The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 455

but of hie eone o.nd do.ughters, nnd of the over u1. It ia evident from these "'ords that women who ho.d accompanied him in his there had been some solemn anointinoo and flight. Nor would it ho.ve stopped there, appointment of Ahse.lom, and this acc';;11ntd but the officers of his comt, the co.ptaine of for the manner in which hie pnrtiss.ns are hie army, hie mighties, and all who he.d long always described ae "leroel,'' wbilo Davirl'e cared for and loved him would have been men are simply "his servants." With thie put to the sword. It wae this horrible cer- anointment there muet aleo he.ve been a tainty, nccording to Oriental usage, which foi:me.l renunciation of David's rule, e.nd, mo.de Ahso.lom's rebellion so abomino.ble, berng thus dethroned, he doee not attempt to o.nd which steeled the hen.rt of Joab age.inst return until the nation summons him back. him when he eo.w him hanging in the tree. As the flight of David narro.ted in eh. xvi. lie regarded him as e. fro.tricide o.nd pe.rricide, we.a extremely hurried, the conspirators must who he.d plotted murder on e. le.rge scale; have kept their counsel well, and whatever and Joo.b we.s not made milder by the rumours reached him e.pparently he disre- thought tbo.t this would ho.ve included garded. But meanwhile representatives of himself e.nd the heroes who ho.d me.de the tribes secretly convened at Hebron had Do.vid's throne so great. With stem good cle.imed to act in the name of Israel, and, sense he, therefore, bids the king suppress chosen a new king. The words certainly his mere personal feelings, e.nd leave the imply tbe.t, had Ahsalom lived, the leraelites chamber in which he had concealed himself, would have considered themselves bound to to go forth e.nd "spee.k to the heart of his obey him. servants," that is, the.nk and praise them in Ver. 11.-De.vid sent to Ze.dok and to e. friendly - manner. For otherwise they Abiathe.r. The two high priests bad re- would disperse e.nd leave him; and this mained behind e.t Jerusalem, to watch over would be followed by the uprise of some David's interests, e.nd he now. by e. mes- other cle.ime.ntof the throne-some rele.tive, senger, probably Abimae.z or Jonathan, urges perhe.ps, of Se.ul, be.eked by the tribes of them to quicken the proceedings of his own Benjamin and Ephre.im; e.nd De.vid, e.ban- tribe. We me.y feel quite sure the.t there doned by the nation, would fa.II e.n ee.sy was discussion in Judah as well a.a in the victim, with all his fe.mily, of this second other tribes; but the rebellion he.d begun e.t rebellion. Abse.lom's rapid sucoess proved Hebron, and probe.bly many of the leading the.t David he.d me.ny enemies, and without chiefs were deeply implicated in Abse.lom's gree.t prudence he might be left nt Me.hane.im proceedings. Probo.bly they now regretted as powerless as Ishbosheth he.d been. The it, but hung back through fear of punish- longdele.y between the death of this puppet- ment. It we.s politic, therefore, to e.ssure king and David's appointment to be sovereign thorn of David's kindly feelhgs, a.ad that of all Israel was probe.bly owing to the same overtures on their side would be readily want of enthusie.sm for David which he.d reoei ved, e.nd the past forgiven. me.de the ne.tion tre.nsfer its allegiance so Ver. 12.-lly bones; Hebrew, my bone lightly to the handsome Abse.lom. But with and my flesh, so nearly related 8.11 to be plll't all his good sense Joe.b we.s coe.rse and rude. of my own self (Gen. ii. 23). He was, moreover, utterly ince.pable of Ver. 13.-0f my bone, and of my fiesh; understanding David's real feelings. He Hebrew, art thou not my bone and my flesh 1 saw only a fe.ther giving way to e.n exe.g- -a most near e.nd dear relative. It is difficult gera.ted loss for a handsome but worthless to understand why in the Authorized Ver- son. De.vid ree.lly we.s condemning himself sion this common metaphor in the Hebrew for he.ving brought lust and murder into his he.s been so meddled with. Ewald thinks own house by e.bomine.ble sin. that this purposed degre.de.tion of J oe.b aud Ver. 8.-All the people oe.me before the the substitution of Amo.so. in his stead we.s king. Probe.bly they passed in review be- e. wise and politic act. It was to some extent fore him, e.nd received his thanks. By thus just, for Joab was a mo.n stained with many e.oting in aocoreanoe with J oe.b's wise counsel, murders; but politio it we.s not. Passing David probo.bly saved the nation from yetl.l's over the fact that Ame.se. had actually ta.ken of o.nnrchy, and a fresh civil we.r. For Israel the comm11nd of the rebel army, he wos an had lied every man to his tent; Hebrew, and ambitious and selfish man, and could lay no Israel, that is, Absalom's partisans,j!ed each claim to that sturdy fidelity which had man to liis tent-to his home. The Autho- characterized Joeb throughout his long ser- rized Version confounds Isre.el with D ..vid's vice. For all he had done had been for soldiers, but consistently throughout the David's good, and his advice, however narrative "the hearts of the men of Isrnol roughly given, had averted grave misfortunes. are after Abee.lorn" (oh. xv. 13; and see Joe.b's murder of Absa.lom was an act of xvi. 15 1 18; xvii. 14, 15, 2~, 26; xviii. 6, 7, wilful disobedience; but David had used 16, 17). Joe.b for a far meaner murder, committed, not Ver. 10.-Abae.lom, whom we anointed for reusona of statesmMship, but for purpos88 II, SAMUEL, 2 R 466 THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. [en ..ux. 1-43,