129 lines
11 KiB
XML
129 lines
11 KiB
XML
<div2 id="iCh.xix" n="xix" next="iCh.xx" prev="iCh.xviii" progress="76.94%" title="Chapter XVIII">
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<h2 id="iCh.xix-p0.1">F I R S T C H R O N I C L E
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S</h2>
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<h3 id="iCh.xix-p0.2">CHAP. XVIII.</h3>
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<p class="intro" id="iCh.xix-p1">David's piety and his prayer we had an account of
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in the foregoing chapter; here follows immediately that which one
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might reasonably expect, an account of his prosperity; for those
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that seek first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof,
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as David did, shall have other things added to them as far as God
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sees good for them. Here is, I. His prosperity abroad. He conquered
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the Philistines (<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.1" parsed="|1Chr|18|1|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:1">ver. 1</scripRef>),
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the Moabites (<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.2" parsed="|1Chr|18|2|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:2">ver. 2</scripRef>), the
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king of Zobah (<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.3-1Chr.18.4" parsed="|1Chr|18|3|18|4" passage="1Ch 18:3,4">ver. 3,
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4</scripRef>), the Syrians (<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.5-1Chr.18.8" parsed="|1Chr|18|5|18|8" passage="1Ch 18:5-8">ver.
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5-8</scripRef>), made the king of Hamath his tributary (<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.9-1Chr.18.11" parsed="|1Chr|18|9|18|11" passage="1Ch 18:9-11">ver. 9-11</scripRef>), and the Edomites,
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<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.12-1Chr.18.13" parsed="|1Chr|18|12|18|13" passage="1Ch 18:12,13">ver. 12, 13</scripRef>. II. His
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prosperity at home. His court and kingdom flourished, <scripRef id="iCh.xix-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.14-1Chr.18.17" parsed="|1Chr|18|14|18|17" passage="1Ch 18:14-17">ver. 14-17</scripRef>. All this we had an
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account of before, <scripRef id="iCh.xix-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.8.1-2Sam.8.18" parsed="|2Sam|8|1|8|18" passage="2Sa 8:1-18">2 Sam.
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viii.</scripRef></p>
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<scripCom id="iCh.xix-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18" parsed="|1Chr|18|0|0|0" passage="1Ch 18" type="Commentary"/>
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<scripCom id="iCh.xix-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.1-1Chr.18.8" parsed="|1Chr|18|1|18|8" passage="1Ch 18:1-8" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:1Chr.18.1-1Chr.18.8">
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<h4 id="iCh.xix-p1.11">David's Victories. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xix-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1042.)</h4>
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<p class="passage" id="iCh.xix-p2">1 Now after this it came to pass, that David
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smote the Philistines, and subdued them, and took Gath and her
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towns out of the hand of the Philistines. 2 And he smote
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Moab; and the Moabites became David's servants, <i>and</i> brought
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gifts. 3 And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto
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Hamath, as he went to stablish his dominion by the river Euphrates.
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4 And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven
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thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: David also houghed
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all the chariot <i>horses,</i> but reserved of them a hundred
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chariots. 5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help
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Hadarezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty
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thousand men. 6 Then David put <i>garrisons</i> in
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Syria-damascus; and the Syrians became David's servants, <i>and</i>
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brought gifts. Thus the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xix-p2.1">Lord</span>
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preserved David whithersoever he went. 7 And David took the
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shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadarezer, and brought
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them to Jerusalem. 8 Likewise from Tibhath, and from Chun,
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cities of Hadarezer, brought David very much brass, wherewith
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Solomon made the brasen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of
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brass.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="iCh.xix-p3"><i>After this,</i> it is said (<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.1" parsed="|1Chr|18|1|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), David did those great
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exploits. After the sweet communion he had had with God by the word
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and prayer, as mentioned in the foregoing chapter, he went on his
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work with extraordinary vigour and courage, <i>conquering and to
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conquer.</i> Thus Jacob, after his vision, lifted up his feet,
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<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.1" parsed="|Gen|29|1|0|0" passage="Ge 29:1">Gen. xxix. 1</scripRef>.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="iCh.xix-p4">We have taken a view of these victories
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before, and shall now only observe, 1. Those that have been long
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enemies to the Israel of God will be brought down at last. The
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Philistines had, for several generations, been vexatious to Israel,
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but now <i>David subdued them,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xix-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.1" parsed="|1Chr|18|1|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Thus shall all opposing <i>rule,
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principality, and power,</i> be, at the end of time, put down by
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the Son of David, and the most inveterate enemies shall fall before
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him. 2. Such is the uncertainty of this world that frequently men
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lose their wealth and power when they think to confirm it.
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Hadarezer was smitten <i>as he went to establish his dominion,</i>
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<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.3" parsed="|1Chr|18|3|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. 3. <i>A horse
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is a vain thing for safety,</i> so David said (<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.33.17" parsed="|Ps|33|17|0|0" passage="Ps 33:17">Ps. xxxiii. 17</scripRef>), and it seems he believed
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what he said, for he <i>houghed the chariot-horses,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xix-p4.4" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.4" parsed="|1Chr|18|4|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. Being resolved not to
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trust to them (<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p4.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.20.7" parsed="|Ps|20|7|0|0" passage="Ps 20:7">Ps. xx. 7</scripRef>),
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he would not use them. 4. The enemies of God's church are often
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made to ruin themselves by helping one another, <scripRef id="iCh.xix-p4.6" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.5" parsed="|1Chr|18|5|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. The Syrians of Damascus were
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smitten when they came to help Hadarezer. When hand thus joins in
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hand they shall not only not go unpunished, but thereby they shall
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be gathered <i>as the sheaves into the floor,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xix-p4.7" osisRef="Bible:Mic.4.11-Mic.4.12" parsed="|Mic|4|11|4|12" passage="Mic 4:11,12">Mic. iv. 11, 12</scripRef>. 5. The <i>wealth
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of the sinner</i> sometimes proves to have been <i>laid up for the
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just.</i> The <i>Syrians brought gifts,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xix-p4.8" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.6" parsed="|1Chr|18|6|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. Their shields of gold and their
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brass were brought to Jerusalem, <scripRef id="iCh.xix-p4.9" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.7-1Chr.18.8" parsed="|1Chr|18|7|18|8" passage="1Ch 18:7,8"><i>v.</i> 7, 8</scripRef>. As the tabernacle was built
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of the spoils of the Egyptians, so the temple of the spoils of
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other Gentile nations, a happy presage of the interest the Gentiles
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should have in the gospel church.</p>
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</div><scripCom id="iCh.xix-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.9-1Chr.18.17" parsed="|1Chr|18|9|18|17" passage="1Ch 18:9-17" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:1Chr.18.9-1Chr.18.17">
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<p class="passage" id="iCh.xix-p5">9 Now when Tou king of Hamath heard how David
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had smitten all the host of Hadarezer king of Zobah; 10 He
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sent Hadoram his son to king David, to enquire of his welfare, and
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to congratulate him, because he had fought against Hadarezer, and
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smitten him; (for Hadarezer had war with Tou;) and <i>with him</i>
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all manner of vessels of gold and silver and brass. 11 Them
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also king David dedicated unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xix-p5.1">Lord</span>, with the silver and the gold that he
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brought from all <i>these</i> nations; from Edom, and from Moab,
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and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from
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Amalek. 12 Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah slew of the
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Edomites in the valley of salt eighteen thousand. 13 And he
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put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became David's
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servants. Thus the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xix-p5.2">Lord</span> preserved
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David whithersoever he went. 14 So David reigned over all
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Israel, and executed judgment and justice among all his people.
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15 And Joab the son of Zeruiah <i>was</i> over the host; and
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Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, recorder. 16 And Zadok the
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son of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar, <i>were</i> the
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priests; and Shavsha was scribe; 17 And Benaiah the son of
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Jehoiada <i>was</i> over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and
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the sons of David <i>were</i> chief about the king.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="iCh.xix-p6">Here let us learn, 1. That it is our
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interest to make those our friends who have the presence of God
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with them. The king of Hamath, hearing of David's great success,
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sent to congratulate him and to court his favour with a noble
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present, <scripRef id="iCh.xix-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.9-1Chr.18.10" parsed="|1Chr|18|9|18|10" passage="1Ch 18:9,10"><i>v.</i> 9,
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10</scripRef>. It is in vain to contend with the Son of David.
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<i>Kiss the Son,</i> therefore, <i>lest he be angry;</i> let the
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kings and judges of the earth, and all inferior people too, be thus
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wise, thus instructed. The presents we are to bring him are not
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<i>vessels of gold and silver,</i> as here (those shall be welcomed
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to him who have no such presents to bring), but our hearts and
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sincere affections, our whole selves, we must present to him as
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living sacrifices. 2. That what God blesses us with we must honour
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him with. The presents of his friends, as well as the spoils of his
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enemies, <i>David dedicated unto the Lord</i> (<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.11" parsed="|1Chr|18|11|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), that is, he laid them up
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towards the building and enriching of the temple. That is most
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truly and most comfortably our own which we have consecrated unto
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the Lord, and which we use for his glory. Let our <i>merchandise
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and our hire be holiness to the Lord,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xix-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Isa.23.18" parsed="|Isa|23|18|0|0" passage="Isa 23:18">Isa. xxiii. 18</scripRef>. 3. That those who take God
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along with them whithersoever they go may expect to prosper, and be
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preserved, whithersoever they go. It was said before (<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p6.4" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.6" parsed="|1Chr|18|6|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>) and here it is repeated
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(<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p6.5" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.13" parsed="|1Chr|18|13|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>) that <i>the
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Lord preserved David whithersoever he went.</i> Those are always
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under the eye of God that have God always in their eye. 4. God
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gives men power, not that they may look great with it, but that
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they may do good with it. When David reigned over all Israel he
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<i>executed judgment and justice among all his people,</i> and so
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answered the end of his elevation. He was not so intent on his
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conquests abroad as to neglect the administration of justice at
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home. Herein he served the purposes of the kingdom of providence,
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and of that God who <i>sits in the throne judging right;</i> and he
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was an eminent type of the Messiah, the <i>sceptre of whose kingdom
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is a right sceptre.</i></p>
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</div></div2> |