the German traveller Geethen of men (Prov. :uv. 1; Jer. viii. 8); and the (' Reisen,' ii. 356), and of Robinson (' Bibi. times of the Captivity greo.tly enlarged Res.,' ii. 109), it has been generally assumed their importance. Their exact duties in the to be a. traot of land extending some six best times of the monarchy are not luid miles Youth of the Dead Seo., o.nd bounded down, but the dignified place the kiug's at th11t disto.nce by the ro.nge of hills which scribe held is evhleut from the compo.ny in thero runs across the country; but beside which he is plo.ced here 11nd in the para.II cl the ooneiderntion th11t the word "re.vine" paee11ge. could not desoribe that trnct of country, Ver. 17.-Bene.iah the son of Jehoie.de. there a.re otiffl!'II very unfo.vouro.ble to the (sea eh. xi. 22-25; xii. 27; 2 8nm. xxiii. supposition (see these carefully stated by 20-23). The Cherethites and the Pele- Grove, in Smith's 'Bible Dictionary,' iii. thites. Two tribes of Philistines whom 1097). David attached. The meaning and deri- Ver. 15.-Reoorder. The word is of the vation of these two no.mes leave it poesiblo so.me root with that in eh. xvi. 4, "to re- to translate them at once, and to reo.,l, cord." The exaot duties and position of " the publio executioners, and the publio this officer 11re not stated in any one place, couriers,'' not trenting thom us proper but may be go.thered from 2 Sam. viii. 16; names, and to this course Geeeuius (see n. 2'1; I Kings iv. 3; 2 Kings xviii. 18, •Lexicon') gives hie sanction. On tho 37; 2 Chron. xxxiv. 8. From these notices, other hand, a comparison of I S11m. xxx. U belonging to somewhat eepe.rnte times, we and 2 S11m. xv. ltl would lca,l us to trc,tt may gather the dignity nnd responsibility them 11e the names of people, nlthouµ;h tbo nnd trust of the office whioh the recorder Pelethites nre uot as ideutifinblo in this scnso filled, altogether in excess of his duty as as the Cherothiles n.ud Giltites. Anyway, mere historical secretary. it is evident they were th~ special gunrcl or Ver. 16.-Abimeleoh the son of Abiathar. the king, and were faithful to Davicl nnd to The reading in tbe parallel place is, Solomon after him. 'l'heir tlutios inclu,lo,l "Ahimelech the eon of Abiath11r," as also those of the executioner or lic!or, un,\ tho in oh. xxiv. 6; but compo.rieon of 1 Sam. courier. They are fre'luonUy !neutiuuc,\ uu 300 THE FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [oil. xvm. 1-17.
specie.I occasions of the king's moving, and of de.nger (2 Sam. xv. 18; xx. 7, 23; 1 Kings i. 38, 44). Chief about the king. Tile I used in the pe.rallel ple.ce le C'.lr!~, which signifitlS strictly "priests," but sometimes more gonerally " princes." This is, without Hebrew text here is c•,t;11,;i. The word • •• T doubt, the meaning of our text.