Richard Challoner

Heaps of ruin: Literally ruin of the hills.

Pythons: That is, diviners by spirits.

The book of the law: That is, Deuteronomy.

The Second: A street, or part of the city, so called; in Hebrew, Massem.

The king stood upon the step: That is, his tribune, or tribunal, a more eminent place, from whence he might be seen and heard by the people.

The Lord sent against him the rovers: Latrunculos. Bands or parties of men, who pillaged and plundered wherever they came.

In this Epistle St. Peter says (chap. 3.), Behold this second Epistle I write to you: and before (chap. 1. 14,) Being assured that the laying away of this my tabernacle is at hand. This shows, that it was written a very short time before his martyrdom, which was about thirty-five years after our Lord's Ascension. In this Epistle he admonishes the faithful to be mindful of the great gifts they received from God and to join all other virtues with their faith. He warns them against false teachers, by describing their practices and foretelling their punishments. He describes the dissolution of this world by fire and the day of judgment.

This shows plainly that the scriptures are not to be expounded by any one's private judgment or private spirit, because every part of the holy scriptures were written by men inspired by the Holy Ghost, and declared as such by the Church; therefore they are not to be interpreted but by the Spirit of God, which he hath left, and promised to remain with his Church to guide her in all truth to the end of the world. Some may tell us, that many of our divines interpret the scriptures: they may do so, but they do it always with a submission to the judgment of the Church, and not otherwise.

Sects of perdition: That is, heresies destructive of salvation.

A railing judgment: That is, they use no railing, nor cursing sentence; not even in their conflicts with the evil angels. See St. Jude, ver. 9.

The delights of a day: that is, the short delights of this world, in which they place all their happiness.

This Book relates the transactions from the death of Saul until the end of David's reign, being a history for the space of about forty-six years.

I killed him: This story of the young Amalecite was not true, as may easily be proved by comparing it with the last chapter of the foregoing book.

He reigned two years: Viz., before he began visibly to decline: but in all he reigned seven years and six months; for so long David reigned in Hebron.

There was a long war between the house of Saul: Rather a strife or emulation than a war with arms; it lasted five years and a half.

David took more concubines and wives of Jerusalem: Not harlots, but wives of an inferior condition; for such, in scripture, are styled concubines.

Gabaa: 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.

Choirs: Or companies of musicians.

I will establish his kingdom: This prophecy partly relateth to Solomon: but much more to Christ, who is called the son of David in scripture, and who is the builder of the true temple, which is the church, his everlasting kingdom, which shall never fail.

Recorder: Or chancellor.