II
S A M U E L
CHAP. XXIII.
The
historian is now drawing towards a conclusion of David's reign, and therefore
gives us an account here, I. Of some of his last words, which he spoke by
inspiration, and which seem to have reference to his seed that was to be for
evermore, spoken of in the close of the foregoing chapter, ver. 1-7. II. Of
the great men, especially the military men, that were employed under him, the
first three (ver. 8-17), two of the next three (ver. 18-23), and then the
thirty, ver. 24-39.
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David's
Last Words.
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B. C. 1015.
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1
Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and
the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob,
and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, 2 The Spirit of the LORD
spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. 3 The God of
Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must
be just, ruling in the fear of God. 4 And he shall be
as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning
without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth
by clear shining after rain. 5 Although my house be not so
with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things,
and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire,
although he make it not to grow. 6 But the sons of
Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot
be taken with hands: 7 But the man that shall touch them
must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly
burned with fire in the same place.
We have here the last will and testament of king David, or a codicil annexed
to it, after he had settled the crown upon Solomon and his treasures upon the
temple which was to be built. The last words of great and good men are thought
worthy to be in a special manner remarked and remembered. David would have
those taken notice of, and added either to his Psalms (as they are here to
that in the foregoing chapter) or to the chronicles of his reign. Those words
especially in v. 5, though recorded before, we may suppose he often
repeated for his own consolation, even to his last breath, and therefore they
are called his last words. When we find death approaching we should
endeavour both to honour God and to edify those about us with our last words.
Let those that have had long experience of God's goodness and the pleasantness
of wisdom, when they come to finish their course, leave a record of that
experience and bear their testimony to the truth of the promise. We have upon
record the last words of Jacob and Moses, and here of David, designed, as
those, for a legacy to those that were left behind. We are here told,
I. Whose last will and testament this is. This is related either, or is usual,
by the testator himself, or rather, by the historian, v. 1. He is
described, 1. By the meanness of his original: He was the son of Jesse.
It is good for those who are advanced to be corner-stones and top-stones to be
reminded, and often to remind themselves, of the rock out of which they
were hewn. 2. The height of his elevation: He was raised up on high,
as one favoured of God, and designed for something great, raised up as a
prince, to sit higher than his neighbours, and as a prophet, to see further;
for, (1.) He was the anointed of the God of Jacob, and so was
serviceable to the people of God in their civil interests, the protection of
their country and the administration of justice among them. (2.) He was the
sweet psalmist of Israel, and so was serviceable to them in their
religious exercises. He penned the psalms, set the tunes, appointed both the
singers and the instruments of music, by which the devotions of good people
were much excited and enlarged. Note, The singing of psalms is a sweet
ordinance, very agreeable to those that delight in praising God. It is
reckoned among the honours to which David was raised up that he was a
psalmist: in that he was as truly great as in his being the anointed of the
God of Jacob. Note, It is true preferment to be serviceable to the church
in acts of devotion and instrumental to promote the blessed work of prayer and
praise. Observe, Was David a prince? He was so for Jacob. Was he a psalmist?
He was so for Israel. Note, the dispensation of the Spirit is given to every
man to profit withal, and therefore, as every man has received the gift, so
let him minister the same.
II. What the purport of it is. It is an account of his communion with God.
Observe,
1. What God said to him both for his direction and for his encouragement as a
king, and to be in like manner, of use to his successors. Pious persons take a
pleasure in calling to mind what they have heard from God, in recollecting his
word, and revolving it in their minds. Thus what God spoke once David heard
twice, yea often. See here,
(1.) Who spoke: The Spirit of the Lord, the God of Israel, and the
Rock of Israel, which some think is an intimation of the Trinity of
persons in the Godhead--the Father the God of Israel, the Son the
Rock of Israel, and the Spirit proceeding from the Father and the
Son, who spoke by the prophets, and particularly by David, and whose
word was not only in his heart, but in his tongue for the benefit of others.
David here avows his divine inspiration, that in his psalms, and in this
composition, The Spirit of God spoke by him. He, and other holy men,
spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. This puts an
honour upon the book of Psalms, and recommends them to our use in our
devotions, that they are words which the Holy Ghost teaches.
(2.) What was spoken. Here seems to be a distinction made between what the
Spirit of God spoke by David, which includes all his psalms, and what
the Rock of Israel spoke to David, which concerned himself and his
family. Let ministers observe that those by whom God speaks to others are
concerned to hear and heed what he speaks to themselves. Those whose office it
is to teach others their duty must be sure to learn and do their own. Now that
which is here said (v. 3, 4) may be considered, [1.] With application
to David, and his royal family. And so here is, First, The duty of
magistrates enjoined them. When a king was spoken to from God he was not to be
complimented with the height of his dignity and the extent of his power, but
to be told his duty. "Must is for the king," we say. Here is a must
for the king: He must be just, ruling in the fear of God; and so must
all inferior magistrates in their places. Let rulers remember that they rule
over men--not over beasts which they may enslave and abuse at pleasure, but
over reasonable creatures and of the same rank with themselves. They rule over
men that have their follies and infirmities, and therefore must be borne with.
They rule over men, but under God, and for him; and therefore, 1. They must be
just, both to those over whom they rule, in allowing them their rights and
properties, and between those over whom they rule, using their power to right
the injured against the injurious; see Deut. i. 16, 17. It is not enough that
they do no wrong, but they must not suffer wrong to be done. 2. They must rule
in the fear of God, that is, they must themselves be possessed with a fear of
God, by which they will be effectually restrained from all acts of injustice
and oppression. Nehemiah was so (Neh. v. 15, So did not I, because of the
fear of God), and Joseph, Gen. xliii. 18. They must also endeavour to
promote the fear of God (that is, the practice of religion) among those over
whom they rule. The magistrate is to be the keeper of both tables, and to
protect both godliness and honesty. Secondly, Prosperity promised them
if they do, this duty. He that rules in the fear of God shall be as
the light of the morning, v. 4. Light is sweet and pleasant, and he
that does his duty shall have the comfort of it; his rejoicing will be the
testimony of his conscience. Light is bright, and a good prince is
illustrious; his justice and piety will be his honour. Light is a blessing,
nor are there any greater and more extensive blessings to the public than
princes that rule in the fear of God. As the light of the morning,
which is most welcome after the darkness of the night (so was David's
government after Saul's, Ps. lxxv. 3), which is increasing, shines more and
more to the perfect day, such is the growing lustre of a good government. It
is likewise compared to the tender grass, which the earth produces for the
service of man; it brings with it a harvest of blessings. See Ps. lxxii. 6,
16, which were also some of the last words of David, and seem to refer to
those recorded here. [2.] With application to Christ, the Son of David, and
then it must all be taken as a prophecy, and the original will bear it: There
shall be a rule among men, or over men, that shall be just, and shall
rule in the fear of God, that is, shall order the affairs of religion and
divine worship according to his Father's will; and he shall be as the light
to the morning, &c., for he is the light of the world, and as the
tender grass, for he is the branch of the Lord, and the fruit of
the earth, Isa. xi. 1-5; xxxii. 1, 2; Ps. lxxii. 2. God, by the Spirit,
gave David the foresight of this, to comfort him under the many calamities of
his family and the melancholy prospects he had of the degeneracy of his seed.
2. What comfortable use he made of this which God spoke to him, and what were
his devout meditations on it, by way of reply, v. 5. It is not unlike
his meditation on occasion of such a message, 2 Sam. vii. 18, &c. That
which goes before the Rock of Israel spoke to him; this the Spirit of
God spoke by him, and it is a most excellent confession of his faith
and hope in the everlasting covenant. Here is,
(1.) Trouble supposed: Although my house be not so with God, and although
he make it not to grow. David's family was not so with God as is described
(v. 3, 4), and as he could wish, not so good, not so happy; it had not
been so while he lived; he foresaw it would not be so when he was gone, that
his house would be neither so pious nor so prosperous as one might have
expected the offspring of such a father to be. [1.] Not so with God.
Note, We and ours are that really which we are with God. This was what David's
heart was upon concerning his children, that they might be right with God,
faithful to him and zealous for him. But the children of godly parents are
often neither so holy nor so happy as might be expected. We must be made to
know that it is corruption, not grace, that runs in the blood, that the race
is not to the swift, but that God gives his Spirit as a free-agent. [2.] Not
made to grow, in number, in power; it is God that makes families to grow
or not to grow, Ps. cvii. 41. Good men have often the melancholy prospect of a
declining family. David's house was typical of the church of Christ, which is
his house, Heb. iii. 3. Suppose this be not so with God as we could wish,
suppose it be diminished, distressed, disgraced, and weakened, by errors and
corruptions, yea, almost extinct, yet God has made a covenant with the
church's head, the Son of David, that he will preserve to him a seed, that the
gates of hell shall never prevail against his house. This our Saviour
comforted himself with in his sufferings, that the covenant with him stood
firm, Isa. liii. 10-12. (2.) Comfort ensured: Yet he hath made with me an
everlasting covenant. Whatever trouble a child of God may have the
prospect of, still he has some comfort or other to balance it with (2 Cor. iv.
8, 9), and there is none like this of the Psalmist, which may be understood,
[1.] Of the covenant of royalty (in the type) which God made with David and
his seed, touching the kingdom, Ps. cxxxii. 11, 12. But, [2.] It must look
further, to the covenant of grace made with all believers, that God will be,
in Christ, to them a God, which was signified by the covenant of royalty, and
therefore the promises of the covenant are called the sure mercies of
David, Isa. lv. 3. It is this only that is the everlasting covenant, and
it cannot be imagined that David, who, in so many of his psalms, speaks so
clearly concerning Christ and the grace of the gospel, should forget it in his
last words. God has made a covenant of grace with us in Jesus Christ, and we
are here told, First, That it is an everlasting covenant, from
everlasting in the contrivance and counsel of it, and to everlasting in the
continuance and consequences of it. Secondly, That it is ordered,
well ordered in all things, admirably well, to advance the glory of God and
the honour of the Mediator, together with the holiness and comfort of
believers. It is herein well ordered, that whatever is required in the
covenant is promised, and that every transgression in the covenant does not
throw us out of covenant, and that it puts our salvation, not in our own
keeping, but in the keeping of a Mediator. Thirdly, That it is sure,
and therefore sure because well ordered; the general offer of it is
sure; the promised mercies are sure on the performance of the conditions. The
particular application of it to true believers is sure; it is sure to all the
seed. Fourthly, That it is all our salvation. Nothing but this
will save us, and this is sufficient: it is this only upon which our salvation
depends. Fifthly, That therefore it must be all our desire. Let
me have an interest in this covenant and the promises of it, and I have
enough, I desire no more.
3. Here is the doom of the sons of Belial read, v. 6, 7. (1.) They
shall be thrust away as thorns--rejected, abandoned. They are like thorns, not
to be touched with hands, so passionate and furious that they cannot be
managed or dealt with by a wise and faithful reproof, but must be restrained
by law and the sword of justice (Ps. xxxii. 9); and therefore, like thorns,
(2.) They shall, at length, be utterly burnt with fire in the same place, Heb.
vi. 8. Now this is intended, [1.] As a direction to magistrates to use their
power for the punishing and suppressing of wickedness. Let them thrust away
the sons of Belial; see Ps. ci. 8. Or, [2.] As a caution to magistrates,
and particularly to David's sons and successors, to see that they be not
themselves sons of Belial (as too many of them were), for then neither the
dignity of their place nor their relation to David would secure them from
being thrust away by the righteous judgments of God. Though men could not deal
with them, God would. Or, [3.] As a prediction of the ruin of all the
implacable enemies of Christ's kingdom. There are enemies without, that openly
oppose it and fight against it, and enemies within, that secretly betray it
and are false to it; both are sons of Belial, children of the wicked one, of
the serpent's seed; both are as thorns, grievous and vexatious: but both shall
be so thrust away as that Christ will set up his kingdom in despite of their
enmity, will go through them (Isa. xxvii. 4), and will, in due time,
bless his church with such peace that there shall be no pricking brier nor
grieving thorn. And those that will not repent, to give glory to God,
shall, in the judgment-day (to which the Chaldee paraphrast refers this), be
burnt with unquenchable fire. See Luke xix. 27.
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David's Mighty Men.
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B. C. 1054.
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8
These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite
that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the
Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one
time. 9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the
Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the
Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of
Israel were gone away: 10 He arose, and smote the Philistines
until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD
wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to
spoil. 11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the
Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a
piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the
Philistines. 12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and
defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD
wrought a great victory. 13 And three of the thirty chief went
down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the
troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim. 14 And
David was then in a hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was
then in Bethlehem. 15 And David longed, and said, Oh that
one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is
by the gate! 16 And the three mighty men brake through the host of
the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was
by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless
he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.
17 And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD,
that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in
jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did
these three mighty men. 18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the
son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against
three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among
three. 19 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was
their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.
20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who
had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and
slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow: 21 And he slew
an Egyptian, a goodly man:
and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a
staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his
own spear. 22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada,
and had the name among three mighty men. 23 He was more honourable
than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set
him over his guard. 24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one
of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 Shammah
the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the
son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai
the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29 Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of
Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah the Pirathonite,
Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, 31 Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth
the Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen,
Jonathan, 33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the
Hararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the
Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 Hezrai
the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan of
Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the
Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah, 38 Ira an
Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite, 39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven
in all.
I. The catalogue which the historian has here left upon record of the great
soldiers that were in David's time is intended, 1. For the honour of David,
who trained them up in the arts of exercises of war, and set them an example
of conduct and courage. It is the reputation as well as the advantage of a
prince to be attended and served by such brave men as are here described. 2.
For the honour of those worthies themselves, who were instrumental to bring
David to the crown, settle and protect him in the throne, and enlarge his
conquests. Note, Those that in public stations venture themselves, and lay out
themselves, to serve the interests of their country, are worthy of double
honour, both to be respected by those of their own age and to be remembered by
posterity. 3. To excite those that come after to a generous emulation. 4. To
show how much religion contributes to the inspiring of men with true courage.
David, both by his psalms and by his offerings for the service of the temple,
greatly promoted piety among the grandees of the kingdom (1 Chron. xxix. 6),
and, when they became famous for piety, they became famous for bravery.
II. Now these mighty men are here divided into three ranks:--
1. The first three, who had done the greatest exploits and thereby gained the
greatest reputation--Adino (v. 8), Eleazar (v. 9, 10), and
Shammah, v. 11, 12. I do not remember that we read of any of these, or
of their actions, any where in all the story of David but here and in the
parallel place, 1 Chron. xi. Many great and remarkable events are passed by in
the annals, which relate rather the blemishes than the glories of David's
reign, especially after his sin in the matter Uriah; so that we may conclude
his reign to have been really more illustrious than it has appeared to us
while reading the records of it. The exploits of this brave triumvirate are
here recorded. They signalized themselves in the wars of Israel against their
enemies, especially the Philistines. (1.) Adino slew 800 at once with his
spear. (2.) Eleazar defied the Philistines, as they by Goliath, had defied
Israel, but with better success and greater bravery; for when the men of
Israel had gone away, he not only kept his ground, but arose, and smote the
Philistines, on whom God struck a terror equal to the courage with which
this great hero was inspired. His hand was weary, and yet it clave to his
sword; as long as he had any strength remaining he held his weapon and
followed his blow. Thus, in the service of God, we should keep up the
willingness and resolution of the spirit, notwithstanding the weakness and
weariness of the flesh--faint, yet pursuing (Judg. viii. 4), the hand weary,
yet not quitting the sword. Now that Eleazar had beaten the enemy, the men of
Israel, who had gone away from the battle (v. 9), returned to spoil, v.
10. It is common for those who quit the field, when any thing is to be done to
hasten to it when any thing is to be gotten. (3.) Shammah met with a party of
the enemy, that were foraging, and routed them, v. 11, 12. But observe,
both concerning this exploit and the former, it is here said, The Lord
wrought a great victory. Note, How great soever the bravery of the
instruments is, the praise of the achievement must be given to God. These
fought the battles, but God wrought the victory. Let not the strong man then
glory in his strength, nor in any of his military operations, but let him
that glories glory in the Lord.
2. The next three were distinguished from, and dignified above, the thirty,
but attained not to the first three, v. 23. All great men are not of
the same size. Many a bright and benign star there is which is not of the
first magnitude, and many a good ship not of the first rate. Of this second
triumvirate two only are named, Abishai and Benaiah, whom we have often met
with in the story of David, and who seem to have been not inferior in
serviceableness, though they were in dignity, to the first three. Here is,
(1.) A brave action of these three in conjunction. They attended David in his
troubles, when he absconded, in the cave of Adullam (v. 13), suffered
with him, and therefore were afterwards preferred by him. When David and his
brave men who attended him, who had acted so vigorously against the
Philistines, were, by the iniquity of the times, in Saul's reign, driven to
shelter themselves from his rage in caves and strong holds, no marvel that the
Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim, and put a garrison even in
Bethlehem itself, v. 13, 14. If the church's guides are so misled as to
persecute some of her best friends and champions, the common enemy will, no
doubt, get advantage by it. If David had had his liberty, Bethlehem would not
have been now in the Philistines' hands. But, being so, we are here told, [1.]
How earnestly David longed for the water of the well of Bethlehem. Some make
it a public-spirited wish, and that he meant, "O that we could drive the
garrison of the Philistines out of Bethlehem, and make that beloved city of
mine our own again!" the well being put for the city, as the river often
signifies the country it passes through. But if he meant so, those about him
did not understand him; therefore it seems rather to be an instance of his
weakness. It was harvest-time; the weather was hot; he was thirsty; perhaps
good water was scarce, and therefore he earnestly wished, "O that I could
but have one draught of the water of the well of Bethlehem!" With the
water of that well he had often refreshed himself when he was a youth, and
nothing now will serve him but that, though it is almost impossible to come at
it. He strangely indulged a humour which he could give no reason for. Other
water might quench his thirst as well, but he had a fancy for that above any.
It is folly to entertain such fancies and greater folly to insist upon the
gratification of them. We ought to check our appetites when they go out
inordinately towards those things that really are more pleasant and grateful
than other things (Be not desirous of dainties), much more when they
are thus set upon such things as only please a humour. [2.] How bravely his
three mighty men, Abishai, Benaiah, and another not named, ventured through
the camp of the Philistines, upon the very mouth of danger, and fetched water
from the well of Bethlehem, without David's knowledge, v. 16. When he
wished for it he was far from desiring that any of his men should venture
their lives for it; but those three did, to show, First, How much they
valued their prince, and with what pleasure they could run the greatest
hardships in his service. David, though anointed king, was as yet an exile, a
poor prince that had no external advantages to recommend him to the affection
and esteem of his attendants, nor was he in any capacity to prefer or reward
them; yet those three were thus zealous for his satisfaction, firmly believing
the time of recompence would come. Let us be willing to venture in the cause
of Christ, even when it is a suffering cause, as those who are assured that it
will prevail and that we shall not lose by it at last. Were they so forward to
expose themselves upon the least hint of their prince's mind and so ambitious
to please him? And shall not we covet to approve ourselves to our Lord Jesus
by a ready compliance with every intimation of his will given us by his word,
Spirit and providence? Secondly, How little they feared the
Philistines. They were glad of an occasion to defy them. Whether they broke
through the host clandestinely, and with such art that the Philistines did not
discover them, or openly, and with such terror in their looks that the
Philistines durst not oppose them, is not certain; it should seem, they forced
their way, sword in hand. But see, [3.] How self-denyingly David, when he had
this far-fetched dear-bought water, poured it out before the Lord, v.
17. First, Thus he would show the tender regard he had to the lives of
his soldiers, and how far he was from being prodigal of their blood, Ps. lxxii.
14. In God's sight the death of his saints is precious. Secondly, Thus
he would testify his sorrow for speaking that foolish word which occasioned
those men to put their lives in their hands. Great men should take heed what
they say, lest any bad use be made of it by those about them. Thirdly,
Thus he would prevent the like rashness in any of his men for the future. Fourthly,
Thus he would cross his own foolish fancy, and punish himself for entertaining
and indulging it, and show that he had sober thoughts to correct his rash
ones, and knew how to deny himself even in that which he was most fond of.
Such generous mortifications become the wise, the great, and the good. Fifthly,
Thus he would honour God and give glory to him. The water purchased at this
rate he thought too precious for his own drinking and fit only to be poured
out to God as a drink-offering. If it was the blood of these men, it was God's
due, for the blood was always his. Sixthly, Bishop Patrick speaks of
some who think that David hereby showed that it was not material water he
longed for, but the Messiah, who had the water of life, who, he knew, should
be born at Bethlehem, which the Philistines therefore should not be able to
destroy. Seventhly, Did David look upon that water as very precious
which was got at the hazard of these men's blood, and shall not we much more
value those benefits for the purchasing of which our blessed Saviour shed his
blood? Let us not undervalue the blood of the covenant, as those do that
undervalue the blessings of the covenant.
(2.) The brave actions of two of them on other occasions. Abishai slew 300 men
at once, v. 18, 19. Benaiah did many great things. [1.] He slew two
Moabites that were lion-like men, so bold and strong, so fierce and furious.
[2.] He slew an Egyptian, on what occasion it is not said; he was well armed
but Benaiah attacked him with no other weapon than a walking staff,
dexterously wrested his spear out of his hand, and slew him with it, v.
21. For these and similar exploits David preferred him to be captain of the
life-guard or standing forces, v. 23.
3. Inferior to the second three, but of great note, were the thirty-one here
mentioned by name, v. 24, &c. Asahel is the first, who was slain by
Abner in the beginning of David's reign, but lost not his place in this
catalogue. Elhanan is the next, brother to Eleazar, one of the first three, v.
9. The surnames here given them are taken, as it should seem, from the places
of their birth or habitation, as many surnames with us originally were. From
all parts of the nation, the most wise and valiant were picked up to serve the
king. Several of those who are named we find captains of the twelve courses
which David appointed, one for each month in the year, 1 Chron. xxvii. Those
that did worthily were preferred according to their merits. One of them was
the son of Ahithophel (v. 34), the son famous in the camp as the father
at the council-board. But to find Uriah the Hittite bringing up the rear of
these worthies, as it revives the remembrance of David's sin, so it aggravates
it, that a man who deserved so well of his king and country should be so ill
treated. Joab is not mentioned among all these, either, (1.) to be mentioned;
the first, of the first three sat chief among the captains, but Joab was over
them as general. Or, (2.) Because he was so bad that he did not deserve to be
mentioned; for though he was confessedly a great soldier, and one that had so
much religion in him as to dedicate of his spoils to the house of God (1 Chron.
xxvi. 28), yet he lost as much honour by slaying two of David's friends as
ever he got by slaying his enemies.
Christ, the Son of David, has his worthies too, who like David's, are
influenced by his example, fight his battles against the spiritual enemies of
his kingdom, and in his strength are more than conquerors. Christ's apostles
were his immediate attendants, did and suffered great things for him, and at
length came to reign with him. They are mentioned with honour in the New
Testament, as these in the Old, especially, Rev. xxi. 14. Nay, all the good
soldiers of Jesus Christ have their names better preserved than even these
worthies have; for they are written in heaven. This honour have all his
saints.
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