of the Cane.anitish tribe whose fortresa wa.s t.ilken nearly thirty years beFore (eh. v. 6). "He was not slain by David in the siege of Jerusalem, because of the good will ho bore to tbe HebreWB, and a pa.rticul&r benignity and affection whloh be bad to the king himself" (Josephus) ; with whom, durin!? his exile, he me.y he.ve become e.cquainted, 2. A proselyte to the f&ith of Israel (ver. 23). "There was no other people who were specially called the people of God; b11t they (the Jews) cannot deny the.t there have been oertain men of other ne.tions, who belonged, not by earthly but heavenly fellow- ship, to the true Israelites, the citizens of the country that is above" (Augus~ine). 8, A pro&ptfl'OtM owner of property on the hill Moriah (at that time outside the city), where he b&d his threshing-floor, and dwelt with his four sons. His prosperity was due, not merely to his own industry, but chiefly to his friendship with David and his people. 4. A partaker of the sufferings, as well as the privileges, of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Whilst oocupied in threshing wheat (by means of sledges drawn by oxen) it was given him to see the supernatural messenger of wrath (1 Chron. xxi. 20); and "his four sons with him, hi<l. themselves" from fear. 6. A loyal subJ°ect; respectful, courteous (ver. 20), and grateful for the king's visit to him in his threshing..J'loor (ver. 21). "It was a piece of condescension to be marvelled at; and the language expresses a desire to know his pleasure concerning him, supposing it must be something very urgent and important" (Gill). 6. A generous donor and public-spirited man (ver. 22). "All does Araunah, 0 king, give to the king" (ver. 23). "His liberality and princely munificence is registered to all after-ages in the Holy Scripture; what is done by a pious heart to the honour and worship of God shall never want its own reward and blessed remembrance; as was the breaking of the box of precious ointment" (Guild). 7. A devout worshipper of God. "Jehovah thy God accept thee." 8. A ready hel,per toward the building of the altar and temple of God. 9. A pattern to Christians. 10. A pre-intimation of the willing homage of the Gentile world· to Christ ( eh. xxii. 60) ; an earnest or tirstfruits of the harvest (Ps. l.xxii. 10, 11), " In every place incense shall be offered," etc. (Mal. i. 11).-D.
Ver. 24 (1 Chron. n:.i. 24, 25).-(MoBIAB.) Personal sacrifice. "And I will not offer unto Jehovah my God of that which doth cost me nothing." The gift of Araunah would have enabled David to perform a religious service in a cheap and inexpensive manner. But, (1) humbly recognizing the obligations that rested upon him, and animat.ed by a spirit of self-devotion, (2) he nobly repudiates an offering which would have been, not really his own, but another's; or rendering to God a selfish and mercenary service; "which rebukes and condemns the avaricious disposition of many in this age, who:can part with nothing for the maintenance of God's worship or promot- ing religion or any good work" (Guild). "It is a heartless piety of those base-minded Christiane that care only to serve God good-cheap" (Hall). (3) He also generously resolves (acting toward the Divine King of Israel in the same spirit as Araunah acted toward himself) to purchase all that was required at "the full price,'' and thus serve God at hie own cost, with self-denial and self-11acrifice. " And David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver" (1 Chron. xxi., "the place," the whole hill perhaps, for "six hundred shekels of gold by weight"). The principle applies not only to gifts of money (eh. viii.11); but also to ihe employment of thought, effort, time, talents, relationships, influence; the renunciation of ease, pleasure, conveni- ence, name, and fame; the endurance of privation, pain, opposition, dishonour, and shame; its highest applicatiou is to the " whole burnt offering" of a man himself (heart, soul, will), which virtua.lly includes all other offerings, and without which they are vain . ., Whe.t a change it would make in the Christian world if Christiane of all sorts would put this question seriously to their souls, 'Shall I serve God with that which costs me nothing?'" (Manton, xxii. 94). Personal sacrifice is: l. Enioined by the ea;press com- ma-nds of God. "None shall appear before me empty" (Exod. xxxiv. 20) ; "Every man as he is able," etc. (Deut. xvi. 16); "It shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein. Neither from a stranger's hand," etc. (Lev. xxii. 21, 26). Men were required to offer wl:.at was valuable, not worthless; what was their own, not e.notber's. Even the poorest were not exempt. Self--denial is also " the law of Chnet n (Mark viii. 34; x. 21-27). 2. Incif,ed, by the supreme daimB of God; arisiny ,'rom his greatness and goodness, his ownership of all things (1 Chron. nix. 14), his mani• on. XXIV, 1-25.J THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. 623