their king's crown The word Malcham, rendered their king, may also be taken as a proper name. It occurs in Zephaniah 1:5; Jeremiah 49:1; Jeremiah 49:3 (marg.), as a form of the name of the Ammonite deity, Moloch or Milcom. The Sept. now reads Molchom their king, "their king" being probably a gloss, and "Molchom" the original reading. A Jewish tradition recorded by Jerome tells how the crown was snatched from the head of Milcom by Ittai the Gittite, because it was unlawful for a Hebrew to take spoil from an idol (Quaest. Hebr.on 1 Chronicles 20:2). But while it was natural for David to take and wear the king's crown, as the symbol of the subjection of the Ammonites to his rule, would he not have regarded the idol's crown with abhorrence, and have shrunk from wearing it?

a talent of gold Estimated at more than 100 pounds. If this estimate is correct, it can never have been habitually worn, and must have been placed on David's head for a few moments only.

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