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rites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Ifrael And, afterwards, when Abner was teache iii. 38. rously murder'd, The king (David) faid unto his fervants, Know ye not that that there is a prince, and a great man fallen this day in Ifrael?

2 Sam.

XX. 23.

What Abner was to Saul, the fame Joab was to David. It is faid, Joab was over all the host of Ifrael. And when David was inclin❜d to have Ifrael and Judab number'd, --xxiv.2. be faid to Joab the captain of the hoft, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Ifrael, &c.

2 Sam.

When Abfalom was forming a Rebellion against his Father, he made Amafa captain xvii. 25. of the hoft instead of Joab. And when, after the Death of Abfalom, David was defirous of recalling to their Allegiance, those who had enter'd into the Rebellion with him; he gives Zadok and Abiathar, the Priests, Inftructions for negotiating that Affair with the Heads of Abfalom's Party; This, among other Expedients, being one; *And fay ye to Amafa, art not thou of my

*2 Sam. xix. 13. The Mother of Amafa was David's Sifter, as was also the Mother of Joab. 1 Chron. ii. 16.

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bone and of my flefb? God do fo to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the hoft before me continually, in the room of Joab.. Amafa enjoy'd the Post but a very little Time, if at all. Indeed we find the King ordering him (as in that Capacity) to af → xx. 4? Jemble the men of Judah within three days. But whilft he was out upon that Business, Joab, coming to him with a Shew of 9 Friendship, stabbed him, in the fame treach

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erous Manner as he had done Abner before. Yet, after these Villainies he had Intereft, or rather Power enough to continue Captain of the Hoft, all the Days of David. But, toward the latter End of them, joining with that Party which would have set up Adonijah, he brought upon himself the Fate which he had long before deferv'd.

ii. 28,

When Solomon fucceeded to the Throne, we read that Joab fled unto the tabernacle! Kings of the LORD, and caught hold on the horns of the altar; where he thought to have found Protection; but, upon refufing to come forth was flain there by Benaiah, at the Command of Solomon. The king faid unto him, Fall upon him and bury him; that thou mayst take away the innocent blood which

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which Joab fhed, from me and from the house of my father. And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head; who fell upon two men more righteous and better than be, and flew them with the fword, my father David not knowing thereof; to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Ifrael, and Amafa the fon of Jether, captain of the boft of Judah.

From thefe Accounts, it appears that the Captain of the Hoft poffefs'd a great Share of Power; in a manner equal to that of the King himself.David feems to have been afraid of Joab otherwife he would never have fuffer'd him to live, after thofe bloody Affaffinations. And we may observe that, when Elifba the Prophet, upon being hofpitably entertain'd by the Shunamite, was defirous to make her fome Acknowledgment for it, he bids Gebazi his 2 Kings Servant fay to her, in thefe Words, Behold iv. 13. thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? Wouldft thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the boft?

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SECT. III.

CAPTAINS of Thousands, &c. The rest of the Officers that govern'd the Army we find call'd by the Titles of Captains of Thousands, Captains of Hundreds, Captains of Fifties, and Captains of Tens. Who probably were of the fame Rank with thofe whom Mofes conftituted in the Wilderness, Rulers of Thousands, &c. and, at first, acted in a double Capacity, being at the fame time civil Magiftrates, and military Officers,

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The Captains of Thoufands feem to have been much the fame, ras Colonels of Regiments with us; and the Captains of Hundreds might probably answer to those who, in our Army, have the Command of Troops and Companies; the Captains of Fifties and Tens, to our Subalterns, Serjeants and Corporals.

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Among the Lift of David's Adherents while he fled from Saul, and kept himself 1 Chron. xii, 1. 14. -clofe at Ziklag; after feveral Names mention'd, it is faid; Thefe were of the fons of Gad, captains of the hoft: One of the leaft was over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand. Again, we read of others said

. 20.

to be Captains of the thousands that were of Manaffeh. And when David had Thoughts of bringing the Ark of God from Kirjath1 Chron. jearim we are told, he confulted with the xiii. I. captains of thousands, and hundreds, and with every leader. And again, when he declar'd his Intentions about building the xxviii. Temple, it is faid that he affembled all the princes of Ifrael, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that minifter'd to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and the captains over the i moditi bundreds.

1.

xi. 4.

So when Jehoiada the High-Prieft had a Mind to bring on the Restoration, by de2 Kings claring Joash to be King, he fent for the rulers over hundreds, with the captains, and the guard, and fhewed them the king's fon; and gave them proper Inftructions what they were to do. And the captains over the hundreds did according to all things that Jehoiada the Priest commanded. And to the captains over hundreds did the priest give king David's fpears and fhields, that were in the temple of the LORD. And he took the rulers over hundreds, and the captains, and the guard, and all the people of the land, and they brought down the king from the

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