He defeated Moab, and measured them with the line, making them to lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. The Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 2. Earth, like criminals condemned to die. Theodoret.—Some of them he chose to spare, and made tributary, having levelled the strong places with the ground. Den. the Carthusian.—Septuagint intimate that half were destroyed. Calmet.—But the Hebrew rather implies that the greatest part was saved, “a full cord to save alive;” ( Menochius.) unless there were three lots, and only one of them, larger indeed than the rest, spared. Bible.—Death, or slavery, were the portion of all who were taken in war. Grot. Jur. iii. 4. 20.—Lex nulla capto parcit aut pœnam impendit. Seneca.—Tribute. Hebrew “brought gifts,” which is a softer term. The Moabites were thus punished for former and, probably, for some recent offences. Bible.