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2 Samuel
Chapter Ten
2 Samuel 10
Chapter Contents
David's messengers ill-treated by Hanun. (1-5) The
Ammonites defeated. (6-14) The Syrians defeated. (15-19)
Commentary on 2 Samuel 10:1-5
(Read 2 Samuel 10:1-5)
Nahash had been an enemy to Israel
yet had showed
kindness to David. David therefore resolves gratefully to return it. If a
Pharisee gives alms in pride
though God will not reward it
yet he that
receives the alms ought to return thanks for it. Those who bear ill-will to
their neighbours
are resolved not to believe that their neighbours bear any
good-will to them. There is nothing so well meant
but it may be ill
interpreted
and is wont to be so
by men who love nobody but themselves. The
best men must not think it strange if they are thus misrepresented. Charity
thinketh no evil. According to the usages of those days and countries
Hanun
treated David's ambassadors in the most contemptuous manner. David showed much
concern for his servants. Let us learn not to lay unjust reproaches to heart;
they will wear off
and turn only to the shame of those who utter or do them;
while the reputation wrongfully hurt in a little time grows again
as these
beards did. God will bring forth thy righteousness as the light
therefore wait
patiently for him
Psalm 37:6
7.
Commentary on 2 Samuel 10:6-14
(Read 2 Samuel 10:6-14)
They that are at war with the Son of David
not only give
the provocation
but begin the war. God has forces to send against those that
set his wrath at defiance
Isaiah 5:19
which will convince them that none
ever hardened his heart against God
and prospered. Christ's soldiers should
strengthen one another's hands in their spiritual warfare. Let nothing be
wanting in us
whatever the success be. When we make conscience of doing our
duty
we may
with satisfaction
leave the event with God
assuredly hoping for
his salvation in his own way and time.
Commentary on 2 Samuel 10:15-19
(Read 2 Samuel 10:15-19)
Here is a new attempt of the Syrians. Even the baffled
cause will make head as long as there is any life in it; the enemies of the Son
of David do so. But now the promise made to Abraham
Genesis 15:18
and repeated to Joshua
Joshua 1:4
that the borders of Israel should
extend to the river Euphrates
was performed. Learn hence
that it is dangerous
to help those who have God against them; for when they fall
their helpers will
fall with them.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel》
10 Chapter 10
Verses 1-19
Verses 2-19
I will show kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash
as his father
showed kindness unto me.
David and Hanun
Powerful though David had proved himself in every direction in the
art of war
his heart was inclined to peace. The position which he had gained
as a warrior would naturally have made Hanun more afraid of David than David
could be of Hanun. The king of Israel could not have failed to know this
and
it might naturally occur to him that it would be a kindly act to the young king
of Ammon to send him a message that showed that he might thoroughly rely on his
friendly intentions. The message to Hanun was another emanation of a kindly
heart. It is a happy thing for any country when its rulers and men of influence
are ever on the watch for opportunities to strengthen the spirit of friendship.
It is a happy thing in the Church when the leaders of different sections are
more disposed to measures-that conciliate and heal than to measures that
alienate and divide. In family life
and wherever men of different views and
different tempers meet
this peace-loving spirit is of great price. Men that
like fighting
and that are ever disposed to taunt
to irritate
to divide
are
the nuisances of society. Between the Ammonites and the Israelites collisions
had occurred on two former occasions
on both of which the Ammonites appear to
have been the aggressors The former of these was in the days of Jephthah. The
second was the collision at Jabesh-gilead at the beginning of the reign of
Saul. When the men of Jabesh
brought to bay
begged terms of peace
the bitter
answer was returned that it would be granted only on condition that every man’s
right eye should be put out. It was then that Saul showed such courage and
promptitude. In the briefest space he was at Jabesh-gilead in defence of his
people
and by his successful tactics inflicted on the Ammonites a terrible
defeat
killing a great multitude and scattering the remainder
so that not any
two of them were left together. After such a defeat
Nahash could not have very
friendly feelings to Saul. And when Saul proclaimed David his enemy
Nahash
would naturally incline to David’s side. It was long
long ago when it
happened
but love has a long memory
and the remembrance was still pleasant to
David. And now the king of Israel purposes to repay to the son the debt he had
incurred to the father. Up to this point it is a pretty picture; and it is a
great disappointment when we find the transaction miscarry
and a negotiation
which began in all the warmth and sincerity of friendship terminate in the wild
work of war. The fault of this miscarriage
however
was glaringly on the other
side. Our difficulty is to understand how sane men could have acted in such a
way. It is hardly necessary to say a word to bring out the outrageous character
of their conduct.
3. The Ammonites did not wait for a formal declaration of war by
David. Nor did they flatter themselves
when they came to their senses
that
against one who had gained such renown as a warrior they could stand alone.
Their insult to King David turned out a costly affair.
4. It requires but a very little consideration to see that the wars
which are so briefly recorded in this chapter must have been most serious and
perilous undertakings. The record of them is so short
so unimpassioned
so
simple
that many readers are disposed to think very little of them. But when
we pause to think what it was for the king of Israel to meet
on foreign soil
confederates so numerous
so powerful
and so familiar with warfare
we cannot
but see that these were tremendous wars. They were fitted to try the faith as
well as the courage of David and his people to the very utmost. (W. G.
Blaikie
D. D.)
Ungenerous judgments
In thousands of men
the mind
if unveiled
would be found
to be a star-chamber filled with false witnesses and cruel judgments. If you
were to go back into the old star-chamber of England
and read the records made
of testimony given and sentences passed by men of partial information
what a
literature of hell those records would be I But worse than these are the cruel
rash
hateful judgments which men form of each other in the silence of the
mind
simply because they follow their interests
their feelings
their
prejudices
and not their conscience
in ascertaining facts and coming to
conclusions. (H. W. Beecher.)
Two aspects of David
In chapters 10. and 11. we see king David at his best and also at
his worst. The second verse of the tenth chapter opens almost in the same
spirit as the first verse of the ninth. In both instances David is determined
to “show kindness.” In the first instance he would show kindness to any
survivor of the house of Saul
as we have just seen
and now he will show
kindness unto Hanon the son of Nahash
because Hanun’s father had shown
kindness to David in the old times of distress. In both these historical
instances David acts retrospectively
in the sense that he is not proposing to
show kindness to living men for their own sakes but on account of some virtue
or goodness on the part of their ancestors. A merely technical or literal
nature would have been content with contemporary action--that is to say
would
not have troubled about going back into yesterday in order to honour the memory
of a dead man. But even in this generous retrospection David is faithful to his
poetic nature and his religious enthusiasm. David is to be Credited with good
retentions in this case
as he was in the case of proposing to build the temple
and to do kindness to any survivor of the house of Saul Even good intentions
hays a distinctive value of their own. Sweet waters do not rise from bitter
fountains. To have one good wish
one unselfish desire
one generous impulse
is
to have some degree of divine influence operating upon the heart
and so far is
to show that the heart has not been given over to utter reprobation
This is a
comforting thought for ourselves. Hanun responded to the counsels of his
advisers in a manner which he supposed would increase his own popularity with
his subjects. He “took David’s servants
and shaved off the one half of their
beards
and cut off their garments in the middle.” it is little to the honour
of human nature that there are not only insults which men can hurl at one
another in moments of passion and defiance
but there are studied insults which
are elaborated in cold blood and inflicted with a sense of enjoyment by the cruel
men who have fashioned new modes of social humiliation. The insult inflicted
upon Israel was not only personal
it was deeply religious. Not
only was David
dishonoured
but God Himself was defied. In Leviticus 19:27
we see how stringent was
the law regarding this matter of shaving the head. It
is not for us to enter
into the value of any such ordinances; suffice it to say that they were the
distinct ordinances of the people of Israel
and as such had religious value
and significance. There is a cruelty in our own day which seeks to injure men-
through the medium of their religious convictions. To-day men are kept out of
pecuniary positions because of their religious faith. Social advancement is
barred to not a few persons on account of their religious convictions. Were
such men without conviction
light-headed
and light-hearted
ready to adopt
any form or ceremony as they might adopt a change of garments
their course in
life would be much smoother; but because they are earnest
even to agony
their
convictions are made into so many stumbling-blocks by which their progress is
hindered. The counsellors of Hanun the son of Nahash were too blinded by their
own passion to foresee the results of their foolish policy. What was a
practical jest to them was an occasion of just anger to the king whom they had
insulted. It is well to take some account of the resources of the enemy before
being too defiant or adopting a course of lofty superciliousness. But folly
seldom sees both sides of a question. It is a notable characteristic of the
genius of history that it is always faithful to its own time. As the action of
David would now be out of place as between Christian nations
so any other course
than that which he adopted would have been out of place in relation to his
particular injury. Read history in its own light. It is essential to adopt this
canon of interpretation in reading many portions of the Old Testament;
otherwise the mind will be thrown often into a state of moral bewilderment
and
be ready almost to cry out against the Spirit of God. (J. Parker
D. D.)
A father’s kindness repaid to his son
A good man of my acquaintance died very suddenly the other day
and when it came to settling up the account
it was found that
while with his
presence and work he was able to get a living for his family out of his share
in the business
with him gone there was nothing left. All the children were
grown up and able to support themselves
with the exception of one young man
who had two years yet to spend in the medical school before he would be able to
take up his profession as a doctor. It seemed at first that he must drop out
and work his way for awhile saving up money to go on. But just then a man came
forward
who said: “Some years ago I was in a difficult place and needed a
friend very much. Just at the critical time your father stepped into the
breach
and in the gentlest
cheeriest way helped me out. I said then if ever I
had a chance I would pay that kindness back. Now is my chance. You go back to
the medical school and finish your course
and I will take care of the
expenses. You can charge them up to your father’s kindness account.” He who
sows a kind deed may be sure that it is a long-lived
hardy crop
and certain
to bring in its harvest by and by. (L. A. Banks
D. D.)
Verse 11-12
If the Syrians be too strong for me
then thou shalt help me.
Pious patriotism
I. Mutual
helpfulness. As occasion demands
says Joab
you will help me
or I will help
you. Now
this is a word for us all. God has so ordained that we are mutually
dependent on one another; and I hardly know which of the two is worse
the
self-conceit of the man who imagines he can stand alone
or the selfishness of
the man who has no instinctive desire to help his neighbour when in trouble.
Why
away from religion altogether
it is our duty both to lean and to carry;
for it
is seldom indeed that there is not a stronger than ourselves
who can
render us aid; and equally seldom that there is not s feebler than ourselves
to whom we may do a service. Too often the sentiment of the world
is
“every man for himself”--the survival
If not of the fittest
at least of
the strongest. Let the bold and lithe push to the front
and the weak go to the
wall. There is a great deal of this in business
as some of you well know;
certain men
elbowing and driving forward
not caring whom they push over or trample
under their feet
if only they are successful themselves. The result is that
many a good
able worthy fellow
simply because he has not the audacity
the
impudence
of others
is left behind and gets disheartened. Now it is
here that Christian principle should come in
balancing and regulating the
various elements at work
giving confidence to the weak and-generosity to the
strong
and so securing the largest amount of success and happiness.
II. Manly heroism
“Be of good courage
and let us behave ourselves valiantly.” Never on field of
battle did officer shout across to brother officer s nobler sentiment. The army
has indeed
produced lame grand men
heroes in the truest sense of the world.
But I would not for a moment wish to convey the impression that heroes are
confined to campaigns and battlefields. I venture to assert that in the
commonest spheres of civil and prosaic life may be found instances of an
equally noble; though less showy
heroism. There are heroes of the workshop
of
the counter
of the office
of the market-place
on whose courage may be put as
severe a strain as though they stood upon the field of battle
amid the glitter
of cold steel and the rattle of musketry. When a man has to fight with poverty
with losses
with bad debts
with disappointments
with temptations: and still
keeps his head to the wind
battles on bravely
refuses to knock under
vows
still to “trust in God and do the right
” I say
though he has no epaulettes on
his shoulders
nor medals on his breast
he is as truly s man and a hero as
though he had stormed a citadel. “Be of good courage
and let us behave
ourselves
” would be an excellent motto for the employees in many a London
establishment. You want the “courage” of your principles
and then no fear of
your “behaviour.” When a man’s life is dominated by the one aim
not to make
money
not to find idle pleasure
but to please his Master in heaven
it is
wonderful how much respect he commands
and how much pure inward happiness he
enjoys.
III. True
patriotism. Listen again to General Joab: “Be of good courage
brother
and let
us behave ourselves valiantly for our people
and for the cities of our God.”
Now you will notice the motive which he adduced. Bravo! ye sons of Zeruiah!
“God and our country” was their cry. It was no empty
silly Jingo shout
like
that which we have heard in our own day from a hysteric rabble that clamour for
glory
but would turn tail with the first shot that whizzed about their ears;
it was a call to action and to danger
impelled by love to Israel
and to
Israel’s God. Sirs
patriotism is one of the noblest sentiments that can occupy
the human breast; but there is no patriotism so pure and disinterested as that
which is kindled at the altar of love to God. Never was there a more remarkable
instance of it than the dauntless British officer to whom I have already
adverted. Self-negation characterised his whole career. After all his great
work in China
General Gordon left the country as poor as he entered it
having
refused all rewards. When a sum of £10
000 was forwarded to him by the Emperor
he divided it all amongst his troops. On his arrival in England he declined
every honour
preferring to bury himself in obscurity. The very medals that
were showered upon him he put no value upon
and would even have them melted
down to provide relief for those who were in want. Genuine pity. “And let the
Lord do that which is good in His sight.” I do not venture to say that Joab was
a saint
nor would I like to answer for many things which he did: but on this
occasion
certainly
his conduct and language were admirable
and worthy of
imitation. “Abishai
” he seems to say
“you and I shall do our best
and leave
the issue with God. We cannot command success
but we can do our duty
and
leave the result in higher hands than our own.” It is a fine thing to see a
God-fearing soldier. It is an interesting feature of our time that there is in
the British army a very considerable amount of deep and unaffected piety. Some
of our highest officers
some of our most distinguished generals
both abroad
and at home
are real men of God. They are none the less
but all
the more
valuable as soldiers. They have more pluck and less fear than the others A man
is all the braver soldier for being a Christian. When true piety is engrafted
on a fearless and gallant nature
it forms a splendid character. For a noble
and beautiful Christianity
commend me to a converted soldier. “General
Gordon
” says one of the morning papers
“is not a man whose actions or whose
fortunes can be estimated by the ordinary standard to which human affairs are
submitted. His singularly pure and lofty character impresses every one with
whom he is brought into contact. He believes himself to be always fulfilling a
mission from a higher authority than any earthly government. A man of this
heroic mould
who combines no small share of worldly wisdom with the integrity
of a saint and the simplicity of a child
may walk securely in places where any
other foot would slip. But
on the other hand
General Gordon would march
quietly on to what he knew was certain destruction
if he believed that to do
so was his duty.” (J. Thain Davidson
D. D.)
Mutual helpfulness--great need of society
The true and only cure for the misery and discontent that exist in
our country seems to me to lie in the personal and regular communion of the
better with the worse--man with man--until each Christian
like his Saviour
becomes one with those who are to be saved; until he can be bone of their bone
sympathise
teach
weep
rejoice
eat and drink with them as one with them in
the flesh. The world will not believe because it cannot see that
Christianity is true
by seeing its reality in the marvellous oneness of Christ
and His people. (Norman McLeod
D. D.)
Mutual aid
A book has been published
written by Prince Kropotkin on
“Mutual Aid
” in which he maintains that there is far more evidence in nature
of “mutual aid” than of “the ruthless struggle of each against all.” He makes
out a very strong case for the statement “that mutual aid between members of
the same species has had much more to do with their survival than selfish
struggle.” We recognise at once that a world evolved by means of the struggle
of each against all. Prince Kropotkin maintains that care for others is at the
very heart of things; the world has been built on this principle. The late
Professor Drummond recognised “the struggle for the life of others” in the
world
and he tried to reconcile this with Darwin’s “struggle for existence” or
for one’s own life
by suggesting that the altruisic principle appeared with
the mother in her concern for her offspring. Kropotkin denies this
and
produces a wonderful mass of evidence to show that the struggle for the life of others is a
natural instinct implanted in nature herself. God did not merely work up to it
in motherhood: He based all progress upon it. (David Waiters.)
Joab’s soldierly qualities
Danger woke the best of Joab. Fierce and truculent as he often
was
he had hero’s metal in him
and in that dark hour he flamed like a pillar
of light. His ringing words to his brother as they parted
not knowing if they
would ever meet again
are like a clarion call. They extract encouragement out
of the separation of force
which might have depressed
and cheerily pledge the
two divisions to mutual
help. What was to happen
Joab
if the Syrians were too strong for thee
and
the Ammonites for Abishai? That very possible contingency is not contemplated
in his words. Rash confidence is unwise
but God’s soldiers have a right to go
into battle not anticipating utter defeat. Such expectation is apt to fulfil
itself
and
on the other hand
to believe that we shall conquer goes a long
way towards making us conquerors. Does not Joab’s pledge of mutual help carry
in it a lesson applicable to all the divisions of God’s great army? In the
presence of the coalition of evil
is not the separation of the friends of good
madness? When bad men unite
should not good men hold together? The defeat or
victory of one is the defeat or victory of all. We serve under the same banner
and
instead of shutting up our sympathies within the narrow limits of our own
regiment
and even having a certain satisfaction at the difficulties which
another has got into
we should feel that if “one member suffer
all the members
suffer with it
” and should be ready to help all our fellow-soldiers who need
help. Self-preservation as well as comradeship
and
above all
loyalty to Him
for whom we fight
should lead to that; for
if Abishai is crushed
Joab will
be in sorer peril. (A. Maclaren
D. D.)
Bond of union
The old Theban regiments fought with such desperation upon the field or battle
because it was the principle of Theban military science that those who stood
next each other in the rank should always
if possible
be bosom friends. Let
us
in our great battle of life
learn the secret of affection and mutual
trust. (David Walters.)
Verse 12
Be of good courage and let us play the men
Of courage
In those words you have these two parts: the braveness of his
resolution: “Be of good courage and let us play the men.
” The humbleness of his submission: “And the Lord do that which seemeth him
good.” Or
if you will
thus: an exhortation to true noble valour in the former
part
“Be of good courage
” &c.; and
secondly
an humble resignation of
himself and cause and success into the hands of God; “And the Lord do that
which seemeth him good.” His exhortation is strengthened with divers arguments:
“It is for our people.” The Ammonites and Syrians are now about us
if you do
not behave yourselves valiantly your people are pillaged
plundered
captived
murthered; and therefore “be of courage
and let us play the men.” And for the
cities of our God.
I. For the
description of good courage you may take it thus: Good courage is that gracious
disposition of heart whereby a man
being called by God unto any service
does
adventure upon difficulties either in doing good or enduring evil
and that
without fear.
Here are four or five things considerable in this description.
1. Good courage is a gracious disposition. There is a moral boldness
and a natural audacity
and this is not good courage
for the former is in
heathens
and the latter is in brute beasts.
2. Again
there is a sinful desperateness whereby men are apt and
ready to rush upon all that is evil
and are sinfully bold
and they think him
a fool or a child that will not drink
and be drunk
and whore
and run into
all kind of evil: this is not good courage. Good courage is hemmed in with
waiting upon the Lord.
3. Again
there is a vaunting
bragging
boasting cavalierism which
hath no true courage. Such a cavalier was Rabshakeh
who said
“With us is
valour and courage;” when he defied the hosts and servants of the living God.
Good courage is the health of the mind; this vaunting
bragging
boasting is
the swelling of the mind
not courage.
4. Again
there is a fierce
angry
revengeful disposition
whereby
men are ready to run upon cruelties: this is no good courage
“The righteous is
as bold as a lion.” The lion himself is merciful
not revengeful; if a creature
lies down before him he will spare it. It is a gracious disposition of heart.
The truth is
the heart of man is the artillery yard where all the thoughts of
courage train continually.
5. Again
I say
whereby a man being called by God unto any service.
God’s call is the ground of a Christian’s courage. This was pretended in
Rabshakeh’s speech; “Hath not the Lord sent me?” And this was
in truth
the
ground of Joshua’s courage: “Be of good courage
have not I commanded thee?” I
add
all this must be done without fear: and therefore in Scripture these go
together: “Be of good courage; fear not
neither be dismayed.” The more a man’s
fears are enlarged
the more his courage is lessened; and the more a man’s
courage is enlarged
the more his fears are lessened.
II. In evil times
in times of danger
good courage is very requisite. In time of danger good
courage is the strength of a man
it is the spirits of a man
it is the
sparkling of a man’s heart
it is the life of one’s life. Saith Solomon
“The
spirit of a man shall sustain his infirmity.” Without strength there is no
bearing of burthens. Now this is the way to be strong
to stand under burthens
in evil times: “Be of good courage
and he shall strengthen thine heart.”
1. Again
evil times are full of changes
and good courage will keep
us from the power of those. It is a good speech Seneca hath: He is a stout man
whom prosperity doth not allure; but he is most stout of all whom the change of
things doth not disturb. And in another place
saith he
He hath no great mind
that can be bent by injuries. And evil times are full of injuries. Without
courage a man will easily be bent by them; bent unto sin and bent unto what is
evil.
2. Again
evil times are very expensive. Then a man shall be called
to lay out much: his estate
his house
his liberty
his body
his all: and no
affection
no disposition so spending as courage; good courage will make a man
Spend and be spent for God.
III. If this be so
you see what our duty is: to be of “good courage
and play the men.” (W.
Bridge
M. A.)
Four pillars of national strength
I. There must be a
general intelligence in order to conserve the best interests of popular
government. We have never as yet been able to measure the elevating power of a
common or general intelligence upon communities
and nations. Some one has said
that “a spelling book and a copy of the New Testament dropped into a land
will
lift up millions of tons of ignorance and superstition. They will widen the
streets
pile up the palaces of trade in every mart
lift up the roof of the
poor man’s cottage
and drive the ghosts and demons from every forest and
mountain solitude.” Would you know the power of a well-equipped intellect
and
the multiplying forces of education
sit for a moment at the feet of the
statistician. Here you will learn that only one-fifth of one per cent of our
population graduate from our colleges
yet this little handful of men have
furnished thirty per cent of all congressmen
fifty per cent of all our
senators
sixty per cent of all our presidents
and over seventy per cent of
all our supreme judges. See that inspiring host leading in the van of the
armies of our civilization. There they come with stately tread
three hundred
thousand strong; trained men and women who have passed satisfactory
examinations
and whose province it is to disseminate a more general
intelligence among the people
and train our children for efficient
citizenship. We have ten times as many teachers as Athens has inhabitants when
she was mistress of Greece
and legislator of the world. We have more than
thirty times as many teachers as Xenophon had in the immortal legion. We have
more than twelve times as many teachers as there were soldiers in the army of
Hanibal
when he descended from the Alps into the plains of Italy
and shook
the inhabitants with mortal fear. We have more than fifty times as many
teachers as there were soldiers who followed Caesar over the Rubicon to the
conquest of the world. We can depend upon these cultivated and trained men and
women for much in the way of strengthening the empire of thought. The
magnificent possibilities before them are manifest when we consider the fact
that they have under their tutelage more than twelve million students
four
times as many as there were inhabitants in the thirteen colonies when our
fathers won liberty for mankind. But what signifies intelligence
mere mental
power or school drill if there be lacking the element of heroic courage? Devoid
of this the scholar becomes a mere pigmy; coupled with it he becomes a giant.
II. “be of good
courage
” shouts the heroic Joab. Much need of courage
you say
on the field
of battle. Yes
and there is none the less need of courage in the every-day
struggles of life. There are evils to be exterminated and abuses to be
corrected. The sanctity of law must be maintained
and our free institutions
perpetuated and defended at all hazard. We want men who are lawfully in
earnest. William Lloyd Garrison touched the keynote of success when he said: “I
am in earnest. I will not
equivocate. I will not excuse. I will not retreat a
single inch
and I will be heard. The apathy of the people is enough to make
every statue leap from its pedestal
and hasten the resurrection of the dead.”
It is the man of heroic enterprise who will hew his way through the sable walls
of ignorance
opposition
and prejudice
and create for himself and his
coadjutors a new world
We need courage in the everyday conflicts of life. No
coward can successfully contend with poverty
with had debts
unscrupulous
associates
failures
and temptations. He must have courage to stand fire
stand firm
and
if need be
stand alone. It takes manly courage to stand alone
in the face of opposition. Every man needs courage when he goes to exercise the
sacred office of his franchisement; and he should put as much conscience into
his vote as he does into his prayers. Do not become dispirited because you are
not on the popular side. With three hundred men on the side of right
Gideon
put to flight one hundred and thirty-five thousand men of war.
III. Be loyal to
your own conviction of duty and right. It is said of the last and greatest
apostle of our Lord that he “conferred not with flesh and blood.” He sacrificed
whatever he had prized of an earthly character in order that he might be loyal
to his convictions of duty. When he was apprised of the fact that the way which
he had marked out for himself was beset with difficulties
and that “bonds and
imprisonments awaited him
” his reply was plain and emphatic: “None of these
things move me.” Give us a few more men who would rather be right than popular
who Would rather be in harmony with God and conscience than with party or party
declarations. You may not be called upon to prove your loyalty as did the
heroes at Gettysburg
Atlanta
and the wilderness
but there are formidable
enemies yet to meet and conquer. These will test your mettle. Think of the
forces of intemperance
the growing evil of gambling
unchastity
infidelity
and the appalling array of unscrupulous politicians and demagogues. Never did
loyalty mean more than it does now. The long-suffering wifehood
sisterhood
and motherhood of the nation is calling aloud for redress. The oppressed are
looking to us for alleviation and help. To disappoint them is to prove recreant
in the most important trust
and suffer defeat in the greatest battle ever
fought.
IV. The fourth
pillar we mention is evangelical religion. Science and art have wrought
wonders. The world stands amazed at their achievements. They have tamed fierce
beasts of prey and brought the elements of nature into subjection. They have
spanned the ocean
annihilated distance
joined continent to continent
given
life to steam
a tongue to the wire
and a voice to the lightning. But these
fierce passions in the human heart are more fierce than beasts of prey
and
disturbing forces more tumultuous than nature’s stormy winds and tempests and
more difficult to control than the most subtle elements. No mere human skill
can master these. Christian science as taught in the school of Jesus Christ
alone can enable man to obtain the mastery over these. There is a broader field
for the Church to-day than ever before. “Egypt and Ethiopia” are not only
reaching out their hands to us
but Europe and Asia are clasping ours
and
instead of being under the necessity of crossing the restless Atlantic
our
work is facilitated by their coming to our own doors. Finally
religion wipes
guilt from the conscience and drives darkness from the mind. It gives hope to
the heart
light to the eyes
and strength to the hand. It will make life
pleasant
toil sweet
and death triumphant. It gives faith to the fearful
courage to the timid. It robs the grave of its terrors
and death of its sting
and gilds the pathway to man’s future abode with an eternal brightness. (G.
W. Shepherd.)
Playing the man
I. The motives by
which we should be actuated. Joab appealed to
II. The spirit by
which we should re animated. The moral quality of any work we do resides in the
intention; and the success in any work we attempt depends mainly upon the
spirit in which we prosecute it. Joab inculcated
Elements of true manhood
I. Courage.
Courage is not mere fearlessness. There is in many natures a stolid
indifference to danger. It is said that Nelson never knew what fear was. True
courage always implies a supreme love for right. Right is appreciated more
titan ease
comfort
property
health
even life itself
and for it all are
willingly sacrificed when necessary. The finest example of true moral courage
you have in Paul who for the sake of what he believed to be right
braved the
greatest perils
and with a daring valour confronted his greatest enemies. He did
not count his life dear to him so that he might discharge his obligations.
II. generosity.
“Let us play the men for our people and for the cities of our God.” The selfish
man
the man who lives to himself
and for himself alone
is destitute of the
chief element of true manhood. We do not “play the men
” when we fight for our
own little interests
or battle for our own little sect
but when we stand up
from the dictates of pure generosity and struggle for the good of others.
III. Piety. “The
Lord do that which seemeth Him good.” True piety is a devout acquiescence in
the will of the great God
and without this there can be no greatness of
character. It is not until we feet his will to the supreme rule of our life
that we experience the pulsation of a true manly heart. (Homilist.)
Religion and patriotism the constituents of good soldiers
“Be of good courage
and let us play the men.” Courage is an
essential character of a good soldier--not a savage
ferocious violence; not a
foolhardy insensibility of danger
or headstrong rashness to rush into it; not
the fury of inflamed passions
broken loose from the government of reason; but
calm
deliberate
rational courage; a steady
judicious
thoughtful fortitude;
the courage of a man
and not of a tiger; such a temper as Addison ascribes
with so much justice to the famous Marlborough and Eugene:--
Whose
courage dwelt not in a troubled flood
Of
mounting spirits and fermenting blood;--But
Lodg’d
in the soul
with virtue over-ruled
Inflamed
by reason
and by reason cool’d.
The
Campaign.
This is true courage
and such as we ought all to cherish. This
will render men vigilant and cautious against surprise
prudent and deliberate
in concerting their measures
and steady and resolute in executing them. But
without this they will fall into unsuspected dangers
which will strike them
with wild consternation; they will meanly shun dangers that are surmountable
or precipitantly rush into those that are causeless
or evidently fatal
and
throw away their lives in vain. There are some men who naturally have this
heroic turn of mind. The wise Creator has adapted the natural genius of mankind
with a surprising and beautiful variety to the state in which they are placed
in this world. He that winged the imagination of a Homer or a Milton; he that
gave penetration to the mind of Newton; he that made Tubal-Cain an instructor
of artificers in brass and iron
and gave skill to Bezaleel and Aholiab in
curious works; nay
he that sent out Paul and his brethren to conquer the
nations with the gentler weapons of plain truth
miracles
and the love of a
crucified Saviour; he
even that same gracious power
has formed and raised up
an Alexander
a Julius Caesar
a William
and a Marlborough
and inspired them
with this enterprising
intrepid spirit; the two first to scourge a guilty
world
and the two last to save nations on the brink of ruin. There is
something glorious and inviting in danger to such noble minds; and their
breasts beat with a generous ardour when it appears. “The Lord do that
which
seemeth Him good.” This may be looked upon in various views; as:--
I. It may be
understood as the language of uncertainty and modesty. Let us do all we can;
but after all
the issue is uncertain; we know not
as yet
to what side God
will incline the victory. Such language as this becomes us in all our
undertakings; it sounds creature-like
and God approves of such self-diffident
humility. But to indulge sanguine and confident expectations of victory
to
boast when we put on our armour
as though we were putting it off
and to
derive our high hopes from our own power and good management
without any
regard to the providence of God
this is too lordly and assuming for such
feeble mortals; such insolence is generally mortified; and such a haughty
spirit is the forerunner of a fall.
II. This language
“The Lord do as seemeth Him good
” may be looked upon as expressive of a firm
persuasion that the event of war entirely depends upon the providence of God.
Let us do our best; but after all
let us be sensible
that the success does
not depend on us; that it is entirely in the hands of an all-ruling God. That
God governs the world is a fundamental article of natural as well as revealed
religion: it is no great exploit of faith to believe in this: it is but a small
advance beyond atheism and downright infidelity. I know no country upon earth
where I should be put to the expense of argument to prove this. The heathens
gave striking proofs of their belief of it
by their prayers
their sacrifices
their consulting oracles
before they engaged in war; and by their costly
offerings and solemn thanksgivings after victory. And shall such a plain
principle as this be disputed in a Christian land? No; we all speculatively
believe it; but that is not enough; let our spirits be deeply impressed with
it
and our lives influenced by it: let us live in the world as in a territory
of Jehovah’s empire.
III. That these
words
“The Lord do what seemeth Him good
” may express an humble submission to
the disposal of Providence
let the event turn out as it would. We have not the
disposal of the event
nor do we know what it will be; but Jehovah knows
and
that is enough: we are sure He will do what is best
upon the whole; and it
becomes us to acquiesce.
IV. These words
in
their connection
may intimate
that
let the event be what it will
it will
afford us satisfaction to think that we have done the best we could. We cannot
command success; but let us do all in our power to obtain it
and we have
reason to hope that in this way we shall not be disappointed. (S. Davies
A.
M.)
Trust in God
and exertion of courage
our duty in times of
national danger
I. The interests
we have at stake. Our people and the cities of our God: in other words
our
civil rights and our religion. The defence of their persons and possessions
against lawless power
and the secure enjoyment of the means of happiness here
and hereafter
were the great motives that induced men to submit originally to
government. And every particular government is good or bad
as it answers or
fails of answering these purposes.
II. The spirit with
which we ought to defend ourselves against them. “Let us be of good courage
and play the men.” These words may seem to express the duty of the soldiery
alone: and
without question
they express that peculiarly; and
joined with
the following ones
clearly show that a strong sense of religion and a virtuous
concern for the common welfare are the true principles that will give military
persons bravery and success
as they did to those whose history the text
relates. But still the more literal translation is
“Be strong
and let us
strengthen one another.”
III. An humble
dependence on heaven for the event of all. (T. Secker.)
Growth of loyalty
heroism
and patriotism
As the maternal instinct had been cultivated for thousands of
generations before clanship came into existence
so for many succeeding ages of
turbulence the patriotic instinct
which prompts to the defence of home
was
cultivated under penalty of death. Clans defended by weakly loyal or cowardly
warriors were sure to perish. Unflinching bravery and devoted patriotism were
virtues necessary to the survival of the community
and were thus preserved
until at the dawn
of historic times
in the most grandly militant of clan societies
we find the word “virtus”
connoting just these qualities
and no sooner does the fateful gulf yawn open
in the forum than a Curtius joyfully leaps into it
that the commonwealth may
be preserved from harm. (Fiske
“Through Nature to God. ”)
Publicity in religious life and deed
Joab says to his brother Abishai: “Let us play the men for our
people
” recognising that they two
as champions in the host
will be seen and
noted; that they will be more than seen
that they will be imitated
and that
their courage will stimulate the courage of others. Joab may therefore be said
to recognise the duty of acting so as to be seen. But there is a wide
distinction between this and the desire of the later Pharisees
who did their
religious deeds in public on purpose to be seen of men. Compelling imitation is
a better and a more difficult thing than winning applause. It is easier for a
man to get two hundred to applaud him for sortie superficial virtue than to get
two to follow him in the exercise of some obscure one. The man that ruleth his
spirit may be greater than he that taketh a city
but he will not therefore
fill as large a place in the world’s thought
or be as widely talked about. (Quiver.)
Verse 13
And Joab drew near
and the people that were with him unto the
battle.
Victory
It is one thing
when men may either fight or fly
and another
when they must either fight or die. The Syrians in the battle referred to in
the text had their option to fight or fly
for that otherwise they must either
fight or die. Hard-pressed by the valour and obstinacy of the forces of Joab
they fled back into their own city Medeba
a town in their borders
before
which they pitched to guard their coast. What was the result of the victory
over the Syrians referred to in the text? What but the fulfilment of the
promise made to Abraham (the fifteenth chapter of Genesis and the eighteenth
verse)
and repeated to Joshua (first chapter and the fourth verse) that the
borders of Israel should extend to the river Euphrates? “From the wilderness
and this Lebanon
” said God
“even unto the great river
the river Euphrates
all the land of the Hittites
and unto the great sea toward the going down of
the sun
shall be your coast.” Little did the Syrians know
and little knew the
Ammonites
and faintly also must David have known the purposes of the Almighty
that were bound up in the war. Still those purposes were fixed
and the Lord in
His own good time proved that Himself had gained the victory; for on the banks
of the Euphrates
as by the sides of Jordan
were hallelujahs raised to the
King of Israel
the King of kings and Lord of lords
who above all reigns and
will reign omnipotent
making the wrath of man to praise Him. But the flight of
the Syrians and their discomfiture at Medeba did not immediately
as we might
imagine
result in peace. They were like most other barbarous and
rapacious nations
dogged
infatuated
and obstinate to the last. We would have
thought that the defeat they experienced
even in their own country and before
their stronghold
would have taught them a lesson
and induced them to make
overtures of peace. But no; they make a new attempt to recover their lost
honour
and to check the progress of David’s victorious arms. The forces that
were lately dispersed rallied again
and as we read in the fifteenth verse
“gathered themselves together.” Again
we have seen that Joab
before the
battle
supposed the worst
that one of them should be obliged to give back;
and in that case that the other
upon a given signal
should send a detachment
to relieve it: “If occasion be
thou shalt help me
and I will help thee.” Here
is an acknowledgment of mutual helplessness and mutual helpfulness. Are the soldiers
of Christ strengthening one another’s hands in their spiritual warfare--the
strong- succouring and helping the weak? Are those who through grace have been
conquerors over temptation
counselling
comforting
and praying for those who
are tempted? “I have prayed for thee
” said Christ to Peter
“that thy faith
fail not: and when thou art converted
strengthen thy brethren.” (G. M.
Irvine
M. A.)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》