Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. XI.

Vers. 1. ANd it came to passe, that after the yeare was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battell, that David sent Joab, &c.] That is, in the spring of the year following, after the overthrow of the Syrians mentioned in the former chapter (for then the yeare was accounted to begin, because then the sunne re∣turnes to the place whence it went forth in the former yeare.) After those victories obtained, whereof mention is before made, the winter approching, David and his captains gave over the prosecuting of their new conquest in the land of the Ammo∣nites: but in the Spring of the next yeare (which was the usuall time when in those countreys they went out to warre, because then they had the Summer before them, for the perfecting of any hard siege they should undertake, and then in those regions both grasse and corn began to ripen and so they might have food and relief both for themselves and their horses) David sent out Joab with a great army to perfect the conquest of the Ammonites, which the yeare before they had begun, and so besieged Rabbah, the chief city of the Ammonites, afterwards called Philadelphia.

Vers. 2. And it came to passe in an evening tide that David arose from off his bed, and walked▪ &c.] The occasions of Davids fall into that grievous sinne of a∣dultery with the wife of Uriah, are here set down. First, he went not out himself to war against the Ammonites as formerly he had wont to do, but sent out Joab, as is expressed in the former verse: and secondly, being at home, he gave himself to his ease; having spent some good part of the day in stretching himself upon his bed, in the evening he arose and walked upon the roof of his house, (which were amongst the Jews built flat upon the top) and so was there entangled with the sight of Bath∣sheba.

As long as David was persecuted by Saul he kept close to God, nor do we read of any scandalous sinnes he fell into, but when he was settled in the kingdome, and so lived in the plentie, pomp, and state that became so great a king, but especi∣ally, when he came to take such liberty for his ease, as to lie upon his bed at noon and to spend his time in walking upon his house top, then we see into what a grie∣vous sinne he fell with this wife of Uriah. Running streams are clear and whole∣some, but standing waters are usually muddy and unsavoury, and apt to gather all kind of filth and corruption.

And from the roof he saw a woman washing her self.] To wit, to purifie her self from her menstruall uncleannesse according to the law, Levit. 15.27, 28. for so it is expressed. vers. 4. For she was purified from her uncleannesse. It is not proba∣ble indeed, that Bathsheba would wash her self, especially in this kind, where she thought any body might see her, but onely her servants that were with her; but lust is quick sighted, and some want of warinesse and care it seems there was in her, and so David espied her from the top of his house, and so by that means his eye proved an inlet of lust into his soul.

Vers. 3. And David sent and enquired after the woman.] When the sight of naked Bathsheba had kindled lustfull thoughts and desires in Davids heart, had he presently cast out those unclean motions, and set his mind upon better things, per∣haps he had never gone further; but we see he went on thinking of the sight he had seen and sent to enquire what woman it was, and so suffering the poysoned ar∣row to lie rankling in his heart, at length the wound grew incurable, and he could not be satisfied till he had enjoyed her.

And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Ʋriah the Hittite?] Bathsheba is called Bathshuah, 1. Chron. 3.5. as also Eliam her fa∣ther is there called Ammiel. Why Uriah is called the Hittite, we may see by that which is noted, 1. Sam. 26.6.

Vers. 4. For she was purified from her uncleannesse.] That is, from her menstru∣all uncleannesse, Lev. 18.19. and hereby she was the more apt to conceive.

Vers. 5. And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.] To wit, as bewailing her condition, and to see if he could or would do any thing, to prevent those miseries that were like to come upon her, and wherein he also was sure to have a great share: now she began when it was too late, to be∣think her self how her husband would be enraged against her, and what in his rage he might do to her; day and night it ranne in her mind, what shame and reproch her great belly when it came to be known, would bring upon her; how every one would look upon her and despise her as an harlot; loathing her the more, because she was unfaithfull to so brave a man, as her husband Uriah was; and that too, when he was abroad fighting for his countrey; and how at length she must be brought forth, and put to death as the law had appointed; and thus being overwhelmed with sorrow and fear, she sent to impart it to David, as having this onely hope, that he might happely find out some way to prevent these miseries.

Vers. 7. David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the warre prospered.] Thus we see how David faultered in seeking some pre∣te••e for sending for Uriah to come home to him; for were not these very weak

pretences for fetching home such a worthy as Uriah was, from a service of such con∣cernment, as was the siege of Rabbah? Alas, these things he might have known, and did dayly hear by every messenger that came from the camp; and enough it was to make Uriah suspect some underhand plot, to see that he should be sent for upon so sleight an occasion, as to satisfie such triviall queries as these were. But David was forced to dissemble and pretend somewhat, and could not act this part arti∣ficially.

Vers. 8. And Uriah departed out of the kings house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king.] To wit, that this might be an occasion of inviting him to make merry with his wife, and so to lie with her.

Vers. 9. But Ʋriah slept at the door of the kings house with all the servants of his Lord.] That is with the kings guard, whose custome it was, to watch at the doore of his house all night.

Vers. 11. And Ʋriah said unto David; The ark, and Israel, and Judah abide in tents, &c] They used in perillous warres to carry the ark with them into the camp, both as a testimony of Gods presence, and that they might ask counsel of God as occasion served; as is evident, 1. Sam. 4.4. and 14.18. and therefore the most of Expositours conceive, that accordingly at this time, the ark was with Joab in the camp at the siege of Rabbah; and that this was the reason why Uriah spake of the arks abiding in tents, together with Israel and Judah: but yet because it seems not probable, that they would carry the ark, the signe of Gods presence amongst his people out of the land of Canaan into the countrey of the Ammonites; I should rather think, that being to speak of the abiding of Israel and Judah in tents, in re∣gard that the ark was also in the tent which David had set up for it, chap. 6.17. Therefore onely it is, that he joyns the ark with Israel and Judah; The ark, saith he, and Israel and Judah abide in tents, and my Lord Joab and the servants of my Lord are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? &c. But however, the drift of these words is evident, to wit, that Uriah herein rendred a reason why he would not go home to his house, namely, because he judged it unfit and unreasonable, that he should take his ease and pleasure, whilest his Generall and his brethren lay abroad in continuall danger in the open fields: and then besides, there was withall in these words, by the providence of God, a secret check given to David, that Uriah should make consci∣ence of taking pleasure with his own wife, at a time when the people of God were in continuall danger, and yet David had not scrupled at that very time, to satisfie his lust with the wife of Uriah.

Vers. 13. And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him, and made him drunk.] It is not probable, that Uriah that had so resolutely refused to feast and frolick with his wife; would yeild to do that with the king, which he had refused to do with his wife; onely when David had invited him to his table, he thought it too much to reject the kings favour, and therefore resolved to yeild here∣in to the kings commandment no further then might stand with his resolved course of austerity; fully purposing not to let loose himself to any delight or freedome in eating or drinking: but we see the event; by degrees he was overtaken and e••∣snared, contrary to what he had purposed with himself, and so was made drink

which was that David aimed at, hoping that when he was heated with wine, he would then go home to his wife, which hitherto he had refused to do.

And at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.] He went not to sleep as the night before, at the doore of the kings house, vers. 9. (to wit, because he had drunk too freely) but yet he went not home to his wife, but lay in the court amongst the kings houshold ser∣vants: so that though he were a little overgone with excesse, yet he still remembred and stuck to his former resolution of not going home to his wife: A passage very observable, whilest David used all his skill to get him home, doubtlesse his wife was not wanting to act her part too: it cannot be thought, but that she sent and came to him again and again, and solicited him earnestly to come home to her, (for it much concerned her) and yet all this could not move him; even when he was drunk he would not home to his house: for whence was this? doubtlesse there was a secret hand of Providence in it; it is like enough he was displeased that he was so causelessely taken off from that noble enterprise of the siege of Rabbah, and deemed it unfitting, as he had said before, to take his pleasure, whilest his brethren and fellow souldiers were in such hard service: but yet considering how many means were used to overcome him; we may well conclude, that there was a speciall hand of Providence, in the firmnesse of his resolution; the Lord intending hereby to coun∣terplot David, and not to suffer him to smother his sinne, as he desired to have done.

Vers. 16. He assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.] To wit, that he might be slain by them, as David had in his letter commanded▪ There was no reason given in the letter, why this plot must be laid for his life; it was sufficient to Joab that the king commanded it; he knew how much advantage it might be to him, to have the favour of his prince, and what danger there might be in opposing his commands; and therefore he stuck not at doing what he had enjoyned: yea and perhaps too, remembring what himself had done in the murder of Abner, he was the more willing that David should be involved in the same sinne, as thinking that he would be the readier to pardon him, when himself was become guilty in the s••e kind.

Vers. 21. Wh•• smote Abimelech the sonne of Jerubesheth.] That is, Gideon who was called Jerubbaal, Judges 6.32.

Vers. 25. Let not this thing displease thee: for the sword devoureth one as well as another, &c.] The time was, when Davids conscience smote him for cutting off tho lap of Sauls garment, though he was his deadly enemy; and yet now his heart be∣ing hardened upon his adultery with Bathsheba, he could sleight the murder of Uri∣ah, and many other of Gods people slain by his means, as if it had been a matter of nothing.

Vers. 26. And when the wife of Ʋriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.] Considering what shame would have fallen upon her, if her husband had lived, and the hope she might well conceive of becoming now the wife of so great a Prince as David was, we may well think that she was inwardly glad of these tidings; but yet the better to conceal her sinne, she would not omit the customary wayes that were used in those times, of mourning for her de∣ceased husband.

Vers. 27. But the thing that David had done, displeased the Lord.] This is added, to shew the vanity of Davids comforting himself in what was done; he chuckered himself now, as concluding that now the shame he feared would be pre∣vented, and so all would be well: But saith the text, the thing that David had done, displeased the Lord, and this he found to be bitternesse in the end; little cause had he therefore to be so well satisfied with the secresie of his sinne, the Lord being so highly offended with him.