is the most usual way of computation of men's days or years; for it is apparent that this happened during the time of David's fasting and lying upon the earth, ver. 20, which it is not probable that it lasted for seven days. How will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead? So Ged., Booth., and most commentators. Bp. Horsley. How will he then, &c.; rather, with Houbigant, "How shall we tell him that the child is dead, and that the evil is complete?" Houb.—Quid ergo erit, si dicemus ei, puer7721 Nhàạn 102 tạ nhựa mortuus est, et completum est malum. . עשויה pro , וייראו Melius שְׁמוֹ יְדִידְיָה בַּעֲבוּר יְהוָה: duo καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἐν χειρὶ Νάθαν τοῦ προφήτου, καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰεδδεδὶ eveкev Kupiov. , Et timebant. Codices Orat. ne tollatur illud, quod est radicis....: Nos, et completum est malum; i. e., id quod timebas, re completum est, nec spes ulla est super. Est, Paoul, Pertinent duo verba, ad ea quæ antecedunt, nempe ad mortuus est puer, quæ servi David loquuntur, ita ut continuent sermonem, cum addunt, et completum est malum; quasi dicerent, morte pueri, completum...Sed adverbium T&, quomodo autem, dicemus. Non , נאמר pertinet tantum ad recte igitur Vulgatus, quanto magis...se affliget, tanquam T adjungeretur ad Ver. 22. Au. Ver.-25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah [that is, beloved of the Lord], because of the LORD. Because of the Lord. Houb., Ged., Booth.-Because the LORD [Heb., Booth., Jehovah] loved him [Syr., Vulg., Arab.]. et vocavit nomen ejus) בעבור יהוה .Houb dilectus Domino) propter Dominum. Hæc nihil dicunt. Melius Codex Ald. év Xóyo, in verbo (Domini). Sed Syrus, Vulgatus, et Au. Ver.-22 And he said, While the Arabs sic habent, eo quod diligeret eum child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I Dominus, et legunt, 71, quæ said, Who can tell whether GOD will be scriptio sanior est, et originationem nominis gracious to me, that the child may live? effert significantius. Facile erat ut post ,ידידו omitteretur fere simile verbum ידידיה | .Quis scit, miserebitur mei, מי יודע יחנני 22 puerum dilexit. Omissum fuit, si, vel an, post, quis Maurer, Propter Jovam, i. e., scit an...Ita omnes veteres. Masora vult quod Jova peccato patris condonato, hunc 2, quanquam vix habet subjectam sententiam. Natum fuerit illud, quod Judæi in quibusdam suis codicibus legebant, ex, num misereatur mei, quod aliis extaret in codicibus. Ver. 24. -15. Eundem sensum expresserunt Vulg., Syr., Arab. Ver. 27. 27 καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Ἰωὰβ ἀγγέλους πρὸς Δαυίδ, καὶ εἶπεν, ἐπολέμησα ἐν Ραββάθ, καὶ κατελαβόμην τὴν πόλιν τῶν ὑδάτων. Au. Ver.-27 And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters. And have taken the city of waters. So Ged., Booth. Pool.-The same royal city so called, because it either stood beside the river, or Houb.-Aquas ab urbe jam derivavi. .Cepi urbem aquarum, לכרתי את עיר המים Quid sit urbs aquarum, omnes ignorant, nec was encompassed with water, both for ut legatur, ab urbe. Chaldæus et Dathe.-27 Tunc Davidi per nuncios Bp. Patrick. That part of this city which lay upon the water; the other part, which was the heart of the city, being yet untaken. But it being supplied with water from this part, of which Joab had got pos- aqua esset, cepisset. session, it could not hold out long, but would be forced to surrender, because Joab cut off stood it, τῶν ὑδάτων αὐτοὺς ἀποτεμνόμενος, Ver. 30. fib. vii., cap. 7. And thus some learned mini 1981 201 וַיִּקְח אֶת־עֲטֶרֶת מַלְכָּם מֵעַל ראשו -their water from them. So Josephus under עַל־רֹאשׁ דָּוִד וּשְׁלַל הָעִיר הוֹצִיא ,men translate the last words of this verse by adding the particle mem before eth, "He took from the city the waters." Dr. Adam Clarke.-And have taken the city of waters.] The city where the tank or reservoir was that supplied the city and suburbs with water. Some think that the original should be translated, I have intercepted, or cut off, the waters of the city: and Houbigant translates the place, et aquas ab urbe jam derivavi; " And I have already drawn off the waters from the city." This perfectly agrees with the account in Josephus, who says, TV TE VдaтWV AUTOUS аTотEμvouevos, having cut off their waters, Antiq., lib. vii., cap. 7. This was the reason why David should come speedily, as the citadel, deprived of water, could not long hold out. Gesen. Spec. is also put. (a) For a part of a larger city, espec. as fortified by a separate wall; like Gr. Tóλis, see Passow, Engl. Old city, New city. So καὶ ἔλαβε τὸν στέφανον Μελχόμ τοῦ βασιλέως αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὁ σταθμὸς αὐτοῦ τάλαντον χρυσίου, καὶ λίθου τιμίου, καὶ ἦν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς Δαυίδ, καὶ σκύλα τῆς πόλεως ἐξήνεγκε πολλὰ σφόδρα. Au. Ver.-30 And he took their king's The weight whereof was a talent of gold. Pool. The weight whereof was a talent of gold, or rather, the price whereof [so Patrick, Clarke], &c. For as the Hebrew shekel signifies both a weight, and a piece of money of a certain price; so also may mishkal, as proceeding from the same root. And, , city of David, i. e., the citadel on in general, the same words both in Hebrew, Zion, a part of Jerusalem, avo móλis, Greek, and Latin are promiscuously used, to 2 Sam. v. 7, 9; vi. 10, 12. [Later the signify either weight or price, as is well name city of David seems to have sometimes known to the learned. And the addition of included the whole of Jerusalem; see precious stones, which are never valued by Biblioth. Sacr. i., p. 97, sq.], the weight of gold, makes this signification the middle city, the middle part of Jerusalem, here most proper and probable. Moreover, 2 Kings xx. 4, Cheth. where Keri has. the weight might seem too great, either for So D, the water-city, part of the city the king of Ammon or for David, to wear it Rabbah, 2 Sam. xii. 27. upon his head. Although, if this were VOL. II. 4 E Dr. A. Clarke.-The weight whereof was a talent of gold.] If this talent was only seven pounds, as Whiston says, David might have carried it on his head with little difficulty; but this weight, according to common computation, would amount to more than one hundred pounds! meant of the weight, it might be said that cessarily to be understood of all the people; this was not a crown to be worn ordinarily, for it had been barbarous to use WObut merely to be put upon the king's head men and children thus; but of the men at his coronation, or upon solemn occasions, of war, and especially of those who had as here where this was done, in token of the been the chief actors or abettors of that translation of this kingdom to David; and, villanous action against David's ambasit may be, it was held up or supported by sadors, (which was contrary to the law of two officers of state, that it might not be too nature, and of nations, and of all humanity,) burdensome to him, and after a little while and of the dreadful war ensuing upon it; taken off. for which they might seem to deserve the severest punishments. Although indeed there seems to have been too much rigour used; especially, because these dreadful deaths were inflicted not only upon those great counsellors, who were the only authors of that vile usage of the ambassadors; but upon a great number of the people, who were innocent from that crime. And therefore it is probably conceived that David exercised this cruelty whilst his heart was hardened and impenitent, and when he was bereaved of that free and good Spirit of God which would have taught him more mercy and moderation. Put them under saws he sawed them to death; of which punishment we have examples, both in Scripture, Heb. xi. 37, and in other authors. Under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron; he caused them to be laid down upon the ground, and torn by sharp iron harrows drawn over them, and hewed in pieces by keen axes. Made them pass through the brick-kiln, i. e., to be burnt in brick-kilns. If, however, be taken for the value, not the weight, then all is plain, as the worth of the crown will be about £5,075 15s. 7d. Now this seems to be the true sense, because of the added words with the precious stones, i.e., the gold of the crown, and the jewels with which it was adorned, were equal in value to a talent of gold. Bishop Horsley.—" A talent of gold." In value 7857. 15s. 3d. according to the weight of the Mosaic talent, but not more than 4711. 98. 2d. if the royal standard was now in use, which was probably the case. Ver. 31. Malchan, i. e., of Moloch, called also Mil or made them to pass through the furnace of בַּפְנֵרָה וּבַחֲרְצֵי הַבַּרְזֶל וּבְמַנְזְרוֹת nom, and here Matchen; punishing them הַבַּרְזֶל וְהֶעֶבִיר אוֹתָם בַּמַּלְכֵּן וְכֵן with their own sin, and with the same kind יַעֲשֶׂה לְכָל עָרֵי בְנֵי־עַמּוֹן וַיָּשָׁב דָּוִד יְרְוּשָׁלָם : וְכָל־הָעָם במלבן ק' TST - their own children: see 2 Kings xvi. 3; of punishment which they inflicted upon xxiii. 10; Lev. xviii. 21; xx. 2; Deut. καὶ τὸν λαὸν τὸν ὄντα ἐν αὐτῇ ἐξήγαγε, καὶ xviii. 10. ἔθηκεν ἐν τῷ πρίονι καὶ ἐν τοῖς τριβόλοις τοῖς σιδηροῖς, καὶ ὑποτομεῦσι σιδηροῖς, καὶ διήγαγεν αὐτοὺς διὰ τοῦ πλινθίου· καὶ οὕτως ἐποίησε πάσαις ταῖς πόλεσιν υἱῶν ̓Αμμών. καὶ ἐπέστρεψε Δαυὶδ καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς εἰς Ιερουσαλήμ. Au. Ver.-31 And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem. Pool. The people that were therein: the words are indefinite, and therefore not ne Bp. Patrick.-31 Put them under saws, &c.] Some of the inhabitants he caused to be sawn in sunder; over others horses drew harrows with great iron teeth, others were drawn over sharp sickles, or sharp stones, which perhaps he means by brick-kilns: for so some interpreters understand it, that he dragged them through the place where bricks were made; and there grated their flesh upon the ragged pieces of broken bricks. Though some will have this word malken to signify the place where the Ammonites offered their sacrifices to their god Moloch, or Malcom (as he is often called), and made the people there to pass through the fire. So the Vulgar translates it for-doubt that the two words were at first the nacem Moloch, "the furnace of Moloch." same: and if so, the context requires the This dreadful punishment was to terrify word in Samuel, especially as that reading is other countries from violating the right of confirmed by five Heb. MSS. in Chronicles. nations, by abusing public ambassadors. Dr. A. Clarke.-He brought forth the Though many have thought it too severe, people.] And put them under saws. From and looked upon it as an argument, that this representation a great cry has been David did this in the state of his impenitence when the mild and gentle Spirit of God was departed from him, and he was become cruel and furious, as well as lustful. Thus did he unto all the cities.] This will not let us think that he punished so cruelly only those who advised the using of his ambassadors shamefully, or applauded it (as many it is likely did, that lived in Rabbah), for he treated all the cities in the country in the same rigorous manner. chapter, that favours the common reading in Chronicles. The meaning therefore is, He made the people slaves, and employed them in sawing, making iron harrows, or mining (for the word means both), and in hewing of wood, and making of brick. Sawing asunder, hacking, chopping, and hewing human beings, have no place in this text, no more than they had in David's conduct towards the Ammonites. raised against "David's unparalleled, if not diaholic, cruelty." I believe this interpretation was chiefly taken from the parallel place, 1 Chron. xx. 3, where it is said, he cut them with saws, and with axes, &c. Instead of ", he sawed, we have here (in Samuel) cv, he put them; and these two words differ from each other only in a part of a single letter, for □. And it is worthy of remark, that, instead of ", he sawed, in 1 Chron. xx. 3, six or seven MSS. collated Ken. And put them under saws, and by Dr. Kennicott have, he put them; under harrows of iron, and under axes of nor is there found any various reading in all iron, and made them pass through the brick- the MSS. yet collated for the text in this kiln. If it is a duty of humanity to vindicate every man's character, when charged wrongfully; this is the more necessary, in proportion as the character is more exalted. David was a prince truly eminent and illustrious. And though it is certain that he was guilty of some great crimes, yet it is as certain that he ought not to be charged with crimes or cruelties of which he was really innocent. One heavy charge has been urged against him from this part of the It is surprising, and a thing to be deplored, sacred history; as if it represented him that in this and similar cases our translators sawing, and harrowing, and chopping, and had not been more careful to sift the sense burning all the Ammonites: a savage repre- of the original words, by which they would sentation which has raised much clamour have avoided a profusion of exceptionable among the enemies of revelation. But a meanings with which they have clothed many charge so severe as this, and so very unlikely passages of the sacred writings. Though I to be true, should be examined into with believe our translation to be by far the best great care and if the original records are in any language, ancient or modern, yet I consulted accurately, they will, I humbly am satisfied it stands much in need of reapprehend, set the matter in a different vision. Most of the advantages which our light. Here in Samuel, the two first words signify et posuit in serra, as in the interlinear Latin version: which words are a true key to the following, and fairly show that David put them to the saw, and sentenced them to the other hard works of slavery. The whole mistake seems to have arisen from an error in the Hebrew text of the parallel place in Chronicles, by the omission of one small part of one letter: for the word instead of D", et posuit, is now, et serravit, in 1 Chron. xx. 3. This corruption was probably very ancient, because expressed in the Greek version. But still there can be little unbelievers have appeared to have over Prof. Lee.-, masc.-pl. non occ., r. The former seems most likely, 2 Sam. Perperam Masora, sine. Sic male xii. 31; Jer. xliii. 9; Nah. iii. 14. LXX, versu 5, cum scribendum fuisset, διὰ τοῦ πλινθίου. et venit. Etiam male versu 4 was, pro Houb.-: Masora, p, per late-, Absalom, ut legitur ver. 1. rariam. Huic sententiæ obstat pronomen Ver. 9. καὶ ἔλαβε τὸ τήγανον καὶ κατεκένωσεν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησε φαγεῖν, κ.τ.λ. Au. Ver.-9 And she took a pan, and poured them out before him: but he refused to eat. Er, eos, quod de iisdem effertur, quose? pa David subjecit serris ac tribulis ferreis ; neque enim eosdem David tribulis ac serris humi prostratos laniaverit, et in laterariam conjecerit; ut necesse sit in verbis, En 125 po, narrari, quomodo eorumdem hominum, quos David sub serris ac tribulis prosterni jusserat, supplicium absolveretur, significarique verbo, vel aculeos, vel dentes, per And she took a pan, and poured them out quos illi homines humi strati laniarentur. before him. So Pool, Patrick, Ged., Booth. Nos conjecturæ indulgemus, ne sententia Bp. Horsley.-Rather, "And she took pereat; et credimus olim scriptum fuisse what she had dressed, and set it out before mone, “quod coxerat," Vulg. bovis usurpatur, possit etiam notare aculeos Gesenius.-, a frying-pun, 2 Sam. ".quod de stimulo him ,מלמד Nam .מלכן non, מלמד tribulorum, vel dentes serrarum. CHAP. XIII. 2. xiii. 9. The etymology is uncertain, and it is even doubtful whether is radical or servile. But probably it is servile, and then the root may ,a metal pan מַשְׂרֵת and, שִׁרְיוֹן whence then בְּעֵינֵי אַמְנוֹן לַעֲשׂוֹת לָהּ מְאוּמָה : JT bem (m) i. q., to shine, to glitter; καὶ ἐθλίβετο ̓Αμνὼν ὥστε ἀῤῥωστεῖν διὰ Θημὰρ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτοῦ, ὅτι παρθένος ἦν αὕτη, καὶ ὑπέρογκον ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ̓Αμνὼν τοῦ ποιῆσαί τι αὐτῇ. Au. Ver.-2 And Ammon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her [Heb., it was marvellous, or, hidden in the eyes of Amnon.] And Amnon was so vexed that he fell sick. So most commentators. Maurer.―ion is, Et angustum fuit Amnoni (=) i. e., moruit Amnon: ad ægrotum se faciendum, ad ægrescendum (er grämte sich zum Krankwerden) i.e., adeo moruit, ut paulum abesset, quin morbum contraheret. Vulgo vertunt: maruit, ita ut, adeo moruit, ut morbum contraheret. Sed si reapse in morbum incidit Amnon, qui fit, ut infra vs. 5, 6 morbum simulet? Neque magis placet Hitzigius, vertens: 66 es wurde von Amnon ersonnen,' venit Amnoni in mentem morbum simulare. Nam, formavit, finxit neque intran , et difficile visum est Amnoni, illi so called from being kept bright. Professor Lee.-, m. once, 2 Sam. xiii. 9. Probably, a frying-pan. LXX, τὸ Thyavov. But Vulg., quod coxerat, &c. Syr. a. Etymology uncertain. Houb.-Et patellam sumens fudit eique apposuit, &c. pm, Et fudit, ex sartagine videlicet in patellam. Vulgatus, effudit et posuit coram ୧୦. ut,ותגש vel, ותצק ותצג Forsan legebat infra ver. 11, fudit et apposuit. Nos Vuladdito verbo, et posuit, non satis significat, gatum sequimur, quia verbum fudit, sine cibum fuisse appositum. Ver. 10. Au. Ver.-Chamber. Ged.-Alcove. Ver. 12. Au. Ver.-Folly—one of the fools. fligates. Ver. 16. וַתֹּאמֶר לוֹ אַל־אֹדוֹת הָרָעָה הַגְּדוֹלָה sitive usquam nec impersonaliter usurpatur |