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' ;^T>T^ TS"*^; > W- "■* I'-ff'f

^ THE

lilFE OF DAVID:

OR, THE

HISTORY

OF THE

0im atUt «oir0 iimtmm.

Omnia j^obatCf bonum fCTicte.— S,P.

KEFRINTEO FBOU THS XOITION OF 1?'66.

^i^*M

ftoiOron:

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BT J. CARLILE, 55, FLEBT-STBEET.

1820.

'^ .j5 .S-'— \

1 .L .

■ TO taiB

KEV. SAM. CHANDLER,

' . D.D. F.R. and A. SSk - -^ 'v

To whom> Sir, could the republication of this little history with more propriety be ad- dressed, than to a gentleman to whom it is under such considerable obligations ? When it first appeared, it was honoured with your no- tice in an especial manner ; and is not a little benefited by your labours, Youy Sir, with a careful hand noted its errors ; and what has stood the test of your strictures is certainly established with additional authority. What- ever might be the motives which influenced so vigorous an exertion of your learned and critical powers — powers so universally acknow- ledged and respected, the author of this piece will not now inquire : it is su£^cient to him, that they operated to the extending the knowledge of his tract, among that class of readers who stood most in need of the infor- mation it furnished ; and he is persuaded you will with pleasure hear his assurances, that the work owes no small share of what appro- bation it may have gained, to your elaborate review of it. Several worthy pious persons having candidly declared in private conversa-

iv DEDICATION.

tion, (and unknowingly to the author him- self) that the perusal of your book really strengthened the facta advanced in the his- tory. For this, therefore, he considers you as entitled to his thanks ; and that his ac- knowledgments might be as public as the obligation, no method of conveyance seemed more proper, than to prefix them to this new Edition of " The History of the Man after God's own Heart. '^

He scorns. Sir, ta follow the practice of Dedicators in common, who, from venal mo- tives, surfeit their patrons with fulsome adu- lation : he will not, therefore, call the blushe* into your countenance, by expresising his pri- vate sentiments of your learned Review of this Historical Sketch, farther than by one observation ; which is, that had you been to- tally unknown in the republic of letters be- fore, your apology for the death of Uriah would alone have raised your literary fame be- yond the power of envious detraction. How- ever, hot to offend your modesty, he desists from farther encomiums ; but with a wish that you may long live to enjoy the reputation; 2iCqmTed by so laudable a peHbrmatice, he con- cludes with subscribing himself, ^ ' - Sir, your greatly obliged,

' and very humble Admirer.

/

.^ •:■ -^ PREFACE.: .■.-.•-.,•.>:;.

Some reverend panegyrists* on our late king,f have, a little unfortunately, been fond of comparing him with a monarch in no respect resembling him ; except in the length of his reign, thirty and three years: which a lucky text informed them to be the duration of David's sovereignty over the Hebrew nation. Had our good old king died a year sooner, or had we been indulged with him a year longer, the oportunity of applying this text would then have be^ lost ; and in either case we might not have heard of the parallel.

A reverence for the memory of a worthy Prince, has occasioned the world's being troubled with a new history of king David, (which, otherwise might not have appeared) merely to shew how the memory of the British monarch is affected by the comparison.

*'Why even of yourselves judge ye not what is S right ?" is the language of Jesus Christ. " Prove all ( things ; hold fast that which is good ;" is the language i ^ \ of the apostle Paul. The liberty thus granted is un* ' ,/ limited ; but it is more than mere grant of liberty, I these are positive injunctions : let no one then be so ( timid^as to resign an inclination to satisfy just doubts: \ in Britain, thanks to the obstinate here^ of our brave j forefathers, no audacious Romish priest dare prescribe \ limits to the exercise of our reasoning faculties; and \ Protestant ones surely will not: nay, they cannot, I

* Dr. Chandler, Mr, Palmer and others, f George the lid.

vi PREFACE.

consistently with those principles which justify their dissent from the Rotnish communion. An honest de- sire to obtain truth, will sanctify the most rigid scru- tinyTnto every thing. AiTaposHe has told us, that we are^oTSTheli eve even an angel from Heaven, who should preach any other gospel than that of Christ ;* and, no authority can be so sacred, as to set aside the most valuable distinction of humanity, with which our Creator has furnished us ; or to give the lie to our most self-evident conceptions of right and wrong.

If that liberty, of which Britons boast the posses- sion, means any thing, it must primarily include free- dom of thought; without which there can be no free- dom of action. Thus it must mean an uncontrolled \ power to examine the validity of every proposition / offered to our assent; without which power, and the due exercise of it, our assent cannot be the assent of rational beings. If the reformed religion means any thing, it must mean a religion founded by the autho- rity, not of councils and synods, but of conviction, the result of private judgment. True Protestants do not puzzle themselves about the decisions of Trent, Constance, or Dort ; they protest against all authori- tative dictates ; disciples of the meek, the lowly, the humane Jesus, they seek of themselves to judge of right or wrong. Who is most the Protestant, the friend to human kind, and to truth? Those who ap- peal to the human understanding, and submit to the public judgment whether things are really so or not ; or those who say, they are so, they shall be so, you shall acknowledge them to be so, or else ?

* Gatatians i. 8,

■■^■^y^'-^T.T\-'-

'/;

. PREFACE. ^'

Let not weak-minded Christians who think truth not able to maintain its authority without legal en- forcements, lament what they call licentious abuses of that liberty on which we are happy to congratulate ourselves: injudicious productions of the pen will al- ways meet the treatment they deserve. Fallacious pretensions to reasoning cannot deceive mankind in these liberal times ; nor can truth be obscured, when the attention of honest inquiries after it, is properly exerted. If the little historical sketch which follows, and which in fact, exhibits no more than what we have all daily read, without presuming to decide upon ; if it really is that audacious calumny which many roundly affirm it to be;^ it will doubtless be consi- dered as such : if, on the contrary, it contains unde- niable matters of fact, fallaciousness will appear in the angry objections against it ; and the writer trusts, the futility of such objections, have already been made sufficiently apparent.

The name of David has never been mentioned by ! divines but with the greatest respect, from the time in ) which he lived to the present day ; and he is always ( quoted as an illustrious example of holiness ! so illus- i trious, that the greatest instance of purity that ever ex- / isted on earth, was frequently saluted by way of emi- | nence, in reference to him, Son of David/ so illus- trious, that on the death of the late king of Great Bri- tain, many sermons were preached and published, in I which, parallels are drawn betwixt him and this stand- ard of piety, in order to justify encomiums on the former, by declaring how nearly he resembled the latter.

In what manner David first acquired, and has ever

I//

/

^

\

viii PREFACE.

since maintained, this extraordinary reputation, is not \

difficult to deduce, he was advanced, by an enraged (

prophet, from obscurity to the Hebrew throne; and /

[ taught by the fate of the unhappy monarch who. was !

->^ ) raised in the same manner, whom he supplanted, and j >

^l^ i whose family he crushed, he prudently attached him- //^ self to the cause of his patrons,* and they were the ' trumpeters of his fame. The ^ame order of men, true to their common cause, have continued to sound the praise of this church-hero from generation to genera- tion, unto the present time: in like manner the grand violator of the English constitution obtained the epi- I thetof holy Martyr, . .. .. \ •

A new scrutiny being made, however, into David^s claim to sanctity, which, notwithstanding a very learned defence of him, turned out so greatly to his dishonour ; the scene has been shifted by a few whose sense has, overbalanced their bigotry by two or three scruples. Some such, like Sheba of old, blow the trumpet and cry, "We have no part in David, neither have we in- heritance in the son of Jesse V In this manner have / ) some clerical weather-cocks veered about to an oppo-

* '' j sfte point of the compass ; and David, who, lilTnow " ' lias been considered as a man who " did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hit- tite,*' has, by one stroke of politics, been resigned to the mercy of his detectors ; and the importance of the detection endeavoured to be annihilated, as the easier task; all which appears with rattier an ill grace, at a time when it is manifestly extorted.

* The Prophets aud Priests.

■r wiMiRfj v^vm^r^f^^frf!' '»^fy»»wv>^;-^i"

\

PREFACE. ix

Thus much being premised relating to the conduct of the champions for orthodoxy, on the occasion of this little squib which has produced so much bustle in the clerical hives, proceed we to say something of the tract itself. /

The inlention was, without any regard to remote ) objects, or heed of future consequences, which in fact \ ought never to be considered in investigating any / point; to give a fair undisguised narrative of the life ^; and transactions of David, king of Israel. (

This, however, was not so easy to perform, as it )

was to project ; from three difficulties which impeded /

the execution. \

\ 1 . It is not easy to conquer the early prejudices of ]

education in favour of the Hebrew nation ; which the /

I careful inculcation of their story during our infancy, | ,,

m

hinders our seeing in a proper light: so that relations

which might shock humanity in what is called pro- i phane history, are read without any emotion but that | of reverence, in this. This misconception is in great i measure assisted.

2. By their History being written hy themselves: \ i and difficult to be corrected.

*^. By the broken unconnected manner in which it

I

is transmitted down to us : which renders it impossi- ble to give a complete narrative of any period in it.

A common share of humanity, which a little at- tention to common sense enabled the author to extend to every nation under Heaven as the objects of it, re- lieved him from the first of these difficulties: to over- come the other two, he has assumed the liberty of giving his sense to what appears dark, or misrepre- sented; whidi he hopes will not be denied him, so

B

X PREFACE.

)cng as it is not found that a forced construction is put upon any thing cited ; or, that it is represented in any other light than what it naturally appears in, when considered with the freedom, which it is our duty to use in the examination of every historical record.

) And lest it should be imagined that too great liber- ties are taken with the biblical writers ; it may not be amiss to mention once for all, that innumerable iur

] stances might be produced, to shew that the authority of the Lord, so continually quoted to sanctify every

* transaction related ; constituted for the most part, no-

y) thing more than national phrases, which obtained unit

// '^ '^ versally among so bigotted a people as on all occasions

'' \ the Jews appear to have been : one-twelfth part of

I whom were appropriated to the priesthood I A phrase-

] ology in some measure similar obtained in England,

/ at that time, when shunning the cruel talons of pa-

1 P^cy, the people rushed into the jaws of wild enthu-

i siasm. That the sense in which the acts of David are

here understood, is the most obvious and natural, ap.

pears from the amazing pains it has occasioned hi&

champions, to force another upon them. Of this, the

Life of David, by Dr. Delany, is a most remarkable

instance ; but the gross palliations, puerile conjectures,

and mean shifts to which he has been driven, prove

the difficulty of the task ; while they are too frivolous

to bias any, but the most Catholic believers.

) Mr. Stackhouse, in his History of the Bible, has

. ) urged arguments against particular passages, under the

,/ // ] title of Objections ; so cogent, that his answers ta

,/ ' them, certainly could not be satisfactory even to

himself.

' Dr. Chandler has lately added his name to the list

• 1 PREFACE. xf'

oi* David's apologists. Strange ! that so holy a king ) ^; should need the exertion of ^ much learned jind cfi- ) „ tical dexterity, to establish his faitie for goodness of hetirt ! This gentleman*s performance, which was pub- lished as a reply to the first edition of the presierit work, • is a very extraordinary piece ; and shews that great learning is no security fbr soundhess ^ judgment. The 6octor*s book has been cohsidereid in a letter addressed to him, and published separately ; to which the reader is referred for an examination intd the merits of his arguments. In answering the Doc- tor, new lights opened ori many occurrences, which, as far as they could be detached from that particular controversy, are taken into the present edition.

The best of kings is a title which adulation and ser- vility have always conferred on the most contemptible^

as well as the most detestable tyrants; and the fre- /

,/

quency of its application to the object is ever in pro^ portion as he is undeserving of it. Had the flattering sycophants of king David been satisfied witb applying to him this common-place appellation, rational men^ who form their conclusions from the result of general j experience, would have inferred only that he had been / one of the numerous herd of bad princes who hafe 1 oppressed mankind, and there would have been no- I thing peculiar either in the fact or the inference. But ! when the extremity of adulatioh conferred on David the title of The Man after God's own heart, thinking men, who know the source from which such aidulation ever flows, are prepared to expect, in the develop-

/

)

n <l

A

r^'i^-:

»i PREFACE.

ment of his history, a character pre-eminently wicked, and in this they are not deceived.

All historians of credit agree in describing God's chosen people^ the Jews^ as the most Ticious and de- testable of mankind ;* their own historians confirm I this character of them, and the whole series of facts 1 which constitute their history, prove it beyond a pos- { sibility of doubt.

Among the chosen people of God — the most de- praved of all nations — it is pretty certain that the worst and wickedest man of that nation was David, The Man after God*$ own heart. The truth of this pro- position will be abundantly proved in the following short history. ] A question will here naturally present itself, how V, the Jews became so much more vicious and depraved than their neighbours ? And to resolve that question, it will be necessary to consider in what respects their j \ laws and customs differed from those of others. It \ i will be found that they differed most essentially fi-om / ' ^ all other nations in the world in two particulars: 1st. \^ ] They had more religion than any other nation ; and, ) ,_ / 2dly. They had more priests. Other nations among / \ whom superstitious rites and ceremonies prevailed, ' j Were satisfied with practising them on solemn festivals,

\ * Tacitus describes the Jewish people as fonned of the worst

^ , outcasts of the surrounding nations, collected together by Moses,

^. and kept for ever separated from the rest of mankind, by an op-

( position of manners, and hostility of sentiment. Nam passimus

) quisque, spretis religionibus patriis, tributa et stipes illuc congere-

( bant; unde auctse Judeorum res— adversus omnes alios hostile

/ odium— transgress! in morem eoram, idem usnrpant ; nee quid-

\ quam prius imbuuntirr quam contemnere Deos, cxuere patriam ;

/ ^rentes, liberos, fratres, vilia habere. — ^Ticiti Hist. Lib. v.

mmmgmffyge^^:^:^!3^(wr^^;'pnr-'a'-rty-'^<-'-ii^-- — — ^■^■sa^-^i- ,,r;'-'— t>— ■■-. .-...■■-.-.-* — ,.,^..^ .- ■-..-' ■■■■^■^'-■^-■■^ ^r-.'''.'r.yr',m^^-'si^-fy''ieap!jx^^^'i^t;j^^ r ■ ■i-—r;t, :"■'■' "^iRW

PREFACE.- xiii

^ and occasionally on particular or important events; \ / but the Jews practised their superstition incessantly : / \ none of the common duties, or ordinary functions of / life, could be performed by them, without a reference \ to the rules of their superstition ; they were bound to / a strict observance of them whenever they ate, drank, . \ or performed any other of the natural functions.^ U/t'/tA

I Other nations had a few priests dedicated to their \

[ gods or idols, seldom exceeding a few dozen iu a ! whole nation ;*|* but the Jewish priesthood constituted

1

* Moses quo sibi in posterum gentem firmaret, novos ritus con- tFariosque ceteris mortalibus indidit; profana illic omnia, quae apud nos sacra ; rursum concessa apud illos, quie nobis incesta. — >. Seperati epulis, discreti cubilibus, projectisdma ad libidinem gens, I alienarum cubitu abstinent, inter se nihil illicitum, circuracidere ( genitalia instituere, at diversitate noscantar. — Taciti Hist. Lib. r. \ It is impossible to draw a more disgusting picture of a nation, than 1 this elegant and correct historian, in describing the Jews. /

f The Romans, though so numerous and powerful a nation, liad i «> but very few piiests, compared to the Jews. The Augurs were at \if " '' first only 3, and in process of time were increased to 15. The I " Aruspices were 12. The Pontifices were at first but 4, and were afterwards increased to 16. The Flamines were but 3. The Salit ^ 12. The Feciales, who were 20 in number, though classed by au- j thors among'the priesthood, were merely civil officers employed as \ heralds. And the Vestals, or Nuns of Rome, were only 4 ; altoge- 'i ther between 50 and 60. Tide Kennett's Roman Antiq. And yet j Saint Austin, De Cevitate Dei, Lib. iv. cap. 15, admits that the | Romans weTe so virtuous, that (iod gave them the empire of the world because they were more virtuous than other nations, yet, with true Christian charity, he sayl, thatTfiey must lieverlheTesa be damned~as beathens^ We do nbTFnd tHait the priests of other enlightened nations of antiquity were proportionably much more '^

numerous than amoug the Romans. In England at present the number of the priesthood cannot be much less than 20,000 ; there are near 10,000 |)aribhes, each having one priest at leaist, several two, and some three or more, exclusive of Deans and Chapters,

\

xiv PREFACE.

) a twelfth part of the whole people, arid daiihed anti i' exercised the privilege of devouring a tenth part of / the produce of the country, without contributing any \ thing to its productive labour.* And it is probable ^j I that the Jewish nation alone, though but a miserable \ ' / // y '\ handful of seuii-barbarbus savages, had mdre priests ; , '/ / than the rest of the then known world collectively, ) and were consequently more vicious and more enslaved / than any other people. r^ ^

Mankind have been too long duped by that univer- ( sal caw^of priests, who, in their language, have ever affected to cOuple retigion and morality together, and / to represent them as inseparably united, though the \ slightest attention must show that they are perfectly / distinct.) and a full and mature consideration of the subject must prove that they are even extremely oppo' site. They well knew that man, in the most abject \ state of mental degradation to which superstition could ( reduce him, must still acknowledge the force and ex- cellence of virtue and morality, and must perceive

(

(

//

V

\

]

(

y

/ ) Prebends, &c. &c. and all the>e in the established church, as it is // N called, exclusive of a great variety of other sectaries of different i denominations. , ,

* The Jewish priesthood beinj^ one tribe, oi twelftb part of the nation, do riot appear to have assumed to themselves much more thanan equal proportion, compared to their numbers, in taking the tithe or tenth part of the produce of the hind, fiowever unjust it may appear that ihey should be supported in idleness at the ex- pence of the industry of the rest: but the English priesthood, though abundantly numerous, do not fomi above one five-hun- <lredth part of the wliole nation, yet they hav^ the conscience to take also the tenth of the whole produce, which is near fifty times more than their just share, according to 'Aie proportion of their Jewish models, from whose example they pretend to derive their claimr

I

^ '^ "

PREFACE. atr

\ their necessary tendency to promote his welfare and / happiness. They well knew how useful to their own j views and interests it would be to persuade him that / religion, virtue, and morality, were one and the same, \ or, at least, intimately and inseparably connected ; the c^ed^^ity of man gave credit to the imposture without examination, and the uniform experience of above 2,000 years has not hitherto been sufficient to unde- ceive him. Unhappy man ! destined for ever to be the dupe of his own credulity, in opposition to the testimony of his experience, and the evidence of his I senses. Does not the history of all ages show, that ^ the most religious nations have always been, and still \ are, the most vicious and immoral !

I Another most formidable evil necessarily results 1 i

\ from such a system of superstition, that is, a state of (

civil slavery, which is always found its universal con- )

comitant. Whenever the human mind is debased and \

degraded by a system of gross superstition, it becomes /

incapable of any one manly, liberal, or independent I

sentiment; every energy of the mind is lost, reason is ]

/ surrendered, virtue, the chief support, if not the sole /

\ foundation of freedom, is banished, and man is fitted j

to receive the abject yoke of slavery ; tyranny and des- \

I potism make an easy conquest of him, and the priest /

\ is ever ready to rivet his chains, and perpetuate his I

i bondage, by the pretended sanction of Heaven. The \

power and influence of the priest and the tyranFis /„,^v i ^veFln^oportion to the debasement of man ; they I •> ' \ Kiveli~common interest, Have ever ma^e a common \ cause against him, and have constantly erected their ) common throne on the ruins of his freedom, his wel- / fare, and his happiness. \

' .:^^!^£ii^^i.^*ii:J^k^^-^ \'^---.ik^-^:

*Ti PREFACE.

\ Let us not, therefore, be deterred from unmasking- [

i to the view of mankind that immense mass of vice -

■ and depravity which constitute the foundation of the ;

i> \ Jewish superstition ; let no blind veneration for that ^

■'^ " " ) hideous idol deter us from exposing its deformity ; let / '

\ ws cultivate that which is truly good and useful ; let I

! reason assume her just empire over the mind of man, )

\ and credulity, ignorance, and folly, abdicate their (

; usurped dominion : then shall we soon behold the gall- )

I ing fetters of vice and superstition broken by the irre- /

\ sistible power of virtue, morality, and truth. \

- ■• ■"■-•:^T.'^-a"- ■'*??^'^i'«!^!SB^'^^^^^;^'sr.'^'v;^"''

THE

LIFE OF DAVID. ;

J:;)

v> .■-■ *- * »

The first establishment of regal government among the Hebrews, was occasioned by the corrupt adminis- tration of Joel and Abiah, the two sons of Samuel, whom he had deputed to judge Israel in the decline of his life.* The people, exasperated at the oppression they laboured under, applied to Samuel for redress, tes- tifying a desire to experience a different mode of go- vernment, by peremptorily demanding a king.j* At this, however, Samuel was greatly displeased : not that his sbns had tyrannized over the people, for of that he lakes no manner of notice, neither exculpating them, nor promising the people redress ; his chagrin arose from this violent resumption of the supreme magistracy out of the hands of his family; a circumstance for which he expresses great resentment.J He consults the Lord, and not knowing else how the insurrection might terminate, in his name yields to their desires ; promising them a king with vengeance to them.§ *' For,^* says the Lord, " they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them/*^ The people, nevertheless, resolving to free themselves from present oppression, at the hazard of the threatened judgments, obstinately persisted in their demand, and .dispersed not without a promise of com- pliance. -.-.V/;nc.V'r«'w-i.!v%' 5r ;-':'. 'iK iri-^'-i^ ■

Samuel, to all Outward appearance, chose the most impartial method of choosing a king, which was by lot,

• 1 Sam. viii. 3. f Ver. 5. + Ver. 6, &c. § Ver. II, fcc. <|[ Ver 7, compared with chap, ix. 16. chap. x. 1.

c

1}

18 LIFE OF DAVID.

from among the people assembled by tribes ; but pra- dently pitches upon his man, previous to the election ; the whole tenor of his conduct manifesting, that he in- tended to give them a king in name, but still to retain the supreme authority in his own hands, by-choosing one who should continue subordinate to his dictates. Opportunely for his p^utpose, a young countryman, named Saul, having rambled about to seek his father's asses, which had strayed, and finding all search after them vain, applied to Sanjuel as a prppbet,* with a fee in his hand, to gain intelligence of his beasts. • ~ " > We gather from several passages in Jewish history, 1^ tbat there were seminaries of prophets, i. g. the univer- I versiti^s o/ the times, where youth were trained up tQ \ the mystery of prophesying. We find there were false / propbets, nonconformists, not of the establishment ; ] ive find thiat.even the true ones were liable to be im- / posed on. by their brethren \\ and we find moreover, by I this jastance> tbat prophets did not disdain to give as- ( sistaqce io their prophetical character, concerning do- mestic matters, for reasonable gratuities. A cluef among th(5 pjpphets, otfe who had been a judge over Jt«ra.el,is applied to in a pecuniary way? for intelligence CQncernii\| lost cattle.$

• 1 Sam. ix. 7, 8. f 4 Kings, xiu. 18. Josephus m loco. > % Pretensioostodivinations cDatiDue to tbis clay, tboagh, in tfaft oj»twoD of fefeFDMQ^ cburghe^ aU pF^ph^esyiug and miraclea have long smcQ.peased. These Hoodero propoj^s •are dlroily ridiculed by our facetiotis countryman, Butler, in the person of Svdrophel, a ■dealer • ' ; ■

-■*«ln DeMxny's dark connaels.

\ ■ . > '■ -\ ' W^ sage opialons <)f the moon selU ; -:

I , ..To whom all people, far and near,

/ ' On deep importances repair.

' Whep %r-«88 or- pewter -hap to stray. Or linen slinks out of the way ; / - . Wbea geese aiKl|>ullen ar^sedtic'd,

,> {' - , And sows of sucking pigs are chouj|*d ;

,1 ,i\ • - When caitle feel indisposition, ' ' -

} And need th' opinion of physician ; '

' / ..". 7 When Ttnikrrain reigns in hogsor sleepy

( - . And cbickeos {anguish of the pip ;

■uj

0 "

^^^J . 'i'Sr^*^^- ^**- • - ^^^ " ■'^^' - ■ ' -■ 7'?^C3j'j^"vW^^9fl?*HS^

LIFE OF DAVID. 10

\\ hajs been said, that this is the only instoce re- corded of a prophet being applied to ibr purposes df this »a^re ; but it appears that it was usual for men to have recourse to prophets, and that the phrasie was, *' Come, and let us go to the seer ;"* and that prophiei. tical intelligence was paid for, is evident from the in- quiry between Saul and his servant, eottoerning' thek* JE^ility to gratify him.f ^ <^^ /; rt*!? rf^fdivil^^Kmrr ^

But, to fHToceed : Saul not only fotmd kis diss^^is, but a kingdom into the bargain ; and hax^ the spirit of th^ Lord given to him ^J which we ftnd taken aws^§^agiMI>, when he proved untractable: though it seems sOm€U what oidd> how he could possibly proVB^ disob^edienl, / while he acted under the influence of thi^ Divine Spl- \ •ritl: For, the possibility being admilted> theadvanti^ ' of inspiration is diflScult to be conceived. •^ After Samuel had in private || anointed Si^il king, and tohl him his asses were already found, he dismissed hiffli for the present. He then assea&led thfe people for the election of a king : at which assembly, i^ehold, the k)t feti on the tribe of Benjamin ; and in that, oti the family of Matri ; and finally, on Satii, the son of / Kisb.^ An election somewhat resembling consistoriies | ifoir the appointment of bishops ; where the pereon bes- ing previously fixed on, God is solemnly pfayedtofor a direction of their choice. 1 •— ^ae^^f^ki yi fiMfi #fw. ii

It is not iatended here to give a detail of the reign of kifflg Saul; the notice hitherto taken of him being naerejy because the life of David could not be properly introduced without mentionii^ the alteration of go- vernment, and the manner in which monarchy was es-

T . i When y^ast add outtrafd means d6 fail, ' * ■ . • • V , \xA have no power to work on ale j \ \ ^j

When butter doe« refuse to come. And love proves cross and humoursom'e ; ' - To him with questions and with urine, * • '

f;,- : They for discov'ry flock, or curing," i;.^ .;-!;.- " -

* 1 Sam. ix. 9. . , f Yer. 7, 8, % €h. x. 6. § Ghi xvi. Id* ' \\ Ch. X. 1. . f Ch. X. 20, 21.

// >f " if

1/ " "

\

//

ao LIFE or DAVID.

tablished in Israel : since Samuel's disappointment in Saul, naturally leads to his similar choice of David. > \ The disobedience of Saul, in daring to sacrifice \ without his patron the prophet,* who failed of coming ) according, to i his appointment ; and his lenity and pru^ \ dence, infispaa'ing the king, and some cattle, from a / nation wJrich Samuel, in the name of the Lord, had \ commanded him utterly to extirpate,*)- irrevocably lost 0 I him the fevour of this imperious inexorable prophet: // /f " ; and, in the end, produced the miserable destruction not only of himself, but of his family : which will occa- sion no surprize, when we consider the absolute domi- nion and ascendency which the Jewish priests main- tained over this ignorant superstitious people. A do- minion which every article in the Levitical law enlar- ged and strengthened. < « " t : v; ,, ; i > r - fU //f 1 v : i i 'kf We are not to imagine that the sparing Agag, king of the Amalekites, was the only cause of this rupture between him and Samuel. For we may gather from other parts of his history, that Saul was not over-well affected towards his patrons the Levites ;J in subjectioii' to whom he had too much spirit to continue. Samuel quickly perceived he had mistaken his man, he haugh- tily avowed his inteaition of deposing him;§ and ordering Agag to be brought into his presence, he hewed him in pieces — " before the Lord. '^|| > [rtnm si V : We now cotne to the hero of the history, itt - f Jl

In pursuance of his intention to make another king^ Samuel went under the pretence of a sacrifice, arid anointed another country youlh,^ which was David, the youngest son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite ; and gave him the spirit of the Lord, which he had just taken from poor Saul. The king, in the mean time, reflec- ting on the precariousness of his situation, now that the priests, on the part of Samuel, were incensed against him ; and well knowing their influence among his sub-

♦ 1 Sam. xiii. 8—14. f Ch- xv. 3. + Ch. 22. 18, 19. and C^. xxviii. 9. . ♦ w§ Ch. xiii. 14. xv. 26. 28. |1 Ver. 33;

. r.x ir Ch. xvi. 13. .

r ~ 'T^.^^^^TSft^^

LIFE OF PAVIP.

^1

jccts, fell into a melancholy disorder of minxl,* which h's physicians were unable to removcf'^rT *><; f

Thi;s was artfully made the occasion of introducing David to court. The king was advised to divert him- self with music ; and David was contrived to be reconi-- mended to hvm for his skill on the harp.^ Sau|jaccor- dingly sent to Jesse, to request his son; which w*as immediately complied with : and David was detained at court, in the capacity of the king's armour-bearer.§

Here the story begins to grow confused,^ beyond Zay- skill to reconcile.. A war with the Philistines is ab- ruptly introduced; in the mjdst of the relation of which, we are abruptly informed that David returned from Saul to feed his father's sheepj] again ; from whence his father sent him with provisions for his brothers, who were in the army.^ What can be thought of this ? Jesse hardly recalled bis son from the honourable post of armour-bearer to the king ; it is not likely that he was turned off, since we afterwards find him playing on the harp to the king, as before ;** neither was it proper employment for the king's armour-bearer to be feeding sheep, when the -army was in the field, and his majesty with them in person! Why— the most easy method is to take it as we find it ; to suppose it to be right, and go quietly on with the story.-ir^x4tr?%p*?i-t :

In the Philistine army was a man of extraordinary size, named Goliah, who came out of their camp, day by day, challenging and defying any one among the Hebrews to single combat, and to rest the decision of their quarrel upon the event ; an offer which no one among the Israelites was hitherto found hardy enough to accept.j"]* . David is said to have arrived at the army just as it was forming for engagement ; at which time the giant advanced as before, with reproachful menaces ; and, after having enquired carefully concerning what reward would be given to the conquererof this giant,

* \ Sam.xx'i. 14. f Josepbu». • +1 Sam. xvi. 18. § Ver. 21. II Ch. xvii. 16. f Ch. XTii. 17. ** Cfa. xriii. 10. ff ^^' ^^^'i- 4. &c.

_-3s L^". ij.-jti:i-:

22 LIFE OF DA tm.

and learning that great riches and the king*s daugbt^Jr were to be the prizes of conquest, David courageously declared before Saul his acceptance of the challenge,* notwithstanding the contempt with which his offer had been treated.

Saiil, relying on the youth's ardour and assurance of victory, girded his own armour on him t\ but David put it off again, trusting entirely to a pouch of stones, and his own skill in slinging.J The success answ^r^pd his hopes, and stamped, what would otherwise have been deemed a rash undertaking, with a more ref- spectable name; he knocked Galiah down with a stone ; then ran in upon him, cut his head off with his own sword, and brought it triumphantly to the king of Israel .§ The consequence was the defeat of the Philistines. - ^ , . >. i' w //r

Here we meet with another stumbling-block. For, though Saul, as has alrefady been observed, had sent to Jesse expressly for his son David ; though David had played to him on the harp ; though Saul had again sent to Jesse, to desire that David might be permitted to stay with him ; and in conseqdence of this bad given him a military appointment about his person ; though he had now a fresh, conference with him ; had just put his own

suit of armour on him ; and though all these ocurrences must have happened within a small space of time, yet his memory is made so to fail him on a sudden, that he knew nothing either of David, or his parentage ! but while David went to meet the giant, be enquired of others, who proved as ignorant as himself, whose sonjl the striphng was ? This stumbling-block must likewise be stepped over, for it is not renaoveable.

The reputation which this gallant action procured to David, soon gained him advancement in the army, and " a warm friendship with Saul's son, Jonathan.^ But the inordinate acclamations of the people, on account

-• 1 Sam. xvii. 32. f Ver. 38. $ Ver. 40. § Ver^ 49. I] Vcr. ^

' " ^ Ch. jLviii. 3. ••;■%

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UFE OF DAVIIX 3St

of tlwf d^th c^ th.e Philistiae giant, *' Saul hatli slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands ;^** a rho- dontonitade out of measure extravagant, when we com- pare the two subjects of the contrast, justly occasioned Saul to view David with a jealous eye. We have all the reasoA in the world to believe that Samuel and the priests made every possible advantage of an adventure so fortunate for their intended king, to improve his growing popularity, which even at its outset had so far exceeded all bounds of decency : " What," said Saul, " can he have more but the kingdom '^'\ and we may therefore conclude that the king saw enough to alarm him ; for we are told, that " vSaul eyed David from that day and forward,''^ Thus we find that on the follow- ing day, while David played as usual on his'harp betbre Saul, the king cast a javelin at him,§ which David avoided. Saul then made him captain over a thousand, saying, " Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him :''|j an expression however which is evidently put into Saul's mouth, since it is impossible he could have made use of it openly. He made him the offer of his daughter Merab for his wife, in consequence of the defeat of Goliah ; but she, we know not why, was given to another ;5r afterwards

he gave him Michal: and David's modesty** on this occasion was incomparably well acted ; he knowing himself, at the same time, to be secretly intended for the kingdom by Samuel.

Saul, upon reflection, concluding it dangerous to ex- ecute any open act of violence against this young hero, politically hoped to ensnare him, by exalting him high in favour, or to get rid of him by putting him upon his mettle, in performing feats of valour ; for a defi- ciency of valouf is not to be numbered among David's faults. It was with this view that the king yet required of him an hundred Philistine foreskins,"|"|' as the con-

* 1 Sam. xrii. 7. f Ch. xviii. 8. + Ver. 9. § Ver. 11.

H Ver. 17. ir Ver. 19. ** Ver. 23. ff Ver. 25. according to Joseplms GOO heads.

-•i J-Ki^^jiJCL-J-A^

31 LIFE OF DAVID.

dition bf becoming his son-in-law. He produced double the number " in full tale/'*

This demand, after David appears to have fulfilled the prescribed conditions, seems not only unjust, but also, even making allowance for Hebrew customs, very ridiculously expressed. It must have been a glorious sight to have seen David bring the foreskins to king Saul, strung perhaps on a piece of pack-thread, and dangling in his hand, or thrown across his shoulders like a sash : and if Miss Michal was present, how must ber pretty little heart exult when the required number being told off, as many more were gallantly presented at her feet I *^

• David still advanced in his militaryf reputation, and met with a powerful advocate in the person of Jona- than, his brother-in-law and faithful friend, who effec- ted a temporary reconciliation between him and Saul ;{ at vyhich time Sauj swore he would no morie attempt his life. Nevertheless, whether it was that he could not get the better of his jealousy, or that he discovered more than is transmitted down to us, we know not ; consequences incline us to the last conjecture: Saul made two more attempts to killbim;§ from one of which he was protected by his wife Michal ; and find- ing it not safe to stay at court, fee fled to Samuel, in Ramah.lj Hither Saul sent meesengers to apprehend him ;^ but these, it seems, seeing Samuel presiding over a company of prophets, and prophesying, were -seized with a spirit of prophesying also ; and not only so, but it is related that Saul finding this, went at last himself, to just the same purpose ; for he likewise pro- ' phesied,** stripping oflP his cloaths, in which ridicu- lous condition he continued tor a day and a night. ' _^ ' This is an extreme odd relation ! That the solemn appearance of an assembly of prophets, presided over by a person so respectable, and heretofore of such

» I Sam. xviii. 27. f Ver. 30. xix. 8. + Ver. 4. ^ Ver. 10, 1 1. 11 Ver. IP. ' % Ver. 20. ♦* Ver. 23.

«::?.;\^»"-??y*:;^i^,;;»jafyj!»!gii.'^;i'j;^jy ' ^y

UFfi OF OAFID. m

great ftutborit^r in Jtideau fflight inftneaee, ni an extn* ordinary mantier, persons -oitnifted <with a drjoniiiiis* sioQ to apprehend or kill a man patronized by t^e se prophets, exhibits nothing wonderful; they mig^t -ea* siJy perhaps, be prophesied out of tiieir errand ; and might then prophesy in concert. Prophesy is a vague t&m, not always limited to the prediction of future events ; the extempore preaching of maiay dig* senters, ajid the discourses of the Quakers, who pro* fess to speak as the Spirit gives them utterance, seem to come under the term prophesy. These persons can work themselves and others into such £ts of enthusi* astic intoxication, that they believe themselves agi- tated by supernatural influence. Such might be the propliesying here mentioned. But Saqi prophesied ! so it is said. Had the subject of SauPs prophesying been laansmitted down to us, it might havie greatly il- Itustrated this passage in the iiistory; ibut no, he is bareJy aaid to have prophesied; and we ase pnidewtl^y left to guess what. Being thus at liberty, we, among other expositors, may easily surmise mhat be might take for his text,. and was the general tenor of his 'dis* course, do this particular occasion.

Af^wtfd David bad a private interview* with Jo- nathan ; for be <du£st not Kreuture to appear at court. At this meeting, Jonathan, who had conceived too great an affection for this man, and was at length se- duced by him from the duty and alliance which he owed to Jiis father and king, solemnly promisedf that he would sound his father^s intentions on the next day, which being the festival of the new moon, David's at- tendance was expected at the king's table ; and that be would warn him of any danger intended Mm. Da- vid lay hid in the field u&til Jonathan brought him the required intelltgeoce ; and when tbe kii^ inquired ooncemiog bim, Jonathsm as ;had been before o<mi- certed, said that he had requested leave to go and pCT-

*■- ' *". ' *" • .~. ~» " . ■ , - . ' "l '. "^ B A"* ■" '.»■£»- "■■3- ■ST

,' "■ .-'i'S-'. .- — .■■ " ■ ■ - .' '' '^ '' •■ '■ '*• ..-"■■■ ' '-f *

* 1 Stm. XX. 1. tVCT. 12.

D

96 LIFE OF DAVID.

fortn a family sacrifice at Bethlehem. Saul's reply oti this occasioQ is very pertinent, and shows his antipa" thy to David not to have been the causeless inveteracy of a disordered mind. "Then Saul's anger was kin- dled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse, rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness ? For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom: wherefore, now send and fetch him unto me ; for he shall surely die.'^* - Jonathan expostulated with his father, and had a javelin hurled at him for his reward.t

David being advertised, according to agreement, of the king's disposition toward him, retired to Ahime-

lech, the high priest, at the Aity of Nob ;^ who treated

him with shew-bread, and armed him jvith the sword of Goliah, which had been hung up and consecrated to

G0d.§ . , . j;^

We may consider David's resuming this sword, after its dedication as a religious trophy, whatever gloss may be put on his interview with Ahimelech, to be a clear manifestation of hostile intentions, or a declara- tion of war against his father-in-law, for which he now took the first opportunity to prepare. , Thus accoutred, he fled out of Judea, to Achish, king of €iath ,'|| in- tending, as we have good reason to believe, to enter into a treaty of alliance with him against the Hebrews ; but the popular cry was against him before he accom- plished any thing, or at least any thing that has reached our t!mes.r Here David appears to disadvan- tage in point of policy : for though his carrying with him the sword of Goliah wm artful enough, and likely to collect followers in Judea, since it was a continual witness of that prowess which had gained him such

J» Ver. 30, 81. Josephnsin loco, f Ver. 33. % 1 Sam. xxi. 1. $ Ver. 9. Josephus. [j Vei*. 10.

^i.j^£ttk.

LIFE OF DAVID. ... 27

extraordinary reputation ; yet, for him, under this cir- cumstance, to throw himself into the power of the Phi- listines, among those very people from whose cham- pion he had ravished that sword, was the highest im- prudence ! and we perceive he might have suffered for it, had not he made use of a stratagem to procure his release, vvhich he effected by acting the madman,* Mankind seems tojiaye been very easily imposed on in those~(Jlays.

David, now thinking it time openly to avow his de- sign of disputing the crown with Saul, went to a cave called AduIIam, which he appointed the place of ren- dezvous for his partizans. Here we are told he col- lected together a company of debtors, vagrants, and disaffected persons, to the number of four faundi*ed ;

and opened his rebellion, by putting himself at the

head of this body of men :t men, whose despei"ate si- tuations under the government in being, rendered them fit agents to disturb it, and proved the surest bond to

connect them to a partizan thus embarked in an en- terprize against it. Hither also came to him* his father

and all his brethren ; and the first movement that he made was to go to the king of Moab, to obtain a re^ treat for his father and mother, until he knew the event of his enterprise.;!:

By the advice of the prophet Gad, David next marched into the land of Judah :§ Gad, no doubt hoped, that as the young adventurer was of that tribe, he would there meet with considerable reinforcement. When Saul heard of this insurrection, he pathetically laments his misfortune to those about him, that they, and even his son Jonathan, should conspire against bim,|| Then started up one Doeg, an Edomite, who informed Saul, that he had seen David harboured by the priests in Nob.^ Upon this, Saul suEanadned all those belonging to that city before him, with Ahimcr

» 1 Sam. xxi. 13. f Ch. xxii. 2. jVer.S. §Ver.5.

II Ver.7, 8. 1[ Ver.-O. •

a/

» L1F£ OF DAVID.

kcb their chief, who begau to excuse himself as well as he could ; but Saul rememberiDg, without doubts the threatening of Samuel, conceraing the afi^ir of king Agag ;* and coosidering these priests as trai- tors, from, this corroborating evidence against them, he commaQded them all to be slain, to the number of eighty-five persons .t Moreover, agreeable to the barbarous usage of that nation, 'the massacre included the whole city of Nob, man and beast, young and old, without exception. J

Though the king's rage in this instance exceeded not only the bounds of humanity, but also of good policy, it nevertheless serves to show how deeply the priests were concerned in the rebellion of David ; \ since he could not be mad enough to commit so fla- grant an act, without some colourable pretence ;§ and shows also that Saul had Hot so great an opinion of their holiness as we, at this distance of time, are, by their own annals, instructed to have. Had Saul been more implicit, he might have enjoyed the name of king, have continued the dupe of the priests, have died in peace, and his children have succeeded quietly to the inheritance. But, t

«< Te gods ! whet havoe do«8 ambition make '^^-

*• Among your works 1" *•

During this time, David rescued the city of Keilah from the Fhilistines,|| who were besieging it, hoping to make it a garrison for himself. But upon thfe ap- proach of Sau], not thinking himself able to maintain it, being as yet but six hundred strong, and not choos- ing to confide in the inhabitants, whose loyalty even his recent kindness to them could not corrupt, he

• 1 Sam. xiii. 14. xv. 26. 28. f Ch. 3raii. 16—18. + Ver. 19.

§ In 80 small a territory as Judea, the difference between the king ftfld bi» son-in->Iair, so poprolttr a man, eoufd not be nnknown to persongia any measure removed from the vulgar. Therefore, Ahi- melech's pleas e^' ignorance did not deserve credit* ~ (j I Sam. xuii. 3.

b^-- r.^lr-^.ji.'g^-aE-.'^-'.Jiljig^.

■■'af7T«^'-^ «T' w" > "TJ '■ ,

Rwsra

LIFE or DAVID.

t

therefore abandoned it, and redred to the wilderness.* This passage alone is amply sufficient to coniirm the reality of David's rebellious intentions ; it is, therefore^ worth analyzing. That he delivered this city from the depredations of the Philistines, and that by this ac tion he hoped to purchase the friendship of the inha- bitants, are acknowledged : the use to which he in- tended to convert this friendship, is the point to be ascertained. Saul was advancing, to suppress him. Had he seduced them from their allegiance, and ob- tained the expected protection, he would have deprived Saul of this city, which city might have been consi- dered as a garrison. The old plea, of his providing only for his personal safety, against his malignant per-^ secutor, has often been urged ; but his intended re- tention of a city, to secure that safety, was a flagrant rebellious intention. Had he gained this one city, as his strength increased, he would have concluded as many more as he could have procured, necessary for his preservation, until he had monopolized the whole country, agreeable to the grant of Samuel, which would then have justified the usurpation ; but disappointed in the first step, by the loyalty, miscalled treachery, of the Keilites, he evacuated the town, having lost the recompence of his labour, and with his men " went whithersoever they could go.^'-f In the wilderness Jo- nathan came privately to see him, and piously engages in the cause against his own father, by covenant; in which it was agreed, that if David succeeded, of which Jonathan is very confident, he was to be a par- taker of his good fortune ;J but as Jonathan was not to join him openly, be went home again.

Saul, having received intelligence of David's re- treats, pursued him from place to place, until he was called off by news of an invasion of the land by the Philistines ;§ whether of David's procuring or not, we are uncertain: thus much is certain, and does not dis^

* 1 Sam. xxiii. 13. fib. J Ver. 16— 18. § V«r. 27.

iW

\4

SO LIFE OF DAVID.

credit the supposition, that he quickly after took re- fuge among those Philistines. After repelling the in- vaders, Saul, however, returned to the wilderness of Engedi, in pursuit of David, with three thousand chosen men. At this place we are told of an odd ad- venture, which put the life of Saul strangely into the power of David. He turned in to repose himself* alone in a cave, wherein at that time, David and hi^^ myrmidons were secreted.-f This, one would imagine to have been a fine opportunity for him to have given a finishing stroke to his fortune, by killing Saul, and jumping into the throne at once: but David knew better what he was about, than to act so rashly. He could entertain no hopes that the Jews would receive for their king a man who, with such great seeming ho- liness, should imbrue his hands in the blood of the Lord's anointed. Beside, ^hat evidently destroys the boasted merit of David's fc^rbearance toward Saul, in this instance, is an obviouS, though overlooked consi- deration, that, compared with David, Saul had a strong army with him ; and had the king been missing, had he been observed to enter the cave without coming out again ; and upon search, had he been there found murdered, there would not have escaped, of all

* The words are, ** to cover his feet :*' which Josephus and others, mistake to mean, that he retired into the cave to ease nature. But in Juds^es, iii. 24. we find that expression to imply, that the servants of Eglon, king of Moab, supposed their master to have

locked himself in, to repose himself with sleep, in his summer- chamber. This is farther corroborated, in Ruth, iii. 7. where, when

Boaz had eaten his supper, he laid down on a heap of com, doubt- less to take his rest. Ruth, by her mother's instruction, went, uncovered his feet, and lay down by him — to hare some refresh- ment likewise. For, in the middle of the night, when the man awaked, surprised at finding an unexpected bedfellow, and de-

manded who she was, the kind wench replied — *' I am Ruth, thine hand-maid ; spread therefore thy skirt over thine hand-maid, for thou art a near kinsman.'* In the present instance, it is evident, Saul slept in the cave ; us he discovered not the operation that had been performed on his robe, til] David called after him, to apprize him thereof.

t 1 Sam. xxiv. S.

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UFE OF DAVID. 31

that pertained to David* any th^t pissed against the toall. Of this David could not be insensible ; and therefore, only privately cut off the skirt of SauFs robe,* and suffered him to depart in peace. When the king was gone out from the cave, David calls after him, and artfully makes a merit of his forbearance, pro- testing an innocency, to which his being in arms was, however, a flatf contradiction. Saul freely and grate- fully acknowledges himself indebted to him for his life, and seems so well convinced of his own precarious si- tuation, that he candidly confesses it ; only tying him down with an oath,J not to destroy his children after him — an obligation which, in due time, we shall see in what manner remembered and fulfilled by David.

Saul must certainly have been greatly fatigued, or strangely overseen, to have let David catch him at so great a disadvantage — a conduct not usual with good generals. Yet, while we credit the relation, the meanness of his reply to David's harangue, can be no otherwise accounted for. Saul does not appear to have wanted resolution on other occasions ; but to acknow- ledge his assurance that David would obtain the sove- reignty, and poorly to entreat a fugitive rebel in behalf of his family ! is a conduct not even to be palliated, but upon the foregoing supposition. We must either condemn the general or the king, neither of which cha- racters appear with extraordinary lustre upon this ip(^| casion. David, on the other hand, dissembles adml^^ rably here, pretending to Saul a great reverence for *"- the Lord's anointed, though conscious, at the same time, that he was also the Lord's anointed, and

anointed purposely to supersede the other Lord's

anointed; and, moreover, was at this very time aim- ing to put his election in force ! But, as the people were not of his council, and he knew their great re- gard for religious sanctions, it was certainly prudent in him to set an example of piety, in an instance of

* 1 Sam. xxir. 4. f Ver. 8—15. + Ver. 21.

32 tlFE OF DAVID.

which he hoped, in time, to reap the benefit himself. About this time Samuel died.*

We next find our young advehtdrer aetlrtgf the chief

character in a tragi-comedy, which will ferther display

his title to the appellation of being a Man after Grod-*^

own heart.

There dwelt then at Maon, a blunt rich old farmer, whose name was Nabal. David hearing of him, and that he was at that time sheep-shearing, sent a detach- ment of his followers to levy a contribution upon him,']' making a merit of his forbearance, in that he had not stolen his sheep, and murdered, his shepherds.} Na- bal, who, to be sure, was not the most courteous man in the world, upon receiving this extraordinary mes- sage, gave them but a very indifferent reply, including a flat denial. " Who,'' says he, " is David ? and who is the son of Jesse ? There be many servants now-a- days that' break away every man from his master. Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give unto meii whom 1 know not whence they be ?'^ Upon receiving this answer, David, without hesitation, di- rectly formed his resolution ; and arming himself, with a number of his followers, vowed to butcher him, and all that belonged to him, before the next morning.]] And how was this pious intention diverted ? Why, Abigail, the charming Abigail ! Nabafs wife, resolv- ed, unknown to her spouse, to try the force of beauty, in mollifying this incensed hero, whose disposition for gallantry, and warm regard for the fair sex, was pro- bably not unknown at that time. Her own curiosity also might not be a little excited ; for the ladies have at all times been universally fond of military gentle- men : no wonder, therefore, that Mrs. Abigail, the wife of a cross country clown, was willing to seize this op- portunity of getting acquaintance with captain David.

* 1 Sara. XXV. 1. t Ver. 5—9. t Ver. 7.

§ Ver. 10, 11. U Ver. 15, 14—22.

t;.^s*a;-'^*'Siw,ww,jpifJ_t||l4W|^

LIFE OF DAVID. 33

And this motive certainly had its forcfe, since she could not as yet have known David's intention : we may ob- serve she was told of it by David at their meeting.* She prepared a present, and went to David, sayings;

Very sententiously, " Upon mcj my Lord, upon me let

this iniquity be r"*]* judging, very humanely, that could she get him to transfer his revenge upon her, she might possibly contrive to pacify him, without proceeding to disagreeable extremities. Nor was she wrong in her judgment ; for we are told, " So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, go up in peace to thine house ; see I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy pev son"X But however agreeable this meeting might have been to Abigail, we do not find that Nabal was so well pleased with the composition his wife had made for him ; for when he came to understand so much of the story as she chose to inform him of, he guessed the re- mainder, broke his heart, and died in ten days after- ward.§ David loses no time, but returned God thanks for the old fellow's death, and then Mrs. Abigail was promoted to the honour of being one of the Captain's ladies.ll

We are now told another story extremely resembling that of the cave of En-gedi. Saul again pursues David with three thousand chosen men ; again fell into his hands during his sleep ; only that here David stole upon him in his own camp; he ran away with the king's spear and bottle of water, and Saul went back again as wise as he came.^

The opinion of Mons. Bayle seems most probable concerning this adventure, who looks upon it but as another detail of the former affair at En-gedi ; and that for very good reasons. For, upon a comparison of both, as laid down in the 23d, 24.th, and 26th chapters of 1 Samuel, we may remark, v

* 1 Sam. XXV. 34. f Ver. 24. X Ver. 35. § Ver. 37, 38. II Ver. 39. f Ch. xxvi.

:^;i^a5-..6;*;a;£^'^>^ .*.-: .^-:t>i. -. -- -_ ...-^

34 LIFE OF DAVID.

I. That in each relation Saiil pursuies him with the same number of choten men.

II. That both adventures ha^^ned at or very near the same place.

III. That in each story David comes upon Saul in much the same manner, withholds his people fromr killing himj and contents himself with taking away a testimonial of the king's having been in his power.

IV. That in the second account, when David is pleading the injustice of Saul's persecuting him, as he terms it, he does not strengthen his plea by represent- ing to him that this was the second time of his sparing him, when he had his life so entirely in his power ; and that Saul's pursuing him this second time, was a fla- grant instance of ingratitude, after what had happened on the former occasion. • x: .'

V. That in the second relation, Saul, when h6 ac- knowledges David's forbearance and mercy to him in the present instance, makes no mention of isiny former obligation of this kind, although it was so recent, and in the main circumstance so similar.

VI. That the historian, who evidently intended to blacken the character of Saul, and whiten that of Da- vid, does not make tl>e least observation himself, in the second narrative, of reference to the first. ' ^ -

These reasons prove, beyond doubt, that We are fur- nished with two relations of the same adventure. To account for the double record, and their variations, must be left to commentators, connectors, and harmo- nizers, who are used to compromise affairs of this na- ture.

David finding that with his present strength, he wa» unable to maintain any footing in Judea, puts himself once more under the protection of Achish, king of Gath.* Achish, who does not appear to have been a very powerful prince, seemed to consider David alone, and David at the head of a little army, as two very

' * 1 Sara, xxvii* 1-^.

■Ji..>VU « ! "fW !■! T>1 »UW« ,RP»S" i^^.'?! VI •' yj t «^ '-■^T^s'^wis'yT*'?* '^^ *:^^^" ^ r- ■-- i' -^■•;-.'v>v. Tr^v.;TT:xi(r'!w-jrrx>^p?w7C5=='5::«FT.a^^W^^

LIFE OF DAVID. ; |85

different persons: for he now assigned him a place named Ziklag, for a habitation, where he remained a jear and four months.^ - ■

As he had now a quiet residence, those who entertain an opinion of David's sanctity, would be apt to sup- pose he would here confine himself to agriculture, to composing psalms, and to singing them to his harp : but David found employment more suited to his ge- nius* It is not intended here to be insinuated thiat he might not sing pss^ms, at leisure times ; but his more important business was to lead his men out to plunder the adjacent country. We have the names of some nations, as they are called, but which must have been small distinct communities, like the present camps of wandering Moors and Arabs^ over whom he extended his depredations : these are the Geshurites, the Gez- rites, and the Amalekites.j* Of these people he made a total massacre, at those places where he jnade his in- roads ; saying, very prudently, " Lest they should tell of us, saying, so did David, and so will be fails manner, all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philis- tines. J^' After thus carefully endeavouring to avoid detection, he brings his booty home, which consisted of all which those miserable victims possessed.§ He made presents of this to his benefactor kipg Achishj|| who, demanding where he had made his incursion, was answered, against the south of Judah^ &c.^ in- tending by this falsity to insinuate to the king his aver- sion to his own countrymen, and attachment to him. *' And Achish believed David, saying, he hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.*'**

The Philistines at this time collected their forces together, to attack. the Israelites. To which service Achish summoned David,i~|' and met with a cheerful

^ 1 l&itn. xxni. 6, 7. t Ver. 8. % Vcr. 9. 1 1 .

§ Query, whether David might not compose a psalm upon this occasion. || Josephus. •f 1 Sam. ^xxvii. 10. ** Ver. 12.

• r -j-f Ch. xxviii. 1. ^ , ;* ^

85 LIFE OF DAVID.

compliance ; " Surely," says David, " thou shalt know what thy servant can do.*'* He accordingly marched his adherents with the troops of king Achish; but when the princes of the Philistines saw a company of Hebrews in their army, they were much surprized, and questioned Achish concerning them. The account which Achish gave of them, did not satisfy the princes, who justly feared their captain might prove a dangerous auxiliary. ** Make this fellow return,'^ said they, "that he may go again to the place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to the battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us : for where- with should he reconcile himself to his master; should it not be with the heads of these men ? ""f David was accordingly dismissed, very much mortified at their -distrust of him.ij:

Here now was a signal evidence of David's righte- ousness ! The Hebrews, according to their own testi- mony, understood themselves to be the favourite peo- ple of God, and David is delivered down to us as a distinguished character for piety among this peculiarly esteemed people. Yet could this very man, without aiiy hesitation, freely join himself and company, to an army of uncircumcised idolators, marching with hos- tile intentions against his countrymen ! His advocates indeed pretend, that had his offers been accepted, he ' would nevertheless have gone over to the Israelites, at the commencement of the battle : this is taking off the charge of one crime, by imputing to him another equally bad— ^a most base act of treachery ! As, however, the Israelites, on the foundation of their own intimacy with the Deity, thought they had no more obligations to a moral conduct towards the heathens, than the Roman Catholics now imagine they have to keep faith with heretics ; these advocates endeavour to preserve the piety of David's charilcter, at the expence of what David, according to this method of arguing, did ex- tremely well without, on all occasions ; namely, honesty,

* 1 Sam. xxviii. 2. f Ch. xxix. 4. ± Ver. 6, 11.

-y-'^*=^''^^!'W?'r^'7'^^!''>J^?!S^^

LIFE OF DAVID. '37

■ Upon his return to Ziklag, he found that, during his absence, the Amalekifes had made reprisals upon him, and burnt Zikiag ; and had carried off all the women captives.* But in the relation there is one remark^well worth noting, which is that "they slew not any either great or small'*-|* — so much more moderation had these poor heathens in their just revenge, than the enlightened David in his unprovoked insult. If they came to avenge so savage an insult, it shewed great considera- tion in them to spare the innocent, the guilty being absent: if they bnly came on the common principle of plunder, the bare comparison of the different treat- ment of the sufferers in each instance, speaks forcibly without amplification. Upon this misfortune, his band began to mutiny, and were on the point of sto- ning j him ; when he, who knew how to soothe them, enquired of the Lord what he should do ? and evaded their rage, by inspiring them with a resolution to pur- sue the Amalekites, and with the hopes of recovering all their losses. He, therefore, with four hundred picked men, set out on the pursuit, and by the way found a straggler§ who had fainted ; after recovering him, they gained, by his means, intelligence of their route. David came upon them unexpectedly, at a place where they were, without apprehension, regaling them- selves after their success : and though David's men re- xjovered all they had lost, together with other boot3% and found their wives and children unhurt : yet could not their captain resist so inviting an opportunity of gratifying his delight in blood-shedding: the pursuit and slaughter continued from the twilight (we know not whether of the morning or evening) of one day, until the evening of the next. None escaped but a party which rode upon camels.||

Of the spoil taken from these people, David sent presents to the elders of his own tribe of Judab, "and to all the places where David himself and his men were

* 1 Sara. XXX. 1. f Ver. 2. J Ver. G. § Ver. 11. H Ver. 17.

as LIFE OF DAVID.

wont to haunt/'* By which means he kept them at- tached to his interest.

Th(^ dispute between the Philistine and Hebrew ar- mies, did not terminate but by the defeat of the latter9 the death of Saul, and of three of his sons.f .? .'

Such was the catastrophe ofking Saul 1 a man advan- ced from the humble state of a shepherd, by the prophet Samuel, to be his deputy in the government of the Hebrew nation, under the specious name of king: a man, who allowing for the pecw/mr com^/gor- ion of the people over whom he was placed ; does not, on the whole, seem to suffer by comparison with any other king in the safne history; or whose character appears to be stained with any conspicuous fault, ex- cept that he was one degree less cruel than his haughty patron: and was disobedient enough to endeavour to be in effect, what he was Only intended to be in name. On the whole, he appears to have been strangely irre- solute and inconsistent with himself ; and is perhaps represented more so than he might really have been : but the undertaking to render himself independent was an arduous task for one in his situation ; therefore his actions and professions might sometimes disagree. However, it is impossible to argue from every expres- sion that may be produced ; we must form our judg- ment from leading events, and corresponding expres- sions ; and determine as they tally with probability. If Saul himself, however he is represented as sub*, scribing to it, was really assured of David's destination to supersede him by divine decree, there was nothing left for him but resignation : Can man fight against God ? since therefore his continual aim was to destroy David, it argues against this assurance: and if Saul himself was mad, surely his soldiers were not : how came he to find an army as mad as himself, to perse- cute the Lord's anointed.

We shall now have an opportunity to observe the conduct of our hero in a regal capacity. The death of

* 1 Sam. xxj:. 31. t ^lj« xxxi.-

TE -"■" '- ' ~ I lii^ii ' I ' II ^' '^"'^ -- ■■•^r^r-,S7r-i-'-r^^Y<^!fff^f^i^r-^-s^.^:£i:.\ff<:r

LIFE OF DAVID. 39

Saul facilitated his advancement to a sovereignty, to wiiich he had no pretension, either by the right of in- heritance, ^^hich was claimed by Ish-bosheth, a re- maining son of Saul; nor by popular election, which Saul himself had the shew of; but by the clandestine appointment of an old prophet ; which inspired him with hopes, of which, by arms and intrigue, he at length enjoyed the fruition. , h ; ,i.:^^4-'-.^M-m ^PS^ * -i David had returned to Ziklag but two days, when on the third, there came to him an Amalekite, who officiously informed him of the event of the battle between the Israelites and Philistines. He owned himself to be the person who killed Saul, after his defeat, at his own request: he being already wounded. He hoped to be well rewarded for his news, by David ; whose intentions were so well known, that he presen- ted him with Saul*s crown and bracelet*. But, alas ! he knew not David, and perished in the experiment: David ordering him to be killed for daring to slay the Lord's anointed.-f David's treatment of this Amale- kite, is agreeable to the customary rules of pohtics ; and has nothing therefore remarkable in it, farther than it is rendered so by peculiar circumstances. Saul was declared to be rejected by Ciod, and David was the pretender to his throne; it may therefore be imagined by some, that this man might have had some claim to his private gratitude, especially considering the account the Amalekite gave of the matter.

Who can help smiling at the relation of David's tear- ing his clothes off his back, and bursting into a sorrow- ful lamentation for the death of a man, to whose des^- truction he had so freely offered to lend assistance but just before ? _^:r^*.;-'r^ii ^ '■ ■ - --^i- i£^»^-^!**-: . .^^,yh^

Upon this alteration of affairs, David, asking coun- sel of the Lord, was advised to leave Ziklag, and go to Hebron, one of the cities of Judah ; whither he and all his men repaired. J There he got his partizans to

* 2 Sam i. 10. f Ver. 15. * 2 Sara. ii. 1.

40 LIFE OF DAVID.

anoint him king over Judah; at the same time thai^ Abner, Saul's general, had, at Mahanaim, made Ish- bosheth, Saul's son, king over Israel.* It may be re- marked here, that David did not seem to claim in right of the sacred unction bestowed on him long since by Samuel. He realized his title indeed, as soon as he could make it out, by the law of force : but if his di- vine title to the Hebrew crown was universally known, and if, as has been ui^ed, Ish-bosheth had none at all, how came David's title not to be universally acknow- ledged? Did only one tribe believe in it? Yet David, with the divine grant, was obliged to obtain the sove- reignty by arms and intrigue t just for all the world like the wicked, who attain their desires by exactly the sam^ means, to all external appearance. Upon this division of the kingdom, a battle was fought at the pool of Gibeon, between the army of Ish-bosheth, commanded by general Abner, and that of David, headed by Joab: victory declared in favour of the lat- ter, with small loss on either side, except that Joab lost his brother Ahasel, who was killed by Abner's own hand.'l'

We must here be content with general hints ; being only informed that *' there was long war j;)£tween the house of Saul and the house of David : l)ut David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.^'J What very much con- duced to this, M'as an ill-timed quarrel between king Ish-bosheth and general Abner, concerning one of Saul's concubines, with whom .Abner had been too familiar:§ and his resentment of the notice taken of tiiis amour, occasioned a treaty to be negociated between him and David, whom Abner engaged to establish over all Israel.|| David accepted his offer, but demanded, as a preliminary, the restoration of his first wife Michal ;^ who, during the disputes between

-* 2 Sum. ii. 4, 8. f Ver. 17, 23. J 2 Sam. iii. 1.

§ 2 Sam. iii. 7. |1 Ver. 12. f Ver. 13.

MP^.i ',, I--'-, 'y.'""™ ■■-_••'- •■' - --.■•r-.T .-,-..,-.-.,,, .,,..-...-. ,,. _.^,,^ -^^-.^--^—TO^j^BW-Jif^-n-J"^— •I-~'VT,iTr"i~._. jliaijl JjJ^

UfEOFPAVID. I 41.

him.mxl Saul, had been esik)used to anatHer.* ' Thi^I denmnd be likewise made, Qpenly, by an express mes- sage to lab-boshetii, who kindly cdmpUedw^h it: the poor man who had ,miie^';fomied,.hGff jollQwing jier. weeping all the way;f rrn f'h'sDp i :Jori t:^H /v^fu;* 1 ^ It is impossible to avioid noting David's! apaorous disposition here ; which could not be content with six wives, who bo]^ him ; children ^ (no mention of those who did not), but was yet so warnty that- if^^ook tbei lead even in his most important conceri:^.rTr We )will iK)t pretend to assign the cause of that sad disorder; the! symptoms of which are described in the S8th Psalm ^

After Abner had traitorously endeavoured to advance the interest of David§ ; he had an interview with him{| r which, quickly after he returned, coming to the ears of Joab ;: he, who does not appear to have been acquain-f ted with the Secret spring which actuated Abner's zeal for the cause of David); represented to him the impru- dence of admitting a man among them, who to all appearance came only as a spy. Unknown to David, he sent for him back again, and privately stabbed him, in revenge for the loss of his brother Asahel^. This was a most base piece of treachery, worthy the servant of such a master: to assassinate a man in cool blood, in revenge for an action which was committed in the heat of battle, in self-defence, and even after lair warning

given. 'M3';!ud'^s5?fii#i -itj^ii^iij-^fiiF^^'* '" '■-t, Upon the murder of Abner, David again acts the mourner ♦*; which has a greater probability of being sincere now, than when he grieved for the unhappy Saul; because the false Abner was preparing to do him essential service, by betraying his master's cause. But the event proved full as advantageous to David ; as will presently appear. ; « > >a«?«w*«ii* %«iivs*iy?? ^ fiw^w When Ish-bosheth and his friends heard of the fate of Abner, who had been the very life of their cause .^ it dejected all their spirits ; . and two villains, named

* 1 RRtn. XXV. 44. t 2 Sam. iii. 15. 16. t Ver. -2, &c. § Vcr. 17. II V€r. 20. If Yer. 27. *• Ver. 31, &c.

r

4r LIFE OF DAriD/

Rechab and Baanab, hoping to make their fortunes by the public calamity, went and^ murdered their mas^ ter king is^-bosheth, as he wais^' reposing himself du- ring the heat of the day, and brought his head to

David^. But not reflecting on an obvious maxim in

politics, they hke the Amalekite before, who claimed the merit: of killing Saul, sooii found that he thought it ad viseable to punish the traitors, whatever he thought of the treason')'. -•'■\ - -i . . i;

Had David reflected on all the circumstances which led to this murder, with that tenderness becoming a person professing so much piety, his compunction would have greatly embarrassed him in the proper be- haviour on this occasion. For if these two execrable villains deserved punishment,: what did he merit who was the primary cause of so nefarious an action ? Two poor rogues from subordinate views, effected by as- sassination what David sought at the head of an army, which naturally reminds us of the pirate and Alexander. So strangely do relative circumstances bias our judg- ment of things essentially alike. Had David aspired to no other sceptre than his shepherd^s crook, the vil- lains had not pr^umed on the usurper's gratitude ; and Ish-bosheth, who was a quiet prince, might have reigned long an honour to himself and a biasing to his country, ' ; > . :^u-i'}b-^hc ui /\:.-u ,.

Ish-bosheth does not appear to have been a man of parts, quahfied to contend with such an antagonist as David ; for nothing is recorded of him : Abner was the person who raised him ; and had he lived, would as «asily have deposed him, and though no qualifications are a security against assassination, yet, as in the case of another unfortunate monarch, Darius, king of Persia; such cowardly wretches generally take the advantage of precipitating misfortunes already commenced, that they may pay their court to the rising sun. -^i' v

The murder of this unhappy son of an unhappy father

* 2^am. iv. 5, &c. ' f Ver. 12.

T »™"S^,??fTi"'?:!»aa;^

J..".u„uji|(HMp[|

LITE OF DAVID. U

advanced David to the dignity to which he aspired,* (though we shall -^^€6 in a passage which reflects no great honour on him, that Saiil had more sons yet

Jiving.) He was now in his thirty-eighth year ; having

rdgned seven years -^smd an. half in U^roa -j* over the

tribe of Judah. vi ^t rirr: h : '■r-- ?- -h- f "

^ Although David was now invested with that supre«

n*acy which had been the aim of his endeavours since

the time that Samuel inspired him with the spirit

of— —^ambition ; yet could not his enterprising genius continue satisfied with such an exaltation. The first object of his attention now, was the city of Jerusalem, thea inhabited by the Jebusites; (but it was of no im- portance who inhabited it, if David conceived a desire for it): this city he besi^ed, and liie inhabitants relying on the strength of their fortifications, out of derision : planted cripples on their ramparts to guard their walls ; saying " except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt nofcome in hither.}" Never- theless David carried the place, and made it his chief city.§ i - • : .*..^..7^..,, .

N, B, He supplied himself with more wives and concubines Out of his new acquisition. {|

While he was thus amorously engaged, the Phil- istines hearing that he was made king over all Israel, came and disturbed him ; but David according to the usual term smote them ;^ and bis strokes were always sufficiently -felt, '^s^itmi ^i-&-i;^k. ic> imui'^-imamm. ^t:/ • "The comic tale of David's bringing home the ark will not be long dwelt upon ; it may only be remar- ked, that it was brought on a new cart, drawn by oxen ; and that Uzzah some way or other lost his life, or, as the text reads, was smote by the Lord^** for his impietv in saving t^e ark firom being overtumed.ff But

'\i ■/*siiln?.i«'^vrtfii'>[*'ii«iilS('i V«l»' fjiiJf.. ii■ff4*>4i■lH¥^^s|^i4,•r •28am.y. 3. ^Chrttt.x^3^ t 2 Sam. iL II. V, - X Chap. V. 6. Joaephu*. § Vcr. 7. 9. 1 Chroiu xi. 5. 7. . U 2 Sara. V. 13. IT Ver. 20, 25. 1 Chron. xiv.ll. ** Query, whether the Lord did not 8<;Hnetimes smite by the

hands of the priests. > ft 2 Sam. vi. 7. ,,

44 LTFE OF DAVUX

if":** the Lord «eeth not as man seetb; for man IooketI» on the outward appearance, but the Lord lookettr , into the heart ;'' the intention of Uzzah was indispu- tably good, and^the alledged crime surely pardonable: the seeming .exigency: precluding all hesitation and reflection. Had the ark been really .overturned for want of this careful prevention, Uzzah might then, it would be' naturally imagined, have been rather smote for neglecting to save it. However, it- was longer tri^ted to prophane hands, : but carried the ainder of the way upon the more holy shoulders — the Levites,* with great parade: attended by musicians, and by David himself who, dressed /u a linen ephod, danced before, the Lord with all his might :\ and this, in such a frantic indecent manner, that he exposed his nakedness to the bye-standers* Wherefore his wife Michal sneered at him: "How GLORIOUS was the king of Israel to day, who uncover- ed himself to-day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself.t" David, it seems, was of a different opinion ; for he told her he would pldy before the Lord; and would be yet TNorevx/e than she had represented him ; — adding, " and of the maid-servants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.''§ Some staunch zealots have very prudent- ly spiritualized this part of David's answer, . and given the mystical sense of it; the prophane^ who are con- tent with the evident signification of words, having construed it no otherwise than into an insinuation that he had no cause to be ashamed of what he expqsed. Fie on theml^dj > lo v^-// 'hh-^ tb^'^?^i i^^lt b^w ; f ">-"'. i: This story is <;oncluded with a remark as odd as the rest of it:— *' Therefore Michel, the daughter of Saul, had no child until the day of her death. ^*|| For, if Michal had hitherto borne no chiUreUj neither to Da- vid, nor to her immediate husband, her barrenness

* I C9iron. xv. 2, 15. f 2 Sana. vi. 14. $ V«r. 20.

§ Ver. 22. - ■ ■ , U Ver. 23. . - -

^■.. - /i.-./.-'Ji)

LIFE OF DAVID. 45

must hare been constitutional; and, preceding her offence, could not be a punishment inflicted in coase> quence of it. Moreover, if, on the other hand, she had home him children, and this disgrace to her was the consequence of a resolution made by her husband David, that sh^ should have no more children bt^ him: her quiet resignation, under this imposed widowhood, is by inference a high compliment on this poor woman's conjugal virtue! which was far from the historian's intention to bestow. Indeed there is great reason to credit Michal, and to believe that David really behav- ed with all the extravagance she ascribes to him: for she appeared before this affair as a discreet kind of a woman ; no instance of folly being produced in her, unless the contrivances she made use of to save her iiusband from the effects of her father's rage may be allowed to bear such interpretation. Whatever judgment however is passed upon Michal's censure of David's behaviour in this procession, it showed great cruelty and ingratitude in him to fix so disgraceful a stigma on her; and not to make allowance for female indiscretion, the worst name that could be bestowed -on her fault. ••v-^j'?y ,;:ji-'v ■ 'tHfff-ii(;'t^4 h^i^^^i^'-i' After this, David smote the Philistines, not sparing even Gath, that city which had so humanely protected him.* He then smote the Moabites, putting to the sword two-thirds of the nation, by causing them to lie prostrate on the ground, and measuring them by lines; ** even with two lines measured he to put to death; and with one full line to keep alive :"•!• so systematic was his wrath! Hadadezar, king of Zobah, was the next whom he smote; who being assisted by the Sy- rians of Damascus, he next smote them J Yet all this smiting and slaying is so obscurely mentioned, that we know nothing of the offences committed against this mighty chief, to excite such blood-thirsty indig- nation. Indeed, the cause is, wjthout much difficul- ty, deducible from the produce of these wars, which ■'•'■■• . ..i . ■ ■ . ■ ' . . ,,..''•"

* Sam. vi'tu 1. 1 Chron. xviii. 1. f 2 Sans. viii. 2. .:

J Ver. 3. 5, 1 Ghron. xviii. 3, 5.

aiBiiiiiiflfi^libirri"ifc'iTiii mi'

46 LIFE OF DAVID.

Rufficiently indicate the nature of David's thirst. Great quantities of gold, silver, and brass, are said to have been brought to Jerusalem ;* and the priests may with reason be supposed to be the instigators to these wars ; since we find all the plunder surrendered to them.t We have therefore no cause to wonder at the exalted praises they have bestowed upon the instru- ment of their wealth. He i^ said to have " gat him a name, when he returned from smiting the Syrians.**^ — This may very easily be credited; but it is to be feared, that if the name he gat from the Jews, and that which he gat from the Syrians were compared, they would not accord extremely well together.

David was at this time seized with a temporary fit

of gratitude toward a lame son of his old friend Jona- than, named Mephibosheth, to whom he restored all the private patrimony of his grandfather Saul, and took him into his lamily;§ not without due consideration, it is to be supposed; since by that means he kept him

under his own eye. But this gratitude was not lasting ; for upon an accusation preferred against him by his servant, David readily bestowed all Mephibosheth's possessions upon that servant ; \ yet, when the accu- sation was found to be false, instead of equitably pu- nishing the asperser of innocence, and reinstating Mephibosheth in his former favour, he restored to him but half the forfeiture of his supposed guilt,^ leaving the villain Ziba in the quiet possession of the other half, as the reward of his treachery.— But of this in its proper place.

The next memorable act recorded of David, is the only acknowledged crime that he ever committed; all his other transactions being reputed " right in the, eyes of the Lord.'*** ■^"^'- •'■> ^ '; ' •:/»«" >'-^ <-.■-.>• •*',?*■ ;ff:j- )i..a», ' In the midst of an obscure detail of smiting and slaying ; in revenge for the contemptuous treatment of

: * 2 Sam. viii. 7, 8, 10. 1 Chron. xy'uu 2, 4, 6, 8, 10.

f 2 Sara. viii. 11. 1 Chron. xviii. 11. % 2 Sam. viii. 13.

§ Chap. ix. I. II Chap. xvi. 4. ^ Chap. xix. 29.

** 1 Kings XV, 5, comf)ared with 1 Chron. xxi. 1.

LIFE OF DAVID. 4f .

some ambassadors, sent by him with compliments of coodoieoce ; but who, perhaps deservedly, were con- sidered as spies ; while Joab was with the army pro- secuting the si^e of Rabbah, a chiefcityof the Am- monites ; David, then at Jerusalem, walking one eve- ing on the roof of his palace, perceived from that emi- nence a handsome woman bathing herself.* Fired with the sight, he sent to enquire who she was: and understanding she was Bathsheb'a, wife to Uriah, who was at that time opportunely absent in the army under Joab, he caused her to be brought to him directly, (no ceremony in the case) and after gratifying his inclina- tion, sent her home again.*]* Some time after, the woman finding herself with child, naturally informed

the king of it. He, never at a Joss for ways and means, immeadiately ordered Uriah home; J of whom he enquired news concerning the operations of the campaign, and then dismissed him to his own house,

sending after him a present of victiials.§ David in- tended the good man a little relaxation from the fatigues of war, that he might kiss his wife, and be cheated into a child more than he had a natural right to ; but whether Uriah had received any intimation of the lio- nour his Majesty had done him ; or whether he ho- nestly meant the selfrdenial which he professed, we are not advertised : however, Uriah would not go home but slept in the guard-room, with the king's servants.]! David took care to be informed of this, and question- ed Uriah concerning the reason of it. Uriah ui^ed a scruple of conscience against going to enjoy any in- dulgence at home, while the ark, Joab, and the army remained in tents in the open field. ^ He was detain- ed another night ; when David made him drunk,** waiting to see what effect that might have. It was still the same ; Uriah, like many other drunken men, was resolved not to go home. David, finding him so obstinate, altered his plan of operations, and determined

• 2 Sam. xi. 2. t Ver. 4. i Ver. 6. § Ver. 8.

II Vei;^^. IT Ver. 11. • *• Vt- r. 35.

48 LJFE OF DAVID.

then to get rid of him ^r ever. To which intent, he sent him back to the camp, with a lettefr to thegeneraL? " And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah "in ♦' the fore-firont of the hottest battle, and retire ye ** from him, that he may be smitten and die."* This instruction was accordingly complied with ; t and then Bathsheba, like another Abigail, was taken into Da- vid's seraglio.t'*^;^^ «^^ * fii ^ii ;5i e^i /;-!r- ^^tii miA-

Nathan the prophet read David aft arch lecture upon this subject ;§ and he, who took Care not to disagree with his best friends, bore with the reproof, and hum- bled himself accordingly.

This complicated crime committed by David is uni- versally allowed ; but people think «so little for them selves, that even this wbiild be qualified, were it not found ready condemned to their hand in the relation of it. This crime is given up too, as the onfy stain in David's character : but the circumstances of it will not permit this to be granted, abstracted from any Consideration of the man. For, though a generally good man may, in a sudden start of any of the passions, lose government of himself so far, as to violate conju- gal fidelity, or perhaps suddenly to kill another; yet a deliberate scheme, including two such crimes, can be concerted only by ^ bad heart. It is also to be re- marked respecting his famous repentance of this black transaction, that he shewed no tokens of relenting until it was extorted from him by artifice ! and that even then, though he mourned his crime, he never enter- tained a thought of relinquishing future commerce with the woman so wickedly obtained, but kept her until he died ! and altered the regular course of succession, in favour of a son he had by her. ||

It is hoped the supposition may be allowed, that the noise this righteous affair mkde, might be one motive for Joab's desiring David to come and partake some of the honours of the campaign :^ an opportunity of

^ ♦ 2 Sam. xi. 15. f Ver. 17. * Vcr. 27. C Ch. x\u 1. fl I Kings i, 13. f 2 Sam. xii. 27, 28.

LIFE OF DAVID. 4d

which he prudently laid hold: but — fatal was his pre- sence wherever he appeared.

How shall a person subject to the feeUngs of hu- manity, (a security of more avail among men than the most binding laws) how shall a man, not steeled to a very Jew, find expressions suited to the occasion, when he relates the treatment of this poor city, Rabbah ? The study would be as difficult as unnecessary ; the simple unexaggerated tale, if seriously attended to, will shock the humane reader sufficiently. The city was taken and plundered ; and David " brought forth " the people that were therein, and put them under " saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of " iron, and made them pass through the brick-kiln :* **and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon.^'*!' The precise punishments here alluded to are not understood at this time : writers being much divided in their expositions of these words ; but that extraordinary punishments are meant, cannot admit of a doubt ; for though believers expound the putting the Ammonites under saws and harrows, into the making slaves bf them, and that these were the tools with which they laboured ; yet this will not agree with the latter of the texts whose authority is mentioned in the note ; where it is said, that he [David] "cut them " with saws and with harrows of iron, and with axes. ** And should more evidence be yet required, Josephus also writes, that " the men were put to death by ex- " quisite torments.^' The general truth of the fact stands therefore unimpeached. And is it thus the people of God, headed by a man styled, in a peculiar

'T-' fee-.'.*!**:.

*It is supposed that the ancient slavery of the Jews to the Egyp- tians, and the labour they were employed in by their lordly lask- masters, the making bricks, might be a current reproachful jeer upon the Jews, when any quarrel happened between them and their neighbours ; and that the making their prisoners pass through the brick-kiln, was a cruel method of revenging such affronts. A conjecture not improbable. ' j

t 2 Sam. xii. 31. 1 Chron. xx. 3.

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60 LIFE OF DAVJD,

maQDer, the man after God*s own. heart, used the prisoners of war ? Bella ! horrida.bella !

It would not be easy to select any period of any history more bloody, or abounding more in wickedness of various dyes than that which is the object of the reader's present attention. Instances succeed so quick that thq relation of one is scarcely concluded, but fresh. ones obtrude upon notice. — But now horrors of a different hue demand our attention.

Ammon,. one of our hero's sons, ravished his sister Tamar, and then turned her out of doors.* Ab- ^lom, her brother by the same mother, seemingly took no notice of it, until two years after ; when he invited all his brothers to a feast at his sheep-shearing; where he made Amnon drunk, and murdered him :f so deliberate, and yet so determined was his revenge ! A-|]|salom oa this account, fled out of Judea, for three years :t until, at the intreaty of Joab, he was invited home again by his father, whose favourite he was.§ But though he returned to Jerusalem, yet would not his father see him for two years more.H

Absalom, during his exile, conceived a design of deposing his father ; for after their reconciliation, his first attention was to render himself popular. To this eud he set up a splendid equipage :^ but politically in- creased his affability with his magjiificence : rising up early, and planting himself in the way, to salute all who came to his father's levee. Of these he kindly en- quired their business, or grievances; throwing out hints of the king's remissness in the execution of justice, audi how uprightly Ae would conduct himself, were, their causes to be determined by him.** The profes- sion of piety is universally, and was in particular a- moDg tbis people, the most successful disguise for crafty designing men to assume. When Absalom, therefore, thought his scheme sufficiently ripe for exe-

* 2 Sam. xiii. 14 f Ver. 28. % Ver. 38.

§ Chap. xiv. 21, 24. || Ver. 28. ^ Chap.xy. 1.

^* Ver 2. 4.

LIFE OF DAVID. M

ctttionj he xlesired leave of his father to go to Hebron, to perform a vow made by him while a refugee in Syrian* At Hebron he set up his standard, and his followers assembled in such n umbers, and the defection was so general, that David thought it adviseable to retire from Jerusalem.jf : :. ;■■;;":":•:;• ■ ■- .- ; ,:.. -n,.:* --^i, <m ai.: ^

With him he took all his family and dependants, except ten concubines, whom he left in his paltice to keep housej. The priests, Zadock and Abiather, with the ark, would also have gone with him;, but he thought it would be more for his service for them to remain in the city as spies ; to send him intelligence how matters went.§ It is no inconsiderable part6f poli-r tics to know how to suit men with proper employments, Ahitophel, his prime minister, joined the malecon- tents)| ; to balance which riiisfortune, David prevailed on Hushai, a trusty man of some importancie, to remain ip the city, that he might ingratiate hiniself with Absalom, thwart the counsels of Ahitophel, and transmit intelligence to him from time to time through the conveyance of the priests, whose sons were to carry on the correspondence.^ Having concerted matters thus, he evacuated Jerusalem, and Absalom entered** it.

When David was upoh his journey from the city, he was met by Ziba, servant to Mephibosheth, with asses and provisions for his majesty's accommodation

in his retreatff: of whom, when David enquired why

Mephibosheth did not come with hiin ; this treacheroils sefvant told him that he staid behind at JerusaleAi, hopii^ to obtain the kingdom of his grandfather, duriiig this disturbance :{:$ : by which lying aspersion, he gained a grant df all his master's possesion's, aj*;.

Herfe we may introduce a circuriistance, v^hifeht is^ far inatierial, as it serves to shew, that the sarpctity of David wais not quite so universally assented to^ as may be imagined, while he was living ; and hisactibtis

* 2 Sam. XV. 7. t Ver. 12, 14. ' j Ver. 1 (>. § Yer. ^^ 28, II Ver. 12, 31. If Ver. 32^ &c. . ^* Ver. 37i

ft 2 Sana, xvi, 1, %% Ver. 3,

^ai^.fi-^fefc-Iifer^^^^^^s^^Ji^.-irtr^'Hii^^^ '■-" - - -■-■-■■--■■'■--■■■^-^'^^''^■''^■'^■■•''^'^^i^-^^^ ■■

94 LIFE OF DAYlD.

not only fresh in memory, but more perfectly known, than possibly, was prudent to transmit to tbe^e distant ages.

As David prosecuted his flight, he was met by a man of SauPs family, whose name wasShimei. Thi9 man as he came on, kept muttering curses between his teeth, and at length cast stones at the King and his attendants, calling out to him, " Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial ; the Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned, and the Lord hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son ; and behold thou art taken in thy mischief because thou art a bloody man*'*. This is pathetic, and truly characteristic of the person to whom the speech was addressed. Some of hisretinucwere at the point of silencing this brawler with the " ultima ratio regum-j*;" but David prevented it J, wisely considering this not to be a season for proceeding to extremities.

Absalom, in the mean time, being come to Jerusa- lem, like a buck of spirit, took the damsels which his father had left to keep house, and cuckolded the old man by way of bravado, on the top of it§ ; in a tent erected for this heroic purpose !

Ahitophel advised Absalom to select twelve thou- sand men, and pursue David directly, before he had time to recover his surprize || ; which was certainly the best resolution that could have been formed. But Hushai, as was concerted, proposed a different plan of operations; opposing to the former, the well known valour and military skill of the old king ; and the hazard of making him and his men desperate^. He advised a collection of ail the troops in the kingdom ; ^ that success might be in a manner insured ; and that Absalom should command them in person. By which

♦ 2 Sam. xvi 7. 8. t The motto on French cannon.

t 2 Sam. xvi. 9, 10. ^ Ver. 21, 22. || Chap. xvii. 1. ir Vcr. 8.

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LIFE OF DAVID. 53

means, he affirmed that they should overwhelm David and his party, wherever they found him.* Hushai gain- ed the ascendancy ; and when he knew that his scheme was accepted, he gave immediate notice to the priests rj* with instructions for David how to conduct himself^ David divided his forces into three bodies; command- ed by Joab, Abishai, and Ittai : but by the prudent care of his men, was not permitted to hazard his per- son, by being present in action. § When he had reviewed his army, he gave his generals especial charge to preserve the life of Absalom ; and with a policy that reflects honour upon his military knowledge, ex- pected the enemy in the wood £phraim:|| a covert situation, being the most judicious that could be chosen, for a small army^ to encounter one more numerous. David's men were tried veterans, among whom were the remains of those who served under, and lived with him at Gath;** whereas, Absalom's army must have consisted chiefly of fresh men. The battle decided in favour of David ;f\ with great slaughter of the rebel army : and as Absalom fled on a mule, his hair, which is celebrated for its beauty and quantity, entangled in the boughs of an oak, and he remained suspended in the air ; while his mule ran away from between his legs. J:|: He was observed in this condition by a man who went and told Joab ; and he, who consulted the safety of David, rather than his parental weakness in behalf of an unnatural son, killed Absalom with a dart.§§

David grieved immoderately for this reprobate son, on whom he had misplaced a great aflection :|||| and though he had acted the mourner on several former occasions, this is the only one^ in which his sincerity need not be questioned. It is true, he might be really concerned at the murder of Abner ; but then circum-

* 2 Sam. XTii. 11. t Ver. 15. ^ + Ver. 16. .

§ Chap, xviii. 1—3 || Ver. 4^6.

% According to Josephus, David bad but four thousand men. ** 2 Sam. XT. 18. ft Chap, xviii, 7. +* Ver. 9.

|§ Ver. 14. II If Ver. 33. Chap. xix. 4. .

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64 LIFE OF DAVTD.

stances ought to be attended to; Abner was killed prematurely ; be had not finished his treacherous ne- gociation ; David had much to hope from him ; but— when his expectations had been answered, it is far from being improbable, that he would have found an opportunity himself to have got rid of a rtiau, on Whom he could have placed no reliance. But to return.

Dayid was roused from his lamentations by the re- proaches of his victorious general,* who flushed with success, told him the truth, but, perhaps, told it too coarsely. It is evident that Joab now lost the favour of his master, which the murder of Abner, the killing Absalom in direct contradiction to David's express order ; and lastly, his want of sympathy, and his in- delicacy in the present instance, were the apparent causes.

After the battle, he invited Amasa, Absalom's van- quished general, to return to his duty : very impru- dently and unacountably promising him the chief command of his army in the stead of Joab ;f which was seemingly but an unthankful return for the vic- tory that officer had just gained him, ahd for his attachment to his interest all along. Amasa, it is true, was a near relation ; but Joab, according to Josephus, stood in the same degree of consanguinity ; they being both the sons of David's sisters, this offer must there- fore have been rashly influenced by his resentment against Joab, as before mentioned.

The remains of Absalom's scattered army dispersed to tbeir homes in the best and most private manner they could: J but David inadvertantly plunged him- self into fresh troubles, by causing himself to be con- ducted home by a detachment from the tribe of Judah.§ This occasioned disputes between that and the other tribes. They accused Judah of stealing their king from them.li Judah replied, that they gave their atten- dance, because the king was of their tribe ; and that it

♦ 2Saiti.xix. 5—7.- t Ver. 13.' % Ver. .^,

'§Ver,ll, 15. jjVer.41.

m.

LIFE OF DAVID. 55

was thek own. free will^ : the others rejoined that they had ten parts in the king, and that their advice Sihould have been asked as to the bringing him back.t At this juncture, one Sheba took advantage of the discontent, " and blew a trumpet, and said, we have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse : every man to his tent, O Israel/'J The consequence of this, was a second insurrection. Amasa was order- ed to assemble an army to suppress it; but not proceeding with the desired speed, Abishai was after- ward commissioned with the same trust ; Amasa and Abishai met and proceeded together, and were joined by Joab and his men. But Joab, not thoroughly liking to serve under a man he had so lately vanquish- ed, and having as few scruples of conscience as his old master, made short work, stabbed Amasa, and rcr assumed the command of the whole army.§

Being once again supreme in command, Joab pro* ceeded directly to the reduction of the malecontents who shut themselves up in the city of Abel of Beth- maacha : he battered the town, but by the negociation of a woman, the inhabitants agreed to throw Sheba's head to him over the wall ; which they performed ;|[ and thus was quiet once more restored. Joab returned to Jerusalem, where we are told that he was general over all the host of Israel.^ Not a syllable appears of any notice taken by David of the murder of the general by himself appointed : and of the. assassin's usurping the command of the army , ♦ '

Not finding room in its proper place, it shall now be noticed, that when David was returning to Jerusa-i lem from the reduction of Absalom's rebellion ; with the men , of Judah, who came to escort him, Shimei, the Benjamite,** joined him at the head of a party of his own tribe. This man, who at a former meeting, SO freely bestowed his maledictions on David when a fugitive : upon this change of circumstances, reflecting.

* 2 Sam. xix. 42. f Ver. 43. X Chap. xx. 1.

§ Ver. 7, 9. U Ver. 16, 16, &c. ^ Ver. 23. ♦* Ver. 16.

^ .^.u j^^iari^a<»jitfig iijal ^-^ vi

//

//

«6 UFE OF DAVID.

on the king's vindictive temper, came now to make his submission : David accepted his acknowledgements, and confirmed his pardon with an oath.^

We shall have occasion to refer to this passage anon.

Mephibosheth came also to welcome David on his return, and undeceive him with regard to the false Ziba's representation of him ; — but he appears to have met with no other redress, than a remittance of Aa/f the grant made to Ziba of his estate.^j*

These intestine troubles put David upon pondering how to secure himself, as far as he could forecast, from any future disturbance.

It is the part of good politicians, not only to form / ) wise designs themselves, but also to make proper advantage of public occurrences, that all events indis- criminately may, more or less, lead to the purposes wanted to be obtained. Of this policy we shall ob- serve David to be mindful, in the ensuing transaction. Not that a panegyric upon his contrivance in this instance is by any means intended; for certainly a more barefaced transaction was never exhibited : such indeed as could only have been attempted among the poor bigoted Jews. It is suflficient, however, that it answered David's purpose; than which more could not have been expected from the most complete stroke that refined politics ever produced. But view it in a . moral light, and certainly a blacker piece of ingrati- tude and perfidy can hardly be imagined. It was im- possible to continue the narrative without prefacing thus much.

David having with much trouble, from his compe- tition with Ish-bosheth, established himself upon the Jewish throne; and having in the latter part of his reign been vexed, and driven to disagreeable extremi- ties, by the seditious humour of his subjects, the rebellion of his own son Absalom, |nd the revolt of

- ♦ 2 Sam. xix. 23. f Ver. 29l

' .1:1 '."."ri iiiviittaT^i<n'-a-lA-^»i

-m

LIFE W DAVlb. 57

Sheba ; his mi hd now fell a ' |)rfey ■ to siisyiicibiiV If c called to remembrance that some of SauPs family were yet living; whom, Ie6t" they should hefeaftet* prbV€5 thorns in his sid^, he bbndiided' it expedient to

cut on -:^;

^Whenever David projected any scheme, a religious plea, and the assistance of his old friends,* wer^ never wanting. A femine' befel Judea, which con- tinued three -years: probably occasioned by the pre- ceding intestine commotions. " David iiiquired of the Lord: and the Lord answfered, it is for Saul, Maiid for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites."t But where is this crime recorded? Samuel charged Saul with no Mich slaughter : be reproached' hina with a contrary fault, an act of nmercy f which is assigned as one of the reasons for deposing him. ' So that this crime was not recollected,} till mfahy years' after th^ man was dead ! and - then God puni^bes — whona ? a whole nation, with three years fanzine: which, by the by, was not sent as a punishment neither; but merely as a hint of remembrance, which ended in hainging the late kiUg^^ innocent children! . ' r . i>_>^g

-The oracular riesponse dictated no act of expiation; but only pointed out the caM«g of the famine. So that the Gibeonites (who, by the way, had hitherto made no complaints that we know of) were applied to§ for a knowledge of what recompence they demand- ed. They required no gifts, neither that for their sakes DiiVid should kill any man in Israel (which

V.^ t -J *

* The prophets and piiastsi.' - • -■ - f 2 Sam. *rf. 1.-^* J If God: sought vengeance for. a parUtUlar act of cruelty- perpei- trated by Saul : when was vengeance demanded for David's. naas- sacre of the Edomites, the.Moabites, the Ammonites, theJebiisites, and others^ Who at times b<ecame the object of David's wrath ?— ^ That the charge may allude to some former affair, is not contested; it is, however, truly remarkable, that there should be lio dirono- logical record of a fact, which after such a length of time demand- ed an expiation so awfully hinted, and so extraordinary in its cir- cumstances! . ' § 2 Sara. xxi. 2, 3.

H

■ :-.- ^■^■^^■t*^\ta'5t:^ — -—.,. •-. ■ '• ._ . n ir..'nii'i"n-V^i1t-- 'i.f-VirTi w\tv^-t^itlitll^^{Tlim^MtW''^\'^^S^''isW'^-

6B LIFE OF PAVID.

qualifying expressions seems artfully intended; since they only required David to deliver the men to them^ tliat thei/ might kill them); but that seven of Saul's sous should be surrendered to them, that they might liang them up — unto the Lord,* David, not with- held by any motives of gratitude toward the posterity of liis unhappy father-in-law, but in direct violation of his oath at the cave of En-gedi,f granted the re- quest he must himself have instigated, J sparing only Mephibosheth, who luckily was so unfortunate as to be a cripple, and so much a dependant on David, and kept under his own eye, that he had no room for ap- prehension from him. He therefore reserved Mephi- bosheth, in memory of another oath between him and his father Jonathan. Mephibosheth having such a shocking scene to contemplate, and, considering his decrepitude, might (as he really was) with little hazard be preserved, as an evidence of probity in this pious kiag.

A conscience of convenient flexibility is of great use: thus David being under obligation by two oaths, forgot one, and remembered the other. When Creon, in CEdipus, was interrogated concerning his con- science, he replied—

— *' "lis my slave, my drudge, my supple glove,

• , My upper garment, to put on, throw off,

'• As I think best : 'tis my obedient conscience."

David, now thinking himself securely settled, was moved both by Grod§ and by Satan, II to cause his subject^ to be numbered : which is, oddly enough, imputed as a great sin in him to require : for, poor man, according to the premises, he was but a passive instrument in the affair. Even David should have his due. The prophet Gad called him to account for it; and as a punishment for this sin of compulsion,

♦ 2 Sam. 6. f 1 Sam. xxiv. 21, 22. t 2 Sam. xxi. 6.

I Chap. xxiv. 1. || 1 Chron. xxi. 1.

UFE OF DAVID. S^

propounded to him for his choice three kinds of plagues, one of which his subjects thereby necessarily incurred — seven years famine, three months persecution from enemies, or three days pestilence.* David chose the latter.

It may be as well to decline this story, as to enter into any more particular consideration of it. From the above state of the case, the intelligent reader will need no assistance in making his own private reflec- tions on it, ' . • . ■ ;

We have now attended David down to the decline of his life : when his natural heat so far decayed, that no addition of clothing^ could retain a proper degree of warmth. His physicians prescribed a young woman to cherish him in his bed, by imparting to him a share of juvenile heat.J This remedy may be very ex- pedient in cases of extreme age i but why beauty should be a necessary part of the prescription is difficult to conceive. They sought Q.fair damsel; and the dam- sel they found, was very fair,^ Possibly David mighthimselfdirect the delicacy of the choice: but if his physicians intended it as a compliment to their master, it indicated a very insufficient knowledge of the animal oeconomy : thus to stimulate the old man, and harass a carcase already sufficiently worn out; whereas a virgin of homelier features, at the same time that she would have furnished an equal degree of warmth, would have been less liable to put wicked

thoughts in the patient's head.|| However, the histo- rian has taken care to inform us, that " the king knew her not:"^ an assertion, which, from the pretnises,^ there dpes not. appear any reason to controvert. *'^ '^ '

* 2 Sam. XMv. la. 1 Chron, xxi. 12. 1 1 Kings, u l»^ fI >

+ Ver.2. §Ver.3,4. \

^Ij ** Boerhaave frequently told his pupils that 'an. old CJermaa

'* prince, in a very infirm state of health, being advised to lie foe*

** tween two young virtuou& virgins, grw so, heaU^ and- strong

** that his physicians found it necessary to remove his cdmpa-i

•« nions." >. -. , ,3facA:w«> on Health, p. 70, Notef^

fl Kings,!. 4.

60 LIFE OF ;DAVH>.

.While the , king lay io this debilitated' extremity of life, -he. was destined to e;xperience yet another morti- fication from his children. Adonijah his eldest son, since the death of Absalom, taking advantage of his father^s incapacity, foolishly assumed the title of king,* /which, had he been a little less precipitate, would have soon fallen to hi^, per^iaps, without contest. JFor though David afterwards is represented as having secret intentions^ to alter the succession, yet the coun- tenance shewn to his pretension by Joab, the general, by Abiathartha priest, and even by aU his other bro- thers,! seem to indicate, that had jAdpnijah be^n more prudent, we should not now have heard, so much of the wisdom of Solomon. It is possible Adonijah might, even as it was, have maintained his anticipated dignity, had he not, like Saul before,: slighted his most powerful friends. He made an entertainment, to ^hich he invited; all his brothers, except Solomon ;f Jbut what ruined him, wais hi& not inviting Nathan the

pjpophet;. it, w^ if A^re the grudge began: and th^ ex-

cl^sipn from- this merry bout,, ^pd the confideace c^

the pe^rty, caused the prophet's loyalty to «xert itself, §

^hich migfattprobabtly have been suppresi^ .by.a: due sh^ of Adonijahfs good <;heer. . ^ . . ., r . ; .. .^ r- - » ^Let not, the *wn teat he, accused of putting .% ipa^ Jiq i" ous coi^tructipn ij^n every t^^^Qsaction 1;^ .^.p^dwcea.

Pray, reader, turn to your bible; in the t^nth, verse of the first chapter ,qf the first book of - J^i ngs, y qu will £nd a renpajrk that Nathan, was ' not <^lledtto the feasts The very next yer^e begins^;*^ Wherefore, Kathan spake i^nto Bathsheba, the mother of iSolomcm,'* &c. He wascertainly nettled at.thedight put oil him, and some others, in not being invited to * Adonijah's feast, else he woiild not have insisted, on that circumstance ; which had better been wayedj rTThe? supposition is not so ridiculous as has been* represented ;■ for surely the pobability of Nathan's being corrupted, was not

~ • Ver. 5. t Ver. 9, 19, 25. J Ver. 9, 10. § Vcr. 11. ,

?S?r ■

UFE OF DAVID. ^

less than that of David's sobs ; who, yet, all^of then), except Solomon, (who^ had he been invited, had soo^ie .private reasons to the contrary, which their proceed- ings shew them to have been aware of) were agreeable to settling the • succession on their elder ^brother; though certainly as much interested in the disposal of

the kingdom, as Nathan could be. ;; ■ ^i? :rjO'>

^ Nathan and Bathsheba concerted to inform Davkl of this matter;* where the affronted prophet could not forget the slight put upon him ^ but, it being foremost in his mind, he insists upon the circumstance of ex- clusiqn, in an, earnest manner; "But me, even me, thy servant,, and Zadok the priest, and. Bepaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Sdomon, hath he ;Uot called ;"'!' which spake the cause of his officious loyalty but too plainly. David here acknowledges the promise by which he wayed the right of primogeni- ture in favour of Solomon, Bathsheba's son .J Hp now directed him to be set upon a mule, to be pro-

.claimed and anointed king of Israel, bj^ hisnappoint-

inent.§ The acclamations of the people upon this

.raree-shew disturbed the opppsite party at theart^le ;

and an event, so unexpected ^^ quite disconcerted them: they all dispersed ;|| Adopijah ran to the tabernacle, and took sanctuary} at the altar. He obtained of So- lomon a conditional promise of pardon,1I depending on

his good behaviour.**, ,

And now,, methinks, some gentlewoman, of morp than feminine patience j whose curiosity? may have pre- vailed with her to proceed thus far, ma^ here exclaim;; " It must be granted, Sir ! that David had his faults ; and who has not? but what does that prove? only that he was a man. If: he. was: frail, bis repentance was exemplary ; as you may perceive, if you can pre-

* 1 Kings i. 13. t Ver, 26. $ Ver. 30. § Ver. 33, 38.

II Ver. 41, 49, 50^ • ; .. i ifSVer. 52. ** Solomon soon found a pretence, ridiculQus enough, but suf- ficient in his eyes, to get ud of Adoi^yan, when his father was dead.

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« UFE OF DAVID.

vail with yourself to read some of his psalms. In- deed, after your ill-treatment of the scripture, it will avail little to tell you that you contradict those in- spired penmen, who expressly stile David, the Man after God's own heart. Nay, your writing against him, under that epithet, shews sufficiently the ran- cour and impiety of t/our heart ; so that I am fearful there are small hopes of reclaiming you.'- — Good Ma- dam ! hear me calmly, and we shall part excellent friends yet. Had David not been selected from the rest of mankind, why then — it is possible — hardly pos- sible—he might pass in the gross, with the rest of the Jewish kings. But, when he is exalted and placed in a conspicuous point of view, as an eminent example of piety! he then necessarily, attracts our notice in an especial manner, and we are naturally led to wonder, that a more happy subject of panegj'ric had not been chosen. If he was an holy psalmist ; if he is styled the Man after God*s own heart ; he also lived the life here exhibited : and his capability of uniting such con- trarities, does but augment his guilt !

Yet, even in his psalms, he frequently breathes no- thing but blood, and the most rancorous resentment egainst his enemies. Of these take a specimen or two, from the elegant ekeings out of that transcendent pair of geniuses, Messrs. Thomas Stemhold and John Hopkins ; in recommendation of whose version, and the taste of our countrymen, it may be truly affirmed, that their psalms have gone through more editions than the works of any other poet, or brace of poets, whatever.

Psalm Ixviii. i22 — 24. ^:;r

And he shall wound the head of all -^''*

His enemies also, ,

The hairy scalp of such as on

In wickedness do go. . ;

From Basan I will bring, said he. My people and my sheep, " And all my own, as I have done.

From dangers of the deep.

'^•id&F.

Life of David. 68

And make them dip their feet in blood Of those that hate my name ; . ' T he tongues of dogs they shall b6 red

. With licking of the same. ; ;i '4

' Again, in PsALit Ixix. '24 — ^27. ''

■ Lord, turn their table to a snare, ' '- '^ .

To take themselves therein, ■' /

And when they think full well to fare. Then trap them in their gin :

And let their eyes be dark and blind, : -^ That they may nothing see; ^ ;

Bow down their backs, and let them find Themselves in thrall to be :

Pour out thy wrath as hot as" fire, -

That it on them may fall. Let thy displeasure in thine ire '

Take hold upon them all.

. . '' As desarts dry their house disgpiace.

Their seed do thou expel, •*

That none thereof possess their place, ■ "■' Nor in their tents once dwell. .

Very pious ejaculations for the whole congregation to sing to the praise and glory of God!

David's failings, as they are qualifyingly termed, are generally mentioned as exceptions to the" uniform piety of his character : but, if David ever performed any truly laudable actions, those are the real excep- tions to the general baseness which stains the whole of a life uncommonly criminal.

The writer does not pledge himself to reconcile ra- pine and cruelty, with morality and religion ; there are Comnientators who love these knotty affairs ; to them they are left. When the vindictive tenor of any of David's psalms has been insisted on, the translation is immediately censured ; prudently enough ; as every one who has sense to perceive the incongruity between such bloody wishes and denunciations, and the ac- knowledged purity and mercy of the All-beneficent Fa- ther of Nature, may not have learning enough to dis- pute about Hebrew points, and to make them point what meaning he pleases. However, such a one, by

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64 LIFE OF DAVED.

comparing the labours of Hebrew critics, may yet be enabled to form some sort of judgment between them. For instance, in that terrible 109th psalm, it is cer- tain our Doctors in Divinity do not like it: but something must be done with it: some, therefore, say, that the verbs are not translated in their pro- per tenses, and that proj^etic declarations are thus mistaken for the Psalmist's execrations : others again say, that to be sure they are imprecations, but not the imprecations of David ; but those of his enemies on him, which he there only relates ! O happy men ! why do not we all learn Hebrew ? His exemplary re- pentance is pleaded ; is it any where to be found but in the psalms ? " By their fruits ye shall know them/' If David was ever truly pious, we shall certainly per- ceive it in his behaviour on his death-bed. There, it is to be hoped, we shall find him foi^ving his ene- mies, and dying in charity with all mankind. This is what all mankind in general make a point of, from the saint to the malefactor. David, therefore, must cer- tainly give us ^n extraordinary instance of his atten^^' tion to this important evidence of contrition, But what shall we think, when we see this Nero of the Hebrews die in a manner uniform and consistent with the whole course of his life ? What will be our reflec- tions, when we find him, with hi§ last accents, deli- vering two cruel and inhuman murdefrs in dhwge to his son Solomon ? Murders still ftirther aggravated by the included crimes of ingratitude and-pfeirjUry I one of them to be executed on his old faithful general, Joab, who powerfiilly assisted him otf all occasions, dnd who adhered^ to him in all his extremities,' till M the last, whea he . Itad justifiable cause fop chagrin {'■ bat who, notwithstanding, had not appeared Against him in actual hostility ; but only drank p:^lass of wiiie with the malcontents. It will avail nothing to plead the private feults of the man ; wfe are noip<^ to consider him as relative to David, in hi^ public capacity. In which light wemmi loath the master, Who-^ied me-

UFE OF DAVID. «6

ditdtitgbl^ck ingratitude against so faitbfuU so useful a servant. For even his defection at last may, p^- haps, admit of b^iug interpreted into a patronizsition of that particular plan for the succession, rather than into a rebellion against the superannuated monarchv .'jrHis other charge was against Shimei, who reviled David at his retreat from Jerusalem, during Absalom^s rebellion ; but who made his submission to him, when he returned victorious: add whose pardon David had sealed with a solemn oath.* ^

Attend we now to the cause of these reflections/ = After exhorting Solomon on his death-bed, to keep the satutes of the Lord, Ddvid proceeds : j oj - :> "Moreover,, thou kno west also what Joab, the son of Zertiiah, did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, untoAbner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa thie son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace j and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his IoIds, and in his shoes that tvere on his feet/* : " Do therefore aecordiftg to thy wisdom, and let

■NOT HIS HOAR HEAD GO DOWN TO THE GBATE

lN-PEA0E.*''|*jrnf|-;:ftf?i4*t!fol, /n:)'i ar^t'yrl;r<'?id ^Hf ^^^vh -;KThis was aftet-Wdrds fulfilled in the basest manner, by the administrator to this pious testament, ^lu h>r!- • ;;; David concludes thus:

" And behold, thou bast with thee Shimei^ the son of Gera, a Benjaminite of Bahurim, which cunsed me with a grievous curse, ii^ the day when 1 [went to Ma- hanaim ; but became down to meet me at Jordan;^ and I sware to him by th^ Lord, saying, I will not put thee to death with thef sword : n^^nm m 'ma > «f?fil-iii^i^^) r < tH ** Now, thereforej hold him not guiltless ; for thou aft a Wisie man, «xid knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou

DOWN TO THE GRAVE WITH BLOOD.j*^' That is

to say, ' It is triie, / promised not to put hrm to

* death, but thoit art a wise man, and knowest what ' tbou oughtest to do ; thouknowest thyself not to be

• 2 Sam. xix. 23. f 1 KJn«»ii. &» 6. t Ver. 8, 9.

I

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66 LIFE OF DAVID.

• bound by that obligation ; therefore his hoar head,* &c. • So saying, he expired !

This command was also executed in a manner, -wor- thy the son of gitrft a dF^tfter •'

To take a retrospect view of the foregoing narrative ; in few words may be seen the sum total of the whole. A shepherd youth is chosen by a disgusted prophet to be the instrument of his revenge on an untractable king. To this end, he is inspired with ambitious hopes, by a private inauguration ; is introduced to court, in the capacity of a harper ; and by knocking down a man with a stone, whom, if he had missed once, he had four more chances of hitting, and from whom, at the last, he could have easily ran away ; he was advanced to the dignity of son-in-law to the king^ So sudden and unlooked for a promotion, within sight of the throne, stimulated expectations already awaken- ed ; and Saul soon perceived reasons to repent hi ^ al- liance with him. Being obliged to retire from court, he assembled a gang of ruffians, the acknowledged outcasts of their country, and became the ringleader of a lawless company of banditti. In this capacity he se- duces his brother-in law, Jonathan, from his allegiance and filial duty ; and covenants with him, that if he ob- tained the kingdom, Jonathan should be the next per- son in authority under him. • He obtains a settlement in the dominions of a Philistine prince, where instead of applying himself laudably to the arts of cultivation; he subsists by plundering and butchering the neigh- bouring nations. He ofiered his assistance to the Phi- listine armies, in the war against his own country^ and father-in-law; and is much disgusted at their distrust of his sincerity. He, however, availed himself of the defeat and death of Saul, and made a push for the kingdom. Of this be gained only his own tribe of Judah : but strengthened by this usurpation, he con- tested the remainder with Sanl's son, Ishbosheth, whom he persecuted to the grave : Ishbosheth being assassinated by two villains, with intention to pay their

- .♦ I Kings ii. 8, 9. . . . v "•?;^: - *

LIFE OF DAVID. «7

court to the usurper. He is now king of Israel : ia, which capacity he plundered and massacred all his neighbours round him at discretion. He defiled the wife of one of his oflSders, while her husband- was ab- sent in the army : and finding she was with child by him, he, to prevent a discovery, added murder to aduU tery ; which being accomplished, he took the widow directly into his well-stocked seraglio. He then re- paired to the ariiiy, where he treated the subjected ene- mies with the most wanton inhumanity. A rebellion is raised against liim by his son Absalom, which he suppressed, and invited over the rebel-general, to whom he gave the supreme command of his &rmy, to the pre- judice of the victorious Joab. After this be cut off the remainder of Saul's family, in defiance to the solemn oath by which he engaged to spare that unhappy race ; reserving only one cripple, from whom he had no ap- prehensions : and who, being the son of Jonathan, gave him the opportunity of making a merit of his gra- titude. When he lay on his death-bed, where all; mankind resign their resentments and animosities, his latest breath was employed in dictating two posthu- mous murders to his son Solomon ! and, as if one crime more was wanting to complete the black catalogue ; he cloathed all his actions with the most consummate hy- pocrisy : professing all along the greatest regard for every appearance of virtue and holiness.

These, Christians ! are the outlines of the life of a Jew, whom you are not ashamed to continue extolling as a man after God*s own heart ! •- i "

This Britons ! is the king to whom your late excel- lent monarch* has been compared ! -j>M n ■ What an impiety to the Majesty of Heaven .V^ -r f

What an affront to the memory of an honest prince I

It is with great joy the writer of these memoirs taW his leave of a story, with which, by this time, be is sufficiently disgusted. He entered upon it, however^ from honest motives; and he concludes it with the conciousness of having performed a \york, which be

* Goorue II.

*

fii LIFE OF DAVID.

flattei^ himself will prove acceptable to all who enter- tain adequate conceptions of the eternal rectitude of that great Creator of the universe, whom they profess to adore. He despises all the pious ravings and ana- thenaas which have been thundered against him by son!ie reverend inquisitors : he expected them, has ex- posed them ; and hopes he may, without offence finally reply in the words of their forgotten master, "Father forgive thi^m, for they Amow no<* what they do.'* Those who estimate a man-s religion by his implicit- ness to prescribed notions, and who think it their duty to stifle their living objections incompliance to the dead letter ; (for objections they will have, and very strong ones too) such have, and will undoubtedly be shocked at this publication. Such may produce du- merous texts in opposition to what is here produced ; and can inspired writers be inconsistent with them- selves ? It is not at present necessary to discuss that question. Argue that point among yourselves ; the printer will at least profit by your disputes ; though you may happen to

—-« Explain a thing till all men doubt it. And write aboat the subject, and about it : So spins the silk-worm small its slender store. And labours till it clouds itself all o'er.

This, yet, is none of his concern. The love of truth is a motive which ought to supersede every other con- sideration : for every other consideration is subordinate in comparison with it. Truth requires no tenderness of investigation, and scorns all subterfuges. It is, when displayed,

' divinely bright.

One clear, unchanged, and universal light.

To rescue truth, therefore, from obscurity and dis- guise, is the most rational way of giving ^ '^ (xiory to God in the highest; and on earth, peace: ^ood'itill townfrd men.

-r- ! * Query.

■ [■ '^'' -■ ■-■..•

END OF THE LIFE OF DAVID.