son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari; 15 And Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal, and Mattaniah the son of Micah, the son of Zichri, the son of Asaph; 16 And Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, that dwelt in the villages of the Netophathites. 17 And the porters were, Shallum, and Akkub, and Talmon, and Ahiman, and their brethren: Shallum was the chief; 18 Who hitherto waited in the king's gate eastward: they were porters in the companies of the children of Levi. 19 And Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brethren, of the house of his father, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the gates of the tabernacle: and their fathers, being over the host of the LORD, were keepers of the entry. 20 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time past, and the LORD was with him. 21 And Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was porter of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 22 All these which were chosen to be porters in the gates were two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by their genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer 'did ordain in their 'set office. 23 So they and their children had the oversight of the gates of the house of the LORD, namely, the house of the tabernacle, by wards. 24 In four quarters were the porters, toward the east, west, north, and south. 25 And their brethren, which were in their villages, were to come after seven days from time to time with them. 26 For these Levites, the four chief porters, were in their 'set office, and were over the 'chambers and treasuries of the house of God. 27 And they lodged round about the house of God, because the charge was upon them, and the opening thereof every morning pertained to them. 28 And certain of them had the charge of the ministering vessels, that they should bring them in and out by tale. 29 Some of them also were appointed to oversee the vessels, and all the 'instruments of the sanctuary, and the fine flour, and the wine, and the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices. 30 And some of the sons of the priests made the ointment of the spices. 31 And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, had the "set office over the things that were made "in the pans. 32 And other of their brethren, of the sons of the Kohathites, were over the 'shewbread, to bread, to prepare it every sabbath. 33 And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, who remaining in the chambers were free: for "they were employed in that work day and night. 34 These chief fathers of the Levites were chief throughout their generations; these dwelt at Jerusalem. 35 And in Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon, Jehiel, whose wife's name was "Maachah: 36 And his firstborn son Abdon, then Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Ner, and Nadab, 37 And Gedor, and Ahio, and Zechariah, and Mikloth. 38 And Mikloth begat Shimeam. And they also dwelt with their brethren at Jerusalem, over against their brethren. 16 39 And Ner begat Kish; and Kish begat Saul; and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchi-shua, and Abinadab, and Esh-baal. 40 And the son of Jonathan was Merib baal: and Merib-baal begat Micah. 41 And the sons of Micah were, Pithon, and Melech, and Tahrea, 17and Ahaz. 42 And Ahaz begat Jarah; and Jarah begat Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri begat Moza; 43 And Moza begat Binea; and Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son. 44 And Azel had six sons, whose names are these, Azrikam, Bocheru, and Ishmael, and Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan. these were the sons of Azel. 3 Heb. thresholds. 4 Heb. founded. 5 Or, trust. 6 Or, trust. 7 Or, storehouses. * Heb. bring them in by tale, and carry them out by tale. 9 Or, vessels. 10 Exod. 30. 23. 11 Or, trust. 12 Or, on flat plates, or shces. 13 Heb. bread of ordering. 14 Heb. upon them. 15 Chap. 8. 29. 10 Chap. 8. 33. 17 Chap. 8. 35. Verse 1. "Reckoned by genealogies...written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah."-There can be no question that Godwin ("Moses and Aaron") is right in stating that "public records were kept, wherein every one's genealogy was registered, to manifest to what particular tribe he belonged." The present is one of the texts which prove this. 291 2 P 2 Compare also chap. v. 17, and 2 Chron. xii. 15; xiii. 22. The fact is also attested by the concurrent testimony of all the Hebrew writers. With reference to the passage before us, Jennings (the commentator on Godwin) ot serves, "By the book of the kings,' cannot be meant those two historical books, which now pass under that name, these genealogies not being written therein, but some authentic records of their genealogies, called 'the King's Book,' probably as being under his custody, of which it is not unlikely there was a duplicate, one copy kept by the king of Judah, the other by the king of Israel, for it is called, the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.'" It is indeed important to observe that the genealogical tables through which we have now been passing, exhibit a specimen of the most ancient form of history in the world; for it is generally agreed that in most nations the first histories were, like this, no other than public genealogical tables, in which were sparingly interspersed such brief references to events which happened while particular persons lived, or in which they were engaged, as we find in these chapters, as also in the more ancient genealogies of Genesis. Thus in the genealogy in Gen. x. ; we find, under the name of Nimrod, a notice of the kingdom which he founded and the cities which he built: after the enumeration of Canaan's sons, we have an indication of the geographical situation of the Canaanitish settlements: and under the name of Peleg, the genealogist remarks that "in his days was the earth divided." Some similar historical and biographical notices have engaged our attention in the notes to the preceding chapters. As a further corroboration of the genealogical character of early history, it may be observed that the word for genealogies or generations ( toldoth) is that by which "history" also, whether general or particular, is expressed in Hebrew; this the reader may observe by comparing the historical significations which the word must bear in Gen. i. 4; vi. 9; xxxvii. 2, where it is clear that the rendering "generations" is inapplicable, though correctly so given elsewhere. It is evident from the present chapter, as well as from the last verses of chap. iii., that the Hebrews continued their genealogical registers during the captivity; and it seems they continued to do so till after the time of Christ. There is a story indeed that the genealogical registers were destroyed by Herod, who was himself of impure descent. This is stated by Eusebius: but it is probable that he was misinformed; or that if some of the more public copies were destroyed, there were others (perhaps in private hands) which escaped destruction. For there is considerable indication that the Jews preserved their genealogies and kept up the distinction of tribes a good while later. The genealogies of Christ which are given by Matthew and Luke, were doubtless taken from authentic existing registers. Paul also says, and was doubtless in a condition to prove, that he was "a Hebrew of the Hebrews," and "of the tribe of Benjamin ;" and St. James addresses his epistle to "the twelve tribes that are scattered abroad." At a still later period, Josephus gives the genealogy of his family, and says that he gives it as he found it written in the public tables. He adds, that all the priests were obliged to prove their succession from an ancient line; and, if unable to do so, were excluded from the priesthood. From this it appears that there were public genealogical tables of tribes and families so late as Josephus, who lived at and after the destruction of Jerusalem. "It is probable," says Jennings, "that after the dispersion of the Jews, upon the dissolution of their polity, the genealogical tables came to be neglected, and so gradually perished. Some imagine that their frequent intermarriages with the people of the countries into which they were dispersed, made them designedly discontinue them, that the corrupt mixture and debasement of their blood might not appear. However that be, it is certain, that they have long since been lost." (Jewish Antiquities,' p. 88. See also Jahn's 'Archæologia;' and Lightfoot on Matt. í.) 18. "The king's gate."-So it would seem, that although the new temple was built when the Hebrews had no king of their own, they failed not to have a "king's gate," as in the old temple-probably in hope that the sceptre would ere long be again restored to the house of David. It is a frequent method of honouring eastern monarchs by appropriating gates, in one way or another, to their more especial or exclusive use. The king's gate to the temple was no doubt kept constantly closed, except when the monarch came to the temple. Perhaps it is with an especial reference to such a distinguished gate, opened only for a king, that the Psalmist refers in his triumphal ode: "Lift up your heads, O ye gates: and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the king of glory shall come in." (Ps. xxiv. 7.) There being now no king, the gate was probably kept constantly closed, although porters attended. Perhaps it was walled up. The noblest gate of Bagdad-the Talism gate-by which the sultan Murad IV. quitted the city after having recovered it from the Persians, was immediately walled up, that no less exalted person might afterwards pass through, it being consecrated, as it were, to his honour. It still remains thus closed, and will never, as we understood, be reopened, unless for the entrance or egress of another sultan. So also (as we learn from Burckhardt) at the convent of Mount Sinai, the great gate is walled up, and the entrance is by a window. But if the archbishop were to come, the gate must be opened to admit him: and the Bedouins of the neighbourhood would be entitled to enormous fees on the occasion, and their sheikhs would have a right to enter within the walls; the prospect of which inconveniences has prevented any of the successive archbishops from visiting the place for the last seventy years. 3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers 'hit him, and he was wounded of the archers. 4 Then said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. 5 And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on the sword, and died. 6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house died together. 7 And when all the men of Israel that were in the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, then they forsook their cities, and fled: and the Philistines came and dwelt in them. 8 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons fallen in mount Gilboa. 9 And when they had stripped him, they took his head, and his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry tidings unto their idols, and to the people. 10 And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon. 7 Heb. transgressed. CHAP. X.-The parallel between the books of Samuel and Chronicles begins with this chapter, the whole of which, with the exception of the two concluding and supplementary verses, may be found with little variation in 1 Sam. xxxi. : see the notes there. Verse 10. "They put his armour in the house of their gods."-See the notes on 1 Sam. xv. 12, and xxi. 19. In the former of those notes, we mentioned the trophies which the ancients were accustomed to erect with the armour taken from the defeated enemy, and also noticed the sculptured representations of such trophies. Our present wood-cut exhibits one of these; and will serve to show the manner in which the armour was set up and displayed, whether in the open air, on the spot of victory, or in temples. In the note referred to we only described such trophies as were erected in the open air; but armour was also, on the same principle and after the same general fashion, hung upon the pillars of temples. The armour was frequently a votive offering to the god in whose temple it was placed; that is, when a vow had been made to a particular god, that, in the event of victory, the armour of one or more distinguished foes should decorate his temple. An early notice of this custom occurs in Homer, in Hector's challenge: It is very possible that the Philistines had in the same manner previously vowed that, if victorious, they would place the armour of Saul in the temple of Ashtaroth (for it was her temple: see 1 Sam. xxxi. 10). Virgil alludes to such decorations of temples in his description of that in which Latinus received the ambassadors of Æneas: "Hung on the pillars, all around appears A row of trophies, helmets, shields, and spears, And solid bars, and axes keenly bright, And naval beaks, and chariots seiz'd in fight." Eneid, vii. 183. PITT. It is scarcely necessary to observe that, as appears from ancient sculptures and coins, although the trophied pillars were dressed with armour and arms on the same general principle of arrangement, there was great variation in the details. Our wood-cut represents the magnificent military trophy erected to celebrate the victory of Trajan over the Dacii, given by Montfaucon. "Fastened his head in the temple of Dagon."-This circumstance is omitted in the parallel text, and completes the account. It is there said that the body was fastened to the wall of Bethshan; and we now learn that the body only was thus disposed of, the head, as a more glorious trophy, being sent to the temple of Dagon. Dagon."-See the note on 1 Sam. v. 2. 66 CHAPTER XI. 1 David by a general consent is made king at Hebron. 4 He winneth the castle of Zion from the Jebusites by Joab's valour. 10 A catalogue of David's mighty men. THEN 'all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. 2 And moreover 'in time past, even when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD thy God said unto thee, Thou shalt 'feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over my people Israel. 3 Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD "by 'Samuel. 4 ¶ And David and all Israel 'went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. 5 And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the city of David. 6 And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief. 7 And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it the city of David. 8 And he built the city round about, even from Millo round about: and Joab 'repaired the rest of the city. 9 So David waxed greater and greater: for the LORD of hosts was with him. 10 "These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who "strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel. 11 And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had; Jashobeam, 13an Hachmonite, the chief of the captains: he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain by him at one time. 12 Sam. 5. 1. Heb. both yesterday and the third day. 19 Or, held strongly with him. 13 Or, son of Hachmoni. Or, rule. 12 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties. 13 He was with David at "Pas-dammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines. 14 And they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great "deliverance. 15 Now "three of the thirty captains 18 went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim. 16 And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines' garrison was then at Bethlehem. 17 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, that is at the gate! 18 And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD. 19 And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men "that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest. 20 And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them, and had a name among the three. 21 20Of the three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain: howbeit he attained not to the first three. 22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, "who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab: also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day. 23 And he slew an Egyptian, "a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's 62 Sam. 5. 6. 11 2 Sam. 23.8. 16 Or, salvation. 21 Heb. great of deeds. 4 Heb. by the hand of. 51 Sam. 16. 13. beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear. 24 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among the three mighties. 25 Behold, he was honourable among the thirty, but attained not to the first three: and David set him over his guard. 26 ¶ Also the valiant men of the armies were, Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem, 27 Shammoth the "Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, 28 Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abi-ezer the Antothite, 35 Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, 36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, 37 Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai, 38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar "the son of Haggeri, 39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armourbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, 42 Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a captain of the Reubenites, and thirty with 29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the him, Ahohite, 30 Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, 31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, that pertained to the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, 32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, 43 Hanan the son of Maachah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite, 44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel the sons of Hothan the Aroerite, 45 Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, 46 Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah 33 Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Moabite, the Shaalbonite, 34 The sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite, 23 Or, Harodite, 2 Sam. 23. 25. 47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jasiel the Mesobaite. 24 Or, the Haggerite. 25 Or, Shimrite. CHAP. XI.—This chapter comprises two parts which are widely separated in 2 Sam. The first portion, being an account of the settlement of David in the throne of Israel, and his taking Zion from the Jebusites, is found in 2 Sam. v. ; but the account of the worthies is not given till chap. xxiii. of the same book. With respect to the exploits of these gallant men, we may observe that, however wonderful some of them may be, as evidences of individual prowess, it can only be from the want of proper consideration that any one could consider them incredible, even if they had been related in only a work of common authority, referring to early times, or to the same countries at any time. It is quite true that we do not hear of such exploits in modern European warfare; but they are not the less credible on this account. The fact is, that with us war has become a science, the master of which is he who is best skilled in the direction and management of the combined power of disciplined masses for the attainment of a given object. This leaves little opportunity for individuals to distinguish themselves by personal prowess on the one hand, or, on the other, for producing marked effects, either by the slaughter or panic of a force similarly managed and constituted. But the case was different in early times, and, to a considerable extent, is still in the East. There a battle is rather a conflict of individuals than of masses; and while the same object is in view, every one is much at liberty to seek its attainment in whatever manner his spirit prompts him to adopt. Hence it is that we continually read in Asiatic history of the prodigious exploits of particular heroes, by which the loosely associated bodies to which they are opposed are routed with great slaughter, but which would not have made the slightest impression on the well organised and closely compacted mass, and the unity of purpose and action of a European regiment. See the note on 1 Sam. xvii. 10. 11. “Three hundred slain by him at one time."-The "Hachmonite" who performed this exploit is supposed to be the same as the "Tachmonite" of 1 Sam. xxiii. 8; but the slaughter of eight hundred is there ascribed to him. The difference has been variously explained. Lightfoot combines the texts thus:-"He lift up his spear against eight hundred, and slew three hundred of them:" and some understand, that after three hundred had been slain, the rest fled, and were pursued and killed by his men, whose act is ascribed to him on account of the previous slaughter he had made. Kimchi thinks there were two battles, in one of which Jashobeam slew three hundred, and in the other eight hundred. But Boothroyd reconciles the texts by adopting the number three hundred in both; and further extenuates the exploits of the worthies by reading, "He at one time, raising his spear, penetrated through three hundred men ;" observing, in a note, that the word rendered "slain", chalal) in our version has often the signification he gives it here. This is true in the general sense, but we believe that a comparison of texts will show that, when used in reference to persons, the penetrating through involved in the meaning, signifies running through with a weapon, so as to kill or mortally wound; and that it never means breaking through an opposing force. Accordingly, in this very chapter (verse 18), the act of the three worthies, who broke or penetrated through the host of the Philistines, is described not by this word, but by one quite different, yp, baka, which has unquestionably the meaning which Boothroyd and some others would here assign to the word of the present verse-apparently from a desire to render more credible the circumstance recorded; but which, although extraordinary, is rendered sufficiently credible by such considerations as those which we have stated in the preceding note. |