Rabbak's lesson to mankind. The fall of David occurred while the war was going on under Joob (eh. xi. 1, 7, 25). It is probable that, as the historian began to tell the 1!\ory of the fall, he thought well to finish it, with the account of the restoration, before he took up again the account of the campaign being carried on against the Ammonites. We shall assume, therefore, that the fall of Rabbah referred to in vers, 26-31 took place in the int.erve.l between the sin of David and the birth of Solomon (ver. 24). The narrative is inserted here doubtless with the prime.ry design of completing the history of David's we.rs, e.nd thus keeping up the continuity of his exploits. But as e.ll Scrip- ture is written for onr learning, we may notice a fe~ incidental lessons suggested by the capture of the city of Rabbah. I. A GOOD )IAN1S FALL Th'TO SIN UNFITS BDl FOB :MANY OF THE DUTIES OF HIS DAILY LIFE. Joab was not only left to carry on the war alone, but he even felt it to be right (ver. 28) to stir up the king that he might come and take part, and so share in the honour about t.o be won. The secret 0£ this most probably lay in the fa.et that, during and e.fter David's entanglement with Bathsheba and crime against Uriah, he was not in a mind to enter upon the perils of war. A woman's spell was on him; his conscience was secretly troubled ; he who feared not the lion or the giant now fears lest, if he go to the wa.r, he should be slain. 'l'herefoce he tarries in Jerusalem (eh. xi. 1-25). His sins rendered him incompetent to do what otherwise he would he.ve done, and it required even e.n urgent request from his general, coupled with an assurance that the city was virtue.Uy captured e.lrea.dy (vers. 27-29), to induce him to move. There are sins which sometimes drive men to desperate deeds and perilous places, and give e.pparently more zest to life; but in the case of good men, a known habit of sin impairs their energy in life ; it creates e.n abiding fear; it pe.ralyzes certain incumbent moral actions; lt keeps from entering on work which otherwise would be cheerfully underte.ken ; it makes him less a man. IJ. THOSE WHO DO DELIBERATE DEEDS OF WRONG TO OTHERS COURT AN INFLICTION ON TH:utSELVES OF SlllILAB EVILS. This account of the infliction of tortures on the Ammonites (ver. 31) is the first instance in Hebrew history of such a deed, e.nd it seems strange that David should have ordered it. But without justifying the retalia- tion, the point here to be noted is that the Ammonit.es laid themselves open to such treatment by their own e.ctions. They had proposed barbarous conditions of servitude to men of Isre.el in the time of trouble (1 Sam. xi. 1, 2), and they had cruelly insulted David's ambassadors (eh. x. 1-6). It is also probable that in this protracted war they may have e&rried out these be.rbarous tendencies towe.rds prisoners taken in war. They thus, by deeds of cruelty, sought for deeds of cruelty to themselves in their day of defea.t. There is doubtless a principle of retaliation in kind recognizable in the law of nature. As e. man soweth so he reapeth. What they do to others they so far justify others to do to them, that they have set an example and a.re incapable of protest. In some guarded form this principle enters into human law, national and international. In the Mosaic code it received specific illustration (Exod. xxi. 22-25). Whether David we.s right or wrong, the Ammonites courted torture by evil deeds, as men now court evil from their imperfect fellow-men by evil deeds to them. The harsh employer courts distrust e.nd injury from the employis. Tyrannical rulers court plots, conspiracies, e.nd possibly &1!83Jlsine.tions, from oppressed subjects. Ill. TH.EBE ARE PBOPHETIO BYXBOLB OF llONOUB FALLING ON THE BIGHT HEAD. It was, perhaps, on the part of Joab and the army, a mere feat of military triumph to plac.e the heavy crown of the Ammonite god (for so we take it to be) on the head of David ; but it was suggestive at the time to e.ll spectators of the honouro that ought to come, e.nd in course of years were coming, on One who we.s the Anointed of the Lord. And w us it seems to suggest the ulti.ma.te passing of all highest honours, long usurped, IO him whose right it is to reign, and who is not only said to be worthy of all honour1 OJI, XII, 1-31,] THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 301
(Rev. iv. 11; v. 12, 13), but is so gradually acquiring them that he at last ~hall ho crowned with many crowns (Heb, ii. 9; ltev. iv. 10; xix. 12). In the triumph of every good man over evil, we see a symbolic intimation of tho final triumph of the Son of man over all enemies (1 Cor. xv. 25). In the distinction awarded to any of Christ's servants, who are really his representatives in the world, because of the destruction of some monstrous evil, we have a symbolic representation of the glory and honour that will come on the head of the great Deliverer, when to him every knee shall bow, and the last enemy shall have been destroyed, Faith can see coming victories in passing events. IV. THE EDUCATION OF THE CONSCIENCE IN HUMAN RELATIONS IS VERY BLOW. The principle of retaliation is in all legal punishments (division I.), but the application of the principle is a matter of jud,,C7]]lent, and the juclgment depends on the culture of the con- science, 'l'here are co-ordinate powers in human nature. The feeling of benevolence has a place as truly as a sense of justice. It depends on the degree in which conscience is cultivated as to whether the rigid carrying out of what justice may seem to demand, i.e. the spirit of retaliation in the name of love, not of self, should be tempered by kindly consideration, and to what extent. Probably David at this time wa.~ in the degenerate mood of mind brought on by his fall, and therefore restive and harsh, as men arfl when the heart is corroded by guilt. But at all events, in those times there was not that fine sense of delicacy in regard to human suffering as now. The same mental and moral condition prevailed during the ages of persecution for religion. Romanists and Protestants did once what now their descendants would be shocked at. It is a defec- tive education of conscience which enables men to live in careless ease and luxury while thousands are lacking food. Christ only was perfect Man, If all were like him, every consideration would be paid to human feeling in the administration. of justice, and in the private relations of life.