_ABSALOM CONSPIRES AGAINST DAVID, AND DRAWS OVER AHITHOPHEL TO HIS
PARTY. DAVID FLIES FROM JERUSALEM, AND IS FOLLOWED BY ZADOK AND
ABIATHAR, WHOM HE COMMANDS TO RETURN TO JERUSALEM WITH THE ARK. HE
SENDS HUSHAI TO JERUSALEM TO DEFEAT THE COUNSEL OF AHITHOPHEL._
_Before Christ 1023._... [ Continue Reading ]
ABSALOM STOLE THE HEARTS OF THE MEN OF ISRAEL— Dr. Delaney is of
opinion, that Absalom took this occasion to increase his popularity,
during the time that his father David lay confined with a very
grievous sickness. See the 38th, 39th, and 40th Psalms.
REFLECTIONS _ON 2 SAMUEL 15:1_.—No sooner is A... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER FORTY YEARS— Or rather, _after four years._ The Syriac and
Arabic, whom Houbigant follows, read _after four years._ As there is
no event from which the forty years can be dated, very great has been
the distress of the advocates for that reading. But Josephus,
Theodoret, the Manuscripts mention... [ Continue Reading ]
THY SERVANT VOWED A VOW— This vow is conceived exactly in the
patriarchal style, and, if true, shews, that however he might have
been tempted by his grandfather to serve the gods of Geshur, yet he
continued determined against idolatry; which David, we may assure
ourselves, was highly delighted to he... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT ABSALOM SENT SPIES— Before he left Jerusalem, Absalom took care
to send his emissaries throughout all the tribes; doubtless under
colour of inviting persons of distinction to the sacrifice, but in
reality to carry the watchword and signal before agreed on between
them.... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH ABSALOM WENT TWO HUNDRED MEN— _But there followed Absalom two
hundred men, who, called from Jerusalem, went after him with a simple
heart, and who were entirely ignorant of the whole affair._ Houbigant.... [ Continue Reading ]
ABSALOM SENT FOR AHITHOPHEL— Ahithophel's junction with Absalom
seems to have given the finishing stroke to the rebellion. He was too
sagacious to discover himself, till he saw all things favourable and
prosperous on the part of Absalom; and they both very well judged that
his accession to the consp... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HEARTS OF THE MEN OF ISRAEL ARE AFTER ABSALOM— Some reason may
be assigned for this. In every nation there are always turbulent and
discontented spirits, who promise themselves some benefit from a
change. Saul's party was not yet entirely extinct, and Joab, who was
David's prime minister, behave... [ Continue Reading ]
ARISE, AND LET US FLEE— As the danger was instant, David took his
measures accordingly. The city was not in a condition to sustain a
siege; and if it were, he did not care to expose a favourite city,
built by himself, and the residence of the tabernacle of God, to all
the evils incident to sieges, a... [ Continue Reading ]
ITTAI THE GITTITE— The Jews say, that this Ittai was the son of king
Achish, and that, being obliged to quit Gath on account of his
attachment to David, he came to offer him his services at the head of
the six hundred men mentioned in the foregoing verse, who, as well as
himself, had embraced the Je... [ Continue Reading ]
THE KING SAID,—CARRY BACK THE ARK OF GOD— David sent back the
high-priests, as knowing that their character was too sacred to suffer
any violence from the usurper, though he knew their fidelity to
himself; and for the rest, he wholly submitted himself to the divine
disposal. He besought God, as Alex... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DAVID WENT UP BY THE ASCENT OF MOUNT OLIVET, AND WEPT, &C.— A
more memorable event surely was never recorded in history, nor a more
moving spectacle ever exhibited to mortal eyes: a king, venerable for
his years and victories, sacred in the character both of his piety and
prophesies, renowned fo... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, HUSHAI THE ARCHITE CAME— When David heard that Ahithophel
was among the conspirators, he saw his danger in all its strength. A
hot-headed young man, high in vanity, extravagant in hope, and easily
overset with success, was not an object of much terror to a man of
David's great experience and... [ Continue Reading ]