le, by crime, and not by law. These words Ver. 38.-A prlnoe and a great man. Rre probo.bly the refrain of the dirge, like David pronounces tbia high estimllto of those in oh. i. 19, 25, 27, and were followed Abner's worth to his servants, that i•, to his by the celobmtion of Abner's bravery, but officers, and especially to the six hundred they a.lone nro recorded, because they contain mighty men. His conduct is bold and open, the main point. Abncr'a death wns not, and must have greatly humilia.ted Joab ancl like tho sentence upon Ilnanah and Rechab, Abishai. But though the six hunrlml o.n oot of justice, but one oflawleas revenge ; approved of David's conduct, and respected and by thiH poem David proclnimed, not Lim for it, yet probably, as Abner ha.cl only hie innocence, but also hie o.bhorrence killed Asahel, they would not have e<Jn- of the crime. sented to any further punishment than the Yer, 35.-The people oame to oauee David disgrace inflicted on Joab by his being to ent mee.t. 'fhe Jewish commente.tora, deprived of the command or Da.vid'8 Philippaon, Cnhen, etc., consider tho.t the warriors. occe.sion for tbia wo.s given by the custom Ver. 39.-I am this de.y weak . . , the of te.king food after o. funeral (Jer. xvi. 7; sons of Zerniah be too hard for me. David Ezek. xxiv. 17), which in time degenerated would(gladly have he.d Abner e.s a counter- into the giving ofa. costly bo.nq net ( J osephua, poise to Joab's too-great power. As it wa.s, • Bell. Jud.,' 2. 1). To this day, nt o. Jewish though an anointed king, he ha.d but one funero.l in Germany, the bearers are regaled tribe loyal to him ; the rest were the sub- with eggs, bread, and wine. While, then, jects of a rival; and the Phi 1isti nes were others were partakiDg of the food the.t had oppressing e.11 alike. Had Abner's enter- been provided, David rem11.ined ape.rt, and prise been cn.rried out, all the tribes would when urged by the assembled multitude to have been united under hi8 sway. He could join them in their meal, he protested that thns have me.de head against the Philis- he would continue fasting until sunset, He tines, and Abner, in command of the Ilen- thus proved that his sorrow was genuine, je.mites and other tribes, would have curbed and the people were convinced of hie inno- the fierce self-will of J oab. As it was, the cence, and pleased at the honour which he sons of Zeruiah might be reprima.uded, and thus did to the fa.lien soldier. could not treat David as Abner had treated Ver. 36.-Whatsoever the king did pleased Ishbosheth ; but they were indi8pensablc. e.ll the people. This is a tribute to the David had a strange set of men around bim king's conduct genera.Uy. The people would in those outlaws (1 8am. xxii. 2); and he.ve been grieved and astonished if David Joab, brave, skilful, and unscrupulous, was had been guilty of this mean murder; but a man after their own heart. They had his indignant disavowal of it was in accord- just returned with great booty from a foray ance with his usual justice and uprightness, under his comm11nd; and it was a brave and so it confirmed their high opinion of and manly thing in David to reprove him him. Thus while the more distant tribes so openly, and dismiss him from his com- condemned David, those who had the best mand. Had he attempted more, and Joab opportunity for forming a judgment gave had stood upon the defence, there were their verdict in his favour. plenty of" men of Belial" (1 Sam. xx::.. 22) Ver. 37.-All Israel understood. The to side with him, and David might have twenty men who had accompanied Abner met with the fate threatened him at Ziklag would be witnesses of all that David did, (1 8am. xx.:s:. 6). As it wa.s, he proved him- o.nd would carry their report of it home, self to be king, and Joab, in spite of every- and of the high estimation in which his thing, remained e. most faithful officer, and character was held at Hebron. An,l this the right-he.ud mon in his kingdom, and gradually would be told througbout the one even trusted with perilous and dis- tribes, anrl the final verdict of all well- graceful secrets ( eh. xi. H ), disposed people would be in David'~ favour.
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-11.-Rival interests. The facts are: 1. A desultory war is carried on between the house of Saul and the house of David, in which the latter has the advan- tage. 2. David has six sons born to him while at Hebron. 3. A quarrel a.rises between Abner and lshboshcth, consequent on an accusation resented by Abner. 4. Abner charges his master with ingratitude, and threatens to transfer his allegiance to David. 6. In 6Cllkiug to givo emphasis to his threat, Abner indicates his knowledge of the Divine will concerning David. The object of the historian in vers. 1-5 is obviously to 70 TRE SEOOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. [cit, nt, 1-89.