Commentaria in II Regum (II Samuelis)
AND HE MEASURED TWO LINES, ONE TO PUT TO DEATH, AND ONE TO SAVE ALIVE—that is, he applied the measure of two lines, or measured the Moabites with two lines: one was the line of death, that those measured by it, that is, designated and condemned by David, were put to death; the other was the line of life, that those measured by it, that is, designated by David, were quickened, that is, kept alive. It is a catachresis or metalepsis: for by “two lines” he understands two lots of Moabites, one to be slain, the other to be kept alive; he did, I say, according to his own pleasure as victor, but with a measure of justice and equity, which becomes a victorious prince, that is, to slay the more guilty and those resisting him; the less guilty, and those submitting themselves, he kept alive. So Cajetan. For a line signifies inheritance and lot, because anciently this was measured and divided not by rods and poles, as is done now, but by cords, and with these the measurers measured to each heir his lot and portion.
Tropologically Angelomus: David, that is Christ, on the day of judgment, Matthew 25, will make two lots, one of those to be saved and blessed, the other of those to be damned. For, as the Psalmist says, Psalm 30:16: “My lots are in thy hands.”
Moreover the Hebrew here is obscure. For it reads word for word thus: He measured two lines to put to death, and a line of fulness to keep alive. Which words can be punctuated and explained in two ways. In one way, by placing a comma after “to put to death,” and so making three lots, as if to say: David distributed the Moabites into three lines, or lots and parts, two he doomed to death, the third to life. So the Chaldee, the Septuagint, Theodoret, Procopius, Josephus and the Greeks. In the other, by placing the comma after “two lines,” and supplying “one,” as if to say: David measured two lines, one to put to death, the other to keep alive. This sense, as more apt, our version and the Latins followed, and the word “fulness” demands it, as if to say: David doomed few Moabites to death, but kept far more in life. For this was to his honour and advantage, to exact tribute from the living, which the slain and dead could not have paid; the line of those to be slain was therefore diminished and small, but that of those to be kept alive full, great and entire, and this the word “fulness” signifies; for this became a merciful victor and prince, such as David was. Moreover for this reason “Moab,” wholly subdued by David, is called by him in Psalm 59:10 (for he composed it then, as is clear from its title), “the pot of my hope,” that is, my vilest slave, as if fit only for kitchen and pot work. Hence St. Jerome and Aquila render, Moab is the pot of my washing, in which, as in a pot, I wash; and the Chaldee, when the Moabites were trodden down, my feet were defiled with the blood of their chiefs, as in a pot of washing.
3. AND DAVID DEFEATED ADAREZER THE SON OF ROHOB, KING OF SOBA,—in 1 Paralipomenon 18:3 is added, “of the country of Hemath,” that is, of Syria. By Josephus, book VII, chap. 5, he is called “king of the Sophonians,” which is Syria this side of the Euphrates, says Strabo, book XVI. Soba or “Suba” and “Subal” is a part of Syria, lying between Libanus and Antilibanus and Hermon, and in Greek it is called Coelesyria, that is, hollow Syria, from the plain sunk below the slope of the mountains, says our Christopher a Castro on Amos 9:47 [sic]. For koilon is hollow, and the Hebrew “Soba” hints the same, which Pagninus interprets as hiding, because the plain hides itself between the mountains. Rather Soba in Hebrew is the same as swollen, because “Soba” is raised and swells with the neighbouring mountains, while the region itself lying between is level, low, depressed and hollow, as being enclosed on all sides by very high mountains. But “Soba” is not the whole of Coelesyria, but only a part of it. For Coelesyria taken broadly comprises many regions, nay all that lie between the mountains Libanus and Hermon, says Ptolemy. “Soba” therefore was beyond the Jordan, bordering on the half-tribe of Manasses, going towards the river Euphrates. See Adrichomius in the cosmographical Table of the tribe of Manasses, no. 87, where he places “Soba” near Palmyra, and the mountains Amana and Hermon and the region of Trachonitis, not far from Damascus. Hence Solomon also, when he went to build Palmyra, leading his army here, claimed this city and region for himself. But when in old age he turned aside from God to idols, God raised up Razon, the fugitive servant of the king of “Soba,” who harassed Israel, 3 Kings 11. Lastly Holofernes, Judith 5, ravaging through Syria, led his army to “Sobal.” From “Sobal” sprang Igaal, one of the bravest soldiers and heroes of David, 3 Kings 23:36 [sic].
WHEN HE WENT TO EXTEND HIS DOMINION OVER THE RIVER EUPHRATES.—Hence it is clear that “Soba” was midway between the Jordan and the Euphrates, and therefore was comprised within the limits of the promised land assigned by God to the Jews; for its limits were the Mediterranean sea to the west, and the Euphrates [to the east, and] whatever lay between this sea and the Euphrates belonged by divine right to the Jews. This was therefore David’s just cause of war in invading “Soba,” as belonging to himself and the Jews.
Moreover “he went” is ambiguous; for it can refer to Adarezer, as Dionysius and Hugo refer it; it can also refer to David, as Abulensis, Vatablus and Mariana refer it.
4. AND DAVID TOOK FROM HIM (from Adarezer) A THOUSAND AND SEVEN HUNDRED HORSEMEN.—These were the chief and principal horsemen; for otherwise in all there were taken by David a thousand chariots and seven thousand horsemen, as is said in 1 Paralipomenon 18:4. So Abulensis. Or at least, with Serarius, understand by horsemen the decuries of horsemen; for multiply seven hundred decuries of horsemen by ten, thou wilt have seven thousand.
AND HAMSTRUNG ALL THE CHARIOT HORSES,—that is, as it is explained in 1 Paralipomenon chap. 18, verse 4: “He hamstrung all the horses of the chariots, except a hundred chariots which he reserved to himself.” Moreover to hamstring is to cut the sinews or hocks of horses so that they cannot advance, and become useless both for fighting and for drawing chariots, which others call subpernare. Josue did the same, chap. 11.
5. AND THE SYRIANS OF DAMASCUS CAME ALSO,—that is, the Syrians who inhabited Damascus came, whose king was Adad, says Josephus.
9. AND THOU (by Josephus called “Thonus”) KING OF EMATH HEARD.—“Emath” was named from its founder Amathus, Genesis 10. And it was twofold, namely the greater, which is Antioch, and the lesser, which is Epiphania. So Josephus, St. Jerome in the Places, Procopius and others.