more dangerous to a king, than not only not to acknowledge so great a love and constancy in his people, who being but few in number, did yet resolvedly expose themselves to great perils for his sake; but on the contrary, grieve and lament at their good success. For, no doubt, they might all have bought their peace of Absalom at an easy rate. Secondly, He urged, that it was generally believed, that he loved his enemies and hated his friends; and that he witnessed by this his mourning, that he had not any respect of his princes, and others his faithful servants, but would more have joyed if they had all perished and Absalom lived, than in the victory by their faithfulness and approved valour gotten.

Lastly, He used this prevalent argument, that if the king came not out and shewed himself publicly to his men of war, that they should all that very night abandon him, and return; concluding with this fearful threatning: And that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that fell on thee from thy youth hitherto1? By these overbold and arrogant speeches, (though perchance uttered with a good intent,) Joab raised David from his bed of sorrow, and brought him to the gates of the city among the people, whom he assured of his love and affection, especially Amasa who commanded the army of Absalom, to whom he promised the office of lieutenantship; the same which Absalom had given him, and which Joab now enjoyed. For David doubted, that if Amasa were not satisfied, he might draw from him a great part of the strength of Israel, now under his commandment.

This done, the king marched towards Jordan homeward, where in his passage he pardoned Shimei13, who had lately reviled him to his face; but this remission was but external, as appeared afterward. Hẹ also accepted of Mephibosheth's excuse, whom Ziba had formerly falsely accused and betrayed.

12 2 Sam, 19. 13 2 Sam. xix. 23.

He also intreated Barzillai the Gileadite14, his late liberal host, to follow him to Jerusalem, that he might reward his service done him; who, excusing himself by his age, appointed his son Chimham to attend the king.

At Gilgal, on this side of Jordan, all the tribes assembled; and after some contention which of them ought to have most interest in David, the army broke, and David returned to Jerusalem. But Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite, of the faction of the house of Saul, finding some discontentment among the Israelites, withdrew them from David, as from a stranger in whom they had no interest; and it seemeth that many of the people of the out-tribes, and in effect of all but Judah, bare still a good affection to the issues of their first king. David employed his reconciled captain Amasa, to give him contentment, and to witness his trust, as also because he conceived that Amasa had interest in those revolts of Israel more than Joab had. He received commandment from David to assemble the army within three days, which he foreslowed; but being onward on his way, Abishai, Joab's brother, was sent after him, with David's guard and best soldiers, whom also Joab accompanied; and overtaking Amasa near Gibeon, pretending to embrace him, gave him a wound's, whereof he fell dead, being no less jealous of Amasa than he was of Abner, whom he murdered in the same manner, and out of the same impatient ambition. This done, he pursued Sheba'; and finding him enclosed in Abel, assaulted the city with that fury, that the citizens, by the persuasions of a wise woman there inhabiting, cut off Sheba's head, and flung it to Joab over the walls; which done, he retreated his army to Jerusalem, and commanded as before all the host of Israel.

The next act of David's, was the delivery of Saul's şons or kinsmen to the Gibeonites, whom those ci

14 2 Sam. xix. 38. 15 2 Sam, xx. 10:

16 2 Sam. xx 20.

tizens hung up in revenge of their father's cruelty. David had knowledge from the oracle of God, that a famine which had continued on the land three years, came by reason of Saul and his house; to wit, for the slaughter of the Gibeonites; and therefore he willingly yielded to give them this satisfaction, both because he had warrant from God himself, as also, if we may judge humanly, to rid himself of Saul's line, by whom he and his might, as well in the present as in the future, be greatly molested and endangered: only he spared Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, both for the love he bare to his father, as for his oath and vow to God.

Now whereas it is written in the text, the king 'took the two sons of Rispah whom she bare unto Saul, and the five sons of Michol the daughter of Saul, whom she bare to Adriel, and delivered them to the Gibeonites,' 2 Sam. xxi.: Junius calls this Michol the sister of her that was David's wife, she whom Saul married to Phaltiel; but Michol here named had Adriel to her husband; the same which is named Merab in 1 Sam. xviii., who was first promised to David when he slew Goliath in the valley of Raphaim; and because it is written that Michol loved David, which perchance Merab did not, whether David had any human respect in the delivery of her children, it is only known to God.

Now whereas the Geneva nameth Michol for Merab the wife of Adriel; the better translation were out of the Hebrew word here used, having an eclipsis or defect, and signifieth, as I am informed, one of the same kindred; as in the 19th verse of the same 21st chapter it is said of Goliah, whose spear was as weighty as a weaver's beam, when as by the same eclipsis it must be understood by the brother of Goliath, Goliath himself being formerly slain.

As by the death of Saul's children God secured the house of David, leaving no head unto rebellion ; so did he strengthen both the king and nation a

gainst foreign enemies, by the valour of many brave commanders, the like of whom, for number and quality, that people of Israel is not known to have had at any time before or after. Thirty captains of thousands there were, all men of rank, and great reputation in war. Over these were six colonels, whose valour was so extraordinary, that it might well be held as miraculous. These colonels had

some difference of place and honour, which seemeth to have been given upon mere consideration of their virtue. For Abishai the brother of Joab, who in the war against the Ammonites and Aramites was lieutenant, and commanded half the army, could not attain to the honour of the first rank, but was fain to rest contented with being principal of the three colonels of the second order, notwithstanding his nearness in blood unto the king, the flourishing estate of his own house, and his well approved services. All these colonels and captains, with the companies belonging to them, may seem to have been such as were continually retained, or at the least kept in readiness for any occasion, considering that the numbers which were mustered and drawn out, if need required, into the field, very far exceeded thirty thousand, yea or thirty times as many. They were most of them such as had followed the king in Saul's time, and been hardened with his adversities. Others there were very many, and principal men in their several tribes, that repaired unto him after the death of Saul; but these captains and colonels, (who with Joab, that was general of all the king's forces, make up the number of thirty-seven,) were the especial men of war, and reckoned as David's worthies". The long reign of David, as it is known to have consumed many of these excellent men of war, so may it probably be guessed to have wasted the most of those whose deaths we find no where mentioned. For the sons of Zeruiah, who had

17 2 Sam. xxiii. 39.

been too hard for David, were worn away, and only Joab left in the beginning of Solomon, who wanted his brother Abishai to stand by his side in his last extremity.

By the actions forepassed in the time of David, it is gathered that he had reigned now thirty-three years, or thereabout, when the posterity of Saul was rooted out, so that he enjoyed about seven years of entire quiet and security, wherein it pleased God to remove all impediments that might have troubled the succession of Solomon in his father's throne. In this time also, David having established all things in Judah and Israel, and the borders thereof, he again displeased God, by numbering the people's, as in ostentation of his power; in which he employed Joab, with other captains of his army, who, after nine months and twenty days travel, returned with the account and register of all the people able and fit to bear arms, and they amounted to the number of thirteen hundred thousand, besides Levi and Benjamin; whereof, in Judah and the cities thereof, five hundred thousand, and in Israel eight hundred thousand.

For this, when by the prophet Gad he was offered from God the choice of three punishments, whereof he might submit himself to which he pleased; to wit, seven years famine; three months war, wherein he should be unprosperous in all attempts, and be chased by his enemies; or a general pestilence, to last three days: David made choice to bow himself under the hand of God only, and left himself subject to that cruel disease, which hath no compassion or respect of persons, of which there perished seventy thousand. And hereby he hath taught all that live, that it is better to fall into the hands of God than of men; whereof he giveth us this divine reason, for his mercies are great '.'