seems to be, because this circumstance had the translation, we have кa eñoλeμnσe kai been particularly mentioned in that book eλaße тηY TOλ, which words bear no relabefore (1 Sam. xvi. 1—13); and therefore tion to the present Hebrew words; nor was there unnecessary: though it is very could they be proper if they did. The properly mentioned in Chronicles, where original words here have received two difit had not been at all observed. And indeed ferent constructions, Joab repaired the rest the mentioning this circumstance was abso- of the city; and, Joab saved alive all that lutely necessary in Chronicles; that book remained in the city. The former is con(for St. Jerom tells us, the two books of Chronicles were formerly but one) being an extract from the public registers of the kings of Israel and Judah. In which registers so remarkable a circumstance as transferring the crown from one family to another (from Saul to David) made a vindication of it unavoidable; which vindication is expressed in these words, according to the word or commandment of the LORD fulfilled by the hand of Samuel in anointing David king. Ver. 5, 6. Au. Ver.-5 And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the city of David. 6 And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief [Heb., head] and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief. See notes on 2 Sam. v. 6, 7, 8, vol. ii., pp. 511-520. : τα παρά την προ καὶ ᾠκοδόμησε τὴν πόλιν κύκλῳ.* * [Alex.] κύκλω. καὶ ἐπολέμησεν, καὶ ἔλαβεν τὴν πόλιν. καὶ. Au. Ver.-8 And he built the city round about, even from Millo round about: and Joab repaired [Heb., revived] the rest of the city. firmed by no ancient version, except the Vulgate; and indeed, to bid or make houses to live instead of to repair houses is a very bold and a very uncommon figure, if ever used at all; which probably it is not. The latter construction is confirmed by the paraphrase both of the Syriac and Arabic versions; which therefore may possibly have been the sense of the LXX, before the words there were lost. To which it may be added, that this verb is used constantly (perhaps in every place of the Old Testament) for saving alive in war; and this very word, occurs 1 Sam. xxvii. in the 9th and 11th verses,— And David saved alive neither man nor woman. What therefore David did not, Joab (upon the present supposition) did; for, after the city of the Jebusites had been stormed and taken, Joab saved alive all that remained in the city, or all the remnant of the city-vivas conservavit urbis reliquias, as it is rendered in Poole's Synopsis. And this would be true, whether (in the sense of the Syriac) the right hand of friendship was given them, and they were permitted to live still in the city; as we find Araunah the Jebusite was, or whether, when they had been saved from the sword, they were thrust out of the city, according to JosephusΙεροσολυμων εκβαλών, αφ' εαυτου προσηγοπρωτος ουν Δαυίδης, τους Ιεβουσαίους εξ ρευσε την πολιν.--Lib. 7, cap. 3. These two then probably are the only interpretations which are at present given of this passage; which however does not seem satisfactorily explained by either: not by the first, because the verb is never (I believe) used in that sense; and more probably not See notes on 2 Sam. v. 9, vol. ii., p. 521. by the second, because it both interrupts the Ken.-[For the first part of this note see series of the narration, and seems to contrapp. 521, 522, of vol. ii.] The last part of dict the truth of the history. For how can the verse of Chronicles is lost in the transla-Joab be here celebrated, as saving alive the tion of the LXX (at least in the Alex. and remainder of the city, when all or the chief Vat. copies) if indeed it were originally in Chronicles; which may be questioned, as it is not in Samuel (with the words immediately preceding and following) nor in the LXX. But, in order to fill up a vacancy in VOL. III. part of the destruction here mentioned, or rather supposed, is supposed to have been made by Joab? Since, when David promised, that whosoever should first smite the Jebusites, and particularly the blind and the I lame, should be chief captain, Joab was the terpretations cannot be admitted. For when man who received the reward, and therefore was doubtless the man who did the execution. It seems necessary, then, to endeavour at a different explanation of this passage; and perhaps the following may be the true one, -that the words may, by mistake, have been corrupted from ויואב יחיה את שאר העיר ויואב יהיה את שר העיר : This seems to be a very rational conjecture; and though I receive no farther honour from it than in having had it communicated to me, yet I shall offer some observations in defence of it. : and David waxed greater and greater, &c. , שאר is here corrupted into שר If then may not the same word have been corrupted into ? For sar or sor might easily be David had taken this important fortress, and built up the city, and surrounded it with a wall, it was natural to expect, that he should make some one the governor of the place; and who so proper to be the governor of his capital, as JOAB his captain-general, the man who had the greatest share in the conquest of it? And indeed the words of Josephus, quoted page the 49th [see p. 521, vol. ii. of this work], seem to confirm this account; for he says, that David having finished the works round the city, appointed Joab superintendent of the works and certainly superintendent of works, which were made for the security of The letter has been changed into in the city, and which were now finished, must at least four places, which are mentioned by be nearly the same with, governor of Walton; and indeed scarce any two letters the city. And as to the context, that and are more similar, and therefore more likely the present passage are rendered very harto be exchanged. The verb, though monious by this interpretation,—David took future, will have the preter signification the stronghold of Sion, which is the city of equally with ; and both in consequence David-And David dwelt in the stronghold of the conversive Vau, though prefixed not And he built the city in a circuit from to the verb but to the nominative case pre- Millo round to the beginning of that circuit ceding it an observation this (of the Vau's-and Joab was made governor of the city operating at some distance from the verb) which is of great service, and was (I believe) first communicated to the world by the learned Mr. Peters, in his late "Critical Dissertation on the Book of Job," page 202. mistaken by a transcriber, when dictated to The particle frequently precedes the nominative case; and that, when the nominative is placed either before the verb, or after it, as here. Walton tells us, that ", " and ", &c. And it will, perhaps, be has been frequently inserted, to express the no difficult matter to convince a reasonable sound of the vowel A, in words where such inquirer, that this word originally was, was not original; and so we find it inserted and therefore should be still, TM, in the end in many instances, Hosea x. 14, DP (instead of the celebrated text of Gen. xlix. 6: which, of p) et surget; 2 Sam. xii. 1 and 4, in in the English Bible, is—For in their anger , pauper, which in the third verse is they slew a man, and in their self-will they rightly expressed : the same word has digged down a WALL: or, if the word me, the again inserted in Prov. x. 4, Neh. xiii. sur, be pronounced sor, it then signifies 16, in 7, piscis, which should be 27. To an ox; and therefore some interpreters have these many other examples are added by rendered the last part of the preceding senthat learned author; all which, he tells us, tence-and in their self-will they houghed sunt a quiescentibus Ain Vau; which all the oxen. But to lessen any rising prejugrammarians know is exactly the case of the dice against the supposed insertion of the word here,, princeps, being the noun of Vau in this place, let it be previously , principatum gessit. And therefore, as observed-that, if this instance should be this is a word of the very same nature with allowed, it will not be the only one, wherein those which have the & frequently inserted, so these two words and have been misremarkable a circumstance will the more easily taken for each other since in Hosea xii. 11, persuade us to admit the supposition here. boves; but the LXX, it is plain, read ", by rendering it aрxovtes; as we have it in all the editions. As to the sense of the passage, this small variation of the text greatly improves it; not to repeat the reasons, why the other in by a reader; as has been evidently the case in many other words, which are different in letters, but similar in sound, such as 5 and שורים the Hebrew word at Let us now proceed to the text in Genesis [see notes on Gen. xlix. 6, vol. i., p. 144]. The English version of the text in Chronicles is-And he built the city in a circuit from Millo, and round to (the beginning of) that circuit: and Joab was made governor of the city. And the version of the text of Samuel is-And David built a circuit from Millo, and round to the house of Millo. Ged. 8 He rebuilded the city round about, from Millo: but the rest of the city [people, five MSS., and perhaps this is the better reading] Joab had spared. Houb.-8 Deinde urbem à Mello in gyrum circumquaque ædificavit; nam cæteram civitatem Joab expugnârat. h. e., qui cædem effugerant, superstites esse Au. Ver.-10 These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him [or, held strongly with him] in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel. Ken.-The English version is-These also are the chief of the mighty men, who were with David, valiantly exerting themselves with him in his kingdom, with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel. et Joab vivificavit, ויואב יהיה את שאר העיר 8 reliquum urbis. Hanc sententiam verba ipsa Ver. 11. præe se ferunt. Et statuunt novi interpretes ? win o'zidan apa mbny יָשָׁבְעָם בֶּן־חַכְמוֹנִי רָאשׁ הַשָּׁלוֹשִׁים .to vivificavit idem valere atque no recedificavit הוּא עוֹרֵר אֶת־חֲנִיתוֹ עַל־שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵאוֹת talis significattis nulla mentio היה Sed verbi השלישים קרי .11 .v καὶ οὗτος ὁ ἀριθμὸς τῶν δυνατῶν τοῦ Δαυίδ· Ιεσεβαδὰ υἱὸς ̓Αχαμὰν πρῶτος τῶν τριάκοντα· οὗτος ἐσπάσατο τὴν ῥομφαίαν αὐτοῦ ἅπαξ ἐπὶ τριακοσίους τραυματίας ἐν καιρῷ ἑνί. est apud veteres linguas ; ut facilè credas Hieronymum, cùm verteret, extruxit, aut legisse, aut verbum ipsum n deseruisse, ut sententiam qualemcunque sequeretur, quanquam parum probabilem ; nempe eam : Joabum, non Davidem, reliquam urbem Jebus medificasse. Molestiam creabat verbum omnibus veteribus, qui aut saltum Au. Ver.-11 And this is the number of faciunt, aut aliter interpretantur, nisi aliter the mighty men whom David had; Jasholegunt, quomodò Syrus, qui dedit dextram, beam, an Hachmonite [or, son of Hachquasi pro 2, legeret 1, et pro, vel moni], the chief of the captains: he lifted 11, vel TM. Nos Codicem Alex. partem up his spear against three hundred slain sequimur, in quo sic legimus, κaì éroλéμŋoe by him at one time. καὶ ἔλαβε τὴν πόλιν, et pugnavit et cepit urbem, tanquàm pro 2 Græci Intt. legissent, et pugnavit et cepit. ReKen.-11 And this is the number of the linquimus in contextu 28, et Joab, quoniam mighty men whom David had. Jashobeam, in Joabum convenit, ut ceperit reliquam the Hacmonite; head of (an order of) urbem, Davide in aliis rebus occupato. Erat three: he lifted up his spear against three satis magna similitudo inter et, ut hundred soldiers at one time. See notes on 2 Sam. xxiii. 8, vol. ii., pp. 658-673. unum pro altero scriba poneret, si præsertim Soldiers. See notes on 2 Sam. i. 19, vol. Codicem Germanum transcribebat, litterâ ? ii., p. 491, and on 2 Sam. xxiii. 8, vol. ii., hoc modo p decurtatâ. p. 667, &c. Vulgo [וְיוֹאָב יְהַיֶה אֶת־שְׁאָר הָעִיר 8-.Maurer Bp. Patrick. Three hundred.] I have vertunt: et Joabus instauravit reliquam urbis explained this upon 2 Sam. xxiii. 8, where I partem. "At," inquit Fäsius, "non reliqua observed, how Kimchi reconciles this place pars urbis, h. e., ea, quæ vastationem effu- to that, which saith he slew eight hundred. gerat, sed quæ vastata erat, fuit instauranda." But I now think it plainer to say, that he Sed reliqua pars etiam significare potest eam slew three hundred with his own hand, and urbis partem, quam Davides non instau- thereby routed the enemy, and put them to raverat, cf. quæ præcedunt. Nihilo minus, flight, in which five hundred more were quum instaurandi notio h. 1. duriuscula killed in the pursuit. All which might be videatur (nam loci Neh. iii. 34, alia ratio said to be slain by him; because the slaughter est) eam interpretationem, quam Fäsius he made was the cause the rest were slain, secutus est: "Joabus reliquos urbis incolas, Or, as Mayerus (upon Seder Olam) inter prets it; After he had slain three hundred, | of the three mighties: he was with David at he was so little tired, that he slew as many Pasdammim. more as made eight hundred. 13 And the Philistines were there gathered : Arias, et iste nume- | together to battle, and the men of Israel fled, ואלה מספר 11-.Houb rus, non audens dicere, et isti numerus. In but he arose, and smote the Philistines, until quo Latino sermone vitium tale esset, quale his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto est hodiernâ in scripturâ. Nam, nu- the sword; (and the Lord wrought a great merus, nomen est singulare, non autem col- deliverance on that day) and the people relectivum. Nos locum parallelum 2 Sam. turned after him, only to spoil. xxiii. 8, interpretando exsequimur, in quo 14 And after him was Shammah, the son .et hec sunt nomina. of Aga, the Hararite, ואלה שמות,legimus Nempè liquet ex subsequentibus rebus, trac- 15 And the Philistines were gathered totari de nominibus virorum David fortium, gether at Lehi, where was a piece of ground non autem de eorum numero. Ver. 12-14. full of barley; and the people fled from See pp. 675-679, vol. ii. נ"א בְּתוֹךְ־ .14 .v σπήλαιον Οδολλάμ, καὶ παρεμβολὴ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων ἐν τῇ κοιλάδι τῶν γιγάντων. 12 καὶ μετ ̓ αὐτὸν Ἐλεάζαρ υἱὸς Δωδαὶ ὁ Au. Ver.-15 Now three of the thirty Ayoyt otros ju ev Tots Tourt Suvarois. captains [or, three captains over the thirty] 13 Otros pueri david ev Parodaniv, kat | went down to the rock to David, into the at daipulot ouvrxenoap diei eis roleuon, cave of Adullam ; and the hosts of the Phikat u uepts Tov dypov Apps pudov, kai listines encamped in the valley of Rephaim. ὁ λαὸς ἔφυγεν ἀπὸ προσώπου ἀλλοφύλων. Ken. 16 Now these three, who were 14 sat torn du uero tis ueptios, kat drogen head men, superior to the (body of thirty, alon, Kai eritage Tous dAopulous, kat went down over the rock, to David, into the ἐποίησε Κύριος σωτηρίαν μεγάλην. Au. Ver.-12 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties. 13 He was with David at Pas-dammim [or, Ephes-dammim, 1 Sam. xvii. 1], and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines. 14 And they set themselves [or, stood] in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great deliverance [or, salvation]. See notes on 2 Sam. xxiii. 9—12, vol. ii., pp. 673-680. Ken.-12 And next to him was Eleazar, the son of Dodi, the Ahohite; he was one cave of Adullam: and the host of the Phi- See the notes on 2 Sam. xxiii. 13, vol. ii., Houb.-, rupem: Lege 7; nam radicis est. Ita tres Codices Orat. in quibus posteà fuit rò perperàm deletum; cùm contrà in Codice 42 id omissum priori manu cum fuisset, posteriori est restitutum. hold, and the advanced guard of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. seems (in consequence of that sacred custom) to have poured out the water, which The noun in Samuel is changed in was thus unexpectedly brought him; either Chronicles into . The word is præ- by way of prayer-that God would forgive fectus or præses, and is rendered præfectus his having thus (undesignedly) hazarded the by Calasio in this place. But the context speaks not of prefect, but an advanced guard or military station; the regular word for which is as in Samuel; and which in other places generally precedes D, as it does in this place, 1 Sam. xiii. 23; xiv. 1, 4, 6, &c. lives of three of his bravest warriors; or Ver. 18. καὶ διέρρηξαν οἱ τρεῖς τὴν παρεμβολὴν τῶν ἀλλοφύλων· κ.τ.λ. Au. Ver.-18 And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD. Ken. Instead of no, three of the mighty men, it is in Chronicles, the three, just the same in sense; the latter seeming more relative to a prior mention of them. But as the phrase here in Samuel occurs again, with regard to the same men, in Sam. xvii. and Chron. xix.; from its Θεὸς τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο εἰ αἷμα ἀνδρῶν τούτων πίομαι ἐν ψυχαῖς αὐτων; ὅτι ἐν ψυχαῖς αὐτῶν ἤνεγκαν καὶ οὐκ ἐβούλετο πιεῖν αὐτό. ταῦτα ἐποίησαν oi rpeis dvvaroí. Au. Ver.-19 And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives [Heb., with their lives] in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest. See the notes on 2 Sam. xxiii. 17, vol. ii., pp. 682-684. Ver. 20, 21. 21 Of the three he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain : howbeit he attained not to the first three. See notes on 2 Sam. xxiii. 18, 19, vol. ii., pp. 684, 685. Au. Ver.-20 And Abishai the brother of being, in both these latter places, uniformly Joab, he was chief of the three: for lifting the same with this, we may infer, that it was up his spear against three hundred, he slew also the same at first in the corresponding them, and had a name among the three. verse of Chronicles. The word " in Sam. is in Chronicles [T]; (the LXX in both the same,-eσTEσev) but though the latter Hebrew word is never used elsewhere, and the former is the common word; we may safely admit the latter as the truest Ken.-21 And Abishai, the brother of word, since it contains the three original and Joab, he was head of (an order of) three; radical letters of the verb and it were for he lifted up his spear against three greatly to be wished, that the verbs in every hundred soldiers; so he had a name among other place had also those radical letters restored, which have been omitted by the Masorets, and supplied by their punctua tions. three. 22 Of the three he was more honourable than two, therefore he was their captain: but he attained not unto the (first) three. Soldiers. See notes on 2 Sam. i. 19, vol. ii., p. 491, and on 2 Sam. xxiii. 8, vol. ii., The action of pouring out water before the Lord was used with great solemnity, as we read in 1 Sam. vii. 5. And here David p. 667, &c. |