XXIII. This chapter consists of two entirely distinct parts. The first seven verses are “the last words of David,” his last formal and inspired utterance; the rest of the chapter (2 Samuel 23:8) is an enumeration of the heroes of his life and reign. This prophecy has not been incorporated into the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SON OF JESSE SAID. — The description of the human author of the following prophecy is strikingly analogous to that of Balaam in Numbers 24:3; Numbers 24:15. The word “said,” used twice, is a peculiar form (used between two hundred and three hundred times) of direct Divine utterances, and applied... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD SPAKE BY ME. — In accordance with 2 Samuel 23:1, there is here, and also in the next clause, most explicit assertion that this was spoken under the prompting and guidance of the Divine Spirit.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ROCK OF ISRAEL. — Comp. 2 Samuel 22:3. A frequent Scriptural comparison, appropriate here, to show the perfect reliability of what God declares. HE THAT RULETH. — The English gives the true sense, but the original is exceedingly elliptical, both here and in the following verse. The fundamental... [ Continue Reading ]
A MORNING WITHOUT CLOUDS. — This description of the blessings of the ideally perfect government is closely connected with the Divine promise made through Nathan (2 Samuel 7). David recognises that the ruler of God’s people must be just, and here, as in Psalms 72, the highest blessings are depicted a... [ Continue Reading ]
ALTHOUGH MY HOUSE. — This verse is extremely difficult, and admits of two interpretations. That given in the English is found in the LXX., the Vulg., and the Syriac, and if adopted will mean that David recognises how far he and his house have failed to realise the ideal description set forth; yet si... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SONS OF BELIAL. — According to the Masoretic punctuation, _Belial_ is not here in the common form, but in the stronger abstract form_=worthlessness._ The coming in of Divine righteousness leads not only to the assimilation of that which is holy, but also to the rejection of that which is evil, b... [ Continue Reading ]
FENCED WITH IRON. — The thorns are to be handled with an iron hook on the end of a spear staff. The phrase, “in the same place,” is used only here, and its meaning is quite uncertain. The Vulg. translates, _to nothing,_ meaning to utter destruction; the LXX. substitutes the word _shame._ The English... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE BE THE NAMES. — Here, in the summary at the close of David’s reign, is very naturally given a list of his chief heroes. A duplicate of this list, with several variations, and with sixteen more names, is given in 1 Chronicles 11:10, which is useful in correcting such clerical errors as have ari... [ Continue Reading ]
DODO THE AHOHITE. — So in the Hebrew margin here, and so also in 1 Chronicles 11:12; the text here has Dodai, as in 1 Chronicles 27:4, where he is mentioned as the general for the second month. The name is the same under slightly differing forms. “Ahohite” is a patronymic derived from Ahoah, son of... [ Continue Reading ]
CLAVE UNTO THE SWORD. — Instances are rare, but well authenticated, of a sort of cramp following excessive exertion, so that the hand could only be released from the sword by external appliances. RETURNED AFTER HIM. — Does not imply that they had at any time deserted him, but only that they turned... [ Continue Reading ]
INTO A TROOP. — Josephus, using different vowels, read “to Lehi,” the scene of Samson’s exploit (Judges 15:9; Judges 15:19); but as the same word recurs in 2 Samuel 23:13, clearly in the sense of “troop,” the English reading should be retained. LENTILES. — Chronicles has “barley.” The two words mig... [ Continue Reading ]
THREE OF THE THIRTY. — For “three” the Hebrew text reads “thirty” by a manifest error, which is corrected in the margin. These are not the same three (since there is no definite article) with those just mentioned, but were another three more eminent than the rest of the thirty, two of them being, no... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WELL OF BETHLEHEM. — There are now no wells of living water at Bethlehem itself, the town being supplied by an aqueduct. Robinson could find none in the neighbourhood, and was assured that none existed (_Bib. R._ ii. 157-163); but Ritter (_Geog. of Pal._ iii. 340) says that a little north of the... [ Continue Reading ]
POURED IT OUT UNTO THE LORD. — The brave act of the three heroes shows strikingly the personal power of David over his followers and the enthusiasm with which he inspired them. Yet, on the other hand, David would not suffer his own longing to be gratified by the hazard of men’s lives. Taking the wat... [ Continue Reading ]
IS NOT THIS THE BLOOD...? — The Hebrew here is simply an interrogative exclamation, “the blood of the men?” but in 1 Chronicles 11:19 the text reads, “Shall I drink the blood of these men?” &c., and so the LXX. and Vulg. translate here. To David the water gained only at the risk of life, “seemed the... [ Continue Reading ]
AMONG THREE. — The Hebrew margin has “the three,” and so also the text in the following clause. “The three” are the triad of heroes just mentioned, of whom Abishai was first, Benaiah second, with an unnamed third. A somewhat similar feat of daring is told of Abishai in 1 Samuel 26:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
BENAIAH. — He was the general of the third division of the army (1 Chronicles 27:5). This probably included the Cherethites and Pelethites, since he was also their commander (2 Samuel 8:18; 2 Samuel 20:23). In consequence of his faithfulness to Solomon in the rebellion of Adonijah, he was finally ma... [ Continue Reading ]
A GOODLY MAN. — The meaning is explained in the parallel place in Chronicles, where he is called “a man of stature,” and it is added “five cubits high.” Benaiah’s exploit, therefore, consisted in coming, armed only with a staff, to this giant Egyptian, wresting his spear from him, and then slaying h... [ Continue Reading ]
SET HIM OVER HIS GUARD. — The word translated _guard_ means rather _private audience._ David either made him a member of, or set him over his council. If in 1 Chronicles 27:34 “Jehoiada son of Benaiah” is an error for “Benaiah son of Jehoiada,” his holding of this office is also mentioned there.... [ Continue Reading ]
ASAHEL. — As he was killed by Abner while David reigned over Judah only, it is plain that this list is not restricted to any one definite time in David’s reign. Leaving out Asahel, however, the names that follow are exactly “thirty.” Of but few of them is anything further known.... [ Continue Reading ]
SHAMMAH THE HARODITE. — In 1 Chronicles 11:27 _Shammoth the Harorite._ He may be the same with “Shamhuth the Izrahite,” captain of the fifth division of the army (1 Chronicles 27:8). The next name is omitted in Chronicles.... [ Continue Reading ]
HELEZ. — He was general of the seventh army division (1 Chronicles 27:10). There, and also in 1 Chronicles 11:27, he is called a _Pelonite._ IRA was general for the sixth month (1 Chronicles 27:9). His home, Tekoah, was about six miles south of Bethlehem.... [ Continue Reading ]
ABIEZER. — He was general for the ninth month (1 Chronicles 27:12). He was of Anathoth, a priestly city of Benjamin, the home of Jeremiah. MEBUNNAI. — According to 2 Samuel 21:18 _Sibbechai,_ and to 1 Chronicles 11:29 _Sibbecai,_ these being the same in the Hebrew. The two names are much alike in t... [ Continue Reading ]
ZALMON. — In Chronicles _Ilai._ MAHARAI. — He commanded the tenth division of the army (1 Chronicles 27:13).... [ Continue Reading ]
HELEB. — The name is variously written _Heled_ (1 Chronicles 11:30) and Heldai (1 Chronicles 27:15). He was the general for the twelfth month. ITTAI, or _Ithai_ (1 Chronicles 11:31), is to be distinguished from Ittai the Gittite, since this man was from Gibeah of Benjamin.... [ Continue Reading ]
BENAIAH THE PIRATHONITE. — He was general for the eleventh month (1 Chronicles 27:14). He is of course to be distinguished from Benaiah of 2 Samuel 23:20. HIDDAI. — In 1 Chronicles 11:32, _Hurai,_ owing to the frequent confusion of _d_ and _r. _... [ Continue Reading ]
ABI-ALBON. — In 1 Chronicles 11:32 written _Abiel,_ probably correctly, the _albon_ having come in from _Sha-albon-ite_ in the line below. THE BARHUMITE. — More correctly, _the Baharumite, i.e.,_ of the Bahurim mentioned in 2 Samuel 3:16; 2 Samuel 19:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE SONS OF JASHEN, JONATHAN. — The preposition _of_ is not in the Hebrew, and should be omitted. For the rest 1 Chronicles 11:34 reads “the sons of Hashem the Gizonite. In both the words _the sons of_ may be an accidental repetition of the last three letters of the preceding word; if not, they s... [ Continue Reading ]
SHAMMAH THE HARARITE. — “Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite” has already been mentioned in 2 Samuel 23:11, and here Chronicles reads “Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite.” As _Shage_ is identical with _Agee_ with a letter prefixed, we should probably read “Jonathan the son of Shammah the Harari... [ Continue Reading ]
ELIPHELET THE SON OF AHASBAI. — The reading in Chronicles is quite different: “Eliphal the son of Ur, Hepher the Mecherathite,” thus making two heroes instead of the one given here. So, also, instead of “Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,” Chronicles has _Ahijah the Pelonite._ In the latter c... [ Continue Reading ]
HEZRAI. — So the Hebrew margin; but the text has _Hezro,_ as in Chronicles. He was of Carmel, seven miles S.S.E. of Hebron, famous in David’s early history. PAARAI THE ARBITE. — In Chronicles “Naarai the son of Ezbai.” It is impossible to decide whether _Paarai_ or _Naarai_ is the correct form, but... [ Continue Reading ]
IGAL. — Chronicles has _Joel._ The two names differ in Hebrew only in one letter, and that a very similar one; but he is described here as _the son of Nathan of Zobah,_ in Chronicles as _the brother of Nathan. Brother_ is in Hebrew _ahi,_ and some MSS. in Chronicles read _the son of Ahinathan._ If t... [ Continue Reading ]
THE AMMONITE. — A foreigner, like “Igal of Zobah” (a Syrian), and “Ittai the Gittite,” and “Uriah the Hittite,” who rose to distinction in David’s service, and all of whom were probably proselytes. ARMOURBEARER. — It appears from 2 Samuel 18:15 that Joab had ten armourbearers. This one was probably... [ Continue Reading ]
THIRTY AND SEVEN IN ALL. — Only thirty-six names have been given, but either the third unnamed person in the second triad of heroes is counted, or else in 2 Samuel 23:34 the names of the two given in Chronicles should be substituted for the one in the text here. In 1 Chronicles 11:41 sixteen more n... [ Continue Reading ]