David said on that day, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites, let him go up to the watercourse and strike those lame and blind, who are hated by David’s soul.” Therefore they say, “The blind and the lame can’t come into the house.”
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 8. Gutters. Hebrew Tsinnor, “through (Nodius) the subterraneous passage,” (leading to the tops of the houses.) Hugo of Vienna.—Thus Babylon was taken by Cyrus, who passed through the channel of the Euphrates, the waters of which he had let out; though the inhabitants had derided his attempt to take the city by siege, as the men of Jebus do here. Polybius says, “Rabatamana, a city of Arabia, could not be taken, till one of the prisoners shewed the besiegers a subterraneous passage, (υπονομον) through which the besieged came down for water.” Of the same nature were the gutters here spoken of. Ken.—“The king promised to give the command of the army to the man who would pass through the cavities (φαραγγον) below, and take the citadel.” Josephus.—This reward is expressly mentioned in 1 Paral. 11:6, with the person who obtained it; (Saint Jerome Trad.) and it seems, after David, this ought to be inserted, “shall be the head and captain. And Joab, the son of Sarvia, went up first, and was made the general.” Bible.—Hatred. Hebrew “that are hated by David’s soul.” Cajetan supposes that the Jebusites in the citadel, are thus distinguished from those who dwelt peaceably in the lower town, with the Israelites. Calmet.—Proverb. Prot. insert, “He shall be head and captain. Wherefore they said, the blind … into the house.” What is translated temple, may denote also, “the house” of David, or “the place” where this provocation had been given. Bible.—Idols shall never be adored in the true Church. Worthington.—Some think that the blind and the lame were excluded from the temple, or from David’s palace. But we find that they had free access to the temple; (Matthew 21:14, Acts 3:2) and Miphiboseth ate at David’s table, though he was lame. If the Jebusites be designated, they were already excluded from the temple, like other infidels of Chanaan. Calmet.—Josephus (vii. 3.) insinuates, that “David drove them from Jerusalem,” though we read of Areuna residing there. Calmet. 24:16. But he might be a proselyte before, and not dwell in the fort. The expression seems however to be proverbial, to signify any very difficult enterprize, which proves successful, and contrary to expectation. Bible.—The Jebusites were thus derided (Sanctius) in their turn. Tirinus.—Whether Joab took this strong place by a subterraneous passage, ( Bible.) or scaled the walls, and so got to the top, whence the water falls, as from a gutter; ( Calmet.) it is certain that he displayed the utmost valour, and thus obtained the confirmation of his authority, which David would perhaps have willingly taken from him, (Salien) if another had offered himself, and performed this hazardous enterprize. Bible.—He made a fair offer to all Israel, as they probably expected. Kennicott.