The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 500

"the iroi:tl tba.t Binnetb it 8h11.11 die;" but tl,at mon pre.t:1tice in most semi-oivllized nntlon■ the Binner'8 eon, if he wlllk in God's st11.tntes, for a fine ~o be e.ccepted aa compensation for shall not die for the iniquity of his father; the sheddmg of blood. Aa no distinction he shall surely live. But the collective w11.11 drawn between murder and homioide responsibility enacted in the second com- and e.s the nearest relative was bound U: mandment is still God's law. In the philo- every case to revenge t'he blood shed, the 1mphic jargon of our times the two factors custom of receiving I\ money compensation whioh form human charttcter and decide gradually grew up to prevent the tribe or our fortunes are "heredity and environ- nation being torn to pieces by interminable ment." Heredity was the prevailing senti- revenge. 'l'he Arabs still reto.in this usage, ment in David's days; and it seemed right but it we.e forbidden by the Levitical Law to the Gibeonites that the sons of the man (Numb. xxxv. 31), and rightly so, because who had slaughtered them should die for a distinction we.e there made between mur- their father's sins; and it seemed just to der and accidental bloodshed, and precau- David also. But he ape.red the heir to Saul's tious taken for the rescue of one who bad throne. There is no adequate reason for not acted with malice. Neither for us ehalt supposing that David wa.s influenced by thou kill any man in Israel. The singular politico.I motives, and the more important is used at tl,e beginning of their answer, in lesson of the narrative is the empbatio con- the same way as in eh. xix. 42, 43. Lite- demnation given in it of wrong and cruelty rally their words a.re, It is not to me a matter to aboriginal tribes. David inquired of the of silver and gold with Saul and his hOU8e, Lord; Hebrew, David sought the face of nor is it for us to put to death any one in Jehovah. The phrase is remarkable, end Israel; tho.t is, " We refuse a money com- not found elsewhere in Samuel. Probably pensation, and it is beyond our power to it means that he went to Gibeon t.o pray exact the blood-penalty which would gratify in the sanctuary, and consult God by Urim our anger." They make it quite plain that and Thummim. His bloody ho116e. The they do want blood, while the Authorized Hebrew means "the ho116e on which rested Version makes them say that they do not. the i;uiltofmurder." The Revised Version more correctly trans- , er. 2.-Sanl sought to Blay them in his lates, "Neither is it for us to put any man zeal We gather from various incidental to death in Israel." circumstances that Saul, in some pa.rt of his Ver. 5.-The man that oonsnmed us, etc. reign, manifested great zeal in an attempt to The strong language of this verse makes it carry out literally the enactments of the plain that Saul had been guilty, not merely Levitical Law; but he seems to have done of some one great a.et of cruelty, hut of e. so with the so.me ferocity as that which he long series of barbarities intended to bring displayed in slaughtering the priests at about their utt.er extirpation. Nob with their wives and children. Thus Ver. 6.-We will hang them. The pun- he bad put to death wizards and all who ishment indicated here really was impale- dealt with familiar spirits (1 Sam. :uviii. 9), ment, hut in Numb. xxv. 4, where the ea.me in accordance with Exod. xri.i. 18 and verb iB used, we find that the orimine.ls were Lev. xx. 6. In the same way he seems to put to death first, and that the impalement !,ave tried to exterminate the aboriginal was for the purpose of exposing their bodies inhabitants of Palestine, in e.ccordance with to view, like the practice a century a.go of Deut. vii. 2, and he.d especially massacred gibbeting. But the Gibeonites were pro- a large number of Giheonites, in violation bably very barbarous, and, when David bed of the covenant ma.de with them by Joshua delivered the eeven lads into their hands, and all Israel (Josh. ix. 3, 15-27). And as would perhaps wreak upon them a cruel be would thus acquire "fields and vine- vengeance. Seven were chosen, because it yards" robbed from them to give to his is the perfect number, with many religions captains, his conduct was probably popular, associations; e.nd unto the Lord means " pub- and the ea.use of a general system of wrong licly." So among the Romans sul> JO'IJe and oppression practised upon all the natives. meant "in the open air" (comp. Numb, It had thus become e. national sin, and as :uv. 4 ). In Gibeah. This we.e Saul's native such we.s punished by e. national calamity. place and home, and was selected by the Amorites ; that iB highlanders, mountaineers. Gibeonitee as the epot where the bodies Strictly they were Hivites (Josh. ix. 7). should be exposed, to add to the humiliation Ver. 3.-Wherewith shall I me.kethe atone- and she.me of the fallen dyne.sty. Saul, ment, etc. ? Literal) v the verb means to whom the Lord did ohoose. If this reading " cover up," the idea· being that of e. veil is correct, the phrase can only be U!led as 11, drawn over the offence io conceal it by means taunt. But in ver. 9 we find llahar, "on the of a gift or offering. Thence gradus.lly it hill," instead of behir, "chosen," and the attained to its religious idea of an expiation. right reading probably is1 •• ~ Gibeah 1 OIi \' "r- 4 -J'o aUver nor sold. lt iB a co~- the bill of J e)lovp.4," Oil. XXI, 1-22,) THE SECOND DOOK OF SAMUEL. 513