The Throne of David, Treatise · Section 44
II. SAM. Chap. 16. from the 31. verſ. to the end.
FOllowes now. 1. The action between David and Barzillai. And 2. the diſſention between the ten tribes of Iſrael, and the tribe of Judah. In the action between David and Barzillai, We have 1. how he is deſcribed. 1. From his country that he was a Gileadite. 2. From his age, that he was 80. years old. 3. From his eſtate, or condition, that he was a very great man. 4. From his actions teſtifying his great love to David. 1. Coming from Rogelim to conduct David over Jordan. 2. From his former bounty and liberality to David, who had provided him ſuſtenance, when he lay at Mahanaim. For which kindneſſe, ſhewn to David, like a thankefull Prince he invites Barzillai to go with him to Jeruſalem, where he would retain and entertain him nobly in his court, which courteous & kinde offer Barzillai, notwithſtanding modeſtly refuſeth. Upon theſe reaſons. 1. From the brevity of his life in the enjoying ſuch a benefit. 2. From his great age being. 80. years old, and ſo more fit for a private and retired condition, which that age requireth, then a Kings court. 3. From the decay of his ſenſes, and their faculty, whereby he could not be capable of court delights, as of delicate meates, or drink, or of pleaſant Muſick. And 4. that as the court could be no benefit to him, ſo he ſhould be but a burden to the King, therefore he offers to go a little way over Jordan with David, counting himſelf unworthy of ſuch a reward as was offered, and deſires that with Davids good leave and favour he might returne to his own City, and be buried in the grave of his parents, and ſeeing himſelf might not goe with the King, for the forenamed reaſons, he makes offer of his Sonne Chimham to go, with him, & he to do to him what he thought good. Which offer David doth kindely accept, and promiſeth that whatſoever he would ask of him, he would do for him. And ſo having bleſſed Barzillai, he diſmiſſes him home again, and ſo goes on in his journey to Gilgall, a famous place in the territory of Benjamin neer to Jericho, accompained with Chimham, the tribe of Judah, and the halfe of the people of Iſrael.
The ſecond action is between the ten tribes of Iſrael and the tribe of Judah, the men of Iſrael complaining to David of the men of Judah; That they had ſtolen him away and brought him and his houſhold, and men over Iordan, and ſo deſpiſed them, whoſe advice ſhould been firſt had, in bringing back their King. To whom the men of Iudah anſwer, that they were firſt in that action. 1. Becauſe the King was neer of kinne unto him, being of that tribe, and therefore collecting that they where cauſeſly angry at them for that cauſe. 2. They ſhew that it was not for any benefit, or reward that they expected, or had, for this their being firſt in his conduct. To whom theſe of Iſraell reply, eſpecially concerning that right by kindred to David, which the men of Judah pretended, affirming that their right to him was greater, as having ten parts in him, becauſe they were ten tribes, whereas they were but one, whereby ariſes ſuch a contention between them in bitter ſpeeches, that it occaſioned the rebellion of Sheba in the next Chapter, and in which contention, it is ſaid; That the words of the men of Judah, were fiercer then the men of Iſraell.
OBSERVATIONS.
1. V. 33. IN Davids kinde remembrance of Barzillais favour, and bounty to him, when he was in diſtreſſe, and in the gracious offer that he now makes unto him for the ſame. We ſee the praiſe worthy vertue of gratitude, commendable in all perſons as the contrary vice is odious, and eſpecially in Princes, for which we ſee the thenth leper, who was healed by Chriſt, and came back to give him thanks ſo commended, as likewiſe Pharaoh his gratitude to Joſeph, in giving Goſhen to his Father and friends, to whom his ſucceſſor proved ſo ungratefull thereafter, and was plagued, in like manner Davids gratitude to the King of Ammon ungrately requited, which was the cauſe of the Ammonites utter ruine, likewiſe Eliahs gratitude to the Widdow of Sareptah, Eliſha's, to the Woman of Shunem, Davids, alſo to the poſterity of Jonathan, and our Saviours promiſe; That a cup of cold water ſhall not be given to one of his, which ſhall want its reward, as he alſo ſhewes at the laſt day how it ſhall be ſaid; When I was hungry, ye fed me not, &c. Inherit therefore the Kingdome prepared for you before the beginning of the World. Which ſhould teach us to be thankfull both to God, as we ſee, Pſal. 103. 2. And to men, who have deſerved well of us.
2. Barzillai is ſaid, to have been a very rich and great man, and in Davids diſtreſſe both helps, and hazards with him. Whereby we obſerve the right uſe of riches and a great eſtate, towit, when occaſion calls for it, both to help and hazard in a good cauſe, wherein either Church, or Commonwealth, or both have their intereſt, and not to miſpend upon pride, ryot, or ſuperfluities, farre leſſe to uſe their greatneſſe, or beſtow their goods for perſecuting Gods Church, and oppoſing his cauſe. As we ſee that Roman Antichriſt, and his followers (which are the hornes of the beaſt) doe, Revel. 17, 12, 13.
3. Verſ. 34. Barzillai ſpeaks of the ſhortneſſe of his life, and Verſ. 37. Of his death and buriall, teaching all thereby, eſpecially the aged, in the midſt of their greatneſſe and proſperity to be mindefull ever of theſe things: which made Joſeph of Arimathea, to have his tombe into his garden, which made Moſes alſo to teach Gods people, Pſal. 90. 12. to pray, Teach us Lord to number our dayes, that we may apply our hearts unto Wiſdome. This was Jobs waiting, Job. 14. 14. All the dayes of his appointed time till his change ſhould come, and which like practice, counting every day the day of our death, account, and entring into eternity, if it were ours daily, it would further our mortification of ſinne, and prevent falling therein: where as, while men with the rich fool (being in health and ſtrength) promiſed to themſelves long life, they lull their ſouls in ſecurity, put off repentance, and amendement of life, and are ſnatcht away by death unawares and preſented to judgement.
4. This remembrance of the ſhortneſſe of his life, of death and buriall, weanes Barzillai from regarding worldly, or court delights, and from high offered promotion, ſo that he becomes dead to the World in affection, before he be dead in the World in condition. Which in like manner ſhould teach us how to wean our hearts from regarding any worldly pleaſures, or profit, honour, or advancement, (and ſpecially not to hunt after the ſame by unlawfull meanes, as many do) by ſeriouſly conſidering how ſhort momentary an a time, we have to enjoy the ſame, how uncertain alſo the honour of death is, and that we muſt leave all, when we go to the grave, and are preſented to judgment.
5. V. 41. When David had made an end of the troubles raiſed by Abſoloms rebellion by the victory which he had obtained over him, now followes a new trouble by the diviſion & diſſention that fell out between the tribe of Judah, & the other ten tribes of Iſrael, So that we ſee, as is ſaid of old age, Eccl. 12. 3. That the cloud returne after raine: ſo in this life the Godly may expect trouble after trouble, as one wave followeth in the neck of another, or as Jobs meſſengers of evill newes came one after another.
6. We ſee here alſo Satans pollicy to hinder a good work, which was an unanimous, and peaceable reduction of David, by raiſing a diſſention between the tribes of Judah and Iſrael, who were of one ſtock, of one religion, under one King, and fellow members of one Commonwealth. And which hath ever been Satans practiſe, ſince he made the firſt diviſion between God, and our firſt parents: as we ſee, in that attempt of diſſention between Abraham and Lot, Cain and Abell, Saul and David, Korah and Moſes, Iſrael and the Ephramites, Judg. 12. Iſrael and the Benjamites, Judg. 21. Iſrael and Judah here, and Paul and Barnabas, Act. 15. …9. And in the Schiſmes that he hath ever ſtirred up in the Chriſtian Church, and ſtill does, to hinder the Goſpell: and make the greater way to the propagating of his damnable errours.
7. We ſee here likewiſe in this diſſention from whence it, and all other, the like proceeds, to wit, from envy: jealouſy, and pride, for precedence and preheminence, as Salomon ſpeaketh: ſaying, by pride cometh contention, which was the cauſe of of Joabs killing of Abner, and thereafter of Amaſa, of the warres between Cae…ar and Pompey, of the contention alſo amongſt Chriſts diſciples, who ſhould be greateſt, of the Biſhop of Rome, and between other Biſhops of Patriarchall ſeates: and amongſt others alſo both in the Civill and Eccleſiaſticall eſtate even unto this day, forgetting that ſpeech of our Saviour, Learne of me for I am humble and meek, which is the true and ſure way to peace and unity.
8. Verſ. 43. This diſſention is increaſed, and fomented by the feirceneſs of words on both ſides, but the words of Judah are ſaid to have been the feirceſt. Where we ſee the truth of that which the Apoſtle James ſets down, concerning an evill bridled tongue, that though it be a ſmall member (as he calls it, Jam. 3. 5.) yet what a great fire it kindleth, and is a world of iniquity, which ſetteth on fire the courſe of nature, and is it ſelfe ſet on fire of hell. Whereas a ſoft anſwer pacifieth wrath, and prevents diſcord.
9. In all this, though the complaint was made to David by the ten tribes, yet for the naturall affection, that he carried to Judah, whom he was loath to offend. And which therefore made their words to be feircer, he forbeareth to decerne, and decide the matter; whereupon a new rebellion did enſue, as we ſee in the next Chapter. Which may learne Magiſtrates, and Judges to eſchew partiality, upon carnall or naturall reſpects: and not to ſuffer affection to beare ſway, either to obſtruct, or corrupt juſtice: but looking to the equity of the cauſe, to do that which is agreeable thereto, and ſo to prevent dangers, that otherwiſe might enſue.