The history of the world

§. VII. Of DAVIDS troubles in his reigne, and of his forces. [unspec 40]

BVt as victorie begetteth securitie, and our present worldly felicitie a forgetfulnesse of our former miseries, and many times of God him∣selfe the giuer of all goodnesse: so did these changes, in the fortune and state of this good King, change also the zealous care which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hee had to please God in the precise obseruation of his Lawes and Commaundements. For hauing now no dangerous 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ene∣mie [unspec 50] (against whom hee was wont to aske counsaile from the Lord) hee be∣ganne to be aduised by his owne humane affections and vaine desires. For hee was not only satisfied to take Vriahs wife from him, and to vse her by stealth: but hee imbrodered his adultery with Vriahs slaughter, giuing order to his trustie 〈◊〉〈◊〉

Ioab to marshall him in the front or point of those Israelites, which gaue an assault vpon the suburbes of Rabba, when there was not as yet any possibilitie of preuailing. And, that which could no lesse displease God than the rest, he was content that ma∣ny others of his best seruants and Souldiers should perish together with Vriah, ho∣ping thereby to couer his particular ill intent 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him. After which he began by degrees to fall from the highest of happinesse; and his dayes then to come were fil∣led with ioyes and woes interchangeable, his trodden-downe sorrowes began againe to spring; and those perils which he had pulled vp by the rootes (as he hoped) gaue him an after-haruest of many cares and discontentments. And if it had pleased God to take the witnesse of Dauids owne mouth against him, as Dauid himselfe did against [unspec 10] the Amalekite, which pretended to haue slaine Saul, he had then appeared as worthy of reprehension as the other was of the death he suffered. For when Nathan the Pro∣phet propounded vnto him his owne errour, in the person of another, to wit, of him that tooke the poore mans sheepe that had none else, the bereauer being Lord of many: He then vowed it to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Lord, that such a one should die the death. And heereof, although it pleased God to pardon Dauid, for his life, which remission the Prophet Nathan pronounced: yet he deliuered him Gods iustice together with his mercie in the tenour following; Now therefore the sword shall neuer depart from thy house, &c. Because thou hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slaine VRIAH with the sword of the children of Ammon. Soone after this Dauid lost the childe of adulterie [unspec 20] which he begot on Bersheba. Secondly, his owne sonne Amnon being in loue with his halfe sister Thamar, by the aduice of his Cousin german the sonne of Shimeah Da∣uids brother, possest her by force: which when he had performed, he thrust her from him in a carelesse and despightfull manner. Two yeeres after which foule and in∣cestuous act, Absalom caused him to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉, at the feast of his sheep-shearing; not perchance in reuenge of Thamars rauishment alone: but hauing it in his heart to vsurpe the Kingdome; in which, because he could not in any sort be assured of Am∣non, hee thought his affaire greatly aduanced by his destruction. So the one bro∣ther hauing rauished his owne sister, and then despised her; the other after along dissembled malice, first, made his owne brother drunken, and then slaugh∣tered [unspec 30] him; which done he fled away, and liued vnder the sauegard of Talmai King of Gessur, neere Damascus, who was his grandfather by the mother, but a heathen King. Thirdly, when Absalom by the inuention of Ioab, (but chiefly because of the great affection of Dauid towards his sonne) was brought againe: first to the Kings fauour, and then to his presence: He began instantly to practise against Dauid his father, see∣king by the pretence of common iustice, and by lowly and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 manner to all men, and by detracting from his fathers equitie, to win vnto himselfe a popular re∣putation. Here began the great affliction, threatned by the Lord as a punishment of Dauids sinne.

The company which Absalom gathered at the first were but 200. men: which [unspec 40] he carried with him from Hierusalem to Hebron; pretending, though impiously, the performance of a vow to God. There when 〈◊〉〈◊〉 repaired vnto him, and ma∣ny troopes of people from all places, he proclaimed himselfe King, and was by the people (whose hearts God had turned from their lawfull Prince) accepted so readi∣ly, that Dauid doubting to be set vpon on the suddaine, durst not trust himselfe in his owne Citie of Hierusalem, nor in any other walled towne for feare of surprise: but in∣camped in the fields, & desarts with some 600. of his gards, and few else. The priests 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 in Hierusalem with the Arke of God, from whom he desired to be aduertised of those things that chanced, to whom he directed Hushai his trustie friend, and ser∣uant, praying him to make himselfe in all his outward actions and councels of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 [unspec 50] partie and confederacie, thereby the better to discouer vnto him the pur∣poses of Achitophel, a reuolted Counsailor, whose practices he greatly doubted. And now when treason was in fashion, Ziba also sought to betray his master 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the sonne of Ionathan: And Shimei of the house of Saul (the fire

of whose hatred Dauids prosperitie had smothered, but his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 illighte∣ned) holding himselfe vpon the aduantage of a mountaine side, cast stones at Dauid, and most despightfully cursed him to his face: but Dauid attending no 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉, for badde Abishai to pursue him for the present, yet left him among others in the rolle of his reuenge, to his sonne Salomon. Absalom being now 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Hierusalem, was aduised by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to vse his fathers concubines in some such publique place, as all Israel might assure themselues, that hee was irreconciliable to his father: whereof being perswaded, they would then resoluedly adhere to Absa∣lom and his cause, without feare of being giuen vp vpon a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 betweene them. This saluage and impious (though craftie counsaile) Achitophel indeed vr∣ged [unspec 10] for his owne respect, as fearing that this rebellion might take end to his destru∣ction; who most of all other inflamed Absalom against his father. And now was it fulfilled that Nathan had directly foretold Dauid: I will raise vp euill against thee out of thine owne 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and will take thy wiues before thine eyes, and giue them vnto thy neigh∣bour, and hee shall lye with thy wiues in the sight of the Sunne: for thou diddest it secretly, but I will 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this thing before all Israel, and before the Sunne. Hee also gaue aduice to Absalom, that himselfe with an armie of 12000. men might bee imployed at the in∣stant for the suprizing of Dauid, which had willingly beene imbraced by Absalom, had not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Dauids faithfull seruant giuen counter-aduice, and swayed it: perswa∣ding Absalom, that it was fitter and more safe for him with all the strength of Israel, [unspec 20] to pursue his father, then by such a troope, which Dauids valour and those of his at∣tendants might either indanger or resist. This delay in Absalom, and aduantage of time gained by 〈◊〉〈◊〉, was indeed, after God, the losse of the one and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the other. Whereupon Achitophel rightly fearing (by the occasion fore-shewed) the successe which followed, disposed of his owne estate, and then forsooke both the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Absalom, and of his owne life.

Dauid being aduertised of this enterprize against him, marched away all night, and past Iordan, possessing himselfe of Mahanaim in the tribe of Gad: the same wherein Isboseth himselfe in the warre against Dauid after Sauls death seated himselfe. To which place there repayred vnto him 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the sonne of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Ammonite, [unspec 30] whom Dauid loued, the same which Iosephus calleth Shiphar. And though it bee greatly disputed, what this Shobi was, yet the most generall and probable opinion makes him a second brother to Hanum, whom Dauid for his fathers sake established in the Kingdome, after Hanums ouerthrow. In thankfulnesse whereof hee relieued Dauid in this his extremitie. There came also to Dauids assistance Machir of Loda∣bar, Gardian in former times to Mephiboseth, and among others Barzillai the Gilea∣dite, who willingly fed Dauid and all his companie.

In the meane time both the King and Absalom prepared to fight; Absalom made A∣masa Commaunder of the armie of Israel, the same place which Ioab held with Da∣uid; an office next the King himselfe, like vnto that of the Maiors of the Palace aun∣ciently [unspec 40] in Fraunce. Dauid, perswaded by his companie, stayed in Mahanaim, and disposed the forces 〈◊〉〈◊〉 had to Ioab, Abishai, and Ittai, giuing them charge in the hea∣ring of all that issued out of the port of Mahanaim, that they should spare the life of 〈◊〉〈◊〉. But Ioab, besides that he was very cruell by nature, remembred that Absalom had lately disposed of his Gouernement to Amasa, and therefore the victo∣rie being obtained, and newes brought him that Absalom 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by the haire of his head on a tree, when he could not perswade the messenger to returne and kill him, hee himselfe with his owne seruants dispatcht him. It appeared also by the sequell that Ioab affected 〈◊〉〈◊〉 whom hee afterward acknowledged, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 yet liuing; and fearing the disposition of Absalom, he imbraced the present aduantage offered. [unspec 50]

Hereof, together with newes of the victorie, when knowledge was brought to Dauid, he mourned and sorrowed, not onely as a man that had lost a sonne, but as one that had outliued all his worldly ioyes, and seene euery delight of life interred. For hee so hid himselfe from his people, as those which hoped for honour and re∣ward

after so great a victory, couered themselues also in the Citie, as if they had committed the greatest offences, and had rather deserued death than 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Whereupon Ioab presenting himselfe before Dauid, perswaded him to dissemble his sorrow for the present, and to shew himselfe to the Armie. For first he told him that he had discountenanced his faithfull seruants, who had that day preserued his life; in∣ferring that nothing could be more dangerous to a King, than not onely to not ac∣knowledge so great a loue and constancie in his people, who being but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in num∣ber, did yet resoluedly expose themselues to great perils for his sake: but on the con∣trary grieue and lament at their good successe. For, no doubt, they might all haue bought their peace of Absalom at an easie rate. Secondly, hee vrged that it was gene∣rally [unspec 10] beleeued, that he loued his enemies and hated his friends, and that he witnessed by this his mourning, that he had not any respect of his Princes, and others his faith∣full seruants, but would more haue ioyed if they had all perished, and Absalom liued, than in the victorie by their faithfulnesse and approued valour gotten.

Lastly, he vsed this preualent argument, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the King came not out and shewed himselfe publikely to his men of warre, that they would all that very night abandon him, and returne: concluding with this fearefull threatning: And that will bee worse vnto thee than all the euill that fell on thee from thy youth 〈◊〉〈◊〉. By these ouer-bold and arrogant speeches (though perchance vttered with a good intent) Ioab raised Dauid from his bed of sorrow, and brought him to the gates of the Citie among the [unspec 20] people, whom he assured of his loue and affection, especially Amasa, who comman∣ded the Armie of Absalom, to whom he promised the office of Lieutenantship; the same which Absalom had giuen him, and which Ioab now enioyed. For Dauid doub∣ted, that if Amasa were not satisfied, hee might draw from him a great part of the strength of Israel, now vnder his commandement.

This done, the King marched towards Iordan homeward, where in his passage he pardoned 〈◊〉〈◊〉, who had lately reuiled him to his face; but this remission was but externall, as appeared afterward. He also accepted of Mephibosheth his excuse, whom Ziba had formerly falsly accused and betrayed.

He also intreated Barzillai the Gileadite, his late liberall Oast, to follow him to Ieru∣salem, [unspec 30] that he might reward his seruice done him; who excusing himselfe by his age, appointed his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Chimham to attend the King.

At Gilgal on this side Iordan, all the Tribes assembled, and after some contention which of them ought to haue most interest in Dauid, the Armie brake, and Dauid re∣turned to Ierusalem. But Sheba the sonne of Bichri, a Beniamite, of the faction of the house of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, finding some discontentment among the Israelites, withdrew them from Dauid, as from a stranger in whom they had no interest, and it seemeth that many of the people of the out Tribes, and in effect of all but Iuda, bare still a good af∣fection to the issues of their first King. Dauid imployed his reconciled Captaine A∣masa, to giue him contentment, and to witnesse his trust, as also because 〈◊〉〈◊〉 concei∣ued [unspec 40] that Amasa had interest in those reuolts of Israel more than Ioab had. He 〈◊〉〈◊〉 commandement from Dauid to assemble the Armie within three dayes, which he foreslowed: but being onward on his way, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Ioabs brother, was sent after him, with Dauids guard and best Souldiers, whom also Ioab accompanied: and ouer∣taking Amasa neere Gibeon, pretending to imbrace him, gaue him a wound, whereof he fell dead, being no lesse iealous of Amasa than hee was of Abner, whom he mur∣dered in the same manner, and out of the same impatient ambition. This done, he pursued Sheba, and finding him inclosed in 〈◊〉〈◊〉, assaulted the Citie with that furie, that the Citizens by the perswasions of a wise woman there inhabiting, cut off Sheba his head, and flnng it to Ioab 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the walls: which done, hee retraited his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to [unspec 50] Ierusalem, and commanded, as before, all the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Israel.

The next act of Dauids, was the deliuerie of Sauls sonnes or kinsemen to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, whom those Citizens hung vp in reuenge of their Fathers 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Dauid had

knowledge from the Oracle of God, that a famine which had continued on the land three yeeres, came by reason of Saul and his house; to wit, for the slaughter of the Gibeonites: and therefore he willingly yeelded to giue them this satisfaction, both because he had warrant from God himselfe, as also if wee may iudge humanely, to rid himselfe of Sauls line, by whom hee and his might, as well in the present as in the future, be greatly molested and endangered; onely he spared Mephibosheth the sonne of Ionathan, both for the loue hee bare to his father, as for his oath and vow to God.

Now where it is written in the Text; The King tooke the two sonnes of RISPAH, whom she bare vnto SAVL, and the fiue sonnes of MICHOL the daughter of SAVL, whom [unspec 10] 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bare to ADRIEL, and deliuered them to the Gibeonites:

Iunius calls this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the sister of her that was Dauids wife, she whom Saul mar∣ried to Phaltiel; but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 here named had Adriel to her husband: the same which is named Merab in the first of Samuel the eighteenth, who was first promised to Da∣uid, when he slue Goliah in the valley of 〈◊〉〈◊〉: and because it is written that Mi∣chol loued Dauid, which perchance Merab did not, whether Dauid had any humane respect in the deliuerie of her children, it is onely knowne to God.

Now whereas the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 nameth Michol for Merab the wife of Adriel: the better translation were out of the Hebrew word here vsed, hauing an eclipsis or defect, and signifieth, as I am informed, one of the same kinred, as in the 19. verse of the same 21. [unspec 20] Chapter it is said of Goliah whose speare was weighty as a weauers beame, when as by the same Eclipsis it must be vnderstood by the brother of Goliah: Goliah himselfe being formerly slaine.

As by the death of Sauls children God secured the house of Dauid, leauing no head vnto rebellion; so did hee strengthen both the King and Nation against for∣raine enemies, by the valour of many braue Commaunders, the like of whom, for number and qualitie, that people of Israel is not knowne to haue had at any time be∣fore or after. Thirtie Captaines of thousands there were, all men of marke, and great reputation in warre. Ouer these were sixe Coronels, whose valour was so ex∣traordinary, that it might be well held as miraculous. These Coronels had some [unspec 30] difference of place and honour, which seemeth to haue been giuen vpon meere con∣sideration of their vertue. For Abishai the brother of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, who in the warre against the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and Aramites was Lieutenant, and commanded halfe the armie, could not attaine to the honour of the first ranke, but was faine to rest contented with be∣ing principall of the three Coronels of the second order, notwithstanding his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in bloud vnto the King, the flourishing estate of his owne house, and his well approued seruices. All these Coronels and Captaines, with the Companies belon∣ging to them, may seeme to haue been such as were continually retained, or at the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 kept in readinesse for any occasion, considering that the numbers which were mustered and drawne out, if need required into the field, very farre exceeded thirtie [unspec 40] thousand, yea, or thirtie times as many. They were most of them such as had fol∣lowed the King in Sauls time, and been hardened with his aduersities. Others there were very many, and principall men in their seuerall Tribes, that repaired vnto him after the death of Saul; but these Captaines and Coronels, (who with Ioab, that was Generall of all the Kings forces, make vp the number of 37.) were the especiall men of warre, and reckoned as Dauids Worthies. The long reigne of Dauid, as it is knowne to haue consumed many of these excellent men of warre, so may it probably be ges∣sed to haue wasted the most of those whose deaths 〈◊〉〈◊〉 finde no-where mentioned. For the sonnes of Zeruia, who had been too hard for Dauid, were worne away, and onely Ioab left in the beginning of Salomon, who wanted his brother Abishai to stand [unspec 50] by his side in his last extremitie.

By the actions forepassed in the time of Dauid, it is gathered that hee had 〈◊〉〈◊〉 now 33. yeeres, or thereabout; when the posteritie of Saul was rooted out, so that

hee enioyed about seuen yeeres of entire quiet and securitie, wherein it pleased God to remoue all impediments that might haue troubled the succession of Salo∣mon in his Fathers 〈◊〉〈◊〉. In this time also Dauid hauing established all things in Iuda and Israel, and the borders thereof, hee againe displeased God by numbring the people, as in ostentation of his power: in which he employed Ioab, with other Cap∣taines of his armie, who after nine moneths and twenty dayes trauell, returned with the account and register of all the people, able and fit to beare Armes, and they a∣mounted to the number of thirteene hundred thousand, besides 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and Beniamin, whereof in Iuda and the Cities thereof fiue hundred thousand, and in Israel eight hundred thousand. [unspec 10]

For this, when by the Prophet Gad hee was offered from God the choice of three punishments, whereof he might submit himselfe to which he pleased; to wit, seuen yeeres famine; three moneths warre, wherein hee should be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in all at∣tempts, and bee chaced by his enemies; or a generall pestilence to last three dayes: Dauid made choice to bow himselfe vnder the hand of God onely, and left him∣selfe subiect to that cruell disease, which bath no compassion or respect of persons, of which there perished seuentie thousand. And hereby he hath taught all that liue, that it is better to fall into the hands of God than of men; whereof he giueth vs this diuine reason; For his mercies are great. [unspec 20]

Notes

• 2. Sam. 11. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• 2. Sam. 12.
• vers. 9 and 10.
• 2. Sam. 17.
• 2. 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉
• 2. Sam. 15.
• 2. Sam. 15.
• 2. Sam. 16.
• 2. Sam. 17.
• 2. Sam. c. 12. v. 11.
• 2. Sam. 17. v. 14.
• 2. Sam. 17. 23.
• 15
• 16
• 2. Sam. 18. 14.
• 2. Sam. 18.
• 2. Sam. 19.
• 2. Sam. 19. 23.
• 2. Sam. 19. 38.
• 2. Sam 20. 10.
• 2. Sam. 20. 22.
• 2. Sam. 21.
• 2. Sam. c. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 v. 39.
• 2. Sam. 24.
• 1. Chron. c. 21.
• 2. Sam. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.