The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 22

nntion." 2. It, laws were his revealed will, pertaining to the entire circle r,f civil an,\ religious life. "The commonwealth of the Jew~, difforent in that from all othcrn, wa.~ an absolute theocracy; nor wa.s there, nor could there be, any cliITerence between the comwonwe11lth and the Church" (Locke). 3. Jes sanctions were his favour and dis- pleasure, blessing o.n<I curse; reward or punishment of a temporal nature following obedience or disobedience, o.nd administered by properly constituted authorities or o. special o.nd cxtraordino.ry providence. 4. Its officers were his appointed servants, whoso part it was to declare his will and administer his laws, and who (whether i>riosts, prophets, judges, elders, or princes) were themselves subject to them (Michaelis, • Laws of Moses,' i. 190; Warburton,• Div. Leg.,' v. 3; Fairbairn,' Typology,' 1i. 443). In harmony with these principles a human king was appointed (as already provided for, Deut. xvii. 15-20); not, indeed, to reign independently of the Divine King, or o.ccording to his own will and pleasure, but as his viceroy and minister. "To the theocracy was added the monarchy, not to subvert or gradually supersede it, but to fulfil the wants of the age by its side. The pure theocracy became a. Basileo- theocracy" (Ewald). "'l'he Hebrews under the reign of David clearly recognized the theocratic nature of their constitution" (Jahn). II. ITS PRAOTIOAL EFFICIENCY. The condition of the people rendered the regal office necessary; and it served (especially during the reign of David) to: 1. Gather them into closer union, and so consolidate and increase their strength. N otbing was more urgently needed. 'l'heir common faith (or rather unbelief) and the previously existing officers of the theocracy were insufficient to maintain the practical union and co-opera- tion of the tribes. 2. Defend them against their adversaries, by whose attacks their very existence was imperilled. It secured their safety and independence, and it extended their dominion "from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates," as it had been promised of old (Gen. xv. 18). 3. Establish order and the more regular and impartial ad.ministration of fustice. In the days of the judges "every man did that which was right in his own eyes,'' being subject to no proper restraint by a king, as responsible "minister of God and avenger to execute wra.th upon him that doeth evil" (Rom. xiii. 4). 4. Promote the main purpose of their national calling, viz. to rec!!ive and conserve "the oracles of God" (Rom. iii. 2) for the ultimate benefit of mankind. "By the constitution of the Hebrew government the civil and municipal statutes of the nation were not only founded upon their religious belief, but they were also so framed as to have the support of that belief for their main object" (Russell, 'Counection,' bk. xviii.). And this object was more effectually accomplished under the circumstances by means of the monarchy than it would otherwise have been. III. ITS MANIFEST lllPERFECTIOS. Like other institutions dependent for their worth upon the conduct of weak and sinful men, it was marked, in its actual working, by numerous defects ; being,: 1. Administered in a manner that did not fully accord with its nature and design. " Whate'er is best administered is best." The authority and power entrusted to the king were frequently used in self-will and for self-exaltation. Hence the misery in which the reign of Sa.ul (really an autocracy) terminated. And even the administration of David, although distinguished by surpassing ability and :fidelity, was by no means faultless. 2. Weakened and marred by the personal crimes of the monarch. David's transgressions exerted an injurious influence, not only upon himself and his family, but also upon his government. They sowed the seeds of insubordination and rebellion. 3. Often employed for the oppression and corruption of the people. "Its tendency was to absolutism." The magnificence of Solomon was largely ba~ed upon oppressive taxation and forced labour; and, instead of opposing and excluding, he suffered and indulged idolatrous practices-most fatal of all things to the throne and nation. 4. Liable to frequent changes and gradual deterioration. Ever. a good monarch could not hold his office long " by reason of death;" and the hereditary principle did not insure a successor of like character. \Vith the secession of the ten tribes the early splendour of the monarchy became dim; and its course, with intervals of glorious revival, was downwal'd. It virtually termina.ted with the Captivity (Hos. iii. 4, 5); after which the civil government was subject to a foreign heathen power, :md the theocracy survived chiefly as a p~litical hierarchy; at length "the Romans came and took away their place and nation." IV. ITs TYPICAL SIGNIFICANCE, It was not only a stage of preparation for the II, SAMUEL. C  THE SECOND 'AOOl{ OF SAMUEL. [on. 1. 1--27,