LECTURE XXIII.

THE REIGN OF DAVID.

The Psalms which, according to their titles or their contents, illustrate this period, are:

(1) For Hebron, Psalm xxvii.

(2) For the occupation of Jerusalem, Psalms xxix., lxviii., cxxxii., xxx, XV., xxiv., xcvi. 1 Chron. xvi. 8–36, xvii. 16–27, xxix. 10-19.

(3) For the wars, Psalms xx., xxi., cviii., cx.

The tradition on Eglah in Jerome ( Qu. Heb. on iii. 5 and vi. 23) says that she was Michal: and that she died in giving birth to Ithream.

↑ The LXX. (Cod. Vat.) in 2 Sam. v. 16, after having given substantially the same lit as the present Hebrew text, repeats the list, with strange variations, as follows:- Samae, Jessibath, Nathan, Galamaan, Íebaar, Theesus, Elphalat, Naged, Naphek, Ianatha, Leasamys, Baalimath, Eliphaath. Josephus (Ant. vii. 3. §3) gives the following list, of which only three names are identical. He states that the two last were sons of the concubines:- Amnus, Emnus, Eban, Nathan, Bolomon, Lebar, Elién, Phalna, Eunaphen, Ienaë, Eliphale; and also his daughter Thamar.

LECTURE XXIII

THE REIGN OF DAVID

THE reign of David divides itself into two unequal portions. The first is the reign of seven years Reign at and six months at Hebron. Hebron was Hebron. selected, doubtless, as the ancient sacred city of the tribe of Judah, the burial-place of the patriarchs, and the inheritance of Caleb. Here David was first formally anointed king, it would seem by the tribe of Judah, without any intervention of Abiathar. To Judah his reign was nominally confined. But probably for the first five years of the time, the dominion of the house of Saul, the seat of which was now at Mahanaim, did not extend to the west of the Jordan. We have already seen' how "David waxed stronger and stronger, and the "house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker." First came the successful inroad into Ish-bosheth's territory. The single combat, the rapid pursuit, are told, however, chiefly for their connection with the fortunes of two members of David's family. That fierce chase was sadly marked by the death of his nephew Asahel, Death of who there put to the last stretch his antelope swiftness, "turning neither to the right nor to the left" for any meaner prize than the mighty Abner. Abner, with the lofty generosity which never deserts him, chafes against the cruel necessity which forces him to slay his gallant pursuer. All the soldiers halted, struck

1 See Lecture XXI.

Asahel.

dumb with grief over the dead body of their young leader. It was carried back and buried at Bethlehem, in their ancestral resting-place.

Joab.

It is now that Joab first appears on the scene. He was the eldest and the most remarkable of David's nephews, who, as we have shown, stood to him rather in the relation of cousin, from the interval of age between their mother and David, her youngest brother. Asahel was the darling of his brothers, and would have doubtless won a high place amongst the heroes of his youthful uncle's army. Abishai was thoroughly loyal and faithful to David, even before the adherence of Joab,-like Joab, implacable to the enemies of the royal house; unlike Joab, faithful to the end. But Joab with those ruder qualities combined something of a more statesmanlike character, which brings him more nearly on a level with David, and gives him the second place in the whole coming history. He had lived before, it may be, on more friendly terms than the rest of his family, with the reigning house of Saul. He was at least well known to Abner.1 It was not till after the death of Saul that he finally attached himself to David's fortunes. The alienation was sealed by the death of Asahel. To him, whatever it might be to Abishai, it was a loss never to be forgiven. Reluctantly he had forborne the pursuit after Abner. Eagerly he had seized the opportunity of Abner's visit to David, decoyed him to the interview in the gateway of Hebron, and there treacherously murdered him.2 It may be that with the passion of vengeance for his brother's death was mingled the fear lest Abner should supplant him in the royal favor. He was forced to appear with all the signs of mourning at the funeral; Joab walked before the corpse,

1 2 Sam. ii. 22, 26.

2 Ibid. iii. 27.