CHAPTER XX.

Here is a repetition of the story of David's wars, (1.) With the Ammonites, and the taking of Rabbah, ver. 1-3. (2.) With the giants of the Philistines, ver. 4--8.

CHAPTER XXI.

As this rehearsal makes no mention of David's sin in the matter of Urial, so neither of the troubles of his family that followed upon it; not a word of Absalom's rebellion, or Sheba's; but David's sin in numbering the people is here related, because in the atonement for that sin, an intimation was given of the spot of ground on which the temple should be built. Here is, (1.) David's sin in forcing Joab to number the people, ver. 1-4. (2.) David's sorrow for what he had done, as soon as he perceived the sinfulness of it, ver. 5-8. (3.) The sad dilemma (or trilemma rather) he was brought to, when it was put to him to choose how he would be punished for this sin, and what rod he would be beaten with, ver. 9-13. (4.) The woful havock which was made by the pestilence in the country, and the narrow escape which Jerusalem had of being laid waste by it, ver. 14-16. (5.) David's repentance, and sacrifice upon this occasion, and the staying of the plague thereupon, 18-30. This awful story we have already met with, and meditated upon, 2 Sam. xxiv.

VER. 1. "And satan stood up against Israel."]-The name salan signifies an accuser, or destroyer, and satan's standing up against Israel, may be figurative of the enmity of his mind against the church, who are the spiritual Israel of God, whom he endeavours, if possible, to distress and drive into despair, because of the wickedness of their nature, the abomination of their hearts, the greatness of their sins, and their unworthiness of any mercy in which respect satan always stands up against them; but, blessed be God, that satan stands in vain against the Israel of God, and only fulfils the counsels of God's love in all his designs of enmity against his people, because greater is he that is for them than he that is against them; though he provoked David to number the people, which was a sin in David, as it appears to flow from unbelief, whether God had fulfilled his promise to Abraham, namely, "That his seed should be more in number than the sands upon the sea-shore." Note, as satan's enmity never ceaseth, so the children of God will not be exempted from his temptations while they are here

below. Whatever design the Lord may have to bring about by sin, yet satan and our own hearts are therein the active agents. The greatest saint on earth cannot keep himself from falling a prey to satan's temptations without fresh strength from the Lord. See the notes on 2 Sam. xxiv. 1.

CHAPTER XXII.

Out of the eater comes forth meat. It was upon occasion of that terrible judgment, inflicted on Israel for the sin of David, that God gave intimation of the setting-up of another altar, and of the place where he would have the temple to be built, upon which David was excited with great vigour to make preparation for that great work; wherein, though he had long since designed it, it should seem he was of late grown remiss, till awakened by the alarm of that judgment. The tokens of God's favour he received, after those of his displeasure. (1.) Directed him to the place, ver. 1. (2.) Encouraged and quickened him to the work. 1. He set himself to prepare for the building, ver. 2-5. 2. He instructed Solomon, and gave him a charge concerning this work, ver. 6-16. 3. He commanded the princes to assist him in it, ver. 17-19. There is a great deal of difference between the frame of David's spirit in the beginning of the former chapter, and in the beginning of this. There, in the pride of his heart, he was numbering the people; here, in his humility, preparing for the service of God. There corruption was uppermost; but the well of living water in the soul will work itself uppermost again.

VER. 5. "And the house that is to be builded for the Lord, must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory."] -Because the temple which Solomon built was ordained to be a type of Christ in all that glory and magnificence in which it shone. First, the temple was filled with the "glory of the Lord;" in which respect it was figurative of the glories of the Godhead shining forth in the temple of Christ's human nature, "in whom dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." Secondly, the temple was the place where the tribes of Israel met to worship God: the temple was a figure of Christ where all the Israel of God meet to worship him in spirit and in truth. Thirdly, the temple was magnificent, as it was overlaid with gold; so is Christ transcendantly glorious, as he is "the brightness of his Father's glory." Fourthly, the temple was to be "for fame and for glory;" so was the temple of Christ's human nature, where Jehovah dwelt; thereby the fame of his person, as Godman and Mediator, was spread through heaven and the heaven of heavens; all in heaven adored him, and every

seraph praised his name: for thereby the glory of Jehovah's counsel, covenant, and love, is displayed in the salvation of his chosen people. Or if by the magnificence of the temple, we understand it to be a figure of the gospel church, it points out the glory of the church as God's spiritual house and temple, where he manifests his glory, presence, power, and love to his people.

CHAPTER XXIII.

David having given charge concerning the building of the temple, in this and the following chapters settles the method of the temple service, and puts into order the offices and officers of it. In the late irregular times, and during the wars in the beginning of his reign, we may suppose, though the Levitical ordinances were kept up, yet not in that order, nor with that beauty and exactness that was desirable: now David being a prophet as well as a prince, by divine warrant and direction "set in order the things that were wanting." In this chapter, (1.) He declared Solomon to be his successor, ver. 1. (2.) He unmbered the Levites, and appointed them to their respective offices, ver. 2-5. (3.) He took an account of the several families of the Levites, ver. 6-23. (4.) He made a new reckoning of them from twenty years old, and appointed them their work, ver. 24-32. And in this he prepared for the temple as truly as when he laid up gold and silver for it, for the place is of no small account in comparison with the work.

VER. 5. "And four thousand praised the Lord."] -If under the Mosaic dispensation, which was only a shadow of the glory of the gospel, the worshippers were so engaged in praising God, how much greater are the obligations of the children of God under the gospel dispensation, to praise, adore, and love his name, for the great salvation which he has made known? For though the ministration of the law was glorious, yet the ministration of the gospel far excels in glory; the Levitical law being but the shadow and figure, but the gospel is the substance and glory of all the types.

CHAPTER XXIV.

This chapter gives us a more particular account of the distribution of the priests and Levites into their respective classes, for the more regular discharge of their offices, according to their families. (1.) Of the priests, ver. 1-19. (2.) Of the Levites, ver. 20-31.

VER. 19. " As the Lord God of Israel had commanded him."]-David was not only zealous for the building of the temple, but for settling of the priests and Levites as God had commanded. In all our zeal for God, we should be ever careful to see that it is built upon the true knowledge and understanding of his word.

CHAPTER XXV.

David having settled the courses of those Levites that were to attend the priests in their ministrations, proceeds in this chapter to put those into a method that were appointed to be singers and musicians in the temple. Here is, (1.) The persons that were to be employed, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, ver. 1. Their sons, ver. 2-6. and other artists, ver. 7. (2.) The order in which they were to attend determined by lot, ver. 8-31.

VER. 3. "Who prophecied with a harp, to give thanks and to praise the Lord."]-The glory and honour of God was principally intended in all the temple music, whether vocal or instrumental; it was to give thanks and to praise the Lord: in which respect it may be typical of the spiritual harmony and praise of gospel worshippers who sing with grace in their hearts, "making melody to the Lord."

CHAPTER XXVI.

We have here a farther account of the business of the Levites; that tribe had made but a very small figure all the time of the judges, till Eli and Samuel appeared eminent of that tribe. But when David revived religion, the Levites were of all men in the greatest reputation; and happy it was they had Levites that were men of sense, fit to support the honour of their tribe. We have here an account, (1.) Of the Levites that were appointed to be porters, ver. 1–19. (2.) Of those

that were appointed to be treasurers and store-keepers, ver. 20-28. (3.) Of those that were officers and judges in the country, and were entrusted with the administration of public affairs, ver. 29-32.

VER. 12. "Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the chief men, having wards one against another, to minister in the house of the Lord."]As the priests, Levites, and singers, had their particular em ployment in the house of God, so had likewise the porters, who were appointed to attend the temple, to watch around it, to guard the passages to it, to open the gates, to direct those that came to worship, to keep out the unclean, to encourage the weak, to guard against thieves, and to them the keys of the house were committed: and the temple-worship was a figure of the gospel-worship, which is called the kingdom of God.

CHAPTER XXVII.

In this chapter we have the civil list, including the military. (1.) The twelve captains for every several month of the year, ver. 1–15. (2.) The princes of the several tribes, ver. 16-24." (3.) The officers of the court, ver. 25-34.

VER. 23, 24. "But David took not the number of them from twenty years old and under: because the Lord had said, he would increase Israel like to the stars of the heavens. Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but he finished not, because there fell wrath for it against Israel."]

-Which shews that the sin that David committed in numbering the people, was his questioning the truth of God's promise. Nothing sooner brings down the frowns of our heavenly Father than not believing the truth of his promises and the blessings of his covenant.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

The account we had of David's exit in the beginning of the first book of Kings, does not make his sun near so bright, as in this and the following chapter, where we have his solemn farewel both to his son and to his subjects, and must own that he finished well. In this chapter we have, (1.) A general couvention of the states summoned to meet,