Harmony Upon 2 Samuel, Book 2 · Chapter 8
CHAP. 8.
1. Quest. v. 1. What is meant by Metheg Ammah, which Dauid tooke out of the hand of the Philistims.
1. SOme interpret it, the bridle of bondage: B.G. metheg signifieth a bridle, and ammath a maid seruant, that is in bondage: Borrh. but the Israelites were not in bondage at this time vntounto the Philistims. 2. Some read, the bridle of tribute: L. Pellic. Rupert. but this we refuse for the same reason. 3. The Septuag. thus, hee tooke foreign, the separated part: but the Hebrew word hath no such signification. 4. Some giuegive this sense, he tooke away the commoditie of the riuer: Chal. or the bridle of the passage of water: Pagn. because the water is by pipes and conduits drawne euerie way as with a bridle: but this signification agreeth not with the word Ammah.
5. The best interpretation is, to vnderstand it of the taking of Gath, a cheife city of the Philistims, as may appeare by comparing this place with 1. Chron. 18.1. But the reason of this interpretation is diuersely rendred. 1. Osiander taketh ammah here to signifie a cubite: and so Dauid tooke away the bridle of the arme or cubit, that is, the dominion which the Philistims had ouer Gath, and the townes adioyning. 2. Pet. Martyr thus applyeth it, because the smaller townes are as daughters, and the great citie as a bridle; the meaning is, that Dauid tooke Gath, which was as a bridle to the rest, and the villages hee also tooke as the daughters. 3. But Iunius commeth neerer the sense, taking Ammah here for the proper name of an hill among rhe Philistims, where Gath stood: of which word Amma, and Gor, or Gerar commeth the word Amgar, the name of an hilly tract among the Philistims, whereof Plinie maketh mention, lib. 5. c. 13. So then by the bridle of Ammah, is vnderstood Gath, the cheife citie in that hilly coast of the Philistims, which was as a bridle, and defence, and fort vntounto all the countrey: Ammah is found also to be the proper name of an hill, cap. 2.24.
6. Here spiritually in Dauids victorie is shadowed forth the spirituall kingdome of Christ, by the power whereof, the bridle of sinne and Sathan is taken away, that they shall hauehave no more dominion ouer the seruants of God.
2. Quest. v. 2. He smote Moab: Wherefore Dauid smote Moab, whose land the Israelites were forbidden to meddle with when they came out of Egypt.
1. The Hebrewes thinke, that whereas Dauid when he was pursued of Saul, had left his father and mother with the King of Moab, 1. Sam. 22.3. he had put them to death, and therefore Dauid taketh this reuenge of them, in killing two parts of them and sauing the third aliue. But there is no such thing euident in the Scripture: and therefore small credit is to be giuen to such vncertaine narrations.
2. The Israelites were indeede charged not to meddle with the Moabit…s countrey, nor to prouoke them to battell: For, 1. They were then as friends to Israell; but now by many wrongs, ius fraternitatis infregerant, they had broken and violated that brotherly right and amitie which should hauehave beene betweene them: Pellic. 2. The Moabites had hired Baalim to curse Israel, and did not releiue them with bread and water, and therefore they were forbidden to make any peace with them. Deuter. 23.6. Afterward in the time of the Iudges, the Moabites oppressed Israel, when the Lord stirred vp Ehud, who killed Eglon king of the Moabites, Iudg. 3. therefore Dauid had iust occasion of warre against them: Mart. 3. Though Dauid had receiued some kindnesse at the hands of Moab in the dayes of Saul, either that king was now dead, or Dauid was not in respect of priuate friendship, to spare that whole wicked nation against Gods commaundement: Osiand. 4. And that commandement was giuen to the Israelites then, reseruata subiugatione ad tempora Dauidis, because the subduing of them was reserued for Dauids times: Borrh. 5. And yet although Dauid did put two parts of the inhabitants to the sword, he did it not to take possession of their countrey, or distribute their lands, but onelyonly made them tributarie: Mart.
3. Quest. v. 2. How Dauid measured Moab with a coard.
1. The most thinke that it is not literally to be taken, as though Dauid did measure them with a line or coard: and therefore thinke, that this is a similitude taken from the measuring of ground; for so the Hebrewes did diuide their inheritance by line: Osiand. or from carpenters, that with a line strike their timber, where they purpose to hewe it off: Borrh. And hereby is signified, that Dauid ordained them to dest…uction, mensura certissima, by a most certaine measure and number: Vatab. and hereby also is shewed into what subiection and seruitude they were brought, as conquerours vse to diuide the land which they ouercome: quae per mensurationum funiculorum adagij mere intelligitur: which their seruitude is vnderstood by this adage or prouerb of measuring by roapes: Pellican. sic eos distribuit ad placitum suum, he doth diuide them at his pleasure, as he which measureth ground: Rupert.
2. But there is nothing to the contrarie, why it may not literally bee interpreted, that Dauid did indeede measure them out by line to destruction: as Iunius interpreteth, he measured them, that is, their region and countrie with a coard. 1. The Scripture is to be taken according to the literall sense alwaies, where there is no inconuenience to the contrarie, as there is not here. 2. Here is no note of similitude expressed, as with a coard. 3. The description, in that first mention is made of a coard in generall, then it is subdiuided into two coards for destruction, and one cord to saue aliue, rather giueth that it must be taken literally. 4. The words next following doe approoue this sense: he measured them with a cord, and cast them downe to the ground: that is, he diuided the region into three parts, and cast downe the cities and townes downe to the ground in two parts, and put the inhabitants to the sword: the cities in two parts of the countrie were best allotted out by line and measure: and so the people together with their cities and townes were measured.
4. Quest. v. 3. Of Dauids battell with Hadadezer king of Zabah, and the occasion thereof.
1. This Hadadezer called in the Chronicles Hadarezer, is said to bee king of Sabah, where Iosephus saith the people called Sapheni inhabite, a large countrey beyond Taurus betweene the two Armenias. 2. This Hadadezer, the most thinke, went to recouer his border at the riuer Euphrates, and to inuade Iudea: so Mart. Vatab. B.G. with the rest. Iunius thus interpreteth, when he went to turne backe his hand towards the riuer Euphrates: that is, not when Hadadezer, but when Dauid went to repell the forces of Hadadezer, who was to passe through some parts of Dauids countrey, as he went to fight against Tai the King of Hamath, as is shewed afterward, ver. 10. Iun. But the former interpretation seemeth to be the more agreeable, by comparing this place with that 1. Chron. 18.3. where it is thus said: as he went to establish his hand, or power: which cannot be vnderstood of Dauid, for the border or bounds of his kingdome yet extended not so farre: Iunius there readeth, when Dauid went, ad inijciendam manum suam, &c. to set or oppose his hand toward Euphrates: but the word iatzab, signifieth to settle, to establish, not to oppose or set against: and there he referreth iado, his hand, to Dauid, whereas here he vnderstandeth it of Hadadezer; but it must hauehave the same sense in both places: likewise there is great affinitie betweene the word Iashab, here vsed, which signifieth to constitute, or place, and iatzab, to settle, establish. 3. It seemeth therefore that Hadadezer rather sought to inuade Dauids bounds, then onelyonly to passe through them; for that had beene no iust occasion of warre: and by this occasion, that prophesie, Genes. 15.18. was fulfilled, that the Lord would giuegive vntounto Abrahams seede that land, euen vntounto the great riuer Euphrates.
5. Quest. v. 4. What number of chariots and horses Dauid tooke from Hadadezer.
There is mention made, 1. Chron. 18.4. of a thousand charets, and seuen thousand horsemen, and 20. thousand footemen: but here the number is a thousand, seauen hundred horsemen,Reconcil. and 20. thousand footemen.
lib. 7. antiq. c 5.1. Iosephus is farre wide, that speaketh onelyonly of fiue thousand horsemen, and 20. thousand footemen: for he agreeth with neither of these numbers.
2. Pet. Martyr thus reconcileth the places; that here onelyonly the principall horsmen are spoken of, which were 1700. in the other place the whole number and multitude.
3. But the best solution is this; that to the first number of a thousand, must be added charrets: he tooke a thousand charrets, as it is in the other place, and the same number of a thousand chariots Iosephus also hath: And by 700. horsemen, here wee must vnderstand 700. companies of horsemen, which eueryevery one had tenne: which make in all seauen thousand: see the like, c. 10.18. where it is said that Dauid destroied seuen hundred chariots of the Aramites: but 1. Chron. 19.18. they are said to bee seuen thousand chariots: which make but 700. companies or bandes, allowing tenne to eueryevery companie: Iun.
6. Quest. v. 4. Why Dauid houghed some of the chariot horse, and reserued some.
1. It is said that Dauid houghed all the chariots, that is the chariot horses, sauing an hundred: this Dauid did, to make them vnfit altogether for the seruice of warre: as Ioshuah did the like by the Lords direction, c. 11.6. It was not lawfull for Dauid to take them all to his owne vse, because the king is directly forbidden to multiplie horses, Deut. 17.16. least they might put their confidence in horses: neither was Dauid to destroy them all, because they were not Cherem, that is, anathema, vowed to destruction. Dauid therefore taketh a course betweene both, neither to destroy the horse, nor yet to reserue them for his owne vse, but to hough them, and so make them vnfit for warre, though they might serue for other workes of tillage and husbandrie. 2. Yet Dauid reserueth an 100. chariots, that is, fowre hundred horse: for foure horse went to a chariot, as the Hebrewes gather out of that place, 1. King. 10.29. where it is said, that Salomon gaue 600. shekels for a chariot, that is, an 150. shekels for an horse. These Dauid might reserue for his owne vse; for in respect of the whole seruice of the kingdome, 400. horse were not many: Mart.
7. Quest. v. 5. Of the Aramites that came to aide Hadadezer against Dauid.
1. Iosephus thinketh, that this kings name was Hadad, and that the succeeding kings of Damascus were called by that name; as the kings of Egypt were called by the name of Ptolomees: and that Benhadad the third from this king, was both of the same name and line, who afflicted Israel vnderunder the raigne of Achab: thus Iosephus reporteth out of Nicolaus an olde historiographer: But it is like rather, that the title and name of Hadad should come from Hadadezer the king of Sabah: Borrh. but seeing there is no certaintie either of the one, or of the other out of the text, wee may so leaue it.
2. This King of Aram or Damascus, here taking part with Hadadezer, and medling with a matter, which appertained not vntounto him, looseth his owne libertie: which example should teach Princes how they take in hand any vnlawfull battell: Osiand. As it was the ruine and ouerthrowe of good Iosias, when he went against the King of Egypt, beeing not prouoked.
3. Here now is fulfilled the prophesie of Baalim, That there should rise a scepter of Israel, and smite the coasts of Moab, and destroy all the sonnes of Seth, Numb. 24.17. These Aramites are counted among the sonnes of Seth, because all the posteritie and offspring of Cham perished in the flood: Borrh.
8. Quest. v. 7. How farre it is lawfull to reioyce for the destruction of our enemies.
Thai king of Hamath, who had continuall warre with Hadadezer, whome Dauid had discomfited, sendeth his sonne Ioram to reioyce with him, because his mortall enemie was vanquished, and to enter into league of amitie and friendship with him. It is here then to bee considered, how farre it is lawfull to reioyce in the fall of an enemie.
1. First, in the spirituall fall of an enemie, as into sinne and wickednesse, it is not lawfull to reioyce, but therein we ought much to be grieued, as S. Paul bewayled them, which sinned among the Corinthians, 2. Cor. 12.21.
2. In other temporall calamities, some thinke it is not lawfull to reioyce ouer the ruine of our enemies, as long as the will of God is not reuealed in the iust punishment of such: but when God hath euidently declared his will in the iudging of such, then they hold it lawfull to reioyce: as Moses did triumph in the ouerthrowe of Pharaoh, and of the Egyptians in the red Sea.
3. But this matter must otherwise be considered of: for when God doth iudge an enemie, we must consider, whether we ioy therein in respect of our own priuate quarrell, or as it concerneth the glorie of God: for it is vnlawfull for vsus in any priuate respect to insult ouer our enemies fall: as the wiseman saith in the Prouerbs, Be not glad when thyne enemie falleth, &c. least the Lord see it, and it displease him: Prou. 24.17▪But if we consider Gods glorie, which was hindred by such enemies, and the Churches common good, then we may reioyce and be thankefull vntounto God, that hath therein also together iudged our cause; as Dauid gaue thanks vntounto God, when he heard of the death of Nabal: But it seemeth that this Thai reioyced onelyonly of a carnall mind, because his enemie was foyled and ouercome.
4. Yea it often falleth out that these two affections of griefe and ioy together may concurre in Gods seruants: that their naturall compassion may be mooued to shewe their sorrow in the calamitie and ruine of their foes; as Dauid mourned for Saul: and yet in respect of Gods glorie, and the truth, which was hindred by such, they may be gladde that they are taken out of the way: as Dauid, no doubt in the ouerthrowe of Saul, did thankefully and humbly acknowledge Gods mercifull and fatherly prouidence ouer toward him.
9. Quest. v. 11. Of the spoiles of the Kings, which Dauid consecrated vntounto God.
1. In that Dauid consecrateth vntounto God the rich spoiles of his enemies, as the golden sheilds, which belonged to Hadadezer, and of the rest, as of Ammon, Moab, Aram, Amalech, the Philistims, with the Edomites, together with the vessels of gold and siluer, which Thai sent him, it sheweth that he did not make these warres of a couetous mind, to enrich himselfe, but to prepare ornaments and stuffe for the Lords house. 2. For although he were forbidden himselfe to build it, yet he might prouide matter, which was necessarie for the worke thereof: as the Israelites did bestowe the spoiles of Egypt vppon the Sanctuarie: Mart. 3. Which sheweth, that as, these outward spoiles serued to adorne the materiall temple; so the spirituall spoile of the heathen, the inuention of artes and sciences must be converted to the setting forth of the truth: Borrh. 4. Rupertus well applyeth these seuen victories of Dauid, to the seauen vialls of wrath and iudgements, which Christ should bring vppon the world for the contempt of his gospell.
10. Quest. v. 13. How this place that Dauid slewe of Aramites 18. thousand is reconciled with 1. Chron. 18.12.
In that place of the Chronicles, it is said that Abishai slewe of the Edomites 18. thousand: and in the title of the 60. Psalme, mention is made how Ioab slewe of the Edomites 12. thousand in the valley of salt: here are three great differences in shew: both in the persons that made the slaughter, one text saith Dauid did it, an other Abishai, the third ascribeth it to Ioab: and in the persons which were slaine, in two of these texts they are named to be Edomites, in one of them Aaramites: thirdly, the number differeth: one place speaketh but of 12. thousand, the other two of 18. thousand.
1. Pellican thinketh that Aram may be taken for Ed…m, by the mistaking of one letter: for betweene the letter Daleth, and Rhesh, there is small difference: but we must not so easily admit an error in the originall, where an other answer may bee found.
2. Some thinke that the Aramites and Idumeans did ioyne their forces together, and therefore they are called in one place Aramites, in the other Edomites: Genev. Borrh. But Dauids slaughter of the Aramites is touched before, he slew of them 22. thousand, ver. 5.
3. Pet. Martyr also hath the like solution: that Dauid by his captaines Abishai and Ioab, made ioynt warre with the Aramites and Edomites: whereof Abishai slew sixe thousand, and Ioab 18. thousand: this answer is but in one point excepted against, for that he thinketh that in this number of 18. thousand, the Aramites are comprehended: which is before shewed to be otherwise.
4. Thus therefore these places are reconciled: 1. For the persons, Dauid is said to hauehave smitten them, because he did it by his captaines Ioab and Abishai. 2. For the number: Abishai first slewe 6. thousand, and then Ioab renewing the battell twelue thousand more, as it is in the title of that Psalme: so that both the brethren together put to the sword 18. thousand. 3. Concerning the persons: onelyonly the Edomites were slaine: Dauid returned indeede from the slaughter of the Aramites, as the title of the Psalme sheweth: and thus the verse must be read, Dauid got him a name when he returned from slaying the Aramites, in the valley of salt; (smiting) eighteene thousand: where the last words are diuided from the former sentence by the perfect distinction athnah, and therefore cannot be referred to the Aramites: it must be vnderstood then, that he smote 18. thousand of the Edomites: as it followeth in the next verse, he put a garrison in Edom: Iun.
11. Quest. Of the valley of salt.
1. The most do take this for the lake Asphal…is, the salt sea, where sometime stood Sodome and Gomorrha: Borrh. and where Abraham fought so prosperously: Mart. But Abrahams battell was before the destruction of Sodome, which valley was then fruitfull, as the Lords owne garden, Gen. 13.10. but after the destruction of Sodom it became a most filthie lake: which as some write continually smoaketh, and sendeth forth a sulphurous and stinking smell: the water is so bi…er tha… no fish can liue therin, and the ground so barren, that no grasse groweth thereon, as is more at large shewed elsewhere:Hexapl. in Genes. c. 19. qu. 14. this then was a verie vnfit place for these armies to meete in.
2. Therefore this was an other valley of salt in the land of Edom: as is euident, 1. Kin. 14.7. He slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and tooke the citie Sela, or Petra, &c. so called of the rocke. This Petra is the cheife citie of Arabia, vponupon which Idumea confineth: Iun.
3. The Latine interpreter addeth further, and at Gebelem about 23. thousand: where two great errours are committed: for the words bege, melach, in the valley of salt, are corrupted and turned into a fained proper name, Gebele: and the number of 23. thousand, is added.
4. Here beginneth the prophesie of Isaac for the preheminence of Iacob ouer Esau to take place: that the Elder should serue the younger; for the Edomites were now in subiection to Israel, and so were gouerned by a viceroy vntill the raigne of Iehosophat, 1. King. 22.47. Iun.
12. Quest. v. 17. How Zadock and Ahimelech are said to be Priests.
1. Some thinke that these two, Zadock who descended of Eleazar, 1. Chron. 6.8. and Ahimelech who came of Ithamar by Eli, 1. Chron. 24.3. were the high Priests: Pellican. Borrh. But that is not like: for by the lawe there was to be but one high Priest: Dauid therefore would not so apparantly trangresse the law.
2. Some thinke that Ahimelech is the same who else-where is called Abiathar, and that Abiathar the father was also called Ahimelech, and both the father and son had two names: Sa.
3. But the high Priest at this time was Abiathar, the father of this Ahimelech, who was remooued from his office by Salomon, and gaue place vntounto Zadocke, 1. King. 2.26. But because there was contention betweene these two families for the priesthood, Dauid to compound this controuersie, maketh these two the cheife among the Priests, next vntounto Abiathar the high Priest.
4. Here we see that Dauid hath authoritie to set the priests in their order and place:Controv. Kings hauehave power ouer Ecclesiasticall persons. which discouereth the insolencie of the Pope, who thinketh scorne that he, his Cardinalls, or Prelates, should be at the deuotion of Emperour or King.
13. Quest. v. 18. Who were the Cerethites and Pelethites.
1. These Cerethites and Pelethites, Iosephus thinketh to be foreign, keepers of the kings bodie, the kings guard: so also Mart. Borr. Pellic. Geneuens. who were so called as some thinke, the one sort of charath, to cut out, because they were the Kings executioners: the other of palat, to defend, because they kept the kings person: Mart. Paul. Burgens.
2. Some giuegive an other deriuation of carath, which signifieth to strike a couenant, and pala, excellent, so called because they were worthie and excellent men.
3. Chimhi expoundeth these names by Vrim and Thummim: they were men of knowledge and integritie: and as some thinke Dauids counsell: but then Benaias being a man of warre should not hauehave beene set ouer them.
4. Some thinke that these were strangers of other countries, as the Cerethites were Philistims, and that the King vsed them to guard his person, as now the Switzers, and Heluetians, and Scots are in other countries appointed for the Kings guard: Sa. But it is not like, that Dauid would hauehave strange people beeing infidels and idolaters, so neere his person: Mart.
5. Vatablus, readeth here, Creti & Pleti, the Cretians and Pletians; but he sheweth not what people, or of what nation they were. In the Apostles time we reade of Creetes that were at Ierusalem, Act. 2.11. for then the Cretians were famous: But in Dauids time they were not much regarded.
6. Wherefore these Cerethites and Pelethites, were proper names: and it seemeth they were garrison souldiers, the Cherethites which inhabited Chereth among the Philistims after Dauid had vanquished them: for the Cherethites were counted among the Philistims, 1. Sam. 30.14. I…k. 25.16. and the Pelethites were also garrison souldiers among the Iaphlethites, whereof mention is made, Iosh. 16.2. Iun. and the Chalde paraphrast also commeth neere this interpretation: taking the Cherethites for archers, and the Pelethites for slingers: they were not then alwaies attending vponupon the court, but garrison souldiers employed in defense of the land, and giuing their attendance by their course vponupon the king, as may be gathered, c. 15.18.
14. Quest. v. 18. Whether the sonnes of Dauid were Priests.
1. The Hebrewe word cohamin, the Latine interpreter translateth sacrerdotes, Priests: so also Montanus: but it is not like that Dauids sonnes beeing of the tribe of Iudah, tooke vponupon them the Peiesthood, which onelyonly belonged vntounto Leui: the kingdome was inuested in Iudah, and the priesthood in Leui: they which attempted to confound these offices prospered not: Vzziah the King was stricken with leprosie, because he would hauehave burned incense, which onelyonly belonged to the Priests: And the Macchabes beeing Leuites for vsurping vponupon the kingdome procured much woe vntounto themselues, and to all the nation.
2. Some thinke that they were discipuli sacerdotum, schollers of the Priests, and brought vp vnderunder them, and therefore are called Priests: as the schooles of the Prophets were called Prophets: ex Pellic. but the Schooles of the Prophets afterward became Prophets, as Elisha after Elias, but these neuer were Priests.
3. Wherefore they are better taken to hauehave beene Princes or cheife rulers, as read P.V. Chald. B.G. for cohen sighifieth a cheife or principall man in bearing any publike office sacred or ciuill: Borrh. and so they are called rishonim, head or cheife men about Dauid, 1. Chron. 18.17.
4. But this aduancing of his sonnes so soone, turned afterward to Dauids hurt: for Absolom by this meanes aspired to the kingdome, and Adoniah practised against Salomon: yet Dauid did herein the part of a prudent Prince; to acquaint his children with the affaires of estate, Mart.
5. Here are now reckoned vp the cheife officers about Dauid both of the Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall state: shewing that a kingdome cannot consist without good officers and gouernours of both kinds: Borrh.