The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 395

. The cruelty of avarice. In this chapter the historian gives us a foil to the loyalty and devotion of the men referred to hitherto. Ittai, Zadok, .Abiathar, and Husha.i. have their opposites in Ziba and Shimei and Ahithophel. It is said that the beasts of prey and creeping things come forth iu the night; and s_o in this dark and sad time for David, the loul creatures come forth and ma.mfest theu- full sJ:.rength. Good meu  4-00 THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. [CH. xvr. 1-23, ----~------------------------------ Rre elwRyi, encompRel!Od by evils, but they are kep1, in check by the very force of the pr(1sperity of the good. When once thRt begins to wane, they revive l\Ud put forth their destructive po1Yers. The time hRd now come for- their appearance. In the case of Ziba we ~ee avarice in its most hideous form. I. IT CAREFULLY FRAMES ITS scHEMES. An avariclolltl man is usually endowed with a good measure of prevision, and his success lies very- :much in the wicked per- version of this gift.. The elaborate present of Ziba to Davhi (vers. 1, 2), and the meeting with him just when a token of kindness would be most acceptable, was the result of hours and days of scheming. The end in view is so pretlious to tho greedy ~oul that trouble and toil to attain to it go for nothing. There is a spontaneous avarice, as when men suddenly seek to grasp what is apparently within their rea~h, for the evil principle, like a slumbering hungry cog, is ever quick to discern and to act; but the great achievements of avarice, by which men become rich or gain some swift adVl\ntage, are the result of the prostitution of the gifts of foresight and skill in arrangement to low cunning and selfishness. There is many a scheme being concocted at this how, in commercial and political circles, for the circumvention of others to the enrichment of self. Il. lT CONFORMS ITS PLANS TO THE NATURE OF MEN AND CUSTOMS OF THE AGE, Ziba knew what David had done for Mephibosheth (eh. ix. 1-10), how generous was the king's heart, how he would appreciate fidelity in the time of trouble and scorn ungrateful conduct, how hie associates in trial would approve any favour conferred on the loyal at the cost of the disloyal, and how it was within the prerogative of a monarch to confiscate the property of a traitor. Avarice is a careful student of human nature and of the usages of the world. Its success often <lepends on quickness of dis- cernment, and a practical application of the knowledge of men and things to the purposes of a base, greedy heart. A good and generous man may be as quick in discernment, and may in the intercourse of life gather as much knowledge of human nature, but he differs from the avaricious man in that he scorns to turn all this to the sole promotion of purely selfish interests. III. IT TAKES SPECIAL ADVANTAGE OF THE TROUBLES .AND WEAKNESS OF OTHERS. There is a fiecdish SRe,<TB.City in avarice. Ziba saw that the sorrows of David furnished a choice opportunity for making an impression on his generous sympathetic nature by a manifestation of loyal interest and kindly consideration for his comfort; and he saw also that the bodily infirmity of Mephibosheth (eh. ix. 13; xix. 25, 26) would prevent his going ont to David to express his own loyalty. How splendid the opportunity of so representing matters as to secure the confiscation of Mephibosheth's inheritance to him- self e.s a reward for his personal faithfulness ! How this is too often illustrated, in the eager rush after wealth, in the conduct of certain nations towards others, is well known. There a.re hard-hearted men who rejoice in the commercial calamities of others, because they see their chance of turning them to their own advantage, an<l not a few are willing to profit by the incapacity, physical, social, and intellectual, of others, by not providing them with the me&Illl by which they can rise above it, and act their own part in the world's affairs. The curse of God surely rests on such evil-doers. IV. IT IB HEEDLESS OF THE PAIN IT Th"'FLICTB. David's heart was sad enough. Trouble in most fearful form had come on him. Hie anguish is seen in the comfort he felt in the fidelity of the high priests and in the presence of the ark. But what though his heart was smitten! Avarice can rive it the more by concocting a lie most suited for such a purpose. Ziba knew that the story about Mephibosheth would rend further the sore wounds of the much-riven heart. What of that? Property would be acquired. What of blasting the reputation and scattering the 'fortunes of an innocent cripple? His property would become Ziba's. Such things do occur still in the earth. 'l'here may be degrees in avarice, but in every case there is a heedleijB infliction of pain and a 1,ositive injury to the innocent. Is there a God to avenge wrong? Is there a future retribution? Seeicg that many avaricious men escape positive punishment in this life (Ps. xlix. 16-20; lx.xiiL 1-17), a righteous moral order must either be denied or we must look on to the day when God shall give to every man according to the deeds done in the body (2 Cor. v. 10). V. IT Al!IIUllEB THE FORII OF NOBLEST VIRTUES. Ziba comes to David as a kindly, faithful, generoue subject, sorrowful for his affliction, ready to minister tc- his comfort, on. xvr. 1-23.] THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 401