Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 1 Kings · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Verſ. 2. BE thou strong therefore, and ſhew thy ſelf a man.] That is, though thou art young and of tender years (at leaſt in reſpect of ſo great a charge as thou art now to take upon thee) yet let thy carriage be man-like, and ſuch as may manifeſt a prince-like ſpirit; and this he ſpeaks of ſpirituall fortitude and magnanimity; for indeed nothing more argues a truely valiant and courageous ſpirit, then when a man, a Prince eſpecially, can conſtantly proceed in the wayes of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, and not be drawn aſide either by flattery or fear. As for Solomons age when he was anointed king: ſee the note, chap. 3.7.
Verſ. 5. Thou knoweſt alſo what Joab the ſonne of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains, &c.] It is hard to ſay what this is which David here intends that Joab did him; ſome think it is meant of his killing Abſalom, when he had given a charge to the contrary; others underſtand it of ſome other action of diſloyalty towards David, which is not expreſſed in the Scripture: but more probable it is, either that it is meant of Joabs inſolency towards him in generall, of which he often complained, as 2. Sam. 3.39. And I am this day weak though anointed king, and theſe men the ſonnes of Zeruiah be too hard for me; or elſe of that which here followeth, his treacherous killing Abner and Amaſa, wherein David profeſſeth himſelf to have been much wronged; firſt, becauſe good Princes look upon the injuries done to their ſubjects, as done to themſelves (and ſo doth Chriſt, Acts 9.9. And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice ſaying unto him, Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me?) ſecondly, becauſe David had engaged his faith, both to Abner and Amaſa, that they ſhould be ſafe, ſo that it redounded much to his diſhonour, when they were afterward ſo treacherouſly ſlain; it was enough to make the people think that he had ſecretly a hand in it: however, theſe things he alledgeth here againſt Joab, both to ſhew how juſtly Solomon might put him to death, though he had ſpared him, as alſo to imply how dangerous it was for Solomon to let him live: how il-affected he was towards him, was evident by his conſpiracy with Adonijah; and what miſchief might not be feared from him, that had his hands already ſo fouly embrued in bloud? now to aggravate his murthering of theſe two captains, he ſaith, firſt that he ſhed the bloud of warre in peace, that is, when there was peace made with them he ſlew them, as if they had been in open hoſtility againſt David, and ſecondly, that he put the bloud of warre upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his ſhoes that were on his feet, to wit, when embracing them he ſtabbed them with the ſword that hung at his girdle, and ſo they fell down dead at his feet; and this expreſſion I conceive is uſed in deſcribing theſe his impious facts, either to ſet forth the baſe perfidious manner of his murthering them, to wit, that ſtabbing them, when he pretended to embrace them, their bloud by that means guſhed out upon his girdle, and ranne down upon his ſhoes; or elſe his boldneſſe and impudencie, in that he was not aſhamed thus treacherouſly to ſlain himſelf with the bloud of theſe men, but did rather glory in it, going up and down with their bloud upon his girdle, or upon his ſword hanging at his girdle, which he had put up all bloudy into the ſcabbard, and ſo alſo on the ſhoes he wore ſtained with their bloud.
Verſ. 6. Do therefore according to thy wiſdome, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, be ſure to cut him off, and let the bloud of Abner and Amaſa be returned into his own boſome; for the time and occaſion of doing this, that muſt be left to thine own wiſdome, wherein do as thou feeſt cauſe; a man he is of a turbulent ſpirit, and will ſoon, ſome way or other give the occaſion enough to take away his life, and therefore obſerve him wiſely, and take the occaſion as it ſhall be offered to thee, onelyonly be ſure it be done ſome time or other: let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace; where alſo he mentions his hoar head, to intimate that he would not have him ſpared for his old age; leſt Solomon ſhould think, alas he hath not long to live by the ordinary courſe of nature; let him alone, and within a while he will die of himſelf, and then the world will be rid of him; to prevent this David expreſſeth his charge thus, that his hoar head muſt not go down to the grave in peace: but why did not David cut off Joab himſelf, but put it now upon his ſonne Solomon? I anſwer, firſt, becauſe Joab had alwayes been faithfull to David, whereas he had already ſhown his ill will to Solomon, by ſiding with Adonijah againſt him, and therefore it was now more dangerous to let him live: ſecondly, David could never ſo well do it, as now Solomon might; in his younger years Joab had more power and eſteem amongſt the ſouldiery of the kingdome, whoſe generall he was, then he had now in his old age, eſpecially ſince he had loſt his credit ſo much amongſt them, by conſpiring with Adonijah againſt his bedrid father; and beſides, David being continually encumbred with warres, was thereby conſtrained to comply with Joab in regard of his great authoritie and power amongſt the ſouldiers, which Solomon in regard of the peaceableneſſe of his reigne, of which God had aſſured David, would have no need to do; and therefore though David durſt not proceed againſt him, the ſonnes of Zeruiah, ſaith he, be too hard for me, 2 Sam. 3.39. yet Solomon might ſafely enough doe it: and thirdly, though David failed in ſparing Ioab, yet now at his death he repented him of it, and ſo enjoyned his ſonne to do that which he had neglected to do.
Verſ. 7. For ſo they came to me when I fled becauſe of Abſalom thy Brother.] This word [ſo] hath reference to that he ſaid before, let them be of thoſe that eat at thy table; it is as if he had ſaid, they ſhewed me the very ſame kindneſſe which I deſire thou ſhouldeſt ſhew to them; they brought for me and my followers when I was in diſtreſſe, and therefore it is no leſſe then juſt, that thou ſhouldeſt alwayes bid them welcome to thy table.
Verſ. 8. Thou haſt with thee Shimei the ſonne of Gera a Benjamite of Bahurim, which curſed me with a grievous curſe, &c.] David calls the reviling and the reprochfull ſpeeches of Shimei againſt him, a grievous curſe; firſt, becauſe he called him a bloudie man, and did in effect ſay that he had been the cauſe of the death of Saul and all his ſonnes; and to him that knew what a grievous ſinne bloudſhed was, and that was deeply at that time wounded for ſhedding the bloud of Uriah and others, though he were innocent in regard of that he charged him with concerning Saul and his ſonnes, it muſt needs be very greivous to have ſuch an aſperſion caſt upon him: ſecondly, becauſe he called him a man of Belial, an ungracious wretch, that had no fear of God in him; and to a man of ſo tender a conſcience as David was, how bitter muſt this needs be? and thirdly, becauſe he upbraided him with the rebellion of his ſonne Abſalom, as the juſt curſe and vengeance of God upon him, for the wrong he had done to Saul his father-in-law, then which, nothing could poſſibly wound his heart more deeply, 2. Sam. 16.7, 8. Come out, come out, then bloudy man, thou man of Belial, the Lord hath returned upon thee all the bloud of the houſe of Saul, &c. Now however afterwards this Shimei came and fauned upon David, yet conſidering how bitterly he had vented his ſpleen againſt David in the time of his diſtreſſe, he was exceeding jealous, leſt encouraged by the youth of his ſonne, he ſhould attempt any thing againſt him after his deceaſe, and therefore gave aſtrict charge to Solomon to watch over him narrowly, and to take ſome occaſion to cut him off.
Verſ. 9. But his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with bloud.] How this order which he gave to Solomon to bring down his hoar head with bloud to the grave, agreeth with that oath of his to Shimei, 2, Sam. 19.23. ſee there.
Verſ. 10. So David ſlept with his fathers, and was buried in the citie of David.] In 1, Chron. 29.28. it is ſaid, that he died in a good old age, full of dayes, riches and honour; here the place of his buriall is named, to wit, that it was in the citie of David, that is, in that part of Jeruſalem where he dwelt and kept his court, and which he had firſt taken out of the hands of the Jebuſites, which was thence called the citie of David: even the place of his buriall was an honour to him, and it ſeems his ſepulchre was ſtrangely preſerved, notwithſtanding Jeruſalem was ſo oft ſacked and burnt, for it continued unto the Apoſtles times, as the Apoſtle Peter noted, Acts 2.29. Men and Brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the Patriach David, that he is both dead and buried, and his ſepulchre is with us unto this day.
Verſ. 13. And ſhe ſaid, Comest thou peaceably?] She might eaſily ſuſpect that Adonijah did even ſwell with envy againſt Solomon, and againſt her too, becauſe by her means his conſpiracy was defeated, and therefore when ſhe ſaw him come in to her, ſhe was jealous preſently of ſome plot he had againſt her, and her ſonne, and thence enquired whether he came peaceably or no.
Verſ. 15. And he ſaid, Thou knoweſt that the kingdome was mine, and that all Iſrael ſet their faces upon me, &c.] That is, in regard that I was king, and in a fair way to have had the kingdome ſettled upon me, by the favour of the people, who looked upon me as my fathers eldeſt ſonne, though I be now but a private ſubject (and content to be ſo, ſince it was of God that my brother Solomon ſhould reigne) I hope you will be willing to afford me what honour a ſubject may be capable of, and will not deny me any reaſonable requeſt that I ſhall make to you: how farre Adonijah was from being really convinced that it was of God that Solomon was king, or from a quiet ſubmiſſion to the good providence of God therein, is evident by the plot he had now in hand to get Abiſhag to wife, that ſo he might wreſt the kingdome from Solomon; onelyonly to hide his drift in deſiring Abiſhag to wife, he would ſeem to be fully ſatisfied, concerning Solomons being king, the kingdome is turned about, and is become my brothers, for it was his from the Lord, and onelyonly to deſire, that by conſidering what great hopes he was fallen from, ſhe would compaſſionate his condition, and be the readier to gratifie him in any thing a ſubject might lawfully deſire.
Verſ. 17. Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, &c.] The onelyonly reaſon alledged here by Adonijah, why he made choice of Bathſheba to get Solomons conſent for his marrying Abiſhag, is the great intereſt ſhe had in the king her ſonne (for, ſaith he, he will not ſay thee nay) but yet conſidering that there were many others that were of power enough to have obtained any reaſonable requeſt of the king for him, we may well think that there was another thing that induced him to ſet her a work in this buſineſſe; namely, the hope of winning her to undertake his petition, & indeed accordingly it came to paſſe: though Bathſheba were ſo wiſe a woman, that her counſel to her ſonne is recorded by the ſpirit of God in the holy Scripture, Prov. 31.1. yet ſhe could not diſcern his drift, but being gulled with his fair words, and her melting thoughts of compaſſion towards him, ſhe undertook that ſuit of his, whereby he thought to undermine her ſonne, and at laſt to ſhoulder him out of the throne.
Verſ. 21. And ſhe ſaid, Let Abiſhag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife.] Thus ſhe intimates that becauſe he was his brother, forgetting what was paſt, he ſhould do well to gratifie him in any reaſonable requeſt.
Verſ. 22. Ask for him the kingdome alſo (for he is mine elder brother) even for him, and for Abiathar &c.] There is nothing in the text whence we can certainly conclude, whether Adonijah had a purpoſe again to wreſt the kingdome from Solomon, and had for that cauſe by the adviſe of his confederates, Abiathar and Joab, ſought to obtain Abiſhag to wife; yet it may ſeem probable: firſt, by the ſtrangeneſſe of the ſuite, that he ſhould deſire her to wife, who had lain either as his wife or concubine, in the boſome of his own father: ſecondly, by Solomons ſevere proceeding againſt him; for though by an ordinary way of providence he might have ſuſpected that Adonijah had ſome plot in this ſuit of his; yet becauſe he did ſo certainly conclude of it▪ that preſently without any more ado he adjudged him to death, this m…kes it moſt probable that the drift of Adonijah was diſcovered to Solomon by a ſpeciall inſtinct of the ſpirit of God: and thirdly, by Joabs flying to the altar upon this, and not before, verſ. 28. however it is evident that Solomon took it ſo to wit, that by the friends Abiſhag had gotten whileſt ſhe lay in his fathers boſome, he hoped to increaſe his faction; and happely alſo, by marrying a wife of the deceaſed king to ſtrengthen his crakt title, and that becauſe it was ſtill the ſucceſſours right to have the deceaſed kings concubines, 2. Sam. 12.8. And I gave thee thy maſters houſe, and thy masters wives into thy boſome, &c. Ask for him (ſaith he) the kingdome alſo, as if he ſhould have ſaid, this is it which he looks after, and with him Joab and Abiathar too; having already the plea of being the elder brother, and Abiathar the high prieſt, and Joab the Generall on his ſide, if he could ſtrengthen himſelf alſo by this marriage, then he would not fear to ſhew himſelf, and to obtain his deſire.
Verſ. 23. Then king Solomon ſware by the Lord.] That his mother might not interpoſe any further in the buſineſſe.
Verſ. 24. As the Lord liveth, which hath establiſhed me and ſet me on the throne, &c.] That is, as ſurely as the Lord liveth, who hath done this for me, ſo ſurely ſhall Adonijah be put to death, and that this day; there muſt be no delay in a matter of ſuch danger: though Solomon had beforehand promiſed his mother to grant her requeſt, yet his intention was therein onelyonly, to grant her any reaſonable requeſt, and therefore not thinking that any tie to intangle him for the granting of that which might prove the ruin both of himſelf and her, in ſtead of ſatisfiing her deſire, he took on oath that Adonijah ſhould preſently be put to death; he had formerly pardoned him onelyonly upon condition of his loyaltie for the time to come, chap, 1.52. which having now forfeited by this ſecond attempt, even for his former conſpiracie it was fit he ſhould die. As for the mention that he makes in his oath of Gods eſtabliſhing him in the throne, that was becauſe his aſſurance that God had placed him in the throne, was that which encouraged him to proceed thus againſt Adonijah; he that had ſet him in the throne, he knew, would ſtand by him, and defend him herein; but however, here we ſee ſtill that verified, which Nathan had threatned againſt David, 2. Sam. 12.10. The ſword ſhall never depart from thine houſe.
Verſ. 26. And unto Abiathar the prieſt ſaid the king, Get thee to Anathoth, &c.] He baniſhed him from the court, and confined him to his own houſe in Anathoth (which was a city of the prieſts, Joſh, 21.18.) that he might not hereafter attempt any thing againſt him.
Verſ. 27. So Solomon thruſt out Abiathar from being prieſt unto the Lord: that he might fulfill the word of the Lord, which he spake concerning the houſe of Eli in Ehiloh.] For by this means, according as God had threatned Eli above fourſcore years ſince, 1. Sam. 2.31.35. the high prieſthood was transferred from the poſterity of Eli, who was of the ſtock of Ithamar, to Zadok who was deſcended of Eleazar. And ſo alſo that promiſe made to Phineas the ſonne of Eleazar, was fulfilled Numb. 25.13. And he ſhall have it, and his ſeed after him, even the covenant of an everlaſting prieſthood, becauſe he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Iſrael.
Verſ. 28. Then tidings came to Joab.] To wit, that Adonijah was ſlain, and Abiathar put from his place.
For Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Abſalom.] This clauſe is inſerted; firſt, to ſhew the cauſe of his fear and danger, his ſiding with Adonijah: and ſecondly, to intimate the hand of God in this buſineſſe; for how came it to paſſe that he that had ſtuck ſo faithfully to David in the caſe of Abſalom, ſhould now take part with Adonijah in his uſurpation? ſurely it was, that the bloud of Abner and Amaſa might fall upon him.
Verſ. 30. And he ſaid, Nay, but I will die here.] This Joab ſpake doubtleſſe, as hoping that by hanging on the altar, he ſhould ſave his life, and that they would not there put him to death; indeed it is ſtrange that he ſhould ſo think, conſidering the Law of God was ſo expreſſe, Exod. 21.15. that he that had ſlain a man wilfully ſhould be taken from the altar, and be put to death; but for this we muſt know that Joab dreamed not now of being put to death, for his murthering of Abner and Amaſa; but onelyonly of his conſpiracy with Adonijah, in which caſe he hoped the altar might be a refuge to him.
Verſ. 31. And the king ſaid unto him, Do as he hath ſaid, &c.] This Solomon enjoyned, as conceiving that the Lord, who allowed not that the altar ſhould be a ſhelter to wilfull murderers, would not be diſpleaſed that Joab ſhould be ſlain there, if he could not be drawn thence; yet perhaps Benaiah had before bidden Joab come forth voluntarily out of the tabernacle, and ſo Solomon gave him here a charge onelyonly to draw him thence by force, and then to ſlay him; for indeed, the words of the Law are, Exod. 21.14. that he ſhould be taken from the altar and ſlain; and the ſame courſe we ſee was taken with Athaliah, 2. Kings 11.15. have her forth without the ranges; and him that followeth, kill with the ſword: for the prieſt had ſaid, Let her not be ſlain in the houſe of the Lord.
Verſ. 32. And the Lord ſhall return his bloud upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous, and better then he, &c.] This Solomon ſpake, as judging that their open inſurrections were not ſo bad as his treacherours ſhedding innocent bloud: as for that clauſe which he addes, and ſlew them with the ſword, my father David not knowing of it; very obſervable it is, how carefull he was to inſert this for the honour of his father.
Verſ. 36. Build thee an houſe in Jeruſalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither.] Shimei was not ſuffered to return to Bahurim, to his own countrey, but was confined to Jeruſalem, both to prevent all ſeditious practiſes he might otherwiſe have runne into, and alſo that he might be in Solomons eye, & in the eye of his ſervants, that if he went away it might be diſcovered, and ſo an advantage might be taken againſt him, which he waited for, as his father had adviſed him, v. 8.9.
Verſ. 37. On the day thou goeſt out, and paſſeſt over the brook Kidron, &c.] It is evident in the former verſe, that he was not to go any way out of Jeruſalem; yet here his going over the brook Kidron is particularly expreſſed, becauſe that was the way to Bahurim, where he formerly dwelt & where his inheritance lay, 2. Sam. 16.5.
Verſ. 38. And Shimei ſaid unto the king, The ſaying is good, &c.] And withall it ſeems he took an oath that he would do as Solomon had ſaid, as we may ſee, v. 42.43
Verſ. 40. And Shimei aroſe, and ſadled his aſſe, and went to Gath, &c.] Whereby it appears that there was peace at this time betwixt the Iſraelites and the Philiſtines. It may juſtly be wondred at, that Shimei ſhould for the recovery of his two runaway ſervants, venture to go out of Jeruſalem, when he knew that his life lay upon it; but for this we muſt conſider, firſt, that covetouſneſſe doth ordinarily ſo beſot men, that it makes them do that which is moſt unreaſonable: ſecondly, that perhaps he was ſo tranſported with paſſion againſt his ſervants, that either he thought not of his danger, or elſe, however could not forbear: thirdly, that he might flatter himſelf with vain hopes, that doing this ſecretly, it would not be known; it was now three years ſince this charge was given him, verſ. 39. and by this time he might hope that Solomon would not ſo heedfully mind, what he did at firſt ſo ſtrictly command; he had matters of ſtate, of greater importance to intend, and therefore going ſecretly, and returning ſpeedily, there would be no notice taken of ſuch an outſcape as this was: and fourthly, that there was doubtleſſe an over-ruling hand of Gods providence in it, that carried him on headlong upon his own ruine, that ſo he might receive his juſt reward for his baſe reviling of David the Lords anointed, in the time of his affliction.
Verſ. 46. And the kingdome was establiſhed in the hand of Solomon.] For the execution of juſtice upon offenders doth eſtabliſh kingdomes; and beſides the faction that oppoſed Solomon was now deſtroyed.