Harmony Upon 2 Samuel, Book 2 · Chapter 10
CHAP. 10.
1. Quest. v. 2. How Dauid shewed kindnesse to the King of Ammon, and why.
1. DAuid hauing now shewed his gratefull mind toward some at home, beginneth also to practise the like abroad, and sendeth a freindly and comfortable message to the king of Ammon, after the death of his Father: Mar. 2. Though it were not lawfull to enter into any publike league with the Ammonites, which is directly forbidden, Deut. 23.6. yet priuate amitie might be reteined: and Dauid might shew his thankfulnes vntounto them. Osiand.
3. What pleasure Nahash the former King of Ammon shewed to Dauid, is not expressed: the Hebrewes thinke that this was the kindnesse, that after the King of Moab had put to death Dauids parents, the rest fled vntounto the King of Ammon, and were there succoured: but of this there is no certaintie: it is like that Nahash beeing a professed aduersarie to Saul, whom he had before discomfited, when he besieged Iabesh Gilead, gaue freindly entertainment in the daies of Saul vntounto Dauid,1. Sam. 9. whom Saul hated and pursued. Iun.
4. Now whereas Dauid is said before to hauehave subdued the Ammonites, c. 8.12. it seemeth, it is set down there by anticipation and preuention in the historie: for if Dauid had before this vanquished the Ammonites, Dauid would hauehave sent no such freindly and familiar message to his professed enemie. Mart.
5. Pellican obserueth, that the euill successe which Dauid had in this embassage sheweth, that God was not pleased with Dauid, because he sought the freindship of an heathen king. But things are not to be measured by the euent. It was not amisse for Dauid to shew his kindnes and thankfulnesse for a benefit receiued: if the wicked rewarded him euill for good, it bewraieth the vilenes of their nature, rather then the vnlawfulnes of Dauids act. Martyr.
2. Quest. v. 3. Of the euill counsell of the King of Ammons Princes and Counsellers.
1. These peruerse men, which perswaded Hanun the King, that Dauid did not send this message of good will, but in craft and cunning, measured others by their owne foote: because they themselues were fraudulent and deceitfull, they so iudge of others. Pellican. And beside, they discouer their hatefull mind toward the people of God: that as their forefathers afforded the Israelites their brethren, no releefe in the desert, Deu. 24.5. beeing descended of Lot, as the other of Abraham, who called Lot his brother. And as Nahash their king required of the men of Iabesh Gilead their right eies: so they still bewraie an hatred as it were hereditarie in them against the people of God.
2. They challenge them vntruely to be spies, as Ioseph did sometime his brethren: but that was onelyonly in pretense: not that it is a thing in it selfe vnlawfull to be a spie: for when there is iust battell waged, it is lawfull to bee a spie: as Moses sent Caleb and Ioshua with others to espie and search out the land of Canaan: but vnderunder colour of amitie and freindship to spie out the state and condition of others, is a thing odious. Mar.
3. Thus it pleased God, that by this meanes the prophecie of Balaam should take place, that a scepter should rise in Israel, which should destroie Moab, and the other sonnes of Sheth:Numb. 24.17. Borrh. And thus it falleth out according to the proverbe, that euill counsell is worst to the author of it.
3. Quest. v. 4. Of the despight offered by the Ammonites to Dauids messengers, in cutting their beards and garments.
1. In that they offer such contumelie and disgrace vntounto Dauids Embassadors, therin they offended against the law of nations, and therefore they receiued afterward condigne punishment: The Romans destroyed Corinthus a famous Citie of Grecia, because they vsed their Embassadors contumeliously in words.
2. There are two speciall ornaments of the bodie, one is naturall, namely the beard, the other artificiall, the garments, which couer the nakednes: in both these the King of Ammon seeketh the disgrace of Dauids seruants.
3. The reason whereof may be this: the Israelites were forbidden to cut their beards, Leuit. 19.27. as a signe of mourning: and especiall prouision was made by the law, that their nakednesse should not appeare: and therefore they were forbidden to make any Altar with staires, Exod. 20.26. the more then to despight them, they offer them this ignominious disgrace in despight of their owne law. Mar.
4. Now in that they are bidden afterward by Dauid to stay till their beards were growen: it is euident, that the vse then in Israel was not to shaue their beards: for then they might hauehave cut away the other part also: howsoeuer then this tricke of shauing of beards be superstitiously vsed among the Romanists, it is certaine, that the Israelites custome was not to shaue their beards:Controv. Against shauing for they might more easily hauehave cut off the rest of their beards, which was remaining, then hauehave staied till they were growen: Pellican, Osiander. The heathen indeede had a fashion to cut their beards: as Adriane the Emperour is noted to hauehave beene the first among the Romane Emperours that did spare his beard, and suffered it to grow long. But this superstitious vse was not taken vp by the people of God. Mar.
4. Quest. v. 6. From whence the Ammonites hired their souldiers and assistants.
1. Here are fowre countries named, whence the Ammonites had their supplie, from the Aramites of Rechab, which was a citie at the foote of Libanus the vtmost bound of Syria toward Palestina, whereof mention is made Numb. 13.22. from the Aramites of Zaba: from the King of Maacah, who was also subiect to Hadadezer king of Zabah: of the Maacahthites read 3.14. And from the men of Tab, as Iun. rather then Ishtob, making it all one name, as the rest doe reade: Tab was the countrie where Iepthah dwelt, Iudg. 11.3. Beside they had some helpe from Aram Naharaim, 1. Chr. 19.6.
2. All these belonged to Aram, or Syria, which was diuided into Syria beyond the riuer, v. 16. and Syria on this side: Borrh. which is subdiuided into these foure regions, Camagena, Damascena, Coelosyria, Phoenicia: Mar. which are here called by other names.
3. Some things are here omitted, which are mentioned, 1. Chron. 19.6. as how they hired these soudiers for a thousand talents of siluer: and that beside the number of men here expressed, they hired 32. thousand chariots. Iun.
4. These Ammonites were so farre from reconciling themselues to Dauid, and making amends for this wrong, that they prouoked Dauid to battell, and came as farre as Medeba, 1. Chron. 19.7. a citie in the borders of Ammon.
5. Quest. v. 12. Of Ioabs courage and magnanimitie against the enemies of Gods people.
Here is nothing wanting in Ioab which is requisite in a good Captaine. 1. He vponupon the present vseth most diligent care, and prudent aduise in diuiding the souldiers, and committing part of them to Abishai his brother, and leading part of them himselfe: which sheweth what an excellent thing concord is, as among Captaines, which fight terrene battels, so specially among Ministers, which doe fight the Lords spirituall battels. Osiand.
2. As he is not daunted or dismaied himselfe, so by his couragious speach hee animateth others; saying, let vsus be strong and valiant for our people, &c. like as Moses setteth downe in the waging of battell, how the priest should encourage the people: Let not your hearts faint, neither feare, or be amased, &c.Deut. 20.3.
3. Hee sheweth the right end of battell, to fight in defence of the Lords people, and to maintaine the true seruice and worship of God. Mar.
4. Hee doth religiously commit the euent of this businesse vntounto God: saying, Let the Lord doe that which is good in his eyes: non potest vox duce dignior cogitari: a more worthie speach beseeming a Captaine could not be thought, then this was here vttered by Ioab. Pellic.
6. Quest. Whether this were true fortitude in Ioab.
True fortitude consisteth in the vndertaking, and bearing of great and suddaine dainger in a good cause, and for some honest and commendable end: wherein diuerse things are to be considered. 1. The obiect or matter, wherein true fortitude is seene: which is not in those euills which are internall, as in auoiding of vices and sinnes: for these a man falleth into by his owne default: nor yet is it properly seene in such daungers, which are involuntarie, as in sicknesse, shipwracke, and such like: though to beare these things patiently is an excellent vertue: but fortitude is exercised chiefly in such dangers, as are outwardly incident, and in those most of all which are suddain: as this daunger of battell, wherein Ioabs fortitude did shew it selfe, was vnexpected and vnlooked for.
2. The end of fortitude must not be praise, vaine glorie, profit, such as the valiant Heathen propounded to themselues, who shewed their valour to get themselues a name: and many aduentured themselues because of those rewards which were promised vntounto them, that did fight for their countrie: but the end of this vertue, is some honest cause, as to defend our parents or countrie, to deliuer the oppressed, especially to maintaine true religion and worship of God. Mart.
3. There are diuerse kinds of fortitude. 1. There is a warlike valour, which commeth by skill and experience in militarie affaires. 2. There is an other kind which riseth of confidence, which a man hath in his strength. 3. An other proceedeth from ignorance of the greatnesse of the danger. 4. Another, which riseth from anger, or rage, when one is inflamed to reuenge himselfe: but all these are farre off from true fortitude: which is a vertue not giuen by nature, but wrought in men by the spirit of God, whereby they are resolued in an honest cause to attempt difficult labour, and endure the vtmost dangers: so that there are two offices of a Christian fortitude, ferre, & aggredi, to beare and suffer, and to attempt or enterprise: but the first rather, wherein the fortitude and patience of the Martyrs was tried in enduring vnspeakable and intollerable torments for the name of God.
6. Although Ioab were a treacherous and bloodie man, yet he might hauehave this morall vertue at this time, as many common graces of the spirit are oft to be found in the wicked. Mart.
7. Quest. v. 18. Of the number of chariots and horsemen, which were slaine of the Aramites.
Here mention is made of seauen hundreth chariots, and 40. thousand horsemen: but in 1. Chron. 19.18. there are said to hauehave beene destroied 7. thousand chariots, and 40. thousand footemen.
1. Some doe thus reconcile the places, that the principall of the chariots are here rehearsed, but the whole number there; and that the horsemen are here onelyonly spoken of, there the footemen. Mart. Bor. Genev.
2. Iunius giueth a better solution of the first doubt: that the number of 700. is taken for so many troupes or bands, which made in all 7000. chariots, counting ten to a troupe or companie.
3. But for the latter doubt, Iunius solution seemeth not to be so good, who thus readeth, 7. hundreth chariots (and 40. thousand footemen) of horsemen: referring horsemen, not to the 40. thousand immediatly going before, but to the 7. hundreth chariots first mentioned: but this reading seemeth not to be so fit, both because the words are not so distinguished in the Hebrew: and there was great difference betweene the chariots and horsemen: as c. 18.4. Dauid tooke from Hadarezer, a thousand chariots, and 7. thousand horsemen, and 20. thousand footemen: the horsemen, then can not be referred to the chariots. And it is euident that the Ammonites hired both chariots, and horsemen, 1. Chron. 19.6. there were then both chariots, horsemen, and footmen in the host of the Aramites: here the chariots and horsemen are numbred, which were destroied; and in the other place the chariots and footemen.
4. But whereas the Latine translation speaketh of 58. thousand men, which fled before Israel, v. 19. there is no such thing in the originall: so that therein there is a manifest corruption in the Latine.