of Shage the Hararite." The word" of" is Ver. 37.-Zelek the Ammonite. The pre- not in the Hebrew, and is inserted in the sence of an Ammonite among the thirty Authorized Version to make sense. Really, reminds 118 of the fidelity of Shobi, the son b'ne, sons, is e. careless repetition of the of Nahash the Ammonite king, to David three le.at letters of the no.toe "She.albonite," (see eh. xvii. 27). Armourbearer. The and should be omitted. The text in Chro- written text he.a the plural, " armour- nicles then goes on regularly," HRshem the bearers," for which the K'ri has substituted Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the the singular. The plural is probably right, Hararite;" but see note on next verse. and if so, both Joab's chief armourbearers, Ver. 83.-She.mmah the Hare.rite. He or squires, were foreigners, Zelek being an was really one of the first three (see ver. Ammonite, and Nahari e. Gibeonite (see 11 ). (For the reading in Chronicles, see note on eh. iv. 2). In actual warfare we abo'l'.e.) A. very probable correction would find Joab attended by ten esquires (eh. be ;• Jone.than the son of Shammah, the xviii. 15). son 'of Agee the Hararite." Thus both Ver. 38.-Ithrite. Of the family of J ether, father and son .would be in the number of of Kirje.th-jee.rim ( l Chron. ii. 53), unless Ira the thirty. Ahie.m. He is called "the son and Ga.rob were two brothers of Amasa, and of Sace.r" in 1 Chron. xi. 35. sons of Jether the husband of Abigail, Ver. 34.-Eliphelet the son of Ahaabai, David's sister (eh. xvii. 25). the son of the Maaohathite. In Chronicles Ver. 39.-Uriah the Hittite (see note on this becomes "Elipha the son of Ur, He- eh. xi. 3). Thirty 11.lld aeven in all. "The pher the Mecherathite." If the text here thirty " became a technical name, and is correct, Eliphelet must be a native of might receive additional members. But if Beth-Me.e.chah, a town in Ne.phtali (eh. xx. we suppose Asahel's place to have been 14). Elia.m the son of Ahithophel the Gi- filled up, the number is exe.ct, there being lonite. Instee.d of this, we find " Ahije.h the thirty ordinary members, three chiefs of the Pelonite" in 1 Chron. xi. 36. Elie.m is sup- first class, and three of the second, of whom, posed by many to have been Bnthsheba's however, one name is omitted. In Chro- father (see note on oh. xi. 3; and for Ahitho- nicles sixteen additional names are given, phel the Gilonite, note on eh. xv. 12). who were probably men admitted t.o the Ver. 35.-Xezre.i. The Rebrew text has order to fill up vacanoi ea.
HOMILETICS. Vers.1-7.-The/ruitfuZ lessons of David's lase words. The facts are: 1. There is a statement that these are the last words of David, who is spoken of in e. fourfold respect. 2. It is affirmed that the utterance which follows is expressly by the Spirit of God. 3. The true ruler is described as one who is just and one fearing God; and the effects of his government are compared to the light of a bright morning, and the tender grass after rain. 4, David affirms that his house is specially characterized e.s one with which God has made a sure and everlasting covenant, and that, consequently, the whole salvation he cares for and desires will be advanced and realized. 6. He refers to worthless men having no sympathy with the desires of his heart and the pnrposes of his house-a~ being like thorns fit only to be ultimately burned. A larger space is given in the Bible to the lifu of David than to any other except that of his great Anti type i and herein do we see the beautiful harmony of the sacred book 1\8 an organio u74 THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. [c11, xxm. 1-30,