68th Psalm describes it, a second Exodus. David was, quirements on that day, the founder not of Freedom only, but of Empire, - not of Religion only, but of a Church and Commonwealth. But there were revelations of a yet loftier kind even than this new name of the Leader of the armies of Israel. The name of the Lord of Hosts, as revealed in the close of the 24th Psalm, was destined itself to fade away into a dark silence, when the hosts had ceased to fight, and the empire of Israel had fallen to pieces. But in the hopes with which that same Psalm is opened, and which pervade the 15th and the 101st, the faith of David takes a still higher Moral reand wider sweep. As if in answer to the cry of David. from the guardians of the gates, as he remembers the tabernacle which he had raised within the walls of his city to receive the ark after its long wanderings, — as he sees its magnificent train mounting up to its sacred tent on the sacred rock, the thought rises within him of those who shall hereafter be the citizens of the capital thus consecrated, and he asks, "Who shall ascend "into the mount of Jehovah? who shall stand in His "holy place? Who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? who "shall dwell in Thy holy tent?" The question is twice asked, the reply is twice given. "He that hath clean "hands and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his "soul unto vanity, nor sworn to deceive his neighbor." "He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, "and speaketh the truth from his heart. He that back"biteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his “neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neigh"bor. He that despiseth a vile person, but honoreth "them that fear Jehovah. He that sweareth to his own "hurt, and changeth not. He that putteth not out his money unto usury, nor taketh reward against the 'innocent. He that doeth these things shall never 'fall." Of these tests for the entrance into David's city and David's church, one only has become obsolete -that of not receiving usury. All the rest remain in force still; nay, it may even be said that the one qualification repeated in so many forms, of the duty of truth -even in Christian times has hardly been recognized with equal force, as holding the exalted place which David gives to it. And what he asks for the citizens of his new capital, he asks for the courtiers and statesmen of his new court. For when at length the day is past, and he finds himself in his own Palace, he there lays down for himself the rules by which "he will walk in "his house with a perfect heart." The 101st Psalm was one beloved by the noblest of Russian princes, Vladimir Monomachos; by the gentlest of English Reformers, Nicholas Ridley. But it was its first leap into life that has carried it so far into the future. It is full of a sterr exclusiveness, of a noble intolerance. But not against theological error, not against uncourtly manners, not against political insubordination, but against the proud heart, the high look, the secret slanderer, the deceitful worker, the teller of lies. These are the outlaws from King David's court; these alone are the rebels and heretics whom he would not suffer to dwell in his house or tarry in his sight. "Mine eyes shall be upon the faith"ful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he that "walketh in a perfect way, he shall be my servant. I "will early destroy all the wicked of the land, that "I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the "LORD." Many have been the holy associations with which the name of Jerusalem has been invested in Apocalyptic visions and Christian hymns, but they have 1 Ps xv., xxi. 2 Ps. ci. 6-8. their first historical ground in the sublime aspirations of its first Royal Founder. How far this high ideal was realized-how far lost, will be seen as we proceed through the tangled history of the court and empire of Israel. Empire of The erection of the new capital at Jerusalem intro duces us to a new era, not only in the inward hopes of the Prophet-King, but in the external David. history of the monarchy. Up to this time he had been a chief, such as Saul had been before him, or as the kings of the neighboring tribes, each ruling over his territory, unconcerned with any foreign relations except so far as was necessary to defend his own nation or tribe. But David, and through him the Israelitish monarchy, now took a wider range. He became a King on the scale of the great Oriental sovereigns of Egypt and Persia, with a regular administration and organization of court and camp; and he also founded an imperial dominion which for the first time realized the Patriarchal description1 of the bounds of the chosen people. This imperial dominion was but of short duration, continuing only through the reigns of David and his successor Solomon. But, for the period of its existence, it lent a peculiar character to the sacred history. For once, the kings of Israel were on a level with the great potentates of the world. David was an imperial conqueror, if not of the same magnitude, yet of the same kind, as Rameses or Sennacherib. "I have made thee a "great name like unto the name of the great men that "are in the earth." "Thou hast shed blood abundantly "and made great wars."2 And as, on the one hand, the external relations of life, and the great incidents of war and conquest receive an elevation by their contact with 1 Gen. xv. 18-21. 2 2 Sam. vii. 9; 1 Chr. xxii. 8. the religious history, so the religious history swells into larger and broader dimensions from its contact with the course of the outer world. The enlargement of territory, the amplification of power and state, leads to a corresponding enlargement and amplification of ideas, of imagery, of sympathies; and thus (humanly speaking) the magnificent forebodings of a wider dispensation in the Prophetic writings first became possible through the court and empire of David. The general organization of the kingdom now estabOrganiza- lished, lasted to the end of the monarchy of kingdom. which David was the founder. tion of the Royal (1.) At the head of it was the Royal Family, the House of David. The princes were under the Family. charge of a governor named Jehiel,' perhaps a Levite, except Solomon, who (according at least to one rendering) was under the charge of Nathan. David himself was surrounded by a royal state unknown before. He was the Chief or "Patriarch" of the dynasty. He had his own royal mule, especially known as such." He had his royal seat or throne, in a separate chamber or gateway in the palace. The highest officers of the court, even the Prophets, did not venture into his presence without previous announcement; when they did enter, it was with the profoundest obeisance and prostration. His followers, who up to the time of his acces sion had been called his "young men," his "companions," henceforth became his "servants," his "slaves." " had the power of dispensing even with 10 the funda mental laws and usages of the Jewish commonwealth. 8 1 1 Chr. xxvii. 32. 2 Ibid. xv. 21; 2 Chr. xx. 14. 3 2 Sam. xii. 25. 4 Acts ii. 29. ⚫ 1 Kings i. 33. • Ibid. 35, 46; comp. 2 Sam. xv. 2. 7 1 Kings i. 23. He 8 2 Sam. ix. 6, xiv. 4, 22, 33, xviii 28, xix. 18; 1 Kings i. 16, 23, 31. 9 See article ELHANAN in the Dic tionary of the Bible. 10 2 Sam. xiii. 13, xiv. 11, 19. (2.) The military organization, which was in par inherited from Saul, but greatly developed by Military or David, was as follows: ganization. (a.) "The Host" was the whole available military force of Israel, consisting of all males capable of bearing arms, and was summoned only for The Host. 8 war. There were twelve divisions who were held to be on duty month by month; and over each of them presided an officer, selected for this purpose, from the other military bodies formed by David.' The army was still distinguished from those of surrounding nations by its primitive aspect of a force of infantry without cavalry. The only innovations as yet allowed were, the introduction of a very limited number of chariots, and of mules for the princes and officers instead of the asses. According to a Mussulman tradition, David invented. chain armor. The usual weapons were still spears and shields, though with large bodies of archers and slingers. The commander in chief of the army was an office already recognized under Saul, when it was held by Abner. But it reached its full grandeur in the person of Joab, to whom it was given as the prize for the escalade of Jerusalem. He had a chief armor-bearer of his own (Naharai a Beerothite), and ten attendants to carry his baggage. He had the charge, formerly belonging to the king or judge, of giving the signal by trumpet, for advance or retreat. He commanded the 11 Chr. xxvii. 1-15. 2 2 Sam. viii. 4. Ibid. xiii. 29, xviii. 9. 4 Koran, xxi. 80. Comp. the legends in Weil's Legends, p. 155, and Lane's Selections from the Koran, p. 229. Thus a good coat of mail is often called by the Arabs "Dáoodee," i. e. Davidean. 5 Ps. xxxv. 2, 3; 1 Chr. xii. 24 34, &c. 6 See Lecture XX. 7 2 Sam. xxiii. 37; 1 Chr. xi. 89 |