Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

v. 4; xxxi. 9;

xx. 26.

tanquam a p

XXX. 14. And it is likely they did many other against them, and against other people, amongst which the Pelethites might be one. Were chief rulers; had the places of greatest authority and dignity conferred on them.

Bp. Patrick.-18 Benaiah—was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites;] Or, the Crethites and the Plethites, as some pronounce these words. What they were is variously conjectured. The most idle conceit is that of some of the Jewish doctors who take them for the members of the great Sanhedrin, nay, for urim and thummim (see Selden, lib. ii. De Synedr. cap. 15,

[ocr errors]

citus, celer s. inus. . est terminatio adjectivi. Nomen sing. articulo definitum collective accipitur, ut 2 al. sæpissime. Idem valet in, confossores (=) xx. 23. C'tib, 2 Reg. xi. 4, 19, a r., confodit. Ita mihi quidem videtur. Sed alii secus statuunt. Ceterum carnificum nomine vocantur custodes corporis, quia per hos supplicia de nocentibus sumebantur, et etiamnum sumuntur in oriente. ] Videntur intelligi sacerdotes domestici. Cf. Auctor Chronicorum habet p. 601, and cap. 16, p. 668). Certain it is , proximi a rege 1 Chron. xviii. 17, that they were soldiers, as appears from qua emendatione recentiorem hunc scrip- xv. 18, xx. 7, 1 Kings i. 34, where they are torem cavere voluisse dicunt ne Davides mentioned as present at the proclaiming sacerdotes alius, quam Levitica stirpis, ha- king Solomon against Adonijah; which buisse crederetur. could not have been done safely without Pool.-Was over: these words are sup- some armed force; and if they were not the plied out of the parallel place, 1 Chron. persons, there were none. Yet they were xviii. 17, and out of 2 Sam. xx. 23, where not common soldiers, but the constant they are expressed. guards of David's person: like the prætoThe Cherethites and Pelethites were un-rian bands among the Romans. So Josephus doubtedly soldiers, and such as were eminent calls them owμaTOþúλAKES, keepers of the for their valour and fidelity to the king, as body," who never departed from the place is evident from 2 Sam. xv. 18; xx. 7; where the king was as we may be satisfied 1 Kings i. 38, 44; and most probably they by this, that they had a peculiar commander were the king's guards, which consisted of and were not under Joab, the captain of the these two bands, who might be distin- host; but are distinguished from his soldiers, guished either by their several weapons, xx. 6, 7. Some make them men of a gior by the differing time or manner of gantic stature, but I know no ground for their service. They are supposed to be thus that; though, no doubt, they were proper called, either first, from their office, which men, as we speak, robust and of tried was, upon the king's command, to cut off fidelity; who, in the rebellion against David, or punish offenders, and to preserve the did not desert David, but stuck close to him king's person, as their names in the Hebrew (xv. 18). It is further probable, that they tongue may seem to imply; or, secondly, were selected out of a certain nation or from some country or place to which they family. For the Cherethites inhabited part had relation. As for the Cherethites, it is of Palestine, and were indeed the same with certain that they were either a branch of the the Philistines, as I observed upon 1 Sam. Philistines, or a people neighbouring to them xxx. 14, and see Zeph. ii. 5. The Pelethites, and confederate with them, as is manifest it is likely, were a family in Israel: for we from 1 Samuel xxx. 14; Ezek. xxv. 16; find two of the name of Peleth mentioned Zeph. ii. 4, 5. And so might the Pelethites in Scripture: one of the tribe of Reuben, be too, though that be not related in Scrip- Numb. xvi. 1, another of Judah, 1 Chron. ture. And these Israelites and soldiers of ii. 33. Their arms were bows and arrows, David might be so called, either because and slings, if we may believe the Chaldee they went and lived with David when he interpreter, who calls them archers and dwelt in those parts; or from some notable slingers: as Procopius Gazæus calls them exploit against or victory over these people; jaculatores et sagittarios. Which may beas among the Romans the names of Asia- confirmed by this conjecture, that the Phiticus, Africanus, &c., were given for the listines having sorely galled the Israelites, in same reason. One of their exploits against the fatal battle with Saul, by their archers, the Cherethites is in part related 1 Samuel David took care not only to have his people

VOL. II.

4 c

instructed in the use of the bow, but also explained, "they were at the hand of the procured some archers from the Cherethites, king;" waiting on him, as chief officers in who were a part of the Philistines, to be his his court, or, as Cornelius Bertram explains guard: as some princes now get the Switzers it, publicos et primarios ministros, "the (see my notes upon 1 Sam. xxxi. 3, and upon the first chapter of this book, ver. 18). The number of them may be probably gathered from the targets and shields of gold that Solomon made, which were five hundred (1 Kings x. 16, 17), and were for the use of his guard (2 Chron. xii. 9—11), and kept in the guard chamber.

public and principal ministers of state" (see Bochartus, lib. ii. Canaan, cap. 17). And this was the reason, they say, of Absalom's discontent, that he was not one of these Avλápɣai; or, had not a place according to his mind.

Dr. A. Clarke.-The Cherethites and the Pelethites.] The former supposed to be They that would see more of them, may those who accompanied David when he look into a little treatise of Opitius, which fled from Saul; the latter, those who came is wholly upon this subject and Fortunatus to him at Ziklag. But the Targum transScacchus treats largely of them in his Myro- lates these two names thus, the archers and thecium, iii., cap. 16-18, where he hath the slingers; and this is by far the most this singular opinion, p. 181, that the Che-likely. It is not at all probable that David rethites were inferior to the Pelethites: but, was without a company both of archers and I think, with reason concludes, that they slingers. were the king's domestics and lay in his palace, or about it, in the night: which he gathers from 1 Kings i. 33, where David bids Nathan, and Zadok, and Benaiah, take with them the servants of their lord, and make Solomon king; and accordingly they took the Cherethites and the Pelethites with them (ver. 38); and from the story of that brave man Uriah, who would not go to his own house to his wife, when Joab and the host lay in the field; but went and slept at the door of the king's house "with the servants of his lord; " that is, with these Cherethites and Pelethites (ch. xi. of this book, ver. 9).

The bow is celebrated in the funeral lamentation over Saul and Jonathan; and the sling was renowned as the weapon of the Israelites, and how expert David was in the use of it we learn from the death of Goliath. I take for granted that the Chaldee paraphrast is correct. No weapons then known were equally powerful with these; the spears, swords, and javelins, of other nations were as stubble before them. The bow was the grand weapon of our English ancestors; and even after the invention of fire-arms, they were with difficulty persuaded to prefer them and leave their archery.

Hallet. I might note more errors in this chapter, but I shall only add, Who can help thinking that in the list of names in the two last verses of these parallel chapters, there is an error one where or other?

2 Sam. viii. 17, 18. 1 Chron. xviii. 16, 17.

David's sons were chief rulers.] So the Hebrew word cohen often signifies, not only a priest, but a prince; as many learned men have observed; particularly Hackspan, in his Miscellanea, lib. i., cap. 5, sect. 15, but especially Selden, lib. ii. de Synedr., cap. 16, p. 671, &c., where he shows, that the Hebrew word signifies any minister, either of God or of man: as in the twentieth chapter of this book (ver. 26), Ira, the Jairite, is said to be a cohen, which we translate chief ruler about David and so the Chaldee, and the Spanish Jews, a principal officer. But by the law, neither he Jehoiada, and the Che- Jehoiada was over the

Zadok the son of Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahi- Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of melech the son of Abiathar, were the Abiathar, were the priests and Seraiah priests: and Shavsha was the scribe. And was the scribe. And Benaiah the son of Benaiah the son of

:

rethites, and the Pe- Cherethites and the
lethites and David's Pelethites: and Da-
were
chief vid's sons were chief
about the king,

sons

nor David's sons could be priests. There can
be therefore, no doubt of this, that they were
the principal officers in the court of David,
the prime ministers of his house-hold: such rulers, .
as, among us, are the lord high-chamberlain,
steward, treasurer, &c., as appears from

. הראשנים

Certainly the same man

was not called

1 Chron. xviii. 17, where this matter is thus Ahimelech and Abimelech. The same man

"he leadeth princes

away spoiled :" but it may as well be thought Job there speaks of priests, as in the context he does of councillors, judges, kings, the mighty, the trusty, the aged, and princes: among which several sorts of men it was very proper to mention priests.

His

was not called Seraiah, and Shavsha, and where our translators, Sheva, chap. xx. 25. Here must be mistakes in spelling. Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, as it is well expressed in Chron. and 2 Sam. xx. 23. But it is false to say, as the Hebrew scribes have written the passage in 2 Sam. viii. 18, that the Cherethites and Pelethites, together There is another place not referred to by with David's sons too, were chief rulers, as them, in which the word cohen is thought to Le Clerc also has observed. And perhaps signify a prince, and is accordingly rendered the transcribers of Sam. have been guilty of in our Bible, principal officer, 1 Kings iv. 5. another error in calling David's sons D, But I see no necessity for this. For Zabud which word usually signifies priests, as it is and his father Nathan might be priests, rendered just before, ver. 17, where Ahi- though not high priests: and the king might melech and Abiathar are called, ', think fit to take a good priest for his friend. priests. I very much question whether the 1 Chron. xxvii. 5, Benaiah the son of Jeword cohen ever signifies any other than a hoiada is called, in our translation, a chief priest. Bishop Patrick on this verse, after priest, and in the margin a principal officer. Grotius and Selden, asserts that cohen sig- It is likely enough that Jehoiada was a nifies a prince, as well as a priest. Le Clerc priest. It is certain there was a priest of says the same. But their authorities weigh this name in David's days, the leader, or nothing with me against a plain fact. These head of the family of Aaron, 1 Chron. great men quote but two places, all to show xii. 27. Benaiah might be his son. that cohen signifies a prince. One is this being of Kabzeel, 2 Sam. xxiii. 20, which is under consideration; where it appears from not mentioned among the cities given to the the parallel chapter in the Chronicles, that Levites, is no argument that he was not a Dis written by mistake instead of priest. For Nob is not mentioned among Dw, which mistake is as easy as many those cities, Josh. xxi., nor 1 Chron. vi., others in the same chapter. The other and yet it is certain many priests lived there, place cited on this occasion is 2 Sam. xx. 26, "And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler (Heb., cohen) about David." It must be owned that this was the reading of this place before the time of the making the oldest versions in the Polyglot. For the 7, but this man is called word is rendered priest by the Vulg., LXX, It must be owned that the high priest, who Syr., and Arab. Yet still I cannot help sus- is called as usual 7, 2 Kings xii. 11, pecting that this is an error of old tran- is in the parallel place, where the very same scribers. Others as old as this I have thing is spoken of, called ww, 2 Chron. before noted. I cannot find any parallel xxiv. 11. But it is evident Jehoiada the account to this in Chron., and so cannot father of Benaiah was not high priest. I correct this error by the help of such a should think, therefore, that the words parallel account. But it is very easy to see 1 Chron. xxvii. 5 should be rendered, that there may be an error in writing this word, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the priest, as well as there certainly is in writing the the chief, i. c., the chief of the captains. man's title, Jairite, which is spelt Ithrite, in See ver. 3. I conclude then, there is no this very same book, chap. xxiii. 38. It seems evidence to prove that cohen ever signifies a strange that the word cohen, which in above prince, or any other than a priest. The six hundred places signifies a priest, should only proof that is urged to show that the in two places be used to signify a prince. Buxtorf, indeed, in his Lexicon, refers to several other places wherein he thinks cohen signifies a prince, as Gen. xli. 45; xlvii. 22, where Potiphere is called, "the priest of On;" Exod. ii. 16; iii. 1, where Jethro is called "priest of Midian;" and Job xii. 19,

1 Sam. xxi. 1; xxii. 11, 19. If Benaiah was a priest, we can have no reason to take the word cohen in this place in any other sense. He is not here called, the chief priest. The chief priest was usually called

word cohen in the above-mentioned places signifies a prince, and not a priest, is because it is so used in 2 Sam. viii. 18 and xx. 26. But after what has been said on them, perhaps there will not seem to be sufficient reason to be of that opinion.

Gesen. m. 1. an executioner, see r.

.

No. 1, in 1 Sam. v. 4; xvii. 51; only in Hitzig supposes (ad Is. lxi. 10) that 3 is the formula 2 Sam. viii. 18; i. q. 7, to stand, whence, pp. one who xv. 18; xx. 7, 23; 1 Kings i. 38, 44; stands by, an assistant. Maurer regards 1 Chron. xviii. 6; collect. pp. executioners as i. q. 1, 7, to incline, to bend, i. e., to and runners or couriers, names applied to bow down, as is done in worship, whence David's bodyguard (owμaropúλakes, Jos. Ant. pp. one bowing down, making prostravii. 5, 4), whose duty it was both to execute tions. Both of these conjectures are worth punishment and to convey the king's com- attention; in favour of the last, we might mands as speedily as possible to his officers, perhaps also appeal to the Syro-Arabic See 1 Kings

[ocr errors]

ii. 25, 31, 36, coll. Dan. ii. 14.-Some

un

2, i.e., to bow down

أنهم تكرس gloss

see in Thesaur., p. 661, 662. Hence
plur., m. a priest; Chald. ¡,

derstand here Cherethites, i.e., Philistines; oneself sc. in worship. Other conjectures but it can hardly be supposed that David would choose his own lifeguard from a people at all times so hostile and odious to the Hebrews.

Syr.

5

o, Arab., Ethiop. nu:

2. Cherethite, a Gentile name, i. q., Philistine, 1 Sam. xxx. 14; plur. D, Che-id. For the etymology see in r. 2. Very rethites, Philistines, Ez. xxv. 16; Zeph. ii. 5. freq. in Ex., Lev., Deut. of the priests of Sept. and Syr. render it Cretans, from which Jehovah, as Ex. ii. 16. Among the Hebrews and the passages, Amos ix. 7; Jer. xlvii. 4; the high-priest, ó ȧpxiepeus, was called Deut. ii. 33, the conjecture would be strong, Lev. xxi. 10, &c., also b that the Philistines sprang from Crete, were 2 Kings xxv. 18, &c., 77, Ezra vii. 5; it certain that, Caphtor, signifies the Pa Jaba, the anointed priest, Lev. island Crete; see . iv. 3, 5, 16. The next in dignity was called

♫ m. (b) a public runner, courier, with, the second priest, Jer. lii. 24; but art. collect. public runners, couriers, every- this phrase in the plur. 7,2 Kings where coupled with q. v. 2 Sam. xxiii. 4, seems to imply all the priests in oppoviii. 18; xv. 18; xx. 7, 23; 2 Kings xi. 4, 19. Some without good reason hold both and to be Philistines, and regard the latter form as put by paronomasia for, but against the analogy of the Hebrew language; so Ewald Heb. Gram., p. 297. See m.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

in

sition to the high priest.-Melchizedek, the earliest king of Jerusalem, is also called a priest of Jehovah, Gen. xiv. 18; Ps. cx. 4; and several of the earliest Hebrew kings were in fact also priests, as Solomon, 1 Kings viii.; comp. Uzziah, 2 Chron. xxvi. 16. So Virg. Æn. iii. 80, "Rex Anius, rex idem hominum Phœbique sacerdos."

Note. It is an ancient opinion of the Hebrew intpp. that signifies also prince. Not only have the Chaldee translators rendered it in several places by 7, prince, as Gen. xli. 45; Ex. 1. c.; Psalm cx. 4; but the author of Chronicles also seems to have

followed this view, since he renders the words 2 Sam. viii. 18, 7722, giving

in his manner a gloss, 1 Chron. xviii. 17,

[ocr errors]

, to be ministered, consecrated; Bar Ali, to be rich, opulent, to enjoy David, the chiefs, were at the side of the

I V

king, i. e., were the chief ministers of the 12, rich- kingdom. The chief passages are 2 Sam. But viii. 16; xviii. 20, 23—26; 1 Kings iv. 2—6; from all which it appears that there were priests connected with the court, partly exercising their proper functions, and partly as friends and counsellors of the sovereign; as was also often the case with prophets and priests in later times. The author of Chron

the comforts of life;
ness, riches, prosperity, happiness.
all these appear to be secondary meanings,
derived from the station and power of the
priesthood, i.e., from , priest, which is
found in the Heb., Chald., Syr., and Eth.
languages. The native power of this word,
therefore, is still to be sought by conjecture.

icles seems to have chosen his interpretation | (Zadocus et Ebjathar), partim interioris ad-
from the more ancient context, because missionis apud regem essent, quorumque
priests of any other than the Levitical
family were unknown to him. Of less
weight is the authority of Onkelos. Hence in
all the passages referred to, the signif. priest
is the only true one. Comp. the case of Solo-
mon above. See more in Thesaur., p. 663.

utpote virorum piorum et sapientium consilio et auctoritate reges uti solebant (cf. inter se illud Iud. xvii. 10 de Micha sacerdote Danitarum, et Gen. xlv. 8 de Josepho, quemadmodum iidem ceteroquin prophetas, ex c. Gesen. Thesaur.—Atqui plures sunt V. T. Davides Nathanum, in amicorum numero loci, in quibus in amicis et aulicis regis habebant et imperatores regesque Christiani memoratur, et vetusta est opinio, ibi non inde a Constantio Chloro et Constantino sacerdotes sed principes s. nobiles intelligi, Magno episcopos in aulicorum amicorumque quam significationem plures primariam regiorum corona habebant, quod quidem refuisse statuunt atque vel ex commenticia putare, non omnem rem in scurrile vertere illa ministrandi potestate, vel ab honoris et debebat Moversius 1. c. qui de loco 2 Sam. divitiarum notione apud Syros, de qua supra, viii. disputans p. 303 ita scribit: "Andere ductam existimant (v. Simonis in Lex. Keil machen wirklich auf possierliche Weise Vers. üb. die Chronik, p. 346 Movers krit. die Söhne Davids zwar nicht zu Priestern Untersuchungen üb. die Chronik, p. 300). ex professo, sondern nur zu seinen geistPaullo accuratius igitur illos locos pertractare lichen Räthen, oder Hofcaplänen,' wobei liceat, ut lectoribus nostris persuadeamus, sie nur vergessen, dass das Alterthum keine ubique in certa explorataque sacerdotis Consistorialräthe und Hofcapläne, sondern notione acquiescendum esse. Sunt potis-nur Opferpriester gehabt habe," quæ non simum tres 2 Sam. viii. 16--18; xx. 23-26; scripsisset vir doctus, nisi ipse eius, quæ 1 Reg. iv. 2—6, quibus amici et ministri sacerdotum in aula Persarum et Ægyptiorum regii Davidis et Salomonis recensentur. erat, conditionis immemor fuisset. His Proficiscamur a secundo, qui maximi hac in autem præmissis lucebit etiam illorum quæstione momenti est, quo extremo hæc locorum primus 2 Sam. viii. 16-18, plurimis

[ocr errors]

ille quidem recentiorum disputationibus וְצָדוֹק וְאֶבְיָתָר כֹּהֲנִים: וְגַם עִירָא הַיָּאֵרִי :habentur

Zadocus et Ebjathar erant vexatus (vide de Wette Beyträge i., p. 81; sacerdotes et etiam Ira Jaïrita erat sacer- nostr. Hist. Ling. Hebr., p. 41; Wineri dos Davidis. De Zadoco et Ebjatharo Lex. h. v. Gramberg über die Chronik, quum aliunde constet 2 Sam. xv. 24, sqq. p. 143 sqq.; Religionsideen d. A. T. i., 1 Reg. i. 7, 8, 26 sqq. maxime xxxiv. 39; p. 252; Maurer ad h. 1. et contra Keilium, ii. 35; 1 Par. xxx. 22), veri nominis eos Moversium 11. cc.), reliquisque sane difsacerdotes Leviticos eosdemque tamen ficilior. Priorem is continet indicem prinmagnæ in aula regia auctoritatis fuisse, hic cipum Davidis, in quo postquam Comm. 17 autem Iræ mentio annectatur his verbis: dictum est: et Zadoc filius Ahitub et Ahiet etiam Ira...erat sacerdos Davidi, con- melech filius Ebjathar erant sacerdotes, sequitur, hunc simili modo atque illos sacer- additur: 1 2 2 2 2 dotem amicumque regium fuisse, quod. Quod si sanum esset, explicandum quidem posterius significatur dativo, foret: et Benajas filius Jojada et Crethi coll. lud. xvii. 10, xviii. 19. Plethique et filii Davidis erant

. Sed

-dudum viderunt critici (Clericus, Hubi |. עברו ובעל עצתו ונשמע אליו בראש כלם : Kimchi

Atque hæc ita se habere, luculenter apparet gantius, nuper Maurerus), ex locis parallelis ex illorum locorum tertio 1 Reg. iv. 2-6, 2 Sam. xx. 23; 1 Par. xviii. 17 cum Chald., quo Salomonis aulici recensentur. In his Vulg., Syr. pro reponendum esse verbis Comm. 4 iterum comparent, ut sententia sit: et Benajas...præD, quibus Comm. 5 additur:fectus erat satellitibus regiis, et filii Davidis

, et Sabud, filius Nathani, erat erant . (Huius indicis scripturam sacerdos isque amicus regis (non: Sabud etiam alio in loco laborare, et pro Ahimelech sacerdos erat amicus regius, in quam sen- filius Ebjathar legendum esse Ebjathar filius tentiam scribendum fuisset ). Itaque Ahimelech, ostendit Korbius in Wineri Theol., efficitur ex duobus his locis, in aula Davidis Journal iv., p. 295). Eodem igitur loco et Salomonis complures fuisse sacerdotes, comparent filii Davidis, quo in duobus locis qui partim sacris administrandis præessent præcedentibus Ira, sacerdos Davidis et Sabud,

« ElőzőTovább »