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(^292) If the reader will attentively compare the brief notices in 2 Samuel 8:3, 4 and 1
Chronicles 18:3, 4 with those in 2 Samuel 10:15-18 and 1 Chronicles 19:16-18, no
doubt will be left on his mind that they refer to one and the same event, viz., not to
the beginning of the war with Hadad-Ezer, but to its second stage after his
precipitate flight from the battle of Medeba. For detailed proof we must refer to the
Commentaries.
(^293) So in 1 Chronicles 18:10. The writing Joram, in 2 Samuel 8:10, is either a
clerical error or the translation of the heathen into the Jewish form of the name - by
changing "Hadad," or sun-god, into "Jehovah."
(^294) In 2 Samuel 8:13 the words "he smote Edom," have evidently fallen out after
"when he returned from smiting of the Syrians."
(^295) This seems to us the most rational interpretation of the terms, though not a few
have regarded them as names of nationalities, in which case they would represent a
guard of foreign mercenaries.
(^296) The term here used in the Hebrew is cohen, which is always translated "priest,"
but is here employed in its root-meaning: one who represents and pleads the case
of a person.
(^297) This is evident from the circumstance that, on the death of Saul, Mephibosheth
was only five years old (2 Samuel 4:4), while in the account before us he is
represented as having a young son (2 Samuel 9:12), so that a considerable period
must have intervened.
(^298) Much ingenious use has been made of the name "Lo Debar," as meaning "no
pasture." It may help to control such fancies if we point out that the Masoretic
writing "Lo-debar" in two words is manifestly incorrect, the place being probably
the Lidbir of Joshua 13:26 (in our Authorised Version Debir). But even were it
otherwise, Lo-Debar could only mean "no pasture," if the "Lo" were spelt with an
aleph, which it is in 2 Samuel 17:27, but not in 9:4, 5, where it is spelt with a vav,
and hence would mean the opposite of "no pasture." We have called attention to
this as one of many instances of certain interpretations of Holy Scripture, wholly
unwarranted by a proper study of the text, from which, however, too often,
dogmatic inferences are drawn.
(^299) It need scarcely be pointed out, how this truthful account of the sins of Biblical
heroes evinces the authenticity and credibility of the Scriptural narratives. Far
different are the legendary accounts which seek to palliate the sins of Biblical
(^)