Commentary on 2 Samuel

“Interpretation on the 2nd Book of Kings” (45 questions) is part of the essay “Questions on the Books of Kings and Chronicles”, which Bl. Theodoret of Cyrus dedicated it to his “beloved son Hypatius,” the chorebishop. The work was written after 453 and is compiled in the form of questions and answers. Basically, only difficult passages of Scripture are explained. In particular, the following questions are considered: why was King David anointed as king three times; why God put the newly born baby to death; why did David do the counting, but the people bore the punishment; etc. *The title of the work in Latin is Quaestiones in Libros regnorum et Paralipomenon; Quaestiones in Reges et Paralipomena. Contents Question 1. Others reproach David for killing the one who announced the death of Saul (2 Samuel 1:15). Question 2. What is an amice (2 Samuel 1:10)? Question 3. Why did the prophet weep (2 Samuel 1:12)? Question 4. What is the book of righteousness (2 Samuel 1:18)? Question 5. How should we understand what is said: “Try to meditate, O Israel, on your wounded dead” (2 Samuel 1:19)? Question 6. Why did David curse the mountains of Gilboa (2 Samuel 1:21)? Question 7. Others turn into laughter what David said about Jonathan: “Your love has fallen upon me more than the love of a woman” (2 Sam. 1:26). Question 8: Why did God tell David to go to Hebron first (2 Samuel 2:1)? Question 9. How should we understand what Abner said: “Let the young men stand before us and play” (2 Samuel 2:14)? Question 10. How should we understand what is said: “food for victory will girdle the sword” (2 Samuel 2:26)? Question 11. The law forbade a wife who left her husband and married another to return to her first husband (Deut. 24:4); How did David agree to take Michal again, who was married to someone else (2 Samuel 3:13-14)? Question 12. Why did Joab kill Abner (2 Samuel 3:27)? Question 13. What does it mean when it is said: “Nabal died and Abner died” (2 Samuel 3:33)? Question 14. Why did David not put Joab to death after this unrighteous murder? Question 15. Why was David anointed king three times? Question 16. How should we understand what is said: “Let everyone who smites Jebusea touch him with the sword” (2 Sam. 5:8)? Question 17. What does the writer call “the valley of Titan” (2 Samuel 5:18)? Question 18: Why does God sometimes command David to fight foreigners and sometimes forbid him? Question 19. Why did Uzzah die, struck down from above (2 Samuel 6:7)? Question 20. Why did Michal laugh at David (2 Samuel 6:16)? Question 21. How did Nathan, being a prophet, not know the will of God and tell David to build the house of God (2 Samuel 7:3)? Question 22. How should we understand what is said: “David smite Moab, and kill them with snakes, laying them on the ground” (2 Sam. 8:2)? Question 23: Why did David destroy most of the Syrian chariots (2 Samuel 8:4)? Question 24. Why, having said above about the complete death of Hadarezer (2 Samuel 8:9), does the writer again say that he came to the aid of the Ammonites (2 Samuel 10:16)? Question 25: Why did God put the newly born baby to death (2 Samuel 12:18)? Question 26. How is the name Jeddedi translated (2 Samuel 12:25)? Question 27. Do others blame the cruelty of David, who subjected the Ammonites to such severe executions (2 Sam. 12:31)? Question 28. Why did the writer call Johanadab, the son of Samah, who gave such advice, wise (2 Samuel 13:3)? Question 29. Why did David forbid the priests and the ark to follow him (2 Samuel 15:25-29)? Question 30. Do others not praise the deceitfulness of Hushai (2 Samuel 17ff.)? Question 31. Others reproach David for not heeding the words of Ziba (2 Samuel 16:3-4). Question 32. How did the divine David use the adviser Ahithophel, who gave cunning advice? Question 33. What does it mean when it is said: “And now the land will lose ten thousand from us” (2 Samuel 18:3)? Question 34. Why did the writer above say that Absalom had three sons and one daughter (2 Sam. 14:27), and now, on the contrary, he reveals that, not having a son, he built a pillar in order to leave a memorial in it (2 Sam. 18:18)? Question 35. Why did David weep so much over his criminal son (2 Samuel 18:33)? Question 36. Why did David promise military leadership to Abishai: when Joab endured many labors and dangers for him (2 Sam. 19:13)? Question 37. How should we understand what is said: “we are ten hands of the king” (2 Samuel 19:43)? Question 38. Why did David keep concubines imprisoned, with whom the evil thief of power had intercourse against their will (2 Sam. 20:3)? Question 39. How should we understand what is said: “even if they become poor, even if they lay down the faithfulness of Israel” (2 Sam. 20:18)? Question 40. What does it mean when said: “above the plinthoid and above the strong”? Question 41. How should we understand what is said: “Zadok and Abiathar were priests, and Jehoiada the son of Jether was a priest of David” (2 Sam. 20:26)? Question 42. Why, when Saul killed the Gibeonites, after his death were the people of Israel punished for this (2 Sam. 21:1)? Question 43. Why did David “become weary” during the battle (2 Sam. 21:15)? Question 44. How should we understand what was said: “this one was eminent among the three, more famous than two, he became a prince, and even before the three he did not come” (2 Samuel 23:19)? Question 45. Why did David do the counting, but the people bore the punishment? Question 1. Others reproach David for killing the one who announced the death of Saul (2 Samuel 1:15). The prophet and the king should be surprised at this, and not blame him, because when he heard about the murder of a hostile man, he cried, and not only cried, but also sobbed bitterly. The one who brought the news, not being in the least offended by Saul, mocked death, while not only Saul fell, but also Jonathan, a praiseworthy man, and with them most of the army fell; Moreover, he added a lie to the words, calling himself the murderer of Saul; Moreover, there was an Amalekite, against whom the Lord of all had long ago pronounced a death sentence. The very words spoken by the prophet are worthy of surprise. For it is said: “Why were you not afraid to lift up your hand to destroy Christ the Lord? Your blood is on your head, for your mouth has proclaimed, saying, “For I have killed Christ the Lord” (2 Samuel 1:14, 16). Question 2. What is an amice (2 Samuel 1:10)? Gold jewelry that is placed on the shoulder or hands. The writer allowed us to see this here too: “and the amice that was on his lash” (2 Samuel 1:10), which is why Aquila called it a militia. Question 3. Why did the prophet weep (2 Samuel 1:12)? Many things prompted this: commitment to Jonathan, strong love for the people, the victory of the evil foreigners and, moreover, the murder of Saul, because David respected him alive, and even more so when he died. This is also shown by the description: “and wept and wept, and fasted until evening for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Judah, and for the house of Israel, as they were slain with the sword” (ibid.). Question 4. What is the book of righteousness (2 Samuel 1:18)? And from this it is clear that the history of the kings is drawn from many prophetic books. For the writer, having spoken about lamentation, added: “Everything is written in the book of the Righteous One.” Question 5. How should we understand what is said: “Try to meditate, O Israel, on your wounded dead” 1 (2 Samuel 1:19)? Do not assume, he says, that the defeat that occurred was any small or ordinary; on the contrary, judge about the fallen: who are they? The king, the son of kings, the valiant of his fellow tribesmen. And that David was greatly grieved with grief is evidenced by what follows. For he says: “Do not go to Gath, but tell them about Askelonih who are going out, lest the daughters of the foreigners rejoice, nor let the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice” (2 Samuel 1:20). Question 6. Why did David curse the mountains of Gilboa (2 Samuel 1:21)? And this shows the excessiveness of grief. Just as those who have pain in any part of the body hit the walls or the bed with their hands due to severe pain, so this divine man, inflamed with severe grief, cursed the inanimate mountains. Question 7. Others turn into laughter what David said about Jonathan: “Your love has fallen upon me more than the love of a woman” (2 Sam. 1:26). They do this out of little meaning, but they should have known that with the intention of showing the ardor and sincerity of love, David used such a similarity. For such is the disposition of a husband towards his wife that the law on marriage says: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh” (Gen. 2:24). Elkanah also expressed this, consoling Anna: “Am I kinder to you than ten children?” (1 Samuel 1:8). Therefore, just as this combination makes those coupled by the law of marriage one flesh, so the mutual disposition of those who sincerely love each other unites their souls. Question 8: Why did God tell David to go to Hebron first (2 Samuel 2:1)? The Commander Himself knows the true reason; but, I think, because the patriarchs lived in this city during their lifetime and were honored with burial after death. Moreover, there was another reason: the divine David was from the tribe of Judah, and the main city of this tribe at that time was Hebron, because the Jebusites still owned Jerusalem. And the tribe of Judah loved David more than the other tribes as a fellow tribesman. And that Hebron took precedence among other cities, this is shown by the description. It is said: “We went and began to live in the cities of Hebron” (2 Samuel 2:3). But that something else is true, this is shown by the following words: “And men came from Judah and anointed David there to reign over the house of Judah” (2 Samuel 2:4). The writer used the word “anointed” instead of “enthroned,” because David was anointed with Divine oil by the prophet Samuel. Meanwhile, Abner enthroned Mephibosheth 2, the son of Saul, whom other translators call Isbaal, and, leaving Ramah and Gibeon, where Saul lived, crossed the Jordan and made the so-called camps a royal city (2 Sam. 2:7-8). Question 9. How should we understand what Abner said: “Let the young men stand before us and play” (2 Samuel 2:14)? To the most distinguished of the young people, Abner proposed military combat and battle between them; comparing this private matter with a general and larger battle, he called it a game or a game. Each squad gathered an equal number from the tribes. The death of those who fought did not end the battle, but only caused another, in a larger form. When the battle became unequal, Abner's squad fled with haste and Joab's squad pursued with effort. Hazael, the younger brother of Joab, a very fast young man and ready to argue with the fastest running animals, did not pursue anyone else, but only wanted to hit Abner. The persecuted Abner meekly and in a friendly manner advised him to pour out his anger on one of the other fleeing people, and urged him not to kill him, but only to take his weapon in order to have some fruit of labor. But seeing that the young man did not obey, he began to calmly threaten him: “Get away from me, lest I strike you to the ground: and how shall I show my face to thy brother Joab?” (2 Samuel 2:22). When he saw that he was eager to kill, he struck him with the tip of a spear, stopped his desire and took his life. Question 10. How should we understand what is said: “food for victory will girdle the sword” (2 Samuel 2:26)? The fleeing Abner warriors reached one hill, and Joab and his subordinates were preparing to attack them. Then Abner again wisely and meekly reminded the leader of the vicissitudes of the war. For this is expressed by the words: “will the sword girdle into victory? or don’t worry, because the last one will be bitter?” and “How long have you not spoken to the people to return behind their brethren?” (ibid.). And he reminded about kinship in order to stop hostility, and pointed out the vicissitudes of war, because the victors are often defeated and the pursuers take flight. On the other hand, it is unfair, seeing those fleeing, to try to bring the vanquished to complete destruction. This is what the words “food in victory girdles the sword” mean. Having heeded these words, Joab yielded and, giving a sign with a trumpet, stopped the pursuit. Question 11. The law forbade a wife who left her husband and married another to return to her first husband (Deut. 24:4); How did David agree to take Michal again, who was married to someone else (2 Samuel 3:13-14)? The law commanded that a wife released by her husband should not return to her former husband. God declared this through the prophet Jeremiah, and said this: “If a man lets his wife go, and goes away, and has it for another husband, will the food that returns return to him again? will the food be undefiled and that wife undefiled? But you have all committed adultery with many shepherds, and you have returned to Me, says the Lord” (Jer. 3:1). But King David did not let Michal go, but her father, having illegally separated her from her husband, gave her to another; therefore, combination with another was violence, not marriage. The divine Paul also said this: “In the same way, as I live as a husband, an adulterer happens to be married to another” (Rom. 7:3). Michal was combined with another against her will. Therefore, it was not David who transgressed the law, but the one who combined Michal with another. An illegal marriage is not a marriage; and David, forgiving what his father had done under duress, took his wife back. Question 12. Why did Joab kill Abner (2 Samuel 3:27)? The pretext was the murder of Hazael, and the real reason was envy. For he knew that Abner would be awarded the leadership of the military, having turned all the Israelites to the king. Therefore, lust armed Joab to kill. In all respects, the valiant king mourned the unjustly killed and imposed many and various curses on the unjustly killed. For he said: “I am pure, and my kingdom is from the Lord, from now on and forever. Let the blood of Abner, the son of Ner, fall on the head of Joab and on his whole house, and let not the house of Joab fail, the one who sheds seed, and the leper, and the one who holds the rod, and the one who falls with weapons, and the one who is humbled by the bread” (2 Samuel 3:28-29). But he who sheds semen and is a leper, according to the law, is unclean and is excommunicated from the community. The rod is used by one whose bodily members are damaged; why did Akila call such a blind man? Therefore, David’s spells imposed on the entire family of Joab all kinds of bodily infirmities, extreme poverty, and murder with the sword. At his death, David ordered Joab to be killed. Question 13. What does it mean when it is said: “the death of Nabal and the death of Abner”? (2 Samuel 3:33) Nabal, as a cruel, unjust, ungrateful man, was quite rightly subjected to execution sent from God; but Abner was truthful in advice and courageous in battle. For David added this: “Your hands are not bound, your noses are not in fetters; you have not come like Nabal, you have fallen before the sons of wickedness” (2 Samuel 3:34), - i.e. You were not defeated in battle, not tied up as a prisoner, but hypocritical friendship dealt you a blow. The king wept so mournfully, and his weeping increased the people’s affection for him. Question 14. Why did David not put Joab to death after this unjust murder? He explained this with the words he spoke. For he says: “These men, the sons of Zerui, are more cruel than me” (2 Samuel 3:39); why he gave them over to God: “may the Lord reward the evildoer according to his malice” (ibid.). For where it was convenient for David to show righteous anger, there he shows no mercy. Thus, those who killed Mephibosheth and brought his head, immediately cutting off their hands and feet, he crucified, while they thought that by killing the one who reigned over them, the entire kingdom of Israel would be transferred to David. He punished the murderer with death, and honorably buried the head of those who were hostile to him (2 Samuel 4:12). Question 15. Why was David anointed king three times? He was honored with royal anointing from Samuel, and the description also refers to his two-time election by the people as anointing. For at first the tribe of Judah chose him, and after seven years the other tribes recognized him as king. This was also revealed by the scripture: “and anointed David to be king over all Israel” (2 Sam. 5:3); and then he added: “David reigned for thirty years, and his reign was forty years; seven years and six months in Hebron over Judah, and thirty-two years and six months over all Israel and Judah in Jerusalem” (2 Samuel 5:4-5). Question 16. How should we understand what is said: “Let everyone who smites Jebusea touch him with the sword” (2 Sam. 5:8)? One Jew told me that Aquila expressed the words “whoever strikes Jebusea with a sword” as “touches the fountain of water,” meaning by this that David, sparing the walls of the city, ordered the soldiers to enter the interior of the city through the water supply. For the Jebusites had hitherto possessed Jerusalem; now, after the end of the internecine war, the king first of all took up arms against them. And the Jebusites, despising his army and bringing the crippled onto the city wall, ordered them to mock and say: “David must not enter the city.” But David, having taken the land, as the writer calls the fortress, tried to drive out the enemies, inciting the soldiers to courage and ordering to kill every single enemy according to God’s definition given long ago. Having won the victory and freed the city from foreigners, he called it the city of David; so named Zion, i.e. upper city. For this is also what history says: “And David sat in the fortress, and it was called the city of David: and he built that city near the border, and his house” (2 Samuel 5:9); and then he shows God’s support for him: “And as David went, he went and was magnified, and the Lord Almighty was with him” (2 Samuel 5:10). This word denounces those who attempt to belittle the All-Holy Spirit, because the Spirit is repeatedly called the Lord Almighty. Question 17. What does the writer call “the valley of Titan” (2 Samuel 5:18)? The giants were also called titans, and the Hebrew text called them “Raphaim.” There were such giants in Hebron and Gath; among them was Goliath and some others, of whom the writer mentioned the more valiant when he described the valiant exploits of David (2 Samuel 21). Therefore, probably in this place there was a camp of giants in ancient times and the place itself received its name from them. Question 18: Why does God sometimes command David to fight foreigners and sometimes forbid him? How the wise Pestun trains him in virtue and convinces him not to rely on his own strength, but to expect God’s help, which is why he gives him signs of His appearance, for he says: “and it will happen, when you see that the oak groves are moving by themselves without wind, then you will go down to battle, for then the Lord will come out before you and defeat the foreigners in battle” ( 2 Samuel 5:24). Question 19. Why did Uzzah die, struck down from above (2 Samuel 6:7)? Others say that he was punished for his rashness, as having attempted to give help to the ark, which, serving as the defense of the entire people, had no need for the assistance of others. And Joseph says that he was punished because, not being a Levite, he dared to touch the ark. But this is obviously false, because he was the son of Abinadab, to whom the Bethshemites handed over the ark given by the foreigners; Aminadab was from the tribe of Levi. History also shows this; for it is said: “Sanctify also thy son Eleazar, and keep the ark of the covenant of the Lord” (1 Samuel 7:1). And that Uzzah was also the son of Abminadab, history also shows: “And he laid the ark of God on the new chariot, and took it from the house of Abminadab on the hill; And Uzzah and his brethren sons Aminadav drove the chariot with the ark of God; and Uzzah and his brethren walked in front and on the sides of the ark" (2 Samuel 6:3-4). Therefore Uzzah did not come from another tribe, as Joseph says, but was a Levite. And he was not punished for rashness, because when the chariot tilted he had to support it with his hand. On the contrary, Uzzah is punished for another lawlessness. God ordered the priests to carry the ark on their shoulders, but contrary to the law, they carried it in a chariot; They were deceived by the fact that the ark sent by the foreigners did not harm anyone. But it was necessary to know that the foreigners did not know the law, and did not have priests to move the ark according to the law. And that this is true can be seen from what follows. When Uzzah fell, the king was afraid and did not bring the ark into the royal house, where he had prepared the divine tabernacle, but brought it into the house of Abeddar. since he saw that that house was filled with every blessing in three months, he immediately transferred it to the royal palace, using for this not a chariot, but, according to the law, the priests, for it is said: “and the ark of the Lord carried seven faces with him, and the sacrifice of bulls and lambs: and David rattled his organs before the Lord, and he was clothed with an elegant robe” ( 2 Samuel 6:13–14); This is what the writer called multi-colored clothes. The book of Chronicles showed this more clearly; it says: “And they took the ark, as Moses commanded by the word of the Lord God of Israel according to the scripture, and carried their shoulders upon their shoulders” (1 Chronicles 15:15). Question 20. Why did Michal laugh at David (2 Samuel 6:16)? She considered it indecent for the king to jump in front of the people, because she did not know how much the king was wounded by Divine love, which is why he gave her a very severe reprimand. For he said: “I will dance and play before the Lord: as the Lord lives, he who chose me above thy father, and above all his house, has made me ruler over all His people over Israel” (2 Samuel 6:21); The following words have the same meaning. After this, history announces that “Michal’s daughter Sauli had no offspring until the day of her death” (2 Samuel 6:23). But it was not for this reason alone that she remained barren - so that no one would reign from that seed, for it was likely that the people would prefer to others someone who was distinguished by nobility on his father’s and mother’s side. Question 21. How did Nathan, being a prophet, not know the will of God and tell David to build the house of God (2 Samuel 7:3)? I have already said that the prophets did not know everything, but only as God’s grace revealed to them. So, Samuel did not know who should be anointed; So, Elisha did not know the grief of the Somanite, for he said: “Leave her, for her soul is sick in her, and the Lord hide from me” (2 Kings 4:27): So Nathan, praising the king’s intention, thought to please the God of all, which is why he said: “Everything is in your heart, go and do, as God is with you” ( 2 Samuel 7:3). At night, the Lord God, having appeared, spoke to Nathan the following: “Go and tell My servant David: This says the Lord: It was not you who built Me a house to dwell in; because they did not dwell in the house, from the evil day did the children of Israel come out of Egypt until this day” (2 Samuel 7:5-6). First of all, God consoled David with the title of servant, for he says: “Go and tell My servant David,” it is a high honor to be called a servant of God. Then He taught that His own nature has no need for anything, for it says: “We did not dwell in the house.” What is said, “I brought the children of Israel out of Egypt from a bad day,” means “all the time that I was with you, both in the wilderness and in this land.” And that before this time He did not have churches, ancient chronicles teach this. After this, showing boundless strength and love for mankind, he added: “And Israel went to dwellings and to tabernacles in all places” (2 Samuel 7:6-7) - and also added that he did not order any of the Judges, who were from different tribes, to build a church, nor did he blame them for not having done this. For he said this: “If you spoke to the one tribe of Israel, which was commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying: Why don’t you build Me a house of Cedars?” (2 Samuel 7:7). For this, having used a name showing favor and calling David His servant, he recalled both the shepherd’s life and other poverty, and also pointed out the height of the king’s rank and the generosity in the industry about it. For he says: “I have been with you in all, even as you have walked, and have destroyed all your enemies from before you, and made you a great name after the names of the great ones who are on the earth” (2 Samuel 7:9). He said this to confirm his piety and righteousness, so that, remembering his good deeds, he would serve the benefactor. He promised to provide for the people, for he says: “I will make a place for My people Israel, and I will plant them, and they will dwell in themselves” (2 Samuel 7:10) - because, leading life according to God’s law, Israel is separated from other nations. And the words “and the son of unrighteousness will not harm them” (ibid.) are explained by the following. It is said: “As from the beginning, even from the days of old, I have appointed judges among My people in Israel” (2 Samuel 7:10-11). since during the time of the Judges the Israelites were enslaved either by the Ammonites and Moabites, or by the Midianites and Philistines, God promises them to keep the kingdom intact and free them from such frequent changes. Then he announces that he will build them a verbal, divine and saving church, for he says: “The Lord will proclaim to you that you have built a house for yourself” 3 (2 Samuel 7:11). And that He Himself created flesh from the Holy Virgin, and He Himself called it a church, the Evangelist John taught us this, by including both the question of the Jews and the answer of the Lord Christ in the scripture of the Holy Gospel. For to the Jews who asked, “What sign did He show us that these things have been done,” the Lord said in response: “Destroy this church, and in three days I will build it up” (John 2:18–19). since the Jews thought that this was said about the inanimate church, the evangelist added: “He spoke about the church of his body. And when He rose from the dead, His disciples knew that Jesus had spoken, and believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken” (John 2:21-22). And the divine apostle called the assembly of the faithful the house of God, for he says: “Christ is like the Son in his house: whose house we are” (Heb. 3:6). The prophet also foretold this: “And the Lord will tell you that you have built a house for yourself” (2 Samuel 7:11). About the church made with hands he says this: “And it shall come to pass, when thy days are fulfilled, that thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, and I will raise up thy seed after thee, whosoever shall be from thy womb, and will prepare a kingdom for him: he shall build an house for my name” (2 Samuel 7:12-13). Having said this about Solomon, he adds to this prophecy a prophecy about the Lord Christ, for he said: “I will rule His throne forever: I will be his Father, and she will be Me as a Son” (2 Samuel 7:13-14). And that this was said about the Lord Christ is witnessed by the divine apostle, who said in the Epistle to the Hebrews: “To whom did the angel say: Thou art my Son, this day I begot Thee? And again: I will be His Father, and He will be My Son” (Heb. 1:5). Then he shows what providence His ancestors according to the flesh will use for the sake of this Son, even those who break the law. For he says: “I will reprove and punish those who sin; but I will not remove My mercy from them, as I left them from those whom I left behind” (2 Samuel 7:14-15). He used what was said “by the plagues of the sons of men” (2 Samuel 7:14) instead of “by punishments through people,” because both plagues and death are inflicted on a person by hand. And the words that follow are least of all befitting of the kings of Israel, but their truth lies in the Lord Christ alone. For it is said: “And His house and His kingdom will be faithful forever before Me: and His throne will be established forever” (2 Samuel 7:16). Solomon did not live longer than other people, did not even reach his father’s old age, and everyone who descended from him met the common end of all. Therefore, it is necessary to do one of two things: either apply this to the Lord Christ, or call the prophecy of the God of all false. But the latter is evil and blasphemous. Therefore, it is necessary, although the Jews do not want it, to accept the first. The king, having heard this, glorified the great-gifted Lord, and first of all confessed his own baseness: “Who am I, my Lord, Lord? and what is my father’s house, because you have loved me even to this day?” (2 Samuel 7:18). These words make it possible to see the greatness of the gifts. Then, showing the omnipotence of the Master, he added: “And this little thing is made small before You, O my Lord, Lord” (2 Samuel 7:19), - i.e. I was surprised at the excessiveness of the promises, turning my gaze to myself, but this is also small in comparison with Your power. Then, continuing the song of praise and begging for confirmation of the promise, he added: “And now, my Lord, O Lord, the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, make it sure forever” (2 Samuel 7:25). And that he begged for confirmation of the said promise is evidenced by the addition: “For Thou art the Lord Almighty God of Israel, Thou hast opened the ear of Thy servant, saying, This house will I build thee” (2 Sam. 7:27), - i.e. You have revealed to the ignorant that you will build this house, for the sake of which I will be famous among all people; I beg you to confirm this promise. Question 22. How should we understand what is said: “David smite Moab, and kill them with snakes, laying them on the ground” (2 Sam. 8:2)? So decisive was the victory and so many were taken prisoner that it was difficult to list them; Therefore, David ordered the captives to throw themselves face down on the ground and, dividing them into three parts, put two parts to death, and left one part alive and ordered them to pay tribute. And “golden hryvnia” of the Syrians (2 Kings 8:7) Aquila translated: “necklaces”, and Imath (2 Kings 8:9) – “Epiphany of Syria”. Question 23: Why did David destroy most of the Syrian chariots (2 Samuel 8:4)? The divine law commands kings not to have many horses in use (Deut. 17:16), so as not to rely on them, but on God's power. Keeping this law, David destroyed most of the chariots. But you can hear how he sings and says in the psalms: “A king cannot be saved by much strength, and a giant will not be saved by the abundance of his strength. A lie is a horse to salvation, but in the abundance of its strength it will not be saved” (Ps. 33:16-17). David also fulfilled the blessing of the patriarch Isaac given to Jacob when he said: “Be a master to your brother” (Gen. 27:29). And David defeated Idumea and set a guard in it (2 Samuel 8:13–14). What was said: “he placed guards throughout all of Idumea” means that he placed guards in every city, for the warriors whom others call placed in ambush, the writer called lie in wait. Then he added: “And all the Edomians came to be under the command of David” (2 Samuel 8:14). Thus he fulfilled the forefather’s prophecy. The writer, intending to narrate how this divine man fell into lawlessness, considered it necessary to first show the virtue of the husband, letting us know that this was a sin not always, but a random direction of the will. For he says: “David shall execute judgment and righteousness upon all his people” (2 Samuel 8:15). Then he lists the bosses and says that one was entrusted with this, and the other with another boss. He also mentioned the priests Zadok and Abiathar (2 Samuel 7:17). But I think that there is an error in the letter, because it is not Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, but Abiathar the son of Ahimelech. And the words “felefi and herefi” 4 are used by the writer to refer to slingers and archers. How could David, who was philanthropic towards his enemies, forget about his friends? Why did he ask: “Is there still one left in Sauli’s house, and I will show mercy to him for Jonathan’s sake?” (2 Samuel 9:1). Due to his disposition towards Jonathan, he did not pay attention to Saul’s hostility. Then he honors the favors of Mephibaal 5, making him the owner of all Saul’s property and ordering him to constantly be with him and share the royal meal (2 Sam. 9:7). Question 24. Why, having said above about the complete death of Hadarezer (2 Samuel 8:9), does the writer again say that he came to the aid of the Ammonites (2 Samuel 10:16)? The writer talks about the defeat of Adraazar, but does not talk about killing him. And now what has been said is in agreement with the previous one. For he says: “Adraazar sent an ambassador and brought the Syrians, like him, about the half of the Halamaka River” (ibid.). And if he had his own strength, then he would not need foreign troops. What benefits do misfortunes, sorrow and worries bring, we learn from this story. For she says that the divine David, persecuted by Saul, succeeded in all wisdom; fighting and occupying his mind with military concerns, he led his life according to Divine laws, but having received a little weakness, he was subjected to creep. It is said: “It came to pass at evening, that David arose from his bed, and walked on the roof of the king’s house, and saw a woman bathing in the blood; and the woman had good eyes with good eyes” (2 Samuel 11:2). Great and strong battle lay ahead, and peace, and luxury, and royal dignity, and power, and bodily beauty, and the meeting after satiety with food, when a spark ignites in the ascetics, so that the food becomes like poured oil. It is known that David by nature had a particularly strong passion of lust, for he would not have had many wives if nature itself had not prompted him to do so. But not a single law forbade polygamy at that time, and adultery was clearly forbidden by the Divine law. Although, simply, without curiosity, David, penetrating his gaze, “saw a woman washing herself,” he did not run away from this sight as harmful; on the contrary, seduced by the lure of beauty, he swallowed the bait of sin. And lust led him to this sin, and shame led him to another. Having learned that his wife was pregnant, he tried to avoid exposure and took all measures so as not to cause her a second offense. He called Uriah, assuming that, after a long time, returning to the city, he would want to get together with his wife. But he showed only chastity, courage, devotion to the king and slept in front of the royal palaces with bodyguards. The next day the king calls him and reprimands him for not giving his body peace; but he says: “When the commander and the entire army suffer needs in war, besieging a city, I do not consider it fair for myself to do anything to please my body.” And he confirmed this word with an oath. The king, ordering him to stay another day, treats him with frequent healthy cups and forces him to overdrink in drinking, so that the wine, giving strength to lust, will prompt him to get together with his wife. When the king saw that all his tricks were powerless, for Uriah was again sleeping in front of the royal palaces and with the royal armor-bearers, then, wounded and tormented by shame, he wrote a letter to the military leader. And Uriah, not knowing what is written, leaves, carrying with him a sword for his own slaughter. Then, after his death and at the end of the days of his wife’s crying, the marriage was consummated. But the Physician of souls did not allow the disease to remain unhealed, did not ignore the unjustly caused death, and for the sake of another Davidic virtue did not allow the offended person to be avenged. For it is said: “Evil is manifested before the eyes of the Lord” (2 Samuel 11:27). Therefore, the prophet Nathan was sent, who transfers the accusation to a person decently invented for this purpose; because we look differently at sin in others and differently at our own bad deeds, which is why we judge ourselves and others differently; over others we pronounce a righteous sentence, and often inflict on them a blow more cruel than it should be; When we ourselves sin, we either completely erase the consciousness of this from our thoughts, or, seeing the sin, we find an excuse for it. Therefore, the prophet composed a legend about the rich and the poor; described the wealth of one, pitifully presented the extreme poverty of another. For he says: “He had nothing else, but only one little lamb, which he acquired and provided, and nourished, and grew up with him and with his sons, eating his bread and drinking from his cup, and resting on his bosom, and was like a daughter to him” (2 Samuel 12:3). Yet the prophet exposes this in order to show the excess of lawlessness. And in the following words he also mixes in a few justifications, because he called evil lust a traveler, since it visits first one and then another. He also called it a wanderer, as it was unusual for David and unknown to him until then. And this led David to the point that he could gain forgiveness for himself. He was not brought up in vicious habits and suffered a blow due to the not always, but random direction of his will; sin was the result of carelessness, not malice. But in the words that followed, the prophet strengthened the accusation. It was necessary to slaughter one of his own sheep, and not someone else's only lamb. So, the accusation was made to a stranger, and the judge pronounced a truthful sentence, for he said: “As the Lord lives, for he who did this is worthy of death; and he will bring back the lamb sevenfold 6 for this, as he did this word, and for this, as without mercy” (2 Samuel 12:5-6). When the accused has pronounced judgment on himself, then the prophet, having taken off his disguise, presents the accused in all his nakedness, for he says: This says the Lord God of Israel: “I am the one who anointed you to be king over Israel, and I am the one who delivered you from the hand of Saul; and you have given all your master and his wife into your bosom, and you have given the house of Israel and Judah” (2 Samuel 12:7-8). Then he depicts immeasurable generosity: “and if you have little, I will add to this” (2 Samuel 12:8). Before opening the ulcer with a knife, medicine was applied to it; before punishment, consolation was given. “And if you have little, I will add to these.” Then comes the denunciation of guilt: “And why have you disgraced the Lord by doing evil in His sight?” (2 Samuel 12:9). Having despised My laws, you did not think that I oversee the actions of people; having had enough of My blessings, you rebelled against Him who gave it to you: “You killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and you took his wife to be your wife, and you killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammonich” (ibid.); You betrayed so many of your devotees to your enemies and, for short-term pleasure, you trampled two laws. Then the punishment was pronounced: even now the sword will not depart from your house forever; “Thou didst humiliate Me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite” to be his wife (2 Samuel 12:10). This word makes it clear that the Lord God was more angry with the marriage than with the adultery that had previously been committed. One was a matter of very strong lust, which lulled the mind, and the other was agreed to by reason itself, which, after an unjust murder, should have cried and groaned, and not agreed to an unlawful marriage. After this, the prophet threatens with severe punishments, which showed in a greater light the glory of the wonderful king; because the executions imposed by God eradicated the disease and returned David to his former health. This is why the Physician of souls inflicted these punishments. But He added to the threats: “For as you have done in secret, I will do this word before all this people” (2 Samuel 12:12), - i.e. wanting to hide, you cunningly arranged the murder, and I will make your sin obvious to everyone. David, having heard these words, was not indignant that he was exposed as a poor man. For he knew who was speaking through him, and he cried out: “those who have sinned against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:13). And the prophet, having accepted the confession of sin and firmly trusting in God’s love for mankind, immediately added: “and the Lord has taken away your sin, and you will not die” (ibid.). David was guilty of death, because according to the law, both an adulterer and a murderer were subject to death. But confession of sin destroyed the death sentence. However, as an all-wise physician, God subjected him to many different admonitions. This is also shown by the description. For the prophet, having said, “You shall not die,” added: “Besides, by angering those who opposed you, you provoked the Lord with this verb” (2 Samuel 12:14). Aquila translated this more clearly: “as if by sophistication you have sharpened the enemies of the Lord,” because, having lost Divine care, you gave foreigners the opportunity to win and be arrogant against the God of all. And first of all, God struck down the adulterous child. Uriah, it seems, came from foreigners and was a stranger, because the God of all called him a Hittitean, and thereby showed that he did not despise anyone who was offended; but even if the one who was offended was a foreigner, and the one who offended was a Jew, he defends the offended and punishes the offender. Question 25: Why did God put the newly born baby to death (2 Samuel 12:18)? If he remained alive, he would be a denunciation of lawlessness and a reproach to the pious king. Therefore, taking care of the prophet, the Lord did not allow him to live. Question 26. How is the name “Jeddedi” translated (2 Samuel 12:25)? Aquila translated “for the sake of the Lord,” and Symmachus translated “separated into a King.” Question 27. Do others blame David for his cruelty in subjecting the Ammonites to such severe executions (2 Sam. 12:31)? We must remember what they did to the Israelites, gouging out their right eye (1 Samuel 11:2). The prophets also inform about their other cruelties (Amos 1:13). Therefore, they suffered punishment equal to their crimes. Question 28. Why did the writer call Johanadab, the son of Samah, who gave such advice, wise (2 Samuel 13:3)? Moses also said about the serpent that “he is the wisest of all the beasts that are on earth” (Gen. 3:1). You should know that Divine Scripture does not always praise the word wise. For it is said: “Be wise to do evil” (Jer. 4:22), and it is also said: “God has chosen the world to put to shame the wise” (1 Cor. 1:27). And Solomon: “be wiser than all the wise men of Egypt” (1 Kings 2:35); but the wise men of Egypt were wicked. And here the Divine Scripture praised not the advice of Jonadab, but his intelligence, capable of discerning what should be done. However, he did not use his natural talents as he should have, but, on the contrary, contributed to Amnon’s intemperance and participated in the lawlessness he planned. For it is said: “If you saw the thief, you flowed with him, and you shared your share with the adulterer” (Ps. 49:18). The words “robe speckled” (άστραγαλωτόν) (2 Samuel 13:18) Aquila translated “robe with fruits” (καρπωτόν) in the sense that there were fruits woven on it; now they call it “πλουμαρικόν”; and Joseph translated “a robe reaching to the heels.” The action with Tamar is a certain beginning and root of the troubles of the royal house. Although the king grieved when he learned about the lawlessness, however, loving Amnon tenderly as his firstborn son, he did not punish him for this evil deed. But Tamar’s half-brother, an arrogant and impudent man, at first hid his anger, and after two years, calling his brothers to shear sheep, he killed Amnon, then fled to his maternal grandfather, for Maacah his mother was the daughter of Tholmi, who reigned in Gesser (2 Samuel 3:3). The king mourned a lot for both - both the killed and the murderer. After three years, when the anger faded with time, the military commander arranged something as follows: having composed a fable that could bend the king to pity, he puts it into the mouth of one reasonable wife. She comes to the king and, at the suggestion of the military leader, says: “I am a widow, I gave birth to only two sons. Having reached the age of manhood, they started an irreconcilable quarrel, and from the quarrel it came to a massacre. Since no one wanted to enter into mediation, one of them, struck by the other, ended his life. But those who did not want to stop their quarrels, now gathered, demand that another son be given to them. If this happens, then I will have to live out my life as a widow, mourning the loss of children; Moreover, the spark of the family will completely fade away and the memory of my husband will be consigned to oblivion.” When she said this, she meant the king, who did not punish Amnon and did not dispel Absalom’s sadness, and when things could no longer be corrected, he became angry in vain. Meanwhile, since the king was moved by these words and promised to give orders to the military commander to stop harassing his wife from the same lands, she again used words filled with humility, captivating the king’s ears with them. When the king swore and said: “As the Lord lives, even if the power of your son falls from his head to the ground” (2 Samuel 14:11), the wife immediately added that it was impossible for her son to avoid death unless the son of the kings returned from flight first, because the latter would serve as a model for the former. And if the latter does not happen, then the same-earth people will begin to argue, having a good reason - the flight of the Tsarev’s son. For Scripture also says this: and the woman said: “Why did you think this way about the people of God?” Is it really possible that in order not to break your word to the king, you must persist, “lest you return to the king what you have rejected” because your son has died? (2 Samuel 14:13) – i.e. How can you free my son from death without returning your son? Then he consoles the deceased: your son has died, “like the water that descends on the earth, that can never be gathered together” (2 Samuel 14:14), let no soul trust in him. You cannot resurrect the dead, why are you in a hurry to bring the living to death in order to live, having lost two? So, having said a word about Absalom, he again, apparently, begins to talk about his grief, so as not to give the thought that this was said with intention: “And now about this I came to speak to the king, this verb, that people will see me, and your servant said: Let him say to my lord the king, the king will not do the word of his servant, that the king will hear; may he take me out of the hands of the man who seeks to destroy me and my son together from the participation of God; and your handmaid says: Let the word of my lord the king be sacrificed today: like the angel of God, so is my lord the king, who can hear good and evil; and the Lord your God will be with you” (2 Samuel 14:15–17). When this was said by his wife, the king understood the basis of the fiction and asked his wife whether she was speaking these words with the consent of Joab. The wife confessed that Joab put every word into her mouth, “because this word came to the face, even if thy servant Joab did this word” (2 Sam. 14:20), - i.e. It was impossible to ask you directly why Joab inspired me to use such a turn of phrase, so that in the fictitious grief of seeing your own, you would render the very service that you wanted to provide me to yourself and the help that you promised to give to my son, you would give to yours. Yielding to these words, the king commanded Absalom to return, but forbade him to see him himself, and later allowed even that, heeding Joab’s request. But after four years, having prepared himself with feigned kind words the opportunity to steal power, under the pretext of a sacrifice, Absalom went to Hebron and there proclaimed himself king in place of his father, even plotting parricide. The king, having learned about this, left the capital, recognizing the best course of action to escape for a while. He was followed by many shield-bearers and spear-bearers, and Ephtheus the Geffein, who had recently left his fatherland and, together with those subordinate to him, became a stranger, followed with six hundred selected warriors. The king tried to convince him to return and, as he had recently begun to live with them, not to become a prisoner again. He said to Ephtheus: “Why are you coming with us? return and live with the king, for you are a stranger, and for you have fled from your home; If you came yesterday, and today will I move you to come with us? and I go, and even I will go” (2 Samuel 15:19–20). I need to change my place; It is unfair to demand from you, who came recently, that you bear the labor with us. But David’s meekness is worthy of surprise. Persecuted and threatened with war by his vile son, he calls him not a parricide, not a fratricide, but a king, and, having a need for great help, takes care of the salvation of the stranger. For he says to him: “Return, and bring your brothers back with you, and may the Lord show mercy and truth to you” (2 Samuel 15:20). But the more the king showed concern for him, the greater his devotion he revealed, for he says: “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, my lord the king, for in the place where my lord the king will be, either in death or in life, there your servant will be” (2 Kings 15:21). All this is prescribed in our teaching, so that we will learn that we do not need to do this either - to be with friends when their affairs are prosperous, and to leave them when they become upset. Question 29. Why did David forbid the priests and the ark to follow him (2 Samuel 15:25-29)? As a pious and prophet, the king knew what happened to the ark taken to help the lawless: they were beaten, and the ark was taken captive by foreigners. Knowing this, he said to Priest Zadok: “Return the ark of God to the city, and let it stand in its place; If I find grace before the Lord, and He will bring me back, and I will see the ark and its masonry; and even if he says this: I have no pleasure in you; Behold, I am, that He may do good to me in His sight” (2 Samuel 15:25–26), – i.e. I can’t carry an accuser with me, I hear the law inside him saying: “Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill,” and I have trampled on these two laws. When the Lawgiver cleanses the eye of my soul, then I will be able to see its beauty. If He completely deprives me of His care, then He is the ruler, and I am a servant, subjecting myself to His admonitions. So, the divine man spoke with tears, taking on the appearance of a mourner, because he covered his head and walked barefoot; the army cried with him. During this flight, David learned about the betrayal of Ahithophel, but immediately resorted to his Master, begging Him not to strike the traitor with lightning, but to make his advice vain. For he says: “Make sense of the counsel of Ahithophel, O my God” (2 Samuel 15:31). Akila translated the word “become mad”, meaning “show the mad and senseless.” And the writer uses the word “Ros” (2 Samuel 15:32) to refer to the top of the hill. For he says: “he is coming even to Ros” - i.e. to the top of the hill; This is what he calls the Mount of Olives, from which the Lord Christ ascended. There David worshiped God, probably looking at the tabernacle and the ark kept in it. Question 30. Do others not praise the deceitfulness of Hushai (2 Samuel 17ff.)? In both good and otherwise, one must delve into the intention. For, judging from this, we will find that the truth is sometimes worthy of accusation. It is said that Herod “for the sake of an oath and for those who reclined with him” killed John (Mark 6:26). But no one will be so unwise as to praise the truth accomplished through murder. It would have been better for Herod not to swear, and if he had sworn, then lying was preferable to committing murder. Therefore, hypocrisy is used here, not out of self-interest, not to harm others, but out of zeal for the prophet and pious king. Question 31. Others reproach David for not heeding the words of Ziba (2 Samuel 16:3-4). I have repeatedly said that prophets do not know everything; Ziwa’s words had the appearance of probability. For he himself came to the divine David, and said about his master that he was plotting a kingdom. Moreover, Siwa brought gifts, thereby proving his favor. Subsequently, having heeded the words of Mephibaal, David divided the estate to both (2 Samuel 19:29), and Mephibaal was honored with his former care for him: during the famine, when the Gibeonites demanded that Saul’s seven relatives be given to them, David did not give Mephibaal to them, but fulfilled the covenant made with Jonathan (2 Samuel 21:7). What is worthy of surprise is what David said to Abishai about Shimei. For when Shimei threw stones at David, showered him with dust and inflicted other insults in word and deed, calling David “a man of blood and lawlessness,” Abishai, being the second in command, could not bear these insults, but said: “Why does this accursed dog curse my lord the king? Now I will go and remove his head” (2 Samuel 16:7, 9). But David, who surpassed all others in meekness, said to this: “What do you and I need, son of Saruin? leave him, for this reason he curses me, because the Lord told him to curse David; who says to him, “Why did you do this?” (2 Samuel 16:10) – i.e. this is God's scourge and rod; I don’t see the scourge, but I see the scourge; I attribute these disasters to my iniquities; I don’t touch the rod so as not to irritate the beating one. And the following is in agreement with this, for it is said: “And David spoke to Abishai and to all his servants: Behold, my son who came from my womb seeks my life, and how much more the son of Jamini; leave him to curse me, as the Lord said to him: the Lord will look upon my humility without mercy, and will restore me to the good instead of his curse to this day” (2 Samuel 16:11-12), - i.e. Shimei is from the family of Saul, he has a long-standing enmity towards me, and it is likely that others can say that he found an opportune time to reveal the enmity. But my son, who was born and raised by me, has reached such an age and such honor, who armed him against me? Therefore, it is clear that the verdict has been pronounced from above and God is carrying out what He has predicted. I will endure those who insult me ​​and those who threaten me with death, in order to thereby tame the Divine wrath. This is what this divine man said. You need to know that there was no divine assistance either for Amnon’s lawless act with his sister, or for Absalom’s fratricide and frantic rebellion against his father; on the contrary, the house of David, having lost Divine providence, was like a boat without a helmsman and subject to disturbances by crafty demons. Question 32. How did the divine David use the adviser Ahithophel, who gave cunning advice? In dealing with good people, the most cunning people hide their wickedness, but when they find someone enjoying their endeavors, they reveal it and say what is beneficial for those listening. Such was Ahithophel. He offered advice to the Divine David in accordance with his good intentions. He advised Absalom what was in accordance with his disposition. Fearing that nature itself would not bring his son closer to his father and that after their reconciliation he would not suffer punishment for betrayal, Ahithophel inspired Absalom to dare to commit extreme lawlessness, so that there would no longer be any possibility of reconciliation. But as soon as he suffered punishment for his wicked and crafty suggestion, and since he armed his son against his father, he also armed his own hands against himself and, using them to put a noose around his neck, suffered the most pitiful end. For having enough intelligence to foresee the end of the matter, when his advice was not accepted, he foresaw David's future victory and, fearing that he would be handed over, laid hands on himself and suffered punishment. Divine Scripture showed that God assisted Hushai. For it is said: “The Lord commanded to destroy the good counsel of Ahithophel” (2 Samuel 17:14), - i.e. facilitating the misappropriation of power. That is why blessed David said in the Psalms: “Behold, iniquity conceived disease and gave birth to iniquity: a pit of destruction and fossils, and it will fall into the pit that it has made” (Ps. 7:15-16). Question 33. What does it mean when it is said: “And now the land will lose ten thousand from us” (2 Samuel 18:3)? The king, who intended to take part in the battle, was kept from doing so by the military commander, both fearing that something bad would happen to him (it was likely that enemies would attack him alone), and also fearing that David, having won, would take pity on his son who had appropriated the kingdom to himself. Therefore, they said to David: “If we, defeated, give ourselves up to flight, then your life will be a sufficient consolation for us, but if something happens to you, then this disaster will spread to everyone, because you alone are superior to many thousands of thousands of us all.” This thought was expressed by Symmachus: “and you, like us, ten thousand.” 7 But the righteous Judge, although he allowed these disasters to befall David in order to heal the iniquity he had committed, righteously punished his criminal son. And when Absalom was passing through the forest, according to God’s dispensation, he had to drive up under a tree, in which two inclined branches grew indirectly and were not far from one another, the mule galloped under the tree, the rider’s head got stuck between the branches, and he hung all over; the noise of the leaves prompted the mule to continue its run, and the rider remained hanging, presenting a delightful spectacle for the pious and showing the judgment of the ruling Providence that had been carried out on him. Other soldiers, looking at this, did not dare to strike the hanging man, because they were afraid of the royal order; but the military leader, granting compassion to his father, plunged arrows into the criminal heart, and then, taking Absalom from the branches and throwing him into a nearby abyss, he ordered all the people to be covered with stones, so that the punishment would serve him with a grave. Question 34. Why did the writer above say that Absalom had three sons and one daughter (2 Sam. 14:27), and now, on the contrary, he reveals that, not having a son, he built a pillar in order to leave a memorial in it (2 Sam. 18:18)? Both are true, for it is both probable that he gave birth to children and that the children died. And Joseph says that Absalom did this because the children could not live long, but the building could preserve the memory of him longer. Question 35. Why did David weep so much over his criminal son (2 Samuel 18:33)? He was both child-loving and humane; and the proof of the latter is his crying for Saul, and here nature increased the sorrow. Moreover, like a pious husband, he also cried because his son could no longer heal himself through repentance, because after death the wound of sin is incurable. Question 36. Why did David promise military leadership to Abishai 8 when Joab endured many labors and dangers for him (2 Sam. 19:13)? David always hated Joab's arrogance, but tolerated Joab for the favor he had previously shown to the king, although he suspected that he could plan something new against him. But when he saw that Abishai, who was his nephew, Absalom, who had stolen the power, made him leader of the entire army (2 Samuel 17:26), he sent for him, promising to give him the leadership of Joab. Having learned this, Joab was amazed by what was said and, wounded by envy, dealt Abishai a mortal blow when he feignedly showed him favor and friendship (2 Samuel 20:9-10). Question 37. How should we understand what is said: “we are ten hands of the king” (2 Samuel 19:43)? When a dispute and competition occurred and the other tribes accused the tribe of Judah of having warned them to meet the king, in response to this the accused said that the king of the same tribe or more belonged to them by closest affinity. Therefore, the other tribes said that they had ten hands for the king, because the tribe of Benjamin was due to Judah. They added that they also have the advantages of the firstborn, both according to Reuben, who was actually the firstborn, and according to Joseph, who received the lot of the firstborn for virtue, because the firstborn received a double share from their father’s inheritance, which is why the patriarch said to Joseph: “Ephraim and Manasseh, like Reuben and Simeon, will be to me” (Gen. 48:5). Thus, both the great Moses and his successor Joshua assigned them a double lot. Question 38. Why did David imprison the concubines with whom the evil thief of power had intercourse against their will (2 Sam. 20:3)? He considered it criminal to have communication with them after their vile communication with their son, because the law clearly forbade this. He did not combine them with anyone else, so that this would not serve as a pretext for the theft of supreme power. Moreover, such a marriage would not be a marriage, for “I live to the husband of an adulterer, even if he becomes another husband,” as the divine apostle says (Rom. 7:3). If the law allowed a husband who hated his wife to divorce her, then it was not hatred that separated her, but the lawless communication with them of his son. For this reason, David moved them to another house, where he took every care of them. Question 39. How should we understand what is said: “even if they become poor, even if they lay down the faithfulness of Israel” (2 Sam. 20:18)? Sheba, having rebelled against David, and then fled, took refuge in the city of Abel, and this is a city in Palestine, now called Abel. Therefore, when the commander deployed an army to besiege the city, one very wise wife reminded him of the Divine laws. And the Divine Law commanded to first send an embassy, ​​and then take up arms against those who would resist. This is what the wife said: “What if the faithful of Israel become poor?” – i.e. there is no need to violate what is prescribed by the laws. Then she added: “I am the peaceful affirmation of Israel; Why are you drowning the property of the Lord? (2 Samuel 20:19) – i.e. Since you, according to Divine law, did not send an embassy, ​​I inform you that the city has no hostile intentions, but desires peace. Therefore, do not destroy a city - not a foreign one, but one of the same tribe, submissive to the same God and Master. The military commander, having listened to these words, said that he did not want either war or a siege, but only wanted to have in his hands the one who rebelled against the king. Therefore, the wise wife, having learned the reason for the siege, convinced the rulers of the city not to plunge the city into the dangers of war, but to remember the piety and truthfulness of the king, his valiant exploits in wars and the fact that through his labors they enjoy an inviolable peace. With these words she made sure that the head of the rebel was thrown into the camp of Joab and the siege was lifted. Question 40. What does it mean when said: “above the plinthoid and above the strong” 9? I think plinth-shaped (πλινθίον) is the same name as what secular writers call an oblong quadrangle (πλαίσιον), and this is a type of quadrangular military formation. Therefore, just as now among the Romans the so-called master is entrusted with command over the guards surrounding the king, I mean the shield-bearers and spear-bearers, so Vanea led the royal bodyguards, and the rest of the army was under the command of Joab. Question 41. How should we understand what is said: “Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and Jehoiada the son of Jether” 10 was a priest of David (2 Sam. 20:26)? Zadok and Abiathar had the rank of high priest, and this one, being a priest, lived inside the royal house, always being at the Divine ark and performing the king’s sacrifices. Question 42. Why, when Saul killed the Gibeonites, after his death were the people of Israel punished for this (2 Sam. 21:1)? All the people made a covenant with the Gibeonites; In the oaths, both Eleazar the priest and Jesus the prophet were participants (Joshua 9:15). Therefore, the descendants of those who swore the oath had to not break the agreements, but also convince the king who was breaking the law to keep the oath. Therefore, after the death of the king, the Israelites suffered the punishment of hunger. And through this, the wise One who disposes of everything teaches us that although, out of long-suffering, He does not immediately impose punishment for breaking the laws, He will subsequently subject it to just punishment in the same way as then, after forty years, He closed the womb of the clouds, subjected the earth to the infirmities of infertility and punished its inhabitants with hunger. The king, not knowing the reason for the punishment sent down by God, asked the righteous Judge. When he learned that this was retribution for the unrighteous killing of the Gibeonites, he made the offended themselves judges. For it is said: “And David said to the Gibeonites: What will I do to you? and with this I pray that you bless the property of the Lord? (2 Samuel 21:3). But the Jews do not heed these words, that Abraham’s seed also needed the blessing of the Canaanites. They think highly of their ancestors and do not want to understand that virtue is much more glorious than ancestral nobility; and, according to the word of the divine Apostle: “Whoever is uncircumcised by nature, who commits the law, will condemn him who is a transgressor of the law by the Scripture and by circumcision” (Rom. 2:27). Therefore, just as the Israelites who sinned then needed the blessing of the Canaanites, so those who crucified the Lord lost their ancestral blessing and need to be instructed by the believing pagans. Moreover, it should also be noted that Saul, out of jealousy, killed the Gibeonites along with the other Canaanites. For this is also shown by Divine Scripture. It is said: “The Gibeonites were not from among the children of Israel, because they were from the remnant of the Amorites, and the children of Israel swore to them not to destroy them. Saul sought to defeat them, and was always jealous of him for the sons of Israel and Judah” (2 Sam. 21:2). This word teaches us not to break covenants made with oaths in the name of God, even if the crime serves the benefit of others. The Gibeonites asked from Saul's family for seven husbands, according to the number of days in which time revolves. They said: “We cannot bring silver or gold with Saul and his house, and we cannot bring a man to slay from all Israel, a man who committed a crime against us and persecuted us, and whoever intended to consume us, let us consume him, so that he may not be found in all the borders of Israel; give us seven men from his sons, and with them we will purify the Lord’s 11 chosen ones on the hill of Sauli” (2 Samuel 21:4-6). The main city of the Gibeonites was called Gibeon; this name, translated into our language, means “hill.” Therefore, the husbands handed over to them were executed in the place where Saul dared to commit lawless murders. And Aquila expressed this “hanging in the sun” (2 Samuel 21:6) with the word “strangled.” Saul's two sons from his concubine and his five grandchildren were given away; Subsequently, the pious king honored them with burial. After the execution was completed, the Lord was appeased, resolved the clouds from birth illnesses, and commanded the earth to bear fruit according to custom. And we learn from this that the Lord does not distinguish between generations, but righteously avenges the offended, even though they are foreigners. Question 43. Why did David “become weary” during the battle (2 Sam. 21:15)? David was old, but his physical weakness was overcome by jealousy. Having put up a lot of labor in battle, because he fought in front of the squad, and unable to bear this labor, he weakened. But when he was in danger and could have been killed by a foreigner fighting in front, beyond his expectations he was saved, because Abishai covered him with the shield, which killed that tall enemy as well. And from here you can also find out that those who were tall were called giants. For Abishai, who was killed, was also a descendant of giants, as the writer showed. The army, having learned about the danger of the king, vowed never to allow him to take part in the battle, because it was both useful and fair for him to give in to old age and dispose of the army without going to the battlefield. The writer also mentioned other giants, who were called so because of their strength and size, and not because they were wicked, as some said, or because they lived for a long time. After these wars, the divine David composed a victorious song to God: it agrees with the seventeenth psalm; better to say, it is this same psalm with a few changes in the words. And I, along with other psalms, interpreted the seventeenth, and considered it unnecessary to make another interpretation. This song also contains a prophecy about the Savior Christ, for it is said: “He delivered Me from the people, He made Me a light to the pagans; people, who knew nothing, worked for Me, and heard Me in the ear of the ear” (cf. 2 Samuel 22:44-45 and Ps. 17:44-45). And it was not David who was a light to the Gentiles, but He who came from David according to the flesh, the Lord and Son of David. If David also served as a light to the pagans, it was precisely because he illuminated those who believed in the Lord Christ with sweet singing, because in all the churches throughout the universe, David’s spiritual hymn enlightens the souls of the faithful. Since the Jews do not want to call David a prophet, as he very clearly foretold about our Savior and about the faith of the pagans, then let them hear what he himself says: “David the son of Jesse is faithful, and faithful is the man whom the Lord raised up in Christ, the God of Jacob, and the psalms of Israel are beautiful. And the Spirit of the Lord spoke in me, and His word was upon my tongue. The God of Jacob spoke in me" (2 Samuel 23:1-3). If the Spirit of the Lord spoke in him, and the God of Jacob was pleased to speak in him, then, of course, he is a prophet, and the greatest prophet, because God showed him the hidden and secret things of His wisdom. But how much benefit God’s admonitions brought him is shown by the description. Having learned from experience that lust entails many disasters, when he wished for cold water and remembered the water of Bethlehem, three of those who were accustomed to distinguish themselves in battles with foreigners camped near Bethlehem, tried to bring water without the king’s order (having passed through the middle of the enemy army, they drew water and hastily returned, while none of the foreigners did not dare to attack them because they were afraid of their excessive courage), then the most excellent king in everything did not agree to taste the coveted water, but with a pious thought he overcame the lust, because this water was called the blood of those who brought it, who, preferring service to the king over their own lives and despite the danger, fought their way through the squads of enemies and were miraculously saved; why David brought this water as a drink offering to God who saved. God's admonitions brought us to such wisdom! Question 44. How should we understand what was said: “this one was eminent among the three, more famous than two, he became a prince, and even before the three he did not come” (2 Samuel 23:19)? The writer praised the strength and courage of the three, but said about Abishai that he was better than the two, but lower than the first, because he killed nine hundred in battle, and Abishai - six hundred. He is the first of the three not in business, but in leadership. You should also know that Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was the king’s nephew, because the writer called him the grandson of Jesse, the son of Jehoiada, the son of Jesse. And since he repeatedly spoke about his valiant deeds, he added that he was “glorious from three, and to three he did not come” (2 Samuel 23:23), because, not equal in strength to the three, he was glorious, as having authority over the royal guard; for it is said that David made him over the guard. Question 45. Why did David do the counting, but the people bore the punishment? The people are punished for their own iniquities, because, having abandoned the pious king, they took up arms with the evil power-stealer and parricide son, who rebelled against the pious father and prophet, installed as king by the God of all. Their guilt is increased by the fact that they did not leave Saul, condemned and deprived of God’s grace, until Saul passed away, while David was anointed as a prophet; and David, who was the author of a thousand blessings for them, crushed the insolence of foreigners, put Amalek to final destruction, and subjugated and enslaved the Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites, those and other Syrians, forcing them to pay tribute, and, moreover, had prophetic grace, not only abandoned him, but also armed themselves against him, treated him as enemies and collaborated with the wicked and to the lawless murderer son. For this reason the Righteous Judge punished them and punished them through David, because the offense was inflicted on him. This is also shown by history: “and the wrath of God caused Israel to be angry” (2 Samuel 24:1); It does not say “in David,” but “in Israel.” The only pretext for punishment was the numbering of the people, for it is said: move David among them, saying: “Go, honor Israel and Judah.” But no verbal order was given; otherwise, the one punished for counting the people would say: “He himself commanded to count.” David did not say this, but admitted that he had sinned. Therefore, God did not verbally order him to number the Israelites, but allowed David to reach this thought, because the Master and God, as a merciful one, puts an obstacle to such thoughts that will not be useful. Even to the one who planned to build a divine church, He declared through the prophet Nathan that he would not plan anything like that, but would retain the care of the church building to his son. And that such a thought occurred in David not through the assistance, but through the mere permission of God, this was shown more clearly by the book of Chronicles; He says this: “Satan has arisen against Israel and destroyed David, that he may number Israel” (1 Chronicles 21:1). The writer did not say “Satan rose up against David,” but “against Israel.” Satan in the Hebrew language is called an adversary or an apostate. So, since such a thought was contrary to the Divine promise, the God of all said to Abraham: “I will make your seed as the sand of the sea” (Gen. 22:17) and “will not be numbered from the multitude” (Gen. 16:10) - therefore, such a thought, as contrary to the Divine promise, the writer called Satan. Such a thought was born to punish the Israelis. For it is said: “Satan arose against Israel and killed David, that he might number Israel and Judah.” So here it is said that “God caused the wrath of God to be angry in Israel, and move David in them, saying: Go, honor Israel and Judah.” But if God Himself commanded, why is he indignant? So, the writer expressed this Divine permission. And if the Lord God commanded to do this, then why does David, having fulfilled God’s commandment, repent? For it is said: “The heart of David feared, according to the numbering of the people, and David said unto the Lord, Because I have sinned, I have done this: and now, O Lord, take away the iniquity of Thy servant, for I have bound them tightly” (2 Samuel 24:10). So, it is clear that the writer called permission a commandment, because God could have prevented, but did not prevent, intending to punish the lawless through this. And first he wanted to remind them of the promise given to the fathers and prove its truth, and then he showed that from one Jacob so many thousands came and that, having received so many good deeds, they always revealed an evil heart. That is why he allowed the people to be numbered first, and then he punished them. Gad sent the prophet to the calculator to offer a choice of three punishments: either famine lasting three years, or an invasion of enemies who decisively conquered and persecuted for three months, or death from an ulcer for three days. The Prophet, having said this to the prophet and the king, urged them to speed up the choice in order to have an answer. He said: “And now understand and see that I answer him who sent me” (2 Samuel 24:13). But the wise and truthful king, judging that he could avoid famine, like a king, having a lot of spare bread, the punishment would fall only on the poor, and in war he could avoid enemy hands, first, by taking advantage of fortified and impregnable cities, and then by protecting himself with these valiant men, he considered it fair not to worry about his own salvation, but to participate in the punishments imposed on the people. And such is the plague, which knows no difference between the rich and the poor, the fearful and the courageous, the slave and the ruler, the commoner and the king, and extends equally to everyone. Therefore, he preferred this to other punishments, in which the punisher Himself is the dispenser. For it is said: “David said to Gad: these three things are straitened by me; let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for many are His bounties; Let me not fall into the hands of men. And David chose death for himself” (2 Samuel 24:14). And he was not deceived in his hope, because God, who threatened death for three days, sent death for only six hours. And if we count nights as days, it turns out that the execution suffered by the people is only a twelfth part of the threat. Thus, the humane Lord, frightening those who sin, makes great threats, but imposes punishments that are much smaller. For according to the number there were nine hundred thousand in Israel and four hundred thousand in the tribe of Judah, and precisely at the age capable of military service, with the exception of those who had not reached this age or those who came out of it and women, and in addition, the Levites and the tribe of Benjamin, who was also not numbered, because the king had already repented; the angel killed only seventy thousand, whereas everyone could have died in the blink of an eye, because the punishing angel did not need time; in the blink of an eye he killed the firstborn of Egypt and one hundred and eighty-five thousand Assyrians. Therefore, time was required out of philanthropy, and not out of impotence. Suddenly an angel appeared to David advancing on Jerusalem, with a drawn sword, to ask for forgiveness. The king’s words themselves are worthy of surprise. For he says: “Behold, I am a sinner, I am a shepherd who has done evil, but what have you done to these sheep? Let Your hand be on me and on my father’s house” (2 Samuel 24:17). David, not knowing the reason, called what had happened his own sin and begged to pronounce a truthful sentence on him and his family, expressing himself as a true shepherd and imitating his Son and Lord, who laid down His life for the sheep. And the good Lord, heeding the prayer, ordered the creation of an altar in the place where Divine mercy stopped the execution. The words “and the Lord repented” (2 Samuel 24:16) are unnecessary to explain, because we have repeatedly said their meaning, namely, that these words mean a change in the economy. Therefore the king immediately went and asked Orna the Jebusite to sell the threshing floor. since Orna promised to give freely the threshing floor, the oxen, and the wood from the plows, so that an altar would be built on the threshing floor, the oxen would be sacrificed, and the wood would be used to light the fire, the king said that justice requires that gifts be brought to God not from someone else’s, but from one’s own. Having learned this from him, his son Solomon advises, saying: “Honor the Lord with your righteous labors and give Him the firstfruits of your righteous labors” (Prov. 3:9). Doing this, the king bought a threshing floor, created an altar, made a sacrifice and propitiated God. You should know that the wise Solomon built a church on this place. History also shows this. It is said: “And Solomon brought him to the altar after he was small before” (2 Samuel 24:25). After this (1 Kings 1 et seq.), the writer tells about Orn, or Adonijah (because he had two names) 12: how he planned to steal royal power, how he arranged a rich feast, among those invited to the feast, having the military commander Joab and the priest Abiathar as the first to be invited to the feast, and he took the meal at a certain source that flowed in front of the city, where the royal garden was green. This is what Joseph says, and Symmachus translated the word “source” (1 Kings 1:9) with the word “ayn”; The Syriac translator also calls him “ayna”. According to the usual reading: “erect a pillar, O Israel, over the dead,” and so on. According to the Slavic translation: Iebosheth. Here Theodoret follows Lucian's version (Ed.). In the Slavic translation: khelethy and felety (2 Kings 8:18). Here and further in LXX: Mephiboshea (Church Slav. Mimphiboseya) (Ed.). The original reads: quaternary. This is how it reads in the Slavic translation. According to ordinary reading: Amasai. These words are not read today in the book of Kings; but from the connection of speech one can guess that bl. Theodoret, according to some list, read these words in 2 Samuel 20:23. According to ordinary reading: Iras iarin. Theodoret read έξιλασόμεθα instead of έξηλιάσωμεν. Theodoret calls Adonijah Ornos, because he recognizes him as one person with Ornos, a Jebusite. You might be interested in: