Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1907 edition. Excerpt: ... sin, when the country had become secure and prosperous and Jerusalem had become magnificent, is confirmed by the details as given in both Samuel and Chronicles. Later came the great promise (2 Sam. 7; 1 Chron. 17), when Jehovah had given David rest from all his enemies round about (2 Sam. 7:1). We have already seen that this view of the chronology brings the events of the external history into an orderly sequence quite in contrast with the violently improbable order involved in the Josephan cast of the events. While David was king in Hebron both he and Ishbosheth probably accepted the suzerainty of the Philistines. When David was made king of Israel of course the Philistines objected. Having repulsed them in two successive campaigns, David was too wise a general not to carry the war into the enemy's country, and in course of time he took the reins away from the Philistines (2 Sam. 8: i), and held them himself. His other conquests followed, and his sin and his repentance, and his interest in the building of a temple, and his fondness for Solomon. It is no wonder that dissatisfaction arose over the prominence thus given to Jerusalem, and no wonder that there came to be a legitimist party which preferred the succession of elder sons of David to that of Solomon. All these things follow in consecutive order when we once get the correct point of view. The same is true of the personal experience of David. Following the Josephan theory the ethical history of David is a series of contradictions; it becomes an intelligible continuity when we arrange it on the line of the biblical time data. Up to the time of the death of Samuel David's conduct is not merely exemplary, but fine. Then he begins to deteriorate. He plans to avenge himself on Nabal. He...