_ABSALOM CONSPIRES AGAINST DAVID, AND DRAWS OVER AHITHOPHEL TO HIS PARTY. DAVID FLIES FROM JERUSALEM, AND IS FOLLOWED BY ZADOK AND ABIATHAR, WHOM HE COMMANDS TO RETURN TO JERUSALEM WITH THE ARK. HE SENDS HUSHAI TO JERUSALEM TO DEFEAT THE COUNSEL OF AHITHOPHEL._ _Before Christ 1023._... [ Continue Reading ]
ABSALOM STOLE THE HEARTS OF THE MEN OF ISRAEL— Dr. Delaney is of opinion, that Absalom took this occasion to increase his popularity, during the time that his father David lay confined with a very grievous sickness. See the 38th, 39th, and 40th Psalms. REFLECTIONS _ON 2 SAMUEL 15:1_.—No sooner is A... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER FORTY YEARS— Or rather, _after four years._ The Syriac and Arabic, whom Houbigant follows, read _after four years._ As there is no event from which the forty years can be dated, very great has been the distress of the advocates for that reading. But Josephus, Theodoret, the Manuscripts mention... [ Continue Reading ]
THY SERVANT VOWED A VOW— This vow is conceived exactly in the patriarchal style, and, if true, shews, that however he might have been tempted by his grandfather to serve the gods of Geshur, yet he continued determined against idolatry; which David, we may assure ourselves, was highly delighted to he... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT ABSALOM SENT SPIES— Before he left Jerusalem, Absalom took care to send his emissaries throughout all the tribes; doubtless under colour of inviting persons of distinction to the sacrifice, but in reality to carry the watchword and signal before agreed on between them.... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH ABSALOM WENT TWO HUNDRED MEN— _But there followed Absalom two hundred men, who, called from Jerusalem, went after him with a simple heart, and who were entirely ignorant of the whole affair._ Houbigant.... [ Continue Reading ]
ABSALOM SENT FOR AHITHOPHEL— Ahithophel's junction with Absalom seems to have given the finishing stroke to the rebellion. He was too sagacious to discover himself, till he saw all things favourable and prosperous on the part of Absalom; and they both very well judged that his accession to the consp... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HEARTS OF THE MEN OF ISRAEL ARE AFTER ABSALOM— Some reason may be assigned for this. In every nation there are always turbulent and discontented spirits, who promise themselves some benefit from a change. Saul's party was not yet entirely extinct, and Joab, who was David's prime minister, behave... [ Continue Reading ]
ARISE, AND LET US FLEE— As the danger was instant, David took his measures accordingly. The city was not in a condition to sustain a siege; and if it were, he did not care to expose a favourite city, built by himself, and the residence of the tabernacle of God, to all the evils incident to sieges, a... [ Continue Reading ]
ITTAI THE GITTITE— The Jews say, that this Ittai was the son of king Achish, and that, being obliged to quit Gath on account of his attachment to David, he came to offer him his services at the head of the six hundred men mentioned in the foregoing verse, who, as well as himself, had embraced the Je... [ Continue Reading ]
THE KING SAID,—CARRY BACK THE ARK OF GOD— David sent back the high-priests, as knowing that their character was too sacred to suffer any violence from the usurper, though he knew their fidelity to himself; and for the rest, he wholly submitted himself to the divine disposal. He besought God, as Alex... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DAVID WENT UP BY THE ASCENT OF MOUNT OLIVET, AND WEPT, &C.— A more memorable event surely was never recorded in history, nor a more moving spectacle ever exhibited to mortal eyes: a king, venerable for his years and victories, sacred in the character both of his piety and prophesies, renowned fo... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, HUSHAI THE ARCHITE CAME— When David heard that Ahithophel was among the conspirators, he saw his danger in all its strength. A hot-headed young man, high in vanity, extravagant in hope, and easily overset with success, was not an object of much terror to a man of David's great experience and... [ Continue Reading ]