194 David brings the Ark to Jerusalem.

carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.

II. And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obed-edom, and all his houshold.

12. And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness.

13. And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.

14. And David danced before the LORD with all his might.; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

15. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

16. And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

17. And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

18. And as soon as David had made an end of

regulations about the ark, which should have prevented his thoughtless act d.

8-10. This means that David was grieved and dismayed at the interruption of the ceremony. He abruptly closes it, and places the ark in a house at Gath-rimmon, one of the Levitical cities".

12-16. David, reassured by the safety and prosperity of Obed-edom and his house, renews the attempt to bring the ark to Jerusalem. This time it is duly carried on the shoulders of the Levites. Solemn sacrifices are offered as soon as a safe start has been made, and again (ver. 17) when the procession has ended. David himself changes his royal robes for priestly vestments, and takes part in the music and dancing. Michal, in whose father's time the priesthood had been little thought of, regards this enthusiasm as undignified, and 'despises' her husband.

17. The brief account of the entry of the ark here given is supplemented by the psalms which refer to this occasion.

The most remarkable picture is that given in Ps. xxiv. 6-10, where the procession is compared to a victorious host, summoning the city to surrenderf. 'Lift up your heads, O ye gates,' they cry, 'and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.' The warders on the walls respond, 'Who is the King of glory?' and the answer comes back, 'The LORD of hosts 8, He is the King of glory.'

d In the LXX, Ps. xxix (there given as Ps. xxviii), which describes a terrible thunderstorm, is headed 'A psalm of David about the removal of the tent (tabernacle).' This is supposed to refer to the removal of the ark, and hence it has been conjectured that Uzzah was struck by lightning.

For Perez-uzzah, cp. Baal-perazim in 2 Sam. v. 20.

e Gittite commonly refers to the Philistine city of Gath; but is here used of one belonging to this Levitical city.

Hence this is selected as one of the Proper Psalms for Ascension Day, this ceremony being regarded as a type of our Lord's ascending into the heavens.

This is the solemn inauguration of that great name, by which the Divine nature was especially known under the monarchy, Jehovah-Sabaoth, the LORD of Hosts.' Before, God had been

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David and Michal.

offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.

19. And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good peice of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house.

20. Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!

21. And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.

22. And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.

23. Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.

20. DAVID'S WARS-ORGANIZATION OF THE KINGDOM.

2 SAMUEL vii-x.

David next proposes to build a suitable house or temple for the ark, which dwells within curtains,' while he himself

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Among other psalms belonging to this occasion are the following: Ps. lxviii, beginning, 'Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered,' the battle-cry with which the ark used to be moved in the wilderness, tells of the setting out of the procession. Ps. cxxxii. 8, ‘Arise, O Lord, into Thy resting-place, Thou, and the ark of Thy strength,' refers to the same.

Ps. xv, 'Lord, who shall dwell in Thy tabernacle,' &c., describes the characteristics of those who are fitted to dwell in this now hallowed capital. So too Ps. ci depicts the true citizens of the holy city, and Ps. xcvi tells of the higher worship now to be inaugurated.

The great historical thanksgivings in Ps. cv and cvi were perhaps composed for the same ceremony, and there are many expressions in other psalms, which refer to it h

19. This giving of largess or bounty was a common part of any great national rejoicing. A flagon of wine' should be 'a cake (or cluster) of raisins.'

21-23. David explains to Michal that nothing, which is designed to promote God's glory, can be mean or dishonourable. This event leads to a separation from the wife, for whose restoration to him he had been so anxious (2 Sam. iii. 13, 14), and Michal has to bear the 'reproach' of being childless.

known first as Elohim, 'the Strong One;' then as Jehovah,' the Eternal' (Stanley, J. C. ii. 87).

h In Chron. xvi. 8-36 we have a psalm recorded, which David is said to have given at this time into the hands of Asaph. Portions of this resemble parts of Psalms xcvi, cv, cvi, cvii, cxviii, and cxxxvi.

20. DAVID'S WARS-ORGANIZATION OF THE

KINGDOM.

2 SAMUEL vii-x.

1 Metheg-ammah probably means 'the bridle (or key) of the metropolis'; some fortress, that is, which commanded Gath. But

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David's Foreign Wars.

dwells in an house of cedar.' Nathan at first approves of the design, but is told by the word of the Lord in a dream that David, as a man of war, may not undertake this task, which is reserved for his more peaceful son Solomon. He reports the vision to David, with an assurance of God's favour; and the king resignedly accepts the decision.

The king's attention is now claimed for foreign wars. i. The Philistines are defeated, and Metheg-ammah1 (2 Sam. viii. 1) is taken. In 1 Chron. xviii. 1 it is given as 'Gath and her towns.'

I

ii. The Moabites 2 are smitten, and two-thirds of their army put to death.

iii. Hadadezer, king of Zobah, is defeated. The Syrians of Damascus, who come to his rescue, are also routed with great slaughter, and made tributary. Garrisons are placed in Damascus.

As the result of this victory, Toi, king of Hamath, who had been at war with Hadadezer, makes overtures of friendship, and sends presents to David. These, with the spoils taken from David's enemies, are 'dedicated to the Lord.'

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iv. The Edomites sustain a crushing defeat, and their country is garrisoned.

v. The Ammonites, aided by the Syrians, are routed by Joab and Abishai; and their capital, Rabbah, is besieged and taken. David, who had received kindness from their king Nahash, had wished to be on friendly terms with them; but Hanun, Nahash's son, had outraged his ambassadors, shaving off half their beards, which Orientals regard as a dead y insult, and cutting short their long robes.

vi. The Syrians under Shobach, captain of the host, are once more defeated and crushed.

David now inquires whether any of Saul's house survive, to whom he may 'show kindness for Jonathan's sake.' Ziba, a servant of Saul, tells him of Mephibosheth, who has found refuge with a chief called Machir". Mephibosheth is summoned, and comes to David in alarm; but all Saul's