The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 223

do.Pondont government. We h1we, thon, in list there lies II tragic lalo of sin and this ohnpter, a brief summary of David's shame, of crime and merited punishment, of ware, whereby he established hie supremncy the ·realm rising in rebellion against the over the extensive region from Ho.mo.th on adulterous Iring, and of his own family the north to tho so.It plains on the south of breaking away from the bonds of godly dis- the Dend Sea, and from the Mediterranean cipline, and giving way to licentiousness, to to tho Euphrates. bloodshed, and to parricidal ambition. But Ver. 15.-David exeouted judgment and probably David's character had then !:!ained juetioe. There was very little real truth in in spirituality and singleness of heart; Absalom'e fault-finding with the adminis- whereas now prosperity must already have tration of justice (eh. xv. 3, 4), unless we begun its work of ea.pping the foundations suppose-what is only too probable-that of hie moral nature. Joab, who had been David, after his terrible crimes of murder stripped of his command for the murder of and adultery, became lax in the discharge Abner, had regained it by his bravery at cf bis judicial duties. Here, at this peiiod the capture of Jerusalem. We have seen of hie life, be was o. zealous judge at home, also that David entrusted to him the build- RB well as o. brave and skilful general. He ing of Jerusalem, and apparently he was was one of those many-sided characters who prime minister in all matt.era except pro- are great in a multitude of ways. Like bably the king's judicial functions. Jeho- Julius Cresar and our own Alfred, he was o.s shaphat . . . was recorder ; literally, distinguished in the arts of peace as in those remembrancer. It was his office to reduce of war. And thus, while hie first care was the king's decrees to writing, and also to see for the estahlisliment of religion, and while that they were carried into execution. Pro- even the singing in the sanctuury was not bably after they bad been committed to beneath hie notice, he also, even in the writing, they were laid before the king for midst of dangerous we.re, gave careful atten- his approval, aud, when confirmed by bis tion to the orderly government of his king- hand or seal, were entered in the book of dom and the maintenance of right and law. remembrance. We have already seen with what consummate Ver. 17.-Zadok . . . and Ahimelech ... skill he selected a capital immediately that were the priests. We have already seen that he was made king of all Israel. Saul had this was contrary to the letter of the Mosaic done much in war. Though fine.Uy defeated Law, and yet that there wa.s no schism, and at Gilboa., he had taught the Israelites their that by patience matters came back to the strength, and le.id the foundations of David's right groove. Za.dok, of the elder line of empire; but he had done nothing to con- Elee.zar (1 Chron. vi. 4--8, 50-53), Wll.11 solidate the tribes, or provide tribune.ls for high priest at Gibeou, and Ahimelecb, of the the settlement of disputed legal rights or junior line of !the.mar, was the high priest the punishment of crimes. Israel was as at Jerusalem. lnste"d of Ahimelech the son loose an aggregate of discordant atoms e.t of Abiathar, the Syrie.c transposes the names, his death as it was at his appointment; and and reads, " Abie.the.r the son of Ahimelecb." the maintenance of order was left to the This agrees with the list in eh. ::u. 25, e.nd caprice of local sheiks. Samuel had done it is certain that Abiathar outlived David far more for the internal development and (1 Kings ii. 26), and thal he was David's consolidation of the people than Saul; but high priest throughout his reign, though it was David who me.de them into a nation. Zo.dok is not only constantly a.ssociated The continuance of his work was frustrated with him, but is placed first, as the man of by the extravagance of Solomon, the folly higher rank (eh. xv. 24-35 ; xvii 15; xix. of Rehoboe.m, and the li.i:nbition of the rest- 11; ::u. 25). It is also remarkable that onr less tribe of Ephraim; but the two parts Lord makes .A.biathar the person who gave into whioh his realm was broken at least David the shewbread (Mark ii. 26), whereas held together, and there never again wne in 1 Sam. xxi he is repeatedly called danger of such anarchy and threatened dis- Abimelech. As both the LXX. and the Vul- integration as existed in the times of the gate support the Hebrew ngainst the Syriac, judges. . and as the reading" Ahimelech" is confirmed Ver. 16.-J'oab ... was over the host. Twice by 1 Chrou. xviii. 16 e.nd xxiv. 3, 6, 31, we in this book we have lists of Dnvi<l's chief must rejeot the emendation of the Syriac, and officerS-:.here and at the end of oh. xx. 'fhe conclude tho.t there was a double tro.di tion present list belongs to the period of De. vid's respecting these names, some manlll!Cripts greatest prosperity, when all went well with me.king Abiathe.r the father, o.nd others him in peace and war, and when Jehovah giving the seniority to Ahimeleob. Our Lord had elevated him to the unique rank of Mes- made Abiathar tile father, but the scribes, sinnio king-a distinction which belonged in their editing of the Hebrew te.i.t, guvu to hirn personally, 1tnd wne inhel'ited by none that place to Ahimckch, yet did nut curry of his suoce~11ors. Between it ijU(l the seconll put tl,cir re~torntio1J s() \l\or'l1;.hly a~ uot to  228 THE SECo:m BOOK OF SAMUEL. [en. vm. 1-18.