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with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and Hcb., helped after servants: (10) but Nathan the prophet,

with Abiathar the priest: and they 3following Adonijah helped him. (8) But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and

Adonijah.

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mothers. The means, moreover, which Adonijah em-
ployed, the body-guard of fifty men, and the main-
tenance of "chariots and horsemen," are exactly imi-
tated from the example of Absalom (2 Sam. xv. 1);
and we note that the festal sacrifice, with the support
of two important leaders in peace and war, recalls
the same model.
the
But Adonijah hardly shows the
craft and ruthless determination of the elder rebel.
His attempt on the crown seems crude and ill-planned
in conception, and wanting in promptitude of action.

(7) Joab.-The books of Samuel have brought out clearly the career and character of Joab, as being (in some degree like Abner) a professed soldier, raised to a formidable and half-independent power by the incessant wars of Saul and David. He stands out in consistent portraiture throughout, as a bold, hard, and unscrupulous man; in his relations to the king often imperious and disobedient; but nevertheless an absolutely loyal servant, to whom, in great degree, the establishment of David's throne was due, and who, moreover (as is shown by his remonstrance against the numbering of the people, recorded in 2 Sam. xxiv. 3; 1 Chron. xxi. 3, 6), was not without some right instincts of policy and of duty to God.

Abiathar the priest.-Of Abiathar we also know that he had been the companion of all David's adversity, and of his reign at Hebron (1 Sam. xxii. 20, xxiii. 6, 9, xxx. 7; 2 Šam. ii. 1-4); that he was ininstalled (with Zadok) as high priest at Jerusalem, and remained faithful to David in the rebellion of Absalom (2 Sam. viii. 17, xv. 24-29).

The adhesion of these two faithful servants of David, as also of "the king's sons," and "the men of Judah, the king's servants," to the rash usurpation of Adonijah, seems strange at first sight. Probably Joab had never recovered his position in the king's favour since the death of Absalom; and it is possible that the evident growth of despotic power and state in David's latter years may have alienated from him the trusty friends of earlier and simpler days. But the true explanation would seem to be, that the attempt of Adonijah was not viewed as an actual rebellion. Solomon was young; David's designation of him for the succession might be represented as the favouritism of dotage; and the assumption of the crown by the eldest son, a man in the prime of life and of popular qualities, might seem not only justifiable, but even right and expedient.

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(8) Zadok the priest (son of Ahitub) was the representative of the family of Eleazar, elder son of Aaron, as Abiathar of the family of Ithamar, the younger son (1 Chron. xxiv. 3). As a young man of valour," under "Jehoiada, leader of the Aaronites," he joined David at Hebron with 3,700 men (1 Chron. xii. 28), and had been left in charge of the Tabernacle at

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and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.

(11) Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon, say

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Gibeon (1 Chron. xvi. 39) after the removal of the Ark to Jerusalem. On his relation to Abiathar, see chap. ii. 35. Benaiah, the son of "Jehoiada, a chief priest,' and therefore of Levitical origin. (See 2 Sam. viii. 18, xxiii. 20-23; 1 Chron. xxvii. 5, 6.) His rank is given in 2 Sam. xxiii. 23, as intermediate between three mighty men " and "the thirty," and in 1 Chron. xxvii. 5, as "the third captain of the host for the third month"; but his command of the bodyguard gave him special importance, second only to that of Joab (2 Sam. xx. 23), and perhaps of even greater importance for immediate action. (It is notable that there is no mention of Abishai, who is named as prior to Benaiah among "the mighty men" in 2 Sam. xxiii. 18-22. It may be inferred that he was dead; otherwise he could hardly have been omitted here.)

Nathan the prophet.--See 2 Sam. vii. 2, xii. 1, 25. In the whole chapter he appears rather as a chief officer and counsellor of David, than in the loftier aspect of the prophetic character. He was also the royal chronicler of the reigns of David and Solomon (1 Chr. xxix. 29; 2 Chr. ix. 29).

Shimei, and Rei.-Ewald conjectures that these were two brothers of David, called Shimma and Raddai in 1 Chron. ii. 13, 14. These, however, being older than David, would now be in extreme old age. Of Rei, we have no mention elsewhere; but there is a Shimei (in 1 Kings iv. 18), a high officer of Solomon; a 66 Shimea," brother of Solomon (in 1 Chron. iii. 5), and a " Shammah," one of the " mighty men" (in 2 Sam. xxiii. 11).

The mighty men.-See 2 Sam. xxiii. 8-39. The name Gibbôrim is a technical name, and is thought to designate a picked body of troops, the standing nucleus of the armies of Israel. It is commonly inferred that they were the successors of the six hundred men of David's band during his life of wandering and exile, and that the three " and the thirty" (2 Sam. xxiii.) were their officers. They are mentioned as attached to the person of David in 2 Sam. x. 7; xvi. 6; xx. 7.

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(9) The stone of Zoheleth.-The meaning is uncertain. The derivation seems to be from a root, meaning to "crawl," or "steal on. Some interpreters render, the "stone of the serpents; the Targums make it "the rolling stone;" other authorities "the stone of the conduit," which would suit well its position as here described.

(See

En-rogel." The spring of the fuller." Joshua xv. 7, xviii. 16; 2 Sam. xvii. 17.) Its proximity would be useful for the purposes of sacrifice; for it appears to be the only natural spring near Jerusalem, situated not far from Siloam.

(11) Wherefore Nathan.-The initiative taken by Nathan is especially natural, since he had been the

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ing, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah
the son of "Haggith doth reign, and
David our lord knoweth it not? (12) Now
therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give
thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine
own life, and the life of thy son Solo-a 2 Sam. 3. 4.
mon. (13) Go and get thee in unto king
David, and say unto him, Didst not
thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine
handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon
thy son shall reign after me, and he
shall sit upon my throne? why then Heb. All up.
doth Adonijah reign? (14) Behold, while
thou yet talkest there with the king, I
also will come in after thee, and 1con-
firm thy words.

2 Heb., What to thee?

(15) And Bath-sheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king. (16) And Bath-sheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, 2 What wouldest thou? (17) And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by 3 Heb., sinners. the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne. (18) And now, behold,

medium both of the prophecy to David of the son who should build the Lord's house (2 Sam. vii. 12-15), and also of the blessing on Solomon, embodied in the name Jedidiah ("beloved of Jehovah," 2 Sam. xii. 25). Perhaps for this very reason the conspirators had altogether held aloof from him.

(12) The life of . . . Solomon.-The usurpation of Adonijah would, as a matter of course, be sealed by the blood of his rival Solomon. (Comp. 2 Chron. xxi. 4.) Bath-sheba herself need hardly have been sacrificed; but her position of favour with David would excite jealousy, and Solomon, being still young, might well be thought only an instrument in her hands. (13) Didst not thou swear. Of this oath we have no mention elsewhere. It may have belonged to the time of Solomon's birth (2 Sam. xii. 24, 25). In 1 Chron. xxii. 6-13, we find a designation of Solomon for succession, apparently earlier than this time—it being clearly understood (see verse 20), according to Oriental custom, that such designation, without strict regard to priority of birth, lay in the prerogative of the reigning king.

(14) While thou yet talkest.-The whole history seems to indicate a growth of royal state and Oriental reverence for the king's person since the defeat of Absalom, contrasted with the comparative simplicity of intercourse with him in earlier days, and preparatory to the still greater development of majesty and despotism under Solomon. Bath-sheba's entrance into the bedchamber seems to be looked upon as an intrusion, to be ventured upon only in the humble attitude of a suppliant. Nathan does not presume to approach the king with remonstrance, till the maternal anxiety of Bath-sheba has paved the way. (Comp. in Esther iv.

Petition the King.

Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not: (19) and he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called. (20) And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. (21) Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

3

(22) And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. (23) And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. (24) And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? (25) For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king's

10-16, the picture of the still more unapproachable royalty of Persia.)

(21) Shall sleep with his fathers.-Here this phrase, so constantly used in the record of the death of the kings, occurs in these books for the first time. (It is also found in the message of promise by Nathan, 2 Sam. vii. 12, relating to the succession of the son who should build the Temple.) We find corresponding expressions in Gen. xv. 15; Deut. xxxi. 16. Without connecting with the use of this phrase anything like the fulness of meaning which in the New Testament attaches to "the sleep" of the departed servants of God (as known to be a "sleep in Jesus "), it seems not unreasonable to recognise in it, at least, a rudimentary belief in death as rest and not extinction. The addition, "with his fathers," has probably a reference to" the tombs of the kings;" especially as we find that it is not adopted in the cases of Jehoram (2 Chron. xxi. 20) and Joash (2 Chron. xxiv. 25), who were not buried therein.

(24) Hast thou said.-The question here and in verse 27 is, of course, merely intended to draw out denial; but it is singularly true to nature that it does so by the assumption (natural in court language) that nothing of such a kind could be even conceived as done without the king's will. There is something striking in the contrast of the deference of Nathan as a counsellor on state business with the bold superiority of his tone in the discharge of his true prophetic office (as in 2 Sam. vii. 2-17, xii. 1-14).

(25) God save king Adonijah.-Literally (as in 1 Sam. x. 24; 2 Sam. xvi. 16, &c.), "May the king live;” like the "Let the king live for ever " of verse 31, and of Neh. ii. 3; Dan. ii. 4, iii. 9, &c.

David renews his

I. KINGS, I.

Oath to Bath-sheba.

(32) And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king. (33) The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause

sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, 'God save king Adonijah. (26) But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called. Het king Solomon my son to ride upon mine

(27) Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed it unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

(28) Then king David answered and said, Call me Bath-sheba. And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king. (29) And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress, (30) even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day. (31) Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

Adonijah live.

king.

own mule, and bring him down to Gihon: (34) and let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon. (35) Then ye shall come up after him, 2 Heb., before the that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah. (36) And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the LORD God of my lord the king say so too. (37) As the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.

3 Heb., which belongeth to me.

(29) As the Lord liveth, that hath redeemed my soul.—A characteristic adjuration of David, found also in 2 Sam. iv. 9; but now peculiarly appropriate in the old man, who was so near the haven of rest, after all the storms of life. "O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer," is the climax of his address to God, as the Creator of all things and the ruler of all men, in Ps. xix. 14.

(32) Call me Zadok.-This sudden flash of the old energy in David, and the clear, terse directions which he gives for carrying out all the necessary parts of the inauguration of Solomon's royalty, striking enough in themselves, are still more striking in contrast with the timidity and despondency with which, when far younger, he had received the news of Absalom's rebellion. For then he felt the coming of God's threatened chastisement; now he knows that this is passed, and that God is on his side.

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(33) Gihon ("breaking forth") is clearly a place in the valley, under the walls of Jerusalem, mentioned as having a watercourse, or torrent, diverted by Hezekiah in his preparation of the city for siege (2 Chron. xxxii. 30), and as forming one end of a new wall". to the fish gate," built by Manasseh; but whether it is on the west of the city, near the present Jaffa gate, or (as seems more probable) on the south, at the end of the valley called the Tyropaeon, running through the city, has been doubted. The Targums here read Siloam; and this agrees with the latter supposition, which is also supported by the proximity to Adonijah's feast at En-rogel, implied in the narrative.

(34) Anoint him`... king.-It is notable that of this solemn inauguration of royalty, marked emphatically as a religious consecration by the common phrase "the Lord's anointed "-then especially in use (1 Sam. xvi. 6, xxiv. 6, xxvi. 9; 2 Sam. i. 14, xix. 21), though

(38) So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of

found also occasionally in the later books (Lam. iv. 20) -there is no mention of the tumultuous usurpation of Adonijah. Probably, as in the appointment of Saul and David himself, the right to anoint was recognised as belonging to the prophetic order (see chap. xix. 16), inasmuch as it signified the outpouring of the Holy Spirit of the Lord. (Comp. Acts x. 38.) Hence, in the absence of Nathan, it could not be attempted. In the case of David, such anointing had marked (1 Sam. xvi. 13) his first private designation for the kingdom by Samuel, and his public accession to royalty, first over Judah (2 Sam. ii. 4), then over all Israel (2 Sam. v. 3).

The completeness of the old King's provision is especially to be noticed. The "riding on the King's mule," attended by the body-guard, marked the royal sanction; the anointing, the sanction of priest and prophet; and the acclamation the adhesion of the people. Then are to follow the enthronement and homage.

(35) Over Israel and over Judah.-The phrase clearly refers to the distinction, already tending to become a division, between Israel and Judah in relation to the monarchy. In the case of David himself, it may be observed that the record of his accession to royalty over Israel contains the notice of "a league" made by him with the elders of Israel (2 Sam. v. 3), to which there is nothing to correspond in the account of his becoming king over Judah (2 Sam. ii. 4). This perhaps indicates from the beginning a less absolute rule over the other tribes. Certainly the history of the rebellion of Absalom (2 Sam. xv. 10, 13, xviii. 6, 7), the disputes about the restoration of David (2 Sam. xix. 41—43), and the attempt of Sheba to take advantage of them (2 Sam. xx. 1, 2), show a looser allegiance of Israel than of Judah to the house of David.

(38) The Cherethites, and the Pelethites.-See 2 Sam. viii. 18, xv. 28, xx. 7, 23. The body-guard-per

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Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon. (39) And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. (40) And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with 1pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.

(41) And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar? (42) And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for thou art a valiant man, and bringest good tidings. (43) And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king. (44) And the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and

1 Or, flutes.

haps of foreign troops-" the executioners and runners (as some render them) to carry out the King's commands.

(39) An horn of oil out of the tabernacle. The sacred oil, the making of which is described in Exod. xxx. 22-30, was to be used for anointing the Tabernacle itself, and the altars and vessels, as well as the priests. It was this oil, no doubt, which was used in this case. The Tabernacle proper was still at Gibeon (see 2 Chron. i. 3); but a tent or tabernacle had been set up in Zion over the ark (2 Chron. i. 4), and the haste with which all was done would necessitate the taking the oil from the nearer source, in spite of the fact that Abiathar presided in Zion, and Zadok only in Gibeon.

(40) Piped with pipes.-The Greek Version has "danced in dances," by a slight variation of reading. The graphic description of the acclamation of the people indicates something more than conventional loyalty. The attempt of Adonijah relied on the support only of the great men, and perhaps the army, but had no popular following.

(41) When Joab heard.-It is one of the many lifelike touches of the narrative that it is the old warrior Joab who, amidst the revelry of his companions, notices the sound of the trumpet, and the acclamation following. Adonijah affects to disregard it.

(42) Jonathan the son of Abiathar.-See 2 Sam. xv. 27, xvii. 17-21, where he is named, with Ahimaaz, as a swift runner, fit to be a messenger. It is curious that a similar greeting to his companion Ahimaaz is used by David in 2 Sam. xviii. 27-possibly as a kind of omen of good fortune.

(46) And also Solomon sitteth.-Jonathan's announcement here takes up the narrative of events after

Adonijah flees.

they have caused him to ride upon the king's mule: (45) and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard. (46) And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom. (47) And moreover the king's servants came to bless our Lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed. (48) And also thus said the king, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.

(49) And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way. (50) And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar. (51) And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar,

verse 40. The public enthronement in the palace (ordered by David in verse 35) follows the anointing and acceptance by the acclamations of the people, as an integral part of the inauguration of royalty.

(47) The king bowed himself, that is, in worship (comp. Gen. xlvii. 31), at once joining in the prayer of his servants, and thanking God for the fulfilment of His promise.

(49) And all the guests.-Nothing is more striking than the sudden and humiliating collapse of the attempt of Adonijah, strongly supported as it was by Joab and Abiathar, in contrast with the formidable character of the rebellion of Absalom. This is another indication that the royal power had been greatly consolidated during the last peaceful years of David's reign. Perhaps, moreover, the usurpation of Adonijah, not being viewed as a rebellion against David, but only a presumption on his favour, was accordingly crushed at once by the expression of his will. It is strange that of all the conspirators Adonijah alone seems to have feared punishment at this time; his accomplices, the other conspirators, are apparently allowed to disperse in safety, and their rebellion is ignored.

(50) The horns of the altar.- The horns were projections from the altar, to which (see Ps. cxviii. 27) the victims were fastened, and on which the blood was sprinkled (Exod. xxix. 12). To take hold of them was, of course, to claim the right of sanctuary-a right, however, which the Law, ruled as usual by moral considerations, formally denied to wilful murder (Exod. xxi. 14), and which accordingly (see chap. ii. 30, 31) was refused hereafter to Joab. Adonijah, by the acknowledgment of "King Solomon," seems to represent his usurpation as one of those acts of haste and inadvertency, to which alone sanctuary was conceded.

Adonijah is Spared.

I. KINGS, II.

David counsels Solomon.

saying, Let king Solomon swear unto a Deut. 29.9; Josh. monies, as it is written in the law of

1.7.

1 Or, do wisely.

me to day that he will not slay his ser-
vant with the sword. (52) And Solomon
said, If he will shew himself a worthy
man, there shall not an hair of him fall
to the earth: but if wickedness shall be
found in him, he shall die. (53) So king
Solomon sent, and they brought him 2 Sam. 7. 12.
down from the altar. And he came and
bowed himself to king Solomon: and
Solomon said unto him, Go to thine
house.

Heb., be cut or from thee from

the throne.

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(52) There shall not a hair of him fall.-Solomon's pardon, though, according to Oriental ideas, an act of extraordinary grace, was yet characteristically cautious and conditional, to be withdrawn accordingly on the first symptom of any renewal of Adonijah's pretensions.

II.

The narrative in this chapter still continues much in the same graphic style and detail as in the previous chapter. During the interval between the two chapters we have in 1 Chron. xxviii., xxix. the record of a great assembly of the "princes of Israel and the whole realm-a solemn farewell of David to the people, with charge to aid in building the Temple, followed by offerings for it, and the making of "Solomon king the second time" (chap. xxix. 22). This possibly represented his accession to the royalty not only over Judah, but over the rest of Israel, with formal acceptance by the representatives of all the tribes. (Comp. xii. 1, in respect of the accession of Rehoboam.) In this detailed record it is specially noticed (1 Chron. xxviii. 2) that the old king "stood up on his feet," as though the excitement of the great occasion had renewed for a time his strength, and enabled him to rise from his bed. It is also recorded that "all the sons of David," who had apparently favoured Adonijah, submitted themselves to Solomon the king (chap. xxix. 24).

(2) I go the way of all the earth.-Comp. Josh. xxiii. 14.

(3) Keep the charge.—The main charge to Solomon is noble enough. He is to " show himself a man," in spite of his youth; he is to take heed in all things to follow the Law of the Lord; he is to trust both in the general promise of God to obedience, and in the special promise made to the house of David (2 Sam. vii. 12— 16). It is remarkably in harmony with the beautiful Psalm, "the last words of David," preserved in 2 Sam. xxiii. 3-5, telling how "he that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God," and, in spite of consciousness of shortcoming from this high ideal,

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Moses, that thou mayest alprosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: (4) that the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not 2 fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel. (5) Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto "Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and 3shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet. (6) Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in

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trusting in the "everlasting covenant of God" with him, "ordered in all things, and sure." Nor does it accord less with the equally beautiful prayer of 1 Chron. xxix. 18, 19, for Solomon and for the people. In all this David speaks in the spirit of a true servant and saint of God. But in the special charges that follow we see the worldly prudence of the old statesman, and in one case some trace of long-remembered grudge, singularly true to imperfect human nature, although utterly unworthy of an ideal picture of a hero-king.

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(5) What Joab... did.-The charge as to Joab has a certain righteousness in it. David could notprobably since Joab's knowledge of his great crime, he dared not-punish him as he deserved. There is a graphic vividness in the description of the blood of his victims, shed as 'the blood of war in peace," spirting over the girdle and sandals of the murderer, which shows how the horror of the crimes had dwelt on David's imagination. The murder of Abner, treacherous as it was, probably had some show of justification in the rough justice wrought out by the duty laid in ancient law on the "avenger of blood." David disclaims it (2 Sam. iii. 28, 29, 37-39), without actually condemning it as inexcusable. The more recent and shameful murder of Amasa was simply one of revenge and ambition, because Amasa had been put in Joab's place; yet David, broken in spirit, does not dare to blame it, and quietly acquiesces in the resumption by Joab of the dignity conferred on the murdered man. That these crimes should be punished by a king whose hands were clean, and who owed Joab nothing, was perhaps just, certainly within the letter of the law; though clemency might have spared the old and now fallen warrior, who had at least served David ably with long and faithful service. It is singularly true to nature, that the old King makes no mention of the act for which nevertheless, in all probability, he most bore grudge against Joab-the reckless slaughter of Absalom against his own express commands and entreaties-and does not deign to allude to his recent treason, which probably had already embittered Solomon against him.

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