The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 344

.Astul~ness in human a.ffairs. There are a few facts which, put toaether, seem to warrant the conclusion that David was hostile in mind to Absalom, a;d that therefore the expression in ver. 1, rendered "toward," should be "adverse to," ~Jl. 'l'hese facts are, his evident sorrow for Amnon; the related flight of Absalom and absence for three years, but no men1ion of any messenger of peace being sent to him; the necessity of the device of the wise woman to awaken kindly interest in the king; and his unwillingness to see Absalom ior two years after having yielded to the force of the argument for his restora- tion (ver. 28). It was in the endeavour to overcome the king's hostility that Joab manifested the remarkable astuteness of his nature. 'l'aking Joab's conduct in this instance as our exemplar, we may get an insight e.s to what constitutes the astuteness in human affairs which then gave and always baa given some men an advantage over others. I. THERE IS A SHREWD OBSERVATION OF EVENTS. Joab was not a mere military man, whose range of observation was limited by his profession. He had his eyes wide open to notice, in their bearing one on the other, the various incidents in the history of Israel, embracing both the private and public life, king and people. 'l'he remark that he perceived that the king's heart was adverse to Absalom is but an index of the man's character. Some generals would simply have confined their attention to military duties, paying little or no heed to what passed in the mind of the king, and what was the effect of his attitude on the nation. The-widely and minutely observant eye is a great blessing, and, when under the government of a holy purpose, is a means of personal and relative enrichment. .A.II men astute in affairs have cultivated it with zeal, and its activity and range account in pa.rt for the superiority they have acquired over their fellow-creatures. Human life is a voluminous book, ever being laid, page by page, before us; and he who can with simple and steady glance note what is there written, and treasure up the record for future use, has procured an adva.ntaie, which, in days tu come, will be converted into power. "The wise man's eyes are in bis head; but the fool walketh in darkness" (Eccles. ii. 14). IL THERE IS A CONSTANT LOOKING .AIIEAD. This charact.eristic of Joab is seen in many instances (e.g. eh. xi. 16, 18-20; xii. 28; xiii. 19). He was a man who sought to forecast the issue of events at present transpiring, or conditions that might arise to modify his plans. He seemed to see the complications that might arise should Absalom be kept in perpetual exile, both on account of his :ftne manly bearing being popular with the people, and of the possible strife should the king die, and the exile then return to contend with a nominee of David's. The prophetic forecast is a vision of coming reality ; the forecast of astuteness is the clever calculation of the bearings of passing events on what may be, the tracking out by anticipation the working on men and things of the various forces now in operation. In so far aR a man possesses this quality, he certainly is a power in society, and bis opinions with reference to contin- gencies, and the provision wherewith to meet them, should have weight. The degree to which some men injure themselves and others because they have no prevision, no power of anticipating events, is often very painful. In so far as this kind of prevision can be cultivated in early years, apart from the cunning with which it is sometimes allied, so will be the gain for the entire life. III. THERE IS A SEEKING OF PERSONAL ENDS COMBINED WITH PUDLIC GOOD, Selfish cunning looks on, but looks only for self, and cares not for general interests. Astutenes~ looks on, but seeks deliberately to combine the personal and the general good. The former may be a prominent consideration, but the latter has a real place sincerely given. In Joa.b we have a striking example of this. Even in the killing of Abner Joab probably felt that the presence of such a rival might bring on troubles in Israel. CJR, XIV, 1-33,) THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL,