The Expositor's Bible: The Second Book of Samuel

Оглавление

William Garden Blaikie. The Expositor's Bible: The Second Book of Samuel

CHAPTER I. DAVID'S LAMENT FOR SAUL AND JONATHAN

CHAPTER II. BEGINNING OF DAVID'S REIGN AT HEBRON

CHAPTER III. BEGINNING OF CIVIL WAR

CHAPTER IV. CONCLUSION OF THE CIVIL WAR

CHAPTER V. ASSASSINATION OF ABNER AND ISHBOSHETH

CHAPTER VI. DAVID KING OF ALL ISRAEL

CHAPTER VII. THE KINGDOM ESTABLISHED

CHAPTER VIII. THE ARK BROUGHT UP TO JERUSALEM

CHAPTER IX. PROPOSAL TO BUILD A TEMPLE

CHAPTER X. FOREIGN WARS

CHAPTER XI. ADMINISTRATION OF THE KINGDOM

CHAPTER XII. DAVID AND MEPHIBOSHETH

CHAPTER XIII. DAVID AND HANUN

CHAPTER XIV. DAVID AND URIAH

CHAPTER XV. DAVID AND NATHAN

CHAPTER XVI. PENITENCE AND CHASTISEMENT

CHAPTER XVII. ABSALOM AND AMNON

CHAPTER XVIII. ABSALOM BANISHED AND BROUGHT BACK

CHAPTER XIX. ABSALOM'S REVOLT

CHAPTER XX. DAVID'S FLIGHT FROM JERUSALEM

CHAPTER XXI. FROM JERUSALEM TO MAHANAIM

CHAPTER XXII. ABSALOM IN COUNCIL

CHAPTER XXIII. ABSALOM'S DEFEAT AND DEATH

CHAPTER XXIV. DAVID'S GRIEF FOR ABSALOM

CHAPTER XXV. THE RESTORATION

CHAPTER XXVI. DAVID AND BARZILLAI

CHAPTER XXVII. THE INSURRECTION OF SHEBA

CHAPTER XXVIII. THE FAMINE

CHAPTER XXIX. LAST BATTLES AND THE MIGHTY MEN

CHAPTER XXX. THE SONG OF THANKSGIVING

CHAPTER XXXI. THE LAST WORDS OF DAVID

CHAPTER XXXII. THE NUMBERING OF ISRAEL

CHAPTER XXXIII. THE TWO BOOKS OF SAMUEL

Отрывок из книги

The death of Saul did not end David's troubles, nor was it for a good many years that he became free to employ his whole energies for the good of the kingdom. It appears that his chastisement for his unbelieving spirit, and for the alliance with Achish to which it led, was not yet completed. The more remote consequences of that step were only beginning to emerge, and years elapsed before its evil influence ceased altogether to be felt. For in allying himself with Achish, and accompanying his army to the plain of Esdraelon, David had gone as near to the position of a traitor to his country as he could have gone without actually fighting against it. That he should have acted as he did is one of the greatest mysteries of his life; and the reason why it has not attracted more notice is simply because the worst consequences of it were averted by his dismissal from the Philistine army through the jealousy and suspicion of their lords. But for that step David must have been guilty of gross treachery either in one direction or another; either to his own countrymen, by fighting against them in the Philistine army; or to King Achish, by suddenly turning against him in the heat of the battle, and creating a diversion which might have given a new chance to his countrymen. In either case the proceeding would have been most reprehensible.

But to his own countrymen he would have made himself especially obnoxious if he had lent himself to Achish in the battle. Whether he contemplated treachery to Achish is a secret that seems never to have gone beyond his own bosom. All the appearances favoured the supposition that he would fight against his country, and we cannot wonder if, for a long time, this made him an object of distrust and suspicion. If we would understand how the men of Israel must have looked on him, we have only to fancy how we should have viewed a British soldier if, with a troop of his countrymen, he had followed Napoleon to the field of Waterloo, and had been sent away from the French army only through the suspicion of Napoleon's generals. In David's case, all his former achievements against the Philistines, all that injustice from Saul which had driven him in despair to Achish, his services against the Amalekites, his generous use of the spoil, as well as his high personal character, did not suffice to counteract the bad impression of his having followed Achish to battle. For after a great disaster the public mind is exasperated; it is eager to find a scapegoat on whom to throw the blame, and it is unmeasured in its denunciations of any one who can be plausibly assailed. Beyond all doubt, angry and perplexed as the nation was, David would come in for a large share of the blame; his alliance with Achish would be denounced with unmeasured bitterness; and, probably enough, he would have to bear the brunt of many a bitter calumny in addition, as if he had instigated Achish, and given him information which had helped him to conquer.

.....

In the next place, he invokes on these people a glowing benediction from the Lord: "The Lord show kindness and truth to you;" and he expresses his purpose also to requite their kindness himself. "Kindness and truth." There is something instructive in the combination of these two words. It is the Hebrew way of expressing "true kindness," but even in that form, the words suggest that kindness is not always true kindness, and mere kindness cannot be a real blessing unless it rest on a solid basis. There is in many men an amiable spirit which takes pleasure in gratifying the feelings of others. Some manifest it to children by loading them with toys and sweetmeats, or taking them to amusements which they know they like. But it does not follow that such kindness is always true kindness. To please one is not always the kindest thing you can do for one, for sometimes it is a far kinder thing to withhold what will please. True kindness must be tested by its ultimate effects. The kindness that loves best to improve our hearts, to elevate our tastes, to straighten our habits, to give a higher tone to our lives, to place us on a pedestal from which we may look down on conquered spiritual foes, and on the possession of what is best and highest in human attainment, – the kindness that bears on the future, and especially the eternal future, is surely far more true than that which, by gratifying our present feelings, perhaps confirms us in many a hurtful lust. David's prayer for the men of Jabesh was an enlightened benediction: "God show you kindness and truth." And so far as he may have opportunity, he promises that he will show them the same kindness too.

There can be no doubt that David was moved by considerations of policy as well as by more disinterested motives in sending this message and offering this prayer for the men of Jabesh-gilead. Indeed, in the close of his message he invites them to declare for him, and follow the example of the men of Judah, who have made him king. The kindly proceeding of David was calculated to have a wider influence than over the men of Jabesh, and to have a conciliating effect on all the friends of the former king. It would have been natural enough for them to fear, considering the ordinary ways of conquerors and the ordinary fate of the friends of the conquered, that David would adopt very rigid steps against the friends of his persecutors. By this message sent across the whole country and across the Jordan, he showed that he was animated by the very opposite spirit: that, instead of wishing to punish those who had served with Saul, he was quite disposed to show them favour. Divine grace, acting on his kindly nature, made him forgiving to Saul and all his comrades, and presented to the world the spectacle of an eminent religious profession in harmony with a noble generosity.

.....