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. XXIII.

Vers. 1. NOw these be the last words of David.] That is, the last that he wrote by the inspiration of the holy Ghost, for the use of the Church.

David the sonne of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, &c.] He mentions here of what house he came, and how God exalted him, that hereby the grace and mercy of God to him, might be the more magnified, in raising him from so mean an estate, to that height of honour wherein he lived.

Vers. 4. And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sunne riseth, even a morning without clouds, &c.] That is, who so ruleth as is before said, he shall reign prosperously, and still encrease in glory; his glory shall be like the morning light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day, as the tender grasse springing out of the earth, by clear shining after rain, that is, the glory of his kingdome shall be great, and shall dayly encrease like the grasse, that hath seasonably the moistening rain, and warming sunne to make it sprout up and grow.

Vers. 5. Although my house be not so with God: yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant.] This clause hath reference both to that which is said con∣cerning Gods command, vers. 3. He that ruleth over men, must he just, ruling in the fear of God: and also to that, vers. 4. concerning the prosperity and glory of his kingdome, who so ruleth his people, as is said, justly, and in the fear of God; and the meaning is this, though I have not been so exactly just, as God requireth in the ruling of his people, and though my posterity fail exceedingly of what God requires of them, and so be guilty as it were, of breaking covenant with God, and though therefore my house or kingdome hath not yet attained that height of glory, though that promise concerning the prosperitie of my house be not yet accomplished; ne∣verthelesse, seeing he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, to wit, that my house, kingdome, and throne shall be established for ever, chap. 7.16. namely in the Messiah that shall come out of my loins, and this covenant is ordered in all things, and sure, that is, ordered, and established in every thing, by him who is faithfull and sure to perform what he covenants with his children, though they come farre short of that which they should do, I know that this which he hath promised he will per∣form.

For this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.] That is, this which God hath promised concerning the everlasting kingdome of the Messiah springing out of my house, this is that whereon my salvation depends, this is that which I onely desire, although he make it not to grow, that is though the glory of my temporall kingdome do not grow and encrease, as was before promised, vers. 4. so this be performed, I shall have my desire.

Vers. 6. But the sonnes of Belial, shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, &c.] That is, all prophane, gracelesse, and stubborn wretches, that will not stoop to Gods government, (and why these are called sonnes of Belial, we may see in the note, Deut. 13.13.) because they cannot be taken with hands, that is, they are intractable and incorrigible, there's no dealing with them in a gentle way, they will scratch and tear those that offer to touch them, God will cut them up, and cast them out, deli∣vering them up to the instruments of his wrath, and so as thorns, they shall be ut∣terly burnt with fire, in the same place, that is, in the very place where they grew, or the place whither they are thrust away: and so the meaning may be, either that they shall be utterly destroyed and consumed here in this world, or that they shall be made the fewell of hell fire hereafter.

Vers. 8. These be the names of the mighty men whom David had.] His chief Colonels and Captains under Joab the Generall of all his forces, men renowned for their valour and admirable exploits, and such as were great supporters to David in all his troubles, as it is expressed, 1. Chron. 11.10. These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his king∣dome, and with all Israel to make him king: It seems that thirty of them, were Captains of thousands, over whom there were six Colonels, though the first three had some preheminence of place and honour above the second three: happely three of them were Colonels, and the other three were Lievetenant Colonels.

The Tachmonite that sate in the seat chief among the captains, (the same was Adino the Eznite) he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one

time.] In the 1. Chron. 11.11. this is expressed thus, Jashobeam an Hachmonite, the chief of the captains, he lift up his spear against three hundred, slain by him at one time: so that by comparing these two places together we may probably at least conclude concerning this man, who was the first of Davids worthies: first, that his proper name was Adino, as is here expressed: secondly, that he was called the Ez∣nite from the countrey where he was born, or bred; the Tachmonite, or Hach∣monite, from his parentage, being the sonne of one Tachmoni, or Hachmoni; and Jahobeam from his place of honour, because he sat in the seat, as is here said, to wit, as president of the counsel of warre among the captains, for Jashobeam or as it is in the margent of our bibles, Josheb-bassebet, doth indeed signifie, he that sits in the chair: and seems therefore to be a name given in allusion to his place of dignitie, as being the first of the first three colonels, the chief under Joab amongst the captains: and thirdly, whereas it is said here, that there were eight hundred whom he slew at one time; but in 1. Chron. 11.11. there is mention but of three hundred slain by him at one time: for the reconciling of this seeming difference, it must be held, ei∣ther that there were eight hundred slain by him at one time, & three hundred at ano∣ther; or else rather, (if both places relate one and the same fight) that he discomfited and put to flight eight hundred, whereof onely three hundred were slain outright by him, the rest by others, which yet are here said to be slain by him, because it was by means of his routing them, and beating them down before them, that they were slain.

Vers. 9. And after him was Eleazer the sonne of Dodo the Ahohite, &c.] That is, one of the posterity of Ahoah a Benjamite, 1. Chron. 8.4. this was also one of the three mighty men with David, that is, one of Davids three mighty men, to wit, the second of the first three, one of them that defied the Philistines, vanquished and smote them when the men of Israel were gone away; that is, when they fled from before the Philistines; for so it is expressed, 1. Chron. 11.13, 14. where also some circumstances of this exploit, are more particularly related, to wit, that it was at Pasdammim, and in a parcel of ground, full of barley, which he de∣fended against the Philistines, the rest of the people being sled away, and slow them there, so that at last the people returned to the spoil of the enemy, as it follows here in the next verse.

Vers. 10. And his hand clave unto the sword.] That is, when he had done slay∣ing the Philistines he was not able to let go his sword, or take his hand away from it; whether because his hand was as it were glued with bloud to the hilt of his sword, or because the nerves and sinews of his hand were so benummed with grasping it so hard, and holding it so long, that he could not take it off.

Vers. 11. And after him was Shammah.] This was the third worthy of the first three: in the 1. Chron. 11. this Shammah is not mentioned, but as is above noted, the very same exploit is there ascribed to Eleazar, which is here ascribed to Shammah, to wit, that he alone defended a field of corn against a troop of Phili∣stines, and rooted, and slew them, when his men runne away from him, onely this is said to have been done in a piece of ground full of lentiles; that by Eleazar in a parcel of ground full of barley: it is therefore probably conceived by Interpretours, that this exploit against the Philistines, was joyntly performed by both these cap∣tains at one and the same time, and therefore it is said, 1. Chron. 11.14. that they

set themselves in the midst of that parcel of ground, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines, and that there being both barley and lentiles in the same field, Eleazar kept the Philistines from the barley field, and Shammah from that part that had the lentiles.

Vers. 13. And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the har∣vest time, &c.] There is nothing in the text whereby we can certainly conclude, who these three worthies were that fetched water from the well of Bethlehem for David: some think that they were three of those thirty named in the latter part of this chap∣ter; others, that they were the three colonells in the second rank, or Lieuetenant colonells: but the most generall opinion of Expositours is, that they were the first three immediately before mentioned, to wit, Adino the Tachmonite, Eleazer, and Shammah, which seems the more probable, because the 1. Chron. 11, 19. this passage is shut up with this clause: these things did these three mightiest. Before we are told what they did severally, here an exploit is added which they did all joyntly to∣gether, and if it be so, then these first words, and the three of the thirty chief went down, &c. must be thus understood, that the three chief of the thirty, or colonells and commanders of the thirty, that is over the thirty, went down and came to Da∣vid, &c.

Vers 15. Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, &c.] Though David were happely at present distressed for want of water, yet he spake not these words, as desiring to stirre up any of his souldiers to fetch it for him, but occasionally to shew how precious a draught of that water would be in that his distresse, as if he should have said, what would one give now for a draught of the water of the well of Bethlehem.

Vers. 16. And the three mightie men brake through the host of the Philistines, &c.] Though they knew there was at that time a garison of the Philistines in Beth∣lehem, as is before noted, vers. 14. and that there was a band of the Philistines that lay in the valley of Rephaim, vers. 13. in the way as they were to go to Bethlehem: yet no sooner did David seem to wish for a draught of the water of the well of Bethle∣hem, but those three resolved to satisfie his desire, and so breaking through the host of the Philistines, to wit, which lay in the valley of Rephaim, they came to Bethle∣hem, and in despite of the garison there, drew of that water, and brought it unto David.

Neverthelesse he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord.] That is, as out of respect to God, and to testifie how farre he was from desiring to to expose so rashly the lives of his Captains, for satisfying of his desire to drink of this water, he poured it out upon the ground, though it seems at that time they wanted water, and therefore that might be thought an act of folly, to cast away wa∣ter procured with so much danger; it is said, he did it unto the Lord, that is, out of a religious respect, to make known how farre he was from desiring to hazard their lives to please his appetite.

Vers. 18. And Abishai the brother of Joab, the sonne of Zeruiah, was chief a∣mong three.] That is, among the second three.

And he lift up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, &c.] Other va∣liant acts he did besides, as that when he went with David into the midst of Sauls

camp, 1. Sam. 26.6. Who will go down with me to Saul, to the camp, and Abishai said, I will go down with thee: 2. Sam. 21.16, 17. And Ishbi-benob, which was of the sonnes of the giant, (the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brasse in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain Da∣vid. But Abishai the sonne of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him: but here that onely is recorded, which was not mentioned before.

Vers. 20. And Benaiah the sonne of Jehoiada, the sonne of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, &c.] A citie in Judahs tribe, Josh. 15.21. this was the second of the se∣cond three.

He went down also, and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.] His valour in slaying the lion, is here amplified by two circumstances: first, that it was in the midst of a pit, where the room was strait, and where he knew beforehand he must either kill or be killed: and secondly, that it was in the snow-time, when lions are most fierce by reason, then they want there prey, the sheep and cattel being usu∣ally shut up in such hard weather.

Vers. 21. And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, &c.] 1. Chron. 11.23. it is expressed that he was a man of great sta∣ture, five cubits high, and that his spear was like a weavers beam.

Vers. 22. These things did Benaiah the sonne of Jehoiada, and had the name among the three mighty men.] That is, among the second three; who was the third of the second three, is not here expressed, some reckon one of those worthies menti∣oned, chap, 21.18. &c. Sibbechai, Elhanan, and Jonathan: others Asahel the bro∣ther of Joab, vers. 24. and that especially, because there are thirty mentioned besides him, in the following verses, which seems to me most probable, yet nothing can be certainly concluded upon such uncertain grounds.

Thirty and seven in all.] There are here in this catalogue, onely thirty one na∣med, to which if we joyn the five worthies, or colonells mentioned in the former part of the chapter, that makes but thirty six; and therefore to make up this number of thirty seven; either Joab must be comprehended, as being generall of all the kings forces; or else the third of the second three worthies, not being here expressed by name.