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muah, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solo- | LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. fore he called the name of that place "Baalperazim.

15 Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia,

16 And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet.

17 But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold.

18 The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

19 And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

21 And there they left their images, and David and his men 15 16burned them.

22 And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

23 And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.

24 And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.

25 And David did so, as the LORD had 20 And David came to Baal-perazim, commanded him; and smote the Philistines and David smote them there, and said, The from Geba until thou come to Gazer. 12 1 Chron. 11. 16, and 14. 8. 14 That is, The plain of breaches. 16 Or, took them away.

13 Isa. 28. 21.

151 Chron. 14. 12.

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Verse 3. "King David made a league with them...before the Lord."-It is important not to let this escape our attention, as it shows that the Hebrew monarchs were by no means absolute, in the strongest sense of the term; but that there were certain conditions which they pledged themselves to observe. These leagues and covenants, which we find newlyelected kings entering into with the people, formed what would, in our days, be called a constitution. The terms of these covenants are not expressed; but a careful study of the historical books will enable the reader to discover several very important privileges of royalty as well as restrictions on the royal power. The covenant probably stated the rights of

the king on the one hand, and those of the people on the other. This is not the only instance of such a covenant. On the election of Saul, Samuel wrote "the manner of the kingdom" in a book, and laid it up before the Lord; and this book probably stated the rights and limitations of the kingly power, and formed the basis on which the Hebrew government was established. The covenant was not renewed at the commencement of every fresh reign, as probably every succeeding king was considered, without any formal stipulation, to stand on the same ground as his predecessors. Hence we only read of such covenants in the cases of Saul, the first king; of David, the founder of a new dynasty; and of Joash (2 Kings xi. 17), who succeeded after an usurpation. It seems, however, that the people retained the right of proposing, at the commencement of a new reign, even in the ordinary course of succession, such further stipulations as their experience under former reigns suggested: and the refusal of Rehoboam to listen to any such proposal, gave occasion for ten of the tribes to secede from their allegiance to the house of David, and establish a new and independent kingdom.

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5. “Jerusalem.”—As Jerusalem henceforth becomes of importance in the history of the Jews, we shall here state such particulars concerning it, as may conduce to the better understanding of the references to it, in the history of the kingdom of which it was the capital; purposing, in the New Testament, to resume the subject, with a view to the illustration of such references to its then existing and then foreseen future state, as occur in that portion of the Holy Scriptures.

The Scriptural history of Jerusalem we shall not here give. This would be essential in any other work; but in notes to the Bible it seems a supererogatory undertaking to repeat that which the text itself sufficiently states. To the time of Ezra and Nehemiah the history of Jerusalem is found in the Scriptures; and will for that period be unnoticed, unless as the several prominent circumstances of that history occur in the sacred narrative. But in our future notes, we shall supply all that part of its history concerning which the Scripture contains no information. This will be from the termination of the Old Testament accounts to the time of our Saviour, with a view of the subsequent desolations which He foretold; and this will lead to some notice of its present condition.

All therefore we have now to do, is to convey some general impressions concerning the site and immediate environs of this renowned city; and even this duty is further limited by the occasion which we shall find to notice, sepa rately, the particular spots which are historically mentioned in the Scriptures. In such a general ichnographical giance as we have now to offer, it is desirable, as far as possible, to abstain from noticing such circumstances as have proceeded from the hands of man and the alterations of time-that is, to render the view, as far as possible, natural only. But it is impossible altogether to exclude such circumstances; since all our topographical notices are of much later date than the historical statements in the Old Testament. We cannot do better than commence our statement VOL. II. O 97

with the following extract from Tasso, the topographical accuracy of which is vouched by the descriptions of all travellers:

"Jerusalem is seated on two hills

Of height unlike, and turned side to side,
The space between a gentle valley fills,

From mount to mount expansed far and wide;
Three sides are sure inchas'd with crags and hills,
The rest is easy, scant to rise espied:
But mighty bulwarks fence that plainer part,
So art helps nature, nature strengtheneth art.

The town is stored of troughs and cisterns, made
To keep fresh water, but the country seems
Devoid of grass, unfit for plowman's trade,

Not fertile, moist with rivers, wells, and streams.

There grow few trees to make the summer's shade,

To shield the parched land from scorching beams, Save that a wood stands six miles from the town, With aged cedars dark, and shadows brown.

By East, among the dusty valleys, glide

The silver streams of Jordan's crystal flood,
By West, the midland sea, with bounders tied
Of sandy shores, where Joppa whilom stood;
By North, Samaria stands, and on that side

The golden calf was rear'd in Bethel wood;
Bethlem by South, where Christ incarnate was,
A pearl in steel, a diamond set in brass."
FAIRFAX. Edit. 1817. Windsor.

The earliest topographical description is that given by Josephus, in B. v. c. 4, of his "Jewish War." We must quote this, because it has formed the basis of all statements concerning the site of Jerusalem. We take Whiston's translation. "The city of Jerusalem was fortified with three walls, on such parts as were not encompassed with impassable valleys. The city was built upon two hills which were opposite to one another, and have a valley dividing them asunder: at which valley the corresponding rows of houses on both hills end. Of these hills, that which contains the upper city is much higher, and in length more direct. Accordingly it was called the Citadel by king David. ....But it is by us called the Upper Market place. But the other hill, which was called Acra, and sustains the lower city, is in the shape of the moon when she is horned. Over against this there was a third hill; but naturally lower than Acra; and parted formerly from the other by a broad valley. However, in those times when the Asamoneans reigned, they filled up that valley with earth; and had a mind to join the city to the temple. They then took off part of the height of Acra, and reduced it to be of less elevation than it was before, that the temple might be superior to it. Now the valley of the Cheesemongers, as it was called, and was that which, as we told you before, distinguished the hill of the upper city from that of the lower, extended as far as Siloam. For that is the name of a fountain which has sweet water in it, and this is in great plenty also. But on the outsides these hills are surrounded by deep valleys; and by reason of the precipices on both sides, are every where impassable." Recurring to the walls mentioned in the first sentence, the historian says:-" Of these three walls the old one was hard to be taken; both by reason of the valleys, and of that hill on which it was built, and which was above them. But besides that great advantage, as to the place where they were situate, it was also built very strong: because David, and Solomon and the following kings were very zealous about this work." After some further account of the walls, which has no immediate connection with our present subject, he adds that "the city, in its ultimate extension, included another hill, the fourth, called Bezetha, to the north of the temple, from which it was separated by a deep artificial ditch." But this part of the city belonging to the New Testament history, will not at present engage our attention.

From this account of Josephus, as compared with those furnished by others, it appears that Jerusalem stood on three hills, Mount Zion, Mount Acra, and Mount Moriah, on which the temple stood. Or we may consider them as two, after Mount Acra had been levelled, and the valley filled up which separated it from Mount Moriah. Of these hills Zion was the highest, and contained the upper city, the city of David, with the Citadel, the strength of which and of the position on which it stood, enabled the Jebusites so long to retain it as their strong hold, and to maintain their command over the lower part of the city, even when they were obliged to allow the Israelites to share in its occupation. This Mount Zion (which we are only here noticing cursorily) formed the southern portion of the ancient city It is almost excluded from the modern city, and is under partial cultivation. "It is nearly a mile in circumference, highest on the west side, and towards the east slopes down in broad terraces in the upper part of the mountain, and nar row ones on the side, as it slopes down towards the brook Kedron" (Richardson). The same author, confirmed by other travellers, observes that this mount is "considerably higher than the ground on which the ancient (lower) city stood, or that on the east leading to the valley of Jehoshaphat, but has very little relative height above the ground on the south and on the west, and must have owed its boasted strength principally to a deep ravine, by which it is encompassed on the east, south, and west, and the strong high walls and towers by which it was enclosed and flanked completely round." The breadth of this ravine is about 150 feet, and its depth, or the height of Mount Zion above the bottom of the ravine, about 60 feet. The bottom of this ravine is rock, covered with a thin sprinkling of earth, and in the winter season is the natural channel for conveying off the water that falls into it from the higher ground. On both of its sides the rock is cut perpendicularly down; and it was probably the quarry from which much of the stone was taken for the building of the city. Other particulars concerning Mount Zion, as distinguished from the lower city, we must reserve for future notice; particularly as the site here assigned to it has been disputed by Dr. Clarke and Mr. Buckingham; but it was necessary to state thus much at present.

Let us then understand the site of Jerusalem as a mass or ridge of hill, forming the southern end of a plain that extends northward towards Samaria, and of which Mount Zion forms the southern and most elevated part. The componen hills of this mass are not now so distinctly marked as the description of Josephus would suggest. He himself describes one hill as having been levelled, and the valley which separated it from the adjoining hill filled up; and the present merely undulated appearance of the site may be owing either to the wearing away of the hills and the filling up of the valleys, or to the concurrence of both causes, the one producing the other. But the site, as a whole, without further attending to the distinction of hills, is surrounded on the east, west, and south by valleys of various depth and breadth but to the north extends into the plain, which in this part is called "the plain of Jeremiah," and is the best wooded tract in the whole neighbourhood. The progressive extension of the city was thus necessarily northward, as stated by Josephus. The town most probably, almost certainly, began at the southern or Mount Zion part of this site, and in its ultimate extension, according to Josephus, comprehended a circuit of thirty-three furlongs; whereas that of the modern town does not appear to exceed two miles and a half. The confining valleys are often mentioned in Scripture Those on the east and south are very deep. The former is the valley of Jehoshaphat, through which flows the brook Kedron, and the latter is generally called the valley of Hinnom. This denomination is extended by some inquirer also to the western and least deep valley, while others call it the valley of Rephaim, or else the valley of Gihon The accuracy of these designations we shall not at present investigate. On the opposite side of these valleys rise hills, which are mostly of superior elevation to that of the site of the city itself. That on the east, beyond the brook

Kedron, is the Mount of Olives. That on the south is usually called the "Hill of Offence," or of "Evil Counsel," which is a broad and barren hill, loftier than the Mount of Olives, but without any of its picturesque beauty. This is considered by some travellers as the true Mount Zion. On the west there is a rocky flat, which rises to a considerable elevation towards the north, and to which has been assigned the name of Mount Gihon. Even in the north-east, at Scopo, where the besieging Romans under Titus encamped, the ground is considerably more elevated than the immediate site of the town. This explains the expression of David: "As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people." (Ps. cxxv. 2.) The relative height of those surrounding hills gives to the city an apparent elevation inferior to that which it really possesses. This is estimated by Buckingham about 1500 feet above the level of the sea; and this tends greatly to moderate the heat of the climate, which rarely exceeds 84° Fahrenheit in summer, while in the mountains there is frequently snow, which is scarcely known in the southern plains of Palestine. The district for many miles around Jerusalem is now of a very barren and cheerless character, whatever may have been its ancient condition. Some travellers consider that they can only account for its selection as the site of the capital, by referring to the strength of its position; since there are many spots in the interior and on the coast, far superior in fertility and beauty, with greater advantages of commerce, and a more ample supply of water. In fact, it seems to have obtained the distinction rather by accident than by choice. David naturally selected it, as having been born and brought up in its neighbourhood; and afterwards his son Solomon permanently fixed its metropolitan character by the erection of the Temple and the royal establishment, But it was the Temple chiefly, which in all ages maintained Jerusalem as the metropolis of the country. Even after the destruction of that venerated fabric, the mere fact that it had existed there, operated in preventing the selection of any new site, even when the opportunity occurred. The separation into two kingdoms after the death of Solomon did also necessarily prevent any intentions of change which might have arisen, had the whole country remained one kingdom, with a large choice of situations for a capital; and we are to remember that, although after the erection of the Temple, it always remained the ecclesiastical metropolis of the land, it was, in a civil sense, for a long series of years, the capital of only the smallest of the two kingdoms into which the land was divided. But under all disadvantages, many of which are perhaps the result of the wars, desolations, and neglect of many ages, the very situation of the town, "on the brink of rugged hills, encircled by deep and wild valleys, bounded by eminences whose sides were covered with groves and gardens, added to its numerous towers and Temple, must have given it a singular and gloomy magnificence, scarcely possessed by any other city in the world." (Carne's Letters from the East,' p. 289.) The best view of the site and locality of Jerusalem is obtained from the Mount of Olives; from which the original of our wood-cut is taken. The mount is usually visited by travellers, who all speak of the completeness of the view obtained from the above spot. This view comprehends in the distance the Dead Sea and the mountains of Arabia Petræa; while, to the west, the city with its surrounding valleys and all its topographical characteristics, is displayed like a panorama, below and very near the spectator, the Mount being only separated from the city by the narrow valley of Jehoshaphat. It is seldom indeed that any city is seen in such completeness of detail as Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. The statement of these details would however embrace so much that is modern, that we shall not at present describe it, particularly as all that is of importance to our present purpose has already been stated. We shall therefore conclude the present note with one good remark of Mr. Rae Wilson, with reference to the general view of this part of the country, as seen from the Mount of Olives. He says it reminded him of many parts of the Highlands of Scotland"A scene of hills, like an ocean, fixed at once into solidity, when heaving in its wildest fury, presents itself on all sides." This comparison often occurs to a person who travels in a country which, like the greater part of Palestine, is, as Carne observes, overrun with hills, not generally in ranges, but more or less isolated, and few of which approach to the character of mountains, save Carmel, the Quarantania, the shores of the lakes, and those which bound the valley of the Jordan.

6. " Except thou take away the blind and the lame," &c.—This very difficult passage has been variously understood. The majority of the Jewish, and many Christian, interpreters, understand that the epithet "the blind and the lame,” was given derisively, by David to the idolatrous images, in which the Jebusites trusted for the security of their town, and while they retained which, they believed the place could never be taken. It is certain that the heathens had tutelar gods for their cities, whose images they set up in the fort or elsewhere: and these, the Greeks and Romans, when they Lesieged a place, either endeavoured to take away, or to render propitious. But we think it is impossible to read this passage connectedly with such a reference-particularly as the Jebusites themselves are represented as using this expression; and, however proper it might be from David, we can scarcely suppose that the idolaters would themselves employ it. Dr. Boothroyd's version of the whole passage is:-"Thou canst not come in hither unless thou remove the sentinels and patrols, thinking David could not come in thither." And, in verse 8, "David said on that day, Whosoever first smiteth the Jebusites, and through the secret passage reacheth the sentinels and patrols, who detest the person of David, (because the sentinels and patrols had said, Into this house he shall not come) he shall be chief captain." The learned translator allows that his rendering of D and D("the blind" and "the lame" of our version) has not the support of ancient or modern versions; and we fear that although, as a mere question of philology, strong grounds might, if required, be made out for sometimes rendering the former word by "sentinels," the latter will not so well bear to be rendered "patrols." The common rendering does not, he says, admit of any expli cation. We think it does. Why not take that given by Josephus, followed by Aben Ezra and Abarbanel, and supported by Dr. Kennicott? This is, that the Jebusites, persuaded of the strength of the place, and deriding the attempt of David to take it, mustered the lame and blind, and committed to them the defence of the wall, declaring their insulting belief that these alone were sufficient to prevent David's access. Dr. Kennicott thinks the translation in Coverdale's version better than the present. It is, "Thou shalt not come in hither, but the blynde and lame shal dryve the awaie," &c. He seems himself to think that the Jebusites professed that the blind and lame were to keep him off merely by shouting, " David shall not come hither," or, "No David shall come hither," and concludes a learned criticism on the text by proposing to translate:-" And the inhabitants of Jebus said, Thou shalt not come hither; for the blind and the lame shall keep thee off, by saying, David shall not come in hither." We are sorry to give this version apart from the analysis on which it is founded; but the considerations we have stated, and the comparison of the different versions we have given, will assist the reader's comprehension of this most obscure passage.

8. "Gelleth up to the gutter."-The word rendered gutter ( tzinnur) occurs no where else except in Ps. xiii. 8; where it is translated "water-spout." There is a very perplexing diversity of opinions as to the meaning of the word. Dr. Boothroyd has here "secret passage," and in Ps. xiii."waterfall;" and in fact, the result of a comparison of a number of different interpretations will be, that the word means here a subterraneous passage through which water passed; but whence the water came, whither it went, the use, if any, to which it was applied, and whether the channel was not occasionally dry, are questions concerning which no satisfactory information can be obtained. Besiegers have

often obtained access to besieged places through aqueducts, drains, and subterraneous passages; and we may be satisfied to conclude that something of this sort happened in the present instance. Josephus says simply that the ingress was obtained through subterraneous passages. The Jews have many traditions concerning passages leading from Jerusalem to different parts of the vicinity, and their account is confirmed by Dion Cassius, who says, that in the last fatal siege of the town by the Romans, there were several such passages through which many of the Jews made their escape fro the beleaguered city.

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24. "Mulberry trees" (D", becaim).-The Septuagint, followed by Josephus, paraphrases this word by saying "from the grove of weeping" (rò Toû àλσous Tou xλaveμavos). But, in 1 Chron. xiv. 14, ft renders the same word by "pear-trees," and is followed by the Vulgate. The word, in the singular, is retained in our version of Ps. lxxxiv. 6, as a proper name. The Arabic seems to consider that "hills" are here denoted. Parkhurst and Gesenius think that the large shrub, called by the Arabians baca, is intended, not only from the identity of name, but because it distils an odoriferous gum; which seems to be implied in the literal meaning of the original, which is "weepings." The last reason induces Harmer to conjecture that the weeping-willow is intended. We need not say that, under such a variety of interpretation, anything like certainty cannot be obtained. We are of opinion, however, that some tree or shrub is intended. The mulberry-tree is that which the Jewish writers generally understand to have been intended. This tree is frequent in Syria and Lebanon. It is much less common in Palestine; but its mere presence seems sufficient to attest its ancient existence there. During many ages of comparative desolation, many vegetable products that were common have been lost, or have become rare; and for this it is sometimes necessary that large allowance should be made.

CHAPTER VI.

1 David fetcheth the ark from Kirjath-jearim on a new cart. 6 Uzzah is smitten at Perez-uzzah. 9 God blesseth Obed-edom for the ark. 12 David bringing the ark into Zion with sacrifices, danceth before it, for which Michal despiseth him. 17 He placeth it in a tabernacle with great joy and feasting. 20 Michal reproving David for his religious joy is childless to her death.

8 And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place "Perez-uzzah to this day.

9 And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?

10 So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: AGAIN, David gathered together all the but David carried it aside into the house of chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. Obed-edom the Gittite.

2 And 'David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.

3 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in 'Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the

new cart.

4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, 'accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.

5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.

6 ¶ And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen 'shook it.

7 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.

11 And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months; and the LORD blessed Obed-edom, and all his houshold.

12 ¶ And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness.

13 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.

14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

16 And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst

11 Chron 13. 5. 6. 2Or, at which the name even the name of the LORD of hosts was called upon. 8 Heb. made to ride. • Or, the hill.

$1 Sam. 7. 1.

6 Heb. with. 71 Chron 13.9. 8 Or, stumbled.

9 Or, rashness. 10 Heb. broken. 11 That is, the breach af Uzzah 1 Chron. 15. 25.

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