Poole on 2 Samuel 8:15-18: David's Officers of Court

Verse 15:[1]  And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.

[He reigned over all Israel]  That is, 1.  not only over the tribe of Judah.  2.  He obtained whatever was pertaining to the possession of Israel, namely, the regions all the way to Euphrates, which foreigners were possessing; David either conquered them, or made them tributaries (Sanchez, similarly Menochius).

[He was executing judgment and justice, etc.]  This ought to be the end of war, etc.  He does not, like Alexander, apply himself to hunts and pleasures (Martyr).  Judgment, he was administering justice according to the law.  Justice, he was giving rewards to the well-deserving (Grotius).  He was rendering to each one his due, neither was he injuring anyone.  Judgment is referred to those between whom there is a lawsuit:  but justice signifies equity and benevolence towards all.  Or he was severe to whom it was appropriate, and merciful to whom it was appropriate (Vatablus).

Judgment and justice, that is, just judgment, as Deuteronomy 16:18.  A figure called hendiadys as in Genesis 3:16; Matthew 4:16.

Verse 16:[2]  (2 Sam. 19:13; 20:23; 1 Chron. 11:6; 18:15) And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and (1 Kings 4:3) Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder (or, remembrancer, or, writer of chronicles[3])…

Joab having doubtless declared his repentance for his former crimes, and having done eminent service for his country, and having received the chief command by virtue of David’s promise and contract, 2 Samuel 5:8, was still continued in his place.

[He was of the records (thus Munster, Pagnine, Tigurinus, Castalio, Septuagint), מַזְכִּיר]  One remembering (Montanus), or the remembrancer (Syriac, Arabic, English), or the writer of Chronicles (English).  He was writing the matters conducted by the King, and was committing all things to memory.  Chaldean:  he was appointed over the memories, that is to say, over the book of the memories, or of the histories, as a doctor among the Hebrews explains (Vatablus, similarly Sanchez, Menochius, Lapide).  Out of the registers of this and similar men, which registers were also called ephemerides/day-books, were afterwards composed annals (Sanchez).  Others thus:  his office was to suggest to the King what things were to be done (certain interpreters in Vatablus); and to present the petitions of suppliants, as they are commonly of the secretis/retirements, or secretarii/retreat of princes (certain interpreters in Malvenda, Menochius, Sanchez).  Or perhaps he was the one that was put in charge of the accounts (Mariana).

Recorder; either, first, The writer of chronicles.  But it is not likely he would have been put among the great officers of state and church.  Or, secondly, The treasurer, who examined all the accounts, and kept records of them.  Or, thirdly, The king’s counsellor, as Ahithophel is called, 2 Samuel 15:12; 1 Chronicles 27:33, who was to bring things of moment to the king’s mind and remembrance, and to admonish him from time to time of things fit to be done.  See 1 Kings 4:3; 2 Kings 18:18.

Verse 17:[4]  And (1 Chron. 24:3) Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe (or, secretary[5])…

[And Zadok the son of Ahitub]  This Ahitub is different from that grandson of Eli, 1 Samuel 14:3; for the former descended from Ithamar, but Zadok from Eleazar (Lapide).

The son of Ahitub; not of that Ahitub, 1 Samuel 22; for that was of Ithamar’s race, but this of Eleazar.

[And Ahimelech the son of Abiathar]  There is a great difficulty here, that Ahimelech is said to be priest with Zadok, and is called the son of Abiathar; while rather Abiathar was the son of Ahimelech and priest, the high priest; as it is evident from 1 Kings 4:4 (Sanchez).  Therefore, it appears that he was rather to be called Abiathar the son of Ahimelech (Tirinus).  Thus he actually was in 1 Samuel 22:20 (Estius).  Response 1:  Abiathar was High Priest, as it is evident from 2 Samuel 15:35.  But Ahimelech the son came into the place of his father, whether on account of the old age or infirmity of the father, or on account of his other burdensome occupations (Lapide out of Tostatus); just as previously Phinehas the son of Eli did.[6]  David wanted Abiathar to be with him; when, therefore, he was not able to be present at the Tabernacle, which at that time was in Gibeon,[7] Ahimelech his son was ministering in his place (Sanchez).  Response 2:  One and the same high priest was called Abiathar by family, to which that name was common; and Ahimelech by proper name (Lapide out of Sanchez).  Both Abiathar and Ahimelech had two names, and each was making use of both names (Tirinus, Sanchez out of Theophylact[8] and Salmeron[9]).

[They were priests]  Question:  Were there then two high priests?  Response:  They were both high priests, but they were administering that office by turns (Josephus and Tostatus in Menochius); which is supported by 1 Chronicles 24:3 (Menochius, Sanchez).  By divine dispensation this was permitted to David, or inspired; that, just as he had raised a second tabernacle,[10] he might also have a second high priest (Serarius).  Indeed, Abiathar was priest, as a son of Ahimelech, who could not be legitimately deposed; for which reason he had the Ephod with him, through which also God often gave an oracle.  But the priesthood of Zadok (whom Saul put in the place of Ahimelech) God Himself appears to have approved, 1 Samuel 2, I will raise up a faithful priest, etc. (Sanchez).  Moreover, Zadok appears always to have been the principal man; for, 1.  he remained before the legitimate tabernacle, 1 Chronicles 16:39.  And, 2.  in Scripture he is always set before Abiathar:  Therefore, by his authority and consent Abiathar obtained the priesthood (Serarius).  The sole priest by function of office, or possession of that dignity, was he, that is, Abiathar; but the better parts of the right to the same dignity belonged to Zadok, since to him the priesthood had been promised, Numbers 25, and was to be restored in due time.  In this passage two primary priests, or Archipresbyters, are named, put in charge of the two place in which the worship of God was practiced, namely, Gibeon and Zion; nevertheless, Abiathar, the high priest, was in charge of them (Dionysius and Salian in Tirinus).  The sole priest was Abiathar, whose son Ahimelech David made equal with Zadok, so that those two might be next to the High Priest.  Some think that those two were royal chaplains, through whom he would consult the Lord (Martyr).

Ahimelech the son of Abiathar; so Abiathar called his son by the name of his father, 1 Samuel 22:20.  The priests, that is, the chief priest next under Abiathar, who fled to David, 1 Samuel 22:20, and now was high priest, as may be gathered from 2 Samuel 15:35; 1 Kings 2:27, 35:  under him these two were the next chief priests, or the second priests, each one being chief of the house of his father, Zadok of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of Ithamar.  See Numbers 3:32; 1 Chronicles 24:3, 4.  Or these two are here mentioned, because they constantly attended upon the king, that he might consult with them in the matters of the Lord, as need required.

[Seraiah, the scribe]  Perhaps he was an officer, of finance, who would record the accounts of the Royal fields and revenues into tables, or who would commit laws and acts to writing (Martyr).

Verse 18:[11]  (1 Chron. 18:17) And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the (1 Sam. 30:14) Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief rulers (or, princes,[12] 2 Sam. 20:26[13]).

[Benaiah…over the Cherethites and the Pelethites]  Benaiah…and the haccerethi, and hapheleti[14] (Montanus, Munster), and in the place of over (Munster).  He was over the Creti and Plelethi (Munster, Tigurinus, Osiander).  Thus it is expressed in 1 Chronicles 18:17[15] (Malvenda).  He was put in charge of, or was prefect over, the Cherethites, etc. (Junius and Tremellius, Castalio, Strigelius).  Benaiah was with the Cherethites, etc. (Dutch, certain interpreters in Malvenda).  They note that elsewhere ו/and is posited in the place of עִם/with, as in Exodus 1:5, ‎וְיוֹסֵ֖ף הָיָ֥ה בְמִצְרָֽיִם׃, and Joseph was in Egypt, which they explain as, with Joseph he was in Egypt; likewise in Isaiah 1:13, I am not able to bear the iniquity ‎וַעֲצָרָה, and the solemn assembly, that is, with the solemn assembly.  Thus in 1 Chronicles 18:17, עַל/upon is put in the place of עִם/with, as in Exodus 35:22, and they came, the men ‎עַל־הַנָּשִׁים, upon the women, that is, with the women (Buxtorf’s Vindication 2:418).  Question:  But who then were these?  Responses:  1.  Some translate appellatively, commander over the archers and slingers (Jonathan), from which signification Corytus/Quiver does not depart (Grotius).  Commander to the nobles (or free-born [Arabic]) and soldiers (Syriac).  Others maintain that they were the Sanhedrin or the highest counselors (certain interpreters in Munster).  Just as the Greeks also appear to have understood:  for they say, καὶ Βαναίας—σύμβουλος·  καὶ ὁ Χερεθὶ, etc., and Benaiah…the counselor; and himself Cerethi, etc. (Grotius).  Thus they were called, because they had precise words[16] and marvelous works[17] (certain interpreters in Vatablus out of Munster).  These were Prætorian soldiers, as it were, and the keepers of the Royal person.  Josephus calls them σωματοφύλακας/bodyguards (Menochius, Sanchez, Lapide, Martyr, Malvenda out of Mercerus[18] and Forster,[19] Vatablus).  They were two families, that were never withdrawing from the court of David (Vatablus), which were always surrounding the flanks of the King, ready to execute his command (Munster).  They were named from כָּרַת, to destroy, and פָּלַט, to protect:  because to the former it belonged to execute criminals:  but to the latter, to protect and to keep safe the innocent.  It is no hindrance that it is ‎פְּלֵתִי/Pelethites; for ת/t is sometimes converted into ט/t (Martyr).  Or thus they are called, as if executioners and marvelous, namely, in strength, from פָּלָא (Menochius).  These are the proper names of families in Palestine, which were exceedingly warlike, as it is evident from 1 Samuel 30:14, 16; 2 Samuel 15:18; Ezekiel 25:16; Zephaniah 2:5 (Forster in Malvenda).  If we permit that they were members of the Philistines, perhaps the posterity of these ‎כְּרֵתִי/Cherethites shall be the Cretans (Grotius).  These peoples were neighbors to the Hebrews, from which David selected his bodyguards; as today princes are wont to do from the Scots and Swiss (certain interpreters in Martyr).  But to me it does not appear that he wanted to make use of Foreign bodyguards (Martyr).  The Cherethites are Israelite soldiers, who were abiding in Philistia, or were chosen from them:  for the Philistines are called Cherethites, 1 Samuel 30:14.  The Pelethites are Israelite soldiers, living in יַפְלֵטִי/ Japhleti in the tribe of Joseph, Joshua 16:3 (Junius).  Concerning these I say, 1.  that they were soldiers, out of 2 Samuel 15:18; 20:7; 1 Kings 1:44.  2.  They were not soldiers of just any sort, or else they would have been under Joab;  but they were the King’s guard.  3.  They were not just any attendants, but those only that had joined themselves to David in his flight, as it is taught in 2 Samuel 15:17, 18; and they are called Gittites.  4.  Not all those Gittites were thus called, but only the bravest, most honorable, and most dedicated to the King, 2 Samuel 15:18.  They were just like the Prætorian cohort among the Romans, the cohort of friends among the Macedonians.  5.  Perhaps they initially had their names from places in Palestine, where they had been with David; but much more afterwards from the thing itself, because for the smiting of enemies, and for the deliverance of the King, they were the most well-trained and prepared.  6.  However, it was able to happen, that they were mighty with the bow and the sling, 1 Chronicles 12, and were in the King’s counsel, at least his war-counsel, and were present for the making of covenants (Serarius).

Was over:  these words are supplied out of the parallel place, 1 Chronicles 18:17, and out of 2 Samuel 20:23, where they are expressed.  The Cherethites and Pelethites were undoubtedly soldiers, and such as were eminent for their valour and fidelity to the king, as is evident from 2 Samuel 15:18; 20:7; 1 Kings 1:38, 44; and most probably they were the king’s guards, which consisted of these two bands, who might be distinguished either by their several weapons, or by the differing time or manner of their service.  They are supposed to be thus called, either, first, from their office, which was upon the king’s command to cut off or punish offenders, and to preserve the king’s person, as their names in the Hebrew tongue may seem to imply; or, secondly, from some country or place to which they had relation.  As for the Cherethites, it is certain they were either a branch of the Philistines, or a people neighbouring to them, and confederate with them, as is manifest from 1 Samuel 30:14; Ezekiel 25:16; Zephaniah 2:4, 5.  And so might the Pelethites be too, though that be not related in Scripture.  And these Israelites and soldiers of David might be so called, either because they went and lived with David when he dwelt in those parts; or from some notable exploit against or victory over these people; as among the Romans the names of Asiaticus, Africanus, etc. were given for the same reason.  One of their exploits against the Cherethites is in part related 1 Samuel 30:14.  And it is likely they did many other against them, and against other people, amongst which the Pelethites might be one.

[But the sons of David were priests[20] (thus Munster, Montanus, Strigelius)]  But this was not able to be done by law (Grotius).  Therefore, others translate ‎כֹּהֲנִים otherwise, as Princes (Syriac, Arabic, Pagnine, Kimchi in Mariana, Jonathan in Vatablus), that is to say, greater than, and put in charge of, all those (Vatablus).  Αὐλάρχαι, chiefs of the court (Septuagint in Grotius); thus also the Hebrews, who add that Absalom was indignant, that such an αὐλαρχία had not fallen to him also (Grotius).  They were procurators (Junius and Tremellius).  It is explained in 1 Chronicles 18:17, they were first at the hand of the King.[21]  The same office appears in 1 Kings 4:5 to be called ‎עַל־הַנִּצָּבִים, over the officers or those appointed, where the Greeks have ἐπὶ τῶν καθεσταμένων, over those appointed.  Thus כּוֺהֵן appears to be taken in 2 Samuel 20:26[22] (Grotius), and in Genesis 41:45;[23] Exodus 2:16[24] (Mariana).  The verb כִּהֵן signifies λειτουργεῖν, to minister; thence the participle, passing into the signification of the verbal, if it be referred to God, signifies λειτουργὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, a minister of God, a priest; if to a King, a minister of the King (Grotius).  כּוֺהֵן in general signifies anyone put in charge of a public function, whether it be ecclesiastical and sacred, or political and civil (Piscator).  Here, it signifies the primary Royal ministers, equal in dignity to the priests, as it were.  Moreover, they refer this to all the preceding, and Benaiah…and the Cherethites, etc., and the sons of David were princes, or the first at the hand of the King (certain interpreters in Buxtorf’s Vindication 2:419); that is, continually ready near the King (Dutch).  To others ‎כֹּהֲנִים signifies the disciples of the wise (certain interpreters in Munster).  Princes and servants of the Lord fearing the Lord (Vatablus out of the Hebrews).  The counselors of the King are here called Priests, that is, who are occupied in arranging the affairs of the kingdom, and actually serve by holding court; for even today jurisconsults are called priests of justice (Osiander).  The King is god on earth, as it were; whence by Catachresis his ministers are called priests (Menochius).  I understand here a note of similitude, the sons of David were priests, as it were, because the people heeding and maintaining them.  See what things are on Isaiah 61, them priests, etc. (Sanchez).

Were chief rulers; had the places of greatest authority and dignity conferred upon them.

[1] Hebrew:  ‎וַיִּמְלֹ֥ךְ דָּוִ֖ד עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיְהִ֣י דָוִ֗ד עֹשֶׂ֛ה מִשְׁפָּ֥ט וּצְדָקָ֖ה לְכָל־עַמּֽוֹ׃

[2] Hebrew:  ‎וְיוֹאָ֥ב בֶּן־צְרוּיָ֖ה עַל־הַצָּבָ֑א וִיהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט בֶּן־אֲחִיל֖וּד מַזְכִּֽיר׃

[3] Hebrew:  ‎מַזְכִּיר.

[4] Hebrew:  ‎וְצָד֧וֹק בֶּן־אֲחִיט֛וּב וַאֲחִימֶ֥לֶךְ בֶּן־אֶבְיָתָ֖ר כֹּהֲנִ֑ים וּשְׂרָיָ֖ה סוֹפֵֽר׃

[5] Hebrew:  סוֹפֵר.

[6] See 1 Samuel 1:3; 2:12-17.

[7] See 1 Kings 3:4; 1 Chronicles 16:39.

[8] Theophylact was an eleventh century Byzantine Archbishop of Ohrid (Bulgaria).  Although he himself was Byzantine by heritage and upbringing, he steadfastly championed the interests of the Bulgarian Church.  He wrote commentaries on the Gospels, Acts, the Pauline Epistles, and the Minor Prophets, showing the influence of Chrysostom in method and matter.

[9] Alfonso Salmeron (1515-1585) was a Catholic priest, and one of the first Jesuits.  He wrote sixteen volumes of New Testament commentary.

[10] 2 Samuel 6:17.

[11] Hebrew:  ‎וּבְנָיָ֙הוּ֙ בֶּן־יְה֣וֹיָדָ֔ע וְהַכְּרֵתִ֖י וְהַפְּלֵתִ֑י וּבְנֵ֥י דָוִ֖ד כֹּהֲנִ֥ים הָיֽוּ׃ פ

[12] Hebrew:  ‎כֹּהֲנִים.

[13] 1 Samuel 20:26:  “And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler (‎כֹהֵן) about David.”

[14] A transliteration.

[15] 1 Chronicles 18:17:  “And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites (וּבְנָיָ֙הוּ֙ בֶּן־יְה֣וֹיָדָ֔ע עַל־הַכְּרֵתִ֖י וְהַפְּלֵתִ֑י); and the sons of David were chief about the king.”

[16] כָּרַת/carath signifies to cut off, to clip.

[17] אַפְלֵי/aphle signifies to do wonderful things.

[18] John Mercerus (c. 1510-1572) was a French Catholic Hebraist, successor to Francis Vatablus as Professor of Hebrew and Chaldean at the Hebrew College, Paris (1549), a scholar and lecturer of great reputation in his day.  He was suspected of having Calvinistic sympathies.  He wrote In Genesin, primum Mosis librum, sic a Graecis appellatum, commentarium, and Commentarios in Iobum, et Salomonis Proverbia, Ecclesiasten, Canticum Canticorum.

[19] Johannes Forster (1576-1613) was a German Lutheran Theologian and Churchman, author of commentaries on Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Lamentations.  He served as Professor of Theology at Wittenberg (1607-1613).

[20] Hebrew:  ‎וּבְנֵ֥י דָוִ֖ד כֹּהֲנִ֥ים הָיֽוּ׃.

[21] 1 Chronicles 18:17:  “And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and the sons of David were chief about the king (וּבְנֵי־דָוִיד הָרִאשֹׁנִים לְיַד הַמֶּלֶךְ׃).”

[22] 2 Samuel 20:26:  “And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler (‎כֹהֵן) about David.”

[23] Genesis 41:45:  “And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnath-paaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On (‎כֹּהֵ֥ן אֹ֖ן).  And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.”

[24] Exodus 2:16:  “Now to the priest of Midian (‎וּלְכֹהֵ֥ן מִדְיָ֖ן) were seven daughters:  and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.”