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personages, or even to deny their guilt. Thus the Talmud (Shab., 55. 6) denies the
adultery of David on the ground that every warrior had, before going to the field, to
give his wife a divorce, so that Bathsheba was free. We should, however, add, that
this view was controverted. In the Talmudic tractate Avodah Sarah (4. b, & 5. a) a
very proper application is made of the sin of David, while that of Israel in making
the golden calf is not only excused but actually given thanks for!
(^300) Our description is taken from Canon Tristram's Land of Israel, pp. 549, 559.
(^301) Keil and other commentators are disposed to regard this weight as
approximative, as the crown would, in their opinion, have been too heavy to wear.
But the text does not imply that it was habitually worn, nor was its weight really so
excessive. Comp. Erdmann, die Bucher Samuelis, p. 442, col. b. The question is
very fully discussed in the Talmud (Av. S. 44. a). Among the strange explanations
offered - such as that there was a magnet to draw up the crown; that it was worn
over the phylactery, etc. - the only one worth mention is, that its gems made up its
value to a talent of gold.
(^302) Comp. Delitzsch Commentar u. d. Psalter, Vol. 1 pp. 44, 45, 297. For reasons
which, I hope, will approve themselves on careful comparison of these Psalms, I
have somewhat altered the arrangement proposed by Delitzsch. (^)