lious nature, it was not from God, but from the devil, who is "the wicked one," James i. 13, 14. But Shimei's cursing David, was one of the great afflictions laid upon him, and it was from the Lord; therefore David, like a gracious person, looked above the instrument of his trouble to the great Disposer of all things, and, like Job, when his enemies plundered him, acknowledged, "the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away." The Lord ordained the death of Christ, yet Peter saith to the Jews, "Whom ye with wicked bands have crucified and slain." It appears that Shimei's heart was full of enmity to David, as the hearts of the Jews were to Christ, but he was before restrained by providence, and by the authority of the king; and now by David's affliction, his enmity breaks loose, as a rod in the hand of the Lord, to afflict David for the murder of Uriah the Hittite. Nothing quiets more the soul of the christian under trouble than to view the hand of God in it, and then tribulation works patience in those that are sanctified; and David saith, "The Lord will requite me good for his cursing."

CHAPTER XVII.

The contest between David and Absalom is now hastening towards a crisis‹ it must be determined by the sword, and for that preparation is made in this chapter. 1. Absalom calls a council of war, in which Ahithophel advises him to dispatch, ver. 1-4. but Hushai advises him to deliberation, ver. 5-13. and Hushai's counsel is agreed to, ver. 14. for vexation at which Ahithophel hangs himself, ver. 23. 2. Secret intelligence is sent to David (but with much difficulty) of their proceedings, ver. 15-21. 3. David marches to the other side Jordan, ver. 22-24. and there his camp is victualled by some of his friends in that country, ver. 27-29. 4. Absalom and his forces march after him into the land of Gilead on the other side Jordan, ver. 25, 26. there we shall in the next chapter find the cause decided by a battle: hitherto every thing has looked black upon poor David, but now the day of his deliverance begins to dawn.

VER. 4. "And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel."]-This was very amazing; for Absalom had now got the royal throne, city, and palace, yet he was not contented with it, but was much pleased with the wicked design of killing his father David. And it was astonishing that Israel should join with Absalom, for David had been a good king to his people, and a great blessing in all respects. Thus we see that the best of parents, nay,

the best of princes, are not to think it a new or strange thing, if their troubles arise from those who should be their support and joy, when they consider that the elders of Israel and David's own son were in rebellion against him.

Ver. 29. "For they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness."]-Thus we see that God wonderfully appears for his afflicted under their afflic tions, by inclining the hearts of strangers to communicate those comforts to them which their own friends and families deny them. This shews the wonders of God's wisdom and love to his people.

CHAPTER XVIII,

This chapter puts a period to Absalom's rebellion and life, and so makes way for David in his throne again, whither the next chapter brings him back in peace and triumph. Here is, 1. David's preparations to engage the rebels, ver. 1-5. 2. The total defeat of Absalom's party, and their dispersion, ver. 5-8. 3. The death of Absalom, and his burial, ver. 9-18. 4. The bringing of tidings of it to David, who tarried at Mabanaim, ver. 19-32. 5. His bitter lamentation for Absalom, ver. 33.

VER. 5. "And the king commanded Joab, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom."]-This battle was the hardest that ever David fought; for to fight against his own son went near to his heart: therefore, as Josephus observes, he encouraged his men, and prayed for them; but withal charged them to deal tenderly with the young man Absalom, How doth he render good for evil! Absalom would have David only smitten, David would have Absalom only spared. What foils are these to each other! Never was unnatural hatred to a father so strong as in Absalom, nor natural affection to a child more strong than in David; in those each did their utmost, and shewed what they could do: how bad it is possible for a child to be to the best of fathers, and how good it is possible for a father to be to the worst of children! as if it were designed to be a resemblance of man's wickedness towards God, and God's mercy towards man; of which it is hard to say whether is more amazing. "Deal gently, (saith David, by all means) with the young man, even with Absalom, for my sake;" he is a young man, rash and heady, and his age must excuse him;

he is mine, whom I love; if you love me, be not severe with him. This charge supposeth David's strong expectation of success, having a good cause, and a good God: he doubts not but Absalom would lie at their mercy, and therefore bids them deal gently with him, and spare his life.

Bishop Hall thus descants on this: What means this ill-placed love? this unjust mercy? Deal gently with a traitor of all traitors with a son? of all sons with an Absalom? that graceless darling of so good a father? and all this for thy sake, whose crown, whose blood he hunts after? For whose sake must he be pursued, if forborne by thine? Must the cause of the quarrel be the motive of mercy? Even in the holiest parents nature may be guilty of an injurious tenderness. But (saith he) was not this done as a type of that unmeasurable mercy of the true King and Redeemer of Israel, who prayed for his persecutors, for his murderers?" Father, forgive them. Deal gently with them for my sake." When God sends an affliction to correct bis children, it is with this charge," Deal gently with them for my sake; for he knows our frame."

Ver. 32. "And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe?"]-Herein appears David's strong affection for his son Absalom, that he even forgot his regard for his people as their king; for it seems he could not rejoice in any victory, unless his son Absalom was safe. The strength of paternal love is great, for he could not hear of a deliverance for himself or his people, unless rebellious Absalom was safe.

Ver. 33. And the king was much moved and wept, and said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom: would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son."]-This shews how much the death of Absalom affected the king, and how dear this rebellious son was to his father. This great lamentation might perhaps proceed from David's great concern for Absalom's salvation, therefore he wished to have died for him, as one more fit to die than Absalom. But it appears that David in this matter shewed too great a fondness as a father, and too little concern for his people as a king in Irsael. If the bowels of an earthly father are so great, much greater are the bowels of our heavenly Father, who is the Father of mercies!" and if an earthly father be so ready to forgive a rebellious son, much more the forgiving love of our heavenly Father is manifested to his children. See Isaiah xliii. 24, 25. and lvii. 18. Jer. xxxi. 20. 2 Cor, i. 3. Luke xv. 20.

CHAPTER XIX.

We left David's army in triumph, and yet David himself in tears; now here we have, 1. His return to himself by the persuasion of Joab, ver. 1—8. 2. His return to his kingdom from his present banishment. (1.) The men of Israel were forward of themselves to bring him back, ver. 9, 10. (2.) The men of Judah were dealt with by David's agents to do it, ver. 11-14, and did it, ver. 15. 3. At the king's coming over Jordan Shimei's treason is pardoned, ver. 16-23. Mephibosheth's failure is excused, ver. 24-30. And Barzillai's kindness is thankfully owned and recompensed to his son, ver. 31-40. 4. The men of Israel quarrelled with the men of Judah for not calling them to the ceremony of the king's restoration, which occasioned a new rebellion in the next chapter, ver. 41-43.

VER. 12. "Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh."]-David here expostulates the case with the tribe of Judah, which were nearly related to him; therefore they could have nothing to fear from him: in which David was a type of Christ, who manifests his love, grace, and mercy, by the near relation he stands in to them, as their king, their head, their husband, and their brother; for Christ was flesh of their flesh, and bone of their bone, and "he is not ashamed to call them brethren.”

Ver. 14. "And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man."]-That is, they bowed in love and obedience to David as their king: so true believers are obedient to Christ through the manifestations of that near relation that he stands in to them as their friend, their brother, and their near kinsman, as flesh of their flesh, and bone of their bone; he hath loved them and died for them, and reigns over them, as God in their nature; this love bows their heart, engages their affections, and sweetly constrains the will in obedience to him, as their king to rule over them.

Ver. 42. Because the king is near of kin to us.”]— On this account the men of Judah claimed more right to king David than the men of Israel; though they had ten parts in the king, yet the words of the men of Judah were fiercer, that is, stronger and more prevailing. And thus it is that the children of God, who are called Judah, Psalm Ixxvi. 1. claim a right to King Jesus, because he is near akin to them in name, as he is their BROTHER in nature; for he is "flesh of their flesh, and bone of their bone," Eph. v. 30. In relation, as he is their husband: in authority, as he is their head and King: and if this encouraged the men

of Judah to come to king David, how should this view of King Jesus, being "near of kin to us, encourage us in all our addresses to the throne of grace!"

CHAPTER XX.

How do the clouds return after the rain! No sooner is one of David's troubles over, but another arise, as it were, out of the ashes of the former, wherein the threatening is fulfilled, that the sword should never depart from his house. 1. Before he reaches Jerusalem a new rebellion is raised by Sheba, ver. 1, 2. 2. His first work, when he comes to Jerusalem, is to condemn his concubines to perpetual imprisonment, ver. 3. S. Amasa, whom he intrusts to raise an army against Sheba, is too slow in his motions, which puts him into a fright, ver. 4—6. 4. One of his generals barbaronsly murders the other, when they were taking the field, ver. 7—13. 5. Sheba is at length shut up in the city of Abel, ver. 14-15. but the citizens delivered him up to Joab, and so his rebellion was crushed, ver. 16-21. The chapter concludes with a short account of David's great officers, ver. 23--26.

VER. 1. "We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse."]-In these words the men of Israel shew their enmity against the men of Judah, for their saying that the king was near akin to them: therefore they rebelled against him. In which respect it may be figurative of the rebellion of the ungodly against the children of God: for when believers speak of Christ in his glory and person, of their union to him, and of the near relation that he stands in to them, that he is near akin to them, and that they enjoy communion with him in all the near relations of a husband, friend, brother, and king; this stirs up the enmity of unconverted sinners, and they rebel against Christ, till he makes them willing" in the day of his power," Psalm cx. 3.

CHAPTER XXI.

The date of the events of this chapter is uncertain. I incline to think that they happened as they are here placed, after Absalom's and Sheba's rebellion, and towards the latter end of David's reign. That the battles with the philistines, mentioned here, were long after the philistines were subdued, appears by comparing 1 Chron. xviii. 1. with chap. xx. 4. The numbering of the people was just before the firing of the place