The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 140

EXPOSITION. possessed by the Israelites. Bnt when there CHAPTER VI. was danger of even these failing to keep Ver. 1.-And David ga.thered together. them together as one people, the statesmen The long subjection to the Philistines we.s of the north put forth their utmost powers, at an end, and David's first care is to bring and spared neither life nor treasure, because the ark of Jehovah from Kirjath-jee.rim to they se.w clearly that the victory of the Jerusalem. In this he had a twofold objeot. south meant the breaking up of their empire For, first, it was an act of piety, testifying into a multitude of feeble governments, David's gratitude to God, who had so quickly which, by their mutual jealousies, would pa- raised him from the condition of a despairing ralyze and thwart one another. With equal fugitive hiding away in the cave of Adullam discernment David endeavoured to counter- to that of a victorious king reigning over an act the jealousy and separate action of independent snd free people. But David the tribes, which was bringing about the had also a political purpose. The wealmees disintegration of Israel, by giving them e. of Israel in the past W&S the result of its point of union. Had he gone further north diviaions. He would heal this by giving it for his capital, he might, perhaps, have over- a capital, whither the tribes would come up awed the stnbbom tribe of Ephraim, which for worship, and where they would feel that was al ways the most unmanagee.ble of the they formed one nation. David had seen sections of Israel But the situation of J eru~ the evill! of a divided sovereignty, when he se.Jem upon the borders of Benjamin and and lsbboeheth were wasting the strength Judah, on a hill-top which neither had of Israel in civil war. For more thnn half really possessed, and which was me.rked out a century he remedied thia, but before there for noble use by its wonderful natural con- had been time for the union of the tribes to fo1"mation. fully jnsti1led David's choice; and be cemented by the gradwi.l iruluence of it has had the assent of mankind ever since. religion, Solomon's oppressive l~~ of un- De.vid then me.de this unrivalled spot his paid workmen, forced to labour lil his costly capite.l, and placed there, first of all, his buildings, and the de1t_POtic stupidity of royal residence, whereby it became the Behoboam, broke up uruted Israel into two centre of all publio business and of the feeble et.ates, which henceforward had to administration of law; and, secondly, a.a muggle hard for a mere ex~t~noe. The a matter of still higher importance, he c.ondition of Israel wu very sunilar to that made it the head-quarters of their national of the Unit.ea States of North America religion and the a.bode of their God. We before their great civil war ; except that see the weight of this religious in1luence in their president, eleeted by all the people, the anxiety of Jeroboam to counteract it, and their Congrees at Waehi.ngton, were far and in the strength given to Behoboam by itronger bonde of unio.n than any that were the migration into Judah 0Uho10 w4o value4 , OH, VI, 1-28,) THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. U3