_A WOMAN OF TEKOAH, BY THE ADVICE OF JOAB, COMES TO THE KING, AND, UNDER A FICTITIOUS STORY, PERSUADES HIM TO RECAL ABSALOM: THE KING GIVES JOAB LEAVE TO BRING BACK ABSALOM TO JERUSALEM, WHO CONTINUES THERE FOR TWO YEARS, BEFORE HE IS ADMITTED INTO THE KING'S PRESENCE._ _Before Christ 1029._... [ Continue Reading ]
JOAB SENT TO TEKOAH, &C.— Tekoah was a city in the tribe of Judah, and lay about twelve miles south of Jerusalem. Joab's conduct in this affair was remarkably artful: he chose a _widow,_ because her condition of life was more proper to move compassion; one who lived at a distance from Jerusalem, as... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THEY SHALL QUENCH MY COAL WHICH IS LEFT— The expression is singularly beautiful and expressive. Heathen authors seem to have borrowed it from hence. Plato and Lucian call the few men who survived the deluge ζωπυρα, _live coals,_ who were to re-kindle the vital flame, and continue the human race:... [ Continue Reading ]
MY LORD, O KING, THE INIQUITY BE ON ME, &C.— The king having told the woman that she might return to her house, and leave the care of her business to him, she adds, with great address, that if she had pressed his majesty to any thing in itself unjust, or any way misinformed him, or misrepresented th... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE WOMAN SAID, &C.— The woman, having so far gained her point, begged leave to say one word further; and, having obtained permission, immediately proceeded, 2 Samuel 14:13 to expostulate with the king upon his own conduct, and his unkindness to the people of GOD, in not pardoning his own son,... [ Continue Reading ]
JOAB FELL TO THE GROUND ON HIS FACE, &C.— There cannot be a greater refinement of flattery and address. Joab places that obligation entirely to his own score, which he knew was the greatest that he could lay upon his master.... [ Continue Reading ]
LET HIM TURN TO HIS OWN HOUSE, &C.— This discountenance and rebuke, which Absalom received from his father, was certainly little enough to signify the king's abhorrence of his late cruel revenge upon his brother; yet not more than was necessary to mortify his pride and repress his popularity, which... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN HE POLLED HIS HEAD, &C.— Houbigant remarks, that it is a mistake to suppose that Absalom polled his head every year: the Hebrew, ימים מקצ _mikkets yamim,_ which we render _at every year's end,_ signifies only at the return of a certain season, and he renders the passage, _for there were cer... [ Continue Reading ]
ABSALOM SENT FOR JOAB— The reader who is little versed in courts will naturally be surprised to see Joab so zealous to get Absalom recalled from exile, and to observe him afterwards so cold and indifferent about having him re-established in his father's favour. The truth is, when Joab had greatly gr... [ Continue Reading ]