defence, appreciation, correction, society, intercession, aid, sympathy" (eh. vii. 1, 2; 1 Sam. xviii. 1-4). 3. His tested loyal,ty. Would he prove his fidelity, not by goin~ into exile (var. 21), but by returning to Jerusalem, professing a.llegia.nce to Absalorn, encl~nvouring to frustrate the counsel of Ahithophel, and communicating secretly with David? "'l'he boldness and originality of this step revealed the remarkable "enius which, on former occasions, as in the contest with Goliath, had devised meth~s so ?riginal yet simple for the attainment of its object" (Blaikie). This deceptive policy 1s recorded, but not commended; it was not contrary to the ideas which prevailed among Eastern nations at the time on the subject of veracity; it has been since practised by Christian monarchs, statesmen, and warriors, toward their enemies, in perilous emergencies, as a justifiable stratagem; and often approved, like a skillul choice of weapons in conflict with an enemy, or like a clever move in a game of chess. It ought not, therefore, to be censured in David with undue severity; a.nd " we must not think that the king's religion was a hypocrisy because it did not bear at once the fruit of the spotless honour and unswerving truth that mark the highest forms of Christian goodness" (Plumptre). But such duplicity cannot be justified on the ground of necessity; or that those against whom it is practised ma.y have (like .A.bsa.lom) "forfeited all the rights of society" (Delany); or that the end which is aimed at is good. In the light of revelation it must be condemned (Lev. xi.x. 11). "And in this respect we have (in David) a contrast with the Divine A.ntitype, the Son of David, who in all his sorrows and sufferings retained his holiness, purity, and truth unsullied and undefiled" (Wordsworth). 4. His ready service. (Ver. 37.) He at once complied with the wishes of the king, and evidently without any conception that what he was about to do was morally wrong. "We can hardly excuse his thrusting himself even upon a traitor's confidence in order to play the traitor; though the picture is characU!r- istic of the East; and this is one of many drawbacks which remind us that the Bible embodies an experience and a tone of sentiment which are not always perfect models for the franker races of the West. At least let us remember, though a friend may ask many things of us, he should not ask us to sacrifice the truth and the right; for these are not ours to give him" (R. Williams). 5. His daring cou.rage. Should his treachery be discovered, he might have to pay the penalty with his head. 6. His skilful and prompt activity. (Ch. xvi.16; xvii. 7, 15.) 7. His complete success. (Ch. :.:vii. 14.) "In justifying the ways of God to men, and admiring the i,sues oi his will, we a.re in no case obliged to approve actions which have nothing but their success to commend them" (Kitto, 'Cyc.').-D.
Vers. 7-9.-Absalom's piO'l.l,S vow. David and his ministers must have been singularly blind and negligent to have allowed Absalom so far to have prepared the way for the revolution he contemplated as he must hav& done before asking permission to go to Hebron. Nor does the permission itself show less blindness. David should have known his son better than to have so readily believed that he was likely to have made a pious vow, and to be burdened in conscience by its long non-fulfilment, especially as he had allowed four years ( ver. 7, not "forty") to elapse before taking steps for its fulfilment. But David's foolish fondness prepared him to be easily imposed upon by favourite children. The purport of the pretended vow appears from what follows. It was to hold solemn sacrificial services at Hebron in thanksgiving for his return to his home and reconciliation with his father. Hebron was chosen because it was the place of his birth and early life, where he would have many friends; and the first capital of the kingdom, where many may have been still disaffected to David on account of his transfer of the court to Jerusalem. Sacrificial services were chosen as furnishing a plausible pretext for a large gathering of leading men who either were already disaffected, or, if going to the festival (like the two hundred from Jerusalem, ver, 11) "in their simplicity," knowing nothing, might be won over by .A.bsa.lom's representations. In his representations to his father we have a glaring instance of- I. HYPOORITI0AL PBETENOES IN RELIGION. 1. Their nature. They are imitations of real piety; and the closer the imitation the more likely are they to deceive and be successful in their object. Hypocrites are actors of a part, and the more skilful the actor the stronger the impression of reality. What more natural than the vow Absalom said ho had made, and the language in which he describes it? A. goud 392 TRE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. [01t. xv. 1-87.