The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 221

Vor. 4.-David took from him a thonaand Ver. 6.-Garrl■ona. This is the word chariots, and ■even hundred horsemen, and used in 1 8am. x. 5 and xiii. 3. Tho Ara.- twenty thonaand footmen. Tho word means were left free to manage their internal "oh1uiots" i■ Inserted in the Authorized affairs themselves, but they had to pay Version after "thousnnd," from the parallel tribute (see on ver. 2); and to prevent the place in 1 Ohron. xviii. 4, where 11,Jso it is assembling of troops to contest David's said that D11,vid captured seven thousand authority and shake off his yoke, garrisons horsemen. The numbers of the Chronicler were stationed in such places as commanded are more in proportion to one another than the country. The Philistines had done the those mentioned here, provided we assume same in Israel when they were masters there. that the word "chariots " ought to be sup- Ver. 7.-Bhields of gold. Probably they plied, which, ae it is not the only difference, were plated with gold, and were borne by is .uncertain. Until the Arabs invented Hadarezer's body-guard. But it is very our present system of notation, the ancient uncertain whether shields ari, really meant. methods of representing numbers were so The word in Syriac means "quivers." liable to error that little dependence can Jerome evidently could not at first find out be placed upon them. The Hebrews need what it sign.ifled, as he in this place trans- their letters for numerals, but after 400 their lates in the Vulgate "arms," but subse- system breaks down. Any number higher quently he became better informed. The than 400 can be represented only by long LXX. renders " bracelets," and adds that sums in arithmetic, or by an intricate system they were carried away from Jerusalem by of points above and below, which were sure Shishak in the days of Rehoboam. There to get into confusion. David honghed e.11 is no contradiction in this with what is said the chariot horses. There is good reason for in I Kings xiv. 26, as what Solomon made concluding that the word used here, ucheb, were undoubtedly shields, such being the is a collective, and signifies animals used certain meaning of the word in the Hebrew, either for riding or driving. What David and its rendering in all the versions. No reserved was not a hundred chariots, but a version renders the word used here " shield." hundred riding-horses, which would be use- In the parallel place (1 Chron. xviii. 7) the ful to him for rapid communication, and Syriac and Vulgate render it "quivers," could scarcely be regarded as a violation cif the LXX. "collars," and the Arabic " plates the command in Dent. xvii. 16. Both the of gold hung on the trappings of the Authorized and Revised Versions are wrong, horses." As they were captured from a but the Authorized Version at least makes Syrian king, they probably retained their the word recheb have the same meaning in Syriac name, and if so they were "quivers." both clauses, whereas the Revised Version Ver. 8.-Betah .. , Berothai. Of these makes it signify chariot-horses i11 the first cities nothing certain is known, and in 1 clause, and the chariots themselves in the Chron. xviil. 8 the names are changed to second. The defeat by David, with infantry Tibhath and Chun. An interesting addition only, of an army provided with so powerful is made there, inserted also by the LXX. in a force of cavalry e.nd chariots, proves his this place, that it was from this brass (that great military skill, and their capture bears is, copper) that Solomon made the great even more emphntio testimony to his general- laver, the pillars, e.nd many other vessels ship. In the Psalms we find horses often for the temple service. referred to as objects regarded with terror, Ver. 9.-Toi, called in Chronicles Ton, and which gave a great advantage to their Ring of Ramath. This was a famous city enemies (Pa. xx. 7 ; x.xxiii. 17 ; lxxvi. 6 ; upon the river Orantes, afterwards called cxlvii. 10), but over which they had by the Greeks Epiphania, and was situated triumphed by Jehovah's aid. This method, upon the northernmost boundary of however, of renderillg them useless, though Palestine. Its interest in the present day practised by Joshua (Josh. xi. G), was most lies in its having been the capital of the cruel; as the poor things, unable to move Hittites-a race whose very existence was about with the sinews of their hind legs doubted a few years ago, in spite of the severed, would perish of hunger. testimony of Holy Scripture; but whose Ver. 5.-The Syrians of Damascus; Hebrew, marvellous empire has been lately proved Aram-Dammesek; that is, Aram-Damascus. to be historical by Egyptian records on the The inhabitants of these regions and of one side, and cuneiform inscriptions on the Mesopotamia were descended from A ram, the other. Unfortunt1tely, inscriptions which son of Shem (Gen. x. 22), and bore his name. they have themselves left behind have not Thue Zobah is oalled Aram-Zobah in the title yet found any one capable of deciphering of Ps. Ix. As memberd of a kindred race, and them. In the twelfth century B.c. thev speaking the same language, all the clans of were the paramount power from th~ the Aramean family would naturally com- Euphrates to the Lebanon. For many cen- bine to check the growing power of Israel. turied they contended with the Pharaoh; 11, SAMUEL, Q  THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. [oa. vm. 1-18,