The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 365

whl'n<'.e he hnd b('en driven, perhRps by the year, but serving at the rniny eooeone political troubles, nnd was now, therefore, o.n to <'arry oft' the rainfall from tho Valley of exile and o foreigner (Autho1·iwd Versicm, Jehoshaphat. It lay on the east of Jeru- "stranger") Rt Jerusalem. As David mado salem, and beyond it was lllount Olivet. him joint oomman,kr cfhis lll'my with Joab The direction of David's flight was townr,l nnd Ahiahai (<'.h. :niii. 2). ho must also lrnve the wild country on the mst of tho Jordan been R genernl of recognized military skill. in which Ishbosheth hnd found a refug~ As be was thus not personnlly interested in after the defeat of Gilboa.. To reach it he the gornrnment of Iemol, and, in fact., bad must pass by Jericho, nnd thence through only l~tely eorue thither, DRvid recommends tbo Arabah (Jer . .xxxix. 4) to the ford of him to retnrn . . . &nci abide with the king, the Jordan, after crossing which be would thnt is, with the de.facto king, Absalom. But be in comparative safoty. Abithophel so great was the fascination which David would have followed thnt very night, and exercised upon those around him, that this have attacked before D:ivid bad placed the foreigner boldly threw in his lot with him, river between himself n~d his pursuers. nnd accompanied him in his flii::ht. Retnrn Ver. 24.-And Abiathar went up. This to thy plaoe. This ie a very daring trans- rendering, though confirmed by the versions, position, as the Hebrow ie, Return a11d abide is very uuintelligible. Whither did Abia- toit.h the king ; for thou art a joreiqner, and tbar go up? And moreover it is said that also an ezile art llwu to thyplaoe. The Revised he continued going up until all David's Yersion gives the same l!enseu the Author- followers had pnssed out of the city. Another ized, though it shows more respect to the possible rendering is," And Abiathar offered gran,mar. But the Septuagint, Syriac, and (sacrifices) until all the people had done \'oli;ate, by "his own place" understand passing out of the city." Passages quoted G11th, either taking the words as meaning in proof that the verb may be so rendered "an etile as to thy own place," or having a without the addition of the word "sacrifice " different reading. The Hebrew then pro- are 1 Sam. ii. 28 and eh. xxiv. 22; bot in ceeds. Yesterday tt>a.8 tliy coming, and shall I both these places the context makes the to-day make thee wander to go tt>ith us, seei.ng sense plain. Such a sacrifice woulc!, of I go whitJier I go ? that is, I go I know not ccurse, sanctify both king and people in whither. .Return thou, and take back tl•y their fliirht; but as none of the versions brefhren--in mercy and truth. This gives support this method of translating the text, e. very good sense, but the Septuagint and it seems unsafe to adopt it, and the passage Vulgate have a di1ferent reading: '' Tak,3 must remain obscure. On the one hand, it back thy brethreu with thee, and the Lord is unlikely that there would be time to shew thee mercy and truth." The Syriac offer sacrifices at so hasty a flight; · bnt on g;ves the general sense of the Hebrew, ren- the other hand, the removal of the ark was dering, '· Take back thy brethren well." a solemn thing, which probably required Ver. 22.-All the little ones; Hebrew, some such religious ceremonial, and Vahen all the tnf; in ver. 20 called "his brethren," and other Jewish authorities translate, that is, all the relative,; and dependent.. who " A.biatbar offered burnt offerings." bad accompanied him in his exile. Their Ver. 26.-Let him do to me as seemeth presence with him proves that he had en- good nnto him, David's answer is full, not tirely broken with the Philistines, and left only of devout resignation nnd trust in God, his country for good. He may have t.aken bot is remarkable also for the absence of this step for religious reasons, though his superstition. _He feels that God will. no+, swearing by Jehovah (ver. 21) does not judge him by any mere outward sign or prove it, 118 Achish did the same (1 Sam. privilege, but iu truth and equity. U he :u:ix. 6); or Ittai, after the capture of 011th deserves condemnation, he will not esoe.pe it by David (eh. viii. 1), may have made him- by carrying the ark about with him. If, on self unpopular by becowing- the ally of the the contrary, God accepts him, he will re- conqueror, aud eo fine.Uy have determined to st.ore him to the enjoyment of his spiritual leave the city, Rnd find a home in Israel. privileges, and bring him ha.ck to worship Ver. 23.-All the coUILtry wept. Tb.is at the place which he bas chosen for his general lamentation proves that David was dwelling. We muet notice that he addresoes not rt:ally unpopular in Jerusalem, though these words to Zadok, who had remaiued it was there that Absalom had dazzled the with the ark. This was natural if Abiathar people by his magnificence, and sought to was occupied in olfel'ing, but bard to under- win favour by his gracious way~. By the stand if be had gone up, that is, in advance =ury the inhe.bite.nts are meant, who of the ark, t,o acquaint lJavid with their watcht:d the king's departure; while the purpose. 'P''ofl,e are David's followers-hie retinue Ver. 27.-Art thou (not) a 1Ber T Both 11n, 11ttendante. The b?ook Kid.Ion. This the Authorized Version and the Revi~e,l i~ a winter torrent, dry during most of Version evade the difficulty of this paesngc, CIJ. XV, 1-37,] TIIE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 37 L