The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 17

virtuo.lly o.bdico.tes in Solomon'e favour. Cf. They did come from Ce.pbtor, and the.t is vers. 46, 61, 63; 1 Chro11. xxix. 23, 26], and probably Crete (see Gen. x. 14; Jer. xlvii. I have appointed him [he and him a.re em- 4; Amoe ix. 7; Dent. ii. 23). 'l'.'1'?!;3• phasised in the original] to be ruler over age.in, ie not unlike 'DIP~~- In favour of Israel and over Judah. It is possible, as Biihr thinks, that Israel and Judah were this view is the fact that ·De.vid certainly severo.lly mentioned because David had had a body-guard of foreign mercenaries (2 once been king over Judah only, o.nd be- Sam. xv. 18, where the " Gittites " a.re cause Israel had gone over to the side of connected with the Cberethites). Nor does Absalom. It is more probable, however, it make age.inst it that '' two designations" that " Israel and J ude.h" was even then the would thus " be employed side by side for current designation of the two component one and the same people "-as if we should parts of the realm (see 2 Sam. ii. 9, 10; xix. speak of Britons and Englishmen (Bii.hr). 11, 41, &c.). Besides, we can hardly sup- For the names look like a paronomasia-of pose that the historian he.s in every case, which the Jews were very fond-and a trick though he probably has in this, preserved of this kind would at once acconnt for the exact words of the speaker; and it need the tautology. [Since writing this, I find cause us no surprise had he put into David's the same idea has already occurred to mouth the phraseology of a later age. In Ewald.] But the other view, adopted by the nature of things he can only give us the Gesenius, is that the nanics are names b-Ubstance of conversations such as these. of office and function. Cherethite he would Ver.36.-And Benaiah the son of Johoiada derive from ::r!Q• cut, slay; and by Chere- [probably he spoke, not bece.use the execu- thites he would understand."executioners," tion of the order depended upon him which the royal body-guard were in ancient (Bahr); for both Zadok and Ne.than had a despotisms (Gen. xxxix. 1, Heb. ; Dan. ii. much more important part to perform, bnt 14, &c. See on eh. ii. 25). In the Pele- o.s a blunt soldier who was accustomed to thites (n~,. swiftness) he would see the speak his mind] answered the king and public couriers (ayyapo,) of Eastern mon- said, Amen: the Lord God [lit., "Jehovah, archies (see Herod. viii. 98 and 2 Chron. he God," &c.] of my lord the jp.D.g say so xxx. 6). We see the guard discharging the too. function first named in 2 Kings x. 25 ; :ri_ Ver. 37.-AB the Lord hath been wtthmy 4, 8; and the latter in 1 Kings xiv. 27 lord the king [cf. 1 Sam. xx. 13. " This (marg.)J went down [i.e., from the palace on phrase expresses II very high degree of the Mount Zion] and caused Solomon to ride Divine favour" (Rawlinson). See Gen. xxvi. upon King David's mule, and brought him 3, 4; xxviii. 15 ; xxxi.x. 2, 21; Exod. iii. 12; Josh. i. 5; 1 Chron. xxii. 11, &c.], even so to [~-!/: ef. ii. 26] Gihon [Ch.e.ld., Syr., Ar.Lb., be he With Solomon, and make his throne Shiloha]. greater than the throne of my lord Ver. 39.-And Zadok the priest took an king David. [This was said from a full horn of oil [Heb. the oil The "holy anoint- e.nd honest heart, not to flatter David's ing oil," Exod. xxx. 25, 31, compotmded as vanity (Thenius). It is thoroughly charac- directed in vers. 23-25, was evidently po.rt teristic of the man so far as we know him. of the furniture of the tabernacle (Exod. And the prayer was fulfilled (eh. iii. 11, 12). J xxxi. 11 ; xxxix. 38). Eleo.zer wo.s cho.rged Ver. 38. -So Zadok the priest, and Nathan with its preservation (Nwn. iv. 16), and the the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Je- Rabbins so.y it lasted till the captivity: out hoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pele- of the tabernacle [the te.berno.cle on Mount thites [these were the royal boiy-guard Zion, containing the ark (2 Sam. vi. 17; 1 -'l:wµaroq,{i>..mcE~ Josephus calls them-who Chron. xv. 1) must be meant here. Thero were commanded by Benaie.h (2 Sam. viii. was not time to ho.ve gone to the to.barnacle 18; xv. 18; xx. 23; xxiii. 23). But while at Gihon (Sto.nley), which wo.s t!u:ee ho= their functions are pretty well tmderstood, distance from Jerusalem (Keil). Though greo.t difference of opinion exists as to the Abiathar had oharge of this sanctuary, yet origin or meaning of the words. By some Ze.dok would readily go.in access to it, es- they are supposed to be Gentile nan1es. A pecially in the king's name] and anointed tribe of Cherethites is mentioned 1 Sam. Solomon. And they blew the trumpet [cf. :ii:xx. 14. (Cf. Ezek. xxv. 16; Zeph. ii. 5), 2 Sam. xv. 10 ; 2 Kings ix. 13 ; x.i. 14] ; and and in close connexion with the Philistines all the people said, God sa.ve king Solomon. (vcr. lG). Hence Cherethite has been [Notice the exo.ct fulfilment of the threefold thought to be another name for Philistine ; charge of ver. 34 and its result. Solomon o.ncl as the LXX. o.nd Syr. render the word W!ls confirmed in his office by the suffrage! "Creto.ns," it ho.a been conjectured tho.t the of the people.] Philistines ho.d their origin from Crete. Ver. 40.-And all the people ea.me up after 10 THE FIRST BOOK OF RINGS. [en. 1. 1-58.