2 Samuel 23

NOw these be the last words of David Not simply the last that he spoke, but some of the last uttered in his last days upon the approach of his death: or, the last which he spake by the Spirit of God, assisting and directing him in an extraordinary manner.: David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high Advanced from an obscure Family and Estate, to the Kingdom., the anointed of the God of Jacob Whom, though despised by Men, and rejected by his own Brethren, God himself singled out from all his Fathers House, and out of all the Families and Tribes of Israel, and anointed to be King., and the sweet psalmist of Israel Or, sweet, or delightful, or amiable in the Songs of Israel: Either, First, As the object of them: he whom the people of Israel mentioned in their Songs with joy and praise, as when they Sung, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands; and many others which doubtless they made and Sung concerning him, upon the occasion of his eminent Victories, and the blessings of his wife and righteous Government; some whereof we have in the Book of Psalms. Or, 2dly, As the Author of them: he who was eminent and famous among the people of God, for the composing of sweet and holy Songs to the praise of God, and for the use of his Church in after Ages: For he did not only indite most of the Book of Psalms, by the direction of Gods Spirit; but also invented the Tunes, or appointed Tunes to which they were to be Sung, and the Instruments of M... sick which were used in and with those Holy Songs, 1 Chron. 25. 2, 6. Amos 6. 5. If the expressions here used seem arrogant, and not fit to be said by David in his own praise; let him consider, First, That Holy men spake by inspiration from God; and therefore must follow his suggestions impartially, as indeed they do, sometimes in the publishing their own praises; which yet is never done unnecessarily, and always moderately; and sometimes in the publishing of their own infirmities and shame, as they are moved thereunto, and as the Edification of the Church requires. Secondly, That these seem not to be the words of David, but of the Sacred Penman of this Book, to make way for, and gain the greater attention and respect unto David's following words., said,

The spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue The following words, and consequently the other words and Psalms composed and uttered by me upon the like Solemn occasions, are not to be looked upon as my private fancies or human inventions, but both the matter and the words of them are suggested and governed by Gods Spirit, which is the great teacher of the Church..

The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel He who is the strength, and defence, and protector of his people; which he here manifests by obliging and directing Kings and Rulers so to manage their Power and Authority as may most conduce to their comfort and benefit. spake to me By way of command. Or, of me, by way of prediction and promise concerning me and my House, and the Messias who is to come out of my Loyns.: He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God Thus it is a Precept or Declaration of the Duty of Kings, and particularly of Solomon his Son (to whom as a dying man he gives this advice) and of his Successors the Kings of Gods Israel, for whose instruction he gives this Rule. And so here are the two principal parts of a Kings duty, answerable to the two Tables of Gods Law, Justice towards men, and Piety towards God, both which he is to maintain and promote among his people. To which if you add benignity and clemency, whereby a King renders his Government not frightful and burdensom, but acceptable and amiable to his people, which possibly may be meant by the following similitudes, here is a complete Character of an excellent Prince or Governor. Others make it a Prophesie of Christ, and then the words are or may be thus rendred, There shall be a Ruler over men (or rather, among men, as the Hebrew word properly signifies, to wit, the Messias, who, though he be the Eternal and Invisible God, yet shall visibly appear and rule among men) a Iust or Righteous one (a title oft given to Christ, as Isa. 53. 11. Ier. 23. 5, 6. and 33. 15. Zech. 9. 19.) ruling in the fear of the Lord, making it his great business to advance the Service, and Worship, and Glory of the Lord: or, as it is in the Hebrew, ruling the fear of the Lord, i. e. Governing and ordering the Worship of God, which is called, the fear of God. And so this clause i... added to prevent or remove scandals and offences which might be taken at the Messias when he should come, because of his changing and abrogating the Ceremonial Law; and to insinuate that he should have no less power in the governing of Gods House and Worship, than Moses had; and that he might make such Laws as he thought meet. And if this be the meaning of the place, then as Iacob, being greatly afflicted with the troubles which he by the Spirit of Prophecy foresaw were coming upon his Posterity, comforts himself with the thoughts of that Great and Glorious Salvation of God, which he also foresaw and waited for, Gen. 49. 18. So David reflecting upon the great disorders, and miscarriages, and calamities which had already arisen in his house; and either, wisely presaging, or foreseeing by the Spirit of the Lord, v. 2. that the same sins and miseries should befal his Posterity and Successors; he supports and comforts himself with this Consideration, That one of them should be a most excellent Person; Just, and Pious, and Merciful, and an unspeakable Blessing to David himself, and to all his Family and People, and to the whole World, even the great Messias, who was undoubtedly Revealed to, and expected by David, as appears by many passages of the Psalms, and by other Scriptures.

And he shall be These Words are either, 1. A further Description of the Kings Duty, which is not only to Rule with exact Justice and Piety, but also with sweetness, and gentleness, and condescention to the Infirmities of his People; to render his Government as pleasant and acceptable to them, as is the Sun-shine in a clear Morning, or the tender Grass which springs out of the Earth by the warm and refreshing Beams of the Sun after the Rain, which has a peculiar kind of sweetness and fragrancy in it. Or rather, 2. A Prediction or Declaration of the sweet and blessed Effects of such a Government, both to the Governour himself, in that Peace, and Prosperity, and Glory, and Happiness which it brings to him, and to his People; to whom it is no less grateful, and comfortable, and beneficial, than those great and publick Blessings of Sun-shine and Rain, and the Fruits which they produce: Which is true of every good King or Governour; but most eminently of the Messias. as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.

Although my house be not so with God Although God knows, that neither I, nor my Children have Lived and Ruled as we should have done, so justly, and in the fear of the Lord; and therefore have not enjoyed that uninterrupted Prosperity which we might have enjoyed: but our Morning-light, or, the beginning of that Kingdom promised to me and mine for ever, has been overcast with many black and dismal Clouds, and my Children have not hitherto been like the tender Grass springing out of the Earth, and thriving by the Influences of the Sun and Rain; but rather like the Grass that withereth away, or is cut off before its due time.; yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant Notwithstanding all our Transgressions whereby we have broken Covenant with God, and the Confusions and Civil Wars which have threatned our Dissipation and utter Destruction; yet I comfort my self with this, That God, to whom all my Sins were fore-known before I committed them, was graciously pleased to make a sure Covenant, to give and continue the Kingdom to me, and to my Seed for ever; Chap. 7. 16. the Coming of the Messias; who is to be my Son and Successor, and whose Kingdom shall have no End., ordered in all things Ordained in all Points by God's Eternal and Unchangeable Counsel; and disposed by his wife and powerful Providence, which does and will over-rule all things, even the Sins and Sufferings of my House so far, that although he would punish them for their Sins, yet he will not utterly root them out, nor break his Covenant made with me and mine; as is said, Psal. 89. 31, 32, 33, 34. and sure Or, preserved or observed, or kept; to wit, on Gods part, and by Gods power and faithfulness in the midst of all the oppositions and uncertainties to which it seems to be exposed on our part; compare Rom. 3. 3. And 2 Tim. 2 13.: for Or therefore, as the Hebrew Particle, chi, oft signifies; therefore, i. e. because God has made such a Covenant. this is Or, he is, he who has made this Covenant: or, in this is, i. e. it consists in, and depends upon this Covenant. all my Salvation Both my own Eternal Salvation, and the Temporal Salvation, or the Preservation of the Kingdom to me and mine., and all my desire Or, every desirable thing; the Word desire being oft put for Desired, or a Desirable Thing; as Psal. 21. 2. and 78. 29, 30. Ezek. 24. 16. David being deeply sensible, and having had large experience of the vanity and uncertainty of all Farthly things, here declares, That the Covenant made by God with him and his in the Messias, is the only happiness which he prizeth and desireth, in which he does fully acquies... e., although he make it i. e. My House, mentioned before. So the sense is, Although God as yet has not made my House or Family to grow; i. e. to increase, or to flourish with Worldly Glory and Prosperity, as I expected; but has for my Sins... ut off divers of my most eminent Branches, and sorely afflicted my Person and Family; and although he may for the future deal in like manner with my Sons and Successors for the like miscarriages, which it is probable they may commit: yet this is my great support and comfort, that God will constantly and inviolably keep this Covenant; and therefore, in the midst of all the shakings, and confusions, and interruptions, which may happen in my House, and Kingdom, will preserve my Line and Family until the coming of the Messias out of my Loins, whose Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom; who as he is the desire of all Nations, Hag. 2. 7. so in a special manner is my desire, and the Author of all my Salvation. not to grow.

¶ But the sons of Belial Or, the Men of Belial, as it is expressed 2 Sam. 16. 7. and elsewhere. Having in the foregoing Verses described the nature, and felicity, and stability of that Kingdom which God himself had by a sure and everlasting Covenant setled upon him and his Seed; and especially, upon the Messiah, who was to be one of his Posterity; He now describes the quality, the mischievous nature, the hazardous and miserable condition, of all the Enemies of this Holy and Blessed Kingdom, whom he justly calleth sons of Belial, because they Rebelled against God's appointment, and against that King whom God had set over them: for which reason others are so called, 1 Sam. 10. 27. 2 Chron. 13. 7. shall be all of them as thorns thrust away Which men do not use to handle, as they do other Trees, but thrust them away from themselves, by some Instrument chosen for that purpose. And so will God remove, or thrust away from himself, and from his People, and Kingdom, all those who shall either secretly or openly set themselves against it. And this may be here added, either 1. By way of Prescription to Rulers, whom, as before, he admonished to be just and kind to their People, ver. 3, 4. So here he requires them to be severe in Punishing, and Purging away Wicked and Incorrigible Men from about his Throne, and from among his People; the Encouraging of the Good, and the Punishing of the Bad, being the two chief Works of every good Magistrate, and the two Pillars of all Government. Or, 2. By way of Caution; to show, That not withstanding the holiness, and happiness, and sureness of this Kingdom, yet there would be sons of Belial in it, who would endeavour to disturb, and overthrow it, but to no purpose; for all their Projects against it should be vain, and fall upon their own Heads., because they cannot be taken with hands.

But the man that shall touch them, must be fenced with iron, and the staff of a spear So the meaning is, He must fill his Hand, or Arm himself with some Iron Weapon, whereby he may cut them down; or, with the staff of a spear, or some such like thing, whereby he may thrust them away from himself, that they do him no hurt. Or thus, he will be filled, or will fill himself; i. e. his Hand, wherewith he attempted to touch, and take them with Thorns, as with iron and the staff of a spear. i. e. He will be as surely and sorely Wounded, as if one should run the Iron head, and part of the wood of a Spear, into his Hand., and Or, therefore, because men cannot safely touch them, therefore they will burn them up. Or, or i. e. if they do not cut them down with Iron, or thrust them away with the Staff of a Spear, they will burn and consume them. 2. Or, in their place, where they grow or stand; and they will not trouble or hazard themselves to remove them. Withal, it may imply, that they shall be Destroyed, when, and where they thought themselves most secure, even in their own place. And, it may possibly intimate, That those Children of Belial, the Wick edand Unbelieving Jews, who rejected and Rebelled against the Messiah, David's Successor, and their Lawful King, should be Destroyed in their Great, and Strong, and Holy City Ierusalem, where the greatest part of that People were gathered together as fewel for the fire, and were Destroyed together by the Romans under Titus, where also their wicked Predecessors had been Destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in former times. they shall be utterly burnt with fire in the same place z.

¶ These be the names of the mighty men whom David had i. e. Of his chief and most valiant Commanders. And as it was noted upon Chap. 21. 1. that the things related in that Chapter were done before Absalom's and Sheba's Rebellion, though they be mentioned after them; so that Opinion is confirm'd by this Catalogue, which though placed here, was taken long before, as is manifest from hence, that Asahel and Uriah are named here. And whereas there are some differences between this list, and that, 1 Chron. 11. most of them are easily reconciled by these two Considerations; 1. That nothing is more common than for one person to have divers Names. 2. That as some of the Worthies died, and others came in their steads; so this must needs cause some alteration in the latter Catalogue, 1 Chron. 11. from this which was the former.; The Tachmonite Or, Hachmonite, called Iashobeam, 1 Chron. 11. 11. from his place; or, as here, Iosheb-basshebeth, i. e. as we render it, that sate in the seat: i. e. Was, under Ioab, Chief, or President of the Council of War, or Lieutenant (locum tenens.) that sate in the seat, chief among the captains (the fame was Adino This was his Proper Name. the Eznite So called, either from his Family, or from the place of his Birth or Education. he lift up his spear Which Words are fitly supplied out of 1 Chron. 11. 11. where they are expressed. Or thus, he was above 800; i. e. He conquered them. So there is only an Ellipsis of the Verb substantive, which is most frequent. against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time In one Battel, which though it be strange, yet cannot seem incredible, supposing him to be a Person of extraordinary Strength and Activity, and his Enemies to be weak, or discouraged, and fleeing away; and especially, Gods singular Blessing, and Assistance: all which may very reasonably be supposed. Obj. But this man is said to have slain only 300. in 1 Chron. 11. 11. Answ. 1. Possibly he slew 800 at one time, and 300 at another; whereof the former is related here, as being most considerable; and the latter in the Book of Chronicles, which supplies many Passages omitted in the former Writings. 2. He Slew 300 with his own Hands, and the other 500. though killed by his Men, are said to be Slain by him, because he was the chief Cause of all their Death; for he by his undaunted Courage killing 300. put the rest to Flight, who were easily Slain by his Soldiers, in the Pursuit. 3. Some of the Hebrew Writers Affirm, That these were Two distinct Persons, being called by differing Names; the one the Father, and the other the Son, who Succeeded his Father, as in Strength and Valour, so also in his place of Honour and Trust..

And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite Of the Children of Ahoah, 1 Chron. 8. 4., one of the three i. e. One of the first Three, ver. 19. mighty men with David Who were with David at this time: or, who usually attended upon David., when they de... ied the Philistines When he either in the name of all the Israelites, or with the countenance and help of some of them, Challenged the Philistines to Fight. Or, when some of, or among the Philistines desied them: i. e. The Israelites, according to their manner, and the Example of their great Goliath, 1 Sam. 17. 25, 36. Or, in Horpam (for some make it a proper name of a Place) among the Philistines. that were there gathered together to battel, and the men of Israel were gone away i. e. Fled away, 1 Chron. 11. 13. being dismayed at the Approach of their Enemies. Heb. ascended, i. e. Vanished away like Smoke which ascends, and so disappears, as that Verb is oft used..

He arose i. e. He undertook the Work, as that Word sometimes is used. Or, he stood, (as it sometimes signifies) when the rest fled., and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword Either through Sweat or Blood, or by a Contraction of the Sinews. Or thus, yet did his hand cleave to his sword; i. e. Though he was weary, he did not desist, but continued Fighting.: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoyl. i. e. To pursue the Enemy whom he had discomfited, and to take their Spoil.

And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite: and the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles Or Barley, as it is 1 Chron. 11. 13. For both might very well grow in the same Field, in divers parts of it. And this fact is ascribed to Eleazar, 1 Chron. 11. 12. but so as it is implyed, that he had some Partner or Partners in it; for it is there said, v. 14. They set themselves, &c. So Eleazar might stand and Fight in that part where the Barley was; and Shammah there where the Lentiles were.: and the people fled from the Philistines.

But he stood in the midst of the ground and defended it That the Philistines could neither burn, nor tread it down, and spoil it, nor carry it away., and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.

And three of the thirty Either 1. The Three already named, as is generally supposed, because it is said of them, in the close of this History, 1 Chron. 11. 19. These things did those three mightiest. But in the Hebrew it is only, these three mighty men, as the same Words are rendred here, ver. 17. Or rather, 2. The following three: for it is expresly said, both here, ver. 16. and 1 Chron. 11. 20. That Abishai was chief, and therefore one of the three: and this Three are plainly distinguished from the first Three, ver. 19. and 1 Chron. 11. 25. chief went down and came to David, in the harvest-time, unto the cave of Adullam Which was a strong Place where David had been before, 1 Sam. 22. 1, &c. and where he had now again Fortified himself in the beginning of his Reign, when the Philistines were too strong for him.: and a Troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim Of which see above, Chap. 5. 18..

And David was then in an hold, and the garison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

And David longed, and said, O that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem Being hot and thirsty, he expresseth how acceptable a draught of that Water would be to him; as is usual with men to do in such cases: but was far from desiring, or expecting that any of his men should hazard their Lives to procure it, as appears from ver. 17., which is by the gate!

And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines Which was in the Valley of Rephaim, v. 13. and in the way to Bethlehem. Lest by gratifying himself upon such terms, he should seem either to set too High a Price upon the satisfaction of his Appetite, or too low a Price upon the Lives of his Soldiers, or should encourage others to the like Vain-glorious and Foolish Attempts., and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof x, but poured it out unto the LORD As a kind of Drink-offering, and acknowledgment of Gods goodness in preserving the Lives of his Captains in so dangerous an Enterprize; and to show, that he esteemed it as a Sacred thing, which considering all things, it was not fit for him to drink it..

And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men i. e. The Price of their Blood or Lives, which they rashly exposed to manifest hazard. that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men Either one of these Three are here omitted, as one of the first Three is not named, 1 Chron. 11. Or Asahel, who follows next, was one of these three..

And Abishai the brother of Joab the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three, and he lift up his spear against three hundred, and slew them He fought with, and killed 300 Men in one Battel., and had the name among the three i. e. Was the most famous and Eminent among them..

Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit, he attained not unto the first three He fell short of them in Strength and Valour..

And Benajah the son of Jehojadah, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel A Place in Iudah, Iosh. 15. 21., † who had done m shy acts This may belong either to Benaiah, or to his Father; to note, that Benaiah was a Son becoming such a Father., he slew two l... on-like men For Courage and Strength. Or, Lions of God, i. e. Great and Strong Lions. Or, two Gigantick Persons; and therefore both so called, as being either equal in Might, or Brethren by birth. of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit Where he put himself under a necessity, either of Killing, or being Killed. in time of snow When Lions are most fierce, both from the sharpness of their Appetite in cold Seasons, and from want of Provision, Cattel being then shut up, and fed at home..

And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man For Stature, as it is expressed, 1 Chron. 11. 23.: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff Without a Sword, or any Warlike Weapon., and plucked the spear out of the Egyptians hand, and slew him with his own spear.

These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.

He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three: and David set him over his guard Heb. over (for el is sometimes put for al) the men (which is oft understood, as has been noted before) of his command. So his Guard is called, because they were always at the Kings hand, ready to hear and receive the King's Commands, and to put them in Execution. Over the Cherethites and Pelethites; as appears by comparing 2 Sam. 8. 18. and 20. 23. who were faithful and obedient to him, when others Revolted from him; chap. 15. 18..

Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty Heb. with, or among the thirty; not only as one, but as the Chief of them., Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

Shammah the Harodite In 1 Chron. 11. 27. Shammoth the Harorite. Concerning which, and such like alterations, and other changes of the Names, which will be observed, by comparing this Catalogue with that, it will be sufficient to suggest, 1. That the same Names of Persons, or Places, are differently pronounced according to the different Dialects used by Men of divers Places or Ages. 2. That one man had oft two Names. 3. That David had more Worthies than those here mentioned; and as some of these were Slain in the former part of David's Reign, as Asahel was; so others came up in their steads; and some were added to this Number, as appears from 1 Chron. 11. where they are named, but not numbred, as they were here; and where there is a greater number than is here expressed., Elika the Harodite,

Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,

Abi albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

Eliahba the Shaalbonite; of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,

Eliphelet the son of Ahazbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beror... thite, armour-bearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,

Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,

Uriah the Hittite; thirty and seven in all Here are but 36 named. Either therefore one must be supplied whose name is not expressed among the three second Worthies: or, Ioab is comprehended in the number, as being the Lord General of all..