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2 Samuel
Chapter Eight
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 8
This
chapter gives a relation of the wars of David with his enemies
and his
victories over them
particularly the Philistines
Moabites
Syrians
and
Edomites
and of the spoils he took from them
and of the presents made to him
by others
2 Samuel 8:1; and
of his righteous administration of government
and of the principal officers in
his court and camp
2 Samuel 8:15.
2 Samuel 8:1 After
this it came to pass that David attacked the Philistines and subdued them. And
David took Metheg Ammah from the hand of the Philistines.
YLT
1And it cometh to pass
afterwards that David smiteth the Philistines
and humbleth them
and David
taketh the bridle of the metropolis out of the hand of the Philistines.
And after this it came to pass
.... After David had rest
from his enemies for a time
and after the conversation he had had with Nathan
about building the house of God
and after the message sent to him from the
Lord by that prophet
forbidding him to build
and David's prayer to the Lord
upon it
the following events happened; and which are recorded to show that
David's rest from his enemies did not last long
and that he had other work to
do than to build the house of God:
that David smote the Philistines
and subdued them; these had
been long and implacable enemies of Israel; Samson began to weaken them in his
days; a war was waged between them and Israel in the times of Samuel and Saul
and the battle sometimes went on one side and sometimes on the other; but now
David made an entire conquest of them: before they had used to come into the land
of Israel
and there fight with Israel
but now David entered into their land
and took it from them:
and David took Methegammah out of the hands of the Philistines; the name of a
province in Palestine
and from the parallel place in 1 Chronicles 18:1
it appears to be Gath
and its adjacent towns; but why that was called the
bridle of Ammah
or the bridle of a cubit
as it may be rendered
is not easy to
say. The conjecture of Kimchi is
that there was a pool or river of water
so
Ammah is thought to signify; and Aquila renders it a water course
which passed
through the city
having been brought from without it into it
the
communication of which from place to place it may be David cut off
by stopping
or turning its stream; but interpreters more generally suppose that Gath was
built upon an hill called Ammah
see 2 Samuel 2:24;
thought to be the same with the Amgaris of PlinyF4Nat. Hist. l. 5.
c. 13. though that is sometimes read Angaris
a mountain he places in
Palestine; and that it was called Metheg
a bridle
because being a frontier
city
and being very strong and powerful
erected into a kingdom
it was a curb
and bridle upon the Israelites; but now David taking it out of their hands
opened his way for the more easy subduing the rest of their country: or the
word may be rendered Metheg and her mother
that is
Gath
the metropolis
since that and her daughters
or towns
are said to be taken
1 Chronicles 18:1;
and Metheg might be one of them.
2 Samuel 8:2 2 Then he defeated Moab.
Forcing them down to the ground
he measured them off with a line. With two
lines he measured off those to be put to death
and with one full line those to
be kept alive. So the Moabites became David’s servants
and brought
tribute.
YLT
2And he smiteth Moab
and
measureth them with a line
causing them to lie down on the earth
and he
measureth two lines to put to death
and the fulness of the line to keep alive
and the Moabites are to David for servants
bearers of a present.
And he smote Moab
.... He next went against that
and invaded
it
the people of it being always troublesome and distressing to the children
of Israel; and though the king of it had shown some favour to David
yet it was
when he considered him as an enemy to Saul
and Saul to him; but things having
taken a different turn
his and his people's enmity against David and his
people appeared; wherefore he went and fought them
and made them his subjects
whereby was fulfilled the prophecy of Balaam
Numbers 24:17; as
it referred to David:
and measured them with a line: either their country and
fields
to distribute among his people
or rather the soldiers he took
prisoners; which
as Procopius Gazaeus says
were so numerous that they could
not be told
and therefore they were ordered to lie prostrate on the ground
and they were measured with a line
as it follows:
casting them down to the ground; or ordering them to lie
down; though some understand this of casting down their cities
towers
and
strong holds
and levelling them with the ground:
even with two lines measured he; with one
so it may be
supplied
as the Vulgate Latin:
to put to death
and with one full line
to keep alive; that is
in
measuring them with his lines
he divided them into two parts
one he put to
death
and the other
the full line
which contained the most
he saved alive;
though it seems according to our version
and so most understand it
that David
slew two thirds
and saved one
and so JosephusF5Antiqu. l. 7. c. 5.
sect. 1. . This must be understood of the army of the Moabites that fell into
his hands
so Josephus
who persisted and refused to submit
not of all the
inhabitants of the land. The Jews sayF6Bemidbar Rabba
l. 14. fol.
212. 1.
that the reason of this severe treatment of them was because they
slew the father
and mother and brethren of David
whom he left to the care and
custody of the king of Moab
when he fled from Saul
see 1 Samuel 22:3;
since after that they are heard no more of; though it should rather be imputed
to their enmity against the people of Israel. The phrase of "meting out
the valley of Succoth" seems to be an allusion to this fact
Psalm 60:6
the
psalm being written on occasion of the victories here related:
and so the Moabites became David's servants; the
inhabitants of the land who were left in it
perhaps that part of the soldiers
preserved alive were brought home captives:
and brought gifts; paid a yearly
tribute to King David
as they afterwards did to Solomon and to Rehoboam
until
the revolt of the ten tribes
and then they paid it unto the kings of Israel
to the times of Ahab
see 2 Kings 3:4
though
these gifts may be distinct from
and besides the tribute paid
which is
supposed in their being servants
see 2 Chronicles 17:11.
Thus the ArabiansF7Herodot. Thalia
sive
l. 3. c. 97. carried gifts
to the king of Persia besides tribute.
2 Samuel 8:3 3 David also defeated
Hadadezer the son of Rehob
king of Zobah
as he went to recover his territory
at the River Euphrates.
YLT
3And David smiteth Hadadezer
son of Rehob
king of Zobah
in his going to bring back his power by the River
[Euphrates;]
And David also smote Hadadezer the son of Rehob
king of Zobah
.... Called
sometimes Aramzobah
and was a part of Syria
as its name shows. Benjamin
of
TudelaF8Itinerar. p. 59. takes it to be the same with Haleb or
Aleppo; JosephusF9Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 7. c. 5. sect. 1.) calls it
Sophene; but that is placed by PtolemyF11Geograph. l. 5. c. 13.
beyond the Euphrates; whereas this country must be between that river and the
land of Israel
and was contiguous to it
and near Damascus; and it was so near
the land of Israel
and being conquered by David
that it became a controversy
with the Jews
whether it was not to be reckoned part of it
and in several
things they allow it to be equal to itF12T. Bab. Gittin
fol. 8. 1.
2. Misn. Demai
c. 6. sect. 11. & Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. . Rehob
was the first king of this part of Syria
and then his son the second and last;
he is called Hadarezer in 1 Chronicles 18:3;
the letters ד "D" and ר
"R"
being frequently changed in the Hebrew tongue: him David fought
with
and overcame:
as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates; which some
understand of Hadadezer
so Jarchi and Kimchi
who attempted to recover part of
his dominions that had been taken by some one or another from him
which lay
upon the river Euphrates; or he endeavoured to enlarge his dominions
and carry
them as far as the river
and establish the borders of them; and while he was
doing this
or attempting it
David fell upon him
and routed him; or rather
this refers to David
who considering that the ancient border of the land of
Israel
as given to Abraham
reached to the river Euphrates
Genesis 15:18; he
set out on an expedition to recover this border
and whereas the country of
this king lay in his way
he invaded that; upon which Hadadezer rose up against
him
and was conquered by him
and by this means the border was recovered to
the kingdom of Israel
and reached so far
as is plain it did in Solomon's
time
1 Kings 4:21.
2 Samuel 8:4 4 David took from him one
thousand chariots
seven hundred[a] horsemen
and twenty thousand foot soldiers. Also David hamstrung all the chariot horses
except that he spared enough of them for one hundred chariots.
YLT
4and David captureth from
him a thousand and seven hundred horsemen
and twenty thousand footmen
and
David destroyeth utterly the whole of the charioteers
only he leaveth of them
a hundred charioteers.
And David took from him a thousand chariots
and seven
hundred horsemen
.... "Chariots" are not in the text here
it is only
1700 "horsemen"; but it is supplied from 1 Chronicles 18:4;
where the word is expressly mentioned
and there the horsemen are said to be
seven thousand as in the Septuagint version here
and in JosephusF13Ut
supra. (Antiqu. l. 7. c. 5. sect. 1.) ; which may be reconciled by observing
with Kimchi and Abarbinel
that here the chief officers are meant
there all
the chariots and horsemen that were under their command are mentioned
which
together made up that large number; or else here are meant the ranks and
companies of horse David took
which were seven hundred; and these having ten
in a company or rank
made seven thousand; and there the complement of soldiers
in those companies and ranks are intended:
and twenty thousand footmen; the same as in 1 Chronicles 18:4;
and so in JosephusF14Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 7. c. 5. sect. 1.) :
and David houghed all the chariot horses; or hamstrung
them
as Joshua was ordered to do with respect to the Canaanites
Joshua 11:6; he did
not kill them
which might seem cruel and unmerciful to the brute creatures
but hamstrung them
that they might be useless for war; and the reason of it
was
that horses might not be multiplied in Israel for that purpose
that so
their trust and confidence might not be placed in them; see Deuteronomy 17:16
but reserved of them for an hundred chariots; for his own
use
not for war
but for grandeur; which accounts in some measure for the
number of chariots and horses Solomon had
1 Kings 4:26; the
number of horses reserved is supposed to be four hundred
four horses being
used in a chariot
which Jarchi gathers from 2 Chronicles 1:17.
2 Samuel 8:5 5 When the Syrians of
Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah
David killed twenty-two thousand
of the Syrians.
YLT
5And Aram of Damascus cometh
to give help to Hadadezer king of Zobah
and David smiteth of Aram twenty and
two thousand men;
And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of
Zobah
.... These seem to have had no king at this time
or
if they
had
Hadadezer was their king
which is not improbable; and Nicholas of
DamascusF15Apud Joseph. ib. (l. 7. c. 5.) sect. 2. ; an Heathen
writer
is clear for it
whom he calls Adad
who
he says
reigned over
Damascus
and the other Syria without Phoenicia
who made war with David king
of Judea
and was routed by him at Euphrates: and he seems to be the first king
of Damascus
which he joined to the kingdom of Zobah
and all the kings of
Damascus afterwards were called by the same name; though JosephusF16Ibid.
who also speaks of Adad being king of Damascus and of the Syrians
yet makes
him different from this Hadadezer
to whose assistance he says he came:
David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men; that is
of
the Syrians of Damascus.
2 Samuel 8:6 6 Then David put garrisons
in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became David’s servants
and
brought tribute. So the Lord
preserved David wherever he went.
YLT
6and David putteth garrisons
in Aram of Damascus
and Aram is to David for a servant
bearing a present; and
Jehovah saveth David whithersoever he hath gone;
Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus
.... Which was
Coele-Syria
and lay between Libanus and Antilibanus
the chief city of which
was Damascus; which CurtiusF17Hist. l. 3. c. 8. calls Damascus of
Syria
being the head of it
Isaiah 7:8; in the
principal places of which he put garrisons of soldiers to keep the country in
subjection to him; or he put commanders or governors
as the Targum
in the
chief cities
and so Ben Gersom and R. Isaiah interpret it:
and the Syrians became servants to David
and brought gifts; or paid him
tribute by way of homage
acknowledging themselves his subjects:
and the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went; he covered
his head in the day of battle
and saved him from the hurtful sword.
2 Samuel 8:7 7 And David took the shields
of gold that had belonged to the servants of Hadadezer
and brought them to
Jerusalem.
YLT
7and David taketh the shields
of gold which were on the servants of Hadadezer
and bringeth them to
Jerusalem;
And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of
Hadadezer
.... That were found with them
which they had in their hands;
these must be supposed to be with the principal officers of his army; or golden
chains
as Aquila
or golden bracelets on their arms
as the Septuagint; the
Syriac version is "quivers of gold"
such as they put arrows into
and so Jarchi and R. Isaiah understand it of such
and refer to Jeremiah 51:11; and
so JosephusF18Ut supra
(Antiqu. l. 7. c. 5.) sect. 3. :
and brought them to Jerusalem; where they were laid up
and converted to the use of the sanctuary Solomon built; see Song of Solomon 4:4.
2 Samuel 8:8 8 Also from Betah[b] and from
Berothai
cities of Hadadezer
King David took a large amount of bronze.
YLT
8and from Betah
and from
Berothai
cities of Hadadezer
hath king David taken very much brass.
And from Betah
and from Berothai
cities of Hadadezer
.... Which
in
1 Chronicles 18:8
are called Tibhath and Chun
they having different names; or their names might
be changed upon this conquest of them
and the one might be the names they went
by with the Syrians
and the other the Israelites called them by; the latter is
the same with Berothah in Ezekiel 47:16; and
the Barathena of PtolemyF19Geograph. l. 5. c. 19.
placed by him
near Mesopotamia; in the Arabic version of 1 Chronicles 18:8
they are called Emesa and Baalbec
the former was a city of Coele-Syria
the
latter was at the foot of Mount Lebanon; See Gill on Amos 1:5
King David took exceeding much brass; whereby he
was furnished and able to give the large quantity he did for the service of the
temple
1 Chronicles 29:7.
The Septuagint version adds here what is expressed in 1 Chronicles 18:8
"wherewith
Solomon made the brazen sea
and the pillars
and the layers
and all the
vessels.'
2 Samuel 8:9 9 When Toi[c] king of
Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer
YLT
9And Toi king of Hamath
heareth that David hath smitten all the force of Hadadezer
When Toi king of Hamath
.... Which was another
small kingdom in Syria
perhaps lately erected to defend themselves against
Hadadezer
and this the first king of it
at least the first we hear of; his
name is Tou in 1 Chronicles 18:9;
where in the Targum he is called king of Antioch. Hamath lay to the north of
the land of Canaan; See Gill on Numbers 34:8
it is
saidF20Cartwright's Preacher's Travels
p. 6. to be three days'
journey from Tripoli
and that it stands in the midway to Aleppo
on a very
goodly plain
replenished with corn and cotton wool
but very much in ruins
and falls more and more to decay: at this day (says my author
who travelled in
those parts in the beginning of the seventeenth century) there is scarce one half
of the wall standing
which hath been very fair and strong. The king of this
place
heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer; the news of
which soon reached him
he being in the neighbourhood.
2 Samuel 8:10 10 then Toi sent Joram[d] his son to
King David
to greet him and bless him
because he had fought against Hadadezer
and defeated him (for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi); and Joram
brought with him articles of silver
articles of gold
and articles of bronze.
YLT
10and Toi sendeth Joram his
son unto king David to ask of him of welfare
and to bless him
(because that
he hath fought against Hadadezer
and smiteth him
for a man of wars [with] Toi
had Hadadezer been)
and in his hand have been vessels of silver
and vessels
of gold
and vessels of brass
Then Toi sent Joram his son unto King David
.... Who is
called Hadoram in 1 Chronicles 18:10;
though the Syriac and Arabic versions read Joram there:
to salute him: to inquire of his welfare after his fatigue
in the battles he had had with the Moabites and Syrians
and to wish him all
happiness and prosperity for the future:
and to bless him; to congratulate him on his victory
and to
wish him success in all after wars he might be engaged in; and particularly to
give him thanks for delivering him from so great an enemy as Hadadezer had been
to him
as also to bring a present to him
which is sometimes called a
blessing; see Genesis 33:11
because he had fought against Hadadezer
and smitten him; that is
David had
which had endeared him to Toi:
for Hadadezer had wars with Toi; was an enemy of his
sought to take his kingdom from him
and had had many battles with him: and
though he could not conquer him
he sadly harassed him
being too mighty for
him:
and Joram brought with him vessels of silver
and vessels
of gold
and vessels of brass; as a present to David
in gratitude for his deliverance from his enemy by him
and as a token of his
homage and subjection to him; at least as a sign that he put himself under his
protection
and desired to be his friend and ally. The word "Joram"
though not in the Hebrew text
is rightly supplied; for none else can be
supposed to bring the present.
2 Samuel 8:11 11 King David also dedicated
these to the Lord
along with the silver and gold that he had dedicated from all the nations which
he had subdued—
YLT
11also them did king David
sanctify to Jehovah
with the silver and the gold which he sanctified of all
the nations which he subdued:
Which also King David did dedicate unto the Lord
.... He
devoted it to sacred uses
particularly to the building of the house of the
Lord
as he also had the gold and the brass he took from Hadadezer: together
with the silver and the gold he had dedicated of all nations which
he subdued; who are after particularly mentioned; he did not convert the
spoils he took to his own use
but observed the law God gave to the kings of
Israel
that they should not greatly multiply to themselves silver and gold
Deuteronomy 17:17.
He set it apart
and laid it up for the service of the sanctuary; and this
accounts for the abundance of gold
silver
and brass
which David had amassed
together
and left to his son Solomon to build the temple with; see 1 Chronicles 28:1.
2 Samuel 8:12 12 from Syria
[e] from Moab
from the people of Ammon
from the Philistines
from Amalek
and from the spoil
of Hadadezer the son of Rehob
king of Zobah.
YLT
12of Aram
and of Moab
and
of the Bene-Ammon
and of the Philistines
and of Amalek
and of the spoil of
Hadadezer son of Rehob king of Zobah.
Of Syria
.... Of Syria of Damascus
as distinct from Syriazobah
Hadadezer
was king of
after mentioned; this is omitted in 1 Chronicles 18:11
and of Moab: who brought him gifts and presents
and were tributaries to him
2 Samuel 8:2
and of the children of Ammon; who very probably joined
the Moabites
and were conquered and spoiled at the same time:
and of the Philistines; when Methegammah was
taken from them
2 Samuel 8:1
and of Amalek; for though we have no account of any war of
his with that people
since he was king
yet he doubtless had
and had been victorious
and spoiled them; see Psalm 83:7
and of the spoil of Hadadezer
son of Rehob
king of Zobah; see 2 Samuel 8:3. These
conquests of David
are confirmed by the testimony of Eupolemus
an Heathen
writer
who says that he overcame the Syrians by Euphrates
and the Assyrians
in Galadene (or Gilead)
and the Phoenicians; that he fought against the
Idumeans (or Edomites)
the Ammonites
Moabites
Ituraeans
Nabathaeans
and
Nabdaeans; also against Syron king of Tyre and Phoenicia; all of whom he
obliged to pay tribute to the JewsF1Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l.
9. c. 30. p. 447. .
2 Samuel 8:13 13 And David made himself
a name when he returned from killing eighteen thousand Syrians[f] in the
Valley of Salt.
YLT
13And David maketh a name in
his turning back from his smiting Aram in the valley of Salt -- eighteen
thousand;
And David gat him a name
.... Fame and reputation
in the several nations of the world for valour and courage
for the many and
signal victories that he obtained; the Jewish writers generally refer this to
his humanity in burying the dead bodies of his enemies slain in war
which
gained him great esteem among all
and even his very enemies; but nothing of
that kind is pointed at here
but his conquests: or "he made himself a
name"; erected a triumphal archF2So Hieron. Trad. Heb. in 2
Reg. fol. 78. D. in memory of his victories:
when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt
being eighteen
thousand men; in the relation of this fact in different places some
difficulties arise
both as to the people smitten
and their numbers
and by
whom; in this place they are said to be Syrians
but in 1 Chronicles 18:12
and in the title of Psalm 60:1
which
was composed on account of these victories
they are called Edomites
and said
to be of Edom; which may be reconciled by observing
that the Syrians and
Edomites were confederates in this war; and that whereas the latter were
auxiliaries to the former
the whole body of the army might be called Syrians
of which twenty two thousand were slain that were properly Syrians
and
eighteen thousand Edomites
in all forty thousand; which was a very great
slaughter: or the sense is
that when he had smitten the twenty two thousand
Syrians
and was upon the return
he met with a body of Edomites
who came to
the assistance of the Syrians
and he slew eighteen thousand of them; and the
Jews say
as Jarchi observes
there were two battles; and if so
this would
remove all the difficulties started; as for the numbers slain
here eighteen
thousand
and Psalm 60:1
twelve
thousand
it is reconciled by observing
that Abishai first began the attack
upon the Edomites
and slew six thousand of them; and then Joab fell upon them
and slew twelve thousand more
in all eighteen thousand; in 1 Chronicles 18:12
this slaughter is ascribed to Abishai
because he began it
even the whole
number; and in Psalm 60:1
to
Joab
the twelve thousand slain by him
who seconded Abishai; and the whole is
here attributed to David
because he was king
under whom Abishai and Joab
served as generals: and no less difficult is it to ascertain the place where
this slaughter was made
called "the valley of salt": it seems by our
text that it was in Syria
but in other places as if it was in Edom; see 2 Kings 14:7; but
in Edom itself is no such valley to be found
though there is in Syria; one
travellerF3Cartwright's Preacher's Travels
p. 11. tells us
that in
the way from Aleppo to the banks of Euphrates are many villages
among which is
one of note
called Tedith
famous for a synod held here by the Jews
in the
year from the creation 3498
of which Ezra was the scribe; when were placed the
books of the Old Testament in the order in which they now are; and near this
town
he says
is the valley of salt
memorable for the victory here recorded:
others sayF4Egmont and Heyman's Travels
vol. 2. p. 347. about three
or four hours' journey from Aleppo is the valley of salt
near which is a salt
spring
whose waters running over the place leave
when dried by the sun
a
great quantity of excellent salt; this salt is thrown together in the Gabboul
or salt house; but by othersF5See Lowthorp's Philosophical
Transactions abridged
vol. 3. p. 504. we are informed
that near about an
hour's distance from the city of Tadmor
see 1 Kings 9:18 2 Chronicles 8:3
is to be seen a large valley of salt
affording great quantities thereof; and
it is thought that this is more probably the valley of salt mentioned here
than
another which lies about four hours from Aleppo
and has sometimes passed for
it; and which the above accounts show: but a modern writerF6Halifax
apud Calmet's Dictionary in the Word "Salt".
in his account of
Palmyra
the same with Tadmor
speaks of a great plain
all covered with salt
from whence the whole country round is supplied. This plain is about a league
from Palmyra
and extends itself towards the eastern part of Idumea (or Edom)
the capital city of which was Bozra; and indeed this valley being both in
Syria
and reaching to the borders of Edom
bids fair to be the valley here
spoken of.
2 Samuel 8:14 14 He also put garrisons in
Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons
and all the Edomites became David’s
servants. And the Lord
preserved David wherever he went.
YLT
14and he putteth in Edom
garrisons -- in all Edom he hath put garrisons
and all Edom are servants to
David; and Jehovah saveth David whithersoever he hath gone.
And he put garrisons in Edom
.... To keep the
inhabitants in subjection to him; as their forts and strong holds came into his
hands
he placed companies of soldiers in them for the said purpose; or
governors
as the Targum
men of his own nation
into whose hands he put their
principal cities
who governed them for him
and under him. Jarchi interprets
it of officers appointed to collect the tribute he exacted of them:
throughout all Edom put he garrisons; which is
observed to show that the whole country was brought into subjection to him:
and all they of Edom became David's servants; and hereby
were fulfilled the oracle delivered to Rebekah
and the prophetic blessing of
Isaac
Genesis 25:23
and the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went; See Gill on 2 Samuel 8:6.
2 Samuel 8:15 15 So David reigned over all
Israel; and David administered judgment and justice to all his people.
YLT
15And David reigneth over all
Israel
and David is doing judgment and righteousness to all his people
And David reigned over all Israel
.... Not only over Judah
but over all the tribes of Israel
and over the whole land of Canaan
as promised
to Abraham
Genesis 15:18;
reaching to the river Euphrates
as Syria did
now conquered by David:
and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people; when he
returned from his wars
he heard and tried all causes impartially
brought
before him
and gave sentence according to the law of God
and administered
righteous judgment without any respect to persons; all had justice done them
that applied unto him
whether high or low
rich or poor; and indeed during his
wars he was not negligent of the civil government of his subjects
and the
distribution of justice to them by proper officers
in which he was a type of
Christ; see Isaiah 11:5.
2 Samuel 8:16 16 Joab the son of Zeruiah was
over the army; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;
YLT
16and Joab son of Zeruiah
[is] over the host
and Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud [is] remembrancer
And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host
.... Which was
not only owing to his relation to David
being his sister's son
but to his
promise that whoever smote the Jebusites first should be chief and captain;
that is
should have the command of the army under him; this Joab did; and so
was entitled to this office
and was put into it
and continued in it
1 Chronicles 11:6
and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; of memorable
events
who kept a diary of whatsoever remarkable happened
which were digested
into a chronicle
history
or annals; see Esther 6:1; so the
Targum
he"was appointed over the memorials;'or book of memorials
as
Kimchi interprets it; that is
to take care of it
and see that everything
worthy of notice was inserted in it; or was "remembrancer"F7מזכיר "commemorans"
Montanus;
"commemorator"
Syr. Ar. "memorans
sive reducens in
memoriam"
Vatablus. ; one that put the king in mind what was to be done
every day
or in certain cases
and so R. Isaiah explains it
the king's
counsellor; some take him to be chancellor
as Luther and othersF8Vid.
Beckium in Targ. 1 Chron. xviii. 15. .
2 Samuel 8:17 17 Zadok the son of Ahitub
and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests; Seraiah[g] was
the scribe;
YLT
17and Zadok son of Ahitub
and Ahimelech son of Abiathar
[are] priests
and Seraiah [is] scribe
And Zadok the son of Ahitub
and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar
were
the priests
.... Not high priests
as JosephusF9Ut supra
(Antiqu.
l. 7. c. 5.) sect. 4. suggests
for there was only one high priest at a time;
indeed there was a "sagan"
or deputy priest
on occasion; and so
Abarbinel says that Zadok was the high priest
and Ahimelech his second or
deputy; but the truth of the case was this
Abiathar was high priest only
and
continued so until the time of Solomon
when he was thrust out of his office
and Zadok put into it; and Ahimelech his son and Zadok were the principal
priests under him
the one of the family of Ithamar
the other of Eleazar; so
the Targum on 1 Chronicles 18:16
calls them "sagans"
or deputies of the high priesthood. Zadok is
mentioned first
though Ahimelech was the son of the present high priest
because he was in great favour with David
as afterwards with Solomon
in whose
days the high priesthood was translated to him; the family of Eli being now upon
the decline
and near being removed from the high priesthood
as was foretold
by Samuel it should:
and Seraiah was the scribe; or secretary of state;
in 1 Chronicles 18:16
he is called Shavsha; he seems to have had two names.
2 Samuel 8:18 18 Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s
sons were chief ministers.
YLT
18and Benaiah son of Jehoiada
[is over] both the Cherethite and the Pelethite
and the sons of David have
been ministers.
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the
Cherethites and Pelethites
.... These
according to JosephusF11Ut
supra. (Antiqu. l. 7. c. 5. sect.4.)
were the king's bodyguards
and this man
is expressly said to be set over his guards
2 Samuel 23:22; and
which some think were of the nation of the Philistines
famous for archery
and
slinging of stones; and so the Targum renders it
"was appointed over the
archers and slingers;'so "choriti" in VirgilF12Aeneid. 10.
are quivers for arrows; the great use of which in fighting David had observed
and therefore got a select company of these men
partly to teach Israel
and
partly to guard himself: but others are of opinion that David would never
suffer such as were Heathens to be so near his person
and therefore take them
to be Israelites; and so some Jewish writers say they were two families in
Israel; which is much better than to interpret them as others do of the
sanhedrim
and even of the Urim and Thummim
as in the Targum on 1 Chronicles 18:17;
See Gill on Zephaniah 2:5; and
it is most probable that they were Israelites
who were David's guards
and
consisted of the chiefs that were with him in Philistia
and particularly at
Ziklag
which lay on the south of the Cherethites
1 Samuel 30:14; and
so had their name from thence; and among the chief of those that came to him at
Ziklag there was one named Peleth
from whence might come the Pelethites
and
they were all of them archers; see 1 Chronicles 12:2
and David's sons were chief rulers; princes
princes of the
blood
or "chief about the king"
as in 1 Chronicles 18:17;
they were constant attendants at court
waiting on the king
ready at hand to
do what he pleased to order; they were the chief ministers
and had the
management of the principal affairs at court. Abarbinel thinks that this
respects not only David's sons
but Benaiah
and the family of the Cherethites
and Pelethites
who had none of them particular posts assigned them
which were
settled and known
as those before mentioned had
but were always near at hand
to do whatsoever the king commanded them; and which seems better to agree with
the literal order and construction of the words; which are:
and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada
and the Cherethites
and
Pelethites
and the sons of David
were princes
or chief
rulers; or priests
who according to GussetiusF13Ebr. Comment. p.
366. brought the offerings or presents to the king
and did that to him the
priests did to the Lord.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)