The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 184
SECT. CLXXXIV.
DAvid having now ſo many of his ſubjects together, and moſt of them armed, he reſolved to make ſome good uſe of them to the taking of Jeruſalem, which ſtood in the confines of Judah and Benjamin; the men of Judah had taken that part of it which belonged unto them, [ſee Judg. 1.8.] but the Children of Benjamin could not drive out the Jebuſites out of their part, [ſee Judg. 1.21.] no not when they had the help of their brethren the men of Judah, [ſee Joſh. 15.63.] and therefore we read that afterwards it was a City of ſtrangers, when the Levite with his Concubine went that way, [Judg. 19.] and ſo it continued to this time. It was a place (it ſeems) of very great ſtrength, becauſe the Jebuſites had held it ever ſince Joſhua had entred the land, and it was even in the heart of the Country. David having therefore ſo vaſt a number of his ſubjects that were men of war about him, (who on this ſolemn occaſion had come up to him to Hebron) he thought fit to take this opportunity to lead them forth againſt Jeruſalem, viz. that part of it that was held by the Jebuſites, reſolving that the wreſting of that place out of their hands ſhould be his firſt enterprize, after his being anointed King over all Iſrael, and intending when he had taken it to make it the chief ſeat of his Kingdom. Accordingly he led his Army up thither, but when he had laid ſiege thereto, the Jebuſites that were within (preſuming upon the ſtrength of the place) in a flouting manner told him, That except he could take from them their Tutelar gods, that is, their Idols and Images in which they put their truſt, (though he and his people counted them, and in contempt called them blind and lame gods) he muſt not expect to come in thither. And ſo confident they were of the power and protection of their Idols, that they thought David and all Iſrael could never take their Fort or Caſtle. David hereupon to encourage his Captains in the enterprize, promiſed them that whoever with his Soldiers did firſt ſcale the walls, and get into the Gutter, and kill the Jebuſites, and deſtroy the lame and blind Idols, they ſo much truſted in (which his ſoul hated) he ſhould be chief Captain and General of his forces. Joab (poſſibly that he might recover the Kings favour whom he had highly offended by killing Abner) did hereupon firſt ſcale the walls, and ſo was made Lord General of the Kings forces, [ſee 1 Chron. 11.6.] And David did the rather promiſe this reward to him that ſhould take the Fort, becauſe the Jebuſites had ſaid in ſcorn, the blind and the lame (as you call them) being here, we need not fear that you ſhall ever come into this houſe *Some think it was uſed as a Proverb, The blind and the lame being here he ſhall not come into this houſe; that is, Take heed leſt your confidence prove like that of the Jebuſites, ſeeing oftentimes (as it was with them) that which begins in confidence, ends in ſhame. Others think that the people of Iſrael did thus inſult over the Jebuſites after they had taken the Fort: Your blind and lame Idols that ſhould have kept us out, are never like to enter into this Fort again. For no blind or lame, or dumb Idols ſhall ever be tolerated in this place.. David having thus taken the Fort, he built it round about from Millo inward; that is, he did at his own coſt and charges build and reedifie the inſide of the City from Millo, and left the care of building the out-walls to Joab, 1 Chron. 11.8. Millo was a deep and broad ditch that ſeparated Mount Sion from the lower City, which Solomon afterwards filled up, 1 King. 9.15, 24. And ſo David dwelt in this City, and it was called the City of David, no leſs than Bethlem where he was born; and he grew great, and the Lord of Hoſts by his eſpecial favour was with him, and bleſſed him. And as an effect thereof at this time Hiram (b)See the like concerning Solomon, 1 King. 5.1, 2.King of Tyre a ſtranger, ſent Ambaſſadours to him to congratulate his ſettlement in the Kingdom, and upon David's requeſt he ſent him Cedar-trees, and Carpenters, and Maſons to build him a Palace. And David perceived by his own experience, and the inward perſwaſion of Gods Spirit, that it was the immediate hand of God that had eſtabliſht him King over all Iſrael, and that God had exalted him to the Kingdom, and made his Kingdom famous for the good of his Church and people. And David took to him more Concubines and Wives out of Jeruſalem, after he was come from Hebron, and this (it ſeems) he did that thereby he might multiply his friends and allies for the ſtrengthening of him in his Kingdom. But herein he ſhewed much humane frailty *Habuit David 8 uxores, & decem concubinas; ſed neque ex tot uxoribus libido adulterandi extincta eſt:and weakneſs, in making uſe of that as a means to eſtabliſh him in his Kingdom, which God had expreſly forbidden to the Kings of Iſrael, viz. the multiplying of wives. See Deut. 17.7.
2 Sam. Ch. 5. from 6, to 17.
1 Chron. 11. from 4, to 10.
1 Chron. 14.1, 2.