Commentaria in I Paralipomenon
Chapter 10. Synopsis of the Chapter
King Saul, rejected by God for his sins, is slain together with his sons by the Philistines. His head is hung up in the temple of Dagon, the rest of his body is buried by the men of Jabes.
1. Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from the Palestines; and fell wounded in mount Gelboe. 2. And when the Philistines had come up with Saul and his sons in pursuit, they slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchisua, the sons of Saul. 3. And the battle was heavy upon Saul, and the archers found him, and wounded him with arrows. 4. And Saul said to his armourbearer: Draw thy sword, and kill me; lest these uncircumcised come and mock at me. But his armourbearer would not do it, being struck with fear: so Saul took his sword, and fell upon it. 5. And when his armourbearer saw this, to wit, that Saul was dead, he fell also upon his sword, and died. 6. So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house fell together. 7. And when the men of Israel who dwelt in the plains had seen this, they fled: and Saul and his sons being dead, they forsook their cities, and were scattered here and there; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them. 8. And on the next day the Philistines, taking off the spoils of the slain, found Saul and his sons lying in mount Gelboe. 9. And when they had stripped him, and cut off his head, and taken off his armour, they sent into their land, to be carried about, and to be shown in the temples of idols, and to the people: 10. and his armour they consecrated in the temple of their god, and his head they fastened in the temple of Dagon. 11. And when the men of Jabes Galaad had heard this, all that the Philistines had done to Saul, 12. all the valiant men arose, and took the bodies of Saul and of his sons: and brought them to Jabes, and buried their bones under the oak that was in Jabes, and they fasted seven days. 13. So Saul died for his iniquities, because he transgressed the commandment of the Lord which he had commanded, and kept it not; and moreover consulted also a witch, 14. and trusted not in the Lord: therefore he slew him, and transferred his kingdom to David the son of Isai.
Chapter 11. Synopsis of the Chapter
David is anointed king of Israel, and drives the Jebusites out of the citadel of Sion. From verse 10 to the end the names and heroic deeds of his valiant men are enumerated.
1. Then all Israel gathered themselves together to David in Hebron, saying: We are thy bone and thy flesh. 2. Moreover yesterday also and the day before, when Saul was yet king, thou wast he that led out and brought in Israel; for the Lord thy God said to thee: Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be prince over them. 3. So all the ancients of Israel came to the king to Hebron, and David made a covenant with them before the Lord: and they anointed him king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by the hand of Samuel. 4. And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem. This is Jebus, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. 5. And they that dwelt in Jebus said to David: Thou shalt not come in hither. But David took the castle of Sion, which is the city of David, 6. and said: Whosoever shall first smite the Jebusite shall be the head and chief. And Joab the son of Sarvia went up first, and was made chief. 7. And David dwelt in the castle, and therefore it was called the city of David. 8. And he built the city round about, from Mello even to the circuit: and Joab built the rest of the city. 9. And David went on, growing greater and greater, and the Lord of hosts was with him. 10. These are the chief of David’s valiant men, who helped him to be king over all Israel, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke to Israel. 11. And this is the number of David’s valiant men: Jesbaam the son of Hachamoni, chief among the thirty: he lifted up his spear against three hundred wounded at one time. 12. And after him Eleazar the son of his uncle, the Ahohite, who was among the three mighty ones. 13. He was with David in Phesdomim, when the Philistines were gathered together to battle in that place; and the field of that country was full of barley, and the people fled from the face of the Philistines. 14. These stood in the midst of the field, and defended it: and when they had slain the Philistines, the Lord wrought a great salvation for his people. 15. And three of the thirty chiefs went down to the rock, where David was, to the cave of Odollam, when the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Raphaim. 16. And David was in the hold, and the garrison of the Philistines in Bethlehem. 17. And David longed, and said: O that some man would give me water of the cistern of Bethlehem, that is in the gate! 18. And these three went through the midst of the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the cistern of Bethlehem, that was in the gate, and brought it to David to drink: but he would not, but rather offered it to the Lord, 19. saying: God forbid that I should do this in the sight of my God, and should drink the blood of these men: for with the hazard of their lives they have brought me the water. And therefore he would not drink: these things did the three most valiant. 20. Abisai also the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three, and he lifted up his spear against three hundred wounded, and he was the most renowned among the three, 21. and among the second three he was the most famous and chief of them: but yet he came not to the first three. 22. Banaias the son of Joiada, a most valiant man, who had done many acts, of Cabseel: he slew two lions of Moab; and he went down and slew a lion in the midst of a cistern in the time of snow. 23. And he slew an Egyptian, whose stature was five cubits, and who had a spear like a weaver’s beam: so he went down to him with a rod, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear. 24. These things did Banaias the son of Joiada, who was the most renowned among the three valiant, 25. the first among the thirty, but yet he came not up to the three: and David made him of his private council. 26. Now the most valiant men in the army were Asahel the brother of Joab, and Elchanan the son of his uncle of Bethlehem. 27. Sammoth the Arorite, Helles the Phalonite. 28. Ira the son of Acces the Thecuite, Abiezer the Anathothite. 29. Sobbochai the Husathite, Ilai the Ahohite. 30. Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baana the Netophathite. 31. Ethai the son of Ribai of Gabaath of the children of Benjamin, Banaia the Pharathonite. 32. Hurai of the torrent Gaas, Abiel the Arbathite, Azmoth the Bauramite, Eliaba the Salabonite. 33. The sons of Assem the Gezonite, Jonathan the son of Sage the Ararite, 34. Ahiam the son of Sachar the Ararite, 35. Eliphal the son of Ur. 36. Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahia the Phelonite. 37. Hesro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Asbai. 38. Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibahar the son of Agarai. 39. Selec the Ammonite, Naarai the Berothite, armourbearer of Joab the son of Sarvia. 40. Ira the Jethrite, Gareb the Jethrite. 41. Urias the Hethite, Zabad the son of Oholi. 42. Adina the son of Siza the Rubenite, prince of the Rubenites, and with him thirty: 43. Hanan the son of Maacha, and Josaphat the Mathanite. 44. Ozia the Astarothite, Samma and Jehiel the sons of Hotham the Arorite. 45. Jedihel the son of Samri, and Joha his brother the Thosaite, 46. Eliel the Mahumite, and Jeribai and Josaia the sons of Elnaem, and Jethma the Moabite, Eliel, and Obed, and Jasiel of Masobia.
The first part we have heard in 2 Kings 3:9, and in the whole of chapter 5, the latter in the same book, chapter 21, verse nus, the Gloss and Cajetan think that these two were the most valiant leaders of the Moabites, and fiercest like lions.
8 ff., where I explained them. But others take them simply as lions, as the word sounds.
2. Thou shalt feed,—that is, thou shalt rule. For a king is the shepherd of peoples, as Homer says of Agamemnon. See what I said on 2 Kings 23:20.
25. And David set him at his ear—that is, made him his secretary, and his most intimate counsellor and monitor; who might advise him about what was to be done, and suggest everything that had to be done by him, as at Rome the Auditors do for the Cardinals, as they call them.
22. He (Banaias) slew two Ariels of Moab,—that is, two lions of Moab, as is said in 2 Kings 23:20. These are called Ariel, that is, lions of God, that is, the greatest and strongest. The Hebrews, Josephus, Lyra-
Those who followed David when he fled from Saul are enumerated; and those who first came to him in Hebron to anoint him king.