DAVID

illustrated by the detailed account of the Bathsheba episode (ll^ 122'); so far from seeking to curb bis passion for her on hearing that she is married, he finds ways and means of ridding himself of the husband, after whose death Bathsheba becomes his queen. The marriage was destined to influence materially the history of Israel (see Adonijah). But the most serious event in the history of the reign of David, so far as the internal affairs of the kingdom were concerned, was the rebellion of his son Absalom. Of an ambitious nature, Absalom sought the succession, even at the expense of dethroning his father. How he set about preparing the ground for the final coup is graphically described in 2 S 16'-«. After four [forty in the EV should be read 'four'] years of suchlike crafty preparation, the rebellion broke out; a feast at Hebron, the old capital, given by Absalom to the con-spirators, was the signal for the outbreak. At first Absalom was successful; he attacked Jerusalem, from which David had to flee; here, following the advice of Ahithophel, he took possession of the royal harem, a sign (in the eyes of the people of those days) of the right of heritage. The most obvious thing to do now would have been for Absalom to pursue David before he had time to gather an army; but, against the advice of Ahithophel, he follows that of Hushai — a secret friend of David — who succeeds in inducing Absalom to waste time by lingering in Jerusalem. Ahithophel, enraged at the failure of his plans, and probably foreseeing what the final result must be, leaves Absalom and goes to his home in Giloh and hangs himself (2 S 17^). In the meantime David, hearing what is going on in Jeru-salem, withdraws across the Jordan, and halts at Ma-banaim; here he gathers his forces together under the leadership of Joab. The decisive battle follows not long after, in the 'forest of Ephraim'; Absalom is com-pletely defeated, and loses his life by being caught in a tree by the head whilst fleeing. Whilst thus hanging he is pierced by Joab, in spite of David's urgent com-mand that he should not be harmed. The touching account of David's sorrow, on hearing of Absalom's death, is given in 2 S IS^^-s^. A second rebellion, of a much less serious character, was that of Sheba, who sought to draw the northern tribes from their alle-giance; it was, however, easily quelled by Joab (ch. 20).

The rebellion (if such it can be called) of Adonijah occurred at the very end of David's reign. This episode is dealt with elsewhere (see Adonijah), and need not, therefore, be described here.

(6) External affairs. — Unlike most of his dealings with foreigners, David's first contact, as king, vrith those outside of his kingdom, viz. with the Syrians, was of a peaceful character. Hiram, king of Tyre, sent (according to 2 S 5", 1 Ch 14') artificers of different kinds to assist David in building. But this was the exception. One of the characteristics of David's reign was its large number of foreign wars. It is, however, necessary to bear in mind that in the case of a newly- established dynasty this is only to be expected. The following is, very briefly, a list of David's foreign wars; they are put in the order found in 2 Sam., but this order is not strictly chronological; moreover, it seems probable that in one or two cases duplicate, but vary-ing, accounts appear: Philistines (5"-^), Moabites (8^), Zobah (83- *), Syrians (S'-'s), Edomites (8»), Ammonites, Syrians (IQi 11' 12»-si), and Philistines (21"-»). David was victorious over all these peoples, the result being a great extension of his kingdom, which reached right up to the Euphrates (cf. Ex 23='-3!, Dt W-^). Wars of this kind presuppose the existence of a, com-paratively speaking, large army; that David had a constant supply of (troops may be gathered from the details given in 1 Ch 27.

While it is impossible to deny that the role of musician in which we are accustomed to picture David is largely the product of later ages, there can be no doubt that

DAY'S JOURNEY

this rdle assigned to him is based on fact (cf. e.g. 1 S 117-87, 2 S 22'-" = Ps 18, Am 6'),'and he must evidently be regarded as one of the main sources of inspiration which guided the nation's musicians of succeeding generations (see art. Psalms).

The character of David offers an intensely interesting complex of good and bad, in which the former largely predominates. As a ruler, warrior, and organizer, he stands pre-eminent among the heroes of Israel. His importance in the domain of the national religion lies mainly in his founding of the sanctuary of Zion, with all that that denotes. While his virtues of open-heartedness, generosity, and valour, besides those already referred to, stand out as clear as the day, his faults are to a large extent due to the age in which he lived, and must be discounted accordingly.

W. O. E. Oesteeley.

DAVID, CITY OP.— See Jehusalem.

DAT.— See Time.

DAY OP ATONEMENT.— See Atonement [Dat of).

DAY OFTHE LORD .—The day in which Jehovah was expected to punish sinful Hebrews and the enemies of Israel, and to establish at least the righteous remnant of His people in political supremacy. The Hebrews believed implicitly that their God Jehovah was certain to defeat all rivals. Before Amos this view had not reached a definite eschatslogy, and probably involved only a general expectation of the triumph of Israel and Israel's God. With Amos, however, the conception of punishment became less ethnic and more moral. Thesins of Israel itself deservfd punishment, and Amos declared that the luxury of t* e nation, with all its economic oppression, had gJown hateful to Jehovah, and unless abandoned would bring fearful punishment (Am 26-' 39-16 510-13 6<-«). The righteousness of Jehovah de-manded that the sins of His people as well as those of the heathen should be punished. After Amos the thought of an awful day of Divine punishment was extended from Israel to a world of sinners. According to Zephaniah (l^-'s 2*-"), punishment was now to come upon all wicked persons, both Jews and Gentiles, because of wrong. So, too, the unknown prophet who wrote under the name of Malachi. Ezekiel (30"- 34'^ 398'), however, reverted to the same national thought of a 'day of battle,' in which Jehovah would conquer all Israel's foes; and to some extent this same national idea is represented by Joel (2"-"). With the later prophets there is to be seen an element of reconstruction as well ^s punishment in Jehovah's action. Sinners, whether Jews or Gentiles, are to be punished, but a pious remnant is to be saved, the beginnings of a new Israel.

It is clear that this conception of a great Day of Jehovah underlies much of the Messianic expectation of apocryphal literature. The establishment of a remnant of a pious Israel was the germ of the hope of the Messianic kingdom; and the Day of Jehovah itself became the Day of Judgment, which figures so largely in both Jewish and Christian Messianism. It fact, it is not too much to say that the eschatology of Judaism is really a development of the implications of the pro-phetic teaching as to the Day of Jehovah.

Shailer Mathews.

DAY'S JOURNEY.— A 'day's journey' (Nu 11=', 1 K 19S Jon 3; Lk 2«; cf. three days' journey, Gn 303«, Ex 3" etc.; seven days, Gn 31") was not, like the ' sabbath day's journey ' (see Weights and Measures), a definite measure of length, but, like our ' stone's throw,' 'bow-shot,' etc., a popular and somewhat indefinite indication of distance. This would naturally vary with the urgency and impedimenta of the traveller or the caravan. Laban in hot pursuit of Jacob, and the Hebrew host in the wilderness, may be taken to represent the extremes in this matter of a 'day's journey' (reft, above), although it is scarcely possible to take Uterally

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