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. XVIII.

Vers. 2. ANd the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you my self also.] Thus David would intimate to the people, that he was wil∣ling to hazard himself in the battel together with them: but yet we may well think, that one main thing that made him so earnestly to resolve that he would go in per∣son amongst them to the battel was, that he hoped by his presence to help forward the saving of Absaloms life.

Vers. 3. But now thou art worth ten thousand of us, &c.] Their meaning is, that the common-wealth would receive more dammage, and the enemy more ad∣vantage in their designes by his death, then if ten thousand of them were slain, and therefore they adde, Therefore now it is better that thou succour us out of the citie, that is, Mahanaim, to wit, first, by praying for them: secondly, by sending forth to them provision and new supplies, as occasion served: and thirdly, by receiving them into the citie, if they should be put to flight.

Vers. 5. Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom.] That is, though he hath deserved to have no favour shewed him, yet deal favoura∣bly with him for my sake: Davids forces were fewer then Absaloms, and yet trust∣ing in the justnesse of his cause, but especially, in the mercy and faithfulnesse of God, we see with what confidence David speaks of the successe of the battel, as not doubt∣ing of victory, he onely gives order to his souldiers to deal gently with Absalom: nor is it any wonder that David should be thus tender over him, that sought to de∣prive him of his kingdome and life; for first, he was a loving, yea and over indul∣gent father: secondly, it could not but be grievous to him, to think that he should die in his sinne: thirdly, his own conscience gave him, that he was raised up as an instrument to punish his sinne in the matter of Uriah, and so his severity against himself might render him the more gentle towards him: and fourthly, he considered the folly and rashnesse of youth, and that when he came to more years, he might see his folly; and this therefore he intimates to his captains, that he might move them to pitie, for he saith not, deal gently with my sonne Absalom, but deal gently with the young man, even with Absalom.

Vers. 6. And the battel was in the wood of Ephraim.] That is, it was near un∣to the wood; the battel was certainly fought in the tribe of Manasseh without Jordan; whereas Ephraims portion was within Jordan: but the place was called the wood of Ephraim, either because it was close by Jordan, right against the portion of E∣phraim, on the other side of the river; or else because this was the place where Jeph∣thah slew the Ephraimites, Judg. 12.5, 6. And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites, and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped, said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him. Art thou an Ephraimite? if he said, Nay: then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth and he said, Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right, then they to••k her

and slew him at the passages of Jordan: whence it seems it was afterwards called the wood of Ephraim.

Vers. 8. And the wood devoured more people that day, then the sword devour∣ed.] That is, when they fled into the wood, there perished more there by the sword of those that pursued them, and by the countrey people that sound them there strag∣gling, and fell upon them, then did in the battel by the valour of the servants of David, that fought there against them; for as I conceive, even those that were slain in the wood by the souldiers of David pursuing them, are here included in the num∣ber of those whom the wood devoured, and are opposed to those onely that were slain by the sword in the battel: others understand it of such as perished there by wild beasts, by being hanged in the trees, by tumbling into ditches, and pits, and caves unknown. But the first Exposition I think most probable; for it can hardly be conceived how more should perish by such casualties, then by the sword in generall.

Vers. 9. And his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth, &c.] The words seem to imply, that his head was catched in a crotch, or forked branch of the oak, and so his mule running away from under him, there he hung by the neck: but the most common opinion of Expositours is, that it was his long and thick hair that was entangled, and wound about the thick boughs of the oak, by which he hung when his mule was gone from him; and thus, say they, God testified against his pride in his hair, making those goodly curled locks of his as a halter to hang him, whereof he had alwayes been so proud, that he would onely cut them but once a yeare, and that too because they grew too heavy for him.

Vers. 11. And why didst thou not smite him there to the ground, and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle?] As great a friend as Joab had formerly been to Absalom, yet now that he had rebelled against his father, and en∣dangered the ruine of the land by a civill warre, he resolved to take away his life; onely still he had rather it should have been by another, then by him or his com∣mand, and therefore he tells the souldier what a reward he would have given him, if he had slain him; thereby also intimating, that he would give him the reward if he would go and do it, I would have given thee, saith he, ten shekels of silver and a girdle, that is, a souldiers girdle, which was a signe of strength and valour, and an ornament and ensigne of honour.

Vers. 13. Otherwise I should have wrought falshood against mine own life.] This phrase is somewhat difficult; that he means he should wittingly have exposed himself to the danger of loosing his life, by disobeying the kings command in killing Absalom, is very evident; but why doth he call this working falshood against his own life? I answer, either first in relation to the secresie of the fact, as if he had said, That though no body had seen him do it, and he had endeavoured to have concealed it with lies and falshood, yet it would at last have brought a shamefull death upon him; or else with reference to the vanity of his hopes, if he had done it in hope that it would not prove any way perillous to him, but rather would be rewarded, as if he had said, whatever vain encouragements had emboldened me to do it, they would have proved false and deceitfull, I should have wrought fal••hood against mine own life; for as when men fail of effecting what they hoped and desired, they are said in the Scripture phrase, to bring forth falshood: Psal. 7.14. He hath conceived mischief,

and brought forth falshood: so when men effect any thing, but fail of their hopes therein, they may be said to work falshood: and thirdly, because of the care which every man is naturally bound to have of his own life; in regard whereof, he that wittingly do••h any thing to the prejudice of his life, may be truly said to work fals∣hood against his own life.

Vers. 14. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom.] Joab knew well enough that as long as Absalom lived, there would be great danger least his party should again make head and maintain their former act in making him king; and knowing withall Davids indulgence towards him, and what strict charge he had given for the sparing of him at this very time, he had just cause to fear that David would not do justice to him, if they should carry him away alive; and therefore preferring the peace and welfare of the king and common∣wealth, before the kings command, he thrust these darts into him, and so slew him; yet withall perhaps he was also a little moved with a particular spleen against Ab∣salom, to wit, because he had lately disposed of his place of Captain of the host, to Amasa his cosin german, chap. 17.25.

Vers. 17. And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him.] See the note Josh. 7.26.

Vers. 18. Now Absalom in his life time had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the kings dale.] The same which is called the valley of Saveh, where the king of Sodom met Abraham, when he returned with victory having discomfited those foure kings that had pillaged Sodom, and had carried Lot away captive; Gen. 14.17, And the king of Sodom went out to meet him (after his re∣turn from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Saueh, which is the kings dale. Where this vale was, or why it was so called, we find no where expressed, onely many conjectures we find in expositours; as that it was the same which was called the valley of Jehoshaphat, Joel 3.2. and con∣sequently the kings dale: or that it was so called from the exceeding pleasantnesse and fruitfulnesse of it, as a place fit for the delight of kings; or because the king of So∣dom and Melchizedek king of Salem, did there meet Abraham; and indeed if it were called the kings dale, because of any king of Judah or Israel, then that clause, Gen. 14.17. was not written by Moses but inserted afterwards by some other. As for the pillar which Absalom here reared up, that the memory of his name might thereby be preserved unto posterity, it is very probably conceived by some Exposi∣tours, that it was some monument, such as were the Egyptian pyramids, which he intended to be the place of his buriall, and that upon the relation of his ignoble bu∣riall in the foregoing verse, to wit, that he was cast into a pit, and had a heap of stones thrown upon him, this is presently inserted concerning the goodly sepulchral monument which he had provided for himself, (to shew how he was crossed in his expectation.)

For he said, I have no sonne to keep my name in remembrance.) Hereby it ap∣pears, that God had before this time deprived him of his three sonnes, mentioned chap. 14.27. not judging him worthy of sonnes, that would not stoop to honour his own father, and that had murthered his own brother: and withall, hereby God provided for the more peaceable advancing of Solomon to the throne, after Davids decease.

Vers. 22. Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoe∣ver, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi.] He pressed again for libertie to go after Cushi, as hoping to out-run him, and having be-thought himself that he might ac∣quaint David with the good tidings of the victory, though he suppressed that parti∣cular concerning the death of Absalom.

Vers. 23. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and over-ran Cushi.] Whereas Cushi ran the nearest way which was hilly and mountainous, Ahimaaz chose to go a further way, by the way of the plain, and so by the advantage of the way, he out-ran Cushi, and came first to David.

Vers. 24. And David sate between the two gates, &c.] That is, at the entring in of the citie Mahanaim, waiting to heare tidings from the army that was gone forth against Absalom. It seems that the gates of cities were in those times built (as they are now) with high towers, and so stronger and thicker then other parts of the wall, and therefore had two gates, one inward toward the citie, and another outward toward the suburbs, and between these two gates it was that David now sate.

Vers. 25. And the king said, If he be alone there is tidings in his mouth.] That is, if there were many coming together, we might well fear they fled from the face of the enemy; but if there be but one alone, doubtlesse it is a messenger that is sent with some tidings.

Vers. 27. And the king said He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.] David inferres, that if it were Ahimaaz that was coming he doubtlesse brought good tidings, because he was a good man; whereof there may be two reasons concei∣ved: First, that being a good man, he was not likely to be the first in flying away; and therefore it was not likely he fled from the enemy, but rather he came with ti∣d••ngs: and secondly, that being a good man, he was the more likely to be desirous to bring good tidings to the king, or had used to bring him good tidings.

Vers. 33. And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate.] See the note above, vers. 5. partly as apprehending the misery of Absaloms dying in his sinne, and partly as remembring that his sinne in the matter of Uriah, was now punished in the death of this his ungracious sonne, he felt his passions breaking out so violently, that not being able to go home to his own house, and being withall doubtles ashamed that his passion should be seen, he was glad to run up to the chamber over the gate, where he was sitting when he heard the tidings, there in se∣cret to poure out his sorrow; nor was he able to suppresse his passions ••o long▪ but as he went up, as it follows in the next words, he brake out into a bitter lamentation, O my sonne Absalom, my sonne, my sonne Absalom, would God I had died for thee, &c. Because he feared his everlasting perdition, he wished that he had died rather then Absalom.