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tain the whole kingdom. For he was near to David in kindred, and had been partaker of all his adversity; wherefore he did not think it meet, that an old enemy should, in reward of new benefits, be made his partner, Indeed he was by nature so jealous of his dignity and place, that he afterwards slew Amasa, his own kinsman, and the king's, upon the same quarrel, taking it in high disdain to see him joined with himself, as captain of the host of Judah; much less could he brook a superior, and such a one as had slain his brother, and beaten himself in battle. But howsoever Joab did hate or despise Abner, David esteemed highly of him as of a prince, and a great man in Israel, excusing the oversight by which he might seem to have perished, by affirming, that he died not like a fool, nor a man vanquished, but ' as a man falleth before wicked men, so (said he) ⚫ didst thou fall.' And certainly it is no error of wit, nor want of valour and virtue in him, whom a stronger hand destroyeth unawares, or whom subtilty in free trust bringeth to confusion. For all under the sun are subject to worldly miseries and misadventures. Howsoever Ishbosheth meant to have dealt with Abner, yet when he heard of his death, he despaired greatly of his estate, and with him all Israel were possessed with great fear; insomuch as two of Ishbosheth's own captains, Rechab and Baanah, murdered Ishbosheth, and, presenting his head to David', received the same reward that the Amalekite lately did for pretending to have slain Saul. Ishbosheth being dead, all the elders of Israel repaired to David at Hebron, where he was the third and last time anointed by general consent.

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SECT. IV.

Of the flourishing time of David's kingdom; the taking of Jerusalem; with two overthrows given to the Philistines, and the conduction of the ark to the city of David.

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WHEN David was now established in the kingdom, his first enterprise was upon the Jebusites, who, in derision of his force, and confident in the strength of the place, (as is thought,) manned their walls with the blind and lame of their city', which David soon after entered; all their other forces notwithstanding. For having mastered the forts of Zion, (which was afterwards the city of David,) he became lord of Jerusalem, without any great danger, expelling thence the Jebusites, who had held it from the foundation to the times of Moses and Joshua, and after them almost four hundred years. There are who expound this place otherwise: Except 'thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither.' For some think that it was meant by the idols of the Jebusites; others, that it had reference to the covenant made long before with Isaac and Jacob; the one blind by nature and age, the other made lame by wrestling with the angel, and that therefore till those, (that is, till that covenant,) be broken, David ought not to molest them. But for myself, I take it with Josephus, that they armed their walls with certain impotent people at first, in scorn of David's attempt. For they, that had held their city about four hundred years against all the children of Israel, Joshua, the Judges, and Saul, did not doubt but to defend it also against David.

When he had now possessed himself of the very heart and centre of the kingdom, and received congratulatory embassadors and presents from Hiranı

1 2 Sam. v.

king of Tyre; he entertained divers other concu bines, and married more wives, by whom he had ten sons in Jerusalem, and by his former wives he had six in Hebron, where he reigned seven years.

The Philistines hearing that David was now anointed king, as well of Judah as of Israel, they thought to try him in the beginning, before he was fully warm in his seat. And being encountered by David at two several times in the valley of Rephaim, or of the giants, they were at both times overthrown. After which he called the place Baalperazim.

Then David assembled thirty thousand choice Israelites to conduct the ark of God from the house of Abinadab in Gibea, to the city of David, which business was interrupted by the death of Uzzah, the son of Abinadab, whom the Lord slew for presuming to touch the ark, though it were with intent to stay it from taking harm when it was shaken. But after three years it was with great solemnity brought into the city with sacrifices, music, dances, and all signs of joyfulness, in which David himself gladly bore a part. Hereupon Michol derided him for dancing before the ark, and afterwards told him in scorn, 'That

he was uncovered as a fool in the eyes of the ⚫ maidens his servants;' namely, that he forgat his regal dignity both in apparel and behaviour; and mixed himself among the base multitude, dancing as fools do in the ways and streets: Not that she disliked David's behaviour, (as I take it,) though she made it the colour of her derision; but rather the abundant grief, which this spectacle stirred up, beholding the glory of her husband to whom she was delivered lastly by force, and remembering the miserable end of her father and brethren, out of whose ruins she conceived that the son of Ishai had built this his greatness; together with the many new wives and concubines embraced since his possession of

22 Sam, v.

Jerusalem, made her break out in those despiteful terms, for which she remained barren to her death.

This done, David consulted with the prophet Nathan for the building of the temple or house of God; but was forbidden it, because he was a man of war, and had shed blood. So greatly doth the Lord and King of all detest homicide; having threatened, not in vain, that he would require the blood of man, at the hand of man and beast. The wars which David had made were just, and the blood therein shed was of the enemies of God, and his church; yet for this cause it was not permitted that his hands should lay the foundation of that holy temple. Hereby it appears how greatly those princes deceive themselves, who think, by bloodshed and terror of their wars, to make themselves in greatness like to the Almighty, which is a damnable pride; not caring to imitate his mercy and goodness, or seek the blessedness promised by our Saviour unto the peace-makers.

Now although it was not pleasing to the Lord to accept a temple of David's founding, yet was his religious intent so well accepted, that hereupon he received both a confirmation of the kingdom to him and his heirs, and that happy promise of the everlasting throne, that should be established in his seed.

SECT. V.

The overthrow of the Philistines and Moabites.

Soon after this David overthrew the Philistines, which made them altogether powerless, and unable to make any invasion upon Israel in haste. For it is written, accepit frænum Amgaris e manu Philisthæorum; which place our English Geneva converts in these words: And David took the bridle of bondage out of the hand of the Philistines.' The Latin of Junius' giveth another and a better

3 1 Chron. xiii.

4 2 Sam. viii. 1.

1 Junius in c. viii. of the 2d of Sam,

sense; for by that bridle of Amgar was meant the strong city of Gath, or Geth, and so the Geneva hath it in the marginal note. This city of Gath was the same which was afterwards Dio-Cæsarea, set on the frontier of Palestina, at the entrance into Judea and Ephraim. From thence they made their incursions, and thereinto their retreat in all their invasions, which being taken by David and demolished, there was left no such frontier town of equal strength to the Philistines on that part. The hill whereon Geth or Gath stood, the Hebrews call Ammæ ; whereof, and of the word Gar, is made Amgar, of which Pliny in his 1st book and 13th chapter. This exposition is made plain, and confirmed, in the 1st Chron. chap. xviii.

There was no nation bordering the Jews that so greatly afflicted them as the Philistines did, who be fore the time of Saul, (to the end they might not sharpen any weapon against them,) did not leave one smith in all their cities and villages of that kind, but enforced them to come down into their territory*, for all iron-work whatsoever they needed; so as the Israelites, till this time of David, were seldom free of paying tribute to the Philistines.

After this he gave them four other overthrows; but the war of the Moabites and Arabians came between. In the first of which he was endangered by Ishbi-benob, the head of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass, which make nine pound three quarters of our poizes; at which time Abishai 3 succoured David, and slew the Philistine; whereupon the counsellors and captains of David, (lest the light of Israel might by his loss be quenched,) vowed that he should not thenceforth hazard himself in any battle. The second and third encounter and overthrow of the Philistines was at Gob, a place near Gesar, and the last at Gath or Geth. And being now better assured of the Philistines by the

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