The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 182

mere\v ime.ginary. Because the Jews pnyed give no help, we must mke torah In lta 11tand1ng. and we modems pray kneeling, ueual sensG., and underste.l:ld that this oon- we both assume that to pray sitting W88 tinuance of David's house into the dietrmt en irreverent e.ct. It was not eo, nor are future has now become a human law, that we to think of De.vid as sitting a.t ea.se in is, a divinely con~tituted ordlnance, which 11 chair. He sat upon the ground, as wa.e mnst now take its place amon~ the le.we the Oriental cnetom, with his feet doubled which govern huma.n aim.ire. The words under him, and his head bent forward ; and are undoubtedly difficult, and we feel that in this posture meditated upon Jehovah's David was speaking in an ejacul11tory message, 1md then poured out his thoughts. ma.nner, in sentences but half expl'08Sed, As it is expressly said that "he sat before breaking forth from _him bit by bit, under .JehoVBh," the pla.ce must have been the the pressure of deep excitement within. ,:,uter court of the ta.bernacle. Who a.m I, We notice too that, while there is no direot A Lord Jehovah t In the Authnrized Ver- reference to the Messiah in David's words, lion Jelioroh is rendered "God." be!'ause it yet that the Psalms Indicate that he did has the vowels of thA word Elohim; usua.lly connect the duration of his house with the •.t is rendcroo. "Lord," beoause the MBSeo- Messiah'e advent; and this ejaoule.t.ion may rites attached to it the vowels of .4d.onai, have sprung forth, if not from a fully formed "lord," equivalent to Domi'IHUI. As .4donai conviction, yet from the feeling that the here precedes Jehovah, the MMeorites were permanence of his house was for the purpose driven from their usual practioo, and were of a higher kingdom than that of Jeru- so supen;titione as to suppose it more rever- salem: and so the promise was a "law of ent to pronounce the name El.ohim than man," and the promulgation of a decree tha.t of Jel~ah, to which the Jews atta.ohed which affected the whole human race. magical powers. David's words are not eo Thie may be the -meaning of the Vulgate, much a prayer as a meditation, full of which renders "a law of Adam," that is, thanksgiving, and even of wonder at the one embraeing within its scope e.11 Adam's ~tness of God's mercies to him. In it race. lie first e.c1.'"llowledgee his own nnworthi..nell8 Ver. 20.-Thon, Lord God, knowest th:, and the meanness of his father's house com- B&rvant. The Hebrew throughout has pared with the high dignity which God is Lord Jehovah, except in vers. 22, 25, where bestowing upon him. For not only has he it has "Jehovah God," the title of Deity raised him to the kingly office, but promised used in Gen. ii. The repeated use of this him the continuance of hie house " for a covenant and personal name .of God is very great while to come." Whether David emphatic; and the appeal to Jehovah'& understood as yet that he was now pieced kn.owledge of his heart reminds us of similar in the some position as Abraham of old, outpourings of David's l!onscioueness of hia in that " in his seed all the families of the aincere devotion to hie Maker, as for in- earth should be blessed," is uncertain, and stance in Ps. xvii 3. depends upon the interpretation pnt upon Ver. 21.-For thy word's sake. In 1 the following words. This only we may Chron. xvii. 19 we read, "For thy s_ervant's affirm. that what he says in this place of sake." The phrase seemed, perhaps, to the bis house remaining until a distant future Chronicler difficult, but it does not mean falls far short of the meaning of the passages "because of thy previous promis-e," for no quoted above from the Paa.lms. sucq promise had been given, but "because ·ver. 19.-Alld is this the maDI1er of man, thou lJ.aet now said it." Nor does it imply 0 Lord God! Hebrew, and this is the latD pre-existing merit in David, but that God of man, 0 ,LUf'd Jehaaah. In the parallel had now chosen to declare hie will, and )l&otiO.ge (1 Chron. xvii 17) the Hebrew has, what was according to his own heart. It " A.nd thou hast regarded me accordin11: to thus makes God's own good will and pleasure the IJJ.w of a man of high degree." The the callBe of the great honours bestowed reoderiD.g of the Authorized Version here, upon David. Instead of these great things, wi,ich, by making the clause interroga- the Hebrew baa thi~ great thing; that is, the tive, implies a negative, gives absolutely lasting continuance of David's family. no sense; bnt BOme commentators render, Ver. 22. -Wherefore thou e.rt great. "And this is the manner of men, 0 God's goodness is to David e. proof of his Lord Jehovah," understanding thereby greatneBB, and he sees it displayed, not only that God we.s acting towards David in a in his dealings with himself, but also in human manner, that is, as e.n earthly friend the past history of the Jewish nation. 11nd l,enefa.ctor would do. Bui thoogh the There is in this e. depth of evangelic piety. l:£eviBed Verilion f&vours this rendering, An unconverted heart would see the great- the Hebrew word torah never has this ness of God in the majesty of creation, or l.lll·a11i1,g, oud, unless, the attempt be made in severe dealings with the Impenitent. iu 11.meud the wxt, for which the versions David saw i\ in acts of mercy end kindnee1, en. vn. 1-29.] THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 187