_THE KING OF THE AMMONITES TREATS DAVID'S MESSENGERS AS SPIES. DAVID SENDS JOAB AGAINST THE AMMONITES AND SYRIANS, WHO OVERCOMES THEM; AND AFTERWARDS HIMSELF, PASSING THE JORDAN, OVERCOMES THEM AGAIN, AND SUBJECTS THEM TO HIM._ _Before Christ 1040._... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE HANUM TOOK DAVID'S SERVANTS, &C.— The wearing of long beards and garments was then, as it still is, the fashion of the East, where they were deemed badges of honour; and, consequently, the cutting off or curtailing of either was regarded as the greatest indignity. Nay, in some places, the... [ Continue Reading ]
TARRY AT JERICHO— As Jericho had not been rebuilt since the day on which it was miraculously overthrown, the king humanely judged that his ambassadors would be glad to conceal themselves to more advantage in the desolations of that city till their beards were grown. It should seem from the text, tha... [ Continue Reading ]
SAW THAT THEY STANK— See Genesis 34:30 and 1 Chronicles 19:6. The children of Ammon, instead of apologizing, or making any reparation for the insult to David's ambassadors, joined their own forces to a Syrian army of 33,000 men, which aggravated their former outrage, and rendered them worthy of the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALL THE HOST OF THE MIGHTY MEN— Which Houbigant renders _the chosen strength of the army; the flower of the troops._ Some understand thereby the worthies mentioned in the 23rd chapter. See Schmidt's Observations. The 94th Psalm is supposed to have been written upon this occasion.... [ Continue Reading ]
BE OF GOOD COURAGE, &C.— There cannot be a more noble martial speech than this. We may learn from it, how naturally great dangers inspire sentiments of true religion, even in some who upon other occasions manifest too little of its spirit.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SYRIANS THAT WERE BEYOND THE RIVER— _Beyond the river Euphrates. Hadarezer_ is the same with _Hadadezer,_ mentioned chap. 2 Samuel 8:3. Houbigant says, that he found it wrote _Hadadezer_ in five manuscripts which he consulted. It is probable that _Helam_ was situated upon the banks of the river... [ Continue Reading ]
SLEW THE MEN OF SEVEN HUNDRED CHARIOTS, &C.— Though this reading is the same in the Vulgate, LXX, and Chaldee, yet in the Syriac it is _seven hundred chariots, and four thousand horse:_ in the Arabic, _one thousand six hundred chariots, and four thousand horse._ The parallel place, 1 Chronicles 19:1... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN ALL THE KINGS, &C.— Thus the arms of David were blessed, and God accomplished the promises which he had made to Abraham, and renewed to Joshua. Genesis 15:18. Joshua 2:4. Thus, in the space of nineteen or twenty years, David was enabled to finish gloriously eight wars, all righteously undertake... [ Continue Reading ]