Westminster Annotations, 2 Samuel (2 Kings) · Argument
The ARGUMENT.
THe History concerning the state of the Church and Common-wealth of Israel is continued in this Book, from the death of Saul, to the end of Davids reign, and is the story of fourty yeers. In it is declared the infallible Truth of Gods promises, made and accomplished unto David concerning the kingdom, who though for a long time, he passed thorow main difficulties and dangers, yet at last, after those storms of trouble and affliction, he arriveth at the wished Haven, and quietly enjoyeth the Crown and Scepter. Yet not all at once, but by degrees; for at first, he is opposed by Ishbosheth, Sauls son, counselled and assisted by Abner the Captain-generall of his Host, having onelyonly Judah, his own Tribe adhering to him, over which alone he reigned in Hebron, for the space of seven yeers, till he growing, and they daily decreasing in strength, at last by the treacherous death of both his chief enemies (of which he was innocent) the warre is finished, and by the generall choice of all the Tribes, he is with much applause crowned and established in his Royall Throne. In him is set forth unto all posterity, the lively picture and patern of a truely Royall King, every way qualified with such rich graces, piety, justice, and heroicall endowments, as approved him to be a man according to Gods own heart. His piety towards God was singular, and not to be paralleld with any that went before, or suceeded him: For he chiefly devoteth himself to Gods service, and the performance of all religious duties, continually meditating in Gods Law; composing and singing of Psalms, which breath nothing but piety and holinesse, praying and praising of God, excellently ordering the Ecclesiasticall Government, and promoting Gods publike service to an high degree of perfection in all the parts of it, adorning the Tabernacle, and making and pitching a Tent for the Ark of the Covenant, neer unto his own dwelling, that he might more readily, upon all occasions, resort unto it for comfort, counsell, and direction. And thinking this too mean to be the place of Gods glorious presence, his whole care and study is taken up about the building him a Temple, which his pious zeal being accepted, and yet the work it self interdicted by God, he useth all his indeavours in preparing for it, and doth not onelyonly leave to his son Solomon, a modell and patern of the building, being inspired by Gods spirit; but provideth before hand a vast masse of Gold, Silver, and all other materialls for the perfecting the work in a most sumptuous and magnificent manner. His justice also towards men appeareth in many passages, but especially in the punishment of the Amalekite, who brought tidings of Sauls death, and of Ishbosheths servants, who had treacherously murthered him. For when they expected from him some Royall reward for slaying his enemies, and so preparing a way to his present and secure enjoying of the Crown and Scepter, he abhorring their treason, though attended with a Kingdom, caused them instantly to be put to death. He was also excellently endowed by the Spirit of God with Heroicall vertues and graces, fit for a generall and great Commander, as wisdom, courage, strength and magnanimity, whereby he was enabled to fight the Lords battles against all his, and the Churches enemies, as the Philistines, Ammonites, Moabites, and Syrians, all which he wholly vanquished, and either destroyed or brought them under tribute; whereby the Kingdom of Israel was extended to the utmost limits which God had promised. Yet as he was endowed with all these excellencies, he had also his failings, yea, strong corruptions, as exorbitant lusts, uncleannesse, cruelty, which discovered themselves in the matter of Uriah, pride in numbring of the people, partiall injustice in passing an unrighteous sentence against innocent Mephibosheth, lying, dissembling, which the Holy Ghost hath also recorded, not to incourage any to do the like; but as Sea marks, that they may avoid these Rocks, against which so choice a Vessell dashed, and had surely splitted and perished, had not Gods Grace and holy Spirit (as a timely gale of winde) blown him off, and reduced him into his right course by unfeigned repentance: Ʋpon which, though his sin was pardoned, yet to shew how horrible it was in it self, and how odious and displeasing unto God; and that also the enemies of the Church might not by his impunity, take occasion to blaspheme, God severely corrected his sins (as it were) by the Law of Taliation, like for like, so as he might plainly read his sins in his punishment. Thus sinning by adultery, his own daughter was incestuously ravished by his own son, and his Concubines defiled by his son Absalon, in the sight of the sun; and causing Uriah to be murthered by the sword of the children of Ammon, the sword departed not from his house, but Absalon murthereth his brother Amnon, and after riseth in rebellion against himself, and unnaturally seeketh his death, that preferred his life before his own; in which ambitious treason himself perished, to the intolerable grief of his over-loving Father: Besides all other warres, both forreign and intestine, with which he was continually vexed to the end of his reign; And finally, his pride and confidence in the number of his people, and the arm of flesh, was punished with a grievous plague, that consumed threescore and ten thousand of them in the space of three dayes; and yet for all this, the Lord did not, as his sins meritted, utterly forsake him, but loving him with a love unchangeable, he doth by these fatherly (though severe chastisements) thorowly humble him in the sight and sense of his sins, and so raising him from these grievous falls, by unfeigned repentance, he forgiveth his sins, and receiveth him into former favour, (to incourage all that have so sinned to follow his example) reneweth his Covenant with him, and ratifieth, and (as it were) sealeth unto him all his gracious promises, especially, that which was chief of all, the perpetuity of his Kingdom, which lasted long in a numerous posterity, but was accomplished in the eternity of Christs Kingdom, who came (according to the flesh) out of his Loyns, of which, David and his Kingdom were a type and figure.