The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 222

for the poel!Cl!eion of Egypt, 11nd while two words are constantly confused in manu- Rames011 II. had to me.ke e.n inglorious peace soripts, and "Edom '1 ia probBbly right hero, with the Khete., e.e they a.re C11lled, and first, because it ia coupled with Moe.b 11nd marry the king's d1mghter, Re.mesas III. Ammon, whioh wero its neighbours; but won I\ great viotory over them, and eaved chiefly because the spoil of He.dMezor, Eg~·pt from thraldom. In the cuneiform mentioned at tho end of the verse, is the inscriptions we find the record of a struggle spoil of Are.m. It would not be enumerated between Assyri& e.nd the Hittites, l88ting twico. for four hundred years, during which Shal- Ver. 13.-P'rom smiting of th11 Byrie.ns; maneser made thirty CRmpatgns 11gainst Hebrew, of .A.ram. Here "Edom" is certainly them, but they were not finally conquered right (see l Chron. xviii. 12), unless wo until B.c. 717, duriug the reign of Sargon. accept Keil's conjecture, e.nd suppose tho.t Fuller doto.ils will be found in Dr. Wrigbt'a " he smote Edom" he.s dropped out of the • Empire of the Hittite&,' published by text, nnd must be inserted. In the super- Messrs. Nisbet. scription of Ps. h:. we find the we.re with Ver. 10.----J'oram. In 1 Cbron. xviii. 10 Ara.m-Naharaim (Mesopotamia) and Aram- he is c&lled Hadoram, and this was appa- Zobe.h coupled with this smiting of Edom rently his real name, Jore.m being merely the in the vo.lley of salt, which lo.y to the south substitution of the nearest Hebrew word for of the Dead See., and we.s a fate.I place t.o something foreign and therefore unintel- the Edomites in their war subsequently ligible. So among the descendants ·of the with Ame.ziah (2 Kings xiv. 7). Such a French refugees settled in England similar double victory over the Are.menus first, and changes e.re common. Thus Pillons becomes immediately afterwards over Edom, would Pillow ; Chemllier, Shoveller; St. Amour, account for the" ne.me," the.t is, the reputa- Stammers. As He.math bordered upon tion, which David gained. 'l'he course Zobah, and e.ppe.rently had wag-ed unsuc- of events seems to have been as follows. cessful w11r with the vigorous Hadarezer, The Edomites, believing that David we.s Toi we.e grateful t.o David for smiting hu engaged in a struggle beyond his powers rival, and sent this embae.ey of congratule.- with the Syrians, took the opportunity to tion for the purpose of ensuring the con- invade Israel. But the campaign in Are.m queror's friendship. For this end he also we.a quickly decided, e.nd David we.s able sent rich presents; and as e. present is ce.lled to send Abishe.i with a detaohmeut of his in the Hebrew e. blessing (I Sam. xxv. 27; XXL forces to repel the Edomiies. On hearing 26, margin), the phrase used here, to bless of his approach, they retired bofore him, him, contains the idea, not only of congre.tu- e.nd, me.king a stand in their own territories, 1.o.tion, but of offerings. There is something were defeated in the valley of so.It, with the admirable in this high Oriental courtesy. loss of eighteen thousand men (1 Chron. The me.terie.l value of the gifts is left in the xviii. 12). In this place the victory is background. Their worth lies in their being ascribed to David, because it was won by his the e.cknowledgment of the Divine favour general acting under his orders. For some restiDg upon David. e.nd in the prayer the.t unexple.ined reason, the feelings of the that favour may continue. In Ps. xviii. 43, Israelites age.inst Edom were very vindic- 44 we he.ve proof of the great pleasure tive, e.nd Joah followed with larger forces, -which this ernbe.e.ey from 110 great a nation and not only slew twelve thousand iu a gave to David. second battle (Ps. Ix., title), but remained Ver. 11.-Whioh also Xing David did six months in the country, ruthlessly putting dedicate. The blessing became more blessed every me.le to death (1 Kings xi. 15, 16). by this use of it, and it shows how strong From this time the Edomitea and Israelite~ were David's feel.iD.gs, that he thus ge.ve fo were imple.ce.ble foes, and in later Jewish God's house, not only the spoils of war, but literature the Jews gave vent to their in- also gifts of friendship. It was in this way tense hatred of the Roman empire by giving the.the accumulated those large stores of the it the name of Edom, precious metuls enumerated in 1 Chron. Ver. 14.--Tllroughout ell Edom put he :nix., and employed in me.king the sacred garrisons. In a country nature.Uy so strong vesseli; of the temple. Their vast amount as Edom, e.nd with neighbounng stoles is the more reme.rke.ble because Palestine ready to give shelter to their ,fugi~ives, previously we.;, almost destitute of them. Joe.b's attempt would cause great misery, Wherever the nrm.ies of Israel went, they but only a moderate loBS of life. And as made diligent search after everything that soon e.s be withdrew, the exiles would return would serve towarde the building of their to their old homes. To keep them, there- 1!8.Ilctue.ry. fore, in entire subjection, the country we.a Ver. 12.--0t Syria; Hebrew, Aram. The held by strong ganisons, e.nd the Edomites reading in 1 Chron. xviii. 11 is Edom, which became David's servants, being e.ppo.rently differs from Ara.Ill iu only otie letter. The deprived for the J>re11ent of e.ny form of i~• CII. VIII, 1-18,] THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL.