The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 48

CHAPTER II. 26--35. xxiii. 6). Zadok e.nd Abiathar had borne the ark (not of course in person, but per TnE DEPOSITION OF ABIA'rHAB Al!D THE alios, viz., the Levites Urie!, Joel, &c.: 1 DEATH OF J Oil!. Chron. xv. 11), when David brought it up to Ver. 2G.-And unto Ablathar the priest Jerusalem, and also during his flight from [see note on 1 Kings i. 8. The historian Absalom (2 Sam. xv. 24--29). Abiatliar had now relates the end of Adonijah's confeder- thus been associated both with David's joys atesJ said the king, get thee to Anathoth and son·ows] a.nd because thou hast been [The Heb. is extremely curt and authorita- a.fllicted in all wherein my father wa.s tive, corresponding well with the anger and a.fllicted. [See 1 Sam. xxii. 17-23; 2 Sam. determination of the speaker. Anathoth, xv. 24, &c.] the home of Abiathar, was also the residence Ver. 27.-So Solomo.?. thrust out Abiathar of e.nother high priest, Hilkia.h (Jer. i. 1). from being priest unto the Lord, that he It was in Benjamin, a priests' city, and had might fulfil [Heb. to fulfil. " An addition of suburbs (Jos. xri. 13, 17, 18). It has been the narrator, not the intention of Solomon. It identified by Robinson with Ana.ta, a village is the 'iva 1r">..1/pbi0,J of the New Testament." ll hrs. N.N.E. of Jerus. The name (= BahrJ the word of the Lord, which he spake Answers) according to Geeenius, means, concerning the house or Ell in Shiloh [l "answers to prayer," but e.ccording to the Sam. ii. 31-35. Abiathar was the la.Rt descendant of the house of Ithamo.r. With Talmud, " echoes "], unto &ll is here a.I.most his deposition the high priesthood reverted theeq uivalent of ,~. Cf. ~Sam.xv. 4, 20,Heb. to the house of Eleazar, and so another &c.] thine own lleids [the patrimony of his " word of the Lord " ha.d its fulfilment family J for thou art worthy or death; [Heb. (Num. XXV. 15).J a man of death; LXX. av,ip 0avarov, i.e., No one can justly accuse Solomon of un- ivoxor 0uvcirou, Matt. xxvi. 66.J but I will not necessary severity or of cruelty in his treat- a.t this time [Heb. in this day] put thee to ment of Abiatha.r. Un the occasion of his dea.th [i.e., the sentence of death wae deferred first conspiracy, Abiatha.r seems to ha.ve during good bel.ia.viour. It is hardly correct escaped even censure. And yet that con- to say that Abiathar was "spared for a time, spiracy, ha.d it succeeded, would almost cer- but only for a time" (Stanley). More correctly tainly have involved Solomon's dea.th (eh. i. Corn. ii. Lapide: "Jlfisit eum in patriam ut 12). He is now found plotting again, for the ibi vitam, qua111 ei condonabat, quiete tradu- action of Solomon proves that there had been ceret." For aught we know, he died in peace a second plot. Oriental usages would have [because thou barest the a.rk or the Lord God justified bis death. Ho ia simply warned before David my father [Thenius, quite need- and banished. lessly would rea.d for" Hk," "ephod" (1 Sam. Ver. 28.-Then tidings [Heb . .J.nd the re- CH, It, 26-85.) TIIE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. 41