The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 341

dmwing, she represents horself EIS dissntis- welcome ba.ok ono rP-jected because of his fled, and pleads for full forgiveness; 11nd as w_ickeclnesa. The application is plain. Tho this would be a violation of the letter of the king cannot restore A mnon to life and neither Levitical La.w, in order to remove David's must he kill the guilty Abao.Jo:0, but muat supposed scruples, she takes upon hereelf the recall his banished son. The argument is penalt.y. full ~f poetry, and touching to the feelings, Ver. 11.-I ,pray thee, let the king re- but 1a not very sound. For God requires member, etc. Thenius s11ys th11t the woman repentance and change of heart ; and there plays well the p11rt of a talkative gossip, was no sign of contrition on Absalom's part. but renlly she was using the skill for which The power of the woman's appeal Jay in Joab employed her in bringing the king to what she says of God's nature, He is not givo her son a free po.rdon. Nothing short intent on punishing, nor bent on carrying of this would serve Absalom, who already out the sentences of the Law in their stem was so far forgiven as to be in no fear of literalness; but he ia ready to forgive and e.ctunl punishment. It is remarke.ble that " deviseth devices " to bring home those David does not hesitate finally to grunt this now separate from him. Thero i• also without making further inquiry, though he much that is worth pondering over in the must have known that a mother's pleas were distinction between death as a law of nature, not likely to be very impartial. Moreover, and death as a penalty. The one is neces- while in Yer. 9 she h11d acknowledged that sary, ancl often gentle and beneficial; but there might be a breach of the law in par- death as a peualty is stem and terrible. doning a murderer, she now appeals to the Vere. 15-17.-Now therefore that I am mercy of Jehovah, who had himself provided come, etc. The woman now professes to limits to the anger of the avenger of blood return to her old story as the reason for her (see Numb. x:u:v.). He had thus shown importunity, but she repeats it in so eager himself to be a God of equity, in whom and indirect a manner as to indicate that it mercy triumphed over the rigid enactments had another meaning. Instead, too, of thank-· of law. The words which follow more ing the king for fully granting her petition, exactly mean," That the avenger of blood she still flatters and coaxes a.s one whose do not multiply destruction, and that they purpose was a.a yet ungained. The king's destroy not my son." Moved by this en- word is, for rest (see margin): it puts au treaty, the king grants her sou full pa1·don, end to vexation, and, by decidiug matters, under the solemn guaranty of nn oath. sets the disputants at peace. He i9 as an Ver. 13.-Against the people of God. angel of God, ns God's messenger, whose Very skilfully, and so as for the meaning words have Divine authority; and hi.3 office only gradually to unfold itself to the king, is, not to disoem, bnt " to hear the good and she represents the people of Israel 118 the the evil," unmoved, as the Vnlgate renders widowed mother, who has lost one son; and it, by blessing and cnrsing. His mission is Do.vid 11s the stern clan-folk who will de- too high for him to be influenced either by prive her of a second though guilty child. good words or by evil, bnt having patiently But now he is bound by the solemn oa.th he heard both sides, and calmly thought over has taken to her to remit the penalty ; for the reasons for and ago.inst, he will decide literally the words are, and by the king's righteously. Finally, she ends with the speaking this word he is as one guilty, unless prayer, And may 1ehovah thy God be with he fetch home again his banished one. She thee ! By such words she hoped to propi- claims to have spoken in the name of all tiate the king, who now could not fail to Israel, and very probably she really did see that the errand of the woman Wll.3 personal express th,iir feelings, as Absalom was very to himself. popular, and the people saw in Tamar's Ver. 19,-Is the hand of 1oab with thee wrong a sufficient reason for, and vindica- in all this l The "not," inserted by the tion of, his crime. Authorized Version, must be omitted, as it Ver. 14.-Neither doth God, etc. This alters the meaning. The king really was translation is altogether wrong. What the uncertain, aud asked dubiously, whereas woman so.ye is, " God taketh not life [He- the Authorized Version admits only of an brew,' a soul'] away, but thinketh thoughts affirmative answer. David had seen the not to banish from him his banished one." general drift of the woman's meaning, but Her argument is that death is the common she had involYed it in too much obscurity lot, and that there is no way of bringing for him ro do more than suspect that she back the dead to life. But though death is was the mouthpiece of Joab, who was stand- thns a. universal law, yet God does not kill. ing by, and whose face may have given Deo.th is not a penalty exacted as a. punish- signs of a more than ordinary interest in ment, but, ou the contrary, he is merciful, the woman's uarrative. She now fr,rnkly and when a man bas siuned, instead of put- acknowledges the truth, but skilfully inter- ting him to deiitb, he ie reiidy to forgive lllld weaves much flattery in her a11.iwer. And  3!6 THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. [en. XlV. 1-33.