The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 493

malicious, and reckless than any other; his motive being jealousy of a rival. "No life Is safe that stands in his way, but from policy he never sBCrifices the most insi.~11ificant life without a purpose" (eh. ii. 27-30; xviii. 16; xx, 20). "By degrees m;n grow more and more bold and unfeeling in the commission of crimes of every kind; until they vindicate and glory in their villainies; and when such daring offenders are actuated by ambition or revenge, they will not be restrained by the ties of relationship or friendship; nay, they will employ the guise and language of love to obtain the opportunity of perpetrating the most utrocious murders. The heginnins: of evil should therefore in everything be deci8ively resisted" (Scott). 3. The infliction of deserved :punishment by an unauthorized and wiclced hand. " Amasa is innocent of the crime of seeking Joab's place, for which he is murdered by him, yet he is guilty before God for his siding with Absa.lom. Whereupon we collect that ofttimes men suffer inno- cently for some crimes that are laid to their charge, and in respect of the persons who are the pursuers ; yet in God's judgment they are justly punished for other sins, wherein ~it.her they have been spared or else have not been noted to the world; and as many at the hour of their death and execution, publicly havc acknowledged" (Guild). 4. 7'he commission of a great crime by one who possesses great abilitie.~ and renders great public services. Alas I that a man of such military skill, practical sagacity, and tried fidelity as Joab (now far advanced in life), should have been so" hardened by the deceitfulness of sin" 1 Once more he saved the monarchy; and once more David was compelled to bear with him (eh. iii. 39; xix. 13). "He probably felt obliged to show some indulgence to a man who was indispensable to him as a soldier, and who, notwithstaoding his culpable ferocity, never lost sight of his master's interests." His indulgence was doubtless also due, in part, to the consciousness of his own sin (Ps. li. 3), which made him unwilliog to inflict the penalty of the law on one who had been his partner in guilt. But at length judgment overtakes the transgressor; the Law is vindicated; and the ways of God to men are justified (1 Kings ii. 5, 6, 28-35). Near the very spot where his crowning act of perfidy was perpetrated, Joab received his death-blow from the hand of Benaiah (1 Chron. xvi. 39).-D. Vers. 15--22.-(ABEL-BETH-MAAOAH,) ..d peacemaker. "Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear! hear I" (ver. 16). 1. Hard pressed by the forces of Joab, Sheba threw himself into the fortified city of .Abel-beth-Maachah (in the north-west t:.:..tremity of Palestine). The feelings of its inhabitants toward him are not stated. But Joab soon appeared; and, without entering into any negotiations with them, made prepara- tions for attack. "Taking advantage of an oblong knoll of natural rock that rises above the surrounding plain, the original inhabitants raised a high mound sufficiently large for the city. With a deep trench and strong wall it must have been almost impregr:iablo. The besiegers cast up a mount against the city, 'and it stood in the trench'" etc. (Thomson, 'The Land aud the Book'). A deadly conflict was imminent. 2. At this juncture o. wise woman presented herself at the wall; and, hn ving obtained a hearing, sought to make peace; nor was her endeavour fruitless. "There was a little city," etc. (Eccles. ix. 14, 15). "'Wisdom is better than strength. Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good" (Eccles. ix. 16, 18). As one bad mo.n exposed the city to destruction, so one good woman effected its deliverance. 3. There is often much need of a peacemaker to heal the strife tho.t arises between individuals, families, cities, Churches, and nations. Regarded as an example to others, this ".wise woman" of .Abel- l. PossESSED AN EXCELLENT SPIRIT; observant, prudent, sagacious, peaceful, faithful, just, and benevolent. Hence she was prompted to go of her own accord, individually and independently, to "seek peace, and pursue it" (1 Pet. iii. 11; Ps. xniv. 12-16; Gen. xiii. 8, 9). 1. Being grieved at the sight of strife between brethren, and the prospect of the miseries which they were about to inflict on each other. 2. Beirig desfrous of :preventing the evil which threatened them, and promoting their welfare. Her chief concern w11s about her own city, which was likely to be the greater sufferer; but she wo.s also (like Joab, ver. 20) concerned about others, and the general go,,d of Israel, in which Abel was "a mother-city," a part of" the inheritance of Jehovah'' (ver. 19). 3. Having/aith in the comm01: s~se of m_en, their r~gar_d for t~eir own interest (~hea t_he_v eaw it, not blinded by preJud1ce), their love of Justice, their generally good mtent10ns  606 'l'li~ S:EOO'N]) 'BOO:it 'OF SAM1JIU,. (on. xx. 1-2G,