merchandise and hire should be holiness to the Lord: consecrating cur gain unto the Lord, and our substance unto the Lord of the whole earth. Thus David did, and he was not at all the poorer for it ; nay, he was the richer, and left his son on the throne, the richest prince then in the world. CHAP. IX. David, in gratitude for Jonathan's kindness, makes inquiry after the house of Saul, and discovers Mephibosheth; receives him in the most friendly manner, and provides for him and his. 1 AND David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake? 2 And [there was] of the house of Saul a servant whose name [was] Ziba, whom David remembered, and thought he might give him some information. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, [Art] thou Ziba? And he said, 3 Thy servant [is he.] And the king said [Is] there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God unto him? that is, great kindness, or kindness agreeable to the oath, 1 Sam. xx. 14. And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath 4 yet a son, [which is] lame on [his] feet. And the king said unto him, Where [is] he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he [is] in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lo5 debar, beyond Jordan. Then king David sent, probably by Ziba, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, 6 in Lo-debar. Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and And David said, Mephibosheth. And he an7 did reverence. swered, Behold thy servant! And David said unto him, Fear not; for I will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father, all thy paternal inheritance,‡ and thou shalt eat bread at my table 8 continually, as one of my own children. And he bowed himself with great gratitude and humility, and said, What [is] thy servant, that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I [am?] such an abject, insignificant, contemptible creature? 9 Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master's son all that pertained to • David has been charged with unkindness, because he did not do this sooner. But per haps it would not have been prudent, till the kingdom was well established. He now made the inquiry, that he might fulfil his covenant of friendship with Jonathan, which extended to his posterity. + Mephibosheth seems to have been in some confusion and terror; he might not have heard of the oath, and therefore was afraid that this was some contrivance to ensnare and destroy him, lest he might make some pretensions to the kingdom; and therefore David says, Fear not. This was very large, and either was confiscated on Ishbosheth's rebellion, or came to David in right of his wife, according to the law of God; Saul's sons by his wives being all dead, and he did not know of this branch of the family, who was concealed. Saul and to all his house; have settled the family estate upon 10 him. Thou therefore shalt be his steward, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land för him, and thou shalt bring in [the fruits,] that thy master's son may have food to eat, for the sup port of his family, and to save him trouble: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants, who were able to manage 11 this large estate. Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, [said the king,] he shall 12 eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.* And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name [was] Micah. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba [were] servants unto Mephibosheth, 13 and accountable to him for all the product of the estate. So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet, and therefore might seem to be a dishonour to it. This way of living gave the king a daily opportunity of expressing his gratitude and friendship for Jonathan, and of perpetuating that friendship between their posterity. 1. REFLECTIONS. T is the duty of wise and good men to seek for opportunities of doing good, especially to the families of their friends. A liberal soul deviseth liberal things. David did not think it enough to serve them if they came in his way; he inquired after them. Let us inquire if there are any of Christ's poor, any we can show kindness to for his sake. Let us consider what we can do for him, to whom we are so much obliged. We should especially be kind to the families of our friends, to those who have behaved worthily in their day, and have been particularly kind to us, and familiar with us. If we are able, and they are low, let us not forget or overlook them, but be so much the readier to help them. Though there should be no solemn league, as in the present case, yet the law of friendship requires us to be kind to the reputation, the memory, and the descendants of those who have been our friends. This shows a truly generous spirit: a friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. 2. We learn from Mephibosheth, with what temper to receive the distinguishing favours of heaven. There is a great resemblance between his case and ours. As christians, we are adopted into God's family, and invited to his table. We have reason to receive this favour with the deepest humility, and the greatest admiration of his condescension and grace. We have greater favours conferred on us than Mephibosheth had; nobler entertainments, greater * David's heart so overflowed with joy, because it was in his power to do honor to one of Jonathan's posterity, that he interrupted Ziba with a second declaration, He shall eat at my table. He had afterwards a large family, as we find in Chronicles, who kept up the remembrance of that worthy mai Jonathan. honour, and a better estate, even the kingdom of heaven. We are not only restored to the inheritance which our father Adam lost, but to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away and we had less reason to expect such a favour. Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan, David's friend, who behaved well but we are children of rebellious parents, and by our personal revolt have exposed ourselves to the divine displeasure: and as the honour which God shows us is so much superior, so much the deeper should be our humility. Lord, what is thy servant ? Bút no words are sufficient to express our meanness, or the matchless grace of our God and Saviour. Lord, what is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou shouldst visit him? In which is an acccount of the disgraceful treatment of David's mess sengers, who were sent to comfort Hanun on the death of his father, and of several victories obtained by David's forces over the Ammonites and Syrians. ΑΝ 2 stead. ND it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his Then said David, I will show kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness unto me. Being an enemy of Saul's, he probably had protected David, and sent him supplies, during his banishment. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for the death of his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Am3 mon. And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David [rather] sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, where the weakest part is, and to overthrow it? 4 Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, 5 [even] to their buttocks, and sent them away. When they told [it] unto David, he sent to meet them with clothes and other necessaries, because the men were greatly ashamed; and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and [then] return.t This was a very great indignity, for the beard was then reckoned an ornament. It was a common punishment among the eastern nations, on cowards or adulterers, to cut off their beards. But Hanun cut off their garments also; and as they wore no breeches or drawers, it exposed them to shame. This was probably done in contempt of their religion and laws. See Lev. xix. 27. Isaiah xx. 4. xlvii. 2, 3. It was also an offence against the laws of gratitude and hospitality, and contrary to the laws of nature and nations. + There were but a few houses or cottages where Jericho formerly stood, the city not be Ing rebuilt. This was a proper place to hide their shame; and they were not to return in their present situation, lest persons of their rank and quality should be reproached and ridiculed, and their office be brought into contempt. David resented the affront; but considering it as the effect of youthful vanity and rashness, he made no preparation for attacking Hanun, but waited to see what he would do, and whether he would take any steps toward expiating the injury, And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, were become odious to him, the children of Ammon sent. and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men, who all readily joined to revenge the injuries David had done them, and prevent his increas7 ing greatness. And when David heard of [it,] he did not wait for their attack, but he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty 8 men, to attack them. And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entering in of the gate of Medeba, a city in the tribe of Reuben: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ishtob, and Maacah, [were] by themselves 9 in the field. When Joab saw that the front of the battle was : against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice [men] of Israel, and put [them] in array against the Syrians, who were 10 the strongest and most valiant; And the rest of the people he de livered into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put 11 [them] in array against the children of Ammon. And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me : but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee; each agreed to keep detachments in readi12 ness to help the weaker. Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good; let us behave ourselves valiantly, be resolute for the preservation of our country, and leave 13 the event to God. And Joab drew nigh, and the people that [were] with him, unto the battle against the Syrians; he thought it most prudent to attack the mercenary troops first, as they were most likely to give way: and they fled before him. 14 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians, upon whom they placed their chief dependence, were fled, then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city for safety. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem; finding the season too far advanced to pursue the victory, he returned home. 15 And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together; fearing that David would fall upon them for assisting his enemies, they were resolved 16 to be beforehand with him. And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that [were] beyond the river and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer 17 [went] before them. And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and went to command in person, and passed over Jordan and came to Helam. And the Syrians set them18 selves in array against David, and fought with him. And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew [the men of] seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.* The word Shobach also signifies chariot and charioteer, which occasions some ambiguity. Probably he slew about an equal number of each, forty thousand horse and foot; and thus ex tended his conquests to the great river, according to the promise and prophecy to Abraham. 19 And when all the kings [that were] servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them, became subject to David, and paid tribute. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more. 1. REFLECTIONS. WE are taught, from the example of David, to be grateful for kindnesses received. Nahash was a monster of cruelty, and used the Iraelites very ill; but as he was kind to David, (though his motive for doing so was only to vex Saul,) he was willing to show his gratitude. No vileness in the author of a benefac tion, can cancel the gratitude due for it. When we receive a kindness, we are not to inquire into the principle from whence it flows, or the grounds of it: if the Pharisees gave alms through pride, the receiver was bound to be thankful. Whatever men's hearts are, we are to look to their hands; and repay, not what they meant, but what they did; return the kindness according to our ability: and if our benefactors are dead, we should do it to their children. 2. We may observe, that what is well meant may be ill interpreted, and receive a base return; so it was here. It is hard for wicked, selfish men to think well of others. They judge of others by themselves, and are ready to suspect some selfish design. This suspicious temper argues a very bad mind. If we are so treated, it is no great wonder, for it was so of old. The more we are convinced of the absurdity and iniquity of such practices, the more careful we should be not to treat others so. The soul of the wicked desireth evil, his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes. 3. We may reflect, what an unhappy thing it is for a young prince to have evil counsellors about him. Hanun had but little experience, and was not very able to judge for himself; therefore he was disposed to hearken to the advice of others. It is very unhappy for a nation when this is the case. Who can tell what quarrels and sorrows such may bring upon themselves, and the whole kingdom, and all its allies. Let us earnestly pray, that God may direct in the choice of those who counsel young princes: that they may be wise and upright; know and pursue, not what will gratify their own ambition, selfishness, and revenge, but what will tend to the credit of the prince, and the welfare of the nation. 4. Great dangers sometimes inspire bad men with true sentiments of courage and piety. Joab, excepting some actions, behaved like a prudent, valiant general, and shone as a great man. Here he talks like a good man; even David himself could scarce have talked better. He argues from the most just and influential topics; not from private glory or advantage, but from the honor of God, the safety and credit of Israel; and under a deep sense of an overruling Providence, piously leaves the successs with God. Oh that our commanders would imitate his example! Zeal for God and religion, and the cause of liberty and our country, are the best argu ments to inspire men with true ardour and courage, |