1 พงศ์กษัตริย์ 2:2 วิจารณ์

David, that great and good man, is here a dying man (Kg1 2:1), and a dead man, Kg1 2:10. It is well there is another life after this, for death stains all the glory of this, and lays it in the dust. We have here, I. The charge and instructions which David, when he was dying, gave to Solomon, his son and declared successor. He feels himself declining, and is not backward to own it, nor afraid to hear or speak of dying: I go the way of all the earth, Kg1 2:2. Heb. I am walking in it. Note, Death is a way; not only a period of this life, but a passage to a better. It is the way of all the earth, of all mankind who dwell on earth, and are themselves earth, and therefore must return to their earth. Even the sons and heirs of heaven must go the way of all the earth, they must needs die; but they walk with pleasure in this way, through the valley of the shadow of death, Psa 23:4. Prophets, and even kings, must go this way to brighter light and honour than prophecy or sovereignty. David is going this way, and therefore gives Solomon directions what to do. 1. He charges him, in general, to keep God's commandments and to make conscience of his duty, Kg1 2:2-4. He prescribes to him, (1.) A good rule to act by - the divine will: "Govern thyself by that." David's charge to him is to keep the charge of the Lord his God. The authority of a dying father is much, but nothing to that of a living God. There are great trusts which we are charged with by the Lord our God - let us keep them carefully, as those that must give account; and excellent statutes, which we must be ruled by - let us also keep them. The written word is our rule. Solomon must himself do as was written in the law of Moses. (2.) A good spirit to act with: Be strong and show thyself a man, though in years but a child. Those that would keep the charge of the Lord their God must put on resolution. (3.) Good reasons for all this. This would effectually conduce, [1.] To the prosperity of his kingdom. It is the way to prosper in all thou doest, and to succeed with honour and satisfaction in every undertaking. [2.] To the perpetuity of it: That the Lord may continue and so confirm his word which he spoke concerning me. Those that rightly value the treasure of the promise, that sacred depositum, cannot but be solicitous to preserve the entail of it, and very desirous that those who come after them may do nothing to cut it off. Let each, in his own age, successively, keep God's charge, and then God will be sure to continue his word. We never let fall the promise till we let fall the precept. God had promised David that the Messiah should come from his loins, and that promise was absolute: but the promise that there should not fail him a man on the throne of Israel was conditional - if his seed behave themselves as they should. If Solomon, in his day, fulfil the condition, he does his part towards the perpetuating of the promise. The condition is that he walk before God in all his institutions, in sincerity, with zeal and resolution; and, in order hereunto, that he take heed to his way. In order to our constancy in religion, nothing is more necessary than caution and circumspection. 2. He gives him directions concerning some particular persons, what to do with them, that he might make up his deficiencies in justice to some and kindness to others. (1.) Concerning Joab, Kg1 2:5 David was now conscious to himself that he had not done well to spare him, when he had made himself once again obnoxious to the law, but the murder of Abner first and afterwards of Amasa, both of them great men, captains of the hosts of Israel. He slew them treacherously (shed the blood of war in peace), and injuriously to David: Thou knowest what he did to me therein. The murder of a subject is a wrong to the prince, it is a loss to him, and is against the peace of our sovereign lord the king. These murders were particularly against David, reflecting upon his reputation, he being, at that time, in treaty with the victims, and hazarded his interest, which they were very capable of serving. Magistrates are the avengers of the blood of those they have the charge of. It aggravated Joab's crime that he was neither ashamed of the sin nor afraid of the punishment, but daringly wore the girdle and shoes that were stained with innocent blood, in defiance of the justice both of God and the king. David refers him to Solomon's wisdom (Kg1 2:6), with an intimation that he left him to his justice. Say not, "He has a hoary head; it is a pity it should be cut off, for it will shortly fall of itself." No, let it not go down to the grave in peace. Though he has been long reprieved, he shall be reckoned with at last; time does not wear out the guilt of any sin, particularly that of murder. (2.) Concerning Barzillai's family, to whom he orders him to be kind for Barzillai's sake, who, we may suppose, by this time, was dead, Kg1 2:7. When David, upon his death-bed, was remembering the injuries that had been done, he could not forget the kindnesses that had been shown, but leaves it as a charge upon his son to return them. Note, the kindnesses we have received from our friends must not be buried either in their graves or ours, but our children must return them to theirs. Hence, perhaps, Solomon fetched that rule (Pro 27:10), Thy own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not. Paul prays for the house of Onesiphorus, who had often refreshed him. (3.) Concerning Shimei, Kg1 2:8, Kg1 2:9. [1.] His crime is remembered: He cursed me with a grievous curse; the more grievous because he insulted him when he was in misery and poured vinegar into his wounds. The Jews say that one thing which made this a grievous curse was that, besides all that is mentioned (2 Sa. 16), Shimei upbraided him with his descent from Ruth the Moabitess. [2.] His pardon is not forgotten. David owned he had sworn to him that he would not himself put him to death, because he seasonably submitted, and cried Peccavi - I have sinned, and he was not willing, especially at that juncture, to use the sword of public justice for the avenging of wrongs done to himself. But, [3.] His case, as it now stands, is left with Solomon, as one that knew what was fit to be done and would do as he found occasion. David intimates to him that his pardon was not designed to be perpetual, but only a reprieve for David's life: "Hold him not guiltless; do not think him any true friend to thee or thy government, nor fit to be trusted. He has no less malice than he had then, though he has more sense to conceal it. He is still a debtor to the public justice for what he did then; and, though I promised him that I would not put him to death, I never promised that my successor should not. His turbulent spirit will soon give thee an occasion, which thou shouldst not fail to take, for the bringing of his hoary head to the grave with blood." This proceeded not from personal revenge, but a prudent zeal for the honour of the government and the covenant God had made with his family, the contempt of which ought not to go unpunished. Even a hoary head, if a guilty and forfeited head, ought not to be any man's protection from justice. The sinner, being a hundred years old, shall be accursed, Isa 65:20. II. David's death and burial (Kg1 2:10): He was buried in the city of David, not in the burying place of his father, as Saul was, but in his own city, which he was the founder of. There were set the thrones, and there the tombs, of the house of David. Now David, after he had served his own generation, by the will of God, fell asleep, and was laid to his fathers, and saw corruption, Act 13:36, and see Act 2:29. His epitaph may be taken from Sa2 23:1. Here lies David the son of Jesse, the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, adding his own words (Psa 16:9), My flesh also shall rest in hope. Josephus says that, besides the usual magnificence with which his son Solomon buried him, he put into his sepulchre a vast deal of money; and that 1300 years after (so he reckons) it was opened by Hircanus the high priest, in the time of Antiochus, and 3000 talents were taken out for the public service. The years of his reign are here computed (Kg1 2:11) to be forty years; the odd six months which he reigned above seven years in Hebron are not reckoned, but the even sum only.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 2 This chapter gives an account of the charge David gave to his son Solomon, a little before his death, to walk in the ways of the Lord, Kg1 2:1; and of some instructions delivered to him concerning some particular persons he should either show favour to, or execute justice on, Kg1 2:5; and the next account in it is concerning his death and burial, and the years of his reign, Kg1 2:10; after which it relates an address of Bathsheba to Solomon in favour of Adonijah, which was refused, and the issue of it was his death, Kg1 2:12; and the deposition of Abiathar from the priesthood, Kg1 2:26; and the putting of Joab to death for his treason and murders, Kg1 2:28; in whose post Benaiah was put, as Zadok was in the place of Abiathar, Kg1 2:35; and lastly the confinement of Shimei in Jerusalem, who had cursed David, Kg1 2:36; who upon transgressing the orders given him was put to death, Kg1 2:39.

I go the way of all the earth,.... A path which is the path of death (o), which all pass in, kings and peasants, high and low, rich and poor, great and small, good and bad; none are exempted, all must die, and do; it is the appointment of God, a decree which can never be reversed; all experience confirms it: this same phrase is used by Joshua, from whom David seems to have borrowed it, and shows that that book was written in his days, Jos 23:14; be thou strong therefore; not discouraged at my death, being a common thing, and to be expected; nor at being left alone, the Lord can give thee wisdom and counsel, assistance and strength, protection, and defence; take heart therefore, and be of good courage: and show thyself a man; in wisdom and understanding, and in fortitude of mind, though so young a man; which were necessary for the government of so great a people, and to guard against the secret intrigues of some, and the open flatteries of others, and the fear of attempts against his person and government, and the temptations he might be liable to, to do wrong things; and especially they were necessary to enable him to keep the commands of God, as follows; which required great strength of mind and of grace, considering the corruptions of nature, the temptations of Satan, and the snares of men; see Jos 1:7. (o) "------ omnes una manet nox, Et calcanda semel via lethi". Horat. Carmin. l. 1. ode 28. ver. 15, 16.

David leaves his dying charge with Solomon, relative to his own personal conduct, Kg1 2:1-4; to Joab, Kg1 2:5, Kg1 2:6; to Barzillai, Kg1 2:7; to Shimei, Kg1 2:8, Kg1 2:9. He dies, and Solomon is established in the kingdom, Kg1 2:10-12. Adonijah requests to have Abishag to wife, and is put to death by Solomon, Kg1 2:13-25. Abiathar the priest is banished to his estate at Anathoth, Kg1 2:26, Kg1 2:27. Joab, fearing for his life, flees to the horns of the altar, and is slain there by Benaiah, Kg1 2:28-34. Benaiah is made captain of the host in his stead, Kg1 2:35. Shimei is ordered to confine himself to Jerusalem, and never leave it on pain of death, Kg1 2:36-38. After three years he follows some of his runaway servants to Gath, and thereby forfeits his life, Kg1 2:39, Kg1 2:40. Solomon sends for him, upbraids him, and commands him to be slain by Benaiah, Kg1 2:41-46.

I go the way of all the earth - I am dying. All the inhabitants of the earth must come to the dust. In life, some follow one occupation, some another; but all must, sooner or later, come to the grave. Death is no respecter of persons; he visits the palace of the king as well as the cottage of the peasant. Pallida mors aequo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas, Regumque turres. - Hor. Odar. lib. i., od. iv., ver. 13. "With equal pace, impartial fate Knocks at the palace as the cottage gate." Francis. - Sed omnes una manet nox, Et calcanda semel via lethi. - Ib. od. xxviii., ver. 15. "One dreary night for all mankind remains, And once we all must tread the shadowy plains." Ibid. There is no respect to age or youth more than to station or external circumstance: - Mixta senum ac juvenum densantur funera: nullum Saeva caput Proserpina fugit. Ib. od. xxviii., ver. 19. Thus age and youth promiscuous crowd the tomb; No mortal head can shun the impending doom." Ibid. And it is not merely man that is subjected to this necessity; all that have in them the breath of life must lose it; it is the way of all the earth, both of men and inferior animals. - Terrestria quando Mortales animas vivunt sortita, neque ulla est Aut parvo aut magno lethi fuga. Vive memor quam sis aevi brevis. Hor. Sat. l. ii., s. vi., ver. 93. "All that tread the earth are subject to mortality; neither great nor small can avoid death. Live therefore conscious that your time is short." It is painful to the pride of the great and mighty that, however decorated their tombs may be, they must undergo the same dissolution and corruption with the vulgar dead; for the grave is the house appointed for all living: man is born to die. Omnium idem exitus est, sed et idem domicilium. "For all have the same end, and are huddled together in the same narrow house." Here emperors, kings, statesmen, warriors, heroes, and butchers of all kinds, with peasants and beggars, meet; however various their routes, they terminate in the same point. This and all other kindred sentiments on the subject are well expressed in that excellent little poem of Mr. Blair, entitled "The Grave," which opens with the following lines: - While some affect the sun, and some the shade; Some flee the city, some the hermitage; Their aims as various as the roads they take In journeying through life; the task be mine To paint the gloomy horrors of the tomb, The appointed place of rendezvous, where all These travelers meet. Show thyself a man - Act like a rational being, and not like a brute; and remember, that he acts most like a man who is most devoted to his Good.

DAVID DIES. (Kg1 2:1-11) David . . . charged Solomon his son--The charge recorded here was given to Solomon just before his death and is different from the farewell address delivered in public some time before (Ch1 28:2-9). It is introduced with great solemnity.

I go the way of all the earth--a beautiful and impressive periphrasis for death. be thou strong, . . . show thyself a man--This counsel is similar to the apostolic direction (Co1 16:13) and refers to the fortitude or strength of mind that was required to discharge the onerous functions of king.