The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 273

his pillow w11a the rook and hie curtain the cave; when hie sword 1 under Providence, procured him hie daily bread from the foes of his country, and the means of existence formed the object and pursuit of life,-he was pious and immovable; he must have been octive or he muet have resigned hie life. But now the ce.ae was widely different. He hnd not only all the necessaries, but all the luxuries which the most refined voluptuous- ness could devise, attending in rich profusion around him. He had certainly the duty of hie charge to impress its importance on his mind; but then he had the opportunity of neglecting it, and even David, it appeore, was not proof against the solicitations of this opportunity" (Thompson, 'Davidica '). 2. Indicative of a atate nf spiritual <kelen- aion. (1) Of a gradual dec11y of faith and neglect of watcbfulneSB and prayer, and 80 leaving hie hold of God; (2) of a defective sense of responsibility to God; (3) of pride and security, "mortal's chief ene.my," so that the self-denying labours and hardships of the battle-field seemed no longer necessary; and (4) of undue love of ease and sensuous pleasure, fostered in David's cas9 by polygamy. "The sense of delicacy and chastity which has such a purifying and preserving influence on the life, could not flourish eid~ by side with the polygamy in which he permitted himself" (W. M. Taylor). The majestic forest tree falling suddenly beneath the blast excites our Blll'J)rise; but, on examination, it will be found to have been undergoing at heart a gradual process of decay, which at length brought the giant to the ground. 3. Conducive to the indulgence ~f sinful propensities; exposing to the peril of falling into "the snare of the devil." Want of proper occupation tends to develop the hidden evil of the heart. "Standing waters gather filth" (Matthew Henry). "Idle hours bring forth idle thoughts, and idle thoughts are nothing but dry kindling wood that waits only for a spark to be suddenly ablaze" (Disselhoff). "The industrious man bath no leisure to sin; the idle bath no leisure or power to avoid sin" (Hall). ·David "may have been quite unconscious of bad habits of 1Dind; but they must have been there growing in secret. The tyrannous self-will, which is too often developed by long successes and command; the unscrupu- .lous craft, which is.too often developed by long adversity and the necessity of sustain- ing one's self in a difficult position ;-these must have been there. But even they could ncit have led David to do the deed he did had there not been in him likewise that fear- ful moral weakness which comes from long indulgence of the passions-a weakness which is reckless of conscience, of public opinion, and of danger either to earthly welfare or everlasting salvation" (C. Kingsley). "This single act can only be regarded as the expression of his whole disposition of mind n (Hengstenberg). II. UNDEi:t TIJE JN.FLUENCE OF STRONG TEMPTATION j or thti desire of self-gratifica- tion. For" each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust [u.esire], and enticed," etc. (Jas. i. 13-15). "Lust is egoistic desire undur the incitement of impulse. But the action is not yet performed; it still lies with the man to combat the lust, or by the free choice of his will to yield himself to it" (Martensen,' Christian Ethics '). •It: 1. Arises in most cases from impressions made upon the senses by external obfects. "And it came to pass in an eventide," etc. (ver. 2). The eye is the most common inlet of temptation. "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food," etc. (Gen. iii. 6). Achan first saw, then coveted and took (Josh. vii. 21). "David at this time had forgotten the prayer,' Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity.' We see, therefore, how dangerous a thing it is to suffer the eyes to wander. Job made a covenant with his eyes" (Willet). "They who abuse the eye deserve to have the inwnrd eye darkened" (Gregory). 2. Derives its force from various circumstances; such as (1) the unexpected, sudden, and deceitful manner of its occurrence; (2) the power and opportunity of its gratification ; (3) the temperament, predisposition, and besetting sins of its subject; -(4) the entertainment of it in the fancy, which forms false imageil of good, and invests them with a perilous fascination; and (5) the delay of endeavour to overcome it, wherein there always lies peculiar and most imminent danger (Gen. :xxxix. 9). 3. Becomes by such means an absorbing passion (Matt. vi. 28, 29); blinding the mental vision, perverting the morn! judgment, and influencing (though not abso- lutely compelling) the choice of the personal will, by which sin comes into actual existence. "There is a black spot, though it be no bigger than a bean's eye, in every soul, which, if once set a-working, will overcloud the whole man in darkness, and something very like madness, and will hurry him into the night of destruction" (Arabic saying). To esoape this fatal issue there is need, not merely of resolute resi,;t-  278 'l'RE SlllCONl) BOOK or SAMUEL. [011. XI, 1-27,