The Throne of David, Treatise · Section 43
II SAM: Chap: 19. from the 16. verſe to the 31.
FRom the 16. verſ. of this Chapter to the 31. Are contained two Actions, the firſt of grace and pardon, which David gives to Shimej, to the 24. verſ. The ſecond is the Action between David and Mephiboſheth, and his decree of the diviſion of the land between Mephiboſheth, and his ſervant Ziba. In the firſt Action▪ between David and Shimej. We have 1. His haſtning to come down with the men of Judah to meet the King, and who were his convoy and attenders. 2. His humiliation before David, and his diſſimulate oration, which he has to the King, the nature whereof is deprecatory, wherein 1. He confeſſes his ſinne of curſing David, and caſting ſtones at him, in his going to Bahurim. 2. He beggs pardon for the ſame, which he expreſſes in theſe termes. 1. That he would not impute that iniquity to him. 2. That he would not remember that which he had done perverſly. And 3. that he would not take the ſame to heart. 3. He ſubjoynes the reaſons, why David may be moved to grant him pardon. 1. Becauſe he knows, and is ſenſible of his fault. 2. He has laboured to make amends for the ſame, by being firſt of all the houſe of Joſeph, to have come down to meet his Lord the King. Naming the houſe of Joſeph, and by it all Iſraell, over which Ephraim (who was deſcended of Joſeph) had the preheminence. And therefore oftimes in Scripture is named, in place of the ten tribes of Iſraell, as Hoſea 12. and 13. &c. Unto which deprecatory ſpeech of Shimei's, is ſubjoyned Abiſhai's oppoſition of granting pardon, but rather that David ſhould inflict death upon him, becauſe he had curſed the Lords anointed. To whom David anſwers ſharply. 1. By reprehending Abiſhai. And 2. granting the deſire of Shimei, his reprehenſion of Abiſhai is. 1. By diſclaiming his Counſell, or advice which he gives unasked, and before David himſelf (whom it moſt concerned) is heard to ſpeak. By ſaying in the plurall, and thereby including Joab, (What have I to do with you ye Sonnes of Zerviah? 3. By counting them adverſaries to him, though they ſeem friends, becauſe of giving ſuch Counſell, as might renew trouble, when matters were not yet ſetled; therefore alſo our Saviour ſaid to Peter, when he as a friend would adviſe Chriſt to pity himſelf, Go behinde me Satan, &c. As counting him herein his Enemy. 3. From the unfitneſſe of the time, and cuſtome after Victories, which is rather conſecrated to Triumphs and rejoycings then to funeralls and Tragicall executions. And 4. from his preſent condition, that he was but newly reſtored to his Kingdome over all Iſraell, and therefore the beginnings of a Kingdome ſhould be in mercy, and not in cruelty. Whereupon enſueth Davids pardon, of Shimei that he ſhould not dye, ſealed & confirmed by an oath. Where upon this doubt onelyonly ariſeth, how then gives David direction to his Sonne Solomon. 1 Kings …. 9. That he ſuffer not his hoary head to go down to the grave without blood? Where unto it is anſwered. That the promiſe that David made to him, that he ſhould not dye was onelyonly temporall, towit, during Davids lifetime; but not abſolute, and ſo rather a ſuſpen…ion of the puniſhment, due by the Law, then a totall abſolution of him therefore, according to the proverbiall ſpeech, Quod defertur, non aufertur, or that which is deferred, is not forgiven: which delay, or ſuſpenſion was granted upon the grounds of prudence and policy, the preſent time and neceſſary occaſions, and reaſons of ſtate, tending to the good of the publicke, and eſchewing of evill▪ cauſing the ſame.
Followes, Verſ. 24. to 31. The action between David and Mephiboſheth, whoſe meeting of David is deſcribed. 1. From the place where, towit, when he was come to Ieruſalem. And 2. the manner how, towit, That he had neither dreſſed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor waſhing his cloathes, (all which were ſignes of ſympathy, and ſorrow for Davids affliction) ſince the time that David had departed for Jeruſalem to his returne: whom when the King ſees, he preſently accuſes him, why he went not with him, when he departed from Jeruſalem: unto whom Mephiboſheth anſwers, laying the blame on his ſervant Ziba, who. 1. had deceived him in not ſadling his Aſſe to ride on, being lame, and being otherwiſe unable to tra…ell, albeit he had commanded him. 2. In ſlandering him to the King. As we ſee, Chap. 16. 3. But he repoſes his confidence in Davids equity, and not raſh beleiving; in being as an Angel of God, who could diſcerne between truth and falſhood; and therefore ſubmits himſelf to Davids determination to do therein, as he thought good, eſpecially ſeeing he had already before this time gotten ſuch proof of the Kings gracious, and free favour: that all his Fathers houſe being but dead men in the vulgar, and their own account, yet he had ſet him at his own table to eat, and therefore ſince his life, and all what he had was his gift, he could not gain ſay his will in any thing, nor complain of wrong. To whom David anſwer's, that he needed not to ſpeak any more of theſe matters, and therefore decernes, that he and Ziba ſhould divide the Land between them, to whoſe ſentence Mephiboſheth acquieſceth, conſenting that Ziba take all, conſidering his joy and contentment, which he had of the Kings returning to his own houſe, which to him was in place of all.
OBSERVATIONS.
1. V. 17. IN Shimei's haſting to meet King David with ſuch a train of Benjamites after the Victory, and in Ziba's joyning with him with his Sonnes and ſervants; not from any ſincere affection that either of them had to David, but for their own ends. We ſee the nature and diſpoſition of diſſembling and temporizing hypocrites, whoſe actions for their own ſelf end are farre different from their affections, and that where they hate moſt, yet they can in ſome outwards pretend, and make ſhew of greateſt love and reſpect.
2. Shimei curſeth David, and caſts ſtones at him in his adverſity, whom now in his proſperity he flatter's and followeth. Which ſheweth unto us, not onelyonly the various condition of the Godly, now in adverſity and after in proſperity, but likewiſe the various diſpoſition of time ſervers, who with the Jewes can cry Hoſanna to day, but on the morrow, Crucify, and can in adverſity flie from them, whom in proſperity they will faune upon and follow.
3. Verſ. 18. &c. In Shimei ſueing for pardon. We ſee. 1. Humiliation. 2. Acknowledgement and confeſſion of his ſinne. 3. Seeking of remiſſion. And 4. making amends by a contrary courſe of being the firſt of the houſe of Joſeph, to meet the King David, and conduct him to Jeruſalem, all which ought to be in penitent ſinners, ſueing for pardon from Chriſt the Sonne of David, towit. 1. Sincere humiliation. 2. A ſerious ſenſe and acknowledgment of our …innes by confeſſion. 3. An earneſt begging with the Prodigall and Publican, of pardon and remiſſion, wherein mans felicity conſiſts, Pſal. 32. The laſt in amendment of our lives, and walking hereafter in a contrary courſe to our former walking in wickedneſſe.
4. Verſ. 21. In Abiſhai, we ſee an example of private and cruell vindict, ſuch as was in Simeon and Levi, in Davids ſervants, who would have ſlain Saul, and in Chriſts owne Diſciples, who would had fire come down from Heaven upon Samaria, and Peter in ſmiting off Malchus eare: whereas good Jacob, Godly David, and our ſaviour Chriſt were farre from this carnall, and cruell diſpoſition, and therefore to be therein followed, as the former is to be fled: For learn of me (ſayes he) for I am humble and meek.
5. Verſ. 22. David ſayes, What had he to do with the Sonnes of Zerviah, that they ſhould be adverſaries to him: the word in the originall being, Satan, becauſe of their inſtigation to ill Counſell for which cauſe alſo Peter was called ſo by our Saviour, and bidden Go behinde him. Whereby we ſee what they are who give evill Counſell, and how ſuch are to be eſteemed, towit, even as ſo many Satans, who was the firſt that gave evill Counſell to our firſt parents, which brought death on them, and all their poſterity.
6. David gives this as a reaſon of his clemency towards Shimei, Do not I know this day (ſayes he) that I am King over Iſraell. Which ſhewes unto us the good uſe that Princes and great men ſhould make of their power and authority; not to be the more cruell, or for oppreſſion of their inferiours, but rather to ſhew their elemency even to offenders. Herein imitating him with whoſe name they participate, and to uſe their power to the good and comfort of Gods Church, and people.
7. Verſ. 23. David promiſes to penitent ſeeming Shimei; that he ſhould not dye, and ſweares unto him: but farre more mercyfull is our Saviour the Sonne of David to all true penitent ſinners, who has promiſed pardon to all ſuch, and ſealed the remiſſion of ſinnes by his Sacraments, and ſworne alſo by himſelf, That as be lives, he deſires not the death of a ſinner, but rather that he convert and live.
8. Verſ. 27. Mephiboſheth a true and loyall friend, and ſubject to David, who had ſhewn ſuch ſympathy with David in his affliction, as he had neither dreſt his feet, trimmed his beard, nor waſhen his cloathes, till David ſhould return in peace; yet is falſly ſlandered in the contrary, as an affecter of the Kingdome himſelf. Whereby we obſerve, that the moſt Godly and innocent perſons whoſoever cannot eſcape the ſcourge of the tongue, and injuſt calumnies: as we ſee in Shimei's upbraiding David, Chap. 16. 8. With the blood of Saul and his houſe, and uſurping his Kingdome, and as wee ſee, in the calumniating of Eliah, as a troubler of Iſrael, and our bleſſed ſaviour, as a Wine bibber, and an Enemy to Caeſar.
9. Verſ. 28. Mephiboſheth to procure Davids favour undervalues, and dejects himſelf, and all his fathers houſe, as dead men, and extoll's Davids gracious benefits and bounty beſtowed upon him, which indeed is the beſt way that we can take to obtain the favour of God, who is King of Kings, and to ingratiate ourſelves in his ſight, towit, by caſting down ourſelves at his feet, profeſſing our vile, and wretched condition, with the poor Publican: and acknowledging the Lords bounty, and mercyfull dealing with us, and with Mephiboſheth humbly ſubmitting our ſelves in all things, to his good will and pleaſure.
10 Verſ. 29. In Davids perſeverance of giving any part of Mephiboſheths Land to a deceitfull Ziba, now after right information, to which Ziba being preſent could not reply. We ſee infirmity in the beſt of men, and that judges, or Magiſtrates upon better tryall and information ſhould reforme their judgements, and as equity requires recall their unjuſt decrees, and rectify the ſame: as we ſee Ahaſuerus did, Esther 8. And not to do as Herod did in the matter of the Baptiſt, or as Pilate ſaid concerning Chriſt. What I have written, I have written, and would not alter the ſame. Nor yet to do as David herein did.
11. We ſee alſo, that Mephiboſheth acquieſceth in Davids decree, and grudgeth not as he had done him wrong, becauſe he had taken nothing from him, but that which formerly he had freely given him; even ſo ſhould we acquieſce in Gods dealing with us, and ſubmit to his wiſe diſpenſation, when he takes from us any temporall benefit, as health, wealth, or Children, and the like, which of his free favour he hath formerly given unto us, which was Jobs practice, when he ſaid: The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken, bleſſed be the name of the Lord. For as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh; What have we which we have not received.