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. XV.

Vers. 1. ABsalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.] This is doubtlesse noted as an unusuall state in the princes of

those times, and as the first course he took, both to make known to the people that he expected to succeed his father in the throne (for in the great state he took upon him, they might see what his hopes were) and also to gain upon the affection of the people; for outward pomp, and shews, and magnificence, are wont mightily to work upon the common people, who by the outward bravery of men are still rea∣dy to conclude, that they are men of brave and gallant spirits: David we must know began now to be aged; Absalom therefore remembring how his father had shewed his displeasure against him for killing his brother Amnon, and fearing least for that fact of his, he should be judged unworthy to succeed him; yea, and hearing perhaps some rumours to that purpose scattered abroad concerning Solomon, through he were Davids eldest sonne, yet he thought it not safe to abide his fathers death, but resolved to see if he could make himself king, his father being yet living; and to that end, first he sought secretly to winne unto himself a popular reputation, and so to steal away the hearts of the people from his father, and then brake forth into an open insurrection against him: and thus the Lord did not onely correct David for his sinnes in the matter of Uriah, according to that which the Lord had said to him by the prophet Nathan, Behold I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house. chap. 12.11. but also, for his fond indulgence towards this his ungratious sonne: when he had killed his brother, he was pardoned and was not cut off ac∣cording to Gods law, and now did he lay a plot against his father, that had ••o spared him, and sought to take away both his crown and his life too.

Vers. 2. And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate, &c.] That is, the gate of the kings palace, or the gate of the citie, the place of judicature; and his rising early to come thither is noted, because even by this circumstance, he did insinuate himself into the hearts of the people, that he was so diligent and zea∣lous in enquiring into the causes of them that were oppressed, rising up early to look after the affairs of the people.

Vers. 3. See, thy matters are good and right: but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.] Or as it is in the margent of our bibles, none will hear you from the king downwards. And indeed however the words are read, the meaning of these words of Absalom was, not that the king had deputed no subordinate Judges or Magistrates, to hear the causes of those that resorted thither for justice, (for who can think that David had no judges under him to relieve those that came to complain) but that none that were deputed to that office, would hear them uprightly and do them justice.

Vers. 6. And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel, that came to the king for judgement, &c.] That is, thus he flattered them all as is before related, vers. 3. whether their cause were good or bad, it was all one to him, his answer was still the same, See, thy matters are good and right: but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee: and thus he would embrace and kisse them all as is said in the foregoing verse, he made no difference between rich and poor, but would kisse and embrace the poorest man that came thither as soon as the greatest; and this is noted first, to shew his desperate wickednesse, in seeking so generally to spread the dispa∣ragement of his fathers government▪ by pretending that there were none deputed of the king that would hearken to the just complaints of his subjec••s; had he whispered

this in the eares of some few, the wrong had been great, but to spread it abroad so generally, made his villany the greater: secondly, to shew and set forth how basely this proud wretch could stoop, that he might accomplish his ambitious designes: and thirdly, to intimate by what means the people were so generally afterwards, in∣clinable to favour his conspiracie, to wit, by this his screwing himself generally in∣to the affections of the people, that came to the king for justice (for by this means, as it follows in the next words, Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel:) and it is said, that he stole away their hearts, first, because he wonne them to a desire that the crown might be transferred from David to him: their affections might have been to him as their Prince, without any wrong to David; but to draw off those af∣fections of the people from David, which they did owe him as their sovereigne the Lords anointed, and to winne them so to himself, that they should wish that he were their king, this was manifest theft; because thus their hearts should have been set one∣ly upon David: and secondly, because he did this so secretly, closely, and cunningly, that David discerned it not, nor did the people at first discover his aim; he did not openly perswade them to revolt from his father, but by courting the people, and seeming to bewail their condition, that they had not such a refuge in the seat of justice as they should have, he did covertly and slily draw off by degrees the hearts and af∣fections of the people, from the king to himself.

Vers. 7. And it came passe after fourty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go, and pay my vows, &c.] Had he gone away with such a num∣ber of the people after him, as he had drawn into his conspiracie, and not acquainted his father beforehand with it, this might have been suspected: under pretence there∣fore of a vow which he had made in Geshur, to wit, that he would offer to God certain peace-offerings, gratulatory sacrifices, if God should be pleased to open a way for his return from that idolatrous place, to live again amongst the people of God, and in his fathers favour, he begged leave of his father, that he might go and pay this his vow at Hebron, the place where he was born, and where his father was first crowned and anointed king, and where was one of the chief high places in the tribe of Judah, whether in those time they resorted to offer sacrifices; and this he did, first, because this shew of devotion he knew would please his father, and easily pro∣cure him liberty to go: and secondly, because when they offered these peace-offerings, they used to make great feasts therewith, and so under that colour he might invite thither his friends and followers, and many of the people, whom he might hope to winne to joyn with the rest, in his intended conspiracie: the greatest difficulty of this place is, whence we must count these fourty years, after which it is said here, that Absalom got leave to go to Hebron, intending there to make himself king: that which would most readily come into any mans mind at the reading of these word is, that these fourty years must be counted from the beginning of Davids reigne, and then because David reigned in all but fourty years, chap. 5.4. the meaning of the words must needs be this: And it came to passe after fourty years, that is, in the fourtieth yeare, to wit, the last year of Davids reigne, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee let me go, and pay my vow, &c. And indeed some of our best Expo∣sitours judge this account the most probable; partly, because there can, they say, no just reason be given, why we should count these fourty years from any other

time, but the beginning of Davids reigne; and partly, because in the last yeare of Davids reigne we may the better conceive why Absalom should break forth into these open and violent practises against his father, and should find so many so ready to assist him herein, namely, because his father began then to be very aged, and there could not but be some discovery by that time of Davids purpose to establish Solomon in the throne; but yet because it is very hard to conceive how all that which is af∣terwards related concerning Davids reigne, could possibly be done in one yeare, and particularly, how there could be within the compasse of one yeare, so great a change in David, that he should in the time of Absaloms rebellion, be able to fly on foot out of Jerusalem, as it is said he did, vers. 14. yea and that barefoot too, vers. 30. and yet afterwards before the yeare was ended, lie bedrid with age, so extremely cold, that though they covered him with clothes, yet he could get no heat, as it is said he was before he died, 1. Kings 1.1. therefore indeed the most of Expositours do o∣therwise compute these fourty years, as that it is meant of Absaloms age, or of the fourty years from the anointing of Saul, or of the fourty years of the current Jubilee, &c. of which all that I can say is this; namely, that there are onely two of these wayes of accounting these fourty years, that have any great shew of probability in them: first, that of those that account from Davids first anointing, 1. Sam. 16.13. and secondly, that of reckoning them from the first setting up a king amongst them, which was when Saul was anointed, and indeed upon such a remarkable change in the government of the commonwealth of Israel as that was, it may well be that they used still to reckon the years from that observable change, as they have done in ma∣ny other kingdomes upon the like occasion.

Vers. 10. But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, &c.] The meaning of this is, that at the same time when he had plotted his journey to He∣bron, when he intended amongst his conspiratours to be anointed king, he appoint∣ed also certain men as spies to go severally into all the tribes of Israel, who were to search and to sift the hearts of the people in all places, and to prepare and fit them for this change; and at the set time agreed upon between them, to wit, when he was to be anointed king at Hebron, upon the sound of trumpets they were to say, Ab∣salom reigneth in Hebron: As soon, saith he, as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron: whereby is meant, either that upon the sounding of the trumpets in every tribe, these spies should make known the reason of it to the people; namely, that it was because Absalom was made king in Hebron in stead of his father, that so then the people mighty cry out, as is usuall at such times, God save king Absalom; or rather, that when the people were summoned by the sound of the trumpet to come to Hebron, then these spies should make known the cause, why they were called together, to wit, because Absalom in Hebron was new∣ly crowned king.

Vers. 11. And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jer;usalem, that were called and they went in their simplicitie, &c.] That is, being invited to the feast of Absaloms peace-offerings, they went in the simplicitie of their hearts, merely as invited guests not knowing any thing of the plotted conspiracy: but why would Absalom invite such of whom he could have no assurance whether they would fur∣ther his designes or no? I answer, that severall reasons might induce him hereto, to

wit, first, because he knew that the people generally favoured him, and therefore hoped that when they came thither and saw what was done, they would soon ap∣prove of it, and joyn in the conspiracy: secondly, because however, if they proved firm to his father, then his fathers party would be weakned by drawing so many out of the citie, that would there have taken his part against Absalom: and thirdly, because by inviting such known faithfull men, that meant no ill, his plot intended would be the better concealed.

Vers 14. Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom, &c.] David was a man of great courage, the fort of Zion where he now was, was a place of great strength, bands of garrison souldiers he had, that attended him, as his guard the Cherethites, Pelethites, and Gittites, that were experienced souldiers, and men of tried valour, and many of the people there were too that were very faithfull to him: and yet when he heard that the hearts of the Israelites were generally for Absalom, he would not stay in Jerusalem, but fled presently away, and he gives two reasons for it, one lest Absalom should surprize him, and the other lest the citie Jerusalem should be smitten, whilest some stood for him, and some for his sonne Absalom; which rather then he would hazard, he resolved to flee abroad, and cast himself there upon the providence of God make speed, saith he, to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and s••te this citie with the edge of the sword: by the third Psalme which David penned at this time (the title of it is, A Psalme of David when he fled from Absalom his sonne) it is clear that he was greatly cheared with the hope of Gods help; I will not, ••aith he, be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about: though remembring that the Lord had threatned to raise up evil against him out of his own house, this might make him the more subject to be frighted and terrified: yet it seems at other times he encoura∣ged himself in the Lord his God; so that his fleeing was onely because he saw that to be the safest and surest way, both for his own preservation, and the good of the citie: he saw the people were divided in every place, some holding with him, and some with the traitour his sonne; what party his sonne had in the citie, as yet he knew not, and should the adverse party prevail, he might by them he delivered up to his sonne Absalom, and the citie in that dissention might be utterly ruined, and therefore that he might have time to discover how the people stood affected, and to use some means to defeat his sonnes attempts, he judged it best for the present, not to trust himself in Jerusalem, but to encamp abroad in the fields and desarts.

Vers. 16. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house.] It is hard to say what Davids intention was, in leaving these his concubines to keep his house: and indeed the lesse cause there was for it, the more evident it was that there was an over-ruling providence of God in it, for the effecting of that which he had threatned against David, chap. 12.11. I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them to thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives, &c. but yet the most probable conjecture is, that he left them there to secure his palace: not that he thought they were able to guard his house against Absalom and his crew, but that he conceived that Absalom would not for shame cast them out, because they were women and because they were his fathers wives, so that if he had any regard to his father, he would not use them despitefully for his fathers sake.

Vers. 17. And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was farre off.] That is, being gotten away some reasonable distance from the city there he stayed a while to wait for those that would come out to him, and that he might observe the wayes and courses, which the rebels would take.

Vers 18. And all his servants passed on besides him, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites.] Concerning these Cherethites and Pelethites, see the note. chap. 8.18. the Gittites doubtlesse were the garrison souldiers that kept Gath, which David had taken not long before from the Philistines, chap. 8.1.

Vers. 19. Then said the king unto Ittai the Gittite, wherefore goest thou also with us? &c.] This Ittai was one of Davids principall Captains, to whom he com∣mitted the third part of his army when they went out against Absalom, chap. 18.2. and had fled (as it seems) from the Philistines or some other of the neighbouring nations (for why else is he called a stranger and an exile,) and so living with Da∣vid was become a Proselite, and was at present the Captain of the Gittites. Now first, because he was a stranger and an exile, and therefore too, not like to be sus∣pected or hurt by the new king or his followers, he thought it unequall to engage him in their dissentions; to make him that had lost all in his own land by siding in their combustions, to be as unsafe in Israel whither he had fled for sanctuary, as he had been before in his own countrey, he judged a very unreasonable thing: and se∣condly, because he was upon some occasion very lately come from Gath with his souldiers, he judged it too much to make them presently march up and down with him, before they had well rested themselves, and therefore he disswades them from going with him, though he had all the reason in the world to strengthen his party as much as he possibly could; yet thinking it not fitting to take them along with him for the reasons here alledged, and being confident in Gods assistance, as is evi∣dent, Psal. 3.6. he was not so eager upon any outward helps for the strengthening of himself, as to do any thing that had but a show of unwarrantablenesse in it, and therefore he earnestly perswadeth him to return with his men and to abide with the new proclaimed king, that is Absalom, Return, saith he, to thy place, and abide with the king, &c. hoping also perhaps in their troubles to make the same use of him that he did afterwards of Hushai. vers. 34. If thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king: as I have been thy fathers servant hither∣to, so will I now also be thy servant; then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.

Vers. 20. Mercy and truth be with thee.] As if he had said, as thou hast been mercifull, true and faithfull to me, so I desire that thou mayest find God and man mercifull true and faithfull to thee.

Vers. 23. The king also himself passed over the brook Kidron.] Which was between Jerusalem and that mount Olivet, over which our Saviour passed, John 18.1. when he was in danger of the Jews, as David did now when he fled from his re∣bellious sonne Absalom.

Vers. 24. And lo Zadok also, and all the Levites were with him bearing the ark of the covenant of God.] Whose course it seems it was at this time to attend upon the service of the ark: for it is evident, that by Samuel first, and David after∣ward, there were certain courses appointed for the priests attendance on the sacred

ministery as we may see, 1. Chron. 9.22. All these which were chosen to be por∣ters in the gates were two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by their genea∣logie in their villages, whom David and Samuel the Seer did ordain in their set office.

And they set down the ark of God, &c.) That is, when they came to the place where David and his company resolved to stay a while, waiting and observing how things would passe, there they set down the ark; but as for Abiathar who was now the high priest, and went also out of Jerusalem together with David, it is here said that he went up untill all the people had done passing out of the city: either because he went in the forefront of the people that came along with David, and so stayed not, but led them up mount Olivet untill all the company that followed him were passed over the brook Kidron and were come to the place where the ark was set down: or else, because he went up to that part of mount Olivet where the ark was set down, and there stayed till all the people were come thither that followed David out of the citie; and being happely in a high place, he might thence see the people coming, and when they left coming out of the citie.

Vers. 25. And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the citie, &c.] Though David knew that the ark was a visible testimonie of Gods presence, and could have been glad to enjoy it; yet partly, because he desired to make use of the priests who attended the ark, and without whom he might not keep the ark, to give him intelligence out of the city of all the counsels and practises of Absalom against him, vers. 35.36. And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests, therefore it shall be that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the kings house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. Behold they have there with them their two sonnes, and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye can hear: and partly perhaps, because he was loth to bring them in danger, remembring what the priests had formerly suffered at Nob for his sake, he was contented for the present to want the presence of the ark, as having his confi∣dence in God, and not relying altogether upon the externall sacrament, and so ad∣vised them to carry it back again into Jerusalem.

Vers. 27. The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art not thou a seer? &c.] Some conceive that Zadok is here called a seer, onely because he was now in the course of his attendance upon the ark▪ as is noted above, vers. 24. and was to enquire of the Lord for the people upon all occasions, and to return them Gods answer; which cannot be, because he was not the high priest, who onely might wear the Ephod; but others conceive that he was also a prophet, and had that extraordinary gift of foretelling things to come, for such were called Seers, 1. Sam. 9.9. or that he was a man expert in the oracles of God, and consequently, that the drift of Davids men∣tioning this, may be either to imply that in this regard, he was the better able to judge whether the advice he gave were not right and fit to be followed; or else, to shew the cause why it was fit he should return (to wit, because he was in this his course the publick minister appointed to attend the ark for the service of the whole Church, and withall, might there consult with God in his behalf, and give him no∣tice of any thing that concerned him, as occasion served: Return saith he, into the city in peace, and your two sonnes with you; but yet that their two sonnes Ahimaaz

and Jonathan went not with their fathers into Jerusalem, is evident, chap. 17.17. Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by En-rogel, for they might not be seen to come into the citie: and therefore it seems their fathers appointed them to stay at En-rogel.

Vers. 30. And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, &c.] His weeping was no doubt especially because he was afflicted with the remembrance of his sinne, that had brought these troubles up∣on him, and his covering his head was suitable hereto; for so was the custome of mourners, to wit, partly that their tears might not be seen, and partly that the see∣ing of other objects, might not divert their minds from intending their sorrows, as being desirous to give up themselves wholly to bewail their mi••eries, of which cu∣stome, see Jer. 14.3. And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters, they came to the pits, and found no water, they returned with the vessels emptie: they were ashamed, and confounded, and covered their heads: chap. 19.4. The king covered his face, and cried with a loud voice, &c. and Esther 6.12. Haman hasted to his house mourning and having his head covered.

Vers 32. When David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold Hushai the Archite came to meet him, &c.] He worshipped the Lord on the top of the mount, because thence he might best behold the ark the testimony of Gods presente, as the priests were carrying it back to Jerusalem, and be thereby stirred up the more affectionately, and effectually to call upon the Lord, and because being gone over that mount, he was like for a time to see it no more; but that which is most observable is, that no sooner had David prayed against the counsels of Ahi∣thophel, O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishnesse but pre∣sently there came to him Hushai (who is called the Archite, from the place of his birth or habitation, to wit, Archi, a place mentioned Josh. 16.2. which was in the borders of the children of Joseph) by whom God had determined to defeat his counsels.

Vers. 33. Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me.] Whereas by going back to Jerusalem, he might there do him better service, and withall be no way burdensome to him, and indeed though Da∣vid had cause enough to be glad to see his party encrease, yet no wonder it is, that he should tell Hushai, that staying with him he would be a burden to him: first, because he and his attendants that came with him, would help to expend their pro∣vision, which was yet but small: and secondly, because his care for those that went with him, and his grief for the misery they were like to sustain was ••ch, that the more his company encreased, the more his burden encreased too.

Vers. 34. Say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king, &c.] Herein David teacheth Hushai to dissemble with Absalom, and an easie thing it is for the best men in their extremities, to pitch upon such counsels as are not exactly such as they ought to be.