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*H And David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.
Ver. 1. Again, after he had been anointed. David consulted his officers, &c. (1 Par. xiii. 1.) and called a numerous assembly of the priests and people to meet him at Cariathiarim. — Thousand, in arms, to protect the rest, (C.) who might probably amount to 300,000. H. — This number Capel and Grotius would substitute for the one here mentioned. Some copies of the Sept. read 70,000. In the former assembly, there were 340, or 359, (C.) or 60 thousand. C. v. 1. H.
* Footnotes
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1_Paralipomenon
13:5
So David assembled all Israel from Sihor of Egypt, even to the entering into Emath, to bring the ark of God from Cariathiarim.
- A.M. 2959.
*H And David arose and went, with all the people that were with him of the men of Juda to fetch the ark of God, upon which the name of the Lord of Hosts is invoked, who sitteth over it upon the cherubims.
Ver. 2. Juda. But why are not the other tribes mentioned? and whither did they go? We should probably translate, "from the city of Baalim, in Juda;" which is another name of Cariathiarim, as the Par. intimate, v. 6. See Jos. xv. 9. 60. — Invoked; or which is called "the ark of the Lord."
*H And they laid the ark of God upon a new cart: and took it out of the house of Abinadab, who was in Gabaa, and Oza and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.
Ver. 3. Cart, out of respect, as the Philistines had done, 1 K. vi. 7. But God had ordered the Levites to carry it themselves, and the neglect here proved so dreadful; for which reason, David required the priests to attend when he removed the ark from the house of Obededom, 1 Par. xv. 12. — Gabaa means "the hill of Cariathiarim," where the ark had been in the house of Abinadab, from the time of its being restored back by the Philistines. Ch. — Hunnius would multiply the places where the ark was fixed, to show, against Catholics, that the Church is not confined to one place; (Amama) as if Catholic did not maintain the universality of the Church! H.
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1_Kings
7:1
And the men of Cariathiarim came, and fetched up the ark of the Lord, and carried it into the house of Abinadab, in Gabaa: and they sanctified Eleazar, his son, to keep the ark of the Lord.
*H But David and all Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of wood, on harps and lutes and timbrels and cornets and cymbals.
Ver. 5. Wood. Heb. specifies "fir wood," of which the instruments were, perhaps, usually made.
*H And when they came to the floor of Nachon, Oza put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it: because the oxen kicked and made it lean aside.
Ver. 6. Nachon. 1 Par. Chidon. Heb. may be rendered, "prepared;" (Chal.) as they were almost arrived at the end (C.) of the procession. — His hand, is wanting in Heb. Kennicott. — Kicked. Prot. "shook it." H.
*H And the indignation of the Lord was enkindled against Oza, and he struck him for his rashness: and he died there before the ark of God.
Ver. 7. Rashness. Heb. shal, means also "error, ignorance," &c. Syr. and Arab. better, "because he put forth his hand." Ken. — Oza had touched the ark uncovered, (Serarius) shewing too little confidence in God, as if he could not have hindered it from falling; (Rabbins) or perhaps he was the advisor of the ark's being placed upon a cart, instead of the Levites' shoulders. T. — It is not certain that he was a Levite; and the privilege belonged to the sons of Caath, who could claim this honour only after the ark had been folded up with three covers. Moreover, the priests seem to have been always selected to carry the ark, after they came into the promised land, v. 3. 1 K. iv. 4. &c. It is hoped that the fault of Oza would be expiated by his sudden death, (C.) as his intention was laudable. T. — But God would teach his ministers with what caution they were to treat sacred things, (C.) and how exactly all his injunctions were to be observed. H.
* Summa
*S Part 3, Ques 33, Article 4
[II-II, Q. 33, Art. 4]
Whether a Man Is Bound to Correct His Prelate?
Objection 1: It would seem that no man is bound to correct his prelate. For it is written (Ex. 19:12): "The beast that shall touch the mount shall be stoned," [*Vulg.: 'Everyone that shall touch the mount, dying he shall die.'] and (2 Kings 6:7) it is related that the Lord struck Oza for touching the ark. Now the mount and the ark signify our prelates. Therefore prelates should not be corrected by their subjects.
Obj. 2: Further, a gloss on Gal. 2:11, "I withstood him to the face," adds: "as an equal." Therefore, since a subject is not equal to his prelate, he ought not to correct him.
Obj. 3: Further, Gregory says (Moral. xxiii, 8) that "one ought not to presume to reprove the conduct of holy men, unless one thinks better of oneself." But one ought not to think better of oneself than of one's prelate. Therefore one ought not to correct one's prelate.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine says in his Rule: "Show mercy not only to yourselves, but also to him who, being in the higher position among you, is therefore in greater danger." But fraternal correction is a work of mercy. Therefore even prelates ought to be corrected.
_I answer that,_ A subject is not competent to administer to his prelate the correction which is an act of justice through the coercive nature of punishment: but the fraternal correction which is an act of charity is within the competency of everyone in respect of any person towards whom he is bound by charity, provided there be something in that person which requires correction.
Now an act which proceeds from a habit or power extends to whatever is contained under the object of that power or habit: thus vision extends to all things comprised in the object of sight. Since, however, a virtuous act needs to be moderated by due circumstances, it follows that when a subject corrects his prelate, he ought to do so in a becoming manner, not with impudence and harshness, but with gentleness and respect. Hence the Apostle says (1 Tim. 5:1): "An ancient man rebuke not, but entreat him as a father." Wherefore Dionysius finds fault with the monk Demophilus (Ep. viii), for rebuking a priest with insolence, by striking and turning him out of the church.
Reply Obj. 1: It would seem that a subject touches his prelate inordinately when he upbraids him with insolence, as also when he speaks ill of him: and this is signified by God's condemnation of those who touched the mount and the ark.
Reply Obj. 2: To withstand anyone in public exceeds the mode of fraternal correction, and so Paul would not have withstood Peter then, unless he were in some way his equal as regards the defense of the faith. But one who is not an equal can reprove privately and respectfully. Hence the Apostle in writing to the Colossians (4:17) tells them to admonish their prelate: "Say to Archippus: Fulfil thy ministry [*Vulg.: 'Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.' Cf. 2 Tim. 4:5]." It must be observed, however, that if the faith were endangered, a subject ought to rebuke his prelate even publicly. Hence Paul, who was Peter's subject, rebuked him in public, on account of the imminent danger of scandal concerning faith, and, as the gloss of Augustine says on Gal. 2:11, "Peter gave an example to superiors, that if at any time they should happen to stray from the straight path, they should not disdain to be reproved by their subjects."
Reply Obj. 3: To presume oneself to be simply better than one's prelate, would seem to savor of presumptuous pride; but there is no presumption in thinking oneself better in some respect, because, in this life, no man is without some fault. We must also remember that when a man reproves his prelate charitably, it does not follow that he thinks himself any better, but merely that he offers his help to one who, "being in the higher position among you, is therefore in greater danger," as Augustine observes in his Rule quoted above. _______________________
FIFTH
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1_Paralipomenon
13:11
And David was troubled because the Lord had divided Oza: and he called that place the Breach of Oza to this day.
*H And he would not have the ark of the Lord brought in to himself into the city of David: but he caused it to be carried into the house of Obededom the Gethite.
Ver. 10. Gethite, a native of Geth-remmon, a Levitical city; (Jos. xxi. 24,) or he might have been born at Geth; (C.) or his father might have resided there a long time, (Serar. T.) unless he was there with David. Salien. — He was a Levite, 1 Par. xv. 18. and xvi. 5. and xxvi. 4. C.
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1_Paralipomenon
15:25
So David and all the ancients of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obededom with joy.
*H And it was told king David, that the Lord had blessed Obededom, and all that he had, because of the ark of God. So David went, and brought away the ark of God out of the house of Obededom into the city of David with joy. And there were with David seven choirs, and calves for victims.
Ver. 12. Choirs. Or companies of musicians. Ch. — This sentence is not found in Heb. nor in S. Jerom's version. C. — The Vat. and Alex. Sept. have, "David brought the ark of the Lord from the house of Obeddara, into the city of David, with joy; (13) and there were seven choirs with him, taking up the ark, and the sacrifice, a calf and lamb; (14) and David played on tuneful organs before the Lord; and David had on a beautiful stole." H.
* Footnotes
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1_Paralipomenon
15:26
And when God had helped the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, they offered in sacrifice seven oxen, and seven rams.
*H And when they that carried the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed and ox and a ram:
Ver. 13. Paces. So altars of turf (Grot.) were erected at this distance from each other, on each side of the road. The pagans have sometimes treated their emperors and deities with the like respect. Sueton. in Otho and Calig. — Paris thus addresses Helena in Ovid's Heroic Epistles.
*H And David danced with all his might before the Lord: and David was girded with a linen ephod.
Ver. 14. Ephod which ordinarily was the habit of priests. But no law restrained others from using it, (C.) particularly on sacred occasions; as we often see laics in a surplice, when they have to sing Church music, &c. M. — David had also on a cloak of byssus; (Paral.) and still Michol speaks as if he had been uncovered; because in this solemn ceremony, he was inspired to divest himself of his royal robes, and to act with a degree of enthusiasm; (H.) which would not have been otherwise becoming in a king. David is considered by some of the fathers as a figure of the priests of the new law; as he ate the loaves of proposition, was dressed like priests, &c. Sacerdos scitus erat David. 1 Iræn. iv. S. Amb. v. in Luc. vi. C.
*H And when the ark of the Lord was come into the city of David, Michol the daughter of Saul, looking out through a window, saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord: and she despised him in her heart.
Ver. 16. Leaping. Sept. "beating" musical instruments...she counted him as nothing, &c. H. — She rather partook of her father's disposition and pride. M.
*H And when he had made an end of offering holocausts and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts.
Ver. 18. Blessed. Wishing all sorts of happiness. Only priests and kings perform this function publicly, 3 K. viii. 55. Afterwards David went to his palace, to impart the same blessing to his family, and particularly to the women, who had not been present. This is a vestige of the sacerdotal power, which masters of families formerly enjoyed.
*H And he distributed to all the multitude of Israel, both men and women, to every one, a cake of bread, and a piece of roasted beef, and fine flour fried with oil: and all the people departed every one to his own house.
Ver. 19. Cake, made very thin, with a mixture of oil. — Beef, sufficient for a meal. — Oil. This was much esteemed in those days. Many would translate the Heb. "a bottle of wine."
*H And David returned to bless his own house: and Michol the daughter of Saul coming out to meet David, said: How glorious was the king of Israel to day, uncovering himself before the handmaids of his servants, and was naked, as if one of the buffoons should be naked.
Ver. 20. Fellows. Sept. "dancers." Michol exaggerates, as David had been guilty of no indiscretion, v. 14. C. — S. Gregory (Mor. xxvii. 27,) styles her "insane." Yet Abulensis does not sufficiently approve of David's conduct. M.
*H I will both play and make myself meaner than I have done: and I will be little in my own eyes: and with the handmaids of whom thou speakest, I shall appear more glorious.
Ver. 22. Eyes. Humility in a king is truly noble. — Glorious. He accepts the compliment of Michol, though she had spoken ironically. H.
*H Therefore Michol the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.
Ver. 23. Death. Thus was she punished. The five sons who are attributed to her (C. xxi. 8.) were only adopted; or perhaps we ought to read Merob, instead of Michol; (C.) as the latter had been connected with Phaltiel, and not with Adriel, who was the former's husband. H.