The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 474

"Shn.11 there any man be put to death this day in Isr11.el? For do I not know thl\t I Am this day king o\'er Israel 'l" (It is noticeable how frequently he is designated " the king" in this chapter.) 4. An exercise of the royal, prerogative of pardon, 'l'his prerogative, indeed (though prompted by a ganerous impulse), he no doubt stretched beyond due bounds. Hence, reflecting on the matter at the close of his life (during which he kept faithfully to his oa_tb) 1 he. committed (not fro?l a feeling of p~rsonal revenge, but of sacred duty) the vrnd1cat1on of the Law to his successor (1 Kmgs ii. 8, 9). "It can be explained only from the fact that David distillguished between bis own personal interest and motive, which led him to pardon Shimei, without taking the theocre.tic-lege.l standpoint and the theocratic interests of the kingdom, of which Solomon was the representative, and so held himself bound on theocratic-political grounds to commit to bis successor the execution of the legal prescription which he had passed over" (Erdme.nn). . REllAll.KS. 1. In showing mercy to private e.s well e.s public offenders, due regard must be paid to the claims of public justice. 2. It is better to err on the side of too much mercy the.n too much severity. 3. How vast is the mercy of God toward men, in him whom he has "exalted to be a Prince aud a Saviour," etc. (Acts v. 31) I 4. Th.:>se who have received mercy must live in the sphere of mercy nnd obedience, other- wise mercy ceases to be of any avail (1 Kings ii. 42-46; Matt. :x.viii. 32-'-35).-D. Vers. 24-30.--(THE J ORD.AN.) The 'llindicaeion of Mephibosheth. " He bath slan- dered thy servant unto my lord the king" (ver. 27). The lame son of Jonathan comes upon the scene once more before his final disnppearance. During the reb~llion he seems to have continued at Jerusalem; and a strange spectacle he must have presented there, with his neglected person and mournful countenance. On hearing that the king was returning, he set out from Jerusalem (Hebrew, to; or" Jerusalem came," Keil) to meet him. But he had been preceded by Ziba, who was present, when, in answer to ,t;he inquiry," Wherefore," etc., he said, "My lord, 0 king, my servant deceived me," etc. (eh. xvi. 1--4). 1. The t1,nfortunate and hel,plus are commonly made the victims of a ilanderous tong?J,e. Others may not escape it.s venom ; but these become its ready prey. Zibe. knew that he could not be pursued and punished; and destroyed the reputation of his master with the king for the sake of his own profit. 2. The voice of slander is put to silence in the presence of honesty and troth. Already, before Mephi- bosheth spoke, his appearance must have bome witness to his innocence, His expla- nation of his conduct, the tone of his defence, and the silence of his accuser, would hardly fail to convince the king that, whatever may have been the designs of others concerning the house of Saul (eh. xvi. 5), the son of his friend Jonathan was not implicated therein. Slender may remain long unchallenged; but it is sure to be ultimately put to shame. 3. No vindwtionfrom slander is able to do away with all its muchi-ev= effects. The property of which Mephibosheth had been deprived might be restored in whole or in pa.rt; bnt the feelings and actions induced in others could not be obliterated. "Reluctant to think that he had been too hasty; having a royal a.version to admit that he could err and had been duped; and being, in his present humour of overlooking and pardoning everything, indisposed to the task of calling to e.ccount a man of such influence as Ziba, who had been forward in his cause when many tried friends forsook him, the king's answer was something-less _than ge~erous and much less than kind to the i;on of Jonathan" (Kitto). 4. Notwithstanding tll8 wrM•g which he suffers, a man of humble and grateful heart still possesses abundanl satisfactwn. Seeking no revenge, acknowledging his dependence even for life, thank- ful for the kindness formerly shown toward him, and foregoing every claim (vers. 27, 28), he is little concerned a.bout worldly possessions in comparison with the honour e.nd wells.re of his lord, and £ads his chief delight in "the king's favour.'' "'l'rue to his noble e.aintly nature, all that he desires is to love and to be loved again" (Plumptre), "Let him also te.ke all," etc. (ver. 30). "'Fret not th_rself because of the evil-do~rs_. . _ Be not envious age.inst the workers of 101qu1ty, .• • The meek she.II inherit the land, And eha.11 delight theJIIS8lves in the abundance of pee.ea," etc. (Ps. uxvii. 1-11.) D.  THE SEOOND BOOK OF SAMUEL.