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Scripture Notes

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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 30, 1868

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 32, No. 2.

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Scripture Notes.

RESULT OF OBEDIENCE.

2 Sam. v, 25. And David did so, as the Lord had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.
And David did so.] He punctually obeyed the directions of the Lord, and then every thing succeeded to his wish. Why are such directions and assistances not communicated now? Because they are not asked for; and not asked for because not expected; and they are not expected because men have not faith; and they have not faith because they are under a refined spirit of atheism, and have no spiritual intercourse with their Maker. Who believes that God sees all things, and is everywhere? Who supposes that he concerns himself with the affairs of his creatures? Who acknowledges him in all his ways? Who puts not his own wisdom, prudence and strength in the place of God Almighty? Reader, hast thou faith in God? Then exercise it, cultivate it, and thou mayest remove mountains.—Dr. A. Clarke.

IRREVERENCE PUNISHED.

CHAP. vi, 6, 7. And when they came to Nachon's threshing-floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.
It may be supposed, that neither Eleazer, nor Uzzah, nor Ahio, had thus touched the ark during all the years it had remained with them. Uzzah, it is probable, had become too familiar with this sacred symbol of the Lord's especial presence. No doubt the Lord saw, in his conduct, what indicated irreverence and presumption; not wholly unlike the sin of Nadab and Abihu, when they offered strange fire before him; and therefore he smote him, perhaps in a similar manner, and for the same reasons. His death was a pointed rebuke and warning to David, to the priests, and to all Israel.—Scott.

SHAVING THE MESSENGERS.

CHAP. x. v. 5. When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed; and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.
It was one of the most infamous punishments of cowardice in Sparta, that they who turned their backs in the day of battle, were obliged to appear abroad with one-half of their beard shaved, and the other half unshaved. The beard is held very sacred in the East. See Burder. It is a mark of authority and liberty in Mahometan countries. Among the Arabians, it is more infamous to have the beard cut off, than among us to be publicly whipped.—Niebuhr.

DAVID'S FOURFOLD PUNISHMENT.

CHAP. xii, 5, 6. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die; and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
Fourfold.] Is it indulging fancy too much to say, David was called, in a just Providence, to pay this fourfold debt; to lose four sons by untimely deaths, viz., this of Bathsheba's, on whom David had set his heart, was slain by the Lord; Ammon, his first-born, the pride of his excellency, and the beginning of his strength, murdered by his brother Absalom; Absalom, on whom he doted, slain by Joab; and Adonijah, the beautiful, whom his father would never bear to displease, 1 Kings i, 6, slain by his brother Solomon, at God's altar! How dreadfully then was David punished! Who would repeat his transgression, to share in its penalty! Behold the goodness and severity of God! Reader, lay all these solemn things to heart, and beware of the “well-circumstanced sin.”—Dr. A. Clarke.

SUPPOSED CRUELTY OF KING DAVID.

CHAP. xii, 31. And he 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 charge of excessive cruelty will be removed, by following the translation of Danzius, which I think the words will bear: and he obliged the people that were in it to go out, and put them to the saw, to cut stones; and to the iron mines, to dig there; and to the axes of iron, to cut wood with; after he had made them to pass with their king out of the city.—Gill. So, nearly, Dr. A. Clarke, Boothroyd, Carpenter, &c.