The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 366

by inserting tho word "not." H is ono of RB well ns the Hebrows (for whom soo Ezek. tho morits of the Uevisod Version thrLt xxiv. 17), it beingoriginrilly "natuml move- 11suo.lly it does not tako those liberties. ment to conceul n.n outburst ol' tear~. Sn Hut" Art thou a ecer?" is meaningless; we in great eorrow bury our faces in our aucl tho attempts, moroover, to show tho.t hande. In this mark of mourniwf all Zadok was o. seer foil entirely in proof. joined, but David added the going ba~efoot Tho rocoiving rovclritions by Urim o.nd as a sign of deeper humiliation. ,\ ecord- Thummim wo.s a priestly, and not a pro- ing to the Jewish Midrash, it waa upon the phetic, function. Without altering the text, Mount of Olives that David composed tho tho words mny ho correctly tmnslated, third psalm. More prohably it was at "Seest thou?'' This was probably B col- the fords of the Jordan, after David, wearied loquial phrase, of which tho Septuagint with the fatigues of the march, bad enjoyed gives the sense by rendering it in the im- o. short refreshing slumber, and while he perative, "Seo;" while tho Syriac, regard- was waiting for bis two young friends, that ing it as an expletive, boldly omits it. h~ comforted himself by this outpouring of Ver. 28.-ln the plain of the wilderness. his heart to God. The Revised Version has "at the fords of Ver. 31.-And one told David. Tho the wilderness," that is, it rightly keeps to Hebrew literally is, and David told. But the written Hebrew text (tho K'tib), while we cannot suppose that David had previously the Authorized Version adopts o. conjecture known of Ahithopbel's defection. The text of the Massorites (the K'ri). This conjec- is evidently corrupt, aud the Authorized ture is tho substttntion of arboth for abroth, Version gives the right sense. On bearing o.nd they ho.ve made the same alteration at of the defection of a man so famous for eh. xvii. 16. But the substitution is un- practical sound judgment, David pra.ya to called for o.nd mischievous; for David God to frustrate bis counsel, and the oppor- would not ho.It indefinitely in the pie.in, the tunity for devising means for this end Arabo.h (of which Arboth is the plural), but quickly follows, would press on to the fords, where some Ver. 32.-Where he worshipped God; more delay must to.ke place, o.nd where the king's correctly, where God was worshipped, and presence would be important in giving in- so the Revised Version. The summit of the structions for what wo.s by no means en Mount of Olives was one of the many be.moth, eo.sy operation (comp. eh. xix. 18). At the or high places, situated on the top of hills, river, moreover, David could be assailed where, in the old Cano.auitish time, men only in front, where his "mighties" would had worshipped their heathenish deities. mo.k_e e. strong defence, while in tho Arabah They were still regarded as consecrated they might be surrounded ; and, encumbered places, but the worship had now been tr=- o.s they were with women, their line must ferred to Elohim, the trne God. They con- be so extended as to be weakened. We tinued to be ho.llowed spots, with Levitical find, too, in J ndg. iii. 28 that the fords of priests to minister at them, until the stricter the Jordan formed a good military position. times of Josiah (2 Kings =ill. 8), when In ob. xvii. 22 it is expressly ea.id tho.t the sue!:! worship was forbidden; but even then fording of the river did not take place until these ptiests seem to have retained consider- Jonathan o.nd Ahimo.az came with their able privileges, thoug-h their position was report; o.nd their words there, in ver. 21, inferior to tho.t held by the priests of the show that David wo.s on the bo.nk when temple. It was at this hallowed spot that they arrived, with his preparations so com- David's old friend and privy counsellor (ver. plete, that, in the next few hours, all his 37), Hnsho.i, met him, with his coat rent-not company were safely carried over to the the upper garment, but the kuttoneth, the other side. Ahimo.az wae o. famous runner under tunic, the rending of which wo.s a (see eh. xviii. 27), o.nd, if David was ready, sign of deeper sorrow. We rend of "the the time gained by him upon o.ny body of border of the Archites" (so the Revised troops leaving Jerus11Iem o.t the same hour, Version, ri.,.htly) in Josh. xTi 2, near Bethel, would have enabled the king to get his in the tribe of lllano.sseh ;' end Husho.i's people across ; but if he had still some birthplace was probably there. miles to march, with o. number of women Ver. 33.-A burden unto me. Most likely and children, Ahimnnz's fleetness would because Husho.i wBs old and infirm. Others, have been rendered useless. with less probability, think that it wo.s Ver. 30.-The aaoent of mount Olivet j because of his mnk, which would demand Hebrew, the ascent of the olive tTees, Tho special attendance. hill never wae called Olivet, which is a Ver. 34.-Then mayest thou for me defeat word formed from the LC1tin mons oliveti, the counsel of Ahithophel. Davicl was thus the mount of the olive grove. David ho.d meeting treachery by treachery, end we his head oovered. This was o. sign of grief cannot Rpprove of it, even granting tho.t among the Persio.ns, Egyptians, and Romane, Ahitbnphel's conduct was base and selfish,  3i2 THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. [orr. xv. 1-37.